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Emails ‘should not have been tabled’ Speaker says court ARCHDEACON SLAMS LIGHTBOURN should ‘mind AND CALLS FOR FAMILY PLANNING its own business’ By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Staff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net HOUSE Speaker Dr Kendall Major admitted yesterday that he should not have allowed Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald to read and table the private emails of environmental action group Save The Bays in Parliament. Appearing as a guest on the 96.9 FM talk show “Morning Blend,” Dr Major said in hindsight he should have stopped Mr Fitzgerald and said in the future no emails will be read in the House of Assembly unless they are vetted. However, Dr Major reiterated that he does not believe the judiciary
should interfere with matters in Parliament and said “respectfully” the court ought to mind its own business. Earlier this month, in a landmark ruling, Supreme Court Justice Indra Charles declared that Mr Fitzgerald was not legally justified when he tabled the private emails of Save The Bays in the House of Assembly, and therefore could not be protected by parliamentary privilege. Justice Charles ruled that the Marathon MP’s actions were an infringement of the constitutional rights of the applicants and ordered Mr Fitzgerald to pay $150,000 in damages for the breach. SEE PAGE SIX
FORMER Cabinet minister George Smith said Progressive Liberal Party leadership challenger Alfred Sears should not be considered “dead in the water,” saying a leadership race is healthy for democracy. He insisted that there is a possibility some of the party’s delegates might be impressed with Mr Sears’ “fresh new ideas,” which could stimulate discussion within the PLP.
Weekend
belles of the ball Pages 14&15
Fruits of th e sea
Compass Po int backs loc al fishermen
Food, page 7
FATHER STABBED AND LEFT TO DIE
By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Staff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net A 58-YEAR-OLD father of two became the country’s latest murder victim when he was stabbed multiple times and left to die in a public park early yesterday morning. The killing is the 65th this year and brought an end New Providence’s 41day homicide-free streak, according to The Tribune’s records. Officer-in-charge of the Central Detective Unit, Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander said that around 7am, a passerby was walking through Christie Park off Nassau Street when he saw the victim lying in a pool of blood. SEE PAGE THREE
ANGER AT TURNQUEST QUESTIONS OVER NHI
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net MEMBERS of Parliament engaged in a heated argument in the House of Assembly yesterday over whether the Christie administration’s National Health Insurance scheme represents a paradigm shift for healthcare or if it will mirror what is already available under the public healthcare system. Free National Movement Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest provoked the debate when he said the government is misleading Bahamians about the nature of the changes that will take place when NHI comes on stream. SEE PAGE THREE
SMITH: SEARS CAMPAIGN NOT DEAD IN THE WATER By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
art theatre film fashion music pod friday, august casts food 12, 2016 society fitn ess
Mr Smith did not reveal yesterday which candidate he intends to support during the party’s November convention, but said those who have projected that Prime Minister Perry Christie will retain his position must provide substantial reasons for their confidence in the party leader. Since Mr Sears, a former attorney general, announced his intention to contest the PLP’s top post, high-ranking PLPs have counted him out as the underdog. SEE PAGE SIX ARCHDEACON James Palacious speaking to the press yesterday. Photo: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff By NICO SCAVELLA dren as she wishes, and that to bring these children Tribune Staff Reporter it would be virtually impos- down here to catch hell.” nscavella@tribunemedia.net sible for any government “It is a known fact that to enforce legislation to when children are not propARCHDEACON James control “anyone’s bedroom erly cared for, you’re just Palacious said yesterday that business,” people that find recycling poverty, recycling while Montagu MP Richard themselves in dire financial mediocrity, we are recycling Lightbourn’s proposal for straits have a “responsibil- underachievement,” he state-sponsored sterilisation ity” to ensure their children said. “When are our people as an anti-crime initiative is are “able to look forward to going to stop gambling on “completely repulsive,” the a decent quality of life.” the future of our country?” country needs to engage in The Anglican archdeaArchdeacon Palacious a national family planning con also seemed to take also called on the governprogramme to prevent the exception to people having ment to adopt the practices “madness” of multiple chil- multiple children regardless of other jurisdictions to dedren being reared in unde- of whether or not they can duct money from a parent’s sirable circumstances. properly care for them, as salary that fails to pay child Archdeacon Palacious he claimed that “only poor support. said while every woman has black people believe you’re SEE PAGE FIVE a right to have as many chil- supposed to empty heaven
BISHOP: KILLING PREGNANT WOMAN SHOULD BE A DOUBLE MURDER
By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net BISHOP Simeon Hall yesterday called on parliamentarians to enact legislation that would allow persons guilty of killing pregnant women to be charged with double murder. Bishop Hall, pastor emeritus of New Covenant Baptist Church, said any assailant who kills a pregnant woman is “guilty of the death of two human beings and should be tried as such.” SEE PAGE TWO
PAGE 2, Friday, August 12, 2016
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RETIRED Methodist Minister Charles Lewis, Bishop Simeon Hall and Archdeacon James Palacious at yesterday’s press conference.
Bishop: killing pregnant woman should be a double murder from page one
Bishop Hall also commended Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade and the Royal Bahamas Police Force for the part they played in the country recording no murders for the month of July. Bishop Hall made his statements during a press conference at his church on East West Highway yesterday morning. He was joined and supported by Anglican Archdeacon James Palacious and retired Methodist minister Reverend Charles Lewis. Bishop Hall was referring to the recent sentencing of two men for their roles in the fatal shooting five years ago that claimed three lives, including a pregnant woman due to give birth to her son. Shawn Knowles, 43, and Timothy Saunders, 36, were both sentenced to 18 years in prison for the July 30, 2011 shooting deaths of Chackara Rahming, Erica Ward, who was eight months pregnant at the time, and Edward Braynen.
Knowles’ 18-year sentence was reduced to 17 after receiving credit for time spent on remand awaiting trial. Saunders was also sentenced to 18 years for the killings and his sentence reduced to 14 for his four years spent on remand prior to trial. “We call on parliamentarians to extend the reach of the laws they make to children (still) in the womb,” Bishop Hall said yesterday. “Any assailant who kills a pregnant woman is - in our opinion - guilty of the death of two human beings and should be tried as such.” He added: “Part of our Judeo-Christian orientation is that life begins at conception. I understand that there is some legal debate that the child is a human being after it is born. Well, we have serious problems with that as Christian believers. “As a country we tend to copy mostly the bad things from America. But in America the person who causes the death of a woman pregnant with child - where the child dies - that
assailant is charged with double murder. We should copy that one.” Bishop Hall also commended Commissioner Greenslade and the RBPF for “their ongoing effort to put a serious dent in major crimes,” which he said was evident in there being no murders recorded in July. “The bad that happens amongst us must not overshadow the good we try to make,” Bishop Hall said. “During the month of July, there were no murders, and that seemed to have just passed by. We’ve become so used to murder that when we don’t have one we are a little surprised. Now it’s up to the politicians who try to politicise crime. That’s their business. “Our business is to shine the light on the progress and good that we make. We believe that the police are deserving of the community’s support, particularly as it relates to the community’s participation in working with the police. The only reason crime soars and goes unabated, in most cases, is because we harbour criminals.”
BISHOP Simeon Hall speaking yesterday.
