TuesDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016
business@tribunemedia.net
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Storm sparks new downgrade fears By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
Dionisio D’Aguilar
The multi-million dollar damages inflicted by Hurricane Matthew have again exposed the Bahamas to the “extremely frightening” prospect of a ‘junk’ credit rating downgrade, a wellknown businessman feared yesterday. Dionisio D’Aguilar, Superwash’s president, told See pg b4
Businessman: Prospect ‘extremely frightening’ Concern total economic loss is $1bn-plus blow Bahamas moves from ‘fiscal headroom to survival’
Gowon Bowe
Matthew payouts Chamber chief urges to ‘absolutely’ be storm insurance fund nine-figure sum Creation would By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net Total Hurricane Matthew insurance payouts will “absolutely” total a ninefigure sum, a leading businessman yesterday saying “the only question” is how big the first digit will be. Sir Franklyn Wilson, RoyalStar Assurance’s chairman, told Tribune Business that collective insured losses in the Bahamas would almost certainly exceed $200 million. “I think we’re talking about a lot,” he replied, when asked about the likely level of Matthew-related claims, adding that the total would “absolutely” be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. “The only question is the first figure in the nine,” Sir Franklyn continued. “I’m sure that figure, for the industry, will exceed ‘2’. Is it $300 million, $400 million? “I’m almost positive it’s a nine-figure sum and it’s more than $200 million. Is it $300 million, $400 million, $500 million?” Anton Saunders, RoyalStar’s managing director, was more circumspect about estimated insured losses and payouts, describing Matthew as “a very difficult storm to put a figure on at this time”. He did, though, agree with his Bahamas First counterpart, Patrick Ward, who told The Tribune on Monday that Hurricane Matthew was likely to produce the largest collective insured loss/payout in Bahamian history. “It definitely will be,” Anton Saunders told Trib-
Sir Franklyn estimates insured losses over $200m ‘Only question is size of ‘first figure in the nine’ Insurer concern over VAT reimbursement ‘timing’
Sir Franklyn Wilson une Business. “I don’t think he’s [Mr Ward] going to be far off. “Not since 1929 have we had a hurricane that hit Nassau and Freeport, the two most populated areas and ones that are built up the most.” Although Freeport, in its present form, did not come into being for several more decades, the insurance industry losses will be exacerbated by both Matthew’s path and its strength. See pg b4
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The Chamber’s chairman yesterday said Hurricane Matthew’s devastation has strengthened his call for the Bahamas to establish its own storm insurance fund to guard against natural disasters. Gowon Bowe told Tribune Business that it “should be common sense” for the Bahamas to take measures to safeguard its financial security, given the increasing severity of hurricanes and the frequency with which they impacted islands in this nation. He added that the Government needed to set aside a portion of its annual Budget spending every year to create, and invest in, such a fund, which could then ease the financial burden of infrastructure repairs and disaster relief. Noting that he first mentioned the idea after Hurricane Joaquin struck the southern Bahamas last year, creating $100 million worth of damage, Mr Bowe said governments needed
be proactive ‘common sense’
Matthew exposes ‘weak link’ in fuel supply chain Two Superwash sites run out of water from demand to be “as wise” as those nations living on earthquake fault-lines. “We should not be seeking to address a threat or development every time it happens,” he told Tribune Business. “We should be saying to ourselves that the probability of being hit every year is greater than zero, and we should be establishing that fund to assist. “Every year we set monies aside. If the fund grows and we do not use it, we can look at self-insurance and investing it.” Prime Minister Perry See pg b5
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BISX-listed firm’s $5m ‘recapitalise’ after SEC settles By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A BISX-listed company will have to undergo a $5 million ‘recapitalisation’ as a result of the deal struck by its principal and main subsidiary to settle a lawsuit against them by US federal regulators. The court-approved settlement that Julian Brown, Benchmark (Bahamas) president and chief executive, and Alliance Investment Management, have reached with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) requires them to repurchase the company’s entire $5 million preference share capital. Those preference shares are currently in the custody of receivers/liquidators for BC Capital Group, which operated a $400 million international ‘Ponzi’ fraud that Mr Brown and Alliance were accused of aiding and abetting. See pg b5
Benchmark/Alliance must reacquire $5m prefs Must be replaced to keep company in ‘net worth’ Broker to pay $337k fine, principal $50k penalty
Julian Brown
DNA chief wants anti-price gouge laws ‘with teeth’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net The Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) leader yesterday urged the Government to enact antiprice gouging laws “with teeth” to protect Bahamian against unscrupulous merchants in Hurricane Matthew’s wake. Branville McCartney told Tribune Business he had heard of some businesses charging “three times’” the normal price for essential supplies post-Matthew, although he did not name the companies or products
Chamber chief urges firms to uphold ‘integrity’ Calls for ‘out of the box’ storm relief thinking Govt ‘super collaborative’ to this point involved. “The Government has to be very cognisant of price See pg b5
PAGE 2 , Tuesday, October 11, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
Storm a ‘complete setback’ for Govt’s fiscal consolidation By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net The Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) leader yesterday said Hurricane Matthew represented “a complete setback” to the Government’s fiscal consolidation plans, as he urged Bahamians to “rebuild the country for the better”.
Branville McCartney told Tribune Business that the nation needed to “learn the lessons” from the devastation caused by the Category Three-Four storm, and rebuild in such a way that would enable it to better withstand future events. He added that Matthew’s aftermath also provided an opportunity “for better governance” from the Govern-
ment, suggesting the storm highlighted why the Christie administration should not be spending near-$20 million in taxpayer monies on events such as Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival. “It’s a complete setback,” Mr McCartney said of Matthew’s impact on the Government’s plans to eliminate the GFS fiscal deficit in the 2018-2019 Budget year.
“It’s monies that’s going to be used by the Government that were not anticipated. Monies that were not there in the first place, and now they’re going to have to provide them.” Prime Minister Perry Christie on Sunday night estimated Matthew’s impact as three to four times’ greater than the $100 million worth of damages wrought
by Hurricane Joaquin on the more sparsely-populated southern Bahamas in October 2015. It is unclear whether he was referring solely to the restoration costs that will be incurred solely by the Government, total insured or uninsured losses, or a combination of all three. However, given the extent of the devastation across New Providence, Grand Bahama, Andros and the Berry Islands, the Government likely has a repair bill running into the hundreds of millions of dollars - especially as most public infrastructure assets, such as buildings, roads, airports and docks are uninsured. With minimal fiscal headroom, the Government will likely need to borrow significant sums for Matthew reconstruction, as indicated by Mr Christie, notwithstanding its ability to repurpose existing budgetary allocations. The end result, as alluded to by Mr McCartney will be further unavoidable increases in the national debt, which stood at $6.778 billion, equivalent to 80 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), at end-June 2016. “The Government can come and say they are spending $20 million on a carnival that is not intended to make a profit,” the DNA leader told Tribune Business. “This scenario we are in today as a country tells us how silly this is; having a big party and blowing $20 million [over two years] when today we can see it could have gone to something much better. “This money could have been spent more wisely, helping the country and persons in their hour of need. It shows a lack of fiscal responsibility on behalf of this government.” Acknowledging that the property damage and flooding created by Matthew in Nassau and Freeport threatens “to cripple the economy even more”, Mr McCartney said the Bahamas needed to be smart in how it recovered. “We need to look at this as an opportunity to rebuild for the better,” the DNA leader told Tribune Business. “There are certain instances where we can look at what has happened and see how we can better
Bran: Hurricane shows why Carnival money a waste Urges Bahamians: ‘Rebuild for the better’ ‘Afraid to guess’ at country’s economic loss ourselves in terms of being more prepared and prudent in readiness for natural disasters. “We live in the zone, and know hurricanes will come. This one will not be the last in our lifetimes. We ought to use this as a lesson, so next time we don’t let it come around and do the same thing. “We need to look at this as a lesson, learn and make the Bahamas better, make our homes better, enhance our businesses, and hopefully the Government will use this as an opportunity to govern better.” Mr McCartney said he was “afraid to guess” at the total economic loss inflicted by Hurricane Matthew, suggesting that it was “going to take some time” for many Bahamas-based businesses and their staff to properly recover. He suggested his Halsbury Chambers law firm was a typical example of many Bahamian businesses, as BEC power had yet to be restored to its Village Road location, while its generator had run out of fuel. “My manager just called me and said we may not open until around 12 noon at my law firm,” Mr McCartney said. “That’s almost a week out of business and not making money. All other businesses are in that same position. The loss could be tremendous. “Persons are unable to spend as well as before because of the priority of rebuilding, and the concern here is that persons were going through difficulties prior to the storm. “Business was down, the economy was down, and this storm is going to cause more tensions in the business community.”
