FIFTEEN Haitians who were onboard an ill-fated vessel that cap sized in waters off New Providence last month will be repatriated to their homeland later this week, Immigration and Labour Minister Keith Bell said yesterday.MrBell was asked for an update on the boating By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
SEE PAGE THREE PICTURED at yesterday’s conference are, from left, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, former Prime Minister Perry Christie, Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis, and former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper ‘WE MUST UNITE IN CLIMATE FIGHT’
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
Photo: Austin Fernander US MAN DIES AT SANDALS RESORT
MURDER VICTIM WAS STAR STUDENT By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net OMAR DAVIS JR
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
BOAT SURVIVORS TO BE DEPORTED THIS WEEK
FORMER Prime Min ister Dr Hubert Minnis says he believes equalising citizenship rights is “the proper way to go,” adding his administration had planned to address the issue while in office. Dr Minnis was asked to state his views on the Davis administration’s plans to advance legislation that
SEE PAGE TWO ALICIA WALLACE: WILL LAW EQUALITY?BRING-SEEPAGEEIGHT
POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander yester day confirmed police are investigating the “sudden death” of an American tourist at Sandals Emerald Bay, Exuma.
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis repeated his calls yesterday for Caribbean leaders to unite and take action in the fight against climate change.MrDavis noted that too many countries in the region were struggling with debt caused by cli mate related disasters. He said now was the time for countries to come up with solutions because our very lives depended on it. The Prime Minister further spoke about the financial impacts of the environmental threat, noting that most of The Bahamas’ debt could be linked to natural disas ters like hurricanes and highlighted the need for regional nations to have greater access to climate funding.He was addressing regional leaders during the opening ceremony of the Caribbean regional heads of government meeting at Baha Mar yesterday. The high-level talks end today. “Our countries are struggling with debts PM calls on leaders across Caribbean to take action
MINNIS: EQUAL RIGHTS IS PROPER WAY TO GO
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter
WEDNESDAY HIGH 90ºF LOW 80ºF i’m lovin’ it! Volume: 119 No.183, August 17, 2022 THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$1 Established 1903The Tribune CARS! CARS! CLASSIFIEDS TRADERPUZZLER The Tribune Monday, February 8, To Advertise Call 601-0007 or 502-2351 Starting $33.60 Biggest And Best! LATEST NEWS ON TRIBUNE242.COM 6pcMcDoubleMcChicken$5EverydayMeals:Nuggets
SEE PAGE FIVESEE PAGE FOUR SEE PAGE TWO
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The commissioner offered no further details, when contacted yesterday, while Sandals general man ager Jeremy Mutton did not respond to requests for comment.Theman was believed to be 70 years old.
THE partially decom posed body of a man was found in a garbage bag inside the truck of a vehicle near the Centreville Food Market.While the victim was not identified by police, relatives at the scene of the discovery said he is 21-yearold Omar Davis Jr. In the moments following the discovery, social media was flooded with videos and photos that portrayed the victim as an intelligent young man, with big aspira tions and goals. Davis recently graduated with a double degree from Central State University and a 4.0 cumulative GPA, according to a Facebook
VICTIM WAS STAR STUDENT
PAGE 2, Wednesday, August 17, 2022 THE TRIBUNE
POLICE HUNT ‘ARMED AND DANGEROUS’ MAN
A WOMAN in her early 20s from central New Provi dence is in police custody after she allegedly stabbed a man.Police said the incident reportedly occurred shortly after 1am “Preliminaryyesterday. reports indicate the victim got into an altercation with a female known to him and was sub sequently stabbed to the upper body,” police said. “He was taken to the hos pital, where he is listed in critical condition. The sus pect was taken into custody and is assisting police with their neededequippedtionships.atheiralternativebersand“Policeinvestigation.areinvestigatingappealingtomemofthepublic,tofindwaystoresolveconflictswhicharenormalpartofrelaIfyou’renotwiththeskillstoresolveconflicts, you are encouraged to seek assistance from a trained counselor, pastor, teacher, or community leader as conflicts will continue to escalate when ignored.”
Meanwhile, police are investigating two armed robberies.Inthefirst incident, police are requesting assistance in locating a man who wore a blue hooded jacket, gray pants, slippers and a skistyle mask while robbing a business establishment located at Poinciana Drive. “Preliminary reports reveal that on Monday, August 15, 2022, sometime around 5.40pm, the suspect entered the establishment while allegedly armed with a handgun and demanded cash. The suspect reportedly robbed the establishment of an undetermined amount of cash and fled the area on foot towards the Black Vil lage area,” police said. In the second incident, police said they were searching for a man who allegedly robbed another man of a 2008 white Nissan Fuga.“Preliminary reports revealed that on Monday, August 15, 2022, some time around 9.40pm, as the victim arrived home, he was approached by a lone male armed with a handgun who robbed him of his 2008 white Nissan Fuga vehicle. The suspect fled the area in an unknown direction.” The victims were not harmed in these incidents. On the same day, offic ers attached to Operation Ceasefire confiscated a quan tity of suspected marijuana. Police said sometime around 4.30pm, officers acting on intelligence went to an abandoned structure in the area of Kelly Lane off Johnson Alley where they discovered the drugs. “The drugs weighed a half pound and have an estimated street value of $500. No arrests were made in connection with the dis covery,” police said.
WOMAN HELD BY POLICE AFTER STABBING By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net post back in May. In 2018, he was an honou ree in the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity honours day con vocation and valedictorian for CI Gibson Secondary School.During the event, Davis gave a motivational speech telling the audience that he grew up in Kemp Road and that his father was mur dered in front of him. At the scene of the dis covery yesterday, Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson, officer-in-charge of the Criminal Investi gation Department, told reporters that sometime after 5pm yesterday police received information of a vehicle that was parked in a bushy area just at the rear of the foodstore. More specifically it was near Cen treville Caribbean Liquor Store.As relatives at the scene came to terms with this gruesome tragedy, they openly wept and a woman who was said to be the victim’s mother was inconsolable.Hesaid:“When the police arrived, they noticed a black Honda Fit. All of the doors were closed and they became suspicious because there were some items in the vehicle that appeared to be that of a body. “We were able to open the vehicle and uncover what we found to be remains of a male in a gar bage bag with multiple wounds to the head, face, and chest area,” he said. “CSI persons, we col lected a number of exhibits from the scene. We’re look ing at our missing persons reports to see who was reported missing within the last 24 or 48 hours and we’re following significant leads in this matter.” Chief Superintendent Johnson added it appeared that the body was in the early stages of decomposi tion and could have been inside of the vehicle for about 24 hours. He said the victim appeared to be in his early 20s or late teens.
International reports have said the man has suffered from suspected COVID-19 symptoms and later tested positive for the disease.However, police did not confirm this up to press time.“At this time, no foul play is suspected,” police said in a press statement yesterday. “The body of the deceased is expected to be flown to New Providence where an autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death. Police investigations continue.”
MURDER
The death comes a little over three months after three Americans, all in their 60s, were found dead at the same resort. A police statement in June confirmed that asphyxiation due to carbon monoxide poisoning was the cause of death of couple Michael and Robbie Phillips, from Maryville, Tennessee, and Vincent Paul Chiarella, of Florida.
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net BRIAND CARDAN TAYLOR
US MAN DIES AT SANDALS RESORT from page one
Donnis Chiarella, wife of Paul Chiarella, was the lone survivor. She was ultimately airlifted to the United States for treatment.Officials said the two men and one woman died some time between 11pm on May 5 when they, along with the lone survivor, visited the clinic seeking medi cal attention for nausea and vomiting, and around 8.30am to 9am the next morning, when they were found dead in two separate villas.
from page one FAMILY and friends in shock at the murder scene yesterday. Photo: Moise Amisial TEARS on the scene of yesteday’s murder. Photo: Earyel Bowleg/Tribune Staff
GRAND Bahama Police are searching for a man who can assist them with a murderPoliceinvestigation.haveissued a wanted poster for Briand Cardan Taylor, alias “Ched dar Bob,” 30, of 74 Guava Corner, Pioneer’s Loop Subdivision, Freeport. Taylor is 6ft 2in, and weighs 135 pounds of average built. He has a light brown com plexion with brown hair. He is considered armed and dangerous and should be approached with caution. Anyone with information concerning his whereabouts is asked to call the police at 352-1919, 350-3106/9, 242-300-8476, 911, or the nearest police station.
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis with Barbados Prime Minis ter Mia Mottley. Photo: BIS ATTENDEES at the regional meeting of Carib bean Heads of Government
‘We must unite in climate fight’
LABOUR Minister Keith Bell says he expects the government will make a final decision on what the country’s national mini mum wage will look like during next week’s Cabinet meeting.“Iam pleased to advise that the matter is before the Cabinet,” Mr Bell said when asked for an update on the issue yesterday. “The Cabinet is in active discussion, and we antici pate that at the Cabinet meeting, which is next week Tuesday, that we should be able to come to some con clusion with respect to what the minimum wage would look“Obviously,like. as you antici pate there will be more dialogue and consultation, but I am very pleased where we are at this stage with it.” Currently, the national minimum wage is pegged at $210 per week, while the minimum wage in the public sector is $225 per week. The Progressive Liberal Party committed to increas ing the country’s minimum wage to $250 per week during last year’s election campaign, as well as to examine the creation of a liveableShortlywage.after assuming office, the Davis adminis tration asked the National Tripartite Council, the body responsible for all labourrelated matters in The Bahamas, to study the issue and provide recommenda tions to the government. After months of research, the body submitted its recommendations on the matter to the government in June, which was confirmed by NTC deputy chairman and labour director Robert Farquharson last month. While he did not want to say what the council had proposed, he noted that the recommendations submit ted was a favourable one and that it would put smiles on the faces of many Bahamians. According to the labour director, there are approxi mately 340,000 men and women in the labour workforce. “We know that about approximately 25 per cent of those persons are impacted by the minimum wage,” he added, “and so before the government takes a decision, the gov ernment wants to ensure that there is additional widespread discussion and consultation so we expect in the very near future a number of town meetings to be held where we will invite members of the press and public to hear what the recommendations are. “I will not say what the figure is. I can say specifically that the recom mendation will put a smile on the face of many persons who fall within that cate gory, and it will cause them to have greater buying power.”Asit relates to the gov ernment’s plans for a “liveable” wage, Mr Bell told reporters earlier this month that government has not backtracked on its promise to deliver an acceptable “liveable” wage for Bahamian workers. “This isn’t about some thing we want to coerce anyone into doing and we have to be mindful in terms of striking a very delicate balance by in terms of what it is that we want to make minimum wage or liveable wage, as well as we have to ensure that we have respect for the pocketbook of the private employers,” Mr Bell said at the time.
from page one
THE TRIBUNE Wednesday, August 17, 2022, PAGE 3 accumulated by climate disasters,” Prime Minister Davis stressed to Caribbean leaders.“What does this mean for the development of our nations, when our risk pro file is becoming so severe that insurers question their willingness to offer risk facilities to offset climate disasters? Put simply, we are in danger of becoming uninsurable.Headded: “Many if not all of us have already faced challenges in accessing cli mate-related funds. “By acting in common cause, we can move with more authority and with greater impact to address legacy issues, which have held us back from making meaningful progress.” Mr Davis also pointed to “historic” steps taken by countries like the United States and Australia to address carbon emissions, which he said demonstrates that nothing is impossible, and called for all heads of states to come to the table to brainstorm ideas. “Let us work together to construct a joint solution in respect of climate risk insurance and other climate risk facilities and let us take practical steps to improve access to climate finance,” the prime minister added. “We are well aware that, going into COP27, work is underway to advance the implementation of a San tiago Network on Loss and Damage, along with the establishment of a Loss and Damage Facility.” He continued: “These are important tools to support our countries. However, we also need to ensure that risk or insurance facilities are also in the toolbox of solu tions to help our people. Access to climate finance should not be unclear or cumbersome.“Andthe application of per capita overseas development assistance eli gibility should not be taken as the main consideration for offering climate finance, which means that many Caribbean states would be frozen out from the start.” He further urged lead ers to work together to advance the use of a multidimensional vulnerability index to reflect the needs of Small Island Develop ing States (SIDS) and also lobby donors and partners to ensure that all SIDS are eligible for access to bilat eral climate financing. The Caribbean Regional Heads of Government is a two-day summit being hosted by The Bahamas in preparation of COP27, which will be held in Egypt later this year. More than a dozen heads of state are in the coun try for the climate change conference and key issues being discussed at the event include access to climate funding, disaster mitigation and strengthening resil ience and recovery among otherDuringtopics.a press confer ence ahead of yesterday’s opening ceremony, Mr Davis said the outcomes of the high-level discussions will be documented in a paper that will be presented to officials at COP27. He also expressed opti mism that talks from the conference will prove fruit ful, noting that countries are tired of hearing unfulfilled promises related to climate change like the 2009 pledge made by wealthy countries to mobilise $100 billion annually to aid developing states with climate finance. “We are commitment fatigued and we are pledged fatigued so the pledge to make available $100b has yet to be realised and that was made (nearly) 15 years ago and so the question now is the time for action is now. The time for talking needs to cease,” he also said.
FINAL DECISION ON MINIMUM WAGE EXPECTED NEXT WEEK
Photo:yesterday.AustinFernander
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis signing his name at the regional meeting of Caribbean Heads of Government.Photo: Austin Fernander
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis with former Prime Min isters Hubert Ingraham and Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday.Photo: BIS PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis speaking with delegates from Cuba. Photo: Austin Fernander
On August 8 at West Street, Novalus is accused of causing harm to Michael Roker. In court the accused pleaded not guilty to the However,charge. bail consid eration in Novalus’ case was deferred by the magis trate pending information regarding his immigration status.Until such time that his bail hearing is held, the defendant will be remanded to the Bahamas Depart ment of Correctional Services.
‘How will govt deal with migrants?’
A MAN was granted $7,500 bail in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday in relation to a firearm charge. Curry Esteve, 37, appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on charges of possession of an unli cenced firearm and possession of ammunition. On August 12 in New Providence, Esteve was reportedly found by police with a black and silver 9mm Taurus G2C pistol with the serial number erased. In court, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge. As there were no objec tions to bail, $7,500 bail was granted to the accused with one or two sureties. Esteve’s trial will begin on September 21.
tragedy on the sidelines of the opening ceremony for the Caribbean Regional heads of government meet ingHeyesterday.saidthe group will be among some 130 irregular Haitian migrants who are expected to be deported in a matter of days. “As you all are aware, several persons were charged and are currently before the courts,” the minister told reporters yesterday. “As it relates to those survivors, this week we anticipate that we’re going to repatriate 130 irregular Haitian migrants and another 30 plus to Cuba and in that number going back to Haiti will be 15 migrants who were involved in that tragedy at sea.”Police suspect that some 45 people were travelling to Florida from New Provi dence on July 24 when their boat capsized in rough seas near Blackbeard’s Cay. The boating tragedy left 17 Haitians dead, includ ing a pregnant woman and two minors, while several people are believed to be stillAccordingmissing. to officials, six of the 17 people who died from the tragedy have been identified.Fiveof the victims are listed as follows: Mary Saimphorin, Kourtney Volmyr, Annette Mesidor, Bobley Fertilus, and Altan iceYesterday,Ivroy. Mr Bell was asked to respond to reports that the government has given families of deceased victims a two-week dead line to collect their remains. However, he dismissed the reports, saying there can be no deadline because officials wanted to exer cise the “highest degree of humanity” as possible. “I don’t know the specif ics but certainly there can be no deadline,” Mr Bell said. “We are exercising the highest degree of human ity as we possibly can and we are continuing to work with the Haitian commu nity and the Haitian pastors to ensure that the remains are identified and they’re given the highest degree of dignity and respect.”
FNM WANTS ACTION FROM GOVT ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
FREE National Move ment Leader Michael Pintard said there must be strategic action to address the “blood” running “in our streets” and homes due to domestic violence. The government’s lack of comment or decision made on the issue of genderbased violence and sexual crimes is a major concern, he said yesterday, adding that it was the government’s job to develop a plan in response to the issue. Mr Pintard said: “We do not hold any govern ment responsible for the violent acts carried out by free will young men and young women, older men and older women. What is expected, however, of the government, is to coor dinate a plan of action to bring together all stake holders to work in tandem with each other to do sev eralMrthings.Pintard called for the government to work together with stakeholders to put in place programmes and initiatives to prevent violent acts. He posed several ques tions for consideration. “How do we put in place preventative programmes? How do we have early inter vention in conflicts that are brewing in our community? How do we detect that social conditions are creating a mindset of a kind of heart in our people where they will resort to desperate means to deal with pressing situations? “Our role is to speak to young girls and women about the type of mate that they choose, who if a male is abusing a woman while they are dating, the likelihood of him chang ing when they get married is slim to none. How do we work with other agencies, non-governmental agen cies, faith-based agencies and others to get the cor rect message out to our people?” he asked. “None of these conversations seem to be a priority as a part of an over all strategic plan for the government.”MrPintard challenged the government not to put undue burden on the police. “We are challenging the government not to put undue burden on the police who are responsible, but for a small dimension of the issue of criminality in general, violent crimes in particular.“Wechallenge the gov ernment to utilise the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture to put in place programmes that can be transformative and can create education opportunities and career opportunities for young people, create camarade rie in communities, where we go back and put in programmes within our Over-the-Hill commu nities and family island communities,” Mr Pintard said.Statistics released by former commissioner of Police Paul Rolle in Febru ary said there was a seven percent increase in rape with 48 matters reported in 2021 and 45 the year before. There was also an increase in the category of attempted rapes, with six last year and five in 2020, representing an increase of Unlawful20. sexual inter course declined by 23 percent with 125 in 2021 compared with the 163 that were reported in 2020. That same month, State Minister for Social Services and Urban Development Lisa Rahming suggested a need for public education on gender-based violence issues, including marital rape, following the spike in sexual assault incidents this year.
FREE National Move ment leader Michael Pintard wants a “proper assessment” of who in the country is still “food insecure” and needs the aid of social assistance programmes. Previously, Prime Minis ter Phillip Davis said that as the economy opened the Bahamian people would have less need of the social assistance programmes. Mr Pintard said the Min istry of Social Services and Urban Development should take another look at the amount of funds that are being provided to assist Bahamian families. “For those of us that manage constituencies who are still very much active in the community, we know that many families are struggling in terms of food security,” he said. Mr Pintard added that though he believes social workers are doing their best to address the problems in the provisional systems, the unspoken stipulation that households with gov ernment workers are not qualified for certain assis tance should be reviewed. “One of the issues that exist in many of our com munities is that sometimes you have a household of five. If you are in Abaco or Grand Bahama, that household could be larger, because there are multiple families living under the same roof, because they can’t afford accommoda tions,” he said. “One member may be a reserved police officer and there seems to be a policy that is applied that if you have a government worker in the house that you don’t qualify for certain types of assistance, but when the presence of the govern ment worker is a temporary arrangement, there defi nitely needs to be a deeper dive.”Mr Pintard followed these concerns by adding that The Bahamas is underresourced in the area of social services and in meet ing the needs of Bahamians. “I believe that social workers are doing their best to address the prob lems that we have. But we need additional assistance in terms of additional social workers who are trained and in terms of interven ing in these situations and detecting these social chal lenges that we have,” he said.In March, COVID-19 feeding data shared with the government from the World Bank revealed the COVID-19 National Food Distribution Task Force distributed 1.447 million food parcels and vouchers to needy Bahamians at the height of the pandemic. Susan Larson, who ran the National Food Distribu tion Task Force created by the former Minnis admin istration, disclosed the detailed records covering the criteria it used to iden tify the 14,427 households that became the primary focus for the $53m, 70-week initiative.
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
“In our administration, the last administration and the PLP administra tion before us, high level Cabinet delegations went to Haiti to speak with the Haitian government con cerning some initiatives that might be entered into to encourage Haitian migrants to remain at home and not risk their lives,” he said. For his part, FNM leader Michael Pintard said some of the initiatives dis cussed were farming and encouraging Bahamian companies to establish themselves in Haiti. “We thought initiatives like this could’ve gone a long way in helping to encourage Haitians to stay at home with an oppor tunity for employment at home,” he said. He added that while the use of Maritime Law enforcement is good, it might not be sufficient to mitigate the problem in The Bahamas.
CALL FOR ‘PROPER ASSESSMENT’ OF WHO IS STILL IN NEED
By LETRE SWEETING
BOAT SURVIVORS TO BE DEPORTED THIS WEEK from page one
“My former colleagues in the Defense force assure us on a daily basis that they are doing all that they can to hold the frontline and mitigate illegal immi grants in The Bahamas. But Maritime Law enforce ment alone, we at the Free National Movement, don’t believe will cut it in this instance.”InJuly, police said some 50 people were travel ling in rough seas near Blackbeard’s Cay on a 33ft twin engine vessel when it overturned resulting in the death of 17 Haitian migrants.Officers suspected the boat had been travelling to Miami as a part of a human smuggling operation. The incident brought attention to the continued rise in the crisis in Haiti involving gang related vio lence that many citizens risk their lives to escape from, oftentimes illegally voyaging Caribbean waters.
TWO CHARGED WITH CAUSING HARM
By LETRE SWEETING
MICHAEL Pintard speaking yesterday. Photo: Moise Amisial
It is not clear when the memorial for Haitian migrants who died at sea will be held; however local activist Louby Georges said he is hopeful that the event will happen at the end of the“Themonth.sooner, the better but there’s a certain pro cess again that we have to go through which is ongo ing as we speak,” he said in a recent interview with The Tribune “I would say that we are maybe in the final stages. If you choose a funeral home then you know that the funeral home has to go to that morgue at that hospital to retrieve bodies to begin to prepare the bodies for a funeral so hopefully, by the end of this month it will be done.”Asfor the burial costs, the Haitian government has already committed to cov ering the funeral expenses of unidentified victims who perished at sea last month.
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
By LETRE SWEETING
PAGE 4, Wednesday, August 17, 2022 THE TRIBUNE
BAIL GRANTED IN GUN POSSESSION CASE
FORMER Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield urged govern ment to state how it plans to address the increase in illegal migrants from Haiti. After comments from Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis rejecting the idea of absorbing ille gal immigrants from Haiti due to lack of resources after the death of several of them at sea in July, Mr Henfield said he believes there must be a more stra tegic effort taken to address the“Weissue.want to know what the government plans to do to address the ongoing situation with which we believe will inspire more Haitians to take this dan gerous journey in search of a better life,” he said yesterday during a Free National Movement press conference.
