08182023 NEWS AND SPORT

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The Tribune

Volume: 120 No.157, August 18, 2023

‘WE OPPOSE ABORTION

E VEN IN CASE OF R APE’

Pastors say they support ‘sanctity of life’ after case involving 11-year-old girl

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AFTER an 11-year-old girl allegedly impregnated by her mother’s boyfriend aborted the baby with pills procured by her mother, two prominent religious leaders said yesterday that many churchgoers still oppose abortion in such circumstances.

National Security

Minister Wayne Munroe told The Tribune he expects police to investigate the alleged statutory rape of the 11-year-old girl and the abortion she received, which he said was illegal.

Asked if the case shows why abortion should be legal in some cases, he noted the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) did

SEE PAGE THREE

munroe Gives public warninG of habitual sex offender’s release

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A MAN convicted of 20 sexual assault offences over nearly 20 years will be released from prison today.

National Security Minister

Wayne Munroe said Sidney Cooper, 47, poses a significant risk to the public’s safety, issuing an advisory related to the

man’s release during a press conference yesterday.

The Registration of Sex Offenders Regulations allow authorities to notify the public about offenders leaving prison when doing so could heighten the public’s awareness of their presence in an area.

Mr Munroe said when he told Cooper he planned to

SEE PAGE TWO

‘Genetic tests needed for paternity proof’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Immigration

Minister Brent Symonette believes genetic tests should be required for people affected by a landmark citizenship ruling even if their father is identified on their birth certificate.

In May, the Privy Council ruled that children born to Bahamian men are automatically citizens

regardless of their mother’s nationality.

Since then, the Davis administration has said such people with their Bahamian father on their birth certificate can get their passports.

Those without their father on their certificate must have genetic testing done in a process the administration has yet to settle.

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce’s president is seeking a legal opinion on whether corporate income tax can be lawfully imposed in Freeport as he yesterday warned that time is running out to make the city a “boom town”.

James Carey told Tribune Business that The Bahamas cannot afford to “wait until the 11th hour” to ensure Freeport finally fulfills its potential with the city’s founding treaty, the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, set to expire in just over 31 years from now.

court quashes Gun sentence of 81year-old Grandmother

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Court of Appeal ordered the release of an 81-year-old great-grandmother yesterday, citing her age and medical condition while releasing her from a one-year prison sentence.

Freda Hart was convicted of trying to hide her grandson’s unlicensed firearm in December 2020 when police showed up with a search warrant. Ms Hard

SEE PAGE THREE SEE PAGE THREE

FORMER Immgration Minister Brent Symonette

MINISTER of National Security Wayne Munroe shows a photo of a sex offender to be released from prison today.

Photo: Moise Amisial

Munroe gives public warning of habitual sex offender’s release

notify the public of his release, the man tried to dissuade him, asking, “Why this was happening?”

In response, Mr Munroe reportedly said: “This was happening because of a deliberate choice of his to commit these offences, and it is the duty of the minister with responsibility under the Act to protect the public.”

Mr Cooper’s criminal history dates back to 1998. Since 2000, he has faced 20 counts of sexual assault

offences, usually indecent assault.

He was most recently convicted of indecent assault and causing harm and was jailed for three years in 2019.

Mr Munroe claimed Cooper had displayed worrying behaviour numerous times since his confinement.

While on trial for indecent assault in 2019, he allegedly groped a woman prosecutor in front of a magistrate.

After his conviction, he allegedly assaulted women prison officers and a woman reporter

who visited the prison for work.

Mr Munroe said he was not charged with these alleged actions because no one filed complaints.

“All in all, Cooper displays as a man who is unable or unwilling to control his urges to commit sexual offences,” Mr Munroe said.

He further claimed that during his exit interview, Cooper acknowledged his wrongdoing and told police he is tempted whenever a woman wears short clothes, bends over, smiles, blinks or licks her lips.

Mr Munroe said Cooper denied saying this during his meeting with authorities yesterday.

“In answer to my question as to why he committed those offences, particularly the one on the prosecutor of a policewoman in court in front of a magistrate, his response was that he has had the spirits since he was a child and he does not believe that the spirit should bow,” he said.

“He expressed that he on this occasion felt that his manhood was challenged.”

“He has displayed to me

that any woman who he regards as attractive who is near him is liable to be groped and indecently assaulted.”

“As a result, I judge that he is a danger to the public at large.”

Mr Munroe warned the public not to retaliate against the man, saying his notice was not an invitation for people to harm him.

“We again remind the public that he has served the time allotted to him and this notice is there for the public to be able to take care and not become victims of Mr Cooper, but

is not made in order to invite any retribution or harm on Mr Cooper,” he said.

This is the second time

Mr Munroe has notified the public about a sex offender’s release.

Last year, he announced the release of Alden Scott, 55.

Days after his release, Scott was found on a track road in Yellow Elder Gardens suffering from injuries to his body.

He died on May 25. Police did not classify his death as murder, claiming he died from natural causes.

from page one

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said Sidney Cooper, a man convicted of 20 sexual assault offences over nearly 20 years, poses a significant risk to the public’s safety, issuing an advisory related to the man’s expected release today, during a press conference yesterday.

Photo: Moise Amisial

SIDNEY COOPER

‘We oppose abortion even in case of rape’

from page one

not commit to changing abortion laws in its pre-election manifesto, the Blueprint for Change.

The episode was a reminder of both the vulnerability of children in a country facing rising sexual assault cases and that abortion is illegal in The Bahamas in all instances except to save the woman’s life.

Alicia Wallace, director of Equality Bahamas, said given the degree of gender-based violence in The Bahamas, it is “ridiculous and inhumane to expect women or children to suffer through unwanted pregnancies”.

“There is absolutely no reason to criminalise a child or the people who

helped her to access critical healthcare that likely saved her life, preventing further physical and mental harm,” she said on Wednesday.

“Survivors ought not suffer additional trauma caused by the action or inaction of the government that fails to prevent violence against them.”

Nonetheless, Mario Moxey, senior pastor of Bahamas Harvest Church, believes the church would oppose legislation to change the status quo on abortion, even in cases of rape.

“We believe in the sanctity of life, and it’s important that we protect the life even in situations where there is rape,” he said. “There is a provision in the law to protect the mother in the event that the pregnancy may endanger

a life. When it comes to an abortion for the sake of abortion, absolutely no. We believe in the sanctity of life. God ordains the seed before it is born, every seed is ordained by God and we want to make sure that we protect the righteous seed in the womb.”

“We got to uphold the laws, not try to amend our laws to accommodate these types of violations.”

Reverend Dr Phillip McPhee, the recently appointed leader of the Bahamas Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention (BBMEC), supported his view.

“If you want me to give you my personal view, I don’t think we should take the life of a child,” he said. “Abortion is no unless it is a life or death situation.”

‘Genetic tests needed for paternity proof’, says s ymonette

Mr Symonette said yesterday: “That doesn’t mean because I put my name on your birth certificate of your child that I’m the father. You might tell me I’m the father, but I might not be.”

“In other words, if the

DNA testing has not been proven, did those people get passports on the basis that I said I’m the daddy?”

“So is the Passport Office doing due diligence or is it just certain people are getting passports while the government on the other hand for other people are dilly-dallying about what the DNA

proof is?”

He said he believes “some DNA or other substantive tests” proving who is a person’s father should be required in every case. He said when dealing with citizenship –– “one of the highest things in our country” –– extreme measures should be required to

ensure someone is entitled to a passport. “I don’t mean to be rude or cruel or whatever the right word is, but some girl could tell me I’m the father and I’m so happy I put my name on the birth certificate,” he said. “I know it’s happened. It’s happened many times in this country. I mean I’m no more of the

father than, you know, the man in the moon.”

Mr Symonette said that two different standards are being created for people affected by the Privy Council’s ruling: “one, just because a man says he’s the father I get a passport and another one you require me to do a DNA test.”

“The two are diametrically opposed. They should get it right before they issue any passports and in light of the various things that have been happening at the ministry or Department of Immigration, I question whether some of those passports might not be properly issued.”

court quashes Gun sentence of 81-year-old Great- Grandmother

reportedly went into her grandson, James Hart’s bedroom, and grabbed a “pink towel”.

Officers later found that the pink towel hid an unlicensed firearm and eight rounds of ammunition.

In February 2023, Ms Hart was convicted in the Magistrate’s Court of one count of possession of an unlicensed firearm and one count of possession of ammunition. Her grandson was also charged with the same offences. He was sentenced to 30 months and two years in prison.

Ms Hart was initially sentenced to one year in

prison. Ms Hart served six months and 12 days in prison before the Court of Appeal ordered her immediate release. The court said she served sufficient time for her “serious mistake”. The woman’s medical report disclosed she had early dementia, hyperlipidemia issues, and an enlarged heart that requires medication.

Sir Michael Barnett wrote that the Court of Appeal was satisfied that it was right to interfere with the magistrate’s sentencing.

Sir Michael argued that the woman’s medical records were not shown to the magistrate during the

sentencing.

“The court appreciates that it should be loathe to interfere with the sentence of a sentencing judge and should only do so in limited circumstances,” Sir Michael wrote. “However, the appellant’s medical evidence was not before the magistrate. At the time of sentencing, the appellant was not represented by counsel. Had the magistrate had the benefit of full argument and the appellant’s medical report to assist him, he may well have come to a different sentencing decision. Therefore, the magistrate was unable to fully consider all relevant factors, particularly the appellant’s medical

condition.”

“This court, having the benefit of that information, is satisfied that this is a proper case to interfere with the sentencing discretion of the magistrate. The appellant has already spent over six months and 12 days in prison. Given her age and medical condition, the court is satisfied that this is sufficient punishment for her serious mistake. She should spend no further time in prison and should be released immediately.”