Photos: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, August 12, 2016, PAGE 3
LORETTA Butler-Turner giving remarks to the media after addressing the Rotary Club of West Nassau.
Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
Butler-Turner confident of Long Island victory By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net LONG Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner yesterday dismissed concerns over potential challengers to her bid to be re-elected in that constituency. She said that she will retain her Long Island seat in the upcoming general election. She also spoke about her controversial actions of quitting the Free National Movement’s (FNM) leadership race on July 29, hours before delegates were set to vote in the convention. She told reporters that if she gets “forgiveness” for that from her supporters, she would have no regrets. Addressing questions surrounding several issues facing the Free National Movement (FNM), Mrs Butler-Turner put forward her strongest response to
questions on her candidacy for Long Island, telling reporters that the attention being shown to the island by potential challengers makes her a “good opponent.” When further questioned about potential rivals, Mrs Butler-Turner stated firmly: “I will win Long Island.” Her comments came days former Bamboo Town MP Tennyson Wells said the FNM would lose the Long Island seat in the 2017 general election if it presents Mrs Butler-Turner as its 2017 candidate in the constituency. Mr Wells has also pledged to fund the campaign of an independent nominee or run in the area himself as a last resort if Mrs ButlerTurner receives the nod. He also revealed that a potential candidate being circulated within the FNM was lawyer and Tribune
columnist Adrian Gibson, who, he said, he would not have any difficulty supporting. In addition to Mr Wells and Mr Gibson, current Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins has also been rumoured to be interested in an independent bid for Long Island come 2017. In the wake of the FNM’s recent convention, Dr Rollins has announced that he will not be seeking a nomination from the party. Despite all the internal friction within the FNM, the party’s senior leadership has come out in support of Mrs Butler-Turner, with both the party’s chairman and leader saying they expect her to be the standard-bearer for the constituency. Mrs Butler-Turner, who was addressing the media following her speech during a monthly meeting of
the Rotary Club of West Nassau, also promoted her party’s “unity” policy. The Long Island MP said while she is still seeking forgiveness by some within the FNM for the “errors” in her actions during the party’s recent convention, she is focused on making her party the best choice for the electorate. “I think I have been forgiven. I probably have a few other people that need to forgive me, but I have no regrets,” Mrs Butler-Turner said about quitting the leadership race. “I think if I get forgiveness for that, there will never be regrets.” “I believe that the philosophies of the FNM, which I have always believed in, certainly still closely align with me and I am just hoping that as we move forward we present that unity that you asked (about),” she told
reporters. Mrs Butler-Turner added: “I think it’s time now for Bahamians to truly have the option that they have begged me to give them and that is, they asked me to make sure that I no longer divide the party. And so on that, I believe that we deserve no less than a strong democracy and I believe that as we move forward, we in the FNM have to prove that we can in fact come together and offer that very real hope for Bahamian people.” “I think as we mature as a nation it’s important just as my speech I gave today, that we just not knock what is wrong with our country, but that we are able to offer very real, viable options and policy choices that can grow our country. “We are stagnated. I spoke to you today about the economic crisis and I
also gave the flip side, the economic opportunity. I believe that the PLP government, where they have us now is truly in a very dark place economically, socially and otherwise. It is incumbent on us, the FNM, and I am working with my party to ensure that a lot of the platforms that I have promoted are certainly considered by the party.” Mrs Butler-Turner said the FNM is working diligently to improve itself. “We’re working and that is what I need to do. I have to do some work, we all need to do some work; we’re working. We’re going to make sure that the Bahamian people are able to have the opportunity to exercise real democracy. The PLP is the worst government this country has ever seen; we need to rid ourselves of them,” she said.
ANGER AT TURNQUEST QUESTIONS OVER NHI from page one
“The question is, what is different from what is proposed here versus the benefits that Bahamians already enjoy from the Public Hospitals Authority?” he asked. “(The government is) trying to pull a fast one on the Bahamian people. If you accept my proposition that 90 per cent of the benefits included in this programme are already covered in the healthcare system, if you accept that, then if we are going to do what we are doing, shifting resources from the public healthcare system as we know it today and shift it over here to something we call NHI, then nothing has changed, but we give it a new name.” He suggested that the government was merely transferring funds from
the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) with the aim of providing services already offered under a new name. “Not only are we playing a shell game and shifting from the PHA to the NHIA, we are going further and saying to the Bahamian people that the healthcare you used to get from the Consolidated Fund, we will now make you pay for it, will make you contribute.” Prime Minister Perry Christie, Grand Bahama Minister Michael Darville and Health Minister Perry Gomez all interrupted Mr Turnquest’s contribution to criticise his argument. They insisted that NHI provides for a major upgrade in infrastructure and for a broadening of healthcare services offered to Bahamians.
“As we are aware, a lot of the services that will be implemented with National Health Insurance are not available at this time,” Dr Darville said. “Second, research has indicated that services provided in some of our Family Islands are definitely not on par with services being provided in New Providence or Grand Bahama. What we are proposing through National Health Insurance is to improve the system that is already existing and does not meet the requirement in order for us to ensure we get the outcomes that we need and we can actually prevent serious illness and prevent patients from moving to secondary and even tertiary levels.” The first phase of the Christie administration’s plan seeks to maximise current investments in healthcare.
The $100 million that will be used to fund primary healthcare will be transferred from the PHA to the NHIA. This means that the Christie administration will not be increasing its investment in healthcare during this phase, but redirecting it instead. It’s not clear how this redirection of investment will impact the functioning of the PHA. A key difference between what is accessed now and what will be accessed when primary healthcare comes on stream, Dr Gomez said, is that Bahamians will not have to make out-of-pocket contributions to pay for primary healthcare services. The government has not said how much NHI will cost overall, or exactly how it will be funded in the long-term. Last night in the House of Assembly,
FATHER STABBED AND LEFT TO DIE from page one
“Officers were called to the scene and observed the lifeless body of a male with multiple stab wounds and visible wounds on his forehead. He was pronounced dead on the scene by EMS personnel,” Chief Supt Fernander said. “We do not know the motive for the killing at the time and we are asking persons in the area to come forward. The body appeared to have been in the
park overnight.” The victim was identified by family members and friends on the scene as Reginald Johnson. Johnson’s children were on the scene, but were too distraught to speak with reporters. Johnson’s cousin, Mary Elliot, told reporters that the deceased was a “hustler” who did odd jobs in the area “to get by.” She said he was a nice person and she “has no idea” why anyone would want to hurt him. “He doesn’t bother any-
one. He was a really nice person. He hustles by the car wash, he does anything for people,” Ms Elliot said. “I mean he may have his little ‘to do’ now and then, but he is a very nice person and he doesn’t bother anyone. I mean if you send him to the shop he will go. If they want him to wash the car or get water or something like that he did it because that is the type of person he is. I mean, this is so sad because I just spoke to him Saturday at the car wash. I am going to miss him.”
Anyone with information on this homicide is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328TIPS. The last murder recorded in the capital was that of Demario Smith aka “Fat Cat” on June 30. Police recorded no homicides during the month of July. Two men were killed in Grand Bahama earlier this month, one on August 2 and the other on August 6. Investigations continue.
