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BUYING A HOME? BUYERS’ GUIDE INSIDE

Govt hope over Baha Mar debt

ANSWERS ARE PROMISED OVER LETTER OF INTENT SCANDAL

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis has said the FNM will “very soon” answer everyone’s questions regarding the controversial Stellar Waste to Energy letter of intent, which led to Bamboo Town MP Renward Well’s departure from the governing Progressive Liberal Party.

SEE PAGE EIGHT

Workers to be A GOLDEN HOMECOMING FOR SHAUNAE paid by end of next month

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE government yesterday expressed “hope” that the claims of former Bahamian workers at Baha Mar will be settled by the end of next month, with all other claims to be dealt with by year-end.

In a statement released yesterday, the Christie administration also revealed the establishment of a stakeholder committee to administer creditor claims; however, there was no information given on how the process would be con-

ducted, its timeline, or the amount of funding allocated for claims.

The members of the newly formed committee are: former Minister of State for Finance James Smith, CBE; Grant Lyon, liquidation claims advisor to the government; Yanping Mo, representative of the Export-Import Bank of China; Norbert Chan, representative of court appointed receiver Deloitte & Touche; and Tiger Wu, representative of China Construction America (CCA).

SEE PAGE SIX

MILLER: PEOPLE ANGER AT CCA FIXATED ON APPOINTEE TO CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

TALL Pines MP Leslie Miller said yesterday he finds it “incredible” that people have become fixated on the concessions contained in the new deal to complete and open the shuttered $3.5bn Baha Mar resort, as he defended the government and castigated Bahamians for “complaining” too much.

He said he doubts that this newly negotiated deal or the resort’s eventual SEE PAGE FIVE

By TANEKA THOMPSON Tribune News Editor tmthompson@tribunemedia.net SARKIS Izmirlian’s company BMD Holdings has criticised the appointment of China Construction America (CCA) executive Tiger Wu to a committee that will oversee payments to Baha Mar creditors.

In a statement released hours after the government announced the formation of the committee, BMD Holdings alleged that Mr Wu has “engaged in documented questionable behaviour,” SEE PAGE SEVEN

BAHAMAS ‘Golden Girl’ Shaunae Miller has returned home from Brazil with her Olympic medal and a beaming smile to be welcomed by a host of dignitaries in Nassau. Accompanied by her mother Mabelene and father Shawn, she enjoyed a lighter moment during her official courtesy call on the Prime Minister, Perry Christie, and talked with the Governor General, Dame Marguerite Pindling, at Government House about her triumph in the 400m in Rio de Janeiro. The Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Dr Daniel Johnson, was also present. See page two for more photographs.

Photo: Peter Ramsay/BIS

‘MUCH LESS’ SPENT ON CARNIVAL THIS YEAR BUT NO WORD ON DATE FOR REPORT RELEASE

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM Minister Obie Wilchcombe confirmed yesterday that the government spent “much less” on this year’s Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival but declined to reveal whether the second instalment of the annual festival managed to ‘break even’.

Mr Wilchcombe pushed back against concerns that the government was trying to bury the event’s economic impact report, which was

completed last month, but has not been released.

The Bahamas National Festival Commission (BNFC) has already briefed Prime Minister Perry Christie on the report, according to Mr Wilchcombe, who explained that officials were still putting the finishing touches on their presentation to the media.

“We can’t bury a report,” he said, “it will not be buried. It did much better than last year in terms of the production - we maintained the same high quality production.

“We spent much less than we did last year. I’m not going to get into all of that because it should really come from the commission and it would be against protocol.”

Mr Wilchcombe added: “They want to ensure that all the t’s are crossed and i’s dotted. They have briefed the prime minister, myself and the minister responsible for sports. They intend to make a formal presentation to the media, and it’s very detailed and so they want to make sure all questions can be answered be-

cause there was so much involved, all the entertainers, logistics.

“It is absolutely not being buried.”

Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival was held in Nassau from May 5-7, and in Grand Bahama from April 15-16. Many people, including members of the Official Opposition, have questioned why the government has yet to produce figures on the festival’s financial performance and economic impact.

SEE PAGE EIGHT

MITCHELL WARNS FOX HILL RESIDENTS OVER ZIKA VIRUS AFTER public health officials indicated that one of the four confirmed cases of the Zika virus is a patient who is a resident of the Fox Hill area, MP Fred Mitchell urged residents to take the necessary precautions to

prevent mosquito bites.

“I was informed by public health officials that there is one case diagnosed of a patient infected with the mosquito borne Zika virus in Fox Hill,” Mr Mitchell said in a press release.

“I wish to ask all residents of Fox Hill to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites. Try to wear long sleeved clothing and mosquito repellent. More importantly try to eliminate all areas where

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

mosquitos can breed like abandoned cars, fridges and car tires. Any stagnant or still water can be a source for the mosquito. The disease is also sexually transmitted.”

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Monday, August 29, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

A GOLDEN HOMECOMING

GOVERNOR General Dame Marguerite Pindling welcomes Bahamian Olympic gold medalist Shaunae Miller to Government House on Friday. Also pictured is Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson.

Photos: Derek Smith/BIS

SHAUNAE Miller with Prime Minister Perry Christie and, front from left, her father, Shaun Miller; mother Mabelene Miller; and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson.

Photo: Kemuel Stubbs/BIS

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 29, 2016, PAGE 3

REGGAETON star J Balvin in an image posted to Instagram after a private plane crash at North Eleuthera International Airport on Friday.

Reggaeton star among those left uninjured in Eleuthera plane crash

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

NINE people, including Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin, walked away unharmed after the small private Learjet 55 aircraft they were in crashed in bushes a short distance from the end of the North Eleuthera International Airport runway on Friday afternoon.

The 31-year-old Colombian, whose real name is Jose Osorio Balvin, thanked God for his survival after emerging uninjured as he was leaving The Bahamas. He posted a photograph of himself on Facebook sitting on the airplane’s wing with a note in Spanish that said: “We’re safe. God didn’t want us to die today.”

According to a statement from officials at the Department of Civil Aviation, investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.

“On Friday August 26, 2016, at 2.55pm, N666TK, a Lear jet 55, aborted take off on runway 07 at North Eleuthera Airport, coming to rest in bushes approximately 300 ft from the end of the runway,” the statement noted. “No injuries were sustained by the nine persons on board the aircraft at the time.

The intended destination was Miami Opa Locka Airport.

“Investigators from the Flight Standards Inspectorate (FSI) division of the Civil Aviation Department were dispatched to North Eleuthera the following

morning, to begin investigations into the cause of the incident (a runway excursion).

“Investigations are ongoing, with a team of investigators scheduled to return to Eleuthera Monday, August 29, 2016.”

According to international reports, a spokesman for the artist said: “I can confirm that there was an incident with a small plane on which J Balvin was departing the Bahamas. J Balvin is okay, sustaining no injuries, but we do not have any further details on exactly what happened with the flight at this time.”

On Friday, Mr Balvin posted a photo on Facebook that showed the small plane embedded in bushes. Later, the picture was taken down from his Instagram account. He also posted a photo on Instagram showing himself standing with his hands together in prayer at the end of a small jetty with his back to the turquoise sea and captioned it ‘Resilience’.

Clearly nervous about flying after what happened, he wrote in Spanish alongside the snap: “The only way to overcome fears is to face them. God protects me.”

Next month, J Balvin is scheduled to be honoured at the annual Hispanic Heritage Awards in Washington, DC. He will be presented with the Vision Award “for serving as a role model to youth while setting the music world on fire with his dynamic talents”.

See video on tribune242. com

ABOVE, an image from video posted to Instagram showing the crashed plane and, right, J Balvin in a post with the caption “Resiliencia”.

BOAT THEFT RING ARRESTS MADE IN ABACO

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

POLICE have busted a boat theft ring in Abaco, arresting several men who are known repeat offenders and suspected of stealing over a dozen vessels on the island.

According to a Tribune source, one man from Sandy Cay, two from Cherokee and two others from Marsh Harbour were taken into police custody following investigations by a special task force.

Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Emrick Seymour confirmed two weeks ago that several arrests had been made in Abaco of persons suspected of being involved in a boat theft ring.

He also revealed that a task force comprised of officers from Grand Bahama, Abaco and Bimini had been assembled to investigate the thefts.

The Tribune attempted to reach ACP Seymour for an update on whether the persons arrested have been charged but up to last night he had not responded.

The boat theft issue was spotlighted by several concerned Abaco residents who felt that not enough was being done by the po-

lice on the island to catch the perpetrators when the reports were initially made.

They feared the thefts would drive visiting boaters away and hurt the island’s tourism sector, and called for more action and urgent attention to the problem.

According to residents, about 17 boats were stolen in a six-week period. And

although nearly all boats were recovered, the engines were missing.

Residents had threatened to take matters into their own hands if something were not done soon to stop the thefts. They said in their view not enough police resources are available to deal with patrolling Abaco and its many cays.

PAGE 4, Monday, August 29, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

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Christie criticised for not interfering with private enterprise WITH THE spectre of another Moody’s downgrade of this country’s credit worthiness – after being dropped to a notch just above “junk” – the Christie government quickly grabbed onto the completion of Baha Mar as the lifeline from its economic woes. It had hardly dodged that bullet when it was faced with union bullies threatening to “shut the country down”.

Apparently, the fight by the union to be recognised at Sandals has been going on for some time. The case is complicated because it is now before the Supreme Court for a judicial review. The union has also filed criminal charges, so until these matters are settled, there is little chance in further negotiations between Sandals and the union. Or even to expect government to override the courts and force its will on the hotel.

The Director of Labour, Robert Farquharson, rightly washed his hands of the problem, explaining that as the matter is before the Supreme Court, he cannot intervene.

Even the usual fiery Labour Minister Shane Gibson, although miffed because Sandals had not warned him of its impending closure for renovations, resulting in the redundancy of workers, had to draw in his claws.

