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‘Hoping for miracle’ in Blue Hole Searc H
Man vanishes on the same day family buries grandmother
By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune
Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
THE daughter of a 50-year-old man who vanished in Long Island’s Dean’s Blue Hole on the same day the family buried her grandmother is holding out hope for a miracle.
that her father, Douglas McHardy, was an experienced diver and fisherman who loved the water.
Douglas McHardy
Nakita Headley, 32, told The Tribune
On Saturday, he attended his mother-in-law’s funeral with his family before heading to a local restaurant and then to the beach near Dean’s Blue Hole around
SEE page three
m an found shot to death in south beach is 79th murder
By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
POLICE are investigating a fatal shooting in South Beach that has raised this year’s murder count to 79. Around 2.30pm on August 10, police received reports of an unresponsive man lying in a ditch near a dirt road off Holiday Drive, leading to the South Beach canals. Officers found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper torso. Emergency medical services found no signs of life.
Witnesses reported that the man was last seen walking with another person shortly before gunshots
SEE page two
4m passengers new airport
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Nassau Airport Development Company said the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) welcomed a record 4.06 million passengers in fiscal year 2024,
a milestone in the airport’s recovery from the pandemic.
This news comes amid concerns about the country’s ability to increase its share of stopover visitors.
Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard has repeatedly criticised the country’s performance,
‘We’re so
By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune
Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
ALTHOUGH The Bahamas failed to win a medal at the Olympics for the first time in 36 years, Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture Mario Bowleg congratulated Bahamian athletes and emphasised how impressive it is to qualify for the sporting extravaganza.
“The Bahamas has a proud and storied history at the Olympics, and this
proud of you’ a baco residents are sceptical shelter ready by year’s end
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
record
saying The Bahamas lags behind the region in the growth of stopover visitors.
The previous record of 3.99 million passengers was set in 2019, and LPIA is on track to surpass its alltime calendar year record of 4.1 million passengers by
DISASTER Risk Management Authority officials say a long-awaited hurricane shelter in Abaco will be completed by the end of the year, but Abaco residents are sceptical.
DRM managing director Aarone Sargent announced Thursday that the shelter in Central Pines, Abaco, is expected to be finished at $4.5m, including “relative change orders”. The facility is designed to accommodate 200 people during a hurricane.
Devynne Charlton embraces American Masai Russell after the women’s 100m hurdles finals. Russell took the gold medal while Charlton placed sicth in the finals.
Man found shot to death in South Beach is 79th murder
from page one
were heard. The victim, whose identity has not yet been released, is described as having a medium brown complexion and black low-cut hair. He was wearing a white undershirt, dark jeans, and black and white tennis shoes.
Police are also still investigating the 77th and 78th murders of the year following a double shooting outside a nightclub in
Grand Bahama. Around 3am on March 7, an armed suspect opened fire on two men outside a club on East Sunrise Highway.
Anton Swain, one of the victims, died from his injuries around 9am the following morning.
A relative described the 56-year-old as a dedicated father and US Army veteran from the Gulf War.
Swain, who had been raised in New York, was deported back to The
Bahamas after committing petty theft in the US. At the time of his death, he was working as a security guard in Grand
The second victim, whose name has not been released, died from his injuries on Saturday.
The suspect, who had previously been fitted with a monitoring device for an earlier offence, was apprehended by police after cutting off the device.
Bahama.
The scene on a track road near the South Beach Pools where the body of a man was found dead on Saturday.
Photos: Dante carrer/Tribune Staff
chief Superintendent Christopher Minus speaks to reporters at the scene of the murder.
‘Hoping for miracle’ in Blue Hole Searc H
5.30pm.
Ms Headley described how she, her father, his two grandchildren, and another family member were at the beach. After briefly leaving to get something, she returned to find her father missing. Mr McHardy had been swimming in the shallow part of the blue hole, a place he had frequented before without incident.
Ms Headley characterised her father as a strong swimmer who owned two boats and worked in commercial fishing. She explained that family members on the shore had seen him frequently until she noticed his absence and alerted them. He is believed to have disappeared between 6.30 and 6.45pm.
The weather was typical, and the water was calm on the day Mr McHardy disappeared. He had no known health issues at the time.
Search efforts have been underway, with two searches conducted yesterday and a new one planned today using Royal Bahamas Defence
Force drones. The family remains hopeful for his safe return.
“I know people are offering their condolences, but we’re still hoping for the best,” Ms Headley said. “We’re praying for a miracle, that he’s alive because his body hasn’t been found yet.” She added: “At this point, we just hope to recover his body for some closure.”
Ms Headley’s family is struggling with this incident, having just buried a loved one. Her grandmother died on Mr McHardy’s birthday, July 13, and now he has gone missing on the day of his mother-in-law’s burial.
Describing her father as jovial, kind, and a devoted parent, Ms Headley said he has five children, including four daughters and one son. He was married for 26 years and worked as a heavy machine operator.
The family has expressed gratitude to local authorities, search teams, the Long Island community, and others for their support. Long Island MP Adrian Gibson has been in touch with the family and offered his assistance.
Relaunch of Small home RepaiR initiative SeeS cont R act S Signed foR 40 homeS in
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune
Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip
“Brave” Davis led the relaunch of the Small Homes Repair Initiative over the weekend, signing a contract to repair 40 home repairs in Grand Bahama.
“I want to express my profound appreciation to the people of Grand Bahama for your patience and steadfastness,” he said.
“We know it has been quite
an ordeal. Many of you may have had your homes assessed two or three times.”
A press conference was held on Saturday at the Office of the Prime Minister to announce the relaunch of repairs to homes that suffered damage during Hurricane Dorian in September 2019.
Mr Davis highlighted the challenges of governance, noting that many important initiatives often fall through the cracks due to competing priorities like
healthcare and education.
“One of those has been bringing relief to those who require a roof over their heads,” he admitted.
“I have corrected some of those structural deficiencies and decided to lead this relaunch.”
The prime minister emphasised his personal commitment to the initiative, saying he had visited Abaco on Friday and was in Grand Bahama to ensure progress.
“I think we will sign about 40 contracts, and
they will be coming back by the end of the week to continue this process,” he added. “I am going to be on it personally going forward.”
Mr Davis assured residents that mobilisation would begin immediately after the contracts were signed. “For far too long, there have been bureaucratic tapes and hurdles, and I am cutting through them to get these things done,” he declared.
The relaunch of the home repairs initiative holds particular significance for the prime minister, who was moved by the conditions he encountered during last November’s by-election, which led to the election of Kingsley Smith.
“In many homes I visited, people pointed out that nothing had been done to their homes despite assessments and promises since Hurricanes Matthew, Jeanne, and Frances. That was truly shocking,” he remarked. “I was moved from then to now to get these things done and to hurry and get it done.”
When asked about the cost of the home repairs, Prime Minister Davis responded: “I think they have the number, but I am not putting a price tag on it.”
Kingsley Smith, MP for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, thanked residents for their patience and reassured them that the
government was working to assist as many people as possible, prioritising the elderly and the sick. “There are quite a few
homes that will be dealt with. You may not be among the first or second, but we are coming,” he said.
Douglas McHarDy
PictureD: Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey, Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, and Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville at a press conference for the relaunch of the Small Homes Repair initiative.
Photo: Vandyke Hepburn
4m passengers is new airport record
from page one
December 2024. According to a press release from NAD, the airport saw a 9.27 per cent increase in passenger traffic compared to the previous year, with growth across all sectors: US, international, and domestic. The bulk of the passengers — over 2.8 million — came from the US, while nearly 450,000 were international travellers and around 747,000 were domestic passengers. The rise continues a recovery trend that began in 2022 when LPIA recorded 2.8 million passengers, followed by 3.7 million in 2023.
Vernice Walkine, president and CEO of NAD, credited the airport’s success to various factors, including new flight services, increased seat availability on existing routes, and the expansion of seasonal flights.
Ms Walkine noted that airlines have responded to strong demand for Nassau/
Passengers disembarking at LPIA. The airport has a seen a record number of passengers this year pass through their terminals.
Paradise Island by increasing seat capacity, which reached 6.379 million in FY2024, an 18 percent jump from the previous year and 11 per cent above 2019 levels.
Nonetheless, Robert Sands, the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) president told Tribune Business last week that much work is needed this year because the industry is not seeing the growth it did during the same period last year. He said the drop-off in group visitor business compared to an unusually strong 2023 third quarter likely played “a pivotal role” in this year’s softening.
“This shift,” he said, “points to a likely decline in the marginal spending benefit to the economy of the increases in arrival numbers since 2022.”
This was echoed by Daphne DeGregoryMiaoulis, the Abaco Chamber of Commerce president, who told Tribune Business: “Tourism numbers are up, but when you add up all the cruise ship bodies who don’t spend too much of anything, but we are bragging about the number of heads coming into the country.
“We need to be looking at more long-term stays, three to five-day stays, not coming off the cruise ships, walking around town and maybe buying a snack and t-shirt before going back on the cruise ship and going to their private islands where they don’t buy the t-shirt; they buy from the same people that brought them there.”
Meanwhile, Julian Francis, Commonwealth Brewery’s chairman, told shareholders in the company’s 2023 annual report that “as a percentage of total arrivals, stopover visitors to The Bahamas have declined in relation to cruise visitors –– from an average of 25 per cent per annum over the 2015-2019 period to an average of 21 per cent per annum between 2022 and 2023.”
PM: GBPC request for rate hike unreasona Ble and laCks justifiC ation
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip
“Brave” Davis said the Grand Bahama Power Company’s (GBPC) request for a 6.3 percent increase in base electricity rates is unreasonable and lacks justification.
“I don’t know what case they are making for it, but from what I can see, there is no basis for any further increases in electricity,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an event on Thursday, his first interview since travelling to the United States for sciatica treatment last
month. “In fact, if anyone notes what is happening in New Providence, electricity rates are going down. Consumption is up, but rates are down.” After the GBPC submitted a proposal to the Grand Bahama Port Authority to increase base electricity rates, the authority said it would review the matter and engage stakeholders during a 45-day consultation period. The authority said it would decide on December 1 as the “sole licensor and regulator” for utilities in the Port Area under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement (HCA). The matter has set the
stage for a clash with the central government as it conflicts with the Electricity Act (2024), which established the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) as the regulator of all utilities in the country.
The GBPC claims the rate adjustment could result in a “small all-in” decrease for most customers, but the Davis administration has rejected the proposal.
Last week, the Ministry of Energy and Transport urged URCA to use its authority under the Electricity Act to block the GBPC’s proposed rate increase.
