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Sears shrugs off PM support MPs backing their boss dismissed as ‘a distraction’ By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party leader-hopeful Alfred Sears yesterday called the paltry level of endorsements from sitting members of Parliament for incumbent leader Prime Minister Perry Christie to stay on as party leader a “distraction”. The former attorney general and Fort Charlotte candidate said it was not surprising given the political culture for MPs with executive positions to support their employer; however, he noted that this move lacked vision and was demonstrative of the need for new generation leaders not defined by age but by perspective.
In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, Mr Sears brushed off speculation that his chances of a successful leadership bid were hampered by the fact that he was not a parliamentarian, contending that this element made for the perfect leadership transition given the governing party’s struggle with public trust. “It is really unfortunate that a debate which ought to be conducted for the benefit of the stalwart councillors and the delegates would be reduced to whether the people I employ, and who serve at my pleasure, come and endorse me. The issues are wider than that - that is a distraction.” SEE PAGE SEVEN
NEKO GRANT CONFIRMS HE WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net AFTER 24 years in frontline politics, Neko Grant, FNM MP for Central Grand Bahama, announced that he will not be seeking re-election, but will remain a member of the Free National Movement. And while he said his decision not to run again was first announced in 2012, Mr Grant also criticised the current state of the Official Opposition, saying democ-
racy “is fading” in the FNM and it is not the party he knew 25 years ago. He also criticised those in the FNM who have dragged him through the mud and accused him of not doing anything to help the party. Mr Grant – the longest serving FNM MP in the history of the party - made the announcement at his Bahama Terrace home on Sunday, supported by his wife, Barbara, son, Neko Grant II, his two grandchildren, SEE PAGE FIVE
CALL FOR FULL ANSWERS IN LETTER OF INTENT ROW By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest renewed calls yesterday for the Christie administration to fully disclose the letter of intent controversy that ensnared Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells and contributed to his decision to leave the Progressive Liberal Party. SEE PAGE SIX
THE MEDAL MEN
THE Bahamas finished the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on a high note on Saturday when they claimed a bronze medal in the final track event, the men’s 4 x 400m relay.
While it wasn’t a repeat of the gold they took so thrilingly in London four years earlier, it was another trademark fast and gutsy performance, with the veteran Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown running a val-
iant last leg to claim third place in his fifth and final Olympic appearance. Brown, 37 and the men’s team captain in Rio, finished off the good work of Alonzo Russell, Michael Mathieu and Ste-
TURNQUEST: FNM WILL BE READY DESPITE PARTY FINANCE SHAKE-UP By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest said the party will be ready to contest the next general election even if it has to do so with new people in place who are responsible for raising necessary funds. His statement came after The Tribune reported on
Friday that a shake-up of the party’s Finance Committee is expected. Although FNM Finance Committee Chairman Brent Symonette denied reports that the committee resigned last Thursday, he suggested when contacted by The Tribune that a change was coming. “(Dr Minnis) should have the unfettered right to invite persons he feels would be able to collect party
funds to join the committee,” Mr Symonette said. Sources told The Tribune that committee members planned to resign because of dissatisfaction with Leader Dr Hubert Minnis. Many of the members have been on the committee for years - Mr Symonette, for instance, has been a member of the committee for about 40 years. SEE PAGE EIGHT
GOVT ‘UNABLE’ TO STOP JOB LOSSES By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net LINKING Baha Mar to Sandals, Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis attacked Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday for his “inability” to prevent job losses for Bahamians.
Dr Minnis also called on Sandals to “immediately rehire” the workers it made redundant when the resort reopens in October. “Under the prime minister’s watch over 2,600 Bahamians have lost their jobs at Baha Mar and Sandals within the last year,” he said in a press statement.
“The complete lack of competence by the prime minister and his ministers in the handling of our precious tourism industry has caused our economy over 6,000 Bahamian jobs. Had they done their jobs properly both Baha Mar and Sandals would be open today.” SEE PAGE THREE
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
ven Gardiner and held off Belgium and Botswana for the bronze medal as the United States regained the gold ahead of Jamaica. SEE PAGE TWO
FIVE MORE ZIKA CASES IN FLORIDA IS A WARNING SIGN
By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net THE five additional reported cases of the Zika virus in Florida on Friday “raises the bar” on how the Bahamas government will have to combat the feared virus, Health Minister Dr Perry Gomez said yesterday. Dr Gomez told The Tribune officials now have to work harder to eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Despite questions from The Tribune, Dr Gomez would not say if The Bahamas has recorded another confirmed case of the virus; however, he said there would be a press conference today at 10am at the Ministry of Health on the matter. His statements come after Florida Governor Rick Scott announced on Friday SEE PAGE SIX
PAGE 2, Monday, August 22, 2016
THE MEDAL MEN from page one
The Bahamas’ time of 3 minutes 58.49 seconds was a season’s best and their medal the fourth in Olympic men’s relays. It was the country’s second medal of the 2016 Games, following Shaunae Miller’s gold in the women’s 400m. Brown said it was a great feeling to get back on the podium. “We went out there and we gave it our best. A lot of people didn’t believe that we could do it, but we came through and it’s better to go home with a bronze than to go without anything. So I’m very pleased with the way the guys performed,” he said, dedicating the medal to Demetrius Pinder, the only member of the relay squad who did not get to compete. Two medals, two national records and five appearances in a final left Bahamas track and field head coach George Cleare thrilled and left the Bahamas tied for 51st overall in the Olympics medal table while finishing 14th in the athletic competition. Several tributes were paid to the relay team yesterday, with Free National Movement leader Dr Hubert Minnis praising “our Bahamian Bronze Brothers” for their “fantastic mix of youth and experience to capture Olympic glory”. He said the team had displayed “the heart of a champion” as “lap by lap, during the race, each of our boys carried the prayers, relentless spirit and the hopes and dreams of the Bahamian people”. Former Attorney General Alfred Sears, QC, said the team had overcome the daunting weight of expectations in the face of unimaginable pressure. “The Bahamas 4 by 400 metres men’s relay team held their composure, bided their time and, when the moment was right, they struck,” he said. “The result is Olympic glory, and once again, The Bahamas has scaled heights other nations can only imagine or dream of. To win a bronze medal at the Olympic games is a feat few can claim.” SEE SPORTS FOR MORE
FNM celebrates anniversary of debut election win
THE FREE National Movement held its National Anniversary Service at Cousin McPhee Cathedral in celebration of the party’s first election win in 1992 yesterday, with performances by groups such as purpose, pictured below, and with leader Dr Hubert Minnis in attendance. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
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Minnis urges govt to pay police overtime FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis has called on the government to give police officers overtime pay owed to them as he urged Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade to meet with the Police Staff Association on the matter. Last week, The Tribune reported that the commissioner has decided to give officers time back as compensation for the controversial 12-hour shifts they worked at separate periods in 2013 and 2014. Officers who have since retired but worked the extra shift will receive monetary compensation for the hours worked, The Tribune was told. Attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, who represents the PSA, has said the commissioner’s plan is impractical and will threaten public safety.
“We urge the commissioner of police to immediately consult with the Police Staff Association to resolve this problem,” Dr Minnis said yesterday. “If there was not so much corruption and wastage in the system, such as at the Road Traffic Department, the government would have more than adequate money to pay police officers overtime. “We urge the commissioner of police to commence immediate consultation with the PSA to resolve this matter. They should pay the police, they sacrifice their own families just to keep the country safe.” He said if crime continues to rise, or if there were more international travel warnings from the US or Canada, police resources would be over stretched. He also chastised the government for putting money
in “the wrong direction” such as in areas like Junkanoo Carnival – but not having funding to compensate police officers. Last week, the PSA said it is not ready to accept the commissioner’s decision and the organisation lamented the lack of consultation between the group and senior national security figures on the matter. It is not clear how the force will determine how much time officers should receive for every 12-hour shift they worked. The Supreme Court ordered, however, that the compensation be received within a year. PSA Chairman Dwight Smith said that at the very least, this means more than 2,000 officers will be entitled to three months and two days off. This comes after the Court of Appeal earlier
DR HUBERT MINNIS, leader of The Free National Movement, pictured speaking at the party’s National Anniversary Service held at Cousin McPhee Cathedral in celebration of the party’s election win in 1992. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff this year upheld a landmark Supreme Court ruling ordering the government to compensate police officers for working 12-hour shifts at different periods in 2013 and 2014.
GOVT ‘UNABLE’ TO STOP JOB LOSSES from page one
He added: “It is unbelievable that the owners of Sandals Resort would not speak with the prime minister and his PLP government before closing their resort for major renovations. To proceed with millions of dollars in major renovations as Sandals Resort claims they must have talked with the prime minister and his government. “There are far too many questions the Bahamian people deserve answers to from the embattled prime minister. Did the prime minister know that Sandals Resort was going to close? Was the prime minister colluding with Sandals Resort in their decision to close the resort so they did not have to deal with the union? Is
the prime minister in favour of this type of union busting in the Bahamas? What type of deals did the prime minister make with Sandals Resort? “The Bahamian people deserve better than a prime minister that will just sit idly as a resort in the Bahamas engages in union bashing causing the loss of at least 600 Bahamian jobs. “The PLP is not the party for the Bahamian workers. An FNM government will stand for all Bahamian workers and will not allow the type of union busting we are witnessing at Sandals Resort. We call upon the management of Sandals Resort to immediately rehire all the workers it laid off when they re-open in October and immediately reengage with the Bahamas
Hotel Maintenance and Allied Workers Union (BHMAU).” Sandals has come under fire for making the workers redundant last week in order to conduct repairs. Labour Minister Shane Gibson said the resort failed to notify the government of its intention in good time. He said he believes the resort’s actions were a retaliatory attack on the BHMAU. He expressed dissatisfaction with the resort’s decision to make workers redundant rather than laying them off and have them return to work in October. In a press statement yesterday, Sandals said some of the more than 600 workers who were terminated last Monday will have the chance to re-apply when
the hotel hosts a four-day job fair starting today. According to the resort, the first two days of the job fair will be reserved for former staff members with the last two days open to new applicants. The interviews will be held at Christ the King Anglican Church Hall in Ridgeland Park and will be conducted by representatives from the corporate offices of Sandals Resorts International. Sandals’ Director of Corporate Services Jeremy Jones said: “We are asking everyone to bring their A-game. At Sandals, we believe we hire attitude and train skills. Interviewers look for personality, enthusiasm and interest in learning new skills. We are giving everyone an equal opportunity to shine.”
