08102016 main

WEDNESDAY i’m lovin’ it!

HIGH 90ÂşF LOW 79ÂşF

The Tribune L ATEST NE WS ON TRIBUNE242.COM

SUNNY, T-STORM

The People’s Paper Biggest And Best!

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016 PRICE – $1 (Family Islands $1.50)

ds Classifier h 12, 2012 Monday, Marc

N G A I B A R

D E R F I N

-%

$" ) Ĺš( Š0ÂœÂ‘Čą Â?Â&#x;Š—ŒŽ

Čą

help wanted

˜•Â? Ž› žŠ—Â?Â’Â?¢ ȹǛŗȹ ž¢ Â’Â?‘ȹ ŠœœŠž Ĺ˜ ”

Čą Š— ›ȹÂ?Â˜Čą Œ˜Â?’Š Â? ÂŽÂĄÂ?Čą Â˜Â˜ČąÇ­Čą ŠœÂ?Čą ˜ŒŠÂ?ÂŽÂ?ǹȹ ž•ěȹ Â?

ŚŖř

Ç›ČąĹœĹ?ĹœČŹ

tuition school

OLYMPICS LATEST - SEE SPORTS

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Trade

S A M A B A H

Cars Fo Real r Sale Help Estate W Rental anted and m Ads much uch, more. ..

cars for sale

MORLEY INTO FINAL

e TheTribun

real estate

Volume: 112 No.168

CARS! CARS!

CLASSIFIEDS TRADER

Call today 328-0

AT STARTING

for rent

No breakdown of exam results L! ADS SEL PHOTO 351 002 / 502-2

$25

Fitzgerald hails grades - but format change prevents analysis

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net  IN the absence of an official Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) examination letter grade breakdown, Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald’s high praise of an across the board improvement in eight test subjects, including mathematics and English, have raised questions over how well students fared in individual subjects this year.

Asked to reveal the overall averages of core subjects mathematics and English, Mr Fitzgerald said those results remained consistent

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net NEARLY two years after the government rolled out its new immigration policy to clamp down on illegal migration, the Haitian ambassador yesterday described a cumbersome, sluggish and disorganised process marred by ethnic profiling, that ultimately created a “dead end� for unregularised persons of Haitian descent in the country.

SEE PAGE THREE

PLP LEADERS SHOW OFF THEIR DANCE MOVES

with 2015’s dismal averages of E and D+ respectively.

Yesterday, Ministry of Education officials released the official BGCSE and Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC) 2016 exam test scores, but the data issued broke away from the ministry’s traditional release of individual subject analysis.

Instead, this year, only a general overview and percentages calculated per letter grade were released to the media.

According to the results issued, there were 2,107 As; 2,847 Bs; 7,047 Cs; 5,428 Ds; 3,297 Es; 1,885 Fs and 1,179 Gs given for the BGCSE exams.

SEE PAGE SIX

‘LETTER OF INTENT DOUBTS MAKE WELLS A BAD CHOICE’

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net  DNA Leader Branville McCartney yesterday questioned the Free National Movement’s decision to make Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells leader of opposition business in the House of Assembly despite not knowing the full story surrounding his controversial signing of a $650m letter of intent with Stellar Waste to Energy while a member of the Progressive Liberal Party.

Mr McCartney, while delivering a scathing at-

IMMIGRATION POLICY A ‘DEAD END’

tack on the FNM, questioned Mr Wells’ newest appointment, as he suggested it was ironic given the FNM’s many calls for Mr Wells to be fired from his post as parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Works when the letter of intent (LOI) controversy first arose. Mr McCartney also questioned if - now that Mr Wells is leader of opposition business - FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis is “going to push that issue regarding the LOI so that we all know what transpired�.

SEE PAGE FIVE

PRIME Minister Perry Christie and Deputy Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis dancing with residents during Fox Hill Day celebrations yesterday. See page two for more photographs and the full story.

Photo: Peter Ramsay/BIS

MARATHON MP SAYS SEARS DEFEAT OF CHRISTIE IS ‘HIGHLY UNLIKELY’

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net  MARATHON MP Jerome Fitzgerald said the chances of former Attorney General Alfred Sears defeating Prime Minister Perry Christie in the Progressive Liberal Party’s leadership battle are “highly unlikely� as he questioned the rationale behind

the former MP’s bid to head the governing organisation.

Mr Fitzgerald, a strong backer of the prime minister, was adamant that Mr Sears would find difficulty in receiving the nod from members of Parliament who might be apprehensive to support someone as their leader who is not a current MP and has been out of frontline politics for many years.

He said while he could not predict the tone that the PLP’s leadership race will take, Mr Fitzgerald urged supporters not to release the “dogs of war� on Mr Sears, whom he praised as a man of integrity with good social standing. The party is expected to head into a five-day convention during the last week in November.

SEE PAGE SIX

DAVIS SIDESTEPS LEADERSHIP QUESTION

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net DEPUTY Prime Minister Philip “Brave� Davis was evasive when asked yesterday if he will join Alfred Sears and challenge Prime Minister Perry Christie for leader of the Progressive Liberal Party in November. “I don’t discourage ambition,� he said in response to

Mr Sears’ decision to challenge Mr Christie.

He then repeated the line when asked about his own plans.

Asked if he thinks Mr Sears stands a chance, he said: “The results will tell.�

Many believe it is a tall order to defeat Mr Christie in a leadership contest, but some party insiders believe that of all potential challengers, Mr Davis stands the best chance of

NEED HELP WITH SCHOOL EXPENSES?

YES!

*For qualified applicants. Terms and conditions apply.

succeeding.

He has not hidden his desire to someday lead the party.

Although he has been evasive about whether he will challenge Mr Christie, he told reporters last year that “a lot of people� support him for the leadership post, adding that he has “always been ready� to ascend to that position.

SEE PAGE SIX

COLLIE: TIME FOR TENNYSON WELLS TO ZIP HIS LIPS

By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Staff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net  FREE National Movement Chairman Sidney Collie said yesterday it is time for former Cabinet minister Tennyson Wells to “zip his lips� if he is not saying anything “helpful� or beneficial to the party. “It’s time for him to stop talking,� Mr Collie said in an interview with The Tribune. “He isn’t doing us any favours.�

His comments come one day after Mr Wells said the FNM would lose the Long Island seat in the 2017 general election if it presents current Long Island MP Loretta Butler Turner as a candidate for the area. He said the party should find another constituency for her to run in “because she will not be able to salvage SEE PAGE FIVE

Get Fast Approval on a Back to School Loan Enjoy low rates and $100 bonus!* YOU COULD

WIN $5,0OL 00 FOR SCHO

Plus get a SunCard MasterCardÂŽ for school expenses

*

LEADER IN PERSONAL BANKING SERVICES

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

Earn great rewards

WE’RE READY TO SAY “YES�!

VISIT OR CALL 242-502-6206

PAGE 2, Wednesday, August 10, 2016

YOUNGSTERS singing at the Fox Hill Day service at St Paul’s Baptist Church yesterday.

Photos: Peter Ramsay/BIS

Community centre to be completed

by October

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunmedia.net

MELANIE Griffin singing at the Fox Hill Day service yesterday.

FOX Hill MP Fred Mitchell joking with Prime Minister Perry Christie and Deputy Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis yesterday.

YOUNGSTERS singing at St Paul’s Baptist Church yesterday.

THE TRIBUNE

THE stalled Fox Hill community centre, once considered a dream, is now expected to be refurbished and completed by October as a result of a $250,000 loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and a private-public partnership launched by the Christie administration yesterday.

The announcement was made by Fox Hill MP and Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell during the 178th anniversary of Fox Hill Day. As a result of the loan, which is being financed by the Inter-American Development Bank through the Ministry of National Security, the government has secured $250,000 of the $750,000 needed to complete the stalled community centre located on the corner of Fox Hill Road and Romer Street.

The remaining $500,000 needed to complete the projected is expected to be supplied through a privatepublic partnership exercise sanctioned by Prime Minister Perry Christie.

In 1992 former Fox Hill MP George Mackey purchased the plot of land, hoping to develop a community centre capable of servicing the needs of the residents in the area. Subsequently, a foundation was erected, however plans to complete the construction stalled shortly after the PLP lost

the 1992 general election.

When the PLP returned to office in 2002, with Mr Mitchell as the area MP, new construction plans were commissioned.

That PLP administration constructed a new foundation and completed the building to the extent that the multi-purpose auditorium portion of the building could be used. However, the “super structure” component of the facility –kitchen area, offices, bathrooms, study areas – were not completed.

The cornerstone of the remaining section was erected in 2007.

Accompanying Mr Christie, who made his 18th consecutive appearance at the annual Fox Hill Day celebration, were Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis, National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage, Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin and State Minister for Investments Khaalis Rolle.

They, along with Mr Mitchell, visited several churches in the area that held services to commemorate the occasion.

Fox Hill Day marks the journey that took the message of freedom from one historic slave distinct - Gambier Village - to another, Fox Hill.

Touting a message of “celebration” at every stop, the delegation started at St Paul’s Baptist Church where Mr Christie urged those in attendance to mark not only the Fox Hill Day occasion with pride, but its

origin.

In 1801 Samuel Fox, a freed African slave took up residence on a 23-acre plot of land awarded to him in the eastern district of New Providence.

In the years that followed, scores of other freed slaves migrated to and settled on the plot of land, forming the community that was later named in Fox’s honour.

According to Fox Hill lore, despite the declaration of the abolition of slavery being read on August 2, 1834, a decree of the occurrence didn’t arrive to the community until a week later on August 9.

To mark the joy that reverberated throughout the community that day, descendants of those first generation area residents have marked August 9 as the date of celebration since 1838.

Mr Christie noted that the journey of freedom, while a protracted one, once realised gave way to a nation that has made a great impact on the modern world.

Other churches visited by the government delegation were Mt Carey Union Baptist Church and St Mark’s Baptist Church.

It was at Mt Carey where the delegation fully embraced the festivities of Fox Hill Day, as both Prime Minister Christie and Mr Mitchell joined several of the church’s youth in a dance routine; and Mrs Griffin and Mr Davis serenaded the audience with moving Baptist spirituals.

