11132024 NEWS AND SPORT

The Tribune PUZZLER

RBDF OFFICE R S IN HAITI ‘CAN OPT OUT’

Voluntary withdrawal option to personnel in Haiti ‘if they feel unsafe’

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said defence force officers and Bahamians in Haiti have been given a voluntary withdrawal order, allowing them to leave the country at any time without government approval if they feel unsafe.

The voluntary withdrawal opportunity for defence force officers is uncommon, as military personnel deployed in peacekeeping or stabilisation missions usually require formal withdrawal or redeployment orders issued by the government or agency. “No one is going to be put in harm’s way,” Mr

OFFICER FACES MANSLAUGHTER BY GROSS NEGLIGENCE RULING

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THE family of 21-yearold Phillip Daniel Clare Jr said “justice was served” after a jury returned a verdict of gross negligence manslaughter yesterday against a police officer involved in a traffic inquiry.

This verdict comes seven years after Clare Jr was killed by an off-duty officer, who knocked the deceased as he attempted to cross Tonique William Darling Highway in 2017. Corporal 3847 Samuel Rolle, the subject of the inquiry, was visibly sweating in court and appeared

Man claiming he ‘feared for his life’ gets two years jail for fleeing police

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A MAN has been sentenced to two years in prison after claiming he fled police because he feared

being chased by a mob, a story that was contradicted by witnesses and police who testified there was no mob and that his actions were a deliberate attempt to evade arrest.

Cheguevera Moxey was

accused of attempting to flee police and charged with causing damage on November 23, 2020. Allegedly fearing for his life after being accused of raping a

Evans’ family criticisEs pagE ant organisErs

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE family of Cameronique Evans, former Miss Teen Universe Bahamas 2024, has criticised the organisers of The Bahamas International Pageants Organisation for allegedly subjecting the teen to a traumatic experience and is calling for a public boycott of the organisation. Their comments to this newspaper came after Ms Evans was stripped of her title for an alleged breach of contract related to unprofessional behaviour and conduct. Ms Evans denied the allegations, insisting that the pageant organisers had acted unprofessionally and breached their contract. The dispute sparked

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor

NEARLY three-quarters of Bahamian firms have admitted to paying bribes to obtain permits and public services, it was revealed yesterday, with this nation ranked fourth in the Caribbean for this type of corruption. An IDB report disclosed that 73.4 percent of Bahamian companies have made “informal” payments to government officials to get their necessary approvals.

Parental pushback still a hurdle for people looking for careers in the creative industry

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

SIGNIFICANT pushback

still exists from parents who do not consider jobs in the creative industry to be legitimate careers, said Sonovia Pierre, senior cultural affairs officer at the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture.

She spoke to reporters yesterday during the ministry’s cultural career expo at Bahamas Harvest Church on JFK Drive. The event, running today and tomorrow, aims to introduce students from grades 7 to 12 to various creative professions. It features musicians, fashion designers, photographers, film writers, and dancers, along with a panel discussion by social media influencers and other creatives on entrepreneurship.

Anja Bowe, a cultural officer at the ministry, noted that invitations to the expo were sent to both public and private schools in New Providence. However, she observed that private schools have shown more interest in attending than public schools. She suggested that the holiday season and busy schedules may have contributed to the lower response from public schools.

However, acting education director Dominique McCartney-Russell later told The Tribune she would reach out to teachers at public schools to ensure they were informed about the expo and to address possible miscommunication. She said students interested in the arts or exploring creative careers would benefit greatly from the event.

Ms Pierre said the expo is vital to show students that they can build careers using their talents rather than only pursuing conventional jobs like accounting, teaching, or engineering. She highlighted that many parents still discourage their children from working in the creative industry.

“Having been in the classroom for 22 years, I always received and felt the pushback from parents,” she said.

She added that parents often ask their children, “Why are you doing this? You can’t make any money as a dancer. Why are you doing this? You can’t make any money as a photographer.”

Ms Pierre said the success of artists on television and in music demonstrates that a career in the creative industry is possible.

A PANEL discussion including Miquelle Swan, Dion Cunningham, Ricardo Christie, Erin Knowles & Valicia Rolla during the Cultural Expo yesterday.

Photos: Nikia Charlton

RBDF officers in Haiti ‘can opt out’

Mitchell said yesterday in a voice note, adding that the government is “watching the situation day to day, minute by minute”.

His comments follow the announcement that Bahamasair flights to Haiti have been halted, joining several US airlines that halted operations after a recent security incident. Spirit Airlines, American Airlines, and JetBlue suspended flights to Portau-Prince after a Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale was struck by gunfire while attempting to land. The plane was forced to divert to Santiago, Dominican Republic, where it landed safely, though a flight attendant sustained minor injuries.

“Bahamasair has taken, I imagine, the normal precautions that any airline would take in the circumstances of what transpired in Haiti over the last few days,” Mr Mitchell said, describing the airline’s decision as sensible to “protect life and limb”.

The security situation in Haiti has deteriorated sharply following the dismissal of Prime Minister Garry Conille by Haiti’s transitional presidential council (TPC).

Mr Conille, a former United Nations official, was appointed less than six months ago. Haiti now has neither a president nor

a functioning parliament, leaving a power vacuum increasingly exploited by armed gangs.

According to the United Nations, over 3,600 people have been killed in Haiti since January, and more than 500,000 have been displaced. With nearly half the population facing food insecurity, the country’s humanitarian crisis has deepened.

Last month, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) deployed six officers as part of the United Nations Multinational Security Support Mission. The Davis administration has pledged to send 150 officers to the mission, which is supported by a UN policing initiative led by Kenyan officers. Several hundred Kenyan officers have recently arrived in Haiti, with more expected to join.

The RBDF’s role includes securing ports to facilitate humanitarian aid, conducting maritime patrols to prevent illegal migration, and collaborating with regional partners to support Haiti’s stability. Officers are scheduled to serve a six-month term. It is unclear how the voluntary withdrawal order Mr Mitchell referenced affects officers’ mission.

“The Bahamas government has a presence in Haiti for reasons which help our country,” Mr

Mitchell said. “We have, for example, hundreds of migrants, if not thousands of migrants, coming to this country unlawfully. They

have to be returned to Haiti, and there has to be someone that you speak to and make sure that that’s organised on that end.”

force officers

In

Officer faces manslaughter by gross negligence ruling

shocked when the fiveperson jury returned their finding after barely an hour of deliberation. The jury had the option to return an alternative verdict of accidental death.

Angelo Whitfield, the evidence marshal, did not object to the defendant’s bail. CPL Rolle’s bail was set at $9,500 with one or two sureties. Under the terms of his bail, he must sign in at the East Street South Police Station every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday by 7pm. He was also warned not to interfere with the family of the deceased.

The defendant was allowed to contact relatives to post his bail before being taken to the court

cell block.

With the jury’s adverse finding, a file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions to determine whether official charges will be made.

Following the verdict, the victim’s mother, Tanya Reckley, became overwhelmed and cried, saying that justice had been served.

“A weight has been lifted, justice has been served. Seven years, ten months and two days, we’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. God rules in the end,” Ms Reckley said.

Phillip Daniel Clare Sr, the deceased’s father, while expressing relief, was more critical of the long wait for justice. He claimed there had been a police cover-up.

“I feel relief after the verdict was read, that we will get some kind of justice for my son Phillip Clare Jr, who died at the hands of a police officer, and the police force tried to cover it up,” he said.

“And it shows everything comes out, that what they should’ve done long ago. And it’s wrong, it’s just corruption from the police force.”

The courtroom was packed with relatives of the deceased, while no members of the defendant’s family or fellow officers were present during the proceedings.

Before the verdict was delivered, Coroner Kara Turnquest Deveaux recapped the evidence, stating that the deceased had been struck by CPL

Man claiming he ‘feared for his life’ gets two years jail for fleeing police

young woman, he reversed his vehicle into a police car and damaged a fence and a van in an attempt to escape. He had been charged with the attempted kidnapping of Chinique Joseph on November 20, 2020, but was acquitted of that charge.

Moxey claimed during the trial: “My life was in jeopardy. I feared for my life.” He alleged that he tried to flee after being confronted by a mob who accused him of raping a family member. “I done see them feeling for something, and they coming at me. I jump in my car. I put it in reverse. I ain’t see nothing. I just trying to get off the scene,” he said.

Moxey was identified as a suspect in the attempted kidnapping of Ms Joseph. Police said when officers

instructed him to exit his vehicle, Moxey refused, and as he attempted to escape, he reversed into a police car. Dorene Renae, a witness, described how Moxey reversed into the police car and then collided with a fence and a van in an attempt to evade arrest.

“After hitting the vehicle, the car stopped for a few seconds, and the officer that was in the front passenger seat exited the vehicle with his firearm withdrawn and demanded the male out of his vehicle,” she said, according to Justice Franklyn Williams’s judgement. “This man then drove forward and then stopped and reversed again, hitting the neighbor’s fence on the southern side of the street. Then, he continued reversing, and he struck a white van that was parked on the southern side of the street. Then veered right where he

collided into a wall on the northern side of the street.”

In sentencing the man, Justice Williams considered mitigating and aggravating factors. He noted that Moxey had no previous criminal record, was employed, and had compensated the complainants. However, he emphasised Moxey’s lack of remorse.

He said Moxey had “blatantly disregarded” the authority of the police, noting that his actions placed police officers in imminent danger, adding: “The actions of the convict placed police officers in imminent danger.”

The judge found that the aggravating factors outweighed the mitigating ones and determined that a custodial sentence was necessary to reflect society’s disapproval and deter similar offences. As a result, Moxey was sentenced to two years in prison.

Rolle’s civilian vehicle while attempting to cross the road to reach Pressure Point Bar for food on the night of January 10, 2017. Coroner Deveaux also noted that while investigating officers found the defendant’s car was unlicensed and uninsured, no traffic violations were charged against him. She further mentioned that during a voluntary police interview, CPL Rolle stated he was unaware that the victim had died.

Sergeant Curry testified that the deceased was a careless pedestrian. A traffic officer said CPL Rolle’s Suzuki Swift was travelling at about 30mph at the time of impact. It was also noted that the right side of the vehicle suffered extensive damage, including a

broken front headlight, roof, and fender, while the windshield was shattered with glass inside the car and a piece of fabric stuck in the door frame.

Pathologist Dr Kiko Bridgewater testified that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, upper extremities, and torso. Dr Bridgewater noted that the victim suffered multiple injuries, including fractured ribs, which may have contributed to a fatal injury to his aorta. He suggested that the vehicle was travelling at around 40mph at the time of the accident.

A toxicology report indicated that there were no drugs or toxins present in the deceased’s system and that he was not intoxicated

at the time of his death.

Chief Superintendent Hinds expressed condolences to the bereaved family on behalf of the police force but emphasised that officers did not receive preferential treatment in traffic investigations.

Kevin Armbrister, the defendant’s attorney, maintained that his client stood by his innocence and that the death of the deceased was an accident.

Mr Armbrister said CPL Rolle would not miss any future court dates and was a fit candidate for bail. The defendant’s next court date is set for February 3, 2025.

Tavarie Smith and DeAndra Johnson represented the deceased’s estate.

Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has repeatedly criticised the government for potentially deploying defence

to Haiti.

April, Mr Mitchell pushed back against him, accusing him of “scaremongering”.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER FRED MITCHELL

PM calls for transparency on climate commitments

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

AS the world braces for the United States to roll back climate policy gains under President-Elect Donald Trump, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis emphasised the need to stay the course and address climate change at COP29 yesterday.

Mr Davis did not reference Mr Trump or the US in his speech at COP29’s #Together4Transparency Opening High-Level Event, but as a frequent critic of developed countries’ approach to climate policy, his speech came against the backdrop of the US being poised to take a less aggressive approach to implementing policies that tackle climate change.

“In our moment of great uncertainty — a time when we look around and wonder where some of our friends will stand — we’re witnessing our world send us an unmistakable message.

“This year and last year, we’ve recorded the hottest temperatures in history. Spain has been struck by devastating floods, and in Al-Jawf — a region long synonymous with blistering heat and barren landscapes — snow has fallen, followed by rain, hail, and sudden waterfalls cascading through the desert. These are not ordinary times.

“The world is loudly, urgently telling us something: that our inaction on climate change would be the greatest moral failure of our era. We are the generation that brought solidarity to fight a pandemic, yet today, in the face of

climate change, the contrast is troubling. Where we saw unified action against COVID-19, we now see hesitation and delay in addressing the climate crisis. And so, friends, I ask — will we heed the call, or will we let history record our failure?”

Experts are concerned that a Trump administration would once again withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, an international treaty that aims to limit global warming and mitigate climate change impacts. So far, 194 countries and the European Union have joined the agreement to keep global temperature rise below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, ideally limiting it to 1.5°C.

The New York Times reported last week that Mr Trump’s transition team has prepared executive orders to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and reduce the size of some national monuments to allow for increased drilling and mining.

Last week, Mr Davis told reporters he did not expect Mr Trump’s victory to derail his efforts to engage developed countries in climate action. However, during his remarks at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, yesterday, Mr Davis stressed the importance of a united global approach to climate change.

“The greatest challenge we face isn’t just political will — it’s political change. We’re witnessing governments come to power that are retreating from climate commitments, dismissing the Paris Agreement, and turning inward,” Mr Davis said.

“This isn’t a crisis we can afford to address sporadically, nor is it a battle that can be won in isolated

chapters, written and erased with every election. If we leave climate action to the whims of political cycles, our planet’s future becomes precarious. The climate crisis does not pause for elections or accommodate the sway of changing political tides. It demands continuity, commitment, and, most of all, solidarity.”

Mr Davis highlighted initiatives like #Together4Transparency, launched at COP27, which aims to ensure climate commitments are visible, measurable, and upheld. He also noted the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement, which requires countries to submit Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) starting in 2024 to track their progress.

Mr Davis said these reports are the primary means for each nation to demonstrate its progress, making the ETF “a living record of our global climate commitments.”

Mr Davis also warned that how nations respond to the climate crisis will affect future generations.

“Even if some of our friends turn away from this cause — even if political tides change and commitments falter — we must hold the line,” he said. “We must remember that the preservation of humanity cannot be left to chance, nor can it be treated as a gamble in the arena of political change. Let our actions today serve as a lasting promise that we will not turn our backs on each other or our planet, even when the path is difficult, even when the allies are few. Together, we can meet this moment and build a just, sustainable world for generations to come.”

Agriculture investigates authenticity of rattlesnake

THE Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources said it is investigating whether the contents of a video depicting an East African Rattlesnake on Harbour Island, Eleuthera, are real.

“In the meantime, as a precaution, officials have reached out to the Ministry of Health to source anti venom and with the Department of Immigration to source work permits for expert snake catchers,” the ministry said.

“The Ministry is also investigating the alleged import through the Bahamas Agriculture Health and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA), as there are stringent processes in place to safeguard against these kinds of offences. A joint task force is on the ground at the alleged sighting location. We encourage the public to remain calm but vigilant as investigations continue.”

A reported sighting of a diamondback rattlesnake on Harbour Island, Eleuthera, prompted experts to warn of the risks

posed by the venomous, non-native species.

Kirkwood Forbes, a pest control expert with 30 years of experience, was among the first alerted to the snake’s presence, receiving a video from a concerned client.

The potential threat has mobilised local scientists, including Dr Ancilleno Davis, a University of The Bahamas professor and founder of the Bahamians Educated in Natural and Geospatial Sciences (BEINGS) network.

“We need to have experts on the island who have the expertise in snake detection and capture,” he said.

“Permanent, long-term monitoring of that island is needed in the next few months to the next maybe two to three years.”

Dr Davis highlighted the logistical challenges contributing to The Bahamas’ vulnerability to invasive species.

“Our country lacks the funding and personnel to monitor every import. We need more trained customs agents, police, and defence

PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis giving remarks at COP29 yesterday.

Photos: BIS

SCREEN capture of what appears to be a diamondback rattlesnake claimed to be seen at Harbour Island, Eleuthera.

video

Evans’ family criticises pageant organisers

widespread commentary on social media, with some posting screenshots of conversations held between the two parties.

The 18-year-old, a university student, claimed she was ignored by her directors while in South Africa for a beauty pageant.

She said she felt mentally and physically unprepared for the trip due to a lack of information and resources provided by the organisers.

She said she did not expect to feel “alone” and distanced from both her family and directors for most of the trip, believing she would be under the care of both the international pageant officials and her own directors.

“It was a mentally heartbreaking time for me,” she said. “Most days I cried.”

In a statement released yesterday, the pageant organisation disputed claims of a lack of involvement, saying Tia Thompson, the pageant director, checked in with Ms Evans daily and provided whatever items she needed.

The organisation also noted that the international pageant rules prohibit national directors from interacting with their contestants once they arrive a week in advance.

They also claimed that Ms Evans ignored their instructions on what to wear.

was insurmountable,” the organisation added. “What’s interesting is that Ms Evans was not even present to the courtesy call with her country’s High Commission during the stopover in London enrolee to South Africa.”

Ms Evans said she was unaware of the courtesy call and felt “blinded” by many of the actions of the pageant’s directors.

She described an instance when Ms Thompson allegedly handed her a letter after she was unsuccessful in making the top 20, informing her she would be relieved of her duties effective immediately.

The teen described the ordeal as humiliating, noting that other contestants were present and had to console her.

“It’s a time and place for everything,” she said. “I had no privacy, and the girls had to comfort me, because it was, it was humiliating.”

After being informed of their decision, she said: “They dropped me hot faster than a Hot Pocket.”

She recalled nearly missing her flight from South Africa and having to rely on the help of others, including the mother of another contestant.

“My family was at the other end because they went back up separately the next day. My family was at the other end trying to hold, literally hold the flight.”

“My family was literally fighting for pleading on my behalf.”

Ms Evans said when she finally made it on to the flight, her pageant directors did not acknowledge her.

“Even afterwards, when we landed in the UK, they were behind me on the lines,” she said. “They saw me on the line. They did not even look at me. They did not acknowledge me.”

Her pregnant mother, Maurissa Telus, told The Tribune yesterday that she now has to seek counselling for her daughter because of the traumatic experience.

She added that she also had to be hospitalised over the incident.

“I feel it’s poor and distasteful, and I feel the ministry should get involved with that, and my daughter is having issues where she feels that people are looking at her and pointing fingers and they’re saying bad stuff,” she said while calling for the pageant to be banned. Meanwhile, the pageant acknowledged that terminations are difficult to accept but urged Ms Evans to focus on moving forward rather than justifying her actions or fabricating false scenarios.

“While we could have terminated Ms Evans a long time before her international competition as we held three meetings to discuss her attitude, we refrained because of the investment that her family made to join her in South Africa,” the organisation said. from

“The subordination

NEW POLICE STATION OFFICIALLY OPENED FOR EIGHT MILE ROCK IN GRA ND BAHA M A

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE new, modern Eight Mile Rock Police Station was officially opened in the Obadiah H Wilchcombe Government Complex in West Grand Bahama.

In her keynote address, Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey said the new facility is another promise being fulfilled, as police officers had endured “less than ideal” working conditions for many years at the old Police Station near Martin Town Primary School.