Mr Christie said these costing issues were still being worked out. Friday, 12th August 2016
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Amateurs analyse Trump’s mind, but should the pros? WASHINGTON (AP) — Amateur psychoanalysts have put Donald Trump on the couch, calling him a sociopath, unhinged, a narcissist. Amid all this psychtalk, there is one group of people who aren’t talking as much: the professionals. Or at least they’re not supposed to. Professional ethics dictate that psychiatrists and psychologists avoid publicly analysing or diagnosing someone they’ve never examined, but there is new and unusually vocal dissension against this longheld gag rule because of what some of them think they hear and see in Trump. Because these professionals tend to be more liberal the result is a juggling act of propriety, politics and ethics. Armchair psychology has exploded into social media and op-ed columns over the past week, most recently with Trump’s comment Tuesday calling on gun-rights supporters to stop Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. His political opponents have grabbed hold, with President Barack Obama calling the Republican presidential nominee “unfit” and a Democratic congresswoman starting a petition to force Trump to undergo a mental health evaluation. Members of the American Psychiatric Association are bound by a 43-year-old ethics rule, called the Goldwater rule because it stems from mistaken public concerns about the mental health of the 1964 Republican presidential nominee, Sen. Barry Goldwater. Psychiatrists have been reprimanded and can be booted out of the organization if they violate that rule. But some are now chafing at the restriction, saying they feel obligated to speak out with their worries about Trump. Others see those analyses of the candidate as dangerous and jumping to false conclusions. The Associated Press spoke to 11 psychiatrists and psychologists for this story and they were split about whether they should talk publicly about candidates’ mental health. Analysis and diagnosis without meeting a patient, and without medical records, “are so likely to be wrong, so likely to be harmful to that person and so likely to discourage people from seeking psychiatric treatment that psychiatrists should not engage in that behaviour,” said Columbia University’s Dr Paul Appelbaum, a past president of the American Psychiatric Association. This month, the psychiatric association even posted a warning on its website, reminding professionals to stay mum: “The unique atmosphere of this year’s election cycle may lead some to want to psychoanalyse the candidates, but to do so would not only be unethical, it would be irresponsible.” But a few experts do discuss Trump publicly, dancing the fine line between diagnosis and merely describing what they see in his public appearances and pronouncements. The University of Minnesota’s Dr Jerome Kroll is one of them. He co-wrote an academic journal commentary calling for the end of the Goldwater rule. “I am a citizen,” he said. “If I have something to say, what I say might be stupid. What I say may embarrass psychiatry, but it’s certainly not medically unethical.” “I think he (Trump) comes as close to the narcissistic description as one would find,” Kroll said. “I think that would dis-
qualify him. I am breaking the Goldwater rule as we speak.” The Trump campaign did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Trump and his supporters have levelled their own accusations at Clinton. “She is unhinged,” Trump said last week, “she’s truly unhinged, and she is unbalanced, totally unbalanced.” Polls show that voters lack trust in Clinton and her marriage has for years been the subject of amateur analysis centred around why she stays with a philandering husband. None of the psychologists or psychiatrists interviewed raised mental health issues about Clinton. Katherine Nordal, the American Psychological Association executive director for professional practice and interim ethics chief, considers it “inappropriate behaviour” for psychologists to diagnose people they haven’t examined. A group of mental health professionals warned about the dangers of Trump’s ideology in a petition signed by more than 2,000 therapists. They don’t suggest a diagnosis, instead concentrating on what he says and does. They say his rhetoric normalizes what isn’t normal: “the tendency to blame others in our lives for our personal fears and insecurities.” Experts say narcissistic personality disorder, which involves an inflated sense of self-worth, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others, is actually a behaviour rather than a mental illness that can be diagnosed, like schizophrenia. “He talks about himself all the time,” said Northwestern University psychology professor Dan McAdams, who wrote an Atlantic magazine article on Trump’s personality. “Even at his father’s funeral he talked about himself. He can’t quit talking about himself.” For some professionals, speaking out is a matter of warning the public of impending danger. “We recognise certain patterns of behaviour to be potentially dangerous and if a mental health professional feels compelled to warn they should be able to do it,” said Philadelphia psychiatrist Dr Claire Pouncey, president of the Association for the Advancement of Philosophy and Psychiatry and co-author of the antiGoldwater rule commentary with Kroll. “I think he is dangerous and erratic, but it doesn’t take a psychiatrist to point that out,” she said, noting that she isn’t diagnosing his mental condition, just commenting on what Trump says and does. Goldwater was an ultra-conservative candidate, and a now-defunct magazine sent out a survey to thousands of members of the psychiatry association and asked them what they thought of Goldwater. More than 1,000 psychiatrists responded and some gave intricate diagnoses such as “paranoid” and “dangerous lunatic” and “counterfeit figure of a masculine man.” Goldwater sued the magazine and won. In 1973, the psychiatry association adopted the Goldwater rule. Dr Alan Stone, a professor of psychiatry and the law at Harvard, was the lone board member to vote against it. “I believe in free speech,” Stone said. “If psychiatrists want to make fools of themselves, they have that right.” Stone later met Goldwater. “He was an extremely well-balanced person,” he said. “We (psychiatrists) were thinking politics. We were against Goldwater.” By Seth Boresnstein, AP Science Writer
Junkanoo bleachers EDITOR, The Tribune EVERY year it’s the same thing. At Junkanoo time, the government erects bleachers on Bay Street to the annoyance of the Bay Street merchants. As I understand the stalemate, the merchants are not opposed to the erection of the bleachers for local and foreign spectators during the celebrations. However, the time frame allotted to assemble and disassemble these bleachers is unacceptable (to them), according to one prominent Bay Street merchant. These bleachers sometimes go up several days before Christmas - the busiest
shopping days of the year. Don’t you think these merchants have a right to be upset? Furthermore, the bleachers remain up even when the Boxing Day celebrations have been completed. As a matter of fact, these bleachers remain up throughout the holiday week (including New Year’s Day), and days after the New Year’s celebrations have been completed. As a result of this arrangement, these merchants claim that business suffers. I believe them. Since Bay Street is one of the most important economic centres in The Bahamas, my humble suggestion to the government is to appreci-
ate the collective economic contribution of these merchants to Bahamian society, be willing to give ear to their complaints and make the necessary adjustments before Boxing Day, 2016, to address the obvious problem. Why not, as has been suggested over many years, identify another suitable location on the island to hold these gargantuan parades so that spectators, participants and these merchants would be not only be accommodated, but also satisfied with the change? MARVIN G LIGHTBOURN Nassau August 4, 2016
