08172023 NEWS AND SPORT

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Volume: 120 No.156, August 17, 2023

RAPED CHILD’S ABORTION: ‘POLICE SHOULD INVESTIGATE’

Munroe says case should consider both assault and 11-year-old’s procedure

By JADE RUSSELL AND RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff

NATIONAL Security

Minister Wayne Munroe expects police to investigate not only the alleged statutory rape of an 11-year-old girl impregnated by her mother’s boyfriend, but also the abortion the girl

received, which he said was illegal.

Discussing recent reports of sexual assaults involving children yesterday, Mr Munroe said a mother recently procured abortion pills for her daughter after the woman’s boyfriend allegedly impregnated the

SEE PAGE THREE

‘We’re still Working out’ cost of Jubilee celebrations

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

JACK Thompson, the permanent secretary of the Independence Secretariat, said the cost of this year’s independence celebrations remains uncertain.

“My pencil is in figures right now, and I’m on the computer even as we speak,” he told The Tribune

Married women ‘more likely to experience non-consensual sex’

yesterday.

“We’re still working out. We’re still paying bills.” Celebrations related to the 50th anniversary of independence were elaborate.

The calendar of events included several local galas and events held abroad in various cities, including London, Miami and

SEE PAGE FOUR

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

MARRIED Bahamian women are more likely to experience non-consensual sexual intercourse than their single counterparts, according to University of the Bahamas researchers.

A UB press statement yesterday said: “Married women who disclosed being victims

of non-consensual sexual intercourse with their husbands were also more

likely to have suffered physical harm at the hands of their partners compared to those who had not experienced such abuse.”

The study by Dr Niambi Hall Campbell-Dean, William Fielding and Virginia C Ballance involved data from 464 married and 1,264 single women in intimate relationships with men. The research comes as the Davis administration

$250m cruise port proposed for long island

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE proposed $250m Long Island cruise port is being touted as the first “large-scale project” with “regenerative” potential to impact the southern Bahamas since Morton Salt

arrived in Inagua almost 70 years ago.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Calypso Cove development, which previously staged its groundbreaking at Long Island’s southern tip, said the project if it comes to fruition could revive an area that has

300 passport requests done since privy council ruling

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Passport Office has been inundated with questions from people affected by a landmark citizenship ruling who cannot yet apply for a passport because their father is not on their birth certificate.

been “decimated” since the former Diamond Crystal salt mine, which subsequently became the Maritek Bahamas shrimp farm, shut down in the mid-1980s with the loss of substantial employment and economic activity.

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe.

Photo: Moise Amisial

AFTER TRIPLE SHOOTING

A TRIPLE shooting took place last night - with the victims taken to hospital by private vehicle. The shooting took place in the area of Sequoia Street and Buttonwood Avenue.

Two men and one woman were injured in the incident, according to police reports. No further details were available at the time of going to press last night, including the time of the

incident and the condition of the victims. Police have promised a further update.

• See www.tribune242. com for the latest on this incident.

WHAT are the worst potholes in your community?

A reader sent in these pictures (left and above) of potholes in Dowdeswell Street, saying there were “potholes galore”, highlighting one at the intersection of Christie Street and Dowdeswell Street, and notiing that the entire northern section of Christie Street needs to be repaved.

MEANWHILE, Valdez Fernander has been out and about taking pictures of some of the worst potholes he has encountered. Got a pothole you want to highlight? Send a picture and details of location to fixmystreet@ tribunemedia.net

SEARS Hill corner just before Concordia House. MONTROSE

Raped child’s abortion: ‘Police should investigate’

from page one

child.

Outraged social media users condemned the boyfriend’s actions, as did Mr Munroe when The Tribune contacted him with additional questions. However, he also told this newspaper authorities should address the abortion the girl received at her mother’s direction.

“I don’t direct the police what to do,” he said, “but they should be investigating the entire transaction.”

“The law currently permits the termination of a pregnancy based only on

the health and safety of a mother.”

The episode is a reminder that abortion is illegal in The Bahamas, even in cases of rape. Since the US Supreme Court overturned a landmark abortion law last year, the matter has become one of that country’s most politically salient issues. The US press has occasionally reported on the extreme measures some people, including underage rape victims in conservative states, have taken to get an abortion with the permission of their parents.

“All social change should

only come after serious consultation,” Mr Munroe said, adding the Progressive Liberal Party did not commit to changing abortion laws in its pre-election manifesto.

Rape victims who report the attack and seek medical help can legally receive medication that prevents pregnancy, but this only helps those who seek immediate attention.

In 2020, Dr Leon Dupuch, the past head of Princess Margaret Hospital’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, expressed alarm at the number of women and girls reporting to the hospital after an

GIBSON CALLS FOR POLICE TO TREAT RAPE VICTIMS MORE COMPASSIONATELY

attempted abortion went wrong. He said many of the cases were tied to unsupervised use of pills.

Alicia Wallace, director of Equality Bahamas, said the rollback of abortion laws in the US affects Bahamians who could otherwise afford to access sexual and reproductive healthcare in the US. She said The Bahamas should comply with CEDAW’s recommendation to decriminalise abortion in all cases.

“We, as a country,” she said, “cannot afford for abortion to remain inaccessible to women. Abortion

is healthcare, and we must be able to access it in all circumstances, regardless of others’ opinions. Other countries in the region have progressed, and advocates in some countries, like Jamaica, are working in their communities and with politicians to decriminalize abortion. Guyana led the way, for decades, with abortion available without restriction. Barbados, similarly, has made abortion available for physical health, mental health and socio-economic reasons.”

“In The Bahamas, gender-based violence is a public health crisis, with

rape and incest –– reported and unreported –– happening in large numbers, sometimes resulting in pregnancy. Survivors are not only women, but children, and it is ridiculous and inhumane to expect women or children to suffer through unwanted pregnancies and giving birth when it is medically possible to safely terminate pregnancy.”

“Abortion must be made accessible on demand for any other reason. Saving the life and preserving the health of a woman cannot be the only reasons that abortion is decriminalized.”

MUNROE SPEAKS ON PAROLE BILL PROPOSAL AT COMMUNITY MEETING

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribuemedia.net

NATIONAL Security

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

KHANDI Gibson, an advocate for violence victims, said the Royal Bahamas Police Force must treat rape victims more compassionately. She said she assisted a rape victim at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) recently and was disappointed by the lack of confidentiality involved in the experience.

“I feel like sexually assaulted victims, rape, incest, and molestation, I think it should be a special code when you come to the police station,” Ms Gibson said.

“The person sitting down waiting to be served, they done hear what you come here for, there’s no confidentiality, there’s no privacy.”

She said officers did not give the rape victim a ride home after she visited the station.

“She telephoned me back an hour later and said she had to catch the bus. Where is the compassion?” Ms Gibson asked. “There’s no unmarked car that the police officers could have dropped her back home into her residence?”

For his part, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said a woman leads the Sexual Offences Unit in

the Central Investigation Department and that officers are trained on how to interact with victims.

He encouraged victims to make a complaint if they experienced unpleasant service.

“If anyone feels that they are not properly dealt with, again, the Protection Against Violence Act that we have just passed in Parliament creates a right to be treated with respect, a right to be treated with compassion,” he said. “That is now in law in that act, a right that every victim of a sexual offence has. If they feel their rights have been abused, they ought to make a report.”

Minister Wayne Munroe said when a proposed Parole Bill is passed, his ministry may push for the Prerogative of Mercy to consider terminally ill inmates or those serving life sentences to reduce the strain on the system. His comments came during a community meeting yesterday evening at Anatol Rodgers High School on the Parole Bill, which would state the laws governing probation, suspended sentences and parole, including conditional release on parole.

Mr Munroe said under parole, the inmate would serve all of their sentence, though a third of it may be outside the prison, involving periodic check-ins with a Correctional Officer who would function as the probation officer.

“The Prerogative of Mercy still functions in Jamaica that has a parole system in mainly two basic ways,” he said.

“The first way is still to release people who are terminally ill or very soon expecting to die, who otherwise would not survive sufficiently long to be paroled. Those persons create challenges to

incarceration because you still have the duty of care inclusive of their health condition.

“The other major function of the Prerogative of Mercy committee in Jamaica is when you have people who have been released on life sentences. Some of them have been on life sentences for 20 or 40 years, and the question that comes to the committee is, do you, at that point, end their sentence to relieve the parole system from having to monitor them? And that’s how it functions in Jamaica.

“So the Prerogative of Mercy Bill still exists. Its job will be, if we follow the example of Jamaica, limited to releasing persons who are about to die for

humanitarian purposes and to seek to potentially stop the parole officers from having to monitor lifers who have reached an age that, when you look at them, they can’t get out of their own way, they’re no longer a sufficient risk.”

Last month, Acting Corrections Commissioner Doan Cleare said four town hall meetings would be held before a bill establishing a parole system for inmates is tabled in the House of Assembly.

The first meeting took place at Doris Johnson Senior High School on July 19 at 7pm. The second meeting took place at CR Walker on August 2 at 7pm. The location of the next meeting has not been announced.

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KHANDI G IBSON, an advocate for violence victims.

Photo: Moise Amisial

NATIONAL SECURITY MINISTER WAYNE MUNROE

300 passport requests done since Privy Council ruling

Chief passport officer Kingsley Smith said 300 passport applications had been approved for those affected by the ruling.

“People are coming in every day, making applications,” he said. “It’s not a heavy number, but we’re getting there. I believe a lot of persons’ father’s names are not on the birth certificate, and hence the reason why the numbers are not that much greater.”

The Privy Council in May affirmed that children born out of wedlock to Bahamian men are Bahamians at birth regardless of the mother’s nationality.

The Passport Office began

accepting applications from many of these people on June 26.

