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MP’S LAWYER: R A P E INQUIRY IS FLAWED

Defence argues police gathered very little physical evidence

By PAVEL BAILEY

Staff Reporter

Tribune

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THE lawyer representing North Abaco MP Kirk Cornish argued yesterday that police gathered little physical evidence in his trial that he raped the complainant. Detective Superintendent Nicholas Johnson of the Criminal Investigation Department in Freeport took the stand, explaining that his involvement began on April 26, 2023, when Cornish voluntarily presented himself for questioning. Cornish was arrested the following day when he appeared at the Grand Bahama police headquarters for further

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff

Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A TEENAGE girl described her ordeal as a “nightmare” as she testiﬁed that her grandfather molested her multiple times over ﬁve years.

Senior Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson presided yesterday in the incest trial involving a 62-yearold male defendant, whose name is withheld to protect the complainant’s identity. He faces 22 counts of incest and one of indecent assault. The defendant allegedly engaged in unlawful sexual intercourse with his granddaughter on 22 occasions between May 1,

OFFICIALS ON THE GROUND AFTER HURRICANE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Disaster Risk Management Authority (DRMA) has classiﬁed the damage from Hurricane Oscar as level one, according to acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper. The announcement came after government and DRMA ofﬁcials conducted a damage assessment in Inagua. “We were spared major

damage, and I’m advised by the DRMA that the assessment is at level one, with level four being the most severe,” said Mr Cooper. Island Administrator Herman Gilbert reported signiﬁcant roof damage and widespread ﬂooding, estimating that 92 out of the 169 assessed properties had roof damage. He said the island MINNIS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis accused the Free National Movement’s leadership of blocking him from speaking at party events and association meetings — a claim FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands called “absolutely untrue.”

Dr Minnis expressed his frustration to reporters before last week’s House of Assembly sitting.

BAHA M AS SEES $665M CRUISE BOOST, BUT YIELDS DOWN

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas leads the Caribbean and Central America in extracting an annual $655m economic boost from the cruise industry despite consistently ranking in the bottom 40 percent on key visitor satisfaction metrics.

The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) ranked this nation as number one for total passenger spending and local employment with 13,846 Bahamian jobs and a combined $250.16m annual wage bill said to be reliant on the industry.

PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis engaged in discussions to enhance disaster resilience and foster economic opportunities for Bahamians during this week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2024 in Apia, Samoa. He is pictured here with his wife Ann Marie Davis and Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell. See PAGE 11 for story.

Photo: BIS

Colina donates former PM’s books to UB libraries

COLINA Insurance Limited generously donated several copies of Volumes 2 and 3 of “I

Say What I Mean and I Mean What I Say: Hubert A Ingraham In His Own Words to the University of The Bahamas’ Harry

C. Moore Library and Information Centre in Nassau, as well as the library of UB-North, Grand Bahama. The books are units of a four-volume series. Colina donated copies of Volume 1 to the UB facility in 2022, the

year of its publication.

“Colina is proud to be Bahamian and we are deeply committed to preserving our nation’s history,” said Maxine Seymour, director, corporate communications, Colina Insurance Limited. “We

salute Mr Ingraham, his production team and publisher, Guanima Press Ltd on the release of volumes two and three, and are pleased to partner with the University to ensure that current and future generations have access to his

legacy of leadership.” According to the university librarian, Elsie Bain, the addition of the new volumes will ensure that students, scholars, researchers in general and members of the public at large will have access to accounts of the policies, decisions and leadership philosophies of the Hubert Ingraham, enhancing their understanding of the political and socio-economic landscape in The Bahamas.

M Teresa Butler, executive editor and Book Project team leader noted: “The support of Colina Insurance Ltd has been invaluable. Equally, this donation demonstrates the company’s support of the University of The Bahamas and their commitment to empowering future generations through knowledge and the preservation of our shared national heritage.”

Indeed, this is a gift of historical signiﬁcance, that will provide insight into the leadership of Mr Ingraham and some of the most signiﬁcant events of the history of the nation, particularly of the 51 years since the country

achieved independence from the UK and sovereignty. The donated volumes should prove an invaluable resource for students, researchers and the general-public alike,” Ms Butler said.

This latest donation by Colina Insurance Ltd, in a series of signiﬁcant gifts, attests to the company’s belief in the importance of fostering education and intellectual growth in The Bahamas and to its long-term commitment to support quality development. In their continued commitment to community and education the company has long been a supporter of educational initiatives across The Bahamas. This donation reﬂects the company’s belief that the past informs the future, and investing in the preservation of Bahamian history through accessible academic resources is essential. By making these books available to the University of The Bahamas, Colina aims to inspire current and future students to take an active interest in the political and social development of their country.

FROM left: Maxine Seymour, director corporate communications and DeAndrea Lewis, vice president life operations representing Colina Insurance Limited; Janyne Hodder, president, The University of The Bahamas (UB); Maria Teresa Butler, executive editor, book project team leader; Patricia Glinton-Meicholas, editor; Neko Meicholas, owner, Guanima Press Ltd; Elsie Bain, university librarian, UB; Rosemary Munroe-Whylly, special collections librarian and Catherine Archer, deputy librarian.

MP’s lawyer: Rape inquiry is ﬂawed

page one

questioning.

During the interview, conducted under caution and in the presence of Cornish’s attorney Owen Wells, Cornish denied threatening the complainant or her family and denied the allegations of sexual assault.

He also denied ever choking or physically harming her, but admitted taking her phone on several occasions.

Cornish reportedly said that he had intercepted the complainant’s conversations with her ex-boyfriends, claiming that he would call them to inform them that they were in a relationship and request that they stop contacting her. He cited one speciﬁc incident in November 2022, according to the ofﬁcer, when an ex allegedly called the complainant while they were celebrating her birthday at a hotel on Paradise Island.

Cornish admitted to confronting the ex on the

phone, using profanity during the conversation, but insisted it was to make clear that the complainant was no longer available. Earlier in the week, the complainant described two alleged assaults by Cornish in 2022. She claimed that he pinned her down, raped her, spat in her face, and threatened to “put a bullet” in her head during a separate violent altercation months earlier. The complainant also alleged that Cornish poked her in the eye and choked her during a dispute over a phone call. Photos presented in court, reportedly taken from her phone, showed bruises around her right eye and neck, where she claimed his nails had left marks.

When police questioned him about the eye-poking incident, Cornish claimed it was accidental, according to the detective. He reportedly said he was trying to grab her phone while she was speaking to an ex, and as she turned her face, he

for. According to

Cornish, the injury was superﬁcial, and their relationship continued without issue after the incident in January 2023. The ofﬁcer said contrary to the complainant’s testimony, Cornish denied any incident at an Airbnb in Stapleton and claimed that after their relationship ended, she refused to let him move on, allegedly telling him: “You think I’m going to let you go after all the work I put into you?”

Under cross-examination by Cornish’s attorney, Tai Pinder-Mackey, Superintendent Johnson acknowledged that Cornish had been cooperative during the interview and consistently denied the accusations.

However, Johnson could not provide details about the complainant’s past relationships or why it took three months to search her residence following her initial report. Johnson also said that no forensic evidence, such as blood samples or a rape kit, was collected, and

no torn clothing or damaged furniture — alleged by the complainant — was provided during the investigation.

When asked about inconsistencies in the complainant’s account, Johnson admitted that the complainant’s family had not been informed about the alleged eye-poking incident. He also noted that while the complainant had expressed dissatisfaction with the wording of a police statement suggesting she wanted to drop charges, she clariﬁed that she wanted Cornish to receive help.

Pinder-Mackey criticised the investigation, claiming it lacked thoroughness. Johnson defended his actions, saying that he had followed the instructions.

Justice Renae McKay is presiding over the case, with the prosecution led by Timothy Bailey. Pinder-Mackey and Linique Murphy-Grant represent Cornish. The trial continues on Friday.

Teen: my nightmare over sex attack by grandfather

from page one

2019, and January 23, 2024, in New Providence. He is also accused of indecently assaulting her on January 24. The victim, who was between the ages of 11 and 15 when the offences occurred, testiﬁed virtually. She claimed that her grandfather forced her into anal sex and made her perform oral sex on him repeatedly. She said she had lived with him and her younger siblings her entire life, but moved out in February when the alleged abuse was revealed.

Recalling a text conversation with her girlfriend, whom she referred to as “wifey,” she admitted she initially lied, saying her grandfather had stopped molesting her two years prior. However, at the start of the year, she confessed the abuse had continued.

The complainant also told the court that her grandfather’s actions were the reason she no longer liked boys.

She revealed she had been too scared to tell her grandmother about the abuse but eventually conﬁded in her girlfriend. With her girlfriend’s encouragement, she disclosed the abuse to her mother in February.

In a text to her mother, the complainant said her grandfather had been “bothering” her since she was 12 and had never stopped. She expressed exhaustion from enduring the abuse for so long.

After the revelation, her

mother instructed her to pack her bags. Her grandmother picked her up to take her away from the house.

During cross-examination by the defendant’s attorney, Sonia Timothy Knowles, the complainant recounted an incident in May 2019. She said she was lying in her grandfather’s bed watching TV when he reached under the covers and touched her inappropriately. She claimed she just lay there as it happened, marking this as the ﬁrst instance of abuse.

She further testiﬁed that her siblings were either watching TV or playing outside when the abuse occurred. On another occasion, she said she cried when her grandfather ﬁrst tried to penetrate her anally, explaining she made a sound but not a loud cry.

The complainant admitted she once had a close relationship with her grandfather but began to resent him as the abuse continued.

She described him as strict and frightening, claiming he often prevented her from going out and was violent, hitting her with objects like rakes and hammers.

She testiﬁed that her grandfather touched her hip more than ten times over the years and forced her to perform oral sex frequently.

She further alleged the anal assaults began in mid2019 and continued until late 2023, happening every other week until 2022, when she brieﬂy ran away.

The complainant expressed frustration at herself for not speaking out

sooner and said she tried to avoid engaging with the defendant.

She ﬁrmly rejected Mrs Timothy Knowles’ suggestion that her grandfather never molested her and that she fabricated the claims to move to a less strict household to see her girlfriend.

When prosecutor Rashied Edgecombe asked her how the situation made her feel, she replied that it felt like a nightmare and that she tried not to think about it.

She informed Mr Edgecombe that she has developed trust issues with men due to the alleged abuse and that she attended therapy earlier this year.

Additionally, she claimed to have engaged in self-harm in the past but said her girlfriend was the reason she stopped.

Throughout her testimony, the complainant appeared visibly upset but remained calm and assured when answering

questions. Sergeant Brice testified that on February 7, 2024, she was present during a police confrontation between the complainant and the defendant, with the complainant’s mother also in attendance.

During this confrontation,

the complainant alleged that her grandfather had anally and orally molested her.

Sergeant Brice said the defendant objected to the confrontation without his lawyer and expressed that he felt embarrassed to do so in front of his “kids.”

unintentionally poked her in the eye. He further told the police that he urged

her to seek medical attention for her eye, which he paid

NORTH ABACO MP KIRK CORNISH

Ofﬁcials on the ground after hurricane

experienced widespread ﬂooding, including in areas that had never ﬂooded before, with various parts of Matthew Town being particularly affected.

Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) is working to restore electricity to the island. Although full power has not yet been restored, some areas have regained service.

Mr Cooper also highlighted damage to schools and the local clinic, emphasising the government’s commitment to providing resources for repairs.

Leon Lundy, the minister responsible for the Disaster Risk Management Authority, said ofﬁcials have not seen signiﬁcant damage in Inagua or other islands in the central and southern Bahamas. The assessment team is currently compiling reports to send to New Providence to determine the necessary funds for recovery.

He said the top priority is ensuring residents have the necessary resources to rebuild their lives. He said relief supplies are on the way, with additional aid arriving soon on the RBDF’s boat, Lawrence Major. Initial supplies have already been taken to the island for distribution to those in need.

On the ground, The Tribune observed some homes still boarded up. However, reporters were not shown much roof or water damage. Notably, the Inagua AllAge School, where dirty water still lined the ofﬁce ﬂoor, sustained visible damage.

Acting Principal Amapola Hanchell reported roof damage to the office and science lab. Some shingles were lost, and water had leaked into the building. Hanchell explained that the school remains closed as it has just regained power and is being cleaned up. She noted that around six inches of water had accumulated in the office area, which workers are working to remove. Officials aim to reopen the school after the midterm break once everything is dried and cleaned. She said one teacher had to evacuate her home due to flooding.

On Lighthouse Road, a water pump was being used to drain large ﬂoodwaters into the sea. Heavy equipment operator Norenson Palacious reported that around 12 residents were trapped in their homes due to ﬂooding. He explained that they were dealing with three to four acres of water and were working to drain it into the sea, noting that this was the third location

they had targeted for water removal.