TWO men were arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday on sepa rate charges of causing harm.Lorenzo Farrington, 19, faced acting Chief Magis trate Subusola Swain on a charge of causing harm. On August 6 in the area of Mason’s Addition, Far rington is alleged to have caused harm to Rebah Pennerman. In court, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge. As there was no objec tion from Prosecutor Inspector Lincoln McKen zie, $3,000 bail was grated to the accused with one surety.The magistrate then warned Farrington not to have any contact with the complainant in this matter. Farrington’s trial is set for October 27. The second man, Fadner Novalus, also stood before Magistrate Swain on a simi lar charge.
Dr Minnis also expressed his views on the government’s plans to rewrite the Public Procure mentInitially,Act. the Davis administration had planned to amend the act; how ever, Mr Pinder said Cabinet decided to rewrite it because the legislation in its current format had sev eral “material issues” that restricted the government’s ability to govern effectively and respond to “real life” situations.DrMinnis said while his government also had several concerns with the bill in its drafted form, they decided to advance it because they felt it was in the country’s best inter est, especially in terms of making governments more transparent.“Theyvoted for it. They did not oppose it,” he said. “The thing about public procurement is that when we discussed it, we had challenges also. We had concerns and one of the great concerns was that you were going to remove certain powers away from politicians and it was going to be more transparent and that was a great debate among us in terms of our Cabinet (meetings).”“Wedecided that the country had to be first. We had to move, advance the country forward in terms of transparency, equality and fairness to all so we made the decision that that was the proper thing to do and we knew that we would’ve had challenges, but we also knew that there were ways in which you could do cer tainThethings.”former prime min ister added: “We would’ve ran into in terms of obsta cles, but they voted for it and it’s the proper thing to do to advance the country forward so that all contracts are transparent, fair play, etcetera, because many people feel that contracts are issued and they were not given fair play, a greater opportunity, a fair chance, etc.”“I think it was the proper thing to do and we had the challenges and concerns that they had, but the coun try must always be first.”
‘WHY IS GOVT NOT PRIORITISING REGULATING MARIJUANA?’
FREE National Move ment leader Michael Pintard is disappointed that the government has not pri oritised regulating the use of medicinal marijuana. The move, he said, would open the door to a new industry in the country. During a press con ference yesterday, Mr Pintard addressed the issue of the government’s delay in bringing marijuana legis lation to Parliament. Mr Pintard said he was concerned that the gov ernment, having taken a position while in opposition on this matter, seemed to be having difficulties going through the pieces of leg islation that were already left in place, saying: “We are uncertain when it will come.”Headded that in stating this piece of legislation should be a priority, espe cially because people who have been convicted of pos session of small quantities of marijuana should not continue to have criminal records.Hemade the remarks yesterday at the FNM’s headquarters on Mackey Street.“We believe that it is absolutely important for us not to criminalise per sons who are caught with small amounts of canna bis. We believe that there are alternative sentenc ing mechanisms that are already in place - coun seling, for treatment, for community work, etc. “We should expunge all of those records. We raised this issue during the exer cise where the government sought to expunge records of persons convicted of simple COVID offences, the opposition fully sup ported that move. We also thought that it would be appropriate to at the same time expunge the records of persons found with small quantities of marijuana,” he said.“We had those discus sions through the marijuana commission consultant, widely with the public and we have spoken with other stakeholders inclu sive of the faith-based organisations and other stakeholders,” Mr Pintard said. “The Attorney Gen eral was the most bullish in wishing to delay it to incor porate it in, as he puts it, the legislation related to the cannabis industry and I sus pect restorative justice. We are disappointed that this was not acted on and given the timeline that this gov ernment operates on, we are uncertain when it will come.”MrPintard said he plans to hold the government accountable in addressing this issue before the end of this“Ouryear. young people deserve an opportunity, all the Bahamians deserve an opportunity to travel with a clean police record in order to go on a job and earn a living for their families.” In addition, Mr Pintard said that the marijuana legislation is an overdue piece of legislation that can open up tremendous possibilities in agriculture for The Bahamas, with the industrialisation of the nonstimulant industrial hemp. “When we talk about legislation around canna bis and industrial health, we know that there is a multi-billion dollar indus try that is derived from the cultivation and processing of industrial hemp. “What is required is for the government to engage the various stakeholders who’ve previously been in discussions with the Free National Movement and to see whether or not any sensibilities would have changed over the course of the last several months? So again, we support consulta tion. What we do believe is a waste of time, is for this government to take an inor dinate, unnecessarily long period of time,” he said. Mr Pintard concluded his statements by adding that a wide range of agriculture and industrial products can be produced from this plant.“The key is to make sure that we are not cultivating it, in the same environment, where for example, canna bis may be cultivated.”
FROM left, Pharez Cooper, president of GBAA and co-chair of NACAC Championship; Norris Bain, deputy director of the Ministry of Sports and deputy director of NACAC; Chevonia McBride, of Min istry of Grand Bahama and co-chair of NACAC; and Mike Serralto, Competition/Technical Director of NACAC Area Championships. Photo: Denise Maycock/Tribune Staff aims to address the coun try’s citizenship issues. Attorney General Ryan Pinder foreshadowed the move during a press con ference at the Office of the Prime Minister last week. “I can only speak what was our position when I was prime minister and we felt that there should be equal ity in terms of women being able to pass their citizenship on to their children regard less of which part of the world they are and where they are born, and we were going to ensure that that was done,” Dr Minnis told reporters at the Baha Mar Resort yesterday on the sidelines of a regional heads of government climate change conference.
THE TRIBUNE Wednesday, August 17, 2022, PAGE 5
FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis speaking to the press at the regional meeting of Carib bean Heads of Government. Photo: Austin Fernander
By LETRE SWEETING
“We were prepared to bring in legislation and we understood the chal lenges, legislation versus constitution, and it can be challenged.”Currently, children born outside of the country to a married Bahamian woman and a foreign man are not automatically granted Bahamian citizenship and thus must apply to receive it. Bahamian men who have children with foreign women out of wedlock also cannot automatically pass on citizenship to their children.Efforts through a ref erendum to change the Constitution to equalise citizenship rights for men and women failed in 2002 andDr2016.Minnis said before legislation is presented to Parliament, he believes there needs to be a com prehensive educational campaign so Bahamians can know what equalising rights to citizenship means for the country. He said: “I think the way forward once it’s done it’s essential that before it’s done an extensive educa tion process should ensue so the Bahamian populace understands exactly what you’re trying to do and what was done in the past and (why it) failed, etc. “But I think that in terms of equality that’s the proper way to go, but education is the most important thing and, like I said, when I was prime minister, we had discussed, it and we were going to do Yesterday,it.”
THE Grand Bahama Sports Complex in Freeport has undergone a facelift and significant improve ment in preparation for the North American, Central American, and Car ibbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Championships set for August 19 to 21. This major athletic meet will attract 400 world ath letes and expects to set the stage for Grand Bahama to become “the events capital of the Bahamas.” It is the first time that a sports event of such magnitude is being hosted in Freeport. The upgrades to the sports complex included the investment of $120,000 worth of equipment and track improvements by Mondo of over $50,000. A NACAC official reported that 92 percent of the original 453 athletes surveyed will compete in Grand Bahama, including The Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller Uibo, and Shericka Jackson, of Jamaica, among others.Deputy director of sports Norris Bain, who also serves as deputy director of NACAC, said the gov ernment made a significant investment to upgrade the facility.“Icommend and congrat ulate the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture under Minister Mario Bowleg, and the Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey for ensuring this event is pulled off on GB,” he said. Mr Bain said that all the equipment acquired would become the property of the GB Sports Complex for future sports events. “We have some legacy pieces that are being left here in GB. And so, we will not have to be sending for equipment from Nassau. And you are aware that GB has been dubbed ‘the events capital of The Baha mas,’ he said. “We have over $120,000 worth of equipment that will become the property of this facility to manage, and the amount of work being done on the track by Mondo is well over $50,000. There has been a lot of painting, and we will con tinue to improve the facility to hold future events on the island.”MrBain indicated that significant beautification in the area leading to the stadium has also been undertaken through the ‘Beautiful GB’ programme under the Ministry for Grand Bahama and the Grand Bahama Port Authority.“Ithasbeen a great part nership to make sure we put our best foot forward because we want to attract other events here to this stadium. Every time an event comes here, it will always result in some legacy piece being left here for people of GB,” he said. Mike Serralto, compe tition/technical director NACAC, said the NACAC Area Open Champion ships to be held in Grand Bahama is very significant. “The NACAC Area Open Championship is one of the six areas of World Athletics,” he explained. “We have 400 athletes out of 453 from the original survey that decided to come here. It represents a 92 per cent participation from the original survey. Normally, we have a drop of 10 to15 percent when we have a heavy season, and we have a very good number of par ticipants that will be here.” Team US has 80 com petitors that account for the largest number of athletes, followed by Canada and Jamaica. The Bahamas has some 40 NACACtheAccordingcompetitors.toMrSerralto,athletescompetingatChampionships
in Grand Bahama will have the chance for auto matic qualifying for the World Championships in Budapest.Itguarantees automatic qualifying for Pan Ameri can Games this coming year in Chile. And the relays, the top two teams also qual ify for the Pan American Games.Serralto said they are “hoping for a great championship”.“Theprevious champion ship was the biggest one as far as records broken and as far as participation,” he said. “And in Toronto 2018, we had an even share of broken records between genders - we had 14 records broken in men and 14 in women. If we can break 28 here, it would be outstanding.”PharezCooper, president of GBAAA, and co-chair of NACAA Championships, said this year’s NACAC championships in GB will have a major impact for us. “This championship boasts of some of the best sprinters in the world, best throwers in the world. This region has been dubbed the best region for Track and Field, and we are glad to host the area champions, former area champions, world championships, and welcome everyone to GB,” heChevoniasaid. McBride, of the Ministry for Grand Bahama, and co-chair of the NACAC event, said that they are excited to have so many athletes participat ing in the Anita Doherty NACAC Open Champion shipShe2022.said the event would provide a significant eco nomic trickle-down effect on Grand Bahama for hotels, transportation, res taurants, shops, cab drivers, and tour operators. “It is not only a track event, but also a cultural experience that we want the athletes to participate in,” sheMssaid.McBride said the event would kick off with a motorcade on Wednesday, August 17, at 4pm, from the Our Lucaya Hotel through the City of Freeport. It will end at the Port Lucaya Marketplace with a Cul tural Explosion and a Meet and Greet with the athletes from Team Bahamas. She thanked all the major sponsors, including Aliv and Cable Bahamas, Freeport Harbour, Free port Container Port, GB Port Authority, FOCOL, Sawyer’s Fresh Market, City of Freeport Council, Curley Tail Services, and various government agen cies, including the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, and the Ministry of Grand Bahama.MsMcBride encourages residents to support the event. Tickets are avail able at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex.
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
GRAND BAHAMA GETS READY FOR NACAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Minnis: Equal rights is proper way to go from page one
In January, commu nications director in the Office of the Prime Minister, Latrae Rah ming, announced that the Davis administration was expected to bring legisla tion for a cannabis industry in the first quarter of this year.In June, the government said it would introduce a “regulatory framework” for the cannabis industry and to expunge the records of young people convicted of minor offences related to use of the drug as part of its five-year legislative agenda.Last week, Agricul ture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs Minister Clay Sweeting said he is hopeful that the government’s marijuana legalisation will be pre sented to Parliament before the end of the year.
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 . Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991 EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972Published daily Monday to Friday Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES News & General Information (242) 322-1986 Advertising Manager (242) 502-2394 Circulation Department (242) 502-2386 Nassau fax (242) 328-2398 Freeport, Grand Bahama (242)-352-6608 Freeport fax (242) 352-9348 WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com @tribune242 tribune news network PAGE 6, Wednesday, August 17, 2022 THE TRIBUNE
THE sight of three former Prime Ministers standing alongside the current occupant of that office at yes terday’s Caribbean regional heads of government meeting was a powerful image – particularly as Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis called for unity with regard to climate change. And while our political leaders have their differences over many things –sometimes you think they would even argue over which day of the week it is –they have been consistent over the years in warning of the dangers of climate change.Back in 2009, then leader of the nation Hubert Ingraham warned the UN Con vention on Climate Change that it “is a serious threat to our economic viability, our social development and our territo rialWhenintegrity”.Perry Christie came to office, he warned the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Conven tion on Climate Change in Paris that climate change was “the greatest exis tential threat that The Bahamas has everMrfaced”.Davis’ immediate predecessor, Dr Hubert Minnis, called on world leaders at the United Nations General Assem bly in 2019 to treat climate change as the greatest challenge facing humanity. He asked: “When one storm can obliterate an island-state or a number of states in one hurricane season: how will we sur vive, how can we develop, how will we continue to exist?” Mr Davis has taken up the challenge, and has spoken on the topic around the world. And now, on our doorstep, with leaders in attendance from across the region, he called for action. He warned: “Our countries are strug gling with debts accumulated by climate disasters. What does this mean for the development of our nations, when our risk profile is becoming so severe that insurers question their willingness to offer risk facilities to offset climate dis asters? Put simply, we are in danger of becoming uninsurable. “Many if not all of us have already faced challenges in accessing climaterelated funds. By acting in common cause, we can move with more author ity and with greater impact to address legacy issues, which have held us back from making meaningful progress.” Mr Davis put forward practical sug gestions to work together on a joint solution to insurance and climate risk facilities, putting the emphasis on finance. But he also urged the use of an index to highlight the areas of vulner ability affecting small island states. There are more areas that need to be tackled, of course. There are questions about what we are doing at home to mitigate climate change – whether that’s switching from greenhouse gas-emitting sources of power generation, for exam ple, or changing our planning rules to prevent construction in areas predicted to be affected by flooding as waters rise. In 2019, The Tribune published maps showing the projected effect of climate change and rising seas – with most of Grand Bahama, Abaco and Spanish Wells to be under flood levels by 2050, along with much of Crooked Island, Acklins, Andros and Cat Island – as well as eastern and southern parts of New Providence.Theeffects of that will be felt financially, but it will also be seen in population movement. We will become the migrants, fleeing from the floods, seeking to move to safer land – if we cannot tackle the challenge in front of us.Previously in this column, we sug gested it might be helpful to recruit former Prime Ministers Christie and Ingraham to help lead the charge on cli mate change, with Dr Minnis too if he wasSowilling.toseeall of them standing together, and to hear all of their words down the years on this one subject, is as strong a reason to take their words seriously as you could Politicianswish.rarely agree. And yet here are our leaders saying time and again down the years that disaster is coming, to the point where it is almost here. What are we going to do about it? Mr Davis’ suggestions are a start – but they must not be the end of it. It will take cooperation, it will take hard work, both overseas and here at home. But it is good to see it on the agenda. This is a moment to make change count – we must not let it pass.
United front in tackling climate change
HUTCHESONEDWARD AugustNassau,
PEOPLE walk before gathering to watch the Perseid meteor shower among ancient statues atop Mount Nemrut in southeastern Turkey on Friday last week. Hundreds spent the night at the UNESCO World Heritage Site for the annual meteor show that stretches along the orbit of the comet Swift–Tut tle. Perched at an altitude of over 7,000 feet, the statues are part of a temple and tomb complex that King Antiochus I, of the ancient Commagene kingdom, built as a monument to Photo:himself.Emrah Gurel/AP
EDITOR, The Tribune. THERE has been an alarming uptick in mur ders over the past couple of months and, as always, there are voices giving causes and solutions and the political voices are not least among them. One side seems content to let the other stew because this is not their “watch”, but that does not change the fact that they are equally at fault for what is happening. Sounds like a serious charge doesn’t it? How ever, if they are both to blame, a presumption can be made that they can cor rect or bring remedy if they really want to. I make this charge upon the fact that there is not an agency of the government in this nation that has not been infected by “politicism”. Every five years, even if there is not a change in government there are changes that undermine the efficiencies of the vari ous agencies. The Police Force may be the one that is hardest hit, by the “now you’re in, now you’re out” game that is more like musical chairs. How can Education, Health, Police and Defence Force, the Judiciary and other entities develop as credible and efficient bodies if the politicians are allowed to do this nonsense every time there is a change in administration. I applaud what the Attorney General had to say last week, but if “politicians” can’t agree on what is priority for proper governance the AG and the Prime Minister are just blowing smoke at a time when they are not on the campaign trail. The fabric of society and culture has been negatively impacted by the short sightedness of leaders who cannot see beyond their allegiance to their support ers, they seem blind to the reality that policing, educa tion and the rule of law must be seen as models of stabil ity. How many persons have to be retired and rehired before these “learned men” understand that this is not making any sense. 14, 2022.
Speaker of the House LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net
PICTURE OF THE DAY
EDITOR, The Tribune MAY IT please your Maj esty, I have neither eye to see nor tongue to speak in this place, but as the House is pleased to direct me. This famous declara tion by Speaker William Lenthall in 1642 was the beginning of the separa tion of the Speakership from the king of England and has served as the stand ard required of a presiding officer in the Westminster system.There has been much commentary on the con duct of the present and the former Speaker of the House of Assembly. Mostly the problems related to the job of presiding over the House in a fair manner, making rulings and keep ing order in the chamber. These issues, in part, are relatable to how we have valued the Parliament, its traditions and its presiding officers. I attribute the per formances of the Speakers to several reasons which areFirstly,correctable.Ihave always maintained that persons elected to the House of Assembly should not be (chosen) as Speaker during their first term as a Member of Parliament. Selection to the office of Speaker ought to be a process. There are too many nuances for a rookie member of Parlia ment to navigate when presiding over an adver sarial chamber such as the House of Assembly. The normal path in Westmin ster parliaments is to first be elected as a Deputy Speaker, get familiarised with those nuances and gain invaluable experience. Secondly, there ought to be put in place adequate training for the Speaker. This could take the form of a written booklet that explains all of the rules and conventions of the Westminster system. This should detail the funda mentals of the principles of the Separation of Powers, Collective and Individual responsibility and the working knowledge of the Constitution and how to apply the House Rules of Procedure.Thetraining should also include sessions with the Clerk of the House who should explain the nuances to the presiding officer pointing out what you can and cannot do. Thirdly, the local branch of the Commonwealth Par liamentary Association (CPA) should plan its own local seminars where the Speaker could benefit from the wisdom and experience of former parliamentarians and others who may have some understanding of the Westminster system and its conventions.Fourthly, Speakers should be exposed to con ventions, seminars and workshops organised by the Commonwealth Parlia mentary Association (CPA) and other parliaments in the region and in the wider commonwealth. These seminars and workshops are particularly useful for newly elected presiding officers as I have found that colleagues in the region are happy to share their knowl edge and experiences. Now in the British House of Commons the conven tion has evolved where the Speakership has been mostly separated from the political party. The prac tice now is that once you are elected Speaker you are expected to resign from your political party. This gives the office of Speaker a certain level of inde pendence and autonomy. The freedom, impartiality and objectivity which flow naturally from this inde pendence are invaluable to a presiding Moreover,officer.the conven tion also includes the electoral benefit that if the Speaker, having dem onstrated fairness and impartiality in presiding over the House, is generally permitted to run unop posed in the next general election. This convention in Britain was entrenched in the mid-eighteenth century. This convention, how ever, is a big ask for the Bahamian parlia mentary context. My recommendation to address the independence of the Speaker is for the parlia ment to enact the necessary legislation to unshackle the Office of Speaker from the overwhelming influence of his political party, and arm the speakership with the necessary freedom so that the office holder could channel his first loyalty to the parliament rather than to the party. Sir Alvin Braynen was the first Speaker in the modern political democ racy. He has been the only one who could be considered as truly inde pendent. Sir Alvin had been a member of the House from 1935 when he was first elected as a Member for Cat Island. His other thirty years in the House were spent representing his beloved Harbour Island. Sir Alvin had many years of experience in the House of Assembly and even served a term as Deputy Speaker prior to his elec tion as Speaker in 1967. He won election in 1967 as an independent Member for Harbour Island and when he was elected Speaker, he did not have the baggage of a political party he had to slavishly adhere to. Sir Alvin had the free dom to be fair, independent and fearless. His independ ence was demonstrated in a high-profile confrontation he had with the Premier, Lynden Pindling, in 1969 after the death of the House Clerk, Jack Smith in June of that year. Sir Lynden proposed to appoint a senior officer from the Cabinet Office to serve as Clerk of the House. Sir Alvin objected strongly to the proposal and told Sir Lynden in no uncertain terms that he would never agree to the proposal so long as he served as Speaker. He argued that since Sir Lynden was head of the executive branch of gov ernment, he had no right to appoint anyone to serve in the House of Assembly. Sir Alvin wrote the following to Sir ChannelingLynden: Speaker Lenthall 380 years earlier, Sir Alvin wrote the follow ing to the Premier. “The House needs the cleri cal assistance for which I am asking, and because the House of Assembly is an “independent” cham ber of the legislature, its Speaker is not in power to accept any help from the Cabinet Office. The “inde pendence” of our chamber, I cannot surrender to the Cabinet Office, even if I wished to do so, with out instruction from the House.”Hecontinued: “I abso lutely refuse to have any officer of the House under the Cabinet Office’s influ ence or acting under the instructions of the Cabinet.”Itisa bit refreshing to see what true independ ence could mean for the Parliament of the Bahamas and its Speaker. I would urge the government to train-up and free-up the Speakership so that this most important democratic institution could operate as it was meant to work.
MAURICE TYNES AugustNassau, 15, 2022.
Increase in murders To advertise in The 502-2394contactTribune,
She told this newspaper that she assumed her daughter went for a jog as she often did. Panic started to set in, she said, when she was not able to reach her that“So,morning.whenI called her phone, I did not get no answer,” she said. “I kept calling, but did not get no answer, but I checked the phone and saw it had no data so I went and put on a data plan on her so that she might callDespiteme.” her efforts, on Friday morn ing, she later filed a missing person report at the Groove police station. Ms Woodside said she also checked the Accident and Emergency Depart ment of the Princesses Margaret Hospital. However, nothing was dis covered by this check. As she expressed dismay over her daughter’s whereabouts, Ms Wood side clung to her granddaughter as she reflected on the death of her son who was killed in a police-involved shooting.“Ihave another daughter who is in the States and here is my grandbaby. This is my son’s daughter - the police killed him in 2017.” According to residents of the area, Rochellda was seen walking along Lincoln Boulevard toward her house, however she never made it there. Ms Woodside is praying her daugh ter will return home as she has already done all that she can and is waiting on God for an answer. “I love her, but God loves her more. I pray she comes back, but I know she will come back,” she said.