However, those without their father on their birth certificate are still waiting for the government to finalise its rules so they can apply and get their document.

“There is no legislation needed,” Attorney General Ryan Pinder said yesterday. “It’s constitutional citizenship. The passport rules have been drafted, and the Passport Office has been issuing passports where the Bahamian father is on the birth certificate.”

“The Ministry of Health is working on protocols for DNA testing in situations where the father is not on the birth certificate.”

In the meantime, according to Mr Smith, the Passport Office has been getting calls from people wanting to know when they can apply and get a passport.

“That’s the second part of the Privy Council ruling that the government now has to implement...and obviously, you would’ve heard the attorney general said before that there’s checks and balances that have to be done,” Mr Smith said.

“And he would’ve mentioned also the fact that DNA testing would have to be done for persons who said they have fathers by an affidavit, and so that part of it hasn’t been implemented, and so we’re still awaiting the government.”

‘We’re still W orking out’ cost of Jubilee celebrations

from page one

Atlanta.

Last year, the government allocated $5.2m for the celebrations. When St Anne’s MP Adrian White asked why the Cabinet Office budget

for ceremonial events increased from $750k to $5.2m, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said the independence anniversary would be a “big, big deal for us and we are going to celebrate it thoroughly”.

“There is a secretariat that has been set up for this event. There will be many, many events leading up to the actual 50th celebration. We happen to be very excited about this,” he said in the House of Assembly.

c able fault blamed for po W er disruption in n assau last night

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

MANY New Providence residents lost power

yesterday after several units at the Blue Hills and Clifton Pier power stations went offline.

Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) said a cable

fault issue around 6.30pm caused the loss of 40MW of generation.

Up to press time, BPL had said all but one of the units at Clifton Pier and two units at Blue Hills were returned online.

“With generation assistance from our large commercial customers, who are off of BPL’s supply, we have restored service to most customers except for those in central and south central New Providence,” BPL said.

“These customers are being impacted by the cable fault between our Blue Hill Road Power Station and Soldier Road substation. Crews will work throughout the night to carry out repairs.”

Disgruntled customers expressed their displeasure on BPL’s Facebook page.

“We have no power in Colony Village, so the eastern area is still affected,” one user wrote. “After getting a light bill for nearly $800, I am now demanding to get the benefit of such provision of electricity.”

Another user said: “The Bahamian people deserve better! We pay exorbitant prices for this very basic service! Who cares that we are being absolutely abused?”

from page one

THE Passport Office has been inundated with questions from people affected by a landmark citizenship ruling who cannot yet apply for a passport because their father is not on their birth certificate

Married women ‘more likely to experience non-consensual sex’

considers amending the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act to establish marital rape as a crime –– a divisive, emotionally-charged topic in The Bahamas.

The study, which has not

been publicly released, is expected to be published in the next edition of the International Journal of Bahamian Studies.

The research reportedly found higher psychological abuse among married women than unmarried women.

“In essence, the results

pointed to concerning behaviours perpetrated by men against their female intimate partners, both in and outside of marriage,” UB said.

“This research,” according to Mr Fielding, “is pivotal in furthering our understanding of gender-based violence

PROMOTERS DISA PPOINTED AS OCCASIONAL L ICENCES SEE 2,900 PER CENT INCREASE

By LYNAIRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

AN INCREASE of 2,900 per cent in the occasional licence fee has disappointed some event promoters, many of whom say the rise is neither fair nor reasonable.

The occasional license fee for public entertainment increased from $25 to $750 on July 1.

The Department of Inland Revenue (DIR) has said the increase applies to ticketed for-profit events, exempting churches and civic organisations.

“I realised that churches are exempt from a lot of things,” said Makonnen Thurston, an event promoter and disc jockey who said his community finds the increase discouraging.

“For example, churches don’t have to pay customs on equipment like sound, lighting, but mind you, it’s understandable because we’re a Christian nation.

“But then, at the same time, if there are exemptions for specific organisations that are already very profitable, it’s like trying to keep a poor man poor.

“If there is some kind of tax, it should be, even if there’s like, a discounted

rate for specific organisations, it shouldn’t be an exemption.”

Shunda Strachan, comptroller of the Department of Inland Revenue, said the fee increase is intended to “even the playing field”. She said the department’s studies show that the sector’s income is sizable.

But Terran Bevan, whose stage name is Dj OneTime, said he has been in the entertainment industry for 14 years and believes the increase will strain the finances of promoters because of the many expenses involved with hosting events.

“It will turn people off from going about it the right way, to be honest,” he said. “Because I will be real, ones like me, I ain’t paying no $750. If I have ten events a year, I have to pay $750 every time?”

An occasional licence is granted for a maximum of four events per year. Ms Strachan has said the increased fees must be paid by people hosting events on public premises.

“We just need to have it clear from the government what exactly public property is, and once we get that, we’ll be guided appropriately,” said

Jayson Brennen, co-owner of Mas Khaos Carnival Band.

“I just can’t stress enough the fact that they said that this is something that business owners like me can afford because we make enough money as it is,” he added.

“It just was really disheartening to see. I don’t expect them to call up every single business that may be impacted by this, but I can pretty confidently say that no one would say, ‘yeah man, increase it from $25 to $750, that straight, we can handle it.”

Owner of Popstylers Entertainment, Pedro Bethell, said the occasional license fee would impact what businesses charge customers.

“I could see them saying $250,” he said. “250-$300 max, but you jump straight to $750? Now your customers or your clients are affected. You have to pass that on to them.

“So now that you are doing a ticket for like $25, you have to put that extra five onto the ticket.

“It forces you to pass it straight onto the client.”

He noted that the increased fee comes with no incentives like greater police presence at events.

and provides critical insight to inform discussions on the occurrence of so-called ‘marital rape’ and its profound affects on women.”

“It is too easy to view rape or non-consensual sexual intercourse as being short-term events without appreciating

the long-term detrimental consequences on the psychological health of survivors,” added Ms Ballance. “Obtaining an estimate as to the number of women who are abused through unwanted sexual intercourse, particularly married women, highlights the need to ensure

that all women are equally protected by the law, irrespective of their marital status.”

The study is called “In The Bahamas ‘She must give it up’: Sexual Abuse of Women in Heterosexual Relationships by their Intimate Partners.”

from page one

RESEARCHER at UB, William Fielding

The Tribune Limited

Study not first to show marital violence

THE statistics should be shocking. Certainly, the outcome of a study revealed by the University of The Bahamas is outrageous – that married Bahamian women are more likely to experience “non-consensual sexual intercourse” with their partners than Bahamian women who are single.

Let us be plain about that – when we say non-consensual sexual intercourse, we are talking about rape. Women being made to have sex against their will. And according to this study, had victims not been married, they would have been at less risk than being in a marital home.

The full details of the survey have not been released yet, but the announcement of these results comes amid the debate over marital rape legislation and the controversy of the passing of a bill that started out aiming to tackle genderbased violence but took a detour along the way to the bemusement of many of those concerned.

The lack of that full survey means we have yet to see the exact details of the findings, but the broad outcome shows already the prevalence of sexual violence in our society.

So why is it not shocking?

Because we have heard this before –and not long ago either.

In October 2022, another study by the university found that one in 12 married women had been raped by their husbands. That equated to an estimated 4,000 married women – while 6,000 would have been victims of sexual abuse, ranging from sexual assault or sexual violence through to rape.

Notably, that earlier study found the same thing – that married women were more likely to be sexually abused than a single woman by their partner.

One of the researchers in the new study is William Fielding, who also spoke to The Tribune at the time of the earlier study being released.

He said at the time: “What might be overlooked in a discussion on rapists is that men who rape their wives are typically violent persons.

“In our research, 44 percent of married women who had been raped had also been physically hurt by their husband, compared to 13 percent of married women who had not been raped. Our data indicate that rape is associated with

not only violent behaviour, but also psychological abuse of women.”

After that earlier study, Prime Minister Philip Davis spoke up, urging women to report abuse to the police, whether they are married or single, while Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander called the data “horrific” and said he would have a “strong conversation” with pastors. He said such acts against married women were “unacceptable” and that “we’ve got a lot of work to do, to reverse what’s going on in our society”.

Now would be a good time to show what work has been done in the time since.

In the discussion about marital rape legislation, there has been talk about the sanctity of marriage – but violence between partners is a violation of such sanctity in itself. There has been notable opposition to marital rape legislation –but somehow less of an outcry it seems about the violence being suffered by married women.

Women deserve protection – and if these surveys show us anything, it is that there is not enough protection as it stands. Violence is too commonplace for us to ignore – and yet, ignoring it is what we have done for far too long.

The full survey’s publication will give us more granular detail on the state of the problem, but we know the broader problem already – too many women are being subjected to too much violence, including sexual violence and rape.

The path to tackling that legally and legislatively is apparently a challenging one for the government – but at a societal level, it seems we accept and allow such violence far too often.

It should be the most horrifying thing for a woman to be abused by the partner who said they loved them and who swore before God in marriage - and yet it happens so often that it appears the woman would have been better off not married at all.

That is the cancer at the root of the conversation about marital rape and spousal abuse – not the debate over how to legislate on the matter, but rather that it happens at all.

We should have no tolerance for such abuse, or for the abusers who perpetrate it.

Resignation is not equal to guilt

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I DECIDED to pen this letter because of the many queries I have received regarding the criminal charges that have been levied against two sitting members of Parliament. I have been asked if I know of any other time this has occurred and if I think the two should resign their seats in the House of Assembly.

Firstly, I do not know of any other time two sitting members were charged with criminal offences. I cannot recall another time when this has occurred because it is so exceptional for a sitting member to be charged with a criminal offence. Usually when candidates are chosen to run for the House of Assembly they are vetted by the party’s machinery. Even though vetting cannot or will not guarantee integrity, once the process is vigorous it should eliminate persons with the predisposition to commit the kind of serious crimes that have been alleged.