Hurricane Oscar rapidly intensiﬁed from a tropical storm into a hurricane on Saturday. A hurricane warning was issued for Mayaguana, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, Ragged Island, and Inagua. Although it initially reached category one strength, the storm weakened to a tropical storm before making landfall.

George Harris, a radio host on Coast FM, provided updates every 20 minutes on Saturday, urging residents to prepare for the storm. He said there was no panic on the island.

“Most people here in Inagua keep their homes boarded up from June onwards, so when a storm comes, they’re already prepared,” he said.

When Hurricane Oscar hit on Sunday, Mr Harris recalled continuous rain in the morning and winds of 26 knots, which he described as “normal.” However, conditions worsened throughout the day.

“By three o’clock, the rain came hard, and we heard thunder and saw lightning,” he said. “By seven o’clock, it was hell. The winds were howling like a train, just like the sounds you see in videos of tornadoes. We were actually hearing that.”

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WORKERS on Inagua pump water that has become stagnent in hopes to decrease the results of flooding in areas and prevent the breeding of mosquitos on Inagua in the aftermath of Hurricane Oscar.

Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr

Govt officialS view inaGua after paSS aGe of oScar

Search for woman who ‘jumped’ from cruiSe Ship called off

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THE Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF)

has called off their search for a 66-year-old woman who went overboard from Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas near New Providence, Bahamas. The incident, which occurred late Tuesday evening while the ship was in transit, was conﬁrmed by video footage from the ship that showed the woman allegedly jumping overboard.

According to SAR Coordinator LCDR Byron McClain, the call came in

from the cruise line around 10.30PM. “We got a call from the Allure of the Seas reporting that they had a 66-year-old female woman that jumped from their cruise ship into the water some 17 nautical miles north of New Providence while in transit,” he said. The SAR coordinator said that the HMBS Madera was dispatched to the area, with the US Coast Guard helping in the search with helicopters and a ﬁxed-wing aircraft; however, despite these efforts, there were no positive sightings. He offered condolences to the family and loved ones of the victim.

It is unclear whether the 66-year-old woman was a participant of the partial charter cruise organised to capitalise on Taylor Swift fans attending the concert, who booked over 200 rooms for a four-day trip.

The cruise departed on October 21, 2024, following Ms Swift’s “Eras Tour” concert in Miami. Although the cruise was aimed at celebrating her music, Taylor Swift herself was not involved in the event.

According to reports in the US, roughly 400 people registered for the cruise, which was set to feature karaoke, a dance party and friendship bracelet trading.

OFFICIALS inspect Inagua after Hurricane Oscar. Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr

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Addressing court ruling a job for PM, not Mitchell

IN the wake of the court ruling that saw $1.6bn being awarded to Sarkis Izmirlian in the court battle with China Construction America, the government gave a quick response. It was brief, it was non-committal, but it was quick.

A note posted by the Office of the Prime Minister stated: “Prime Minister Davis directed Attorney General Ryan Pinder to conduct a review of the recent ruling issued by the Supreme Court of the State of New York in the case of BML Properties versus China Construction America.

“The Prime Minister has stated that the government will await the advice of the Office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs before making any further comments or decisions regarding the findings of the ruling.”

Whether that is satisfactory or not, it is at least a clear commitment on the part of Prime Minister Philip Davis to allow a review to take place before commenting.

What, then, are we to make of PLP chairman Fred Mitchell?

As reported in yesterday’s Tribune, Mr Mitchell weighed in on the matter unencumbered by the need for the outcome of that review.

He said of “all of the salacious stuff which came out of the developer’s statement about how there was a collusion with corrupt behaviour officials, there is no evidence of that”.

He urged Bahamians to be “sceptical” about anything that arises concerning the judgement, and said: “It is unfortunate that you have an investor having lost an investment, largely by what happened out of his own hand, now seeking to ascribe blame to others, but the main issue for us is The Bahamas government has no liability which arises out of this. Baha Mar is safe as an investment.”

In the case, held in New York, Justice Andrew Borrok ruled that Mr Izmirlian’s fraud claim against CCA was “established beyond doubt”, and that the contractor “knowingly and falsely” promised to meet the revised March 27, 2015, opening date for Baha Mar while concealing the

unlikelihood of achieving it. CCA has said it will appeal – and we shall see when and if that is filed.

The case also saw the judge rule that $2.3m paid by CCA to a company run by the son of then Prime Minister Perry Christie’s top advisor, Sir Baltron Bethel, was intended to “curry favour” and “gain access”. Sir Baltron and his son have denied any wrongdoing.

There is plenty to talk about the issues surrounding the case, of course – but let’s focus on Mr Mitchell for now.

The Prime Minister has said there will be no further comments or decisions regarding the findings until the outcome of the review.

The PLP party chairman has now proceeded to make comments regarding the court findings.

Mr Mitchell also wears a hat as Foreign Affairs Minister – part of the Cabinet. So why is he making comment when the leader of the government has said there will be no such comment? Cabinet has a collective responsibility, after all.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Ryan Pinder is now tasked with carrying out a review while his party chairman has already come out and said there is nothing to see here, move along.

Other senior figures have spoken about the matter – but in more general terms. The Health and Wellness Minister, Dr Michael Darville, has said this will not affect issues involving the construction of the new hospital, while Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper notably said he “won’t delve into those matters” but reiterated the country was investor-friendly.

Mr Mitchell may well have had Mr Davis’ blessing to come out with a strong defence of the previous PLP administration – but frankly it is something to be addressed by Mr Davis himself rather than his Foreign Minister.

The silence has been broken – if comment is being given, then so should answers to questions. And of those, there are plenty.

Tribute for Darold Miller

EDITOR, The Tribune.

[For Darold Miller,July 21, 1955 to October 6, 2024].

Darold Miller, Deceased, Mr Indefatigable… he used to raise the bar, way up -he used to raise the tone - provide the tune - the way Bishop Eldon could and did, in the absence of an organist…

Bishop Eldon said he knew the tune of every hymn in the entire A & E Hymn Book. If no one else was present he knew how a hymn went, he did … this is the type of authority, the kind of confidence with which Darold approached broadcasting. Whatever situationwhatever occasion,he’d seize the bull by the horns - he’d get the ball rolling - he’d get the show on the road.

Living without radio or TV, newspapers or any way to get, or to hear the news, it was by word of mouth that it came to me what is ultimately the most reliable means of broadcasting… on a number 7A bus with two

LETTERS

letters@tribunemedia.net

pastors, one at the wheel and the other in front, in what is like the co-pilot’s seat and the co-pilot said, as we got to that junction with that white house on the corner, on the left:

“This is where the late Darold Miller used to live.

“My mind went into a swirl - into a whirl, hearing implied what was shockingly new information.

“What? Who?”

I enquired and these two pastors updated me, informed me that Darold Miller, well known reporter from ZNS, passed away last week and that white house, right there, that we had just gone by, on the corner of Minnie Street and Balfour Avenue, is where he grew up.

“What a broadcaster he was, and now he’s gone. His is certainly one of those voices on ZNS Radio - voices and

faces on ZNS TV that the nation will well remember - will remember for a long time.

His, along with Charles Carter, Ed Bethel, Calsey Johnson, Mike Smith, Anthony Newbold, Carlton Smith, Phil Smith, Wendall Jones, Steve McKinney, Obie Wilchombe, Al Dillette, Picewell Forbes, another one of these voices lost, another one of these voices,silenced by death for us all to regret… RIP, soldier, you have fought valiantly -left an example for others to emulate - left big boots for others to have to fill who among those left behind will step up to fill - to take the place that he has left vacant his seat at the broadcasting table, about which the loftiest figures/minds/ voices gathered to confer - with Miller hosting what transpired… expired and gone. RIP, friend, patriot, Bahamian son.

OBEDIAH M SMITH Nassau, October 22, 2024.

Musings on Mosko project

EDITOR, The Tribune. ROCK Point...West Bay…let’s state the law as to access to the beach... public have right up to 10ft above high water mark. their eastern boundary stone wall questionably blocks access but there is no law, I suggest not having a boundary wall-fence... this issue is void.

I totally support the Mosko concept, then Public Works-Planning must divert-detour the existing line of West Bay, if they don’t - traffic and pedestrian chaos.

By detouring, straightening the bend to connect to the approach from the West close to Sapodilla makes enormous sense. This will allow adequate parking where patrons of the Mosko facility will not have to cross West Bay - no parking issues or continued flooding. Noise? The law is clear if anyone makes undue noise any time of the day not just after 10.00pm they have the right to report to the police... that issue finished with.

Had always envisaged a luxury five-star restaurant

with a Private Gaming Club on this location... the beach club concept, the developer needs to explain what market is he looking at - will it involve numerous buses etc? A clarification on that important. Physical Planning Committee should support this project as long as the small points raised are covered... our product needs these facilities. Must straighten West Bay, eliminate the existing bend and flooding!

M THOMPSON Nassau, October 21, 2024.

Minnis claims FNM party leadership blocking him

from page one

He said he did not know the reason behind the party’s treatment of him, but had some ideas and felt slighted over the situation.

“That’s the leadership policy,” he said. “I don’t think any FNM should be subjected to that.”

Dr Sands, however, denied the claims.

“Dr Minnis is allowed to speak and has been speaking at memorial services,” he said. “He obviously speaks at Killarney meetings. There is no restriction for him to speak at any FNM sanctioned or official event.”

Dr Sands criticised Dr Minnis for creating what he called a “false narrative” during a time when more pressing issues

affecting Bahamians should be addressed.

“It is tone deaf and absolutely untrue,” he said. This latest sign of friction between Dr Minnis and the FNM’s leadership comes amid uncertainty about his future in the party.

At the party’s one-day convention in June, Mr Pintard decisively won the leadership race, securing 486 votes to Dr Minnis’s 163.

While party officials have claimed to extend an “olive branch” to the former leader, Dr Minnis has denied this. It remains unclear whether he will seek to run in the next general election under the FNM’s banner as he has remained tightlipped on the matter. Dr Sands declined to confirm or deny whether Dr Minnis has participated in the FNM’s

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“That is not by policy,” he said. “That is not by design. That is by his choice.”

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By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement (FNM) Leader Michael Pintard has ramped up his criticism of the government, hitting out at Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Fred Mitchell following a New York State Supreme Court ruling that awarded Baha Mar’s original developer, Sarkis Izmirlian, over $1.6bn in damages in a fraud and breach of contract case against China Construction America (CCA), the project’s main contractor.

Mr Pintard called the ruling “the latest in a long list of international embarrassments” and accused Mr Mitchell of making “silly, nonsensical, and comical” remarks that contradicted the Ofﬁce of the Prime Minister’s (OPM) position. He slammed the government’s handling of the case, saying: “The reputation of The Bahamas is clearly not a priority for the PLP.”

In a statement released on Sunday, the OPM said Attorney General Ryan Pinder had been instructed to review the judgement and no further comment would be made until the review was complete. On Tuesday, Press Secretary Keishla Adderley could not provide a timeline for when Mr Pinder’s review of the New York State Supreme Court ruling would be completed.

Mr Pintard dismissed OPM’s response as a “lame and empty non-response”.

After Mr Mitchell, the PLP chairman, issued his own statement, defending the government, denying corruption, and attacking the original Baha Mar developer, Mr Pintard ﬁred back, saying Mr Mitchell

often behaves as if he were the Prime Minister.

“It is no secret that Fred Mitchell is typically out of control and acts as if he is the actual Prime Minister,” he said. “But even by Mr Mitchell’s low standards, his comments are silly, nonsensical, and comical. Mr Mitchell’s defence of the PLP is: Don’t mind the facts, ignore them and believe whatever nonsense I tell you.”

Mr Pintard also questioned the government’s commitment to investigating corruption linked to Baha Mar, expressing doubt that Mr Pinder could conduct an impartial inquiry, as he was part of the PLP Cabinet during the Perry Christie administration when allegations of collusion surfaced.

“We recall that this is the same government and Foreign Minister who has shown contempt for freedom of information,

contempt for campaign ﬁnance legislation, and contempt for accountability and transparency,” Mr Pintard said.

“The Opposition does not have faith in an investigation done by Attorney General Ryan Pinder, who sat in the PLP Cabinet when various ofﬁcials in the Perry Christie administration were colluding with a new investor to oust the original investor at Baha Mar.”

“An independent investigation is needed over the allegations of corruption at Baha Mar. Sadly, from allegations of corruption at the Royal Bahamas Police Force to the newest allegations of corruption by PLP ofﬁcials related to the recent ruling, most Bahamians realise that the PLP will sweep these latest allegations under a large, worn-out rug that is getting dirtier and dirtier by the day.”