In view of this, the mag istrate bound Francis over to keep the peace for sixmonths for the drug charge or risk a $500 fine or three months in custody. For the assault charge Magistrate McKinney granted the accused bail at $1,500 with oneFrancis’ssurety. trial for the assault charge is set for Sep tember 21. The second man, Job Ferguson, 34, represented by Attorney Milton Cox, went before Acting Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to Onsupply.August 14 in New Providence, Ferguson is alleged to have been found by police with one and a quarter ounces of Indian Hemp. In court the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge. As there was no objec tions from Prosecutor Inspector Lincoln McKen zie, Ferguson was granted bail in the sum of $3,000 with one Ferguson’ssurety.trial begins on October 14.
TWO men were arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday on sepa rate drug charges. Delano Francis, 27, appeared before Magis trate Samuel McKinney on charges of possession of dangerous drugs and assaulting a police officer. On August 11 in New Providence Francis was arrested after he was found with one gram of Indian Hemp. During this same incident he is further accused of assaulting a female officer while she was executing her duties. While Francis pleaded guilty to the drug charge in court he pleaded not guilty to assaulting a police officer. The accused said that the complainant officer was trying to take the weed out of his hand during the arrest. While Francis claimed he eventually gave up the weed, he also sug gested the female officer only injured her fingernail in the act of taking the drugs from him.
WOMEN ACCUSED OF $300 GROCERY
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
TWO women were each granted $500 bail in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday after allegedly stealing almost $300 worth of groceries from Super Value.Mylan Dean, 21, and Nikita Spence, 28, both appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence A Rolle Davis on a shared charge of stealing. On August 9 at the Prince Charles Drive Super Value, the pair was accused of stealing $287.61 worth of groceries, including various food, cleaning supplies and child care products. In court both accused pleaded not guilty to the charge. As there was no objection to bail each woman was granted $500 bail. Their trial will begin on October 4.
THE death of 30-year-old Shaquille Williams in a traf fic accident on Saturday was a shock to relatives who are now grieving over a life cut short.Police said the victim, a resident of Imperial Park, was travelling north on Golf Course Boulevard at around 8.40pm when he lost control of a white 2008 Ford Explorer and crashed into a utility pole. He was taken to the hospital by Emergency Medical Services where he later died of his injuries. Gilbert Williams, Sha quille’s father, told The Tribune in an interview that his son had to be cut from the vehicle to be taken to theHehospital.recalled that he drove right past the scene on his way home, not knowing his son was involved in the accident at Charles Saunders Highway and Seabreeze Lane. At home, he eventually saw a message from his son’s cousin asking him to return a call immediately. Mr Williams said that by the time he got in touch with his son’s cousin, his son had already been removed from the car and carried to the hospital where he later died of his injuries. “He lives with his mother,” Mr Williams said. “He had gotten home after work around 6pm and shortly after that he went out again. He was going around the corner to get something and he was coming right back. I don’t know much about the accident except that he crashed into a wall and a utility pole.” After officially identify ing his son’s body Monday morning, Mr Williams, who is the national director at Special Olympics Bahamas, said though his son was very athletic as a former national soccer player and track team member, he never took chances on the road and was a defensive driver, only having ever been in one small fender bender several years ago. “The last time he was in an accident it was the other person’s fault, but no one had gotten hurt,” he said. He added that this acci dent came as a shock. He said: “It was totally unexpected. This was defi nitely a blow for us all.” Shaquille was always respectful and never caused any trouble to those around him, Mr Williams said. “I’ve never had any trou ble like that with him. He was very mannerly. Eve rybody talks about how respectful he was. And that’s what he was.” AFTER TRAFFIC FATALITY ROCHELLDA “DADAH” WOODSIDE
By LETRE SWEETING
Mother’s plea to missing Rochellda
FIVE days after a 27-year-old woman went missing, her mother remains hopeful that she will return homeAccordingsafely. to police, Rochellda “Dadah” Woodside was last seen on Thursday, August 11, at her residence on Washington Street. Carmelita Woodside, Rochellda’s mother, told The Tribune yesterday that she is trying to remain strong as the days since her daughter was last seen continue to wear on. “I feel bad, but I remain strong because I believe in God,” Ms Wood side said at her Washington Street home. “I know God can break any chain, so I believe she is coming (home).”Themother of three said her daugh ter’s experience might be a testimony, despite the current situation. According to Ms Woodside, Rochellda said she would return home by 6pm on August 11, but she failed to do so. “When I woke up Friday morning at 6am, I checked her bed and I did not see her,” the 58-year-old mother said.
FAMILY MOURNS
THEFT
THE TRIBUNE Wednesday, August 17, 2022, PAGE 7 TWO FACE COURT OVER DRUGSSEPARATECHARGES
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
After the referendum, will law bring equality?
in the referendum.
launching the referendum on equality.
IN 2014, then Prime Minister Perry Christie announced the gender equality referendum which was to be held in Novem ber of that year. The referendum was postponed numerous times until it was finally held in June 2016, and the majority of voters said “no” to all four proposed constitutional amendment bills. This week, there is discussion about the Davis-led admin istration’s plan to amend the Bahamas Nationality Act to bring gender-equal nationality law, avoiding another referendum which is required to amend the constitution.Oneofthe reasons for the rejection of the four constitutional amendment bills — three of which were specific to citizenship rights — was the failure of the government to recognize that a referendum is not an event, but a process. It is not enough to draft bills, set a date, and announce it to the public. Much more is required to meaningfully engage the public, ensure that accurate information is shared, and the electorate is confident in its under standing of what is being proposed and the outcome of consenting to the pro posed changes. There must be sufficient resources, including time, money, and expertise, to educate and engage the public. Even when information was shared and sessions were held to inform the public, it often did not start at the point that people really needed clarification. Presentations and conver sations were largely focused on the four bills. This is, of course, important, but it is not enough. People needed to first understand the con stitution. What is it? Where did it come from? Why does it have gender inequality in the first place? What does it mean that the constitu tion is supreme law? Why do we need a referendum to amend the constitu tion? How do we know that it is okay to amend the constitution? What is the difference, in effect, between amending the constitution and amending legislation? These ques tions get at the basics, and they help to give a better understanding of the course of action the government has identified as necessary and more effective than any alternative.Asidefrom basic civic education — which ought to be a part of the school curriculum at all grade levels and in all schools — it is important to clearly state what the exercise is and is not meant to achieve. In addition, it is absolutely necessary to bust myths. When myths are wide spread, repeated frequently by large numbers of people, they can easily drown out the truth. When it seems there are no responses to misinformation, it is easier for people to believe it. It was especially damaging, in 2014, that misinforma tion and myths were being circulated faster and before accurate information. The referendum was announced before the government was prepared to equip people with the information needed to make the best possible decision. All four of the con heartoPeopleticularlywerechangestoguageandconstitutionguagestory.gettingwedo,wasgovernmentderedTheyhiddensearchedpublic.themysteriousbillsamendmentstitutionalseemedtogeneralPeopleforaagenda.wonwhatthetryingtosurethatwerenotthefullThelaninthethelanusedexplainthetoitnotparclear.neededreadandaboutthe
intended to make it so that spouses of Bahamian women could apply for citi zenship in the same way as the spouses of Bahamian men.The third bill was to allow Bahamian men to pass on citizenship to their chil dren born out of wedlock. Article 14 of the constitu tion says that, where a child born out of wedlock is con cerned, any references to father (within this chapter of the constitution) should be take to mean the mother of that child. Such children, then, are considered to have no fathers. This is what pre vents Bahamian men from passing on citizenship to their children born out of wedlock.Onreferendum day, the majority of the people who showed up to partici pate voted no on all four constitutional amendment bills, including the one that aimed to add “sex” to the prohibited grounds of dis crimination in Article 26 of the constitution. For many, that seemed like the end of the discussion. As we now know, it was not. Gender inequality still exists in the constitution. There are still Bahamians who are unable to pass on citizenship to their spouses and children. These people are affected in various ways, from spending time and money on resident and work per mits to living elsewhere because it is too difficult and exhausting to navigate the systems here. We still need to address this issue. Legislation will not com pletely solve the problem. It is a temporary fix until we are able to make the necessary changes to the constitution. Amending the constitution requires a yes vote from the major ity of the people who vote. Amending legislation does to have the same require ment. It also does not have exactly the same effect. The government is responsible for recognising, upholding, and expanding human rights. It must take action to ensure that people can pass on citizen ship equally. It cannot do this through the constitu tion without undertaking the referendum process, regarding and planning for it as more than a oneday event. It can, however, make changes to legislation to give people who have been previously excluded the ability to access citizen shipTherights.Attorney General has announced that the Bahamas Nationality Act will be amended for this purpose. The Prime Min ister, though, has stated that gender-equal citizen ship is not a priority for this administration, so this is not expected to be addressed thisAsyear.we have come to expect, a the leader of a particular religious lobby group has objected to the legislative amendment. He questioned this route, suggesting that if it was legitimate, it would have been done instead of two referenda. He clearly lacks understanding of the law, the difference between the constitution and legisla tion, and the commitments The Bahamas has already made to recognise, protect, and promote human rights which cannot depend on the whims of people. It is important to note that the constitution is supreme law. Legislation is useful, legislation can be changed, and legislation can be chal lenged. Ultimately, we need gender-equal citizenship rights enshrined in the con stitution. Until we are able to do that, we need to use what we have, and that is legislation. Surely, there is no good, loving God who would object to genderequal nationality laws, the protection of women’s human rights, or children’s right to nationality. As the government continues to delay the amendments to the Baha mas Nationality Act, it must be reminded that this is not enough. It is one step that is important to take, not on its own, but while we work toward the nec essary amendment of the constitution. This requires a properly planned and resourced process which must include a robust public education and sensitisation campaign.TheCommittee on the Convention on the Elimi nation of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) made it clear in its recommen dations to the government at the 2018 review that another referendum needs to be held, and that there must be a plan and timeline to address gender inequal ity. There is more work to be done to meet obli gations to the Bahamian people — to Bahamian women — that were made at various times in various spaces, including the ratifi cation of CEDAW and the adoption of the Sustain able Development Goals (SDGs). In the coming months, The Bahamas is required to report on its progress in various areas, including gender-equal citi zenship, to treaty bodies. Years have passed, and the situation is the same. The government will need to have more to say than, “We’re thinking about it,” or “It soon come.”
By WallaceAlicia yes vote
PAGE 8, Wednesday, August 17, 2022 THE TRIBUNE
proposed changes in language closer to their own patterns of speech. It also would have been helpful to have more information about the way gender inequality in nation ality law affect people, some of whom we know and love without having any idea what they go through to live and work in The Bahamas. The first bill was to allow Bahamian women to pass on citizenship to their chil dren. While Article 8 of the constitution states that anyone born outside of The Bahamas after July 9, 1973 is a citizen at birth if their father is a citizen, Arti cle 9 says that those born legitimately outside of The Bahamas after July 9, 1973 and their mother (only) is a citizen of The Bahamas, they may apply for citizen ship between the ages of 18 and 21. The difference here is clear. Whether or not they are born in The Bahamas, the children of Bahamian men and their non-Bahamian spouses are automatically Bahamian at the time of birth. The chil dren of Bahamian women and their non-Bahamian spouses, when born outside of The Bahamas, do not get automatic citizenship, and they, constitutionally, may apply within a narrow window. The first bill intended to make it so that Bahamian women and men have the same right to pass on citizenship to their chil dren when they are born within marriage and outside of The secondwomen.offorsuchTherequalifications.exceptionsjectcanmianmarrywomensaystiontheArticletheircitizenshiptomianallowbillBahamas.ThesecondwastoBahawomenpassontospouses.10ofconstituspecificallythatwhoBahacitizensapplysubtoasetofandisnoallowancethespousesBahamianThebill
PRIME Minister Perry Christie in 2016
‘People needed to first understand the constitution?’tothatHowconstitution?toaWhyisthedoesfirstinequalityitfrom?didWhatconstitution.isit?WhereitcomeWhydoeshavegenderintheplace?Whatitmeanthatconstitutionsupremelaw?doweneedreferendumamendthedoweknowitisokayamendthe PROTESTS in 2016 against a
In a few weeks, Equality Bahamas is training young people on advocacy for gender equality in nation ality rights. The work of civil society must continue, and it must involve young people. Those who are interested in participating in the interactive training to become youth advocates for gender-equal nationality law can get more informa tion and apply at tiny.cc/ youth4nationality.
FLORIDA UTILITY’S NEW DRONE CAN SPEED RECOVERYHURRICANE
Boom says its plane will have a top speed of 1.7 times the speed of sound, or about 1,300 mph, and carry between 65 and 80 passengers. Sceptics have questioned Boom’s ambitious timetable, especially in light of the many years it has taken Boeing, an established manufac turer, to get planes or even retrofits to planes approved by the Federal AviationNotably,Administration.Boomdoesnot yet have an engine manufacturer lined up. It is talking with Rolls Royce and others.“With a supersonic jet, you don’t design a plane, you design an engine first,” said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at consultant Aer oDynamic Advisory. “This is just a collection of free hand drawings until that engine happens.”Boom says the plane will fly entirely on sustainable aviation fuel, often made from plant material, which is currently in short supply and very expensive.
THE TRIBUNE Wednesday, August 17, 2022, PAGE 9 TECHTALK
AMERICAN AIRLINES PLACES DEPOSIT ON 20 SUPERSONIC PLANES
While American and United have said they’ll buy Boom’s plane, Delta Air Lines, the other big U.S. carrier that could use it on long international flights, isn’t ready to join them. “I have a lot more questions than answers still,” Delta CEO Ed Bas tian said Tuesday on Fox Business. “Until we are confident that we could actually generate a reliable return from the aircraft, that’s not where we’re investing.” American Airlines said the super sonic plane will change travel. “Looking to the future, supersonic travel will be an important part of our ability to deliver for our custom ers,” said Derek Kerr, the airline’s chief financial officer. The union representing Ameri can’s pilots questioned the timing of the airline’s investment in planes that won’t be available for several years at best. American has struggled this summer, canceling more than 9,300 flights since June 1 — more than double the cancellations at United, Delta or Southwest — according to FlightAware.“Investing in today’s operation should be management’s sole focus,” said Dennis Tajer, a spokesman for the“Ifunion.there aren’t any changes to how management schedules this airline and its pilots, these will just be super sonic cancellations.”
Moreover, a SaaS offering requires no “maintenance” or tuning on the part of the client.
SaaS implementations tend to be simpler; thus, the data conversion process is usually more condensed. That is, the standard process for SaaS data conversion is to convert the data once using only baseline details like con tact and membership information.Moredetailed data imports can be done but are typically outside the norm.With productattendanceasbroadandtionsmayimplementations,enterprise-leveltherebetwoormoreiteraofdataconversion,theymaycontainverysetsofdatasuchfinancialdata,eventhistory,andpurchasehistory.
SOFTWARE as a ser vice, otherwise known as SaaS, is a way of delivering applications over the Inter net – as a service. In other words, instead of installing and maintaining software, a person can simply access it via the Internet, freeing themselves from complex software and hardware management.Whyare companies moving to SaaS Software? For ease of installation and ease of upgrade. For a typical SaaS offering, the database software itself is installed and ready to run the instant a person signs the contract. Noticeably, data conversion, setup, and training have to occur in order to use the soft ware, but installation is a non-issue.Related to that, upgrades are pushed out automati cally to all users, which means improvements occur with little fanfare and no effort on the part of the user organisation.
By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer DALLAS (AP) — American Airlines has agreed to buy up to 20 supersonic jets and put down a nonrefundable deposit on the planes that are still on the drawing board and years away from flying. Neither American nor the manu facturer Boom Supersonic would provide financial details Tuesday, including the amount of American’s deposit.American, which also took options for 40 more Boom Overture planes, becomes the second U.S. customer for Boom after a similar announce ment last year from United Airlines for 15 jets. It has been nearly 20 years since the last supersonic passenger flight by Concorde, the British-French plane that failed to catch on because of the high cost — both for passen gers and airlines. Boom CEO Blake Scholl insists his company’s plane will be different when it debuts in 2029, with tickets costing about $4,000 to $5,000 to fly from New York to London in about three and one-half hours. “There are tens of millions of passengers every year flying in busi ness class on routes where Overture will give a big speed-up,” Scholl said in an interview, “and airlines will be able to do it profitably.”
• THE THEDON’TBENEFITSJUSTIFYCOSTS
The largest single pur chase many organisations will make is their data management system. For example, a smaller associa tion with about 15 staff, at the enterprise level, could make a first-year invest ment of over $150,000. For a SaaS product with similar functionality, the first-year investment might be closer to $30,000. From a cash flow perspective, that’s a huge difference. If an organisation that does not have significant reserves, or is uncomforta ble tapping those reserves, a $150,000 investment may simply be untenable.
• TRAINING Enterprise systems tend to include several days of onsite training, while SaaS offerings tend to provide online and ondemand training. Onsite training tends to provide for more in-depth discus sion of issues and may be more focused on organisa tion-specific needs, while on-demand training is, by definition, much more generic, and available whenever you need it.
Even though enterprise software offers more functionality than SaaS offerings, for many organi sations, these advantages are not significant enough to justify the higher initial expense and greater main tenance overhead required of an enterprise system.
A BOOM Supersonic Overture Aircraft. American Airlines says it has agreed to buy up to 20 supersonic jets that are still on the drawing board and years away from flying. American announced the deal Tuesday with Boom Supersonic. (Boom Supersonic via AP)
• CONVERSIONDATA
Boom, which is based in Denver and plans to build the Overture in North Carolina, says the programme will cost between $6 billion and $8 billion. The plane carries a list price of $200 million, although other man ufacturers routinely give airlines deepLastdiscounts.month, Boom announced changes to the plane’s design to make it simpler and less expensive to build and maintain. The most strik ing change was going from three engines, including a different type on the tail, to four identical engines under the delta-shaped wings. The market for four-engine planes is shrinking. The Boeing 747 is used mostly for hauling cargo now, and Airbus shut down production of the A380 in 2021. The vast majority of passenger jets flying today have two engines.Four-engine planes “are that much worse from every standpoint, from economics to emissions,” Aboulafia said.“Nobody wants more engines, the answer is fewer engines.”
ARTICLE CONTRIBUTED BY PLATO ALPHA WHAT IS SaaS AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
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By CODY AssociatedJACKSONPress WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s pri mary energy provider is ready to launch a powerful new technology, just ahead of the busiest weeks of the Atlantic hurricane season: a new fixed-wing drone designed fly into tropical storm force winds and speed the restoration of electricity after severe weather. FPLAir One resembles a small plane and is remotely operated, enabling the utility to capture and deliver images and video of damaged elec trical equipment in real time to its command centre. It can fly up to 1000 miles (1600 kil ometres) at a time — enough to cover the length of Florida twice in the immediate wake of the most damaging storms. It’s a vast improvement on bucket trucks and handheld drones when it comes to learning what a storm did at the top of a power pole. “Rather than going out and try to figure out what’s going on, we’re able to save hours and days on getting the lights on,” Florida Power and Light Chairman and CEO Eric Silagy told The Associ atedThePress.drone can even be pre-deployed when a major storm hits, skirting around to its wake and following its path across the utility’s power grid. That data can then point ground crews exactly where they need to go, he said. While satellites need sunny days to document damage, drones can fly under the cloud cover. And unlike handhelds, FPLAir One can fly in much rougher weather, remaining airborne for 22 hours without refueling. The importance of getting airborne visuals as quickly as possible became evident 30 years ago this month when Category 5 Hurricane Andrew destroyed much of the power grid along with thousands of homes across a wide swath of Miami-Dade County. Helicopters couldn’t fly until the wind settled, and the extent of the devastation wasn’t immediately clear.
MINISTER of Transport and Housing JoBeth Coleby-Davis.
LIZ Cheney pictured yesterday.
SURVEY QUIZZES BAHAMIANS ON BENEFITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
TRUMP FOE CHENEY
Clean energy law ‘to reduce global warming’
government increases opportunities for citizen participation along with 59 percent of respondents of the view that local govern ment makes government more efficient and commu nityMsfocused.Burrows said: “We hope that the relevant stakeholders will take into account these findings and consider building on the work that has already been done.”Inan interview with The Tribune, Ms Burrows said during the course of the research she was invited to meet with the advisory committee for local government in New Providence.However, months later she realised the report of the findings was released but never made it to Par liament. She consulted with their board and they decided to put together a campaign to raise greater public awareness around LocalThisGovernment.iswherethe “Imag ine Local Government” campaign was born, she said.“In April 2022, Rise Bahamas launched their campaign because they believe that communityspecific governance will bring the government ‘closer to the people.’ Additionally, the capi tal would benefit from a layer of governance below the Central Government. Furthermore, the Family Island local government entities already operating, could use strengthening,” Rise Bahamas’ press release said. Rise Bahamas, along with its campaign partners, The Organization for Respon sible Governance (ORG) and One Bahamas have committed their efforts to facilitating public aware ness of the benefits of local government.
AssociatedWASHINGTONPress
forapprovehaveofcan’tunablesonsgetouthazard.aredemolishedthereportersbyhopingvicesthemofficersrelocated.linedomesaddressedAdditionally,structures.theministerthedemolitionofinAbaco.“AugustisthedeadforthefamiliestobeLikeIsaid,theareassistingwithfromDRA,SocialSerandHousing.So,we’retostartdemolitiontheendofAugust.”MrsColeby-Davistoldyesterdaythatdomeswillhavetobebecausetheyunsafeandahealth“Personswerereachingtometoseeiftheycanthedomesafterpermovedout,butwe’retoreleasethem.Weutilisethembecausetheconditionsofthem.”Theministersaidtheyalreadygotcabinettoareallocationfundeachfamilyhavingto move out of the domes. She told reporters she believes the fund is $4,000 per family to assist with rent and other expenses once they have found new residences.Shenoted that they have a team on the ground, inclu sive of the Department of Housing, Social services, and the DRA working together to bring some res olution to the matter. She was also asked by The Tribune what plan they had for people living in domes on their own land and if they would also be given a deadline to move? Minister Coleby-Davis said that matter would fall under the DRA as it is going to be assisting with the renovations and repair of homes damaged during Hurricane Dorian. “I think that they are actually also on the ground in Abaco and Grand Bahama, doing assessments so that they can be able to price out the cost of what is left to be done in those homes, so they can get the families back in their homes as soon as possible. I’m not certain, but I heard that’s what they are doing on the ground there.”