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THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, October 11, 2016 PAGE 3
Hurricane damage a ‘two-edged sword’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net Hurricanes were yesterday described as “a double-edged sword” for economic activity, as the Bahamian Contractors Association’s (BCA) president said his members were already engaged in repair work worth potentially “millions of dollars”. Leonard Sands told Tribune Business that the construction industry “hated to be” among the sectors benefiting from Hurricane Matthew’s aftermath, but it was “certainly fair to say” its employment numbers had already been boosted. “The fact is that the amount of construction activity has definitely increased post-Matthew,” Mr Sands said. “While no official assessments have been completed, it’s fair to say that
Storm sparks ‘millions’ in construction activity Contractors ‘hate to be windfall’ beneficiaries
Leonard Sands
a significant amount of construction is going on in the hundreds of thousands, and possible the millions, of dollars. “If you look at the amount of activity in the immediate aftermath of the storm, and the activity at the lumber yards, it says the construction industry impact is going to be really, really significant.” Hurricane Matthew represents the second ‘boost’ the previously-struggling construction sector has received in quick succession, following the start of payouts to contractors owed a collective $74 million for work done on the Baha Mar project. The sector is a ‘bellwether’ of the Bahamian economy’s strength and is especially vital in employing many of the semi-literate and illiterate workforce. Mr Sands agreed that the extent of Hurricane Mat-
thew’s devastation across New Providence and Grand Bahama, and also Andros and the Berry Islands, would likely keep the construction industry busy through Christmas. “We hate to be the persons who seemingly are having a windfall out of this natural disaster and challenging time for the country,” he said, “but someone is going to have to do the repairs, and Bahamian contractors stand willing and ready to go out and do the work.” Mr Sands said contractors had responded with “remarkable” speed to the plight of their fellow Bahamians in Matthew’s aftermath - something that had also exposed the lack of demand for construction services prior to the storm. The improved short-term prospects for the Bahamian construction industry illustrate why Sir Franklyn
Wilson brands hurricanes as “double-edged swords” for economies. The Sunshine Holdings and Arawak Homes chairman, emphasising that he was “not making a case” for hurricanes, said history had shown that certain industries benefited in the aftermath of such storms. “In straight economic terms, hurricanes are twoedged swords once you get past the initial damage and that type of stuff,” Sir Franklyn explained. “I’m not putting the case for hurricanes; I understand the anxiety, the panic, the disruption, and it affects some people more than others. “But when you put it all into the pot, and take the pot as a whole, the fact is that significant economic activity is created out if these hurricanes, and a lot of people get work.” He continued: “If history
is a guide, in macroeconomic terms, in the aftermath there will be some areas of economic growth that would not have happened otherwise. “While some lose, some win. That’s the nature of the business. There are people working today that would not have expected it a week ago. Out of economic loss, there’s going to be some activity that otherwise would not have happened.” Both Sir Franklyn and Mr Sands agreed that the Bahamian economy, and its international foreign currency reserves, will receive a further boost when reinsurance monies associated with Matthew claims payouts start to flow. This, the BCA president added, would spark a further increase in construction activity.
Gas station queues ease on assurances Super Value ‘in good By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
Gas station operators said yesterday that the long queues clamouring for fuel had begun to disperse, adding that the rush had resulted in a “pretty significant” pick-up in sales. Vasco Bastian, operator of the Esso station at East Street and Soldier Road, told Tribune Business: “We have everything under control. People were concerned that there was a gas shortage. We have enough fuel to supply the demand, there’s no problem there. “After the storm there was a heavy rush of persons coming to get fuel; it was pretty significant. We dealt with that as best we could. Right
now it’s not as busy as it has been the previous three days. “A lot of people filled up on Sunday. I can’t say exactly how much business went up by; I don’t want to estimate on those figures right now, but it has been quite significant. We just want to let our customers know that we are here to serve them and that everything is under control.” One operator told Tribune Business that operations at his station has been “crazy”in the days immediately following the storm. “It’s been crazy these past few days. I’ve never seen anything quite like this before,” they said. Sol Petroleum (Bahamas) general manager, Keith Glinton, told the press conference held by the Prime Minister: “We have ade-
quate inventory on hand and contingencies if that demand is to increase. I can assure you that there is no shortage of fuel in New Providence. This is not the time to be hoarding fuel.” Similar sentiments were expressed by Gordon Craig, Rubis Bahamas’ managing director, who said: “We would like to reassure the public there are adequate fuel stocks coming into the country. You do not need to hoard fuel.” Immediately following the passing of Hurricane Matthew, fuel stations were packed with long lines of vehicles backed up into the roadways for hours as motorists sought to purchase fuel for their vehicles, and others for generators, amid reports circulating that there was a fuel shortage.
dock. We chose to leave them there under refrigeration.” Mr Roberts said Super Value’s main challenge has been obtaining diesel for its generators. “It’s been quite a restocked we will be; not problem getting diesel, but I because we don’t have the appealed to Shell,” he added. product, but because of the “In fact, I went directly to manpower. Sir Franklyn. I think that cri“Now that the storm is over we will just work un- sis is just about over. I’m hoptil we get back to normal. ing that in the next 24 hours Two per cent of the items all of the stores will be back represent 80 per cent of the on BEC and the crisis will be volume, and we keep those over.” items in our warehouse. We Mr Roberts recently told can certainly guarantee 80 The Tribune that “it’s been per cent. A lot of that 80 a rough couple of days” since per cent comes through the Hurricane Matthew hit, as wholesalers direct. We imlong lines from motorists port through them.” Mr Roberts added: “I clamouring at local gas stathink we are in good shape. tions made it difficult for We have six containers of companies to get fuel for perishables sitting on the store generators.
shape’ with inventory By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
Super Value’s owner yesterday said the supermarket chain was “in good shape” with its inventory, adding that half his stores were still operating on generators. Rupert Roberts told Tribune Business: “We keep $10 million worth of inventory in the warehouse, and about $25 million worth of inventory in the stores. “If they are not full it’s because the staff couldn’t keep up. If we’re not fully
Damage on Andros ‘simply devastating’ By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
A Bahamian airline executive yesterday described the damage inflicted by Hurricane Matthew on North Andros as “simply devastating”, telling this newspaper it wo uld likely be two more days before his airline was back to normal operations. Captain Randy Butler, the Sky Bahamas chief executive, said he had been flying foo d and o ther supplies into North Andros since Hurricane Matthew ripped tho ugh the Bahamas. “Our flights are do wn. People just aren’t travelling,” he said. “A lo t o f people aren’t travelling. A co uple o f o ur flights when we started up again, no one sho wed up. A part o f that may have been communi-
‘Minimal’ hotel damage outside of Andros, GB By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
Tourism officials have reported that with the exception of hotel properties on Grand Bahama and North Andros, most resorts on islands impacted by Hurricane Matthew sustained “minimal” damage. Geneva Cooper, a senior Ministry of Tourism director and co-ordinator with its emergency committee, said: “So far the initial reports indicate that except for hotel properties on Grand Bahama and North Andros, most of the properties sustained minimal damage. “This means that the properties can return to business in short order, and the Ministry will focus its efforts on reviewing its promotional plans to see what we have to do to promote each island as they are being restored and ensure that they are See pg b5
cation. I’ve been flying and bringing foo d into Andros. I’m telling yo u that place, Lo we So und, it’s really bad.” Captain Butler added: “I guess the Go vernment is o ut do ing its assessments, but it’s hard when yo u co uld take a brand new Bahamasair plane twice to Andros and no t carry foo d and water to the people, but just politicians and clergymen to go to a place where people have had the most harro wing time o f their lives. “I can’t do any assessment, but when I left Fort Lauderdale I left with foo d. My restaurant has a generator and I let them coo k foo d and put them in containers and take them to the people in Lo we So und. Right no w I trying to organise and
POSITION AVAILABLE INTERNAL AUDITOR OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES: Captain Randy Butler tell them what to carry and what no t to carry.” Captain Butler said Sky Bahamas’ generator, which supplies po wer to its o ffice, had failed and was using po wer from the airport. “We’re somewhat restricted but we’re grateful, we’re mo ving. I think it will be abo ut two more days before we get back to normal operations,” he said.