THE TRIBUNE

Ambassador warns of effect on immigration if election process fails

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net THE social, political and economic stability of Haiti hinges on the outcome of its upcoming presidential elections, according to Haitian Ambassador Jean Victor Geneus, who yesterday

underscored the damning impact another failed bid would have on illegal migration challenges in the Bahamas.

The ambassador outlined the mandate set by the beleaguered country’s provisional government led by interim President Jocelerme Privert - as he

HAITIAN Ambassador Jean Victor Geneus (second left) paid a courtesy call on The Tribune yesterday and is pictured with David Chappell, the newspaper’s Managing Editor, Francois Jerome Michel, Minister Counsellor at the Embassy, and Ava Turnquest, The Tribune’s Chief Reporter.

made the case for greater participation from the region in an interview with The Tribune.

“If we don’t want to continue in this political mess,” he said, “we have to do our best to have clean, transparent and democratic elections because there is a cost.

“If we don’t solve this problem then we are going to go deeper, deeper into a very volatile, explosive political situation and the consequence is that the Bahamas will receive more refugees.”

Mr Geneus added: “That’s why we think it’s very important that our neighbours, Cuba, Bahamas, the US, be informed about what we want to do and also we welcome their support.

“We want them to send observers to see for themselves that what is being done is in conformity with the legal process. Observers not only from CARICOM but also local organisations (civil society).”

Mr Geneus said he did

Wednesday, August 10, 2016, PAGE 3

HAITIAN Ambassador Jean Victor Geneus.

Photos: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff

not think the Bahamas government understood the “full picture,” adding that he has recommended that Haiti’s foreign affairs minister meet with diplomatic representatives of neighbouring countries.

Haiti staged its presidential elections in October last year; however, the results were scrapped after an audit revealed findings of significant fraud. The decision to restart the process was decried by international observers, namely the United States and the European Union, who endorsed the results ahead of the audit report. After spending some $33m on the first attempt, the US announced that it would drop funding to complete the race. The European Union observer mission also announced that it would pull out of the country; however, Mr Geneus told The Tribune that the international body has since given its support for the new elections scheduled for October 9.

When asked about the US’ decision to pull fund-

ing, Mr Geneus noted that it was a political move because they supported frontrunner Jovenel Moïse - who was endorsed by the previous government under former President Michel Martelly.

Mr Geneus said: “The US government indicated that they are not going to financially support the elections but the Haitian government never asked for financial support because the government and all sectors of the society believe that it is important that Haitians stop receiving international funding for elections.

We have to do it ourselves because elections are the manifestation of sovereignty and also we had the bad experience with the OAS (Organisation of American States).

“They decided to put aside a candidate without any legal practical reasons, so we don’t want this to happen again. We welcome all the observers but they cannot decide that.

“We have a very credible electoral council and no-

body is trying to influence their work. They are totally independent and autonomous in their actions and activities.”

Without a legally elected president by February 2017, Mr Geneus explained that the country risked the dysfunction of all state institutions, its Parliament, Supreme Court, and the government. He noted that it would also jeopardise support from the international community.

“The government and all sectors of the civil society has decided on a rerun of the first round of elections and the electoral council was put in place after consultation with all sectors to make sure we have an electoral council that was nonpartisan,” Mr Geneus said.

“Habitually the problem has come from fighting to control the electoral machinery. We don’t want it to be that way this time. We have been wasting time, we have been wasting opportunities and the situation in the country is dire.”

to Haiti to apply for (Baha- country - and to this end, mian) residency, then after underscored the critical imfor citizenship. It is a long portance of Haiti’s upcomand complicated process.” ing presidential elections The ambassador also and the need for regional took issue with the stipula- watchdogs. tion that applicants must When asked whether he apply at the local Bahamas felt conditions had normalmission in their parent’s ised since the new immigracountry of origin, adding tion police was introduced, that while it was unclear, Mr Geneus said it was evithe perception was that ap- dent that it had not. plicants were then forced to He referred to comremain in the foreign coun- ments made by Archbishop try until the application was Patrick Pinder during his processed. homily at St Francis Xavier He said officials still held Cathedral in January. Archthe view that eligible per- bishop Pinder decried the sons could have obtained suggestion by Wayne Muntemporary permits to stay roe, QC, of flogging illegal in The Bahamas until they immigrants as a solution are regularised. to illegal migration chal“It is costly, it takes time, lenges, calling the proposiand administratively it is tion uncivil and indicative very cumbersome,” Mr Ge- of a “spirit of inhumanity neus said. among Bahamians.”

“As an alternative, we Archbishop Pinder made believe these people could a similar appeal for tolerhave obtained a temporary ance during the annual Red permit to stay in the coun- Mass service in January try until they are regular- 2015. At that time, he urged ised.

Bahamians to consider the “Also we believe if you positive socio-economic have a steady job of, let’s impact of migration as the say, at least five years, you government continues to pay taxes, you have no crim- battle immigration chalinal records, and it is not an lenges, adding that too ofactivity that Bahamians are ten the debate is focused interested to do, why deport on the perceived negative these people?” effect illegal migrants had The Haitian ambassador on employment and social acknowledged the burden services along with cultural the large Haitian communi- differences. ty placed on the Bahamian government, particularly in terms of immigration control. He conceded that the political instability in Haiti did nothing to resolve or change the economic and political factors influencing Wednesday, 10th August 2016 Haitian migration to the

The government has repeatedly denied accusations of profiling, and the characterisation of apprehension exercises as “round-ups”.

However, Mr Geneus insisted yesterday that the claims were not a widely held perception, but a reality.

“It is not a perception,” he said. “It is a reality because there have been recurrent actions of immigration officials even in public transportation. Definitely there is profiling because many times Bahamians have been arrested and then they find out that they are not Haitians, they are Bahamian.

“If the process is very complicated, and it takes

years to regularise your situation, your status here in the country, and at the same time finding yourself in a position where anytime day or night you can be victim of a crackdown - this definitely has a psychological impact on you.”

He said: “The consequences are so tremendous that there are Haitians, they are afraid of sending their kids to school, afraid to bring their kids to the hospital for fear of being nabbed up by immigration officers and deported.

“The rounding up and deporting is not going to solve this situation that has existed for more than 60 years,” he added.

IMMIGRATION POLICY A ‘DEAD END’ from page one

In a frank discussion with The Tribune on the efficacy of the new policy and its impact on the migrant community, Haitian Ambassador Jean Victor Geneus categorically stated that the introduction of the belonger’s permit did not solve the problem, pointing to a backlog of some 2,000 applicants waiting for the “restrictive” document.

He admitted that sometimes the Haitian government was very concerned by what appeared to be discriminatory practices against Haitians in The Bahamas.

Mr Geneus noted that he has not yet had an official meeting with Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell since he assumed the post ten months ago, but that he would make it a priority as his government was anxious to begin formal talks on greater collaboration between the two countries on common ills of trafficking of drugs and persons.

Seeking to illustrate the on-the-ground realities that his embassy confronts as a result of the country’s new policy, the ambassador revealed that officials were currently seeking an explanation from the Immigration Department on the scheduled deportation of three children.

Mr Geneus said: “(Tuesday) I asked two professionals of the embassy to go to the immigration authorities to find out why three kids, twins aged seven and one aged ten, why they have to go back to Haiti? And nobody can tell us who is the legal person responsible for them. They will be deported this coming Thursday, but we still don’t know. If they are deported without any adult, any legal parents it would be a violation.”

In November 2014, the government introduced a stricter immigration policy

that, among other things, requires every non-Bahamian to have a passport of their nationality.

The country came under heavy fire from local activists and international human rights agencies that expressed concerns that it was an opaque process that targeted Haitian migrants who were profiled, arrested and deported without due process.

Persons born in The Bahamas to foreign parents must obtain documents of their parents’ origin before they are able to apply for Bahamian residency or citizenship at 18.

Mr Geneus said: “To do so you have to go back to Haiti and apply at the Bahamas embassy, and you have a very short deadline to do it, one year. If you don’t do it you lose the opportunity.

Before they were giving the certificate of identity that could be used for travelling, for school enrolment, to open a bank account, now they are giving a belonger’s permit, a belonger’s permit with restrictive aspects.

“I think there are some alternatives to this problem because when you force, when you have so many legal and administrative problems you force these people, you complicate their situation because it is cumbersome, it is complicated, it is costly for them to regularise their status in this country,” he said.

“We believe for people already holding jobs or some activities, the government for some years now could regularise their situation and after that if they want to crackdown on new arrivals that would be understood.

“But if you complicate the situation for those already here it is like a dead end.”

Mr Geneus added: “The child that is born here, it does not have any idea of Haiti. He doesn’t speak the language, and he has to go

SIZZLIN' SUMMER SPECIAL:

"Get a free oil filter with the *purchase of 1 gallon or 4 quarts of 'Castrol' Edge, Magnatec or GTX - while supplies last!" *(Available at Bay Street Garage, Big 6 Auto Parts, J & M Automotive, Variety Auto Parts & WHIM. Certain restrictions apply).

POSITION AVAILABLE

Abaco Pine (www.Abacopine.com) is seeking a new

Sales Manager for the Bahamas

Abaco Pine was formed 2 years ago to start manufacturing the legendary product, and we have now successfully completed production trails after a multi-million dollar investment.

The Sales manager is needed to achieve growth and hit sales volumes by: •

•

• •

“QUOTE OF THE DAY” Distributed By

BAY STREET GARAGE Dowdeswell Street

322-2434 • 322-2082 #246

Designing and implementing a strategic sales plan that expands company’s customer base and ensures its strong presence Build and promote strong, longlasting customer relationships by partnering with them and understanding their needs Present sales reports and realistic forecasts to the management team Identify emerging markets and market shifts while being fully aware of new products and competition status

Abaco Pine will provide the new Sales Manager on the job training in the manufacturing and properties of the product.

Please forward applications to: info@abacopine.com

PAGE 4, Wednesday, August 10, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

jrolle@tribunemedia.net

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914 Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

Published daily Monday to Friday

Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES

News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax

(242) 322-1986 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348

WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com

@tribune242

tribune news network

Trump: Gun owners might stop Clinton WILMINGTON, NC (AP) — Donald Trump ignited a fresh political firestorm Tuesday by declaring gun rights supporters might still find a way to stop Hillary Clinton, even if she should defeat him and then name anti-gun Supreme Court justices. Democrats pounced, accusing him of openly encouraging violence against his opponent.

