The Tribune
BLACKOUT
New Providence hit by power outage as generators trip
By FAY S IMMONS AND LYNAIRE MuNNIN gS Tribune Staff Reporters
RESIDENTS across New Providence experienced power outages around 9pm last night after two generators at the Bahamas Power and Light Clifton Pier Station tripped. Some reported intermittent power outages. BPL communications manager Arnette Ingraham said the outage affected several areas, including
Govt urged to act as two vessels damaging reef
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News
THE
mally submitted a legal brief to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) addressing positions filed by various countries regarding climate change, according to Attorney General Ryan Pinder. Mr Pinder announced earlier this year that the country supported a United Nations Resolution requesting an advisory
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas National Trust (BNT) and its partners are urging the government to ensure the removal of two vessels stranded in a protected marine area in Abaco since March, citing significant environmental damage to coral reefs and the loss of sand. A barge and tugboat became stuck in Fowl Cays National Park, a protected area managed by the BNT, after encountering rough seas en route to Baker’s Bay, Abaco, on March 27. Despite multiple attempts to remove the vessels, the BNT said efforts have been unsuccessful due
The scene on South Ocean Road where the body of a man was found in adjacent waters yesterday. Photos: Dante carrer/Tribune Staff
Two men dead in under 24 hours in Bimini and n assau
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
THE Royal Bahamas Police Force is investigating two separate murders — one in Bimini and another a man found with stab wounds and his hands and
feet bound in New Providence — bringing the year’s homicide count to 81.
In North Bimini, 32-yearold James Sands of Abaco was shot dead on Thursday afternoon at Fisherman’s Village Marina. Police are searching for a
AeriAl photo of the vessels grounded in the Fowl Cays National Park, which threatens the surrounding coral reefs the longer they remain there.
Photo: BnT
proDucTion crew work to erect a stage ahead of Goombay on Bay in Parliament Square during a blackout on August 15, 2024.
Photo: Dante carrer/Tribune Staff
Two men dead in under 24 hours in Bimini and Nassau
28-year-old man in connection with the shooting.
According to reports, Bimini police received a call around noon about a fatal shooting at the Fisherman’s Village Marina. Upon arrival, officers found an unresponsive male lying in a pool of blood and immediately requested medical assistance. A doctor pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, in New Providence, police received reports at 4.25pm of a body submerged in the waters near the southern area of the old Stuart’s Cove.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Roberto Goodman said officers from the marine support unit and Western Police Station retrieved the body of an adult male near an abandoned building.
The victim had multiple stab wounds and was
bound at the hands and feet. Police believe the man to be in his mid to late 20s. His identity remains unknown ACP Goodman stated that the investigation is in its early stages. He said the manner in which the body was found is disturbing to police.
“When you see someone bound by the hands and legs, it will raise a concern for us. We will do our best to determine what happened,” he said.
He urged anyone with information to contact the Criminal Investigation Department at 502-9911 or 502-9975.
Reacting to the Bimini murder, Kingsley Smith, Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, expressed his sadness.
“As the Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, I was disheartened to learn of a
shooting incident in Bimini earlier today. This island community prides itself on being the ‘Gateway to The Bahamas,’” he said, adding that such incidents harm the island’s reputation.
“This is not who we are as a community. I want to assure residents and visitors that this matter is being taken very seriously and is under close monitoring.”
He said the Royal Bahamas Police Force is expected to send additional resources to Bimini to assist with the investigation. Mr Smith also extended his condolences to the family of the deceased.
Police are asking anyone with information that could assist in either investigation to contact the Alice Town Police Station at 3473144, 911/919, the Criminal Investigation Department in Grand Bahama at 352-9774/5, or CRIME STOPPERS at 328-TIPS (8477).
Govt urged to act as two vessels damaging reef
to bad weather and inadequate equipment.
The environmental watchdog warned that the vessels’ continued presence poses a critical threat to nearby coral reefs and the health of the park’s marine ecosystem.
“Fowl Cays National Park is a sanctuary for some of the most biologically diverse and fragile marine habitats in The Bahamas, and these grounded vessels remain a persistent hazard to the coral reefs,” said Mr David Knowles, Abaco’s BNT Chief Park Warden.
Following a recent site visit, BNT staff observed damage to corals, scattered debris from the vessels, and the loss of sand being transported on the barge.
The BNT reported that its staff documented rope from the vessels entangled around critically endangered Elkhorn Corals and found that the tugboat is more than 75 percent submerged and at risk of rolling, which it said could cause extensive damage to the marine environment if moved by a storm or severe weather.
“Through our
communications with the parties involved, we understand that previous salvage efforts have been unsuccessful due to unfavourable weather conditions and a lack of adequate equipment,” Mr Knowles added.
“However, too much time has passed, and more urgency and action from government authorities and the vessel owners are needed to prevent the situation from worsening.”
The BNT believes more reefs could be damaged based on its preliminary investigations but noted that a more comprehensive assessment is required.
“Every day, these vessels remain on the reef, more damage occurs,” said Denise Mizell, Abaco’s programme manager for the Perry Institute for Marine Science.
Olivia Patterson-Maura, executive director of Friends of the Environment, added: “Nearly five months later, and at the height of hurricane season, we implore the government to open lines of communication with local stakeholders and facilitate the swift removal of the vessels while mitigating any further damage.”
The BNT called on the
government to prioritise the removal of the vessels, warning that further delays will only cause more extensive damage, threatening the integrity of one of The Bahamas’ pristine and valuable marine protected areas.
Dr Rhianna NeelyMurphy, director of the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection, told The Tribune in April that the vessel owners will likely face fines. She could not be reached for comment for an update on the issue yesterday.
Meanwhile, acting Port Controller Lieutenant Commander Berne Wright said port officials had informed the vessel owners they want the boats removed as soon as possible, but he could not specify when this would happen.
“After the vessels are removed, we hope to see the responsible parties held accountable for the damage they’ve caused to a national asset. The fines should reflect the severity of the reef damage and cover the costs of monitoring and restoration efforts that follow,” said Lakeisha Anderson-Rolle, BNT’s executive director.
James sands
The scene on South Ocean Road where the body of a man was found in adjacent waters yesterday. Photos: dante carrer/Tribune Staff
AG submits legal brief on climate change to the ICJ
from page one
opinion on states’ obligations regarding climate change. Yesterday’s brief responds to the arguments presented by other nations and advocates for holding states liable for failing to enforce climate regulations and manage greenhouse gas emissions.
The Bahamas’ submission argues that the climate crisis, which severely impacts nations like the Bahamas, is largely a result of other states’ negligence. The country’s brief aims to establish legal accountability for these states’ failure to address and mitigate climate emergencies.
Mr Pinder said oral arguments in the case are scheduled for December 2024. He said the case is groundbreaking and could set a significant precedent in international climate law.
He said while the details of the submissions remain confidential, they are expected to be made public later this year in preparation for the upcoming hearings.
In March, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said: “The Bahamas is calling on the ICJ to make clear the legal obligations of states to reduce harmful policies and protect current and future generations from the most devastating impacts of climate change.”
Mr Pinder added: “The ICJ’s advisory opinion will provide much-needed guidance on the responsibilities of states to address climate change. It will strengthen the legal framework for climate action and hold states accountable for their contributions to the crisis.”
UB staff protests for third time for long-overdue salary review
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE University of The Bahamas’ staff protested for the third time yesterday, demanding a long-overdue salary review.
Kimsley Ferguson, president of the Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU), which represents the staff, accused UB’s leadership of delaying the “long-awaited” review outlined in an industrial agreement between the two parties.
He said the union has filed a trade dispute over the matter and warned there could be strike action if members vote on it.
The group previously protested the issue in January and May.
“This agreement indicated that we would have a salary review like all the other unions at the University of The Bahamas,” he said. “In my view, and in the view of those standing behind us, the university is being selective. They prioritise one category of employees over another, making those we represent feel insignificant.”
Mr Ferguson said the union has submitted a proposal and written to the university’s leaders, requesting an update on the review.
“We had a brief conversation with the human resource VP, who advised that some discussions were taking place,” he added. “I don’t know what needs to be discussed. It’s in the industrial agreement. It had a time-sensitive situation attached to it, and we expect now that we would be receiving the results or a proposal as to what the salary review is looking like.”
In January, Janyne Hodder, acting president of the University of The Bahamas, acknowledged the workers’ concerns and pledged to hold meetings to address the issue. However, the outcome of those meetings remains unclear. University officials were unavailable to comment at press time yesterday.
Labour director Howard Johnson told The Tribune he contacted Mr Ferguson to offer assistance and expressed hope that the matter would be resolved soon.
Widespread power outage after two generators trip
from page one
eastern New Providence and, predominantly, the western part of the island.
She said BPL planned to add more
A recent audit by the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) recommended that BPL reduce the frequency and duration of power outages by 40 percent and 60 percent, respectively, to meet regulatory standards. The transfer of New Providence’s electricity grid to Bahamas Grid Company, now 60 percent privately owned, is underway. Island Grid, managed by Eric Pike, will oversee operations, with Pike Electrical providing the necessary workforce, equipment, and resources. Pike’s teams and trucks have
Attorney GenerAl ryAn Pinder
Kimsley FerGuson, president of the Bahamas Public Service Union.
Industrial Tribunal finds cook was fairly dismissed over theft of food
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
A COOK turned team leader was terminated from her position at Great Stirrup Cay for theft and dishonesty after removing meat from the company’s freezer. She filed a trade dispute with the Industrial Tribunal.
