03222024 NEWS AND SPORT

HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor

BAHAMIANS

The Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) 2024-2028 country strategy for The Bahamas, which has been obtained by Tribune Business, lays out just how much of a raw deal local businesses and households are receiving the state-owned utility monopolies that supply water and electricity services.

GOVT CONSIDERS GIVING BENCH OR JURY TRIAL CHOICE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEY Gen-

eral Ryan Pinder said government might consider changing the status quo of the judicial system so people could choose between bench and jury trials. His comment came after the current and three former chief justices emphasised the benefits of bench trials last week,

By

highlighting their efficiency, among other things.

Mr Pinder said last week that the Davis administration is unlikely to host a referendum to remove the constitutional right to a jury trial.

However, he said yesterday: “I think giving that option in law is a feasible approach, and that’s a proven approach. In

Security summit aims to tackle regional issues

By KEILE CAMPBELL kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

US Charge d’Affaires Usha Pitts said she hopes cooperation through the Northern Caribbean Security Summit can lead to more multi-national narcotic initiatives such as Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT), which has significantly hindered the transit of drugs in Bahamian waters.

She spoke during yesterday’s opening session of the third Northern Caribbean Security Summit (NOCSS) hosted by the Ministry of National Security at the British Colonial Hotel.

“We need to be able to share information,” she said. “We need to be able to contribute to joint investigations. All of this stuff has to evolve, has to modernise, has to improve, and that’s what the whole point of the NOCSS is.”

She said although

OPBAT is a success story, more can be done.

OPBAT, she said, “doesn’t encompass all of our other issues, like, what about guns? What about migrants? How are we countering all these other threats? “It’s important that we kind of expand our vision of what security means in the northern Caribbean.

“Right now, OPBAT, it’s a great operation, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not doing everything that we need it to do, so I’m looking forward to a future where we have greater prosecutions, greater extraditions, vetted units, closer integration between judicial authorities and law enforcement authorities between The Bahamas, United States, and Turks & Caicos.”

The two-day summit will involve discussions about countering transnational organised crime, firearms, drug trafficking organisations and other illicit trafficking.

HIS Excellency Jamaal Rolle presented his credentials of appointment as Non-Resident Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of The Bahamas to Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO during a brief ceremony at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. A framed certificate signed by the Director-General on the occasion of the country’s inscription of Junkanoo on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List was also presented at the ceremony. Photos:

ACTING Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investment and Aviation Chester Cooper and Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe during the Northern Caribbean Security Summit (NCSS) at the British Colonial yesterday. Photos: Dante Carrer

Nod of approval for new ankle monitor company

from page one

the previous vendor,” Commissioner Fernander said yesterday. Last year, he revealed that some people removed their bracelets easily with just a paper clip.

He threw his support behind the new company yesterday, saying: “We know what they have to offer.”

The last PLP administration awarded Migrafill the electronic monitoring service in 2016, taking the business from ICS Security Concepts.

Last year, Orin Bethel, president of Metro Security Solution, told this newspaper police sometimes failed to respond to the company’s SMS messages about people breaching their bail, citing the example of George Seymour, who was killed in August.

“I remember the names because these are people who could have been alive if somebody could care enough to go do something,” he said. “We had sent a report to the police on August 17 to say that George Seymour was breaking curfew. They did not take action. Three days later, he was killed at Charms nightclub, breaking curfew again.”

Fernander ‘very disappointed’ with union chief’s description of recent police search

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander said he is “very disappointed” with Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) president Kyle Wilson’s description of

a recent police search of his properties. During a tearful interview on ZNS earlier this week, Mr Wilson said he believed authorities were trying to intimidate him, and he was concerned about his elderly parents. Police later said they

searched properties he owns after receiving a stealing complaint. Inspector Desiree Ferguson said officers executed a search warrant around 6pm on Monday on the apartment of one of Mr Wilson’s tenants, not at Mr Wilson’s residence.

“We don’t want him to drag

us into what is going on with their issue,” Mr Fernander said yesterday. “The police are only doing their job. “We were armed with a warrant based on a complaint that was made, and so South Beach Police Station and there were some equipment, I’m talking about

the cell phone, iPad that was stolen, and it was being tracked right in that yard where he lives. We didn’t even know who lives there and it’s a triplex.”

Mr Wilson has publicly opposed the Davis administration’s purported plan to reform Bahamas Power & Light by dividing up the company with the help of private partners.

“I’m very disappointed for them to drag the police into their issue,” Commissioner Fernander said. “He needs to speak to that again and to address it properly.”

Darville: Did Equinor pay penalties for oil spill?

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AN environmentalist is asking whether Equinor has paid financial penalties associated with the environmental damage caused by an oil spill in 2019 and inadequate efforts to remedy the spill.

Joseph Darville, the executive chairman of Save the Bays, said there is still proof of oil and contamination in the forest, wetland areas, and a nearby quarry in the East Grand Bahama area that was affected.

“We know what was cleaned up properly and left unfinished,” he said yesterday. “So, that situation is still pending proper action. And the outstanding question is what was the penalty monetarily paid to the people of The Bahamas, specifically to Grand Bahama, with respect to the massive destruction of our environment?”

Mr Darville believes the oil contamination will have a long-lasting impact on the environment.

When contacted on Thursday, Permanent Secretary David Davis in the Ministry of the Environment said investigations are continuing into the oil spill and other environmental incidents in Grand Bahama and Abaco.

Mr Davis expressed dissatisfaction with the cleanup in East Grand Bahama, and noted that investigations are still

ongoing into last year’s fuel spill at the Buckeye jetty terminal. “Yes, they are all matters to be determined, and where there was negligence, the law will take its course,” he said. “The one at Buckeye has been an increasing concern, not only the oil spill, but the emissions affecting the residents of Pinder’s Point. We are also taking a new look

at it to see what can be done.”

Mr Davis mentioned that investigations are also underway into a recent spill in North Abaco, but would not disclose any details. He referred The Tribune to the director at Environmental Health Services. However, attempts to contact director Lorna Williams proved unsuccessful up to press time.

He said: “Since the spill, and as recently as three weeks ago, I visited that area, and if you could find one bird in that area, you are lucky because birds are extremely sensitive to the odours of oil and petrol, so they will not come near the land even this long after the spill.”

in visiting the site with him.