Sir Michael said Ms Hart’s overall physical state played a big role in the appellate court’s decision. “There can be no doubt that an appellant’s age and

medical condition are relevant factors in determining a proper sentence which a court should impose,” he said.

Justice Jon Isaacs, however, dissented from the majority’s opinion.

“I am unable to agree with his decision to interfere with the sentence imposed by the magistrate,” he wrote, referring to Sir Michael.

“The actions of the intended appellant in attempting to conceal the firearm amounted to shielding her co-accused. Such actions hinder the police’s efforts to interdict illegal firearms and remove them from our streets. The

carnage inflicted through the use of such weapons is a notorious fact of which the court may take judicial notice.”

“I find that this court lacks jurisdiction to interfere with the intended appellant’s incarceration at BDOCS because there is nothing from the medical officer at BDOCS to show that she cannot be adequately treated at BDOCS. Further, during the sentencing phase, the magistrate took into account all of the evidence presented to him. As such, I do not find that the magistrate fell into error when he sentenced the intended appellant to twelve months at BDOCS.”

MARIO MOXEY, senior pastor of Bahamas Harvest Church,.

from page one

from page one

FORMER Immigration Minister Brent Symonette believes genetic tests should be required for people affected by a landmark citizenship ruling even if their father is identified on their birth certificate.

Funeral Service For Yvonne Patricia Maura, 91

of Sayle Street, Boyd Subdivision will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 23rd August, 2023 at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, West Hill Street North. Officiating will be Rev’d Fr. Glen Nixon. Interment will follow in the Catholic Cemetery, Infant View Road.

Yvonne was predeceased by her husband: Roland Livingston Maura and son: Anwar James Maura.

Left to cherish her memories are her children: Anastasia “Stacy” Maura, Hubert Maura, Cecilia Maura, Jovita Chea, Roland Matthias “Matt” Maura, Marichael and Valentine “Val” Maura; daughters-in-law: Orville Maura, Cheryl Maura, Shenika Maura ad Beverley Maura; sonin-law: G. Marko Chea; grandchildren: Cedeno Maura, Malissa Taylor, Surneé Maura, Matysha Maura-Cartwright, Aaron & Christina-Marie Chea, Michael, Brenika, Marichael Jr. “MJ”, Micah, Ene and Ian Maura; grandsons-in-law: Gerard Taylor and Jason Cartwright Sr.; great-grandchildren: Tino Pratt Jr., Tyler Pratt, Giovani and Alyssa Taylor, Jason Cartwright Jr., Soraya Cartwright and Sierra Chamberlain; sister: Blanche Moss-Allen; sister-in-law: Sheila Johnson; nieces: Earla Moss, Ann Dorsett, Deborah Lewis, Dr. Kim Scriven, Lavelle Johnson, Tiffany Thompson, Theresa and Pamela Carroll, Michaela Bain and Sonovia Williams; nephews: Perry, Derek, Jerome and Gregory Saunders, Lawrence and Stephen Carroll and Wayne Johnson; Cousins The Demeritte’s: Mary “May” Sweetnum, Donna Smith, Luther McDonald KC, children of the late Wilton Demeritte, the grandchildren of the late Amanda Demeritte, children of the late Beatrice Demeritte-Shepherd, children of the late Florence DemeritteKeenan, Barbara Demeritte, Edwin Demeritte, Augusta Demeritte-Taylor, Leo Demeritte, Christopher Demeritte, Joan Demeritte, Albert Demeritte, Deann Demeritte; The North’s: Sydney Godet, Paula Williams, Bertha, Dominic & Dante Hall, Dr. The Hon Hubert & Patricia Minnis, Patricia & Audrey Clarke, Patsy, Boxer, Cheryl Minnis, Fred “Papa” & Catherine Smith, Naomi Smith & Family of Florida, Children of the late Marjorie Pinder, Kay, Kevin & Judith Hinsey, Children of the late Constance Peterson, Children of the late Mary Baker, Marina McCartney & Family, Roselyn North, Frederick North, Tyrone North, Marcia North-Bain, Shane Archer, Sandra Smith, Dwane North, Raynard North, Ricardo North, Lisa Moss, Tony Simms, Alrick Simms, Shameka North, The Family of the Late Norman and Marjorie Baker; special friends: Sisters of St. Martin Monastery; Justin & Shirley Roberts & Family; Kathleen Dummett; Maurice & Hestermae Clarke & Family; Shirley Lockhart & Family; Val Kemp & Family; Pearl Rahming & Family; Janice & Joette Longley; Kevin Knowles; Henry & Shirley Saunders; Lauren Ramsay; Beauford, Robertha & BJ Delevaux; Eloise & Gerard Archer; Bernard & Deborah Higgs; Judy Ferguson; Marissa Simms & Family; Arthur “Baldy” & Diane Seymour; Kevin Davis; Vaughn & Vonya Albury; Jeffrey & Michelle Lloyd; Ricardo Moss; Anthony Newbold; Peter Bowe & Family; Basil & Margot Barnette & Family; Daniel & Jean Ferguson; Pearl Smith; Patricia Curry & Family; Shirley Lockhart & Family; Jenny Williams & Family; other relatives and friends: Mr. Neville Albury & Family; Mrs. Eunice Sherman & Family; Mrs. Thelma Rolle & Family; Diane Clarke; Hester Clarke & Family; Rose Ferguson; Maxine Soles & Family; Karen Lightbourne; Henry & Carl Johnson; John & Diane Williams; Totilda Sands & Family; Enoch & Sheila Ferguson; Children of the late Audrey Wright; Children of the Late Pearl Turnquest; Children of the Late Audley & Victoria Robinson; Mr. & Mrs. Henry Lightbourne; Mr. & Mrs. Irvin Lightbourne; Valerie Pinder; Colleen Daniels & Family; Calvin Green; Family of the late Marge Baker; Family of the late Dolly Smith; Family of the late Bursel and Cleomi Weir; Family of the late Charles & Annie Diggiss Sr.; Sheila Johnson & Family; Bertha & Dante Hall; Sydney Godet & Family; Patsy Clarke; Cheryl Minnis; Mr. & Mrs. Michael Lightbourne; Children of the late Dorith Grant; Children of the Late Theodore Richardson; The Family of the late Jackie Alleyne; Mr. Neville Albury & Family; Karen Lightbourne; Henry & Carl Johnson; Betty Miller & family; Ali Bain & Family; Harcourt & Christine Rolle & Family; Brenette Evans & family; Warren & Yvonne Bain; Paul Willie; Monique McPhee & Family; B.J. Percentie; Patrice Hall; Sandra Christie; Brendon & Rosie Foulkes; Bernard & Debbie Higgs; Deborah, Brad, & Cheryl Lightbourne; Deacon Keith & Mrs. Meme Roberts; Deacon Samuel & Eleanor Mitchell; Deacon Dennis & Estella Mackey; Phillip Laramore; Retired ASP Philip Lightbourne; Clinton & Terese Clarke; Ed & Paula Carey & Family; Alicia Oxley; Gary & Denise Gibson; Lorraine Moss; Garnet & Patricia Ellis; Clotilda Sands & Family; Anthony & Bridget Gibson; Davy & Stephanie Rolle & Family; Keva Roberts; Rahming Family; Brad Chase; Cleveland Costello Fernander; Michelle Dames; Keith “Cisco” DeCosta; Arabella Wilson; Ingrid Romer; Edward & Dale Thompson; neighbors: Zhivargo & Keisa Rolle & Family; Harcourt & Christine Rolle & Family; Brenetta Evans & Family; Monique McPhee & Family; special thanks: Nurse Vernencha Gaitor-Adderley, Archbishop Patrick Pinder, Priests and Deacons of the Archdiocese of Nassau; Father Glen Nixon; Father Kendrick Forbes; Father Devereaux King, Father David Cooper; Sister Marva Coakley; Father Simeon Roberts, Father Alfred Culmer; Dr. Cherilyn Hanna-Mahase; Dr. Agreta Eneas–Carey; Dr. Susheel Wadhwa; Dr. Michael N’Tari Darville and the staff of Doctors Hospital ICU Department; Staff of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral; Staff of Queen’s College Primary School; Staff of the MedNet Group of Companies; Staff of the Atlantis Security Department, and others too numerous to mention. Her Beloved Gardner: Oege.

May Her Soul Rest in Peace!

Friends may pay their last respects at Bethel Brothers Morticians & Crematorium, #44a Nassau Street on Tuesday, 22nd August, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and at the church on Wednesday, 23rd August, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. until service time.

A FTER concerns were raised recently over water supply on Grand Cay, the Water and Sewerage Corporation has given an update on works there.

On Friday, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham told residents of Grand Cay: “Grand Cay deserves to have a reliable supply of water, power, and internet.”

He was speaking at an event to rename the government complex in honour of Roosevelt “Roosie” Curry.

The WSC yesterday released a statement saying that a new 125,000 gallon tank has been completed for Grand Cay and is now being tested prior to commissioning.

WSC added that a team was due to be on site yesterday to install an automatic transfer switch for a generator to ensure the “desalination and pumping facility switches automatically to standby power whenever there is a challenge with the grid power supply to ensure continuity of our water supply”.

FREEPORT TO PARTICIPATE IN CITIES FORWARD PROGRAMME PARTNERING WITH CORAL SPRINGS, FLORIDA

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE City of Freeport has been selected to participate in the Cities Forward programme, which partners cities from Latin America and the Caribbean with cities in the United States. Freeport will partner with the City of Coral Springs, Florida.

The programme is a collaborative initiative between the US Department of State, ICLEI-Local

Governments for Sustainability, Resilient Cities Catalyst, and the Institute of the Americas.

Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey said the government of The Bahamas is pleased that Freeport was chosen from among the 129 applications submitted to participate in the programme.

The Cities Forward programme was launched at the Cities Summit of the Americas, in Denver Colorado, in April 2023.