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Familiarity with products of major local Carriers (primarily Group products)

Develop and maintain excellent Carrier relationships

Identify problems, summarize and develop strategic solutions

Receive, resolve, and communicate with clients for all new and ongoing service issues

Develop employee memorandum drafts for client to communicate annual renewal changes, enrollment procedures, miscellaneous benefit changes and/or clarifications

Manage accounts and contacts within the firm’s agency management system Create and prepare employee facing open enrollment materials or other employee communication materials throughout the year

Provide training to support staff on benefits products, renewals, new business, administration, onboarding and customer support

Other miscellaneous duties as assigned

REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALITIES:

Must have a Long-Term Insurance Salesperson Licence and retain licence by meeting the continuing education requirements

Minimum 3-5 years prior group insurance experience preferred 4-year college degree or industry specific designation preferred

Excellent communication skills, both oral and written

Strong presentation skills

Strong attention to detail and ability to self-check work

Ability to manage workload independently

Excellent time management skills

Task oriented excellent organizational skills ability to prioritize workload

Enthusiastic attitude cooperative team player adaptable to new or changing circumstances, professional demeanor, sensitive to client needs self-motivated creative and innovative

Excellent problem-solving skills

High level of computer literacy including working knowledge of Windows 10 Excel Word Outlook Teams and PowerPoint

Salary is negotiable and commensurate with experience

Health Insurance benefits included

and Cover

The inability and necessity to offer mercy and forgiveness

“TEACH me to feel another’s woe, to hide the fault I see, that mercy I to others show, that mercy show to me.”

– Alexander Pope

THE inability or ability to move beyond our own inner rage or anger in order to forgive another often says more about our own inner and spiritual state than it is does about those who require or need our forgiveness. We are unable to mature or grow when our egos are fragile and wedded to past hurts and internalising other people’s behavior. Storing up hurts and wounds and constantly regurgitating them in our hearts and minds or toward others stymies our openness and capacity to forgive and to reconcile.

As they grow older, parents and children must forgive each other for disappointments and the pain they caused each other. Into adulthood, some parents and children seem incapable of letting go of past mistakes and arguments. New events often trigger or reopen old wounds, problems and patterns of behaviour.

How often do we see couples bicker and row, with one or both of the partners constantly dragging up the past as well as perceived and real

sleights and wounds?

The plea for mercy and forgiveness is one of the most ancient prayers in the Judaeo-Christian tradition by penitents seeking and celebrating divine mercy in private prayer and at public worship. Throughout the Christian Gospels are those hungry and thirsty for mercy: the woman caught in adultery, the family of Lazarus, the publican, Peter after denying Jesus, the apostles panicked amidst stormy weather, the thief crucified alongside Jesus, and others pining to taste and see the goodness of the Lord. Their common supplication: “Lord, have mercy!”

Fr James Keenan, SJ, preaches that mercy is, “the willingness to enter into the chaos of others.” For Christians, the God of Love is

‘When we forgive, reconcile, and show mercy beyond measure we manifest the image and likeness in which we are wonderfully made.’

incarnate in Jesus Christ, who unreservedly entered into the chaos and mess of the human condition.

What a reckless act of love, so profound that we are compelled, in the image and likeness of the God in Whom we are wonderfully, brilliantly and awesomely made, to offer and to receive that very same gift of mercy. To be merciful is to act as would Christ.

We are irrevocably screwed up as human beings, seemingly broken beyond repair, or seeming repair or full or partial repair. Refashioned, renewed, forgiven, granted mercy, we keep breaking, smashed by our own hands and the hands of others, especially those closest to our heart.

Each of us is like a precious vessel, shattered throughout life by addictions, merry- go-rounds of self-pity, pathologies, personality kinks and disorders, Achilles heels, betrayals, brokenness, pretensions, hypocrisies, deadly sins, weariness and more. And, yet.

There is a glue that repairs the cracks: love. We are lovable, capable of love, because we are flawed. Perfection can be quite boring. But reconciliation, forgiveness and mercy are wondrous. To be gingerly pieced back together by the loving hands and the courageous patience of a spouse, partner, parent, guardian, friend or community is joy incarnate. We screwed up human beings are capable of unimaginable goodness and beauty. The most beautiful painting in the world pales in comparison to the capacity for love.

In The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, there is a dialogue among the Trinitarian community whose Divine Heart feels the sin and endless pining of the bodies and souls made in their image and likeness.

Christ, the Divine Mercy, is sent to smash the original sin of human

beings who keep forgetting their original blessing of being crafted in the image of their Creator.

We are the ultimate expression in creation of God’s love. When we forgive, reconcile, and show mercy beyond measure we manifest the image and likeness in which we are wonderfully made.

Mercy can make old eyes, habits and attitudes profoundly new; unsettling and refreshing the terra firma on which we

live and move, daring to have our being. If we are fortunate, we grasp with new eyes, what has been at work since creation, and which unfolds and continues in our being and consciousness.

Anger and rage keep us in darkness. They are blinders that do not permit the indwelling of light.

At the foot of the cross, we meet fellow weak and loveable souls seeking, searching for mercy.

Blessed by our falls and terrible mistakes, we are invited to become more merciful toward ourselves and others.

A dear friend, a cancer survivor, who is also Jewish, wrote me a note a few years ago, after reading essays by author Marilynne Robinson. My friend, a veteran educator, wrote: “Most recently, I am reading her essay collection, When I was young I read books. In particular, I was moved by a piece she wrote on Moses and the way the Old Testament and Ten Commandments have been unfairly reviled by many scholars throughout the years as a violent and merciless tract supervised by a jealous and vengeful God.

“What is ironic, is that after all my reading of the Bible as a child, I never understood the ethical themes that she reveals in her essay.

“Indeed, it is in the Old Testament that there is mercy for the poor in the required gleaning and forgiveness of debtors, the release of all indentured servants and slaves after seven years, and many other citations that she weaves into her remarkable essay.

“Her Christianity is a beautiful vision as she evokes in her novel, Gilead, for example and in her most recent work, Lila. What is truly wonderful is that Pope Francis expresses this same open handedness that is, for me, the loveliness of a relationship with God.” Robinson once observed: “Love is holy

because it is like grace – the worthiness of its object is never really what matters.”

The merciful Christ of the New Testament rescued the woman caught in adultery from being stoned to death by a mob of the self-righteous determined to impose on her a capital punishment.

The frightened woman was in need of love, compassion, tenderness, healing. Correspondingly, Jesus’s first response was mercy not recrimination, blaming, throwing more stones, shaming, fireballs of indignation, self-absorption and belligerence.

Fr James Martin, SJ, directly addressed the question of judging:

“But in the Gospels, it is God (or Jesus) who does the judging, not us. Jesus counsels his disciples not to judge but rather to show mercy. Indeed, Jesus not only counsels this, he demonstrates it by consistently approaching public ‘sinners’ with an offer of forgiveness rather than condemnation.”

When we are open to and offer or accept invitations of mercy, we upend and disarm the many disguises of pride, many of which try to seduce cum trick us into believing that we are well or good or better than others, though we may actually be spiritually numb or considerably unwell.

In demonstrating mercy we may begin to acknowledge and lessen our egotism, defensiveness, need to be right, wounded pride, selfabsorption with our own pain, feeling sorry for ourselves, condemnation, self-righteousness.

When we offer mercy and forgiveness we begin to heal others as well as ourselves. How can we truly claim to love Christ, if we continue to store up and act upon resentments to those we claim to be made in God’s image and likeness?

Mercy is always an act of profound conversion!

If Harris wins, it will be because of Trump

THIS arrived in emailboxes all across the US on Monday and Tuesday, after Donald Trump worked part of a shift at a MacDonalds restaurant:

“Friend, I just left McDonald’s. That was fun!

“I am the ﬁrst and only 2024 presidential nominee to work at McDonald’s.

“This is the great work of the American people. I worked the fry cooker, bagged some meals, and served some hungry folks at the drive-thru.

“Under the Harris Regime, great American burgers and fries have only gotten more expensive.

“Prices are through the roof, and I won’t stand for it.”

Recipients of the Trump campaign’s mass mailings were also offered the opportunity, via separate emails, to donate ﬁve dollars to his campaign in order to compete to “win an Elon Musk dark MAGA hat, signed by me”.

Both solicitations were signed by Trump.

The Democrats and Kamala Harris reply with warnings of the apocalypse that a Trump victory would unleash. “Just listen to him,” they repeat. “Is that what you want?”

The US presidential election is ﬁnally entering the home stretch. It seems that most voters have made up their minds by now in an election clearly dominated and largely deﬁned by Trump. He is who he is, and people have decided how they feel about him.

Whether or not Harris and the Democrats like it, the reality is that like Joe Biden did four years ago, Kamala Harris will win – if she wins – simply because she isn’t Donald Trump.

Who will win? Two veteran politicians, both very successful in their public life and representing two constituencies that could hardly be more different from each other, offered their forecasts during the past week.

These forecasts differed very little. Perhaps that wasn’t too surprising in light of the following.

Americans for months have been besieged by several sources essentially serving up the following message. Polls, and the two major political parties themselves, have portrayed this year’s presidential races as not only existentially vital for America’s future but also too close to call.

The numbers and percentages have bounced

STATESIDE

with Charlie Harper

around since Biden left the race three months ago, and the Democratic national convention seemed to solidify a boost for Harris that has largely remained intact. But what the polls call the “margin of error” for their statistical analyses has remained steady.

It all means that few pundits are forecasting a winner at this point.

Both parties, seeing a fundraising and consciousness-raising opportunity in portraying the contest as virtually tied, have ampliﬁed the pollsters’ views about the closeness of the race.

Maybe that’s true. But while in most of the American presidential races this century the recorded vote totals fell within the ‘margin of error,’ they have in fact not been as close as was forecast when the state votes in the electoral college were tallied.

It was precisely that

electoral vote tally that the Trump-incited mob tried to impede and change when they stormed the US capitol on January 6, 2021. If either Harris or Trump were to win Pennsylvania and three of the other six “battleground states”, their electoral vote total would almost certainly rise to over 300, well above the 270 votes needed to secure victory.

In 2020, Joe Biden garnered 306 electoral college votes en route to victory. Trump won 304 four years earlier. Previously, Barack Obama rolled to much bigger wins, garnering 365 (2008) and 332 (2012) as he twice earned a four-year stay in the White House. But none of them surpassed 53 percent of the overall vote.

Harris is virtually assured of winning the popular vote, as Hillary Clinton did in 2016 as she nevertheless lost the election. The

Democrats are certain to run up big popular vote margins in the big cities of the American Northeast, Illinois and California that will far outstrip corresponding GOP gains in Texas and Florida.

As early voting has begun in most states, the suspense rises. Election Night should be full of drama.

Back to the two local ofﬁcials. Paul is the county executive of a solidly red district in what is sometimes called the “nearMidwest” where he is the senior elected ofﬁcial and exerts primary executive authority. There is a county legislature, but ultimate power practically resides with the county executive.

Betty is chair of a ﬁve-person elected county board in the midAtlantic region which exercises overall authority over a powerful but unelected county manager. This Democrat-dominated district is overwhelmingly blue.

“I have met Trump a couple of times,” Paul was saying last week. “We were able to speak together backstage at one of his rallies, and again not long afterward at a big dinner honoring one of my Republican colleagues.

“In person, Trump is really quite different from the big, bombastic personality that we all see on TV

and at his events. He’s actually rather soft-spoken, not at all unprepared for some chat with the people he is likely to encounter at such meetings, and he is surprisingly thoughtful.

“He asked me a couple of questions that showed both that he was briefed and that he was curious about what I would say in reply.

I have to say,” Paul continued, “that if I were advising him, I’d suggest that Trump show more of that personality on the big stages where he is always appearing. There’s no question that the bombast brings out the big crowds and stirs up his followers. But he has to attract at least some voters beyond that loyal base of his.”

As for the coming election, Paul said “I have no idea. I do think that if I had to place a bet right now, I’d say Harris will win. There is a bit of fatigue with Trump. He hasn’t really changed that much in the ten years he’s been on the national stage, except that he’s gotten sharper, more resentful, too reliant on old language and old grievances. He really needs a refresh.

“I’m frankly a bit tired of it myself, though I do agree with his policies and I agree that Biden and Harris haven’t done well in too many areas. Yes, the economy and immigration are the big ones, but the US is facing too many crises overseas too, and the Democrats have to own that.”

Betty, like many Democrats, is fed up with Trump and the Republicans who

“have cringed in the corner, enabling him, while Trump rants. They’re cowards. They should stand up to his bullying behavior, and speak out loud what they tell me and others when there are no microphones around.

I like Harris,” Betty continued. “She’s a ﬁghter. She will win. I especially like the fact that she doesn’t just wave off Trump as some kind of aberration, almost a curiosity whom the voters will clearly reject. That’s what Hillary Clinton did in 2016, and she lost an election she should have won easily.

“But at the same time, it’s true that Biden beneﬁtted from COVID. It permitted him, as the Republicans correctly said, to campaign basically, from his basement in Delaware. And Trump handled that tragic pandemic which killed so many people with such casual callousness… Don’t get me started on that.”