By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net
‘Progress made’ on affordable housing
WYOMING Rep Liz Cheney, Donald Trump’s fiercest Republican adver sary in Congress, was defeated in a GOP pri mary Tuesday, falling to a rival backed by the former president in a rout that reinforced his grip on the party’s base. The third-term con gresswoman and her allies entered the day downbeat about her prospects, aware that Trump’s backing gave Harriet Hageman con siderable lift in the state where he won by the largest margin during the 2020 cam paign. Cheney was already looking ahead to a political future beyond Capitol Hill that could include a 2024 presidential run, potentially putting her on another colli sion course with Trump. Cheney described her loss as the beginning of a new chapter in her political career as she addressed a small collection of support ers, including her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, on the edge of a vast field flanked by moun tains and bales of hay. “Our work is far from over,” she said Tuesday evening, evoking Abraham Lincoln, who also lost con gressional elections before ascending to the presidency and preserving the union. The results — and the roughly 30-point margin — were a powerful reminder of the GOP’s rapid shift to the right. A party once dominated by national belongstivesbusiness-friendlysecurity-oriented,conservalikeherfathernowtoTrump,animated by his populist appeal and, above all, his denial of defeat in the 2020 election. Such lies, which have been roundly rejected by federal and state election officials along with Trump’s own attorney general and judges he appointed, transformed Cheney from an occasional critic of the former president to the clearest voice inside the GOP warning that he represents a threat to demo cratic norms. She’s the top Republican on the House panel investigating the Janu ary 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters, an attack she referenced in nodding to her political future. “I have said since Jan 6 that I will do whatever it takes to ensure Donald Trump is never again any where near the Oval Office — and I mean it,” she said. Trump and his team cele brated Cheney’s loss, which may represent his biggest political victory in a primary season full of them. The former president called the results “a complete rebuke” of the Jan 6 committee. “Liz Cheney should be ashamed of herself, the way she acted, and her spiteful, sanctimonious words and actions towards others,” he wrote on his social media platform.
MASSIVE incentives for clean energy in the US law signed yesterday by President Joe Biden should reduce future global warming “not a lot, but not insignificantly either”, according to a climate scientist who led an inde pendent analysis of the package. Even with nearly $375 billion in tax credits and other financial entice ments for renewable energy in the law, the United States still isn’t doing its share to help the world stay within another few tenths of a degree of warming, a new analysis by Climate Action Tracker says. The group of scientists examines and rates each country’s climate goals and actions. It still rates American action as “insuffi cient” but hailed some progress. “This is the biggest thing to happen to the US on climate policy,” said Bill Hare, the Australia-based director of Climate Analytics which puts out the tracker. “When you think back over the last decades, you know, not want ing to be impolite, there’s a lot of talk, but not much action.” This is action, he said. Not as much as Europe, and Americans still spew twice as much heat-trapping gases per person as Europeans, Hare said. The US has also put more heat-trapping gas into the air over time than any otherBeforenation.the law, Climate Action Tracker calculated that if every other nation made efforts similar to those of the US, it would lead to a world with catastrophic warming — 5.4 to 7.2 degrees (3 to 4 degrees Celsius) above pre-industrial times. Now in the best case scenario, which Hare said is reasonable and likely, US actions, if mimicked, would lead to only 3.6 degrees (2 degrees Celsius) of warm ing. If things don’t work quite as optimistically as Hare thinks, it would be 5.4 degrees (3 degrees Celsius) of warming, the analysis said. Even that best case scenario falls short of the overarching internation ally accepted goal of limiting warming to 2.7 degrees warming (1.5 degrees Celsius) since pre-industrial times. And the world has already warmed 2 degrees (1.1 degrees Celsius) since the mid-19th century. Other nations “who we know have been holding back on coming forward with more ambitious policies and targets” are now more likely to take action in a “significant spillover effect globally,” Hare said. He said officials from Chile and a few Southeast Asian countries, which he would not name, told him this summer that they were waiting for US action first. And China “won’t say this out loud, but I think will see the US move as something they need to match,” Hare said.Scientists at the Climate Action Tracker calculated that without any other new climate policies, US carbon dioxide emissions in 2030 will shrink to 26% to 42% below 2005 levels, which is still short of the country’s goal of cutting emissions in half. Analysts at the think tank Rhodium Group cal culated pollution cuts of 31% to 44% from the new law. Other analysts and scientists said the Climate Action Tracker numbers makes“Thesense.contributions from the US to greenhouse gas emissions are huge,” said Princeton University climate sci entist Gabriel Vecchi. “So reducing that is definitely going to have a global impact.”Samantha Gross, director of cli mate and energy at the Brookings Institution, called the new law a down payment on US emission reductions. “Now that this is done, the US can celebrate a little, then focus on imple mentation and what needs to happen next,” Gross said.
EMPLOYEES of NY State Solar, a residential and commercial photovoltaic systems com pany, install an array of solar panels on a roof in the Long Island hamlet of Massapequa, New York, this week. Massive incentives for clean energy in the US law signed yesterday by President Joe Biden should reduce future global warming “not a lot, but not insignifi cantly either.”
PAGE 10, Wednesday, August 17, 2022 THE TRIBUNE
CHEYENNE, Wyoming Associated Press
BAHAMIANS have weighed in on the benefits of local government in The Bahamas, according to a survey initiated by advo cacy group Rise Bahamas. The national survey was conducted by the market research firm Public Domain, which assisted Rise Bahamas’ exploration of national awareness and support of local government in the country.According to a press release issued by the local NGO, the survey consisted of 979 residents in The Bahamas that was con ducted between February 17th and April 11th, 2022. Of those surveyed, 82 percent were registered voters.Rise Bahamas founder Terneille Burrows, believes the findings are an indication that there is a need for a more in depth and sustained national dialogue.“Withone third of Baha mians unaware of local government, we were still able to see healthy sup port in several areas,” she said. “As more people become more familiar with the objectives through our Imagine Local Government Campaign, we anticipate greater support.” The survey was inclusive of a series of questions. It showed 53 percent respondents agreed New Providence would benefit from local government. The awareness of local government amongst Baha mians was also tested in the survey with the findings showing 66 percent of the respondents were aware of localThegovernment.survey also showed 59 percent of the respondents believe local
TRANSPORT and Housing Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis says the gov ernment is making progress regarding its affordable housing initiative.
In January, Mrs ColebyDavis announced the housing project designed to provide homes for Baha mians seeking affordable options.The Davis administra tion officially opened the Pinecrest Subdivision in New Providence, which is a part of the government’s project in New Providence. She further noted that the Renaissance, a 365-lot sub division at Carmichael, should be starting by the end of Yesterday,August.Mrs ColebyDavis told reporters that the housing initiative is pro gressing at Grand Bahama andSheAbaco.said: “In Grand Bahama I think we’re just going out to tender for the road for the 18 lots. We were able to secure 18 lots in the Heritage Subdivi sion. We will start with the 18 and then we’re looking to advance to a hundred extra lots, which I think we’re in discussions now about acquiring those 100 lots.”The minister explained that in Abaco they have a few homes already up in the Central Pines Subdivision. “We started with about ten lots. I think four is already started (and) well on their way. Hopefully we should be moving soon on the others. We will be expanding to where we’re going to be doing the demo lition of the domes. “We have our site plan that gives us 11 lots on that actual property. We’ll start there with 11 lots right across the street, I think we’re going to be doing 21 lots. So that’ll be about 32 homes in total that we get out of that particular area until we expand with infra structure and everything else,” she added. She noted that they are also looking into other Family Islands. At Eleuthera, officials are set to start homes in the Ocean Hole Subdi vision where Minister Coleby-Davis led the groundbreaking of the new housing subdivision recently.Sheexplained that there was some infrastructural work to be facilitated. However, homes should be going up in the area soon. When asked about the number of homes in pro gress, Mrs Coleby-Davis said she would say close to about 50
Photo: John Minchillo/AP
LOSES PRIMARY VOTE
By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net
SEE PAGE
SPORTS PAGE 11 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2022 SCHEDULENBA
“I think it’s good that a lot of the players are get ting together to discuss the situation out here, espe cially given the current circumstances.”Woodshasbeen a strong opponent of LIV Golf. The rival league’s leader, Greg Norman, confirmed in an interview with Fox News last month that Woods was offered in the range of $700 to $800 million to take part. Norman said that was before he was hired to run LIVNormanGolf. and Woods have never been close, going back to when Woods arrived on the PGA Tour and instantly became the biggest star golf had seen in generations.Woodswas particularly forceful at the British Open last month when he said THE NBA will be off on Election Day. The league’s schedule for the coming season will have all 30 teams playing on November 7, the night before the midterm elec tions. The NBA is hoping teams use that night as an opportunity to encourage fans to get out and vote, plus amplify the need for civicButengagement.onNovember 8, which is Election Day, no NBA teams have games scheduled. Teams are being encouraged to share elec tion information — such as registration deadlines — with their fan bases in the weeks leading up to November 8. “The scheduling deci sion came out of the NBA family’s focus on promoting WON’T HAVE GAMES ON ELECTION DAY THIS YEAR
Roberts feels sting of injury bug
By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
Roberts, however, was disap pointed that the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association didn’t select him to the men’s team that partici pated in the prestigious Davis Cup tie that was held in Escazu, Costa Rica, in June.
bstubbs@tribunemedia.net PageSerena,15 SEE PAGE 15 TIGER WOODS
15
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The PGA Tour is in Delaware for the first time and the buzz still sur rounded Tiger Woods, even if he didn’t have clubs and wasn’t even at the golf course.Woods flew to Wilming ton yesterday afternoon for a private meeting of top players to discuss the threat of Saudi-funded LIV Golf, according to two people aware of the plans at the BMWTheyChampionship.spoketoThe Asso ciated Press on condition of anonymity because of the privacy of the meeting. One person invited to the meeting said it was to get on the same page against LIV Golf, along with taking more ownership in the direction of the PGA Tour. That meeting led to a pre viously scheduled Player Advisory Council meet ing being moved back an hour or so to later Tuesday afternoon. Woods flew up from his home in Florida with Rickie Fowler, who didn’t qualify for the second FedEx Cup playoff event. The meeting was held away from Wilmington Country Club at a hotel, according to another person aware of the details. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan was not invited. “There is a player meet ing, but that’s all I can tell you about that,” Jon Rahm said.Monahan met with the players informally last week following a hearing in which a federal judge denied a request by three LIV Golf players seeking to play in the PGA Tour postsea son. He also met with the players a week after the US Open to detail plans for big increases in prize money on the PGA Tour, qualifying changes and a new schedule that will return to a January start to the season in 2024. “I’m not sure what, if anything, will change, what will be the result of it,” Pat rick Cantlay said.
HONOURSOFWNBAEARNSSTEWARTBREANNAAPPLAYERTHEYEAR
By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer CRAIG Ferguson in action on the high seas.
By BRENT STUBBS Reporter
Tiger Woods to meet with top players against LIV Golf SEE PAGE 15
Senior Sports
YOUNG SAILOR CRAIG FERGUSON DECLINES INVITATION TO ‘REGATTA OF CHAMPIONS’
FOLLOWING his outstanding recent perfor mance - placing first in the silver fleet at The Opti mist World Championships in Turkey last month15-year-old sailor Craig Ferguson has recently been offered the prestigious invitation to participate in a brand-new international event, “The Regatta of Champions”, scheduled to take place in Cyprus in November.Notonly did Craig finish top in his fleet of 69 boats, but he actually finished 6th overall out of all the North American participants in the competition of over 270 global sailors. A brand-new event this year, the idea behind the Regatta of Champions (R.O.C.) is to gather the top 40 Optimist sailors from around the World to participate in a regatta to crown “The Annual Cham pion of the Bests”. After the completion of all Continental, American, Asian, African and World Championships, invitations are being sent out to the top finishers in each. An impressive prize fund of $40,000 will be split among the top 12 finishing sailors and the top three coaches in the form of scholarships for academic expenses and substantial monetaryUnfortunately,awards. after due consideration, Craig is graciously declining the invitation.Thedates of the event clash with OPTINAM (The Optimist North American Championship) which is being hosted here in Nassau at the same time. He has made the deci sion of loyalty to The Bahamas National Sailing School and his home race team to stay in Nassau and compete in what is also a very significant event on the sports OPTINAMcalendar.will take place November 13-20 and is being hosted by The Nassau Yacht Club. It is set to attract at least 160 sailors from over 20 countries to Nassau and will be the largest ever sailing event held in The Bahamas.TheBahamas National Sailing School and Baha mas Sailing Association highly commend Craig’s decision and wish him continued success in his sporting achievements, according to a release.
JUSTIN ROBERTS
Aseries of injuries, includ ing one to his back, forced Justin Roberts to remain on the tennis court sidelines a lot longer than he had originally anticipated. Now that the 25-year-old, who hasn’t played since July when he was forced to retire trailing 4-3 in the first set of his match against American Ryan Colby at the M15 Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, said now that he’s corrected the problem with his back, he’s eager to get back on the court. “I’m back in training and getting ready to compete,” said Roberts, who is looking at a possible return in September. “I am really excited because I’m feeling good.” In just his second season on the pro circuit since he completed his collegiate eligibility at the Univer sity of South Florida (2014-2017) and Arizona State University (2018-2019), Roberts first went down with an injury in March and suffered another in April and May before he got the back injury in July. “It’s been rough because I had some big goals for this year,” said Roberts after he had some pretty good showings in tournaments ear lier in the year. “With the inju ries, I wasn’t able to achieve my goals, but now that I am back in training, I’m looking forward to playing the rest of the year. Hopefully I can make up for what I didn’t do because of theRoberts,injuries.” the highest ranked Bahamian player on the 568 in singles by ATP as of August 15, started the year in Cancun, Mexico in January where he lost in the first round of the M15 Cancun Tourna ment to American Isaiah Strode. The following week, he closed out the month by getting elimi nated in the quarter-final of another M15 Cancun to American Emil Reinberg. In his return to Naples, Florida in February, Roberts played in three M15 Tournaments losing in the first round to China’s Fnu Nidunjianzan, in the quarter-final to American Evan Zhu and in the second round to Sweden’s Jonathan Mridha. He then went to Anapolma, Ger many, only to lose in the third round of the M25 Anapolma to Argentina’s Vale rioHeAboian.participated in a M15 in Sunrise, Florida where he lost in the second round to Boliv ia’s Juan Carlo Prado Angelo. After he recuperated from an injury, he played in the M15 South Bend tournament in Indiana where he was ousted in the first round by American Ryan Shane. Before his last tournament in Pittsburgh, Roberts played in Dallas, Texas in July where he lost in the first round to Ameri can Ezekiel Clark. “Although I lost the majority of my matches at the beginning of the season, I was still proud that I played in as many tournaments as I did and I performed at my best before the injuries,” Roberts said.
The Bahamas team of Kevin Major, brothers Spencer and Baker Newman and player/captain Marvin Rolle, finished winless in their three matches played in pool B against Paraguay, Jamaica and Costa Rica. The team ended up beating Guatemala 2-0 to remain in the American Zone III for 2023 with their fifth-place finish. “I love playing for the Bahamas, but I was disappointed that I wasn’t selected to the team this year,” said Roberts, who was hoping for another top player ranking exemp tion from playing in the BLTA’s Tournament in December to earn a spot on the team. “Anytime, I can represent the country, I am ready,” Roberts stated.With a year to prepare himself, Roberts said he’s looking forward to getting back on the Davis Cup team just as he’s doing now for his return to the pro circuit.
BREANNA Stewart is always looking for ways to improve her game. This season, her efforts cul minated in more career milestones.TheSeattle Storm for ward led the WNBA in scoring for the first time in her career, averaging 21.8 points, and yesterday she became the first player to repeat as The Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year.Stewart received six votes for AP Player of the Year by the 10-member media panel narrowly edging A’ja Wilson, who received the other four votes. Stewart is the first two-time winner of the award since the AP voting began in 2016.
SHOWN, from left to right, are Eric Hudson, Sheen Saunders Jr, 14-year-old Aisha Percentie, and Kenny Johnson Jr.
Blazer Elite Basketball Academy continues
athletes By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
help
DR Ray Evans and his Blazer Elite Basketball Academy continues to make provisions for young athletes to obtain scholar ships to attend high school, prep school and colleges and universities in the UnitedEvans,States.who has assisted a number of Bahamian and Caribbean athletes in the past, has added 15 athletes to the list for basketball, American football and track and field. Among the schools the athletes are heading to are Eagle Point Academy, Omega Prep Academy, Immanuel Lutheran Chris tian Academy, Champions Academy, Greater Des tiny, Pine Forest Academy, Atlantis University and Oklahoma Wesleyan University.“Wehave athletes from Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Nassau, Turks and Caicos Islands in this group,” Evans said. “Some have already left, and we have another four leaving on Saturday and the rest going nextOneweek.”ofthe benefactors is 14-year-old Aisha Per centie, a basketball player who competed in track and field for the Harbour Island Green School on Bay Street, Harbour Island, and is heading to Oklahoma to begin the ninth grade at Immanuel Lutheran Chris tian Academy.
THE AID Claycourt Champi onships kicked off this weekend at the Gym Tennis Club. This is the 28th edition of the tournament that is sponsored by AID.The tournament referee is Mickey Williams assisted by Everette Munroe.
The tournament will feature both singles and doubles in the various categories. The opening day matches saw some exciting singles, including one with the BLTA president Perry Newton and BLTA treas urer Tim Dames in a first-round matchup.
Perry Newton won over Tim Dames.There was a thrilling threesetter matchup with Wayne Thompson who won over Julian Robinson, the match ended under the lights. Jon Isaacs got the victory over Andrae. Nairn and Alejandro Mesples won over Bjorn Ferguson. Tshombe Johnson also won over Donovan Ingraham. In the Men’s Open Doubles, Donte Armbrister and Perry Newton won over Donovan Ingraham and Andre McDonald and Nkosi Symonette and Tshaka Symonette won over Eugene Gibson and Tim Dames. In more Jr Vets Singles matches, top seed Scott Red dick won over Andrew Barr and Harrington Saunders won over DwayneStaffordGibson.Armbrister was able to win over Chigoze Ijeoma.
“I feel good. I’m happy to go off and go on with my life,” said Percentie, who hopes to follow in the footsteps of fellow Harbour Islander Lashann Higgs, who is currently playing professionally in Europe. Her mother, Melissa Per centie, said it’s a miracle from“I’mGod.really happy for her because she’s into play ing basketball,” the proud mother said. “If she wasn’t into it, I don’t really think I would be pushing her. But this has been her dream for so long. She just wants to go away and play ball and so I don’t want to block her potential.”Theelder Percentie said she’s confident that by the time her daughter leaves high school, she would be properly prepared for col lege. She thanked Evans for providing the opportunity for her daughter to go to school.Another Eleuthera native, Sheen Saunders, who played previously with St George’s High School in Grand Bahama but returned to complete his high school at North Eleuthera High School, said he too is excited about the opportunity to further his education. “I’m super hon oured by it because not too many people get this oppor tunity,” said the 16-year-old Saunders Jr, who will also be heading to Immanuel Lutheran Christian Acad emy. “Hopefully I can get a decent college basketball offer.” Saunders Jr, who plays both the piano and guitar and beats the drums, said this is a chance for him to pursue his musical career at the same time. “I worked hard to get to this level,” said the 6-foot, 4-inch forward, who didn’t get a chance to play in Eleuthera because they didn’t have a season the past two years due to COVID-19. “Coach Evans has really pushed me a lot. He’s made me a much better player in the short time that we worked out together.”Although the academy is based in Turks and Caicos, Evans said they have an office here in the Baha mas and he’s excited to be able to continue to provide avenues for the athletes to further their education. “Three years ago, just before the pandemic, we sent about 30 off through our programme,” Evans noted.“We average about 20-25 every year from the Carib bean. But this year, I made it my goal to get more Bahamians off this year.”
Looking at the list of athletes who were able to obtain scholarships or got some partial assistance, Evans said there are four young ladies as well as play ers who will be participating in American football. “It’s a great opportunity and I’m just thankful to God that he has allowed me to be in a position to help these kids,.” Evans said. “It was a programme that was first offered to the Baha mas Government to help the athletes in the south ern Bahamas because they didn’t get the exposure that they“Butneeded.after it didn’t work out, we decide to continue to work with the athletes. Next year, our goal is to provide at least 40 scholar ships to assist these athletes. So, I’m happy to be in this position to assist as many Bahamians as possible and athletes in the Caribbean in general.” to young
PAGE 12, Wednesday, August 17, 2022 THE TRIBUNE
28TH AID CLAYCOURT CHAMPIONSHIPS KICKS OFF AT GYM TENNIS CLUB
The social distancing signs are gone. So too are the mandatory tests, saving time each morning spent waiting for a positive or negative result. No NFL regular-season games were cancelled the past two seasons because of the pandemic, though many were moved around during 2020 with the entire preseason scrapped. About 95% of the players and nearly 100% of team per sonnel were vaccinated, the league reported. The Titans had the first outbreak of the 2020 season, and Vrabel tested positive during the 2021 preseason at the start of another outbreak for the team.Other professional leagues also are adjusting protocols;—Major League Base ball dropped regular COVID-19 testing for all but symptomatic individu als prior to the start of the 2022 season. — The NHL plans no testing for players, coaches and staff without symptoms with locker rooms open to media members. Much like the NBA and MLB, unvac cinated individuals won’t be able to cross the border between the US and Canada, though the NHL only has a couple of play ers and assistant coaches in that—category.The NBA hasn’t revealed its full policy for the upcoming season. Commissioner Adam Silver said last month he’s expecting continued move ment toward normalcy, “I have learned over the last 2 1/2 years not to make any predictions when it comes to COVID, but only to say we’ll be prepared for any thing that comes our way.” season in COVID-19 era
By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer
GREEN Bay Packers tight end Josiah Deguara, third from right, rides a young fan’s bike as the fan takes off running with Deguara’s helmet during the team’s NFL football training camp on July 27, 2022, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Samantha Madar/The Post-Crescent via AP)
The biggest changes have been the easiest to notice at training camps across the NFL: Fans are back and close enough to high-five and shake hands with players, no longer kept at a distance and happy to resume preseason traditions.Players are happy to have fans fully back, grate ful for the energy boost during the monotonous routine and long days of camp. “It’s huge,” Pack ers running back Aaron Jones said. “The fans are everything. They’re what makes football go, and I would say this is one of the best traditions in football, the bike rides. I’ve had my same little bike rider since I came in, got to bring my son to practice with me as well, so it’s special to me.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Dallas Cowboy fans be warned: ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has a memoir coming out next year. 13A, an imprint of Gal lery Books, announced yesterday that Smith’s “Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes” is sched uled for January 2023. According to 13A, Smith will share stories about growing up poor in New York City, his early years in journalism and his long his tory of speaking his mind — to a fault — about sports (the Cowboys are a favour ite target) and a wide of range of issues. “This book is a long time coming. Due to my fixation on privacy pertaining to my personal life, it took a lot of time, and a lot of prodding by loved ones, to finally get me to do this,” Smith said in a statement.“ButasI once told my Mom, ‘if I’m going to write a book, I’ll be damned if I’m holding back. I’m going to speak my truth, say what I have to say, just so everyone knows where I stand and why.’ I know I’ve done that in this book. I had to do so eventually. It was time. No matter the consequences.”Smithhas a history of making controversial remarks, including a joke about women soccer play ers and comments about domestic violence that led to ESPN briefly suspending him in 2014.
