09202016 business

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

business@tribunemedia.net

$3.78

$4.19

Govt seeking $20m for UBS House buy

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net The Government has been seeking to finance its impending acquisition of UBS House via a $20 million bond issue to Bahamian investors, Tribune Business can reveal.

Providence Advisors, the boutique investment house and advisory firm, has in recent weeks been testing the capital markets’ appetite for financing the Christie administration’s purchase via the placement of debt securities.

Tribune Business understands that the $20 million issue, if placed, would carry an interest rate coupon of 5.5 per cent, thus offering investors a slight premium

Providence hired to assess investor bond appetite Purchase now set to close midOctober after delays Treasury-owned SPV structured as acquirer to the Bahamian Prime rate.

The bonds would also have a 15-year maturity, with the repayment of investor principal at the end of that term financed by a

‘sinking fund’, into which a portion of rental payments received from UBS House tenants will go.

Financing now appears to be the major obstacle to closing the Government’s acquisition of UBS (Bahamas) headquarters building on East Bay Street, in a deal that includes the purchase of the ‘annex’ building and vacant land stretching all the way to Shirley Street.

The closing date, which has been extended several times, and was originally scheduled for February this year, is now set for mid-October, Tribune Business was told yesterday.

However, contacts familiar with the transaction suggested that Providence Advisors had now been asked to “stand pat”, and “hold

off” on their fund-raising drive - suggesting that the Government may be exploring alternative financing mechanisms.

Kenwood Kerr, Providence Advisors’ chief executive, was not available for comment prior to press time last night, despite several messages being left for him.

Simon Wilson, the Ministry of Finance’s acting financial secretary, was said to have been in a meeting when Tribune Business called, and did not return the message left for him.

“As far as I know, the deal is still on,” one source familiar with the UBS House transaction said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“It has been pulled back a couple of times.”

See pg b6

Hollywood demands ‘severe penalties’ for Bahamian hacker

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Baha Mar Development Project

CCA’s $65k counter over Baha Mar work

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Baha Mar’s major contractor has launched a $65,000 damages counterclaim against one of its former US sub-contractors, alleging that it failed to perform on two contracts relating to the project’s convention centre.

China Construction America (Bahamas) has thus hit back at Novum Structures for its $555,000 demand in an earlier lawsuit, levelling exactly the same allegations that Baha Mar’s former developer, Sarkis Izmirlian, made against itself.

And cynical observers may also view CCA’s defence as something of a ‘playbook’ for how the Chinese state-owned contractor may deal with its Bahamian sub-contractors if

Levels same claims made against it on US sub Alleges can’t pay until Baha Mar ‘owner’ pays This, arbitration claim, warning for Bahamian firms it is unable to resolve their claims to its satisfaction.

Novum Structures, a specialist contractor that provides architectural and structural services, initiated a lawsuit against CCA (Bahamas) in early August 2016 to recover the outstanding $555,000 it claims See pg b5

Hollywood is demanding that “severe criminal penalties” be imposed against Bahamian ‘celebrity hacker’, Alonzo Knowles, when he is sentenced by the southern New York federal court on September 30.

Court documents obtained by Tribune Business reveal that the US media and entertainment industry, and several celebrities, are demanding that his punishment be “significant enough” to deter others from engaging in similar activities.

The documents also reveal the identities of some of Mr Knowles’ victims, including Twentieth Century Fox, one of the world’s largest movie production stu-

Fox wants ‘deterrent effect’ against GB native Sale of movie, TV scripts jeopardised ‘millions’ dios, and the actress-singer Naturi Naughton, formerly part of the 3LW R&B trio.

The ‘victim impact’ statements by Twentieth Century Fox, part of News Corporation, the global media conglomerate headed by Rupert Murdoch, and another celebrity whose identity has been withheld will add to the pressure for a lengthy jail sentence for the Grand Bahama native.

See pg b4

$4.19

$4.01

Bahamas urged: ‘Avoid’ EU blacklisting threat

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net The Bahamas was yesterday urged to take all necessary measures to “avoid” being placed on a European Union (EU) financial services ‘blacklist’, after this nation received two ‘red flag warning’ scores.

The EU, in rating 81 different jurisdictions for their co-operation on tax matters, last week ‘red flagged’ the Bahamas and nine other countries - mainly its fellow international financial centre (IFC) rivals - for having either no, or a zero rate, corporate income tax.

The Brussels-based EU Commission also placed a ‘red flag’ against the Bahamas when it came to transparency and the exchange of tax information, although on the third and final criteria - the existence of a ringfenced preferential tax regime - this nation received a clean bill of health.

The EU, though, made clear that the ‘scorecard’ is See pg b6

Nation ‘red flagged’ on tax exchange, no income tax Adds to OECD pressure; new negative articles awaited BFSB chief: Bahamas must ‘adapt and reposition’

Michael Patton

Receivers deny Fosun is Baha Mar’s buyer

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Baha Mar’s receivers yesterday denied that the Chinese-based Fosun Group had been selected as the preferred bidder for the $3.5 billion project.

Raymond Winder, Deloitte& Touche (Bahamas) managing partner and one of the three-strong receiver team, told Tribune Business that while Fosun was “part

Chinese group was ‘part of bidding process’ of the process” - indicating it was one of the bidders, or had at least conducted due diligence - it was not Baha Mar’s potential purchaser.

This contradicts multiple Tribune Business sources who have identified Fosun, the Club Med and Cirque See pg b4

PAGE 2, Tuesday, September 20, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Pictured from L to R are NewCo2015 human resources director, Patrice Thompson; NewCo2015 chief executive, Damian Blackburn; Dr Darville, minister for Grand Bahama; Grand Bahama Port Authority president, Ian Rolle; and senior undersecretary at the Ministry for Grand Bahama, Harcourt Brown.

Photo/Keen i Media Ltd

New mobile operator unveils GB call centre The Bahamas’ second mobile operator yesterday announced it plans to create more than 30 jobs on Grand Bahama by locating its national call centre on the island.

NewCo2015 said it was actively recruiting for the call centre, whose employees will add to the 51 staff it has already hired nationwide.

Patrice Thompson, NewCo 2015’s human resources director, said: “Over the next two days, the NewCo2015 human resources team will be engaging in a recruitment exercise to identify and select the customer care team. This team will have the responsibility for our national customer service centre.”

Damian Blackburn, NewCo2015’s chief executive,said test calls have already been placed from NewCo’s mobile phone network to both BTC and Cable Bahamas numbers.

“These two firsts are both critical and necessary achievements in laying the foundation for the launch of our mobile services,” Mr Blackburn said.

“Our technical teams have been hard at work to deliver a world class, Bahamas-wide system, using cutting edge technology which will offer next generation innovative products and services to all Bahamians.”

Mr Blackburn said that in record time, 46 cell tower sites have been constructed on New Providence, while 22 cell sites have been completed on Grand Bahama in the first phase of tower construction.

NewCo2015 said 49 of its 68 cell sites were already active. “We are also pleased to announce that our backup system was installed in Freeport and is ready for testing,” Mr Blackburn said.

He added that this redundancy was part of the company’s core network stability and “unwavering commitment to a new standard of reliability”.

Speaking about the recruitment process, Mrs Thompson said: “Candidates for interviews have been scheduled after an initial shortlisting process, and we are confident that we will find the best Bahamian talent here on Grand

Bahama.”

Mr Blackburn thanked the National Training Agency, the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Grand Bahama Development Company for helping NewCo2015’s efforts to launch services.

“Partnerships with utility companies and government agencies will help us to continue to execute on our aggressive plan throughout the Bahamas,” Mr Blackburn said.

Dr Michael Darville, minister for Grand Bahama, said: “I am certain that Mr Blackburn and his team will articulate the way forward for NewCo, as well as the economic impact this company will have on the island of Grand Bahama.

“I am so pleased that you have brought good news with employment for the island of Grand Bahama, and I’m sure that the people of Grand Bahama will appreciate the fact that your customer-based service centre will be located on Grand Bahama, which is a clear indication of your commitment to the people of this island.”

MOBILE

APP

Take us with you Everywhere you go!

THE TRIBUNE

Gray told to back up BAMSI claims

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Opposition’s deputy leader yesterday challenged the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources to “substantiate” his claim that BAMSI has reduced the Bahamas’ food import bill by $100 million or otherwise resign.

K P Turnquest argued that the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute appeared to have no strategic plan, with funds seemingly “going down a black hole”.

He was speaking after V Alfred Gray said that within the past year, BAMSI had supplied about $100 million worth of food consumed in the Bahamas. He also pledged that the price

V Alfred Gray food import bill will be cut in half by 2021 because of BAMSI’s work.

“I listened with keen interest to the Minister of Agriculture’s proclamation and thought I must have misunderstood him,” Mr Turnquest said.

“The Minister must be

called upon to substantiate his statement of $100 million in revenue from BAMSI, or resign and apologise to the Bahamian people if he is unable to do so.

“In my view, this is a blatant abuse of the Bahamian trust and should not continue to go unnoticed or unaddressed as a pattern is being perpetrated of continued misrepresentations and exaggerations from this Minister and his government,” he added.

“Coupled with the outrageous overrun at the Potters Cay project, the Minister is clearly prepared to mislead the public for his narrow political purpose or other benefit, and that cannot be allowed to stand by all responsible governments.”

Mr Turnquest argued that significant sums were being invested in BAMSI with no

strategic plan, and warned that failure would result,aqs happened with Hatchet Bay Farms and BARTARD under previous PLP administrations.

“The truth is that BAMSI continues to be a disappointment in that the significant sums invested with no strategic plan seem to be going down a black hole, destined to result in failure under the current administration, like the Hatchet Bay Farms and BARTARD did under previous PLP administrations,” said Mr Turnquest.

“The Government must immediately put before the Bahamian people the full BAMSI plan and the costing of this programme, coupled with the natural tie-in for the future of the industry overall.”

Chamber partners for cyber crime workshop The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation (BCCEC) has partnered with Star General Insurance to host a Cyber Security Workshop, in a bid to combat a growing menace that is estimated to have cost the global eceonomy some $400 billion.

