10142022 NEWS AND SPORT

STORM SURGE RISK FOR HALF OF NATION

Report says nearly 50% of Bahamians exposed to danger

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY half of The Bahamas’ population or 184,326 residents are exposed to storm surge, with research experts warn ing that the number is likely to increase due to rising sea levels.

Dr Erin Hughey, direc tor of the Pacific Disaster Centre (PDC), made the revelation as she pre sented the latest findings from the National Disas ter Preparedness Baseline

Assessment (NDPBA) for The Bahamas during the Disaster Risk Reduction Summit at the Baha Mar resort yesterday.

The NDPBA is an assessment of a country’s exposure and vulnerability to multi-hazard risks.

It was completed by PDC, an applied research centre under the Uni versity of Hawaii, in partnership with the National Emergency Man agement Agency (NEMA) in May 2022.

CASE OF CHOLERA

IN NEW PROVIDENCE

BY JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Dar ville yesterday confirmed a 52-year-old Bahamian man had been diagnosed with cholera in New Provi dence - but said the man did not travel to Haiti despite speculation.

“The patient is a 52-year-old Bahamian

male with a recent history of travel,” said the Minis try of Health and Wellness yesterday.

“The patient presented at a private medical facil ity yesterday with vomiting and diarrhoea and was sub sequently admitted and isolated pending screen ing for suspected cholera, which has since been con firmed via lab test.”

STORES SAY NEW MARK-UP ‘NOT ENOUGH TO SURVIVE’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

FOOD stores throughout The Bahamas were yester day said to be “up in arms” over the details of the Gov ernment’s expanded price control regime amid fears it will “devastate” the indus try and jobs for hundreds

of workers.

Philip Beneby, the Retail Grocers Association’s presi dent, told Tribune Business the 25 percent across-theboard mark-up that the Davis administration is applying is “not enough to survive” for many retailersand there are just four days to change the prices.

UP TO $1M OF DISASTER SUPPLIES STILL MISSING

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

DISASTER Recon struction Authority executive chairman Alex Storr estimates that between $250,000 to $1m worth of post Hurricane Dorian supplies belong ing to the agency are still

BISHOP: MARITAL RAPE STUDY ‘HORRIFIC’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander wants to have a “strong con versation” with pastors regarding the “horrific” data that came to light from a University of The Baha mas study on the frequency of marital rape and sexual abuse.

The study found that one in 12, or an estimated 4,000

married women, have been raped by their husbands. The study suggested that

around 6,000 wives claimed being victims of sexual abuse.

“Horrific,” Bishop Fer nander said yesterday when he was asked to give his views on the study’s findings.

“I really would like to see the approach, the data. I want to have a strong conversation with pastors in regard to the data that came out - what formulated the random study.”

missing.

As a result, he said offi cials are now putting in place measures “to go after” those items.

Mr Storr was asked for an update into the agency’s ongoing investigations to recover DRA resources after officials said last month that it was working

BAHAMAS Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fer nander.

OFFICERS from the Royal Bahamas Police Force at a passing out ceremony

Photo: Austin Fernander

Up to $1m of disaster supplies still missing

with the Royal Bahamas Police in regard to missing commercial assets.

Mr Storr told reporters yesterday: “We are put ting measures in place to go after more supplies that we feel are missing that some were a part of that and some may be a part of other things but we are put ting measures in place to go after everything the DRA has that is out there that is not in our possession.”

Mr Storr also noted that a good number of missing sup plies were items from the govern ment’s dome city and other DRA projects.

Commissioner Clayton Fer nander later clarified that the RBPF never searched Bishop Mills’ church and said the pastor was “no sub ject of no investigation”.

“He invited us – we never searched his church. He took us and showed us directly in the kitchen where he had the items,” the police chief said at the time.

“He was no subject of no investigation and I did not go to Abaco to do no inves tigation. I went there to visit my (officers) to see how they were doing and the welfare. So, he’s no subject of no investiga tion. We never searched his church.”

ALEX STORR

Asked for an estimate of how much is missing, the DRA chairman replied: “I esti mate that between $250,000 and $1m of supplies and dif ferent equipment.”

Last month, offic ers retrieved kitchen cabinets from Abaco resi dent and former DRA board member Bishop Silbert Mills’ church as part of their ongoing investigations.

The local religious leader went live on to condemn what he called a “nasty attack” against him after reports circulated online suggesting that some wrongdoing had been done. He also expressed disap pointment over how the matter was handled.

However, Police

According to Bishop Mills, the items were only being held there for storage.

As for the current loca tion of those items, Mr Storr said they are currently being housed at a DRA house.

“The supplies are kitchen equipment and we’re trying to find the best use to help persons on Abaco with those,” he also said.

Since assuming office last year, the Davis administration has raised several concerns with how the DRA was managed under the former govern ment and even highlighted irregularities with several of its relief projects, including the now disbanded Small Home Repair Programme.

This comes as a forensic audit into the DRA is said to be ongoing.

MUNROE DISMISSES ‘PETTY’ FNM

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe yesterday urged the Free National Movement to “stop playing petty poli tics” as it makes them “look silly”.

The minister criticised the FNM saying they had no idea what a proper crime response looked like as when the former adminis tration was in office they allowed the Royal Bahamas Police Force to “run down in numbers”, stopped all the diversionary programmes, adding there were nearly insufficient police cars to carry out patrols.

“We met 160 cars laid up in the police garage,” he said. “We’re getting them on the streets to the family islands. We met the pro grammes stopped. We’ve restarted them and we’re starting new ones.”

Mr Munroe pushed back yesterday at the opposi tion’s criticism earlier this week that the minister was disconnected from the commissioner of police in terms of their view of the state of crime in the coun try. On Monday, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe said the crime issue was a crisis while Commis sioner Clayton Fernander had a different view.

Mr Munroe changed his tone saying: “The commis sioner says there is no crime crisis.

“A crisis is a time when you have to make a danger ous, difficult decision. For the police there is no crisis. They catch you, they lock you up. That’s not a crisis.

“For me as minister of national security if you listen to what the governor of Turks and Caicos said, what the prime minister said, what world leaders all over the world are saying countries have difficult

decisions to make because criminals aren’t created by the police. They’re caught by the police. Criminals are created by society so the tough decision, the crisis that society has is to stop making criminals, is to stop tolerating them. It’s as simple as that.”

He continued: “It’s rich for the opposition who let the police force run down in numbers, who stopped all of the diversionary pro grammes where when I took the chair we had prob lems having cars on the road for saturation patrols. We’ve responded quickly. They don’t know what the response looks like because they don’t know how to deal with crime.

“So, they don’t under stand that you have to put policemen on the streets, so you have to recruit. This is another recruit class. The portal is open, we’re recruiting another squad and we’ll recruit another squad.

“We have vehicles we put on the streets. We met 160

cars laid up in the police garage. We’re getting them on the streets to the Family Islands. We met the pro grammes stopped. We’ve restarted them and we’re starting new ones.

“Shortly you will see the introduction of the Hype Programme to inter vene with primary school students. They don’t under stand what we’re doing because they don’t under stand what a crime strategy looks like.”

He also defended the decision to send a small group of local police offic ers to Turks and Caicos.

“We already train Turks and Caicos officers. Squad

A graduation was of Turks and Caicos officers. In the first week of operations they have already arrested a person wanted in The Baha mas in the Turks and Caicos.

“It’s amazing that the leader of the opposition is from Grand Bahama where the largest concen tration of people related to Turks islanders live. So, he should know how easily people move backward and forward.

“I would invite them to stop playing petty politics. It makes them look silly.

“Every Bahamian knows the free flow of people between the Turks and Caicos Islands and The Bahamas. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how criminals can move easily so they need to be serious.

“None of them came to us and asked for any brief ing as to what the police officers are doing in Turks and Caicos. They still don’t know what the police offic ers are doing in Turks and Caicos. Yet they are criticis ing. So, they don’t seem to generally be interested in working with us.”

BISHOP: MARITAL RAPE STUDY ‘HORRIFIC’

from page one

As he called the acts against married women “unacceptable”, Bishop Fernander continued: “And so I think the data can be the catalyst of a strong con versation, as clergy, as I’ve spoken to the clergy - we’ve got work to do. We’ve got a lot of work to do, to reverse what’s going on in our society.”

As for the study sug gesting what could be the state of marriages in the country, the BCC president admitted he did not know whether pastors could go as far as extrapolating dysfunction, but he reiter ated the differing views on marriage.

“As a clergyman I’m saying work needs to be done. As I said, in my statement, marriage is an institution, it’s not a gov ernment institution - it’s a God institution and that’s why the church has to work harder. Generations see marriage differently.

“Some people see it as something to be tried and put away. We see it as some thing eternal, put together by God and so we’ve got to do God’s work. We can’t force people to be Chris tians, we can’t force people to love each other, but we could teach to the best of our ability that we gotta treat each other better.”

He argued that if mar riage is done right, “God’s way,” men will respect their wives and never want to hurt them because they are “bone of your bone and flesh of your flesh”.

“Spousal abuse, that is taking place in society

– that’s where we started. We started talking about spousal abuse, whether male or female, it’s real. And because it’s real, it’s our job to do something about it, but I can’t con vince you to live a Christian life.

“I’ve been married for over 25 years. I never ever think about laying a hand on my wife or taking sex with my wife.”

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has told both married and single women to report matters of abuse to the police as a result of the university’s study. The bishop high lighted legal action as well.

“Right now, today in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, you can go and say that you were raped and it will be laid on the file. And the proceedings will be taken to court, if you wish. I think the ruling that Jus tice Lewis put forth was not ever taken to court,” the president explained.

“What was taken to the court was a divorce. We want to say if you are being raped, if you are being abused, report it, start a file – I’m an ex-policeman start a file. And you might see some things work in your favour that you don’t think works in this country.”

“This,” he added, “is why our centres are important because our centres tell you your options. This is why (the Department of) Social Services is impor tant. Sometimes people just don’t know. They don’t know their options. They don’t know what they could do. They don’t know what the law allows for. Anytime there’s any kind of abuse in

a marriage, you have the right to go to the station and file a report.”

There have been mixed reactions in the religious community on the topic of marital rape. Bishop Fer nander again acknowledged that the church is divided on the issue.

“That’s why work needs to be done, rather than just saying you’re going to Parliament to do things. We have work to do - as the press, as the church, as a nation. We just cannot write documents and think that things will change just because we put legislation in place.”