Lena Roberts began working for GSC Management Company (Bahamas) Limited and United Shipping Company Limited on August 30, 2004, as a cook at Great Stirrup Cay, a private cay and port of call for Norwegian Cruise Line. By 2019, she was promoted to
team leader in the cafeteria kitchen.
On November 6, 2019, while cleaning the cooler, Ms Roberts noticed that some food was beginning to smell. She claimed to have received verbal authorisation from her supervisors, Chef Elan and Chef Das, to take the tainted food for her dog. The food was placed in a large white plastic garbage bag. At the end of her shift, Ms Roberts requested a lift from Chef Elan, who drove her to the Jet-Ski dock to catch a ferry to Great Harbour Cay.
CCTV footage showed Ms Roberts carrying the bag and placing it on the back of the company’s
utility vehicle. At the dock, a security officer inspected the bag after Ms Roberts said it contained food for her dog. The bag was left on the ground while she waited for the ferry.
Before the ferry arrived, island director Mouen Al Mawla discovered the bag and found the explanation suspicious. Mr Al Mawla inspected the contents and summoned Chef Elan and Chef Das, who both denied giving permission for the meat’s removal. The bag, containing chicken, ribs, and various fillets, was confiscated and returned to the kitchen by Chef Elan, who also took photographs of the meat as evidence.
On November 7, 2019, Ms Roberts and other staff members provided statements about the incident. Her statement, finalised after two drafts, was signed, and the initial drafts were discarded. Ms Roberts was placed on a three-day unpaid suspension for investigation.
She was terminated on November 11, 2019, with a termination letter signed by Mr Richard Ryan, General Manager of GSC Management Company (Bahamas) Limited. The letter cited theft and dishonesty, accusing her of stealing frozen meat from the company’s freezer.
The tribunal investigated
her history of taking food from the cay and found that she had previously taken food for her dog following the same verbal procedure. She claimed she had received permission from Chef Das. However, the tribunal found Ms Roberts’ testimony inconsistent and contradictory. Observing her demeanor, the tribunal determined she was untruthful and inconsistent in recounting the events of November 6, 2019.
“The tribunal finds that based on the totality of the evidence, the applicant was summarily dismissed for just cause, based on the respondents’ honest and
reasonable belief that she committed theft and dishonesty. The tribunal also finds that the respondents conducted a reasonable investigation into the applicant’s misconduct,” the judgment read.
The tribunal ruled that Ms Roberts’ termination stemmed from her independent decision, which affected her otherwise unblemished 15-year career at the cay.
The company was ordered to pay Ms Roberts $231.60 plus interest at a rate of 10 percent per annum from the date of judgment until the award is paid in full, covering the period of her suspension.
PM visits Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader’s inauguration
Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis landed in the Dominican Republic to attend President Abinader’s inauguration ceremony in the Dominican Republic.
Photos: BiS
Bancroft Lane roadside garage issue worsened, say residents
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
NEARLY two months after residents first complained about the proliferation of roadside garages on Bancroft Lane, East Street South, residents say the situation has worsened.
When The Tribune visited the residential area yesterday, multiple car repair shops were seen. Cars were parked along the road, some stripped for parts, while others were stored in the yards of the garages. While some vehicles appeared to be in good condition, many were broken down.
The owner of Stephen Auto and a long-time resident of the neighbourhood, has been running his car repair shop for over 20 years. Stephen’s business operates from a separate building next to his house, and he said he holds a business licence. However, due to ongoing complaints from residents, he’s now considering closing his shop.
Several cars were seen in his yard and around his garage. Seven belonged to him, while the others were customers’ vehicles. Last month, the Department of Environmental Health placed removal notices on five of his cars. Stephen said he complied by removing them and is currently working on clearing out more.
“I’m just trying to move out whatever I can. The other day, I had two dumpsters here cleaning,” he said. “I’m just trying to stop doing mechanic work.”
Stephen added that none of the residents have directly approached him with complaints about the number of cars in his yard or on the road. However, he said officials had advised him to remove some vehicles based on reports they received.
A father of 23, Stephen explained that his mechanic work is how he
supports his family. He believes that some residents do not understand the challenges of running a car repair shop, emphasising that he is simply trying to make an honest living.
“Doing mechanic work, you’re going to make dirt. You have to make dirt and you’re going to have to clean up but a neighbour can’t want you to clean up every little tock of the clock and you got your bills to pay.”
There are at least four roadside garages on Bancroft Lane.
Another nearby garage specialises in car bodywork. The business owner buys cars, repairs them, and eventually sells them.
When The Tribune visited, the owner was not present. Courtney Hudson, a worker at the bodywork garage for over a year, acknowledged the residents’ complaints about congestion. He said their
business ensures that all vehicles are kept within the garage to avoid blocking the road.
The garage is located next to an apartment complex, so they also make sure customers’ cars do not obstruct the residents’ access to the parking lot.
Peter Taylor, a resident and landlord, has been advocating for the removal of the cars for ten years. Mr Taylor expressed frustration with the situation, saying he is reaching his breaking point due to the lack of resolution.
Mr Taylor described the cars as a health hazard for his tenants because garbage trucks have difficulty accessing the area. He is considering selling his apartment complex due to dissatisfaction with the state of the building and the congestion caused by the cars.
“I actually have an appointment with Best
Realty in terms of selling,” Mr Taylor said.
He added that despite warnings to remove the cars, the number of roadside garages seems to have increased.
Attempts to contact the Department of Environmental Health Services for a response to residents’ complaints were unsuccessful as of press time.
In June, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Vaughn Miller said officials would visit the area to address the issue of derelict vehicles, noting that these cars have caused mosquito infestations.
Bamboo Town MP Patricia Deveaux also stated in June that she has been working urgently with Urban Renewal and the Department of Environmental Health to resolve the problem of roadside garages crowding Bancroft Lane.
This is not the first time residents in New Providence have complained about roadside garages.
In May, a scrap metal yard fire that threatened businesses in the Joe Farrington Road area prompted the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to say it would tackle roadside garages.
“Successive governments and communities have been very concerned about roadside garages that continue to reside and expand in residential communities,” the ministry said.
“Successive governments have sought to identify suitable land to accommodate these roadside garages. Previously, 20 acres had been set aside on Fire Trail Road West for a new industrial park and to accommodate roadside garages.
“It is the intention of the Ministry of the
Environment and Natural Resources in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Works to follow through on the request for Crown land to house these facilities. We are concerned about Roberts on Joe Farrington Road, Strachan’s on Soldier Road, the massive facility on Augusta and Dean Streets and a number of unsightly garages in other areas. It is the government’s intention to discourage roadside garages in general that have become an eyesore and environmental hazard in our communities.
“The Ministry of Public Works has carriage for garages, scrap facilities, vehicle storage areas, etc. Our concern is the environment and keeping it clean and green. We are passionate and committed to having these facilities removed and banned from residential communities.”
Organisers pleased with s weeting’s Cay hOmeCOming festival turnOut
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
SWEETING’S Cay buzzed with excitement as hundreds of residents returned for the 2nd annual homecoming festivities on Saturday, August 10. The ‘Back to Sweeting’s Cay Homecoming Festival’ has become an economic lifeline for the island, still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Dorian. Heather Feaster, chairman of the Sweeting’s Cay Heritage Association and one of the event organisers, reported that the festival attracted more than 400 returning residents, visiting islanders, and tourists. Ferry operators were busy shuttling people from Grand Bahama to the cay, underscoring the event’s significance.
East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson attended the event, offering brief remarks and taking time to walk through the community, greeting constituents. The day’s entertainment featured performances by Bahamian artist KB and the Island Boys Band, along with a variety of activities including a kayak race, domino tournament, egg and spoon race, watermelon-eating contest, and crocus sack race for children.
Organisers were pleased with the turnout and are eager to sustain the festival’s momentum. Plans are in place to introduce a new signature event and transform the island’s turtle pond site into a park attraction, further promoting the cay’s natural beauty.
While the festival provides a vital economic boost, Ms Feaster
emphasised that the protection of turtles remains a key focus for the Heritage Association. “We expect to keep it going because many natives get to come home, which is important since everybody left Sweeting’s Cay after Dorian, which was a total wipeout here,” she said.
The island is slowly recovering, and efforts by the Heritage Association aim to capitalise on what Sweeting’s Cay is best known for—fishing and sea turtles. Ms Feaster mentioned plans to introduce a “Fish Scaling Contest” as a signature activity next year, with long-term plans to develop the turtle pond site into a park.
Local businesses, including B&Bs, restaurants, bars, and small stores, are beginning to reopen.
However, essential infrastructure remains
lacking. “The dock is definitely essential to the community. That is something that needs to be addressed,” Ms Feaster said, noting that residents have been advocating for its repair.
She acknowledged that the NGO CORE paid a contractor to fix the dock, but believes government intervention is now necessary. “We need a dock, a school, and a clinic—these are critical needs for the community,” she said.
The Homecoming Committee and Heritage Association are working diligently to help rebuild the community. Ms Feaster expressed gratitude to the sponsors of the homecoming festival, including MP Kwasi Thompson, the Grand Bahama Port Authority, MEATS Ltd, and Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey.
Months after residents complained of roadside garages on Bancroft Lane the situation is believed to have worsened.