I hope that holding on to a seat in Parliament after having been charged with a criminal offence does not become a trend. If it does become trendy to do so, it would be new to the parliamentary traditions.

In 1989 Mr Wilbert Moss resigned his seat as soon as he was charged with a criminal offence. His resignation from the House ensured that his personal indiscretion was accepted and seen as a personal one and removed any negative connotation that may have been relegated to other members or to the institution of Parliament.

Should the two Members resign their seats in the House of Assembly?

There is no constitutional or legal requirement for the two Members to resign. In fact, if the maxim of presumption of innocence is seen to its logical conclusion, then the two members should have every right to remain as members of Parliament. While due process is essential in a parliamentary democracy, there are other factors that ought to come into play.

The Westminster system only works properly when

all of its unwritten conventions are adhered to. One of the foundational conventions is a subliminal code of honour. All Members of Parliament are presumed honourable, that is why they are referred to as the Hon. Member for such-and-such a constituency. The code also presumes that when they speak in Parliament Members are speaking truth. It is an extremely high bar but persons who offer to represent others in Parliament should be held to a higher standard.

Moreover, the interest of constituents must be held higher than personal ambitions and party loyalty. Likewise the institution of Parliament and its traditions must be considered foremost by parliamentarians.

So, yes, I do believe that once a Member of Parliament is charged with a criminal offence, that Member has a duty to resign the seat. Resignation does not equate to guilt. But I see no way that someone charged with criminal offences can properly perform their role as a parliamentarian. The Members’ primary role as Members of Parliament is to represent the interests of constituents and to speak honourably on their behalf.

I see no way that can happen when their energies and attention are fixated on their personal issues.

I also believe that the two serving members who have alleged criminal charges hanging over their heads do irreparable damage to the traditions and reputation of parliament and even to the political parties that have invested in their fidelity.

My view is that the Nolan Report of 1995 and the principles which emerged from the report are still very relevant today. The Nolan Committee on Standards in public life recommended seven principles which ought to be adopted by persons serving in public life. Although the principles were to be embraced

by all public officers, they were particularly applicable to politicians. The seven principles included: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership. Each principle would dictate that a Member should resign if charged with criminal offences. If these principles were accepted and applied in their service on behalf of citizens, it would eliminate much of the grift and corruptive behaviour present in the political culture. These principles should also be applied by political parties in their vetting of potential candidates for political office.

I would like to see the Parliament consider and enact an Omnibus Parliamentary Bill which should deal with various aspects of public service and representation by parliamentarians. Among other things, the Bill should set standards for parliamentarians, create a Code of Conduct for parliamentarians, provide for disclosure of gifts to parliamentarians above a certain amount, provide for a procedure for impeachment of members for certain acts of dishonesty and breaches of ethics. The Bill should also provide for the appointment of a parliamentary commissioner/ombudsman to receive and address complaints by the public about actions of parliamentarians. Additionally, I think the Bill should require the resignation of the Speaker from his/her political party to at least give some level of comfort to the independence of the office holder.

Again I maintain that parliamentarians who are charged with criminal offences should resign from parliament. Resignation does not equate to admittance of guilt. Democracy requires the trust and confidence of citizens. Holding on to elected seats after you have been charged with a criminal offence in my opinion erodes the trust and confidence of citizens in the national institutions in general and the Parliament in particular.

MAURICE TYNES Nassau, August 15, 2023.

A FIREFIGHTER walks through the smoke of a mountain fire in Soacha near Bogota, Colombia, Monday. According to Soacha firefighters, at least 60 hectares of mountain farmland have been destroyed so far.

Photo: Fernando Vergara/AP

Police testified they ‘feared for their lives’ as Mackey drove toward them

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A police officer who helped investigate the 2017 police-involved killing of Ronald Mackey said Mackey was drunk when two officers shot him. She said the officers feared for their lives and claimed the man accelerated towards them in his car.

Mackey was killed on Savannah Avenue and Golf Course Blvd on November 25, 2017.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Freya Emmanuel said she visited the scene after 9.30pm and spoke to Sergeant 340 Fox and PC 3620 Dormeus, the subjects of the inquest. She said the day after the shooting, she spoke with Ashton Chandler, the man into whose car Mackey initially crashed

before he prompted a police chase. She said Mr Chandler had left his girlfriend’s apartment, travelling west from Yamacraw Estates, when Mackey bumped into his black 2006 Toyota ISIS at Fox Hill Road and Yamacraw Hill Road.

Mr Chandler told her that after turning off his car, which sustained damage, he approached the deceased and found him holding his head. He reportedly said Mackey appeared dazed and drunk.

A photo of Mackey’s car showed an unopened beer bottle.

When Mackey recovered, he allegedly backed up and accelerated away from the accident. Officers in about three police cars then pursued him.

ASP Emmanuel said Sgt Fox and PC Dormeus did not surrender their firearms at the scene because

of circumstances beyond her control. She confirmed to Ryszard Humes, who represents the interests of the deceased’s estate that Dormeus was issued 30 rounds of ammunition the day of the shooting and returned five. She said Fox was issued 32 rounds of ammunition but only submitted 27 to the police armoury. She could not say if the rounds used related to the shooting of Mackey. She also could not say if a comparative analysis was done of the officers’ weapons and the bullet casings from the scene.

When the jury asked her why officers shot Mackey, ASP Emmanuel said: “The officers stated that the vehicle was approaching them at a high rate of speed and that they felt threatened by the acceleration of the vehicle.”

ASP Kellson Taylor of

the police armoury, testified that officers are trained to use justifiable or deadly force when necessary.

“The only cases that an officer would use their firearm is if their life, their partner’s life or a civilian’s life is in danger,” he said.

He agreed with Mr Humes that deadly force should be used as a last resort and that officers should rely on other means to subdue suspects where possible.

During cross-examination from K Melvin Munroe, a lawyer for the two officers, ASP Taylor said if a vehicle is accelerating towards officers, they have the right to defend themselves.

Another officer, Sgt Antoine Sweeting, testified that it is police policy to pursue a vehicle in a chase until it stops or runs out of fuel.

woman accused of plotting to kill her husband says experience has been ‘really tough’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

AN American woman accused of plotting to kill her husband spoke to the New York Post, saying her experience has been “really tough”.

Lindsay Shiver was recently granted $100,000 cash bail. She and Abaco locals Terrance Bethel, 28, and Faron Newbold Jr, 29, were accused of plotting to kill Mrs Shiver’s husband, Robert, on the

MOTHER PLEADS GUILTY TO HOLDING knife to her infant son’s throat

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MOTHER is behind bars after admitting to putting a knife to her infant child’s throat last weekend.

Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans charged the 27-year-old mother, whose

name is being withheld to protect the child’s identity, with cruelty to children.

The defendant reportedly endangered her 11-monthold son’s life with a knife on August 12 in New Providence.

After pleading guilty to the charge, the defendant

was sent to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, where she was ordered to have a psychological evaluation.

The child is to remain in the protective custody of social services.

The accused will be sentenced on October 20.

MAN RE M ANDED ON ATTE MPTED MURDER AND FIREAR M

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sent to prison accused of a botched murder attempt last week.

Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley charged Rashad Dorvilus, 26, with attempted murder and two counts of possession

POSSESSION CHARGES

of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Dorvilus allegedly pulled up to Brenton Albury in a dark-coloured SUV while driving on Soldier Road at 2.15am on August 8.

The defendant reportedly pulled out a 9mm firearm and fired at the 20-year-old, resulting in him receiving

injuries to his lower body. During this same incident, Dorvilus also allegedly endangered the life of Shaquille Farrington before fleeing the scene. Dorvilus’s case will be transferred to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment to be served on November 2.

island on July 16.

“I really can’t say too much right now,” she reportedly told the Post. “It’s been hard. But I can’t speak about it.”

“Now I’m having issues with my car. I have to deal with that now on top of everything else. But I really can’t say anything more. I’m sorry. Thank you for being respectful.”

After seizing a phone, authorities discovered the alleged plot while investigating another crime in

Guana Cay.

Mr Shiver reportedly filed for divorce from his wife after allegedly uncovering an affair between her and one of her co-conspirators. Justice Grant-Thompson granted Mrs Shiver $100,000 cash bail on condition she surrender her passport. The two Bahamians, alleged conspirators, were each granted $20,000 bail. A restraining order for the estranged couple was also issued.

A SOCIAL media post shows Lindsay Shiver with her husband Robert Shiver on vacation before he filed for divorce.

RONALD MACKEY

Antidote to ambivalence

“Ambivalence is like carbon monoxide –undetectable yet deadly. Ambivalence robs us of the present, and of life.”

Cherie Carter-Scott

A BELOVED departed friend, a priest of 50 years before he died, recounts this modern parable. He travelled to the Cistercian monastery Mount Saint B ernard in rural L eicestershire, E ngland, to meet a 93-year-old, who was 73 years a monk. The two settled in to share a pot of tea.

The then younger priest inquired of the nonagenarian: “Father, what is the secret of life?” Without hesitation the older man replied: “The grace of the present moment. For example, the only thing I have to do right now is to enjoy tea with you, nothing else.” There was nothing surprising about the contemplative’s answer; wisdom found in many spiritual traditions. What was life-giving for the friend was to find the grace of the present moment exemplified in someone who spent a lifetime practising such wisdom.

The two clerics spent the afternoon enjoying tea. B ut the greater enjoyment was each other’s company, unencumbered by the rush of time. Almost 40 years later my friend remembered the afternoon as a singular experience of joy.

Such experiences are a stark contrast to a common occurrence of a group of people, typically younger, sitting together at a restaurant table, mesmerized by their cell phones and mobile devices, furiously sending messages, texts and email, while often ignoring their friends.