Asked by a Tribune reporter to respond to criticism that the Christie administration was blindsided by Sandals’ decision, the minister said there were labour laws in place and the government could not set a precedent of dictating to private sector business owners how to conduct their affairs. This is the first intelligent statement that we have heard Mr Gibson make in a long time.

In fact, the Christie government had not been kept in the dark about the impending closure. Apparently, the hotel had gone over the Minister’s head and had directly informed the prime minister’s office.

But as one would expect, in response to pressure to have the Christie administration intervene in the dispute, Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller did not mince his words. He accused the union of holding “a gun to the head” of Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort executives. He said the union was now reaping what it had sown with the “unfortunate” job losses of more than 600 resort employees.

In a word of advice to the union “and those who believe they are free to do as they please under private ownership”, Mr Miller in his usual colourful language, recommended that the workers carryyou-know what and look for another job if dissatisfied with the way the resort was operated.

Bishop Walter Hanchell, obviously unaware of the matters before the courts, accused the resort of “gross injustice” by using the workers as “pawns” in its feud with the hotel. He demanded that the 600 workers be “rehired immediately”. Even government cannot make such demands of private enterprise. How can government trespass across Sandals’ threshold when Sandals has obviously decided there is to be no settlement until the courts determine certain outstanding matters between their hotel and the union? Maybe the good Bishop expects government to step in and bully the court. He only has to look at the stupid situation the House is now in because of the high-handed behaviour of some of its members, to understand that this is out of the question.

With this attitude supporting them, no wonder the union feels emboldened to bring the country down. The union

has given the Prime Minister 48 hours to meet their demands, or else…

“We are saying to the Government do the right thing,” said TUC president Obie Ferguson. “We have taken a very strong view in this matter. It’s a legal matter, it is a sovereignty issue, a matter affecting all Bahamians.”

It certainly is a matter affecting all Bahamians. Mr Ferguson is ostensibly fighting to save the jobs of 600 Bahamians, but to do this he is prepared to destroy the Bahamas and the jobs of thousand of Bahamians. As a matter of fact Sandals is now in the process of hiring for the reopening of the hotel. It is presumed that loyal employees will be rehired — who these will be is for the owners to decide, not the union.

Fifty-eight years ago, when a struggling Bahamas, facing near bankruptcy was about to launch the country as a tourist and offshore financial centre, a labour dispute erupted. As the new airport was about to open in November 1957 a dispute broke out as to how business was to be shared between the taxis, and private tour businesses. On November 2 and 3, the taxi union blocked the airport with their taxis, forcing the airlines to cancel flights, and virtually closing the tourist business. The late Sir Clifford Darling, then head of the taxi union, later explained that “the blockade had nothing to do with politics or race. It was share business deal. All of us were ready to go to jail if that’s what it took.” This eventually led to the general strike of 1958 when all the hotels closed and the city went into lock down. The governor called for help.

Britain sent a warship and British troops from Jamaica to reinforce the 300-member Bahamian police force. That was 58 years ago. Is this perchance, what TUC leader Ferguson and NCTU president John Pinder are suggesting? Only this time there is no Britain to call on – we are now on our own.

In The Bahamas, we have some very well-educated Bahamians in all fields of enterprise. We also have Bahamians of little if any qualifications, but who expect to get the same remuneration as those who are qualified and hard working.

So what we are now about to say is directed only to Bahamians who expect the world and all its goodies to fall into their laps without an effort on their part. And, in this the unions have been the greatest aider and abettor of the malingerer. We have known persons who have been employed, failed to measure up, but when fired have run to their union for support.

Instead of assisting the worker by encouraging him to improve his attitude and his work ethic, the union rushes to his/her defence, demanding that they be rehired.

This is what is wrong with the civil service. No matter the level of their performance, short of stealing, they cannot be fired. And so the failures are recycled throughout the system, degrading whatever department they enter.

Not so in private enterprise. An employe either does a job to the standard required, or is fired. However, some join on their terms and expect the organisation to adapt to accommodate them. In private enterprise there is no recycling. If an employe does not like the rules, he/she finds another job.

If the unionist understood this, the standard of labour in this country would improve.

We feel tremendous sympathy for those who have lost their jobs at Sandals, but we are satisfied that the bullying attitude of union leaders did not – and will not – help their cause.

Safety first EDITOR, The Tribune Re: Ground broken on $2.3m BTVI classroom building (August 26) BEARING in mind the very expensive BAMSI fiasco, we must hope that this

$2.3m for BTVI includes a few smoke/fire alarms, and perhaps even one or two functioning fire extinguishers.

KEN W KNOWLES MD Nassau, August 28, 2016

Chinese way of business EDITOR, The Tribune.

A WISE person once told me that if you are to understand the purpose of a thing you have to pay attention to the results, good or bad, positive or negative, and if you are really looking you will see.

This present administration has been caught in a state of “complicitous duplicity” that is boggling the mind of even the die-hard PLP supporters and recent remarks by the Attorney General about the Prime Minister telling us what we need to know about Baha Mar may be an indication of how stupid she thinks the Bahamian people are.

Is she planning on living in this country whenever she retires? Baha Mar is a dead issue, we do not want to know about Baha Mar. We want to know what concessions have been given to the Chinese Government now that they have this administration between a rock and a hard place. This recent “news conference” may have been the biggest lie so far.

Raymond Winder says that the agreement is being sealed for commercial reasons, something about

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net finding a buyer. He should know by now that the Chinese do not sell property.

Even Foreign direct businesses that want to invest in China cannot own property, they can only pay for the use of the land. This is similar to what the Chinese government did when they leased Hong Kong to the British for 99 years.

This government needs to wake up and start talking.

They are not even telling us that the “Pointe” project is going to be almost four times as large as the present structure we are seeing and that that it may march past Junkanoo Beach. We need to hold the Chinese to the rules that they impose on their own people and not allow them to own any major real-estate in The Bahamas; they are using “Western” business rules to gain unfair advantage over our economy, and securing a foothold off the eastern seaboard of the United States that may put us in the middle of a geo-political skirmish in the years to come.

I am surprised that none of our leaders have brought

up the “coughing and sneezing” relationship that we have with the Americans next door and the fact that more than 70 per cent of our GDP is dependent on a particular movement of traffic. This government can preach about sovereignty all it wants, but we have to realise how long it takes for a shipping container to arrive in this country. The future of this nation may be a cough and a sneeze away; and the penchant of our politicians to continually bite the hand that feeds them is not helping us at all.

The only purpose this “secrecy” can facilitate is that of giving the Chinese the time they need to get their hands on the concessions they have gotten from the Christie administration. We may have to march on Baha Mar as a people, march on Parliament or close this nation down if that is what it is going to take to make the Attorney General and the Cabinet tell us what is going on, because it is obvious that Percival Gladstone Christie is not running this show.

EDWARD HUTCHESON Nassau, August 25, 2016.

Cabbage Beach EDITOR, The Tribune WE ARE lucky enough to have visited The Bahamas many times over the years, but during that time we have watched Cabbage Beach deteriorate from one of the most beautiful beaches in the world into a very compromised stretch of seafront.

One obvious reason is the multitude of noisy, smelly, dangerous jetskis and other motor craft. We have seen the jetskis repeatedly breach the safety barriers and it is probably only a matter of time before they slice a snorkeller’s head off.

But, perhaps even worse for The Bahamas’s longterm tourism prospects,

an ominous change to the seabed appears to be well advanced for much of the length of Cabbage Beach.

Underwater, away from shore, the undulations of pure white sand soon give way to a yellow-brown encrustation. Above water, the limitless aquamarine vista of the past has been reduced to just a narrow strip close to shore, succeeded by a murkier discolouration which has no place in Bahamian waters.

Unless there has been a major oil spill, could it be that the constant drip of oil from dozens of engines, day after day, year after year, has left a permanent layer of pollution on the Cabbage Beach seafloor?

We have recovered several samples of sand and water and, while they are awaiting analysis, their disgusting appearance does nothing to dispel this suspicion.

While we appreciate that the operators of pleasure craft are just trying to make a living, perhaps employment could be shifted towards providing nonpolluting, non-motorised watercraft, such as kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.

Otherwise, beautiful Cabbage Beach may just become a memory, as will the tourists.

CONCERNED TORS August 28, 2016

VISI-

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 29, 2016, PAGE 5

‘Minnis can go to court for Baha Mar details’

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net HITTING out at critics of the secrecy surrounding the Baha Mar deal, Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts challenged Opposition Leader Dr Hubert Minnis to petition to the Supreme Court to have the documents unsealed if he “gave a damn” about the details.

Mr Roberts accused Dr Minnis of selfishly posturing for political gain, likening him to a “jumping jack” that flip-flopped on issues while never articulating a “sensible policy position”.

He claimed that while Dr

Minnis sought to use the shuttered resort as a test of Prime Minister Perry Christie’s leadership and fitness to lead the country for another term, it was the Free National Movement leader’s handling of the debacle that failed the leadership test.

“Now that the caring PLP has secured guaranteed payments to public corporations, severed employees and displaced contractors, the FNM is now pretending to care about the details by inserting a dishonest narrative about a secret government deal,” Mr Roberts said.

“Additionally, Minnis must apologise to the Bahamian people for failing to

protect their economic interests and the sovereignty of this country.

“His proposed handling of the Baha Mar bankruptcy was a leadership test that he failed miserably and proved his unfitness to lead or govern. Minnis simply makes terrible decisions.”

He added that Dr Minnis, FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest, Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner and the “writers of nasty editorials” all need to apologise to Mr Christie for “all that drunken talk about being delusional and selling empty promises, misleading the Bahamian people and lacking credibility).”

“If Dr Minnis gave a damn about the details of

the deal, he would send his chief legal advisor, speech writer and the worst attorney general and education minister this country has ever seen Senator Carl Bethel to petition the Supreme Court to have the documents immediately unsealed and to argue his reasons for having the same done.”

Prime Minister Perry Christie announced that a deal had been reached between the government and the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM) to remobilise the stalled resort during a nationally televised press conference last Monday. However, the highly anticipated address did not provide any clarity on a de-

finitive buyer or sale price, or details on how unsecured creditors will be paid.