In September 2019, Hurricane Dorian ripped the domes off two storage tanks at Equinor, spilling five million gallons of crude oil into the surrounding forest and wetlands north of the South Riding Point plant.

He said Environment Minister Vaughn Miller recently expressed interest

Equnior has since sold the plant to another company.

ENVIRONMENTALIST JOSEPH DARVILLE

COMMISSIONER of Police Clayton Fernander speaking to the press yesterday.

Photo: Dante Carrer

NAECOB: Only 35 percent of public schools are registered

AECOB officials held a press conference yesterday to emphasise the importance of registration and to urge parents to check the organisation’s website to ensure that the institutions they are evaluating are registered.

Currently, 217 institutions are registered with the NAECOB, 113 of which are primary and secondary. Nineteen are post-secondary institutions, 29 are training institutions, 34 are educational programmes, 14 are recognised institutions, and eight are allied health institutions.

According to NAECOB’s website, registration certifies that an institution offering or proposing to offer an educational service in The Bahamas has met the criteria for providing such services stated in the Education Act.

“There are 159 schools and programmes in the public education system, and when we add, I think, about three or four more, we’ll have a little bit more, but those schools are required to be registered,” Ms McCartney-Russell said yesterday. “And to date, we have, I’m advised 35 per cent of them are registered and some of them are in the process of

being registered.”

She said NAECOB inspectors have assessed several public schools, inspecting infrastructure, staff qualifications, and student curriculum.

She said the registration process is tedious and officials were informed of the need to register public schools after the law was passed.

“We have a lot of new officers in place, and they are not aware of what is being asked,” she said.

“You have to understand that public schools have been in operation before the request was made, and a lot of the items that are being asked, they are in compliance in terms of ensuring that they have, for example, qualified teachers, facilities that are conducive, so they have those things, but because of the law we are seeking to ensure that all schools are in compliance.”

Laurena Finlayson, NAECOB’s senior accreditation officer, said: “We have students who wish to go off to school; if the school is not registered with NAECOB, students have lost scholarship opportunities simply because the school is not registered, so, you come in with a high school transcript and your diploma, but the school is not

registered and we don’t recognise the school. And so, the children suffer if that is a choice by parents, unfortunately.” She said many homebased schools are not registered and are operating under the radar.

“They are charging parents ridiculous amounts of money to sit their children at dining room tables,” she said.

“Many of them choose not to register with NAECOB.”

“We don’t tolerate it

because we’ve found out about some of the institutions, and then there’s a problem. The parents then come to us and then they realise, oh, but the school isn’t registered, or why can’t my child take the national exams? We have had

schools come and bombard us –– can you just give us a letter so that we can take it to assessment and examination, then we’ll register next year? We’ve had some institutions saying that to us from 2016 and still not registered.”

COOPER DEFENDS PRIME MINISTER’S TRAVELS, DISMISSES CAR CONTROVERSY

By KEILE CAMPBELL kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

DEFENDING Prime Minister Philip “Brave”

Davis’ travels yesterday, acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper said former Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield did not travel enough.

He also dismissed controversy surrounding the government’s purchase of a $192k car for the prime minister, saying he is focused on “significant” issues.

“There are very significant issues that confront us

on the international stage and, therefore, the prime minister has taken the initiative to travel the world to ensure The Bahamas has its place at the table,” he said.

“This is an important responsibility. We take our obligation to The Bahamas and the region seriously. The Bahamas and Prime Minister Davis has shown great leadership in the work that he’s doing on climate change, the economy, on investments, on education, on healthcare and innovation.”

Mr Cooper, the acting prime minister while Prime

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2024-2025

On Saturday, March 23, 2024, Temple Christian School will hold its Entrance Examination for students entering grades 7, 8, 9 and 10.

TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

LOCATION: High School Campus, Shirley Street

Application forms are available at the High School Offce and should be completed and returned to the school by Friday, March 22, 2024. The application fee is twenty-fve dollars ($25).

For further information, please call telephone number: 394-4481/394-4484.

Minster Davis makes an official visit to Botswana, added: “If you would contrast the foreign relations of the FNM when they were in office, we had a minister of foreign affairs who hardly ever travelled. Clearly the work of the minister of foreign affairs cannot be done sitting at a desk in The Bahamas because his responsibility is one of building relationships with countries around the world.”

Mr Cooper compared Mr Davis’ travels with those of

former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

“As he sat at the table with the Vice President of the United States in The Bahamas, as he met and he continues to meet with foreign leaders abroad, the FNM and Prime Minister Minnis sat in the hallway in Washington, DC, waiting to be called in as if they were being called into the principal’s office,” he said. Hitting back yesterday, Mr Henfield defended his approach to the foreign affairs portfolio.

$100 REWARD

“I am obliged to remind the honourable minister that the FNM Government was elected in 2017,” he said. “We were elected in 2017 and The Bahamas, particularly Abaco and Grand Bahama were devastated by Hurricane Dorian — the worst of its kind ever recorded — and six months later the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire world.

“Understandably, international travel was disrupted. I need to say no more on this point.

“Since coming to office this ‘New Day’ administration has travelled to no end with huge delegations. It is not our view that an administration ought not to travel in the interest of the country, but they should have something to show for all their travels.

“And so, the question is what have they to show for the millions of dollars they have spent on travel in just under three years, while ordinary Bahamians struggle to eke out a living in tough times?”

DEFENDING Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis’ travels yesterday, acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper said former Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield did not travel enough. He also dismissed controversy around the purchase of a $192k car for the Prime Minister.

Photo: Dante Carrer

NATIONAL Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas (NAECOB) Senior Accreditation Officer Laurena Finlayson speaks during a press conference to discuss the registration of education providers yesterday.

Photo: Dante Carrer

TEMPLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ENTRANCE

Govt considers giving people bench or jury trial choice

from page one

Trinidad, they did the same thing. To abolish jury trials, you need a constitutional referendum, and I don’t see us pursuing that. But providing options in law, I think, is something that we could consider, and we’d be happy to speak to both the judiciary about that as well as the defence bar to get their opinions.”

In 2013, the Constitutional Commission recommended that the automatic right to a jury trial in the Supreme Court be removed.

“The argument was that jury trials had the tendency to be arbitrary and unfair, in addition to the administrative evils associated with it,” the report said.