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PAGE 4 , Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Matthew payouts to ‘absolutely’ be nine-figure sum From pg B1 Few storms, especially one of Matthew’s Category Three/Four strength, strike both the Bahamas’ main cities, the last one to achieve this being Hurricane Frances in 2004. Nassau and Freeport also have the highest penetration of insurance coverage, given their respective levels of population density and economic activity. RoyalStar, in common with many other property
and casualty underwriters, opened its offices yesterday despite the National Heroes Day holiday to being receiving and assessing storm claims. “I know the number of claims in Freeport so far was about 100, and in Nassau it’s about 80, which we have seen and had reported,” Anton Saunders said. “Because it’s a holiday, we are not sure that the word is out sufficiently that we are open, so we have to see in the normal business
Storm sparks new downgrade fears From pg B1 Tribune Business that the economic damage inflicted by the Category Three-Four storm, together with the unanticipated repair costs incurred by the Government, would likely catch the attention of Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s (S&P). “It’s extremely frightening in this respect,” he said. “We just, in August, received a downgrade as we were spending money at a far greater rate than the agencies liked, and that was before the storm. They were predicting that the deficit would be $100 million more than projected. “With this hurricane, and an election coming, it’s going to be hell to stop the Government spending all this money. Everyone’s going to be crying for money to fix this, fix that.
“They’re going to be spending a lot of money carrying out repairs, using the same inefficient system we have now, to distribute funds with no Freedom of Information Act and no way to check how they’re going to spend this money.” Mr D’Aguilar, long rumoured to be a potential FNM candidate in the upcoming general election, added: “Coupled with a likely reduction in GDP, revenues are going to increase, the demand for public expenditure will rise, and the deficit will widen. “It almost guarantees us a further downgrade, and we all know what that will lead to. The rating agencies are merciless and ruthless, and they don’t care why you’re doing what you’re doing. “They will say you should have got your house in or-
THE TRIBUNE
days to come what the influx will be. “We’re expecting a little more this week, the flow will increase, and we will have a very good idea on the residential property portfolio side what we can expect by the end of the week.” Anton Saunders said “the severe losses” on New Providence were expected to be concentrated in the island’s south-east, which was hard-hit by flooding stemming from Matthew’s storm surge. The RoyalStar chief said it typically took longer for businesses to submit their hurricane-related insurance claims, as they were more concerned with securing their premises and
inventory for a return to operational status. He revealed, though, that the Bahamian property and casualty industry was concerned about “the timing” of the multi-million dollar Value-Added Tax (VAT) reimbursement it will be due on the Matthew claims payout. “All of us are concerned about the VAT element, and how that is dealt with efficiently between us and the Government,” Anton Saunders told Tribune Business. “All insurance is VATable, and the Government will have to reimburse the insurance companies for the VAT that is incurred on these claims.
“That number is going to be dependent on the size of the loss; anywhere between 7 to 7.5 per cent.” Anton Saunders said the Government would likely reclaim the VAT insurance reimbursement through the recovery-related purchases made by those receiving claims payouts. “It’s question of timing,” he explained. “The industry is going to be concerned about the timing of these reimbursements. You can’t expect the industry to fund your part of the 7.5 per cent. The whole industry will hopefully have a meeting with the Government, and go forward from there.” Cedric Saunders, Insurance Management’s prin-
cipal, also told Tribune Business that the Bahamian insurance industry was “looking at fairly large numbers” for Matthew-related claims payouts. “We’re having a lot of people coming in and calling in,” he said of claims being reported to the company’s head office yesterday. “I think that will continue for the next week or so. “We’ve got a lot of damage, but it could have been worse. We had a meeting this morning, and with very limited information it’s very hard to assess the amounts. I don’t think anyone at this time can provide the true numbers. I think you’re going to be looking at pretty large numbers.”
der before the storm. If we’d done that, we might have had a little headroom, but now we have no headroom.” Mr D’Aguilar’s comments came as some estimated that Matthew had delivered a $1 billion blow to the Bahamas and its economy, one insurance executive, speaking on condition of anonymity, placing total insured losses at $800-$900 million. While few have ventured to place a figure on the damage done across New Providence, Grand Bahama, Andros and the Berry Islands, Patrick Ward, Bahamas First’s president and chief executive, said: “There’s a gap between the economic loss and the insured loss, and the economic losses are far more significant than the insured losses.” Both Moody’s and S&P currently have the Bahamas rated one notch above so-called ‘junk’ status, meaning a further downgrade would cost this nation
its cherished ‘investment grade’ rating. The concern, as articulated by Mr D’Aguilar, is that the sheer scale of the damage inflicted by Hurricane Matthew will force the Government to spend hundreds of millions of dollars that it never budgeted for. This, in turn, threatens to throw the Christie administration’s forecast $100 million GFS fiscal deficit for the current 2016-2017 fiscal year ‘out of whack’, together with its long-term plans to eliminate the annual deficit and reduce the $6.778 billion national debt. The national debt, at endJune 2016, was estimated at almost 80 per cent, nearly 10 percentage points higher than the 70 per cent ‘danger threshold’ benchmark set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The gloomier fiscal prognosis, coupled with Matthew’s impact on the private sector and wider Bahamian economy, will potentially draw fresh scrutiny of the Bahamas from both
Moody’s and S&P. Another downgrade would negatively impact both the Bahamas’ access to international capital markets and raise the cost of future borrowings, thereby sucking money away from essential public services to finance ever-growing interest (debt servicing) payments. It would also send a negative message to international investors, as it would suggest that the Bahamas is not properly managing its fiscal affairs. Mr D’Aguilar yesterday acknowledged that the Government’s desire to alleviate the Bahamian people’s suffering was understandable, with or without a general election impending. Yet he expressed concern that the system could be exploited by unscrupulous persons to siphon off funds and supplies they did not need, taking resources away from the Bahamians who needed them most. “Many people use this type of disaster to exploit
the system, and I’m sure this is going to happen,” Mr D’Aguilar told Tribune Business. “When you hear they are going to spend the money, and that the paperwork is going to catch up, you understand why they’re doing it, but the Bahamas is not in a good place right now.” Gowon Bowe, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation’s (BCCEC) chairman, also acknowledged the blow Matthew had delivered to the Government’s finances, saying the Bahamas was “moving from fiscal headroom to fiscal survival”. Referring to the Government’s proposal to issue a bond specifically to finance Matthew-related repairs and recovery, Mr Bowe said: “We have to become creative as to how we finance that bond, and as to repayments over the longterm. “This has to be a tempered exercise to ensure that money is spent in a sustainable manner, and allows the greatest amount of people to benefit from it.” Mr Bowe encouraged the Government to limit any post-Matthew borrowing by moving Budget spending allocations where possible, reducing expenditure in certain areas, and “looking at where we can cut the fat”. He called on the Christie administration to prioritise the most urgent infrastructure repairs, and expressed hope that most of the New Providence storm damage would be covered by insurance. “There’s no denying that any time you have a major natural disaster, it is going to have a tremendous economic impact, and you don’t always appreciate it in the immediate aftermath,” Mr Bowe told Tribune Business. “I think it is going to be a tremendous blow.” Mr D’Aguilar, too, agreed that Matthew’s economic impact would be “significant”. He explained: “There’s going to be a significant dip in GDP and commercial activity because a lot of businesses don’t have generators, or people can’t get product or are diverting funds from product to restoration. “I’m not sure what insurance people have, and tourism is going to be significantly affected. Whether we like it or not, this storm is all over the news and the web, and Nassau received a direct hit. So people are going to re-jig their vacation plans. There’s going to be a significant knock-on effect.”
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NOTICE is hereby given that BIRENDRA KUMAR SARMA of Hudson Street, Blair Estate, 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 twentyeight days from the 4th day of October, 2016 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that ALEX THALLESE ULYS of Marsh Harbour, Abaco, 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 3rd day of October, 2016 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
Employment Opportunity
MAINTENANCE WORKERS A leading Fast Food franchise is looking for mature, clean-cut individuals to join its Maintenance (Janitorial) Team. Job Summary To be responsible for the general cleanliness and upkeep of the entire Store and its surroundings, so as to facilitate the smooth, efficient operation of the Store. Requirements • Must be a high school graduate. • Must have excellent inter-personal skills. • Must have excellent oral and written communication skills. • Professionalism required. • Must be able to work flexible hours including early mornings, late nights, weekends and holidays. • A basic knowledge of kitchen equipment and electrical and air conditioning repair skills would be a plus. • Must have a clean police record. McDonald’s offers excellent benefits! Please submit Resume to: Human Resources Department McDonald’s Head Office 111 Market Street North P. O. Box SS-5925 Telephone: 325-4444 Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
‘Minimal’ hotel damage outside of Andros, GB From pg B3 back open for business.” Ms Cooper said six cruise ships were expected in Nassau on Sunday, and with Bay Street having returned to normal, passengers were able to disembark. “Obviously for Nassau, most of our properties have no or very little damage. We will continue to work with properties that need assistance and ensure that they get back in business,” she said. “We look forward to helping to assist the Grand Bahama properties that in most cases were extensively damaged, and North Andros properties, so that they can get their tourism product back up and running.”
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, October 11, 2016 PAGE 5
Chamber chief urges storm insurance fund From pg B1 Christie on Sunday estimated Matthew’s damages at three-fo ur times’ the level o f those inflicted by Jo aquin, altho ugh it was unclear whether he was talking abo ut the Go vernment’s costs, to tal economic loss, insured and uninsured damages, or a combination o f all three. Whatever, the damage caused by Matthew is severe and widespread, with some yesterday suggesting that it had dealt a $1 billion blo w to the Bahamian economy, adding in all the abo ve damages plus loss o f future to urism boo kings
and earnings etc. “Our administrations need to focus attention on setting aside funds on an annual basis where they can accumulate,” Mr Bo we told Tribune Business o f the proposed hurricane insurance fund. “I always find it disappo inting that we have unexpected events that teach us to do things that sho uld have been common sense given where we reside. I don’t think we sho uld wait until it comes upon us to set monies aside.” Mr Bo we likened the Bahamas’ present financial response to hurricane
BISX-listed firm’s $5m ‘recapitalise’ after SEC settles From pg B1 Benchmark (Bahamas) latest financial statements, for the six months to endJune 2016, show the $5 million preference shares are currently critical to the company’s net worth or solvency. With them included on its balance sheet, the BISXlisted firm has a net worth or ‘shareholders’ equity’ of $3.157 million. Take them away, as the SEC settlement now requires by virtue of Alliance buying them back, would plunge Benchmark (Bahamas) into ‘negative net worth’ or insolvency without those preference shares being replaced by Mr Brown or another investor(s). Mr Brown did not respond to a voice mail message left by Tribune Business on his cell phone yesterday, seeking comment, but the SEC settle-
ment effectively demands a recapitalisation of Benchmark and Alliance, its international broker/dealer subsidiary. Court documents obtained by Tribune Business from the northern Illinois district court in the US show that the October 7, 2016, settlement between Mr Brown and Alliance, and the SEC, is a typical one for the regulator where the Bahamian duo neither “admit nor deny” the allegations against them. However, as part of the deal, Alliance has given an “undertaking to repurchase all its preferred stock, as soon as the repurchase of such shares, in whole or part, is lawfully permitted under the laws of the Bahamas, including but not limited to the Companies Act 1992”. The $5 million preference shares are currently held by the US receiver for
DNA chief wants anti-price gouge laws ‘with teeth’ From pg B1 gouging, and persons looking at this as a way of increasing their prices threefour times’ on persons in need of supplies and materials,” he said. “I’ve heard of instances where persons spent three times’ the amount they normally spend on certain things. “I would request the Government to be very strong and deliberate against those persons price gouging, because we as Bahamians cannot afford it. We need to look at laws relevant to that, and give them some teeth.” Gowon Bowe, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation’s (BCCEC) chairman, indicated the private sector organisation had received no specific complaints about merchants exploiting post-Matthew demand and supply shortages to hike
prices. However, he urged all in the private sector to behave with “integrity and morality”, warning that any attempts at exploitation would cost businesses customers for life. “The last thing we said is that businesses have to act with integrity,” Mr Bowe told Tribune Business of the Chamber’s position. “If you take advantage of this type of situation, and do attempt to price gouge, bear one thing in mind. It may be the last time you see that customer, as they will be the last person to go back to you. “We always encourage businesses to act in accordance with the law, and in accordance with ethics and morality. We always urge the business community to be supportive, and that means supporting your customers in their hour of need.”
damage to a person who had failed to save for retirement, an event they knew was coming. “If we’re in the hurricane belt and don’t set aside for it, we can’t be surprised if we have a blow to our financial affairs,” Mr Bowe told Tribune Business. “This is a time when the silver lining to the disaster is how we look at becoming sustainable for the future, and not reacting to one event. Hopefully, this is the beginning of something innovative that provides longterm sustainability.” Two locations that could make particular use of a hurricane insurance fund presently are Grand Bahama/Freeport and Andros. Mr Bowe, who accompanied the Prime Minister’s delegation to Grand Ba-
hama on Saturday, said they were informed on Saturday by officials on the island that some 700 electricity poles had been downed by Matthew. With around 250 of those thought to carry transformers and other distribution equipment, Freeport and Grand Bahama-based businesses could be running off generator power for weeks. “They’re going to have a long haul coming back,” Mr Bowe told Tribune Business. “It’s going to be a long slog for Freeport businesses because they’ll be running off their own power supply for a long time.” Mr Bowe added that north Andros had taken a major hit, and said: “For the north Andros business community, it is something they are looking at as being
an upward trek, but they are certainly in high spirits and prepared to put the shoulder to the wheel.” Meanwhile, Dionisio D’Aguilar, Superwash’s president, said Hurricane Matthew had exposed a weakness in the fuel industry supply chain - especially the ability for suppliers to get deliveries to businesses and gas stations. With Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) struggling to restore power to New Providence, Mr D’Aguilar said companies were having to consumer huge quantities of diesel to keep their generators running, and stores open. “The challenge initially was getting diesel,” he explained. “That was the weak link. We have to keep generators going, and we
have found post-Matthew that diesel is absolutely critical. That becomes a challenge when you have every business looking for diesel.” Mr D’Aguilar said Superwash’s locations had seen more business than usual, as persons unable to use washing machines at home due to power outages. “We have not been able to keep up with the demand,” he told Tribune Business. “At two locations, we’ve run out of water. The pump cannot keep up. When it runs out of water, it takes 12 hours to replenish, so we have to shut down for 12 hours.” Mr D’Aguilar described the impacted locations as Robinson Road and Prince Charles Drive.
BC Capital Group, and the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Bahamas duo of Kevin Seymour and Kevin Cambridge, who were appointed liquidators for the Bahamian arm of Battoo’s empire. BC Capital originally acquired the preference shares in two deals in 2010 and 2011. “Alliance shall satisfy its obligation to repurchase the preference shares by paying $5 million to the receiver or joint official liquidators, or to their dulyappointed and authorised successors or assigns,” the settlement agreement adds. The PwC accountants had long urged BC Capital investors to target recovery of the $5 million preference share investment, but their efforts were thwarted via lack of funding. Their previous reports urged that “identified courses of action should be pursued against Alliance to compel Alliance to return the company’s $5 million in Alliance’s preference shares”. No deadline has been imposed upon Mr Brown or Alliance to sell the preference shares, although they
have to provide the SEC with proof this has been done within 60 days of doing so. The proceeds from the repurchase will likely be used to compensate BC Capital’s investors, but of more interest to Benchmark’s several hundred Bahamian retail and institutional investors is how their investment will be recapitalised. The settlement also makes no mention about obtaining approval for the repurchase from the Securities Commission, Benchmark and Alliance’s principal regulator. The two sides are currently embroiled in a court battle, after Alliance successfully challenged via Judicial Review the Securities Commission’s bid to impose a 15-day moratorium on its ability to write new business and impose a forensic accounting of its books. The Court of Appeal heard the regulator’s appeal last month. Still, the $5 million ‘recapitalisation’ comes just as Benchmark (Bahamas) financial position appears to be turning the corner, net profits for the three months
to end-June 2016 having jumped to $1.959 million as opposed to just $157,063 the year before. Other aspects of the SEC settlement require Alliance to pay a $337,832 fine, the funds “representing profits gained” from its work for BC Capital Group plus interest. Mr Brown also has to pay a personal $50,000 penalty, and both he and Alliance are barred from future violations of US securities laws. They have the ability to pay the fines in instalments. The settlement, agreed last week as Hurricane Matthew ravaged the Bahamas, brings to an end the more-than two-year legal battle between the SEC and the Bahamian duo. Mr Brown and his international broker/dealer have always vigorously denied, and defended, allegations that they facilitated the global ‘Ponzi’ scheme by Mr Battoo and his BC Capital Group. They last year listed 19 defences to the SEC action against them, with the duo arguing that any “wrongful conduct” was outside their
control. The crux of the SEC’s case was that Mr Brown and Alliance allegedly helped to facilitate the international scheme perpetrated by Battoo. The US regulator claimed that the Bahamian defendants misled investors by suggesting they were the independent custodian for the BC Capital funds, whereas these monies were all directly in Battoo’s hands. And it also claimed that Alliance “helped him hide the massive losses by sending out bogus account statements that fraudulently overstated the value of investor assets by more than $148 million”. However, Mr Brown and Alliance in their defence argued that Battoo directed them to send BC Capital financial statements to the Illinois-based auditors for an investor in the scheme. And they maintained that the SEC, and US federal securities laws, have no “extraterritorial effect” and therefore cannot touch them in the Bahamas.
Mr Bowe added that previous reports of looting during Hurricane Matthew had proven false, as police investigations determined this did not happen, although Tribune Business understands that some businesses were broken into during the storm. The Chamber chief warned that recovery from Hurricane Matthew would require “a national effort”, with the Government, private sector and the public working closely together.
He explained that the Government’s exigency Order, which should take effect today, would allow merchants to charge prices that were Value-Added Tax (VAT) and Customs duty exclusive. They will also be able to claim VAT and Customs duty refunds on inventory in stock, Mr Bowe said, adding that the Chamber had spent time with the Government over the weekend to ensure “the procedures and protocols are
well-articulated” for this. The Government is also providing a 10 per cent Business Licence rebate to companies who donate more than $1,000 to the Matthew relief effort, up to a limit of $100,000. “We have to be somewhat innovative and think out of the box, and not look at traditional systems and say ‘Open the door, because we’re in need’,” Mr Bowe said. “We have to look at the existing system and struc-
tures, and say how do we allow for incentivising and businesses to benefit.” He added that the Government had agreed to the restoration fund, and fund raising, being private sector led with proper accounting. Mr Bowe said that,todate, the Christie administration had been “super collaborative” in efforts to work with the private sector post-Matthew.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that CUTHBERT HALL of P.O.Box N-217, 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 4th day of October, 2016 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that DOLLY SARMA of Hudson Street, Blair Estate, 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 4th day of October, 2016 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that FELLESIA A. DAVIS of Saint Street, P.O.Box CR-54784 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 twentyeight days from the 3rd day of October, 2016 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
YOUR
CHOICE FOR THE FAMILY @JOYFMBAHAMAS WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JOYFM1019
PAGE 6 , Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Turkey, Russia sign gas pipeline deal as ties improve ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey and Russia on Monday signed a deal to build a gas pipeline from Russia as the two co untries pressed ahead with efforts to normalize ties. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan watched as their co untries’ energy ministers sealed an intergo vernmental agreement for the “Turkish Stream” pro ject that wo uld bring gas from Russia to Turkey. It wo uld then be distributed to European Union nations. The pro ject, which had previo usly been suspended amid tensions between the two co untries, was signed on the sidelines o f the World Energy Congress. In o ther steps aimed at restoring ties, Putin anno unced that Russia had agreed to a natural gas disco unt to Turkey and wo uld resume importing fruit, vegetables and o ther agricultural goo ds from the co untry. The two co untries wo uld intensify defense contacts and also loo k into cooperation in space technologies. Russia is building Turkey’s first nuclear po wer plant, and Erdogan said the sides agreed to accelerate the pro ject. “I am convinced that the process o f normalization o f o ur ties will continue rapidly,” Erdogan told reporters during a jo int news conference. “Our relations will (impro ve) in many fields, be it in defense industry, political, economic, trade, to urism or culture.”
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right and Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, look at each other during a news conference following their meeting in Istanbul, yesterday. Putin and Erdogan voiced support for the construction of a gas pipeline from Russia to Turkey, called Turkish Stream, a project that was suspended amid tensions between the two countries. The pipeline would carry Russian natural gas to Turkey and onto European Union countries. (AP Photo) “We will make up for lost time in the coming days,” Erdogan said. Putin had first suggested the Turkish Stream pro ject to carry gas beneath the Black Sea into Turkey in 2014, when a pipeline project to Bulgaria fell thro ugh amid EU co untries’ opposition. It was Erdogan and Putin’s third meeting since June, when the Turkish leader apologized to Russia for shoo ting do wn a
Russian plane at the Syrian border. The incident had serio usly damaged ties, with Russia responding by deploying long-range air defense missiles at its air base in Syria, and imposing an arrayo f economic sanctions on Turkey. Serio us differences remain on Syria. While Mosco w has backed Syrian President Bashar Assad thro ugho ut the nation’s civil war and further bolstered that support by launching
an air campaign last September, Turkey has pushed for Assad’s remo val and helped his foes. Putin said Turkey and Russia were in agreement o ver the need to deliver aid to Aleppo in Syria but were at o dds o ver the “security” o f the delivery ro utes. “Bo th Russia and Turkey support the end o f the bloo dshed in Syria,” Putin said. “We share the same view that every effort sho uld be made for humanitarian aid to be delivered to Aleppo.” “The only issue is the safety o f the delivery o f humanitarian aid,” Putin added. He said Russia had
shared with the United States its recommendation that Syrian and opposition forces withdraw from the Castello ro ad, the main ro ute for aid to be delivered to Aleppo, so that humanitarian convoys wo uld no t be fired upon. “Ho wever the American side does no t want to do that, or is no t capable o f do ing that,” he added. Erdogan said he and the Russian leader had discussed Turkish-backed Syrian opposition forces’ efforts to recapture areas near the Turkish border from the Islamic State gro up and said they had assessed possible cooperation with Russia.
THE TRIBUNE
Russia says it supports OPEC plan to limit oil production ISTANBUL (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday his co untry is ready to reduce o il pro duction and supports OPEC’s initiative to trim pro duction as a way to support o il prices. Speaking at the World Energy Congress in Istanbul, Putin criticized the surplus o f o il and warned that if current tendencies continue, it will lead to lack o f financing, deficits and new price fluctuations that will hit bo th pro ducers and consumers. Saying that the only right decision to maintain the stability o f world energy reso urces is a freeze or cut in pro duction, Putin said, “Russia is ready to jo in jo int measures on reducing the pro duction o f o il and invites o ther o il exporters to do so.” He added: “We support the recent OPEC initiative to fix limitations on pro duction and hope that at the November OPEC meeting this idea will be transformed into real agreements giving a positive signal to markets and investors.” Also at the congress, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said it was necessary to find a new mechanism within six months to stabilize markets. “Petroleum pro ducers, OPEC members sho uld reach an agreement and sho uld work for the stability o f the petroleum industry,” he said. Putin also criticized unilateral sanctions. “It is inadmissible to curb the development o f the energy sector for the sake o f political ambitions o f certain co untries. Such actions do no t contribute in any way to the stability o f the world energy sector.”