Minister Moxey, who

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that

WATSON TASSY of P.O

CR5402 Golden Gates #1

Road West, New Providence, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 11th day of August 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

represented the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, spoke on numerous issues, including smart cities and sustainable economic models.

“The Ministry for Grand Bahama looks forward to collaborating with Coral Springs, Florida to learn more about their success in key areas, so that we can create and implement similar strategies for the City of Freeport, and by extension, the island of Grand Bahama,” she said.

She said the programme is dedicated to assisting Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and US cities in creating sustainable, inclusive, and resilient futures through project consultation, co-design, and knowledge sharing.

The Ministry for Grand Bahama has identified for its initial projects the revitalisation of impoverished communities; repurposing of dilapidated buildings; addressing challenges of private subdivisions; tackling water, electricity and sewer challenges throughout communities; developing smart cities with innovative solutions; creating sustainable ecosystems for development; and empowering residents through community sustainability programs.

Ms Moxey said the program is focused on urban sustainability, resilience, and inclusion, which are crucial to building a stronger Bahamas.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with these cities and tap into their ingenuity and creativity,” Angie Fyfe, ICLEI USA executive director said.

“By bringing together local expertise and global perspectives, we can craft innovative, inclusive sustainable solutions that will have a lasting impact across the world.”

‘Parole system can reduce expense of prisoner upkeep’

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security

Minister Wayne Munroe

said he met a bill of $40,000 for bread for prisoners’ meals when he took office, the kind of expense he hopes is reduced when a parole system is introduced.

During a community meeting on Wednesday evening, Mr Munroe addressed concerns about the proposed parole system.

“It is more expensive to have someone incarcerated than to deal with them in the community,” he said. “You are housing them. You are feeding them three meals a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year.

When I came into office, I met a bill from Purity Bakery for I think it was $40,000 for bread.

Munr“You have to cook three meals a day for 1400, 1500 people, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year.

When you are on parole, you feed yourself. When you are on parole, you pay your own electricity bill.

When you are on parole, you pay for your own housing.”

“There is value in assisting inmates with getting out of the prison.”

Mr Munroe said authorities must ensure officers are sent to Family Islands to monitor parolees stationed there.

“The only thing that is required is for you to have a corrections officer,” he said. “So in the same way that

you could have an immigration officer on the island, a customs officer on the island, if you want to be on parole and you’re not living with your parole officer, the parole officer just has a duty to make sure and check that you are living up to the conditions of your parole.

“So if you’re supposed to do something, you will have an officer in Exuma, in every inhabited island. You will have a lot of officers in New Providence because that’s where a lot of people live who will be on parole; fewer people live in Acklins who will be on parole so you won’t require the same volume of officers.

“Corrections will have to organise itself when you have to supervise persons in every island. The deputy commissioner of corrections will be responsible for this area to make sure that his manpower is deployed in that fashion. They will be able to call whoever they want to be able to do that.

“If, for instance, they have one person on Ragged Island on parole and they determine that they don’t want to deploy a correctional officer to monitor them, they may defer –– because HMBS Gunpoint is on that island –– to defence force personnel, who will be cross-trained and act as the parole officer on that island.”

Mr Munroe also announced that the Italian government has offered to partner with The Bahamas to train some corrections officers in Italy as the BDOCS pursues accreditation.

Assistant Project Manager and Head of

Responsibilities

• Conduct research to provide information and support to other teams and departments when required.

THREE T ES T POSI T IVE FOR DENGUE FEVER

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Health and Wellness said three people have tested positive for dengue fever, the viral illness spread through contact with the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

The ministry said the cases have no relevant travel history.

The mosquito is most active after dawn and before dusk. It is commonly found in homes and businesses and lives and breeds in standing water.

Typical symptoms of the

fever include headache, nausea, vomiting, rash, aches and pains.

In a press release issued yesterday, the ministry cautioned Bahamians to protect themselves.

“Despite the heat,” the ministry said, “persons are encouraged to wear long-sleeved shirts and long trousers of light materials and stay hydrated. The public is further advised to use approved mosquito repellants containing DEET, Icaridin, or IR3535, and according to the product’s instructions.”

The ministry has also

• Perform administrative tasks, including the preparation of invoices, estimates, and the scheduling of meetings.

advised that persons cover water-filled containers and check materials around their homes and businesses that may have or retain water.

The National Communicable Disease Surveillance Unit (NSU) and the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS) will continue to monitor the spread of illness as well as provide preventative “mosquito breeding measures”.

The ministry said regularly scheduled fogging will continue as the weather permits.

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Requirements:

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NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said he met a bill of $40,000 for bread for prisoners’ meals when he took office, the kind of expense he hopes is reduced when a parole system is introduced.

Photo: Moise Amisial

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We must not open door to vigilante action

THE announcement that a man who is deemed a significant risk to public safety will be released from prison today is concerning in a number of ways.

First, let us be quite clear, Sidney Cooper is indeed a danger. His track record shows a litany of sexual assaults dating back to 1998. Since 2000, he has face 20 such charges, mostly indecent assaults.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe was clear that Mr Cooper seems to have no remorse, and that he is “unable or unwilling to control his urges to commit sexual offences”.

Mr Cooper was last convicted in court in 2019, when he was jailed for three years for indecent assault and causing harm. His collective jail time over the years is now up, and he is being released from custody. There is a difficult balance then to be struck between ensuring public safety by warning people and, we must say, being cautious of the risk of vigilante action.

The last time it was announced that a sex offender was being released, it was Alden Scott, who was released last year only to be found dead within a week. He was found on a track road with injuries to his body, and his death was not classed as murder – but as natural causes.

Mr Cooper has committed many offences, his criminal history is vile and reprehensible, but he has not been given a death sentence and he must not find such a sentence on the streets instead.

Mr Munroe also listed off a number of other offences said to have been committed by Mr Cooper – but which have not been tested in court.

He groped a policewoman in court, apparently, as well as women prison officers – as well as a reporter visiting the prison.

When asked why he had not been charged for those offences, Mr Munroe said that no one had filed complaints –although if Mr Munroe knows about these instances, there must be a record if not a complaint.

When asked why he committed such offences, Mr Cooper evidently replied that he “has had the spirits” since he was a child and he “does not believe that the spirit should bow”.

Mr Cooper told police that he is tempted whenever a woman wears short clothes, bends over, smiles, blinks or licks her lips – in other words, any excuse will do for Mr Cooper.

No woman is responsible for his actions. Only Mr Cooper is responsible for those. What we would say is that Mr Cooper’s explanation sounds as if what he needs is psychiatric treatment. As we strive towards rehabilitation of offenders, we must accept that for some that will be served in prison, for others it requires treatment for mental health issues. Whether Mr Cooper had such treatment as an option, we do not know.

But as he emerges from prison, it is worth asking whether there were ways to avoid this apparent risk to public safety, whether through treatment or through prosecution for the offences he continued to commit even at his trial and during his incarceration.

Mr Munroe was at pains to point out that there should not be action against Mr Cooper from the public – saying that “this notice is there for the public to be able to take care and not become victims of Mr Cooper, but is not made in order to invite any retribution or harm on Mr Cooper”.

However, this also comes at a time when there has been frequent commentary about murder suspects being allowed out on bail only to end up becoming murder victims themselves amid a landscape of retribution killings and gang rivalry.

People have the right to live in safety. But we must not fall into a position where vigilante justice takes place.

It is not a simple discussion – once a sentence is served, the debt to society has been paid. Should the sentence have been longer? Could it have been dependent on the success of treatment? Could further charges have been levied for continued offences?

All of these are good questions to consider – but perhaps the one we need to ask most is, how do we protect Mr Cooper’s next victim? His track record shows no indication that he will stop. Dealing with such serial offenders is not an easy thing to do – but the effort to find a way is worth it, if only for the sake of the victims yet to come.

Slim majority favour Pratt for Governor General post

IN The Tribune’s latest online poll, we asked readers if they were happy with the Prime Minister’s decision to recommend Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt as the next Governor General.

At the time of going to press, the majority of those voting – 54 percent – were in favour of the appointment, with 46 percent saying they were unhappy.

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

After Bahamian realtors said data showing they enjoy near-40 percent gross profit margins is “skewed very far off”, Hrysippus referred to this quote by BREA committee co-chair David Morley: “Most real estate companies share their commissions 50/50 [with staff], so straight right off the bat your profit margin is at 50 percent,” and said: “Real estate agents do not get salaries usually, they only get commission on sales. The commission is their salary. Commissions, like salaries, come out of gross profits. I do not think this particular argument will get off the ground. Although the government taxes on real estate transactions are indeed exorbitant.”

Tribune Business reported that the government has enlisted the Inter-American Development Bank’s help to assess the risks that climate change poses to “critical transport and energy infrastructure” and the amount of funding needed to mitigate this threat. That prompted this response from The_Oracle: “Biggest threat to critical transport and infrastructure is the Government itself. As to resiliency and disaster mitigation, total fail there also. Every time a disaster hits they mangle

and mismanage it. No Field Manual, new civil servants with no experience every single time. The NEMA act just creates an additional bureaucracy that also doesn’t know what to do.

$370k can’t help them.”

After it was reported that the overall cost of this year’s independence celebrations is still uncertain, readers had their say on the subject.

Realfreethinker said: “Good luck getting that information.”

Sickened added: “I bet you it’s over $15 million. The budgeted $5.2 million barely covered the money spent on the celebrations at the Fort. I was going to use the term ‘covered the cost’, but we well know that the actually cost and the money spent are two very different figures.”

Exposed 2C said: “Just think, if this PLP government can’t figure out the costs of this one event, how in the hell is the ministry of finance able to figure out each year the budgeted costs of the entire government. The annual budget government produces is truly a work of fiction, much like the ficitious statistics produced by the department of statistics.