Mr Christie has insisted that lawyers have instructed him not to divulge relevant details because of the sensitivity of the matter and the amount of money being transacted among parties.

The Free National Movement has railed against the secrecy surrounding the deal, citing mounting public distrust in the Christie-led government amid speculation over the concessions given by the government.

Mr Roberts hit out at Dr Minnis and other detractors during an address to the party’s Golden Isles branch on Thursday.

“Minnis’ sole intent is

selfish – it is pure deflection and political bluster - and has absolutely nothing to do with the welfare of this country,” he said.

“On the one hand Minnis is defending the Supreme Court’s decision to keep emails private but on the other hand he is opposing the same Supreme Court’s decision to temporarily seal the details of the Baha Mar until its conclusion.

“Make no mistake about it, the contents of the Save the Bays emails and this Baha Mar deal have implications for the country, be it national security or its economic security so apples are being compared to apples in this case for sure,” Mr Roberts said.

BISHOP: WRONG TO PRAY FOR BAHA MAR FAILURE BISHOP Simeon Hall has hit out against some “politically motivated clergymen” and others who, he said, are praying for Baha Mar’s failure because of their disdain for the Christie administration.

In a statement released on the weekend, the pastor emeritus of New Covenant Baptist Church said people should separate their political persuasion from the higher desire of the country’s development.

“Some Bahamians, including some politically motivated clergymen, are so bitter against the Christieled government that they are literally praying for a ‘national crop failure,’” Bishop Hall’s statement said.

“Who one voted for previously or who one plans to vote for in the next election should have no bearing on praying for the success of investments already made in the country. Some things ought to transcend

our personal politics. We must learn to separate our support for party from the higher desire for the country’s development.

“Baha Mar is nearly completed; three to five thousand Bahamians’ livelihood hangs in the balance. We should not pray for failure.

Political tribalism, fuelled by both political parties, has contributed to some Bahamians placing support for party far above praying for investments in the country to succeed.

“Whether or not Baha Mar ought to have been allowed to be built in the first place is not and cannot any longer be relevant,” Bishop Hall added. “We do expect the government of the Bahamas – democratically elected by the majority of the Bahamian people – to protect the national interest of all Bahamians and to disclose relevant, non-sensitive information regarding issues of national interest.

“To allow our personal political biases to stop us from praying for the overall good of the country is wrong, retrogressive and unpatriotic.”

Last Monday, during a nationally televised press conference, Prime Minister Perry Christie said a deal had been reached between the government and the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM) to remobilise the stalled resort.

He said work was to begin in September with the resort expected to open before the end of the 2016/2017 winter season.

Under the terms of the agreement announced by Mr Christie, CEXIM has committed to fund all remaining construction costs to complete the project.

Additionally, China Construction America (CCA) would resume and complete construction, and then sell the property to a “worldclass hotel and casino op-

MILLER: PEOPLE FIXATED ON CONCESSIONS from page one

opening would do much to quiet the “noise in the market”.

In an interview with The Tribune, Mr Miller insisted that he didn’t recall this same pressure on the government to reveal the details of the Atlantis deal and stressed that Baha Mar will get no more incentives than those afforded to the Paradise Island mega resort.

The former Cabinet minister also revealed that as far as money owed to employees and local entities are concerned, those up to a half million will get full pay and after that there would be negotiations geared at receiving at least 50 per cent of the outstanding funds.

“I understand that those up to a half million will get full pay and after that you will have to negotiate and hopefully you’ll get 50 per cent. That is what I am told,” the Progressive Liberal Party MP said yesterday.

“They also owe us (Sunburst Paints) $28,000 for paint we sold them. It wasn’t a big deal to me because I didn’t expect to get the money at all.

“What I find incredible is these Bahamians moan about concessions. What (do) they know about concessions? What do they really know about the Hotel Encouragement Act? They have very little interest in these things except they go on the radio and in the newspaper to complain.”

He continued: “The China Export Import Bank (CEXIM) and the development will get no more incentives than what the people at Atlantis got because under the heads of agreement no one could get more than them. I see it as a ‘win win’ for all and I hope to God that it would hurry up so we can get those Bahamians back to work in those jobs that are so necessary to enable us to move our economy forward because as soon as that project starts we would be upgraded again and put us back on an even keel.

“But this complaining and moaning about what’s in the agreement…really what can they do about the agreement to begin with?

These naysayers who believe they are well versed in everything they don’t know anything.

“It bothers me as some-

one who has been in business for 38 years creating jobs, over 200 in my lifetime. These people contribute nothing to society and nothing to the advancement of the economy but they are the experts raising hell all the time.”

The government has been the subject of intense backlash after Prime Minister Perry Christie announced last Monday that CEXIM, China Construction America (CCA) and the government inked a new deal to get construction restarted at the West Bay Street development.

Critics castigated the government for failing to reveal specifics about the arrangement, such as the concessions offered under the new deal or if an entity had been selected to purchase the resort.

The Free National Movement said Mr Christie’s announcement was “smoke and mirrors” and lacked detail. The government has also come under fire after it was revealed that the Supreme Court documents relating to the deal have been sealed.

On Thursday, Mr Christie said there is “nothing secret” about Baha Mar and that lawyers have instructed him not to divulge relevant details because of the sensitivity of the matter and the amount of money being transacted among parties.

He criticised public figures, questioning whether they are fit for public service in view of their criticism of the government’s limited revelation of details

surrounding the recently struck deal.

Mr Christie’s comments came during a groundbreaking ceremony at the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute (BTVI) to mark the beginning of construction of a $2.3m smart classroom complex at the institution.

Striking a tone of defiance and frustration, he frequently diverted his focus toward defending his government’s actions from critics.

“As we debate Baha Mar, and they say they don’t believe me even though what I say has to be approved by the courts and held by the courts for the time being – people got to believe I’m stupid,” he said.

“And when I say people, those who say that in all my years in public life, I would get up to the Bahamian people, speak to their future about Baha Mar which is the most complex, vexing issue that resulted in downgrading by Standard & Poor’s specifically and question marks by Moody’s, rating agencies, that I would get up and announce something that wasn’t true; the naivety of people in public life amazes me to the point where I question their fitness to serve,” Mr Christie added.

erator.”

Moreover, Bahamian contractors still owed money will receive a significant part, if not all, of their claims, while thousands of former Baha Mar employees will receive outstanding amounts due to them, he said.

However, Mr Christie stopped short of naming the operator who would buy the resort once completed.

He did not take questions at the press conference.

It was subsequently revealed that the Supreme Court sealed the documents relating to the Baha Mar deal, reportedly at the request of the government and CEXIM. Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis has said the Official Opposition is “shocked and dismayed” that the court documents were sealed, adding that should the party be-

BISHOP SIMEON HALL come the next government, cret” about Baha Mar and it would cancel parts of the that lawyers have instructed agreement it found to be him not to divulge relevant against the best interests of details because of the senBahamians. sitivity of the matter and Last Thursday, Mr Chris- the amount of money being tie said there is “nothing se- transacted among parties.

PAGE 6, Monday, August 29, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

FNM repeats call for details on resort deal

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Free National Movement (FNM) is persisting with its call for the Christie administration to release additional details about the recently struck Baha Mar deal.

On Friday, a day after Prime Minister Perry Christie explained that lawyers instructed him not to do so because of the sensitivity of the matters involved, the opposition party argued that public distrust of Mr Christie makes it difficult to take him at his word regarding Baha Mar. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Christie has cited the fact that Supreme Court Justice Ian Winder had to approve a deal between the government and China ExportImport Bank (CEXIM) before he could speak with confidence about the matter.

In a statement on Friday,

FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis criticised the government for seeking to have the Supreme Court seal documents relating to the deal.

“The prime minister has been in Parliament so long that he must think that he can now define words so that they can benefit him,” Dr Minnis said. “On Thursday, the prime minister claimed that there is no secrecy in the Baha Mar deal, yet he had the courts seal the documents related to the deal so that Bahamians could not see them.

That is right; he thinks that sealing documents does not make them secret. Let me remind him that the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of secret is: ‘Kept from knowledge or view’. That is exactly what he is doing with the Baha Mar deal - keeping it out of view from Bahamians.”

Dr Minnis said Mr Christie “must be aware that the agreement that he signed

was signed by him on behalf of the Bahamian people, and so the government has a duty to make the agreement public.”

“Making these documents public does not mean that he just tells us what is in them, but releases the actual copies of the deal that was signed. If the deal is already completed and signed off on by the courts there is no way for anyone to sabotage the deal, and thus his reason for keeping them sealed is void. It has been almost a week since he made his announcement of the secret deal and the people are demanding for the documents to be seen. Bahamians just want to know what the government is hiding from them by sealing these documents,” he said.

Lawyers have told The Tribune that it is not unusual for documents to be sealed before negotiations are complete and certain aspects of an agreement are triggered. However, some

have argued that Mr Christie should not have made revelations about Baha Mar if he was not ready to discuss the issue in depth.

Dr Minnis said: “Like all Bahamians we would be happy to see Baha Mar open and finally start providing jobs. But we also cannot forget that the PLP has handed out a lot of broken promises and empty rhetoric on Baha Mar in the past. Bahamians have lost faith in the prime minister no matter how much he does not believe it. Bahamians are only asking to see the deal that the prime minister claims is a good deal for all Bahamians. If the deal is good for the Bahamas and it has already been signed off on so it cannot be sabotaged, there is no reason it should not be released. Unlike the prime minister, the FNM knows what secrecy means and in an FNM government we will expose this secret deal for all Bahamians to judge.”

PRIME Minister Perry Christie pictured during his national address on Baha Mar. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

GOVT HOPE OVER BAHA MAR DEBT from page one

The statement read: “On August 22, 2016, the Supreme Court approved the plan to remobilise the resort. Part and parcel of the remobilisation was the acknowledgement and provision of funds to deal with the claims of unsecured creditors, in particular Bahamian creditors, in accordance with an agreed formula and a process for the assignment of those claims.