FRENCH PROSPECT William Saliba is another Arsenal player whose World Cup prospects are improving. The central defender is back at the club after loan spells in France with Saint-Etienne, Nice andLastMarseille.season, Saliba helped to steady an erratic Marseille team that fin ished second in the French league, and with the sec ond-best defensive record, to qualify for the Champi ons League. He returned to Arsenal in the offsea son and now appears to have forced his way into the team, starting its open ing two Premier League games. Such is the 21-yearold Saliba’s potential — he is an excellent marker, strong in the air and has good distribution and com posure — that he already has played five times for France under coach Didier Deschamps.Heislooking to chal lenge Raphael Varane and Presnel Kimpembe for a starting place in Qatar.
By TERESA M WALKER
It’s one of the biggest honours in soccer: Playing as the centre forward for Brazil at a World Cup. Gabriel Jesus knows all about that, having been handed the No. 9 jersey at the 2018 tournament in Russia and — as every Brazilian is acutely aware — failing to score a goal. Will he get a second chance?Asitstands, Jesus is way down the pecking order of forwards for Brazil. Indeed, if it wasn’t for the fact that national teams will be able to call up 26 players — rather than 23 — for the World Cup in Qatar, Jesus might be struggling to make theAnsquad.offseason move to Arsenal from Manchester City, however, appears to have revitalised his career, especially after moving back to playing as an outand-out striker rather than a winger, the role City manager Pep Guardiola preferred Jesus to have because of his energy and workJesusrate.was a revelation for Arsenal in the presea son and he has taken that strong form into the Pre mier League, scoring twice and having a hand in the team’s other two goals in a 4-2 win over Leicester on Saturday.“He’s feeling disap pointed in that dressing room because he said he could have scored four,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. “That’s the standard, that’s the men tality you want. To go to a different level, you need that mentality. He lifts the standards.”So,canJesus regain his spot as Brazil’s first-choice centre forward? He is cur rently behind Richarlison, who also moved clubs in the offseason to join Tot tenham from Everton, and Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha. Other options are Roberto Fir mino of Liverpool and a home-based player, Fla mengo’s Pedro, who Brazil coach Tite believes has the skillset to be a lone striker. Tite has plenty of options out wide in Vinícius Júnior, Antony, Raphinha, Coutinho and Neymar, so it looks like the No. 9 position where Jesus will most likely beHelpingused.
Jesus’ case is the fact that Richarlison is unlikely to be a regu lar starter at Tottenham this season, particularly as striker where Harry Kane is virtually undroppable. So, the target is there for the 25-year-old Jesus, who is reinvigorated after 5 1/2 years at City which he mostly spent as a back-up. “I was not unhappy at Manchester City,” he said. “I just wanted to play and the club Arsenal’sunderstood.”gainis also Brazil’s.
The Packers were among the teams that allowed fans to watch training camp practices in 2021 at a distance, though no inter action with players was allowed.Cheers are very welcome after the relative silence the past two years when the only sounds were pads thudding, coaches yell ing and occasionally music over speakers to simu late fan noise. Families of players, coaches and team staffers couldn’t attend either, preventing them from stealing a few minutes at work with their kids or spouses.Henry’s daughter Valen tina, now 2, is the perfect age to enjoy racing her father to an end zone after an early practice at camp. The two-time NFL rushing champ said it’s the kind of moment his daughter can look at when older. “Having these moments are always precious, espe cially with your kids, but just being in football and training camp it takes up a lot of time,” Henry said. “But any time you get a moment like that, you always cherish those moments and something that we can look back at and laugh at and enjoy.”
THIS cover image released by Gallery Books shows “Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes” by Stephen A Smith. (Gallery Books via AP)
AP Pro Football Writer
TITANS running back Derrick Henry (22) stretches during NFL football training camp in Nashville, Tenn. The NFL essentially is back to normal going into its third season dealing with COV ID-19. All the protocols devised and tweaked by the league and the NFL Players Association that all 32 teams followed through 2020 and 2021 were suspended last March, with the NFL citing trends showing the spread of the coronavirus declining. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Derrick Henry has been seen jogging on the field with his daughter after practice. Green Bay Packers are once again bor rowing kids’ bicycles for rides to practice. Fans are rubbing elbows with their favourite players to get those coveted autographs. Yes, the NFL is looking and acting like it’s essen tially back to normal going into its third season dealing withThereCOVID-19.arenomore trail ers or tents for testing, and masks are rare. In fact, the protocols devised and tweaked by the league and the NFL Players Associa tion in 2020 and 2021 were suspended last March. The NFL seems to be following the lead of the CDC, which dropped social distancing and quarantine requirements last week with an estimated 95% of Americans 16 and older acquiring some level of immunity from vaccina tions or infections. The league still wants anyone with possible symp toms to speak up and wear a mask after contact with someone with COVID-19. A positive test still means isolating at home for at least five days. “I think we are always concerned about every body’s safety, ours and the health of our families,” Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel said, adding that 2 1/2 years into the pandemic: “Hopefully we are past that.”
WERNER’S RETURN Timo Werner is pretty much Germany’s only outand-out forward so his lack of goals in two years at Chelsea — he only scored 10 in the Premier League in that time — must have been a concern for national team coach Hansi Flick ahead of the World Cup. Maybe Flick can rest easy. Werner recently secured a return to Leipzig, where he scored a club-record 95 goals in 159 games over four years before joining Chelsea, and netted in his first game back — a draw against Cologne on Satur day. “The last two years were somewhat unfortu nate; now the luck is back,” he said after the Cologne game, no doubt referring to a mistake by goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe, who let Werner’s seemingly harm less shot go in. Werner scored twice in Germany’s 5-2 win over Italy on June 14, the team’s last game, to take his international tally to 24 goals in 53 games.
THE TRIBUNE Wednesday, August 17, 2022, PAGE 13
STEPHENESPN’S A SMITH JANUARYCOMINGMEMOIRHASIN
NFL looks like old self entering 3rd
WORLD CUP WATCH: JESUS OUT TO RECLAIM BRAZIL’S NO. 9 JERSEY
ARSENAL’S GABRIEL JESUS, left, celebrates scoring their side’s first goal of the game with teammates Oleksandr Zinchenko and Granit Xhaka, right, during their English Premier League soccer match at the Emirates Stadium, London, on Saturday. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP) TO TRIBUNETODAYADVERTISEINTHECALL@502-2394
Vaccinations eased the protocols from 2020 when teammates had to keep 6 feet apart and coaches wore masks on the field whether in practice or games no matter if teams were inside or outdoors. Titans centre Ben Jones said that meant friends sit ting apart for breakfast and lunch, making it tough to build team chemistry and camaraderie.“Itmadeit a lot of chal lenges for me who’s a guy who’s trying to get five guys on the same page to do it spread out,” Ben Jones recalled. “It’s not what you want. As a guy on the team, as a leader, you want as many guys as close as possible so you can have an impact on them.”
PAGE 14, Wednesday, August 17, 2022 THE TRIBUNE
TIGERS GUARDIANS4, 3 CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Kerry Carpenter homered for the second straight night and Detroit survived a wild ninth inning to defeat ClevelandCleveland.manager Terry Francona was ejected for arguing after the umpires ruled Myles Straw struck out with the tying run on third for the second out of the inning. . Steven Kwan, who was 3 for 3 with a walk, tapped back to Tigers closer Greg ory Soto to end the game. Detroit has won two of three against the AL Cen tralGarrettleaders.Hill (3-3) held Cleveland in check over five innings after allowing a run in the first. Hill gave up four hits, struck out three and retired the last five hit ters he Clevelandfaced. starter Zach Plesac (2-11) hasn’t won since June 5. The righthander allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings.
CUBS NATIONALS7, 5 (11 INNINGS WASHINGTON (AP) — Patrick Wisdom drove in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning, and Chicago beatWisdomWashington.led off the inning with a double down the left-field line against Victor Arano (1-1), scoring automatic runner Willson Contreras. Wisdom then went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Seiya Suzu ki’sBrandonsingle. Hughes (2-1) pitched the 10th for Chi cago and Mark Leiter Jr. worked the 11th for his first save.Luke Voit and Lane Thomas clubbed solo homers in the eighth for Washington, while Franmil Reyes homered and singled for the Cubs.
NEW YORK (AP) — Randy Arozarena hit a three-run homer off Nestor Cortes in the first inning and the Tampa Bay staff made it stand up, leading the Rays over the skidding New York Yankees 3-1 TuesdayStarternight.Jeffrey Springs (5-3) and four relievers combined on a four-hitter, and the crowd of 41,083 at Yankee Stadium booed their AL East leaders at times.Tampa Bay got only four hits while winning its fourth straight and closing within nine games of the Yankees, who lost 11 of 13 and were held to three runs or less for the seventh straight game. New York avoided being blanked in three straight games when Andrew Beni ntendi tripled in the fifth and scored on a fielding error on a grounder by MiguelCortesAndújar.(9-4) allowed three runs and four hits in seven innings. He struck out three, walked none and retired 19 of his final 21 hitters.Springs got 10 outs on the ground and held New York to one run and two hits in five innings. Jason Adam earned his seventh save.
PHILLIES 11, REDS 4 CINCINNATI (AP) — Rhys Hoskins homered twice and drove in five runs as Philadelphia posted the 10,000th win in franchise history, beating Cincinnati. Philadelphia became the last of the original eight National League franchises to reach the mark. At 10,000-11,163, the Phillies are the only team among them with a losing record. Nick Castellanos homered and doubled twice and scored three times. Darick Hall and Garrett Stubbs also homered for the Phillies, who hold the second spot in the wild-card race. Kyle Gibson (8-5) struck out 11 in six innings. TJ Zeuch (0-2) allowed 11 hits, three of them homers, and six runs in four-plus innings. Cincin nati has lost six of seven.
TWINS ROYALS9, 0 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sonny Gray matched his season high with 10 strike outs and Gio Urshela had four hits as Minnesota beat KansasGilbertoCity. Celestino homered and Luis Arraez picked up three more hits to raise his MLB-best bat ting average to .336. The Twins moved within a game of AL Central-lead ingGrayCleveland.(7-3) equalled the 10 strikeouts he had against Detroit back on May 24. Caleb Thielbar took over for Gray with a 3-0 lead with two on and no outs, and kept the shutout intact. Zack Greinke (4-8) gave up three runs, only one them earned, in six innings.
TAMPA Bay Rays’ Randy Arozarena hits a three-run home run during the first inning of the team’s baseball game against the New York Yankees last night in New York.(AP Photos/Frank Franklin II)
CARDINALS 5, ROCKIES 4 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt and Tommy Edman homered, and St. Louis scored the winning run when Tyler O’Neill was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, edging Colorado.Andrew Knizner and Lars Nootbaar drew walks off Dinelson Lamet (1-2) in the ninth, and Dylan Carl son reached on a bunt single to load the bases before O’Neill was plunked. José Quintana pitched no-hit ball with two walks for five innings before allowing two runs on four consecutive hits to lead off the sixth, ending his night. Ryan Helsley (7-1) pitched a scoreless top of the ninth to lower his ERA to 0.91 in 49 2/3 innings this season. Charlie Blackmon knocked in a run with a single in the sixth inning and hit a two-run double in the seventh for Colorado. Jose Iglesias knocked in the Rockies’ other run. ORIOLES 4, BLUE JAYS 2 TORONTO (AP) — Cedric Mullins and Adley Rutschman hit back-toback home runs, Ramón Urías drove in the tiebreak ing run in the sixth inning and Baltimore beat Toronto for its 10th win in 14 August games.Dean Kremer (5-4) matched his career high by pitching seven innings, win ning for the second time in three starts. He allowed two runs and seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Félix Bautista struck out a pair in the ninth for his sev enth save in eight chances. Ryan McKenna had an RBI hit as the Orioles (61-55) closed to within one-half game of Toronto (61-54).TheBlue Jays hold the third and final spot in the AL wild-card standings, trailing Tampa Bay and Seattle.Theslumping Blue Jays lost for the ninth time in 12 games. Toronto is 4-9 in August. Toronto righthander Alek Manoah (12-6) allowed four runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out seven and walking four. MARLINS 4, PADRES 3 MIAMI (AP) — Nick Fortes hit two solo homers and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, leading Miami past San Diego.Peyton Burdick hit a tie breaking RBI double that scored Fortes, who had sin gled against Padres reliever Luis García (4-6) and advanced on a groundout before Burdick’s line drive bounced inside the foul line in Downright. 3-0, the Padres tied it on Manny Machado’s three-run double in the seventh.Elieser Hernández (3-6) earned the win in relief, and Dylan Floro picked up his third save. RED SOX 5, PIRATES 3 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nick Pivetta pitched one-hit ball over seven shutout innings for his first win since June 24, and Boston scored four runs in the first inning on their way to a victory over Pittsburgh. The Pirates’ only hit off Pivetta came on Ben Gamel’s two-out single in the first inning on a soft liner to Pivettaleft-center.(9-9)struck out six and walked three while throwing 99 pitches and retiring his last nine batters. Matt Barnes pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save in fiveThechances.first six Red Sox batters reached in the first against Mitch Keller (4-9), who lasted just two innings due to right shoul der fatigue. He was charged with five runs, four earned, while allowing five hits and three walks with one strikeout.AlexVerdugo, Christian Arroyo and Eric Hosmer hit consecutive RBI singles and Kike Hernandez added a sacrifice fly in the first for Boston.
TAMPA Bay Rays Randy Arozarena catches a ball hit by New York Yankees’ Isiah Kiner-Falefa for an out during the eighth inning of a baseball game yesterday in New York.
Randy Arozarena homers, Rays beat struggling Yankees 3-1
BRAVES 5, METS 0 ATLANTA (AP) — Charlie Morton was dominant on the mound, Matt Olson and Robbie Grossman went deep, and Atlanta blanked NL Eastleading New York for its eighth straight win. Morton (6-5) surren dered three hits and a walk in 6 2/3 innings, posting his fourth double-figure strike out game of the season with 12 Ks as Atlanta pulled within 3 1/2 games of the division leaders. New York’s 10-game winner Taijuan Walker made an early exit because of back spasms. R.J. Alva rez (0-1), who was called up from Triple-A Syracuse before the game, took over for Walker and surrendered a 413-foot homer to Gross man, the second batter he faced.Alvarez worked 2 1/3 innings, giving up four hits, three runs and three walks.
of Norman not being invited to festivities around the 150th Open, “Greg has done some things that I don’t think is in the best interest of our game.”
Other AP winners included:—Sixth Woman of the Year. Brionna Jones was a unanimous choice a year after winning the AP’s Most Improved Player. She averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals for Connecticut.—Comeback Player of the Year. Alyssa Thomas earned the award after missing all but two games during the regular season last year because of an Achilles injury that she suffered in January 2021. Thomas averaged 13.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.1—assists.Rookie of the Year. Rhyne Howard was the No. 1 pick of the Atlanta Dream and a near unani mous choice the award. Howard averaged 16.2 points and 4.6 rebounds this season, helping Atlanta win six more games than last“Rhyseason.put us on her back and made a statement for herself and the organiza tion and franchise,” Wright said.“Carry that load and do it with the grace and poise she did it with, I’m super proud of her and her accomplishments.”—AllRookie Team. Howard was joined on the AP all-rookie team by Shakira Austin of Washing ton, Rebekah Gardner of Chicago, NaLyssa Smith of Indiana and Sam Thomas of —Phoenix.All-WNBA Teams. Stewart and Wilson were unanimous first-team selec tions. Joining them on the first-team are Candace Parker, Chicago; Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas; and Sab rina Ionescu, New York. The second team: Jonquel Jones, Connecticut; Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles; Alyssa Thomas, Connecti cut; Courtney Vandersloot, Chicago; and Skylar Dig gins-Smith, Phoenix.
Down 2-0 in the first set, she fought back within 4-3 and then 5-4, but Radu canu closed out the set at love. Raducanu rolled from there, with Williams looking frustrated and even resigned near the end. Williams was sidelined for a year by a torn ham string suffered last year at Wimbledon, and her late-career injuries have contributed to inconsist ency on the court. The players thrilled the crowd with an excit ing rally in the fifth game of the second set, won by Williams with a forehand volley.But she double-faulted on the next point on the way to being broken. She briskly left the court after the match, waving to the crowd as she exited. “I think that the crowd was pretty electric,” Raducanu said. “The stadium was really packed, and even if they were cheering for Serena ... I was prepared forRaducanu,that.” who faces veteran Victoria Azarenka in today’s second round, has not won a title since her out-of-nowhere triumph at the US Open last year. In the men’s draw, topranked Daniil Medvedev of Russia advanced to the third round, beating 24th-ranked Botic van de Zandschlup 6-4, 7-5. Medvedev, banned by Wimbledon for his coun try’s invasion of Ukraine, was coming off a secondround loss to Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios last week in KyrgiosCanada.beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-5, 6-4 yesterday. Also Tuesday, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was eliminated by Shuai Zhang, 6-4, 7-5. The tournament lost another big name, Coco Gauff, when she retired from her match against qualifier Marie Bouzkova with a left ankle injury. Gauff had her ankle taped after the first set and dropped out after the first game of the second set. Karolina Pliskova advanced with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Williams’ older sister, Venus. Bencic fell to Sorana Cirstea, 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4.Rafael Nadal, side lined since withdrawing from Wimbledon with an abdominal tear, practiced before a large crowd. The 22-time Grand Slam cham pion is scheduled to play Borna Corcic today.
RANKINGS:POWER Las Vegas finished the year atop the power poll. Chicago, Connecticut and Seattle followed the Aces. Washington was fifth with Dallas, New York and Phoenix rounding out the topMinnesota,eight. Atlanta, Los Angeles and Indiana fin ished off the poll.
WOODS FROM PAGE 11
PLAYER OF THE WEEK Wilson of Las Vegas earned the final AP Player of the Week honours after averaging 20.3 points, 10 rebounds and 3.3 assists to help the Aces go 3-0 and clinch the top seed in the playoffs.Other players receiving votes included Ionescu of New York, Stewart of Seat tle and Chelsea Gray of the Aces.
MASON, Ohio (AP) — The second stop on Serena Williams’ farewell tour was a short one. The 40-year-old Wil liams fell to 0-2 in matches since announcing “the countdown has begun” on her career, losing 6-4, 6-0 to U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu in the Western & Southern Open lastWilliamsnight. said last week in a Vogue magazine essay and an Instagram post that her career was winding down, although she did not explicitly say the US Open, which begins August 29 in New York, would be her lastThetournament.Cincinnati event was the second US Open tuneup for Williams, and the next time she takes the court will be at Flush ing Meadows. She lost to Belinda Bencic in straight sets last week in Toronto. A day before the announce ment, Williams beat Nuria Parrizas-Diaz for her first match win since the 2021 FrenchWilliamsOpen.is a 23-time Grand Slam champion, most recently in 2017 at the Australian Open, when she was pregnant with daughter Olympia. She said wanting to expand her family was a big reason she plans to step away. Raducanu, ranked No. 19 in the world, was sharp as she dispatched Williams — and quieted the vocally pro-Williams crowd — in 1 hour, 5 minutes. “I can’t believe I just played Serena Williams,” the 19-year-old Raducanu said. “It’s something that I think I’m really fortunate to have been able to do, and for our careers to have crossed when there’s such a big (age) gap and watching her growing up, it was an amazing experience to just playWilliamsher.” did not speak to reporters after the match. Fans cheered heartily when Williams was intro duced, and again when she won her first point on a Raducanu error in the second game. Williams yelled in frustration when she double-faulted and screamed even louder and pumped her fist when she won the third game of the first set. “I just knew how impor tant every single point was because you let up a little bit, yeah, she’s going to be all over you,” Raducanu said. “She’s just such a legend.”
SEATTLE Storm forward Breanna Stewart brings the ball up against the Minnesota Lynx during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Seattle. Breanna Stewart yesterday became the first player to repeat as The Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year. (AP Photo/Ted S Warren)
By MITCH STACY AP Sports Writer
THE TRIBUNE Wednesday, August 17, 2022, PAGE 15
WNBA FROM PAGE 11 nonpartisan civic engage ment and encouraging fans to make a plan to vote during midterm elections,” the league said Tuesday. All 435 U.S. House seats will be up for grabs on Nov. 8, along with more than 30 U.S. Senate seats and gubernatorial races. “It’s unusual. We don’t usually change the sched ule for an external event,” James Cadogan, the execu tive director of the NBA’s social justice coalition, told NBC, which first reported the league’s Election Day schedule plan. “But voting and Election Day are obviously unique and incredibly important to our democracy.”Themove is a rarity for the league, which typically plays no games on Thanks giving and Christmas Eve and tries to avoid schedul ing games on the day of the NCAA men’s basket ball championship game — often the first Monday of April. It also has a few days off built around the All-Star Game, which takes place in February. The NBA and its play ers were openly involved in several election-related pushes in 2020, largely as part of the response after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor reig nited the quest to eliminate racial inequality and police brutality.Many players, includ ing LeBron James, were involved in voting regis tration drives and other get-out-the-vote initiatives. Some teams turned their arenas into registration or voting centers. The NBA’s full sched ule for the season will be released today. There are some sporting events in the U.S. sched uled for Nov. 8. The NHL has 11 games on Election Day this year, with eight of those in the U.S. And there are three FBS-level college football games being played on Nov. 8, all in the state of Ohio.Major League Baseball’s season should be over by Election Day; the latest possible date for the World Series, barring postpone ments, is Saturday, Nov. 5. The NFL hardly ever plays on Tuesdays — there have been seven games on that day of the week since 1948, six of them for coronavi rus-related rescheduling reasons in the last two years — and has no games sched uled this year on Nov. 8. “The NBA is creating a culture of political partici pation, which extends not only to its athletes but to fans as well,” said Andrea Hailey, the CEO of Vote. org, which has partnered with the NBPA on various initiatives in recent years. “Players, coaches, event NBA FROM PAGE 11 MASON, Ohio (AP) — Andy Murray pulled out a 7-6 (3), 5-7, 7-5 win over Stan Wawrinka on Monday in the first round of the Western & Southern Open in a matchup of three-time Grand Slam champions trying to put injuries behind them.Murray and Wawrinka both have a U.S. Open title among their Slam champi onships, and both required multiple visits from trainers to treat leg problems during the 2-hour, 57-minute match at the hard-court tournament that serves as a tuneup for the U.S. Open. Wawrinka, 37, of Swit zerland, had two surgeries on his left foot in 2021 and has lost in the first round in each of his last four events. Murray, 35, of Britain, suf fered an abdominal strain two weeks before Wimble don but reached a second round for the first time in his last three tournaments. “I was hanging on in the third set,” Murray said in an on-court interview. “I was struggling a bit. So was Stan. We’re not young any more.”
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He said he disagreed with players getting enor mous signing bonuses to defect to LIV Golf, saying they have turned their backs on the tour that made them famous. The PGA Tour has reacted to the depth of Saudi funding with a $50 million bonus pool called the Player Impact Program that pays 10 leading players based on how much atten tion they get. Some players, such as Cantlay, the defend ing FedEx Cup champion, don’t like the programme.
CINCINNATIINWAWRINKAOVERCOMESMURRAY3SETSIN
Also in the works is a series of overseas tournaments at the end of the year that will reward the top performers. The tour hasn’t announced set details or a sponsor. LIV Golf has played three events offering $25 million apiece in prize money to a group of play ers that include Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau.Itresumes its eighttournament schedule after the FedEx Cup ends next week.
“It’s an honour to be rec ognised as the best in the league,” said Stewart, who also was the 2018 player of the“Sinceyear. I started in the WNBA in 2016, just trying to get better. Elevate myself and the team, the league as a whole. A big honour, but we’re motivated by more and that’s trying to win a entandhavethatonthecoaches,”headbenchhaveplayoffs.fiveinplayersSheCoachplayerthetheJackieaingtheCloud.Thomasoftheseason,overannounceagainstinplayoffSeattlechampionship.”Stewart’sfourth-seededStormbegintheirrunonThursdayabest-of-threeseriesWashington.TheWNBAwillitsleagueawardsthecourseofthepostwhichbeginstoday.WilsonwasselectedasAP’sDefensivePlayertheYear,edgingAlyssaandNatashaWilsonanchoredAces’defense,averag1.9blocksand1.4stealsgame.HerAces’teammateYoungwaschosenmostimprovedplayer.TanishaWrightbecamefirstformerWNBAtowintheAPoftheYearaward.wasoneofsixformertobeheadcoachestheleaguethisseason—ledtheirteamstothe“It’sgoodpracticetoformerplayersonthewhethertheyarecoachesorassistantWrightsaid.“We’vecomeupthroughfireandputourstamptheWNBA.“I’mproudtobepartofgroupofplayersthatplayedinthisleagueimpacteditinadifferwaynow.”
SERENA WILLIAMS, of the United States, waves to the crowd after losing 6-4, 6-0 to Emma Radu canu, of Britain, during the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament yesterday. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
AIRBNB says it will use new methods to spot and block people who try to use the short-term rental ser vice to throw a party. The company said Tues day it has introduced technology that examines the would-be renter’s his tory on Airbnb, how far they live from the home they want to rent, whether they’re renting for a weekday or weekend, and otherAirbnbfactors.said the screening system that it is rolling out for listings in the United States and Canada has been tested since last October in parts of Australia, where it produced a 35% drop in unauthorized parties. The San Francisco-based company said the technol ogy is designed to prevent a customer’s request for res ervation from ever reaching the host of the property involved. Airbnb said people blocked from rent ing an entire home might be able to book a single room because the host is more likely to be around.
AS PART of the rollout of a huge new climate, tax and healthcare law, the U.S. government is moving for ward with its plan to award new tax credits to electric vehicleSeveralpurchasers.new websites launched Tuesday to help people identify which vehi cles qualify for the credits. Based on data submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administra tion, at least 31 new 2022 and 2023 models qualify for the tax credit. For starters, they must be made in North America to be eligible. President Joe Biden signed Democrats’ land mark climate change and health care bill into law on Tuesday. It includes a tax credit of up to $7,500 that could be used to defray the cost of purchasing an elec tricModelsvehicle.included are the 2022 Ford F Series electric pickup, BMW X5, Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Bolt, Jeep Wrangler plug-in hybrid, and all four Tesla models. But some models may exceed sticker-price limits in the complex law, and it remains to be seen whether automakers will be able to find minerals or manu facture batteries that can qualify for the credits. Consumers can go to theycation17-digitdecoder/https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/andkeyinthevehicleidentifinumberoftheEVwanttobuytomake sure it’s made in the U.S., Canada or Mexico. The Treasury Department also released a frequently asked questions page on the new law’s provisions. As of Tuesday, tax credits will no longer be available for vehicles assembled out side of the U.S., Canada or Mexico. But people who signed purchase contracts for EVs before Tuesday could still get the cred its. The remaining electric vehicle provisions of the law are effective Jan. 1. A Treasury official told reporters on a call Tuesday that the plan puts the U.S. 2030 climate goals within reach and will help ensure Americans can afford to buy an electric car. Passage of the meas ure set off a scramble by automakers to speed up efforts to find North Amer ican-made batteries and battery minerals from the U.S., Canada or Mexico to make sure EVs are eligible for the Whilecredit.automakers have been announcing U.S. bat tery factories and trying to secure domestic min eral supplies, a large industry trade association has warned that the vast majority of EVs now on sale in the U.S. wouldn’t qualify for the full credit under the Inflation Reduc tion“WeAct.are working over time to localize our supply chains and ramp up produc tion,” Chris Smith, chief government affairs officer at Ford, said in a statement.
Airbnb has been under growing pressure to clamp down on parties since 2019, when a Halloween house party in a San Francisco suburb ended with five people dead in a shooting. The following year, Airbnb announced a world wide party ban at its listings and banned people under 25 from renting an entire house near their home unless they had a record of positive reviews on the site. The party ban was ini tially cast as a temporary health measure during the pandemic but was made permanent in June.
10.009.88 N/AN/AN/A 10.438.45 10.433.00%25.60% 14.8911.20 14.897.90%48.70% MARKET TERMS BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week Change - Change in closing price from day to day EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today NAV - Net Asset Value DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months N/M - Not Meaningful P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | CORALISLE 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333 5.55%4.33%4.31%4.30% 15-Apr-204926-Jul-202817-Apr-203323-Sep-20324.87%4.43% 26-Jul-20377-Sep-2022 6.25% 31-Mar-202230-Sep-2025FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund 4.25%6.25%4.50%6.25% NAV Date 4.66%5.69%5.65% 31-May-202231-May-202231-Jan-202231-Jan-202231-Jan-202231-Jan-202231-May-202231-Jan-202231-Jan-202231-Mar-202115-Oct-204913-Jul-202821-Apr-205025-Mar-202215-Oct-202226-Jun-204526-Jun-202230-Jul-204515-Dec-204430-Jul-202215-Dec-2021 INTEREST Prime + 1.75% MARKET REPORT 31-Mar-202131-Mar-2021 MATURITY 31-Mar-202231-Mar-202220-Nov-202919-Oct-20224.50%6.95% 31-May-202231-Mar-2022 5.60%6.25%4.50% 15-Jul-2049 Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Financial Conservative Fund Leno Financial Aggressive Fund Leno Financial Balanced Fund Leno Financial Global Bond Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Equities Sub Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - High Yield Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Alternative Strategies Fund (242)323 2330 (242) 323 2320 www.bisxbahamas.com
Photo:Patrick Semansky/AP NOTICE is hereby given that DONISH BEANKA MONFILS of P. O. Box AP-59223, Saffron Hill, West Bay Street, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 10th day of August, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas. 15.94-3.89%14.76% 12.47-1.04%-2.57% 10.740.81%4.20%
12.8410.54
SAN AssociatedFRANCISCOPress
The credits are impor tant because no automaker wants to be in a position of seeing a competitor sell vehicles at a $7,500 price advantage, especially since the credits largely target middle-class buyers. “The No. 1 obstacle to EV adoption is cost,” said Michelle Krebs, executive analyst with Cox Automo tive. “So a $7,500 difference is significant on one vehicle compared to another for the part of the market that this is aimed at.” Under the law, an electric vehicle must contain a bat tery built in North America with minerals mined or recycled on the continent to be eligible for the credit. And those rules become more stringent over time — to the point where, in a few years, it’s possible that no EVs would qualify for the tax credit, said the Alliance of Automotive Innovation, a key industry trade group. As of now, the alliance estimates that about 50 of the 72 electric, hydrogen or plug-in hybrid models that are sold in the United States wouldn’t meet the requirements.Underthe $740 billion economic package that Biden signed into law, the tax credits would take effect next year. For an EV buyer to qualify for the full credit, 40% of the metals used in a vehicle’s battery must come from North America. By 2027, that required thresh old would reach 80%. If the metals requirement isn’t met, the automaker and its buyers would be eli gible for half the tax credit, $3,750.Aseparate rule would require that half the bat teries’ value must be manufactured or assem bled in the North America. If not, the rest of the tax credit would be lost. Those requirements also grow stricter each year, eventually reaching 100% in 2029. Still another rule would require that the EV itself be manufactured in North America, thereby excluding from the tax credit any vehicles made overseas.Theidea behind the requirement is to incentiv ize domestic manufacturing and mining, build a robust battery supply chain in North America and lessen the industry’s dependence on overseas supply chains that could be subject to disruptions.Butproduction of lithium and other minerals that are used to produce EV bat teries is now dominated by China. And the world’s leading producer of cobalt, another component of the EV batteries, is the Demo cratic Republic of Congo. The tax credit would be available only to couples with incomes of $300,000 or less or single people with income of $150,000 or less. And any trucks or SUVs with sticker prices above $80,000 or cars above $55,000 wouldn’t be eligi ble, knocking many EVs out of the credits. There’s also a new $4,000 credit for buyers of used EVs, a provision that could help modest-income house holds go electric. The Treasury Department, which is administering the tax cred its, said more guidance will be coming, and it was not in a position to say what vehi cles will qualify for credits after all the law’s provisions are considered.
THE AIRBNB app icon is displayed on an iPad screen in Wash ington, D.C., on May 8, 2021. Airbnb announced Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, that it will use new methods to spot and block people who try to use the short-term rental service to throw a party. The company said it has introduced technology that examines the would-be renter’s history on Airbnb, how far they live from the home they want to rent, whether they’re renting for a week day or weekend, and other factors.
PRESIDENT Joe Biden hands the pen he used to sign the Democrats’ landmark climate change and health care bill to Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., watches in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022.
NOTICE TUESDAY, 16 AUGUST 2022 CLOSECHANGE%CHANGEYTDYTD% BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: 2582.840.910.04354.6015.91 BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI52WK LOWSECURITY SYMBOLLAST CLOSECLOSECHANGE VOLUMEEPS$DIV$P/E YIELD 6.985.30 AML Foods Limited AML 6.80 6.980.18 1,0000.2390.17029.22.44% 53.0033.80 APD Limited APD 39.95 39.950.00 1150.9321.26042.93.15% 2.721.60Benchmark BBL 2.71 2.710.00 0.0000.020N/M0.74% 2.612.20Bahamas First Holdings Limited BFH 2.46 2.460.00 0.1400.08017.63.25% 2.601.30Bank of Bahamas BOB 2.51 2.510.00 0.0700.000N/M0.00% 6.205.75Bahamas Property Fund BPF 6.20 6.200.00 1.7600.000N/M0.00% 10.057.50Bahamas Waste BWL 9.75 9.750.00 0.3690.26026.42.67% 4.152.82Cable Bahamas CAB 3.91 3.910.00 -0.4380.000-8.9 0.00% 10.655.40Commonwealth Brewery CBB 10.15 10.150.00 0.1400.00072.50.00% 3.652.27Commonwealth Bank CBL 3.25 3.250.00 0.1840.12017.73.69% 8.255.95Colina Holdings CHL 8.16 8.160.00 0.4490.22018.22.70% 17.509.80CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank CIB 16.00 16.000.00 0.7220.72022.24.50% 2.651.99Consolidated Water BDRs CWCB 3.14 3.13 (0.01) 0.1020.43430.713.87% 11.288.25Doctor's Hospital DHS 10.26 10.260.00 0.4670.06022.00.58% 11.2510.02Emera Incorporated EMAB 11.67 11.790.12 0.6460.32818.32.78% 10.8510.00Famguard FAM 10.85 10.850.00 0.7280.24014.92.21% 18.3014.05Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) Limited FBB 18.30 18.300.00 1,5000.8160.54022.42.95% 4.003.50Focol FCL 3.90 3.900.00 0.2030.12019.23.08% 11.008.20Finco FIN 11.00 11.000.00 0.9390.20011.71.82% 16.5015.50J. S. Johnson JSJ 15.50 15.500.00 0.6310.61024.63.94% PREFERENCE SHARES 1.001.00Bahamas First Holdings PreferenceBFHP 1.00 1.000.00 0.0000.0000.0000.00% 1000.001000.00 Cable Bahamas Series 6 CAB6 1000.001000.000.00 0.0000.0000.0000.00% 1000.001000.00 Cable Bahamas Series 9 CAB9 1000.001000.000.00 0.0000.0000.0000.00% 1.001.00Colina Holdings Class A CHLA 1.00 1.000.00 0.0000.0000.0006.25% 10.0010.00Fidelity Bank Bahamas Class A FBBA 10.0010.000.00 0.0000.0000.0007.00% 1.001.00Focol Class B FCLB 1.00 1.000.00 0.0000.0000.0006.50% CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI52WK LOWSECURITY SYMBOLLAST SALECLOSECHANGEVOLUME 100.00100.00Fidelity Bank (Note 22 Series B+)FBB22 100.00100.000.00 100.00100.00Bahamas First Holdings LimitedBFHB 100.00100.000.00 BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92104.79Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BAH29 107.31107.310.00 100.00100.00BGS: 2014-12-7Y BG0107 100.00100.000.00 100.00100.00BGS: 2015-1-7Y BG0207 100.00100.000.00 100.00100.00BGS: 2014-12-30Y BG0130 100.00100.000.00 100.00100.00BGS: 2015-1-30Y BG0230 100.00100.000.00 100.00100.00BGS: 2015-6-7Y BG0307 100.00100.000.00 100.00100.00BGS: 2015-6-30Y BG0330 100.00100.000.00 100.00100.00BGS: 2015-10-7Y BG0407 100.00100.000.00 101.5599.72BGRS FX BGR124228 BSBGR1242282101.55101.550.00 100.2299.98BGRS FL BGRS99032 BSBGRS990326100.50100.500.00 100.4399.96BGRS FL BGRS97033 BSBGRS970336100.09100.090.00 100.43100.43BGRS FL BGRS75022 BSBGRS750225100.54100.540.00 100.34100.04BGRS FL BGRS81037 BSBGRS810375100.34100.340.00 100.23100.00BGRS FL BGRS88028 BSBGRS880287100.00100.000.00 100.0089.62BGRS FX BGR129249 BSBGR129249389.6289.620.00 100.0089.00BGRS FX BGR131249 BSBGR1312499100.00100.000.00 100.9890.24BGRS FX BGR132249 BSBGR1322498100.00100.000.00 100.0090.73BGRS FX BGR136150 BSBGR1361504100.00100.000.00 MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI52WK LOW NAV YTD%12 MTH% 2.522.11 2.520.99%4.22% 4.693.30 4.690.36%5.78% 2.221.68 2.210.67%2.74% 207.86164.74 197.44-2.97%-2.35% 212.41116.70 202.39-4.72%6.04% 1.741.69 1.741.37%3.03% 1.841.75 1.841.19%5.23% 1.831.76 1.831.62%4.13% 1.030.97 0.97-5.25%-6.07% 9.376.41 9.37-0.02%10.36% 11.837.62 11.79-0.33%18.23% 7.545.66 7.540.22%3.05% 16.648.65
BY TOM KRISHER AND FATIMA AssociatedHUSSEINPress
10.779.57
PhotoL:Susan Walsh/AP AIRBNB IS ROLLING OUT NEW SCREENING TOOLS TO STOP PARTIES
THE TRIBUNE Wednesday, August 17, 2022, PAGE 17
Which EVs qualify for new US tax credit? Websites offer help
WHITE BOLTON LIMITED N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows: (a) WHITE BOLTON LIMITED is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000. (b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 10th August, 2022 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General.
Bukit Merah LiquidatorLimited
(c) The Liquidator of the said company is Bukit Merah Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, P.O. Box N-3023, Nassau, Bahamas Dated this 17th day of August, 2022 Bukit Merah LiquidatorLimited
YELLOW AFTERGLOW LIMITED N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows:
Bukit Merah LiquidatorLimited N O T I C E
N O T I C E KIKO HOLDINGS LIMITED N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows: (a) KIKO HOLDINGS LIMITED is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000. (b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 10th August, 2022 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General. (c) The Liquidator of the said company is Bukit Merah Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, P.O. Box N-3023, Nassau, Bahamas Dated this 17th day of August, 2022
By HALELUYA HADERO AP Business Writer
(c) The Liquidator of the said company is Bukit Merah Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, P.O. Box N-3023, Nassau, Bahamas
SHULYNN & EVAN LTD.
AMAZON is raising charges on third-party sellers again — this time adding a holiday fee for merchants who use the company's fulfillment services to pack and ship items to customers. From Oct. 15 to Jan. 14, sellers will be hit with an average fee of $0.35 per item sold using Amazon's fulfillment services in the U.S. and Canada, accord ing to a notice the company sent to merchants Tuesday.
It's the second fee hike imposed on merchants this year by the online retail behemoth. In April, the company added a 5% "fuel and inflation" surcharge to offset rising gas costs and inflation, which is running close to its highest level in fourTodecades.useAmazon's fulfill ment services, merchants already have to pay a fee that varies based on an item's size, weight or category.Inthe notice sent Tues day, Amazon noted the holiday season increases fulfillment and logistics costs due to the volume of shipments being trans ported. The company said it previously absorbed these cost increases. But seasonal expenses were now "reach ing new heights," it said. "Our selling partners are incredibly important to us, and this is not a decision we made lightly," the company said. CNBC first reported on the hike in fees. Holiday pricing adjust ments are not novel to Amazon. Last week, the U.S. Postal Service said it filed a notice to implement a temporary price hike to cover extra handling costs during the holiday season. But at Amazon, seller fees — and their repeated increases — are a subject of contention since the com pany controls a vast share of the e-commerce market. Critics argue the company's excessive fees could poten tially lock out merchants from its "Corporationsmarketplace.that have monopoly power tend to raise prices, and that's what we're seeing here," said Stacy Mitchell, an Amazon critic and co-director for the anti-monopoly group Institute for Local SelfReliance. "Amazon's dominance of the online market means that small businesses have little choice but to pay up." Last month, Amazon's Chief Financial Officer Brian Olsavsky said during a media call that third-party sellers represented 57% of total units sold on Amazon during the three-month period that ended June 30, the highest in the compa ny's history.
Dated this 17th day of August, 2022 CST Administration (Bahamas) Limited Liquidator N O T I C E
(b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 10th August, 2022 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General.
AMAZON TO RAISE SELLER FEES FOR HOLIDAYS AMID RISING COSTS
International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000) MEM SP INVESTMENTS, LTD.
Dated this 17th day of August, 2022
(b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 10th August, 2022 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General.
AN NYSE sign is seen on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, on June 15, 2022. Stocks are opening mostly lower on Wall Street Tuesday, Aug. 16, despite some encourag ing results from Walmart and Home Depot, which both beat analysts’ forecasts for earnings in the latest quarter. Photo:Seth Wenig/AP
Registration Number: 141456 B Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000 notice is hereby given that MEM SP INVESTMENTS, LTD., has been dissolved and has been struck off the Register of Companies with effect from the 18th day of July, 2022.
AFTER ANOTHER BUMPY DAY, WALL STREET ENDS MOSTLY HIGHER
NOTICE
(c) The Liquidator of the said company is Bukit Merah Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, P.O. Box N-3023, Nassau, Bahamas Dated this 17th day of August, 2022 Bukit Merah LiquidatorLimited N O T I C E
(b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 10th August, 2022 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General.
(a) STURDY MIND LIMITED is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000.