“The commission agrees that the criminal justice system would be better served if there were not an automatic right to a trial by jury when charged on information in the Supreme Court. In our view, the constitution should authorise Parliament to prescribe by ordinary legislation the exceptional circumstances in which criminal matters may be tried by a judge alone.”

At that time attorney General Allyson Maynard Gibson supported the commission’s conclusion. ATTORNEY General

Court of Appeal dismisses application to prevent key witness testifying

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Court of

Appeal

yesterday dismissed an application from Adrian Gibson and his codefendants seeking to prevent a key witness

from testifying in their criminal trial. Mr Gibson and his coaccused filed an appeal application on March 6,

arguing that the witness should not be allowed to give evidence. However, their appeal was dismissed yesterday after judges said the appellants had “no standing.”

The Long Island MP is facing money laundering charges concerning his tenure as the WSC’s executive chairman under the Minnis administration.

The charges stem from Mr Gibson’s alleged failure to declare his interest in contracts awarded by the WSC.

The FNM politician is on trial with Mr Elwood Donaldson, Jr., the former WSC general manager, Peaches Farquharson,

Joan Knowles, and Jerome Missick. The group has been on trial since early November.

More than a dozen people have already testified in the case, and numerous others are expected to do so in the coming months.

Bradley Pratt, a retired police superintendent who helped investigate the case, took the stand yesterday. Mr Pratt previously testified that he was one of several investigators who travelled to Long Island in 2022 to investigate Aaron’s Car Rental –– a company Mr Gibson owned –– and properties allegedly belonging

to the former WSC chairman.

Mr Pratt said he identified several cars and ATVs allegedly belonging to Aaron’s Car Rental during their search of the property.

Yesterday, he was shown several documents relating to Aaron’s Car Rental.

When Mr Gibson’s lawyer, Damian Gomez, KC, asked him if he had found that a business licence for the car company was issued to Mr Gibson in May 2014, he said “yes”.

He also accepted that Mr Gibson had been approved to operate the rental company in Long Island.

Ryan Pinder said government might consider changing the status quo of the judicial system so people could choose between bench and jury trials.

RASHAE GIBSON, cousin of Adrian Gibson, arriving at court previously.

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Gaza and Haiti are on the brink of famine, experts say.

Here’s what that means

CATASTROPHIC hunger is so dire in two world hotspots that famine is imminent in northern Gaza and approaching in Haiti, with hundreds of thousands of people in both places struggling to avoid starvation.

That’s according to food security experts and aid groups, who are warning about the toll from hunger caused by the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the crisis in Haiti caused by criminal gangs attacking the country’s key government institutions.

In Gaza, virtually every resident is struggling to get enough food and 1.1 million people — half the population — are expected to face the highest level of severe hunger in coming weeks, according to a report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, an agency that monitors hunger globally.

On Monday, the group warned that famine could occur in Gaza any time between mid-March and May without an end to hostilities and immediate access to essential supplies and services.

In Haiti, about 1.4 million people are on the verge of famine and more than four million need help accessing food, aid groups say.

But what does it mean for a region to fall into famine?

And how could it happen in these places so fast? Here’s what you need to know:

WHAT IS FAMINE?

The IPC, a group of 15 global organisations and charities, was developed in 2004 during the famine in Somalia.

The group uses a five-tier scale to monitor access to food and levels of hunger.

Famine is the top tier, Phase 5, “the absolute inaccessibility of food to an entire population or sub-group of a population, potentially causing death in the short term.”

It occurs when 20% of households have an extreme lack of food, 30% of children suffer from acute malnutrition and at least two adults or four children per every 10,000 people die daily because of outright starvation or the interaction of malnutrition and disease.

That top level follows the Phase 3 “crisis” and Phase 4 “emergency” levels of food need.

Worldwide, nearly 158 million people face crisis hunger situations or worse, according to the IPC.

While the depth of the food crises in both places is new, the underlying conditions are not, said Tobias Stillman, director of technical services and innovation at the aid group Action Against Hunger, via email.

Even before the war, 80% of Gazans relied on humanitarian aid and nearly half of all households didn’t have enough food, he said.

In Haiti, millions were already coping with emergency levels of hunger and crisis levels of food need.

“When families and entire nations live so close to the brink, it is all too easy for conflict or other shocks to push them into catastrophe,” Stillman said.

WHAT ARE HUNGER, MALNUTRITION AND STARVATION?

Hunger is the informal term for the feeling that occurs “when our bodies need or expect food,” Stillman said.

Aid groups say hunger occurs when people can’t afford or physically obtain sufficient nutrition for an extended period of time.

Malnutrition is a medical condition that occurs when people don’t get the right calories to grow and function properly, leading to health problems. The deadliest form of malnutrition is severe acute malnutrition, which occurs when children are too thin for their height.

“This can happen suddenly, caused by a severe hunger crisis, or it can occur over time,” Stillman said.

Starvation is not a technical term, but it describes extreme suffering or death caused by lack of food.

Death from starvation can come “surprisingly quickly,” Stillman said. Without food, the body uses carbohydrates and fats first, then turns to breaking down protein, including muscle and vital organs.

The body begins to shut down functions, including digestion, which make it harder to absorb any nutrients that are available.

People suffer from extreme fatigue and become listless as the body tries to conserve energy.

Without specialised treatment, organs stop functioning and the body’s defences can’t fight infection. Many times, people without food die of common infections.

If that doesn’t happen, vital organs shut down and the heart stops.

WHO IS MOST VULNERABLE?

Children younger than five, pregnant and breastfeeding women, the elderly and people with underlying health conditions are most at risk from malnutrition. In acute crises like that seen in Gaza, malnutrition affects the youngest children first, experts said.

WHAT HAPPENS IF FAMINE IS DECLARED?

A declaration of famine would be made by top United Nations officials based on the IPC criteria.

Such a declaration carries no binding obligations on U.N. members or states, but serves to focus global attention on the problem.

(This article is by JONEL

ALECCIA of the Associated Press)

Travel for the PM is crucial

EDITOR, The Tribune.

