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SEARS’ VISION
SEE SUPPLEMENT TOMORROW
FIGHTING CANCER
NEW MAMMOGRAM INITIATIVE - SEE WOMAN
Call for clarity on Baha Mar
MAN FOUND SHOT DEAD ON TRACK IN EARLY MORNING
By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net ONE man is dead and another man is fighting for his life in hospital after two separate shooting incidents late Sunday night and early Monday morning. This latest killing marks the third murder in three days and brings the country’s homicide count to 82 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records. SEE PAGE FIVE
Questions over stamp tax from ownership transfer By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net AMID persistent questions on whether the government should have amassed substantial stamp tax from the transfer of ownership of the Baha Mar resort, a noted industry professional yesterday called on the Christie administration to be more transparent in explaining the inner workings of the resort’s sale to quash concerns over the extent of the government’s involvement with $3.5bn development. Before a decision on stamp duty is made, Cham-
ber of Commerce and Employers Confederation Chairman Gowon Bowe told The Tribune that key details need to be clarified and the government should now prepare to be “very explanatory on a lot of the decisions” that have been made on Baha Mar. On the face of it, while it may seem that stamp duty should come into play, Mr Bowe said it might not, given that this situation involved a transfer from one non-resident for exchange control purposes to another non-resident for the same reason. SEE PAGE SIX
FNM DEMANDS DISCLOSURE ON RESORT REMOBILISATION By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
TAKING issue with the “drip, drip” pace of details concerning the remobilisation and future sale of Baha Mar, the Free National Movement yesterday renewed demands for full disclosure from the government. FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said the revelation of the recent Baha Mar asset acquisition by Perfect Luck Holdings Limited raised more questions than it answered, making the point that the continued secrecy posed a serious chal-
lenge to accountability. For his part, FNM Deputy Leader K Peter Turnquest called for full disclosure of the financial concessions granted to facilitate this transaction, as well as the amount of stamp tax and value added tax collected on this transaction and where those sums have been applied. Dr Minnis also took issue with the fact that it was only “indirectly revealed” that Perfect Luck - through the acquisition – had become the new owner of the beleaguered Cable Beach mega resort. SEE PAGE SIX
HUBERT Chipman, right, at work yesterday helping with clean-up efforts in St Anne’s.
Photo: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff
CHIPMAN DISAPPOINTED LEADER DID NOT TELL HIM OF RELIEF SUPPLIES FROM NEMA By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
ST ANNE’S MP Hubert Chipman admitted yesterday to being disappointed that he was not informed by the Free National Movement that hurricane relief efforts had been organised by the government and that supplies were issued to constituencies. His statement came days after Prime Minister Perry Christie told him to resist supposed efforts by FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis
to end his career. Several weeks ago, Mr Christie instructed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to have members of Parliament assemble a team that would help deliver supplies and information to their constituents and to inform FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis of this so he could in turn inform his MPs. “I directed NEMA, based on personal experience, that every member of the Parliament should have a new team assembled, a multifaceted, multidiscipli-
nary team assembled, and to call the leader of the Opposition and advise,” Mr Christie said last week. “[Minnis] had three and he didn’t tell his members. Now I understand there’s infamy here in the ranks, clearly he did not count the member for Montagu and he did not count the member for St Anne’s.” Mr Chipman said yesterday that no one from the St Anne’s constituency association was contacted and informed beforehand. “I was disappointed when I heard what the
prime minister said,” Mr Chipman said yesterday. “I didn’t know anything about the meeting and nothing about it was disseminated to us. I was really disappointed.” Mr Chipman said the failure to have representatives attend the meeting affected his ability to properly address the needs of his constituents. An estimate of between 200 to 300 residents in the St Anne’s constituency need tarp, he said. SEE PAGE TWO
DEPUTY REGISTRAR DENIES PRIVY COUNCIL QUASHES BEING ‘A SISSY OR A PUNK’ MURDER CONVICTION DEPUTY Registrar Ron Pinder emphatically stressed his own heterosexuality as he defended a couple whom he married on the weekend against social media attacks after it was erroneously spread online that the two were lesbians. At a press conference yesterday, Mr Pinder, a former Progressive Liberal
Party MP for Marathon, told reporters that despite speculation to the contrary, he is “not a sissy” or a “punk.” Mr Pinder officiated at the wedding of Alfred and Rickia Pratt on the weekend. Shortly after, a picture of the couple spread
SEE PAGE FIVE
By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
POLICE detectives’ failures to properly adhere to the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s own guidelines concerning the treatment and questioning of juveniles in custody was the reason the London-based Privy
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Council yesterday made the decision to quash the murder conviction of Shavargo McPhee. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council noted that neither the testimony of police nor the detention record of the then 17-yearold gave an explanation for SEE PAGE FIVE
PAGE 2, Tuesday, October 25, 2016
ST Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman and his team continue to clean up the constituency following Hurricane Matthew.
THE TRIBUNE
Photos: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff
CHIPMAN DISAPPOINTED LEADER DID NOT TELL HIM OF RELIEF SUPPLIES FROM NEMA
THE CLEAN-up crew busily at work in St Anne’s yesterday. from page one “We were supposed to identify people who would work with those from NEMA. We were supposed to get two people to work with those people and on that Saturday they were supposed to distribute tarps to the various people. We missed out on that and what other relevant information would’ve come out of that meeting that we would’ve liked to have known.”
Mr Chipman’s comments came as he continued to spearhead clean up efforts in his constituency. The Christie administration had temporarily suspended a clean up programme after workers began billing the government for too much money, The Tribune was told. Mr Chipman is hoping the programme is restarted so he doesn’t have to pay workers using money from his constituency allowance. Last week, the prime minister suggested fric-
tion in the FNM led to Dr Minnis not informing Mr Chipman and Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn about the matter. “When we said that we want to establish the teams, it was a non-political decision to be able to empower the member of Parliament to lead the way, to be able to bring quick relief, and to move out of any thought of political manoeuvring because the MP would have the carriage of what is happening there,” Mr Christie said. “Much to my surprise, I’m in here having to listen to members tell me they didn’t know, that’s not fair to the government, not fair to the process, that is wrong.” Dr Minnis said in the House of Assembly last week that he immediately called persons responsible to ensure that constituency association chairmen sent the relevant individuals. The Killarney MP said that he was informed that his instructions were carried out, and as such, did not know why the information did not get out to the respective MPs.
