09112023 NEWS AND SPORT

MAKING ARRESTS WINS COPS PRIZES

System seeks to boost morale - but minister says it’s fake news

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribuenmedia.net

POLICE have reportedly launched a system to reward officers - awarding points for making arrests, carrying out stop and searches and issuing tickets. The system, revealed in a leak on social media, has led to disapproval from many citizens.

When approached for

comment, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe dismissed the leak as “fake news”.

The internal document of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, titled “Operation Teams-Performance Competition”, noted the launch of a “friendly competition” among officers to foster teamwork, boost morale, and recognise outstanding

INCIDENT OF OFFICER STRIKING A BOY CALLED ‘APPALLING’

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribuenmedia.net

LAWYER Christina Galanos has spoken after what she called an “appalling” incident in a viral video in which a boy can be seen being struck then grabbed by two police officers.

In the viral video, two police officers on a golf cart

in the vicinity of the Mall at Marathon approached a group of students. One of the officers commanded the students to “Go home and find the bus stop”.

In response, a male student said: “I just reached here. I going to go get something.”

However, following the

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A PLANE with five people on board crashed in Abaco yesterday - although there were mixed reports over what happened.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority reported that the crash occurred shortly after

the plane took off from Leonard Thompson International Airport at Marsh Harbour on Sunday afternoon, soon after 4pm. However, sources in Abaco disputed the statement by the AAIA, suggesting the flight was coming from Eleuthera when it crashed.

28 rescued as tourist boat capsizes off Rose Island

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@ tribuenmedia.net

POLICE are investigating after a boat capsized just off Rose Island on Friday with 28 people on board.

The incident happened after

the boat started taking on water - with crew handing out life vests before the vessel overturned.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force Habour Patrol Unit transported media

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Health and Wellness is currently not considering bringing dengue vaccines into the country, according to the head of the ministry’s surveillance unit who said officials are waiting for more data to ensure the vaccines’ safety.

Dr Felicia Balfour Greenslade, who leads the ministry’s national communicable disease surveillance unit, said there are two vaccines available that offers protection

PRESIDENT OF BOTSWANA TO MAKE A STATE VISIT TO T HE BAHAMAS THIS WEEK

BOTSWANA’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Lemogang Kwape, and Minister of Environment and Tourism Philda Kereng arrive at LPIA today, met by Bahamas Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Alfred Sears and Foreign Affairs Officials. President of Botswana, Dr Mokgweetsi EK Masisi is expected to arrive this week. Photos: Patrick Hanna

A STATE visit to The Bahamas by the President of Botswana, Dr Mokgweetsi EK Masisi, will take place this week.

The visit starts tomorrow and continues until Friday.

A statement by the Office of the Prime Minister said that the visit “underlines the expanding diplomatic ties between The Bahamas and African nations as our country repositions itself on the global stage”.

The statement said that both countries would “explore the potential for cooperation in tourism and the environment, education, agriculture, health and financial services,” with President Masisi bringing a delegation, including ministers in those fields.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said: “As we strive to solidify The Bahamas’ presence on the global stage, fostering strong ties with African countries like Botswana is essential. This visit provides an unparalleled opportunity to deepen our relationship and explore areas for mutual benefit and growth.” He will meet President Masisi on Wednesday for official talks, while ministers will meet with a view to signing a memorandum on political and technical cooperation.

A state reception will be held on Thursday, before both leaders depart on Friday for the Group of 77 States Summit on Science, Technology and Innovation in Havana, Cuba.

PLP’s 55th nationa L convention TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 9-10

THE Progressive Liberal Party will host its 55th national convention at Baha Mar resort in November, according to the party’s chairman Fred Mitchell.

The event will be held under the theme “Building On Progress: Driving Change” on November 9 and 10th.

In a statement released late Thursday night, Mr Mitchell said: “Nominations for officers are now to be accepted in forms to be made available shortly.

Under the new procedures, no nominations will take place from the floor. “

“All nominations will take place in writing and must be entered at least 14 days before the National General Convention to the Secretary General who is the returning officer for the elections.”

“The council has also set a non-refundable fee

for anyone who wishes to run for office. For the office of Leader, 2,500 dollars; Deputy Leader, 2,000 dollars; Chairman, 1,500 dollars and all other offices, 250 dollars.”

More details will be released in the coming days, he added.

The PLP last held a convention in 2019 when it amended its constitution to significantly increase the number of delegates that could participate and vote in its national convention.

The change was one of many included in the PLP’s new constitution.

During that year, officials hoped to amend the document to allow the party to host conventions every two years rather than every year.

However, delegates rejected that proposal and decided to maintain the status quo.

A BOAT with 28 people onboard sank in waters just off Rose Island Friday. All onboard were rescued with no serious injuries. See PAGE THREE for story.

Photo: Moise Amisial

28 rescued as tourist boat capsizes off Rose Island

MAKING ARRESTS WINS COPS PRIZES

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performance.

The competition is set for a period of three months. The winning team will be determined based on three categories - arrest; firearms arrest and recovered firearms; dangerous drug arrest and recovered drugs.

Each category’s point system varies, with minor offences such as assault valued at five points. However, offences such as murder and firearm arrests are valued at 25 points.

A special award would be given to the officers on the winning team, although the value was not disclosed.

“It is intended for the officers on the winning team to receive a special award in recognition of their exceptional contribution during the operation,” the document read.

past week for a series of island-wide roadblocks.

Yesterday, press liaison Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings declined to comment, saying that Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander will address the matter.

However, in a recent interview with Eyewitness, CSP Skippings confirmed the existence of the police incentive system.

“As you know, policing is a very daunting job so to motivate our officers we’ve placed an incentive for them,” she said.

“Now I would say to you that document was an internal document, but, yeah, like every organisation like I said, we seek to motivate our officers and that’s simply what that document is all about.”

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members to the wreckage site on Friday.

Upon arrival, crew members and volunteers attempted to tow the capsized vessel to shore.

At the site, Press Liaison Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings praised the efforts of the crew and response teams.

CSP Skippings told

the media that the vessel left Paradise Island for Rose Island around 10am that morning.

However, as the group was attempting to return to New Providence shortly after 3pm, the vessel started to take on water.

“They were out there for about four hours and on their return back to New Providence, the vessel that they were on started taking on water,”

CSP Skippings said on Friday.

“The crew, recognising what was going on, immediately sprung into safety mode. They equipped all of the passengers, who were tourists, with life vests and were able to remove them safely from the vessel.

“As soon as they were all safely removed from the vessel, the vessel overturned and submerged

in waters just off Rose Island.” There were no fatalities, but three passengers were taken to the hospital for medical attention after “taking in excessive water”.

CSP Skippings declined to disclose the name of the tour company. However, the crew at the scene wore shirts carrying the logo of Oasis Ocean 7 boat charters.

“Additionally, each officer on the winning team will be personally commended by the Commissioner of Police through letters of appreciation. These letters will highlight their outstanding performance and will be placed on their personal file.”

This comes days after police launched Operation United Force, geared toward the reduction of crime. With the operation’s launch, police officers have taken to the streets of New Providence in the

Following the release of the document, many residents expressed disapproval, suggesting police officers would resort to abusing the system.

“So, we are paying the police extra to do their jobs and turning it into a game,” said one Facebook user.

Another user said: “I totally agree with roadblocks, but when you start paying officers incentives to do a job they should’ve been doing, it’s a recipe for dishonesty. I would like to see crime decrease just like any other law-abiding citizen, but this might create more criminals.”

No vaccines yet for dengue as cases still rise

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against the four dengue serotypes.

However, she said the problem is “the work of those vaccines has been done primarily in countries where dengue is endemic”.

“So we don’t have enough information right now to say how a population where the disease is not an endemic what that would look like in terms of exposures and risk associated so I don’t think, in my opinion, I don’t think we’re entertaining bringing that to The Bahamas just yet,” Dr Greenslade said during a Zoom meeting Friday.

“I think we need more information first just to be sure of its safety in our population.” Her comments came after former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands called on the government to bring in dengue vaccines for people who want it.

“There is a vaccine available,” he said while appearing as a guest on Rodney Moncur’s Freedom March talk show last week. “It is commercially available. Depending on which vaccine you choose, it can either be used only in young people, people younger than the age of 16. Or another version can be

used in young people and adults.”

“It can be purchased by the government and I think we should be proactive, get a supply and make it available to people that want it.”

According to the latest data provided by the Ministry of Health, the country now has 70 confirmed cases.

Dr Greenslade said most people diagnosed with dengue fever have type three of the virus. This form of the disease can cause severe illness for people who previously had the first two serotypes of virus.

“We had dengue in country before in 2011 and 2014. At those times, we had two of the known serotypes of dengue in country – serotype one and serotype two,”

Dr Greenslade said.

“Currently in this situation we’re at right now, we’re seeing serotype three predominating. The challenge with that is most persons would assume if you had dengue of any serotype, your body is given a degree of protection against the others.

“That’s not the case. With dengue, if you’re exposed to a particular serotype and then you are exposed to a different serotype, it actually puts you at higher risk for severe illness so we have a population that’s already been exposed to serotypes

one and two and you have to also bear in mind, persons who are infected with dengue, about 40 to 80 percent of them don’t even have symptoms.”

As it relates to treatment, senior nursing officer Andrea Linden said there is no specific treatment for dengue fever. She also advised people not to self-medicate.

“That means antibiotics will not help,” she said, “so don’t go to the doctor and request antibiotics or get something out of the counter. We need you to come so we can treat you and manage you as your symptoms present. There is no straight treatment for this illness.

“We treat the symptoms because remember now, you can have the headache the pain behind your eyes, you can have abdominal pain but whatever you come with, we treat that symptom.

“So, if you have fever, we’ll give you something like Panadol or Tylenol like that. We don’t want you to take aspirins or Motrin.”

Dengue fever causes severe flu-like illness and sometimes a potentially lethal complication called dengue haemorrhagic fever.

Other symptoms can include headache, muscle and joint pains and rash.

DR Felicia Balfour Greenslade, who leads the ministry’s national communicable disease surveillance unit, said there are two vaccines available that offers protection against the four dengue serotypes. However, she said the problem is “the work of those vaccines has been done primarily in countries where dengue is endemic”.

Passengers unhurt in Abaco plane crash

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Police also issued a statement later in the evening, saying that the

plane was inbound to Marsh Harbour from Eleuthera when it began to experience engine failure and the pilot crash landed in bushes near

Spring City, south of the airport.

Four passengers were on board as well as the pilot, and no one was injured. A probe has been

launched by the AAIA, and police are also continuing to investigate.

The plane was a Piper PA32 seven-seater registered in Wilmington,

Delaware, in the US and has the registration N106MR. Police said it was owned by Inter Island Charters. Police were alerted to

the incident and attended the scene of the crash. A number of local residents tried to reach the site to assist but were hindered by rain.

PEDESTRIAN FOUND DEAD FOLLOWING TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IN GRAND BAHAMA

PEOPLE

5am in Holmes Rock.

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A male pedestrian is dead following a traffic accident early Saturday morning in West Grand Bahama, police reported.

Assistant Superintendent Stephen Rolle reported that the incident occurred sometime around

The victim, a resident of Eight Mile Rock, died at the scene, he said.

According to preliminary reports, the driver of a sedan vehicle was travelling in the western direction on Queen’s Highway when he rolled over an object in the road. When the driver came out to check, he saw the

lifeless body of a male lying in the street.

ASP Rolle said the driver reported that it appeared the victim had been previously hit by another vehicle.

He said a local doctor was summoned and pronounced the victim dead at the scene. Police are continuing their investigations.

appear to be mourning at the scene of an accident where a man was found dead in west Grand Bahama on Saturday.

Photos: Vandyke Hepburn

Incident involving officer striking a boy called ‘appalling’ by lawyer

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student’s response the officer asked the student, “Who you think you are talking to like that? Boy, you stupid, ay?”

The officer then used what appeared to be a baton to strike the student.

The student was further manhandled and placed in the back of the golf cart. After the video was widely circulated on social media, Ms Galanos made an appeal on Facebook for the victim to contact her.

When contacted by The Tribune yesterday, she confirmed that she intends to offer her services to the victim to obtain justice.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous,” she said yesterday.

“It is appalling. It is concerning and we have to do as a public, all of our power to put a stop to it.”

In a statement yesterday,

The Royal Bahamas Police Force said they were aware of the video and that an extensive investigation has been launched. “The organisation is concerned of the behaviour displayed by the officers involved and has subsequently launched an extensive investigation into the matter,” according to the statement.

“The police wish to remind the public of its commitment to provide quality law enforcement services and that where incidents of misconduct are exhibited by its members, police will take quick and decisive actions.”

However, Ms Galanos said there is no need for further investigation as the video speaks to the events.

“When these videos appear, the police’s general response is that they’re going to investigate the matter. Investigate what?

“The video is as clear

as day. What are you investigating? You have a video. Clearly, the officers involved are clearly shown in the video. Clearly, they abused their powers. Clearly, there was no reason for them to hit the child.

“What are you investigating? It seems to me like it’s an ad lib. Just something that they say generally speaking to kind of get the media off of their case.”

Ms Galanos represented a juvenile male pro bono who suffered a similar fate in 2019 after a viral video showed a police officer pushing the juvenile over a barrier despite adhering to the officer’s command.

After a two-day trial in 2021, the Office of the Attorney General paid a total of $46k in damages and costs for the actions of the officers involved.

“I want to make this country a better country,”

said Ms Galanos yesterday. “I have a daughter, if not for me for her. She has to live here, she has to be subjected to police officers stopping her.

“I’m making an example of these, I call them robocops. These robocop police officers are my way of doing all I can in my power to ensure that I make The Bahamas a little bit better for her and others in her generation and behind.”