Musing on the advice offered him by the monk, the now departed priest observed how we so often have experiences yet fail to grasp the meaning of such experiences because we are often paralysed by past grievances and hurts we are unable to heal.

The famed Japanese tea ceremony, which is an ancient tradition, captures the joy and grace of the present moment.

“The Japanese tea ceremony is called Chanoyu, Sado or simply O cha in Japanese. It is a choreographic ritual of preparing and serving Japanese green tea, called Matcha,

together with traditional Japanese sweets to balance with the bitter taste of the tea. Preparing tea in this ceremony means pouring all one’s attention into the predefined movements.

“The whole process is not about drinking tea, but is about aesthetics, preparing a bowl of tea from one’s heart. The host of the ceremony always considers the guests with every movement and gesture.”

D uring sophomore year in college this columnist was fortunate to have a new roommate, Robert, who came from a large family in rural Pennsylvania. Some years before college Robert was diagnosed with leukemia, but he never gave a second thought as to whether he would attend college.

Much of his freshman and sophomore years were spent in and out of hospital, sometimes for experimental treatment, leaving him exhausted, shed of energy and hair.

B ecause of his cancer and limited time, Robert lived exuberantly when he was pain-free. He relished food, eating a bowl of ice cream with zeal.

He played his guitar with relish, though his singing voice was not as melodious as he imagined, which brought great laughter to his friends.

Robert loved music. His laughter was punctuated by a mordant wit. He was a keen observer of others.

Robert died the summer before junior year. He was 20. Through terrible circumstance and necessity Robert willed himself to dwell in the joy and grace of the present moment, despite his fears. He loved walks.

The sometimes fanciful

and prolific E nglish writer Malcolm Muggeridge titled his memoir, Chronicles of Wasted Time. The title is somewhat ironic given the packed life Muggeridge lived and his numerous accomplishments. His wasted time included many adventures and dear friendships with the famous and the unknown. He wrote a biography of Mother Theresa.

Still, the title of Muggeridge’s autobiography recalls the time we are all prone to waste, dwelling in the past or dreading the future, as the present often escapes our attention and enjoyment.

Insatiable anxiety is an enemy of the present moment as is the endless re-litigation of regrets, mistakes and disappointment. Why does it so often seem to take a lifetime to begin to learn how to enjoy the present? Why do we keep robbing ourselves of the myriad joys around and within ourselves, including those of nature?

Author Cherie Carter-Scott writes: “Ambivalence is like carbon monoxide – undetectable yet deadly. Ambivalence robs us of the present, and of life.”

A friend was asked some years ago about the sudden death of his father. His response: “My father died of ambivalence. L ike many B ahamians he did not attend to his health.”

He alternated between wanting to live and what Max E hrmann describes in the poem D esiderata as the “sham, drudgery and broken dreams” of life.

It is easy to remain ambivalent, often paralyzed by the seeming futility and boredom of much of life, all of which robs us of potential, of health, of joy.

Ambivalence is often like remaining on a train track as a locomotive barrels towards us, uncertain and incapable of summoning the will to move. L ife is full of such ruts and habits of immobility.

Thankfully, E hrmann offers this counsel for life from D esiderata.

“Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

B ut do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

B eyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself …

“With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

“ B e cheerful.

“Strive to be happy.”

The older we grow the more scars we accumulate. The internal and external physical scars we bear are reminders of birthing, accidents, fights, recurring health challenges.

We bear also other scars such as betrayal, bitter disappointment, divorce, the loss of loved ones, all manner of addiction and other wounds, some of our own making, others forced on us by circumstance of birth, and the vagaries and seasons of life.

Much of life is spent trying to heal wounds, not allowing these wounds to rob us of the potential for conversion or joy.

Picking at our wounds in self-pity keeps us trapped in the past and often incapable of seizing the grace of the present moment to give new direction and renewed hope to our lives.

Human as we are, it is difficult to find the

motivation and will to move beyond the ruts in which we become comfortable, though often unfulfilled or unhappy.

The L atin term “Solvitur ambulando” may be translated as “It is solved by walking.” It is a theme often used by monastic orders to help others to realize change and new life by taking the simple step of walking.

It is an admonition to walk in order to begin the process of renewing one’s physical, emotional or spiritual health. We all know that walking has numerous physical and psychological benefits, adding years to life.

Yet, we often seem incapable of getting up and remaining on the path, often requiring a crisis to motivate change.

Many suffering with depression and other diseases become healthier through walking. Writers, artists and poets have all spoken of the creative benefits of walking.

Walking is also a metaphor for making change in one’s life through initial first and small steps which may grow into new habits of the heart and mind.

The grace of the present moment is always charged with the potential for change and new life.

The proverbial first step of getting out of bed or up from our lazy couch is always within reach, helping us to shed the miserableness and tedium that often haunts us.

The great German novelist, playwright, scientist, statesman and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe offers an antidote to ambivalence and the sloth of old and poor habits.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back -- Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.

“All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. B oldness has genius, power, and magic in it. B egin it now.”

The Latin term “Solvitur ambulando” may be translated as “It is solved by walking.” It is a theme often used by monastic orders to help others to realize change and new life by taking the simple step of walking.

GOP failing to prove President connected to son’s misdeeds

LET’S talk a bit this morning about Hunter Biden. He’s been in the news again recently, as a reported plea deal collapsed that would have indemnified him against future prosecution. The Justice Department has appointed the US Attorney for Delaware, David Weiss, as a special counsel to now pursue the legal investigation of Hunter Biden.

But before we start, it is useful to note that this is virtually the only ongoing ethics scandal besmirching the current Biden administration.

Thus, it is easy to understand why the Republican Party continues to try to transform the sad drama of this troubled president’s son into a symbolic rallying point in their tireless quest to normalise the pervasive corruption, incompetence and disregard for the offices they held of former president Donald Trump and so many of his cabinet appointees.

Remember, for example, Ryan Zinke? Secretary of the Interior under Trump, he now serves again as a member of the House of Representatives from Montana. He previously served in the House before Trump appointed him to Interior in 2017. Even in a presidential cabinet dotted with knaves – as well as some few distinguished public servants – Zinke stood out as a special case. He lasted until 2019, when his misbehaviour convinced Trump and those around him that he had become too much of a liability.

Zinke looked good superficially to the casual background checkers in Trump’s initial personnel department. An Air Force Academy graduate and Navy Seal, he seemed a fine cabinet choice. But he treated his office as a sinecure.

The Interior Department’s own Inspector General’s report on his conduct concluded that Zinke had repeatedly violated ethical rules and then lied to investigators. His tenure as Secretary of the Interior was plagued by scandals, including his insistence that special flagpoles be erected so that flags could be raised or lowered when he was in residence, spending over $200,000 of taxpayer money to do so.

You get the idea.

Anyhow, the list is impressive of Trump cabinet members who resigned or were forced from office due to various types of ethical and financial misbehaviour. Here is a compilation of only some of the most egregious cases.

Former Texas governor Rick Perry, forced out from the Department of Energy over reports of financial misdeeds involving Ukraine dealings.

Former Miami-based US Attorney Alexander Acosta, resigned as Secretary of Labour after reports emerged of a too favorable

STATESIDE

evidence to support the claim. There appears to be no evidence that Joe Biden altered administration policy to benefit Hunter’s clients.

The new special counsel, David Weiss, has now filed a document in the Hunter Biden case saying that negotiations over a guilty plea deal have collapsed and now he moves forward with his independent investigation. Weiss wrote that the premise that the parties intended to continue toward a guilty plea “is no longer the case” and “parties are at an impasse”.

In a related filing, Weiss has asked to dismiss the tax charges from the district court for Delaware and indicated that Hunter Biden will likely face charges and a criminal trial either in California or the District of Columbia, where the relevant acts occurred. As part of the plea deal that fell apart, Mr Biden had agreed to plead guilty in Delaware and waive his right to challenge the venue. “The government now believes that the case will not resolve short of a trial,” Mr Weiss wrote.

There is thus some symmetry between the

multi-jurisdictional legal jeopardy faced by young Biden and Trump himself. But there seems to be two important distinctions. First, Hunter Biden isn’t a current candidate for any office, let alone the president of the United States. And secondly, he isn’t accused of seditious attempts to overthrow the American constitution. Trump actually is accused of these crimes.

Under Justice Department rules, a special counsel like Weiss operates with day-to-day independence from the normal channels of supervision. The attorney general cannot remove Weiss except for cause, like misconduct, and can block a significant investigative step — like charging someone — only if the attorney general concludes it would be “so inappropriate or unwarranted under established departmental practices that it should not be pursued.” It seems that we will eventually see indictments, a trial and perhaps conviction and incarceration for the current president’s son. What if we also saw that same sequence for the current president’s predecessor?

AMERIC A CONTINUES SUPPORT FOR UKR A INE RUSSI A CONFLICT

deal offered to an alleged sex trafficker.

Former Alabama senator and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, forced out because he recused himself from Robert Mueller’s Russian influence probe and thus could not fire Mueller at Trump’s request.

Scott Pruitt, left as Environmental Protection administrator over numerous reports of misuse of government funds and perquisites.

Two different prominent male White House advisors, resigned over allegations of domestic violence.

Former Georgia congressman Tom Price, forced out after too many reports of using government jets for personal business.

Former General Mike Flynn, dismissed as national security adviser after reportedly lying to the FBI about Russian influence in the White House, and now a purveyor of fantastic conspiracy theories.

There are plenty of other examples, including several distinguished former generals who resigned from the Defence Department and National Security Council over policy and stylistic differences with Trump.

