The Tribune
FBI JOINS POLICE’S
VOICE NOTE PROBE
...but UK crime agency expected mid-August still has not arrived
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has joined a police corruption probe sparked by voice notes that leaked in July, according to Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander. His revelation to The Tribune yesterday came after he said earlier this month that senior United Kingdom National Crime Agency members would arrive in the country to help oversee aspects of the probe. The investigators were expected to arrive in The Bahamas on August 14 but did not do so as
LABOUR RECEIVES COMPL AINTS OVER SENIOR FOREIGN WORKERS
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
LABOUR Director
Howard Thompson said his department has received increasing complaints from employees about poor treatment from senior foreign workers. He said some of the complaints have been about sexual harassment and racist comments. He told The Tribune yesterday: “Let me hasten to be clear on something, there are many number of foreigners working in The Bahamas, many of whom are good, decent, law and policy abiding workers, and they truly do add value to
Man shot and killed during attempted robbery at
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
a
scrap yard in Carmichael
A MAN was shot and killed yesterday at a scrap metal yard off Carmichael Road during an attempted robbery. Superintendent Deno Josey, officer in charge of Western Police Station, said police received information about gunshots around 12.30pm in the area west of the Pond Wash on
Carmichael Road. Officers found a man lying on the ground in the scrap metal yard. A white hatchback vehicle reportedly approached
Pintard: ‘We’ll share our donors, W ill you?’
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net
By NEIL HARTNELL
“Are you willing to answer whether or not most of the major companies that are presently engaged by this government, that your administration has received contributions from?”
PAGE THREE
MICHAEL Pintard said the Free National Movement is willing to disclose its financial donors if Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis is willing to do the same for the Progressive Liberal Party. “We are willing to lay the list of our donors on the table,” he said during a press conference yesterday. “Are you willing to lay yours?”
THE $18m sale of a Grand Bahama resort is threatened by the “dilapidated and dangerous” bridge that represents the sole transport link to “mainland” Freeport for itself and multiple other businesses.
Attorneys warned Ian Rolle, GBPA president, in a letter that failure to properly maintain the crumbling Taino Bridge could spark legal action. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
FNM LEADER MICHAEL PINTARD
THE SCENE on an unnamed road opposite Ramsey Street off Carmichael Road where a man was shot and killed yesterday.
Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
Man shot and killed during attempted robbery at a scrap yard in Carmichael
from page one
the scrap metal yard, demanded cash from the man, and then opened fire on him. The victim collapsed to the ground, and the suspect fled the scene in the vehicle, heading west on Carmichael Road.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived and found no signs of life.
The victim is believed to be a Haitian national in his early 40s. Police confirmed that he was employed at the scrap metal yard.
Superintendent Josey and several highranking officers were at the crime scene. He emphasised the heightened police presence due to the increasing crime rate, noting that the commissioner of police has ordered all ranks of the police force to be on patrol.
“These high-ranking officers behind me, they’re not just here because of the shooting,” he said. “They were on the road. They responded in minutes of the shooting. We are going to find out who did this, why it happened. We’re going to bring those persons to justice.”
This incident brings the murder count to 84, according to records from The Tribune.
POLICE Superintendent Dion Josey speaks to reporters at the scene at an unnamed road opposite Ramsey Street off Carmichael Road where a man was shot and killed yesterday.
Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
FBI joins police’s voice note probe
scheduled.
The investigation surrounds voice notes that purported to capture a quid-pro-quo arrangement involving a senior police officer, a lawyer and two murdered men, Michael Fox Jr and Dino Smith.
The conversation on the voice notes centred around a $1.5m airport bank car heist in November. Fox Jr and Smith were suspects in that matter but were never charged. Two other men, Oral Roberts, 34, and Akeil Holmes, 26, were charged in connection with the robbery. Roberts was killed in the Fox Hill area last month.
Michael Johnson, the head of the Central Investigations Department, has taken garden leave as authorities investigate.
Commissioner Fernander has said the Security and Intelligence Branch of the police force is investigating the matter. He said the Police Complaints Inspectorate, a little-known body that has traditionally lacked the resources to perform its duties, would supervise the SIB’s investigation.
Michael Fox Sr, the father of Fox Jr, told The Tribune last month that his son gave him the voice notes and told him to release the recordings if he died. He said he was not behind the release of the tapes. Sandra Smith, the mother of Dion Smith, said her son also informed her about the voice notes and their significance, but she never got them.
The matter has gripped the public’s attention partly because of other events that have occurred involving people connected to the voice notes. Days after Sylvens Metayer, a man living in the US who considers himself a whistleblower, seemingly released the voice notes, he was shot during a Facebook Live and survived the incident. Roberts, meanwhile, was killed a week after meeting officers probing the matter, according to his mother.
Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has urged his successor to appoint a Commission of Inquiry.
Pintard:
‘We’ll share our donors, will you?’
“Are you willing to deny that from the time of Sir Lynden Pindling to now, Grand Bahama Port Authority has made contributions to all the political organisations, including yours?”
Mr Pintard also questioned whether the PLP would reveal if companies that have benefited from no-bid contract awards have financially contributed to the party.
“Let’s see how transparent he is,” he said.
His comment yesterday came after Mr Davis challenged him to reveal whether he received financial contributions from the Grand Bahama Port Authority.
Both major political parties have promised to enact campaign finance rules but have repeatedly failed despite calls from good governance advocates and international bodies like the Organisation of American States.
In its Blueprint for Change, the PLP’s pre-election manifesto, the party promised campaign finance reform. However, in August 2022, Mr Davis said campaign finance reform was not a priority, and officials have given no indication since then that the matter will be addressed.
“He’s had long enough to introduce the legislation,” Mr Pintard said yesterday, adding that the FNM supports campaign finance legislation.
His predecessor, Dr Hubert Minnis, promised to introduce campaign finance rules but did not deliver.
SIXTEEN CUBAN S AND ONE ZIMBABWEAN REPATRIATED
A TOTAL of 16 Cuban nationals and one Zimbabwean were repatriated to Cuba on Tuesday. The Department of Immigration said a chartered flight departed New Providence to Havana at about 5.35pm, escorted by officers from the department.
CHIEF Superintendent Michael Johnson on garden leave over voice note probe.
FREE National Movement (FNM) leader Michael Pintard, flanked by, FNM chairman Dr Dwayne Sands, speaks during a press conference at FNM Headquarters yesterday. Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
Bahamas in the final stages of drafting Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Bill
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
STATE Minister of the Environment Zane Lightbourne said The Bahamas is in the final stages of drafting the Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety 2024 Bill. He made the announcement at the opening ceremony of a national workshop: “Beyond Weapons: The Peaceful Applications of Nuclear and Chemical Science for Safety, Security and Sustainable Development.”
Mr Lightbourne noted that The Bahamas does not produce or import nuclear or chemical weapons, does not generate nuclear electricity, and does not store chemical precursors for weapon production or stockpile chemical weapons. However, he emphasised the country’s commitment to protecting its territory and citizens from the harmful effects of unregulated chemicals.
“To show our commitment, The Bahamas is now
in its final stages of drafting the Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety 2024 Bill. Alongside this, we will roll out the Chemical Weapons Prohibition Bill of 2018, hopefully within this year,” he said. “In the absence of legislation, The Bahamas has commenced its inventory of chemical precursors and nuclear and radioactive sources in our country. We have also implemented a permitting system to control the import and export of radioactive material and established programs for regular checks, inspections, and verifications of facilities that store or use radiation and radioactive sources.”
He acknowledged the US Department of Energy for its donations of equipment to aid in detecting and identifying radioactive sources and addressing orphan sources in The Bahamas.
The three-day workshop aims to raise awareness of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, and the peaceful applications of
nuclear science for human and environmental health. It will also cover the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
The Bahamas is a member of the IAEA, which supports safe applications of nuclear technology, particularly in cancer treatment involving radiation.
The IAEA helps governments ensure the safe use of radiation and promotes the security of both users and recipients.
On the sidelines of the workshop, Mr Lightbourne highlighted the need for training in this field.
“While we have received important and expensive equipment for detection and treatment, we need trained Bahamians,” he said. “This workshop is an opportunity for Bahamians to gain certification and explore available scholarships. We encourage students to return home and participate in medical treatment and in ensuring the safe disposal of radioactive material.”
MINISTER of State for the Environment Zane Lightbourne speaking at the opening of the Beyond Weapons Workshop taking place at Atlantis yesterday.
Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr
Senior WSC employee
on vendors audit in Gibson trial
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A SENIOR employee at the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC)
testified in court yesterday about her initial findings from an audit of vendors contracted by the corporation under the Minnis administration.
Dian Saunders-Adderley, an assistant general manager at WSC, discussed her findings while testifying in the criminal trial of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson and others. Mr Gibson faces charges related to his tenure as WSC executive chairman involving his alleged failure to declare his interest in contracts awarded by the WSC.
Mrs Saunders-Adderley, an internal auditor, said the audit covered vendors the corporation engaged from 2017 to 2021 and noted that such audits were conducted regularly.
“All vendors that were paid by the WSC during that period were reviewed,” she said. “That review produced a listing of all these vendors for each year.”
After determining the value of their work, she categorised vendors into groups: those paid under $100,000, between $100,000 and $250,000, and over $250,000. According to the witness, 63 vendors were paid over $250,000. Vendors paid $500,000 and above were identified as “super vendors,” typically including water purchase companies, insurance firms, accountants, and lawyers.