Operations chief says relations with unions at
BPL are ‘stable’
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
LABOUR relations between executives and unions at Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) are “stable”, according to BPL’s chief operating officer, Toni Seymour. Her comment came after Kyle Wilson, president of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU), said last month that employees were “angry” and “ready for action” over a lack of transparency about the Davis administration’s plans for BPL’s workforce as it reforms the company. He questioned whether the benefits and rights in their current industrial agreements would be honoured. During a press briefing
at the Office of the Prime Minister on Thursday, Ms Seymour said: “I would say presently, industrial relations between the executives and the unions are stable, and we meet with both unions regularly.
“As it relates to the reform and the integration of Pike, those discussions are being held at a governmental level.”
She noted that Minister of Energy JoBeth ColebyDavis issued a statement outlining the reform framework for BPL.
Mr Wilson could not be reached up to press time.
The government is entering a 25-year agreement with Pike Corporation through its Bahamian management company, Island Grid Solutions, to upgrade and
manage BPL’s transmission and distribution network.
The government will own 40 percent of the shares in a special purpose vehicle, Bahamas Grid Company, while Island Grid Solutions will own 60 percent.
Last month, the Ministry of Energy and Transport said that Island Grid representatives were in the country, fulfilling their commitment to assist BPL with necessary distribution work.
The ministry also said it had met with BPL’s two unions to inform them of upcoming changes, emphasising that BPL’s plans include a firm commitment to protect the job security of union workers and honour existing industrial agreements.
Prime minister PhiliP ‘Brave’ Davis
BPl COO tOni seymOur
‘We’re so proud of you’
year, our athletes continued to build on that rich tradition,” he said in a statement. “While winning medals is often seen as the pinnacle of success, it’s crucial to recognise that qualifying for the Olympics is an extraordinary achievement in itself. Only a small percentage of athletes worldwide earn the chance to compete on this prestigious stage. Reaching this level is a testament to the unparalleled dedication, sacrifice, and commitment of our Bahamian athletes.”
“Becoming an Olympian is a monumental achievement in itself, regardless of whether one wins a medal. It reflects years of grit, sweat, hard work, and relentless training. Olympians are those who have earned the right to compete on the world’s most prestigious stage, displaying exceptional athletic prowess and representing the pinnacle of sportsmanship.”
Mr Bowleg congratulated Devynne Charlton, the only Bahamian to advance to a final. She finished sixth in the 100m hurdles.
Mr Bowleg said Ms
Charlton “showed grit, determination, and true Bahamian spirit on that track. Keep shining and inspiring us all – your journey is far from over”.
He also praised Charisma Taylor for reaching the semi-finals in the 100m hurdles and Dennisha Cartwright, whom he said has a promising future.
The minister lauded swimmers Lamar Taylor and Rahnishka Gibbs for representing the nation in the aquatics events.
He also praised returning Olympic champions Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo, and made special mention of Ken Mullings, the first Bahamian decathlete, and Wayna McCoy, the first Bahamian to reach the 200m semi-final.
He recognised Mancer Roberts Sr, technical director of Bahamas Aquatics, as the first Bahamian to serve as one of 26 officials in the swimming competition. He also noted that Bahamas Aquatics President Algernon Cargill presented medals to the 4x200m freestyle male relay winners, and former athlete Mike Sands presented medals to
the men’s 400m and women’s triple jump finalists.
He encouraged the nation to celebrate the personal achievements and milestones of the athletes, noting that the road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics begins now.
“As a nation, we must also celebrate the personal triumphs and milestones achieved by our athletes at these Games,” he said.
“Setting a new personal best, breaking a national record, or simply competing on the world’s biggest stage are all significant accomplishments. These achievements reflect the hard work and determination our athletes have poured into their training and preparation. Even for those who faced the heartbreak of not finishing their events, their efforts deserve our deepest respect and admiration.
“We also want to acknowledge and thank those athletes who came close to achieving the Olympic qualifying standards but fell just short. Their effort and dedication are no less commendable, and we encourage them to keep pushing towards
believe
H ARbouR isl A nd Residents come toget HeR to bRing fiRe
DEBRIS from demol-
ished buildings at the Harbour Island All Age School caught fire on Friday, prompting a frantic effort from the community to stabilise the blaze and prevent it from spreading throughout the school.
At scHool undeR cont
“There were makeshift water hoses coming from a water tanker and the fire truck,” Mr Wilson said.
“People were using their gulf carts with buckets and containers with water to
Stephen Wilson, the Family Island administrator for the North Eleuthera District, said some buildings at the school were demolished on Friday, and workers had worked to remove the debris. Residents are uncertain whether the fire was started accidentally but believe it began under the rubble.
help fill the tanker. Water hoses were used by neighbours nearby. We were lifting the buckets. The children in all that smoke were helping to secure their school. The ladies brought bottled water and masks for the volunteers. It was incredible to see how the people came together to save their school. Our second homeowners were also there, fighting the blaze.”
Ab Aco Residents AR e sceptic A l shelter will be ready by year’s end
“We are now up to the belt course,” he said during a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister, noting that the roofs of the two shelter wings are in place. “They’re working diligently to get the building fully enclosed, but we will have the building ready and operational by the end of the year.”
However, Faron Newbold, chief councillor for Central Abaco’s District Council, expressed concerns about the shelter’s completion. Mr Newbold said residents had hoped it would be finished by now, and based on its current state, it seems unlikely the construction team will meet the year-end deadline.
“It’s quite evident they need extra time,” he said. “I think they’re doing their best to get it completed. It’s probably a bit more challenging than they expected, which could be why it’s taking extra time.”
Photos shared with The Tribune show the Abaco Community Centre and Shelter with the frame structure up. Still, much of the building remains incomplete, with few windows, doors, or interior work finished.
Mr Newbold noted that Abaco currently has 12 hurricane shelters, but using schools and churches poses challenges, as these buildings have other uses. He estimated the new shelter to be about 65 percent complete.
Hurricane Dorian devastated Abaco on September 1, 2019, as a Category 5 storm, leaving the island in ruins and claiming several lives. Mr Newbold said residents are still struggling to recover, with many unable to repair their homes after losing everything.
Crystal Williams, a resident of Central Pines, described the delay in building the shelter as a “slap in the face” to Abaco residents. She said many people still
suffer from post-traumatic stress during hurricane season and don’t feel safe staying on the island when a storm approaches. Ms Williams, who works in construction, added that finishing the shelter’s exterior and interior could take several months.
Other residents contacted by The Tribune expressed similar concerns, doubting the shelter would be completed by year-end.
Daphne DeGregoryMiaoulis, president of the Abaco Chamber of Commerce, said it would be difficult to finish the shelter by years-end unless the construction team works overtime. She also questioned whether the building will be equipped with bathroom facilities and a kitchen and whether it will be comfortable enough for residents.
Mrs DeGregory-Miaoulis suggested the shelter should be available post-hurricane season for those who cannot return home. She highlighted that some people in the Murphy Town area still live in domes and that many residents are still reeling from Dorian’s aftermath. She emphasised the need for more community support for those in need.
In December 2020, the Minnis administration participated in a groundbreaking
ceremony for the Abaco hurricane shelter and community centre, stating the facility would accommodate 800 people during a hurricane. It was initially expected to be completed by May 2021, before the next hurricane season, with an estimated cost of $1.8m.
However, that target was missed, and months later, the Minnis administration was voted out of office.
Yesterday, Chauntez Dillet-Wilson, assistant director of communications, reaffirmed the DRM’s timeline for completing the shelter.
She said: “As Mr Sargent outlined, the DRM Authority has been meeting with the project managers, contractors, and engineers on site each month to review the building’s progress, and there have been no reported issues from the project team that might result in significant delay. Currently, we are constructing the roof and installing the last of the windows, and we are meeting with the project team for an update on the progress of those items this week.”
“We know the people of Abaco are eager to see this project fully realised, and so is the DRM Authority. We are working diligently with the project team to deliver on our commitment to finish this shelter by the end of year.”
their dreams. The work for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles starts now, and we
that with continued perseverance and support, many more Bahamians will
the opportunity to represent our nation on the world stage.”
Picture showing current progress of hurricane shelter being built in Abaco.
community comes together to fight fire at Harbour Island All Age School.
The Tribune Limited
NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI
“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
LEON E. H. DUPUCH
Bowleg sets right tone after Olympics Picture
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
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Publisher/Editor 1919-1972
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RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.
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MInISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg is right to salute our Bahamian athletes as they come to the end of their olympic 2024 journey. He talks rightly of our country’s “proud and storied history” at the olympics. We may not be coming home with a medal this time around, but it is not for the want of trying.
Injury foiled Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-uibo, while Devynne Charlton finished sixth in her final. Charlton herself talked of feeling upset after the final, but she was there to represent her nation, and she has been there to represent our nation at races around the world.
For others, it was a first time to step onto the olympic stage, and an opportunity to lay down a marker for, hopefully, a future return.
The minister goes on to note the performances of other athletes, including ken Mullings, Charisma Taylor, Dennisha Cartwright, Wayna McCoy and more.
There was a winning moment for a Bahamian coach. Rolando “Lonnie” Greene is the coach of both Devynne Charlton and the 100m hurdle winner, Makai Russell. Much has been said about how The Bahamas outpunches its weight in the olympics. our nation has had a long
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run of medals – back to 1992 in Barcelona, Spain. We keep on beating the odds, but it was not to be this time.
That does not diminish our pride in our athletes. Perhaps if luck and injury had been in our favour, things might have been different.
So as they return, we salute them. We agree with everything the minister says.
Most notably, we agree with one thing especially.
“The work for the 2028 olympic in Los angeles starts now,” said Mr Bowleg.
We agree. and we look forward to seeing that work in action. The investment that will be made to enable our athletes to shine, the support in terms of physical improvements to facilities, the support in terms of sponsorships and other assistance to let our current and future stars focus on being the best they can be.
We hope our athletes will emerge stronger for the experience in Paris, and be ready to take up that challenge –both those who may be returning to the olympics, and those youngsters who will be setting their sights on becoming heroes in Hollywood in four years’ time. across the nation, people cheered on our Bahamian stars. They are our heroes, come what may.
Cruise ships get too much advantage
EDITOR, The Tribune.
SHouLD we revert to the old status quo of what we allow open on the cruise ships whilst they are visiting as it seems what we have are too much advantage to the cruise companies?
Close everything down on the ships? acceptable?
Doubt it for the Cruise Line, but shouldn’t their retail sales whilst in port be liable to VaT? Get CaRICoM countries to agree. Is there anything in law which says their
retail sales are not? never heard we gave that concession. Did we? Ships need to stay in port beyond 6pm incentives the berthing tax so they will. This will allow for more organised cultural and retail events on Bay and therefore more business. Shops on Bay area stay open longer if ships stay in port longer... open say at 11am stay open til 10pm.