THE TRIBUNE
Sears leads call for revolution By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Attorney General Alfred Sears yesterday called on Bahamians to “join our revolution” as he unveiled his road map for the modernisation of the Progressive Liberal Party and the country. The leadership platform document details the leader-hopeful’s plan to revolutionise the country’s economic, cultural and social status quo through transformative initiatives that draw on core values of stewardship and accountability in governance. His first proposed initiative, under the sub-heading Governance, is to appoint a bipartisan commission to conduct public consultation on the establishment of the Commonwealth Republic of The Bahamas. Such a republic, Mr Sears envisioned, would have a Bahamian executive president and a mixed member system of proportional representation. He theorised that such
a move would “strengthen separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches, enhance the ability of the House of Assembly to check executive authority and action, improve gender balance and the representation of various sectors of civil society in Parliament and incorporate talented and expert citizens from civil society into the governance process.” Other governance reforms include: impose two-term limits on the Office of the Prime Minister and reduce the size of the Cabinet to a maximum of 16 portfolios; and to include the right to vote and freedom of the press as fundamental rights under the Constitution. The document read: “After 40 plus years as an independent nation, it is clear that our system of representative democracy needs change in order to limit the powers of the Office of the Prime Minister; arrest the abuse of state resources in the reward or punishment of political al-
lies and adversaries; and stop the abuse of the public service as an employment agency for incumbent political parties.” With a nod to his tenure as a former minister of education, Mr Sears suggests that primary and secondary schools should extend class times past 3pm in a bid to enrich curriculum, and accommodate social realities faced by single parent homes. He called for the development of Bahamian and Caribbean focused national curriculum that put an emphasis on environmental stewardship and proficiency in at least two languages. In the 26-page manifesto, entitled “A Vision For Our Revolution: Transforming the Bahamas for the 21st Century”, Mr Sears positions himself as a “transformational servant leader” who overcame stark adversity to attain academic and professional accolades, drawing on his public service record, family values and Christian ethics. The policies and initiatives outlined therein are
Tuesday, October 25, 2016,.PAGE 3
intended to be adopted within the context of the country’s national development plan – Vision 2040. Mr Sears’ platform features initiatives that target reforms for economic expansion and diversification; technology and innovation; public transportation; social; energy and environmental; culture industries and cultural development; youth development; Grand Bahama and Family Island development; local government and community empowerment; and to restore, rebrand, and rebuild the PLP. He previously announced his intention to challenge Prime Minister Perry Christie for the PLP’s top post when the party holds its convention in November. Mr Sears, who retired from politics in 2012, is the PLP’s ratified candidate for the Ft Charlotte constituency, an area he previously represented. • See tomorrow’s Tribune for a special pullout supplement detailing Mr Sears’ Vision for Revolution.
ALFRED SEARS
MOTORISTS ANGERED BY CHAOS AT ROAD TRAFFIC By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
DISGRUNTLED motorists yesterday complained about the long wait times associated with the Road Traffic Department’s digital automated system registration exercise, claiming that “nothing has changed” since the “chaotic” first day of registration, despite promises by officials that it would. Heading into day two of the registration process at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium, motorists told The Tribune that yesterday’s exercise was just as “ridiculous” as it was on Friday. Road Traffic Controller Ross Smith admitted to The Tribune yesterday that the department was “not on top of our game” on Friday, but said it has made “some adjustments” to better accommodate the public during the entire process. Core among those adjustments, Mr Smith said, was streamlining the car inspection process, which he said affects every other stage of the process for better or for worse. However, Mr Smith denied claims that Friday’s chaotic scene was the result of either a shortage of/ or not having any license plates, inspection certificates or license discs to give out. He also denied that persons were being privately told that there would be an extra $50 charge if they wished to retain their old license plate numbers, and if that was what they wanted, although it was not time for their vehicles to be licensed, now was the time to
make their wish known to keep their old number. Mr Smith denied that the Road Traffic Department was issuing new license plates. Mr Smith said only “private license plates” are being issued, while “all the others remain the same.” “That’s why there’s no change in their license plates really,” he said. “Because they’re retaining their numbers, and they don’t have to pay that fee because they have paid that already. “The same thing with the title certificate. They don’t have to pay nothing. Because it’s really just the registration booklet just basically changed a bit.” Of yesterday’s registration process, Mr Smith told The Tribune: “What we did was we took over the (car) inspection process completely. So what we did was, we now control that, we know exactly what we want. And so people are able to move in according to how they come, rather than just willy-nilly, all over the place. “And I think that’s what really frustrated people on the first day. Because they were here early and people were jumping the line to get ahead. And so we ensured this morning that that did not happen. And moving forward we will continue to do that.” He added: “…We were not on top of our game as we should (have been). We have put a lot more persons out so that they would be
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able to take care of what the customer’s needs are, and also to watch how people come in, so that to ensure that nobody again is jumping the line or jumping ahead of another person. So that allows persons to have less complaints.” Some motorists said that yesterday’s exercise moved “very, very slow,” further charging that new technology like the one the department is implementing is “supposed to improve processes, not make processes worse.” However, notwithstanding the ever-present queues, the wait associated with those lines seemed to be the only real problem most persons had with the system, as the process The Tribune observed was less chaotic and, at the very least, more organised than the scene this newspaper saw on Friday. Still, Nicole Williams told The Tribune of her frustration with waiting some two hours just to get to the final stages of the registration process, despite showing up at 7:35am. “We’ve been out here and
LONG lines at Road Traffic on Friday. Photo: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff standing and waiting, and it A,B,C, and D today and to improve processes,” he should be a process where then continue on through said. “I think we need to you walk in, you get your alphabetical order instead look at how we can improve papers, and you walk out,” of having the whole of Oc- the process. The process she said. “We’ve been on this tober here one time. Be- I think is flawed. I think line for two and a half hours cause we’re going back to they’re trying to do somenow and it’s ridiculous. We the old days where every- thing to eliminate fraud, need to get some help down body mumble jumble up at but you could accomplish the end of the month. It’s that in another way.” here for these people.” Another man, who just frustrating. I hope they The RTD’s $8m autowished not to be named, get it worked out by now mated system eliminates told The Tribune that yes- and the next time around.” handwritten vehicle inforCarl Culmer, who said he mation discs, in a bid to terday’s process was “real was present at the stadium streamline the licensing chaotic”. “Seems like everybody since shortly after 7am, said and registration processes. don’t know what’s happen- yesterday’s exercise high- The new electronic system ing,” he said. “Seeing that lights the need for the de- is expected to make it easier we’re going on a new pro- partment to seriously look for persons to license their gramme or a new system, I at “process management.” vehicles and put an end to “…My thing is, I know having to register the same was thinking maybe even if they did give it to you like what technology can do vehicle every year.