She then assessed the type of company and their scope of work.
Regarding vendors paid over $250,000, Mrs Saunders-Adderley said: “In looking at the vendors
between $250,000 and $500,000, there were 37 vendors; 11 of those were identified as contractors (or) contracting companies.” She said it was unclear what specific work these 11 companies performed, only that they were contractors.
To determine the projects involved, she reviewed the payments made to each vendor.
“I did observe in looking at all eleven companies and all of their cheques that two specific companies had their costs charged to the same project,” she said. She described this as “noteworthy” and claimed “this was not seen among the other vendors.”
Mrs Saunders-Adderley conducted a similar review for vendor payments over $500,000. Of the 26 vendors who received payments over $500,000, seven were contracting companies.
“I looked at all their cheques and observed that one of those companies had its payment also charged to the same project number as the two companies between $250,000 and $500,000,” she said.
She identified these companies as Adams Landscaping, Elite Maintenance, and Baha Maintenance. She claimed Adams Landscaping was paid nearly $600,000, Elite Maintenance around $432,000 in 2018, and Baha Maintenance $413,000 in 2020.
Mr Gibson is on trial alongside Elwood Donaldson Jr, the former WSC general manager, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson, and Jerome Missick.
The defence team includes Mr Damian Gomez KC, Mr Murrio Ducille KC, Ian Cargill, Bryan Bastian, Ryan Eve, and Raphael Moxey. The
Crown’s legal team comprises acting Director of Public Prosecutions Ms Cordell Frazier, Cashena Thompson, Karine MacVean, and Rashied Edgecombe.
ALIV donates $10k to Abaco Strong and Waterkeepers Grand Bahama
ALIV has announced a $10,000 donation to both Abaco Strong and Waterkeepers Grand Bahama in remembrance of the communities affected by Hurricane Dorian as the five-year anniversary draws near.
“ALIV remains deeply connected to the families whose lives were profoundly impacted by Hurricane Dorian,” said Allison Levarity, vice president of consumer experience. “Our efforts during the storm were
just the beginning; we continue to be devoted to the recovery and ongoing support of these communities.”
John Gomez, chief ALIV officer, said: “The strength and resilience of the people of Grand Bahama and Abaco continue to inspire us. Our contributions to Abaco Strong and Waterkeepers Grand Bahama are just a small part of our ongoing dedication to these communities. We are committed to standing by
them as they rebuild and restore their lives.”
In the years since the storm, organisations such as Waterkeepers Grand Bahama and Abaco Strong have led recovery efforts. Waterkeepers Grand Bahama has focused on restoring water quality and vital ecosystems, including mangroves that naturally protect our coastlines. Abaco Strong is dedicated to rebuilding the infrastructure, economy, and sense of community in Abaco.
KELLY THURSTON, project director (Abaco Strong), John Gomez ALIV chief officer, Kenya Taylor, volunteer (Abaco Strong).
PICTURED left to right: Allison Levarity - vp of customer experience and channels, Javan Hunt - digital communications & special projects coordinator (Waterkeepers Bahamas), Bill Russell - director of call center operations.
ADRIAN GIBSON
The Tribune Limited
NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI
“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
LEON E. H. DUPUCH
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .
Publisher/Editor 1919-1972
Contributing Editor 1972-1991
RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.
Publisher/Editor 1972-
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Why polio is still a problem
POLIO was eliminated from most parts of the world as part of a decadeslong effort by the World Health Organization and partners to wipe out the disease. But polio is one of the world’s most infectious diseases and is still spreading in a small number of countries. The WHO and its partners want to eradicate polio in the next few years. Until it is gone from the planet, the virus will continue to trigger outbreaks anywhere children are not fully vaccinated. The recent polio infection in an unvaccinated baby in Gaza is the first time the disease has been reported in the territory in more than 25 years.
What is polio?
Polio is an infection caused by a virus that mostly affects children under 5. Most people infected with polio don’t have any symptoms, but it can cause fever, headaches, vomiting and stiffness of the spine. In severe cases, polio can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis within hours, according to the WHO The UN agency estimates that 1 in 200 polio cases results in permanent paralysis, usually of the legs. Among children who are paralysed, up to 10% die when their breathing muscles are paralyzed.
The virus spreads from person to person, entering the body though the mouth. It is most often spread by contact with waste from an infected person or, less frequently, through contaminated water or food.
Just how bad was polio in the past?
Very bad. Polio has existed for centuries; ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics show children walking with canes, with the wasted limbs characteristic of polio victims.
Before the first vaccine was developed in the 1950s, polio was among the most feared diseases. An explosive 1916 outbreak in New York killed more than 2,000 people and the worst recorded US outbreak in 1952 killed more than 3,000. Many people who survived polio suffered lifelong consequences, including
paralysis and deformed limbs. Some people whose breathing muscles were paralyzed required “iron lung” chambers to help them breathe.
When did the eradication campaign begin?
WHO passed a resolution to eradicate polio in 1988, spurred on by the success of eliminating smallpox eight years earlier. Their original target was to wipe out polio by 2000. The WHO — along with partners including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and Rotary International — boosted the production of an oral vaccine and rolled out widespread immunization campaigns. Polio cases dropped by more than 99%.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only countries where the spread of polio has never been stopped. There are also outbreaks in more than a dozen other countries, mostly in Africa. WHO and partners now aim to wipe out polio by 2026.
Why has it taken so long?
It’s extraordinarily difficult. Stopping polio outbreaks means vaccinating at least 95 percent of the population everywhere, including in conflict-ridden countries and poor regions with broken health systems and other priorities.
The oral vaccine is cheap, easy to use and is better at preventing entire populations from becoming infected. But it contains weakened, live polio virus and in very rare cases can spread and cause polio in unvaccinated people. In even rarer instances, the live virus from the vaccine can mutate into a new form capable of starting new outbreaks.
Health authorities have become more successful in reducing the number of cases caused by the wild polio virus. Vaccine-related cases now cause the majority of infections worldwide.
“The problem with trying to eradicate polio is that the need for perfection is so great and there are so many weak links,” said Scott Barrett, a Columbia University professor who has studied polio eradication. “The technical feasibility is there, but we live in a vastly imperfect world.”
Questions
EDITOR, The Tribune.
GBPA… GB Electric… all issues concerning Grand Bahama... are they so key for a future election or does the PLP see loosing scats in Nassau strongholds and hope they can make up twothree current FNM seats? Hawksbill... look read ain’t too difficult you will discover what were the original covenants (things the proposers promised
to do) and their fiscal and financial commitments. Simply can’t understand the PLP stance and how strong and firm they are the PLP were in office for over 35 years since 1973 so they are now saying the Auditor General never saw what they are suggesting now - GBPA owes millions to the Treasury? Successive Ministers of Finance and remember all were Prime Ministers in their cases and they
PICTURE OF THE DAY
In memory of Dikran Izmirlian
EDITOR, The Tribune.
OVER the years I have written many times about the fact that people, born and raised elsewhere, love The Bahamas so much that they choose to make The Bahamas their home. Many of them make immense contributions to The Bahamas, often without seeking publicity. Some of them were and are people of immense power and influence. One such person was Dikran Izmirlian, who has passed from time into eternity.
Dik, as he was affectionately called, was a consummate gentleman, a man of his word, and someone with whom people did business on a handshake. I highlight his trustworthiness because in today’s world of fake news and AI generated fake videos,
fact and fiction and truth and falsehood, far too frequently become blurred.
Dik and his wife Helena positively impacted, in a personal way, the lives of many Bahamians, and others, through their generous and quiet philanthropy.
The Izmirlian family’s impact on education in The Bahamas is shown through The Lyford Cay International School. In his usual quiet manner, Dik embraced the vision of the High School division and generously supported its creation and operation.
The Baha Mar complex is also a testament to the Izmirlian commitment to
his home, The Bahamas. As with many ventures, there have been ups and downs. History cannot forget that the author of the original vision was the Izmirlian family.
Thank you Dikran Izmirlian for making The Bahamas your home, for personally, positively and quietly impacting the lives of hundreds of Bahamians and for leaving everlasting testaments through your contribution, among other things, to education and commerce.
Prayerful condolences are extended to Helena, his loving and devoted wife, their children, grandchildren and family.
ALLYSON MAYNARD GIBSON KC Nassau August 28, 2024.
missed this issue?
GB Electric-Utility... few months back they had completed the largest solar platform in country presume generating power at no more than 8-10 cents and now they wish to increase their rates? Okay they use diesel not the cheapest of fuels.
H K RUSSELL Nassau, August 28, 2024.
EDITOR, The Tribune. MAY I as a female very much a female ask the US Embassy when my husband can celebrate with the Embassy Men’s Equality Day? No more to be said… The Bahamas
Constitution - believe Article 28 declares that all are equal. Why then a foreign state wishes to suggest women are not equal? Look around government, they sure run ministries…have a high quota of revs operating churches. Manage banks and finance institutions The real question is probably the opposite when or have men equal rights? Truly a true female.
JENNIFER HUMES Nassau August 27, 2024.
IN this picture Susan Lightbourn is seen sharing her breakfast with a giraffe at Giraffe Manor in Kenya.
Photo: Ron Roberts
Labour receives complaints over senior foreign workers
The Bahamas directly and indirectly, whom I’m reliably informed are a joy to work with and learn from.”