BAHAMIAN ARRESTED AFTER 51KG COCAINE SEIZED POLICE arrested a Bahamian man at the Lynden Pindling International Airport on Sunday in connection with the seizure of 51 kilos of cocaine. According to police, shortly after 8am, K-9 officers on duty at the LPIA Jet Aviation Centre assisted by officers from the Airport Division conducted a search of a chartered aircraft that had just landed. Officers found two large bags containing 51 kilos of cocaine.
A man is in custody assisting Drug Enforcement Unit officers with their investigations. This came two days after police arrested two men in southwest New Providence and seized several pounds of marijuana from them. According to police reports, shortly before 9am Friday, a team of officers from the Airport Division was conducting an operation on Coral Harbour Road when two men in a
silver Saturn Sedan car aroused their suspicion. “The officers beckoned to the men to stop the vehicle but they refused to do so and sped off,” a police statement said. “After a short chase the officers brought the vehicle to a stop. The officers conducted a search of the vehicle and uncovered 25 pounds of marijuana in a suitcase.” The men were taken into custody and are expected
POLICE SEARCHING FOR ROBBERY SUSPECTS POLICE are seeking the public’s help in locating the suspects responsible for two separate armed robberies. In the first incident, shortly after 3pm on Saturday a man and a woman were on West Bay Street, when a man armed with a handgun approached and robbed them of a handbag containing personal items before fleeing on foot. Then shortly after 3am on Sunday, two women had just pulled up to a home located at Halls Close off Gladstone Road when they were approached by two men armed with a handgun who robbed them of a 2006 Honda car before speeding off. Investigations are continuing.
CORRECTION: LYFORD CAY ‘BACK TO SCHOOL’ GUIDE IN The Tribune’s 2016 Back to School guide last week, two photographs of Lyford Cay Foundation alumni were erroneously used as illustrations with an article about Lyford Cay International School graduates. We are happy to make clear the two institutions are separate entities and regret the error. The guide will appear again in The Tribune on Wednesday.
to appear in court early this week to be formally charged. Investigations into both incidents continue.
PAGE 4, Monday, August 22, 2016
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Put brakes on Baha Mar until after 2017 election IN Thursday’s Tribune, a letter writer tried to strip Prime Minister Christie of his legacy — Baha Mar. Just as Atlantis is prime minister Ingraham’s legacy - a success story that transformed a “nation for sale” into a much sought after tourist resort — Mr Christie coveted Baha Mar as his legacy. The fact that Baha Mar has collapsed because of disastrous decisions does not justify this letter writer trying to blame its failure on Mr Ingraham. It is still Prime Minister Christie’s legacy - failure though it be. Under the heading: “FNM must inquire of itself”, letter writer W Thompson argues that when the Baha Mar agreement was signed with the Chinese bank, it was signed under the Ingraham government. “The Baha Mar deal with EXIM was squarely a policy decision of the Rt. Hon. Hubert A Ingraham’s government…” Mr Thompson wrote. What Mr Thompson fails to understand is that the Christie government before it was voted from government had already signed a heads of agreement with the Baha Mar developer – Mr Sarkis Izmirlian. This 2005 agreement was inherited by the Ingraham government. It is true that this agreement, after amendment, was finally signed by the Ingraham government, but it became necessary because Mr Christie’s earlier dithering had created a void for the Chinese to step in and fill. So, it became an agreement of necessity, not one of policy. That does not mean that the Baha Mar concept was not a good idea. The Ingraham government had no say in the developer’s choice of partners. But as circumstances have now shown, the Christie government would have had no objection to the Beijing bank and its contractor being those partners. In fact, the Baha Mar concept was given birth by Sarkis Izmiliran at the instigation of Mr Christie, during Mr Christie’s first term as prime minister. Mr Izmirlian, the developer, went ahead with his plans and lined up his Las Vegas partners – Harrah’s and Starwood. Heads of Agreement had been signed by the developer and the PLP government on April 6, 2005, but suddenly everything froze. In a letter of desperation, Mr Izmirlian told the Prime Minister: “If we cannot achieve the early February (2006) timeframe for accomplishing the above, I will have to inform Harrah’s and Starwood that despite my best efforts these past three odd years, the Government of the Bahamas has failed me. I certainly do not want to be known as the developer (and I’m certain you don’t want to be known as the Prime Minister) that lost Caesars and Starwood. Today, more than ever before, I need your unambiguous support, Mr Prime Minister.” It was obvious that Prime Minister Christie, although he had laid the Heads of Agreement on the table of the House, would sign nothing before the election. As a matter of fact he was dragging out negotiations up to April 30, 2007 - two days before the election when his government was defeated. If Mr Izmirlian’s 2006 deadline had been met Caesars and Starwood would have been his partners and Baha Mar would have been nearing completion before the economic collapse threw the world into a deep recession. Borrowing for such large developments had dried up. The Chinese were the only ones on the market still willing to lend. In desperation Mr Izmirlian walked into their offices in good faith and got trapped, taking the Bahamas government with him. In a meeting with the Baha Mar/
Izmirlian group, the Ingraham Opposition was told that because of a confidentiality issue the investors could not give the Opposition certain documents. “We were specifically informed by the proposed investors,” Sea Breeze MP Carl Bethel told the House on March 6, 2008, “that there remain secret clauses and/or agreements whose contents have, in fact, not been disclosed to the Bahamian people.” And so instead of blaming then Prime Minister Ingraham for making the best of what has turned out to be a bad deal, Mr Thompson should be thankful that the Christie government was defeated when it was. Mr Ingraham was much criticised from PLP benches for taking so long to revise the Baha Mar agreement. But go over it he did with a fine tooth comb for which Bahamians should be grateful. In the 2005 agreement the Christie government had agreed to sell the Development Bank building, the Gaming Board building and the portion of West Bay Street and the median. Mr Ingraham cancelled this sale. He also reduced the area to be used for Baha Mar back-ofhouse facilities on Gladstone Road from 70 acres and provided for the land to be leased and not sold to Baha Mar. He also required that the 99.78 acres of Water and Sewerage land be leased to Baha Mar and not sold as originally agreed in the Christie 2005 agreement. It was also agreed with Baha Mar that 71.40 acres of wetlands owned by Baha Mar was to be a “no build zone” for public use in perpetuity. Other concessions, in favour of the Bahamas, were also negotiated. However, if the Christie heads of agreement had been allowed to stand — the land in “the secret agreements” — would have been sold. It was obvious that Mr Ingraham was still not happy with the agreement. But he had made the best of a bad deal. When asked in the House of Assembly on November 18, 2010 what he would do if the Baha Mar agreement went wrong with a foreign state owning Crown land, he replied: “It is the view of my government that it is an untenable position to permit any foreign State to own land in the Bahamas. Under the law, any financial institution providing funding for development in the Bahamas has a number of alternatives to protect their interest should that project fail. One of these is foreclosure …should this project not succeed, and I have no reason to believe that it will not, and should I be in the position that I now hold, my government would not agree to foreclose on these properties (previously Crown Land) to any foreign State or any entity which is owned by a foreign State.” When Mr Christie, now the Prime Minister, supported the Chinese in their opposition to having the Baha Mar dispute heard under Chapter 11 in the Delaware bankruptcy court, pleading that to do so would disrespect our sovereignty, the Delaware judge threw the case out — not because he did not believe that Chapter 11 would have been the best solution for saving Baha Mar, but because the Bahamian court had made it clear that his judgment would not be recognised. When this happened, Mr Ingraham wrote to Mr Christie – not once, but twice— advising him that it would be “a fundamentally bad decision” to put Baha Mar into liquidation. His advice was ignored. Before any more bad decisions are made— particularly if the rumours are true about the type of investor now interested in Baha Mar – Bahamians would be well advised to insist that the final decision on Baha Mar be left until after next year’s election.
Freedom of speech, not to abuse EDITOR, The Tribune I HAVE never been more un-proud of who we are becoming when I see the blunt disrespect for the Prime Minister, his family and the office he holds. Just the level of disrespect is disheartening. Such disrespect may have far longer lasting repercussions if we continue to embrace this kind of behaviour disguised as free speech. Decent people can disagree over policy, but far too many Bahamians express their critiques in an ugly way. This trending pattern of disrespect that we display to each other as citizens sharing our freedoms as one country, let alone the highest office in our nation, truly undermines the principles and values of everything The Bahamas stands for. We have revealed a very vulgar side of The Bahamas, a side that we cannot be satisfied with. At some point, the treatment of our leaders went from offensive to ugly and then to downright unacceptable. Welcome to the new rude Bahamas, where I hope we can restore some sense of civility. The man and his family are being challenged unfairly, characterised with vulgarity and treated with the kind of profound disrespect to which no previous Prime Minister was subjected. The Prime Minister has a beautiful family, and their composure through these kinds of disrespect and attacks that goes above is inspirational. However, at the end of the day, we are all human, and there’s only so much we are expected to take until these things begin to tear and hurt the core of who we are and how
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net we feel. The disrespect for individuals and the Office of The Prime Minister itself has reached such a low point. Even the Prime Minister’s children have been targets of such despicable disrespect. However, in The Bahamas, we never see the big deal until we are the ones enduring the levels of incivility. Moreover, if you have missed the point, then there is a chance that you are part of the problem. We all have a responsibility to use our freedom of speech in a responsible manner. However, if this is the kind of democracy we want to embrace and to be proud of where we the people use our freedoms to slander the characters of others, this will be an indictment on the kind of people we all choose to become. We do not respect anything or no one in this country. What is more disturbing than the songs are those out there who uplifts this sort of behaviour and call it acceptable. Going beyond the song we have to admit this is a growing culture in our country where we use any instrument or platform to attack the characters of those we disagree with. If you do not agree with what a leader of your country is doing, disagree with the policies and initiative and his style of governance - that’s the responsible thing to do. However, it is nothing short of cowardly to hide behind the curtains of democracy to assassinate the characters of others. Listen to our radio shows to hear what the noise our freedom is filled with the derogation,
smear, false report, insult, slander, and backbiting. If this is our new way of life, if this is the culture we want to accept, this will be the culture that our society dies by. If we do not we respect the law, If we do not we comply with the church, and if we do not respect our neighbours, and if we respect the highest office in our country surely my fellow brethren, we will reap what we sow. Too many Bahamians interpret ‘Freedom of speech’ as ‘Freedom to abuse people’. Freedom of speech should not be hate speech if it rips people to shreds and tears the roots of society. At some point, we all have to pause and take a deep look at ourselves and come to the realisation that we cannot have a conversation about the challenges of our country without insulting each other and tearing each other apart. What do we expect to achieve by insulting each other and talking over each other instead of addressing the issues? I know we are better than this: we can disagree despite our politics despite our personal feelings and express them with some degree of respect for each other. Name calling and insulting each other don’t fix problems, only a national dialogue with some respectful disagreement and compromise can. If the freedom to speak is intended to demoralise and/or discount the credibility of another without due process of law, it is no longer freedom of speech, but rather abuse against the right of others. LATRAE RAHMING Nassau, August 21, 2016.