PAGE 4, Tuesday, October 25, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
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Are unions losing their appeal? FOR more than a century, the word union conjured up images of valuable, even life-saving protection. Unions were the working man’s guardian, the powerful big brother who had the downtrodden worker’s back. Early union leaders symbolized strength; the principles for which they stood aroused emotions even in the most cold-hearted. They wrapped their arm around a worker’s shoulder as they fought for workers’ rights. They stood for what was just, to make sure that labour got fair pay, decent hours and were not subjected to unfair or unsafe working conditions. Union leaders rose from the ranks, they carried placards, they went to great lengths to demand rights, to jail if need be. And they earned the respect and admiration of not only those they protected, but of those who resisted the swelling labour movement. But then something happened. What unions were demanding on behalf of their members was becoming reality. Conditions improved. Pay increased. Workers got contracts. No longer were women who sliced off a finger afraid to leave their sewing machine in a clothing factory for fear that the next immigrant would take their job. Laws prohibiting child labour were passed and enforced. Unions had performed miracles. They demanded and got respect for labour. Much of their raison d’être faded but union leaders who discovered that their position entitled them to enticing benefits had little interest in packing their bags and going away. Long after the initial reason for their rise, they dug in their heels and became entrenched in the business world. Did they ignore the reduction in membership? Were they blindsided by changing opinion or turning a blind eye? In the most frequently quoted study, 16 of 20 countries reported a serious decline in union membership between 1970 and 2003. By 2010, union membership in the US had fallen from nearly 35 per cent to under 15 per cent. For the first time, the majority of people polled reported an overall negative view of unions than those who felt positively with many respondents stating they felt too many public workers were overpaid. The US was not alone. In Australia, union membership fell from a high of 50.2 per cent in 1970 to 22.9 per cent in 2003; in France comparable numbers were a high of 21.7 per cent to a mere 8.3 per cent. Of 196 countries in the world, it is believed that only four (Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Belgium) have experienced an increase in union membership in recent decades. If unions are no longer the protector of
the worker who would surely be abused if it were not for their all-seeing eyes, what they have become is a business. They make deals, attempt to sway politicians and elections. And like any business, they need customers to succeed. For them, customers paying union dues are the equivalent of the jingle in a cash drawer of a store or the income derived from fees by a service provider. In exchange, they perform a service, often making it easier for management or ownership to agree terms and conditions by having one source to negotiate with rather than depending upon its own HR department to tackle upcoming contracts, though that is changing as performance-based incentives and pay increase are going in popularity, and will eventually likely replace seniority as a reason for salary increases. As businesses, unions cannot continue to be analog in a digital age. They must make themselves relevant and attractive to appeal to customers and those customers have every right to purchase what the union has to offer or to say “No, thanks.” The customer must not be shamed into being a union shop or being ostracized and thought of as somehow less than honourable. We have seen a text book case with Sandals Royal Bahamian, one of more than a dozen resorts operated by an award-winning company that has brought life, jobs, opportunities, financial benefits and distinctive branding to the Caribbean. Staff on some of the company’s properties in other islands are unionized. So long as Sandals Royal Bahamian does not break any labour laws of The Bahamas it has every right to decide whether it wants to be a union shop or not. It is neither right nor wrong and should not be judged based on whether it has a union but on what it brings to The Bahamas visitor experience and how satisfied its staff, guests, vendors and suppliers are. There is a straightforward lesson in this for the labour movement. Unions can choose to live in the past or make themselves relevant for a new era, offering training and upgraded skills certification for members. They have an opportunity to build pride in the act of labour, to coordinate scholarships, offer counselling services, family assistance following birth, death, divorce, moving house. They can negotiate better insurance rates for members, or better lending terms with local banks. They can organise retirement and other financial planning. Unions are businesses and as such can succeed not by pointing fingers but by paving a new pathway to the future of the services they offer that others will want to buy.
A fair justice system EDITOR, The Tribune. THE more I see of the American’s interpretation of freedom, the more I appreciate our British inherited system of justice underpinned by law. And that is why the chipping away at an independent judicial system here in The Bahamas by power hungry politicians who believe they should control every sector of our lives – right down to our private correspondence – becomes daily more abhorrent. And of more concern to most of us. In our system of justice if, for example, a murder is committed, the police release the barest of facts. These facts are printed by the press with whatever else they can flesh the story out with by talking to family, friends and co-workers. However, once an accused is captured, and taken shackled on his slow walk between police officers from the holding cell to the court house, anything more than whatever takes place in court is closed to further press investigation. Unlike, the US, which seems to try everything in the columns of the newspaper, therefore, prejudicing a case that is yet to go to trial, in our system
an accused is now in the custody of the courts, and a newspaper publishes anything outside of that at its peril. An accused is truly innocent until proven guilty — and proven by the courts, not the mob. Not so, in the US. In Charlotte, for example,they seem intent on burning a town down, because police had not released the video tape of the murder scene to allow each member of the town to be judge and jury and decide whether the victim was gunned down in cold blood or whether there was provocation for the shooting. Rather than allow police time to investigate and slowly put the jigsaw puzzle of evidence together for presentation to the only place equipped to adjudicate – the courts – they are prepared to destroy their town. In measured tones, the police chief told them that to release the footage now could harm the investigation, which the state is leading. In our system of justice, he would never had had to have made such a decision. My memory goes back to the days of Irish magistrate John Bailey, who one day was hearing a case in Freeport. I don’t remember the details
— but it was in the early days of Lynden Pindling, who, as opposition leader, wanted to be prime minister. If I recall Mr Bailey was hearing a case of an offending taxi driver. A small demonstration of taxi drivers formed outside the courthouse with Pindling at its head. Ostensibly, it was to pressure the foreign magistrate to find in favour of their man. As soon as Magistrate Bailey realised what was going on he ordered a police officer to bring Mr Pindling before him. He proceeded to give the future prime minister a good dressing down for attempting to interfere with justice and ordered him to warm his pants on the seat of a bench of his court, where the was to sit for the rest of the day to purge his contempt. Mr Pindling quickly learned on that day who was boss in the court room. Again, thank God for our system, which, although not perfect, prevents citizens from showing their displeasure by destruction. ALL FOR FREEDOM NOT LICENCE Nassau, September 24, 2016.
Dance of the macabre EDITOR, The Tribune.