Varied opinions were expressed when the pro posed Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act was presented during the Min istry of Social Services and Department of Gender and Family Affairs’ sexual offences one-day sympo sium, held last month.

A news interview with a pastor at the symposium drew dismay from the public when he took the position that a man cannot rape his wife.

Mr Fernander said the church is made up of people and as president he does not have the right to tell leaders what to think or what to believe, but he has a job to convince them of what is the best approach for society.

“If you are appalled at what has been said, let’s work hard at changing a generation. Maybe that leader represents a gen eration that thinks that way and I say, again, by demo graphic, by gender, by age, this splits out differently,” he said.

MINISTER of National Security inspecting officers yesterday and, right, Jeffery Pierre gifting Police Commisioner Clayton Fernander a painting. Photos: Austin Fernander

Storm surge risk for half of nation

Dr Hughey, in unveiling the assessment’s results, also revealed updated data on sea level rise which shows that by 2050, some 23,600 residents in the country will be exposed to rising sea levels.

“By 2050, there needs to be a plan to deal with 23,000 residents in those areas that will be impacted,” she said.

The assessment’s findings also found that 24 percent of the population, equat ing to 92,786 residents, are exposed to flooding and that no one is safe from tropical cyclone or hurri cane force winds exposure.

“Some of the results and I think everyone is aware that 100 per cent of your population is exposed to tropical cyclone force winds,” she said.

“You have 48 percent, almost half of your popula tion that right now not even taking into consideration sea level rise, is exposed to storm surge. That’s going to increase and we need to be aware of that.

“You got a quarter of your population exposed to flooding. Wildfires often are underestimated but 12 percent of your population (are exposed) with cli mate change again going to increase.”

As it relates to landslides, the study’s results show that 5,175 people in the country are exposed, representing 1.3 percent of the country’s population.

The findings also note the islands that are most exposed to multi-hazard, which can include hurricane winds, storm surge, flood ing, wildfire among other disasters.

Topping the list for “very high” is Grand Bahama

processes that increase sus ceptibility of communities and systems to the damag ing effects of hazards.”

“Vulnerability data are designed to capture the multi-dimensional nature of poverty, the inequality in access to resources due to gender and the ability of a given area to adequately support the population,” the assessment also sas.

Cat Island, Spanish Wells and Long Island are listed in the top three for island vulnerability.

presentation yesterday.

“And so, we looked at things like environmental capacity, which is abso lutely critical but also that transportation and the com munication. These are vital for disaster response.”

“Can we communicate? Can we connect? Are we able to provide health care?

And so again, we looked at the results for that, and found San Salvador and we saw that Harbour Island and New Providence all had the highest capacity and

point B, right, the ability to ensure storage and move ment, we looked at distance from seaports, airports and your warehouses and then we were able to pull in and see, of course, in New Prov idence, Grand Bahama and Abaco have the strongest (and) you’ve got the most diverse transportation and logistics capacity which makes sense.”

“But it means that when we look at things like Inagua and Mayaguana and Acklins that we really need

or any other adverse impact, what is the resilience of this island, what are their vulnerabilities and coping capacities, their ability to deal with any type of disrup tion and we know that this start to makes sense where Grand Bahama and New Providence are at the top.”

The report also pro vides a detailed list of recommendations to help reduce disaster risk for the nation and a five-year plan to implement these recommendations.

or operations plans for all levels of government.

Other recommendations include fully incorporating NGO’s as well as the pri vate sector into the national disaster risk management framework, improving and expanding the national shelter system, increas ing information access and sharing among all disaster management stake holders by integrating an early warning system and common operational plat form among others.

BAHAMAS SECURES LINK WITH HAWAIIAN UNIVERSITY

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE University of The Bahamas signed a Memorandum of Under standing (MoU) with University of Hawaii yes terday to promote research collaboration between the two institutions.

The aim is to strengthen climate resilience and disas ter management.

The signing was held during the Disaster Risk Reduction Summit at Baha Mar, which was recognised as International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR).

During the summit’s opening ceremony Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis said the partnership between the two parties was especially significant because it allows them to explore research-based initiatives aimed at building safer and more resilient communities.

“The partnership between University of The Bahamas and the Univer sity of Hawaii will allow us to undertake joint sci entific research between our institutions to pro mote sustainable solutions to help our island states better adapt to the impend ing crisis we both face,” Mr Davis said.

“Climate change is a slow onset mega disaster that threatens the entire globe, and it requires a scientific foundation of knowledge to ensure that policy and actions are rooted in evidence.

“We can no longer afford

to view ourselves in isola tion from others, or act without reliable infor mation. We must work together across national borders to create a common scientific foundation, to maximize our collective efforts to build safer, more resilient communities.”

As the partnership pro gresses, it is anticipated both institutions will engage in technology sharing, joint environmental and social research, faculty and stu dent exchanges and joint course work to provide new opportunities to UB and UH students.

Dr Erik Rolland, UB’s president, said: “The Uni versity of Hawaii and its Pacific Disaster Centre are phenomenal resources that are looked up to as you’ve seen globally in terms of their skill sets and abilities.

“What we wish to do within the University of The Bahamas is to coordi nate our efforts in disaster relief, in disaster response and climate research. When it comes to data on climate research which drives much of what we do and the Uni versity of Hawaii already is quite far ahead both on the research and programmatic side with that.”

He also noted that UH has a certificate programme at the graduate level in dis aster management, adding “this is something that is very much of interest to us here in The Bahamas to build up those kind of skill sets within our programmes and within our research centres.”

Meanwhile, University

of Hawaii president David Lassner, who gave remarks virtually, described the partnership as an impor tant one given that the two island states share similar challenges.

“We have learned over many years that work ing and collaborating with like-minded partners, now including The University of The Bahamas, offers us all the best chance to succeed together,” he said.

“It’s clear that our univer sities share the same desires and scientific capabilities to jointly find solutions that lead us to a better future. This is the basis of the opportunity we are seizing here today, for the Univer sity of The Bahamas and The University of Hawaii to work together and lead the world in building small islands resilience.”

For his part, Disaster Reconstruction Authority Executive chairman Alex Storr said officials were looking forward to the joint research between the two that could help the DRA with disaster planning.

“We have seen the increase in the intensity of the storms, so we know that another major storm is coming. Right now, in Abaco we are currently building the Abaco centre which is currently the hurri cane shelter which we hope to replicate throughout the country,” Mr Storr added.

“Now, we can use disas ter to kind of predict which areas where we should build the next centres in other islands and which areas we should not because we can’t

just haphazardly pick a site and decide okay this is the site for shelter and then

you have a storm here and

this

confirmed via lab test.

“He is currently receiving treatment and is listed in stable condition.

“Disease Surveillance is monitoring the situ ation along with other relevant government agen cies as is standard operating practice.”

The ministry said symp toms of cholera include profuse watery diar rhoea, vomiting, thirst, leg cramps, restlessness and irritability.

People experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention

immediately, the ministry said, adding cholera is an extremely virulent disease and can take anywhere from 12 hours to five days to manifest after ingest ing contaminated food or water.

The public was yesterday advised to use and drink safe water and to practice proper handwashing while preparing food and after using the bathroom.

Cholera is not endemic to The Bahamas. The last case of cholera in the country was recorded in 2017, according to the ministry.

While the minister was adamant that the patient

Henfield: Immigration’s shanty town efforts should be sustained

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield says the Davis administration should focus on a more “sus tained” and “deliberate” effort to crack down on the prolif eration of shanty towns in the country.

Senator Henfield, who is on the ground in Abaco and has been there for the past three weeks observing the recently launched Department of Immigration Operation Expe dition, said efforts should be ongoing.

He was contacted for com ment the day after officials revealed that the Royal Baha mas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force were on the island conduct ing multiple shanty town raids from October 7 to 10.

The effort was in response to the growth of unregulated communities in Abaco, one of them - The Farm - mushroom ing to 200 acres from 50 acres since 2019.

“It cannot be just the here and there effort to address the human cries of the public,” Senator Henfield said. “It has to be a sustained, deliberate effort to arrest and repatriate

all those who do not have the proper documents to be in The Bahamas. Abaco is a place where we need a sustained presence by Immigration.

“Not only eliminate the irregular communities, which are dangerous, which we saw in the fire in The Mudd (shanty town in Abaco set on fire in 2018), it must be much more than the platitudinous effort to satisfy public inquiry, it has to be ongoing.”

Mr Henfield questioned Immigration Minister Keith Bell’s statements on Wednes day, during a press conference, where he echoed statements he made earlier this month that immigration is not at crisis level in The Bahamas, but is instead a “complex problem”.

“Minister Keith Bell, I don’t know if he’s visited Abaco since he’s been in office. But he’d be wise to come and visit Abaco. Come and have a look for yourself,” Mr Henfield said.

“It’s concerning to me as a former member of Parlia ment, as a Senator of the Free National Movement and it’s concerning for the current MPs that sit for Abaco. Both North and South MPs for Abaco have also indicated their con cern about these growing

communities. So, (he should) come and have a look for him self and then make comments on it.”

Mr Henfield said his former ministry had started to tackle the immigration issue in 2019 but were stopped by the courts.

“We had begun in the last administration to address these communities in Abaco. We were stopped by the courts and then we were kicked out of office. And so, the commu nities continued to grow.

“Right now, it’s extraordi nary, when you pass, and you see the size of these develop ments.

It speaks to another problem that is brewing, not only in Abaco, but all across the country, where people can just go and set up on Crown land and build unfettered by officials,” he said.

In 2019, Mr Henfield agreed with former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ assertions that illegal immigration was a threat to The Bahamas, saying the country must not sit idly by and allow it to be “overtaken” by another country.

“We’ve been grappling with this problem for the last 50 years,” he said in 2019. “Bahamians have been, in my estimation, quite tolerant.”

‘CHALLENGE TO SURVIVE’ EVEN ON $260 MINIMUM WAGE

By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE the govern ment raising the country’s minimum wage to $260, some yesterday argued that the challenge to survive remains.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis this week announced an increase in the minimum wage from $210 to $260 per week.

The higher wage will be retroactive in the public service going back to July of this year. For those in the private sector the change

will begin in January 2023.

The timeline, Mr Davis said in his national address on Tuesday night, is to give employers time to prepare for the increased expense.

Mr Davis has also said he is aware the increase is not enough for those grappling to survive in inflationary times, adding it is a positive step in the right direction.

Yesterday, The Tribune canvassed a buzzing shop ping plaza where consumers voiced their concerns that the minimum wage increase was simply not enough when considering inflation coupled with an already

high cost of living.

