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Volume: 120 No.175, September 13, 2023

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MYSTERY OVER DEATHS OF TODDLER AND MAN First, child’s body found then landlord dies after clashes with tenants

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunmedia.net THE puzzling deaths of 22–month–old Anwar Miller and his father yesterday morning in an apartment complex on Family Street have left many struggling to put the pieces together.

Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson told reporters during a briefing yesterday that police were

Welcome to The Bahamas, Mr President

alerted sometime shortly after 1am yesterday to a disturbance in the area of Family Street, off Solider Road. He said a tenant told police officers that he was being attacked by his landlord – who was later identified as Anwar’s father.

“When the officers went to the area that he directed them to they met a male on the inside of his apartment.

As they were about to

ARRIVING in Nassau for a State Visit to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the President of the Republic of Botswana Mokgweetsi EK Masisi and First Lady Masisi disembark the aircraft and are met

by Prime Minister of The Bahamas Philip ‘Brave’ Davis. The Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force conduct an Inspection of the Guard of Honour Ceremony.

Photo: Patrick Hanna/BIS

SEE PAGE FIVE

Country’s first dengue death CONFIRMED TO BE 9-YEAR-OLD BOY

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net HEALTH officials confirmed the country’s first dengue fever death since the virus’ re-emergence this year - a nine-yearold boy who died after showing symptoms of the disease.

“He would’ve presented with a viral type illness

but did not continue with the care that was provided and unfortunately, he succumbed to the illness,” Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan said during a press conference at the Ministry of Health yesterday.

“We later got the results back and we know that it was dengue.”

SEE PAGE FOUR

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net BOTSWANA President Dr Mokgweetsi EK Masisi arrived in The Bahamas yesterday for his first official three-day state visit in an effort to explore potential areas of cooperation between The Bahamas and

Botswana.

President Masisi and his wife, First Lady Neo Jane Masisi, arrived at the Odyssey Aviation terminal on the presidential OK1 jet around 2.30pm yesterday. He was immediately greeted as he stepped down from the plane by Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and Acting Foreign

Affairs Minister Alfred Sears.

Sounds from the Royal Bahamas Police Band on the tarmac marked the Botswana president’s first visit to The Bahamas, as the Royal Bahamas Police and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force conducted SEE PAGES 2 & 3

SANDS ACCUSES GOVT OF VICTIMISING WOMEN

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net FREE National Movement chairman Dr Duane Sands accused the government of systematically terminating women civil servants, calling it an example of the Davis administration’s assault on women.

These comments came after The Nassau Guardian

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

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

“If you look, you’ll realise that since October 2021 the country has watched as senior women across

TEEN ACCUSED OF SHOOTING THAT KILLED family’s dog

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

the civil service have been systematically, sidelined, terminated – gone,” Dr Sands said yesterday in a video message.

“There was Anthonette Thompson at the Ministry of Transport and Housing; Deputy Financial Secretary Athena Marsh at the Ministry of Finance; Director June Collie at the Department of Information and

A 19-YEAR-OLD male denied involvement in a shooting on Sisal Road this May that resulted in more than $3,000 in property damage and caused the death of a family’s pet dog.

Magistrate Lennox Coleby charged Fred Rolle with cruelty to animals, unlawful possession, possession of uncustomed goods, two counts of damage and five counts of possession of a firearm

SEE PAGE FIVE

SEE PAGE FIVE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

PAGE 2, Wednesday, September 13, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

Images of Preseident of Botswana’s arrival

ARRIVING in Nassau for a State Visit to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the President of the Republic of Botswana Mokgweetsi EK Masisi and First Lady Masisi disembark the aircraft and are met

by Prime Minister of The Bahamas Philip ‘Brave’ Davis. The Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force conduct an Inspection of the Guard of Honour Ceremony.

Photo: Patrick Hanna/BIS

ROYAL Bahamas Police Force marches on the tarmac at LPIA for the President of Botswana Mokgweetsi EK Masisi’s arrival.

Photo: Moise Amisial

THE ROYAL Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force conduct an Inspection of the Guard of Honour Ceremony with Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis and Botswana President Mokgweetsi EK Masisi.

Photo: Patrick Hanna/BIS

ROYAL Bahamas Defence and Police Force bands march together on the tarmac at LPIA for the President of Botswana Mokgweetsi EK Masisi’s arrival.

Photo: Moise Amisial

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 13, 2023, PAGE 3

Welcome to The Bahamas, President of Botswana from page one an Inspection of the Guard of Honour ceremony.

President Masisi and Prime Minister Davis marched across the tarmac settling at a podium where Mr Masisi greeted other attending officials, including media officials from Botswana.

President Masisi and his wife were then transported directly from the tarmac to the Rosewood at Baha Mar. Following the arrival in a tweet, Prime Minister Davis said: “It is with great honour that we welcome the President of Botswana to The Bahamas. The state visit underscores our commitment to strengthening diplomatic ties and fostering mutual growth.

“We look forward to exploring new avenues of cooperation and deepening understanding between our two nations,” he said.

Botswana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Lemogang Kwape, and Minister of Environment and Tourism Philda Kereng arrive at Lynden Pindling International Airport on Sunday.

They were met by Mr Sears and other Foreign Affairs Officials.

Prime Minister Davis will meet President Masisi today at the University of The Bahamas. Official talks will also take place between the two leaders, with a view

to signing a memorandum on political and technical cooperation, while ministers will host one-on-one meetings with Botswana Cabinet officials.

Mrs Masisi, at 9am today and accompanied by State Social Service Minister Lisa Rahming, will visit the Nassau Cruise Port, which will include a tour of the Junkanoo Museum and other authentically Bahamian vendors.

At 10:45, Mrs Masisi will then visit Princess Margaret Hospital, where she will tour the Children’s Ward and the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit.

A state reception also will be held tomorrow, before both Prime Minister Davis and President Masisi and his entourage depart on Friday for the Group of 77 States Summit on Science, Technology and Innovation in Havana, Cuba.

Last year, President Masisi agreed to partner and exchange, with The Bahamas assisting in the development of tourism in Botswana, especially as the nation prides itself on its diamond industry and as having the best beef.

At the time, President Masisi and Prime Minister Davis met in Kigali, Rwanda in a bilateral meeting during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

THE PRESIDENT of the Republic of Botswana Mokgweetsi EK Masisi and First Lady Masisi disembark the aircraft and are met by Prime Minister of The Bahamas Philip ‘Brave’ Davis for a state visit of the country.

Photos: Patrick Hanna/BIS and Moise Amisial

RBDF says no competition system like police - oFFiceRs RewaRDeD FoR eFFoRts at yeaR’s enD

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force Acting Commodore Shondell Pinder said that while RBDF does not have “friendly competitions”, the agency focus is geared towards prudence in operational conduct, allowing for the recognition of officers’ efforts.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force most recently 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.

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.

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

Yesterday, Captain Pinder said the RBDF does not have similar practices, as officers are highlighted for their efforts with an award ceremony at the end of every year.

“We do recognise our personnel and it’s not a competition as it is a recognition of their efforts,” he said.

“We seek to make sure that there is a separate evaluation done by an independent committee.”

While declining to comment on the RBPF incentive system, Mr Pinder said their

process is aimed at ensuring the best performance of officers, noting that it is also incentivized.

“What you want to do is, you want to incentivize the very best performance from the personnel and to keep them motivated as well.

“But I cannot speak to the Royal Police Force’s initiative as I’m not privy to what it is they do. But certainly, from the Defence Force end we seek to keep our people motivated and we seek to keep them at the highest level of standards as possible.”

Press Liaison Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings has said the Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander will address the matter. However, to date, there has been no further comment.

RBDF Officers standing at attention during a Jubilee celebration passing out ceremony earlier this year.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, September 13, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

Country’s first dengue death confirmed to be 9-year-old boy from page one Dr McMillan could not say why the child did not continue with his treatment.

“It could’ve been that they did not come back to the facility or they didn’t take the medications, but I’m saying to you that is what we would’ve been provided with,” she said.

The revelation came as health officials confirmed the country is experiencing an outbreak of dengue fever, with 88 cases and five hospitalizations confirmed to date.

The bulk of the cases - 80 - are in New Providence, while six cases are in Grand Bahama.

Health officials also confirmed one case each in Exuma and the Berry Islands, all of whom had a history of travel from New Providence.

State Minister for Environment Zane Lightbourne said teams will be deployed to the Family Islands this week to start fogging exercises as part of its mosquito control programme.

Meanwhile, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said all hospitals and clinics are on high alert as “we begin to up our game in our fight against dengue.”

“Our teams have been educated and trained to look for cases that are potentially dengue cases, activate immediately, go into the necessary medical

history and communicate directly with our surveillance unit who works very closely with the department of environmental health,” Dr Darville added.

“So, it’s a system that incorporates many healthcare professionals at the Family Island clinics at our hospitals as well as in the community to alert through education.”

He also noted the ministry is not considering bringing in dengue vaccines because dengue fever is not an endemic disease in The Bahamas.

“We reached out to the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to give us advice on the possibility of vaccines and based on what’s being discussed, we believe not being an endemic area sort of excludes The Bahamas from a national vaccination programme for dengue,” Dr Darville said.

Most people diagnosed with dengue fever have type three of the virus - a form of the disease that could cause severe illness for people who previously had the first two serotypes of virus.

“Some persons on examination and investigation when the team reaches out to them, they have confirmed that they did actually have dengue before. It’s part of the information that we get,” said Dr Felicia Balfour Greenslade, head of the ministry’s national communicable disease

HEALTH officials confirmed the country’s first dengue fever death since the virus’ re-emergence this year - a nine-year-old boy who died after showing symptoms of the disease. Pictured left to right. PHA managing director Dr. Aubynette Rolle; Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan, Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Michael Darville; Environment and Natural Resources Minister Vaughn Miller, State Minister for Environment Zane Lightbourne.

Photo: Leandra Rolle surveillance unit.

“But we all know that it’s a new serotype and obviously, it was brought into the country and was just a

bit insidious until persons started to present.”

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.

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever, but people with the virus are advised not to self-medicate.

dad Of Pedestrian killed in gb says he is cOPing ‘by the grace Of gOd’

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net BERNARD Walkine got the call that no parent would like to receive – it was a call that his son had been struck and killed on the road by a vehicle.

Joshua Walkine, 32, of Holmes Rock, was walking when the accident occurred just a few miles from his home.

The father of four raced to the scene, but there was nothing that he or anyone could do. Joshua had died at the scene.

“I am coping because of the grace of God,” said the preacher. “He was my second oldest child and my first son.”

“We preach to people and tell them they got to be strong, and now you have to preach to yourself because it is to your door,” said Apostle Walkine, the pastor of True Vine Deliverance Ministry.

Pastor Walkine got a call around 5am on Saturday, September 9, from a man who saw what happened and stopped to assist.

“He called and said he recognized Joshua on the

POLICE at the scene of the accident where a pedestrian - 32-year-old Joshua Walkine - was killed in Grand Bahama.

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn floor. He was behind the driver that had run over him.”

The man had parked his vehicle on the road to prevent other vehicles from running over the body.

“I thank God for him doing that,” Mr Walkine said.

The vehicle that struck his son had stopped some distance away, he recalled.

On Tuesday, Mr Walkine

and his family officially identified their loved one’s body.

Police are continuing their investigation into the accident.

According to preliminary

reports, the driver of a sedan vehicle was travelling in a westerly direction on Queens Highway when he rolled over an object in the road.

When the driver got out to check, he saw the lifeless body of a male lying in the street.

Mr Walkine said his son usually walked in the area.

He would walk from their home in Holmes Rock to Seagrape, Eight Mile Rock.

According to the family, Joshua had been diagnosed a few years ago with schizophrenia, but was not consistent with taking his meds.

“I usually watched him; he worked with me and if I see or detect certain changes in his actions, I would try to get him to the hospital,” he said.

Mr Walkine said his son was very active in the church. He played the drums and sang on the praise team.

“His passion was music and singing, and he was loving and kind-hearted.

He was a gem,” his father said.

Diandrea Pinder said they are trying to deal with their grief and loss.

“This is the first very close loss to our family and so there are no words to describe it,” she said.

“It has been an emotional roller coaster for us, and trying to figure out what exactly happened and to make sense out of it because there have been lots of rumours going around.”

Ms Pinder said her brother, Joshua, was very talented.

“He ministered through song and loved singing, and was an excellent drummer.

“Most people knew him as someone with mental challenges or someone just walking the road, but the Joshua we knew when he was himself was a very quiet soft-spoken person who stayed to himself.”

Bernnia Walkine will miss her brother.

“He was funny, and we would always sing together.

We never expected this would happen to our family,” she said.

“What I will miss most is us being together as a whole family; he is the missing piece,” she said.

Mr Walkine said he is at peace knowing that Joshua is resting with the Lord.

OPM: we reMain ‘cOMMitted’ tO A celebration of Brazil coming to ‘tiMely resPOnses’ tO Media - as Mall at Marathon this Saturday they cancel weekly briefings

RENOWNED Brazilian singer Ellen Oleria will perform at the Mall at Marathon Saturday hosted by the Embassy of Brazil.

A CELEBRATION of Brazil is to be held at the Mall of Marathon on Saturday.

The event will be held by the Embassy of Brazil and the Mall, and will take place at the centre court in the Mall.

Renowned Brazilian singer Ellen Oleria will

perform, the winner of the first season of The Voice Brasil reality show, who has been a singer and songwriter for more than 20 years and released four albums.

The embassy said: “This celebration and performance promises to be a one-of-a-kind event.”

THE government is making a change to its press briefings - with two briefings being merged into one.

The Cabinet briefing and the Office of the Prime Minister press briefing will be merged into one weekly briefing - with the government saying the aim is “to

promote efficiency”.

Despite the reduced access to the media, the press office at the Office of the Prime Minister insisted it was “committed” to providing “timely responses throughout the week”.

This week’s Cabinet briefing was cancelled as a result of the move.

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that IFAUCA GUSTAVE, of P.O. Box EL-27675 Leo Pinder Street, Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 6th day of September, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that JEAN MARIE DORVILUS, of P.O. Box EL-27675 Leo Pinder Street, Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 6th day of September, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that IDELAIRE TANUSMA, of Hillside Street off Mackey Street, New Providence, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 6th day of September, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 13, 2023, PAGE 5

Mystery over deaths of toddler and man at an apartment on Family Street from page one confront him, he barricaded himself into a bedroom. As they were about to breach that bedroom they heard glass being broken on the outside. When they went on the outside of the apartment building they met this male jumping through a window,” CSP Johnson said.

When The Tribune visited the scene of the incident, the apartment had a shattered glass window with built-in security bars. It was revealed that Anwar’s father who is also a taxi driver “broke the window panes” to escape the apartment.

“The officers attempted to subdue him,” CSP Johnson said. However, the situation escalated into a cat-and-mouse chase.

“They had to chase him a short distance. He jumped a fence and went into a garbage bin. They had to take him out of that garbage bin. And a struggle ensued between the officers and this male as they were making attempts to subdue him. Finally, they were able to arrest him. He was placed in handcuffs and brought back to the yard where EMS was contacted.

They were then alerted to another bedroom inside of that apartment building.”

The incident took a

gruesome turn when officers found the body of 22-month-old Anwar in the other bedroom.

“They met the body of a male child. He was lying on his back on a mattress. He appeared to be unresponsive. They attempted CPR. However, they awaited EMS personnel to come to the aid of that child. They took that child inside the ambulance where they were trying to resuscitate him.

He was eventually taken from that scene and he was brought in dead,” CSP Johnson said.

“The male who was restrained by the officers, EMS personnel also checked him, and he had no signs of life.”

When asked if there were any wounds found on the child and the father, CSP Johnson said: “The child had no visible wounds, there was some discoloration of the skin. The adult male had minor abrasions we assumed from jumping through the window because the glass was broken. And so again, we would await the autopsy.”

In a viral post on Facebook, an alleged tenant gave her firsthand account of the matter, saying it was “traumatising”. She claimed the landlord tampered with the security cameras on

SANDS ACCUSES DAVIS GOVT OF VICTIMISING WOMEN

FREE NATIONAL MOVEMENT CHAIRMAN DR DUANE SANDS from page one Communications Technology; Dr Geannine Moss, controller at Customs.

“Director Brenda BullardColebrook Department of Local Government; Deputy Director Carol Roach also at the Department of Information of Technology; Deputy Director Faustin Major-Smith at Immigration.

“The most recent one was the Director of Immigration Keturah Ferguson.”

He questioned government’s motive for victimising women civil servants in particular, suggesting a pattern has emerged.

“They’re doing just the bare minimum to save face,” he said yesterday.

“So how can our women feel confident that they are important in the new day Bahamas? I say there is an emerging pattern of contempt for women’s

affairs, and this isn’t random or happenstance.

“But a clear, deliberate strategy, marginalize hardworking women.”

He urged the Davis administration to “stop bullying” women, advocating that they are deserving of rights and protection.

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.”

TEEN ACCUSED OF SHOOTING that killed family’s dog from page one with intent to endanger life.

Ian Cargill represented the accused.

Rolle, along with an accomplice, is alleged to have endangered the lives of Mario Rolle, Sr, Mario Rolle Jr, Phillis Rolle, Darius Rolle and Marley Rolle with a 9mm pistol on May 8 on Sisal Street.

During this same incident the defendant is accused of shooting and killing Phillis Rolle’s pet dog.

As a result of the gunfire $2,814.76 worth of damage was reportedly caused to Deandrey Carey’s white

Mazda Bongo. An estimated $1,492.49 worth of damage was inflicted on Phillis Rolle’s home as well.

The following day on May 9 Rolle was arrested after he was found with a red colored Honda XR650 motorcycle without customs papers that police reasonably suspected of being stolen.

After pleading not guilty to all ten charges, Rolle was informed that his bail would continue from when he was previously arraigned before the Chief Magistrate earlier this year.

The accused’s trial is set for October 27, 30 and 31.

THE puzzling deaths of 22–month–old Anwar Miller and his father yesterday morning in an apartment complex on Family Street (above) have left many struggling to put the pieces together. Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson said police were alerted sometime shortly after 1am yesterday to a disturbance in the area of Family Street, off Solider Road. LEFT: The window the landlord is said to have escaped through after police arrived.

Photos: Moise Amisial the apartment during the incident.

Security cameras were seen on the apartment when this newspaper visited the scene. CSP Johnson said the cameras are helping with the investigation, noting there was footage retrieved from that area.

