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Volume: 120 No.205, October 26, 2023
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$1
MILLER GETS CONTRACT FOR ROAD TRAFFIC Ex-MP: I wish we could get big boys’ rates By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net LESLIE Miller said the government will move the Road Traffic Department into his Summerwinds Plaza for a rate that is “much better than anywhere else”, adding there is “nothing amiss” and “no favours” involved. “I wish we could get the rates that the big boys get. I’d be a happy man,” he said yesterday. He noted that lease agreements for the property under the last Christie SEE PAGE FIVE
SCHOOL MONITORS FIND BOY, AGED 12, LIVING IN CAR ALONE By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net SCHOOL attendance monitors tasked with getting drop-outs back in school recently found a 12-year-old boy living alone
in a car. Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin said the child is now in the state’s custody. She declined to offer further details, but said in the SEE PAGE SEVEN
THE SUMMERWINDS PLAZA, which is to become the new home of the Road Traffic Department. Photo: Moise Amisial
PLP to discuss marital rape By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net THE Progressive Liberal Party will discuss marital rape, legalising marijuana for recreational use and transitioning to a republic during the party’s 55th national convention on November 9 and 10,
according to Senator Quinton Lightbourne, the event’s co-chair. “Additionally, attendees will be given an opportunity to score the government’s performance, and it promises to be an insightful reflection of the public’s view on these pivotal topics,” he said during a press conference
yesterday. He said “the essence of the discussions and decisions” on the hotbutton topics will be communicated to the public even though they will occur during closed sessions in the day. Evening sessions will be
said in a statement that it now “intends to get on with the business of what it does best” by investing $3m to convert the former Scotiabank branch into a location for both brands after the Town Planning Committee granted the project site plan approval subject to several modest conditions.
AN Atlantis worker was stabbed by a fellow employee on Tuesday as she worked at a restaurant serving breakfast to visitors. The attack came shortly before 9am, with the 28-year-old woman being stabbed by a man who also worked at the location. The Tribune understands the incident took place at Poseidon’s Table at Atlantis, which was initially reported in yesterday’s Tribune. However, the incident did not feature on Tuesday’s police reports, and Tribune inquiries about the stabbing received no response until the early hours of yesterday morning when police confirmed the attack.
FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
SEE PAGE SEVEN
SEE PAGE THREE
Wendy’s Wins approval - and blasts atlantis By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net WENDY’S yesterday blasted Atlantis for masterminding a “meritless, aggressive and self-serving campaign” that failed to prevent the fast-food brand gaining planning approval for its Paradise Island restaurant.
Psomi Holdings, an affiliate of Aetos Holdings, the Wendy’s and Marco’s Pizza franchisee,
ATLANTIS STABBING AT BREAKFAST
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
PAGE 2, Thursday, October 26, 2023
THE TRIBUNE
Staniel Cay residents fed up waiting for school to reopen
EDUCATION MINISTER GLENYS HANNA MARTIN By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net STANIEL Cay residents are fed up with how long the government is taking to reopen the Staniel Cay Comprehensive School, saying students have been learning in a church for over three years. Repairs to the school have left over 20 students without proper learning facilities. “We as a community understand the problem to be, quite frankly, what seems to be a lack of concern and accountability on behalf of the contractor that has been awarded this project by the government,” said Keiran Miller, a resident of the island. “In speaking to several subcontractors in the area, it seems highly likely that there’s a possibility of funds being misappropriated.” Mr Miller said the Mount Oliveth Baptist Church had volunteered its “mission house” building as a temporary school. “I think a reasonable amount of time has already passed,” he said yesterday. “We are now in October 2023 with still no clear indication of when the school will be available for the students to enter.”
He said residents believe a local contractor would be more motivated to complete the work. In June 2022, Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin said it was hoped the school would open by August 2022 at $1.9m. Yesterday, she said: “I understand the frustration of the parents and students. I am of the view that the school must be completed as a matter of urgency.” Luther Smith, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Works and Utilities, said the school is 100 per cent constructed, but lacks electricity. “Everything is completed with the exception of having BPL install a transformer to the site where the school is located,” he said yesterday. “BPL Exuma was supposed to have facilitated that, but up to now, they have not yet been able to do so, and we are pursuing that with BPL as we speak to see if we can get that transformer there. Other than that, the school is completed and ready for occupancy.” Asked why there were so many delays in the project, Mr Smith said there were funding issues and challenges getting human resources and supplies to the remote cay.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, October 26, 2023, PAGE 3
PLP candidate launch in Grand Bahama
THE PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party held a candidates launch event in Grand Bahama yesterday for Kingsley Smith, the party’s nominee for the upcoming West Grand Bahama and Bimini by-election. “The upcoming by-election goes beyond politics. It’s about our commitment to each other, about ensuring that the aspirations of every Bahamian are realised,” Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said during a speech at the event. Photos: Vandyke Hepburn
PLP to discuss marital rape
PLP Officials Quinton Lightbourne; Barbara Cartwright; Alex Storr. from page one open to the public. Secretary General Barbara Cartwright declined to say how much the convention would cost the party, but said it is “expensive”. She noted that national offices will be up for grabs but declined to say who and how many have applied for positions. Thursday is the deadline for applications. “The secretary-general says we’ll know Thursday close of business who is running and not running, but the Progressive Liberal Party is an open, transparent organisation,” said PLP chairman Fred Mitchell, who has declined to confirm whether he will seek re-election. The convention will follow a raucous National General Council meeting last week where Kingsley Smith was ratified as the nominee for the upcoming West Grand Bahama and Bimini by-election, a decision opposed by supporters of Shane Gibson, the former Cabinet minister looking to make a political comeback. Asked if Mr Gibson has been a part of efforts to unify the party behind the scenes, Mr Mitchell said: “Everybody’s been engaged behind the scenes”. He said “a spirit of enthusiasm” and energy emerges from national conventions, which he believes will help the party in the by-election. “They will know that the Progressive Liberal Party is a safe bet because for three years, Brave Davis and the Progressive Liberal Party will be the government of the country,” he said. “So it
would be the safest course, let’s put it at a minimum of that, would be to support the party in power because the party in power has the ability to deliver for the people of West Grand Bahama and Bimini.” “They’ve given us a mandate for five years. Unfortunately, due to the cause of death and the untimely death of our
Photo Moise Amisial member, the term was cut short by three years.” “We’re asking them to continue the mandate for three years, which the former member had and unfortunately was cut short. I think it’s going to be a compelling case. There’ll be high energy coming out of it, and I expect us to retain the seat.”
PAGE 4, Thursday, October 26, 2023
THE TRIBUNE
WSC consultant Butler-Turner says freak accident will be ‘comprehensively reviewed’
WATER & SEWERAGE CORPORATION CONSULTANT LORETTA BUTLER-TURNER
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net WATER & Sewerage Corporation consultant Loretta Butler-Turner said a freak accident that caused the death of a WSC employee last month would be comprehensively reviewed and the corporation has
cooperated with the victim’s family. Her comment came after East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson called for an inquiry into the death of Abaco resident and WSC area manager Tony Lamont Scriven, who was inspecting a water plant in Sweeting’s Cay with several other employees on
September 30th when a water tank collapsed and fell on him. Scriven left behind a wife and four children. His death shocked the Abaco community. In the House of Assembly yesterday, Mr Thompson said he met and spoke with Scriven’s family and believes the circumstances of the
death require an inquiry. Mrs Butler-Turner noted the death was accidental and that the coroner determines the cause of death in such circumstances. “Everyone would like to have answers as to what truly happened,” she said. She could not confirm whether an investigation had officially started.
“We have done everything to cooperate with the wife, the mother, the father, the entire family, from transportation to accommodation to whatever because that man is a valued colleague,” she said yesterday. “He is not someone we are not grieving over. If this were your loved one, you would want to
have closure as well. So the Water and Sewerage considers him family, and the Water and Sewerage considers that whatever needs to be done to get full answers will be done.” She said no work has continued on the site of the reverse osmosis plant since Scriven died. The tanks store 20,000 gallons of water on the cay.
SMALL HOME REPAIRS PROGRAMME HAS HELPED 50 OF 200 PEOPLE SO FAR By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
FOR SALE
DISASTER Reconstruction Authority executive chairman Alex Storr said the Small Homes Repairs Programme has to date repaired about 50 of a targeted 200 homes. He said officials are also working on a joint venture with a private company to provide rental units in Abaco to alleviate housing challenges.
He spoke to reporters after a Progressive Liberal Party press conference. He said officials are focusing on repairing homes in Grand Bahama and Abaco generally, not any particular segment of the islands. He said their focus is needs-based. He also said officials met police this week as authorities continue investigating matters related to the authority’s operations under the Minnis administration. He said the purchase
order system previously used was flawed. “We found that there were a lot of things missing,” he said, adding officials have improved procedures. “That has allowed us to now more efficiently use the donations and taxpayer funds that we have come in, and we have now ramped up home repair programmes on both Grand Bahama and Abaco and providing relief for those that have been crying out.”
DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN ALEX STORR
TRIPLEX LOT A MILLER HEIGHTS BACARDI ROAD PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: Multi Family Residents PROPERTY SIZE: 7,500 sq. ft. (structure 5,487 sq. ft.) ACCOMMODATIONS: Structure has three (3) units. Western most unit consist of 1 bed 1 bath, dining room/ kitchen, and washroom. Unit two (2) is a middle unit that consists of 2 bed 2 bath, office, Living room, kitchen, washroom, and back patio access. Unit three (3) is the eastern most unit that consist of 2 bed 1 bath dining room/kitchen, and washroom.
LOCATION: Traveling south on Bacardi Road from the junction of Carmichael Road and Bacardi Road, turn on the sixth (6th) street west (right) known as Evergreen Close. The property is the 5th on the right.
APPRAISED VALUE: $389,000.00 INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD CONTACT: IAN SYMONETTE 397-6940 OR 376-1343 OR DISTRESSED.PROPERTIES@COMBANKLTD.COM
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, October 26, 2023, PAGE 5
Miller awarded contract for Road Traffic’s new location from page one
administration have been tied up in legal wrangling after previous administrations failed to follow them. He spoke yesterday after Transport & Energy Minister Jobeth Colbey-Davis said on Monday that the traffic department will be relocated from the Thomas A Robinson Stadium to a location off Tonique Williams Darling Highway next to the now-closed Mario’s Bowling and Entertainment Centre. Mr Miller confirmed his plaza will be the department’s new home and said talks with officials have been ongoing for several months. He said he is waiting for the Ministry of Works to complete mechanical and engineering work, allowing the place to be “ready in 30 to 60 days.” He said the plaza has parking space for 300 vehicles. “No other place they could go has the parking,” he said. Mr Miller sued the government when the Minnis administration refused to honour the leases, seeking more than $66m in damages. Former Finance Minister Peter Turnquest had suggested the Christie administration leases
handcuffed his administration’s financial plans and made no sense even though Mr Miller described them at the time as a “win-win” for the government. Supreme Court Justice Cheryl Grant Thompson initially ruled that the leases were “valid and binding” and awarded Mr Miller $9.846m in damages. However, the Court of Appeal allowed the government’s appeal of the ruling and ordered the case be sent back to the Supreme Court for a hearing before a different judge. The parties involved later agreed to negotiate a settlement without further legal action. Mr Miller’s lawyer, Damian Gomez, said yesterday that negotiations are ongoing. The Bank of The Bahamas and Bahamas Resolve are parties to the case. Mr Miller’s BOB loans –– secured by the plaza –– were moved to the bail-out vehicle when they became delinquent. He and his companies allegedly owe BOB more than $30.5m. The Tribune understands that as settlement negotiations continue, the plaza is no longer under receivership, with the parties determining how Mr Miller’s account will be handled.