Events... Goombay Cultural displays with, yes, ‘Junkanoo’ twice a week on high capacity
Upset over Junkanoo in Canada
days of cruise boats in port... street festival... only for merchants in the immediate Bay Street area. Work with cruise companies - I recall Carnival offered funds to do just that... what happened? not interested in numbers only interested in money in bank that alone pays for my mortgage-food - BPL-health costs... numbers are just political foolishness.
SYLVIA ROMER nassau, July 2024.
EDITOR, The Tribune. Junkanoo is a centuries-old part of our Bahamian tradition and a direct link to our african heritage that was brought here by enslaved africans where it fell on fertile ground and has flourished. Three days ago, the streets of Fox Hill reverberated with the sights and sounds of Junkanoo for Emancipation Day celebrations. We proudly claim Junkanoo as ours, The Bahamas being one of the places in this part of the world where this festival is still seriously and consistently celebrated with complete vigour and appreciation!
Having stated the obvious facts above, I would like to invite you to take a short journey with me to try to make sense of the next set of foolishness that has greeted me this blessed morning!
In December of 2023, The Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training along with The Bahamas national Commission for unESCo, announced with much fanfare, The Bahamas’ “significant cultural achievement” of
having successfully registered Junkanoo to be inscribed on the Representative List for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), a 2003 unESCo Convention. This decision was made during the Eighteenth Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the ICH Convention that was held in Botswana, africa. For the past several months on social media, mention has been made of an upcoming International Junkanoo Festival and Exhibition of Tourism and Culture being apparently held on September 4-8 in Toronto, Canada (it had originally been slated for april or May 2024). a video of an official launch of the event in Jamaica was sent to me today and was the trigger for this letter. In this particular video, there is no mention whatsoever of The Bahamas, although an earlier look at the website did list a Bahamian’s name that is
no longer there. In 2018, Creative nassau, one of the first Cities in the Caribbean to be designated as a unESCo Creative City of Crafts and Folk art, applied to unESCo for Bahamian Strawcraft to be inscribed on the ICH Register, but we were unfortunately not successful. That year, Jamaica received the ICH inscription for Reggae Music. In light of the above mere days since we celebrated Emancipation Day, I ask: “make it make sense”! There is utter and disgraceful folly happening in the above sequence of events. So who is in charge, who is checking, who is protecting, and who is safeguarding our culture and our heritage? My late husband, Jackson Burnside III, admonished many years ago in one of his letters to the press that we need to “own our own, otherwise someone else outside will claim it.”
Silence equals consent. Speak up, Bahamas!
PAM BURNSIDE new Providence august 8, 2024.
AckerA NugeNt, of Jamaica, and Devynne Charlton, of Bahamas, right, compete in a women’s 100 meters hurdles, finishing sixth in the finals, in Saint-Denis, France.
Photo: Martin Meissner/AP
MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2024
More discussion needed over four-day workweek proposal
By MALCOLM STRACHAN
THERE has been much talk in the past week of a suggestion that the government is reviewing the possibility of bringing in a four-day working week –but among that discussion, there has been very little analysis of how such a thing would actually work.
First thing first, this is an idea that has been tried out in various parts of the world already – a trial in Iceland for example between 2015 and 2019 was reported by researchers to be “an overwhelming success”.
That trial saw people move from a 40-hour week to a 35 or 36-hour week, and led unions to negotiate new working patterns. The bulk of the workforce ended up moving to shorter hours for the same pay or would have the right to do so.
One of those researchers, Will Stronge, at UK-based Autonomy said: “It shows
that the public sector is ripe for being a pioneer of shorter working weeks –and lessons can be learned for other governments.”
There have been trials elsewhere too. After Iceland’s success, Spain piloted a four-day working week, in part because of the impact of COVID-19. New Zealand has given it a try. The Dominican Republic is experimenting.
Pertinent to our climate concerns, a report by the 4 Day Week campaign in the UK suggested shorter hours could cut the UK’s climate footprint. That makes sense. Fewer days means less commuting, for starters. Perhaps less energy used in offices.
Not all trials mean fewer hours, though, some just pack those extra hours into fewer days. So perhaps you work ten-hour shifts or 11-hour shifts for four days instead of eight-hour shifts for five.
Where there is a reduction in hours, the idea is that the reduction comes hand in hand with an increase in productivity. There’s something called the 100-80-100 model. It suggests you get 100 percent pay for 80 percent of the time, in exchange for 100 percent productivity.
As you can imagine, skepticism abounds – and not just from employers.
Let’s start with customers – how many times have you been trying to get hold of, say, a government office by phone, or perhaps a bank, only for the phone to ring and ring and never get answered? Now imagine that with working hours cut by a fifth.
Employers too have their doubts – particularly those who have staff where presence is as important as productivity. If you run a shop, you need a staff member on duty for customers, right? Anyone who
has worked in retail knows there are times when there can be long gaps in the day, but you need someone there regardless for when a customer does come in.
And, let’s face it, as an employer, well at least a good one, you know your staff. Some go above and beyond. Some barely do the minimum. What guarantees are there that those doing the minimum will raise their game and actually increase their productivity? Or will they just clock in and clock out and do no more than they are, possibly for less time?
In business, you might have lots of high ideas, but the bottom line is right there for a reason. You’ve got to make your money to exist. If you get 100 percent from someone for 80 percent of the time, well then your bottom line stays as it is. If you don’t, well, that’s a worry.
Some jobs lend
themselves more naturally to such a working environment. Some jobs are, simply put, more flexible than others.
In The Bahamas, there has been a mixed reaction so far.
Taxicab union leader Wesley Ferguson stirred up plenty of reaction by suggesting the idea of a four-day week is “laziness”. He said that people already “goof off with the five days that they have”. He added: “When you add up all the hours that they goof off, it’s about two days out of five, so they account for about three working days. What it does is add costs to a person who has a business because his business has to be open during the hours he determines are necessary for him to survive.”
He pointed out that such a system would not affect self-employed taxi drivers, who work “seven days a week and by choice”.
Over at the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union, president Kyle Wilson asked how it would work, pointing out laws about overtime and how it would affect industrial agreements, and asking what about teachers, police, and so on.
Leo Rolle, CEO of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation, also expressed doubts, saying “physical presence does not always equate to productivity” and saying he felt that such a move would not work in our service economy – though he did welcome the thought of some sectors perhaps trying a pilot.
Over at Super Value, president Debra Symonette suggested food store chains were not suitable for a fourday week.
Surprisingly, at least to me, Robert Sands, president of the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association, said he saw “no
real difficulty” with such a move. He said: “In my opinion, it can work if persons work their 40 hours in ten hours per day. For quality of life issues for people with young families, having three days off makes a lot of sense in a world where family issues are not as strong as in the past.” Of course, any such implementation that comes in is not just for the current generation of workers – but for the future staff as well. The initial move would be a change for the current staff, but the default for those coming in. Would they come in on four days pay or five days pay? Would this stifle prospects of pay rises for current employees? And speaking of employees, the move to a four-day week often causes concern for those too. People worry about what it will mean for pay, for the stability of their job, about what it might mean for promotion prospects if they choose to work four days instead of five, how their workload will be able to be balanced, and more.
If all of this tells you that there is uncertainty in the air about such an idea, you would be right. It might well be to the benefit of a number of people, but it’s going to need a lot more detail before people can really understand what is being proposed, and which style of four-day week we are talking about.
It might of course just be a summer kite, being flown to talk about while nothing else is going on with the House of Assembly in recess. I wouldn’t hold my breath on expecting anything to be implemented in this Parliament. The government saying it will consider something usually means it’s not coming any time soon. I’d bet if anything it will wind up as a manifesto pledge for the next election campaign – at best.
Verification of election results: A pathway to progress for Venezuela
IN the immediate aftermath of the Venezuelan presidential elections, whose results were widely disputed within Venezuela and by the majority of neighbouring Latin American states, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) held a Special Session on July 31, under my chairmanship, to attempt to reach a consensus among the 32 active member states.
The meeting was requested by 12 countries with the aim of addressing the results of the Venezuelan electoral process.
Unusually, nine foreign ministers attended the Permanent Council, which is typically attended by Permanent Representatives or their alternates. These ministers represented six countries in
World View
By SIR RONALD SANDERS
South America and three in Central America, all of whom had publicly expressed significant concern about the validity of the election that declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner. Chaos ensued in Venezuela as thousands of people protested openly in the streets. Before the elections, polls had indicated that the opposition party’s candidate, Edmundo González, would win overwhelmingly. González is a
surrogate for the vigorous María Corina Machado, who was banned by the Maduro government from running for the presidency but campaigned on González’s behalf.
While the government proclaimed Maduro’s victory and dismissed opposition claims that the results did not match the polling station tally sheets, local observer groups insisted that the government’s declaration was false. Of course, it is not uncommon for
opposition parties to dispute election results worldwide if they lose, so the opposition’s claim alone was insufficient to prove the result was wrong.
However, the Carter Center, a reputable and internationally recognized organisation invited by the Maduro government to observe the elections, also expressed serious concerns with the elec-
At an informal meeting of all OAS member states, prior to the formal Council meeting, the resolution was amended to include legal and institutional considerations, but one point of disagreement remained. Brazil objected to urging the NEC to conduct verification with “international observers”, arguing that such observation could only occur at the government’s invitation. This
...the [electoral] process “did not meet international standards of electoral integrity at any of its stages and violated numerous provisions of its own national laws”
toral process. It stated that the process “did not meet international standards of electoral integrity at any of its stages and violated numerous provisions of its own national laws”, and criticised the arbitrary decisions of The National Electoral Council (CNE) in not registering opposition candidacies.
Given the Maduro government’s contention that the election results were accurate and the conflicting claims of rigging, there was a need for verification of the votes cast to dispel any doubt concerning the validity of the results. Therefore, prior to the meeting of the Permanent Council, as Chair, I circulated a draft resolution that recognised the large turnout of voters; acknowledged that the result was being disputed; recalled the agreement by the Venezuelan political parties in Barbados in October 2023 on political rights and electoral guarantees for all; and “urged” that the NEC “publish the presidential election voting results at the level of each polling station and conduct a comprehensive recount of votes in the presence of independent international observation organizations in a spirit of full transparency and to verify the result”.
This request was not unprecedented. In 2020, the OAS, Commonwealth, European Union (EU), and CARICOM made a similar request to Guyana to resolve an election dispute. To ensure full participation, I convened an informal meeting of all member states to discuss the draft resolution and seek consensus.
single point caused the draft resolution to flounder, despite consensus on urging the NEC to publish the voting results and conduct a comprehensive verification.