In contrast, during the first nearly three years of his own first term Joe Biden has, according to Bloomberg News,

achieved the lowest turnover rate in his cabinet and among his senior White House staffers in the last 40 years, since before Ronald Reagan took office in 1981. His only cabinet loss has been Labour Secretary Marty Walsh, a former Boston mayor who resigned to take a more secure, better paying job as executive director of the NHL players association. So senior official scandal has not so far tainted the current administration.

But while we are speaking of scandal, we return to the president’s only remaining son, the notorious Hunter Biden. And right up front, it must be conceded that this man has often behaved terribly, immorally and probably corruptly. Having confessed to drugs and alcohol addictions in the past, the superficially dashing Hunter ditched his wife and the mother of his children to take up with the widow of his much more distinguished brother Beau, who was as admirable as Hunter is despicable. Then, after a painfully short period, Hunter dumped the widow, thus disrupting two different families. Allegations of various corruptions have followed Hunter for years, even though little attention was paid to him in the immediate aftermath of his father’s 2020 election.

It seemed that many national political reporters initially found the public discussion of Hunter Biden to be uninteresting. It appeared to be typical partisan noise. But eventually, some pundits came to believe the story was more important. “Many rich and famous people try to cash in on their family name, including relatives of the politicians,” one said. “It’s certainly worth newspaper coverage.” Some clients believed Hunter could deliver foreign support for corporate corruption and greed. Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company, put Hunter on its board, in an attempt to signal that it was pro-Western and get greater access to Western investment. A Chinese tycoon also reportedly signed a partnership with him. Altogether, Hunter is reported to have made more than $800,000 in 2013 and more than $1.2m in 2014.

There is evidently truth to Republican claims to Hunter Biden’s misdeeds. Some observers feel, though, that GOP statements about him have reached hyperbolic levels and often lack any factual support. House Republicans have claimed that the elder Biden himself received money as part of Hunter’s business dealings; according to press reports, they have produced no

AS IF to remove lingering doubts about the American will to continue the fight in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said this on Monday: “Today we are announcing the next package of security assistance to aid Ukraine as it defends its territory and protects its people. This package includes air defence munitions, artillery rounds, antiarmour capabilities, and additional mine-clearing equipment.

“Every day, Russia is killing Ukrainian civilians and destroying civil infrastructure, while also weaponising hunger and contributing to global food insecurity through its destruction of Ukraine’s civilian ports and grain infrastructure. Until (Russia stops the war), the United States and our allies and partners will stand united with Ukraine, for as long as it takes.”

SECRETARY of State Antony Blinken speaks during a media briefing at the State Department, Tuesday in Washington.

Photo: Alex Brandon/AP

with Charlie Harper

PRESIDENT Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden leaves after a court appearance, Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in Wilmington, Del. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday, Aug. 11, he has appointed a special counsel in the Hunter Biden probe, deepening the investigation of the president’s son ahead of the 2024 election.

Photo: Julio Cortez/AP

SPORTS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2023

MLB, page 18

WNBA SCORING ON NEAR RECORD PACE WITH 40-POINT SHOWINGS

Wins Group A to advance to semifinals

T

Team Bahamas advanced following stellar play from Indiana Pacers shooting guard Chavano “Buddy” Hield, Phoenix Suns centre Deandre Ayton, Suns shooting guard/forward Eric Gordon and Travis Munnings in the Group A match.

he Bahamas senior men’s national basketball team continued their winning ways last night, defeating Argentina 101-89 on their home turf to move on to the semifinals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers.The team wrapped up Group A with a 2-0 record in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, following a 41-point drubbing of Cuba in the tournament opener on Monday and last night’s win against the fourth ranked host nation.

With four of the five starters all scoring at least 20 points by the final buzzer, Team Bahamas handled business against Argentina.

The national team got out to a sluggish start in the opening period, trailing Argentina 25-9 at the 5:17 mark in the quarter.

However, behind the sheer dominance of Ayton to start the game, The Bahamas proved why they were ranked atop the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament power rankings.

The centre, who pumped in his second consecutive double double with 22 points and 15 rebounds, led the charge and helped the team narrow the lead to 35-27.

The national team climbed back into the driver’s seat in the second quarter. Despite Hield struggling from the field at this juncture of the game, Gordon joined Ayton to stuff the stat sheet with 13 points on 4/6 field goals in the second period.

DEANDRE Ayton and Eric Gordon celebrate a made basket against Argentina in the FIBA World Cup Americas Qualifiers last night.

He ended the night with a game-high 24 points on 50% shooting. The Bahamas cut down the double digit Argentina lead to six (46-40). With less than one minute remaining, the national team took a onepoint lead over the host team and closed out the quarter leading 55-53.

Munnings was huge for The Bahamas in the third quarter as he was up to 14 points on a perfect 5/5 shooting. Ultimately, he capped off the night with 20 points and remained flawless, going 8/8 from the field and splashed fivethree pointers to lift the national team. Team Bahamas closed out the third quarter of play with a 15-point lead (82-67), outscoring Argentina 27-14 in the quarter.

The fourth ranked team mounted a comeback behind the brilliant game of Nicolas Brussino, who ended his night with 21 points, narrowing The

Bahamas’ lead to a mere six-point differential.

However, the comeback was too little too late and The Bahamas advanced to a double-digit lead again

to book their ticket to the semifinals.

Hield ended the night with 23 points to pair with 6 rebounds and 3 assists following a rocky start to the game.

The national team shot 58.7% on two-pointers and 47.62% from behind the arc. The Bahamas dominated Argentina on the glass, outrebounding the host team 40 to 28.

After notching two straight double-digit wins, The Bahamas will next play in the semifinals on Saturday. The finals are scheduled to be played on Sunday with the winner advancing to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments to compete for a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Teams are averaging 82.6 points a game this season, just a shade under the fullseason record set in 2018 of 82.8. During the bubble season in 2020 each team played just 22 games but the league scoring average was 83 points.

All of those totals are up about seven points a game from a decade ago.

“There are more possessions now for teams,” Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “That leads to more scoring.”

Hammon’s team is leading the league averaging 94.0 points — 0.1 more than the 2010 Phoenix Mercury, who hold the record.

There have been several impressive individual efforts. New York’s Breanna Stewart already has scored 40 or more points in three games; it’s the first time anyone has accomplished that feat in the same season.

Stewart is not the only one putting up big numbers. There have been 10 40-point games this season and most teams have at least 10 games left so that number could rise.

“You see a lot of 40-point games this year, and I think that we’re just continuing to get eyes on women’s basketball,” Stewart said after scoring 42 on Sunday against Indiana.

There had been only 15 40-point games in the league’s history coming into this season.

Players are also being efficient with their scoring too. Stewart only took 23 shots on Sunday against the Fever. She only took 21 when she had a career-high 45 points in her New York home debut and 20 when she dropped 43 against Phoenix. Stewart joined elite company with the scoring outbursts.

SEE PAGE 18

By JOHN PYE AP Sports Writer

SYDNEY (AP) — Lauren Hemp didn’t let the Women’s World Cup semifinal match between Australia and England become the Sam Kerr show. Hemp scored to restore England’s lead eight minutes after a superb equaliser from Kerr, and then provided a perfect pass for the clincher as the Lionesses moved into their first World Cup championship game with a 3-1 victory over Australia yesterday. The semifinal outcome ended a Matildas run that captivated Australia for almost a month and sent England to a matchup with Spain in the final, where the Lionesses will have a chance to bring a World Cup home for the first time since 1966.

Sarina Wiegman became the first coach to lead two countries to the Women’s World Cup final, and in back-to-back tournaments. Her run with the Netherlands in 2019 ended with a loss to the United States.

On either side of that, she guided Netherlands to the European title in 2017 and then took over the England squad for its breakthrough Euro 2022 title.

“I’m the lucky one — the last two tournaments I’m going to the final,” said Wiegman, the only female head coach of any team to reach the quarterfinals.

“You make it to finals, it’s really special,” she said.

“I’m like, ‘Am I here in the middle of a fairytale or something?’”

England dominated possession in the first half, starving the Australians of the ball and shutting down

ENGLAND players celebrate after the Women’s World Cup semifinal soccer match against Australia at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia, yesterday.

the Matildas’ transitional, counter-attacking game. It was rewarded when Ella Toone scored in the 36th minute with a powerful

Her equaliser in the 63rd gave the 75,784-strong crowd and millions of fans watching around Australia renewed hope, but Hemp responded with a goal in the 71st and provided a perfect through ball for Russo to finish from a tight angle four minutes from the end of regulation.

“Even after Sam’s goal there was no fear in the squad. We weren’t nervous. We just played our football,” Hemp said.

“We showed the relentlessness inside the squad to make it 2-1. And then even when we’re on the backfoot going into the final few minutes, I felt like we showed calm, composure on the ball to manage to counterattack

SEE PAGE 18

WNBA teams are scoring at near record levels thanks in strong part to a quicker pace of play and some impressive individual efforts.

right-foot shot diagonally inside the far post. A throwin from Rachel Daly went to Hemp, who turned and sent it into the area where

Alessia Russo turned the ball back past Hemp for Toone to swoop. Kerr was in Australia’s starting lineup for the first

time in the tournament after overcoming a left calf injury.

(AP Photo/Mark Baker)

England moves into the Women’s World Cup final against Spain after ending Australia’s run

Photo: John Marc-Nutt/10th Year Seniors SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 19

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

Bahamas youth flag football season begins on August 26

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Youth Flag Football League (BYFFL) season is scheduled to begin next week

Saturday.

The co-ed league makes it return for athletes aged 6-18 interested in playing flag football. Upon the closure of registration next week, 15-20 teams will be formed and the league’s games will begin after early training and conditioning of players

Jayson Clarke, programme director of BYFFL, said expectations are sky high for the 2023 season following the strides they made in the previous one.