Ms Galanos questioned whether the Office of the Attorney General would go to trial, noting that the video depicts a case of assault and battery and an unlawful arrest.

“I never guarantee a win,” she said yesterday, “I don’t care how obvious it looks, but to me, it seems to be a clear case of assault and battery and definitely an unlawful arrest.”

PINTARD AND BAIN CALL RECENT LEADERSHIP CHANGES AT

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard said the government is victimising veteran public servants, following reports of leadership changes at the Department of Immigration.

A week ago, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis shuffled his Cabinet, with former Immigration Minister Keith Bell set to now serve as Minister of Housing and Urban Renewal.

The Nassau Guardian recently reported Immigration Director Keturah Ferguson is allegedly to be placed on leave and then retired, with former Director of Immigration William Pratt set to take the post.

However, officials, including Alfred Sears, the new immigration minister, did not confirm the move.

“Nothing makes this more obvious than the replacement of the senior leadership in the Department of Immigration after members of the leadership team acted in defence of the Bahamas constitution, the laws of The Bahamas, and the sovereignty of The Bahamas,” Mr Pintard said in a statement.

“Let’s be clear - The government is victimising these veteran public servants because they expressed grave concerns to the permanent secretary about Keith Bell’s continuous violation of the law in the Department of Immigration.”

In his former capacity, Mr Bell was scrutinised heavily, as he allegedly superseded senior immigration officials a number of times.

In one case, he admitted Chinese nationals working at the British Colonial Hotel were released despite irregularities,

and it is claimed that this took place after his intervention.

In a letter addressed to Ministry of Labour and Immigration permanent secretary Cecilia Strachan, dated January 18, 2023, Ms Ferguson had expressed deep disapproval of Mr Bell’s intervention.

She wrote that such actions demoralised immigration officers and weakened authorities’ ability to prevent human trafficking.

Ms Ferguson’s letter to Ms Strachan, nonetheless, offered a rare glimpse into a conflict between a senior government official and a minister.

Following the series of allegations, Mr Davis committed that the government would review how immigration decisions are made and strengthen the processes.

However, Mr Pintard accused the Davis-Cooper administration of being more concerned about how the revelations found themselves in the public domain, rather than addressing the revelations of bad behaviour.

He scolded Mr Davis, saying his actions “reek of corruption” if the reports were true.

He said: “The incessant breach of protocols and laws by the Davis administration in the area of immigration has caused citizens, residents, and international observers to wonder to what extent these decisions were being made to gain political advantage or personal benefit.

“Given the widespread outrage, you would think this administration would tread carefully in how they deal with whistleblowers. These senior public servants acted on their conscience, dutifully making us aware of Minister Bell’s pattern of

interference as he bullied veteran public servants who offered seasoned guidance.”

Meanwhile, Coalition of Independents Leader Lincoln Bain shared similar sentiments, saying Bahamians are living in the “dark ages” as a result of the new-day government.

“This is a dark day, and I’m calling on all Bahamians to stand with the director of immigration, to stand with the deputy directors of immigration because they were standing for us,” Mr Bain said in a voice message on Friday.

“Protecting our sovereignty, protecting our country, and this PLP government has decided to continue with their money-making ways.”

IMMIGRATION VICTIMISATION

LAWYER Christina Galanos has spoken after what she called an “appalling” incident in a viral video in which a boy can be seen being struck then grabbed by two police officers.

FREE NATIONAL MOVEMENT LEADER MICHAEL PINTARD

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

US marks 22 years since 9/11

AMERICANS are looking back on the horror and legacy of 9/11, gathering Monday at memorials, firehouses, city halls and elsewhere to observe the 22nd anniversary of the deadliest terror attack on US soil.

Commemorations stretch from the attack sites — at New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania — to Alaska and beyond. President Joe Biden is due at a ceremony on a military base in Anchorage.

His visit, en route to Washington, DC, from a trip to India and Vietnam, is a reminder that the impact of 9/11 was felt in every corner of the nation, however remote. The hijacked plane attacks claimed nearly 3,000 lives and reshaped American foreign policy and domestic fears.

On that day, “we were one country, one nation, one people, just like it should be. That was the feeling — that everyone came together and did what we could, where we were at, to try to help,” said Eddie Ferguson, the firerescue chief in Virginia’s Goochland County.

It’s more than 100 miles from the Pentagon and more than three times as far from New York. But a sense of connection is enshrined in a local memorial incorporating steel from the World Trade Center’s destroyed twin towers.

The predominantly rural county of 25,000 people holds not just one but two anniversary commemorations: a morning service focused on first responders and an evening ceremony honoring all the victims.

Other communities across the country pay tribute with moments of silence, tolling bells, candlelight vigils and other activities. In Columbus, Indiana, 911 dispatchers broadcast a remembrance message to police, fire and EMS radios throughout the 50,000-person city, which also holds a public memorial ceremony.

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts raise and lower the flag at a commemoration in Fenton, Missouri, where a “Heroes Memorial” includes a piece of World Trade Center steel and a plaque honoring 9/11 victim Jessica Leigh Sachs. Some of her relatives live in the St. Louis suburb of 4,000 residents.

“We’re just a little bitty community,” said Mayor Joe Maurath, but “it’s important for us to continue to remember these events. Not just 9/11, but all of the events that make us free.”

New Jersey’s Monmouth County, which was home to some 9/11 victims, made September 11 a holiday this year

for county employees so they could attend commemorations.

As another way of marking the anniversary, many Americans do volunteer work on what Congress has designated both Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

At ground zero, Vice President Kamala Harris is due to join the ceremony on the National September 11 Memorial and Museum plaza. The event will not feature remarks from political figures, instead giving the podium to victims’ relatives for an hourslong reading of the names of the dead.

James Giaccone signed up to read again this year in memory of his brother, Joseph Giaccone, 43. The family attends the ceremony every year to hear Joseph’s name.

“If their name is spoken out loud, they don’t disappear,” James Giaccone said in a recent interview.

The commemoration is crucial to him.

“I hope I never see the day when they minimise this,” he said. “It’s a day that changed history.”

Biden, a Democrat, will be the first president to commemorate September 11 in Alaska, or anywhere in the western US. He and his predecessors have gone to one or another of the attack sites in most years, though Republican George W Bush and Democrat Barack Obama each marked the anniversary on the White House lawn at times. Obama followed one of those observances by recognizing the military with a visit to Fort Meade in Maryland.

First lady Jill Biden is due to lay a wreath at the 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon.

In Pennsylvania, where one of the hijacked jets crashed after passengers tried to storm the cockpit, a remembrance and wreath-laying is scheduled at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoystown operated by the National Park Service. Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, is expected to attend the ceremony.

The memorial site will offer a new educational video, virtual tour and other materials for teachers to use in classrooms. Educators with a total of more than 10,000 students have registered for access to the free “National Day of Learning” program, which will be available through the fall, organisers say.

“We need to get the word out to the next generation,” said memorial spokesperson Katherine Hostetler, a National Park Service ranger.

By JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press

Pintard falls short again

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I AM grateful for this space in your valuable columns to engage national discussion.

Michael Pintard seems to be on an ignominious trek of political irrelevancy. Many in my generation wish to offer him a political life line because the deepening of our democracy is contingent on lively, provocative and sensibly, in-exhaustive exchange of ideas; even where we may differ.

On September 3, Mr Pintard issued a statement in which he says the Prime Minister has “finally acted” on advice of the Official Opposition to shuffle his Cabinet. Alas, Mr Pintard then goes into a tirade to undermine the shuffle, which he just admitted he advised. The

Madness has to stop

EDITOR,

I WAS extremely upset to see a recent notice in the newspapers pertaining to the Quieting of hundreds of acres of land on one of our Family Islands by a company (not an individual) in the United States! What is going on in this country when laws are passed to disenfranchise law-abiding Bahamians of their patrimony? Can this be considered a form of gentrification? How long will it be allowed to continue?

Will we remain quiet until we become foreigners in our own land?

This madness has got to stop! It is time to raise our voices and demand that the Immovable Properties Act be imposed once again in order to stop this carnage!

Bahamians, we have to learn to make decisions today, not with the ridiculously shortsighted five-year cycle of elections in mind, but with laser focus on the benefits that will accrue to our future generations – our grandchildren and their children’s children!

Whilst some laws are repealed and replaced, there are others which have no right to still be on the books. But who is checking? The Quieting Titles Act in itself is questionable if it allows any Tom, Dick, or Harry to lay claim to our valuable land! We continue to function like the pirates we once were! It is like we have all slid down the Rabbit Hole into Wonderland where everything is topsy-turvy and wrong is right and right is wrong!

Bahamian during that time.

The Immovable Property Act was overturned in 1993 and replaced by The International Persons Landholding Act, local realtors and lawyers being the main agitators for the change, claiming that their businesses were suffering due to sluggish sales.

No doubt this letter will not be welcomed by these two professional entities, but it is time to stop and think critically about our country’s future and imagine where these unchecked sales or Quieted Titles will lead us in the next five, ten, twenty years into the future.

How many islands, how many millions of acres of land (some of which is even Crown Land – that, on principle, foreigners absolutely should not be allowed to own), how many beachfronts, and how many other prime properties have been sold off to foreigners since that time? In fact, a realty company was bragging over social media the other day about their huge multi-million dollar property sale!

The realtors’ huge commission funds go happily into their fat bank accounts, and the coffers of select legal firms continue to expand … but what benefits do we, the people, gain in the long run if our valuable patrimony continues to be sold off, piece by greedy growing piece?

owners are even competing with Bahamians in this regard by renting out their luxury homes ‘on the side’, particularly on the Family Islands, to other high worth individuals from abroad. The gubment has finally awakened from their slumber and are considering ways to collect revenue from such transactions. So go figure - who is in charge in this country?

As for the acquisition by a Bahamian of their own plot of land and an actual home of their own, which was often the main goal for young couples of yesteryear, the associated costs attached thereto continue to spiral rapidly out of the range of the ordinary Bahamian’s economic reach.

Another contention lies with cruise ship conglomerates to whom the mustards and ketchups have happily facilitated by handing over entire islands, acreage, and/or cays which they seemingly control as they wish – to the obnoxious extent that they will spend the absolute minimum that they can within our country in order to repatriate the maximum into their sweet fat coffers abroad! How do we, the Bahamian people, benefit from such arrangements? I ask again – who is really in charge?

chameleon politics of Mr Pintard will surely be his political epitaph. Never mind that Mr Pintard was shuffled out of his first Cabinet post in less than 13 months in the Minnis FNM administration in 2019.

Mr Pintard is risking becoming the super chameleon of Bahamian politics. Searching for relevancy he often makes himself more irrelevant to the process. His psychological frame suggests he is on three dimensional stage; in a one man show; playing many Joker roles, pontificating and fabricating wherever to hold a listless audience’s attention and fretfully unaware that his lighting, costuming sound track and AI generated script can only be a repeat of his original political

skits. Count it Again, Mr Pintard.

Mr Pintard would do himself well to get acquainted with the short spectacular rise and fall of “Tommy T” and machinations of the FNM.

Dr Minnis is coming with a vengeance and Mr Pintard has not built any shelter from the Dorian 2. My sources say his missing in action financial donors have changed their WhatsApp contacts and from what I am learning, the party; sad as it sounds, is hallucinating on the “good ole days of Doc.”

Mr Pintard; unlike Mr Christie and Tommy; has not attracted the confidence and political support of his predecessor. This is where Mr Pintard should concentrate his efforts and resources. Survival.

The Immovable Property Act (1981) was passed in our young independent nation by the Pindling government to deter foreigners from owning property ‘free and clear’ in our archipelago. If they wished to invest, they were required to lease land for a goodly number of years, so that if they decided to just pack up and leave (which is sadly an all-too-familiar scenario) at least the country did not lose ownership of its land assets, and the saying “God bless the child who’s got his own” had the potential to apply to the average

The party opposite, if it presents no plan and vibrancy - cannot expect an electorate to award them a job for which they claim by their warped idea of default.

The nation requires sensible and recharged thinking, analysis and troubleshooting as we understand our peculiar sociology and economy and how the world impacts our sunrise and sunset. People need and want to hear thinking outside of the box and new ideas supercharged by practicality and common sense which can advance the nation and solve problems.

One would have imagined that the ever loquacious Mr Pintard would have responded to

In fact today, the ordinary Bahamian, whether single or family-sized, has difficulty even finding apartments to rent because many of those former rental accommodations have been turned into Airbnbs instead, catering mainly to foreign visitors to our shores. It would be interesting to know what percentage of the funds raised from such endeavours remain in the country, since these negotiations are also supposedly ‘handled’ through a foreign owned agency.

In addition, the foreign second and third home

the Davis Cabinet shuffle with a Churchillian moment. We got PT Barnum. There have been some very formidable and engaging leaders of the Opposition in our Parliament. Lynden Pindling tossing the Mace and giving the power to the people “on the outside”. Cecil Wallace Whitfield crossing the floor, “my soul is dancing” to form the Free PLP. Hubert Alexander Ingraham in his torching debate on the 1985 Commission of Enquiry debate. Perry G Christie fact checking the incumbent FNM government on the Clifton land saga. Philip Brave Davis excoriating the “Competent Authority” when meaningful leadership required thinking

And unfortunately it doesn’t even end there, because on the other hand there are the illegal migrants who enter the country and set up their homes in shantytowns wherever they desire on ‘free’ land. They have no building permits, no laws to follow, no restrictions, no health and safety measures, no nothing.

Bahamians can’t win for losing, no matter where we look! We are surrounded on all sides by opposition forces that are not checking for us – they are in it to win it for themselves. This is ‘all for me baby’ time!

When are we going to wake up, climb out of the rabbit hole, see what we lookin’ at, and make the necessary changes for the greater good?