Romona Thurston, a mother of four, said although the government has raised the wage it is not sufficient when you add up the expenses of food, rent, light, and other necessities.

“They have increased it to $260 but that’s still not enough,” she told this news paper. “By the time you come into the food store and pick up ten items that’s more than $50. So, they need to carry it up to more than that.”

The prime minister also announced in his national address that 38 items would be subjected to price

controls to help people grapple with the high cost of living. Items such as diapers, and food, includ ing chicken, eggs, bread, bananas, apples, oranges, broccoli, onions, and pota toes will be price controlled.

Ms Thurston argued the cost of food was another reason the wage increase wasn’t enough for survival.

“These same MPs who carried minimum wage up to $260, when they go out to lunch their lunch alone is more than $300. They spend money while they go out (and) while we left struggling,” she said.

Ericka Morley, a cus todian, shared similar sentiments that the mini mum wage increase is not enough, but she said it was a start. “Thank God I don’t have any children; I could eat, but I can’t survive off it,” Ms Morley said. “The minimum wage could have been at least $350. Because it’s been a long time coming, I used to work at the Hilton, but it had closed, so I was out of work for two years.”

Ms Morley, who currently makes the minimum pay, said she can’t imagine how people with children are coping when she herself is barely holding on.

However, she said she is grateful that the prime minister “stepped up to the plate” to make the long overdue increase.

Another resident, 88-year-old Florence Rah ming, told The Tribune that as some families main pro vider is only making the minimum pay the increase could have been more.

On the other hand, she

said, maybe the govern ment is unable to raise the pay due to the country’s current financial state.

“But in all of it we should give thanks to God because there are some other places worse than us,” Ms Rah ming added.

The majority of residents agreed that the minimum wage going from $210 to $260 was still barely enough to survive in The Bahamas.

However, there was one resident who explained that she saw both sides from an employer and worker’s point of view.

Denise O’Brien said there must be some kind of balance. “You have to balance the requirements of both sides. Obviously, people want more money, employers are only pre pared to pay so much for whatever the role is. So, there has to be some bal ance there. You don’t want people to lose jobs because you increased minimum wage now, they’re left with nothing,” Ms O’Brien said.

NEW PROVIDENCE HIT BY BPL OUTAGE

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

VARIOUS areas in New Providence were struck by power disruptions yester day, according to Bahamas Power and Light.

BPL described the issue as “system disturbances” and released a statement apologising for the power outages across the island.

“Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd (BPL) advises customers that sup plies in various areas in New Providence have been interrupted due to a system disturbance,” the brief statement released yester day afternoon said.

“Our teams are currently investigating the root cause and working to restore power to the affected areas. At this time, restoration estimations are unavail able,” the statement further said.

The “system distur bances” led many on social media to complain.

“Appliances aren’t built to take on inconsistency and neither are customers,” said one consumer.

“Where is your heart in this heat,” another customer added, while a third consumer said: “Ridiculous!”

The disruptions came after BPL CEO Shevonn Cambridge insisted just last week that the reliability of the grid is “pretty high” amid concerns about BPL’s ability to provide consistent

service as the fuel surcharge is set to increase next month.

“In terms of the reliabil ity of the grid, it’s actually pretty high at the moment, believe it or not,” Mr Cam bridge said at the time.

“It’s just that, and I know a lot of people are con cerned about some of the outages that we’ve had in recent times, but those were primarily due to inclement weather.

“We’re a flat island. We’re prone to lightning strikes and as luck would have it as lightning is trying to find its easiest path to ground, the thing that’s sticking up out there is our 100-foot poles and so it’s the thing that attracts the lightning.

“We have protective mechanisms in place that protect against that, such as the lightning rods and light ning arrestors and we have grounds on our infrastruc ture that are supposed to reroute the lightning to the ground.

“We continue to have the nuisance of people stealing the grounds off our poles. It increases the risk of light ning strikes and the severity of those strikes.”

Earlier this week, BPL issued a statement for planned outages for New Providence for October 12 for six hours and October 14th for four hours due to “LV Turret (equipment) maintenance”, said the statement.

SENATOR DARREN HENFIELD

Minister is ‘satisfied’ by Equinor clean-up

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ENVIRONMENT and Natural Resources Minister Vaughn Miller is satisfied with the tests and cleanup efforts that took place in response to the oil spill at the Equinor South Riding Point terminal.

He indicated that refor estation efforts at the East Grand Bahama site are expected to be undertaken through a partnership between Equinor and the University of The Bahamas.

“We are encouraging that,” Mr Miller said. “I wish we could expedite it, but we are encouraging it and we are active par ticipants in it. So, we are looking forward to that.”

While in Grand Bahama this week, the minister paid a courtesy call on several industrial companies.

On Wednesday, his first stop was at Equinor South Riding Point, where he met with officials and the poten tial new owners.

While there, he was given an update on the pro gress of the spill cleanup, environmental tests and monitoring for groundwater

contamination, and resto ration efforts of the forest that was affected during Hurricane Dorian, in Sep tember 2019.

The minister said he was pleased with the update presented by Equinor officials.

“When I first came to visit Equinor, I really came to raise hell because I was hearing so many negative things,” he said. “But the facts speak and because of our involvement, the inde pendent tests, the test we ran, and the test that the company ran, when we compiled all the results, it was results driven.

“So, I had to back up and contain myself because we are about protecting the interests of Bahamians. And I am of the view that Bahamians have been taken advantage of for too long and anything I can do to curtail that, to stand against it and make it known, I intend to do.”

When asked about the results, the minister declined to release any details, but said they would be soon released to the public.

“You will get the results in short order, but based on

the results I am sufficiently satisfied,” he told reporters after his meeting with Equi nor officials.

“I don’t have a date, but obviously those results have to be reviewed and then we will place them in the public domain.”

The minister admitted to having concerns and fears of oil contamination during an initial visit he had made to the spill site after the storm.

“I can say with my unsci entific eyes I was very concerned when I came here earlier before I was Minister for the Environ ment,” he said. “That was several weeks after Dorian, and I was extremely concerned.

“When you deal with oil facilities, the risk of cancer is higher than in other areas from a commercial per spective. But based on the results that I am privy to, I am satisfied that they are in compliance,” said the minister.

After the spill, Equi nor drilled some 27 wells for ground water moni toring and testing for oil contamination.

The government also conducted testing and

monitoring of those wells. The minister was also pleased with the results.

“As you know the gov ernment is continuous and the work that was started under the previous administration, the DEHS (Department of Environ mental Health Services), I sat with them and was impressed with where we were and the direction in which we were headed. We continued testing all along and based on those results, I am satisfied,” he said.

The minister noted that Equinor’s ownership is in transition.

“We sat briefly with the potential owners to really have an official conversa tion with them and to really make certain we are on the same page; that they understand us, our poli cies, and to make certain we get off to a good start,” he explained.

“We want a great work ing relationship because ultimately, we want the people of GB to be the pri mary beneficiaries in this, and to make certain they know the government is for the people and we want

the best for our people.”

In terms of ongoing cleanup, Mr Miller said there will be further dis cussions about that with Equinor.

Equinor’s South Riding Point storage and transship ment terminal has a storage capacity of 6.75m barrels of crude and condensate. At the time the hurricane hit, 1.8m barrels were stored in three tanks. Fifty-five thou sand barrels of crude oil were spilled.

Environmentalists at Save the Bays and Kwasi Thompson, MP for East Grand Bahama, raised concerns about a sale and whether the government would ensure that funds would be left in place to ensure any leftover cleanup from Dorian.

When asked about repa rations in terms of the spill, Minister Miller said: “I am a ‘reparationist,’ and mine go way beyond the spill, particularly the history of our African ancestors.

My fight for reparation goes back to then and that includes now.”

Mr Miller also indicated that he was concerned

about reports regarding other industrial operations on Grand Bahama.

“I am the minister for Environmental and Natural Resources. With regards to limestone and other aggregates that are being mined here in GB, we come to sit with the businesses and companies involved in these areas and pay them a courtesy call and begin some meaningful conversations and dialogue with them.

“I am concerned in terms of what I have been hear ing, and so we want to sit with them to really find out exactly what is going on. My concern is for the people of GB. I think, personally, that they have not gotten their fair share, and we come to have some honest and frank conversations and make some decisions according to that,” he said.

On Thursday, the Min ister made courtesy calls on officials at the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Bahama Rock, also known as Martin Marietta, and Buckeye Bahamas Hub.

Today, he will visit West End.

SCHEME AIMS TO BRING FARMING INTO THE BACKYARD

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

AGRICULTURAL

Development Organisa tion has partnered with The Church Commercial Farming Group (TCCFG) to facilitate the backyard farming initiative.

Philip Smith, ADO exec utive chairman, explained the organisation was able to come up with $200,000 that was used to purchase 5,000 backyard kits and also employed some extension officers.

“We want to do 50,000 backyard farms, which is probably 40 percent of the population 30 to 40 percent, you know, 400,000 persons, probably 150,000 homes,” he said yesterday. “So, we’d like to roll out 50,000. It cost us 100,000 to roll out 5,000.

“So, it’s going to cost us $2m, approximately to roll out 50,000. I’m hoping with my assistant chair man, my deputy chairman that we will raise this $2m within the next four to five months,” he said further in his remarks.

Rather than giving people a plate of food or two and feeding them for a day, this will feed one for a lifetime, Mr Smith said of the rea soning behind the project.

He is of the view that this can go a long way with eradicating hunger and that is why ADO has brought all of the major feeding organi sations on board.

“I believe, you know, the Department of Statistics said that there were like 12.8 percent of the persons who experience hunger in the country. Those statis tics were done about seven years ago, I believe, maybe 10 years ago. Today, I believe it is probably more like 20 percent.” He added the community farming will be rolled out in another eight weeks.

TCCFG chairman Rev erend Dr Patrick Paul said officials have set their sights on doing a significant part to cut down on the coun try’s food import bill.

“I believe within five to seven years we’re going to have at least 25 percent of that 97 percent of imports cut down and if Phil has anything to do with it I

think we can be close to 45 percent,” the chairman said.

great impact on our soci ety, to bring about the kind of turn, the kind of change that you and I are all look ing for.

“We believe that the church is the answer, we believe that the church can help, that the church can participate and bring in a greater level of social well ness in our society.”

Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Clay Sweeting revealed that The Bahamas continues to import more than 90 percent of the country’s food, which leaves people vulnerable to disruptors like climate change, ship ping challenges, and rising inflation.

He said: “The backyard farming kits being distrib uted here today will assist with those challenges and backyard farming simply brings your food closer to your table. But the food that we grow will help to nourish countless families.

ADO and the Church Com mercial Farming Group is assisting and bringing about the change we need to feed our people. So, we must be fearless in our efforts to plant the seeds, to attend to them and to reap the bene fits of our rewards. We have to grow a healthier nation.”

Minister Sweeting also said: “Distribution of these backyard farming kits can benefit schools, churches, neighbourhoods and the wider community. It will connect communities in ways unimagined. Investing time and effort to grow one’s own food is a sustainable food practice and an imme diate solution to reduce hunger in our country. So, we must continue to educate and inspire our people at a time when there are increas ing threats to food security.

I am grateful that we are partners like ADO and the church to continue to lead the way to grow safe and nutritious food.”

He expressed faith in the church to bring about

change.

“I want to show you in the next two or three years, as the church continues to really amalgamate both our

human resources, spiritual resources, and all of those things that go into kind of come together. We believe that we’re going to have a

YOUNGSTERS at the event to encourage backyard farming.

Photo: Austin Fernander

ENVIRONMENT and Natural Resources Minister Vaughn Miller during his visit to Equinor yesterday.

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

LEON

EILEEN

LL.D.,

CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

TELEPHONES

News & General Information (242) 322-1986

Manager (242) 502-2394

Department (242) 502-2386

Nassau fax (242) 328-2398

Freeport, Grand Bahama (242)-352-6608 Freeport fax (242) 352-9348

$1bn Alex Jones judgement not final word

WATERBURY, Connecticut (AP) —

The nearly $1 billion judgment against Alex Jones for spreading false con spiracy theories about the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre brought long-sought relief to family mem bers and hopes the eye-popping figure would deter others from broadcasting falsehoods.

But Jones has given no signs of tem pering his bluster — a headline on his website Thursday blared that the “show trial verdict signals the death of free speech.” And lawyers say it’s not certain that relatives who lost loved ones in the mass shooting will see the full dollar amount after promised appeals and a bankruptcy proceeding play out.

“Every plaintiff’s lawyer knows from often bitter experiences that it is usually easier to get a judgment than to enforce it,” said Columbia University law pro fessor John Coffee.

So while the judgment may be a mile stone, it’s not an end point.

Experts say the Sandy Hook families likely face a long fight ahead as they try to collect the $965 million awarded to them by a jury in Connecticut Wednes day and a separate $49 million judgment from a Texas jury in August.

Here’s a look at some of the issues raised by the judgment.

WHAT IS THE CASE ABOUT?

After 26 people were killed by a gunman at the Sandy Hook Elemen tary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012, Jones made a false conspiracy theory a centerpiece of his programing on his flagship Infowars show.

He promoted a theory that the shoot ing was a hoax, staged by actors, and that no children died — all in an effort to increase gun control. His shows drew legions of followers, some of whom then spent years harassing the parents and siblings of the victims, as well as an FBI agent who had responded to the school.

Jones was found liable by default in multiple defamation lawsuits after judges ruled that he and his lawyers were improperly withholding informa tion and records from the plaintiffs.

Trials were held in Texas and Con necticut to determine how much he owed the families for lying about them. Jones faces a third trial in Texas, in a lawsuit filed by the parents of another child killed in the shooting.

DOES ALEX JONES HAVE $1 BILLION?

Jones has maintained he doesn’t have the kind of money being sought by the family members suing him. Jones has repeatedly said he doesn’t even have $2 million to his name.

“When the reality sets in that they’re not going to silence me and there’s no money, it’s all an exercise in futil ity,” Jones said outside the Connecticut courthouse during the trial. “So what ever they do in here is a Pyrrhic victory.”

A different picture was presented at the Texas trial.

During his testimony, Jones was confronted with a memo from one of his business managers outlining a single day’s gross revenue of $800,000 from selling vitamin supplements and other products through his website. Jones called it a record sales day. Also, a forensic economist testified that Jones and his media company, Free Speech Systems, have a com bined net worth that could be as high as $270 million.

“You can’t invent money. If $270 mil lion is the maximum, you’re not going to get more than that, at least without find ing some new sources that haven’t yet been uncovered,” Coffee said.

Russ Horton, a Texas attorney, said dramatically large civil judgments often get cut down on appeal. But he said even if the Connecticut verdict is reduced, it will likely be ruinous for Jones.

“This is a judgment that is very likely to exceed his net worth, however it comes down,” said Horton, noting the uncertainty about Jones’ assets.

Jones is seeking bankruptcy protection for his company.

Free Speech Systems, Infowars’ parent company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July. Jones told a court his company had estimated assets of $50,000 or less and estimated liabilities of $1 million to $10 million. He said at the time that he was “totally maxed out” financially.

The Sandy Hook families have alleged in bankruptcy court filings that after they brought their defamation cases Jones began “diverting assets” out of Free Speech Systems, totaling in 2021 and 2022 to more than $60 million. They say Jones also drew a $1.4 million annual salary from the company at a time that he claimed it was operating at a net loss.

Horton said that Jones’ company’s bankruptcy is likely to complicate and draw out the Sandy Hook families efforts to collect on their judgments. The judgments against Jones personally can still be collected, he said, but their scale might force him to file for individ ual bankruptcy.

But bankruptcy doesn’t get Jones off the hook.

“Bankruptcy is not the place you want to be if you’re hiding assets or behaving badly,” said Horton.

Last month, Houston-based bank ruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez dismissed Jones’ attorney and chief restructuring officer – citing a lack of transparency by his company –and empowered a Department of Justice-appointed trustee to hire lawyers to investigate Free Speech Systems.

On Wednesday, Lopez approved a new restructuring officer to handle Jones’ company and appointed another judge as a mediator to hash out disputes in the federal case.

SILENCING JONES

William Sherlach, whose wife Mary Sherlach was killed at Sandy Hook, told reporters after the judgment that “people like Alex Jones will have to rethink what they say.”

On his show on Thursday, Jones continued to assail his critics and said “we have two years of appeals.” While Jones in recent years has acknowl edged the shooting happened, he claims the families are being used to push a gun control and anti-free speech agenda.

“They try to shut me off. It ain’t hap pening,” he said Thursday.

The judgment has been compared to pro wrestler Hulk Hogan’s invasion-ofprivacy lawsuit against the gossip blog Gawker, which ultimately bankrupted the business.

But it’s not clear if the judgment would have a chilling effect on others who broadcast false and defamatory statements, said Thomas Hentoff, a Washington-based First Amendment attorney who has represented major media companies.

It can take years or even decades to collect judgments, Hentoff said, and Jones’ cases were outliers because he had default judgments against him, meaning he never staged a merits defense.

“There are a lot of people who make money by expressing extreme views, and I would hesitate to think that a large jury’s monetary judgment in itself would cause them to change course,” Hentoff said.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The judge in Connecticut will soon decide the amounts of punitive dam ages, which will be added to the $965 million. After that, Jones can formally appeal.

Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said on MSNBC after the ver dict that they were prepared for the long haul.

“Whatever assets he has,” Mattei said, “these families are going to chase him to ground and enforce every cent of this verdict against him.”

By DAVE COLLINS, MICHAEL HILL and JAKE BLEIBERG Associated Press

Readers on minimum wage rise

AFTER Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis in his national address confirmed the increase of the national minimum wage from $210 to $260 per week, readers of www.tribune242.com expressed their views on the move.

Bahamianson said: “Extra money will not make a difference. Choices will make a difference. If you take the extra and buy more numbers, you a re back to square one. If you now go to Naughty John nys instead of Wendys, you are still back to square one. You need to educate the population about spending on needs and not wants. people will still have to resort on Social Services. That Iphone will be under the Christmas Tree this December, but the electeic bill will not be paid.”

John replied: “I do not totally agree with you about the numbers buying and the eating out and the I Phone under the Christ mas Tree. Many Bahamians have become frugal, espe cially under the curfews and lockdowns under the previous Minnis adminis tration, You can see this how on the weekends and on holidays tge streets are mostly empty. People go to church on Their Sabbath then go back home. Those who go out for brunch or dinner has included it in their budget and feel that despite things being tough and times being hard, they can’t give up on lifel com pletely and are entitled to have a good time once in a while . The biggest problem for people who will receive minimum wage increases is inflation and the rising cost of fuel, food and electricity And then there’s the loom ing recession, which may cause people to become unemployed. Of course this inflation followed pos sibly by a recession willl be global and governments, including The Bahamas

government will be lim ited in what it can do. If the cost of living increases are greater than the wage increases, then people will not be any better off. And if the wage increases are so much that they drive up the cost of living even more, then the workers will be even worse off, if a company has 1,000 work ers that will have their pay increased in January, that is an additional $50,000 ( yes Fifty Thousand Dollars) expense? Added to the company’s payroll expense EVERY WEEK! So where will this money come from? Few businesses operating in The Bahamas can increase their sales by $50,000.00 a week, And it doesn’t stop there: the workers at a higher pay scale may say? ‘if you increase their pay ( minimum wage), you must also increase mines.”

TheOracle said: “Mini mum wage is an entry level salary. Any employee still on minimum wage Beyond one year Needs to evaluate a) their skills/efforts or b) the caliber of company they work for. Having said that I wonder how many people this renders “unemploy able” aka, sad to say, not

worth $260/week? In any case this will push the cost of living up, just as expand ing price control pushes up the cost of all other items. Stupid is as stupid does.”

TalRussell said: “Pre miership could’ve, should’ve skipped right to pass by a unlivable weekly wage $260 by hopscotch ing ton over a national framework for the imple mentation of a National Guaranteed Livable Weekly Minimum Income (NGLW) of $350 for (child less) individuals and $500 for (childless) couples *eliminating work and other requirements from minimum income guaran tee benefit __ Yes?”

DDK added: “Well, these are career politicians who only care about their own income and whatever they can filtch from the “con solidated fund”. They are certainly not economists or rocket scientists. Further suspect that whoever does give them financial advice cares not a whit about Joe Public or the business community.”

SP concluded: “LOL... The Bahamas is not a “real” place!”

• Don’t miss your chance to join in the discussion.

www.tribune242. com and take part in the debate.

THE GREEN shoots of recovery? Attendees at a backyard farming scheme yesterday get a close look at how people can turn their gardens into farms. See PAGE FIVE for the full story.