The Republican presidential nominee has been working this week to move past distracting campaign disputes, but once again he put himself at the center of a blazing controversy.

First, he falsely claimed that Clinton, his Democratic opponent, wants to “essentially abolish the Second Amendment.” She has said repeatedly that she supports the Second Amendment right to own guns, though she does back some stricter gun control measures.

Trump then noted the power Clinton would have to nominate justices to the high court.

“By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people — maybe there is, I don’t know,” Trump told supporters at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina. “But I’ll tell you what.

That will be a horrible day.”

The reaction from Democrats was immediate. Said her campaign manager, Robby Mook: “This is simple — what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.”

Trump’s reaction later as the uproar grew: “Give me a break.” Interviewed by Fox News’ Sean Hannity, he said everyone in his audience knew he was referring to the power of voters and “there can be no other interpretation.”

Trump’s campaign sought to quell the controversy with a statement that blamed the “dishonest media” for misinterpretation. And Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, said his boss was talking about the election choice for pro-gun voters, not encouraging violence.

Yet Trump’s foes were unconvinced and unforgiving.

Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, said, “I think it was just revealing ... and I don’t find the attempt to roll it back persuasive at all.”

Priorities USA, a super PAC supporting Clinton, said Trump had “suggested that someone shoot Hillary Clinton.”

Across the country, Democratic House and Senate candidates piled on, working to tie Trump’s comments to their GOP opponents.

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which has endorsed Clinton, said Trump was encouraging gun violence “based on conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton.”

Tweeted Sen Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, “@realDonaldTrump makes death threats because he’s a pathetic coward who can’t handle the fact that he’s losing to a girl.”

The National Rifle Association, the gun lobby that has endorsed Trump, came to his defense. The group wrote on Twitter that “there’s nothing we can do” if Clinton is elected, urging voters to de-

feat her in November.

The controversy immediately overwhelmed Trump’s intended campaigntrail focus: the economic plan he unveiled just a day earlier and was promoting during a series of rallies in the most competitive general election states. It also reinforced the concern, voiced by many worried Republicans, that he cannot stay disciplined and avoid inflammatory remarks that imperil not only his White House prospects but the re-election chances of many GOP lawmakers.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, who was celebrating a primary victory in Wisconsin Tuesday night, said: “It sounds like just a joke gone bad. I hope they clear this up very quickly. You never joke about something like that.”

At another rally later Tuesday in Fayetteville, Trump was careful with his words. He repeated his argument that Clinton poses a threat to gun rights, but avoided any talk about advocates taking matters into their own hands. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, introducing him, blamed the controversy on “disgusting” journalists.

Clinton’s supporters are hoping the latest Trump trip-up will lead yet more of his fellow Republicans to defect. A day earlier, Maine Sen Susan Collins became the latest to declare she won’t vote for her party’s nominee, explicitly pointing to his “constant stream of cruel comments.”

The US Secret Service, responsible for both Clinton’s and Trump’s protection, said it was aware of what Trump had said but declined to say whether it planned to investigate.

Contrary to Trump’s remarks, Clinton has made her support for gun rights a key piece of her stump speech in a bid to preempt attacks from Trump and groups like the NRA. Still, she supports reinstating a federal assault weapons ban, expanding background checks and barring purchases by domestic abusers, among other steps.

“I’m not here to repeal the Second Amendment,” she said in her Democratic National Convention speech. “I’m not here to take away your guns. I just don’t want you to be shot by someone who shouldn’t have a gun in the first place.”

Clinton spent Tuesday in Florida calling for emergency public health action on the Zika virus while visiting the Miami area dealing with the first US outbreak.

At a local health clinic, she urged Congress to cut short its summer recess and immediately pass funding for a Zika response. She blamed congressional Republicans for inaction.

“Everybody has a stake in this. And that’s really why I’m here,” Clinton said.

“We don’t want to wake up in a year and read more stories about babies like the little girl who just died in Houston.”

It’s an issue that could affect votes in a crucial swing state where she has held a small advantage in recent polls. So far, Trump has not addressed the issue in depth, though he told a Florida television station last week that Gov Rick Scott, a Republican, “really seems to have it under control.”

By Josh Lederman and Catherine Lucey, Associated Press

Who has a right to citizenship?

EDITOR, The Tribune I ALWAYS thought if my mother could show that she was born to a Bahamian, and I am her child, then there is zero dispute to my claim to Bahamian citizenship.

In a TV interview, the Minister responsible for citizenship says very strongly that this is now complicated - his words, as we are now required to show proof that the person’s grandmother is a Bahamian.

When has the laws been changed?

I am so tired of this mess at the Immigration Department. They seem to think that they are a law unto them-

selves and create law out of policy. Was not the Minister told by a Court judgment last year that laws run The Bahamas, not policy?

I think we need clarity from the Minister immediately, because this is beyond stupid.

A non-Bahamian friend of mine told me that recently he had to pay $200 plus $25 for the new Smart Card from Immigration, showing he is a Permanent Resident spouse. He paid that when he received Permanent Residency. Is it law if they pay twice?

ABRAHAM MOSS Nassau, August 3, 2016.

Questions remain over NHI EDITOR, The Tribune.

I HAVE had many conversations lately concerning the PLP’s new national health insurance legislation.

KPMG came out and said they were in favour of the legislation, and I believe they are. After all they were hired to create a framework in which national health insurance and universal healthcare function. The wrong question was asked of KPMG, it should not have been, do they support the legislation, but rather questions like: • What should our unemployment levels be to allow the country to afford NHI. • What should the growth rate be of the economy, should we be in a recession like we are now or would it be better to have an expanding economy?

• When launching a new entitlement plan such as NHI is not difficult to plan for funding in a recession economy?

• What is the likelihood the plan will run into financial problems if our current economic conditions remain the same?

• When will these financial problems begin to become apparent, 2017?

• Do you feel it is feasible to have a public insurer up and running and being effi-

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net cient between now and the beginning of the primary care roll-out in 2017? If yes, what steps do you plan to take to ensure this happens?

• The government has proposed many structural changes to the public healthcare system, do you feel structural changes are enough to improve the public health system or do you also feel that significant process changes need to take place as well?

• Do you feel that many of these process changes need to be in place prior to the roll-out of primary healthcare package, if not please elaborate your reasoning?

You see when you ask a limited question you get a limited response. I have no doubt that KPMG if asked any of the above questions or many more that should be asked their response would not be quite so positive. The Bahamian government led by the Prime Minister is rushing down the road to implement national health insurance for the sole purpose of telling the electorate that

they did it! That the PLP and Prime Minister Perry Christie were the architects of the first national health insurance programme in the Bahamas, what an accomplishment! What they fail to realize is they will also go down in history as the architects of the destruction of the Bahamian economy with their selfish implementation of a plan that is doomed to failure because it has been rushed into existence for political reasons and not to help the Bahamian people. Everybody needs to realize that a good national health insurance plan has many phases of implementation, which takes years to achieve and more money than what we currently have. One final note, I noticed the government wants to bring in Cuban doctors to replace Bahamian doctors who do not go along with their plan. I was thinking that perhaps we should bring in politicians from Luxembourg to show this group how to run a country and raise the per capita income to truly first world standards, and to a level in which we all could easily afford high-quality healthcare.

FED UP Nassau, August 9, 2016

Sears is to be congratulated EDITOR, The Tribune AS a former colleague of Alfred Sears on the College of The Bahamas Council, let me begin by congratulating him for his modern day attempt to challenge the way leadership politics has been and is being conducted in the Progressive Liberal Party.

I am well aware that Mr Sears had been considering taking on this challenge for some time now, so it is good to see that he is going to follow through on it.

I wish Mr Sears the very best in his campaign to convince residents of Fort Charlotte, members and delegates of his party, and the Bahamian public

at large that his track record as a former Member of Parliament, Minister of Education, Attorney General, Chairman of the College of The Bahamas Council, and Attorneyat-Law makes him more valuable than Prime Minister Perry Christie, when considering Mr Christie’s track record.

I know both will be presenting their respective vision plans, and in keeping their leadership bids civil, I hope that both will solely speak of their track records and tie those records to their ability to get their proposed talking points done, considering the PLP’s track record of getting things done, and both candidates’

roles in things either getting done or not getting done during their respective tenures in office as colleagues.

As they share their dreams, I encourage them to demonstrate how their past public utterances have turned into acts that were actually accomplished, so that those making the choice and determining the way forward can do so with accurate records of the lasting benefits on the systems or communities under their care during their service in office.

In a time when our generation is looking for change from the same-old establishment politicians, I am sure the public looks forward to Mr Sears and Mr

Christie’s presenting the easily verifiable footprints which show that one opponent is and will be more capable than the other when it comes to getting things done; and that the other is – or rest are – more of the same bare-minimum, do nothing, establishment politician that the public is tired of and trying to get rid of.

In the interest of transparency, accountability and trust, I expect that both men – more than anything – will keep the discussion about their track records not just honourable, but honest.

MARK HUMES Nassau, August 8, 2016.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, August 10, 2016, PAGE 5

Residents left without water with island plant in disrepair

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net DISRUPTIONS to their water supply has left many residents of Eleuthera angry and miserable as they struggle to obtain water to carry out such basic tasks as bathing and flushing toilets.

The problem, The Tribune understands,is that the island’s water plant is in a poor state of maintenance, creating constant problems that need to be fixed.

Disruptions to the water supply has been a recurring problem for much of the past year, with the most significant period of disruption lasting for the past two weeks as residents of Cen-

tral Eleuthera find themselves visiting water pumps and outside wells to get water.

Gina Wallace, a resident of the area, told The Tribune yesterday: “My biggest concern is not only do I have a restaurant, but I have a nine-year-old daughter.

“She has been out of school probably every two weeks because the water is not on. She’s missed a tremendous amount of school days that have not been made up. I’m talking about months’ worth of school.