Photo: nikia Charlton
East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson speaks with vendors at the Sweeting’s Cay homecoming festival on Saturday.
The Tribune Limited
NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI
“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
LEON E. H. DUPUCH
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .
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RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.
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Sitting in the dark once more
THE more things change, the more they stay the same.
Residents across New Providence were treated to the familiar experience last night of being plunged into darkness after problems at the Clifton station for BPL.
The lights went out, the air filled with the buzzing sound of generators, and BPL became a substitute for a curse word on social media.
Generator trips were the official explanation, not that that brings any comfort to anyone sweating in the heat of summer.
One customer online said: “Listen it’s too hot for y’all to be playing with people power. I think for every minute it’s off something should come off your bill.” Well, the precedent has been set in Eleuthera for a rebate being offered for poor power supply, although our evening of sweltering adds up to nothing close to what residents there have been going through.
BPL is of course in the throes of a shake-up, though quite whether that will resolve our ever-present problems with power generation in The Bahamas or simply put the profits into private hands remains to be seen.
Even Paradise Island was hit last night with power outages, a rarity by comparison as it often still has power while other areas do not.
Another comment online said: “Are we going to get compensated for
damage appliances? Because the way how it going we ain’t gonna have nothing working in our homes when y’all finish SMH.”
A fair question, considering other commenters reported that the power was coming off and on in their areas, such as Bamboo Town.
Someone else added: “My light bill double for no reason and my light been off more times these last couple weeks than ever. This is wild.”
Fair to say that frustration has been boiling over, given plenty of encouragement by summer heat and no power for air conditioning.
The bigger picture is this: Power supplies in The Bahamas have been a long-term problem. Consistent power is not just for residents’ comfort - though lord knows that would be a start. It is also a key part in attracting business, ensuring the smooth running of our emergency facilities, and simply a basic factor in advancing ourselves as a nation.
Last night, we may have sat and cursed in frustration.
But if the government’s gambit in its BPL shake-up does not work, we will have wasted time and may very well have given our resources away at a value less than their true worth.
Power issues right now are a challenge for the government. Power issues in election year may very well see them lose power of their own.
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Focus on Trump’s policies
EDITOR, The Tribune.
THE name Donald J Trump typically evokes a very strong reaction from many Bahamians who harbour a strong dislike for the Republican Party and its current leader. This was evident with this writer when he was discussing American politics with three Bahamian middle-aged men. All three of the men reacted strongly against the idea of Trump securing a second non-consecutive term in the Oval Office this November.
As far as this writer can tell, their vociferous opposition is mainly rooted in his moral failings, not his policies while president of the United States between 2016 and 2020. Indeed, this writer concedes the well documented point that Trump has a checkered past.
In a May 7 Business Insider article, it was claimed that Trump was convicted of committing 34 felony acts of falsifying business records to cover up an alleged dilliance with porn actress Stormy Daniels just prior to the 2016 US presidential election. This was the alleged incident that involved attorney Michael Cohen. Perched up on their judgement thrones, the Business Insider article writers took note of Trump’s three marriages to Ivana Trump between 1977 and 1991; Marla Maples between 1993 and 1997 and Melania Knauss from 2005 to the present. The Business Insider writers also mentioned an alleged affair with Playboy model Karen McDougal in 2006, around the time Melania gave birth to Barron Trump. Then there are the allegations of sexual misconduct levied by Summer Zerves - a contestant on The Apprentice in 2007; Miss Universe and Miss USA contestants in 2006; columnist E Jean Carroll in the mid nineties; People’s Magazine journalist Natasha Stoynoff at Mar-a-Largo in 2005 and Jessica Leeds in the early 1980s. According to the Business Insider article, at least 26 women have accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct. Who can forget the well documented locker room banter by Trump to Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush in September 2005? The foregoing brings to mind Reformed Baptist theologian Voddie Baucham’s blunt appraisal of Trump some years ago, calling him immoral. To be sure, some of the allegations might be true. They underscore Trump’s moral deficiency, which has made him persona non grata to thousands of Black Bahamians. Trump’s moral failings are really a reflection of the entire human race. In a word, none of us, intrinsically speaking, are morally superior to him. Romans 3:10 says that there’s none righteous, no, not one. What’s more, The Bahamas is really in no moral position to neither judge or condemn Trump. We seem to hold
Trump to a moral standard we are unwilling to apply to ourselves and to our elected Bahamian officials and Bahamian clergymen.
Indeed, I recall reading in a biography of a national hero who chuckled as he recounted his trysts with female supporters while on the campaign trail in the seventies and eighties. The individual rationalised his breaking the Sixth Commandment by stating that Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, Adam Clayton Powell and the Rev Jessie Jackson all engaged in extramarital affairs. King’s dalliances have been corroborated by his close associate Rev Ralph Albernathy in his autobiography And the Walls came Tumbling Down. Notwithstanding the moral shortcomings of our national heroes, no one would dare suggest that we disown them. Yet we are unwilling to extend the same measure of grace to Donald Trump. We point at the specks in his eyes while ignoring the logs in our own. Herein lies our blind spots because of our political persuasion, which is the Democratic Party. This is a country with an inordinately high number of sexual assaults, child molestation, incest and pedophilia. Each year the murder count is in the triple digits, with some areas in Nassau being nearly as dangerous as Haiti and Jamaica. I estimate that there have been nearly 2,000 homicides in The Bahamas since 1999. What’s more, over 70 percent of children are born out of wedlock, while tens of thousands of Bahamians view porn on a daily basis. I know of pastors who are on their third and fourth marriages like Trump. I also know of pastors who are serial adulterers, yet are still supported by their congregants and their board of immoral deacons. This is a reflection of a wider issue impacting all facets of Bahamian society, as sweethearting has been a Bahamian past time since the time when the first African slaves stepped foot on these 700 Islands and cays.
Meanwhile, we have cases of LGBTQI members leading praise and worship in Charismatic churches, while certain church folks dabble in obeah to get that elusive financial blessing. Moreover, I have seen one too many instances of unregenerate persons playing musical instruments in the church for a fee, all because the leadership is willing to turn a blind eye because of the perceived importance of having music to keep the parishioners entertained. It would be the height of naivety to deny the reality of political corruption. It is ingrained in the social fabric of The Bahamas.
We just laugh it off when we hear stories of government kickbacks.
The day after his attempted assassination, Trump was on the golf course on a Sunday - the Lord’s Day. He does not appear to be a regular churchgoer, like the majority of Bahamian men. Most of them prefer to be barflies, hanging out at the barrooms after work or on the weekends where they can watch the ballgame. And there’s the issue of systemic gambling addiction, aided by the state in 2014 when web shop gaming was legalised.
Trump obviously has no qualms gambling, as he owned casinos in Atlantic City. Yet in light of our gambling issues, Bahamians in general are not in any moral position to judge Trump on gaming. And there’s the embarrassing specter of abortion on demand in The Bahamas. Yes, it is illegal and no one openly discusses it because it is taboo. But it is still widely practiced by hundreds of young promiscuous people who do not want the burden and responsibility of raising kids, although they enjoy the pleasures of their illicit exploits.
Before his entrance into frontline politics within the Republican Party, Trump was pro-choice. However, his selection of ultra conservative judges on the Supreme Court bench is being widely credited for the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022. Trump is loved by evangelical Christians because he panders to them by promoting traditional values and the free market enterprise. Unlike career politicians such as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump is a very successful businessman who understands the basic elements of running an economy. Evangelical Christians are well aware of his checkered past. But when they step foot into that voting booth in November, they will be casting their ballots for the Republican Party candidate in hopes of him winning. They won’t be voting for Trump to become a pastor of their church or chaplain of Congress.
When Jesus told the Herodians in Matthew 22:21 to render to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar, He knew that Tiberius was an immoral pagan reigning over the Roman empire. Yet despite Tiberius’s “checkered past”, the Lord expected His people to submit to Caesar in the secular realm. In summation, opposition to Trump among most Bahamians is mainly rooted in his checkered past. However, he who is without sin cast the first stone! Trump’s policies are good for The Bahamas. While I would urge the church to pray for salvation, I am hoping that he wins the White House in November by God’s grace.
KEVIN EVANS August 11, 2024.
PICTURE OF THE DAY
Dr Conville Brown and his team make a courtesy call on GG
Haitian man fined after admitting to trying to smuggle almost $90k out of t He country
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A HAITIAN man was fined yesterday after admitting to trying to smuggle $89,341.00 out of the country earlier this week.
DR CONVILLE Brown and his team made a courtesy visit to Governor General Dame Cynthia “Mother” Pratt after marking the 34th anniversary of his return to The Bahamas and opening of the Bahamas Heart Centre.
Just recently, former Prime Minister Perry Christie underwent a successful angioplasty and stent placement procedure on his main heart artery at the centre, under the care of Dr Bimal Francis and Dr Brown, along with a specialised team. The emergency procedure, which took place at the Medical Pavilion Bahamas, the Specialists’ Centre, followed former Mr Christie’s transfer from the Doctors Hospital emergency room. The medical team, including Dr Zurina Salas and Dr Henry Coleman, provided expert care, ensuring PM Christie’s procedure was conducted smoothly.
Dr Brown expressed pride in the teams’ exemplary performance in the ER and the Specialists’ Centre. Dr Brown emphasised the importance of such advanced cardiac care for the entire nation and looked forward to the future implementation of the National Health Insurance Catastrophic Illnesses Programme that will make such life-saving services more readily available to the public.