“It is important to note that these claims are being paid from monies which have been made available by the bank, as the Baha Mar companies in liquidation have no assets from which to pay creditors.

“The bank will shortly place on deposit in The Bahamas the funds necessary for the work of the committee; to settle the Bahamian employees’ related claims

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as outlined by the prime minister during his address to the nation on August 22; and to administer and pay the claims of Bahamian creditors, according to the process which has been indicated.”

It continued: “Further announcements on the specific details of the process will come from the committee. The government hopes that Bahamian employee claims will be settled no later than September 30, 2016 and that all other claims will be dealt with on or before December 31, 2016.”

Prime Minister Perry Christie announced that a deal had been reached between the government and CEXIM to remobilise the stalled resort during a nationally televised address last Monday.

He said former employees would be paid monies owed to them and Bahamian creditors and contractors with claims would get a substantial portion, if not all, of what was due to them.

However, the highly anticipated address did not provide any clarity on a definitive buyer or sale price, or details on how unsecured creditors will be paid. Mr Christie has insisted that lawyers have instructed him not to divulge more specific details because of the sensitivity of the matter and the amount of money being transacted among parties.

Mr Christie has since come under repeated fire for the lack of specificity of his announcement, with detractors seeking to impugn the decision to have the court documents relating to the Baha Mar agreement sealed.

During his 2016/2017 Budget Communication in the House of Assembly in May, Mr Christie announced that the govern-

ment and Chinese officials had entered into a “framework agreement” to complete the stalled Baha Mar resort as “expeditiously as possible”.

At the time, he said that talks were underway between CCA Bahamas and the resort’s court appointed receivers to agree to appropriate terms for construction to recommence and to prepare a construction agreement to provide the timeline for the project’s completion.

Closing out the debate several weeks later, Mr Christie also revealed at that time that Baha Mar’s receivers had shortlisted two groups, one with a Bahamian investor connection, as potential ‘preferred bidders’ for the $3.5 billion development.

Referring to the highly speculated ‘investment incentives’, Mr Christie explained that the matter required negotiations with the new investor, who had not yet been decided on by CEXIM. He added that he had asked the bank and its receivers to “separate” Baha Mar’s construction completion from the task of finding a purchaser.

Appearing as a guest on the “Ed Fields Live” show on KISS FM in July, the prime minister said he believed the ExportImport Bank of China was prepared to present a possible buyer for the beleaguered $3.5 billion Baha Mar resort, and declared that a resolution was “imminent”.

The mega resort was first scheduled for December 2014 opening, but was delayed to March 2015 and again to May 2015.

The property was placed into receivership last October.

the stories behind the news

insight@tribunemedia.net

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016

Water torture The drip, drip of Baha Mar dealings

Y

ou know the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is living in “La La Land” when they can get up in a press conference and announce that they have made a deal on Baha Mar, expect to provide no details and take no questions from the media.

A multi-billion-dollar deal is signed by our Government, on our behalf, and we are left to “trust” that one of the most corrupt, incompetent administrations in the history of this country has represented our interests successfully.

Yeah right!

We all know this Government is as crooked as a Virginia fence, so why in the world would we believe a word they say?

By all accounts, the PLP should no longer even be in office if they had any moral grounding. They presided over not one, but two failed referendums, and instead of doing the honourable thing and resigning, they remained to torture the Bahamian people with one cockup after the next.

But this is nothing new for the PLP. The PLP has become synonymous with corruption over the years.

From the Commission of Inquiry era, when the old drug running Sir Lynden Pindling could not explain away how he had spent eight times his salary in one year, or the laughable excuse of his brand new Rolls Royce being a “gift” from his impoverished constituents/ supporters, we are here yet again with a party that is taking us for fools.

We have to give it to good ole’ Ping though: he did have a good thing going there for a while, and boy don’t we just love to still pay homage to that embarrassment.

Anyway, if there ever was an issue that should get the Bahamian people up in arms, it is Baha Mar - and thankfully this time, the wool cannot be pulled over the eyes of the people.

One thing we can give credit to Pindling for however, is the fact that he at least attempted to hide his wrongdoing from public view. This PLP of today creates a mess, and then goes out of their way to seek

Surprise, surprise. After 20 months of waiting the Government has announced a Chinese carve up of the stalled Cable Beach mega resort, Malcolm J Strachan says praise as they make that mess even worse!

Our former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham described this comedic reality best in a rally speech a few years ago. Here’s how he described it.

“If you want someone to deliver a bottle of water, who will you trust to get the job done? Hubert Ingraham and the FNM will get the job done, we’ll get it done on time, and you’ll get every drop of your water.

But if you ask Mr Christie and his PLP, watch out!

The first thing he’ll do is make three or four passionate speeches about how water is good for you. He’ll list all the wonderful things water can be used for. Then he’ll appoint a committee to study the best strategy to get the water to you.

In the meantime, he’ll sell off some of your water at a low price. And when you complain about it he’ll buy back some of it at a higher price than he sold it for. By the time you get your bottle, you’ll be very thirsty and most of the water will be gone. But Mr Christie will deny that any water is missing.

When you insist, he’ll promise to hold an investigation to see if the water is really missing and how it came to be missing.But don’t hold your breath.

You’ll never get the results of that investigation. And when you point all this out to him he’ll simply promise you that next time he’ll give you two bottles of water!”

Very funny right? Now we went through all of that to ask you one simple question: do you believe that the Perry Christie from those years ago has changed?

Where is our BTC deal on the two per cent that he claimed has been retained by this Government?

Where is the investigation into the fire at BAMSI and the wastage of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money

in Andros?

Where is the much-promised audited report on the cost of not only the first, but the second Junkanoo Carnival?

Where is the investigation and report on the ‘LOI’?

Where is the investigation and report on the theft of millions of dollars from the Road Traffic Department?

Where is the investigation and follow-up on the Rubis oil leak?

Where is the report on the unlawful detention of the Cuban nationals?

Do you see the trend?

And that is not an exhaustive list! But we say all that to say this, how can we, the Bahamian people, trust this Government with anything, let alone a deal that could have ramifications for the future direction and independence of this nation?

They have got to be kidding themselves!

So let us see what they are really doing here on Baha Mar. You had a private commercial undertaking by the property’s developer, Sarkis Izmirlian, to enter into Chapter bankruptcy 11 protection in June 2015 after the project’s general contractor, China Construction America (CCA), had failed to meet two of its own selfimposed deadlines.

The government inserted themselves into the court proceedings claiming “national sovereignty” and blocked it. After a protracted battle the only winners were the Chinese (surprise, surprise).

One truly wonders how “friendly” our new conquerors truly are with this Government. Well we don’t really have to guess do we?

It’s plain to see, they whistle and this Government jumps.

So what have we as a country waited 20 months to hear?

The Export Import Bank of China (CEXIM) will fund the completion of the resort

Prime Minister Perry Christie and the former Baha Mar CEO Sarkis Izmirlian pictured during a tour of the inital phases of the Baha Mar construction.

“One truly wonders how ‘friendly’ our new conquerors truly are with this Government.

Well we don’t really have to guess do we? It’s plain to see, they whistle and this Government jumps.”

utilising CCA. Was anyone really surprised by this? No one could reasonably expect that two Chinese Governmentowned and controlled entities would actually operate without the next, so there’s no victory there for the Government by agreeing to what the Chinese wanted all along.

Bahamian contractors will “reportedly” be paid some of the monies owed to them.

How is this a victory for the Government? The Chapter 11 proposal by Sarkis Izmirlian assured that they would be paid in full, along with all the other unsecured creditors - i.e. former workers, vendors, etc. So to claim a “partial payment”, if anything at all, as a victory is disingenuous at best.

And then there are the flood of “concessions” that we have yet to hear about that have “facilitated” this deal. Rumours swirl of islands being offered and economic citizenship being granted. For its part the Government attempts to explain away, but as we have seen from their past, the truth is not in them, so we

do not trust them.

Their little PR stunt to misdirect attention from our recent Moody’s downgrade has exploded in their face, and left more shrapnel than they had bargained for.

One thing that we are thankful for is that the Free National Movement (FNM) has laid down the gauntlet on this disgrace of an agreement. FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis and others within his party have made it clear that their party holds the right to revoke any deal this Government has entered into. Bravo for them!

The Chinese must see that the Bahamian people are not as stupid as the PLP makes us out to be. No promise of election financing, or under the table dealings will go this time around.

The Bahamian people deserve more than this PLP government has given them.

And any new purchaser must know that no deal, done in the dead of night, will stand.

We say again, buyer beware!

• Comments and responses to insight@tribunemedia.net

PAGE 2 MONDAY, August 29, 2016

Email: insight@tribunemedia.net

Radio Ga Ga: URCA slammed for issuing licences like “confetti”

T

ribune Radio Ltd (TRL) has hit out at the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA), calling the agency’s “excessive and ill-advised” issuance of over 40 FM broadcast licences and its subsequent plans for a retroactive shuffling of a station’s position on the FM (frequency modulation) dial as an “outrageous and irrational abuse of power”.

In a written response to URCA’s proposal, TRL’s Board lamented the licensing of such a huge number of entrants into the small Bahamian market whilst accusing the regulator of failing to take into account any economic justification or consideration as to the detrimental consequences that such actions would have on the country’s entrepreneurs.

By the issuing of a consultation document entitled “Technical standards framework for FM radio broadcasting”, URCA proposes to implement standardised channel spacing between FM broadcast frequencies to rectify its “actions in proliferating licences” - 37 issued between 2009 and 2013 - in addition to the 10 incumbents In the document URCA outlines its intent to reduce “undesirable interference” in FM radio broadcasting by standardising the channel spacing of frequencies in the frequency modulation band, which URCA admits would likely result in a “migration of certain FM radio broadcast stations from the existing frequency from which they now broadcast/transmit”.