PAM BURBSIDE Nassau, September 10, 2023.

outside the box. Will Michael Pintard, in my humble opinion ever arrive in this pantheon of Bahamian political leaders?

From Tommy to Branville to Loretta; the Socratic irony is invincible. As Prime Minister Davis moved to reset his government, so too was Mr Pintard given the green light to re start his frozen engines. The dashboard seems to have Mr Pintard confused. His Ford Pinto coupe remains in park and the only thing moving is Mr Pintard’s mouth. Will Mr Pintard be the writer of his own political tragedy?

SENATOR DARREN PICKSTOCK Nassau, September 9, 2023

A MODEL backstage during the 12th edition of the Budapest Central European Fashion Week in Budapest, Hungary, on September 3.

Photo: Zoltan Balogh/MTI via AP

Man on bail for murder believed to be shot and killed by his accomplice

BY LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A MAN on bail for murder was shot and killed by his accomplice in the Yellow Elder Gardens community yesterday.

Chief Superintendent of Police Chrislyn Skippings said police were alerted to the shooting shortly after 3pm.

“Information received is that two masked males, both of whom are clad in dark clothing and gloves, were observed running west along Lightbourne Street when one of the men produced a firearm and fired gunshots,” CSP Skippings told reporters on the scene, adding that there was an exchange of gunfire.

She said: “It is believed that during the exchange of gunshots, the deceased was shot by his accomplice who fled the area running west along Lightbourne Street.”

“Police recovered from the scene a magazine for a high-powered weapon.”

She said the victim was in his mid-20s and was on bail for murder.

CSP Skippings could not say why the men were running but said police suspect they were about to commit a crime.

“At this time, we believe but we’re not 100 per cent certain,” she said.

“And once again, we

appeal to members of the public and especially the residents of this Yellow Elder community who may have any information that can assist us in bringing a quick resolution to his incident to kindly reach out to the men and women of the Criminal Investigations Department.”

The killing of yet another man on bail highlights the need for criminal trials to be held faster.

Yesterday, CSP Chaswell Hanna referred to some of the RBPF’s crime prevention initiatives with respect to people out on bail.

He said: “So one of the strategies we’re using, not only in the Grove division, but all the other divisions is we are playing closer attention to those persons who are supposed to be signing in and where there are breaches, we are re-arresting them, and taking them before the court with a view to have their bail revoked and that is something specific that we are doing.”

“For the most part, the issues we have with crime is it’s the same group of individuals over and over again so what do we do – we pay visits to them. When we get information that these persons may have firearms or drugs, we execute search warrants. We see them driving around in vehicles acting suspiciously, we pull them over. We do stop and search.”

MAN CONVICTED OF SHOOTING death of ‘Skully’ Burrow S

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

DWAYNE Lodimus was found guilty of the 2019 murder of Elroy “Skully” Burrows on Mackey Street as he was walking away from a bar. The convict’s brother, Anton Lodimus, was discharged after being accused of the same offence.

Justice Renae McKay presided as the case of Dwayne, 29, and Anton, 25, Lodimus came to a close last week.

Sonia Timothy Knowles and Tonique Lewis represented the accused, while Uel Johnson and Perry McHardy served as prosecutors.

During the trial Dwayne Lodimus was identified as the lone gunman who shot and killed the 40-year-old Burrows outside a bar on

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted $10,000 bail after he was accused of threatening three of his neighbours with a knife last month.

Magistrate Algernon Allen, Jr, charged Luke Dorsette, 48, with three counts of assault with a dangerous instrument.

Dorsette was accused of assaulting Rudolph Collie,

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN on bail for murder was fined $6,000 after he admitted to failing four times to obey his curfew.

Magistrate Shaka Serville charged Richard McNeil, 30, with four counts of violation of bail conditions.

McNeil was on release for a pending murder charge before the Supreme Court

Mackey Street at around 11am on March 19, 2019.

The brothers were arrested on April 8, 2019 outside Wendy’s at Golden Gates Shopping Centre after they were found in a silver coloured Honda Accord Coupe that matched the one used as a getaway vehicle in the shooting.

A search of the car uncovered a 9mm pistol along with an outfit matching the shooter inside a bag.

Although Dwayne denied being the shooter, an officer singled him out as the shooter in an identification parade.

The nine-person jury returned 8-to-9 guilty verdict against Dwayne, while Anton was acquitted of the murder and abetment to murder charges.

Dwayne is expected to return to court for sentencing on October 24.

Kirmel Storr and Kayden Moss with a knife in their neighbourhood near Commonwealth Blvd at around 9.30pm on August 30.

After pleading guilty to the charge, Dorsette was ordered to be fitted with a monitoring device and is expected to sign in at the Elizabeth Estates Police Station every Monday Wednesday and Friday by 6pm.

Dorsette’s trial begins on October 17.

in the fatal shooting of Don “Suggie” Rahming on Scott Street on July 6, 2020.

McNeil breached his residential curfew four times between August 15–24.

After pleading guilty to the charges, McNeil was ordered to pay a fine of $6,000 or risk 12 months in prison.

McNeil is expected to pay half of his fine before his release. He is to return to court for a report on September 22.

THE US Embassy has amended its advice to travellers to The Bahamas - warning of the risk of arrest for bringing firearms and ammunition into the country.

The Embassy said: “US

Embassy Nassau wishes to advise its travelling citizens that declaring a weapon in your luggage with an airline carrier does not grant permission to bring the weapon into The Bahamas and may result in arrest.

POLICE coroner’s remove the body of a man that was on bail police believe was shot and killed by his accomplice.

Photo: Racardo Thomas

While Atlantis flip-flops, concerns turn to impact of RCI’s project on Downtown

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

PEACE has apparently broken out between Atlantis and Royal Caribbean – and to hear the president of Atlantis tell it, there was never any opposition in the first place.

This will come as news to the rest of us, who are being asked to pretend we did not see what we saw or hear what we heard.

To hear Audrey Oswell tell it now, everything was always (mostly) fine. She said last week: “Atlantis was never against the Royal Caribbean project.”

She went on: “We did not change our position against the Royal Caribbean project. All we did was express their environmental concerns to both Royal Caribbean and to the government. Once we expressed those environmental concerns, both Royal Caribbean and the government gave us the word that they would work to address those concerns and we’re pleased to say that they have in their plans and presentation.”

She added: “We raised additional questions. We received the answers to those questions and we are both thankful and recognise and acknowledge that they have made significant changes and alterations to their original plans for the beach day project responding to the environmental concerns that were addressed by us so we’re pleased that they addressed them. We’re happy to see the project going forward and we have not changed our position.”

What those changes are apparently relate to ocean works, according to Ms Oswell.

But let’s hop back to the original letter she wrote to raise concerns, in which she said: “Too much is at stake to stay silent.”

She talked of how “if this residential land is overdeveloped, or the beaches and coastline altered in any way, the Paradise Island coastline, Cable Beach, Saunders Beach and our economic livelihood stand to suffer”.

She added: “There are potentially devastating impacts to the Paradise Island coastline and the pristine beaches with any expansion of beach areas, overwater cabanas, seawalls, jetties or other structures.”

Notice that is any expansion – not just some, so any jetty for boats to dock, presumably.

She continued: “The increased volume of activity in Nassau harbour to support the beach club operations will potentially restrict further expansion of marinas, the re-establishment of seaplane service for Paradise Island, development opportunities on Paradise Island and in the blighted waterfront areas of Downtown Nassau, as well as other commercial vessel activity.”

What Atlantis has received is answers to the environmental concerns – what remains of these economic fears Ms Oswell voiced so eloquently?

She added that the project “would ensure that thousands of Royal Caribbean visitors to Paradise Island will bypass our Downtown, negatively impacting merchants, restaurants and other venues

that rely on tourism”.

Again, environmental answers do not negate worries about competition for Downtown – although one does wonder at the sudden interest from Atlantis about how the Straw Market is doing or T-shirt sellers on Bay Street.

She added: “Finally, moving forward with the project would privatise Paradise Island’s last public beach, currently frequented and enjoyed by our community.”

The beach will still be gone. The gates will still be up. Such was Atlantis’ concern about the development that it issued a letter to staff calling on them to “make their voices” heard, particularly on environmental issues.

That prompted a whole investigation by the Department of Labour to see if Atlantis was unduly pressuring staff after apparent complaints

– even though the unions had heard nothing from their members and whose response to the call from Atlantis was effectively “you first”.

Darrin Woods, the president of the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union, said at the time: “If they’re so passionate about it, why they don’t do something? Tell them to put on placards and walk down the street like how they are telling us to go and do it. They wouldn’t do it.” If the unions had done so, perhaps they might have looked pretty silly now that Atlantis is suggesting everything was fine and rosy all along. So what has prompted this change? Is it that the environmental answers were so good that they made even the economic concerns disappear?

Or is it that Atlantis saw it was not going to win the fight and now it’s up for sale again doesn’t want a

feud with the neighbours to disrupt the process, perhaps?

The Royal Caribbean project does look inevitable, no matter the worries that people have had about it.

Those worries are not just environmental –although that can often seem like the easiest line of opposition to such projects, I often think. It’s harder to make a case about the impact to other businesses, but if you can point and say look what it will do to the coastline or look, the waste treatment isn’t good enough, that seems to have a greater chance of stopping such things. Never mind that anyone driving or walking between the two bridges on the New Providence side is regularly treated to a stench that seems never to have anyone trying to solve. If Atlantis is concerned about such things, it might want to weigh in on the stink just across the water.

But as much as any environment questions may have been answered, there still remain uncertainties over what the impact on Downtown will be of passengers simply bypassing the whole area to go to a beach by water taxi. Some of that is simply competition – Downtown has to do more, offer more, be more. If Downtown is irresistible, it can handle the competition. If it survives just by being the only option and not putting in the effort, then it’s no wonder people will go elsewhere. Then there are questions of such things as the change to the beach and the shoreline, and the view once all the attractions go up. That end of the island just won’t look the same. So we can pretend all we like that Atlantis never had any real concerns – but that doesn’t make those actual real concerns go away, no matter how fervent their new-found neighbourly love.

ATLANTIS Resort President and Managing Director Audrey Oswell

ARTISTS rendering of RCI’s beach club project

The Caribbean should ban lethal autonomous weapons

JOB VACANCY

A prominent car dealership is seeking an SENIOR AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN/ WORKSHOP FOREMAN

The ideal candidate must have a wide range of experience in the automotive business as well as good written and oral communication skills.

QUALIFICATIONS:

diagnostic equipment

real world experience in the automotive field. management skills for all dealership-owned tools at all times. tools.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

times.

giving detailed explanation; status, location, etc. all tools as required. when required. allotted. lead the team. multitask. control checks. passed on to the service advisor to be communicated to the customer. completed is recorded on the repair order. wheel alignments, transmission diagnostics. equipment, process/procedures and staff dress code.

AN ATTRACTIVE COMPENSATION PACKAGE WHICH INCLUDES:

AUTONOMOUS weapons pose a clear and present danger to the Caribbean. Action to ban them should be seriously considered now.

This is one of four recommendation that I made in an address to a conference on September 5, organised by the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security on “The Human Impacts of Autonomous Weapons”. This article is a shortened version of my address to law enforcement officers, lawyers and diplomats.

Autonomous weapons are weapon systems that can identify, target, and eliminate a person, a group of persons or an area without human intervention. Unlike remotely piloted drones or other systems that require a human to make the final decision to engage a target, autonomous weapons can carry out these actions on their own once they are activated.

So, why should the Caribbean region be alarmed at this phenomenon? There are several reasons. Our communities are already under stress due to increasing crime and violence. The illegal firearms that contribute to violent crime and homicides are a precursor to a more profound threat.

Can you imagine the impact of autonomous weapons being added to the arsenal of weapons that are now deployed in criminal activity? Consider a drone, meticulously programmed with facial recognition technology, set to target an individual. It scans, identifies, and eliminates its target all while operating undetected.

POTENTIAL TARGETS:

Autonomous weapons are diverse. They consist not only of drones but also of covert city devices and lethal robots. They can be precise, targeting key figures such as political leaders, judges, law enforcement officers -or anyone who opposes those who benefit from drug trafficking or other criminal activity.

Beyond individuals, our critical infrastructure is also at-risk including energy facilities that provide electricity to towns and cities, to ports, and to water supplies.

THE GLOBAL CONTEXT:

There is an increasing chorus within the international community advocating for a robust treaty to govern these autonomous weapons. Prominent international figures, including the Pope, and the UN Secretary General António Guterres, have voiced their concerns.

Interested persons should send resumes and supporting documents to: P. O. Box N-9240 Nassau, Bahamas OR

Or email address: bahamasmedia@gmail.com All applications must be submitted on or before September 21st, 2023.

World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

security, technological and ethical perspectives. We therefore see an urgent need for the international community to further their understanding and address these risks and challenges by adopting appropriate rules and measures, such as principles, good practices, limitations and constraints”.

Also, on July 20 this year, under the theme of “A new Agenda for Peace”, the UN Secretary-General recommended that all countries should “conclude, by 2026, a legally binding instrument to prohibit lethal autonomous weapon systems that function without human control or oversight.” The government of Costa Rica has also been proactive in galvanizing nations to address this worrisome issue.

The calls for international cooperation to curb autonomous weapons is a crucial step, but not all governments in the international community support this position. Indeed, some of them, which are already extensively using drones and other lethal machines in war torn areas and for targeting enemies, are resisting any binding treaties that limit their use of autonomous weapons. The Stop Killer Robots Movement has pointed out that this year’s meeting of the Group of Governmental Experts on autonomous weapons systems, from May 15 to 19, ended without substantive progress.