He also said police will be speaking with residents to get a better understanding of what occurred.

Asked about the child’s mother, CSP Johnson said the mother has spoken with

the Central Detective Unit (CID) to assist with the investigation. He noted the mother was aware the child was with the father.

In terms of whether the father’s behaviour resulted from mental challenges or drug substances, CSP Johnson said the police will have to wait for the autopsy.

“We will have to wait on the autopsy. I’m not sure of his mental capacity. But again, that is a part of our investigation that we will be checking into.”

Many neighbours in Family Street were baffled by the incident, explaining the area is usually peaceful.

Meanwhile, Bahamas Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander was saddened by the deaths. He urged the public to intervene when those around them are not acting in a normal fashion.

Bishop Fernander said the council will do its part by relaunching its help hotline.

“We are making

ourselves available as we did before with the tensions that are arising,” he said. We’re going to work again to open up the hotline in short order. We will seek the spot again we did it during COVID when we opened up the hotline for prayers.”

“I think as we counsel this family. As we go and try to bring relief to the situation, we realise that as a society, we’ve got to intervene when things are going away from the norm.”

PAGE 6, Wednesday, September 13, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited NPO’s vital NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991 C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

Published daily Monday to Friday

role in storm resilience

Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207

EDITOR, The Tribune.

TELEPHONES

IN THE wake of the fourth anniversary of the devastation brought by Hurricane Dorian, and in light of the ongoing recent surge in tropical storms in the Atlantic, The Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG) feels it is crucial to acknowledge the pivotal and enhanced role that can be played by robust and sustainable local non-profit organizations (NPOs) in building the resilience and capacity of our citizens and communities. We firmly believe that empowering these organisations and the communities they serve is vital for creating a more prepared and responsive society in the face of these growing threats, the increasing frequency of natural disasters, and the pressing challenges posed by climate change.

ORG’s dedication to this belief is evident through initiatives like “Active Citizens Bahamas,” which provides grassroots citizen engagement training to thousands across our islands. We hold that helping foster greater public participation and its many civic benefits is an integral component of The Bahamas preparedness efforts. Active Citizenship has been shown to significantly contribute to national Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). Active and engaged citizens are crucial in ensuring shared responsibility and transparency in disaster planning and implementing risk reduction activities. When citizens are actively involved, decision-makers can better grasp and respond to community needs, risks, and solutions. Additionally, engaged citizens have greater trust, buy in and compliance with disaster and health protocols, like evacuations and safety precautions.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, ORG allocated significant resources to support the national rescue, relief, and recovery efforts. Our team members actively participated in response coordination, monitored and evaluated international NGO interventions, engaged in fundraising, and provided social support to displaced communities. This experience gave us valuable insights and developed recommendations for future disaster responses.

One notable observation was the resilience and agility demonstrated by local civil society and the private sector in mounting immediate emergency responses. The ability of this local sector to mobilise rapidly underscored the significance of their role in disaster situations.

The involvement of over 100 international NGOs in the Hurricane Dorian relief and recovery efforts introduced new dimensions to disaster response, including relevant disaster management expertise and advanced coordination systems. This collaboration enhanced information exchange and coordination, ultimately improving the international response.

However, historical challenges in integrating and effectively communicating among government agencies, private sector

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Continuity essential for our education system A CONVERSATION stood out to one of The Tribune’s members of staff at a back to school event in the past week.

The event, to welcome both new and returning parents of children to the school, saw one teacher call on those parents who were her former students to raise their hands – and a number did so.

She welcomed the sight – and talked of continuity, each year building on the year before, and both parents and school staff growing together to improve.

That sense of continuity is an important one – and one often absent from the discussion at the political level about education.

The recent examination results created considerable discussion – with grades not all that might have been hoped for.

Political opponents took potshots at one another, while former Education Minister Jeff Lloyd also popped up to offer his suggestions for what should be done with education, only for the Bahamas Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson to tell him his time had passed and he had the chance when he was in office and didn’t do it then.

Now there is truth in some of lots of the sniping – but what is notably absent from such is that word the teacher spoke about: continuity.

If there is one department perhaps more than any other in our country that needs to avoid being caught up in political wrangles, it is education.

It is a department that needs to build on the strengths of what went before, just as that teacher said. Typically, children going through their education might have more than two administrations governing while they pass from entering primary school through to leaving as a graduate.

What they need is not different parties shouting at each other about how wrong they are doing things, but a determined bi-partisan approach to examine what is the best path for education, and commit to following it together.

A change of government should be a baton pass for education, not tearing down what went before just because someone else was doing it.

Equally, being overly defensive about problems benefits no one. The case of the complaints about whether or not some Cuban teachers speak English well enough to be able to teach is a case in point.

First, it should be said that whether they can or cannot speak English well is not the fault of any of the teachers concerned. It is not their fault they were employed for a role that was a challenge for their skillset if that is the case.

But there does not need to be arguments over the matter – the teachers either are or are not equipped for the role. There does not need to be a long investigation – simply speak to the various teachers, perhaps to the parent associations at the schools where the teachers are, and determine if there is a difficulty.

Simply find out what the situation is in order to ensure the best outcome for the children.

Because that ultimately is where our focus must lie, making sure that children have the best conditions in which to learn – and, with continuity, have the confidence to know what the years ahead in their education will look like.

It should not be a tug-of-war, but rather both sides pulling on the ropes together, to take us further forward.

If there are criticisms to be encountered, they should be able to be solved together. After all, given the yo-yo nature of our governments in switching between parties, the next party along may well inherit the students who are struggling, if indeed they are, and the system under which they are struggling.

Those exam grades do not turn around overnight – so trying to find the best way to elevate all students is something that benefits the schools, the children and the nation.

That does not sit well of course with the habits of our political flagbearers – but perhaps it should. There are plenty of other ways to disagree.

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net entities, and civil society continue to limit our local capacity to prepare and respond.

Local Bahamian Civil Society and NPOs have long been instrumental in providing direct services and support to communities affected by recent hurricanes. These organizations, whether well-established or emerging, have played a vital role in saving lives, gathering and distributing relief goods, providing shelter, and offering trauma counseling to those in need.

Their contributions were invaluable and showcased the potential of a robust local civil society.

However, the true impact of local Civil Society and NPOs in The Bahamas remains uncharted, mainly due to limited integration into overall communication, planning, and monitoring during relief and recovery efforts. Many local groups have reported difficulties during the Hurricane Dorian relief effort, in accessing information and coordination systems managed by international NGOs and the government. This contributed to logistical challenges, miscommunication, and access to potential funding, all of which inhibited the scope and scale of services that local NPOs could offer those in need.

Looking forward, to address these challenges and prepare for future crises, a more inclusive and proactive approach can be adopted to involve local NGOs in disaster preparedness and response planning.

A model like the Voluntary Organizations Assisting with Disasters (VOAD), used in the United States and other jurisdictions, to prepare and coordinate NPOs before crises, can provide valuable insights into opportunities for coordination and communication among Bahamian not-for-profit organizations.

Furthermore, providing training in disaster management and securing access to human and financial resources can empower local NGOs to play a meaningful role in engaging communities in disaster preparedness and providing response aid. This was the driving force behind ORG’s recent eight-month free training series for NPO leaders. ORG brought together 109 NPO leaders from communities across the archipelago to participate in training geared to facilitate more effective collaborations. Over these intensive months, participants engaged in eight comprehensive training sessions hosted by ORG, ensuring their NPOs are equipped to work synergistically on matters of national importance.

The structured training covered pivotal subjects crucial for the growth and impact of NPOs in today’s dynamic environment. ORG provided functional training in areas that would benefit the operation of NPOs, including fundraising and honing leadership and communication skills to

master project management. To develop critical skills needed to operate, in times of crisis or otherwise, the NPO leaders explored formal models of organizational collaboration and grounding their work in a human rights framework. Additionally, the training emphasized the importance of monitoring and evaluation, ensuring transparency and efficiency in all endeavours. These skills are foundational for groups to better collaborate in their direct missions and prepare to collectively respond to crises like hurricanes.

Collaboration between government, international, and local NGOs is essential to effectively manage complex scenarios such as Disasters and climate change adaptation. Working more intentionally across sectors can facilitate knowledge transfer and capacity-building, ensuring that local organisations are prepared for future disasters. Transparent fundraising and donor management practices are also crucial for building public trust and securing international partners and funders.

Adopting more universal practices, before and during crises, like clear communication systems and standards for accepting and reporting donations can help address fundraising transparency and accountability issues.

In conclusion, the devastating impact of recent hurricanes has underscored the need for clear and structured local organisations that can work alongside government, the private sector and international NGOs to build public trust and participation in order to effectively respond to disasters. With support local civil society and NPOs can bring even more significant socio-economic value to The Bahamas.

Integration into disaster management plans, and provision of dedicated resources, and empowerment through training and knowledge transfer will surely enhance the capacity of our communities and islands to manage the risks associated with disasters and climate change adaptation.

In The Bahamas, the role of NPOs has never been more paramount.

Their potential to make lasting, positive changes in communities, build the capacity and growth of citizens, advocate for necessary reforms, and foster the unity and resilience necessary to manage through unprecedented natural and economic crises is unbounded. ORG will continue to dedicate time and resources to facilitate the inherent power of this critically important local sector. We encourage government, private sector, and the international donor community to work together to create an environment of strong partnership where local NPOs can flourish and achieve their potential in serving our citizens and communities.

Together, we can build a more resilient and prepared nation.

THE ORGANISATION FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE (ORG) September 12, 2023

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 13, 2023, PAGE 7

TEENAGE BOY HOSPITALISED AFTER STABBING INCIDENT POLICE are investigating a stabbing incident that left a teenage boy in hospital yesterday.

According to police reports, sometime around 4.19pm yesterday, the student was involved in a fight with another student near a bus stop on

Marathon Road when another male intervened, produced a knife and stabbed him in his leg and lower back.

The victim was taken to hospital where he remains in stable condition.

Investigations are continuing.

Contract for $1.6m signed to renovate Freeport BTVI campus

THE BAHAMAS Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) signed a $1.6M contract with Patrick McDonald Construction Company. Minister of Education and Technological and Vocational Training Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey, and other senior government officials were on hand for the signing on Monday, September 11 at the Freeport Campus.

The renovations will include the administration block, labs, an auditorium, and a media department. The Ministers and their delegations toured the campus before and after the signing ceremony.

Photos: Andrew Miller/BIS

MAN CHARGED FOR HAVING UNLICENCED GUN AND AMMO

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was granted $9,500 bail yesterday after he was accused of having two high-powered weapons in his home last weekend.

He also faced a drug charge with another male suspect. Magistrate Lennox Coleby charged Javen Reckley, 22, with possession of an unlicensed firearm with intent to supply and possession of ammunition.

Reckley appeared before the magistrate using crutches.

Reckley was also charged with Lynden Armbrister, 19, with possession of dangerous with intent to supply.

Murrio Ducille represented the accused.

Police executed a search warrant on the defendants’ residence on Taylor Street in Nassau Village at around 8pm on September 9. A search of Reckley and Armbrister allegedly uncovered a firearm and 3 5/8 oz of Indian Hemp.

A further search of the premises reportedly

recovered a second firearm.

The two guns seized in this incident were identified as a black Glock 9mm pistol and a black Taurus 9mm pistol. Five unfired rounds of 9mm ammunition were also confiscated.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutor Inspector Lincoln McKenzie raised no objections to either defendants’ bail.

Reckley’s bail for the gun charge was set at $9,500 with one or two sureties, while bail for both accused for the drug charge was set at $1,500 with one surety each.

Although Reckley was initially expected to sign in at his local police station three times a week his sign in conditions were reduced to every Monday and Saturday by 6pm after his counsel indicated he requires medical attention twice weekly.

Armbrister is expected to sign in at the East Street South Police Station every Monday and Saturday by 6pm.

The trial in this matter begins on December 18.

MAN ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ABUSING 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A 24-year-old man was sent to prison accused of sexually abusing a 15-yearold girl in Harbour Island over the summer.

Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans charged Alonzo Pinder with unlawful sexual intercourse.

Pinder allegedly had unlawful sexual relations with an underaged

female in Harbour Island, Eleuthera, between July 1 and 31.

The accused was informed that his case would be transferred to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). He will be sent to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until the higher court grants him bail.

Pinder’s VBI is set for service on January 25, 2024

THREE YOUNG MEN ACCUSED OF CLOTHING THEFT WORTH $4,000

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A YOUNG man was granted $2,500 bail after he admitted to stealing over $4,000 worth of clothing from a man’s home last week.

Magistrate Raquel Whyms charged Christopher Ramsey, 22, Brent Penn, 19 and Steven Pennerman, 19, with housebreaking, stealing and receiving.

The accused allegedly broke into the residence of Temeko Roberts on Cameroon Street and stole $4,355 worth of assorted men’s clothing at around 1pm on September 9.

While Ramsey pleaded

guilty to the offence, his two co-accused pleaded not guilty.

Ramsey’s bail was set at $2,500 with one or two sureties on condition he sign in at the Grove Police Station every Monday by 6pm.

Penn’s bail was set at $9,999 with one or two sureties on condition he sign in at the Grove Police Station every Thursday by 6pm.

Pennerman’s bail was set at $5,000 with one or two sureties on condition he sign in at the Quakoo Street Police Station on Thursdays by 7pm.

Ramsey’s sentencing is expected to take place on September 15. The trial for the remaining defendants will begin on October 12.

SHOOTING INCIDENT THAT SENT MAN TO HOSPITAL INVESTIGATED POLICE are investigating a shooting incident that left a 25-year-old man in hospital yesterday.

Preliminary reports indicate that a man had just arrived at his home on East Avenue off Carmichael Road shortly after 2am Monday when he was approached by a man known to him who produced a firearm and shot him in the leg before fleeing the scene.

The victim was taken to hospital where he is detained in stable condition.

Investigations are continuing.

In other crime news, police are searching for two men believed to be

responsible for an armed robbery that occurred on Sunday.

“Preliminary reports indicate that shortly before 10pm, the victim entered his grey 2019 Honda CRV license plate #AS7000 and while attempting to leave a business establishment, he was approached by two males,” police reported.

“One of the assailants produced a firearm and demanded him to exit his vehicle to which he complied. The culprits then got into the victim’s vehicle and fled the area.”

Anyone with information on these crimes is asked to contact CID at 502-9991/2 or Crime Stoppers at 328-(TIPS)-8477.

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net During a $1.6m contract signing for renovations at BTVI on Monday, September 11, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, Glenys Hanna-Martin said the work being done at the facility represents “renewal of hope” for the people of Grand Bahama.

She said: “To build capacity (of people) to create opportunities for young people to be able to go out

in their own businesses or to be a competitor in their skillset is an empowerment level that is very rarely seen, even in the academic world.”

She continued, “I am excited because we have been mandated to develop and promote this aspect of how young people pursue their realities of who they are, what they are and do it with confidence and support.”

The $1.6m contract was awarded to Patrick McDonald Construction Company Ltd, and areas to be renovated and or upgraded

include the entire administrative block, labs - including welding, carpentry and auto . Also included will be the addition of an auditorium by making use of the area that was used by the University of The Bahamas as a dining area. Next to this will be a new media department.

Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey said: “I commend your efforts thus far and I want to challenge you to become the regional leaders for technology training. The vision for Grand Bahama Island is to become the home of

innovation. My ministry is diligently working to accomplish this goal.

“Currently I am the Cabinet Chair for ‘Innovate242’, an initiative aimed at propelling The Bahamas into becoming the leading center of innovation for the Caribbean region. We want you to be our partners in propelling our students and island forward in the space of technology. This is crucial as we plan to be on the cutting edge of the ever-evolving demands of the job market and changing tides around the world.”

Why micromanagement is the bane of a successful business PAGE 8, Wednesday, September 13, 2023

THERE is nothing quite like being qualified and experienced in one’s field of work and somehow ending up under the management of a person who is not trained or even minded for the role.

Many managers get promotions after being on the job for a certain period of time and, perhaps, gaining the trust of the people who managed them. Doing well at a job, however, does not qualify a person to manage other people doing that job. When people become managers in this way, and without any training to prepare them for it, they can have difficulty moving from one role to the next.

They are often afraid of the management position and want to continue working at the previous level, and this leads them to meddling instead of managing. They do not know how to increase the chances of their team’s success, so they try to involve themselves in all of their work, becoming a surveillance system of sorts. They become micromanagers.

Micromanagement is ineffective for organizations, exhausting for all parties, and particularly frustrating to staff. Managers do not typically go in with a plan to micromanage staff, but it often happens as a result of the managers’ lack of management skills and training and inability to monitor and measure outcomes and performance so they, instead, obsess over the day-to-day work of staff.

These bad managers look over staff members’ shoulders and often have unnecessary criticism, spending more time insisting on different processes than they do on their specific responsibilities.

People do not tend to think they are micromanagers, so it is important to assess performance and ensure that performance reviews are not unidirectional so staff can give managers feedback.

Are there micromanagers on your management team? Are you a micromanager? Here are eight common practices of a micromanager.

1. They want to approve everything. This manager demonstrates a lack of trust in and respect for staff. They do not think people are able to consider the deliverable and the due date, then develop and follow a process to complete and deliver it.

Even if a plan is provided, this manager wants to be consulted every step of the way. They want to give input on each of the resources being drawn upon, attend all of the meetings meant for staff to brainstorm, and see the draft of the draft. Nothing can happen without their oversight. They are the number one reason that milestones are not met on time. They are the bottleneck.

2. They are laser-focused on details. This manager is so anxious about results that they spend more time arguing over the details of the assignment and the way it is being done that they sabotage the results

THE TRIBUNE

By Alicia Wallace

anyway.

3. They redo people’s work. This manager does not think anything is good enough until they have left their mark on it. There may be nothing to correct, but they will always find something to add, delete, rephrase, or call into question.

4.

They incessantly request updates. The milestones and delivery dates are not enough for this manager. They “check in” far too often.

5. They call too many meetings. They hold regular staff meetings, and may even have one-onone meetings with staff.

They also call meetings to give information that could have been shared in an email, and they seem to like to hear themselves talk. They always want to know what everyone is else is doing in significant detail although they are aware of each person’s projects and the instructions they have laid out for all of them. There are meetings to talk about the meetings. There are meetings for them to rant about one issue that was already resolved, except for in their own minds.

6. They are afraid of failure. For this manager, there is nothing worse than trying something that does not work. They are not particularly interested in learning, especially if it happens in group or within the view of others. They would much rather go with the “tried and true” methods.

