08222023 NEWS AND SPORT

WOMAN & HEALTH

PARENTS ACCUSED IN GIRL’S RAPE CASE

Mother charged with causing harm to daughter by committing abortion

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MOTHER was charged yesterday with causing harm to her underaged daughter for the purpose of committing an abortion while her husband was charged with having sexual relations with the young girl. National Security

Minister Wayne Munroe alluded to the case last week, sparking debate about the status quo on abortion in The Bahamas, which is illegal in all cases except to save the mother’s life.

Magistrate Shaka Serville charged a 45-year-old man, whose name is being withheld to protect the

‘UB st Udy highlights need to criminalise marital rape’

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A STUDY highlighting the threats married women face emphasises the need to criminalise marital rape, women’s rights advocate Marion Bethel said yesterday.

Mrs Bethel, the vice chairperson and

rapporteur of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), spoke to The Tribune following the publication of research by University of The Bahamas professors, which showed that married women surveyed were more likely to have

plp sUpporters disrUpt candidate’s annoUncement

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party supporters disrupted Terneille Burrows when she announced she would run for office in the Elizabeth constituency in the 2026 general election, saying she should “get out”.

Dressed in PLP paraphernalia, including

“Elizabeth Matters” shirts, a group of people

rci: hold Us to same standards as atlantis

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ROYAL Caribbean asserts it would be “highly inappropriate” to hold it to a higher standard than Atlantis and other developers with its Bahamian head optimistic there will be no “conflict” with the Paradise Island mega resort.

Philip Simon, the Royal Beach Club’s president and general manager for the cruise line’s Bahamas operations, told Tribune Business that “fostering an atmosphere of collaboration” on Paradise Island will “bode very well for the future.”

domes to Be repUrposed, ‘not sUita Ble for hUmans’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

who support Elizabeth MP Jobeth Colbey-Davis surrounded Ms Burrows as she spoke to the press on Elizabeth Estates Park.

One PLP supporter told Ms Burrows to “find somewhere else to go and run”.

However, Ms Burrows, who ran in the 2017 general election, said she would not be intimidated.

She said the recent

DISASTER Reconstruction Authority executive chairman Alex Storr said the authority no longer supports using domes as temporary homes, finding the structures unsuitable for “human occupation”.

The Minnis administration spent more than $6m on nearly 200 domes after Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

However, not all domes were erected, and some

Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting opening

THE OPENING ceremony of 13th Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting at Atlantis Resort took place last night as a number of Commonwealth countries gathered in The Bahamas). This major international conference is being held in The Bahamas as the country celebrates 50 years of Independence. During the conference a variety of issues affecting will be discussed. See PAGE EIGHT for more.

Photos: Moise Amisial

Parents accused in 11-year-old girl’s rape and abortion case

from page one

minor’s identity, with five counts of unlawful sexual intercourse.

The 40-year-old mother

was charged with aggravated causing harm, abortion and failure to report suspected abuse of a minor.

The male defendant allegedly had sexual

relations with his stepdaughter five times between April 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023, when the victim was ten and 11 years old.

The female defendant

allegedly failed to report the suspected abuse of her daughter between July 1 and August 11. She is further accused of causing harm to the underaged girl to commit

an abortion, allegedly between August 11 and 12.

The pair were informed that their matter would be moved to the Supreme Court for trial through a

voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). The accused were also remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. Their VBIs are to be served on January 15.

no update on photos of murder victims shared on social media

ALLISON Thompson (left) and her daughter Trevorniqua Thompson were found murdered at their home on Ross Corner.

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

MORE than three months after the release of gruesome crime scene pictures of a murdered mother and daughter, the status of the investigation

into the release of the photos remains unclear. The partially decomposed bodies of Allison Thompson and her 14-year-old daughter Trevorniqua were found in an apartment on Ross Corner on April 14.

A 23-year-old man has

since been charged with their murders.

After the killings, ghastly photos showing the bruised and decaying bodies of the mother and her daughter were shared on social media.

At the time, relatives said they were considering

legal action over the leak of the photos, which they believed only could have come from the police.

Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander said at the time that he was disgusted to see the photos on social media and vowed that authorities

would not hesitate to deal with those responsible, even if it were one of their own.

Chief Superintendent of Police Chrislyn Skippings had said the matter was under investigation.

“We are going to do due diligence in the matter,

and where we find that there are breeches, the chips will fall,” she said on April 17. However, up to press time yesterday, police officials did not respond to The Tribune’s requests for information.

‘UB study highlights need to criminalise marital rape’

from page one

non-consensual sex than single women.

“There’s been an urgency to criminalise marital rape from decades ago,” she said. “We brought it before the public at least 10 years ago, 15 years ago, so every day it’s urgent, it’s not just newly urgent.

“Married women are unprotected in regard to rape. Married women are the only group of women where they are not protected, their human right to be free from genderbased violence is not protected.”

“Under the current rape laws, a man, a husband, has immunity and impunity in raping his wife. This is absolutely wrong. It is a violation

of the married woman’s rights to have a choice as to whether she wants to have sex with her husband at any point in time. Our bodies are our own. They’re autonomous, and we have the right to choose to have sex with our husbands and to engage in that way. So, yes, marital rape should be criminalised and it is long overdue it’s not a new thing.”

The study by UB professors noted that married were 3.07 times more likely to have non-consensual sex than single women.

“Overall, 38.2 per cent of 60 married women who had non-consensual sex indicated that they would leave the relationship if they could, compared to 11.5 per cent of 357 married women who had not

MANSLAUGHTER BY NEGLIGENCE CHARGE FOR couple in infant’s death

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A YOUNG couple was jailed after they were accused of causing the death of Jeremiah Thurston, their infant son, who was found hanging out of their car window earlier this month.

Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley charged Demargio Thurston, 23 and Sabrina Henry, 20, with manslaughter by negligence.

The defendants were allegedly driving in the

area of Robinson Road and Old Trail Road around 10.30am on August 12 when they were alerted by other motorists that their son’s head was hanging out of the rear passenger window. The two-year-old was then taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The accused were informed that their case would be transferred to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment. The pair were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services and anticipate a bail hearing today.

experienced non-consensual sex,” the study reported.

Although the government is considering criminalising marital rape, much uncertainty remains as to whether it will do so.

“I think they must feel very vulnerable and that the government isn’t

taking it seriously,” Mrs Bethel said about women forced to have sex in marriages. “I think we as a society don’t take marital rape very seriously. We think that it is a right or a right for couples that they have to have sex at the time that the man mandates, no that is not so.”

“It’s a cultural mind shift that needs to be changed. Just because you’ve gotten married doesn’t mean that you’ve given an infinite yes to having sex. You can choose to have sex with your husband that is the right that he has that is the right that the woman

has.”

The Bahamas is one of the few countries in the region to explicitly exclude marital rape from its definition of rape, except where spouses are legally separated or subject to separation proceedings.

BPSU members claim union failed to pay what they were owed

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

TWO employees of the Bahamas Public Services Union accused the union of failing to pay them what they were due.

The employees joined former Director of Labour John Pinder and his We Care team outside BPSU’s building

yesterday. The group wants to replace Kimsley Ferguson and other current BPSU officials. BPSU elections will be held on September 29.

Melverne Davis, a former BPSU manager, said she was employed for 37 years before resigning in 2021. She said after having back surgery in 2021, she became fed up with how she was treated.

“I resigned because of the bad treatment I received from the president, Mr Kimsley Ferguson,” she said.

“On the last day of my employment, I was called into his office for him to speak to me. At that particular point, I was just fed up. I did not stay or stop to listen to what he had to say.”

She said after resigning,

she did not receive a gratuity.

“I am being told that because I resigned, I am not entitled to any gratuity, which I feel is wrong, totally wrong,” she said. “I have received nothing, nothing from the union, absolutely nothing.”

Mr Ferguson declined to speak to The Tribune, saying he was unaware of the meeting being held

outside his office.

“I have worked around all the presidents, but this is the worst one. He has no love, no respect for humanity,” John Noel Strachan, a worker with the union since 1978, claimed.

“Right now, payday has gone by from the 15th of the month, last week, and we haven’t received one cent yet,” he claimed. “He

isn’t saying anything to us. It is be like that every other month. It takes a while before we get paid, but this the worst one.”

“We’re suffering, day in and day out. Our Christmas bonus, he cut it down. The money due to us, we don’t get it. This party has to go. This is the worst president I have worked around. He needs to go. That’s the bottom line.”

PLP ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FROM SUPPORTERS FOR LYNDEN PINDLING PLATINUM JUBILEE AWARD

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunenedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party chairman Fred Mitchell announced yesterday that the party would accept nominations from PLP supporters and “people of goodwill” to select 70 recipients to be awarded the Lynden Pindling Platinum Jubilee award.

“These awards were marked the 70th anniversary of the founding of our party,” Mr Mitchell said during a press conference at the PLP’s headquarters on Farrington Road yesterday.

“We have created an electronic link to a nomination form, and we are also circulating the forms to all branches for their input. The awards will be announced and

conferred at the banquet marking the 70th anniversary of the party on the 11th of November 2023 at the Baha Mar Convention Centre.”

In order to qualify for the award, he said the person must be a PLP member or a known supporter of a progressive cause and have contributed to the growth of the party over the past 70 years.

“These can be either living or dead,” he said, “who have never served as members of parliament or senators who established the party’s presence in their islands or communities, who provided examples of courage and fortitude defending the progressive cause in the face of unrelenting opposition.”

He said the deadline for submissions is September.

H ARBOUR I SLAND MAN GRANTED $8,000 BAIL CHARGED WITH I M PORTING A MM UNITION

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN from Harbour Island was granted $8,000 bail after he was accused of importing 50 rounds of ammunition into the country last week.

Magistrate Lennox Coleby charged Adrian

Cleare, 34, with importation of ammunition, conspiracy to import ammunition and possession of ammunition with intent to supply.

Ian Jupp represented the accused.

Cleare was arrested in Harbour Island on August 15 after he and another suspect were allegedly found

with 50 rounds of .38mm ammunition.

After pleading not guilty to the charges, Cleare was informed to sign in at the Harbour Island Police Station every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday by 7pm as part of his bail. His trial is set to begin on September 22.

MAN RE M ANDED TO JAIL PENDING BAIL ON CHARGE OF ATTE M PTED M URDER

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sent to prison after being accused of a botched murder bid earlier this summer.

Magistrate Algernon Allen, Jr, charged Kenneth Cummings, 33, with attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to put another in fear.

Cummings is accused of

threatening Klee Alonz with a black handgun on July 3. Cummings allegedly shot and injured Deshawn Hart on July 29 in New Providence.

After pleading not guilty to the firearm charge, the accused was informed that his attempted murder charge would be transferred to the Supreme Court by voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

While Cummings was granted $9,000 bail for the firearm charge, he must apply to a higher court for bail for the second charge. Once released, the accused must sign in at Carmichael Station every Wednesday by 6pm and will be fitted with a monitoring device. Cummings’ firearm trial begins on September 15, and his VBI is expected to be served on December 7.

JOHN PINDER, president of the We Care team and other members of team, which is vying for seats in the BPSU in the upcoming election. The members stood in solidarity outside BPSU yesterday calling for payment for staffers, pensioners and those with medical claims.

Photo: Letre Sweeting

PLP chairman Fred Mitchell announced yesterday that the party would accept nominations from PLP supporters and “people of goodwill” to select 70 recipients to be awarded the Lynden Pindling Platinum Jubilee award.

Photo: Moise Amisial

PLP are formalising a convention date, while the FNM is not planning one yet

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party

Chairman Fred Mitchell said the PLP plans to hold a convention soon, although he did not give specifics.

“There’s a plan for a convention,” he told reporters yesterday at the PLP’s headquarters. “The dates have to be formally approved by the national general council. The banquet will probably come on the heels of that convention.”

He said nominations for various leadership posts will happen in advance.

“The constitution prescribes what’s supposed to happen at conventions,” he said. “There won’t be any deviation from that. There’s been a change of procedures with the new constitution, which is there’s no longer nominations from the floor.”

“So, nominations take place in advance and so you’ll know whether there’s going to be a contest or not.”

When asked whether he plans to run for chairman again, Mr Mitchell said: “Well, I have to see, let me put it that way.”

The PLP’s constitution mandates that it hold a convention every year.

The Free National Movement’s constitution mandates that it holds a convention every two years.

FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands could not say when the party will host its convention.

He said the FNM has not been planning for the event.