WITH the traditional Easter Season upon us, as a professed Christian nation, I will be as neutral as possible. Many have asked why it is the Prime Minister and assorted delegations have been travelling the globe to meet with other Heads of State and governmental leaders. Some have even gone so far as to suggest that public funds are being wasted on such trips. I beg to differ. The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is no longer the somewhat sleepy fishing village that some of us used to know. We have evolved into a major regional and world-wide leading nation. Yes, we are relatively small, but our geographical location and natural beauty and abundant resources, yet to be unleashed, we are recognised respected leaders. The whole world is now a stage. As such, The Bahamas is obliged to develop and foster economic; trade and cultural ties with any and all democratic nations that would serve our national interests.

Regional and international travel by the PM is crucial at this stage of our growth as a nation and people. This PM, God bless his soul, hit the ground running once the COVID restrictions would have expired or lapsed. He has been a keynote speaker at myriad forums; seminars and before international audiences. He would have, as a savvy barrister-at-law and political genius, cultivated personal relationships with worldwide leaders; movers and shakers.

His job, aside from pure domestic issues, is to place and project The Bahamas of choice for foreign investments critical cultural and sociological alignments. No more, no less. In my view, he’s risen to the occasion. There is yet more work to be done, however, on behalf of a grateful nation.

The recent trip over to Botswana, a state visit,

was initiated at the request of the President of that wonderful African nation. The PM took a relatively small delegation. Talks in significant areas of mutual interest would have been scheduled. We will benefit as a direct result of full, all expense paid, scholarships in Botswana relative to agriculture; light industry and, of course, that nation could serve as a Bahamian gateway into the wider continent of Africa, the Mother Land. In return that nation would benefit from sending persons from its hospitality and fisheries sectors for hands on experience and training with our people.

Hundreds of millions of dollars in potential foreign investments are just across the Bar, so to speak. It is a regret that the FNM and its current leadership declined the

generous and non-political invitation of the PM to send a delegation, inclusive of the putative leader, to Botswana. As the pretended alternative government, such a visit and inter- action would have reaped great future potential for their organisation and supporters. This was a missed opportunity, but it is what it is.

That the PM, at any given time and personality, is the Chief spokesman for the nation, it is a given that travel domestically and internationally is crucial. The Hon Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, KC, MP is to be complemented for once again, bringing home the proverbial Bacon. To God then, in all things, be the glory. I would, however, admonish all Bahamians and residents to please have a safe; Holy Spirit filled, Easter Season.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau, March 20, 2024.

We should be better than this

opinion that the author used a fictional country to illustrate how he thought blacks misgoverned their countries. Now, I am angry that 50 years after Independence my country is being run by politicians who seem to have been schooled by Black Mischief.

While the country’s infrastructure is falling apart, the social security network on which so many persons depend is going broke.

Persons are afraid to leave their homes because of crime, children are graduating from schools with little education, and health care is tenuous, the country has a government which thinks nothing of paying almost a quarter of a million dollars for a car for the Prime Minister. The leaders travel to the ends of the earth with Gussiemae delegations, contracts are given out without explanations, court cases are settled without the persons who are bearing the cost knowing how much is being paid and the make up of the Civil Service is changed without a thought for the consequences.

Meanwhile the populace is paying taxes and fees and watching standards of living dissipate … small wonder so many of our young people are not returning after studying abroad. We should be better than this. Bahamians we deserve better and we should demand better. And remember we can control the situation and not just at election time.

JEANNE THOMPSON

Nassau, March 20, 2024.

ZOOKEEPERS measure the temperature of an elephant during a daily medical check at the zoo in Cologne, Germany, Thursday. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

‘Kwondrick died from gunshot wounds to his head and body’

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A PATHOLOGIST testified that 18-year-old Kwondrick Lowe died from gunshot injuries to his

Dr Caryn Sands, a pathologist at the Princess Margaret Hospital, testified that she performed an autopsy on Lowe on February 1, 2023.

She determined that the deceased’s cause of death was gunshot wounds to the head, torso and left thigh. She said the deceased had four gunshot wounds across his body. She said one to his head went through his brain and neck and would have been rapidly fatal.

She said one of two gunshot wounds that went through his torso penetrated one of his lungs, resulting in blood filling that organ.

MAN

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted $5,000 bail yesterday after he was accused of invading a woman’s home at night last week.

Senior Magistrate

In addition to recovering a bullet from Lowe’s body, Dr Sands said she observed an abrasion to the deceased’s left flank and his thigh. She said there was no evidence of close-range discharge on his body.

A photo of the man’s body in the morgue showed his face covered in blood with a gunshot wound near his cheek. His eyes were still open, but glazed over.

Inspector Marcian Frazier, the senior officer on January 21, 2023, the night of the shooting, testified that he, Constable Nicholas and Constable Anderson –– the subject of this inquest –– were on patrol in Kemp Road as part of Operation Ceasefire.

He said he and the other officers went to Liam’s bar because they knew it was a popular hangout for suspected criminals.

He said while there, PC Anderson alerted him that he saw the deceased run away from the rear of a

bar in a blue hoodie with a gun. He said the three officers pursued the man in a marked police vehicle before parking on Edward Avenue and continuing their search on foot.

He recalled hearing PC Anderson say, “Police, get down,” after he passed two vans near Mil’s Chinese Restaurant and Bar on Hillbrook Close. He said he then heard PC Nicholas shout, “Gun Andy, gun gun,” causing him to immediately turn around towards the action and draw his weapon.

He said PC Anderson shot the deceased five times. He said he did not fire because the threat had been dealt with before he was in range.

He said that in the aftermath of the shooting, officers found the gun the deceased allegedly had in his hand in a car lot west of the restaurant.

Under cross-examination from Keod Smith, the attorney for the deceased’s estate, Inspector Frazier

confirmed that Mil’s Bar was closed at the time of the incident.

Detective Inspector Henrington Curry, a firearm examiner at the police forensic lab, said that he received a 5.56 black Colt M4 Carbine Rifle used by PC Anderson and 23 unfired rounds of ammunition on Tuesday.

He said he also received a black Beretta 9mm

Luger calibre pistol with defaced serial numbers; this is the gun police say the deceased had on the night of his death.

He also analysed a fired bullet recovered from the deceased’s body.

According to Inspector Curry’s tests, both weapons were found capable of firing. When questioned by K Melvin Munroe, the attorney for the officer, Inspector Curry said the 9mm gun could have inflicted injury or death if used and that the bullets submitted were found with the gun.

However, when asked by Mr Smith, the officer said none of the bullets that came with the gun allegedly held by the deceased were fired that night.