Big countries that see benefits in these weapons are resisting strict rules. These nations are investing heavily in military applications of autonomous weapons, weaving them into the fabric of their defence strategies. They argue that these weapons can reduce human casualties in conflict or be more precise in targeting.

Anyone who doubts the capacity of these weapons, need only look at television coverage of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine to see the death and destruction they inflict.

Small States vulnerability and Caribbean Unity

How long before these weapons find their way into the wrong hands, unchecked and unregulated? While international negotiations grind slowly forward, the Caribbean cannot afford the luxury of waiting. Caribbean vulnerabilities are immediate and tangible.

Last October in the First Committee of the 77th United Nation General Assembly, a joint statement was issued , drawing grave concerns about lethal autonomous weapons systems. The statement said, among other things: “… the introduction of new technological applications, such as those related to autonomy in weapon systems, also raise serious concerns from humanitarian, legal,

to be revamped, counterterrorism units established, and intelligence networks enhanced. Our vast maritime borders are conduits for trafficking, and the introduction of autonomous weapons into this mix is a nightmare scenario. Given the high stakes, Caribbean nations need not, and should not, wait for global consensus. Their unity can be their strength. A regional approach, where Caribbean nations come together to enact stringent legislation, can set a powerful precedent.

PROPOSED

REGIONAL ACTIONS: Here are four ideas for collective regional action:

First, an immediate step should be the introduction of laws strictly banning the importation of autonomous weapons. By ensuring they don’t enter our shores, we minimize the immediate threat.

Second, those found breaching these laws should face severe repercussions. From heavy fines to lengthy prison sentences, the message must be clear: the Caribbean will not tolerate the proliferation of these weapons.

Third, beyond possession and trafficking, the actual use of such weapons should carry even more substantial penalties, potentially maximum terms. This deterrence will underscore the gravity of the act. And fourth, with the United Nations General Assembly gathering in October 2023, Caribbean States have an opportunity to take leadership in pushing for meaningful progress towards a new legally binding instrument. Every Caribbean leader at the General Assembly should include this call in their statements. Also, with the same vigour that small states at the UN fight against the existential threat of Climate Change, they should fight against the fatal threat of our police forces being overwhelmed by criminals armed with autonomous weapons.

CONCLUSION

To conclude, the Caribbean region, with its unique vulnerabilities, stands at a crossroads. Our States can be proactive, adapting our laws and bolstering our defences, or we can risk being overpowered.

Caribbean borders are vast stretches of open sea, posing substantial challenges. Policing these expanses for inter-state trafficking, especially for high-tech, compact autonomous weaponry, is a daunting task. Moreover, Caribbean governments would be burdened with an unaffordable increase in costs.

For instance, law enforcement agencies would need

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com)

SERBIAN Land Rover Defender towing trailer with “Miloš” tracked combat robot - a lethal autonomous weapon - on Sloboda 2019 military parade and exercise at “Colonel-pilot Milenko Pavlovi” military airport.

Better food choices lead to better health

THIS past week, I was fortunate enough to watch as one of my former summer interns walked across the stage at the prestigious University of California (UCLA) school of medicine to accept and don his white coat for the first time and recite the Hippocratic oath that all aspiring doctors take. The journey for him will be long and wrought with challenges like working long shifts that take their toll on mind and body, swallowing your pride when a senior surgeon chastises you or remaining silent when berated by frustrated patients. But standing on the other side, I can attest to the immeasurable value of staying focused and pushing forward.

Donning the white coat as a medical student to becoming a licenced physician is a road that no other profession walks along. Every step takes you closer to the awesome responsibility of caring for another human life, often when they are at their lowest, and most vulnerable. It’s a life-calling as noble as one can possibly imagine. One of the things that I always try to instill in my interns is the importance of treating the cause of the presenting illness and not just the symptoms elicited. Should he do so, while treating patients with compassion and respecting that each patient deserves the very best effort that he can offer, his future will no doubt remain bright.

I can easily recall some of the very first questions the summer intern-now-student doctor once asked me and even then, his mind rivaled that of an educated scholar twice his senior. One question that stands out vividly is, barring some unforeseen communicable disease, what was in my opinion the greatest medical existential threat on the Bahamian population. I answered without hesitation - our diet. And, years later, should he ask me the very same question my answer would unfortunately remain the same.

If food can be our medicine, then it can also be our poison. The food we consume daily, the poison on our plate, is slowly, silently killing us and recent national statistics fall in my favour. Year after year, deaths from cancers of all types are on the rise. Approximately one in every 500 Bahamians has been diagnosed with cancer.

Equally as sobering is that

The Bahamas currently ranks as the sixth most obese country in the world, ranking seventh in the world for deaths secondary to high blood pressure and the highest incidence of Diabetes in the Americas and the Caribbean.

The strongest parallel that can account for the rise in non-communicable diseases in the past decade is the marked deterioration in the quality of food we consume. Many people willingly acknowledge that the frequent, sometimes daily, consumption of certain fried foods, or foods loaded with fat, sodium and sugar can have deleterious long term health consequences. The focus of today’s report, however, is on the food choices we make and innocently give to our children believing they’re healthy but are actually hidden with enough toxic chemicals that their importation and sale is outright banned in several countries.

In The Bahamas almost half of the working population is made up of women. So, with less time available at home to shop and cook, fast food options have become the norm. To accommodate the increasing demand, increasingly attractively designed fast food eateries have proliferated in number year after year. But grocery store offerings can be deceptively more dangerous.

Sausages (links and patties) and cereals like Honey

Bunches of Oats (among many others), instant stuffing and mashed potatoes for example contain an ingredient called butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) to preserve freshness, a known carcinogen that can hinder blood clotting and cause tumor formation

throughout the body. Its sale has been banned in Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

One of the worst options available in grocery stores also happens to be one of the most inexpensive. Purchased by the case in many Bahamian households, Ramen noodles is a nutritional nightmare. Not only does it contain an excessive amount of sodium (with one pack containing almost 90 percent of the recommended daily sodium allowance), it also has silicon dioxide (a major constituent of industrial sand).

Gatorade and Vitamin water contain potassium phosphates and Ritz whole wheat crackers contain calcium phosphates which may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and disrupt calcium metabolism and bone mineralization. Vienna sausages, hotdogs, packaged deli hams, bologna and bacon contain sodium phosphate and sodium nitrite which have been linked to stomach cancer and should be consumed with extreme caution, or avoided all together, in patients with kidney disease.

Breads made with potassium bromate (ie, bromated flour) are heavily linked to cancer and kidney damage but still remain used in many American bread varieties while banned in India, the UK, Canada, China, Brazil and countries throughout the European union. Salad dressings loaded with food colouring and sodas, juices, ketchup, fruit preserves and jams with high fructose corn syrup should similarly be avoided because of their association with the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Packaging labels are also intentionally misleading and it’s important to read them without being tricked into thinking you’re purchasing something that’s good for you and your family. Ignore the front of the package and instead look at the ingredient list on the side. Be wary of items with a long list of ingredients and focus of the first three, since ingredients are listed by quantity from highest to lowest and they constitute the bulk of what you’ll be consuming. One suggestion that has been offered, though it can be challenging, is to limit your diet of non-perishables to foods that have five or fewer ingredients. Also, be wary of the nutritional data provided because it’s for a single serving size that’s almost always smaller than what individuals consume in one sitting. One serving according to product labels for example is half a can of soda or five chips.

In many cases, whole grain options, when listed in the first three ingredients are usually better than multigrain (often refined) options. Stating a product has natural ingredients doesn’t always mean it’s healthy, it just means that at some point during development, the manufacturer used a natural food source. No added sugar can indicate that the product is naturally high in sugar or harmful sugar substitutes have been added. Low-fat often means more sugar and/ or salt has been added to improve flavour and fruitflavoured means it has a chemical added that tastes like fruit.

Admittedly, it’s tiresome and confusing and the average consumer gets lost in the humdrum of additives and preservatives and their potential long-term consequences. A common refrain I hear from patients is that “I ate it growing up and I’m fine”. But the world has changed since then and kids aren’t as active as they once were, choosing now to play with a tablet over any number of outdoor sports. They also don’t have the benefit of a regularly home

cooked meal, prepared on the stove and not in the microwave then rewarmed in plastic containers.

The best advice that I can offer to patients where appropriate food consumption is concerned is to eat a variety of foods, particularly fruits and vegetables and when in doubt consult a nutritionist or dietician registered by the Health Professions Council. Another simple option, which I use consistently and highly recommend, is to download a food scanning app that allows you to scan the barcode of foods and immediately get a rating of that item based on the ingredients. Healthier food alternatives are also offered making the appropriate selection even easier. Food can either be medicine or poison and patients must decide which one they’ll put on their plate daily.

At the start of every medical student’s journey, you have what’s known as a white coat ceremony. There, you walk across a stage in front of family, colleagues and senior physicians and don your white coat for the first time. Then, in reciting the Hippocratic oath, you commit yourself to serving humanity for the rest of your life.

By DR KENNETH D KEMP

This past week, my summer intern did just that and I couldn’t be prouder. He, like my cousin Devenney who’s currently interning at the Princess Margaret Hospital, show incredible promise and talent, which the country will need desperately in the years to come should we continue along our current trajectory.

Every hero needs a cape and the quintessential doctor’s white coat is ours. True heroism involves selfless action as displayed by frontline healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. But saving patients at their lowest isn’t enough. Helping them to enjoy longer, healthier lives should always be the ultimate goal and encouraging all Bahamians to make better food choices is a step in the right direction. This is The KDK Report.

of Podiatry’, Dr Kenneth D Kemp is the founder and medical director of Bahamas Foot and Ankle located in Caves Village, Western New Providence. He served as the deputy chairman for the Health Council for five years and he currently sits on the board of directors for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation in his role as co-vice-chairman.

‘Vienna sausages, hotdogs, packaged deli hams, bologna and bacon contain sodium phosphate and sodium nitrite which have been linked to stomach cancer and should be consumed with extreme caution, or avoided all together, in patients with kidney disease.’

Licensees concerned over back and forth between govt and GBPA

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT licensee

Darren Cooper said licensees are not being used by anyone at the Grand Bahama Port Authority in its efforts to educate people about the Hawksbill Creek Agreement (HCA).

He was responding to comments made by Foreign Affairs Minister Frederick Mitchell who has warned licensees not to be used for the personal gain of others who may not have the best interest of Freeport at heart.

The Freeport Licensing Association will be holding an education seminar on the HCA today for its licensees and other interested persons.

Mr Cooper, who is a member of the association, made it clear that it is not being funded or supported by the GBPA.

Last Thursday, during an interview with ZNS, Mr Mitchell said: “I think what licensees and other people of goodwill in Freeport ought to be concerned about is not being dragged into an internecine warfare within the Grand Bahama Port Authority itself.

“They are trying to organise licensees to put up a fight in the public, as if this is the government opposed to the licensees.

“I think that should be avoided at all costs. What should be avoided is the impression given that these people who are supposedly running an education campaign are being used by certain elements for wrong purposes.

“So, I just want people to be very careful about that [and] not get dragged into something they should not get dragged into, so that there is not an unfortunate circumstance on their own reputations.”

There are some 3,000 business licensees in Freeport that enjoy concessions under the HCA. The licensees are concerned over the continued back and forth quarrel between the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the government regarding the port’s obligations under the agreement.

Mr Cooper indicated that licensees want to have a working relationship and be respected by both parties.

“I don’t think there is any licensee that wants to be used by the government or the GBPA,” he said.

“We want to safeguard and protect the HCA that benefits the 3,000 licensees and make sure that the concessions that we do enjoy as a licensee of the GBPA continue to be protected and safeguarded,” he said.

“And so, I think when the minister said to be used, what is being held on Monday and what the Freeport Licensee Association is seeking to do is educate all licensees of their rights, what they are entitled to, and what the actual agreement entails,” explained Mr Cooper.

“We are just seeking to have a healthy, constructive conversation and be able to work in the best interest of GB, to protect all of our licensees, and to fully understand the way forward - what are the government’s and the GBPA’s plans or vision for Grand Bahama and Freeport,” he stated.

“We are not being stroked, encouraged, supported, or funded by the GBPA nor the government.

“These are concerned licensees being able to get to the bottom of where we are and where the government or the port plans to take us.”

Grand Bahama lost nine percent of its GDP last year. Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis

said the Grand Bahama Port Authority has failed Freeport and accused the quasi-governmental entity of not living up to its obligations in the HCA, and would take decisive action on the GBPA.

Freeport attorney Terrence Gape also agrees that the St George and Hayward families, the principal owners of the GBPA, have failed in their duties to promote and cause Freeport to prosper.

“We are now at an economic ‘double bottom’,” said Mr Gape, a leading counsel in commercial matters in Freeport.

He indicated that Freeport’s status has declined from that of a city to a town,

with no major hotel, no restaurants, no shops, and no tourism, and a town that has lost a third of its inhabitants.

“The families, who have proven themselves to be good city managers at best, are obviously seeking to delay any progress on their divestiture by at least two years, which delays have served them well in the past,” Mr Gape said.

“Are the licensees now awakened from their slumber because they finally have a Government that wants to do something ‘decisive’. I submit this is a ploy by the families to cause delay upon delay,” he stated.

Mr Gape said: “So, for the licensees, I would

expect they would be interested to know that the benefits of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement would remain and that major investors would be welcomed by the government just as they are in the rest of the Commonwealth.”

Mr Gape said the families showed what they were

made of and their lack of belief in the future of Freeport when after the airport was destroyed in the hurricane, they joined with Hutchison and sold the airport to the government for one dollar.

Gape on page eight in today’s Business section.

BAHAMAS JOINS ORGANISATION OF SMALL ISLAND STATES WHO FACE AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE

AFTER a call by small islands for climate justice, Sir Ronald Sanders, the ambassador for Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organization of American States, has warned that the islands face “a real and present threat” to their existence – and The Bahamas has joined a commission to tackle the issue.