Has Gomez read his own bill? EDITOR, The Tribune THERE is an old joke and it has never been so true than in recent times: “How do you know when a politician is lying? When their lips are moving!” I have put a quote from Dr Gomez below which was in The Tribune August 11. “Some persons (who) are fortunate enough to have private health insurance are worried about what will happen to their policies when NHI is introduced,” Dr Gomez said. “I want to reassure them that NHI does not mean that you will have to give up your private insurance benefits.” “What it does, instead, is give you an opportunity to renegotiate your private plan so that you are able to only pay for the services not currently included under NHI. This may not only reduce the cost of your plans, but may allow a greater number of Bahamians access to private health insurance at the lower rates.” Now section 21 of the national health insurance bill, 2016 and the second schedule it refers to I have copied below; 21. Coordination of cov-
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net erage of benefits. Where a beneficiary is covered by private health insurance for a benefit included in the Second Schedule, the private health insurance carrier shall be the primary payer in accordance with prescribed regulations. SECOND SCHEDULE (section 20) BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO A BENEFICIARY UNDER THE PLAN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE The benefits provided at the primary health care level shall consist of — 1. Primary health care services of health care providers 2. Primary health care diagnostic, laboratory, pharmaceutical and other medical services, including care integration, counselling, home or residential care and population health services addressing the social and other determinants of health 3. Personal preventative services
4. Primary health care prescription drugs and biologicals 5. Health education and promotion To simplify it for everybody, if you have health insurance your insurance will be covering all of your primary care costs, not NHI! It would seem Dr Gomez should read his own bill to understand that there will be no renegotiating with your insurance companies, because your insurance company will be covering your primary care benefits and not NHI. So when new taxes come, which they will, you will be paying for NHI and your private health insurance. I’m sure many people like myself will not be able to afford both, and therefore we will lose our private insurance! The government has created a situation in which it will be very difficult if not impossible to have both. Thank you so much Dr Gomez for taking my private health insurance from my family and me, we really appreciate it! I’M WATCHING YOU Nassau, August 11,2016
The Afro-American folly EDITOR, The Tribune. MEMORY serves me well over the years that many times Prime Minister Perry Christie has for some uneducated purpose, wasted his time trying to sell to the Afro-American hotel sector. I recall that when Magic Johnson, ex-Laker star came, all the talk that he was going to invest – so many after that. So many Afro-American church leaders likewise. So many prime ministerial speeches, all wasted pitching to the wrong persons. Am I the only person who sees the change in the ethnicity of cruise passengers? I wonder if we are maintaining the already low “spend figure”, because daily we
see a certain difference from a year or two ago. It is noteworthy that the price of cruises, have appreciably been discounted. Has the average spend decreased from US$70 per cruise passenger? Are low end cruise arrivals worthwhile? Our own Sweetbells Thompson talked about some economic investment - nothing that anyone knows about. There seems to be a specific concentration on the US Afro-American market that MOT are pitching to? I see this weekend British Colonial Hilton is offering rooms at a 45 per cent discount! Regularly even at Atlantis you see advertisements with a $250 cash coupon, then another coupon for in-resort spending and
a room rate discount. Are these hotels making money or just staying open? In contrast look at Turks & Caicos, St. Lucia, Antigua, Dominica, Barbados and Jamaica. 15-18 per cent plus increases year over year – spend up considerably – room revenue up considerably. Have we got the whole Tourism marketing backwards? Keen supporter of quality against quantity! Tourism DG - how can The Bahamas claim prowess in Heritage and Historic Tourism? Hmm did we organize in-house MOT employee voting in the recent Travel web site surveys to pump up the results? W. THOMPSON Nassau, July 31, 2016.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, August 12, 2016, PAGE 5
Human Rights group condemns Montagu MP A DAY after South Beach MP Cleola Hamilton chastised the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association for not rebuking remarks about female sterilisation from Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, the group released a statement asserting its condemnation of the comments. “The GBRHA is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of all facets of a woman’s reproductive rights; just as, in a broader sense, we vigorously support Bahamian women in all aspects of the ongoing struggle to cast off the shackles of second-class citizenship,” the group said in a statement. “We sincerely hope that (Mr) Lightbourn has learned his lesson from the public backlash he has experienced, and will seek in future not only to pay more careful attention to his words, but also to the points of view and thought processes which lead to them.” On July 28, during the Free National Movement’s televised convention, Mr Lightbourn suggested tying the fallopian tubes - a method of sterilisation - of unwed women who have had more than two children, as a means to curb crime and the strain on public resources. After intense backlash, he publicly apologised for the remarks. The group also took issue with Mrs Hamilton’s “backhanded suggestion that the GBHRA favours certain causes over others.” “We would firstly point her to the extremely hard work of our members in support of the ‘yes’ campaign in the lead up to the sadly ill-fated gender equality referendum. “It is totally irresponsible and very discouraging, particularly to our younger activists, to have a member of
RICHARD LIGHTBOURN, MP for Montagu, whose comments about tying the tubes of unwed mothers saw the FNM issue a statement distancing themselves from his comments. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff Parliament disregard their heartfelt efforts so flippantly and publicly. Hamilton cannot claim she is unaware of our work in support of gender equality; she is on the GBHRA mailing list. “In the second place, Hamilton, along with her female colleagues on the governing side, are in no position to criticise anyone for a perceived failure to stand up for women’s rights after their silence in the face of
MP Leslie Miller repeatedly joking about savagely beating a woman.” The group was referring to comments Mr Miller made in 2014 in the House of Assembly when the Progressive Liberal Party MP compared the opposition’s treatment of Bahamian fishermen to an abusive relationship. “That’s like beating your wife or your girlfriend every time you go home,” Mr Miller said in 2014. “You
just beat her for looking at her. I love you. Boom, boom, boom. I had a girlfriend like that. When I didn’t beat her she used to tell me I ain’t love her no more cause I don’t hit her. “But seriously I had one like that,” he said, as some PLP MPs chuckled. The GBHRA said rather than condemnation, Mr Miller’s “shameful remarks were greeted with laughter and amusement by Hamil-
ton’s side.” “Unlike governing members of Parliament, the GBHRA tries to be consistent in its positions. It condemns both the comments of both Lightbourn and Miller. And, while our members criticised both men in the media, Hamilton may notice that we did not issue an official statement in either case – as both MPs apologised and withdrew their comments in the
face of public outrage. “The charge of inconsistency and favouritism by Hamilton is totally unwarranted and shockingly hypocritical. We suggest that all elected representatives remove the beam from their own eye before seeking to discredit the good work of civic organisations in this country. Is Hamilton also willing to condemn Miller in the same terms as she did Lightbourn?”