Gambling our health away EDITOR, The Tribune. Funding NHI - more Gambling? I READ that certain people are proposing a further adding of a National Lottery the proceeds to go to funding NHI. It is as crazy as lowering Customs Duties on ciga-
rettes and alcohol which as we all know the smoking or drinking of them can cause cancer and kill you. So we are going to drive our society on Gambling? Travel to any Family Island and witness the social problems the legalising of Numbers has caused forget the Numbers-Boys spending millions we have an
enormous social problem caused and created with the proliferation of Gambling. Oh we are so proud of this House and its owner - all their fancy this and that - huge homes, yachts and jets - the parties they throw but what about the people whose last dime they take? Will the Numbers Boys
take responsibility for the serious mess we are heading into in our banking system because the US Treasury is not satisfied from where the massive amount of moneys of the Numbers boys are originating from? I wonder if all the supposed increase in employment is actually only in the Numbers sector?
From the start the legalising of an operation which for years operated outside of the Law with total immunity should never have been sanctioned - if there was an interest in Gambling then a National Lottery should have been the platform The PLP sent a negative message rewarding the
law-breaker. What next rewarding a drug smuggler with some concession? VAT should be charged on winnings..... Mr Minister of Finance fix that please. More gambling please No! K MINNS Nassau, August 18, 2016.
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, August 22, 2016, PAGE 5
ELDERLY MAN FOUND IN SUSPECTED SUICIDE ‘SHOWED NO SIGNS OF BEING UNHAPPY’ By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A RELATIVE of an elderly man found hanging from a tree in the yard of his Palmdale home last week hailed him as a “very loving” man who “didn’t show any signs of being unhappy” leading up to his death. The relative, who did
not want to be identified, told The Tribune that family members were all “shocked” when they discovered the man, who police yesterday identified as Delroy Anthony David Cartwright, hanging from a rope tied to a tree in the backyard of his Murphyville Road home last Thursday. “We were very shocked
because he didn’t show any signs of being unhappy,” the relative said. “We were all shocked. He had a great sense of humour; he was a very loving man. “He was easy going and a lot of fun to be around. Like I said he had a really good sense of humour. Big family gatherings were always very lively, and when he was here he was a part of them.”
At the scene, Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander, officer-in-charge of the Central Detective Unit (CDU), said Cartwright was discovered shortly after 10.30am on Thursday in what police said was an apparent suicide. Chief Supt Fernander said according to preliminary inquiries by police, relatives went out on the
morning in question, leaving Cartwright home alone. When his niece returned, she could not find him. A subsequent search of the entire house and the yard resulted in him being found hanging from a tree. Chief Supt Fernander said emergency medical services (EMS) personnel were subsequently called to the scene. They later confirmed
that the body showed no signs of life. Last week, Chief Supt Fernander said there was “nothing to suggest foul play” concerning Cartwright’s death. He told The Tribune yesterday that police are still waiting on an autopsy report, which he said he expects to be completed sometime this week.
Neko Grant confirms he will not seek re-election from page one and sister, Violet Wright. Mr Grant believes that the FNM is challenged in more areas than one, and said that many changes need to be made now if the party wants to win the 2017 general election. Despite being criticised by some party members, the FNM MP said that his conscience is clear and his heart is pure. “I have been vilified by some, and demonised by others, but it didn’t bother me because I knew I did the best I could. I also supported the leader, and I have documents and I trust I will not have to produce them to prove where I have done that,” he said. “But to be dragged in the mud by a senior member of the party is unacceptable, and for him to suggest I have done nothing and I do nothing, and that because I differ from the views of the leader that I am committing treason, well he has destroyed his legacy,” Mr Grant said, referring to senior FNM Maurice Moore. “What did he do when he and several others voted against Sir Lynden O Pindling in Parliament? Was Sir Lynden not elected in convention by the Bahamian people and after eight of them voted against him he still enjoyed the support of the majority of the members of Parliament? That is something that Dr Min-
nis has never had in recent times. If there were six of us of the 10, that tends to be the majority who differed from him.” Mr Grant was one of six FNM parliamentarians who stood against FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis and wrote a letter to the party’s Central Council outlining the Killarney MP’s weaknesses as a leader. Mr Grant added: “Democracy in the FNM seems to be fading and the FNM that you and I would have known 25 years ago, is not the FNM that it is today. If they are to be successful there has to be a lot of changes made, not yesterday, but now.” When asked if he will remain involved in the party, the MP said that he believes he is still a valuable member of the FNM. “I have had the privilege of winning five consecutive elections, I believe I know how and what it takes to win elections, but what role I will play is to be determined,” he said. He said that he was very satisfied with his accomplishments over the years while serving as a member of Parliament and as a former Cabinet minister in the Ingraham administration. When asked by The Tribune why he made the announcement at this time, Mr Grant said: “I think now the time is right; they need to find a candidate to replace me and this gives them ample time to do so.”
Mr Grant said he indicated in April 2012 after he was nominated that it would be his last election cycle. He said he also informed Dr Minnis of his decision in May 2012. Mr Grant, who has played an esteemed role since joining the party in 1974, said that he will always remain an FNM. “When I put my family, my life, and limb on the line in 1992, I don’t know where many of those who purport to be these great FNMs were…and I will remain an FNM.” Mr Grant was first elected as the MP for Lucaya on August 19, 1992 when the FNM was first elected to office. He was re-elected in March 1997, in May 2002, May 2007 and again in May 2012 for the newly created constituency of Central Grand Bahama. During his political career, Mr Grant served as chairman of the Grand Bahama Housing Commission from 1992-1997 and as chairman of the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation from 2000-2002. Following the election in 2007, Mr Grant was appointed minister of tourism and aviation for one year. In July 2008, he was appointed minister of public works and transport. Mr Grant recalled that his service as minister of public works was most rewarding, particularly because of the execution of his first road works contract
WEATHER WATCH ON TROPICAL WAVES WHILE Tropical Storm Fiona was expected to be downgraded to a depression last night as it moved northwest in the central Atlantic, the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami is monitoring two tropical ‘waves’ in the eastern Atlantic that show signs of potential development this week. One of them could affect the southeastern Bahamas and the Caribbean, according to forecasters. The NHC reported yesterday that an area of disorganised showers and thunderstorms associated with a tropical wave is located about 1,100 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. “The proximity of this system to dry air is expected to inhibit significant development during the next few days while the disturbance moves westward to west-northwestward at 15 to 20mph,” the NHC reported. “Environmental conditions could become more
conducive for development late this week when the system is expected to be near Hispaniola and the southeastern Bahamas. Moisture associated with this system is expected to reach the Leeward Islands and part of the Windward Islands by Tuesday evening or night.” The NHC put the chance of a tropical storm forming over the next 48 hours at low (10 per cent) and a medium (40 per cent) over the next five days. It also reported an area of cloudiness and thunderstorms over the far eastern Atlantic 200 miles south east of the Cape Verde Islands associated with a low pressure area and tropical wave that has moved off the west coast of Africa. Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for development, and a tropical depression is likely to form during the next couple of days while the system moves westward and then
northwestward over the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean, the NHC said. Chances of storm formation are said to be high, at 70 per cent over the next 48 hours and 90 per cent through five days. Tropical Storm Fiona was located about 590 miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands yesterday afternoon. It had been moving to the west-northwest at 14mph, with maximum sustained winds of 40mph, making it barely a tropical storm, and the NHC said it was expected to be torn apart by wind shear and also had dry air in its path towards Bermuda. Fiona is the sixth named storm of the 2016 Atlantic season and one of the weakest.