From bottom to top, government is a cesspool of the grossly incompetent with Davis, Halkitis and Wilson leading the charge of the incompetent.”

Moncurcool agreed, saying: “You are so correct.

“This really has me nervous. These people do not know how to work a budget or balance sheet.

“How the hell you trying to figure out what was spent?

“Imagine if businesses in this country operated like this NEW Day government?”

FreeportFreddy added a note of levity, saying: “Brace! Brace! Brace! Coming in hot!! This is going to hurt.”

ThisIsOurs added: “Same tired lack of accountability dodging. Before you do the celebrations you document the cost. This why the entire country failing and a 20m dollar baseball stadium end up costing 70m... so they say. It een finish yet, I thought there was still discussion of landscaping and bathrooms?... dont quite recall”

After it was reported that the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection will assess a North Andros oil spill nearly 20 months after it occurred, readers had their say. Sickened said: “Just another disgrace by our governance. And we celebrate 50 years of what? Corruption, laziness and incompetence?”

ThisIsOurs added: “This is a bad comedy. Cabinet knew about this spill for more than a year?? Again?? This needs to be an offence witu with legal and financial ramifications for any cabinet Minister to withhold any information potentially impacting public health Nobody in cabinet could believably say there was a notice floating around about an oil spill possibly affecting the water table in ANDROS, ANDROS, what was the fresh water source for Nasaau and “I didnt know”. They can play word games with “well, no complaint was filed”, but thats it.”

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

A MAN appeals to journalists explaining how the government has abandoned them and allowed gangs to take over, during a protest demanding protection from violent gangs, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Monday.

Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP

Open verdict in police-involved shooting death of Ronald Mackey

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

JURORS returned an open verdict in the policeinvolved killing case of Ronald Mackey, finding yesterday that there was insufficient evidence to conclude that his 2017 shooting death was justified or not.

Mackey’s mother, Bethsheba Deveaux, was visibly disheartened after the verdict.

Mackey was killed on November 25, 2017, after a police chase that started at the junction of Fox Hill and Yamacraw Road.

During the high-speed pursuit, Mackey reportedly hit five vehicles, swerved to avoid authorities and ran through two police blockades.

The front left wheel of Mackey’s white Honda Accord eventually blew out as three police cruisers chased him.

As Mackey passed a blockade near Bay Lily Drive, Sgt 340 Fox and PC 3620 Dormeus opened fire, striking him in the back of his head. His vehicle reportedly decelerated before crashing into the traffic light on Savannah Avenue and Golf Course Blvd.

He was pronounced dead later that night at Princess Margaret Hospital.

Ashton Chandler, the man whose car Mackey hit before the chase, said Mackey appeared drunk. Although a photograph showed an unopened beer bottle in Mackey’s car after the shooting, results from a toxicology report were never presented in court and it was unclear whether one had been done.

During his closing statement, K Melvin Munroe, the lawyer for the officers, asked the jury to put themselves in the place of

the officers as they allegedly faced a threat from a car speeding toward them. He encouraged them to make a justifiable homicide finding.

Ryszard Humes, the lawyer for the deceased’s estate, emphasized during his closing statement that no gun or spent bullet casings were collected from Mackey’s car.

He also rejected testimony that the deceased’s car outraced the police cars and reached speeds up to 80mph after his tyre blew out.

Mr Humes argued that the shooting was unlawful, saying the danger had passed by the time Mackey passed the officers and was shot in the back of his head.

Acting Coroner Kara Turnquest Deveaux presided over the inquest, which does not determine criminal or civil liability.

Patrick Sweeting marshalled the evidence.

MAN RE M ANDED ON CHARGES OF GUN POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN is behind bars after police allegedly found him throwing a bag with two guns out his house window on Eastern Road earlier this week.

Magistrate Lennox

Coleby charged John Ferguson, 41, with possession of a firearm with intent to

supply and possession of ammunition.

Police on mobile patrol arrested Ferguson at his residence on Eastern Road after they allegedly recovered a Sig Sauer P365 pistol and a Taurus 9mm pistol at around 12.30pm on August 14. In addition to confiscating 11 rounds of 9mm during the arrest of the defendant, police also seized $6,122

from his house, suspecting the money to be proceeds of crime. After pleading not guilty to the offence, Ferguson was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Service until his bail hearing on August 24.

Inspector Lincoln McKenzie served as the prosecutor.

MAN SENTENCED TO 22 MONTHS FOR $4,000 WORTH OF DRUGS WITH INTENT TO SUPPLY

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN elderly man was sentenced to 22 months in prison after admitting to having $4,000 worth of marijuana.

Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr charged Granville Edgecombe, 63, with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

Edgecombe was arrested in New Providence on August 14 after he was found with 4.4lb of Indian Hemp.

Following his guilty plea, the defendant was sentenced to 22 months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. He was informed of his right to appeal sentencing within seven days.

Another man was placed on a conditional discharge after admitting to growing two marijuana plants.

Magistrate Shaka Serville charged Earl Smith Jr , 38, with cultivating dangerous drugs and possessing dangerous drugs. Smith Jr was arrested after he was found

cultivating and in possession of two marijuana plants that both measured two feet tall on August 12 in New Providence.

After pleading guilty to the offence, the defendant was granted a conditional discharge. Smith is expected to make a $1,500 donation to a local charity and be of good behaviour for one year. Should the defendant default in these conditions, he would face a $2,500 fine and one year in prison.

SUPPLY

RONALD MACKEY

Meatless Mondays - reducing meat in your meal can impact climate change

I DON’T know about you, but it sure feels extra hot to me these days! As a farmer, I pay particular attention to the weather here in The Bahamas. While it does feel particularly hot here this summer, the statistics are now in and show that this is not just a local phenomenon.

Around the globe, we are experiencing recordbreaking weather events. NOAA has released data showing June 2023 to be the hottest since we started recording data 174 years ago.

England’s Meteorological Department has reported the Atlantic Ocean water temperatures to be the hottest since 1850 when record-keeping began! This ocean temperature statistic should be particularly concerning to us here in The Bahamas because we know it leads to stronger hurricanes and rising sea levels. The earth’s average temperature is trending upwards, and most scientists agree that this is connected to the increase in greenhouse gas emissions and the cutting down of forests around the globe.

These statistics and weather trends can be terribly discouraging at times and can lead to a feeling of helplessness, but the good news is that we all can make decisions that will help rectify this problem. Your daily decisions regarding what food you put on your plate directly impacts the environment. In previous articles, we have looked at the benefits of growing locally and eliminating food wastage.

By Tim Hauber

of One Eleuthera Foundation

It would be much more efficient for us to eat protein directly from plants instead of using the inefficient cow to create meat protein. Why are we cutting down 50 million square miles of forest every year to produce more meat when we could simply switch to a plant-based protein and instantly reduce our need for agricultural land by 80%?

However, today I would like to look at the impact of meat consumption on our environment. According to the World Wildlife Fund, half of all habitable land on our planet is currently used for agriculture, and 75 percent of this land is used solely to raise animal feed and livestock. Most of this farmland is used to grow grains fed to cattle to produce beef for human consumption.

Unfortunately, cows are quite inefficient in converting grain to meat protein and they produce a lot of problematic byproducts in the process.

The amount of greenhouse gases produced yearly because of meat production is roughly equivalent to the greenhouse gases produced by every combustion engine (car, plane, ship, etc.) combined!

If we would allow 80 percent of the agricultural land to return to forests or grasslands, there is no doubt that this would positively impact global warming, freshwater accessibility, and animal and plant diversity loss. Some scientists have calculated that this action, along with reducing fossil fuel consumption, would slow down or even stop global warming. There currently exists some controversy over moving to an entirely plant-based diet. Still, most scientists will agree that reducing meat consumption will benefit the health of our environment and our population.

I want to propose that we all take a first step in this direction by adopting a Meatless Monday habit. The Meatless Monday campaign was started in conjunction with the John

Hopkins School of Public Health over 20 years ago and has allowed millions of people to experiment with meat-free meals to improve their health and the health of the planet. There is little doubt that eliminating meat consumption every Monday will have a positive impact on the environment and on your own health.

2. Meatless Mondays will help to increase your health and vitality by reducing heart disease and cancers.

3. Meatless Mondays will help to reduce animal suffering caused by intensive factory farms.

4. Meatless Mondays will help to eliminate world hunger by freeing up more resources for

than before. Removing animal protein from the centre of the plate has forced us to be more creative with what we cook and how we cook it. There are many resources available online to support your efforts of eliminating meat consumption every Monday. Often this shift will result in a reduction in your grocery bill,

1. Meatless Mondays will help reduce our environmental impact by creating less greenhouse gases and decreasing the land, water and energy resources needed.

those in need. Our family started the Meatless Monday habit almost ten years ago and contrary to what you might think, it resulted in us enjoying our food more

which is a great bonus. The following website provides many recipes and resources to help with your journey … www. mondaycampaigns.org/ meatless-monday

TIM HAUBER

What has happened to America? Where is the leadership?

THE land where I was born and stood tall as a child, head held high, beaming and proud to be part of the greatest nation on earth, no longer feels like the place of high moral ground it once was.

What has happened to America?

The land of the free and the home of the brave feels more like the land of the gullible and the home of the vulnerable.

What has happened to the country that tried to save the world after World War II? The country that passed Civil Rights legislation nearly 60 years ago, led by a president who was so determined to get the Act passed he kept Congress in session for the summer until the last shred of resistance faded.

What has happened to the country that gave birth and voice to a John Lewis and to a JFK?

What happened to the principles of the 1st Amendment to the Constitution, protecting freedom of speech, the press, the right to petition government for a redress of grievances? Did it drown in the piercing sounds of gunshot blasts of the 2nd Amendment, the right to bear arms? How did America get to a place where the records it holds are so heartbreaking, records like mass shootings, more than 400 so far in 2023. According to one report, the Gun Violence Archive projects that if the current pace continues there will be more mass shootings in 2023 than in 2019 through 2022. The fact that there is a Gun Violence Archive is disheartening enough.