Sir Ronald, a columnist in The Tribune’s Insight section, said that major polluters have shown “a staggering lack of political will to remedy their actions”.

This comes after Antigua and Barbuda was joined by the Pacific island state of Tuvalue to form an intergovernmental organisation that would use the international legal system to seek justice for the impact of climate change.

Sir Ronald said that the Prime Minister of each nation was “frustrated by the lip service being paid by the world’s major contributors to climate change, and the broken promises of every previous COP meetings, decided that they would seek an Advisory Opinion from the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)”.

He said: “Consequently, they launched the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS). They were subsequently joined by several

other small states, including The Bahamas, St Lucia, St Kitts-Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean and by Vanuatu, Palau and Niue.”

ITLOS has agreed to a full hearing of the case with the first session to be held in Hamburg today.

Sir Ronald said: “What each of these small islands faces is a real and present threat to their existence.

“Let’s put into perspective the level of existential threat we’re talking about.

“We are looking at the potential disappearance of nations — entire cultures and histories wiped out due to climate change.

“This is not mere theory; the science is clear and irrefutable.”

The decision to take the case to ITLOS hinges on the ocean being a vital carbon sink. Sir Ronald said: ITLOS, the guardian of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, is the natural venue to seek legal clarity on the obligations of states to protect our marine environment.”

He added: “We are at a fork in the road of human history.

“On one hand, inaction and the continuation of empty promises, leading to existential loss for small island states.

“On the other, immediate, effective action informed by international law.”

GB COUPLE ROBBED BY ARMED GUNMAN ON XANADU BEACH

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A GRAND Bahama couple was the victim of an armed robbery that occurred on Xanadu Beach over the weekend. Police report that shortly after 9pm on Saturday they received a report that a

man and woman while sitting in their vehicle on the beach were approached by a dark, slim man wearing a ski mask, and armed with a black handgun. The suspect robbed the couple of a 2010 Ford Focus vehicle and escaped. The couple was not injured. Police are investigating the incident.

MEMBER OF THE FREEPORT LICENSING ASSOCIATION AND LICENSEE DARREN COOPER

Events held to mark International Literacy Day

INTERNATIONAL

Literacy Day was held on Friday, and to mark the occasion, a number of events were held in The Bahamas to encourage children’s love of reading.

At Cleveland Eneas Primary School, activities included reading in the garden, sip and read, and drop everything and read, with some children also taking part in a poetry recital.

Senator Maxine Seymour was the guest speaker for the literacy assembly, and she was also a guest at Sadie Curtis Primary School where she read a book to students. She also thanked administrators and literacy

coordinators at both schools.

The senator was also in attendance at a pop-up library event in Andros at the monthly Reading in the Park event on Lovely Park.

The event is organised by sixth grader Lavaria Storr, with students reciting a reading oath as community leaders read aloud, educational games are played and treats are distributed. Children return and borrow books during the event.

Donations of new or preowned books are welcome, along with snacks. Senator Seymour made a donation to the library during her visit. To offer a donation, contact readinginthepark242@ gmail.com.

DURING

Principal, Cleveland Eneas Primary School, reminds students that there will be activities on campus, throughout the day, to celebrate literacy, including Reading in the Garden, Sip and Read, and Drop Everything and Read.

SENATOR Maxine Seymour reads a book to students at Sadie Curtis Primary School on International Literacy Day, September 8.

SENATOR Maxine Seymour helps Lavaria Storr sort books for the popup library in North Andros. The six grader hosts “Reading in the Park” monthly on Lovely Park. She leads students in a reading oath, community leaders read aloud, educational games are played and treats distributed. Children return and borrow books during the event. Donations of new or preowned books and snacks are welcome.

SENATOR Maxine Seymour with grade five student, Tre’Veah Miller, who introduced her as the guest speaker for the literacy assembly at Cleveland Eneas Primary School.

assembly, Mrs. Avinel Newball-Smith,

READING time at Sadie Curtis (l to r) Quetel Gardiner, Literacy Coordinator; Tamika Gilbert, Vice Principal; Raquel Develaux, Senior Mistress; Sherado Gibson, Principal; Senator Maxine Seymour; Mrs. Ora Weir, Senior Mistress; Carrolinda Hepburn, Vice Principal; Ms. Audra Tynes, Senior Mistress; Jacinta Smith, Literacy Coordinator.

POLICE Constable 3758 Darville reads aloud to children on Lovely Park in Lowe Sound, Andros.

Aftershock rocks Morocco as rescuers seek survivors of earthquake that killed over 2,100

MOROCCO Associated Press

AN AFTERSHOCK rattled Moroccans on Sunday as they mourned victims of the nation’s strongest earthquake in more than a century and sought to rescue survivors while soldiers and aid workers raced to reach ruined mountain villages. The disaster killed more than 2,100 people — a number that is expected to rise. The United Nations estimated that 300,000 people were affected by Friday night’s magnitude 6.8 quake and some Moroccans complained on social networks that the government wasn’t allowing more outside help. International aid crews were poised to deploy, but some grew frustrated waiting for the government to officially request assistance.

“We know there is a great urgency to save people and dig under the remains of buildings,” said Arnaud Fraisse, founder of Rescuers Without Borders, who had a team stuck in Paris waiting for the green light. “There are people dying under the rubble, and we cannot do anything to save them.”

Help was slow to arrive in Amizmiz, where a whole chunk of the town of orange and red sandstone brick homes carved into a mountainside appeared to be missing. A mosque’s minaret had collapsed.

“It’s a catastrophe,’’ said villager Salah Ancheu, 28. “We don’t know what the future is. The aid remains insufficient.”

Residents swept rubble off the main unpaved road into town and people cheered when trucks full of soldiers arrived. But they pleaded for more help.

“There aren’t ambulances, there aren’t police, at least for right now,” Ancheu said.

Those left homeless — or fearing more aftershocks — slept outside Saturday, in the streets of the ancient city of Marrakech or under makeshift canopies in hardhit Atlas Mountain towns like Moulay Brahim. The worst destruction was in rural communities that are hard to reach because the roads that snake up the mountainous terrain were covered by fallen rocks.

Those areas were shaken anew Sunday by a magnitude 3.9 aftershock, according to the US Geological Survey. It wasn’t immediately clear if it caused more damage or casualties, but it was likely strong enough to rattle nerves in areas where damage has left buildings unstable and residents feared aftershocks.

Friday’s earthquake toppled buildings not strong enough to withstand such a mighty temblor, trapping people in the rubble and sending others fleeing in terror. A total of 2,122 people were confirmed dead and at least 2,421 others were injured — 1,404 of them critically, the Interior Ministry reported.

Most of the dead — 1,351 — were in the Al Haouz district in the High Atlas Mountains, the ministry

said. Flags were lowered across Morocco, as King Mohammed VI ordered three days of national mourning starting Sunday. The army mobilized search and rescue teams, and the king ordered water, food rations and shelters to be sent to those who lost homes.

He also called for mosques to hold prayers Sunday for the victims, many of whom were buried Saturday amid the frenzy of rescue work nearby.

But Morocco has not made an international appeal for help like Turkey did in the hours following a massive quake earlier this year, according to aid groups.

Morocco’s Interior Ministry said Sunday that it was accepting international aid from Spain, Qatar, Britain and the United Arab Emirates. The Ministry said that Moroccan authorities have carefully assessed the needs on the ground, stressing that a lack of coordination would be counter-productive. The efforts will centre on search and rescue.

But aid offers poured in from around the world, and the UN said it had a team in Morocco coordinating international support.

About 100 teams made up of a total of 3,500 rescuers are registered with a UN platform and ready to deploy in Morocco when asked, Rescuers Without Borders said. Germany had a team of more than 50 rescuers waiting near Cologne-Bonn Airport but sent them home, news

country was sending about 70 members of a rescue team trained in searching through rubble after receiving an official request from the Moroccan government.

Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said three military planes were prepared to transport the team.

In France, which has many ties to Morocco and said four of its citizens died

each town along the High Atlas’ steep and winding switchbacks, with homes folding in on themselves and people crying as boys helmet-clad police carried the dead through the streets.

“I was asleep when the earthquake struck. I could not escape because the roof fell on me. I was trapped. I was saved by my

streets. She had lost her daughter and three grandsons aged 4 to 11 when their home collapsed while they were sleeping less than 48 hours earlier.

“Nothing’s left. Everything fell,” said her sister, Hafida Fairouje.

The Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity was coordinating help for about 15,000 families in Al Haouz

Ambulances took dozens of wounded from the village of Tikht, population 800, to Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech.

In Marrakech, large chunks were missing from a crenelated roof, and warped metal, crumbled concrete and dust were all that remained of a building cordoned off by police.

Tourists and residents lined up to give blood.

“I did not even think about it twice,” Jalila Guerina told The Associated Press, “especially in the conditions where people are dying, especially at this moment when they are needing help, any help.”

She cited her duty as a Moroccan citizen.

The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 when it hit at 11:11 pm, lasting several seconds, the USGS said. A magnitude 4.9 aftershock hit 19 minutes later, it said. The collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates occurred at a relatively shallow depth, which makes a quake more dangerous.

agency dpa reported.

A Spanish search-andrescue team arrived in Marrakech and headed to the rural Talat N’Yaaqoub, according to Spain’s Emergency Military Unit.

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said in a radio interview that Moroccan authorities asked for help. Another rescue team from Nice, France, also was on its way.

Officials in the Czech Republic earlier said the

in the quake, towns and cities have offered more than 2 million euros ($2.1 million) in aid. Popular performers are collecting donations.

The epicentre of Friday’s quake was near the town of Ighil in Al Haouz Province, about 70 kilometres (44 miles) south of Marrakech.

The region is known for scenic villages and valleys tucked in the High Atlas Mountains.

Devastation gripped

neighbours who cleared the rubble with their bare hands,” said Fatna Bechar in Moulay Brahim. “Now, I am living with them in their house because mine was completely destroyed.”

There was little time for mourning as survivors tried to salvage anything from damaged homes.

Khadija Fairouje’s face was puffy from crying as she joined relatives and neighbours hauling possessions down rock-strewn

province, including food, medical aid, emergency housing and blankets, the state news agency MAP quoted the organization’s head, Youssef Rabouli, as saying after he visited the region.

Rescuers backed by soldiers and police searched collapsed homes in the remote town of Adassil, near the epicentre. Military vehicles brought in bulldozers and other equipment to clear roads, MAP reported.

It was the strongest earthquake to hit the North African country in over 120 years, according to USGS records dating to 1900, but it was not the deadliest. In 1960, a magnitude 5.8 temblor struck near the city of Agadir, killing at least 12,000. That quake prompted Morocco to change construction rules, but many buildings, especially rural homes, are not built to withstand such tremors.

In 2004, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake near the Mediterranean coastal city of Al Hoceima left more than 600 dead.

Friday’s quake was felt as far away as Portugal and Algeria, according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere and Algeria’s Civil Defense agency.

PEOPLE comfort each other while digging graves for victims of the earthquake, in Ouargane village, near Marrakech, Morocco, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. A rare, powerful earthquake struck Morocco, sending people racing from their beds into the streets and toppling buildings in mountainous villages and ancient cities not built to withstand such force.

Photo: Mosa’ab Elshamy/AP

A MAN walks amid the rubble in front of a damaged mosque in Moulay Brahim in the province of Al Haouz, Morocco, yesterday. An aftershock rattled Moroccans on Sunday as they prayed for victims of the nation’s strongest earthquake in more than a century and toiled to rescue survivors while soldiers and workers brought water and supplies to desperate mountain villages in ruins.

Photo: Fernando Sanchez/AP

The Bahamas beaten despite quick start

PUERTO RICO WIN 6-1 IN NATIONS LEAGUE OPENER

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER getting off to an “electric start” from a quick shot from Christopher Rahming to ignite the home crowd inside the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, the Bahamas men’s team could not stop the relentless onslaught from Puerto Rico as they responded with a flurry of goals.

In what many expected to be a keenly contested match-up to the end, Puerto Rico claimed a 6-1 victory on Saturday to start both teams’ appearances in the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League home and away series.

Rahming’s goal that came right up the centre of the field into the net in the first two minutes of the game, was shortlived for the Bahamas as Puerto Rico got the equaliser from Gerald Diaz in the sixth minute.

Puerto Rico took the lead in the 14th minute from Ricardo Rivera and before they closed out the first half, they got a pair of insurance goals from Joel Burges and Rodolfo Sulio in the 35th and 42nd minutes for a commanding 4-1 lead at the break.

Although the Bahamas had a couple of chances to get at least one more

BGDBA PLAYOFFS: CRIMESTOPPERS, PANTHERS EARN BLOWOUT WINS ON SATURDAY

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Police Crimestoppers and Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture (MOYSC) Panthers both earned blowout wins this past Saturday at the AF Adderley Gymnasium. The second-seeded Crimestoppers blasted the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Rampage 78-58 to earn a 20-point blowout win. The Panthers, the league’s defending champions, delivered a 40-point drubbing to the Real Deal Rangers in their 85-45 win. Both teams now sit 1-0 in their respective best-of-three series.

Police Crimestoppers vs RBDF Rampage

goal on the scoreboard, Burges came back in the second half and completed a hat-trick in the 86 and 89th minutes to put the stamp on a convincing victory.

Despite the loss, Bahamas head coach Nesly Jean noted that his young but talented team will only get better from the experience they gained.

“I think the guys did pretty well, especially in the second half,” he said. “Obviously in the first half, there were a few mistakes that we needed to adjust. In the second half, we did that. But it’s a learning experience for the younger guys.

“Some of these guys were making their debut, so we’re going to make mistakes. In the meantime, we must learn from it.”