Five Latin American ministers, particularly Peru’s Foreign Minister, insisted on retaining the reference to international observers and stated that they would call for a vote in the Council, discarding attempts to adopt the resolution by consensus. Ultimately, the resolution was not adopted. While no country voted against it, five countries absented themselves, and 11 abstained, making the 17 votes in favour insufficient for an absolute majority. Nonetheless, many member states made clear their great unease with the situation in Venezuela. In terms of the 14 CARICOM states, 4 voted in favour, seven abstained and three absented themselves.
Since then, there have been many developments. On August 1, the governments of Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico called on the Venezuelan authorities to publish in an “expeditious way” the data “disaggregated by polling station” of the elections. This call was supported by the former President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, demonstrating that the left-leaning parties in Latin America also want verification of the election results. On August 2, the Heads of Government of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), while congratulating Maduro on his election victory and calling for national reconciliation, also affirmed that
they “stand on the principle that elections must be free as the expression of the will of the people and free from outside interference and they must be fair – contested in good faith and subject to the adjudication of independent mechanisms with relevant safeguards for verification and arbitration of any dispute”.
Further, UN SecretaryGeneral António Guterres has called for “complete transparency” and “the timely publication of the election results and a breakdown by polling stations”. Significantly, Pope Francis has appealed to all parties “to seek the truth”, following assertions from two Venezuelan cardinals, Baltazar Porras and Diego Padrón, that the Maduro government may be “fabricating” election tallies “accommodating its interests” to supposedly prove that Maduro actually won the election.
It is now evident that while some countries, including in the Caribbean, want to demonstrate friendship to Maduro, who, along with the late President Hugo Chavez, provided an oil lifeline to them for ten years beginning at the global financial crisis in 2008, there is a mounting international clamour for the result of the July 28 elections to be verified. This outcry is driven principally by Venezuela’s neighbours in South and Central America, who have borne the brunt of accommodating nearly eight million Venezuelan refugees. Arrests of protestors since the election are also energising the UN Human Rights organisation and other international groups to demand action. The Venezuelan government has confirmed that more than 1,000 people have been arrested.
For peace to prevail in Venezuela and for the country’s relations with its immediate neighbours and the international community to improve and advance, verification of the election results is imperative. Both contenders in the election – Maduro and González – claim confidence in their victory; thus, both should welcome a verification process that will confirm their position.
(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com)
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks to the press before leaving the Supreme Court where he arrived for procedures related to the court's audit of presidential election results in Caracas, Venezuela, on Friday.
Photo:Matías Delacroix/AP
DiosDaDo Cabello, leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, speaks to the press at the Supreme Court where he arrived for procedures related to the court’s audit of presidential election results in Caracas, Venezuela, on Friday.
Photo:Matías Delacroix/AP
Paris Games herald a new anti-corruption era, which may pose an Olympic challenge for the US
By Andy SpAlding University of Richmond
The world has grown cynical about the integrity of major international sports, and not without reason. From the Olympics bribery scandal of the 1990s – which implicated the hosts of Nagano 1998, Sydney 2000 and Salt Lake City 2002 – we have seen additional corruption scandals in major global sporting events in countries as diverse as Germany, France, South Africa, Brazil, Russia, China and Qatar.
But Paris 2024 may mark the advent of a new era.
The Paris Olympics have been characterised by a relative absence of the scandals that often plague the Games. While controversies surrounding the Algerian and Taiwanese female boxers and the opening ceremony generated headlines, the overall tone has been positive. There were minor controversies ahead of the event around the awarding of some contracts and the manner of payment for the Paris 2024 director, but the event itself has been largely free from the official corruption scandals that have marred past Olympics.
As a leading voice in the global anti-corruption enforcement effort, I believe that the hosts have
not only deterred misconduct but have left positive anti-corruption legacies in place for the future of global sports. even so, as the US prepares to host four major international sporting events in the next decade – including a Summer Olympics and a FIFA World Cup – it faces a surprising anti-corruption identity crisis.
A ‘French revolution’ oF sports
The Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin resurrected the Olympic Games 125 years ago in hopes that they could provide an example of diverse nations competing, with good will, by an agreed-upon set of rules. Today, among those rules the world most eagerly wants respected is the anticorruption principle: that power ought not be abused for private gain, that athletes and businesses alike will compete by common rules with transparency and accountability.
After 25 years of repeated violations – and the dramatic plummeting of the Olympics brand – both France and the International Olympic Committee adopted a number of reforms in 2017. In combination, these reforms quietly produced
a “French Revolution” of megasport governance.
The IOC amended its “omnibus host city” contract to include, for the first time in history, a clause obligating the host city to adopt leading anti-corruption measures.
That same year, completely independently, France found itself in the midst of an anti-corruption reform movement. Spurred by multiple embarrassing public- and private-sector scandals, France implemented a landmark anti-corruption law, Sapin II. The law has two highly innovative features.
First, it requires a broad swath of public- and private-sector entities to adopt mandatory anti-corruption compliance systems.
Second, it created a dedicated anti-corruption compliance agency, the Agence Francaise Anticorruption, whose sole task is to support those entities in implementing anti-corruption best practices.
As prudent as these measures sound, neither exists in the U.S. or in most of the rest of the world.
Then, later in 2017, these forces converged as the IOC awarded the 2024 Summer Olympics to Paris. It was a fortuitous moment: The first country subject to the IOC’s new hosting rules was already
undergoing a historic and innovative anti-corruption reform movement – and it happened to be occurring in the birthplace of the modern Olympics.
‘Most iMportAnt decAde’ For sports in us
Seven years on, the signs are that the new system has succeeded not just in reducing corruption, but in leaving a lasting positive impact of improved anti-corruption norms and practices in the public and private sectors.
Agence Francaise Anticorruption conducted a comprehensive audit of the Paris 2024 ecosystem. Concerns identified during the audit were handed to prosecutors, who conducted thorough investigations into any hint of corruption.
When the Paris Games comes to a close on August 11, they will leave behind a new Olympic legacy for France and a blueprint for future hosts: a strengthened series of laws, policies, practices and norms promoting anti-corruption principles that extend beyond the event, the implementation of which is accelerated by hosting the event.
Put another way, in several years we will likely say that France is better off, not worse, in its anti-corruption
efforts because it hosted the Olympic Games. This would constitute a dramatic paradigm shift. With the Paris Games coming to an end, the eyes of the sporting world will soon turn to the United States and what the State Department has called the nation’s “most important decade” in sports. In the space of ten years, the US will host the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup (with Canada and Mexico), the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, the 2031 Rugby World Cup and the 2034 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.
One might expect the US to build upon the French precedent and raise the bar even further when it comes to anti-corruption enforcement. But it’s an unsettled moment for the US in that regard.
An olyMpic chAllenge to Fight corruption
US anti-corruption leadership has historically been based on two assumptions: First, that the US is less tolerant of corruption than most countries; and second, when given the chance to lead, it is eager – some would say all-too eager – to take it.
Isolationist tendencies have gained increased traction in US politics over
the past decade, and many voters seem willing to support candidates who are embroiled in credible corruption controversies. It therefore remains to be seen whether Americans will still be as committed to setting a global example of first-rate anti-corruption compliance as they once were.
In addition, the US lacks the two features of France’s anti-corruption framework that made the anti-corruption revolution possible. The US only encourages, and does not mandate, that companies adopt anticorruption compliance programmes. And it lacks an agency that provides the kind of anti-corruption compliance support that the Agence Francaise Anticorruption gave Paris.
As a result, the organising committees of these US events will exist in a kind of anti-corruption blind spot. So I believe the US will have to innovate, lest it drop the anti-corruption baton that France will soon hand off. Do Americans still wish to be a global anti-corruption leader, in sports if not beyond? As the country faces a megasports spotlight for the next ten years, it may find itself looking in the mirror.
• Originally published on www.theconversation.com
A sAnd sculpture is prepared for the Paris Olympics. Pierre de Coubertin founded the modern Olympic Games. Is his legacy built on shifting sands?
Photo: Heribert Proepper/AP
FrencH President Emmanuel Macron, right, and IOC President Thomas Bach wave during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France, yesterday in Saint-Denis, France. Photo: Martin Meissner/AP
Recently acquitted of 2013 double murder, man now faces another murder charge
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 29- ye AR - OLD man recently acquitted of a 2013 double murder was granted $30,000 bail last week for his alleged involvement in a 2021 murder.
Justice Jeanine WeechGomez granted Sean Higgs bail as he awaits trial for murder, three
counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and four counts of attempted murder. Higgs allegedly shot and killed Fredrick Ferguson on Lincoln Boulevard on February 8, 2021. He is also accused of opening fire on three people on Miami Street on March 7, 2021. Additionally, on March 14, 2021, Higgs allegedly
attempted to shoot and kill Ramerro Rolle on Homestead Street.
In his bail application, Higgs said he is a hardworking young man and a father of two. He claimed he does not pose a flight risk and has surrendered his passport to the Supreme Court. He also said his family’s hardship during his incarceration and the difficulties of prison
life hindered his future development. During the bail hearing, prosecutors said an anonymous witness allegedly saw Higgs shoot and injure Mr Rolle as he rode his bicycle in the e nglerston area. Another anonymous witness claimed that Higgs raised an object resembling a gun and fired at three people on March 7 2021.
Ashton Williams said Higgs served a three-year jail sentence for a firearm conviction in 2017. Higgs acknowledged this conviction in his application. In June, Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns acquitted Higgs for the 2013 double murders of Amati Knowles and Odrick Telusma in Kemp Road. Justice Gomez granted Higgs’s bail request after
finding no evidence that he would fail to appear for his trial. While on release, Higgs will be fitted with a monitoring device and must sign in at the Carmichael Road Police Station every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday by 6pm. His passport will remain with the courts until his trial. Stanley Rolle represented the accused.
Man fined for bail breach on ar M ed robbery charge
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was fined after admitting to breaching his bail while on release for an armed robbery charge.
Senior Magistrate Shaka Serville arraigned Joshua Duncanson, 20, on two counts of violation of bail conditions on Friday.
Duncanson was on bail for charges of possession of an unlicenced firearm, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life,
attempted armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. The charges are in connection with his alleged robbery of a Budget Meat store in September 2022. While on bail, the defendant breached his nightly residential curfew on August 3 and 4.
After pleading guilty, the defendant was fined $1,000 and risks one month in prison if he fails to pay. The defendant will return to court on September 4.
WoM an accused of stealing $27k froM e Mployer gets bail
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A WOMAN was granted $8,500 bail on Friday after she allegedly stole over $27,000 from her former employer last year.
Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley arraigned Dante Woods, 31, on stealing by reason of employment.