LESLIE Miller confirms that the government will be renting a building in his Summer Wind Plaza on the Tonique Williams Darling Highway for the Road Traffic Department. Photo: Moise Amisial
SEARS: COMMISSION WILL REVIEW CHECKS AND BALANCES AT IMMIGRATION DEPT By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net IMMIGRATION Minister Alfred Sears said a commission Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis
established to review how immigration decisions are made comprises former Education Director Marcellus Taylor, former Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Clifford Scavella and Alexandria Hall.
He said the commission is “set to make pivotal strides in improving the way immigration decisions are made in The Bahamas.” “The commission will review the checks and balances relative to how
IMMIGRATION MINISTER ALFRED SEARS
UN group to inspect detention facilities at end of November By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net IMMIGRATION Minister Alfred Sears said a United Nations group will visit The Bahamas to inspect migrant detention facilities. “We will engage the United Nations in a very frank and open manner and also use it as an opportunity to redouble our commitment and efforts to improve the infrastructure of our detention facilities,” he said in the House of Assembly yesterday. He said the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention will visit the country on November 27. “This group from the United Nations will visit our detention centre, the safe houses in The Bahamas and will consult with the civil society, the human rights group, and persons who would have been detained at some time.”
The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is an independent body that investigates possible cases of arbitrary arrest and detention. Mr Sears said his predecessor, Keith Bell, left plans to upgrade the detention centre. “He had already made a substantial improvement; in fact, a new facility for the medical services within the detention centre. There’s now doctors on rotation,” he said. “We also will be renovating the safe house for women and children who are in the safe house so that we can maintain the minimum standard, which is required by our international obligation.” Mr Sears said improvements are also underway for the digital platform within the Ministry of Immigration, following consultations within the last two weeks with immigration officers. He said he had a recent
virtual meeting with Canadian Bank Note, a security technology company. He said an agreement was made “to make certain code changes to the platform to improve efficiency, to make it more user-friendly for the clients of the ministry, and also to make the process much more accountable and transparent.” Mr Sears revealed that 1,126 irregular migrants were repatriated between July 1 and August 13. “This number encompasses 746 adult males, 301 adult females, 43 male children and 36 female children,” he said. “As is customary, the vast majority of persons were from the Republic of Haiti, which was 795 people. What is most interesting, however, is that the next highest number is 147 Ecuadorians. “Total costs incurred by Bahamian taxpayers to facilitate these repatriations during that period is $211,273.”
immigration decisions are made, and make recommendations to strengthen the decision-making process,” he said. “Cost-saving measures to ensure the efficient use of financial resources will
be explored by a newly formed commission for the comprehensive view of immigration decisions, checks and balances.” Mr Davis said the commission would be established after Free
National Movement leader Michael Pintard leaked documents showing senior immigration officials were concerned with former Immigration Minister Keith Bell’s alleged interference in their work.
PAGE 6, Thursday, October 26, 2023
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What will you do to ensure no child is left behind? THERE is a sad story on the front page of The Tribune tonight – one that goes beyond the to and fro of politics. It is the job of school attendance monitors to follow up when a child is missing from school – but they could hardly have expected what they found when they went in search of one particular student. They found the boy, a 12-year-old, living in a car. Worse, he was alone there. No one to support him. Imagine the challenges that child must have been facing. How does that child feed himself? How does he provide for his clothes, let alone the prospect of being able to go to school? What cracks has that child fallen down to find himself separated with no support, no help, not even a roof over his head except that of a car? Sadly, he is not the only child to find themselves facing impossible situations. Earlier this month, The Tribune reported on another 12-year-old boy, left alone with his two siblings to fend for themselves after immigration officers apprehended their mother. Those children had not attended school in three days. Their mother would normally give them lunch and bus funds, their father having died years ago, but with her gone, as the 12-year-old boy said: “We ain’ get no money.” Do we really think these are the only children to be left to fend for themselves? It is impossible to imagine what these young minds are going through – but just as impossible to think that these will be the only children adrift in our society. Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin was heartfelt when she talked of how “a child should not fall by the wayside”. She added: “The one person protected in this life should be the children of this nation.” She spoke searchingly too of the need to try and deal with the learning loss suffered by students during the pandemic. Remote learning worked for some – but not for many others. Some simply struggled to engage remotely, others had difficulty accessing the virtual
platforms at all. Still others were part of families whose parents had suddenly lost jobs in the pandemic as everything locked down. Hotels shut their doors, airlines stopped flying, the tourism cashflow shut off. People were left without pay cheques and trying to decide between food on the table or paying the electric bill or the cable bill. Some children simply didn’t have power to be able to log on to virtual learning. And now, even after the economy has picked up again, and many are back at work, still there are children on the outside. The international organisation UNICEF has a mandate that calls for no child to be left behind – and it is a mandate we should embrace closer to home. To do so should require more than simply calling on the Ministry of Education to solve all our ills. The ministry cannot change the circumstances that left that 12-year-old boy alone in a car. No, it needs to be a bigger effort. A whole-nation effort. This is the kind of challenge that those organisations that declare they are working towards a better Bahamas should rise to meet. This is where churches should unite – hands across the aisle – to help our children. This is where civic organisations should pull together to ensure that mandate of no child being left behind. This should be a bigger conversation. One that takes in issues such as poverty, such as hunger, such as community support for families where a parent is not present – or two parents. The Education Minister’s heart is in the right place – but she needs more resources to conquer this challenge. That is no slight on her, simply a recognition of the scale of the problem she – and we – face. As we start the run-up to a by-election, with both parties seeking our votes, perhaps one question to ask them is simply this: “What will you do to ensure no child is left behind?” It is also a question we should ask ourselves. For the sake of those other 12-yearolds out there alone who need our help.
IN The Tribune’s latest online poll, we asked readers how they felt about the proposed Wendy’s and Marco’s Pizza restaurant on Paradise Island. The end result was a tie – with 50 percent voting in favour of the proposed restaurant and 50 percent against it. Readers also posted their views on the various stories from Tribune Business on the issue. Tell_it_like_it_is said: “Wendy’s you are correct. Those PI businesses need to get a life. If Wendy’s doesn’t fit in, no one will go there. If it does, they will have lots of business, which is what you are actually afraid of. I’m tired of hearing about this. Approve the project already and move on. Get over yourself PI businesses! You sound like you are still trapped in the 1960s or something. SMH”
Baha10 posted this comment: “This push to ghettoize PI should not be allowed for the sake of our overall tourism product that is far more important than ‘another’ Wendy’s . . . and as for 115 to 120 second turn around, this is truly fantasy, as I have routinely waited up to 15 to 20 minutes for a salad from the ‘new’, but anything but efficient, Wendy’s on Mackay Street.” Bahamianson had this to say: “Sounds like a ‘not in my backyard mentality’. You
PICTURED participating at Ministry of Foreign Affairs ‘Diplomatic Week’, currently ongoing at Baha Mar, is Ann Marie Davis of the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister, at the Opening Ceremonies. Photos: Anthon Thompson/AP
There is no revolt in the PLP EDITOR, The Tribune. THE Candidates’ Nomination Committee for the ruling Progressive Liberal Party and the Free National Movement have not selected their respective candidates for the West End and Bimini constituency. The contested bye-election will be held during the month of November. I have no doubt that the iconic PLP will recapture that constituency hands down. This one will be for Obie. Several potential nominees within both parties eagerly sought the nod from their respective party. A Bishop Ricardo Grant was selected by the FNM and Mr Kingsley Smith, an attorney-at-law and Chief Passport Officer, was selected by the PLP. Let the games begin. There will be others who will offer as ‘independents’ or promote themselves as candidates for quasi-political organisations. I submit that any such fringe candidate would
have already lost. Didn’t this article say that the deed does not rule out this type of investment? Look at the Wendy’s and Marcos Pizza out west, those restaurants clutter up the parking lot. People from all over New Providence and Paradise Island populate that area. When Covid was here, people from all over came out west even leaving their neighbourhood. Stop whining, I want to take a short drive over PI and have an affordable hamburger. You want to come out west but you don’t want me to come over PI. I don’t want your pollution just like you don’t want mine.” Hrysippus said: “Atlantis probably does not want to have any guests who are not able to spend $500 to $1,000 per night to stay at the resort. Fair enough, they are catering to to the wealthy, or in the case of The Ocean Club, the very wealthy. How many regular
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net draw votes away from the FNM. There is no revolt within the PLP and the party has ONE leader in the form of the Most Hon Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, MP. KC (PLP-Cat Island). The Hon Fred A Mitchell (PLP-Fox Hill), Minister of Foreign Affairs, is the National Chairman of the party and he, obviously, speaks for the collective party and its leadership from the top to the bottom. There is NO division much less a revolt within the PLP. On the nomination process, many presented themselves as potential standard bearers for their respective party, but only one could have been chosen. That is simply the luck of the draw. Yes, there would be lingering disappoint expressed by those
Bahamians earning $500 per week, if lucky, are going to be lining up to support this petition to protect Atlantis? Most Bahamians have never even been able to afford to dine in an Atlantis fine restaurant I suspect.” And Quavaduff said: “Does the Bahamas need yet another diabetes-causing fast food ‘joint’? NO.” ·················· The news that more than $1m will be spent to revamp and modernise the government website, according to Wayde Watson, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, prompted this comment from AnObserver: “I’ve been involved in a few web projects over the years, and they typically have four or five figure price tags, maybe low six figures for a super complex site with
who were not selected but in retail politics that is the nature of the beast. Some say that within the PLP there is massive disappointment with the choice of Brother Kingsley Smith. As a life long supporter of the PLP I am convinced that any such expressed or perceived ‘disappoint’ will blow over and true believers will circle the political wagons and hit the ground running to a magnificent victory in West End and Bimini. Those who are PLPs will stand and deliver for the party in the voting booths. Those who are disrespectful to the leadership without cause can either walk the proverbial plank or leave the party. Our undisputed Leader, Brave, has nowhere to go anytime soon, The Lord willing. Jr
ORTLAND H BODIE, Nassau, October 25 2023.
customer records and e-commerce. How can you possibly spend $1m?” ThisIsOurs referenced a quote from the story and said: “‘...adaptive technology behind it so that it can be rendered whether it is on a tablet, PC, mobile device or computer screen’ – Adaptive technology? They don’t know what they’re talking about. All it takes it one formatting file . . . if the screen this size, layout this way, otherwise layout that way. No web developer I know makes a big deal about this as if they have to inject some tremendous effort to deliver it, it’s a given. ‘Adaptive technology’ . . . suck teeth, I guess the price for that was 999,999.99. The extra cent probably for the tab to speak to a representative.” Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242. com.
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School monitors find boy, aged 12, living in car alone THE TRIBUNE
from page one
House of Assembly: “These are the issues that we face. Now, we can ignore it and turn the next way, but that will come back to haunt us and further hurt us anyhow because a child should not fall by the wayside. “The one person protected in this life should be the children of this nation.” She said efforts to reengage absent students have been “very effective” despite challenges. She said school attendance rates have risen to 95 per cent for September, adding that people are on the ground every day looking for students. “So we prioritise getting students off the streets and into the classrooms,” she said. She also noted improvements in students’ academic performance after intervention initiatives were implemented to deal with learning loss suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent survey found that 44 per cent of public school students require urgent learning intervention.
Thursday, October 26, 2023, PAGE 7
“After the third testing, we have found that preliminary results revealed that 60 per cent of the students have shown academic growth,” she said. “Forty per cent accelerated and 20 per cent typical. Fourth graders have shown the greatest accelerated process with 62 per cent growth in reading.” “However, the main number of 44 per cent has only been reduced by four per cent, so we still have a target area of 40 per cent that we have to continue to work with, but we are seeing progress and we’re seeing the students who were at grade level as a result of our efforts are now above grade level.” “Forty per cent are above grade level now and 20 per cent are now at grade level.” She said strategies to deal with learning loss include individualised learning, a targeted focus on certain subjects each term, after-school programmes and the assistance of non-governmental agencies. “We want to take education to the next level,” Mrs Hanna Martin said.