Where leadership is wanting, the people fail to expect better – fail to demand more of what is right, fail to question more deeply what is wrong, retreat into their own world behind their own closed doors and lock out what they no longer care about outside.

Where leadership is wanting, complacency slips in and slowly ascends to fill the space until complacency gets comfortable and the people get comfortable.

By Diane Phillips

Complacency is easy. It takes no work to slink down into it. Expecting nothing creates a tolerance of everything. If not for complacency, where is the shock that the front runner candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, the former president of the United States, faces never before witnessed or heard of accusations - 41 charges in indictments across various jurisdictions? If not for complacency, where is the shock that the man who said he would make America great again may be convicted of trying to make it less than it was by allegedly attempting to overturn a democratic presidential election? Where is the wide-eyed wonder that his popularity only grows with each indictment or that he has said, in his own words, he only needs one more to seal the deal? Where is the disbelief? Why are not proud Americans offended when that same individual says he can make America great again? Wasn’t America great before he came along to say it wasn’t?

Where is the outrage?

What has happened to America? How did it come to be that it is not only the front runner but the number two candidate in the GOP believes that the real history of slavery should not be taught in public schools, books should be banned, a woman does not have the right to decide matters involving her own body, and oh, by the way if you are going to let the concept of slavery slip, be sure to include the skills slaves learned that helped them make a living once they were free. Skills like blacksmithing.

Skills learned in slavery?

Would that be like saying that Jews in Auschwitz learned survival skills, like

how to crawl to pick up a dead bug and digest it before anyone saw them sneak it hoping to stay alive for one more day of torture?

Or those who were water-boarded learned how to tolerate excruciating pain – that is, if they survived? Or those who were blasted by mustard gas in the war learned to live with a single lung?

This is not a Republican problem alone. Questions swirl around the kid glove or hands-off handling of possible charges against the son of the current president Joe Biden.

America the Great is changing, but so is the world. We are not who we once were. We do not embrace our neighbours like we once did. We are more wary, some of us more weary. We lack either the resources or the imagination to handle immigration in a way that would expand our knowledge and cultural base, our skilled and unskilled labour force, our economy.

America the stumped.

What has happened to the America that showed the world what compassion meant when refugees poured into New York harbour and gazed in great relief at the Statue of Liberty, knowing America would welcome them and life would begin anew?

Maybe it has happened not just to America but to people everywhere. The problems are so big they feel out of reach. If we can’t wrap our heads around the issues, maybe there is one place we can start. We can wrap our arms around each other and promise tomorrow we will do better.

There will always be an America and that small child, head held high, proud to be a citizen of one of the greatest nations on earth.

ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF THE BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

ORDINATIONS TO THE DIACONATE:

John Pinder - Monday

August 28 at 7pm, Christ

The King, New Providence.

Howard Bethel - Thursday August 31 at 7pm, St

Andrew’s Church, Exuma

Rondeno Rolle - Thursday August 31 at 7pm, St.

Andrew’s Church, Exuma

ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD

Deacon Cameron Saunders - Wednesday October 4 at 7pm, Christ Church Cathedral, New Providence.

CIVIL SOCIETY BAHAMAS

Civil Society Bahamas (CSB) supported Bahamas Strong Families Forever (BSFF) and Marriage Children Family Alliance Movement (MCFAM) during the third National Family Week, held July 25-31. The week was observed under the theme: “Forward, Upward, Onward Empowering LIT HAPPY Families”.

A special event to “Recognise, Stop and Heal Family Hurt” was held on Wednesday, July 26 at the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development Hearing Room, JFK Drive. Goals included: to chart the path the the UN’s

International Day of Families 30th anniversary in May 2024; learn about an innovative, coordinated, holistic, family development strategy; empower strong, lit and happy families; and more.

This year’s National Family Week was also highlighted with the launch of the Inaugural National Family Church Days Celebration. Under the theme “We Build Nation from the Family Up to God”, members encouraged families and businesses to participate by attending church together, and holding religious and spiritual services at home and work.

Civil Society Bahamas President Dr Anthony Hamilton noted that CSB supports all NGOs under its umbrella, encouraging all NGOs to join CSB as it is the apex body for civil society organisations in The Bahamas.

TOASTMASTERS CLUB 1600

JOIN THE CLUB

OUR Clubs and Societies page is a chance for you to share your group’s activities with our readers.

To feature on our Clubs and Societies page, submit your report to clubs@tribunemedia.net, with “Clubs Page” written in the subject line. For more information about the page, contact Stephen Hunt on 5022373 or 447-3565.

The First Bahamas Branch of Toastmasters Club 1600 held a momentous installation ceremony at Crypto Isle on July 20, 2023, to appoint their new club officers for the upcoming term. The event was filled with excitement and anticipation as the enthusiastic Toastmasters took their oaths of office, indicating their readiness to lead the club to new heights.

During this prestigious occasion, Spence Finlayson served as the keynote speaker and delivered an inspiring address that questioned the willingness and determination of individuals to truly achieve their goals. Drawing from his vast experience and success, Mr Finlayson shared valuable insights on effective communication, leadership, and personal growth. His motivational charge left a lasting impact on the newly appointed executive officers, fueling the eagerness necessary to make a positive impact in their roles.

The newly appointed president and executive team comprises of talented Toastmasters that are passionate about fostering communication and leadership skills within the club and beyond.

Stefan Bonimy, who assumed the role of president, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead an organisation with a great legacy of developing leaders. In his presidential address, he outlined his vision for building upon the ideal foundation that has already been laid for the club by improving the program quality and expanding its Youth Leadership Programmes and Speechcraft workshops. He highlighted the club’s dedication to service and the transformative power it has displayed in the lives of countless members since its formation in 1968.

Notably, in well-deserved recognition of his performance, Steven Cooper was awarded the 20222023 Toastmaster of the Year award. The recipient of this award would have affected positive change within the mission of Toastmasters International, demonstrated a high level of skill when participating in the Toastmasters program and espouse the organisation’s core values of Service, Respect, Integrity and excellence.

The First Bahamas Branch of Toastmasters Club 1600 stands ready to embark on an exciting chapter during a time when the members of the global Toastmasters community are coming to The Bahamas for the 2023 International Convention. The co-chair of the event is long-serving past president of Club 1600, Anthony Longley, DTM and also presenting will be another past president, Carlos Palacious, DTM.

Photos:

DR ANTHONY HAMILTON, Civil Society Bahamas president, with Cheryl “Sister Cher” A Walkine, president/chair, Marriage Children Family Alliance Movement Bahamas/ Bahamas Strong Families Forever.

THE THIRD annual Bahamas National Family Week courtesy call on Bishop Delton Fernander and members of the Bahamas Christian Council with Civil Society Bahamas and Marriage Children Family Alliance Movement Bahamas/ Bahamas Strong Families Forever.

STEVEN COOPER, 2022-2023 Toastmaster of the Year.

FROM left, Ray-Don Poitier (Immediate Past President), Steven Cooper (Sergeant-At-Arms), Spence Finlayson (Keynote Speaker), Anthony Bodie (Secretary), Stefan Bonimy (President), Silbert Clarke (Treasurer), Camron Reckley (VP Education), Jamaal Cooper (VP Membership).

THE OPENING ceremony of the Toastmasters International Convention at Baha Mar Convention Centre featuring opening remarks from Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis. Also in attendance were Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper; Leon Lundy, Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister; guest speaker Lisa Nichols-Hall, founder and CEO of Motivating the Masses, Inc; and other government officials.

Kemuel Stubbs/BIS

Day-by-Day Schedule 1 DAY

Day 1

Saturday, August 19

6:15pm - Opening Ceremony

7:43pm - Men’s 100m Heats – Terrence Jones

Day 2

Sunday, August 20 - Morning Session

9:35am - Women’s 400m - Shaunae Miller–Uibo

10:25am - Men’s 400m - Steven

Gardiner and Alonzo Russell

10:35am - Men’s high jump

qualification - Donald Thomas

11:25am - Men’s 400m hurdles

- Shakeem Hall-Smith

Day 2 - Sunday, August 20

- Afternoon Session

4:35pm - Men’s 100m semifinal - Terrence Jones

7:10pm - Men’s 100m - final - Terrence Jones

Day 3

Monday, August 21

Afternoon Session

7:35pm - Men’s 400m hurdles semi-

final - Shakeem Hall-Smith

9:10pm - Women’s 400m semifinal

- Shaunae Miller-Uibo

Day 4

Tuesday, August 22 - Afternoon Session

6:40pm - Women’s 100m hurdles

heats - Devynne Charlton

7:55 pm - Men’s high jump

final - Donald Thomas

9pm - Men’s 400m semifinal - Steven

Gardiner and Alonzo Russell

Day 5

Wednesday, August 23 - Morning Session

10:20am - Women’s javelin qualifying

Group A - Rhema Otabor

11:15am - Men’s long jump

qualification - Laquan Nairn

11:55am - Women’s javelin qualifying

Group B - Rhema Otabor

12:05pm - Women’s 200m heat

- Anthonique Strachan

Day 5 - Wednesday, August 23-

Afternoon Session

7:10pm - Women’s triple jump

qualification - Charisma Taylor

8:40pm - Women’s 100m hurdles

semifinal - Devynne Charlton

9:35pm - Women’s 400m final

- Shaunae Miller-Uibo

9:50pm - Men’s 400mh final

- Shakeem Hall-Smith

Day 6

Thursday, August 24 - Afternoon Session

7:30pm - Men’s long jump final - Laquan Nairn

7:45pm - Women’s 200m semifinal -

Anthonique Strachan

9:25pm- Women’s 100mh final

- Devynne Charlton

9:35pm - Men’s 400m final - Steven

Gardiner and Alonzo Russell

Day 7

Friday, August 25 - Afternoon Session

7:35pm - Women’s triple jump

final - Charisma Taylor

8:20pm - Women’s javelin final - Rhema Otabor

9:40pm - Women’s 200m final

- Anthonique Strachan

ANTHONIQUE STRACHAN

DONALD THOMAS

CHARISMA TAYLOR

SHAKEEM HALL-SMITH

New York high school players are ready for Caribbean Hoopfest

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

WITH the Caribbean Hoopfest 19-and under (19U) tournament scheduled for this weekend, the high school players from New York are excited to compete against the Bahamian teams.

Following their arrival on Wednesday, Team New York, Canarsie NYC, and Molloy-NYC all are ready to leave it all on the court August 19-20 at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium.

The teams are presently staying at the Courtyard by Marriott Nassau Downtown/Junkanoo Beach ahead of their tourney.

Josh Powell, a 6 foot 5 guard from Archbishop Molloy High School, is looking forward to competing against the six Bahamian teams.

“I am just looking to win and grow as a player while helping my team to grow as well,” Powell said.

He added that the team’s preparation ahead of the tournament has been great because the players have been bonding together.

Although they are having fun they are being mindful as well because the goal is to handle business.

Sincere Folk, point guard of Archbishop Molloy, echoed the sentiments of

his teammate in regards to this weekend’s tournament.

“My expectations are to just keep growing as a team to come out, win and to just dominate,” Folk said.

Overall, aside from basketball he was excited to enjoy the weather, culture and beaches in The Bahamas for the first time.

The Caribbean Hoopfest tournament’s Bahamas debut will see the three New York teams play against the CI Gibson Rattlers, Street Legends All-Stars (A and B), Raw Talent, and the 242 Ballers (Black and Blue).

Chase Beasley, point guard from Canarsie high school, will be looking forward to competitive matchups.

“I am looking forward to playing against good teams, great players, having fun, and winning… we play a little differently in New York because we play gritty and get right to it,” he said.

The point guard has had a delightful experience on the beaches and partook in some recreational activity at a local waterpark.

JP Maaba, of Archbishop Molloy high school, is looking forward to the exposure and improving his game in the 19U tournament.

“I feel like it is going to be different competition

than I am used to which will help me to grow and improve my game and learn as a player,” he said.

Skyler Hopkins, one of the top ranked players from the Bronx, is looking to bring the best he has to the court this weekend.

“This is my first time competing internationally

and I am looking to play my best and bring my skills and show what I got,” Hopkins said. He added that the first couple days being in Nassau has been good and being on the trip with teammates is fun because it helps with on and off the court chemistry.

The first game of the 19U tournament will feature Team New York, NYC versus the Street Legends All-Stars B in Pool A at 1:45pm.

The championship game will be played at 8:30pm on Sunday.

The tickets are priced at $15.

LONG-TIME PE TEACHER HATTIE MOXEY RETIRES ON AUGUST 31

FROM PAGE 16

Moxey, who turns 69 on December 14 (the day that her mother, Christina Williams, passed away), is listed as the only Bahamian male or female to have participated in volleyball, basketball, softball, track and field, hockey, tennis, netball and horseback riding as a jockey. She represented the Bahamas on the national teams in softball, volleyball, basketball and track and field.

“I grew up in a house with boys. My mother had four boys and one girl. I never played dollhouse. I shoot marbles, fly kite, spin marble, climb trees and go in the woods for Poison Ivy,” recalled Moxey, who had a number of other siblings through her deceased father, the late sailing captain Edgar Moxey.

“My brothers even used to bet with the boys that I could beat them running. We used to put the net at the end of the lamp-post and my brothers used to say ‘my Tita, go on the line’ and whoever wants to go on they can race her. That’s how I got started in track and field.”

Having grown up in the Kemp Road area, Moxey said every morning she ran with her brothers from Shirley Street to Montagu Road, went down to St Anne’s School, turned into Fox Hill, onto Bernard Road to Kemp Road. She did that religiously before she walked from Kemp Road to Baillou Hill Road to attend JPW.

After she completed school, Moxey said she signed up to become a teacher at the College of the Bahamas, but after she registered too late, he had to sit out a year.

Her neighbours, the Cadets, owned some horses at the Hobby Horse Race Track and she was allowed to travel with them where he maintained the stable, but eventually she got to ride the horses, got bumped a few times and that led to her competing as a jockey.

Looking back at her career, Moxey said she didn’t prefer one sport over the other.

“I enjoyed them all,” she insisted. “I was good at all of them. I couldn’t choose. I loved them all. I used to like softball because Daisy Walker was playing first base and I played shortstop.

“I remember when I made the double play at second and I made the pass to Daisy, she used to say to Daisy you could really throw the ball. That was how hard I threw it. At the time Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt was our third baseman.”

Although she was considered a “tomboy,” Moxey said she still managed to develop a lot of female friends, who she doesn’t see as regularly, but she still loves them all the same.

She noted that whenever they meet, it’s like they were either family members.

“I’ve played on so many teams and I never had a difference with anybody,” she said. “I didn’t have any argument and every school that I taught to, nobody can say me and Ms Moxey had any differences.”

Looking back at her tenure as a coach and PE teacher, Moxey said she’s grateful to God for blessing her with the talent that passed on to those who were willing to receive them.

“Whoever wanted to learn, I taught the children from school,” Moxey said. “I never sent them out there and told them to play. I played with my students. That is why a lot of children whom I taught played so well,” she said.

“They always tried to get me as their teacher. They didn’t want to show their teacher up, so they always tried to get me. I enjoyed that. I taught so many students like Natasha Huyler at CI Gibson, who went on to become PE teachers as well.”

Does she have any regrets, Moxey said emphatically “no.” In fact, she noted that if she had to do it all over again, she would.

“Some of the systems that I worked in, you couldn’t get as much out of it as you wanted to, but that’s a part of it,” she stressed. “But

I don’t have any regrets. I just felt they didn’t invest as much as they should have in the children.

“For the most part, the performances of the children were good, but the material they needed to go further just wasn’t there. You had to do too much begging for certain things and I don’t think that’s right. The powers that be in the schools should have provided the material for us to use.”

Having served in both the public and private schools, Moxey said the children are all the same.

“They are only going to give you what you give them and you will get from them what you ask from them and they will get away with whatever you allow them to do,” she pointed out. You just need to put your foot down on what you need them to do.

“I’ve been teaching for all those years and I don’t have any regrets from the children I was dealing with. You have some mischievous children and you have some children looking for love. But you have to identify these children and deal with them. In my time of teaching, that is what I did.”

Nursing a hip injury that has hampered her from doing any strenuous

physical activities, Moxey said she will take her time developing a garden at her home, reading her Bible and just relaxing, while socialising with some of her elderly neighbours, family members and friends.

With one daughter, Tamika Bain, who resides in Ecuador with her five children (three legal and two adopted), Moxey said whenever she goes abroad, she can make the trip there to spend some time with them.

To those she leaves behind in the teaching and coaching profession, Moxey’s advice is to “follow the rules and regulations and select the children for their teams according to their worth, rather than how you feel.

“It’s the same thing with the Bahamas. We have so much talent here that it’s unbelievable,” she noted. “But we select a few. We don’t always select the best. We select the ones who we could gel with or who we favour. We need to stop doing that.”

Moxey said she remembered during her participating days, if she didn’t play to earn her spot on the team, she didn’t go because she felt it was a disservice to those who deserve the spot.

a private entity, Rodgers said the BBA has the right to intervene when there are international components involved such as visiting teams and officials from different countries.

He noted that Babe Ruth League, who indicated in a letter to Prime Minister Philip Davis that they will continue to utilise the service of Burrows Sr as their commissioner, will simply have to look at someone else other than Burrows Sr coordinating the tournament if they return next year. Burrows Sr also serves as the founding president of Freedom Farm, the private youth baseball league, which was involved in the organising of the Babe Ruth Caribbean League tournament.

“We have no problem with Babe Ruth bringing the tournament back,” Rodgers said. “It’s just that Greg Burrows Sr and Jr will not be allowed to participate,” Rodgers said.

“The BBA has no affiliation with the Babe Ruth League in bringing the tournament to the Bahamas. But the Babe Ruth League just got confirmed as an affiliate of World Baseball Softball Confederation and the Bahamas is a full member. So they don’t have to answer to the BBA, but as a member of the WBSC, I can file a complaint against the Babe Ruth League with the tournament being held in the Bahamas.”

As a result of the umpire being a member of the International Umpires Association and as a visitor to the Bahamas, the BBA was asked to get involved to protect the Bahamas and its future involvement in COCABE and WBSC.

COCABE, in its letter to Rodgers, said they support the five years’ suspension of Burrows Sr and the 15 years for Burrows Jr.

The letter is read as follows:

“I was outstanding, but it was because my brothers pushed me to be the best that I could be,” she stated. “The time that I put in, I was able to achieve the things that I did. It was in God’s plan and that was why it worked out that way for me. No one could stop that.

“It’s the same thing in the schools. I feel it’s not right for a coach to come to a school and recruit an athlete who their coaches have already put the time and energy into developing and you just come and take them. Why don’t you develop your athletes from scratch.”

To the students, Moxey said her only request is that they remain loyal.

“Whatever you are, you need to be loyal to it and be straight up with your coach,” she stressed. “Speak your mind. Whatever you are thinking about, speak your mind. Talk about it with your coach.

“And always remember that your academics are important. No matter how good you are, without your academics, you won’t go anywhere. So first and foremost, go to school, get your grades up and keep them up to par and then you can get a scholarship to go to college.”

While she walks away from JPW, Moxey said she doesn’t know who will be her successor between the two male PE teachers she leaves behind. Her bet is that Sanchez Moss will probably assume that role.

She also noted that the Bahamas Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, under the presidency of Rev Dr Philip Moxey, who has replaced the late Rev Dr Lloyd Smith, has their work cut out for them in this transitional period.

“For me, this school should have been much further ahead than all of the other schools,” she pointed out. “I watched all of the other schools that came around and I watched the advancements they have made, this school has not

After a special Caribbean greeting, we are writing this communication to support the Bahamas Baseball Association on the decision recently submitted of suspending Mr Greg Burrows Sr and Mr Greg Burrows Jr for violating the rules of the Caribbean Babe Ruth Baseball Championships.

Despite the Cocabe and the Babe Ruth League events are not related in their activities, we share the membership of your institution and by sharing this membership between both entities, we understand that any decision that the BBA assumes after a violation of a regulation in a tournament, we have to support that decision.

Having said that, the COCABE supports the five years suspension of Mr Greg Burrows Sr and the 15 years of Mr Greg Burrows Jr from all baseball activities regarding our Caribbean Institution and all our superiors like the COPABE/ WBSC Americas and the WBSC.

Without further ado, we say goodbye on behalf of all Caribbean Baseball.

done enough in the more than 50 years it’s been in existence.”

And from a national perspective, she added that she’s looking forward to Mother Pratt taking over as the new Governor General when the new sitting of the House of Assembly takes place next month.

“Mother Pratt is a good girl. That’s my girl. I wish her all the best. She represents me. She was a Moxey, so I am all with her,” Moxey said. “I pray that she enjoys the position and doesn’t get stressed out. Just go with the flow.”

Moxey said she remembers the time that she was offered a scholarship from Tom ‘the Bird’ Grant to attend St Augustine’s College in Raleigh, North Carolina, but because she was also teaching at CI Gibson and she didn’t want to disrupt the flow of things there, she asked Grant to give it to Mother Pratt.

That decision has enabled her to complete her long tenure as a devoted and dedicated teacher for more than 40 years.

TEAM NYC joins two other New York teams to compete in the Caribbean Hoopfest 19-and under (19U) tournament this weekend

Photo: Tenajh Sweeting/Tribune Staff

COACH Hattie Moxey wearing her CI Gibson Rattlers uniform in front of her trophy case.

Coach DeMarco likes Bahamas’ ‘resilience’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

COACH Chris DeMarco likes the “resilience” that he’s seen so far from the Bahamas men’s national basketball team in the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament 2023 in La Banda, Argentina.

On Wednesday night, Team Bahamas rallied from as much as 19 points, while holding the same digit in their lead for a 101-89 win over the world’s fourth ranked Argentina in front of their large and loud spirited home crowd. With that win and an impressive 109-68 victory on opening day on Monday against Cuba, the Bahamas clinched the top spot coming out of Group A as they head into the semifinals on Saturday.

“I was really proud of our performances and the resilience shown so far,” said DeMarco, the Golden State Warriors’ assistant coach, who heads the Bahamian coaching staff that includes Moses Johnson and Mikhail McLean in Argentina.

“During the game, we both held 19 point leads,

but we were able to pull together and managed to get the job done. It was tough because we played them in a very hostile environment with all of their fans cheering. It was a big win for us.”

The Bahamas’ big trio of National Basketball Association players, Eric Gordon, in his first tournament for the country he’s a descendant from, provided the spark with 24 points, three assists and a pair of steals.

Buddy Hield of the Indiana Pacers had another solid performance with 23 points, six rebounds and three assists, while DeAndre Ayton, who will be teaming up with Gordon for the first time this year with the Phoenix Suns, contributed 22 points with 15 rebounds, three block shots and two steals.

Travis Munnings, who is playing overseas in Europe, also had a big game with 20 points, four rebounds and a pair of assists and steals while Kentwan Smith had five points and five rebounds. Lourawls Nairn had four points and seven assists and Franco Miller Jr chipped in with three points.

DeMarco said the team is starting to click on all cylinders, despite the fact that he only had less than two weeks with everybody to run their plays for the tournament. “I still think there’s a ton of work to be done,” he said. “One of the goals is to build our chemistry and that is not just on the court but off the court. We’re working on our strengths and weaknesses and so we’re building on it every day and every game we play.”

Having now advanced to the semifinals on Saturday, DeMarco said they are waiting to see the outcome of the games played last night to determine who their opponent will be coming out of Group B that includes Chile, Uruguay, Colombia and the Virgin Islands.

“Without knowing who it is, we can’t properly prepare for them until we know who they are,” DeMarco said. “But we are working every day to make

sure that whoever it is we face, we will be ready.

“This game against Argentina, who is ranked number four in the world, has really pushed us to get where we want to go. We just hope that we can continue to build on that going into the semifinals. Once we find out, we hope that we can carry this momentum over from this win against Argentina.”

DeMarco said it’s going to be important with the makeup of the team,

assembled by the BBF and through the coaching staff along with general manager LJ Rose, their big men can play off the pick-and-roll and their guards can take care of the ball. “We had two vital moments in the game against Argentina that could have gone either way with the outcome of the game,” DeMarco said. “But we were able to get the job done by beating a really good team.”

DeMarco said they have to continue to work on “everything” in order to accomplish their goal. If they win their semifinal game, they will advance to Sunday’s championship game. The winner of the championship will go on to participate in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year with the chance to advance to the Olympic Games in Paris, France. With what could be considered the best team assembled so far in international play for the Bahamas, DeMarco said the players are all committed to booking their ticket to Paris next year. They just have to take care of business in Argentina this weekend.

NBA releases its schedule for the coming season, with eye on player rest and travel

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

MAXIMISING player rest and limiting travel demands were again part of the NBA’s formula for the upcoming regular season, the league indicated yesterday when announcing the schedule for 2023-24.

Teams have an average of 14 instances of back-toback games this season, up slightly from last year’s rate of 13.3 per team. But backto-backs involving travel are down to 9.0 on average; the rate of those last season was 9.6 per team. No team will play the day before or after high-profile national television games, such as Christmas matchups and all ABC weekend matchups. No In-Season Tournament games will be on the second night of a back-to-back, either.

Teams have gotten an 80-game schedule for the coming season for now. The other two games will be based on how they fare in the new tournament that starts November 3.

RING NIGHT Denver will commemorate its championship and get a visit from Commissioner Adam Silver on opening night, October 24,

when it plays host to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first of 1,230 games this regular season. The second game of the opening-night doubleheader is Phoenix at Golden State, meaning Chris Paul’s former team will play his new team.

Assuming Paul appears in that game, it’ll be the 1,215th regular-season game and 1,364th game overall of his career — and he’s never come off the bench. The last time Paul didn’t start a game that counted was December 13, 2004, when he was slightly late for the team bus and benched for the first 4 minutes of Wake Forest’s game against Temple.

WEMBY’S DEBUT

The debut of No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama comes on the second night of the season, when San Antonio plays host to Dallas October 25.

CHRISTMAS DAY Christmas in New York remains an NBA tradition.

The Knicks will play on December 25 for the 56th time, and they will open the traditional Christmas quintupleheader by playing host to the Milwaukee Bucks in the noon slot.

The rest of the Christmas games: Golden State at

Denver (2:30 p.m. Eastern), Boston at the Los Angeles Lakers (5 p.m. Eastern), Philadelphia at Miami (8 p.m. Eastern) and Dallas at Phoenix (10:30 p.m. Eastern).

The Lakers’ LeBron James will get another chance to become the Christmas all-time wins leader among players; he’s played in 17 games and his teams have gone 10-7. The only other player with 10 wins on Christmas is newly enshrined Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, whose teams went 10-3 on the holiday. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra puts his perfect record on the line; he’s 8-0

as a head coach on Dec. 25. Only Jack Ramsay (11-3), Phil Jackson (117), Gene Shue (9-4) and Red Auerbach (9-6) have more Christmas wins than Spoelstra.

MLK DAY

There are 11 games set for Jan. 15, the annual celebration of the life of Martin Luther King Jr. — including the traditional NBA games on that holiday in Atlanta and Memphis. San Antonio visits the Hawks that day, while Golden State visits the Grizzlies.

The other games: Houston at Philadelphia, New Orleans at Dallas, Orlando at New York, Detroit at Washington, Chicago at Cleveland, Miami at Brooklyn, Boston at Toronto, Indiana at Utah and Oklahoma City at the Los Angeles Lakers.

RIVALS WEEK NBA Rivals Week returns with 11 nationally televised games across four networks from Jan. 23 through Jan. 27.

Those matchups:

— Jan. 23: New York at Brooklyn, LA Lakers at LA Clippers (TNT)

— Jan. 24: Oklahoma City at San Antonio, Phoenix at Dallas (ESPN)

— Jan. 25: Boston at Miami, Sacramento at Golden State (TNT)

— Jan. 26: Dallas at Atlanta, Portland at San Antonio (NBA TV)

— Jan. 27: Miami at New York, Philadelphia at Denver, LA Lakers at Golden State (ABC)

ALL-STAR BREAK

There are no games between Feb. 16 and Feb. 21 because of the AllStar break. This season’s All-Star Game is in Indianapolis. There are two games on Feb. 15, and 12 games when play resumes on Feb. 22.

LEAP YEAR REMATCH

For the first time, there will be an NBA Finals rematch from the previous season on Feb. 29 — Miami to Denver to celebrate Leap Year this season.

The other leap-year games: Milwaukee at Charlotte, Utah at Orlando, Atlanta at Brooklyn, Golden State at New York, Oklahoma City at San Antonio, Houston at Phoenix and Washington at the Lakers.

OFF DAYS - For the second consecutive season, no NBA games will be played on Election Day. It falls this year on Nov. 7.