URCA says this was due in large measure to the “absence of established technical standards” for FM radio broadcasting specific to the Bahamas at the time when it was given responsibility for the FM broadcasting

how to reduce interference and free up frequencies.

“Let’s start by revoking those licences which are not on the air and taking those off the air who URCA knows full well haven’t paid their National Insurance payments or broadcast fees in years,” Mr Dupuch Carron said.

“Clearly, no government has ever considered issuing 44 mobile licences, 44 Cable companies, 44 Ba-

hamasairs, 44 webshops, 44 casinos nor 44 BECs in our nation,” he quipped. “Yet URCA has been quietly dishing out licences like confetti, since 2009.”

TRL’s official response to the regulator states: “Standardising future channel spacings makes a lot of sense. A retroactive reshuffling of stations to accommodate retroactive channel spacings does not make sense and fails to recognise

a broadcaster’s established real property right in relation to its frequency.”

Mr Dupuch Carron said: “URCA seems unwilling to recognise that broadcasters have established legal precedents relating to the ‘proprietary rights of their broadcast frequencies’.

This also includes the expectation that any regulator would act in good faith and not take prejudicial actions which have carelessly already erased millions of dollars in shareholders equity; let alone now having to consider the effects of such actions on the branding, goodwill, imaging and on-going viability of many stations.

“URCA now wishes to add injury to insult, by unilaterally reducing a station’s licensed transmitting power by 80 per cent!

What this would mean is we couldn’t even hear our station in our Radio House building on Shirley Street.

All simply because URCA has issued licences to those who may not possess either the ability, resources or talents necessary to complete in a free market.”

“Many of the proposed changes appear to contravene Bahamian broadcast law and the objectives set forth in the Communications Act,” Mrs Dupuch Carron said. “They are detrimental to the interests of the Bahamian people, as the implementation of such unsound practices will only serve to drastically reduce a station’s authorised power output, market reach, the quality of signal for the consumer, and carve the Bahamian listening market into very small, economically unsustainable ‘mini’ zones.

“Most regulatory bodies around the world, including the United Kingdom, Canada and the US,” she explained, “have taken steps to protect legacy stations for a variety of reasons and established legal

20 or more licensees that we have been informed are technically insolvent;

revoke licensees that have not paid all of their fees as per the (Communications) Act, then there would be less intereference and lots of RF frequency.

“Many of the proposed changes contravene Bahamian broadcast law and the objectives set forth in the Communications Act and are detrimental to the interests of the Bahamian people,” TRL added.

“Implementation of the proposed standards will drastically reduce station

reach and the quality of signal for the consumer, and carve the Bahamian listening market into very small, economically unsustainable ‘mini’ signals.

“The result will be that many licensees will go out of business, the quality of services to the public will deteriorate and there will be little sustainable competition.

“The simplest way to reduce interference would be to ‘order’ the newest stations off the air as it

Radio House on Shirley Street, headquarters of Tribune Radio Ltd which is opposing URCA’s new technical standards proposals.

“Let’s start by revoking those licences which are not on the air and taking those off the air who URCA knows full well haven’t paid their National Insurance payments or broadcast fees in years.”

- Robert Dupuch Carron, Tribune Media Group President

industry. URCA admits in its document to assigning frequencies to 37 FM radio broadcast stations between September, 2009, and May, 2013.

TRL Chairman Eileen Dupuch Carron and Tribune Media Group President, Robert Dupuch Carron, charged that URCA’s ill-advised actions show a clear and unequivocal pattern of the regulator acting beyond its power, suggesting that it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out

precedents. That is notwithstanding the legitimate expectations of continuation of business under licensed parameters. The custom across the world has been to protect legacy stations, their frequency of operation and power, because, these are the stations that most people rely upon in an emergency.

“Such ill-advised actions would be procedurally unfair, materially affecting our operations, for which we are prepared to seek judicial review.”

Since its inception in 1993 as the first private radio station licensed in the Bahamas, Mr Carron said the “People’s Radio Station” 100JAMZ has always lived up to its fiduciary responsibilities and pointed to its community work over the years. “Under the leadership of our record setting Editor/Publisher, the ‘No.1 Hit music station in the Nation’ along with The Tribune’s Santa Claus Christmas Committee has provided a Christmas meal and toys for over 49,157 children,” Mr Dupuch Carron said. “Plus millions of dollars in donations from our loyal shareholders and benefactors, let alone put together teams to rebuild dozens of homes in St Cecilia, and, most recently, teamed up with HEADKnowles to raise over $500,000 in donations and 100,000lbs in supplies in less than a week for Hurricane Joaquin relief.”

The Tribune - which along with TRL forms part of the Tribune Media Group - has repeatedly attempted to contact officials at URCA for comment but has not received a response.

is clear there has been excessive licensing when compared to the population and the economic requirements of radio station operation,” TRL said.

“Those stations that are insolvent and those that have been unable to pay broadcast fees, National Insurance payments and/ or any other appropriate taxes, requirements and fees should have been removed from the airwaves years ago.”

• Comments and responses to insight@tribunemedia.net

OVERCrOWDING THE AIRWAVES THERE were only 10 FM radio stations in operation in the Bahamas prior to the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) becoming the licensing authority and regulator for the FM radio broadcast market.

Today the Bahamas has 44 stations - more than London or New York, cities with massively larger populations. Babardos, a country with a slightly smaller population than the Bahamas, has just five stations.

Tribune Radio Ltd (TRL) said in its response to URCA’s proposals that the market in the Bahamas is “oversatu-

rated” and “completely unsustainable”. It added: “If URCA focused on the

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 PAGE 3

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

Trump’s Mississippi miscalculation World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

O

N June 26, voted opted for Britain to 2011, 47-year- leave the European Union old Craig An- (EU). In the years prior derson was to that, both he and his on his way to celebrate his UK Independence Party birthday when he was at- (UKIP) were notorious for tacked and murdered by ten their anti-immigrant, racist white teenagers in a parking stance. In the referendum lot in Jackson, Mississippi. campaign, he associated Why? No reason, other immigration with terrorism than he was black. and called for Britain “to The ten reportedly first remain Christian”; a eupheattacked Anderson, punch- mism for keeping Britain ing him repeatedly, before white. Echoes of these vulrunning him over with a gar sentiments are obvious truck and driving off. They in Trump’s main catch line, were heard by witnesses to “Making America Great shout “white power” and Again” - in other words, “fucking nigger” while at- taking it out of the hands tacking Anderson as they of a man he has alleged is drove away.

Muslim and wasn’t born in At the time, the murder America, and is also black. raked up nightmares of the His other catchphrases entrenched racial system “Building a wall to keep which operated primarily Mexicans out of America”; in southern states between “Immigrants are depriv1877 and the mid-1960s. ing Americans of Jobs”; Lynchings of black people “A blanket ban on Muslims in Mississippi were a regu- entering America” - are all lar terrorist event between redolent of the mind-set of 1877 and 1950 when, ac- Farage’s slogans in Britain. cording to the Equal Justice There are other offensive Initiative, a US organisation similarities in the politics of devoted to fighting racial in- Farage and Trump. In 2014, justice, there Professor were at least “And the Alan Sked, 3,959 lynch- approximately the founder ings in southof Farage’s 15,000 people ern states. party, claimed It is into that at the rally, who publicly that city - Jackson, cheered and Farage reMississippi peatedly used - that US Re- applauded the the word “nigpublican Par- often disingenuous ger” when ty Presidential referring to remarks in the hopeful, Donblack voters. ald Trump, speeches of both According brought the Donald Trump and to Sked, “He former leader told me, ‘We of an ultra- Nigel Farage, were needn’t worry right wing predominantly about the nigBritish po- white. That ger vote; the litical party, ‘nig-nogs’ will Nigel Farage, number itself never vote to address tells a tale, since for us’.” Sked a rally last 70.6 per cent of resigned as week.

Both UKIP leader Trump and the population in 1997 beFarage have of Jackson City is cause of what made state- black and only 27.7 he said was a ments that are growing influcontemptuous per cent is white.” ence of the and denigratfar-right in the ing of non-white people. party’s ranks, led by Farage, And the approximately who were “obsessed with 15,000 people at the rally, race and Islam”. who cheered and applaudWhile Trump has not ed the often disingenuous used the offensive word, remarks in the speeches of born of slavery and black both men, were predomi- oppression in the Americas, nantly white. That number he has shown a remarkable itself tells a tale, since 70.6 insensitivity to black people per cent of the population and Muslims in America. of Jackson City is black and For instance, at a rally in only 27.7 per cent is white.

Michigan - ironically before Farage was a prime mo- an almost entirely white aubiliser in the campaign that dience - he called on Afriled to the June 23 referen- can Americans to vote for dum in Britain in which 52 him, saying: “You’re living per cent of the people who in poverty, your schools are

REPUBLICAN presidential candidate Donald Trump welcomes Nigel Farage, ex-leader of the British UKIP party, to speak at a campaign rally in Jackson, Mississippi, on August 24. no good, you have no jobs, was overburdened by im- zenship of persons already cent polls are a good basis 58 per cent of your youth is migrants to the detriment in the US, but also supports of judgment, he is failing to unemployed. What the hell of the British people. That border protection. do it. lie, never denied by other Farage is a spent force do you have to lose?”

As for Jackson City, it is high-profile “leave” cam- in Britain. Had more re- most unlikely that he will t was hardly a winning paigners, helped to tip the spected and authoritative get much support from performance, lacking, referendum balance in the personalities not jumped on the Americans of African, the “leave” campaign band- Asian and Latin Amerias it did, any well- minds of many voters.