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Restaurant Managers
A food service industry leader is seeking to employ Experienced Managers for its restaurants. The successful candidates must possess effective leadership skills and will be expected to work closely with the Restaurant Manager in managing the overall restaurant operations. The individuals should have a solid understanding of the food and beverage industry and possess a minimum of 3 to 5 years experience in the related field with a proven track record of exceptional customer service. Primary Duties and Responsibilities: • Ensures the company’s customer service excellence standards are exemplified consistently and that all team members are held accountable to same • Facilitate a high level of customer satisfaction by obtaining regular customer feedback • Identifies and resolves “bottlenecks” in food preparation and delivery to increase speed of service without sacrificing accuracy of orders • Ability to maintain a safe, clean and high quality restaurant operation at all times • Supervises and trains team members on all restaurant systems • Ability to effectively communicate, both orally and in writing, on a consistent basis with Restaurant Management team, superiors and support staff • Practical knowledge of inventory control management • Ability to coach, train and develop team members as well as delegate work in a way that encourages teamwork during shift to ensure smooth restaurant operations • Proven ability in handling of customer complaints, ensuring speedy and satisfactory resolution • Ensures the awareness and knowledge of all of the company’s systems, policies, procedures and operations through training and development • Provides productive direction to team members in a clear and concise way, and sets an example for team members by working hard to ensure swift and smooth food production and quality service • Sets challenging goals for self and team, provides timely performance feedback and ensures accountability Qualifications and Experience • Minimum of three to five years experience in the food and beverage and hospitality industries in a managerial or supervisory role • Working knowledge of computerized information systems used in restaurant operations, e.g. Point of Sales (POS) systems • Proficiency in various software applications, e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Interested candidates should submit their resumes in confidence to the following email address:
submityourform@gmail.com
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, October 11, 2016 PAGE 7
Singer Tebby celebrates the ‘unconventional’ life By ALESHA CADET
Tribune Features Reporter
acadet@tribunemedia.net
T
ebby Burrows is a woman who knows that she wants and is not afraid to go after it. At this stage in her life, it is the young singer’s goal to became a household name in the Bahamas and beyond. To this end, Tebby – she only goes by her first name professionally – upped her level of exposure by performing at one of New York City’s premier live music venues and at the popular Irie Weekend in Miami this summer. The singer/songwriter, who names artists like Etta James, Tracey Chapman, Annie Lennox and Maroon 5 as her influences, said her motto for 2016 was, “What do I have to lose?” “I’ve been performing and travelling a lot. I had the privilege of performing at the legendary BB King Blues Club & Grill in NYC this summer and at the famous Irie Weekend in
Miami, Florida. In August, I teamed up for a really cool performance at the Miami Beach Fit Festival. I also had the privilege of performing at the Bahamian Icon Awards, and most recently the Miss Universe Pageant at Albany. In between that I perform monthly at places like Compass Point, Hard Rock Café and Pirate Republic, so I’ve been keeping busy,” she told Tribune Woman. And despite having already put in years of work and having collaborated with many other artists, Tebby believes this is just the beginning. She said she considers every day she continues down this path a milestone. “Making the decision to go after what you want and live an unconventional life can be a scary thing, so I try to celebrate every step – the first time I performed internationally, the first time my music video was played on television – they were all moments where I kind of paused and smiled and thought this is good,
Singer/songwriter Tebby
this gives me a boost of energy to keep going. I think it was three years ago when I decided to audition to sing at a little restaurant in Cable Beach called Mojo’s. That was one of the first steps I took since moving back to the Bahamas towards doing what I love,” she said. Just recently, Tebby released a music video for her new song called “Watch Me Do Me”. She collaborated with videographer Farreno Ferguson and dancer Myrkeeva Johnson for an innovative visual launch. “When I heard this beat produced by Young Aristotle I just started writing. What came out if it was this dance anthem that’s all about owning your glow and not being afraid to do you,” she said. “It’s about not waiting for anyone’s permission or approval. It’s a nod to everyone who, as the song says, is ‘putting in your time, steady on your grind.’ Speaking about the visual concept for the music video, Tebby said she
wanted to do something different, so she and her team came up with the idea of a lyric video – a concept that is extremely popular with international artists at the moment. And as someone who loves to dance, Tebby thought it would be creative to combine the lyric concept with some dance moves that capture the essence and energy of the song. “Feedback has been awesome. This is the first time there’s been a lyric video locally so people love that it’s different. You can find it on my website www. tebbysworld.com or on my social media @tebbysworld. We’d love for the video to be on TV and that’s definitely in the works,” the singer said. “The video for my first single released this summer called ‘Settle Down’ is actually currently number two on TEMPO’s Cross Caribbean Countdown which airs internationally, so the goal is always to share with as many people as possible,” she said.
OITNB star says media needs to represent full-figured women By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY AP Entertainment Writer
Actress Danielle Brooks. Photo/Amy Sussman/AP
If you check Danielle Brooks’ Instagram account, you’ll see plenty of poses that ooze self-confidence, from shots of the “Orange is the New Black” star in glamorous outfits to a selfie of her with her midriff exposed. But full-figured Brooks says it has taken some mind manipulation to get her to feel as happy with herself as the vibe she projects. “I kind of like tricked myself into this love, and positive affirmations that I have for myself, which has been really good,” said Brooks. “I don’t wanna walk around this world feeling like I don’t feel worthy, or I don’t feel like I’m beautiful because society has shown me that I am not enough, because they don’t put me on the cover on the magazines or I don’t see myself reflected in media enough.” Brooks is doing her part to make that change happen. The actress, who was nominated for a Tony for her role in the revival of “The Colour Purple” on
Broadway, has teamed with Refinery29 for its campaign to make full-figured women more visible in media. “I think that we have a long way to go, but I think we are gonna now start to see a big shift in the change in media, in magazines, on the fashion runways, on our screens, in television,” she said. The “67 Percent” project aims to showcase more women who are over a size 14; the website says the majority of women in the United States, or 67 per cent, are in that size range. Brooks has been the face of the campaign, which launched this week. Brooks, who is also a spokeswoman for the clothing line Lane Bryant, said
that when she first gained fame for her role on the award-winning Netflix series, she couldn’t find any designer willing to dress her for major award shows. “It was very difficult to find a dress that I felt represented who I am that wasn’t black or blue or a plain Jane dress,” she said. “Like, I wanna wear cutouts, I wanna wear the bells and whistles, and just all the different kind of textures that other girls get to wear.” Christian Siriano came to her rescue and has become her go-to designer. But she added: “I’m looking to wear a plethora of different designers. I want to walk on a carpet and get to wear Prada or Gucci or whatever that might be, and so, I feel
like they need to step up. It’s time, we’re here.” Brooks said that when she flaunts her confident self in public, it reverberates with her fans, who then send her messages that they feel more confident with their bodies as well. “When a woman doesn’t see themselves represented enough ... you feel unimportant, you feel like there has to be something wrong with me,” she said. “But then you come across a program or a project like the ‘67 Percent’ project with Refinery29 and you are now seeing yourself and you realize, ‘Oh, more than half the world looks like me! I’m not the problem here.’”
PAGE 8 , Tuesday, October 11, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
Building resilience: How well do you bounce back? One thing that is predictable about life is its certain unpredictability. This unpredictability is what makes life the ultimate adventure. When you see life as a flowing, ever-changing experience, you learn to take the bitter with the sweet. With the consistent serving of colourful challenges, life reminds us that if we desire to bounce back from any setback we must build our resilience. Resilience is in fact the foundation of real success. Success therefore lies not in the material things you achieve, but rather in your capacity to bounce back when things don’t quite go your way. Life is huge. This means that anything can happen at any time. Change is the central point of life itself. Everything changes, and in many instances such changes affect everybody. Like the rising and setting of the sun – we are
Michelle Miller Motivationals
Michelle M Miller all beneficiaries of this wonder. Storms and natural disasters are no different. We are exposed to such uncertainty and whilst we can be proactively prepared – there are no safe spaces in which
we can hide from life. Trying to do so is like trying to outrun the sky. We know that no matter where you are – look up and the sky is there as a permanent part of life’s tapestry of life The bottom line is nothing will hit you harder than life. It often comes at you so fast and furious that it’s hard to catch your breath. Even so, you have the power to meet your life challenges with confidence. Such a power must however be acknowledge and developed. Building resilience teaches you that it doesn’t matter what challenges you face, what matters most is how well you respond to those challenges. Having the confidence to respond with a sense of ability is what we mean by taking responsibility. Failing to build your resilience, you struggle to bounce back and
often resign to a life feeling overwhelm and defeated. By increasing your sense of resilience, you are better prepared to meet the storms of life. Everybody needs resilience. Regardless of educational or socio-economic divides, when life throws a storm, everyone is affected, directly or indirectly. Bob Marley said it best: “When the rain falls, it don’t, fall on one man’s house top.” Life has unique and creative ways of reminding us of our sameness. Storms and other such natural challenges affirm that nobody is exempt from life’s uncertainties. We are all in the same boat. As card-carrying members of the human race, I believe it is imperative for each of us accept this truth and get busy building our resilience to bounce back. Needless to say, building resilience is not a walk in the park. It takes courage
and commitment. Seek to build your emotional and psychological fortitude as well as your physical in order to effectively deal with challenges. Leader to leader, recognise that only by building your resilience that you can bounce back from setbacks with confidence. As a resilient student of life, I know for sure that it is a solid foundation for life success. Today, commit to building your resilience. It is the active ingredient for living an empowered life. What do you think? Please send your comments to coaching242@yahoo.com or call 429-6770. • Michelle M Miller is a certified life coach, communication and leadership expert. Visit www. michellemmiller.com; mail can be sent to PO Box CB-13060.