“This one-day workshop, featuring international experts, comes at a time when the privacy of e-mails and their public release has created much controversy,” said Edison Summer, Chamber chief executive.

“Last year, we saw the Ministry of Tourism’s website hacked; one of the country’s most important websites temporarily under the control of another indi-

vidual or entity.

“We must bring cyber security awareness to ministries, businesses and individuals operating in the Bahamas. There is a vast amount of sensitive information held in databases, servers, e-mails and hard drives, and we can’t afford for them to fall into the wrong hands.”

As businesses continue to build their brands and battle with competitors, one security breach can ruin professional reputations and goodwill in customer eyes.

Banking customers are facing growing incidents of fraud, and must become more careful about protecting their identities including passports, credit card

Edison Sumner and banking information.

Without proper security in place to protect sensitive information and those of customers, businesses leave themselves exposed to extortion, sabotage, public relations issues and lawsuits.

“We should not take for granted that we are a small

BTC readies San Sal for new infrastructure The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) says it is now testing fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) technology in San-Salvador with more than 50 customers, as part of its nationwide roll-out for the technology.

Leon Williams, BTC’s chief executive, said: “We made a promise to our customers in the Family Islands that we would connect them to FTTH and FLOW TV services first.

“For years, these customers have not had the opportunity to access modern, state-of-the-art television services. We intend to officially launch fiber-tothe-home and television in San Salvador in just a few weeks.”

FTTH will provide customers with up to 1GB (gigabyte) of speed to their doorsteps. This new broad-

BTC CEO LEON WILLIAMS band infrastructure will make it easier to access and download online content, and provide access to new IP-based solutions.

BTC introduced FTTH services in eastern New Providence earlier this summer. This coincided

with the introduction of its new television service, FLOW TV. FLOW television is currently available in Bimini, Inagua, Rum Cay and eastern New Providence. BTC’s technical teams are also working in several islands as it continues to meet its schedule to provide television services nationwide.

Ten days before Christmas 2014, BTC started a test bed for television services in Bimini. More than 100 residents tested the service for a 12-month period.

One year later, BTC officially introduced the service to Bimini. With the introduction of television, BTC became the Bahamas’ first provider of quad-play services, providing landline, Internet, mobile and now television services.

ACCOUNTANT

Bank And Trust Company seeking a candidate for the position of Accountant.

RESPONSIBILITIES • •

•

Direct responsibility for bank and investment reconciliations Data preparation, input maintenance and upkeep of the general Ledgers of client companies, trust and other structures, including

preparation of related yearly financial statements and periodic

cash flow analyses.

Assist the Manager, as required with the preparation of monthly and quarterly financial statements.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS REQUIRED: •

• •

• •

• • • •

3-5 years’ experience with a Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field Strong oral and written communications skills Basic knowledge of banking and investment products and their application in overall management and administration of wealth Working knowledge of accounting concepts and their applications Ability to identify potential risk issues and solutions and to communicate these effectively to senior management Excellent time management, organization and administrative skills Strong analytical and problem-solving skills Strong PC skills Strong interpersonal skills and excellent team player Interested candidates should forward a copy of their resume to: Human Resources P.O. Box N-9834 Nassau, Bahamas

nation that cyber criminals would prey on. The Internet makes it easy for crimes to be planned and carried out from the other side of the world,” said Mr Sumner.

The one-day workshop will be held on Thursday, September 29, 2016, at the British Colonial Hilton.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016, PAGE 3

Insurers challenge Govt on health premium drop The Bahamas Insurance Association (BIA) yesterday challenged the Minister of Health’s assertion that the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme will reduce private health insurance premium prices.

The Association said the nature of the NHI Act, passed in Parliament in August, coupled with concerns about the quality of medical providers offering services under the Government’s scheme, raised questions about the accuracy of the minister’s statements.

These included Dr Perry Gomez’s August assertion to The Tribune that NHI gives “… you an opportunity to renegotiate your private plan so that you are able to only pay for the services not currently included under NHI. “This may not only reduce the cost of your plans, but may allow a greater number of Bahamians access to private health insurance at the lower rates.”

According to Dr Gomez, the fact that NHI will cover much of the primary care services/benefits currently offered by private insurers means that the latter’s customers will be able to ‘shrink’ their cover and thus obtain lower premiums.

Yet the BIA countered: “Private health insurers have to provide services that consumers are willing to pay for. Accordingly, private insurers operate in a very different environment than the Government, who can compel you to pay taxes notwithstanding public concern about the type and manner of services that are delivered.

“At this time, private health insurers have reason to be concerned about the breadth and quality of the network of medical providers that will sign on to deliver NHI benefits.

“Should many of our cus-

tomers’ medical providers not sign-on to NHI, insurers will face demands to continue to provide primary care services.”

The BIA added that the Government’s own NHI legislation “also makes it less likely that NHI will reduce private health insurance premiums”.

It explained that, via the Act’s Section 21, private health insurers will be the “primary payer” for Bahamians who already enjoy their coverage.

In other words, NHI will not cover Bahamians with private health insurance at least not in the primary care phase.

“Therefore, one can expect that health insurance premium costs will remain as is given that the law directs that privately-insured individuals must claim against their private plan, as long as the NHI benefits are covered under those plans,” the BIA said.

“It is important to note that this was a conscious choice that the Government made. Had they made NHI the primary payer, they could have credibly claimed that the law should reduce the cost of health insurance.”

The BIA again questioned whether NHI was the right model for the Bahamas, and if it would achieve its objective of providing equal access to quality care for all.

“Is the public being misled by the promises being made regarding what NHI is providing and the supposed advantages of such a programme?,” the Association asked.

“It is of great concern that the Minister of Health’s statement is wrong, and that NHI may not decrease the cost of private health insurance at all.”

PAGE 4, Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Hollywood demands ‘severe penalties’ for Bahamian hacker From pg B1 Ranged against these corporations and ‘high society’ victims, Mr Knowles has only letters from his father, other family members and girlfriend, pleading for leniency.

The September 12, 2016, letter from a Fox Entertainment Group executive, whose identity has been withheld, to the southern New York US attorney’s office reveals that Mr Knowles’s hacking efforts stole scripts for an unreleased television series and movie.

“Knowles’ illegal theft and offer to sell the scripts has caused tremendous harm to Fox,” the US attorney’s office was told.

“Fox has expended millions of dollars, and thousands of hours, in developing, shaping, producing, shooting, editing and pol-

ishing the Fox Properties, resulting in finished products that Fox intended would fulfill the fans’ and creators’ great expectations for this series and film....

“By offering the scripts for sale, Knowles has undermined the enormous resources and efforts expended by these hundreds of individuals who worked tirelessly to make the Fox Properties a reality.”

The Fox Entertainment Group executive added that Mr Knowles’ sale of the scripts (to an undercover law enforcement agent) before the TV series and movie were both publicly released would have undermined the value of their rights and the public’s viewing experience.

It would also have cost Fox revenue from lower viewing figures and advertising revenues associated

Receivers deny Fosun is Baha Mar’s buyer From pg B1

de Soleil owner, as the likely Baha Mar buyer.

They have suggested that the purchase is largely “done”, and is subject just to the China Export-Import Bank and China Construction America (CCA) completing the $3.5 billion development’s construction.

“I think they are almost certainly the buyer,” one contact said of Fosun. “I don’t think there are many runners. At the end of the day, it’s almost certainly a Chinese deal.”

Fosun was also among the Government’s favoured options for a Baha Mar purchaser, but its interest was derailed - at least temporarily - when its chief executive was called in for questioning amid a major corruption probe in China. No charges were ever said to have been levelled against him or the group.

Prime Minister Perry Christie’s description of the Baha Mar buyer during his recent visit to London also appears to fit a conglomerate such as Fosun.

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

GIANT EXPAND HOLDINGS LTD.

N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows:

(a) GIANT EXPAND HOLDINGS LTD. is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000. (b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 13th September, 2016 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General. (c) The Liquidator of the said company is Bukit Merah Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, P.O. Box N-3023, Nassau, Bahamas Dated this 20th day of September, A. D. 2016 _________________________________ Bukit Merah Limited Liquidator LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

MELVIN LIMITED

N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows:

(a) MELVIN LIMITED is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000. (b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 13th September, 2016 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General. (c) The Liquidator of the said company is Leeward Nominees Limited, Akara Building, 24 de Castro Street, Wickhams Cay 1, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Dated this 20th day of September, A. D. 2016 _________________________________ Leeward Nominees Limited Liquidator LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

TOURNEY LIMITED

with the TV series, and lower ticket sales and rentals for the film.

“In those relatively rare cases when someone is caught and prosecuted for piracy such as this, we always hope that the prosecution will take the opportunity to send a strong message to would-be-pirates of filmed entertainment,” the Fox Entertainment Group executive urged.

“A severe criminal penalty would send the message that stealing intellectual property is a serious crime that carries with it serious consequences.

“Fox would greatly appreciate the court’s imposition of a sentence in line with the tremendous harm caused by Knowles’ criminal activities, and significant enough to ensure that others are deterred from engaging in this sort of crime.”

This adds further weight to the push by the US district attorney for a 27-33 month prison term for Mr Knowles, a duration above the range suggested by advi-

sory guidelines, because “a substantial term of imprisonment is justified to reflect the seriousness of the offense, promote respect for the law, and provide deterrence for this defendant”.

US government attorneys are arguing that the magnitude of potential copyright losses suffered by Fox and others means that existing sentencing guidelines “do not accurately capture the gravity” of the offences committed by the Grand Bahama native.

Mr Knowles in May pleaded guilty to electronically hacking more than 100 global celebrities, and stealing unreleased movie and TV scripts, social security numbers and private sex videos.

The case, though, drives home how important the protection of intellectual property rights (copyright) is in the modern world’s economic and trading environment - and especially to a country such as the Bahamas, which wants to develop a knowledge-based

“We were informed as to the company itself. It is obviously multi-faceted in every which way; it’s a conglomerate,” Mr Christie said from London, “We are unable to speak at this stage as to who they are because, again, negotiations are taking place in Beijing and in Hong Kong and, for that matter, elsewhere with respect to an agreement being arrived at.”

Many observers have privately stated their belief that Baha Mar is being reserved for a Chinese buyer such as the Fosun Group, given the China ExportImport Bank’s ‘impossible demand’ that it recover its

full $2.45 billion outlay on the project.

A Chinese buyer, though, would be able to agree a deal where in return for making the China ExportImport Bank ‘whole’, it is paid back later via a series of ‘soft’ loans and other concessions.

“It’s a Chinese deal where the China ExportImport Bank won’t be writing off a large loss in the Bahamas. It will look OK,” the source said.

“The China Export-Import Bank won’t be seen to take a loss on this. It will simply give the buyer a discount elsewhere, and take the loss there.”

the hands of someone who didn’t care about the untold damage and ramifications it would have on my life and lives of those who care about me”.

“That’s not only criminal; it’s cruel,” they added.

“When I think about what potentially could have happened had this person [Mr Knowles] not been apprehended, my eyes well with tears and I feel ashamed, even though intellectually I know that I shouldn’t feel that way.”

Explaining that they were “too embarrassed” to disclose what had happened to their friends and family, the celebrity added: “I’ve had to live with this deep sense of anxiety and uncertainty.

“I feel violated, disrespected and exposed. This has been a difficult situation for me to deal with, but knowing this person is facing significant punishment allows me to have some measure of peace.”

Raymond Winder

NOTICE

GRANGE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS LIMITED

N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows:

(a) GRANGE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS LIMITED is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000. (b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 13th September, 2016 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General. (c) The Liquidator of the said company is Bukit Merah Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, P.O. Box N-3023, Nassau, Bahamas Dated this 20th day of September, A. D. 2016 _________________________________ Bukit Merah Limited Liquidator LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

CORINTHIANS ASSETS LIMITED N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows:

(a) CORINTHIANS ASSETS LIMITED is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000. (b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 13th September, 2016 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General. (c) The Liquidator of the said company is Repulse Bay Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, P.O. Box N-3023, Nassau, Bahamas Dated this 20th day of September, A. D. 2016 _________________________________ Repulse Bay Limited Liquidator LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

VILLINGE LIMITED

N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows:

(a) TOURNEY LIMITED is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000.

(a) VILLINGE LIMITED is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000.

(b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 13th September, 2016 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General.

(b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 13th September, 2016 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General.

(c) The Liquidator of the said company is Leeward Nominees Limited, Akara Building, 24 de Castro Street, Wickhams Cay 1, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

(c) The Liquidator of the said company is Leeward Nominees Limited, Akara Building, 24 de Castro Street, Wickhams Cay 1, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

_________________________________ Leeward Nominees Limited Liquidator

economy.

The Bahamas has already committed to protecting intellectual property rights via the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU), and recently upgraded its legislation in this area in anticipation of acceding to full World Trade Organisation (WTO) membership.

However, as with most laws, it now faces the trickier task of enforcing them and living up to its international obligations, as highlighted by the numerous sellers of pirated DVDs and CDs throughout New Providence.

However, the victim statements in Mr Knowles’ trial show intellectual property theft is not a victimless crime. Ms Naughton is due to give a victim impact statement vis video, and the US attorney’s office has also obtained a statement from another unnamed celebrity.

They described themselves as “humiliated” when they learned “that sensitive, personal information was in

LEGAL NOTICE

N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows:

Dated this 20th day of September, A. D. 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Dated this 20th day of September, A. D. 2016 _________________________________ Leeward Nominees Limited Liquidator

Legal Notice

NOTICE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT (No. 45 of 2000)

SPEIRS RESOURCES LIMITED In Voluntary liquidation

“Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000). SPEIRS RESOURCES LIMITED is in Dissolution.”

The date of commencement of dissolution is the 16th day of September, 2016.

Anastasiia Anatolyevna Borisova of 34 Topolinaya Str., Apt. 129, City of Tolyatti, Samara region, Russia Liquidator

Legal Notice

NOTICE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT (No. 45 of 2000)

FATO INVESTMENTS COMPANY LIMITED Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000), FATO INVESTMENTS COMPANY LIMITED, has been dissolved and struck off the Register according to the Certificate of Dissolution issued by the Registrar General on the 19th day of August, 2016.

Néstor Gustavo Cardozo Gracía Rincón 610, Office 402 Montevideo, Uruguay Liquidator

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 20, 2016, PAGE 5

CCA’s $65k counter over Baha Mar work From pg B1

to be owed for work on the Baha Mar project.

But, in its defence, which was filed with the southern New York federal court on Friday, CCA is alleging that Novum’s recovery claim is “barred” because it failed to follow the procedure for dealing with constructionrelated disputes at Baha Mar. In particular, CCA (Bahamas) is alleging that Novum failed to first take its complaint to a Dispute Resolution Board (DRB), which it described as an “explicit condition precedent to the commencement of any legal proceeding”.

Given that CCA’s Bahamian sub-contractors all have arbitration clauses in their contracts, according to Bahamian Contractors Association (BCA) president Leonard Sands, it is highly likely that the Chinese company will insist that any local firm go first to the DRB if it is unhappy with the settlement offered.

CCA (Bahamas) is understood to owe its Bahamian sub-contractors a collective $58 million, with the latter forced to negotiate for their outstanding payments directly with the Chinese state-owned firm.

They have been excluded from the Baha Mar creditor payouts on the grounds that CCA (Bahamas), as a solvent company, has assets against which they can claim if it fails to provide a satisfactory settlement.

Prime Minister Perry Christie also reassured that as part of the agreement to complete Baha Mar’s construction, CCA (Bahamas) is to settle with its Bahamian sub-contractors and vendors.

However, he may wish to note another element of CCA (Bahamas) defence in the Novum action, which is that it is “not required to make any payments under the sub-contract until after CCA (Bahamas) receives payment from the owner”.

CCA (Bahamas) insistence that it cannot pay its US sub-contractors until it receives monies owed to it by Baha Mar’s “owner”, presumably Mr Izmirlian or its affiliate, the China Export-Import Bank, triggers an immediate warning signal for its Bahamian sub-

contractors.

It is unclear whether CCA (Bahamas) will be paid what it is owed, said to be between $72 million and $140 million, by the China Export-Import Bank and, if it is, whether these funds will be used to compensate the Bahamian sub-contractors.

Some local firms will, though, have leverage to ensure they at least obtain a significant percentage of what is owed to them if their presence is required to complete Baha Mar. But CCA (Bahamas) defence in the Novum matter is almost an exact replica of the one filed against the other US sub-contractor that had the courage to sue it in the New York courts, Controlled Demolition Inc. Meanwhile, in its counterclaim against Novum, CCA (Bahamas) alleged that it was hired to do the specialist glazing and canopy glass/fittings on Baha Mar’s convention centre via contracts issued in February 2013 and April 2014, respectively.

“Novum represented to CCA Bahamas that, for one aspect of the work, it would take 12 weeks to complete its installation work on the Convention Centre,” the Chinese contractor alleged.

“This work was scheduled to be performed from July 15, 2014, through October 14, 2014. Work was delayed, and certain materials needed for Novum to complete its work were delivered on or about September 18, 2014.”

CCA (Bahamas) alleged that after Novum seemingly failed to restart work, it inquired when the latter’s glass installer would return, and how the US sub-contractor would make up for lost time.

It claimed that Novum took almost one month to respond with details of the manpower resources it was devoting to the project, and the work schedule.

Ironically, given its own failure to complete Baha Mar on time and on budget, CCA (Bahamas) then alleged: “CCA Bahamas responded the same day by informing Novum that a December 23 completion date would not support CCA Bahamas’ commitment to the owner of the project, reminding No-

vum that it was supposed to complete the work over three months prior, and repeating its request for Novum to provide a manpower plan. CCA Bahamas also asked Novum to add another crew to maintain the work schedule, to which Novum agreed.

“On October 30, 2014, CCA Bahamas informed Novum again that it was waiting for a revised schedule because a December 23 completion date was not acceptable. CCA Bahamas asked when it could expect the revised schedule and the date for Novum to add another crew. Novum failed to respond, and CCA Bahamas had to request this information many times.”

CCA (Bahamas) alleged that Novum failed to provide a work completion plan before the scheduled date, and “failed to progress the work in a diligent and timely manner”.

Levelling the same allegations against Novum that Mr Izmirlian made against it, CCA (Bahamas) further claimed that it “expressed concerns” about its US subcontractor’s “lack of manpower and lack of supervision”.

After expressing fears that Novum was “abandoning the project”, CCA (Bahamas) claimed: “Novum’s delays continued, and Novum was still working to complete the job in March 2015.

“CCA Bahamas suffered additional costs as a result of Novum’s repeated delays and failures to progress the works. CCA Bahamas ultimately was forced to provide equipment to Novum to complete the work, even though Novum had agreed, and was being paid, to provide the equipment.

“CCA Bahamas also was forced to supply its own labour to install glass, pay another contractor that performed some of Novum’s work, replace damaged glass, and incur clean-up costs.”

Winterbotham Place – P.O. Box N-3026 – Marlborough & Queen Streets Nassau – The Bahamas Tel: (1-242) 356-5454 – Fax: (1-242) 356-9432 E-mail: nassau@winterbotham.com – Website: www.winterbotham.com

JOB OPPORTUNITY

The Winterbotham Trust Company Limited is looking to fill the position of

Junior Accountant

Main Function: To provide accounting services to several clients, including assistance with the preparation of financial statements under IFRS. In this position you will be responsible for but not limited to the following tasks: • To gather all information needed to start bookkeeping. To this extent, liaison with Corporate Administrators and filing staff is required.

• Bookkeeping.

• Preparation of bank account reconciliations.

• Preparation of special accounting reports.

• Assistance with the building and formatting of Financial Statements for trusts, companies and foundations and onward delivery to AVP for review.