By DAMIAN J. TROISE AND ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers ANOTHER choppy day of trading on Wall Street ended Tuesday with a mostly higher finish for stocks that adds to the mar ket’s recent string of gains. The S&P 500 rose 0.2%, its third straight gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Aver age rose 0.7%, extending its winning streak to a fifth day. The Nasdaq slipped 0.2%. Bond yields gained ground. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 2.81% from 2.79% late Monday.The market’s latest gyrations came as traders cautiously reviewed mostly encouraging financial results from major retailers. Walmart jumped 5.1% and after the nation’s larg est retailer reported strong results that easily topped analysts’ forecasts. Home Depot rose 4.1% after also reporting better-thanexpected results. The gains from both companies did much of the heavy lifting for the Technology,Dow. health care and energy stocks fell, lim iting the broader market’s advance. Broadcom fell 1.3%, Moderna slid 5% for the biggest drop in the S&P 500 and Marathon Oil fell 1.1%.Retailers, consumer product makers and banks made solid gains. In all, the S&P 500 rose 8.06 points to 4,305.20. The Dow gained 239.57 points to 34,152.01. The Nasdaq fell 25.50 points to 13,102.55.Smaller company stocks edged lower. The Russell 2000 slipped 0.82 points, or less than 0.1%, to 2,020.53. U.S. crude oil prices fell 3.2%. European mar kets ended broadly higher and Asian markets closed mixedStocksovernight.hadtheir best month in a year-and-a-half in July and the winning streak has been continu ing into August partially on hopes that inflation is easing. The latest govern ment report on consumer prices showed that infla tion essentially stalled from June to July. Still, trading has been choppy, with major indexes swaying between gains and losses throughout each day. The bumpy trading reflects at least partly a surge in “dip buyers,” or investors swooping in to buy stocks that have traded lower, said Randy Freder ick, managing director of trading & derivatives at Charles Schwab. “The dip buyers were just absent in the first half of the year, and whenever they did step in they got spanked every time,” he said. “That has changed now.” Frederick points to momentum in the market right“Clearlynow. the easier direc tion is to the upside at this point, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have another pull back,” he said.
N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows: (a) SHULYNN & EVAN LTD. is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000.
(c) The Liquidator of the said company is CST Administration (Bahamas) Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, Nassau, Bahamas. Dated this 17th day of August, 2022 CST Administration (Bahamas) Limited Liquidator N O T I C E STURDY MIND LIMITED N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows:
The Commerce Depart ment releases its July retail sales report on Wednes day. Economists surveyed by FactSet expect modest 0.2% growth from June, when sales rose 1%. The retail reports are capping off the latest round of corporate earnings, which have been closely watched by investors trying to determine inflation’s impact on businesses and consumers, while trying to gauge how Federal Reserve will react. The central bank is raising interest rates in an effort to slow down eco nomic growth and rein in inflation, though it risks hitting the brakes too hard and veering the economy into a Investorsrecession.are looking for any signs that inflation is peaking or cooling in the hopes that the Fed could ease its aggressive rate hike policy. The central bank in July raised its benchmark interest rate by three-quar ters of a point for a second straight time.
(a) YELLOW AFTERGLOW LIMITED is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000.
The latest results from retailers show that spend ing remains solid, even as consumers face the hot test inflation in 40 years. Wall Street has been con cerned that higher prices on everything from food to clothing could eventually stunt the economy’s main engine of growth, consumer spending. Investors will get more updates on the retail sector this week, when Target reports its results on Wednesday.
(c) The Liquidator of the said company is CST Administration (Bahamas) Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, Nassau, Bahamas.
(b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 10th August, 2022 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General.
GSO Corporate Services Ltd. Liquidator
N O T I C E 11206 CO. LIMITED N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows: (a) 11206 CO. LIMITED is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000.
PAGE 18, Wednesday, August 17, 2022 THE TRIBUNE
A HARVESTER collects wheat in Semikarakorsky District of Rostov-on-Don region near Semikara korsk, Southern Russia, Wednesday, July 6, 2022. Russia is the world’s biggest exporter of wheat, accounting for almost a fifth of global shipments. It is expected to have one of its best ever crop seasons this year. Agriculture is among the most important industries in Russia, accounting for around 4% of its GDP, according to the World Bank. Photo:AP
By JON AssociatedGAMBRELLPress
SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW
Russia’s demands for the deal included public state ments from the U.S. and EU that sanctions don’t target Russian food and fertilizer. It also raised issues around financial transactions to the Russian Agricultural Bank, access for Russian-flagged vessels at ports and ammo nia exports needed for fertilizer production. A week before Russia signed the agreement, the U.S. Treasury Department issued statements with such assurances. It made clear that Washington hadn’t imposed sanctions on the sale or transport of agri cultural commodities or medicine from Russia. Treasury also issued a broad license to authorize certain transactions related to agricultural commodities, saying the U.S. “strongly supports efforts by the United Nations to bring both Ukrainian and Rus sian grain to world markets and to reduce the impact of Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine on global food sup plies and prices.” The EU also reiterated that Russian agriculture hadn’t been sanctioned and blamed the global spike in food prices on the war and the Kremlin’s agricultural export caps meant to pro tect its domestic market.
THE TRIBUNE Wednesday, August 17, 2022, PAGE 19
By AYA AssociatedBATRAWYPress WITH much fanfare, ship after ship loaded with grain has sailed from Ukraine after being stuck in the country’s Black Sea ports for nearly six months. More quietly, a parallel wartime deal met Moscow’s demands to clear the way for its wheat to get to the world, too, boosting an industry vital to Russia’s economy that had been ensnared in wider sanctions. While the U.S. and its European allies work to crush Russia’s finances with a web of penalties for invad ing Ukraine, they have avoided directly sanctioning grains and other goods that feed people worldwide. Russian and Ukrain ian wheat, barley, corn and sunflower oil are important to countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, where millions rely on subsidized bread for survival. As the war spiked food and energy prices, millions of people have been pushed into pov erty or closer to the brink of starvation.Twodeals that the U.N. and Turkey brokered last month to unblock food sup plies depend on each other: one protects ships export ing Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea and the other assures Russia that its food and fertilizer won’t face sanctions, safeguarding one of the pillars of its economy and helping ease concerns from insurers and banks. The agreement allowed a Western shipper to move two vessels of grain out of Russia in a matter of weeks. It used to take months because Western banks refused to transfer pay ments to Russia. Although U.S. and European Union sanctions don’t directly target Russian agriculture, Western banks have been wary of running afoul, hin dering buyers’ and shippers’ access to Russian grain. “You have to invest time with the banks to make them understand this whole thing because the author ity says, ‘Go ahead there’s no sanction,’ but the banks self-sanction,” said Gaurav Srivastava, whose company Harvest Commodities buys, ships and sells grains from the Black Sea region. He called the process with banks a “labor inten siveWhat’sexercise.”changed in recent weeks, Srivastava said, is “the appearance ... of this being sort of a truce between all parties.” The deal mattered to Russia because it’s the world’s biggest exporter of wheat, accounting for almost a fifth of global ship ments, and the country is expected to have one of its best-ever crop seasons this year. Agriculture accounts for around 4% of Russia’s gross domestic product, according to the World Bank.“What is more impor tant is employment,” said Russian economist Sergey Aleksashenko, referring to jobs created by agriculture. “It’s like 7 to 8% of employment.”Farmingprovides 5-6 million Russian jobs, with some regions almost entirely dependent on it for their livelihood, he said. Srivastava, whose com pany operates from Los Angeles and Geneva, hopes to be able to ship out 10-15 million tons of Russian grain over the coming year. He also has been able to move out two chartered ships that were stuck at Ukrainian ports since the start of the war on Feb. 24. He said the company is aiming to pick up 1 million tons of grain from Ukraine under the four-month-long U.N.“Wedeal.are a commercial business, but we are trying to help the plight of farm ers in both Russia and Ukraine,” Srivastava said. “I’m very optimistic, espe cially in the last couple of weeks.”
THE first shipment of grain to leave Ukraine under a wartime deal appears to have ended up in Syria — even as Damas cus remains a close ally of Moscow, satellite images analyzed Tuesday by The Associated Press show. The arrival of the cargo ship Razoni in Syria comes after the government in Kyiv praised the ship’s ini tial departure from the port of Odesa as a sign that Ukraine could safely ship out its barley, corn, sun flower oil and wheat to a hungry world where global food prices have spiked in part due to the war. But its arrival in Syria’s port of Tartus shows how complicated and murky international trade and shipping can be. Syria has already received Ukrainian grain taken from Russianoccupied territory amid Moscow’s war on Kyiv. Images from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP showed the Sierra Leoneflagged Razoni at port just before 11 a.m. Monday. The vessel was just next to the port’s grain silos, key to supplying wheat to the nation.Data from the Razoni’s Automatic Identification System tracker shows it had been turned off since Friday, when it was just off the coast of Cyprus, accord ing to ship-tracking website MarineTraffic.com. Ships are supposed to keep their AIS trackers on, but vessels wanting to hide their move ments often turn theirs off. Those heading to Syrian ports routinely do so. The Razoni could be identified in the satellite image by its color, length and width, as well as the four large white cranes on its deck. Samir Madani, cofounder of the oil-shipment website TankerTrackers. com and an expert on fol lowing ships via satellite images, similarly identified the vessel from the image. The Financial Times first reported on the satellite image.The Razoni, loaded with 26,000 tons of corn, left Odesa on Aug. 1. The cargo ship was the first to leave a Ukrainian-controlled port in the country since Russia launched the war in Feb ruary. As part of the deal, a United Nations coordi nation center in Istanbul staffed by Turkey, Russia and Ukraine oversees the shipments to make sure they safely travel through the Black Sea, which has mines in some areas and has seen combat during the conflict.But Lebanon, which was Razoni’s presumed destination, ended up not taking the shipment, even as it struggles with its own economic crisis. Lebanese media had reported that after a monthslong delay due to the war in Ukraine, the merchant who had bought the shipment no longer wanted it. The vessel sat off Mersin, Turkey, before heading to Syria.Asked about the Razoni, the U.N. Joint Coordi nation Center said in a statement that “after outbound vessels clear inspection in Istanbul, the JCC ceases monitoring them.”“The cleared vessels proceed then to their final destinations, whatever those may be,” the center said. FIRST SHIP OUT OF UKRAINE IN SYRIA
RUSSIA’S ECONOMY GETS BOOST FROM WARTIME GRAIN SHIPMENTS
PAGE 20, Wednesday, August 17, 2022 THE TRIBUNE
Photo:Charles Krupa/AP
Evidence of an enormous consumer shift registered in a number of places at Walmart. Sales of private grocery brands, which are typically less expensive, doubled from the first quar ter to the Walmartsecond.canceled bil lions of dollars worth of orders to equalize its inven tory and now believes that only about 15% of its total inventory growth during the second quarter is above optimal levels. The situation stabilized somewhat as the quarter wore on, Walmart said. It saw the influx of new cus tomers, and lower gas prices in recent weeks offered some relief. Strong back-toschool spending helped. Walmart noted that a vast majority — roughly 75% — of its market share in grocery during the latest quarter was driven by shoppers with $100,000 or more in annual household income.Walmart earned $5.15 bil lion, or $1.88 per share, or $1.77 excluding one-time costs and charges. That easily beat the $1.62 per share that Wall Street was looking for, according to FactSet.Italso topped last year’s profit of $4.27 billion. Sales rose 8.4% to $152.86 billion, topping industry analyst projections. It now expects con solidated adjusted operating income to decline 9% to 11% for the year, an improvement from the company’s prior guidance of 11% to 13%. Its shares rose $6.77 to close Tuesday at $139.37.
DOGS VS DELI MEAT;
By MARCY GORDON AP Business Writer AMAZON has com plained to federal regulators that they are hounding company founder Jeff Bezos and senior executives, making "impos sible-to-satisfy demands" in their investigation of Amazon Prime, the popu lar streaming and shopping service with free delivery and an estimated 200 mil lion members around the globe.The Federal Trade Commission has been investigating the sign-up and cancellation practices of Amazon Prime start ing in March 2021 with the issuance of civil subpoenas, the biggest online retailer and tech giant disclosed in a petition to the agency filed earlier this month. The petition asks the FTC to cancel, or extend the deadline for answering, subpoenas sent last June to Bezos, Amazon's former CEO, and current CEO Andy Jassy. It says the FTC "has identified no legiti mate reason for needing their testimony when it can obtain the same informa tion, and more, from other witnesses and documents." Jassy took over the top position at Amazon from Bezos, one of the world's richest individuals, in July 2021. Bezos became execu tiveThechairman.FTC investigation has widened to include at least five other subscrip tion programs, according to Amazon: Audible, Amazon Music, Kindle Unlimited, Subscribe & Save, and an unidentified third-party program not offered by Amazon. The regulators are asking the company to identify the number of con sumers who were enrolled in the programs without giving their consent, among other customer informa tion. In June, agency staff sought to serve subpoenas on nearly 20 current and former Amazon employees, at their homes, with dates for them to give testimony in coming weeks, the peti tionAmazonsays. says in the petition it has worked "diligently and coopera tively" with FTC staff for more than a year to pro vide information relevant to the probe, offering up some 37,000 pages of documents. It calls the information demanded in the subpoenas "overly broad and nessreportedtionYaleParadox"titledwritingtheasGoogleFacebookatomakesshepany'spublicness,investigationsfromChairunsuccessfullyFootball."theingfeatureservicecostsanding,venturese-commercecompany,data,assourceAmazonmillionTuesday.aimmediatelychosenhastily,completepressurestandoffAmazonburdensome."blamestheon"unexplainedplacedonstafftotheinvestigationbyanarbitrarilydeadline."FTCspokespeopledidn'trespondtorequestforcommentWithanestimated150U.S.subscribers,Primeisakeyofrevenue,aswellawealthofcustomerfortheSeattle-basedwhichrunsanempireandincloudcomputpersonal"smart"techbeyond.AmazonPrime$139ayear.TheaddedacovetedthisyearbyobtainexclusivevideorightstoNFL's"ThursdayNightLastyear,AmazonaskedthatFTCLinaKhanstepasideseparateantitrustintoitsbusicontendingthathercriticismofthecommarketpowerbeforejoinedthegovernmentitimpossibleforherbeimpartial.Khanwasfiercecriticoftechgiants(nowMeta),andApple,aswellAmazon.Shearrivedonantitrustscenein2017,aninfluentialstudy"Amazon'sAntitrustwhenshewasalawstudent.Amazon'slatestpetitotheFTCwasfirstMondaybyBusiInsider.
A WOMAN wheels a cart with her purchases out of a Walmart, on Nov. 18, 2020, in Derry, N.H. Walmart Inc. on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, reported fiscal second-quarter net income of $5.15 billion.The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company said it had profit of $1.88 per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, were $1.77 per share.
AMAZON: FTC PROBE HOUNDING BEZOS, EXECS; SUBPOENAS TOO BROAD TO TRIBUNETODAYADVERTISEINTHECALL@502-2394
HOT RISING COSTS SHAPE CHOICES AT WALMART
By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer WITH inflation hovering near levels not seen in 40 years, higher-income Amer icans turned to Walmart to cut costs on groceries while its lower-income customers swapped out deli meats for less expensive hot dogs and canned tuna. That boosted sales for Walmart in the second quarter, the company reported Tuesday, but the downward shift at almost all points along the social spectrum cut into profit margins.And the same forces shaping choices that Ameri cans make about where they shop for food and what they eat are forc ing Walmart to cut prices and clear huge inventories of things that customers clamored for during the pandemic; TVs, casual clothing, sporting goods and a host of other items not considered essential. “We’re pleased to see more customers choos ing Walmart during this inflationary period,” said CEO Doug McMillon. “The actions we’ve taken to improve inventory levels in the U.S., along with a heavier mix of sales in gro cery put pressure on profit margin.”Retailers this year have had to stay on top of shop ping habits changed by both rising costs and consumers who would rather spend money outside of the home rather than on it as the pan demic eases. The retailer beat Wall Street expectations and sales at stores open at least a year rose 6.5% as more Americans looked to trim spending in various ways through Walmart. After being caught off guard by how quickly its customers pivoted, Walmart said that it’s making pro gress getting rid of excess inventory, though it remains an issue. The company on Tuesday said the decline in profit that it forecast just a month ago will be smaller than it had feared. Shares of Walmart jumped 5% Tuesday. Walmart Inc., based in Bentonville, Arkansas, is among the first major retailers to report quarterly results and is considered a crucial barometer of spend ing given its size and the breadth of its customer base.Walmart shocked Wall Street three weeks ago when it lowered its profit outlook for the first time since 2015 and shares of a company that thrived during the pandemic tum bledThe10%.warning followed an announcement by Target, another pandemic super star, in the previous month that it was canceling orders from suppliers as its inven tory piled up, untouched by consumers who no longer wanted to furnish their homes as COVID-19 eased itsSalesgrip. of casual clothing, TVs and other electronics that flew off the shelves and into the homes of Ameri cans sheltering in place went flat as people started going to restaurants, shows or traveling again.
A White House official said Biden is optimistic the report will provide a good framework for successful negotiations because avoid ing a rail shutdown is in the nation’s interests. The report was distrib uted to the parties Tuesday, and The Associated Press obtained a copy of it, but the railroads and the unions didn’t immediately com ment on any details. The railroads entered the Presidential Emergency Board process a month ago far apart from the 12 unions taking part. The unions have been seeking a 31% raise over the five years of the deal while the railroads were offering only 17% in compounded raises. The unions also don’t want to see the cost of their health care coverage go up much in a new Accordingcontract.the report, the board is recommend ing 24% wage increases and $5,000 in bonus payments over the life of the contract while adding one additional paid day off each year. The report also recommends keeping the same basic health insurance plan but having employees take on a larger share of the costs through higher monthly premiums.
Gates eyes partnership with South Korea over global health
THE special board appointed by President Joe Biden to intervene in stalled railroad contract talks sug gested Tuesday that 115,000 rail workers should get 24% raises and thousands of dol lars in bonuses as part of a new agreement to avert a strike.Railroads and unions will use those recommendations as the basis for a new round of negotiations over the next month. It remains to be seen, however, whether railroads will agree to the higher wages or find ways to address union concerns about working conditions. If the two sides can’t agree on a new deal by mid September, federal law would allow a strike or lockout. But Congress is likely to intervene before then to keep the supply chain moving. A railroad strike could devastate businesses that rely on Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk South ern, CSX and other major freight railroads to deliver raw materials and ship their products. In past national rail labor disputes, lawmak ers have voted to impose terms on the railroads before workers could strike.
PLAN TO END RAILROAD CONTRACT DISPUTE CALLS FOR 24% RAISES
A BNSF rail terminal worker monitors the departure of a freight train, on June 15, 2021, in Galesburg, Ill. The special board appointed by President Joe Biden to inter vene in the stalled railroad contract talks submitted its recommendations to the White House, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, on how to settle the deal that covers 115,000 rail workers and avert a strike, but the details of what those arbitrators suggested weren’t immediately avail able.Photo:Shafkat Anowar/AP
SOUTH Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Bill Gates before a meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022. Gates on Tuesday called for South Korea to further step up in international efforts to prevent infectious diseases like COVID-19 as he stressed the need for the world to be better prepared for the next pandemic.Photo:Ahn Jung-won/AP
Gates said South Korea has been a “good partner” in his foundation’s health projects, including devel opment of more accessible COVID-19 vaccines and work on HIV, malaria and tuberculosis.“Wehope we can do more together,” Gates said, according to Yoon’s office. Gates also met leaders of the SK busi ness group to discuss cooperation on health pro jects. SK’s pharmaceutical arm, SK Bioscience, pro duces COVID-19 vaccines and has received funds from the Gates foundation to develop nasal sprays designed to help prevent coronavirus infections.
THE TRIBUNE Wednesday, August 17, 2022, PAGE 21
By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA Associated Press BILL Gates on Tuesday called for South Korea to become more involved in international efforts to pre vent infectious diseases like COVID-19 as he stressed the need for the world to be better prepared for the next pandemic.Representing the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates signed a memoran dum of understanding with South Korea’s foreign and health ministries pledg ing further partnerships in projects aimed at improv ing public health tools in the developing world and advancing vaccines and treatments for infectious diseases.Seoul also promised stronger support for key projects backed by the Gates foundation, includ ing the Global Fund, which focuses on HIV, tubercu losis and malaria, and the non-profit groups CEPI and GAVI, which along with the World Health Organi zation co-lead the COVAX distribution program that distributes COVID-19 vaccines to lower-income nations.Speaking to South Korean lawmakers in Seoul, Gates called for stronger international cooperation, including efforts to develop vaccines that would be effective for a broader range of coronaviruses, to navigate what he described as a “crisis moment” in global health. He noted South Korea’s strength in public health tools, research and vaccine manufacturing and praised the country’s pledge to donate $200 million to COVAX.“There’s a lot we need to do together –- we need to reach deep, we need to build more partnership, we need to encourage the scientists,” Gates said in his speech at the National Assembly. “But I am con fident that with these steps we can continue to radi cally improve global health, to cut the number of chil dren dying in half again, to eradicate diseases like polio, measles and malaria, and improve the lives of all humans.”Gates later met South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who described gov ernment plans to promote the country’s bio-health industry and expressed a willingness to further cooperate with the Gates foundation to “improve the health of global citizens.”
The board says it believes workers are entitled to higher wages than the railroads have proposed because of current high inflation, tight labor mar kets and railroads’ strong profitability. The report also says that railroad work has become more demand ing in recent years because of the pandemic and costcutting at the railroads. Railroad workers have gone without a raise since 2019 while the contract talks drug on. The workers expect to be compensated after staying on the job throughout the pandemic and enduring extensive job cuts in recent years. And strikes have become more common over the last two years in a variety of industries because unions generally feel empowered to ask for more. The major freight rail roads have eliminated nearly one-third of their jobs over the past six years as they overhauled their operations to run fewer, longer trains that need fewer locomotives and employees. Unions say the railroads expect more from the workers who remain, and that some railroads’ tightened attendance poli cies make it hard to take time off because of all the jobIncuts.addition to disagree ments over wages and benefits, unions have staunchly opposed a pro posal from the railroads to cut the number of workers in a locomotive from two to one. A new proposed federal rule that would require two-person crews in most instances should make it harder for rail roads to reduce crew sizes, but the railroads have been pressing for the change for several years. The unions argue that keeping two people on the crews isn’t just about preserving jobs, but also ensuring safety. Reaching a new agree ment would likely make it easier for railroads to hire new employees, which they acknowledge they need to do to improve service and cut down on the delays that have plagued freight shipments this year. The major freight railroads have all said they want to hire hundreds more workers, but worker shortages are making that difficult.
"One of the things they wanted was an integrated accounting file, so we made it possible for all of their payroll data to be easily imported into their account ing software. We also included performance man agement and recruitment modules to enable CBS to conduct company-wide performance reviews and manage candidates applying for a job."