Debunking one of the biggest misconceptions about menopause (BPT) - Nearly all women will go through menopause at some point in their lives. Often with this comes a loss of intimacy, one of the biggest - yet least discussed - side effects of menopause. While to some this may seem inevitable, menopause does not need to signify the end of a woman’s sex life. In honour of Menopause Awareness Month, and the estimated 6,000 women who reach menopause in the US each day, it’s time to shed light on their intimate wellness. Women going through menopause don’t have to live with uncomfortable and discouraging symptoms, and will find relief in some key facts about this important stage in life. • Myth: Women experience menopause in their 50s Fact: Menopause actually affects a broad age range of women. While the average age of menopause for US women is 51 years, perimenopause - which refers to the time during which a woman’s body begins to transition in preparation for menopause - can begin as early as mid-30s. Additionally, early onset of menopause can occur as a result of chemical and surgical interventions, such as
symptoms impacting a woman’s intimacy are permanent.
Many women enjoy their sex lives even more after menopause. chemotherapy or hysterectomies. • Myth: Hot flashes and mood swings are the most common menopause symptoms. Fact: While nearly every woman will experience menopause at some point in her life, not all of them will experience it the same way. According to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), as a woman
transitions into menopause, lower estrogen levels not only cause hot flashes but have several other effects on the body such as vaginal dryness, which can undermine sexual motivation and drive. In fact, according to a 2015 Toluna Quick Survey Study of 1,000 postmenopausal women, 75 per cent suffer from vaginal dryness to some extent, and 90 per cent who responded they suffer from vaginal dryness
to a moderate-large extent said the dryness negatively affects their life. This is because peri, menopausal and postmenopausal women often experience VVA (Vulvo Vaginal Atrophy), also known as GSM (Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause) - characterized by lesser known symptoms of vaginal dryness, burning, itching, incontinence and painful intercourse. • Myth: Menopause
Rihanna debuts at Paris Fashion Week
Fact: Symptoms that affect intimacy can be frustrating for both a woman going through menopause and her partner. However, women who experience these types of symptoms do not need to live with them for the rest of their lives. CO2RE(R) Intima, for example, is a simple, quick and effective procedure. It is one of the latest innovations in vaginal therapy, helping women with their intimate wellness, particularly with issues surrounding menopause. The procedure delivers both immediate and long-lasting relief in a painless, nonsurgical treatment. CO2RE Intima can help treat these symptoms and get a woman’s sex life back on track. • Myth: After menopause, a woman’s sex life is never the same. Fact: Many women remain sexually active beyond midlife and into older age. Some women enjoy their sex lives even more once they are post-menopausal as they no longer need to worry about pregnancy. Additionally, menopause may come at an age when many women are becoming
“empty nesters” after sending children off to college, an opportunity for them to reconnect with their partners and reinvigorate their sex lives. • Myth: All vaginal rejuvenation treatments are for aesthetic purposes. Fact: While some women may think that vaginal laser treatment is strictly for cosmetic purposes, in fact, it can help restore women’s intimate wellness by offering a number of functional and clinical benefits. The CO2RE Intima procedure is designed for women who want to relieve the signs of childbearing and aging in their vaginal area. This includes post-child bearing and peri and menopausal women, women who desire enhancement in sexual functioning and a better sexual experience, women who seek vaginal cosmetic improvement and women who want to feel more confident about their feminine health. Rather than an ending, menopause should signify a new beginning in a woman’s life and opportunities for renewed intimacy.
Part of Rihanna’s “FENTY” x Puma collection as seen at the Pop-Up Shop Opening in New York (Photos/Robert Altman/ Invision/AP)
By THOMAS ADAMSON AP Fashion Writer Popstar Rihanna’s first Paris catwalk show for Fenty Puma was among the new designer debuts which marked the start of SpringSummer 2017 shows in the City of Light last week. The most striking thing about Rihanna’s catwalk collection for Fenty Puma was the models. There has been increasing criticism in recent years that fashion shows in the major capitals have a dearth of models from different ethnic backgrounds. So the popstar’s latest outing for the sports brand garnered praise for its use of male and female models from diverse backgrounds. The catwalk collection itself — Rihanna’s first in Paris — got a more lukewarm reception. Pearl necklaces, lace headdresses, sheer shawls, fabric fans and glimmering corsets took inspiration from 18th century France. But against the backdrop of the venue, the grand 18th century Hotel Salomon de Rothschild, they came across as somewhat saccharine. Loose pastel-colored silhouettes that floated seemed at times overly em-
bellished, and there was a cluttered feel to some of the layering and gathered detailing that moved in convergent directions. Still, there were some nice styles — such a coat or a silken jumpsuit that un-
raveled at the shoulder that captured the feeling of hurried undress. “I am really excited about this collection as it’s very fun and light,” Rihanna said. “Showing in Paris was
the perfect backdrop, as I pulled a lot of inspiration from France, Marie Antoinette and the Palace of Versailles specifically,” she added.
Rihanna at Paris Fashion Week. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, October 11, 2016 PAGE 9
Chef Apple
overcomes hunger and finds success abroad By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
E
ven after finding success as the owner of three flourishing companies, as a motivational speaker and contributor to philanthropic initiatives, Chef Apple-Elgatha Treco-Wells still remembers what it feels like to go hungry. And that is why she did not hesitate to take time out from her busy schedule to participate in the eighth annual edition of Paradise Plates as one of its featured chefs. The Miami-based Bahamian executive chef flew into town last weekend for the express purpose of supporting this signature fundraiser by Hands for Hunger, an organisation that is pledged to the elimination of unnecessary hunger and the reduction of food waste in the country. Chef Apple – as she is professionally known – said the event is “extremely important” and hits close to home for her. She said she knows first-hand what it feels like to not have enough food to eat. While the stars now seem to have aligned for the successful cook and businesswoman, Chef Apple freely admits that this was not always the case and that she has faced some serious challenges living as a foreigner in the United States, including being left hungry and homeless. Chef Apple grew up in Fox Hill on a farm. She said she was “used to feeding Bahamians” as her grandmother operated a food truck in the 1980s. This love of food and cooking for others was passed down to her granddaughter. Chef Apple was 24 when circumstances led her to leave the Bahamas and relocate to the US in 2002. “I got my heart broken by my first love. We were in kind of a clique where we knew everyone and had just about the same circle of friends. And I was at the point where I just needed
to get away. So I packed a few bags and cleared out the little bit of money I had on my bank account and left. No one knew, because I felt if I told anybody they probably would talk me out of it,” she told Tribune Woman. “When I say I was heartbroken, I couldn’t eat, drink or sleep, and the only thing I was doing was drinking. I had slipped into a really self-destructive path.” With the goal of finding a new purpose in life, Chef Apple then made her move. Her journey first landed her in Baltimore, Maryland. There, she began picking up the pieces of her life. Following her stay in Baltimore, her first job in the US was working as a lifeguard at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. It was a job she admits to not liking in the slightest. “After some time I was like, my body is not built for this; I need to be clothed and hidden. When my contract was up from being a lifeguard I hounded them to put me in the food and beverage department. They did and my passion for the culinary was reignited,” she said. Sometime after her stint at Disney World, Chef Apple began working for a restaurant owner who paid her way to culinary school. She completed a nine-month course at Le Cordon Bleu. “Right before my student visa expired, I said, look, I need to figure something out because I am not going back to Nassau. I managed to convince the restaurant owner I was working for to send me to culinary school. I told him if he did I would work for him for five years. Now mind you, the course was only nine months, but I am one of those people who will sweeten the pot – no matter where you go you still have Bahamian in you. He agreed and even to this day he always tells me that he never met someone in his life who worked as hard I did,” she said. After the five-year period ended, Chef Apple said the restaurant owner she worked for retired, which presented another challenge for her.