“Constitutionally, the FNM has a convention every two years in October, right, so realistically, the outer limit for a convention will be October 2024, but I’m saying that we do not have any plans at this time for a convention,” Dr Sands said.

The FNM last held a full convention in November 2021.

INVESTIGATING ALLEGED DROWING OF MAN WHO ALSO HAD SHARK BITES

POLICE

Funeral Service For

Lillith Malvern Major, 87

a resident of #20 Kensington Gardens, New Providence, Bahamas and formerly of South Palmetto Point, Eleuthera, will be held at 10:00am on Thursday, August 24th, 2023 at Christ The King Anglican Church, Ridgeland Park West, Nassau, New Providence. Offciating will be Archdeacon Dwight H. L. Rolle assisted by Rev. Desirée Johnson, Canon Stephen Davies and Deacon Cameron Saunders. Interment will follow in Lakeview Memorial Gardens, Gladstone and JFK Roads, Nassau, New Providence.

POLICE remove the body of a man they suspect to have drowned from Saunders Beach yesterday.

POLICE are investigating the alleged drowning of man on Saunders Beach yesterday. According to reports, shortly after 7am, the body of a male was observed partially submerged in water.

The victim was retrieved from the waters.

Authorities observed that he had injuries to his body consistent with shark bites.

Chief Superintendent

Chrislyn Skippings, the press liaison, urged beachgoers to be alert. She said: “I want to encourage the beachgoers if you must swim, bring a family member, have someone here with you, at any given point in time something could go wrong.

“And so, to minimise losing life or any significant injuries to anyone, bring someone along with you. “Then to those

beachgoers who frequent the beach even though you’re here catching the cool breeze and swimming, I also want you to pay attention to other beachgoers and swimmers in the area.

“Pay attention to them while you’re out here because if something goes wrong again you will be able to render some assistance or you may be able to make that call in order to save that individual.”

Left to cherish her memories are her spouse of sixtysix (66) years: Albury Ephriam Major; 6 children and their families: Anthony (Sophia) Major, Senior Justice Deborah (Garth) Fraser, Stephen Major, Pamela Burrows, Stephanie and Dolly (Ian) Young; siblings: Ovid, Elizabeth (Belle), Landis, Shirley (Lester), Spencer (Rosie), Meichelle (Rubert), Okell Gladys), Edison (Michelle) and Plato (Diane); uncle: Carlton Thompson; aunts: Jane Adderley, Eulie Thompson; grandchildren: Audra (Halley), Anthony Jr., Krizia, Garith, Garth (Karimi), Andrea, Angelique, Arnal, Ianna and Isabella, Christin and Ephrianette; great grandchildren: Anthony III, Anaya, Atarah, K’zedria, Brianne and Dominique; sisters-inlaw: Flossie Darville, Majorie Kemp, Irene Major and Lottie Davis; nieces and nephews and their families: Donna, Shermadine, McLeish,Egan, LeShawn, Weldon, Antonio, Adelpho, Nyoka, Casey, Tiffany, Nicole, Corey, Kim, Tarsha, Tommy, Deanza, Eldacia, Elkeir, E’Van, Shekegra, Edrondo, Ed-Angelo, Vanessa, Shannon, Plato Jr., Cameron, Delores, Sherry, Sherman, Denny, Joy, Micheal, Janet, Roslyn, Telly, Linda, Shirley, Susie, Charlene, Paul (Jan), Audrey, Christine, Haywood, Wayne, Ally, Angela, Lawson, Hugh, Lauren, Kenny, Eddie, Joy, Andrea, Tracy, Elton, and Keva; godchild: Egan Cartwright; cousins and their families: Ruth, Ewing, Lulamae, Alfred, Vernal, Naomi, Prudence, Eleanor, Kathleen, Katie, Perlene, Paula, Helen, Dean Patrick (Astrid) , Vernell, Loretta, Patricia, Sonja, Brian, Deloris, Amanda, Dorothy, Naomi, Prudence, Prince, Ronald, Euriel, Evarista, Anwar, Kirk, Bernard ,Dolly, Ellen, Beverley, Julie, Paul, Roscoe and Anthony Weech, Retired Justice Cheryl Thompson-Albury, Brenda Duvalier, Evelyn Stuart, Menette Clarke, Pat Thomas, Dr. Francine Pinder, Marcia Florvil , Marie and Ja’Ann, Wanda, Wendy and Gail Darville, Juditih Cooper and Delcita Austin; numerous relatives and their families, friends and neighbors including: The Fraser, Charlow, and Young families, The Anglican Church Women (ACW) and Morning Star Choir of Christ the King Anglican Church, The Parish of Christ the King, Agnes Cartwright ,Olive Pinder ,Idamae Collie, Tanya Hunt-Major, Mrs Dorsett The Kensington Gardens Neighborhood, the Newbold, Mortimer, Morrison, Smith, and Robinson, Thompson, Seymour, Neely, Taylor, Johnson families, Marvin and Zelia Bethell, Julie and Sharon, Justice Bernard Turner, Justice Cheryl Thompson, Members of The Judiciary of The Bahamas, Retired Justice Diane Stewart, Sherry Strachan, Elsie Strachan, Antoinette Bonamy, Ingrid Stuart, Ian Tynes, Tonya Galanis, Diane Pindling, Therese Clarke, Regina Bullard, Carol Munnings, Lorraine Armbrister, Donna Reckley, Sharon and Sandra Dean, Dr. Janice Exum, Cheri Hanna, Keesha Rolle, Chantal Morgan, Constance Delancy, Claudette Fender, staff of Major Management Services, The Nassau Chapter of Links Incorporated; special thanks and appreciation to: Audley Fraser, Dr. Dwayne Sands, Dr. Deveaux, Dr. Bannister and Dr. Moss; and to those for whom Lillith loved and cared for, and who loved and cared for her, if your name was inadvertently omitted, please know that you are greatly appreciated.

Relatives and friends may pay their respects at Cedar Crest Funeral Home and Crematorium Limited, Robinson and Baillou Hill Roads, Wednesday, August 23rd, 2023, from 12:00 noon to 5:00pm, and at the church on Thursday from 9:00am until service time.

THE PLP say they have plans to hold a convention but dates have to be formalised, party chairman Fred Mitchell said. FNM chairman Duane Sands says there are no plans yet, but the limit based on their constitution would be October 2024.

PLP CHAIRMAN FRED MITCHELL

FNM CHAIRMAN DUANE SANDS

Photo: Moise Amisial

The Tribune Limited

Geoengineering could be costly gamble

WHEN soaring temperatures, extreme weather and catastrophic wildfires hit the headlines, people start asking for quick fixes to climate change.

The U.S. government just announced the first awards from a US$3.5 billion fund for projects that promise to pull carbon dioxide out of the air. Policymakers are also exploring more invasive types of geoengineering the deliberate, large-scale manipulation of Earth’s natural systems.

The underlying problem has been known for decades: Fossil-fuel vehicles and power plants, deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices have been putting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than the Earth’s systems can naturally remove, and that’s heating up the planet.

Geoengineering, theoretically, aims to restore that balance, either by removing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or reflecting solar energy away from Earth.

But changing Earth’s complex and interconnected climate system may have unintended consequences. Changes that help one region could harm another, and the effects may not be clear until it’s too late.

As a geologist and climate scientist, I believe these consequences are not yet sufficiently understood. Beyond the potential physical repercussions, countries don’t have the legal or social structures in place to manage both its use and the fallout when things go wrong. Similar concerns have been highlighted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations Environment Programme, the National Academy of Sciences and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among others.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy also discussed these concerns in its July 2023 research plan for investigating potential climate interventions.

When people hear the word “geoengineering,” they probably picture solar radiation management. These technologies, many of them still theoretical, aim to reflect solar energy away from Earth’s surface.

The idea of stratospheric aerosol injection, for example, is to seed the upper atmosphere with billions of tiny particles that reflect sunlight directly out to space. Cirrus cloud thinning aims to reduce the impact of highaltitude, wispy clouds that trap energy within the atmosphere by making their ice crystals larger, heavier and more likely to precipitate. Another, cloud brightening, aims to increase the prevalence of brighter, lower-level clouds that reflect sunlight, possibly by spraying seawater into the air to increase water vapor concentration.

Some scientists have suggested going further and installing arrays of space mirrors that could reduce global temperature by reflecting solar energy away before it reaches the atmosphere. While theoretically capable of cooling the planet, solar radiation management could have drasticside effects by shifting patterns of global atmospheric circulation that can lead to more extreme weather events. It also does nothing to reduce harms of excess greenhouse gases, including ocean acidification. A 2022 study published in the scientific journal Nature predicted that stratospheric aerosol injection could alter global precipitation patterns and reduce agricultural productivity.

Cloud brightening, while effective in theory, also needs more research to make sure that efforts to expand lower-level reflective clouds that can help cool Earth’s surface do not also increase the prevalence of the highaltitude clouds that warm the planet. Space mirrors placed between the Sun and Earth could theoretically block 2% of incoming solar radiation and stabilize global temperature. But the technology is at least 20 years away from implementation and would cost trillions of dollars. More importantly, the overall global impact of shading

Earth’s surface is largely unknown. It will decrease regional ocean and air temperatures in ways that may affect changes in the jet stream, rainfall, snow cover, storm patterns and possibly even monsoons. Much more research is needed to clarify these uncertainties.

Carbon dioxide removal technologies generally carry lower risks than manipulating solar energy.

Carbon capture and storage removes carbon dioxide from power plants and factories and stores it underground in deep geological reservoirs. This has proven potential, but it raises concerns that leaks might contaminate aquifers, harm public health and ultimately fail to keep carbon out of the atmosphere.

The technology is also expensive and depends on the proximity of suitable reservoirs for storage.

Direct air capture, designed to pull carbon out of the air, is still in its early stages but offers the advantage of being able to reduce existing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This, too, is costly, at upward of $600 per metric ton of carbon dioxide captured today, but innovators are getting funding from the U.S. government.

There are also natural ways to remove carbon. Planting trees, for example, can remove carbon directly from the atmosphere, but this is not enough. If all the land available for reforestation were replanted, it would still not be enough to reverse current global warming trends.

Ocean fertilization is another geoengineering hack intended to boost carbon sequestration, but research is at an early stage. The technique provides nutrients such as iron to increase the growth of phytoplankton, which use dissolved carbon from the atmosphere to grow their shells and tissue. But it may also have unintended effects for the food chain that could harm ocean life.

Beyond safety, another important question involves accountability.

There’s a good chance that geoengineering meant to help one region would harm others. That’s because ocean and weather systems are globally interconnected.

So, who gets to decide which projects can go ahead? Right now, that’s a legal void.

There is no regulatory framework that can determine who is liable if something goes wrong. Multinational alliances, individual states, corporations and even rich individuals can act independently without consulting anyone. In the event of harm that crosses national boundaries, there is currently no clear path for recourse.

None of this is to say that the world should dismiss geoengineering.

Carbon dioxide removal techniques, such as planting trees and increasing soil carbon sequestration – retaining more organic carbon in fertile soils – may provide additional benefits to ecosystem services by increasing species diversity and boosting agricultural productivity. These are all positive outcomes and should be part of a global climate response.

Some forms of stratospheric aerosol injection might avoid the destruction of ozone and have short life spans in the atmosphere. However, more rigorous research, transparent global governance and robust legal and ethical frameworks to manage risks and ensure equity are needed first.

I believe all the technologies must be complemented by deep and sustained efforts to reduce emissions and transform the energy system to avoid the global impacts of sea-level rise, soaring temperature, droughts, storms, floods, fires, famine, species extinction and increasing human conflict.

As Riley Duren, a systems engineer from NASA, said in an interview with the space agency: “Geoengineering is not a cure. At best, it’s a Band-Aid or tourniquet; at worst, it could be a selfinflicted wound.

By David Kitchen, University of Richmond

EDITOR, The Tribune. SPENT the weekend with the family. A good visit indeed. A niece came with her partner. We had the chance to go for a few walks and talk a great deal. I noticed a quietness within her, and with the distant looks she gave the horizon I know she wanted to talk freely. I say this because she has had a great deal of difficulty speaking out, expressing herself, her emotions to others. So on one of these walks we sat on a bench and I faced her asking her to talk, just talk. Well it was like every emotion and thought in her came out like a tap had been opened. Let me explain how she has seen herself and how that outlook has changed. She has always been a larger person, with genetics playing a part in her appearance. Her appearance has shaped how she sees herself and how she thinks others see her. Once a quiet, hidden personality, with ever growing emotions never expressed except in her room or with those she truly trusted, she has grown tremendously, seemingly self assured, self respect intact, and no longer the pushover she once was. She lives her life as though she were a mirror, forever looking in at herself and then those who look upon her. Whenever she meets someone, she smiles and greets others with true acceptance and kindness. But she evaluates everyone, thinking to herself, is that person judging my appearance, accepting me or playing me in someway? Her

appearance continues to rule her day. Because she is as she is, her awkwardness, shy gaze, how she responds to others is seen in a forever judged manner. It is all in her head, but she cannot shake the thoughts developed many years ago out of her consciousness and lived memory. Seemingly ready to cry at any time, she is a beautiful person with so much to give and receive. Reader Imagine your greatest weakness, deformity, handicap, mental or physical challenge is before you every hour of every day, no matter what you are doing. Then internalizing all your fears of exposure to others are with you daily. Your overweight, deaf, dumb or perhaps mentally challenged, forever protected by those who love and care for you, unable to accomplish things for yourself because you or others fear you may fail. You respond to these situations in life by over doing things like over eating, over compensating, over thinking everything. Either too afraid of rejection or of attention from others, while at the same time wishing for some form of acknowledgement of accomplishment, satisfactions and accolades from others. You are all screwed up, uncertain of yourself or others’ intentions towards you. Does that person feel sorry for me or really care for me?

I fear for her health and mental status, but admire her moxie, self respect and ability to motivate herself. There is anger within her, controlled well, until it explodes outward. She can defend herself, but most often she swallows her pride, and simply moves onward. A few times now she has been insulted by others, and while we wait to see how she would respond, the insulting individuals know they are done for from our hands if need be. Revenge, no, but real effective re-education. What inspires my family is her inner strength, willingness to advance her career while facing many roadblocks. I admire her intelligence, kindheartedness and mercy. Yes, mercy. For all the a**holes that have stood in her way, she has forgiven them and succeeded anyway. This big-hearted lady makes us try to be better, smarter, kinder, more openminded, more accepting of others. Instead of ripping the world a new one, she works to improve her lot and her neighbours as well. Charity is her other name, making others better her one and only true game. Patience, acceptance and true grit I see each time she privileges me with her presence. Perhaps not long for this world, but surely a building block with her name on it placed as a cornerstone for all. Nameless mostly because she would be embarrassed because of this letter, so nameless she will be to you, but not to me.

FORMER Prime Minister Perry Christie sits next to current Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis at PLP meeting as he celebrates his 80th birthday.

Photo: Moise Amisial

PLP supporters disrupt candidate’s announcement

from page one

spate of child abuse cases, particularly sexual abuse and rape, have compelled Ms Burrows to run.

“I ran in 2017 and placed fourth out of eight candidates,” she said, “but I feel like the hearts and the minds of the people are ready now to join in with us advocates, activists, who have been fighting for child protection, equality, justice, and rule of law in The Bahamas for at least over a decade. And this decision was essentially based on the fact that I’ve seen a spate of child sexual abuse in particular cases.

“I’m a survivor. At the age of five years old, I was molested by someone, and it was a life sentence for me and so from that point on, I swore and prayed and dedicated in the back of my mind that

I will always remember what happened to me and I would do my best and ensure that it didn’t happen to any other child.”

“I don’t care what colour you are or if you are colourless or if you mixed race, politically speaking. At the end of the day, we need candidates who will present themselves and are not going to be rapists. We need candidates who are not going to be corrupt and steal money or bribe people.

“We need candidates that are upstanding and stand for equality and justice for all. I will lead the way and I encourage other people if you feel you are capable put yourself forward as an independent candidate.

“This two-party system needs to come down.”

domes to be repurposed as they are ‘not suitable for humans’, says dra Chairman

from page one

some were demolished after officials found them a safety hazard.

“After doing a further audit inventory of the domes, we find that all of the parts are not there and so what we have been doing is people have been writing in, asking for domes for certain purposes and we have approved these on a case by case basis,” Mr Storr said yesterday.

“One of the examples I’ll give you is during the recent CARIFTA games, they asked for some 15 domes to use for storage during the games, and we complied with that. They were able to use those for storage.”

“People want to use them for chicken coops and other things and as we get those requests, we approve them so on some cases depending on the request, they may give some financial contribution in return for the domes.”

Mr Storr also said vehicles, building materials and other donated supplies remain missing after Hurricane Dorian though some items have been retrieved.

“We were able to locate some two forklifts and other equipment about a month ago in a warehouse in Cooper’s Town and so we’re still actively looking, trying to locate these materials and as we find them, we take them back,” he said.

He added that the DRA recently signed contracts with local Abaco and

Grand Bahama contractors to conduct repairs through the Homeowners Assistance and Relief Programme.

“I think we have some 40 repairs on both islands that are ongoing, and we’re getting ready to launch into phase two, where we’ll sign additional contracts,” he said. He said audits into the

DRA operations were conducted, and some matters were sent to the police for investigation about three months ago.

“We had two audits ongoing, a forensic audit as well as the financial audit,” he said. “We’ve received both of those. The forensic audit, we have looked over it and we have turned that over

to police, who are now investigating. There were things that we saw that made us uncomfortable and we thought it was best to put it in the hands of the police instead of us doing the investigations. Let the police determine and may the rocks fall where they may.” Police officials could not be reached for

comment up to press time yesterday.

“They told us that they had a list of persons that they wished to question and so they were about to begin that process,” Mr Storr claimed.

Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard said he was unaware of any investigation.

“Under my leadership,

we have no difficulty with audited reports of the function of any arm of government,” he said. “I only wish that he would extend that audited report to cover the last 22 plus months under the Progressive Liberal Party as we understand that there might be some concerns with respect to DRA.”

DISASTER Reconstruction Authority executive chairman Alex Storr said the authority no longer supports using domes as temporary homes, finding the structures unsuitable for “human occupation”.

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party supporters disrupted Terneille Burrows when she announced she would run for office in the Elizabeth constituency in the 2026 general election, saying she should “get out”.

Photo: Lynaire Munnings

Commonwealth Women’s Affairs

Ministers Meeting - planning for the advancement of women

IN The Bahamas, gender-based violence is a pervasive issue. Incidents of sexual molestation against children, especially girls, sexual assault, domestic violence and femicide continue to shock this small nation, in particular, New Providence, the capital. Families are being destroyed, lives are being lost, and the society is hurting due to these heinous acts. Indeed, violence and murder on the whole negatively impact the progress being made as an independent nation, now celebrating 50 years.

But this week, the focus will be on gender-based violence as scores of Commonwealth countries gather in The Bahamas for the 13th Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting (13WAMM). This major international conference is being held in The Bahamas as we celebrate 50 years of Independence, as well as 60 years since women first voted in The Bahamas.

It is a perfect time to meet on Bahamian shores and discuss national and international women’s affairs and make historical moves for the advancement of women. Vice Presidents, Government Ministers and high-level officials meet August 21-23 at the Atlantis Resorts to discuss women’s affairs. Topics include Women and Disability Inclusion, as well as the Commonwealth four priority areas: Gender and Climate Change; Women’s Economic Empowerment; Women in Leadership; and Eliminating Gender-Based Violence.

Gender-based violence refers to violence directed at an individual because of their gender. Men and women experience gender-based violence, but the large majority of victims are women and girls, abused by men. Many forms of violence against women are rooted in power inequalities between women and men. This is a global pandemic that affects 1 in 3 women in their lifetime. According to the World Bank, 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or nonpartner sexual violence.

Globally, seven percent of women have been sexually

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

assaulted by someone other than a partner, and as many as 38 percent of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner.

Gender-based violence is that it knows no social or economic boundaries and affects women and girls of all socio-economic backgrounds. Right here in The Bahamas, domestic violence is being experienced by people from every level of society. With incidents of sexual abuse on the increase recently, this matter is one of the top priorities for the Commonwealth as women’s affairs are discussed in our country this week.

All of the priority areas being discussed also top the agenda for the Department of Gender and Family Affairs (DGFA) in the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development. By working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international bodies, the DGFA has been at the helm of women’s advancement for The Bahamas.

A Women’s Desk was first established in The Bahamas by the Ministry of Social Services in 1981, during the United Nations Decade for Women. By October of 1993, The Bahamas became a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

In 1995, the Women’s Desk evolved into the Bureau of Women’s Affairs, with distinct responsibility for the promotion of gender equality, human rights and empowerment programmes.

In 2016, Women’s Bureau evolved into the Department of Gender & Family Affairs (DGFA) with an even greater scope of function and purpose. The Department’s role is to ensure a more comprehensive approach to tackling the country’s social challenges, to coordinate, advocate and inform policy for, and on behalf of, women and girls and

men and boys as well as the family unit.

Through the work of the DGFA and its partners, a Draft Gender Equality Policy was created. In 2018, the Men’s Desk was established, assisting in building a coordinated and effective approach to the prevention of gender-based violence.

In 2019, The Bahamas made its official report: the Beijing +25 National Review on the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. It was released during the 25th anniversary of the 4th World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration.

Twelve areas of concern came out of the Beijing Declaration:

1. Increasing poverty on women lacking employment, housing, food, water and transportation.

2. Unequal access to education, training, technology and lifelong learning initiatives.

3. Inadequate access to quality health care, related services, health campaigns and research.

4. Multiple forms of violence and discrimination committed against women.

5. Armed and other kinds of conflict on women, including those living under foreign occupation.

6. Legislative barriers to access credit for businesses, Crown land, and natural resources.

7. Insufficient women in Parliament, on government boards and with government contracts.

8. Limited legislation, quota policies and national projects for the advancement of women.

9. Lack of respect for and inadequate promotion and protection of the human rights of women.

10. Negative stereotype and limited participation of women in media, construction, science and technology.

11. Unequal women participation in the management of natural resources, and the

environment.

12. Persistent discrimination and violation of the rights of the girl child.

For The Bahamas, the top five national priorities for Beijing implementation include: increase women representation in parliament, increase women ownership of land and businesses, increase scientific research, increase laws for rights and protections of marginalised persons and elimination of discrimination and all forms of violence against women and girls.

Regionally, The Bahamas, is committed to fulfilling the goals of CARICOM gender equality initiatives for promotion of social justice in education, health, poverty, and the economy. As a member of the Organization of American States/Inter-American Commission on Women (OAS/CIM), The Bahamas is a signatory to the InterAmerican Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women (Convention of Belem do Pará).

Internationally, The Bahamas is obliged to fulfil the goals of several agreements, treaties and conventions which were signed and ratified. Some of these include: The Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality, 20052015; the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) ratified in 1993; the Beijing Platform for Action, 1995; the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions; the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) ratified in 1991; the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, signed in 2013; and the United Nations 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

But how do these international agreements affect the everyday Bahamian in terms of implementation? They shape the laws that are constructed, such as the recent Protection Against Violence Bill. They result in partnered efforts with NGOs, whose members are on the ground daily in communities throughout The Bahamas.

Women’s groups, youth groups and other community organisations work in tandem with government to bring about change. There is a concerted effort to educate young people about gender-based violence and other issues, with the aim of changing the mindset and improving results in the future. It takes a

commitment from each and every individual to really make an impact in terms of gender-based violence.

It calls for people to share their stories. It calls for people to stand up and take a stand against every act of violence, wherever we see it. It calls for families to set down the law in the home as it relates to respect regardless of gender. it calls for communities and churches to provide even more support for families.

All of the Commonwealth priority areas on women’s affairs are intricately linked to one another. For example, Gender and Climate Change is a huge issue for The Bahamas. In times of disaster, it is the women who are likely responsible for caring for infants, children and the elderly.

Women have a higher rate of death during disasters like hurricanes. They tend to have more injuries. They are often responsible for providing food and water, when access to these resources are most limited.

In economics, the gender wage gap is still wide. According to the International Labour Organisation, the COVID19 pandemic set back decades of progress towards gender equality. On average, women are currently paid 20 per cent less than men globally. The Global Gender Gap Report of 2022 forecasts that it will take another 132 years to close the wage gender gap.

The Bahamas, as host of 13WAMM, has an opportunity to move to the helm in the advancement of women’s affairs, helping the world as we seek to take a giant step for women by making unified global decisions and plans of action.

The 13WAMM is being chaired by Minister of Social Services and Urban Development Obediah Wilchcombe, as well as Commonwealth Secretary General, Baroness Patricia Scotland.