“The school would just call you in the middle of the day and say ‘school is going to end early because there is no water.’ “One time there was three to four consecutive days when she was

home.”

According to Central Eleuthera MP Damian Gomez, the problem is that the island’s water plant has not been well maintained.

“Water and Sewerage entered into an exclusive agreement with General Electric Corporation (GE) and GE is responsible for maintenance of material,” he said.

“What has happened is that over the last 30 years, we’ve had no maintenance at all, so parts of the plant are breaking down with a level of frequency that is not only alarming but paralytic.”

Mr Gomez and residents described the problem yesterday as “horrific” because it has severely impacted

business on the island as well as their way of life.

“You fix one problem today and tomorrow another problem surfaces,” Mr Gomez said. “Water and Sewerage is getting the bad rap for it but it really isn’t their fault. The reality is we got to get out of the agreement with GE. I am imploring the chairman of Water & Sewerage to take all steps to get out of the agreement, even if only to renegotiate it again. This is a serious, serious problem. Eleuthera reels from water shortage to water shortage.”

Water tanks at the island’s water plant, Mr Gomez said, are unable to properly store water.

However, he added that

by Christmas the “full com-

plement of tanks” should be up and running.

“That’s five tanks at the naval base,” he said.

Meanwhile, residents expressed fury at what they believe is the government’s incapacity to address the problem.

One man said he can’t run his business because of the issue.

“Hygiene is important in the kitchen,” he said. “It’s also a big concern for people and I have young ladies who live with me and it’s a big problem. Politicians are well paid in this country. We hire people and put governments in place to run our business efficiently and effectively. So what are they doing with our taxes? Who is running our government?

I question the honesty and integrity of these administrations, both past and present.”

Residents have been obtaining water from nearby wells and public water pumps.

“My daughter is walking in the house with gallons of water to flush the toilet right now,” Wendy Wallace told The Tribune yesterday.

“You know what it is when a woman can’t bathe or even wash their hands after using the bathroom?

You have to make sure you get a little bit of water here and there, getting water from pumps on the side of the road and from the wells people have in their yard. Otherwise, you’re doomed.”

DAMAGED UNDERWATER CABLE LEAVES PARTS OF BIMINI WITHOUT POWER

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power and Light officials are in the process of repairing a damaged underwater cable that has reportedly left portions of Resorts World Bimini without power since the weekend.

Arnette Ingraham, BPL spokesperson, said technicians have identified a “fault” in a main cable and are “carrying out repairs” on the damaged underwater line, which she said has resulted in “intermittent outages” at the resort since

Saturday.

Mrs Ingraham could not give a timeline for the completion of repairs, however, she said in the event repairs prove to be unsuccessful, the company would seek to source a cable from Abaco and have it sent to Bimini to be installed.

Mrs Ingraham’s statements came after Lloyd Edgecombe, a member of the Bimini District Council, notified The Tribune and claimed that half of the Resorts World Bimini property had been without electricity since Wednesday of last week. As a result, Mr Edgecombe said

some 800 employees living in dormitories at the resort, as well as a number of local merchants who rent stores in the area, were being adversely affected because of the lack of power.

Mr Edgecombe suggested that local BPL technicians were unable to fix the problem, and suggested that the company send in technicians from New Providence to expedite the troubleshooting process.

When contacted yesterday, however, Mrs Ingraham denied that the resort had been without power since Wednesday, but did admit that the company

was having issues with providing power to the resort since Saturday due to a fault in an underwater cable.

Mrs Ingraham said that the resort would have still been able to receive power from the island’s overhead lines, but explained that the intermittent outages likely occurred because those lines were not built to provide power to the entire resort.

She also said the intermittent outages were limited to the Bimini Bay property and that no residential properties were affected by the power outages.

“So some parts of the resort would have power at one time and other parts wouldn’t,” she said. “So it’s not like they haven’t had power for the entire weekend or anything like that.

But there have been intermittent outages since Saturday.”

She said the delay in fixing the problem was due to the cable’s placement underwater and bad weather.

“It’s literally a cable that’s buried on the seabed,” she said.

“So you can imagine the difficulty trying to find a fault underwater when you’ve seen the

‘LETTER OF INTENT DOUBTS MAKE WELLS A BAD CHOICE’ from page one

Mr McCartney also said that Mr Wells’ appointment only occurred because Dr Minnis “didn’t have anybody else to appoint as leader of opposition business.”

The post was first offered to Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner after the FNM’s bitter convention at the end of July. She declined that offer. Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant resigned from the post last week, days after it was revealed that Mrs Butler-Turner had been offered the job.

Mr McCartney also criticised the FNM for all of its “continuous infighting,” charging that the country “would be in problems” should the FNM win the next election.

He made his statements while a guest on 96.9 FM talk show “The Revolution” with host Juan McCartney yesterday afternoon.

Mr Wells joined the FNM last November, nearly a year after being fired by Prime Minister Perry Christie from his post for signing the LOI to have a waste-toenergy facility built at the city dump without Cabinet approval.

When the controversy was first revealed, Dr Min-

nis told The Tribune that he and the FNM would not rest until Mr Wells was removed as parliamentary secretary.

“Now since Renward Wells is indeed now the leader of opposition business, I’m wondering if (Dr Minnis) is going to push that issue regarding the LOI so that we all know what transpired,” Mr McCartney said yesterday.

“Dr Minnis was adamant (at the time). He was calling for Renward Wells’ resignation. Now you have the deputy leader of the FNM saying that he has a ‘great future’ in this party and that his ‘future is bright in politics.’

“But a few months ago they were calling for Renward Wells’ resignation.

This is the FNM that you’re dealing with today. This is the type of party that you have. This is the silliness that’s going on. The bottom line is this - Dr Minnis didn’t have a choice; he didn’t have anybody else to appoint as leader of opposition business.

“Because it’s my understanding that (Hubert Chipman), Richard (Lightbourn) and Theo (Neilly) probably will not be running anymore. So he only had Edison, Neko who resigned, and Loretta ButlerTurner. He had no other

choice. That’s the FNM that you’re dealing with.”

Mr McCartney then turned his attention to the internal bickering in the Official Opposition.

He singled out Mrs Butler-Turner, whom he called a “quitter” for waging a “full campaign against the leader of the party” ahead of the FNM’s recent convention, only to “quit” prior to the conclusion of the three-day event.

“I know she says that she never loses, she just learns,” Mr McCartney said. “Well she also quits, and a quitter could never be winner.

Winners never quit. And that was utterly disappointing to see, utterly disappointing when she quit the race, because the reality is even if she was not successful, she ought to have gone straight through with it.”

He added: “All through the last four and a half years, continuous infighting. That’s not going to change within the next nine months. You think Loretta and Dr Minnis and (Richard Lightbourn) and (Hubert Chipman) and all those boys are going to hug and make up? If they do it’s not going to be genuine, and the Bahamian people ought to look at that and see if that’s the kind of government that they want. Can you imagine putting them in the seat of

COLLIE: TIME FOR TENNYSON WELLS TO ZIP HIS LIPS from page one

the damage she did with the people down there.”

However, Mr Wells admitted that Mrs ButlerTurner did the right thing when she urged her supporters on Sunday to back FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis.

Mr Collie said he understands that “a lot” of FNMs do not believe Mrs ButlerTurner’s new support of Dr Minnis is sincere, but he said he believes she is genuine and she wants to see the party move forward.

“Many FNMs, senior members and supporters, are still sceptical and believe she isn’t being truthful,” Mr Collie said.

“A lot of persons have expressed doubt and concern but I believe she has turned

the page and she wants to see the FNM (become) the government. What matters is that the leader believes her and he does. He has offered her the nomination for Long Island and he intends to keep that promise.

Tennyson Wells is a friend and we go back but he needs to zip it up, especially if he is not being helpful.

I would prefer for him not to make them public statements.

“I can say without a shadow of a doubt that she will be given that nomination.

She has an important voice in the party and we all fully support her.”

Mr Collie said the FNM plans on having a conclave “before the end of the year” to bring everyone together for a “show of unity” in preparation for the general election.

Days after insisting that she “can’t be bought” by the FNM, Mrs Butler-Turner on Sunday made a drastic change in position and urged supporters to back Dr Minnis’ team.

She appealed for the party and the wider public to be patient with her as she continues to “grow and change” and said she would accept the party’s nomination for the Long Island constituency if voters there wanted her to do so.

Her statement came after a bitter fight with Dr Minnis in the lead up to a leadership race at the party’s three-day convention last month. Mrs Butler-Turner dropped out of the race on the final day of the convention. She had earlier accused Dr Minnis of trying to “silence” her and “steal” the convention.

RENWARD WELLS governance, and they have now were to win? We would this type of party? Can you be in problems.”

Mr McCartney quit the imagine the type of eruption that can happen with FNM in 2011 and later this country if the FNM in formed the Democratic Nathe way they are constituted tional Alliance.

weather conditions we’ve also had for the last couple of days. And it’s only a small fault on a very large cable, so they’ve had difficulty and challenges in finding it.”

Nonetheless, she said officials are working to fix the problem. She could not give a possible timeline for completion, however.

“They found a fault and they’re carrying out repairs right now,” she told The Tribune yesterday.

“Of course the cable in Abaco is a second option if repairs don’t work, but at this point they’re carrying out repairs.”

PAGE 6, Wednesday, August 10, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

No breakdown of exam results from page one

Regarding the number of students who sat the tests, there were 6,450 or a 1.13 per cent decrease compared to the 6,524 test takers in 2015. The decrease is attributed to more students taking the exams earlier than the ministry requires, Mr Fitzgerald said.

Overall, the minister said he was “proud” and “pleased” with the marginal improvements seen in this year’s exam grades.

In 2016, there was a marginal increase in performance after a total of 574 candidates received at least a C or better in mathematics, English, and science.

This represented a small increase of 0.70 per cent when compared to 2015’s figure of 570.

Mr Fitzgerald said marked improvements in these subjects would not be seen for several years as he defended the government as having “done all it can” to assist students in excelling in the national examinations.

“What I can say is that the averages have not changed that much and I have said before that you will not see a change in averages for a number of years,” the minister said while responding to a question from The Tribune.