But Betty’s community is also close enough to Washington DC that she is genuinely concerned about security on and after Election Night.

“We have to learn from what happened on January 6,” she said. “I see real trouble on the horizon. The outcome that feels impossible to expect next month is exactly the one we have seen in America in every election in my lifetime except the most recent one: An acceptance by the loser, gracious statements by the winner, and getting on with the business of a peaceful transition to the new administration.

“Trump is promising more of the same trouble he unleashed four years ago. I believe him.” Betty has spent a lot of time and effort during the past several months directing county emergency management and law enforcement ofﬁcials to update contingency plans for mayhem in the streets of her county.

She has reached out to state and federal authorities for their advice and support, and has convened several relevant planning sessions. “I think it would be altogether irresponsible not to plan for Trump and his supporters to wreak more havoc after the election than they did four years ago.”

REPUBLICAN presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, left, uses a frier as an employee looks on during a visit to McDonald’s in Feasterville-Trevose, Pensylannia, Sunday.

Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times/AP

PM talks climate crisis, reparations and collaboration at CHOGM 2024 in Samoa

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip Davis engaged in discussions to enhance disaster resilience and foster economic opportunities for Bahamians during this week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2024 in Apia, Samoa.

The highlight of the event was the launch of “Joining the Dots: A Holistic Approach for Disaster Resilience”, which unveiled the Commonwealth Disaster Resilience Centre (CDRC). This new platform aims to facilitate collaboration among Commonwealth nations in the face of escalating climate challenges.

In his remarks, Mr Davis lauded the Commonwealth Secretary-General for her leadership in this initiative, emphasising the urgent need for a uniﬁed response to the threats posed by climate change.

“As Small Island Developing States (SIDS), we are on the frontline of the climate crisis, facing everincreasing threats from natural disasters,” he said.

“Today’s launch signiﬁes a pivotal step towards a more cohesive approach in disaster resilience, enabling us to share knowledge, resources, and strategies across borders.”

Mr Davis stressed the importance of a holistic strategy that integrates health, climate adaptation, ﬁnance, and infrastructure, underscoring the success of initiatives like COMPASS, a collaborative ﬁnancing model. He called for dismantling silos that hinder effective responses to disasters, aiming for stronger, more resilient communities.

The discussions at CHOGM gathered key stakeholders, including government leaders, experts, and civil society representatives, to explore best practices and innovative solutions for enhancing disaster

resilience across the Commonwealth. The emphasis was on shaping policies that address climate adaptation, sustainable ﬁnancing, and robust infrastructure to withstand climate impacts.

In addition to focusing on disaster resilience, Mr Davis held a bilateral meeting with Ghanaian President Nana AkufoAddo, addressing Ghana’s candidacy for Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral and the issue of reparations. Both leaders advocated for solidarity between Caribbean and African nations, highlighting the need for continued dialogue and collaboration on shared historical concerns.

“This meeting reinforced the strong ties between

The Bahamas and Ghana,” said Mr Davis said. “By working together within the Commonwealth framework, we can advance our mutual interests and strengthen our shared commitments.”

At the Commonwealth Business Forum, Mr Davis delivered an address on the potential for economic growth and innovation. The forum, themed “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming Our Common Wealth,” focused on issues affecting Commonwealth nations, including ﬁnance, trade, and sustainable innovation.

“The Commonwealth is more than just a network of nations; it is an economic powerhouse that can drive meaningful

benefits for our people,” Mr Davis said. “Our focus on blended finance and strategic partnerships has already led to significant projects, creating jobs and diversifying our economy.”

Highlighting recent successes, Mr Davis recalled the Afreximbank’s General Meeting and the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum, which brought over 7,000 delegates to New Providence earlier this year. He said the event facilitated new trade connections, showcasing The Bahamas as a gateway between the Caribbean and Africa.

He also discussed innovative ﬁnancial solutions, such as the Pan African Payments and Settlements System (PAPSS), aimed at simplifying cross-border

transactions.

“By streamlining transactions, PAPSS makes it easier for Bahamian exporters to engage in trade with African partners, boosting exports and creating growth opportunities,” he said.

Addressing broader themes, he emphasised that the Commonwealth’s resilience lies in its capacity to unite around shared values and goals. He advocated for decisive action against climate change and economic inequalities, which disproportionately affect small island states like The Bahamas.

“The challenges we face — rising seas, stronger storms, and economic volatility — impact our daily lives,” he noted. “Through cooperation and shared

resolve, we can create solutions that build resilience and drive sustainable development.”

He reaffirmed The Bahamas’ commitment to the Bridgetown Financing Agenda, supporting reforms to create a fairer global financial system for nations burdened by high debt. He expressed confidence that by working together, the Commonwealth can be a force for good, nurturing human talent and fostering economic collaboration.

“Let us strive for a Commonwealth where wealth, knowledge, and opportunity are accessible to all,” he urged. “Together, we can build a community united in purpose, driving forward a new era of inclusive economic growth.”

PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis speaks during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Apia, Samoa yesterday.

Photos: BIS

Cooper: Izmirlian and CCA legal dispute a ‘sideshow’ with no effect on investments

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper dismissed concerns that the $1.6 billion ruling favouring Sarkis Izmirlian, the original developer of Baha Mar, against China Construction America (CCA) would affect the Bahamas’ investment climate or economic stability.

He called the legal dispute a “sideshow” between two private parties, assuring the public that the country’s reputation as an investor-friendly destination remains intact.

“This will run its course in the courts, as we see, there has already been some appeals,” Mr Cooper said.

He added: “I won’t delve into those matters except to say that The Bahamas has a long-standing track record of being an investor-friendly environment.”

The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the nation’s success in

attracting foreign investment, saying that over $10 billion had been secured in the past two and a half years.

“We expect foreign direct investments to continue at an all-time high,”

Mr Cooper said.

Last week, New York State Supreme Court Judge Andrew Borrok ruled in favour of Mr Izmirlian, ﬁnding that CCA had acted in bad faith by misleading him about the completion timeline for the Baha Mar project, leading to its 2015 bankruptcy.

Judge Borrok labelled the construction delays and mismanagement as “an absolute sham and shakedown” that triggered the ﬁnancial collapse.

Mr Cooper remained adamant that the ruling would not impede Baha Mar’s ongoing operations, which are now under different ownership.

“I don’t anticipate that this matter will have any impact on the operations of Baha Mar,” he said. “It’s expected to be business as

usual.”

Mr Cooper also addressed concerns from the opposition, who have suggested that the government has not been accountable in managing the Baha Mar situation.

He rejected these claims outright, saying: “I’m not sure what the leader of the opposition is talking about. Our government has been extremely accountable to the Bahamian people. We have reported consistently on all matters.”

“The prime minister has regular press updates. Ministers of the government speak to the press regularly and consistently.”

He said that there had been a lag in tourist arrivals due to recent US hurricanes and upcoming elections, but projected a strong recovery in November and December.

He said the ruling should not distract from The Bahamas’ broader economic goals.

“We’re going to continue to work with the Bahamian people,” he said.

Eight-year-old’s death ruled a suicide by police

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

Chief Reporter

POLICE have completed their investigation into the death of eightyear-old Mariano Cheryl, ruling it a suicide.

Mariano, a third-grade student at TG Glover, was found unresponsive in his bedroom on October 10 with a belt around his neck, hanging from the security bars of a window. He was taken to hospital by EMS, but died shortly after arrival.

His tragic death shocked the community and sparked wide-ranging discussions on social media.

Mariano’s mother spoke to The Tribune last week

P OLI C E rule eight-year-old Mariano Cheryl’s death a suicide.

about the moments leading up to his death. She said he had disagreed with his family over what to watch on TV before retreating to his room, where he reportedly took his own life.

She suspects social media may have played a role, as Mariano frequently watched TikTok, YouTube, and played games on Roblox, an online game platform. Her message to other parents was clear: “Make memories with your children. Watch what they watch on social media because the kids may seem happy, but they like to try things.”

Dr Wendy Fernander, president of the Bahamas Psychological Association, said Mariano’s death is the youngest case of suspected suicide the association has ever recorded. She noted that suicide is most common among young people aged 15 to 24.

IMM I GRAT I ON CARRY OUT ROUT I NE EXERC I SE - DETA I N 31 PEOPLE

THE Department of Immigration conducted an operation in Cable Beach from 5.30am to 9.30pm yesterday that resulted in the detention of at least 31 people, all of whom are Haitian nationals, for various infractions of immigration laws.

Officials said such operations are routine and part of their ongoing efforts to enforce immigration regulations.

“This is something that we do all the time; this is nothing unusual, nothing out of the ordinary. We do this every day, and it is an ongoing process,” said a spokesperson from the Department of Immigration. Further details regarding the specific infractions and the next steps for those detained were not immediately available.

FRIENDS OF THE ENV IRONMENT LAUNCHES A teacher’s guide for t he Bahamas’ ecosystem

FRIENDS of the Environment announced their newest educational resource, “Ecosystems of The Bahamas: A Teacher’s Guide”, published by Media Enterprises. This guide highlights the major Bahamian ecosystems, including key species, ecosystem services, threats, and conservation measures. Designed specifically for teachers, the guide includes sample classroom and field activities and field trip suggestions. Although it was designed for high school teachers, the guide is an appropriate

reference resourcel for anyone wishing to learn more about The Bahamian environment. A digital copy of the guide is freely available on Friends of the Environment’s website. The guide was completed with the help of many Bahamian and international scientists offering their expertise and chapter contributions, as well as contributions from The Nature Conservancy-Bahamas and the Devereux Ocean Foundation.

Friends is happy to be partnering with the Bahamas Union of Teachers

(BUT) who will be distributing the guide. With their help the guide will be distributed to every high school in The Bahamas. Friends thanks all who helped make this possible. Friends of the Environment is an environmental non-proﬁt organization based in Marsh Harbour, Abaco. FRIENDS was founded in 1988 and has reached over 27,000 students through environmental education programs. Our mission is to preserve Abaco’s environment through education, conservation and research facilitation.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER CHESTER COOPER

BAHAMAS

Elderly man ﬁned $5,000 for employing foreign worker on his ﬁshing vessel

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN elderly man was fined $5,000 in court last week after admitting to employing a foreigner on his fishing vessel two years ago. Senior Justice Cheryl Grant Thompson presided as Stanley Deveaux, 71, was sentenced for prohibited commercial fishing by a non-Bahamian. Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers found

“Dunkin’ for BooBies” returns friDay

RADIO House’s “Dunkin’ for Boobies” returns on Friday, October 25th, 2024, from 7am to 10am at The Radio House, on Shirley Street. Come together to raise funds in support of The Cancer Society of The Bahamas and increase breast cancer awareness. Local businesses can participate by dunking a “favourite” boss, employee, or even one of your beloved DJs for a minimum donation of $300.00. Sign up today and get recognized on 100 Jamz, Kiss 96, and Y98 as one of their esteemed sponsors!

Deveaux operating a ﬁshing vessel in Exuma Sound, harvesting conch with a non-Bahamian crew member, on September 30, 2022. The defendant pleaded guilty to the offence earlier this month.

In his latest court appearance, he apologised for his actions. Cordell Frazier, the prosecutor, recommended a ﬁne of $10,000. Mrs Frazier also noted that Deveaux could have faced a maximum ﬁne of

$250,000. The defendant requested a reduction to $5,000, citing the ﬁnancial strain of frequent travel abroad for medical treatment.

Justice Grant Thompson agreed and ordered the defendant to make three payments in April, July, and October 2025. Deveaux was also placed on three years probation, with a two-year prison sentence if any conditions were breached. He is scheduled to return to court on October 30.

Israeli strikes pound Lebanese coastal city after evacuation of residents

TYRE Associated Press

ISRAELI jets struck multiple buildings in Lebanon’s southern coastal city of Tyre on Wednesday, sending up large clouds of black smoke, while Hezbollah conﬁrmed that a top ofﬁcial widely expected to be the militant group’s next leader had been killed in an Israeli strike.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that an Israeli strike on the nearby town of Maarakeh killed three people. There were no reports of casualties in Tyre, where the Israeli military had issued evacuation warnings prior to the strikes.

Hezbollah meanwhile ﬁred more rockets into Israel, including two that set off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv before being intercepted. A cloud of smoke could be seen in the sky from the hotel where US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was staying on his latest visit to the region to try to renew cease-ﬁre talks.

On Wednesday night, the Israeli military said another four “projectiles” crossed from Lebanon into Israel, with two intercepted and one falling in open land. There were no immediate reports of injuries, the military said.

Hezbollah confirmed that top official Hashem Safieddine had been killed in an announcement one day after Israel said it had killed him in a strike earlier this month in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Saﬁeddine, a powerful cleric within the party ranks, had been expected to succeed Hassan Nasrallah, one of the group’s founders, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike last month.

