09192024 NEWS AND SPORT by tribune242

The Tribune

FAMILIES ANGRY AS POLICE GRANTED BAIL

Arrest warrants issued for three more men who failed to appear in court

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

RELATIVES of men killed in police shootings erupted in anger outside the Magistrate’s Court complex after acting Coroner Kara Turnquest Deveaux granted bail to 11 ofﬁcers during a committal hearing yesterday.

The mother of Azario Major, one of the men

killed, was escorted from the courtroom after becoming emotional over the situation.

The ofﬁcers could be charged with crimes because the inquests into their actions resulted in a homicide by manslaughter ruling. They are due back in court on September 25 for a status hearing to determine the nature of the charges

GBPA CONSIDERS S A NCTIONING

GB POWER COM PA NY R ATE HIKE

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) has completed its initial review of the Grand Bahama Power Company’s (GBPC) controversial rate proposal and will consider sanctioning the increase despite the ongoing debate surrounding its regulatory authority.

The GBPA’s Regulatory Committee announced the launch of a 45-day public consultation to gather feedback from stakeholders on GBPC’s application.

The application, submitted on August 1, proposes a rate plan for 2025 to 2027, which includes a base rate hike of 6.32 percent for all customers. Baha

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

BAHA MAR’s $350m investment in a new luxury hotel is expected to employ 400 Bahamian workers during the construction phase and over 500 Bahamians after opening,

according to ofﬁcials who signed a Heads of Agreement with the government yesterday. The 350 rooms and 50 luxury branded residences are projected to open in 2029. The project will be built on the demolished Melia Nassau Beach site, which closed in 2021.

The hotel will include a 14,000-square-foot spa and ﬁtness center, luxury retailers, expansive pools, an outdoor bar, entertainment lounges and additional family amenities.

BRIDGE AUTHORITY BILL PA SSED IN PA RLI A MENT

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

PARLIMENTARIANS passed a bill yesterday to grant the Bridge Authority the power to own, manage, operate, and maintain any bridge in the country.

The Bridge Authority, established in 1988, originally oversaw the two

bridges connecting New Providence and Paradise Island. However, with the amendment’s passage, the authority’s responsibilities will expand.

Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting said constructing

BAHA Mar president Graeme Davis and Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis

ment and Baha Mar for the hotel’s expansion at Rosewood yesterday.

Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

Chinese Ambassador launches celebrations for 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China

Kng Meal Deal

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

YAN Jiarong ofﬁcially launched celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and her new role as Chinese Ambassador to The Bahamas.

She highlighted the strong relationship shared between China and The Bahamas, which has spanned over 20 years. She emphasised the foundation of political trust, practical cooperation, and peopleto-people exchanges that have developed during this time.

The People’s Republic of China was established on

October 1, 1949, following a lengthy civil war, marking a signiﬁcant moment in Chinese history as the Communist Party came to power.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, joined by his wife Anne-Mare Davis, also addressed attendees. He noted that the relationship between China and The Bahamas stretches back as far as the 19th century, highlighting the contributions of ChineseBahamians to the social fabric of the country.

“Though our societies and geographies may differ, The Bahamas and China share much in common when it comes to forging a postures future for our citizens,” he said.

“So, as we celebrate this diamond jubilee and lasting bonds between The Bahamas and the People’s Republic of China let us do so with a profound appreciation for the virtues of friendships.”

He extended warm wishes to the new ambassador, the second consecutive woman to assume the diplomatic role, expressing hope that under her leadership, the relationship will continue to prosper. Cabinet ministers, dignitaries, and other ofﬁcials attended the event, which featured cultural displays, traditional Chinese cuisine, and entertainment, showcasing the rich heritage of the People’s Republic of China.

CARE TIP: Dogs need clean water available at

all times. Dirty water can cause sickness and contains bacteria that can be life threatening, clean your pets water bowl daily. Join in the Love Ya Dog campaign - send a picture of your dog to loveyadog@ tribunemedia.net. Lady Holly Knowles with one of her

LADY Holly Knowles turns 100 today - and takes her space in our Love Ya Dog campaign. Lady Holly, the widow of Olympic gold medal winner Sir Durward Knowles, has two rescue dogs and feeds scores of cats.

Her daughter, Charlotte, is vice president of the Bahamas Humane Society Lady Holly’s two rescue dogs are Simba, aged 16, and Precious, 15, and she is pictured her with one of her beloved pets.

Families angry as police granted bail

from page one

and when they might be tried in the Supreme Court.

The coroner issued arrest warrants for three people who failed to appear:

Shando King, a wanted man ﬁred from the police force earlier this year for unrelated reasons; Constable 4185 Ferguson; and Corporal 3139 Denzil Deveaux.

Court Marshal Angelo Whitﬁeld reported that Constable Ferguson was on sick leave, but the coroner noted she had not received a sick note. No explanation was given for Corporal Deveaux’s absence.

Coroner Turnquest Deveaux granted bail to the 11 officers despite objections from the court marshal, who noted their absence from Monday’s proceedings and their halfhour lateness yesterday. Mr Whitfield described their actions as a “defiance” of the court.

K Melvin Munroe, representing most of the ofﬁcers, said their lateness was due to an internal matter at police headquarters. He argued that the ofﬁcers did not have their summons documents on Monday, prompting the coroner to state that Commissioner Clayton Fernander was responsible for providing the necessary documents.

Mr Munroe argued that there was no evidence the ofﬁcers would abscond or interfere with witnesses and said they were suitable candidates for bail due to their lack of prior offences.

Coroner Deveaux ultimately granted $9,500 bail to each ofﬁcer, with one or

two sureties required. In the packed courtroom, relatives of the deceased were separated from the 11 officers by a row of supporting officers. Some relatives shouted their objections to the officers’ bail outside the courtroom.

Frederick Major, Azario’s father, praised the coroner but said the families felt “horrible” and believed the ofﬁcers were granted special privileges. He said: “The families are distraught. This is a

complete atrocity in this nation today. We are calling for the resignation of the Commissioner of Police because he should have done his job, due diligence, from the initial stage.”

Relatives also voiced confusion about the next steps and the charges the ofﬁcers might face.

Mr Major added: “Fortysix shells were ﬁred at my son; 46 shells. He received 31 entry wounds to his body, nine to the head. That means 22 to the body. Is that

Munroe urges public to not

manslaughter? Does that sound anything like manslaughter? That’s murder, murder, complete intentional murder.”

Aniqua Pinder, the sister of Valentino Johnson, who was killed last year on Seven Hills Road, expressed a continued desire for justice and praised the coroner for her actions under the law.

Mr Munroe, the lawyer for most of the ofﬁcers, empathised with the relatives but maintained that the ofﬁcers acted lawfully.

presume guilt of ofﬁcers in

“The family will criticise that position (bail) because they have a loved one who has died, but at the end of the day, I’m still of the view that my clients acted lawfully even though we had adverse ﬁndings by the jury,” he said. “And I’m almost certain that these matters, once they go to the

Supreme Court, if they go to the Supreme Court, will result in my clients being vindicated.”

David Cash, representing the estates of Azario Major, Harold Brown, Richard Bastian, and Gino Finley Jr, anticipates that the ofﬁcers would be charged with manslaughter.

Ryszard Humes and Romona Farquharson Seymour represented the estates of Deangelo Evans and Valentino Johnson.

The coroner’s rare action ordering the ofﬁcers to be tried at the Supreme Court comes after months of confusion about what would happen following the adverse inquest ﬁndings and could set a precedent for how the matters are handled in the future.

Coroner’s Court inquests do not determine criminal liability. In cases of adverse ﬁndings, the DPP has traditionally been expected to review the evidence and decide whether the case should proceed to trial.

Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Cordel Fraizer began sending Commissioner Clayton Fernander directions concerning the ofﬁcers as early as April, but the commissioner declined to reveal her guidance to the press and did not publicly act on them. Last week, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe suggested the coroner was responsible for determining what should happen.

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe urged the public not to presume guilt for police ofﬁcers facing court proceedings in connection with killings.

He emphasised that their guilt or innocence will be determined through the judicial process, reminding people to respect the legal proceedings before drawing conclusions. His comment came after 11 ofﬁcers appeared

in court for a committal hearing.

Coroner Kara Turnquest-Deveaux summoned the group, but three failed to show up, prompting the coroner to issue arrest warrants.

Mr Munroe said the coroner had certain obligations under the Coroner’s Act, while the affected parties, such as the police ofﬁcers and the deceased’s family members, have their rights.

He said ultimately, it’s up to the courts to decide their fate, and the “chips will fall where they may”.

“There are a number of ofﬁcers who have been outrightly charged by the police for homicide in the Family Islands and a number here,” he said.

“The law is the law. If there’s an allegation, it’s put before the court and the court determines it.”

“The one thing that the public should not do is equate the fact that this has happened to the fact of the guilt of these ofﬁcers. That would be against the process.”

He said since policeinvolved killings prompted adverse inquest ﬁndings,

he has received requests from some ofﬁcers to be removed from the frontline. He said he could not help them because he does not run the police force.

Attorney K Kelvin Munroe, who represents most ofﬁcers in inquests, said last year that adverse inquest ﬁndings give the police force a “black eye” and lower morale.

However, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said he didn’t believe police morale is being affected, insisting that ofﬁcers remain focused.

police-involved killing cases ARREST WA RR A NT ISSUE FOR FA ILURE TO SHOW UP FOR SENTENCING

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter

AN arrest warrant was issued yesterday for a 26-year-old man who failed to appear for his sentencing hearing after having unlawful sex with a 13-yearold girl he met online in 2022. Senior Justice Cheryl Grant Thompson issued the warrant for Quincy Edgecombe on a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse. Edgecombe admitted to the offence last month and was released on bail to get his affairs in order. Edgecombe had unlawful sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl on August 14, 2022, in New Providence. He reportedly took the girl to a friend’s house in Elizabeth Estates to commit the offence.

Edgecombe reportedly met the underaged girl on Instagram. The minor was unable to consent because she was under the age of 16. The judge told Alex Dorsett, who represented the defendant in amicus, that his client should turn himself in to the police after he failed to show up.

Edgecombe’s next court date is scheduled for October 2. Basil Cumberbatch served as the prosecutor.

THE FAMILY one of the men killed in a police-involved shooting at Magistrate Court yesterday. From left are family members of Deangelo Evans - Densil Evans (father), Yvonne Lee (aunt), Vashti Colebrooke (cousin), Beverley Lee-Rolle (mother), Taria Baine (sister) and Pedro Lee (uncle).

Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

NATIONAL SECURITY MINISTER WAYNE MUNROE

Baha Mar’s $350m luxury hotel

to bring 400 construction jobs

+ Partners, the hotel will be situated on 12 beachfront acres. It will feature 25,000 square feet of dedicated indoor and outdoor event space, including a 10,000-square-foot ballroom, 6,000 square-foot junior ballroom, pre-function space, breakout rooms, boardroom and outdoor space.

Ofﬁcials did not say how many non-Bahamians will work to construct the hotel.

Graeme Davis, Baha Mar’s president, said this new addition will complement what the resort currently offers.

“We’ll have a two-ﬂoor penthouse unit on the top of the residence, and we’ll have additional villas set and nestled along the shoreline,” he said.

Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis said the signing is a “clear vindication” of the strength and resilience of the country’s tourism industry and

Baha

Mar’s

economy and a reminder of opportunities ahead.

“With Baha Mar’s expansion, we are adding crucial room inventory to cater to more guests, bringing more heads in beds, and ensuring that we continue to attract a higher volume of stopover visitors,” he said. “But, as we add these rooms, we must also work in parallel to increase airlift to The Bahamas, ensuring more direct ﬂights, with greater frequency from key international markets is essential to sustaining this growth.”

He said the expansion reafﬁrms the strength of the government’s relationship with CTF BM Holdings and its parent company.

Tourism Minister Chester Cooper said ofﬁcials are looking to get more involved in the South American market and are actively in discussions with major airlines that service that area. He said they are also talking to airlines out of the Middle East.

head says bookings below forecast, says US elections and economy possible culprits

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

BAHA Mar’s president Graeme Davis said business has softened this year compared to expectations, and booking for 2025 is not as robust as officials forecast.

“We had high expectations throughout ‘24 from ‘23’s record setting numbers, but we’re finding that there is a softening in the market, particularly in luxury, particularly in the Caribbean,” he said yesterday.

“We’re not just feeling it ourselves, nor is just the

country, but as the Caribbean as a whole.”

“I think with elections going on right now in the United States, I think people are feeling the pinch of the economy. We are seeing a bit of a softening so we’re at numbers that are at or maybe slightly below last year going into the fall.”

“Booking pace for ‘25 is robust, but not as robust as we would have expected for ‘25, but we are very aggressive in driving value, providing lower rates. We want to drive occupancy and volume to the island and to Baha Mar so we’re

very focused. The group pace, as far as meetings and incentives go, we’re very optimistic for 2025. Our booking pace on the group side is very solid.”

Mr Davis highlighted upcoming events at the resort, such as the Derek Jeter Golf Invitational this weekend and the ILTM North America travel trade show that will attract 1,000 top travel agents next week.

In November, Baha Mar will open its new Jazz Club on a casino floor area of 12,000 square feet. The grand opening for the Club will be in January, when “a celebrated artist

that will

Seat capacity will grow from 60 to 280. “This is an $18m investment we’re making in our casino floor with this new Jazz Club, and we’re excited to have our local jazz musicians and

ists that are playing today continue to play with us, and we’ll also have celebrated artists from around the world coming to play as well,” Mr

DIRECTOR of Investments Phylicia Woods, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, Permanent Secretary Nicole Campbell, Baha Mar president Graeme Davis, Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association president Robert “Sandy” Sands and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investment and Aviation Chester Cooper during a heads of agreement (HOA) signing between the government and Baha Mar for the hotel’s expansion at Rosewood yesterday.

Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

have his name on the Jazz Bar itself” appears, Mr Davis said.

art-

Davis said.

BAHA Mar president Graeme Davis, ﬂanked by Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association president Robert “Sandy” Sands, speaking during a heads of agreement (HOA) signing between the government and Baha Mar for the hotel’s expansion at Rosewood yesterday.

Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

NON-Resident High Commissioner Designate of the Republic of Cyprus to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, His Excellency Evangelos Savva paid a courtesy call at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Tuesday. He is pictured presenting diplomatic credentials to Foreign Affairs director general, Ambassador Jerusa Lea Dean Ali at the ministry’s ofﬁces.

Photo: Letisha Henderson/BIS

‘Domestic violence shelter not bought yet’

funds between entities.

In June, Mr Laroda said the government expected to secure a building for the shelter by the end of the budget year, which concluded in June. He also mentioned plans for an additional shelter to be operated in partnership with the Ministry of National Security and the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s domestic violence unit. Although the Davis administration allocated $500,000 for the shelter, ongoing delays in operationalising the facility have prompted advocates and

non-proﬁt organisations to question whether the government will deliver on its promise.

Khandi Gibson, president of Families of All Murder Victims (FOAM), urged the public earlier this month to join her in building a shelter. She criticised the government for taking too long to fulﬁl its commitment.

In response, Mr Laroda said agencies often collaborate with others to acquire their own facilities but stressed that the government is working hard to establish the shelter.

“This is a ﬁght that we can’t do alone in terms of domestic violence and

providing shelter for those women that are affected,” he said. “We always need the private sector, NGOs to be partners with us when it relates to domestic violence.”

Ofﬁcials hope the establishment of the shelter will provide critical support to women and children in need of safety. A Gender-Based Violence study published in April revealed that one in four women in The Bahamas had experienced physical or sexual violence. Survivors highlighted the difﬁculties in accessing healthcare, law enforcement, and social services.

The Bahamas AIDS Foundation announce new leadership ahead of 28th Red Ribbon Ball

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

THE Bahamas AIDS Foundation is entering a new era with long-serving board member Aramie Ford Strachan stepping in as president, succeeding Camille Lady Barnett.

Ms Ford Strachan will be looking to address the foundation’s evolving challenges in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic.

“It’s time to pass the baton to those who can carry the foundation forward with renewed energy and vision,” Lady Barnett said as ofﬁcials announced plans yesterday for its 28th Red Ribbon Ball. “I trust in the capable hands of those who will continue this vital work.”

“Our work would not be possible without the tireless dedication of our volunteers and the unwavering generosity of our sponsors. Together, we can bring hope to those affected and ensure that no one ﬁghts this battle alone.”

Ms Ford Strachan said the Bahamas AIDS Foundation has faced rising operational costs, mainly due to the pandemic, which prompted expanded outreach to support entire families rather than just individuals.

She said she and her team have met the increased ﬁnancial strain with determination.

She also praised Lady Barnett’s legacy, saying: “There is no doubt Camille leaves behind huge shoes to ﬁll. My work moving

forward will be a love letter to her legacy, her incredible legacy.”

This year’s Ball, the foundation’s primary fundraiser, vows to be a signiﬁcant event on the island’s social calendar. With the theme “Diamonds and Pearls,” the gala compares the ﬁght against HIV/AIDS to the resilience embodied by these gems.

The ball will take place on November 2 at Atlantis. Organisers hope to raise $150,000 to bolster the foundation’s services.

John Bull, Commonwealth Brewery, and Wildflowers Events serve as the main sponsors of the event, all offering significant contributions, including luxurious raffle prizes, such as a trip to Napa Valley.

SOCIAL SERVICES MINISTER MYLES LARODA

MEMBERS of the Bahamas AIDS Foundation with new pesident Aramie Ford Strachan (centre).

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“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

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Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

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RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Shelter update, but frustrating delays remain

BACK in April, Minister of Social Services Myles Laroda said that a domestic violence shelter “is coming; it is on the agenda”.

He went on to say that the government was in the process of acquiring a facility. It never materialised. It should be noted that this was not the ﬁrst time we were told that a shelter to protect the victims of domestic violence – women and children – was close to happening.

In September 2023, then Social Services Minister Obie Wilchcombe said that there were four shelters on the way, with the ﬁrst only weeks from being ready. That ﬁrst one never materialised then either.

In April, Mr Laroda had said: “It is just going through the paperwork and the acquisition. We won’t say the place because we want to protect those individuals who would be staying there. But stay tuned. Words say anything; we will lead by example; we show better than we can tell.”

By June, with the government’s Budget year hurrying towards its end, we were told that the building was to be bought by the end of the month.

A total of $500,000 had been allocated to build the shelter. Again, all went quiet.

Mr Laroda had spoken about the building during his contribution to the Budget debate. In fact, he said there was not only going to be a building bought by the end of June, but another shelter was on the way that would be operated with the Ministry of National Security through the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s domestic violence unit.

The delays in progress reports frustrated activists. Prodesta Moore, president of Women’s united, said in August that she had not received an update in two months. Opposition senator Maxine Seymour noted this was the third Budget cycle and still there was no shelter for women. Khandi Gibson, the president of Families of All Murder Victims, called on the public to take matters into their own hands and build a shelter without government.

She said: “Bahamian people, those abroad, anyone with a stake in this country, let’s stop waiting on the government. I am asking you to put your money where your mouth is.”

She said that she could no longer wait for the government to deliver on its promise. So now we have an update – though not a ﬁnal answer. Mr Laroda said yesterday that the government is still ﬁnalising the funds transfer.

He said the paperwork is done, the vetting is done, and it is just a matter of moving the money. That does not seem like it should be something that should hold up government very long. We shall see. At the root of it all, though, is the need to be more open about progress. Activists became frustrated – not just by the delays, although goodness knows the sign of little being done does plenty to frustrate. But there was also an absence of communication, of updates.

This is a criticism that can be made across the board. Say you will do something, say you will do it by this date… well, when those things do not happen, tell people what the problem was.

The end goal in this instance is ﬁnding a way for victims of domestic violence to be safe. And that is something that should be done without further delay.

Praise for RBPF’s swift response

Crime came close to home yesterday. A break-in took place at Radio House, home to 100JAMZ and more.

A man was apprehended, and thankfully there appears to have not been much damage, although investigations were continuing.

What we should mention however is the performance of the police ofﬁcers who responded. The ofﬁcers involved were on the site very quickly, a swift response indeed. We applaud them for that – and thank them.

Still no actionable energy plan

EDITOR, The Tribune. IF the energy discussions were tangible, this administration might have made significant strides toward renewable energy, however, three years have passed since promises were made, yet no actionable energy reduction strategy has been announced. Three years on, the government, particularly the energy minister, remains perched on the precipice of action, promising Bahamians a brighter future. If they could shift from promises to presenting a tangible plan for energy reduction, it could mark a significant victory for the cost of living in the Bahamas. It’s important to recognise that businesses in the Bahamas do not pay energy bills directly; these costs are transferred to consumers. High energy bills are felt at gas stations, grocery stores, service providers, and within homes. A straightforward policy change could offer immediate relief: amending the current policy from “energy bills under $300 are exempt from VAT” to “the first $300 of energy for consumer accounts is exempt from VAT.” Such a measure could be implemented swiftly, providing a modest but positive impact on family energy expenses. This change would offer prompt relief to individuals

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Govt should shoulder gas margin

EDITOR, The Tribune. THE petroleum dealers need relief but at the expense of the government, not the Bahamian people. Instead, the Davis administration has, once again, chosen the path of least resistance, prioritising their own interests over the financial well-being of the Bahamian people by leaving their own revenue streams untouched. The recent decision to grant petroleum retailers a margin increase, while ignoring the heavy tax burden that significantly inflates the price of fuel, is a clear demonstration of this administration’s lack of concern for ordinary citizens.