Photo: Austin Fernander

Closing arguments made in incest trial

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

CLOSING arguments were delivered in the Supreme Court yesterday in a case in which a father is alleged to have molested his then teenage daughter.

The 48-year-old man, rep resented by Murrio Ducille, KC, returned to court for the continuation of his incest trial before Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns.

It is alleged by the prosecution that the accused sexually abused his now adult daughter twice, once in 2015 and again in 2016 when she was 15 and 16 years old.

Charges were officially filed against him in 2017. In a previous trial appear ance, an audio recording was played in court of the accused begging the com plainant not to tell anyone of the alleged incidents because he was afraid of going to jail.

When Mr Ducille made his remarks, he asked that the jurors only con cern themselves with the

testimony of witnesses in the trial and not any outside information on the case.

In addition to saying that jurors should divorce themselves from ongo ing public discourse on the issues of rape and marital rape, he said that the court must dispense justice in this matter clinically and dispassionately.

Mr Ducille then called into question why the complainant took so long to come forward with her allegations, stating that she had continued to go to her father’s house up until his arrest in mid-2017. He fur ther suggested that as the two had a strained relation ship that the incidents never happened. He went on to call her claims “contrived”. The defence also said there was no consistency in the complainant’s timeline of allegations.

Referring to the audio recording played in court, the defence maintained that it was not his client’s voice being heard. The attorney also called it suspicious that the app or phone associated with this recording was not

seen in court, before calling the audio itself repetitive. He continued on this point to say that there was no confession to the allega tions in it.

Readdressing a Facebook post from Wednesday’s trial date, Mr Ducille pointed out conflicting claims from the complainant and that day’s witness. As he stated that while both acknowl edged they were in the photo, they both also claimed to have posted it online. He further said that the post itself was “decep tive” as it was made to make someone else jealous.

Taking aim at the com plainant, Mr Ducille called her “cunning” before fur ther comparing her to a fox. He then said that while giving testimony she had an answer for every ques tion and insinuated that she purposefully claimed dif ficulty understanding him as a delay tactic to form a response. Mr Ducille claimed that there is “no truth” to what the com plainant said in the witness box.

The defence closed by

ABACO MAN FACES COURT AFTER DRUG AND ARMS BUST

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN Abaconian man was charged in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday in connec tion with a recent major drug and arms bust on the island last week.

A business on Sherlin Bootle Highway was raided by authorities resulting in the seizure of an estimated $3m worth of Indian hemp and cocaine.

Charles Bodie, 59, faced Magistrate Samuel McKin ney on 12 firearms and drug charges.

These charges include possession of a prohib ited weapon, possession of ammunition, possession of firearms with intent to supply, two counts of pos session of ammunition with intent to supply, two counts

of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply and conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply and three counts of possession of a compo nent part of a firearm.

Reports indicate that shortly after 12pm on Octo ber 7 at a business in Marsh Harbour, Bodie is accused of being in possession of a black Austria Glock 9mm pistol and a black Reming ton pistol. He is also alleged to have been found with ten unfired rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, 74 rounds of unfired 9mm ammunition, two black Remington mag azines and a black Glock magazine.

Bodie was also found with a prohibited brown 7.62 rifle and 28 unfired rounds of 7.62 ammunition.

In reference to the drug charges Bodie,

being concerned with others, is said to have been found with five pounds of cocaine and more than 120 bales of suspected marijuana.

The confiscated drugs were found in various crocus sacks scattered across the premises and in derelict vehicles at the back of the property. They were sent to Nassau by the Drug Enforcement Unit.

While Bodie pleaded guilty to the prohibited weapons and ammunition charges, he pleaded not guilty to the remaining 10 charges.

Despite the prosecution’s objection to bail, $40,000 bail was granted for the weapons related charges and $10,000 for the drug charges.

Trial is set for November 14.

GB MAN ACCUSED WITH ATTEMPTED KILLING

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A GRAND Bahama man was charged in a Freeport Magistrate’s Court yester day with attempted murder.

Kinte Simmons, 20,

appeared before Magistrate Simone Brown in Court Four. He was represented by Paco Deal.

The matter is in connec tion with a shooting incident that occurred on October 8 at Eight Mile Rock. Simmons was not

required to enter a plea to the charge of attempted murder.

He was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Corrections until February 16, 2023 when a Voluntary Bill of Indictment will be served.

saying that this is a “very, very strange” case and that his client is fighting for his freedom and it is up to the jury to decide his fate.

In Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Basil Cumberbatch’s closing arguments, he repeated Ducille’s earlier comment that “the truth wears no mask”. However, he dis puted the defence’s claim over the peculiarity of the charges saying there was nothing strange about this case to him.

In tackling the defence’s point on the Facebook post of a high school age com plainant and a close friend which the defence used to imply the two were in a relationship, he intimated that this piece of evidence was fabricated.

The prosecutor said that while the complainant and the witness both admitted to being in the photo, the document shown in court was not the original.

He then once again cited the defendant’s history in information technology before saying that he inten tionally altered the post to

suggest his daughter and her high school friend were in a sexual relationship. The prosecutor pointed out that this was done to defame the complainant and conflict with her earlier statement that she was a virgin before she was sexually abused by her father. He also dismissed the defence’s suspicions over the recording app and phone stating that it was the recording itself that was per tinent to the case.

The prosecution then countered by alleging that the defendant’s own phone was never given to authorities as it would have implicated him in the inci dent. He further said that the defendant in 2015 held down his 100lb daughter and had his way with her outside of his condo’s pool bathroom because he hated her for having to pay child support.

In addition to suggesting that the defendant resented having his daughter in his life citing previous evi dence that he doubted his paternity, he also linked the allegations to the defend ant’s own purported rape as a child by his uncle. As such

the prosecutor said that the defendant’s resentment over child support coupled with his own alleged abuse as a child made the moles tation of his own daughter an act of punishment.

After saying that it is “a clear-cut case” as the recording directly impli cated the defendant in his daughter’s rape, the pros ecutor also stated that the defendant’s brother offered the complainant $5,000 in hush money. He added that the complainant has wit nesses of her uncle urging her at the Fish Fry not to proceed with charges, will ing to verify this claim if necessary.

In closing, Mr Cumber batch asked the jury how many of them would make rape allegations against their own father at 15. As such, he said, that if they wouldn’t make up such a thing “why would the com plainant?” He ended by stating that the evidence is clear, and he hopes for a guilty verdict.

The trial was adjourned to October 17 for summa tion by the Justice.

MURDER ACCUSED BROKE CURFEW SIX TIMES

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN has admitted to breaking his curfew six times while on Supreme Court bail accused of murder.

Tille Brown, 28, yester day stood before Senior Magistrate Carolyn VogtEvans on six counts of

violation of bail conditions.

The bail was granted to the accused on pending charges before the higher court for murder, pos session of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition.

On June 23, 2018 Brown, being concerned with two others, was accused of being involved in the shooting death of Kendrick Clarke in

Culmersville.

In reference to his latest court charge, between August 7 to October 11, Brown breached his resi dential curfew on six separate occasions.

The accused pleaded guilty to all six counts against him.

Sentencing in this matter was adjourned by the Mag istrate to October 17.

To advertise in The Tribune,

Funeral Service For

Leanna Biancia Jones, 71

of Iguana Way, Bel Air Estates will be held at 11:00a.m. on Saturday, October 15th, 2022 at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Roman Catholic Church, Young Street. Celebrant, Reverend Fr. Johathan Duka. Interment will follow in the Catholic Cemetery, Tyler Street.

Leanna is preceded in death by her parents: Ernest and Loretta Jones.

Geovany Deangelo Lafleur, 31

of #18 Hope Gardens died the Princess Margaret Hospital on Tuesday, October 4th, 2022.

He is survived by his mother: Kim Bain Barr; father: Tednelson Lafleur; 2 sons: Geovany Jr., and Gakai Lafleur; sisters: Tonguekeia Major, Renishea Rolle, Renika LaFleur; brothers: Alfredo Rahming, Vaugn Evans Jr. and Rzepka Lafleur, Tednelson Jr. Lafleur; step father: Wendal Barr and a host of numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.

Her beautiful memories will be cherished by her daughter: Mrs. Tamara Vieljeux; son-inlaw: Eric; numerous cousins including: Dorothy (Edward) Prosper, Sylvia Francis, Marjorie Ramsey, Betty Davis, Carolyn Bastian & family, Frank (Janet Dean) & family, Bianca Cleare, Mark Cleare, Glenva Evans & family, Desiree Evans & family, Rosemary Panza & family, Shirley Segor & family, Yvonne Smith & family, Paulette Hill & family, Henson (Janet) Prosper & family, Sandra Butler & family, Diana (Virgil) Bowe & family, Leona (Ralph) Vega & family, Deborah McFall & family, Edward Prosper Jr. & family, Prophetess Dorothy (Apostle King David) McPhee & family, Christopher Prosper, Donna (Desmond) Bascombe & family, Wendy (William) Mills & family, Wendel Francis & family, Vallen (Sharon) Coakley & family, Emily Charlton & family, Troy (Curline) Hanna & family, Chris Wallace & family, Victoria Francis, Andrew, Lisa, Derek & Jan Moss family, Judy (Rev. Neal) Graham & family, Cayla (Don) Mickalishen; other relatives: Mavis Joseph & family, Arnette Johnson (Stephen Johnson) & family, Thelma (Oscar) Kerr & family and Betty McPhee & family; numerous friends including: Marsha Miller, Jan Thurston, Naomi Deveaux, Glendina, Sandra Stubbs, Rosenell, Alma Albury, Sheila Watson, Idelus Previls, Len (Anita) King and The Former Hospitality Professionals Association family; caregivers: Linda Brown and Carla Dawkins.

Please forgive us if we inadvertently excluded your name. We are indeed grateful for all your kindness and prayers offered during our time of bereavement.

May Her Soul Rest in Peace!

There will be no viewing at the church.

Friends may pay their last respects at Bethel Brothers Morticians & Crematorium, 44A Nassau Street on (TODAY) Friday, 14th October 2022, from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Sean D. Pratt L.F.D&E, C.E.O

Street people – Where home is a piece of pavement or a plot of littered land

WE see them every day, the street people of Nassau. We glance at them, wonder for a moment how they wound up living where they are, like they are. We are not necessarily critical. No one can get into some one else’s head, not even into the thoughts of those closest to us so how are we to understand what makes a person tick who decides to call a plot of land under the canopy of a tree or a piece of pavement between a fuel station and a marine supplies store home?

Mostly, we see, but don’t dwell on the street people of Nassau because, lacking understanding, we move on mentally past the sight of them quickly, getting on with our own lives for fear if we don’t keep up we will become yester day’s unused loaf of bread – stale and dry and of no value.

So in our rush, we leave those who choose to live in the bush in the condi tion we see them in.

Those who carry an extra bag of dog food in their car to feed a stray they see by the side of the road may pass the human next to the dog and not stop to think that dog food is sometimes his best meal of the day.

I know little about these people. I am fascinated by those among them who have the ability to sleep on the top of a wall without falling off. Clearly they have skills way beyond mine.

Here’s what I do know: law enforcement knows who they are and rarely messes with them unless they are in such a public place that they interfere with the visitor experience or traffic as the man in the wheelchair zigzagging across a busy intersec tion on Nassau Street did.

When they land in the wrong neighbourhood, it takes a little while but law enforcement moves them along. Hygiene or lack thereof makes them in the minds of most police the untouchables and so long as the only person they may be harming is them selves, the law is satisfied leaving them right where they are.

Here’s what else I know: many of them know each other and look out for each other in odd ways.

They know the routines, what days The Salvation Army is serving a hot meal and a prayer.

Or when to stand in line at Great Commission Min istries. Or how to appeal to the compassionate heart of Rev. CB Moss at Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Bain Town. They may not know that the Baha mas Feeding Network is providing the food for nearly 100 churches and feeding centres like these, but they surely know what church or centre is serv ing on what day. They are a small minority of those who receive, but they are among the most depend ent on what is provided.

And I know this: Many of the street people choose to be where they are, fearing or not wanting to be ‘trapped’ by family or an enclosed environ ment. Inside scares them more than outside.

They may have been to a home or to Sandilands or served a sentence and confinement is far worse than a little rain falling on their blanket. They also know how to take cover under the eave of a building when a storm approaches, moving a few feet or a block down the street is part of the rou tine, a different version of a second home in The Bahamas.

Many of the street people know each other and there is an

underground whisper that grows louder when someone is ill, needs something, or passes along. Try a breakfast offer like Rotary of East Nassau did, put out the first hot dish and in min utes, nearly 100 show up. A message spread without a cellphone, a cyberspace less social media channel of its own.

Just last week, a BBC report delved into the hidden talents of the homeless, finding artists and poets and others with great minds in those who call a park bench or a bush home. I don’t doubt that the same exists among the street people of Nassau.

We may never know. As I said at the start of these few words, we see them.

We pass by. We are rush ing to keep our lives on track, not bothering to wonder how their lives fell off. I never called them homeless. They have made a home even if it is not the kind of home we call home. I do think we can do better by them, dropping off warm clothes as the weather changes, or a bit of food, but mostly by recognizing the simple fact that we will never under stand who they are, what drove them to call a piece of pavement or a patch of

worn grass home, but they are survivors. And for that, they are amazing. We do not have to understand what makes them tick but if survival of the fit test is truly survival of the most adaptable, the street people of Nassau deserve a second look. Perhaps an artist will capture them or a mural competition will feature them and some day we may know more but for now it is okay if we don’t. We are busy getting on with those lives of our own.

UN resolution seeks to sanction Haiti gang chief

THE UN Security Council is negotiating a resolution that would impose an arms embargo, asset freeze and travel ban on influential Haitian gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, nicknamed “Barbeque”.

It also would target other Haitian individuals and groups who engage in actions that threaten the peace, security or stability of the Western Hemisphere’s poorest coun try, according to the text obtained yesterday by The Associated Press.

The US-drafted resolu tion singles out by name Cherizier, a former police officer who leads an alliance of Haitian gangs known as the “G9 Family and Allies”. But it would establish a Security Council committee to designate other Haitians and groups to be put on a blacklist and subjected to sanctions as well.

The draft resolution expresses “grave concern about the extremely high levels of gang violence and other criminal activi ties, including kidnappings, trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants, and homicides, and sexual

and gender-based violence including rape and sexual slavery, as well as ongoing impunity for perpetrators, corruption and recruitment of children by gangs and the implications of Haiti’s situa tion for the region”.

The Security Council moved up a meeting on Haiti to Monday because of the increasingly dire situa tion in the country.

Daily life in Haiti began to spin out of control last month just hours after Prime Minister Ariel Henry said fuel subsidies would be eliminated, causing prices to double. Gangs blocked

TRUMP SUBPOENA FROM JAN 6 PANEL AS STARTLING NEW VIDEO RELEASED

WASHINGTON Associated Press

THE House Janu ary 6 committee voted unanimously yesterday to subpoena former President Donald Trump, demand ing his personal testimony as it unveiled startling new video of close aides describ ing his multi-part plan to overturn his 2020 election loss that led to his support ers’ fierce assault on the US Capitol.

With alarming messages from the US Secret Service warning of violence and vivid new video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other con gressional leaders pleading for help, the panel showed the raw desperation at the Capitol. Using language frequently seen in criminal indictments, the panel said that Trump had acted in a “premeditated” way ahead of Jan 6, 2021, despite count less aides and officials telling him he had lost.

Trump is almost cer tain to fight the subpoena and decline to testify. On his social media outlet he blasted members for not asking him earlier — though he didn’t say he would have complied —and called the panel “a total BUST”.

“We must seek the tes timony under oath of January 6’s central player,” said Republican Rep Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the committee’s vice chair, ahead of the vote.

In the committee’s 10th public session, just weeks before the congressional midterm elections, the panel summed up Trump’s “staggering betrayal” of his oath of office, as Chair man Bennie Thompson put it, describing the former president’s unprecedented attempt to stop Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s victory.

While the effort to sub poena Trump may languish, more a nod to history than an effective summons, the committee has made clear it is considering whether to send its findings in a crimi nal referral to the Justice Department.

In one of its most riveting exhibits, the panel showed previously unseen footage of congressional leaders phoning for help during the assault as Trump refused to

call off the mob.

Speaker Pelosi can be seen on a call with the governor of neighbour ing Virginia, explaining as she shelters with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and others that the governor of Maryland has also been contacted. Later the video shows Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and other GOP leaders as the group asks the Department of Defense for help.

“They’re breaking the law in many different ways,” Pelosi says at one point. “And quite frankly, much of it at the instiga tion of the president of the United States.”

The footage also portrays Vice President Mike Pence - not Trump - stepping in to help calm the violence, telling Pelosi and the others he has spoken with Capitol Police, as Congress plans to resume its session that night to certify Biden’s election.

The video was from Pelosi’s daughter, a docu mentary filmmaker.

In never-before-seen Secret Service messages, the panel produced evidence that extremist groups pro vided the muscle in the fight for Trump’s presidency, planning weeks before the attack to send a violent force to Washington.

The Secret Service warned in a Dec 26, 2020, email of a tip that members of the right-wing Proud Boys planned to outnum ber the police in a march in Washington on Jan 6.

“It felt like the calm before the storm,” one Secret Service agent wrote in a group chat.

To describe the presi dent’s mindset, the committee presented new and previously seen mate rial, including interviews with Trump’s top aides and Cabinet officials — includ ing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Attorney General William Barr and Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia — in which some described the president acknowledging that he had lost.

In one, according to exWhite House official Alyssa Farah Griffin, Trump looked up at a television and said, “Can you believe I lost to this (expletive) guy?”

the entrance to the Varreux fuel terminal, leading to a severe shortage of fuel at a time that clean water is also scarce and the country is trying to deal with a deadly cholera outbreak.

The draft resolution says “Cherizier and his G9 gang confederation are actively blocking the free movement of fuel from the Varreux fuel terminal — the largest in Haiti”.

“His actions have directly contributed to the economic paralysis and humanitarian crisis in Haiti,” it says.

In a video posted on Face book last week, Cherizier

called on the government to grant him and G9 mem bers amnesty and to void all arrest warrants against them. He said in Creole that Haiti’s economic and social situation is worsening by the day, so “there is no better time than today to disman tle the system”.

He outlined a transitional plan for restoring order in Haiti. It would include creation of a Council of Sages with one representa tive from each of Haiti’s 10 departments to govern the country with an interim president until a presi dential election could be

held in February 2024. It also calls for restructuring Haiti’s National Police and strengthening the army.

“The country is (facing) one crisis after another,” Cherizier said. “During all these crises, the first victim is the population, the people in the ghettos, the peasants.”

Haiti has been in the grips of an inflationary vise that is squeezing its people and exacerbating protests that have brought soci ety to the breaking point. Violence is raging, making parents afraid to send their kids to school. Hospitals, banks and grocery stores are struggling to stay open.

The president of neigh bouring Dominican Republic recently described the situation as a “lowintensity civil war”. His government is cracking down on Haitians migrating to the Dominican Republic.

Political instability has simmered ever since last year’s still-unsolved assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, who had faced opposition protests calling for his res ignation over corruption charges and claims that his five-year term had ended. Moïse dissolved Parlia ment in January 2020 after

legislators failed to hold elections in 2019 amid polit ical gridlock.

Last week, Haiti’s prime minister and 18 high-rank ing officials requested “the immediate deployment of a specialised armed force, in sufficient quantity” by inter national partners to stop the “criminal actions” of armed gangs across the country.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent a letter to the Security Coun cil on Sunday calling for the deployment of a rapid action force by one or sev eral UN member states to help Haiti’s National Police.

That force would “remove the threat posed by armed gangs and pro vide immediate protection to critical infrastructure and services”, as well as secure the “free movement of water, fuel, food and medical supplies from main ports and airports to com munities and health care facilities”, he said.

The draft resolution takes note of Guterres’ letter, welcomes the appeal from Haiti, and encourages “the immediate deploy ment of a multinational rapid action force” to sup port the Haitian National Police, as the secretary-gen eral recommends.

BARBECUE, the leader of the “G9 and Family” gang, as he leads a march against kidnapping through La Saline neighborhood in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, last year.

Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP

ON BAHAMIAN PROSPECTS IN SOUTH FLORIDA

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN prep prospects continue to garner attention for their performance on the gridiron at pro grammes in South Florida.

The Miami Jack son Generals look to improve to above .500 in tonight’s Dis trict matchup against LaSalle, but one of the main storylines emerging out of the programme recently has been the sucess of its Bahamian players on both sides of the ball.

Defensive back Kaleb Barnett has already committed to an NCAA Divison I programme while teammates Jamal McKinney-Flowers and Raynor Andrews look to follow suit.