• To provide audit support to certain clients. To validate balances on external audit confirmations.

The successful applicant must have the following qualifications: • • • • • •

Associates Degree (or equivalent) with emphasis in Accounting.

1 year of experience in a similar position.

Knowledge of Accounting standards (IFRS), Office (Excel, Word) Strong organization and communication skills Team work-focused, ability to achieve several objectives in parallel.

Consistency in meeting reporting deadlines.

Applications/resume should be sent by e-mail to jobs@winterbotham.com Under reference “Junior Accountant” ABSOLUTELY NO TELEPHONE INQUIRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED Persons not meeting the above requirements need not apply Deadline for applications Monday, September 26, 2016

PAGE 6, Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Bahamas urged: ‘Avoid’ EU blacklisting threat From pg B1 merely the first stage in efforts by itself and its member states to create a ‘shortlist’ of nations who will be considered for inclusion on a “list of tax and secrecy havens” set to be published at end-2017.

Countries that make the final ‘blacklist’ will be subjected to EU financial sanctions and penalties, such as ‘withholding taxes’ and the removal of tax deductions.

Given the great reputational and practical damage that such a ‘blacklisting’ could inflict, senior members of the Bahamian financial services industry said this nation would need to “engage” the EU and satisfy its concerns prior to 2017.

Michael Paton, a former Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) chairman, told Tribune Business that this nation’s priority was to avoid any EU ‘blacklisting’ come next year.

He suggested that its primary concern was the exchange of tax information, meaning that the EU initiative was inextricably bound up - and linked - to the OECD’s global Common Reporting Standard (CRS) drive.

The Bahamas has committed to implementing the CRS’s automatic tax information standard on a bilateral basis come 2018, and Mr Paton indicated that fulfilling this obligation and associated timelines may also

help to satisfy the EU. “We are now on a scorecard, which means that the EU wants to negotiate with the Bahamas on tax transparency and the exchange of information,” Mr Paton said.

“We have to see how that plays out, and what the Bahamas has to do to avoid being on the EU ‘blacklist’ in 2017.

“I expect that in the next 12 months, we will need to sit down with the EU and figure out how to move forward, not be on their ‘blacklist’ and meet their requirements. As a jurisdiction, I don’t think we want to be on an EU ‘blacklist’ at the end of 2017.”

Acknowledging that the EU’s latest bout of sabrerattling is “a concern”, Mr Paton added that the Bahamas could ill-afford to expose itself to unknown financial sanctions and penalties.

“We have to take it seriously and deal with it appropriately,” he told Tribune Business of the EU’s so-called ‘scorecard’. “In the interim period, we have to move forward on the CRS and engage in conversations with the EU.” Mr Paton added that he already saw the necessary commitment from the Government to avoid such an outcome, and emphasised that the Bahamas “will end up in a good position”

as long as it delivers on its promises to implement CRS and other international standards.

The EU’s initiative, though, threatens to further increase the pressure on the Bahamas and its financial services sector given that it coincides with the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development’s (OECD) latest offensive against this nation.

The OECD, which represents the G-7 and G-20 groups of the world’s most powerful nations, appears to have endorsed - and may even have encouraged/instigated - the publication of an article in The Economist magazine on September 201 that accused this nation of being a ‘haven’ for “tax dodgers”.

The article appears to have been the first salvo in a campaign to try and force, or bounce, the Bahamas into abandoning its preferred ‘bilateral’ approach to CRS implementation - something that was approved by the OECD itself - in favour of a ‘multilateral’ approach.

And Tribune Business can reveal that further media pressure is imminent, with more negative articles about the Bahamas and its financial services industry set for international publication in the coming days.

This newspaper was alerted by multiple industry con-

Govt seeking $20m for UBS House buy From pg B1 One of the delays related to concerns that the parking lot for UBS House and its annex building had extended beyond the stipulated boundaries, a situation that has now been resolved.

Lennox Paton is the law firm representing UBS (Bahamas) in the sale, while the Government’s interests are being looked after by Graham, Thompson & Company.

Tribune Business understands that, if the acquisition goes through, UBS House and the surrounding property will be owned by a special purpose vehicle (SPV) specifically created for this transaction.

The SPV will be owned by the Public Treasury, but its creation will allow the Government to hold the $20 million debt financing ‘off balance sheet’, meaning that it will not add to the $6.778 billion national debt.

The SPV will also have a Board of Directors that is independent from the Government, this newspaper understands.

John Rolle, the former financial secretary, confirmed both the Government’s interest in UBS House and the SPV structure to Tribune Business last year, adding that the latter might be used for other real estate purchases.

He said the acquisition of

MARKET REPORT MONDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 2016

t. 242.323.2330 | f. 242.323.2320 | www.bisxbahamas.com

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE 1,939.15 | CHG -3.40 | %CHG -0.18 | YTD 115.20 | YTD% 6.32 BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.25 17.43 9.09 3.50 4.70 0.18 8.30 8.50 6.10 10.60 15.50 2.72 1.60 5.80 9.00 11.00 8.25 6.90 12.25 11.00

52WK LOW 2.47 17.43 9.09 3.15 1.77 0.12 6.09 7.25 5.50 7.00 13.05 2.25 1.27 5.55 6.00 9.85 6.12 5.75 11.80 10.00

PREFERENCE SHARES 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 106.00 100.00 106.00 100.00 105.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

1.00 105.50 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Bank of Bahamas Benchmark Cable Bahamas CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Colina Holdings Commonwealth Bank Commonwealth Brewery Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Famguard Fidelity Bank Finco Focol ICD Utilities J. S. Johnson Premier Real Estate

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

LAST CLOSE 4.06 15.85 9.09 3.50 1.96 0.12 6.47 8.50 5.83 10.32 14.00 2.36 1.55 5.80 8.77 10.95 8.25 6.60 11.93 10.00

CLOSE 4.06 15.85 9.09 3.50 1.96 0.12 6.47 8.50 5.83 10.24 14.00 2.38 1.55 5.80 8.77 10.95 8.25 6.60 11.93 10.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.08 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA CBLE CBLJ CBLK CBLL CBLM CBLN FBBA FCLB

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

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

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 17 (Series A) + Fidelity Bank Note 18 (Series E) + Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) +

SYMBOL FBB17 FBB18 FBB22

LAST SALE 100.00 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-3Y BGS: 2015-1-3Y BGS: 2014-12-5Y BGS: 2015-1-5Y BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-3Y BGS: 2015-6-5Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y

BAH29 BG0103 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0305 BG0307 BG0330

115.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

114.96 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

-0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Commonwealth Bank Class E Commonwealth Bank Class J Commonwealth Bank Class K Commonwealth Bank Class L Commonwealth Bank Class M Commonwealth Bank Class N Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

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

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00 100.00

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

113.70 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

VOLUME

200 313 4,000 100

350

VOLUME

EPS$ 0.304 1.351 1.086 0.220 -1.134 0.000 0.185 0.551 0.508 0.541 0.528 0.094 0.166 0.510 0.612 0.960 0.650 0.703 0.756 0.000

DIV$ 0.090 1.000 0.000 0.160 0.000 0.000 0.187 0.260 0.200 0.360 0.610 0.060 0.040 0.240 0.275 0.000 0.280 0.120 0.640 0.000

P/E 13.4 11.7 8.4 15.9 N/M N/M 35.0 15.4 11.5 18.9 26.5 25.3 9.3 11.4 14.3 11.4 12.7 9.4 15.8 0.0

YIELD 2.22% 6.31% 0.00% 4.57% 0.00% 0.00% 2.89% 3.06% 3.43% 3.52% 4.36% 2.52% 2.58% 4.14% 3.14% 0.00% 3.39% 1.82% 5.36% 0.00%

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST 7.00% 6.00% Prime + 1.75%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2017 31-May-2018 19-Oct-2022

6.95% 4.00% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.25% 4.50% 6.25%

20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2017 30-Jul-2018 16-Dec-2019 30-Jul-2020 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2018 26-Jun-2020 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 1.99 3.90 1.92 167.58 138.35 1.44 1.67 1.55 1.08 6.94 8.65 5.92 9.94 11.15 10.46

52WK LOW 1.67 3.04 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.39 1.67 1.48 1.03 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund FG Financial Preferred Income Fund FG Financial Growth Fund FG Financial Diversified Fund FG Financial Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund

NAV 1.99 3.90 1.92 167.58 136.68 1.44 1.67 1.55 1.08 6.94 8.65 5.92 9.59 11.15 9.57

YTD% 12 MTH% 2.33% 4.05% 3.34% 6.09% 1.63% 2.99% 3.41% 5.18% 2.95% -0.58% 2.19% 3.91% 2.46% 8.70% 1.94% 5.28% 4.11% 1.26% 4.05% 8.28% 5.93% 13.53% 2.73% 4.73% 3.97% -3.53% 2.96% 4.33% -4.26% -6.22%

NAV Date 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 27-Jul-2016 30-Jun-2016 30-Jun-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016

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

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

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | FG CAPITAL MARKETS 242-396-4000 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225

THE TRIBUNE

tacts to the recent presence in Nassau of a Dutch journalist, said to have played a role in the recent ‘Panama Papers’ revelations.

Sources said the journalist had attempted to obtain an interview with the Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB), but had been turned down, while questions submitted to the Ministry of Financial Services had yet to be answered.

While no one knows the journalist’s precise assignment, the assumption is that he was in Nassau to “paint an unflattering narrative of the Bahamas” similar to The Economist article with publication of his piece possibly occurring as early as this week.

Tanya McCartney, the BFSB’s chief executive, acknowledged to Tribune Business that the BFSB was “aware” of the journalist’s presence, although she declined to go into further detail.

She added that the EU initiative, and its implications for the Bahamas, were being reviewed by the BFSB and wider private sector in order to present potential policy recommendations to the Government and determine how this nation should respond.

“Change is constant, and we have to reinvent and adapt where necessary,” Ms McCartney told Tribune

Business.

“Concern is not a response we ought to have.

What we ought to do is reposition the sector to maintain our position as a transparent, compliant and co-operative financial centre.

