12082022 NEWS AND SPORT

UNION PROTEST AT ‘SLAP IN THE FACE’

Members gathered outside Parliament as matters unresolved

By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net

SCORES of Baha mas Public Service Union (BPSU) members gath ered outside the House of Assembly yesterday outraged over the govern ment’s failure to meet with union executives to resolve several outstanding matters.

A major issue, described as “a slap in the face” by BPSU president Kimsley Ferguson, was that the gov ernment in the absence of negotiations and a mutual agreement, decided to issue

salary increases for the public sector.

He also echoed previous accusations that the Davis administration has engaged in union busting tactics.

The protest signalled a climax to months of brew ing contention on the union’s part.

Union members chanted, “we want our money, and we want it now” at Parlia ment Street where a portion of the road was barricaded with lines of police officers on guard.

DEBT CONSOLIDATIONS DOUBLE IN NOVEMBER

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

FIDELITY Bank (Baha mas) doubled the number of debt consolidation-linked credit reports it requested for November, chief execu tive Gowon Bowe revealed yesterday, as it targets a “flat” loan book outcome

for the fourth quarter.

Mr Bowe told Tribune Business it had “certainly seen an uptick in the number of people apply ing for debt consolidation loans” as persons seek to straighten out their overleveraged finances before they can obtain new credit.

PINTARD: GOVT MISLEADING PUBLIC OVER CIVIL SERVICE RELATIONS

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FREE

His comments came as members of the Baha mas Public Service Union (BPSU) gathered on Par liament Street yesterday

morning in frustration over negotiations for their indus trial agreement.

Reacting to the union

woes, the opposition leader told reporters: “Well, I mean again, the govern ment has continued to mislead the public through public relations to give the impression that all is well with them and workers in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. We asked on our feet in the House of Assem bly, we asked the minister with responsibility for social services, the Honourable Obediah Wilchcombe, we asked him what was the nature of the issues.

‘SEARS UNSUITABLE FOR HIS PORTFOLIO’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

During a press confer ence outside the Ministry of Public Works, Mr Pin tard spoke on topics such as the “mismanagement of roadworks” and the “disas trous situation” residents on Family Islands are facing as a result of the “dereliction of duty” by this administration.

The call for Mr Sears’ resignation was repeated as the FNM leader rehashed the BPL fuel cost issue.

“The public would recall that we have called for Alfred Sears’ resignation for two things,” Mr Pintard said.

DISASTER BILL ‘A SIGNIFICANT STEP’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FRONT PORCH:

National Move ment leader Michael Pintard said the govern ment has continued to mislead the public through public relations to give the impression that all is well with them and civil servants.

SEE PAGE THREE BPSU president Kimsley Ferguson speaking outside the House of Assembly yesterday.

Photo: Moise Amisial

FNM leader Michael Pintard.

Photo: Moise Amisial

FREE National Move ment leader Michael Pintard says Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears is “unsuitable” for his portfolio.

MYLES Laroda, State Minister for Disaster Pre paredness, led debate in the House of Assembly yester day on the Disaster Risk Management Bill 2022, saying the proposed legis lation, once enacted, will mark a “significant step” in the country’s development.

Union protest at ‘slap in the face’

of

scrutiny.

“We have not been given the opportunity to negotiate on behalf of the people that we represent. It is something called union busting. It is clear what is happening, and the attack is not on the membership, but it is on the leadership of the Bahamas Public Service Union,” Mr Ferguson said. Asked what issues caused the union to stage the protest, Mr Fergu son responded: “The government decided, in the absence of a negotiation, to give public servants a salary increase, not an agreed salary increase. Of course, while we may not agree on a particular position, we can come to an agreed position. We can disagree to agree on, so we have not been given that opportu nity to negotiate on behalf of the persons that we do represent.”

He added: “What really brought us to this particu lar point is when we saw a circular giving particular members of the public ser vice a large increase. That’s inconsistent with what is being proposed in the face of them indicating that the economy is not properly rebounding. But shortly after the government can find the money to give per manent secretaries at least a $600 increase inclusive of the monies that we are bargaining for. So, to us it’s a slap in the face, it adds insult to injury.”

During the demonstra tion, Mr Ferguson and other union executives spoke to acting Prime Min ister Chester Cooper.

Prime Minister Philip Davis is out of the country attending the 10th Summit of the Americas.

Mr Cooper said he was surprised to see the union protesting, saying he thought matters were being handled.

However, Mr Ferguson pointed out to Mr Cooper that the signing of the Air port Authority’s industrial agreement has yet to take place.

He asked Mr Cooper when the signing would be done.

Mr Ferguson contin ued, “And when we can we receive documentation

PM FLIES OUT TO ANGOLA CONFERENCE

PRIME Minister Philip Davis left the country on Wednesday to attend the 10th Summit of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific (OACPS) Heads of State and Government.

The summit runs from December 9-10 in Luanda, Angola.

At least 79 member states from the three continents representing 1.5 billion people are expected to participate in this summit. Leaders are expected to dis cuss, amongst other issues, the challenges of climate change, including economic diversification and peace and security challenges.

Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper, will serve as acting Prime Minister until Mr Davis’ return on December 13.

Mr Cooper said Minis ter of Public Service Fred Mitchell indicated to him that the documentation was being “cleaned up” and suggested once that is done the document will be pro vided to the union.

“When the documents are cleaned up, they will undertake to get them to you. Minister Pia GloverRolle is out of the country. She’s returning I believe, on Monday or Tuesday. And when she returns, she will make preparations in Minister Mitchell’s absence to ensure that what needs to happen, happens,” Mr Cooper said.

While Mr Ferguson and other members gathered around the acting prime minister, Mr Cooper told members that they did not have “to meet in the street” to discuss their issues.

Belinda Wilson, presi dent of both the Bahamas National Alliance Trade Union Congress and Baha mas Union of Teachers, shouted: “When you write, when you email, when you call, you’re ignored so we have to come to you.”

When asked if he was sat isfied with the conversation with Mr Cooper, Mr Fergu son said he was not.

“I’m not satisfied at all. We are going to continue to agitate until such time as we get the results that we’re looking for. And we are dis appointed that the integrity of the leader of this coun try has been presented to Bahamian people for their

“Because when people are being provided with information that is inac curate and it can’t be substantiated that it is inaccurate by their own volition, it is cause for con cern in this country. It is a serious cause for concern when there is no integrity in the leadership of the coun try,” Mr Ferguson claimed.

“We’re going to make a decision as to how we’re going to move forward to continue to get the atten tion of the government,” Mr Ferguson said when he was also asked if the union planned to demonstrate at Parliament again or have a disruption of services.

“We are not at this par ticular point, ready to indicate where and what it is we’re going to do,” he said.

Meanwhile, some mem bers of BPSU expressed frustration with the government.

Marvin Archer said: “We have been overlooked for many years. No promotion, no increment, just nothing. We had to come out here to show them that the work ers run this country, not the politicians. You can’t just do a proposal without notify ing our union.”

Another member shouted: “We need justice and we need it now.”

The protestors also got the attention of Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard, deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright, chairman Dr Duane Sands, and East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson.

proposals based on the adjustments that I’m advised the government made for consideration?”

from page one

THE SCENE in Rawson Square yesterday as, left, law enforcement officials look on. Photos: Moise Amisial

Eleuthera anger at water problem

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AFTER nearly a week without running water, residents of Central Eleuthera are disgruntled with the continued disrup tion of water supply on the island.

Residents on the island, particularly in Central Eleuthera, have been plagued with water supply disruptions several times this year.

A Savannah Sound, Eleuthera resident, who wishes to remain anony mous, said that she is not confident in the govern ment’s ability to rectify the matter, adding that not having access to the basic necessity of water is “embarrassing”.

With this dilemma being an issue for “many years”, she regrets her decision not to build a well.

“The water issue has always affected me. It impacts the ability to do regular everyday things – household chores, wash ing, taking a good bath or shower,” she said.

“This has been an ongo ing issue for as long as I can remember. This shouldn’t even be an issue in (2022). It’s very

embarrassing, especially when family comes to visit and water is either off or water pressure is low,” she said.

Another Central Eleuthera resident, who also asked not to be named, described the conditions on the island as “horrible”, noting that she has had to improvise.

“I am unable to bathe as I normally do,” she said. “Unable to cook; my clothes have piled up; I am unable to clean or sani tise properly. Children are unable to go to school; my toilet is unable to flush — it’s horrible, man.

“Sometimes I am literally out of water, like bottles I have saved with water,” she told this newspaper yesterday.

“Therefore, I am forced to buy good drinking water from the store just to bathe.”

She also said that as of late November into Decem ber the water pressure is “extremely” low and salty.

Sharing similar sentiments was a secondhomeowner of South Palmetto Point, Eleuthera, who said the water smelled “terrible” and was salty.

This resident, who requested that her name

not be printed, said: “Gar dens that I’ve just planted started dying even when I had water, due to the salt content.

“Used a lot of paper plates since I couldn’t even wash dishes for days. Buying lots more bottled water. I don’t know how businesses and schools are getting by.”

Melissa Bethel, who was born and raised on the island, but currently resides in New Provi dence, said the water supply has been incon sistent for as long as she can remember.

“I’m 35, left home at 16 after graduating and water has been an issue all my life. Even when I go to visit to this day,” said the 35-year-old.

“Water comes and goes. It’s off for days consist ently. Residents have to catch it while it is on to get things completed. The cur rent situation has been like this for a long while,” she continued.

Yesterday, Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears told reporters at Par liament that the water has been restored on the island, noting that he shared simi lar sentiments as Central and South Eleuthera MP

Clay Sweeting. He said: “I share Minister Clay Sweeting’s concerns and that’s why we had a very productive meeting with the operator of the desalination plant yester day. Minister Sweeting was part of that meeting and we have agreed on a way for ward to solve the problem.”

Mr Sears noted that offi cials have identified the “vulnerabilities”, adding that measures to eliminate them will be implemented.

On Tuesday, Mr Sweeting said those affected “deserve better”, adding that the disruption in water supply is an “extreme” hazard to both health and safety of residents of the island.

“I have been candid in expressing my disappoint ment to both the Minister of Works (Alfred Sears) and the Chairman of the Water and Sewerage Cor poration (Sylvanus Petty). The residents of Eleuthera deserve better. No access to water is far more than an inconvenience. It is an extreme hazard to both health and safety,” he had said.

The Water and Sewerage Corporation is scheduled to have a press conference on the island about the issue today.

DISASTER BILL ‘A SIGNIFICANT STEP’

from page one

The Bill seeks to provide for a more effective and comprehensive disaster risk management policy and framework through establishing a new author ity that will deal with risk management and related matters.

The body will be called the Disaster Risk Man agement Authority that will manage aspects of dis aster preparedness. The Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA) and

National Emergency Man agement Agency (NEMA) will merge under the new agency.

“It will be headed by a managing director, appointed by the prime minister who shall be the authority’s chief execu tive,” Mr Laroda said yesterday. “The Disaster Risk Management Author ity will continue to build and enhance institutional capacity, increase com munity awareness and participation and enhance stakeholder linkages.

“It will expand training

opportunities in various disaster management disci plines and improve public education and awareness campaigns. The agency will collaborate with all stakeholders to conduct simulation exercises and drills at the national, dis trict and community levels, including schools and business.”

The agency will also lead a team dedicated to developing a population that understands and par ticipates in disaster risk reduction initiatives, he also said.

“Hurricane Dorian is still fresh on our minds,” Mr Laroda added, “It took many lives, displaced many more and devas tated livelihoods and properties.

“Hurricane Dorian continues to remind all Bahamians of the criti cal task ahead to build the resilience of Bahamian soci ety and protect the country and its people from future disasters.

“Adopting a robust dis aster risk management (DRM) governance frame work is essential to ensure

that a nation is resilient to disasters.”

The minister said the legislation will be the coun try’s “legal foundation” for a robust reform agenda to strengthen its approach to disaster risk manage ment and to integrate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in planning and investment prioritisation at all govern ment levels.

The bill, among other things, also makes pro visions for the national disaster risk management policy which is a “set of decisions approved by the government to address issues related to disaster risk.”

Instruments of the policy include a national disas ter risk management plan, national disaster emergency plan, public body and local plans, national disaster risk information system, national early warning system, disaster emergency fund, disaster prevention fund among others.

“Regarding risk reduc tion, the bill establishes that public bodies are responsible for disaster risk reduction within the scope of their functions and jurisdictions; requires public bodies to reduce the vulnerability of critical infrastructure under their responsibility, establishes that local government are responsible for disaster risk reduction within the scope of their functions and jurisdictions,” Mr Laroda added.

“Regarding disaster preparedness, the bill establishes the formula tion of emergency plans by public bodies, provides for the creation and operation of early warning systems; establishes the principle of subsidiary assistance between different govern ment levels; authorises local governments to use their resources out side their jurisdiction in emergencies.”

While the bill allows for the prime minister to order evacuations, it makes no provision for the imposition of a fine or imprisonment for people who refuse to evacuate.

However, the bill

POLICE were last night investigating what appears to be the country’s latest homicide.

Officers said they were investigating a stabbing incident that resulted in

specifies that “where resi dents within the selected area or island refuse to evacuate, no first response shall have a duty to risk his life to rescue or recover any person in the specified loca tion or island.”

“While we would not be issuing a fine for those individuals who refuse to evacuate, on the other hand, you cannot expect first responders to risk their lives to save you in the event of disasters when all of the warnings have been given out and the evacu ation orders,” Mr Laroda added “You will not have the luxury of having first responders having risked their lives to come and save you.”

National Security Min ister Wayne Munroe seconded the bill yester day, saying it allows the government to be proac tive instead of reactive when it comes to disaster response.

He also noted that the government has approved the acquisition of 100 new patrol vehicles for the RBPF to be distributed across the islands, adding that in the event of dis asters, “it will have the clearance to clear water... to carry a generator, to carry food and to render assistance.”

Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard said while the opposition sup ported the bill, there were still some concerns.

“We must be awfully careful as policy makers in forming these new struc tures that we do not fail to modernise and transform the existing ministries that have so many archaic regulations that are slow in many instances in exe cuting on behalf of our people,” the Marco City MP said.

“And my concern and I commit these comments to the government of the day that this should not for a moment cause us to be beating our chests as if something monumental has been accomplished.”

He also noted that much of the objectives high lighted in the bill already fall under the Ministry of Works.

the death of a man. No further details had been released at the time of going to press.

See www.tribune242. com today for more information.

GOVERNOR General CA Smith during his visit to Princess Margaret Hospital yesterday, during which the Royal Ba hamas Police Force pop band also performed, bottom.

Photos: Austin Fernander

Pintard: Govt misleading public over civil service relations

institutional memory, long standing relationships are part of a broader network. He denied it.

“We then suggested to him quietly there are per sons in the ministry who have represented that you are bringing in others who don’t have a history or the knowledge in depth knowl edge of what is happening in social services, and what the needs are of the community that social services and yet, you want to promote them over persons who have

“He says, no, this is a long standing problem, struggling multiple admin istrations, but what we have found out is that for the last ten months they have made representation to him. He’s made a commitment to get back to them, has not done so in a timely fashion.”