Woods allegedly stole $27,683.26 from Transformations Landscape Development Co Ltd ––which she accessed through her employment ––between August 24, 2023 and December 14, 2023. After pleading not guilty to the charge, the defendant was told her trial would begin on October 10. Barry Sawyer represented the accused.
MeMbers of the Hanna, Heastie, Tynes Family Reunion Committee paid a courtesy call upon Governor General, Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt at the Office of the Governor General on Wednesday, August 7, 2024. Pictured from left: Marva Winter - finance committee; Iris Tynes - senior advisor; Barbara Hepburn; Stephan Hanna - treasurer; Terah Hanna Sweeting - president/chairman; H.E. Dame Cynthia Pratt; Erin Greene - vice president; Carol Hanna - secretary; Barbara Pierre - senior advisor; and Kevin Hanna - finance committee.
Photo: Letisha Henderson/BIS
Paris and the Olympics have changed each other during their summer
PARIS Associated Press
In French, there are no goodbyes.
Instead, Olympic crowds from Paris to the surfing venue in Tahiti were saying “au revoir” — see you again — as the 2024 Games drew to a close Sunday.
After the 100-year wait since Paris’ last Games, no one can say when France’s capital and the Olympics will next embrace. But this much is certain: They’re both emerging changed — in some ways for the better — from their summer romance.
Paris’ third Games — it also hosted in 1900 — have been filled with passion. French fans surprised even themselves with their enthusiasm for two and a half weeks of sports, plunging into the party like Léon Marchand parting the waters for his four swimming golds.
Marchand, in particular, stopped time with his feats — forcing pauses in play at other Olympic venues because spectators cheered so intensely when France’s new darling won again and again. Other French medal winners like judo icon Teddy Riner and mountain biker Pauline FerrandPrevot also whipped up hometown joy.
Initial grumbling about barricades and other intense security measures that disrupted locals’ lives — not to mention arson attacks on France’s highspeed rail network — gave way to choruses of “Allez les bleus!” or “France, let’s go!”
There were uplifting stories galore for non-French fans, too. Quite literally in the case of Armand Duplantis, the Swedish pole vaulter who broke his own world record in winning Olympic gold.
Simone Biles shone, again. Having set the brave example of prioritising mental health over competition at the 2021 Tokyo Games, she came back to win three gymnastics golds and a silver.
The Eiffel Tower peering over beach volleyball made that arena Ze Place
To Be. Celine Dion’s musical comeback at the Olympic opening, belting out Edith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour” (“Hymn to Love”) from the tower’s first floor, was high in emotion.
Rain drenched VIPs and fans alike but didn’t dampen the wacky and wonderful opening ceremony. Its displays of LGBTQ+ pride and French humour were too much for some: Donald Trump and French bishops were among those who took offense.
As well as many highlight-reel moments, the Games also experienced
lows. The ugliest were torrents of online vitriol targeting female boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yuting as well as the opening ceremony’s creative teams. Still, like all good romances, the ParisOlympics affair left fans yearning for more. That couldn’t be said of all Games of late. China — as host of the Summer Games in 2008 and Winter Games in 2022 — faced accusations of human rights abuses. There was Russia’s doping cover-up at its Sochi Winter Games in 2014, quickly followed by the beginnings of its land grabs in Ukraine. All left stains on the Olympic brand. So, too, did the wastefulness and corruption of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro that made authorities in Paris determined to do things differently.
“Breaking the norms” became the unofficial motto of Paris Olympic organizers, who worked to slash the Games’ carbon emissions and revamp the Olympic model to make it less anachronistic.
The results were evident.
The Paris Games weren’t perfect — can flying thousands of athletes across the world ever be with the climate in crisis? But the French capital provided new examples of how the Olympics can be improved. Take the Olympic cauldron, for example: Paris’ use of electricity and
LED spotlights to make it seem that its cauldron was ablaze puts pressure on Los Angeles, the next host city, and Brisbane, Australia, in 2032 to not go back to burning tons of fossil fuels.
Also gone? Expensive new venues that don’t get used much, or at all, once the Olympics have left town. Paris instead widely used existing or temporary arenas.
Marchand and other swimmers raced in a cameas-a-kit pool that will be dismantled and rebuilt in a Paris-area town where kids can’t wait to splash around in it. Breaking (another innovation) and other urban sports played out on Concorde Plaza, where French revolutionaries removed King Louis XVI’s head.
When the lawns have grown back, there will mostly be only memories of other temporary arenas where archery, equestrian events and other sports looked as glamorous as Paris catwalk shows, set against iconic backdrops.
The Eiffel Tower, Versailles Palace, the domed Grand Palais (turned into a breathtaking arena for fencing and taekwondo) and other monuments became Olympic stars in their own right. The use of Paris’ cityscape showed that the Olympics can — and should — adapt to their hosts, not the other way around.
The sole purpose-built signature sports venue was the new aquatics center in Seine Saint-Denis, where China won all eight diving golds, an unprecedented sweep.
The northern suburb of Paris is mainland France’s poorest region and had such a shortage of pools that many of its kids can’t swim. Regional leader Stéphane Troussel told The Associated Press that thanks to Games-related refurbishments and newly built swim centres that teams used for Olympic training, much of Seine Saint-Denis has now largely caught up — in pools at least — with better-off parts of France. But the city’s ambitions flirted at times with an excess of zeal.
Making triathletes and marathon swimmers do something that many Parisians recoil at themselves — plunge into the murky Seine River— proved problematic. Its waters were repeatedly deemed too dirty for training swims and forced a postponement of the men’s triathlon — moved to the same day as the women’s race, near the majestic Pont Alexandre III.
The mayor of Paris, who took a pre-Games dip in the Seine to demonstrate that its long-toxic waters are now swimmable, says 1.4 billion euros ($1.53 billion) plowed into a cleanup of the river is one
of the Games’ most transformative legacies. Still, the water quality concerns raised questions about whether many Parisians will dive in when City Hall plans to open the Seine for public swimming next summer.
Massive security required to safeguard the opening ceremony along the river — in a city hit repeatedly by extremist attacks in 2015 — proved financially painful for nearby businesses that were sealed inside the security cordon and lost customers. French authorities also made unprecedentedly broad use of discretionary powers under an anti-terror law to keep hundreds of people, often minorities, they deemed to be potentially dangerous away from the biggest event modern France has ever organized. The use of AI-assisted surveillance also fuelled critics’ complaints that the Games are leaving an unwanted legacy of police repression.
Inside the high-security bubble of the athletes’ village, some complained about the eco-friendly cardboard beds, rooms that weren’t air-conditioned and shortages of some foods — byproducts of Paris’ drive for sustainability and waste reduction. Squaring the circle of how the Olympics can be viable in a warming world is going to be an
ever-increasing challenge for hosts. Still, the joyful crowds showed that the popular verdict was more positive than negative. The organizers’ slogan was “Games Wide Open.” Seeing such happiness on streets that felt so unsafe when alQaida and Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers sowed terror in 2015 seemed to complete Paris’ long recovery. After the Paralympics from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8, normal life will resume. But the Games will keep ringing in Paris.
A victory bell in the Olympic stadium that winning athletes rang in celebration will get a new home — a restored notre Dame. The cathedral’s planned reopening in December, following more than five years of rebuilding after its 2019 fire, is the next big milestone on Paris’ horizon.
The cathedral’s rector, Rev. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, said the bell will hang in the roof above the altar and be rung whenever Mass is celebrated.
The chimes will serve as lasting reminders of the Games’ “extraordinary atmosphere” and Olympic-inspired “unity of the French people that was very beautiful,” he said.
“This bell will be the sign of how these Games have left an imprint on France,” Dumas said. “That really makes me happy.”
Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif filed a legal complaint for online harassment against her
PARIS Associated Press
OLYMPIC boxing cham-
pion Imane Khelif has filed a legal complaint in France for online harassment after a rain of criticism and false claims about her sex during the Paris Olympics, her lawyer said Sunday.
Khelif, who will be Algeria’s flag bearer in the closing ceremony, won gold Friday in the women’s welterweight division, becoming a new hero in her native Algeria and bringing global attention to women’s boxing.
The complaint was filed Friday with a special unit in the Paris prosecutor’s office for combating online hate speech, alleging “aggravated cyber-harassment” targeting Khelif, lawyer nabil Boudi said. In a statement, he described it as a “misogynist, racist and sexist campaign” against the boxer.
It is now up to prosecutors
to decide whether to open an investigation. As is common in French law, the complaint doesn’t name an alleged perpetrator but leaves it to investigators to determine who could be at fault.
Khelif was unwittingly thrust into a worldwide clash over gender identity and regulation in sports after her first fight, when Italian opponent Angela Carini pulled out just seconds into the match, citing pain from opening punches. False claims that Khelif was transgender or a man erupted online, and the International Olympic Committee defended her and denounced those peddling misinformation. Khelif said that the spread of misconceptions about her “harms human dignity.”
Earlier, Kirsty Burrows, an official in charge of the IOC’s unit for safeguarding and mental health, filed a complaint with French authorities saying she
received death threats and harassment online following a news conference in Paris at which she had spoken in defence of Khelif.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said it received Burrows’ complaint on Aug. 4 and agents from the national Unit for the Fight against Online Hate are investigating the alleged offenses, including death threats, public provocations aimed at attacking a person and cyberbullying. Under French law, the crimes, if proven, carry prison sentences that range from two to five years and fines ranging from 30,000 to 45,000 euros.
The Olympics-banned International Boxing Association disqualified Khelif and fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan from the world championships last year, claiming the two fighters failed unspecified eligibility tests for women’s competition. The IOC has called the arbitrary sex tests that the
governing body
sport’s
imposed on the two women irretrievably flawed and has defended both boxers since the start of the Paris Games.
Experts say the scrutiny of Khelif and Lin reflected disproportionate scrutiny and discrimination toward female athletes of colour when it comes to sex testing and false claims that they are male or transgender.
AlgeriA’s Imane Khelif celebrates after defeating China’s Yang Liu to win gold in their women’s 66 kg final boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, on Friday in Paris, France.
Photo: Ariana Cubillos/AP
SwitzerlAnd’s Nina Brunner serves during the women’s semi-final beach volleyball match between Switzerland and Canada at Eiffel Tower Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, on Thursday in Paris, France.
Photo: louise delmotte/AP
SECTION E MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2024
Charlton 6th in 100 hurdles final at the Paris Olympics
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
PARIS, France —
Despite getting off to a slow start, world indoor champion Devynne Charlton came back and secured another sixth-place finish in the women’s 100 metres hurdles final at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Saturday night at the Stade de France in lane eight as she miscalculated what she perceived to be a flinch by defending champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn in lane seven, Charlton hesitated to go at the start.