7. They are unable to delegate. No matter how busy their schedule is, this manager does not see anyone as competent enough to take on anything they deem to be within their portfolio.

8. They are not accountable. Even with all of their “oversight” (better known as interference), this manager cannot see how anything is their fault.

No failure, no missed deadline, no miscommunication, and no drop in team morale is a result of their actions. Someone else is always blamed.

People do not want their competence to be questioned. Micromanagement suggests to the staff that they are not doing their jobs well, that the manager does not trust them, and that there is no room for them grow.

Micromanagement is a complete waste of time, energy, and talent. Micromanagers are focused on hovering over staff while staff are in a higher-stress environment, trying to do their jobs in ways that please the manager and, hopefully, will get them to back off. The incompetence of the micromanager eventually becomes clear, if only to their staff. Other managers may be privy to the

Micromanagement is ineffective for organizations, exhausting for all parties, and particularly frustrating to staff.

poor management style, but reluctant to address it when they are in other departments and have their own goals to accomplish. Executives rarely pay enough attention to management teams to notice when managers are not equipped for the job. They usually start to see that there is a management failure when it is too late—talented staff, whether one-byone in droves, resign or, in the best case scenarios, request transfers.

Executives and human resources department need to be attention to managers and their practices.

They should not only read the reports of managers, but look at the performance of the stuff which is, in most cases, heavily impacted by management and management styles. By doing this, executives and human resources departments can prevent the loss of talent. Here are five effects of micromanagement that are always warning signs that talent will be lost.

1. Low job satisfaction.

People come to work to be robots. They barely feel like they are using their brains because everything is prescribed.

They are not excited about anything at work and have relegated themselves to simply following instructions.

2.

High turnover.

People working with micromanagers may not stay for very long. Either they quit because they are dissatisfied or they are fired because micromanagers cannot handle the challenge of staff who refuse to fall in line with their limited programs.

3.

Less expression of opinions. People do not want to waste their energy sharing perspectives that they know will be brushed aside. They take the path of least resistance, following the lead of the manager. They do not take initiative on much, if anything.

4. Creativity is stifled. People do not share ideas. They may wish to, but they are tired of being

embarrassed or ignored by the micromanager.

They may be certain that their ideas would work brilliantly, but the smallest risk of failure means the micromanager will go in the opposite direction.

5. Approval becomes the goal. People work toward the approval of the manager rather than completion of the project in the most outstanding way possible. Both cannot be achieved since only the micromanager’s way will ever be approved, and that way is usually safe and, by extension, uninspired.

Micromanagement is not productive. It is not

effective in getting the job done. Instead, it blocks progress. Projects move much slower when one person needs to see everything, approve everything, “correct” everything, and strip everything of elements that could cause anything other than the exact effect the micromanager has envisioned.

Micromanagers are not ready for management. They, at the very least, need training. They need to understand how teams work and, importantly, how people work.

They need to know how to motivate people, and how to encourage them to think outside of the box,

test ideas, courses correct as needed, and take accountability for the outcomes of their work.

Managers need to know when it is the right time to offer help, and that they first need to understand what the team is doing, how, and why before they can offer valuable input.

People at work are not children, and managers are not parents. The dynamic needs to be one of collaboration and support. The elements of micromanagement do not belong in the workplace, at least as long as there are still people in the workplace, doing the work.

Recommendations 1. No Escape. Secrets abound in this seven-episode series focused on Lana and Kitty—two young women who are running away and have definitely done something criminal—as they join the crew on board The Blue, all seeking refuge for different reasons. It has been compared to The White Lotus and Pokerface, both for its characters full of secrets that are revealed as their backstories start to become clearer and the switching between two timelines to build tension by giving just enough information while leaving unanswered questions.

2. Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi. Bitter is a teen attending an exclusive school for young people like her to cultivate their artistic talents. The school is like a refuge from the outside world where there is great injustice. Bitter struggles when her friends went to step outside of the safety of their school and home to be a part of the revolution. Where is her place in all of this? Join Feminist Book Club, organised by Equality Bahamas and Poinciana Paper Press, in reading and discussing this book. The meeting is hybrid, so you can attend in person Thursday, September 21 at Poinciana Paper Press, 12 Parkgate Road, or you can join virtually. Register at tiny.cc/fbc2023 to get more information.

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that RONY SIFFORT, of Ida Street, New Providence, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 6th day of September, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that LARDUSSE MOISE, of P.O Box SB-52453 Carmichael Road , New Providence, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 13th day of September 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that JOCELYNE PIERRE of Blackwood, Eleuthera, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 6th day of September, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 13, 2023, PAGE 9

APPLE’S NEW iPHONES GET FASTER CHIPS, BETTER CAMERAS AND NEW CHARGING PORTS

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer CUPERTINO, Calif.

(AP) — Apple on Tuesday unveiled its next generation of iPhones — a line-up that will boast better cameras, faster processors, a new charging system and a price hike for the fanciest model.

The showcase at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, comes as the company tries to reverse a mild slump that has seen its sales drop from last year in three consecutive quarters. The malaise is a key reason Apple’s stock price has dipped by about 10% since mid-July, dropping the company’s market value below the $3 trillion threshold it reached for the first time earlier this summer.

Investors apparently weren’t impressed with what Apple rolled out Tuesday. The company’s shares fell nearly 2% Tuesday, a steeper decline than the major market indexes.

As has been case with Apple and other smartphone makers, the four types of iPhone 15 models aren’t making any major leaps in technology. But Apple added enough new bells and whistles to the top-of-the line model — the iPhone 15 Pro Max — to boost its starting price by $100, or 9%, from last year’s version to $1,200.

As part of the higher base price, the cheapest iPhone 15 Pro Max will provide 256 megabytes of storage, up from 128 megabytes for the least expensive version of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Apple is holding the line on prices for rest of the line-up, with the basic iPhone 15 selling for $800, the iPhone 15 Plus for $900 and the iPhone 15 Pro for $1,000.

Although maintaining those prices are bound

IPHONE 15 and 15 Plus models are displayed during the announcement of new products.

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) to squeeze Apple’s profit devices, including its Mac margins and put further computers and many of its pressure on the company’s iPads.

Apple is being forced to stock price, Investing.com analyst Thomas Monteiro phase out the Lightning believes it’s a prudent port cables it rolled out in move with still-high infla- 2012 because of a mandate tion and spiking interest that European regulators rates pinching household plan to impose in 2024.

Although consumers budgets. “The reality was that Apple found itself often don’t like change, the in a challenging position transition to USB-C ports leading up to this event,” may not be that inconvenient. That’s because the Monteiro said.

And the price hike for standard is already widely the iPhone 15 Pro Max used on a range of computcould help Apple boost ers, smartphones and other sales if consumers con- devices people already tinue to gravitate toward own. The shift to USB-C the company’s premium may even be a popular models. Wedbush Secu- move since that standard rities analyst Dan Ives typically charges devices expects the iPhone 15 Pro more quickly and also and Pro Max to account for offers faster data transfer about 75% of the device’s speeds.

The basic iPhone 15 total sales in the upcoming models have been redeyear. to include a All the new models will signed be available in stores Sep- shape-shifting cutout on tember 22, with pre-orders the display screen that Apple calls its “Dynamic beginning this Friday.

One of the biggest Island” for app notificachanges that Apple tions — a look that was announced is a new way introduced with last year’s to charge the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max devices. models and future gen- The basic models are also erations. The company is getting a faster chip used switching to the USB-C in last year’s Pro and Pro standard that is already Max models, while the widely used on many next generation of the premium iPhone 15s will run

TECHTALK

BMW TO BUILD NEW ELECTRIC MINI IN ENGLAND AFTER UK GOVT APPROVES MULTI MILLION POUND INVESTMENT

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press

THE IPHONE 15 Pro is displayed during an announcement of new products on the Apple campus, Tuesday, in Cupertino, Calif.

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) on an even more advanced processor that will enable the devices to accommodate the same kind of video games that typically require a console.

The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max also will be equipped with what Apple maintains is the equivalent of seven camera lenses.

They will include periscope-style telephoto lens that will improve the quality of photos taken from far distances. The telephoto lens boasts a 5x optical zoom, which lags the 10x optical zoom on Samsung’s premium Galaxy S22 Ultra, but represents an upgrade

from the 3x optical zoom on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. In anticipation of next year’s release of Apple’s mixed reality headset, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will also have a spatial video option designed for viewing on that headset.

Apple is encasing the premium models in titanium that the company says is the same alloy used on some space ships.

Besides its new iPhones, Apple also announced its next generation of smartwatches — a product that made its debut nearly a decade ago. The Series 9 Apple Watch, available in stores September 22, will include a new gesture control that will enable users to control alarms and answer phone calls by double snapping their thumbs with a finger.

APPLE Watches are displayed on the Apple campus.

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

LONDON (AP) — BMW announced plans Monday to transform its Mini factory in Oxford, England, to produce nothing but electric vehicles, protecting thousands of jobs at a site that has been making cars for more than 100 years.

The German automaker said it would invest 600 million pounds ($751 million) in the project, allowing the factory to begin making two new all-electric models in 2026 before moving completely to electric vehicle production four years later.

The commitment came after the U.K. government agreed to plow an undisclosed amount of taxpayer funding into the project.

BMW’s plans are a vote of confidence in Britain’s beleaguered auto industry, which is struggling to compete amid an industrywide shift to electric vehicles and the challenges created by the U.K.’s exit from the European Union’s single market.

The company’s decision also ensures the iconic Mini will continue to be made in the country where it was born as BMW aims to make the brand 100% electric by 2030.

NASA ASTRONAUT FRANK RUBIO BREAKS US RECORD FOR LONGEST SPACEFLIGHT (AP) NASA astronaut Frank Rubio now holds the record for the longest U.S. spaceflight.

Rubio surpassed the U.S. space endurance record of 355 days on Monday at the International Space Station. He arrived at the outpost last September with two Russians for a routine six months. But their stay was doubled after their Soyuz capsule developed a coolant leak while parked at the space station.

The trio will return to Earth on Sept. 27 in a replacement capsule that was sent up empty for the ride home. By then, Rubio will have spent 371 days in space, more than two weeks longer than Mark Vande Hei, the previous U.S. record holder for a single spaceflight, Russia holds the world record of 437 days, set in the mid-1990s.

“Your dedication is truly out of this world, Frank!”

NASA chief Bill Nelson said via X, formerly known as Twitter.

A replacement crew of two Russians and an American is set to launch to the station from Kazakhstan on Friday.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, September 13, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

Republicans opening an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden - what’s up next?

WASHINGTON Associated Press HOUSE Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he is launching an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden, yielding to mounting pressure from former President Donald Trump and his allies in what’s shaping up as an election-year clash between Congress and the White House.

In a statement Tuesday, McCarthy said the House investigations into the Biden family this year have uncovered a “culture of corruption” that demands deeper review.

“These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy said he will direct the chairmen of the House Judiciary, Oversight and Ways and Means committees to lead the impeachment inquiry. The panels have been working together for months on various probes related to the Biden family and have yet to directly connect the president to any of it.

The White House called the effort “extreme politics at its worst.”

“House Republicans have been investigating the President for 9 months, and they’ve turned up no evidence of wrongdoing,” Ian Sams, a White House spokesperson said in a statement. “His own Republican members have said so.”

Here’s a look at what happens next as House Republicans inch closer to possible impeachment charges against Biden: WHAT IS IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY?

AN

An impeachment inquiry is an investigation of possi-

PRESIDENT Joe Biden walks across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington yesterday after returning from a trip to India and Vietnam.

Photo: Susan Walsh/AP and his son, claiming without evidence that they engaged in an influence-peddling scheme. The allegations echo those that former President Donald Trump has made for years against Biden and his family.

Republicans have focused much attention on an unverified tip to the FBI that alleged a bribery scheme involving Biden when he was vice president. The bribery claim, which emerged in

into the Justice Department investigation into the younger Biden, citing whistleblower testimony, to suggest that Hunter has received special treatment.

And while Republicans have sought to directly connect Hunter Biden’s financial affairs to his father, they have failed to produce evidence that the president directly participated in his son’s work, though he sometimes had dinner with

a senior Republican on House Judiciary Committee, one of the panel’s tasked with investigating Biden, told reporters recently.

“Impeachment is a way of saying this is not a legislative oversight, but in fact an oversight of possible wrongdoing.”

Regardless, the inquiry will loom over Biden as the probe potentially drags into next year when the president, who is running

and Means committees to launch a larger investigation into the yearslong Justice Department probe of Hunter Biden. The FBI and IRS have been investigating Hunter Biden for years and the case appeared headed toward a plea deal this summer until a judge rejected the terms of that agreement.

The breakdown happened after two IRS agents claimed in congressional testimony

authorizing resolutions have been passed in previous presidential impeachments.

It’s not clear McCarthy would have enough votes in the House to approve an impeachment resolution.

Some House Republicans are opposed to launching an inquiry, saying there is insufficient evidence against the president.

Once an impeachment inquiry is complete, the House has traditionally tasked the Judiciary Committee — the panel authorized to introduce articles of impeachment — to hold hearings and draft impeachment charges.

HOW LONG WILL THE INQUIRY TAKE? There are no rules to how long an impeachment inquiry can or must last. The probe into Biden could last as short as a few months or as long as a year, depending on what McCarthy and Republican leadership believe is the right time to conclude or move to articles of impeachment.

The only real deadline would be the end of this Congress, which is Jan. 2, 2025.

WHAT HAPPENS IF REPUBLICANS DO DECIDE TO IMPEACH?

SPEAKER of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-California, speaks at the Capitol in Washington yesterday. McCarthy says he’s directing a House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP ble wrongdoing by a federal official, such as the president of the United States, Cabinet officials or judges. The process is written into the Constitution and is the most powerful check that Congress has on the executive branch.

While the House of Representatives wields the power to impeach a federal official, only the Senate has the ability to convict and remove an individual from office.

To date, no president has ever been forced from the White House through impeachment. But former Republican President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 as the House was preparing to take a vote on impeachment articles against him.

WHY ARE REPUBLICANS PURSUING IT AGAINST BIDEN? Since gaining the House majority in January, House Republicans have aggressively investigated Biden

2019 and was part of Trump’s first impeachment, relates to the allegation that Biden pressured Ukraine to fire its top prosecutor in order to stop an investigation into Burisma, the oil-and-gas company where Hunter Biden was on the board.

Democrats have reiterated that the Justice Department investigated the Burisma claim when Trump was president and closed the matter after eight months, finding “insufficient evidence” to pursue it further. Other countries were also pushing for the firing of the Ukrainian official, viewing him as corrupt. And a former business partner of Hunter Biden’s has testified to Congress that the bribery allegation is untrue.

Nonetheless, three House committees have been pursuing lines of inquiry related to the president and his son, including the ways that Hunter used the “Biden brand” to advance his business with foreign clients.

They’ve also delved deeply

Hunter Biden’s clients or said hello to them on calls.

DOES THIS MEAN THAT BIDEN WILL BE IMPEACHED? Not necessarily. While all inquiries opened in recent history have resulted in the impeachment of a president, Republicans have been treading carefully around the term and its potential political implications.

To impeach Biden, the House would have to approve at least one impeachment charge against him, which requires a majority vote. An impeachment inquiry can also be closed without charges being brought.

McCarthy has said an impeachment inquiry is necessary to ensure Congress can use the full weight of its oversight authority to pursue its investigation of the Biden family.

“Everyone should understand, impeachment is not the goal,” Rep. Darrell Issa,

for reelection, confronts a Republican field led by Trump, who was impeached twice.

WHAT EVIDENCE DO THEY HAVE? House Republicans — led by Rep. James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee — have obtained thousands of pages of financial records from various members of the Biden family and their associates through subpoenas to the Treasury Department and various financial institutions.

Comer has repeatedly claimed — without substantial evidence — that there is enough in those documents to draw a clear line between Hunter Biden trading on his father’s name and policy decisions Biden made while vice president. No such connection has been proven.

Comer also joined forces in June with the Republican chairmen of the Judiciary, and Ways

that the Justice Department improperly interfered in the case, which was first opened in 2018.

Attorney General Merrick Garland last month appointed the prosecutor investigating Hunter Biden as a special counsel, likely extending the investigation further.

HOW WILL IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY WORK?

THE

McCarthy said he’s asked Comer to take the lead on the impeachment inquiry, working alongside House Judiciary chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo. While McCarthy had previously said the House would hold a vote to launch the inquiry, he made no such promise on Tuesday.

The Constitution does not require a vote to start an impeachment inquiry, and neither do the rules governing the House. But

If Republicans decide there is enough evidence of wrongdoing and abuse of power by Biden to move forward, the Judiciary Committee would likely mark up the articles of impeachment.

If those articles are voted out of committee by a simple majority, it would come to the House floor where a majority vote would be required to impeach Biden.

Only three other presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and Trump, who was impeached twice.

The impeachment charges would then move to the Senate, where Democratic leaders would likely have no choice but to hold a trial.

The trial is similar to what’s seen in the legal system, with the senators acting as jurors and select House members acting as prosecutors, or impeachment managers. The chief justice of the Supreme Court presides over that process. If the Senate approves an article of impeachment with a two-thirds vote of “guilty,” the president is convicted and removed from office. If all the articles are rejected, the president is acquitted.

If Biden were convicted by the Senate, he would be the first president to ever be removed from office.

But such an outcome seems far-fetched, given that Democrats have a 52-48 majority.

SPORTS PAGE 11 BASKETBALL

BGDBA PLAYOFFS: CYBOTS ADVANCE TO NEXT ROUND, PATROLLERS TIE SERIES 1-1

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net The Bain and Grants Town Cybots booked their tickets to round two of the Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association (BGDBA) playoffs on Monday night after sweeping the Police Royals 2-0. Meanwhile, the Bamboo Shack Patrollers tied their series 1-1 with the Airport Authority Avengers at the AF Adderley Gymnasium.

The playoffs will continue tonight where both the Police Crimestoppers and Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture (MOYSC) Panthers will look to complete the sweep in their respective series.

CYBOTS VS ROYALS In one of the more competitive series of the BGDBA postseason, the Cybots secured an 80-77 win to send the Royals home on Monday night.

Game two of the series got off to a relatively competitive start with the scored tied 10 apiece at the halfway mark of the opening quarter. By the end of the initial quarter the score was 23-22 with the Cybots in the lead.