“We are looking forward to an exceptional season. We expect our registration numbers to be at an all-time high considering the efforts we put in with the high schools last season and the high school tournament that we hosted,” Clarke said. Other goals for this season include international travel to

tournaments in Orlando and Texas. Additionally, the BYFFL is hoping to include more high schools to participate in the sporting season.

Upon the beginning of the 2023 season, the first two weeks are dedicated to helping the newcomers with training, flag football fundamentals, conditioning, and assessing their skills before the formation of the league’s teams.

For the returning athletes, the two-week period will be used to improve their conditioning as well and acclimating them with new team members. Also, coaches will work on teaching them new plays.

During this period of the early season, coaches will discuss the gameplan with their teams which will lead into the season’s gameplay getting underway.

Clarke encouraged individuals that are not registered as yet to sign up as soon as possible due to the many benefits of the youth league.

He said one of the biggest benefits is that this is the only form of youth

football present at the time and the dividends have paid off for kids that have only played flag football since its start which translated to them receiving full or partial scholarships to play tackle football. The co-ed league also has

its own advantages for the young ladies.

Alexandra Deal, cofounder of BYFFL, talked about the importance of girls joining the flag football youth league. “Flag football along with many other sports is

important for any young athlete male or female because it teaches discipline and structure… if a younger female gets involved at an early level rather than later they can build their technique and skills to then have an opportunity to take them off to school under a scholarship,” Deal said.

She emphasized that although there are currently not a lot of young girls registered in the sport, she hopes to see that change in the future.

“We currently have three girls in our league that are on co-ed travelling teams which compete in the US twice a year…because the US is very keen on getting girls scholarships in flag football these girls that travel and play will be exposed to coaches, schools and scouts looking for talent to add to their programmes,” she continued.

The registration fee is $175 for individuals interested which includes a full sporting uniform and sports insurance coverage. For more information contact Byffl242@gmail.com

CARIBBEAN HOOPFEST ON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ‘SPORTING PARADISE’

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas continues to be a sporting hub for international tournaments this year, with the Caribbean Hoopfest being the latest set to take place next in the sporting paradise.

The 19-and under (19U) basketball tournament’s first time in the country will feature the top ranked New York high school teams versus local teams from August 19-20 at the Kendal G L Isaacs gymnasium.

Donald Francois, the event’s organiser, said although people are

LEADS INTER MIAMI TO CUP FINAL

CHESTER,

Pa. (AP)

— Lionel Messi keeps scoring goals, and Inter Miami keeps winning games.

Messi ripped a shot from 30 yards past three Philadelphia defenders in the 20th minute that made fans who paid a record price for soccer tickets in the Philly area rejoice, and Inter Miami beat the Union 4-1 in a Leagues Cup semifinal on Tuesday night.

Messi exchanged jerseys with fellow Argentinian and Union forward Julián Carranza, then skipped out on the traditional postgame interview and instead saved his message for his 483 million Instagram followers.

“We worked our way to the finals and we made it!!! We’re still on the last step,” he wrote.

expecting a big difference in talent level in The Bahamas versus New York games, he believes that the talent of Bahamian players will be up to par.

“A lot of people are not expecting the same skill level in competition but during my time here I saw some very talented Bahamian players and teams…I think it’s going to be some good competition and there may even be a surprise,” Francois said. He added that he believes the skill level will be the same as the teams from New York.

The Big Apple teams will include Team New

York, Canarsie High School Chiefs NYC, and Archbishop Molly NYC.

The Bahamian teams competing in this weekend’s tournament are the CI Gibson Rattlers, Street Legends All-Stars (A and B), Raw Talent and the 242 Ballers.

Francois noted the importance of the 19U tournament to provide Bahamian players with more exposure. “It is gonna be a lot of exposure for the Bahamian players because the New York teams are coming with some high ranked players that people are paying attention to so their

following will follow the tournament,” he said.

Among the highly ranked players are shooting guard Josh Powell and point guard Sincere Folk of Archbishop Molloy high school.

Additionally, the top players from Canarsie High School include Skyler Hopkins, Chase Beasley and Xavier Burkett.

The high school ballers made their arrival last night to prepare for this weekend’s hoops tournament.

“They are excited to be in The Bahamas to soak up the culture, food and the people…New York is looking at this event and a lot

For Tyronn Lue, this trip to the Basketball World Cup was a long time coming

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Tyronn Lue has waited a long time for this trip.

He was supposed to have the USA Basketball logo on his chest on foreign soil long ago — 1997, actually, when he was starring as the point guard at Nebraska and picked to represent his country at the men’s 22 and under world championships in Australia.

But a nagging right leg injury flared up, causing numbness so severe he couldn’t navigate stairs without falling. The team ruled him out, and he flew home alone.

Fast forward 26 years: Lue, the coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, is now wearing the logo overseas. It’s not on a jersey, but on polo shirts, as he’s part of the staff that will guide the U.S. men’s team through the Basketball World Cup in Manila starting later this month.

“I think it’s an honour,” Lue said. “You grow up watching basketball, watching the Olympic team, the Dream Team, you always want to play for those teams. I wasn’t good

enough, but it’s amazing to have an opportunity to represent my country in any capacity. So, coaching is what it is.”

Golden State’s Steve Kerr is the team’s head coach; Miami coach Erik Spoelstra and Gonzaga coach Mark Few are alongside Lue as the assistants. The staff also has former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy helping with scouting and Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley was involved during training camp earlier this month in Las Vegas as coach of the select team that practiced against the World Cup squad.

“We know we have a hell of a coaching staff,” U.S. forward Bobby Portis of the Milwaukee Bucks said.

It is a think tank of basketball, and there’s a certain irony in that Lue — replaced as a player 26 years ago — joined this staff as a replacement.

Lue was originally tabbed by managing director Grant Hill to be coach of the select team, but when then-Phoenix coach Monty Williams, now the Detroit coach, had to bow out of his assistant-coach role because of family responsibilities, Lue got asked to join the staff of assistants.

“Monty had his situation and Steve and Grant called me right away and said, ‘How would you like to be a part of it?’” Lue said. “And I said, ‘Are you serious?’ It’s a dream come true. To have an opportunity to coach the USA team, to be around great players and a great staff, it was a nobrainer for me. I felt badly for Monty, but he called me, said I’d have a great experience.”

It is not an insignificant commitment that the coaches are making. They’ll be together for six or seven weeks, mostly overseas — in Spain this past week for two exhibitions, in Abu Dhabi for the next week for two more exhibitions, then it’s off to Manila for the World Cup. If the U.S. plays for a medal the team won’t be back home until September 12. That’s less than three weeks before NBA training camps start. It means that Kerr, Spoelstra and Lue — all coaches of teams that will enter this season with championship aspirations — are relying on their staffs to do all the hands-on offseason work while they’re gone.

“I have a great supporting staff,” Lue said. “Our

staff, they do a lot. I can delegate and know they’re doing a great job while I’m here with USA Basketball.”

It’s just the latest chapter in an upcoming book detailing Lue’s basketball story; he is in the process of writing one.

He was part of two championship teams early in his playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and coached the Cleveland Cavaliers to a title in 2016 when LeBron James delivered on his promise to bring a crown to northeast Ohio.

He has played with or coached some of the league’s best players — Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, Kawhi Leonard, James and more. And now, at last, comes his chance to finally win gold for his country.

“I’ve been blessed to play with a lot of greats,” Lue said.

“You get to see what they do, gain that knowledge and see how the hard work translates to basketball and things off the court. And when you win, holding the trophy up at the end of the year is just so satisfying, gratifying. There’s nothing like it, and hopefully we can do it here.”

of people are interested in seeing how this event does this year,” Francois said.

The event’s organiser said Caribbean Hoopfest will be back next year as he has already received calls from the New York communities’ high level teams, Florida has reached out as well as teams from the Netherlands to express interest in the tournament.

The basketball event was previously hosted in Jamaica the last six years and will make its Bahamian debut this weekend. The 19U Caribbean Hoopfest tournament will commence at noon and tickets are priced at $15.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner scored his ninth goal in six matches with his new team in front of a crowd that pushed 20,000 fans, with ticket prices soaring past $1,000 on the secondary market. There were few complaints. Certainly not from three Union season-ticket holders who ditched the home team’s garb for a night and traded it for Messi gear. Or fans that lined up for Messi jerseys — authenticity not guaranteed — and the ones hungry at a food truck for Messi fries. And certainly not from the Union, who, of course wanted to win, but otherwise stuffed the coffers and received more worldwide attention on one night than in any game they’ve played in their history.

Fans erupted when the 36-year-old Messi was introduced and went wild again when he scored past diving goalkeeper Andre Blake.

Jordi Alba and Josef Martinez also scored in the first half for Miami, and David Ruiz scored in the second.

Miami will play in the Leagues Cup championship game Saturday against Nashville.

FROM left, coaches Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat, Tyronn Lue of the Los Angeles Clippers and Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors speak at a practice during training camp for the United States men’s basketball team on August 3 in Las Vegas. Lue was supposed to play for his country in 1997, before an injury left him flying home from Australia alone and unable to be part of the FIBA 22 & Under World Championship. He’s finally wearing the red, white and blue again, as an assistant coach under Steve Kerr for this year’s US World Cup team.

(AP Photo/John Locher)

JAYSON CLARKE, programme director of the Bahamas Youth Flag Football League.

Torkelson slugs two homers, leads Tigers to 8-7 win over AL Central-leading Twins

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)

— Spencer Torkelson homered twice against Minnesota for the second time in a week, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Twins 8-7 yesterday.

Torkelson lifted Griffin Jax’s 1-1 sweeper into the left-field seats to give the Tigers a 6-4 lead in the top of the seventh for his fourth career multi-homer game. His previous was last Wednesday against the Twins in Detroit.

Relievers Beau Brieske, Tyler Holton, Alex Lange and Will Vest combined for 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Holton (2-2) earned the win by striking out five in 2 1/3 perfect innings.