ARCHDEACON SLAMS LIGHTBOURN AND CALLS FOR FAMILY PLANNING from page one
His comments came two weeks after Mr Lightbourn proposed that the country adopt legislation that mandates unwed mothers with more than two children have their “tubes tied” in an effort to curtail the country’s social ills. While speaking at the Free National Movement’s televised convention on July 28, Mr Lightbourn said: “It is also necessary for us as a nation to consider adopting the lead of several countries in the world which result in unwed mothers having her tubes tied after having more than two children, which would in the end result in
fewer children being born. The state should not have the burden of paying for the upbringing of children. “By adopting such measures, there will be less classrooms needed in the future, less out of school every year seeking employment and would also result in the mother of these children being able to live a better life, not having to bring up so many children.” His comments drew the ire of many people, with some parliamentarians, local advocacy groups, and others swiftly condemning him for his statements. He has since apologised for his remarks. Yesterday, Archdeacon Palacious said while Baha-
mians were “right” in condemning Mr Lightbourn for his statements, the country would do well to “engage even more feverishly, even more intentionally in a comprehensive national family planning programme.” “So when we talk about this issue of reproductive health and reproduction in the country, we need to engage in a sensible, nationwide debate,” Archdeacon Palacious said. “Let’s try to get this right. If you have more than 60 per cent of children born out of wedlock every year - some of them are unplanned and some are unwanted - what are the rights of those children? Let’s see what we can do on that end, and I’m sure
we will prevent many a malady, many a fallout from the fact that people just are unable to provide properly for some of these children. “And with the young men, we need to say the same thing. We know what it’s like for our fathers not to be there. For God’s sake man, don’t recycle that. That’s all you could recycle? You would have liked your father to be at your graduation, at your basketball game, he wasn’t there, and you’re going to produce another life that’s going to repeat that same madness? Why are we so surprised that society is the way it is?” He added: “Mr Lightbourn was heavily criti-
cised, and quite rightly so. Let me say right off the top, like so many citizens, I can’t agree with what he said. But I did call him and I told him that he said some things probably in the wrong way, but some things that needed to be said so that we can move this issue of a comprehensive national family planning programme more onto the front burner. “There’s no doubt that the issue of reproduction, the having of children, etc, that issue is plaguing us in a very, very big way.” Archdeacon Palacious also called on parliamentarians to enforce the country’s child protection laws, particularly with regards to the duty of parents to take
care of their children. “…In another jurisdiction, the US and in other places, if you owe child support money is docked straight from your salary, at the source,” he added. “We need to do that. Enact that. So all the parliamentarians who got on (Mr Lightbourn’s) case, yeah rightly so, get the police and the courts and others to find ways to enforce the existing child maintenance laws in the country.”
PAGE 6, Friday, August 12, 2016
Emails ‘should not have been tabled’ from page one
Mr Fitzgerald was also permanently banned from disclosure and publication of any further material belonging to Save The Bays and was ordered to delete all electronic and hard copy material within 14 days. The Office of the Attorney General has said that it would appeal the ruling and was granted a stay pending the appeal. “Looking back at it, I should not have allowed that to happen,” Dr Major said. “It isn’t right for someone to just pick up an email, whether or not it is private or confidential, whether they got it illegally or not and just read it in the House of Assembly for the world to hear unless it is vetted and we can determine its veracity. If that can be de-
termined and the source is determined and no laws are being violated, then that member would have the right to divulge it.” Despite his second thoughts, Dr Major repeated that he thought the court’s ruling “violated the principle that underpinned the country’s democracy.” “They (parliamentarians) must be in a position to speak freely and openly without fear of reprisal,” he said. “If they don’t have that, then any judge or any court that tells a parliamentarian what they cannot say, in essence the next step will be to tell parliamentarians what they should say if it becomes a line of demarcation of comity between the Parliament and the courts, where the courts ought to mind its own business and I say that respectfully.” In March, Mr Fitzgerald
Funeral Service Mr. Godfrey Eugene Bowe, 61 of #16 Mason Addition, Nassau, will be held on Saturday 13th August 2016, Transfiguration Baptist Church, Market & Vesey Streets at 11:00 a.m. Officiating is Rev. Dr. Stephen E. Thompson, assisted by Rev’d Alphonso Newry. Interment in Woodlawn Gardens Cemetery, Woodlawn Way, Soldier Road, Nassau. Cherished memories will always linger in the hearts of his Wife: Joycelyn; Mother: Maude Kelly; Father: Hubert Bowe; Children: Vanria Mitchell, Maxine, Merissa, Godfrey Jr., Shantell, Jamal, Michael & Brinique Bowe & Lance Maycock; Grandchildren: Able Seaman Toran Fortune of the RBDF, Khadesha, Micheal Jr. & Alexander Mitchell, Taneisha Delancy, Shindy & Michael Jr. Miller, Kendrick, Clifton & Ariana Bowe, Dravion & Drelissa Durham & Dayvonia Ramsey; Sisters: Marylee Bowe-Davis, Ruth Bowe Dean, Fenemae Bowe Grant, Naomi Johnson, Sharell Bowe, Lorna Wilson, Victoria Willis & Fredricka Nottage; Brothers: Leo Russell, Bishop Phileman, Thomas Smith (NY), Roy Smith & Victor Willis; Aunts: Perline & Marion Kelly & Clara Miller; Uncle: Willmore Rahming; Mother-in-law: Willamae Rolle; Father-in-law: Cecil Rolle; Daughter-in-law: Sashia Bowe; Son-in-law: Michael Mitchell Sr.; Brothers-in-law: Brian Davis, Glen Dean, Carlos Grant, Amos Rolle, Michael Rolle, Andrew, Marvin, Shawn, Keith & Anthony Rolle; Sister-inlaw: Jenniemae Woodside, Susanna, Lizerine & Stacy Rolle; Nieces: Reeshema Hamilton, Denita Culmer, Kenya Carter, Edvena & Sarah Russell, Glenderia & Genea Dean; Nephews: Franklin & Patrick Russell, Eutreno Bain, Benjamin, Nyole & Carlos Grant, Roberto Hamilton; Grandnieces & Nephews: Leoshanae, Kayden, Summer, Renika, Raquel, Antonia, Kaleel, Leo & Anthony; Godchildren: Destiny Rahming, Cedric Rolle Jr., Leandice Johnson, Chadrick, Gustavious, Antonia, Shawn & Troy Taylor, Anishka Taylor, Rinique Coakley; Cousins: Freeman, Leonard & Basil Kelly, Ena Rolle, Virginia Thompson, Donna Leadon, Kenrick McIntosh, Debbie Andrews, Yvonne Williams, Adena Sherman-Young, Sybrian Brian & Godfrey Kelly, Calvin, Eugene, John, Forester & Bridgette Hart, Charlene McIntosh, Gloria, Sheryll, Steffera & Nicole Bowe; Special family friends: Mrs. Lenora Neely, Aunshonique Walkes, Tamika Bain, Debbie Johnson, Lakera Moxey, Luben Louis, Tiffany Seymour, Joseph Smith, Walter Brice, Larry, Gabriel, Derick Coakley, Michael Miller Sr., Enith Taylor, Jermaine Deleveaux, “Muppet”, Cedric Rolle Sr., Sandra & Family, Mother Cenemae Sweeting, Sister Veronica Wright, Dondre Pinder, Delerise Benson, Cheryl Ferguson & Family, Janesta Miller, John “T” Bowe, Winslette Rolle & Family, Daughters & Sons of Zion Prayer Group; Other relatives, friends, co-workers including but not limited to: The Rolle Family, Woodside Family, Melony & Margarette Taylor Family, Christopher Pennerman & family, Merline Ferguson & family, Doreane Oliver & family, Mrs. Mary Wallace & family, Alley & Vera & family, The Mitchell family, Thelma Forbes & family, Archie Culmer & family, Deborah Brown & family, Alph & family, Al & family, Fortunes family, Arnold Taylor & family, Kia Dean & family, Vola & family, Shell Saxons Super Star family, The Lee family, Betty & family, Marco Lightbourne, Poogie Darling & family, McCollough Corner family, Burial Ground Corner family, Masons Addition family, KFC family, Airport Authority family, BTC family, Ministry of Works family including Stephen Culmer, Trinkia, Andre, Mr. Harold Strachan, The Transfiguration Baptist Church family; Others too numerous to mention. Friends and relatives may pay respects at Rock of Ages Funeral Chapel located on Wulff Road and Pinedale Street on Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. At the church on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until service time.
accused Save The Bays of being a political organisation seeking to “overthrow” the Progressive Liberal Party government under the guise of being an environmental group. In the House of Assembly, Mr Fitzgerald read private emails from Save The Bays members and others, which he said bolstered his claims. Speaking outside Parliament, Mr Fitzgerald later warned members of the environmental group to “batten down” because a “category five” hurricane was on its way, as he threatened to table “every single” email and bank statement in his possession if needed to protect his integrity and parliamentary privilege. After he was ordered to pay $150,000 in damages, Mr Fitzgerald said only Dr Major could stop him from speaking in Parliament.