EVERYWHERE I go here in our beautiful capital island, I am besieged with questions as to my political allegiance by all and sundry. They, obviously, have nothing better to do. We have recorded close to 70 alleged homicides, so far, for this year. It is estimated that 35 per cent of our younger people are unemployed or under employed. 18 per cent of the general population is also in that same boat. The economy is anaemic and almost on life support. Teenage pregnancies abound. We are faced with an assortment of societal and domestic ills. Yet, my brothers and sisters some ask: “Ortland where is your political allegiance?” They are not even considering more important things and issues. Is it any wonder that our erstwhile politicians run roughshod over you all? Your focus, such as it might be, is in the wrong place. I am an original supporter of the Progressive Liberal Party, pure and simple. I am not always happy with some of the antics and posture of our current leader, the Rt Hon Perry Gladstone Christie. I make no secret about this. Too many of the party’s initiatives are politically driven to the detriment, sometimes, of those who might not support our agenda at any given time. This is dead wrong and I have often said this to the faces of my party’s leadership cadre. Having said the above, however, it pains me when I observe the disintegration and rapid meltdown of the official opposition, the Free National Movement (FNM). It is almost as if that entity has a morbid desire to remain in opposition until the anticipated Rapture. The leadership appears to be convoluted and out of step with the unwashed masses. In recent months, the dissatisfaction of sitting members of parliament with the bumbling leadership troika of: Minnis; Sidney ‘Moon Beam’ Collie and Carl Wilshire ‘Goose Stepping’ Bethel is now legendary. Following a badly thought out revolt against Minnis, the magnificent six folded and crumbled the minute the political dogs were let loose. They have all been relegated to the back of the FNM’s omnibus and one or two of them have actually been rolled over. The dance of the macabre has begun. I ran across Sidney Collie and his lovely wife, Mavis, the other evening at RND where my own wife and I had gone to enjoy a movie. Lo and behold, while minding my own business in the concession area, I felt a hand rubbing my bald head! When I turned around, guess who it was? Sidney Collie. I upbraided him and asked him if he was a Bill # 4. He ran right out with some grossly stupid remarks and then launched into a tirade about my political stance! The FNM is doomed to electoral failure with Sidney Collie as Chairman. He does not have what it takes to be a successful national chairman and, it is clear to me, that
LETTERS
letters@tribunemedia.net he is simply a stop gapped party official. The FNM had to scrape the bottom of the barrel, in my considered view, to pull up a known politically inept former cabinet minister and a totally useless member of parliament, and jettison him into the doll house role of national chairman. Hubert Ingraham got rid of him, right away, when he botched local government elections some years ago. Sidney never caught himself after that and still appears to be shell shocked! Collie God bless him too, might be a good husband and father but he is ill suited to organise and galvanize the rank and file of the FNM. He simply does not have the charisma or persona to take on this task. He reminds me of Carl Bethell and, sometimes, Michael Pintard. Dr Nigel Lewis was the first and last serious national chairman of the FNM. The dance of the macabre has become. Instead of projecting an image of unity and solidarity the FNM, as a party, comes across as disjointed and a literal doll house inhabited by imaginary people; glass houses and fake furniture. Looking though an open and unglazed window, the other day, I was shocked to see a Papa Docstyled individual, not a fake one, bespectacled, looking back at me. Was it Minnis or was it Duvalier himself? At the very time when all should at least appear to be well within the FNM the dance of the macabre has begun. Several partners are to be seen waltzing across the checkered dance floor but they, decidedly, are out of sync and are dancing to music which, to me, is inappropriate. I am reminded of the shrouded zombie-like figures in one of the late Michael Jackson’s videos. Richard Lightbourne (FNM-Montagu) is a good man whom I have known all of my adult life. He and one of his wives used to own and operate Boneville Bones many years ago. He is a reasonably good litigator and lawyer. While he was dead wrong to publicly make that now infamous speech at the doll house convention of the FNM, he deserves a renomination by the Candidates Committee of his delusional party. It is too bad that there is now public manoeuvring and gross posturing by potential rivals to wrest that constituency from him. Andre ‘3000’ Rollins, the interim Member of Parliament for Fort Charlotte is history and has been rendered emasculated politically speaking. His days in the house are numbered. Rollins, as far as I am concerned has always been a prima donna and a bogus politician with absolutely no convictions or loyalty. He is a mere clog in a badly broken down FNM wheel. He cannot return to the PLP and, for sure, he would not even dare to join yet another doll house party. Hubert Chipman (FNMSt. Anne’s) is not a natural politician and lacks even more charisma, if that were
possible, than Sidney ‘Moon Beam’ Collie. What did he bring to the table in parliament as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee? I submit that he did not do a damned thing except to titillate and waste the public imagination and time. He was incapable of leading a single investigation into Urban Renewal. He is a chartered accountant but......he should not be renominated and it has absolutely nothing to do with Minnis. Theo Neily (FNM-North Eleuthera) was always in over his head as a member of parliament. I am of the view that he was a mere number in the grand plan hatched by former PM Ingraham. Theo is, I am sure, a good man but he’s proven to be a lousy and useless representative and national advocate. He’s not been able to conceptualize and move a single Bill in the House in almost four years. It is time, as he himself has conceded, for him to pick up his three marbles and go back home. The dance of the macabre has begun. Loretta Butler-Turner (FNM-Long Island) is under siege and her days in the House are coming to a rapid close, save and except she eats humble dirt pie and kisses the political posterior, as large as it might be, of Minnis. This is so sad but she and Duane Sands made a serious miscalculation when they abruptly withdrew from the charade of the FNM’s leadership race. In politics, it has often been said that to the victor goes the spoils. The upcoming general elections will be the PLP’s to lose. We alone, are able to defeat ourselves. The FNM, as it is now, and the DNA, as it continues to gyrate and pontificate, are unable to rise to the level of maturity and seriousness to take us on. I submit that we (PLP) will capture a minimum of 28 seats. It is regrettable, however, that Alfred Sears, who abandoned the PLP just before the last general elections, because he had to make extra money to send his children off to college! Now, five years later, after people like PGC and Brave would have done the heavy lifting, Sears wants to waltz his way back into the House of Assembly and, even before being re-elected, if at all, he has declared that the “Christie era is over” and that he, the great pretender, is best suited to take over the PLP and the nation! The dance of the macabre extends even to the PLP and people like Sears are, obviously, politically delusional and full of it. The PLP will go into the general elections with PGC and Brave. Alfred can travel with us or he can go his merry way. There will be no coupe in our party. Toe the line; fish; cut bait or get the hell out of the way of the collective agenda. Yes, there will be a few casualties not because of the party but because of the lousy and insensitive representation of a handful of our current incumbents. The dance of the macabre has begun. ORTLAND H. BODIE JR. Nassau, October 23, 2016.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, October 25, 2016,.PAGE 5
