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CCA ‘FR A UDULENTLY
M A N A GED’ - S A RKIS
Izmirlian claims US filing is attempt to evade responsibility
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
SARKIS Izmirlian yesterday blasted Baha Mar’s contractor as “a company fraudulently managed by bad actors” while slamming the bankruptcy protection filing by its US arm as a bid to “evade responsibility for its actions”.
The Cable Beach mega resort’s original developer,
in a statement responding to CCA Construction Inc’s Chapter 11 move, accused the Chinese state-owned contractor of “hiding” behind US bankruptcy protection law to avoid having to pay him $1.642bn in damages and post a $1.9bn bond to pursue overturning that award via the New York State Supreme Court’s appeals division.
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
FRUSTRATED residents of Guana Cay, Abaco, say unreliable electricity is driving away tourists and lowering their quality of life. Their pleas for help are the latest in a series of complaints against Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), with residents of Eleuthera also reporting similar power challenges.
“I feel like we’re living in a third-world country, paying first-world taxes, right, you know, and we’re not getting anything,” said longtime resident and business owner Tanya Wallace.
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement (FNM) chairman Dr Duane Sands criticised Attorney General Ryan Pinder’s defence of the Bahamian government in light of a New York Supreme Court ruling that awarded $1.6 billion in damages to Baha Mar’s original developer, Sarkis Izmirlian. Dr Sands accused Mr Pinder of selectively addressing the court’s findings, which detailed alleged corruption and
Straw vendor complaints falling ‘on deaf ears’
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@ribunemedia.net
AFTER more than a year of straw vendors urging the government to implement a system that would improve
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net
LABOUR Minister Pia Glover Rolle expressed disappointment over recent comments made by Trade Union Congress (TUC) president Obie Ferguson regarding current labour relations.
their chances of making a profit, Straw Businesspersons Society president Rebecca Small says their requests continue to fall on “deaf ears”.
LABOUR Minister Pia Glover Rolle
A GIRL waves at her parents while on a ride at the carnival at Fort Charlotte last night. See PAGE EIGHT for more.
Photo: Nikia Charlton
Weekend of fun before Christmas
LABOUR and Public Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle takes part in a dance competition with the Grinch at Golden Gates Christmas Fair on Saturday. Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
SANTA hands out gifts to children during Pompey Medical’s 1st Annual Children’s Christmas Block Party at the Heastie Building on Saturday.
Glover-Rolle ‘disappointed but not surprised’ by union chief’s remarks
“These comments have emerged just days after a positive meeting between the Department of Labour and representatives of local trade unions,” she said in a statement yesterday.
“Consequently, given other remarks of this nature made by the TUC president in recent months, I am disappointed but not surprised. However, we remain committed to maintaining harmonious labour relations and working hand-in-hand with local trade unions for the benefit of Bahamian workers.”
Mrs Rolle said a productive quarterly meeting held last week between the Department of Labour and various trade union representatives addressed outstanding concerns, leading to several action items being advanced at the Ministry of Finance and plans to resolve additional issues in the first quarter of 2025. Her statement yesterday came after TUC president Obie Ferguson claimed
14 unions have strike certificates. He said continued delays could compel unions to consider industrial action. Mrs Rolle said: “The positive feedback we received from the union leaders in attendance stands in stark contrast to the unnecessarily adversarial commentary now being advanced by Mr Ferguson.”
Mrs Rolle emphasised the importance of open and honest communication, urging union leaders to maintain dialogue to advance the government’s labour agenda focused on better protecting, compensating, and empowering Bahamian workers.
Addressing the issuance of strike certificates, she said they are a healthy aspect of the labour environment.
“In the past three years, there have been several instances in which strike certificates have been issued but no strike ensued as a result of successful negotiations,” she said. “We embrace the issuance of strike certificates as a healthy component of our
held in good faith. We ask that union leaders sustain the current levels of open and
communication with our teams, as consistency in communication is integral to the level of social dialogue needed to advance our ambitious labour agenda. We invite president Ferguson and
Ferguson to seek legal counsel over internal conflicts in BGWU
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter
VETERAN union lawyer Obie Ferguson has announced plans to seek legal intervention to resolve escalating tensions within the Bahamas General Workers Union, as disputes over leadership, financial compliance, and governance threaten the union’s ability to serve its members.
The potential legal action aims to remove certain Executive Council members over alleged financial non-compliance and appoint trustees to ensure the union can meet its obligations to members, including the delayed distribution of Christmas bonuses.
Mr Ferguson said: “As the lawyer for the union, it is my responsibility to ensure that constitutional and financial protocols are followed. The court will have to step in to resolve this issue and protect the interests of the workers.”
Tensions within the union revolve around President Linda Sands, who has been accused by Vice President Dave Beckford and other council members of failing to adhere to the union’s constitution. Among the allegations is a claim that Ms Sands distributed Christmas bonuses in cash to selected members, bypassing the council’s approval process and violating established financial protocols.
Mr Beckford said: “The president refuses to call council meetings, refuses to communicate with council officers, and has personally collected dues, which is the treasurer’s responsibility. She has also appointed shop stewards without the council’s approval, and these actions are unconstitutional.”
Council members also accused Ms Sands of refusing to sign financial documents necessary for the union’s operations, including cheques for bonuses and payments to a CPA for certifying the union’s financial statements. Mr Beckford explained that this year, the process broke down.
“We understand that the president called a meeting and gave some members cash payments, which is not protocol. We don’t know where this money came from. The trustee, treasurer, and other signatories are unaware of these funds,
and it raises serious concerns,” he said.
Ivy Minns, a trustee for the union, echoed these sentiments, saying that Ms Sands routinely bypasses the council.
“The constitution is clear. The council operates collectively, and all decisions should be made at the board level. Yet the president continues to go outside the constitution and do as she pleases,” she said.
In response, Mr Ferguson dismissed the allegations against Ms Sands and focused on the council’s financial status.
He asserted that several members, including those making the accusations, are not financially compliant, meaning they have not paid their union dues since 2023.
He questioned their authority to challenge Ms Sands’ leadership or hold office under such circumstances.
“How can you claim to be an officer or part of the council if you’re not financial? You’re required to pay dues to hold office. These individuals have not been financial for months,” Mr Ferguson said.
He also criticised the council for refusing to sign financial documents necessary for the union’s operations, including cheques for bonuses and payments for a CPA to certify the union’s financial statements.
The union’s financial struggles have been compounded by issues surrounding the freezing of its accounts, further delaying critical payouts to its members, including Christmas bonuses.
According to Mr Beckford, the situation stems from the refusal of President Sands to cooperate with the council.
“The trustee and treasurer were prepared to sign the cheqrss, but the president refused to sign. As a result, the account remains frozen, leaving the members without their bonuses and other benefits they are entitled to,” he said.
Trustee Ms Minns also expressed frustration with the frozen accounts, noting that the council had prepared the necessary cheques, but the president’s inaction had stalled their efforts.
“We already had the cheques written up and prepared to give out. It was just to get the president’s signature, but without it, the funds can’t be accessed,” she said, emphasisings the
impact this has had on the union’s operations and its members.
The veteran union lawyer held a differing opinion.
Mr Ferguson addressed the issue of the union’s frozen account, attributing the problem to the refusal of certain Executive Council members to sign off on bonus money owed to members of the general workers’ union.
He emphasised that the delays in accessing the funds are not due to President Linda Sands, but rather the actions of council members some of whom, he claims, are not financially compliant themselves.
“These individuals are not financial, yet they’re obstructing the union’s ability to operate,” he claimed. “This is precisely why legal intervention is necessary,” he said.
Mr Ferguson plans to file a court motion to address the matter, seeking to appoint trustees who can ensure the union’s financial commitments are met without
further disruption.
According to Mr Ferguson, the situation has hindered the union’s ability to meet its financial obligations to members, including the distribution of Christmas bonuses to members of the general workers union.
“The union’s funds are not personal accounts. They belong to the workers,” Mr Ferguson said. “When council members refuse to sign cheques for bonuses or payments for essential services, such as the CPA certifying the union’s financial statements, it creates a situation where the account remains frozen, and the members ultimately suffer.”
He emphasised that the delays in accessing the funds are not due to President Linda Sands, but rather the actions of council members who, he claims, are not financially compliant themselves.
“These individuals are not financial, yet they’re obstructing the union’s ability to operate. This is precisely why legal
intervention is necessary,” he said.
Mr Ferguson plans to file a court motion to address the matter, seeking to appoint trustees who can ensure the union’s financial commitments are met without further disruption.
“The funds belong to the union members, not the council. Refusing to sign these cheques only harms the workers.”
Mr Ferguson revealed that the application to the court will address these issues, seeking to remove non-compliant council members and appoint trustees to ensure the union’s financial obligations are met. He emphasised: “The court will have to step in to protect the interests of the members and ensure that the union functions properly.”
The Bahamas General Workers Union’s internal conflict highlights deeper governance and accountability issues.
With Mr Ferguson’s court filing set for Monday, the union’s
members await clarity on leadership and financial matters.
Mr Ferguson reiterated the importance of prioritising members’ needs over internal disputes.
“The workers are the union’s backbone. We must remember that our primary duty is to serve them, not to engage in infighting.”
In response to Mr Ferguson’s claims that some Executive Council members, including Mr Beckford, are nonfinancial and, therefore lack the legal authority to hold office, Mr Beckford firmly disagreed.
“That’s his opinion. We are financial,” he said. Regarding the planned originating application to have non-compliant council members removed, Mr Beckford acknowledged hearing about the motion but said, “No officers have been served.”
He concluded by expressing confidence in the council’s readiness to address the matter.
“We are prepared and ready,” he said.
other union leaders to continue to partner with us as
LABOUR MINISTER PIA GLOVER ROLLE
Straw vendor complaints falling ‘on deaf ears’
“Everything, in my opinion, has fallen onto deaf ears,” Ms Small said, criticising the government’s refusal to reinstate a rotational shift system at the straw market. “When you have the majority of the people requesting something and nothing has taken place, or they just refuse to listen to the cries of the majority, what message are they sending?”
Ms Small noted that despite the millions of cruise passengers arriving in the country each month, many vendors at the Nassau Straw Market struggle to benefit from the booming tourism sector.
She said there are days when sales are good but also days when vendors barely make any money. While profits can fluctuate for various reasons, she highlighted the frustration vendors face with the uncertainty of earning a steady income each week.
Ms Small explained that most vendors have asked the government to
reinstate the rotational shift system, which allowed vendors to work three days some weeks and four days in others. Under this system, vendors were divided into groups A and B, which reduced competition and overcrowding in the market.
The Ministry of Works and Utilities has previously said the rotational system was a “temporary measure”, adding that there was never an intention to permanently let straw markets operate on a rotational basis.
Since 2023, vendors have repeatedly called for a return to the rotational shift system, but the government has maintained its full-time work schedule. Sales have remained poor for many vendors despite record-breaking cruise passenger arrivals.
In July, Minister of Tourism Chester Cooper said the Tourism Development Corporation was working with vendors to ensure they provide services and products that appeal to visitors.
THE STRAW market on Bay Street, Nassau Mr Cooper expressed confidence that continued efforts to modernise vendors’ payment systems and
Sandals agrees $300k settlement with injured former employee
By KEILE CAMPBELL
Staff Reporter
THE Court of Appeal dismissed Sandals Resorts’ attempt to overturn a $289,706 damages award to a former employee injured while on duty at its Emerald Bay property in Exuma.
The ruling reaffirmed the 2023 Supreme Court decision by Justice Diane Stewart. That initial ruling found Sandals liable for the injuries suffered by Hilarena Nixon, a former gift shop employee and awarded her damages across five categories. The injury occurred on
March 10, 2015, when Ms Nixon collapsed while restocking pallets at the gift shop, resulting in injuries to her lower back, neck, shoulders, and knees.
Medical evaluations later revealed a partial disability rating of 58 percent, which severely impaired her ability to work.
The trial court awarded damages, including $12,404.66 for termination pay, $13,999.75 for special damages, $88,302.24 for future medical expenses, $110,000 for loss of future income, and $65,000 for general damages.
Sandals, represented by Raynard Rigby, KC, sought to challenge all categories except termination pay, arguing that the awards were flawed in principle and unsupported by sufficient medical evidence.
The resort also contested two of the awards — special damages and future medical expenses — despite these having been consented to by its counsel during the initial proceedings.
In their judgement, the appellate judges strongly rejected the arguments presented. Justice Smith, delivering the lead opinion, said: “The agreement or consent of counsel with respect to items (ii) and (iii) of the trial judge’s
award cannot be disregarded on this appeal.”
The court emphasised that Sandals’ legal counsel had acted with ostensible authority during the trial, making the agreements binding unless overturned by a separate legal challenge in the Supreme Court.
The court also supported the $65000 award for general damages, citing medical reports, including one from orthopaedic surgeon Dr Carlton Chambers, which detailed Ms Nixon’s injuries.
The report linked her ongoing pain and partial disability directly to the workplace incident. Justice Smith noted that the medical evidence was “clear and decisive” in demonstrating the connection between her injuries and the accident.
On the matter of loss of future income, Sandals argued that the trial judge erred in using a lump sum
approach rather than a multiplication method to calculate the award.
The Court of Appeal disagreed, noting that Ms Nixon’s injuries, combined with the limited job market on Exuma and her disability, warranted the lump sum approach.
Justice Smith highlighted that the trial judge had carefully balanced factors such as Nixon’s age, 58 percent disability rating, and the challenges of securing suitable employment on the island.
The appellate court found no merit in any of the 17 grounds of appeal filed by Sandals and affirmed the Supreme Court’s judgment in full. Additionally, the court ordered Sandals to pay Ms Nixon’s legal costs for the appeal.
For Ms Nixon, the decision marks the end of a protracted legal battle for compensation stemming from the 2015 workplace incident.
GOVERNOR General Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt administered the Requisite Oaths to Senior Justice Deborah Fraser to act as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Friday, December 20, 2024 at Government House.
Photos: Patrick Hanna/BIS
‘Unreliable electricity driving away tourists’
She said the cay has endured frequent power outages for over a year, with the latest lasting 48 hours for some this past weekend.
Willis Levarity, chief councillor for Guana Cay, attributed the island’s utility issues to freight boats damaging the underwater power line during low tide.
He said such incidents require divers to locate and repair the damaged line.
“I’ve been telling them to, like, at least locate the area and let the freight boats know where the power line is so when they pass, they could try to avoid cutting it,” he said.
Mr Levarity said the cay has a backup generator, but it is currently out of service due to mechanical issues.
According to residents, the electricity situation has impacted their finances and quality of life.
Mrs Wallace, who owns a liquor/convenience store, said she spends significantly on diesel to keep
her home and business running.
“And then we turn around at the end of the month and still get exorbitant BPL light bills,” she said. “You know, powers off, but you don’t get a break in your bill and then they do have the audacity to tell us, like, at every so many months, they’ll come around and be like if you have an outstanding amount of $300 or more, it doesn’t matter if it’s current or if it’s past due. Once it’s $300 or more, if you do not pay it, we will cut your power off.”
She claimed tourists have cancelled their plans due to the unreliable electricity, which is impacting people’s livelihoods.
Another community leader, Jeremy Sweeting, said Guana Cay is not the only area plagued by power outages, but Man-O-War and Hope Town are also affected.
“When power gets off, we have no water because the cays do not have the
services of water and sewerage because we’re the outlying cays and not the mainland,” he said. “So in the case of tourism, if someone’s living in a cottage and they don’t have a backup generator, I’m sure it gets very frustrating.”
Arnette Ingraham, a senior manager at BPL, has acknowledged residents’ concerns and assured them that officials are actively working on long term solutions.
She noted that BPL is open to installing a sign in the area to warn boaters, but cautioned that maintaining the sign long-term could be challenging due to weather and other factors.
“We know that we have some lingering issues there in Guana Cay, but we’re working towards a longterm strategy including an Abaco ring feeder where we can feed all of the cays in Abaco and if there is any issues that there’s redundancy coming from one of the other cays,” she told The Tribune yesterday.
PASTOR AND ADVOCATE CALL FOR REFLECTION AND CHANGE AFTER LATEST MURDERS
By JADE RUSSELL
Staff Reporter
BISHOP Delton Fernander, president of the Bahamas Christian Council, has lamented that even barbershops are not safe, referencing Saturday’s mass shooting on Bernard Road that left two men dead and three others injured, including a seven-year-old boy and a woman.
He said the holiday season, meant to be a time of joy, is instead marred by violence — a troubling reflection of the country’s current state.
“We have to look at ourselves,” Bishop Fernander said, noting that those committing violent crimes are a part of Bahamian society. He identified tension, anger, and frustration as major contributors to the problem and advocated for greater mental health support and more pastors trained in counselling to help community members cope with stress.
Meanwhile, Khandi Gibson, founder of Families of All Murder Victims (FOAM), has urged Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis to enlist street-level stakeholders who grasp the root causes of violent rivalries. While she acknowledged the government’s recent meeting with local pastors, she believes a broader approach is necessary to curb crime.
“History keeps repeating itself in this country,” she said. “We can’t expect a change when we’re doing the same thing.”
Her comments followed the mass shooting at the barber shop, for which two suspects have already been taken into custody.
GREAT GUANA CAY, ABACO
BISHOP DELTON FERNANDER
GOVERNOR General Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt received Her Excellency Yan Jiarong, Chinese Ambassador to The Bahamas, during a courtesy call in the Drawing Room at Government House, Mt. Fitzwilliam on Friday.
Photo: Letisha Henderson/BIS
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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We got some jokey leaders
EDITOR, The Tribune.
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Wishing a brighter Christmas for all
ANOTHER Christmas season has arrived at last.
The Tribune would like to wish all of our readers, all of our advertisers, and all of our staff for being part of our year. We wish you all a good Christmas. For some, Christmas can be a hard time. We have seen that in recent weeks – with long lines awaiting assistance. Helpers have been there, reaching out to offer those in need something to keep them going, and to remind them that people are there to give assistance. That those in need are not alone.
That can be one of the hardest things when one is in need – that feeling of isolation and loneliness. The feeling that no one can help.
This season, we have seen time and again that people are reaching out – and we hope those who are in need felt that warmth, that connection.
The need will not stop at the end of Christmas. We should make sure that the giving does not stop either.
Throughout the year, we have heard how non-profit organisations have found it harder and harder to raise money. Funds have been in short supply for many, including corporate donors. But when the funds fall short, the needs do not stop – they just do not get met.
PICTURE OF THE DAY
So as Christmas comes and goes, and thoughts turn to the new year, make a resolution to help in any way you can. It may be in money, whatever you might spare. It may be in time, to offer support with the skills you have.
After all, the Christmas story reminds us that even our Lord was born in the most humble of circumstances, in a manger in a shed, surrounded by animals. It is a lesson to us all to care for those around us. For if God’s own son could be found in those circumstances, so could we all.
Earlier this year, one young man came to The Tribune seeking help. He had nowhere to go, no roof over his head. He got the help he needed, Social Services gave him some assistance, and that roof. He got back on his feet, and the last we heard, he was on the right path to rebuilding his life.
We tell that story because it shows the difference that can be made. Too often we think that the help might not go far enough, but for every single person who is helped to move forward, it proves the value in doing so. We wish you all a merry Christmas, and let us all try to make it as happy a New Year for as many of our fellow citizens as we can.
TO the best of my recollection, it must have been in the early 60s or the late 50s that the circus came to town at the Fort Charlotte grounds. Correct me if I’m wrong, but it was a real true, true circus, with lions, elephants, trapeze artists, and of course clowns. As fantastic and memorable as those clowns were then - especially to an overly excited pre-teen youngster from over-thehill - the clowns we have walking around town today would put those old-fashioned jokesters to shame. Even that budding Emanji Circus cannot compare.
Nowadays, we can hardly find most of the really great clowns walking around, because a lot of them tend to be chauffeur-driven, when not giving animated presentations in Parliament. However, just as soon as those general election bells are sounded, you are bound to find an infestation of clowns again walking through your communities, with gifts, promises and more ... while soliciting votes; the big swing again.
“We Gat Some Jokey Leaders” by KB puts it so aptly. But, with so many serious problems gobbling up The Bahamas these days, Bahamians at large are being challenged to fight back the tears. And, Bahamians, being the proud people that we are, might just hum along with Smokey Robinson’s old song: Tears Of A Clown. No matter, whatever expression we turn to for
some solace, after that brief detour, our problems will still be there, no doubt bigger than before. What then are we to do when our choices appear to be the frying pan or the fire these days? By rejecting both alternatives, Bahamians will still find themselves between a rock and a hard place anyway. Hard, hard choices would definitely have to be made in order to move forward, upward, onward together. Nothing rash, nothing stupid, because there have been more than enough historical examples to show that some extreme changes can be even more dangerous than the status quo.
Is it even possible to organise a single island, much less the entire Bahamas along the lines of addressing an obvious problem, without the apparent entrenched tribalism so endemic in our traditional Bahamian political culture?
Is there any mechanism in our existing system of governance whereby propositions may be formulated, and put to the public for approval? Is it possible to insert such a possibility even at the local community levels? How about the voices of the people instead of the voices of the parties, for a change?
Perhaps, and just perhaps, each community
(constituency?) could generate a list of things which ought to be improved within their surroundings, along with another list of proposed national objectives. A non-partisan, non-political selection of representatives from each community (a la local government?) could meet - actually or virtually - to arrive at a consensus as to whether or not a revised Constitution would be in order, or merely amendments to the current one would suffice. Something just ain’t right. Either it’s the instrument or the players.
Within the period of the first three months of 2025, such a process ought to be able to be started, if not completed. That way, we would know definitively whether or not the show will go on as usual in the foreseeable future. Having a perennial circus in town is at least consistent, however ridiculous. Alternatively, without having such an assortment of clowns taking center stage as the time goes by, there would be an opportunity for Bahamians to have the kind of serious Bahamas in which the various necessary changes could take place. No joke! Those ideals enshrined in our National Ideals could finally become realities. That way, there would be no need for an encore of that famous KB song; We Gat Some Jokey Leaders.
MB New Providence December 21, 2024.
Surely, we can do better
EDITOR, The Tribune.
SEASON’S Greetings
Bahamas! And I join my family in wishing you all, all of God’s best not only for the Yuletide, but the future. I also would like to say that perhaps you may not have all of what you might be desiring for the holidays, but this too shall pass, once you’re able to find something to make a meal, and we have many local kitchen preparing lunches for the needful, and so I do encourage you to take advantage of it. But you know, nothing trumps good health, you have it all.
I was just off of my usual downtown errand, and whilst passing the parliament square, noted an arrangement of soft padded
chairs lined in rows before the steel barricades, but what drew my attention was that all of the brown chairs were in tatters, surely, we can do better than this? And whilst on the topic, don’t you think that it is past time that that area gets a facelift? Especially the section that the dignitaries occupy. How difficult is it to do only the green or red carpet portion of that area? After all, it is our culture being displayed to the world Junkanoo, and so to what extent were we to present the best possible sanitised lounge station for that calibre spectators, many international I assumed, don’t you think so Bahamians?
I just would like to impress upon members of whatever, when seeking to represent, even if as mediocre as placement chairs in the main square of the country, and the chairs were as damaged as these are, the supervisor should be informed, how difficult is that? I just don’t like how the little things taking us to tasks, if the struggle is happening with small, how much more will not so small caused us to scratched our heads? Come on Bahamas, let us give the world our best, very best, and steam clean Bay Street before the Junkanoo parade takes place. Happy Holidays Bahamas! FRANK GILBERT Nassau December 17, 2024.
EDITOR, The Tribune. Certainly pleased that the US in-coming President will nominate a fully-fledged Ambassador to the Bahamas...finally what 14-16 years since Amb Nicole Avant (liked by many), Can or would the
Bahamas dare to reject a nomination?
There are some very critical unsavory allegations floating, yes seemingly unproven which might raise eyebrows! US confirmation will I suspect raise them as
nominations for ‘political nominations as Ambassadors’ always do even with Republican majority in both Houses … Time will tell.
J BURROWS Nassau, December 18, 2024.
‘AG does not get to cherry pick’ US court finding
from page one
questionable dealings involving China Construction America (CCA) and senior Bahamian officials during the resort’s controversial collapse and subsequent sale.
In October, Judge Andrew Borrok ruled Mr Izmirlian had proven his fraud claims again China Construstion America (CCA) “beyond doubt”.
The ruling indicated that CCA “actively worked to curry favour with the Bahamian government” behind Mr Izmirlian’s back. It revealed that CCA made $2.3m in payments to Notarc Management Group, an entity managed by Leslie Bethel, to gain access to Sir Baltron Bethel, who was Mr Christie’s senior policy adviser in the Baha Mar dispute.
Mr Pinder told reporters last week that his office had reviewed the ruling and found some aspects unfair. He said government officials only began discussing new ownership after the original developer had defaulted on obligations, the hotel’s opening was clearly no longer viable, and the project had advanced into receivership. Mr Pinder maintained that the government acted appropriately and in the best interest of The
Bahamas to ensure the successful completion of the nation’s largest single investment.
In response, Dr Sands said: “The Attorney General of The Bahamas does not get to cherry pick what commentary is made by a sitting justice in another jurisdiction. The justice who issued that ruling, like thousands of Bahamians, are very interested in how China Construction of America managed to get the Bahamian government to curry favor, and many of those thousands of Bahamians want to know whether that $2m contract had anything to do with it. The $2m contract that went to the family of a senior politician.”
He added: “This administration claims that they are immune from corruption or that they don’t suffer from the surge of corruption. Well, let us turn over every stone. Let us find out exactly how CCA was so confident that the government would side with them. Let’s find out how an executive of CCA ended up being a consultant to the government. Isn’t that bizarre?” “I believe that the attorney general, who’s speaking about politics and not about law, certainly could not have been speaking about law to come up with a comment like that.”
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
EQUALITY Bahamas director Alicia Wallace said it is unlikely that The Bahamas will change its laws on the death penalty in response to the commuted capital punishment sentences in the US.
US President Joe Biden recently commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates, converting their penalties to life in prison without parole.
Ms Wallace noted that The Bahamas has received numerous recommendations from international human rights bodies to abolish the death penalty but has refused to do so.
“While The Bahamas does closely watch the US and sometimes mimics its rhetoric, if not action, it has been clear in its unwillingness to abolish the death penalty,” she said.
“The government has repeatedly expressed its satisfaction with the existing ‘moratorium’, and efforts to use the death penalty have been thwarted by the Privy
Council.
“As the issue is divisive and opinions on both sides are stronger than the political will of the government, the law is unlikely to be changed as a reaction to what is occurring in the US.”
Ms Wallace argued that it is crucial for people sentenced to prison to be rehabilitated rather than simply punished and returned to society unchanged or, in some cases, worse.
“Ending violence requires more than changes in laws and policies,” she said. “We have to take action to change behavior, and this requires a complete change in beliefs, including the way we value human life, as well as increasing the ability of individuals to make decisions in moments of difficulty so that anger and frustration do not automatically lead to violence.”
“It starts with the curricula in schools, policies in the workplace, programming through faith-based organisations, and individuals sharing the responsibility of creating safe, peaceful environments.”
FNM CHAIRMAN DR DUANE SANDS
EQUALITY BAHAMAS DIRECTOR ALICIA WALLACE
Family fun at the carnival
Businessman accused of posting explicit photos of woman on social media
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 54-YEAR-OLD businessman was granted bail yesterday after he was accused of posting explicit images of a 37-year-old woman on social media over the past two months.
Senior Magistrate Anishka Isaacs arraigned
Carl Butler on two counts of intentional libel. Prosecutors allege that in November, he posted nude and lewd videos of the complainant on WhatsApp to defame her. He is further accused of posting additional nude images of the same woman in December. Butler elected to continue his matter before Magistrate Isaacs and pleaded not guilty.
Assistant Superintendent of Police S Coakley objected to bail on the grounds that Butler, who holds American dual citizenship, might be a flight risk.
Butler’s attorney, Geoffrey Farquharson, argued that his client has strong local ties and business interests in real estate and entertainment, and that there was no evidence he
would flee. Magistrate Isaacs granted bail at $5,000 with one or two sureties on the condition that Butler wears an electronic monitoring device and signs in at the Central Police Station every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday by 7pm. He must not interfere with any witnesses physically or on social media. His trial is set for March 12, 2025.
Children’s home worker accused of sex assault
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A CHILDREN’S home worker was remanded in custody yesterday after he was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old in his care.
Senior Magistrate Anishka Isaacs arraigned 60-year-old Ray Nairn on charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a dependent child, attempted unlawful sexual intercourse with a dependent child, cruelty to children, and two counts of indecent assault.
Prosecutors allege that sometime between January 1 and June 24, Nairn inappropriately touched
the girl and exposed her to alcohol, causing unnecessary suffering. He is also accused of sexual offences against her on December 16, including an allegation of unlawful sexual intercourse.
Nairn was informed his case would proceed to the Supreme Court via a voluntary bill of indictment. He will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until March 12, 2025, when the VBI is expected to be served. His wife, sister, and brother were present at court. Ryan Eve represented the accused. Assistant Superintendent of Police S Coakley served as the prosecutor.
CHARGED W ITH ASSAULT AFTER CHOKING WOMAN AT CRUISE PORT
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was granted bail yesterday after he allegedly assaulted a woman and choked her at the Nassau Cruise Port on Sunday.
Senior Magistrate Raquel Whyms arraigned 32-year-old Ashton Anderson on charges of causing harm and damage. Prosecutors allege that on
December 22, Anderson pushed a woman to the ground, choked her, and damaged her Samsung cellphone valued at $700. The complainant reportedly suffered minor injuries. Anderson pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was granted bail at $5,000 with one or two sureties. His trial is set for March 7, 2025. Sergeant 2257 Wilkinson served as the prosecutor.
T HREE IN CUSTODY ACCUSED OF KIDNAPPING MAN AND WOMAN
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
THREE men were remanded in custody yesterday for allegedly kidnapping a man and a woman at gunpoint last week in an attempt to extort $5,500 from each of them.
Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr arraigned Roman Nicolls, 32, Keron Dean, 18, and Demetrio Brown, 22, on two counts of possession of a firearm
with intent to endanger life, two counts of kidnapping, and attempted extortion. They are accused of carrying out the crimes on December 15 in New Providence.
The defendants were informed their case would proceed via a voluntary bill of indictment. They will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until the VBIs are served on March 7, 2025. Ian Jupp and Alphonso Lewis represented the accused.
WOMAN ACCUSED OF SERIOUSLY INJURING MAN IN ALTERCATION
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 19-YEAR-OLD was granted bail after she was accused of seriously injuring a man earlier this month.
Senior Magistrate Anishka Isaacs arraigned Alyssa Higgs on a charge of grievous harm. Higgs allegedly seriously injured Brenton Taylor during a physical
altercation on December 10 in New Providence. She pleaded not guilty to the charge. The defendant’s bail was set at $4,000 with one or two sureties. Under the terms of her bail, she must sign in at the Carmichael Road Police Station every Wednesday by 7pm.
Higgs’s trial begins on May 24, 2025.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Bowles served as the prosecutor in this case.
TWO MONTHS JAIL FOR THEFT OF $300 WORTH OF CAR PARTS
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was sentenced to two months in prison on Friday after he admitted to stealing $300 worth of car parts last week.
Senior Magistrate Anishka Isaacs arraigned 31-year-old Nesley Tilme on a charge of stealing. Tilme reportedly stole the headlights from an individual’s Suzuki Swift on December 16 in New Providence. The
stolen items are valued at $300.
After Tilme pleaded guilty, Magistrate Isaacs reprimanded him for his actions and sentenced him to two months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. He was also ordered to compensate the complainant $300 or risk an additional month in custody. The defendant is expected to return to court for payment on January 13, 2025.
A MOTHER and son ride in a bumper car last night at Fort Charlotte as people young and old came out to enjoy a night at the carnival.
Photos: Nikia Charlton
New focus once again on immigration in Europe
THE horrifying violence in Germany last Friday has shocked the whole country. In the central city of Magdeburg on the River Elbe, a car was driven into a traditional Christmas market by a middle aged man, leaving five people dead and up to 200 injured. The alleged perpetrator, a doctor specialising in psychiatry, is a refugee from Saudi Arabia living legally in Germany.
Inevitably, given the public mood about foreigners entering the country in large numbers, this incident has immediately reignited the debate about immigration. Chancellor Olaf Scholz was heckled and booed by an angry crowd when he visited the scene at the weekend. In the last few days there have been calls for mass deportations.
I had planned anyway to write a piece today about how attitudes in Germany and elsewhere in Europe towards immigration had changed so that many countries are now under intense pressure from their electorates to take back full control of their borders. Currently, 22 European Union member states adhere to the Schengen Agreement abolishing border controls. Germany recently introduced temporary controls though people with a Schengen visa continued to enjoy free movement.
On top of all this is the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and it is now being argued that withdrawal from this is the only option for
The Peter Young column
countries wishing to regain sovereignty in relation to immigration and to take back full control of their borders. Many take the view that, over the years, this Convention’s court in Strasbourg has expanded the definition of asylum to the point where it makes it impossible for national governments to re-impose such control.
There is, therefore, now a growing opinion that the power of politicians to act decisively on immigration has been usurped by ECHR judges – and it is said as well by some that these judges are consistently attempting to increase their powers in applying the law.
Human rights lawyers in the UK are adept at finding loopholes to enable them to thwart deportations. Asylum seekers can rely on Article 3 of the Convention, which prohibits degrading treatment, by
arguing they will face poor such treatment in their original countries. Then, if they stay in another country long enough, they can rely on Article 8 which means that even criminals can avoid deportation if they can argue successfully that such action would hurt their family. Thus, there is a growing appetite for tackling the ECHR, with countries like Poland, Denmark, Italy and Austria, as well as Britain and Germany, expressing deep frustration over it.
This question of Germany’s possible departure from the ECHR was posed recently by a senior member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) which is predicted to be the largest political party after the projected general election in February. This illustrates a huge change from earlier policies of the CDU, led for many years by former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who notoriously allowed more than a million refugees from Syria to enter Germany in 2015, with disastrous results since such large numbers were unable to find work or become assimilated and some were responsible for terrible crimes. This sparked a European migrant crisis that has never ended, not least in Germany itself that this year alone recorded some 71,000 illegal border crossings.
The ECHR is an international convention to protect human rights and political freedoms in Europe, drawn up in the aftermath of the horrors
of the Second World War. It represented an attempt to protect people from the State and safeguard the right to life together with fundamental rights like – among others - the prevention of torture, killing and slavery and the assurance of freedom of speech and of assembly and religion. Winston Churchill himself was one of its advocates and Britain signed the Convention in 1951. However, the world in which the ECHR was created has changed substantially. Many believe the current conditions of mass migration require a new approach if the concept of the sovereignty of individual and separate independent states – as
determined originally by the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 that ended the Thirty Years’ War in Europe - is to be taken account of adequately. The German economy is said to be sputtering under high energy prices. According to reports, there is substantial spending on refugees including welfare payments to foreigners and soaring housing costs.
Immigration has become the second most important issue for voters, just below the economy itself. This is said to have contributed to a series of state level election victories for the hard right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), whose platform includes opposition to mass immigration.
Controversial ambassadorial appointment
OVER the years, the evidence has shown that Britain’s diplomatic service is held in high regard by other countries both for its quality and its efficiency. One reason for that is that its career staff are invariably highly motivated, since, with the required intellectual capacity and personal qualities and a willingness to apply themselves, the sky could be the limit in fulfilling their ambition. Their role is to promote and protect British interests.
In the British system, political appointees as heads of mission – ambassador or, in a Commonwealth country, high commissioner – are relatively rare. So as staff climb the ladder of promotion they know the top jobs are available to strive for, unlike in the US where a president rewards his close associates with ambassadorships – as, for example, President-elect Trump has just done in appointing the executive who produced his reality television programme, The Apprentice, as his special envoy to the UK.
The subject of political
Trump’s
appointments hit the headlines last week in London with the British government’s announcement of the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to Washington which is, of course, considered to be the top job for British career diplomats.
WITH more and more people trying to make sense of what is generally acknowledged to be an unprecedentedly troubled world, one would think that political leaders would be almost exclusively concentrating on the most serious issues confronting them. At the recent elections in America and in Britain, such issues were fully debated leaving no one in any doubt that those leaders who emerged victorious understood the relative importance of the problems they would be facing. Reportedly, it has therefore come as a surprise to ordinary people how the new British government has seemed to be rushing to deal with matters that most people would consider were of relatively low priority. Closer to home, it has been interesting as well to hear what President-elect Trump has been saying publicly in the run-up to next month’s inauguration about a number of issues that could hardly be described as pressing at the beginning of his term of office. Several unrelated examples spring to mind, including a threat to reassert US control of the Panama Canal, purchase of the world’s largest island of Greenland and the ending of Daylight Saving Time. This is, of course, neither the time nor place to go into detail about any of these. But readers may recall that his proposal to take over Greenland
The 71-year-old Peter Mandelson is one of the best-known figures in British politics. A Labour party grandee, he has served in various Labour government ministerial roles and in Brussels as an EU trade commissioner. He is an internationalist, pro-European free trader, and, in a way, is said to personify what Republicans dislike about Europe. Dubbed the Prince of Darkness during his years as a spin doctor for the Labour party, Mandelson will now be the link between Trump and his incoming administration and prime minister Starmer. He is a heavyweight political figure and networker whose tough approach to dealmaking could pay dividends in a Washington dominated by such a figure as Trump. Nonetheless, doubts have been expressed in Britain about whether he is really the man for the job or might, as a senior politician with a large ego, get in the way of policy-making in London. There have been several examples recently of senior career diplomats with the necessary confidence and personal skills - together
attracted a measure of ridicule when he last brought it up; and there are respectable arguments for and against changing the clocks in the spring and autumn.
Trump supporters point in glowing terms to these examples of his grasp of detail and attention to supposedly less significant issues while critics say that he himself should not necessarily be addressing what will be regarded as relatively unimportant matters when major global problems will soon require all his attention.
Who knows what will happen in the coming months. But from everything I have read, the world is awaiting another Trump presidency with huge anticipation.
with the required experience and wide knowledge of world affairs – who have had successful stints as ambassador in Washington. So people wonder whether there is really no one available who would be better placed to apply objective judgement to issues ranging from China, Ukraine, Israel, Iran and the Middle East to the Chagos Islands?
Furthermore, the announcement also hit the headlines because of the immediate reaction of a top adviser to the Trump presidential campaign, Chris LaCivita, who was reported to have called Peter Mandelson publicly “an absolute moron” and advised him to stay at home rather than coming to Washington to replace “a professional and universally respected ambo” who is a career diplomat.
It has been reported in the US press that Trump himself knew in advance about LaCivita’s remark, and doubtless both will have been aware of Mandelson’s critical remarks some time ago describing Trump as a danger to the world, a bully and “little short of a white nationalist”.
Germany used to have one of the most liberal asylum policies in Europe. But it is reported that attitudes are changing significantly and there is real talk of quitting the ECHR, though some say this is just to counter the threat of the AfD as an election looms.
Meanwhile, the new Labour government in the UK has pledged to adopt policies to create a fair and properly managed immigration system aimed at reducing illegal small boat crossings and tackling an asylum backlog. But it will continue to adhere to the ECHR. So cynics say that foreign judges will still have the final say in relation to Britain’s borders.
Harsher words than that have been uttered about the president-elect by the British prime minister and foreign secretary which have been apparently brushed under the carpet successfully. But Mandelson’s words about Trump hardly bode well for him as a resident head of mission; and some are saying that all this begs the question why discreet soundings were not taken quietly in advance about Mandelson’s acceptability.
It might be worth noting that a political appointment as ambassador to the US that hit the headlines was in 1977 when the then Labour prime minister, James Callaghan, made his son-in-law, Peter Jay, ambassador there at the age of 40. He was a journalist and broadcaster with a reputation as a sharp analyst of the British economy and he had been called the cleverest young man in Britain. But, with no experience in politics or diplomacy, his appointment was met by accusations of nepotism –and his tour of duty was judged to have been only partially successful.
“Remigration” is written on a banner at a demonstration by right-wing groups in Magdeburg, Germany, on Saturday, a day after a driver drove into a group of people at the Christmas market in the city.
Photo: dpa/AP
PETER Mandelson. Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
LARGE Icebergs float away as the sun rises near Kulusuk, Greenland, August 16, 2019. Photo: Felipe Dana/AP
Ballerinas turn one of Kenya’s largest slums into a stage for a Christmas show
NAIROBI Associated Press
WITH perfect pirouettes and plies, dozens of young ballet dancers gracefully moved between the makeshift iron houses of one of Africa’s largest urban slums, spreading Christmas spirit.
Hundreds of residents in Kenya’s Nairobi cheered as the nimble ballerinas, wearing Santa hats and sparkling colorful outfits, turned the dusty narrow roads of the neighborhood of Kibera into a danceworthy stage on Saturday.
The annual show was a hit.
Organized by the
Kibera Ballet School, one of the east African country’s smaller institutions that provides free lessons to children who otherwise wouldn’t have had access to this kind of training, the production was the result of rigorous practice. For months, the children rehearsed in modest community halls while juggling their household chores, which included fetching water in plastic jerricans in the neighborhood with no clean running water. Like the rest of Africa, Kenya boasts of a youthful population — with a median age of 19 — and the ballet school, funded
by a local non-government organization, aims to give some of them a creative outlet.
For Kibera residents, the early Christmas ballet show is a celebration of community resilience and creativity.
“We don’t have grand stages here, but we have talent,” one observer said and he watched the dancers.
As the final routine ended with a synchronized bow, applause echoed throughout the neighborhood. At that moment, the future for these young dancers gleamed a little brighter.
children: grandchildren: great granddaughter: adopted family: siblings: Adrian sisters-in-law: nieces and nephews:
Vernetia Curry, 86
neighbors of Cedar Way including: and a host of relatives and friends, who have been a part of the Fisher and Butler Family too numerous to mention. Cedar Crest Funeral Home and Crematorium
a resident of Roberts Drive, South Beach Estates, New Providence, Bahamas and formerly of Devil’s Point, Cat Island, Bahamas will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 28, 2024 at Zion South Beach Baptist Church, Zion Boulevard.
Pastor Anthony Sampson, assisted by other Ministers of the Gospel. Interment will follow in Lakeview Memorial Gardens, John F. Kennedy Drive.
Clarke-Sands and Lorenzo Curry Jr.
She is survived by her sons: Zack Joseph Francis (Sharon), Sandy Thomas Mackey (Natasaya); daughter: grandsons: Mackey (Petreann Heastie), Sandy Thomas Mackey, Jr. (Taneka); granddaughters: Tiffany Francis, Amanda Mackey (Randy), Vanessa Sampson (Oriel), Vernetia Melissa Cowart (Corey); great-grandsons: Joel Eliseo Galeano Francis, Maximus Tristan Charles Mackey; great-granddaughters: Ntajha Charlton, Aubrey Lauren Mackey, Arryanna Ann Mackey, Vanessa Melia Cowart, Crystal Melissa Cowart; brothers: Christopher Clarke (Sandra), Arnold Clarke; sisters: Mable Stubbs, Terry Kemp; nephews: Christopher Clarke, Jeffrey Clarke, Ricardo Clarke, Anthone Clarke, Delcristo Clarke, Louvin Sands Kirkwood Clarke, Kenaz
grand nephews: Kenrick Clarke, Ka’van Archer, Mario Adderley Jr., Kirkwood Clarke Jr., Jonathan Larrimore, Brandon Larrimore, Jihad Humes, Jihan Humes, III; nieces: Darnell Clarke, Christal Clarke, Shantel Clarke, Skye Clarke, Christina
grand nieces: Humes, Tahlia Humes, Sumari Richie, Sanoah Richie, Sahannah Richie; cousins: Joel Mackey, Rupert Mackey, Octavious Mackey, Herbert Mackey, Charlotte Culmer, Lula Bowe, Yvonne and Sandra Donald; special friends: Audrey Rolle, Beryl Wallace, Mary Collins and a host of other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
Relatives and friends may pay their respects at Cedar Crest Funeral Home and Crematorium Ltd, Robinson and Baillou Hill Roads Funeral Service
YOUNG dancers perform, during a Christmas ballet event in Kibera slum, one of the busiest neighbourhoods of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, Kenya on Saturday. Photo: Brian Inganga/AP
Rattlers fall short in Las Vegas, but team ready for Providence Club Basketball Classic Friday
better at it,” said Johnson, who was assisted by coaches Craig Smith Jr and Shannon Williams. “Defensively, we have to learn how to close out games. If we do that, we will definitely get better.”
This was the 10th year that Johnson has taken his team to the tournament with their best showing coming last year when they
reached their divisional final before losing. This year, Johnson said the goal was to get back to the final, but it didn’t work out.
“The team is very young,” he stated. “When you are young, teams tend to capitalise on the mistakes that you make, but we fought hard. It speaks well for them.”
It was indeed a high level competition with
about 300 teams broken down into brackets of 16 teams to determine who goes onto their respective championships.
Darius Hanna, Zavian Lloyd, Tashon Butler, Condae Smith and Mario Rolle, according to Johnson, all either shot the ball or rebounded well enough to keep the Rattlers going in the tournament.
Other members of the team were Seagio Bain,
Sidney Higgs, Keyshawn Dean, Kamari Davis, Kaleb Chandler, Wikaynder Paul and Melvens Simeon.
With his team returning home last night, Johnson said they are preparing for the staging of their 24th Providence Basketball Classic, scheduled for December 27-30.
It’s expected that 17 teams will participate in the senior boys’ division where the Rattlers are the
defending champions and 12 in the junior boys with the DW Davis Royals as the defending champions.
“Our team is very young, but they can do it, once they understand the importance of playing the right way,” said Johnson about repeating the victory.
They won the title last year over Grand Bahama’s St George’s Jaguars.
“We can definitely give ourselves a chance once we
put our minds to it. Every year we go to the Tarkanian Classic, it prepares us for our tournament. They understand the importance of the game.” Johnson noted that they got to watch some of the top prospects coming out of high school, who are headed to the major division one colleges and universities and many of his players want the same opportunity.
Packers clinch playoff berth with first shutout in NFL this season, 34-0 over Saints
By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer
GREEN BAY, Wis.
(AP) — Josh Jacobs gained 107 yards from scrimmage and scored a touchdown for a sixth straight game as the Green Bay Packers clinched a playoff berth while producing the first shutout of the NFL season, 34-0 over the hapless New Orleans Saints last night.
Green Bay (11-4) earned its fifth postseason appearance in six years and recorded its first shutout since beating Seattle 17-0 on November 14, 2021.
The Saints (5-10) were blanked for the first time since falling 13-0 to San Francisco on November 27, 2022.
New Orleans played without injured quarterback Derek Carr and running back Alvin Kamara. Rookie Spencer Rattler started and went 15 of 30 for 153 yards with an interception and a fumble.
Green Bay’s margin of victory was its largest since a 55-14 blowout of the Chicago Bears on Nov. 9, 2014.
The Packers have won nine of their last 11 games, with their only losses during that stretch coming to the NFC North rival Detroit Lions. They will enter the playoffs as a wild card after being eliminated from NFC North title contention Sunday.
Jacobs ran for 69 yards and a 1-yard touchdown on 13 carries. He also caught four passes for 38 yards.
Jordan Love went 16 of 28 for 182 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown to Dontayvion Wicks. Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson also had 1-yard touchdown runs, and Brandon McManus kicked field goals from 55 and 46 yards.
Green Bay’s defence made it a miserable night for Rattler while missing four starters because of injuries: linebacker and leading tackler Quay Walker, cornerback Jaire Alexander and safeties Evan Williams and Javon Bullard. Safety Zayne Anderson had an interception in his first career start.
The Packers scored touchdowns on each of their first three possessions. Love found Wicks on third-and-goal to cap the game’s opening drive. Wicks’ touchdown was his fifth of the season and first since October 20 against Houston.
Jacobs’ touchdown capped a 17-play, 96-yard drive that lasted 8:55. It was the Packers’ longest possession of the season in terms of plays and time. The Packers also had a 96-yard march in their 24-19 triumph over the Los Angeles Rams.
The drive included two fourth-down conversions. Love had a 2-yard sneak on fourth-and-1 from the New Orleans 45 to open the second quarter.
Love then threw a 14-yard completion to Tucker Kraft on fourthand-2 from the 35.
Jacobs has rushed for a touchdown in six straight games, putting him one away from the longest such streak in Packers history.
Paul Hornung had a touchdown run in seven consecutive games in 1960. Brooks’ first career touchdown made it 21-0
with 6:28 left in the second quarter. McManus kicked both of his field goals in the second half.
Wilson capped the scoring with 2:41 left on a drive engineered by backup quarterback Malik Willis.
Injuries Saints C Erik McCoy left with a elbow injury. Saints LG Lucas Patrick got hurt in the closing minutes. Packers WR Christian Watson hurt a knee.
Up next Saints: Host Las Vegas on Sunday. Packers: Visit Minnesota on Sunday.
GREEN Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) carries against New Orleans Saints linebacker Pete Werner (20) during the first half last night. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
‘VJ’ EDGECOMBE NAMED TRIBUNE SPORTS JUNIOR MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
of the Year, tipping the scale over judokan Xavion Johnson and pole vaulter Brenden Vanderpool.
Edgecombe migrated to the United States in the ninth grade at Victory International Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida, before he ended up at Long Island Lutheran in Brookville, New York.
During his senior year, Edgecombe was named the New York Gatorade Player of the Year and the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) Player of the Year.
Edgecombe averaged 17.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game to lead the Crusaders to a 21-5 win-loss record.
As a result of his performances, Edgecombe was selected to play in the 2024 McDonald’s All-American
Boys Game, the Jordan Brand Classic and the Nike Hoop Summit.
Named as a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top five players in the 2024 classic, Edgecombe ended up signing with the Baylor Bears after considering offers from Duke and Kentucky.
The Bears are currently 7-3 and sitting in first place in the Big 12 Conference.
Xavion Johnson
In his continued preparation for qualifying for the 2026 Olympics, Johnson turned in some credible performances as he made his transition.
The 18-year-old, competing in the -66 kilogram division, participated in the Montreal Panamerican Cup in November where he placed third in both the junior and open categories.
As of December 16, he is pegged at number 139 with
162 points as a senior and 71st place with 82 points as a junior. Johnson, now training in Montreal with
Club Lethbridge Kodokan Judo Club, coached by Russ Gallant and Ewan Beaton, is looking forward to 2024
when he goes for the gold medal at the Pan American Championships 66 kilo class and becomes the junior champion as well.
Brenden Vanderpool
Before repeating as the CARIFTA champion, Brenden Vanderpool soared 5.45 metres or 17-feet, 10.5-inches to erase his father Brent Vanderpool’s Bahamas national record of 4.95m (16-2 3/4) that he posted on February 15, 1988, in Annapolis, Maryland.
Brenden Vanderpool’s winning performance came at the Samford Bulldog Open on February 10. It was the second of his four collegiate triumphs to go along with several top five feats. However, he had a disappointing performance at the Southern Conference Outdoor Championships over the weekend of May
6-7 where he failed to clear a height.
At the CARIFTA Games at the Kirani James Stadium in Saint George, Grenada, over the Easter holiday weekend, Vanderpool led a 1-2 punch for the Bahamas with a gold with a games’ record breaking performance of 5.30m (17-4 3/4), followed by Tyler Cash with 4.45m (14-7 1/4). Vanderpool, who previously attended Whitefield Academy, is now in his sophomore year at Samford University where they compete in the Southern Conference Championships (SOCON). Their season will start on January 11 at the UAB Invitational and will conclude with the SOCON Championships, May 12-13, both in Birmingham, Alabama, before the NCAA Outdoor Championships June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon.
Shohei Ohtani wins 3rd AP Male Athlete of the Year award, tying Michael Jordan for one shy of record
By BETH HARRIS AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is keeping elite company.
The Japanese superstar caps 2024 by winning The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time, tying him with basketball great Michael Jordan. He trails only four-time winners Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James.
“I’m very honoured,” Ohtani said through translator Matt Hidaka in an exclusive interview with the AP. “Obviously all the hard work has paid off. Maybe next year, I’ll get the award again.”
In balloting by 74 sports journalists from the AP and its members, Ohtani received 48 votes. He previously won the award in 2023 and 2021, when he was with the Angels.
“Growing up in Japan, I did follow Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods,” he said. “I would see their accolades and how they were successful in the United States.”
The AP honour has been given out since 1931. Golfer Babe Didrikson won six times, the most by a man or woman.
Swimmer Léon Marchand of France, who won four gold medals at the Paris Olympics, was second with 10 votes in balloting announced yesterday. Golfer Scottie Scheffler, whose victories this year included the Masters and an Olympic gold medal, was third with nine.
The AP Female Athlete of the Year will be announced today.
Moving from the beleaguered Los Angeles Angels to the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player award and first in the National League, led his new team to its eighth World Series championship and created Major League Baseball’s 50/50 club by hitting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases.
Ohtani signed a thenrecord $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December 2023. Already a two-way superstar, he embellished his reputation even further despite not pitching all season while he rehabilitated from a second major right elbow surgery he had in September 2023. Ohtani went wild on offence, making every at-bat a must-see moment. The 6-foot-4 designated hitter batted a career-high .310 while easily surpassing his previous career highs in home runs and stolen bases.
In September, he reached the previously unheard of 50/50 mark in a performance for the ages. Against the Miami Marlins in Florida, Ohtani went 6 for 6 with three homers, 10 RBIs, two stolen bases and 17 total bases.
“It wouldn’t shock me if he went 60/60 and 20 wins a year from now,” Brad Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 during Ohtani’s second season in Anaheim, said recently. “This guy is the greatest athlete to ever play the sport of baseball and there’s not a close second.”
Ohtani said he knew the Dodgers’ franchise record for most homers in a season was 49. His previous best was 46, set in 2021.
“I kind of wanted to get over that bar,” he said. “I was pleasantly surprised I was able to pass that record.”
Ohtani carried the Dodgers offensively during the regular season, and he stayed healthy until Game 2 of the World Series. He injured his left shoulder
trying to steal second base against the New York Yankees and finished the Series playing hurt.
He underwent surgery a few days after the Dodgers celebrated their championship in early November.
“I don’t have full range of motion yet, but it feels a lot better,” he told the AP.
“There’s no pain. There’s obviously still a little bit of tightness, but slowly but surely it’s getting better.”
Ohtani recently received an updated rehab schedule, and he’s focused on the near-term.
“It’s the small steps that I think are very important to get me to the ultimate goal, which is to just get back healthy,” he said.
Ohtani is also throwing in the 70 mph range, which is typical for pitchers early in the offseason.
“I’m going to continue to ramp up slowly,” he said.
The Dodgers’ rotation for next season is in flux, and Ohtani is waiting to see how it shakes out.
“We may go with a fiveman rotation with a bullpen
(game), which is what we did a lot during this season or we may have a six-man rotation,” he said. “But it’s all about balancing out when we can get rest and recuperate. We’ll see where that takes us along the playoff chase. I’ve got to obviously pace myself, but again that situation will guide us to how we get there.”
The Dodgers open the 2025 season in Japan, where Ohtani is even more closely watched.
“My personal goal is to be fully healthy by the time the opening games do start,” he said. “To be able to pitch and hit would be great, but the situation will kind of guide itself.”
Each time Ohtani comes to the plate or steps on the mound, there’s great pressure and expectation for him to perform spectacular feats.
“I just go out there and try to stay within myself,” he said. “I can only control what I can control and that’s where you trust your teammates. The guys behind me,
you trust they’re going to make the plays for you. I don’t really try to overthink it.”
Ohtani generated big bucks for the Dodgers off the field, too.
Fans travelled from Japan in droves to see him play around the U.S. At Dodger Stadium, they paid extra for tours of baseball’s third-oldest venue narrated by Japanese-speaking guides and to be on the field during pre-game batting practice. A majority of the fans bought Ohtanibranded merchandise, especially his No. 17 jersey.
Ohtani’s presence also helped the Dodgers land a bevy of new Japanese sponsors. Because Ohtani prefers to speak Japanese and use an interpreter with the media, he is shrouded in a bit of mystique. Asked before his first postgame series if he was nervous, he dropped a one-word answer in English: “Nope,” which drew laughter.
Japanese-born Dodgers manager Dave Roberts observed Ohtani’s behindthe-scenes interactions with his teammates, coaches and staff, and came away impressed.
“I really do believe that as good of a ballplayer as he is, he’s a much better person. He’s very kind, considerate, he cares,” Roberts told the AP.
“I’m just proud of any fame or glory or award that he receives because he just does it in such a respectful and humble way.”
Ohtani relishes his privacy and rarely shares details about himself off the field. That’s why his February announcement via Instagram that he had wed Mamiko Tanaka, a former basketball player, stunned his new teammates and the rest of the world.
The following month, after the Dodgers arrived in South Korea to open the season, he was enveloped in scandal when his longtime interpreter and friend,
Ippei Mizuhara, was fired by the Dodgers after being accused of using millions of dollars of Ohtani’s money to place bets with an illegal bookmaker. His new teammates rallied around Ohtani, who was found to have no part in the wrongdoing, and publicly it didn’t seem to affect him even if he was privately distressed by it. By June, the uproar had subsided. Mizuhara pleaded guilty to federal bank and tax fraud charges and admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani.
The public got a glimpse of Ohtani’s softer side in August, when his dog Decoy delivered a first pitch to his owner on their shared bobblehead night. The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje exchanged an endearing high-five with Ohtani at the plate.
As a result, Decoy became a celebrity in his own right, with his breed (pronounced COY-kerHUND-che) making the list of the most mispronounced words of 2024.
He and Ohtani were mentioned during the telecast of last month’s National Dog Show, where the small Spaniel-type breed was among the competitors.
“The number of the breed has kind of dwindled, so by him gaining a little bit of popularity hopefully that brings up the number of his breed,” Ohtani said.
“I do feel like we were able to, in a small way, contribute to the popularity of the dog and I’m sure Decoy himself would be happy about that.”
Ohtani will be looking to top himself next year while eyeing a repeat World Series title.
“It’s almost like right now you can lock in the Most Valuable Player in the National League award because no one has that ability or talent,” Roberts said.
“I’m just excited to see what ‘25 has for Shohei Ohtani.”
JUDOKA XAVION JOHNSON
BASKETBALL PLAYER VJ EDGECOMBE JR
POLE VAULTER BRENDEN VANDERPOOL
LOS Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani smiles in the dugout before a spring training baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Phoenix on March 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
KLAY THOMPSON AND MAVERICKS ROUT DEANDRE AYTON AND TRAIL BLAZERS 132-108
DALLAS (AP) — Luka
Doncic returned from a two-game absence to score 27 points, Daniel Gafford added 23 off the bench and Kyrie Irving finished with 20 as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 132-108 last night.
Klay Thompson contributed 13 points, two steals and two assists. Doncic shot 10 of 19 overall and 1 for 7 on 3-pointers after missing Dallas’ two previous games with a left heel contusion. He had seven rebounds and seven assists.
The Mavericks have won 14 of their last 17 games following their only losing streak of the season, a fourgame skid from Nov. 8-14.
Deni Avdija scored 19 off the bench to lead the Trail Blazers, who have lost eight
of their last nine games. Deandre Ayton scored 16 points, including 10 in the second quarter, with two steals and nine rebounds.
The Mavericks opened the second period with a 21-9 run and outscored the Blazers 74-45 in the middle periods. They led by as many as 32 in the fourth quarter.
Takeaways Trail Blazers: Jerami Grant is averaging 15.5 points, but followed a fivepoint effort in a 114-94 loss at San Antonio on Saturday with three points in 20 minutes.
Mavericks: After matching a season high with eight double-figure scorers in their 113-97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, Dallas had five
in double figures by halftime. P.J. Washington’s 12 points in the first half came by hitting all four field goal attempts, two 3-pointers.
Key moment Klay Thompson rebounded Shaedon Sharpe’s 3-point miss with 17 seconds left in the half, came downcourt and sank a 3-pointer with 8.3 left. That gave Dallas a 62-51 lead, its largest of the half.
Key stat
Thompson needed five 3-pointers to match Reggie Miller for fifth place in alltime 3s, but was 3 for 8.
Up next
The Mavericks host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas. The Trail Blazers start a three-game homestand on Thursday against Utah.
Rockets win third straight with a win over the Hornets
CHARLOTTE, N.C.
(AP) — Jabari Smith Jr. had 21 points and 11 rebounds, Fred VanVleet added 20 points and the Houston Rockets beat the Charlotte Hornets 114-101 last night for their third straight win.
Amen Thompson had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Cam Whitmore chipped in with 17 points off the bench for the Rockets. They led by 34 in the second half after getting a strong effort from their young corps of players.
Miles Bridges scored 24 points and LaMelo Ball added 23 for the Hornets, who’ve lost 13 of 14.
The Rockets stifled the Hornets early on, holding Charlotte to 15 points in the first quarter and 1 for 11 from beyond the arc. The Rockets extended their lead to 62-31 at halftime as VanVleet buried a 3-pointer just before the buzzer. As the Hornets walked to the locker room at halftime they were greeted with a cascade of boos from the home crowd.
HAWKS 117, TIMBERWOLVES 104
ATLANTA (AP) — Garrison Mathews made a career-best seven 3-pointers and scored a season-high 25 points off the bench as Atlanta knocked off Minnesota.
Trae Young had 29 points and seven assists and De’Andre Hunter added 19 points to help the Hawks halt a three-game losing streak. Young was listed as questionable with a bruised heel but showed no ill effects.
Naz Reid scored 23 points off the bench for the Timberwolves, who have lost three straight. Anthony Edwards had 16 points and six rebounds in his only regular-season appearance in his hometown. He shot 7 for 20 from the floor and committed five turnovers while being guarded by NBA defensive player of the month Dyson Daniels most of the night.
Daniels finished with eight steals.
Mathews was 5 for 5 from 3-point range with 15 points in the first half and 7 for 8 for the game.
The Hawks sprinted out to a 30-11 lead as the Timberwolves shot 4 for 20 with five turnovers, but Minnesota rallied quickly and took a 55-52 halftime lead thanks in part to 11 points off the bench from both Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
MAGIC 108, CELTICS 104 ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)
— Tristan da Silva scored 18 points and made a critical
3-pointer with 9.9 seconds left, and Orlando Magic rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit for a victory over the Boston Celtics, who were missing Jayson Tatum.
With Tatum sidelined two nights after his 43-point triple-double in a win at Chicago, Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 35 points. Boston led 58-43 at halftime, but the Magic dominated the third quarter to tie the game by the end of that period, and they pushed ahead by 10 in the fourth. The Celtics made a late run and Brown’s layup got Boston within 105-104 with 59.6 seconds left. Al Horford missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer for the Celtics, and da Silva responded with his gamesealing 3.
Trevelin Queen added 17 points in his first NBA start and Jalen Suggs scored 16 for the Magic. Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White each scored 17 for the Celtics. Magic centre Goga Bitadze was ejected with 3:36 left for stepping into an altercation between Suggs and Porzingis, both of whom drew technical fouls.
KNICKS 139, RAPTORS 125 NEW YORK (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, OG Anunoby also scored 31 points and shot 13 for 15 from the field, and New York beat Toronto. Cam Payne had 19 points off the bench for the Knicks, who put seven players in
double figures and won their fourth straight. Mikal Bridges finished with 14 points and Jalen Brunson had 12 points and seven assists.
Scottie Barnes had 24 points and eight assists, and RJ Barrett scored 23 points for Toronto (7-23), which dropped its eighth straight game.
BUCKS 112, BULLS 91
CHICAGO (AP) —
Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez each scored 21 points, Bobby Portis added 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Milwaukee beat Chicago without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
Middleton set a season high for the second game in a row after scoring 18 in Saturday’s win over Washington. The three-time All-Star missed the first 21 games following surgery on both ankles.
Middleton and Lopez each made three of Milwaukee’s 18 3-pointers. Gary Trent Jr. nailed four from beyond the arc and finished with 14 points. Antetokounmpo missed his second consecutive game because of back spasms and his fourth overall this season.
Lillard missed his third game in a row — this time because of a non-COVID illness. The eight-time AllStar sat out the previous two with a strained right calf.
Nikola Vucevic had 17 points and 12 rebounds for Chicago. The Bulls made
just 10 of 48 3-pointers in losing their second in a row.
HEAT 110, NETS 95
MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half and Miami snapped a threegame skid with a win over Brooklyn.
Nikola Jovic scored 18 points and Tyler Herro added 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Heat, who are 7-0 when holding opponents under 100 points.
Miami’s Duncan Robinson had 17 points, shooting 5 for 10 from 3-point range.
Cam Johnson and Noah Clowney each scored 19 points for Brooklyn. The Nets’ Keon Johnson scored 15 and Tyrese Martin finished with 14.
Brooklyn closed the first half on a 17-6 run and cut its deficit to a point at the break. The Heat outscored the Nets 52-38 in the second half.
Heat star forward Jimmy Butler missed his second straight game because of a stomach illness. Miami reserve guard Dru Smith left the game because of a lower left leg injury early in the second quarter and did not return.
CAVALIERS 124, JAZZ 113
CLEVELAND (AP)
— Darius Garland scored 23 points and NBA-best Cleveland beat the Utah for their 17th victory in 18 home games.
Evan Mobley had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Donovan Mitchell also scored 22 points, Sam Merrill scored a season-high
20 and Garland had eight assists for Cleveland. The Cavaliers (26-4) have won five straight by an average margin of 20 points.
Jordan Clarkson scored 27 points off the bench for the Jazz, while Lauri Markkanen had 26 and Collin Sexton had 24. Utah traded Mitchell to Cleveland in exchange for Markkanen, Sexton and multiple draft picks on Sept. 1, 2022.
The start of the game was delayed 35 minutes because of a broken rim that forced the replacement of one of the hoops and a stanchion.
76ERS 111, SPURS 106
PHILADELPHIA (AP)
— Tyrese Maxey scored 32 points and made two crucial plays in the final minute, and Philadelphia rallied after Joel Embiid was ejected to beat Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio. Embiid was thrown out by referee Jenna Schroeder with 2:59 left in the second quarter. The seven-time All-Star received the first technical for arguing with Schroeder, and received another technical — and ejection — from Schroeder before any more game time elapsed. Embiid was close to Schroeder, but it wasn’t clear from replays whether he made contact with the official.
Wembanyama had 26 points, nine rebounds and eight blocks.
Maxey added 10 rebounds and eight assists, and Paul George contributed 19 points for Philadelphia.
San Antonio went ahead 103-102 on Chris Paul’s baseline jumper with 1:20 to play.
Maxey took over from there, first stealing the ball, scoring on a left-handed dunk and finishing the three-point play after being fouled by Julian Champagnie to put Philadelphia in front 104-103 with 59 seconds left. Then, he drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 29 seconds remaining.
CLIPPERS 114, GRIZZLIES 110 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Norman Powell scored 29 points, including four in the final 25 seconds to lead the Los Angeles to a victory over Memphis. With the game tied at 110, Powell hit a 14-foot jumper with 25 seconds left and then converted two free throws to give the Clippers their third win in four games. James Harden had 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, and Ivica Zubac finished with 20 points and a season-high 20 rebounds.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 24 points, and Ja Morant scored 23. Desmond Bane had 21 points and seven assists. The game was close throughout. By late in the fourth quarter, there had been 13 lead changes and nine ties.
THUNDER 123, WIZARDS 105 OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai GilgeousAlexander scored 41 points and Oklahoma City beat Washington, sending the NBA-worst Wizards to their 21st loss in 23 games and 12th straight on the road. Jalen Williams added 17 points and Isaiah Hartenstein had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Thunder, who shot 44.3% from the field and made 19 of 22 free throws.
Oklahoma City led 67-63 at halftime and 91-87 after three quarters. The Thunder took control with a 19-3 run to open the final period. Gilgeous-Alexander, who had two points after one quarter, made 14 of 25 shots, 3 of 6 3-pointers and 10 of 10 from the foul line. He added nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks.
Jordan Poole scored 31 points, Carlton “Bub” Carrington added 14 and Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points and 16 rebounds for the Wizards. Washington played without double-figure scorers Kyle Kuzma, Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr, the team’s No. 2 overall draft pick.
CHARLOTTE Hornets centre Mark Williams (5) shoots between Houston Rockets centre Steven Adams (12) and forward Amen Thompson during the second half last night. (AP Photo/ Nell Redmond)
TRAIL Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe, centre, tries to get past Mavericks defenders Luka Doncic, right, and Klay Thompson (31) during the first half.
MAVERICKS centre Daniel Gafford (21) drives to the basket against Trail Blazers centre Deandre Ayton (2) during the second half.
(AP Photos/LM Otero)
Olympian Emily Morley donates her single scull training boat to the Nassau Rowing Club
FROM PAGE 16
practice in it and compete in singles competition.”
Morley, who became the first Bahamian to row at the Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and at the World Championships in Sarasota, Florida, in 2017, said she was delighted to have her name printed on both sides of the front of the boat.
“I hope it brings a lot of great learning experiences because it taught me a lot,” Morley said. “It taught me how to be mentally tough, but I hope it brings some more people up the pipeline, who can go on and compete at the Olympics and the World Championships.”
Retired in 2018, the 31-year-old Morley is a graphic designer and creative brand manager for a restaurant company. She indicated that although she’s not competing anymore, she still wants to make her contribution to the sport in some way or the other.
Nick Rowett, the head coach of the NRC, headed by president Kyle Chea, said the boat will be used specifically to help the more talented competitors to realise their goals of becoming an Olympian.
“There is a big difference if you buy a really expensive top level boat. It’s a bit thinner and faster and you need to be more skillful to master it,” he said.
“Some of our boats are training boats and so to have Emily Morley’s boat added to our fleet means that when we have competitors with the talent to go to the next level to represent the Bahamas at the World Championships and the Olympics, they can get used to training in the type of boats that they will compete in.”
Rowett, who has been here in the Bahamas coaching rowing since October, 2022 after he spent considerable time in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and South Africa, said they are appreciative of Morley in making the presentation to the NRC. “I have to go over the settings, but I hope that we can use this boat as early as January,” Rowett said. “We have a couple of our youngsters who are fairly talented, so let’s get them in it and see how well they can master it.” Bahamas Olympic Committe’s representative
To
Robert Butler, one of the six vice presidents, said it’s so impressive to see how far the Morley family has come and the contributions they have made to the development of sports in the country.
“I remember competing against her dad way back in the day in cycling because he was a triathlete,” Butler said. “Now to see his daughter follow him in competing in the Olympics in 2016 and some of the other games and to see how delicately her boat has been built is unbelievable.
“For the Bahamas, as small as we are, to make the Olympic rowing is a feat all by itself. So for her to give back to the sport to get more of the masses involved is definitely another plus.” Her father David Morley, an Olympic swimmer, said rowing is a fast growing sport in the country and coming back to the lake to see the amount of equipment that they have now, with the addition of his daughter’s boat, it’s a wonderful day.
T-BIRD
CLASSIC
Rattlers are the defending champions in the senior boys division where it’s expected that 17 teams will participate this year.
The DW Davis Royals, coming off their victory over the weekend at the Three-Ounce Tournament in Grand Bahama, are the defending champions in the junior division where 12 teams are expected to participate. The tournament is scheduled to get started at 9am on Friday and will wrap up on Monday night when the two champions will be crowned.
THE T-Bird Flyers has announced that its 2025 T-Bird Flyers Track and Field Classic is scheduled for Friday, January 10, and Saturday, January 11 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
Persons with any questions or concerns about registration or the schedule of events are asked to contact T-Bird Flyers’ head coach Foster Dorsett or competition director Bernard Newbold for more information.
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-andunder, 20-and-under, 40-and-under, 60-and-under and over-60. There will also be a Pastors/Ministers/Deacons’ division. Interested persons can contact Ann Thompson at 425-3557 or
“She earned it,” he said about her name on the boat. “It’s good to see what they have done for her.”
A number of family members, friends and members of the NRC, including Dr Kathryn de Souza, MD, a multi-talented sportswoman, were on hand to congratulate Morley on her latest achievement.
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.
OLYMPIAN Emily Morley showers the boat with champagne as NRC coach Nick Rowett looks on.
OLYMPIAN Emily Morley up close with her boat.
BOC executive Robert Butler examining the Emily Morley boat.
Rowing to a brighter future
THE Nassau Rowing Club, in partnership with the US Embassy and Concept2, donated two indoor rowing machines (ergometers, known as ergs) to the Simpson Penn Centre for Boys and the Willie Mae Pratt Centre for Girls. This initiative provides the youth at these centres with new opportunities for physical activity and personal development through the sport of rowing.
US rower Arshay Cooper inspired the donation during his visits in 2023 and 2024. Cooper, who overcame poverty and violence in Chicago through rowing, shared his story with the residents, motivating them with his journey from adversity to becoming a chef, author, filmmaker, and speaker. Concept2, the leading manufacturer of rowing machines used by top collegiate and Olympic rowers worldwide, generously provided the ergs as part of their Pulling Together Grant Programme. Kate Smith, marketing specialist at Concept2, expressed
her enthusiasm: “We are thrilled to support the Nassau Rowing Club and the Bahamian rowing community with a donation of RowErgs. Growing the sport of rowing by increasing access and building our community is at the core of what we value most. We believe rowing is a lifelong sport that should be accessible to all, and the more we can support the good work of clubs like Nassau Rowing Club who share this vision, the better off the rowing community will be.”
Chargé Kimberly Furnish, Chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy, who has a personal connection to rowing from her time at Winter Park High School and Tulane University, attended the donation event. She said: “The US Embassy is honored to support the Nassau Rowing Club in their mission to bring the transformative power of rowing to young Bahamians. This partnership exemplifies the positive impact that sports can have on youth development and community building.”
DISNEY SPREADS JOY FOR CHRISTMAS TIME
THIS holiday season, Disney Cruise Line spread joy throughout many of its port communities.
This year, as part of the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive, Mickey Mouse went on a global giving journey – traveling by land and sea.
While the Disney Wish was docked in Port Canaveral and Nassau, Disney Cruise Line crew members traveled to a local school, Albury Sayle Primary School in Nassau – surprising students with Disney toys and a very special visit from Mickey Mouse.
“Disney Cruise Line ships visit Nassau every week, all year long, and for many of our crew members, this community feels like home,” said Bernadette Sweeting-Miller, public affairs manager, Disney Cruise Line. “It means so much to us to
bring some Disney magic off the ship and create memorable moments for local students, especially this time of year.”
“It’s been said that ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’ This is best seen in the educational arena as the community and organizations, like Disney Cruise Line, come together to improve the lives of our students,” said Naria Holbert, principal of Albury Sayle Primary School, Nassau, The Bahamas. “We are grateful for Disney Cruise Line’s support and the generous contributions they’ve provided our school for more than a decade.”
While the Disney Dream was docked in Nassau this month, Disney Cruise Line joined the Bahamas Feeding Network volunteers to pack meal kits to support families in Nassau,
Club head coach Nick Rowett highlighted the club’s commitment to outreach through their Opportunities & Access Rowing Squad (OARS) programme, which brings ergs to Bahamian government school students across the island. “We are dedicated to making rowing accessible to all students, regardless of their background. These donations significantly expand our reach and provide more opportunities for young people to engage in this sport.”
Kyle Chea, president of Rowing Bahamas, the national governing body of rowing in The Bahamas, shared his vision: “By working with partners like the US Embassy domestically, and Concept2 internationally, we can expand and deepen the positive impact of rowing on the physical, mental, and emotional health of young Bahamians no matter their circumstances.”
On hand for the presentation were Basil Johnson, superintendent
of the
and Dominique McCartney-Russell, Director of Education.
Starting on December 23, NRC coaches will begin fortnightly indoor rowing
sessions with both male and female residents. The club plans to use indoor rowing—and eventually rowing on the water—as a positive pathway to rehabilitation and assist with their transition out of the centres.
Mr Johnson said: “I believe the residents of the Simpson Penn Centre
will benefit tremendously through the rowing training facilitated by the US Embassy and the Nassau Rowing Club. We are appreciative of this initiative. The residents are excited to learn this new skill of rowing and using their energy in a more positive way through sports.”
and throughout The Bahamas. Additionally, Disney Cruise Line donated $25,000 to the Bahamas Feeding Network. In addition to the port community of Nassau, Disney Cruise Line calls
island destinations home in The Bahamas
Disney Castaway Cay, located in Abaco, and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point in Eleuthera, which opened earlier this year.
Teams from both Disney Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, as well as shipboard crew members, spent their time off visiting local schools and giving out gifts to the
and
Simpson Penn Centre for Boys, Monique Greenslade, superintendent of the Willie Mae Pratt Centre for Girls,
US Chargé d’Affaires Kimberley Furnish, left, encouraging a rower.
A DISNEY visit to children at school in Eleuthera.
SPORTS
Boat named after OIympian Morley
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
Olympian Emily Morley never saw it coming, but she was happy to donate her single scull training boat to the Nassau Rowing Club, who in turn named it after her. On her return home for the Christmas holiday from Portland, Maine, where she resides with her husband, Morley unveiled her name on the black boat draped with the Bahamian
colours at the NRC’s training site at Lake Cunningham yesterday.
“I decided to use this design boat all through college and so it was an easy decision for me to choose this style when I was training or competing at the Olympics and the World Championships,” Morley said.
“So, after being retired, I decided to bring one of the boats to the Bahamas and provide more opportunities for Bahamians to
PAGE 14
THE Providence Basketball Club, headed by Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson, has announced that its
‘KJ’ and Rattlers fall short of championship round
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
COACH Kevin “KJ” Johnson was a little disappointed his CI Gibson Rattlers didn’t get back to the championship of their division at the Tarkanian Classic.
But he noted that the return trip to Las Vegas,
Nevada, last week will pay off dividends as his Rattlers get back home for their Providence Club Classic.
Playing in the Hoops Basket Championships Division, the Rattlers won their opener on Wednesday with a 72-27 rout over Sunrise Mountain and they knocked off Nevada 68-43 on Thursday. However, on
Friday, they lost 78-53 to Hood River, Oregon and bounced back on Saturday to defeat Desert Oasis 78-58. But it wasn’t enough to get them into the championship round as they ended up in third place.
“I feel like we still have a lot to learn and to get
CLUB members, family and friends share a special moment with Olympian Emily Morley, who donated her single scull training boat to the Nassau Rowing Club, who in turn named it after her.