Stephen Miller, who poured in 18 points for the Royals, opened the second quarter with a jump shot after a series of bad misses by his team.

The Cybots’ Jeremy Hutchinson made his mark in the game and in the second period canning three two-pointers after being subbed in. He capped off his night with a team-high 20 points, seven rebounds, on a scorching 61.5 per cent shooting from the field.

After a shaky offensive stretch to start the quarter by the Royals, the Cybots took a 43-34 advantage heading into the halftime break.

In the third period the Royals struggled to keep the score within range. The lower-seeded team saw the Cybots widen the gap to as much as 18 points (6244) at the 3:35 mark of the third. The former BGDBA champions ultimately closed out the period leading by 16.

Miller made it his mission in the final period to keep the Royals’ playoff hopes alive. He splashed a quick three-pointer to get the fourth quarter going. On the following play, his teammate Brandon Cooper was fouled on a three point attempt and drained two out of three free throws at the charity stripe. Miller charged his way to the free throw line on two separate occasions and drained all four of his attempts to trim the lead down to nine.

Despite the Royals trimming the lead down to eight at the 2:39 mark of the final period, the Cybots were able to hold on and advance to round two.

Wayde Watson, head coach of the Cybots, was grateful for the win and commended the coaching efforts of rookie coach Denero Davis.

“For us it was a step closer to our goal we set out to achieve hats off to the Police Staff Association Royals, they are a young and talented team but I know it was my guys’ experience down the stretch that pulled it out,” Watson said.

He added that despite getting the 2-0 sweep it was two very close games and the goal remains the same to bring the BGDBA championship back over SEE PAGE 12

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

BAHAMAS BEATEN 3-2 IN THRILLER

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas men’s national soccer team put up a gallant fight, but lost 3-2 to Guyana for their second straight loss in the CONCACAF 2023 Nations League.

After falling 6-1 to Puerto Rico on Saturday in their opener at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, the Bahamas team took to the road in the home-and-away format and played their first match against Guyana on Tuesday night.

With a slightly different line-up from the one they used against Puerto Rico, the Bahamas once again struck first as Wood Julmis came through with the initial goal of the game in the 39th minute. He scored the team’s only other goal in the 86th minute.

Guyana, on the other hand, responded with the 1-1 equaliser in the 44th minute on a goal from Omari Glasgow. Stephen Duke-McKenna put Guyana up 2-1 in the 54th minute and Kelsey Benjamin scored the insurance goal in the 58th minute.

Despite the loss, coach Nesly Jean said he was pleased with the team’s performance.

“We played well. We played very well,” he said.

“Defensively, going forward, obviously we made one or two mistakes. This is the stuff we are trying to eliminate. I think once we can eliminate that, we will do better going forward.”

On the change in the line-up for last night’s game, compared to Saturday, Jean said it’s automatic, when one person can’t show, it’s the next man up.

“You have to show the coaches why you deserve to play and why you deserve to be on the team,”

SEE PAGE 12

TOP AND ABOVE: Team Bahamas in Guyana for last night’s Nations League match.

MICHAEL ALBURY JR HEADING OFF TO BELIEVE PREP ACADEMY

By STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net MICHAEL ALBURY JR is following in the footsteps of his brother Deyton Albury as he heads off today to enrol in Believe Prep Academy in South Carolina.

Eighteen-year-old Albury Jr left Teleos Academy here to complete his high school tenure in Miami, Florida before he went to play for Florida Coastal Prep Sports Academy last year. Deyton Albury, 21, pursued a similar path as he left Temple Christian Academy to attend Sunrise Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas, before he went on to Believe Prep and now he’s in his junior year at Chipola College in Marianna, Florida.

Before he left town today, Albury Jr said he decided to go to this school because of the history behind it.

“Ninety percent of their players go on

and earn scholarships beginning their college careers including my older brother and that’s a part of my dream,” said Albury Jr, who some believe is just as talented or even better than Deyton Albury.

“Also the coach Kevin Jackson is legendary and known for his hard coaching, winning and making players better and that’s the environment I want to be in on and off the court.”

As he is headed to Believe Prep, Albury Jr said the expectation is for him to bring the same Bahamian mentality to hard playing and coachability that was exhibited by Deyton Albury.

Albury Jr said he hopes to go in and work hard everyday and help his team be successful.

“I feel very comfortable. Deyton has been someone I look up to my whole life SEE PAGE 12

NFL FLAG BAHAMAS HOSTS SUCCESSFUL COACHES AND OFFICIALS CLINIC

BY TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net National Football League (NFL) Flag Bahamas hosted a successful officiating and coaching clinic last week Thursday at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium. Participants got the opportunity to learn in-game rules, coaching strategies, and practice plans from the director of officiating at NFL Flag and RCX Sports, Tom LaNeve.

LaNeve was grateful to be a part of the programme’s preparations and talked about the focus of the NFL Flag Bahamas officiating and coaching clinic.

“The purpose of the seminar is to educate coaches and officials on the game of NFL Flag Football and everything that has to do with rules,” he said.

From a coaching standpoint he added that the seminar was useful in helping potential coaches to understand offensive and defensive strategies, and how to set up their practice plans to take advantage of the time that they have to grow the game.

“By teaching the game and trying to give them

every tool that I possibly can while here they can be as successful as they possibly can to build the programme for the youth here in this country,” he said.

Participants will also be required to be certified on a yearly basis, which is extremely important according to LaNeve.

“It is extremely important because it refreshes everything in their mind from an understanding rules standpoint . . . we all learn by doing, studying, and repetition,” he said.

As an official for more than two decades LaNeve not only believes that being certified yearly is important but also these types of officiating and coaching clinics.

“I think they are invaluable and I just want to thank Chris Prudhome and his entire team here and understanding that it is a privilege for me to be here I certainly appreciate the opportunity to serve Chris, the programme here, as well as the country as we grow the game of football,” he said.

Following the announcement of NFL Flag Bahamas in June, the league has hosted various clinics in preparation for the season’s eventual start in October.

PAGE 12, Wednesday, September 13, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

BASKETBALL

BGDBA PLAYOFFS: CYBOTS ADVANCE TO NEXT ROUND, PATROLLERS TIE SERIES 1-1 FROM PAGE 11 the hill to Bain and Grants Town.

AVENGERS VS PATROLLERS After losing in a heartbreaking one-point loss to the Avengers last weekend, the Patrollers got revenge in Monday’s 21-point blowout win. The team finished game two 84-63 to even the series.

Leading up to halftime, both teams were in the contest despite the Patrollers leading 44-34 into the break. However, the momentum stayed with the Patrollers who ran out to a 70-50 lead behind the efforts of Lerecus Armbrister and Kareem Lightbourne Jr to end the third period.

Armbrister dropped a game-high 29 points which was bolstered by six threepointers splashed from behind the arc. Lightbourne, his teammate, turned in 25 points on 45 per cent shooting along with five boards on the night.

Next up on the BGDBA playoff schedule will be the Panthers versus The Real Deal Rangers and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Rampage against the Crimestoppers. Games begin tonight at 7:30pm.

MICHAEL ALBURY JR FROM PAGE 11 and knowing this is where he went and been through, I feel I can do the same or even better,” Albury Jr said. “He has motivated me a lot, constantly calling me to remind me this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I should take advantage of it.

“He told me this is going to be one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life but if he can do it, he knows that I can do it too.”

While waiting to make the transition from high school to his road to college, Albury Jr said he’s ready to take his talent to the next level.

“I spent a lot of time working out, staying in shape, watching a lot of college films and just getting mentally prepared for what’s to come,” he pointed out.

With the stage set again, Albury Jr said he wanted to make the best of his opportunity to succeed.

“I’m always trying to grow my game as a player,” he stressed. “I want to get more comfortable shooting the ball, being more aggressive defensively, and just learning from the films I watch.”

Nobody is watching the progress of the Albury brothers than their proud father, Michael Albury Sr. “I am feeling very proud that my two boys are chasing their dreams on the road to become professional basketball players,” he stated. “I am more confident than proud though because my boys are in great programmes surrounded by great people.

They love the game, work hard and are very talented.

So I feel like the sky’s the limit.”

Albury Sr said he will watch with interest as his sons continue to soar.

BAHAMAS BEATEN FROM PAGE 11

he said. “The guys today showed that they can compete if someone was to get injured.”

The Bahamas will now prepare to face Antigua & Barbuda in November with the first game at home and the next one on the road. That will be followed by a home match against Guyana before they close out play on the road against Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, Puerto Rico, staying here to play their home game against Antigua & Barbuda on Tuesday night, pulled off a 5-0 whitewashing for a 2-0 record. Antigua & Barbuda suffered their second straight loss.

Gerald Diaz struck for a hat-trick with goals in the 15th, 46th and 90th minutes. Ricardo Rivera added a pair of goals in the 39th and 43rd minutes.

TWO University of The Bahamas defenders block a Millennial Atlantic University player. (UB ATHLETICS)

UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas defenders Anjeniker Joseph (pink 7) and Ulricka Woodside (pink 9) block a Millennial Atlantic University player in their match. (UB ATHLETICS)

UB Mingoes lose to Macaws THE University of The Bahamas women’s volleyball team lost both matches against Millennial Atlantic University Macaws over the weekend.

Head coach Raymond Wilson said he was disappointed with the team’s performance after the first match, however added he saw noticeable improvements in teamwork,

gameplay and execution during the second match.

The Mingoes lost the first match Friday 25-6, 25-17, 25-12 and lost the second match Saturday 25-11, 25-22, 25-16.

The team improved in the second match and led at several points, capitalising on Macaws errors. The Macaws went on to win both the second and third

sets.

Power hitter Patrice Ferguson lead the team and kept spirits high through the matches.

“The first day we did an okay job, but the second day we came and fought”, she said.

Wilson said he was satisfied with the overall weekend experience, as the team showed

sportsmanship and grit. He singled out freshman hitter Tonya Thompson’s impact on the team.

“Tonya contributed offensively and defensively, and brought an energy to the court that we needed,” Wilson said.

Thompson said she was happy with her performance and excited about the entire experience. “All

of this was just new to me, unfamiliar territory,” she said. “It was really good being here with the team, as they are very welcoming, and I feel very much included, so it was a very good experience over all.”

The Mingoes now get ready for the upcoming New Providence Volleyball Association season set to begin mid-October.

BFA TO COLLABORATE WITH IMMIGRATION DEPT IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMME THE Bahamas Football Association (BFA) is taking significant strides towards community-building and changing perceptions.

This October, the BFA will kickstart a novel community outreach programme in Eleuthera in collaboration with the Department of Immigration. This initiative seeks to bridge the gap between the immigration officers and the community, especially young soccer enthusiasts who, directly or indirectly, have ties to the immigration narrative.

In many corners, the Department of Immigration has faced challenges in how they are perceived.

Through this outreach programme, the department aims to reshape this perspective, establishing a more positive and inclusive image within the community.

The forthcoming outreach in Eleuthera isn’t the BFA’s first foray into community initiatives. The association has a rich history of similar programmes, with successful outreach previously conducted in Centreville, Gambier, Carmichael, and Elizabeth Estates in New Providence. Initiated in 2011, these programmes, overseen by the BFA’s Development Officer, took place once a week. They didn’t just introduce the sport to these communities but also provided a healthy, safe, and wholesome activity for children.

In Eleuthera, the structure will be akin to previous endeavours.

The programme will focus on introducing the basic fundamentals of soccer. However, the unique aspect here is the immersive experience

SORAYA TOPPIN-HERBERT, the Former Director of Women’s Football, and General Secretary Fred Lunn made their way to Eleuthera. There, they presented Chief Immigration Officer Jennifer Kelly and Grade 2 Immigration Officer Chelsea Stubbs with footballs.

FROM left: Soraya Toppin-Herbert, the Former Director of Women’s Football; Chief Immigration Officer Jennifer Kelly, Grade 2 Immigration Officer Chelsea Stubbs, General Secretary Fred Lunn. for children to play games in a Director of Women’s Football, and emphasising collaboration and the controlled environment and genu- General Secretary Fred Lunn made shared vision of both parties.

As the BFA readies to expand inely get to know the immigration their way to Eleuthera. There, they presented Chief Immigration this commendable outreach officers.

The approach is hands-on, with Officer Jennifer Kelly and Grade alongside the Department of Immithe officers scheduled to receive 2 Immigration Officer Chelsea gration, Eleuthera stands at the training and certification from Stubbs with footballs that will play brink of a transformative initiative. the BFA before the programme’s a crucial role in kick starting the The island might soon set an examprogramme. ple for community-building, unity, commencement.

The presentation served as both and the potent blend of sports and In preparation for the upcoming launch, Soraya Toppin-Herbert, the a symbolic and practical gesture, positive societal change.

COUSINS, VIKINGS AIM TO KEEP THEMSELVES PROTECTED VS DAUNTING EAGLES DEFENCE

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Kirk Cousins took the third down shotgun snap in the first quarter from the Minnesota 30-yard line and started his survey of the field.

He patted the ball once, began his throwing motion and was toppled to the turf by blitzing Tampa Bay safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Winfield knocked the ball loose upon impact and fell on it at the 18, setting the Buccaneers up for a field goal that proved to be the winning margin in the season opener last week.

As well as Cousins has typically performed on plays with an extra pass rusher, all it takes is one colossal whiff on a blitz such as Winfield’s and the whole game can go awry.

“Voided zones as a passer, you always feel good about.

I think the key is it being picked up,” Cousins said Tuesday with the Vikings in hastened preparation for their game Thursday at Philadelphia following that bitterly disappointing defeat to Tampa Bay. “It potentially gives an opportunity to take advantage, but there are pros and cons to just about every style of defence. You just kind of

TAMPA Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (31) pressures Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday in Minneapolis.

(AP Photo/Abbie Parr) roll with the punches.”

Cousins, who was sacked twice and hit nine times against the Bucs, has the quick release, accurate touch and studious approach to take advantage of an extra rusher and complete a pass into the vacated zone.

According to Sportradar data, Cousins went 14 for 18 for 124 yards against five or more Buccaneers rushers. Since Cousins joined the Vikings in 2018, he has a 111.4 passer rating against the blitz, trailing only Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes over that span in

the NFL. The Buccaneers were especially determined to send pressure when Cousins was in the shotgun, a formation that became a bit safer when backup centre Austin Schlottmann entered the game following the back injury to Garrett Bradbury in the first quarter.

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said there were some “unscouted” looks the Buccaneers gave them early in the game that they adjusted to quickly. Winfield blitzed on the second play of the game, too, pressuring Cousins into an

incomplete pass he had to rush to Justin Jefferson to avoid a sack.

The Eagles will pose just as much of a challenge for the Vikings, if not more. They led the league last season in sacks per pass attempt and allowed the fewest passing yards.

The Vikings had plenty of prime-time trouble on the road in Week 2 against them last season, too.

“One of the best fronts, if not the best, in the league right now. We have a tonne of respect for, not only the guys that you’ll see in the starting units, but they’ve

got kind of a first and second wave of problems defensively,” O’Connell said.

“There’s always going to be some things where a team can get you, especially in the opener or before things have been really put on tape yet based upon game-planning something that maybe they’ve done in the past and just giving a little bit different look.

We’ve got to find ways to survive those downs and not turn the football over, and that’s all 11 guys out there.”

Blitzes or not, the Vikings simply have to keep Cousins better protected to be able to beat the Eagles.

He’s not an escape artist like Mahomes and some of the scramblers around the league, so there’s a little less room for error there. Whether Bradbury or Schlottmann is at center, right guard Ed Ingram remains a work in progress on the interior as well.

As with the Buccaneers and Winfield, who found a seam when fullback C.J. Ham turned inside to help the offensive linemen, pressure can come from anywhere.

“We’ve got to throw it out quick,” Jefferson said.

“That’s the only answer to that.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 13, 2023, PAGE 13

GOLF

RYDER CUP REST OR RUST? MOST MEMBERS OF THE US TEAM WILL GO A MONTH WITHOUT COMPETITION

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer TIGER WOODS won the Tour Championship and then was on a plane that night headed to France to play in the Ryder Cup. Ditto for Jim Furyk in 2010, when he won the FedEx Cup in Atlanta and headed straight to Celtic Manor.

This year is different, with a change to the PGA Tour schedule to finish before Labor Day. For most of the Americans, they finished at East Lake on Aug. 27, and then it’s 33 days before most of them hit a shot that counts at Marco Simone outside Rome.

U.S. captain Zach Johnson is not concerned about competitive rust.

“I’m confident that the guys know what they’re doing,” Johnson said in Italy when nine of the 12 Americans had practice sessions at Marco Simone.

“Number two, there is a tournament and some of the guys are playing in Napa, in California.

So you can prepare and play if you want. That’s an option.”

Max Homa is the two-time defending champion at the Fortinet Championship.

Justin Thomas also is playing, mainly because he missed the FedEx Cup playoffs and last competed on Aug. 6.

“But you know, it’s a long, grueling season, and I think there’s something to be said about rest,” Johnson said.

“There’s also something to be said about being home and being with your family and still preparing that way, too.

So that’s not really a concern of mine.”

The European tour, meanwhile, is just now building toward the conclusion of its season.

It had the Irish Open last week, the flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth this week, the French Open next week and then the Ryder Cup. All 12 Europeans were at Marco Simone on Monday, and all 12 are playing at Wentworth.

The American team will have four days of practice going into the Sept. 29 opening session of matches.

Golf is fickle enough that there are endless tales of great form showing up and leaving without notice.

But it is different.

There were two weeks between the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup in 2021 (Wisconsin) and 2014 (Scotland).

The Ryder Cup immediately followed the Tour Championship in 2010 (Wales), 2012 (Chicago) and 2018 (Paris).

Then there was 2008, when there was a week off between the BMW Championship and the Ryder Cup, and the Tour Championship was right after the Ryder Cup. Johnson and assistant captain Stewart Cink are playing in Napa.

Asked about Thomas and Homa, they said not to read too much into the results, good or bad.

“The bottom line is for the most part, the majority of the team played so much golf in July and August that they need a break,” Johnson said Tuesday.

“Your body needs a break.

“It’s unique that we’ve had a month off from the Tour Championship to the actual Cup. “Rest, I think, is probably better than actually competing off the Tour Championship.”