“For years, the officers at the EMR Police Station needed better working conditions, and I am so delighted to see that we are here today and that progress has been made,” she said.

“In some instances, the situation was less than ideal, yet they showed up every single day and executed their duties.”

Ms Moxey said the work of police officers is not just a matter of law enforcement but also about bridging gaps and building closer relationships within the community.

She thanked the men and women of the RBPF

for their commitment to service.

She said it is crucial that officers have the tools and resources necessary, as well as a functional work environment, so they can effectively carry out their duties.

Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander said the new Eight Mile Rock Police Station will enhance public safety and improve law enforcement efficiency for the community.

He said the legacy of service at the Eight Mile Rock Police Station is one of fostering safety and trust.

He indicated that the original building, compromised over time by hurricanes and growing policing demands, was in need of modernisation.

Commissioner Fernander believes the new facility, which is strategically located near the courts, offers enhanced resources and a productive work environment aimed at boosting officers’ efficiency and professionalism.

He indicated that the station represents not only physical upgrades but also a renewed commitment to protect and support Eight Mile Rock residents,

facilitating stronger ties between law enforcement and the community.

He thanked everyone involved in the project, envisioning the station as a long-standing symbol of protection, service, and progress.

ACP Shanta Knowles said the new facility marks the beginning of a new era for law enforcement in Eight Mile Rock.

“Equipped with state-ofthe-art resources, we are poised to provide better service to the people of Eight Mile Rock and its surrounding communities,” she said.

“This new station is not just an upgrade in infrastructure; it represents an evolution of our dedication to fulfilling the core mission of the RBPF: maintaining law and order, preserving peace, preventing and detecting crime, apprehending offenders, and enforcing laws,” she said.

Ma Moxey and Police Commissioner Fernander, toured the facility, which includes a cell block for inmates complete with restroom and shower facilities, a conference/ lunch room, and locker/ shower facilities for police officers.

CAMERONIQUE

MINISTER for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey and Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander cut the ribbon for the new police station at Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama, yesterday. Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

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NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

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Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

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RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Columbus statue and the way forward

AN early morning query came The Tribune’s way yesterday. “Where is Columbus?”

Not the man himself of course, but the statue that used to stand outside Government House and which was vandalised in 2021.

The simple answer is that the statue is in storage, broken leg and all. Director of communications in the Office of the Prime Minister Latrae Rahming confirmed as much two years ago, saying it was to be stored at the Ministry of Works until… well, until someone decided what to do with it.

In June last year, then Minister of Works Alfred Sears said that “a determination has not yet been made where the statue will be placed”.

The decision process has lasted longer than Mr Sears’ tenure as Minister of Works. He is now over at Immigration, and the matter is not his concern any more. The truth is there are a great many people who do not want the statue of Columbus to return.

Christopher Columbus famously landed on San Salvador, his first landing point in the Americas.

Lauded and remembered on Columbus Day for prolonged periods, his story has come to be re-examined in recent years, exposing the cycle of murder, violence and slavery he brought to the region.

There is understandably little appetite for putting up a statue to someone credibly accused of genocide.

There is also a feeling of not wanting to let the vandal win – but no rush to restore the thing he vandalised.

So if we are not going to restore his beaten and broken statue to its spot –what will we do with the plinth where once it stood?

We could do worse than looking towards Trafalgar Square in London.

There you will find the fourth plinth.

One of – well, four – plinths in the square, it was originally intended to hold a statue of William IV, but stayed empty because of a lack of funds.

If you think people are dragging their heels decided what to do with Columbus’ statue, then London is leagues ahead in that regard. The fourth plinth stood empty for more than 150 years while people worked out what to do with it.

It still does not have a permanent occupant – but for the last 25 years it has played host to a revolving array of temporary artworks.

Some have been good, some have been awful, depending on your artistic tilt, but it has certainly showcased a range of ideas.

The very idea of having a shifting artscape has prompted plenty of discussion along the way, making the empty plinth itself a talking point.

It has been used by companies for promotion – often without permission – while one wry suggestion was for it to feature a statue of Moby Dick so it could then be called the “Plinth of Whales”.

Could The Bahamas follow suit? As the Governor General has returned to Government House as her full-time office again, this would be the ideal moment to make a decision about the plinth’s future. As dignitaries from both far and near arrive at the location, would it be possible to use the plinth as a showcase of the best of Bahamian art, or elements that showcase our culture?

Whether you think that Columbus’ time there is done or not, perhaps this moment of return to Government House is a prime opportunity to look forward.

So thank you to our early morning reader for the question. We shall be sure to put it to the Ministry of Works.

Carnival Key fallout for Freeport Harbour

EDITOR, The Tribune.

CARNIVAL has announced that its $600m Celebration Key development at Sharp Rock in East End Grand Bahamas will open in about September 2025. Considering the amount of work involved in the construction of this port, the relatively short timeframe to complete this massive development underlies how anxious Carnival principals are to get this project done. Once completed, the mega port development is expected to draw millions of visitors to Grand Bahamas. While this is good news for Freeport, one has to wonder what will be the fallout for Freeport Harbour once Carnival Cruise shifts its attention to its new facility out East. If 200 cruise ships calls in to Freeport Harbour annually, about 190 of those are owned by Carnival. The

remaining ten are Norwegian, Disney, Princess and Mediterranean Shipping Company Cruise. It goes without saying that Carnival represents the tourism lifeblood of Freeport Harbour and by extension the entire Freeport and Lucaya areas. Without the guests brought in by Carnival, Freeport Harbour would become a virtual ghost town. Hundreds of taxi and tour bus drivers and operators depend on Carnival for their very survival. The concern for these entrepreneurs will be, once Carnival relocates to its Carnival Key port, what will become of Freeport Harbour? Are there any contingency plans in the drawings for an adequate replacement for Carnival? Will tour bus operators and taxi drivers be allowed to carry out their business at Carnival Key? The whole idea behind Carnival Key

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Keep pushing for justice

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I ATTENDED the National Women United Day Celebrations this past weekend. It was a powerful reminder of the unbreakable spirit of the women’s suffrage movement and the sacrifices made to secure the rights we enjoy today. The gathering, which brought together women from all walks of life, underscored a fundamental truth: we have a duty—not a choice—to rise, speak up, speak out, and continue the fight for equality and justice.

seems to be to keep its guests on site to enjoy the amenities much like what we see at other cruise ports in the Caribbean. What impact will this approach have on the aforementioned entrepreneurs, in addition to Bahamas Adventures, Kayak Nature Tours and Paradise Cove, to name a few? I don’t want to sound like an alarmist. But I think a discussion needs to be had concerning the potential drop off in visitor arrivals at Freeport Harbour once Carnival Key opens its doors for business in late 2025. The void that will be created by Carnival’s departure from Freeport Harbour needs to be filled, otherwise the taxi cab and tour bus industries in Grand Bahama will both face the threat of extinction.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama November 12, 2024.

Womanish Ways: Freedom, Human Rights and Democracy, the acclaimed documentary by Marion Bethel was screened at the event. The film chronicles the courage of Bahamian women who, between 1948 and 1962, risked their reputations, endured intimidation, and

faced unimaginable opposition to secure the right to vote and demand a seat at the table in a society that denied them a voice.

The suffragettes laid the groundwork, with Dame Janet Bostwick and others building upon it, but there is still so much to fight for.

Today, we face challenges that require our collective voice and strength—gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, economic inequality, and access to quality healthcare are just a few. Most urgently, we must confront the issue of gender inequality in our citizenship laws. This unjust disparity affects so many of our classmates, neighbours, and friends, and it is time to stand firm against it.

Our citizenship laws should reflect fairness and inclusivity, honouring the legacy of our suffragette foremothers by treating all Bahamians equally.

Remember, Ladies, silence is complicity. We owe it to those who came before us—and to the young girls watching us now—to keep pushing for justice. Each of our voices matters and united, we form a force that cannot and will not be ignored. Together, we can create a future where every woman is valued and her rights are protected not just today but for generations to come. It is the future the suffragettes dreamed of and fought for. The baton has been passed. Let’s run our leg of the race.

SENATOR MAXINE SEYMOUR November 12, 2024.

Cruise port numbers need review

EDITOR, The Tribune.

FLORIDA Cruise Conference economic impact of port destinations...have to contest their stats on Nassau...max that land when there is full house is 7-8,000 of 30,000. Per day. You would feel and see anything higher we don’t nor do the retail outlets. Gladstone Road... Immediately remove roundabout at CemeteryBaha ma Boulevard...

Install Traffic Lights like Marathon...traffic will move faster and snarls removed. Roundabout along new dual-carriages Gladstone…creConteate designated turning lands, third lane in center of road, to alleviate delays. Saunders Beach…Try driving now anytime from Chippingham corner to the other side of Shell Saunders Beach...minutes. 30 minutes...simple correction add turning lanes to and from

strip mall - KFC-Burger King - Pharmacy…solves this aggravating issue. There is land road ponding-flooding...No drains - unmaintained drainssidewalks with no adequate drainage the list goes on and on...correct stop all other road infrastructure work concentrate on this area only.

J K FLOWERS Nassau, October 25, 2024.

SENIOR Chief Lewis Ross, left, and Max Baylosis hold a wreath as they make their way to a wreath ceremony in celebration of Veteran’s Day at the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda, California, on Monday.

Photo: Gabrielle Lurie/San Francisco Chronicle/AP

BTC renews partnership with Bahamas Red Cross with

$35,000

BTC has renewed its partnership with the Bahamas Red Cross for the organization’s annual fundraising ball, contributing $35,000 to the upcoming event. BTC has also pledged its commitment to title sponsor the 2026 ball.

The company’s total donations to the ball over the past three years have surpassed $80,000, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to supporting the organization’s mission of preventing and alleviating suffering.

sponsorship of upcoming ball

The 2025 Bahamas Red Cross Ball themed, “Mystic Blossoms: An enchanted journey through Asia” is scheduled for January 25, 2025, at the Grand Ballroom of the Atlantis Paradise Island resort. Indira Collie, BTC’s executive senior manager for communications highlighted the company’s dedication to giving back during their Mission Week celebrations. Collie said: “This week, BTC is celebrating Mission Week, and we are giving back our time and talent to needed initiatives. Today, we are also providing a monetary donation to the Bahamas Red Cross, an organization that we see in our communities aiding those in need daily. This is the third

consecutive year that we’ve supported the annual ball, and we are proud to once again come on board as the title sponsor.”

BTC and the Red Cross will provide complimentary tickets for two persons to attend the ball, and Collie encourages the public to stay tuned to their social media pages for ways to win. “We know that there are persons that would like to attend the ball, but would need assistance with tickets. We will once again provide tickets for two to attend the most anticipated ball of the season. Stay tuned and follow our social media pages early in January for

details on how you can win those coveted tickets.”

Ball chairperson Kimberly Thurston thanked BTC for its continued support and looks forward to a wonderful event. Thurston said, “We are grateful to have BTC on board once again, and we look forward with great anticipation to this 51st annual fundraiser. The Bahamas Red Cross Ball will be held under the distinguished patronage of our Governor General, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable, Dame Cynthia Pratt. We look forward to a very classy and demure evening with great entertainment.”

WSC MANAGER TESTIFIES HE WAS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN FIVE-TANK PAINTING PROJECT

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

ROBERT Deal, general manager of the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC), continued his testimony in the criminal trial of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson and others yesterday, maintaining that he was not directly involved in a five-tank painting project in 2020, which awarded contracts of $235,000 plus VAT to each contractor.

Mr Deal’s comment was made as Damian Gomez, representing the defence, continued his cross-examination of the witness.

Mr Deal agreed with Mr Gomez that a change order was necessary to update the cost of projects in the job jacket.

However, when it was said that no change order was needed for the job jacket to be updated with scope, Mr Deal disagreed. He responded that a change order was necessary as it would include the updated approved funding for the project.

When Mr Gomez said that the WSC financial division authorised payments to vendors on July 7, 2020, Mr Deal said he would need to check the records but believed it was around that time. He explained that the accounts department would have the payment voucher, which would have included a description of the work done.

Mr Gomez put it to the

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 50-YEAR-OLD man was remanded in custody yesterday after being accused of fatally shooting his nephew near Finlayson Street last week.

Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley arraigned Alfred McKinney on a charge of murder.

witness that the mobilisation of payment on July 7 for work showed that part of the WSC had one set of documents, while another had a different set with more information unknown to the other half. Mr Deal agreed.

Despite this, Mr Deal disagreed that the engineering and planning department was not current and had different documents from accounts.

He went on to say that invoices for the work should be part of the payment vouchers and that these vouchers would include a date of completion for the project.

Mr Gomez said that payment went out to vendors on July 14, 2020, and that one of those companies was Elite Maintenance. He also said that the contracts were first awarded on June 23 2020.

Mr Gomez told the witness that before his department produced the job jacket, they knew a contract had been issued and its value.

Mr Deal responded that he could not say because he was not directly involved in the project. He reiterated that his department prepared the job jacket based on the information they were given.

Mr Deal agreed that he signed a job letter on July 6 while he was deputy general manager. He also said that he had suggested contractors for projects in the past.

Bastian, Ryan Eve, and Raphael Moxey. The Crown’s legal team includes acting Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier, Karine MacVean, and others.

The defendant allegedly shot and killed his nephew, Kristian McKinney, on a track road off Finlayson and Boulder Streets around 10am on November 6. This incident followed a long-standing feud between the two, as the deceased had previously accused his uncle of pulling a gun on him on July 6, 2020. When police responded to that incident, they reportedly seized a quantity of marijuana. The nephew had later withdrawn the charge of assault with a deadly weapon against his uncle, who was fined $500 after admitting to the drug offence. McKinney was informed that the murder charge would proceed to the Supreme Court via a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). The accused will remain in custody at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until the VBI is served on April 10, 2025. Levan Johnson represented the defendant.

GIRL

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 39-YEAR-OLD man was remanded in custody yesterday after he was accused of attempting to forcefully sexually assault a 12-year-old girl last week.

Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt Evans arraigned Patrick Brown on assault with intent to rape.

The defendant allegedly assaulted a young girl with the intent to rape her on November 6 in New Providence. Brown was informed his matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). The defendant will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his VBI is potentially served on February 26, 2025. Inspector S Coakley served as the prosecutor.

Bahamasjobs8@gmail.com

The trial, which focuses on allegations of misconduct and failure to declare interests in government contracts, continues with Mr Gibson, former WSC GM Elwood Donaldson Jr, and others facing charges related to their roles in awarding contracts during Mr Gibson’s tenure.

The defence team includes Mr Gomez, Mr Farquharson, Murrio Ducille KC, Ian Cargill, Bryan

ADRIAN GIBSON

RED Cross Ball donation (from left) Samuel Lovett, chief financial officer (BTC); Keisha Edwards, director of commercial operations (BTC); Valentine Grimes, deputy chairman (BTC); Alicia Pinder, director general, the Bahamas Red Cross; Sameer Bhatti, BTC CEO; Kimberly Thurston, Red Cross Ball chair; Peter Cartwright, BTC board director; K. Teneile Simmons, head of CX and call center operations (BTC) and Indira Collie, executive senior manager, communications (BTC).

So, what does it mean to be middle class, really?

EARLIER this month, social media was abuzz with commentary on the “How Much Does It Cost to Be Middle Class in The Bahamas”, a study by Leslie Archer published in the International Journal of Bahamian Studies, Volume 30. Scores of people flooded the comments and shared on their own pages with reactions to the study, immediately rejecting it without, in many cases, reading even the abstract of the article. They were so shocked and offended by the stated dollar amount that they made assumptions of the study, deciding that their own experience and the ways the have learned to classify themselves meant that the study was flawed and the results were incorrect. Reading and understanding the article, however, would lead people to a different conclusion.

The research question, laid out in the Rationale is “How much does it cost to sustain a middle-class life in The Bahamas?” This seems simple enough. Without giving it much thought, this is a question for which the average person may think they have an answer, and that their answer would not be far off from the one. That is because the question, as clearly as it is stated, can be misinterpreted, by no fault of the author, as “How much does a middle-class person (or family) in The Bahamas spend to survive?” These are two very different questions. The latter may, in fact, be a simpler one. The former, however, is not as simple as determining and costing basic needs.

When graphics were shared on social media to draw attention to the article, different terms from those used in the article were used. This is not unusual for social media, or even news media, but it is was an unfortunate choice that confused almost every person who commented on the post. It presented the foundational question of the research as a completely different question, and the one for

By Alicia Wallace

which people already think they have the answer. The graphic said, “Key findings: a family of four needs approx $10,600 monthly in New Providence.” This does not, at all, represent the data provided in the article, nor does it reflect the research question or the purpose of the research. It does not reference the middle class which is a key factor. When it seems as though a research study or its findings are flawed, it is important to return to the research question. It is entirely possible that the study is not about what the reader assumed, expected, or wanted. Paying attention to the exact language used in the question is critical to understanding the study.

“How much does it cost to sustain a middle-class life in The Bahamas?” is not the same as a question about the minimum expenditure of the household or the amount of money spent on necessities. It specifically refers to “a middle-class life”. It is not the same as a question about income level. It is a question that is specific to the lifestyle that is considered to be middle class and the amount of money required to maintain that lifestyle. It is not, then, about simply having a car, but about the type of car. It is not simply about providing children with an education, but providing a particular quality of education which includes certain infrastructure and a particular social atmosphere.

The article “seeks to clarify the extent to which living costs between the middle and working classes differ” which is quite useful because it corrects the assumption that any study of the middle class must focus on income. While income may determine the ability to pay, it does not predict or necessarily put a limit—upper or lower—on the cost of the lifestyle people choose. It is possible for a middle class household to have a lifestyle that keeps its living costs at the same level as that of the working class, but it has the ability to choose a different lifestyle that comes at higher costs. This does not mean there is a higher cost of living in general, on the national level, but that there is a higher cost to living the lifestyle to which middle class people and households aspire until they get there and are the determined to (at least) maintain.

The article also states that there is “research attention towards ‘decent standards of living’ as valued by the middle class”. Here it

possessing different behaviours, attitudes, and access to products and related benefits.” This was demonstrated in the social media discourse. It was not difficult to see that the greatest discomfort that most people had was with the realisation that they are not, regardless of their income and what they may have previously thought, in the middle class. They may be able to pay their bills, mostly on time, and acquire some of the goods and services they want, but they do not have $10,600 per month and, even more important than (not) having that amount of money, they do not have the ability to build an emergency fund or save consistently, and they do not live in the areas or style of housing that comes at a higher price.

is made clear that the study is not only about minimum cost and/or affordability, but about what the middle class values. Archer also clearly states that the study “focuses only on determining the cost of acquiring and maintaining certain middle-class status symbols in The Bahamas”. Returning to the research question with this information, we can see that the study is, in fact, about the cost for middle class households to sustain a life in which they have a standard of living that affords them the assets, experiences, and appearances that they value.

The classification of middle class is not limited to the single factor of income. The same can be said about general cost. The graphic posted which drew the attention of social media users said, “Key findings: a family of four needs approx $10,600 monthly in New Providence.” People who were shocked by the amount, of course, questioned the definition of “need.” There were arguments in the comments of shared posts about what constitutes a need, missing the fact that this study is not at all about basic needs. In the same way, it is not about meeting the needs at the same cost as household of other classes. The middle class has ideas about itself and the way it wants to be perceived by others, hence the reference in the study to status symbols. There is a reason, of course, that so many aspire to be a part of the middle class.

Interestingly, the article noted that classifications have the effect of “[drawing] tension with those

The public discourse about this study highlight several truth about Bahamians and the way we consume and respond to information. People are generally prepared to believe titles and attention-grabbing sentences and that they are representative of an entire article. Many people are generally unwilling to read the entire article for themselves. People often make up their minds about an article before reading it and are not prepared to accept the new information as reasons to change their minds or consider a different point of view. People are also very committed to the idea that there are middle class, regardless of evidence to the contrary. People will often prove the point of an article in their response to it, but refuse to admit that it is true.

The University of The Bahamas is producing research that is useful for legislating, policymaking, and program development. It is important that we support the efforts of the faculty who see needs and do the work to meet them. There is always a demand for more data, and we are starting to get more of it which can inform our actions at the individual, household, local, and national levels in The Bahamas. We need to engage with research with an openness to learning while using critical thinking skills. We also need spaces to engage in conversations about new data and what it means for us. Social media rarely lends itself to the kind of productive discussion we need and, as has been made obvious, enjoy. It is a great benefit to have more knowledge production in The Bahamas, and it will be even more beneficial when we learn how to engage with it and each other to productive ends.

1. How to Die Alone. This television show streaming on Hulu was created by Natasha Rothwell who also starts as Mel, a JFK airport employee who is afraid of flying, does not have much money, and has never had romantic love in her life. In the first episode, she has a near-death experience that challenges her thinking and makes her want to live more fully. Throughout the eightepisode season, Mel wonders if she should travel, considers her dating life and the man whose love she refused, and struggles in her most treasured friendship and her family life. Natasha Rothwell is known for her role as Kelli, the hilarious friend in the popular HBO series Insecure and tweeting the forty-fifth president of the US every day during his four-year term to let him know he was, and this is a direct quote, “trash”.

2. Global 16 Days Campaign events. Check out the Equality Bahamas Global 16 Days Campaign event lineup at lu.ma/16days24. The Global 16 Days Campaign started in 1991 with a group of activists, and UN Women since launched its 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, using the same dates and concept. The 16-day period begins on November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and closed on December 10, Human Rights Day. Equality Bahamas is hosting events throughout the entire period, starting with a conversation with Soraya Chemaly, author of The Resilience Myth, about the ideas that are imposed upon us about the need for individual strength and ability to bounce back, and the better concept of building communities that we can rely on and do not require us to ignore and push past trauma in order to keep going. This conversation is virtual and open to the general public, Monday, November 25, at 6pm EDT. Register at tiny.cc/16daysmyth. See the full event lineup at lu.ma/16days24.

AI-generated St Peter’s Basilica created to allow virtual visits

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

THE Vatican and Microsoft on Monday unveiled a digital twin of St Peter’s Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world’s most important monument’s while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems.

Using 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs, taken with drones, cameras and lasers over four weeks when no one was in the basilica, the digital replica is going online alongside two new on-site exhibits to

provide visitors - real and virtual - with an interactive experience.

“It is literally one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated projects of its kind that has ever been pursued,” Microsoft’s president Brad Smith told a Vatican press conference.

The project has been launched ahead of the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee, a holy year in which more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to pass through the basilica’s Holy Door, on top of the 50,000 who visit on a normal day.

“Everyone, really everyone should feel welcome

in this great house,” Pope Francis told Smith and members of the project’s development teams at an audience Monday.

The digital platform allows visitors to reserve entry times to the basilica, a novelty for one of the world’s most visited monuments that regularly has an hours-long line of tourists waiting to get in.

But the heart of the project is the creation of a digital twin of St. Peter’s Basilica through advanced photogrammetry and artificial intelligence that allows anyone to “visit” the church and learn about its history.

NUCLEAR REACTOR PROTOTYPE BUILT FOR CHINESE WARSHIP

BANGKOK Associated Press

CHINA has built a landbased prototype nuclear reactor for a large surface warship, in the clearest sign yet Beijing is advancing toward producing the country’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, according to a new analysis of satellite imagery and Chinese government documents provided to The Associated Press. There have long been

rumours that China is planning to build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, but the research by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California is the first to confirm it is working on a nuclear-powered propulsion system for a carrier-sized surface warship. China’s navy is already the world’s largest numerically, and it has been rapidly modernising. Adding nuclear-powered carriers to its fleet would be

a major step in realizing its ambitions for a true “bluewater” force capable of operating around the globe in a growing challenge to the United States. Nuclear carriers take longer to build than conventional carriers, but once in operation they are able to stay at sea for much longer because they do not need to refuel, and there is more room on board for fuel and weapons for aircraft, thus extending their capabilities.

The ultra-precise 3D replica, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, incorporates 22 petabytes of data — enough to fill five million DVDs — Smith said.

The images have already identified structural damage and signs of deterioration, such as missing mosaic pieces, cracks and fissures invisible to the naked eye, with a speed and precision far beyond human capabilities.

Francis has called for the ethical use of AI and used his annual World Message of Peace this year to urge an international

treaty to regulate it, arguing that technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness were too great.

On Monday, he thanked the Microsoft team and basilica workers responsible for the project and marveled at how modern technology was helping spread an ancient faith and preserve a piece of world patrimony, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of its consecration in 2026.

“Therefore, it is a gift and a task to care for it, in both a spiritual and material sense, even through the latest technologies.”

Smith declined to give a price tag for Microsoft’s investment in the project, saying only it was “substantial” and was borne of Francis’ initiative in 2018 to bring tech companies together to promote ethnically minded AI. He said Microsoft had done similar AI projects at Mont Saint-Michel in France and Ancient Olympia, in Greece.

“This house of prayer for all peoples has been entrusted to us by those who have preceded us in faith and apostolic ministry,” he told Smith and the delegation.

IN this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, conventionally powered Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning carries out an exercise in the South China Sea last month. Photo: Pu Haiyang/Xinhua/AP

A VIEW of St Peter’s basilica during the preview to the press of the exhibition ‘Petros eni’, which is part of the project “St Peter’s Basilica: AI-Enhanced Experience” at the Vatican, on Saturday.

Photo: Gregorio Borgia/AP

US and UN prohibit flights to Haiti after two planes were shot by gangs

PORT-AU-PRINCE

Associated Press

THE Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday that it will prohibit US airlines from flying to Haiti for 30 days after gangs shot two planes and the United Nations will temporarily suspend flights to Port-au-Prince, limiting humanitarian aid coming into the country.

Bullets hit a Spirit Airlines plane when it was about to land Monday in the country’s capital, injuring a flight attendant and forcing the airport to shut down. Photos and videos obtained by The Associated Press show bullet holes dotting the interior of a plane.

On Tuesday, JetBlue announced that one of its planes had also been shot while departing Port-auPrince on Monday.

The shootings were part of a wave of violence that erupted as the country plagued by gang violence swore in its new prime minister after a politically tumultuous process.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the agency documented 20 armed clashes and more

roadblocks affecting humanitarian operation during the violence Monday. The Port-au-Prince airport will remain closed until Nov. 18, and Dujarric said the UN will divert flights to the country’s second airport in the northern, more peaceful, city of Cap Haïtien. Slashed access to the epicenter of the violence, Port-au-Prince, is likely to be devastating as gangs choking the life out of the capital have pushed Haiti to the brink of famine. Dujarric warned that cutting off flights would mean “limiting the flow of humanitarian aid and humanitarian personnel into the country.”

Already, a convoy of 20 trucks filled with food and medical supplies in the south had been postponed and an operation providing cash assistance to a thousand people in the Carrefour area where violence broke out had to be cancelled.

“We are doing all we can to ensure the continuation of operations amidst this challenging environment,” he said. “We call for an end to the escalating violence, to allow for safe, sustained and unimpeded

humanitarian access.”

On Tuesday, life in much of Haiti’s capital was frozen after the wave of violence. Heavily armed police in armoured cars outside the airport checked trucks used for public transportation passing by.

Schools were closed, as were banks and government offices. Streets, where just a day before gangs and police were locked in a fierce firefight, were eerily empty, with few driving by other than a motorcycle with a man who had been shot clinging to the back.

The sounds of heavy gunfire still echoed through the streets in the afternoon — a reminder that despite political manoeuvring by Haiti’s elites and a strong push by the international community to restore peace, the country’s toxic slate of gangs kept its firm hold on much of the Caribbean nation.

The United Nations estimates that gangs control 85% of the capital, Portau-Prince. A UN-backed mission led by Kenyan police to quell gang violence struggles with a lack of funding and personnel,

prompting calls for a UN peacekeeping mission.

President Luis Abinader in the Dominican Republic, which shares a border with Haiti, was the first leader on the island to condemn the violence, describing the shooting a “terrorist act”.

On Tuesday, a transitional council established in April to restore democratic order to Haiti also condemned the violence.

“This cowardly crime, which threatens Haiti’s sovereignty and security, aims to isolate our country on the international stage. The perpetrators of these heinous acts will be hunted down and brought to justice,” the council wrote in a statement.

The council has taken sharp criticism from many in Haiti who contend that its political fights and corruption allegations against three members created the political instability, allowing gangs to make violent power grabs like the one seen Monday.

That came to a head over the weekend, when it fired former interim Prime Minister Garry Conille – long at odds with the council. They replaced him with businessman Alix

Didier Fils-Aimé, who was inaugurated Monday surrounded by suit-clad officials and diplomats while gangs terrorized the capital around them.

Neither Fils-Aimé or Conille have commented on the wave of violence.

Conille originally called the council’s move illegal, but on Tuesday acknowledged Fils-Aimé’s appointment in a post on the social media platform X.

“(I) wish him success in fulfilling this mission. At this crucial moment, unity and solidarity are essential for our country. Long live Haiti!” he wrote. FilsAimé promised to work with international partners to restore peace and hold long awaited elections, a vow also made by his predecessor.

But many Haitians, like 43-year-old Martha JeanPierre, have little taste for the political fighting, which experts say only gives gangs more freedom to continue expanding their control.

Jean-Pierre was among those to brave the streets of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday to sell the plantains, carrots, cabbage and potatoes she carried in a basket

on her head. She had no choice, she said — selling was the only way she could feed her children.

“What good is a new prime minister if there’s no security, if I can’t move freely and sell my goods?” she said, nodding to her basket of vegetables. “This is my bank account. This is what my family depend on.”

It was a frustration that concerned international players like the UN and the US that have pushed for a peaceful resolution in Haiti.

On Tuesday, the US State Department lamented that Conille and the council “were unable to move forward in a constructive manner” and called on Fils-Aimé and the council to provide a clear action plan outlining a joint vision on how to decrease violence and pave the path for elections to be held to “prevent further gridlock.”

“The acute and immediate needs of the Haitian people mandate that the transitional government prioritise governance over the competing personal interests of political actors,” it wrote in a statement.

Driver rams car into crowd in China, killing 35. Police say he was upset about his divorce

A MAN who authorities said was upset over his divorce settlement rammed his car into a crowd of people exercising at a sports complex in southern China, killing 35 and severely injuring dozens of others, police said Tuesday. Police detained the 62-year-old man, who is being treated for wounds thought to be self-inflicted, shortly after the attack Monday night in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai. The city is hosting the People’s Liberation Army’s annual aviation exhibition, which opened Tuesday, and searches for what happened were heavily censored for users behind China’s Great Firewall. Outside of the controls, however, videos circulated on the social media platform X. In several, dozens of people could be seen lying on the track at the sports complex, which is regularly used by hundreds of residents to run, play soccer or dance. In one, shared by news blogger and dissident Li Ying, a woman says “my foot is broken.” That same video showed a firefighter performing CPR on a person, as others were told to leave. Li, who is known

on X as Teacher Li, posts daily news based on user submissions.

In addition to the 35 people killed, police said 43 were injured.

Police set up barricades at the entrance to the sports complex Tuesday, barring people from entering. However, members of the public left bouquets by the square just adjacent to the sports center. China has seen a number of attacks in which suspects appear to target members of the public at random.

In October, a man was detained after he allegedly attacked children with a knife at a school in Beijing. Five people were wounded.

In September, three people were killed in a knife attack in a Shanghai supermarket, and 15 others were injured. Police said at the time that the suspect had personal financial disputes and came to Shanghai to “vent his anger.”

In May, two people were killed and 21 injured in a knife attack in a hospital in Yunnan province. Police identified the man detained in Monday’s attack only by his family name of Fan, as is typical, and said he was unconscious and receiving medical care after being found in his car with a knife and wounded. He was dissatisfied with the split of financial assets

in his divorce, according to a preliminary investigation, police said.

Chinese authorities appeared to be tightly controlling information about the incident. Internet censors tend to take extra care to scrub social media ahead of and during major events, such as the aviation exhibition or the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress.

For almost 24 hours after the attack, it was unclear what the death or injury toll was. On Tuesday morning, a search on the Chinese social media platform Weibo for the sports center turned up just a few posts, with only a couple referring to the fact something had happened, without pictures or details. Articles by Chinese media from Monday night about the incident were taken down.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for the “strict” punishment of the perpetrator according to law, in a statement Tuesday evening. He also called on all local governments “to strengthen prevention and control of risks at the source, strictly prevent extreme cases from occurring, and to resolve conflicts and disputes in a timely manner,” according to the official Xinhua news agency.

CHINA Associated Press

A POLICE officer looks on during an exchange of gunfire between gangs and police in Portau-Prince, Haiti, on Monday.

Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP

A WOMAN lights a candle as offering near flowers placed outside the “Zhuhai People’s Fitness Plaza” where a man deliberately rammed his car into people exercising at the sports centre, killing some and injuring others in Zhuhai in southern China’s Guangdong province on yesterday.

Photo: Ng Han Guan/AP

Roster limits in college small sports put athletes on chopping block while coaches look for answers

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer

HELPING athletes find college scholarships has never been easy, but in some ways at least it was predictable. There have always been players vying for a reasonably welldefined number of roster spots, some that include scholarships, others that don’t.

This year, all that math has been thrown away, part of the fallout from the pending $2.8 billion NCAA antitrust settlement.

Liam Barrett, the managing director of the US Sports Scholarships recruiting service, said it was no surprise when a soccer player called last week to say his spot on the roster at an Atlantic 10 Conference school was gone.

That player will enter a transfer portal that is likely to double in size to as many as 1,600 soccer players, many like him who are being cut from teams by coaches dealing with shrinking roster sizes and uncertainty about the future.

“It’s just going to make it so much more difficult for someone who’s not even in the college system yet to break through,” Barrett said in explaining the cascading impact new college roster limits are having on high school prospects.

Many schools were busy right up to Wednesday’s deadline for the revamped National Signing Day for “non-revenue” sports — everything outside of football and basketball — trying to determine how many roster spots they will have to offer for the 202526 school year.

This is happening because the settlement that clears the way for schools to pay their players also dictates new roster limits, forcing athletic departments to reimagine the way teams — from the biggest (football) to the smallest (golf) — are built.

“I’m hearing about walkons and future recruits ... who haven’t signed yet getting that hard phone call,” said Minnesota women’s volleyball coach Keegan Cook. “That’s brutal. It’s really hard, because now a roster spot is really a limited commodity, for lack of a better word, where it didn’t used to be.”

Higher roster limits won’t necessarily mean more players At first glance, the terms of the House settlement — the agreement between plaintiffs, the NCAA and college’s biggest conferences that is reshaping college sports —look like a bonanza for college athletes.

Scholarship limits (for instance, 85 for football and exactly 9.9 for men’s wrestling) have been eliminated and replaced by roster limits (105 for football and

30 for wrestling). If a school wants to, it can offer scholarships to every player on a team.

Doing so, however, will cost an exorbitant amount.

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel suggested if his athletic department decided to fund scholarships for every available spot, educational costs under the new rules would add $29 million to annual expenses that are already slated to grow by around $21 million to pay for the new athlete revenuesharing provisions in the settlement.

So, choices will have to be made. Will schools give scholarships to all 105 players on their football team? If so, will they make cuts elsewhere? Or will they continue to ask boosters and fans for more money to backfill the growing costs?

Small-sports model will be changing

Most of the smaller, socalled Olympic sports have long operated in a different world. For instance, some divide their 9.9 scholarships and distribute partial aid to, say, 20 players. They then add depth with walkon athletes, some hoping to land scholarship help in the future.

Under the new system, some schools might choose to eliminate a sport or two altogether. Others will pare roster sizes, whether by

choice or because the new roster limits actually make them get smaller.

In wrestling, for instance, the settlement calls for a limit of 30 athletes. Some of the nation’s top programs have up to 35 wrestlers on their team, many of whom pay their own way.

“Wrestling can provide access to college for so many young men and women who otherwise wouldn’t have that opportunity,” said Mike Moyer, the executive director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. “Whenever you start limiting opportunities, it’s always unfortunate.”

Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh estimated sports across his campus will lose between 80 and 100 athletes by the time changes come into play for the 2025-26 school year.

Nebraska’s AD, Troy Dannen, told Huskeronline he’s determined not to cut scholarships or sports, which is a $200 million operation at Nebraska. He is asking coaches and other administrators to start thinking outside the box.

“Is there a better way to allocate?” he said.

Minnesota eliminated three men’s sports — indoor track, tennis and gymnastics — during the pandemic, easing the pain now.

“That decision, in hindsight, looks really strategic

right now,” Gophers AD Mark Coyle said.

Football gets special treatment as the moneymaker Underlying the entire college sports model is the reality that football, with help from men’s basketball, produces the millions in revenue that fund every other sport on a typical campus.

The SEC helped its 16 schools answer some questions this fall by announcing it would keep the 85-scholarship limit intact for 2025, while allowing teams to fill the other 20 spots with walk-ons. The 105 roster spots would actually be a net loss, since the average roster size of big-school football teams tops 120.

Last spring, there were reports that the SEC would cap swimming rosters at 22, which is eight fewer than the new limit. Because women’s swimming teams are currently limited to 14 scholarships and men’s to 9.9, the new cap, if true, could dramatically increase the number of scholarships for those teams but also slash roster sizes that topped 40 swimmers in some cases.

All these choices bring about the possibility that the age of the walk-on athlete — the scrappy grinders who do it for the love of the game, school or both — could be nearing an end. Chances to

develop diamond-in-therough athletes could be lost, as well.

“It’s like, we don’t care if you’re a walk-on, there isn’t a spot for you on the roster,” said Steve Roush, executive director of the Southern California’s grassroots local swimming committee. “That could have some devastating effects for our numbers at the collegiate level.”

Waiting for the fallout: the US (and other) Olympic teams One of the leastunderstood dynamics in American sports is the outsized impact college athletics have on the number of medals the US wins every four years at the Summer Olympics.

The world’s most dominant Olympic team (the US led the medals in Paris with 126) got 67% of its athletes from the NCAA pipeline.

Shrinking the number of players in collegiate Olympic sports programs could eventually harm U.S. prospects, along with the overall quality of the Olympic movement itself (about 8.5% of athletes not representing the US also competed in NCAA sports).

“There’s a lot of anxiety around what impact this is going to have on Olympic sports,” said Rich Bender, the executive director of USA Wrestling, who is

also on the board of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee. “You don’t have to have too big an imagination to think that if the pool of resources is being drastically reduced, the athletic department is probably not thinking of cutting expenses around football and basketball. So where do you go?”

Best-case scenario is a massive shift, but not fewer overall spots

Even with some of the grim predictions, it’s not all doom and gloom among the experts. Some see lost opportunities for fringe athletes at bigger schools as a chance for them to catch on at smaller programs and actually get some playing time.

Others believe colleges feel the deep connection to Olympic sports.

“The good news is, there’s been a lot of awareness around, ‘Hey, it’s not cool to cut programs,’” Bender said.

Most see more stability coming in 2026 or 2027, after the House settlement is finalized and schools, conferences and the NCAA have locked in on the numbers.

For the upcoming school year, though, uncertainty reigns. As Dannen, the Nebraska athletic director, put it: “There are 100 questions I don’t have the answers for.”

EMBIID MAKES SEASON DEBUT AND READY TO GIVE 76ERS A LIFT

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer

JOEL Embiid returned to a rousing ovation from 76ers fans in his first game of the season, a start marred by injuries and suspension to the All-Star center that kept Philadelphia anchored at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Embiid wasted no time giving the Sixers a tantalizing glimpse against the New York Knicks on Tuesday night of what could be — a dish to fellow oft-injured All Star Paul George for a layup to open the game.

“He’s looked good,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said of Embiid before the game.

“He’s done a lot of work to get ready here. He looks pretty good. You’ve got to go out there and do it live.”

Embiid, wearing a brace on his surgically repaired

left knee, pointed skyward as he hit the court for pregame warmups and looked in shape and ready to roll for his debut. He had already stuck around for extra work after shootaround. The 7-footer was in no rush to finish his drills.

Embiid shot free throws, worked on his post game and made soft jumpers during a Tuesday morning workout in preparation of his season debut and his first game playing with George, who joined the Sixers over the summer on a four-year, $212 million contract. Without Embiid, the Sixers entered 2-7.

“It’s the right step in the right direction we’re trying to get to,” Sixers forward Caleb Martin said. “Obviously, excited to have someone like him back to

our team.”

Embiid, George and fellow All-Star Tyrese Maxey, out with a right hamstring injury, were the 76ers’ version of a Big Three that was expected to make them one of the big favorites out of the East.

The trio instead has yet to play a game together.

“We’ve had our struggles without them,” Nurse said.

“It’s important for us to get into some phase of figuring out what we look like with those guys all here and how that moves the other pieces around. What guys can get on the floor with who. try to start building some chemistry.”

The 76ers are coming off an overtime win over Charlotte but face an uphill climb into playoff contention.

There have been 20 teams in NBA history to

make the playoffs after starting 1-6 or 0-7, though it’s been extremely rare in recent years. In the last 27 years, only three teams -- the 2003-04 Miami Heat (0-7), the 2004-05 Chicago Bulls (0-7) and the 2021-22 New Orleans Pelicans (1-6) had such a start and went on to make the playoffs.

Embiid’s return can only force the push toward a winning record.

A seven-time All-Star, Embiid returns from what the team called left knee management and the end of a three-game suspension for shoving a member of the media.

By his own admission, Embiid says he won’t play back-to-back games this season, meaning he’ll sit out Wednesday against Cleveland. The next set of back-to-backs are Dec.

3 at Charlotte and a Dec.

4 home game against Orlando.

Play him at home in front of fans who paid exorbitant ticket prices this season to watch Andre Drummond at center, right? No so fast. Much like Tuesday’s game against the Knicks, the Hornets game was designated as part of the NBA Cup round-robin schedule. The 76ers have been open since the preseason on how they intended to use Embiid this season — manage his minutes and games played to the point where they can safely navigate him to the postseason healthy for the first time in his career.

Nurse, the sports science departments and the front office face a thorny situation on deciding when Embiid will suit up this season. Plus, with Embiid,

there’s no guarantee he simply won’t get injured again, a blow that would send the franchise closer to the draft lottery than chasing its first NBA championship since 1983.

Any potential setbacks with Embiid are worries for another day.

On Tuesday, Embiid banners decorated the Wells Fargo Center concourse and his teammates — and fans — were excited to have him play for the first time since he helped the U.S. win a gold medal in the Paris Olympics.

“You’ve got to expect there to be hiccups and kinks and stuff like that,” Martin said. “Understand that’s what comes with putting a new team together and bringing pieces back. Just expect the unexpected.”

Hey, it’s the 76ers’ way.

LSU’S SHA’CARRI RICHARDSON, centre, celebrates as she wins the women’s 100 meters during the NCAA outdoor track and field championships in Austin, Texas, on June 8, 2019.

Photo: Eric Gay/AP

Klay Thompson returns to cheers from some 400 Warriors employees

By JANIE McCAULEY AP Sports Writer

KLAY Thompson exited the team bus then beamed as he strolled back into Chase Center on Tuesday night, greeted by some 400 cheering Warriors employees who lined up along his path to the Dallas locker room to show their love and appreciation for the former Golden State star.

They sported “Captain Klay” hats, the giveaway for all fans on a celebratory night remembering Thompson’s 13 years with the franchise, two of those spent injured, and four championships he helped win here.

Those white hats filled Chase Center, where video highlights of Thompson showed in a place where he’s still beloved — and always will be. Stephen Curry jogged up to Thompson, now wearing No. 31 with teammate Kyrie Irving in No. 11, and offered

a quick embrace before Andrew Wiggins also hugged his old teammate.

Earlier, after a brief jump-rope routine outside the Mavericks’ locker room, Thompson ran out the tunnel and onto the floor to thunderous applause from Warriors fans with phones up to capture the moment of Thompson’s return.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Curry had considered addressing the crowd before tipoff but spoke with Thompson and they decided to each focus on the game, though Kerr knew it would be something when they had to defend each other.

Who would the Warriors put on Thompson?

“I’m not telling you,” Kerr cracked.

Curry fouled his former Splash Brother 15 seconds into the game and Thompson scored the initial two points of the contest on free throws.

“I imagine that he’ll be

the exact same guy that I watched for ten years, so he’s always aggressive,” Kerr said. “I’m sure he’s coming out firing and none of us would have it any way different than that.”

The Warriors invited all their employees to be part of the welcoming committee for Thompson, who joined Dallas in July on a three-year, $50 million contract. Thompson, 34, missed more than 2 1/2 years — the entire 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons — recovering from surgeries on his left knee and right Achilles tendon before making his comeback in January 2022.

“I think what he overcame is almost unprecedented,” Kerr said. “...

The last couple of years after he came back he struggled reconciling all of that, losing those prime seasons. We all saw that, saw him struggle with it emotionally. We saw him fight to get his game back. He helped us win a championship, led

the league in 3s two years ago, he did a lot of amazing things.

“We wished that this had gone forever, that Klay would have finished his career with us but circumstances always dictate these things. In the end I think he made the right choice. I think he needed a fresh start, I think he needed kind of a new set of surroundings and that was apparent last year. He was not happy and that was hard to see, because he deserves to be happy. At his core he’s a very happy person.”

Thompson has tried to downplay the magnitude of being back in the Bay Area, though it certainly was emotional for everybody involved.

“I’ve been doing this a long time, and basketball is basketball,” he said.

But when the home crowd went crazy and tipped those captain hats when he was introduced, Thompson became

visibly emotional and clearly touched by the tribute. He waved and saluted in several directions.

Dallas coach Jason Kidd called the Mavericks “lucky to get him,” and imagined how hard this might be for Thompson with so many emotions.

“He’s a true pro. Comes to work, understands what it means to win,” Kidd said.

“We can talk about his ability to shoot the ball, space and his gravity. We can run him around, he’s going to create space for others. So when you talk about the big picture that’s hard to find, and we didn’t have that, and it was much-needed.”

Golden State planned a “Salute Captain Klay” ceremony before tipoff to pay tribute to Thompson’s contributions to the franchise and his tradition of boating across the bay to games. He will be back again in February in the Mavs’ second trip to Chase Center.

“This is all staff. It’s

unbelievable,” Warriors president and COO Brandon Schneider said. “What Klay has meant to our organization and to all of us the last 13 years, the team accomplishments, individual accomplishments, who he is as a person, what he’s done in the community, it is a special night.”

For Kerr, this moment felt far different from Thompson’s triumphant return nearly three years ago from the injuries and daunting grind of rehab that the veteran guard considered some of the most difficult days of his life.

“That was a welcome back, we knew there were a lot of good times ahead. In fact there was a championship six months later,” Kerr said. “This one is obviously more of a goodbye, the first time we will have seen him. ... It’ll feel very strange but it will be a different vibe, more of a thank you and a goodbye and everything that you’ve meant to us.”

BILL SELF MAKES HISTORY WITH MOST KANSAS WINS

By PAUL NEWBERRY AP Sports Writer

HUNTER Dickinson

scored 28 points and Bill Self became the winningest coach in Kansas history as the top-ranked Jayhawks pulled away from Michigan State for a 77-69 victory in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night.

Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 52 with just under nine minutes remaining. KJ Adams Jr. hit a pair of free throws to put Kansas (3-0) ahead to stay. Self improved to 591-143 in his 22nd season coaching the Jayhawks, pushing him past Phog Allen’s mark of 590-219 in 39 seasons on the Kansas sideline. Frankie Fidler led Michigan State (2-1) with 15 points. The Jayhawks posted their second straight win over one of the nation’s prominent programmes, following up a 92-89 win over No. 10 North Carolina.

Takeaways

Kansas: After missing 15 straight shots from the field, Kansas ripped off a 14-2 run that turned an 18-16 deficit into a 30-20 lead. Michigan State: The Spartans couldn’t overcome a tough shooting night, especially from beyond the arc. They made just 3 of 24 from 3-point range.

Key moment Dajuan Harris Jr. gave the Jayhawks some breathing room when he laid one in off a fast break, drew a foul and completed the three-point play for a 68-59 lead with 4:25 to go. After tumbling to the court, Harris remained on his back for a few seconds, clapping furiously. He finished with 11 points and six assists.

Key stats The 7-foot-2 Dickinson made 13 of 21 shots from the field, including his only 3-point attempt, and grabbed 12 rebounds. He also had three steals and a block at the defensive end.

DALLAS Mavericks guard Klay Thompson is greeted by Golden State Warriors employees and media as he arrives before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game between the Warriors and the Mavericks in San Francisco last night.

Photo: Jeff Chiu/AP

KANSAS head coach Bill Self reacts on the sidieline during the first half

basketball game against Michigan State, last night in Atlanta.

Photo: John Bazemore/AP

GSSSA volleyball championships set for today

from back page

“Persistence and playing our game. We have a chant where we say whose game do we play and we say our game. We have to play our game first and foremost and we cannot play anybody else’s game. AF Adderley did a really good job and in that second set we got a bit relaxed so in the third game we had to regain our focus and keep putting the ball up and over,” she said.

Coach Minus was relieved to advance to the finals but is anticipating a tough matchup against the HO Nash Lions, the twotime defending champions.

“It feels awesome. It is amazing and I am always extremely excited but also humbled to play against coach Patty. She is awesome and her team is always one of our rivals but it is an honour. We are ready and we will be ready,” she said. On the other side of the bracket, the second-seeded HO Nash Lions toppled the third seeded CH Reeves Raptors 2-0 to face the Sharks in the junior girls’ championship.

The defending champions showed why they won the last two titles in the junior girls division matchup against the Raptors. The Lions intimidated the Raptors in straight sets with identical scores of 17-6.

Coach Patricia “Patty” Johnson is expecting it to be a fight to the finish against the Sharks today.

“After our last game, SC had a very good game and they did not let anything drop to the floor so hats off to them. We have to fix it where we do not let anything drop. It will be 0-0 until someone lets the ball drop and we do not want to be the one to let anything drop,” she said.

Coach Johnson said that the Lions played without

fear against the Raptors which led to the win.

“The girls were unafraid. Coaching girls is very difficult. A lot of people do not understand that,you can have one team today and a different team the next day. Tomorrow [Today] whoever sweeps the floor will win the game,” she said. The Sharks had a second team advance to the volleyball championships, this time in the junior boys’ division. SC McPherson upset the pennant winners AF Adderley 2-1 in a threeset showdown. SC McPherson took set

one in convincing fashion 17-7. The Tigers pounced in set two for a 17-12 advantage. When it was all said and done the Sharks pulled off a 15-8 win in the final set for the championship berth.

Sharks head coach Rashaun Culmer was proud to get revenge against the Tigers on Tuesday.

“In the regular season, they beat us in three sets and we know our team is better but we made mistakes. Coming into the playoff game we matched up against them and handled business this time,” he said.

Coach Culmer said the junior team improved remarkably this season and it feels good to make it to the final stage.

“It feels good because these boys I think did not win any games last season. To win games this season, finish 4-3 and come into the playoffs and beat the pennant winners is a great feeling,” he said.

The Lions sent the defending champions LW Young Golden Eagles packing after three grueling sets in the junior boys’ matchup. HO Nash claimed set one 17-4 but the Golden Eagles

managed to clinch set two 17-15. LW Young made some errors in the final set while the Lions capitalised 15-6.

Senior Division The pennant winning CI Gibson Rattlers booked their trip to the senior girls finals with a 2-0 sweep of the fourth seeded RM Bailey Pacers. The Rattlers downed the Pacers in straight sets 19-10, 19-9. CI Gibson’s senior boys team also secured a spot in the finals for the second straight season. The Rattlers defeated the second seeded Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves in three sets 19-17, 15-19 and 15-6 in a rematch of last year’s championship showdown. The Government High School Magic senior girls closed the curtains on the defending champions CV Bethel Stingrays in straight sets 19-13, 19-10 in a rematch of last year’s finals. The fourth seeded Knights ended the season early for the pennant winning GHS in three sets 19-11, 10-19 and 15-10. The GSSSA volleyball championships commences at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium at 4pm today.

BOXING EVENT TO BRING TITLE FIGHT TO BAHAMAS

CHAMPION Spirit, a global leader in high-performance wellness, sports and fitness, founded by renowned athlete and world champion boxer Abdoulaye Fadiga, has announced an evening of boxing with the return of “Drama in Bahama!” - a historic “Fight Night at Baha Mar” on Saturday, December 14. This marks the first world championship fight in The Bahamas in over 43 years, since the legendary bout between Muhammad Ali

and Trevor Berbick in 1981. Undefeated French powerhouse Kevin Lele Sadjo (23-0-0, 20 KO) and Chinese star Xu Can, known as the “Monster” (19-4-0, 4 KO), will face off in highly anticipated matchups. Joining them is undefeated champion Lenar Perez (13-0-0, 13 KO) from Cuba, 2024 Olympic gold medalist Erislandy Alvarez, and American professional boxer and heavyweight champion from Miami, Anthony Martinez (19-2-0,

17 KO). Bahamian champion Carl Hield will be fighting on his home turf, poised to energise the local crowd. There will be seven bouts featuring professional boxers and Olympic champions.

The event will be held at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. Champion Spirit Country Club will also host public training sessions for the athletes. VIP guests will have exclusive access to the training practice, offering a

unique opportunity to witness the preparation and intensity of the fighters before the main event.

Regular seating options are available, as well as VIP packages.

VIP seating costs $1,000 + VAT and includes one VIP seat with a preferred view of the ring, a cocktail dinner and complimentary glass of champagne.

A VIP table costs $12,000 + VAT (for a table of seven) and includes access to public training sessions,

a three-course gourmet dinner with wine pairing and exclusive entry to the after-show cocktail party. The All-Access VIP Add-On costs $550 per person (only available to VIP table holders) and includes backstage meet and greet with the champions, photo opportunity and behind-the-scenes access. The event will be broadcast live on DAZN. To book or for more information, visit https:// championspirit.com/event.

IN yesterday’s Tribune, a headline error inadvertently reported the incorrect number of points achieved by Buddy Hield. He has now reached 10,000 career points, reaching the target in the Golden State Warriors game against OKC Thunder on Sunday in Oklahoma. We apologise for the error.

Swift performances in SPIA Mile Challenge

from back page

5:32.08. Ayden Russell was just a few steps behind, posting a time of 5:34.38. Victoria Aguilar nabbed the win in the girls’ age group in 6:35.13. Tia Thompson settled for second in a time of 6:57.08. Raynik Neilly got the third-place finish in 7:03.26.

L’Quon Sands finished the under-13 boys’ event way before his competitors with a time of 6:02.86. The second podium spot went to Kaiden Taylor, who stopped the clock at 6:09.17. Nipsey Jones got the bronze medal spot in 6:24.69.

Ariel Thompson ran away with the victory in the under-13 girls’ category. She placed first in 6:32.42. Elexia Strachan came in a few seconds behind at 6:40.92 for second. Third place belonged to Kari Goffee, who posted a time of 6:55.97.

Patton said last weekend’s SPIA Mile Challenge provides a good measuring stick for coaches that want to see where their athletes are before the start of the upcoming track and field season.

“The whole idea of the mile is endurance based. You can see where your athletes are at this time. In November, some

people are in specific/ pre-competition, meaning that they are getting ready for the season and the meets that are coming ahead. Specific competition is almost the same thing but now you are out of the general preparation phase and now you are starting to break up sprinters and 400m runners for individualized training. It also helps with speed and strength coming home,” he said. Overall, he added that Saturday was a successful second hosting of the meet and coaches were pleased with the performances and times produced by the athletes.

SPORTS

SECTION

SWIFT PERFORMANCES IN SPIA MILE CHALLENGE

BY TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

THE second edition of the SPIA MIle Challenge brought out some swift performances on Saturday at the University of The Bahamas campus. The one-day event featured up to 300 male and female competitors across the under-7, under-9, under-11, under-13, under-15, under17, under-20 and open divisions.

Rashad Patton, event organiser and track and field coach, was pleased with the level of competition displayed at the meet over the weekend.

“The competition was actually pretty good. I didn’t expect the level of competition because last year the competition was alright with more quantity but this year it had more quality and the meet was fantastic and way better,” he said.

Akaree Roberts, who attends Queen’s College, had a strong showing in the girls’ under-20 event. She paced all competitors with a winning time of 6:20.61. The second place finisher was Krista Ford in 6:47.60. Third place went to Deja Major in 7:15.35. The under-20 boys’ victory went to Benrico Pierre. He won the event in 4:56.62.

Kyden Thurston came in shortly after in 4:57.75. Ross Martin rounded out the top three with his time of 5:05.27. Ramonique Mclennon was the top performer in the under-17 girls’ age group. She secured the win with a time of 6:38.43. Breynice Kemp crossed the finish line in second place

with a time of 6:41.39. Layla Duncombe was third overall in 6:41.74. Gabriel Johnson triumphed in the under-17 boys’ division with a time of

was

in 5:20.02.

GSSSA VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

THE 2024 Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) volleyball best-of-three championships will be in full swing for the junior

5:11.99. Placing second

Jason Ferguson

Donald Bain Jr got the third position in 5:24.24. Cordel Munroe had the fastest time in the under-15

boys’ event. He led the field of competitors to cross the finish line in 5:26.64. Queai Frith trailed for second in

PAGE 15