BRAVES 2,

YANKEES 0

ATLANTA (AP) —

Charlie Morton recorded 10 strikeouts in six innings, Eddie Rosario hit a tworun homer and Atlanta beat New York to complete a three-game sweep and give the struggling Yankees their first losing record of the season.

New York (60-61) was left with a five-game losing streak after being outscored 18-3 in the sweep, capped by back-to-back shutouts. The Braves (78-42) have thrown four shutouts in their last seven games to boost the majors’ best record.

PADRES 5, ORIOLES 2

SAN DIEGO (AP) —

Fernando Tatis Jr. stole home in the seventh inning to electrify a sellout crowd at Petco Park and big league ERA leader Blake Snell pitched six strong innings as San Diego beat Baltimore to take two of three from the best team in the AL.

Two batters after Trent Grisham homered to give the Padres a 4-2 lead, Tatis singled, stole second and took third on pitcher Cionel Perez’s throwing error. With Juan Soto batting, the left-handed Perez had his back turned and Tatis took a few steps, began jogging and then broke into a sprint to easily steal home. Perez was so surprised he didn’t attempt to throw home.

DODGERS 7, BREWERS 1

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Mookie Betts went 3

PARIS OLYMPICS: TRIATHLON TEST TO GO AHEAD

By SYLVIE CORBET Associated Press

for 4 and scored four runs, and Los Angeles Dodgers benefitted from two catcher’s interference calls to win their 10th in a row and increase their NL West lead to 10 games over San Francisco.

Freddie Freeman ended an 0-for-14 skid with a 3-for-5 performance to go with stellar defense. Five of the Dodgers’ seven runs came with two outs, including Chris Taylor’s solo shot in the seventh. Miguel Rojas also homered. Clayton Kershaw (11-4) allowed one run and three hits in five innings, struck out two and walked two. The left-hander’s 208th victory moved him within one of tying Don Drysdale for second on the franchise’s all-time wins list.

ANGELS 2, RANGERS 0

ARLINGTON, Texas

(AP) — Left-hander Reid Detmers took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and two-way star Shohei Ohtani hit his 42nd home run as Los Angeles beat the AL West-leading Texas. The Rangers got their first hit when Marcus Semien lined a double into the left-center gap with one out in the eighth on the 108th and final pitch by Detmers (3-9).

Reynaldo Lopez and Carlos Estevez then finished off the Angels’ eighth shutout this season. Texas, which entered the game with .273 team batting average and an MLB-high 1,138 hits, was held scoreless for the ninth time.

RAYS 6, GIANTS 1 SAN FRANCISCO

(AP) — Luke Raley had the first pinch-hit, insidethe-park home run in Tampa Bay history and Aaron Civale (6-3) pitched six strong innings for his first victory since being acquired at the trade deadline.

Isaac Paredes had three hits and seven other starters had at least one. Josh Lowe hit his 15th home run leading off the fourth, while Brandon Lowe connected for his 16th as part of a three-run fifth.

Joc Pederson and Johan Camargo had two hits apiece for San Francisco, which has lost six of its last eight games.

ASTROS 12, MARLINS

5

MIAMI (AP) -- Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker and Chas McCormick homered in the first inning, and Houston built a huge early lead in beating Miami.

Astros slugger Yordan

Alvarez hit his fourth career triple, and Mauricio Dubón had two hits and two RBIs as Houston banged out 12 hits and took two of three games from Miami.

Justin Verlander (8-6) threw five innings of fiverun ball. He gave up nine hits, walked two and struck out two in his third start since he rejoined the Astros at the trade deadline Aug. 1.

PHILLIES 9, BLUE JAYS 4

TORONTO (AP) --

Bryce Harper hit two solo home runs, Aaron Nola pitched five innings and snapped a four-start winless streak and Philadelphia won for the first time in four games.

Jake Cave added a solo homer and Nick Castellanos had two hits and an RBI as the Phillies hammered out 11 hits and avoided a sweep in the two-game series north of the border.

Harper went 3 for 4 with a walk in his 25th career multi-homer game and first this season. Nola (10-8) allowed four runs and four hits, including a tworun home run by Daulton

Varsho. Nola struck out seven and walked four. MARINERS 6, ROYALS 5 KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Teoscar Hernandez hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and Seattle beat Kansas City.

Julio Rodriguez had four hits for Seattle, including a ninth-inning single that provided an insurance run the Mariners ended up needing. Cal Raleigh added a home run and a double.

Luis Castillo (9-7) allowed four runs on nine hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out three.

CUBS 4, WHITE SOX 3 CHICAGO (AP) — Christopher Morel hit a dramatic three-run homer off Gregory Santos in the ninth inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Chicago White Sox. Cody Bellinger sparked the winning rally with a leadoff double. Dansby Swanson then walked before Morel drove a 1-2 pitch from Santos (2-1) over the wall in rightcenter for his 19th homer.

Morel’s first career game-ending homer was the Cubs’ first hit with runners in scoring position all night. They were looking at a frustrating shutout loss before Nick Madrigal’s pinch-hit homer against Aaron Bummer in

the eighth set the stage for Morel’s big swing in the ninth.

REDS 7, GUARDIANS 2

CINCINNATI (AP) — Stuart Fairchild and Matt McLain hit two-run homers in the fourth inning and Cincinnati handed Cleveland’s Noah Syndergaard his first loss in 10 career starts against the Reds.

TJ Friedl had three hits, scored three runs and made two spectacular catches in center field to back rookie left-hander Andrew Abbott (8-3) and help the Reds split the twogame Ohio Cup series.

Abbott didn’t walk anybody while giving up six hits and two runs with five strikeouts in five innings.

DIAMONDBACKS 9,

ROCKIES 7 DENVER (AP) — Christian Walker hit a pair of two-run homers, the second in the eighth inning lifting Arizona past Colorado.

Tommy Pham singled off Tyler Kinley (0-1) to open the eighth inning and Walker followed with a 425-foot homer to right-center for an 8-7 lead. Walker, who has 28 homers, also homered in the first two games of the series. He has 22 career homers against Colorado, 13 at Coors Field.

Walker had three hits and four RBIs, Nick Ahmed had a three-run triple and Corbin Carroll had two hits and his 37th stolen base after replacing Lourdes Gurriel in the fifth inning. Gurriel left because of a strained left hip.

NATIONALS 6, RED SOX 2

WASHINGTON (AP)

— Keibert Ruiz hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the eighth inning, Stone Garrett homered twice for the first time in his career, and Washington beat Boston.

After Lane Thomas singled and Joey Meneses was hit by a pitch leading off the eighth, Ruiz drove an 0-1 changeup from Garrett Whitlock (5-4) to right-center to make it 5-2. Two pitches later, Garrett hit a no-doubt, 442-foot liner to center, his ninth of the season. Garrett also homered leading off the fourth.

WNBA SCORING ON NEAR RECORD PACE WITH 40-POINT SHOWINGS

FROM PAGE 16

Diana Taurasi (four times) and Maya Moore (three times) are the only other players to have reached the 40-point plateau that many times in their careers.

Las Vegas forward A’ja Wilson might reach that number soon herself. She had a career-best 40-point effort last week — without making a 3-pointer. Something that no

other player has ever done. It’s not just individual and team scoring that’s up. There have been nine triple-doubles this season. Combined with the four that occurred last season and half the 26 that have been recorded in the league’s history have been posted in the last two years.

AP WNBA POLL Las Vegas still leads the way with New York right behind

the Aces once again. Connecticut, Dallas and Minnesota were the next three. Washington, Los Angeles and Chicago followed the Lynx. Seattle, Phoenix and Indiana round out the poll.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Wilson had another strong week averaging 29.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals to help Las Vegas win all three of its games. Other players receiving

votes included Stewart and Nneka Ogwumike of Los Angeles.

GAME OF THE WEEK New York at Las Vegas, Thursday. The two teams play against each other for the Commissioner’s Cup title on Tuesday and then again in a regular season matchup Thursday. Each team has won on its home court. The teams will meet for a final time in the regular season on Aug. 28 in New York.

ENGLAND MOVES INTO WOMEN’S WORLD CUP FINAL

FROM PAGE 16

them and obviously make it 3-1.”

England and Spain will each be playing in the Women’s World Cup final for the first time at Stadium Australia on Sunday. It will be the first all-European final since 2003. Australia will play Sweden, which lost to Spain 2-1 in the other semifinal, for third place on Saturday in Brisbane.

“We had a chance for 2-2 and a couple of minutes later it was 3-1,” Australia coach Tony Gustavsson said. “It was one of those games, unfortunately.”

Katrina Gorry created chances in each half of her 100th game for Australia but said the Matildas

weren’t able to dominate the way they needed to.

“But you know, we’ve got a quick turnaround and we want to win the bronze medal,” she said.

After topping its group, advancing over Nigeria on penalties in the round of 16 and beating Colombia in the quarterfinals, England was playing in the semifinals for the third consecutive Women’s World Cup. Australia was in the final four for the first time.

It showed, particularly in the first half and in the last 20 minutes, when England had a harder edge and was more clinical when it counted.

The Australians seem to have played their final in the 7-6 penalty shootout

win over France last weekend, their first win in four quarterfinal appearances at the Women’s World Cup.

Kerr missed the group stage, played the last 10 minutes in the round-of-16 win over Denmark and went on as a second-half substitute in that narrow win over fifth-ranked France before finally getting a start against England.

She ended up on the ground after her first touch after a tangle with Keira Walsh. In the ninth minute, England defender Alex Greenwood received a yellow card for a sliding tackle from behind that left Kerr on the ground again. After being subdued by England’s defence for an hour, Kerr took the ball

around halfway, sprinted forward in a solo run and launching a long-range right-foot shot that lightly touched defender Millie Bright before going into the top left corner.