NEKO Grant with, from left, his wife, Barbara, grandson Daniel, grand daughter Melissa, son Neko Grant II, and sister Violet Wright. Photo: Denise Maycock/Tribune Staff in Rock Sound, Eleuthera, and Harbour Island in the amount of some $16 million. The MP thanked the people of Lucaya and Central Grand Bahama for their confidence, love and support in the five consecutive elections. He also thanked members of “Neks Team”
in Lucaya and Central Grand Bahama for their hard work and support over the years. Last night, Dr Minnis released a statement thanking Mr Grant for his contributions to the FNM. “Mr Grant has served with distinction and we celebrate his long and un-
wavering commitment to the principles of the Free National Movement and his dedication to his constituents, all of Grand Bahama and to the Bahamian people as he serves out the remainder of his term in office,” Dr Minnis said. “We wish Mr Grant and his family God-speed in their fu-
PAGE 6, Monday, August 22, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
Call for full answers in Letter of Intent row from page one His comments come as recent revelations raise questions about whether certain government members were aware of the document before Mr Wells signed it. Tribune Business reported on Friday that key Christie administration figures knew in advance that the government was set to issue the Letter of Intent (LOI). In a letter dated May 26, 2014, State Minister for Finance Michael Halkitis informed a representative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that the government had issued an initial LOI to Stellar Energy. The company
had proposed to establish a $600 million 70-80 megawatt waste-to-energy plant that was to be located at the New Providence landfill on Tonique Williams Highway. Mr Halkitis’ letter was dated about five weeks before Mr Wells signed the LOI with the company. Mr Wells has said he took responsibility for the controversy because he signed the document without “written approval”. In a statement released Friday, Mr Halkitis said Tribune Business’ report intermingled various “portions of correspondence” to “create the impression of something untoward” on his part. He said the letter he sent to the IDB representative
was “to request a meeting between Stellar Energy and representatives of the IDB.” Nonetheless, Mr Turnquest said the revelation proves that there are still details about the LOI matter that remain unknown. He recalled that FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis once requested a statement from Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson about the matter, but none ever came. “There had to be more to the story that just Renward Wells,” he said. “The recent revelation proves the fact that Cabinet was aware. As to details of that, I don’t know but the government has the obligation to disclose and to be clear. Dr Minnis called for an investigation into that and nothing has changed in that regard. People believe that because Wells is now an FNM something has changed but that’s not the case. If there is wrongdoing it should be uncovered and disclosed. It’s obvious government knows
more and knew more than they have said and that they have a duty to say.” In October 2014, Prime Minister Perry Christie fired Mr Wells from his post as parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Works and Urban Development following months of controversy sparked by his reportedly unauthorised signature on the $600 million LOI in July 2014. Several times since the incident became public, reference was made to a probe into the matter. The results of that investigation have not been made public, although government officials have said it was complete. In November 2014, Mr Wells broke his silence and said he signed the LOI – without Cabinet approval – for the “good of the people.” In January 2015, he told the House of Assembly that he signed the LOI with Stellar Waste to Energy Bahamas in order for the company “to carry out studies”
RENWARD WELLS, whose signing of a Letter of Intent has long been a source of controversy and calls for explanation. free of charge to present to Cabinet. In November 2015, Mr Wells announced in Parlia-
ment that he had quit the PLP before crossing the floor to join the Official Opposition.
FIVE MORE ZIKA CASES IN FLORIDA IS A WARNING SIGN from page one that five locally transmitted cases of the Zika virus have been confirmed in an area of Miami Beach. Three of those individuals were visitors to the area when they contracted the virus, according to international reports. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), subsequently issued a travel advisory Friday afternoon, stating that pregnant women should avoid any part of Miami-Dade County altogether due to the newly confirmed cases. The CDC also said that pregnant women, as well as their sexual partners, who live in the area or need to travel there should make extra efforts to avoid mosquito bites, including wearing repellant. Friday’s developments in
Miami Beach reportedly brings the total number of locally transmitted cases in Florida to 36, inclusive of those reported in Miami’s Wynwood neighbourhood. “That raises the bar,” Dr Gomez told The Tribune yesterday. “The CDC has declared Miami Beach a Zika zone. And so that’s from the highest source you can get. So anybody going over there should be very careful, with all the precautions. “That’s unfortunate, but that’s the way it is.” When asked if the government will seek to heighten its efforts to combat the proliferation of the virus in the country, Dr Gomez said: “We’re doing a lot of stuff now, in the processing of people, in the follow up of patients, and so on. And there’s been a lot done from environmental health; we have to do more with get-
ting these harbingers of water in your yard to keep the mosquito down.” Earlier this month, Dr Gomez announced the first confirmed case of the Zika virus in the Bahamas, after a Bahamian man who recently travelled to Jamaica fell ill. Dr Gomez said the man’s symptoms included rash, fever, joint pains, and headache for which he sought medical care at a private medical facility. Dr Gomez said a sample was taken for testing and sent to a reference laboratory. A confirmed positive result was received on Tuesday, August 9. The patient who is from Pinewood Gardens - has been treated for associated symptoms and is recovering, Dr Gomez said at the time. He added that heightened surveillance activities continue by the Department of Environmental Health Ser-
vices and that the required public health and environmental protocols continue to be conducted. According to health officials, Zika is a mosquitoborne disease and may also be sexually transmitted. The virus is transmitted primarily by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, the same mosquito that transmits dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever viruses. International health officials have long warned women who are pregnant or intend to get pregnant that they should guard against Zika. This is because of the confirmed association between infection in pregnancy and birth defects such as microcephaly. According to international reports, there have been 2,260 cases of the Zika virus reported in the US as of last Wednesday.
MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016
THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE Y
ESTERDAY’S announcement by the Free National Movement’s Member of Parliament for Central Grand Bahama, Neko Grant, is the beginning of the end. It signals the start of the domino effect for the ‘Dissident Six’. For those who may have been sleeping under a rock for the last year, the Dissident Six are the group of six FNM parliamentarians who were brave enough to say enough was enough with Dr Hubert Minnis’ babbling and non-performance as party leader.
Neko Grant’s announcement that he will not stand for re-election next year means it is now only a matter of when and how the FNM’s ‘Dissident Six’ will meet their political demise, says Malcolm J Strachan This grouping, which was led by Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner, included Grant, Theo Neilly, Hubert Chipman, Richard Lightbourn and Dr Andre Rollins. After their failed bid to oust Dr Minnis in last month’s national convention, the group is on the chopping block. Despite assurances to the contrary
from the Minnis camp, many of them know the writing is on the wall. It is now only a matter of when and how they will meet their political demise. Two weeks ago, Mr Grant resigned as Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Assembly, and as the Shadow Minister of Works. It was a sur-
prise move that caught the bly, having been first electParliament - and his col- ed to Parliament in 1992. leagues - off guard. Many As the most senior FNM in within the Opposition that place, he has stood as a party did not see it coming, symbol of stability for the and Mr Grant (who is not party. known to mince his words) His decision to not offer placed the reason for his himself for re-election in departure squarely at the 2017 is truly only a confirfeet of his party leader. mation of one he had made At that time, Mr Grant in 2012. But the timing of said that recent events have this announcement is what demonstrated to him that is disturbing to FNM party Dr Minnis was “uncomfort- supporters. able” with him To announce and “not satis- ‘For Neko Grant his departure fied” with his to announce his again, at such performance. a time of instaHe said, there- departure again, bility and turfore, that he at such a time of moil within the must do what instability and party, only conhonourable men firms to many of must do and step turmoil within the party’s base aside. that the FNM the party, only Reports had confirms to many will not be unitbeen circulated to take on ing at the time of the party’s the PLP in a few that Dr Min- base that the short months. nis had offered Furthermore, FNM will not be Mr Grant’s post what does this to Mrs Butler- united to take on all mean for the Turner in a bid the PLP in a few other members to squash any of the Dissident short months.’ plans that she Six? Can they or her supporters be looked at as may have had to break from incumbents who will carry the party and form a new the party’s torch forward? political movement. For her Highly unlikely. part, Mrs Butler-Turner has Let us look at their funot left the party, and has tures. called for healing within Theo Neilly most natuthe FNM in the lead-up to rally will be the next FNM the 2017 general elections. MP to announce his deciThe real enemy, they keep sion not to run in 2017. Mr reminding their supporters, Neilly has been a quiet solis the Progressive Liberal dier within the House of Party. But, time will tell. Assembly. As a first-time Neko Grant is currently MP coming into politics the longest serving FNM on the losing side of the MP in the House of Assem- isle, Mr Neilly would need
tremendous financial resources to just be relevant - let alone good. We have been reliably informed that with one of his largest supporters on the ground in North Eleuthera, Abner Pinder, passing on this year, Mr Neilly is looking for a way out. This continued turmoil would be that reason. Hubert Chipman is a man of considerable means, but again as a first time MP, there is a lot to consider. “Chippie”, as he is called by his friends and colleagues, came into the FNM through former party leader Hubert Ingraham. Now that Mr Ingraham is no longer there, and having publicly campaigned against Dr Minnis during this last convention, there is little reason for Chippie to stay. Richard Lightbourn is another FNM MP with the means to fund their own campaign, but he has been labelled as a staunch supporter of Mrs ButlerTurner, thus darkening his future prospects under Minnis. The FNM will need soldiers like Richard and Chippie who have proven that they know what it takes to win an election, but their hearts we fear won’t be in it come 2017 especially as rumours swirl again of the return of the likes of former senator Lanisha Rolle and their ilk. Which brings us around to Mrs Butler-Turner and Dr Rollins. Ironically, their futures are intertwined as Rollins has made it clear he will not be running under the FNM banner, but from all accounts it appears he will be challenging for ButlerTurner’s constituency of Long Island as an independent. While Butler-Turner has been promised the nomination for the FNM, there is no doubt that this will be one of the most hotly contested seats in the entire general election. We expect to see Democratic National Alliance candidates, independents, FNM, PLP and more. Let us not forget that with the recent resignation of the Finance Committee of the party, any and all candidates could be asked to fund a substantial portion of their own campaigns. This will dramatically limit those who will be able to offer themselves for election, and who will eventually remove themselves due to budgetary constraints. So there we have it; we are left with an FNM that is broken internally and broke financially. At a time when the current government is the most dangerous impediment to the progress of the country, it is a shame that the official opposition is in such a state. Lord help us. Comments and responses to insight@tribunemedia.net
PAGE 2 MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
All Bahamian lives matter - a solution
Terry Goldsmith, who has extensive experience in working with this country’s youth, calls for a national initiative - which would include curfews and gun amnesties to fight the lack of respect and lawlessness dogging The Bahamas today.