“As I said, the challenges are deep rooted. They are challenges that we have been battling with for some time and until we as a country and in particular parents

take responsibility for the education of their children and ensuring that they at least come to the afternoon classes we are providing free of charge so that they can have improvement, and we can show from statistics that those students who were responsible enough or parents who were responsible enough to make sure the children came to those classes, the statistics show that they had tremendous success in the BJC results and that is a reflection of what you saw. You will not see improvement to any great extent until we get to that point.

“The teachers are doing all they can and the ministry is doing everything they can. The government is providing resources like no other government has ever provided before to ensure that the students are given every opportunity are improved.”

A further breakdown by the ministry showed 903 students received at least a C in five or more subjects in 2016 compared to 961 students in 2015. This represents a 6.04 per cent decrease.

In 2016, a total of 1,459 students obtained a minimum grade of D in at least five subjects. This represents a decrease of 4.89 per cent from 2015, which had a total of 1,534 students fall into this category.

In comparison, the BJC results appeared to out perform the 2016 BGCSE results, with officials recording the best BJC grades in

MINISTER of Education, Science and Technology Jerome Fitzgerald pictured as he announces the 2016 national exam results.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff 20 years. They attributed this improvement to the new criteria put in place through the National High School Diploma.

There were 3,857 As; 6,628 Bs; 8,926 Cs; 7,524 Ds; 5,876 Es; 3,965 Fs and 2,543 Gs - or 64 per cent receiving A to D grades and

36 per cent getting grades of E and below.

This year’s results have seen an increase in the number of BJC candidates.

Candidates totalling 11,703 from a total of 120 centres registered to do the BJC exams for the 11 subjects offered.

The candidates came from 68 independent or private schools and 52 government schools.

This represents a 10.69 per cent increase over 2015.

The total number of grades awarded in 2016 is 41,894 compared to 39,657 in 2015, an increase of 5.64 per cent.

Overall, the number of candidates achieving grades A-D compared to last year increased by 1,667.

Mr Fitzgerald said while officials note the improvements, the government still has a long way to go to raise the standard of education in The Bahamas.

MARATHON MP SAYS SEARS DEFEAT OF CHRISTIE IS ‘HIGHLY UNLIKELY’ from page one

Mr Fitzgerald told reporters that the “dogs of war” ravaged Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner when she faced off against Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis two weeks ago in the oppo-

sition party’s convention.

On Sunday, Mr Sears announced his intention to challenge Mr Christie, meaning that the prime minister will face the first challenge to his leadership since National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage and attorney Paul Moss faced off against him

in 2009.

Mr Christie told The Tribune on Monday that he does not feel threatened by this.

“I think at the end of the day timing is everything in life and I just question his timing at this point because at the end of the day the reality is that he has been out

of politics for a number of years,” Mr Fitzgerald told reporters following a press conference at the Ministry of Education yesterday.

“He is not a member of Parliament and he will be asking those who are members of Parliament to support him over the prime minister, who is a member of Parliament. So it’s a strange position where you’ll be asking members of Parliament from the outside to support you and to lead us. So I am not sure to what extent he would have thought that through, but having said that, I think as a Progressive Liberal Party new generation, I want to ensure that at the end of the day we don’t see in our party what happened with the Free National Movement and Loretta Butler-Turner and so I will just really be asking all of our members to treat Mr Sears with respect.

“At the end of the day he is free to do that. His chances of success I believe are highly, highly unlikely.”

The minister of education added: “I have a lot of respect for Mr Sears. Of course he has a lot to offer.

With his platform I just wish that he would have brought

it to the party so that we could have looked at it and see how we could have included it in our platform as a Progressive Liberal Party as opposed to it appearing that it is an Alfred Sears driven agenda.

“I really don’t want us to get into the depth of what I saw at the FNM convention where what I call ‘the dogs of war’ were really released on Loretta Butler-Turner and I don’t want to see ‘the dogs of war’ within the PLP released on Alfred Sears.

He has contributed far too much and he is a senior member within the party.

“Again his chances of success are slim, but that’s neither here nor there that’s just my personal view.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the prime minister, who is a sitting prime minister and who has decided that he wants to remain in office, is very popular still in his constituency and has been so for the last 40 years. Again I don’t know if Mr Sears considered that.”

On Monday, Mr Christie told The Tribune he didn’t see Mr Sears’ bid to contest the party’s leadership as problematic.

He said: “There is no problem at all. We are a

wonderful party, a big tent with strong traditions of democratic functions. All is well.”

Pressed further, Mr Christie suggested that he was not concerned about a leadership race at the PLP convention, saying the rules of the party will take precedence over everything else.

“I am leader of the party and I am focused on developmental issues in the country. People expect me to be able to deal with mortgage relief (and) Baha Mar. That’s what we are doing now and so our convention goes by rules and once people comply with the rules we are okay.”

For months, Mr Sears has been laying the groundwork for a leadership run, having recently released a list of proposals he intends to champion if he becomes leader of the PLP. He spent recent months canvassing the country to make an assessment about whether it would be wise to run for leader. Mr Sears, recently ratified as the PLP’s election candidate for Ft Charlotte, pledged to run a “clean” race, one without personal attacks.

He represented Ft Charlotte from 2002-2012.

DAVIS SIDESTEPS LEADERSHIP QUESTION from page one

More recently, Mr Davis contradicted Mr Christie’s suggestion that the PLP would become unstable if he no longer leads the party.

His comment came after Mr Christie said he will run for leader again because he provides stability to his party and because young members of his government have encouraged him to stay on.

“The PLP always finds a way to right its way at any given time despite whatever happens,” Mr Davis said in response to Mr Christie’s comments about PLP stability.

Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Branville McCartney also weighed in on the PLP leadership race, suggesting dur-

ing an appearance on the 96.9 FM show The Revolution yesterday that the race is stacked in Mr Christie’s favour.

“We have this sham of a leadership race now with Alfred Sears,” Mr McCartney told the show’s host, Juan McCartney. “That’s a sham. Alfred Sears can’t win that. Perry Christie today can determine if he wants a thousand more stalwart councillors. And this is a sham to show.

“What the PLP is going to do, they’re going to say that they have this leadership race, and they’re going to – although Mr Alfred Sears cannot win – they’re going to do it in a very dignified way, and almost show where comparing their leadership race to the FNM’s leadership race, and they’re really

going to show up the FNM. But it’s a sham.

“If you want a real race for leadership. It ought to be between the deputy prime minister and the prime minister. Now that wouldn’t be a sham. Because you would recall that...this is the prime minister that says he is building a bridge to the future. Well that bridge has blown up. That bridge has disintegrated. This is the prime minister that said that all is well and all will be good. We’re suffering in this country,” Mr McCartney said.

Mr Sears, a former attorney general and minister of education, was recently ratified as the PLP’s election candidate for the Ft Charlotte constituency. He represented the area from 2002-2012.

32 CUBANS HELD AFTER RBDF BOARDS BOAT THIRTY-TWO Cuban migrants were apprehended in the southern Bahamas by members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force on Monday afternoon.

While on routine patrol, Defence Force craft HMBS Leon Smith, commanded

by Acting Lieutenant Commander Stephen Rolle, intercepted and boarded a makeshift motor-driven vessel in Bahamian waters near Cay Lobos around 3pm.

A search of the vessel revealed 31 men and one

woman, who were then taken aboard the Defence Force craft.

Arrangements will be made to have the migrants taken to Nassau, where they will be handed over to Immigration officials.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, August 10, 2016, PAGE 7

Legal parties to visit Nygard property as part of review

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net PROCEEDINGS concerning whether Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard illegally increased the size of his Lyford Cay property will resume in October with a visit to the site of the alleged expansion.

Legal parties involved in an ongoing judicial review before Justice Rhonda Bain appeared in the Supreme Court yesterday for a status hearing on the matter which had been stalled by Mr Nygard’s application for the judge to recuse herself from a contempt of court hearing initiated by environment group Save The Bays.

Gia Moxey, who appeared for Mr Nygard, con-

firmed to Justice Bain that Mr Nygard will make himself available the full week of October 3 for the continuation of the case.

The first day was fixed for a site visit to Lyford Cay and the remaining days for cross-examination of witnesses from both sides involved in the legal dispute.

Fred Smith, QC, and lead counsel for the applicants of the judicial review requested that Mr Nygard – if he intends to – file/submit any new affidavit evidence on/ or before August 26 so that the matter resumes without further interruptions.

The matter of Mr Nygard’s contempt proceedings also will be dealt with during that week.

Justice Bain was asked to recuse herself from committal proceedings involv-

ing Mr Nygard through a notice of motion filed in the Supreme Court by his lawyer, Elliot Lockhart, QC, on the grounds of bias.

However, in January, Justice Bain said Mr Nygard had not proved there was evidence of bias or apparent bias towards him and found the accusations to be “scandalous”.

The Court of Appeal, in June, affirmed Justice Bain’s rejection of the application in an appeal of the decision by the Lyford Cay resident. A published decision is expected to follow.

At a hearing in 2015, Justice Bain had ordered that Mr Nygard be present in court the next day for the committal hearing against him regarding the alleged October 2014 dredging at his Lyford Cay property

and to determine whether he was in breach of an injunction against him.

Mr Nygard was served with the second motion outside the courtroom.

In a previous affidavit in support of Justice Bain recusing herself from Mr Nygard’s committal hearings on the grounds of bias, the Canadian’s former attorney Keod Smith stated that both he and his client took the position that Mr Nygard was ordered to remain in court that day “for the sole purpose of affording and/or facilitating” Fred Smith, QC, in serving the fashion designer with the legal notice, notwithstanding Save The Bay’s (STB) alleged numerous failed attempts to previously serve Mr Nygard with the documents.

In that affidavit, dated September 17, 2015, Keod Smith also claimed that neither Justice Bain nor Fred Smith indicated to Mr Nygard or his lawyer that STB “had or was about to commence another contempt application.”

STB, formerly known as the Coalition to Save Clifton Bay, refuted Mr Nygard’s recusal application, arguing that it was “transparently calculated to delay the progress of the first committal application” against Mr Nygard.