A HOME Depot logo sign hands on its facade, Friday, May 14, 2021, in North Miami, Fla. Home Depot’s sales rose in its fiscal second quarter, buoyed by continued demand for items related to home improvement projects. Photo:Wilfredo Lee/AP
35 percent revenue
HOME Depot is seeing sustained demand for goods related to home improve ment projects despite soaring prices and mort gage rates for homes. Despite record profit and revenue, the Atlanta home improvement chain main tained its guidance for the year. Revenue for the three months ended July 31 rose 6.5% to $43.79 billion, which topped projections of $43.35 billion on Wall Street, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research.Salesat stores open at least a year, a key indica tor of a retailer’s health, climbed 5.8%, and 5.4% in theWhileU.S. the number of cus tomer transactions fell 3%, the amount shoppers spent per transaction rose 9.1%. Neil Saunders, manag ing director of GlobalData, said Tuesday that there was some inflation baked into the“Thisnumbers.isone of the rea sons why Home Depot’s average ticket has risen by 9.1% over the prior year,” Saunders wrote. “While inflation does not account for all the gains, it has flattered Home Depot’s numbers.”Saunders believes that it has been easier for Home Depot to pass along price increases to customers because the products on its stores shelves are con sidered essential to make home improvements. And contractors can pass along higher prices to clients, he added.Home Depot earned $5.17 billion, or $5.05 per share, which also topped per-share projections for $4.95. It was also better than last year’s strong second quarter, when the company posted earnings of $4.81Profitbillion.and sales levels were unprecedented for Home Depot, according to CEO Ted Decker. The company stuck to its 2022 forecast for midsingle digits earnings per share growth and total sales growth and comparable sales growth of about 3%. Home improvement stores have remained busy during the pandemic as people working from home took on new projects. The spring and summer is also a traditional busy season as home owners head out for flowers, vegetables and other gardening and land scapingHomegoods.Depot Inc. has continued to lure customers despite what may be a cool ing of the housing market. Sales of previously occu pied U.S. homes slowed for the fifth consecutive month in June as higher mortgage rates and rising prices kept many home hunters on the sidelines.Existing home sales fell 5.4% in June from May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.12 million, the National Association of Realtors said last month. Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates soared last week in a continued volatile market as the key 30-year loan rate jumped back over 5%.
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LYFORD CAY RESIDENTS CALL FOR HALT TO CONDOMINIUM PLAN
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CBS SIGNS UP TO SOFTWARE DESIGNED BY BAHAMIANS TOURISM MINISTRY LAUNCHES SERIES OF MARKETING MISSIONS
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HOME DEPOT POSTS RECORD PROFIT, REVENUE; STICKS TO OUTLOOK
“Additional net reserves of $10.5m were booked during the period. These additional reserves are included in the provision for future policy benefits net of the changes in rein surance assets at June 30, 2022.”“During the report ing period, the company received some significant repayments of certain of its receivable balances which resulted in the large cash balances held at quarter end,” said Hilts. “These assets are expected to be largely redirected, through the balance of the year, towards investment pur chases aligned with the company’s long-term investment strategy.” Total assets at June 30 were $858.3m with invested assets remaining the largest component of total assets, comprising 70.0 percent of totalShareholders’assets. equity at June 30 totalled $200.3m and is net of $3.9m in divi dend distributions to its ordinary shareholders and $1.2m in dividends to its preference economicmostthecontinuingpany’sGenerally,shareholders.thecomfinancialsreflectrecoveryfromCOVID-19pandemic,notablythepositiveeffectsofthe reopening of The Bahamas and related uptick in rev enue and “CHBL’semployment.ongoing con centration on methods that fortify its balance sheet and capital position provides the Company with the flex ibility necessary to facilitate the needs of policyholders and customers within these ever-changing fiscal condi tions,” said Hilts. rise for insurance firm Colina PAGE A24 residential single family lots all of which were relotted and rezoned by request of the Lyford Cay Company in 2000.“Additionally, the six lots carved out of the reserved parcel are comparable in size to the neighbouring lots, which are also des ignated as single family residential lots. Such a mas sive building complex will present significant impacts to these property owners.” Kim Aranha, long-time resident of Lyford Cay, added: “My understanding had been that this property had originally been zoned to be condos. I don’t think that the community has anything against condos. I think what has put the fear of terror into everybody is these nine storey pencils in a coffee cup design that has upsetTheeverybody.concept of condos are “attractive for older couples”, she noted but the “nine-storey sort of New York towers don’t belong in Lyford Cay.” Mr Smith also did note, however that this project is in its “infancy stages” at the beginning of the approval process before it can move to the next step, which does not seem likely if Lyford Cay residents have any thing to do about it. career option for younger professionals within their third year in corporate Bahamas or in some other field of endeavour,” Mr Sweeting remarked. The time to enter the real estate business couldn’t be better because the market is “red hot” right now with the local market “very motivated” to buy real estate. “There is very little options between the $250k and under range and so properties that are listed at that price point sell within days or weeks,” he said.
REAL ESTATE EXPECTED TO ATTRACT MORE STAFF
Ms Duncombe said the industry’s forecast for the remainder of the year and through March 2023 is very promising, and marketing initiatives will enhance the Bahamas’ global brand. “We hope these events will inspire our partners, lead ers, and representatives, and that we will collectively keep the heartbeat of our economy alive by working together,” she said. The “Bringing The Bahamas to You” Global Missions will bring a taste of Bahamian culture across the globe to inspire travel to the destination.
During these events, attendees will have the opportunity to meet tour ism specialists, engage in questions and answers, learn about new develop ments and product offerings by industry stakeholders, experience Bahamian cul ture through local cuisine, music, cocktails, and special Junkanoo performances.
PAGE 22, Wednesday, August 17, 2022 THE TRIBUNE
Plato Alpha is committed to pioneering digital trans formation in The Bahamas. The firm has designed and developed digital systems for entities including Doc tors Hospital, Super Value, the Rotary Clubs, and The Bahamas Government. “We're very pleased to know that CBS is fully utilising TriblockHR and everything it has to offer and are excited to add them to our growing list of cli ents," stated Humes.
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By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer
Mr Sweeting also said that other dynamics impact ing the real estate industry is the emergence of crypto currencies and that as long as The Bahamas continues to develop “crypto friendly environment” that we should expect to see more transactions taking place in cryptocurrencies. “Our agency is one of the few agencies in the country that is assisting clients in making purchases in crypto, and I think we’re going to see more of that in the future with the movements in the crypto market,” he added. PAGE A24 PAGE A24
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By YOURI KEMP Tribune ReporterBusiness ykemp@tribunemedia.net
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. Low:ORLANDO77°F/25° C High: 93° F/34° C Low:TAMPA82°F/28° C High: 90° F/32° C WEST PALM BEACH Low: 77° F/25° C High: 93° F/34° C FT.High:Low:LAUDERDALE79°F/26°C92°F/33°C KEY WEST Low: 81° F/27° C High: 89° F/32° C Low: 80° F/27° C High: 90° F/32° C Low:ABACO81°F/27° C High: 89° F/32° C High:Low:ELEUTHERA78°F/26°C89°F/32°C RAGGED ISLAND Low: 79° F/26° C High: 88° F/31° C GREAT EXUMA Low: 79° F/26° C High: 88° F/31° C CAT ISLAND Low: 78° F/26° C High: 89° F/32° C SANHigh:Low:SALVADOR78°F/26°C89°F/32°C CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS Low: 79° F/26° C High: 88° F/31° C LONG ISLAND Low: 79° F/26° C High: 89° F/32° C MAYAGUANALow:80°F/27°CHigh:88°F/31°C GREAT INAGUA Low: 79° F/26° C High: 88° F/31° C Low:ANDROS79°F/26° C High: 89° F/32° C Low: 78° F/26° C High: 91° F/33° C FREEPORT NASSAULow: 79° F/26° C High: 92° F/33° C MIAMI THE WEATHER REPORT 5-Day Forecast Partly sunny High: 90° AccuWeather RealFeel 103° F The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day. Mainly clear, a t‑storm around late Low: 80° AccuWeather RealFeel 91° F Mostly sunny High: 91° AccuWeather RealFeel Low: 80° 103°-89° F A t‑storm in spots in the morning High: 90° AccuWeather RealFeel Low: 81° 100°-88° F A t‑storm in spots in the morning High: 91° AccuWeather RealFeel Low: 78° 102°-86° F Breezy in the morning with a shower High: 90° AccuWeather100°-86°RealFeelF Low: 80° TODAY TONIGHT THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY almanac High 90° F/32° C Low 77° F/25° C Normal high 89° F/32° C Normal low 76° F/24° C Last year’s high 92° F/33° C Last year’s low 81° F/27° C As of 2 p.m. yesterday 0.00” Year to date 38.96” Normal year to date 22.45” Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday PrecipitationTemperature sun anD moon tiDes For nassau Aug.Last19 Aug.New27 Sep.First3 Sep.Full10 Sunrise 6:45 a.m. Sunset 7:43 p.m. Moonrise 11:38 p.m. Moonset 12:11 p.m. SaturdayFridayThursdayToday High Ht.(ft.) Low Ht.(ft.) 12:17 a.m. 3.0 6:35 a.m. 0.4 12:52 p.m. 3.1 7:12 p.m. 0.8 1:07
The statement said: “The 2023 Bahamas Charter Yacht Show will be one of the top international char ter shows in the world, and bring together char ter yachts, charter yacht brokers & managers, Baha mian marinas, marine and yacht trade companies. Yacht charter has increased greatly in The Bahamas in the last ten years, and now plays an integral part in The Bahamas’ boating and yachting tourism, provid ing millions of dollars to the nation’s treasury in terms of charter fees, and millions directly into the Bahamian economy through direct expenditures. “The goal of the BCYS is to (1) allow charter yachts that charter in the islands of The Bahamas to showcase their yachts and crew to charter brokers and charter managers from around the world, (2) allow marinas and resort properties from around The Bahamas to showcase their individual locations, and (3) allow local Bahamian companies that cater to and benefit from yachts being in The Bahamas, to showcase their products and services directly to the yachts and charter“Thisbrokers.year’sshow is based primarily in downtown Nassau and will include the following marinas and properties: Baystreet Marina; Atlantis Resort & Marina; Hurricane Hole Superyacht Marina; Nassau Yacht Haven Marina; The Pointe Marina; Marga ritaville Beach Resort & Marina Nassau. “In addition, ABM mari nas from throughout The Bahamas will be on hand sharing what makes their Out Island destinations per fect for yacht charters. “The Bahamas Charter Yacht Show is comprised of a partnership with the Association of Bahamas Marinas, The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Invest ments & Aviation, and the International Yacht Bro kers Association (IYBA). The 2023 Bahamas Charter Yacht Show is chaired by Joe Dargavage, Manag ing Partner of the Romora Bay Resort & Marina and President of the ABM, Ms. Erika Feszt, Assistant Manager and Peter Maury, General Manager of Bay street Marina, and Ms. Laura Garcia, Partner at United Island & Yacht.”
The Tribune wants to hear from people who are making news in their neighbourhoods. Perhaps you are raising funds for a good cause, campaigning for improvements in the area or have won an award. If so, call us on 322-1986 and share your story. Share your news a.m. 7:23 a.m. 0.6 1:47 p.m. 3.0 8:11 p.m. 1.0 2:00 a.m. 2.5 8:14 a.m. 0.8 2:43 p.m. 2.9 9:12 p.m. 1.2 2:57 a.m. 2.3 9:08 a.m. 0.9 3:42 p.m. 2.8 10:14 p.m. 1.3 TuesdayMondaySunday 3:57 a.m. 2.3 10:04 a.m. 1.0 4:39 p.m. 2.9 11:12 p.m. 1.3 4:54 a.m. 2.3 10:59 a.m. 1.0 5:32 p.m. 2.9 5:47 a.m. 2.4 12:04 a.m. 1.2 6:19 p.m. 3.0 11:50 a.m. 0.9
THE TRIBUNE Wednesday, August 17, 2022, PAGE 23 Marina association announces Charter Yacht Show for February
marine Forecast WINDS WAVES VISIBILITY WATER TEMPS. ABACO Today: SW at 8 16 Knots 1 3 Feet 6 Miles 86° F Thursday: SSW at 7 14 Knots 1 3 Feet 10 Miles 86° F ANDROS Today: S at 3 6 Knots 0 1 Feet 10 Miles 87° F Thursday: SE at 3 6 Knots 0 1 Feet 10 Miles 89° F CAT ISLAND Today: SSE at 4 8 Knots 1 3 Feet 10 Miles 86° F Thursday: ESE at 6 12 Knots 1 3 Feet 10 Miles 87° F CROOKED ISLAND Today: ESE at 7 14 Knots 1 3 Feet 10 Miles 87° F Thursday: E at 8 16 Knots 1 3 Feet 10 Miles 86° F ELEUTHERA Today: S at 4 8 Knots 1 3 Feet 10 Miles 86° F Thursday: SE at 4 8 Knots 1 3 Feet 10 Miles 87° F FREEPORT Today: WSW at 7 14 Knots 1 2 Feet 10 Miles 87° F Thursday: WSW at 6 12 Knots 1 2 Feet 6 Miles 87° F GREAT EXUMA Today: SE at 4 8 Knots 0 1 Feet 10 Miles 87° F Thursday: ESE at 6 12 Knots 0 1 Feet 5 Miles 88° F GREAT INAGUA Today: E at 6 12 Knots 1 2 Feet 10 Miles 86° F Thursday: E at 8 16 Knots 1 3 Feet 5 Miles 86° F LONG ISLAND Today: ESE at 6 12 Knots 1 2 Feet 10 Miles 87° F Thursday: E at 8 16 Knots 1 3 Feet 10 Miles 87° F MAYAGUANA Today: ESE at 6 12 Knots 2 4 Feet 7 Miles 86° F Thursday: E at 8 16 Knots 2 4 Feet 10 Miles 86° F NASSAU Today: SSW at 4 8 Knots 0 1 Feet 10 Miles 86° F Thursday: SSE at 4 8 Knots 0 1 Feet 10 Miles 87° F RAGGED ISLAND Today: SE at 6 12 Knots 1 2 Feet 10 Miles 86° F Thursday: E at 8 16 Knots 1 3 Feet 10 Miles 87° F SAN SALVADOR Today: S at 4 8 Knots 0 1 Feet 10 Miles 86° F Thursday: SE at 6 12 Knots 0 1 Feet 10 Miles 87° F uV inDex toDay The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2022 L tracking map Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. NS EW S 7 14 knots NS EW S 8 16 knots NS EW S 7 14 knots NS EW 4 8 knots NS EW S 4 8 knots NSW E 6 12 knots NS EW S 6 12 knots NS EW 3 6 knots | Go to AccuWeather.com
THE Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) has announced a Charter Yacht Show for February next year, held in conjunc tion with the International Yacht Brokers Association (IYBA).TheABM said that with the IYBA, and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Invest ments and Aviation, they are “proud to announce the 2023 Bahamas Charter Yacht Show (BCYS), to be held in Nassau, Bahamas on February 23–26, 2023”.
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Lyford Cay residents call for halt to condominium plan
CHESTER COOPERSEE PAGE A22 MATT SWEETING TERENCE HILTS
LYFORD Cay residents say nine-storey quartet of condominiums “must be stopped” from being devel oped behind their gated enclave.GuyCruz, a resident of 22 years in Lyford Cay, told a Town Hall hearing on the proposed development that this project “must be stopped”.Hecontinued, “Let’s use plain English… We do not want this project. If you take the 144 letters as I told you we have from Lyford Cay and all but two or three are opposed to this project and we’re going to stop you.”The proposal in ques tion involves a nine-storey, 72-unit quartet of condo minium complexes, said to be developed by Eastmor Properties Limited. Conway Smith, architect with Alexiou & Associates Ltd, the firm tasked with designing the project, told the Town Planning meet ing on Monday night that the four proposed ninestorey set of condominium complexes are going to be on vacant land and is a “greenfield site develop ment”, over 100ft tall. The proposed develop ment comprises four lots on 6.5 acres of land all adjacent to one another. Addition ally, each complex will have two units on each floor for a total of 72 units for the development. Mr Smith said: “We believe that this can be a great benefit to the surrounding commu nity as well… this could be a great potential for eco nomic stimulation because it will attract people who will be able to provide jobs and help us to generate income.”Headded: “We are seek ing to continue to provide a high end high quality prod uct for young professionals or entrepreneurs here in NewResidents,Providence.”however, say the proposed development is against the restrictive covenants of Lyford Cay. A letter to the Depart ment of Physical Planning, addressed to its director, Charles Zonicle, which was obtained by Tribune Busi ness, states that three of the four identified lots for the proposed development, namely 12, 13 and 14, have restrictive covenants that no condominium building should be built on them. The letter also says that the development would represent a 15 percent increase in the number of household units and lead to an overall 502 percent greater density over that of current multi-family devel opments in Lyford Cay. The latter also said traffic would increase significantly placing a burden on the community. The height of the buildings is also a con cern, with four of them being proposed at 117 feet and would overshadow cur rent and future views of developments in the imme diateUltimately,area. property owners in Subdivision III purchased their lots in what they understood to be a single-family neighbour hood. “Initially, in 1986, the Lyford Cay Company reserved one 7.616 acre parcel in the Subdivision III plan as for possible multifamily development. The Lyford Cay Company ultimately subdivide the reserved parcel into six percent revenue rise for insurance firm Colina
A SOFTWARE development com pany has built a custom payroll system for CBS Bahamas. CBS Bahamas is the most recent enterprise to assign its human resources and payroll processes to TriblockHR, a platform designed by Bahamian software development firm Plato"AsAlpha.agrowing company, it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with our employees across all of our divisions and departments," said CBS' manager of e-commerce, Brent Burrows "TriblockHRII.provided us with an all-in-one solution that ticked many boxes. From payroll to employee selfservice, benefits, and everything else we needed to take our business to the next level."
CBS signs up to software designed by Bahamians SEE PAGE A22 $6.92 $6.97 $6.66 $6.89
By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas’ largest life and health insurer has posted a 35 per cent increase in premium revenues for the past six months ending in June.Colina Holdings Bahamas Lim ited. (CHBL) in a statement on the company’s Q2 results, said: “The company recorded net income attrib utable to ordinary shareholders of $6.4m ($0.26 per share) and com prehensive income attributable to the ordinary shareholders totalled $7.0m ($0.28 per share) for the first half of 2022. During the same period in 2021, the net income attributable to ordinary shareholders was $9.9m ($0.40 per share) and comprehensive income attributable to the ordinary shareholders was $6.9m ($0.28 per share).
A REAL estate expert is predicting an average of 12.5 percent annual growth in real estate professionals entering the business over the next five years. Matt Sweeting, chief executive officer and real estate expert at 1oak Baha mas, told Tribune Business yesterday he expects to see 100 new real estate profes sionals enter the industry next year to add to the 800 strong pool of realtors reg istered with the Bahamas Real Estate Association (BREA) and 100 every year after that for the next fiveMryears.Sweeting added: “That interest in becom ing a real estate agent has become a more appealing career option for people as well.”There are people enter ing the profession as a second career along with a lot of older professionals who see it as a retirement plan.Mr Sweeting also said: “I’ve been in the industry for 15 years now and this is the greatest interest among the younger generation. There is also a lot of interest from young people coming out of school to aspire to be a realtor, this is becom ing more of a reality in the market now. I think that social media plays a big part in that and also because of HGTV (a cable channel focused on homes).”
business@tribunemedia.net WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2022
By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Ministry of Tour ism, Investments, and Aviation will launch a series of global sales and marketing missions running until May next year, beginning in Florida and New York next month. Mis sions are planned for the US, Latin America, Canada, United Kingdom and“AsEurope.thecatalyst to the growth and development of the Tour ism industry these past 50+ years, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism is focused on the maxi misation of the return on our investment,” said Chester Cooper, Minister of Tourism, Investments, andMrAviation.Cooper and acting director general of tourism Latia Duncombe will lead the missions. “We’ve invited a cross-section of hoteliers and stakeholders to join the missions in promoting our brand as the industry rebounds, and as we work to generate new leads and recapture market share,” said MrsTheDuncombe.ministry’s senior executive members will meet with whole salers, travel specialists, media contacts, potential investors, air lines, and corporate stakeholders.
The vast amount of mediums real estate pro fessionals can promote themselves is having a positive effect on how the profession is seen by onlookers.“Theyounger people are always promoting themselves online, so it is becoming a more appealing
By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net
“Premium revenues total $87.1m for the six months ended June 30, 2022, increasing over the prior year’s gross written premiums of $64.5m. “In addition to the Company expand ing into general insurance business, the increase in premium revenues is also attributable to a short-term medical insurance product,” said Terence Hilts, chairman of CHBL. “These new lines of business have contributed to the increase in net policyholder benefits which totalled $48.3m for the first half of 2022, compared to the $43.0 million expe rienced for the same period in 2021,” saidTheHilts.statement also said: “Net investment income totals $10.3m for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to $21.6m for the same period in the prior year. The large change in net investment income is due to unrealized losses on certain investment securities being expe rienced in 2022, compared to net unrealised gains on investment secu rity positions held during the same period in the prior year.
By YOURI KEMP Tribune ReporterBusiness ykemp@tribunemedia.net
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Real attractexpectedestatetomore staff
Tourism ministry launches series of marketing missions
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Developed by two Gen Z Baha mians in their twenties, TriblockHR seeks to create efficiencies to boost team morale and strengthen the bottom line - centralising everything from payroll and employee data to time, attendance, and performance management."Beforeimplementing TriblockHR, CBS would manage dozens of employ ees using paper, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, and a lot of man hours," said TriblockHR co-developer and Plato Alpha chief executive officer Duran Humes. "After determining the specific processes they wanted to automate, we tailored our product TriblockHR into a custom solution that automated many of the manual HR and payroll work they usually performed."CBS'new payroll platform elimi nates the need to input and reconcile data in multiple spreadsheets and systems. One standout benefit is the reduced time and effort needed for CBS to satisfy its National Insur ance Board (NIB) contributions as TriblockHR features a module to cal culate both employee deductions and corporate NIB contributions. "We also integrated our platform with CBS' external time clock system to track when employees clock in and out," said Mr Humes. Through the platform, CBS employees can now digitally request time off and commu nicate with stakeholders in real-time through the system’s group-chat component."Thisproject was a blast to work on and aligns with our mission to provide cutting-edge, high-quality software solutions that deliver measurable results," said TriblockHR co-devel oper and Plato Alpha chief operating officer Keith Roye II.
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By YOURI KEMP Tribune ReporterBusiness ykemp@tribunemedia.net