Hezbollah said Saﬁeddine had “joined his brother, our most noble and precious martyr,” Nasrallah.

The militant group began ﬁring rockets, missiles and drones into Israel, drawing retaliatory airstrikes, after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack from Gaza triggered the war there. All-out war

erupted in Lebanon last month, and Israeli strikes killed Nasrallah and most of his senior commanders. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon at the beginning of October. Tyre, a provincial capital, had largely been spared, but strikes in and around the city have intensiﬁed recently.

The 2,500-year-old city, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of Beirut, is known for its pristine beaches, ancient harbour and imposing Roman ruins and hippodrome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is among Lebanon’s largest cities and a vibrant metropolis popular with tourists.

The buildings struck Wednesday were between several heritage sites, including the hippodrome and a cluster of seaside sites associated with the ancient Phoenicians and the Crusaders.

The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings a couple of hours before the strikes for dozens of

buildings in the heart of the city. It told residents to move north of the Awali River, dozens of kilometres (miles) to the north.

Avichay Adraee, an Israeli military spokesman, said on the platform X there were Hezbollah assets in the area, without elaborating or providing evidence.

The Shiite Muslim Hezbollah has a strong presence in the city, and its legislators are members of the group or its allies. But Tyre is also home to civilians with no ties to the group, including a sizable Christian community.

Civil Defense ﬁrst responders warned residents through loudspeakers to evacuate and helped older adults and others who had difﬁculty leaving.

Ali Saﬁeddine, the head of the Civil Defense, told The Associated Press there were no casualties.

Dr. Wissam Ghazal, a health ofﬁcial in Tyre, said

US conﬁrms North Korea has sent 3,000 troops to Russia for training and possible Ukraine combat

WASHINGTON

THE US said Wednesday that 3,000 North Korean troops have deployed to Russia and are training at several locations, calling the move very serious and warning that those forces will be “fair game” if they go into combat in Ukraine.

The deployment raises the potential for the North Koreans to join Russian forces in Ukraine and suggests expanded military ties between the two nations as Moscow seeks weapons and troops to gain ground in a grinding war that has stalemated after more than two years.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called it a “next step” after the North has provided Russia with arms, and said Pyongyang could face consequences for aiding Russia directly. His comments were the first public US confirmation of North Korea sending troops to Russia — a development South Korean officials disclosed but was denied by Pyongyang and Moscow.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the US believes that at least 3,000 North Korean soldiers travelled by ship to Vladivostok, Russia’s largest Paciﬁc port, in early to mid-October.

“These soldiers then travelled onward to multiple Russian military training sites in eastern Russia, where they are currently undergoing training,” Kirby said. “We do not yet know whether

these soldiers will enter into combat alongside the Russian military, but this is certainly a highly concerning probability.”

Kirby said they could go to western Russian and then engage in combat against Ukraine’s forces, but both he and Austin said the US continues to assess the situation.

Exactly what the North Korean troops are doing in Russia was “left to be seen,” Austin told reporters in Rome.

He added: “If they’re cobelligerents, their intention is to participate in this war on Russia’s behalf, that is a very, very serious issue, and it will have impacts not only in Europe, it will also impact things in the Indo-Paciﬁc.”

Kirby warned, however, that “I can tell you one thing, though, if they do deploy to ﬁght against Ukraine, they’re fair game.”

He said a key question is what North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un is getting out of this.

Russia and North Korea have sharply boosted their cooperation in the past two years, and in June they signed a major defence deal requiring both countries to use all available means to provide immediate military assistance if either is attacked.

South Korean ofﬁcials worry that Russia may reward North Korea by giving it sophisticated weapons technologies that could boost its nuclear and missile programs that target

South Korea. South Korea said Tuesday it would consider supplying weapons to Ukraine in response to the reported troop dispatch.

South Korea’s spy chief had told lawmakers that 3,000 North Korean troops are now in Russia receiving training on drones and other equipment before being deployed to battleﬁelds in Ukraine.

South Korean intelligence ﬁrst publicized reports that the Russian navy had taken 1,500 North Korean special warfare troops to Russia this month, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his government had intelligence that 10,000 North Korea soldiers were being prepared to join the invading Russian forces.

On Wednesday, South Korean National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong told lawmakers that another 1,500 North Korean troops have entered Russia, according to lawmaker Park Sunwon, who attended Cho’s closed-door brieﬁng.

Cho told lawmakers his agency assessed that North Korea aims to deploy a total of 10,000 troops to Russia by December, Park told reporters.

Park cited Cho as saying the 3,000 North Korean soldiers sent to Russia have been split among multiple military bases.

Cho told lawmakers that NIS believes they have yet to be deployed in battle, Park said.

Also speaking jointly about the brieﬁng,

“Al-Mayadeen holds the Israeli occupation accountable for the attack on a known media ofﬁce for a known media outlet,” the TV station said. It added that the ofﬁce had been evacuated. The Israeli army did not issue a warning prior to the strike.

On Nov. 21, an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed two Al-Mayadeen journalists reporting on military activity along the border with Israel.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said 28 people were killed and 139 wounded over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll since the conﬂict began last year to 2,574, with 12,001 people wounded. The ﬁghting has driven 1.2 million people from their homes, including more than 400,000 children, according to the UN children’s agency.

the strikes hit six buildings, ﬂattening four of them, around 2 1/2 hours after the evacuation warnings. People displaced by the strikes could be seen in parks and sitting on the sides of nearby roads.

The head of Tyre’s disaster management unit, Mortada Mhanna, told the AP that although many had ﬂed, thousands of residents and others displaced from other areas remain. Many people, including hundreds of families, previously had ﬂed villages in South Lebanon to seek refuge in shelters in Tyre.

An estimated 15,000 people remain in the city out of a pre-war population of about 100,000, Mhanna said.

On Wednesday night the pan-Arab TV channel Al-Mayadeen, which is politically allied with Hezbollah, said the Israeli military struck its ofﬁce building on the outskirts of Beirut’s southern suburbs.

On Wednesday, rescuers recovered the bodies of a mother and her 7-yearold child two days after an Israeli airstrike on Monday hit a densely populated slum near Beirut’s main public hospital, Saad alAhmar, the commander of the Civil Defense’s southern district ﬁre and rescue unit, told The Associated Press.

Monday’s strike killed at least 18 people, including four children, and wounded over 60 others, the Health Ministry said. It also damaged the nearby Raﬁk Hariri University Hospital, Beirut’s primary public medical facility.

The Israeli military said it had targeted a Hezbollah site, without providing further details, and stated the hospital itself was not the intended target.

On the Israeli side, Hezbollah attacks have killed around 60 people, half of them soldiers. Near-daily rocket barrages have emptied communities across northern Israel, displacing some 60,000 people. In

recent weeks Hezbollah has extended its range, launching scores of rockets daily and regularly targeting the northern Israeli city of Haifa. Most are intercepted or fall in open areas.

In Gaza, the Israeli military has pressed ahead with a major operation in the northern part of the territory, where the United Nations’ humanitarian ofﬁce has said Israel has severely restricted aid deliveries. During his visit to the region, Blinken reiterated a warning that hindering aid could force the US to scale back crucial military support for Israel.

Israel’s army said it had arrested about 150 suspected Palestinian militants, while about 20,000 people left Jabaliya, a refugee camp that has turned into a densely built neighbourhood over the decades. The military released drone footage showing thousands of people walking past bombed buildings. Over the past few days, several Palestinians said the Israeli military forced them to leave.

The UN estimates 60,000 people have ﬂed the far north of Gaza southwards over more than a two-week period.

A Palestinian resident of Beit Lahiya, near Jabaliya, told the AP that Israel’s military has rounded up hundreds of men in northern Gaza, separating them as families try to ﬂee the area.

Hisham Abu Zaqout, a father of four, said he was held for at least three hours along with dozens of men in a school near a hospital.

The Israeli army says it is trying to uproot Hamas militants from Jabaliya, as well other parts of northern Gaza, issuing mass evacuation orders there earlier this month. Jabaliya has been the scene of on-andoff ﬁghting between Israeli troops and Hamas militants for months, leaving parts of it destroyed.

lawmaker Lee Seong

Kweun said the NIS found that the Russian military is teaching those North Korean soldiers how to use military equipment such as drones.

Lee cited the NIS chief as saying Russian instructors have high opinions of the morale and physical strength of the North Korean soldiers but think they will eventually suffer heavy causalities because they lack an understanding of modern warfare. Lee, citing Cho, said Russia is recruiting a large number of interpreters.

Lee said NIS has detected signs that North Korea is relocating family members of soldiers chosen to be sent to Russia to special sites to isolate them. The NIS chief told lawmakers that North Korea hasn’t disclosed its troop dispatch to its own people.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday said North Korea sending troops to Ukraine would mark a “signiﬁcant escalation,” and said he asked South Korea’s president to send experts to Brussels next week to brief the military alliance.

Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate head, Kyrylo Budanov, told the online military news outlet

The War Zone on Tuesday that North Korean troops were to arrive to Russia’s Kursk region on Wednesday to help Russian troops ﬁghting off a Ukrainian incursion.

Last week, South Korea’s spy agency said North Korea had sent more than 13,000 containers of artillery, missiles and other conventional arms to Russia since August 2023 to replenish its dwindling weapons stockpiles.

Reports that the North is sending troops to Russia stoked security jitters in South Korea. It has shipped humanitarian and ﬁnancial support to Ukraine, but it has so far avoided directly supplying arms in line with its policy of not supplying weapons to countries actively engaged in conﬂicts.

North Korea has 1.2 million troops, one of the largest standing armies in the world, but it hasn’t fought in large-scale conﬂicts since the 1950-53 Korean War. Experts question how much North Korean troops would help Russia, citing a shortage of battle experiences. Experts say North Korea wants Russia’s economic support and its help to modernize the North’s outdated conventional weapons systems as well as its high-tech weapons technology transfers.

SMOKE rises from buildings hit in an Israeli airstrike in Tyre, Lebanon, yesterday.

Photo: Mohammad Zaatari/AP

A TV screen shows an image of soldiers believed to be from North Korea stand in line to receive supplies from Russia during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, on Monday.

Photo: Ahn Young-joon/AP

CAC: Bodybuilders bring medals home

BAHAMAS GETS 3-1 WIN OVER USVI ON OPENING DAY

By TENAJH SWEETING

Bahamian

bodybuilders collected four medals at the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness’ (IFBB) 51st Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships hosted at the National Cultural Centre in Guyana over the weekend.

The four-member contingent of Alexander Kemp, Rashad Cunningham, Jackie Cleare and Wellington Wallace returned home with three silver medals and one bronze medal.

Wellington “Cat” Sears, president of the Bahamas Bodybuilding Wellness and Fitness Federation (BBWFF), said he was proud of the efforts of the competitors despite some setbacks that occurred along the way.

“I was very impressed and extremely proud.

We had a national novice schedule however, due to low turnout of competitors we did not have enough to participate and continue with the show. We selected a team of 10 members but

four individuals couldn’t go because of passport issues. “The individuals who went did extremely well. Rashad did well, Jackie did well, Wallace did well and

Alexander did well. I am extremely proud of all of the athletes,” he said. Kemp and Wallace doubled up on the medals in Guyana. The

former finished second in the men’s fitness and men’s fit model category respectively. Wallace secured silver in the men’s physique over

40 years division as well as a bronze medal ﬁnish in the men’s physique senior (176cm).

SEE PAGE 17

JR Cadot joins Sunrise Christian coaching staff

FORMER senior men’s national basketball team player JR Cadot is taking his talents to the sidelines.

He recently joined the Sunrise Christian Academy coaching staff as an assistant coach for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

He is just the latest member of the Bahamas senior men’s national basketball team to take on the coaching role abroad.

Cadot had a great run playing basketball over the course of his career, but felt that picking up a coaching gig with Sunrise Christian Academy was

the next step on his journey. “I liked what Sunrise Christian Academy was offering. I just felt like it was a better situation with the history in terms of Buddy Hield, Tum Tum and several other Bahamian guys playing here for the team.

“It was easy for me to get in with the Bahamian guys who have already played here so it was easy for me to decide,” he said.

The Sunrise Christian Academy Buffaloes usually compete in the Nike EYBL Scholastic Conference which they won during the 2021-22 season.

The team has competed in four exhibition games ahead of the upcoming

THE SPORTS CALENDAR

season and picked up four victories along the way. The Buffaloes racked up victories against Toronto Prep and Strength N Motion at the All-American Jamboree on October 5.

October

Pet Food Institute’s PIFA Puppy Bowl PET Food Institute Caribbean, in collaboration with the Bahamas Humane Society, is scheduled to host its ﬁrst Puppy International Football Antics (PIFA) Puppy Bowl on October 26 at the Kendall Isaacs Gymnasium, where sheltered pups from the Bahamas Humane Society will play together in a fun and friendly soccer tournament. The event will start at 12:00pm and end at 3:00pm. Tickets will be sold at $20 for adults and $10 for children.