Privy Council quashes murder conviction from page one
the several periods McPhee was out of his cell during his 31 hours of detention before a confession was taken from him in the presence of a pastor. This was contained in a 17-page judgment delivered by Lord Hughes concerning McPhee’s challenge to the Court of Appeal’s ruling to uphold his conviction in the death of a food store cashier. The court said it was understandable that the trial judge concentrated - in his ruling at the voir dire - on whether the confession was voluntary since the case made by McPhee was based on the assertion that the confession came after prolonged torture. However, the country’s highest court noted that the judge “does not appear to have been addressed on the
failure to apprise the bishop of the full role of an appropriate adult.” “More importantly, he does not appear to have been addressed, separately from the allegation of torture, on the central matter of unrecorded interviews.” “In those circumstances, the board must make its own assessment in relation to those two matters. It is very conscious that it has not heard the evidence in person, and has only a transcript. For this reason, it proceeds on the basis of the police evidence alone, disregarding the unsworn and rejected assertions of the appellant, and it has warned itself that the evidence of witnesses may be more impressive in person than is suggested by the written page.” “However, limiting itself in that way, it is apparent to the board that the evidence of the police officers,
and particularly of Detective Sergeant Johnson, was far from satisfactory. The several periods of removal from the cells were simply entirely unexplained. It is not easy to see any excuse for this. Either the principal investigating officer was himself concerned with the suspect during these periods or he ought to have discovered who was, and what was happening.” “This absence of explanation for the whereabouts of the appellant has to be combined with the overwhelming likelihood that the investigators would have wished to question him, with the fact that the bishop was called in on the basis that a statement was imminent, and with the patent improbability that the recorded questions and answers constituted the very first things which were said to him concerning the murder which he was alleged
to have committed. When those things are taken together, they lead inevitably to there having been interviews which were unrecorded. Informal they may have been, but it is to the dangers of informal interviews that the requirement for a record is in large part directed. The significance of these interviews cannot be gauged simply because of the lack of record.” “To that bleak conclusion must be added the perfunctory manner in which the bishop was involved without any attempt to explain his full function, the probable lack of food and the shortfall in the efforts to get a parent or guardian to the police station.” “For the reasons set out above, the board will humbly advise Her Majesty that the appeal against conviction should be allowed. The appeal against the form of sentence, which was not
in issue, does not accordingly arise. The question of whether, if application for it be made, there ought to be a re-trial, should be remitted to the Court of Appeal,” Lord Hughes concluded. The full ruling can be seen online at the JCPC’s website: https://www.jcpc. uk/cases/jcpc-2015-0040. html. McPhee, now 25, was convicted in 2011 for the November 2008 murder of Brendon Dion Strachan in Marsh Harbour, Abaco and sentenced to life in prison. Strachan was a cashier at the family’s M&R food store when he was gunned down inside the storeroom. McPhee, a year after his conviction, unsuccessfully appealed his conviction on the basis that the judge should not have admitted his confession statement into evidence given that it had not been voluntarily obtained.
DEPUTY REGISTRAR DENIES BEING ‘A SISSY OR A PUNK’
from page one
on social media with many speculating that the groom was a woman, prompting uproar and vicious commentary from those who are opposed to gay marriage, which is not legally recognised in The Bahamas. However, those who knew the couple quickly pointed out online that the wedding was between a man and a woman. “The couple is Mr Alfred Arlington Pratt and Mrs Rakia Pratt,” Mr Pinder explained. “It was a marriage ceremony of a male and a female, a man and a woman . . .consecrated in holy mat-
rimony.” He said he too has been the subject of attack due to speculation about his sexuality. “Nothing can be further from the truth,” Mr Pinder said. “I am not a homosexual, I have never been a homosexual, I am not gay, I am not a sissy, I’m not a punk, I am a man. And I performed this wedding as a marriage officer of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and it is a legitimate marriage between a man and a woman.” Meanwhile, the couple at the centre of the controversy was shocked at how quickly their photo spread on social media. However, Mr Pratt
THE PHOTOGRAPH that went viral on social media of Alfred and Rakia Pratt. stressed that despite his ap- who take the picture (which Mrs Pratt, who is legally pearance, he is not a wom- spread online) because she blind, said the couple had an. need to go look for a job. dealt with misconceptions “My name is Alfred Ar- Reason why I say it is this, like this in the past. lington Pratt,” he said. “I she could go and work for She added that her huswas born a male. As you can any photographer company band always has to flash his see, I’m just fat. I would like because that’s a damn good identification to people to to thank the fat, dark girl picture she take of us.” prove that he is a man.
DECEMBER DATE FOR TRIAL OF PAIR ACCUSED OF SHOOTING By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
TWO men who were arraigned last month in connection with a triple shooting that claimed two lives will have to wait until December for their case to be transferred to the Supreme Court. Quentino Carey, 23, and 19-year-old Jakota Johnson appeared be-
fore Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes yesterday for the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment related to the deaths of Mackenzie Telusnord and Mark Davis in Peardale. However, the documents were not ready and the matter was further adjourned to December 5. Both men face two counts of murder and a charge of attempted murder. The
murder charges fall under Section 291 (1)(B) of the Penal Code, meaning the accused will not face the discretionary death penalty if there is a conviction at the end of the Supreme Court trial. It is alleged that the pair, being concerned together on September 13, caused the deaths of Telusnord and Davis. It is further alleged that they attempted to cause
the death of eight-year-old Avanti Morley. According to initial police reports, shortly after 7pm, a group of men were standing outside a home when three individuals emerged from nearby bushes all with handguns and opened fire into the crowd. Telusnord and Davis were struck about the body along with young Avanti, who was also shot. Tel-
usnord died at the scene while Davis died of his injuries in hospital three hours later. The pair will not be allowed to enter a plea to the allegations until they are formally arraigned before a judge in the Supreme Court. Elsworth Johnson appeared for Johnson in yesterday’s hearing while Dwayne Rolle appeared for Carey.