While the government claims this increase is “manageable,” they conveniently overlook the fact that a signiﬁcant portion of the cost of gasoline and diesel can be attributed

to government taxes and fees. On each gallon of fuel landed in this country, the government pockets almost twice the amount of add-ons as the retailer and wholesaler combined. At a time when Bahamian families are already stretched to their limits, struggling with the rising cost of living, it is unfathomable that the government would choose to add more weight to the backs of our people rather than reduce taxes on fuel to ease this burden.

The Prime Minister’s assertion that gas prices have declined over the past year is both misleading and irrelevant. According to The Bahamas National Statistical Institute’s May 2024 Consumer Price

Index, gasoline prices actually increased by 1.9 percent compared to the same period last year so the numbers do not substantiate the Prime Minister’s claim.

The government must immediately reconsider this decision and take steps to reduce the excessive taxes that contribute to the price of fuel. The Prime Minister must make the Bahamian people his priority, and make the necessary sacriﬁces rather than expecting citizens to do so.

The Bahamian people deserve better. As an Opposition, we will continue to stand with them and advocate for policies that prioritise their well-being over government revenue and special interests.

SENATOR MAXINE SEYMOUR

New Providence September 18, 2024.

whose energy expenses have recently exceeded the $300 mark. A minor increase of $1 over this threshold triggers an immediate 10% VAT charge, which effectively reduces their income.

Previously, a bill of $300 incurred no VAT; however, a current light bill of $301 now includes an additional $30.10 for VAT.

As the government continues to promise a better future, consumers, including the most vulnerable, could experience some relief until a concrete energy strategy is put into place and actualised.

EDEN M JOHNSON Grand Bahama September 18, 2024.

DPM, scrutiny is important

EDITOR, The Tribune. UNFORTUNATELY, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper has chosen to attack the Leader of the Opposition, Michael Pintard, rather than addressing the valid concerns raised regarding the government’s loan agreements with the Saudi Fund for Development. This aggressive stance, dismissing questions as frivolous and unsound, does a disservice to the democratic process and the transparency the Bahamian people deserve.

While Mr Cooper may feel that the debate on the SFD loans is over because the resolution passed, this does not negate the importance of ongoing scrutiny.

The people of this nation have a right to understand the full terms of these agreements, their longterm implications, and the burden they may place on future generations. To diminish these concerns as “performances” or to paint the opposition as anti-progress reflects a government more concerned with silencing dissent than fostering open dialogue. No amount of distraction will remove the reality that loans, while beneficial in some respects, need to be continuously evaluated for their impact on the national debt and the specific benefits they bring to the people. The infrastructure in the Family Islands, including

the promised world-class airport in Eleuthera, is important. But let us ensure that these developments are done transparently, responsibly, and with the future interests of all Bahamians in mind. It is not a crime to demand accountability from the government; it is, in fact, a core responsibility of any opposition party in a healthy democracy. Bahamian families deserve leadership that welcomes questions and provides clear answers— not one that dismisses legitimate concerns with harsh rhetoric.

RICHARD RUDON Nassau, September 10, 2024.

Have a cool, fun, interesting, amazing photo? Have it featured here in The Tribune’s picture of the day! Email your high quality image to pictureoftheday@tribunemedia.net

A MORAY eel smiles for the camera.

Photo: Ben Phillips

GBPA considers sanctioning GB Power Company rate hike

The plan also includes a fuel charge reduction and stabilisation and an adjustment to the storm recovery and stabilisation associated with rebuilding after Hurricane Dorian, extending until 2026.

In recent weeks, residents and political organisations voiced strong opposition to the proposed rate hike, expressing frustration over frequent outages and power surges that have damaged household appliances. There have also been demands for transparency regarding

the storm recovery and stabilisation charge on power bills.

Many residents argue that the GBPA, as the regulator of utilities in the Port Area, should not regulate the power company’s rates, citing an alleged conﬂict of interest.

The Davis administration has also said that the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority is the sole regulator of utilities throughout the country. The port authority said the consultation period will end on November 4, 2024. After that, the GBPA’s Regulatory Committee will

review the feedback before ﬁnalising the rate application on December 2, 2024.

“This review will fully consider all information and feedback presented to determine what is reasonable for customers at this time before issuing a ﬁnal decision on the rate application on December 2, 2024,” the GBPA said in a statement yesterday.

In its ﬁling, GBPC proposed a $8.4m in investments over the next three years to improve system reliability and efﬁciency, according to the GBPA. This includes upgrades to transmission and

distribution infrastructure, costing $3m, and $4.5m in battery storage investments to improve energy capture from solar systems.

The GBPC also outlined the impact of the rate changes on different customer groups. The ﬁling states that for residential, general service large, and large industrial customers, all-in costs will remain relatively unchanged in the ﬁrst year, with less than a one percent increase. The all-in cost is projected to reach a maximum increase of four percent in 2026, before levelling off at a 2.5 percent increase in 2027.

Bridge Authority Bill passed in Parliament

page one

infrastructure is not enough –– a framework to maintain projects to the highest standard is also necessary.

He emphasised that the bill does not introduce an automatic toll nationwide.

The Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge already has one.

Mr Sweeting said the Glass Window Bridge in Exuma needs critical reconstruction, noting the bridge facilitates transporting thousands of Bahamians annually and that the amendment will provide the necessary framework to ensure its reconstruction and ongoing maintenance.

Mr Sweeting revealed that the government is targeting improvements on seven bridges across the country. He said talks are underway with international lenders to fund several bridges in poor condition, including the

Glass Window Bridge in Eleuthera.

He said several bridges in the Family Islands also need urgent attention, including the Stafford Creek Bridge in Andros and the Ferry Bridge in Exuma.

Mr Sweeting said funding is crucial for repairing and replacing bridges like those in Andros and Exuma, whose condition has become dangerously poor.

He also revealed that Cabinet has approved using UCAF credit support to ﬁnance the Glass Window Bridge project.

The Ministry of Finance has conﬁrmed that the loan will be secured through the Bridge Authority, with ﬁnalisation expected by early 2025. Construction is anticipated to be completed by 2027. There are 40 bridges throughout The Bahamas, 17 of which are considered major structures.

ONE of several organised protests outside Grand Bahama Power Company That took place last month. Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

SIR SIDNEY POITIER BRIDGE

Preserving Bahamian heritage and memory

MANY Bahamians of older generations bemoan the collapse of the Reinhard Hotel, located Over-the-Hill in New Providence. Many younger people, who know nothing of its provenance and value, saw it as another old building in need of repair or demolition.

The collapse of the storied structure was another example of an indifference by many to the need to preserve heritage sites as a critical component of national development and an appreciation of whence we came.

The website DifferenceBetween.net notes the distinction many social scientists make regarding the concepts of culture and heritage: “The two concepts may sound very similar to some people as they often mean the same thing, but they are different concepts used in a different context. Heritage relates to inheritance, meaning passing of the beliefs, objects and culture from one generation to the next, like a tradition.

“Culture is the way of life, knowledge, ideas, customs, laws, and habits of a group of people or society….

“Culture is the practice of everyday life of a particular group of people, the characteristics that deﬁne them – characteristics such as language, behavior, religion, cuisine, music and arts, social habits, beliefs, values and anything that portray their way of life.”

Arlene Nash Ferguson translates this more succinctly and brilliantly: “Culture is erryting we do erryday!”

Sir Sidney Poiter, among others, often noted there are elements of one’s culture that were positive and good. There are other elements which may be negative and destructive, and should be avoided.

The preservation of historic sites and the promotion of various aspects of Bahamian heritage requires an understanding of the role these play in fostering national memory, identity and survival.

This understanding evades many decision-makers, many of whom have little appreciation for the complexity and myriad forms of Bahamian heritage including the built heritage.

An egregious example of the lack of understanding of our heritage was the adoption of a so-called Bahamas Carnival.

It is not surprising, though depressing and disappointing, that the prime minister

most associated with Junkanoo, failed to grasp its uniqueness. He giddily embarked on creating a Carnival extravaganza, which

‘The Reinhard Hotel collapsed because of our indifference. We could have saved it.’

made a mockery of Bahamian heritage.

No other country in the world has preserved or developed Junkanoo as has The Bahamas. It is associated with no other country as much as ours, done with operatic brilliance, artistic reﬁnement, dramatic force and discipline.

The Trinidadian Carnival artist and impresario Peter Minshall visited The Bahamas on several occasions and enthused about the unique qualities of Bahamian Junkanoo, including the creation, design process and production of costumes, and the amount of work done by hand. He has spoken of the magic of Junkanoo.

Minshall helped “design the opening awards ceremonies for the 1987 Pan American Games, the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the 1994 Football World Cup and the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics”.

This cosmopolitan, foreign-born observer has a deeper appreciation for the craft, artistry and brilliance of Junkanoo than many Bahamians, including many in the political directorate. Sadly, over the years a number of people deemed Junkanoo as too native and too black.

The ignorance of one’s

broader national heritage is akin to each generation of a family forgetting their ancestry and history, with all of its resilience, triumphs, scars and brokenness.

The search for a family, group or national heritage may be painful, heartbreaking. It can also be exciting and challenging.

Asked whether the Reinhard Hotel is located in Bain Town or Grants Town, Nash Ferguson, with her usual care and attention to detail and accuracy, suggested that it is technically in historic Bain Town if Baillou Hill Road is the line of demarcation, as the building is west of this major thoroughfare.

For those who lived in the area, the hotel straddled both towns. Like many other elements of history, even the name of the thoroughfare is wonderfully debatable.

Nash Ferguson recalls looking south from Government House, regally perched on Mount Fitzwilliam, and seeing the Blue Hills.

Was “Blue” the original name of the street? Was it later conﬂated with the name “Baillou”?

Such debates are like a delightful history puzzle, with the search for the answers part of a journey of understanding and recollection.

While they were distinct communities in various ways, there was all manner of ﬂuidity between Bain Town and Grants Town, especially in modern times. The town was laid out by Mr JJ Burnside during the administration of Governor Sir Lewis Grant, after whom it was named.

Bain Town was “originally a part of a one hundred and forty acre land grant to one Susannah Witherspoon. In the late 1840s it was sold to a black Bahamian businessman, Charles H Bain, who divided the land into allotments and sold them at moderate prices to African people”. He sold the allotments to both liberated Africans and former slaves.

Charles H Bain was a product of mixed racial heritage, and a business success. He bridged racial and class divides as his father was European and his mother was of African heritage.

Bain was an example of the many black Bahamians who overcame the burden of discrimination through the sheer force of character and ability.

In its earliest days, Bain Town was its own distinct village. A small section of Bain Town was called “Conta Butta”. According to some oral history, up until the

mid-twentieth century, the name came from a unique local dialect pronunciation of the settlement’s original name, which may have been Congo Borough. Borough is the term for a geographic area, such as the Borough of Manhattan or Staten Island.

Much of this history is essential because it leads and in signiﬁcant ways manifested in the Reinhard Hotel, which was more than just a building. It was a gathering place and social venue for black Bahamians and others in a segregated colony.

It was venue for freedom and enjoyment. Its four stories suggested greater possibilities and blue-sky imagination for those who literally and ﬁguratively resided in smaller dwellings and mindsets.

Its preservation as a landmark should have been a reminder to successive generations as a testament to the African peoples who overcame slavery and colonialism. The Hotel and other structures exempliﬁed black enterprise and excellence.

On the excellent

website, Ramble Bahamas, Jessica Dawson and Dr Tracey Thompson remind us: “Initially designed and constructed by Dr Claudius Roland Walker and Mrs. Mabel Walker in the 1930s, the hotel furnished the stage for everything from social soirees to local business operation to pivotal moments in Bahamian political history.

“Perhaps the paramount year in the hotel’s history was 1967, when the space served as headquarters to the Progressive Liberal Party during the landmark 1967 elections that led to Majority Rule…

“Other businesses that operated on the premises included a hardware store, a restaurant, a pharmacy, and The Voice. A newspaper, The Voice, served to educate Bahamians about their rights and held true to the core belief of its editor, Dr Walker, that education offered the key to political and economic independence.”

What a powerful history.

A hotel and business site built by a black Bahamian

man and woman served and as the headquarters for the Second Emancipation of the mass of Bahamians.

The collapse of this monument to liberation is a sad and painful structural metaphor, in both senses of the term, of how we are failing miserably to preserve critical memory, history and heritage, into which many poured their familial and cultural lifeblood.

The Reinhard Hotel collapsed because of our indifference. We could have saved it. For future generations of Bahamians and visitors, the narrator of a heritage tour of the area will point to an empty space and remark, “That is where the Reinhard Hotel once stood.” That empty space now leaves many Bahamians empty.

What else is collapsing around us and will descend into rubble and debris, and leave us even more desolate as we grieve the loss of the many tangible and intangible architecture, foundations and building stones of our heritage that are irreplaceable?

Trump doubles-down on questionable rhetoric

while Harris shies away from talking policies

AMERICA is seemingly awash in choppy seas. How will the US get its engines started again and start to move forward? And when?

Problems seem to abound. First, we have the national obsession with Donald Trump. A would-be assassin was apprehended along the fence line at one of his golf courses the other day, apparently preparing for an assassination attempt.

This news was accompanied by a lot of hand-wringing over the difﬁculties for the US Secret Service in protecting a presidential aspirant and former president whose proclivity for playing golf on his own exposed courses seems to ‘trump’ his preference for virtually any other activity.

The candidate himself continues to veer off and on track with dizzying frequency. He has essentially replaced Joe Biden as the old man of questionable and diminished capabilities in this bizarre race. Instead of disavowing much of the outright nonsense he peddled during his own disastrous debate showing less than ten days ago, Trump is doubling down. In the black jack card game, that’s an often-risky strategy. In presidential races like this one, it’s particularly risky.

Republican running mate JD Vance seems to be genuinely perplexed as to how to survive a cratering campaign. On the surface, Vance has very cleverly positioned himself as the GOP presidential candidate-in-waiting for 2028.

If Trump wins and doesn’t overturn the constitution to allow himself a third term, Vance will

STATESIDE

with Charlie Harper

be the incumbent V-P four years hence and the clear heir to the throne. If Trump loses, Vance may well still be the front-runner for the 2028 nomination if history is any guide. Notwithstanding Barack Obama’s abandonment of thenvice president Biden in 2016 as his designated successor, many past vicepresidential candidates have moved up to the top of the next national ticket. But as Vance watches his dispirited and depressed home town of Springﬁeld,

Ohio, reel in the wake of Trump’s idiotic allegation that Haitian migrants are devouring household pets there, he ﬁnds himself tethered to a partner who often resembles a demented demon. What to do?

Vance seems to have concluded that at this point, he has no option but to continue along the path of obeisance and allegiance to Trump. We’ll see how the vice-presidential debate goes in less than two weeks, but the Ohio senator has apparently

conﬁnes of his own golf courses, escaping the reality that his prospects in November’s vote may be dwindling every day.

Harris appears to be running a sane, sensible campaign, constantly reminding voters in swing states that what they see of Trump on their television screens is not a mirage. It’s who he is, she says, and she is artfully manipulating voter apprehension to energize her supporters.

Harris has not found it necessary to bow to media demands for more policy positions. She may be betting that not being Trump will be enough for her to win. It worked for Biden in 2020.

In the background, the current president continues in ofﬁce for another four months. And Biden faces two quite serious issues overseas. While neither is new, both are intensifying, and are fraught with danger not only for the US but also for many of its allies in Europe and the Middle East.

cast his lot with Trump, for better or, more likely, for worse.

The media continues its fascination with Trump. There’s incessant speculation about the frustrations of his campaign advisers when Trump discards talking points linking vice president Kamala Harris to controversial and unpopular Biden policies on immigration, inﬂation, the hasty US military withdrawal from Afghanistan and America’s inability to persuade Israel to call off its war on its northern and southern neighbours.

South African entrepreneur and electric car mogul Elon Musk has signed up as a key ally of the ex-president, but Musk’s reorientation of social media platform X toward Trump seems to have generated as much criticism as actual assistance to the campaign. There are persistent reports that Republican operatives in the voterich state of Georgia have well positioned themselves to tilt November’s vote toward Trump. This only adds to the scariness of the prospect of Trump’s re-election.

But the candidate himself continues to ﬁddle while Rome burns. He retreats to the comfortable

Reporting from the Russia-Ukraine war is not encouraging. A Ukrainian offensive designed to surprise and disillusion the Russian military may have instead exposed manpower and materiel weaknesses in Kyiv’s own forces. In the Kremlin, Russian president Vladimir Putin appears to have concluded that his best tactic is to cynically weaken Ukraine’s power infrastructure and brutally attack facilities like schools and hospitals.

Respected American commentator Fareed Zakaria opined the other day that the Ukrainian capital seemed more discouraged than on his previous visits.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is still pleading for more license to use American weapons in a more offensive posture in an attempt to frustrate and weaken his Russian foes. While the US and the UK conferred last weekend on whether to grant Zelensky’s wishes, no ﬁrm decisions have apparently been made.

Instead, America continues to dither until events on the battleﬁeld seem to force their hand and then the US accedes to Zelensky’s wishes. But Putin seems like a man determined to prevail, and as his sinister cyber warriors try to infiltrate and disrupt the American election, he

remains intent on testing the American and Western resolve to continue their support of Ukraine.

It’s impossible to know how Biden and his national security team will respond. But it’s doubtful that the US president wants to be remembered as the leader who enabled Putin to enforce his will on Ukraine and expose Western weakness in the face of tyrannical aggression. It’s more likely that Biden will continue to gradually raise the war stakes by authorizing bolder Ukrainian countermeasures.

And every escalation by Moscow and Washington incrementally raises the possibility of tactical nuclear battlefield weapons use and, down the road, the dreadful prospect of an actual nuclear exchange.

All the while, the American secretary of state continues to confront Iran. In Ukraine, there’s evidence of increasing support for Moscow from the theocrats in Tehran who still insist on punishing the US for its support of the late Shah in the 1970s and Israel now. And Iranian proxies Hamas and Hezbollah continue to threaten the Jewish state.

While protests against American support for Israel continue to flare up in the US, the proPalestinian movement has moved off the front pages for now. There’s a lot of money and political muscle arrayed against a move away from basically unconditional American support for Israel.

In any case, it’s unclear how much influence the Biden administration has on Israeli president Netanyahu as he doggedly pursues a policy of steadfast aggression in response to the hostile Iranian allies on his borders. The ultimate threat of nuclear war does not now loom over this Middle East conflict as it does in Ukraine. But the potential for much greater regional escalation and chaos is real.

Maybe the fact that Biden is free of reelection pressure will work to his advantage in confronting these two major international crises. Indeed, front pages and newscasts full of Trump and his antics may allow the US president enough room to quietly work on successful strategies to repel Putin and disable Israel’s enemies.

That’s certainly something to hope for.

THOMPSON TO HELM T HE DOLPHINS AS TUA SUFFERS T HIRD CONCUSSION IN LOSS TO RIVAL BUFFALO BILLS

MIAMI Dolphins offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg (74) sits with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1)

he lies on the ﬁeld after a run on fourth down during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, in Miami Gardens, Florida. Tagovailoa suffered a concussion on the play. Photo: Lynne Sladky/AP

PEOPLE watch a presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at the Berkeley Art Museum and Paciﬁc Film Archive watch party in Berkeley, California, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. Photo: Gabrielle Lurie/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Bahamas will seek non-permanent seat on UN Security Council, says Mitchell

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas will seek a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2032-2033 term, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell.

He said all CARICOM countries support this bid, adding that the campaign reﬂects the country’s commitment to multilateral diplomacy.

“Sir Lynden committed the nation to working within the multilateral context, and that remains our guiding principle today,” he said in the House of Assembly yesterday.

The UNSC, one of the six main organs of the United Nations, has traditionally

been considered the UN’s most powerful body because it can make binding decisions that member states must follow, including imposing sanctions, authorising military action and establishing peacekeeping operations. China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are the council’s ﬁve permanent members, each with veto power.

Ten non-permanent members are elected by the UN General Assembly for two-year terms, with representation balanced among world regions. Two non-permanent members are chosen from the Latin American and Caribbean Group. Mexico and Brazil are the current representatives. The Bahamas has never been

elected. Among Caribbean countries, Guyana has been chosen three times and Jamaica twice. Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have been selected once.

In March, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis called for the UNSC to be “revamped and reformed” after the United States used its veto power to kill multiple draft resolutions calling for a ceaseﬁre in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians had been killed.

His comment, which surprised some given this country’s relationship and reliance on the United States, came during a joint press conference in Botswana with President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED FOR CENTRAL TO NORTHERN BAHAMA S THROUGH THE WEEKEND

A WEATHER warning has been issued of unsettled weather across the northern, north-west and portions of central Bahamas, with an elevated risk of severe, squally weather. This may include heavy rainfall, dangerous lightning activity, hailstones, gusty winds and higher seas with the possibility of tornadic activity such as funnel clouds or waterspouts. There is also an abnormal spring tide event continuing until Monday due to the full moon, says the Bahamas Department of Meteorology. The northern and northwest areas including Grand Bahama, Bimini, Abaco, Berry Islands, Andros, New Providence and Eleuthera are predicted to experience periodic severe weather with heavy rainfall until Monday. Rainfall totals of two to four inches with local cases of up to six inches are possible. Flash flooding is likely in flood-prone and low-lying areas, and there is a risk of hailstones across Andros, New Providence, Eleuthera and the north and central Exumas. In central Bahamas, heavy rainfall is expected to begin today and continue into Sunday, with totals of one to three inches and local cases of up to five inches. Again, flash flooding is likely. This covers

Exuma, Cat Island, San Salvador, Rum Cay and Long Island. In the south-east Bahamas, including Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Ragged Island, Long Cay, as well as the Turks and Caicos, rainfall totals will be one to two inches with local cases of up to four inches, but no signiﬁcant swell activity is expected. Mariners are urged to seek safe harbour when weather conditions deteriorate and remain sheltered until the threat has passed. Small craft operators are urged not to venture far from port from today until Wednesday.

Energy Minister Coleby-Davis holds BPL listening tour on Abaco

AS the Government of The Bahamas continues efforts to bring down the cost of electricity, Minister of Transport and Energy, the Hon. JoBeth Coleby-Davis resumed her listening tour with Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) staff members on the island of Abaco,

September 11, 2024. Joining Minister ColebyDavis on the listening tour were Member of Parliament for North Abaco, Kirk Cornish; BPL CEO, Schevon Cambridge; BPL Deputy Board Chairman, Dylan Sawyer; and other BPL ofﬁcials. During the visit, Minister

Coleby-Davis engaged staff members in a

door forum and toured plants in Wilson City and Marsh Harbour. The minister expressed that the government is committed to providing affordable and reliable electricity for all Bahamians.

closed-

MINISTER of Transport and Energy, JoBeth Coleby-Davis speaks to BPL staff during a listening tour in Abaco.

Photos: Anthon Thompson/BIS

Colina employees and community volunteers promote reading on International Literacy Day

T O mark International Literacy Day, Colina employees recently read popular books aloud at Palmdale Primary School to promote literacy and its importance in childhood development.

“ O n September 8 each year, the world pauses to highlight the importance of literacy as a human right,” said Maxine V Seymour, director, corporate communications, Colina. “Palmdale Primary called

on Colina to partner to mark the occasion and our employees were thrilled to volunteer.” O ur goal is to expose the students to model readers to demonstrate the importance of reading

REPRESENTATIVES of Colina, Palmdale Primary School and commnity volunteers.

row from left: Nyoshi Ward, manager, payments, Colina and parent, Palmdale Primary School; Lashanta Smith, 1st vice president, Rotary Club of Old Fort; April Knowles, student, Palmdale Primary School; Senator Michela Barnett-Ellis; Nateisha Bain, president, Rotary Club of Old Fort; Dr Clinton Josey Sr, principal, Palmdale Primary School; Sienna Pratt, student, Palmdale Primary School; Nathanria Williams, vice principal, Palmdale Primary School; Dorothea Whitlock, grandparent, Palmdale Primary School; Ryan Dumont, student, Palmdale Primary School; Davette Lightbourne, assistant treasurer, Rotary Club of Old Fort; Virginia Hall-Campbell, community volunteer; Linique Gibson, Premium Accountant, Colina; Diana Curtis, Literacy Coordinator, Palmdale Primary School. Back row from left: Ranard Henﬁeld, attorney/former senator; Benjamin Bain, member, Rotary Club of Old Fort; Andrae Thompson, treasurer, Rotary Club of Old Fort; D’Andra Johnson, legal counsel & corporate secretary, Colina; Marcus Bosland, resident actuary, Colina; Jathan Hall, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.; Lynden Rolle, community volunteer; Sapna Chatlini, VP, group & health beneﬁts department, Colina

and the success it brings in career and life,” said Clinton Josey Sr, principal at Palmdale Primary School. Students enjoyed answering questions and winning prizes.

Volunteers from the wider community, including service organizations and elsewhere, all convened at Palmdale Primary in celebration of literacy.

“At Colina, we are always eager to embrace

opportunities that place us at the centre of the communities we serve, said Mrs Seymour. “It was a pleasure to see the faces of students light up with excitement as we read to them.”

FRONT

MAXINE SEY MOUR

MARCUS BOSLAND

D ANDRA JOHNSON

NURSE HALL

SAPNA CHATLINI, VP, group & health beneﬁts department at Colina with Grade 2 students and their teacher.

A war with Hezbollah may be looming. Is Israel prepared?

JERUSALEM Associated Press

WITH Israel’s defence minister announcing a “new phase” of the war and an apparent Israeli attack setting off explosions in electronic devices in Lebanon, the specter of all-out combat between Israel and Hezbollah seems closer than ever before.

Hopes for a diplomatic solution to the conﬂict appear to be fading quickly as Israel signals a desire to change the status quo in the country’s north, where it has exchanged crossborder ﬁre with Hezbollah since the Lebanese militant group began attacking on Oct. 8, a day after the war’s opening salvo by Hamas.

In recent days, Israel has moved a powerful fighting force up to the northern border, officials have escalated their rhetoric, and the country’s security Cabinet has designated the return of tens of thousands of displaced residents to their homes in northern Israel an official war goal.

While the daily ﬁghting between Israel and Hezbollah has escalated on several occasions, the bitter enemies have been careful to avoid an all-out war.

That appears to be changing — especially after pagers, walkie-talkies, solar equipment and other devices exploded in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, killing at least 20 and wounding thousands in a sophisticated attack Hezbollah blamed on Israel.

“You don’t do something like that, hit thousands of people, and think war is not coming,” said retired Israeli Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi, who leads Israel Defense and Security Forum, a group of hawkish former military

commanders. “Why didn’t we do it for 11 months? Because we were not willing to go to war yet. What’s happening now? Israel is ready for war.”

As fighting in Gaza has slowed, Israel has fortified forces along the border with Lebanon, including the arrival this week of a powerful army division that took part in some of the heaviest fighting in Gaza.

The 98th Division is believed to include thousands of troops, including paratrooper infantry units and artillery and elite commando forces specially trained for operations behind enemy lines. Their deployment was conﬁrmed by an ofﬁcial with knowledge of the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss troop movements.

The division played a key role in Gaza, spearheading the army’s operations in the southern city of Khan Younis, a Hamas stronghold. The offensive inflicted heavy losses on Hamas fighters and tunnels, but also wreaked massive damage, sent thousands of Palestinians fleeing and resulted in scores of civilian deaths. Israel says Hamas endangers civilians by hiding in residential areas.

The military also said it staged a series of drills this week along the border.

“The mission is clear,” said Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, who heads Israel’s Northern Command. “We are determined to change the security reality as soon as possible.”

The military movements have been accompanied by heightened rhetoric from Israel’s leaders, who say their patience is running thin.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday

night declared the start of a “ new phase” of the war as Israel turns its focus toward Hezbollah. “The center of gravity is shifting to the north by diverting resources and forces,” he said.

He spoke a day after Israel’s Cabinet made the return of displaced residents to their homes in northern Israel a formal goal of the war. The move was largely symbolic — Israeli leaders have long pledged to bring those residents home. But elevating the signiﬁcance of the aim signalled a tougher stance.

After meeting Wednesday with top security ofﬁcials, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared: “We will return the residents of the north securely to their homes.”

Netanyahu delivered a similarly tough message with a top US envoy sent to the region this week to soothe tensions.

An ofﬁcial with knowledge of the encounter told The Associated Press that the envoy, Amos Hochstein, told Netanyahu that intensifying the conﬂict with Hezbollah would not help return evacuated Israelis back home.

Netanyahu, according to a statement from his ofﬁce, told Hochstein that residents cannot return without “a fundamental change in the security situation in the north.” The statement said that while Netanyahu “appreciates and respects” US support, Israel will “do what is necessary to safeguard its security.”

Israeli media reported Wednesday that the government has not yet decided whether to launch a major offensive in Lebanon.

Much, it seems, will depend on Hezbollah’s response. The group’s

leader, Hassan Nasrallah, is expected to deliver a major speech on Thursday.

But public sentiment in Israel seems to be supportive of tougher action against Hezbollah.

A poll in late August by the Israeli Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank, found that 67% of Jewish respondents thought Israel should intensify its response to Hezbollah. That includes 46% of Jewish respondents who believed Israel should launch a deep offensive striking Lebanese infrastructure, and 21% who seek an intensiﬁed response that avoids striking Hezbollah infrastructure.

“There’s a lot of pressure from the society to go

to war and win,” said Avivi, the retired general. “Unless Hezbollah tomorrow morning says, ‘OK, we got the message. We’re pulling out of south Lebanon,’ war is imminent.”

Such a war would almost certainly prove devastating to both sides.

Already, more than 500 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli strikes since Oct. 8, most of them ﬁghters with Hezbollah and other armed groups but also more than 100 civilians. In northern Israel, at least 23 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed by strikes from Lebanon.

Israel inﬂicted heavy damage on Lebanon during a monthlong war against Hezbollah in 2006 that ended in a stalemate. Israeli leaders have threatened even tougher action this time around, vowing to repeat the scenes of destruction from Gaza in Lebanon. But Hezbollah also has built up its capabilities since 2006. Hezbollah has an estimated 150,000 rockets and missiles, some believed to have guidance systems that could threaten sensitive targets in Israel. It has also developed an increasingly sophisticated ﬂeet of drones.

Capable of striking all parts of Israel, Hezbollah could bring life in Israel to a standstill and send hundreds of thousands of Israelis ﬂeeing.

Haiti creates a provisional electoral council to prepare for the ﬁrst elections since 2016

SAN JUAN Associated Press

HA ITI’ S government on Wednesday created a provisional electoral council long sought by the international community to prepare the troubled Caribbean country for its first general elections since 2016.

Smith Augustin, a member of the country’s transitional presidential council, confirmed to T he Associated Press that the electoral council was created, albeit with only seven of what by law is supposed to be a nine-member panel. H e said the two other members would likely be announced in upcoming days.

T he electoral council, which represents groups including farmers, journalists, human rights activists and the Vodou community, is tasked with organizing the elections and helping create the legal framework to hold them.

H aiti has not had a president since July 2021, and it last held elections in 2016.

T he previous electoral council had been dissolved in September 2021 by former Prime Minister Ariel H enry, who accused it of being “partisan.” H is move delayed elections planned for November 2021 and prompted

critics to accuse H enry of holding on to power, accusations he rejected.

H enry was himself a transitional leader. H e was sworn in as prime minister roughly two weeks after former President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated at his private home in July 2021. H enry repeatedly pledged to hold elections but blamed worsening gang violence for his failure to do so.

Earlier this year, gangs that control 80% of the capital of Port-au-Prince launched coordinated attacks on critical government infrastructure, a move that eventually led to H enry’s resignation.

A transitional presidential council was then created and tasked with holding presidential elections by February 2026.

T he assassination of Moïse had left a major political vacuum.

I n addition, the terms of 10 remaining senators expired in January 2023, stripping H aiti of its last democratically elected institution. T he country had failed to hold legislative elections since October 2019, with Moïse ruling by decree before he was killed.

T he newly formed provisional electoral council faces numerous obstacles, including persistent gang violence blamed for the killing of more than 3,200 people from January to

May. To help quell gang violence, nearly 400 Kenyan police arrived in H aiti earlier this year as part of a UN-backed mission that also expects to see the pledged deployment of soldiers and police from the Bahamas, Chad, Benin and Bangladesh.

Turf wars among gangs have left more than half a million people homeless in recent years, with thousands of H aitians forced to flee their homes, abandoning essential documents including I D’s needed to vote. Government officials have been visiting makeshift shelters to provide new I Ds, but many H aitians remain without one.

“ H ow are people going to vote?” said Daniel Janvier, 40, who now lives at a shelter after gangs raided his home and forced him to leave everything behind. “Most of the people that I know in this area don’t have an I D.” Janvier, who is unemployed after losing his job at a factory making pants, said he had his doubts that the government would actually organize elections.

“ I think all of this is a joke,” he said. “ T housands and thousands of people are spread out. T hey won’t know where to go and vote if they manage to have elections.”

HEZBOLLAH ﬁghters carry one of the cofﬁns of four fallen comrades who were killed Tuesday after their handheld pagers exploded, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday.

Photo: Bilal Hussein/AP

A POLICE ofﬁcer checks the receipt that shows the purchase of goats being transported on the back of a motorcycle in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Friday.

Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP

SPORTS

SECTION E

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

Crimestoppers take game one

By TENAJH SWEETING

The packed crowd at the DW Davis Gymnasium

was treated to a highly competitive game one of the Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association (BGDBA) Finals last night.

The Police Crimestoppers cleaned up their ﬁrst-half mistakes in the second half to narrowly edge out the Nassau Flight Services Ballers 81-77 in the best-of-seven championship series.

Adam Johnson was a key player for the Crimestoppers in last night’s win. He got the job done on both sides of the ball and stuffed the stat sheet with a game-high 26 points, 19 rebounds, eight blocks and three steals while shooting 77 per cent from the ﬁeld. Johnson was one of four Crimestoppers to touch double-digit territory.

Kirklyn Farrington had a big third quarter and ﬁnished the night with 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

His teammate Dastyn Baker also had 14 points, seven assists and ﬁve rebounds in game one. Johnson spoke about how

Gilbert Williams publishes new book

August when he published his work.

GILBERT Williams typically spends his time serving as the director of Special Olympics Bahamas, but recently he decided to channel all of his passion into writing and publishing his book “Das A Baheemyan”.

He has spent the last few years documenting his experiences as a Bahamian and was ﬁnally able to witness his art come to life in

The book highlights all aspects of Bahamian culture including the history, native dishes, sports and vocabulary. Williams offers readers a unique literary experience that can prove to be relatable for Bahamians and both entertaining and insightful for non-Bahamians.

He spoke with Tribune Sports on Wednesday to share the thought process behind writing an “all things Bahamian” book.

JUNIOR GOLF AWARDS

“The book is about things Bahamian including our food, our history, places of interest and the way we talk. I have been making a mental note of my various experiences for a few years. Since I have always had a passion for sharing information and knowledge, I decided that documenting these experiences and putting them in a book was a way to share and preserve,” he said.

The book does not only provide a sneak peek of the various aspects of

Bahamian culture but it is also meant to inspire readers to reﬂect on the past while also thinking about the future.

“Das A Baheemyan” highlights the new and old characteristics of the Bahamian experience.

Williams acknowledged that the writing and publication process taught him a lot. “It was a learning process all the way. It taught me patience, made me research and gather facts

JAZZ AND YANKEES CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH

SEATTLE (AP) — A year ago, the New York Yankees were knocked out of playoff contention with a week to go in the regular season, ending a string of six straight postseason appearances.

Remembering what that was like made wrapping up a playoff berth with more than a week left this time around feel that much better to the Yankees.

“A lot of things have come together. Probably better health overall. Deﬁnitely an added focus for guys that were coming off tough years and simply put, we’re better. We weren’t a great team last year and this team has a chance to do something special,” New York manager Aaron Boone said.

After spending last year sitting at home when the postseason arrived, the Yankees wrapped up their place in the playoffs with a 2-1 win over the Seattle Mariners in 10 innings last night.

It’s the 59th postseason appearance in franchise history, but the Yankees are still trying to end a World Series drought that dates to 2009, when New York celebrated its 27th title.

THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation will hold its ﬁnal team registration for its basketball tournament at 7pm on Tuesday, September 24 at the Bahamas Baptist College, Jean Street. All teams wishing to participate in either the men’s open division or the high school division are asked to submit their team roster and their registration fee of $200 per team. The tournament will be held September 27-28 at the CI Gibson Gymnasium. Awards will be presented to winners and runners-up in both divisions.

Interested teams are urged to contact Sean Bastian at 826-8535 or email: seanbastian@gmail.com

THE 14th Hole Golf Club, in conjunction with the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Junior Division, will hold its Junior Golf Awards ceremony from noon to 2pm on Sunday, October 6, at Fusion Superplex. Tickets are priced at $10 for junior golfers and $40 for adults and can be purchased by calling whatsapp 828Golf or 423-8003.

Event coordinator Georgette Rolle-Harris revealed that a number of awards will be presented to the top performers in the junior programme for the past year.

CYCLING BCF ELECTION OF OFFICERS

THE Bahamas Cycling Federation’s secretary general Barron

SEE PAGE 16

CROSS country season is in full swing and the University of The Bahamas (UB) is preparing to host the third edition of their cross country invitational starting at 7am on September 28.

The event is set to feature competitors in seven divisions across three races next weekend at the brand new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium grounds. Competitors in the under17, under-20 and open divisions will compete in the 3k race.

Competing in the 2k race will be the under-13 and under-15 age groups. The under-9 and under-11 athletes will get their chance to shine in the 1k race.

Ednal Rolle, event organiser and head coach for the UB track and ﬁeld team, is

anticipating participation numbers to increase once again for the third edition of the cross country meet.

“It has grown over the last three years. We saw a major increase in participation from 580 the ﬁrst year to 800 last year.

“We are looking for an even bigger number this year. This year we anticipate 900 to 1,000 participants coming on board,” he said. The schedule will begin with the open male and female combined 3k race

at 7am. The 3k events are scheduled to run from 7am until 8:28am. The 2k race will follow this event, starting at 8:56am and continue until 9:56am. The ﬁnal event starts 10:16am and wraps up at 11:16am. Prizes and medals will be distributed after events have concluded.

Coach Rolle outlined his expectations for UB’s cross country team.

“We have a strong team this year. We are looking to get under that top 10 position. Cross country is a challenging one for us but we are looking to be in the top 10 and if we want to be ambitious we want to be top one.

“We

Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

YANKEES’ Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr is looked at by a trainer after fouling a ball off of his leg last night. (AP Photo/L Wasson)

WNBA PLAYOFF PICTURE

STARTING TO COME INTO FOCUS AS JONQUEL AND LIBERTY CLINCH TOP SEED

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer

MORE than half of the WNBA playoff seeds are set with Grand Bahamian Jonquel Jones and the New York Liberty clinching the No. 1 seed on Tuesday night. The rest of the postseason matchups will be

determined when the regular season closes out tonight.

The Liberty topped the Washington Mystics to earn homecourt throughout the playoffs for only the second time in franchise history.

“It was important for us, one of our goals we set out,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. “We still have to take care of business in the playoffs, but getting home court, we have a great arena and great fans. We want to play in front of our fans as much as we can.”

winning 13 of 14 since the Olympic break. They’ll face Phoenix in the opening round of the playoffs which begin Sunday.

The Minnesota Lynx clinched the No. 2 seed with their victory over Connecticut. Minnesota is the hottest team right now

The Sun are currently in third with a one-game lead over Las Vegas, which assured itself no worse than the four seed with a victory over Seattle on Tuesday night. The Aces hold the

tiebreaker with Connecticut. With the loss the Storm are assured of the ﬁfth seed.

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are locked into sixth and will be on the road either in Connecticut or Las Vegas for the opening round.

The ﬁnal playoff team is still undecided. The Atlanta Dream currently hold the

eighth spot after beating Chicago on Tuesday. Washington and the Sky are both a game behind the Dream. Atlanta closes the season at New York on Thursday, Chicago visits Connecticut and Washington hosts Indiana that night. The Dream need to either win or have both Chicago and Washington lose to advance.

Police Crimestoppers edge out Nassau Flight Services Ballers

81-77 in BGDBA Finals opener

it felt to have a special night on the court for his team in the gritty win.

“That is just me. That is just what I do. I always try to go out there and do what God gave me to do with Godgiven talent,” he said.

The Ballers opened the game with lots of energy on offence. The team put together an early run to lead the game 14-9 at the 5:33 mark of the opening period.

Lamont McPhee was a man on a mission and terrorised the Crimestoppers defence for eight points in the ﬁrst quarter. The Crimestoppers kept it close but the Ballers wrapped up the ﬁrst ahead 24-22.

The BGDBA finalists kept the game close in the second quarter. The Ballers picked up where they left off and so did McPhee. He single-handedly pushed the Ballers lead to eight (32-24) after crossing up a Crimestoppers defender and finishing at the rim with five minutes to go.

The Crimestoppers erased the gap down to three (41-38) and went into the second half trailing 45-44.

Johnson said the coach did not mince words during the break and the team

certainly responded. “He basically said to go out there and give it our all and just to play like dogs. We fed off that and that is what we love to do. The mindset going into the next game is to do the same thing and to get the W,” he said. The Crimestoppers came out of the break reinvigorated. They ﬁnally took the lead 47-45 off a momentumshifting three converted by Farrington.