SOFTBALL PUBLIC SERVICE WEEK THE National Public Service Week Softball Tournament is slated to be played at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex from October 26 to November 2. Teams from the various Public Service Departments in the Bahamas Government will be participating. All teams interested in participating are urged to contact tournament coordinator Judy Hamilton for more details.

SEE PAGE 16

They followed up those wins by prevailing against Fort Scott CC and Neosho CC on October 12.

Assistant coach Cadot said his expectations for this year’s basketball are very high.

“My expectations are deﬁnitely high just because of the history of what Sunrise has done basketball wise. This year alone, Sunrise had, I believe, ﬁve guys in the NBA draft who got picked up on two-way contracts.

“Sunrise has produced a ton of NBA players and this conference we play in is deﬁnitely the highest level of high school basketball in America. My expectations are high not

just based on who we are gonna be playing against, but actually because of the guys that we have. We are probably gonna have one if not the biggest high school team in the country,” he said.

The 37-year-old has a wealth of basketball knowledge under his belt.

He got his collegiate career started at Sheridan College where he averaged 15 points and 6.6 rebounds in 23 games played as a freshman.

He upped his level of play during his sophomore campaign to average 17 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

SEE PAGE 17

By The Associated Press

Baylor (24-11, 11-7 Big 12)

VJ EDGECOMBE in action.

SCOTT Drew is going into his 22nd season at No. 8 Baylor, having stayed in Waco after being linked to Kentucky’s coaching vacancy last April. The Bears lost four starters, including one-and-done freshmen Ja’Kobe Walter and centre Yves Missi both being ﬁrst-round NBA draft picks. The nine newcomers include major conference transfers guard Jeremy Roach (Duke), double-double averaging forward Norchad Omier (Miami) and versatile Jalen Celestine (California). Roach and Omier have both been to a Final Four. Five-star recruit VJ Edgecombe, a Bahamas-born

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

TEAM Bahamas excelled on the opening day of the sixth Caribbean Baseball Cup at the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium.

The home team took care of business 3-1 in seven innings versus the no. 65 ranked US Virgin Islands (USVI) last night in the featured matchup of the evening.

In the ﬁrst matchup of the evening, the defending champions Cuba opened the tournament with a dominant 8-0 victory against St Maarten.

The Dominican Republic’s national team also got in on the winning action. They defeated Curaçao 8-1 in seven innings.

Team Bahamas delivered a win to the home crowd thanks to a masterful pitching performance from pitcher Deshaugn Forbes. The winning pitcher got his money’s worth in seven innings, striking out four batters and earning two holds during the process.

Team head coach Geron Sands was particularly impressed with Forbes’ performance on the mound and the team’s overall competitiveness on opening night.

“I was so impressed with the guys tonight. We swung at good pitches, played solid defence, put up runs when we needed to put up runs and we had timely hitting.

“The pitching was phenomenal. You guys saw Deshaugn Forbes out there. He amazed us tonight and he pounded the strike zone with strikes tonight and he did a really good job. Congratulations to the guys on the win,” he said.

Coach Sands was also happy the team did not

SEE PAGE 16

UB MINGOES DROP SOCCER MATCH TO MAU AGAIN – PAGE 18

guard, is the headliner of a standout freshman group. Players to watch Roach (5th-year senior G, 6-2, 14.0 ppg and 3.3 apg). Roach started 108 of his 130 games at Duke the past four seasons. He ﬁrst became a starter for Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski’s ﬁnal team at Duke that reached the Final Four in 2022. Omier (5th-year senior, PF, 6-7, 17.0 ppg and 10 rpg). Omier averaged 15.2 points and 11.2 rebounds in 120 games over the past four

SEE PAGE 19

MEDAL MEN AND WOMEN: Shown, from left to right, team head coach and BBWFF president Wellington “Cat” Sears, athletes Wellington Wallace and Jackie Cleare, assistant team manager Jahmennen Forbes, and athletes Alexander Kemp and Rashad Cunningham.

CARIBBEAN BASEBALL

FROM PAGE 15

have to go to the bullpen on day one of competition and is looking forward to the remaining matchups.

“It was key for us to go as long as we can without getting to the bullpen. We have full strength in the bullpen for the rest of the week so far. Tomorrow, we are gonna go again and hopefully we have the same performance and we are gonna continue on,” he said.

Team Bahamas did most of its work in the ﬁrst three

innings of the ball game. The home team went ahead 2-0 at the bottom of the second inning until USVI’s Zayd Brannigan scored a run at the top of the third inning to close the gap to 2-1.

Team Bahamas retaliated with another score to close out the game 3-1 in seven innings.

Centreﬁelder Chavez Young was responsible for two runs and went 2-3.

Third baseman Kristin Munroe scored one run and went 1-3. D’Shawn Knowles went 1-3 with two RBIs. Forbes, the winning pitcher, said he came into the matchup with the mindset to have a

strong game. “I just came here to do my job, execute and throw strikes. I came in with the mindset to throw strikes and don’t give up any runs,” he said. “I was just trying to throw some strikes because I know my teammates got me. Just gotta be able to get that strike in there and make plays,” The sixth Caribbean Baseball Cup continues today at 11am. The Dominican Republic takes on Cuba in the ﬁrst matchup. The second matchup features the US Virgin Islands versus Curaçao and, in the ﬁnal matchup, the home team takes on St Maarten.

Yankees, Dodgers meet in World Series for 12th time in matchup of Broadway and Hollywood

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Broadway vs. Hollywood. Subway vs. Freeway. Judge vs. Ohtani.

New York neighbours who became cross-country rivals, the Yankees and Dodgers renew their starry struggle in the World Series for the ﬁrst time in 43 years.

“I’ve always had that sense being here that there’s that underlying, craving for that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday. “The stars will be out. The eyeballs will be watching and, hopefully, we can deliver on a great Series.”

Two of baseball’s most successful teams face each other starting Friday at Dodger Stadium, the Yankees coming off their 41st American League pennant and the Dodgers their 25th National League championship. New York is seeking its 28th World Series title but ﬁrst since 2009, the Dodgers their eighth and second in a ﬁveyear span.

“When you’re playing for the Dodgers and playing for the Yankees, it better feel different,” LA manager Dave Roberts said at Yankee Stadium last June. “If not, you better do something different for a profession.”

Yankees pinstripes vs. Dodgers Pantone 294. The Bronx Bombers vs. the Dem Bums’ descendants. The granite-and-limestone of new Yankee Stadium on chilly autumn nights vs. Dodger Stadium in sunny Chavez Ravine, with the San Gabriel Mountains beyond the pavilions.

“It’s kind of what the people wanted, what we all wanted,” Dodgers star Mookie Betts said. “It’s going to be a battle of two good teams, a lot of long ﬂights across the country.”

New York is 8-3 against the Dodgers in the most frequent World Series matchup, including 6-1 against Brooklyn and 2-2 since the rivalry became Big Apple against Tinseltown.

Mickey Owen, Al Gionfriddo, Cookie Lavagetto,

Sandy Amoros, Johnny Podres, Don Larsen, Sandy Koufax and Reggie Jackson created indelible images in the matchup, which started in 1941 with one of the wackiest World Series turns.

Trailing 2-1 in the Series, Brooklyn led 4-3 with two outs in the ninth inning at Ebbets Field when Tommy Henrich swung and missed at strike three from Hugh Casey. The ball bounced away from Owen and rolled toward the Dodgers dugout as Henrich reached on the dropped third strike. Joe DiMaggio singled, Charlie Keller hit a two-run double and Joe Gordon added another two-run double later in the inning as the Yankees won 7-4 and went on to win the title in five games. Lavagetto’s two-out, pinch walk-off double in the ninth ended Bill Bevens’ no-hit bid in 1947’s Game 4 and two games later Gionfriddo robbed DiMaggio of a tying threerun homer. New York beat the Dodgers again in 1949, 1952 and 1953, frustrating the fans in Flatbush, but Brooklyn finally won the title in 1955 when Podres pitched a Game 7 shutout at Yankee Stadium and Gil Hodges drove in both runs. Amoros preserved the lead when he made a running catch of Yogi Berra’s sixthinning drive in the left-field corner with two on and relayed to shortstop Pee Wee Reese, who threw to Hodges at first and doubled up Gil McDougald. Those players were celebrated in Roger Kahn’s 1972 book “The Boys of Summer.” Larsen pitched the World Series’ only perfect game in 1956’s fifth game in the Bronx, Berra jumping into his arms after the final out, and the Yankees won Game 7 behind Johnny Kucks’ three-hit shutout in what turned out to be the last World Series game at Ebbets Field.

Walter O’Malley moved the Dodgers to California after the 1957 season, and Koufax had an interlocking “LA” on his cap instead of a “B” when he struck out a then-Series record 15 in the 1963 opener at Yankee

Stadium. The rivalry didn’t resume until 1977 with the ﬁrst of three matchups in a ﬁve-year span.

Jackson’s three home runs led the Yankees to a clinching win in 1977’s Game 6. The Yankees won another six-game Series the following year, highlighted by third baseman Graig Nettles’ diving stops on Reggie Smith, Steve Garvey and Davey Lopes.

Los Angeles lost the ﬁrst two games in the Bronx in 1981, and then won four in a row — capped

CYCLING FEDERATION ELECTION OF OFFICERS

THE Bahamas Cycling Federation’s secretary general Barron “Turbo” Musgrove has announced that their general meeting and election of ofﬁcers will take place on Saturday, October 26.

The elections are all set to be held at the ofﬁce of the Bahamas Olympic Committee, starting at 5pm.

by a 9-2 victory that had Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda dancing. The defeat prompted Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, his hand bandaged after an alleged ﬁght with Dodgers fans in a hotel elevator, to issue a written apology “to the people of New York and to the fans of the New York Yankees everywhere.”

Both teams feel the history created by their predecessors.

“You put that jersey on and those pinstripes, it just

Nominations for positions in the federation must be submitted to Musgrove in person or via email atbammus1967@gmail.com by Sunday, October 13.

Positions to be ﬁlled are president, two vice presidents, general secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer and assistant treasurer

The current president is Roy Colebrooke.

BAPTIST SPORTS FEDERATION TRACK MEET

THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation will hold its Renee ‘Sunshine’ Curry-Davis Memorial Track and Field Classic on Saturday, November 16, at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. The meet, hosted in conjunction with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Bahamas Association of Certiﬁed Ofﬁcials, will recognise Curry-Davis, a former executive of the BBSF, who was working as the

USYK DRESSES AS HITMAN, GETS FURY’S SIGNATURE IN BIZARRE NEWS CONFERENCE

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer

DRESSED as a hitman, Oleksandr Usyk opened a briefcase, removed a photograph and walked over to Tyson Fury to get his heavyweight rival to sign it.

The picture was of Fury receiving a big left hand to the jaw from Usyk during their May 19 ﬁght in Saudi Arabia when the Ukrainian won by split decision to become the world’s ﬁrst undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.

“Nice one,” Fury said after penning his signature. In a news conference of few words in London yesterday, it was the actions and appearance of Usyk that stood out as the two ﬁghters attempted to drum up publicity for their December 21 rematch back in Riyadh.

Usyk appeared to come as Agent 47 from the video game “Hitman” — dressed in a suit, red tie and black gloves and carrying a suitcase.

“It’s just a character,” he said in one of his longer answers in the news conference.

Did he need to do anything differently in the rematch, Usyk was asked. “No,” was the reply.

What was he surprised by in the ﬁrst ﬁght? “I don’t remember,” Usyk said.

Asked if he had a message for Fury, Usyk said: “No.”

feels different,” Yankees slugger Juan Soto said. Shohei Ohtani and Los Angeles took two of three when they met Aaron Judge and New York in a much-hyped series in June.

Roberts is reminded of the history when he approaches Dodger Stadium.

“I can’t believe I’m driving up Vin Scully Way, when I go to work,” he said. “It’s overwhelming, but I try not to let my head go there too often; I just try to do my job.”

director for track and ﬁeld before her death this year. Beginning at 9am, the meet will be geared for men and women competing in the under-7, under-11, under-15, under20 under-30 open, under-50 open and masters 50-andover categories as well as the clergy for pastors, ministers, evangelists and deacons. The entry deadline for teams to participate is Friday, November 1 and should be submitted to TEK Results via tmoss@ locbahamas.org or contact Brent Stubbs at 426-7265 or email stubbobs@gmail. com. A technical meeting will take place at 6pm on Tuesday, November 12 at the Bahamas Baptist College, Jean Street.

TEE-OFF FOR HUNGER THE Bahamas Feeding Network is scheduled to host its 3rd annual Tee-off

Fury went on to mimic Usyk’s one-word answers, though earlier gave a more detailed response about what he expected to happen in the rematch, when there will be three belts — WBA, WBO and WBC — on the line.