“The Bahamas is a responsible IFC, and we’re going to do whatever is required to ensure we achieve international standards.”

Tribune Business sources have suggested to this nation that the best defence may be to ‘take the offensive’, and not wait until 2018 to start automatic tax information exchange talks.

They have suggested that this nation ‘get ahead of the curve’ by starting CRSrelated talks now, especially with the EU member states, who would have to be given ‘participating jurisdiction status’ under the CRS. This would both show that the Bahamas is serious and ‘kill two birds with one stone’, given that it would help to address both OECD and EU concerns.

Tribune Business was told that an EU ‘blacklisting’ was the last thing the Bahamas needed, given that it would exacerbate the ‘de-risking’ environment and potentially lead to this nation losing more correspondent banking relationships.

UBS House and affiliated properties was part of a wider strategy to reduce the Government’s costs associated with leasing property.

It typically rents, rather than owns, its real estate, and the UBS deal effectively indicates a change of plan with regard to the Government’s property management strategy as it seeks to save dollars wherever it can, due to the strained fiscal position.

“It is in keeping with the need to meet the longerterm accommodation needs of the public sector, recognising that the Government expends considerable financial resources each year on office leases,” Mr Rolle said last year.

He initially described the transaction and resulting ownership change as “a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement to be kept at, and managed in, a professional and arm’s length fashion”.

However, in a subsequent e-mail, the now-Central Bank governor told Tribune Business: “It is more accurate to say that the Government is sponsoring a vehicle to purchase property.

“The assigned income from the leases will pay for the property...... Details will be published in due course.”

UBS (Bahamas) had been seeking more than $22 million for its three-storey,

33,000 square foot headquarters building and two other properties combined.

The $20 million that Providence Advisors was seeking to raise indicates the Government’s offer is near that figure.

If the deal closes, this will be the second international bank whose Bahamian head office has been taken over by the Government. The Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Finance are now based in the ex-SG Hambros Bank & Trust premises.

It is uncertain which government ministries and offices will be relocated to UBS House should the purchase go through, although Tribune Business was last year told that the Securities Commission was one potential tenant.

UBS House was initially marketed by Bahamas Realty as a three-storey trophy office building with a total rental area of 33,162 square feet, and a 240 space car park.

UBS Annex, which sits at the rear of the bank’s corporate office on East Bay Street, was marketed as a ‘two-storey, class A’ office building with 23,544 square feet of office space and 162 car parking spaces.

The total area consists of about 56,876 square feet or 1.31 acres, with 247.8 linear feet of frontage on to Shirley Street.

call 502-2394 to advertise today!

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that ROSMOND JOSEPH of Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 20th DAY of SEPTEMBER, 2016 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that MARC JUDNOR CHARLES of Washington St., P.O.Box GT2658, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 13th day of September, 2016 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, MARCUS DEAN AUGUSTIN of Joe Farrington Rd.,New Providence, Bahamas intend to change my name to MARCUS DEAN ALFRED. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O.Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

THE TRIBUNE

US stocks can’t hang onto gains, finish lower NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks wobbled and finished mostly lower Monday as investors waited for central bank meetings in the United States and Japan. Health care and technology companies took some of the biggest losses while banks rose.

Investors were indecisive as leaders of the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan prepared to meet, and stocks swung several times between gains and losses.

The Dow rose as much as 131 points early on, then fell as much as 30 points in the afternoon. Banks, utility companies and machinery makers rose. Bond yields edged higher and the dollar weakened.

Russ Koesterich, head of asset allocation with BlackRock’s Global Allocation Fund, said investors don’t expect the Fed to raise interest rates. However he said investors have more questions about the Bank of Japan’s plans.

“They could decide to introduce more stimulus, but it could take a lot of different forms,” he said. “One of the questions ... is not only what will they do, but what would the market like to see?”

While advancing stocks far outnumbered decliners, the Dow Jones industrial average dipped 3.63 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 18,120.17. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index lost 0.04 points to 2,139.12. The Nasdaq composite fell 9.54 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,235.03.

The Federal Reserve will meet Tuesday and announce its latest decision on interest rates the following day. Banks got a boost as some investors hoped that interest rates will rise, which would allow banks to make more money from lending. JPMorgan Chase rose 37 cents to $66.19 and Wells Fargo regained 58 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $46.01.

Technology products distributor Tech Data jumped after it said it will buy the technology solutions business of Avnet for $2.6 billion in cash and stock. Tech Data says the deal will give it operations in 35 countries. Its stock rose $15.46, or 22.3 percent, to $84.80 and Avnet gained $2.68, or 6.8 percent, to $41.89.

Meanwhile, network

control company Infoblox agreed to be bought by Vista Equity Partners for $26.50 per share, or $1.51 billion. It surged $3.52, or 15.4 percent, to $26.35.

Despite those gains, the broader technology sector gave up an early advance and finished mostly lower.

Apple, which surged last week and reached its highest price this year, lost $1.34, or 1.2 percent, to $113.58 and Intel fell 51 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $37.16.

Health care stocks also lagged the market. Merck fell 95 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $61.33 after rival Sanofi said it sued company. Sanofi says Merck infringed on patents protecting its insulin drug Lantus. Eye drug maker Regeneron Pharmaceuticals fell $5.80, or 1.4 percent, to $402.83.

Sarepta Therapeutics soared $20.79, or 73.9 percent, to $48.94 after the Food and Drug Administration granted tentative approval to its drug Exondys 51, a treatment for a type of muscular dystrophy. The drug treats Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare and deadly inherited disease that causes muscle weakness and eventually the loss of all basic movement. It usually causes death by age 25.

The FDA had hesitated to approve the drug because advisers said there was little evidence it worked. Its approval is based on a study of only 12 patients, and the FDA is ordering Sarepta to run a larger study.

Isle of Capri Casinos agreed to be bought by Eldorado Resorts for $23 per share, or $950 million in cash and stock. Combined, the companies own 21 casinos and race tracks. Isle of Capri stock jumped $5.11, or 30.2 percent, to $22.04 while Eldorado Resorts stock lost 41 cents, or 2.9 percent, to $13.84.

Health website operator WebMD slumped after it said CEO David Schlanger is leaving the company by mutual agreement. Schlanger is being replaced by President Steven Zatz, who is in charge of WebMD’s advertising and sponsorship business. WebMD fell $2.95, or 5.7 percent, to $49.02 and it is down 27 percent since May 25.

General Motors gained 75 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $31.72 after an analyst said

call 502-2394 to advertise today!

ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND, THE BAHAMAS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RE: IHCL -017 MEDICAL CLINIC SERVICE MANAGEMENT – ATLANTIS

The Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas is soliciting proposals from qualified companies to facilitate the Medical Clinic Services for both Guests & Staff of Atlantis.The RFP and vendor selection process can be obtained by contacting: Patrice L. Carroll – Director of Purchasing via email: patrice.carroll@atlantisparadise.com This invitation is open as of

September 15, 2016 thru. October 15, 2016

auto sales, which are at record highs, should remain strong for several years.

Analyst Adam Jonas of Morgan Stanley raised his rating on GM to “Overweight” and raised his price target to $37 a share from $29.

Benchmark U.S. crude added 27 cents to $43.30 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 18 cents to $45.95 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline lost 4 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $1.42 a gallon. Heating oil fell 1 cent to $1.39 a gallon.

Natural gas retreated 1 cent to $2.93 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold rose $7.60 to $1,317.80 an ounce. Silver added 43 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $19.29 an ounce.

Copper remained at $2.16 a pound.

U.S. government bond prices slipped. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 1.71 percent from 1.69 percent. The dollar fell to 101.81 yen from 102.42 yen. The euro rose to $1.1178 from $1.1151.

The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares climbed 1.5 percent and the CAC-40 in France rose 1.4 percent. Germany’s DAX was 1 percent higher. South Korea’s Kospi added 0.8 percent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.9 percent. Trading in Japan was closed for a holiday.

Australia’s stock market suspended trading after a couple of hours due to technical glitches. The S&P/ ASX 200 finished little changed.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016, PAGE 7 a Wall Street street sign outside the New York Stock Exchange. Global stock markets started the new trading week strongly Monday, Sept. 19, 2016, as investors appeared to put last week’s jitters behind them as they awaited the outcome of the latest policy meetings of the U.S. Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan later this week. (AP Photo)

CAREER OPPORTUNITY A well established law office is seeking a highly-motivated individual as SENIOR ACCOUNTANT with five (5) years accounting experience and should have a Bachelor Degree in Accounting, proficiency in Microsoft Office, Quick Book and PCLAW. Previous experience in a legal environment is an advantage but not obligatory.

The duties of the successful candidate will be to manage book-keeping and finalization of accounts, which includes but not limited to the preparation of Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flows and Bank Reconciliation.

The successful candidate should possess excellent organizational and communication skills, the ability to multi-task, adjust priorities and work in a team environment without close supervision. The candidate should also have the ability to represent the office in a professional manner while working with clients and co-workers.

Interested candidates should email their C.V. and professional reference to lawfirmbahamas@outlook.com

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 20, 2016, PAGE 9

b o dy a n d m i n d

New campaign to help ‘Little Warriors’ battling cancer

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

SHIFTING focus to the youth this year, members of the Warrior Campaign are thrilled to launch an initiative to raise awareness of childhood cancer in the Bahamas.

The Warrior Campaign was developed last year by three women, all entrepreneurs, who have come into contact with cancer through their loved ones who have battled the disease.

Charlene Carey of Bullart Design, LaTess Bartless of Chocolatess Island Delights, and Davina Rutherford of Minding Your Business joined forces to achieve their goal – to raise awareness of cancer and to educate the community about the work the Cancer Society of Grand Bahama is doing.

Now, the team is excited to branch out into a new project called “The Little Warrior Campaign”.

The campaign was initially expected to launch this month, which is recognised internationally as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, but now it will officially start in October.

“The children are our future and our reason to fight,” Ms Rutherford told Tribune Health.