Trump in his Presidential wagon, he and UKIP would can descent who make up articulated programme of how he would make the campaign has claimed that not have been able to per- almost 73 per cent of the lives of African-Americans illegal immigrants convicted suade the 52 per cent of the population. better. Worse yet, it came of committing crimes get to British electorate who votSir Ronald Sanders is on top of an earlier arro- stay, collecting Social Secu- ed to opt for withdrawing Antigua and Barbuda’s gant and callous display at rity benefits in the US; the from the EU. His appearAmbassador to the United a rally in Wisconsin when facts reveal that unauthor- ance at the rally in Jackson States and the Organisation he actually told a white au- ised workers are not per- will do nothing more than of American States. He is dience that he had an Af- mitted to collect Social Se- strengthen the already held also a Senior Fellow at the rican-American supporter curity benefits. Trump also views of Trump supporters Institute of Commonwealth in the crowd, and shouted claims that Hillary Clinton, that an isolationist, anti-imStudies, University of Lonout “Where’s my African- his Democratic Party rival migrant, white supremacist don and Massey College in American”? Not his name, in the Presidential stakes, America is what they need the University of Toronto. not his professional or per- would create totally open to be “great again”. He will The views expressed are his sonal standing; only his borders; in fact, Clinton’s do little to persuade othown. Responses and previrace. The guy was Gregory immigration reform propos- ers. That is a job for Donald ous commentaries: www.

Cheadle, a Republican Cal- als call for a pathway to citi- Trump alone - and if the resirronaldsanders.com ifornia congressional candidate, who alarmingly said he did not take offence. Of course, Trump’s disrespectful attitude to the parents of Humayun Khan, a MuslimAmerican, who was killed in Iraq while serving in the US military, is well known.

In his political chicanery in Britain, Farage was also not above telling naked lies, a trait of character he shares with Trump. During the referendum campaign, he and his “leave” supporters deceived huge audiences across Britain into believing that if Britain left the EU, almost US$700m a week would be recovered to spend on the British National Health system which, they claimed,

I

PAGE 4 MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016

THIS WEEK IN

The Tribune

Today Insight - why all the secrecy over the details of the Baha Mar agreement? And why has URCA allowed the radio airwaves of The Bahamas to become so overcrowded?

Business - the government is facing a $1.6bn deficit in public corporation pension liabilities by the year 2032, a KPMG report warns. Neil Hartnell reports.

Sports - Reports and photographs of the country’s newly crowned national bodybuilding champions.

Plus the latest properties for sale and rent in the Home Buyers’ Guide.

Tuesday Woman and Health - weekly advice on taking care of your mind and body and women making waves in The Bahamas.

Plus comment from Nicole Burrows and sporting mischief and mayhem with Inigo “Naughty” Zenicazelaya.

Wednesday Tribune Tech - a weekly look at what’s new in the world of technology.

Plus Larry Smith’s forthright Tough Call column.

Thursday Obituaries and Religion, a weekly review.

Young Man’s View - trenchant opinion from Adrian Gibson on the hot topics in the country.

‘On da Hook’, a weekly look at fishing in The Bahamas.

Friday Weekend - a 28-page section devoted to the best in arts, music, fashion, food, books, entertainment, gardening, animal matters, fitness, history and interviews.

Sports - The Finish Line, a look at the local sports scene, by Brent Stubbs.

Plus A Comic’s View - Naughty’s unique take on the week in The Bahamas.

Saturday The Tribune’s Top 5: a special video review of the week’s top stories by Khrisna Virgil on www.tribune242.com.

Every day in The Tribune, news, business, sports, weather and Classifieds Trader.

Plus breaking news and updates on your mobile-friendly tribune242.com

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

DEPRESSION FINALLY FORMS NEAR FLORIDA BUT BAHAMAS STILL AT RISK OF DOWNPOURS DESPITE threatening to develop last week as it crossed the Atlantic and passed to the west of The Bahamas, a tropical depression was reported by the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami to have formed finally yesterday evening south of the lower Florida Keys as it heads into the Gulf of Mexico and turns back towards the northeastern Gulf Coast of the United States.

The NHC said the depression at 5pm was centred 60 miles south of Key West with maximum sustained winds of 35mph with higher gusts. “Some strengthening during the next 48 hours is forecast and the depression is expected tobecome a tropical storm on Monday,” the NHC reported.

Forecasters for the AccuWeather service predicted conditions would become more favourable to the system for tropical development, starting this afternoon.

The potential exists for the system to organise and strengthen into a tropical depression or storm as it churns into the central Gulf of Mexico early this week and then curves back to the north east. The farther west into the central Gulf of Mexico the system tracks, the greater the potential for development, according to the experts.

Despite the system - dubbed Tropical Depression Nine - currently struggling to develop and pushing westward, Florida, Cuba and the eastern Bahamas will remain at risk for increased downpours and locally gusty thunderstorms early this week. The increase in drenching thunderstorms will gradually

spread northward across the Florida peninsula into tomorrow, threatening to cause localised flash flooding. Rainfall could reach six inches or more in some locations, especially in the Florida Keys, the far southern Florida peninsula, Cuba and the southwestern Bahamas.

“Where the thunderstorms are more robust, there could be damaging wind gusts, power outages and rough seas,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.

Isolated waterspouts could also form.

Disruptive winds in the atmosphere, interaction with the mountainous Caribbean Islands and dry air prevented the tropical disturbance from organising last week when it threatened the Bahamas, and wind shear (disruptive winds in the atmosphere) is still impacting the system, AccuWeather Meteorologist Ed Vallee said.

With plenty of activity being monitored in the Atlantic over the weekend, forecasters also reported yesterday that a tropical depression has formed west of Bermuda, bringing the possibility of heavy rain to the coast of North Carolina early this week.

The NHC said the system - Tropical Depression Eight - is located about 355 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras and is moving west at 9mph.

Maximum sustained winds were clocking at 35mph with higher gusts yesterday.

The storm’s centre is expected to pass offshore of the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Tuesday.

Separately, Hurricane Gaston is gathering strength as it moves north-

INSURANCE MANAGEMENT STORM TRACKING MAP

STORM DETAILS westward in the central Atlantic, but forecasters say it poses no threat to land. The NHC says Gaston reformed as a hurricane on Saturday night.

Yesterday, Gaston had maximum sustained winds of 115mph and was located about 580 miles east of Bermuda, moving northwest at about 5mph. Hurricaneforce winds extended outward up to 25 miles from the centre, and tropicalstorm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles Forecasters say Gaston could strengthen again in the next day.

A weak area of low pressure near the upper Texas coast is producing disorganised shower and thunderstorm activity over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico and adjacent coastal ar-

Day: SUN

Date: 8/29/16

Time: 5PM EDT

Storm Name: TD9 Lat: 23.70 North, Lon: 87.10 West Movement: W at 9mph Central Pressure: 1009mb Sustained Wind: 35mph Peak Gust: 45mph Storm Discussion: Hurricane hunters have found Tropical Depression 9 has formed south of the Florida Keys. Gusty winds and heavy rain will affect the Keys, South Florida and Western Cuba through tonight into Monday. Rainfall amounts of 2-4 inches are expected in Florida with upwards of eight inches in the higher terrain of western Cuba. This could lead to life-threatening flooding with mudslides in the higher terrain. eas of southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas.

The NHC does not exepct it to develop significantly.

A tropical wave is expected to move offshore from the west coast of Africa on Tuesday. Conditions are expected to be favour-

able for development of this system later this week while it moves westward at 15 to 20mph over the tropical eastern Atlantic.

The NHC estimates a 50 per cent possiblity that a cyclone will form over the next five days.

‘BAHA MAR DEAL A DISTRACTION FROM BAD NEWS’ YOUR SAY

By DR HUBERT MINNIS

LAST Monday evening, when we heard that the Prime Minister was holding a press conference to announce that the government had struck a deal to restart construction of the Baha Mar resort, I like many of you became hopeful that we would finally hear the details of a deal that would see Bahamians get back to work immediately.

However, we were sorely disappointed.

The Prime Minister went to great lengths to tell us what the Chinese were giving up but failed to tell us what he was committing the Bahamian people to give up in return.

To our dismay and our condemnation we learned that the Prime Minister has taken the unprecedented and undemocratic step to keep the details shrouded in secrecy from the people by asking the courts to seal all of the documents involved in this agreement.

The Prime Minister is acting like a dictator who seems to have forgotten that his authority comes from the Bahamian people and that any agreement he signs he does so for and on behalf of the Bahamian people. Apparently, the Prime Minister feels otherwise, for he acts as if he alone can, and will decide for the people, and dictate what we are allowed

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to know about his secret deals.

What is he hiding from us? The Bahamian people have a right to know the details of the agreement and we in the Opposition will fight to protect the rights of Bahamians to know.

The Prime Minister wants us to trust him but, by this act and over his many failures and failed promises throughout his long tenure in Parliament, he has lost all credibility with the Bahamian people.

The Bahamian people saw through his smoke and mirrors this past week, and they see his empty rhetoric and broken promises from the previous four and a half years.

He has deceived Bahamians regarding the gaming referendum. He has deceived Bahamians by continuing to operate the illegal National Intelligence Agency in spite of promising legislation. He has failed to control the national debt after promising to reduce it. He has failed to provide meaningful jobs. He has failed to provide Bahamians with mortgage relief, and he has failed to provide the residents of Marathon with timely information and relief about and from the Rubis oil spill.

It is becoming more and more obvious that the hastily held press conference was called that night to distract us from Moody’s announcement downgrading the Bahamas’ credit rating.

The Prime Minister knew that if he did not change the subject quickly he would be drowning in bad news stories about his poor handling of our economy, as happened when Moody’s announced they were considering downgrading it two months ago.

We wish to remind the Prime Minister that the people will reward him for his stewardship of the nation and will vote him and the Progressive Liberal Party out of office at the next general elections.

Dr Hubert Minnis is Leader of the Free National Movement

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 29, 2016, PAGE 7

WILCHCOMBE: GOVT HAS TAKEN RIGHT APPROACH

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM Minister Obie Wilchcombe said he believes the government has taken the right approach in negotiating the new deal to complete Baha Mar, pointing to the need to get the resort’s rooms filled with a view to attaining sustainable overnight visitor growth.

“I think it is very good for the country. It’s taken 20 months to get to the point where we are at now. Now we get to the details and work out the various situations that require firstly that the employees who all were employed are satisfied in terms of their pay. The second, we have to ensure that the 1,300 contractors and vendors and others who were involved are paid, and then of course getting the work started,” Mr Wilchcombe told The Tribune.