“But, unfortunately, there are a growing number of foreign worker ‘bad apples’ so to speak who slipped through the cracks, who seem to think The Bahamas is a place where you can mistreat, talk down to and exploit Bahamians, and as Director of Labour, I am shocked and sick and tired of these sort of complaints which seems to be growing and so the Department of Labour will be marshalling resources and staff to properly and thoroughly inspect and investigate any and all complaints of this nature and compile the necessary reports with our recommendations
and share same with the Department of Immigration and allow the chips to fall where they may as it relates to these few foreign worker ‘bad apples’ and the businesses and companies that continue to hire them notwithstanding internal complaints to the owners of those businesses and companies.”
Mr Thompson said he could not confirm nor deny whether he recently met with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis to discuss the issue.
However, he said: “The Department of Labour and the Department of Immigration are on high alert and will not tolerate such reprehensible behaviour and indifferent attitude from foreign workers in The Bahamas nor from the businesses or companies that employ them.”
Lightbourne downplays new hospital deforestation worry
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
STATE Minister for Environment Zane Lightbourne downplayed deforestationrelated concerns linked to the construction of a new $290m hospital in New Providence.
Mr Lightbourne acknowledged that deforestation is a common aspect of development but emphasised the need to balance development with environmental protection. He said officials are working closely with environmentalists to minimise negative impacts.
His comment yesterday came after Terry Miller, executive director of The Bahamas Association for Social Health and founder of EARTH Village, urged
the government to halt the hospital project, citing concerns over the destruction of the Perpall Tract Wellfield, which he describes as the most ecologically sensitive area in New Providence.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness has received approval from the Ministry of the Environment to proceed with the hospital’s construction.
Mr Lightbourne said agencies such as the Department of Forestry and the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection are responsible for meeting all environmental safeguards.
“We work closely with environmentalists to reduce harm and include necessary greenery in developments to counteract deforestation,” he said.
Concerns over importation of cars condemned in other countries
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
STATE Minister for the Environment Zane Lightbourne is concerned that some vehicles entering The Bahamas have been condemned in other countries.
His comment came while giving an update on removing derelict vehicles in Englerston, Sea Breeze, Garden Hills, Yamacraw, and Fox Hill constituencies.
He said officials are working to compile data showing the initiative’s success.
He explained that, under the law, a vehicle can be removed after being tagged by the Ministry of the Environment and given a 14-day removal notice. The ministry covers the cost of removing tagged cars.
He highlighted the “unfortunate
circumstances” in which numerous vehicles are imported daily and criticised the practice of selling cars in poor condition, saying: “Once these vehicles are mashed or become unusable, then they just leave the vehicle someplace. A vehicle takes up a lot of space, and we just need persons to care as much for the industry. If you’re going to get involved in this type of industry, you need to have a certain care about what happens to that vehicle.”
“We have to be careful that we don’t import right-off vehicles that are put back together. You see a lot of vehicles now with the wheel dropping off, and you’d be like, how does something like that happen? They’re just on a highway, and there’s a real kick out where it seemed like the whole suspension systems failed.”
LABOUR DIRECTOR HOWARD THOMPSON
STATE MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT ZANE LIG HTBOURNE
Aspiration, enterprise and transcendence of black Bahamians
THE late Roman Catholic Vicar General Monsignor Preston Moss grew up a stone’s throw away from the top of the hill East Street, not far from Mortimer Candy Kitchen.
Mortimer’s, which produced a rainbow of confectionary and other treats enjoyed by generations of Bahamians, was one of many black-owned enterprises which populated New Providence. The business grew from a dream into a cornucopia of confectionary delights for generations of Bahamians.
The website Ramble Bahamas describes the candy factory as “a landmark in the Over-the-Hill” community since 1928. The business was started by Ulric Mortimer Sr, who first learned to make candies from his mother when he was a child.
“He was motivated to set up a manufacturing company to provide jobs for young black children in his community.
“After attending candy college in the United States, he first opened his doors on Hospital Lane, and as his business became more well-known, moved to the location on East Street where Mortimer Candies is today, under the name of ‘The Best Ever Candy Company’.”
Monsignor Moss’s homestead stood in walking distance from Mortimer’s, and the Fort Hill, Mason’s Addition, Grant’s Town, Bain Town and other communities of former slaves, now free people.
They strove to overcome the indignity of slavery by reigniting their dignity and sense of possibility through unyielding struggle and the instruments and fruits of transcendence, including political and economic power.
Some history of Over-the-Hill is vital to understanding the industry, in multiple senses, of those who helped transform The Bahamas from a colonial outpost to a sovereign nation.
Gregory’s Arch was named after Governor John Gregory. It was completed with slave labour. The Arch was a gateway or a passage from one world to another. While slaves and their descendants laboured in the City of Nassau, they could not live in the City. When 18th and 19th and mid20th century blacks passed through Gregory Arch,
they were crossing racial, social and economic lines.
Though not as severe, Gregory’s Arch was some what similar to the barbed wire fences in apartheid South Africa, which sepa rated black townships from commercial centres along racial and class divides.
While these lines could be temporarily crossed in the interest of exploiting cheap Bahamian labour, the boundaries they rep resented were cast in impervious stone and could not be breached.
Gregory Arch was a tunnel cut through a hill to connect Nassau with the Over-the-Hill settlements and communities of Bain and Grant’s Towns. These communities were called Over-the-Hill because they were located south of a long ridge overlooking Nassau City and harbour.
The tunnel was carved out to allow working class Bahamians, the descendants of ex and recently freed slaves, a short cut from their home communities to work in the City. This was more of a favor to the merchants than to the workers.
Gregory’s Arch was architecturally and morally juxtaposed to one of the more famous buildings in the Colony, Government House, sitting majestically atop Mt. Fitzwilliam, the official office and residence of the Colonial Governor.
Grant’s Town received its name from Major General Sir Lewis Grant who was the Governor of The Bahamas between 1820-1829.
NOTICE TO PROSPECTIVE VENDORS
The U.S. Embassy anticipates signifcant contracting opportunities over the next 12 months. All vendors that wish to do business with The U.S. Embassy, Nassau, are required to register their business in SAM – System for Award Management – prior to receiving a contract award. There is no cost to register with or use SAM. The registration process can take up to six weeks and should be completed before bidding on any solicitations or opportunities.
Interested vendors should register at https://sam.gov/. Click on “Get Started” to initiate setting up a user account and then registering your business with SAM.
Instructions will be there under “Register Your Entity”
Assistance with the registration process is found at https://www.fsd.gov
For additional information please contact NassauProcurementStaff@state.gov
Grant’s administration, he instructed the SurveyorGeneral John James Burnside to lay out a settlement behind the town of Nassau for African slaves.
The town later became known as Grant’s Town in honour of Sir Lewis.
Because many of the newly released Africans had just arrived from Africa, Bain and Grant’s Towns maintained a strong African identity, including many vibrant African customs.
From around 1850 to 1950, Grant’s Town contained more than half the population of New Providence, with numerous homes, many of which had gardens. While downtown Nassau was the commercial capital, the heartbeat of New Providence for the mass of people was actually Bain and Grant’s Town.
Much of the land in these towns was considered of lesser commercial value to the elites. Bain and Grant’s Town were located behind the ridge that separated the City of Nassau from these communities.
The separation cum segregation of the people in these areas was deliberate, because by the mid-1800s the African population grew dramatically with the coming of the Loyalists.
With the black population overtaking the white population, the colonial power thought it necessary to separate the African presence from the town of Nassau.
Segregation had myriad effects. It perpetuated racism and inequality. It also engendered in the oppressed the need for selfreliance; the creation of new bonds of community and hope; and a commitment to struggle and inner pride. It animated various forms of collective and individual self-expression, such as Junkanoo.
Monsignor Moss often recalled the racial inequality and discrimination unceasingly visited upon the majority of Bahamians by the colonialists and the white merchant elite.
The oligarchy greedily hogged commercial interests for themselves, denying the majority of black Bahamians and many white Bahamians economic opportunities reserved for a few well-connected families.
Quite a number of Greek Bahamians and others who were not a part of the white elite were also denied a host of economic benefits and special arrangements.
Yet amidst the economic and social discrimination, Monsignor Moss had vivid memories of the vital and vibrant communities of black Bahamians Overthe-Hill and in settlements of freed slaves such as Fox Hill.
The familial, social and economic networks of these communities included: churches, shops, restaurants, burial societies, lodges, nightclubs, and a host of other black-owned enterprises.
He recalled the entrepreneurial zeal of many skilled black Bahamians, including
business people, who nurtured and enjoyed their own social milieu with a quilt of associations, societies and clubs. Many of these Bahamians wanted discrimination dismantled so that they and their children might flourish even more. They did not pine for membership in various white clubs nor did they have an antipathy toward white Bahamians.
Nassau enjoyed some of the finest seamstresses and tailors, who could easily compete with other similar professionals or clothiers found anywhere in the world. One was the late Leroy Archer, affectionately known as “Uncle Lee”, The four-storey Reinhard Hotel on Baillou Hill Road and Tin Shop Corner, accommodated “people of color during the days of segregation.”
As Ramble Bahamas notes: “Initially designed and constructed by Dr Claudius Roland Walker and Mrs Mabel Walker in the 1930s, the hotel furnished the stage for everything from social soirees to local business operation to pivotal moments in Bahamian political history.”