I
HAVE lived in The Half-Way House for ex-ofBahamas for almost fenders to assist in the reha50 years. I am now bilitation on their return to a very proud Baha- Grand Bahama; sadly now mian citizen. I have been defunct. I was installed in married to a Bahamian the Grand Bahama Sports lady for that entire time. Hall of Fame. I have served I am a qualified teacher and as executive committee I have taught in schools in member of numerous sportNew Providence, Long Is- ing youth groups. Boy Scout land, Cat Island, San Salva- leader, Youth Club organdor and throughout Grand iser/advisor and Athletics Bahama. I am also a Youth and Boxing Club Coach. I Worker and a qualified Ed- am the proud recipient of ucation Welfare Officer. the Rotary’s “Paul HarI was also the Executive ris Award” for service to Director of the YMCA in Grand Bahama Youth. I Grand Bahama for 14 years, was also honoured by the working seven days a week prestigious “Internationand, more than al Olympic often than not, ‘I was shocked Commitaveraging 12 tee” for Serto 16 hours last year to vice to Youth per day serv- see Police worldwide. ing youngsters Commissioner I am not boastin particular ing but, given and the pub- Ellison Greenslade this backlic in general. appear on ZNS ground one I was also a almost in tears could assume member of the that I have Juvenile Panel with frustration some extenat the Magis- as he begged for sive handstrate’s Court in the support of on experiFreeport. I ence working have worked the public after with young with the disaf- two men were Bahamians fected youth, shot and killed in particuterminally ill lar and youth children, un- and two others in general. der-privileged seriously injured I was born children, ofin London, by gun shots in fenders, repeat England. offenders and one night.’ An “Over also advised the Hill”, and supported ex-adult of- born and bred Londoner fenders trying to make a or Cockney. Born in the new start . late 1930s and raised durI personally created a ing the Second World War
COMMISSIONER Ellison Greenslade speaking to the media during a Kemp Road walkabout. in London’s inner city in the 1940s and 1950s. I lived in a really tough working class area - the Angel in north London. But I was no angel: I was a rough street kid who often used his fists to settle disputes or just fought because it was the expected response. I sometimes did things I should not have done. Why? Because that was the way things were. Yet we had a basic re-
Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
spect for the law, respect a Pitbull dog or large Rotfor our elders, respect tweiler. Why? Because it for our teachers and re- has big teeth and has been spect for our parents. known to bite. My point is We may not have liked that there are consequences those who imposed rules if you upset one of these on us, and more often than dogs. You get bitten. not, we didn’t always do as we were told, but we had ur problem is respect and respect was that these viotaught, not just expected. lent minorities It could be said then that know that there are few I have more than a little in- solid consequences which sight into what makes young act as a serious deterrent. people tick. “I bin dere, dun We fuel this by our failure dat” and I’m still here do- to demand changes in the ing “dis and dat”. But sadly, law by the powers-that-be times have changed. That is to counter such acts of unwhat I see, this is what I un- lawful violence, poor bederstand and these are my haviour and bad attitudes. concerns. A simple introduction of a I am now 78. I love my curfew would begin to help adopted country and its to reduce or even eliminate people. Thank you for the many criminal acts. privilege bestowed upon Yet we continue to deme. Yet, my concerns, in mand little of the people’s part, are the apparent lack servants - our government. of respect for authority in Some may do what they can my country, the Bahamas. but, may I suggest that, many The lack of young people politicians lack the gonads who appear in many cases to take a firm, definitive to never have been taught and decisive hand. Why? to know what it is to have Because some decisions self-dignity and self-worth. may be unpopular with the The poor attitudes, the cor- public and they are afraid of ruption, the robberies, the losing votes at election time. murders and, above all, the I was shocked last year to increase in gun violence so see Police Commissioner prevalent throughout this Ellison Greenslade, who country … much of it by I briefly taught in Cat Isdisrespectful and uncon- land when he was a child, trolled violent young men. appear on ZNS almost in They are, thankfully, in tears with frustration as he the minorit, yet sadly get begged for the support of the most publicity … on the public after two men which they seem to thrive!. were shot and killed and Consider this. You respect two others seriously in-
O
jured by gun shots in one night. What is happening? Why is this happening? How have we allowed this to happen? Where did we all go wrong? Who is to blame for the problem? The youth? Parents? Teachers? The Church? The government? Who? We can no long bury our heads in the sand. When we point the finger of blame at someone, remember that three fingers point back at yourself. The problem is then ours, not theirs. Ours. Yours, Mine. We, the people, have the power to implement change. The often well meaning efforts of the Christian Council, the churches, Ministers of Religion, Ministers of State, individual politicians, political parties, the Ministry of Youth, Sports clubs, the numerous sports associations and federations, social clubs, community service clubs - Rotary, Kiwanians, Lions Clubs all the “Do Gooders”, and not forgetting the complacent but concerned citizens generally. All wonderful groups, all sincere, all concerned, all with their own ideas on how to deal with the current crime situation. Yet therein lies our problem. They are disjointed but have the same concerns. Yet they have no common, conducive, constructive or realistic collaborative plan or guidance to address the issues. I submit that an entity
MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016 PAGE 3
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
5
steps to saving society
STEP ONE
of any kind that doesn’t plan for its future doesn’t have one. That is why we have made little or no headway addressing the issues as a nation. We are all pulling in different directions. Consider a large cart. Two concerned men are at the front of the cart trying to pull it up a very steep hill but there are six bad men at the back trying to pull the cart down the hill. The two dedicated and strong willed good men at the front are inching their way up the hill but it is almost an impossible task - not because of the six “good-for-nothing” lazy men at the back but because the cart is full of people who are doing nothing but complaining about the bad guys at the back and asking why the good guys are not making a better and bigger effort to get the cart to the top of the hill.
Y
ou see the analogy? Are we, as a people, not like this? How many of us are inside the cart doing little but complaining about others not doing enough to find a solution to our social ills? It’s easy to blame others. Somebody, some group, someone needs to take the lead and needs to say: “I have had enough and I am not taking it any more.” We need to stop talking and get things done “together”. We need to take the lead when and where it matters the most. We need to be the catalyst that sets things in
motion. We must plan, we those sitting in the cart. need to set out our objec- I suggest a five-step concept tives, we need to implement as a starter to demonstrate a plan and then successfully a serious commitment in achieve the goals outlined, assisting in the elimination thereby fulfilling our social of the rising violence at a and community mission. national level. It is simple We as Bahamian citi- and with all these entities zens need to lead the way pulling together in a colon a national basis and laborative manner it can demonstrate that by pull- be successfully achieved. ing together, in unison, how And for future considerapositive forward progress tion I propose that children can be achieved against the need to be taught specific life continued and rising vio- and leadership skills and relent crime in the Bahamas. spect as part of the schools’ We all have a stake in this formal curriculum. These objective. Perare skills that haps then the need to be “Be aware that “powers-thattaught and be” will listen as a teacher, learned or to our jointly parent, mentor we reap the raised voices. whirlwind. you have not Togetherness Let teachers brings great- taught anything spend less er unity; our until a child time teachmission then ing subjects has formida- has learned it. and more ble structure Respect is taught time teachand purpose. but children must ing children, We all have a let preachresponsibility to learn what it ers preach our families and means.” less about to the public and the words to this country. in the Bible My challenge then is simple and more about Jesus’ ba- one step at a time, planned sic message as it pertains and implemented in uni- to this technological and ty; that we approach the progressive age. Let parents government as one national spend more time loving and group and request - demand caring about their children - support, create and organ- and less time making noise ise a National Community in the “marketplace”. Action Committee made Children are very simple up of “Doers” with desig- to understand. All they want nated powers, not talkers. is all of your love, all of your But do any of us have attention, all of the time. the fortitude to imple- Be aware that as a teacher, ment such an action? parent, mentor you have Perhaps you’re one of not taught anything until
THIS WEEK IN The Tribune TODAY
Insight - the latest implosion in the Free National Movement and proposals from a veteran youth educator and community worker for a national plan to tackle disrespect and lawlessness in the country. Business - Sir Franklyn Wilson has launched Gateway International, his new company to purchase bad mortgages. Neil Hartnell reports. Sports - The Bahamas finishes the Olympics on a high note with a bronze medal in the men’s 4 x 400m relay. Brent Stubbs reports from Brazil. Plus the latest properties for sale and rent in the Home Buyers’ Guide.
TUESDAY Woman and Health weekly advice on taking
care of your mind and body and women making waves in The Bahamas.
hamas.
Plus comment from Nicole Burrows and sporting mischief and mayhem with Inigo “Naughty” Zenicazelaya.
Weekend - a 28-page section devoted to the best in arts, music, fashion, food, books, entertainment, gardening, animal matters, fitness, history and interviews.
WEDNESDAY The Tribune’s Back to School guide, with advice on universities abroad and profiles of the country’s brightest high school graduates. Tribune Tech - a weekly look at what’s new in the world of technology.
THURSDAY Obituaries and Religion, a weekly review. Young Man’s View trenchant opinion from Adrian Gibson on the hot topics in the country. ‘On da Hook’, a weekly look at fishing in The Ba-
FRIDAY
Sports - The Finish Line, a look at the local sports scene, by Brent Stubbs. Plus A Comic’s View Naughty’s unique take on the week in The Bahamas.