“Most of our local, Commonwealth, and global communities are in a fight for equality, honour and respect for one another for the result of producing environments that are governed by peace and prosperity,” said Minister Wilchcombe.

“We are looking forward to a highly successful 13WAMM with significant outcomes and agreements towards achieving our theme: “Equality Toward a Common Future”. Our staff at the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development along with

other Government agencies, NGOs and other relevant organisations such as the Crisis Centre and Civil Society Bahamas have been working collaboratively to organise 13WAMM to ensure that we show our warm hospitality to our visitors. As the host country, The Bahamas will assume chairmanship of WAMM for the next three years.”

State Minister Lisa Rahming, who serves as lead for The Bahamas delegation, said she looks forward to “focused and strategic discussions on how we can refine our policies and implement programmes to reduce the wage gap between men and women, create an environment of intolerance of violence, and disseminate all forms of abuse and rejection that undermine and impede the progress of gender equality.”

As Minister of State responsible for Urban Renewal, Rahming has pushed for the priority areas to be felt by the people of The Bahamas through a series of community empowerment initiatives.

Meanwhile, a high-level side event will also occur, hosted by Ann Marie Davis, Office of the Spouse, and Baroness Patrician Scotland. Cherise CoxNottage and Marisa Mason Smith are co-chairs of the event, which will produce a white paper on the way forward for gender equality in The Bahamas.

Panelists include:

A Reality Check: GBV (gender-based violence) and the Impact on Society and the Vulnerable.

GBV and Legislation: A Call to Human Rights & Social Justice.

A Myth or Reality. What’s the Challenge - A Lack of Coordinated Response to Violence.

Brennen: GBV and Impact on Family.

Oriakhi: Is Education & Training Interrelated to Poverty & Economic Empowerment and GBV?

The Implications on Civil and Social Society.

GBV and the SocietyIs the System a Help or Hindrance?

Mental Health and Wellness of a Nation... Is it Culture, Economics, Denial or a Broken System?

Adderley: Reproductive Health and the Implications of Sexual GBV.

PANELIST Marion Bethel-Sears will speak on the topi of GBV and Legislation: A Call to Human Rights & Social Justice.

DURING the Women’s Affairs meeting a panel will meet to discuss and develop a white paper on the way forward for gender equality in The Bahamas. One of the panelists is expected to be Loretta Butler-Turner who will speak on - A Reality Check: GBV (gender-based violence)and the Impact on Society and the Vulnerable.

Can new immigration law in Britain ‘stop the boats’?

HAVING written last March about the unveiling by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of new proposed legislation to deal with illegal immigration, it seems timely today to revert to the subject now that the Bill has become law.

Historians maintain that the basic human stock of England has been settled and relatively homogeneous since time immemorial. But the evidence shows that there have always been episodes of migration to Britain even though until about the middle of the 20th century the number of people born abroad who were living in the country was relatively small – and that was clearly the case despite the fact that over the years Britain had offered safe haven for those genuinely facing persecution in their own countries. Two prominent examples were the Huguenots as Protestants fleeing France during the 17th century onwards and Jews in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and later.

In modern times, one of the strengths of Britain, as a rich and stable democracy committed to the rule of law and respect for human rights around the world, has been to continue this policy of welcoming those under threat and in genuine need. This has included most recently refugees from Afghanistan - as well as from Hong Kong after China’s security crackdown - and those displaced by the war in Ukraine. In the 1990s and beyond, the figures show that the pace and scale of migration increased to a level without historical precedent so that between 1991 and 2011 – years when censuses were held -- the foreign-born population of England and Wales more than doubled. All this shows that there can be no doubts about the UK’s fine record in welcoming over the years migrants in distress. Polls suggest that most rational and reasonable people welcome immigration as a benefit to the nation as long as it takes place in an ordered and controlled manner under established legal procedures – indeed, this has become an issue of prime importance in recent years, not least because the pressure on the UK government by voters to take responsibility for controlling

The Peter Young column

its own borders was one reason for leaving the European Union in 2020. Illegal immigration, on the other hand, is an altogether different matter. This has become an endlessly controversial issue in the UK and a political “hot potato” that demonstrates a massive failure by government despite the PM making “stopping the boats” one of his five key priorities. His Bill, now the Illegal Migration Act 2023, was specifically aimed at tackling illegal immigration and especially those coming by small boats across the English Channel from France, the number of which continues to surge even as the loss of life has increased. Not only does this route put lives at risk on grossly overcrowded boats and dinghies but it also undermines the public’s faith in the ability or willingness of authorities to enforce the law and hands control to ruthless gangs responsible for human trafficking. It also weakens the existing system of legal immigration and is grotesquely unfair to those who follow the correct procedures. It shows that weak central government is allowing a parallel illicit immigration system to exist alongside the official, legal one.

The stated purpose of the new Act is to prevent and deter unlawful migration by unsafe and illegal routes by requiring removal from the UK of people who try to enter the country in breach of immigration control. The Illegal Migration Act changes the law so that those who

arrive in the UK illegally and with no obvious case to apply for asylum will not be able to stay and, instead, will be detained and then promptly removed, either to their own country or a safe third country, and barred from applying legally in any future attempt to enter the UK. It remains to be seen how this will work out in practice. Any new system will doubtless be subject to legal challenge by human rights groups, charities in the UK and by the UN’s refugee agency; as well as by a liberal Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Church of England, who is seen by some as delving into matters that are beyond his remit. But the problem is becoming worse. Since the beginning of 2018, at least 100,000 migrants have sought to

Historic and unique trilateral summit

THE high-level trilateral meeting in Washington on Friday between President Biden and the leaders of Japan and the Republic of Korea has been generally regarded as an historic moment because it was the first-ever stand-alone summit between the US and these two countries together.

Both Japan and South Korea have been close American allies for decades but the two have a long history of mutual acrimony arising from Japan’s harsh colonial rule for most of the first half of the 20th century. The Americans call this ‘lingering historical baggage’. It is said that former President George W Bush managed to convene meetings with these two traditional antagonists in the margins of international meetings, but that such informal gatherings had rarely been productive.

Now, as a result of what must have been careful and persistent diplomacy in preparation, Biden has managed to get them together at Camp David for trilateral consultations in what is being regarded as something of a diplomatic coup for the president –and this will be music to his ears after setbacks like the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. Traditionally, this venue has been used by US presidents as a retreat to negotiate deals with foreign leaders; and Camp David has a symbolic importance as a place where the US has successfully brought adversaries together in the past.

Friday’s high-level

trilateral consultations were against a background of China’s more aggressive stance in the region and, apparently, a bid to project unity in the face of its growing power as well as nuclear threats from North Korea. So, in addition to Russia, the activities of these two, will have loomed large over the meeting as China was condemned for its ‘dangerous and aggressive behaviour’ in the South China Sea.

Judging from the immediate commentary by US and world media, the outcome this time has been a considerable success. In addition to heralding a new era of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and a pledge to deepen partnerships, the meeting produced an agreement to create a “hotline” for discussion if a crisis in the region warranted urgent consultation, with all three countries also acknowledging the importance of regular ordinary consultation at lower levels in order to coordinate their responses to regional challenges and threats that could affect their collective interests and security. It was also agreed that leaders should meet in person at least annually in order to build on the momentum of the Camp David summit; and there was provision for sharing assessments on a range of “geostrategic” issues, while trilateral security cooperation would be strengthened by holding joint defence exercises and sharing information; for example, about the nuclear threat from North Korea.

According to reports, many observers have been impressed by how comprehensive this cooperation agreement was as it also covered economic issues like the protection of supply chains. It struck me, too, that, although it falls short of a formal threeway alliance, it is a bold move by Japan and South Korea both in pursuing bilateral rapprochement and - despite China being the principal trading partner of both - agreeing to a strong trilateral statement that “we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the waters of the Indo-Pacific”.

This summit is clearly another important element in the Western reaction to Chinese expansionism and North Korea’s nuclear threat. It should serve to strengthen what is already in place – for example, defensive groupings like the QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) between the US, Australia, India and Japan and AUKUS (Australia, the UK and US) under which nuclear submarines are being supplied to Australia through cooperation on military technology. This is also consistent, of course, with the actions of other Western powers; for example, the UK shifting its diplomatic focus towards the Indo-Pacific region, since this is becoming the geopolitical centre of the world, with countries such as India, China, Japan and Australia among others making up some forty per cent of global GDP.

enter Britain illegally by crossing the Channel which is a perilous journey irrespective of the dangerous overloading of boats because it is the world’s busiest shipping route. Last year, 45,000 reached the UK’s southern shores and this year the figure could rise to 50,000.

Reportedly, amidst the legalistic manoeuvres and spurious appeals as this situation has gone from shambles to fiasco, there is now talk that the government should seek an alternative off-shore base on an island in the immediate vicinity of the UK mainland for processing genuine asylum claims – similar to the holding centres created by Australia some years ago. Migrants arriving illegally from France, which should be considered as a completely safe country, should

be able to seek asylum - if they are judged to have a strong enough case - while being held at such centres. Moreover, asylum should be considered as the right to live in a place of safety not one of economic opportunity in what is seen as the UK’s overly generous welfare conditions.

Meanwhile, it is revealing that the figures show that other countries like France, Germany, Sweden and Spain reject substantially more asylum claims than Britain does. No sensible government of any nation state can afford - as the UK seems to be doing in relation to the small boats situation - to allow any part of its borders to be abolished in practice and thus permit unknown numbers, including potential criminals, to enter the country. What is more, if there is

no limit on numbers, how much longer can Britain’s already tottering welfare state – as well as its housing supply, medical facilities, schools and transport in generally peaceful and ordered social conditions - survive. Thus, members of the public inevitably pose the basic question – should their country be allowed to impoverish itself so as to take in people en masse from poorer parts of the world? Perhaps Prime Minister Sunak put it best with his memorable words about those crossing the English Channel in small boats, exploited and trafficked by criminal gangs putting their lives in danger – ‘If you come illegally, you will not be allowed to stay. Our policy is to break this cycle of misery. It is fair and moral and the right thing to do’.

LIONESSESS MISS OUT ON WORLD CUP FINAL GLORY

IN HIS message to the England players who had just lost to Spain in the Women’s Football World Cup final on Sunday, Prince William, as President of the Football Association in England, congratulated them on having done themselves and their country proud despite their narrow defeat by a single goal.

Many English fans will surely agree with him that, although they failed to win World Cup glory by lifting the winner’s trophy, the Lionesses acquitted themselves superbly in managing to reach the final and representing their country so well. Some pundits are saying that, despite being the underdogs, Spain deserved their victory on the day as they were better technically at holding and distributing the ball while dominating the midfield. But it was a close match

and, throughout the second half, England were looking for an equalising goal that would have extended the contest.

This group of players were the first England senior football team to reach a World Cup final since the men’s team were victorious and became world champions in 1966. Their inspirational performance and achievement has created a huge legacy and will surely have a lasting impact on the development of the women’s game in Britain and on society as a whole for years to come. This achievement becomes all the more significant when one learns, after a little research, that in 1921 the Football Association declared – somewhat pompously - that “the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged”. The ban was later lifted and the

Women’s FA was founded as a separate governing body in 1969. Now, half a century later, it is a very different story, with England’s Lionesses already established European champions and in the final of the Women’s World Cup, which was founded in 1991 – and all this has been encouraged by a strong public following which the women’s game now enjoys.

Inevitably, the players and huge number of fans are heartbroken that this time their team failed at the last hurdle. But, on all the evidence, success in the future is surely guaranteed – and it is said that one of the next challenges on the horizon will be the Olympic Games next year. For the fans, in particular, that cannot come soon enough as women’s football has caught the imagination and hearts of millions of Britons.

SPAIN’s Aitana Bonmati celebrates after Spain defeated England after the Women’s World Cup soccer final at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia, Sunday.

Photo: Steve Markham/AP

A GROUP of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard the Ramsgate Lifeboat following a small boat incident in the Channel, Thursday August 10, 2023.

Photo: Gareth Fuller/AP

Minister of Transport tours the ‘Independence of the Seas’

RBDF OFFICER SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES OFFICER TRAINING IN

THE Royal Bahamas Defence Force welcomed a new addition to the officer corps - Midshipman Ezra Bodie - who recently completed the Initial Officer Training Program (IOTP) at the Caribbean Military Academy in New Castle St. Andrew, Jamaica

The fifteen-week course, which began on September 5, 2022, exposed, and trained the officer candidates on military service and competencies, leadership development, and low-level combat operations.

The course that is divided into three terms consists of a junior, intermediate, and senior phase, and is specifically designed to mold and foster adequate skills needed for effective leadership and overall training.

Midshipman Bodie was awarded the International Achievement Award, which is awarded to the overseas officer cadet achieving the best overall results in Military and Academic Studies during the initial program.

JAMAICA

THE NASSAU Harbour Pilots Association invited Minister of Transport and Housing the Hon. Jobeth Coleby-Davis on a tour of the passenger ship, ‘Independence of the Seas’ (Royal Caribbean), Saturday.

Photos: Anthon Thompson/BIS

British nurse get life in prison for murders of 7 babies and attempted murders of 6

LONDON

Associated Press

A FORMER neonatal nurse convicted of murdering seven babies in her care and trying to kill six others at a hospital in northern England was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of release by a judge who said she was cruel, cunning and callous, and acted with “malevolence bordering sadism.”

Lucy Letby, who refused to appear in court for sentencing or to face an outpouring of anger and anguish from grieving parents, was given the most severe punishment possible under British law, which does not allow the death penalty.

Justice James Goss said the number of killings and attempts and the nature of the murders by a nurse entrusted with caring for the most fragile infants provided the “exceptional circumstances” required to impose a rare “whole-life order.” Only three other women have received such a harsh sentence in the UK

“There was a deep malevolence bordering on sadism in your actions,”

Goss said, addressing the absent defendant, who will be given a transcript of the proceedings. “During the course of this trial, you have coldly denied any responsibility for your wrongdoing. You have no remorse. There are no mitigating factors.”

A Manchester Crown Court jury that deliberated 22 days convicted Letby, 33, of murdering the seven babies over a yearlong period that saw her prey on the vulnerabilities of sick newborns and their anxious parents. Eight jurors showed up to watch the sentencing.

Letby sickened babies by injecting intravenous lines with air, poisoning some with insulin and force-feeding others milk. After killing them, she sometimes sobbed in grief, made keepsakes for parents and bathed the little bodies and dressed them for burial.

The victims, who were given anonymity and listed only by letters, such as

Child A and Child B, died in the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England between June 2015 and June 2016.

“I don’t think we will ever get over the fact that our daughter was tortured till she had no fight left in her and everything she went through over her short life was deliberately done by someone who was supposed to protect her and help her come home where she belonged,” the mother of a girl identified as Child I said in a statement read in court.

The judge said no one but Letby knows what drove her, though some parents ventured theories: she wanted to play god; she needed attention, drama and sympathy in her life; or she wanted to be remembered.

Prosecutor Nicholas Johnson said Letby deserved a “whole-life tariff” for “sadistic conduct” and premeditated crimes.

Defence lawyer Ben Myers said Letby maintained her innocence and that there was nothing he could add that would be able to reduce her sentence.

A mother who conceived her twin boys through in vitro fertilization said there were “no children in the world more wanted than them” and didn’t know if she would have others.

Letby killed one, Child E, and left Child F with learning deficiencies his mother attributes to insulin poisoning.

She became emotional as she described the regret she has every day for letting Letby spend the final moments of Child E’s life bathing and clothing the boy in a woolen gown.

“He was buried in that gown, a gift from the unit chosen by Lucy,” she said.

Other families also suffered multiple tragedies since Letby targeted three sets of twins and a set of triplets.

Another mother of twins was left to grieve the loss of a son and blame herself when her family members — who had been vigilant to watch over the second infant after the first one’s

death — let their guard down and Letby struck again, harming the boy’s sister, who survived.

“Little did we know you were waiting for us to leave so you could attack the one thing that gave us a reason to carry on in life,” the mother said.

The parents of triplets lost two of their babies, and the third survived after being transferred to another hospital. The couple said in a video played in court that Letby had ruined their lives.

“The anger and the hatred I have towards her will never go away,” the father said. “It has destroyed me as a man and as a father.”

One father called Letby “the devil” and said she had tried to kill his daughter twice. The nurse didn’t succeed but the girl was left blind, with brain damage and having to be fed through a tube.

“Every day I would sit there and pray. I would pray for God to save her,” the father of Child G said. “He did. He saved her, but the devil found her.”

Letby’s absence, which is allowed in British courts during sentencing, fuelled anger from the families of the victims, who wanted her to listen to statements about the devastation caused by her crimes.

Politicians and victim advocates have called for changes in the law to force criminals to appear for sentencing after several high-profile convicts chose not to face their victims in recent months.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who called the crimes “shocking and harrowing,” said his government would bring forward in “due course” a plan to require convicts to attend their sentencing hearings.

“It’s cowardly that people who commit such horrendous crimes do not face their victims and hear first-hand the impact that their crimes have had on them and their families and loved ones,” Sunak said.

Also planned is an independent inquiry into what happened at the Countess of Chester Hospital and

how staff and management responded to the spike in neonatal unit deaths. However, there are calls for a more formal inquiry led by a judge, who could order people to testify.

During Letby’s 10-month trial, prosecutors said the hospital started to see in 2015 a significant rise in the number of babies who were dying or suffering sudden declines in their health for no apparent reason.

Some suffered “serious catastrophic collapses” but survived after getting help from medical personnel.

Letby was on duty in all of the cases, with prosecutors describing her as a “constant malevolent presence” in the neonatal unit when the children experienced medical distress or died. The nurse harmed babies in ways that were difficult to detect, and she persuaded colleagues that their collapses and deaths were normal, they said.

Senior doctors said over

the weekend that they had raised concerns about Letby as early as October 2015 and that children might have been saved if managers had taken their concerns seriously.

Dr. Stephen Brearey, the head consultant at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit, told the Guardian newspaper that deaths could arguably have been avoided as early as February 2016 if executives had “responded appropriately” to an urgent meeting request from concerned doctors.

Letby was finally removed from front-line duties in late June 2016. She was arrested at her home in July 2018.

Police found records she had taken home from the hospital on babies who had collapsed. Investigators learned Letby had performed thousands of searches online for information about the parents after the killings.

They also found a note in her house that served as a chilling confession: “I killed them on purpose because I’m not good enough to care for them,” she wrote. “I am a horrible evil person.”

The mother of Child C wept on the witness stand as she spoke of the loss of her firstborn, a “feisty” and “defenceless baby boy.”

She had worn her son’s hand and foot prints around her neck to remember him. The later realization that the person who took those prints — Letby — was the same person who took his life tainted the memory, she said.

“There is no sentence that will ever compare to the excruciating agony that we have suffered as a consequence of your actions,” she said. “At least now there is no debate that, in your own words, you killed them on purpose. You are evil. You did this.”

PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN T RUDEAU SLAMS FACEBOOK FOR BLOCKING C ANADA WILDFIRE NEWS

TORONTO

Associated Press

CANADIAN Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Facebook on Monday of putting profits over people’s safety during the emergencies created by Canada’s record wildfire season.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced earlier this summer it would keep its promise to block news content from Canada on its platforms because of a new law that requires tech giants to pay publishers for linking to or otherwise repurposing their content online.

Fires raging in Canada have pushed tens of thousands of people from their homes and threatened cities such as Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories. About 30,000 people were under evacuation orders in British Columbia.

“Right now, in an emergency situation where up to date local information is more important than ever, Facebook is putting corporate profits ahead of people’s safety,” Trudeau said at a news conference in Cornwall on Prince Edward Island.

“It is so inconceivable that a company like Facebook is choosing to put corporate profits ahead of insuring that local news organizations can get up to date information to Canadians,” the prime minister said.

Government

minis-

ters called on Meta on Friday to lift its Canada news ban, which applies to local outlets as well as national media such as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The company, which is headquartered in Northern California, stood by its decision and said in a statement about the wildfires that people in Canada can continue to use Instagram and Facebook “to connect with their communities and access reputable information, including content from official government agencies, emergency services and non-governmental organizations.”

The country’s residents and visitors are not able to view or share news on the Meta-owned social networks, including news articles, videos and audio posted by outlets inside or outside of Canada.

Meta has been alone in its action. Google’s owner, Alphabet, also said it planned to remove Canadian news links in response to the new law, although it hasn’t followed through yet. The Online News Act, passed in late June after lengthy debate, is set to take effect later this year.

“This is Facebook’s choice,” Trudeau said.

“In a democracy, quality local journalism matters, and it matters now more than ever before when people are worried about their homes, worried

LUCY LETBY, a neonatal nurse in a British hospital, has been found guilty of killing seven babies and trying to kill six others. She was charged with murder in the deaths of five baby boys and two girls, and the attempted murder of five boys and five girls, when she worked at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England between 2015 and 2016.

Photo: Cheshire Constabulary/AP

about their communities, worried about the worst summer for extreme events that we’ve had in a

very long time.” Meta took similar steps in the past. In 2021, it briefly blocked news from

its platform in Australia after the country passed legislation that would compel tech companies to

pay publishers for using their news stories. It later struck deals with Australian publishers.

THICK smoke from the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire fills the air around a Canadian flag fluttering in the wind as Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers on a boat patrol Shuswap Lake, in Scotch Creek, British Columbia, on Sunday.

Photo: Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press/AP

CANADIAN Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

MINISTER BOWLEG: ‘THERE WERE TEARS OF JOY TO SEE THIS COME TO A REALITY’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg said he was pleased with what he saw from the men’s national basketball team in La Banda, Argentina.

Bowleg, the former president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation and men’s national coach, was in the stands as the men’s team knocked off Argentina 82-75 on Sunday to win the FIBA Americas Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament title.

In what turned out to be an historic feat, the Bahamas earned the rights to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament for the rights to advance to the Olympic Games in Paris, France.

“To God be the glory for great things he has done,” Bowleg said. “This is just amazing how we could reach this milestone as we celebrate 50 years of Independence as a nation.

“In the year of our Independence, we were able to reach the position of knocking on the door of qualifying for the Olympics for the first time in any team sport.”

Looking back at where the Bahamas Basketball Federation came from under the leadership of the past presidents, Bowleg tipped his hat to all who would have paved the way to get the Bahamas to where the country has arrived today.

“I was just so happy to be there as the former president and the former coach who would have toiled with some of the former players and even some of the existing players to see this come to fruition where we are knocking on the door of qualifying for the Olympics,” Bowleg said. “I was elated and overjoyed and just like the players and coaches, there were tears

of joy to see this come to a reality. Going into the game, we knew that we would beat Argentina again and so said, so done.”

Bowleg said he was extremely pleased with the efforts turned in by the National Basketball Association players in Eric Gordon and Deandre Ayton, who will be playing together for the first time this season with the Pheonix Suns and Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield with the Indiana Pacers.

He said head coach Chris DeMarco, who serves as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors, did a tremendous job with his coaching staff, including Moses Johnson and Mikhail McLean, in blending the rest of the players on the team to produce the victory.

Gordon, in making his debut for the Bahamas, led the way with a game high 27 points, including hitting three three-pointers down the stretch, while Hield had 17 points, five rebounds and three assists and Ayton added 10 points and 21 rebounds.

Travis Munnings contributed 16 points, while Franco Miller Jr had nine and Kentwan Smith helped out with five. The other members of Team Bahamas’ roster were Domnick Bridgewater, Rashad Davis, Lourawls Nairn, Jaraun Burrows, Garvin Clarke Jr and David Nesbitt. The team manager was LJ Rose.

With the ministry throwing their support behind the federation, Bowleg said it’s going to be important to ensure that the team do all the right things to get ready for the qualifying tournament in July. “One thing we must do is we must continue to seek those players who are Bahamian descent and try to ensure that we have these guys ready to compete,” Bowleg said. “We have some players who are born inside the country and some who were born outside of the country.

“So, there are a lot of players out there, some who will have to be naturalised and so, at the end of the day, we will take the necessary steps to ensure that those who want to compete will get the opportunity to do so. We just want to lay out the red carpet for those

who want to play to be able to play for the Bahamas.”

Under FIBA, Bowleg said there’s a limit on how many naturalised players can play for a country, but in discovering the players who have an interest, Bowleg said they will be looking at how they can allow them to

Photos: FIBA Americas

participate for the Bahamas in the future.

Bowleg, who is on his way home, said he’s been pleased with the performance of the Bahamian athletes in swimming, winning the Goodwill Games for the first time and those athletes who are now

participating in the World Championships.

“We’re looking forward to some better results in track and field. We expected some better results, but we know that Steven Gardiner is hanging in there and hopefully, at the end of the day, all hope is not lost,” he said.

