12232024 NEWS AND SPORT by tribune242

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CCA FILES IN U S FOR BA NKRU PT CY

...but

resorts in The Bahamas not part of legal bid

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

TWO Nassau resorts, and their Bahamian holding entities, are not caught by yesterday’s “last resort” bid from Baha Mar’s contractor to protect its US arm from Sarkis Izmirlian’s “crippling” $1.6bn damages win. CCA Construction Inc,

the contractor’s New Jersey-based entity, conﬁrmed it had sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US legal system to safeguard its assets and business from any attempt by Baha Mar’s original developer to enforce his near-total New York State Supreme Court triumph by seizing their

PM: ONGOING UNION DISPUTES are ‘very simple matters’

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip

“Brave” Davis has downplayed ongoing union disputes, describing them as “minor” and suggesting they could be resolved through dialogue at the negotiating table.

Frustration and grief as two men killed and three bystanders injured

Trade Union Congress (TUC) President Obie Ferguson has said 14 unions under his leadership have obtained strike certiﬁcates

Mr Davis questioned the need for unions to escalate their concerns and expressed conﬁdence that the disputes can be addressed without drastic action.

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

TWO suspects were taken into custody as police investigated a Saturday morning shooting

at a barber shop on Bernard Road that left two men dead and three others injured, including a sevenyear-old boy.

Chief Superintendent of Police Stephen Maycock, the ofﬁcer in charge of the

Fox Hill Division, conﬁrmed the arrests and the recovery of a dark-coloured Honda Accord believed to have been connected to the crime during a press

‘Daughter may never walk again after being beaten in the street’

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE mother of a woman brutally attacked by an unknown man last week fears her daughter may never walk again after both of her legs were broken by the vicious assault.

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

Louise King-Brice, 63, lamented to The Tribune that her daughter, Latasha Rolle, 44, was “beaten like a dog” without reason in an incident that was captured on camera and went viral.

Ms Rolle, a chef at Margaritaville on Paradise Island, sometimes used the bus to get to work. But last Tuesday, while heading to work, her quick stop at the bank after stepping

LONG Island MP Adrian Gibson, who is on trial for allegedly failing to disclose personal interests in Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) contracts, was accused by his cousin, Rashae Gibson, of posing a threat to her safety. She testiﬁed on Friday that she hired security because she feared he might harm her during the proceedings.

Defence attorney Geoffrey Farquharson questioned why

LATASHA Rolle.

AN EMOTIONAL scene on Bernard Road where four persons were shot inside a barber shop resulting in the death of two men and a woman and a child be injured on Saturday.

Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

PM: Ongoing union disputes are ‘very simple matters’

and are prepared to take industrial action if necessary.

Mr Davis said yesterday: “I’ve looked at those. Most of those issues are really minor. I don’t know what’s agitating union leaders to take the stand they’re taking or their membership. But most of the issues are just very simple matters that should be resolved by just sitting at a table.”

Mr Davis noted that progress had been made with some unions, including the doctors.

“We were able to resolve the senior doctors’ matters, and the air trafﬁc issue has also been resolved. We are working on addressing the others,” Mr Davis said, indicating plans to meet with additional unions in the coming weeks to address their grievances.

Mr Ferguson strongly disagreed with Mr Davis’s assessment, stating that the disputes are far from minor and represent longstanding grievances that have been ignored for

years. “We have outstanding issues,” he said. “We have communicated to the

ofﬁcers, and the nurses all have unresolved issues. These are serious.”

Mr Ferguson explained that during previous meetings with Mr Davis, an agreement had been reached to resolve disputes in phases by addressing three unions at a time.

He noted that while some matters were resolved, such as those involving the senior doctors, the process stalled.

“We agreed that three unions would be dealt with at a time, and we anticipated that if that was put into effect as promised, the matters could be resolved. But that has not been done,” Mr Ferguson said.

The union leader also raised concerns that government negotiators were presenting proposals to unions that conﬂicted with what had been agreed upon in meetings with the Prime Minister.

“The negotiators for the government matched with the unions, and they tried to put another sort of proposal to these unions, different from what we discussed and we thought we had

concluded with the Prime Minister,” Mr Ferguson said.

Mr Ferguson said unions have been patient, refraining from industrial action for over three years while trying to resolve issues amicably. However, with unresolved overtime payments, industrial agreements, and other grievances piling up, union members are increasingly frustrated.

“It takes two to make things work, and if one side is not doing what was agreed, then obviously that creates a different environment, and the trade union is going to do what they have to do,” Mr Ferguson said. Mr Ferguson said unions plan to meet during the holidays to determine the way forward, including next steps to address their members’ concerns.

He added that he plans to request another meeting with Mr Davis to discuss outstanding matters and emphasised that the unions remain open to negotiations.

See BUSINESS for more

Munroe dis M isses o pposition’s call for c o MM ission of i nquiry

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Staff Reporter

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe dismissed the opposition’s continued demand for a Commission of Inquiry, insisting that the government’s proposed Independent Commission of Investigation Bill 2024 will offer a permanent, proactive approach to addressing corruption concerns.

He suggested a Commission of Inquiry would be a temporary, ad hoc body.

He argued that the proposed commission is better suited to rebuild trust in law enforcement, especially in view of a recent US federal indictment alleging serious misconduct among Bahamian officers and government officials.

The government’s proposed legislation would create a standing commission to investigate complaints of misconduct involving the security forces. “This matter started under their administration, so maybe that’s why they prefer an ad hoc approach,” Mr Munroe said on Friday. “From our standpoint, we want something with a credible chance of renewing confidence in the security forces — something permanent, with proactive oversight.” He encouraged the public to read both the Independent Commission of Investigation Bill and the Commission of Inquiry Act to determine which has “more teeth.” Bar Association president Kahlil Parker and corruption experts have criticised the proposed commission bill, saying it fails to address persistent questions about the operation and management of law enforcement agencies amid declining public trust.

Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis also labelled the bill “a waste,” arguing it falls short of properly tackling the issues revealed by the US federal indictment.

government for the last three years that these matters will be resolved. These are not minor matters.

The doctors’ unions, the air trafﬁc controllers, the Bahamas Hotel Managerial Association, the public

MINISTER PHILIP ‘BRAVE’ DAVIS

NATIONAL SECURITY MINISTER WAYNE MUNROE

‘Daughter may never walk again after being beaten in the street’

off the bus turned into a nightmare.

The incident occurred around 2pm at Poinciana Avenue and Baillou Hill Road. Footage showed a man repeatedly punching, hitting, and stomping on Ms Rolle at a busy intersection. Despite her cries for help, bystanders honked their horns but remained in their vehicles. The bus driver also stayed parked, but did not intervene. The assault only stopped when one man intervened and pushed the attacker away.

Mrs King-Brice said her eldest daughter called her in a panic to inform her of the attack. When she saw the video, she dropped her phone and broke down, crying, “Jesus, this man is going to kill my baby.”

Ms Rolle suffered a broken nose, a black eye,

two broken legs, and other injuries. At the hospital, she struggled to speak to her family. Sh explained

that after leaving the bus, she felt a sudden blow.

Mrs King-Brice said her daughter repeatedly

asked the unknown man why he was beating her. He told her that she reminded him of someone he used to know. At one point, he also tried to steal her purse.

Mrs King-Brice added that from her understanding, the attacker was on the same bus as Ms Rolle who then proceeded to follow her when she got off. The mother questioned why the bus driver didn’t intervene when he saw her daughter being attacked.

“Nobody came off the bus, and she was crying for help,” Mrs KingBrice said, tearing up. “I need to look for the man who saved her because that other man was going to beat my daughter to death.”

Ms Rolle’s family is devastated to see her so traumatised. Her two sons, aged 14 and 17, are struggling to cope with

seeing their mother in such a condition. Mrs King-Brice, who is on dialysis and unable to work, lives with Ms Rolle and her sons. Since Ms Rolle is the family’s primary breadwinner, her mother said she’s concerned about how she will cover Ms Rolle’s surgeries and aftercare.

“She’s going to have to be in a wheelchair,” Mrs King-Brice said tearfully.

“I don’t know how long — maybe for the rest of her life.”

She said she wants justice for her daughter. She said the attacker should be placed in jail and that his family should help with medical expenses.

Ms Rolle’s boyfriend, Fylvno George, said he was heartbroken when she called him, hysterical and in pain after being attacked. He rushed to the scene, where he found her bleeding heavily. He said

he got an umbrella from someone that he used to stop the blood from pouring from Ms Rolle’s legs. After waiting nearly an hour for an ambulance that never arrived, he, bystanders, and police helped to gently lift Ms Rolle into his van, stabilising her legs with a board.

Mr George expressed anger over the lack of intervention by witnesses, saying so many people just recorded and watched while she was fighting for her life.

The man who attacked Ms Rolle has been charged with grievous harm. However, Mr George said he thinks the man only being charged for grievous harm is insufficient.

“Lord knows if I had catch him personally, I probably would have been locked up right now,” Mr George said.

Cousin claims Gibson posing a threat to her safety

she appeared in court with security, suggesting that the prosecution was paying for her protection. Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier objected, saying there was no evidence of that.

Justice Cheryl Grant Thompson clariﬁed that the court was not covering Ms Gibson’s security costs and directed Mr Farquharson to drop that line of questioning.

Mr Farquharson also alleged Ms Gibson was associating with people facing drug charges, including a man named Bassett,

who reportedly paid her $50,000 cash bail. Ms Gibson acknowledged Bassett had indeed posted her bail but said she did not know about any charges against him. She denied that his alleged criminal background was the reason she hired security.

Ms Gibson then described how she opened two companies — Edwileno Holdings and Elite Maintenance — at Mr Gibson’s request. She insisted her signature had been forged on some documents related to these companies and said she only discovered the existence of WSC contracts during this trial.

She testified that Adrian Gibson was actually the owner of Elite Maintenance, even though paperwork listed her and Adrian Gibson’s former fiancée, Alexandria Mackey, as shareholders. Ms Gibson admitted she had never seen any documentation officially naming him as an owner or shareholder. When Mr Farquharson asked how a company could commit fraud, Ms Gibson pointed to documents bearing her signature that she claimed she did not authorise. She also said she did not know who had committed fraud in the matter

and maintained she was unaware of various board meetings and the use of her address for Edwileno Holdings. She denied personally committing fraud as a director and said she did not accuse Adrian Gibson of money laundering. According to Ms Gibson, she had no knowledge of how or why WSC awarded contracts to these companies. Mr Farquharson attempted to display photos of Ms Gibson in public, prompting another

prosecution objection. After the photos were partially shown to the jury, Ms Gibson asked Justice Thompson if she was being followed or if she was in danger. Justice Thompson refused to admit the photos as evidence. Mr Farquharson remarked that “big things” were ahead for Ms Gibson. Charges against Ms Gibson were previously dropped when she agreed to cooperate with the prosecution. She returned to

court for additional crossexamination after a prior delay due to legal issues. Adrian Gibson stands trial alongside Elwood Donaldson Jr, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson, and Jerome Missick. The defense team comprises Damian Gomez KC, Murrio Ducille KC, Geoffrey Farquharson, Ian Cargill, Bryan Bastian, Ryan Eve, and Raphael Moxey. DPP Frazier and Karine MacVean lead the prosecution.

Shortage of customs ofﬁcer due to ‘poor management’ not strike

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A TEMPORARY shortage of customs ofﬁcers at Lynden Pindling International Airport on Friday caused an empty customs desk and sparked concerns of potential industrial action.

However, Customs Comptroller Ralph Munroe dismissed the speculation, attributing the shortfall to “poor management” and assuring

the public there were no major disruptions over the weekend.

Bahamas Customs, Immigration, and Allied Workers Union president Deron Brooks confirmed there was no official industrial action, explaining that the shift was simply understaffed. Mr Munroe said half of the eight scheduled officers were unavailable due to sick leave or other absences, but the issue was resolved by reassigning staff from other locations.

“No other airports were

affected,” Mr Munroe added, noting that police assistance was unnecessary. He also criticised supervisors at the station for not planning ahead, given that they knew that at least two officers would be absent. The incident follows a Bahamasair sick-out last Wednesday, when 75 percent of its flight attendants reportedly stayed home due to alleged outstanding pay problems, causing flight cancellations and long passenger queues at airports.

LATASHA ROLLE

CCA ﬁles in US for bankruptcy

from page one

property.

The Chinese state-owned contractor, in a statement, said the move was intended to preserve its ability to overturn Mr Izmirlian’s success after the New York court’s appeals division last week eliminated the temporary injunction CCA had previously obtained to block enforcement of his $1.642bn damages award. Its removal also meant the company had to post a $1.9bn bond to pursue the appeal - a sum it says it cannot raise.

However, the Bahamiandomiciled entities also named as defendants in the New York action, CCA Bahamas and China State Construction and Engineering Construction (CSCEC) Bahamas, are not impacted by yesterday’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection ﬁling.

And The Tribune also understands that they, as well as the separate Bahamian incorporated entities that hold downtown Nassau’s British Colonial and Margaritaville Beach Resort, are not subject to any administration, receivership or liquidation-related proceedings before this nation’s Supreme Court - as had been threatened in previous CCA legal ﬁlings.

This is likely because, as the Chapter 11 paperwork makes clear, CCA Bahamas and CSCEC Bahamas are required to ﬁle the contractor’s substantive appeal against Mr Izmirlian’s damages award with the New York court by December 30, 2024. They would likely not be able to do so if subject to any receivership and/or liquidation proceedings in The Bahamas.

And CCA Construction Inc is also demanding a rapid hearing before the New Jersey Bankruptcy Court, which it wishes to take place no later than December 27, 2024, right after the Christmas holidays in a bid to lift the automatic Chapter 11 ‘stay’ to that it can join in with the appeal ﬁling.

This newspaper understands that CCA’s move took Mr Izmirlian and his team by surprise as they believed it was implausible a Chinese state-owned company would ﬁle for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection given both the potential reputational damage this threatens to inﬂict on Beijing as well the substantial resources it can devote to the contractor’s cause. However, CCA has now made good in its earlier bankruptcy threat.

Yet the irony of CCA having to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with a sudden, surprise ﬁling on a Sunday/weekend is unlikely to be lost on many given that nine-and-a-half years ago it slammed Mr Izmirlian and his executive team for doing exactly the same thing after it failed to complete the multi-billion Baha Mar mega resort on time and on budget.

Yan Wei, CCA Construction Inc’s chairman and chief executive, in a statement that accompanied CCA’s Chapter 11 filing, said: “Our actions today are intended to protect CCA’s right to appeal the New York state court’s fatally flawed decision and preserve the value of CCA for the benefit of all stakeholders while the appeal process plays out.

“The record is clear that BML Properties’ [Mr Izmirlian’s corporate vehicle] losses were entirely the result of its own gross mismanagement and irresponsible actions, and that the lower court’s decision

suffers from multiple, insurmountable errors of law.

“Among its many failings, the lower court’s decision completely ignores the reality that CCA was not involved at all in the Baha Mar construction project. We look forward to presenting our arguments to the appellate court.” CCA Construction Inc is denying that it was the construction manager for Baha Mar, instead pinning this responsibility on CCA Bahamas, which it argues is not one of its subsidiaries or afﬁliates.

A complex corporate chart, ﬁled with the New Jersey bankruptcy court as part of Mr Wei’s afﬁdavit, purports to show CCA Construction Inc as a separate entity with no ties to the Bahamian companies or operations. However, both it and the Bahamian entities come under CSCEC Holding Company, whose ultimate parent is China State Construction Engineering Corp. Instead, CCA’s Bahamian entities are shown as owned by CCA International Group, a Delaware-incorporated entity. CCA Bahamas, which comes directly under this company, is shown as the immediate owner for Neworld One Bay Street and Strategic Property Holding Ltd, which are the holding entities for The Pointe and British Colonial, respectively.

Meanwhile, Mr Wei accused Mr Izmirlian and BML Properties of “undermining CCA’s ability to win and execute new business” in the US as a result of launching his fraud and breach of contract claim over Baha Mar’s failed opening almost exactly seven years ago at Christmas 2017.

“This Chapter 11 case is one of last resort, and was ultimately necessitated by a crippling $1.6bn judgment issued by the Supreme Court of New York and entered on October 31, 2024, against CCA and two non-debtor afﬁliates, and in favour of BML Properties,” Mr Wei alleged.

“CCA’s ﬁnancial challenges, which began in 2015, were caused by several factors outside of its control including a broad retreat from, and policy changes negatively impacting, Chinese investment in US-based construction projects.

“These business headwinds were further exacerbated by the 2017 commencement of the Baha Mar litigation, and the allegations made by BML Properties therein, which undermined CCA’s ability to win and execute new business. CCA’s ongoing ﬁnancial problems have now reached a tipping point with the entry of the Baha Mar judgment.”

Mr Wei, arguing that CCA had “no recourse” but to seek Chapter 11 protection after last Thursday’s removal of the temporary injunction left it exposed to both Mr Izmirlian’s demands and the $1.9bn bond mandated by the New York appeals court, added that the Chinese contractor is seeking “a breathing spell to address its ongoing and deepening ﬁnancial distress” that has been worsened by the Baha Mar judgment.

“In light of the denial of the stay pending appeal, and without the ability to post a bond, CCA is at risk of immediate enforcement of the Baha Mar judgment. Enforcement would require CCA to turn over or hastily liquidate its operating subsidiaries, effectively forfeiting its right to an appeal,

and would cause disastrous consequences for CCA,” Mr Wei added.

“During the appeal and any subsequent remand, the CCA group will work to preserve the value of its businesses, which will benefit all constituents. In the unhoped-for event that the Baha Mar judgment is not reversed or modified by the first department, this Chapter 11 case will give CCA time to develop alternate strategies, including exploring an orderly sale or other transactional alternatives....

“The Chapter 11 process is the only pathway through which CCA can preserve value with the goal of emerging as a reorganised and stronger enterprise for the beneﬁt of all of its stakeholders.”

CCA Construction Inc is also seeking approval from the federal New Jersey bankruptcy court to receive $40m in financing from its immediate owner, CSCEC Holding Company, so that it has “sufficient liquidity” to finance its ongoing business operations while in Chapter 11 protection.

“Given CCA’s ﬁnancial distress, the CCA group has,

over the past several years, relied heavily upon intercompany debt ﬁnancing provided by CCA’s parent, CSCEC Holding Company. As of the petition date, the balance of CCA’s inter-company obligation to CSCEC Holding is approximately $124.8m,” CCA Construction Inc said in separate legal ﬁlings.

Mr Wei, in his December 22, 2024, afﬁdavit, asserted that a “reduction in value of new contracts and revenues” has left CCA Construction Inc “unproﬁtable”. An accompanying chart shows the value of “new contracts in backlog” falling from around $3bn in 2015, when Baha Mar was supposed to have been completed, to less than $500m in 2021. Over the same period, revenues fell from over $1bn to a similar level.

But, despite this and negative cash flow, Mr Wei said CCA Construction Inc has “a viable path... to regain profitability” by constructing factories for Chinese firms establishing operations in the US - only for “that growth [to be] constrained” by Mr Izmirlian’s recent court win.

“The Baha Mar litigation is far from a run-of-the-mill construction dispute, and it has nothing to do with the CCA group’s operations,” Mr Wei alleged. “It is instead an effort by the plaintiff, BML Properties, to use a three-month delay in construction by CCA Bahamas to hold all three of the defendants liable for the entire collapse of Baha Mar’s ﬁnancing and the failure of BML Properties’ business plan, which stemmed from BML Properties’ decision to borrow over $2.45bn against Baha Mar’s assets.

“Baha Mar engaged CCA Bahamas as the project’s construction manager under a separate contract, and Baha Mar later released all claims arising under that contract.

CCA had no contractual relationship to BML Properties or Baha Mar, and no role in the project. The only alleged basis for recovery against CCA was BML Properties’ convoluted theory of veil-piercing liability, which the trial court erroneously accepted....

“Between 2011 and the end of 2014, BML Properties had caused Baha Mar to borrow over $2bn from the China Export-Import Bank with $108m in interest coming due in 2015. Baha Mar failed to repay a single cent of the principal or interest on the loan, which was secured against Baha Mar’s assets,” Mr Wei claimed.

“In fact, following Bah Mar’s bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings, the China Export-Import Bank loan has $1bn that, to this

day, remains unpaid.... The Project did not open on March 27, 2015, although construction was - by Baha Mar’s own admissionapproximately 97 percent complete at that time. After March 27, CCA Bahamas continued to move the construction forward even after Baha Mar stopped paying.”

Mr Wei added that CCA Bahamas was retained by Baha Mar’s receivers to complete construction, and “did so in short order and within 4 percent of the original budget for construction, even though CCA Bahamas took over Baha Mar’s scope of work, paid hundreds of millions of dollars to Baha Mar’s own sub-contractors and vendors that Baha Mar had failed to pay, and paid Baha Mar’s substantial back taxes and fees owed to the Bahamian government”.

Mr Wei said CCA Construction Inc and the contractor’s two Bahamian defendant entities “will argue that the trial court’s veil-piercing decisionits only basis for holding CCA liable - applied the wrong jurisdiction’s law and reached the wrong conclusion, even under the law that it did apply.

“The defendants have argued, and will continue to argue on appeal, that Bahamian law applies, given that both CCA Bahamas and CSCEC Bahamas are Bahamian entities and the entirety of the events at issue occurred in The Bahamas. Bahamian law would unquestionably preclude any liability, but even under New York law there is no basis for veil piercing,” he added.

The Tribune Limited

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

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

LEON E. H. DUPUCH

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

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

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

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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What’s next as CCA ﬁles for bankruptcy

THE news that China Construction America has started a chapter 11 bankruptcy case in the US is the latest step in a saga that continues to send shockwaves to reverberate through The Bahamas.

The most immediate concerns for Bahamians is what will happen to the two resorts under CCA’s hand here.

Both Margaritaville at The Pointe and the British Colonial had been potentially collateral as security for CCA’s appeal against the $1.642bn damages award it had been ordered to pay.

In total, to appeal against that order, CCA and its afﬁliates, CCA (Bahamas) and China State Construction and Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) Bahamas had to put up a surety bond of $1.9bn.

Last week, the New York State Supreme Court’s appeals division overturned an injunction that barred Baha Mar’s original developer from enforcing that damages award. In other words, they had to pay up.

Yesterday, CCA moved towards bankruptcy proceedings.

Just last week, an ally of developer Sarkis Izmirlian, former Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar, said CCA was “clearly having trouble” raising the $1.9bn it needed to proceed with its appeal – but he felt it was unlikely that CCA would declare bankruptcy.

It is understood that the two hotels are not caught up in this latest move by CCA - but that may not ease the nervousness.

What comes next?

Well, liquidation proceedings here in The Bahamas is very much the

question. Mr D’Aguilar felt about bankruptcy that he just didn’t think that was an option. It is. And it’s the path being taken.

The two hotels under CCA’s remit were valued at between $232.7m and $355.1m. They employ signiﬁcant numbers of Bahamians and take up prominent parts of the Downtown landscape.

There is of course a possibility that the hotels will continue as they are, as going concerns, and transfer into new ownership. Continuation in some form would be the best outcome for all. But the move towards bankruptcy adds a new level of uncertainty.

There is a bigger picture for CCA, too. At best, those hotels only carry a value of just under a ﬁfth of the total sum needed.

Can they proceed with their appeal at all? The bankruptcy proceedings seem to make that unlikely. The government has played down concerns over jobs or over the impact of the ruling in the initial case.

We shall soon see whether the government continues to be unconcerned about the outcome following this new turn of events.

Coming just before Christmas will see staff at the resorts thrown into worry about the future. They will be concerned about whether their jobs will be there in the new year.

What they need to hear is some straight talking about what comes next, and that is what the government needs to provide.

We hope that is what they will receive.

Is the country on autopilot?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

RIGHT in front of our very eyes we are being denied access to Cable Beach Manor Beach, on the western side of Sandals Resort. About six months now, a construction fence was erected that took over the parking easement which has been established for over 50 years. When the Cable Beach Manor Apartments existed, we were able to park on both sides of the beach access road. After the latter was demolished by Brickell Management Group, we still had access to parking up to six months ago. No construction has started, but the beach access road is now congested with limited parking, and a lot of spots taken up by Sandals employees. Additionally, there are no proper garbage bins, so the area is really nasty

with garbage spilling out onto the ground. The use of cracked unsightly plastic garbage bins in public areas bafﬂes me. I can remember when public garbage bins were uniform in appearance, and there was either a concrete mold where a bin was placed inside, or a garbage bin with a cover and a ﬂap.

I wonder if the Ministry of Tourism is aware that right next to the multi-million-dollar Sandal Resorts, there is a pile of trash, spilling onto the ground, with uncovered bins, making this a health hazard. Very large rats are frequently seen in this area. I know there is a gentleman who has the contract to clean up and pickup the trash, and he does a good job since, he is there early every morning removing and cleaning up. However, it’s another

24 hours during his absence that all hell breaks loose. There are just not enough garbage bins for the capacity of trash that is left on the beach.

Those people who swim frequently early in the morning normally try and pick up garbage including beer bottles, fast foot containers that is left on the beach by residents and tourist. There needs to be some schedules put in place to ensure that our beaches are kept clean and pristine. However, this seems not to be high on the priority list for Public Parks & Public Beach Authority. What do they do all day, if not cleaning up the beaches they were mandated to do?

I guess the country is really on autopilot.

BA SWEETING Nassau, December 19, 2024.

Where did good manners go?

EDITOR, The Tribune

YESTERDAY, while riding the bus, I was sitting near the entrance when a lady got on it at one of the stops. Because the bus was so crowded, she had to stand in the aisle.

A few minutes after the bus pulled off, I felt it was my duty as a gentleman to offer her my seat.

To my astonishment, she looked at me and replied sarcastically, “I am not that kind of person. Who do you think I am?”

I was shocked but was the only one on the bus affected by this behaviour.

This kind of behaviour has taken root in our society.

When you open the door to let a person go before you, they walk past you without saying thank you.

It’s the same thing in the grocery shop. You let a person with far fewer items in their hands than you have in your trolley, and they look at you as if you are a Martian.

You let the driver of a car filled with children out of the side corner and then watch them deliberately block another vehicle from coming out in front of them. What were the children thinking? Did they learn anything from what they just experienced?

Unfortunately, this behaviour is everywhere, and good manners are no longer a show of respect.

In the media, News of crime and corruption sells more and faster than acts of civility.

Not too long ago, Officer Deacon Donald Lotmore persuaded a young lady not to commit murder and suicide by stopping her from drowning both herself and her baby child.

There was no mention of this in the news.

Not a lick.

The reason is that everyone is so caught up talking about the corrupt police officers and so anxious to find out who the implicated politician is.

Officer Donald Lotmore’s act of heroism is small-time news.

This scenario takes me back to John 13:21-24

“After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. “One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining

at the table at Jesus’ side,” so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking.

Do we see the message here?

The Lord had just announced that one of his disciples would betray him. That might have bothered them, but they were more concerned about who would do it than whether it would happen. It does not matter whether the unnamed politician is innocent or guilty. We want his head, and we want it now.

Ever since this news broke, there were several names bandied about.

Some people have no qualms about sullying innocent people’s names. The outgoing Commissioner of Police addressed this when he admonished the public to be careful when they connect persons to criminal offences.

We don’t know if it is jealousy or what. Whatever it is, it is wrong. Furthermore, a moment of frailty does not condemn anyone because anything can happen to anyone, even you. Let us examine, Matthew 26:34-35

“Truly, I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same. Now let us move to, Mathew 26:72-75.

He denied it again with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” After a while, those standing there approached Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”

Then he began to call down curses and swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately, a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered Jesus’s word: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Our point is that, under certain circumstances, everyone has a weakness.

Peter was with Jesus for three years during Jesse’s entire ministry, and

when Peter should have defended him, he turned his back on him because of fear.

We are talking about Peter. Yes, the same Peter Jesus called the rock on which he would build his church.

We hear it constantly:

I’m not my brother’s keeper. No, you are not his keeper but his best friend. You grew up together, went to school together, and ate out of the same pot.

He would do anything for you, even give you the shirt on his back.

Now you stand idly by and watch people mistreat him.

If you are wondering why brothers and friends kill each other, if you missed it, it is a learned trait.

They watched their parents smile in the neighbour’s face while stabbing them in the back.

That is why our world is in such turmoil.

Chivalry is dead; you only read about manners in fairy tales, betrayal is common, and animals are the only loyal ones.

But that does not mean it is the way it has to be. As we approach the last Sunday in the season of Advent, what better time than now, when love is in the atmosphere to make a change?

Advent is the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ.

In preparation for this grand party, we are busy buying gifts and decorating our yards and homes.

But in the flurry of it all, we tend to forget the real reason we are celebrating.

Lest we forget:

We are celebrating because we’re looking at not just one coming, one that’s already happened, but another that we wait for with great anticipation and joy, the second coming.

One songwriter said,

“It’s that time of year when the world is sincere

Even the man who has everything would be happy if you could bring Him love on Christmas day. No greater gift is there than to give love on Christmas day.”

Merry Christmas everyone.

God Bless the Bahamas

ANTHONY PRATT Nassau, December 18, 2024.

Have a cool, fun, interesting, amazing photo? Have it featured here in The Tribune’s picture of the day! Email your high quality image to pictureoftheday@tribunemedia.net

PEOPLE light flares during and event dubbed “The March of Heroes” in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, on the 35th anniversary of the 1989 uprising that toppled the regime of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

Photo: Andreea Alexandru/AP

Frustration and grief as two men killed and three bystanders injured

briefing.

He said around 9.20am, police were alerted to a shooting at a barber shop on Bernard Road near Rahming Court. Upon arrival, officers discovered two adult men with gunshot wounds. Emergency Medical Services arrived shortly after and determined that both men had died.

Initial reports suggested that two men entered the establishment with highpowered weapons and opened fire before fleeing in the vehicle. Chief Supt Maycock also confirmed that two others, an adult female and a seven-yearold boy, were injured in the incident. Both reportedly sustained gunshot wounds to their legs and were receiving medical care.

At the scene, family members of one of

the potential victims expressed frustration and grief. The 34-year-old male victim had been at the barber shop preparing for his birthday celebrations when the shooting occurred.

A concerned mother, visibly emotional with other family members, spoke about efforts in identifying any potential victims as her son. She said she always told her children she loved them because she never knew when it could be their last.

She shared that it had been her son’s birthday, and he was at the barber shop getting a shape-up in preparation for his celebrations.

The family voiced their frustration over not being able to view the body to confirm their son’s identity, further adding to their anguish.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Zhirvago Dames

said police were utilizing surveillance footage from the area to aid in the investigation.

“Technology was assisting us in this investigation. There were a number of cameras around the area,” he said. “We had been appealing to persons, business places, and citizens to partner with the police with CCTV cameras. We were confident this would help us solve the matter quickly.”

ACP Dames urged the public to seek peaceful methods of resolving disputes.

“There are better ways to resolve conflicts,” he said. “We ask people to contact a pastor, a police officer, or a close friend if they have issues. Taking out revenge on others is not the answer.”

Chief Supt Maycock spoke about systemic issues affecting violent crime in the country.

Bahamasair ﬂight delays should be cleared today

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMASAIR is still experiencing delays because of last week’s surprising industrial action, but it should be done entirely with backlogs by today, according to chairman Tanya Pratt. The company cancelled most of its ﬂights last Wednesday after 75 percent of its ﬂight attendants called in sick and refused to report for duty.

Bahamasair secured a temporary Supreme Court injunction to halt the sickout and force those workers involved to return to their

posts, but some workers reportedly did not do so.

The airline’s managing director, Tracy Cooper, called the action illegal during an emergency press conference, urging staff to return to work.

He previously said 12 of 16 ﬂight attendants, ramp workers, and customer service reps called in sick, forcing the cancellation of dozens of domestic and international ﬂights.

“We’re relatively back, not back to normal,” Ms Pratt said yesterday. “So we still do have some delays, but by tomorrow we should be ﬁnished, completely done with the backlog.”

“Bearing in mind now we were shut down for an entire day, so we had to accommodate all of those passengers. Then this is the week of Christmas, and so all of the ﬂights were full already.

“So we have to accommodate them as best as we could, to ensure that we those persons that had already been scheduled for those speciﬁc sites, as well as accommodate those passengers on the cancelled ﬂights.”

On Saturday, Bahamasair’s crew had to overnight in Cap-Haitien after a fuel issue. Rubis, the vendor in Haiti, ran out of fuel.

Teen accused of robbing woman at gunpoint granted emergency bail

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 15-YEAR-OLD boy

was granted emergency bail on Friday after he and a group of teens were accused of robbing a woman at gunpoint at RM Bailey Park last month.

Senior Justice Cheryl Grant Thomson granted the teenage defendant — whose name is being withheld because he is a minor — bail for armed robbery.

While the defendant was not present for his bail hearing, as he was still on remand at Simpson Penn, his father appeared in court on his behalf.

Prosecutors allege that on November 28, the defendant and his accomplices, while

armed with a black handgun, robbed Joyann Curtis of her iPhone 12 as she sat in a car at the park around 8:45 p.m. The stolen item is valued at $300. The defendant’s attorney, Ron Pinder, said his client maintains his innocence. Mr Pinder further claimed that the defendant did not know the main perpetrator in the incident.

Mr Pinder explained that the defendant’s co-accused were all classmates, and that one of them called out to him while he and another teen were walking. He said that after the perpetrator joined the defendant, he told them to “watch this” before covering his face with his hoodie and accosting Ms Curtis.

Mr Pinder claimed the

perpetrator pulled out a gun and demanded Ms Curtis’s phone and car keys. He added that his client is fully cooperating with authorities.

Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier raised no objections to the accused’s bail.

While Justice Thompson initially set the defendant’s bail at $9,900, it was reduced to $1,000 with one or two sureties after Mr Pinder noted the defendant’s parents’ modest ﬁnancial standing.

Under the terms of his bail, the defendant must sign in at his local police station every Saturday by 6 p.m. The voluntary bill of indictment is set for service in Magistrate’s Court on March 7, 2025.

“We have a system that was ineffective and favoured criminals,” he said. “The criminal syndicates were simply unafraid of consequences. Until the problem is fixed, we will continue to see these incidents every other week in the country,” he said.

ACP Dames assured the public that efforts were underway to address these challenges.

“Conversations had already been had at the highest level to close loopholes,” he said. “We hoped that as we moved into the new year, these issues would not carry over.”

“This is not a police problem you see here,” said Chief Supt Maycock. “This is not a localised problem either. What you see here is a systemic problem, and until we fix the system, we are going to go into 2025 experiencing the same thing,” he said.

THE BODY of a man is removed from the scene on Bernard Road where five persons were shot inside a barber shop resulting in the death of two men on Saturday. Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2024

Freedom of information, and lack of accountability

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

IT has been a long year. Does it feel that way to you?

It’s been a rollercoaster in which we have seen murders continue to soar, another double murder at the weekend in which a young boy was also injured, a fact that should not be overlooked in the noting of more bodies added to the year’s count.

We have heard a few times over the years of killers being described as bold, with people saying killers used to refrain from opening ﬁre when families or children were nearby – but not any more.

It has been a year of scandals – there was the voice notes scandal about which we have still not heard the promised outcome.

Then there was the US indictment that brought more allegations of corruption leading to the highest levels. The government is showing no interest in investigating that, it would seem. How about Baha Mar?

Remember when the prime minister said the attorney general would be conducting a review of the court ruling that saw CCA lose all ends up against Sarkis Izmirlian? The attorney general effectively gave a shrug last week to say there’s nothing that concerns the government there. This is despite the ruling by the US justice that CCA sought to curry favour with the Bahamas government by giving a contract to the son of the then prime minister’s senior advisor. Wrongdoing has been denied there – but you would think a court ruling would prompt a little more than a shrug. Remember all the talk about how the Grand Lucayan was going to have a new buyer? Any time now. Any day. Real soon. Though perhaps don’t hold your breath.

But for today I return to my ﬁrst Insight article of 2024, before any of that happened. Then too I took a look

at some of the issues of the day. The murder count was on the list then too – along with the Police Commissioner requiring 14 assistant commissioners when the biggest police force in the UK only needed half that number. A year on, and all those assistant commissioners have not shifted the numbers positively on the murder count. Money well spent?

I pondered whether Prodigal Sons would get seed money again after their double no-show last year. Seed money? They’re ﬁrst out of the gate on Boxing Day. They’d better show – and they’re not even the biggest story of Junkanoo this year after the recent ﬁasco over the Valley Boys, who may or may not even be able to call themselves Valley Boys. Let’s take a

leaf from Dr Seuss and call them Thing One and Thing Two.

But my real focus was on something there has been absolutely zero motion on over the year.

Freedom of information.

At the start of the year, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis was pouring cold water on the idea that freedom of information might be coming any time soon, no matter what it might have said in his party’s pre-election Blueprint for Change.

PLP chairman Fred Mitchell joined in to say “we oppose this Freedom of Information Act idea” though there was a bit of rowing back after that. Row as hard as they might though, not a single thing has changed with regard to freedom of information.

Mr Mitchell had said “I’m not sure you get any results from it that people can actually see” despite the copious amounts of evidence to the contrary from elsewhere around the world.

The Ofﬁce of the Prime Minister had ﬁred off a press release trying to “make absolutely clear the Davis administration’s commitment to the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act”.

I think from what we have seen over the course of the year, we can judge for ourselves how absolute that commitment has been. Or otherwise.

I asked at the start of the year by what date will the freedom of information act be fully implemented. As yet, there remains no date, and no sign of progress towards that date.

So we end the year as we began, with no possibility of using that legislation to hold the government to account. Where accountability is lacking, governments can act with impunity.

So if a government is not committed to accountability – something Mr Davis had championed in his very ﬁrst speech as prime minister – should we be surprised when we see the secrets piling up?

This is the building block upon which transparency rests. And we do not have it.

So I am not surprised to see that the government shrugs off any accountability for concerning allegations in the Baha Mar ruling. I am not surprised that we still have no conﬁrmation of whether

or not the purported government ofﬁcial in the US indictment really does work for the government or has been paid public money.

In all of this, there seems to have been precisely one man who has been accountable –Commissioner Clayton Fernander. He did the decent thing by offering his resignation, even if it did come after an ill-advised national statement – a national address by any other name – that was really beyond his station and role in office. Still, these things happened on his watch, and he offered his resignation accordingly. In that, he has been light years ahead of others still trying to dodge the questions that linger on so many matters.

Breaking the chains of poverty: A need for political will

THE year 2024 has underscored a grim reality: poverty continues to be an unyielding adversary, sowing division and instability in a world already grappling with profound economic, social, and environmental challenges. The situation is not confined to any one nation or region. Poverty transcends borders, cultures, and economies, imposing its cruel yoke on millions, driving instability and exclusion, and creating fertile ground for unrest and conflict. It is, as Nelson Mandela declared, “a prison” from which millions must be set free.

This is not a new struggle, but the stakes have never been higher. History teaches us that when the gap between rich and poor widens, inequality, injustice, and exclusion deepen. These conditions foster a sense of powerlessness and resentment among the impoverished, sentiments that, when shared broadly, ignite movements, uprisings, and revolutions. Data from the United Nations indicates that over 700 million people worldwide still live in extreme poverty, a stark reminder of the scale of this crisis. The persistence of poverty within nations mirrors its presence on the global stage, where poor and vulnerable states are often excluded from decision-making forums

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

or relegated to the role of passive recipients of unfulfilled promises. Yet poverty, like the climate crisis and pandemics, recognises no borders. It demands a global, collective response. In the Americas, the Organization of American States (OAS) has long declared its commitment to eradicating poverty. But declarations, however noble, do not feed the hungry or provide opportunities for the disenfranchised. Real progress demands more than lip service; it requires action. It is disheartening that some OAS member states resisted the “Manifesto Against Poverty”—a declaration of principles that could have laid the foundation for a robust plan of action. The rejection was rooted in ideological objections to the term ‘manifesto,’ an issue that underscores how political posturing can impede progress. Likewise, the establishment of a joint Working Group to address poverty, a resolution agreed by the OAS, remains unimplemented, stalled not by a

lack of solutions but by a deficit of political will.

The reluctance to act decisively is not unique to the Americas. Globally, multilateralism itself is under siege, weakened by populist nationalism and the erosion of shared purpose. Yet resistance to cooperation must not be a deterrent; it must be met with resolve. As former Uruguayan President José “Pepe” Mujica lamented, Latin America’s failure to collaborate even during the COVID-19 pandemic was emblematic of a broader absence of unity and urgency. “We couldn’t have been more stupid,” he said of the missed opportunities to safeguard lives and livelihoods. Despite these setbacks, there is reason for hope. Recent developments, such as the launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty under Brazil’s presidency of the G20, provide a model of what can be achieved when leadership is coupled with actionable commitments. Antigua and Barbuda was proud to become the first small island state to join the

Alliance, reflecting a historical commitment to social justice that dates back to the 1930s with the founding of the Antigua Trades and Labour Union.

The Alliance’s “2030 Sprints”—practical initiatives aimed at extending social protections and combating hunger—demonstrate that change is possible when ambition meets determination.

Similarly, the work of forums like the OAS’s Working Group on Multidimensional Poverty is vital. By sharing best practices, strengthening technical capacities, and fostering dialogue, these efforts can catalyse meaningful action. The challenge is immense, but so too is the potential for transformation. As my remarks at a recent OAS workshop on multidimensional poverty emphasised, poverty is not a divine inevitability. It is a human-made condition that can be eradicated through deliberate, coordinated, and inclusive action.

The eradication of poverty is not merely a moral imperative; it is a necessity for global stability and prosperity. Persistent

poverty fuels not only domestic instability but also international conflicts, as competition for scarce resources exacerbates tensions.

Addressing poverty is therefore both an act of justice and a strategic investment in a more equitable and harmonious world.

The international community must rise to this challenge. This begins with matching rhetoric with resources.

Governments, particularly in the Americas, must move beyond declarations and take bold steps to dismantle the systems that perpetuate poverty.

This includes implementing comprehensive social protection programs, investing in education and healthcare, and fostering economic opportunities that lift communities out of poverty.

Concrete steps, such as targeted cash transfers, universal school meal programs, and investments in smallholder farmers, have been proven to work and must be scaled globally.

Multilateral organisations must also prioritise genuine collaboration over performative posturing,

ensuring that the voices of marginalised nations and communities are not just heard but heeded.

As Nelson Mandela’s words remind us, it is time to set the millions trapped in poverty free. The road ahead is fraught with obstacles, but the path to a more just and prosperous world begins with the courage to act. The stakes are too high for inaction; the cost of failure is too great. Together, through multilateral cooperation and unwavering commitment, we can break the chains of poverty and build a future where no one is left behind.

Brazil deserves the world’s appreciation for its initiative; the world should respond with the political will to free people from the shackles of poverty and unleash their potential to contribute to a prosperous world for all.

The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries:www. sirronaldsanders.com.

Global South Media and Think Tank Forum focuses on development and revitalisation

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

US President Donald Trump famously asked about immigration to America at a meeting with congress members at the White House “Why are we having all these people from s***hole countries come here?”

The countries in questions were El Salvador, Haiti, and African nations. While Trump is known for his crass comments, his remarks demonstrates a perception First World countries have towards these “Global South”.

Eighty percent of the global population and 40 percent of the world’s GDP are from these 78 countries mainly in the southern hemisphere across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

These nations, often labelled as “developing”, have seen signiﬁcant economic growth in recent years. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Brazil’s economy is expected to become the world’s eighth largest by 2024, surpassing Canada. However, “Global South” countries can feel a political or cultural exclusion by the wealthier Global North countries including the United States and United Kingdom.

The issue of representation and development were explored at the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum held in Sao Paolo, Brazil, on November 11-14, under the theme “Development and Revilatisation: A New Journey for the Global South.”

The forum gathered around 350 representative of 170 media organisations, think tanks, governments, and enterprises from 70 countries and regions. The hope was to amplify voices of the global south countries and focus on development and revitalisation.

Speakers discussed how the media can enhance solidarity and cooperation

within the Global South, increase its representation in global governance, and promote reforms to ensure greater fairness and justice in global systems.

A strong show of diplomatic relations between the host nation and China, one of the organisers was China’s state news agency Xinhua News Agency, was on display. Surrounding the forum ﬂoor was the dozens of country ﬂags, a display of solidarity.

Many of the presentations had exciting developments and projects different Global South countries to create opportunities.

It was muscle stretching exercise that these countries combined powers can produce initiatives on the scale of the US or Canada without such countries intervention.

At the heart of the forum, the unity of southern countries was at the centre as each presenter expressed an undertone of frustration but an optimism for development.

Fernando Javier Reyes Matta, director of the Andrés Bello University Latin American Centre for Chinese Studies in Chile, highlighted the need for a global, pluralistic approach to solving the world’s problems.

He emphasised that in the coming decades, no issue will be resolved without the consultation and cooperation of countries.

Moreover, the new global world order in communication and economic requires a global, plural emphasis to the problems that humanity cites. In the next decades, no problem will be solved without the consultation and cooperation among countries

The idea that it was needed to decolonise information and UNESCO’s commission, which has been active for over 45 years, advocated for a world with multiple voices.

One of its members was Gabriel García Márquez, the world-renowned Colombian author of One Hundred

Years of Solitude, who represented Latin America on the commission.

A key proposal from the commission was the need to create a new information agenda—one that challenges the ﬂow of colonialised information and promotes a more balanced and equitable global communication systems.

“We realise that agencies like nation transnational agencies and others, all were agencies who became a dominated agency in the southern countries, and placement of these agendas was more important than the content itself and this was silencing the alternative voices of the Global South and we lived with this burden for quite some time.”

Generating credibility to move over an agenda that is proposed by the dominant system has been the biggest challenge for Southern media. In other words, media companies in these regions are not being taken seriously.

“We know the agenda that is not highlighted, especially in the Western world. We know how to write we know how to record new TV. What we can’t do yet is to reach a high level of credibility so the big masses of the global South understand that there is a different reality that we also need to advance.”

In the century, developing countries endeavor to establish a new world order of communication on the exploration for new economic order that’s been more fair. They start to strengthen the formation infrastructure of international communication and several institutions with global inﬂuence start to be a strength on the public opinion internationally.

Western media remains largely a prevailing presence in southern countries.

“If these country don’t have a dominant voice in this power structure, even though, if they are frequently facing some judgment, it’s going to be hard to be

developed and this inﬂuence will be very limited,” said Cheng Manli, the honorary Dean of Institute of International Communication at China’s Peking University.

“Today, a common test that the Global South countries have is to have a standardised opinion and the monopoly of the speak show their dominant position to discuss a new and diversity development of this world and transform.”

While many South Global countries have improved standard of living and many still experience poverty. The United Nations Development Programme reported poverty rates still average 30 percent of the Caribbean population.

A two-day think tank forum primarily about media may seem trivial considering all the problems of the world. The media has been demonised and public trust as decreased towards the industry, but the power of the media cannot be understated.

Dima Al-Khatib, director of UN for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), revealed less than 17 percent of the SDG targets are on track to be achieved globally by 2030 to date. The stark reality is a call for urgent and intensiﬁed

action, involving the collaboration, innovation and commitment of all partners. Among the partners was the media. She lauded southern media plays a vital role, and is a driving force for raising awareness, formulating sound information, for stretching guides within and across communities, nurturing a sense of solidarity among people, and monitoring needed action”

“Southern media is also promoting a great sense of understanding of the identities and values of the neighboring countries in the Global South. This cultural exchange fosters mutual respect and paved the way for collaborative efforts on both local and international levels, promoting the spirit of South South cooperation.”

“Media’s engagement is part of everyone’s life. It is the most powerful and accessible beneﬁt of information and the work of all forms of media is invaluable in our shared pursuit for a better world, and in this pursuit, we need your partnership more than ever.”

“We need your platforms to amplify the stories of trying and success that spotlight the way forward. We also need your scrutiny to

push us to be bolder, to act with greater urgency.”

Her remarks encapsulates the importance of why representation matters because without it not only does the narrative remains outdated but tangible changes will not be seen uniformly throughout the world.

It is easy to forget behind the camera that the media has real effect on the audience. It’s bigger than the Southern leaders not being heard when it comes time for global policy. The selective hearing on policies can leave children without advanced education, stagnate GDP, and prevent further job creation.

The countries may be ‘s***hole’ to some but it is not the complete doing of the native. Keep in mind, many southern countries were colonised hence the present day is the residual effects of oppressive regimes.

However, ﬁrst world countries isolate themselves from the struggle as it is not at their doorstep on a large-scale. The reality is the Global South is gaining conﬁdence, retaining their identity, and becoming major players. No longer while the south be limited and it is time for the north to listen.

US Embassy donates toys to children of Fox Hill

TRIBUNE reporter Earyel Bowleg attends the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum in Brazil in November.

Photos: Nikia Charlton

This is a paid advertisement

The real impact of Rosewood Exumaan economist’s view

By HUBERT EDWARDS

AS keen observers of the economic activities of the country, we tend to pay special attention to developing trends, carefully analyse stated economic opportunities and seek to understand potential longer term economic ramiﬁcations of whatever is being discussed or assessed. Often some of the conversations around developments are abstract and narrowly focused without ultimately taking into consideration the need for new means of scaling for economic growth and the impacts thereof on the lives of the people from a ﬁnancial, social and standard of living perspective. Beyond the immediacy of jobs and revenue there should always be an overarching question as to whether the decisions being taken are advancing the growth potential of the country. The development of the Bahamian economy demands consistent holistic consideration of the pros and cons at play and an intellectually honest and balanced assessment of the tradeoffs necessary to achieve those ends.

According to the World Bank, “the Caribbean is expected to see moderate economic growth in 2025, with most forecasts projecting around 3.9% growth, primarily driven by the continued expansion of the tourism sector” This contrasts sharply with the expectation for the Bahamas, by multiple international agencies and the Government’s own projections, being below 2%, indicative of the need for new models which could be market shifting and will positively affect the growth potential of the economy. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation invests millions of dollars each year to attract visitors to our shores. The traditional markets are well known and signiﬁcantly exploited.

The tourism product has and continues to experience a somewhat disruptive shift, from an earnings perspective. Diversification within the sector demands consideration of variations in the product offering which not only serve as a model for future eco-friendly and sustainable development but with the ability to appeal to brand new markets and with a view of becoming competitive within appealing non-traditional segments of the tourism market. This is underlined by the World Bank Group’s chief economist and senior vice president, Indermit Gill, who stated that “Four years after the upheavals caused by the pandemic, conflicts, inflation, and monetary tightening, it appears that global economic growth is steadying.” He goes on to highlight the fact that “…growth is at lower levels than before 2020…Developing economies will have to find ways to encourage private investment, reduce public debt, and improve education, health, and basic infrastructure” Contextually, this defines the future economic path for The Bahamas.

ASSESSMENT OF THE PROJECT

To that end, we were asked to review and express a view on the Rosewood Exuma project that is proposed to be developed on Sampson Cay, Exuma. Having regard for previously made public statements I considered the request very carefully. I understand why the location was selected. The allure of the Exumas is undeniableits pristine waters, unique culture, and extraordinary biodiversity draw visitors from around the globe. In analysing the issues, I took into consideration the fact that a global luxury brand like Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, with a signiﬁcant brand reputation at risk, must have been convinced of the beneﬁt of associating its name with the effort. While this presented a starting point, fundamentally, the approach taken was to seek to understand what the real impact would be on the environment,

the tourism industry, the local economy, and the people within the immediate environs of the project, those who will seek employment or seek to plug into the spin-off economic activities of the project will undoubtedly create. The decision to express any view was based on one critical condition: access to detailed information about the project’s economic, environmental, and community impact. We took an analytic approach to assessing the information and formed an opinion based on the information presented.

DIRECT AND INDIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT

Rosewood Exuma is proposed to be a $200m investment, and it is projected to create 500 jobs for Bahamians, including 150 permanent positions during operations. An economic impact report from Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, states that over the next 20 years, this project is expected to inject $336m in additional wages into the economy, enhancing disposable income and stimulating spending across retail, food services, and related industries.

The construction phase is expected to emphasize local sourcing for goods and services, channeling immediate beneﬁts to Bahamian suppliers. Once operational, the resort’s estimated 5,500 annual visitors are expected to contribute signiﬁcantly to local businesses in hospitality, transportation, and recreation. Moreover, an estimated $176m in tax revenues is projected over two decades.

THE VALUE PROPOSITION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Based on publicly available information, the Rosewood Hotel and Resorts brand has displayed an exemplary record of environmental stewardship and has obtained a number of environmental awards and certiﬁcations. Clients pay to stay at Rosewood Hotels around the world, in part, because of their appreciation of its approach to environmental preservation. In other words, environmental sustainability is a critical part of the brand’s value. In The Bahamas, Rosewood Baha Mar has been awarded a “Preferred By Nature” certiﬁcation, indicative of its in-country commitment to sustainable practices and partnerships with local producers would be expected that Rosewood Exuma would implement similar practices as it relates to the Sampson Cay project.

ADDRESSING CONCERNS

Understandably, valid concerns have been raised about high-density developments having a negative environmental impact. Upon reviewing the information, prepared by a very reputable engineering concern here in the Bahamas, Bron, we gleaned that less than half of the 124-acre cay will be developed. A total of 1.7 acres per unit will be developed. In terms of the density of the project this represents a ratio comparable to or better than other similar developments in The Bahamas. Based on the foregoing, having regard for stated industry standards, it is fair to say that a project executed as stated would not meet the definition of a highdensity development. There have been expressed environmental concerns about the project. This is critical to acknowledge in providing an economic perspective because much of our economy relies on the environment and the unique ecosystems as part of the overall value proposition for the tourism sector. From the information presented we generally conclude that there will be environmental impacts as a result of development. Important for

the identified issues, there have been detailed mitigation measures laid out regarding the environmental impact of the development and to address the concerns of the environmental experts and the people who live in the surrounding communities. Critically these measures are subject to review and approval of governmental authorities.

The project’s environmental impact assessment report provided demonstrates what appears to be reasonable well considered mitigation measures, based on environmental studies conducted by its environmental consultants, the project’s environmental consultants, and in answer to the policies and requirements of the relevant regulatory bodies. Based on the information shared, to date, the developer’s environmental consultants have provided the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection Preservation with detailed replies regarding how environmental concerns highlighted during the public consultation will be addressed.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Community perception and support are critical for the economic performance of such projects. Beyond direct economic metrics, communities rely on the indirect economic impacts of investments. Persons in the immediate and nearby communities who will be the most impacted by the presence of the project appear to have generally embraced its possibility. The community feedback appears generally positive. Residents in Black Point have gone on record to voice their support for the possibility of jobs, training, and economic stimulation this project is expected to deliver.

IMPACT AND GROWTH FOR THE FUTURE

Tourism is the moist significant contribution to the economy. Having regard to the current circumstances of the economy, growth will be dependent on diversification within the industry itself and deepening potential for impacting the local economy. Attracting visitors and expanding the offering requires increasing the room inventory. Importantly creating differentiated offering which has the ability to target elements of the American market that seek touristic services further afield is important for growth. Based on the information provided, this is a guiding vision of the project. The stated target market of the project represents an interesting foray into a marketplace that could create a fundamental shift in the growth opportunities for environmentally sensitive areas such as presented by the Exumas. The project’s principals have secured the commitment of a luxury hotel operator with a loyal following, the expertise to deliver on the promise of bringing positive economic impact, and a proven global track record for environmental sustainability.

Against this backdrop and having reviewed the project data, reﬂected on the reputation of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, and considered what seems to be genuine community support for the development, we believe this project can add to the value proposition of the country’s offering in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner, while creating opportunities for local persons to improve their personal circumstances, both socially and ﬁnancially.

Hubert Edwards is the principal of NL Solutions Limited. He is a former banker, a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certiﬁed Accountants, and a commentator on economic issues.

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HUBERT EDWARDS - PRINCIPAL OF NL SOLUTIONS LIMITED

SPORTS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2024 Woods, Page 15

Coach Mark Hanna and his Net Breakers win

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Coach Mark Hanna and his Net Breakers basketball club went to Grand Bahama over the weekend and captured both the under-13 and under15 titles in the 13th annual 3 Oz Athletics Christmas Basketball Tournament.

The three-day event was played at the St George’s Gymnasium and, according to Quentin ‘Three-Ounce’ Hall, it turned out to be quite a showpiece.

“It was very competitive. I’ve been doing this for 13 years and every year, you can adjust and do something different,” Hall said.

“But this one went very smoothly.

The coaches, especially Quincy Gray and Marco Cooper from Grand Bahama, after working with the young kids, “I have to commend them. They have been working with me from day one when I started this.”

BFA ANNOUNCES SELECTION OF BAHAMIAN MATCH OFFICIALS TO FIFA’S PRESTIGIOUS 2025 INTERNATIONAL REFEREE LISTS

THE Bahamas Football Association (BFA) is pleased to announce the selection of Bahamian match ofﬁcials to FIFA’s prestigious 2025 International Referee Lists. The FIFA Referees Committee has conﬁrmed the following designations for Bahamian referees: Referee: Evens Julmis (Accepted) Assistant Referees: Prince Albury (Accepted), Krystal Monique Evans (Conditionally Accepted) Beach Soccer Referee: Annisa Rebekah Albury (Conditionally Accepted)

THE SPORTS CALENDAR December

ROAD RACE

BBSF WALK/RUN

THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation is inviting the general public to participate in their Family Fun Run/Walk, scheduled for Saturday, January 11, starting at 6am from the Charles W Saunders High School, Jean Street.

The walk will leave Jean Street and head north to Bernard Road, west on Bernard Road to Soldier Road, south on Soldier Road to Prince Charles Drive and east on Prince Charles Drive to Jean Street. The run will leave Jean Street and head south to Prince Charles Drive, east to Fox Hill Road, north to Bernard Road and west to Jean Street. The categories include female and male 15-and- under, 20-and-under, 40-andunder, 60-and-under and over-60.

There will also be a Pastors/Ministers/ Deacons’ division. Interested persons can contact Ann Thompson at 4253557 or email ann837609@gmail.com or Brent Stubbs at 42-67265 or email stbbobo@gmail.com.

BBSF SOFTBALL LEAGUE

THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation will hold its 2025 softball league, starting on Saturday, February 1 at the Charles W Saunders High School, Jean Street. The co-ed slow pitch league will allow each team up to a total of 15 players with the registration fee of $200. The deadline for team registration with rosters and team payment is Saturday, January 25, 2025. Interested persons can tournament director Thomas Sears at 424-2888 or email 242softball@gmail. com or Brent Stubbs at 426-7265 or email stubbobs@gmail.com.

Ofﬁcials with “Conditionally Accepted” status will need to meet additional requirements outlined by FIFA in order to fully qualify for their roles on the International Lists.

The BFA is committed to supporting these referees in meeting the necessary criteria and looks forward to their full participation in international competitions.

Bruce Swan, technical director of the Bahamas Football Association, said they are delighted about the selection.

By PATRICK DONNELLY Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 11 straight points in the fourth quarter and 31 for the night as the Golden State Warriors beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 113-103 on Saturday night.

Trayce Jackson-Davis had 15 points and nine rebounds, while Brandin Podziemski had 12 and Curry — who made seven 3-pointers — added 10 assists for the Warriors.

Chavano “Buddy” Hield contributed 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal in 20 minutes and 37 seconds on the ﬂoor.

Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo led Minnesota with 19 points apiece. Rudy Gobert had 18 points and 12 boards for Minnesota.

“The inclusion of Bahamian referees in the 2025 International Lists is an important step for football in The Bahamas,” Swan said.

“We are proud of their achievements and will work closely with those who have conditional status to ensure they meet FIFA’s requirements.”

This recognition highlights the growing presence of Bahamian referees in international football, emphasising their dedication, professionalism and ability to perform at the highest level of the game.

and a pair of free throws in a 90-second span that helped the Warriors pull away after blowing a 21-point ﬁrst-half lead.

Takeaways Warriors: What a difference two days makes. On Thursday, the Warriors

MINNESOTA Timberwolves centre Naz Reid, left, works around Golden State Warriors forward Buddy Hield, right, in the ﬁrst quarter of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Coach Mark Hanna, far right, and his Net Breakers under-15 champions.

THE Bahamas Football Association has announced the selection of Bahamian match ofﬁcials, above, to FIFA’s prestigious 2025 International Referee Lists.

Champions are crowned in the Father Marcian

Peters tourney

AFTER a week of intense competition, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture crowned its champions in the 36th Father Marcian Peters Invitational Basketball Tournament.

The ﬁnals were played on Wednesday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. Judith P Thompson clinched the primary boys’ title with a 44-41 victory over the Temple Christian Suns. And Xavier’s Giants secured the primary girls’ crown with their 50-19 rout over Temple Christian. The DW Davis Royals proved once again to be the head of the junior boys’ division with their 53-40 decision over the Jordan Prince Williams Falcons and Teleos Cherubims earned the junior girls’ title, holding off the CH Reeves Raptors 30-27. Patrick J Bethel took the intermediate boys’ crown back to Abaco with their 44-32 decision over Teleos. And the Kingsway Academy Saints nipped the CV Bethel Stingrays 38-36 for the senior girls’ title.

Photos by Nikia Charlton

ON THE REPLAY: The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture has completed its Father Marcian Peters Basketball Tournament at both the Kendal Isaacs and DW Davis Gymnasiums. The tournament, designed for primary girls and boys, junior girls and boys, intermediate boys and senior girls teams, wrapped up last week. While the junior and intermediate boys played their preliminary games at DW Davis, the girls, along with the primary boys, were played at Kendal Isaacs. This marked the ﬁrst time that the Ministry used more than Kendal Isaacs to play their games, which accounted for the fact that they had more games to play in such a short space of time.

CHARLIE WOODS COMES UP ACES IN PNC CHAMPIONSHIP WITH A HOLE-IN-ONE

ORLANDO, Florida

(AP) — Tiger Woods isn’t the only member of his family who can produce big moments. His 15-year-old son Charlie made his ﬁrst ace yesterday in the PNC Championship.

Woods was more excited than if he had made the hole-in-one himself.

“That was the thrill of a lifetime to be able to have that moment with Charlie, make his ﬁrst hole-in-one,” Woods said.

Charlie Woods hit 7-iron from 175 yards on the par-3 fourth hole at the Ritz-Carlton Club Orlando during the ﬁnal round of the tournament that pairs mostly major champions with family members. It was a key shot in a 15-under

57 in the scramble format and almost enough for the win until Bernhard Langer made an 18-foot eagle putt to beat Team Woods in a playoff.

Charlie Woods didn’t even know the shot went in the hole. A large gallery by the green began wildly cheering, as did another group of fans on the other side of the hole, most of them holding up their index ﬁnger — some downward to indicate it went in the hole, some upward to show his score.

Television cameras ﬁnally conﬁrmed it for him. “It was awesome having Dad there,” he said. “That was so much fun. It was just a perfect 7-iron, little cut in there. Of course never got

to see it go in. So that sucks. But that’s all right.” Woods gave a hard embrace to his son, then playfully shoved him away.

“We heard it up on the green on the right and left but we were totally unsure until the TV conﬁrmed it. And we went nuts,” Woods said. “I don’t know what we did, but we enjoyed it. It was an unbelievable moment.”

This is the ﬁfth straight year Woods and his son are playing the 36-hole tournament and the second time they ﬁnished as runner-up. That didn’t take away from the moment, or the day. Charlie Woods, a sophomore at Benjamin School in North Palm Beach, was asked where he ranked

Tiger’s son makes the ace.

Langer makes the winning putt in playoff over Woods at PNC

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer

ORLANDO, Florida

(AP) — Tiger Woods never had so much fun losing in a playoff. For the 67-year-old Bernhard Langer, it never gets old winning the PNC Championship with his son.

They all delivered a riveting show yesterday, from 15-year-old Charlie Woods making his ﬁrst hole-inone to Langer hitting the shot that ultimately mattered, an 18-foot eagle putt on the ﬁrst playoff hole for his record sixth title in the tournament where everyone leaves happy.

“That was the thrill of a lifetime to be able to have that moment with Charlie, make his ﬁrst hole-in-one, (daughter) Sam on the bag, just our family and friends. That’s what this event is about. It’s about bonding and family,” Woods said.

“I know we didn’t win, but it was the fact that we competed,” he said. “No one really made a mistake out there. We had to earn it, and that’s what you want to have. Hats off to Langers. They played amazing.”

Langer and 24-yearold son Jason won for the second straight year, and Langer became the only player to win the PNC Championship back-toback with two sons as partners. He won twice (2005 and 2006) with Stefan, who caddied Sunday for his little brother.

What made this one special was the opponent.

Woods, playing for the ﬁrst time since a sixth surgery on his lower back in September, was moving well and delivering key shots in a duel at such a high level that both teams made only four pars and shot 15-under 57 in the scramble format.

Woods hit driver off the deck on the par-5 14th.

Langer followed by hitting driver out of a bunker on

and his

the

that hole and nearly ﬁnding the green, landing in a greenside bunker. “One of the best shots I’ve ever seen,” Woods said of Langer, who turned pro three years before Woods was born.

Jason Langer, who played college golf at Penn, is an investment banker in New York who doesn’t play all that much. But he handled the stage — playing with Tiger Woods isn’t easy for seasoned pros — like he had been there before.

“I’m just so proud of him,” Langer said. “First time playing with Tiger in the spotlight. It’s not easy. A lot of people are moving. They are really not always interested in what we do. But very proud of him the way he handled himself. He hit a couple of fantastic iron shots into 18 to give us the opportunity to make birdie and then eagle.”

The two-time Masters champion was equally impressed with Woods and son for embracing the spirit of this tournament amid competition so tight that neither team led by more than one shot the entire round. They broke the tournament scoring record at 28-under 116.

Woods broke into a big smile when Langer made the winner. The real thrill was watching Charlie hit 7-iron from 175 yards on the par-3 fourth that covered the ﬂag, took a few bounces and rolled in.

Woods hugged his son as hard as he did when winning the Masters in 2019, giving him a playful shove and then reminding the high school sophomore that he had to buy a round of drinks for everyone.

“I’m broke,” Charlie replied.

Even in defeat, Charlie said the hole-in-one, the great closing round, the playoff, everything, was the most fun he’s had on the golf course.

“It’s not even close,” he said. In the playoff, Langer had the advantage on the par 5 because of his age. Anyone over 65 played the third set of tees, which were 82 yards ahead of where Woods had to play and 52 yards ahead of where the two sons were hitting.

Charlie just reached the front of the green with his second shot. His 25-foot eagle putt hit the edge of the hole but had too much pace.

Woods missed low. Jason Langer hit his approach to 18 feet, narrowly missed the putt and left it to his ageless father to make the winner.

For Woods, it was his ﬁrst time in a playoff since Zach

Johnson beat him at Sherwood in the 2013 World Challenge.

On a chilly afternoon, every seat was ﬁlled in the grandstand behind the 18th green, with fans in jackets packed down the side of the fairway. It was entertaining, along with a rare chance to see Woods on the golf course. It capped another amazing year for Langer, a two-time Masters champion. He tore his Achilles tendon playing pickleball at the start of the year, recovered in four months and extended his streak on the 50-and-older PGA Tour Champions by winning for the 18th consecutive season. And now he has six titles in the PNC Championship — four with Jason, two with Stefan.

No one else was closer than ﬁve shots. Padraig Harrington and son Paddy were among those who tied for third, and they had a moment of their own when Paddy made a hole-in-one on the par-3 eighth hole.

“I was too excited. You couldn’t have talked to me,” Harrington said of watching his son make an ace.

“I was gone. This is a great event, and all of it is great. And we try and play well, but that was sheer joy.”

The tournament is for winners of a major on any tour or The Players Championship and a family member. The purse is barely over $1 million. Team Langer won $200,000, the amount of the new Ryder Cup stipend for Americans.

Sunday on the fun metre on the golf course — making an ace, being in contention and getting into a playoff.

“No. 1,” he said. “It’s not even close.”

CHARLIE WOODS, front, and his caddie Luke Wise react after his hole-in-one on the fourth hole in the ﬁnal round of the PNC Championship golf tournament yesterday. (AP Photo/Phelan M Ebenhack)

BERNHARD Langer reacts after making a putt during a playoff hole on the 18th green to win PNC Championship yesterday.

TIGER WOODS, left, and Charlie Woods react after missing a putt during a playoff hole on the 18th green to win the PNC Championship golf tournament yesterday.

Coach Mark Hanna and his Net Breakers basketball club win titles

Hall, a former national team player and junior national boys’ basketball coach, said Hanna came to Grand Bahama and brought a new dimension to the tournament.

“When you have a club, you can work with these guys year round. That is something that is really needed. You could see how well they are together,” Hall reﬂected.

“It takes a

lot of time to show these guys how to play defence and run their offence. It ain’t easy. But he’s not just teaching it in his junior high school team, but he’s doing it with his club.”

Hanna, whose club stems from his DW Davis Royals Junior High School team, said he was extremely pleased as he watched his Net Breakers under-13 team, led by 6-foot, threeinch 13-year-old most valuable player Justin

LaFleur, who wears size 14 shoes, nip the Falcons 22-21. His under-15 team pulled off a 44-24 decision over the Panthers with Windesky Paul being named the MVP.

“The teams performed very well. We had to make some adjustments because in the pool play, our opponents saw our defence and they made some adjustments in the championship games,” Hanna said.

“We adjusted, made some moves on the defensive end and we came out with the victories.”

In the under-13 division, Hanna said he had to talk a little more to keep them motivated.

“They played very well. As a defensive coach, I was very impressed with the way they played,” he stated.

“We trapped very well, so I was very pleased with that.”

As for the under-15 team, Hanna said it was no contest.

“I really wanted to play against Tabernacle Baptist, they got knocked out,” he said. “In the championship, the team played extremely well. They couldn’t stop us. We took care of the game inside.”

With some time for the players to enjoy Christmas

with their family, Hanna said he will be back at it as they participate in the Providence Basketball Classic, hosted by Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson, at the CI Gibson Gymnasium from December 27-30.

Following the tournament, Hanna said he will prepare his DW Davis Royals for the completion of the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association season before they head to Long Island in February and during the Easter break, they head to Bimini and Orlando, Florida for two more tournaments.

“My goal is to try and play at least 80-100 games per year, so whenever we can get in a tournament, we go,” Hanna said. “The more competition we get, the better they become. You can’t learn from just practicing.”

During the closing ceremonies, Hall also presented the Sportsmanship awards to Keshawn Major and Erwin Carey respectively in the under-13 and under-15 divisions.

Next year, Hall said it’s his intention to get a girls’ component added to the tournament if he can get some teams committed to participating.

also wants to put on a three-on-three tournament for the age group divisions.

from the other games played in the

WINDESKY Paul receives his under-15 MVP award from tournment organiser Quentin Hall.

TOURNAMENT organiser Quentin Hall presents Keshawn Major with the under-13 Sportsmanship Award.

ERWIN Carey receives the under-15 Sportsmanship Award from tournament organiser Quentin Hall.

JUSTIN LaFleur displays his under-13 MVP award.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Coach Mark Hanna, far right, and his Net Breakers under-13 champions.

COWBOYS BEAT TAMPA BAY 26-24 AS BAKER MAYFIELD AND THE BUCS LOSE CONTROL OF THEIR PLAYOFF FATE

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas

(AP) — Cooper Rush

threw for a touchdown, Brandon Aubrey kicked two 58-yarders among four ﬁeld goals and the Dallas Cowboys beat Tampa Bay 26-24 last night, costing Baker Mayﬁeld and the Buccaneers control of their playoff fate. The end of a four-game winning streak left the Bucs (8-7) even with Atlanta atop the NFC South with two games remaining, but the Falcons have the tiebreaker because they won both meetings with Tampa Bay.

A three-year playoff run for the Cowboys (7-8) ended when they were eliminated from postseason

contention before the prime-time kickoff. Still, Dallas won for the fourth time in ﬁve games since a ﬁve-game losing streak that put those playoff hopes in peril.

Mayfield, the Texas native playing not far from his high school and college roots, was in position to lead a rally from a ninepoint deficit in the final three minutes when he escaped a sack and shoveled the ball to Rachaad White in the final two minutes.

DaRon Bland ripped the ball out of White’s hands before he hit the ground, giving Dallas possession at the Tampa Bay 32-yard line and allowing the Cowboys to run out the clock.

Mayﬁeld threw for two touchdowns, including a

13-yarder to Ryan Miller that pulled the Bucs within two with 2:36 to go. The Bucs got the ball back with 1:50 remaining before the big play from Bland, who forced his ﬁrst turnover in an injuryplagued season a year after the cornerback set an NFL record with ﬁve interception returns for touchdowns.

A Tampa Bay defence that allowed an NFL-low 15 points during the winning streak had trouble early trying to slow Rush and receiver CeeDee Lamb, who had a 100-yard ﬁrst half for the second week in a row.

Lamb, who has been battling a bum right shoulder most of the season, came down hard on it again on a 52-yard catch in the second

quarter. After going to the bench, Lamb returned for a catch underneath and fought his way inside the 1-yard line to set up Ezekiel Elliott’s plunge for a 20-7 Dallas lead. Lamb ﬁnished with 105 yards after getting 100 before the break a week after going for 105 ﬁrst-half yards against Carolina.

Mayfield needed less than a minute on a drive to his 11-yard touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan in the final minute of the first half, but the Cowboys answered with Aubrey’s second 58-yard field goal on the final play before the break for a 23-14 lead.

Long-distance duel

With his three ﬁeld goals of at least 50 yards, Aubrey has 14 for the season, an NFL record. Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn has 13, so

the record remains up for grabs.

Injuries Tampa Bay WR Sterling Shepard was ruled out in the second half with a hamstring injury. ... Cowboys LB Eric Kendricks was

inactive with a calf injury after going through a pregame workout. Up next Buccaneers: Host Carolina next Sunday. Cowboys: At Philadelphia next Sunday.

Penix wins debut as Atlanta QB as Falcons beat hapless Giants

ATLANTA (AP) — Michael Penix Jr. won his debut as Atlanta’s starting quarterback, thanks largely to a defence that returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns, and the Falcons bolstered their playoff hopes by handing the hapless New York Giants their franchise-record 10th straight loss, 34-7 on Sunday.

Jessie Bates and Matthew Judon each had a pick-6 to carry Atlanta (8-7) to its second straight win after a four-game losing streak put its postseason hopes in jeopardy. The Falcons came into the week a game behind Tampa Bay in the NFC South and holding the tiebreaker edge over the Buccaneers, who were playing Sunday night at Dallas.

Penix, the No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft, got his ﬁrst NFL start against the Giants (2-13) after the Falcons decided to bench turnover-prone Kirk Cousins, just nine months after signing him to a four-year, $180 million contract that included $100 million in guaranteed money.

The left-handed rookie was not overwhelmed by the moment, completing 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards — numbers that would’ve been better if not for at least three dropped passes, one of which Kyle Pitts bobbled right into the hands of a New York defender for Penix’s lone interception.

RAMS 19,

JETS 9

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Matthew Stafford threw a go-ahead 11-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Higbee early in the fourth quarter after a turnover by Aaron Rodgers and Los Angeles beat New York for their fourth consecutive victory.

The Rams (9-6), who have won ﬁve of six, maintained their spot atop the NFC West standings with the victory after a slow start against the Jets (4-11) on a day when it was a frosty 23 degrees (minus-5 Celsius) at kickoff.

But Los Angeles’ defence, which struggled most of the game against Rodgers and New York’s offence, came up with a momentum-turning play. With the game tied at 9 early in the fourth quarter, Kam Curl sacked Rodgers on a blitz and forced a fumble that Jared Verse recovered at the Jets 21. Three plays later, Stafford found Higbee — making his season debut after missing the ﬁrst 14 games with a knee injury — for a goahead 11-yard touchdown that made it 16-9.

BENGALS 24, BROWNS 6

CINCINNATI (AP) — Joe Burrow threw three touchdown passes, including one as he was falling to the turf, and Cincinnati kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a victory over Cleveland.

The Bengals (7-8) need to win their last two games and get some help to reach the postseason.

Burrow passed for three or more TDs for the seventh consecutive game and ﬁnished 23 of 30 for 252 yards. Ja’Marr Chase had six catches for 97 yards and a garbage-time touchdown for Cincinnati to reach 1,510 yards this season and break his own franchise record of 1,455 yards set in 2021.

Myles Garrett, who said this week the Browns franchise should be focused on winning and not rebuilding, recorded the 100th sack of his career in the second quarter.

With Dorian ThompsonRobinson replacing Jameis Winston at quarterback, Cleveland (3-12) missed some chances in the red zone.

LIONS 34, BEARS 17

CHICAGO (AP) — Jared Goff threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns, and Detroit remained on top of the NFC with their franchise-record 13th win, over Chicago. Jameson Williams had a career-high 143 yards receiving on ﬁve catches, including an 82-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 109 yards and a score, and Detroit (13-2) broke a tie with the 1991 and 2023 teams for the most wins in franchise history. The Lions also set a single-season record for scoring with 493 points.

The Lions took control early against the Bears (4-11), and they even ﬂexed their dominance by executing a trick play in which Goff intentionally stumbled while dropping back. With Detroit players yelling “Fumble!” and Gibbs pretending to dive for the ball, Goff threw to Sam LaPorta for a 21-yard touchdown that made it 34-14.

COMMANDERS 36, EAGLES 33

LANDOVER, Md. (AP)

— After Jalen Hurts left with a concussion, Jayden Daniels threw ﬁve touchdown passes while running at will in the rookie quarterback’s latest masterful performance, and Washington ended Philadelphia’ winning streak at 10 by rallying to defeat the NFC East leaders.

Daniels’ heroics culminated with a 57-yard touchdown drive in the final 1:58, finding Jamison Crowder in the end zone with 6 seconds left. He bounced back from throwing an interception on the previous possession and led the Commanders (10-5) back after they fell behind by 14 points seven minutes into the game and trailed by 14 going into the fourth quarter. They are now on the verge of making the playoffs after handing Philadelphia (12-3) its first loss since Sept. 29. The Eagles played without Hurts for the vast majority of the game and failed to clinch the division and one of the conference’s top two seeds despite Saquon Barkley running for 109 yards and

(5) short of the ﬁrst down in

two touchdowns in the ﬁrst quarter alone.

Daniels was the primary reason for that, beating the Eagles a month after losing to them on the road. He was 24 of 39 for 258 yards with a pair of TDs to Crowder and Olamide Zaccheaus and one to Terry McLaurin — and Daniels was Washington’s leading rusher with 81 yards on nine carries.

COLTS 38, TITANS 30

SOUTH BEND, Ind.

(AP) — Jonathan Taylor rebounded from perhaps the most embarrassing moment of his career by rushing for 218 yards and scoring three times including runs of 65 and 70 yards, leading Indianapolis past Tennessee.

Indy rushed for a franchise-record 335 yards as Taylor posted the second-highest single-game rushing total in the league this season and also of his ﬁve-year career. The three rushing scores were the most since he scored four TDs against Buffalo in 2021.

Taylor’s big day came one week after he dropped the ball before the goal line, and it bounced out of bounds for a touchback in a crushing loss at Denver. This time, Taylor made sure that didn’t happen again this week by holding onto the ball all the way through the end zone. Indy (7-8) won its fourth straight in this AFC South series.

PANTHERS 36, CARDINALS 30, OT

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

(AP) — Chuba Hubbard ran for a 21-yard touchdown in overtime, and Carolina eliminated Arizona from playoff contention with a victory.

Hubbard ﬁnished with 152 yards and two TDs on 25 carries. He rushed for 49 yards on the decisive drive in OT.

Kyler Murray threw for 202 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and his 20-yard TD run helped rally Arizona (7-8) from a 10-point deﬁcit in the fourth quarter to force the extra period.

But it wasn’t enough for the Cardinals, who led the NFC West in early November but have lost four of ﬁve since.

Bryce Young went 17 of 26 for 158 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a career-high 68 yards, including 23-yard score, as the Panthers snapped a fourgame skid. Adam Thielen and David Moore had TD catches for Carolina (4-11).

VIKINGS 27, SEAHAWKS 24

SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold connected with a well-covered Justin Jefferson with 3:51 left for his third TD pass of the game, and Minnesota outlasted Geno Smith and Seattle to keep pace with Detroit for the top spot in the NFC.

After the Seahawks took the lead on Smith’s third TD pass, Darnold led a 30-second drive that was aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty. He stepped up in a collapsing pocket and launched a deep ball that Jefferson hauled in just short of the goal line with two defenders closing in. Jefferson ﬁnished with 10 catches for 148 yards as the Vikings (13-2) won their eighth straight.

If they can beat Green Bay and Detroit to close out the season, they will earn the top seed in the conference and a ﬁrstround playoff bye.

Darnold threw for multiple touchdowns for the 11th time this season and more than 200 yards for the 10th. He ﬁnished 22 of 35 for 246 yards, helping Kevin O’Connell become the ﬁrst Vikings coach with multiple 13-win seasons. Not bad for a veteran who was signed to a one-year deal as a placeholder after the Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason.

DOLPHINS 29, 49ERS 17

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.

(AP) — Tua Tagovailoa threw for 215 yards and a touchdown, Jason Sanders nailed ﬁve ﬁeld goals, and Miami kept their playoff

chances alive by beating San Francisco.

The 49ers were eliminated from the playoffs before the game because of wins by the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Commanders earlier Sunday. The loss ensured that last year’s NFC champions will have a losing season for the ﬁrst time since 2020.

The Dolphins (7-8) helped their chances of making the playoffs for a third straight season, but will need to win their ﬁnal two games and get help from losses by the Broncos, Chargers and Colts for that to happen.

Trailing by nine early in the fourth, San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy found tight end Eric Saubert for a 2-yard score that cut the lead to 19-17, but the Niners couldn’t get past self-inﬂicted wounds.

BILLS 24, PATRIOTS 21

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.

(AP) — James Cook scored two touchdowns, Buffalo’s

defence forced three second-half turnovers and the AFC East champion Bills overcame a 14-0 deﬁcit to pull out a win over New England.

With trainers examining Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s right throwing elbow on the sideline, cornerback Taron Johnson secured the victory by recovering a fumble in the end zone to put Buffalo up 24-14 with 10:10 left.

Allen returned on the Bills next possession on which he completed two of three attempts and ﬁnished 16 of 29 for 154 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.

Allen, who is having an NFL MVP-calibre season, appeared to be hurt on a 7-yard scamper early in the fourth quarter.

On Buffalo’s next offensive snap following a false start penalty, Allen attempted a deep pass that ﬂuttered and fell short to end the drive.

Allen shook his hand in what appeared to be discomfort on the sideline before he was cleared to return with what the Bills announced was a bruised elbow.

RAIDERS 19, JAGUARS 14

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Aidan O’Connell returned from an injury and passed for 257 yards, and Las Vegas ended a 10-game losing streak with a victory over Jacksonville. The Raiders, whose skid was the longest active streak in the NFL, won for the ﬁrst time since beating the Cleveland Browns 20-16 on September 29.

The victory, however, means the Raiders (3-12) moved ahead of the leagueworst New York Giants (2-13). The team with the worst record is in line for the top pick in next year’s draft. Jacksonville (3-12) has lost seven of its last eight games and is 2-9 in one-score contests.

ATLANTA Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) is tackled by New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux

the ﬁrst half in Atlanta yesterday. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

TAMPA Bay Buccaneers tight end Payne Durham (87) is uanble to secure a pass as Dallas Cowboys linebacker Marist Liufau (35) delivers a hard hit in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, last night. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)

DEANDRE AYTON SCORES 14 IN 114-94 LOSS TO SPURS

By RAUL DOMINGUEZ Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO (AP)

— Victor Wembanyama

scored 30 points and tied a career high with 10 blocks as the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 114-94 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night. Wembanyama added seven rebounds while sitting out the final eight and-a-half minutes of the fourth quarter with San Antonio headed to its largest margin of victory this season. Wembanyama is the first player with four 3-pointers and 10 blocks in a game in NBA history and the first player under 21 with multiple games with double-figure blocks since the league began keeping track of blocks in 1974.

Charles Bassey added 16 points and 12 rebounds and Devin Vassell had 11 points for the Spurs, who have won four straight against the Trail Blazers.

San Antonio is 15-13 after winning two straight and four of ﬁve. The Spurs did not win their 15th game last season until March 17.

Shaedon Sharpe scored 25 points, Anfernee Simons had 18 points and Deandre Ayton contributed 14 points, two assists and eight rebounds for Portland.

The Trail Blazers snapped a six-game skid with a 126-124 win over Denver on Thursday but have lost nine of their last 11 games.

Takeaways

Trail Blazers: Portland was 12 for 43 on 3-pointers. Simons was 3 for 11 on 3s.

Spurs: Wembanyama is averaging 29 points in his last ﬁve games.

Key moment

Wembanyama blocked Deni Avdija’s layup attempt with 9:51 remaining in the game for his 10th block to match the career high he set against Toronto on Feb. 12.

Key stat

Wembanyama has had a block in 62 straight games, surpassing the franchise record of 61 set by Hall of Fame centre David Robinson.

Wembanyama also became the 15th fastest in league history to 200 career 3-pointers, doing so in 94 games.

Up next Trail Blazers: At Dallas tonight.

Spurs: At Philadelphia tonight.

Lakers sweep 2-game set against Kings with a win

SACRAMENTO, Calif.

(AP) — LeBron James had 32 points and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 103-99 to sweep a two-game set on Saturday.

Trailing 101-99 with 12 seconds left, the Kings had a chance to tie after Anthony Davis missed two free throws but squandered the opportunity after they couldn’t secure the rebound. Austin Reaves was fouled and made both free throws to put the game away.

Reaves ﬁnished with 16 points, and Davis had 10 points and 15 rebounds as the Lakers completed the sweep after beating the Kings 113-100 on Thursday.

De’Aaron Fox led Sacramento with 31 points.

Domantas Sabonis had 19 points and 19 rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan added 12 points for the Kings.

Davis earned his 642nd block and passed Kobe Bryant for the ﬁfth most in franchise history.

MAGIC 121, HEAT 114

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)

— Cole Anthony scored 27 of his 35 points in the second half and Orlando tied their largest comeback in franchise history to beat Miami after trailing by 25 points.

The Magic also trailed by 22 entering the fourth quarter before outscoring the Heat 37-8. Their 25-point comeback ties a mark set on Nov. 8, 1989 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Anthony also had eight rebounds and nine assists.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 24 points and Goga Bitadze added 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Magic, who lost centre Mo Wagner to a knee injury in the ﬁrst quarter and centre Wendell Carter Jr. to an ejection before halftime. Bam Adebayo and Terry Rozier led Miami with 23 points each, and Tyler Herro added 22.

GRIZZLIES 128, HAWKS 112

ATLANTA (AP) — Desmond Bane scored 23 points and Memphis, without star player Ja Morant, beat skidding Atlanta.

Scotty Pippen Jr. added 22 points and nine assists. Morant, who injured his back in the Grizzlies’ Dec. 19 win over Golden State, was ruled out with low back soreness before Saturday night’s game.

De’Andre Hunter led Atlanta with 26 points and Jalen Johnson added 13 points and 11 rebounds.

The Hawks were also without their own star in Trae Young, who was ruled out before the game with a right heel contusion. After winning its ﬁrst

three games in December, Atlanta has now lost four of its last ﬁve games.

JAZZ 105, NETS 94

NEW YORK (AP) — Lauri Markkanen scored 21 points, Collin Sexton and Svi Mykhailiuk each had 18 points, and Utah beat Brooklyn.

The Jazz, who at 7-20 have one of the worst records in the NBA, have now won consecutive games for the ﬁrst time this season. They beat the Pistons 126-119 on Thursday. Both victories have come on the road, where they improved to 5-20. John Collins ﬁnished with 13 points and 11 rebounds while Jordan Clarkson chipped in 16 points for a struggling Utah team that had lost 12 of its previous 15 games.

Cam Johnson had 18 points and Ben Simmons added 15 points and 10 assists for the Nets, who have lost seven of their last nine.

CAVALIERS 126, 76ERS 99

CLEVELAND (AP) — Darius Garland scored 26 points and Evan Mobley had 22 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, sending NBA-leading Cleveland to a victory over Philadelphia.

Donovan Mitchell had 19 points and Georges Niang added 13 points off the bench for Cleveland, which is 25-4 for the top record in the league.

The Cavaliers tied their season high with 22 3-pointers -- Garland made 6 of 7 -- and improved to an NBA-best 16-1 at home.

Tyrese Maxey scored 13 of his 27 points in the third quarter and Paul George had 11 points for

Philadelphia. Kelly Oubre Jr. had nine points, but the 76ers were outscored by 34 in his 27 minutes.

CELTICS 123, BULLS 98

CHICAGO (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored a season-high 43 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and dished out 10 assists for his third career triple-double and Boston beat Chicago.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 22 points and Jaylen Brown added 19 to help the Celtics rebound from a 117-108 loss to the Bulls in Boston on Thursday night.

Tatum, the ﬁve-time AllStar, scored 18 points in the third quarter as Boston used a 19-8 run to open a 93-77 lead heading into the fourth.

Nikola Vucevic scored 19 points and 10 assists to lead the Bulls, whose season-high three-game winning streak ended. Zach LaVine, Coby White and Patrick Williams had 14 points each.

BUCKS 112, WIZARDS 101 MILWAUKEE (AP)

— Bobby Portis replaced Giannis Antetokounmpo in the starting lineup and scored a season-high 34 points, leading Milwaukee to a victory over Washington.

Khris Middleton had 18 points, six rebounds and eight assists for the Bucks, while Portis ﬁnished with 10 rebounds and eight assists.

Antetokounmpo (back spasms) missed his third game of the season and the Bucks also played again without Damian Lillard (right calf strain) after winning the NBA Cup earlier this week. Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers said

Lillard could play tonight against Chicago.

Rookie Ryan Rollins started at point guard in Lillard’s absence and contributed 14 points in 31 minutes. Centre Brook Lopez also had 14 and Gary Trent Jr. had 15 points and seven rebounds.

KNICKS 104, PELICANS 93

NEW ORLEANS (AP)

— Jalen Brunson scored 29 of his season-high 39 points in the second half to power New York to a victory over New Orleans.

All-NBA defensive player Herb Jones pressured Brunson in the ﬁrst half, picking him up at three-quarters court. That pressure led to the Knicks’ 35.6% shooting in the ﬁrst half, when New Orleans held a 49-45 lead.

But Brunson caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 16 points, including 13 straight, in a 22-6 run that erased a 65-52 deficit and gave New York a 74-71 lead. Brunson scored nine of the Knicks’ first 13 points of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 95-81.

New Orleans, which lost for the 15th time in its last 16 games, was paced by Trey Murphy III with 26 points. Dejounte Murray added 14 points for New Orleans.

The Knicks also got 18 points from Mikal Bridges and 16 from OG Anunoby.

MAVERICKS 113, CLIPPERS 97

DALLAS (AP) — Quentin Grimes scored 20 points off the bench, 14 in the fourth quarter, leading eight Mavericks in double ﬁgures as Dallas beat Los Angeles despite missing leading scorer Luka Doncic.

ROCKETS BEAT RAPTORS 114-110 FOR FIRST WIN IN TORONTO SINCE 2019

By IAN HARRISON Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — Dillon Brooks scored 27 points, Jalen Green had 22 and the Houston Rockets won in Toronto for the ﬁrst time in more than ﬁve years by beating the struggling Raptors 114-110 last night. Alperen Sengun had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, who hadn’t won in Toronto since Dec. 5, 2019. Current Rockets guard Fred VanVleet scored 20 points for the reigning NBA-champion Raptors in that game.

Ja’Kobe Walter fouled out with a career-high 27 points and Chris Boucher and Ochai Agbaji each added 15 as Toronto’s losing streak reached seven. The Raptors have lost six straight at home.

Walter scored Toronto’s ﬁrst 14 points of the game, a run that ended when Gradey Dick made a free throw with 7:06 remaining in the opening period.

Jamal Shead had 11 points and a career-high 10 assists for the Raptors.

Toronto’s RJ Barrett missed his second straight game because of an illness.

Takeaways Rockets: VanVleet was injured when the Rockets lost at Toronto last season. In his first appearance as a visitor, he had eight rebounds and five assists but didn’t score until the final minute of the game. VanVleet shot 1 for 10, missing all five of his 3-point attempts.

Raptors: Scottie Barnes had 10 rebounds but scored only six points. He shot 2 for 15 and went 0 for 8 from distance, missing his ﬁrst eight ﬁeld goal attempts.

Doncic, ﬁfth in the NBA with 28.9 points per game, missed his second consecutive game with a left heel contusion.

Klay Thompson scored 16 points, and Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie had 15 apiece.

Norman Powell scored 28 points for the Clippers, who split a two-game series at Dallas. James Harden and Kevin Porter Jr. each added 19.

The Mavericks outscored the Clippers 31-18 in the second period to lead 54-40 at halftime, outshooting them 47.8% to 22.2%.

PISTONS 133, SUNS 125

PHOENIX (AP) — Cade Cunningham scored 28 points and had 13 assists, Jalen Duren added 17 points and 11 rebounds and Detroit beat Phoenix.

The Pistons dominated the majority of the game and didn’t trail after the ﬁrst few minutes. The Suns cut their deﬁcit to 122-119 with 2:26 left on a pair of free throws by Kevin Durant, but Malik Beasley responded with a corner 3 to thwart the comeback attempt.

Durant scored a seasonhigh 43 points on 14-of-26 shooting and made all 11 of his free throws. Bradley Beal added 26, but the Suns couldn’t overcome 19 turnovers.

Seven Detroit players scored in double ﬁgures. Jaden Ivey had 20, Beasley added 18 and Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 16.

Detroit jumped out to a 41-26 lead by the end of the ﬁrst quarter, scoring 16 points off of seven Phoenix turnovers. The Suns cut the margin to 64-59 by halftime.

‘BUDDY’ SCORES 11 TO HELP WARRIORS WIN

FROM PAGE 13

allowed the Grizzlies to set a franchise record with 27 3-pointers in a 144-93 drubbing in Memphis but held Minnesota to 41.9% on the night.

Timberwolves: After scoring 37 points in the ﬁrst half, the Timberwolves exploded for 38 points in third quarter and came back to take the lead twice but ultimately couldn’t crawl back from their early 36-15 deﬁcit.

Key moment With just under four minutes to play and the Warriors leading 96-94, Edwards missed the second of two free throws. The Warriors controlled the rebound and Curry curled off a screen, caught a pass and calmly drilled a 3-pointer on the other end. After making two free throws, Curry hit two more 3s to give Golden State a 107-96 lead.

Key stat Minnesota made 6 of 22 shots (27.3%) in each of the first two quarters. Four of the Wolves’ 12 first-half field goals were dunks, making them 8 for 40 (20%) on all other shots in the first half.

Up next The Warriors return home to face the Pacers while the Timberwolves visit Atlanta tonight.

PORTLAND Trail Blazers centre Deandre Ayton (2) dunks the ball on San Antonio Spurs centre Victor Wembanyama (1) during the ﬁrst half on Saturday. (AP Photo/Kin Man Hui)

SACRAMENTO Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) attempts a shot over Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) during the second half on Saturday. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)