Front L-R: Virginia Brown-Fox, Dr. Conville S. Brown, Her Excellency, The Most Hon. Dame Cynthia Pratt, Dr. Corrine Sin Quee-Brown, Dr. Chelsea S. Brown.
Back L-R: Lawrence Brown, Unigetty Mushonga, Dr. Zurina Salas, Celeste King-Dorsett, C. Stephan Brown, Latasieh Carey, Corey S. Brown, Domica Davis.
After pleading guilty, the defendant was fined $2,500 for both charges and risks a six-month prison term if he fails to pay.
The money confiscated at the airport will be forfeited to the crown.
Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom served as a prosecutor.
Magistrate Kendra Kelly arraigned Monel Phileman, 37, for failing to declare and money laundering. Phileman, while reportedly travelling through Lynden Pindling International Airport on August 13, failed to declare to a customs officer that he was leaving the country with over $10,000. The $89,341 seized in this incident in mixed Bahamian and American currency was believed to be the proceeds of crime.
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was placed on probation after admitting to injuring another man during a fight at his home in Elizabeth Estates last month. Senior Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux arraigned Travis Curry, 36, on a charge of causing harm. Curry reportedly injured Shantino Mullings during a physical altercation on the night of July 24. After pleading guilty, Curry was granted a conditional discharge and placed on three months’ probation. If he breaches his probation, he will face a three-month prison term.
t een accused of H aving firearm granted bail
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 17-yEAR-OLD man was granted $7,500 bail after allegedly being found with a loaded gun last weekend in New Providence.
Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr arraigned
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
THREE men were placed on probation yesterday after admitting to two separate drug charges.
Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley arraigned Kenrick Lightbourne, 37, and Quintin Lightbourne, 41, on possession of dangerous drugs.
Senior Magistrate Shaka Serville initially arraigned Alexander Phillips, 45, on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply, but the charge was later reduced to simple
The accused pleaded not guilty to both charges. Under the terms of his bail, he must obey a residential curfew from 7pm to 7am.
The trial is scheduled to begin on October 23.
the teenage defendant, whose name is being withheld because he is a minor, on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition. The juvenile’s guardian was present for his arraignment. The defendant was allegedly found with a black Austrian Glock .40 pistol and ten rounds of ammunition on August 10.
t wo men plead guilty to separate drug cH arges
possession. The Lightbourne brothers were reportedly found with a small quantity of marijuana on August 13 in New Providence.
Phillips was found with five grams of cocaine on August 12 in New Providence. The $86 found on him was also seized at the time. All three defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
After Walter Hanchell, the Lightbournes’ attorney, provided mitigation on his clients’ behalf, the brothers were granted a conditional discharge.
They were placed on six months’ probation during which they must attend drug counseling. Failure to meet these conditions would result in a $500 fine or a three-month prison term.
Phillips was also granted a conditional discharge and placed on six months’ probation. He must attend drug counselling or face a similar $500 fine or two months in prison.
The money confiscated from Phillips will remain forfeited to the Crown.
Phillips returns to court on August 21 for a progress report.
The sinking of the HMBS Flamingo
At age 12, I began working as a packing boy at City Meats and noticed a framed portrait of a man I recognised as an assistant manager. I was told he had been killed in the sinking of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s flagship, Her Majesty’s Bahamian Ship HMBS Flamingo. this is the story of that shipwreck, a very raw nerve for Bahamians 33 years later.
the defence force ship was built of steel in 1977 by Vosper thorneycroft; she was 100 tons, 103 feet long, 19 feet wide and over five feet deep. Nineteen men left Coral Harbour on May 8, 1980, to patrol the southern Bahamas for ten days. According to researcher tony Allen at the Wrecksite database, their mission was “stemming poaching in this particular quadrant”.
At 5pm on Saturday, May 10, 1980, HMBS Flamingo spotted a pair of Cuban fishing boats named FV Ferrocem 54 and FV Ferrocem 165. Both were engaged in fishing just 500 yards north of Santo Domingo which is a barren rock 225 by 385 yards, 35 miles north of Guardalavaca Cuba and 27 miles south of Duncan town.
Being on the north of the deeper Old Bahama Channel, Santo Domingo is geographically and politically part of the Bahamas.
As the HMBS Flamingo approached, the Cubans fled to the southwest for five miles. After a mile “orders
By Eric Wiberg
to stop were passed over the loud hailer, and warning shots fired in the air, then across the bow. Finally, shots were directed to the bow of the vessels, bringing them to a complete stop.”
In other words, the Bahamians fired on the Cuban boats, presumably hitting them, and they stopped. A seaman named Whitfield Neely took a dory over to one of the boats made out of cement, and they discovered 3,000 pounds of conch, lobster, stone crab and fish. the Bahamians then arrested the four men on each boat, confiscated the boats and cargo, and putting prize crew on each with a dory, and then both fishing vessels were taken in tow towards Ragged Island.
It appears one of the Cuban boats sent out a message to Cuba, since approximately 55 minutes later two or three MIG-21s swooped out of the sky and fired warning shots off the bow of HMBS Flamingo. this usually indicates a command to stop or be fired upon. the defence force boat neither stopped nor fired, and was fired upon. two Cuban fighter pilots
flying Soviet-built MiG jet then began strafing HMBS Flamingo. the MiGs “let go several volleys of machinegun fire parallel to its starboard side and directly in front of the ship’s bow. No-one was hurt, and it was assumed that the exercise was aimed at frightening them to release the captured fishermen. …[they hoisted] a second ensign and a Bahamian flag. With perfect weather, there would be no way that the pilots in their low-flying jets could mistake the identity of the Flamingo, or that they were in the Bahamas”. the situation escalated quickly when the defence force boat was hit by rockets and suffered a series of explosions which punctured the hull. “About forty-five minutes later ….less than 1.5 miles from the cay, a second assault of rockets and machine-gun fire on the military grey Bahamian vessel. this time, the patrol craft was hit. the Operations room filled with water … bridge burst into flames. Melting steel appeared all around from … as the crew attempted to swim to safety, the jets returned, strafing
the surrounding waters with machine- gun fire and tearing apart the two lifeboats that had been jettisoned overboard. then, a military helicopter remained in the area.”
According to Commander Amos Rolle, “I went to the radio room, but there was no power. Water was already ankle deep, so I ordered my men to abandon ship.” All except four crewmen made it to one of the fishing boats. the Cuban jets continued strafing, even as HMBS Flamingo was going down.”
Greg Curry was lead mechanic and back-up radio operator on HMBS Flamingo and he told ZNS News that “an array of bullets hit the boat itself, you know just blow everything …the boat was on fire after a while. We pull it to neutral to a stop and you know everybody was in a panic. that’s first time we ever got physically attacked. Everyone was just running ‘round, then we saw that the boat was hit so bad the captain eventually said to abandon ship. … just before the head count, we looked at the Flamingo; she was still floating. But they were still hitting it,” Curry said. At that point, Whitfield Neely rowed the dory from one of the captured craft, and collected all the survivors, four of them wounded. As a defence against the hovering helicopter, the crew kept “a sub-machine gun with one magazine of 30 rounds, and a pistol before they abandoned ship. …the helicopter left after HMBS Flamingo completely sank.
the Bahamians then… transferred to the Ferrocem 165 and in darkness.”
Another of her crew recounts how “she was spinning like a top from missiles and bullets…they were trying to sink it. Eventually Flamingo gave up and she just stood up straight and went straight down. Everybody stood up and saluted”. Despite a search by Bahamian as well as American rescue teams, the remains of the four Bahamian marines were never found.
the other vessel, Ferrocem 54 was left drifting as the engine was shot out, and the Cubans returned, “in hopes of leaving no survivors and rescuing their own”. During the voyage after the sinking, Bahamian marines found a considerable quantity of snappers, groupers, and jacks, 30 crawfish traps and canned food from the Soviet Union. the 15 surviving Bahamian crew arrived off Ragged Island with all eight Cuban prisoners and dropped anchor at the southern tip of Ragged Island at 130 pm on Sunday afternoon. Forced to walk about two miles north to Duncan town on foot to telegraph Nassau, yet were unable to contact their
commanders at first. they were then harassed by more Cuban jets, a military transport, as well as a helicopter, which landed briefly next to the fishing boats. It appeared that in order to retrieve the poachers the Cuban military were invading the Bahamas. the Cubans even landed the helicopter on the airstrip for ten minutes without leaving it, to prevent evacuation of the surviving RBDF crew. Cuban military aircraft were seen over Ragged Island, even as late as Monday afternoon, and left when Bahamian, British, and US military jets and destroyers arrived at Cayo Santo Domingo. the fallout took many years to untangle. Cuba agreed to pay $10m in reparations for the sinking and deaths. All eight Cuban fishermen were convicted of poaching in July, 1980. A film named Final Sunset depicts the fatal sinking of HMBS Flamingo. In 2023, this author visited Duncan town by sea and, without saying too much, was very impressed with the high-tech aspect, military manning and monitoring, and the polyglot aspect of some inhabitants!
The officers and crew of HMBS Flamingo.
MiG-21s like the ones that attacked HMBS Flamingo.
hMBs fLAMiNGo
The fLAMiNGo incident, commemorative painting by Kishan Munroe, 2008.
The sAiLors killed in the line of duty whilst serving on HMBS Flamingo in May, 1980.