The hotel “served as headquarters to the Progressive Liberal Party during the landmark 1967 election that led to Majority Rule”.
The opening of Government High School in 1925 further revealed the abundance of talent among young black Bahamians hungry for educational opportunity. It also revealed the scarcity of opportunity for young black Bahamians, whose dreams often festered, or were deferred and unrealised, because of blatant discrimination and the poisonous mindset that black children were simply not as smart or as capable or as equal as others.
Over many decades, Government High would educate many black and white young people. The sad history of how the school’s mission was upended by some of the very people who benefitted from the institution is an example of how a kleptocracy of certain black interests betrayed new generations of black, young and gifted Bahamians.
Like many others of his
generation, a sense of inferiority never inhabited the sinews and synapses of Monsignor Moss’s soul or imagination. His parents and grandparents imbued in the young Preston, a sense of pride and dignity as a human being, as a Bahamian, as “a child of God”, who also happened to be black.
The very notion that he was inferior or less talented or less capable than another human being because of the color of his skin was an anathema, “an affront to God”, a specious lie, laid bare by the splendid priestly ministry of a princely native son.
A friend recalls his grandmother, who owned a grocery shop on Shirley Street. Her husband was one of the first black men to become a sergeant on the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Their story was typical of a burgeoning black middle class. Their four children went on to become professionals in their fields.
Many black Bahamians enjoyed a sophisticated cum cosmopolitan worldview, with an appreciation for educational and economic advancement. In quite a number of homes, books and music enlivened the spirits and yearnings of black Bahamians.
A number of such individuals helped form the Progressive Liberal Party, which gave rise to party politics, a major advancement in the country’s political development.
Many of Monsignor Moss’s contemporaries recall the vibrancy and energy of black entrepreneurs, an economic force they wanted to help to unleash in the development of a modern Bahamas teeming with energy and the hunger for opportunity.
Despite a treasury and rich legacy of black achievement, there are those who have, over many decades, continued to spin the false, prejudiced tale that there was little black enterprise or entrepreneurial spirit Overthe-Hill before Majority Rule.
Such a tall tale is a deepseated prejudice and grand lie easily detected, arrested, convicted and sentenced to the graveyard of racist conceits, countered by beautiful facts and individuals, and a narrative of enterprise and achievement by black Bahamians.
OLD photographs of people working in Mortimers Candy Kitchen - The Best Ever Candy Company - in the early days of the business.
Smooth DNC convention ends with party unified for Harris
IN the aftermath of last week’s dazzling Democratic National Convention in Chicago, party publicists are still flooding reporters’ inboxes with praise from the print media all over the US. It would be easy to succumb to the effusive reporting of everything from inspiring speeches to the logistical success of making every slide and video appear on the United Center jumbo scoreboard at exactly the right time. After all, there are a lot of Americans who are frightened at the possibility that Donald Trump will somehow still be returned to office, in spite of everything he has said and done for the past decade. And for them, the exultation of no longer having to trudge to the polls to vote for an obviously enfeebled Joe Biden is intoxicating indeed.
Looking back at it, the DNC was triumphant in several respects. Most importantly, it exhibited on national television the unity of the Democratic Party behind its nominee Kamala Harris. And at the same time, the DNC was able to showcase Harris at her best, delivering trademark smiles, appropriate zingers in Trump’s direction, and drawing on her
STATESIDE
prosecutor’s background to imply her toughness on matters such as national defense, border security and crime fighting. Her vice-presidential choice, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, was who he is. And that should be a virtue on the campaign trail, since this is a man who seems incapable of the prevarication and artifice that often dominates American political life. He speaks plainly and unambiguously. It’s still to be determined how effective he will be in tough interviews and in his October 1 debate with JD Vance, but for now, he seems to be a plus. Security was, to put it bluntly, overwhelming. And it was meant to be. Convention events were fenced off for blocks in every direction, especially around the main venue at the United Center. Chicago police were supplemented by officers from other
departments; the US Secret Service was ubiquitous, and private security was evident in most places.
And it worked. There was press coverage of the protests by groups opposed to Israel’s continued devastation in Gaza, and indeed those groups were evident at the DNC. But the event attracted hundreds of other loud-voiced, sign-carrying protesters appearing on both sides of the abortion issue; on the need to defend Taiwan and free Tibet; on the urgency of impeaching various Supreme Court justices, and on most any other subject of current news value.
Things moved along relatively smoothly nonetheless. Inside the arena and at other venues, delegates gathered as at any other national convention, comparing notes, building personal networks and trying to attract the interest of those presumed to be in the inner or near-inner circle of the nominees.
Perhaps most notably in press coverage at the convention and in its now week-long aftermath, there was hardly a murmur about Harris’s gender. Inside the arena, as states and speakers lauded her, there were frequent references to the fact she would be the first female president, but that was only part of a list of “firsts” for her. It did seem that now in America, 105 years after women were allowed to vote by means of the passage of an amendment to the US constitution, the
notion of a female chief executive in the White House may be finally normalised.
Probably the most significant development of the DNC and in Harris’s campaign so far is that she has – implausibly, considering that she has served as second-in-command for the past four years – emerged as a candidate of change.
As one columnist pointed out, “she doesn’t represent a change in policy or party, but she represents the promise of a new beginning. She has also turned Donald J Trump into a something like a candidate of the status quo, or even the past — not the policy status quo, but the candidate of a contentious and exhausting decade of American political life”.
Now this week, the campaigns resume in earnest, with a highly predictable focus on Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It’s very informative to note where Trump and Harris choose to campaign in these critical states. Harris will likely concentrate on large urban areas where her natural constituencies lie. Trump, by contrast, may well visit places like Montoursville, Pennsylvania; Adrian, Michigan, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
The first is in rural, mountainous northern Pennsylvania. The second lies in the heart of Michigan’s agricultural center. And the third is in upstate Wisconsin, far from the bright lights of Milwaukee and Madison. Trump
will focus on turning out his base in areas where research says it is most dense – so long as there’s an airport there big enough to land his signature plane. There has been a lot of speculation about the continuing effort by Republican operatives to identify negative images of or connections with Harris that could be used to damage her in the election. They’ll find some.
Meantime, the GOPcontrolled House of Representatives is still pushing articles of impeachment against Joe Biden. It seems preposterous that anyone would take this seriously just months before Biden leaves office, but Trump’s second impeachment was launched after the January 6, 2021 riotous assault on the US capitol when he had but days remaining in his term. Hunter Biden continues to be a fringe news item. This appears similarly counterintuitive, given that it is relevant only in connection with his father’s bid for reelection, but if Republicans can somehow tie Hunter to Harris, watch out.
Then there’s the matter of Robert F Kennedy, Jr. He is the son and namesake of the late Attorney General and US senator and presidential candidate who was assassinated on the campaign trail in Los Angeles in June 1968, just two months after Dr Martin Luther King Jr was shot in Memphis.
Kennedy Jr is important because of his father and the family’s formidable political legacy. He has achieved some acclaim as an environmental lawyer, but to many observers, he remains a kind of enigmatic gadfly. Because of his name and his status as an alternative choice for voters to either Trump nor Biden, Kennedy nevertheless
attracted media and political attention.
There was also a consensus that he was more likely to siphon off votes from Trump than from Biden/ Harris, so when he closed down his candidacy last week, it was marginally newsworthy. At the same time, he endorsed Trump, and declared his strong opposition to the Democratic ticket and platform. Will it matter? Probably not. Will Hunter Biden matter anymore? Probably not. Will an attempt to impeach Joe Biden matter anymore? Probably not. But it seems pretty certain that several things will emerge or be revealed that either do matter or can be repackaged by Republican Party operatives to seem like they matter. And there is really no evidence at this point indicating how skillfully Harris and Walz will deflect what comes their way. Here are some final convention notes: Nancy Pelosi, reportedly the person whose move away from Biden precipitated his decision to abandon his presidential race, seems frail up close. Now 84, she is America’s most consequential female politician. But it looks like her time is rapidly coming to a close. Admittedly exhausted from a long week of barnstorming the convention, Pelosi looked more than tired. She looked old, and not powerful, as she spoke to a small group of assembled reporters and responded to questions with well-rehearsed generalities.
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts certainly did not dress up elegantly for her appearance on stage, but she evoked a thunderous round of applause and cheering when she gave her remarks. Those included the quip that “I wouldn’t trust Trump and Vance to move my couch.”
The Democrats did well. Will the magic last?
Donald Trump wouldn’t say whether he has spoken with Robert F Kennedy, Jr., in recent days, but made clear he would welcome an endorsement from the independent candidate.
“If he endorsed me, I would be honoured by it — I would be very honoured by it,” Trump said during an early morning interview on “Fox & Friends” otherwise devoted to attacking Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Trump praised Kennedy during the Fox interview, quite a change from earlier this year when he denounced the independent candidate as a “Radical Left Liberal” whose candidacy would hurt him and help the Democrats.
with Charlie Harper
DEMOCRATIC presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Aug. 22, 2024 in Chicago.
Photo: Paul Sancya/AP
Pathogens Unit commissioned at Rand Memorial Hospital
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
NEW modular units at the Rand Memorial Hospital were officially commissioned as the Specialty Pathogens Unit on Wednesday, addressing capacity demands for emergency healthcare at Grand Bahama Health Services.
Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville said the opening of the units will help manage patient load challenges at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department.
“Today, we are pleased the units are running so residents can benefit from these units purchased a year and a half ago by the Public Hospitals Authority,” he said. “We had some setbacks with the units, but they have been corrected. Patients will have an excellent experience, and doctors will not have to work in cramped spaces.”
Managing director of the Public Hospitals Authority Dr Aubynette Rolle said emergency healthcare workers will relocate to the Specialty Pathogens Unit while the existing A&E unit undergoes significant repairs.
“The SPU was designed to help with overflow in the emergency room and to manage infectious diseases,” she said. “The existing emergency room needs extensive repairs. The beauty of today is that our physicians and nurses can transfer over to the modular units and function as a full emergency unit while we fix the existing emergency room.”
She added: “If they have issues related to infectious diseases, we now have the space to minimise exposure to patients and employees.”
Dr Rolle also confirmed
that the physiotherapy department has relocated to the new modular units and is operating smoothly.
Dr Darville also expressed satisfaction with the progress of the new $200m Freeport Health Campus, which is proceeding on schedule.
“We had the opportunity to tour part of the Freeport campus,” he said. “We are out of the ground and getting ready for vertical construction. We intend to complete a turnkey for phases 1a and 1b by June of next year.”
He said in the coming months, officials expect to go to tender for a multistorey complex, which is the second phase of the project.
“Residents can rest assured that we are committed to completing this facility, so we can deliver the new tertiary healthcare institution that Grand Bahama has been promised for many years,” Dr Darville said.
He emphasised that the new hospital would complement the work being done at RMH and provide additional services, including an oncology centre that the PLP administration promised during its last term in office in 2016.
Dr Darville also addressed other challenges in Grand Bahama.
“We learned about a facility in McLean’s Town,” he said. “I saw a report in the newspaper today, and it was unnecessary. It is on our radar. The initial work was done, the AC system was repaired, and what was reported as severe mould is being investigated.”
Dr Darville indicated that renovations will soon begin on the clinic for residents in Grand Cay and the unit providing ophthalmology services in Grand Bahama.
In West End, he reported that work has already been
carried out at the clinic, with similar efforts planned for the Eight Mile Rock and Hawksbill clinics.
The minister also addressed the issue of
ambulance shortages, confirming that some have already arrived in the country.
“Residents can rest assured that we promised
ambulances, and we have 12 to 15 en route from Spain,” he said. “We heard some of them have arrived, but they did not come on one ship. Two other ships are en route.” He said the ambulances will be deployed to New Providence, Grand Bahama, and the Family Islands.
HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville ommissioned the Pathogens Unit at Rand Memorial Hospital yesterday. He is pictured wiht Senator Russell, Ginger Moxey. Minister for Grand Bahama, Parliamentary Sectary at Ministry for Grand Bahama MP. Kingsley Smith, Tevard Bastian from the office in charge of Public Hospitals in Grand Bahama.
Photos: Vandyke Hepburn
Miller hosts back-to-school event in Adelaide
KIDS in the Adelaide constituency career advice as well as backpacks and free school supplies at the annual Backto-School event hosted by Vaughn Miller MP. In addition, they received information and advice on tertiary education from the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI). Health services were also provided for kids and parents.
The event was held at the Dignity Gardens Park on Saturday, August 24, with a chance to meet local professionals and learn about various career paths. Representatives from the uniformed corps, healthcare, the financial industry and others participated.
The RBDF Band took part, while RBDF Rangers, the youth arm, showed off their skills in military drills. They also shared their experiences as rangers with the kids attending the back-to-school event.
“We added a career path component to our back to school event to expose the students - particularly the older students - and have them thinking about what they would like to do after they graduate,” Mr Miller said.
“Proverbs 22:6 says train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Well an important part of that training is education. We want to give these students the opportunities that we did not have in our time. My parents’ generation - they fought to see us have the opportunities they didn’t have. Free education, free school supplies, and lots of support helps to position the students to pursue higher levels of education.”
He annoucned that in September, a new STEM education programme will be introduced into the Adelaide constituency. This three-month programme will take place on Saturdays, and information is forthcoming.
Community partner Pompey Medical offered blood pressure and other health checks, and assisted with medical and wellness checks for kids going back to school and NHI enrolment applications. Colina Insurance was also on hand.
There was food and drinks, ice cream, cotton candy, the 24 Carat Juice Bar, face painting, and other activities including a basketball jamboree.
Veteran basketball coach of 35 years Ricky Moxey led the jamboree, which provided cash prizes of up to $150 for the winners.
“A lot of people are hurting out there,”
Coach Moxey said,”So we wanted to do something different that would put money into some of their pockets, right in time for back to school. We had free throw and three point shot competitions, and they loved it.”
MAN ACCUSED OF SHOOTING HIS GIRLFRIEND HAS HIS CHARGE UPGRADED TO MURDER
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was remanded to prison yesterday after being accused of causing the death of his 36-year-old girlfriend, whom he allegedly shot on Melvern Road in June.
Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr arraigned Kenyen Adderley, 38, on a murder charge.
Adderley allegedly shot and killed Kaschecka Rigby after an argument outside their residence around 6.30am on June 23.
A video of the incident, which circulated on social media, reportedly showed
the muzzle flash of a weapon inside a car before the suspect pulled the victim out of the vehicle.
Ms Rigby recently succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
Adderley was previously arraigned on charges of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of ammunition in connection with the June incident.
Adderley was allegedly found with a black, silver, and teal G2C pistol and eight 9mm rounds of ammunition.
Adderley claimed he was still wearing an ankle monitor as part of his bail for the attempted murder charge.
Magistrate Allen explained the previous bail was voided when the charge was upgraded.
Adderley responded that his attorney, Tonique Lewis, is working to rectify the issue with his bail. He was allowed to call her from the Magistrate’s Court cellblock.
Service of Adderley’s VBI is set for October 1. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom served as the prosecutor.
The defendant was informed that his upgraded murder charge would proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).
B AIL GRANTED OVER CUTLASS ASSAULT
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was granted bail yesterday after being accused of assaulting a woman with a cutlass at his home last week.
Moss allegedly attacked Anita McDonald with a cutlass and threatened her on Rose Street at 2.30pm on August 23.
After pleading not guilty, Moss claimed that McDonald had assaulted him with a cutlass when he asked for rent.
Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr arraigned Kevin Moss, 48, on charges of assault with a dangerous instrument and threats of harm.
Prosecutor Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom did not object to bail, which was set at $3,000 with one or two sureties.
Moss was instructed not to contact the complainant and to sign in at the Fox Hill Police Station every Wednesday by 6pm. His trial is scheduled for September 20.
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was granted $7,500 bail yesterday after being accused of setting fire to a business on East Street South in 2022, causing $150,000 in damages.
Senior Magistrate Shaka Serville arraigned Harry Verne, 43, on charges of arson, shopbreaking, and theft.
Verne allegedly broke into Mayaguana Deep South Floyd’s Place on July 8, 2022, stealing $15,700 worth of property belonging to Allan McClain.
Later that day, between 1pm and 4pm, Verne allegedly set fire to the building, resulting in significant damage.
After pleading not guilty, Verne was informed that his bail conditions include signing in at the Fox Hill Police Station every Tuesday and Saturday by 6pm, surrendering his travel documents, and wearing a monitoring device.
He was warned that breaching any of these conditions could revoke his bail. Verne’s trial is scheduled to begin on December 17. Philip Hilton is representing him.
Photos: Samantha Black
Sworn enemies key to ending war in Gaza, but do they want a deal?
Associated Press
THE latest flurry of Gaza cease-fire talks — the back-and-forth over now-familiar sticking points and appeals from around the world — obscures a grim truth about the monthslong efforts to end the IsraelHamas war and free scores of hostages.
Any deal requires the signatures of two men: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
They are sworn enemies, notoriously tough negotiators and know that the outcome of the talks will profoundly shape their legacies. In Sinwar’s case, it could mean life or death.
Both have strong incentives to end the war. But they may also think they stand to gain by holding out a bit longer, and that war is preferable to a deal that falls short of their demands.
Here’s a look at the two leaders and the constraints they face.
WHAT DOES NETANYAHU WANT?
Netanyahu has promised “total victory” over Hamas and the return of all the hostages held in Gaza — goals that many believe are incompatible.
He has come under tremendous pressure from the hostages’ families and much of the Israeli public to make a deal to bring them home, even if it leaves a battered Hamas intact. The United States, which has provided key military aid and diplomatic support to Israel, is also pushing for such a deal.
But Netanyahu’s governing coalition relies on far-right ministers who want to permanently reoccupy Gaza and have threatened to bring down the government if he concedes too much. That would force early elections that could drive him from power at a time when he is on trial for corruption.
It would also hasten a broader reckoning over the security failures surrounding the Oct. 7 attack in which Hamasled militants killed some 1,200 people in southern Israel, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 others — on Netanyahu’s watch. Netanyahu has
rejected calls for a government investigation until the war is over.
The longer the war drags on, the more likely Israel is to achieve something that looks like victory — the killing of Sinwar, the rescue of more hostages — and the longer Netanyahu has to repair his political standing and reshape his legacy. But it also comes with risks as the number of soldiers killed in action rises nearly every day and Israel becomes increasingly isolated because of the suffering it has inflicted on Palestinians.
Netanyahu has clashed with his own defence minister over the endgame.
Israeli media is filled with reports quoting unnamed senior security officials expressing frustration with Netanyahu, especially his demand for lasting control over two strategic corridors in Gaza. Some have gone so far as to accuse him of sabotaging the talks.
Both Israel and Hamas say they have accepted different versions of an evolving US-backed ceasefire proposal in principle, while suggesting changes and accusing the other of making unacceptable demands.
Yohanan Plesner, head of the Israel Democracy Institute, a local think tank, acknowledged the anger directed at Netanyahu in the local press and among segments of Israeli society but said Sinwar bore most of the blame for the impasse because he had shown little interest in compromising.
“If we saw Sinwar was serious about getting a deal, that would force Israel and Netanyahu to expose their cards,” Plesner said. The current situation is “almost like negotiating with oneself.”
WHAT DOES S I NWAR WANT?
Sinwar wants to end the war — but only on his terms.
Israel’s offensive has killed over 40,000 people, according to local health officials, displaced 90% of Gaza’s population and destroyed its main cities. Hamas has lost thousands of fighters and much of its militant infrastructure.
Sinwar’s only bargaining chips are the roughly 110 hostages still held in Gaza, around a third of whom are believed to be dead. And he needs much more than a temporary pause in
the fighting if he hopes to salvage anything resembling victory from the Oct. 7 attack that he helped mastermind.
That begins with assurances that Israel won’t resume the war once some or all of the hostages are freed. He also needs Israel to withdraw from all of Gaza to ensure that the lasting impact of the Oct. 7 attack is not a permanent reoccupation of the territory. The release of high-profile Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal is a sacred cause for Sinwar, who was himself a long-serving prisoner freed in an exchange. And he needs assurances that Palestinians will be able to return to their homes and rebuild them.
“Sinwar is very much concerned with bringing negotiations to a conclusion, whether with regard to a cease-fire or an exchange of prisoners, because in both cases, Sinwar will have come out as the winner,” said Nabih Awada, a Lebanese political analyst and former militant who spent years in an Israeli prison with Sinwar.
There are risks for Sinwar in drawing the talks out: More hostages are likely to die or be rescued as the war grinds on. Death, destruction and hardship in Gaza will continue, and could stoke
Palestinian discontent with Hamas, with political implications down the line. Sinwar himself, who sits atop Israel’s most-wanted list, could be killed at any time. But given the centrality of martyrdom in Hamas’ history and ideology, he may feel that outcome is inevitable — and preferable to a deal that looks like defeat.
CAN ANY EXTERNAL PRESSURE HELP?
Egypt and Qatar have served as key mediators with Hamas, but their influence is limited.
Any pressure exerted on Hamas’ exiled leadership is unlikely to have much impact on Sinwar, who was appointed the overall head of Hamas after the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. Sinwar is believed to have spent most of the past 10 months living in tunnels under Gaza, and it is unclear how much contact he has with the outside world.
The United States has provided crucial military support for Israel throughout the conflict and has shielded it from international calls for a cease-fire. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden paused a shipment of hundreds of 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs to pressure Israel not to invade the southern city
of Rafah — which it did anyway.
US election politics could also blunt American pressure. Biden has shown little inclination to pressure Netanyahu, and Vice President Kamala Harris has offered no concrete policy changes. Donald Trump has urged Israel to finish up its offensive but would likely be even more accommodating to Netanyahu, as he was during his presidency.
Any US arms embargo is even less likely when Israel faces a potential retaliatory strike from Iran over the killing of Haniyeh. Instead, the United States has poured military assets into the region, taking some of the pressure off Israel.
Sinwar might have hoped that the targeted killings of Haniyeh and a top Hezbollah commander last month would widen the war. But that appears less likely, with both Israel and Hezbollah applying the brakes following a heavy exchange of fire over the weekend. The cease-fire talks have continued through it all, punctuated by fleeting moments of optimism. The mediators have spent recent weeks trying to hammer out a bridging proposal with Netanyahu, but it’s still a work in progress. It has not yet been submitted to Sinwar.
THIS combination of photos shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, in Ramat Gan, Israel, on June 8, 2024, and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza City, on April 13, 2022.
Photo: AP
PALESTINIANS mourn relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, at a hospital in Deir al-Balah, on Tuesday.
Photo: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
IN a perfect blend of athleticism and empowerment, the Flamingos Women’s Golf Club, in partnership with the prestigious Paradise Island Ocean Club Golf Course, hosted a summer afternoon tee time event. The event last week proved to be a vibrant celebration of women, golf and the incredible benefits of the sport – both on and off the course. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Ocean Club’s lush greens, the afternoon began with a lively skills clinic where seasoned golfers and newcomers alike honed their driving, chipping, and putting techniques.
PAMELA Thompson celebrates after making her putt.
GOLFERS, from left to right, Debbie Knowles, Saphire Douglas-Sands, Pattie Symonette and Toneika Russell.
AGATHA DELANCY, president of the Flamingos Women’s Golf Club, and Lloyd Jones, golf operations manager at Ocean Club Golf Club, with the trophy winners.
‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr hits his career-best 22nd home run
own American League record of 62. Judge had not gone three games without a homer in more than two
weeks. He hit a soft RBI single and walked twice. Juan Soto, who helped Washington win the 2019 World Series, went 0 for 12 in the series for New York, which entered Wednesday
THE SPORTS CALENDAR
leading Baltimore by one game in the AL East. Gore (8-11) worked six solid innings, allowing two runs and six hits. Jose A. Ferrer and Jacob Barnes each pitched a scoreless
AUGUST
TRACK HIGH PERFORMANCE
TRYOUT
THE High Performance Athletics Track Club is scheduled to hold a team tryout for sprints and hurdles on Friday, August 30, from 9am to 1pm at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
It’s open to all athletes between the ages of 12-18 who want to become a part of High Performance Athletics Club.
All interested persons are asked to contact 456-2115 for more details.
TRACK RED-LINE CROSS COUNTRY
IN preparation for the off-season training, the Red-Line Athletics Track Club is scheduled to hold its inaugural Cross Country & Fitness Run on Saturday, September 14, at the St Augustine’s College Campus.
The categories for the male and female runners are under-9, under11, under-13, under-15, under-17, under-20, under-30, under-40, under50 and over-50. The male and female walkers will compete in the under20, under-30, under-40, under-50 and over-50 categories.
The course length will be one-mile over two hills, a staircase, road and grass surfaces that will feel like two miles. Trophies will be distributed to the first three all age groups and divisions for both the walkers and the runners. The registration fee is $20 per athlete and interested persons can register online at redlineathletics242@gmail.com
BODYBUILDING NOVICE SHOW
THE Bahamas Bodybuilding Wellness and Fitness Federation will hold its 2024 Novice and National Bodybuilding Competition on Saturday,
September 7 at the University of the Bahamas. Competition will be held for men and women in fitness, classic, physique, figure, bikini, wellness and bodybuilding.
Tickets are priced at $30 for general admission and $40 for VIP and can be purchased from any of the bodybuilding gymnasiums.
Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $35 general admission and $45 for VIP.
WRESTLING FIGHT FOR PARADISE
THE All Caribbean Wrestling (ACW) will hold its Fight for Paradise Show on Saturday, October 19 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. Doors open at 1pm.
Wrestlers from throughout the Caribbean and the United States of America will be participating. For ticket information, persons can contact FightForParadise.eventbrite.
com
TRACK UB CROSS COUNTRY
THE University of the Bahamas will hold its annual Cross Country 2K24 Invitational on Saturday, September 28, starting at 7 am at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium. Interested persons can contact coach Ednal Rolle at 424-6469 or ednql.roolle@ub.edu.bs for more details.
CHESS SUMMER CHESS SHOWDOWN
THE Bahamas Chess Federation will hold its Summer Chess Showdown this weekend at the Q Cafe at Queen’s College.
The championships will take place on Saturday and Sunday and will serve as a qualifier for the Bahamas National Chess Championships.
inning and Kyle Finnegan got out of trouble in the ninth for his 34th save in 38 chances.
Meantime, a Nationals lineup featuring six rookies frustrated Rodón (14-9) on a 98-degree night.
After Crews’ homer, Rodón allowed the next two runners to reach and then appeared to complain about a problem with the PitchCom system.
He did not step off the rubber and was called for a balk, allowing James Wood to score from third.
Rodón walked toward plate umpire Tony Randazzo in protest before manager Aaron Boone exited the dugout and got between them.
His gray jersey soaked with sweat, Rodón showed little interest in holding runners, making deliberate pickoff throws but otherwise letting the Nationals — who lead the majors in stolen bases — run at will.
Washington stole four bases in the second inning alone and scored two runs on RBI singles by Nasim Nuñez and Wood, who finished with two hits and
three of Washington’s five steals. The Nationals’ baserunning took a turn for the worse in the eighth, when José Tena hit a liner over Judge’s head in center for a single and Joey Gallo held up after lumbering around third, with Juan Yepez on his heels. Gallo was tagged out in a rundown while Yepez retreated to second, and Tena was caught between first and second for an 8-6-2-3-2-5-4 double play.
TRAINER’S ROOM Yankees: RHP Clarke Schmidt (right lat) allowed one run and three hits in three innings for TripleA Scranton/Willes-Barre with five strikeouts and one walk, throwing 41 of 58 pitches for strikes. He is likely to make one more rehab start, Boone said. ...