“I feel that the government has taken the right approach in terms of negotiating with the Chinese and the Export-Import Bank (CEXIM) and others, and staying away from the media, staying away from the

TOURISM Minister Obie Wilchcombe. glare of the media and sit“If you look at Cuba, they ting down negotiating in a have 63,000 hotel rooms. way that was required and The Dominican Republic that all sides could agree has 55,000 hotel rooms. Jain taking it to the Supreme maica has more than 30,000 Court and getting the Su- rooms. Puerto Rico has preme Court to agree.” more than 30,000, and we Mr Wilchcombe said are around 15,000. We are while Baha Mar remains one of the leaders of the unopened, the country tourism industry, but we maintains one of the lowest have to cause the economy inventory counts in the com- to grow. We have to see petitive tourism market. sustainable growth levels

between five and seven per cent. Our overnight visitors will account for that.”

Mr Wilchcombe’s comments follow a week which saw immense backlash in response to the revelation that the documents regarding Baha Mar have been sealed by the Supreme Court.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Perry Christie said there is “nothing secret” about Baha Mar and that lawyers have instructed him not to divulge relevant details because of the sensitivity of the matter and the amount of money being transacted among parties.

He criticised public figures, questioning whether they are fit for public service in view of their criticism of the government’s limited revelation of details surrounding a recently struck deal with CEXIM to get work on Baha Mar remobilised.

Mr Christie’s comments came during a groundbreaking ceremony at the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute (BTVI) to mark the beginning of construction of a $2.3 million smart classroom complex at the institution.

He defended his govern-

ANGER AT CCA APPOINTEE TO COMMITTEE from page one

adding that it was CCA that created the situation that led to Baha Mar’s troubles.

CCA is Baha Mar’s general contractor.

“It is hard to understand how the best interests of unsecured creditors can be served by a committee that specifically includes the Chinese construction company CCA and its executive Tiger Wu,” the statement said.

“This is the same CCA and Tiger Wu who failed to meet construction deadlines causing Baha Mar to not be completed and to not open. It is the same Tiger Wu who has engaged in documented questionable

behaviour in The Bahamas.

It is the same CCA that created a Baha Mar creditor situation in the first place.

It is the same CCA that opposed the Chapter 11 filing and helped to stop the developer’s reorganisation plan to pay Bahamians in full and complete Baha Mar with Bahamian contractors.

“And this is the same CCA and leadership which have been sued in various legal proceedings for failing to pay parties to whom CCA owes monies for its non-performance.

“CCA has proven itself to be a serial deceiver of the prime minister of the Bahamas and the Bahamian people. The unsecured creditors of Baha Mar have

every reason to be wary and concerned about the credibility of this committee and its agenda.”

Earlier on Sunday, the government announced that former Central Bank Governor James Smith; Grant Lyon, liquidation claims advisor to the government; Yanping Mo, representative of the Export-Import Bank of China; Norbert Chan, representative of court appointed receiver Deloitte & Touche and Mr Wu had been appointed to a committee to administer the claims of Bahamian and other creditors of the Baha Mar group of companies.

The government said it hoped that Bahamian employee claims would be

settled no later than September 30 and that all other claims will be dealt with on or before December 31.

One day after the resort filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a US court last year, Baha Mar Limited sued China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd - CCA’s parent company - in the English High Court. The claim stemmed from what Baha Mar Ltd said were repeated delays that have caused the resort to miss its opening deadlines.

Mr Izmirlian, the resort’s developer, has frequently blamed CCA for the repeated delays in the resort’s opening. Baha Mar is currently in receivership.

ment’s actions from critics who have said that insufficient details about Baha Mar were revealed during his evening press conference on Monday.

“They say they don’t believe me, even though what I say has to be approved by the courts and held by the courts for the time being; people got to believe I’m stupid,” he said.

“And when I say people, those who say that in all my years in public life I would get up to the Bahamian people, speak to their fu-

ture about Baha Mar, which is the most complex, vexing issue that resulted in downgrading by Standard & Poor’s specifically and question marks by Moody’s rating agencies, that I would get up and announce something that wasn’t true. The naivety of people in public life amazes me to the point where I question their fitness to serve.”

Sources told The Tribune Mr Christie was eager to “set the record straight” on Baha Mar, hence his comments.

PAGE 8, Monday, August 29, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

ANSWERS ARE PROMISED OVER LETTER OF INTENT SCANDAL from page one

Despite repeated calls for Dr Minnis to state his party’s position relating to the LOI, as it is now the political home of the man at the centre of the issue, the Killarney MP had very little to say when he was pressed by The Tribune.

“The FNM will answer everyone’s questions about the LOI very soon and about our interests in it, putting the matter to rest once and for all,” he said yesterday when he was contacted.

Critics have castigated Dr Minnis saying his views on the LOI have now been relaxed since Mr Wells joined the FNM last year.

Prior to him stepping over to the other side of the political divide, Dr Minnis had repeatedly demanded Mr

Wells’ resignation and for the Christie administration to fully disclose all elements related to the LOI. However, in recent weeks, Dr Minnis has skirted around questions focused on the LOI fielded from the media.

His brief comments follow recent revelations that have raised questions about whether certain government members were aware of the document before Mr Wells signed it.

Tribune Business reported nearly two weeks ago that key Christie administration figures knew in advance that the government was set to issue the LOI. In a letter dated May 26, 2014, State Minister for Finance Michael Halkitis informed a representative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that the government had is-

sued an initial LOI to Stellar Energy. The company had proposed to establish a $600 million 70-80 megawatt waste-to-energy plant that was to be located at the New Providence landfill on Tonique Williams Highway.

Mr Halkitis’ letter was dated about five weeks before Mr Wells signed the LOI with the company.

In a statement released on August 19, Mr Halkitis said Tribune Business’ report intermingled various “portions of correspondence” to “create the impression of something untoward” on his part.

He said the letter he sent to the IDB representative was “to request a meeting between Stellar Energy and representatives of the IDB.” Nonetheless, FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest last Sunday renewed calls

‘MUCH LESS’ SPENT ON CARNIVAL THIS YEAR BUT NO WORD ON DATE FOR REPORT RELEASE from page one

On July 25, BNFC Chairman Paul Major confirmed to Tribune Business that he was preparing to present the completed report to the government that same day.

“The report is finished, I can report that much,” said Mr Major at the time.

“I’m presenting my report to the principals today.

I can’t say what happens after that, but that will be done today.”

Mr Wilchcombe, who was asked to comment at that time, said: “With respect to carnival, they’ve finished those numbers. I don’t know why they haven’t been released.

“The commission has completed its work. I think they are meeting with the prime minister, and then they can release it because his ministry is responsible for that.”

Last year, the BNFC released its report on July 28 - just under three months since the Nassau festival

for the government to fully disclose details related to the LOI controversy.

He said the recent revelations prove that there are still details about the LOI that remain shielded from the public eye.

He recalled that Dr Minnis once requested a statement from Attorney General Allyson MaynardGibson about the matter, but none ever came.

“There had to be more to the story than just Renward Wells,” Mr Turnquest said. “The recent revelation proves the fact that Cabinet was aware. As to details of that, I don’t know but the government has the obligation to disclose and to be clear. Dr Minnis called for an investigation into that and nothing has changed in that regard. People believe that because Wells is now

an FNM something has changed, but that’s not the case. If there is wrongdoing it should be uncovered and disclosed. It’s obvious government knows more and knew more than they have said and that they have a duty to say.”

In October 2014, Prime Minister Perry Christie fired Mr Wells from his post as parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Works and Urban Development following months of controversy sparked by his reportedly unauthorised signature on the $600 million LOI in July 2014.

Several times since the incident became public, reference was made to a probe into the matter. The results of that investigation have not been made public, although government officials have said it was complete.

MITCHELL WARNS FOX HILL RESIDENTS OVER ZIKA VIRUS from page one

BAHAMAS Junkanoo Carnival 2016 Road Fever Parade. closed on May 9.

The government spent $11.3m - $2.3m over budget - on the inaugural festival, which attracted about 115,000 spectators or participants, employed 7,208 people and benefited 880 small and medium enterprises.

It ‘gained’ $8.3m in combined direct and tax revenues, with the latter providing $6.7m of that sum.

The direct revenue, which totalled $1.6m, largely came from ticket sales and cash sponsorships, organisers

said.

The BNFC faced strong criticism last year for going over-budget and a lack of proper planning, and promised a more “focused” marketing approach for this year’s festival. The BNFC previously said funding for this year’s festival would be roughly $7m.

The BNFC has predicted that Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival will generate a profit by its third year, with the economic impact increasing 20.5 per cent over the inaugural 2015 event.

In November 2014, Mr Wells broke his silence and said he signed the LOI – without Cabinet approval – for the “good of the people.”

In January 2015, he told the House of Assembly that he signed the LOI with Stellar Waste to Energy Bahamas in order for the company “to carry out studies” free of charge to present to Cabinet.

In November 2015, Mr Wells announced in Parliament that he had quit the PLP before crossing the floor to join the Official Opposition.

Earlier this month, it was announced he had been appointed leader of opposition business in the House of Assembly after Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant resigned from the post.

Mr Mitchell said a community meeting is to be held at St Paul’s Baptist Church on Wednesday at 6.30 pm with officials from the Public Health Department.

“This is not a time to panic but to exercise the appropriate precautions,” he added.

Last Monday, health officials revealed that New Providence had four confirmed cases of the Zika virus.

Due to the risk of the virus being spread sexually, health officials have recommended the use of condoms, with a special warning being given to pregnant women to use protection while having sex or not engage in sex at all during pregnancy.

The Bahamas reported an initial case of the virus on August 10 in a male who had recently travelled to Jamaica. The man is a resi-

FRED MITCHELL dent of Pinewood Gardens, officials have said.