She trailed through the first portion of the 10 flights of hurdles and eventually negotiated across the finish line in 12.58 seconds, the same spot she came through in her first Olympic appearance in 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
Obviously disappointed in the outcome, Charlton watched and celebrated with her training partner American Masai Russell, who claimed the gold in 12.33.
Cyenia Samba-Mayela of France got the silver in 12.34 and Camacho-Quinn earned another medal with the bronze in 12.36.
Charlton, who trailed fourth-place finisher Nadine Visser of the Netherlands in 12.43 and fifth place American Grace Stark in 12.43, was quite disappointed in the final outcome.
“I thought it was going to be a whole lot better. I thought it was going to be a recall because there was a whole lot going on out there,” Charlton said,
FINISH LINE: Devynne Charlton, of The Bahamas, at the end of her race with Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn in the women’s 100-metre hurdles final at the 2024 Summer Olympics on Saturday, August 10, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. Photo: Brent Stubbs
“I had to play catch up all race, which isn’t my strong suit, but I was happy with the way I fought back. I think overall, the back part of the race was pretty decent, all things considered.”
And after her performance, she admitted that she was “upset. I’m not too upset, but I’m upset.”
She also admitted that what appeared to be a flinch from CamachoQuinn was what caused her
to hold back. “When you hear someone finching next to you, your first instinct is to stay because they’re
Bahamas 3rd overall at Caribbean Amateur Jr Golf Championships
By TENAJH SWEETING
Tribune Sports
Reporter
tsweeting@tribunemedia.net
FOLLOWING an unfortunate fifth-place finish at the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships (CAJGC) last year in the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas’ junior golfers moved up two positions this time around to finish third overall in Kingston, Jamaica, at the Caymanas Golf & Country Club.
After three rounds of golf, The Bahamas accumulated 120 points for the third podium spot. Puerto Rico repeated as champions with a total of 154 points for the Hank James trophy. The Dominican Republic came second with 131 points.
Team manager Gina Gonzalez-Rolle felt like there was an opportunity for the team to nab second place but it didn’t work out. Nonetheless, her along with the coaching staff of Georgette Rolle and Fredrick Taylor were happy with the group’s efforts.
“We were happy with third but felt like we could have placed second. The kids had some bad holes, a couple of them had bad days but we are gonna regroup. Hopefully, when we go back next year they will be prepared for the conditions and the differences of the course,” she said. Despite the team not finishing higher, GonzalezRolle acknowledged that it felt great to see The Bahamas improve from the fifth-place spot achieved last year. “It is amazing. It is a really good feeling to move up because you realise at that point you can get to the top. We just need a couple really good plays. It made us feel good and we were really happy with
jumping
going to call the race back,” Charlton said. “It was a misjudgement on my part. I wasn’t prepared for that.” If there was any consolation for the 28-year-old national record holder, she got to celebrate with Russell by giving her a big hug after the results were posted on the jumbo screen.
“I just hugged her,” said Charlton when asked what she said to Russell when they embraced. “If there’s one to take away from this race, it would be that.”
Despite not getting the result she anticipated, Charlton said she’s going to continue to put in the work because she still has the rest of the season to look forward to.
“I still have a big back half of the season to come with more races in the Diamond League, so I’m going to go back training and get ready for it.”
But if there’s one thing that will linger in her mind is how the Olympic medal slipped away from her just as it did in her debut in Tokyo in 2021 when she first came through with the sixth place.
“You don’t get too many shots at an Olympic gold,” stressed the
SEE PAGE 19
THE 2024 Billie Jean King Cup (BJKC) Americas Group III Tournament did not end with the best results for Team Bahamas in Tacarigua, Trinidad & Tobago.
The quartet of veterans Sydney Clarke, Simone Pratt, Danielle Thompson and newcomer Tatyana Madu finished the competition ranked eighth overall and fourth in the Pool A Nations standings with a 1-3 win/loss record.
The BJKC team suffered back-to-back losses over the weekend at the National Racquet Centre. Group play wrapped up for The Bahamas with a 2-1 loss in the tie against Jamaica headed into the positional playoffs.
followed
Jamaica’s
WINNING EFFORT: The Bahamas Golf Federation’s (BGF) 14-member junior golf team clinched the third podium spot at the 36th Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships (CAJGC) in Kingston, Jamaica, over the weekend.
Drumeco Archer: ‘We did a remarkable job as a team’
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
PARIS, France — With the 2024 Olympic Games now concluded, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations president Drumeco Archer said the Bahamas may not have come away with a medal, but the performances of the athletes were noteworthy.
“We did a remarkable job as a team when you consider the newest of the members of our team,” he said. “I think that it really sets us up for a very successful future in track and field as well as the Olympic movement.”
Although there were some close calls, but no cigars to celebrate any medal-winning feats, Archer said the Bahamas yielded more fruits from its labour. “Devynne (Charlton) did an incredible job,” said Archer of Charlton, who got sixth place in the final of the women’s 100m hurdles for her second consecutive appearance at the games. “It was perhaps one of the most decorated races of members that we have seen in a very long time in the women’s 100m hurdles.” Throughout the games that were contested from
July 27 to August 11, Archer said Team Bahamas stood tall and fought a good fight. “We’ve had some disappointments to say the least, but still what we can say is that this is the hazard of the trade,” Archer said.
“You’re not going to have the best Olympic Games and all of your soldiers are going to be ready to fight.
“But the same could be said about other member
countries who suffered similar disappointments.”
As the focus for the BAAA turns to the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan next year, Archer said they will be restructuring and rebirthing their junior programme, which is starting to bear more fruit.
“Naturally, you’re not going to see it all happen in one go,” he pointed out. “But I’m pleasantly
surprised and happy to see how all of our members have performed and they are excited about coming back in the ring and continuing the fight.”
Archer said the Bahamas put up a great fight at the games and their presence was felt. “We saw the Bahamas uniform in many events and our aim is really to try to bring diversity to the sport and to see how
we can seed people in many more events that make up the Olympic calendar,” he said. “Hooray to the Bahamas and we’re looking forward to the World Championships where I’m confident that the team, the experienced and the least experienced, will show up and we will make the country proud.”
The 20th edition of the World Championships, the biggest global competition for track and field alone, is scheduled for September 13-21 at the Japan National Stadium.
The Bahamas sits in 25th place on the overall medal chart with nine gold, nine silver and eight bronze with Miller-Uibo claiming the last medal - a gold in the women’s 400m - at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
FROM PAGE 15
battled against Bermuda and were defeated 2-1 in the seventh to eighth playoff.
Team head coach Kim O’Kelley expressed her outlook on the performance of The Bahamas in the BJKC Americas Group III Tournament.
“We definitely had our chances to win the tie against Trinidad and Jamaica. Simone got injured for the doubles when we had to play Jamaica. We had match points in the doubles against Barbados and in the last tie against Bermuda, both Simone and Sydney were injured.
“Danielle won her match against Bermuda, but we couldn’t pull it off in the doubles. Overall, I think we had some good matches. We will just have to train much harder for next year,” she said.
On Friday, The Bahamas was hoping to rebound from consecutive losses in their tie against Jamaica, the final match of pool play.
The crafty veteran Clarke was up first against Jamaica’s Adeola Greatorex in singles competition.
The Bahamian player got the edge in the match and defeated her opponent
6-3,6-4 in straight sets.
With The Bahamas ahead 1-0, the reigning Giorgio Baldacci open national champion was up next in singles competition. Pratt displayed a valiant effort against Jamaica’s Najah Dawson but came up short 6-3, 6-3 in consecutive sets.
The doubles matchup would not only decide who
would win the tie but also positioning in the Pool A rankings. Clarke teamed up with rookie Madu and gave the Jamaican duo of Dawson and Greatorex a challenge in the initial set but lost 6-4. Jamaica placed the nail in the coffin in set two with a 6-2 victory.
The Bahamas and Bermuda went head-to-head in the Americas Group III seventh to eighth playoff. Clarke and Pratt were missing from the action due to injuries which left it up to Madu and Thompson to shoulder the load. The 15-year-old Grand Bahama
native had a tough time against Bermuda’s Shelby Madeiros. Madu was knocked off 6-2, 6-0. Thompson, on the other hand, made it look easy against Nadhira Durham, utilisiing experience to defeat her opponent 6-0, 6-0.
Thompson and Madu tried to pull off an upset against Bermuda but came up short in their efforts versus Zoe Fisher and Madeiros.
Bermuda’s competitors won the sets 6-3, 7-6 (7-4). Ten nations competed in Pool A and B combined.
Costa Rica and Barbados were the top two nations to advance to Americas Group II. The Bahamas will remain in the Americas Group III for competition next year. Team Bahamas returned to New Providence yesterday.
Bahamas 3rd overall at Caribbean Amateur Jr Golf Championships
FROM PAGE 15
ranked fifth overall with a total gross of 265 after three rounds of competition.
Madison Carroll-Carlos fared well for The Bahamas in the 15-and-under girls’ flight. She amassed a total gross of 247 for second place. First place went to Puerto Rico’s Amelia Santiago, who scored 243 through three rounds. Shania Reyes, of the Dominican Republic, also had a total of 247 to make the top three.
Chemari Pratt had her best performance for The Bahamas on the final day. She shot 85 in round three for a total gross of 267 to settle for the sixth spot.
Mia Underwood had a tough time in the 18-andunder girls’ flight. She was positioned in the ninth spot with a total gross of 285.
BOYS The Bahamas had a trio of junior golfers in the boys’ 15-and-under flight. Kerrington Rolle had the best finish of the three with his total of 230. He ended ranked fourth. Aidan Gorospe and Zakary Joseph concluded the CAJGC with totals of 233 and 236 respectively. The former took the seventh spot and the latter was one position behind at eighth. Puerto Rico’s Tomas Rodriguez went on to win the flight with a score of 220. Bermuda’s Arman
Puerto Rico’s Michael Avila and Ortiz Bayoan claimed the first and second spots with totals of 230 and 241 respectively. The Dominican Republic’s Alejandro Balbuena made the top three with a total gross of 241. Angelino Cooper, Camdyn Forbes and Christopher Callander faced some challenges in the boys’ 18-and-under flight. Cooper had the best performance of the three with a total gross of 254 for the 16th spot. Forbes was ranked 18th with a total of 258 and Cal-
Puerto Rico.
Charisma Taylor thrilled with her performance at Olympics
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
PARIS, France — Charisma Taylor had the time of her life at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Making it a double dose, competing in the women’s 100m hurdles after she fell short of advancing to the final in the triple jump, the 24-year-old Taylor was thrilled that she performed as well as she did.