NATioNAL Memorial to the victims of the attack on HMBS Flamingo at the entrance to the Royal Bahamas Defense Force Base at Coral Harbour.
So close to the edge
A friend Whatsapped me a notice she had received from her bank this week, an informative graph of fee increases. The notice came from one of the Canadian-based financial institutions that must be making a good profit in The Bahamas off big business, substantial loans with substantial interest over a significant length of time. Big money. Loans that allow businesses to grow, infrastructural improvements to be made, commerce to flourish. All an integral part of building and boosting the Bahamian economy.
That’s one side of the business model. The other is the small guy, or fees, interest and incidental charges collected from small guys, like the kind who feel a sense of pride because they have a savings account.
Maybe they still carry that old-fashioned savings book around with them for a sense of security, acknowledgement that they are part of the privileged banked world. Of course, that account in which they take such pride, stopped paying interest of any noticeable percentage years ago, but still having it stood for something, a rite of passage, safety net. And then came the fees. The banks that can lend millions to those who have millions began charging fees to maintain a savings account. The little guy account, a few dollars
By Diane Phillips
every month. Then came the unthinkable, almost unconscionable, introduction of fees to deposit money into your own savings account, And this week’s notice of an increase in fees advised that the fee to deposit money into your own account would be $3.30 and the monthly service fee to maintain that account would be another $3.30. Six dollars and 60 cents every month if you only made one deposit that month, more if you make multiple deposits. All of which motivated me – once i got over the rage of insensitivity – to look into the subject of savings, recalling that every few years someone in the financial sector reminds us of what a poor savings culture we have.
Bufferless Bottom Small fees would not matter much if we did not live so close to the edge. One expert source told me that the average Bahamian has less than $500 in savings, We are not alone in this. the US and Canada are not in much better shape.
Americans top the chart with a median amount of about $8,000 in savings, Canadians roll in with an average of $5,432. Considering the cost of living, those are all pretty scary figures, especially for Bahamians. The buffer between financially comfortable and flat broke and penniless is far too fragile. it’s even more frightening for the future of The Bahamas where the cultural reality is a disconnect between what we have and what we spend. We spend more than we earn. The same bank that charges you to save entices you to borrow. Some banks that pay less than one percent on savings charge 18 percent on personal loans or credit card fees. They are perfectly happy to advance funds for a vacation you cannot afford so long as the loan can be guaranteed through payroll deduction. And what family can resist the temptation to take the children to disney World with a side trip to Walmart when, after all, they’ve been working hard all year and
The same bank that raised its fees for depositing money into your own account can be the best partner, providing an incentive for those who grow their accounts instead of penalising them for doing so.
before you know it, summer will be over, and the kids will be back in school for another year? Pack the bags and the debt, hop a plane, worry about how to pay for it all later. So easy to borrow and live above your means. So easy and so dangerous for the truth is most Bahamians are only steps away from poverty, living pay check to pay check, hand to mouth. One bout of illness that causes a mother, father or other guardian to miss work for a single week could jeopardise their ability to put food on the table.
Just ask the Bahamas
feeding network why the need to feed remains so great two years after the worst of the COVid epidemic passed. Any expectation that the level of hunger would subside when people returned to work was quickly dashed. for the unemployed or underemployed, there was a year of debt to catch up on, back rent to pay, family loans to repay, new shoes and clothes to buy for young ones who had been squeezing into too-tight jeans and tennis while Mommy or daddy was out of work. Some jobs never came back full-time. Half the working
population was on catch-up time. rough out there it’s rough out there. A lot of people are hurting.
Analysts are concerned about the erosion of the middle class, the sector of society where hope lives, where parents believe their children will do better than they did, where the plan for college is more than a dream, it’s a promise for the teen who wants a higher education. Without a strong middle class, separation between the haves and have-nots increases, resentment grows, turning at some point into anger and eventually, when anger overpowers hope, revolutionary ideas emerge.
We do not need to go in that direction. it is not too late to reverse the pattern of discouraging saving by growing the culture of saving. The same bank that raised its fees for depositing money into your own account can be the best partner, providing an incentive for those who grow their accounts instead of penalising them for doing so. in the end, they will be doing their part to protect an endangered middle class and ensure their own well-being. You don’t heal a sore by picking at it, you find a salve that soothes. When big banks take small guys seriously, both sides win.
No Olympic medals for first time since 1992
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, has come and gone with the Bahamas’ 20-member team returning home with some credible performances but, for the first time since 1992, there were no medal winners.
Team Bahamas, with two swimmers and 18 track and field athletes, participated in the games that ran from July 27 to August 11.
Cora Hepburn, who made history as the first female to head the team as the chef de mission, applauded the entire team for their performances.
“In terms of performances for Team Bahamas, we had four returning Olympians and the majority of the team were first-time members,” said Hepburn, who was assisted by team leader Roy Colebrook.
“Those first-time Olympians, the majority of them put in some good performances like Charisma Taylor, who competed in two events, Antoine Andrews, Wayna McCoy, Denisha Cartwright, Ken Mullings and Rhema Otabor.”
On the flip side of the coin, Hepburn admitted that there were disappointments, especially resulting in the team falling short of a medal.
She noted that the biggest disappointment was the “no show” by quartermiler Steven Gardiner in defending his Olympic title in the men’s 400 metres.
Gardiner, 27, didn’t report for the final call for the start of the men’s 400m preliminaries and, when his heat came out in the Stade de France, his name had a DNS (did not start) beside it. His management team, On Time Track Management, released a statement later in the day indicating that he had suffered a recurring injury with his left ankle and was unable to compete. Other than Gardiner, two-time Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo was injured and not at full
strength competing in the women’s 400m, while world indoor record holder and champion Devynne Charlton, in her bid to lead two other ladies in the 100m hurdles, came up with a sixth-place finish.
Those were the three key athletes anticipated to lead the Bahamas’ medal parade, along with the possibility of Otabor in the women’s javelin. But as it turned out, only Mullings, who broke
THE SPORTS CALENDAR
grounds as the first Bahamian to compete in the 10-event decathlon over two days, joined Charlton as the only two finalists. Mullings finished 13th overall.
“I think we as a country are spoiled when it comes to winning medals,” said Hepburn of the trend at the Olympics that started in 1992 in Barcelona, Spain with Frank Rutherford earning a bronze for the first track and
CARIBBEAN HOOPFEST SUMMER basketball play
A) Rams vs Lucayan Basketball Team 16U (Pool A) Rams vs Basic Basketball Freeport Team 14U (Pool A) IBA vs Lucayan Basketball Team 16U Rams vs CI Gibson Rattlers Games will run from 10:30am until 7:50pm at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium. Championship games are scheduled to start 11am Sunday.
field medal and at every Olympiad ever since, the Bahamas captured at least one medal.
“We now feel that every time we go to the Olympics, we can now come back with a medal. But if we can enhance the firsttime athletes that we saw in Paris, we should be right on target to getting back on track to winning medals again in 2028.”
The next Olympic Games will be held in Los
AUGUST
BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION THE BGDBA regular season action has resumed at the DW Davis Gymnasium on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. Friday, August 16 - Time: 7:30pm Police Crimestoppers vs Bahamas Customs Taxmen Police Staff Association Royals vs Airport Authority Avengers Saturday, August 17
Time: 6:30pmBahamas Union of Teachers Scholars vs Nassau Flight Services Ballers. Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre Eagles vs Bain and Grants Town Cybots. Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Panthers vs Beat & Teach Clinic Sharks.
WHILE he would have preferred to make the final of the men’s high jump at the 2024 Olympic Games, veteran Donald Thomas was more delighted to come out with his biggest prize possession.
Thomas, the 40-yearold team leader for The Bahamas in Paris, France, proposed to his fiancée Rayven Lively, a pharmacist from Mobile, Alabama at midnight on August 10 in front of the Eiffel Tower.
“I had planned on proposing in the stadium the night of finals,” he said. “I was completely sure I was going to make the final based off of my training leading up to the games.”
Reliving his experience in Paris, Thomas said during his last practice session before getting on the plane, he felt a cramp-like
Angeles, California in 2028 and most of the athletes who fell short of getting into the final have vowed that they will be back with a vengeance. Based on the games itself, Hepburn said there were complaints of a shortage of food and no air conditioning in the Games Village where the athletes stayed. When she arrived in Paris, Hebpburn said she
SEE PAGE 14
THE Olympic fever has died down since the culmination of the 33rd Olympiad in Paris, France last Sunday. The focus now shifts to the next Olympic cycle where all roads lead to Los Angeles, California for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The Bahamas may have ended the Paris trip with zero Olympic medals for the first time in 36 years, but debate has started over whether sailing can return to the forefront at the international multi-sports event.
Lori Lowe, president of the Bahamas Sailing Association (BSA), provided some food for thought on the latest topic. “We need to identify the talent. We do have some talent out there
MARC TAYLOR MAKES BAHAMIAN CRICKET HISTORY
By TENAJH SWEETING
BAHAMIAN cricketer Marc Taylor is on the right side of history as it pertains to the former national sport of The Bahamas.