JUDGE TO HEAR ARGUMENTS IN DELAYED MURDER CASE By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
A JUDGE will hear legal arguments on Wednesday to determine whether a man accused of murder should be prosecuted after awaiting trial for more than a decade. Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs called the case of 50-year-old Leo Roderick Johnson whose trial concerning the August 19, 2006 slaying of Ericka Fowler was set to begin yesterday. However, while prosecutor Basil Cumberbatch noted that the prosecution was ready to proceed with its case, he noted that he had received documents related to a constitutional motion filed by defence counsel for Johnson. “I received the documents on Friday afternoon, but I fell sick on Saturday,” Mr Cumberbatch said. The prosecutor said he made an attempt to complete a response to what was filed by the accused, but requested a short adjournment to be able to properly respond. Crystal Rolle, lawyer for Johnson, did not object to the request and explained why the prosecutor had received the documents only last Friday. “The documents were initially served but we were waiting on a court date. It’s why the second set of documents were served on Friday once we were made aware of the date,” she said. Senior Justice Isaacs said in the circumstances, he would adjourn the case to November 7 for a status hearing and/or possible fixture. However, the constitutional motion filed by Johnson will be heard on Wednesday, October 26, at noon. Johnson is accused of intentionally and unlawfully causing the death of 33-year-old Ms Fowler, a mother of five, who was fatally stabbed in the heart by a man with whom she had been in an on/off relationship. Ms Fowler, who was employed at The Tribune as assistant librarian and archivist, was killed in front of her home on Comet Terrace in the Golden Gates area. Johnson is seeking a stay of trial on the basis that his right to a fair trial within a reasonable period had been breached given the length of time that has elapsed since his arraignment and his trial date.
CASE OF SEX ASSAULT AGAINST A MINOR IS DISCONTINUED By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
A CASE was discontinued yesterday against a man accused of sexually assaulting a minor nearly five years ago. Dustin Taylor, 32, faced three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse stemming from alleged sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl, who could not give consent, between December 7, 2011, and January 22, 2012. The trial was set to be
heard before Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs. Prosecutor Basil Cumberbatch presented a nolle prosequi signed by the attorney general asking that the charge be discontinued against Taylor. The judge was given the document and a copy was given to defence lawyer Sonia Timothy who expressed gratitude, on behalf of her client, for the route taken by the Crown. At a status hearing in September, the court was informed that the com-
plainant and her mother who brought the complaint to police were not making themselves available to the prosecution. This was also the case at an early mention hearing held in July 25. The Attorney General’s Office could bring the case against Taylor again at any time in the Supreme Court, but it is unlikely. He had denied the allegation since his formal arraignment in Supreme Court. A person tried and con-
MAN FOUND SHOT DEAD ON TRACK IN EARLY MORNING from page one
Police said the body of a man was found on a track road near Nassau Street shortly after 1am on Monday. According to police, officers received a report of gunshots being heard in the area of Polhemus Street off Nassau Street. When officers arrived on the scene, they found the lifeless body of a man lying on a dirt road near Dean Street. He had multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not identified the victim but The Tribune understands he is Anthony Moncur also known as “AJ”. Hours earlier, shortly after 11pm on Sunday, police
said a man was walking through Peter Street when he was shot by an unknown gunman. The victim was rushed to hospital where he is listed in critical condition. Police also arrested a woman late Sunday night after she stabbed a man during an argument. According to reports, shortly after 9pm a man was involved in an argument with a woman at Strachan’s Alley off Kemp Road that led to him being stabbed. He was rushed to hospital where he is listed in serious condition. Police later arrested the woman, who is assisting them with their investigations. Meanwhile police are still asking for the public’s help in locating the person or persons responsible for the
shooting death of a man on Saturday. Details of the incident are still sketchy, but Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean said police received reports shortly after midnight, that a man, believed to be dead, was lying near the road. When officers arrived on the scene, they found the lifeless body of a man who appeared to have been shot multiple times. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. ACP Dean said police have no motive for the murder and no suspects in custody at this time. Anyone with information on any of these incidents is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.
viction of unlawful sexual intercourse faces between
seven years and life imprisonment.
Memorial Service For
Donna Thompson, 51
of Ferguson Street, Bamboo Town, will be held on Thursday, 27th October, 2016, 10:00 a.m. at The Salvation Army, Nassau Citadel Church, Mackey Street. Brother Lester Ferguson will officiate. Pre-cremation. She is survived by Sons: Jason E Ferguson, Davante D. A. Armbrister; Daughters: Deandra N Mortimer-Myers, Shirley A. B. Thompson; Grandchildren: Sierra P Thompson, Shaniah S Thompson, Aleah A.J Mortimer and Cayden P Thompson; Father: Donald Thompson; Mother: Mary Thompson; Sister: Samara Johnson; Brothers: Neil, Donovan, Ian and Elbert Thompson; Son-in-law: Mark A Myers; Sisters-in law: Celina, Shavonne and Mika Thompson; Brother-in law: Owen Johnson; Nieces: Caila Sands and Makenna Johnson; Aunts: Carolyn Strachan, Winifred Ferguson, Rena Cargill, Carolyn Adderley and Marie Dean; Cousins: Keith Ellis, Lynn Ferguson, Tracy, Cheryl, Wendy and Kevin Ferguson, Karen Josey, Hank, Hamiltion and Gigeit Dean, Corey and Cody Adderley, Cierra Bonamy, Ashely Cargill Jr, Patrice Fox, Krystal Lunardo, Lauren Knowles, Yvette Johnson, Tara Chipman, Everette Jr., Gina. Friends Dorothy Murphy (Best Friend), Earthamae Brown-Burrows, Antonette Johnson-Reckley, Albert Gibson (Special Friend), Selena Storr (Pharmacist), Desmangles Family and Barnett Family, and a host of relatives and friends.
PAGE 6, Tuesday, October 25, 2016
BAHA Mar pictured during a recent tour by Prime Minister Perry Christie.
THE TRIBUNE
Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
Call for clarity on Baha Mar from page one But even so, he said, there are a lot of “legal manoeuvrings” that the government would have to disclose that could affect concessions, before anyone is able to
HUGE TREE STUMP REMOVAL CALL US: 468-3977
speak about stamp tax. Last week, the Office of the Prime Minister confirmed a Tribune Business report published earlier this month, which said that Deloitte & Touche receivers sold the resort to a special purpose vehicle (SPV) owned by the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM), the project’s $2.45 billion secured creditor. Once Baha Mar has been completed under the ownership of the bank’s SPV, the “second” or final sale
will occur, it was previously reported. However, this revelation set in motion wide discourse about whether the government would ensure stamp tax is paid, especially at a time when Prime Minister Perry Christie’s hurricane tax suggestion sparked intense backlash. Since making the comments, the government moved a resolution in Parliament to borrow $150m for Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Joaquin repairs.