NEW York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) celebrates with forward Jonquel Jones (35) near the end of the team’s win over the Las Vegas Aces in a basketball game for the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship Tuesday, Aug. 15, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

The WNBA playoffs start today – here’s a look at the four first-round series

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer A look at the best-of-3 first-round series in the WNBA playoffs, which starts today: No. 1 Las Vegas (34-6) vs. No. 8 Chicago (18-22) Season series: Aces, 3-0 Game 1: Wednesday Las Vegas: The defending champions looked poised to become the first team to repeat since Los Angeles did it in 2001-02. Las Vegas had the best offence, averaging 92.8 points and set a WNBA-record for offensive efficiency rating with 113.0. Led by MVP candidate A’ja Wilson, the Aces have a potent offence.

Wilson is joined by stellar guards Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. The trio averaged 51.1 points and 15.5 assists.

The only question for the team right now is its depth.

Candace Parker has been sidelined since having surgery on her foot in late July.

The playoff schedule does help the Aces with so many days between games.

Chicago: The Sky were the final team to qualify for the playoffs, but has a lot of experience between 2021 Finals MVP Kahleah Copper and Courtney Williams, who helped the Connecticut Sun reach the championship round last season. Copper is the only starter left from that title team. The Sky overcame some mid-season adversity when coach James Wade left to coach in the NBA. Prediction: Aces No. 3 Connecticut (27-13) vs. No. 6 Minnesota (19-21).

Season series: Sun, 3-1 Game 1: Wednesday Connecticut: The Sun start on offence and defence with Alyssa Thomas, who led the league in rebounding and assists.

LAS Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) pulls down a rebound between Washington Mystics guard Ariel Atkins (7) and forward Myisha Hines-Allen (2) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 31, in Las Vegas.

(Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Thomas became the first player in league history to record at least 600 points, 400 rebounds and 300 assists in a single season.

She also had six triple-doubles. Connecticut, which made the WNBA Finals last season, had a change in coaches with Stephanie White taking over. She had to revamp the offence a month into the season when Brionna Jones went down with an Achilles tear.

Minnesota: The Lynx started the season 0-6 and looked like they were headed to the draft lottery before turning things around, becoming just the second franchise to reach

the postseason after beginning the year with at least six losses. Napheesa Collier was a big reason why as she averaged 21.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

She had help from a pair of rookies in Diamond Miller and Dorka Juhasz.

Prediction: Connecticut No. 4 Dallas (22-18) vs.

No. 5 Atlanta (19-21) Season series: Wings, 3-0 Game 1: Friday Dallas: The Wings had a great season and have a potent inside-outside game.

No one can match Dallas’ interior strength with Teaira McCowan, Natasha Howard and Satou Sabally.

Couple those three with stellar guard Arike Ogunbowale and the Wings can beat teams in many different ways. Dallas has made the playoffs in five of its eight seasons in the city, but still is looking to get out of the first round for the first time.

Atlanta: The Dream are in the postseason for the first time since 2018 led by its trio of Rhyne Howard, Cheyenne Parker and Allisha Gray, who spent the first six seasons of her career in Dallas before joining Atlanta this year.

Monique Billings is the lone player on the roster ATLANTA Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) works toward the basket while defended

by Minnesota Lynx guard Diamond Miller, left, during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, Sept.

1, in Minneapolis.

(AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

that was on the team in 2018.

Prediction: Dallas No. 2 New York (32-8) vs.

No. 7 Washington (19-21) Season series: Tied, 2-2 Game 1: Friday New York: The Liberty rebuilt its roster in the offseason adding Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot and had the best season in franchise history. New York won the Commissioner’s Cup championship beating Las Vegas and is now hoping to win its first WNBA title. Stewart finished second in the league in scoring and scored more than 40 points four times this season. Sabrina Ionescu set the single-season mark hitting 128 3-pointers. The Liberty finished the season winning eight of its last 10 games. Turnovers have been a problem for New York during the course of the season and Washington is really good at jumping passing lanes and getting steals.

Washington: The Mystics were beset by injuries all season long and still could be without forward Shakira Austin for the playoffs as she’s dealing with a hip injury. Washington has a strong nucleus though that includes Elena Delle Donne, Natasha Cloud and Ariel Atkins, who were all on the 2019 title team. Add to that Brittney Sykes, who is one of the top defenders in the WNBA, and Washington could cause problems for New York.

Rebounding against the bigger Liberty could be an issue for the Mystics.

Prediction: New York

PAGE 14, Wednesday, September 13, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

GERMANY BEAT FRANCE 2-1 IN A FRIENDLY TO END WINLESS RUN DAYS AFTER REMOVING COACH HANSI FLICK DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — From jeers to cheers inside three days.

Germany beat World Cup runner-up France 2-1 in a friendly on Tuesday in a dramatic turnaround from being whistled by the crowd in a 4-1 loss to Japan on Saturday. That defeat cost Hansi Flick his job as coach the following day.

The win lifts some of the gloom around the team hosting the European Championship next year.

“We really threw ourselves into it and I think people saw that,” goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen told broadcaster ARD. “These have been strange, difficult days and it was all the better that we could turn things around with the win. I think it gives us confidence and that was what we definitely need right now.”

Thomas Müller scored early on and Leroy Sané

ITALY’S DAVIDE FRATTESI celebrates after scoring during the Euro 2024 group C qualifying soccer match between Italy and Ukraine at the San Siro stadium, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Italy beat Ukraine to get Euro 2024 qualifying back on track

By DANIELLA MATAR AP Sports Writer

GERMANY’S Thomas Muller celebrates.

(AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

added a second on a late counterattack, ending the run of five winless games which led to Flick being ousted Sunday.

The search is on for a new permanent coach ahead of games against the United States and Mexico next month.

Against France, Germany was coached by a three-person caretaker team including sporting director Rudi Völler.

He was Germany’s coach when it reached the 2002 World Cup final but hadn’t taken charge of any game for 18 years.

France had not conceded a goal in five games since losing the World Cup final to Argentina last year, but Germany scored in just the fourth minute.

Thomas Müller, brought back to the squad by Flick last week for the first time this year, controlled Benjamin Henrichs’ cross and hammered the ball past goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

France could have had a penalty when Antonio Rüdiger appeared to shove Randal Kolo Muani to the ground in the penalty area in the 20th, but the referee opted not to give it.

Aurelien Tchouameni had chances to score with two first-half headers at corners and a low shot in the 57th which was saved.

Sané made it 2-0 on a swift counter in the 87th but almost immediately gave away a penalty for a foul on Eduardo Camavinga.

Antoine Griezmann converted the spot-kick.

On a night when Germany far surpassed expectations, there was concern over its captain, Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gündogan, who went off injured in the 25th after landing heavily on his back following an aerial challenge.

MILAN (AP) — Luciano Spalletti appears to have Italy playing like his former Napoli team.

And that saw the Azzurri get their European Championship qualifying campaign back on track Tuesday as they beat Ukraine 2-1 thanks to two goals from Davide Frattesi.

The Inter Milan midfielder scored both goals in a dominant first half for Italy before Andriy Yarmolenko got Ukraine back into the match four minutes before the break.

Italy moved into second place in Group C, above Ukraine on headto-head record — with the return match scheduled for Nov. 20. The Azzurri have played a game less than Ukraine and England, which leads the group by six points.

North Macedonia also moved onto seven points after winning 2-0

at Malta, which has zero points.

“We played good football tonight,” Spalletti said. “We created a lot, even when we were suffering a bit in the second half.

We’ve started seeing something: some good plays, movement in the opponent’s area, which allowed us to create important chances. We need to be more clinical because you can’t always waste as many chances.”

The manner of the victory was indeed promising.

Spalletti’s attacking tactics garnered plaudits from all over Europe last season as he led Napoli to a first Serie A title in more than three decades. He left Napoli at the end of the campaign — saying he needed a break — and went on to replace Roberto Mancini, who resigned suddenly last month.

There was little sign of that flair in Italy’s drab 1-1 draw at North Macedonia on Saturday in Spalletti’s debut but it was on display

right from kickoff at San Siro on Tuesday.

“This is not Spalletti’s Italy, but everyone’s,” the 64-year-old coach said.

“I’ve settled in very well. It’s incredible being here, I feel like I’m in heaven, surrounded by blue.”

Italy had 24 chances, compared to nine for Ukraine.

“Italy didn’t surprise us because they play a really good game,” Ukraine coach Serhiy Rebrov said.

“Today Italy played a very intense game, sometimes we couldn’t keep up with their pace.”

Italy attacked from the start and had several chances before taking a deserved lead in the 12th minute thanks to a slice of fortune.

Ukraine midfielder Georgiy Sudakov slipped under pressure from Mattia Zaccagni, who raced forward before rolling across for Frattesi to rifle a low shot into the back of the net.

Unlike in previous matches, Italy

didn’t let its intensity slip although its second goal, in the 29th minute, was even more fortuitous.

Nicolò Zaniolo’s shot ricocheted off Frattesi and Giacomo Raspadori before falling back to Frattesi who managed to squirm it home as he was falling over.

However, even he appeared to assume it was offside before it was awarded on video review.

Italy seemed to be coasting toward victory before Ukraine pulled one back shortly before halftime.

Azzurri goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarrumma made a great save to deny Artem Dovbyk and the Italy defenders should have cleared the ball but Yarmolenko was quickest onto the rebound to stroke it into an empty net.

Italy could have sealed the win in the second half as Raspadori and Giorgio Scalvini sent attempts just off target while a Manuel Locatelli shot cannoned off the crossbar.

BELLINGHAM STARS AS ENGLAND BEAT SCOTLAND 3-1 IN INTERNATIONAL SOCCER’S OLDEST RIVALRY

ENGLAND’S JUDE BELLINGHAM, second right, celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the international friendly soccer match between Scotland and England at the Hampden Park stadium in Glasgow, Scotland, Tuesday. (AP PhotoScott Heppell) GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Scotland vs. England is international’s soccer’s oldest rivalry. Jude Bellingham is one of the sport’s brightest young stars.

And on Tuesday the Real Madrid midfielder continued his outstanding start to the season by inspiring England to a 3-1 win at Hampden Park.

Bellingham scored a goal and provided an assist for Harry Kane after Phil Foden had fired the Three Lions ahead in the game that celebrated the 150-year anniversary of the Scottish Football Association.

A Harry Maguire own goal provided the only moment of cheer for the hosts.

Bellingham is back with his England teammates after making a sensational start to life at Madrid, where he has scored five goals in four games since joining from Borussia Dortmund in June for a fee that could reach

$139 million.

He is quickly establishing himself as one of the world’s elite players and is likely to be central to England’s bid to win next year’s European Championship.

“He’s so mature for his age, an unreal talent, a massive talent and important for us with the way we play,” Foden said.

“We need Jude a lot and it’s a pleasure to play with him and we link up really well.”

The 20-year-old Bellingham dominated a Scotland team that is on the verge of qualifying for Euro 2024 itself after winning five out of five games in qualifying to top a group that includes Spain.

Bellingham said he hadn’t been happy with his performance in England’s 1-1 draw against Ukraine on Saturday.

“It wasn’t anywhere near my best and the motivation

is always to get back to your best. I got somewhere close tonight,” he said.

Scotland’s form had given its supporters hope of a famous win against it fiercest rival in the 116th meeting between the teams.

The fixture dates back to 1872 and, but for a pause during World War II, the clash was held annually until 1989.

This was only the ninth meeting since then, with the majority of those matches in tournaments or qualifying.

The rivalry remains intense even in the absence of regular games and that was evident ahead of kickoff when England’s national anthem was drowned out by jeers from the home crowd.

A moment’s silence as mark of respect for late Scotland manager Craig Brown and those affected by the tragic events in Morocco and Libya was then disrupted by sections of the

stadium.

The hostile atmosphere did not stop England from stamping its authority from the outset and the visitors were ahead 2-0 by halftime.

Bellingham and Foden pulled Scotland apart with their movement and passing.

Foden showed a deft touch to divert Kyle Walker’s 32nd minute cross over the line from close range.

Three minutes later Bellingham capitalised on a mistake from Andy Robertson in Scotland’s box and lashed a shot through a crowded box.

Scotland failed to register a shot on target before the break and showed little threat in the second half until being gifted a way back into the game.

It came from the foot of halftime substitute Maguire, who poked Robertson’s cross into his own net in the 67th.

That got a reaction from

the crowd, but it was England that stepped up the intensity.

Substitute Eberechi Eze was denied by Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn when through on goal and in the 81st Kane completed the scoring.

Bellingham was the provider with a disguised pass on the edge of the box and Kane finished clinically for his record-extending 59th goal for England.

“England started like the top side they are. We’re not there, but we’re trying to develop, trying to get better,” Scotland coach Steve Clarke said. “We’ve always come back stronger from adversity, and let’s hope that’s the case.”

Scotland needs two points to qualify for Euro 2024.

“The camp’s been a success, because we’ve got a perfect record in the qualifying group. We’re in a good place,” Clarke added.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 13, 2023, PAGE 15

ANALYSIS: NOVAK DJOKOVIC ISN’T SURPRISED HE KEEPS WINNING GRAND SLAM TITLES. WE SHOULDN’T BE, EITHER

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The assumption, at least by many, was that Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer would cede the stage by now and make room at the top of men’s tennis for other players to begin accumulating Grand Slam titles.

Well, Federer retired, and Nadal missed nearly all of this season with a hip problem that he expects to end his career after one last hurrah in 2024. Djokovic?

He just keeps on going at age 36, dominant as ever.

As of Monday, Djokovic is back at No. 1 in the ATP rankings and the owner of 24 major championships, a record for the Open era and tied with Margaret Court for the most in the history of tennis. Djokovic’s U.S. Open title, which arrived Sunday via a 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory over Daniil Medvedev, gave him three Slam trophies this season, each

by beating a much younger opponent in the final.

Before facing Medvedev, Djokovic was asked whether he finds it unusual that he is still doing what he is doing, against the new generation. The answer, essentially, was “No.” And, frankly, no one else should be shocked by it one bit, either.

“It probably sounds cocky or arrogant, but I’m not really surprised, because I know how much work and dedication and energy I put into trying to be in this position. So I know that I deserve this. I always believe in myself, in my own capabilities, in my skills, in my quality as a tennis player to be able to deliver when it matters,” Djokovic said. “So I’m not really surprised, to be honest with you. Because I feel good.

Physically I have been as fit or as prepared, as strong as — I don’t want to say ‘as ever,’ but — I mean, as good as I have been in years and years.”

He went 27-1 at the majors in 2023, losing only in July’s Wimbledon final in five sets against 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz (whom, it should be noted, Djokovic beat in the Cincinnati Masters final last month and just replaced at No. 1).

In January’s Australian Open final, Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas.

In June’s French Open final, he got past Casper Ruud.

Both were 24 at the time.

Medvedev is 27.

“So ‘age is just a number’ — that phrase is resonating at the moment with me,” Djokovic said. “And I don’t want to even consider leaving tennis or thinking about an end if I’m still at the top of the game.”

Of course not. Why should he?

Over his career, Djokovic has won exactly a third of the 72 Slams in which he’s participated. After going 12-9 in Grand Slam finals during his 20s — when the losses came against Federer, Nadal, Andy Murray and

NOVAK DJOKOVIC, of Serbia, kisses 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) Stan Wawrinka — he is 12-3 in his 30s, with losses against Nadal, Alcaraz and, at the 2021 U.S. Open, Medvedev.

Since the start of the 2021 season, Djokovic has won seven of the 10 majors he entered and was the runner-up at another (he was unable to participate in two because he isn’t vaccinated against COVID-19).

“You need to reinvent yourself, because everyone else does,” said Djokovic, who won 20 of the 22 points Sunday on which he serveand-volleyed, not his usual style. “As a 36-year-old competing with 20-yearolds, I probably have to do it more than I have ever

done it.”

A question was put to his coach, 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, about whether Djokovic might walk away if he gets a 25th major trophy to surpass Court.

Ivanisevic’s reply: “I don’t think so, no. No, he’s planning to play (at the) Olympic Games in Los Angeles.”

That’s scheduled for 2028, by which time Djokovic will be 41.

There’s no reason right now to think it’s not possible, both because of Djokovic’s focus on physical and mental fitness and because of his insatiable

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-DAY FORECAST

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Mostly sunny

Mainly clear

Brilliant sunshine

Plenty of sunshine

A t-storm in spots in the afternoon

A t-storm in spots in the afternoon

High: 90°

Low: 79°

High: 91° Low: 78°

High: 91° Low: 77°

High: 90° Low: 75°

High: 89° Low: 78°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

101° F

86° F

101°-85° F

103°-83° F

102°-85° F

100°-86° F

ORLANDO

TAMPA

High: 93° F/34° C Low: 78° F/26° C

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

8-16 knots

S

WEST PALM BEACH High: 91° F/33° C Low: 76° F/24° C

8-16 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 78° F/26° C

E

W S

E

W

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 76° F/24° C

MIAMI

High: 94° F/34° C Low: 79° F/26° C

4-8 knots

KEY WEST

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 82° F/28° C

NASSAU

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

7:31 a.m.

7:51 p.m.

2.8 3.2

1:37 a.m.

1:38 p.m.

0.9 0.8

ALMANAC

Thursday

8:08 a.m.

8:26 p.m.

3.0 3.2

2:11 a.m.

2:17 p.m.

0.8 0.7

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 88° F/31° C Low .................................................... 81° F/27° C Normal high ....................................... 88° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 75° F/24° C Last year’s high .................................. 91° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 79° F/26° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday .................................. trace Year to date ................................................ 40.81” Normal year to date ................................... 26.66”

Friday

8:44 a.m.

9:00 p.m.

3.1 3.2

2:43 a.m.

2:55 p.m.

0.7 0.7

Saturday

9:19 a.m.

9:33 p.m.

3.2 3.1

3:15 a.m.

3:33 p.m.

0.7 0.7

Sunday

9:54 a.m.

10:07 p.m.

3.2 3.0

3:46 a.m.

4:10 p.m.

0.6 0.8

Monday

10:30 a.m.

10:43 p.m.

3.2 2.8

4:18 a.m.

4:50 p.m.

0.7 0.8

Tuesday

11:09 a.m.

11:22 p.m.

3.2 2.7

4:52 a.m.

5:32 p.m.

0.7 0.9

SUN AND MOON Sunrise Sunset

6:55 a.m.

7:16 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

5:36 a.m.

6:48 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Sep. 14

Sep. 22

Sep. 29

Oct. 6

CAT ISLAND

E

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 80° F/27° C

N

S

E

W

8-16 knots

S

8-16 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2023

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N W

TIDES FOR NASSAU Ht.(ft.)

ELEUTHERA

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 79° F/26° C

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

High

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

N

UV INDEX TODAY

TODAY

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 76° F/24° C

appetite for success.

“If he wins 25, he’s going to think, ‘If I win 25, why not 26?’ It’s always one more, something more,” Ivanisevic said. “He’s taking care of his body. He’s taking care of everything. Every single detail has to be perfect, prepared.”

Medvedev teased Djokovic on Sunday, telling him it’s time to move on with his life.

Not happening.

“Players come and go.

It will be the same kind of destiny for me. Eventually, one day, I will leave tennis,” Djokovic said, before delivering the punch line: “... in about 23, 24 years.”

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 79° F/26° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 81° F/27° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

TRACKING MAP

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

8-16 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 92° F/33° C Low: 80° F/27° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 89° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

7-14 knots

8-16 knots

MARINE FORECAST ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday:

WINDS NE at 8-16 Knots NNW at 8-16 Knots N at 8-16 Knots NNW at 6-12 Knots NNW at 10-20 Knots NW at 7-14 Knots NNW at 10-20 Knots WNW at 7-14 Knots N at 8-16 Knots NNW at 8-16 Knots NNE at 7-14 Knots N at 6-12 Knots N at 8-16 Knots NNW at 7-14 Knots NW at 8-16 Knots WNW at 6-12 Knots NNW at 8-16 Knots NW at 6-12 Knots WNW at 10-20 Knots W at 8-16 Knots N at 8-16 Knots NNW at 7-14 Knots N at 7-14 Knots NW at 4-8 Knots N at 8-16 Knots NNW at 8-16 Knots

WAVES 8-12 Feet 6-10 Feet 1-2 Feet 0-1 Feet 8-12 Feet 6-10 Feet 6-10 Feet 4-8 Feet 8-12 Feet 6-10 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 4-7 Feet 3-6 Feet 10-14 Feet 8-12 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 84° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 84° F 84° F

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 13, 2023, PAGE 17

COMPUTER monitors and a laptop display the X, formerly known as Twitter, sign-in page.

Photo: Darko Vojinovic/AP

ELON MUSK ‘SHOULD NOT BE IMMUNE’ FROM TESTIFYING ABOUT HIS COMPANY

By BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology Writer THE US government says the former Twitter’s request to end oversight of its data privacy and security practices is “meritless” and owner Elon Musk should not be immune to testifying about the company since he has “first-hand knowledge” of the conduct being investigated.

This includes decisions he made since acquiring the company — including mass layoffs, hasty product launches and an overall “chaotic environment” — that could be in violation of a government order limiting its privacy and security practices.

The company now called X Corp had filed a motion in July for a protective order that would prevent Musk from having to testify

about the company — and for relief from its 2022 consent order with the Federal Trade Commission. In a Monday filing on behalf of the FTC, the US Department of Justice said that in seeking to end the FTC’s order, X merely “complains the FTC asked too many questions after Elon Musk acquired the company”.

But the FTC was asking questions, according to the filing, because of “sudden, radical changes at the company” after Musk took over. Within weeks, half of Twitter’s employees were terminated or resigned, “including key executives in privacy, data security, and compliance roles.”

There were also “alarming site outages, product malfunctions, and issues with data access controls,” the filing says — so the FTC had “every reason to

seek information” about whether the company was still complying with the order.

The FTC has been watching the company for years since Twitter agreed to a 2011 consent order alleging serious data security lapses.

But the agency’s concerns spiked with the tumult that followed Elon Musk’s Oct. 27 takeover of the company.

In March it was disclosed that the FTC was investigating Musk’s mass layoffs at Twitter and trying to obtain his internal communications as part of ongoing oversight of the social media company’s privacy and cybersecurity practices, according to documents described in a congressional report.

Twitter paid a $150m penalty in May 2022, about five months before Musk’s takeover, for violating the

2011 consent order. An updated version established new procedures requiring the company to implement an enhanced privacy-protection program as well as beef up information security. The company’s July filing seeks relief from the consent order, saying that the FTC’s investigation has “spiraled out of control”.

But the government’s filing Monday said the FTC was requesting information because it wanted to see if the company was properly protecting user data during its transformation from Twitter into X under Musk’s rule. The FTC heard from five former X employees during its investigation, who “revealed a chaotic environment at the company that raised serious questions about whether and how Musk and other leaders were ensuring X

MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com

TUESDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER 2023

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX:

CLOSE

CHANGE

%CHANGE

YTD

YTD%

2674.74

0.04

0.00

29.68

1.12

(242) 323-2330 (242) 323-2320

BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 7.00 43.95 2.76 2.70 5.74 7.00 10.61 4.70 12.21 4.30 10.00 16.00 4.30 10.60 11.67 3.83 18.25 4.50 12.72 17.33

52WK LOW 4.50 40.06 2.55 2.15 2.51 6.30 8.69 3.80 10.20 3.10 8.50 10.65 2.74 10.00 9.16 3.67 17.00 3.65 11.00 15.50

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Benchmark Bahamas First Holdings Limited Bank of Bahamas Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Cable Bahamas Commonwealth Brewery Commonwealth Bank Colina Holdings CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) Limited Focol Finco J. S. Johnson

SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ

LAST CLOSE 5.00 41.19 2.76 2.15 5.30 7.00 9.65 4.24 11.01 4.28 10.00 13.30 6.06 10.60 9.08 3.78 17.75 4.49 12.30 15.81

CLOSE 4.50 41.19 2.76 2.15 5.30 7.00 9.65 4.24 11.00 4.28 10.00 13.30 6.07 10.60 9.12 3.78 17.75 4.49 12.30 15.81

CHANGE (0.50) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.01) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

1.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

LAST SALE 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 94.76 100.00 93.32 89.42 90.89 96.10 99.87 100.78 100.81 97.15 100.14 100.03 100.23 100.36 100.65

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 94.76 100.00 93.32 89.42 90.89 96.10 99.87 100.78 100.81 97.15 100.14 100.03 100.23 100.36 100.65

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

VOLUME 1,100

100 349 14,000 23

EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.140 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.080 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610

P/E 18.8 44.2 N/M 15.4 N/M N/M 26.2 -9.7 78.6 23.3 22.3 18.4 59.5 22.7 14.1 5.2 21.8 22.1 13.1 25.1

YIELD 3.78% 3.06% 0.72% 3.72% 0.00% 0.00% 2.69% 0.00% 0.00% 2.80% 2.20% 5.41% 7.15% 0.57% 3.60% 6.35% 3.04% 2.67% 1.63% 3.86%

PREFERENCE SHARES 1.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

Bahamas First Holdings Preference Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Bahamas Class A Focol Class B

BFHP CHLA FBBA FCLB

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank (Note 22 Series B+) Bahamas First Holdings Limited

SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB

VOLUME

INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025

6.95% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.50% 6.25% 4.25% 5.35% 5.22% 5.06% 5.55% 5.65% 5.60% 6.40% 4.88% 4.87% 5.40% 4.40% 4.69% 4.56% 4.33% 4.53%

20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2022 17-Jan-2040 13-Oct-2037 13-Jul-2038 15-Apr-2049 15-Oct-2049 15-Jun-2040 15-Feb-2051 26-Jul-2035 26-Jul-2037 13-Oct-2036 19-Oct-2030 22-Sep-2033 4-May-2026 26-Jul-2028 7-Sep-2025

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 94.80 94.94 92.63 89.42 90.98 96.61 98.80 100.78 100.81 97.34 100.14 100.03 100.23 100.51 100.65

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 93.94 94.94 92.63 89.42 90.60 96.61 98.80 100.78 100.81 97.34 100.14 100.03 100.23 100.30 100.65

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y BGRS FX BGR134140 BGRS FX BGR118037 10/13/2037 BGRS FX BGR124238 07/13/2038 BGRS FX BGR129249 04/15/2049 BGRS FX BGR132249 10/15/2049 BGRS FX BGR138240 BGRS FX BGR142251 BGRS FL BGRS81035 07/26/2035 BGRS FL BGRS81037 07/26/2037 BGRS FX BGR112036 10/13/2036 BGRS FL BGRS89030 10/19/2030 BGRS FL BGRS84033 09/22/2033 BGRS FL BGRS77026 05/04/2026 BGRS FL BGRS88028 07/26/2028 BGRS FL BGRS75025 09/07/2025

BAH29 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0307 BG0330 BG0407 BSBGR1341407 BSBGR1180375 BSBGR1242381 BSBGR1292493 BSBGR1322498 BSBGR1380405 BSBGR1420516 BSBGRS810359 BSBGRS810375 BSBGR1120363 BSBGRS890302 BSBGRS840331 BSBGRS770264 BSBGRS880287 BSBGRS750258

160.00

70

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.64 5.00 2.29 192.48 199.29 1.80 2.05 1.91 0.98 10.20 13.51 7.80 16.64 12.84 10.77 16.27 11.22 14.89

52WK LOW 2.11 3.30 1.68 116.70 199.29 1.74 1.84 1.83 0.93 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund CFAL Global Fixed Income Fund Leno Financial Conservative Fund Leno Financial Aggressive Fund Leno Financial Balanced Fund Leno Financial Global Bond Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Equities Sub Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - High Yield Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Alternative Strategies Fund Coralisle Bahamas Fund - Class D Coralisle Bahamas Fund - Class E Coralisle Bahamas Fund - Class F

NAV 2.64 5.00 2.30 192.48 199.29 1.80 2.05 1.91 0.96 10.23 13.54 7.82 13.45 12.24 10.69 N/A 9.19 14.10

YTD% 1.95% 2.16% 1.36% 6.85% 1.07% 1.47% 3.58% 1.46% 0.59% 0.48% -0.50% 1.08% 2.47% 1.49% 0.71% N/A 3.00% N/A

12 MTH% 3.87% 3.79% 2.85% 8.83% N/A 2.82% 7.12% 2.87% -0.60% 8.25% 13.68% 3.07% -6.88% 0.87% 0.53% N/A 25.60% N/A

MARKET TERMS BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | CORALISLE 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

NAV Date 30-Jun-2023 30-Jun-2023 30-Jun-2023 30-Jun-2023 30-Jun-2023 30-Jun-2023 30-Jun-2023 30-Jun-2023 30-Jun-2023 24-Jul-2023 24-Jul-2023 24-Jul-2023 24-Jul-2023 24-Jul-2023 24-Jul-2023 31-Mar-2023 31-Mar-2023 31-Mar-2023

Corp.’s compliance” with the consent order.

For instance, Twitter’s former director of security engineering, Andrew Sayler, testified that he had “ongoing questions about Elon’s commitment to the overall security and privacy of the organization” because “the manner in which Elon was requesting us to grant access to third parties that had not undergone our regular vetting process struck” Sayler as “having some degree of disregard for the overall sensitivity and security at that level of access,” according to the filing.

In another example from the filing, Musk “insisted on launching the new Twitter Blue user verification service on an accelerated basis, despite staffing limitations.” The Tesla CEO, according to another former employee’s testimony, “insisted” that the service had to launch “right now” even though Twitter’s staffing was reduced so drastically that remaining employees were “struggling to keep the service up.”

Representatives for X did not immediately respond to a message for comment on Tuesday.

PAGE 18, Wednesday, September 13, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

CRUISE DEPARTURE HIKE ‘REAL MEASURE’ OF FISCAL SUCCESS from back page appears “well-positioned” to meet its revised year-end deficit target of $520.6m.

And, looking ahead to 2023-2024, the financial secretary said “the real measure” that will determine whether the Government achieves its objectives is the ambition to near-triple revenues earned from departing cruise passengers to $145m compared to the $50.642m initially projected for the last fiscal period.

This is to be accomplished via a series of new and increased fees, introduced with the May Budget, that involve a hike in the existing $18 per passenger departure tax. That is being increased to $23 for “every cruise passenger” leaving The Bahamas via

Nassau and Freeport, and to $25 per head for all those who exit “by sea from a private island not visiting any other port in The Bahamas”.

The revised tax structure, while designed to incentivise the cruise lines to call on Nassau and Freeport, and thus better spread the wealth through their passengers spending with more Bahamian companies and their employees, imposes departure tax increases of $5 and $7, respectively.

They are equivalent to a 27.8 percent and 38.9 percent rise, and take effect from January 1, 2024.

While 2022-2023’s likely outcome provides “some confidence” that the Government can hit the current year’s target, Mr Wilson told this newspaper: “In this fiscal period the real measure is going to be after

January, when new departure taxes take effect. We will not know what the real fiscal performance will be until after January.

“That’s a huge part of us achieving our target. These couple [sic, six] months will not really give you a good idea. We are seeing some improvement in some areas, but the real thing will be come January. Next year January will tell. That increased revenue from cruise ships is critical.”

Cruise departure taxes for the nine months to end-March 2023 stood at $87.847m, some 73.5 percent ahead of the full-year’s $50.642m target, with three months in the fiscal year still to go and the $18 rate still in effect. The former figure, which represents 61 percent of this year’s $144.89m target, will likely have given the Government further

confidence that its revenue goals will be achieved.

And Mr Wilson’s comments, highlighting the importance of this line item and the associated revenue increase, also explain why the Davis administration resisted cruise industry pressure to push the implementation date back beyond New Year’s Day 2024.

Mr Wilson, meanwhile, said the current fiscal year “is very critical” to both setting The Bahamas on a path to a Budget surplus and further restoring its credibility with international and local capital markets as a precursor to improved creditworthiness.

“Markets only remember what you’ve done lately,” he acknowledged. “Yes, we’ve made tremendous improvements, but markets tend only to remember your

latest results. Prior results do not count for anything.

We can say that we’ve recovered tremendously, but markets revert to what you’ve done lately, which is why the focus is on this year and not the prior year.”

The Government’s monthly fiscal report for May 2023 revealed a $75.9m deficit, with total revenue of $256.6m exceeded by total spending worth $332.5m.

The monthly deficit represented a $5m, or 6.2 percent, year-over-year decline compared to the $80.9m worth of ‘red ink’ incurred in May 2022.

“May’s performance was good. It was better than expected,” Mr Wilson disclosed. “We have a narrow window where we have these months of fiscal surplus, and that window is essentially February, March and April. Those three months determine what happens to your deficit.

“What we got in May was a bonus. We are comfortable. May was comfortable for us, and gives us some cushion for the June numbers because June is typically when you do clean-up and catch up with postings and so forth.” The Government generated small Budget surpluses, worth a combined $32.3m, during the first four months of the 2023 calendar year as this period typically

coincides with the peak winter tourism season and bulk of economic activity.

It also includes Business Licence fee payments, a significant amount of real property tax collections and commercial vehicle licensing month. This surplus, albeit modest, helps to slow the deficit’s expansion and keep it on track to hit the Government’s full-year target, with May’s near-$76m worth of ‘red ink’ taking the deficit for the first 11 months to $321.4m.

Mr Wilson said the Davis administration remains “well-positioned” to hit the revised 2022-2023 full-year deficit target of $520.6m, which was almost $200m away with one month left in the period. “We are still doing the final bits of clean up, but I think we’re well positioned,” he added, while acknowledging the toll June can inflict.

“We can’t rest on our laurels. June is its own beast,” Mr Wilson said. “You can fool yourself and say you will be OK, but it takes only one thing in June to blow everything up.” The Government incurred a $318.7m deficit for June 2022, and a repeat performance this year would take the 12-month deficit to $640m - above both the revised $520.6m target and the initial $575.4m.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 13, 2023, PAGE 19

ARAWAKX TO FIGHT SOLVENCY SHUT DOWN BID ‘ALL THE WAY’ from back page However, Christina Rolle, the Securities Commission’s executive director, slammed Mr Rahming’s comments to Tribune Business as “inaccurate” and “misrepresentations of the facts”. She declined to comment further, citing a confidentiality clause and the fact that the regulator’s ArawakX investigation is still ongoing.

However, the regulator, in a subsequent statement, confirmed both the 15-day licence/registration suspension and that its probe relates to concerns over “the trading platform’s solvency”. It also blasted a letter that Mr Rahming released to the media yesterday afternoon as containing “inflammatory” statements and “outright fabrications”, some of which it branded as defamatory.

“The Commission finds it most unfortunate that, instead of addressing the Commission’s substantive and very serious issues, Mr Rahming has chosen to make inflammatory misrepresentations and outright fabrications of the Commission’s concerns in a public forum,” the Securities Commission said.

“The Securities Commission has exercised both patience and restraint in dealing with MDollaz, trading as ArawakX, and we continue to exercise our professionalism in this regard. However, the Commission will not tolerate wild, misleading and potentially libellous accusations of the nature made in the referenced communication.

“The Commission seeks only to resolve its regulatory concerns with the principals of MDollaz trading as ArawakX in the interest of the investing public. As always, the Commission remains committed to its professionalism and hopeful that these matters can come to a productive end.”

Mr Rahming, in exposing ArawakX’s woes publicly, linked its difficulties to a highly-publicised battle for control of the crowd-funding platform with one-time Colina Insurance Company president, James Campbell.

Tribune Business disclosed in June how the fight with Mr Campbell, an ‘angel investor’ who provided ArawakX with a portion of its start-up funding, resulted in multiple bank accounts held with BISXlisted Bank of The Bahamas being temporarily frozen.

Justice Simone Fitzcharles, in a May 16, 2023, Order that also mentions Mr Campbell by name, ruled that Bank of The Bahamas “shall forthwith restore the claimant’s [ArawakX] access to, and operation of, all of the accounts” that had previously been frozen.

The Supreme Court judge also ordered that Mr Campbell, “and all persons claiming under, by and through Mr Campbell, shall not continue or subsequently prosecute” any claims against the BISX-listed institution as set out in “the

Higgs and Johnson letter dated October 28, 2022”.

However, Mr Rahming, a former Bahamas International Securities Exchange (BISX) chief operating officer, yesterday blamed the battle with Mr Campbell for triggering the Securities Commission’s “investigation that is still ongoing, 11 months later”. He subsequently described it as “an 11-month ‘examination’ without end”, with the regulator placing “impositions formal and informal” on ArawakX that threaten to “starve” it of capital and drive the platform into voluntary liquidation.

Given what transpired between Arawak X and Mr Campbell, father of newly-promoted minister of agriculture and fisheries, Jomo Campbell, any financial regulator would be drawn to examine the financial implications for the crowd-funding platform, its corporate issuers and wider Bahamian investors.