Jean, a former national team player, said their plan was to analyse what Puerto Rico would do and if they

really

high, they would hit them on the counter. He said they did it, but they needed to push it a little more in the first half, as they did in the second, to counter attack their opponents.

William Bayles, a centreback, noted that they got off to an electric start, scoring the first goal, but they allowed their opponents to

control of the tempo of the game and they underestimated themselves.

“In the second half, we showed what we could do. We were all over them for the first 30 minutes of the second half. We kept the ball, we were getting chances, we just needed to put those away,” Bayles summed up.

And Wood Julmis, a

striker, said they got a “perfect start with a beautiful team goal,” but they “fell asleep” and allowed a few mistakes that enabled Puerto Rico to rally back.

“We found our identify,” Julmis said. “Normally, we would sit back and allow teams to come to us and hit them on the press, but

SEE PAGE 16

ANTHONIQUE STRACHAN FINISHES SECOND IN DIAMOND LEAGUE 200M

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SPRINTER Anthonique Strachan is content going into the season-ending Prefontaine Classic Diamond League Final of the Wanda Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon on the weekend of September 16-17.

This weekend, in the last of the 13 races during the course of the season in the lead up to the grand finale, Strachan placed second in the women’s 200 metres at the Memorial van Damme in Brussels, Belgium.

In what could be considered her best showing in the series of meets that started in Doha, Qatar in May, Strachan clocked 22.31 seconds as she trailed her Jamaican training partner, Shericka Jackson, who won in 21.48 - erasing the meet record previously held by her compatriot Merlene Ottey with 21.64 in 1991.

Strachan and Jackson, who continue to get closer to cracking the late American Florence GriffithJoyner’s world record of 21.34 from the 1988 Olympic Games, were followed by Jenna Prandini of the United States in 22.47.

“It was good. I can’t really complain about it,” said Strachan, a very close friend of Jackson, whom she got to interview in a special segment in Zurich where they competed in their first meet since Budapest.

“The race went well. I didn’t go into the race with any expectations

like that, so I’m content with the results.”

Running out of lane six ahead of Strachan in five, Jackson said she was elated with her performance.

“For me personally, it is just to show up and especially in front of such an amazing crowd,” she said. “You just have to put in your best and that’s what I did today. It felt

(AP

really good tonight, I definitely feel like I’m getting there, closer to that record.

“But it’s also important to have some fun and I really had fun tonight. It’s amazing to run against such a strong field and everyone did good tonight but for me personally it’s important to have fun.”

Jackson noted that the crowd really urged her on as she continued her quest for the world record.

“It helps with the sprinting and I’m really enjoying the sprinting. Life recently is very good for me and I had the same feeling this evening,” she added. “I am loving it here, I run here since 2016 I think and I enjoy it every time.

“Even if I didn’t win, it has been a good season and I hope to get

SEE PAGE 17

The Rampage were already struggling coming into the Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association (BGDBA) playoffs. The RBDF basketball team had dropped four straight games prior to the opening game of the postseason and the trend continued on Saturday night. The Crimestoppers took advantage from the opening tip and had already climbed out to a 12-point lead (20-8) by the end of the first quarter.

In the second period, the league’s second best team kept their feet on the gas pedal to overwhelm the Rampage. Kirklyn Farrington played a key role in the team’s blowout victory. He drained two free throws at the 2:24 mark in the second quarter to stretch the team’s lead to 19 (36-17).

SEE PAGE 17

Farrington ended the BGDBA PLAYOFFS:

CYBOTS AND AVENGERS GO UP 1-0 IN FIRST ROUND

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Bain and Grants Town Cybots and Airport Authority Avengers nabbed the first wins in their round one playoff matchups.

The Cybots, the Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association’s (BGDBA) leading team, defeated the eighth-seeded Police Royals 72-66 on Friday night. Meanwhile, the Avengers snuck away with a 87-86 nail-biter win on Saturday night against the Bamboo Shack Patrollers at the AF Adderley Gymnasium.

Cybots vs Royals

Despite matching up against the lower seeded Royals, the Cybots had their hands full until the final buzzer of their first playoff game. Both teams were evenly matched in the opening quarter of the playoffs. The game got off to a 8-4 start favouring the Cybots but the period culminated with the ball game tied 17-17. In the second period the Royals gained the advantage after outscoring the Cybots 18-16.

The game remained competitive until the final quarter of play with 18 lead changes and the score was tied 15 times.

In the final period of the game the Cybots were SEE PAGE 17

THE BAHAMAS in action against Puerto Rico on Saturday night. PHOTOS: Racardo Thomas

SHERICKA Jackson from Jamaica crosses the finish line to win the 200m women event during the Diamond League Memorial Van Damme athletics event at the King Baudouin stadium, Brussels, Friday.

Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

ANTHONIQUE Strachan finished second in Belgium. (File photo)

THE BAHAMAS BEATEN DESPITE QUICK START

FROM PAGE 15

today we saw and we executed. We realised that we could play with the big teams and we moved the ball and got better chances.”

If there’s one lesson they can take away from the game, Julmis said it’s the fact that they can trust themselves to take a lot of risks as they get on the scoreboard early and try to win more games.

He said that the fans in the stadium really inspired them to perform.

“I played a few home games, but I think this was the most fans I’ve seen as a player,” he said. “Since Covid-19, we really appreciate it as a team. Even when we were down three to four goals, they were still cheering and rooting for us. It’s 11 players on the field, but the fans are our 12 players and we really felt that home support.”

After the game, the team left town and headed for Guyana where they will play their next game on Tuesday. Jean said they will face a different team and a different style of play, so they will have to make the necessary adjustment and be ready for the challenge ahead of them.

“We have nothing to lose. We need to take risks,” said Jean, who noted that there were no injuries to report after their game against Puerto Rico. “By doing that, we will get our chances.”

Puerto Rico’s head coach said they showed a lot of resilience, bouncing back from the 1-0 deficit.

“We started playing Puerto Rico football,” he said. “The scoreline is a little bit funny for me

because we were so close to having a lot more goals than what we did there with six. We just implemented a new system, so I’m proud of the boys, how they were willing to play it.

“It was very risky, but this is our identify and it was really fun watching them be brave and taking those risks at times when we played some beautiful football, which was appealing to the eye. But the scoreline says it and it was a great moment for our team.”

He said he wasn’t surprised by the performances of his young team and hopefully if they can get through their recovery process really quickly, they will be able top put up the numbers he expects when they play their home game right here on Tuesday in hosting Antigua & Barbuda at 7pm.

Team captain Nicholas Cardona said they played aggressively and they are trying to learn as quickly to score as many goals as they can and go on to win a lot of matches.

“They scored in the first few minutes of the game, but we knew that we had a lot of time, a lot of minutes to impose our game on them,” said Cardona, about the win over the Bahamas. “In the second half, we started a little slower, but we are aware of it and we will train harder to play better in our next game.”

The teams are playing out of League B and Group D in the CONCACAF’s 2023 Nations League that will be played over the next three months for a chance to advance to League A at the end of the season.

Photos: Racardo Thomas

ANTHONIQUE STRACHAN FINISHES SECOND IN DIAMOND LEAGUE 200M

FROM PAGE 15

one more win and to get closer to that record.”

As a result of their performances, Jackson, who has made a remarkable showing since dropping down from the 400 to the sprints in 2021, leads the pack with 32 going into the finale.

Strachan will head into the final with the third highest qualifying spot with a total of 22 points. Great Britain’s Neita Daryll, who was fourth in Friday’s race in 22.59, is sitting in second with 24.

“This race was just to sharpen up what I’ve already done to get into the final,” Strachan said.

It’s also a good indication of the tremendous season that Strachan has enjoyed since she captured the world junior titles in both the 200 and 200m in 2012, making her first global final as a senior at the World Championships as a senior in Budapest, Hungary last month.

“I feel alright with my progression since Worlds,” said Strachan, who got sixth in 22.29 in Budapest. “So I can’t complain. I wanted to run faster, but that’s not in my cards right now because my body can’t manage it.

“I’m just trying to get my body to stay in that healthy position so that I can end the season injury free and so I can get ready for next year at the Olympic Games (in Paris, France) where I hope I can run even faster.”

The Bahamian top female sprinter this year admitted that she’s content with her accomplishments and it’s all based on the sacrifices that she made to get to the point where she is right now.

“I trained and I worked hard for this,” she declared. “What I put in is what I’m going to get out. I know where I’m at, so I don’t have anything to prove to anybody.”

Strachan, who celebrated her 30th birthday in Budapest, got a prank played on her by one of the mascots at the championships as she waited in the call room during the semifinal to see if she would earn one of the spots in the final.

As she sat on the couch, the mascot rubbed her out stretched arm. As she jumped to her feet, anticipating that it was a spider or some type of creature, Strachan was shocked when the mascot revealed himself.

“He got me good,” Strachan quipped. “He got me good.”

With the Prefontaine Classic as she final event for the year, Strachan said she’s hoping there wont be any more surprises. She’s just hoping that she can close out the season with a bang and earn some of the hefty cash prize that is being offered.

The winner will earn $30,000, while the remaining positions will pocket $12,000 for second, $7,000 for third, $4,000 for fourth, $2,500 for fifth, $2,000 for sixth, $1,500 for seventh and $1,000 for eighth.

“I also want to change my history of competing in Eugene,” said Strachan, referring to her injury that prevented her from coming out of the first round of the World Championships last year. “People find it hard that I don’t have much expectations, but I really don’t have any.”

BRITTNEY SYKES SHOT AT BUZZER LIFTS MYSTICS TO 90-88 WIN OVER LIBERTY IN REGULAR-SEASON FINALE

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Brittney

Sykes scored on a lob pass at the buzzer to lift the Washington Mystics to a 90-88 victory over the New York Liberty on Sunday to close out the regular season.

Sykes, who finished with 20 points, caught an inbounds pass from Natasha Cloud in the lane and put it in before the buzzer, ending the Liberty’s eight-game winning streak and any chance to get the top seed in the playoffs.

Cloud and Sykes said they were going to throw the lob no matter what, as it gave them the best chance to win and not go to overtime again against New York. The Mystics lost in OT to the Liberty in late June.

“I’ll be the person receiving the lob,” Sykes said. “It was one of those things we had our minds made up and not trying not to go to overtime again.”

The teams will meet in the first

round of the WNBA playoffs, with Game 1 on Friday in New York.

“We started the game and we want to send a message, ‘You’re going to have to see us all series long,’” Cloud said. “’You have to go through a really good team still.

A team that’s hungry, a team full of dogs.’ ... Let it be known this is going to be a really good series.”

The final play was set up after Breanna Stewart blocked Elena Delle Donne’s shot on the baseline with 0.5 seconds remaining.

Washington (19-21) turned a 71-67 lead to start the fourth quarter into a double-digit advantage. New York was down 84-74 with 4:41 left when Sabrina Ionescu was fouled hard on a drive by Tianna Hawkins. The foul was upgraded to a flagrant one. Ionescu made both free throws to start a 14-4 burst to tie the game on Stewart’s layup with 21.5 seconds left.

Cloud worked the clock down before getting the ball to Delle Donne, who drove baseline before getting blocked by Stewart.

Ionescu scored 20 points and Jonquel Jones added 19 for the Liberty (32-8). Cloud contributed 17 points for the Mystics.

It was a tight first half, with the teams tied at 50 at the break. Washington built its lead to 69-57 late in

the third quarter before New York closed the period on a 10-2 run to get within four heading into the fourth.

Betnijah Laney, who signed a contract extension Saturday with the Liberty through the 2025 season, finished with 13 points.

“It feels good to come back and keep the whole team together,” said Laney, who is averaging 12.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists this season.

The Liberty raised a banner celebrating their Commissioner’s Cup championship before the game.

“It’s always special. This organisation from the beginning has had some close opportunities to win some championships in the early days,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. “It’s still a title that’s really special. Hopefully, keeps motivating us to put more up.”

New York also brought back many of its former stars, including Teresa Weatherspoon, Swin Cash, Sue Wicks and Kym Hampton, much to the delight of the crowd.

GERMANY WINS BASKETBALL WORLD CUP FOR 1ST TIME, HOLDS OFF SERBIA FOR GOLD MEDAL

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

MANILA, Philippines

RF Bank & Trust is supporting Bahamian golfer Richard Gibson Jr, who is etching his name in history as the first Bahamian to automatically qualify and be invited to play in the illustrious US Mid-Amateur Championship. The prestigious event is taking place at the esteemed Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarborough, New York, until the September 14th.

At just 31 years of age, Richard Gibson Jr has demonstrated remarkable prowess, currently ranking 246th in the world.

RF Bank & Trust is sponsoring Mr Gibson, the only Bahamian taking part in the tournament this year, as part of their commitment to supporting aspiring athletes and promoting the values of sportsmanship and excellence within our community.

“We are immensely proud to be a part of Richard Gibson Jr’s journey as he competes in the US Mid-Amateur Championship,” stated David Slatter, VP and Group Head of Investments at RF Bank & Trust. “Richard’s remarkable achievements signify a monumental moment not

only for him but also for The Bahamas. His dedication and skill in the game of golf are truly remarkable, and we have no doubt that he will continue to make us all proud.”

The 42nd US Mid-Amateur Championship hosts a total of 264 skilled golfers representing 20 countries, including The Bahamas, US, Australia, Ireland, Scotland and England. For these 264 competitors, the stakes are exceedingly high, as they vie for a chance to secure a spot in the prestigious 2024

U.S. Open and a coveted invitation to the Masters. In addition, the champion will earn an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & CC, along with exemptions from qualifying for the next 10 U.S. MidAmateurs and the next two U.S. Amateurs. RF Bank & Trust extended its best wishes to Richard Gibson Jr ahead of the competition, and said they are confident that his exceptional performance and unwavering sportsmanship will continue to inspire

young athletes across The Bahamas.