Officials have said that two of the three new cases were reported in women, none of whom are pregnant.

Minister of Health Dr Perry Gomez insisted that while the virus has been primarily transmitted as a result of mosquito bites, the increase in sexually transmitted cases of the virus has led officials to encourage use of condoms to guard against an outbreak.

“To prevent sexual transmission the correct use of

condoms is recommended every time,” said Dr Gomez last week.

He had the following warning for sexually active persons capable of conceiving children: “The risk of Zika from sex is of greatest concern for pregnant women who can pass the infection on to the baby. Pregnant couples should use condoms every time they have sex or not have sex during the entire pregnancy.

“Couples who are considering pregnancy should talk to their healthcare provider.

Anyone who is not pregnant or trying to get pregnant, who wants to avoid getting or passing Zika during sex, should use condoms every time they have sex.

“Additionally, couples who do not want to get pregnant should talk to their healthcare provider regarding the most effective birth control methods that they can use,” Dr Gomez added.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 29, 2016, PAGE 9

Grant proud of work over past two decades

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

CENTRAL Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant said he is extremely proud to have survived two “political tsunamis” in May 2002 and May 2012 when the Free National Movement lost the general elections, and thanked his constituents for their support over the past two decades.

Mr Grant – the longest serving FNM MP who has been elected for five consecutive terms – announced on Sunday that he is leaving frontline politics after 24 years and will not be seeking re-election.

He said that he is very satisfied with his accomplishments in politics. Mr Grant was first elected in 1992 when the FNM, under the leadership of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, won its first election, ending 25 consecutive years of PLP rule.

“The country was in crisis at the time and in need of deliverance,” Mr Grant said on Sunday. “I entered frontline politics not to enrich myself, nor for other selfish endeavours, I entered because I felt that I could make a difference.”

When asked what’s next for him, the FNM MP told reporters he will spend time with his family.

“I have been blessed with two wonderful grandchildren, Daniel and Melissa, my friend of 48 years and wife of 45 years, I intend to enjoy them, and whatever the good Lord has planned for me, I will execute,” he said.

“For me there was life before politics, during, and there will be life after (politics). Before I entered front line politics I had 21 years of dedicated service to the community, so whatever plans the Master has for me I will follow.”

As an FNM Cabinet minister in the Ingra-

NEKO Grant with, from left, his wife, Barbara, grandson Daniel, grand daughter Melissa, son Neko Grant II, and sister Violet Wright. ham administration of 2007-2012, Mr Grant said that the lives of Bahamians were improved with the multi-million dollar road works projects in Eleuthera, as well as the $150 million road works project in New Providence.

Additionally, Mr Grant was instrumental in ensuring that residents of Grand Bahama communities like Royal Bahamia Estates, Mack Town, Hunters, and Lewis Yard received city water, the installation of street lights through the constituency, and the beautification of

Williams/Russell Town shoreline.

He is also proud of his music ministry which has spanned some 20 years, donating musical instrumental to churches, schools, marching bands and Junkanoo groups.

Through his donations, St George’s High and Sister Mary Patricia Junior High can boast of having one of the best music labs in the country.

Mr Grant listed over 40 projects, too numerous to mention, that he has completed in the Lucaya and Central Grand Bahama

JURY EXCUSED DURING LEGAL DISCUSSIONS IN MURDER TRIAL

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE JURY in the Supreme Court murder trial of high school student Adonai Wilson was excused on Friday due to lengthy legal discussions between the Crown and the defence counsel.

The 12-member jury hearing evidence relating to the December 9, 2015 stabbing death of the 16-yearold boy was excused by Justice Bernard Turner.

They were ordered to return today for the continuation of the case against the 18-year-old accused, who is now the sole remaining de-

fendant in the case.

On Thursday, two teens – aged 17 and 15 – who were also on trial for the murder of Wilson, changed their pleas. The 17-year-old pleaded not guilty to murder, but admitted guilt to the lesser charge of manslaughter. He received a sentence of nine years after the judge took into account his time spent on remand and the fact that he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Meanwhile, the 15-year-old pleaded not guilty to murder, but admitted to attempted causing harm. He was given a sentence of six months to be served at the Simpson Penn Centre for Boys.

The 18-year-old accused

who remains on trial maintains he did not intentionally or unlawfully cause Wilson’s death. Murrio Ducille is defending him.

According to initial reports, the victim – who was a Doris Johnson Senior High School student at the time of this death – was stabbed multiple times during an argument with several other students. This occurred shortly after school was dismissed early because of exams. He died in hospital a short time later.

The incident took place around 2pm on Prince Charles Drive and a graphic cell phone video of the incident was spread on social media.

constituencies.

Mr Grant, who is also a sports enthusiast, commented that the country needs sustained sport development programmes for young people at an early age.

He said it appeared that Team Bahamas was not quite ready for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de

Photo: Denise Maycock/Tribune Staff

Janeiro, Brazil. The Bahamas medalled only in track and field, winning one gold and four bronze medals, the latter in a men’s relay race.

“We should have performed better. From my observation it does not appear the team was properly fit or ready,” he said.

Mr Grant commended

Shaunae Miller on capturing gold in the women’s 400-metre race.

“I am very proud of her accomplishments,” he said.

“I believe it was my involvement in sports administration that propelled me in frontline politics and so I am always pleased when Bahamians excel abroad and at home.”

PAGE 10, Monday, August 29, 2016

TRAINEES pictured during the graduation ceremony at the National Training Agency.

THE TRIBUNE

Photo: Patrick Hanna/BIS

TRAINEES GRADUATE FROM AGENCY PERMANENT Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and National Insurance Nicole Campbell addressed the sixth cohort graduation cer-

emony of the National Training Agency (NTA) Mandatory Workforce Preparatory Programme on Thursday.

Former Minister of Na-

tional Security Cynthia “Mother” Pratt also offered words of inspiration to the group.

The young trainees received certification af-

ter 14 weeks of preparation in these disciplines: auto body repair, boating safety and maintenance, butler services, customer service, domestic techni-

cian, food and beverage service, food preparation, housekeeping, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks, noninstructional teachers aide, office procedures,

retail business, and allied health.

The ceremony was held at Holy Trinity Activities Centre in Stapledon Gardens.

Plea to data commissioner by activists

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEYS for Save The Bays have appealed to the acting data protection commissioner to “immediately” investigate the formal complaints the group has made against the Progressive Liberal Party MPs who disclosed the group’s private emails in Parliament.

Ferron Bethel, of Harry B Sands Lobosky & Co, said his clients, which include Save The Bays (STB), attorney Fred Smith, QC, and Zach Bacon, are “sorry to see” that no investigation has taken place regarding the group’s claims against Marathon MP Jerome Fitzgerald, Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell, and Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller.

Mr Bethel’s concerns, which were contained in an August 19 letter addressed to the acting data protection commissioner, are in reference to a controversy over claims made by Mr Fitzgerald in March that STB is allegedly a political organisation seeking to “overthrow” the Progressive Liberal Party government under the guise of being an environmental group.

In the House of Assembly at the time, Mr Fitzgerald read private emails from STB members and others, which he said bolstered his claims. Mr Fitzgerald later tabled the documents.

In April, Justice Indra Charles granted an injunction to STB that barred parliamentarians from accessing or making public the personal information of the non-profit organisation.

However, Mr Bethel’s statement yesterday said despite the injunction being granted, his clients “remained extremely concerned with the access to and public disclosure of such personnel and private information” and were “additionally troubled by the prospect of any further such disclosures.”

Mr Bethel subsequently said his clients had hoped that its June 15 filing of a “formal complaint” against Mr Fitzgerald, Mr Mitchell, and Mr Miller would have prompted former Data Protection Commissioner Sharmie Farrington-Austin to “investigate, or cause to be investigated at the earlier opportunity” how the three MPs “came to be in possession of our clients’ confidential documents and information, prior to their disclosing of the same in Parliament.”

Mr Bethel also said the group expected that any such investigation “would result in the issuing of an enforcement notice to prevent further breaches of the Data Protection Act” and/or an “information notice to further investigate and allow action to be taken against those possible.”

“We are sorry to see that no such investigation has taken place as of yet and we write to you again, now following the hearing of our constitutional action before Justice Charles between May 18 and 27, 2016, to reiterate our formal complaint in the hope that such investigations and enforcement can now take place,” Mr Bethel said.

Mr Bethel then referred

to Justice Charles’ landmark ruling on August 2, in which she declared that Mr Fitzgerald was not legally justified when he tabled STB’s private emails in Parliament, and therefore could not be protected by parliamentary privilege.

Mr Fitzgerald was fined $150,000 in damages, permanently banned from disclosure and publication of any further material belonging to STB and was ordered to delete all electronic and hard copy material within 14 days.

Mr Bethel, in his letter, noted the Office of the Attorney General’s indication that it would appeal Justice Charles’ judgment, as well as the stay that was granted pending the appeal. Yesterday, however, Mr Bethel said to date “no appeal has as yet been served on the applicants.”

“In light of the above and the clarity and finality of the findings of Justice Charles as to the breach of our clients’ constitutional rights, we hope that you would immediately exercise your powers as the acting data commissioner and investigate the formal complaints we have reiterated against the above named MPs,” Mr Bethel said.

More than a week ago, House Speaker Dr Kendal Major admitted that he should not have allowed Mr Fitzgerald to read and table the private emails in Parliament. However, Dr Major maintained that he does not believe the judiciary should interfere with matters in Parliament and said “respectfully” the court ought to mind its own business.

THE TRIBUNE

NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Urban Renewal Commission announced the distribution of Back to School supplies to its nine Urban Renewal Centres on Thursday, August 25, in a press conference at the Anglican Diocese headquarters, Addington House, Sands Road. Pictured at centre: Urban Renewal permanent secretary Diana Lightbourne, co-chairman Algernon Allen (centre left), and Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean (fourth left), with Assistant Superintendents of Police from the nine Urban Renewal Centres.

Photo: Urban Renewal Commission

Monday, August 29, 2016, PAGE 11