STB’s battle with Mr Nygard over the construction/development activities at his Lyford Cay home stem from allegations that the activities have led to substantial growth of the property.

The group claims that the

Lyford Cay resident has almost doubled his property’s size, from 3.25 acres to 6.1 acres, since he acquired it in 1984, by allegedly reclaiming Crown land from the sea. The advocacy group has alleged that Mr Nygard achieved this without the necessary permits and approvals, claims that have been denied by the fashion designer.

That comes against the backdrop of Justice Bain’s ruling in 2013 that until the conclusion of judicial review proceedings challenging the legality of the construction of a groyne and the dredging of the seabed off Nygard Cay, neither activity could continue. However, since then, STB has submitted photographic evidence in court alleging that the opposite has happened.

WOMAN ACCUSED OF BITING FEMALE POLICE OFFICER

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A WOMAN was granted bail yesterday after she was accused of attacking a police officer at the scene of a house fire.

Denise Sands-Cash, 48,

of Cambridge Lane, appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney facing a single charge of “assaulting a police officer”, which was allegedly committed on Saturday, August 6.

It is claimed that she unlawfully assaulted W/

Cpl 2777 Davis while the latter had been acting in the execution of her duties.

On the day in question, the Fire Services Branch of the Royal Bahamas Police Force responded to a structural fire on Augusta Street around 8pm.

After extinguishing the flames to the extensively damaged property, officers attempted to arrest a woman at the scene believed to have information about the origin of the blaze.

The woman reportedly resisted arrest and bit a female officer on the leg

resulting in the latter having to receive treatment in hospital.

Sands-Cash pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted $1,000 bail.

She returns to Magistrate’s Court on August 19.

Sgt Phillip Davis is prosecuting the case.

SUSPECT FACES COURT ACCUSED OF RAPE ATTACK

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was arraigned in Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a sexual assault allegation.

Jason Jacques, 23, of Market Street, stood before Magistrate Constance

Delancy facing a charge of rape concerning a reported incident on Saturday, August 6.

It is alleged that he had sexual intercourse with a 26-year-old woman who did not give consent.

Jacques was told that he will not be allowed to enter a plea to the charge until

he is formally arraigned in the Supreme Court before a judge, as the offence is indictable.

He returns to Magistrate’s Court on September 30 for the case to be fasttracked to the higher court to be tried before a jury.

In a separate arraignment before the same magistrate,

35-year-old Sheva Simmons faced a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse concerning a sexual assault that occurred two years ago.

It is claimed that he sexually violated an underage girl in August 2014 who was 15 at the time.

Simmons, too, can only enter a plea to the allegation

when formally arraigned in the Supreme Court.

His case will be fast tracked on September 30 as well.

Both were remanded to the Department of Correctional Services. However, they have the legal right to apply for bail to the Supreme Court concerning

Canada, Europe, Far East, Caribbean and the Bahamas. Sovereign Grand Inspector General Roscow A L Davies, 330, Deputy for the Bahamas, presented the cheque to Marcia Newball, the Executive Director for

REACH Bahamas. The United Supreme Council, through its Benevolent Foundation Inc, donates up to $40,000 annually to deserving organisations.

Pictured at the Annual Assmebly in Philadelphia are

(from left) SGIG Everette Z Mackey, Assistant to the Deputy; Mrs Newball; SGIG Roscow A L Davies; Brigitte McPhee, Office Administrator, REACH; and GIG James S Hutcheson, President, Commanders of the Rite.

FREEMASONS OFFER HELP TO AUTISM AWARENESS THE cause of autism awareness in the Bahamas has received a boost with a donation from an American branch of the Freemasons.

The United Supreme Council, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliated, Northern Jurisdiction, USA, Inc. recently presented the Resources and Education for Autism Related Challenges (REACH) organisation with $5,000.

During its 135th Annual Session in Philadelphia, the United Supreme Council selected REACH, a reg-

istered non-government organisation established in 1999 as a support and advocacy group for families challenged by Autism Spectrum Disorders, to receive a donation from its Benevolent Foundation, Inc. The Bahamas made history during the Annual Session, when Illustrious Basil Lascelles Sands, 330, was elected to the top position as the 19th Sovereign Grand Commander of the United Supreme Council.

This Scottish Rite Fraternity has over 7,000 members in the North America,

COLLEGE APPOINTS PROVOST TO ASSIST WITH TRANSITION THE College of The Bahamas is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Linda A Davis as the first provost of the institution which is poised to transition to the University of The Bahamas.

Dr Davis will assume the post on October 1.

She has been serving as dean of international programmes and partnerships at Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts for the past six years. Her educational background and experiences in current and previous positions over her professional career, and international engagements, make her an excellent fit for the position of provost of the institution, the school said in a press release.

According to COB, Dr Davis’ academic preparation has placed her in North America and the Caribbean at different periods in her career, while the various professional roles in which she has served over the years have taken her to the United Kingdom, Africa, Asia and the Middle East where she has worked within and across cultural contexts to facilitate higher education institutional partnerships.

In her current post, she has had the opportunity as chief international officer to oversee Wheelock College’s internationalisation efforts. These have included all international collaborations, both full academic degree programmatic initiatives, in Singapore and Barbados, as well as faculty-led and travellearn student experiences, study abroad/away, and international visiting scholars. The travel programmes have grown from one in Guatemala in 2005, to an average of eight options annually, in addition to study abroad possibilities. Locations have included Northern Ireland, Barbados, Haiti, West Africa, South Africa, Belize, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Cuba.

According to Dr Davis: “The success realised through increased faculty engagement in these global experiences as well as greater numbers of students taking advantage of international opportunities has been particularly rewarding.

“Despite this success, however, the commitment to social justice at the core of these engagements is

what has been particularly motivational and is the core passion which I take with me to inform the development of such academic opportunities and experiences for students, faculty and staff at the University of The Bahamas as we establish an institution of international repute.”

Dr Davis completed her undergraduate degree at the College of St Benedict (St Joseph, Minnesota), while graduate studies were completed in Canada, her master’s degree at University of Ottawa (Ottawa, Canada), and her doctoral degree at University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada). She has also completed the executive training programme in professional education at the Harvard Institute for Educational Management (IEM).

Nationally, Dr Davis has served as a consultant to the Ministry of Education and other local agencies, and was previously a member of the Catholic Board of Education in Nassau where she also served as chair.

Dr Davis is the daughter of Winston Tappy Davis and the late Joycelyn Yvonne Davis nee Bosfield.

JARET KIERAN PINDER

SEARCH FOR MAN IN MURDER INVESTIGATION

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama police are searching for a man who they believe can help with a murder investigation in Freeport.

An all points bulletin has been issued for Jaret Kieran Pinder, aka “Japanese”, 38, of Tasman Close, Freeport.

He has a light brown complexion with low cut hair.

He is about five feet, nine inches tall, medium build, weighs 195 pounds and works as a carpenter.

Pinder is known to frequent the “downtown” and “back of town” areas in Freeport.

Anyone with information concerning his whereabouts is asked to contact police at 242-350-3106 through 12, 911, 919, the Crime Prevention Office at 302-8430/1 or call the nearest police station.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, August 10, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

SMITH: SEARS IS THE BEST PERSON TO RUN THE COUNTRY

By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Staff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net

LAWYER Fred Smith, QC, said yesterday that former Attorney General Alfred Sears is not only the best man to lead the Progressive Liberal Party but also the best person to run the country.

Officially endorsing Mr Sears, Mr Smith said the former Fort Charlotte MP is “above all a statesman”

and will bring a different “complexion” to party politics if he were at the helm of the PLP. On Sunday, Mr Sears announced his intention to challenge Prime Minister Perry Christie for the leadership of the PLP at the governing party’s national convention in November.

Mr Christie has been leader of the PLP for nearly 20 years.

Mr Smith said it is time for “new blood and bold

new ideas.”

“The PLP needs new leadership. I would describe politics here as island tribalism and Alfred Sears does not fit the mould of being that type of leader,” Mr Smith said.

“He is a man of refinement. I know from his tenure as a Cabinet minister and other positions he has held in the past, that he is a person who is very reflective and very compassionate. He also has a vision

that would transcend party politics. I know he believes in human rights and fundamental freedoms. He would be an excellent choice.”

Mr Smith also said he hopes both the Free National Movement and the PLP mature and develop into institutions that promote new ideas and not “vindictiveness”.

“I hope the PLP’s leadership race does not descend to the level of cannibalism that the FNM party did,”

he said.

“The FNMs have fought among themselves more than they have fought the PLP and that does not bode well for the future of the Bahamas. They need to get their act together.

I hope they stop the infighting so they can give the citizens a respectable choice for potential leader.”

In April, Mr Smith revealed to Tribune columnist Adrian Gibson that he

was looking to campaign in the Fox Hill constituency either with the FNM or as an independent - citing an alleged high level of corruption within the PLP and the dismal performance of the FNM as the Official Opposition.

However, he later told The Tribune that he was considering joining the PLP because he has been repeatedly rejected by the FNM despite his consistent support of the party.

$18m contract sealed to improve patient records

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

AN international healthcare technology provider was awarded an $18m contract by the Christie administration yesterday for the implementation of an integrated health information system to improve the accessibility of patient records at the country’s various public health facilities.

Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc, along with their strategic partner Infor Lawson, yesterday signed a contract worth $18,389,368 with the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) for the implementation of what government officials called a “one patient, one record system”.

This would allow for universal access of patient records by the clinics and services of the Department of Public Health and the public hospital institutions and facilities of the PHA. Government officials said the new system would replace the Keane Insight platform currently operated by the PHA and the IPHIS system currently operated by the Department of Public Health.

Health Minister Dr Perry Gomez, on hand for yesterday’s contract signing, said it signified a “considerable investment” by the government in “modernising information management throughout our healthcare sector.”

“What this means for patients who access public healthcare, is that there will be a one patient, one

CONNIE PFAU, Chief Nursing Officer at Allscripts Healthcare; Steve Holmquist, Senior Vice-President Allscripts Healthcare; Dr Perry Gomez, Minister of Health; Herbert Brown, Managing Director of Public Hospitals Authority, Harrison Thompson, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health. record system that can be accessed no matter where they are seen, so it will not matter where you go on the public healthcare system for care, your medical record will follow you,” Dr Gomez said.