SCHEDULE OF PLAY

Saturday, Sept. 9 (Stroke Play, Round 1, 18 holes)

Sunday, Sept. 10 (Stroke Play, Round 2, 18 holes)

Monday, Sept. 11 (Round of 64, match play)

Tuesday, Sept. 12 (Round of 32/Round of 16, match play)

Wednesday, Sept. 13 (Quarterfinals/Semifinals, match play)

Thursday, Sept. 14 (Championship Match, 36 holes)

(AP) — Have a summer, Germany. Dirk Nowitzki went into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and now his homeland stands atop the men’s international basketball world.

Tournament MVP Dennis Schroder scored 28 points, Franz Wagner added 19 and Germany capped off an unbeaten run through the World Cup by holding off Serbia 83-77 in the final on Sunday night. It was Germany’s first World Cup title; its previous top showing in the event was a bronze at Indianapolis in 2002.

Germany went 8-0 in the tournament, becoming the fifth consecutive World Cup champion to go unbeaten. Schroder’s postgame news conference was briefly interrupted by his teammates, who doused him with water as they jumped and chanted in celebration.

“It’s an unbelievable group,” Schroder said. “It’s unbelievable going 8-0.”

Germany coach Gordie Herbert took the job in 2021, and his first official order of business was driving to see Schroder. They spent three or four hours together that first day, building a relationship that is now good as gold.

CRIMESTOPPERS, PANTHERS EARN BLOWOUT WINS ON SATURDAY

FROM PAGE 15

game with a team-high 17 points along with three timely three-pointers from behind the arc, and four free throws at the charity stripe. Michael Furley Bain Jr was Farrington’s running mate on the court. He dropped 14 points to pair with seven boards, three assists and two steals on the night.

The Rampage were able to close the gap to 39-26 to head to the locker room for halftime. The team tried to keep the bout close behind the efforts of De’Joan Sturrup who led both teams with 23 points. Sturrup also pulled down six rebounds, and forced three steals in the game. Ultimately, the Crimestoppers’ gameplan in the third period derailed the Rampage’s second quarter momentum. The team ended the third period in the driver’s seat, leading 60-40 over their opponent. After that juncture in the game, the Crimestoppers never looked back en route to their first win of the series.

Anthony “Cops”

Rolle, head coach of the Crimestoppers, said the win felt great but the team still has some adjustments to make on the offensive and defensive end.

“It feels pretty good just to get a win against any team in such a competitive league. Even though we had a comfortable win, there are still some things that we have to do better as a team,” he said.

According to Rolle, the guards have to improve their perimeter defence

and, on offence, they need more overall movement for better offensive flow.

In terms of the team’s postseason expectations the Crimestoppers are going after the championship hardware.

MOYSC Panthers vs The Real Deal Rangers

The BGDBA Panthers had a strong opening to the playoffs after delivering a 40-point beatdown to the Real Deal Rangers. The latter struggled against the BGDBA defending champions from the first period of play. The Panthers asserted their dominance early in the game after jumping out to a 16-point lead to wrap up the first quarter.

In the following period, the game plan remained unchanged for the Panthers as they pushed the lead to 41-21 at the 2:41 mark of the game. The team ended the quarter leading their opponents by 18 points to transition into the halftime break.

The Real Deal Rangers struggled offensively in the game. The team collectively shot a dismal 28.4 per cent from the field and 12.5 per cent from behind the arc. Additionally, they did not capitalise at the charity stripe as they shot 4/23 on 17.4 per cent shooting.

The Real Deal Rangers only had one player score in double digits, Dwight Moss Jr. Meanwhile, the Panthers shared the load on offence, having four players notch double digits in points.

Kemsey Sylvestre, of the MOYSC Panthers, led both teams in scoring with 19 points on the night. He shot

the ball flawlessly going 9/10 in the game on a crisp 90 per cent shooting clip.

The team’s leading scorer also stole the ball four times, and dished out four dimes.

The game was a foregone conclusion long before the final buzzer as the Panthers amassed a 37-point lead to culminate the third period and, ultimately, the game for their first playoff win.

Perry Darling, head coach of the Panthers, said it was a great feeling to win and he felt the team played like the defending champions.

“In the regular season it was hard to find our chemistry because we had players traveling on summer vacation and work obligations but we had our full team tonight and stuck with our gameplan,” he said.

He acknowledged that

being the league’s defending champions is one of the hardest things because every night teams are coming for you.

However, he believes that the team is capable of repeating once they stick to the game plan. Game two of these respective series will continue on Wednesday starting at 7:30pm at the AF Adderley gymnasium.

CYBOTS AND AVENGERS GO UP 1-0 IN FIRST ROUND

FROM PAGE 15

leading 63-58. However, at the 2:23 mark of the quarter, the Royals tied the game 64-64. They were unable to capitalise after tying the game which led to the Cybots outscoring them 20-16 in the fourth quarter for the win.

Tyrone Sands, assistant coach of the Cybots, said although they got a sloppy win, he felt the team did not play their brand of basketball.

“We have not had the opportunity to get together as a team and practice. I keep telling them hard work beats talent if talent refuses to work hard – our guys refuse to show up to practice in a timely manner and it showed tonight,” Sands said.

He added that he thinks the team is talented enough to beat any team in the league but their commitment will be the key to it happening.

The Cybots outscored their opponents 17 to 11 in second chance points. Additionally, their bench scored 30 points compared to 15 from the Royals.

Avengers vs Patrollers

After trailing for most of the game, the Avengers stole a one-point win against the Patrollers. The latter remained in control starting from the first quarter where they got out to an early 12-5 lead and closed out the quarter leading by eight (24-16).

In the following quarter, the Patrollers outscored the Avengers 18-13 which gave them a 13-point lead – just three points shy

of their biggest lead, which was 16.

The Avengers mounted a comeback in the third quarter in a collective team effort with five members scoring in double digits. Cameron Chery played a pivotal role for the team scoring 19 points along with six rebounds, and three assists in the narrow win.

The fourth-seeded team trimmed the Patrollers lead down to four (61-65) to close out the third period. The Patrollers were leading 73-72 at the 5:49 mark of the game. However, with under 2:00 minutes remaining in the game, the Avengers’ Trevez Hamilton canned a big three to even the score at 82 apiece.

Following a technical foul, Hamilton drained three consecutive free throws at the charity stripe to put the Avengers up by three. In the final seconds of the game, the Patrollers were hoping for a win, leading 86-85 after a successful layup by Ivan Rolle. However, Chery thwarted their valiant efforts after he nabbed an offensive rebound following a miss by Tyler Moncur and tipped it in to seal the win for the Avengers.

Chery, small forward on the Avengers, talked about the pivotal game winning play.

“I just trusted my teammates. He went for the layup and I knew I had to be there to clean up in case it did not go in . . . we are looking to come out with more tenacity and to be more aggressive next game,” he said.

Both series will get underway tonight starting at 7:30pm.

JONQUEL Jones added 19 for the Liberty. (File photo)

RICHARD Gibson Jr alongside David Slatter, VP of Investments at RF Bank & Trust.

GOLFER RICHARD GIBSON JR MAKES HISTORY WITH US MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP INVITATION

DABROWSKI AND ROUTLIFFE WIN US OPEN WOMEN’S DOUBLES, BEATING 2020 CHAMPS SIEGEMUND AND ZVONAREVA

NEW YORK (AP)

— Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe won the U.S. Open women’s doubles title in just their fourth tournament together, beating 2020 champions Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva 7-6 (9), 6-3 on Sunday.

It was the first Grand Slam women’s doubles title for both Dabrowski, a Canadian, and Routliffe, who is from New Zealand. The No. 16 seeds in Flushing Meadows first paired up earlier this summer in Montreal.

After the lengthy tiebreaker in which both teams had set points, Dabrowski and Routliffe quickly seized control in the second set by breaking Zvonarena’s serve in the first game, then Siegemund’s in the third for a 3-0 lead.

The No. 12 seeds won the next two games and were within 4-3 after Siegemund held during a lengthy game, but Dabrowski and Routliffe won the next two games to close it out.

Siegemund and Zvonareva were playing in their first tournament together when they won the title at Flushing Meadows, with no fans attending because of COVID-19 restrictions.

They have won four championships as a team.

Siegemund, who cried after being booed by fans for playing slowly when she lost to women’s singles champion Coco Gauff in the first round, was thankful to have them in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday.

“It was just great to play with people again, not like in 2020,” Siegemund said.

DANILINA AND HELIOVAARA WIN US OPEN MIXED DOUBLES TITLE, DEFEATING AMERICANS PEGULA AND KRAJICEK

NEW YORK (AP) —

Anna Danilina and Harri

Heliovaara won the U.S. Open mixed doubles championship Saturday, the first-time partners defeating top-seeded

Americans Jessica Pegula and Austin Krajicek 6-3, 6-4.

The pair came together just before the tournament and quickly clicked, both picking up their first Grand Slam titles.

“I didn’t know you two weeks ago. Now I know you very well,” Heliovaara, a native of Finland who ranked in the top 10 of men’s doubles earlier this year, told Danilina in the trophy ceremony after the match.

Pegula, ranked No. 3 in singles, hasn’t been past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam in singles and lost in the 2022 French Open women’s doubles final with American Coco Gauff. The teen was next on Arthur Ashe Stadium to face Aryna Sabalenka in the women’s final.

Pegula and Gauff will share the No. 1 spot in the new women’s doubles rankings on Monday.

Danilina, who is from Kazakhstan and won an NCAA title at the University of Florida in 2017, was in her second Grand Slam final. She and Beatriz Haddad Maia lost in the Australian Open women’s doubles final in 2022.

With members of the Kazakhstan tennis federation in the stands watching, Danilina and Heliovaara edged ahead when they broke Krajicek’s serve for a 5-4 lead in the second set.

Heliovaara served it out, leaping in celebration after the final point.

Pegula and Krajicek were trying to become the first all-American team to win the U.S. Open mixed doubles title since Melanie Oudin and Jack Sock in 2011.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC WINS THE US OPEN FOR HIS 24TH

GRAND SLAM TITLE BY BEATING DANIIL

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Halfway through a second set that lasted 1 hour, 44 minutes, a test of tenacity as much as talent amid a U.S. Open final as exhausting as it was exhilarating, Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev engaged each other in a 32-stroke point.

It was among many such elongated exchanges between two men whose styles are nearly mirror images, and Djokovic capitulated on this one by netting a backhand. He fell to his back and stayed down, chest heaving. The crowd roared. Djokovic sat up but remained on the ground for a bit. The crowd roared more, appreciating the effort, saluting the entertainment. Using every ounce of his energy and some serve-and-volley guile — an old man with new tricks — Djokovic emerged for a 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory over Medvedev at Flushing Meadows to claim a historic 24th Grand Slam title on Sunday night in a match more closely contested than the straight-set score indicated.

“I never imagined that I would be here standing with you talking about 24 Slams. I never thought that would be the reality,” said Djokovic, a 36-year-old from Serbia and the tournament’s oldest male champion in the Open era, which dates to 1968. “But the last couple of years, I felt I have a chance, I have a shot for history, and why not grab it if it’s presented?”

He moved one major singles title ahead of Serena Williams to become the first player to win 24 in the Open era. Margaret Court also collected a total of 24, but 13 of those came before professionals were admitted to the Slam events.

“It obviously means the world to me,” said Djokovic, who will return to No. 1 in the rankings on Monday.

There were moments, particularly in the miniseries of a second set, when Djokovic appeared to be faltering. After some of the most grueling points — and there were many — he would lean over with hands on knees or use his racket for support or pause to stretch his legs.

He allowed Medvedev to come within a single point of taking that set while returning at 6-5. Djokovic

rushed the net behind his serve, and while Medvedev had an opening for a backhand passing shot, he did not come through.

That was a key adjustment: When Djokovic was looking more bedraggled, he turned to serve-andvolleying, not his usual sort of tactic, to great success. He won 20 of 22 points he played that way, and 37 of 44 overall on the points when he went to the net, some with spectacular volleys or half-volleys at angles a pool shark would appreciate.

Medvedev never countered.

“I should have been less stubborn,” Medvedev said. This was Medvedev’s fifth Grand Slam final and he is now 1-4, with two losses to Djokovic and two to Rafael Nadal. The one victory? That came against Djokovic in the 2021 final at Flushing Meadows, stopping a bid for the first men’s calendar-year Grand Slam in more than a half-century.

Djokovic’s fourth championship in New York, where he was unable to compete a year ago because he isn’t vaccinated against COVID-19, goes alongside his 10 trophies from the Australian Open, seven from Wimbledon and three from the French Open, extending his lead on the men’s Slam list. Nadal, sidelined since January with a hip problem, is next with 22; Roger Federer, who announced

MEDVEDEV

At the start Sunday, with the Arthur Ashe Stadium retractable roof shut because of rain in the forecast, Djokovic was comfortable as can be.

No sign of the occasion weighing on him, no trace of the tension he acknowledged briefly arose late in his semifinal against unseeded American Ben Shelton. His exemplary movement good as ever, every stroke just so, Djokovic came out as his best self. He grabbed 12 of the first 16 points — three via aces perfectly placed, and with pace, and four via exchanges that lasted 10 strokes or more — along the way to leads of 3-0 and 4-1.

Medvedev, in contrast, seemed tight, jittery, the looping swings of his white racket breaking down repeatedly, whether on a trio of double-faults in the opening set or during the lengthier points.

his retirement a year ago, finished with 20.

When it was over, Medvedev tapped Djokovic on the chest as they talked at the net. Djokovic flung his racket away, put his arms up and then knelt on the court, with his head bowed. And then the celebration was on. First he found his daughter for a hug. His son and wife came next, along with his team.

Soon, Djokovic was donning a shirt with “24” and “Mamba Forever” written on it as a tribute to the late NBA star Kobe Bryant, who wore that jersey number. And on top of that went a white jacket with the same significant number stamped on the chest.

“Kobe was a close friend. We chatted a lot about the winner’s mentality when I was struggling with injury and trying to make my comeback, work my way back to the top of the game,” Djokovic said. “He was one of the people that I relied on the most.”

As good as ever, Djokovic went 27-1 in the sport’s most prestigious events this season: The lone blemish was a loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the final at Wimbledon in July. Djokovic will rise to No. 1 in the rankings on Monday, overtaking Alcaraz, who was the defending champion at Flushing Meadows but was eliminated by No. 3 Medvedev in the semifinals.

Beyond that, though, Djokovic was as reliable as a metronome, anticipating nearly everything headed his way and scurrying this way and that to retrieve and respond, as is his wont.

On this afternoon-into-evening, support came from thousands in the stands, not only the folks invoking his two-syllable nickname while chanting, “Let’s go, No-le, let’s go!” or those in his guest box, including Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey, one of many A-listers on hand.

Djokovic relies on analytics and what a foe’s tendencies are. He leans on instinct and a masterful ability to read opposing serves and groundstrokes.

On Sunday, his blue shoes carried him right where he needed to be, more often than not, and his flexibility — turning, bending, contorting, stretching, sliding, defending with his back to the net, even — allowed him to keep the ball in play, when required, and create flip-the-switch offence, too, if desired.

Medvedev plays similarly. Points lasted 25 shots, 35 shots, more.

Was Djokovic perfect? No. But, wow, he came close in sections, and he was absolutely good enough throughout to win, as he so often is.

“First of all, Novak, I want to ask: What are you still doing here? Come on,” Medvedev joked during the trophy presentation.

COCO GAUFF WINS THE US OPEN FOR HER FIRST GRAND SLAM TITLE AT AGE 19 – DEFEATING ARYNA SABALENKA

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer

NEW YORK (AP)

— Coco Gauff is still a teenager, after all, and so it should surprise no one that she was on her phone in the locker room, scrolling through social media, right up until 10 minutes before heading out on court for the U.S. Open final.

What the 19-year-old from Florida was reading, she would say later, were various comments, negative ones, “saying I wasn’t going to win today; that just put the fire in me.”

As a pro athlete from a young age, as someone of whom greatness has been expected by some and doubted by others, Gauff has always taken it all in and kept moving forward, trying to learn from each setback. And now, at a tournament she used to visit as a kid to see her idols, Serena and Venus Williams, Gauff is a Grand Slam champion herself and a certified star.

Setting aside a so-so start Saturday, Gauff surged to a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over the soon-to-be-No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final at Arthur Ashe Stadium, delighting a raucous crowd that backed her from start to finish.

When Gauff walked into her news conference — phone in hand, of course — she noticed that a large screen on the back wall was rotating pictures of her from the match. So she tucked her new silver trophy under one arm and used the other hand to snap a selfie with those photos in the background.

“Right now I’m just feeling happiness and a very, very small bit of relief,” she explained. “Because honestly, at this point, I was doing it for myself and not for other people.”

Gauff, who is from Florida, is the first American teenager to win the country’s major tennis tournament since Serena Williams in 1999. If last year’s U.S. Open was all about saying goodbye to Williams as she competed for the final time, this year’s two weeks in New York turned into a “Welcome

Gauff. Famous people were coming to watch her play, including former President Barack Obama, who was among those sending congratulatory wishes on Saturday. Also, Gauff and her parents received a congratulatory phone call from President Joe Biden, who was in New Delhi for the Group of 20 summit.

Gauff burst onto the scene at 15 by becoming the youngest qualifier in Wimbledon history and making it to the fourth round in her Grand Slam debut in 2019. She reached her initial major final at last year’s French Open, finishing as the runner-up to Iga Swiatek, a loss that stung.

“I watched Iga lift up that trophy, and I watched her the whole time,” Gauff recalled. “I said, ‘I’m not going to take my eyes off her, because I want to feel what that felt like for her.’”

Another down moment came this July at the All England Club, where she exited in the first round. Since then, she has won 18 of 19 matches, and now 12 in a row, while working with a new coaching pair of Brad Gilbert and Pere Riba.

The No. 6-seeded Gauff did it Saturday by withstanding the power displayed by Sabalenka on nearly every swing of her racket, eventually getting accustomed to it and

managing to get back shot after shot. Gauff broke to begin the third set on one such point, tracking down every ball hit her way until eventually smacking a putaway volley that she punctuated with a fist pump and a scream of “Come on!” Soon it was 4-0 in that set for Gauff. Didn’t take long for her to close it out, then drop to her back on the court, before climbing into the stands to find her parents.

“You did it!” Gauff’s mom told her, both in tears.

In addition to her trophy, Gauff was handed an envelope with the champion’s $3 million paycheck, the same amount Novak Djokovic or Daniil Medvedev will get after the men’s final Sunday. This is the 50th anniversary of when the 1973 U.S. Open became the first major sports event to pay women and men equal prize money; the person who led that effort, Hall of Fame player and rights advocate Billie Jean King, was on hand Saturday.

“Thank you, Billie,” Gauff said, “for fighting for this.”

Sabalenka came in 23-2 at majors in 2023, including a title at the Australian Open. The 25-year-old from Belarus already was assured of rising from No. 2 to No. 1 in the rankings next week

(Gauff will be No. 3 in singles, No. 1 in doubles).

That ranking milestone is “why I’m not super depressed right now,” Sabalenka said, then joked: “I’m definitely going to be. I’m definitely going for a drink tonight — if I’m allowed to say that.” She was reduced to the role of foil by the fans in 23,000-capacity arena. Setting the tone, Gauff’s pre-match TV interview, shown in the arena, was drowned out by the sound of applause and yells reverberating off the closed retractable roof.

Winners by Gauff were celebrated as if the match were over. So were Sabalenka’s miscues. When Sabalenka heard cheers during the postmatch ceremony, she joked: “You guys could have supported (me) like this during the match.”

By the end, she had 46 unforced errors, Gauff 19. Here’s another way to view it: Gauff only needed 13 winners to accumulate 83 points.

“Sometimes, I can get emotional,” Sabalenka said. “Today on the court, I was overthinking and I was missing ... balls I shouldn’t be missing.”

When Sabalenka has everything calibrated just right, it’s difficult for any foe to handle it — even someone

as speedy, smart and instinctive as Gauff, whose get-to-every-ball court coverage kept points alive.

Sabalenka credited Gauff’s superb defence — “definitely, she was moving just unbelievable” and “I always had to play like an extra ball” — but also thought many mistakes were “more about me than her. I lost this match.”

When Sabalenka was ontarget early, she dominated. During a four-game run to close the opening set, one thrilling point had the audience making noise before it was over. Gauff scrambled to get Sabalenka’s strokes back, including somehow deflecting a booming overhead, before a second, unreachable overhead bounced into the seats.

Sabalenka raised her left hand and wagged her fingers, telling spectators to give her some love.

But soon, Gauff was playing better, Sabalenka was off-target more, and the love was being showered only on one of them, the sport’s newest Grand Slam champion.

“Many more to come,” Sabalenka said, “I’m pretty sure.”

That will now be the pressure placed on Gauff: When’s the next one? That’s no easy burden. Consider: Two of the previous four U.S. Open women’s champions were teens at the time, Bianca Andreescu in 2019 and Emma Raducanu in 2021, and neither has come close to replicating that success yet.

Gauff’s maturity on and off a court should help her now as much as ever.

“I have just been embracing every positive and negative thing that’s said about me. I realise sometimes people have different personalities and some people need to shut off the comments and not look at them. But I’m an argumentative person. I’m very stubborn,” said Gauff, who chatted with her boyfriend until 1 a.m. the night before the biggest match of her life so far. “My parents know: If they tell me one thing, I like to do the other.”

Spoken like a true teen.

COCO GAUFF, of the United States, holds up the championship trophy after defeating Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, in the women’s singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NOVAK DJOKOVIC, of Serbia, holds up the championship trophy after defeating Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, in the men’s singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sunday, in New York. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

ITALY RISKS MISSING ANOTHER MAJOR TOURNAMENT, UKRAINE HALTS ENGLAND IN EURO 2024 QUALIFYING

By ANDREW DAMPF AP Sports Writer

ROME (AP) — After failing to qualify for the last two World Cups, Italy now risks missing next year’s European Championship, too.

As defending champion.

On coach Luciano Spalletti’s debut, Italy was held to a 1-1 draw at North Macedonia in a qualifying match on Saturday.

While it was an improvement from last year’s loss in Palermo to North Macedonia that eliminated the Azzurri from the World Cup qualifying playoffs, it was still far below expectations against a team ranked 68th by FIFA.

Spalletti hasn’t had much time with his team since taking over at the start of the month after Roberto Mancini suddenly resigned and was then announced as Saudi Arabia’s coach.

Italy has won only one of its three qualifiers — and that was against last-place Malta.

Italy remained third in Group C. England leads with 13 points, Ukraine has nine and the Azzurri and North Macedonia have four points each. Malta trails with zero points.

The top two finishers in each group qualify and three more teams will advance from playoffs.

While Spalletti earned plaudits all over Europe for his attacking style when he coached Napoli to the Serie A title last season, there were only glimpses of that flair on a Skopje pitch that was in poor condition.

Ciro Immobile celebrated his first match as captain by putting Italy ahead with a header shortly after the break but Enis Bardhi equalised for the hosts with a free kick in the 81st.

“We could have done better with quality, as they were defending with five men, so we should have split them apart more easily,” Spalletti said. “That was also inevitable with the state of the pitch, as it is not possible to pass with quality on that turf.”

UKRAINE CELEBRATES

Ukraine ended England’s perfect start to qualifying after Oleksandr Zinchenko’s first-half goal helped secure a 1-1 draw in Wroclaw, Poland.

Zinchenko put Ukraine

HANSI FLICK REMOVED AS GERMANY COACH AFTER 4-1 DEFEAT TO JAPAN

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH AP Sports Writer

DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP)

— Germany removed Hansi Flick as coach of the men’s national soccer team on Sunday, one day after a 4-1 loss to Japan deepened the gloom around the squad ahead of hosting next year’s European Championship.

The German soccer federation, known as the DFB, said team director Rudi Völler — who coached the team nearly 20 years ago — would be one of three coaches taking joint charge of the next game, a friendly against France on Tuesday in Dortmund. The DFB said it hopes to name a replacement “as soon as possible.”

Germany hasn’t won any of its last five games and was eliminated in the group stage at last year’s World Cup. The home crowd jeered the team in Saturday’s loss in Wolfsburg.

“Looking ahead to the European Championship in our country, we need a spirit of optimism and confidence,” DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said in a statement explaining why Flick was removed. “For me

personally it is one of the most difficult decisions of my time in office so far.”

The 58-year-old Flick said after the loss to Japan that he wanted to stay as coach. Sunday’s announcement came hours after he led the team in a public training session attended by fans.

The DFB faced criticism in German media for overshadowing the German basketball team’s historic first men’s World Cup title. The DFB statement was issued shortly before the end of the gold-medal game. Flick won the Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2020 and swapped the club for the German national team the following year. He started by winning his first eight games — without facing any of Europe’s top teams — but had just four wins from 17 matches since.

A documentary series following the team during the World Cup in Qatar was released this week and included footage of Flick apparently struggling to connect with his squad. He faced particular mockery in Germany over a scene in which he shows the squad a video of flying geese in an exercise apparently meant to improve teamwork.

ahead with a side-footed finish in the 26th before Kyle Walker equalised with his first goal for England, on his 77th appearance, in the 41st.

Ukraine’s fans celebrated as if it was a win after the final whistle, with the players applauding the supporters in return. The team is playing all its “home” games in Poland because of the war against Russia.

“An amazing result for us. England are one of the best teams in the world,” Zinchenko said. “The atmosphere was unbelievable. It felt like we played at home. I really hope very soon we can play at home.”

GROUP F Yannick Carrasco scored a first-half goal as Belgium won 1-0 at Azerbaijan to move atop the group.

Romelu Lukaku played 66 minutes but couldn’t break a tie with Denmark’s Rasmus Hojlund and Scotland’s Scott McTominay atop the qualifying scoring chart. All three players have scored six goals. Sweden routed Estonia 5-0. Belgium and Austria have 10 points, Sweden has six points, and Estonia and Azerbaijan trail with one point each.

GROUP I Switzerland remained atop the group but conceded an injury-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Kosovo in Pristina.

Kosovo striker Vedat Muriqi completed a brace four minutes into added time.

Remo Freuler opened

the scoring for Switzerland, which also got an own goal from Kosovo defender Amir Rrahmani.

Romania and Israel drew 1-1 and tiny Andorra held visiting Belarus to a 0-0 draw.

Switzerland leads with 11 points, followed by Romania (9), Israel (8), Belarus (4), Kosovo (4) and Andorra (2).

A minute’s silence was held before each match in memory of the victims of the earthquake in Morocco.

ITALY’S Cristiano Biraghi reacts during the Euro 2024 group C qualifying soccer match between North Macedonia and Italy at National Arena Todor Proeski in Skopje, North Macedonia, Saturday. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)

ENGLAND’S DECLAN RICE, left, walks on the pitch as Ukraine’s players celebrate after the Euro 2024 group C qualifying soccer match between Ukraine and England in Wroclaw, Poland, Saturday. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

BELGIUM’S Yannick Carrasco celebrates after scoring his side’s first goal during the Euro 2024 group F qualifying soccer match between Azerbaijan and Belgium at the Dalga Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan, Saturday. (AP Photo)

HANSI Flick