Taylor was drafted by the Miami Lions cricket team for the Max 60 Caribbean Tournament to be hosted in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, making him the first Bahamian to accomplish this historic feat. The inaugural tourney has a unique T-10 format and will feature five teams in 25 games from August 18-25. The right-handed cricketer acknowledged that he tried on more than one occasion to be drafted but to no avail. Fortunately for him, he was delayed but not denied and is happy to be the first Bahamian drafted for the Caribbean tournament. “It is a good feeling. I am definitely
The Miami Lions selected Taylor in round 14 as
92nd pick. He is on the
TEAM Bahamas at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
UNIVERSITY OF THE BAHAMAS ATHLETICS
UB men’s soccer: ‘Our key players are firing on all cylinders’
NAPLES, Florida — International play got underway for the University of The Bahamas Mingoes’ soccer team yesterday as they put in the final touches ahead of what is anticpated to be a successful trip.
The men’s team opened international play with a match against Ave Maria University Gyrenes 7pm Thursday in Naples, Florida.
And the team is scheduled to clash with the United International College Eagle Rays at 10am on Saturday, August 17 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Mingoes head coach Alex Thompson said that the team was able to retain a lot of the players and the squad is coming together.
“Leading up to the trip we have been working on tactical and technical sessions,” he said.
“Some of the players have been travelling over the past few weeks and everyone is
here now except for one. It has been a big help and to have everyone reading out of the same book.”
Making a return to the team this year is captain and central defender Marlon Barnes who says he is feeling ready to get to work on the field.
“It is an amazing feeling to be back,” Barnes said.
“I’m coming off an injury and I feel great. The team has been looking great and we are ready. All we have to do now is go on the field and execute.”
As expected, a few players have graduated but Thompson said that the team has some new talent.
“We lost a few players including one of our captains, Oakland Duncan, and three or four other players who graduated,” Thompson stated.
“We lost a few players to academic reasons who were going to be key contributors.
We brought in quite a few freshmen with talent that we are excited about.”
The Mingoes took care of the Eagle Rays with a 3-1 victory on their last international tour in 2023. They will look to get the same result on Saturday.
“Seventy per cent of the squad is returning and has tasted victory and defeat over there. That 70 per cent understands what is necessary to pull off a win. We are battle-tested and we have our captains in place to lead the team.
“Our key players are firing on all cylinders and we are looking good,” Thompson said.
Barnes said they are looking at improving in areas they fell short on last season. Those areas include defending in the final third and their discipline on the field.
He knows that is a work in progress and they will build on it.
CAN THE BAHAMAS HOST AN OLYMPICS? - PART 2
Technological and Logistical Solutions:
Leveraging Innovation
Hosting the Olympics is not just about showcasing athletic prowess; it’s a massive logistical challenge that requires cutting-edge technology and infrastructure.
For The Bahamas, a nation known for its sunkissed beaches and vibrant culture, the idea of hosting the Olympics would necessitate embracing innovative solutions to meet the demands of such a global event.
One of the primary challenges The Bahamas would face is the need to significantly upgrade its existing infrastructure.
While the nation has successfully hosted large-scale events like the IAAF World Relays and the Commonwealth Youth Games, the Olympics are on an entirely different scale.
To handle the influx of athletes, officials, and spectators, The Bahamas would need to invest in smart infrastructure, including advanced transportation systems, renewable energy solutions, and high-capacity communication networks.
For example, implementing a smart traffic management system could help alleviate congestion on the islands’ roads, which would be crucial given the expected increase in vehicular traffic. Additionally, leveraging renewable energy sources, such as solar power, could help reduce the environmental impact of the Games and position The Bahamas as a leader in sustainable tourism.
Another area where technology could play a pivotal role is in the planning and simulation of the event itself. Utilising virtual reality (VR) and digital twin technologies, planners could create detailed simulations of the Olympic venues and surrounding areas. This would allow them to identify potential
logistical challenges and optimise the layout and flow of events long before the first shovel hits the ground.
Legacy and Long-Term Benefits: Building for the Future
While the Olympics are a temporary event, the infrastructure and facilities built for the Games could leave a lasting legacy for The Bahamas. The challenge is ensuring that these investments benefit the nation long after the Olympic flame has been extinguished. One of the key considerations is how to repurpose the venues and facilities post-Olympics. For example, the Olympic Village could be converted into affordable housing or student accommodations, addressing a critical need in The Bahamas.
Sports venues could be used to promote local athletics, hosting regional competitions, and providing training facilities for Bahamian athletes.
Moreover, the economic impact of hosting the Olympics could be significant. The influx of visitors would boost tourism, while the global exposure could
attract new investments and elevate The Bahamas’ status as a premier destination. Additionally, the skills and experience gained by local workers during the construction and execution of the Games could be invaluable in future infrastructure projects.
Socially, the Olympics could serve as a unifying event for the nation, bringing together people from all walks of life to celebrate Bahamian culture and athletic achievement.
It could also inspire the next generation of athletes, who would see firsthand the dedication and excellence required to compete at the highest level.
Hypothetical Scenario Planning: What If We Won the Bid?
If The Bahamas was to win the bid to host the Olympics, the first step would be to establish a dedicated organising committee, comprising key stakeholders from the government, private sector, and sports organisations.
This committee would be responsible for overseeing every aspect of the Games, from infrastructure development to marketing and security.
The timeline for preparation would be tight, likely requiring a decade of planning and construction.
Major milestones would include the completion of new venues, the upgrade of transportation networks, and the implementation of environmental sustainability initiatives.
Public support would be crucial throughout this process, and the government would need to engage in transparent communication to keep citizens informed and involved.
One of the most exciting aspects of hosting the
Olympics would be the opportunity to showcase Bahamian culture on a global stage.
From the opening ceremony to the cultural festivals surrounding the Games, The Bahamas could highlight its rich heritage, vibrant music and welcoming spirit. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to redefine the nation’s identity on the world stage.
However, the challenges would be immense. The strain on medical professionals, including nurses, EMTs and doctors would be considerable, given the need to provide care for tens of thousands of visitors.
Additionally, there would be concerns about the
environmental impact, particularly in terms of waste management and the protection of natural resources.
Conclusion: Is It Feasible?
While the idea of hosting the Olympics in The Bahamas is tantalising, it is clear that it would require unprecedented levels of investment, planning and innovation. The technological and logistical challenges are significant but not insurmountable, if approached with creativity and foresight. The legacy of the Olympics could be transformative for The Bahamas, leaving behind a stronger, more resilient nation.
However, this vision would only become a reality
with careful planning, widespread public support and a commitment to overcoming the many challenges that lie ahead.
In the end, whether The Bahamas could host the Olympics comes down to a question of ambition and willingness to dream big.
If we dare to envision it, and work tirelessly to make it a reality, there’s no telling what we could achieve.
• Dr. Kent Bazard, a sports medicine physician at Empire Sports Medicine, specializes in ensuring athletes reach their peak performance safely. With extensive experience and a passion for sports health, Dr. Bazard provides insights and guidance for athletes of all ages.
Photos by UB Athletics
TRAINING DAY: UB Mingoes soccer players in action during their soccer practice yesterday in Naples, Florida.
TOP ATHLETES REPRESENT BAHAMAS
FROM PAGE 12
was informed by the International Olympic Committee that 30-40 per cent of the volunteers didn’t show up.
She noted that without the full complement of volunteers needed, it made it extremely difficult for the 60-70 per cent who showed up to function properly.
“We experienced some of those problems as the days passed,” Hepburn said.
“That’s why the issue in the eatery was the way it was because if you don’t have sufficient cooks and servers, you would have those types of problems.
“But like every Olympic Games, you have your highs and you have your lows and so we have to work with what you have.”
Notwithstanding what transpired in Paris, Hepburn said Team Bahamas had its share of problems before leaving The Bahamas with the confusion over who should go in the pool for the mixed 4 x 400m relay and who should not go. “From the inception, my views regarding the mixed relays is that the criteria for the team should have been tabled because it was the first time we were having a mixed relay team qualified,” she said.
“If the BAAA (Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations) had sat with the BOC, I’m sure that the whole situation that was displayed in the media was not necessary and should not have happened, if that was done.”
The team of Wendell Miller, Javonya Valcourt, Alonzo Russell and Quincy Penn finished eighth in their heat of the relay in three minutes and 14.58 seconds for 14th overall.
The team also featured two teenagers, Shania Adderley and Lacarthea Cooper, who didn’t get to compete. Cooper was also there as an alternate.
The Bahamas was also represented by Lamar Taylor and Rhanishka Gibbs, who competed in swimming.
Neither advanced to the semifinals, but Taylor lowered his national record in the men’s 100m freestyle with his winning performance in his heat.
Efforts were also made for the men’s national basketball team to play in the games, but they fell short in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, losing to Spain in the championship game that qualified just the champion.
The games also introduced some sports like break dancing, skateboarding, sport climbing and trampoline, which should give the local associations and federations the inspiration to not just look at competing in the traditional sports, but those that are now expanding on the global stage.
SEE PAGE 13
Photos by Brent Stubbs
QUINCY Penn takes off on the final leg of the mixed 4 x 400m relay.
SHAUNAE MILLER-UIBO, above left, in action at the start of her 400 metre heats at the Paris Olympics.
WENDELL Miller passes the baton off to Javonya Valcourt.
WENDELL Miller preparing to start his race.
ZION Miller at the Paris Olympics.
AT 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES IN PARIS
• Here’s a look at the performances of the Bahamas’ 20-member team at the 2024 Olympic Games:
SWIMMING
Men’s 100m freestyle Lamar Taylor - 1st in heat five in a national record time of 48.84 for 26th overall.
Women’s 50m freestyle
Rhanishka Gibbs - 6th in heat seven in 26.27 for 31st overall.
TRACK & FIELD
Men’s 100m
Wanya McCoy - 5th in heat six in 10.24 for 41st overall.
Terrance Jones - 6th in heat four in 10.31 for 49th overall.
Men’s 200m
Wanya McCoy - 5th in heat one - 20.61 for 18th overall in semifinals.
Ian Kerr - 3rd in heat four - 20.60 in repechage round.
Wanya McCoy - 2nd in heat two - 20.35 in heats to advance to semifinals.
Ian Kerr - 5th in heat five - 20.53 to advance to repechage.
Men’s 400m Steven Gardiner - DNS did not start heats.
Men’s 110m hurdles
Antoine Andrews - 8th in heat one - 13.43 for 18th overall in semifinals.
Antoine Andrews - 2nd in heat three - 13.43 for 14th overall to advance to semifinals.
Men’s Decathlon
Ken Mullings - 8,226 points for 13th overall. 100m - 10.60 for 7h place for 952 pts. Long jump7.36m for 11th with 900 pts. Shot put - 14.19m for 12th place for 740 pts. High jump - 2.02m for 12th place for 822 pts. 400m - 49.43 for 13th place for 841 pts. 110m hurdles - 13.70 for 12th place for 1014 pts. Discus.46.07m for 12th place for 789 pts. Pole vault - 4.80m for 9th place for 849 pts.
Javelin - 59.83m for 10th pts for 735 pts. 1,500m - 4:55.84 for 13th place for 584 pts.
Men’s high jump
Donald ThomasNM - no mark.
Women’s 400m
Shaunae Miller-Uibo7th in heat in 53.50 for 25th overall in repechage.
Shaunae Miller-Uibo7th in heat four in 2:22.29 for 45th overall to advance to repechage.
Women’s 100m hurdles
Devynne Charlton - 6th in final in 12.56.
Devynne Charlton - 2nd in heat one in 12.50 for seventh overall to advance to final.
Charisma Taylor - 3rd in heat two in 12.63PB for 12th overall.
Denisha Cartwright - 7th in heat 3 in 13.45 for 20th overall.
Devynne Charlton - 2nd in heat five in 12.71 for 9th overall to advance to semifinals.
Charisma Taylor - 4th in heat three in 12.78 for 13th overall to advance to semifinals.
Denisha Cartwright - 4th in heat two in 12.89 for 19th overall to advance to repechage.
Women’s triple jump
Charisma Taylor - 9th in Group B with 14.01m for 15th overall.
Women’s javelin
Rhema Otabor - 13th in Group A with 57.67m for 27th overall.
Mixed 4 x 400m relay
Wendell Miller, Javonya Valcourt, Alonzo Russell and Quincy Penn - 8th in heat in 3:14.58 for 14th overall. FROM PAGE 14
Photos by Brent Stubbs
DENISHA CARTWRIGHT in action in the women‘s 100 metre hurdles.
ANTOINE Andrews in action in the men‘s 110 metre hurdles.
DEVYNNE CHARLTON, centre, in action in the women‘s 100 metre hurdles.
RHEMA OTABOR in action in the women‘s javelin.
KEN MULLINGS competes in the decathlon long jump at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, August 2, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
WANYA MCCOY in action in the men‘s 100/200metres.
KEN MULLINGS competes in the decathlon javelin throw. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
KEN MULLINGS competes in the decathlon pole vault. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
NBA schedule released
By TIM REYNOLDS
BOSTON will get its championship rings on October 22, and the rival New York Knicks will be there for the celebration.
The NBA schedule was released yesterday for the coming season, and Game 1 on the slate is the Celtics hosting the Knicks on opening night — the one where the NBA champions will get their rings and reveal their 18th championship banner.
The second game on opening night has Minnesota visiting the Los Angeles Lakers, a reunion of Olympic gold medallists with the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards facing off with the Lakers’ LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The league released 1,200 of the 1,230 games on the schedule yesterday; the other 30 will be slotted in December, depending on how teams fare during the NBA Cup. The schedule for those tournament games was released Tuesday, with Klay Thompson’s return to Golden State as a member of the Dallas Mavericks among the matchups.
Some regular-season contests were previously announced, such as Miami and Washington playing in Mexico City on November 2 and the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers playing a home-and-home in Paris — with Spurs star and France native Victor Wembanyama as the main attraction — on January 23 and January 25.
A look at the rest of the slate: Christmas Day games Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio go to New York to start the Christmas Day quintuple-header, followed by Minnesota at Dallas, Philadelphia at Boston, the Lakers at Golden State and Denver at Phoenix.
It’ll be the first Christmas game for the Spurs since 2016 and the first for the Timberwolves since 2017. Milwaukee won’t play a
Christmas game for the first time in seven seasons.
All 30 teams playing
There are four nights this season where all 30 teams will be in action, starting with November 4 — when a new game will start every 15 minutes from 7pm through 10:30pm EST. The other dates when all teams are playing: Feb. 12, April 11 (the second-to-last day of the regular season) and April 13 (the last day of the regular season).
Election Day among the off days For the third consecutive year, Election Day — November 5 this year — will not have any NBA games, with the league saying it wants to “continue to encourage fans and the broader NBA community to make a plan to vote and participate in the civic process.
As part of this initiative, the NBA will share important resources from voting organisations and highlight the civic engagement work of teams in their markets.”
Other off days for the NBA this season: Nov.
28 (Thanksgiving), Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve), Feb. 17-19 (the break following All-Star weekend, which starts Feb. 14) and April 12. There will likely be one other dark day in December, depending on how the schedules are set for those teams that do not make the NBA Cup semifinals.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day slate
There are seven games on January 20 as part of the league’s annual celebration of the life of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.: Dallas at Charlotte, Detroit at Houston, Minnesota at Memphis, Atlanta at New York, Phoenix at Cleveland, Boston at Golden State and Utah at New Orleans.
Memphis, where King was assassinated in 1968, will host a game on the holiday for the 22nd time in the last 23 seasons.
Durant going back to college, for one night
Kevin Durant could play at least one more game at his college home.
The Spurs will play two games in Austin, Texas, again this season — Feb. 20
against Durant and Phoenix, then Feb. 21 against Detroit.
Durant played his one college season at Texas. He had 30 points in his home finale as a member of the Longhorns on Feb. 28, 2007. That schedule means Detroit won’t be going to San Antonio this season. The Pistons are 1-13 in their last 14 trips to the Spurs’ home arena.
LeBron’s 40th birthday
This season will be the 22nd in the NBA for LeBron James, tying Vince Carter for the league’s longevity record.
And he gets his 40th birthday off.
The Los Angeles Lakers don’t play on Dec. 30. They’re at home on Dec. 28 against Sacramento (his first NBA opponent, when he was just 18) and then off until a home game Dec. 31 against Cleveland (his first NBA team). James is 5-5 in birthday games.
Intuit Dome opener
The first official game inside the Intuit Dome, the new home of the Los
Angeles Clippers, is October 23 when they take on the Phoenix Suns. The Clippers have shared an arena with the Los Angeles Lakers since the 1999-2000 season. It wasn’t terribly uncommon for the Clippers and Lakers to play home games on the same day — one would play in the afternoon, then the other at night after the court was swapped out and the building quickly cleaned. But there will be at least eight dates this season where the Clippers and Lakers are both playing at home, and all but one of them will feature simultaneous games: Jan. 11, Jan. 13, Jan. 15, Jan. 21, Feb. 6, Feb. 8, March 18 and April 4.
Super Bowl Sunday schedule
Once again, the NBA will be done for the day long before kickoff of the Super Bowl.
There are three games on Feb. 9, the day of the NFL’s title game: Charlotte at Detroit at 1 p.m., Toronto at Houston at 2 p.m. and Philadelphia at Milwaukee at 2 p.m.
Kickoff time for the Super Bowl is typically around 6:30 p.m. Finals rematches Boston goes to Dallas on Jan. 25 in the first rematch this season of last season’s NBA Finals. Dallas goes to Boston on Feb. 6.
This is the seventh consecutive season in which there won’t be an NBA Finals rematch on Christmas Day. There had been a Christmas rematch of the previous season’s finals in five of the seven seasons before that.
No. 1 faces No. 1
The two games between the teams with the most recent No. 1 draft picks — Victor Wembanyama from San Antonio and Zaccharie Risacher from Atlanta — will be nationally televised. The games will be Dec. 19 in San Antonio on TNT, then Feb. 5 in Atlanta on ESPN.
Both players are natives of France.
NCAA title game day
It’s been an unofficial tradition that the day of the NCAA men’s basketball championship game is an off day in the NBA. That won’t be the case this year, with Sacramento playing at Detroit and Philadelphia at Miami on April 7. The men’s Final Four this year is in San Antonio; the Spurs won’t be going. They’ll play host to Cleveland on April 4, the day before the national semifinals, then head out on a road trip.
The last day
All 30 teams will play on the final day of the season, April 13 — with every game set to start at either 1pm or 3:30pm EDT.
Every team will take on an opponent from its own conference, except Toronto and San Antonio. The Raptors will visit the Spurs. NBA Finals lookahead Game 1 of the NBA Finals will be June 5. That means — if the schedule is shaped as it has been in recent years — Game 2 is likely on June 8, Game 3 would be June 11, Game 4 on June 13, Game 5 on June 16, Game 6 on June 19 and Game 7, if necessary, on June 22.