Shaka Serville charged Ricardo Musgrove, 20, with unlawful entry by night.

MAN

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to owning a loaded gun found in an abandoned car in Miller’s End last weekend.

Magistrate Lennox

Musgrove and an accomplice allegedly unlawfully entered the residence of Tashana Symonette sometime after midnight on March 14 in New Providence.

After pleading not

guilty to the charge and having no objections to his bail, Musgrove was told that he would be fitted with a monitoring device.

He must also sign in to the Wulff Road Police Station every Monday and Thursday by 7pm.

His trial begins on August 14.

guilty to the charges, Johnson reversed his earlier decision and alone pleaded guilty to the offence.

The pair were arrested on March 16 after police reportedly found a black Taurus PT92 9mm pistol along with a quantity of ammunition near Minnie Street. Although both defendants initially pleaded not

Coleby charged Mervin Johnson, 25, and Samuel Woodside, 23, with possession of an unlicenced firearm and possession of ammunition.

THREE

By PAVEL BAILEY

THREE

Magistrate

Bahamian artists wanted for Downtown mural project

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Downtown Nassau

Mural Project wants Bahamian artists to submit art proposals to help transform the aesthetics of Nassau.

The Downtown Revitalisation Unit announced the mural project yesterday as an initiative that underscores their commitment to enhancing Downtown and promoting the growth of the orange economy. Murals will be featured in various places Downtown.

Art students of the University of The Bahamas and

the wider creative community are eligible to submit proposals.

“The project encourages artists to unleash their imagination and explore various themes that celebrate our nation’s rich culture and heritage,” the Downtown Revitalisation Unit said in a statement.

“By engaging local talent, we aim to foster a sense of community pride and ownership in the transformation of our urban landscape.” “Beyond their aesthetic appeal, these murals will play a vital role in directing foot traffic to lesser-known areas, thereby stimulating

economic activity and driving business growth within the Downtown community. As focal points for social media enthusiasts, they will also serve as magnets for photography enthusiasts, further amplifying their reach and impact.” Artists are invited to submit their proposals by April 15th, 2024. Selected artists will be formally notified by May 1st, 2024, with work commencing on May 13th, 2024. All murals are expected to be completed by June 10th, 2024, culminating in an official launch event on June 14th, 2024.

Palowna & Orestes, 1826 Spanish slavers wrecked in The Bahamas

MANY slave ships met their end in the Bahamas, but not many know of an awkward period between when Britain outlawed the trade in slaves in 1807, and slavery itself, in 1834. Although Spain abolished the slave trade in 1811, it’s colony Cuba refused to do so, and in fact continued importing slaves until at least 1867. British held a front line against slavery for much of the 1820s through the Havana Anglo Spanish mixed commission for the suppression of the slave trade.

Into a political cauldron of rights and righteousness, a large complex intelligence organization was formed by the British Navy, using naval ships, spies and more to report on and interdict slave ships as they crossed the Atlantic from West Africa to Cuba along and through the southern Bahamas.

Tragically, some Cuban captains felt it more advantageous to destroy their ships and human cargoes and run away to trade another day. This is the story of two such ships in 1826: both the Palowna and the Orestes grounded in the Bahamas, with one of them yielding living Cubans and dead Africans,

By Eric Wiberg

the other a dead Cuban and surviving enslaved persons. In both cases –south Andros and south of Bimini, the wrecks have not been discovered or documented. Tony Jaggers cites just two of many dozen slave ships wrecked in the Bahamas: in July 1801 the George was wrecked in Nassau during a hurricane that sank 120 other vessels in The Bahamas. The British slave ship Agnes under Captain Kitts was en route from Africa to The Bahamas in 1802 with slaves when it also wrecked near Nassau, with the crew and ‘cargo’ of slaves rescued. In the cases of Orestes and Palowna wrecks brought emancipation of slaves. Slavers would run themselves aground to avoid slave trade laws allowing British vessels to board and capture other ships on the high seas. Traders relied on

SOUTH ANDROS, MARS BAY AREA

those ashore who could be bribed, to flee inland. Some British regulations constricting the slave trade could endanger not only the vessels and crew, but slaves as well. The Royal Navy was tracking the Spanish slave-trading brigantine Orestes for years, noting on 6 April, 1824 that “Orestes, Don Domingo Zurbano, master, entered Havana in ballast from St. Thomas (Sao Thome), on the coast of Africa.” Then on 13 June, the same “notorious slave trader” left Havana for Africa under Captain G. F. Vega. The British relayed on 20 July 1825 that Orestes, with Don Doze Ramon Mutio in command left Havana for Africa, arriving during September. On 19 January, 1826, her mate related how “her whole cargo, amounting to 285 (slaves), was shipped in five hours” an incredibly short time to stow that many people for up to two months. Harassed by British, Orestes set off immediately for Havana, and during the voyage, between 22 and 25 Africans perished. Five weeks later she was chased byand evaded - two British schooners. One of them was HMS Speedwell under command of a hard-driving British lieutenant named James Cooper Bennett.

nefarious traffic.

THE BRIGANTINE “”Orestes”” was captured at sea by British cruisers and adjudicated at a court established at Havana under international anti-slave trade treaties. The image is of a picture of the first page of the court’s register of “”Liberated Africans”” taken from the “”Orestes””. The register was kept as a formal record of emancipation that helped protect the individual from subsequent reenslavement. The image is reproduced courtesy of the British National Archives.

The British ships broke off the chase for fear of running aground in The Bahamas. On 28 February, 1826 the desperate Orestes, however, was crossing the shallow Great Bahama Bank when she struck aground at night near the Grass Cut Cays, desolate shrub-covered rocks at the bottom of the Tongue of the Ocean. The site is miles southeast of Mars Bay, South Andros, and about 80 nautical miles due south of Nassau and north of Cuba. Within two days, those slaves who, had survived were left to drown by all “white men,” including Captain Don Jose Ramon Mutio, “who died shortly after.”

Less than a week later, on 5 March, Lt. Bennett made it to the site and “captured the slave ship Orestes, thereby freed 238 captives. The crew had taken refuge on one of the Cays, leaving their captives without food or water. Bennett was unable to get the ship afloat and so took the freed captives as well as the master of Orestes, the mate, and a passenger. During the voyage to Havana, Don Mutio died, as did 26 enslaved people. HMS Speedwell was able to land 212 enslaved people.” Lt. Bennett discovered “several dead Africans.” In accordance with the Treaty of 1817, they were “consequently declared to be free from all slavery and captivity,” and the vessel “declared to be a good and lawful Prize” by a mixed British and Spanish Commission on March 15, 1826. The 221 souls were wedged between the law against slave trades and the reality of their demand which brutal sugar harvesting requires. The circumstances of being a freed slave in a slave society still rife with enslavers, smugglers, and privateers is hardly a joyous one. During this politically volatile time, each emancipation was an affirmation of good to reformers and abolitionists; it was one step further from an absolutely slave society.

The eulogy of these 166 souls is summed up in Lt. Lowe’s letter to Commander Hobson at Crooked Island on June 22, 1826: “...the captain, two men and the informant secured the boat, and were the only persons saved.” His superior in Jamaica, Halsted confirmed that “R. W. Eliot, merchant of Nassau, Bahamas, informed him that 20 bodies of Negroes, in a state of nudity, were found by a [New] Providence wrecker, washed up on the Orange Keys.”

Less than a month after the Orestes rescue, 165 slaves aboard the brigantine Palowna suffered the very fate from which the Orestes victims had been rescued. On the night of 28 April, 1826, the Palowna was arriving from Africa and transiting the waters between Bahamas and Cuba when she “struck on a rock, rounded off, and sank immediately. Lieutenant A. B. Lowe, commander of the schooner HMS Union, came upon the Palowna where she had sunk on shoals fringing the Grand Bahama Bank. He noted that the ship “did not once show its colours,” or flag, indicating it was up to

For all practical purposes, the best hope that the British had of preventing the sale of African captives was to capture them alive on the high seas, then win legal jurisdiction over them in Havana. In this case only the Cubans survived. Somewhere on a windswept uninhabited rock east of the Gulf Stream, 35 nautical miles west of North Andros, 45 miles south of Bimini, 140 miles north of Cuba and 100 miles west of Nassau are the shackles and other cruel implements used to pin 166 terrified and doomed persons to their floating prison as waves and wind swept over them.

The only witnesses to their fates escaped alive and were rescued by those British naval officers tasked with rescuing the enslaved. As frustrating as their mission to Havana was, the British did manage to liberate 445 slaves in Havana between December 1825 and June of 1826, including the 212 persons from the Orestes.

GRASS CUT CAYS

THE SPANISH brigantine Orestes ran aground in the hallow waters near the Grass Cut Cays off South Andros

The road to Olympics relays runs through The Bahamas

IN the days and weeks leading up to May 4-5, hundreds of athletes will descend upon The Bahamas for the World Athletics Relays Bahamas. As of this week, athletes from 54 countries had registered. One estimate projected the final number of competitors would exceed 1600. And that does not include coaches, trainers, medical staff, therapists, event support staff, family, friends and camp followers.

As an Olympic qualifier, the World Athletics Relays Bahamas is an event that will change young athletes’

lives forever. Some will go on. Some will go home. Everyone on the track will leave everything they’ve got there, everything they worked and trained and sacrificed for. Leave it right there before our eyes in The Bahamas, at the track,

glued to the TV or our phones, before the eyes of the world, however, they are watching. Whatever the outcome for sprinters and hopefuls, the mere reality that the road to the Olympics runs through The Bahamas,

A LOVE AFFAIR WITH RELAYS

While everything about the upcoming track event keeps getting bigger and better, including the announcement this week that the incomparable Carl Lewis, 9-time Olympic champion and 8-time World’s Gold Medalist, would headline as World Athletics Ambassador for the Olympic qualifier, I wanted to understand why relays are so special to Bahamians.

So I reached out to two people who would know, both Olympic gold medalists and world champions Pauline Davis and Chris Brown. Tell me, I asked, why do we get so involved, so emotional about relays? Why do they do something to us inside that no other track event does?

“The reason relays are so important to Bahamians is it’s us against the world, we are so proud, bursting with that pride, those are my girls, taking on the world, it’s not just one of us, it’s the whole group thing, not just one. Look at Pauline, look at Debbie, look at Chandra, look at Eldece,” says Pauline, named Dame of more recent events by World Athletics and the first Bahamian elected to serve on its board. “It takes a lot of precision, a lot of focus, and it helps to showcase our country, telling the world, though we are small, we are mighty, though we are small, we are strong, and this is the place where God lives. He created us to be the most beautiful country in the world and when our athletes shine, they shine the light on this beautiful country.”

Davis, who holds so many records and titles it would take a page to list them, was part of that magic moment in October 2000 when Bahamians woke up at 4 am with hope and watched and screamed and jumped and shouted until our voices were raw as the Golden Girls ran away with the Gold and the world’s attention at the Sydney Olympics.

Nearly a quarter of a century later, you can still hear the passion and national pride in her voice.

“Bahamians have always loved relays but the fact that we went

up against the world and shocked them and beat them, the fact that we are gold champions in the Olympics -- men in the 1x100 and the 4x100 in women -- when we line up now, people pay attention. That’s how much the world respects The Bahamas.”

Davis is helping to organize the upcoming relays, a full-time job with the Ministry of Sports where she has worked since moving from Tourism and along the way telling her story in the double awardwinning autobiography Running Sideways.

Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown, one of the Golden Knights who earned the spotlight winning Gold in the London Olympics in 2012, looks at the love affair with relays from a different perspective.

A coach at Clayton State University in Georgia where he lives with his wife and family, the ever-humble Brown, now an ambassador at large for The Bahamas in sports, says it’s the suspense that triggers such a visceral attachment to relays, unlike any other event.

“People love the excitement of a relay,” he explains. “The suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat. You’re running, running, turning, passing, running, running.

“For the person watching, it’s like you’re on that track with them, I’m at home but I’m running, jumping, jumping in my seat.”

Brown refuses to say one leg is more intense than the other. “If you’re in front, you gotta look back at three people behind you.

If you’re the last leg, you gotta look at three people in front of you. You just have to get out there and do your job.”