She said here in the Bahamas there is a lot of focus on the many aspects of how cancer affects adults, which has

Initiative to raise awareness and provide sick kids with a fun experience led to breakthroughs in treatment and more cases going into remission, but she feels there is very little focus on children.

“There have been a growing number of cases with children battling the disease. We decided to branch off to increase awareness in the area in hopes of one day leading to breakthrough treatments for children battling the disease,” said Ms Rutherford.

“The campaign also refers to any child who has had a parent or sibling that has cancer or passed away from cancer. We are calling them ‘little warriors’ because they, too, are engaged in a fight.”

The Little Warrior Campaign will also assist in giving children the opportunity to travel to a New York City facility, Camp Good Days, where kids living with cancer and other life-threatening diseases visit for 10 days to socialise and have fun with children.

“We would like to take as many children as we can, but funds are limited. Camp Good Days was founded by Gary Mervis after his daugh-

ter Elizabeth “Teddi” Mervis was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour at the age of nine in 1979. What started off as a something to provide a residential camping experience for Teddi and 62 other children with cancer from upstate New York has grown to become one of the largest organisations of its kind in the country. As of 2010, the camp has served more than 43,000 campers from 22 states and 27 foreign countries, including the Bahamas,” said Ms Rutherford.

Last year, the Warrior Campaign hosted a series of events during the month of October in an effort to raise awareness.

Ms Rutherford said supporters can look forward to the same push this year with a few new elements to be added.

“The Little Warrior will be beneficial to Bahamian children and parents because it allows a child that would otherwise be restricted to have a vacation and experience new things with children that are going through the same things that they are going through. It will give them a new outlook on life, allow them, if only for a moment, to not focus on the disease and encourage them to continue to fight,” she said.

To keep up with the Little Warrior Campaign, visit the organisation’s Facebook page; The Warrior Campaign.

Entrepreneurs Charlene Carey, LaTess Bartless and Davina Rutherford are focusing on childhood cancer with their Little Warrior Campaign.

Experts report growing evidence of benefits of massage in medical care Once a luxury reserved for the wealthy with dollars and time to spare, massage therapy is now serious science and an increasingly critical business in the medical profession, say experts.

“There is a growing body of evidence showing the benefits of soft tissue manipulation in the treatment of chronic conditions including diabetes, arthritis and pain management and in the general practice of preventative medicine,” said Dr Arlington Lightbourne.

This week, Dr Lightbourne added massage referrals to his list of services through his Wellness Clinic on Collins Avenue, an integrative medical practice that offers nutritional coaching along with concierge services and house calls.

“Several health insurance providers cover massage therapy or soft tissue manipulation because they recognise the benefits that can actually reduce hospitalisation time or the number of days a person misses work,” said Dr Lightbourne. “In fact, massage can be so beneficial in treating disease and keeping the generally well person healthy that, in

Science builds for symptoms from diabetes to pain management my opinion, we have moved past the age of massage being thought of as luxury.

It should be routine in our wellness vocabulary.”

For massage therapist and paramedical aesthetician Raquel Sully, the new attention being afforded massage is long overdue.

“There are numerous case studies linking the positive effects of massage therapy as a component of an integrative approach to well-being, particularly in the treatment of chronic diseases,” said Ms Sully, who launched RaSu Concierge Spa earlier this year after working in the spa industry for several years.

Trained in Swedish, reflexology, hot stones, chair and sports massage, she also holds an Associate of Science degree in Advanced Paramedical Skin Care from Florida College of Natural Health – pre- and post-operative skin care,

light chemical peels, antiaging, HIV/AIDS training, medical camouflage makeup, microdermabrasion, manual lymphatic drainage and advanced holistic treatments.

Launching a portable massage, facial and makeup services business has not been easy. At 5’2” and weighing little more than a teen, the mother of two grown young women hauls a 40-pound massage bed and all the accoutrements, right down to the radio with spa music and candles.

“I knew it would be an uphill battle to get started, but I wanted to do this because I use only natural products, no preservatives or harmful toxins and I love the idea of bringing wellness to a client’s home,” she said.

“But what really convinced me was the facts – study after study showing the benefits in the treatment of asthma, back pain, depression and anxiety or GAD (generalised anxiety disorder). In another lifetime, I might have been a doctor, but I was dealt the hands I have and I have made the most them to learn everything I can about healing and that is my goal. I am just so glad that the medical

Increasingly, researchers, health insurance comapanies and the general public are recognising the many benefits of a massage.

world is recognizing what I can see sometimes in a single visit where there is an instant improvement in circulation and you can almost see a stressed person, even as they are totally relaxing, coming back to life.”

Because insurance companies are covering series of soft tissue manipulation sessions as they do a series

Preventing early childhood caries Children need healthy teeth in order to chew food and speak clearly. Despite what many may think, primary teeth are just as essential as their permanent successors. It is important to teach your child good oral hygiene habits from young so they will take these practices into adolescence and adulthood.

Shockingly, tooth decay is the number one childhood disease.

There is a specific term used for rampant decay in infants and young children, early childhood caries (ECC) or baby bottle tooth decay.

ECC is an infectious disease caused by certain types of bacteria that live in the mouth. The bacteria stick to the plaque on the teeth. They feed on what you eat or drink (especially sugars) and acid formation occurs.

Dr Tamika Ferguson This acid in turn breaks down the tooth’s outer surface resulting in demineralisation, therefore causing cavities. CC usually occurs in the upper front teeth but can affect all the teeth in the mouth. Children who snack fre-

quently or go to sleep with a bottle (excluding water) have a greater risk of developing ECC. If your child is exposed to sugary liquids – such as milk, breast milk, formula, and fruit juice – for long periods of time they are more likely to have ECC. Although these liquids are nutritious, the naturally occurring sugars they contain can contribute to the decaying process. When children go to bed with a bottle containing milk or juice, the liquid sits in the child’s mouth for an extended period. The sugar from the liquid coats the child’s teeth and creates the perfect environment for bacteria. Further, interestingly, research shows that children are not born with bacteria that cause decay instead they are infected with it from a caregiver.

If you share the same spoon or

of physical therapy sessions, Dr Lightbourne and Ms Sully are both hoping that the acceptance will translate into greater recovery rates.

“In the Bahamas, where diet and lifestyle have led to an extraordinarily high incidence of Type 2 diabetes for instance, we need to bring every tool we have to

fork with an infant you are introducing them to bacteria that cause cavities. If you have ever had a cavity or have untreated cavities you are likely to pass bacteria to your child by sharing utensils.

Consequences of ECC

• Higher risk of new carious lesions in both the primary and permanent dentitions • Increased treatment costs and time • Child may lose weight due to not being able to eat • Loss of school days to receive treatment • Diminished ability to learn

How to prevent ECC

• Avoid sharing spoons and forks with your child and use water to clean pacifiers (do not place them in your mouth)

our arsenal for treatment,” Dr Lightbourne said. “That includes diet, nutrition information, coaching, regular medical check-ups and monitoring and if we now the ability to include massage therapy, it takes us even further along the road to a better quality of life.

And that’s what medicine is all about.”

• Wipe out the baby’s mouth with a damp washcloth twice a day • When your child’s teeth erupt, brush them with an appropriate toothbrush and a smear of toothpaste • Supervise their tooth brushing until the age of six or seven • Encourage healthy eating habits As a parent it is your responsibility to take care of your child’s oral health until they are able to do so. From a young age, introduce your child to the dental environment. Allow your child to build a trusting relationship with his or her dentist. ECC is preventable; do not allow your child to become a statistic. Remember, starting early is the key to a lifetime of good dental health!

PAGE 10, Tuesday, September 20, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Massage therapist brings successful ‘Block Therapy’ to the Bahamas

T

he wellness world has a brand new, simple and efficient self-care technique that is gaining credibility as people around the world are experiencing its benefits. Countless individuals have had remarkable results in this cutting edge technique called Block Therapy, a bodywork practice that is a meditation, exercise and therapy all in one.

Rachael Aberle discovered Block Therapy while on a trip home to Freeport a year ago, and has since become a certified instructor. Her passion is to teach people how to self-care, empowering them to become their own health advocates.

A certified yoga instructor, massage therapist, Body Talk System practitioner and raw food educator, Ms Aberle recently became the first certified Block Therapy instructor in the Bahamas and the entire Caribbean region.

She teaches people how to use the “Block Buddy”, a handcrafted cedar block, to melt through frozen tissue in the body and create space for blood and oxygen flow to the cells. Block Therapy promotes healing at the cellular level, allowing people to move forward in the most healthy, peaceful way possible.

“It is a gift to be a conduit and witness to healing on such a deep level,” said Ms Aberle.

“And I have Deanna Hansen to thank for that!”

Ms Hansen, a certified athletic therapist and founder of Fluid Isometrics and Block Therapy, was 50 pounds overweight and was dealing with anxiety, depression and chronic pain. The harder she worked to get the body she wanted, the worse she looked and felt. She had a life-changing moment in 2000 that led her to develop Block Therapy.

While experiencing the worst of a series of anxiety attacks, Ms Hansen intuitively pushed her hand into her abdomen and at that moment began a path of self-discovery. In a short period of time, her weight dropped, her chronic pain and issues improved and, most importantly, her depression and anxiety disappeared. She immediately began applying this to her existing patients and the results were immediate and outstanding.

Block Therapy is the result of Ms Hansen’s passion to teach people how to self-care.

She took what she did in the treatment room and translated it into this simple, efficient and inexpensive approach.

The benefits of Block Therapy, proponents say, are immediate, waking up cells that have been starved of oxygen due to shallow breathing and frozen fascia holding our body out of alignment.

Block Therapy helps issues ranging from migraines, digestive and respiratory disorders, back pain, hip, shoulder and neck pain, plantar fasciitis, chronic fatigue, depression and anxiety just to name a few.

Block Therapy also helps to detoxify the body.

Together with nutritionist and lifestyle coach Grace Vanberkum, Ms Aberle hosts health retreats around the Bahamas.

She travels to Nassau, Freeport and Eleuthera to hold full day Block Therapy workshops.