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY CHAPLAIN WARNS TO NOT ‘SELL DREAMS FOR VOTES’ DURING BY-ELECTION BY LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE House of Assembly chaplain warned parliamentarians yesterday not to “sell dreams just for votes” as the by-election in West Grand Bahama and Bimini nears. Bishop Valentino Williams urged them to remember people have real issues that require real solutions. “The truth of the matter is you can never make a promise if you know you can’t make good on it,” he said before the start of yesterday’s sitting, offering a rare comment on a national issue. “George Chapman says, and I quote, ‘Promise is most given when the least is said.’ When you make a promise, you must do everything in your power to fulfil it. If you can’t fulfil a promise, the onus is on you to be a person of integrity and advise otherwise. As leaders, we must ensure integrity is embedded in our value system.”
After quoting Scripture on the importance of upholding integrity, Bishop Williams said making an unfulfilled promise is one of the easiest ways to cause public distrust. He added: “As the byelection race heats up for the West Grand Bahama and Bimini seat, I want to encourage both political parties in this honourable house to do the honourable thing –– don’t give people false hope. People have real problems that need real solutions. Don’t sell dreams just for votes. If you give a promise, let your word be your bond.” “I leave you with this thought: Don’t ever promise more than you can deliver, but always deliver more than you can promise.” A date for the byelection to replace Obie Wilchcombe has not been announced. However, governing party officials say it will happen next month after the PLP’s convention, which will occur on November 9 and 10. The election must be held by November 25.
ATLANTIS STABBING AT BREAKFAST
FROM PAGE ONE
EDUCATION MINISTER GLENYS HANNA MARTIN
Officers said that the male employee “got into a physical altercation” with the woman, resulting in her being stabbed. After the attack, police said the victim was taken to hospital where she was treated and discharged on the same day. Reports of the attack circulated online yesterday, although there were conflicting details about the incident. Police said an investigation is continuing. The Tribune understands the attacker was held down until security arrived, while guests were evacuated. The restaurant was reportedly closed temporarily after the attack. There was no comment yesterday from Atlantis or the hotel union after queries from The Tribune. The alleged attacker, a 27-year-old man, is currently in custody and officers said he is assisting police with their investigation.
PAGE 8, Thursday, October 26, 2023
THE TRIBUNE
CHARGED FOR SEX ABUSE DJ Amp - Ricardo Stuart - MAN OF MENTALLY ILL WOMAN wins Stoli DJ competition By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 24-year-old man was sent to prison yesterday after allegedly sexually abusing a mentally ill woman twice this summer. Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans charged Christopher Gomez with two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a person suffering from a mental disorder. Gomez is accused of
having unlawful sexual relations with a mentally ill woman twice in New Providence between July 23 and August 1. The accused was informed that his matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). He will be sent to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until the higher court grants him bail. His VBI is set for service on February 29, 2024.
MAN ACCUSED OF ATTACKING POLICE WITH CAR GETS $2K BAIL By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net RICARDO Stuart also known as DJ Amp proudly smiles for a photograph with his family moments after winning the 2023 Stoli DJ Competition. WEEKS of competition came to a climax on Friday for local DJs seeking to earn a shot for a radio slot. The annual Stoli DJ competition has been held for the past ten years, and gives local DJs a chance to show their technical ability and stage presence. The contest began in late August with hopefuls submitting their demos for a chance to be accepted. The final was held on Friday at ILTV studios for a studio audience and viewers online – with Stoli offering a fully decked out lounge area with cocktails featuring specialty flavoured vodkas before the kick-off. Three hopeful DJs, Giovani Moncur (DJ Geezy), Alfred Rolle (DJ Ronnie) and Ricardo Stuart (DJ Amp) took part, judged by previous winner Supa Mario, DJ Kosmo and Ethan Perk, vice president of sales and marketing from Stansfeld’s Scott. Each performed a 20-minute set including
genres such as dancehall, top 40 and traditional Bahamian music. DJ Amp – Ricardo Stuart – was named the official winner and receives a oneyear internship at 103.5 The Beat, as well as a new Pioneer mixing board and a year’s supply of Stoli products. Each of the participants also won a new iPhone courtesy of BTC. DJ Amp said: “Winning this competition is a dream come true, I’ve participated in other competitions in the past and been unsuccessful. But this year I came back and did what I had to do and won. I’ve already had so many people that said that they saw me on the live stream or heard me on the radio, congratulate me on my win. That just shows how much reach this competition has and the kinds of opportunities it can create by people hearing you perform and wanting to offer you a job.” Densil Deveaux, senior
portfolio manager for Wines and Spirits at Commonwealth Brewery Limited (CBL), said: “This year’s competition was a great example of what Stoli stands for as a brand. The tag line “the Spirit of Change” has been felt every year of this competition as new talent continues
to emerge. Stoli is a brand that is committed to providing opportunities for young entertainers to be successful. Commonwealth Brewery looks forward to having a new cohort of competitors in 2024 and continuing to help create platforms for DJs throughout The Bahamas.”
MAN AND WOMAN ACCUSED OF STEALING $3,000 GRANTED BAIL By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN and woman were granted bail after allegedly stealing over $3,000 from a business earlier this year. Magistrate Kendra Kelly charged Jaquone Forbes, 20, and Sirniya Bonamy, 23, with stealing and money laundering. Bonamy is accused of
stealing $3,300 from the Refractive Laser Centre between May 15 and 17. Forbes is accused of stealing $2,500 from the same business between September 25 and 27. After both accused pleaded not guilty, bail was set for each at $2,500 with one or two sureties. Forbes is expected to sign in at the East Street Police Station and Bonamy at the Grove Police Station on the first Monday of every month. The trial in this matter begins on January 17, 2024.
A MAN was granted $2,000 bail after allegedly attacking a police officer with his car last month. Magistrate Raquel Whyms charged Angelo Antonio, 37, with assault with a dangerous
instrument. Antonio allegedly assaulted PC 3930 Hield with his car on September 10. After pleading not guilty, Antonio was told to sign in to the East Street Police Station every Monday by 6pm as a condition of his bail. His trial is set for November 8.
MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG POSSESSION FINED $1,000 By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was fined $1,000 after admitting to having 2oz of marijuana earlier this week. Magistrate Samuel McKinney charged Travis Thompson, 24, with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply. Thompson was arrested after police found him with 2oz of marijuana in New Providence on October 23. After Thompson pleaded guilty, he was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine or risk six months in prison. He was bound to keep the peace for one year, for which defaulting
would carry a one-year prison term. Another man was granted $3,500 for a separate drug charge. Magistrate McKinney charged Donnie Saunders, 37, with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply. Police arrested Saunders after reportedly finding 1lb 4oz of marijuana in his home on Andros Avenue around 8.30pm on October 23. The drugs seized in this matter have an estimated street value of $1,400. After pleading not guilty, Saunders’ bail was set at $3,500 with one or two sureties. His trial begins on November 30.
SIWEATHER NETWORK AND NEMA TO HOLD DISASTER READINESS SEMINAR AT IHOP SATURDAY A DISASTER readiness seminar is to be held on Saturday by the SiWeather Network in conjunction with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and IHOP Bahamas. The event will include NEMA’s acting deputy director, Gayle OuttenMoncur, NEMA’s admin cadet technical officer, Jayda Albury, and NEMA’s geographical information systems analyst, Suzane Russell-Dorsett. SiWeather Network’s Craig Lowe said the aim was “to give insight on the response of the public to disaster events, collaboration of agencies for community response, rescue, and relief”. It will be held at the IHOP location at the Mall at Marathon from 10am-2pm. To register, email info@ siweathernetwork.org.
CRAIG LOWE
GAYLE OUTTEN-MONCUR
JAYDA ALBURY
SUZANE RUSSELL-DORSETT
GIRLS BRIGADE TO HOLD AGM ON OCTOBER 28 THE Girls’ Brigade in The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands will be holding is Annual General Meeting (AGM) under the theme “Rise in strength for such a time as this…” on October 28, at its headquarters on Dolphin Drive. On Sunday, October 29, the guides will be worshipping with Holy Spirit Anglican Church on Howard Street in Chippingham at 10am. Girls’ Brigade celebrated 65 years this year in May 2023 and has a rich history of over 125 years of mission among girls and young women around the world. The organisation began in 1893 in Ireland at a time when women had little social, academic, or service opportunities. The organisation said in a statement: “Girls’ Brigade companies around the world share a common purpose: (1) to see girls’ lives transformed and God’s world enriched; and (2) to empower girls, children, and young women in local communities around the world to be themselves, to develop and use their gifts and skills, and to discover, embrace and live life to the full in their generation.” The Bahamas currently has 18 active companies located on New Providence,
Grand Bahama, Andros and Eleuthera. There is also one company in Grand Turk, Turks, and Caicos Islands. The guides added: “Our organisation targets girls aged five to 16, who are separated into four groups: Explorers (aged five to seven), Juniors (aged eight to ten), Seniors (aged 11-13) Brigaders (aged 14-16) and Young Leaders (aged 16-18). The Girls’ Brigade programme follows four themes: Spiritual, Physical, Educational and Service. “In spite of our heritage, there are many persons who are not aware that Girls’ Brigade is still active. To raise awareness, we host several events in the community like monthly visitations to Persis Rogers Home for the Aged, donation to Children’s Emergency Hostel, bell ringing with the salvation army, packing food bags and poppy sales for the British Legion, participation in the Annual Youth March, and Remembrance Day March. “We have been trying for a few years to raise money for our roof replacement project, however this has become an urgent need and thus we will embark on a major fundraising campaign to replace the roof of our headquarters this year.”
Bahamas govt needs to take climate change more seriously PAGE 10, Thursday, October 26, 2023
JUST this week, a new international study was released finding that in the coming decades increased melting of the ice shelves of Western Antarctica is “unavoidable”. It is yet another warning to the global commons and world leaders. Sea-level rise may be even greater than previously thought. When ice shelves melt, it means that the ice behind the shelves speed up resulting in more water going into the oceans. The lead author of the report is Dr. Kaitlin Naughten of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Dr Naughten told the BBC: “Our findings seem to increase the likelihood that [current] estimates [of sea-level rise] will be exceeded. It looks like we’ve lost control of melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.” The BBC also reported: “Sea-level rises of around a meter may not sound much, but even these increases would put hundreds of millions of people worldwide at risk of coastal flooding… “But researchers emphasise this is not a reason to give up. Steps taken to slow the loss of ice, through cutting greenhouse gas emissions, could be crucial in giving societies time to prepare for and adapt to rising seas.” Professor Alberto Naveira Garabato of the University of Southampton urged: “This is a sobering piece of research. It should serve as a wakeup call. We can still save the rest of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, containing about 10 times as many meters of sealevel rise, if we learn from our past inaction and start reducing greenhouse gas emissions now.” Most Bahamians, like many others around the world, have little understanding or urgency about climate change in general and rising sea levels in particular. Along with rising sea levels, The Bahamas is threatened by more powerful hurricanes like Hurricanes Joaquin and Dorian, turbocharged by even warmer waters. Despite these hurricanes, which did not affect New Providence, the general population remains blithely indifferent to the threats of climate change to our lowlying archipelago. For the bulk of our
population, Dorian apparently seems like a devastating event that occurred in another country, despite it causing approximately $3.4 billion dollars in damage, and reconstruction ongoing. Worryingly, a good number of residents in Abaco are rebuilding near coastal areas. Meanwhile, perhaps even more worrying is that the political directorate, both government and opposition have generally failed to craft medium - to long-term adaptation and resilience measures despite the constant refrain of climate change being an “existential threat”. If the climate emergency is such a threat, why are we lagging behind in our national transition to reduce our carbon output at home while building the resilience infrastructure necessary for our survival? As with other pressing concerns, we are good at talk but continue to fail to act comprehensively and decisively. Back in 2009, 14 years ago, mostly seemingly lost years in our domestic response to climate change, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham attended the United Nation’s 15th Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, joining other world leaders to address the global climate emergency. At a press conference before his departure Mr. Ingraham laid out the stakes for The Bahamas, much of which bears quoting given the slow pace of change by successive governments. Of note, in 1999 The Bahamas became the eighth country to sign
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THIS undated image provided by British Antarctic Survey, shows the North Cove, in Antarctic. No matter how much the world cuts back on carbon emissions, a key and sizable chunk of Antarctica is essentially doomed to an “unavoidable” melt, a new study found. Photo: Michael Shortt/British Antarctic Survey/AP the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Mr Ingraham noted at his press conference: “Climate change is also a national security issue as it poses a direct and potentially devastating threat to our way of life, our territorial integrity, our economic well-being and our survival. It draws limited resources away from other national priorities including resources which should be directed towards education, health care, housing and social assistance. “Days after becoming Prime Minister in 1992, my new Government dealt swiftly with the ravages of Hurricane Andrew in the northern and central Bahamas. In a sense, this destructive storm was a sign of the times, as the consensus of the scientific community is that such hurricanes will become more intense as global temperatures continue to rise … “Further, coral bleaching due to increasing sea temperatures and acidification of our oceans, promises not only to threaten some aspects of our tourist industry, it also poses a threat to our marine resources, food
supply and general health. Dying and dead coral will have a severe impact on our entire ecosystem, including the very land on which we live … “Our efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and protect our future also include the development of strategies and programmes in the areas of energy generation, including renewable energy, disaster preparedness and management, biodiversity protection, forest preservation, water and sewerage management and land use. “These efforts also include plans to reduce emissions from electrical plants by converting to a more environmentally friendly technology and cleaner burning fuels. Introduction of renewable energy sources such as wind, waste to energy and solar that would tie into the grid are being investigated.” Mr Ingraham continued: “With regard to land use, my administration is proud to have initiated the legislative process and public discussion that will lead to the enactment of a bold and forward looking Planning and Subdivisions Bill that will better integrate development and planning efforts while protecting the environment… “Because we share a single vulnerable planet, that leadership must not only be local or here at home. It must also be regional and global. This is why I have joined with my fellow Caricom and Commonwealth heads of government to help forge
a consensus on effective responses to climate change, including vigorous mitigation strategies for more vulnerable states such as ours. “And this is why I will join leaders from throughout the world, in Copenhagen, to press for ‘a comprehensive, substantial and operationally binding agreement … leading towards a fully legally binding outcome no later than 2010’ to reduce carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases. He also stated: “In addition to our efforts in regional and international forums, it is also important that we become more conscious of our own actions at home and our responsibility to conserve and protect the wonderful patrimony that The Bahamas archipelago represents. We must all be stewards of God’s creation and especially our own natural heritage.” Disturbingly, many of Mr. Ingraham’s warnings and pledges remain mostly unfulfilled by successive governments 14 years and counting. Christina Gerhardt is an associate professor at the University of Hawaii and a permanent senior fellow at the University of California at Berkeley. In May of this year, the UK Guardian published an edited excerpt from her book, Sea Change: An Atlas of Islands in a Rising Ocean. The title of the article is: “Why rising sea levels pose existential threat to The Bahamas”. Professor Gerhardt notes that The Bahamas
archipelago is the group of islands most at risk in the Caribbean from sea level rise. She cites three reasons. First, the low elevation of our islands, most of which rest only a few feet above sea level. Second, our islands consist of limestone, which she describes as, “the Swiss cheese of geology”. Limestone is porous and exceedingly permeable, soaking up saltwater “like a sponge”. She notes: “As a result, when sea levels rise, the islands will be inundated not only at the shoreline from sea level rise but also from underground as water can percolate up through the porous material.” Third, as most Bahamians know, we “have a high population density along the coastline”, and the majority of us live in urban areas, with 75 percent of Bahamians resident on a low-lying New Providence. We know that after just a downpour how quickly parts of New Providence flood. Scores of Bahamians, including on the Family Islands, live near the coast. We are overwhelmingly a coastal nation with little high ground. Moody’s has predicted that if global temperatures increase by 3C, 67 percent of Bahamians will be directly affected. And yet, most of us, including governments, continue on despite the warnings, which are worsening every year, with little awareness by the public and endless talk but scant action by successive governments.
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Thursday, October 26, 2023, PAGE 11
While GOP indecisive on Speaker, would a coalition option even be considered? STATESIDE EVERY morning for the past three weeks has brought with it news reports of a different potential solution to a paralysing problem that has rendered inoperative the American legislature. Fortunately, only a few issues require that legislature’s attention. Some examples are: Two active wars, both requiring urgent American attention and assistance to one long-time ally and one very recent, desperate ally. But both Israel and Ukraine are fighting against resolute American foes in Islamist extremism and Vladimir Putin’s Russia. But wait. There are other pressing matters for America’s lower house to decide. Foremost among them is its own ongoing leadership. In 2022, American voters gave a razor-thin margin of control in the House of Representatives to the Republican Party. In today’s political maelstrom, this created a position of pivotal influence for a group of ideologues who will not publicly acknowledge that their guru Donald Trump lost the last presidential election. These right-wing “conservatives” also regard their internecine feuds with more
with Charlie Harper moderate GOP colleagues and especially with their Democratic Party opposition as the primary focus of their governance. This makes it hard for them to focus on issues such as national security and the fiduciary future of the United States. As to the latter issue, many years of political brinksmanship over extending the US national debt limit and even passing budgets for federal agencies and departments has led to a succession of artificial crises that can only sap the will of the world to continue denominating most of its commerce in values pegged to the American dollar. This confers obligations – but also privileges – on the American economy. If this were to change, the US would regret it. These political extremists generally operate under the misleading banner of the
“Freedom Caucus”. Its first chairman in 2015 described the caucus as a “smaller, more cohesive, more agile and more active” group of conservative House members. That chairman was Ohio’s Jim Jordan, a former collegiate wrestling coach and Trump acolyte who failed this week to strongarm his way to House leadership. Members of the Freedom Caucus have now not only sabotaged the speakership of Kevin McCarthy of California and several others, including the comparatively reasonable Tom Emmer of Minnesota, but they have also failed to persuade their colleagues to support one of their own members. A solution might be at hand, but it’s reasonable to expect that whoever is chosen as the new speaker will likely be ineffective. As this disgraceful display has unfolded in Washington,
NFL borrowing from rugby? WHILE we’re on the subject of things America should borrow from Europe, how about something they’ve already appropriated? This example is from the world of sports, and America’s premier sports league has borrowed a play from English rugby. The play is vernacularly called the “tush push”. And it’s become a regular feature of the offence of the Philadelphia Eagles, who might just be the best team in the NFL after they bullied the heretofore largely unstoppable Miami Dolphins over the weekend. The tush push is a glorified sneak where the quarterback is pushed forward by teammates lined up
behind him. It’s used when a team needs about one yard to achieve a first down or even a touchdown. The Eagles, who are the leading practitioners of this play, had run it 37 times in the regular season in 2022 and early this season. They made a first down or scored a touchdown on 34 of those attempts. That computes to a success rate of 92%. Naturally, success breeds backlash. Critics are saying it’s more rugby than football and should be outlawed. The NFL’s powerful rules committee will review the play in the offseason. Meantime, opponents aren’t happy. “It’s not being officiated
as illegal, so we just have to prepare for it,” Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio told reporters. “I would personally like to see it eliminated, not just because the Eagles run it better than anybody, although they do run it better than anybody. But I don’t think that’s a football play. I think it’s a nice rugby play, and it’s not what we’re looking for in football.” We’ll see. If other teams stop the tush push, it will be forgotten. If it continues to succeed for the Eagles, maybe the rules committee will outlaw it. But for now, American football and its English rugby progenitor can share.
SWIFT AND KELCE CAPTURING HEADLINES
LEFT to right, Taylor Swift, Brittany Mahomes and Randi Mahomes, with Jackson Mahomes in back, react to a Travis Kelce touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday in Kansas City, Mo. Photo: Reed Hoffmann/AP WHILE the Eagles are setting the pace in the NFL this year, by far the league’s biggest story concerns a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, who now look like Philadelphia’s most likely Super Bowl rival. That tight end is Travis Kelce, arguably one of the five best to ever play this position and a stalwart on a Chiefs team that could easily become dynastic with its prolonged success. Kelce, from the upscale neighbourhoods of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, has a Midwesterner’s inherent charm and modesty. He’s also good looking and, as indicated, very accomplished. He’s got a podcast with his brother (who plays for the Eagles) and
is a frequent, likeable and articulate guest on various media shows. None of this has prepared him for what he “signed up for” now. Because for the past several highly-publicised weeks, he has become Taylor Swift’s boyfriend. Swift, who’s the same age as Kelce, has been attending his Chiefs games for over a month. America’s favourite game has now joined hands with America’s sweetheart. Swift, now on the US music scene for over a decade, is poised to become the most successful woman entertainer whose income is primarily derived from music. Gloriously attractive and wholesome, she has earned an estimated $800m
and has achieved nearly unsurpassed fame. Kelce’s parents now fawn over her; her Hollywood pals join her sports reporter fans in promoting this new romance. Teenaged girls now pay attention to the NFL. Will wonders never cease? “It’s certainly been weird, the level that it is now,” Kelce’s brother said of the attention his brother’s new romance is attracting. “On one hand, I’m happy for my brother that he seems to be in a relationship that he’s excited about, that he is genuine about. But there’s another end of it where it’s like, ‘Man, this is a lot.’ “This is another level of stardom that typically football players don’t deal with.”
an unnoticed irony has lingered. There was always a simple way to solve the situation that now exists in the American legislature. Many European and other democratic nations employ it regularly. That solution is called a legislative coalition. If one political party cannot muster an outright governing majority, it forms an opportunistic partnership with another party to achieve enough voting strength to lead. Western European nations like Germany, Italy and France do this all the time. So does Israel. So since the American GOP cannot effectively act as a unified party in today’s House of Representatives, some Republican members could and should have formed an ad hoc alliance with the solidly (for now) unified Democratic minority to form a government. Perhaps the chair could have still been a Republican. More likely, it would have been the highly-regarded Hakeem Jeffries of New York, a steady, articulate congressman who was long and ably tutored by former House speaker Nancy Pelosi as her successor and who has certainly looked good since becoming minority leader. Jeffries’s calm, measured articulation of Democratic talking points, occasional
HOUSE Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of N.Y., speaks about President Joe Biden winning the 2020 election after Republicans elected Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., to be the new House speaker, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023. Photo: Alex Brandon/AP glimpses of public humor, and his ability to fashion a durable party unity in contrast to the Republican chaos all mark him for future leadership. Meantime, the coalition option is steadfastly foreclosed by all current leaders – including Jeffries. They all oppose this commonsense solution because they believe it’s in their own and their parties’ best interest to maintain the current political duopoly of two political parties and admit no others. What nonsense. But we
may well see during the next year how impenetrable are the barriers to entry for American third parties. It’s hard to imagine a scenario whereby the current Republican and Democratic parties could open their minds and the door to entry for other competitors. Nor is it easy to contemplate what event might compel them to do so. But if the world continues to plummet toward the abyss and the US financial picture continues cloudy due to legislative paralysis, we might just find out.
Lawyer says Bankman-Fried will testify at his New York fraud trial PAGE 12, Thursday, October 26, 2023
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NEW YORK Associated Press FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried plans to testify at his fraud trial, his lawyer told a federal judge Wednesday, ending speculation over whether a man who embraced the spotlight during his years atop the cryptocurrency world could remain silent after prosecutors portrayed him as a greedy entrepreneur who stole billions of dollars from customers. Attorney Mark Cohen told Judge Lewis A. Kaplan that he planned to call three witnesses “and then our client is also going to be testifying” after prosecutors rest early Thursday. Cohen spoke during a phone and video conference in Manhattan federal court after the judge told him: “It’s time to tell me what defense case, if any, you’re going to put on.” The judge told him that he didn’t have to say yet whether Bankman-Fried would testify, but Cohen volunteered that he would. Even so, prosecutors and the judge later discussed the possibility that closing arguments could occur as early as next week. Bankman-Fried, 31, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he looted the financial accounts of his customers and investors to live lavishly and bolster the reputation of himself and his companies through large donations to charity and political candidates. He seemed to enjoy publicity as Alameda Research, a hedge fund he
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried arrives at Manhattan federal court, Friday, August 11, 2023, in New York. A lawyer for Bankman-Fried said yesterday the FTX founder plans to testify at his fraud trial. Photo: Bebeto Matthews/AP started in 2017, and FTX, a crypto exchange that began operating n 2019, became so prominent in the crypto industry that celebrities including NFL quarterback Tom Brady and comedian Larry David did commercials that put a shine on what appeared to be a stunning success story.
Over the last month, prosecutors have leaned heavily on testimony from Bankman-Fried’s inner circle, former top executives who lived in a luxury penthouse condominium in the Bahamas with their boss before a customer rush on deposits last November exposed the
missing billions of dollars and caused the businesses to collapse. Former federal prosecutors said the singular goal for Bankman-Fried on the witness stand is to persuade one or two jurors that he’s a sympathetic character who just let FTX’s problems get out of control.
“Only he’s capable of telling the story he wants to tell to the jury,” said Rachel Maimin, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan who is now in private practice at Lowenstein Sandler LLP. Through testimony and court exhibits, prosecutors have laid out a
detailed case alleging that Bankman-Fried directed his former lieutenants to use FTX customer funds to fuel his ambitions and reckless spending. Jurors have also seen text messages and group chats in which Bankman-Fried appeared to be callous to the problems at Alameda Research and dismissive of the dangers of using FTX funds to cover up Alameda’s issues. Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang and others testified in detail about BankmanFried’s behavior, and his lawyers have struggled to cast doubt on their testimony. That means only Bankman-Fried or other character witnesses can tell his side of the story, former prosecutors said. And character witnesses are largely seen as ineffective in white-collar cases. “You really need to get in front of the jury that (Bankman-Fried) was acting in good faith when all these other witnesses say he was intending to lie, cheat and steal,” said Joshua Naftalis, a partner with Pallas Partners LLP who also formerly worked as a Manhattan federal prosecutor. “It’s going to be a Hail Mary.” Bankman-Fried has been jailed since August, when Kaplan ruled that he had tried to influence potential trial witnesses and revoked the $250 million personal recognizance bond that had permitted him to live with his parents in Palo Alto, California, after his December extradition from the Bahamas.
At leAst 16 deAd in MAine shooting As police hunt for ‘person of interest’ And residents shelter MAINE Associated Press A MAN opened fire at a bar and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday, killing at least 16 people, wounding dozens of others and throwing the state’s second-largest city into chaos as hundreds of police searched for a person of interest and residents were ordered to shelter in place. A police intelligence bulletin identified Robert Card, who was trained as a firearms instructor at a US Army Reserve training facility in Maine, as the person of interest. The document, reviewed by The Associated Press and circulated to law enforcement officials, says Card had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks in the summer of 2023. It did not provide specific details about his treatment or condition. The document also said Card had reported hearing voices and had threatened to carry out a shooting at the military training base in Saco, Maine. A telephone number listed for Card in public records was not in service. Lewiston Police said in an earlier Facebook post that they were dealing with an
active shooter incident at Schemengees Bar and Grille and Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley about 4 miles (6.4 kilometres) away. The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office released two photos of the suspect on its Facebook page that showed a shooter walking into an establishment with a weapon raised to their shoulder. Authorities said the shooting started just before 7 pm Two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that at least 16 people were killed and the toll was expected to rise. However, Michael Sauschuck, commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety, declined to provide a specific estimate at a news conference, calling it a “fluid situation.” The two law enforcement officials said dozens of people also had been wounded. The officials were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. On its website, Central Maine Medical Center said staff were “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event” and were coordinating with area hospitals to take in patients. The hospital
was locked down and police, some armed with rifles, stood by the entrances. Meanwhile, hospitals as far away as Portland, about 35 miles (56 kilometres) to the south, were on alert to potentially receive victims. Authorities ordered residents and business owners to stay inside and off the streets. The shelter-inplace order was extended Wednesday night from Lewiston to Lisbon, about 8 miles (13 kilometres) away, after a “vehicle of interest” was found there, authorities said. Melinda Small, the owner of Legends Sports Bar and Grill, said her staff immediately locked their doors and moved all 25 customers and employees away from the doors after a customer reported hearing about the shooting at the bowling alley less than a quarter-mile away around 7 pm Soon, the police flooded the roadway and a police officer eventually escorted everyone out of the building four at a time. Everyone in the bar is safe. “I am honestly in a state of shock. I am blessed that my team responded quickly and everyone is safe,” Small told The Associated Press. “But
the same time, my heart is broken for this area and for what everyone is dealing with. I just feel numb.” The alert for Lewiston was made shortly after 8 pm as the sheriff’s office reported that law enforcement agencies were investigating “two active shooter events.” Officials issued an update around 10 pm on their search. “Avoid the area until authorities give the allclear,” the statement said. “Seek alternative routes to circumvent the area and any disruptions. If already operating in the affected region, adhere to all instructions issued by local officials, including the shelter-in-place order.” “We are encouraging all businesses to lock down and or close while we investigate,” the sheriff’s office reported. A spokesperson for Maine Department of Public Safety urged residents to stay in their homes with their doors locked. “Law enforcement is currently investigating at two locations right now,” Shannon Moss said. “Again please stay off the streets and allow law enforcement to diffuse the situation.” Gov. Janet Mills released a statement echoing those
IMAGE taken from video released by the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office, an unidentified gunman points a gun while entering Sparetime Recreation in Lewiston, Maine yesterday. Photo: Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office/AP instructions. She said she had been briefed on the situation and will remain in close contact with public safety officials. President Joe Biden had spoken by phone to Mills and the state’s Senate and House members, offering “full federal support in the wake of this horrific attack,” a White House statement said. Local schools will be closed Thursday and people should shelter in place or seek safety, Superintendent Jake Langlais said, adding: “Stay close to your loved ones. Embrace them.” Wednesday’s death toll was staggering for a state that in 2022 had 29
homicides the entire year. Lewiston emerged as a major centre for African immigration into Maine. The Somali population, which numbers in the thousands, has changed the demographics of the once overwhelmingly white mill city into one of the most diverse in northern New England. Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent, said he was “deeply sad for the city of Lewiston and all those worried about their family, friends and neighbours” and was monitoring the situation. King’s office said the senator would be headed directly home to Maine on the first flight possible.
SPORTS PAGE 14
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023
NBA
Page 16
Battle 4 Atlantis all set for the Imperial Arena
FOR TEAM BAHAMAS, SWIMMING CONCLUDES AND TENNIS CONTINUES
College basketball tourney next month
By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net
By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net
T
he Bad Boys Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis is set to return to the Imperial Arena at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island. The tournament will begin November 18-20 with women’s college basketball teams for the third year. The men’s tournament will follow the ladies from November 22-24 at the same venue. It will be the 12th time the men’s competition will get underway at the threeday tournament in The Bahamas. The women’s college teams to be included in the 12 games are the University of Arizona, DePaul University, University of Michigan, Middle Tennessee State University, University of South Dakota, Howard University, University of Memphis and the University of Mississippi. The latter is particularly important as Bahamian Yolett McPhee-McCuin serves as the head coach of the women’s basketball team. Sherlander Rolle, director of special events for Atlantis, is excited for the women’s portion of the tournament to get started for the third year, especially with Coach Yo’s Ole Miss Rebels in the fold. “This is our third year for the women’s tournament. We are extremely excited, the first two years we had a great turnout and support, we will have the Ole Miss Rebels that will be participating in the tournament. “Their head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin is a Bahamian so we are looking for the full Bahamian support in regards to this tournament,” Rolle said. Coach Yo led the charge as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division One women’s team upset the top-seeded Stanford University Cardinal and booked their trip to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007. The team will face off against the Howard
UCLA’s ladies won last year’s Battle 4 Atlantis championship title. The women’s tournament is scheduled for November 18-20. University Bison to open the third women’s Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. The director of events said that not only is women’s sports trending in the right direction, but also sports tourism. “The women’s sports industry is evolving day by day and, for basketball, we can see that we also would like to ensure that these ladies come down, feel welcomed here on our islands and here at the resort as they play their hearts out and we cheer them on,” she said. The men’s college teams will consist of the University of Arkansas, University of Memphis, University of Michigan, University of North Carolina, University of Northern Iowa, Stanford University, Texas Tech University, and Villanova University. The early-season college basketball tournament has become a sporting extravaganza since it started 12 years ago in 2011. The event will be streamed on
BAYLOR won the men’s tournament title in 2021. The men will follow the ladies November 22-24 also at the Atlantis resort’s Imperial Arena. FloHoops live stream for the women’s game and the championship games as well, men’s games will be featured on ESPN to global viewers. “We can see now that in 2023 sports tourism is huge here in The Bahamas. A few years ago we would not have had that, however we
have seen it evolve over the last few years and this tournament is a staple for it,” she said. “This tournament is largely exposed globally across the world where we are featuring The Bahamas as well as Atlantis which is huge exposure for this country,” she continued.
UCLA won last year’s Battle 4 Atlantis championship hardware for the women’s tournament and the University of Tennessee Volunteers secured the men’s title. Individuals interested in attending can purchase tickets at https://www. atlantisbahamas.com/b4a
THE swimming contingent wrapped up competition in the pool while the tennis players got back on the courts yesterday in Santiago, Chile. Action resumed for the sixth consecutive day of the 19th Pan American Games at Centro Deportivo de Tenis and Centro Acuàtico in Ñuñoa. On the final day for the swimming discipline, individual and relay events capped off the day for the majority of the swimmers. Both Zaylie Thompson and Emmanuel Gadson competed in the heats of the 200m individual medley. Gadson finished second out of three competitors in heat one. He earned a time of 2:15.56 in the event. Out of 25 competitors, he finished ranked number 24. Meanwhile, Thompson finished heat three of the race in sixth place. She touched the wall at 2:30.53 to complete the race. The event had 24 competitors and she was ranked 23rd. Jack Barr swam with a lone competitor in the men’s 1,500m freestyle final. He finished behind Peru’s Rafael Leon de Ponce with a time of 17:38.10. Barr ranked last out of the 18 competitors in the event. After earning The Bahamas’ first medal of the Pan American Games, Lamar Taylor joined Luke Thompson, Gadson and Mark-Anthony Thompson in the men’s 4x100m medley relay. The quartet finished sixth in heat two, notching 3:53.92 in the race. Out of 11 relay teams, The Bahamas was ranked 10th. Z Thompson along with Victoria Russell, Katelyn Cabral, and Ariel Weech teamed up in the women’s 4x100m medley relay. They finished last in heat one clocking 4:34.03 in the team event. Collectively, the four members ranked 13th overall. The nine swimmers were coached by Sara Knowles. Sydney Clarke, the lone female tennis player, and Justin Roberts teamed up
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Minister optimistic about future of flag football in The Bahamas By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg is optimistic about the potential opportunities that exist for Bahamians in flag football after the sport was added to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The announcement came from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) earlier this month and now the aforementioned sport along with baseball, softball, lacrosse, squash and cricket will be played at the next multi-sport event. It is the first time flag football has been selected to be included at the Olympics. The Bahamas became the first Caribbean nation to join the National Football League (NFL) Flag this
MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg. summer and, with the latest revelation by the IOC, Bowleg is excited about the future. “I am excited to see that, the more sporting disciplines that they bring to the Olympics opens the door for greater opportunities for smaller nations like The Bahamas to be able to compete,” the minister said.
Since the announcement of NFL Flag Bahamas in June, the organisation has carried out a number of events and exercises before the eventual start of the season. NFL Flag Bahamas has hosted a flag football clinic in July, a coaches and officials clinic in September, and an exhibition featuring
the NFL Flag Miami Dolphins adult tournament team last weekend. Bowleg is confident about the direction of flag football with the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in sight. “It won’t be a surprise if at the next Olympics we have a team prepared and able to compete at that level. I am very confident, I have been in communication with guys like Kenny Mackey, Chris Prudhome, those who are trying to get flag football established here along with Jayson Clarke who was essential in the early development of flag football in the country over the past few years,” he said. Jayson Clarke, programme director of the Bahamas Youth Flag Football League (BYFFL), has worked on teaching the
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THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, October 26, 2023, PAGE 15
ZAYLIE THOMPSON
PAN AM GAMES FROM PAGE 14
LUKE THOMPSON, of The Bahamas, in action in the pool. He joined Lamar Taylor, Emmanuel Gadson and Mark-Anthony Thompson in the men’s 4x100 metre medley relay. The quartet finished sixth in heat two, notching 3:53.92 in the race. Out of 11 relay teams, The Bahamas was ranked 10th.
for the mixed doubles matchups yesterday. The tandem competed against Paraguay’s Leyla Britez and Martin Vergara. Ultimately, the mixed duo fell in consecutive sets 2-0 against their opponents. The match between the teams lasted one hour and six minutes on court two. The initial set was tightly contested but Paraguay came out victorious 6-4. The following set, the result was a bit different
LAMAR TAYLOR with Britez and Vergara winning, this time 6-2. The Bahamas won 79 per cent of the first serves in the contest going 42-for-54. On the opposite side of the court, Paraguay averaged 63 per cent on 27-for-43. However, they came up big on points won on first serves with 81 per cent compared to 50 per cent averaged by Clarke and Roberts. Collectively, the two competitors were ranked ninth in the mixed doubles. Tennis competition will wrap up on Sunday. The Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) selected a 20-member team to represent the country at the Pan Am Games. Over 6,800
KATELYN CABRAL
LUKE THOMPSON athletes from 41 countries are vying for a chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The event will conclude November 5.
KALIYA LINCOLN WINS GOLD IN FLOOR EXERCISE By MAURICIO SAVARESE AP Sports Writer
CANADA’s Maggie Mac Neil prepares for the women’s 50-metres freestyle final at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, on Tuesday, October 24. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Canadian swimmer Maggie Mac Neil dominating at Pan Am Games – and can see the scoreboard By MAURICIO SAVARESE AP Sports Writer SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — This time, Canadian Olympic gold medallist swimmer Maggie Mac Neil didn’t need her glasses to look at the scoreboard and see that she had won a race. The 23-year-old Mac Neil, who famously squinted to see how she had placed in Tokyo three years ago, has dominated the Pan American Games this month, winning four gold medals, one silver and one bronze. Both races she didn’t win were relays. The latest for the China-born Canadian was Tuesday’s gold in the 50-metre freestyle, in which Mac Neil tied with United States’ Gabi Albiero at 24.84 seconds. The swimmer immediately looked at the scoreboard after her victory and showed the public in Santiago she knew she had the gold. “I have my prescription goggles now so I don’t
have to squint, which is quite enjoyable for me,” Mac Neil told The Associated Press after a race the butterfly specialist doesn’t compete in often. “It’s so exciting to do the 50. It’s such a close race all the way. So to be able to tie with Gabi, that was really exciting.” Mac Neil won three medals at her Olympic debut in Tokyo; bronze in the 400-metre medley relay, silver in the 400metre freestyle relay, and gold in the 100-metre butterfly. Her squinting to see how she had placed became a meme that had made her laugh ever since. As the Canadian prepares for the Paris Olympics, she sees the Pan American Games as a good dress rehearsal, despite the fact she did not face her main rivals in Chile. “I didn’t think I’d come away with gold in three of my three individual events, so I’m really happy with it,” Mac Neil said. “Also, the crowd has been amazing. We were lacking that
CANADA’s Maggie Mac Neil, left, and Gabi Albiero of the United States pose with their gold medals at the podium of the women’s 50-metres freestyle at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) in Tokyo, unfortunately. So any time you can just get the atmosphere going, it really pumps you up. It is good to practice that too.” Mac Neil has her final race in Chile yesterday, the 400-metre medley relay. After that, she will travel the country with
her mother, Susan, before going back to training. “I’m always a hard critic on myself, and I have to remind myself that it is only October. The best times being close enough (to the Olympics) is a big deal for me,” Mac Neil said.
Mac Neil wants to see more of Santiago, go down Chile’s coast and spend a day in the mountains. The swimmer will bring her prescription goggles, ensuring she continues not to squint as she enjoys all her success in South America.
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Kaliya Lincoln was once a 12-year-old girl being coached by her hero Gabby Douglas, the first black gymnast to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games. Fast forward five years and the teenager from Frisco, Texas, is the gold medallist on the floor exercise at the Pan American Games in Chile. A member of the U.S. gymnastics gold-winning team in Santiago, the 17-year-old newcomer is expected to get a push from the result in Santiago to make it to the Paris Olympics next year. “It has been quite a year,” Lincoln said after winning gold. “I have to keep it up, there’s so many great athletes out there. Being part of this team is a privilege, I think I have already learned that from some of the best.” Lincoln, who did not compete at the world championship earlier this month, beat two favourites to win the title, adding 14.233 points. Her compatriot Kayla DiCello, the Pan American all-around champion, and Brazilian Flávia Saraiva shared the silver, with both scoring 13.733 points. In August, Lincoln got the silver medal on the floor exercise at the U.S. Classic, tied with Joscelyn Roberson. She later finished second in the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships, with only superstar Simone Biles in front of her. Lincoln’s history with Douglas, the three-time Olympic goldmedallist, started on the TV programme “Undercover Boss: Celebrity Edition.” In disguise, the veteran gymnast helped three young athletes seeking to reach her success, including the newly crowned Pan American champion. The two later became friends. The floor exercise gold medal in the continent’s largest multisports event is a big push for Lincoln, who started in gymnastics at age 5. Now 17, she spends more than 30 hours a week training. Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, one of the stars of the Pan American Games, chose not to compete in the floor exercise. Earlier Wednesday, the last day of artistic gymnastics in Santiago, she won her second gold medal in the balance-beam competition.
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THE TRIBUNE
Buddy Hield and Pacers rout Wizards 143-120 in record-setting opener By MICHAEL MAROT AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Bruce Brown scored 24 points and made a career-high six 3-pointers in his Pacers debut, leading revamped Indiana to a record-breaking 143-120 victory over Washington last night. It was the highest scoring total for a season opener in team history, surpassing the 140 they had against Brooklyn in 2017. Indiana fell two points short of setting the franchise scoring mark for points in a home game. All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton had 20 points and 11 assists as eight Pacers had double-digit scoring totals. Chavano “Buddy” Hield contributed 14 points, five assists and two rebounds in 25 minutes. Brown, a free agent who left the world champion Denver Nuggets, needed only one half to match his career high for 3-pointers (four). And he was hardly alone. The Pacers finished 20 of 43 from 3-point range, three short of the franchise’s single-game record for 3s made. For Washington, it was an ugly start to the postBradley Beal era. While The Wizards led 39-34 after one quarter, they fell apart offensively over the final three and got overstretched defensively. Kyle Kuzma scored 25 points and Jordan Poole added 18 as Washington was 9 of 24 on 3s. The Pacers swung the game with an 11-4 run midway through the second quarter and used a 9-0 spurt early in the third to extend the lead to 89-72. They spent the rest of the night pulling away.
Indiana guard contributes 14 points and five assists in win
ABOVE: Pacers guard Buddy Hield stops the drive of Wizards forward Deni Avdija (8) during the second half last night. The RIGHT: Buddy Hield (7) shoots between Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) and guard Jordan Poole (13) during the first half in Indianapolis. (AP Photos/Michael Conroy) NBA commissioner Adam Silver stuck around to watch Indiana’s impressive opening night performance after announcing this season’s All-Star Game would switch to its more traditional East-West format and would get rid of the
target scores. Indianapolis is hosting the game February 18, its first since 1985. UP NEXT Wizards: Face Memphis in their home opener Saturday. Pacers: Visit Cleveland on Saturday.
SUNS TOP CURRY AND WARRIORS IN SEASON OPENER By JANIE MCCAULEY AP Sports Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kevin Durant greeted many of the people he knew so well during three sensational seasons with the Warriors then hardly showed off his best shooting performance on a night the Golden State fans finally got to cheer him all these years later. He still spoiled the home team’s opening night as the Phoenix Suns won the first matchup between the Pacific Division powerhouses. “It’s always good to be recognised for the work you put in so it was exciting to see people I hadn’t seen in a while, some familiar faces,” Durant said. “I feel like the fan base here got nothing but love and respect for me as an individual player and as a person. That’s all I can ask for.” Devin Booker scored a go-ahead layup with 4:51 remaining followed by a 3-pointer on the way to 32 points in a 108-104 Phoenix victory last night in a backand-forth finish. Stephen Curry scored 27 points to former shooting partner Durant’s 18 on a night the Warriors welcomed KD back for his first game in front of Bay Area fans since he left after the 2019 NBA Finals. Curry scored seven straight points early in the third to pull the Warriors within 64-61 at the 8:21 mark and Phoenix called a timeout. Golden State opened the third on a 27-5 burst while the Suns went 2 for 14. Jusuf Nurkic had 14 points and 14 rebounds with a driving layup in the closing seconds in his Suns debut. Josh Okogie knocked down a baseline 3 with 1:09 to play and Eric Gordon connected from long range with 45 seconds left before Curry hit from deep.
COLE ANTHONY SCORES 20 POINTS TO HELP ORLANDO MAGIC BEAT HOUSTON ROCKETS 116-86 IN OPENER ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — Cole Anthony had 20 points and eight rebounds and Orlando beat Houston in the season opener for both teams. Anthony went 8 for 12 from the field and played 24 minutes in a reserve role. Franz Wagner scored 17 points for Orlando, and Paolo Banchero finished with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks each scored 14 points in their first game with Houston. Centre Alperen Senguin added 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists. HORNETS 116, HAWKS 110 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — P.J. Washington scored 25 points, rookie Brandon Miller provided a huge spark with eight of his 13 points in the fourth quarter and Charlotte held on to defeat Atlanta. Terry Rozier added 24 points for the Hornets and LaMelo Ball shook off a rough first half and finished with 15 points and 10 assists. Mark Williams chipped in with 13 points and 15 rebounds for Charlotte. Trae Young had 23 points to lead the Hawks, but shot 1 for 9 from 3-point range. Jalen Johnson had a careerhigh 21 points. CELTICS 108, KNICKS 104 NEW YORK (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:29 left and scored 30 points in a strong Celtics debut, Jayson Tatum had 34 points and 11 rebounds and Boston defeated New York. Porzingis finished with eight
rebounds and four blocked shots against his original NBA team, showing why his new one is considered one of the NBA Finals favourites after acquiring the 7-foot-3 centre and Jrue Holiday during the offseason. Holiday scored nine points. Derrick White had 12 for the Celtics, and Jaylen Brown had 11 points, six rebounds and five assists. RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley each scored 24 points for the Knicks, who started slowly but opened the fourth quarter with a 13-2 run to take their first lead of the game. They couldn’t hold on against one of the NBA’s best teams. RAPTORS 97, TIMBERWOLVES 94 TORONTO (AP) — Dennis Schroder scored 22 points in his Toronto debut, O.G. Anunoby had 20 and the Raptors gave new coach Darko Rajakovic a victory in his first game by beating Minnesota. Scottie Barnes had 17 points, Pascal Siakam added 15 and Jakob Poeltl grabbed 11 rebounds for the Raptors. Anthony Edwards had 26 points and 14 rebounds, and Rudy Gobert added 15 points and 13 rebounds, but Minnesota lost its 19th straight north of the border. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Mike Conley scored 11 for the Timberwolves. Towns shot 8 for 25, going 2 of 10 from 3-point range. HEAT 103, PISTONS 102 MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo scored 22 points,
ORLANDO Magic’s Paolo Banchero (5) makes a move to get past Houston Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Jimmy Butler finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds and Miami held off Detroit in the season opener for both clubs. Tyler Herro scored 16 points, Duncan Robinson added 15 and Kevin Love had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat — who led by 19 with 9:07 left, wasted almost all of it and went scoreless in the final 2:57. Cade Cunningham had 30 points and nine assists for the Pistons. Jalen Duren had 17 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks for Detroit, Isaiah Stewart had 14 points and 14 rebounds and Killian Hayes scored 10. The ball was inbounded to Cunningham with 2.5 seconds left, but his
well-defended 30-footer missed as time expired. Miami improved to 20-16 all-time in openers, 10-6 under coach Erik Spoelstra. Detroit fell to 38-40 in openers, and dropped the first game of the Monty Williams coaching era with the Pistons. CAVALIERS 114, NETS 113 NEW YORK (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 10 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, and Cleveland beat Brooklyn for its first road win in a season opener since 2000. Cleveland had six players score in double figures. Max Strus, who started in place of injured centre Jarrett Allen, had 27 points and 12 rebounds. Isaac Okoro scored 18 points,
and Darius Garland finished with 15. Cam Thomas scored 36 for Brooklyn, setting a league record for most points for a reserve in a season opener. Mikal Bridges scored 11 of his 20 in the fourth quarter. Cam Johnson had 12 points, and Ben Simmons finished with four points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. THUNDER 124, BULLS 104 CHICAGO (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and Oklahoma City beat Chicago in the season opener. Fourth in the NBA in scoring last season, Gilgeous-Alexander keyed a 12-0 run late in the third quarter that broke open a one-point game. Josh
Giddey and Rookie of the Year runner-up Jalen Williams each scored 16 for Oklahoma City. Chet Holmgren had 11 points in his long-awaited NBA debut. Isaiah Joe led a strong effort by the bench with 14 points, and Oklahoma City’s reserves outscored Chicago’s 42-34. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 20 points. Zach LaVine scored all of his 16 points in the second half. Coby White scored 15, and Nikola Vucevic added 11 points and nine rebounds for Chicago. PELICANS 111, GRIZZLIES 104 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 24 points, Zion Williamson added 23 points and seven rebounds as New Orleans defeated Memphis. McCollum was 8 of 16 from the field including 6 of 11 from outside the arc. Williamson scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter to avoid any comeback by Memphis. Brandon Ingram finished with 19 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 12 points and 12 rebounds. Desmond Bane led Memphis with 31 points, while Marcus Smart had 17 points. Xavier Tillman matched Smart’s 17 points and added 12 rebounds. The game was the first of the 25-game suspension for Grizzles guard Ja Morant, the team’s leading scorer last season. He is scheduled to finish the suspension in December. His absence, along with several injuries across the Memphis frontline, left the Grizzlies at a disadvantage.
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Thursday, October 26, 2023, PAGE 17
Pro Picks: Bills should get back on winning track vs. Buccaneers By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer THE Buffalo Bills haven’t looked like Super Bowl contenders in a month. Since whipping Miami 48-20 in Week 4, the Bills (4-3) have lost twice and barely beat the Giants thanks to a pair of stops at the 1-yard line. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3) present an opportunity for Buffalo to get back on track. With Baker Mayfield under centre and a dismal run game, the Buccaneers have struggled on offence. Their top-10 defence has kept them in games. They’ll need that D to step up tonight in Buffalo. Despite slow first-half starts in the past three games, the Bills have a dynamic offence behind Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. “We’re very aware that we haven’t played up to our standard and our potential the last couple of weeks and we’re looking to fix that,” Allen said. “So any opportunity that we get to play this game, you know, we’re going to jump at it.” Allen is 5-0 on Thursday in his career. The Buccaneers are 2-0 on the road this season. “I always love road games,” Mayfield said. “Just being in an environment where it’s just your team against everybody else, the fans included. You just enjoy the environment, and as competitors, you kind of thrive on that. We’re looking to be really focused, play for each other and go in and somehow find a way to win.” The Bills are 8 1/2-point favourites, per FanDuel Sportsbook. Pro Picks expects a close one. BILLS, 24-17 BALTIMORE AT ARIZONA Line: Ravens minus 8 1/2 Lamar Jackson is playing at an MVP level and the Ravens (5-2) have a nasty defence. The Cardinals (1-6) play better than their record but are overmatched every week. BEST BET: RAVENS, 30-17 HOUSTON AT CAROLINA Line: Texans minus 3 Bryce Young vs. C.J. Stroud in a matchup featuring the top two picks in the draft. Stroud and the Texans (3-3) have been formidable. Young and the Panthers (0-6) are seeking their first win. Carolina has started strong, trailing after one quarter only once. Figuring out how to stay ahead is the problem. PANTHERS, 23-18 PHILADELPHIA AT WASHINGTON Line: Eagles minus 6 1/2 After a convincing, statement win against Miami, the Eagles (6-1) need to avoid a letdown against a Commanders team that gave them trouble in Week
RUGBY WORLD CUP FINAL ‘ONE OF SPORT’S GREATEST RIVALRIES’ By GERALD IMRAY AP Sports Writer BUFFALO Bills quarterback Josh Allen throws as New England Patriots defensive end Lawrence Guy Sr. (93) tries to block the pass during the first half of an NFL game on October 22. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) 4. Washington (3-4) has lost four of five and Sam Howell is getting pounded, taking 40 sacks. EAGLES, 27-16 JACKSONVILLE AT PITTSBURGH Line: Jaguars minus 2 1/2 The Steelers (4-2) are finding ways to win despite spotty play. A four-game winning streak has the Jaguars (5-2) off to their best start since 2007. They seek their ninth straight win outside of Jacksonville with Trevor Lawrence getting a few extra days to rest his knee after playing last Thursday. JAGUARS, 24-20 NEW ORLEANS AT INDIANAPOLIS Line: Saints minus 1 1/2 The Saints (3-4) have lost four of five after starting 2-0 and the offence is struggling on third downs and in the red zone. They’ve got a chance to get it going against a team that’s allowed the third-most points. Gardner Minshew led the Colts (3-4) to the best offensive performance Cleveland’s top-ranked defence has allowed but Indianapolis still lost. COLTS, 22-20 LOS ANGELES RAMS AT DALLAS Line: Cowboys minus 6 1/2 The Cowboys (4-2) look to build momentum after a bye and make it a sweep of L.A. teams. They’ve been too up-and-down for a squad expected to contend for the Super Bowl. The up-and-down Rams (3-4) have covered three straight games when they’re underdogs by at least four points. COWBOYS, 24-19 ATLANTA AT TENNESSEE Line: Falcons minus 2 1/2 The first-place Falcons (4-3) need quarterback Desmond Ridder to protect the ball better. The Titans (2-4) traded away two-time All-Pro safety Kevin Byard, signalling a commitment to rebuilding. They could get a look at QBs Malik Willis and Will Levis this week. FALCONS, 23-16
NEW YORK JETS AT NEW YORK GIANTS Line: Jets minus 3 Points should be hard to come by in the battle of MetLife Stadium tenants. The Jets (3-3) got healthier after a bye and have a chance to get over .500. The injury-filled Giants (2-5) have looked better with Tyrod Taylor filling in for Daniel Jones. JETS, 17-13 NEW ENGLAND AT MIAMI Line: Dolphins minus 9 1/2 The Dolphins (5-2) play their best against losing teams. Tua Tagovailoa and the high-powered offence look to bounce back after getting shut down by the Eagles. The Patriots (2-5) are coming off a big upset over Buffalo and played Miami tough in Week 2. DOLPHINS, 29-20 MINNESOTA AT GREEN BAY Line: Vikings minus 1 1/2 Kirk Cousins and the Vikings (3-4) are 2-0 since losing Justin Jefferson, including an impressive win over the 49ers. Jordan Love is slumping and the Packers (2-4) have lost three straight. But Green Bay’s defence has played
well for the most part and the Vikings are on a short week after playing Monday. PACKERS, 23-22 CLEVELAND AT SEATTLE Line: Seahawks minus 3 P.J. Walker has led the Browns (4-2) to consecutive wins filling in for Deshaun Watson, including a comeback when Cleveland’s stingy defence had a rough day. The Seahawks (4-2) haven’t allowed more than 250 yards in three straight games. Cleveland is 14-3 against the spread after a win since 2021. SEAHAWKS, 22-16 CINCINNATI AT SAN FRANCISCO Line: 49ers minus 5 1/2 Suddenly the 49ers (5-2) look vulnerable and Brock Purdy is making mistakes with key players injured. Joe Burrow and the Bengals (3-3) hope a week off doesn’t stop their momentum after winning two in a row. San Francisco has won its three home games by an average margin of 23 points this season. 49ERS, 24-23 KANSAS CITY AT DENVER Line: Chiefs minus 7 1/2
The Broncos (2-5) are improving. They battled Kansas City on the road two weeks ago and beat the Packers. Now, they have to face the Chiefs (6-1) again. The defending Super Bowl champs have hit their stride. Patrick Mahomes and the offence are clicking and the defence is ranked seventh. CHIEFS, 28-16 CHICAGO AT LA CHARGERS Line: Chargers minus 8 1/2 Rookie QB Tyson Bagent tries to lead the Bears (2-5) to consecutive wins for the first time since 2021. Coach Brandon Staley could be out of a job if the Chargers (2-5) lose this one. CHARGERS, 26-16 LAS VEGAS AT DETROIT Line: Lions minus 8 1/2 The Lions (5-2) aim to rebound after a beatdown by Baltimore. The Raiders (3-4) can’t even get All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs going. LIONS, 27-18 UÊ *À Ê * V ÃÊ ÃÊ >Ê Üii ÞÊ column where AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi shares his picks for upcoming games.
NEW Zealand and South Africa will contest Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final and bring one of sport’s most enduring, most intense rivalries to the ultimate stage for the first time in nearly 30 years. It’s been a once-in-ageneration occurrence for rugby and will be a rare treat for every fan, regardless of where they’re from and who they normally support. The All Blacks and the Springboks — with 102 years of games between them — have met in the Rugby World Cup final just once before, a 1995 showdown that carved out a moment that reverberated way beyond sport. South Africa, newly free from apartheid and in its first World Cup as host, won against the team it wants to beat more than any other in extra time in front of new President Nelson Mandela. In a way, New Zealand — with a collection of successes since and the superior team over most of the last three decades — has always been waiting for the chance to exorcise that 1995 final. This is it. Both teams have won two Rugby World Cups after ‘95, but never against the other, and to understand the meaning of New Zealand vs. South Africa this weekend at Stade de France in Paris, think Brazil vs. Argentina in a soccer World Cup final. Then add lots more. Both are locked on three world titles and playing for a record fourth. The Springboks are the defending champions and ranked No. 1 and the All Blacks the former champions and No. 2. It can’t get bigger in rugby. “It has been part of our rugby history, the Springboks and the All Blacks, and every time we play each other it is always a special battle,” South Africa assistant coach Deon Davids said, adding he grew up listening to their games on the radio. Him and millions of others. “It will maybe go to a different level in terms of the competition between the players,” Davids said.
Fast starts by Chiefs, Eagles raise possibility of rare Super Bowl rematch By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer KANSAS City and Philadelphia are setting the stage for the possibility of a rare Super Bowl rematch. The Chiefs and Eagles both have won six of their first seven games and are tied for the best record in the NFL. This is just the sixth time that the two teams that played in the Super Bowl the previous season are tied for the league’s best record entering Week 8 or later. The last time it happened was going into Week 12 of the 2000 season when the Titans and Rams were both 8-2. Neither team ended up making the Super Bowl, with Tennessee losing in the divisional round and St. Louis in the wild-card round. It also happened in 1993 when Buffalo and
Dallas finished the season tied for the best record at 12-4 a year after playing in the Super Bowl. They met again in the Super Bowl that season, with the Cowboys repeating as champions in the only time the same two teams met in the Super Bowl in back-toback seasons. The win over the Chargers gave the Chiefs a three-game lead in the AFC West — just the fourth time in the past 10 seasons that has happened after seven weeks. Kansas City already has won division games against Denver and the Chargers to improve to 29-3 against division opponents with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. Mahomes’ .906 winning percentage in the division is the best of any QB since the merger with at least 20 starts, far outdistancing Dak Prescott’s .800
CHIEFS running back Isiah Pacheco (10) celebrates after scoring during an NFL game against the Chargers on October 22. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) mark for Dallas against the Receiver A.J. Brown had his fifth straight game with NFC East. The 28-year-old at least 125 yards receiving, Mahomes had his sixth tying Calvin Johnson (2012) career game in the regular and Pat Studstill (1966) for season or playoffs with at the longest streaks ever. SACK DANCE least 400 yards passing and Washington’s Sam four TDs. The only players with more in NFL history Howell keeps taking sacks are Peyton Manning (nine) at a record-setting pace. Howell was sacked six and Dan Marino (eight). The Eagles got to 6-1 times in a loss to the Giants by beating Miami 31-17. on Sunday. Howell has been
sacked at least four times in every game this season. That’s one shy of the longest streak since the merger held by Deshaun Watson (2018-19), Jeff George (1997-98) and Blake Bortles (2014-15). Howell’s 40 sacks are the second most through seven games since the merger, trailing only David Carr’s 43 for the expansion Houston Texans in 2002. Carr set the NFL record for sacks that season with 76. IRON MAN Maxx Crosby’s impressive iron-man streak came to an end for the Raiders. Crosby had played 267 consecutive defensive snaps for Las Vegas before coming off the field for two kneel downs at the end of a loss to the Bears. Crosby hadn’t missed a snap since Week 3 against the Chargers, with his three-game streak the
longest for a defensive lineman since Chandler Jones did it five straight games for Arizona in 2017, according to Sportradar. Since the start of the 2022 season, there have been nine games when a defensive lineman played every defensive snap, with Crosby having seven of those games. Aaron Donald and Greg Gaines each have one. RECORD CHASER New England coach Bill Belichick joined some elite company when he won his 300th regular-season game, joining Don Shula (328) and George Halas (318) as the only coaches ever to hit that milestone. The NFL record for coaching wins including the postseason has Belichick currently trailing Shula 347331. He also has lost 170 games — eight fewer than Tom Landry for the most ever.
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National Sports Awards JAYSON CLARKE, programme director of the Bahamas Youth Flag Football League.
MINISTER OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF FLAG FOOTBALL FROM PAGE 14 basic fundamentals to kids between ages 6-17 in the youth league. The minister believes that the skill set of the athletes will play a pivotal role in The Bahamas qualifying to compete in Los Angeles. “When you are talking about flag football and you look at the ability and skill set of athletes, now that we are getting ready to partner with NFL Flag in The Bahamas and want to continue taking flag football to the high school level, we now have a development programme that would allow us to prepare ourselves to be able to qualify for the Olympics in very short order,” he said. In most recent flag football action, The Bahamas won their first exhibition game 21-20 against the NFL Flag Miami Dolphins adult tournament team at the Roscow A L Davies soccer field over the weekend. The 2028 Summer Olympic Games will begin July 14 and continue until July 30 in Los Angeles.
THE National Sports Awards is less than two weeks away and the names of the top nominees have started to roll in. The sports presentation is scheduled to take place on the front lawn of the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium at 6:30pm on Saturday, November 4.
WORLD SERIES 2023: HOW TO WATCH AND WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN DIAMONDBACKS VS RANGERS THE Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks took long, bumpy roads back to the World Series. For both of these longshot pennant winners, it’s become part of their DNA. Both teams rallied on the road in their League Championship Series, winning Games 6 and 7 away from home to punch their tickets to the Fall Classic — the first time that happened in both leagues since the LCS went to a best-of-seven format in 1985. “I’ve said it a million times, and I’ll say it again: A connected team is a very dangerous team,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “No matter what happened in those times of crisis, these guys stuck together.” Texas hasn’t played in the World Series since twice being within one strike of winning the 2011 title against St. Louis. The Rangers have never won it all. “We’ve had some hard times recently. Those are
over,” general manager Chris Young declared soon after the Rangers took their third AL pennant. The Diamondbacks are back on baseball’s biggest stage for the first time since 2001, when Luis Gonzalez’s ninth-inning single off Yankees closer Mariano Rivera in Game 7 earned the franchise its only title. It’s certainly not the showdown fans expected. A Rangers-Diamondbacks matchup had 1,750 to 1 odds when wagering opened last fall. BETTING FAVOURITES The Rangers opened as nearly 2-to-1 betting favourites over the Diamondbacks and are favoured at -162 to win the Series, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. GAME 1 IN TEXAS Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi starts the opener Friday night against Zac Gallen and the Diamondbacks in baseball’s third World Series matching two wild-card teams. Texas has home-field advantage
in the best-of-seven Series because it won more regular-season games (90) than Arizona (84). But is that really a plus for a club that’s already equaled a postseason record by winning its first eight road games? Corey Seager and the Rangers have played only four home games over the past month — and they lost all three to Houston in the AL Championship Series. “We’ve learned throughout the losses in the (ALCS) that maybe we need to keep our emotions a little calmer in the big moments,” second baseman Marcus Semien said. “Because the fans expect a lot out of us, and the home crowds throughout the playoffs expect the home players to do big things.” DIAMONDBACKS JOURNEY After beating defending NL champion Philadelphia in the NLCS, some say Arizona is ahead of schedule, advancing to the World Series with a young roster that was supposed to need a few more years of seasoning before hitting the sport’s biggest stage. Lovullo and general manager Mike Hazen have a different perspective. The two friends and colleagues have navigated a difficult five years — both personally and professionally — that have made the D-backs’ improbable run to the Fall Classic even sweeter. The Diamondbacks lost 110 games in 2021, and Arizona’s president, CEO and general partner Derrick Hall admits that earlier in his career, he might have made a change at GM and manager. But Hall said he “had a hunch” his patience would be rewarded if he stuck with Hazen and Lovullo.
SIGNAGE is seen near the infield at Globe Life Field ahead of the World Series between the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks yesterday in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) There was also personal tragedy mixed into those tough seasons. Nicole Hazen — the GM’s wife — was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2020 and fought the brain cancer for more than two years. She was 45 when she died. When the D-backs clinched a playoff spot on September 30, Mike Hazen admitted the emotions were still raw. “It has been long. A lot of stuff has happened,” Hazen said. “There is somebody for me that is not here that was here six years ago that was a huge Diamondbacks fan. Was a huge Merrill Kelly fan. He was her favorite player.” LEADING THE WAY Texas slugger Adolis García homered in the last four games of the ALCS and set a record for RBIs in a postseason series with 15. He had four hits and scored three times in Game
7 against defending World Series champion Houston. García’s 20 RBIs are one shy of the postseason record set by David Freese, whose 2011 St. Louis Cardinals beat the Rangers in a seven-game World Series. “He’s a bad man, isn’t he?” Seager said. “To be able to come into this atmosphere and get booed every at-bat and do what he did was really special. It was really fun to watch.” IMPRESSIVE COMPANY Rangers manager Bruce Bochy is trying for his fourth World Series title after winning with San Francisco in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Four championships would tie Walter Alston and Joe Torre for fourthmost behind Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel (seven each) and Connie Mack (five). Bochy is tied at three with John McGraw, Miler
Huggins, Sparky Anderson and Tony La Russa. Every other manager with three or more is in the Hall of Fame. HOW TO WATCH The World Series will be broadcast on Fox and Fox Deportes, with first pitch for all games set at 8:03 p.m. ET. WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE Game 1: Friday, Oct. 27 at Texas, 8:03 p.m. ET Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 28 at Texas, 8:03 p.m. ET Game 3: Monday, Oct. 30 at Arizona, 8:03 p.m. ET Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 31 at Arizona, 8:03 p.m. ET Game 5: Wednesday, Nov. 1 at Arizona, 8:03 p.m. ET ( if necessary) Game 6: Friday, Nov. 3 at Texas, 8:03 p.m. ET( if necessary) Game 7: Saturday, Nov. 4 at Texas, 8:03 p.m. ET (if necessary)
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Thursday, October 26, 2023, PAGE 19
on Saturday, November 4
TYSON FURY TO FIGHT FORMER UFC STAR By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer
TEAM NOMINEES: Three out of the 26 categories to be awarded have been revealed and more of the names will be unveiled as the week progresses. With the sporting year winding down for the majority of the disciplines, it is now the time for athletes and sporting organisations to receive their flowers.
BEING the best heavyweight boxer in the world isn’t enough for Tyson Fury. Now is the time for the charismatic Brit with a personality as big as his punch to make the most of his ascent to the top of the sport, build his brand and rake in the cash. Appearances in WWE? Sure. A Netflix reality series documenting his home life? Of course. Heading to the Middle East to fight a former UFC star in the latest in a growing number of crossover bouts? Oh, yes, especially if it brings in a reported $50 million paycheck. For Fury, the chance to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion this century can wait, even if that’s a source of frustration for the boxing world and plenty outside it. First of all, he has a lucrative itch to scratch by taking on Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on Saturday in a fight that opens Riyadh Season, the kingdom’s festival of entertainment through the winter months. It’s a 10-round fight and will count as an official bout according to the WBC, for whom Fury is the heavyweight champion. Fury’s belt will not be at stake, though, on the off-chance he is beaten. Few are giving Ngannou any hope, despite his onetime status as the standout fighter in UFC before an acrimonious departure in January that led to him signing with the Professional Fighters League on an MMA deal only. Ngannou hasn’t fought in nearly two years, since defeating Ciryl Gane in UFC 270 in January 2022.
AUSTRALIA ROUTS NETHERLANDS BY 309 RUNS By CHETAN NARULA Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — Glenn Maxwell smashed a 40-ball hundred — the fastest ever at the Cricket World Cup — to help Australia beat the Netherlands by 309 runs yesterday. Maxwell hit nine fours and eights towering sixes as he scored 106 runs off only 44 balls to propel Australia to 399-8 (50 overs). Coming in to bat in the 39th over, Maxwell’s feat overshadowed David Warner, who scored a
second straight hundred and his 22nd overall in oneday internationals. Warner scored 104 off 93 balls following his hundred against Pakistan. It was his sixth World Cup century, the most for an Australian batsman. The Netherlands was bowled out for a paltry 90 runs in 21 overs. The Dutch team is 1-4, its only win coming in a huge upset victory over South Africa last week. Wrist spinner Adam Zampa picked four wickets for eight runs in three
overs for Australia, as it cemented third place with six points from three wins in five games. The margin of victory was the largest (by runs) in World Cup history and it sharply elevated Australia’s net run-rate from -0.193 to +1.142. It was also the secondhighest margin of victory (by runs) in ODIs. The Netherlands dropped from seventh to 10th in the table, with two points and below Sri Lanka, defending champions England and Bangladesh on run rate.
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