Taylor was sitting on the bubble to advance to the final with her third place in the second of three heats in 12.63.
But with more at stake in the final heat won by Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn in a season’s best of 12.35, Taylor’s bid to advance to the final was thwarted as the final two spots were occupied by Jamaican Ackera Nugent 12.44 and France’s Cyrena Samba-Mayela in 12.52.
Despite falling short, Taylor said she was still pleased with her performance.
“I felt great. I had a really great start and I was going well for more than the first half, but I got too slow to the hurdle and I sort of stumbled,” she recalled.
“But I’m very happy with what I did. I know there’s more in the tank. I can’t wait to talk to my coach and try to perfect it. But I just want to thank God and all of my sponsors and my whole family who are here.”
Now it’s time to celebrate for Taylor after she competed as only the second Bahamian to do the double in the triple jump and the hurdles in the same Olympics, following in the footsteps of Shonel
PARIS
Ferguson, who broke grounds when she competed in both the 100m and the long jump in one of her three appearances at the games.
It just would have been an icing on the cake if she had advanced to the final with Charlton.
But no doubt, there was time for her to celebrate as she was joined by a ninemember contingent, led by her parents Dewey and Patrice Taylor, who came in from the Bahamas to cheer her on.
Taylor, meantime, thanked her sponsors Kraven, Sonic Express, Anachtenist Wellness, Paul Winder, Sun Oil, Career Builders and Taylor Made Elite for their support in helping her get ready for the Olympics.
OLYMPICS DAY 15: US WINS GOLD IN MEN’S BASKETBALL AND WOMEN’S SOCCER, ADDS THREE GOLD MEDALS IN TRACK
By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer
PARIS (AP) — The U.S. collected gold in men’s basketball and women’s soccer and earned three more golds in a huge night at the track Saturday at the Paris Olympics.
Stephen Curry scored 24 points to lead Team USA over France 98-87 at Bercy Arena to win its fifth straight gold medal and 17th overall. France got 26 points from star Victor Wembanyama, but it wasn’t enough to earn the host nation its first gold medal in the sport.
The U.S. needed a rally to beat Serbia 95-91 in a compelling semifinal. In the final, Curry hit four 3-pointers in the last three minutes. When he made the last one, which pushed the lead to 96-87 with 35 seconds left, he put his hands to the side of his face in a “go to sleep” gesture.
“I think we might be the only team in the world whose fans are ashamed of them if they get a silver medal,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr said. “That’s the pressure that we face. But our players, and you saw Steph, they love the pressure. They appreciate this atmosphere and they were fantastic.” Kevin Durant, who became the first four-time men’s gold medaLlist in Olympic basketball history, added 15 points and LeBron James had 14. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, James pumped his fist before embracing Durant.
It’s the fourth Olympic silver for France, which was runner-up to the Americans in 1948, 2000 and 2020. Wembanyama, this year’s NBA Rookie of the Year, cried as the U.S. celebrated. Later, Durant gave him a hug and the two talked for a couple of minutes.
Earlier Saturday, the U.S. women’s soccer team beat Brazil 1-0 on a second-half goal by Mallory Swanson to win its fifth Olympic gold medal and first since 2012 in London.
After Swanson put the Americans on top, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher secured the win with a onehanded save on Adriana’s header in stoppage time at Parc des Princes.
“We’ve grown so much,” said Swanson, who was making her 100th national team appearance. “And that’s really cool to me seeing that. We’ve grown on and off the field. And you keep probably hearing it — we’re playing with joy. We’re having so much fun and I’m just so happy.”
In the final night of events at Stade de France, the U.S. won both 4x400 relays and Masai Russell took gold in a photo finish in the 100-metre hurdles. The U.S. won 34 track medals in the Paris Games for the country’s most at a non-boycotted Olympics since the early 20th century, when there were more events and fewer countries. The 14 golds are the most in a non-boycotted Olympics since Bob Beamon, Tommie Smith and John Carlos led the U.S. to 15 wins in 1968.
US relay teams sweep gold
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas led the Americans to a 4.23second win in the women’s 4x400 relay.
The gold medallists in the 400 hurdles and 200 metres took care of legs two and three for the United States, handing a 30-metre lead to Alexis Holmes, who didn’t lose any ground.
The U.S. finished in 3 minutes, 15.27 seconds, only .1 short of the world record.
The American men won gold in the same race in a
UNITED States’ Stephen Curry (4) and LeBron James (6) celebrate after beating France to win the gold medal during a men’s gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, August 10, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J Terrill)
much closer finish about 15 minutes earlier.
Rai Benjamin held off Letsile Tebogo on the anchor leg to give the men an Olympic-record time. Benjamin added this Olympic title to the one he claimed in the 400-metre hurdles a night earlier and prevented 200-metre champion Tebogo from giving Botswana another triumph over the Americans. It was Tebogo, the 21-year-old sprinting sensation, who stole the spotlight — and the gold — from the U.S. in the 200 on Thursday, relegating Kenny Bednarek to silver and Noah Lyles, who tested positive for COVID-19, to bronze.
The U.S. quartet of Christopher Bailey, Vernon Norwood, Bryce Deadmon and Benjamin completed the four laps in 2 minutes, 54.43 seconds, nearly a second faster than the American 4x400 team ran at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
And Saturday’s time was just .14 seconds off
the world record set by the United States in 1993.
“Team USA have always had dominance over the 4x4,” Bailey said, “and we just wanted to keep it going.”
Russell wins hurdles in photo finish
In the hurdles, Masia Russell beat Cyrena Samba-Mayela, whose silver medal marks the first of any colour for France at the Olympic track meet.
In a close-as-can-be race down the straightaway, Russell finished in 12.33 seconds but had to wait 15 seconds to learn she had beaten the Frenchwoman by .01.
Defending champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, who competes for Puerto Rico, was another .02 back for bronze in front of a boisterous crowd the included French President Emmanuel Macron and Mick Jagger.
No cheers were louder than those for SambaMayela, who ended a shutout for the host country.
“I want to celebrate with the French public because they supported me and pushed me throughout all these Olympic Games,” Samba-Mayela said.
Lin Yu-ting wins
boxing gold
Boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan won a gold medal in the women’s featherweight division Saturday night, following Imane Khelif’s lead a day earlier with a glittering response to the intense scrutiny faced by both fighters inside the ring and around the world over misconceptions about their womanhood.
Lin beat Julia Szeremeta of Poland 5:0 in the final at Roland Garros, capping her four-fight unbeaten run through Paris by ensuring that Taiwan’s first Olympic boxing medal is golden.
“I feel incredible,” Lin said after her fourth consecutive 5:0 win. “I want to thank everyone who has supported me, and thanks to my team and everyone in Taiwan. They gave me the power.”
On Friday, Khelif won Algeria’s first women’s boxing medal with a decisive victory in her own final, beating Yang Liu of China. Both fighters persevered through an avalanche of criticism and uninformed speculation about their sex during the Paris tournament to deliver the best performances of their boxing careers.
Lin won all four of her bouts 5:0, even if she didn’t win every round on every judge’s card as Khelif did. Ko’s gold puts her in LPGA Hall of Fame Lydia Ko completed her Olympic medal collection with the most valuable of them all, a gold medal that puts the 27-year-old Kiwi into the LPGA Hall of Fame.
“I knew the next 18 holes were going to be some of the most important 18 holes
of my life,” Ko said. “I knew being in this position was once in a lifetime.”
Ko built a five-shot lead on the back nine at Le Golf National as her closest pursuers all collapsed, and then had to hang on until the very end. Her lead down to one, Ko made a 7-foot birdie putt for a 1-under 71 and a two-shot victory. Ko won the silver medal in Rio de Janeiro. She won the bronze in Tokyo. The missing one turned out to be more valuable than its weight in gold. The victory pushed her career total to 27 points for the LPGA Hall of Fame, one of the strictest criteria for any shrine.
China sweeps diving gold medals Cao Yuan defended his title in the men’s 10-metre platform and gave China an unprecedented sweep of the diving gold medals at the Paris Games.
The Big Red Machine won all eight golds at the Olympic Aquatics Centre, most of them with dominating victories. That wasn’t the case in the final diving event of the Games. With teammate Yang Hao having an uncharacteristically poor day and Rikuto Tamai of Japan keeping the pressure on until a botched dive in the next-to-last round, the burden of completing the sweep fell entirely on Cao’s slender shoulders.
“I believe in myself,” Cao said through an interpreter.
“I am very, very confident.”
CHARISMA Taylor shares a special moment with her parents Patrice and Dewey Taylor at the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Stade de Frace in Saint-Denis, France.
Photo: Brent Stubbs
CHARISMA Taylor in action during her women’s 100-metre hurdles semifinals.
No medals, no per capita victory
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor
PARIS, France — The curtain came down on the 2024 Olympic Games with the Bahamas’ streak of winning a medal at every four year spectacle since 1992 in Barcelona, Spain, coming to an end.
It wasn’t about winning medals that really counted, but it was the performances of the 20-member team in swimming and athletics that mattered the most.
These games were very competitive with the host team, France, proving why they deserved to be applauded for a splendid job in their performances on and off the playing field.
All things considered, Team Bahamas showed up and, despite its share of controversy, performed as best as they could under the circumstances.
No medals, no per capita victory
Normally at the end of the games, there is a title “winner per capita” that goes to the country with the smallest population when their medals are tallied.
That distinction went to St Lucia, who rode the terrific performance of sprinter Julien Alfred to a gold in the women’s 100 metres and silver in the 200m at the Stade de France.
The island located in the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean, with just over 190,000 people, ended up in a four-way tie for 55th place overall. It’s an honour the Bahamas held for several Olympiads.
So close, but yet so far
The Bahamas’ best chance of a medal came down to the women’s 100m hurdles where Devynne Charlton got sixth place in the final event contested by the 20-member team representing the 242.
It was a duplicate position for Charlton from her debut in the previous games in 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, but this time, she admitted that it was a miscalculated start that kept her off the podium with her time of 12.56 seconds.
Charlton was joined by two other Bahamians, who made their first appearance on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
While there was hope for all three appearances in the final, Charisma Taylor reached the semifinal and was 12th overall and Denisha Cartwright fell short in 20th place in the repechage, a second chance race for the athletes who didn’t qualify to get in.
It was the first time that the Bahamas had three competitors in the same
event since the sprinters Chandra Sturrup, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie and Savatheda Fynes made it all the way to the finals of the women’s 100m in 2000 in Sydney, Australia.
Double dose Taylor completed a rare track and field double as she became the first Bahamian female to contest the triple jump where she just missed making the final cut of 12 with 15th overall. She admitted that there’s still more in the tank and will continue to pursue the double in as many global events as she possibly can.