He said the Bahamas Government is supporting the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations in hosting the return of the World Relays in the Bahamas next year before the focus of attention is switched to Paris for the Olympics.

“We know that the potential is there, so we hope to continue to push them in their success,” Bowleg said.

“We are very pleased with the way things have been going for sports in the country right now.”

As for the men’s basketball team, Bowleg said there’s not expected to be a celebration for the players anytime soon as the majority of the players are moving onto their professional basketball teams or heading to college.

He noted that only Burrows and Bridgewater are expected to be home on Wednesday, but they will be leaving on Thursday for France and Hield, on the other hand, is expected to be coming to the Bahamas for a camp, but it’s not known exactly when.

“We had a celebration for the team at the hotel where they got a chance to eat, drink and be merry,” Bowleg said. “But we know that there will be an opportunity when we get them all together for a celebration at home. We just don’t know when. “Right now, the federation is looking at ways of strengthening the team as we look forward to walking into the doors of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year when the celebrations will continue as we qualify for the Olympic Games.”

Swimmers bring home 129 medals - 55 gold - from Goodwill Games

FROM PAGE 16

The welcome home ceremony was held in the VIP Lounge of the Lynden Pindling International Airport and was hosted by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. There was also a junkanoo rush-out for the swimmers as they greeted their family members, who were not on the flight that carried almost 200 persons to Jamaica.

“I’m so proud and I could not let this moment pass without coming to greet you on your arrival for your accomplishment each of you received,” said Davis, who remembers being a parent and now a grandparent of the sport and a former vice president of the federation.

He noted that in the former years, the federation never really embraced the Goodwill Games, but it was a few parents who took the interest in getting some exposure for their children.

“So, I’m so happy and elated to see that the federation is now fully behind these games and fully behind the participation of our swimmers, particularly recognising that CARIFTA is 12 and above and these games go from seven and above. It gives those younger athletes what it is to compete in international competition.”

While the federation is going after its sixth straight title next year here in the Bahamas at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex, Davis said he’s looking for the Bahamas to continue to excel as champions at the Goodwill Games.

Zane Lightbourne, the acting minister of youth, sports and culture in the absence of Mario Bowleg, said the trip to Jamaica was a microcosm of what our country is all about.

“The community coming together to build something nice and to achieve greatness,” he said.

“I think that because of our parents, the government support and these students with their coaches, who are supported to do and to push them to where they can reach their full potential, that’s the formula for success for our country.”

Lightbourne, the minister of state in the Ministry of Education, said as the country celebrates its 50th anniversary, the team brought home the gold and he noted that the Olympic gold medal is on the way.

Bahamas Aquatics’ president Algernon Cargill thanked team manager Rochelle Butler and her assistants Yvette Ferguson and Patrick Ferguson, head coach Dellan Brown and his assistants Kadesha Culmer, Dwayne Davis and Davis Del Cueto and the medical team of Dr William Hamilton, Jenna Gibson and Jade McCartney.

Cargill also expressed his gratitude to Philice DavisAlbury, who headed the

fund-raising team, which secured the sponsorship from KRC, RBC, Atlantis, Baha Mar Resorts Foundation, Titan Hospitality, Auto Mall, Lyford Cay Club and the Public Hospitals Authority.

“We’ve earned our first Goodwill title and now that number one is in the bag, there is no longer coming second, third or fourth,” said Cargill, as he also lauded the parents, who were apart of the contingent that travelled to Jamaica.

“Your parents and your federation will extend this level of support with our Bahamas Government partners and corporate Bahamas.

“This is step one and we will carry you to the end of your journey.”

Cargill said the swimmers demonstrated that the Bahamas clearly has the next Arianna Vanderpool Wallace, Joanna Evans, Allan Murray, Jeremy

Knowles, examples of Bahamian swimmers who have excelled at the global level.

“I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been asked what we are doing different in The Bahamas than the other Caribbean countries to dominate Goodwill and CARIFTA,” he said.

“I’ve even been asked by a parent to have her child come to the Bahamas to train instead of training in their country.”

The team was led by divisional high point winners in Cailyn Sean in the girls 8-and-under; Nitayo Knowles in the boys 9-10; Siann Isaacs in the girls 11-12 and Tristen Ferguson in the boys 15-17. All of the competitors talked about their experiences at the games.

Additionally, the four team captains Errington Moncur, Grace Farrington, Tristan Ferguson and Bianca Johnson

also expressed their delight in leading the team in and out of the water.

Rochell Butler, the team manager, said the swimmers worked very hard during the three days of competition and many of them surpassed their own expectations.

She was delighted to have been afforded the opportunity to manage the entire team of athletes and coaches at the games.

And Dellan Brown, the head coach, said he was thrilled to have returned to his native homeland to produce the historic feat with records upon records.

Brown, the head coach of the Blue Waves Aquatic Swim Club, thanked coach Shirley Mireault for

the

He noted that this year’s team just expanded on what she started, and they came home as champions for the first time.

THE Bahamas men’s national basketball team celebrate their win over Argentina on Sunday night.

carrying

Bahamas’ banner with the teams to the games in the past.

TEAM Bahamas

pulled off a hard fought 82-75 win over Argentina on Sunday night to win the FIBA Americas Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament title, earning their berth in the 2024 Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament. The win sends The Bahamas into another Olympic qualifying tournament in July 2024, one that will bring with it a chance to qualify for next summer’s Paris Games. Bahamas has never sent its men’s basketball team to the Olympics. Now, the island nation is one step closer to changing that.

Fraser-Pryce loses 100 metre title but ‘grateful’ for bronze in Budapest

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Jamaica’s ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce came into the 100-metre finals at the world championships yesterday with every chance to make history, as she has so many times before. She made some history — by winning her first bronze medal among the 15 she has amassed at worlds — just maybe not the sort she was hoping for.

Fraser-Pryce’s quest to win a sixth world title at 100 metres and tie pole vaulter Sergey Bubka’s record for an individual discipline came to an end

at the hands of American Sha’Carri Richardson. Fraser-Pryce’s Jamaican teammate, Shericka Jackson, finished second.

“You don’t have to always know the answer. You just have to come and fight,” Fraser-Pryce said. “And tonight, I’m really grateful that I’m walking away with a bronze medal.”

Even though FraserPryce seldom raced this year — and hadn’t cracked 10.8 seconds — because of an injured knee, she entered the 100 in Budapest as the favourite.

Her odds got even better when she cruised through her semifinal heat while Richardson, Jackson and Marie-Josée Ta Lou were forced to battle it out in a much tougher semifinal. But Richardson had plenty left in the final. Though Fraser-Pryce got off to a better start than either the winner or

Jackson, she couldn’t hold either of them off. Her quest for three straight world titles came to an end. It hardly makes her career less remarkable. Her first title came in 2009. Her last two came after she had a baby boy, Zyon, who recently turned 6. Scattered through all that, there are eight

Olympic medals, including three golds. “I literally, I grew up watching her,” Richardson said, spurring a bout of embarrassed laughter from both.

While taking home the gold remains her motivation — “Nobody shows up at the line saying, ‘Oh, I want to come fifth,’” Fraser-Pryce said — there was little sign that missing out this time had dampened her ambitions.

“It wasn’t the year that I wanted in terms of ... injuries,” she said. “But I think champions show it, no matter what.”

EASY AS 1, 2, 3: HOLLOWAY BREEZES IN 110-METRE HURDLES FOR HIS 3RD STRAIGHT WORLD TITLE

By PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writer

BUDAPEST, Hun-

gary (AP) — Posing for the cameras, Grant Holloway counted out his back-to-back-to-back 110metre hurdles world titles, raising one finger, then another, then another.

It was as easy as “1, 2, 3.” Holloway made his race look almost that simple, too.

The American bolted to a fast start and never looked back last night at world championships, breezing to a victory in 12.96 seconds that elevated him into elite company.

Holloway joined Greg Foster as the only 110 hurdler to win three straight world titles. “Remarkable,” Holloway exclaimed.

Before Holloway entered the scene, the

mighty American hurdlers were in a little bit of a hurdling funk (a funk for them anyway). They’d gone two straight worlds without a gold in the 110.

That just wasn’t like them.

“We were in a drought,” said Holloway, who won his first world title in Doha in 2019 and again last summer in Oregon. “It was my goal is to get us out of the drought and I called it a restoration phase. Now that we’re out of the restoration phase, it’s making sure I’m there.”

He insisted his celebration shortly after the race while standing in the middle of the track was spontaneous.

This wasn’t a preplanned sort of thing, because nothing can be planned with 10 hurdles standing in the way.

With the camera still zoomed in, Holloway held up all three fingers one final time before bouncing off to celebrate. He edged out reigning Olympic champion Hansle Parchment of Jamaica by .11 seconds. Holloway’s U.S. teammate, Daniel Roberts, finished with the bronze.

“When Hansle and Daniel and the rest of that field is in that race, you can never count anybody out,” said the 25-year-old Holloway, who went to high school in Virginia before starring at the University of Florida.

“The main thing is really just to continue to build off this consistency, build off this success and continue to take the sport to high hopes.”

Only fitting that Holloway achieved his feat on the 40th anniversary

Athletes to watch at world championships - Day 3

BUDAPEST, Hungary

(AP) — A look at how 10 top athletes are faring at track and field world championships after Day 3:

SHA’CARRI RICHARDSON

With her colourful hair, glitzy nails and, of course, fast times, Richardson stands out on the track. The 23-year-old from Dallas has the second-fastest 100metre time in the world this season. Richardson will run the 100 and 200 at the worlds a year after missing the team. She won the 100 at the US Olympic trials two years ago, but had the title stripped after she tested positive for marijuana. The 100 will be a fast field that includes reigning champion ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce and her Jamaican teammate, Shericka Jackson, who has the fastest time in the world this season. RESULTS: Won the 100 metres in a championship-record time of 10.65 seconds. NEXT UP: 200 metres, Aug. 23-25; 4x100 relay, Aug. 25-26.

MARILEIDY PAULINO

The 400 metres is wide open at the worlds with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone withdrawing from the event because of a minor knee issue. Paulino, who represents the Dominican Republic, has the secondfastest time this season behind McLaughlin-Levrone. Paulino finished runner-up to Shaunae Miller-Uibo at last year’s

worlds. RESULTS: Won semifinal heat in 49.54.

NEXT UP: Finals Aug. 23, with 4x400 relay set for Aug. 27.

FAITH KIPYEGON

The 29-year-old Kenyan broke three different world records — mile, 1,500 and 5,000 — over a 50-day stretch this year.

Kipyegon will concentrate on the 1,500 and 5,000 at the worlds, a double she might repeat a year from now at the Paris Games.

RESULTS: Ran 4:02.62 in opening round of 1,500 on Saturday and 3:55.14 in semifinals on Sunday. UP

NEXT: Final Aug. 22; 5,000

meters: Aug. 23, 26.

KATIE MOON

To think, the reigning world and Olympic champion pole vaulter was nearly a gymnast instead. Moon, who is from Ohio, has the top clearance in the world this season. Competing last season at the worlds as Katie Nageotte — she got married — she won on countback over U.S. teammate Sandi Morris. RESULTS: Made it through qualifying. COM-

PETES: Aug. 23.

ANNA HALL

The fun-loving, candychomping American is knocking on the door of the 7,000-point plateau in the heptathlon — a mark only four women have achieved. Hall’s top score in the seven-event competition is 6,988 points, which she set in May. The world record is held by Jackie

Joyner-Kersee, who accumulated 7,291 points in winning at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. RESULTS: Finished second, 20 points behind Katarina JohnsonThompson in the tightest heptathlon in world-championship history.

NOAH LYLES

At last year’s world championships, Lyles broke the long-hallowed American 200-metre record of 19.32 seconds held since 1996 by Michael Johnson. Lyles has set 19.10 as a goal, which would shatter Usain Bolt’s mark of 19.19. RESULTS: Won 100 in 9.83 seconds.

UP NEXT: 200 metres, Aug. 23-25; 4x100 relay, Aug. 25-26.

PAWEL FAJDEK

The Polish hammer thrower tries for his sixth straight world title. If he wins it, he would match Sergey Bubka with the most world golds in an individual event. RESULTS: Finished fourth to snap streak of five straight wins at worlds.

MONDO DUPLANTIS

Since first breaking the world record three years ago, the Louisiana-born pole vaulter who competes for his mother’s native Sweden, has upped the mark by a centimetre five more times. It now stands at 6.22 metres (20 feet, 4 3/4 inches). DATES: Aug. 23, 26.

FRED KERLEY

The American sprinter is the defending world champion at 100 metres. His best time this year is 9.88

of Foster starting his at the inaugural 1983 world championships in Helsinki. Foster won again in 1987 and ‘91.

As for overall world titles among 110 hurdles, Allen Johnson has four.

Another American, Aries Merritt, holds the world-record holder by running 12.80 seconds in 2012.

“Historically, we’ve have had a great tradition” in the hurdles, said Renaldo Nehemiah, the former world record holder in the event who’s now the agent for newly crowned women’s 100-metre champion Sha’Carri Richardson. “So you have guys who just want to be in that conversation as well.”

Parchment has taken to studying just how effortlessly Holloway blasts out of the starting blocks.

It’s something Parchment wants to become even more proficient at before the Jamaican defends his Olympic title at the Paris Games next summer.

“He’s the top man right now,” Parchment said. “Grant is like a benchmark so I have to watch him to see what I can learn from him.”

Like any good hurdler, Holloway avoids looking too far down the road. That’s why Paris isn’t on his mind just yet. He wound up with silver at the Tokyo Games.

“I’m just going to enjoy this,” Holloway said. “When we get to that outdoor phase, I’ll write down my goals, and put them in my book. I’ll challenge myself and I will challenge my team to make sure I fulfill those goals. We’ll make it happen.”

Ta Lou, who came in ranked fifth and eighth alltime, in a race where only the top two finishers were guaranteed spots in the final.

In that semifinal, Richardson got off to a wretched start and had to rally from seventh to finish third in 10.84. Her time was the fastest among all non-qualifiers, so she made it to the final.

A mere 70 minutes later, she was lining up on the edge of the track in Lane 9 for the gold-medal sprint, as tough a spot as there is because there’s no way to feel how the top contenders — or anyone, really — is doing. It made no difference. Even though she had the third-slowest start in the field, nobody got too far ahead. In the end, it was a race between her and Jackson. Jackson crossed and, unable to track what Richardson was doing so far on the outside, looked up to the scoreboard as though she might have won.

But Richardson beat her by .07 seconds, FraserPryce by .12 and Ta Lou by .16. The 10.65 was a world-championships record — Florence GriffithJoyner’s 35-year-old world record of 10.49 still stands — and matched Jackson for the best time in the world this year. Though Richardson came in 2-0 against Jackson in head-to-head matchups this year, she was still a 5-1 underdog in the race — in part because she was a rookie at worlds going against a field that had amassed 38 Olympic and world-championship medals between them.

The new champion looked stunned after she crossed the finish line. She blew a kiss toward the sky, cast her eyes on that beautiful scoreboard and walked toward the stands in a daze to accept the American flag and congratulations from Fraser-Pryce, Dina AsherSmith of Britain and others.

“All the heavy hitters were going to bring their ‘A’ game, so it helped me pull out my best ‘A’ game, as well,” Richardson said. “I’m next to living legends. It feels remarkable.”

Richardson appeared ready to become America’s next sprint star when, with her orange hair flowing behind her, she cruised to a win at trials two years ago. But that victory quickly came off the books after she tested positive for marijuana — a doping violation she readily admitted, saying she was in a bad place after the recent death of her mom.

seconds — pedestrian for this race — but Kerley is a favourite in an event where no one has cracked 9.8 this year. RESULTS: Finished third in 100-metre semifinals and did not advance to finals. UP NEXT: 4x100 relay, Aug. 25-26.

MUTAZ ESSA

BARSHIM

It might not ever get better for the high jumper nicknamed “The Falcon,” than when he won world gold in his home country of Qatar in 2019. But Barshim has won gold in the last four major competitions, including the famous tie for first with Gianmarco Tamberi at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago. RESULTS: Cleared 2.28 metres (7 feet, 5 3/4 inches) in qualifying. NEXT UP: Finals are Aug. 22.

MARILEIDY PAULINO, of the Dominican Republic, reacts as she wins her women’s 400 metre heat at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

BRONZE medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and silver medallist Shericka Jackson, both of Jamaica, from left, pose after the women’s 100-metre final during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

242 BALLERS BLUE WIN THE CARIBBEAN HOOPFEST TOURNEY

CARIBBEAN Hoopfest

was an incredibly exciting and entertaining event in New Providence over the weekend.

The games were highly competitive, and the crowd was filled with enthusiastic supporters cheering on the Bahamian teams.

It was wonderful to see teams from New York City appreciating the high-level competition and enjoying their time in The Bahamas.

The ultimate winner of the tournament was 242 Ballers Blue, a team from Nassau.

The championship game was a thrilling matchup between Archbishop Molloy from NYC and 242 Ballers Blue.

The game was intense, with 242 Ballers Blue initially taking a 12-point lead.

However, Molloy fought back and brought the game within two points.

In the end, 242 Ballers Blue took control and secured a commanding lead, winning by six points, 78-72.

The success of Caribbean Hoopfest has guaranteed its return, and plans are already in motion for the next event.

People from all over the world have been reaching

out to be a part of this exciting tournament in New Providence.

The organising team is diligently working on the upcoming season and will be announcing the dates very shortly. Stay tuned for

more updates on Caribbean Hoopfest as it continues to grow and attract teams from around the globe.

It is sure to be another unforgettable event filled with high-level competition and camaraderie.

BASKETBALL WORLD CUP 2023: HOW TO WATCH, WHO’S PLAYING, WHO’S FAVOURED AND MORE

THE Basketball World Cup — FIBA’s biggest tournament — starts Friday, spread out across three countries for the first two rounds before all the biggest games get played in Manila to decide which nation will go home with gold medals and the Naismith Trophy on September 10.

Spain is the defending champion, having won in China four years ago.

The US was only seventh in that tournament, its worst finish ever in a major international event. But the Americans have high hopes, and enter as the tournament favourites.

The 32 teams were split into eight different groups of four.

The top two teams from each group will make the

second round. The top eight teams after the second round advance to the quarterfinals.

opening games for all 32 teams:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 25

Group A (at Manila): Angola vs. Italy, Dominican Republic vs. Philippines

Group D (at Manila): Mexico vs. Montenegro, Egypt vs. Lithuania

Group E (at Okinawa):

Finland vs. Australia, Germany vs. Japan

Group H (at Jakarta): Latvia vs. Lebanon, Canada vs. France

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26

Group B (at Manila):

South Sudan vs. Puerto Rico, Serbia vs. China

Group C (at Manila): Jordan vs. Greece, U.S. vs. New Zealand

Group F (at Okinawa): Cape Verde vs. Georgia, Slovenia vs. Venezuela

Group G (at Jakarta): Iran vs. Brazil, Spain vs. Ivory Coast

HOW TO WATCH

THE BASKETBALL

WORLD CUP

— In the U.S.: The first three U.S. games (Aug. 26, Aug. 28, Aug. 30) will be on ESPN2. Aug. 26 and Aug. 28 games will begin at 8:40 a.m. EDT; the Aug. 30 game begins at 4:40 a.m. EDT.

— There are streaming options for other games.

WHO IS PLAYING

There are two AllNBA players in the field: Slovenia’s Luka Doncic (Dallas) and Canada’s

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City). They’re among six All-Stars from last season in the World Cup field, the others being Finland’s Lauri Markkanen (Utah) and U.S. players Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis) and Anthony Edwards (Minnesota).

BETTING GUIDE

The US is the overwhelming favourite to win the World Cup, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, with the Americans’ odds listed at minus-130 (meaning a $130 wager on the Americans would return $230, if they won). France and Canada are tied as the second choice, both at plus950 (a $100 wager would return $950). Want some value? Try Slovenia; Luka

Doncic’s team is starting out at plus-2,100.

WHAT TO KNOW

What you need to know about the Basketball World Cup, and the U.S. road to getting here:

— USA Basketball’s coaching staff for the World Cup is an All-Star team

— Getting used to FIBA rule differences is part of the challenge for NBA players

— As World Cup nears, U.S. team says it’ll embrace any doubters — U.S. finishes exhibition season with perfect 5-0 record after rallying to beat Germany

— The U.S. brought some help to finish World Cup preparations

QUOTABLE

“Everybody here has a little bit of a chip on their

shoulder, because I think we all know that the world is looking at us like ‘This is the time that we’re going to beat the United States.’ And that bothers the (heck) out of everybody.”

— U.S. guard Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers.

THE

SCHEDULE

— Aug. 25-30: First Round

— Aug. 31-Sept. 3: Second Round, and classification for 17th through 32nd place

— Sept. 4: No games

— Sept. 5-6: Quarterfinals

— Sept. 7: Playoffs for 5th through 8th place

— Sept. 8: Semifinals

— Sept. 9: Playoffs for 5th through 8th place

— Sept. 10: Gold medal game, bronze medal game

ANALYSIS: USA BASKETBALL STRIKING BLEND OF FOCUS AND FUN ON WORLD CUP JOURNEY

FROM PAGE 16

park, some played golf, some shopped or visited the Louvre Abu Dhabi. There was plenty of time to chill at the pool or walk along the sand as the 102-degree bath water of the Persian Gulf gently lapped the shore.

But now, Manila awaits. The World Cup is finally here.

“I know everyone’s going to be focused on who wins, and obviously we are — we desperately want to win,” Kerr said.

“But this is an incredible experience, too, for our players, our coaches, our families to see the world, to really experience

competition at the highest form all over the globe.

What an experience. I think our guys are loving it.”

Winning helps. The Americans played five exhibition games this summer and won them all, rallying from a 16-point deficit in the second half to cap that stretch Sunday with a 99-91 comeback victory over Germany. The team was confident in its chances before Sunday, and that win only heightened those feelings.

They’ve enjoyed every second of the trip so far.

“I was with my family and I was walking through the hotel and someone’s screaming ‘Austin, can I

take a picture?’” said U.S. guard Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers.

“For that to happen over here, it’s special to me. I never take any of that for granted. Anytime I can try to sign anything for anybody, I try to sign everything. For me, it’s special. It’s something one day I will look back at and smile about.”

US forward Bobby Portis was in Abu Dhabi last year as well; he and the Milwaukee Bucks flew over to play in the preseason against the Atlanta Hawks. He got a kandura — the traditional white long-sleeved robe — and matching headdress on that trip and wore them to

the arena Sunday for the Americans’ finale in the desert.

He brought his family on the trip.

“I had to bring them on this journey,” Portis said. “They keep me going.”

It’s a new experience for almost everyone on the trip. Some players hadn’t been to Abu Dhabi, some haven’t been to Manila and some hadn’t been to Spain — which was the first of three international stops for the Americans this summer.

US centre Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz hadn’t been anywhere overseas. Same goes for US guard Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers.

“I get paid a lot of money to play a child’s game and I get a lot of opportunities that people would kill for just because I’m good at a sport,” Haliburton said.

“Sometimes perspective matters. I brought my mom and dad and my girlfriend. My mom and dad have never been to any of these places.

“Probably dreamed of travelling like this. Now they get to do that and watch their son play basketball? It’s such a blessing that a ball can take you to these places.”

When the mosque trip was over yesterday, the travel party headed back to the hotel to get ready

for the nine-hour overnight flight to Manila.

The World Cup favourites were scheduled to arrive in the basketballcrazed Philippines this morning, and then a few days of practice will await before the Americans play their tournament opener on Saturday against New Zealand.

Vacation is over. It’ll be time to lock in on winning a World Cup.

“These guys are all people who want the experience and want the competition but also want to win a gold medal and want to be part of something special,” Kerr said.

“That’s why they’re here.”

TOP: Caribbean Hoopfest champions 242 Ballers Blue and runners-up, Archbishop Molloy from New York City, with the organisers.

Sparking a career

THE Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) continues to produce economically independent individuals and Roderick A Simms II is one of those who is thriving in his field.

The BTVI Story

Back in 2008, Mr Simms completed a residential wiring certificate at BTVI. It has since evolved into the electrical installation programme. Today, he is the owner of several businesses including Electrical Design and Services Ltd. Though he went on to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in electrical engineering technology from the then College of The Bahamas and diplomas in AutoCAD (computer aided drafting) and electrical installation from Howard Community College, he said it was BTVI that set a solid foundation for his future.

“Understanding of electrical installation is the foundation of becoming a well-rounded electrical engineer. Being able to merge theory and practical is explosive. It will set you apart from your competition. Most engineers are good at either/or but rarely do you come across one who can bring both together. This was my main reason for enrolling at BTVI. Secret out! I want the theory – what I design – to be implemented in the field – practical,”

said Mr Simms.

Fifteen years later, Mr Simms, who is registered as a professional engineer (PE) in The Bahamas, a chartered engineer in the United Kingdom (CEng) and is a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (MIET), still gives kudos to BTVI instructor Gregory Curry for the knowledge and skills he imparted.

“He was a patient and humble man who has a gift for teaching. He was very disciplined, very focused and explained things. He was knowledgeable,” recalled Mr Simms.

Meanwhile, Mr Simms, who is also a licenced three phase electrical contractor and Accubid-trained electrical estimator, encouraged others to learn a trade.

“Many tradespeople transition from jobs to become entrepreneurs. The Bahamas and other parts of the world are experiencing a housing boom where supply is not keeping up with demand. A tradesperson who knows their craft can find work more quickly than most unemployed people. Clients are always looking for good reliable tradespeople. But most importantly is when economies shift or there is an economic downturn, tradespeople are always needed,” emphasized Mr Simms.

A WISH COME TRUE...

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

STUDENTS participated in a two-week maritime camp at the LJM Maritime Academy.

The camp was sponsored by Disney Cruise Line was attended by 25 students, ranging from age ten to 13. The students learned about the local and global maritime industry and gained a better understanding of career opportunities on board

While the Disney Wish was in port in Nassau, the students toured the ship, learned from crew members in a variety of roles, met the captain of the Disney Wish and even had the special opportunity to visit the ship’s command centre bridge.

Quinn, a student participating in the summer camp said was in awe of the ship and is motivated to one day become a captain.

She said: “It was so fun to see the Disney Wish. When we were on the

bridge, my jaw just dropped. We met the captain, the pilot and other crew members. I hope to continue to learn more, so that one day, I can be a captain on a ship like the Disney Wish” Joey Gaskins, public affairs director, Disney Cruise Line said the cruise giant wants to encourage young Bahamians to explore careers in the maritime industry and encouraged them to join the Disney team in the future.

He said: “We want to inspire young people, especially here in The Bahamas, to explore careers at sea. Sponsoring the LJM Maritime Academy summer camp program is one of the ways we’re introducing young Bahamians to maritime opportunities early on so that they know this is an option for them.

“We’ve invited these students aboard the Disney Wish to show them first-hand some of the incredible maritime careers available, and we want to encourage them to join our growing Disney Cruise Line

“Trades like plumbing, carpentry, electrical, HVAC etc. have been around for a very long time and are vital to the development of societies and economies. Construction is taking place every day and as the world progresses, trades will become more in demand whether it be new construction or renovations,” he said.

Mr Simms added that upskilling and reskilling are crucial in a competitive market.

“The only constant is change. Reeducation, reengineering and retooling one’s skills is necessary for professional survival and competition. The world and technology are changing so rapidly that if one does not continually upgrade, obtaining a certification will be insufficient. It’s a competitive world and so many people are graduating yearly with cutting edge degrees, so to compete and keep pace, upgrading should become second nature. Success is not comfortable. Regression is.

Pick your seat,” he stressed.

• “The BTVI Story” is a bi-weekly column which highlights the who, what and why of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), a tertiary institution where individuals ‘Discover the Possibilities’ related to various trades. The column is produced by BTVI’s Office of Public Relations.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

team in the future.”

Antoinique Lightbourn, who recently graduated from LJM Maritime Academy and participated in DCL’s scholarship program, was invited to join the students on the tour of the ship. While walking the students around the ship, she shared her experiences and favorite moments from working aboard the Disney Wish and encouraged the students to chase their dreams of pursuing careers at sea.

Dr Brenda Cleare, principal of LJM Maritime Academy, noted the

importance of the camp in opening new ventures such as the maritime industry to young persons.

She said: “Disney Cruise Line has continued to be an excellent partner to the LJM Maritime Academy, through its scholarship program and sponsorship of our successful summer camp.

“This camp is so important because it opens up new horizons for these young people as they begin to enter high school and think seriously about the direction they want their lives to go in.”

GRADUATION CELEBRATION AT NATIONAL TRAINING AGENCY

THE National Training Agency (NTA) recently held a graduation for 110 trainees from their Entry Level Workplace Training Programme.

NTA is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year and has provided job preparation training to almost 8,000 young persons. The agency aims to create a workforce that is highly productive, service oriented, globally competitive and responsive to the dynamics of the Bahamian economy.

The most recent group of trainees, Cohort 21, contained 110 trainees, all of which completed four weeks of soft skills training. Out of that group, 85 completed the full 14-week programme consisting of four weeks of soft skills and ten weeks of practical skills training. These students were provided with a small stipend during graduation

to purchase work-related items for their new job opportunity, a first for the programme.

NTA is an administrative coordinating entity that provides training for students ranging from age 16 to 28, in special cases up to 30, who are out of school with little to no academic qualifications and/or work experience. They have partnered with a network of approved and accredited industry training professionals, providers and programmes to deliver the content.

The agency is not a school so their participants are considered trainees as they are gaining specialised industry-based skills for the workplace and not for academic purposes.

The mandatory four-week workforce preparation programme includes sessions on customer service, self-awareness, teamwork, communication and workplace values, practices and preparation.

The ten-week practical skill training introduce disciplines such as housekeeping, culinary and baking,

autobody repair and service, allied health, office procedures, customer service and non-instructional teacher’s aide.

Trainees must complete sixty hours of skills training during the ten-week period which equates to two half days per week to earn six hours per week. The agency makes a substantial financial investment in each trainee so they are not paid during this training programme.

Successful graduates will earn local and international certifications through training providers such as Synergy Bahamas, Talent Solutions, Ebenezer College, City & Guilds, National School of Accountancy and Professional Development, Ready-to-Go Auto Repair.

Cohort 22 begins on Monday, September 4, and registration is still open for those who qualify.

ANDRIA Conliffe, above, recently graduated with honours from Kingsway Academy. She will be pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in marine biology at Barry University this fall.

Andria’s graduation honours included: Accelerated Track; AKT Honour Society; Dean’s List Spring; Honour Roll Year; Subject Awards in geography and AP biology; Certificates in AP English language, Christian education, information technology and physical education.

Jade Dodge, below commenced her journey towards obtaining her Doctor of Medicine (MD) Degree at Drexel University. Jade graduated from Drexel University – Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies in Philadelphia, PA with her Master of Science Degree in biomedical science in May 2023.

• Do you know a student you’d like to nominate for Student Spotlight? Email details to jsimmons@ tribunemedia.net.

RODERICK A Simms II, a BTVI alum, who is now a registered Professional Engineer (PE) in The Bahamas and a Chartered Engineer in the United Kingdom (CEng). He is also a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (MIET).

Photo: BTVI

SPORTS

Warm welcome home

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Prime Minister Philip Davis said Bahamas Aquatics can be assured of the Bahamas Government’s support as they continue to excel in the Goodwill Games as they have done in CARIFTA Swimming. Davis’ comments came yesterday as he and other government officials welcomed home the 40-member team that won the Goodwill Games for the first time over the weekend in Kingston, Jamaica, following on the heels of the oisland nation’s fifth straight title at CARIFTA in April in Curacao. Team Bahamas, which made the

Swimmers bring home 129 medals - 55 gold - from Goodwill Games

trip on a chartered Bahamasair flight, collected a total of 129 medals, including 55 gold, 45 silver and 29 bronze, well ahead of Barbados, who was second with 23 gold, 16 silver and 18 bronze for 57 medals. Trinidad & Tobago followed with 21 gold, 18 silver and 19 bronze for 58 medals.

The Bahamas, which produced over 20 records, also accumulated the total amount of points with 1,418.50. Jamaica was second with 1,143.50 and Trinidad & Tobago came in third with 970.50.

SEE PAGE 12

THE BAHAMAS MOVES CLOSER TO PARIS OLYMPIC BASKETBALL BERTH

SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO, Argentina

(AP) — Bahamas has never sent its men’s basketball team to the Olympics. The island nation is one step closer to changing that.

Eric Gordon scored 27 points, Buddy Hield added 17 and Bahamas stunned Argentina 82-75 to win one of the five Olympic pre-qualifying tournaments that were wrapping up around the world Sunday.

The win sends Bahamas into another Olympic qualifying tournament in July 2024, one that will bring with it a chance to qualify for next summer’s Paris Games. Deandre Ayton had 10 points and 21 rebounds for Bahamas in the win over Argentina.

Argentina — Olympic champions in 2004 — will miss the games for the first time since 2000.

Other pre-qualifying tournament winners Sunday included Cameroon, Bahrain, Croatia and Poland. Cameroon was an 80-74 winner over Senegal to win in Nigeria; Bahrain finished 5-0 in a tournament in Syria; Croatia got 22 points and 11 rebounds from Dario Saric to beat Turkey in another final; and Poland got past Bosnia and Herzegovina 76-72 for its qualifying berth.

There will be 12 men’s teams in the field at the Paris Olympics. Host France has been allocated one of the spots already, and seven others will be claimed at the Basketball World Cup that starts on Friday in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan.

Next summer, Bahamas, Cameroon, Bahrain, Croatia and Poland will join 19 other teams — based on World Cup finish — in the final qualifying round.

Those 24 nations will be split into four tournaments of six teams; the four winners go to the Paris Olympics.

Sha’Carri caps comeback, wins 100m title at worlds

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Track, and fame, can be brutal games. Nobody felt that more over the past two years than American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson.

On a sultry Monday night a half-world away from where her problems began, the 23-year-old earned a gold medal at world championships in the biggest 100-metre race this side of the Olympics. Her victory, in 10.65 seconds over Jamaicans Shericka Jackson and five-time world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, capped a comeback two years in the making and made good on the mantra she’s been reciting all year — and repeated yet again after her latest victory: “I’m not back. I’m better.”

ANALYSIS: USA BASKETBALL STRIKING BLEND OF FOCUS AND FUN ON WCUP JOURNEY

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —

Two summers ago after Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, Richardson’s road to the Tokyo Games was roadblocked by a positive test for marijuana.

Her name turned into a litmus test in a wideranging debate about race, fairness, the oftenimpenetrable anti-doping rulebook and, ultimately, about the sometimes razorthin line between right and wrong.

Richardson said she soaked it all in, surrounded herself with supporters, tried to drown out the rest.

“I would say ‘never give up,’” she said when asked what message this victory sent. “Never allow media, never allow outsiders, never allow anything

but yourself and your faith define who you are.

I would say ‘Always fight. No matter what, fight.’” For this victory, in a field featuring four of the eight fastest sprinters in history, she fought.

She fought when the vagaries of the track rulebook placed her in the so-called “Semifinal of Death,” paired against Jackson and Marie-Josée

This was the last act of the World Cup preseason for Team USA.

A few hours before flying to the Philippines yesterday for its World Cup stay, a good portion of the USA Basketball travel party — some players and family members, along with coaches and staff — visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, a magnificent centre of worship that has seen the likes of Pope Francis, President Joe Biden, King Charles III and Rihanna shed their shoes to step on its gleaming white marble floor in recent years. Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson posed for photos with tour guides. Erik

Spoelstra marvelled at what he saw. Steve Kerr got a bunch of pictures with his wife. And when the tours were done, nobody was in a hurry to leave.

“I had to see the mosque,” Kerr, the US coach for the World Cup, said earlier in the week. “It looks amazing.”

It is, after all, vacation time in the NBA.

And USA Basketball went to great lengths to ensure that there would be a work-life balance for those who committed six weeks of their time with hopes of getting the Americans back atop the international stage. Some who made the trip halfway around the world to be part of the experience have ridden camels.

Others went to the Ferrari World amusement

SHA’CARRI RICHARDSON, of the United States, reacts after crossing the finish line to win the gold medal in the women’s 100-metre final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Monday, August 21, 2023. (AP Photo/ Matthias Schrader)

THE Bahamas men’s national basketball team celebrate their win over Argentina. Team Bahamas pulled off the hard fought 82-75 win on Sunday night to win the FIBA Americas Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament title, earning their berth in the 2024 Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament.

Photo: FIBA Americas SEE STORY ON PAGE 12

PRIME Minister Philip Davis and Zane Lightbourne, MP for Yamacraw, with Team Bahamas swimmers on their return home from the Goodwill Games over the weekend in Kingston, Jamaica.

Photo: Moises Amisial/Tribune Staff