“There are a number of factors that have to be considered and I think the details from the government have to be clear in terms of ultimately what is going to finally transpire as it relates to concessions to an ultimate buyer,” Mr Bowe said when contacted. “I think the SPV that has been created is effectively for administrative purposes. The China ExportImport Bank, the secured creditor, effectively has now repossessed the assets. “So this isn’t really a sale. I think the term sale is a bit misleading in that the bank did not buy it from themselves.” “So when there is a transfer from one non-resident for exchange control purposes to another non-resident for exchange control purposes, stamp tax usually does not apply. “We know very clearly the bank is a non-resident and the SPV is likely to be non-resident because of its beneficial ownership.” He continued: “Now the anomaly to that is in the Bahamas, Bahamian real estate trumps that and so typically on the exchange between buyers whether they be foreign or domestic on Bahamians assets, real assets with the property, stamp tax applies. “So there is what I would call a number of legal manoeuvrings that the government would have to disclose before we are able to read
out concessions. “If you look at this through a holistic point of view it is the property right now by being repossessed by the China EXIM Bank which is a transfer in beneficial ownership. “Some would probably argue no because the developer at the time had taken out the loan and pledged the assets. But if the bank’s ultimate goal is to sell it then the question will remain whether the stamp tax transaction will take place in an ultimate sale or in a transfer. If the transfer is just a facilitation of a sale then there may be concessions granted. “If the bank says I am going to run and operate it then that’s different. But if they are saying they are looking for a buyer and have taken possession to facilitate a completion and to clean all of the court quagmire, then in reality this is just a step to the process. I think the final element is the government will grant concessions to try and stimulate this.” Edison Sumner, CEO of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation, took basically the same view, agreeing that there should be stamp tax paid to the government, but insisting that the heads of agreement would have to be examined before a definite position is taken.
“It (stamp tax) should (be paid) because there are certain taxes that each sale incurs that are payable to the government,” Mr Sumner said. “But before we even get to that discussion it will be important to understand what was in the heads of agreement. “So it would be difficult to make that determination although I do agree that in a sale of such magnitude it should be revenue that is payable to the government.” No Tax One person, however, did take a definite position when asked about this matter. Attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, who represents the Gaming Board, one of Baha Mar’s creditors, said at this point there should be no payment of stamp tax. “No, because the conveyance to the SPV is owned by China Import-Export Bank. So why would they pay stamp tax for transferring something to themselves? “Now at a point where the shares of this company are transferred to the eventual buyer then there will be a consideration of stamp duties. At that time, I have no doubt that the purchaser will be seeking the same sort of concessions that you find in the 2011 heads of agreement and in the Atlantis heads of agreement,” Mr Munroe said.
FNM DEMANDS DISCLOSURE ON RESORT REMOBILISATION from page one
Dr Minnis said: “All we get is a slow – drip, drip – of very small details every now and then, but not the whole picture. Since this company is only a temporary owner of Baha Mar and will only be overseeing the final construction, the Bahamian people deserve to have these critical questions answered. “If the Bahamian people do not know who the new owners of Baha Mar are, how can we hold them accountable?” “The deal that Prime Minister Christie struck with his Chinese allies has been shrouded in secrecy from the start,” he said. “The Bahamian people have been demanding all of the details of this secret deal but they have repeatedly refused to reveal any specifics.” The government confirmed last week that Deloitte & Touche receivers
sold the resort to a special purpose vehicle (SPV) owned by CEXIM - Perfect Luck Holdings Limited. Once Baha Mar has been completed, under the ownership of the bank’s SPV, the “second” or final sale will occur. The statement released by the Office of the Prime Minister confirmed a report published by Tribune Business earlier this month, which revealed that Deloitte & Touche receivers sold the resort to a SPV owned by the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM), the project’s $2.45 billion secured creditor. Yesterday, Dr Minnis said the party did not know much about Perfect Luck, except that it was registered in Hong Kong in 2014. He questioned whether Bahamians were entitled to know the identity of the company’s owner(s). “Last week, it was indirectly revealed by Prime Minister Christie that Per-
fect Luck Holdings Limited is the new owner of Baha Mar,” he said. “Up until recently, Mr Christie had only acknowledged that Perfect Luck purchased the debt that Baha Mar owed to its former employees and contractors. This new information only leads to more questions than it does answers.” Dr Minnis said: “The Free National Movement stands with all of the people who are still concerned and troubled by the lack of transparency and details of the PLP’s deal made with the Chinese, which was shrouded in secrecy and then sealed by the courts on behalf of this government. “The people continue to cry out for transparency and accountability,” he said. “It’s time for the prime minister to finally unseal his secret deal and reveal to the Bahamian people all of the details of the secret deal he struck with his Chinese allies.”
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, October 25, 2016,.PAGE 7
CI Gibson is one of a few government schools that was severely damaged during the passing of Hurricane Matthew and is pictured during repairs last week.
Photo: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff
Public schools to reopen today By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net AFTER being closed for nearly three weeks, public schools in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Central Andros will reopen today, with the exception of Government High School in the capital and Walker Parker Primary in Grand Bahama, which were the hardest hit by Hurricane Matthew. In a press release yesterday, the Ministry of Education said Government High School (GHS) will not reopen until Wednesday, October 26, however “the attendance of the students will be staggered until the completion of repairs.” On Wednesday, only 12th grade students are to report to GHS. Students in the
11th and 10th grades will return to school this Thursday and Friday respectively. Further updates for GHS will be issued on Friday, October 28. In Grand Bahama, only the 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students of Eight Mile Rock High will return to school on Tuesday. Students in grade 7, 8 and 9 will return on Wednesday, October 26. Students of Walter Parker Primary School will return to school on Thursday, October 27. At Jack Hayward Senior High, 10th and 12th graders will return to school today and 11th graders will return on Wednesday. The ministry said contractors are doing their best to ensure that all classrooms are fully operational
by October 31. “Despite the severity of the damages at C I Gibson and Government High School, the Ministry of Education would like to thank the contractors for their commitment to the restoration efforts as they have been working overtime to ensure that works are completed in the shortest time possible,” the statement said. “They understood the importance of working aggressively to return our schools to a state of normalcy and we commend them for making our schools a priority. They are doing their best to ensure that all classrooms are fully operational by Monday, October 31. “The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology thanks the public,
sations have been working to assist with meeting emergency and immediate needs of individuals, some of whom do not even have a roof over their heads, Rebuild Bahamas is trying to get affected businesses back up and running as fast as possible so people can get back to work and repair supplies are available especially for those areas hardest hit,” Mr Bowe said. Rotary was first to get emergency supplies to hardhit areas and will again partner with the Chamber for the Rebuild Bahamas effort. Rebuild Bahamas issued its report of its recovery and rebuilding efforts on September 5, 2016. The report points to successes – 48 businesses or enterprises that were helped. It was also frank about the challenges the effort faced; approximately three times the number of applicants who
were assisted did not qualify because they did not have a current business licence or other government qualifications. The Ministry of Finance has already indicated a mechanism whereby this will be less of a hindering factor for the Hurricane Matthew relief and recovery efforts. Rebuild Bahamas’ single largest regret was that no business took advantage of $250,000 set aside by the Bahamas Entrepreneurial Venture Fund for short term loans. “Businesses just did not want to borrow even at very low interest rates with extremely favourable terms,” said Mr Sumner. The report also noted that Rebuild Bahamas would seek longer term solutions in conjunction with the insurance industry to help small to medium size businesses obtain affordable insurance coverage.