“He decided that he was going to retire and I said, ‘No, you can’t retire. This is my job, I make good money here’. And for so long I was struggling. At one point I lived in a warehouse with no furniture and I slept on blankets because that was all I could afford. As an immigrant you really don’t have the luxury of making $60,000 to $70,000 a year, so I slept on the floor and ate canned food,” she said. “And that was why the Hands For Hunger cause was really important to me, because I have been there. I know what it’s like to walk through a grocery store and have to eat the fruit and pretend as though you’re buying stuff because you are hungry.” The restaurant owner she worked for eventually allowed Chef Apple to run his business and pay him a percentage. Since then, she has operated multiple businesses, including a nightclub and a coffee shop. Chef Apple later retired from the coffee shop business to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Web Design Development and a Master’s Degree in Internet Marketing. She now runs a catering company, marketing company and spice company. “Out of everything that I have done, my mother is actually most excited about my spice company. When I come home I buy the salt from the ladies at Potter’s Cay Dock and when I get back to Miami I make all of these salt blends that are all vegan. There are no additives or preservatives or MSG to make sure the salt remains healthy. Everything that I use is all 100 per cent natural and organic. So I have been promoting and building a Bahamian salt company,” she said. In addition to operating three companies. Chef Apple is also a restaurant consultant, photographer and cookbook author, designer and founder of the website IAmChef Apple.com.
“I know what it’s like to walk through a grocery store and have to eat the fruit and pretend as though you’re buying stuff because you are hungry.”
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SECTION D
tuesDAY, october 11, 2016
body & mind
Balinese guru sensed
“great energy” from Bahamians
Guru Made Sumantra at
By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net
E
ven though his stay in the Bahamas was cut short due to Hurricane Matthew last week, Balinese Guru Made Sumantra said he enjoyed the country and liked the energy he felt from the people. During his 24-hour stay, he said, he received “great energy” from Bahamians. “I came here to the Bahamian people to share energy and I like the people I see here,” he said. Guru Sumantra was in Nassau for the celebration of Mandara Spa’s 20th anniversary worldwide and its 15th anniversary of operating at Atlantis, Paradise Island. “It is really nice to celebrate Mandara’s energy,” he said. While exploring its Balinese heritage earlier this year, Mandara Spa encountered the teachings and insights of Guru Sumantra. The spa decided to collaborate with the guru to bring the art of healing touches to the world, with the final stop of this unique tour being Paradise Island. The Healer Project, as the tour was called, launched in May, and Guru Sumantra visited places like Bali, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, New York, Uncasville in Connecticut, and Orlando in Florida. Guru Sumantra was born in the village of Banjar Payogan in Bal, and grew up in a family of tradi-
tional Balinese shaman healers. The healing tradition was passed on from his grandfather, who got it from his ancestors. Balinese shamans still play a central role in public healthcare in Bali and this has remained virtually unchanged since ancient times. The Balinese lineage of healing normally skips a generation and is passed down through the male line. Guru Sumantra was the boy chosen by his grandfather to keep this tradition alive within the family. Guru Sumantra began his healing practice with his own family and gradually extended it to neighbours, and eventually any-
problems. Through his work and the financial support of Yoga Healing Bali, Guru Sumantra was able to establish Ashram Civa Linggam. The ashram was established to further assist the spiritual needs of the seeker and to offer people from other cultures the opportunity to fully experience his culture and to develop an understanding of universal spirituality. There is accommodation in the Ashram for the person who wishes to study deeply and to do that in a very quiet, serene, isolated environment. Throughout his entire life, Guru Sumantra said he has
“Yoga sessions are not just body movements. You have to use your heart, mind and more concentration on energy. Also, you have to give love to your body, because with love you will be quick to heal.” one who heard about him. Additionally, he continually improved his knowledge by way of learning from other healers, praying in temples and other sacred places, and through spiritual discipline. Most importantly, Guru Sumantra found his spiritual teacher, Maha Rsi Markandeya, and surrendered to God (Lord Siva). At the Yoga Healing Bali centre, he said he has been able to help countless locals as well as people from around the world with their physical and spiritual
devoted both time and money to local communities and currently travels around the world to help people. During his visit to the Bahamas, he was scheduled to perform healing services and yoga classes at Atlantis for three days, but only managed to complete one day of sessions because of the oncoming hurricane. “The trip was short, but I really liked the sessions,” said Guru Sumantra. “Many people came, so I
Atlantis. Photos/Shawn Hanna
think next time more people would be interested. On my journey throughout the world everyone always asks me to come again. Yoga sessions are not just body movements. You have to use your heart, mind and more concentration on energy. Also, you have to give love to your body, because with love you will be quick to heal. I just guide people, because a true healer is within your soul. I just guide your energy with instruction and love. During my last session I actually gave homework on how to maintain the energy received during the sessions.” Christina Sorondo, marketing director at Land Based Spas and curator of The Healer Project, said Mandara Spa wanted to mark its 20th anniversary in a special way, and knowing the Bahamas was also celebrating the 15th anniversary of Mandara at Atlantis they chose The Cove as one of the tour stops. Ms Sorondo expressed the company’s love of Bahamian culture and said she believes it has a lot in common with Balinese culture. “The feedback was great. I had people asking, ‘Will he be here all week?’ I think he brings a very different perspective and a level of happiness that you see in Bali,” said Ms Sorondo about the demand of Guru Sumantra’s teachings. “That is something that is ingrained in their culture and it is something we seek here in the Western Hemisphere. The whole trip was well received with a level
of genuineness. He has his own method in which he brings different types of yoga and encompasses it into one technique that relieves you in different ways,” she said. Ms Sorondo said they hope to bring Guru Sumantra back to the Bahamas during the hurricanefree months next year. “Matthew put a damper on this whole trip and trumped him out of here, but he wants to come back and his arms are open and so is his heart,” she said. Yolanda Deveaux, regional vice president of the Caribbean and Central America for Mandara Spa, said Guru Sumantra’s tour helped refresh the spa’s brand and remind people what they stand for. She said it was great to for the him to able to teach people around the world the yoga principles and healing touches that have been passed down through the generations in Bali. “This is actually his first time in the Bahamas, so it was quite a pleasant experience for the guests and people booked in advance to come and participate in the sessions this morning,” said Ms Deveaux. “I used to be a marathoner, running all over the world. Health is the cornerstone of who I am. It is a lifestyle and it is really a necessity. We practice what we preach and we want to bring healing and wellness to our brand, to our country, because it is really important.”
Yoga through the millennia The group of physical, mental and spiritual practices known as yoga are believed to have first been developed around 5,000 years ago by the ancient Indus-Sarasvati civilisation in Northern India However, some researchers argue the practice can be traced as far back as 10,000 years. However, due to the tradition of oral transmission of sacred texts – or writing texts on fragile palm leaves – and the secretive nature of it’s teachings, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly when yoga
got its start. The word yoga was first mentioned in the Rigveda – an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns. In Vedic Sanskrit (a IndoAryan language), yoga (from the root yuj) means “to add”, “to join”, “to unite”, or “to attach” in its most common literal sense. The ultimate goal of yoga is moksha (liberation), although the exact definition of what form this takes depends on the philosophical or theological system with which it is
conjugated. The Upanishads – Hindu sacred treatises written in Sanskrit circa 800 to 200 BC – teaches the sacrifice of the ego through self-knowledge, action (karma yoga) and wisdom (jnana yoga). This was time of pre-classical yoga. It was followed by classical yoga, post-classical yoga and the modern period, which encompasses the 1800s until now. While the practice of yoga is thousands of years old, it only gained prominence in
the West in the 20th century, following the success of the Indian Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda, who travelled from India to Japan, China and Canada en route to the United States, in the late 19th century, in spreading his teachings. Esoteric views current at the end of the 19th century provided a further basis for the reception of Yoga with its theory and practice of correspondence between the spiritual and the physical. The American-born yogi
Pierre Arnold Bernard, after his travels through the lands of Kashmir and Bengal, founded the Tantrik Order of America in 1905. His teachings gave many Westerners their first glimpse into the practices of yoga and tantra. Then in 1947, Indra Devi opened her yoga studio in Hollywood. Since then, many more western and Indian teachers have become pioneers, popularising yoga and gaining millions of followers to this day.