JORDAN CHILES SAYS PANEL’S CALL FOR HER TO RETURN OLYMPIC BRONZE IS ‘UNJUST’ AND ‘SIGNIFICANT BLOW’
By The Associated Press
AMERICAN gymnast
Jordan Chiles called an arbitration panel’s decision that dropped her out of the bronze medal position in the floor exercise at the Paris Olympics “unjust” and a “significant blow” in a message posted on social media yesterday.
The International Olympic Committee, in light of the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, announced it would reallocate the bronze to Ana Barbosu of Romania.
Barbosu is scheduled to receive the medal today at a ceremony in Bucharest.
Chiles initially finished fifth in the eight-woman final before Team USA coach Cecile Landi appealed Chiles’ score, asking to receive credit for a manoeuvre that would boost her score by .1.
The appeal was granted, moving Chiles into third. She was awarded the bronze and participated in the medal ceremony following the competition.
Romania successfully protested to the CAS that Landi’s appeal was not made within one minute of Chiles’ score being posted, and the panel ruled Saturday the bronze should go to Barbosu. The International Gymnastics Federation
reinstated the initial order of finish and the IOC announced on Sunday it would reallocate the bronze to Barbosu.
“I have no words,” Chiles wrote in an Instagram post.
“This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey. To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven
attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country.”
USA Gymnastics has said it will continue efforts to let Chiles keep the medal. The sport’s governing body in the United States disputes Romania’s claim that Landi’s appeal came 4 seconds
too late, saying Sunday it submitted video evidence to CAS that showed Landi first appealed 13 seconds before the deadline.
CAS released a detailed account of how it reached its decision on Wednesday, noting that USA Gymnastics did not voice any concern about the timekeeping system during the hearing — which USA Gymnastics was given less than 24 hours to prepare for due to clerical errors by CAS that sent notifications to the wrong email address — and that Landi noted her request for an inquiry was granted “immediately.”
The 23-year-old Chiles — who will return to competition in January when she starts her junior year at UCLA — has also been the subject of social media attacks, some of them racially charged, that she’s called “wrong and extremely hurtful.”
“I am now confronted with one of the most challenging moments of my career,” Chiles posted.
“Believe me when I say I have had many. I will approach the challenge as I have others — and will make every effort to ensure that justice is done. I believe that at the end of this journey, the people in control will do the right thing.”
JORDAN CHILES, of the United States, and Simone Biles, of the United States, celebrate after the women’s artistic gymnastics individual floor finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, August 5, 2024, in Paris, France. Biles won the silver medal and Chiles the bronze medal. (AP Photo/ Morry Gash)
UNITED States’ Jayson Tatum knocks the ball from Victor Wembanyama during the men’s gold medal basketball game. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
STEPHEN CURRY, centre, hugs LeBron James, right, as Kevin Durant hold up an American flag after the US won the gold medal basketball game at the Summer Olympics August 10 in Paris, France. (AP Photo/ Mark J. Terrill)
Marc Taylor makes Bahamian cricket history
FROM PAGE 12
Anderson, Joe Burns, Nikhil Chaudhary, Josh Kann, Chadwick Walton, Johnathan Carter, Gerhard Erasmus, Rohit Paudel, Unmukt Chand, Conroy Wright, Mohan Manivannan and Asghar Afghan.
The Bahamas national cricket team member is proud to see his hard work recognised and paying off.
He wants to give this tournament all that he has to offer. “I want to do my best and try to bring my best game forward. This could potentially be the start for future tournaments so I just want to do my best, play the game that I know and do not overthink it,” he said.
The five teams expected to play at the Max 60 Caribbean Tournament are the Caribbean Tigers, New York Strikers, Boca Raton Trailblazers, Grand Cayman Jaguars and the Miami Lions.
Greg Taylor, president of The Bahamas Cricket Association (BCA) and father of the Bahamian cricketer, was proud to see his son accomplish this monumental goal.
“It is a first for a Bahamian cricketer and, in this day
AN
Taylor is the
Bahamas to be drafted to the Miami Lions for the Max 60 International T10 Tournament.
and age, now there are a lot of professional cricketers from all around on the circuit. For him to be drafted by the Miami Lions tells us that he is good enough to play at that level. It brought excitement to The Bahamas Cricket Association.
DONALD THOMAS PROPOSES TO HIS FIANCÉE
FROM PAGE 12
sensation in my hamstring while doing some hurdle drills.
“Even while at the games I was sure I was going to make it to the finals,” he pointed out.
“I had several good practice sessions in Paris even after the injury and was doing everything recoverywise to be fit.
“However, I felt another strange movement in my hamstring while doing some approach runs a few days out from qualification. One bad step during warm-ups aggravated my hamstring. I dragged my spike at takeoff and that was it. I couldn’t run properly and my Olympic Games were over.”
Thomas, in his fifth Olympic experience, said he never had a hamstring or muscular injury so it was very strange.
“I know when the body is in great shape and in fine tune for a great performance you have to be very careful,” he stated. “That one last hurdle rep cost me big time.
“The qualifying mark which made the finals in Paris is a height I have been jumping in practice and
OLYMPIC SAILING
FROM PAGE 12
but then the talent has to want to put the time and effort in and we need the funding. The beauty of sailing is everywhere you go is a different venue and the detriment of sailing is also everywhere you go is a different venue.
“To functionally train as a sailor you need to travel to a lot of events in different places and it is very expensive.
“In the last 20 years, we had a couple of kids that could’ve got there but for some of them there wasn’t any money.
“You have to almost abandon your education for sailing and collegiate sailing
surpassing in international competitions all season so I was and still am very disappointed.”
During the qualifying round of the high jump on August 7, Thomas failed to clear the opening mark and he had to watch the rest of the competition.
“I’ve trained every day for this moment and, at the last minute, I got a muscle injury that prevented me from showcasing my abilities,” he said.
“All in all it is okay. I never question God and I stay true to myself. I know I would have been a contender but life happens and you have to roll with it.”
Thomas, however, said he joked around with his fiancée and told her: “I faked an injury so I wouldn’t overshadow her moment.
“To this day every few hours I tell myself ‘I can’t believe I got a muscle injury the week of the Olympics.’ I wish the games were a month out from now but that’s not how life works.”
Thomas said he went to Paris for gold, but he left with a diamond.
“Rayven has been a great girlfriend and supporter of me so it was only right to make things right in the city of love,” he said.
is not the same as Olympic sailing,” she said. Over 300 sailors (men and women) hit the waters in Paris, France with a number of them hailing from Caribbean countries such as Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico and St Lucia.
The Bahamas is still treading water in a bid to secure its first Olympic berth in sailing since the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Despite the Olympic drought as of late, The Bahamas has a rich Olympic history as it relates to the national sport.
Everybody congratulated him and I am especially proud of him because he is my son,” he said. He added that this moment highlights the amount of talent that exists within the cricket world in The Bahamas despite being
ranked 69th on the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Rankings. The right-handed batsman will not be the only Bahamian to make history at the Max 60 Caribbean Tournament. Umpire Narendra Ekanayake, who
completed an umpiring course two months ago, will be the first Bahamian to officiate at an international tournament.
“It is an awesome accomplishment because in Bahamian cricket this is the first for an umpire to be
Sir Durward Knowles along with Sloane Farrington won the country’s first ever Olympic medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics in the star class. He improved on his bronze-medal finish and sailed away with gold at the
1964 Tokyo Olympics in the same class.
According to Lowe, times have changed and the sport has shifted to a degree since those days. “When Sir Durward was racing there were two clubs in the country and there was no functional year round coaching. Sir Durward was a great sailor and he didn’t have a coach because they didn’t exist in those days.
“Now we have seven clubs in the country with four or five of them with coaches that coach full-time.
“It is difficult to have them coaching full-time and some of our clubs do not have the money to even have a coach. We are fortunate that at the moment we have three high quality coaches in the country in different classes.
Taylor, competition begins on Saturday for the Lions. They will make their Max 60 Caribbean debut against the Boca Raton Trailblazers.
“In his era, sailing was an open sport. It was pretty much done by a limited group of people and they were not professionals. In sailing today, in order to make it to the Olympics you have to effectively train everyday just like any other sport.
“The world has changed in the last 40 years. Back then, you could be a relative amateur with a full-time job and still go to the Olympics in a lot of sports.
“I do not think that is possible today, certainly not in sailing.
“Most of the people who are in sailing are training full-time five days a week and eight hours a day. It is a full-time job and we need to be supported,” she said.
Although Bahamian sailors have not made an appearance at the Olympic
Games in quite some time, there have been some that have tried to get there, including the likes of Paul De Souza, Cochise Burrows, Spencer Cartwight and Joshua Higgins in the last few years. Lowe expressed that despite some of the obstacles that now exist in sailing, she thinks that “we can get there.”
And she plans to put the sailors in the best position to attain Olympic qualification for LA 2028.
“I am working on getting at least four to six of our sailors to the CAC Games. If they get to the CAC, they might qualify for the Pan-Ams.
“If they qualify for the Pan-Ams they might finish well enough to qualify for the Olympics,” according to the BSA president.
selected to officiate in an international tournament,” the BCA president said. As for
DONALD Thomas proposes to his fiancée Rayven in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Photos by Brent Stubbs
HISTORIC FEAT: Bahamian cricketer Mark
first cricketer from The
LORI LOWE