especially parents for their patience and cooperation in the midst of this unusual circumstance. We would also like to extend our gratitude to the administrators, teachers and staff who placed service above self and united to rebuild the spirit of their school communities. We look forward to welcoming our students, teachers and staff to school this week and hope that they will all be focused as we do our best to make up for the time that has been lost.” Last week, Education
Minister Jerome Fitzgerald said the decision to delay school openings was made after “careful consideration and consultation” with various stakeholders, including Bahamas Power and Light, Minister for Grand Bahama Dr Michael Darville and district superintendents for the islands. He also encouraged parents whose students lost their uniforms and other school supplies as a result of Hurricane Matthew to make good use of Social Services. Mr Fitzgerald announced
that Social Services Director Melanie Zonicle would give assistance with uniforms, backpacks and other basic supplies to those families in need, after the effects of Matthew. He also advised administrators to be mindful that some students may have lost personal effects during the storm and encouraged them to be sensitive to the circumstances of students, particularly those who may not have any or complete uniforms. All teachers are to report to work today.
Hurricane impact REBUILD BAHAMAS SPENT $573,000 AFTER JOAQUIN windows and doors REBUILD Bahamas spent $573,926 helping to reconstruct or restock businesses in five islands and re-float fishing vessels in the southern Bahamas devastated by Hurricane Joaquin. According to a press release, with Hurricane Joaquin efforts nearing completion, Rebuild Bahamas re-engaged stakeholders to assess needs and begin fund-raising restoration efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. “Rebuild Bahamas, a partnership between the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation and the Rotary Clubs of The Bahamas, flew into action immediately following the passage of Matthew,” said Edison Sumner, Chamber CEO. “As soon as planes could get into Andros and Grand Bahama, we had teams on the ground conducting interviews, photographing damage, checking businesses that were impacted and we are working on compiling the costs associated with repairs right now.” Damage from Matthew, which blew through the northwestern Bahamas on October 6-7 with winds of up to 145 miles an hour and strong storm surges that caused widespread flooding, has been estimated by the government and insurers to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. This estimate far exceeds the damage of Hurricane Joaquin that struck in early October 2015. Repercussions of Matthew are more extensive because the storm struck heavily populated sections of New Providence as well Grand Bahama and portions of North Andros. According to Gowon Bowe, Chamber chairman and a member of several disaster-recovery related boards, there is recovery and rebuilding activity at every level. “While several organi-
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PAGE 10, Tuesday, October 25, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, October 25, 2016, PAGE 15
PAGE 16, Tuesday, October 25, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
Bank takes hurricane donations to $250,000 URGING others to follow suit reaching deep into pockets and hearts to give what they can, Commonwealth Bank today made its third substantial donation to a Hurricane Matthew relief fund with bank President Ian Jennings projecting earlier that the all-Bahamian bank’s contributions could reach nearly $500,000. Today’s donation of $50,000 to The Salvation Army followed cheques of $100,000 each to the Bahamas Red Cross and NEMA last week, bringing cash outlays to date to $250,000, a gesture that was applauded by Prime Minister Perry Christie. “I applaud Commonwealth Bank, the most successful Bahamian bank, for the generosity and the manner in which they have
responded to the needs of the people who have been impacted by Hurricane Matthew,” Mr Christie said. “No storm has ever touched as many lives as this did and I commend Commonwealth Bank for taking the lead in the recovery contributions and I hope that others in the corporate world will follow.” Mr Christie noted that many of those affected are likely clients of the bank and may already be “maxed out” as borrowers, a reality the bank’s directors and executives had already anticipated. “We understand the gravity of the situation and the tremendous burden many thousands will face as they try to rebuild their lives,” said Mr Jennings. “That is why, in addition to the outright donations which we
PICTURED at the cheque presentation are, from left, Jacqueline Farrington, VP Internal Audit, Commonwealth Bank, Major Clarence Ingram, Divisional Commander, The Salvation Army, Denise Turnquest, Sr VP Credit Risk, Commonwealth Bank and Major Karen Ingram, The Salvation Army. have made in this first week form, whether it be lightly or and Grand Bahama, the could do so.” following the category four for those people who have spirit of the bank staff, said The bank opened five storm, we are providing for lost their homes and every- Mr Jennings, has been un- branches that day for Satrelief from loan repayment thing they had. Our hearts daunted. urday banking, four in New “Our staff have gone Providence. on a one-on-one basis up to and prayers go out to those who are suffering.” above and beyond,” said three months.” Donations to NEMA and The bank is also assist- Mr Jennings. “In Grand to the Bahamas Red Cross Customers of the bank are asked to go to their ing staff with zero-interest Bahama staff members who will help cover needs from home branch to negotiate loans and hardship allow- themselves had homes that the purchase of tarps to ances to assist with recov- had flooded or lost their survival kits, from toiletries terms. “This storm has touched ery, accounting along with roofs and who suffered so to bedding, while The Saleverybody,” Mr Jennings major donations for a total much insisted on opening vation Army donation will said. “It’s touched our staff, recovery package that is ex- (the branch) on Saturday help replace flooded appliit’s touched our shareholders, pected to near the $500,000. one day after the storm ances in Grand Bahama Despite the devastating Matthew struck that is- and children’s school uniit’s touched our directors and it’s touched everybody in the impact of Hurricane Mat- land, so those who needed forms in New Providence country in some degree and thew in New Providence to access funds for supplies among other needs.