High hurdling Antoine Andrews cleared his flight of hurdles in the 110m semifinals in 13.43 for 8th place overall, but he admitted that he felt the pressure running alongside American Grant Holloway, who added the Olympic gold medal to his world title.
The 21-year-old Andrews had booked his lane into the semis after he came out of the heats with a second place that placed him 14th overall. He admitted that he’s just getting his feet wet.
National records As one of two competitors entered in the swimming competition at the Paris La Defense Arena, Lamar Taylor emerged as the winner of his heat of the men’s 100m freestyle in a national record time of 48.84. He was tied for 26th overall.
The second came from Ken Mullings as he became the first Bahamian to compete in the gruelling two-day 10-event competition in the men’s decathlon.
With a few personal and season best performances, he came through with a total tally of 8,226 points to post a national record feat behind his name as well.
No show biggest show
One of the biggest disappointments came in the preliminaries of the men’s 400m where defending champion Steven Gardiner did not start.
His management team, ‘On Track Management, Inc.,” led by Chief Executive Officer Claude Bryan said Gardiner had to withdraw from defending his title due to issues around his left ankle and the tendon in that area.
The biggest disappointment wasn’t that he was injured, but the fact that the management team on the ground in Paris claimed that they were unaware of exactly what had transpired up to the withdrawal.
Mother nature Everybody anxiously awaited to see how well two-time defending
champion Shaunae
Miller-Uibo would have performed since becoming a mother last year and changing her coach going into the Olympic year.
Still bothered by an injury that hampered her progress all season long, Miller-Uibo stretched it out for 200m in the heat of the women’s 400m, stopped and walked through the finish line in the remainder of the race.
She came back in the repechage the next day and was able to complete the race in seventh place for 20th overall in 53.50.
Hope to see her back at full strength.
Father time Could this be the last time that the public sees 40-year-old Donald Thomas at a major international meet? He certainly doesn’t think so, although he suffered a left hamstring injury that prevented him from clearing the opening height of the men’s high jump of 2.15m.
Thomas doesn’t believe he’s done yet.
Fresh new face
For five Olympiads, former national record holder Lavern Eve was the face of women’s javelin until new national record holder Rhema Otabor emerged as
the next Bahamian to watch throw the spear.
The 21-year-old two-time NCAA national champion posted her best of 57.67m for 26th overall in the preliminary rounds of the women’s javelin, but didn’t get to the final, following her global debut last year at the World Championships and ending with her silver medal at the Pan American Games. She possesses so much talent.
Sprinting
galore
Wanya McCoy and Terrence Jones, who competed against each other in college, created their own path here in the men’s 100m where they were 41st and 49th overall in times of 10.24 and 10.31 respectively.
McCoy, however, got some redemption when he reached the semis of his specialty in the 200m where he was fifth in his heat in 20.61 for 18th overall.
He was second in his heat in the preliminaries in 20.35 for 17th place and Ian Kerr got fifth in his heat in 20.53 for a tie at 23rd.
Kerr went to the repechage round where he ended up third in his heat in 20.60 for 10th overall.
These three can form the nucleus of the men’s sprinting crop.
Sprint splash In the fastest race in the pool at the Paris La Defense Arena, Rhanishka Gibbs made her Olympic debut as well with a sixth place in her heat of the women’s 50m freestyle in 26.27 for 31st overall. Look for her to lead the way for the female swimmers in the future.
Relay formation
From the announcement of the relay pool for the mixed 4 x 400m relay, everybody knew it was going to be a tough task for this team to advance.
No Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who were the pillows of the team qualifying in the first place.
Kudos to Javonya Valcourt, Quincy Penn and Wendell Miller, who joined Alonzo Russell, the only member of the qualifying team to compete, even though their time of 3:14.58 was only good enough for eighth place in their heat for 13th overall.
While neither Lacarthea Cooper or Shania Adderley competed, despite the controversy about who should or not go, I think they both had some valuable experience just being in the world-class atmosphere.
All of the athletes seemed resolute in turning
things around as they look forward to the next big challenge ahead at the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, next year. Hopefully these lessons learnt in qualifying and selecting the team will be worked out to avoid any further confusion so that there’s a cohesive unit going to compete.
It’s time to get our relay teams back on the international stage.
Bonjour from Paris
The games have come and gone and now the stage switches to Los Angeles, California for the 2028 edition of the Olympics. The four-year cycle is about to begin and with so many different sports being contested in the games, hopefully the Bahamas will be able to increase its participation, not just in swimming, athletics, boxing and sailing.
There’s judo, golf, water polo, handball, cycling, wrestling, weightlifting and two of our more competitive team sports, basketball and volleyball.
So let’s get cracking and start to assemble these athletes in their quest to get through the qualification process because you know it, four years will be here again.
MINISTER: DEVYNNE CHARLTON’S 6TH OVERALL IN HURDLES FINAL ‘IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR ALL OF US’
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor
bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
PARIS, France — Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg commended Team Bahamas on their performances at the 2024 Olympic Games.
“I want to especially highlight the achievements of our world record holder in the 60m hurdles, Devynne Charlton, who was the only Bahamian to advance to the finals,” said Bowleg, who was in attendance for the duration of the games.
“Her remarkable performance in the women’s 100m hurdles, where she finished sixth overall, is a source of pride for all of us. Devynne was joined by two other exceptional Bahamian women in this event - Charisma Taylor, who reached the semifinals, and Denisha Cartwright, a promising young talent with a bright future ahead.” Bowleg, who was accompanied by director of sports, Kelsie Johnson-Sills, said the Bahamas has a proud and storied history at the Olympics and, this year, our athletes continued to build on that rich tradition.
“While winning medals is often seen as the pinnacle
of success, it’s crucial to recognise that qualifying for the Olympics is an extraordinary achievement in itself,” he stated.
“Only a small percentage of athletes worldwide earn the chance to compete on this prestigious stage. Reaching this level is a testament to the unparalleled dedication, sacrifice and commitment of our Bahamian athletes.”
While Bowleg fell short of his prediction of the Bahamas winning at least two or three medals, he stressed that becoming an Olympian is a monumental achievement in itself, regardless of whether or not the athlete wins a medal.
“It reflects years of grit, sweat, hard work, and relentless training. Olympians are those who have earned the right to compete on the world’s most prestigious stage, displaying exceptional athletic prowess and representing the pinnacle of sportsmanship,” he stated.
As a nation, Bowleg said it’s important to also celebrate the personal triumphs and milestones achieved by our athletes at these Games. “Setting a new personal best, breaking a national record, or simply
competing on the world’s biggest stage are all significant accomplishments,” he stated.
“These achievements reflect the hard work and determination our athletes have poured into their training and preparation. Even for those who faced the heartbreak of not finishing their events, their efforts deserve our deepest respect and admiration.”
Bowleg commended Charisma Taylor, who made history by becoming the second Bahamian woman to compete in an individual track and field event at the same Olympics, following in the footsteps of Shonel Ferguson, who competed in the 100m and long jump at the 1976 Games.
“Charisma’s participation in the triple jump and 100m hurdles not only boosted her world ranking but also added to our nation’s growing Olympic legacy,” he said.
“We also witnessed another historic moment as Ken Mullings became the first Bahamian decathlete to represent The Bahamas at the Olympics.
“His valiant effort showcased the versatility and resilience required to compete in one of the most
gruelling events in all of sports.”
Additionally, Bowleg pointed out that Wayna McCoy delivered an impressive performance, advancing to the semifinals of the men’s 200m - one of the best showings to date for The Bahamas in that event.
He further mentioned Olympic champions Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner, who continue to represent The Bahamas at the highest level, and for that, “we are immensely grateful.”
Two athletes also competed in swimming and Bowleg said the splash Lamar Taylor, who won his heat and narrowly missed advancing, and young Rhanishka Gibbs, who has a promising future ahead of her, made must not go unmentioned.
“These athletes have shown that the future of Bahamian swimming is bright,” he projected.
Bowleg also gave special recognition to Mancer Roberts Sr., the technical director at Bahamas Aquatics who served as one of only 26 officials in the swimming competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics - the first Bahamian to hold such
a role. His responsibilities included serving as a turn and stroke judge, ensuring compliance with the rules.
Bowleg said it was good to see Bahamas Aquatics president Algernon Cargill playing a significant role, presenting medals to the 4x200m freestyle male relay winners.
And he noted that president of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC), Mike Sands also presented medals to the top three of the men’s 400 metres and women’s triple jump events. On the whole, Bowleg said Team Bahamas must be commended for a job well done.
“We also want to acknowledge and thank those athletes who came close to achieving the Olympic qualifying standards but fell just short,” he stressed.
“Their effort and dedication are no less commendable, and we encourage them to keep pushing towards their dreams.”
With the focus now shifting to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, California, Bowleg said the work must start now.
“We believe that with continued perseverance and support, many more Bahamians will have the opportunity to represent our nation on the world stage,” he charged. To the federations, coaches, and support staff who worked tirelessly to prepare our athletes, Bowleg also extended their deepest gratitude.
“Your commitment to nurturing and developing our athletes is vital to their success, and we thank you for your unwavering dedication,” he said.
“As we look ahead to the next Olympic cycle, let us renew our focus and continue working together to ensure that The Bahamas remains a formidable force in international sports.”
In conclusion, Bowleg extended his deepest thanks to the members of Team Bahamas, the Bahamas Olympic Committee, the federations, doctors, physiotherapists, and all who contributed to this journey.
“To the Bahamians who travelled to Paris to support Team Bahamas and those who watched from around the world, thank you,” he summed up. “Let us remain united as a nation in love and service.”
COMPETITORS, including Bahamian Devynne Charlton at far left, race in the women’s 100-metre hurdles final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, August 10, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France.
(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Devynne Charlton
hurdles final
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Charlton actually qualified for her first Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but was unable to compete because of an injury. “Four years is a long time. I can’t say what my changes will be at this point, but it’s definitely still a goal of mine.” As the last member of Team Bahamas to get a medal here at these games, Charlton thanked the public for their tremendous support. And she noted that while she saw all of their messages, she couldn’t respond to them but she wanted them to know that she gave it her best shot. Her parents Dave and Laura Charlton, along with younger sister Anthaya
OLYMPIAN DEVYNNE CHARLTON, third from right, is flanked by family members at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Photos: Brent Stubbs
Charlton, a future Olympic (long jump/sprinter) hopeful, were among those present in Paris to cheer her on.
DEVYNNE Charlton embraces American Masai Russell after the 100-metre hurdles final at the Paris Olympics.
DEVYNNE Charlton in action in the middle of the race between Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent.