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Volume: 119 No.238, November 4, 2022

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$1

Amicable outcome to meeting with ‘win-win’ agreement

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net THE government and Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association have come to a “win-win” agreement that not only expanded the category of medications to the price control list, but set uniformed margins of 20 percent and 40 percent markups for retail and wholesale operators respectively.

The compromise was announced

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.

yesterday, with Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis saying it was “an even better outcome we believe than we originally had” in that now, medications for cancer and kidney ailments will be included.

Mr Halkitis said the changes would come into effect with the stroke of a pen yesterday evening, the culmination of a solution that was agreed during a meeting at 4pm on Wednesday.

SEE PAGE THREE

SHANTIA MCBRIDE, president of the Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association.

...AS RETAILERS HOPE GOVT WILL AGREE TO NEW LIST

$250M HOTEL PLAN TO BE ‘PHOENIX’ FOR GB

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A $250M investment that will bring one of the world’s top luxury resort brands to Grand Bahama was yesterday hailed as “the catalyst” that will drive the island’s “phoenix from the ashes” rebirth.

Rupert Hayward, grandson of former Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) co-chair Sir Jack Hayward, said the multiparty deal to develop a Six

Senses resort at the 30-acre Barbary Beach site previously owned by Marriott will “raise many, many eyebrows around the world and put Grand Bahama on the map” for high-end tourism.

He voiced confidence the agreement featuring Weller Development and Pegasus Capital Advisors will “change the narrative on Grand Bahama” and restore its reputation as a location that attracts highquality investments by both foreigners and Bahamians.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE DISCOVERY Bay area where the $250m resort is planned.

SHOT GERMANS WERE REGULAR VISITORS DOCTORS: HIT PAUSE BUTTON ON NHI BILL

By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net

SOUTH Andros MP Leon Lundy revealed yesterday that the German men who were victims in a shooting that left one dead and the other injured were regular visitors to the island.

According to police, around 8pm three German men were outside

their summer residence when they were approached by a masked gunman. The victims attempted to run inside the home when the suspect opened fire on them resulting in two of the men being shot. The suspect then fled the area in an unknown direction.

The victims were taken to the local clinic - one of them died SEE PAGE TWO

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN doctors yesterday urged the Government to “hit the pause button” over its proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) reforms, warning they “cannot support the Bill” tabled in the House of Assembly as is.

The Medical Association of

the Bahamas (MAB), which represents private physicians throughout The Bahamas, told Tribune Business in a statement it was “distressing” that the Davis administration had proceeded to table the NHI Bill for its first parliamentary reading without giving those impacted a chance to provide full feedback and advice.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

FOOD retailers were last night hoping the government will agree to an “expanded list” of pricecontrolled products before the weekend so Bahamian consumers can enjoy cost of living “relief” come Monday.

John Bostwick, attorney for the Retail Grocers Association, told Tribune Business the industry had submitted a revised list to the Davis administration containing more items than the 20 offered in its October 26, 2022, position paper.

Declining to identify the products involved, or how many, he confirmed the association and its members are “before the weekend” seeking to reach a “compromise” with the government similar to that unveiled yesterday by their pharmaceutical counterparts.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

CHINA AIMS FOR EXTRA INVESTMENT

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Chinese Embassy yesterday announced the country hoped to form better linkages and create new investments in The Bahamas following China’s 20th National Congress of China’s Communist Party.

Chinese Ambassador to The Bahamas Dai Qingli said yesterday that the CPC, as she called it, was held in Beijing from October 16-22,

AMBASSADOR DAI QINGLI one month ahead of COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, from November 6 to 18.

Once every five years, the CPCs are held to establish the strategic direction of China and to deal with other party affairs.

Ambassador Dai Qingli said this year, several major plans were stated in a report made at the event in reference to investments to better education, health, sports, the economy and sustainability in The Bahamas.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE SEVEN

DIANE PHILLIPS: REMEMBERING THE SOFTER SIDE OF HUGH SANDS

SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Friday, November 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Minister aims to give unhappy staff ‘great Christmas

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services and Urban Development Minister Obie Wilchcombe in Parliament yesterday.

Photo: Moise Amisial

SOCIAL Services and Urban Development Minister Obie Wilchcombe said the outstanding issues public servants are faced with will be resolved before the year ends, following two days of protest from workers.

Some public servants from the Social Services Ministry gathered outside of the Bahamas Public Services Union building to protest against Mr Wilchcombe on Wednesday.

Yesterday, protests continued outside the Office of the Prime Minister where workers voiced their concerns once again and demanded the resignation of Mr Wilchcombe.

In response, Mr Wilchcombe told reporters yesterday outside of the House of Assembly that the complaints of the public servants are “legitimate” and he is actively working on resolving the matter.

According to protestors the “longstanding” concerns are about their career advancements, promotions, salary increases and medical benefits.

Mr Wilchcombe acknowledged the faults of the government, however, he said, he is working to ensure the staff has a “great Christmas”.

“The reality is they are absolutely correct,” he told reporters yesterday.

“Those are long standing issues and they have yet to be resolved. You have people working in Social Services who have been there now for 13, 14, 20 years and such have not been confirmed.

“You have individuals who have gone off and qualified themselves, got degrees and still not been compensated as a result.

You have employees who are engaged in hazardous work, but there is no hazardous pay.

“So yes, the arguments are relevant and we’ve been dealing with them. I’m very pleased at the progress we’ve made. I’m working to ensure that they will have great Christmases.”

Kimsley Ferguson, Bahamas Public Service Union president, told reporters yesterday that they decided to gather outside the Office of the Prime Minister so the nation’s leader will hear their pleas.

“Well today we brought it here, because it’s in closer proximity to where the Prime Minister is, and so if you didn’t hear us yesterday from all the way on East Street, we’re closer now and we’re hopeful that he would’ve heard our plea and the cries in reference to the issues and concerns that we need addressed,” Mr Ferguson said.

Mr Ferguson said that there will be “consistent action” until the union’s concerns are addressed, as he believes their cries have fallen onto deaf ears.

He had previously met with Mr Wilchcombe to express the concerns of union members, but he said he was “dissatisfied” with the outcome.

“After my meeting with him on Monday past, I was very dissatisfied that anything was done,” he told reporters yesterday.

“We are just appealing, as these people are essential in nature and we feel slighted because when the call of duty is made these people jump into action and they actually serve the Bahamian people with distinction,” he added.

According to Mr Wilchcombe, the staff of Social Services will have a meeting in relation to the ongoing issues, along with the announcement of new matters.

“There is a meeting Monday, it’s a full staff meeting and in fact Social Services is closing on Monday between 10 and 12 because I have a staff meeting with the entire staff, with many announcements to be made,” he said.

Deborah Smith, chief welfare officer in the Department of Social Services Community Support Division for 34 years said she, along with fellow coworkers, are seeking what is “due” to them as they are said to be the lowest paid public service officers.

“What I want to say today is, we aren’t asking for much. All we want is what is due to us,” she said.

“For so long we have waited, we’ve been patient, we’ve given up ourselves, we’ve given up our time, our families have been neglected to make sure that the work of Social Services continues.

“Many of us standing here earn less than our clients and because of that, somebody needs to look at what is happening and somebody needs to fix it.”

SHOT GERMANS WERE REGULAR VISITORS from page one

and the other was later airlifted to the capital for further medical assistance.

This newspaper understands the three visitors were related to each other.

The deceased is said to have been in his 50s and was the son of one of the German men. The other two Germans were both in their late 80s and said to be brothers.

Mr Lundy, the MP for South Andros, said the incident sent a shock throughout the island because the German men were well known in the community.

“But I can tell you they (the residents) have a lot of confidence in the police force, like I stated, and they just want to make sure that justice prevails,” he said.

He said he hopes for swift justice so the community can return to normal.

A team is being led

by Superintendent BK Bonamy, Jr, on the island, said Mr Lundy.

When contacted for comment, the island’s administrator said residents were alarmed by the homicide. The administrator

explained residents shared emotions of being afraid along with being in complete shock that something so violent could happen on the Family Island.

This shooting is the latest in a series of violent incidents in the country.

On Monday, a woman in her 40s was fatally shot after she was prompted to come outside of her Johnson Road home by a phone call.

That incident came after three people, including two men on bail for serious crimes, were shot dead in separate incidents over the weekend.

The murder count stands at 114, according to this newspaper records.

Police are actively investigating and appealing to members of the public, especially residents of the Kemps Bay area, who may have information that can assist police with their investigation into this matter to contact police at the Criminal Investigations Department at 502-9991/2, Crime Stoppers at 328TIPS (8477)/Toll free at (242) 300-8476 or Kemps Bay Police Station at (242) 369-4733.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 4, 2022, PAGE 3

THE BAHAMAS Pharmaceutical Association protest outside the Office of the Prime Minister this week.

Photo: Austin Fernander

Amicable outcome to meeting with ‘win-win’ agreement from page one It came after private pharmacies were urged by their association to “temporarily” close earlier in the week due to being unable to resolve the price control expansion dispute by the November 1 deadline.

However, the closures were short-lived as many pharmacies opened the same day they closed.

“We focused yesterday on ease of implementation, how could we assist the pharmacies in complying and reduce the workload that they have to do and we came up with a solution to that as well and we were able to agree a list and have some additional items added,” the minster said yesterday during a press conference at

the Office of the Prime Minister.

“So all in all we think it’s a win-win and we look forward to working with the association in educational processes as we go forward.”

He also said: “Our original amendment had margins ranging from in some cases 15 percent.

Some were 18, some were 35 and some were 40 and the association expressed that it would be easier for them if they had one wholesale margin and one retail margin instead of two different margins for wholesale and two different margins for retail.

“They have so many SKUs (stock keeping units), which means individual items and so it would be easier for them if they had a single margin for wholesale and a single margin for retail.

“What we did basically is split the difference so we agreed on 20 percent for wholesale and 40 percent for retail bearing in mind we were ranging between 15 and 40 anyway so it’s virtually the same, but what we did was just to have one margin for wholesale and one margin for retail. So, a retail pharmacist does not have to go through their inventory and decide which is 35 and which is 40.

“As part of our discussion also we are able to include oncology, which is cancer and nephrology, kidney drugs, which is a huge add and so a very positive outcome and so we are thankful to the association for being able to come and it’s an even better outcome we believe than we originally had by being able to relax a little bit

on the margin and we got those additional drugs put in.”

Chargrega McPhee, a representative of the pharmacy association, said the government expressed a keen desire to ensure noncommunicable diseases were included in the list to allow affordable medications.

“With that in mind we looked at the price control amendment list that took care of a lot of categories that we know are important - your antihypertensives, your diabetic medications, your cardiovascular drugs.

“But we also said as pharmacists in the community we’re looking at where The Bahamas is going.

We need to add a little more and we want to help the government to reach that mandate so we also added cancer medications as well

as kidney or renal medications to that list. So, along with the price control amendment grouping we’ve also added cancer drugs and kidney drugs.

“We used the World Health Organisation essential drug 2021 list as our basis and even in looking at that again the WHO looks at global. So, we wanted to make sure to look a tad closer to home. So our team sat down and we said: ‘You know what minister? We’ve got some more drugs that we’d like to add to this list.’ So, what you will be seeing is along with the WHO list, we’ve actually added quite a few more supplemental drugs to that list all in an effort to ensure that the Bahamian populace does have access to better priced medications.”

ATTORNEY GENERAL: DECISION TO CLOSE PHARMACIES MISGUIDED

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder said officials believe some pharmacies’ decision to close earlier this week was “misguided”.

He added it could have been a breach of the law and should not have been done.

He spoke at the Office of

the Prime Minister’s press briefing and gave an update on Wednesday’s meeting with the pharmacy association, which, he said, was constructive, adding a resolution had been reached.

The meeting came after private pharmacies “temporarily” closed on Tuesday due to the failure to resolve the price control expansion dispute by the November 1 deadline.

Shantia McBride, the Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association’s (BPA) president, explained the association had complied with Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis’ request to offer recommendations on October 21.

It was claimed the document was sent as a response to a lack of consultation from the government with the pharmacy industry on

PM’S DELEGATION TO LEAVE FOR COP TODAY

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis and his delegation are set to leave for COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt today.

Mr Davis will be there amongst world leaders from November 6 to 12.

Yesterday, press secretary Clint Watson clarified that there are 70 people representing The Bahamas at the conference and they are not solely government officials.

He said the private sector makes up a larger portion of the delegation set to travel.

The delegation includes Mr Davis, Attorney General Ryan Pinder, Agriculture and Family Island Affairs Minister Clay Sweeting and a number of other people, including a strong youth presence, officials from the Department of Meteorology, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Foreign Affairs.

According to Mr Watson, 37 people from the private sector set to travel are from non-government organisations, environmental groups and individual persons.

The government is only paying for its technical members to attend the event as others who are going are being funded by

the private sector.

“The prime minister’s delegation will include ten people when he leaves here on Friday, so that’s important, so, we put it in context that it’s not 70 persons from the government travelling to COP27,” Mr Watson said.

Mr Davis is set to deliver his speech to a conference of parties next Tuesday.

“Prime Minister Davis will focus on the continued push in The Bahamas to fight climate change and an update on the public strides made since travelling to COP27 last year,” Mr Watson said.

Environment and Natural Resources Minister Vaughn Miller is not attending the conference because he will be at another event in Canada.

Asked why Mr Miller is not going to COP27, Mr Watson said: “This year COP27 takes along a more technical line and that’s why we have such a strong presence of technical officers who are there.

“Because they’re the ones who have been working on the documents, they are the ones who have been at various meetings throughout the year, negotiating, understanding what’s required to be in place in order to ensure that we have that kind of presence

there to make sure that we sign on these agreements.

“That we’re on the table, our technical officers need to be there. That’s the priority.”

When asked by reporters why the Minister of State for the Environment would not be able to attend in the absence of the minister, Mr Watson was unable to answer.

Mr Watson spoke on behalf of Mr Miller in regard to the 2019 oil spill in Grand Bahama.

He said the government has since been to assess the damage on the Equinor grounds and afterwards samples were collected by experts and sent to Florida for assessment.

“The samples collected were sent to Florida for analysis to the accredited lab.

“There’s oil staining on the rocks and vegetation, they have no toxic components as it was analysed and natural attenuation is dealing with it.

“But the report on those samples have come back and those are not oil from Equinor.

“There is no oil on the ground, what was visited and seen are stained rocks, vegetation and soil. And that happens because of natural attenuation,” he said.

the Price Control Regulations Amendment 2022.

However, it was alleged earlier this week the document sent on October 27 had not received a response nor had their request for further discussion been acknowledged.

Mr Pinder was asked about this yesterday.

However, Mr Pinder said that was not the case.

“That’s not true,” he

said. “They would’ve written a complaint ten days before. They submitted their recommendations at the end of last week. So our belief is one, their decision to close was misguided. It could have been a breach of the law and was not an action that should have been done, taking into consideration their submission was late and we were in the process at that time of

reviewing it.

“Needless to say that’s water under the bridge and we have a very cooperative approach and all of the items plus more in the categories of which will be price controlled for pharmacies and again, all of the items plus more in the categories of which will be price controls for pharmacies, we will finalise on mutual agreement.”

PAGE 4, Friday, November 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

LABOUR and Immigration Minister Keith Bell in Parliament yesterday.

Photo: Moise Amisial

Bell calls for select committee to investigate embassy spending

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net LABOUR and Immigration Minister Keith Bell yesterday told Parliament he intends to move for the appointment of a select committee to investigate what went on at The Bahamas Embassy in Brussels, Belgium, under the Minnis administration.

His announcement came two weeks after Auditor General Terrance Bastian’s audit of the operations at the embassy was tabled in the House of Assembly

revealing hundreds of thousands of dollars was spent on furniture.

“I would like to give notice that at the next sitting of this honourable House I will move for the appointment of the following select committee to investigate all matters connected to or arising from the auditor general’s report and examination or examination of accounts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bahamas Embassy Brussels, Belgium for the period November 1, 2019 to July 2022 with power to send for persons and papers

with leave to sit from place to place and with leave to sit during any recess,” Mr Bell told House members yesterday.

The minister could not be reached yesterday by phone for further comment regarding what prompted the decision to move for a select committee.

Mr Bastian’s probe found that over $600,000 of taxpayers’ money was spent on furniture purchases for the official residence.

“During our audit, we noted furniture purchased for the official residence in the amount of 472,427.80

EUR or $614,156.14,” the audit found.

“The High Commission, London assisted the Bahamas Mission, Belgium with a 50 percent initial deposit of 257,667.40 EUR or 334,967.62 USD. In addition, a second payment of 131,577.20 EUR ($171,024.36 USD), totalling 389,244.60 EUR ($506,017.98 USD).

“Additionally, payments were made from the Mission Belgium account in the amounts of 72,873.20 EUR and 10,3100.00 EUR totaling 83,183.20 EUR or $94,735.16 USD and

$13,403.00 USD totaling $108,138.16 USD.” The report said the funds obtained from the London office went towards furniture purchases that were approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the Brussels Mission did not have a bank account.

Mr Bell first raised the alarm in parliament in June about the extravagant purchases at the embassy, accusing the Minnis administration of the “indiscriminate callous haemorrhage” of the public purse.

At the time, he said, more than $1m was spent on

lavish items for an ambassador’s apartment in Europe, including middle chairs that cost nearly $40,000, a rug at $18,475, $14,000 for a lamp and $10,000 for a mahogany scroll among other costly purchases.

In view of the findings, the auditor recommended that the ministry establish policies for the purchasing of furnishings for all residents and embassies, consulates, etc, and noted that ambassadors should not solely be responsible for these functions but through consultations with the ministry.

‘HARD TO ARGUE WITH NUMBERS’ ON LIVEABLE WAGE

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

LABOUR Minister Keith Bell said in the House of Assembly yesterday that the “work towards” a

liveable wage in the country has started.

Mr Bell was wrapping up debate on a resolution to

increase the country’s minimum wage from $210 to $260 a week.

The higher wage will be retroactive in the public service going back to July of this year and for those in the private sector, the change will begin in January 2023.

“While we established today minimum wage, this Progressive Liberal Party government, we’re not stopping there with minimum wage. We’ve now kicked into the second gear as we move towards a liveable wage,” Mr Bell said.

“I charge them this morning along with the honourable minister of the public service that as human resource managers, they are in the best

position in this country to ensure that as we move towards this liveable wage that they advise this government, this PLP on productivity in the workplace.”

Mr Bell continued: “And so as human resources manager, Madam Speaker, I am pleased to report that work towards liveable wage has begun and it is anticipated that they will produce a working document on the productivity as we know only too well that we cannot legislate productivity but product ivy must go hand in hand not only in response to this increase in the minimum wage but also as it relates to phasing in a liveable wage.

“So, Madam Speaker,

with that on behalf of the ministry of Labour, the Department of Labour, all members of this side and certainly the side opposite, we want to thank the Bahamian people as you partner with us as we make this place, The Bahamas, better to live each day one step at a time.”

A 2020 study done by University of The Bahamas concluded that a living wage in New Providence and Grand Bahama is $2,625 and $3,550 per month respectively.

After its release, the report was viewed as unreasonable or unrealistic in some circles.

However, Mr Bell said last month that in his view, “it is hard to argue with the numbers”.

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THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 4, 2022, PAGE 5

Pintard: PLP govt a shadow of its former self

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard yesterday called the Davis administration a “shadow of its former self”, saying this “new day” party is far more concerned about politics than good governance.

“They are a shadow of their former selves,” Mr Pintard said during his contribution to the debate on a resolution to increase the country’s minimum wage.

The resolution was eventually passed in the lower chamber yesterday.

“This debate is an example - minimum wage again, introduced by the Free National Movement, amended and improved by the Free National Movement and continued by the PLP, which is a wonderful thing.

“On this side, we have no issue with it. We believe that governments are continuous and for a year, we have been very supportive, constructive in our criticism of this administration, but no good deed goes unpunished with this group of members of Parliament, Madam Speaker.”

During his speech, the Marco City MP repeated criticisms of the government’s frequent travelling and rehashed concerns regarding Bahamas Power and Light’s fuel hedging initiative.

Mr Pintard last month

said the Davis administration had been fully briefed on BPL’s fuel hedging strategy, despite claims from Prime Minister Philip Davis and Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears, who had repeatedly denied receiving advice and Cabinet paper recommendations on how to maintain BPL’s fuel charge at 10.5 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) or at a level close to that.

Increases in BPL’s monthly fuel charge are set to be reflected in consumers’ bills beginning this month.

“Madam Speaker, on the BPL issue, one or two things have to be true that the prime minister was not aware of this matter. One, the member for Fort Charlotte who did deny but we now all know, all of us in here know that he was advised on the hedge programme which had already saved somewhere in the vicinity of $25m and over the life of the contract, would save no less than $55m.

“He knew. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, he knew, Madam Speaker.”

However, rising on a point of order, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Works Bacchus Rolle suggested that the remarks were misleading.

He argued that Mr Sears had indicated before that he had received an email concerning the BPL hedging strategy, but conceded that the email did not have a list of recommendations

to which Mr Pintard had alluded.

“Madam Speaker, I believe it’s unfair for this member to repute or to say what the member for Fort Charlotte knew while the member for Fort Charlotte mentioned that he did receive the e-mail that this gentleman would now bring up,” Mr Rolle said.

“That e-mail did not have and it is not an example that says ‘this is what we should do over that or the next’. While I’m on my feet, I happen to know and the member knows too that in June or July during the last administration, the former board of BPL would’ve brought to the then cabinet of The Bahamas, the very same hedge agreement.

Why did they not approve it at that time?

“If it was so good, why did they not approve it at that time?”

However, Mr Pintard stood by his earlier remarks.

“The member for Fort Charlotte got a six-page letter that clearly indicated the course of action,” he continued.

It was at this point that Mr Davis interjected, saying “the letter that was laid - that letter, all it did was settle the circumstances of the hedging programme.

Just read the first paragraph of that letter and then you would (know) what that letter is all about.

“The recommendations about what was to happen or not happen in

FNM leader Michael Pintard. relation to the hedging, it just settled the circumstances under which the hedging was in fact and also the present state of conditions and circumstances of that hedging programme.”

Mr Pintard responded: “Madam Speaker, the first sentence says ‘Further to your email regarding the hedge programme at BPL, I think it would be useful to provide a general overview of the strategic considerations that went into structuring

Photo: Moise Amisial and implementation of this programme, how the programme works and results today.’

“The results today is $25m and that if the programme continues, it’s $55m.”

Prime Minister Davis then asked: “What is the date of the letter?”

To which Mr Pintard replied: “The date of the letter is the 18th of October (2021).”

Mr Davis then pointed out that the letter was written just over a month after

his administration had assumed office.

“The letter was just about that,” the prime minister added. “What was the results today? It does not speak about any futuristic recommendations.”

But, Mr Pintard still insisted that the benefits of the programme should have been kept in place.

“So, Madam Speaker, when this administration talks about saving the Bahamian people money, they’re not serious,” he added.

18 FAMILIES TO RECEIVE KEYS TO NEW HOMES BY MONTH END

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

SOME 18 families will receive keys to their new homes by the end of this month – just ahead of the Christmas holidays, Housing and Transport Minister JoBeth ColebyDavis announced in the House of Assembly yesterday.

Her comments came while delivering her contribution on a resolution to increase the national minimum wage from $210

to $260 a week.

While expressing support for the resolution, Mrs Coleby-Davis said she expects the increase in the country’s minimum wage will positively impact hundreds of mortgage applications.

“The country has already seen that this Davis-led administration is committed to expanding the path to homeownership and this decision will allow many Bahamians to obtain homes,” she said.

“We will not make

promises of home ownership. We will not produce sketches for public relations stunts. We intend to actually put families in their own homes and by the end of November 2022, we will be putting at least 18 more families in homes.

“Eighteen more families will be able to place their Christmas wreaths on their own doors to their homes.

We are serious about our commitment. It is indeed a new day.”

The Davis administration has launched several

housing development projects designed to provide homes for Bahamians seeking affordable options.

In May, the government officially opened the Pinecrest subdivision and handed keys to a number of Bahamians to their new homes in the area.

Last month, Mrs ColebyDavis announced her ministry’s latest project – a rent-to-own housing initiative called “A Place to Call Home.”

The housing programme officially opened this month and will provide some 50

11,000 RECEIVED FOOD ASSISTANCE IN OCTOBER

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 11,000 Bahamians received food assistance from the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development last month, according to its minister yesterday.

Obie Wilchcombe made the revelation while he was responding to Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard’s criticisms of the Davis administration “being a shadow of its former self.”

“Madam Speaker, this administration is a shadow of its old self, of the old Progressive Liberal Party that established the institutions that they continue to recite,” Mr Pintard told parliamentarians.

However, Mr Wilchcombe later hit back that the Davis-led government was “the real thing” which had the same principles during his contribution in the House of Assembly yesterday.

“This is the real thing.

This the PLP. This is the real deal because I’m taking you back to the philosophy because it has not changed,” the minister said.

Mr Wilchcombe said the Davis administration was not blind to the challenges being faced by Bahamians due to the high cost of living.

“We know the hurt of our people. I know —11,749 Bahamians received food assistance last month, 11,749,” Mr Wilchcombe said in Parliament.

One seated member said: “They need more.”

To which, Mr Wilchcombe replied: “That’s the point so we do understand the struggles. We are providing shelter to 89 families; 180 of our people have received health assistance since July to this month.

“Just imagine, that speaks to and that’s New Providence.

I haven’t gotten to the islands. I’m talking about the numbers here, Marco City. At the end of the day, we are fully

aware of our people but never once did the member for Cat Island say or any member of this side say – all is had and we keep on saying that there’s work to be done and work will be done because we are not going to sleep.”

In August, the Department of Social Services increased the rates of financial assistance rendered through the community support services division by 10 percent in response to rapid inflation.

And last month, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis announced several additional relief measures to help struggling Bahamians cope during these difficult times.

Among them includes price control expansion and increases to the national minimum wage.

A resolution to increase the minimum wage from $210 to $260 per week was passed in the lower chamber yesterday after two days of debate.

JOB OPPORTUNITY KINDERGARTEN TEACHER NEEDED

A pre-eminent, well-established, independent, international school in Nassau is seeking a full-time qualified ART KINDERGARTEN TEACHER for employment. Candidates should have sound classroom experience; a passion for art and innovative education; a professional attitude towards work; a friendly and cooperative disposition; a willingness to work in a team environment; experience of online and in class teaching; a determination to grow

Successful candidates will be required to: • • • • • • • •

Prepare and deliver well-planned learning experiences and curricula for learners aged 5.

Differentiate curriculum objectives to support a diverse range of learners Show consistent, compassionate, classroom management skills Assess student learning and produce detailed reports Use learning data to inform and adapt instruction Contribute to the co-curricular programme and wholeschool activities in a committed and enthusiastic manner Maintain high standards of professionalism Communicate positively with parents, staff, and administration Please forward your resume and introduction letter by email to

hrbahamas2014@gmail.com

homes across The Bahamas in its pilot phase.

“A Place to Call Home” is a multi-island, sustainable, financially viable housing solution administered by the Department of Housing for working individuals, employed and self-employed Bahamians,” she said last month.

Successful applicants will be required to sign an occupancy agreement, which would form the legal basis of the agreement with the Department of Housing and also deal with delinquency of accounts and

payments, according to the minister.

“Over an agreed fixed period, not longer than 36 months, rent will be paid to the Department of Housing and a portion of the rent will go toward a down payment for the mortgage, property maintenance and insurance costs,” she explained.

“Successful applicants will also be required to attend a home ownership education course through the Department of Housing and agree to financial coaching.”

HIRING NOW A company is looking for an experienced accountant to take on the position of Financial Controller who will report to the CFO and management team.

Duties include the following: • Supervise all activities and staff of the accounting department including accounts payable and receivable.

• Review, analyse and provide monthly and yearly consolidated financial reports to senior management.

• Developing financial reviews and providing investment and profitability advice • Quarterly VAT preparation and filing • Improving efficiencies and reducing costs across the business • Stakeholder management • Payroll processing • Working closely with management or executive teams to share reports and analysis findings • Prepare annual budgets • Establishing and maintaining internal control guidelines, policies and procedures for budget accounting, cash and credit management, administration, and other activities.

• Serve as liaison agent with the bank if needed.

• Prepare analysis for insurance when necessary

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS • At least 5 years experience in a supervisory role in the accounting/finance field • Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting/Finance • CPA designation • Computer skills: MS Office, QuickBooks.

• Strong controls background.

• Knowledge of Bahamian culture, laws, customs, fiscal policies.

• Strong analytical and organizational skills • Management and Leadership skills.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet reporting deadlines.

• Communication skills • Attention to detail Email resume to chinainvestment1969@hotmail.com

PAGE 6, Friday, November 4, 2022

The Tribune Limited

THE TRIBUNE

PICTURE OF THE DAY

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

Published daily Monday to Friday

Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax

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Threats to US election security grow more complex TOP US election security officials say protecting the nation’s voting systems has become increasingly challenging.

That’s due mostly to the embrace by millions of Americans of unfounded conspiracy theories and false claims about widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential race.

With the midterm elections just days away, the director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Jen Easterly, and other officials say they have no evidence that election infrastructure has been altered by hostile actors to prevent voting or vote counting, compromise ballots or affect voter registration accuracy.

But they’re not lowering their guard.

Disinformation is rampant. Foreign rivals are capable of potent cyber mischief. And the insider threat is considered greater than ever. On top of the physical threats and intimidation of elections officials — which is authorities’ overriding concern — security experts are particularly worried about tampering by those who work in local election offices or at polling stations.

“The current election threat environment is more complex than it has ever been,” Easterly told reporters in mid-October.

Global rivals also are expected to deepen longstanding disinformation efforts. The tense geopolitical moment means Russia, Iran and China may have fewer qualms about trying to disrupt the conduct of elections in key battlegrounds with cyber operations.

The spectrum of potential threats is wide: foreign ransomware gangs friendly with the Kremlin, conspiracy-obsessed local election officials, hostile voters bent on sabotage or political provocateurs trying to suppress the vote with dirty tricks or misinformation.

Here are some of the potential threats agencies are assessing: THREATS FROM WITHIN Insider threats are a growing concern and could undermine serious strides made to secure voting systems — including migrating to hand-marked paper ballots and introducing reliable audits — since they were declared critical national infrastructure in January 2017.

Rogue election officials could provide access to voting systems to unauthorized individuals, as happened in Colorado and Georgia. Poll workers or even voters could try to access voter registration databases or equipment, or plant malware to taint election management systems.

Eddie Perez, a voting technology expert with the nonprofit OSET Institute, calls the repeated efforts to cast doubt on the integrity of voting equipment an element of a more broad “manufactured chaos” — intentional subversion of the nation’s elections to sow doubt.

Perez is among specialists who think attempts to discredit voting technology are one manifestation of efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to undermine trust in election results so Republican-controlled state legislatures — rather than voters — can decide the outcome of future races.

To counter the threats from insiders, federal authorities have conducted trainings and encouraged election officials to focus on limiting access to critical equipment, adding video surveillance and key cards on doors. They also encourage strict chain-of-custody rules for everything from ballots to voting scanners and tabulators.

Threats to public officials and election disruption attempts haver occurred with increasing frequency and intensity, federal and local law enforcement officials say. They are especially concerned about physical violence by protesters in highly contested districts during the post-election vote-counting process.

THREATS FROM ABROAD US officials have issued two main election-security advisories in the run-up to the Nov 8 elections. They say malicious cyberactivity is unlikely to seriously disrupt or prevent voting and that hostile foreign states are apt to try to influence outcomes with “information operations”.

Foreign meddlers could launch cyberattacks or exaggerate the effects of relatively ineffectual attacks. They could spread misinformation about voting or voter fraud, try to incite violence or, if violence is already happening, fan the flames.

Hostile foreign bids to undermine US democracy have risen since the Russian operation that hacked and then leaked Democratic emails to aid Trump in the 2016 presidential race. None have had anywhere near the impact, though.

Rivals constantly probe US networks for vulnerabilities. Moscow may seek payback for Washington’s arming of Ukraine against its invasion. Iran resents US support for anti-regime demonstrations triggered by the death in police custody of a young woman who defied head-scarf orthodoxy. As for China, relations are tense as Washington tries to throttle high-tech supplies to Beijing over its perceived hostility and growing authoritarianism.

There’s also the possibility that foreign actors might have breached election systems long ago and are waiting to pounce.

ATTACKS FROM FOREIGN ADVERSARIES On Election Day, hostile foreign powers or sympathetic hackers could mount what are known as denial-ofservice (DDoS) attacks, which render websites unreachable by flooding them with junk data. Targeting state and local government websites, such attacks could prevent voters from looking up registration information or polling locations, or knock offline sites that report election results after voting ends.

One group on the radar of the US cybersecurity agency is Killnet, pro-Russia hackers who made a ruckus in October by organising DDoS attacks on US airport and state government websites.

Such attacks are mostly a nuisance and don’t destroy data or even breach sites. But they can frustrate voters and election poll workers, and become powerful grist for disinformation offensives.

For example, Russian state media and fake news mills could amplify exaggerated claims of disruption, as occurred with the Killnet effort against the airport and government sites.

Another potential threat are Russian-speaking ransomware gangs that operate with little Kremlin interference.

They have largely spared US election infrastructure, which by now tends to be a lot better protected than many of the hospitals, schools and businesses they routinely plague.

Hack-and-leak operations also are possible. Sensitive data could be stolen from election or campaign websites, partially falsified and released online.

Cybersecurity firm Trellix reported a spike in phishing emails targeting county election workers in Pennsylvania and Arizona, both battleground states, over the summer seeking to harvest passwords and potentially interfere with the administration of absentee ballots.

“In many cases, the threat actors attempting to breach our election systems are the same ones who are conducting influence operations that seek to sow discord,” Easterly, the CISA director, said in mid-October.

That could include the Russian troll farm known as the Internet Research Agency, a key player in the 2016 Russia destabilisation campaign that favored Trump and sought to widen social divisions in the US. The group sought to manipulate public opinion by gaming social media platforms, including by purchasing online ads.

In a pre-election report, the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future said it was “almost certain” that networks associated with the group “are engaging in covert malign influence on a subset of the US population.”

On Thursday, the social media analysis firm Graphika reported that suspected Russian operatives have been disseminating on far-right media platforms beginning Oct. 29 political cartoons disparaging Democratic candidates in tight statewide races in Georgia, Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania.

By FRANK BAJAK Associated Press

VISITORS pose for a photograph at the Bonneville Salt Flats on Friday, near Wendover, Utah.

Photo: Rick Bowmer/AP

Beyonce’s blasphemy EDITOR, The Tribune.

BISHOP Patrick L Wooden of the Upper Room Church of God in Christ in Raleigh, North Carolina has taken grave exception to Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s “Denial” poem. The poem was penned by a British poet of Somali extraction, Warsan Shire, and is featured in the Beyoncé 2016 “Lemonade” album as a prelude to the second tract “Hold Up.” Considered the second most prominently ranked album of 2016 by Metacritic and the best album of that same year by The Associated Press, Rolling Stone, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly and The Guardian, the album, whose labels are Columbia and Parkwood, has 13 tracts. The Associated Press considers it to be the best album of the 2010s. It has sold 1.5 million-plus units in the US and 2.5 million globally.

In addition to Beyoncé, “Lemonade” has a laundry list of producers, which underscores the exorbitant cost associated with its production. The issue Wooden and other evangelical Christians have with “Denial” is its vile reference to the Holy Bible, in which Beyoncé speaks of using the pages of the Holy Scriptures as a tampon for her menstrual cycle.

Contrast this blasphemy with the high esteem of the Bible by the Old Testament patriarch Job in Job 23:12 and the Psalmist in Psalm 119:89.

According to 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:21, the Bible is God’s inspired Word. “Denial” is rank blasphemy. According to The New Bible Dictionary, blasphemy is an act of effrontery in which the honour of God is insulted by man. In Matthew 12:31, Jesus warned the Pharisees that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unpardonable sin.

Beyoncé has referenced in the past an entity named Sasha Fierce, which energises her while on stage. It is believed by this writer that Sasha Fierce is demonic.

Old Testament scholars believe that Satan is referenced in Ezekiel 28:12-19 as the king of Tyre and anointed cherub who was privileged to serve in the immediate presence of Yahweh before his catastrophic fall.

Based on the symbolic descriptions of this angelic being in verse 14 of the aforementioned chapter, it is believed by scholars that Satan was a worship leader in heaven.

Hence his keen interest in music.

This can explain why he uses the medium of music to combat the Kingdom of God. This can also

explain the phenomenal success of many recording artists openly hostile to Christianity.

Beyoncé is continuing in the tradition of John Lennon of The Beatles, Jim Morrison of The Doors and Isaac Hayes -- artists who all openly blasphemed the Lord.

Beyoncé has taken the liberty in publishing “Denial” due to the First Amendment Rights in the US Constitution. The US Constitution guarantees the freedom of expression, even to the extent of slandering God. It is highly unlikely that Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z, would publish anything defamatory about the Koran, due to the possible violent backlash by Muslim radicals.

They know that Christians won’t react in a violent manner; that’s why they are not afraid to openly denigrate Christianity and its Founder, Jesus Christ. Bahamian radio station owners should not allow their DJs to play “Denial,” as God will hold them just as culpable for reviling Him as He will Beyoncé, Shire, Columbia, Parkwood and everyone else associated with “Lemonade.”

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama.

October 4, 2022.

Two questions for our leaders EDITOR, The Tribune.

I JUST want to send two questions to Prime Minister Philip Davis, Minister Keith Bell and Minister Michael Halkitis.

So you reduced the profit margins for employers and raised the minimum wage - just think about it for a minute and

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net then you make a claim that you are keeping an election promise.

Do you think that the three of you are making any sense at all? Mr Halkitis, I really expected a man

of your intellectual acumen and experience would have at least proceeded more cautiously. Did anyone tell you that you really don’t have to do everything at once?

EDWARD HUTCHESON Nassau, November 2, 2022.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 4, 2022, PAGE 7

Procurement platform ‘to level playing field’

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey launched the “new and improved” e-Procurement platform by the Ministry of Finance yesterday, which officials say levels the playing field for businesses.

“Grand Bahama business owners have access to opportunities to bid on relevant government contracts, to provide goods and services to government and quasigovernment agencies, located anywhere in The Bahamas,” she said.

She said that the system GoBonfire is a game changer.

“This new portal is in alignment with the Davis/Cooper administration’s vision for the digital transformation of the government’s procurement platform, which is linked to our commitment to enhance the ease of doing business in The Bahamas for local and foreign investors,” she said.

She encouraged businesses to register, adding that the registration process for vendors is fast and easy and takes only five minutes.

She said businesses registered on the portal can view the full list of tender opportunities that are available and electronically submit a bid for procurement.

“This new and improved eProcurement portal has made the procurement process fairer, more accessible, more transparent, and more competitive,” Ms Moxey said.

“These opportunities are no

longer limited to businesses on New Providence; Grand Bahama has the opportunity to participate.”

Ralph Hepburn, first vice president of Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce, commended the government on the launch of the new platform.

He told vendors that the e-Procurement and supplies and registry system keeps them “abreast of all the things that are coming down the pipeline.”

Janice Miller, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, said the electronic platform brings clarity and efficiency.

She said government officials cannot prevent any vendor from participating in procurement activities.

“As a registered vendor, it is your decision to select opportunities that are in the sphere of your expertise and reject those that are not,” she said.

Ms Miller told vendors that the opening of vendors’ proposals or activities will be executed virtually.

“You know how you submitted tenders before in the past and have to go during opening in person to make sure your bid was received and recorded, that is not necessary anymore. “You can proceed virtually with this e-procurement system,” she explained.

“It is worth noting that while Bonfire is the electronic medium that connects government agencies and vendors and all stakeholders in execution of all procurement exercises, be mindful of the human element that is intrinsically involved in processing,” she said.

She said registration is free to vendors.

CHINA AIMS FOR EXTRA INVESTMENT from page one

“China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Global Development Initiative make available financing channels for developing countries,” she said.

“We hope The Bahamas will make full use of these resources and consider joining this development’s initiatives to gain greater benefits for people.”

In terms of health investments, Ambassador Dai Qingli said China will continue to work with The Bahamas to fight the pandemic.

“We have so far brought ten batches of medical supplies to The Bahamas. A new shipment is now on the way so at the same time we feel much more can be done between our countries. So there is still tremendous potential.”

She said next year when China forms a new government in March and then The Bahamas celebrates its 50th year of independence in July, China will be looking to increase mutual visits at various levels for the benefit of both economies.

“We will be working to build bridges between our business communities by holding trade shows and networking events and encouraging the right to trade to ease the cost of living challenges in The Bahamas,” the Chinese ambassador said.

“We will be exploring and taking forward practical cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure development and renewable energy.”

In addition, sustainable efforts will take place through the presence of senior level delegates from China at COP27 next week, whom the ambassador said will be supportive of Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ position on climate change and calls for continued assistance for developing countries from more developed nations.

“I know last year, some people tried to make an issue out of the absence of Chinese leaders. We will certainly send a senior level delegation to COP27,” she said.

“There are actually

overlapping areas of interest between China and The Bahamas in climate change.

For example, China also calls for the honouring of the commitments of 100 billion US dollars every year by developed countries to developing countries particularly to the vulnerable, developing countries, we share that position.”

In terms of education, Ambassador Dai Qingli said study visa applications and scholarships for students will be available moving forward.

“Educational exchanges are very important and sports exchanges too,” she said.

“With the easing of the pandemic situation, study visas are now open. For the next academic year, the government scholarship is now open for application.

“And I must say Chinese scholarship opportunities have been really underused in The Bahamas. So now I want to say every year we have government scholarships, and we can have up to like 15 or even more students,” she said.

Ambassador Dai Qingli also said she hopes to see more involvement in sports that are popular in both China and The Bahamas such as dragon boat racing, Kung Fu and table tennis, for which a major tournament will be held this month.

She added that though no major announcements have been made about any Chinese companies partnering with The Bahamas, she foresees a change in that.

“Chinese companies have shown a lot of interest in the Bahamian market.

Now, in the post-COVID time, some companies did make inquiries, and some are following the projects announced by The Bahamas government.

The government announced a range of PPP (public private partnerships) construction projects.

“Some Chinese companies have told us they are really interested in these projects. So we hope more would come and be able to compete in your market,” she said.

This year was the 25th anniversary of China-Bahamas diplomatic relations.

GINGER Moxey MP speaking in the House Of Assembly previously.

PAGE 8, Friday, November 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Taking a chance to grow ideas “KEYRON, why would you leave your good position and secure job to go work for a non-profit on a family island? You realise they get their money from donations, right!?”

MANY people asked me these questions when I decided to move back to Eleuthera and work for the One Eleuthera Foundation (OEF) and Centre for Training and Innovation (CTI). Some called it “risky”, but I saw an opportunity to return home and join locally grown non-profit organisations invested in creating sustainable development and driving new ideas that spark change and innovative solutions.

I also came to the realisation that many people support the social causes of non-profits; however, many question the sector’s viability in creating meaningful and job security and economic opportunities for

By Keyron Smith

of One Eleuthera Foundation and Centre for Training and Innovation

employees and the communities they serve.

In some cases, this might be some people’s genuine experience in working with non-profits. Nevertheless, I hope to shed light on how non-profits and social enterprises can create long-term sustainable development and demonstrate some powerful ways OEF and CTI serve as living examples of these possibilities.

OEF was founded in April 2012 as a non-profit community development organisation with five key focus areas: economic development, education, environment, health, and heritage.

CTI was established as a

non-profit tertiary training institution in 2016 to provide training and education to people so that they would be better prepared to find employment while furthering the island’s economic, environmental, agricultural, and social development through vocational and technical training.

I was intrigued by OEF and CTI’s unique interconnected model of programmes designed to improve the quality of life for locals while strengthening its people and communities to become more self-sufficient.

These sister organisations work collectively to strategically address the needs of various communities across the island. Historically, OEF has operated as the engine, and central administrative facility powering the programmes and projects being administered across Eleuthera, while CTI has provided much of the infrastructure and programme delivery.

The Rock Sound campus also known as the CTI training campus is the nucleus of the operation. Nestled on 50 acres, you’ll find the administrative offices for OEF but also a triad of non-profit social enterprises which function primarily as training centers.

Our non-profit social enterprises are centers that utilise revenue-generating LEFT and below, inside the Farmer’s Table Kitchen, A training restaurant and social enterprise at OEF/CTI.

Career Opportunity

CAD TECHNICIAN • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Must have - 5 years experience using CAD Ideally - 2 years experience working for an architecture firm Be able to produce full architectural drawings (internal floor plans, elevations, site plans) Create high-quality detailed technical drawings and plans based on designs supplied by architects and designers and make modifications to existing drawings Use a variety of CAD software programmes to create designs in 2D and 3D models Liaise with architects, engineers and designers to understand their design requirements and provide technical advice to manufacturing and construction technicians Provide accurate, detailed and to scale drawings Ensure drawings are compliant with industry and health and safety standards and protocols Calculate costs and apply knowledge of materials and engineering principles to check feasibility of manufacture and construction of the product Conduct site visits and surveys when required Present working drawings for use in all stages of the project, tender, manufacture/construction and installation Produce installation and manufacturing documentation Maintain accurate records.

KEYRON SMITH, above, and, right, speaking at the 2022 Eleuthera Business Outlook. services to fund and address critical social challenges like unemployment. OEF/CTI’s social enterprises help to provide job opportunities for at-risk communities. In the case of non-profit social enterprises, profit maximi- to learn and gain valuable sation is never the primary hands-on training in susgoal like a “for-profit busi- tainable farming techniques ness,” and as a result, there and technologies. are no paid shareholders.

The Retreat Hotel is Instead, any earned rev- critical in addressing the enues are used to support need for hospitality trainthe social programmemes. ing, but it also provides On the campus of OEF/ employment for the comCTI our social enterprises munity and contributes to include The Retreat, a Eleuthera’s agritourism quaint 16-room bungalow- offerings with the farm. style hotel which happens The Farmer’s Table to be the country’s only Restaurant is vital to edutraining hotel. cating our students and We also have the Farm- customers about how fresh er’s Table restaurant produce and greens can which serves as a center be prepared in healthy but for culinary training. The tasteful ways to help reduce restaurant also offers an our island’s high incidence affordable farm-to-table of diet-related diseases. It experience for residents also provides additional and visitors to employment the island using opportunities.

‘The farm itself the produce Our “Learn grown on our is the third and Earn” farm. social enterprise. training proThe farm gramme itself is the It plays an in South third social important role Eleuthera, has enterprise. in providing experienced a It plays an 97% graduaaccess to healthy important tion rate, with role in provid- produce for our 75% of our ing access to communities alums gainfully healthy proemployed and and agricultural duce for our 64% engaged training.’ communities in a field and agriculrelated to their tural training. course of study. In addiThrough its focus on social tion, many of these students enterprise and community were able to gain job oppordevelopment, OEF and CTI tunities in CTI’s various have grown to be one of the non-profit social enterprises largest employers in South on our campus. In 2019 we Eleuthera and currently launched CTI’s Harbour employ over 45 people in Island Trade School (CTIEleuthera.

HITS) in the North where Our social enterprises we also provide vocational provide students with prac- and technical training. CTItical training opportunities HITS maintains a 95% through immersion courses graduation rate, with 95% that also create employ- of our graduates employed ment opportunities and and 85% of them working business training. in a related field. Overall, For example, CTI’s sig- we have trained over two nature “Learn and Earn” hundred and fifty students programme provides a across Eleuthera. weekly stipend to students While we are still while they study and work building capacity and on practical projects related strengthening our model, to their trade on campus. this remains a prime examCTI’s farm is focused ple of how non-profits on addressing some of the and social enterprises food security and health can be integrated to help challenges faced by the drive sustainable developcommunity. The farm also ment across family islands. operates as a “live lab” for While most non-profits local farmers and students rely mainly on donations,

the social enterprise aspect helps to create a source of income and operational sustainability in between fundraising cycles.

At OEF/CTI, we are consistently working on improving this balanced model of funding. There is no blueprint, but we see the value in diversifying funding resources so that we can continue to provide these opportunities. Our long-term goal at OEF/ CTI is to achieve long-term sustainability by focusing on the “triple bottom line” of social impact, environmental sustainability, and revenue generation.

In hindsight, I never would have dreamed that I would work for a non-profit in Eleuthera. Yes, some may still call it risky, but OEF and CTI’s work shows that with the right resources, out of the box thinking and strategic partnerships, communities can grow and thrive one person at a time.

I am glad that I took the step to return to the island where I spent many of my childhood days to join an organisation and team that is working diligently to cultivate a replicable model for community development across The Bahamas and other Small Islands Developing States.

• Keyron Smith is the chief operating officer at the One Eleuthera Foundation and Centre for Training and Innovation. Established in 2012, the One Eleuthera Foundation (OEF) is a nonprofit organisation located in Rock Sound, Eleuthera.

For more information, visit www.oneeleuthera.org or email info@oneeleuthera. org. The Centre for Training and Innovation (CTI) is the first and only postsecondary, non-profit education and training institution and social enterprise on Eleuthera. CTI operates a student training campus in Rock Sound, Eleuthera, with a 16-room training hotel, restaurant and farm.

For more information about CTI’s programmemes email: info@oneeleuthera.org

Should submit examples of previous work/ projects completed

email: hr@palmcay.com

CTI-HITS basic culinary course students.

Photos: OEF/CTI

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 4, 2022, PAGE 9

Remembering the softer side of Hugh Sands A

T 4 o’clock on Tuesday, November 8, the bells of Christ Church Cathedral will ring out as those who were fortunate enough to know Hugh Gordon Sands crowd the stately structure where this great Bahamian will be put to rest, his life story recounted, his contributions memorialized.

Speeches will overflow with all his accomplishments, the many firsts he achieved from his days as the only island black on a college team in the teeth-chattering freezing pre-dawn mornings of rowing practice in the UK to his years in Education, from his position as headmaster of THE Government High to his leap into the private sector and his meteoric rise to first Bahamian to head Barclay’s Bank for the Bahamas and Caribbean region. He’ll be remembered for his service as chairman of both Bank of The Bahamas when the institution became the first to recognize that Bahamians deserved trust services, just as they had been providing for ex-pats, to his simultaneous chairmanship of the College of The Bahamas. Posthumously, he will be thanked over and over for there is hardly a segment of Bahamian culture or life that this mild-mannered, strong-willed, thoughtful man named Hugh Sands did not touch. I wish I could be there for the accolades, though I know I would be awash in tears as I was when I learned of his death on October 27.

What they won’t see is a man who walked into my office one day after asking if he could drop off something to me and left me with his life story to tell.

“I’ve kept these newspaper clippings and a few copies of remarks I made and I don’t know if they amount to anything,” he said humbly, “but maybe when you have time you could take a look…”

So the cardboard boxes sat for a while, tucked away in a corner where they would not interfere with an already overloaded things-to-do-or-die mental list.

Then one Saturday, I opened the first carton and spread the papers out and Hugh Sands came to life on that old emerald green carpet on the office floor.

The first thing that fell out was this poem he wrote at the start of a new year. These are his words exactly as he penned them in the poem he called NINETEEN NINETY SEVEN: I AM GLAD I AM RELIEVED I AM DELIGHTED. A BIRD HAS TAKEN FLIGHT. I HAD WATCHED FOR AN HOUR MY INITIAL IMPRESSION THE BIRD HAD DIED SO STILL IT SAT. WAS NINETEEN NINETY SEVEN TO BE LIKE THIS? THEN IT TURNED ITS HEAD TO MY RELIEF. NOT DYING IT LAY BUT NEWBORN GATHERING STRENGTH FOR ITS FLIGHT OF LIFE. 4th January 1997.

HUGH SANDS: There is hardly a segment of Bahamian culture or life that this mild-mannered, strong-willed, thoughtful man did not touch.

The movement of a bird’s wings reassured this highly-accomplished man that when the world seemed a little too quiet, it was just gaining strength.

There was a sensitivity about Hugh Sands that ought to be remembered in that church service today where other men may be able to reflect on what real manhood looks like.

That poem was just the beginning of a tour into his wholeness as a human. Each of the news clippings told a different story and if you read closely enough, you could find a lesson that he could share with the child or grandchild who would understand it best or need it most.

He knew every grandchild’s strength or worry, he appreciated them as the unique individuals they were, he pictured their long lives hoping he could help contribute a little richness of content gleaned from his, like leftovers that get better when the flavours settle.

Before the cartons that sat in the corner of my office, I had known Hugh Sands as chairman of BOB and COB. Over the next few years, I learned how special he truly was, how much he worshipped and adored his wife, June, how much he cared about his family as he did about his country, how hard what seemed easy on the outside to accomplish really was.

My heart goes out to his widow, to his children and grandchildren who made his heart soar. To each he wrote a personal chapter in the book published just for them, The Sands of Time.

Here is the introduction:

more aware of how much time went before and how much is left ahead.

It was during a sunset, a particularly sensational evening when the Bahamian sun danced its daily descent gently dropping down to the horizon and lighting up the sky with colours of salmon, pink and orange as if to say ‘I am not leaving this day without leaving you with a memory of my farewell’ that I began to think of not leaving without leaving you, my loved ones, some memory of what my days had been and what lessons I had learned, not so colourful and brilliant as the sun but with quiet meaning that may make some of your decisions easier and your dance at the end of the day more meaningful.

I tried to write these memoirs myself but maybe I was too close. In the end, I asked someone else to assist and with a sigh of relief, dumped the box of writings, poetry, academic reports and even a few speeches and articles about me off to a friend’s office. It was best, I thought, to trust them to a writer. Maybe they were of no value whatsoever. If they were of any worth, I just wanted to share them for personal reasons with those I cared about and loved deeply, you.

To my incredible wife, June, my accomplished children and my grandchildren, each of you so individual with your own personalities as if you were all born to stand on your own two feet, these memoirs are for you. If anyone else reads them and takes something away from them that makes them feel warmer, happier, more at peace with themselves than they were before, that is an added blessing.

I am older than I was before.

It is true that we all are.

But there is something about reaching your 70s, as I have, that makes you

Rest in peace, Hugh Gordon Sands, rest in peace. You have given all you ever needed to give and we are all better off for it.

PAGE 10, Friday, November 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

Disaster bill will merge government entities

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net THE recently tabled Disaster Risk Management Bill will merge government entities that deal with risk management and remove overlap in functions, Myles Laroda said yesterday.

Mr Laroda, minister of state with responsibility for the Disaster Reconstruction Authority, described the importance of the bill at the Office of the Prime Minister’s press briefing yesterday.

“We are going to take the role of risk management in the country very seriously,” he said.

Mr Laroda mentioned the overlapping institutions.

“What we also noticed in the past was that you had NEMA, you had DRA. So you had overlapping institutions. You had people basically doing the same things and agencies not really talking to each other. And that’s not on the personal level - it’s just there were too many silos.

The new agency will be an agency that will be much more agile, they’ll be much more adaptive.”

He explained another rationale for going this route is that there is a lot of funding out there for small island developing states like The Bahamas to access.

“And in order to access those funds, you have to

MINISTER of State in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction Myles LaRoda yesterday.

Photo: Eric Rose/BIS have a legislative regime in place. And so another reason we are doing this is to be able to source funding from other NGOs or other countries and to be able to take monies from these institutions you have to have an institutional and a legislative regime

that is in compliance with the other countries of the world and how they tackle disaster risk management, resilience, recovery,” the minister stated.

Asked what sort of projects can be rolled out once funding is secured, he mentioned some islands that

have inadequate hurricane shelters.

He said there was at least one island that was identified that did not have a shelter that meets the standards.

He added: “So we have had this year we got UNDP, I think the Indian government donated a million dollars towards the construction of the centre in Abaco. What we’re looking at and part of the reason we are doing this

now is that to qualify for the IDB loan, we have to have the regime in place before the end of the year.

And so there’s a time constraint, but apart from the construction of assistance in the construction of facilities, you also talking about equipment.”

“I think we had a summit a few weeks ago of which representatives from the PDC (Pacific Disaster Centre) actually showed images of what this

country would look like if (a) sea surge rise continued by 2050 and for those of you who are from the island of Andros it’s not a pretty sight. And so apart from structures, there’s also going to be training we are working towards having Bahamians, who have an interest in meteorology or in disaster risk management and prevention that we are building a career path for these individuals.”

EIGHT MONTHS IN JAIL OVER UNLICENCED GUN Funeral Service For Corey Donald Rolle, 43 of Cockburn Street, Fox Hill, will be held at Church Of God Prophecy, Bernard Road, Fox Hill on Saturday, November 5th, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow at St. Anne’s Parish Cemetery, Fox Hill. Officiating will be Bishop Daniel Hall Sr., assisted by other Ministers of the Gospel.

Left to cherish his memories are his, Wife: Robyn; Daughter: Coryn; Son: Corey Jr.; Stepsons: Jae’von & Da’ron Munnings; Father: Donald Danny Rolle; Grandmother: Izona Rolle; Sisters: Tanaz (Ron), Lecia (Almardo Sr) and Nurse Katrina (Elvis), Shanta, Gizelle (Len); Adopted Brothers: Dion (Rochelle), Brian Sr., Lynden, Jacques; Mother-in-law: Fredricka Munroe; In-laws: Tikessa, Bernadette & Bernique Rolle, Monalisa McKinney & Aniska Seymour, Renard Poitier; Aunts: Phillippa, Lorraine & Nicki (Joe) Morley, Deaconess Mildred (Rev. Dr. George) Kelly, Deaconess Dorothea, Jacquelyn, Celcier, Shantel Rolle, ASP Lula (Oswald) Dean, Sergeant Dotlyn Storr, Terry (Robert) Arthur; Uncles: William Morley, Sergeant Walter, Solomon (Joan), Patrick (Michelle), Deon Rolle; Grandaunts (8): Beryl, Florinda, Brenda, Wendy, Essimae Rolle, Julietta (Wellington) Charlton and Loranna Lloyd; Granduncles - Colin,Douglas, Creswell (Eulamae),Cyril (Vernice), Rev Daniel(Sonia) Nieces & Nephews: Dekotdeo, Lamara, Yukese, Irvin, Jade, Ka’Vaunghnte, Almardo Jr, Ka’Iriery-Zyion, Ron Jr.; Grandnieces & Grandnephews: Robert Jr, Ka-Mri & Ka-Mya Godchildren: Numerous 1st Cousins: Monique (Richard), Sgt 2385 Melinda, Nicarra, Meoshe, Shandeia, Margarita (Rudolph) Samantha, Ava, Nakia, Runae, Darika, Brianisha, Kaden, Megan, Danisha, Dariniqua, Darell, Quindia, Treasure, Kavana, Jason, Eric Jr., Brian Jr., Quinterio, Richard Jr., Mark, Breon, Dante Terrance, Durante, Darrio, Dinero, Ty’Oken Jr., Carlos, D’Yanza, Marcus, Lynden, Sheryl, Natasha, Lutrica, Rita, Paula, Donhue, Paul, Evan, Tanya, Monique, Paula, Linda, Jean, Cristina, Lauralyn, Sharlene, Petra, Bethsheba, Charmaine, Machala, Bethsheba, Laurice, Lashara, Lakeisha, Yolanda, Jasmine, Diliha, Peachette, Barbara, Eddieanne, Elder Winfred, Luciene, Monalisa, Carla, Ori, Derek, Charlton, Kelson, Olando, Willie, Freddie, Pharis, Jeanie, Arie, Tercita, Bridgette, Luciene, Beth, Annell, Franklyn, Donnie, John Dion, Sukuke, De’Nike, Daneille, Evan, Farris, Douglas, Ventroy, Aneka, Dellarese, Jamal, Lawanda, Philip Jr., Phileze (Dion), Lanese, Keneisha, Danica, Teia (Jamon), Ozzette (Ryan), Najee, Kira (Jeffery), Renaldo (Lakeisha), Santana (Calvin), Shanae, Neulon Jr., Sharanda, Tempestt, Tiaja, Craven, Patrick Jr., Amad, Ithalia, Omar, Iantha, Akeeme, Brittany, Meagan, Berniecia. A Host of Other Relatives: The Cockburn Street Family, Ms. Florence White and Family, Mrs. Innis and Family, Barbara & Dallas Rahming and Family, The Thompson Boys, The Under the Tree Family, Mrs. Glen & Lillian McPhee and Family, Terry Brown-Dorsett and Family, Ruth Dean, Lisa Cox and Family, Lakeisha Fox, Kaliah Johnson, Bishop Daniel Hall (Church of God) & Bernard Road Family, St. Anne’s Parish Family, Keith & Nisha Toote & Family, Arnette, Chef Tiffany, Jacquelyn, Tyrone Miller & Family, Claudine Stubbs & Family, Barbara Ferguson & Family, Anthony Miller & Family, Patricia Knowles & Family, Dion Miller Jr & Family, Whitney Thompson & Family, Nicholas McKinney & Family, The Romer Brothers, Jimmy, Teshima, Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Hart & Family, Mr. & Mrs. Romeo Hart & Family, Mr. & Mrs. Capron, Ms. Christine, Mr. James Knowles, Mr. Chester Finley, Culmer & Family, Rev. Franklyn McKenzie & Family, Carmetta, Rachel, Robert, Euthlee, Rochelle, Allan Jr., Neville, Patrenella, Everette, Bernadette, Jennifer, Dwayne, Jeffery, Veronica, Sybil, Eulease, Drucillia, Rosalie, Cornelius Jr., Otis, Ricardo & Randy Rolle, Leon, Enamae Flowers, Wesley & Family, Lester, Moses, Perry, Earnest, Tyrone, Princess, Yvonne, Nadine, Willard, Alfred, Brian, Duke, Sally, Geraldine, Zenola, Millicent & Arnette McKenzie, Harold Munnings & Family, Gino, Juteria & Marvin, Aranah Lloyd, Katrina Sweeting, Denise Lloyd, Alvera, Lawrence Jr. Ashley, Floyd, Rudene, Laketa, Wendy, Yannique, Monty, Rico, Portia, Nigel, Terrance, Alvara Moultrie, Nora Stuart, Emily, Alfreda, Nathan, Judy, Delgicia and Yana Smith, Elsimae Smith & Family, Glenda & Loriett, the Curtis, Stuart Manor, Alexander and Barraterre Families, L W Young Class of 1996, Cougars Class 99, Arvin Green, Sheena Martin and the A & A Car Rental Family, Elizabeth Estates Clinic and the PMH A&E Family. Apologies for any names not mentioned, they were too numerous, but we hold you to our hearts.

Viewing will be held at the Serenity Suite at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Limited, Robinson and Soldier Roads on Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to eight months in prison yesterday after being found guilty of having an unlicenced 9mm pistol and ammunition in 2020.

Ricardo Matthieu, 23, stood before Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans for sentencing on charges of possession of an unlicensed

firearm and possession of ammunition.

Matthieu was found with a JA 9mm pistol and five unfired rounds of 9mm ammunition in January 2020.

After reviewing the testimony of several witnesses in the matter, including the defendant and his arresting officers, Magistrate VogtEvans found him guilty of the offence.

Matthieu was convicted

and sentenced to one year at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) for each count to be served concurrently. However, time spent on remand was taken into consideration and the accused was told that he would only have to serve eight months.

Before being taken into custody, the magistrate told the accused that he still had time to turn his life around.

MAN CHARGED AFTER HUMAN REMAINS FIND

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A FREEPORT man was charged in Magistrate‘s Court yesterday in connection with the discovery of human remains in bushes in East End, Grand Bahama.

Glen Campbell, 43, of North Bahamia, appeared before Deputy Chief

Magistrate Debbye Ferguson charged with fraud by false pretences and acquisition of proceeds of criminal conduct. He was also charged with carrying on a business without a licence and hindering the burial of a dead body.

According to reports, officers from McClean’s Town Police Station discovered human skeletal remains on a track road at

the eastern end of Grand Bahama last month.

Campbell pleaded not guilty to all five charges. He was granted $8,000 bail with four sureties.

Additionally, he was charged with falsification of public records, but was not required to enter a plea to that charge, which is an indictable offence.

His case was adjourned to April 24, 2023.

GRANDFATHER DENIES INDECENT ASSAULT

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A GRANDFATHER was granted bail in Magistrate’s Court yesterday after being accused of touching his granddaughter’s buttocks on two occasions this year.

The 46-year-old defendant, whose name is being withheld to protect the identity of the complainant, faced Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans on two counts of indecent assault.

On June 17 and October 19 in New Providence, it is alleged that the accused touched his

14-year-old granddaughter’s buttocks on two separate occasions when she visited him.

In court, the accused pleaded not guilty to both counts. He was granted $7,000 bail with one or two sureties.

His trial is scheduled for March 6, 2023.

MAN ADMITS HALLOWEEN CUTLASS ATTACK

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN admitted yesterday to attacking someone with a cutlass on Halloween night, but denied causing harm to the victim.

Jamal Wilson, 38, appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola

Swain on charges of assault with a dangerous instrument and grievous harm.

At around 6pm on October 31 in Wilson Tract it is said that Wilson attacked Rollins Rolle with a cutlass around 6pm on October 31.

According to prosecutors, Mr Rolle suffered serious injuries due to the

attack.

While Wilson pleaded guilty to the assault, he pleaded not guilty to the grievous harm charge.

His bail was $7,000 with one surety.

Wilson is to return to court on January 17, 2023 for sentencing and the start of trial for his remaining charge.

appeared before Magistrate Algernon Allen, Jr, on charges of stealing and receiving.

On October 30 in New Providence, Williams received a black 2008 Nissan Serena valued at $4,000.

While he pleaded not guilty to the stealing charge, he pleaded guilty to receiving.

The magistrate sentenced Williams to serve three months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

MAN GUILTY OF RECEIVING STOLEN CAR

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who admitted receiving a stolen car was sentenced to three months in prison yesterday.

Lynden Williams, 25,

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 4, 2022, PAGE 11

PARTICIPANTS at the COP22 climate conference pose in support of climate negotiations and Paris agreement, on the last day of the conference, in Marrakech, Morocco in 2016. The UN climate summit is back in Africa after six years and four consecutive Europe-based conferences. Marrakech is the last African city to host the event, that aimed to implement some of the Paris goals.

Photo: David Keyton/AP

UN climate summit returns to Africa MOMBASA, Kenya Associated Press

THE UN climate summit is back in Africa after six years and four consecutive Europe-based conferences.

The 27th annual Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — better known as COP27 — will be held in the resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt and begins next week. It’s been branded as the “African COP”, with officials and activists hoping the conference’s location will mean the continent’s interests are better represented in climate negotiations.

Hosts Egypt say the meeting represents a unique opportunity for Africa to align climate change goals with the continent’s other aims, like improving living standards and making countries more resilient to weather extremes. Organizers expect over 40,000 participants, the highest number ever for a climate summit on the continent.

Ever since the

conference’s first iteration in Berlin in 1995, the UN climate summit continues to rotate annually among the five UN classified regions: Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, central and eastern Europe, and western Europe. It’s the fifth time that an African nation has held the UN climate summit, with Morocco, South Africa and Kenya all serving as former hosts.

The first African summit, held in Marrakech in 2001, passed landmark accords on climate funding and made other key decisions on land use and forestry.

The following three meetings on the continent had some success on issues like adapting to climate change, technology and sowing the seeds for the Paris Agreement in 2015 years earlier.

Marrakech is also the last African city to host the event, having hosted a second COP in 2016, that aimed to implement some of the Paris goals.

The Paris Agreement, considered a major success of the UN climate summits,

saw nations agree to limit warming to “well below” two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), with an aim of curbing it to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).

And although experts don’t expect agreement between countries to reach the same scale as Paris, hopes on the continent are high for the upcoming conference.

Mithika Mwenda, who heads the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, told The Associated Press that the summit “presents a unique opportunity to place Africa at the center of global climate negotiations” and hoped the conference “truly delivers for the African people”.

Mwenda said that the “special needs and circumstances” of the continent need to be considered as it attempts to both increase access to electricity for millions of people while addressing climate change and limiting the use of fossil fuels.

He added negotiations must prioritise how vulnerable countries will adapt

to climate change, address compensation from highpolluting countries to poorer ones, known as “loss and damage”, and seek avenues for financing for both a move to cleaner energy and building resilience to climate change.

Many developing countries look to the US and much of Europe, who have contributed the largest share of emissions over time, to pay for damage caused by climate change.

So far, pledges by rich countries on climate finance, such as the $100 billion-a-year promise to help poorer nations meets their climate goals, have not been met. The Egyptian organisers said the summit should focus on how countries can implement pledges made in previous years.

“Africa’s hopes for COP27 is that there has to be progress on a new goal on financing,” said JeanPaul Adam, who heads the climate change division at the UN Economic Commission for Africa, adding there needs to be “clarity as to what will be provided

as grants and what will be provided as concessional loans and the remainder being dealt with through prudential private sector investment.”

The onus is also on industrialised countries to rapidly reduce emissions so that the global climate goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius can be achieved, Mwenda said.

African countries account for just 3% of total global greenhouse gas emissions but experts say they are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in large part because they lack the ability to quickly adapt to the warming climate.

The climate conference will be a real test of world leaders’ commitment to addressing climate change, said Landry Ninteretse, regional director for the environmental group 350Africa.org.

“We are tired of years of empty talk and broken promises,” said Ninteretse.

“We are now demanding nothing else but robust funding mechanisms that address loss and damage in a fair, accessible and

transparent way.”

Ninteretse agreed that “the biggest emitters must commit to rapidly cut emissions” and “help the nations most vulnerable to climate change” by financing climate initiatives.

Past COPs have seen disagreements and hardline positions emerge as national interests clash, a concern for those hoping tangible results will come out of the negotiations.

“The discussions tend to be protracted, uncompromising and acrimonious at times,” said Mwenda, a veteran of the climate negotiations circuit. “But in 2015, the world ratified the Paris Agreement, which was a major milestone.”

But the success of the COP in Paris was the exception, rather than the rule, experts say, with a lot of work still to do to address climate change.

“Negotiations have lasted three decades but the impacts of the climate crisis, manifested by floods, droughts, among other extremes, persist,” Mwenda said.

‘ASSASSINATION BID’ ON EX-PAKISTAN PM ISLAMABAD Associated Press

FORMER PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER IMRAN KHAN

A GUNMAN opened fire at a protest rally in eastern Pakistan yesterday, slightly wounding former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the leg and killing one of his supporters, his party and police said. Nine other people also were hurt.

The gunman was immediately arrested, and police later released a video of him in custody, allegedly confessing to the shooting and saying he acted alone. It was not clear under what conditions he made his statement.

“Only Imran Khan was my target,” said the suspect, identified as Faisal Butt by Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb.

Khan, 70, underwent surgery at Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore, tweeted Omar Ayub Khan, a senior leader of the expremier’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

Khan was seen with a bandage on his right leg, just above the

foot, according to reports and a blurry image from the protest.

The shooting was an “assassination attempt”, party spokesman Fawad Chaudhry told rallygoers afterward in Wazirabad. He added that “it was an attack on the whole of Pakistan,” and vowed that the people would avenge it.

The violence, which follows Khan’s ouster as prime minister in a no-confidence vote in April, raised new concerns about growing political instability in Pakistan, a country with a long history of political violence and assassinations.

Since he lost the vote in Parliament, Khan has mobilized mass rallies across the nucleararmed nation of 225 million, whipping up crowds with claims that he was a victim of a conspiracy by his successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and the United States — allegations that both the premier and Washington deny.

Sharif condemned yesterday’s attack and ordered his

government to investigate the incident. He added that he was praying for Khan, adding: “Violence should have no place in our country’s politics.”

The White House also condemned the attack and hoped for the swift recovery of all the wounded. “We call on all parties to remain peaceful and refrain from violence,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Air Force One as President Joe Biden flew to New Mexico.

The attack happened in the Wazirabad district in the eastern Punjab province where the former cricket star-turned-Islamist politician was traveling in a large protest convoy of trucks and cars heading for the capital of Islamabad. The convoy is part of his campaign aimed at forcing the government to hold early elections.

District police officer Ghazanfar Ali said one person was killed and nine others were wounded in the attack.

Among the wounded was Faisal Javed, a lawmaker from Tehreek-e-Insaf.

SPORTS PAGE 12

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022

NFL, Page 15

‘A healthy Jazz is a really good year for the Marlins’

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

N

ew Miami Marlins manager, Skip Schumaker, said he has already met with Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr and both are excited about the future plans for the AllStar second baseman.

Schumaker, who was officially introduced in his new role at a press conference yesterday, took time to highlight the impact he expects Chisholm to have as the two began to build their relationship with several informal meetings this week.

“Jazz is incredible. He’s fun to watch. From the other side, he plays with a lot of flair and it’s high energy, you know what you’re getting, it’s 100 percent all the time, and he runs the bases hard,” Schumaker said. “Getting him healthy is going to be the key because he starts the engine for me. A healthy Jazz is a really good year for the Miami Marlins.”

As a player, the 42-yearold Schumaker won a pair of World Series with the St Louis Cardinals (2006 and 2011). He served as a firstbase coach and associate manager for the San Diego Padres from 2018-2021, then joined the Cardinals’ staff as a bench coach last season.

“I want Jazz to realise and know what winning

SPORTS NOTES

GSSSA CROSS COUNTRY THE Government Secondary Schools Sports Association is scheduled to hold its cross country championships starting at 8am on Saturday at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. The event will be staged in all ages for students in different age groups.

Trophies and medals will be awarded to the top finishers.

KINGSWAY ACADEMY PRE-BASKETBALL CLASSIC THE Kingsway Academy Pre-Season Basketball Classic is set for Friday and Saturday at the Kingsway Academy grounds.

Competition will start at 4pm today and 8:30am on Saturday and will be staged for the junior boys and girls under-15 and under-18 boys and girls teams.

looks like and what leadership looks like,” Schumaker said. “We’ve had long talks, he’s excited about it, I’m excited about having him on this side and it should be a fun year.”

Schumaker was hired Tuesday by the Marlins to become the 16th manager in franchise history after what the team described as “an extensive process.”

“As we continue to grow as an organisation, we felt it was important to find an individual who had been a part of a winning culture,” Marlins general manager Kim Ng said. “Having been a member of two championship teams, along with his reputation for tenacity and getting every ounce out of his ability, Skip will be a tremendous example to our players. His leadership style, teaching skills and attention to detail made him the clear choice as the club’s new manager.”

The Marlins went 69-93 last season, their 12th losing season in the last 13 years. In 2020, they advanced to the playoffs in the COVID-19 shortened season and finished 31-29.

“I’m very excited and grateful that Bruce, Kim and the Marlins organisation have given me an opportunity to manage a very talented team,” Schumaker said. “Delivering a winning, sustainable culture with the expectation of getting into the postseason is the next step for this organisation and South

JASRADO “Jazz” Chisholm Jr has met with the new Miami Marlins manager, Skip Schumaker, and both are excited about future plans for the All-Star second baseman.

(AP Photo) Florida - and I can’t wait to rising stars. He produced forced him out of the get started.” an All-Star campaign that lineup. He later revealed In the offseason, included a .254 batting that he played this season Chisholm has continued average with 14 home runs, with a torn meniscus to expand his role into the 54 hits, 45 RBI, 12 stolen which he suffered in trainmedia with MLB network. bases, and scored 39 runs ing camp. Since he made He served as an in-studio and an .860 OPS through his historic MLB debut analyst this postseason on 60 games. in September 2020, the MLB Network for the diviChisholm’s last appear- 24-year-old infielder has sional playoff rounds and ance on the field in a since produced a 5.0 WAR was a correspondent for Marlins uniform was June over three seasons with the T Mobile 5G BP show 28. He originally suffered 178 hits, 117 runs scored, for the World Series. a back injury early in the 104 RBI, 37 stolen bases, In a 2022 preempted by season on a slide and even- 34 home runs, 31 doubles injury, Chisholm solidified tually re-aggravated the and nine triples across 205 himself as one of the sport’s injury in late June, which career games.

BFA EMPOWERS WOMEN TO BECOME SOCCER COACHES WITH a mandate to increase awareness and interest in the sport of football throughout the country, the Bahamas Football Association is doubling its efforts to train women to become coaches.

The Concacaf Women’s C Licence Coaching Course Part I is underway at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

Soraya Toppin-Herbert, the director of women’s football development who is spearheading this initiative, will help prepare 20 female coaches to strengthen their skills and enhance their ability to train in various football environments, especially at the grassroots level.

Currently, there are three Concacaf D licensed Bahamian female coaches in the country and the BFA wishes to increase the number of female licensed coaches by 40 over the next few years.

“We are very focused on empowering women to become coaches in their local schools and clubs, we want more young girls to see how exciting the sport can be and provide options for how they experience the sport and as we know from experience, coaching is a pathway to success,” said Toppin-Herbert.

The Concacaf Women’s C License Coaching Course is scheduled for 6pm to 9pm November 2-4 and 9am to 5pm November 5-6.

MACKEY JR AND LEVARITY GET DOUBLE DOUBLES IN WIN

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net BOTH Bahamian players posted double doubles to bring an end to Lyon’s two game skid in France’s Nationale Masculine 1 League.

Willis Mackey Jr finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds - both team highs - while Aaron Levarity added 15 points and 10 rebounds in the club’s 89-87 win over HyeresToulon Wednesday night.

Lyon improved to 3-5 on the season, ranked no.11 in Group B. For Mackey, it was his second double double in the last three games.

In an 84-62 loss to Rouen, Mackey led the

team with 13 points and 10 rebounds - both team highs.

He made both attempts from beyond the arc and two blocked shots.

Mackey is averaging 11.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game this season after he came over as a medical transfer.

Levarity made his season debut with five points and two rebounds off the bench but has since been more involved in the offence with 15 point scoring efforts in his last two games.

He posted 15 points and six rebounds in a 93-68 loss to Le Harve prior to the game against HyeresToulon. He spent last season with another NM1 club, Mulhouse Basket Agglomeration.

WILLIS MACKEY JR

AARON LEVARITY

Levarity is in his third pro season after spending his previous two seasons with the Svendborg Rabbits of the Basketligaen in Denmark. He signed with Lyon in August.

Also in the NM1 League, Radshad Davis and Vendee Challans Basket improved their win streak to five games. They are now second in Group A at 6-2 after an 83-80 win

over Poitiers. Davis scored a season high 19 points, which included 4-8 shooting on three pointers.

In his first year with the club, Davis leads Challans in scoring at 13.5 points per game and second in rebounding at 5.3 boards per game.

Some of Davis’ other top performances this season have included 18 points and eight rebounds - in an 86-73 win over Bereck and 16 points and six rebounds in an 81-77 win over Tarbes Lourdes.

The NM1 is the professional level third-tier division in France.

The two top teams from each season of the competition are promoted to the LNB Pro B, which is the French second division.

In the WTA Finals, Coco Gauff Shadab Khan stars to keep eliminated, Swiatek into semis Pakistan T20 semis hopes alive FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Tears gathered in Coco Gauff’s eyes as she sat on the WTA Finals sideline during a changeover last night after giving away a lead in what would become a 7-6 (6), 6-3 round-robin loss to Daria Kasatkina that ended the 18-year-old American’s hopes of reaching the semifinals.

Gauff, who is ranked No. 4, fell to 0-4 in her debut at the season-ending tournament for the best in women’s tennis — 0-2 in singles and 0-2 in doubles with Jessica Pegula.

The Floridian was the youngest participant in both events at the

WTA Finals since Anna Kournikova in 1999.

“I had a lot of chances. I didn’t play my best tennis today, but a lot to take from it, a lot to learn from it and hopefully do better next time,” Gauff said.

“In both the (singles) matches, I had opportunities. I think I made a lot of unforced errors,” she said.

“So I think that’s something that I will have to clean up.”

Earlier yesterday, topranked Iga Swiatek beat Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-2 by taking control with an eight-point run that launched a match-ending stretch in which she grabbed nine of 11 games.

COCO Gauff reacts during her match against Daria Kasatkina on day four of the WTA Finals yesterday.

(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins) Swiatek has won all four sets she’s played so far while dropping a total of just 10 games.

SYDNEY (AP) — Pakistan stayed in contention for the T20 World Cup semifinals after beating South Africa by 33 runs in a rainaffected match yesterday.

South Africa would have clinched a top-four berth with a win, and has a last chance on Sunday against the Netherlands.

Pakistan has won two after two opening losses and faces Bangladesh on Sunday. But the winner of the clash will need help from others in Group 2 to advance.

Shadab Khan smashed a 21-ball half-century to lead Pakistan to 184-9 after being 43-4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Rain interrupted South Africa’s chase, and the

target was revised to 142 off 14 overs on the DuckworthLewis-Stern method. But the Proteas were restricted to 108-9.

Shadab picked up two wickets with his first three deliveries and was an easy man-of-the-match pick. His blistering 52 off 22 balls, which featured four sixes and three fours, revived Pakistan. Iftikhar Ahmed added 51 off 35 balls against sloppy South African fielding.

“The pitch was nice, a bit slow, but the ball came onto the bat nicely,” Shadab said after what he described as his best T20 batting performance.

Pakistan’s troublesome top order collapsed against South Africa’s pace and

Pakistan could have been 44-5 if Quinton de Kock hadn’t dropped a difficult catch behind the wickets when Iftikhar was on 2.

After Babar Azam’s fourth consecutive singledigit score, Mohammad Haris, in for the injured Fakhar Zaman, hit fast bowler Kagiso Rabada for two sixes and a four in a quickfire 28 off 11 balls before he was undone by Anrich Nortje’s pace and was out lbw.

Iftikhar capitalized on de Kock’s drop and added a half-century stand with Mohammad Nawaz.

But Shadab brought a boisterous Pakistan crowd to its feet with power

SEE PAGE 13

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 4, 2022, PAGE 13

BARCELONA DEFENDER GERARD PIQUE ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

HOUSTON Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander celebrates the last out in the fifth inning in Game 5 of baseball’s World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies last night in Philadelphia.

(AP Photo/David J Phillip)

By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press

Verlander and Astros take 3-2 Series lead over Phillies

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Justin Verlander overcame an early jolt to grit out the World Series win that long eluded him, rookie Jeremy Peña hit a go-ahead home run and the Houston Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 last night to head home with a 3-2 lead.

Buoyed by late defensive gems from Trey Mancini and Chas McCormick, the Astros moved to the brink of their second championship — the other was a

scandal-tainted title in 2017.

Houston went ahead just four pitches in against Noah Syndergaard on Peña’s runscoring single.

Then Philly’s Kyle Schwarber homered leading off the bottom half, harkening to the five-run lead Verlander wasted in Houston’s opening 6-5, 10-inning loss.

Peña had three hits, including an RBI single in the first and an eighthinning single that set up Yordan Alvarez’s run-scoring groundout.

He made a leaping catch at shortstop to foil the

Phillies in the third, then regained the lead an inning later with his fourth postseason homer.

He’s the first rookie shortstop ever to go deep in the Fall Classic.

After Jean Segura’s oneout RBI single off Rafael

Montero in the eighth, Ryan Pressly escaped a first-and-third jam by striking out Brandon Marsh and Schwarber on a nearly 100 mph one-hopper that was snagged over first base by Mancini.

The backup first baseman was playing defense for the first time since Oct. 5.

He had pinch hit in the top half of the inning after 2021 Gold Glove winner Yuli Gurriel got into a collision during a rundown.

Mancini fell into foul territory and reached back with his left foot to touch the bag on Schwarber’s rip.

McCormick helped Pressly finish a five-out save.

The centre fielder made a leaping backhand catch against the chain-link fence in right-center on J.T. Realmuto for the second out of the ninth.

“I thought he hit it out,” McCormick said.

After Bryce Harper was hit by a pitch, Nick Castellanos grounded out, ending a 3-hour, 57-minute thriller.

After a day off, Game 6 is Saturday night in Houston.

Of previous Series tied 2-2, the Game 5 victory has won 31 of 47 times.

‘Priceless’ test for No. 1 Ireland against the world champions

By GERALD IMRAY AP Sports Writer THERE’S 10 months and the best part of another season to go before next year’s Rugby World Cup. So much can change.

Yet, Saturday’s test between Ireland and South Africa in Dublin might be the best forecast of what the international rugby climate will be leading up to the 2023 showpiece.

No. 1 Ireland vs. the world champion Springboks. An Ireland building a realistic challenge for its first World Cup title against a record-equaling threetime winner. The rising Northern Hemisphere vs. the South, which has slipped.

Also, it’s an early preview to their main event at the World Cup in France. Ireland and South Africa will do it again next September in Paris when they meet in Pool B. This weekend’s game is dripping with meaning, then. Ireland will be asked to justify its rise to No. 1, which was by no means a rankings quirk. Ireland is up there after an historic series triumph in New Zealand in July.

South Africa will be asked to show it’s not world champion in name alone.

The Springboks haven’t won anything major since the last World Cup and maybe are squeezing the

T20

FROM PAGE 12 hitting. South Africa struggled to stem the flow of runs under light drizzle, and the umpires kept the players on the field.

The 82-run stand in the last seven overs took Pakistan to 177-5 before South Africa hit back late with

last drops out of that titlewinning squad of three years ago.

With all that, there’s a tendency for coaches to sidestep the importance of one-off tests that fall so far out from the big one. Not Ireland’s Andy Farrell.

“It will help us down the track 100%,” Farrell said. “There will be lessons learned. That is why I think this test is priceless.”

Ireland’s bigger focus was emphasized by flyhalf and captain Johnny Sexton.

“It’s not a goal to become No. 1 in the world,” he said.

“That might sound stupid.

In some sports it is. Golf or tennis. To be No. 1 in the world (in rugby) you need to win the World Cup. That’s where the goals are.”

Ireland is favourite for this meeting at Lansdowne Road by virtue of rankings, current form and past results. Ireland won 38-3 the last time the Boks came to Dublin and was totally convincing, although that was five years ago.

Farrell has kept as close as he possibly can to the lineup that won in New Zealand but has left starting scrumhalf Jamison GibsonPark on the bench on his return from injury and is missing wing James Lowe because of a calf problem.

Hugo Keenan is fit again to play fullback but has hardly any game time.

Ahead of Gibson-Park, Conor Murray will start for

three wickets. Shadab and Iftikhar holed out in the deep. Nortje took 4-41.

Shaheen Afridi provided Pakistan with a perfect start to the chase with the wickets of de Kock and Rilee Rossouw.

But captain Temba Bavuma (36) and Aiden Markram (20) smashed fast bowler Haris Rauf for 37 runs off his first two overs

IRELAND’S CIAN HEALY, left, and Tadhg Furlong celebrate after defeating Scotland and winning the Triple Crown during the Six Nations rugby union international match at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. There’s 10 months and the best part of another season to go before next year’s Rugby World Cup. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) his 100th test cap for Ireland. He also has eight for the British and Irish Lions.

But Ireland is able to field the same pack that won the decider against the All Blacks in Wellington three months ago. That’s where Ireland’s most telling examination will be. Ireland has had a technically clever, fast-paced attacking game for a while. For some, it was missing a little forward muscle.

One of those doubters was Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus, who referred to the Irish as “soft” at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, when he was South Africa head coach.

“Obviously, I wouldn’t say that about the current Ireland team. They are where they are,” Erasmus said this week. “I think this team has got a physical edge on them. I think this team has got a tactical edge on them. I think this team is confident.”

Erasmus said Ireland was “red hot.”

The Springboks will be happy to meet that fire with fire up front, as they always are.

The Boks are also looking to address their weaknesses, though, with World Cup-winning wing Cheslin Kolbe returning from a broken jaw to start

to keep South Africa in the game.

Shadab turned the game back in Pakistan’s favour when he had Bavuma caught behind off his first ball and clean bowled Markram with a sharp googly.

South Africa slipped to 66-4.

After the rain break, South Africa couldn’t cope

with the pressure of scoring more than 14 an over.

“Definitely disappointing the way we ended our bowling and fielding,” Bavuma said. “Credit to them, they had the momentum and took it with them through the bowling innings. Netherlands next, a big game, we want to put this game past us as quickly as possible and come again.”

at fullback for the first time in a test. That gives South Africa three try-scoring wingers in the back three in Kolbe, Makazole Mapimpi and Kurt-Lee Arendse, and more pace to go with the power. Erasmus will also be back alongside head coach Jacques Nienaber in the coaching box after a 10-month matchday ban for criticising match officials during last year’s British and Irish Lions series.

“I missed it a lot,” Erasmus said. “It’s not nice to be with the guys during training in the week and then on matchday the bus leaves with the players, but you have to go back to your room.”

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, a three-time Champions League winner with the club who also helped Spain win the 2010 World Cup, has announced his retirement at age 35.

Pique said in a video posted on his Twitter account yesterday that “this Saturday will be my last game at Camp Nou.” “It is the moment to end this stage of my life,” Pique said. “I always said that after Barcelona there will be no other club, and that is the way it is going to be.”

Pique has played 615 games for Barcelona, scoring 52 goals.

In addition to the treble of European Cups, he helped Barcelona win eight Spanish league titles and seven Copa del Rey crowns among other titles.

Pique also helped his country win the 2012 European Championship before retiring from international soccer in 2018.

After being a set starter for most of his career, Pique lost his starting job this season after Barcelona brought in new players at his position of center back.

Barcelona hosts Almería on Saturday.

Pique’s retirement comes after he split up with pop star Shakira, the mother of his two children, this summer.

Considered one of the best at his position at the peak of his career as part of the great Barcelona teams led by Lionel Messi, Pique stood out from other players for his interest in business ventures that he started while still performing on the field.

He successfully overhauled tennis’ Davis Cup competition, while also getting into controversial deals with the Spanish federation involving its holding of the Spanish Super Cup competition in Saudi Arabia.

He has even said he would possibly consider a run at becoming the future president of Barcelona at some point.

Pique came up through Barcelona’s youth academy, playing along with Messi as a teenager, before he left for Manchester United.

He returned to Barcelona in 2008 under coach Pep Guardiola and immediately blossomed as a skilled defender thanks to his smarts, passing skills and leadership.

ALCARAZ, DJOKOVIC ADVANCE, MUSETTI UPSETS RUUD IN PARIS PARIS (AP) — Topranked Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the quarterfinals at the Paris Masters with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Grigor Dimitrov yesterday, when Felix Auger-Aliassime reached the last eight by winning his 15th consecutive match.

Alcaraz, the U.S. Open champion, will next play Holger Rune for a place in the semifinals after the Danish teenager beat Andrey Rublev 6-4, 7-5.

It’s the first time that teenagers — both are 19 years old — will square off in a Paris Masters quarterfinal.

Auger-Aliassime, who is bidding to win a fourth straight title, defeated French veteran Gilles Simon 6-1, 6-3 at the indoor hard-court event.

Lorenzo Musetti upset U.S. Open runner-up Casper Ruud 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, while American player Frances Tiafoe defeated Alex De Minaur 6-3, 7-6 (5). Tiafoe has a careerbest 35 wins in 2022.

The 20-year-old Musetti will play Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals after the 21-time Grand Slam champion beat Karen Khachanov of Russia 6-4, 6-1. Djokovic extended his winning streak in tourlevel matches to 11 as he chases a seventh title at the tournament.

American Tommy Paul beat Pablo Carreno Busta 6-4, 6-4 and will next face fifth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas, who eliminated French qualifier Corentin Moutet 6-3, 7-6 (3) to earn his tour-leading 59th win of the year.

PAGE 14, Friday, November 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE BAHAMAS MEN’S BASKETBALL

UB Mingoes’ assistant head coach Lavar Johnson explains a play to the UB Mingoes team during a practice session on Wednesday at The Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. The Mingoes are preparing for the annual homecoming game and are expected to play The Mambas 8pm Friday at The Kendal Issacs gym.

UB HOMECOMING KICKOFF GAME SET FOR TONIGHT THE University of The Bahamas men’s basketball team has been practicing early mornings at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium as they get ready for the UB Homecoming Kickoff Game set for tonight.

The team is in a strong rebuilding phase but is still preparing to put on a show at the homecoming game.

The team practiced Wednesday going through drills and a full scrimmage in preparation for the game.

Head coach Bacchus Rolle was busy putting plays

together for the game as well ahead of the game.

Rolle says he’s excited about the upcoming game.

“I feel good about this team,” he said. “We’re a new team and a young team but I believe we have a great chance to pick up the win if we stick to the game plan.”

He adds the key to the win is guard play. “We want to show speed and we want to show the ability to shoot the basketball pretty good,” he said. “I think if we get our point guard really

engaged we are going to see something big from him.”

Co-captain Theodore Grant, who also plays point guard, agreed with Rolle.

“We have some great guards on this team and we have shooters who can knock down shots to go along with some excellent big men and players who can run the floor,” he said.

“On the defensive end we are a menace so that’s going to be a big thing for us as well.”

The Mingoes are expected to play The

UB Mingoes’ Theodore Grant (24) holds off guard Sharvez Woodside (23) during a practice on Wednesday at The Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

Photos: UB ATHLETICS

UB Mingoes’ Sharvez Woodside (23) holds off guard Theodore Grant (24).

Mambas 8pm tonight at The Kendal Isaacs gym.

The homecoming festivities actually kickoff at 4pm

UB Mingoes’ head coach Bacchus Rolle explains a play to centre Justin Burrows.

Nets suspend Kyrie Irving for at least 5 games without pay

By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five games without pay yesterday, dismayed by his repeated failure to “unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs.”

Hours after Irving refused to issue the apology that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sought for posting a link to an antisemitic work on his Twitter feed, the Nets said that Irving is “currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.”

“We were dismayed today, when given an opportunity in a media session, that Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film.

This was not the first time he had the opportunity — but failed — to clarify,” the Nets said in a statement.

“Such failure to disavow antisemitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organisation, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team.

“Accordingly, we are of the view that he is currently

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unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.”

Irving’s reluctance to apologise came hours before the FBI said it had received credible information about a “broad” threat to synagogues in New Jersey, Irving’s home state.

The Nets said they made multiple attempts in recent days to help Irving understand the harm and danger of his words and actions, but it was clear during the point guard’s interview after practice earlier yesterday that little had changed.

Irving would say only that he meant no harm.

He said some things in “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America” were untrue, but he didn’t say he shouldn’t have posted a link to it.

“I’m not the one who made the documentary,” Irving said.

He was later asked if he had antisemitic beliefs, and he didn’t say no.

“I cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from,” Irving said.

Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt reacted to a video of Irving’s response to that question on Twitter by writing: “The answer to the question ‘Do you have any antisemitic beliefs’ is always “NO” without equivocation.

“We took @KyrieIrving at his word when he said he took responsibility, but today he did not make good on that promise,” Greenblatt added. “Kyrie clearly has a lot of work to do.”

A day earlier, Irving and the Nets had announced, in conjunction with the ADL, that each would be donating $500,000 to anti-hate

with a tailgating party at the gym.

BROOKLYN Nets’ Kyrie Irving speaks before the team’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 19 in New York.

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) causes. Greenblatt tweeted home games. They didn’t last night that his organi- want him to be a part-time sation could not in good player, though eventually conscience accept Irving’s brought him back to play donation. road games in December.

Silver felt Irving needed Irving posted the sinceto go further, anyway. deleted link late last week, “While we appreciate the then defiantly defended his fact that he agreed to work right to do so after the Nets’ with the Brooklyn Nets home loss to Indiana on and the Anti-Defamation Saturday.

League to combat antiThe team had him not semitism and other forms speak to reporters after of discrimination, I am dis- their two games this week, appointed that he has not hoping to avoid further offered an unqualified apol- upsetting fans, but the time ogy and more specifically away didn’t change Irving’s denounced the vile and stance. harmful content contained He quickly grew defenin the film he chose to pub- sive yesterday, asking licise,” the commissioner reporters why they weren’t said. asking questions about the Silver added that he will history of Blacks in Amerbe meeting with Irving ica, saying 300 million of his in person within the next ancestors are buried in the week. country.

It’s the second straight “Where were you guys season that the Nets have asking those same questions sent Irving away from the when I was a kid learning team. Last year it was when about the traumatic events he refused to be vaccinated of my familial history and against COVID-19, making what I’m proud to come him ineligible to play from and proud to stand

here,” Irving said, “and why when I repeat myself that I’m not going to stand down, it has nothing to do with dismissing any other race or group of people.

“I’m just proud of my heritage and what we’ve been through and the fact that this has pinned me against the Jewish community and I’m here answering questions of whether or not I’m sorry or not about something I didn’t create and was something I shared, and I’m telling everybody I’m taking responsibility, than that’s where I sit.”

Irving was also asked specifically about his beliefs regarding the Holocaust.

“Those falsehoods are unfortunate,” Irving said, referring to content in the film. “And it’s not that I don’t believe in the Holocaust. I never said that.

Never, ever have said it. It’s not come out of my mouth.

I never tweeted it. I never liked anything like it. So the Holocaust in itself is an event that means something to a large group of people that suffered something that could have been avoided.”

The Nets said Irving’s suspension would last “until he satisfies a series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct.”

The team refused to give him a contract extension this summer after he was unavailable for so much of last season. Irving opted into the final season of his contract, making it possible he is in the final season with the team.

The Nets are off to a 2-6 start, costing coach Steve Nash his job Tuesday.

MAGIC HAND WARRIORS 4TH STRAIGHT LOSS, 130-129 ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — Jalen Suggs scored nine of his 26 points in the final two minutes, and the Orlando Magic rallied from a 16-point deficit in the second half to beat the Golden State Warriors 130-129 last night, handing the defending NBA champions their fourth straight loss.

Stephen Curry had 39 points and nine assists for the Warriors. Klay Thompson added 27 points, but missed a jumper at the buzzer.

Rookie Paolo Banchero had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Magic, who shot 53.8% from the field and won for only the second time this season. Franz Wagner finished with 19 points and Chuma Okeke came off the bench for 16.

The Warriors fell to 0-5 on the road.

They led 73-57 after a couple of 3-pointers

by Thompson midway through the third quarter.

Wagner answered with a 3-pointer and Banchero scored 12 points in the remainder of the period to help Orlando reduce the lead to 98-96 entering the fourth quarter.

A 3-pointer by R.J. Hampton put the Magic up 113-104 with 7:20 remaining, but Curry scored seven straight points to get the Warriors back in it.

UP NEXT Warriors: At New Orleans today.

Magic: Host Sacramento on Saturday.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 4, 2022, PAGE 15

NEW PROVIDENCE VOLLEYBALL ASSOCIATION HIGHLIGHTS

UB Mingoes lose to The Strikers in straight sets

UB Mingoes’ Miracle Stubbs goes up for a kill.

UB Mingoes’ Shanyhah Bowe digs the ball.

UB Mingoes’ Zarria Rose sets the ball against The Strikers in New Providence Volleyball Association action on Wednesday at The Anatol Rodgers Gymnasium.

Photos: UB Athletics THE University of The Bahamas Mingoes women’s volleyball team got close again but just could not close it out in New Providence Volleyball Association action at The Anatol Rodgers Gymnasium on Wednesday night.

The Mingoes lost in straight sets to The Strikers 25-23, 25-8, 25-13.

The Mingoes again struggled to get started but gave the veteran Strikers team a run for their money in the first set. The Mingoes led by as much as six points at 13-7 but The Strikers fought back and the set came down to deuce. The Mingoes could not get over the Strikers and dropped that set 25-23. The first set seemed to take a lot out

NUGGETS EARN WIN OVER THE THUNDER OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Aaron Gordon scored 27 points, Nikola Jokic had a triple-double and the Denver Nuggets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-110 last night.

Jokic, the two-time reigning league MVP, had 15 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists. It was his third triple-double this season and the 79th of his career.

Jamal Murray added 24 points for the Nuggets, who were coming off a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 37 points and Lu Dort added 19 for the Thunder, who had won four straight.

Denver scored the game’s first 13 points as the Thunder missed their first six shots.

The Nuggets led 71-57 at halftime behind 23 points from Gordon. Jokic scored just two points in the first half, but he also had nine rebounds and eight assists.

Gordon’s follow dunk over Oklahoma City’s Darius Bazley gave Denver a 75-65 lead, but the Thunder were undeterred.

Aleksej Pokusevski’s layup finally gave Oklahoma City a 93-91 lead.

The Thunder led 95-93 heading into the fourth.

The Nuggets took control in the final period by holding the Thunder to 7-for-22 shooting.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who entered the night fourth in the league with 31.5 points per game, scored just four points in the fourth quarter.

of the team. They weren’t able to come back with the same fire as in the first set.

They drooped the second set 25-8.

In the third set, The Mingoes had a few bursts of energy and were able to get a bit closer but still dropped that set 25-13.

Jada Coakley again led The Mingoes with eight points (five kills) and Shanyhah Bowe scored six points (four kills).

Head Coach Raymond Wilson said the first set loss seriously impacted the team’s energy and they were just not able to get back into the game.

“That’s the danger of having to play hard in the first set,” he said. “We should have won that set

and that would have made a big difference in the game.

The ladies went back into the second set and were just out of it at that point.

I don’t know if they were broken or what but they just could not get back into playing.”

Wilson said he was very disappointed in the team not being able to shake off that set and regroup.

“We are a far better team than we displayed in those two sets,” he added. “It’s a hurtful loss for me and I’m hoping that going forward the ladies will pick it up.”

The Mingoes now have an 0-3 record and are expected to play The Lady Techs at 7:30pm on November 9 at The Anatol Rogers Gymnasium.

UB Mingoes’ Gabrielle Shannon digs the ball.

EAGLES BEAT TEXANS 29-17 FOR THEIR FIRST 8-0 START

By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Hurts threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns, and the Philadelphia Eagles overcame a slow start to beat the Houston Texans 29-17 last night for the first 8-0 start in franchise history.

Hurts lost a fumble in a forgettable first half and game was tied at halftime.

But C.J. Gardner-Johnson grabbed his NFL-best and career-high fifth interception before Hurts threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Brown to give the Eagles the lead in the third quarter.

Houston (1-6-1) added a field goal after that but another scoring toss by Hurts and his 2-point conversion run extended the lead to 29-17 early in the fourth.

The Texans were driving late in the fourth when Davis Mills was intercepted again, this time by James Bradberry and the Eagles ran out the clock to secure the victory.

Hurts played his first career game at NRG Stadium. Hurts, who was born in Houston and grew up about 25 miles from the stadium, continued his solid play in his homecoming to win his 11th straight regular-season game, which is the longest active streak in the NFL. Mills threw for 154 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, playing without his top two receivers. Brandin Cooks sat out after missing practice all week following trade rumours that never materialised, and Nico Collins

PHILADELPHIA Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) carries in the first half against the Houston Texans in Houston yesterday.

(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) missed the game with a groin injury.

Houston rookie Dameon Pierce ran for a career-high 139 yards to bounce back from a tough game last week, when he gained just 35 yards on 15 carries.

Gardner-Johnson got an interception for a fourth straight game when he picked off Mills with about 8 ½ minutes left in the third quarter and returned it 25 yards.

The Eagles cashed in on the turnover two plays later when Hurts found Brown for the score to make it 21-14 with about 8 minutes left in the third.

Houston cut the lead to 21-17 on a 30-yard field goal by Ka’imi Fairbairn late in the third.

Hurts found Dallas Goedert for a 4-yard TD pass on the next drive and Hurts padded the lead with his 2-point conversion run. The Texans took

an early lead when rookie Teagan Quitoriano, who was making his NFL debut, grabbed his first career reception for a 2-yard touchdown on the first series.

Quitoriano is a fifthround pick who missed all season with a knee injury.

That score was set up by a 34-yard reception by Phillip Dorsett two plays earlier.

Philadelphia tied it at 7-all on a 2-yard run by Miles Sanders on fourth down late in the first quarter. Sanders finished with 93 yards rushing.

The Eagles were driving early in the second quarter when Hurts was sacked by Steven Nelson, who forced a fumble that was recovered by Jaleel Johnson at the Houston 35.

Houston couldn’t move the ball and had to punt.

Philadelphia then put together a 10-play, 79-yard drive capped by a 4-yard TD run by Kenneth Gainwell to take a 14-7 lead.

The Texans tied it less than a minute before halftime when Mills connected with Chris Moore on a 13-yard touchdown pass.

The play was first ruled in complete, but it was reviewed, and the call was overturned.

Philadelphia attempted a 54-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, but it sailed wide right.

INJURIES Philadelphia CB Josh Jobe injured his thigh in the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT Eagles: Host Washington Monday November 14.

Texans: Visit the Giants November 13.

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PAGE 16, Friday, November 4, 2022

THE TRIBUNE

TOP WATERCRAFT RIDERS IN NASSAU FOR THE P1 AQUAX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

LEADING watercraft riders from the United States, the Caribbean, Western Europe and Australia are arriving in Nassau for the P1 AquaX Bahamas World Championship, where the iconic Atlantis Paradise Island resort will be the host destination for the three-day event from today until November 6.

More than 35 professional and amateur endurance racers, who have primarily qualified through performances in the USA national race series, will compete in six races over this weekend.

Welcoming the World Championship for the second time, the Atlantis has a successful history of

hosting sports events and will provide a breath-taking setting for the high-speed AquaX action.

The Pro Enduro riders will be competing for the world title, with the amateur riders battling for the P1 AquaX Amateur International Cup. A new trophy being presented this year is the

Eric “The Eagle” Francis Memorial Trophy.

An immensely popular and charismatic rider, Eric became AquaX world champion in the Bahamas in 2019 but sadly passed away in June this year.

He had been a member of the AquaX family since 2013 and the trophy will keep alive the memory

of his achievements and vibrant personality.

His widow Sophie, who will be competing in Nassau this weekend, will present the trophy at the awards ceremony on Sunday evening.

“The World Championship will be broadcast in the United States on the Bally Sports Regional Networks

and CBS Sports Network, with international coverage on leading sports channels in more than 100 million homes in over 50 countries,” said P1 USA Championship manager Michelle Petro.

“The event will also be live streamed on the P1 AquaX Facebook and Powerboat P1 YouTube pages.”