While the Police team heated up the Ballers got cold, but Abel Joseph quieted the run with a three of his own.

Farrington continued to take over in this quarter and helped his team to extend their lead 58-52 at the 5:22 mark.

The Crimestoppers outscored the Ballers 21-15 for a 65-60 advantage to cap off the third.

The game was neck-andneck the entire way so it was no surprise that the contest got chippy down the stretch.

Baker and the Ballers’ Deonta Tinker exchanged words with less than three minutes on the clock and were both given technical fouls. That proved to be a critical moment in the game in the fourth quarter. At that moment the

score was 76-71, Johnson went on to score nine out of the last 10 points for the Crimestoppers, including a game-clinching dunk off an assist from Baker, to hand

the Ballers their ﬁrst loss of the series. McPhee paced his team on the stat sheet with 21 points, three steals and two rebounds. Joseph had

“Turbo” Musgrove has announced that their general meeting and election of ofﬁcers will take place on Saturday, October 26 at the ofﬁce of the Bahamas Olympic Committee, starting at 5pm.

Nominations for positions in the federation must

be submitted to Musgrove in person or via email at bammus1967@gmail.com by Sunday, October 13. Positions to be ﬁlled are president, two vice presidents, general secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer and assistant treasurer. The current president is Roy Colebrooke. BBSF CYCLING CLASSIC THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation has

announced that its cycling classic will be held on Saturday, October 5 starting at 9 am at the park just before you enter Perpall Tract on West Bay Street. Registration fee is $10 for adults in the open 18-and-over and masters 35-and-over divisions and $5 for juniors in ages 15-17, 12-15 and 9-11. Interested persons are asked to contact Barron Musgrove at 433-5568 or email

musgrovebarron@hotmail. com SOFTBALL EXUMA HOMECOMING

THE Williams Town Exuma Homecoming Association is scheduled to hold a softball game and road race over the weekend of October 11-14.

The softball game will be played on October 11-12 between the Corner Boyz from the New Providence Oldtimers Softball Association and the local All-Star team from Exuma.

Then on October 12, a ﬁve-mile road race will be staged, starting at 7am from the Culture Centre in Forbes Hill to the public school in Williams Town.

Competitors in the under-9, under-11 and under-13 divisions will compete in a 2 1/2 mile run, while those in the under-15, under-17, under20 and open divisions will compete in a ﬁve-mile run.

ROOTS

JUNKANOO FUN RUN/WALK

THE Roots Junkanoo Group is scheduled to hold its Fun Run/Walk Race under the theme “Let’s Do

20 points, 11 boards, three assists and six blocks.

The Crimestoppers dictated the pace of the game for 32 fastbreak points while holding the Ballers to

This Together,” on Saturday, October 12. The event will start promptly at 6:30am at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium and will be sponsored by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the National Sports Authority.

The registration fee is $25 per athlete. Categories include under male and female under-15, under-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60 and 61-and-over.

ALL CARIBBEAN WRESTLING FIGHT FOR PARADISE

THE All Caribbean Wrestling (ACW) is scheduled to hold its Fight for Paradise Show on Saturday, October 19, at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. Doors open at 1pm. Wrestlers from throughout the Caribbean and the United States of America will be participating. For ticket information, persons can contact FightForParadise.eventbrite.

com

FREEDOM

FARM

BASEBALL REGISTRATION

FREEDOM Farm Baseball League will hold its registration for the 2025 baseball season online and in-person for players between the ages of 3-20 years old.

The registration fee is $150 per player.

In-person registration will take place every Saturday at the park in Yamacraw during September and October as

general workout sessions take place from 10 am to 1 pm. The draft showcase will take place on Saturday, November 2.

BAPTIST SPORTS FEDERATION

TRACK MEET THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation will hold its Renee ‘Sunshine’ Curry-Davis Memorial Track and Field Classic on Saturday, November 16, at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

The meet, hosted in conjunction with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Bahamas Association of Certified Officials, will recognise Curry-Davis, a former executive of the BBSF, who was working as the director for track and field before her death this year. Beginning at 9am, the meet will be geared for men and women competing in the under-7, under-11, under-15, under20 under-30 open, under-50 open and masters 50-andover categories as well as the clergy for pastors, ministers, evangelists and deacons.

The entry deadline for teams to participate is Friday, November 1 and should be submitted to TEK Results via tmoss@ locbahamas.org or contact Brent Stubbs at 426-7265 or email stubbobs@gmail.

11. They also got 16 points from their bench unit while the Ballers got zero. Game two is set to be played 8pm Friday at the DW Davis Gymnasium.

ON THE REPLAY: The Police Crimestoppers got a gritty 81-77 win last night against the Nassau Flight Services Ballers in game one of the Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association Finals. SEE MORE GAME 1 PHOTOS IN FRIDAY SPORTS Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

GRAND Bahamian Jonquel Jones and the New York Liberty have clinched the No. 1 seed. (AP)

Pro Picks: 9 winless teams aim to avoid an 0-3 start that could doom their playoff aspirations

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer

IT IS already desperate times for a few NFL teams who entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations.

The Ravens, Bengals and Jaguars are among nine winless teams facing a must-win game in Week 3. So are the Colts and Rams.

They already have an uphill climb to make the playoffs. Only two of the 32 teams that started 0-2 have made the playoffs since the NFL expanded the postseason ﬁeld to 14 teams in 2020.

Avoiding another loss this week will be crucial. Only six teams since 1979 have made the playoffs after starting 0-3, including just one since 2000. No Super Bowl champion has ever started a season 0-3.

Led by NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, Baltimore had the NFL’s best record last season but lost to Kansas City in the AFC title game. The Ravens fell just short against the Chiefs in the season opener and inexplicably blew a 10-point lead at home to the Raiders last week.

They’ll visit the Dallas Cowboys, who are coming off a lopsided 44-19 loss to the Saints. Dallas had won 16 straight regularseason games at home before being dominated by New Orleans. The Cowboys, who opened with an impressive win in Cleveland, also were blown out at home by the Packers in a wild-card playoff game last January.

The Ravens are 1 1/2point favourites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Oddsmakers are giving John Harbaugh’s team plenty of respect.

Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons and the Cowboys aren’t as bad as they looked against the Saints, but they’re still a work in progress.

Pro Picks leans toward the more desperate team.

RAVENS, 27-24

Kansas City at Atlanta

Line: Chiefs minus 3 1/2

Kirk Cousins led an impressive comeback on the road on Monday night to save the Falcons (1-1) from an 0-2 start. Now, they have to face the twotime defending Super Bowl champions. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs (2-0) haven’t played a complete game yet and have come away with two narrow wins.

BEST BET:

CHIEFS, 27-19

Philadelphia at New Orleans Line: Saints minus 2 1/2

The Eagles (1-1) blew a late lead in their home opener and have looked shaky. Derek Carr and the

Saints (2-0) dominated the Cowboys on the road and have outscored opponents 91-29. So why are they favoured by less than a ﬁeld goal?

UPSET SPECIAL:

EAGLES, 27-26

New England at New York Jets Line: Jets minus 6 1/2

Aaron Rodgers plays his ﬁrst game at home since tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 1 in 2023. The Jets are due to put it all together after a loss and a shaky win. The rebuilding Patriots (1-1) are playing with ﬁght under new coach Jerod Mayo. They should keep it close on Thursday night.

JETS, 23-17

New York Giants at Cleveland Line: Browns minus 6 1/2

Deshaun Watson and the Browns (1-1) looked much better in Jacksonville. Myles Garrett and a stingy defence should make it a tough day on Daniel Jones and the Giants (0-2). The Browns are 6-1 against the spread in their past seven home games. The Giants are 1-8 straight up in their past nine road games.

BROWNS, 26-16

Green Bay at Tennessee Line: Titans minus 1 1/2

Jordan Love returned to practice and is hoping to play after Malik Willis led the Packers (1-1) to his ﬁrst victory as a starter. The Titans (0-2) need to ﬁnd a way to win no matter whom they’re playing against. It’ll help if Will Levis eliminates those boneheaded turnovers.

PACKERS, 20-16

Chicago at Indianapolis Line: Colts minus 1 No. 1 Caleb Williams has struggled in his ﬁrst two starts for the Bears (1-1). They should rely on the run against the Colts, who allowed 200 yards on the ground in each of the ﬁrst two games and now will be missing threetime Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Anthony Richardson has thrown four picks already for Indianapolis (0-2).

COLTS, 23-20

Houston at Minnesota Line: Texans minus 2 1/2

C.J. Stroud isn’t satisﬁed with Houston’s offence despite a 2-0 start. The Texans could be without running backs Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce but Will Anderson Jr. and a smothering defence will present a major challenge for Sam Darnold and the Vikings (2-0).

TEXANS, 26-20

Los Angeles Chargers at Pittsburgh Line: Steelers minus 1 1/2

One of two matchups between unbeaten teams that’ll be more of an oldschool football battle. With J.K. Dobbins leading the way on the ground, the Chargers don’t need Justin Herbert to throw 50 times a game.

T.J. Watt going against Los Angeles rookie tackle Joe Alt will be interesting. Justin Fields has played mistake-free ball ﬁlling in for Russell Wilson and the Steelers are winning because they have no turnovers.

STEELERS, 20-17

Denver at Tampa Bay Line: Buccaneers minus 7 Baker Mayﬁeld has turned into one of the top quarterbacks in the league and Todd Bowles’ injury-plagued defence was outstanding on the road against the high-octane Lions as the Buccaneers (2-0) pulled of an upset. That defence will make it tough on Bo Nix and the Broncos (0-2).

BUCCANEERS, 24-18

Carolina at Las Vegas Line: Raiders minus 5 1/2

Maybe Andy Dalton can kickstart an offence that was dreadful with Bryce Young. The Panthers (0-2) can’t be any worse. Gardner Minshew led the Raiders (1-1) to a stunning comeback win in Baltimore while Maxx Crosby had another huge game.

RAIDERS, 23-19

Miami at Seattle Line: Seahawks minus 4 1/2

Without Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins (1-1) turn to Skylar Thompson. He has plenty of playmakers around him, including All-Pro Tyreek Hill. The Seahawks are 2-0 behind Geno Smith and a revamped defence under Mike Macdonald.

SEAHAWKS, 24-20

San Francisco at Los Angeles Rams Line: 49ers minus 7 1/2

The 49ers (1-1) and Rams (0-2) injury reports look like a Pro Bowl roster. Los Angeles is in danger of falling way behind after making the playoffs last year. Brock Purdy still has Brandon Aiyuk, George

Kittle and Jordan Mason. The 49ers are 1-5 against the spread in their past six games but 7-2 against it in their past nine games vs. the Rams.