SATURDAY The Tribune’s Top 5: a special video review of the week’s top stories by Khrisna Virgil on www. tribune242.com. Every day in The Tribune, news, business, sports and Classifieds Trader. Plus breaking news and updates on your mobile-friendly tribune242.com
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1) Initiate a National Gun Amnesty for a designated period/s. With government approval, of course. 2) Rotary Clubs and other Community Service groups, business sponsors and members of the public and the government to become sponsors and will offer agreed upon gift cards or similar rewards (not cash) for every gun handed into the authorities at specified places and times and dates. 3) No questions asked. This will give credibility to the programme. All businessmen have a serious stake in this action as they are often targets of much violence. STEP TWO 1) A National Youth Survey, professionally prepared by representatives from all interested groups and professionals. Gathering data on current problems or situations faced by today’s youth - at schools, at work, in the home, in the community, etc. Consider a sick person going to the doctor to get a cure for his illness. The first thing a doctor asks is: “Tell me your problem. What’s wrong with you? What are your symptoms?” or “What are your health problems?” When the patient tells the doctor what the problem is then the doctor can give the correct diagnoses and the correct medicine or treatment to cure the patient. That is basic common sense. But we do not ask the youth, our children, what their problems are. Until we a child has learned it. Respect is taught but children must learn what it means. There is basic human need for youth to belong to a tribal group, team, family. Sadly, children need to feel that they belong and that someone cares for them. Gang leaders, more often than not, provide this need. Consider the skills needed to lead a group of several thousand young people (for example the Los Angeles style Crips and Bloods). Think about the attributes and leadership skills one must have to control
know what is wrong or what the problem is, we cannot find a solution/cure. Otherwise we continue to guess and, more often than not, we guess wrong. We would, of course, develop different questionnaires geared to suit different age levels and dealing with Bahamian issues. STEP THREE 1) Professionally analyse results of a national survey. 2) Develop a national constructive, achievable and realistic plan in response to the results. 3) Consolidate the structure of the plans and budget accordingly. 4) Evaluate strengths and weakness of the plan with a young persons’ group drawn from all walks of life. Implement it. 5) Re-evaluate plans and its successes or failures at a professional level, including youth representatives. STEP FOUR 1) Formally identify children with leadership skills in pre-adolescence. 2) Implement long term strategies to counter observed negative leadership attributes/skills. Encourage identifiable positive leadership skills. STEP FIVE 1) Implement specific and enforced curfews as may be thought applicable. 2) Do this immediately. It just takes political will and political courage.
such a group. Such gangs are now with us in The Bahamas. If we could have only identified these leaderships skills when these leaders were very young children and we had led them on a positive path. Let’s take out that negative tribal need and replace it with positive alternatives. One only has to look at the early school years of the recent Orlando night club killer. Numerous recorded major behavioural problems when attending grade 3 at primary school and even more at high school.
Forty-nine lives could have been saved and 53 wounded victims could have been spared the anguish and pain if the killer had been helped back then. We can influence the future of this country by providing the positive leadership role so badly needed, and indeed wanted. Now is the time to act. If you do not, we can kiss the beautiful Bahamas, as we knew it, goodbye. That is my challenge. Let’s get it done now - let’s make it ‘Better in the Bahamas’ again.
PAGE 4 MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
A birthday message for the PM EDITOR, The Tribune PRIME Minister, God graced you with another birthday. You are in the hallowed realm of being a septuagenarian political leader. Of course, some express that you should carry your “old you know what”. But Bernie Sanders just gave us a stellar example of the Ronnie Butler popular song, “age ain’t nuttin but a number”. Sanders at 74 years, was the most energetic and exciting candidate in the recent US Presidential primary campaign and commanded the youth vote. Now don’t let that get you forward thinking with grand plans, as I have assured “your Bernie” that she will not be sitting in a rocking chair waiting for you to come home from parliamentary meetings. Bahamian politics has evolved into a nasty and vicious game since your entry in 1977. I hope it’s not a reflection of who we are now as a people. The offensive lyrics against you and your family by a sick mind was indeed a low level in Bahamian public discourse. Listening to some of the apologists of pure filth reminded me of the words of the Bahama Journal columnist, Rough Cut, who said, “freedom of speech is one hell of a thing. It surely is as any fool with time on his hands and spit in his mouth can spew anything,
LETTERS EXTRA letters@tribunemedia.net any damned view he wishes”. Mommy, your greatest defender, would have an answer for them in Psalm 35, “Plead my cause O Lord with them that strive with me: Fight against them that fight against me. Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: Let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt”. As your 40 plus years in public life winds down, you can be proud of the commitment you have made to the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the development of the Bahamas. Equally as important is that you operated at senior levels of power for so long a period, without bringing any shame or scandal to your family, your party and your country. Your children and their children will always be able to walk confidently in our Bahamas with their heads held high knowing that their daddy in public life acted with integrity, respect and honour. That’s the only legacy that should concern you. The political stuff created by you and those before you will be dissected and debated for generations. As this election season quickly approaches, you know the things you have to fix. Pushing National
Health Insurance through forcefully is a positive development. Many political leaders had to manoeuvre through landmines placed by powerful lobby groups against expanded health coverage. President Obama had a tough time forging a consensus with the US insurance industry on his health plans, accusing them of smoke and mirror studies to support their positions. Obama claimed that “they submit these phony studies as a prescription and say take one of these and call us in a decade. Well not this time”. President Lyndon B Johnson, who won medicare over fierce opposition in 1965, was a tough, foulmouthed Texan. His position was, “Don’t ever argue with me about health. I’ll go a hundred million or a billion on health or education. I don’t argue about that any more than I argue about Lady Bird (wife) buying flour. You got to have flour and coffee in your house. Education and health. I’ll spend the goddamn money. I may cut back some tanks. But not on health”. PM, you are in good company. The two major election issues are jobs and crime. Baha Mar and Sandals were temporary interruptions in job growth that will both be fixed. Excuse the ignorance expressed in the community on your government’s posture toward the Baha Mar developer’s strategy to
PRIME Minister Perry Christie. save his investment. The negotiation of project Heads of Agreement with the Bahamas Government is already a tedious, frustrating and expensive process. It would be a nightmare for government analysts, policy makers, bankers and investors to have to review the implications of Chapter 11 scenarios on Bahamas domiciled investments. To allow any developer of substantial Bahamian property a right to invoke Chapter 11 provisions, the minute they run into problems, would
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be a fundamental flaw in Bahamas Government public policy. Notwithstanding the recent employment shocks in the hotel sector, historical analysis shows that there is no Bahamian government stronger on job creation than PLP governments that you have lead. If the Bahamas Chamber Of Commerce in biblical expression removed the “beam from thine own eye and you will see clearly”, they would embrace your government for both its jobs and crime initiatives. The Free National Movement (FNM) government presided over a strong economy during their tenure in office from 1997 to 2002. They created 18,055 jobs. Your PLP administration took control of the ship of state in 2002 and by 2007 had created 18,530 jobs. In this see-saw power struggle, the FNM again seized the keys to economic direction in 2007-2012, presiding over a severe contraction in job creation as the economy lost 10,840 jobs. The people of the Bahamas elevated you to power again in May, 2012, and even in these tough times, the employed labour force grew from 160,650 to 188,360 persons by May, 2016. Clearly, this represents 27,710 jobs created in the economy, irrespective of the Baha Mar debacle. Creating jobs is a function of creativity, salesmanship and market confi-
dence. For fair-minded Bahamians who determine judgment on objective data, the country’s crime statistics are encouraging. I heard B J (Nottage) sing on the national news forecast. The last time BJ sang was days long ago, when he mesmerised young women with his James Brown rendition of “Please, Please Please”. Today, he is visibly a happier man. Overall crime has decreased by 29 per cent since you assumed office in May, 2012. There is an abatement in the vexing issue of daily murders. There are 25 less this year than same period in 2015. July 2015 was bloody, recording 14 murders. July 2016 there were none. In August 2015, there were 11 murders, so far there are two in this current month. In business, if such reductions in costs were being recorded, profitability would be improved and stock prices would increase. BJ’s stock along with his police force team should go up. Progress in curbing crime is being achieved. PM, you have been around long enough to know that there are many who could care less about positive statistical data you spout. Their agenda is simply to take you and your government out. But there are others who are truly concerned about the direction of their country and give credence to positive achievements of your government. Nassau Guardian satirist, Sideburns, very effectively captured this revealing view in his August 15 rendering. He portrayed a cartoon character reading Nassau Guardian headlines of murder filled months and the same character acknowledging no murder in the month of July, “not a peep, no praise, yinna wrong for dat”. The rancid odour of that Englishman’s contrived views, relative to you and your party, still lingers Prime Minister. Almost weekly, there is a partisan ad nauseum regurgitation of skewed opinion pieces that sound so much like him. Leadership in tough times can be lonely. People who praised you yesterday will burn you at the stake today. Sometimes you are not sure in which direction to tread with all of the competing voices in your head. Mahatma Gandhi said, “whenever you are in doubt and troubled on what to do, apply the following test: Recall the face of the poorest and weakest man you may have seen and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him. Do that and your heart will always be at peace.” Take Gandhi’s advice and let the historians debate your legacy. Enjoy your birthday. Now let’s go win an election. GARY CHRISTIE Nassau August 21, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, August 22, 2016, PAGE 7
Sears shrugs off PM support from page one “You are not talking about an independent endorsement, a scientific poll within the organisation, you’re talking about a small handful of persons serving at his [Mr Christie’s] pleasure. And there has not been a flood of response,” he said. “You cannot simply be ‘I support the leader’, especially when you are dependent on the person you say you’re supporting for your livelihood. When you are holding an executive position, in our political culture, it is not unusual for people to praise the person who is employing them, but where is the vision? “I think that there has to be,” he said, “when we say ‘new generation’, it must be more than age it must be a vision. It must be a set of ideas, a set of values which will carry the society to a more sustainable, a more inclusive, development process which pays respect to the electorate within our country. One that creates new platforms for innovation and entrepreneurship for young Bahamians.” Mr Sears, also former minister of education, underscored the critical need for a paradigm shift within the Progressive Liberal Party and the country.
ALFRED SEARS He proposed that a successive generation should be focused on targeting excesses that in the past have led to the appointment of commissions of inquiry, and strategising on how to govern with integrity and transparency. Mr Sears said that his campaign will begin to feature new political voices in the coming weeks, who are not just young but reflect a vision to transform society and harness the creative intellect of Bahamians for growth. “How do we show respect for the privacy, health, and welfare of the Bahamian
people? A new generation should reflect on the value and vision of how to make the Bahamas better, not just that I support the person who has appointed me.” Mr Christie announced his intent to stay on at the helm of the PLP and lead the party into the next general election during an appearance on the “Ed Fields Live” show on Kiss FM in July. At that time he suggested that instability would arise in the party if he were no longer its leader, pointing out that young members of his government had urged him to stay on. He referred to the bitter infighting that had overcome the Free National Movement in the lead up to its national convention. While Mr Christie did not name the government members that endorsed him, only a few sitting MPs have expressed public support for his continued leadership: Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald, Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly Dion Smith and Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe. They have all suggested that Mr Sears would find it difficult to rally support among sitting PLP parliamentarians. Yesterday, Mr Sears said there was no barrier for him to be elected as leader of the PLP, referring to his-
torical precedence in other countries under the Westminster system and constitutional permission. Pointing to the loss of trust due to Mr Christie’s turnaround from his pledge while in opposition to step down midterm if re-elected, Mr Sears argued that his leadership bid was the most practical and stable choice for the party. He called Mr Christie’s previous proposal to appoint a successor to lead the country mid-term “absurd”. “There is a challenge the government has and the leadership of our country has on the element of trust,” he said. “We have seen it played out in the most recent referendum as many persons basically, including the base of the PLP, on the issue of the equality bills there was a concern about trust. “It is imperative during such a challenging economic period that the business community, the investment community, have certainty. It would be absurd to go through a general election where the national electorate of this country would have voted in a government with a leadership, and to within the first year, second year of that term, we have a further disruption in terms of changing the leadership. “Again you have the question of trust because
that was publicly stated five years ago. Again it will raise the issue of trust and secondly it would create uncertainty in the business community. People will be waiting to see what will happen in terms of providing a smooth transition or succession in leadership as well as to give the country the best opportunity for there to be – after the general election – a period of certainty and stability. So that investors, both Bahamian and foreign investors, would be able to order their affairs with an appreciation that for the next five years we have a stable government a settled leadership and we all can go about the affairs of turning this economy around growing and diversifying the economy, improving governance structure. He said: “It would be absurd especially if it is a private agreement within the PLP. It would appear to be even fraudulent because when you present the platform part of the evaluation is the level of confidence in the leadership. “If the electorate were to go through this entire expensive process of a general election, you would not want there to be a change of leadership midstream, it may cause an outrage and may call for another election.”
Mr Sears reasoned that if elected as leader of the party, he could focus on readying the organisation for the upcoming general election, leaving Mr Christie free to manage the critical affairs of the country, like Baha Mar. “The prime minister has to stay focused on the issue of Baha Mar,” he said. “How is it that he would be able to effectively lead the party into general election, travelling the country mobilising the supporters throughout the archipelago and give the careful attention that is needed to complete the Baha Mar project? “Unfortunately there is so much pending on satisfactory and successful conclusion of this project which could even lead to downgrading of the economy. With a leader-elect, the party has the benefit of refreshing itself and preparing itself for a general election and you have the continuity up until election for the projects which are in the pipeline, the predominant project being Baha Mar.” Mr Sears added: “I think the Progressive Liberal Party needs a paradigm shift and I intend to, as leader of the party, work towards preserving the legacy of the party while ensuring the party manages its transformation into a new era.”
FORT CHARLOTTE BRANCH ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR SEARS LEADERSHIP BID THE Progressive Liberal Party’s Fort Charlotte Constituency Branch has announced its support for Alfred Sears in his bid to become leader of the governing party. Mr Sears represented the area from 2002-2012 before retiring from frontline politics. He was recently ratified as the PLP’s candidate for the area for the next general election. “Mr Sears’ decision to seek re-election in the Fort
Charlotte constituency during the next general election, was partly sparked by the expressed desire of the Fort Charlotte Branch of the Progressive Liberal Party for his return,” the branch said in a statement. “It was at this point that the branch also indicated to Mr Sears the desire for him to emerge as leader of the PLP. “It should be noted that Mr Sears has the same right as any member of the PLP
to vie for the party’s leadership. Therefore his decision to exercise this right should be embraced as an expression of the deeply rooted principle of democracy that exists within the PLP.” According to the branch, Mr Sears has demonstrated his unwavering commitment to the association and residents of the constituency by the establishment of several community based programmes and initiatives. These include, the state-
ment said, a Fort Charlotte Community Centre on Boyd Road; the re-engineering of the Chippingham drainage canal to solve the drainage problem which has caused hardship to the communities of Chippingham, St Alban’s Drive and Perpall Tract for over 30 years; sponsoring of the annual Fort Charlotte Arts and Craft Festival; successful lobbying for the construction of the Ardastra Gardens
subdivision on Columbus Avenue, Chippingham; the implementation of a summer school and after school programme to assist children in the Ft Charlotte community; the creation of the Ft Charlotte community band/orchestra; the construction of a tennis court, in partnership with St Michael’s Methodist Church; the purchase of musical instruments for C C Sweeting High School; and the purchase of
a bus for Eva Hilton Primary School. “Given the above, and his impeccable character and passion for the constituency and our country at large, the branch confirms its unequivocal support and commitment to Mr Sears in his bid to return as the member of Parliament for the constituency and to become the next leader of the PLP at the party’s national general convention in November.”
PAGE 8, Monday, August 22, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
Tips for safe back-to-school shopping THE summer break is about to end and back-toschool season is in full swing - which means, in preparation for the new school year, shopping has increased at the malls, food stores and department stores. The Royal Bahamas Police Force National Crime Prevention Office has prepared a list of safety tips for back-to-school shoppers to consider, which will hopefully lessen their chances of becoming victims of crime. • When shopping in any area, please be aware of your surroundings. • Look for suspicious persons, etc. Remember where you park your vehicle. While this may sound elementary, being unable to locate a vehicle can cause undue confusion and stress, which may cause you to become an easy target for criminals. • If shopping late in the day or after dark, park in an area that is well lit. • At the very least shop in pairs. There is always safety
Police advice
By CORPORAL MAKELLE PINDER
and strength in numbers. • As you return to your vehicle, ensure that your keys are in hand. • Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Pay for purchases with cheques, credit, charge or debit cards. Carry cash and wallets in a front pocket to reduce your chances of having your pockets picked. • Ensure that credit and debit cards are swiped in your presence to avoid them being copied. • Keep items such as cell phones, wallets, cash and jewellery out of sight when in public. For example, place wallets and cellular phones in your pockets. • Don’t leave cell phones,
purses, electronics or any other items of value in your parked vehicle. Additionally, don’t leave purchased merchandise in your parked vehicle, where they are visible. While these steps don’t guarantee you will not become a victim of crime, they will hopefully reduce your chances of falling prey to a criminal. Happy and safe shopping! Should you need more information on back-toschool shopping safety or if you have information pertaining to any crime, please contact the police at ‘919’ or Crime Stoppers at 328-tips (New Providence), 1-300-8476 (Family Island).
TURNQUEST: FNM WILL BE READY DESPITE PARTY FINANCE SHAKE-UP from page one
A shake-up could be a major development for the party, impacting its funding and priorities. “The reality is what you’re seeing is an evolving country and party,” Mr Turnquest said yesterday, although he disputed The Tribune’s characterisation of a shake-up in the FN M’s Finance Committee. “More and more people are going to be involved in the process. It’s a natural evolution.” He added: “The FNM is a diverse and organised party. We will have the resources that we need in
order to contest the election and we will put forth a very viable and capable team. We’re always inviting new people into the party. People come and people leave. “We’re not sitting here worrying about that because people make decisions. From time to time they might want change and might decide that they want to take a passive role.” To prepare for the next general election, the FNM is trying to put its internal strife behind it now that its convention is in the rear view mirror. It remains unclear, however, if many of the party’s most prominent financial backers will rally behind Dr
Minnis’ leadership and support the party with funds. Asked yesterday about developments in the party’s finance committee, former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson said there have been discussions of resignations but whether a decision had been made is something he is unaware of. Nonetheless, he said there was a practical need to add additional people to the party’s Finance Committee. “Over the years the party has lost a number of the members of the Finance Committee to death and ill health,” he said. “I’ve been suggesting that the party repopulate its Finance Committee since 2002.”
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, August 22, 2016, PAGE 9
Repatriating 40 Cubans costs $20,000 By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net THE recent repatriation of more than 40 Cuban nationals has cost the government nearly $20,000, with the director of immigration highlighting an “unprecedented” increase in the wave of Cuban migrants illegally entering The Bahamas. William Pratt, Immigration Director, said 43 Cuban nationals were sent to Havana, Cuba, by Bahamasair charter on Thursday, accompanied by “six security officers”, at a cost of $18,000 for the flight alone. Mr Pratt said that figure did not include the officers’ hotel accommodations and per diem allowances. Nonetheless, Mr Pratt said the Government is planning to send out “another 40 to 60” Cubans next Friday. “This is unprecedented,” Mr Pratt said. “They are constantly coming.” Mr Pratt attributed the “upswing” in illegal Cuban migration to them seeking to reach the United States before that country does
WILLIAM PRATT, Director of Immigration, speaking at a press conference for the release of the Immigration Statistics Report for 2015. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff away with its “wet-foot, dry-foot policy”, a unique policy that favours Cuban migrants. According to international reports, Cubans fear that the policy, which essentially allows any Cuban who makes it to US soil to stay and apply for legal permanent resident status and US citizenship, may be eliminated due to the improved
relations between the US and Cuba. Mr Pratt said on Friday that he met the vice counsel from the US Embassy last week and stressed that whatever the Americans could do to have the policy erased “would be a great help to the Bahamas”. “He indicated to me by email that it is a legislative policy, which means that it
would have to go through Congress and the Senate in order to be changed, so definitely he said it would not happen until maybe after their general elections in November,” Mr Pratt added. Nonetheless, Mr Pratt said the illegal immigration problem is putting a “strain” on the country’s resources. “It’s putting strain in that
the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) provides security ... and the Cubans, those migrants who will try to escape ... so additional manpower must be put in place to provide that protection,” he said. “Of course with additional migrants comes expense of feeding, hospital, health checking, all of that. So it can be very costly. “Our job at the department is to try and move them out as quickly as we possibly can,” he added, “because we just had a charter flight to Port Au Prince yesterday as well, with 142. And we’re having another flight to Port Au Prince with another 142 next week. So it’s an ongoing process. It’s like there’s no end.” In July, 54 Cuban migrants were taken into custody by Immigration officials in Grand Bahama in three separate incidents over three days in one week. On July 3, 13 migrants -10 men and three women were discovered at Old Bahama Bay, West End. The group reportedly left their homeland on May 29 in hopes of reaching Florida,
but instead landed at West End, 55 miles short of the Florida coast. A second group of 34 migrants was sent to Grand Bahama on July 4 after they were intercepted at sea by the US Coast Guard in the Cay Sal Bank area in four separate incidents. The US Cutter Robert Yared arrived at Freeport Harbour around noon with 32 men and two women, who were discovered onboard rustic vessels that were reportedly headed to Florida. Later last month, 14 Cuban migrants were turned over to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre in New Providence after being apprehended by RBDF officials. According to reports, the RBDF’s patrol craft P-128 intercepted a 20ft makeshift motor vessel two nautical miles east of Highbourne Cay in Exuma Sound. The 14 undocumented Cuban men were taken aboard the Defence Force vessel and transported to Coral Harbour base, where they were handed over to immigration officials for further processing.