“We are now saying goodbye to the duplication and inefficiencies associated with maintaining different records for the same patient simply because he or she may be seen at differ-

ent public health clinics or public hospitals within our archipelago.”

According to Dr Gomez, the implementation of the system will facilitate the automation of, but is not limited to, patient access and identity management, patient accounting, health record information management, materials management, document imaging, and pharmacy management.

Dr Gomez said the implementation of the new system is also crucial to the eventual implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI).

“IHIMS, ladies and gentlemen, represents a significant mark of progress in our redevelopment of public healthcare in this country and given the imminent launch of (National Health Insurance), an aggressive plan will be put in place to

ensure the implementation in the shortest time frame.”

Minister for Grand Bahama Dr Michael Darville said yesterday’s contract signing will “significantly benefit” residents of Grand Bahama as well as those in the northern Bahama islands.

“The execution of this agreement and the implementation of a single medical records platform across all public health services represent the culmination

150 CHILDREN JOIN IN FUN AT EXUMA SUMMER CAMP THE annual BAF Financial Summer Camp has been held in the Exumas, with 150 children taking part.

The camp, held last month at St Andrew’s Anglican Church Community Center in Georgetown, hosted children aged four to 15.

Fifteen children who attended were from Nassau, with family ties to Exuma.

The others all hailed from Exuma.

Sports on Regatta Park, Junkanoo workshops, crabbing, traditional Bahamian music, craft and folklore, and nature exploration were the focus this year.

BAF marketing director Cecelia Cooper co-ordinated the camp with six teach-

ers – four from Exuma and two from Nassau.

“The kids went crabbing.

We actually had to get the crabs locally first and release them to show them how to catch crabs, but they loved it because at the end we did crab and dough,” she said.

“They did exploding, erupting volcanoes and all kinds of stuff. There were experiments every day.

They also had music where they learned Bahamian songs and that formed a part of their presentation at the end when we did song and dance. There was a lot of folklore-type Bahamian heritage music. They enjoyed that a lot too. And for the arts and crafts, we used products from nature, like sand. And they decorated

bottles, and made some really beautiful artifacts that they were able to keep.”

Mornings started with devotions and exercises meant to help the kids get to know each other better while using the environment to strengthen essential skills.

“It’s about discovering how to think outside the box,” she said. “If your mind can create it, you can do it. And we appeal to their creative side through the Junkanoo craft and arts and craft. And the science and exploration took them out of the classrooms and into the outdoors.”

BAF is hoping to add an outdoor camping element to the camp and a field trip to the salt beacons of Williams Town for next year.

KIDS at the BAF Summer Camp in Exuma enjoy a fun day to end the week-long event.

OUTDOOR activities were a big part of Camp BAF this year.

of a decades-long journey for the health sector of the Bahamas,” he said.

He added: “As one might imagine, the involvement of NHI consultants and others, speaks to the (PHA) looking ahead to the approaching launch of the first phase of the (NHI) programme. I am pleased to say that by every measure, the features of the IHIMS platform are adequate to meet the needs of NHI.”

THETRIBUNE TRIBUNE THE

Wednesday, August 10th,10, 2016, PAGE A99 Wednesday, August 2016, PAGE

Olympic tech medal race BESIDES the dazzling feats of athleticism on show at the Olympic Games in Brazil, dazzling new technologies are also on display in Rio de Janeiro.

A worldwide TV audience makes the Olympics an excellent showcase for new and emerging technologies and brands such as Visa and Samsung are taking the opportunity to show off their wares.

VISA’S PAYMENT RING Visa, a 30-year Olympics sponsor, is running the payment systems at the Games, equipping about 4,000 payment terminals at souvenir shops, concession stands and other Olympic venues with a wireless technology called near-field-communication (NFC).

It’s the technology that powers mobile-payment services such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, though only Samsung’s has launched in Brazil.

Visa is giving payments rings to 59 athletes to wear on their fingers.

With a tap on an NFC payment terminal, they can charge their Visa accounts. Giving the ring to American athletes like swimmer Missy Franklin and decathlete Ashton Eaton lets Visa test the technology, while garnering buzz as athletes tweet about them and wear them around the Olympic village.

The phones will come with a flag app, which athletes were encouraged to hold up during Friday’s opening ceremonies.

“They can use the entire screen of the S7 to become a flag,” said Pio Schunker, Samsung’s global head of brand integrated marketing. “They will be waving the national flag through the S7.”

SAMSUNG’S SPECIAL EDITION GALAXY Samsung, another Olympic sponsor, is delivering a special Olympic Games edition of its Galaxy S7 Edge phone to 12,500 Olympians. The phone is branded with the Olympic rings and has Olympics-themed wallpapers loaded on the device.

The company also made 2,016 of the Olympic phones for the public to buy in selected countries, including Brazil, the US and South Korea.

VIRTUAL REALITY, GOING 360 Games viewers can experience virtual-reality (VR) content, along with 360-degree video and images.

NBC, which has television and online rights in the US, scheduled 85 hours of VR coverage through the NBC Sports app on Samsung’s Gear VR headset. VR events include opening and closing ceremonies, men’s basketball, gymnastics and track and field. They will typically be shown on a one-day delay.

THE Samsung Gear VR set is used during a virtual reality A VISA payment ring and payment terminal. (AP) demonstration earlier this year. (AP) Getty, the Olympics’ official photography agency, launched a VR division in June to focus on 360-degree images. Getty shot some 360-degree images at the London Olympics in 2012 as the technology was emerging. This time in Rio, every Getty photographer will have a 360-degree camera. Facebook’s Oculus VR business, which developed the technology behind Gear VR, plans to showcase more than 400 360-degree images from various photographers.

It will be available through the Oculus 360 Photos app on Gear VR and Oculus’ own Rift headset.

HI-TECH COVERAGE NBC owner Comcast Corp is showcasing its X1 set-top box, giving its customers a way to search for live coverage and replays by country, athlete and sport. It’s also integrating voice search into the system so

X-RAY UNCOVERS HIDDEN DEGAS

CYBORG STINGRAY SWIMS INTO THE

PORTRAIT

LIMELIGHT

THE idea of taking apart a rat’s heart and transforming it into a tissue-engineered stingray first came to Kevin Kit Parker during a trip to the New England Aquarium with his daughter.

Four years later, a robotic ray that swims toward light has made the cover of Science Magazine and is pushing the limits of what is possible in the design of machines powered by living cells.

A research team based at Harvard University’s Disease Biophysics Group, which Mr Parker directs, created the translucent, penny-sized ray with a gold skeleton and silicone fins layered with the heart muscle cells of a rat. It is remote-controlled, guided by a blinking blue flashlight. Each burst of blue sets off a cascade of signals through the cells, which have been genetically-engineered to respond to light. The contraction of the tissue creates a downward motion on the ray’s body. When the tissue relaxes, the gold skeleton recoils - moving the fin upward again in an undulating cycle that mimics the graceful swimming of a real ray or skate.

Mr Parker, whose research includes cardiac cell biology, launched the project as a method for learning more about the mysteries of the human heart and a step toward the far-off goal of building an artificial one. But the interdisciplinary project is also sparking interest in other fields, from marine biology to robotics.

Mr Parker is not a roboticist. But as an Army veteran who did two tours in Afghanistan, he welcomes any part his stingrays could play in advancing the development of machines able to perform dangerous jobs.

“Bio-hybrid machines - things with syn-

viewers, for instance, can get the latest medal count by speaking, “How is the USA doing?” The company is also offering a way to zip to goldmedal event highlights and re-start events that have already begun.

The hi-tech coverage makes use of the box’s connection to the internet and increasing presence in Comcast subscriber homes. Comcast says about 40 per cent of its 22.4 million video customers have X1. Comcast is aiming to reach 50 per cent by the end of the year.

The X1 innovation is one way Comcast is trying to help viewers sort through some 6,000 hours of Olympics coverage on television and online. If it boosts audiences for the Olympics, it will also help Comcast recoup some of the $4.4 billion that NBC paid for the US broadcast rights over six years.

Associated Press

RESEARCH scientist Sung-Jin Park displays the tissue-engineered robot on a piece of glass in a laboratory at Harvard University. thetic parts and living materials - they’re going to happen,” he said. “I’ve spent time getting shot at and seen people getting shot.

If I could build a cyborg so my buddy doesn’t have to crawl into that ditch to look for an IED, I’d do that in a heartbeat.”

When he first asked postdoctoral researcher Sung-Jin Park to help him create the stingray four years ago, the bench scientist was doubtful. “I had this whole idea of a laser-guided, tissue-engineered stingray made out of rat,” Mr Parker said. “He looked at me like a hog staring at a wristwatch. I think he thought I was unglued.”

Indeed, the project to build the ray was more difficult and expensive - close to $1 million, according to Mr Parker - than either of them imagined. A mechanical engineer by training, Park had to delve into molecular and cell biology. The team pulled experts from diverse fields, including an ichthyologist - someone who studies fish - to understand and help replicate a ray’s muscle structure and biomechanics. Their work was published in Science last month.

The stingrays won’t be going into any pipe or ocean. They swim in a pool of warm liquid solution filled with sugar and salt. The cells could not survive outside a dish and were not designed to.

MATT O’BRIEN Associated Press

A POWERFUL X-ray technique has unveiled a hidden portrait beneath a famed painting by French impressionist artist Edgar Degas, helping solve a mystery that THIS picture shows an has stumped the art world image that appears, for nearly a century. with X-ray fluorescence An article published this microscopy, beneath week in the online journal Edgar Degas’ Portrait of Scientific Reports reveals a Woman. (AP) that the long-puzzled-over image concealed behind Degas’ “Portrait of a Woman” is, in fact, a portrait of another woman. Australian researchers believe she is Emma Dobigny, one of the painter’s favourite models.

Experts have known that Degas painted the famed portrait over another image sometime between 1876 and 1880. As the painting aged, the faint outline of what appeared to be another woman began leaking through the top layers of paint.

Staff at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, where the portrait is housed, wanted to see what was hidden underneath. But traditional X-ray techniques and infrared photography were not powerful enough to reveal any detail.