In May, Usyk also won the IBF title but had to vacate it in June. “I have to be a little more focused, a little more smart to get the victory,” Fury said.

“All I can do is prepare well, train hard, eat well, go to bed early, wake up early, listen to people around me. And the rest is in God’s hands … I believe it will be my time this time. I believe all things that happen, negative or positive, are lessons. We must learn from them.”

For Hunger on December 9 with Fidelity as its title sponsor. The tournament will begin at 12:30pm at the Ocean Club Golf Course, Paradise Island. All interested players must register at https://app. eventcaddy.com/events/ tee-off-for-hunger-2024/ register.

Players will be in teams of two and the registration fee is $500 per team.

BSAA CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

THE Bahamas Scholastic Athletic Association will hold its cross country championships on Saturday, October 26. The event is scheduled to begin at 10am at Goodman’s Bay. Interested persons are urged to contact Emerrick Taylor at 565-4962, Keno Demeritte at 436-6921 or Mr Burrows at 433-5070 for more information.

DODGERS’ Shohei Ohtani celebrates after their win against the New York Mets in Game 6 of a baseball NL Championship Series on Sunday, October 20, in Los Angeles. The Dodgers will face the New York Yankees in the World Series.

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

YANKEES’ Aaron Judge holds the American League Championship trophy after Game 5 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, October 20, in Cleveland. The Yankees won 5-2 to advance to the World Series.

(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

TEAM Bahamas excelled on the opening day of the sixth Caribbean Baseball Cup at the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium. The home team took care of business 3-1 in seven innings versus the no. 65 ranked US Virgin Islands (USVI) last night in the featured matchup of the evening.

LeBron and Bronny James

make history as the NBA’s ﬁrst father-son duo to play together

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP)

— LeBron James gave his 20-year-old son a pep talk before they rose from the Lakers bench. Amid rising cheers, they walked together to the scorer’s table — and then they stepped straight into basketball history.

LeBron and Bronny became the ﬁrst father and son to play in the NBA together Tuesday night during the Los Angeles Lakers ‘ season opener, fulﬁlling a dream set out a few years ago by LeBron, the top scorer in league history.

“That moment, us being at the scorer’s table together and checking in together, it’s a moment

I’m never going to forget,” LeBron said. “No matter how old I get, no matter how my memory may fade as I get older or whatever, I will never forget that moment.”

Father and son checked into the game against Minnesota simultaneously with four minutes left in the second quarter, prompting a big ovation from a home crowd aware of the enormity of the milestone.

The 39-year-old LeBron had already started the game and played 13 minutes before he teamed up with his 20-year-old son for about 2 1/2 minutes of action.

LeBron James is one of the greatest players in NBA history, a four-time champion and 20-time AllStar, while LeBron James Jr. was a second-round pick by the Lakers last summer. They are the ﬁrst father and son to play in the world’s top basketball league at the same time, let alone on the same team.

“Y’all ready? You see the intensity, right? Just play carefree, though,” father told son on the bench before they checked in, an exchange captured by the TNT cameras and microphones. “Don’t worry about mistakes. Just go out and play hard.”

Their time on court together was fast and furious, just as LeBron promised.

LeBron, who ﬁnished the night with 16 points, missed

PAGE 15

For Kemp, it was his ﬁrst time competing at an international competition so he was proud to end it on a high note.

“It feels pretty good. This is my ﬁrst international competition and competition was stiff because we competed with 124 individuals from 26 countries. Being a Bahamian and competing with our small team and going out to represent it felt pretty good,” he said.

Although he picked up two medals along the way, Kemp added that it was still a learning experience.

“My overall experience I learned a lot and I see that I have a lot of work to do. However, I see that I am very top class in the work I have been able to present to the public in the competition because I was a high favourite of the judges. There were certain areas I could have improved on to be able to get the gold but I learned a lot. It was a tremendous experience especially with the competition being in South America,” he added.

Wallace was pleased with his performance as well. He expressed that it was an incredible honour to represent The Bahamas in winning fashion.

“It was an incredible honour representing The Bahamas on the international stage, it is something I hold dear. I’m proud to have earned two medals, second place in the Men’s

two perimeter shots before making a dunk. Bronny had an early offensive rebound and missed a tipin, and his ﬁrst NBA jump shot moments later was a 3-pointer that came up just short. He checked out one possession later with 1:19 left in the second quarter, getting another ovation.

Bronny didn’t play again in the Lakers’ 110103 victory over the Timberwolves.

“(I) tried not to focus on everything that’s going on around me, and tried to focus on going in as a rookie and not trying to mess up,” Bronny said. “But yeah, I totally did feel the energy, and I appreciate Laker Nation for showing the support for me and my dad.”

After the ﬁnal whistle on the Lakers’ ﬁrst openingnight victory in LeBron’s seven seasons with the team, father and son also headed to the locker room together — but not before stopping in the tunnel to hug Savannah James, LeBron’s wife and Bronny’s mother. The entire family was in attendance to watch history — on little sister Zhuri’s 10th birthday, no less.

Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. also were courtside at the Lakers’ downtown arena to witness the same history they made in Major League Baseball. The two sluggers played 51 games together for the Seattle Mariners in 1990 and 1991 as baseball’s ﬁrst father-son duo.

The Jameses and the Griffeys met during pregame warmups for some photos and a warm chat between two remarkable family lines.

LeBron ﬁrst spoke about his dream to play alongside Bronny a few years ago, while his oldest son was still in high school. The dream became real after Bronny entered the draft as a teenager following one collegiate season, and the Lakers grabbed him with the 55th overall pick.

“I talked about it years and years ago, and for this moment to come, it’s pretty cool,” LeBron said. “I don’t know if it’s going to actually hit the both of us for a little minute, but when we

really get to sit back and take it in, it’s pretty crazy. … But in the moment, we still had a job to do when we checked in. We wasn’t trying to make it a circus. We wasn’t trying to make it about us. We wanted to make it about the team.”

LeBron and Bronny joined a small club of father-son professional athletes who played together. The Griffeys made history 34 years ago, and they even homered in the same game on September 14, 1990.

Baseball Hall of Famer Tim Raines and his namesake son also accomplished the feat with the Baltimore Orioles in 2001.

In hockey, Gordie Howe played alongside his two sons, Mark and Marty, with the WHA’s Houston Aeros and Team Canada before one NHL season together on the Hartford Whalers in 1979-80, when Gordie was 51. While the other family pairings on this list happened late in the fathers’ careers, LeBron shows no

Physique Master Class and a bronze medal in the Men’s Physique 176cm division, achievements that reflect the dedication and hard work this sport requires. Bodybuilding is not just about competition - it’s about pushing beyond limits, celebrating the power of the human body and carrying the values of perseverance and excellence with me. “I’m deeply grateful for the support of my team, family and the Bahamian people who continue to inspire me. As I look ahead, I remain committed to growth, both personally and as an athlete, while proudly representing my country with each opportunity,” he said. Cunningham was just outside the top three of the men’s open fitness with a fourth-place finish. Meanwhile, Cleare placed fourth in the Bikini Fitness senior (over 169cm) and fifth in the Bikini Master (over 35 years).

The BBWFF president expressed the need for more funding to assist bodybuilders with preparing for international competition.

“We were waiting on the government because they usually give you an annual grant but we were unable to receive it on time.

“However, I didn’t allow the athletes to be waiting on the government like last year so I decided to pay for it myself. We have some debts but hopefully by the end of this month or the beginning of next month we will be able to pay our debt,” he said.

He added that the BBWFF pro athletes are still waiting on their subvention from the government to assist them with the adequate training needed to represent the country.

Next up on the schedule will be a Fitness Challenge in November to close out 2024.

Lakers before training camp.

The duo ﬁrst played together in the preseason, logging four minutes during a game against Phoenix just outside Palm Springs earlier this month.

“It’s been a treat,” LeBron said at Tuesday’s morning shootaround. “In preseason, the practices, just every day ... bringing him up to speed of what this professional life is all about, and how to prepare every day as a professional.”

The Lakers were fully aware of the history they would make with this pairing, and coach JJ Redick spoke with the Jameses recently about a plan to make it happen early in the regular season.

The presence of the Griffeys likely made it an inevitability for opening night, even though Redick said the Lakers still wanted it “to happen naturally, in the ﬂow of the game.”

CLIPPERS HONOUR THE LATE JERRY WEST

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer

INGLEWOOD, Calif.

(AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers honoured the late Jerry West with a video tribute midway through the ﬁrst quarter of their opener against the Phoenix Suns last night.

The Basketball Hall of Famer was a consultant for the franchise from 2017 until his death in June at age 86. The Clippers also are honouring West at Intuit Dome, their new arena, with a memorial seat behind the basket and a court decal with his initials near midcourt.

signs of slowing down or regressing as he begins his NBA record-tying 22nd season.

LeBron averaged more than 25 points per game last year for his 20th consecutive season, and he remains the most important player on the Lakers alongside Anthony Davis as they attempt to recapture the form that won a championship in 2020 and got them to the Western Conference ﬁnals in 2023.

Bronny survived cardiac arrest and open heart surgery in the summer of 2023, and he went on to play a truncated freshman season at the University of Southern California. He declared for the draft anyway, and the Lakers eagerly used the fourth-to-last pick in the draft on the 6-foot-2 guard.

LeBron spent the summer in Europe with the gold medal-winning U.S. team at the Paris Olympics, while Bronny played for the Lakers in summer league. They started practicing together with the

CADOT FROM PAGE 15

Cadot was selected to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Third Team AllAmerican and ﬁrst-team All-Region IX. He spent the next half of his collegiate career at Texas Christian University. The shooting guard turned in 9.8 points per game and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 56.6 per cent from the ﬁeld to end his collegiate run.

Additionally, he has represented The Bahamas senior men’s national basketball team six times and played pro ball for over 12 years during his career.

He said his experience as a former basketball player has helped him tremendously in his newest role as an assistant coach.

“I honestly always believed that experience is one of the best teachers. A guy who has experience with The Bahamas national basketball team for about 20 years both junior and senior, and I have worked out for the Houston Rockets and got invited to work out for the Chicago Bulls and played against guys who are in the NBA today.

“The wealth of knowledge that I have gained as a basketball player deﬁnitely allows me to connect with the guys more.

“It has been an easy process honestly and being a player makes it so much easier to be able to relate with them and teach them things that they could not see at this early point of their careers,” he said.

Although coaching is his newest passion, Cadot

The Lakers have declined to speculate on how long Bronny will stay on their NBA roster. Los Angeles already has three other small guards on its roster, and Bronny likely needs regular playing time to raise his game to a consistent NBA standard.

Those factors add up to indicate Bronny is likely to join the afﬁliate South Bay Lakers of the G League at some point soon. LeBron and Redick have both spoken positively about the South Bay team, saying that player development is a key part of the Lakers organisation.

Miami forward Kevin Love, who knew all the James children — Bronny, Bryce and Zhuri — from his time as LeBron’s teammate in Cleveland, said it was “an unbelievable moment” to see father and son playing together.

“I grew up a Mariners fan, so I got to see Griffey and then Griffey Sr. But this is different, because LeBron is still a top-ﬁve player in the league,” Love said. “This game, man. It’s why we have that ($76 billion) TV deal. The storylines and the things that happen like this, it’s an unbelievable story. This is really cool to see.”

admitted that sometimes he wants to suit up but ﬁnds more joy in the mentorship side of things these days.

“When you are on the sidelines you still want to play. I want to get out there and compete because I am so competitive but I have to remind myself that I am not playing anymore.

“I am a coach now. There are times and there are seasons and I believe that with what I have left it is time to pass a lot of that knowledge onto the guys by coaching them, mentoring them and helping them on and off the

THE LAKERS HONOURED WEST DURING THEIR OPENER TUESDAY NIGHT AGAINST THE TIMBERWOLVES

The Lakers honoured West during their opener Tuesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a halftime video and gave all fans an era-accurate replica of his jersey.

West’s widow, Karen, and two of his sons, Ryan and Jonnie, were at the Lakers and Clippers openers. The Lakers — who West played his entire 14-year NBA career for and was an All-Star every year — are also wearing a band on the left shoulder of their uniforms with No. 44 in gold in the center.

West became the ﬁrst three-time inductee to the Hall of Fame this month when he was inducted as a contributor, honouring his front ofﬁce contributions to the Clippers, Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies.

court. I love basketball but the mentorship part of it as a former player is where I connect with the guys more,” he said.

The Buffaloes have a busy schedule ahead of them that begins with an opening home game against the OKC Storm Post Grad at 2pm on Saturday.

Sunrise will also have the opportunity to compete in the Nike/NBA Cup- NBA In-Season Tournament in December against Arizona Prep and VJ Edgecombe’s former high school Long Island Lutheran.