RHP Luis Gil (lower back strain) threw 65-70 pitches of live batting practice and his next step will probably be a rehab start, Boone said.
Nationals: Placed RHP Joan Adon on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder biceps strain and recalled RHP Orlando Ribalta from Triple-A Rochester.
UP NEXT Yankees: Host the Cardinals on Friday in the opener of a three-game series, with RHP Marcus Stroman (9-6, 3.88 ERA) set to oppose St. Louis RHP Erick Fedde (8-7, 3.31).
Nationals: Begin a threegame series against the visiting Cubs on Friday with RHP Jake Irvin (9-10, 3.80) on the mound against Chicago LHP Shota Imanaga (10-3, 3.08).
The Presidential Opportunity at University of The Bahamas
The Board of Trustees of University of The Bahamas (UB) is pleased to announce an intensive search for the next President of UB and invites nominations and applications for this exceptional leadership opportunity. The Board seeks a dynamic and inclusive leader who will embody a commitment to the values and traditions of the University. The next President will be an effective and transformational leader who builds on the exceptional strengths of UB, whose mission is to advance and expand access to higher education, promote academic freedom, drive national development, and build character through teaching, learning, research, scholarship, and service. The President will have a deep understanding of and appreciation for the culture of The Bahamas and will position the University for continued growth and success.
This presidential opportunity arrives at a pivotal moment in the history of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas as the nation celebrates 51 years of post-colonial progress and the 50-year legacy of UB. The University has expanded its focus to include continuous quality improvement, demonstrated by its commitment to achieving national and international accreditation. UB is publicly funded with locations on the islands of New Providence, Grand Bahama and San Salvador. UB offers diplomas, graduate, baccalaureate and associate degrees, as well as certifcates across approximately 60 academic programmes. The University serves approximately 4,500 students, has an alumni base of over 22,000 and is one of the largest employers in The Bahamas.
A comprehensive Leadership Profle outlining the University’s priorities as well as the characteristics and attributes of the next President is accessible at https://www.agbsearch.com/searches/presidentuniversity-of-the-bahamas
Additional information about University of The Bahamas is available at: https://www.ub.edu.bs/
AGB Search is assisting the Presidential Search Committee. To assure best consideration, applications and nominations should be received by September 19, 2024. All inquiries, nominations, and applications will be held in the strictest confdence.
Candidates are requested to submit the following documents in Microsoft Word or PDF format:
• A letter of interest describing relevant experience;
• A complete CV or resume; and
• Five professional references with email addresses, and telephone numbers. References will not be contacted until a later stage of the search and without the formal permission of the candidate.
All application materials should be submitted through the AGB Search portal system: http://bit.ly/45x16JU.
Candidates are invited to speak with the search consultant before submitting an application. Questions regarding the application process should be directed to UBahamasPresident@agbsearch.com.
Nominations and
NEW York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, left, congratulates Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr. along with teammates on a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals yesterday in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Paralympic Games opening ceremony starts the final chapter on a long summer of sport in Paris
By JEROME PUGMIRE AP Sports Writer
PARIS (AP) — Just weeks after hosting the Olympics, Paris began the final chapter of its summer of sports yesterday with the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games.
French President Emmanuel Macron officially declared the Games open in a ceremony held outside the confines of a stadium, just like when the Olympics opened in the city on July 26. Against the backdrop of a setting sun, thousands
of athletes paraded down the famed Champs-Elysées avenue to Place de la Concorde in central Paris.
About 50,000 people watched the ceremony in stands built around the iconic square, which is the biggest in Paris and is visible from afar because of its ancient Egyptian Obelisk.
Accessibility for athletes in wheelchairs was facilitated with strips of asphalt laid along the avenue and placed over the square.
More than 4,000 athletes with physical, visual and intellectual impairments
will compete in 22 sports from today until Sept. 8. Under the gaze of Macron, International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons, fighter planes flew overhead, leaving red-white-and blue vapours in the colours of the French national flag, before the delegations entered the square in alphabetical order.
Some delegations were huge — more than 250 athletes from Brazil — and some were tiny — less than a handful from Barbados and just three from Myanmar. Although last night’s show started at 8pm local time, fans had gathered hours earlier under a scorching sun to get top spots along the way. As performers entertained the crowd on stage, volunteers danced alongside Paralympians as they waved their national flags and the sky gave off a postcard-perfect orange glow.
Ukraine’s delegation got a loud cheer and some of the crowd stood to applaud them.
The French delegation arrived last and to roars from the crowd, which then sang along to popular French songs, including “Que Je T’aime” by late rocker Johnny Hallyday.
Lucky Love, a French singer who lost his left arm at birth, was joined by performers in wheelchairs when he sang on stage.
Then, as the national anthem played, the Obelisk
lit up in the colours of the French flag.
Organisers had promised another spectacular show to open the Games.
Once again it was held outside of a stadium, but unlike the rain-soaked Olympic opening ceremony on July 26, which featured a boat parade on the Seine River, the Paralympic ceremony was exclusively on land.
Organisers say more than two million of the 2.8 million tickets have been sold for the various Paralympic events.
Tony Estanguet, the president of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, called Paralympians “immense champions who we have the honour of being with tonight.”
The first medals handed out today will be in taekwondo, table tennis, swimming and track cycling. Athletes are grouped by impairment levels to ensure as level a playing field as possible. Only two sports, goalball and boccia, don’t have an Olympic equivalent.
Parsons said that the big crowds expected in Paris will mean a lot to the athletes, many of whom competed in front of empty stands at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parsons hoped the Paralympics would serve “as a powerful force for good” amid ongoing global tensions.
NEWCASTLE NETS INSIDE 19 SECS, WINS SHOOTOUT IN LEAGUE CUP
By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer
NEWCASTLE scored a goal inside 19 seconds and then won a penalty shootout against Nottingham Forest to advance in the English League Cup yesrerday in a match featuring a comeback by Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali after a 10-month gambling ban. Tonali was involved in the buildup to Newcastle’s extremely early goal scored by Joe Willock at the City Ground and played 62 minutes before being substituted, by which time Forest had equalised through Jota Silva.
The 2nd-round game finished 1-1 in regulation time and went immediately to a shootout, during which Newcastle came from behind to win it 4-3 after misses by Ibrahim Sangare and Taiwo Awoniyi for Forest. Sean Longstaff converted the clinching penalty. In another all-Premier League matchup, Jarrod Bowen unwittingly scored a controversial goal in the 88th minute to earn West Ham a 1-0 home win over Bournemouth.
A shot by Mohammed Kudus appeared to deflect in off the arm of Bowen. The goal was awarded and with no video reviews at this stage of the competition, there was no chance for it to be overturned — much to the annoyance of Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola.
ALPHA jets form the Patrouille de France fly over the Concorde plaza during the Opening Ceremony for the Paralympics yesterday in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron, right, and IPC president Andrew Parson attend the Opening Ceremony for the 2024 Paralympics. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
BAHAMIAN ATHLETES COME UP SHORT ON DAY 2 OF THE WORLD ATHLETICS U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS
said. Stubbs came into the World U-20 Championships with great promise, sporting a season’s best throwing distance of 50.94m achieved at the 2024 CARIFTA Games in St George’s, Grenada.
Competing out of Group A, the javelin phenom heaved the spear to a distance of 44.28m on her first attempt for 11th place.
She logged distances of 43.09m and 37.24 on her second and third attempts respectively.
Overall, the 16-yearold finished 21st out of 25 throwers in Group A and B combined. Germany’s Mirja Lukas placed first in Group A with a throw of 56.76m. Sabrina Boss, of Switzerland, was one spot behind with a final distance of 52.30m for second.
Vanderpool, men’s pole vault CARIFTA record holder, came into the pole vault event boasting a personal best of 5.30m earned at the 2024 CARIFTA Games. He cleared the 4.80m mark for a 14th place spot in Group A, not good enough for him to advance into the finals.
The Pan-American U20 bronze medallist ended his World U20 Championships stint ranked 26th out of 29 pole vaulters. Jan Krcek, of Czechia, prevailed in Group A, soaring to 5.25m. Placing second was Venezuelan Ricardo Montes with a season’s best distance of 5.25m. Augustin Becquet Perignon, representing France, took the third position at 5.25m as well.
hurdles. The junior hurdler crossed the finish line in ninth place, stopping the clock at 1:04.84. She ended her first World Athletics U20 appearance with a 50th place finish out of 51 competitors in the event.
Michelle Smith, hailing from the Virgin Islands, led the pack and completed heat two in 57.85 seconds to qualify for the semifinals.
Candice Von Plauen, representing France, turned in a personal best of 58.00 seconds in the event for second place. Zoë Laureys, of Belgium, cruised in for third in 58.99 seconds.
US OPEN: COCO GAUFF WINS IN SECOND ROUND
By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer
going into day three of the World U20 Championships. “We have Carlos Brown and Andrew Styles in the men’s 200m and Tahj Brown and Tayshaun Robinson in the men’s 110m hurdles.
The athletes are still in high spirits and are eager to compete tomorrow. They are supporting each other through the sessions,” he said.
Today’s morning session kicks off with Tayshaun Robinson and Tahj Brown seeing action in the heats of the boys’ 110m hurdles at 11:20am.
The third position went to Great Britain’s Ayesha Jones with a personal best toss of 51.78m.