A pair of Sundays — Dec. 3 and Dec. 10 — are also expected to be off days as well, given how the new in-season tournament is being scheduled.

Other off days: Nov. 23 for Thanksgiving, Dec. 24 for Christmas Eve, April 8 for the NCAA men’s Division I basketball championship game and April 13 — the next-to-last day of the regular season.

OUT OF MARKET

GAMES

As previously announced, Atlanta will play Orlando (a Magic home game) in Mexico City on Nov. 9, and Brooklyn will play Cleveland (a Cavaliers home game) in Paris on Jan. 11. San Antonio will return to Austin, Texas, for two home games again this season, just as it did last season. The Spurs will host Denver there on March 15 and Brooklyn on March 17.

THE END

Not only will all 30 teams play at either 1 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. Eastern on the final day of the season, April 14, but this season, all 30 teams will also play on April 12 as well.

The play-in tournament would start April 16, and the 2024 NBA playoffs will begin April 20.

FUELLING EXCELLENCE: UNVEILING THE VITAL ROLE OF PROTEIN FOR ATHLETES

FROM PAGE 16

rebuilding these tissues. Beyond this, proteins serve as key components in enzymes, hormones, and immune cells, contributing to the optimal functioning of your entire system.

Sources Abound:

Unlocking

Protein-Rich Foods

Diversifying your protein sources is essential for reaping its benefits fully. Lean meats such as chicken, turkey, and fish offer high-quality protein with minimal fat content.

For vegetarians and vegans, plant-based sources like legumes, lentils, beans, tofu, and quinoa are excellent options. Dairy products, eggs, and nuts are also rich sources of protein. Incorporating a variety of these foods ensures a comprehensive amino acid profile that your body requires for muscle growth and repair.

Recommended Daily

Protein Intake Your daily protein intake is a critical factor in optimizing your athletic performance. As a general guideline, athletes

should aim for approximately 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This range accommodates varying training intensities and goals. For instance, an athlete weighing 70 kilograms (154 pounds) might target an intake of 84 to 140 grams of protein daily. However, remember that individual requirements may vary, necessitating personalized guidance from a nutritionist.

The Perils of Deficiency Insufficient protein intake can lead to detrimental

consequences for athletes. Inadequate protein limits the body’s ability to repair and build muscles, hindering recovery and potentially impeding performance gains. A deficiency may also compromise immune function and increase the risk of injuries. Over time, chronic protein deficiency can lead to muscle wasting, fatigue, and impaired overall well-being. Therefore, prioritizing adequate protein intake is pivotal for both short-term performance and long-term health.

In Conclusion

As you step into another season of athletic pursuits, understanding the pivotal role of protein is your gateway to unlocking enhanced performance and sustained well-being. Embrace protein as your ally in muscle repair, immune function, and overall vitality. By incorporating a diverse range of proteinrich foods and aligning your intake with your training regimen, you’re setting the stage for a year of unparalleled achievement in your sport.

Bahamian sports medicine physician, sports performance coach sports nutrition specialist and founder of Empire Sports Medicine. Our mission is to empower athletes to reach new heights while safeguarding their health and well-being. We understand the unique demands of sports activities, and we are dedicated to helping athletes prevent injuries, overcome challenges, optimise nutrition and performance.

DENVER Nuggets guard Jamal Murray needs more time to rehab to get ready for the regular season. (AP)

GO TEAM BAHAMAS: The Bahamas men’s national basketball team can be seen above at the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament 2023 in La Banda, Argentina.

Photos: FIBA Americas

SPORTS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 2023

Delegation settling in at Games Village for the World Athletics Championships

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

oach Tito Moss said the Bahamas’ delegation to the World Athletics Championships has arrived safely and settled in at the Games Village in Budapest, Hungary. The team held its first team meeting yesterday in preparation for the start of the week-long competition on Saturday when Grand Bahamian Terrence Jones will be the first competitor to compete in the heats of the men’s 100 metres.11:25am - Men’s 400m

hurdles - Shakeem

Hall-Smith

Day 2 - Sunday, August 20, 2023Afternoon Session 4:35pm - Men’s 100m semi-final - Terrence Jones

The opening ceremonies also take place on Saturday. schedule of events (our time) for Team Bahamas in Budapest - six hours ahead.

DAY ONESaturday, August 19 6:15pm - Opening

Ceremony

7:43pm - Men’s 100m

Heats – Terrence Jones

DAY TWOSunday, August 20

Morning Session

9:35am - Women’s 400m -

Shaunae Miller–Uibo

10:25am - Men’s 400m - Steven Gardiner and Alonzo Russell

10:35am - Men’s high hump qualificationDonald Thomas

7:10pm - Men’s 100m final - Terrence Jones

DAY THREEMonday, August 21 - Afternoon Session

7:35pm - Men’s 400m

hurdles semi-final - Shakeem Hall-Smith

9:10pm - Women’s 400m semi-final - Shaunae Miller-Uibo

DAY FOURTuesday, August 22 Afternoon Session

6:40pm - Women’s 100m

hurdles heats - Devynne Charlton

7:55pm - Men’s high jump

final - Donald Thomas

9pm - Men’s 400m semi-

final - Steven Gardiner and Alonzo Russell

TEAM Bahamas has arrived safely in Budapest, Hungary, and are settling in at the Games Village for the World Athletics Championships.

DAY FIVEWednesday, August 23 Morning Session 10:20am - Women’s javelin qualifying. Group A - Rhema Otabor

11:15am - Men’s long jump qualification - Laquan Nairn

11:55am - Women’s javelin qualifying Group B - Rhema Otabor

12:05pm Women’s 200m heat - Anthonique Strachan

Day 5 - Wednesday, August 23, 2023- Afternoon Session

7:10pm - Women’s triple jump qualification - Charisma Taylor

8:40pm - Women’s 100m hurdles semi-final - Devynne Charlton

9:35pm - Women’s 400m final - Shaunae Miller-Uibo

9:50pm - Men’s 400mh final - Shakeem Hall-Smith

DAY SIXThursday, August 24

Afternoon Session

7:30pm - Men’s long jump final - Laquan Nairn

7:45pm - Women’s 200m semi-final - Anthonique Strachan

9:25pm - Women’s 100mh

final - Devynne Charlton

9:35pm - Men’s 400m finalSteven Gardiner and Alonzo Russell

DAY SEVEN -

Friday, August 25

Afternoon Session

7:35pm - Women’s triple jump final - Charisma

Taylor

8:20pm - Women’s javelin final - Rhema Otabor

9:40pm - Women’s 200m final - Anthonique Strachan

WHEN the new school year begins in September at Jordan Prince Williams High School, one of the familiar faces returning students won’t see is longtime Physical Education Department head Hattie Moxey.

Arguably the most accomplished former allaround Bahamian male or female athlete, Moxey will officially retire on August 31 after serving 21 of her 47 years as a PE teacher at Jordan Prince Williams.

Her teaching career got started in 1976 at the CC Sweeting Secondary High and after enjoying a 20-year stint in government, she then moved to Charles W Saunders in 1996 before she was

transferred to JPW, a year after she was named Teacher of the Year at CWS.

“I was able to teach at both my alma maters, so I think I was blessed,” said Moxey, who attended CI Gibson, formerly Pyfrom Road before she obtained a scholarship to attend JPW. “I wanted to give back to both schools and I’ve done that.

“I’ve run my race, now I’ve finished my course and I’m going home to travel and enjoy life. I’ve travelled the world, so I’m not eager to travel. I did that around the world representing the country in all the sports I played in at the Pan American Games, Central American Games, World Games, Caribbean Games.”

COACH Hattie Moxey in her Jordan Prince Williams uniform in front of her trophy case. SEE PAGE 14

WELCOME, athletes, to a journey of optimising your athletic prowess through the power of nutrition. This week we take an overview of the indispensable role that protein plays in your athletic journey. We will cover fundamental functions, recommended daily intakes and the effects of deficiency.

So let’s delve into the realm of protein and its significance in elevating your performance and well-being.

The Core Function of Protein

At its core, protein stands as the building block of life itself. This macronutrient is not just crucial for muscle growth and repair, but it also orchestrates an array of essential bodily functions.

BBA GETS SUPPORT OF WBSC/ COCABE

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Baseball Association president Sam Rodgers welcomed the support of the World Baseball Softball Confederation and its affiliated member COCABE on the suspension of father and son Greg Burrows Jr and Sr for 15 and five years respectively.

The duo were issued the suspensions by the BBA for the role they played against visiting home plate umpire Edaine Cannister from Curacao during the placement game in the under-16 division between the Bahamas and Puerto Rico in the Babe Ruth Caribbean Baseball Tournament in July at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium. Burrows Sr, the Commissioner for Babe Ruth Caribbean, served as the tournament organiser, but he was penalised for how he tried to get his son, Burrows Jr, who served as the manager of Team Bahamas, to be reinserted into the game after he was ejected by the umpire for his constant agitation for the Puerto Rican pitcher to be removed from the game for a headband he was wearing,

In a letter written to Rodgers and signed by COCABE’s Curacao general president George de Lira and secretary Manuel Fries from the Dominican Republic, COCABE said they “share the membership of your institution and by sharing this membership between both entities, we understand any decision that the BBA assume after a violation of a regulation in a tournament, we have to support that decision.”

Rodgers said COCABE has indicated that they have read the report and they agree with the suspensions for Burrows Sr and Jr.

“We just wanted them to see the reports that came in and what went down, and if they agreed with the penalties that we issued,” said Rodgers, who noted that their decision was made following the investigation by a four-man panel to review all of the eye witness reports that were submitted to the BBA. After the Babe Ruth League became

SEE PAGE 14

FIBA, PAGE 15 BAZARD DR KENT

and protein plays a pivotal role in repairing and

SEE PAGE 15

C

Photos: BAAA