McKinney-Flowers is a 6’0” 185 pound defensive back who has been heralded for his speed and physical style of play. A senior for the Generals, he has also posted a time of 10.66 secs in the 100m. McKinney-Flowers has received an offer thus far from the Arkanas State Red Wolves.

Junior offensive line man Raynor Andrews stands 6’6” 310 pounds and has yet to receive official offers, but he recently took an official visit to Rutgers University.

In July, Barnett, a 5’11” defensive back announced his com mitment to the Temple Owls football pro gramme for the Fall 2023 season. Barnett is also a 100m sprinter who has turned in a time of 10.7 secs.

“My high school coach said I have a great wingspan for a corner. I’ll be able to stop and get a lot of picks,” Barnett told OwlsDaily, “Coaches want me to play every position because of my athletic ability.”

Words of inspiration from Samson Colebrooke

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

EXUMA native Samson Colebrooke said if he can make it to the Olympic Games, more Bahamians could and should aspire to do the same thing.

Back home on a break from his training in Flor ida, sprinter Colebrooke addressed members of the Red Line Athletic Track Club on Thursday follow ing their workout session at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

In his address, Cole brooke encouraged the athletes to follow three important ingredients and they can be just as success ful as him, or even surpass what he did.

The second fastest Bahamian sprinter with a lifetime best of 10.01 sec onds that qualified him for the 2020 Olympic Games held in 2021 in Beijing, China said the athletes have the potential, they just need to persevere.

RASHIELD WILLIAMS LOOKS TO EXTEND WIN STREAK IN ORLANDO

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter

PRO boxer Rashield Wil liams is set to step back into the ring this weekend look ing to extend his win streak and simultaneously hand his opponent the first loss of his career.

Williams will face unde feated Jeovanny Estela in a six round welterweight bout, Saturday October 15 at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.

Williams, 33, had a record of 6-1 with 5KOs. He last appeared in the ring with a TKO win over Daniel Arriaga on September 17 at the Alessi Fitness Gym in Tampa, Florida. He began 2022 with a TKO win over Daniel Molina on January 28 at the Hialeah Park Racing & Casino in Hialeah, Florida.

In August, he returned to the national team level and represented The Bahamas at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

Estela, a native of Puerto Rico, is 9-0 with 3KOs.

“Estella-Williams is a very good matchup,” said Amaury Piedra of Boxlab Promo tions. “Jeovanny has the height and reach advantage plus he’s got a large fanbase here in Central Florida. Wil liams is very strong and has the kind of power to end a

fight at any time. I give credit to both guys for being up to the challenge and there’s a good chance this will be fight of the night.”

Estella-Williams is part of a 14 fight card promoted by Boxlab Promotions. The main event features Kevin Hayler Brown and Adriano Ramirez for the WBA Fed ecentro junior welterweight title.

“I had to build my weight back up because at the Com monwealth Games, I had to lose about 11 pounds just to make the weight for the fight,” Williams said prior to his September bout with Arriaga. “Now I’m much stronger because I’m right where I need to be for this fight.”

The lone loss on Williams’ professional record came in his second bout to Javaune James at the Miccosukee Indian Gaming Resort in Miami, Florida.

school work, discipline on the track and discipline in the things that you do at home,” Colebrooke stressed.

“You have to be dedi cated to school and dedicated to practice,” he stated. “If you are not dedi cated, you are just wasting the coach’s time and your parents’ time. Every time you step on the track and on the grass, be dedicated in what you want to do. Go out there and work hard. Do your best. Even though it might seem hard and tiring and it seems like you want to give up, don’t give up. Keep pushing and keep working hard.”

“Be determined on what you want to achieve in life. Be determined that if you want to be the best, go out there and be the best,” he said. “If you want to go to college, work to go to col lege. If you want to be a professional athlete, work on becoming a professional athlete.”

Samson said he was able to prove most of his critics wrong who didn’t believe

that he could run 10.01 by accomplishing the feat twice, first on July 5, 2019 at the NACAC Under-23 Championships in Mexico City and then again on April 9, 2022 at the Atlanta Track Classic in Atlanta, Georgia.

“You can do it bigger and better than me,” Colebrooke assured the audience of high school athletes.

He further advised the athletes never to “give up on your dreams. Let no one tell you that you can’t do it. You be your big gest encourager. You be your biggest promoter and encourage yourself to be the best you can be.”

With faith, trust and belief, Colebrooke assured the athletes that they can enjoy a successful track season and hopefully be in a position to represent the Bahamas at the 50th anniversary of the Carifta Games that will be staged in The Bahamas in April.

Additionally, Colebrooke

‘Come out and support’ the Fight for the Cure

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FIRST Class Promotions’ return to professional boxing after almost a decade-long hiatus is all set with the staging of the all-female boxing show on Friday, October 28th at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

The “Fight for the Cure” show, which is being held in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and will feature two title fights between overseas fighters, got the endorse ment from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture on Thursday at the press conference in the foyer of the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

Kerry Baker, a former basket ball player, represented Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg at the press conference that included First Class Promoter Michelle Minus and Quinton Bren nen of QB Events Consulting and Marketing.

Baker said the ministry is throwing its support behind the event and is hoping that it will inspire young boys and girls will pick up their gloves and get into some wholesome sporting activities rather than resorting to a life of crime.

“We understand that there will be two title fights. That is going to be interesting,” Baker said. “When you

talk about cancer, just about every body is affected. I know I had a sister who passed away from cancer.

“So, I’m 100 percent in support of this event and I know the ministry is 100 percent in support of this event as well. This is the first time for an all-female event in the Bahamas and the Caribbean, so let’s come out and support the event.”

Featured in the main event will be Jessica Camara from Montreal, Canada, with a 10-3-0 win-loss-draw record, against Halanna Dos Santos from Santo Domingo, Domini can Republic, who is 14-9-0, in a 10-rounder for the World Boxing

Association (WBA) 147 pounds title.

In the American co-main event, Mary McGee from Chicago with a 27-4 record will face Prisca Vicot of California, who is 14-8, in another 147lb class bout. Two other bouts will showcase American O’Shea Jones from Philadelphia, who is 1-0, against Simone Silva from San Palo, Brazil, who is 17-22, in the 160lb class and American Logan Holler from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with a 9-2-1 record, against Adriana Arnajou, also from San Paulo, Brazil, who is 6-1, in the 140lb class.

“As you train this year, there are three things I want you to do,” Cole brooke told the gathering of athletes, coaches and

parents in the VIP section of the stadium. “If you do these three things, who can become successful.”

“Have discipline in your

SAMSON Colebrooke (centre) with Red Line Athletics’ coaches Tito Moss and Michael Armbrister.

SAMSON Colebrooke speaks to members of the Red Line Athletic Track Club.

RASHIELD WILLIAMS

KERRY Baker MICHELLE Minus QUINTON Brennen

Brennen said the event is about more than just boxing.

“Boxing has taken a little hiatus over the past couple years, but what a way to come back at this point,” he said. “And the way that this event is positioned, it’s strategic in that in the month of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we now have an all-female boxing match . . . we want to tie it with the beginning of Sports Month, which begins on November 1. But it’s more than just that a boxing match. What we’re trying to do with this, is we’re paying homage basically to all of the abused women, rape victims, murder victims that has happened through and through the years. We’ve seen it over a period of time in our country and so it’s more than just a boxing match. We’re kind of saying now that it’s the fight for the cure, that’s what we’re calling it. So we’re basically going to pay homage to all of the women that have kind of expe rienced all of these things and that sort.”

Minus, one of two female promoters in The Bahamas, said people want to see a change and that is the reason why they have decided to put on the all-female show, as opposed to having male competitors.

Shows

At the same time, she revealed that First Class Promotions is looking forward to staging a few shows that will have a com bination of male and female competitors and all male casts as well in the future.

“First Class Promo tions is back after almost a decade of not promoting any profes sional boxing shows,” she pointed out.

While the show will be held in honour of the Breast Cancer and the Sister Sister Group, Brennen said they will also be recognising the legendary ailing Ray Minus Jr, who was the founder of Champion Amateur Boxing Club, which gave birth to First Class Promotions.

“Ray Minus has made a major contri bution to the sport of boxing,” Brennen said. “He has literally put us on the map. He’s that guy, coming up in our era, who was simulta neously with boxing. We hope to honour Ray Minus and a number of boxers, who went on to represent The Bahamas.

“We are looking for ward to honouring Ray Minus Jr in particular and other individuals like (Jermaine) Choo Choo (Mackey). So, we thank you for coming out and supporting this event.”

Minus, the former wife of Minus Jr, said they are looking forward to recognising him for his contribu tion while putting on the first all-female show in the Bahamas.

Tickets are priced at $35 for general admis sion and $125 for VIP. All major cards will be accepted for payment. All persons attend ing are urged to wear something pink in recognition of Breast Cancer.

ATTENTION ON BAHAMIAN PROSPECTS IN

The Temple staff look forward to Barnett’s athletic ability in the defensive backfield.

“Coach Jules and Coach Drayton said they like my speed,” Barnett said. “If I get beat on a route, I’m able to catch up very quick. And my height for a high school cornerback is good, especially how I’m still growing. I’ll be able to play multiple posi tions on the field.”

Florida International, Florida Atlantic, and Charlotte were all involved in the recruiting process for Barnett.

said he hopes that some of the senior athletes on the team will aspire to become members of the men and women’s national relay teams that will get to compete in the next World Championships and the Olympic Games in 2024 in Paris, France.

Colebrooke, a 25-year-old gradu ate of Purdue University where he was coached by Bahamian head coach Norbert Elliott, finished sev enth in his heat of the men’s 100m at the 2020 Olympics in 10.33 and at the 2022 World Championships, he was fifth in his heat in 10.23.

His time of 10.01 is second on the Bahamian all-time list behind national record holder Derrick Atkins, who did 9.91 for the silver at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan in 2007 when he trailed American Tyson Gay (9.85) and was ahead of Jamaican Asafa Powell (9.96).

Temple Christian Academy basketball tournament returns

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a two-year hiatus because of the coronavirus pan demic, the Temple Christian Academy will be bringing back its primary and mini boys and girls basketball tournament.

The tournament, now in its 11th year, will be staged from Monday to Friday, October 16-21 at the Temple Christian Academy’s Gymnasium starting at 3:30 pm daily.

Tournament organiser Keno Demeritte said they are antici pating at least seven teams, but five have confirmed so far in the primary boys division, four in the mini boys and three in the primary girls divisions.