Brown and Davis agree on the importance of what others not so closely connected with track and field might just simply pass off as another event in a field filled with disciplines. “There’s something special about the relay and Bahamians get it. Relays unite us,” they both say. “They make us proud, proud to be Bahamian and be the best in the world.”

specifically through the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, is incredible. With strong promo lines and monikers like Chase the Sun and From Paradise to Paris, the event in just a little over a month’s time will draw more than the athletes packing their hopes and dreams. It will capture international attention. Cameras, video, social media posts will snap, shoot and record The Bahamas. Commentators will eye and report what they see in New Providence. Their images and those

impressions, unedited, will flash and zip around the real and virtual worlds in seconds. Global Relations Consultant at the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Senator Randy Rolle, in a press conference announcing the World Relays some time back, said “We can maximize our opportunities and capitalize on the benefits this event will bring. Hosting the World Relays undergirds our efforts and we aim to become the sports mecca of the Caribbean.”

We have everything we need, as the good senator

said, to become the sports mecca of the Caribbean, the training ground for all sorts of sports, the summer camp during winter months elsewhere.

Or we could blow it with a single round from an AK47. But I don’t think we will. I think we have an opportunity and we know it, a chance to show that The Bahamas is a safe place bathed in sunshine and hospitality where we just happen to raise athletes who punch above their weight and a country that welcomes others who try to do the same.

PEOPLE EMERGE FROM HOMES IN HAITI DURING BRIEF RESPITE FROM GANG VIOLENCE – HOURS LATER, GUNFIRE ERUPTS

PORT-AU-PRINCE,

Haiti (AP) — Haitians rushed to buy food and other basic supplies Thursday as they emerged from their homes during a rare respite from gang violence, but gunfire erupted in downtown Port-au-Prince hours later. Female street vendors balancing heavy loads on their heads fled the area as bullets whizzed near buildings including the general hospital, the National Palace and the main penitentiary in yet another attack on Haiti’s capital. One policeman quickly bandaged the leg of a wounded man as the attack continued.

The gunfire began in the afternoon, hours after Associated Press journalists observed another round of evacuations of foreigners who had been stuck in Port-au-Prince since the attacks began

Feb. 29.

Gangs have targeted police stations, the main international airport that remains closed and Haiti’s two biggest prisons, releasing more than 4,000 inmates.

Dozens of people have been killed and some 17,000 have been left homeless as gangs continue to raid neighborhoods. The U.N. Security Council said in a statement Thursday that it “strongly condemned the violence and the attacks carried out by the armed gangs and stressed the need for the international community to redouble its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the population and to support the Haitian National Police.” It also called for the swift deployment of a

U.N.-backed police force from Kenya, which has been delayed. The U.S. State Department said Thursday that it has evacuated more than 160 U.S. citizens out of Haiti since Sunday, the majority out of the northern coastal city of Cap-Haitien. The first evacuations of U.S. citizens out of Port-au-Prince began on Wednesday.

“We reiterate our message to U.S. citizens: Do not travel to Haiti,” the agency said. “We have been stressing that the U.S. government cannot guarantee U.S. citizens will be evacuated given the situation on the ground.”

As the evacuations continue, Caribbean leaders are pushing to formally establish a transitional presidential council that would

OLYMPIC gold medalist and world champion Pauline Davis.

OLYMPIC gold medalist and world champion Chris Brown.

JUNIOR BASEBALL TEAM PLAYED WELL, ‘BUT WE DIDN’T PLAY WELL ENOUGH’

FROM PAGE 16

walk off victory and then played the Dominican Republic, but they were too much to handle.

So we had to take it out on Argentina.”

The team finished 2-3 for a tie with Brasil and Panama and in the toebreaking rule, the Bahamas fell short.

“We didn’t accomplish our goal of at least finishing third,” Sweeting said. “But we achieved the goal of putting the Bahamas on the map in the youth baseball.

The world now realises that the Bahamas is coming.”

Sweeting, however, said the Bahamas was only ranked so low because they haven’t been playing as much international competition as they should.

Now he said the BBA administration is making

every effort to get the exposure that the Bahamas needs to get its teams to play at the international level.

“Our goal is to participate in as much as the high-level competitions that we can participate in,” Sweeting said. “As a country, the only way to give our top-tier players the opportunity to participate in the World Baseball Classic as a country is to participate.

“The WBSC has told us that while they see the players we have out there playing at the professional level, we have to show them what we are doing at the youth level. So we have two tournaments that we are hoping to get the approval from the Bahamas Government to host this year and that should allow us to get more exposure for our players.”

MARIO FORD BASEBALL CAMP IN FULL SWING AT WINDSOR FIELD

THE Mario Ford Baseball Camp is now in full swing at the Windsor Field.

But according to Mario Ford, the organiser, they have added a new twist with the different age groups being matched against each other. There are three under-15 and three under12 teams. Each team plays two games each Saturday beginning at 9am.

“We want them to display their baseball skills and we work on them improving their game skills,” Ford said.

Last week, Ford presented Liam Henderson with a brand-new glove after he was considered the most improved plyer in the undr-12 group. Henderson, a softball pitcher for St John’s College, is participating in the camp for the first time. “He just came when we started camp and I saw him pitching consecutive weeks. He said he was doing it for the first time, but he’s enjoying it,” Ford said. “So we have to work on improving his pitching skills.”

Head coach Albert Cartwright admitted that it was tough for the team, but they rose to the competition.

“We put the guys in a tough situation that they were not used to,” Cartwright said.

“We played against some future Major League baseball players so for us to be right there in our games and win some of the games was impressive.

“I’m really excited about the future of this programme and where we can take it. I think in a year or so, if we can keep this team together and add some pieces, we will be a force to reckon with.”

Cartwright said as soon as they got the word from the BBA that they got an invitation to compete in the tournament, the rest of the coaches Geron Sands, Pedro Dean Jr and

Donovan Cox went right in action, preparing the team.

“I feel we did the right thing to try and take baseball to the next level,” said Cartwright, a former minor league player turned coach and scout. “We had one of the youngest teams and they held their own and beat some teams. “So I think once we can develop these guys, we will be ready for the next tournament.

“The most important thing is to keep these guys together and if we have to add one or two players, we will do that.”

Sweeting, however, said that while there were some persons who were concerned why some players did not make this team, he clarified the point that players who will be turning 16 years old this year are not eligible to compete, so they

could not include them on the team. Obviously with not much time to blend the talent from New Providence and Grand Bahama together, Cartwright said it showed in their first two games as they had to get over the jitterbugs. He noted that the team came together and played really well the rest of the tournament.