Quarter-miler Zion Miller was scheduled to compete for The Bahamas in the boys’ 400m event yesterday but opted to withdraw from the event due to discomfort experienced while warming up.
If all listed athletes manage to advance, they will return for their respective semifinals in the evening session which begins at 4:30pm. FROM PAGE 20
Hanna was the only member of Team Bahamas to compete on the track yesterday. She made her junior global debut in the heat two of the girls’ 400m
Coach Lightbourne expressed that the team remains in high spirits
Alexis Roberts will then compete in the girls’ 200m heats at 12:15pm followed by Carlos Brown Jr and Andrew Styles competing in the boys’ 200m heats at 1:10pm.
NEW YORK (AP) — Coco Gauff overcame some uneven serving early in the second round of the U.S. Open before stretching her winning streak to nine matches at the site of her first Grand Slam title with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over 99thranked Tatjana Maria last night. Gauff, a 20-year-old from Florida, had all sorts of trouble in the first set under the lights at a hot and muggy Arthur Ashe Stadium against Maria, a 37-year-old from Germany who made it to the Wimbledon semifinals two years ago and hits slices on nearly every forehand and backhand. There were seven double-faults for defending champion Gauff in that set. She put in fewer than half of her first serves. She faced five break points, but saved four. And problems arose in other aspects of her play,
too, including winning the point on just 9 of 17 trips to the net, and a total of twice as many unforced errors, 20, as winners, 10. Her body language was frequently negative as can be after some of the mistakes. Gauff would look at her guest box and put her palms up as if to say, “What is going on?” She would roll her eyes or put a hand on a hip, including after one wild swinging volley that sailed several feet long.
When Gauff served for the opening set, she doublefaulted twice and faced a pair of break points that would have allowed Maria to get the score to 5-all. But Maria missed a forehand on the first, and Gauff struck a cross-court forehand passing shot on the second, then finished off the game.
The second set was a completely different story. Gauff put together 15 winners to merely five unforced errors — two of which were double-faults — and went 10 for 11 at the net.
‘Buddy’ Hield optimistic about upcoming season
CHAVANO “Buddy” Hield had a busy summer which included a FIBA Olympic-qualifying run in Valencia, Spain, giving back to the youth at home and being signed to the Golden State Warriors roster. After an eventful offseason, the Grand Bahamian NBA pro is looking forward to a promising season down in the Bay Area.
Anthonique Strachan recovering
healed way faster than what we anticipated but that’s about it. I have already been rehabbing. I have started some slow training but I am not going to do anything physically on the track until mid to late next year. Right now it is just the treadmill and the pool. Mainly, the boost treadmill which takes the body weight off the legs,” she said.
The 31-year-old was expected to team up with Bahamian Olympians Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Steven Gardiner and Alonzo Russell in the mixed 4x400m relay event at the 2024 BTC World Athletics Relays earlier this year. However, she felt it was unsafe to compete as a result of nagging pain in her shins due to an injury suffered during the indoor season. After opting not to run at the World Relays, Strachan was advised by doctors to shut it down for the season.
Before the untimely injury, Strachan posted a season’s best time of 7.21 seconds in the 60m indoors on January 27 at the Astana Indoor Meet for Tulyakov Prizes. Additionally, she ran a season’s best 23.35 seconds in the 200m event on April 27 at the Yangtze Delta Athletics Diamond Gala in Suzhou, China.
The gifted sprinter is determined to make her return to athletics during the indoor season but the final say is up to her agent and coach.
“I think that I want to do a little bit of indoors just because I would be going into next season with no points at all. I don’t think
it is something I am indifferent to because in 2012 I didn’t do any form of land training and I did well. I know that I am way better than what I was in 2012 but it is still something I have to work out with my coach and agent,” she said.
The three-time Olympian was poised to make her fourth appearance at the global event this summer in Paris, France.
Previously, she competed at the Olympic Games in 2012 (London, England), 2016 (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and 2020 (Tokyo, Japan). She appeared to be on the right track, especially after making her first global final in the women’s 200m event at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Strachan was initially saddened by missing the 2024 Summer Olympic Games but she made peace with the circumstances in due time.
“I didn’t really care about it. My season was done from April and I had a lot of time to process it so I didn’t really care about the Olympics. It appeared to be very anticlimactic. Outside of it being the Olympics, it seemed to be very subpar so I wasn’t sad that I missed the Olympics at all.
“Originally, getting the news of having to end my season was very dreadful for me. I cried a lot the first two months of it but afterwards I was like there is nothing I could do and I am not gonna get any different results so I just had to accept what was already there,” she said. The 2025 World Athletics Championships are slated for September 13-21 in Tokyo, Japan.
FROM PAGE 20
said. Hield was picked up by the Warriors organisation during the offseason via a sign-and-trade deal that involved six teams.
The former Philadelphia 76ers sharpshooter was dealt to the Warriors for a 2031 second-round pick.
The deal also involved the Dallas Mavericks, who received former “Splash Brother” Klay Thompson along with a 2025 secondround pick.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte Hornets and Denver Nuggets also helped to facilitate the offseason deal.
“Buddy” signed a multiyear deal for two years with
$21 million guaranteed. Hield now has to fill the void left by Thompson who opted for a change of scenery in Dallas, Texas to end the Splash Brothers era.
Despite that, Hield and his newest teammate Stephen Curry have led the league in three-pointers made the last five seasons making him a viable replacement at the two spot.
The three-point specialist is hoping for a seamless fit in the backcourt alongside Curry.
“I am praying it will be easy because of the way I play but you just never know how things go. I am just gonna take it day-today and learn. With my
style of play, I do not think it should be hard but you just gotta prepare for the worst and pray for the best,” he said.
The newest Golden State Warriors shooting guard is set to join his eighth NBA team. He averaged 12.1 points per game, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 43.6 per cent from the field and 38.6 per cent from long range in a league-high 84 games last season.
“It has been good. I am representing The Bahamas and just doing what I can do to push awareness around the whole Bahamian community when I am out and abroad.
“I am just trying to represent The Bahamas and do what I can do, be respectful, bring awareness to my country and try to push sports to the highest level it can be,” he said.
With the 2024-25 NBA regular season looming, Hield is now in preparation mode ahead of the season opener set for October 23 against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Outside of his duties as one of the NBA’s best three-point shooters, “Buddy” serves as an Ambassador-at-Large for The Bahamas. He was appointed to the position in February and has enjoyed being able to represent The Bahamas on and off the court.
‘BUDDY’ OPTIMISTIC ABOUT UPCOMING SEASON
By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter
tsweeting@tribunemedia.net
Our World U20 athletes come up short on day 2
By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net
Day two was a tough one for Bahamian junior athletes competing at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru.
BAHAMIAN sharpshooter Chavano “Buddy” Hield had a busy summer which included a FIBA Olympic-qualifying run in Valencia, Spain, giving back to the youth at home and being signed to the Golden State Warriors roster. After an eventful offseason, the Grand Bahamian NBA pro is looking forward to a promising season down in the Bay Area. While conducting a youth basketball camp over the weekend, the eight-year NBA veteran spoke with Tribune Sports about his expectations for the upcoming NBA season.
“I am excited and I am excited to get out there and work. It is a championship calibre team and I will try to be a sponge to learn and observe. It is fun and it is gonna be exciting. I am just ready to get down there to learn and hopefully win a championship,” he
PAGE 19
CARIFTA gold medallists Taysha Stubbs and Brenden Vanderpool tried their hands in the girls’ javelin throw and boys’ pole vault events respectively, while Kei-Mahri Hanna was on the track for the girls’ 400m hurdles at the Estadio Atlètico de la VIDENA.
Chisholm Jr hits his career-best 22nd home run
By BEN NUCKOLS AP Sports Writer
WASHINGTON (AP)
— Dylan Crews led off the game for the Nationals with his first career homer and later hit an RBI double, and Washington beat the New York Yankees 5-2 last night to take two of three from the AL’s top team. Crews, the third-ranked prospect in baseball who debuted on Monday, lifted a high drive to the bullpen in left-centre on Carlos Rodón’s second pitch. In the fourth inning, Crews hit a 105.8 mph liner for a
double to put Washington ahead 5-1 as his family celebrated in the stands.
Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr hit his careerbest 22nd homer and ninth for the Yankees, lofting a 97 mph fastball down the middle from MacKenzie Gore over the wall in centre in the second.
The Nationals kept Aaron Judge in the ballpark for a third straight night after the Yankees slugger went deep twice on Sunday to reach 51 homers, putting him on pace to threaten his
SEE PAGE 17
All three juniors were unable to make it out of the qualification rounds in their respective events on Wednesday. Team head coach Daron Lightbourne said that newcomers Stubbs and Hanna managed to perform well in their first appearances on the global stage.
“In my eyes, both ladies performed the best that they could have in this present moment. Both are newcomers at this level and the experience received has sparked great enthusiasm for their future in this sport,” he
By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter
BAHAMIAN sprinter Anthonique Strachan was gearing up for her fourth Olympic Games appearance this summer before her season was ultimately derailed by an inopportune season-ending injury back in May.
Strachan discovered hairline fractures in the shins of both of her feet and has spent the last three months rehabbing the injury.
The 2017 World Relays gold medallist shed some light on what the recovery process has been like for her the past few months.
“It is actually going pretty well. My legs basically
NEW York Yankees’ Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr scores on a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game last night in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
STRACHAN
HIELD