Kerr started making inroads as momentum shifted briefly before England responded, with Hemp running onto a long ball into the area and scoring with a left-foot finish after Australia defender Ellie Carpenter over-ran the ball.

Kerr missed a chance to equalise again with a header in the 82nd and miscued another shot as Australia squandered three opportunities before Hemp set up Russo to finish off the scoring. After putting Australia out of contention,

PARIS (AP) — Organisers of a triathlon event ahead of next year’s Paris Olympics said yesterday that conditions have been met for athletes to swim in the River Seine in the coming days, after a previous test had to be cancelled earlier this month due to bad water quality.

Latest tests show water quality levels are back to acceptable standards, said Christophe Rosa, the deputy general delegate of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic delegation at Paris City Hall. “We are monitoring water quality with a very robust process” that involves testing “almost hour by hour” through an automatic sampling system in addition to daily laboratory tests “to guarantee the best conditions so that athletes can compete in complete safety especially regarding their health,” he detailed.

The event comes after the last-minute cancellation of a swimming competition which was due to take place in the Seine at the beginning of the month. Heavy rains had then caused overflows of untreated waste, deteriorating water quality to the point it was below standards for the Open Water Swimming World Cup event to be held.

Games organisers say the waterway will be better prepared in 2024 as Paris is spending massively on water-management projects that officials say will make pollution caused by storms less frequent.

Christophe Noël du Peyrat, chief of staff of the Paris region authority, said that “this first competition in the Seine is an important step in the fight to make the Seine a swimming area.”

Water quality improved when there’s a normal weather, he said, yet “we still have a lot of work ahead for year 2024 . . . to be able to face exceptional weather like what we’ve known at the end of July and beginning of August.” Rain levels then reached four times the usual average, he stressed.

Additional infrastructures in the works include a giant underground reservoir in Paris that will stock excess water during storms, so it doesn’t have to be spilled untreated into the river and can be treated later. From Thursday to Sunday, triathletes and para-triathletes will race through the heart of Paris, swimming at the bottom of the spectacular 19th century Alexandre III bridge and its golden statues. They will ride bikes and run through some of the most prestigious neighbourhoods of the capital city, including the Champs-Elysees avenue and alongside the Orsay Museum.

The men’s and women’s individual races will be over the Olympic standard distance: 1.5 kilometer (0.93 mile) swim, 40 kilometer (24.8 miles) bike and 10 kilometre (6.2 mile) run.

SPAIN’s Olga Carmona reacts after scoring her team’s second goal during the Women’s World Cup semifinal soccer match between Sweden and Spain at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, on Tuesday.

Hemp said the England squad wanted to relive the kind of euphoria that their win in the European Championship generated last year.

“Obviously you’ve seen last year how successful we

(AP Photo/Andrew Cornaga)

were. We want to do the same again, we want to go one step further,” Hemp said.

“We’ve all got a dream and I feel like we’re really pushing each other to be the best that we can.”

DETROIT Tigers’ Riley Greene hits an RBI triple against the Minnesota Twins in the seventh inning yesterday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

23 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out three assists last night against Argentina in the

TRAVIS Munnings provided 20 points and four rebounds.

Photos: John Marc-Nutt/10th Year Seniors

CHAVANO Buddy Hield scored

FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers.

ERIC GORDON, dunking, contributed 24 points and three assists

DEANDRE Ayton posted 22 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks.

1,000 trees planted in team effort

SATURDAY marked a historic day for environmental conservation in The Bahamas. The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) in collaboration with the Sandals Foundation (SF) and community members planted 1,000 native trees at Gold Rock Beach in the Lucayan National Park.

This single-day activity made a significant stride on the road to recovery for the country’s second-most-visited national park.

The goal of this planting activity was to help restore the beach after the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian in 2019. The trees planted were all native coastal plants that will help to stabilise the dune, create native habitat, and promote sand recovery on the popular beach. Along with restoring the natural areas that were damaged, the trees, once mature, will also build resilience against future storms.

Ann Marie-Carroll, one of the main event organisers, said: “Gold Rock Beach has been plagued with invasive casuarina trees for decades and because of this, it has been susceptible to severe erosion during hurricanes like Hurricane Matthew and Dorian. These native coastal trees we’re planting are adapted to survive these environments and protect these coastlines from erosion. The BNT has a small team in Grand Bahama, so volunteer events like this are a great help to us.

Volunteers of this project can take pride in knowing they helped to restore a world-renowned beach in their own community.”

More than 40 enthusiastic volunteers including local residents, students, and environmentalists showed up to get their hands dirty. The activity was also graced by the presence of Miss Universe Bahamas 2023 Melissa Ingraham, and Miss Supranational Bahamas 2023 Maliqué Maranda.

Miss Bahamas Universe 2023, an environmentalist whose platform is focused on climate action, said: “Our islands are a paradise, but they are also very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as intense storms like Hurricane Dorian. Today, we’ve not only planted native trees to help this coastline recover, but we have sown hope for a more resilient future. I’m honoured to be part of this journey towards restoring the beauty and biodiversity of Gold Rock Beach.”

The Sandals Foundation

provided funding for this activity and other BNT restoration initiatives on the island.

Patrice Gilpin, public relations manager at Sandals Foundation, said: “As a Caribbean organisation, the Sandals Foundation believes very strongly that it is our duty to protect the region’s breathtaking ecosystems. This mandate also rings true for The Bahamas National Trust, which works intently in raising environmental awareness, developing effective conservation practices, and empowering communities and the next generation. Together, we can do more to preserve our islands’ natural treasures for generations to come.

“Our islands’ coasts form part of our very identity as a region. The pristine waters, health of coral reefs, mangrove network, marine biodiversity, and fish populations are the source of livelihood for countless families. Therefore, coastal restoration for us at the Sandals Foundation is the preservation of life and livelihoods as we know it. Especially in this vastly changing climate, we are committed to doing our part to build the resilience of our islands and the people who call this region home.”

The BNT thanked all the volunteers, and the Sandals Foundation for supporting environmental recovery and resilience in Grand Bahama.

MISS Universe Bahamas 2023 Melissa Ingraham planting a tree and, above left, Miss Supranational Bahamas 2023 Maliqué Maranda.

VITAMALT LENDING A HAND AS STUDENTS HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL

ON SATURDAY, residents of the Wulff road community and neighboring areas were treated to a day of fun and giveaways at Windsor Park as Vitamalt made its return to the neighbourhood to host its annual back to school event.

More than 2,500 students could be seen standing in cues to jump in the bouncing castle, or have their faces painted, or play with the many lawn games on the park. Parents accompanying the students

were treated to free hot dogs, pizza and ice cold Vitamalts.

The group of corporate sponsors that came alongside Vitamalt for this year’s event comprised of the Bahamas Telecommunications Corporation (BTC), Cash & Go, BAF Financial and Insurance, Caribbean Bottling Company, Marco’s Pizza and The University of The Bahamas.

Students received complimentary haircuts in addition to backpacks with

stationery and lunch boxes thanks to the support and contributions from participating partners.

This year marks Vitamalt’s fifth year hosting the highly anticipated back-toschool event and is just one of the many brand led community events for the year.

The brand has also supported local initiatives like the Jay Fitness Autism Awareness 5K Fun, Run, Walk, the 50th Carifta Games and several other community-focused events.

Supporting the sound of music

RF BANK & TRUST has announced a donation to the Bahamas Music Academy to underscore the bank’s commitment to the arts and its belief in the transformative role of music education.

The donation will provide a scholarship for a young talent to receive world-class music education at the Bahamas Music Academy.

The Bahamas Music Academy is a non-profit dedicated to nurturing musical skill and creativity, and seeks to provide affordable and top-tier instrumental, orchestra, and theory training.

RF said the academy “aligns seamlessly with RF Bank & Trust’s vision for inclusive education and community development. This partnership marks a blend of shared values and a collective pursuit of a brighter future”.

Rachael Allahar, AVP and group head of marketing at RF Bank & Trust, said: “Music transcends boundaries and has the potential to uplift, inspire, and drive positive change in society. RF Bank & Trust is proud to collaborate with the Bahamas Music Academy to impact the nation’s artistic landscape, amplify the voices of young musicians and promotes their holistic growth.”

The Bahamas Music Academy has consistently championed the cause of music education and fostering a sense of artistic identity among youth. By providing

world-class training, mentorship, and performance opportunities, the academy has become a cornerstone of the country’s musical development.

“Music is an essential ingredient in the recipe of a thriving nation. It encourages creativity, discipline, and self-expression –qualities that are invaluable for personal and societal growth.

The Bahamas Music Academy

is dedicated to democratising access to high-quality music education, and we are thrilled to have RF Bank & Trust join us in this mission,” remarked Courtney Barr, director of Bahamas Music Academy.

“We are immensely grateful to RF Bank & Trust for their support, which will enable us to expand our reach and provide even more aspiring musicians

with the chance to ourish.”

The goal of the Bahamas Music Academy is to become a beacon of musical excellence, a place for aspiring musicians to re ne their talents and cultivate a lifelong passion for music. The academy’s fall registration event, scheduled for August 26 at its Shirley Street location, will provide an opportunity for parents and students to explore the academy’s offerings.

THE WEATHER REPORT

Attendees will have the chance to meet instructors and even try their hand at playing a variety of instruments, including piano, violin, viola, cello, ute, clarinet, saxophone, and trumpet. For more information about the scholarship, fall registrations, and the Bahamas Music Academy, please call 698-7766 or email bahamasmusicacademy@outlook. com.

FROM left, Shavincia Saunders, BMA instructor; Courtney Barr, BMA director; Giniqua Kemp, RF Bank donations committee member; Rachael Allahar, RF Bank AVP, and Thurman Johnson, BMA instructor.

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