“Because we had a long time off from basketball in the pri mary school system, our focus this year is just on allowing the kids to play, but at the same time enjoy the game again,” Demeritte said. “We just want the coaches to see where their players are so they can start developing them again in basketball.”

As they prepare for the com petition, Demeritte said he

anticipates that it will still be stiff.

“I think the scores and the teams will continue to perform very well,” Demeritte said. “So I expect that the competition will still be tough all around in the primary and mini boys and even in the primary girls.

“We know that there will be some sloppy plays because of the long lay offs in the pri mary school basketball, but we expect that the coaches will have their teams ready to play in the tournament.”

As the host of the tourna ment, Demeritte said their rivals can expect the Suns to challenge for the title in all three divisions.

“I believe we have a strong contingent that can compete for the title in all three divisions,” he projected. “We’re not taking any teams for granted. We just know that Temple Chris tian Academy will be prepared because the tournament is on our home soil.”

When the tournament was last played in 2019, Temple Christian Academy carted off all the team hardware. Trophies and medals will again be presented to the top three teams in all three divi sions at this year’s tournament.

ABOVE AND BELOW: Samson Colebrooke with members of the Red Line Athletic Track Club.

JAMAL McKinney-Flowers

RAYNOR Andrews

NASSAU HOSTS BEACH SOCCER CUP THIS MONTH

THE Bahamas can not only boast of its pristine, crystal-clear waters and powder white sand but also Nassau as the host island for the Bahamas Football Association’s upcoming Beach Soccer Cup Friday, October 21st to Sunday, October 23rd, 2022.

This exciting interna tional beach soccer event returns to the Beach Soccer Stadium where The Bahamas Men and Women’s teams will take on top competition from Central America and the Caribbean ready to win in paradise representing Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Costa Rica and Turks and Caicos.

Anton Sealey, Presi dent of The Bahamas Football Association, is looking forward to the event.

“We are so glad after a hiatus from international soccer competitions due to the global pandemic to be back in action at our beach soccer sta dium,” he said. “This

HOT VIKINGS POSE TOUGH WEEK 6 TEST FOR EBBING DOLPHINS

By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel views adver sity as an opportunity.

His top two quarter backs, Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater, are in the concussion protocol. The Dolphins have lost two straight after starting 3-0. And Miami will start a rookie quarterback Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings (4-1).

McDaniel, in his first head coaching job, said there’s no time to feel sorry for himself.

“Being in the National Football League, whether you’re a coach or a player, is hard,” he said. “All things that are worth achieving are hard. I think I would feel guilt and feel as though I was shortchanging the Dolphins and the team if I was spending any time thinking about how hard it is.”

Overcoming adversity, for better or worse, is what the Dolphins will need to do on Sunday against the NFC-North leading Vikings, who under new coach Kevin O’Connell are off to their best start since they went 5-0 in 2016.

With Skylar Thomp son at quarterback, the Dolphins will hope to build on last week’s best rushing output of the year and correct their issues in defending the pass.

That won’t be easy against Pro Bowl receiver Justin Jefferson.

Through five weeks, Jefferson leads the NFL in receiving yards with 547 and is second in receptions with 40.

He has eight catches of at least 20 yards.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins has been steady, and O’Connell said the Vikings’ offence has been consistent because opponents can’t be sure if they need to worry about Jefferson or a run ning game led by Dalvin Cook.

“I think we’ve been able to establish some foundations in our run game that’s allowed us to have some things off of those things to apply pressure to the defence,” O’Connell said.

“You’re seeing Kirk kind of control a lot at the line of scrimmage, get to our whole offence at the line of scrimmage and that’s really what we want to be.”

tournament is an oppor tunity to see some of the best talent in the Car ibbean coming back to the country to compete at one of the best beach soccer facilities in the region.”

The Beach Soccer Sta dium was the location for the exciting, action packed 2017 World Cup event as well as the 2018 Bahamas Beach Soccer Cup where Mexico clinched the match.

Joan Cuscó, President of Beach Soccer World wide, said: “It is great to return to The Bahamas after our last event in Nassau in 2018. We have so many good memories of all the tournaments we had in The Bahamas, and to play in a World Cup stadium is an assur ance of a quality event.”

The free Bahamas Football Association’s ALIV Beach Soccer Cup weekend runs October 21st – 23, 2022 at the Beach Soccer Stadium. For more information, call 322-4343.

Tito Moss to run for BAAA’s VP of Technical Operations

COACH Tito Moss has announced his candidacy for the Vice President of Technical Operations, for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) 2022 election of officers to be held in December.

Moss is a banker by profession with an Asso ciate Degree in Banking and a Bachelor Degree in Banking and Finance. He is a Certified International Project Manager. He also serves as Chief Executive Officer of Tito O. Moss Construction.

Moss has close to 20 years’ experience coaching track and field. He previously served as an assistant coach at Club Monica Athletics. Coach Moss currently serves as an assistant coach at St. Augustine’s College, a post he has held from 2004.

In 2018, he founded Red-Line Athletics and serves as its president and head coach. He is a Level I and II USATF Certified

COACH Tito Moss.

Track and Field coach.

Moss has expressed his excitement for the upcom ing BAAA’s elections. He believes that “the vari ous roles he has held has prepared him for the posi tion of VP of Technical

Operations.”

He is running on four principles: “he’s qualified, goal-oriented, hardwork ing, and a team player.”

“Running for VP of Technical Operations gives me a chance to affect

policy for thousands,” he said. “I no longer want to stand trackside and talk about what needs to be done or what could be done with the federation.

I want to lend myself and hands for service.”

Muffed punt, Robinson TD lift Commanders over Bears

By ANDREW SELIGMAN AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — Christian Holmes recovered a muffed punt by Velus Jones deep in Chicago ter ritory to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Brian Robinson midway through the fourth quarter, and the Washington Commanders stopped a four-game losing streak, hanging on to beat the Bears 12-7 Thursday night.

This one might not have been quite as ugly as the Colts-Broncos yawner that had famed play-by-play announcer Al Michaels launch ing zingers and creating a buzz on social media. There were plenty of bad reads, tipped balls, overthrown passes and sloppy play in general. But there was also no shortage of drama down the stretch.

The Commanders (2-4) took advantage of two turnovers after taking the ball away just once in the first five games in winning for the first time since beating Jackson ville in the opener.

Jonathan Allen intercepted Justin Fields deep in Washington territory in the first half. Benjamin St-Juste stopped Darnell Mooney just shy of the end zone in the closing minute of the game, and the Bears (2-4) lost their third in a row.

Washington caught a huge break when it punted on fourth down at its 36.

Jones had trouble tracking the ball, then let it hit off his arms.

Holmes recovered it in a big pile at the 6, and Robinson scored two plays later, making it 12-7 with 7:21 remaining.

Carson Wentz overthrew Curtis Samuel in the back of the end zone on the 2-point conversion attempt,

and Joey Slye missed a 48-yard field goal wide left with 1:48 remaining.

Chicago’s Justin Fields then broke off a 39-yard run to the 5. But after blowing two big scoring chances in the first half, the Bears let another slip away.

Dante Pettis was unable to hang onto a third-down pass in the end zone with Darrick Forrest all over

him. A leaping Darnell Mooney got knocked out of bounds by Benja min St-Juste inches shy of the goal line as he hauled in a pass.

Fields completed 14 of 27 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown after setting career highs in com pletion rate (71.4 %) and passer rating (118.8) against Minnesota on Sunday. He also ran for 88 yards.

Pettis had four catches for 84 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown.

The Bears, wearing orange jer seys and helmets, blew huge scoring chances on back-to-back posses sions in the first half.

They had the ball at the Washing ton 5 late in the first quarter when Fields threw a laser that hit defen sive tackle Efe Obada’s helmet and popped into the air. Jonathan Allen came away with the interception and just the second takeaway for Washington this season.

The Bears had another big chance early in the second, when Khalil Herbert broke a tackle and crossed the field on a 64-yard run to the 6. But Fields overthrew a wide open Ryan Griffin in the end zone and Herbert got stopped on fourth down at the 1.

Joey Slye gave Washington a 3-0 lead when he kicked a field goal in the closing minute of the first half.

INJURIES: Commanders: TE Josh Bates (hamstring) was hurt in the first half.

Bears: C Lucas Patrick (concus sion protocol) was hurt blocking on a run early in the third quarter.

... WR N’Keal Harry was a healthy scratch, potentially setting him up to make his Bears debut at New England on Oct. 24. Harry, a firstround pick by the Patriots in 2019, was acquired from New England in July and suffered an ankle injury in training camp that required surgery.

Host

WASHINGTON Commanders running back Antonio Gibson is chased by Chicago Bears defensive lineman Mike Pennel Jr. in the second half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Thursday. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

WASHINGTON Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz is tackled for a loss by Chi cago Bears defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

SATURdAY’S

lAST SATURdAY’S

S TNU O I N C

O S TNU O I N C

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown

making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and

must be at least one nine-letter word.

O

N

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? In making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter

TOdAY’S TARGeT Good 19; very

excellent

(or more). Solution next

THe

plurals. Verb forms ending in

permitted.

CAN you crack the Alphabeater? It’s a tough twist on our popular your mental muscles to the limit. Each grid number below represents in Alphapuzzle, every letter of the alphabet is used. But now the given letters and the given black squares below the main

TOdAY’S TARGeT Good 19; very good 29; excellent 38 (or more). Solution next Saturday.

To add to the fiendish fun, Alphabeater is ‘rotationally symmetrical’. same if you turn the page upside down.

So, for example if there is a six-letter word Across which starts a corresponding six-letter word Across which ends in the bottom

lAST SATURdAY’S SOlUTION achy apery arty chary crypt cypher earthy eparchy harpy hatchery hearty heathy HepTARCHY hype hyper party patchy payer peachy peaty pray preachy prey pyre racy repay thearchy therapy they tray trey type tyre yacht yeah year

lAST SATURdAY’S SOlUTION achy apery arty chary crypt cypher earthy eparchy harpy hatchery hearty heathy HepTARCHY hype hyper party patchy payer peachy peaty pray preachy prey pyre racy repay thearchy therapy they tray trey type tyre yacht yeah year

Every black square has a symmetrical ‘twin’ but the ‘twin’ number. This can help identify other black squares. Of course corresponding ‘twin’. Solution next Saturday.

Yesterday’s

Yesterday’s Kakuro Answer