49ERS, 26-20

Detroit at Arizona Line: Lions minus 3

The Lions (1-1) haven’t played like Super Bowl contenders the ﬁrst two weeks. It’s time for Jared Goff and Co. to get on track.

Kyler Murray has to avoid Aidan Hutchinson and continue getting the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr. for the Cardinals (1-1).

LIONS, 27-20

Jacksonville at Buffalo Line: Bills minus 5 1/2

After winning the AFC South in 2022 and falling short following a late-season collapse last year, the Jaguars (0-2) can’t afford another loss. They’re better than they’ve shown. Meanwhile, Josh Allen and the Bills (2-0) are playing like a team that felt disrespected.

JAGUARS, 23-21

Washington at Cincinnati Line: Bengals minus 7 1/2

Joe Burrow nearly beat Mahomes and the Chiefs again if it weren’t for defensive blunders again. The Bengals (0-2) need a win badly. Jayden Daniels and the Commanders (1-1) aren’t ready to pull off this upset, though they should keep it close.

BENGALS, 26-20

column where AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi shares his picks for upcoming games.

ELI MANNING LEADS GROUP OF 1ST-TIME ELIGIBLE NOMINEES FOR PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer

TWO-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, former Defensive Players of the Year Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs, and postseason kicking hero Adam Vinatieri are among the players nominated for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class in their ﬁrst year of eligibility.

The Hall announced 167 modern era candidates for the class yesrerday that included 16 players who became eligible this year, including two-time All-Pro guard Marshal Yanda.

A screening committee will reduce the list of nominees to 50 players next month. Then the full 50-person selection committee will cut the list down to 25 semiﬁnalists and then 15 ﬁnalists for the annual meeting before the Super Bowl that will produce the new class.

Players must get 80% of votes to get in with between three and ﬁve players getting in as modern era candidates. There will also be three senior candidates, grouped with one coach and contributor with at least one and no more than three of those ﬁnalists getting in based on voting.

The other ﬁrst-year candidates are offensive linemen Travis Frederick, Ryan Kalil and Joe Staley; running backs Darren Sproles and Marshawn Lynch; receiver Demaryius Thomas; tight ends Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker; and defensive backs Antoine Bethea, Aqib Talib and Earl Thomas.

There are also 10 players back under consideration who were ﬁnalists a year ago with tight end Antonio Gates, receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne; offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Jahri Evans; defensive backs Darren Woodson, Eric Allen and Rodney Harrison; defensive lineman Jared Allen; and running back Fred Taylor back on the list. Manning will look to follow his brother Peyton into the Hall following a standout career with the New York Giants.

Manning was picked ﬁrst overall in the 2004 draft and spent his entire career in New York. He led the Giants to an upset win over the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl following the 2007 season, throwing a gamewinning TD pass to Plaxico Burress in the ﬁnal minute. He led another late TD drive to upset Tom Brady and the Patriots four years later.

Manning is one of 13 QBs to win multiple Super Bowls with eight of the nine who are eligible for the Hall getting inducted.

Rodgers gets 1st chance to play in Jets-Patriots rivalry tonight

By DENNIS WASZAK JR AP Pro Football Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodg-

ers knows a little bit about

ﬁerce NFL rivalries. He helped fuel one during his 18 seasons in Green Bay.

Now the quarterback of the New York Jets (1-1), Rodgers is getting his ofﬁcial introduction to what has lately been a mostly lopsided matchup when he plays in the home opener against the New England Patriots (1-1) tonight.

But the four-time NFL MVP isn’t necessarily looking to add to the lore between the AFC East rivals. Well, other than to get a victory in the Jets’ third game in 11 days to open the season.

“I think you need more than a couple games to put a stamp on a rivalry,” said Rodgers, who was sidelined

for both games last season with a torn Achilles tendon. “I’m excited to play in it. I played in arguably the best rivalry in football — the Bears and Packers. It’s the oldest and I was a part of turning that thing around. When I ﬁrst started, we were behind in the all-time series. When I ﬁnished, we were ahead and the Packers had beat them 10 straight. So that was fun to be a part of.

“These two games will be great against the Patriots, but I don’t feel like there’s going to be a ‘stamp.’” And really, the rivalry between the Jets and Patriots — with New England holding a 74-55-1 advantage — has lost some of its luster. There’s no more Bill Belichick in New England. And Tom Brady hasn’t been there in a few years. There are also no more questions about when New York will ﬁnally beat New

England again, having snapped a 15-game skid in last season’s ﬁnale — Belichick’s ﬁnal game as coach. “Yeah,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said with a laugh when asked if he was happy about not having to talk about the losing streak.

“But no, it’s good. It’s a new regime, so it’s a whole new setup.”

Jerod Mayo, hired to replace Belichick, is no newcomer to the rivalry, though. The former Patriots linebacker saw the Jets twice a season during his

eight years in New England, and was also part of the 2010 team that lost to New York in the playoffs.

Mayo has the new-look Patriots off to an impressive start after stunning Cincinnati in their opener before falling to Seattle in overtime last Sunday.

“We’ve got a good test on Thursday,” quarterback Jacoby Brissett said. “But we’ll be up for it.”

Old and young At 40, Rodgers is the oldest player in the NFL.

Teammate Braelon Allen is the league’s youngest at 20.

The two connected for a touchdown at Tennessee, making Allen the youngest to score a TD from scrimmage in the NFL since 1930.

The fourth-round pick from Wisconsin is also the ﬁrst rookie in franchise history to have a TD catch and a TD run in the same game.

“It just gets a little weird when you’re playing against

head coaches you’ve played against,” Rodgers said, referring to Mayo.

“You’re playing with guys that could be your kid, agewise. It’s a good reminder of how special it is to still be playing at 40.”

Solid plan The Patriots have found a winning formula — enough to win one game and hold the lead after 59 minutes of another.

New England hasn’t committed a turnover in either game. It has run for at least 170 yards in each and allowed 70 or fewer yards on the ground. It has held the edge in time of possession against both Cincinnati and Seattle.

“I thought we were still able to run the ball and control the line of scrimmage,” Mayo said.

“Even when we were down, I felt like we were in control of the game,” he added.

LOS Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) scores a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of an NFL football game last week Sunday in Glendale, Arizona.

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

NEW York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. (AP Photo/John Amis)

JUNIOR TENNIS CHAMPIONS CROWNED IN UNDER 14/16 TOURNEY IN FREEPORT

THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) congratulates the champions and runners-up of the GBTA’S Flawless Construction and Legacy Styles U14/ U16 junior tournament held in Freeport, Grand Bahama, over the weekend.

Girls U14

Winner - Briana

Houlgrave

Runner up - Caitlyn Pratt

Boys U14

Winner - Ayai Bethel

Runner up - Noah Russell

Girls U16

Winner - Briana

Houlgrave

Runner up - Tatanya Madu

Boys U16

Winner - Aiden Ritchie

Runner up - Alec Hooper

Mixed Doubles

Winners - Oneal Hanna and Makayla Mcdonald

Runners up - Da’Shan Gardiner Jr. and Anya Hepburn

Presenting the trophies were GBTA president Greg Laroda, Mrs. Mary Young, representative from Flawless Construction and Legacy Styles along with GBTA executives.

The Grand Bahama Tennis Association (GBTA) extended

congratulations to all the players who participated in this weekend’s event.

“Thanks to all our outof-town participants from New Providence, Abaco and Eleuthera. A special thanks to BLTA president Mr. Perry Newton who also made it down for some special presentations, your presence and participation were greatly appreciated.”

Mr Newton took the opportunity to make presentations from BahaMar Cup and Mark Knowles to four talented juniors from Eleuthera, Abaco and Grand Bahama (Ayai Bethel, Da’Shan Gardiner Jr, Caitlyn Pratt and Danielle Saunders).

The players and parents were truly appreciative and are pictured with the BLTA president Newton, president of Abaco Tennis Cameel McDonald and GBTA president Laroda. The BLTA also congratulates the GBTA on another successful and well-organised tournament.

“We extend special congratulations to the double crown champion Briana Houlgrave and to all the

winners and participants, continue to shine.

“The mixed doubles ﬁnals featured three players from Abaco which shows that tennis is being developed throughout the chain

of islands in The Bahamas.

“We look forward to more junior and senior tournaments on the BLTA’s calendar in October, Focol Jr Tournament in Grand Bahama, the Sheri Roberts

Open in Abaco and Senior Nationals in Nassau.

“The diversity of the junior and senior tounaments across The Bahamas is a testament to the level of engagement and the continued development and growth of tennis across The Bahamas. We are thankful to God for this level of engagement and for the tennis sustainability that is being harnessed.

TOP junior tennis players get ﬁnancial support thanks to Baha Mar.

CHAMPIONS IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Briana Houlgrave, Ayai Bethel and Aiden Ritchie were crowned junior tennis champions at the GBTA’S Flawless Construction and Legacy Styles

junior tournament in Freeport, Grand Bahama, over the weekend.

MAKING A CONTRIBUTION: Gilbert Williams, director of Special Olympics Bahamas, has highlighted the various aspects of Bahamian culture in his book “Das A Baheemyan” which was published in August.

Gilbert Williams publishes ‘Das A Baheemyan’ book

FROM PAGE 15

and also made me realise how little I know and the need for more Bahamians to tell their stories and share their experiences,” he said. The book sales have already started rolling in for Williams.

He added that although the process was not seamless, it was very fulﬁlling.

“The best part about getting my book out there was knowing that I have made a contribution by sharing my knowledge and experiences.

“Also, by publishing it means it will be around for

future generations to read,” he said.

He expressed why more Bahamians should consider purchasing “Das A Baheemyan”: “There are a number of reasons to purchase the book but mainly because of the factual content that tells a little of our history and because it captures us Bahamians in a way that we can relate to and appreciate,” he said. The paperback version of “Das A Baheemyan” can be purchased on Amazon and as an eBook for Kindle users. The book is also available for purchase at the Special Olympics Bahamas ofﬁce.

UB ATHLETICS SET TO STAGE CROSS COUNTRY INVITE

FROM PAGE 15

strengthen our cross country team. We intend to be stronger in the years to come,” he said.

The Hurry Murray Club had a strong showing at

ON SEPTEMBER 28

last year’s cross country invitational. The club won numerous divisions, including the under-20 boys, under-17 boys, under-15 girls, under-13 girls and under-9 boys divisions.

The CR Walker Knights claimed gold in the under20 girls’ division. The Government High School Magic prevailed in the under-17 girls’ category.The CH Reeves

Raptors picked up wins in the under-15 boys and under-13 boys’ divisions. Meanwhile, X-Treme Athletics won the under-11 girls and boys and under-9 girls divisions.