Mr Pintard made the accusation that officials are

spending more time trying to determine who is loyal even though the election is over and, therefore, they have very little time to make sure that they take care of the needs of the workers of the Ministry for Social Services.

“So Mr Wilchcombe I know he’s upset that he’s in the ministry he does not desire to be in but now that you’re there, you get a rare opportunity to serve the Bahamian people. So we support the union in putting

pressure on the govern ment to be transparent in what they say and how they behave,” Mr Pintard said.

Mr Pintard also responded to Prime Min ister Philip Davis telling grocers to follow the law on price controls. He said the Davis administration should take its own advice.

“We believe that every Bahamian ought to follow the law. The Prime Minister unfortunately he’s in a weak position now to advocate

following the law. This is the same Prime Minister who instructed a consult ant in the ministry, in his ministry, to help fund with public funds, a trip to Ber muda that was political in nature,” he said.

“There is no provision in our law that gives him a blight, a pass to do that.”

He claimed that in his opinion “he has broken the law, those who acted on unlawful instructions, who are senior persons in

government who should know better, they have broken the law.”

“What does he recom mend happened in that case, he’s duty bound to explain and share with the public all of these contracts that he and his administra tion has issued since they came to office in accord ance with the Procurement Act. They have failed to do so.” He insisted that this was “in violation of the law”.

SEARS: WE HAVE A PLAN FOR ROADS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

WORKS and Utili ties Minister Alfred Sears assured the public yester day that his ministry has a comprehensive plan to improve roads throughout New Providence and has already deployed contrac tors out on the streets to carry out much-needed repairs.

Mr Sears was respond ing to complaints from motorists about numerous potholes and poor-qual ity roads throughout the capital.

complaints here in the capi tal include Wulff Road, Joe Farrington Road and Glad stone Road, among others.

House Speaker Patri cia Deveaux, who is also a member of Parliament for Bamboo Town, told the House of Assembly yesterday that the issue of potholes was one that also plagued residents in her constituency.

However, she com mended the engineers who have been working tirelessly to address the long-standing problem and asked for Bamboo Town residents to be patient.

‘SEARS UNSUITABLE FOR HIS PORTFOLIO’

“One, failure to make sensible decisions, even though he was given sound advice by those persons who put in place the hedg ing programme, who also shared with him the possi bility of raising a substantial amount of money in order to help the further devel opment of BPL. His bad decision has led to 163 per cent increase in fuel costs over a 13-month period,” Mr Pintard told reporters.

“He has denied that he received sound advice more than eight separate times and we have found footage with him admit ting now fully that he did in fact know, but it wasn’t just him. It was also the prime minister who got the same advice and failed to act. Alfred Sears having not resigned should be fired by the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister should then clarify why he went, he got the advice that he did not. He has claimed that it wasn’t him.

“The reality is we know that the technical people

gave him advice as well, he should start his penance by first firing Alfred Sears.

Alfred Sears is unsuitable for this portfolio.”

The Marco City MP also mentioned roads being in a “state of disrepair” and brought up the matter con cerning project timelines.

“Alfred Sears’ words cannot be taken seriously. So we don’t know when he pro jects a timeline for roadworks whether we can believe it’s going to happen he has no credibility to continue to preside over this massive amount of infrastructure works – roadworks, sea walls, bridges, docks.”

After press secretary Clint Watson announced that work on Village Road should be completed by December 12, Mr Sears later said paving of the road is actually expected to last through the end of this month, but should be “substantially” completed before the start of the new year.

Prime Minister Davis has also announced major road works for 2023.

In response to that, Mr Pintard answered: “We

believe it when we see it. The bottom line is Alfred Sears is his primary act on these matters. So we know that that’s dead on arrival. This is the same Prime Minister who announced that there will be investigations into the Ministry of Transport with respect to whether the min ister hit an officer.

“We haven’t heard anything else about that investigation. In fact, he had denied initially there wasn’t an investigation until the commissioner confirmed there was an investigation that he said they will follow up on the investigation. Nothing has happened. It’s the same the Prime Min ister who intervened and several persons were sus pended from the Ministry of Transport around the taxi plate issue, but we’ve heard nothing else.”

“So when the Prime Minister makes an announcement, unfortu nately, he is going into a dangerous zone where the public will begin to doubt whether or not he is speak ing candidly, accurately, or truthfully.”

Meanwhile, Mr Pintard criticised the handling of some Family Islands’ water supply. There has been a huge outcry over Cen tral Eleuthera’s disruption of water experienced a number of times this year.

The opposition leader claimed not only Eleuthera is challenged with regular supply of water but so is San Salvador and Abaco.

Bacchus Rolle, parlia mentary secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and Utilities, responded to the insinuation of a water challenge in San Salvador which he said is not true.

He said water production has got better not worse on the island, thanks to the presence of Club Med.

“It’s being addressed,” he told reporters outside the House of Assembly when asked about the issue. “They’re being addressed very comprehensively. You will see contractors throughout the 12 lanes repairing the roads and as you know, there’s been a long period of neglect, but our focus is prospective solving the problem and they’re being addressed.”

Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis recently revealed the government’s plans to start major road works early next year.

“The Ministry of Works has just produced a plan for the reconstruction of these roads,” Prime Minis ter Davis told a local daily Sunday. “We will be review ing it this week and work will start very soon.”

The epidemic of potholes in New Providence and the Family Islands has been the subject of public outcry for years.

Areas that have attracted

“So, I want to say to Bamboo Town that these engineers are working,” she said. “They are not just here to take care of one constitu ency (and) they have not just Nassau, but they have the family of islands. They are doing a mammoth job. Just bear with them.

“I know that there are a lot of potholes because I drive through my commu nity every other day,” she said. “I drove to go through some of the areas and I know what you’re going through. But I just want you to bear with us because I’m certain that Englerston and Carmichael and Bains and Grants Town and so many other areas have these very same issues.

“But I want you to know that these engineers are working. They’re not just sitting down, and they have promised that every week end so they’re working seven days a week to make sure that we’re taken care of,” she added.

A. Bosfield Corporate Secretary

MINISTER of Works and Utilities Alfred Sears.

Photo: Austin Fernander

Charlene

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

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

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

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

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Blaming The Bahamas instead of crypto industry

IN the fallout over the collapse of FTX, there has been quite a lot of talk about The Bahamas and its role in the whole affair – much of it completely unfounded.

A regular columnist for The Trib une shared one such article from the Washington Post published yesterday, saying that the article eviscerated The Bahamas.

The article, by a columnist from Bloomberg, said that the location of the FTX headquarters in The Bahamas was the first clue when it came to reasons to be wary of the company.

However, the article itself is nothing but a rehash of old news. By the third paragraph of the article, the author is reaching back to the 17th century and the pirate days of the Caribbean.

It may not be the most startling obser vation you will ever read in this column, but the management of cryptocurrency businesses in 2022 is as far removed from knowing how to shorten your sails as you try to escape a British naval vessel in the 17th century as you could imagine.

The closest the author gets to the modern day is in pointing out blacklist ing by the EU, but without getting into the reasons why such moves occurred or the efforts made in The Bahamas to remove such restrictions.

Such criticisms would be like cau tioning a tea-making company from opening a business in the US because of the country’s history of tossing tea chests into Boston harbour.

A lot of the criticism that has been cir culating is nothing more than innuendo and rumour – with some of it perhaps rooted in racism too.

There has been a shortage of spe cific allegations. The most pointed concern raised was about the move by the Securities Commission to trans fer assets to secure them – but given by his own words FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried said that FTX reopened withdrawals despite not having approval to do so and in defiance of a court order forbidding it, the commission clearly had good reason to secure assets.

While people have been pointing fingers at The Bahamas, perhaps it is because they don’t want to point those fingers at the crypto industry itself. If you’re involved in such a business after all, as an investor or as an entrepreneur, perhaps you don’t want the scrutiny to come your way that was plainly lacking for FTX.

So far this year, the following crypto businesses have gone bankrupt – Celsius Network Ltd, Babel Finance, CoinFlex, Voyager Digital, Vauld, Zipmex, Hodl naut, FTX and BlockFi. And others have been rocked by what has been called a “crypto winter”.

Most of those were not based in The Bahamas – it just happens that the most high profile of them to fail was based here. The scale of the losses have caught the world’s attention, but it is unclear –so far – what any other jurisdiction in the world would have done differently that would have stopped the collapse.

Mr Bankman-Fried has blamed him self, and apologised – so what could The Bahamas have done about it?

That is a question that deserves an answer – for as we have opened our doors to digital asset companies, we will want to learn how to prevent another such collapse. But the industry itself also has questions to answer about how it can prevent another FTX – whether it is based in The Bahamas, the US, the UK, or anywhere around the world.

There may well be valid criticisms to be made – but anyone who wants to run up a pirate flag at the start of any sup posed analysis is not someone you need to listen to.

Tributes

The Tribune continues to receive condolences and tributes following the passing of managing editor Eugene Duffy – for which we are very thankful and which we shall communicate to his family.

Charlie Harper, who writes the State side column in today’s Tribune, said of Eugene: “He was at his core an idealist who never lost faith in his conviction that newspapers in particular could still make a real difference in the lives of their readers, even in - and maybe espe cially in - the age of the internet and smart phones. He could have become a hardened cynic. But he didn’t.”

He said Eugene was “a man who could look fierce and talk bluntly, he retained an enduring sentimentality. A loyal man with a tender side, he deployed his tough exterior when it served a higher purpose. But that isn’t who he was at his core.”

Those wishing to send tributes can also email them to letters@tribuneme dia.net.

We thank you for your kindness.

The Cooper egg farm

THE recent Facebook photo showing the price of a dozen of eggs on a Family Island was a sober ing reminder of grocery inflation in The Bahamas and the Progressive Lib eral Party government’s inability to prevent it. The price was over $12. The Bahamas, unlike industrial ised countries, is consumer based. We produce virtually nothing. Even with inter ventionist measures by the PLP to protect Bahamian consumers from possi ble profiteering by greedy merchants, there’s virtually nothing that can be done to prevent the inevitable cost increase for imported goods. Yesterday in a large grocery store on Grand Bahama, I saw the price of a carton of eggs for nearly $9. In the United States, the average cost is now $3.48.

In February 2020, the price was $1.04. American egg farmers are blaming the rising cost of feed, fuel,

labor and materials for their hens for egg inflation. In addition to inflation, the US Department of Agri culture said that some egg farmers across the country have been battling avian flu outbreaks since the start of November. The demands for limited sup plies during the Christmas season will inevitably lead to higher prices, as many families will bake pastries for the holidays. This dif ficult situation regarding egg inflation could’ve been avoided had the powersthat-be (PLP and FNM) subsidised the now defunct egg farm in Freeport, which was owned and operated by the prominent Cooper family. The egg farm was located on the property of Grand Bahama Food Com pany Limited near Settler’s Way.

I can only imagine that operating such a busi ness was cost prohibitive, especially if the govern ment is unwilling to offer incentives. We all took

for granted the low cost of imported poultry prod ucts from the US back then. Now the chickens have come home to roost. I am convinced that the Cooper egg farm would’ve relieved the pressure of having to import eggs at such exorbitant costs. Yes, the government of today is now talking about the importance of food secu rity. But this seems to be another example of reac tionary rhetoric Bahamians have become accustomed to in the face of a loom ing food crisis. The Bible says in Proverbs 29:18 that where there’s no vision the people perish. What King Solomon said nearly three millennia ago aptly describes the situation with leadership in The Baha mas. We lack vision. And now Bahamians are paying the price in the grocery stores.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama November 13, 2022.

Remember the Family Islanders

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Please don’t forget your Family Islanders, Mr Davis. This is an open letter to Prime Minister “Brave” Davis.

I am writing to ask you to pay attention to your Family Islanders in the way that you pay attention to assuring that a company like FTX gets a foothold in our country. Your Family Islanders have been neglected for far too long.

On Mangrove Cay, Andros, a mere 50 miles from Nassau, we have been totally neglected by both the FNM and PLP. Sure, a couple of your ardent political party loyalists get contracts and a few dol lars, but “the people” are neglected. Our well being on Mangrove Cay should not be a political football.

Our clinic has been housed in rental apart ments for a decade now. It is a disgrace. Sometimes there’s a doctor, some times there isn’t. The staff is demoralised. Why? Because we expect them to perform essential and lifesaving services in a place where no consideration is given to either the staff or the patients. Horrible. A true slap in the face for our people.

Our internet service and phone service is utterly deplorable, with calls and the internet dropping sometimes once a minute. Mr Davis, you are a lawyer. When you promise some thing to someone, agree on a price, yet fail to deliver what was promised after being paid, what is that called? Fraud, right? In my opinion BTC has been defrauding their custom ers on Andros for many, many years now. Promising over and over that they are working on the problem, which is never fixed. Our phone and internet should not be luxuries. We need these for all aspects of life, and business, right? Why do we have to beg for BTC to be held legally account able? We pay full price for this service, as adver tised, yet consistently are denied this service. URCA is useless. They don’t even answer complaints. What are they there for?

Our water pipes are literally crumbling and breaking each and every week. Sometimes more than one a day. We have one day storage of water for our community, and the

well fields are on a tenu ous link with BPL. How do we develop our tourist economy and protect our citizens with this type of negligence? How long can a person go without water, Mr Davis?

We already know the per ilous financial state of BPL. So, we fear when the next storm comes, as most of our poles are over 30 years old. Power outages are becom ing more frequent. I am not sure why. We have nine hours of banking a week with BOB. Service is lousy because they are under staffed. How long can this go on? BOB costs our com munity too much money in lost productivity. An ATM would certainly help.

We have been promised a Port of Entry for decades now. Every time there is a new MP, they make the same promise. Can’t we just get this done? This would help Mangrove Cay out immensely. And, stimulate our economy. The invest ment would pay for itself.

I opened a savings account for my son at the Post Office almost six weeks ago. The book still has not gotten here. For God’s sake, this is 2022.

Road & Traffic system is down again. Most cars now, finally, do have license tags. After how long?

We finally got a police car, after what, a year without one? Though I must admit, I sort of liked it better when we had no police car at all on our island. Sadly, the Bahamian govern ment still cannot afford to buy us a radar gun. So, the only real place where our people are dying, on our streets, is becoming like the wild west. The speed ing and reckless driving has become worse, and totally unchecked. I recently heard you say that we are a nation of laws. Really?

I heard some of your comments recently suggest ing you believe that climate change is real and an exis tential problem. You even said that we Bahamians may become “refugees”. This was COP 27, you attended, right? So, what will be done by COP 100? The same.

Nothing! Do not wait for the “big countries” to give The Bahamas money, which we will never see here on Mangrove Cay. The very

recent science is quite scary for The Bahamas. Is anyone really paying attention? Or, are there too many house holds and offices with FOX News on the TV? Don’t wait, Mr Davis. The shit is about to hit the fan. Help us here in The Bahamas. We don’t need to wander the globe with our hand out. We have a responsibility to act. The time for talk is over, Mr Davis. Let’s make this a priority. There are things we could be doing now on Mangrove Cay. Will you help us do them?

The population of our entire country is less than Miami. We cannot afford to be frivolous in our spend ing. We need to focus on the important issues for our people. Like water, health care, communication, safety. We do not need to be chasing these fly-by-night companies like FTX, urging them to come here. Our government cannot act like we are a big country, spend ing and spending, like they do. We just cannot afford it. Let’s quit pretending.

The Bahamas spends well over one million dollars, maybe closer to two million dollars, a day, in interest payments alone, for loans taken out in our name. For money that we’ve already spent. These interest pay ments could have been so much better spent here.

One final point, Mr Davis. There is a growing divide in our country. You and most of our MPs are on one side of the divide. The vast majority of Baha mians are on the other side of the divide. Mr Davis, you do not have to worry about the cost of food, gas, rent or most anything else you need. Most of us do. Please keep this in mind each day. The vast majority of Baha mians really have no stake in the financial services industry. It is suggested by many economists, that we are entering a global recession. How bad and how long we don’t know. Prices are already high, soon to get worse. Crime will increase. Social services needs will increase. Mental health issues and suicides will increase. Let’s try and make life tolerable for the majority of Bahamians, before we work to further enrich the already well-todo. Your Family Islanders need help, Mr Davis.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

SHARING the waters - a jet skier and a windsurfer off Montagu yesterday, in this photograph pro vided by Ron Lightbourn.

Carnival is back - and this time it’s ‘fully sanctioned’

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

OPERATORS of this year’s “fully sanctioned” Christmas Carnival antici pate large crowds as the prices of tickets have not risen, and there are three new attractions and new safety measures available for the holiday event.

After two years of not being in operation in The Bahamas due to the COVID-19 pandemic and last year due to being denied approval from the Ministry of Health, the Christmas Carnival is back on Clifford Park. It is scheduled to open Thurs day night and will remain in operation until late January.

Joseph Alberts, who is the manager and coordina tor of the carnival provided by Midways by McCafferty Enterprises, was on the site yesterday helping to set up the few rides and attractions.

“The people are looking forward to having us, you know, we haven’t been here for years and this is our second home,” Mr Alberts said.

He added that the price of tickets for the carnival is the same as it was three years ago without increase due to inflation.

“We’re leaving the prices all the same with the way the economy is and how hard it has been for the people of the island and everywhere, we don’t want to raise our prices on our tickets or anything like that. So we’re going to leave them all like they’ve been in the past,” Mr Alberts said.

Along with new rides and attractions, Mr Alberts said this year’s Christmas Car nival also has new safety measures upon entrance to the event.

“We’ve got our famous pizza here and the chicken wings and a few other things. We’ve got some nice new games this year. We have a few new rides here this year. We have a new Minecraft ride, we got a new one called the Demon Loop, that’s new and so we have a few new things this year,” Mr Alberts said.

“People can do what they want as far as they still want to wear a mask. Also, for safety, we bought a $7,000 metal detector, so when the customers come through the gate, they’ll have to empty their pockets, just like going through an air port scanner, in case they have any knives or guns. That’s new, we just bought that this year, just to make it more family-oriented and we want to keep everything safe,” Mr Alberts said.

“We’ve never had any problem, ever, but it’s just an extra safety precaution to make people feel safer.”

In addition, he said the carnival is also consider ing a discount special after the holidays where people

TWO ACCUSED OF DRUGS OFFENCES

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO men were fined yesterday after admitting to separate drug offences.

One of these men was an American cruise visitor who was arrested after he was found downtown with marijuana.

Larron Barnes, 30, of Chicago, stood before Mag istrate Samuel McKinney on initial charges of pos session of dangerous drugs with intent to supply and possession of dangerous drugs.

After disembarking from Mariner of the Seas around 9.30am on December 6, Barnes was arrested after he was found with 5.1 oz and 1.3 oz of Indian hemp in separate packages. At the time of his detainment the defendant had $5,106 in his possession which was confiscated by authorities.

The defendant admitted to the offence in an official interview and said that he had bought the drugs in the US. He pleaded guilty to the charges in court. Barnes apologised for his actions saying that he smokes to relax and that he was una ware that weed was illegal here.

The judge reduced the first charge to simple pos session and fined the

accused $1,000. If he defaults, he faces three months in custody. Mag istrate McKinney also ordered that the seized funds be returned to Barnes.

The other man, Deri nardo Mott, 29, of New Providence, also faced Magistrate McKinney on an initial charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

On December 6, offic ers on mobile patrol pulled Mott over in his dark Passo for driving suspiciously. A search of the accused’s car uncovered 2 ¾ oz of Indian hemp in a clear plastic wrap. These drugs had an estimated value of $165. After his arrest the accused admitted in a police interview to buying the drugs to smoke and “chill out”.

In court, Mott pleaded guilty to the charge. The prosecution revealed that the accused had previous convictions serving two years for a firearm and a year for ammunition, to which the accused said he had no prior drug convictions.

After hearing this the magistrate reduced the charge to simple possession and fined Mott $350 or two months in prison in default of payment.

BAIL IN CAUSING HARM CASE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted bail in Magistrate’s Court after being accused of harming a woman last month.

Romel Aime, 39, stood before Senior Magistrate Derence A Rolle Davis on a charge of causing harm.

It is alleged that on November 29 at around 11.30am on John Road, the

accused got into a physical argument with Christina Rolle which resulted in her pressing charges.

In court, Aime pleaded not guilty to the offence. As there was no objec tions to bail, $500 bail was granted with one surety. He was warned not to inter fere with the witness in this matter while on release.

His trial begins on Janu ary 23, 2023.

can pay one fee and ride as much as they want.

“Then we’re planning to have a few days of arm bands after the holidays, I don’t know what days they are yet. But you can get one armband and ride the rides as many times, but that would be after the holidays and we’ll have them several times,” Mr Alberts said.

When asked about the price of the carnival to operate in The Bahamas

this year, Mr Albert said he could not say at the time, but he did say, “for shipping all that it’s very expensive, but we love coming here”.

Last year, the Ministry of Health denied Midways by McCafferty Enterprises approval to have the event, citing COVID-19 related health concerns. This was after the equipment, apparatus, trailers and sup plies for the carnival were already imported into the

country and set up for oper ation last December.

At the time Mr Alberts had told reporters that Midways by McCafferty Enterprises had received permission from Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, who is also the Min ister of Finance, to bring and operate its yearly amusement park.

However, Health Min ister Dr Michael Darville said at the same time that

health officials were still reviewing the carnival’s requirements for opera tion, saying approval had not been given. He said the group still had some out standing matters to address.

Meanwhile, press secre tary Clint Watson blamed the situation on the carni val and them not having the official approval from the Ministry of Health, saying: “We say these are the approvals that are required, you can go and get approv als from various things. Included in that was, of course, the health protocol that will be required from the Ministry of Health.

“I think that was the final approval they were wait ing on. It’s not a matter of ‘we’re here and we’re hoping that this happens’. The agreement that is made every year is that you come into the country, you make your request to come in, we tell you the approvals that will be necessary but at the end of the day all of the approvals have to be in place,” Mr Watson said last year.

The last time the Christ mas Carnival was fully in operation in The Bahamas was December 2019 into January 2020.

THE CHRISTMAS Carnival setting up.

Photo: Austin Fernander

THE level of ignorance about our constitution is widespread. The ignorance is particularly alarming on the part of those who pre tend to know about such matters.

This includes certain pastors who repeatedly demonstrate a stunning ignorance of constitutional issues as well as certain inveterate writers of letters to the editor, not to men tion certain uninformed radio talk show hosts.

Despite such wilful ignorance, we are consti tutionally a secular state. The preamble to the con stitution has a Christian reference. But the pre amble has no legal force and is not disposi tive in deciding constitutional questions.

Chapter I Article 1 of the constitution does have legal force. It notes: “The Common wealth of the Bahamas shall be a sovereign democratic State.” Not a theocracy, not a Christian state, but a democracy.

religious freedom is a part of a charter of rights and freedoms from which citizens ought not to be excluded because of a cir cumstance of birth.

Whether one is black or white, male or female, and regardless of sexual orien tation, one has the right to assemble, to express oneself freely, as well other rights.

Again, the Bahamian constitution is not a Chris tian charter. It is not based on Christian Scripture or the doctrines of any religion.

Those who would deny certain rights to gays and lesbians might want to state which of their own rights are dispensable.

‘The constitution does not protect or advance any notion of Christendom, in which Christianity is the state religion, nor does it grant any religion the right to force its doctrines or force its will on other citizens.’

Ours is a secular state with a con stitution dedicated to protecting certain funda mental rights and freedoms, not a theocratic state in which the doctrines of any religion or denomination reign supreme in adjudicat ing constitutional matters.

The constitution does not protect or advance any notion of Christendom, in which Christianity is the state religion, nor does it grant any religion the right to force its doctrines or force its will on other citizens.

As a secular state we enjoy freedom of expres sion and conscience. We enjoy freedom of religion, a pivotal freedom histori cally in the advancement of democracy.

Freedom is indivisible. In a secular democracy,

Those who are denied the right to free dom of religion or other rights around the world, similarly experience the deprivation of certain rights as experienced by many gays and lesbians globally.

Some who left or escaped from Europe for the Ameri cas, beginning especially in the 16th century, were seek ing religious freedom and freedom from persecution.

FREETHINKERS

The Eleutheran Adven turers, who were English Protestants, were religious freethinkers and independ ents who left Bermuda for The Bahamas. They were expelled because they would not swear allegiance to the British Crown.

History is replete with terrible ironies: Many with new found freedoms often failed to observe or grant rights to others.

Some in the original US colonies persecuted others on religious grounds.

People of African descent and women struggled for centuries to achieve

WE ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN NATION CONSTITUTIONALLY

of those who contest the notion of a secular state and religious pluralism.

Yet, even in the West, including at home, there are fundamentalists who contest or are uncomfort able with a secular state and various forms of plu ralism. Some Protestants are still learning the lessons of the democratic revolu tions beginning in the 18th century.

CATHOLICISM

fundamental rights despite the notion of their suppos edly being created equally.

Freedom of religion is a critical element of plu ralism, both of which emerged as central demo cratic themes following the French and the American revolutions.

We continue to debate the scope of pluralism in the 21st century, three centuries later, even in democratic countries. The contours of the debate are centuries old and thoroughly modern.

In parts of the Islamic world, mostly in the Middle East and in Africa, plu ralism is anathema to the restricted world views

The history of Roman Catholicism’s engagement from the 18th century to the middle of the 20th century with the democratic revolu tions is instructive for many fundamentalist Protestants in The Bahamas who still appear so shockingly premodern, anti-democratic, anti-intellectual and unen lightened in significant ways.

In the 19th century when Pope Gregory XVI was confronted with the ideas of freedom of conscience, freedom of the press and freedom of speech he described them as “deleri menta”, which may be translated as utter madness.

Fr John Courtney Murray, SJ, was silenced by the Vatican for a period of time, but his vision came to fruition, beginning in

earnest with his decisive contribution to the Second Vatican Council’s, Dignita tis Humanae (Declaration on Religious Liberty).

Fr Bryan Hehir is one the world’s leading experts on Catholic Social Thought, with an intimate knowl edge of the scholarship of Murray.

In a presentation enti tled, “Catholic Social Teaching: A Key to Cath olic Identity”, the Office for Social Justice of the Archdiocese of St Paul and Minneapolis, based on remarks by Fr Hehir, notes, “three significant statements about politics” in the Declaration on Reli gious Liberty.

The presentation observes: “1. The Church accepts religious pluralism in a society as a given.

“2. The Church accepts the secularity of the state ...

“3. The only thing the Church asks of the politi cal order is the freedom to function, not favouritism but the freedom to func tion. The Church wants neither favoritism nor dis crimination in the exercise of its public social and reli gious role.

“Therefore, we are not excluded from the debate because we are religious. On the other hand, we are not to be given any special treatment because we are religious.”

PLURALISTIC

In significant ways, many fundamentalist Protestants in The Bahamas have not intellectually come to terms with some of the basics of a modern pluralistic democracy.

Many of these churches crave favoritism, have difficulty accepting the secularity of the state, and believe that the state should enforce their doctrines. Some are even still grap pling with the implications of the separation of church and state.

Certain Bahamian churches and church lead ers have fallen into bed as the handmaidens of vari ous Caesars and political leaders.

Many of these rela tionships are permissive, with various church lead ers seeking state power, appointments, influence and handouts like the power-hungry and avari cious religious high priests of ancient times and the moneygrubbers in the Temple.

For some politicians, the payback is votes and the turning of a blind eye by some church leaders to cer tain political conduct.

Forget the notion of separation of church and state; there often has not even been reasonable dis tance by those who conflate the state, the Kingdom of God, and their own tem poral kingdoms with all the requisite trappings of luxury in the interest of self-aggrandisement and self-promotion.

Consider the bizarre, at times unintelligible, poorlycrafted statements released by some religionists who cannot manage the lan guage with any degree of sophistication.

It is no wonder that they are unable to appre ciate certain ideas, complexity and nuance, preferring instead poptheology and a truncated gimmicky version of the Gospels of Jesus Christ.

It is quite humorous to observe how obtuse and pre-modern in their theo logical worldviews are many of those who use modern communications technologies and are ferried on jets around the world to profit from their curious versions of the Christian message.

So steeped in the demo cratic tradition of pluralism and religious freedom is our constitution that it allows for conscientious objection in times of war.

Many religious funda mentalists share a common agenda: discomfort or hos tility toward pluralism, varying degrees of male supremacy and sexism, extraordinary antipathy or hatred toward gays and les bians and displeasure with a secular state.

Democracy remains under threat from auto crats on every continent, including in the United States of America, where a former president recently called for the scrapping of certain parts of the US Constitution.

The US Constitution does desperately need democratic reform. But there are many who seek to undermine American democracy in order to secure an arch conservative, white supremacist and antiSemitic Christian nation.

It is one of those ironies that it is often through secu lar states and constitutions, and democratic pluralism that human rights and social justice are more greatly advanced than by those who claim to love their neighbours as themselves, but who fail to guarantee to their neighbours the same rights they so dearly cherish.

Parts of this column were first published in 2014.

Trump suffers setbacks in his many legal battles

IN the month since the American midterm elec tions, many in the US media, including long-time supporters Rupert Mur doch and his Wall Street Journal and New York Post, have been critical of the role played by expresident Donald Trump in the disappointing Repub lican election performance in November.

Several party leaders were crit ical of Trump’s recent dinner with an unusu ally scurrilous antisemite who is also accused of racist state ments. This has reignited hope ful rumours among the lib eral press that Trump’s hold on the GOP is weakening.

DAZZLING FOOTBALL ON THE BIGGEST STAGE

FOR the literally billions of soccer fans around the world, the race to this year’s World Cup quarter-finals offered some suspense but almost no surprises at all.

Of the eight teams remaining in the chase for the ultimate sports crown, only the inclusion of Morocco really represents an upset. Tomorrow and Saturday, the origi nal field of 32 will be winnowed to only four semi-finalists.

Here in The Bahamas, the English, American and Canadian teams likely attracted the most followers, so we’ll dis cuss them first.

It happens relatively infrequently these days, but occasionally the United States’ participation in an international event does not really register as particularly significant. We are witnessing such an occasion now.

The American men’s team won a key victory over Iran in the initial roundrobin competition that allowed them to advance to the second half of the tourna ment, where they faced a superior squad from the Netherlands last Saturday.

That 1–0 American win over Iran, secured by an heroic effort from US talis man Christian Pulisic, was widely hailed in the American media, as was the team’s scoreless draw with the Three Lions of England several days earlier. It is one of the great anomalies of soccer that the English have never beaten an American side in the men’s World Cup.

But in truth, the US team is a second - or third-tier squad on the international stage, and not many were surprised when they fell to the Dutch on Saturday. Words like “determined, gritty underdogs” are not often applied to Americans, whether in sports, politics, war, cultural reach or economic might. But they have been used to describe the US team in Qatar.

In fact, the Americans are held in such general international disregard that when a disinterested-seeming English team could not manage a win against them in the preliminary round, the Lions were booed off the field at the end of the game by their notoriously boisterous travelling fans. The English, as expected, ultimately won their group and proceeded to the next stage of the competition, dispatch ing African champions Senegal with relative ease. Now England faces defend ing champions France this Saturday.

If the English do manage to beat France in what should be a fascinating match, they would stand on the precipice of an historic achievement. A victory over the French will ensure a trip to the tournament semi-finals, where they will be favoured. The English have not won a World Cup since 1966.

One of the biggest disappointments of the World Cup so far has been the depar ture after the first round by Canada. This team, ranked 41st in the world before the competition, had blazed through qualifying rounds in North America’s CONCANAF in terrific style, jumping

both the US and Mexico in the stand ings, and there was much optimism surrounding their second-ever World Cup qualification. The other was in 1986.

Canadian fans can take some solace in the fact that their heroes have already qualified for the next World Cup in 2026: Canada, along with the US and Mexico, has won the right to host the event, which confers automatic qualification for the tournament.

Back to this year. The best match of the next two days is likely to feature England and France, who play on Saturday. Both sides are missing some key players, with the most notable absentee on either side being French midfielder N’Golo Kante. Making up for that loss so far has been the powerhouse French front line led by the astonishing Kylian Mbappe, who might just be the world’s most talented player today.

Fast, quick, decisive and lethal near the opposing goal, this man simply dazzles on the soccer field, particularly when he’s in the mood, as he has mostly been so far in the World Cup. He has venerable Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann up front with him. It’s hard to imagine that the English defense can keep these prolific scorers quiet.

To win, the English will need to out score their opponents, and they’ll need Harry Kane of Tottenham to shine in order to succeed. Overall, England might have a slightly more balanced squad, but they have little more than a puncher’s chance against the title holders.

Elsewhere, Portugal, showing its depth without major contributions from no-longer-ageless Cristiano Ronaldo, walloped a respectable Swiss side and should advance to the semi-finals by beating upstart Morocco, also on Satur day. The Moroccans shocked Spain in a penalty shoot-out on Tuesday, producing the only surprise entry in the quarterfinal round. Portugal would face the FranceEngland winner for a spot in the World Cup finals.

On the other side of the draw, the pre-eminent South American giants Argentina and Brazil seem headed for a semi-final collision. Tomorrow, the Argentines, buoyed by a resurgent and focused Lionel Messi, should be able to defeat a Dutch team that cannot match their creativity or finesse.

Waiting for Argentina should be their perennial rivals from Brazil. A sturdy Croatian team stands in Brazil’s path. With a stellar midfield led by incompara ble Luka Modric and other accomplished veterans, this much decorated team will challenge the superstars from Brazil, but like the French whom they are favoured to meet in the final, Brazil’s offensive stars and awesome depth should see them through.

Look for a titanic Argentina–Brazil game next Tuesday to determine a place in the finale.

legal system that continu ally threatens and often ensnares them. His enemies have watched him evade the legal consequences of his actions for quite some time now and many are largely resigned to his con tinued success.

‘Regularly these days, Trump’s continuing legal problems crop up in the news. It’s really not as though many people are overwhelmed by anxiety about his potential criminal jeopardy.’

That’s not Trump’s only worry. Regularly these days, Trump’s continuing legal problems crop up in the news. It’s really not as though many people are overwhelmed by anxiety about his potential criminal

But when you’re fighting on as many different legal fronts as Trump is, there will be setbacks. He got a potentially damaging bit of bad news when the US Supreme Court, packed with conserva tives including his own three appointees, rejected Trump’s plea for an order that would have prevented the Treasury Department from giving six years of tax returns for Trump and some of his businesses to the currently Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee.

It was Trump’s second loss at the Supreme Court in two months. In October,

cement the former presi dent’s legal vulnerability in one of the two cases that Jack Smith will now take over as a Department of Justice-appointed Special Counsel.

An opinion rendered recently by the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta in the classified documents case further and more broadly bodes ill for Trump. Here’s part of that opinion, issued by a court that includes a majority of judges appointed by Trump himself:

“Limits on when courts can interfere with a crimi nal investigation apply no matter whom the govern ment is investigating. To create a special exception (in Trump’s favour) would defy our nation’s founda tional principle that our law applies ‘to all, without regard to numbers, wealth, or rank.’

“The law is clear,” the appeals court wrote. “We cannot write a rule that allows any subject of a search warrant to block government investigations after the execution of the warrant. Nor can we write a rule that allows only former

with Charlie Harper

TEAMMATES celebrate with Brazil’s Neymar, centre, who scored his side’s second goal during the round of 16 match between Brazil and South Korea on Monday.

Photo: Pavel Golovkin/AP

‘Residents can still apply’ despite SERZ order end

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE the end of the Special Economic Recovery Zone provisions, government MPs reiterated yesterday that residents in Grand Bahama and Abaco still needing post-Dorian assistance can apply to the relevant agencies to get the help they need.

Acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper and Cen tral and South Abaco MP John Pinder spoke on the issue after a lengthy backand-forth with opposition members, who claimed resi dents and business owners have been struggling to find money to assist with recov ery efforts.

“I say for the record, any resident or citizen of The Bahamas in Grand Bahama

or in Abaco who have been disadvantaged in relation to their property, and I’m sure the member of Central will speak to this, can still make application to the minis try of Grand Bahama,” Mr Cooper said.

“They can still make application to the Office of the Prime Minister in Abaco and will still get relief. We will not provide relief for foreigners who are

building second homes. We will not provide relief for persons for example who would’ve had insurance and not in need of such relief.”

Mr Cooper said the gov ernment will also ensure that revenue is collected so people in need can be supported and accused opposition MPs of seeking to score “cheap” political points.

Mr Pinder later added: “Any Abaconian and Grand Bahamian that needs to rebuild a house or business can put their application in and it will be approved.”

However, Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard, rising on a point of order, responded, saying he has received numerous complaints that applica tions are not available.

“First of all, in Grand Bahama, as members of Parliament, we consistently got complaints that people did not know what that pro cess was. Two, when those who knew what the process was checked for the forms and the forms were not available,” the Marco City MP argued.

He was backed by East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson who told par liamentarians that when he went to the Ministry of Grand Bahama on Tuesday to check on the forms, he was told none were there and that the Ministry of Finance had not given any approval for applications.

“That was the answer provided to me and what was also said that if you have an already stamped form, bring that already

stamped form and send a letter in,” Mr Thompson said.

“It does not provide for those people as the member for Central and South Abaco is saying and the member of Exuma is saying that anyone who requires assistance can come because those forms are not there. They are not there.”

Mr Thompson said residents were seriously concerned about the pro cess, saying “there are no forms, there is no criteria, there is no parameters as to what could be asked for.”

He questioned: “For example, can cars be asked for? Building materials? Can we ask for any assis tance for duty-free?”

One MP chimed: “It’s a case-by-case basis.”

State Minister for

Preparedness Myles Laroda confirmed at yesterday’s afternoon ses sion that applications were available at some offices in Grand Bahama and will be available in Abaco today.

He also revealed that some 20 applications were stamped by finance offi cials and will be returned to those individuals today.

“(I have also been advised) that new applications for those indi viduals who may have been impacted who were either not working or for whatever reason could not have acted on those SERZ orders that the due diligence will be taken on them immediately once their application forms are in and they will be look ing to provide approval for those affected by early Jan uary 2023,” he also said.

PERMANENT TRIBUTE TO HONOUR KEVA BETHEL AT UB NORTH CAMPUS

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE PI Upsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc, in part nership with University of The Bahamas, announced plans to establish a perma nent historical marker in honour of Dr Keva Bethel at the Grand Bahama campus.

Julie Glover, historian/ archivist of Pi Upsilon Omega Chapter, said a bench has been acquired and will be set in a small garden at the new UB North campus in Freeport to recognise Dr Bethel’s contributions. She was the first Bahamian president of the College of the Baha mas and also a member of AKA.

She noted that Dr Bethel’s service to the coun try, particularly through the college/university system is well known.

“Today is an historic moment in time for PUO Chapter as this is its first historical marker project,” Ms Glover explained.

“We are honoured and proud to be partnering with the UB North campus in this gesture of respect and affection.”

Ms Glover said AKA is a global organisation of professional women devoted to service and leadership in every walk of life.

“All around the world where AKA exists, the sorority is estab lishing permanent markers in communities to recognise and appreciate

the accomplishments of its distinguished members. Dr Keva Bethel is one of such members who was inducted into the AKA sisterhood in 1984,” she said.

“We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the UB for allowing us to establish the Dr Keva Bethel permanent historical marker on its campus here in Freeport, GB.”

Dr Ian Strachan, campus president of UB North, said the school is proud to be the first location in Grand Bahama for one of AKA Sorority Incorporated’s his torical markers.

“This is special to UB as it honours the first Baha mian president of the college, Dr Keva Bethel. We are excited to announce that the rebuilding of our new campus will reserve spaces on campus that honour our forebears and allow students to engage with our history in a mean ingful way.”

Dr Strachan said Dr Bethel made a significant contribution to the growth of the college and education throughout the country.

“I am proud to say I was able to benefit and witness from her level of excellence, love of culture, and scholar ship when I attended the College of the Bahamas, and she was still there when I returned as a professor,” he said.

Dr Bethel was the sister of the late Bishop Michael Eldon, the first Bahamian Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“Being able to honour her international and national legacy on our campus brings us joy and ensures that her memory endures for years to come.”

There is also a marker in honour of Dr Bethel at the UB Nassau campus, where a building was named after her.

Disaster

SOUTH Abaco MP John Pinder.

MEMBERS of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated Pi Upsilon Omega Chapter and UB North’s Dr Ian Strachan at UB with the artist’s design of the bench that will be installed in honor of Dr Keva Bethel at the UB North campus.

FROM left, Lynne Fraino, first vice president of PUO; Julie Glover, historian/archivist of PUO; Dr Ian Strachan, executive vice president of University of The Bahamas and campus president at UB North; and Keturah Babb-Higgs, director of advancement at UB North.

AMERICAN LOSES $77,000 IN WINNINGS - AND GETS $500 FINE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN American man was fined yesterday after admitting to making a false declaration at the airport. This admission resulted in him losing $70,000 in casino winnings which was seized at the time of his arrest.

Beateugene Neff, 46, faced Magistrate Kendra Kelly on a charge of making

a false report.

On December 6 at LPIA while attempting to return home after staying at Atlantis, Neff was arrested after he falsely declared to a US officer that he only had $70,000. In actuality the accused was travelling with $77,990; he attributed the bulk of the sum to his recent wins at the casino.

In a subsequent interview the accused admitted to the offence, but said that he

misunderstood the forms and didn’t realise he had to also declare the money he brought with him upon his arrival.

Neff pleaded guilty to the offence in court. In mitiga tion the defendant’s counsel informed the magistrate that his client is a frequent visitor to the country. He further stated that the defendant had no intention to deceive officers and that the false claim was a mis take made in Neff’s rush to

FINED FOR $3,000 FRAUD OFFENCE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was fined in court after admitting to fraudulently obtaining $3,000 by claiming to be a bail bondsman.

Antwan Sands, 50, rep resented by Alex Dorsett, appeared before Magistrate Kendra Kelly on a charge of fraud by false pretences.

On October 21, Sands obtained $3,000 cash from D’Haska Gilcud after he promised to pay the bail for her brother’s charge of attempted murder. The complainant realised she had been deceived as her brother’s bail was never posted and it was later revealed Sands could not act as a bondsman because of a prior conviction.

Although Sands initially pleaded not guilty, after he learned that bail would be

BIMINI MAN ACCUSED OF MURDER

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A 34-YEAR-OLD

Bimini man was charged with attempted murder in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Darval Hanna was arraigned shortly after 10am before Magistrate Charlton Smith.

Hanna, who was not represented by counsel, is accused of attempting to kill Ira Roker in Bimini on November 11.

He was not required to enter a plea to the charge, which is an indictable offence. Bail was denied and he was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. The case was adjourned to March 3, 2023.

withheld due to prior con victions of a similar nature, he changed his plea to guilty.

During his plea of mitiga tion, Mr Dorsett said his client is gainfully employed and acknowledged he had a prior conviction for attempted fraud. The attorney went on to say the defendant is remorseful and in view of his early plea of guilt asked that the court be lenient and not impose a custodial sentence.

Magistrate Kelly pointed

Certified

out the accused was on bail for another offence of a similar nature when this matter arose. She ordered him to fully compensate the complainant as well as pay a $3,000 fine.

In addition to being expected to pay $700 before his release, should Sands be found in default of these conditions he faces an eightmonth prison sentence. Sands is expected to return to court on January 20, 2023.

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return home. In view of this the mag istrate fined the defendant $500 for the offence and ordered that the confis cated funds from Neff’s arrest remain forfeited to

the Crown. Upon hearing his sentence Neff asked the magistrate for leniency pleading that he was unfa miliar with the forms and saying that he didn’t do anything wrong.

While Magistrate Kelly informed the accused of his right to appeal her sen tencing, she also told Neff that the appeal would only apply to his fine and not the forfeiture of cash.

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Suspected German coup plot spawns dozens of arrests

BERLIN Associated Press

GERMAN police rounded up dozens of people including a selfstyled prince, a retired paratrooper and a former judge yesterday, accusing the suspects of discussing the violent overthrow of the government but leaving unclear how concrete the plans were.

A German official and a lawmaker said investiga tors may have detected real plotting, drunken fantasis ing, or both. Regardless, Germany takes any rightwing threat seriously and thousands of police officers carried out pre-dawn raids across much of the country.

“We’re talking about a group that, according to what we know so far, planned to violently abol ish our democratic state of law and an armed attack,” on the German parlia ment building, government spokesman Steffen Hebe streit said.

Sara Nanni, a lawmaker with the Green party, part of the German government, suggested the group may not have been capable.

“More details keep coming to light that raise doubts about whether these people were even clever enough to plan and carry out such a coup,” Nanni said in a post on the social network Mastodon. “The fact is: no matter how crude their ideas are and how

hopeless their plans, even the attempt is dangerous!”

Federal prosecutors said the group is alleged to have believed in a “conglomerate of conspiracy theories con sisting of narratives from the so-called Reich Citizens as well as QAnon ideology.

“Adherents of the Reich Citizens movement reject Germany’s postwar consti tution and have called for bringing down the govern ment, while QAnon is a global conspiracy theory with roots in the United States.

The Reich Citizens scene has been under observa tion by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency since 2016. Authorities estimate that the loose-knit move ment has about 21,000 adherents.

Prosecutors said the sus pects also believe Germany

is ruled by a so-called “deep state”.

One of the alleged ring leaders arrested Wednesday is Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, a 71-year-old member of the House of Reuss who continues to use the title despite Germany abolishing any formal role for royalty more than a century ago.

Federal prosecutors said Reuss, whom the group planned to install as Germany’s new leader, had contacted Russian officials with the aim of imposing a new order in the country once the German government was overthrown. There is no indication that the Russians responded positively.

Police also detained Birgit Malsack-Winke mann, a judge and former lawmaker with the far-right Alternative for Germany

party.

Alternative for Germany, which is known by its acro nym AfD, has increasingly come under scrutiny by security services due to its ties with extremists.

AfD’s co-leaders, Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel said they had only learned of the alleged coup plans through the media, and condemned them.

“We have full confidence in the authorities involved and demand a swift and comprehensive investi gation,” they said in a statement.

Chief federal prosecutor Peter Frank said some 3,000 officers were involved in the raids conducted at 150 sites in 11 of Germany’s 16 states.

Officers detained 22 German citizens on sus picion of “membership in

a terrorist organisation,” prosecutors said. Three other people, including a Russian citizen, were held on suspicion of supporting the organisation, they said. An additional 27 people were under investigation.

One of those arrested was a soldier serving on the support staff for Germany’s special forces unit KSK in the southwestern town of Calw. The unit has received scrutiny over what officials called some soldiers’ farright beliefs.

Along with detentions in Germany, prosecutors said one person was detained in the Austrian town of Kitz buehel and another in Italy.

The latter suspect, a 64-year-old German citi zen who is a former officer in the German army spe cial forces, is accused of being part of a criminal organization that aimed to “subvert the German democratic order by any means - including criminaland replace it with another unidentified form of state”, police said in a statement, adding that extradition pro ceedings were underway.

“Of course, there are many people who grand stand and tell confused tales stories after drink ing alcohol,” German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said. “In this case, however, there were such strong suspicions that the group wanted to take violent action that the investigating judge at the

Federal Supreme Court ordered the investigative measures to be taken.”

Some of the group’s members had made “con crete preparations” to storm Germany’s federal parliament with a small armed group, according to prosecutors.

Yesterday’s raids showed that “we know how to defend ourselves with full force against the enemies of democracy,” Interior Minis ter Nancy Faeser said.

“The investigation offers an insight into the depths of the terrorist threat within the Reich Citizens milieu,” Faeser said. “Only the further investigation will provide a clear picture of how far the coup plans had come.”

Officials have repeat edly warned that far-right extremists pose the biggest threat to Germany’s domes tic security. This threat was highlighted by the killing of a regional politician and the deadly attack on a syna gogue in 2019. A year later, far-right extremists taking part in a protest against the country’s pandemic restric tions tried and failed to storm the Bundestag build ing in Berlin.

Faeser announced this year that the government planned to disarm about 1,500 suspected extremists and to tighten background checks for those wanting to acquire guns as part of a broader crackdown on the far right.

WARNOCK DELIVERS 51-SEAT SENATE FOR DEMOCRATS

WASHINGTON Associated Press

FOR Senate Democrats, an oh-so-slim 51-49 major ity never sounded so good.

Sen Raphael Warnock’s victory in swing-state Georgia gives Democrats a welcome “lift”, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednes day at the Capitol -- newly confident of sidelining Trump-inspired Republicans in Congress and reaching across the aisle to other GOP lawmakers to deliver on bipartisan priorities with President Joe Biden.

“If we can get some bipartisan things done, it will of course be better for the country. And it will be better for the Republican Party,” he said.

Tuesday’s election was for just one seat, but Warnock’s win in the tight runoff provides an unexpected capstone to the midterm election cycle for his party.

It makes easier for Senate Democrats to organise and govern, and provides a crucial edge in a divided Congress as Republicans take hold of the House.

Gone is the especially intense political pressure of a 50-50 Senate that required all Democrats to toe the line - and made it possible for a single senator to buck party priorities.

When the new Congress assembles in January, the extra seat will give Senate Democrats a solid majority that provides greater con trol over not just floor votes

but also the committees, which are the backbeat of legislating.

And mostly gone will be the days when Capitol Hill came to a standstill await ing Vice President Kamala Harris’ motorcade for her role of breaking tie votes -- particularly for Biden’s nominees -- which she has had to do more often than any predecessor.

“Chuck Schumer’s job is going to get a lot easier,” said Sen Tim Kaine, D-Va.

After the longest evenly split Senate in modern times, the new dynamic ensures the chamber will serve as a barrier to legislation from the Republican House that Democrats disagree with — and a potential bridge for bipartisan deal making as Republicans assess the postTrump landscape.

While it still takes 60 votes to overcome a filibuster and advance most bills in the Senate, there will be ample grounds for compromise, particularly if Republican leader Mitch McConnell is eager to show voters his party can deliver ahead of the 2024 presidential and congressional elections. McConnell was silent Wednesday on Warnock’s victory and the new politi cal reality.

In January, for starters, Democrats will have an easier time using their 51-49 majority for simple tasks of governing, including votes on Biden’s nominees to judicial and executive posi tions, which Republicans have wielded as weapons.

MASKED police officers lead Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, centre, to a police vehicle during a raid against so-called ‘Reich citizens’ in Frankfurt, Germany, yesterday.

Photo: Boris Roessler/dpa via AP

Team Bahamas suffers 9-3 loss to Cuba

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

For the second con secutive game, Team Bahamas fell behind early and a late inning rally fell short at the 2022 Carib bean Cup Baseball Tournament.

The Bahamas fell to 1-2 in the opening round after a 9-3 loss to Cuba last night at the Andre Rodgers National Stadium.

Trailing 9-0 headed into the ninth inning, Ellison Hanna hit

a solo home run to right field for The Bahamas’ first run of the game.

After Kashon Conliffe drew a walk, Duane Stuart singled to left for the second time on the night to move Conliffe into scoring position.

Yeshua Saint followed with a two-RBI triple off the right field wall.

Stuart finished 2-4, Kristin Munroe went 1-3 with two stolen bases, Ural Forbes went 1-3 and D’Shawn Knowles went 1-4. Gio Tomlins was tagged with the loss

after going 4.1 innings and giving up six hits, five runs and two strikeouts.

Cuba outhit The Bahamas just 7-6 but scored several runs on walks or wild pitches. They scored the game’s first run in the bottom half of the first on a wild pitch.

Forbes got the second inning started with his double to left field but was eventually thrown out on a base running error to third after Munroe hit into a fielder’s choice.

Defensively in the second, Jay Knowles and Grant turned a

double play and Tomlins closed out the inning with a strikeout on the final out for the second con secutive frame.

The defensive highlights con tinued in the third inning for The Bahamas when D’Shawn Knowles came up with a diving catch in centre field to rob Cuba of a base hit.

Moss fielded a weakly hit ground ball and made a throw across the diamond to Saun ders who picked it at full extension for the final out. The Bahamas had one of its best

scoring opportunities of the game when Stuart singled to left field and Grant was hit by a pitch to place runners on first and second with no outs.

But Team Bahamas was unable to capitalise.

Cuba exploded with six runs in the seventh inning.

The loss now sets the stage for a pivotal final game of the opening round against Puerto Rico at 7pm tonight.

Puerto Rico comes in at 1-1 after a 6-0 win over Cuba on Tuesday night.

‘Buddy’ Hield scores 26 pts in 121-115 loss to Timberwolves

By BRIAN HALL Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)

— D’Angelo Russell had 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter. Anthony Edwards scored 26 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves held on to beat the Indiana Pacers 121-115 last night.

Rudy Gobert added 16 points and 20 rebounds for Minnesota, which blew a 23-point lead and had to overcome an eight-point deficit.

The Timberwolves — who had 23 turnovers — won for just the second time in six games.

Buddy Hield scored 26 points and hit 7 of 11 from 3-point territory for Indi ana, which has lost four of five and couldn’t follow a victory Monday night in Golden State.

Tyrese Haliburton added 26 points and 15 assists for the Pacers.

Jordan McLaughlin tied it at 90 for Minnesota with a buzzer-beating jump shot to end the third quarter.

With Russell leading the way, the Timberwolves built their lead back to nine but had to hold off another Indiana comeback.

Myles Turner, who had 23 points for the Pacers, hit a pair of 3-pointers, including

Top 50 at end of year looms and Oosthuizen needs a big week

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer

NASSAU, Bahamas

(AP) — Augusta National has not said if it intends to keep the same criteria for its field, which includes the top 50 in the world at the end of the year. Sometimes no news is good news, espe cially for a small group of LIV Golf players.

Talor Gooch was No. 35 when he signed with the Saudi-backed rival league and now is No. 41, a prod uct of his fourth-place finish in the BMW PGA Cham pionship at Wentworth. He will finish the year in the top 50.

Harold Varner III at No. 43 and Jason Kokrak at No. 46 also are expected to finish the year in the top 50. Kevin Na (No. 47) would appear to be safe.

According to an OWGR specialist who goes only by “Nosferatu” on Twitter, Louis Oosthuizen (No. 52) and Dean Burmester (No. 57) might still have an out side chance to get back into the top 50 by the end of 2022 because they are play ing in South Africa. Both are in the Alfred Dunhill

The world ranking switched to a new model in August. Instead of rating the top 200 players in the world who are playing, it

Mehidy leads Bangladesh to series-clinching victory over India

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Mehidy Hasan hit his maiden century as Bangladesh recovered from 69-6 to beat India by five runs in the second ODI and seal the threematch series yesterday.

Mehidy helped Bangla desh to an unlikely victory in the first match by star ing down a 51-run deficit with one wicket at hand. He followed that by strik ing for exactly 100 off 83 balls, with eight fours and four sixes, to help the side post 271-7.

India then came up short despite a valiant 28-ball 51 from captain Rohit Sharma, who came in as the No. 9 batter after earlier injuring his left thumb.

With his side at 207-7 and on verge of another

defeat, Rohit batted through injury to hit three fours and five sixes to give Bangladesh a massive scare.

Needing 20 runs from the final over, Rohit smashed Mustafizur Rahman for 14 runs but couldn’t connect for a six on the last ball.

“The century is the reward of my hard work for the last years,” Mehidy said.

“To be consistent in the international cricket, I needed to focus on par ticular areas, I needed to rectify the mistakes and I got successful finally.

“Today it was all about a good partner ship after losing six wickets for 69 runs and me and Mahmudullah were confident to do it.

We took calculative risk to put pressure on India bowlers.”

Before Rohit’s heroics, it was Mehidy who paved the way for Bangladesh’s second successive homeseries win over India. India pacer Moham mad Siraj swung the ball admirably to dis miss Bangladesh openers Anamul Haque and cap tain Liton Das, who chose to bat first.

Rohit was injured in the second over and went to the hospital for X-rays. He would then return to provide India with some late hope.

“Honestly, the thumb is not too great,” he said. “Some dislocation on the finger, but not a fracture,

Championship this week, while Burmester is listed in the field for the Mauritius Open the following week.

MINNESOTA Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels dunks in front of Indiana Pacers guard Chavano “Buddy” Hield in the second quarter last night in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)

POLAND’s Adrian Meronk celebrates on the 18th hole after win ning the Australian Open golf championship on Sunday.

(AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Vlasov savours Grand Prix victory

DECEMBER 4 was a fun day for Anna Camille Vlasov and her Belgian Warmblood gelding Gulliver du Saint-Chene as they blazed to victory in the 1.40m Grand Prix competition on the final day of the Mediter ranean Equestrian Tour in Oliva, Spain.

Vlasov and Gulliver were only one of two pairs to ride double clear rounds over French course designer Eddy Castillon’s challenging track. A crisp first round in 74.23 seconds put them atop the leaderboard after the first round.

A fast, careful effort in the jump off kept them there, as Vlasov went clear in 39.40 seconds to hold off the only other double clear combination – Great Britain’s Joanne Whitaker, aboard Meriarta – beating them by just 0.98 seconds. Carlos Borho Gifon and Esprit de L’Esprit Z of Spain were third.

Vlasov will continue to compete in Europe over the next few months as she prepares for her next goal - to represent The Bahamas at the CAC Games in 2023.

The next World Cup will jump to 48 teams. Is bigger better?

By GERALD IMRAY AP Sports Writer

DOHA, Qatar (AP) —

The next World Cup will be the biggest ever after world soccer body FIFA took the leap from a 32-team field to 48 teams in 2026.

It means more of soccer’s so-called “little teams” that didn’t make it to Qatar will be given a chance of a life time when the tournament is hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

That could be great news for everyone who was entertained by Saudi Ara bia’s stirring upset of Lionel Messi’s Argentina at this World Cup, Japan’s two wins over former champi ons Germany and Spain or Morocco’s humbling of starstudded Belgium and Spain on its way to an unexpected quarterfinal run. More sur prises surely await in four years.

Still, it’s not clear to eve ryone that bigger is better.

While 48 teams might increase the chances of fairytale moments such as Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win over Argentina in the group stage, there’s also a good chance of the opposite: more one-sided games that may take some of the shine off a tournament that is meant to be the best vs. the best.

Spain 7, Costa Rica 0 also happened at this World Cup. As did England’s 6-2 rout of Iran, France’s 4-1 dismantling of Australia

and Qatar becoming the first host country to lose its three group stage matches. FIFA will need to dig even deeper into the lower levels of international soccer to get from 32 to 48.

“It means that we will have to find 16 more good teams,” said Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Develop ment and a central figure in making a 48-team World Cup workable.

FIFA is still promot ing the expansion as an upgrade and good for the global game. All continents will have more slots and FIFA says opening soccer’s marquee event to more of its 211 member countries or territories should have an impact beyond the teams, with the prospect of even more eyes on TV screens and more kids inspired to kick balls across the globe.

“I am convinced that if the teams, the countries have more opportunities to go to the world stage, it will do more for (soccer) development inside that country,” Wenger said.

Qatar’s World Cup is the first in the Middle East and the furthest FIFA has ventured from the game’s heartlands in Europe and South America. That deci sion has provoked its own harsh criticism but the onfield action might have been a timely advert for the 48-team plan, which FIFA announced in 2017 and has had to defend ever since

over doubts about what the exact format will be.

FIFA initially indicated it would be 16 groups of three teams, but that idea was widely criticized. Another option could be 12 groups of four teams. Wenger said FIFA’s decision-making council has not decided yet.

In Qatar, Japan was one of three Asian teams to qualify for the last 16, which had never happened before. African teams collected more points in the group stage than ever. Morocco topped a group containing 2018 World Cup runnerup Croatia and semifinalist

Belgium, and advanced to the quarterfinals by beat ing Spain on penalties on Tuesday. Cameroon signed off by beating Brazil, the first time an African team has conquered the five-time champion and soccer’s most celebrated team at a World Cup.

“Just look at how the World Cup is unfolding,” said Senegal coach Aliou Cisse. “It’s not like 30 years ago when the big fish were completely eating the little fish alive.”

Amid Japan’s run in Qatar, winger Takefusa Kubo said “they can’t

underestimate Asia.”

Ghana coach Otto Addo said Africa deserves its extra places and its teams now have a better chance of going further.

However, the expansion may not have much of an impact on the final outcome of the World Cup.

European and South American teams — the big fish Cisse referred to — have gobbled up every one of the 21 World Cup titles so far, with 12 for Europe and nine for South America. No teams from another continent have made a final in nearly 100

CRICKET

which is why I could come and bat.”

With Bangladesh at 13-2 in the 10th over, Umran Malik, who replaced Kul deep Sen as one of India’s two changes, intimidated the hosts with expres sive pace. He clocked one over 151KM to scatter the wicket of Najmul Hossain before Washington Sundar ripped through Bangla desh’s middle order to leave the side at 69-6.

Mehidy got support from veteran Mahmudullah as the duo combined for a record 148-run seventh wicket to keep India at bay.

Mahmudullah made 77 off 96, including seven boundaries, before Malik dismissed him.

But Mehidy, who reached 50 off 55 balls, came down heavily on India bowlers as Bangladesh amassed 68 runs in the last five overs for just one wicket.

Virat Kohli opened India’s innings with Shikhar Dhawn and hit a bound ary in the first ball from Mehidy.

years of World Cup history. Eighty-two out of 84 semifi nalists have been European or South American. The United States in 1930 and South Korea in 2002 are the exceptions.

In Qatar, while teams from outside Europe and South America did well in the group stage, only Morocco advanced to the quarterfinals, where it will face Portugal on Saturday. South Korea, Japan, Sen egal, the United States and Australia were all elimi nated in the round of 16.

Cisse’s Senegal are the African champions but were outclassed 3-0 by Eng land. South Korea, ranked No. 3 in Asia, was knocked out 4-1 by Brazil. South Korea forward Son Heungmin, his country’s one star, said almost in envy: “Look at their players.”

A bigger World Cup does offer clear advancement opportunities for FIFA, though.

Just over 3.5 billion people, more than half the world’s population, watched the 2018 World Cup in Russia, according to FIFA, and the soccer body earned record revenues of $7.5 billion from commer cial deals tied to the Qatar World Cup.

With those numbers in the bank from a 32-team tournament, 48 offers the obvious chance to sell World Cup aspirations to more people in more places.

But he dragged one onto his stump off pacer Ebadot to give Bangladesh a breakthrough.

Disciplined Bangladesh bowlers then reduced India to 39-3 and Mehidy, who also took 2-47, dealt a mas sive blow by dismissing KL Rahul for 14.

Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel batted confidently to add 107 runs for the fifth wicket before Mehidy again broke through by getting rid of Iyer, who scored a team-high 82.

Ebadot, who took 3-45, then put Bangladesh in a dominant position by removing Axar for 56.

But Rohit refused to give up and his six-laden innings scared Bangladesh for a while before Mustafizur held on to clinch another thrilling victory.

“We need to learn how to break partnerships and that’s something that will hold you in good stead,” Rohit said. “In one-day cricket, it’s all about part nerships like those guys (Mehidy and Mahmudul lah) did it. When you get 50, 70-run partnerships, you should make it 100-120 partnership.”

MOROCCO’s head coach Walid Regragui is thrown in the air at the end of the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Morocco and Spain, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, on Tuesday, December 6, 2022.

(AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

CELEBRATING in a victory gallop.

A VISIBLY emotional Vlasov stands at salute to hear the Bahamian na tional anthem being played.

ANNA Camille Vlasov and Gulliver du Saint-Chene beat the clock to capture the 1.40m Grand Prix.

Rested Mbappé to face England in quarterfinals

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer

DOHA, Qatar (AP)

— Yes, Kylian Mbappé will be ready to face Eng land at the World Cup on Saturday. No, the France forward was not injured when he missed a recent training session.

France teammate Ibra hima Konaté delivered a reassuring message about Mbappé yesterday, news that perhaps England fans did not want to hear three days before the teams meet in the quarterfinals.

“There’s nothing wor rying. Nothing to make a controversy about,” Konaté said, explaining Mbappé had a recovery ses sion away from the training field on Tuesday — normal routine two days after a game in the round of 16.

Mbappé’s two goals in that 3-1 win over Poland gave him a tournamentleading five at this year’s World Cup. He is expected to be closely marked on Saturday by England’s fast est defender, Kyle Walker.

“Walker is one of the best right backs in the world. I’m looking forward to seeing this great battle,” Konaté said of the Man chester City defender, who he knows well from playing for Premier League rival Liverpool.

Now in his second season in the Premier League,

Konaté was asked what he had learned from the style of game France will face Saturday at Al Bayt Stadium.

Konaté singled out the need to keep high levels of concentration at all times or “pay in cash” for any mistakes.

The Premier League was also on the mind of France midfielder Adrien

Rabiot, who has impressed at the World Cup in Qatar four years after he was not selected in the country’s title-winning squad.

“I always said that I would like to play in Eng land in my career,” said the Juventus midfielder, who will be 28 when his con tract with the Italian club expires at the end of the season.

Rabiot added he had no particular English club in mind, or if he would go next year, just that he was attracted by the league’s level of play.

At the age of 13, he spent six months in Eng land with Man City. He described that as a “very good experience.”

Rabiot has returned to the national team after

provoking a dispute in 2018 with France coach Didier Deschamps.

That spat took two years to resolve, but Rabiot is now back in favour and anchoring the French mid field in Qatar.

“He understands me better. He knows my per sonality better,” Rabiot said. “Today we are much closer.”

Netherlands’ Noppert on Messi: `He’s a human’

By RONALD BLUM AP Sports Writer

DOHA, Qatar (AP) —

Andries Noppert is ready to face Lionel Messi if the Argentina star takes a pen alty kick in Friday’s World Cup quarterfinal match.

“He’s the same like us. He’s a human,” the Neth erlands goalkeeper said yesterday.

Messi has scored 21 goals in 26 penalty kick attempts for Argentina among his 94 international goals. He converted his spot kick to put Argentina ahead in the opening 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia, then had his penalty saved by Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szcz esny as Argentina won 2-0 to reach the round of 16.

The 6-foot-8 Noppert was released from sec ond-division Dutch club Dordrecht at the end of the 2019-20 season, joined the top league’s Go Ahead Eagles in January 2021 and

moved to Heerenveen this season.

“It’s about the moment,” Noppert said. “He can also miss, and we see it in the beginning of this tournament.”

The 28-year-old Noppert was in goal in the open ing 2-0 win over Senegal, the second Dutch player to make his international debut at a World Cup and the first since midfielder Dick Schoenaker in 1978.

Noppert has allowed two goals in four matches and saved 15 of 17 shots on target, an 88.2 percent save percentage that is secondbest in the tournament behind Tunisia keeper Aimen Dahmen, who saved nine of 10.

“He has an open person ality. He is quite direct and outspoken,” Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal said through a translator after the opener. “His qual ity is he can stop balls and he had to do that three

times today, and he did it perfectly.”

If the Netherlands gets past Argentina, the team would face Croatia or Brazil in the semifinals on Tuesday. The next day’s

semifinal match has the Morocco-Portugal winner playing either England or defending champion France.

Virgil van Dijk, a 31-year-old defender

who was a member of the FIFPro world all-star team in 2020 and ‘21, said the Dutch have to prepare to play not just Messi.

“I’m very cautious, obvi ously, of what Argentina can bring, because they are a fantastic team. They are fantastic players,” Van Dijk said. “So we have to be very good, very good in all departments. We have to prepare well and get ready for that.”

The Netherlands is the best soccer nation never to win a World Cup, losing in the final in 1974, 1978 and 2010. The Dutch were eliminated by Argentina on penalty kicks in the 2014 semifinals, when Messi converted his nation’s first attempt of the shootout.

“There is hunger. There is dreams. There’s feeling that goes with when you participate in the World Cup,” Van Dijk said. “You could be three games away from glory.”

BELIEF IS CROATIA’S BIGGEST WEAPON VS BRAZIL

By ANDREW DAMPF AP Sports Writer

DOHA, Qatar (AP) —

In terms of population, there’s no contest between Brazil and Croatia.

“Brazil has 200 million people, we only have 4 mil lion,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said Tuesday. “So we are pretty much like a suburb of a major city in Brazil.”

Indeed, Croatia is one of the least populous countries who qualified for this World Cup.

On the soccer field, how ever, Croatia has been punching above its weight for years, ever since it fin ished third in 1998 in its first World Cup as an inde pendent nation, right up to reaching the 2018 final in Russia.

So Croatia has belief entering a quarterfinal against five-time champion Brazil on Friday.

“Never underestimate Croatia. Croatia is a small nation. But we are brave, defiant and loyal,” Dalic said. “We will always give everything we’ve got, espe cially this generation of players.”

Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved three spot kicks in Croatia’s penalty shootout win over Japan on Monday.

Livakovic comes from the same town, Zadar, as Croatia’s 37-year-old cap tain Luka Modric. He was the backup goalkeeper to Danijel Subasic in 2018.

Mario Pašalic, who con verted the decisive penalty for Croatia, had already done the same thing for AC Milan in a shootout win over Juventus in the 2016 Italian Super Cup — which was also played in Qatar.

“We practiced penalties the day before the game and I saw Livakovic saving four or five excellent pen alties,” Dalic said. “I don’t think it’s luck. It’s mental strength. It’s character. It’s courage.”

The shootout victory came following a 1-1 draw after extra time, in which Japan opened the scoring during the first half.

Croatia also fell behind in every game of the knockout stage in 2018.

“That shows the will and the commitment and the faith of the whole team,” Dalic said. “It’s one thing playing for the clubs — it’s a matter of contracts, it’s a matter of prestige. But it’s a totally different thing to represent your country.”

RONALDO LOSES PORTUGAL SPOT TO SULLY WORLD CUP JOURNEY

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — So, the dream is still alive for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Soccer’s most prolific modern-day scorer might yet, at the age of 37 and probably playing in his last World Cup, claim the one major title to elude him in a career like no other.

It didn’t quite feel that way, though, as he walked off the field alone at Lusail Stadium, leaving the rest of the Portugal team to celebrate getting through to the quarterfinals after a 6-1 rout of Switzerland on Tuesday.

In fact, it was a rather sad sight. A veteran in decline departing the scene as his teammates — some barely half his age — continued to party. This has been a turbulent and bruising few weeks for Ronaldo.

First came the explo sive interview with Piers Morgan that shaped the start of his fifth World Cup campaign.

Then the fallout, which included the termination of his contract at Manchester United.

When the tournament started, he broke a record — becoming the first male player to score at five dif ferent World Cups — and then he underwhelmed, failing to score in back-toback games and responding to a substitution against South Korea by showing his displeasure and angering his coach.

Then came Tuesday night and the moment that might be looked back on as the start of the end of his glit tering, record-breaking international career. Not only was he dropped from the starting lineup, but the 21-year-old player who replaced him — Goncalo Ramos — scored a remark able hat trick.

Just imagine the thoughts going through Ronaldo’s head as he trudged off the field after playing around 20 minutes as a substitute?

This was one of Portugal’s greatest wins — indeed, it was the country’ larg est margin of victory in a World Cup knockout game — and it felt like Ronaldo could hardly get off the field quick enough.

So where does this leave Ronaldo? Already without

a club, he is now likely to be second choice for Portugal to Ramos, who only made his Portugal debut three weeks ago.

Portugal coach Fernando Santos threw Ronaldo a lifeline, saying he’d con tinue to select players according to the strengths and weaknesses of the team’s opponent. But it’s unthinkable that Ramos will lose his place now for the quarterfinal match against Morocco. “I will use

what I believe is the right strategy, as I have done my entire life,” Santos said, as bullish as ever.

Tellingly, Santos praised his team for playing with “a lot of fluidity” and “as a collective.” That style is harder to forge when Ron aldo, whose mobility is just not what it was, is the sole striker.

His goal that was ruled out for offside against Swit zerland was an example of a player trying to steal a few

metres to compensate for his lack of pace, and it’s not the first time that has hap pened at this World Cup.

Meanwhile, Ramos needed just 72 minutes in his first start at a World Cup — in fact, it was his first start in international soccer — to show he might be the future.

His finishing, his link-up play and his work off the ball underlined why he is being spoken of as one of the next big things in Portu guese soccer.

Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes said “most people in the world had never heard about him” before the match against Switzerland.

Well, they have now, and expect Benfica to be busy fielding enquiries into a striker who has scored 21 goals for the team in 2022 and has just netted the first hat trick in a World Cup knockout stage since Tomas Skuhravy for Czechoslova kia in 1990.

While some of the top clubs might be beckoning for Ramos, Ronaldo looks to be heading for the obscu rity of the Saudi Arabian league, even if that does

come with an exorbitant salary.

For a man who spent last summer pushing for a move from United because he wanted to play in the Champions League, it is quite the fall.

Will he go there as a World Cup winner? Maybe, because Portugal produced a dynamic performance against Switzerland that was every bit as impres sive as Brazil’s the previous night against South Korea. And there remains that tantalising prospect of a title match between Argen tina and Portugal. One that will invariably be labelled a head-to-head between Ronaldo and his long-time rival, Lionel Messi.

But what might be eating away at the Portugal super star, what he might have been thinking as he left the field at Lusail Stadium, is that while Messi is leading Argentina to that final fron tier with goals and brilliant performances, Ronaldo is no longer the player carry ing his national team.

Ronaldo might even be a burden, given the way Por tugal performed without him against Switzerland.

GOALKEEPER Andries Noppert, of the Netherlands, celebrates at the end of the World Cup round of 16 soccer match against the United States, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday.

(AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

FRANCE’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match against Poland, at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Sunday. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PORTUGAL’s Cristiano Ronaldo walks during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match against Switzerland, at the Lusail Sta dium in Lusail, Qatar, on Tuesday. (AP Photo/ Alessandra Tarantino)

HAS ALL-JUNIOR

AMIDST the majestic sight of A, B and C Class sloops in Montagu Bay last weekend, there were two other boat fleets out on the water, most of which were being sailed by junior sail ors aged 17 and under.

For the first time ever, The Best of the Best Regatta included an alljunior line up in the E Class which was spearheaded by Dallas Knowles of Exuma Sailing Club.

Meanwhile, on Saturday and Sunday, the Sunfish Junior and Open National Championships took place, providing a colourful dis play of multi-coloured sails out in the bay.

Many of the junior par ticipants showed off their sailing versatility in both class fleets. Of the 11 E Class, six were Exuma boats, all of which made the seven-boat final.

Despite their strong lead in the qualifiers, Joss Knowles and Keshaune Hutchinson in Lady Kayla came in second in Sunday’s final to Andros boat Cap tain Peg sailed by Mary Jac Nash and Eliza Denning of Lyford Cay Sailing.

Alvington McKenzie and Trevor Brown Jr came in third in Exuma’s Miss Agnes.

The Sunfish Nationals began on Saturday after noon after the E Class had finished their morning race, enabling the visiting sail ors (nine from Exuma and three from Grand Bahama) and Craig Ferguson of The Bahamas National Sailing School to switch out their boats and rig up a Sunfish.

GOLF

FROM PAGE 13

Adrian Meronk won the Australian Open and earned 10.26 points. The winner in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the Austral ian Open for two years, received 32 points.

Meronk went from No. 56 to No. 52, though he is projected to finish the year

A total fleet of 23 boats headed out onto the course, 19 juniors and four adults.

Very breezy conditions of 16-18 knots with higher gusts made things tricky for the less experienced, a couple of whom had to retire early.

However, two races were completed that day and a further four followed on Sunday after the E Class final had ended.

Overall winner in the Sunfish Open Champion ship was Paul de Souza, former Junior Sunfish world champion and head coach with the National Sailing School.

A fantastic performance in second overall and first in the junior fleet, was 15-year-old Craig Ferguson, beating Donnie Martinbor ough of The Nassau Yacht Club, a multiple time world champion in the class.

Ellieanne Higgs, 14, of the Royal Nassau Sailing Club, finished second and Alvington McKenzie of Exuma came in third in the junior fleet.

An awards presentation followed at the Nassau Yacht Club, from where both the E Class and the Sunfish had launched and where the sloops had been moored over the days of the event.

Emma Tinkler, director of The Bahamas National Sailing School, said: “It has been wonderful to see our Family Island friends back in Nassau again since the disruption to our pro grammes due to COVID.

The Exuma Sailing Club has extended an invitation

in the top 50. That would make him the first Polish player in the Masters, but then, Meronk is a first with about everything he does. He was the first Polish player in the U.S. Open two years ago, not to mention the first to win on the Euro pean tour.

Brooks Koepka is pro jected to fall out of the top 50 for the first time in more than eight years. Provided

to all the Nassau junior sailors to join them next April for The National Family Island Regatta in Georgetown for some more exciting E Class action”.

“This past week has been a wonderful example of inter-island sailing cama raderie. It has also proven how, while all boat classes have their own unique traits and parameters, a basic understanding of sailing principles can be applied to sail many types of boat.

Several of the current top Bahamian sloop sailors, for example, began their sailing careers in a little Optimist training boat and we have seen how the talented Craig

the criteria is unchanged, he would be eligible for the Masters for two more years from his 2019 victory in the PGA Championship. Oosthuizen, however, needs a good week in Johannes burg. He has not missed the Masters since 2008.

AZALEA

Speculation that Augusta National would extend the par-5 13th hole known as “Azalea” was confirmed when “Eureka Earth” on Twitter posted an aerial view that shows the tee moved back some 35 yards.

It was further confirmed by Tony Finau, who played 36 holes during a two-day visit to the home of the Masters last month.

Finau said he rarely hit more than a 7-iron for his second shot after a reason able drive. That much has changed, but he felt the character of how the hole plays has not.

“I hit 4-iron the first time and 3-iron the second day,” Finau said.

The course is soft and long in the late fall and winter. Once it dries out for the first full week in April, Finau believes the big hit ters will be hitting two clubs less.

“I don’t mind it for me,” he said. “I used to strug gle with that tee shot. I like hitting driver, but I have to take it over the corner. Now I can hit it straight and it’s not going to go in the pine straw (through the fairway on the right).

The club has not pub licly announced changes

ahead of the next Masters. The hole played 510 yards. Finau said he looked at the yardage plate on the tee and it was 545.

The last significant change to the hole was ahead of the 2022 Masters when the tee was moved back 25 yards.

Historically, the 13th hole plays as the easiest for the Masters.

THE ROAD FROM JAPAN

Alignment between golf tours worldwide — with the exception of LIV Golf — keeps coming into view. The latest example was a decision to award the lead ing three players from the Japan Golf Tour money list membership on the Euro pean tour for the following season.

The next stop would be the PGA Tour, because the leading 10 players on the European tour’s points list earn cards on the U.S. tour.

The Japan Golf Tour also will work with the two other tours on key business areas. That includes the Euro pean tour co-sanctioning its first tournament in Japan next year, the ISPS Handa Championship on April 20-23. “Japan has a long, storied history of producing world-class golf talent that deserves the opportunity to compete on the game’s highest stage, and (this) announcement is recogni tion of that,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Mona han said.

Monahan said 25 play ers have won on the PGA

Tour and Japan Golf Tour over the last 30 years. That includes Isao Aoki, the chairman of the Japan tour, and more famously Masters champion Hideki Matsuy ama. It also includes Tiger Woods.

PARADISE IN EIRE

The Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua expanded its field this year to include PGA Tour win ners and anyone finishing in the top 30 on the final FedEx Cup points list.

Shane Lowry missed by one spot going to East Lake for the Tour Championship. But when Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann bolted for LIV Golf, that created spots for two more players.

But Lowry won’t be making his first trip to Hawaii.

“I’m in Ireland for Christ mas,” he said. “It’s very early in the year and I need some practice before I play, and I’m not going to have that at home.”

The travel is not appeal ing, especially the thought of going Ireland to Maui, and then Maui to Abu Dhabi for the Hero Cup.

“It’s actually easier to get from Ireland to Australia than it is to Hawaii,” he said.

He also didn’t play at Kapalua after winning the the World Golf Champion ship at Firestone in 2015 or the British Open in 2019. It’s all about time off, advice he took from Pad raig Harrington.

“I decided at the start of my career I’m always going to take a winter break, and it’s worked pretty well for me,” Lowry said. “It cre ates a hunger to go practice and compete. I need those four weeks — only four this year; it’s usually more — to refresh myself.”

UPDATING THE OPENS

Seve Ballesteros, Bern hard Langer and Peter Thomson have won the national Opens in nine countries, which would be a lofty target.

But it’s not the ultimate target.

Turns out the late Rob erto de Vicenzo won the national Open of 15 coun tries, starting with his lone major in the 1967 Brit ish Open at Hoylake. De Vicenzo won Opens in six European countries, eight in Latin America and Jamaica.

More than two dozen national Opens are on the schedule of main tours.

STAT OF THE WEEK

Viktor Hovland has seven victories worldwide, three on the PGA Tour, in his 88 starts as a pro. He has yet to win on the U.S. mainland.

FINAL WORD

“We all got paid the same, that’s the only way I look at it. If I had swiped him for $500,000, I’d be loving it.” — Kevin Kisner on finishing 13th in the Player Impact Program, one spot higher than Max Homa. Players from No. 11 through No. 15 each received $3 million.

Ferguson, an accomplished Optimist sailor, trans ferred his sailing know-how smoothly this weekend from Sloop to Sunfish, as did Alvington McKen zie, Tanaj Manos, Carmen

Forbes, Aiden Musgrove and the many other Exuma and Grand Bahama sail ors. For more information about junior learn-to-sail programmes in Nassau, Exuma and GB, please

visit the Bahamas National Sailing School’s website www.bahsailingschool.org, Exuma Sailing Club www. exumasailing.club. Grand Bahama Sailing Club can be found on Facebook.

FOR the first time ever, the regatta included an all-junior lineup in the E Class.

ON THE HIGH SEAS – Top junior sailors compete during the The Best of the Best Regatta in Montagu Bay last weekend. Photos courtesy of Robert Dunkley

Pro Picks sees Rams making history to kick off Week 14

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer

THE Los Angeles Rams can make history when Week 14 kicks off tonight.

A loss to the Las Vegas Raiders would give the Rams 10 this season, tying the 1999 Denver Broncos for most by a defending Super Bowl champion.

With plenty of games remaining, the Rams (3-9) are well on their way to double-digit losses after hoisting the Vince Lom bardi Trophy last season.

Whether it’s Baker May field, John Wolford or Bryce Perkins under centre for the Rams, Pro Picks says they have no chance against the resurgent Raid ers (5-7).

Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams have led Las Vegas to three straight wins to get within two games of the final wildcard spot in the AFC.

The Raiders have to keep winning to have any chance of reaching the postseason. They’re 6 1/2-point favour ites against the Rams, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

RAIDERS, 27-16 Tampa Bay (plus 3 1/2) at San Francisco

Tom Brady saved the Buccaneers (6-6) again on Monday night. He grew up in the Bay area, going to Candlestick Park, rooting for Joe Montana and the 49ers.

Brock Purdy filled in nicely for Jimmy Garop polo last week and San Francisco (8-4) can win with its strong defence and run game. But this one means a lot for Brady, who won his only game in San Francisco in 2016.

UPSET SPECIAL:

BUCCANEERS, 19-16 Carolina (plus 3 1/2) at Seattle

Geno Smith is an MVP candidate and the Sea hawks (7-5) are legitimate playoff contenders while the Panthers (4-8) are play ing for draft positioning.

BEST BET: SEAHAWKS, 24-16 Houston (plus 16 1/2) at Dallas

The Cowboys put up 54 points against the Colts. They won’t need that many to cover this one.

COWBOYS, 34-10 Minnesota (plus 2 1/2) at Detroit

The level of disrespect the Vikings (10-2) receive from oddsmakers is aston ishing. Minnesota is clearly a far better team than the Lions (5-7), but this line sways the pick.

LIONS, 27-23 New York Jets (plus 9 1/2) at Buffalo The Jets (7-5) beat the Bills (9-3) with Zach Wilson. They’ll keep it close with Mike White.

BILLS, 26-20 Baltimore (plus 2 1/2) at Pittsburgh

With Lamar Jackson, the Ravens (8-4) are an easy

pick. With Tyler Huntley, the Steelers (5-7) have a better chance to get closer to avoiding Mike Tomlin’s first losing season.

STEELERS, 21-20 Philadelphia (minus 6 1/2) at New York Giants Jalen Hurts has done it all for the Eagles (11-1) and should be the MVP front-runner going into this week. The Giants (7-4-1) just don’t have enough fire power on offense.

EAGLES, 27-17 Cleveland (plus 6 1/2) at Cincinnati Deshaun Watson had a sloppy debut, but the Browns (5-7) would’ve defeated the lowly Texans without any quarterback. Joe Burrow and the Ben gals (8-4) are rolling with a chance at first place in the AFC North.

BENGALS, 30-16 Jacksonville (plus 4 1/2) at Tennessee

The Titans (7-5) need to stop a two-game losing streak. Expect the Jag uars (4-8) team that beat the Raiders and Ravens to show up instead of the one that got demolished by the Lions.

TITANS, 23-22 Kansas City (minus 9 1/2) at Denver Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Chiefs (9-3) aren’t happy after losing to the Bengals. That’s bad news for the dreadful Bron cos (3-9).

CHIEFS, 27-13 Miami (minus 3) at Los Angeles Chargers Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins (8-4) aim for a better result in California after losing to the Niners. The inconsistent Chargers (6-6) are desperate for a win to improve their playoff hopes. CHARGERS, 24-23 New England (minus 1 1/2) at Arizona

The Patriots (6-6) are fading after losing two in a row. The Cardinals (4-8) already are cooked.

PATRIOTS, 24-20 2022 RECORD

Last Week: Straight up: 11-3. Against spread: 8-6.

Season: Straight up: 11777. Against spread: 98-92-4.

Thursday: Straight up: 10-5. Against spread: 6-9. Monday: Straight up: 7-7. Against spread: 6-8.

Best Bet: Straight up: 7-6. Against spread: 7-6. Upset Special: Straight up: 4-9. Against spread: 6-6-1.

MCVAY: BAKER MAYFIELD LIKELY TO BE ACTIVE FOR RAMS VS VEGAS

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer

49ERS NOT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT POSSIBLE GAROPPOLO RETURN

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer

SANTA CLARA, California (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers are not counting on get ting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo back for a possible playoff run even after getting the favoura ble news that he wouldn’t require surgery on his broken left foot.

“There’s that way out side chance late in the playoffs or something like that,” coach Kyle Shanahan said yesterday. “But it’s just an outside chance. I’m not really real optimistic about that. But they didn’t rule it out.”

Garoppolo broke his foot in the first quarter on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins and the original fear was that he had a Lisfranc injury that would require surgery and could sideline him for several months.

Additional tests ruled that out and revealed no ligament damage, making the timeline for Garop polo to heal about seven to eight weeks.

While that would have him healed by the second or third weekend of the playoffs, Shanahan said it would take longer until he was ready to play quarterback again.

“I know it’s a serious injury that will likely keep him out for the year,” he said. “It’s really good news that there’s no ligament damage or any thing so he’ll be fine once the broken bone heals.”

Garoppolo’s team mates were pleased to hear the injury wasn’t as serious and that Garop polo would not have to undergo another offsea son of rehab like he did in 2019 following knee surgery and this past year after shoulder surgery.

But they aren’t count ing on having Garoppolo back under centre in the postseason.

LOS ANGELES (AP)

— Coach Sean McVay says Baker Mayfield probably will be active for the Los Angeles Rams’ game against the Raid ers tonight, just two days after the Rams claimed the former No. 1 draft pick off waivers from Carolina.

McVay wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Mayfield playing against Las Vegas, but the Rams coach indi cated it likely would happen only if John Wolford’s per sistent neck injury forces struggling Los Angeles to try an admittedly desperate solution to its quarterback woes.

“I mean, it would be unprecedented from my experiences, because of everything that a quarter back is asked to do, to bring him in in such a short period of time and have him go out there,” McVay said. “But I do think that he’d be capa ble of it if we asked.”

Mayfield arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday night to join the Rams (3-9), a defending Super Bowl champion on a six-game losing streak. The longtime Cleveland Browns starter asked to be waived by the Panthers after falling to the third string on their depth chart.

Although McVay has been a fan of Mayfield’s talents for many years, the coach admits the Rams are scrambling for solutions with Matthew Stafford on injured reserve with a bruised spinal cord, his season likely over.

Wolford wasn’t terribly sharp in the Rams’ loss to Seattle last weekend, and he has been dealing with a neck injury for several weeks. Third-stringer Bryce Perkins was ineffective as a passer two weeks ago in Los Angeles’ loss at Kansas City.

Enter Mayfield, who won McVay’s personal respect when they talked football

while sitting together on a flight to the NFL draft com bine in 2018. McVay has enjoyed NFL success with Kirk Cousins and Jared Goff at the controls of his offence, and the chance to see Mayfield up close was compelling.

McVay repeatedly declined to rule out the pos sibility of playing Mayfield against the Raiders, who have won three straight. The decision likely will depend on the health of Wolford, who is listed as questionable for the game.

“He’s a natural thrower,” McVay said of Mayfield. “There’s a lot of things, whether it be in Cleveland or even in Carolina, that he’s been asked to do that are very similar concepts (with) carryover to what we’ve been able to do, and some of the things that we have as foundational parts of our offence.”

Mayfield’s NFL stock clearly is at an all-time low, and McVay didn’t deny the possibility that the partner ship with the Rams could extend into next season with Mayfield as a backup to Stafford, who is expected to have a healthy offseason.

“I’ve always really liked him,” McVay said. “What I can say is there’s an excite ment about being able to work with him for what we know is five more weeks, and whether he plays in five games or four games is to be determined, but I’m excited about that.”

As expected, McVay ruled out seven-time All-Pro defensive line man Aaron Donald for the second straight week because of a high ankle sprain. Cornerback David Long Jr (groin) and edge rusher Terrell Lewis (back) won’t play against the Raiders, further depleting a defence that has faded

The first-place Niners (8-4) are forging ahead with seventh-round rookie Brock Purdy at quarterback.

over the past four weeks as Los Angeles’ losing streak compounds.

Irving, Durant carry Nets past Hornets, 122-116

BUDDY

tying the game at 115 with 50.5 seconds left.

Gobert was fouled and hit a pair of free throws and then followed with a block of Hield at the rim with nine seconds left.

Edwards added two free throws to put the game away.

Two wild swings set up the decisive fourth.

Minnesota started the game with a dominant first quarter, leading by 19 as Edwards scored 14 points. Indiana shot just 4 of 14 from the field in the opening quarter.

Minnesota’s lead grew early in the second before the Pacers came alive. The Wolves led 47-24 when Russell hit a 3-pointer with 8:16 left in the second.

Hield found his touch from 3 and the Pacers outscored Minnesota 37-16 to end the half. Hield had 13 points in the second quarter and hit five 3s in the first half.

Turner provided Indi ana its first lead of the game early in the second half and the Pacers started the half on a 14-4 run capped by a Halibur ton 3 for a 76-67 lead.

From Russell’s 3 and a 23-point lead, Indiana outscored the Wolves 51-20 ending with Hali burton’s 3.

The eight-point advan tage was the Pacers’ largest of the game.

TIP-INS

Pacers: Haliburton returned to the lineup after missing two games with a sore left groin. Myles Turner was back after missing a game with a hamstring injury. … Jalen Smith was ruled out with a sore right knee. … Indiana finished the team’s longest road trip (seven games) since the 1985-86 season.

Timberwolves: KarlAnthony Towns (right calf strain) missed his third straight game and Taurean Prince (right shoulder subluxation) missed his sixth in a row. … Edwards had a careerhigh seven steals, the first player in the NBA with seven-plus steals this season.

NEW YORK (AP) —

Kyrie Irving scored 33 points, Kevin Durant had 29 and the Brooklyn Nets outlasted the Charlotte Hornets 122-116 last night.

Seth Curry added 20 points on 8-for-11 shooting to help the Nets won for the fifth time in six games.

Terry Rozier scored 30 points and Kelly Oubre Jr had 29 for the Hor nets. They have lost three straight and seven of 10. Brooklyn led by 23 points at the start of the third quarter, but was out scored 32-23 in the period. The Hornets cut it to 109107 with 6:28 left in the game.

RAPTORS 126, LAKERS 113

TORONTO (AP) — Pascal Siakam had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Toronto routed a shorthanded Los Angeles team playing without LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

James sat out because of a sore left ankle, one night after he played 36 minutes in a 116-102 loss at Cleve land. Davis left after one quarter Tuesday night because of a non-COVID illness.

Fred VanVleet also had 25 points for Toronto. Dennis Schroder led the Lakers with 18.

BUCKS 126, KINGS 113

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 35 points, Jrue Holiday added 31 and Mil waukee beat Sacramento for the Bucks’ 13th con secutive victory over the Kings.

The streak is Milwau kee’s longest active streak against an opponent. The Bucks have won 12 straight against Orlando.

Brook Lopez had 17 points and nine rebounds and Khris Middleton added 14 points for the Bucks. They won their third straight to improve to 18-6.

Domantas Sabonis had 23 points and 12 rebounds for the Kings, who had won their last three.

GRIZZLIES 123, THUNDER 102 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ja Morant had 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists and Memphis used a second-half flurry to beat Oklahoma City.

Morant’s triple-double was his second this season

and the seventh of his career, and tied a career high for rebounds. Dillon Brooks added 24 points and Brandon Clarke fin ished with 17 points as the Grizzlies won their seasonbest fourth straight.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexan der led the Thunder with 26 points.

KNICKS 113, HAWKS 89

NEW YORK (AP) — Julius Randle had 34 points and 17 rebounds and New York capitalised on another key Atlanta injury to coast past the Hawks.

Trae Young showed up wearing sneakers in the Knicks’ blue-and-orange colours with “King of Broadway” on them, but he was left largely having to win this one alone after the Hawks lost a third starter when Dejounte Murray sprained his left ankle after 3 1/2 minutes.

Already without start ing forwards John Collins and De’Andre Hunter, the Hawks trailed by as many as 28 points in their fifth loss in seven games.

MAGIC 116, CLIPPERS 111, OT ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — Rookie Pablo Banchero scored 10 of his 23 points in overtime and Orlando beat Los Angeles to snap a nine-game losing streak.

Banchero, the top over all pick in the NBA draft, made all six of his free throws in the final seven seconds of overtime, ral lying the Magic from a 111-110 deficit.

Terrance Mann came off the bench to lead the Clip pers with 19 points.

BULLS 115, WIZARDS 111 CHICAGO (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 15 of his 27 points in the

fourth quarter, Nikola Vucevic had 25 points and 11 rebounds and Chicago beat Washington.

The Wizards lost their fourth in a row and played without leading scorer and three-time All-Star Brad ley Beal. He strained his hamstring Sunday in a loss to the Lakers.

Kristaps Porzingis had 28 points and nine rebounds for Washington.

PELICANS 104, PISTONS 98

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson had 29 points and 10 rebounds and New Orleans beat Detroit for its fifth straight victory and 10th in 12 games.

Trey Murphy III, a 2021 first-round draft choice starting because of Bran don Ingram’s left foot injury, hit four 3s and had 20 points for New Orleans.

Saddiq Bey, who scored 25 points for Detroit.

BASKETBALL RESULTS

BASKETBALL results for Tuesday, December 6Games were played at The Hope Center located on University Commons - are as follows:

Junior Boys

International School of Business, Entrepreneur ship and Technology 57 def Greenville Preparatory Academy 12

Paidyn Taylor no. 00 of ISBET with 14 points in the win.

Sachari Thurston no. 3 of Greenville with five points in the loss.

Genesis Academy 39 def Freedom Baptist Academy B 7

Alex Braunlich no. 6 of Genesis with 17 points in the win.

Jamar Donitien no. 12 of Freedom with three (3) pts in the loss.

Senior Girls

Teleos Christian School 17 def Genesis Academy 12 Azariah Anderson no. 18 of Teleos with nine (9) pts in the win.

Ciarra Bodie no. 13 of Genesis with six (6) pts in the loss.

Senior Boys

New Horizon Christian Academy 30 def Greenville Preparatory Academy 11 Marco Duncombe no. 30 of Horizon with fifteen (15) pts in the win.

Semaj Thurston no. 1 of Greenville with eight (8) pts in the loss.

Wednesday, December 7

PG – Teleos Christian School vs Freedom Baptist Academy

PB – Freedom Baptist Academy vs Teleos Chris tian School

JG – St. John’s College vs Freedom Baptist Academy

JB – Teleos Christian School vs Freedom Baptist Academy A

SB – Genesis Academy vs Greenville Preparatory Academy

SB – C. V. Bethel vs Teleos Christian School

MITCHELL SCORES 43, DAVIS LEAVES EARLY AS CAVS BEAT LAKERS

CLEVELAND (AP) —

Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 43 points and Jarrett Allen returned from

injury to add 24, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 116-102 win on Tuesday night over the Los Angeles

Lakers in LeBron James’ only visit home this season.

With Anthony Davis missing the final three quarters because of illness, the Cavaliers improved to an NBA-leading 11-1 on their floor, their best start at home since 201516, when James led them a championship.

Mitchell, who has Cleve land fans dreaming of another title run, took over in the second half and scored 29 points with the kind of performance James did routinely during his 11 seasons for the Cavs.

With Cleveland leading by 12 in the fourth, Mitch ell buried a 3-pointer from the left wing to finish the Lakers.

After dropping the shot, the All-Star guard strut ted around the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse floor nodding his head as James helplessly watched.

Darius Garland added 21 points and 11 assists for Cleveland.

James finished with 21 points and 17 rebounds, losing for just the third time in 20 games against the Cavs.

MAVERICKS 116, NUGGETS 115 DENVER (AP) — Dorian Finney-Smith hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 17.3 seconds remaining and Dallas rallied after squan dering a late lead to beat Denver.

Nikola Jokic had a chance to tie the game with 12 sec onds remaining, but missed the first of two free throws.

Spencer Dinwiddie hit both free throws to help seal the win for the Mavericks.

Tim Hardaway Jr scored a season-high 29 points and Luka Doncic recorded his 52nd career triple-double with 22 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.

The Mavericks hardly looked weary as they played the second game of a back-to-back. They beat the Western Conferenceleading Phoenix Suns the night before.

Aaron Gordon had 27 points, while Jokic added 19 points, eight assists and eight rebounds for the Nug gets, who dropped their third straight game on a night when they committed 17 turnovers.

PISTONS 116, HEAT 96

MIAMI (AP) — Bojan Bogdanovic scored 28 of his 31 points in the second half, Alec Burks added 18 and Detroit ran away in the final two quarters to beat Miami.

Saddiq Bey scored 14, Isaiah Stewart had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Cory Joseph also finished with 11 points for the Pistons.

Detroit trailed 50-47 at halftime — then outscored Miami 69-46 in the final two quarters.

It was Detroit’s big gest margin of victory this season.

The Pistons had won only one game by more than seven points, that being a 128-114 triumph over Golden State on October 30.

Tyler

four games. The Heat

Herro led all scor ers with a season high-tying 34 points for Miami, which has dropped three of its last

are off to an 11-14 start for the third time in the last five seasons.

BROOKLYN Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) and guard Kyrie Irving (11) celebrate in the final sec onds of the second half against the Charlotte Hornets last night in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Albury, Greene lead team to wins

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Chipola coaching staff has raved about the contributions of its Baha mian stars as the team has continued its undefeated season and risen as high as no.4 in the national junior college rankings.

Deyton Albury and Paul Greene led the team to wins in the first three games of their five-game road trip over South Georgia Tech, Henry Ford College and no.13 Monroe College.

Chiploa is 13-0 on the season, their best start since the 2012-2013 team (18-0) and the coaching staff have been high on Greene’s impact in his first year with the programme.

“The thing that I think is unique and special about Paul is that he’s not a guy that requires the ball to get stuff done, he rebounds, he does gritty stuff for us, he’s good in our press, he gets steals and he’s coachable every day so I think that’s valuable when you have that in a programme,” said assistant coach Lane Below.

“We’re pleased with Paul so far and I think he’s get ting better and better.”

Greene leads the team in rebounding at 6.9 boards per game and scored 8.5 points per game in 13 games with six starts.

“Paul has been excep tional,” head coach Donnie Tyndall said. “He’s a guy that deflects balls, he gets steals, he tips the ball in, he rotates over and gets the charge, all the gritty little winning plays and that’s been great to have from him.”

In his second year with the programme, Albury is second on the team in scoring at 13.5 points and second in rebounding at 6.3 rebounds per game.

“Deyton brings it every single day,” Tindall said.

Assistant coach Jaren Harris said Albury has been the catalyst of the pro gramme’s early success.

“We’ve got a bunch of tough guys in our locker room but I think every one of our guys will say he’s the toughest guy in our locker room,” Harris said.

“From his dedication, to his willingness to be a great teammate, from his selfless ness - he does everything on the floor for us. He’s a defender, he’s a rebounder, he’s a scorer, he’s a dis tributor, and he brings it everyday on the practice floor too so I think Deyton has definitely been one of our guys that has stepped up for us.”

In the 69-64 win over the South Georgia Technical College Jets, Albury fin ished with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Greene had six points and five rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench.

At the TCC Classic, Chipola took down the Henry Ford College Hawks 80-55.

Albury had 10 points, four rebounds and four

ALBURY

GREENE

assists while Greene had nine points, five rebounds and three assists.

On the second day of the TCC Classic, the Indians used a strong second half to pull away from Monroe (10-2) in battle of the NJCAA’s top 10 teams.

Albury had 10 points and seven rebounds while Green had nine points, five rebounds and a game high four steals.

Next weekend, the Indi ans will play two games in the FCSAA Shootout in Melbourne, Florida on the campus of Eastern Florida State College.

They will take on St Petersburg College on Sat urday before wrapping up their road trip with Florida SouthWestern State Col lege on Sunday.

After a slow start to the season, Rolantae Knowles and Oswald Meadows have led the Butte CC Road Runners to a 6-6 record.

Knowles had his fifth double double of the season last night in Road Runners’ 86-81 win over Cosumnes River. He finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds while Meadows added nine points and eight rebounds.

The win concluded a three-game winning streak over the last week that began with an opening round win at the Cabrillio Tournament, a 101-66 win over Alameda.

Meadows finished with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists while Knowles had 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists. They followed with a 72-63 win over San Mateo. Mead ows had a season high 24 point, six rebounds, five assists and two steals and Knowles finished with 11 points and eight rebounds.

The Bahamian duo also lead Butte in both scoring and rebounding. Knowles tops the team in both cate gories at 16.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Mead ows is second on the team in both categories at 13.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

In their freshman seasons, Knowles aver aged 13.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while Meadows averaged 6.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

BAHAMIANS SHINE AT THE LIL MO/BIG MO TENNIS COMPETITION

THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) congratulates Khai Rhees, Kingston Rees and William McCartney on their perfor mances at the Lil Mo/Big MO Competition in Palm Beach, Florida.

Khai Rhees was victori ous in the Boys 16 Doubles. Khai, along with partner Ricardo Espaillat, captured the championship. They received a bye in the quar terfinals and won in the semifinals over Garcia and Oliviera 8-5.

In the finals, Khai and his partner won over the #1 seeds the Shalom Brothers 8-2. Khai also advanced to the semifinals of the Boys 16 singles. Khai, who was seeded no. 4, won in the R16 over Sommer 4-6 6-2 10-7. In the quarterfinals, he won over Pinto 6-1 6-0. He fell in the semifinals to the no.1 seed Shalom 1-6 2-6.

William also advanced to the Boys 14 Singles semifinals. In the round of 32, William - seeded no.2 - received a bye into R16 where he won over Camp bell-Smith 6-2 6-0.

In the quarters he won over Balamurugan 6-3, 7-5.

In the semis, William fell to Teadesco 5-7, 4-6. William also teamed up with Milana Ronert to advance to the semifinals in mixed doubles.

The duo received a bye

into the round of 16 where they won 8-3 over Morales and Gallardo. In the quar ters they won 8-5 over Dobrovosky and Marinova.

Winning the Boys 10 Green Doubles was the no.1 seeds Kingston Rees and partner Daniel Levine. The duo won in the quarter finals 8-3 over Duong and Jiang. In the semis they won over Herdoiza and Valerio 8-4. The pair would emerge victorious in the finals over Delfin and Leal Ferre 8-4.

Kingston Rees also advanced to the Mixed Doubles finals where he lost with partner Shabli 9-8 over Levine and Binkley.

Kingston and Shabli won in the quarterfinals 8-2 over Jiang and Compofelice and in the semis over Vidal and Van Onselen 8-0.

WILLIAM McCartney

KHAI RHEES, at right and far left.

KINGSTON REES, centre.