LAKERS guard Bronny James (9) handles the ball during the ﬁrst half of an NBA basketball game against the Timberwolves Tuesday, October 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

WELLINGTON Wallace in the posedown.

UB MINGOES DROP MATCH TO MAU AGAIN

THE University of The Bahamas Mingoes fell short 4-1 against the Millennia Atlantic University Macaws on Saturday, October 19 at Kendall Soccer Park in Miami, Florida.

UB’s head coach Alex Thompson said that the team had a better overall performance compared to their 6-0 loss on Thursday, October 17.

“We set up a bit differently to give us some more success,” Thompson said.

“There are always some young guys stepping up and in this match was Duron (Pratt) and Noel (Sands). We gave up an early goal in transition that had us playing catch up.”

The home team found the back of the net ﬁrst in the seventh minute of the game. UB defended well and had some good looks at the goal but did not put any way. The 19th minute saw MAU scoring again to go up 2-0.

UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas winger Duron Pratt (black 13) takes on a Millennia Atlantic University defender.

UB’s defender Joshua Johnson kicked a free-kick in the 43rd minute that connected with forward and captain Marlin Barnes who timed the bounce and tapped it into the back of the net to cut into the deﬁcit. MAU led 2-1 at the half.

UB came out in the second half looking to ﬁnd the equaliser but were unable to. MAU found the back of the net twice to go up 4-1 by the 65th minute.

Thompson’s side tried to break past MAU’s goalkeeper but he made a few

stops to keep the score at 4-1. Barnes played his ﬁnal international game for UB. It was a bittersweet one as they were unable to win one of the games on this trip. “I am always happy to help the team. It is my last international trip so I am happy to be here and helping the team,” Barnes said.

“I am happy to be here for this experience. We tried our best and I am proud of the boys. I was elected by them to be their captain and they showed trust and faith in me and I used that to empower myself to lead the team.”

UB and MAU were in action Thursday, October 17 in Doral, Florida. The home team won 6-0. In the six matches on the international tour, UB ﬁnished with a 1-3-2 win/loss/ draw record. They will now turn their attention to the Bahamas Football Association men’s league that gets underway soon.

Pro Picks: Week 8 features three games with double-digit favourites, ﬁve division matchups

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer

A FULL slate of games returns for Week 8 with several mismatches.

Six teams are favourites by at least seven points on BetMGM Sportsbook. Three of those are doubledigit favourites. Pro Picks took three of the underdogs to cover the spread. Five games feature division rivals, including showdowns for ﬁrst place in both the AFC and NFC South.

The Vikings and Rams kick off the week tonight while the Giants and Steelers ﬁnish up on Monday night. The Cowboys and 49ers renew their rivalry on “Sunday Night Football” with both banged-up teams underachieving.

Atlanta (4-3) at Tampa Bay (4-3)

Line: Falcons minus 2 1/2

This matchup for the NFC South lost its luster when the Buccaneers lost their top two receivers. Chris Godwin is out for the season and Mike Evans could miss at least three games. Without them, Tampa Bay has to rely more on an improved rushing attack to avoid putting too much pressure on Baker Mayﬁeld, who leads the NFL with 18 TD passes but has thrown ﬁve picks in the past two games. Kirk Cousins has plenty of playmakers, including Bijan Robinson, who has run for 198 yards the past two weeks and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry. The Falcons rallied for an overtime win over the Buccaneers in Week 5. They’ll take control of the division with another victory.

BEST BET:

FALCONS: 27-20

Philadelphia (4-2) at Cincinnati (3-4)

Line: Bengals minus 2

Saquon Barkley’s addition has paid off for the Eagles. Jalen Hurts is making fewer mistakes and Philadelphia’s defence hasn’t allowed a touchdown in the past two games. The Bengals have a chance to even their record after a 1-4 start but they’ll need Joe Burrow and the playmakers on offence to produce more. Cincinnati has scored 38 points combined over the past two wins after averaging 35 over a threegame stretch.

UPSET SPECIAL: EAGLES: 24-23

Minnesota (5-1) at Los Angeles Rams (2-4)

Line: Vikings minus 3 After losing their ﬁrst game of the season at home against Detroit, the Vikings hit the road to face the Rams tonight amid speculation that Minnesota is pursuing Matthew Stafford. The Vikings hurt themselves with penalties and mistakes in a 31-29 loss. If they don’t get Stafford, they should still stay in the playoff race with Sam Darnold, who has cooled after a hot start. The Rams have to decide whether to trade assets and build for the future or pursue a playoff bid in an NFC West that’s up for grabs. The return of receiver Cooper Kupp should boost their offence.

VIKINGS: 26-20

Baltimore (5-2) at Cleveland (1-6)

Line: Ravens minus 9

Two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson is playing elite ball, Derrick Henry has been sensational and the Ravens are back after an 0-2 start. The Browns are turning to Jameis Winston after losing Deshaun Watson for the season. That’s an upgrade. Cleveland is playing for pride against a division rival, still has a tough defence and Baltimore is coming off a short week after a Monday night win. That’ll keep it closer than it should be.

RAVENS: 24-16

Tennessee (1-5) at Detroit (5-1)

Line: Lions minus 11 1/2 Jared Goff has been exceptional, especially over the past three games. The Lions beat the Vikings on the road to reclaim the NFC North. With Super Bowl aspirations, Detroit isn’t looking back. The Titans are giving up the fewest yards per game (259.2), but the offence is next-to-last in yards and is averaging just 17.7 points. Mason Rudolph or Will Levis? Doesn’t matter.

LIONS: 27-14

Arizona (3-4) at Miami (2-4)

Line: Dolphins minus 3 1/2

Tua Tagovailoa is expected to return after missing four games because of a concussion. The Dolphins desperately need him to boost an anemic offence that averaged 10 points per game during his absence. The Cardinals are coming off a Monday night win

over the Chargers but Kyler Murray and the offence aren’t putting up enough points.

Arizona’s banged-up defence has a tough task against Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and the rest of Miami’s offence that should be rejuvenated by Tagovailoa’s return.

DOLPHINS: 26-20

New York Jets (2-5) at New England (1-6)

Line: Jets minus 7

Davante Adams’ arrival didn’t help Aaron Rodgers get on track. He’s looking more like a 40-yearold quarterback than a four-time MVP. The “soft” Patriots — that’s what coach Jerod Mayo called his team — should provide a cure for New York’s woes. The Jets already beat New England 24-3 in Week 3. But Drake Maye is starting for the Patriots now so they’ll be more competitive on offence. The teams are a combined 1-9 against the spread in their past ﬁve games.

JETS: 23-17

Green Bay (5-2) at Jacksonville (2-5)

Line: Packers minus 4

The Jaguars are starting a stretch of games that will determine their season, facing four NFC teams that currently have a combined record of 19-4. Meanwhile, Jacksonville is just 5-23 in its past 28 games against non-conference opponents. Trevor Lawrence is coming off a mistake-free game

and needs another to have a shot against the Packers. Tank Bigsby has run for 90-plus yards in three of Jacksonville’s past four games. Green Bay found a way to beat Houston last week despite three turnovers. If Jordan Love protects the ball — he is tied for an NFL-most eight picks — the Packers will have success.

PACKERS: 29-24

Indianapolis (4-3) at Houston (5-2)

Line: Texans minus 5

The Texans are trying for just their second sweep of the Colts in this AFC South rivalry. C.J. Stroud is coming off his worst game of the season in Houston’s loss at Green Bay but the Texans can strengthen their hold on the division with another victory over Indianapolis.

Anthony Richardson was shaky again in his return last week as the Colts won for the fourth time in ﬁve games since an 0-2 start. They’ll need more from Richardson in the passing game to have a chance in Houston.

TEXANS: 27-20

New Orleans (2-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (3-3)

Line: Chargers minus 7 1/2

So much for the unstoppable Saints the league saw the ﬁrst two weeks.

The offence has struggled, Derek Carr and other key players have been sidelined and New Orleans has

been blown out at home the past two games. Maybe a road trip to California will help. The Chargers won’t be in a good mood after a last-second loss in Arizona. Justin Herbert is coming off his best game but the offence isn’t ﬁnishing drives.

CHARGERS: 23-17

Buffalo (5-2) at Seattle (4-3)

Line: Bills minus 3 Josh Allen hasn’t thrown an interception, the Bills have a comfortable lead in the AFC East and new addition Amari Cooper already made a big impact.

Now Buffalo tries for its ﬁrst win against a team that has a winning record. The Seahawks are back on track after losing three in a row. They’ve got the NFL’s top-ranked passing offence behind Geno Smith but likely won’t have DK Metcalf.

BILLS: 26-20

Chicago (4-2) at Washington (5-2)

Line: Bears minus 2 1/2

Doesn’t look promising for the No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup. Caleb Williams and the Bears probably won’t face Jayden Daniels when they visit the Commanders. Daniels has a rib injury and veteran Marcus Mariota would start for Washington in place of the injured rookie QB. The Bears are rolling. Williams, a balanced offence and a strong defence have helped Chicago win three in a row. The Commanders have been a surprise team under ﬁrst-year coach Dan Quinn thanks to Daniels, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s productive offence and a revamped defence. With Daniels, it’ll be a different game. Without him, the Bears have a big edge.

BEARS, 22-19

Carolina (1-6) at Denver (4-3)

Line: Broncos minus 10

If Sean Payton gets Bo Nix and the offence on par with Denver’s defence, the Broncos will be a dangerous team in the AFC West. They’ve already come a long way.

The Panthers are headed nowhere and could end up with the No. 1 overall pick again. Even worse, they haven’t found out if Bryce Young can be a franchise QB. Young made a cameo in last week’s lopsided loss and gets a chance to play this week because of Andy Dalton’s thumb injury.

BRONCOS: 24-13

Kansas City (6-0) at Las Vegas (2-5)

Line: Chiefs minus 10

The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs (6-0) gave Patrick Mahomes a new playmaker, acquiring three-time AllPro receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

He provides another edge for Mahomes and his teammates, who will seek to avenge the Raiders’ nonsensical offseason trolling of the three-time Super Bowl MVP. Keep the Kermit puppets at home.

CHIEFS: 33-13

Dallas (3-3) at San Francisco (3-4)

Line: 49ers minus 4

Micah Parsons could return to give Dallas a signiﬁcant boost. The Cowboys are coming off a bye that gave them an extra week to think about a 38-point loss to Detroit.

The banged-up 49ers keep losing players with Brandon Aiyuk out for the season. Brock Purdy has to avoid trying to do too much and rely on other playmakers around him. San Francisco has won the past three meetings, including two playoff games. Neither team is playing at a January level right now.

49ERS: 23-21

New York Giants (2-5) at Pittsburgh (5-2)

Line: Steelers minus 6 1/2 It should be a long night for Daniel Jones and the rest of New York’s offence against T.J. Watt and a defence that’s allowed just 14.4 points per game. On the other side, Russell Wilson follows up his impressive prime-time debut for the Steelers with a Monday night appearance. He’ll need to avoid Dexter Lawrence and continue distributing the ball efﬁciently.

STEELERS: 26-16

PHILADELPHIA Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) passes against the New York Giants during the ﬁrst quarter

NFL football game on Sunday, October 20, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas defender Joshua Johnson (black 14) advances the ball in the Mingoes game against the Millennia Atlantic University on October 19 at the Kendall Soccer Park in Miami, Florida. Mingoes fell 4-1.

Photos: UB Athletics

Baylor adds Bahamas-born freshman guard VJ Edgecombe after losing four starters

FROM PAGE 15

seasons — two with Arkansas State before the two with Miami, where he was in the Final Four in 2023.

Edgecombe (True freshman G, 6-4).

Edgecombe could be another one-and-done player for the Bears, but the speedy and athletic guard should have a huge

impact in the short time he is expected to be in the Big 12. He can score from the perimeter and play strong around the rim.

Departures and arrivals Walter was expected to be a one-and-done, and was Baylor’s leading scorer (14.5 ppg). The Bears had six players who averaged in double-ﬁgure scoring last season. They were the four departed starters plus

guards junior Langston Love (11.0 ppg) and senior Jayden Nunn (10.5 ppg), the only returning starters. Edgecombe is among ﬁve true freshmen, and Omier is one of three graduate transfers.

Top games The Bears will get tested right away, with its season opener November 4 at sixth-ranked Gonzaga, the team they

beat in the national championship game in 2021. Five days later, they play No. 16 Arkansas with its new coach John Calipari at the home of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. The Bears also play at third-ranked and two-time defending national champion UConn on December 4, and could face No. 12 Tennessee in a Bahamas tournament before that. Baylor’s Big 12

opener is New Year’s Eve at home against Utah, and its first league road game is at No. 5 Iowa State. Facts and figures Drew is 444-244 at Baylor. With a 128-35 record since 2019, the Bears are the winningest major conference programme in that span. This will be the first full season at Foster Pavilion on the edge of the Brazos River.

VJ EDGECOMBE