This was acknowledged

by Mr Rahming, who told Tribune Business: “The Commission has a right to investigate its financial institutions at any time. We’re not disputing that. They look at all the processes, all your finances, everything you’re doing to run an exchange.

This is a normal thing.

“What is not normal is that it has taken so long, and when you give them the same information over and again, they seem to be slow walking their investigation.

They’ve also imposed impositions on our ability to trade and access funding through bringing in new shareholders. They’ve blocked our ability to raise and crowd fund new companies.

“We have a number of investors that are awaiting approval from the Commission to invest in ArawakX. They have invested, and we have sent to the Commission their names for approval, but we don’t have any confidence in the leadership of the Commission.” Mr Rahming said the regulator had imposed “informal” measures on ArawakX from October 2022, halting further crowdfund raises via the platform, with more “formal” steps taken this year.

The ArawakX chief added that the timing of the prohibition on new capital raises “interrupted” the already-launched bid by Nassau Gas to raise up to $3m from Bahamian investors. “We fortunately got them over the line, but applied for an extension that we never got,” he added of Nassau Gas. “They have investors and shareholders and we feel they never got a fair shake.”

Mr Rahming said the Securities Commission’s scrutiny of ArawakX then intensified further after the battle for control with Mr Campbell became public.

“After we had announced the problems with Jimmy and Bank of The Bahamas, we reported this to them [the Commission] because Bank of The Bahamas was erroneously reporting information to them on

our fiduciary accounts,” he added. “We noticed those accounts had been changed” after they were unfrozen.

“You would think at that point in time a regulator would take this under advisement,” Mr Rahming continued. “They never mentioned it to us again, and came back even harder with impositions. They have shut down our ability to function. There’s a hearing tomorrow [today] which we did not have enough time to prepare for. It appears to have changed from ‘slow walking’ to a sudden demand that ArawakX be wound up.

“They suspended our licence for 15 days, which finishes tomorrow. During this suspension they didn’t want us to talk to anybody or do anything. They gave us a list of questions to answer, which we are answering, and we have our attorney reviewing the answers at this time. They gave us 15 days to answer.”

Mr Rahming said the Securities Commission had “used those exact terms”, when asked if it had warned ArawakX about the possibility of being placed into voluntary or court-supervised liquidation. Should the regulator decide this is necessary, he pledged that the crowd-funding platform would immediately initiate legal action to obtain an injunction that would - at least temporarily - block it while maintaining the status quo.

“We’re still weighing all the options,” Mr Rahming said. “We will be looking for legal recourse all the way to the Privy Council if necessary. The most frightful part of this is so many good, young people worked

for us in earnest and we were not able to keep them on because we did not have the funds and market to do so.

“There are also a lot of experts, people who put in their time and made this work. They came in and assisted us. We were creating jobs and wealth for Bahamians. That’s the saddest part of this; we have had to let 14 people go.

Only the executive team is left.” Besides Mr Rahming and his son, D’Arcy junior, those remaining include former Bahamas Chamber of Commerce president, Winston Rolle, and ex-RND Holdings and Colina Real Estate Fund chief, Ken Donathan.

ArawakX was originally created to fill a void in the Bahamian capital markets, which previously lacked a platform allowing startups and entrepreneurs to raise up to $5m in equity financing within a regulated market. It was also designed to give Bahamian investors access to greater and more diversified ownership opportunities, thereby helping to increase and spread the wealth.

Asked about the potential fall-out if ArawakX was to disappear, Mr Rahming said companies that have completed their crowd-fund raises - such as Red Lobster and Tropical Gyros - will feel no impact and neither will their investors.

However, he added: “The impact, first of all, will be that the market we have developed and all the thousands of people able to benefit from the market no longer have this option to raise funds. We are the only ones in the region able to successfully pull

this off because technology, marketing, investor relations - all the skills that are needed to run a successful market, no one in the region is able to do it except us.

“We were doing it quite successfully, time after time, and developing quite a rhythm to it. We took time to educate and make sure investors and issuers are properly monitored. The impact is this will be a real loss for The Bahamas. The issuer companies increased their scale, increased their locations and hired people.

It will be a loss; a loss to The Bahamas.”

Mr Rahming also suggested that any move to wind-up ArawakX now would interfere with its upcoming Supreme Court action seeking damages from Bank of The Bahamas for the freezing of its accounts, which is due to be heard this October.

Mr Campbell, who was ousted from his Colina Insurance Company post some 15 years ago after losing a corporate battle with then-business partners, now AF Holdings principals, Emanuel Alexiou and Tony Ferguson, could not

be reached for comment before press time last night.

ArawakX’s woes have been evident for some time.

Besides the battle with Mr Campbell, this newspaper revealed last month how its landlord, Sandyport Development Company, had placed an eviction notice on its offices and changed the locks due to the platform falling into arrears on rental payments.

ArawakX said at the time that it had moved to its own building off Joe Farrington Road, attributing the lease default to legal issues being ironed out with one of its financiers. Referring to the battle with Mr Campbell, Mr Rahming said: “During this time we haven’t been able to generate any revenues or put any funds into the company.

“We recognise the impact of our Sandyport offices as a Community Investor Education Centre and we intend to be reopening that shortly as well. We fell behind in our bill because during this takeover, audit and examination period we haven’t been able to generate any revenue or inject any funds, including our own into the company.”

PAGE 20, Wednesday, September 13, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

INSOLVENT CONTRACTOR’S STAFF RECOVER JUST 10% from back page unsecured creditors - who they did not name - will recover nothing of the collective $133,736 they are owed despite these claims being approved.

Of the total $380,631 in assets realised from Bobcat’s winding-up, some $137,717 - 36.2 percent or more than one-third - were required to cover the liquidation’s costs, including those of the Crowe Bahamas accountants and their attorneys. Some $74,633 was also set aside to complete outstanding expenses likely to be incurred in completing Bobcat’s wind-up.

Messrs Davies and Christie could not be reached for comment before press time yesterday, but it is thought that they are relatively satisfied with the outcome given that they had to seek purchasers for Bobcat’s remaining machinery and equipment at the height of the COVID pandemic when sales prices were less than they otherwise might have been.

The Crowe (Bahamas) duo, in their last report to the Supreme Court in July 2022, admitted that recoveries from the selloff of Bobcat Bahamas’

equipment, inventory and vehicles was far lower than anticipated, coming in at a total $380,630 - a sum almost 37 percent or more than one-third below their initial estimates of $602,750.

“The actual realisations of the assets, particularly plant and machinery, are materially lower than expected. While the joint official liquidators note certain sectors of the construction industry have remained relatively buoyant through the pandemic, this outcome is not unreasonable given the overall severe economic challenges the jurisdiction has faced,” they argued.

“The joint official liquidators are comfortable that the format and timing of the sales process they ran maximised returns for the liquidation estate. The joint official liquidators note that if realisations of plant and machinery were in line with pre-pandemic estimates, the financial position of preferred and unsecured creditor classes would have been significantly improved.”

Breaking down the recoveries, Messrs Davies and Christie that when it came to plant and machinery assets “total realisations net of VAT amounted to

$324,253 against a pre-pandemic estimated value of $466,050.

“This represents a recovery of 70 percent on expected sales value which the joint official liquidators consider a satisfactory outcome given the significant negative impact of the pandemic on the domestic economy, and the challenges of running a sales process during this same period.”

The Crowe Bahamas duo’s notice, meanwhile, also confirms they had to admit a disputed $54,161 VAT bill issued by the Government as part of the $203,002 preferential creditor claims. The Department of Inland Revenue/Ministry of Finance submitted the VAT claim in the Bobcat Bahamas liquidation - even though the sum was owed

by Cavalier - on the basis of joint liability.

The Government’s argument was that, since Cavalier and Bobcat were part of the same tax-paying group under the VAT Act, all become liable to pay outstanding taxes if one entity fails to make the necessary payments that are owing. The liquidators previously wrote that, should the unpaid VAT claim be accepted, the total sum due

to the preferred creditors would be $203,002 - the same figure as printed in the notice.

Having to admit the VAT claim reduced the payout, and recovery, for Bobcat Bahamas staff. At the time of the liquidators’ July 2022 report, they were owed a collective $148,842 in unpaid severance and other benefits that came due when the company closed its doors in January 2020.

Of the net $180,489 cash that was forecast to be left when all liquidation expenses were paid, some 61.8 percent or $111,590 was due to go to CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) leaving the former Bobcat employees and the Government to fight over the then-remaining $68,899.

“The liquidation has experienced significant delays and unexpected

complexities as a result of the worldwide pandemic.

The joint official liquidators have within these restrictive and challenging conditions sought to maximise returns for the creditors of Bobcat Bahamas,” Messrs Davies and Christie concluded in their July 2022 report.

“These delays resulted in increased holding costs to maintain adequate insurance and security of the assets the joint official liquidators took charge of. These costs in turn impacted overall returns for creditors as they were paid for out of the liquidation estate.

“The joint official liquidators were not in a position to wait for the pandemic to dissipate and the economy to stabilise given the significant amount of uncertainty involved, and so ran the sales process for the main assets of the company in April 2021.”

The Crowe Bahamas duo are also responsible for Cavalier Construction’s liquidation, which is understood to presently be at a standstill. That winding-up largely hinged on the sale of Cavalier’s former head office on Crawford Street in Oakes Field and the sales price realised.

However, again as secured creditor, CIBC FirstCaribbean is thought to have intervened and sold the property itself using its power-of-sale under the collateral. All proceeds from the sale of a property once valued at $2m have gone to pay off the bank’s loan. It is understood, though, that the liquidators are awaiting a possible recovery from the sale of an asset held by Cavalier’s former parent, Galaxy Group, which owes the insolvent contractor money.

GOV’T REVENUE GOAL ‘VERY CLOSE’ DESPITE VAT MISS from back page Mr Wilson previously said the tax authorities’ compliance and enforcement efforts place the higher 2023-2024 VAT target within reach, and he yesterday explained that uncertainties and time lags relating to when the Department of Inland Revenue actually receives the 10 percent VAT on real estate transactions is impacting the Government’s revenue forecasting ability.

“A big portion that impacts us on VAT is real estate,” he added. “As an example, you have a transaction announced like the one in today’s paper - a high value sale on Paradise Island. We may see that revenue in six months. We have transactions submitted for us to process in April and, for a variety of reasons, funds have not been paid. There are questions raised about value, and other queries. That is really, in terms of revenue forecasting, a significant issue.”

To address this, Mr Wilson said all revenue and tax-related processing has been moved online so that documents and payments can be submitted digitally rather than via multiple trips to the Department of Inland Revenue.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance’s May fiscal report revealed that The Bahamas’ national debt increased by $306.2m during the month, a $305.7m rise compared to

the year before, due to the Government’s net borrowing activities.

“Proceeds of borrowings during the period totalled $468m via $108m in Bahamas Registered Stock, $100m in Central Bank advances and $260m in drawings from international development agencies,” the report said. “Repayments totalled $161.8m owing to repayments of $100m for Central Bank advances, $58m for Bahamas Registered Stock and $3.8m for domestic bank loans.”

However, the borrowing from “development agencies” such as the InterAmerican Development Bank and Caribbean Development Bank increased The Bahamas’ foreign currency debt by $260m. Mr Wilson, though, said this did not represent a departure from the Government’s annual borrowing plan, which was to source the bulk of its financing needs domestically, as this represented low-cost funding that is being used to refinance higher interest loans.

“If we borrow foreign currency we borrow from the multilaterals, and we use foreign currency not to fund domestic expenditure but to repay higher cost foreign currency debt,” he explained. Mr Wilson said The Bahamas is able to access financing from these agencies at rates typically around 4-5 percent, compared to the country’s present bond market yield curve of around 10.5 percent to 11 percent.

Giving the example of

a $200m loan, he added that The Bahamas would presently have to repay around $20m per year in debt servicing costs at 10 percent interest, but using multilateral agency funding this could drop to $12m per year - an $8m saving.

“That’s nothing to sneeze at. It’s good cash flow management,” Mr Wilson said.

The Government’s May fiscal report said: “Revenue receipts totaled $256.6m, a 23.8 percent ($49.3m) increase year-over-year. Tax collections totaled $221.1m, supported by $98.9m in VAT receipts; $65m in international trade and transactions taxes; $49.2m in other taxes on goods and services; and $6.9m in property taxes.

“Non-tax revenue collections of $35.4m were explained by $19.3m from the sale of goods and services, and $16.1m in other non-tax revenue.” As for expenditure, the report added: “Total expenditure aggregated $332.5m, a 15.4 percent ($44.3m) increase compared to the same period of the prior year.

Recurrent expenditures totaled $296m, an 8.6 percent ($23.4m) increase compared to the prior year. Outlays comprised $67.6m in personal emoluments; $71.9m on the use of goods and services; $71.2m in public debt interest payments; $34.8m in subsidies; and $20.8m in social assistance and transfers. Capital expenditures increased by 133.9 percent ($20.9m) to $36.5m, comprised of $30.8m to acquire non-financial assets and $5.6m in capital transfers.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 13, 2023, PAGE 21

BAHAMASAIR IS CARIBBEAN’S BEST AIRLINE FOR FOURTH YEAR BAHAMASAIR yesterday announced it has been recognised as the leading airline in the Caribbean for the fourth consecutive year by the World Travel Awards.

The honour was presented at a ceremony held in St Lucia on August 26, 2023. It was received by Prince Storr, Bahamasair’s deputy managing director, who was accompanied

by Board director Cordell Knowles.

In an interview with Global Travel News, Mr

Storr said: “This is an incredible moment for Bahamasair, and we owe this prestigious honour to our hardworking and dedicated staff members who have consistently demonstrated their unwavering commitment to excellence in air travel and customer service. It is their tireless efforts that have made this achievement possible.”

Mr Storr also acknowledged the public’s role in Bahamasair’s success, adding: “We are immensely grateful to our

loyal passengers and the general public for their continued support. Your trust in Bahamasair motivates us to continually improve our services and deliver the best possible travel experience.”

The World Travel Awards honour outstanding achievements in various sectors of the travel and tourism industry. Participants are able to vote online, which allows travellers and industry professionals to cast their votes for their favourite airlines and travel companies.

Bahamas’ 27% water heat surge ‘devastating’ to coral from back page “Coral species show some sign of disease, with approximately 15 percent to 25 percent exhibiting signs of a white fleshy film on the surface of the coral, which appears to be stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD). This needs to be identified before they are relocated and isolated from other corals for further treatment,” the EIA said.

“The coral communities were videotaped using a Go Pro camera in all survey areas. The initial indication was that the whole area appeared typical. However, on closer inspection there was live coral exhibiting white sections or what appeared to be sand covering sections of the coral.

The coral species observed close to the proposed overwater structures showed similar white sandy patches and was also considered ‘suspicious’ for SCTLD. “Upon further detailed investigation, it appears that Stony Coral Loss Disease (SCLD) is present in the offshore coral communities on small, isolated coral heads, in about approximately 15 percent of the corals. This needs to be continued to be monitored with an action plan developed to mitigate the spread of the disease.”

Rebecca Lightbourn, manager at Exuma Water Sports (EWS), yesterday said the corals reefs around Exuma are not as vibrant as they once were and warned that the negative effects of climate change will impact the entire country.

She said: “There are still some spectacular reefs, but definitely even the last time I went out, I did notice that it’s not as beautiful. It’s not as tropical, it’s not as bright as it used to be. And, unfortunately, this is something that is going to be a long-term effect of climate change. It’s got to be something that people start believing in because this is going to affect not just the tour companies; it’s going to affect all of us.”

The Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS) and The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) said the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (ECLSP) is experiencing one of the most drastic coral bleaching events in recorded history after completing an exploration of the area.

Their findings showed that up to 100 percent of corals are bleached in certain areas, while even the most resilient reefs show a 50 percent bleaching rate. They indicated that the ecological and economic implications of coral bleaching were “profound” as global coral reefs contribute $2.7trn annually, with the reefs of The Bahamas alone potentially contributing up to $135m per square kilometre.

Ms Lightbourn said that for the past 17 years EWS has been offering tours around the Exuma cays and, while some reefs are still “absolutely spectacular”, others have lost their lustre. She added that many visitors are aware that other jurisdictions provide a better snorkelling experience so they no longer visit Exuma just to see the reefs.

She said: “We snorkel in the lower cays, just north of Great Exuma. There are still some reefs that are absolutely spectacular and better than I’ve seen in other places, but definitely there are others where you can just see that it’s not nearly as vibrant as it used to be.

“Snorkelling is always a nice bonus. It’s sad to say that people don’t necessarily come to Exuma for the snorkelling. People are almost well aware that there are other countries that are better for that now.”

Ms Lightbourn added that although visitors are becoming increasingly interested in eco-tours, during which they can explore the beaches and interact with animals, there are still people who want to snorkel the area and are sometimes disappointed by the reality of the coral’s health.

She said: “People are much more into eco tours now and they really want to see wildlife. They’re interested in the sharks, and in the fish and the dolphins, and we’re fortunate that we use those things currently.

We’re lucky that we have so many beautiful beaches and that really is the focus of our tours “But there’s always people who are on their honeymoon or this is their first beach vacation, and this is their first-time snorkelling. It’s something that people want to do and so they go in expecting that they’re going to be swimming in the tank at Atlantis, and it’s not always like that any more.”

A manager of a water tour company in Exuma, which offers snorkel and diving packages, said coral bleaching is the worst he has seen in 12 years. Speaking to Tribune Business anonymously, he said visitors come to The Bahamas to see the corals and the animals that thrive off them, and their demise would be a blow to the tourism industry.

He said: “I’ve seen an astounding amount of bleaching in shallow corals, even in some deeper areas.

It’s the worst I’ve seen in 12 years or so. If we continue to see these adverse effects of climate change on the coral it would be a direct hit to business because a huge chunk of industry is tourism.

“People are coming to see those beautiful coral reefs and, subsequently, the aquatic life that inhabit them and frequent them. So if there’s no coral reefs, no fish, nothing pretty to see, it makes it not as worthwhile to come. It would cause a plummet in visitors subsequently, as well income for operators like myself and others.”

He added that bleached coral can regenerate once

conditions improve, and is hopeful this year’s high summer temperatures will not reoccur. “Bleaching is not necessarily the death of coral. It’s just a chemical reaction in the coral trying

to bring itself to a recessive state to hopefully regenerate once conditions are better,” he said.

“So hopefully conditions better themselves to where the water

temperature drops enough for the corals to regenerate themselves and we hopefully don’t have another spell like this for the foreseeable future.”