So the gallery teamed up with scientists from Australian Synchrotron, who spent 33 hours painstakingly scanning the painting with a high-definition X-ray beam produced by a particle accelerator called a synchrotron. Synchrotrons accelerate electrons to high speeds, creating a source of light a million times brighter than the sun.

The technique was so successful that the scientists could not only see the details of the entire hidden image, but its evolution. Degas, for example, appears to have originally given the woman pixie-like ears, but later reworked them to a more conventional shape.

Associated Press

TECHTALK • INSTAGRAM is launching a new feature that should sound familiar to Snapchat users. Called “Stories”, it lets users share photos and videos from their day that will disappear after 24 hours.

The new feature will stitch together photos and videos in a slideshow format. Users can add text and doodles.

Snapchat also has a “Story” feature that works in a similar way. Copying or at least using other services as inspirations is common among big tech companies.

Instagram owner Facebook tried an ephemeral sharing app a couple of years ago called Slingshot, but it never caught on.

• TIME Warner has become the latest media company to invest in streaming service Hulu, a move that could boost the viability of an online TV service that Hulu is expected to launch next year as an alternative to cable TV. Sony and Dish already operate online TV services, while Apple has expressed interest in one, according to published reports.

None of those companies, however, have the networks themselves as full partners or owners the way Hulu does.

Time Warner Inc, which owns HBO, TNT and TBS, took a 10 per cent stake in Hulu for $583 million. Its networks - including TNT, TBS, CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, truTV, Boomerang and Turner Classic Movies - will be available live and on-demand as part of Hulu’s upcoming online TV service.

• TOYOTA’S much vaunted plug-in hybrid Prius Prime is being pushed back by several months, with the new sales date set for late this year or early next year.

Toyota Motor Corp said the launch dates were being delayed for Japan, but not for the US and Europe because they were set to follow Japan from the start. It was unclear what the dates were for any of the regions.

“We decided we want to take our time and more care before starting mass manufacturing,” said company spokeswoman Kayo Doi. She would not give other details.

• APPLE says it will start offering cash rewards of up to $200,000 to hackers who come forward with information about security flaws in the company’s software.

The iPhone maker is joining other big tech companies that offer so-called “bug bounties” to people who discover vulnerabilities in their computer code.

The goal is to encourage individuals to come forward so the company can fix the problem and to discourage hackers from exploiting the flaw or selling the information to others. Google, Facebook and others have long offered such rewards. To start, Apple says it will offer rewards to a limited number of researchers it has worked with before, but it may expand the programme.

• A WOMAN trying to take a picture of a dolphin at SeaWorld in Florida with an iPad had it snatched out of her hands.

Video shot by another parkgoer shows the dolphin reaching over the side of the viewing tank at SeaWorld Orlando, where visitors can touch the dolphins. After the dolphin grabs the iPad and tosses it into the water, the woman retrieves the device and then quickly walks away.

A voice can be heard over a loudspeaker saying, “As you can see, the dolphins can reach your loose items.”

PAGE 10, Wednesday, August 10, 2016

BRANVILLE MCCARTNEY, leader of the DNA, speaking to the press following the FNM convention.

THE TRIBUNE

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

Where do we go from here?

Branville McCartney’s offer to disaffected FNM supporters last week was a brilliant move, says Malcolm J Strachan

M

OST Bahamians are today still trying to ‘catch themselves’ after a raucous week filled with convention shenanigans and political pomposity.

From calls for tube tying and threats of resignations, to actual resignations in the House of Assembly, it’s any wonder we can keep it together in this crazy town called Nassau. Our political class has effectively lost their collective minds - figuratively of course.

The question most people ask themselves once they’ve gone around the political mulberry bush is, where do we go from here? The Free National Movement (FNM) battle circa 2016 has come and gone in a whimper.

What was expected to be an all-out battle royal was nothing more than a whiff in the wind - with only the odd starfish to remind us of better days.

The torch that once shone so bright has lost a

few flames ... and a few supporters along the way.

Following the unfortunately named ‘Because You Matter’ FNM convention, party supporters were left mortified. Where has their party gone, they asked?

What is this foolishness on my TV, they questioned? Is it too late to get Papa back, they pleaded!

The questions went on and on without answer, until they saw at last there was no hope in putting humpty dumpty back together again. The FNM was irreparably broken. Its supporters were in shock, and in desperate need of therapy.

The doctor they didn’t want was the doctor they got, and this doctor, like his fish supplier, makes house calls.

But this was no laughing matter to many. For the greater risk involved was the yet to be met villain of the piece - the scourge of our 700 islands and cays, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).

Was it foolhardy to imagine that Dr Hubert Minnis could mount a successful campaign against such an enemy? How can this current FNM machine defeat such a foe? No doubt, the financial backers of the party would come running to lend their support to their

newly-crowned prince once him in rescuing the Bahaagain. We think not. mas from the PLP. They are, as they were beIt was a bold move, and fore, still concerned about one that showed political the leadership of the party maturity. While the other - now more so than ever. So leaders in the party were where do these backers go? busy scalping each other, Where do these dissatisfied here was a former FNM FNM supporters go? Not to reaching out to that party’s the PLP - so base assur“While the other where? ing them of a In their leaders in the party safe harbour. eyes they There’s one have no were busy scalping word for this home. Their each other, here type of poparty is fin- was a former FNM litical move ished. brilliance.

As the reaching out to that But, does Democratic party’s base assuring Bran have National what it takes them of a safe Alliance’s to truly capi(DNA) lead- harbour. But, does talise on this er Branville Branville McCartney infighting McCartney have what it takes within the so aptly put FNM to give it, the FNM to truly capitalise on the PLP a “is dead”. this infighting within run for their Now, nor- the FNM to give the money? mally we are Let us look not one to PLP a run for their at what he engage in the money?” told the memachinations dia last week. of third party manoeuver“Last week, the Free Naings, but the more we listen tional Movement attempted to Mr McCartney, the more to hold a National Conwe fear the country, nay, the vention under the theme FNM, would not be where of Unity. What many witthey were if this young man nessed for the first time, is had stood his ground and what I had discovered seven remained with the FNM. years ago - the FNM that Last week, Branville of- was built on the ideals of fered a timely olive branch democracy, transparency, to FNMs who were upset and accountability is dead. and hurting, to join with “It has been replaced by the same incompetence and corruption that has come to define the Progressive Liberal Party.

“I take no pleasure in making these statements.

To come to this point is a very painful reality for many Bahamians.

“But both of these parties are mere shadows of their former selves. The DNA truly believes that the people of this country are its most precious resource, above all natural or material resources.

“This is not the PLP that led us to majority rule. This is not the PLP that led us into Independence and gave us National Insurance.

Likewise, this is not the FNM that opened up the airwaves, or provided critical infrastructure on our Family Islands.

“The vision that existed in those parties is long gone. But now, what we must decide as a people, is where do we go from here.

“For those who believe in democracy, who want a better future for our country, a future that provides real opportunities for Bahamians, we invite you to join with us in the Democratic National Alliance.”

Now, whether or not this will translate into a flood of supporters joining up with the DNA is yet to be seen, but what matters is that he made the offer in the first place.

Let’s remember, in 2012, the DNA showed just how powerful a small, fledgling political party can be. They were, by all accounts, the chief force that ensured the defeat of the then FNM Government by stealing away thousands

of voters from their traditional base.

Independents and millennials were also attracted to the message of a new party, with new ideals - and a departure from the status quo.

That party has had four years to build on its track record.

It would be foolish for any political leader, be it Minnis, or Prime Minister Perry Christie, to count them out of 2017.

We have yet to make up our minds about the DNA for 2017. While the party still has its share of issues with quality candidates, it can hardly be worse than the lot we have in office today - or the crew in the FNM. We have a smorgasbord of “has-beens” and “what’s their face again” candidates who wash up at the polls every five years for a walloping.

We believe Bahamians this time around, have a shock up their sleeve for all of them.

As Branville McCartney said in his speech last week, “As a country the issues that we are facing are far too serious for us to continue to accept the status quo.

Bahamians deserve better than a “Dancer in Chief”, or a man who can’t dance at all.”

We agree with him. The real question is, do you?

• Comments and responses to insight@ tribunemedia.net

SUNKEN FREIGHTER EL FARO’S ‘BLACK BOX’ RECOVERED JACKSONVILLE Associated Press

SEARCH crews have retrieved the “black box” from the wreckage of the freighter El Faro that sank in 15,000 feet of water near the Bahamas during Hurricane Joaquin last year, officials said yesterday.

Using a remotely operated vehicle in the pitch black deep sea, crews brought the El Faro’s voyage data recorder to the surface on Monday night, the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) chairman said.

The 790-foot El Faro sank on October 1 after losing propulsion and getting caught in the hurricane near Crooked Island while travelling between Jacksonville and Puerto Rico. All

33 crew members died.

“The recovery of the recorder has the potential to give our investigators greater insight into the incredible challenges that the El Faro crew faced,” NTSB Chairman Christophe Hart said in a news release.

Search crews found the recorder in April attached to a piece of the ship, but were unable to remove it.

They returned on Monday after leaving port in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and piloted the remotely operated vehicle down to the ship’s resting place to remove the recorder.

The NTSB said in the release that it will begin processing the audio and other data when crews return from sea on Friday.

The recovery comes after two rounds of hearings

by a US Coast Guard marine board earlier this year.

The hearings explored the safety record of the ship’s owner, Tote Services Inc, and the decisions made by Captain Michael Davidson to sail the aging freighter near a strong storm.

Testimony revealed that Capt Davidson knew about Hurricane Joaquin, yet he planned to sail close to it instead of taking a slower, safer path that had been used during past storms.

Mr Hart said the data recorder will help but is just a part of the agency’s ongoing investigation.

“There is still a great deal of work to be done in order to understand how the many factors converged that led to the sinking and the tragic loss of 33 lives,” he said.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, August 10, 2016, PAGE 11

Little Feet in the summer

THE LITTLE Feet Academy Summer Camp with Excelsior Elementary School is being held at present. Students are pictured taking part in events both in the classroom and at play time yesterday.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff