08142023 NEWS AND SPORT

END OF SESSION

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

A NEW Parliament session will begin on October 4 as the Davis administration refreshes its agenda.

Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander read a proclamation from Governor General CA Smith on Saturday announcing the prorogation of Parliament, ending the session that

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEY Gen-

eral Ryan Pinder said marijuana legislation would be debated in Parliament before the end of the year.

Speaking to reporters at the House of Assembly on Saturday after Commissioner Clayton Fernander

began on October 6, 2021. All bills, committees and ministers’ questions from the previous session have expired.

The next parliament session will likely coincide with Cynthia “Mother” Pratt’s anticipated appointment as the next governor-general, allowing her to read the Speech from the Throne. Davis administration

read Governor-General CA Smith’s proclamation proroguing Parliament, Mr Pinder said consultation on marijuana is ongoing.

“So we are proceeding on our consultation, initially with some private sessions with some interested parties,” he said. “Those should kick off. Within two

PINTARD SAYS PAC WILL WORK DESPITE PROROGATION

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

OPPOSITION leader Michael Pintard suggested that the work of the Public Accounts Committee would continue despite the prorogation of Parliament, drawing a rebuke from Attorney General Ryan Pinder.

“He knows better and if he doesn’t that’s concerning,” Mr Pinder said yesterday, noting the

prorogation of Parliament means there is no current session or active committee.

During a Free National Movement press conference yesterday, Mr Pintard said members of the PAC will finish their investigation

Photos: Shaquille Johnson

End of session - Parliament prorogued

officials were mum on whether the Cabinet would be shuffled as part of this move.

Attorney General Ryan Pinder said when Parliament returns, all bills not passed during the previous session will be tabled again.

“We will bring certainly the mining (bill) back to be debated early on in the session,” he told reporters on Saturday. “That provides a framework for the exploration of our natural resources, whether that be aragonite, sand, salt, whatever you mine the earth for,

that will provide a proper framework for transparency and regulation.

“We have a compendium of anti-corruption legislation. You would have noted the ombudsman bill was left on the table. We look to compound that with a new Public Disclosure Act and an Anti-Whistleblower Act as well as a code of conduct for the public service and bring that all back together as an anti-corruption suite of legislation.

“The NHI amendment is a very important part of our health care initiative that was left on the table. That will be brought back. The minister of health is

in continued consultations with respect to the NHI amendment, and that is certainly something we look to pass in the new session.”

The Office of the Prime Minister said the next session of Parliament will see the government “prioritise legislation and policies which address the high cost of living, lift our people and strengthen our economic and national security”.

Parliament was prorogued only to prepare for general elections during the previous two administrations. However, under former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, the institution

What the Davis administration has accomplished, and what is still left to be completed

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY 100 bills were passed during the Parliamentary session that ended on Saturday, fulfilling some of the promises the Davis administration made in the 2021 Speech from the Throne.

Six bills expired because of the prorogation, including a bill to amend the Child Protection Act; a bill establishing an independent body to manage the courts; a bill to repeal and replace the National Health Insurance Act; a bill to establish an Office of the Ombudsman; a bill to repeal and replace the Consumer Protection Act; and a bill to regulate mineral prospecting, mining and related matters.

Attorney General Ryan Pinder said the expired bills would be reintroduced in the next parliamentary session.

As usual, budget bills comprised much of the legislation passed during the previous session. Amendments to existing laws were another

significant category of bills that became laws.

Ending the COVID19 emergency orders was a significant early commitment of the Davis administration. It achieved this in 2021 by passing the COVID-19 Pandemic (Special Provisions) Bill and the Health Services Rules.

The administration also followed through on its pledge to reduce the value-added tax rate to ten per cent.

During the 2021 Speech from The Throne, Governor General CA Smith said the government would amend the Public Procurement Act, the Public Financial Management Act and introduce a Merchant Shipping Bill. The administration executed these commitments, although complete compliance with the procurement law remains elusive.

The administration also passed the National Investment Fund, fulfilling its pledge to replace the Sovereign Wealth Fund. The administration did not execute its

commitment to amend the Commercial Enterprises Act, a law Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, as Opposition leader, vowed to repeal.

The administration also failed to amend the Education Act. An amendment, according to the Speech from the Throne, that was supposed to “provide for universal pre-primary education for three and four-year-olds, consolidate the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas (NAECOB) and the Preschool and Day Care Council, and specify home-schooling modalities.”

The government also promised to “work towards the finalisation of a Local Government Act for New Providence.” The status of this is unclear.

Regarding its pledge to introduce anti-corruption legislation, Mr Pinder suggested this will happen during the next session.

The administration’s pledge to introduce a regulatory framework for the cannabis industry is still pending.

was usually prorogued every two years. When former Prime Minister Perry Christie prorogued Parliament in 2006, he shuffled his Cabinet and appointed Arthur Dion Hanna governor-general.

Parliament is typically prorogued annually in some countries, including the United Kingdom.

Maurice Tynes, the longtime former parliamentary clerk, criticised the surprising nature of Saturday’s prorogation announcement.

“We have to demystify this issue of prorogation,” he said. “It’s not supposed to be so mysterious and private. Governments are

A NEW Parliament session will begin on October 4 as the Davis administration refreshes its agenda. Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander read a proclamation from Governor General CA Smith on Saturday announcing the prorogation of Parliament, ending the session that began on October 6, 2021.

supposed to let Parliament know: in six weeks, we’re going to end our legislative agenda. It isn’t supposed to be a secret. In Britain, they prorogue, I think, every September. Everyone knows it’s coming. People like to keep things close to their chest when it ought not to be that way.”

The Free National Movement dismissed Parliament’s prorogation as the Davis administration’s attempt to escape accountability.

“We believe that we witness a desperate and a feeble attempt by the Davis-Cooper administration to escape the undeniable truth that they

are failing the Bahamian people despite benefiting from the rebounding world economy, pent-up demand, and business returning to the pre-pandemic levels,” FNM leader Michael Pintard said at a press conference yesterday.

“We also find it astonishing for the government to embark on a two-month hiatus from parliamentary activities precisely when the nation faces dire challenges on multiple fronts. They reek of negligence and indifference.” He said the Parliament session ended with 119 unanswered questions.

MAN FINED $1,500 FOR POSESSION OF DRUGS AND A MMUNITION WHILE ON PROBATION

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunmedia.net

A MAN was fined $1,500 after he admitted to having an unfired round of ammunition and drugs in his car in Sunshine Park last week while still on probation for a prior drug offence.

Magistrate Samuel McKinney charged Rodney Smith, 20, with possession of ammunition and possession of dangerous drugs.

Smith was stopped by police in his silver colored Nissan Skyline in the area of Sunshine Park at 12.05am on August 10. He was arrested after police found one unfired round of .308mm ammunition and a quantity of Indian hemp inside his vehicle.

After pleading guilty to the charge Smith was fined $500 each for the drug and ammunition offences. He faced a third fine of $500 for breaching his probation on a previous drug offence for which he was convicted in April. Should the defendant fail to pay these fines he will risk three months in prison.

Another man and woman were granted $7,500 bail after they were allegedly found with a loaded firearm last week.

Magistrate Lennox Coleby charged Diamont Hanna, 37, and Paulette Butler, 36, with possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition.

K Melvin Munroe

represented both accused. The accused were arrested on the night of August 9 after police allegedly found them with a black Austria Glock .45mm pistol with the serial number erased. Ten unfired rounds of .45mm ammunition was also reportedly seized at the time.

After the two pleaded not guilty to the charges, $7,500 bail was granted with one or two sureties each. Hanna is expected to sign in at Carmichael Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday by 6pm. Ms Butler is expected to sign in at Quakoo Street Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday by 6pm. The trial in this matter is set for September 28–29.

MAN FINED $2,000 FOR POSSESSION OF OVER 11 POUNDS OF INDIAN HE MP WITH INTENT TO SUPPLY

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was fined $2,000 in court last week after admitting to having over 11lbs of Indian Hemp.

Magistrate Samuel McKinney charged Giovanni Barr,

35, and Javargo Saunders, 31, with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

The pair were arrested on August 8 in New Providence after they were found with 11lbs and 6oz of marijuana.

The drugs seized at their arrest have an estimated street value of $11,600.

In court Barr pleaded guilty to the charge while his co-accused pleaded not guilty. With Barr’s admission to the offence the charges against Saunders were withdrawn. Barr was ordered to pay a fine of $2,000 or risk six months in prison.

from page one

Photo: Kemuel Stubbs/BIS

AG says marijuana bill to be debated in Parliament before the end of the year

from page one

weeks, we look to launch public consultation and townhall meetings through September.

“We have the legislative regime prepared. We have all of the ancillary pieces, the regulations, the rules, the respective orders all prepared. We have a communication plan that has been drawn up that we look to initiate.

“We certainly look to be in a position after the consultation and after we get feedback from important constituencies in the country to be able to proceed with tabling that legislation in the new legislative session. My goal is certainly to have it tabled and debated before the end of the calendar year.”

The administration has missed its previous timelines related to the legislation.

Mr Pinder had said the bills would be released after the July 10th independence anniversary celebrations, but that did not happen.

In 2022, Mr Pinder

said cannabis legislation would be advanced within the first six months of the new year.

Earlier this month, Supreme Court Justice Lorien Klein rejected an application from a Rastafarian that challenged legal provisions prohibiting marijuana possession.

Justice Klein ruled that legislators were within their right to pass a law that does not include a religious exemption for marijuana use.

In 2020, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis tabled the Bahamas National Commission’s report on marijuana in the House of Assembly. The commission recommended no limits on cannabis use for medical purposes. The commission recommended that possession of up to one ounce of marijuana be decriminalised for people 21 and over and that the amount decriminalised be reviewed every two years after comprehensive analysis and impact studies.

PHA A DVISES P UBLIC TO ONLY USE PMH EM ERGENCY SECTION FOR E M ERGENCIES

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

STAFFING concerns

and a push for residents to access clinics prompted the Public Hospitals Authority’s advice over the weekend that people only visit Princess Margaret Hospital’s emergency section for emergencies.

“This is due to not only staffing but ensuring that patients who do not have emergencies utilise the clinics in an effort to ensure the emergency room is not overburdened with non-emergency cases while in the small interim space while the main department is under

renovation,” PHA Managing Director Dr Aubynette Rolle said yesterday.

In a Friday notice, the authority encouraged non-emergency patients to contact their primary care physician or utilise community clinics for care.

PHA said a medical emergency is an acute injury or illness that poses an immediate risk to a person’s life or long-term health –– “sometimes referred to as a situation risking ‘life or limb’.”

Last week, Bahamas Nurses Union President Muriel Lightbourn said nurses considered walking off the job on Wednesday

82 S ACKS OF M A RIJUA N A CONFISC ATED FROM DITCHED GO-FA ST BOAT IN E XUMA

amid poor working conditions at PMH.

“At Accident and Emergency right now, it’s overcrowding,” she said. “You have almost 60 patients waiting to find a bed in the hospital, and who knows when you triple that with gunshot wounds, stab wounds, and you have people coming in with stroke and heat exhaustion.”

“Like one of the nurses says, Ms Lightbourn, I don’t even have to go outside to get heat exhaustion, I get it right in here, that’s how hot it is.

In June, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis toured PMH and said the crisis there is subsiding.

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A JOINT operation between police and US Customs and Border Protection led to the seizure of a large quantity of marijuana in waters near Exuma on Friday.

Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said sometime around 11.30am, officers, acting on information, proceeded to waters near Farmer’s Hill, Exuma where they came upon a white go-fast boat.

“Officials pursued the vessel which eventually beached on the beach in Farmers Hill,” she said. “The occupants were able to disembark the vessel, making good their escape.

However, once officials conducted a search of that vessel, they discovered and confiscated 82 crocus sacks of suspected marijuana.

“It’s a significant drug bust,” she said.

She said police are still looking for the boat operators and appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Friday’s seizure comes after police confiscated $10m worth of cocaine in Long Island over the weekend.

Chief Supt Skippings credited the hard work of the police force and its partners for the recent seizures.

“That’s what happens when you have teamwork,” she said. “You have US Customs and

Border Patrol. You have the DEA. You have the drug enforcement unit. You have marine Support Unit and at times, we also have local police on the islands. “

“And so, because of that collaboration, that networking, that teamwork, as an organisation, we are yielding quick results and again, when we get these significant drug busts, we’re able to save lives and so we will continue to be relentless.

“We will continue to pursue those persons who seek to bring in these harmful substances that actually destroy the lives of our people, we are not going to stop as an agency.”

CHIEF Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings oversees the transfer of a significant seizure of illegal drugs at the airport Friday.

Photo: Moise Amisial

ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder said marijuana legislation would be debated in Parliament before the end of the year.

Pintard: PAC will work despite prorogation

documents.

agency’s rental space was selected.

He said members would then pivot to the ministries of Transport and Labour to investigate matters involving them.

Asked if the Speaker of the House gave the committee special permission to operate during the prorogation period, he said: “Three members of the PAC are members of the Opposition. We certainly intend to collate the information we’re getting to follow significant leads in terms of raising questions on who, what is the sequence of ministries that we’ll be looking at, who the person is that we need to line up. So yeah, we fully expect that our work is going to continue.”

He also suggested the group would continue exercising powers associated with an active parliamentary committee, such as conducting interviews and receiving

“We were given assurances by the permanent secretary who last met with us as well as members of the housing board or the board that is responsible for determining for public service which buildings they rent,” he said. “So we are waiting for all of those documents to be turned over. So we will vigorously follow up with the permanent secretary, and all of those other forces will appear to make sure we get in hand the documents.”

Maurice Tynes, the longtime former Parliamentary clerk, said the PAC is dissolved once Parliament is prorogued.

“They are sessional committees which means they would come to an end at the end of a session and would have to be reappointed by the Speaker,” he said.

“They would have to request from Parliament if they want to meet during the period of prorogation.”

DAVIS HAS SHORT-LISTED SEVERAL PEOPLE FOR IMMIGRATION REVIEW COMMITTEE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip

“Brave” Davis has shortlisted several people to serve on a committee that will review immigration procedures, according to a government source who expects Mr Davis to seek Cabinet approval before publicly disclosing details about the review.

Last month, Mr Davis said there is a “substantial amount of ministerial discretion” in enforcing immigration laws in the country. He promised to review and modernise the system but did not give specifics. His comments came after Free National Movement Leader Michael Pintard made several allegations concerning Immigration Minister Keith Bell.

Yesterday, Mr Pintard said the administration refuses to answer questions about his most recent claim: people have been naturalised as Bahamians without renouncing their citizenship, he claimed.

Mr Pintard released a letter last week purportedly from Immigration Director Keturah Ferguson, who expressed concern that laws regarding renunciation were being breached.

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has shortlisted several people to serve on a committee that will review immigration procedures, according to a government source who expects Mr Davis to seek Cabinet approval before publicly disclosing details about the review.

On Friday, the Ministry of Immigration said some people could receive Bahamian citizenship without renouncing their nationality.

However, the ministry did not say whether the exemptions apply to the

people who prompted concern from Ms Ferguson.

“Exempted categories include (but are not limited to) the wives of Bahamian men and citizens of countries that do not allow persons to renounce,” the ministry said, adding that granting citizenship follows existing laws and policies governing the Department of Immigration.

Mr Pintard said yesterday: “I remind the government that they are not answering the opposition. They’re answering to professionals in immigration, who for decades, have run this system before they ever got in government. Surely those senior public servants have already taken into consideration all of the exceptions.

“What they said was the manner in which you are issuing citizenship, according to the information we have received from those professionals who have access to the files, show that we are operating outside of the law. Has something changed that gave you the authority, Mr Minister, to do what you are doing?

“That’s what the question was, and the answer by the ministry focused in part on one policy. Well, this is not a policy question. This is a legal question.

“If the Cabinet is willing to give him cover to say that they have approved everything that he has done, we just ask the public to stay tuned because we have already revealed sufficiently that he has acted even independent of his colleagues.”

OPPOSITION leader Michael Pintard suggested that the work of the Public Accounts Committee would continue despite the prorogation of Parliament, drawing a rebuke from Attorney General Ryan Pinder.

Photo: FNM

The Tribune Limited

Downtown demolitions welcome

THE start of demolition in the downtown area – getting rid of buildings that are nothing more than an eyesore these days – is both welcome and overdue.

When we say overdue, that is not a criticism of this particular administration, rather of the long years of inertia under various parties as Downtown looked more and more desolate.

Buildings sagged, alleyways became overgrown, litter piled up – and businesses that did make an effort and tried to push back against their surroundings instead found themselves being dragged down by a neighbourhood that increasingly no one wanted to frequent.

It became a self-fulfilling prophecy – the rundown buildings making it less likely that people would venture past certain areas, particularly the area of Bay Street to the east of the cruise port disembarkation. The fewer people that would go in that direction, the fewer customers there would be for the businesses trying to make an impact. Doors would inevitably close, and another building is added to the list of empty store fronts.

Taking action over such buildings is something that other administrations have not done in this manner. It is a step forward, certainly, though much depends on the next step. What happens now following the demolition of these buildings?

For those who take a drive along Eastern Road, there was another example of a demolition – a smashedup property on the seafront which stood empty for a long time until bulldozers moved in and pulled it down.

The rubble remained where it was and the plants grew over them – meaning there is still nothing new standing

there, just a pile of rubble and weeds instead of a decaying building.

Then there is another example of a partly destroyed building along the highway near the Mall at Marathon, a building struck by fire that now stands precariously looking like it will topple further any day. It too seems to have been left to decay and rot and become an eyesore rather than action being taken to remedy the situation and perhaps allow that site to become useful again.

So the first action is welcome – but now we must wait to see what comes next.

One thing for certain, Senator Randy Rolle seems to be determined at the forefront of this project, and there seems to be a combination of a consensus across the board plus the will for something to be done.

Our Downtown was once a gem that held a place in our hearts here at home as well as among tourists abroad. It was renowned for its music spots, and helped to inspire a generation of our musicians.

Downtown today may not be able to lean on that as much – the music industry itself has changed beyond all recognition over the same years that those buildings have been fading.

But look elsewhere and you will see thriving destinations that have evolved to meet the needs of both locals and visitors.

If we can harness the determination we are now showing to make a change, and steer it in the right direction, then it will be to the benefit of all.

We applaud this new initiative – but yes, we will watch to see what comes next.

That move could be the making of a new Downtown.

Readers give their ratings for BPL’s performance

AFTER Bahamas Power & Light CEO

Shevonn Cambridge said he rates BPL’s performance an eight out of 10, we asked readers in the latest Tribune poll what rating they would give BPL.

Here are the results at the time of going to press:

1 – 30 percent, 2 – 6 percent, 3 – 20 percent, 4 – 14 percent, 5 – 17 percent, 6 – 10 percent and 7 – 3 percent.

Readers have also been posting their reactions to the stories making the news on tribune242.com.

Philip “Brave” Davis said the government’s objective in possibly sending Defence Force personnel to Haiti is to help the Haitian national police force, ThisIsOurs said: “Haiti is essentially guerilla warfare. Life goes on, people go to jobs if they have them, but like every other warzone, nowhere is ‘safe’, because no one knows where and when the next attack is coming or who is being targeted. Intelligence can help but it’s

Journey under leadership of

Prime Minister Philip Davis

EDITOR The Tribune,

This letter aims to offer a thoughtful recounting of our journey under the leadership of Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis, KC MP, highlighting not just our accomplishments but also the challenges we’ve faced.

The prorogation of Parliament, on the advice of Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis, serves as a pivotal juncture in our nation’s journey. Over the past two years we’ve diligently laid a strong and resilient foundation, putting in place crucial legislative frameworks and instigating change where it was most needed.

not foolproof. Ask Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan. So think again, you’re not sending anybody to somewhere ‘safe’. Send them if they need to go and fully understand and prepare as best for the risks. And prepare to assist families in some meaningful way.”

Birdiestrachan posted this: “Pray, Mr Davis, that none of the people you send lives are lost.”

ernment Administrator’s Complex in Grand Cay was officially renamed in honour of the late Roosevelt “Roosie” Curry, a local government practitioner whose service and contributions propelled the island’s development.

That prompted this response from BONEFISH: “A nice and fitting gesture to this gentleman. It is good that he will be remembered for his contribution to that island’s development in this way.

“Whenever Bahamians leave this country and go next door to Florida, they see all sorts of named buildings. Local government is a big part

of governance in the real world. The reason its development here is stifled because it will take away the power and control of politicians. It would force them to do something they don’t want to do and are unable to do. That is to become real legislators.”

cannabis proponent said the legalisation of marijuana is “just a game” for the politicians, as he raised concerns that the consultation process is not all-inclusive, DWW said: “Agreed. It is a farce to get elected and it may be the only real reason they get voted out every time. It might just be the one promise that secretly upsets voters more than are willing to admit publically.”

The_Oracle posted this: “Wait until a consortium of doctors get awarded the contract to farm/dispense/import. Wait for it. As with everything else, totally political.”

Don’t miss your chance to join the conversation on tribune242.com.

This pause is neither a halt nor a reset; rather, it is a calculated and strategic intermission. It grants us the time to consolidate our gains, assess our trajectory, and return with increased vigor. Now, as we transition from this foundation-laying phase, it becomes imperative to expedite our progressive agenda, adopting a more assertive approach to deliver on our promises and ambitions.

The Bahamas is poised for transformative growth, and this next chapter promises to be both bold and impactful.

When the New Day administration took office nearly two years ago, The Bahamas was navigating tumultuous waters. The complexities we inherited were profound, and the expectations of change and progress were immense. In these challenging circumstances, our approach was resolute: prioritize immediate needs while laying a foundation for long-term prosperity.

With this guiding principle, we initiated immediate changes, including lifting the curfew, discontinuing the travel visa, and providing free COVID testing. These changes were not just about easing regulations; they signified our commitment to restoring normalcy, compassion, and a focus on the well-being of Bahamians.

Balancing immediate relief with sustainable development, we embarked

on projects like the affordable housing programme, the Catastrophic Health Care Fund, and our investment in the Youth Guard. Our emphasis on labour agreements, public service advancements, and tourism initiatives reflects a holistic approach to nation-building.

Legislation, at its heart, is about people. It’s about understanding the collective dreams, fears, and aspirations of our citizenry and transforming that understanding into concrete action. This sentiment was at the core when we introduced the Protection Against Violence Act. More than just a legal statute, this act symbolizes our commitment to safeguarding the Bahamian people from the scars of violence. Through this legislation, and in harmony with international standards, we’re sending a clear message: Every individual, regardless of their circumstances, deserves a life free from fear and harm. The Evidence Amendment Act, conceived in the shadow of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Dorian, embodies our solemn pledge to families affected by unparalleled tragedies.

It’s an acknowledgment that while we cannot undo the anguish, we can, and will, ensure our systems are empathetic, responsive, and geared toward facilitating healing and closure.

The Climate Change and Carbon Markets Initiatives Act, 2022 places The Bahamas at the environmental forefront, acknowledging our unique vulnerability and responsibility. As we chart our green agenda, the introduction of a domestic carbon credit trading system not only supports global climate goals, but propels us towards an emergent green economy.

Paired with this is our endeavour through the National Investment Fund Act, 2022 to

tread the line between economic prudence and nature’s preservation. Drawing inspiration from successful global models, we aim for a fusion of transparent governance, strategic utilization, and active citizen participation to steward our natural resources judiciously. In the realm of health, the revamped National Health Insurance Bill, 2022 marks a significant shift towards comprehensive care. Aligned with this vision, the Nurses and Midwives Bill, 2022 promises to empower our healthcare professionals, ensuring their growth moves hand in hand with our healthcare system’s enhancement.

The ‘Blueprint for Change’, more than a plan, has been our compass. As we invest in food security, infrastructure, and renewable energy, it’s crucial to remember that each of these initiatives represents our commitment to a future where every Bahamian thrives.

As we look to the forthcoming parliamentary session, we recognize the weight of the responsibilities ahead. Addressing the high cost of living, ensuring economic resilience, and fortifying our national security are not just items on an agenda — they are imperatives.

As we move forward, it’s important to acknowledge that while we have made commendable progress, challenges remain. The upcoming parliamentary session is poised to focus on the issues that resonate deeply with our peopleaddressing the high cost of living, amplifying economic opportunities, and ensuring our national security.

It is with a measured sense of optimism that we approach the future. We are proud, but not complacent, of our achievements. With humility and unwavering commitment, we stand ready to serve and shape the brighter Bahamas we envision.

A FARMER mowed a smiley into his corn field near Dortmund, Germany, recently. After days of heavy rain, the summer weather is returning to Germany, long awaited for the grain harvest. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Grand Cay govt building renamed in honour of Roosevelt ‘Roosie’ Curry

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Government Administrator’s Complex

in Grand Cay was officially renamed in honour of the late Roosevelt “Roosie” Curry, a local government practitioner whose service and contributions propelled the island’s development. Clay Sweeting, Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources, and Family Island Affairs, who fully supported the renaming, said Mr Curry personified what local government is.

“With this renaming exercise, my government is demonstrating our steadfast commitment to recognise Bahamians from all walks of life for the notable achievements in nation building,” he said.

“This is no small honour, this is the building that epitomises the government and all its major services in Grand Cay. This will be seen, heard, and spoken for generations to come.”

Ms Gerelene Curry, Mr Curry’s wife, cut the ribbon and unveiled the plaque bearing her husband’s name on the

complex. Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, Opposition Leader Michael Pintard, various government representatives, and residents attended the ceremony. Students at the Grand Cay All School performed a special tribute.

Roosevelt Curry, a former Chief Councillor, Justice of the Peace and entrepreneur, died in February of this year. He was one of the longest serving local government practitioners in Grand Cay, having been elected since its inception in 2016.

Mr Sweeting indicated

that persons like Mr Curry have caused the government to look at Local Government closely. He added that a 10 percent raise has been given to all districts throughout the country – the first in 20 years.

“We hope that the refurbished and improved structure offers consistent and more efficient government services to the people of Grand Cay,” he said. The minister said the government is committed to improving on the delivery of more modern and effective government

services throughout the country.

However, there was an outage in the power and water supplies on the island.

Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham commended Minister Sweeting for honouring his close friend Roosevelt Curry.

“I have known him for 50-plus years; he has been at my side for eight general elections,” he said.

“You picked a most deserving person to name this building after. It is important that the people know who Roosevelt Curry was; they will see

the name and ask the question: Who is he? Why is it he is the only person in Grand Cay that has a government complex named after him?” Mr Michael Pintard said Grand Cay was transformed because of Mr Curry’s commitment to service. He also noted that Mr Curry contributed to the development of people not only in his community but in other areas of the Bahamas. He thanked Mrs Curry and his children for their sacrifice.

INGRAHAM: GRAND CAY DESERVES REL I ABLE WATER AND ELEC TRICI TY

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Min-

ister Hubert Ingraham said Grand Cay residents deserve reliable water and power supply. He asked the Davis administration to maintain what he and his administration had left in place.

Mr Ingraham was in Grand Cay on Friday attending the renaming of the government complex in honour of his close friend, Roosevelt “Roosie” Curry, when services were interrupted. Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources, and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting was also in attendance.

Residents have been experiencing intermittent outages on a daily basis on that island.

Mr Ingraham said: “I am sorry to hear you (residents) are having

challenges with electricity and water.

“I am happy to see the minister who can take the message back, and ask them for me please, as I told the Prime Minister before, just at least keep in place what I left.

“Maintain what we left. Grand Cay deserves to have a reliable supply of water, power, and internet,” he said.

Mr Ingraham also talked about the condition of the roads there.

Residents get around the island by either gocart or on foot.

Mr Ingraham said that cracks in the road could be easily resolved.

“Minister, you used to be in local government; we don’t need a team to come down to examine the roads. We put it down, we know exactly how it got down, we know exactly how to fix it. Just send the money and we will fix it,” Mr Ingraham said.

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CLAY SWEETING, Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources, and Family Island Affairs at the unveiling ceremony for the renaming of the Government Administrator’s Complex in Grand Cay. The building was renamed in honour of the late Roosevelt ‘Roosie’ Curry - a local government practitioner whose service and contributions propelled the island’s development. His wife Gerelene Curry unveiled the new plaque. Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham speaking on Friday said Grand Cay residents deserve a reliable water and power supply.

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

Surprise prorogation of Parliament without explanation will lead to speculation and gossip

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

THE unexpected announcement of the prorogation of Parliament has set tongues wagging.

The Whatsapp groups and the domino tables were alive with speculation over why the government had done it.

Certainly at first glance, it seems to have been done in something of a hurry. Why on a Saturday afternoon, for example – no newspapers the next day, people out enjoying the weekend – if it was being done to catch the public attention, well, the public was looking the other way at that time. There has also been no commentary about it from the government – no explanation of the reason for resetting the Parliamentary session.

Of course, the explanation can be quite simple – but gossip loves a vacuum, and lord knows we love to gossip.

The easiest explanation is that any day now it seems that it will be announced that our current Governor General, CA Smith, will announced his departure from the role that he has occupied

through our 50th anniversary celebrations. It seems a fitting time. Fifty years of the nation done, all the ceremonies that go with it largely completed – though a few things go on through the year – and time to pass on the baton.

Cynthia “Mother” Pratt is widely rumoured to be the successor, and broadly thought of as a good choice. Mother Pratt is largely well-loved, especially in the communities that she has helped and worked with over the years. She was the first woman to hold the post of Deputy Prime Minister and she certainly suits the profile of the role.

Say what you like about the PLP but one thing that is absolutely true is that the party loves its ceremonies – and halting the parliamentary session gives the chance for a new Governor General to read the Speech from the Throne for the new session. You can see some eager soul saying wouldn’t it be wonderful for Mother Pratt to have that as her first major duty.

So it may be as simple as that. But with the move also come some perhaps

unintended consequences – or perhaps intended.

Recently, a voice note from PLP chairman Fred Mitchell warned party supporters of a rough week ahead – that week presumably came about last week with the charging of party MP Kirk Cornish with two counts of rape plus charges of assault and making death threats.

Now all kinds of people are having their say about that already, some without the awareness that now a court case is actually taking place, the best thing they can do – the thing they should do – is just shut up and let justice take its course.

Still, already some are speculating that the Cornish case is one of the reasons for proroguing Parliament – so that the administration does not have to face awkward questions such as whether the accused MP should be allowed to sit in the House, whether he should be expelled from the party and so on.

That’s foolish talk – the government simply has to say that it is awaiting the outcome of the legal process. Every person accused of a crime is

regarded as innocent until

proven guilty – and as for whether someone facing charges should be kicked out of the House, just look across to the Opposition benches where Adrian Gibson still sits as an MP while he fights his own legal battle.

The rules do not require someone to resign as an MP in the face of accusations – which is only right, or else it would expose the governance of our country to the risk of trumped-up claims merely for the purpose of removing people from the House.

The Cornish situation is not the only awkward one facing the government, however – with further questions pursuing the now invisible man, Minister of Immigration Keith Bell.

Having been advised not to answer accusations against him and his ministry by Fred Mitchell, Mr Bell has been absent from sight, by and large, and certainly not answering the long list of questions about his actions, which range from the irregular to the potentially unlawful, it is alleged.

If we are now prorogued until October 4,

Mr Bell does not have to rise in the House to speak for close to two months, during which time perhaps some are hoping the news agenda will move on and people will forget what has been claimed.

That seems unlikely – especially with bigger questions particularly relating to the Chinese workers who were released at Mr Bell’s direction, such as why so many people were unable to produce any identification.

And as much as those two months will permit a purported investigation into matters, it also gives the Opposition time to gather more evidence of irregularities ready to produce on day one of the new session.

There are other investigations circling, of course – such as that of the council that is alleged to have broken the law by accepting money for a beach clean-up. For some reason, that investigation is being carried out by a ministry rather than police despite it seemingly being clearly against the law.

Handily for the government, questions that have been tabled for ministers also fall away with the end

of the session – so a series of questions posed by the FNM remain unanswered. There are two things in politics – reality and perception.

The reality is probably the simple explanation –the party may simply want to make a big deal out of the change of Governor General and give Mother Pratt a spotlight for her debut.

But the perception in society at large is that perhaps the government is trying to avoid something. The absence of senior figures explaining why there was this sudden prorogation, timed during a weekend, may be entirely innocent but it does make people wonder. For the coming weeks, those people will be left to wonder with no chance for ministers to be questioned in the House, and some of those ministers, such as Keith Bell, seemingly avoiding any opportunity to be questioned by the media over the issues before them.

As I said earlier, gossip loves a vacuum. Until October, Whatsapp and those domino tables are going to have plenty of stories to tell.

THE UNEXPECTED prorogation of Parliament may have as simple an answer as to why as the change of the Governor General, and the opportunity for Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt (who is favoured for the role) to have the opening of a new session of Parliament as her first duty. Or it may be to avoid the many questions of the FNM that remain unanaswered, along with Keith Bell’s irregularities and Kirk Cornish’s legal issues. The closure without explanation will surely lead to much speculation and gossip.

On solid ground, part 2

“On a plane looking out her window, she gazed upon the open horizon, bathed in thoughts of her future. Memories of happier days swirled and for a moment she sighed and smiled, a glimpse at past happiness that vanished almost as soon as it appeared, replaced by a stronger sense, the ache of loneliness. Nothing had prepared her for this day.”

ABLANKET of milky white clouds, as far as her eyes could see, assembled in quiet unison and then slowly drifted away. The captain announced that they’d be landing shortly but Anna barely heard him. On a plane looking out her window, she gazed upon the open horizon, bathed in thoughts of her future. Memories of happier days swirled and for a moment she sighed and smiled, a glimpse at past happiness that vanished almost as soon as it appeared, replaced by a stronger sense, the ache of loneliness. Nothing had prepared her for this day. So much would rest on the hours ahead and the enormity of fear was evident in her tired, reddened eyes.

She’d heard stories of women who’d lost their husbands and were widowed before the age of 40. Friends of neighbours, community members. Not her, she thought. And no amount of island gossip or litany of church prayers could have prepared her for what she was feeling.

Darkness bled into her subconscious and bellowed until Anna was stripped bare.

The air became so heavy she struggled to breathe. Without consent, she’d somehow crossed onto hell’s doorstep and the devil was home.

It had all happened so fast. There was no time to prepare, no time to Google what could have happened or what the likely outcome would be.

Two weeks ago on July 31, in part one of this report, I told the story of Tyler who was born on the island of Abaco where he was raised by his grandparents. At age 12, when Hurricane Floyd destroyed their community, Tyler was forced to leave the only home he’d ever known. He went to live with his mother on another nearby island. Years later, in a case of mistaken identity, police officers beat an innocent Tyler until his intestines exploded. Following an eight-month recovery period, he sued the government. After ten years of fighting, Tyler finally received a monetary settlement. His joy was short-lived, overshadowed by the disappearance of his beloved grandfather who had gone out on a regular fishing trip and never returned.

It was an incredibly difficult time for everyone in the family. Tyler leaned on his wife Anna for support. By then, they’d been married for nine years and had recently celebrated the birth of their third child.

But their bliss ended suddenly when, without warning, their lives were turned upside down. At a bar after work, Tyler had a series of volatile seizures and lost consciousness.

He was 36 and except for the injuries from the police beating and a few minor headaches, he had enjoyed excellent health.

He felt healthy enough that he ignored Anna’s advice to see a doctor about the increase in frequency of those headaches in recent weeks, putting it down to stress at work.

The day he suddenly became sick, Tyler had gone to work as usual. He’d slept well, eaten breakfast, checked on the kids and kissed his wife before leaving the house.

He spent most of the day outside in the hot glare of the summer sun but as usual he maintained hydration by drinking

water copiously throughout the day. After work, he stopped at a bar with some friends to smoke a cigar, drink and play dominoes. After about an hour, he began sweating profusely and he called Anna twice but each time he barely spoke and his speech was notably slurred. By 6pm when he hadn’t come home, Anna became concerned.

Back at the bar, Tyler’s friends placed a cool towel on his neck but when they noticed that he was only staring and not responding to them, one of them ran to his home nearby to tell Anna what happened. She grabbed the kids and ran back with him. By the time she arrived, a crowd surrounded her husband as co-workers were pouring cold water over his head. Anna knelt by his

“Tyler said that he saw his grandfather sitting on a beach under a coconut tree with his legs crossed and smiling but when he felt her touch, he opened his eyes, hungry and unaware of what transpired over the past four hours.”

side and called out his name but he kept staring, his eyes never once glancing over to meet hers.

Unable to verbalize anything, Tyler’s mumbles were soft and incoherent and he had vomit on his pants. Anna and several of Tyler’s friends had to physically lift him to the car.

It was after hours so, as she drove towards the clinic, Anna called the island nurse and begged her and the on-call doctor to meet them there. The children intuitively knew something was gravely wrong with their father and cried until their grandmother arrived at the clinic to take them home.

On the way, Tyler had another epileptic seizure in the car, shaking uncontrollably, his muscles stiffened diffusely throughout his upper and lower body. The moment Anna turned him on his side to help him, foam exuded from his mouth like a pressure cooker that’s reached its temperature.

Anna’s brother and cousin helped Tyler into the clinic. His teeth were clenched tightly as he made repetitive clicking sounds with his tongue. In the clinic he suffered another seizure and he was stabilised intravenously with anti-seizure medication.

Tyler lost consciousness and he was placed on oxygen.

He was rushed by ambulance to the airport and air ambulanced to Nassau. In the ambulance, waiting for the plane to arrive, Tyler mumbled his grandfather’s name.

Anna squeezed his hand over and over again, pleading with him not to die. Then, like nothing had ever happened, Tyler opened his eyes and began speaking normally, confused as to why he was strapped down.

Tyler said that he saw his grandfather sitting on a beach under a coconut tree with his legs crossed and smiling but when he felt her touch, he opened his eyes, hungry and unaware of what transpired over the past four hours.

At the hospital in Nassau,

Tyler had a CT scan of his brain and it was positive for a tumor measuring 2cm in size, about the size of a thumbnail. Unfortunately, his surgeon couldn’t operate on him for another four weeks and only if he didn’t have an emergency case before then, which would push him further down the waiting list.

Not wanting to delay his treatment any further he opted to be treated at a hospital in the US. On the plane, Anna gazed out at the clouds, her mind racing over the possibility of losing her husband and the immense sadness of leaving her children behind, the youngest still being breast fed. Tyler was immediately evaluated by the neurosurgery team when he arrived at the hospital in Georgia and a new scan was ordered, three days following his first, and his surgeon remarked that his tumor was in fact the size of a tennis ball. Tyler underwent emergency surgery the following day.

The night following his surgery Tyler felt like his old self. He watched a basketball game and ate crackers and two days later, after he was moved out of ICU to the floor, he was eating pizza. He remained in hospital for observation for an additional three days before being discharged.

A little over a week later, Tyler noted swelling over his incision site and approximately twelve cubic centimeters (cc’s) of fluid had to be drained from the area at his surgeon’s office. A compression wrap was applied to prevent any further occurrence.

Fortunately, he’s had no other complications, his tumor was benign and Tyler is grateful to be alive.

One of life’s greatest mysteries is what happens to us after we die and Tyler came dangerously close to finding out.

So, his take home message is to never take life for granted because it could all be gone in an instant. Value the time you spend with your loved ones he says, and always put God first.

Today, Anna remembers stories of men and women who lost their spouses before the age of 40.

There are times she wishes she’d forget and other times she embraces the reminder. Love and faith are the golden pathway to better days but the future is filled with uncertainty and at any given moment, her life could change forever. When the rug is pulled out from under you suddenly and you cross into hell faced with the possibility of losing the person you love the most, you’re never the same.

In the back of her mind, Anna always fears that it can happen again and anytime Tyler has a headache, the repressed fear emerges.

And yet, despite it all, she remains hopeful that the long happy life she imagined with her family on her wedding day will come to pass.

So, she prays and walks forward in faith, appreciative that her life feels normal again. So normal that now, when Anna gazes into the open horizon, her thoughts are one of hope.

Hope for a future that may not always be perfect but one where, in the very least, she and her family are always standing on solid ground.

This is The KDK Report.

By MOJTABA SADEGH Boise State University

WILDFIRES, pushed by powerful winds, raced through Lahaina, Hawaii, on August 8 and 9, 2023, leaving a charred and smoldering landscape across the tourist town of about 13,000 residents that was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii. At least 93 people died, Maui County officials said. Others were rescued by the US Coast Guard after going into the ocean to escape the flames.

Dry grasses and strong winds, influenced by Hurricane Dora passing far to the south, heightened the risk as wildfires burned both in Maui’s tourist-filled west coast and farther inland and on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Most fires in the US are suppressed before they have a chance to threaten communities, but the winds were too strong to send helicopters into the sky to help contain Maui’s fires on the first day, leaving firefighters to battle the blazes from the ground.

Lt Gov Sylvia Luke issued an emergency declaration, activating the National Guard to help, and urged travellers to stay away.

Fires have become an increasing risk in many areas of the U.S. that people once considered safe.

Over the past two decades, a staggering 21.8 million Americans found themselves living within three miles of a large wildfire. Nearly 600,000 of them were directly exposed to the fire, with their homes inside the wildfire perimeter. That number – people directly exposed to wildfires – more than doubled from 2000 to 2019, my team’s recent research shows.

But while commentators often blame the rising risk on homebuilders pushing deeper into the wildland areas, we found that the population growth in these high-risk areas explained only a small part of the increase in the number of

wildfires a reMinder of the growing risk to coMMunities that once seeMed safe

people who were exposed to wildfires.

Instead, three-quarters of this trend was driven by intense fires growing out of control and encroaching on existing communities.

That knowledge has implications for how communities prepare to fight wildfires in the future, how they respond to population growth and whether policy changes such as increasing insurance premiums to reduce losses will be effective.

WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE HAS TO DO WITH WILDFIRES

Hot, dry weather pulls moisture from plants and soil, leaving dry fuel that can easily burn. On a windy day, a spark from a power line, campfire or lightning can start a wildfire that quickly spreads.

Recent research on California’s fires found that almost all of the increase in that state’s burned area in recent decades was due to anthropogenic climate change – meaning climate change caused by human activities. Our new research looked beyond just the area burned and asked: Where were people exposed to wildfires, and why?

WHERE WILDFIRE EXPOSURE WAS HIGHEST

I am a climate scientist who studies the wildfireclimate relationship and its socioenvironmental impacts. Colleagues and I analysed the boundaries of more than 15,000 large wildfires across the lower 48 states and annual population distribution data to estimate the number of people exposed to those fires.

If you picture wildfire photos taken from a plane, fires generally burn in patches rather than as a wall of flame. Pockets of homes within the fire boundary survive, but many also burn.

The 2018 fire that destroyed Paradise, Calif., began as a small vegetation fire that ignited new fires as the wind blew its embers. While the population has grown in the wildlandurban interface – the region where houses intermingle with forests, shrublands or grasslands – we found that population growth accounted for only about one-quarter of the increase in the number of humans directly exposed to wildfires across the lower 48 states from 2000 to 2019.

Three-quarters of the 125% increase in exposure was due to fires increasingly encroaching on existing communities. The total burned area increased only 38%, but the locations of intense fires near towns and cities put lives at risk.

In California, the state with the most people exposed to fires, several wildfire catastrophes hit communities that had existed long before 2000. Almost all these catastrophes occurred during dry, hot, windy conditions that have become increasingly frequent because of climate change.

WHAT COMMUNITIES CAN DO TO LOWER THE RISK

Studies have shown that even in conservative scenarios, the amount of area that burns in Western wildfires is projected to grow in the next few decades. How much these fires grow and how intense they become depends largely on warming trends. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will help slow warming. But communities will also have to adapt to more wildfires. Developing community-level wildfire response plans, reducing human ignitions of wildfires and improving zoning and building codes can help prevent fires from becoming destructive.

WILDFIRE wreckage is shown Friday, in Lahaina, Hawaii.

WILDFIRE wreckage is seen last week in Lahaina, Hawaii. The scene at one of Maui’s tourist hubs on Thursday looked like a wasteland, with homes and entire blocks reduced to ashes as firefighters as firefighters battled the deadliest blaze in the U.S. in recent years. (Tiffany Kidder Winn via AP)

reelection bid faces vulnerabilities in wake of special counsel appointment

NEW YORK Associated Press

AS HE gears up for reelection, President Joe Biden is already facing questions about his ability to convince voters that the economy is performing well. There’s skepticism about the 80-year-old president’s ability to manage a second term. And on Friday, Biden faced a fresh setback when Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to probe his son, Hunter.

Biden’s challenges pale in comparison with his predecessor and possible future rival, Donald Trump, who is facing three criminal indictments, with additional charges expected soon. But the appointment of the special counsel was nonetheless a reminder of the vulnerabilities facing Biden as he wages another election campaign in a deeply uncertain political climate.

There was little immediate sign that Garland’s decision meaningfully changed Biden’s standing within his party. If anything, it underscored the unprecedented nature of the next election. Rather than a battle of ideas waged on the traditional campaign trail, the next push for the presidency may be shaped by sudden legal twists in courtrooms from Washington to Delaware and Miami.

“Prior to Trump, this would be a big deal,” New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley said of Friday’s announcement. “Now, I don’t think it means anything. Trump has made everyone so numb to this stuff.”

Referring to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, Buckley added, “Because of how dismissive MAGA America is to the very real crimes of Trump and his family, it has numbed the minds of swing voters and Democratic voters or activists who would normally be fully engaged and outraged.”

Polling has consistently shown that Democratic voters were not excited

about Biden’s reelection even before Garland’s announcement.

Just 47% of Democrats wanted Biden to run again in 2024, according to an APNORC poll conducted in April. Democrats’ enthusiasm for Biden’s presidential campaign has consistently trailed behind Republicans’ enthusiasm for Trump’s: 55% of Republicans said they wanted Trump to run again in the AP-NORC poll. And Biden’s approval rating in polling by Gallup stood at 41% on average over the last three months. Only Jimmy Carter notched a lower average rating in Gallup’s polling at this point in his presidency, while ratings for Trump were about the same at 43%.

Garland announced Friday that he was naming David Weiss, the Trumpappointed US attorney in Delaware, as the special counsel in the Hunter Biden investigation. It comes as plea deal talks involving tax and gun charges in the case Weiss had already been probing hit an impasse.

The appointment of a special counsel ensures that Trump will not stand alone as the only presidential candidate grappling with the fallout of a serious criminal investigation in the midst of the 2024 campaign season.

Of course, the cases are hardly equal in the context of the next presidential election. There is no evidence that President Biden himself has committed any wrongdoing. Meanwhile, Trump has been charged in a plot to undermine democracy for his actions leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

He’s also facing separate charges for refusing to turn over classified documents after leaving the White House and financial crimes in New York related to a hush money case involving a porn star. And Georgia prosecutors are investigating whether Trump broke state laws by interfering in the 2020 election.

Still, Republicans were

hopeful that the new special counsel may ultimately shift attention away from Trump’s baggage while bolstering conservative calls to impeach the Democratic president, a proposal that has divided the GOP on Capitol Hill, which has long sought evidence linking Hunter Biden’s alleged wrongdoings to his father.

Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee, has already obtained thousands of pages of financial records from various members of the Biden family through subpoenas to the Treasury Department and various financial institutions as part of a congressional probe. He released a statement Friday accusing Garland of “trying to stonewall congressional oversight.”

Comer vowed “to follow the Biden family’s money trail.”

Trump, the overwhelming front-runner in the crowded Republican presidential nomination fight, used the opportunity to put his likely general election opponent on the defensive, referring to the “Biden crime family” and the “Biden cartel.”

“If this special counsel is truly independent — even though he failed to bring proper charges after a four year investigation and he appears to be trying to move the case to a more Democrat-friendly venue — he will quickly conclude that Joe Biden, his troubled son Hunter, and their enablers, including the media, which colluded with the 51 intelligence officials who knowingly misled the public about Hunter’s

laptop, should face the required consequences,” the Trump campaign said in a statement.

Back in New Hampshire, Buckley acknowledged that voters are not excited about Biden’s reelection.

“But they’re really not excited about Trump,” he said. “There’s a seriousness around this election. People can say they’re not excited (about Biden). They can say, ‘Oh, he shouldn’t run again.’ But the reality is that he’s the only alternative to Trump.”

Meanwhile, it’s unclear how closely key voters are paying attention.

A Marquette Law School Poll conducted last month found that about threequarters of Americans had heard about Hunter Biden’s agreement to plead guilty to misdemeanour charges

of tax evasion and a gun charge. Republicans were slightly more likely than Democrats to say they have heard “a lot” about the topic, with independents being much less likely to be paying attention.

Democratic strategist Bill Burton suggested the GOP’s focus on the president’s son would backfire.

“From a political standpoint, I think Republicans are stupid to spend so much time talking about the president’s son,” he said. “People are going to be voting on the economy. They’re going to be voting on who’s tougher on social media companies and national security.”

Burton continued, “As a dad, I think it’s pretty disgusting that you would attack someone’s son like this.”

EnErgy DEpartmEnt announcEs largEst- E v Er inv EstmEnt in ‘carbon rE moval’

Associated Press

THE Energy Department announced Friday it is awarding up to $1.2 billion to two projects to directly remove carbon dioxide from the air in what officials are calling the largest investment in “engineered carbon removal” in history.

The process, known as direct air capture, does not yet exist on a meaningful scale and could be a game changer if it did and were economical.

“If we deploy this at scale, this technology can help us make serious headway toward our net zero emissions goals while we are still focused on deploying more clean energy at the same time,” Energy Secretary Jennifer

Granholm said in a press conference call.

Project Cypress will be built in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. South Texas DAC is planned for Kleberg County, Texas. Each claims it will capture up to one million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year initially. A representative of the Texas project said it will scale up to remove 30 million metric tons per year once fully operational. No date was given.

Officials said the projects will create 5,000 jobs for local workers and people formerly employed in the fossil fuel industry.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, who was also on the conference call, said his state, with its experience in petrochemical

FREED US NURSE S

manufacturing, density of pipelines and geology, is best suited for projects that tackle carbon.

The announcement shows the big bets the Biden administration is making on technologies that capture carbon dioxide from the air and store it underground to address climate change. It’s this gas more than any other that is heating the planet.

Several scientists agreed with making some investment in direct air capture.

Claire Nelson, a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory said moving away from fossil fuels and producing the things we need without emissions are the most important ways

to address climate change. But the scale of change needed makes direct air capture necessary as another tool. “In order to have direct air capture ready at the scale we need it by 2050, we need to invest in it today,” she said.

Tim Lieuwen, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute at the Georgia Institute of Technology agreed that the pollution from some kinds of heavy industry will need to be addressed through technologies like direct air capture.

“We need to look at reducing emissions as quickly as practically possible,” said Melissa Lott, director of research for the Center on Global

Energy Policy at Columbia University.

“This means more efficiency, more clean energy, and the use of other technologies including carbon management,” she said.

Shannon Boettcher, professor of chemistry at the University of Oregon, said direct air capture technologies are not yet cost effective, and are worth some investment in research and development.

But some others say the technology for sucking carbon dioxide out of the air is still in its infancy, funding it is misguided, and the focus should be on eliminating emissions.

“This money could be so much better spent on actual climate solutions that would be cutting

HAITI Associated Press

A US nurse who was released by kidnappers in Haiti last week says a Christian song called “See a Victory” became her battle cry after she and her young daughter were abducted.

Alix Dorsainvil and her child were freed Wednesday, nearly two weeks after they were snatched at gunpoint from the campus of a Christian-run school near Port-au-Prince.

El Roi Haiti, the Christian aid organization founded by Dorsainvil’s husband, said Thursday the pair were not harmed and are healthy. On Saturday, the group posted a message from Dorsainvil on its website.

“I am completely humbled by the outpouring of support and prayer for myself and my sweet baby both during and following our time in captivity,” said Dorsainvil, who is from New Hampshire. “God was so very present in the fire with us and

emissions from the get go,” said Jonathan Foley, executive director of Project Drawdown, a group that publicizes climate solutions. He cited energy efficiency and lowering emissions from agriculture, transportation, electricity generation as better approaches.

“What worries me and a lot of other climate scientists is that it potentially creates a fig leaf for the fossil fuel industry ... the idea that we can keep burning stuff and remove it later,” Foley added.

It’s still unclear what role direct air capture will play in lowering emissions. Established technologies like solar, wind, and batteries continue to grow fast.

I pray that when I find the words to tell our story, that the mighty name of Jesus may be glorified and many people will come to know his love.”

In her most difficult moments, Dorsainvil said she turned to “See a Victory” by the North Carolinabased Elevation Worship music collective.

“There’s a part that says, ‘You take what the enemy meant for evil, and you turn it for good,’” she said.

Gang warfare has increasingly plagued Haiti since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. The killing worsened criminal control of Haiti and people are regularly killed, raped and held for ransom. A local nonprofit has documented 539 kidnappings since January, a significant rise over previous years.

It’s not clear whether a ransom was paid in Dorsainvil’s case. El Roi Haiti and US officials have not provided further details, and Haiti’s National Police did not respond to requests for comment.

PRESIDENT Joe Biden speaks during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, April 29, 2023. Democrats were already concerned about President Joe Biden’s age, his leadership on the economy and his stalled agenda in Congress. And on Friday, Attorney General Merrick Garland exposed another significant vulnerability for Biden’s reelection by appointing a special counsel to probe the president’s son, Hunter Biden.

Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP

AYS CHRIS TIAN SONG WA S HER RALLYING CRY A F TER SHE WA S KIDNAPPED IN H AITI

IN this undated photo provided by El Roi Haiti, Alix Dorsainvil, right, poses with her husband, Sandro Dorsainvil. Alix Dorsainvil, a nurse for El Roi Haiti, and her daughter were kidnapped July 27, and were held for two weeks before being released.

Photo: Courtesy of El Roi Haiti/AP

SPORTS

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2023

CRIMESTOPPERS ARE 6-0, RAMPAGE IN WIN COLUMN

Greg Burrows Sr gets five-year suspension

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

he Bahamas Baseball Association issued 15 and five-year suspensions respectively to Greg Burrows Jr and Sr for their actions against Curacao’s home plate umpire Edaine Cannister during a medal placement game in the Babe Ruth CaribbeanBaseball Championships at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium on July 30. In the 16-and-under game played between the Bahamas and Puerto Rico, Cannister ejected Burrows Jr as the manager of Team Bahamas for his constant complaint over a head apparel that the Puerto Rican pitcher was wearing, After being ejected and refusing to leave the stadium, Burrows Sr, who

served as the Babe Ruth League Caribbean commissioner, approached Cannister, along with two other tournament officials, with the view of having Burrows Jr reinstated. Cannister, a 60-plus year old tournament umpire with more than 40 years of officiating, refused to reinsert Burrows Jr, who verbally abused Cannister from the sidelines and subsequently attacked

the 60-plus year-old visiting official in the umpires’ room after the game.

After filing a formal complaint with the BBA, a four-member special panel was assembled, consisting of chairmen Tony Scriven, a lawyer, Brian Armbrister, a Bahamian pro scout, Tommy Stubbs, a former player/administrator and Keith Seymour, another lawyer. The panel, in reviewing the accuracy

of eyewitnesses’ statements and account of the incidents, provided their recommendations to the BBA, who presented the facts and its final report.

When contacted, Burrows Sr declined to offer any comments. Burrows Jr was unavailable.

But BBA secretary general Teddy Sweeting said they did their due diligence

SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Rampage and Police Crimestoppers kept their early season momentum going this past weekend for the Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association (BGDBA).

With less than one month removed from the young season’s start, the Rampage have put together a three-game winning streak following two weekend wins over the 3-3 (win/loss record) Beat and Teach Clinic Sharks and ninthseeded Customs Taxmen.

Additionally, the Crimestoppers handled business against the Police Royals to remain undefeated with a 6-0 record in the league.

Rampage vs Taxmen

The Rampage collected their third straight win this past weekend at the AF Adderley Gymnasium.

Their most recent victory came in a double digit 18-point win over the Taxmen. The game was competitive in the opening period between the two government teams with the difference being a mere six points (21-15) after the first period of play.

However, the second quarter of the game saw the RBDF team widen the gap by 19 points following some impressive play from Oral Rahming.

He led the team in scoring and rebounds with 19 points with nine rebounds and shot a scorching hot 73% from the field.

Otis Ferguson Jr chipped in 18 points along with five assists, and got two steals on the defensive end.

Following the halftime break, the Rampage continued their dominance on offence, jumping out to a 52-28 lead at the 3:28 mark in the third period.

Ultimately, the Taxmen were unable to stop the Rampage who won 76-58.

THE BAHAMAS men’s national basketball team went through a workout session yesterday in preparation for the start of the 2023 FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament of the Americas that will be played in the cities of Santiago del Estero and La Banda, Argentina, August 14-20. Team Bahamas, featuring NBA players Deandre Ayton, Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield, Kai Jones and, for the first time, Eric Gordon, has been placed in Group A with Cuba and Argentina. The team, coached by Chris Demarco, will begin play today against Cuba. After a day off on Tuesday, Team Bahamas will be back to play Argentina on Wednesday. Depending on their performances, Team Bahamas will get a chance to play in the playoffs on Friday and Saturday. The winner of each tournament will qualify for the Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament. The 2024 Olympic Games will take place July 26 to August 11 in Paris.

By JENNA FRYER AP National Writer

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — There will be a first-time winner of the Women’s World Cup this year, and maybe, just maybe, it will be host country Australia.

The Matildas, serving as co-hosts of the tournament with New Zealand, became the first home team since the United States in 1999 to win a quarterfinal in nine Women’s World Cups.

Australia has reached its first semifinal in team history and faces England on Wednesday for a chance to play for the title.

“I genuinely really believe that this team can do great history in so many ways,” Australia coach Tony Gustavsson said, “not just winning football games, but the way that they can inspire the next generation, how they can

unite the nation, how they can leave a legacy that is much bigger that football.”

England, the European champion, advanced with a 2-1 victory over upstart Colombia. England also reached the semifinals in 2015 and 2019, only to finish third and fourth and never reach the Women’s World Cup final.

But before the Australia and England showdown, first-time semifinalist Spain takes on powerhouse Sweden on Tuesday in Auckland.

Aside from a 4-0 loss to Japan in group play, Spain has been a force throughout the tournament. It even tuned out an earthquake roughly an hour before its quarterfinal win over 2019 runner-up Netherlands.

The earthquake Friday in New Zealand’s capital of Wellington measured 5.6 on the Richter scale and

created minor shaking in and around the stadium.

“We were so concentrated on the game that we didn’t feel it, although we felt some shakes at the hotel the day before,” Spain coach Jorge Vilda said. “The victory of Spain was the earthquake.”

Sweden, meanwhile, is the highest ranked team still in the tournament at second in the world, according to FIFA.

The Swedes got into the semifinals by knocking off previously undefeated

18

IN the domain of sports nutrition, one nutrient stands out as a cornerstone of athlete energy management - carbohydrates. These vital macronutrients transcend being mere energy sources; they are the strategic energy reservoirs that power an athlete’s every motion, from sprints to endurance feats.

As a sports medicine physician and sports nutrition specialist, I work to ensure the athlete understands the integral role of carbohydrates in their nutrition, elucidating their significance and how tailored intake strategies can harmonise with the athletes’ individual goals and training phases.

Carbohydrates: The Energy Dynamo Picture carbohydrates as the premium fuel that

The RBDF squad shot an efficient 57.4% from the field, meanwhile, the

SEE PAGE 19

BAZARD KENT

SEE

PAGE 17

By

Final Four: Australia makes it through to the Women’s World Cup semifinals

Team Bahamas get in workout before clash with Cuba today

JONQUEL SCORES 15, GRABS 12 REBOUNDS TO HELP LIBERTY BEAT FEVER 100-89

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)

—

Breanna Stewart scored 30 of her 42 points in the first half to help the New York Liberty beat the Indiana Fever 100-89 yesterday and set a franchise record for wins in a season.

Bahamas Olympic Committee empowering our young ladies

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) through the Women in Sport Commission hosted a luncheon to recognise and award the sporting talents of nine high school graduates this past weekend at the Thomas A Robinson stadium.

The young women’s empowerment event included athletes from New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco. The young ladies, who are now graduates, were taught the importance of manners and respect, etiquette, grooming and hygiene, and how to conduct themselves in society at the next level.

The event was led by fashionista Phyllis AlburyGarraway under the theme “Empowering 2023 Class of Outstanding Secondary Female Athletes.”

Cora Hepburn, vice president of the BOC and chairperson of the Women in Sport Commission, talked about the importance of this event as the girls transition out of high school. “Today’s event was the beginning of an empowerment programme for the graduating class of 2023…they learned how they are supposed to act, eat and sit,” Hepburn said.

As a means to empower the young ladies, the nine graduates were gifted with their very own self empowerment gel polish kit.

“They can practice on their siblings, their friends… in today’s society you could get a manicure and pedicure for hundreds of dollars…our aim and objective is if one of those girls can perfect that business in a box, then this programme will be successful,” she added.

Among the Class of 2023 graduates empowered at

the event were Antonicia Moultrie and Amari Pratt (St Augustine’s College), Dahphaney Maxine (Patrick J Bethel), Teajah Johnson (RM Bailey), Vanessa Sawyer and Davanna Douglas (CR Walker), Alesia Seymour (Anatol Rodgers), Lanaisha Lubin (Queen’s College), and Shatalya Dorsett (Sunland Baptist Academy).

CARIFTA silver medallist Lubin gave insight on what she has learned throughout her track and field journey and her future goals.

“In my experience with track and field, I have learned that dedication and hardwork is literally all that you could have to succeed and never giving up and believing in God,” Lubin said.

Although she has not made a final decision on a college as yet, Lubin plans to major in sports

medicine and minor in physiotherapy.

Dorsette, who is headed to Louisiana Tech University, talked about what she learned at this past weekend’s event.

“I learned that etiquette is everything and in sports, women are still recognised,” she said.

In Dorsette’s future, she plans to lower her track times while studying forensic science.

Maxine, who is multitalented, competed in sporting disciplines including basketball, volleyball, soccer, golf, flag football and track and field.

She described this weekend’s ladies’ empowerment event as inspirational.

“It taught me to be more of a lady and to be more inspiring to others and getting to know more people rather than being in my small circle,” she said.

The Patrick J Bethel graduate plans to pursue

nursing and forensic science.

Additionally, she wants to continue playing the aforementioned sports at the collegiate level.

Seymour was especially grateful to be in attendance at this past weekend’s women empowerment event.

The Anatol Rodgers graduate will study environmental science while pursuing a career in sports at the University of Ozarks.

“It was a wonderful experience, definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity and it has filled my heart with joy to be able to attend this. I know that I have paved the way for people to come after me and to show the people who come before me that I deserve this,” she said.

The young athletes were all excited to embark on their future endeavours in education and sports at the next level.

SEVENTEEN FC, FLAMINGO FC TO MEET AGAIN IN CFL FINALS

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

SEVENTEEN FC and Flamingo FC will square off on the Roscow A L Davies soccer field next week Sunday for the Capital Football Label (CFL) Summer Soccer Championship.

In front of a packed crowd, Seventeen FC upset Happiness FC, ending their quest to the finals. Flamingo FC remained in top form, collecting yet another win against Skilsaw FC while remaining undefeated to return to the finals for another consecutive year.

Flamingo FC vs Skilsaw FC

The Flamingo FC has yet to drop a game in the CFL Summer Soccer Championships. The feat remained unchanged after they

ousted the Skilsaw FC 3-1 last night.

The dominant Pool B team saw Johny Tinus and Alex Richard Vixamar score two goals to give them a 2-0 lead headed into the second half of the game. Romel Neymar followed suit in the final half of the game, sinking the ball to the back of the net to lift Flamingo FC into yet another CFL finals.

The soccer club has been on a mission all tournament long with their sights not only set on the $3,500 cash prize, but also the bragging rights and championship hardware.

Neymar, a Flamingo FC player, talked about how it felt to advance to the finals against Seventeen FC for another consecutive year.

“It feels pretty good. We have dreamed about it and said we are gonna work hard to make it to

the finals. We are really happy… we started our ‘A’ game late last time but this time we are bringing our ‘A’ game early in the game,” he said.

Seventeen FC vs Happiness FC Seventeen FC secured their spot in the championship game once again after closing out Happiness FC 2-1. The Pool B team delivered the upsetting loss to the leading Pool A team following two goals from Brandon Adderley and Lesly St Fleur. After booking their ticket to battle against a familiar foe, the team’s head coach said they are on a quest to get the job done in the finals.

Steven Soirylian, head coach of Seventeen FC, talked about how it felt to knock off Happiness FC en route to next week’s finals.

“Right now I cannot even

explain it because we were waiting for this for so long.

“This was a good team and they put up a good fight but we came out there, played hard and played to win,” he said. With both teams looking to wrap up unfinished

business from last year’s controversial finish to the Summer Soccer Championships, competition will be stiff on the final Sunday of the soccer tourney.

Tickets are priced at $5 for adults and $3 for children under the age of 12.

New York (24-6) has won six games in a row and 10 of its last 11.

Stewart, who scored 45 points in a 90-73 win over the Fever on May 21 and a 43-point performance against the Phoenix Mercury on July 5, became the first player in WNBA history to score at least 40 points three times in the same season. Stewart joins Diana Taurasi (four times) and Maya Moore (three) as the only players to top the 40-point plateau three times in their career.

Jonquel Jones had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Liberty, Betnijah Laney scored 12 and Sabrina Ionescu 10. Courtney Vandersloot scored just four points on 1-of-7 shooting but finished with 14 assists. Ionescu hit two 3-pointers, giving her 101 made 3s this year to join Taurasi and Kelsey Plum as the only players in league history with 100-plus 3s in a single season.

Kelsey Mitchell scored 22 points and Erica Wheeler 21 to lead Indiana (8-23). Aliyah Boston added 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists and NaLyssa Smith scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

MYSTICS 83, SKY 76

WASHINGTON (AP)

— Brittney Sykes scored a season-high 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting to help the Washington Mystics beat the Chicago Sky 83-76 yesterday to snap a threegame skid.

Sykes added six assists and five steals. Queen Egbo made 7 of 7 from the field and scored 16 points for the Mystics and Tianna Hawkins added 13 points.

Washington (14-16) won for just the second time since an 84-69 victory against the Phoenix Mercury on July 23.

Sykes hit a pull-up jumper and then added back-to-back layups to make it 51-45 midway through the third quarter and Washington led the rest of the way. Elizabeth Williams scored inside to trim Chicago’s deficit to 76-71 with about 3 minutes to play but Hawkins answered with a 3-pointer and the Sky got no closer.

Kahleah Copper led Chicago (12-18) with 17 points, Marina Mabrey scored 15 and Courtney Williams 13. Elizabeth Williams finished with 14 points.

THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF CARBOHYDRATES IN OPTIMISING ATHLETE PERFORMANCE

FROM PAGE 16

powers an athlete’s engine. It is the primary energy source for the body’s cellular processes. When consumed, carbohydrates break down into glucose, a form of sugar that the body efficiently converts into energy. This energy is then readily available to fuel every muscle contraction, every heartbeat and every breath an athlete takes during their rigorous endeavours.

Athletes rely on these compounds to fuel their muscles during intensive physical exertion. It is essential to recognise that carbohydrates are not just about immediate energy provision; they actively influence endurance, recovery, and overall athletic performance. The unique demands of athletic activities require a continuous supply of energy.

Carbs replenish the glycogen stores in muscles and the liver, ensuring that an athlete’s energy reserves

remain topped up for high-intensity efforts and endurance feats, whether it’s a sprint, a marathon, or a basketball game. So, no matter how fast your Lamborghini is, without adequate fuel you will essentially go nowhere.

Aligning Carb Intake with Athlete Goals

A crucial aspect of carbohydrate utilisation is aligning intake with specific athlete goals. For instance, endurance athletes require sustained energy for extended efforts, necessitating a comprehensive carbohydrate intake plan.

Conversely, athletes focusing on muscle growth and strength may adopt a cyclical carbohydrate approach to manage energy levels while facilitating muscle recovery and growth.

Enter the science of periodisation, a key strategy used by sports nutritionists. This technique involves adjusting carbohydrate intake to synchronise with various training phases.

During periods of intense training, higher carbohydrate consumption ensures fuel availability for demanding workouts and rapid recovery. On the flip side, lighter training phases are accompanied by moderated carbohydrate intake to maintain energy equilibrium and prevent excessive energy storage.

The Recovery Boost

The significance of carbohydrates in post-exercise recovery goes beyond the completion of the physical activity. Following strenuous workouts, carbohydrates assume a pivotal role in facilitating the recovery process through a series of intricate physiological mechanisms. During exercise, the body’s glycogen stores, which serve as a readily accessible energy reservoir, are often depleted. This depletion can lead to muscle fatigue and decreased performance. Consuming carbohydrates after exercise initiates a cascade of metabolic reactions. Carbohydrates are broken

down into glucose, which is transported to muscles and the liver. In the liver, glucose is converted into glycogen and stored for future energy demands. This recovery-oriented glycogen replenishment process accelerates the recovery timeline. Swift glycogen restoration translates to reduced muscle soreness and improved muscle function in subsequent training sessions. Moreover, adequate carbohydrate intake post-exercise plays a pivotal role in minimising the risk of overtraining and subsequent burnout.

In essence, carbohydrates act as the body’s signal for revitalisation. By facilitating rapid glycogen repletion, they not only pave the way for a more efficient recovery but also set the stage for optimal performance in forthcoming training sessions.

Carb Choices:

Quality Matters

Holy cow this one right here. Not all carbohydrates are created equal! Hunt for

complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. These sources provide a sustained release of energy, preventing energy crashes and maintaining a stable blood sugar level. Steer clear of sugary snacks and refined grains that offer short-lived energy spikes followed by crashes. No, its not easy.

Yes, it will make you even more awesome. As a busy professional parent of an athlete myself, I understand the challenges with time and cost in the selection of quality nutrients.

I also understand that each athlete’s journey is unique. That’s why we emphasize the importance of personalised nutrition plans that factor in the athlete’s sport, training intensity, and performance goals. It is vital that every athlete harnesses the energy they need to excel in their chosen discipline.

Recommended Daily

Carb Intake The ideal daily carbohydrate intake for athletes

is a nuanced balance that hinges on factors such as training volume, intensity, and personal physiology. As a general guideline, aiming for 6-10 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day is recommended.

For example, a 70 kg (154 lb) athlete might consider an intake of approximately 420-700 grams of carbohydrates daily. It is crucial to underscore the value of collaborating with a skilled nutritionist to determine the optimal range for individual requirements.

In conclusion, carbohydrates represent the bedrock of athletic accomplishment. As a sports medicine physician, I advocate for embracing carbohydrates as the tactical catalysts of peak performance. With meticulous carbohydrate management and periodised nutritional planning, athletes can surpass barriers, surmount challenges and carve their athletic destiny, one disciplined step at a time.

EMPOWERING OUR WOMEN: The Bahamas Olympic Commitee’s (BOC) women in sports commission recgonized the talents of nine high school graduates for their sporting accomplishments this past weekend.

SEVENTEEN FC and Flamingo FC both return to the Capital Football Label (CFL) Summer Soccer Championships.

Greg Burrows Jr suspended for 15 years by BBA, Burrows Sr gets five-year suspension

FROM PAGE 16

and came up with what they considered to be an appropriate ruling which has been passed onto the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Babe Ruth Caribbean Baseball and COCABA, the ruling body for baseball in the region under the jurisdiction of the World Baseball Softball Confederation.

“None of the executives were present at the actual event when the altercations transpired,” Sweeting said. “So what we did was we requested eye witness reports from individuals present.

“We set up the panel, who reviewed each of the eye witness reports, they reviewed the actions of the individuals accused and they came back to the executives with their findings.”

Sweeting said they term the action a serious infraction against an umpire, who had water thrown on him and a bottle thrown at him in a restricted area in the umpires’ locker room.

“These suspensions are only from international baseball and events sanctioned by the Bahamas Baseball Association” Sweeting insisted. “However else he wants to conduct his activities, which is outside of our preview, they can continue.

“This is not a suspension from the organisation Freedom Farm, in which they are both affiliated. They just won’t be allowed to participate on any international teams or events that come under the jurisdiction of the BBA.”

report signed by BBA president Sam Rodgers and Sweeting:

1. Umpire warnings to Bahamas Team Manager

Cannister issued four warnings to Burrows Jr to stop delaying the game to argue a headband being worn in the game by Puerto Rico’s team pitcher. Greg Burrows Jr claimed that the piece of cloth was distracting to his team players while they were batting.

Burrows Jr claimed that the umpire asked the

pitcher to remove the headband initially but allowed the pitcher to return with it later in the game.

The umpire made it clear that the headband (a green bandana) was not in violation of the team uniform dress code of the tournament. Hence, the Cannister ejected Burrows Jr in the fourth inning of the game with the Bahamas trailing 4-1.

2. Game Stoppage Burrows Jr refused to leave the playing area after his ejection from the game, resulting in the game being delayed. He accused the umpire of discriminating against The Bahamas.

Burrows Jr was joined on the playing field to challenge the game umpires by a three-member tournament protest committee – Chavez Thompson, Sean Bain and Burrows Sr, the Babe Ruth Caribbean commissioner.

Greg Burrows Sr identified himself to Cannister and demanded the reversal of the ejection of Burrows Jr and that Cannister and Robert Coakley be replaced as game umpires.

1. Game resumes

Tournament chief umpire Andrew Burrows was called to the stadium to address the game situation. He agreed that Burrows Jr was rightfully ejected from the game and cannot be reinstated to continue managing the Bahamas team and that he must leave the stadium before the game resumes.

It was decided that for the rest of the game no player would wear headbands or have placed in their back pockets safety protective hand sliding gloves.

Andrew Burrows was able to convince Cannister and Coakley to return to the playing field to complete the game and promised the umpires no further game interruptions.

2. Foreign teams demand apology

Representatives from the two teams playing the next game on the same day – The Netherlands verses Aruba - witnessed the on-field incident and demanded a verbal apology

from Burrows Sr for the actions on the field. They got their wish as the tournament games continued to completion.

3. Threats to the Home Plate Umpire Burrows Jr did not leave the stadium. From the spectators’ seating area, he verbally insulted the umpire throughout the remainder of the game and issued physical threats, speaking loud enough for many spectators to hear that he would deal with the umpire after the game.

Several times during the game, Cannister asked tournament officials to have Burrows Jr removed from the stadium or call the police for assistance to provide protection for his safety.

Cannister also asked the tournament officials for protection away from Burrows Jr even while he was changing in the locker room after the game. But this did not happen.

4. Assault of the umpire

The Bahamas Team lost the game 6-5 and a chance to play for the gold medal in the tournament. After the game, Burrows Jr entered the umpire’s private locker room without permission or invitation.

Cannister was seated, removing his game protective gear off his body. Burrows Jr uttered insulting remarks with profanity toward the umpire; punches were thrown at the umpire trying to hit him, and water from a bottle was thrown on Cannister and the bottle was thrown in his direction.

Intervening to reduce escalation of the altercation were four tournament participants – base umpire Robert Coakley, tournament committee member Sean Bain, tournament assistant director Chavez Thompson and Netherlands team manager Eugene Henson.

Burrows Jr was forcefully removed from the locker room and escorted out of the stadium by Bain.

BBA Assessment and Decision

The BBA has the authority to govern domestic and international baseball

participation under the WBSC membership whether the BBA grants sanctioning or not.

The Babe Ruth League is a private youth baseball organisation that can enforce penalties against its members within its organisation.

The BBA has been in contact with the Babe Ruth leadership on the incident, the formation of the panel and the BBA’s final decision.

Greg Burrows Jr

Burrows Jr has been involved in baseball as a player, coach, manager, trainer for more than 25 years. He has also coached or managed teams at tournaments locally and overseas and played baseball at the professional level. He operates a youth baseball academy in the Bahamas.

He knows the standard rules of the game of baseball for all participants. In his statement, he confirmed there was a verbal exchange and water thrown at the umpire but denied he hit the umpire with a closedfist punch.

As the Bahamas team manager, Burrows Jr was responsible for controlling his behaviour and actions of all members of the Bahamas’ team.

Within the powers and discretion of game officials, Burrows Jr knows Cannister has the authority to eject him or anyone from the game and in the sport of baseball, there is no precedence to be reinstated once ejected.

The Bahamas team was fortunate - the umpires did not award the game to Puerto Rico when Burrows Jr refused to leave the stadium, which is within the umpire’s discretion.

After his ejection from the game, Burrows Jr did not leave the playing area within the required timeframe.

Furthermore, he violated the rules by going into the spectator seating area (the stands) to give game instructions to his team during the remainder of the game competition. This behaviour and his actions

in the umpire locker room, is almost unheard of in any sport and should not be condoned.

Sportsmanship Code of BABE RUTH: “The Sportsmanship Code of Babe Ruth League

Develop a strong, clean, healthy body, mind and soul. Develop a strong urge for sportsmanlike conduct. Develop understanding of the respect for the RULES. Develop courage in defeat, tolerance, and modesty in victory. Develop control over EMOTIONS and SPEECH. Develop spirit of cooperation and team play. Develop into real, true CITIZENS. Copyright, 1954 by Babe Ruth League, Inc.”

Each of the violations by Burrows Jr was premeditated. He had over two hours to cool off and consider the consequences of his actions and behaviour.

Penalty for Burrows Jr

Therefore, for his role in these incidents, the BBA is issuing a 15-year suspension to Burrows Jr from all local and international baseball competition in any capacity including and not limited to player, coach, manager, official, executive and organiser in the Bahamas. He can appeal to the BBA for reinstatement after, and not before, 10 years of his suspension.

Greg Burrows Sr

The behaviour and participation of Burrows Sr were in clear violations of the standard baseball rules by ordering the reinstatement of an ejected game participant, namely his son Burrows Jr, and the removal of Cannister and Coakley from the middle of a game if they do not reinstate Burrows Jr. This is confirmed by both game umpires and umpire Marcellus Hall who was asked by Burrows Sr to replace Cannister but declined until tournament chief umpire Andrew Burrows (no relationship to Greg Sr) advises on the situation.

Babe Ruth Rules states:

9.02 (a) Any umpire’s decision which involves judgment, such as, but not limited to, whether a batted

GREG BURROWS JR

ball is fair or foul, whether a pitch is a strike of a ball, or whether a runner is safe or out, is final. No player, manager, coach, or substitute shall object to any such judgment decision.

9.02 (d) NO umpire may be replaced during a game unless he is injured or becomes ill.

Burrows Sr failed to permit the tournament directors to perform their duties and present a formal complaint to him, as commissioner, to make a ruling.

As the Babe Ruth League Caribbean commissioner, the role of Burrows Sr is one of ensuring the rules are adhered to, policing the actions and behaviour on the playing field by all participants, managing and providing protection to game officials and spectators.

Penalty for Greg Burrows Sr

The BBA is issuing a five-year suspension to Burrows Sr from all local and international baseball competition in any capacity including and not limited to coach, manager, official, executive and organiser in the Bahamas.

The tournament featured over 200 players comprising of two age divisions - 12u and 16u. The Bahamas won both divisions in 2022.

Aside from the Bahamas, teams came from the following countries: Netherland Antilles, Cuba, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominican Republic, St. Eustatius, Aruba, Puerto Rico, United States and Belize.

In conclusion, the BBA understands that the foreign umpire is within his rights to file formal charges against any key principles, including the organisers involved for their lack of protection in the Babe Ruth Caribbean Baseball Championships.

The BBA also understands that this is a grave matter that can affect the Bahamas’ tourism product and, in particular, the game of baseball throughout the Bahamas when it comes to hosting any baseball games or sporting events on our soil.

Women’s World Cup Final Four: Australia through to semifinals

FROM PAGE 16

Japan, the 2011 winners and last remaining champions in the tournament after so many early eliminations of the best teams in women’s soccer.

“I think we have the team to go all the way,” left back Jonna Andersson said, “and now we are one step closer.”

AUSTRALIA

The Matildas advanced after a tense — and electric — penalty shootout 7-6 over France in front of a sold-out crowd in Brisbane, Australia.

It took 20 penalties to decide the winner in the longest shootout in the history of the tournament. It was the game of a lifetime for goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, who stepped up to take a penalty with the score at 3-3 but hit the post.

Arnold then managed to twice save shots from French midfielder Kenza Dali, the first being waved off after Arnold was ruled to have come off her line for the first save. Arnold said she was “incredibly disappointed” to have missed her shot on goal and thanked her teammates for keeping the Matildas in the game. Australia, at 12th in the world, is the lowest-ranked team remaining in the tournament.

Sam Kerr, the injured superstar who missed all of group play, came off the bench against France but ended up playing nearly a

full game when the match went to extra time. Kerr converted her penalty kick. And the Australians have also been boosted by the play of 20-year-old Mary Fowler, who has stepped in to fill Kerr’s void in this tournament.

Arnold said the Matildas need a day to regroup before focusing on England.

“I don’t want to ever get ahead of myself, and we’re all the same in that aspect,” she said. “We just take one game at a time, one half at a time, whatever that is, and we just keep getting to the next step every time. So now that we’ve made the semifinal for the first time, we’ll take a moment to process what we’ve actually done.”

ENGLAND

England very much wants to add a World Cup title to last year’s European championship, and coach Sarina Wiegman understands the Lionesses will have their hands full in a semifinal that will be a home game for Australia.

Wiegman’s only loss as England manager in 37 matches was a 2-0 loss to Australia in a friendly four months ago. Now in the semifinals for a third consecutive World Cup, England must beat the home team to advance to its first final.

“It’s going to be really big,” Wiegman said of the semifinal. “It’s probably going to be bigger than I imagined now. I’ll talk to my players and staff and see

what that rivalry is. We’ve had such a warm welcome and we’ve really enjoyed our time here in Australia.

I really like the people here but that doesn’t mean there’s no rivalry. So we’ll see that Wednesday.”

England already has won in front of a hostile crowd — the 75,784 in attendance for its quarterfinal win over Colombia were mostly clad in Colombian colors — and Wiegman said “we expect a similar crowd for Australia.

“We are really looking forward to it. We know that it’s an away game,” she said. “Let’s try to (use it as) an inspiration.”

England star Lauren James will miss her second

consecutive game because of a suspension for receiving a red card in the quarterfinals.

SWEDEN Sweden’s current team has been labeled the “Golden Generation” of its nation’s history of women’s soccer, but the Swedes have yet to live up to that billing on an international stage.

Now it has knocked off both the United States and Japan to reach the semifinals and a Tuesday match against Spain in Auckland. Sweden nearly won an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo two years ago but lost to Canada in the final, and in the World Cup, the Swedes were runners-up in

2003 and three-time thirdplace finishers.

A highlight of each Sweden win has been the playing of Swedish band Abba’s songs in the stadiums after the victories, and striker Kosovare Asllani has a request for Tuesday:

“I love `Lay Your Love on Me,’” she said.

“It’s so nice when you hear the Abba songs after the game. You can’t help but smile,” she said. “I’m just very proud of the team performance but we’re not satisfied here. Obviously want to go all the way.”

SPAIN

Spain was the first team to secure a spot in the semifinals with a 2-1 win over

2019 runner-up Netherlands in extra time of the quarterfinals.

Just making it to the quarterfinals was a boost for Spain, ranked seventh in the world but had never before advanced to the quarterfinals in its two previous World Cup appearances. But in their third tournament, La Roja have been fantastic.

Spain blew through its first two games of group play before suffering a humiliating 4-0 loss to Japan in the finale. Vilda made a batch of lineup changes for the knockout round, which led to a 5-1 win over Switzerland, and then the quarterfinal upset over the Dutch.

It put Spain on course for a rematch with the Japanese, but they were upset in the second semifinal by Sweden and La Roja now faces the third-ranked team in the world on Tuesday at Eden Park in Auckland.

“We’ve reached somewhere we’ve never reached before, and done it playing a good game as well, with a team that is convinced that we can go even further,” Vilda said.

“The rival that we meet and face in the semifinals, it will be one of the best teams in the world,” Vilda said.

Spain and Sweden have never met in the World Cup — Spain didn’t even qualify for the first six tournaments — but played to a 1-1 draw last October in a friendly in Cordoba, Spain.

ENGLAND’S ALESSIA RUSSO, centre, celebrates after scoring her side’s 2nd goal during the Women’s World Cup quarterfinal soccer match against Colombia on Saturday.

(AP Photo/ Rick Rycroft)

Jazz and Marlins beat Yankees 8-7 to win series

MIAMI (AP) — Jake Burger’s game-ending single capped a five-run, ninth-inning comeback against Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle, giving the Miami Marlins an 8-7 win yesterday over the struggling New York Yankees.

New York, which led 7-1 in the sixth inning behind ace Gerrit Cole, dropped five games back of the AL’s last wild card berth and is on track to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The Yankees lost when leading by four runs in the ninth inning for the first time since July 11, 2021. New York is 3-8-1 in its last 12 series and has lost six straight rubber games of three-game series.

Burger, who had three hits, cut the deficit to 7-2 with an RBI single in the sixth off Cole. Wandy Peralta walked Josh Bell leading off the eighth and Bryan De La Cruz hit an RBI double off Kenyan Middleton.

Holmes (4-3), who had given up three runs in 35 games since May 6, allowed Yuli Gurriel’s double leading off the ninth. Nick Fortes singled on a ball up the middle that rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe couldn’t come up with.

Jazz Chisholm Jr walked and Bell hit a one-hopper that bounced off Holmes’ glove and went to the thirdbase side. The reliever gloved the ball ad rushed a throw past first for an error as Gurriel and Fortes scored.

Luis Arraez, hitting a major league-leading .367, grounded a triple down the

right-field line for his third hit, tying the score 7-7.

Kahnle relieved and walked De La Cruz, who advanced on defensive indifference. With Oswaldo Cabrera part of a fiveinfield, Burger lined a single to left for his seventh hit in 12 at-bats during the series.

Jorge López (6-2) pitched a scoreless ninth to get the win before 35,043, the Marlins’ season high at home.

Cole gave up two runs and six hits in six innings for New York, which starts a series today at major league-leading Atlanta.

Volpe and Ben Rortvedt homered for the Yankees. Volpe has a team-high nine homers with runners on base and 16 homers overall. Rortvedt’s homer was his first for New York.

Gleyber Torres had a career-high three stolen bases. Aaron Judge was 0 for 3 with two walks on the seventh anniversary of his major league debut.

Marlins starter Eury Pérez gave up four runs and four hits in four innings.

TOSSED Plate umpire James Hoye ejected Yankees assistant hitting coach Brad Wilkerson in the eighth for arguing a called third strike against Volpe.

CROWD

The weekend series drew 100,001 as the Marlins topped 30,000 for each day of a three-game home series for the first time since June 9-11, 2012, the ballpark’s initial season.

SWIFT Saturday’s game took 2 hours, 3 minutes, the shortest nine-inning Yankees

game since June 12, 1992, which lasted exactly two hours.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: INF DJ LeMahieu (right calf tightness) sat out his fifth straight game. ... LHP Carlos Rodón

(left hamstring strain) will travel to the club’s spring training complex in Tampa for simulated games.

Marlins: OF-DH Jorge Soler (stomach virus) missed his second consecutive game. ... RHP Tommy

Nance (right elbow surgery)

pitched a scoreless inning in a rehab appearance with Double-A Pensacola on Saturday.

UP NEXT Yankees: RHP Clarke Schmidt (8-6, 4.23 ERA)

will start the opener of a three-game series.

Marlins: LHP Braxton Garrett (6-3, 4.08) starts Monday against visiting Houston and LHP Framber Valdez (9-7, 3.30).

FROM PAGE 16

Taxmen only converted on 35.3% of their field goals. The Rampage also made their opponents pay at the charity stripe, swishing 11 of their 14 free throw attempts on 78.6% shooting. The Taxmen only managed to get to the line five times and only made two of their attempts. In their first win of the weekend, the Rampage defeated the Sharks 65-53. Ferguson Jr and Rahming put up 16 points and 14 points apiece, proving to be instrumental for the team once again.

Bob Hudson, head coach of the Rampage, said the win felt good coming off a back-to-back game against the Sharks while being short-handed due to injuries. “It feels good, the guys played well. We had three guys injured last night but they played through it… Some of the players are off the island so we played short-handed but we came out with the victory for three in a row which is a sign that we are trending in the right direction,” Hudson said.

Crimestoppers vs Royals

The undefeated Crimestoppers reeled off their sixth straight win against the Royals in a 25-point drubbing. The 6-0 team demoralised the Royals from the opening tip, running out to a 12-0 unanswered lead in the first quarter. The Royals’ Spurgeon Johnson stopped the bleeding by splitting a pair of free throws at the line but the team was unable to score their first bucket until the 6:28 mark in the game.

The Crimestoppers held the Royals to single digits in the first period, closing out the quarter leading 28-7.

Michael ‘Furley’ Bain Jr checked into the game with 8:22 remaining in the second quarter and immediately got to work.

He drained a quick twopointer and followed it up with two relatively uncontested layups.

Bain did not stop there. The guard splashed a threepointer to push the lead to 45-16. He scored 12 of his 14 points in this period to head into halftime.

The Crimestoppers got the lead up to as much as

30 points in the second half, and coasted to the win the rest of the way. The team had five players score in double digits and dropped 10 three-pointers in the comfortable win.

Lavardo Bowleg, head coach of the Crimestoppers, said the team wanted to come out and have fun and show their identity while playing to the best of their abilities. Although the season is still new, he expects the team to get even better along the way.

Cybots vs BDOC Challengers

The Bain and Grants

Town Cybots routed the Challengers 74-53 in a 21-point win. Things were evenly matched in the initial quarter which closed out 16-14 favouring the Cybots.

However, in the second period of play, the latter turned up the heat and stretched the lead to 16 points headed into halftime. Despite trailing the majority of the game, the Challengers were able to trim the lead down to nine points (55-46) at the 6:08 mark in the fourth quarter.

Although the Challengers seemed poised to mount a last-minute comeback, the Cybots held on for the win.

Wayde Watson, head coach of the Cybots, talked about the importance of pace in the double-digit victory.

“We were just running our sets because we knew we could beat that team… It wasn’t about running up and down playing fast basketball, we just wanted to get some practice in and get some of our guys acclimated and build chemistry,” the coach said.

Watson also had a message for the rest of the league.

“Once we get our chemistry together we should be good. The Bain and Grants Town Cybots will be in the championships guaranteed,” he added.

The BGDBA basketball games will continue today at 7pm. The Bamboo Shack Patrollers face the Police Royals in game one.

Additionally, the Challengers will look to avenge this weekend’s loss against the Airport Authority Avengers at 8:30pm.

MIAMI Marlins right fielder Jesus Sanchez (7), right, left fielder Bryan De La Cruz and centre fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr, celebrate at the end of the ninth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees on Saturday in Miami.

(AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

CRIMESTOPPERS ARE UNDEFEATED AT 6-0, RAMPAGE IN WIN COLUMN

Young Bahamian sailors shine in Canada

FIVE young Bahamian sailors competed in the ILCA 6 class at the Cork International and Olympic Regatta as part of the August Regatta Series in Kingston, Canada, August 8-11.

The August Series starts with the CORK International Optimist Regatta held August 3-6, in which Patrick Tomlinson, current Bahamian national optimist champion, achieved podium position as 5th overall, tied with 3rd and 4th place finishers.

The five ILCA 6 Bahamian sailors include Norman Cartwright, gold medal winner in the ILCA class event at the recent Bahamas Games, Ellianne Higgs, also a gold medal winner as top female ILCA sailor in the Bahamas Games and Craig Ferguson II, a bronze winner in the ILCA class at the recent Bahamas Games. He was the only Bahamian to finish in the Gold fleet, finishing 2nd in one of his races, 22nd overall and 19th in the youth division out of 145 sailors.

Norman Cartwright and Ellianne Higgs each had a top 5 in their fleet to finish 14th and 20th in Silver respectively. Competing internationally for the first time are Aidan Sumner and Aiden Wilson, who also recently qualified as junior sailing instructors and have helped run summer sailing camps with the Bahamas National Sailing School.

Wilson and Sumner - in Bronze fleet - also each had a top 5 finish in one race to finish 12 and 21. The team returned home yesterday.

Since 2000 alone, CORK has hosted dozens of North American and World Championships out of Portsmouth Olympic Harbour. The area offers some of the best fresh-water sailing in the world, excellent wind and wave conditions, and is a short distance from shore to the race courses.

With a total participation of more than 1,000 boats, the CORK August Regatta Series is a magnificent sailing festival, attracting sailors from all over the world. Accompanying the young sailors was coach Robert Dunkey who said “all of our junior sailors have been training hard in the last few months to prepare for the Cork Regatta.” Competing internationally provides invaluable experience and for many will be the largest fleet they have competed in and a very different environment to their home venue of Montagu Bay.

Also competing internationally this month is Joshua Higgins from Harbour Island in the Olympic Class ILCA 7 event at the Allianz World Championships in The Hague, Netherlands. Races were being held from yesterday until August 20. The ILCA 6 is a smaller version of the Olympic class ILCA 7 dinghy.

TEAM EFFORT: From left to right, Norman Cartwright, Craig F Ferguson II, Ellianne Higgs, Aiden Sumner and Aiden Wilson.

SHOWN, from left to right, Andrew Higgs, team leader, Ellianne Higgs, Norman Cartwright, Nash Cartwright, Craig Ferguson II, AIden Sumner, Aiden Wilson and Robert Dunkley, team coach. Photos courtesy of Andy Roy