THE TRIBUNE
SPEAKER of the House of Assembly Kendal Major.
SMITH: SEARS CAMPAIGN NOT DEAD IN THE WATER from page one
West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Obie Wilchcombe projected this week that Mr Christie would win his seat in a “landslide” victory while Marathon MP Fitzgerald has said Mr Sears’ chances of success were “highly unlikely.” Nonetheless, Mr Smith said instead of chiding the former MP over the timing of his decision and counting him out, PLPs should view this as the perfect opportunity to hone new ideas for the organisation. “What is happening is very healthy and I believe it will help us to focus on the things that we need to focus on,” Mr Smith said when he was contacted yesterday. “I encourage Mr Sears because I know he is capable of new ideas and if he puts them out there for the many delegates to consider
who knows, the delegates might receive it and he might be successful. “And even if that does not result in his winning his bid, it will have a very positive effect in that it will cause a discussion to take place on those matters in PLP circles across the country and that could only help the organisation going into convention.” He continued: “What I think he has done is to do a great service in that I know he has previously put out in the public domain his opinion on a variety of matters including local government, his thoughts on how to empower Bahamians, how we can grow the economy and how we can improve the education system and build on what we have already done with National Health Insurance. All of those things are extremely worthwhile.” Mr Smith told The Tribune he hoped the upcoming
convention is not just about a vote for a leader. He said the organisation must take this time to seriously create innovative programmes that will bring change to the country and analyse the performance of incumbent members of Parliament. “It is a great disservice to the delegates for anyone to say that someone who might put their name in the race is dead in the water. That’s not fair. So I think it is very healthy and I encourage him as opposed to ruling him out. “I also encourage those who are confident that Mr Christie will win to not just say he is going in and coming out as the leader. They must give reasons. It is not sufficient to just say he will remain - we are a better party than that. We are more intelligent than that.” Mr Christie has said he does not feel threatened by
Mr Sears’ bid to challenge him in the upcoming convention. On Wednesday, Mr Wilchcombe hinted that there is no one else in the PLP who could defeat the prime minister, as “he always wins in conventions.” He stepped away from previous assertions when he revealed that he wanted to be leader of the organisation. Instead, when The Tribune questioned him about this, the MP suggested that he was not prepared at this time to lead the PLP. He said he would contest the top post of the governing party whenever Mr Christie decides to retire. He made the comments the day after Mr Fitzgerald told reporters that former Attorney General Alfred Sears’ chances of defeating Mr Christie in the PLP’s leadership race during its convention were “slim”.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, August 12, 2016, PAGE 7
RECORDER THAT COULD GIVE CLUES TO SHIP’S SINKING
THIS undated photo made available by the NTSB shows the voyage data recorder from the El Faro freighter, seen aboard the USNS Apache in the Atlantic Ocean. The recorder was recovered from El Faro, a cargo ship that sank in The Bahamas during Hurricane Joaquin in October 2015. All 33 crew members died.
Monitoring tag removed from man cleared of trafficking charges By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
A JUDGE yesterday ordered the removal of the electronic monitoring device and return of the passport to an American man acquitted of human trafficking charges. Michael Parrilla appeared before Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs for a variation of the bail conditions that had been imposed on him in September 2015 while he awaited the conclusion of trial concerning
the alleged trafficking and harbouring of five women for sexual exploitation in January 2015. Parilla, Terrance Williams and Mariska Williams were cleared of nearly a dozen human trafficking related charges in Magistrate’s Court in May when Magistrate Constance Delancy read the decision of then trial magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt. The prosecution had asked for a stay of the decision pending an appeal to the Court of Appeal. Parilla, an American cit-
izen, had complained that he was unable to work and take care of his family due to the trial and bail conditions. He was told that he would have to make an application to the Supreme Court where he had received bail. Parilla did just that and received a hearing before Senior Justice Isaacs yesterday morning. The judge questioned why he was still on bail when he had already been acquitted. Parilla said he had no idea of how the legal sys-
tem worked in the Bahamas but could no longer endure not being able to financially sustain himself and his family while away from his home country. Prosecutor Maria Zancolla did not object to the return of his passport or removal of the monitoring device. The judge ordered the removal of the monitoring device and return of his passport, allowing for Parilla to return to the US. At Parilla’s trial, the five complainants did not ap-
pear to give evidence concerning the allegations against the three accused. However, their statements to police were allowed into the record through Section 66 of the Evidence Act, which gives the court the discretion to allow the statements of witnesses who are dead, cannot be found, or are too sick to testify into evidence. The statements revealed that the five women knowingly came to The Bahamas to engage in exotic dancing but were not brought to the capital by
the accused. Though they claimed that they were not allowed to leave the apartment where they stayed unaccompanied, there were no claims of their passports being taken from them or being forced to have sex with anyone against their will. The presiding trial magistrate had found that the Crown had not made out a sufficient case to warrant a conviction. The three accused were defended by Tonique Lewis and Keith Seymour.
COUPLE TO BE SENTENCED OVER POSTING OF NUDE PHOTOS By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net A FILIPINO couple will return to Magistrate’s Court today to face sentencing for criminal defamation concerning the husband’s posting of several nude images of his ex-girlfriend on Facebook. Angelo Cayetano, 36,
and April Cayetano, 30, both of Mt Pleasant Village, were found guilty of intentional libel last month by Magistrate Samuel McKinney concerning the postings made on social media between December 1, 2012 and May 4, 2014. It was claimed that they unlawfully published defamatory pictures of a
woman intending to defame her. In the pictures that were removed from the social media site, the complainant, whose identity was withheld for her protection, is shown posing naked in a number of positions. At trial, the 39-year-old former live-in housekeeper testified that she began dat-
ing Mr Cayetano in 2011 and their relationship ended in 2012. The woman said that Mr Cayetano tried to blackmail her into continuing the extramarital affair by threatening to release photos and video of her that he had taken of her in compromising positions. She said that Mr Cay-
etano gave her two weeks to change her mind. After she did not relent, the woman was informed by friends that they had seen naked pictures of her on Facebook. One of the victim’s friends testified that Mrs Cayetano sent her the photographs. Mrs Cayetano allegedly told the victim’s
friend: “Your friend is a whore and she’s having a relationship with my husband.” The two maintained their innocence since their arraignment in May 2014. They face up to two years imprisonment. Sergeant Philip Davis prosecuted and Tai Pinder appeared for the Cayetanos.
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PAGE 8, Friday, August 12, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
The ups and downs of the Bahamas political world
A Comic’s View by INIGO ZENICAZELAYA
I
’VE got to keep it short and sweet this week. The NFL season is upon us, and in all honesty I can’t let these ‘jokey’ leaders of ours distract me from beloved Dallas Cowboys this week. I much prefer to watch rookie long shots give their all to make an NFL team, than hear more retread political rhetoric and witness more bogus dancing from our local politicos. Now you all know me well enough to know it’s not like I turned a complete blind eye to the political landscape. I browsed it a few times, and long enough to come up with a few ‘Thumbs Up’ and ‘Thumbs Down’ for a this week. To Mr Alfred Sears, for exhibiting the intestinal fortitude and moxy to throw his hat in the ring for the Leadership of the PLP. The deck does seem stacked against him, taking on the political Tyrannosaurus Rex in incum-
A Comic’s View
By INIGO ‘NAUGHTY’ ZENICAZELAYA bent PM Perry Christie. However the chips may fall, though, Mr Sears is to be commended for his efforts and good intentions for our nation moving forward, also giving credence to the cry for youthful leadership moving forward, not the stagnant, antiquated approach by today’s septuagenarian leaders! Leader of the opposition Dr Hubert Minnis, for double talking. One can’t claim to promote unity within the party and cohesiveness moving forward, by breaking the culture of cronyism on the heels of removing Darron Cash from the FNM council because he openly didn’t support you. Where’s the democracy,
Doc? I see the hypocrisy, but that’s politics I guess. To Andre Rollins for sticking to his promise and giving it a go as an Independent candidate. Now Rollins winning a seat in the next election is as likely as the sun rising in the west but it doesn’t matter. Bahamians are just happy to see one politician keep his word, even if the other five million he spews are utter nonsense. To Brave Davis and Obie Wilchcombe for letting Alfred Sears beat them to the ‘leader-
ship’ punch. Yes, we know Sears will likely lose. But guess what? Christie will likely lose, too. And when the smoke clears, voters will remember he put out his manifesto and had the guts to at least try. What will they remember of the ministers who were too scared to make a move? To third parties. Yes, I know the DNA, UDP. PPM and all the rest are fighting an uphill battle against two (broken) behemoths in the upcoming election, but when voters look to the left and see incompetence, and look to the right and see chaos, sometimes it’s good to have a third choice. Basically, they’re the strawberry in Neapolitan ice cream. And somedays you just want strawberry. To DNA leader Bran McCartney for mocking the ‘sham’ that is the
ALFRED SEARS upcoming PLP leadership contest. I’m not saying it’s not a sham, I’m just saying McCartney has a lot of nerve criticising when we have yet to see a leadership contest in the DNA in 6 years. So, pot meet kettle. To the Supreme Court for ruling that our constitutional right to privacy cannot be tossed aside by Parliamentary privilege. I have two words for the two Cabinet Ministers who caused this mess and remain intransigent even after the ruling: Take dat!
To Speaker of the House Dr. Kendal Major for reevaluating his decision to allow Minister Jerome Fitzgerald to wax idiotic in parliament while
reading private emails. Though Dr. Major blasted the decision of the Supreme Court, he did seem to recognise why citizens would be concerned about the incident, and alluded to putting in place stricter measures before allowing MPs ‘talk people business.’ Now that we are officially past the dog days of summer, and our legislators return to work, we can only hope that they too give a break from the hot air, and actually focus on moving the country forward. Time will tell. • Inigo ‘Naughty’ Zenicazelaya is the resident stand-up comic at Jokers Wild Comedy Club at the Atlantis, Paradise Island, resort and presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday, and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm on KISS FM 96.1. He also writes a sports column in The Tribune on Tuesday. Comments and questions to naughty@tribunemedia.net
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THE TRIBUNE
Friday, August 12, 2016, PAGE 9
TWO stolen boats found stripped at Casuarina Point, Abaco, of their Yamaha engines in July.
Arrests made as police hunt for boat theft ring By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net SEVERAL persons in Abaco who are suspected of being involved in a boat theft ring on that island have been arrested, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Emrick Seymour told The Tribune. He also said that a task force has been assembled to combat the boat thefts in the northern Bahamas. Boat thefts have been an ongoing issue plaguing Abaco, which has a growing reputation as “the boat theft capital of the Bahamas.” In the last six weeks alone, about 17 boats were stolen and although nearly all have been recovered, the engines were missing. Residents are frustrated over the situation and complain that police lack sufficient resources in Abaco to tackle the problem and catch the culprits. The Tribune spoke with Snr ACP Seymour about this issue on Wednesday at police headquarters in Grand Bahama. He said: “We have had several incidents of boat thefts in Abaco, we have employed a task force with a combination of officers from Grand Bahama, Abaco and Bimini where we are doing some work in that regard. “I am satisfied that in recent times, we have had
SENIOR assistant commissioner of police Emrick Seymour some (boat) recoveries and we just arrested several persons recently who we feel are part of the boat theft ring, and are continuing our investigation.” In terms of sufficient manpower and resources, he stated that law enforcement is not only made up of the police, but also the defence force and other agencies. The police chief for Grand Bahama said that they also depend on the community to assist them. “The police are only as strong as the community wants it to be, we cannot do it alone,” he said. “We are doing the best we can with Abaco and Bimini, and the other islands as well. “I am satisfied that what we are doing is in fact working because I am seeing positive results in our crime
stats, and we are encouraged by our crime stats because they are down year to date,” he said. Residents in Abaco, however, do not feel that enough attention is being given to the issue when incidents are reported to the police. Last month, a resident told The Tribune that their small runabout was launched at Hope Town and stolen within hours. An aircraft was mobilised with spotters and the vessel was found. With an armed policeman, the boat was recovered but as they approached a suspicious white van it sped away. Residents claim they called police in Marsh Harbour about the van only to be told that officers were too busy and they “didn’t have time for that.” Abaco resident and businessman Steven Albury believes that one police patrol boat is not sufficient, and that at least five police boats are needed to patrol the island of Abaco and its many cays. Because the Abaco economy depends heavily on tourism, it is feared that the continuing rash of thefts will hurt the industry, scaring visiting boat owners who go there to vacation or spend time at their second homes. The island of Bimini has also been targeted by thieves. According to reports, on July 30 a vessel was stolen from a marina there around 4 o’clock in
the morning. The boat was equipped with a Seatrax GPS, which alerted the boat owner by text messages that the vessel was moving. When the owner went to check, the boat was gone. Because of the device, he was able to track its movements and the vessel was
tracked 75 miles, with speeds up to 52 mph, and was spotted by Freeport Harbour Patrol at 6.40am as it arrived into a remote canal. The police intercepted the boat in Freeport but the three thieves jumped off the boat and escaped. The
boat was damaged in the process, but was later returned to the owner. It is believed that boats are being stolen by thieves for human smuggling operations, which is a very lucrative nefarious activity, especially in Grand Bahama and Abaco.
PAGE 10, Friday, August 12, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
Ministry of Education announces support for homeschooling
FROM left, Marcellus Taylor, deputy director in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology; Jerome Fitzgerald, Minister of Education, Science and Technology; Lionel Sands, director in the Ministry of Education and Pastor Cedric Moss at yesterday’s press conference. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff THE Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is taking a bold step to regularise homeschooling in the Bahamas. Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald made the announcement on Thursday during a press con-
ference at the ministry’s headquarters. The official registration process begins on Monday, August 15. Also speaking on behalf of the ministry was Deputy Director of Education Marcellus Taylor. Homeschooling has
become a growing trend worldwide and many Bahamians have decided to homeschool their children. Over the years, the ministry has gathered sufficient information regarding homeschooling in the country and is now putting policies
THE TRIBUNE’S
BACK TO SCHOOL GUIDE
S
ummer’s nearly over, so parents and kids it’s time to prepare for the new school year. And how better to do that than with The Tribune’s Back To School guide on Wednesday. Going to college? Going to high school? What is the plan for education in the Bahamas? The people responsible for mapping the future for our children talk to The Tribune.
Thinking of studying abroad? How about British universities rather than American or Canadian? Advice from one Bahamian student who tells his story of overcoming his struggles and eventual success. Considering a profession after school? Read why vocational education is important. Plus the brightest and best of the Bahamas students in 2016 – from New Providence to Ragged Island: 100 profiles of high school graduates and future alumni. All in The Tribune’s 28-page Back To School guide on Wednesday. Make sure of your copy.
in place to regularise the practice. Mr Fitzgerald emphatically stated that this is not an attempt to discourage homeschooling but to ensure that students who are homeschooled are not disadvantaged. “Let me make it clear that we are not discouraging the practice, nor are we anti-homeschooling. With the emergence of homeschooling there is a multiplicity of curricula being used and
we want to ensure that the curricula and instruction meet the standards of the Ministry of Education,” he said. Pastor Cedric Moss, president of The Bahamas Homeschool Association, expressed the association’s gratitude to the Ministry of Education for taking a common sense approach to regulate homeschooling. “It is clear that the objective is to facilitate, not frustrate parents and guardians
who home-school their children,” he added. The newly established Homeschool Unit falls under the purview of Dr Iva Dahl and will be located in the RND Plaza West, in the same building as FirstCaribbean Bank. The application form and brochure are available on the ministry’s website at www.ministryofeducationbahamas. com and inquiries may be emailed to homeschoolunit@moe.edu.bs.
Cycling Club Bahamas
Please make sure traffic has stopped before you step out, if you can, tell them what’s going on! Finally, remember, we are there to protect the cyclists. So stay alert, monitor traffic safely and enjoy the race. Items you may need to bring with you: sunblock, hat, chair, umbrella, cooler. Saturday morning - The junior Time Trial starts at 8am. Volunteers need to sign in by 7am and be in position by 7:45am. Saturday afternoon - The road race starts at 4pm. Volunteers need to sign in by 3pm and be in position by 3:45pm. Sunday morning - The big road race starts at 7am. Volunteers need to sign in by 6am and be in position by 6:45am. Weekday rides, east morning, Tuesday & Thursday leaving 5am sharp from Sea Grapes Shopping Centre, East Prince Charles Drive. This ride is a 17-mile loop to the Northbound Paradise Island Bridge and back again (both bridges
are sometimes incorporated depending on available time). Open to riders capable of 18mph + for 1 hour. Lights are essential. Weekday rides, west morning, Wednesdays & Fridays leaving 4:45am sharp from Fidelity Bank Parking Lot (opposite Cable Beach Police Station), West Bay St. This ride is a 20-mile loop. The route is varied. Open to riders capable of 18 mph + for 1 hr. Lights are essential. Contact Shantell to confirm your attendance. Afternoon - Tuesdays & Thursdays leaving 5:30pm sharp from Old Fort Shopping Center east of Solomon’s Fresh Market. This ride is 18-20 miles depending on whether you choose to do a second loop. Recommended for Strong Riders capable of 20mph+ for 1-1.5hrs. Intermediate Riders 18-22mph -see Spyda Upcoming events: Youth Cycling Developmental Programme, each Saturday at the tracks. Contact Barron on 552-5128 for more information. August 20 BASRA Marathon Swim, Grand Bahama. September 11-18 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Cozumel, Mexico http://cozumel.triathlon. org/event/schedule. September 24 Potcakeman main event triathlon, Nassau, Bahamas. November 5 & 6 Conchman Triathlon 30th Anniversary Race & Party, Grand Bahama. February 4 - 2nd Annual Bahamas Medical Center Dri Tri. February 18 - Ride For Hope, Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera.
Cycling Club Bahamas. - The Viva! Bahamas Cycling Invitational event is this weekend. Come down to Jaws Beach parking lot to view the races. Food will be on sale and there will be lots of shade and water. At least five visiting top ranked teams will participate with our local teams. All volunteers are asked to sign in prior to all events at the Clifton Heritage Northern parking lot next to the Start/Finish Line near to Jaws Beach. At this time you will be issued your equipment and water. You will be given a vest to wear for safety and to identify you as part of the cycling support crew. Safety vests must be worn throughout the entire race. Please use your equipment. Please make yourselves visible to oncoming traffic.
JOIN THE CLUB OUR Clubs and Societies page is a chance for you to share your group’s activities with our readers. To feature on our Clubs and Societies page, submit your report to clubs@ tribunemedia.net, with “Clubs Page” written in the subject line. For more information about the page, contact Stephen Hunt on 5022373 or 447-3565.
THE TRIBUNE
‘The Bahamas’ own street philosopher’
Friday, August 12, 2016, PAGE 11
PAGE 12, Friday, August 12, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
MARINES training in the use of their weaponry.
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MORE than 40 marines from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force are better equipped to defend and safeguard the country against illicit activities after graduating from the Commando Squadron’s Basic Infantry Training Course. Conducted by versatile skilled instructors of the Commando Squadron department, the vigorous nine-week training programme demanded both the mental and physical endurance of course participants. Comprised of marines from the various sections of the Commando Squadron, Harbour Patrol, Port Security and the Military Police/Force Protection units, the 39 males and four females successfully conquered the challenges they faced. Captain Tellis Bethel, acting commander of the RBDF, said that this particular training exercise was the first phase of having all members of the force undergo basic infantry training upon completion of
their new entry training to ensure that they are better trained and prepared to confront today’s security threats. In the past, the basic infantry course was only offered to those who were drafted to the Commando Squadron Department with the exception of a few volunteers. This recent training programme also included a two-week tactical training exercise provided by instructors from United States Marine Forces North consisting of combat shooting techniques (CST), close quarter battle (CQB) and urban tactics. Other disciplines covered included first aid, weapons handling, battle fitness, rappelling, land navigation, field craft, physical training, radio communications, cay search, direction for opening fire, and patrolling. The marines covered academic disciplines in the areas of core values, small arms, rules of engagement, human rights and law of armed conflict. Course candidates were also graded on
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MARINES in action during training, above and below.
individual performance, as well as on leadership and teamwork. During the graduation ceremony, participants were awarded certificates of completion. Marine Seaman Lyndon Rolle of the Commando Squadron Department and Woman Marine Oriscia Clarke of the Military Police & Force Protection Unit were recipients of the most outstanding male and female performance awards. Commando Squadron is headed by Lieutenant Commander Derrick Ferguson and the chief instructor for the course Chief Petty Officer Ramone Storr. In congratulating the graduates, Captain Samuel Evans, assistant captain Coral Harbour Base, reminded the candidates that their journey towards being the best they can be has just begun. He also encouraged the graduates to maintain the effort and commitment they displayed during the course when they return to their respective departments.