This weekend, Ms Aberle will return to her home island to coordinate a Gracious Living Lifestyle Mini Detox Retreat in Freeport at the Taino Beach Resort.

Participants, she explained, will learn wellness tips and tricks to create a healthy, vibrant body through nutrition and Block Therapy. Visitors are travelling from Canada and the US to attend, and it is also open to locals.

Ms Aberle recently travelled to Nassau to introduce Block Therapy to Studio Ohana, Energy Fitness, Club One in Albany. “I felt like a million dollars after the short session yesterday,” said Lemon Gorospe, director of Golf at Albany. “I feel really good this morning.”

She will soon add Winding Bay in Abaco to her list as she will introduce Block Therapy to members and introduce the new Block Golf Fore programme, designed to help golfers improve their swing as well as prevent and heal golf related injuries. She will also host a “Eye on Health” for Solomon’s Fresh Market West in the near future.

Blocks can be ordered through her website, www. bahamablocktherapy.com Her Facebook page, ‘Bahama Block Therapy’, lists workshop schedules and more information about Block Therapy.

Photos/Shawn Hanna

Rachel Aberle teaches a Block Therapy introductory workshop at Club One Fitness in Nassau.

Physical therapist goes above and beyond for breast cancer patients

By Felicity Ingraham With the Bahamas having one of the highest per capita rate in the world when it comes to breast cancer cases, the disease is a real concern for the nation’s women.

It is a concern that Kitiboni Rolle-Adderley has taken very seriously in her work as a physical therapist.

She has been a physical therapist for nearly 20 years now, and is on a constant mission to improve her skills to help her clients.

Physical therapy is a branch of health care that is concerned with maximising a person’s function and improving a person’s overall quality of life.

The World Confederation of Physical Therapy (WCPT) describes physical therapy as services to individuals and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan. This includes providing services in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by aging, injury, pain,

Kitiboni Rolle-Adderley diseases, disorders, conditions or environmental factors. Functional movement is central to what it means to be healthy. The goal of physical therapy is to make daily tasks and activities easier.

Through her work, Mrs RolleAdderley realised that there was a growing number of Bahamian

women presenting with lymphedema (swelling) after going through breast surgery.

The surgery itself can be traumatising and definitely life-changing.

Mrs Rolle-Adderley feels that these women have gone through discomfort, and in some cases, disfigurement, after undergoing a mastectomy or other related procedures, and that they deserve to start the process of healing – inside and out.

For that reason, she developed her skills further, seeking to specialise in the areas her clients seemed to need most.

Continued education and skills training has led her to her current success. She is now certified as a lymphedema therapist, a Kinesio Taping practitioner, an edema specialist, a breast prosthetic fitter, a compression garment fitter, and a health coach.

“Oncology/cancer rehabilitation aims to return the patient to their pre-cancer physical condition, or even improve it and ensure physical wellness of the

cancer patient, but is also there to provide palliative care for the patient if necessary,” she said.

In 2005, Mrs Rolle-Adderley launched her own enterprise called the Handling Your Health Wellness & Rehab Centre in the Summer Winds Plaza on Tonique Williams-Darling Highway.

Although primarily an orthopedic practice taking care of joints, muscles and the spine, Handling Your Health also specialises in cancer rehabilitation with an emphasis on lymphedema and breast cancer rehabilitation.

Cancer rehabilitation focuses specifically on the side effects of cancer and cancer treatment (surgery, chemotherapy and other drug therapies and radiation).

Oncology rehabilitation works to minimise the physical symptoms of cancer treatment and provide wellness support for the patient along the cancer journey.

Known for her infectious personality and high standard of professionalism, Mrs Rolle-Adderley has formed life-long bonds with her clients, both women and men,

and is on a mission to improve the quality of the lives of many Bahamians.

Seeing patients walk properly, work effectively on their jobs, exercise, and just enjoy the simple things in life without unnecessary levels of pain and discomfort gives her satisfaction that her work is not in vain.

Mrs Rolle-Adderley said she wants to encourage more people to consult a physical therapist prior to surgery in order to significantly improve their chances of a full recovery. As a health coach, she works to also ensure that diet and proper exercise designed specifically for each client based on their condition are integral parts of the pre-surgery and recovery process.

She is the current president of the Bahamas Association of Physical Therapists, an alumni of St Augustine’s College, and a proud wife and mother. To contact her or find out more about Handling Your Health, visit the centre’s Facebook or call: 322-5496 or 4275820.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 20, 2016, PAGE 11

From troubled to transformed – Travina Thompson gets second chance in life

By Bianca BethelSawyer

At age 26, Travina Thompson had succumbed to the temptations of the partying lifestyle. She had lost sight of her goals and found herself in a rut.

Ten years earlier, at 16, she had barely managed to graduate from CV Bethel High School.

“Right after I graduated high school I got a job with the hopes of maybe one day going to college, but I got very distracted living life,” Travina said. “After being sick and tired of just being sick and tired of the partying lifestyle, I decided to make a difference.”

She heard about the National Training Agency (NTA) through a friend who had graduated from their fifth cohort. The friend suggested Travina check it out for herself. And the rest is history. Today, Travina is a proud NTA graduate with awards and scholarships under her belt.

Travina, who participated in the Boating and Safety Maintenance programme, was among the 242 recent

NTA Executive Director Agatha Marcelle presents the Star Award and the Executive Director Award to Boating & Safety Maintenance graduate Travina Thompson.

NTA Photo/Bianca Bethel- Sawyer

NTA cohort trainees who graduated on August 25, 2016.

The road so far has not been without challenges for Travina. She knows what it is to break both of her wrists. She also knows what it is to work during high school to support her family and to have to deal with a death of a parent at the young age of 19.

Nevertheless, Travina was able to refocus and do something positive with her life. She originally registered for NTA’s Allied Health programme before switching over to the Boating and Safety Maintenance programme.

“That was actually my second choice, because growing up I loved the water,” she said. “The Agency taught me that once you believe you can achieve. It enlightened me on what an employer wants from employees.”

Travina, who loves music, said the NTA transformed her life by giving her a second chance.

“The NTA staff and my Boating and Safety Maintenance instructor did not give up on me. They all en-

couraged me and believed in me and gave me another chance. I would recommend the NTA to anyone who needs a second chance in life. I wouldn’t have made it without the NTA,” she said.

Travina further praised the NTA for taking underprivileged Bahamian youths and helping them to learn a marketable skill to find a job.

“It gives you hands-on experience. From the beginning you are taught how to dress, present your resumé and how to have a good attitude on any job,” she said.

“Plus, during skills training you get the hands-on, real world training needed to succeed in your chosen programme.”

Additionally, because of the NTA, Travina has been afforded opportunities she otherwise may have never received. During her graduation ceremony, she received a Star Award for her outstanding performance in her programme, as well as the Executive Director Award, which is the highest award any trainee can achieve.

As a result of winning

both awards, Travina was awarded a full scholarship to Synergy Bahamas to further her training in the course of her choice and a partial scholarship from her programme training provider, Gadites Maritime Technical Institute, for a first aid and boat captain’s licence course.

“Only by the divine favour of God I received those awards and scholarships,” a tearful Travina said. “I cannot go back to my old life.

I plan to take advantage of both scholarships very soon before I secure a job.”

Now in its third year, the NTA offers free of charge well-developed 14-week programmes that are designed to enhance workplace readiness skills for 16to 26-year-old Bahamians who want to increase their employability and gain real world job training skills.

“The NTA gave me much more than real world job training and a certificate.

It gave me hope and future.

Thank you NTA for transforming me and giving me another chance in life,” said Travina.

Five things to embrace your child’s uniqueness Thankfully we live in a world that is starting to embrace, or at the very least becoming more tolerant, to differences.

With many schools around the world participating in days called “Wacky Week”, we can definitely see how the paradigm has shifted to embrace students’ uniqueness and eccentricities. I love it when people can be authentic and true to who they are. I’m a fan of the underdog and love to see people express themselves. I especially enjoy encouraging kids to embrace who they are, and develop a healthy self-esteem.

Here are five things that you can do to embrace your child’s uniqueness:

• Parent for the child, not for you

All children are different and all parents have different parenting styles. There are many different ways to parent successfully, it’s more important to be guided by your ideals and by your children’s needs. The most successful parents are the ones that have the ability to adjust their parenting styles according to the child. Not every child responds to discipline techniques in the same manner.

One child may adjust their behav-

Bun In The Oven

at age five is not how they will be or how they will feel at 17.

Children, like adults, are allowed to have a change of heart.

Parenting should also change with the child. You can’t expect to be a successful parent of a teenager if you haven’t been able to change your parenting style from when they were a toddler.

• Pink hair, polka dots and stripes

Bianca Carter iour based on a stern look from a parent or a stern voice, while the other child needs more parental intervention, like a time out, or removal of fun activities and toys.

• Parenting is not static, it’s ever-changing

As your child grows, they will change. They are developing their personality and character every step of the way. This is essential for growth and maturity. How they were and what they felt or did

OK, it doesn’t have to be so drastic, and not every parent will be over the moon about pink hair – not sure I would be overjoyed either. But allowing your child to express themselves in what they wear can help them build a sense of who they are and strengthen their self-esteem.

My mom used to tell me that she and I would argue all the time when I was little over what I was going to wear. She wanted one outfit, and apparently I wanted a combo of a couple of outfits. Even with my daughter, who always wants to wear her tutu, sparkly shoes and Elsa from “Frozen” socks, fights me with her clothes.

I guess the tables do turn!

To maintain my sanity, and allow my kids to wear what they want, I give them choices. I let

them pick some of their outfit and I help them with the rest. I think this is a good compromise. It’s really OK to let you kids wear whatever they want. If it feels good to them, then so be it.

• Embrace their natural born talents

All kids have talent in certain areas. Maybe you haven’t seen them use their talents yet, but their talents have a lot to do with their interests. My son can tell you every dinosaur or motor bike trick or sports car or airplane on the planet. My daughter loves babies and little kids (just like her) and is so caring and loving towards them. These interests at a young age can develop into what they will do later in life. Let them explore what makes them excited and interested; they are figuring out what they want to do. Can you imagine if Steve Jobs’ (co-founder of Apple Inc) parents told him he was silly and didn’t encourage him? We might be living in a very different, less evolved place right now. A big interest for kids these days is a game called Minecraft.