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Parking Lot Supervisor Responsible for supervising daily parking lot operation.

Essential Primary Responsibilities: • • • • • • • • • • •

Confident in excel (this is a must).

Proficient in computer literacy.

Must have own laptop. Must be able to communicate professionally + clearly through email.

Ability to create work schedules for employees.

Previous customer relations training.

Parking lot operations, including revenue collection and parking ticket procedures.

Ability to smile, acknowledge, greet and extend a warm welcome to each and every customer.

Ability to enhance the well being of each customer to ensure a positive, memorable parking experience.

Ability to provide high levels of customer service and demands the same from all parking lot attendants.

Ability to maintain high standard of cleanliness of work area, personal appearance, organization, etc. and demand the same from associates.

Ability to use Microsoft word to create and edit parking lot licenses.

Essential Job Functions: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Walk the location to observe the physical condition and appearance of the location, the volume of business and the performance of the attendants.

Monitor the performance of all employees and provide feedback as appropriate.

Instruct, train, supervise and evaluate subordinate personnel and also on company procedures and policies.

Implement and enforce customer service standards.

Aid in the completion of employee reviews.

Lead in the auditing of cashier reports and daily summaries.

Learn Accounting procedures.

Provide information to and respond to inquiries from the public.

Inspect parking lots and ensure the proper correction of problems relating to their physical conditions Put in place maintenance contracts on the parking equipment.

Assist the Building Manager in reviewing the parking lot operations and oversee the efficient utilization of staff and equipment.

Responsible for management of parking facility in the absence of the Building Manager.

Prepare periodic reports regarding parking lot operations and revenues along with Building Manager.

Perform any other reasonable tasks and duties as assigned by management.

Knowledge of trouble shoot parking machines if there is an error.

DAYS: Wednesday – Sunday | HOURS: 10am – 6pm Starting Salary Range $20,800.00 - $24,000.00 per annum Email your resume & cover letter to: bahamasparkingsupervisor@gmail.com

PAGE 22, Wednesday, September 13, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

Over 160 Port licensees discuss Freeport’s future MORE than 160 Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) licensees and supporters have attended an event designed to educate them about their rights and benefits under Freeport’s founding treaty.

The education seminar, staged by the Concerned Freeport Licensees Association (CFLA), was intended to bring all 3,000 GBPA licensees together through better informing them about the advantages their businesses enjoy under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. The meeting also discussed Freeport’s future, given the ongoing public battle between the Government and GBPA over the former’s bid to force change at the city’s quasi-governmental authority.

The association, formed just eight weeks ago with 25-30 initial members,

was created in response to the Government’s attacks on the GBPA and promise of “decisive,” but as yet unspecified, actions to reform both the regulatory body and the Hawksbill Creek Agreement.

The GBPA has pushed back against the Davis administration’s criticisms, while also striking a conciliatory tone by calling for a collaborative approach between the two to move Freeport forward.

The public back-andforth has been perceived by many licensees as a potential threat to the livelihoods of Grand Bahama citizens, who are still recovering from Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kirk Antoni, the Cafferata & Co attorney and partner, and Association member, told the seminar: “I love this

island and am not going anywhere. My family prospered here, and I want my children and their children to do the same. But we can only achieve this if we stand together, educate ourselves and speak out for what we want.

“As licensees, we are very much stakeholders in this and we are calling on the Government and GBPA to work together and, indeed, take decisive action that reaps the material and progressive change we are looking for.” The Association emphasised that it is an independent organisation and not affiliated with the GBPA. “Like many Grand Bahamians, we have concerns about the current state of the city. However, we firmly believe in the potential of a functioning Hawksbill Creek Agreement using the mandates and concessions granted to Mr Groves and, subsequently, to the Hayward and St George families for the benefit of our community,” explained Darren Cooper, an Association member.

“Our seminar last night aimed to educate our fellow licensees about the historical facts surrounding the Hawksbill Creek

LICENSEES listening during the seminar and, right, Kirk Antoni, the Cafferata and Co attorney and partner, addressing the audience.

Photos: CFLA Agreement, and the growth and development of our city under the regulation of a functional GBPA.” Dillon Knowles, an Association panellist, added: “We have issues with the two families, with transparency and our administrators. The Hawksbill Creek Agreement provides us with a ‘third agreement’, in which local licensees must agree or approve of any changes, and that precludes Parliament as well.”

The Association said its mission is to unite the 3,000 GBPA licensees, educate one another and work collaboratively to

improve Grand Bahama.

It has reached out via correspondence to both the Government and the GBPA and, to-date, it has met with the latter but is still awaiting a response from the Davis administration.

“We remain hopeful that this will change, and we look forward to our request to meet with Prime Minister Philip Davis at his earliest opportunity. We believe that, through open dialogue and co-operation, we can address ongoing concerns, listen to each other’s aspirations and work together to restore the magic to our fair city,” said Mr Antoni.

DIGITAL ASSETS INVESTORS ‘FLOCKING’ TO BAHAMAS

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN digital assets entrepreneur yesterday said investors are still “flocking” to The Bahamas to develop new financial technology (fintech) projects even though there is “less noise in the market”.

Davinia Bain, Crypto Isle’s co-founder, told Trib une Business the digital assets industry’s interest in The Bahamas has not waned despite FTX’s collapse and, if anything, the attention on blockchain and crypto currency has spiked in recent months.

Describing the clamour around digital assets now as being much “lower”, as compared to before FTX imploded, she said: “When the market is headed

down versus up, there would be less noise in the market, but people are so going in and out of positions.

People are still interested in crypto for different reasons and flocking to The Bahamas, looking to develop projects.”

Pointing to the list of registrants and licensees on the Securities Commission’s website, Ms Bain added that there are several companies operating in the industry with more coming to Crypto Isle’s shared working space to start new projects. “There are new projects and some recent people that have passed through here, and people are still developing projects in the space,” she said.

Turning to FTX, Ms Bain added: “The whole world has adjusted for what happened, and I think measures

have been tightened to try to avoid a similar thing happening, but the technology and the usefulness - or the use case - for crypto and blockchain transcends all of that.

“I believe The Bahamas is the best jurisdiction for investors to create in the crypto currency and blockchain space. We have the best regulation. we have lots of skilled workers who can easily translate or transfer their skills from the financial sector to the crypto sector.

“Basically we want them [investors] to come prepared to augment any skills but, for the most part, we have a skilled workforce. We have a great jurisdiction from a regulation point of view, and this is a hub for innovation.

Bringing it to The Bahamas is the most advantageous.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 13, 2023, PAGE 23

CURRENT RESIDENTS IN ‘DIRE STRAITS’ OVER BPL OUTAGES

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Power & Light (BPL) yesterday blamed an underwater cable break for leaving residents of Current Island, off North Eleuthera, in “dire straits” due to prolonged power outages that have lasted more than a week.

Arnette Ingraham, BPL’s corporate communications manager, told Tribune Business yesterday that electricity supply was restored to the island at 1pm yesterday. “There was an underwater cable break that occurred,” she said.

“We needed a diver to go down to repair the break.

So once we got a diver there, and the weather conditions were good enough that he can go down and repair the cable, that’s when power was restored and we didn’t get that done until about 1pm yesterday.”

Current Island residents, though, voiced displeasure over what they described upset as a lack of communication from BPL over what was causing the outages and how long they

were likely to last. They also plan to seek compensation from the state-owned electricity monopoly for the spoilage of food supplies, due to the loss of refrigeration, and other damages.

George Taylor, in a message to Tribune Business, wrote: “This island has been grappling with severe electrical outages, and the situation has reached a critical point, leaving the residents in dire straits during this scorching summer.....

Unfortunately, the residents of Current Island have been experiencing frequent power outages for an extended period, but the situation has escalated in recent weeks.

“As of this writing, the island has been without reliable electricity for over a week, and there is no clear resolution in sight. The consequences of these prolonged outages are devastating.

The Bahamas’ summer heat is unforgiving, and without electricity, the residents are left to suffer in sweltering conditions. This lack of access to basic cooling appliances, such as air conditioning and fans, has made life unbearable, particularly for the elderly and vulnerable

members of the community.”

Mr Taylor continued: “The loss of perishable food supplies due to the absence of refrigeration is a significant concern. Current Island does not have a local food store, and residents heavily rely on the weekly arrival of the mail boat for their supplies.

“With the extended power outages, their food provisions have spoiled, leaving many families without access to essential sustenance. The citizens of Current Island are in desperate need of assistance. They do not have access to back-up generators, and their reliance on external food deliveries makes them exceptionally vulnerable in situations like this.

“It is imperative that local authorities and relevant organisations step in and provide immediate relief to the residents of Current Island. This situation not only impacts their daily lives but also jeopardises their health and well-being,” he added.

“This incident underscores the critical need for infrastructure resilience and exploring alternative energy sources for The Bahamas,

FAMILY ISLAND CONSUMERS WARNED OVER FOOD PRICES

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net THE Retail Grocers Association’s president yesterday put the Family Islands, in particular, on alert for higher food prices due to the recent increase in fuel and associated shipping costs as a result of higher global oil prices.

Philip Beneby told Tribune Business that while there has not been a significant increase in food prices during recent months, with costs seeming to stabilise, Family Island

residents should brace for further hikes soon as they suffer from higher logistics and transportation costs compared to their New Providence counterparts.

“When you look across The Bahamas and the Family Islands, for the most part that’s where you may see more increases because of the rise in fuel costs and the rise in shipping costs in terms of the mailboats concerned with taking freight to the Family Islands. They’ll be impacted the most,” he added, acknowledging that New Providence consumers may also experience more

modest increases.

Mr Beneby conceded that the food price outlook for the next three months is not too clear, but said: “We can expect that there would be increases because of all of the factors involved - from fuel prices to the rising costs of freight charges, the rising cost of electricity and the rest of it.

We have no choice. Hurricane Idalia may have some impact as well, because sometimes you don’t see it right away, but then the increases begin to pile up on you over a period of time.”

particularly in remote areas like Current Island.

Long-term solutions are necessary to prevent such crises from recurring.... The residents of Current Island are in dire need of assistance, and it is my hope that this message will help mobilise resources and support to alleviate their suffering.”

Mr Taylor subsequently told this newspaper yesterday: “This was just a ridiculous power outage.

We have been out for over nine days, and between that time we were just getting

lip-service. BPL very rarely, if ever, wants to reimburse anyone when you can justify that their services have been responsible for damages.”

Bertie Munroe, another Current Island resident, added: “Yesterday made a week and four days, and there has been no power, so what do we say and how do we act going forward?

“This was devastating for Current Islanders, and sometimes it isn’t what happened but it’s what we do when something happened, and how we act when something

happened. It’s like when someone died and you don’t even show condolences. It shows disrespect and that we don’t care, and all I’m asking for is a bit of sympathy for Current Islanders.”

Mr Munroe also blamed a lack of communication from BPL despite the utility’s assertion that it sent a “community notification” to island residents.

He added that he had never heard nor seen it, and was unaware when power was expected to be restored or what caused the outages.

business@tribunemedia.net

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

$6.05

$6.11

$6.12

$6.06

ArawakX to fight solvency shut down bid ‘all the way’ • Crowd-fund platform blasts ‘never-ending’ probe THE Bahamas’ first-ever crowd funding platform last • Key hearing today after night pledged to “go all the 15-day suspension ends way to the Privy Council” if the Securities Commission • Commission slams chair’s moves to shut it down over “solvency” concerns follow- ‘outright fabrications’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ing a key hearing today.

D’Arcy Rahming senior, ArawakX’s chairman and chief executive, told Tribune Business the capital markets regulator has “shut down our ability to function” through what he branded a “slow

walking” and “never ending” 11-month probe into the crowd-funding platform’s operations and business. This culminated in the 15-day suspension of ArawakX’s registration on August 30, and the meeting today that will give it

a chance to respond to the Securities Commission concerns.

After barring ArawakX and its parent, Mdollaz Ltd, from facilitating new capital raises by a 28-strong waiting list of Bahamian companies since October 2022, Mr

D’ARCY RAHMING, left, and Christina Rolle.

Rahming said the Securities Commission has also yet to approve new shareholders and funding sources that

Insolvent contractor’s staff recover just 10%

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Government and former workers are set to receive just over 10 percent of what they are owed by a Cavalier Construction affiliate, its liquidators have revealed.

Andrew Davies and Kendrick Christie, the Crowe Bahamas accountants and partners, affirmed in a recently placed advertisement that Bobcat (Bahamas) preferred creditors are due to be paid a solitary dividend equivalent to 10.28 cents of every dollar they are owed.

So-called preferred creditors are typically the Government, with outstanding tax liabilities due to it, plus former staff who are owed severance payments plus other sums and benefits unpaid when the construction machinery and equipment supplier was placed into Supreme Courtsupervised liquidation in early 2020 just as the COVID pandemic struck.

“The joint official liquidators have declared a first and final dividend to the preferential creditors of 10.28 cents on the dollar,” the notice read. This means, out of a collective $203,002 in total preferential creditor claims, the Government and

former Bobcat staff will receive a total $20,859 that will be shared, and split, proportionally according to the size of each creditor’s claim. The latter figure is less than one-seventh of the more than $148,000 claimed by former staff.

CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas), as Bobcat’s secured creditor, fully recovered the $147,421 owed to it on an overdraft facility which was secured via a debenture that imposed fixed and floating charges over the equipment supplier’s assets. This was confirmed by the two liquidators, who also disclosed that all SEE PAGE 20

GOV’T REVENUE GOAL ‘VERY BAHAMAS’ 27% WATER HEAT SURGE ‘DEVASTATING’ TO CORAL CLOSE’ DESPITE VAT MISS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Government’s top finance official yesterday forecast that it will “come very close” to achieving its total revenue and tax forecasts for the 2022-2023 fiscal year even though VAT could potentially undershoot by up to $160m.

Simon Wilson, the Ministry of Finance’s financial secretary, told Tribune Business that despite the Government’s main revenue source under-performing projections for the recently-closed fiscal year its overall income was still on track to finish on or near Budget estimates.

The Government’s fiscal summary for May 2023, released yesterday, shows that total revenues and total tax revenues stood at 91.4 percent and 90.7 percent, respectively, of their fullyear targets with just one month left in the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Total revenues for the 11 months to endMay were $244.5m below their full-year goal, standing at $2.613bn compared to $2.857bn, while total tax revenues at almost $2.3bn needed to bridge a $237.3m

gap during June to reach $2.537bn.

Based on June 2022’s performance, when total revenues and total tax revenues were $221.3m and $187.8m, respectively, if that was matched this year it would leave both indicators moderately short of Budget forecasts by $23.2m and $50m. “I think we will come very close on the revenue side,” Mr Wilson told this newspaper. “There’s still some postings to be done, but we will come very close. On the revenue side, I think we will be very close to meeting our targets.”

However, if June 2022’s intake of $85.2m is repeated, VAT revenues for the full-year will come in at $1.247bn - a figure $164m below the $1.411bn target. The significance of the VAT performance is that, despite this undershoot, the VAT revenue projection is increasing by almost $180m year-overyear to $1.591bn for the current 2023-2024 fiscal year, thus raising questions as to how the Government will hit this hiked target.

SEE PAGE 20

By NEIL HARTNELL and FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporters THE Bahamas’ July water temperature had “a devastating effect” on coral reef ecosystems after being heated to a level 27 percent higher than the monthly average, an international tribunal has been told.

This was cited to the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) as one example of how global warming, fuelled by greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants, is undermining the ocean and marine environment of small island states such as The Bahamas.

Payam Akhavan, professor of international law and senior fellow at the University of Toronto’s Massey College, who is representing The Bahamas and other members of the Commission of Small Island Developing States in the action, said: “For example, this July, the water temperature around The Bahamas was above 38 degrees celsius – 38 degrees celsius – for several consecutive days, up from a

monthly average of around 30 degrees celsius.

“This has had a devastating effect on corals, bleaching and killing them, on such an extensive scale that these fragile ecosystems may be wiped out entirely.” The Bahamas and other Commission members, including Antigua and Barbuda, Vanuatu and Tuvalu, are seeking the Tribunal’s affirmation that greenhouse gas emissions are a form of ocean pollution given their impact on global warming, rising sea levels and other climate change-related effects.

The aim is to hold major developed country emitters accountable for their actions, and to remind them of their obligations to clean-up their act and meet climate change related commitments. The Bahamas’ coral reef ecosystems, which form a critical foundation for the tourism and fisheries industries, face multiple threats as illustrated by the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Sandals proposed Fowl Cay development in the Exumas.

SEE PAGE 21

the crowd-funding platform has been seeking to access since June this year.

As a result, he added

that ArawakX has been forced to terminate some 14 staff, and is now functioning with just a five-member executive team as it bids to head-off further regulatory action that could potentially result in the platform potentially being wound-up just over two years after launching its first crowd-funding raise via Red Lobster Bahamas. Its closure, the ArawakX chair argued, would be “a real loss” for The Bahamas, its capital markets, companies and investors.

SEE PAGE 19

CRUISE DEPARTURE HIKE ‘REAL MEASURE’ OF FISCAL SUCCESS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Ministry of Finance’s top official yesterday asserted that the 2023-2024 fiscal year is “very, very critical” for solidifying market confidence in The Bahamas with the cruise passenger departure tax hikes vital to achieving this.

Simon Wilson, the financial secretary, told Tribune Business that hitting the $131.1m deficit target for the 12 months to endJune 2024 will provide “a huge boost” to hopes of improving this nation’s creditworthiness with the rating agencies and investors following years of downgrades into ‘junk’ status.

With this fiscal year designated as a key stepping stone to ambitions of generating a $109.2m surplus in 2024-2025, where the Government’s income actually exceeds its spending, he added that the current fiscal

year’s second half “will tell” whether the Davis administration is on track since the cruise passenger departure tax will only kick-in from New Year’s Day 2024.

Speaking as the Ministry of Finance yesterday revealed a near-$76m deficit for May 2023, a year-over-year decline of $5m, Mr Wilson said the Government’s finances had performed “better than expected” during that month and provided “some cushion” for the final month of that fiscal year.

Administrations typically incur substantial deficits in June, as ministries, agencies and departments rush to present bills for payment that the Ministry of Finance never knew existed before the fiscal year closes at that month’s end. Conceding that “just one thing can blow everything up”, Mr Wilson said that while the ministry was “doing the final bits of clean-up” for 2022-2023, the Government SEE PAGE 18