MORE THAN 9,000 WORK PERMITS ISSUED LAST YEAR By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net OVER 9,000 work permits were issued by the government in 2015, more than 30 per cent of which were issued to Haitian nationals, according to the latest immigration statistics. The figures, issued on Friday by senior officials at the Department of Statistics, showed that a total of 9,208 permits were issued from January to December, 2015. Of that number, 3,360 - or 36 per cent - were issued to Haitians, according to the figures. Jamaican nationals were issued 1,075 or 11 per cent of the permits issued, while Philippine nationals received 1,033 or 11 per cent of permits issued. Chinese nationals received 652 of the total number of work permits issued, while Americans received 629 work permits. Of the 9,208 work permits issued, 44 per cent were granted to workers in the “Elementary Occupational” group, which officials said includes “unskilled workers” such as gardeners, maids and housekeepers. And of that group, 65 per cent of people receiving work permits were Haitian nationals, officials said. The figures show that skilled Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery workers were granted 949 (or 10 per cent) of the total permits issued. Some 80 per cent of this group were Haitians, officials said. This was followed by Professionals, Science and Engineering Professionals with 927 (or 10 per cent) of the total work permits issued. Of that grouping, Americans received 144 (1.5 per cent) of work permits issued, while Jamaicans received 142 or 1.5 per cent of work permits issued.
The least amount of work permits granted, 22 (or 0.2 per cent), were issued to people in the Plant and Machine Operators and Assemblers category, according to the statistics. The industry receiving the majority of work permits in 2015 was the Accommodation and Food Services (Hotel) Industry with 1,144 - or 12 per cent - of those issued. Some 80 per cent of this group were males, officials said. This was followed by the Construction industry, which received 689 or 7 per cent of the total permits, 96 per cent of which were granted to males. The Manufacturing industry was issued 539 or 5 per cent of work permits issued, 97 per cent of which were to males. The statistics were revealed during a press conference at the Department of Statistics on Friday afternoon. Director of Immigration William Pratt suggested that the 2015 immigration statistics are “similar to previous years”, adding that the majority of work permits are typically given to people in the “unskilled” category. Nonetheless, he said the Department of Immigration’s main focus is to further “Bahamianise” the workforce, particularly with regards to skilled areas of work. “Our job is to Bahamianise,” he said. “That’s the department policy, to Bahamianise. We work closely with the Department of Labour and different bodies, even the health bodies, the food, the hotel training college, we work closely with them, so anyone applying for work permit in those areas, we try to get their views before the board makes a decision, because our job is to Bahamianise the positions as much as possible.”
TEN HAITIANS ARE DETAINED TEN Haitian nationals are being detained in Mathew Town, Inagua, after they were apprehended on Friday evening in a joint effort involving the defence force, police, immigration officials and local residents. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force reported that the migrants, five males and five females, were sighted in
the area known as Conch Shell Point, on the southern shores of the island. On arrival shortly after 5pm, the migrants were assisted by a resident. They were turned over to Department of Immigration officials and detained at the police station. Officials are also conducting further investigations in the matter.
VAT NO LONGER APPLIES TO SOME TUITION THE Department of Inland Revenue (DIR) has advised that value added tax (VAT) is no longer applicable to certain fees related to tuition. The removal of VAT from educational ancillary fees came into effect on July 1 following the 2016/2017 budget communication. Ancillary fees are limited to the supply of vocational training; registration fees; laboratory fees; graduation
fees; field trips; examination services; school cafeteria services; supply of graduation certificates; use of school facilities, amenities and equipment; sale of books and other reference materials previously considered not an integral part of course instruction. This applies to all fees at the pre-school, primary, high school and tertiary levels whether public or private.
PAGE 10, Monday, August 22, 2016
Man denies killing pastor and ZNS broadcaster
WORK
NOTICE Bay Street
By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net A MAN denied murdering a pastor and radio broadcaster during his formal arraignments in the Supreme Court on Friday. Richard Bevans, 27, appeared before Justice Bernard Turner two months after his initial Magistrate’s Court appearance concerning the deaths of Pastor Ivan Cleare and ZNS radio broadcaster Scott Richards in separate killings. Bevans, of Bernard Road, faced charges of murder and armed robbery stemming from the death of Cleare at Scotiabank’s branch at Wulff Road and Jerome Avenue on June 12. Cleare was a minister at New Bethlehem Baptist Church on Independence Drive. Cleare’s lifeless body was discovered shortly after 8am when police responded to a tip. Investigators were unsure of when the shoot-
The Water and Sewerage Corporation advises the public and its customers on Bay Street (from Augusta St. junction east to Ernest St.) that on Monday August 22nd, 2016, the Corporation will be continuing with improvement works which can affect water supply to the aforementioned area. Works are scheduled to begin at 10:30PM and is anticipated to be completed by 2:00 AM. The Corporation apologizes for any inconvenience that may be caused and appreciates your support as we work to improve our service.
Tel: (242) 302-5599 or Toll Free (242) 300-0150 Find out more on
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or our website www.wsc.com.bs
ing took place or how long the victim had been lying on the ground. Hours after the shooting, police issued two images taken from video surveillance footage which showed the alleged shooter and a silver coloured vehicle believed to be the gunman’s getaway car. The image released by police showed a darkskinned man wearing a white t-shirt, dark coloured hoodie and a cap. Bevans was charged with armed robbery, in which it is alleged that he robbed Cleare of a Scotiabank card, and murder under Section 291 (1)(B) of the Penal Code. A charge under this section does not attract the discretionary death penalty if a conviction is reached. He pleaded not guilty to both charges relating to the incident and was told that he would appear before Justice Carolita Bethel on September 2 to receive a date for trial.
Bevans was further accused of being an accomplice to the murder and armed robbery of ZNS radio broadcaster Scott Richards on May 26. Like his co-accused 30 -year-old Raquel Johnson, Bevans is alleged to have robbed Richards of a $30 0 iPhone 3G, killing him in the process. The charge of murder also came under Section 291 (1)(b) of the Penal Code. According to initial police reports, officers from the Carmichael Road Police Station were on routine patrol near Bonefish Pond that day when they found Richards’ body about 100 feet away from a grey Durango vehicle. Richards was a radio announcer for ZNS Inspiration 107.9 FM. Bevans also denied these allegations and was told that he would stand trial before Justice Cheryl GrantThompson, who would fix a date for trial at a hearing on September 15.
DESMOND Wilson is arraigned at Freeport Magistrate’s Court on Friday on a murder charge. Photo: Vandyke Hepburn/BIS
THIRD MAN IS CHARGED OVER FREEPORT MURDER By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A 32-YEAR-OLD man has become the third to be charged with the murder of Dexter Bellamy in Freeport, Grand Bahama, earlier this year. Desmond Wilson, of Clarke Avenue, appeared in Court One in Freeport on Friday before Magistrate Debbye Ferguson on the charge of murder. It is alleged that on May 28, at Freeport, Wilson, being concerned with others named and unknown, intentionally caused the death of Bellamy by means of unlawful harm. He was not required to enter a plea to the charge of murder, which is an indictable offence. Bellamy, 21, of Frobisher Circle, was shot and killed. Two Eight Mile Rock men - Lawrence Bethel Jr, 23, of Martin Town, and Sheldon Bodie, 25, of Pinedale - have also been charged for Bellamy’s murder. They were remanded to prison until October 10 when a preliminary inquiry will be held into the matter.
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Wilson, who was not represented by counsel, is the third to be charged. He was denied bail at the magistrate level, but was told that he could apply to the Supreme Court for bail. He has been remanded to the Department of Correctional Services in New Providence until October 11, when a preliminary inquiry will be held to see if there is sufficient evidence for him to stand trial for murder in the Supreme Court. Wilson was also arraigned in Court Two before Magistrate Charlton Smith on firearm and ammunition possession charges. It is alleged that on May 28, at Freeport, the accused being concerned with others was in possession of a black and brown semi-automatic firearm without being the holder of a special licence. It is also alleged that on the same date, he was in possession of 29 rounds of .45 ammunition with intent to supply to another. Wilson pleaded not guilty to the charges and the matters were adjourned to October 11.
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THE TRIBUNE
Monday, August 22, 2016, PAGE 11
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SOME of the piled up waste photographed prior to the clean-up.
GARBAGE IS FINALLY CLEARED IN SEA BREEZE the smell of rotting gaarbage in the summer heat. But finally last week, the problem was solved and the rubbish collected after Mr Colebrooke posted the video and The Tribune made calls. The Tribune has been drawing attention to areas that are being neglected, or are unsightly, unhealthy and being ignored by the relevant authorities, whether they be potholes in the road, uncollected garbage or abandoned cars. • Email fixmystreet@tribunemedia.net to let us know your issues.
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AN AREA of Sea Breeze which had been neglected by rubbish collection services for weeks has finally been cleared after one frustrated resident appealed to the media and posted a video of the mess on social media. Filipe Colebrooke said the garbage had been piling up and overflowing in Orchid Close, off Sea Breeze Lane, since early July. His appeals to environmental health services, United Sanitations, the company that runs the collection services in the area and to the local MP, Hope Strachan, had not brought relief from
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WASTE piled up in Sea Breeze.