It’s a game that you use blocks to build things. This game is so popular that there is a home schooling programme dedicated to it.

• Don’t dictate, foster it

Some parents try to push their child down a path that they want them to take or that they themselves wanted to do. Not every child will be a basketball player or a football star, and that’s OK. Maybe they have the desire to play music or to write; encourage them anyway. Encouraging them, and allowing them to pick a positive activity or course or line of work, allows them to be exactly who they are and who they want to be. There is so much beauty in authenticity. We are born to stand out and be unique.

Love and hugs!

• Bianca Carter is a certified lactation counsellor (CLC) and founder of Bun in the Oven.

For more information, e-mail her at info@babybunintheoven.com. Follow BITO on Facebook at babybunintheoven, and check out the BITO Blog every Monday and Thursday at http://babybunintheoven.com.

Are you breaking your fear of public speaking?

There are millions of people the world over who have a sincere fear of public speaking. As a matter of fact, statistics show that within the American population, Public speaking is the number one fear.

Some fear it more than they fear dying. This means that at a funeral service they would rather be the one in the coffin than the one standing in front of the congregation giving the eulogy.

Indeed, the fear of public speaking is real, and unless you face in head on, it remains a major road block in your path to personal success.

The medical term for the fear of public speaking is “glossophobia”.

While the exact cause of glossophobia is unknown, it is believed that certain traumatic events in one’s past as a child or even as an adult can lead to such a fear. In any event, the only way to conquer this fear is to face it and master your ability to speak fearlessly.

But what does public speaking mean anyway and why does it

Michelle Miller Motivationals

Michelle M Miller matter?

In simple terms, public speaking is the process of orally communicating information to an audience; whether in the workplace, at school, in a private or public setting.

The reason why it matters is because when it comes to personal,

Hit stage show explores the meaning of womanhood From pg B12 audience, and that is where the emotion came from,” she said.

The performance of ‘Control’ then segued into a dance for Beyonce’s “Freedom”. In “Freedom”, Beyonce sings about breaking free of the chains and tears falling away until the last one burns into flames.

“Our goal was to speak truth, share truth and use truth to reveal and restore the identity and beauty of women,” said Anthia.

“We feel as though by the grace of God we were able to transform minds and lives. For our first time putting on such an amazing and such a huge production we are just ecstatic and elated with the support that we got from everyone who just came out here. We didn’t know what to expect, so to walk onto that stage and see a full house, we were truly just overwhelmed.”

She said people loved that the show included a variety of the arts. She said

professional or business success, effective communication skills are the game changer.

The person who communicates better is perceived to be more likable, better educated, and even more likely to be trusted. Hence, the famous term “the gift of gab”, which is the ability to speak with eloquence and fluency.

The fact is that words have power and the way spoken words are strung together creates the often emotional language that shapes perceptions and informs behaviours. Therefore, your capacity to communicate with confidence places you in the driver’s seat of personal influence. Through skilled public speaking skills you are better able to influence and even drive sustainable social change.

Many of those considered to be world-changers did so through the art of public speaking. Consider how skilled orators such as Cicero, Winston Churchill and Frederick Douglas, all the way to today’s contemporaries like

they also enjoyed the venue, which was very important.

“We want to use whatever is available to change the mindset. We purposely didn’t want to go into an auditorium because we want to put people into a space where they are not use to thinking in. Also, the women have said they have never been more proud to be a woman. We have had tons of girls who have seen the show who want to now participate in future shows, which is actually what this also served as the conversation continues. The goal is to not keep this to us, we want others to run this race,” said Anthia.

of President Barack Obama and leadership expert John C Maxwell use their oratory skills as an persuasive source of influence and inspiration.

What about you? Do you get nervous when presenting at company meetings? Do you find it hard to make conversation at gatherings and social events? You can overcome these challenges by learning to conquer your fear of public speaking.

First things first, you must be willing to face the feelings that are causing the fear. So often the thing that drives us to flee is not the thing that we fear but the feelings that lie beneath the thing that we fear.

For this reason, you must begin to identify your emotional connection to what you fear. When you face your feelings, you learn to fix what you fear. There is no getting around this process because you cannot fix what you are unwilling to face.

As a public speaking coach I know for sure that it doesn’t mat-

ter who you are or where you are from, your communication skills matters. If you are unable to communicate effectively, you limit your opportunities to excel.

Leadership effectiveness requires the keen ability to communicate effectively. People will not readily follow a leader who cannot confidently express where it is they are going.

Leader to leader, understand that your public speaking skills matter. When you find your voice, you find your power. Your audacity to break your fear of public speaking is a critical step to living an empowered life. Yes, you can do it!

What do you think?

• Michelle M Miller is a certified life coach, communication and leadership expert. Visit www. michellemmiller.com or call 4296770; mail can be sent to PO Box CB-13060.

Anthia Butler dances to Janet Jackson’s “Control” and Beyonce’s “Freedom”

SECTION b

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Hairstylists get ready

battle to do

Beauty Expo to bring international trends and expertise to the Bahamas

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

H

Keva “Sade” Evans, hairstylist and salon owner, is organising the Bahamas Beauty Expo.

world.”

Sade said she first came up with the idea for the expo after attending several international hair shows.

“I realized that a lot of us here are really lacking the knowledge that is out there in regards to the field. Then there are some people who do not have the money or means to travel and to learn.

So I thought I would just bring the knowledge here,” she said.

“I have been in the industry for 10 years, and I have travelled to Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, Orlando to attend different conferences, workshops, to develop my skill. I just believe that this is great opportunity for everyone,” she said.

Sade hopes to host the Bahamas Beauty Expo on an annual basis.

“It is a good opportunity in terms of tourism because the guests I am bringing over are world-renowned persons and their followers are looking forward to the opportunity to come here and vacation, and learn as well,” she said.

For more information contact 3567233, 535-4774 or 436-0776.

Photos/Shawn Hanna

AVING travelled to a number of international hair shows and beauty battles over the years, Bahamian hairstylist and salon owner Keva “Sade” Evans said she feels the need to share her knowledge about the latest beauty trends with people here at home.

To this end, she is organising the upcoming Bahamas Beauty Expo, scheduled for October 1-2 at the Meliá Nassau Beach Resort.

The two-day event will bring together celebrity hairstylists, world-renowned beauticians and barbers, including hairstylist Dominique Evans, barber Shawn Barbz, makeup artist Lovely Lynn and nail artist DMarie.

The first day of the expo, which starts at 9am, is geared towards professionals in the beauty industry who want to learn first-hand from the experts.

On the second day, the beauty expo takes place from 5pm to midnight. It will feature four battles, including the “I Slay Hair Battle”, “Battle of the Brushes”, “Nailed It” and the “On the Cutting Edge Barber” competition.

All beauty professionals will have the opportunity to showcase their talents in these unique battles. The battles will be judged by celebrity guests, and winners from each competition will receive a grand cash prize of $1,000. The event will be hosted by local comedian Demetrius.

“The hair battle is open to the public and when attendees come to the event they have chance to meet various vendors and purchase products. We have salons that are participating and showcasing their work, brand and making themselves known,” said Sade.

“There will be 10 competitors in each competition. The contestants get to choose their own theme. I wanted people to feel comfortable in the art of what they are doing, the creativity and the way they are doing things. So I give them an opportunity to create the theme, but it has to complement the entire outfit of their model,” she said.

“The expo will provide great opportunities for professionals in the field and those who desire to be on the cutting edge of what is going in the beauty

Hit stage show explores the meaning of womanhood

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 200 people witnessed a unique stage production in Nassau last weekend which sought to reveal and restore the beauty of womanhood.

Over two nights at Crush, Atlantis, three best friends – Mycquel Glinton, Nishan Patton and Anthia Butler – explored what it means to be a woman in today’s world with their first show called “She Shall Be Called Woman”. Both women and men made up the audience.

The title of the play is taken from the biblical story of the first woman, Eve, and in “She Shall Be Called Woman” the trio of friends considered how her experience

is connected to the struggles of women around the world in the 21st century.

With a cast of 15, made up of both kids and adults, the show opened up the conversation through a series of journal segments which included song, dance, drama, spoken word and other forms of art.

Anthia gave a solo dance performance of Janet Jackson’s “Control” and Beyonce’s “Freedom”, while Nishan gave humorous relationship advice. Mycquel’s enactment of a scene featuring Eve called “Remember Me” brought the show to an emotional close.

“Remember Me” is a special piece that Mycquel and Nishan wrote together based on a lot of their conversations over a period of

(l-r) Nishan Patton, Anthia Butler and Mycquel Glinton. five years. Anthia said it was the perfect way to tie in the theme of Eve. “We have heard so many things about Eve; she is sly

and there are negative associations with her all the time. And we thought to ourselves if we were to truly consider her, who was she,

what would she say?

“If Eve could speak right now she would say, ‘Remember me’, because Eve felt what we feel. She lost her sons, Abel and Cain, who ended up being a wanderer,” said Anthia.

She added that Eve was also the first women to feel the pain of child birth. “ I think Kelly (Mycquel) got so emotional because we realise that we are so connected to her and when you just think about her being the mother of all the living and the billions of women that have walked that same walk and overcome and stood the test of time, we think about Eve,” said Anthia.

Anthia said she used her passion for dancing to express her growth and wom-

anhood.

“There was an introduction to that performance tonight and it talked about the three of us all celebrating our 30th this year, and that draws on Janet Jackson when she came out. ‘Control’ was her breakthrough album 30 years ago, when she finally left her father’s guidance and did things her way. It was an album of liberation,” she said.

The song, Anthia said, describes her life story, not in the sense of being controlled like Janet was, but in other aspects of her journey. “‘Control’ comes into play when you don’t know who you are, so I just wanted to dance that for every single woman in the See pg b11