At the end of the tournament, Cartwright said they had an opportunity to gel together as a team with a light day before they made their trek home today.

Also during the tournament, Martin ‘Pork’ Burrows participated as an umpire. In fact, he officiated in six games and they were all on the number one field, including the championship game. “The experience was great. I umpired with a lot

of the younger umpires,” said Burrows in officiating in his first World Qualifier.

“They accepted me like the daddy of the crew.

“To call the championship game at third base was a feather in my cap. What I liked about this tournament was that all of the officials knew what they had to do. You didn’t have to teach anyone anything.”

Burrows, the highest ranked umpire in the Bahamas, said he can now officiate at any WBSC Tournaments, whether it’s a qualifier or the World Championships.

He noted that when he returns home, he intends to go into the schools and to see if he can recruit at least two persons who are willing to officiate at their games. His hope is that he can develop a cadre of officials to use in the future.

MARIO Ford making a presentation to Liam Henderson. The Mario Ford Baseball Camp is now in full swing at the Windsor Field.

IN the dynamic world of competitive swimming, where every fraction of a second counts, mastering the art of performance training is the key to success.

Guided by groundbreaking research such as Stapleton et al.’s (2020) exploration of athletic performance assessments, we plunge into the depths of swimming excellence to uncover the strategies and techniques that propel athletes to the podium.

At the heart of performance training lies the refinement of stroke mechanics, a relentless pursuit of efficiency, and the optimisation of power and endurance.

With insights gleaned from research articles like Stapleton et al. (2020), swimmers hone their technique to perfection,

Diving into Excellence: The blueprint for peak performance in swimming BAZARD DR KENT

carving through the water with unparalleled grace and speed. By focusing on aspects such as body position, propulsion, and rhythm, athletes elevate their performance to new

heights, leaving competitors trailing in their wake.

Yet, swimming success isn’t just about physical prowess - it’s also a mental game. Through visualisation, goal-setting, and mindfulness techniques, swimmers cultivate the mental resilience needed to weather the intense pressures of competition.

Stapleton et al. (2020) underscore the importance of these psychological strategies in enhancing performance and fortifying athletes’ mental fortitude, enabling them to conquer the pool with unwavering confidence. Injuries are an ever-present concern in the

world of swimming, where the repetitive nature of training can take a toll on the body.

By integrating targeted strength and flexibility exercises into their training routines, swimmers can mitigate the risk of common ailments like shoulder impingement and lower back strain. Stapleton et al. (2020) advocate for proactive injury prevention measures, emphasizing the role of proper technique and supplementary exercises in safeguarding athletes’ long-term health and performance.

As swimmers dive into the waters of competition

TEAM BAHAMAS TESTS THE NEW 50-METRE POOL AHEAD OF CARIFTA SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

FROM PAGE 16

leading up to the start of the games.

“We’re trying to get in there every session we can leading up to CARIFTA,” McPhee point out. “We want to get in there as much as we can before the competition starts next Saturday.”

By Wednesday, McPhee indicated that the entire 36-member team would be assembled together, including those members coming

from Grand Bahama and the United states. “We will get a chance early to go over relay duties and try to get the chemistry down packed that we had over the previous years,” he said.

couldn’t swim in the only 50m pool in the country, McPhee said it didn’t have much disruption to their training because there were a few meets that they got to compete in Florida in 50m pools.

“I haven’t seen any hiccups from these swimmers as far as their performances are concerned,” McPhee said.

“I think getting in the pool today was a plus for us.

“From what I saw at the final CARIFTA trials two weeks ago, I think this is going to be one of the strongest teams we’ve ever had.

“We looked very strong in our first practice in a 50m pool, I don’t think we missed a beat. So I am

confident that we will be able to perform up to our expectations.” McPhee assured the Bahamian public that the pool is in tip-top shape and they want to commend the Bahamas Government, the National Sports Authority and Bahamas Aquatics for coming together and making it happen.

“Everything has come together beautiful. We are now seven days out from the competition, but we can finally train in our

armed with the knowledge and insights of performance training, they embark on a journey of discovery and achievement. With each stroke, they push the boundaries of what’s possible, driven by a relentless passion for excellence. Together, we celebrate the triumphs and challenges of the swimming world, united in our quest for greatness in the pool.

Bahamian sports medicine physician, sports performance coach, sports nutrition specialist, and founder of Empire Sports Medicine and Performance.

Our mission is to empower athletes to reach new heights while safeguarding their health and well-being. We understand the unique demands of sports activities, and we are dedicated to helping athletes prevent injuries, overcome challenges, optimise nutrition and performance.

Contact Empire Sports Medicine at: 242-364-2001

M.Sc. (Sports Medicine)

NASM-PES, M.B.,B.S. Sports Physician | Sports Performance Coach | Sports Nutrition Specialist Empire Fitness and Sports Performance

TEAM Bahamas held its first official practice in the swimming facility yesterday.

comfortable zone again,” McPhee summed up.

“So it’s only a plus for us. We were thinking we were going to get in there next

week. “But for us to get in this early, it bodes well for us as we go out for the sixth straight,” explained Mr McPhee.

RF Bank & Trust, formerly Royal Fidelity, has renewed its partnership with the Bahamas Golf Federation (BGF) and the of their golf activities for the year 2024. Through the partnership, the bank has pledged $25,000 to BGF in support of the 2024 Bahamas Junior Golf initiatives.

The sponsorship is aimed at supporting junior golf development in the country, reinforcing RF’s dedication to nurturing young talent.

“We

“This

SPORTS

After waiting for the past six months for the renovations to the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex to be completed, the Bahamas swim team for the CARIFTA Swimming Championships finally got to test the new 50-metre pool.

The team held its first official practice in the facility yesterday, a week ahead of the start of the

games as the Bahamas goes after a sixth straight title over their regional counterparts.

There was a lot of excitement beaming from the swimmers.

“Getting the opportunity to pop into the pool was a pleasure, it was a lot of excitement just to feel the long course pool again,” said Tristen Hepburn, the boys’ team captain. “The pool is great. There are no other words to describe. It’s looking great. The walls feel good, the blocks were good, everything was just right.”

In making his fifth team, the 17-year-old Hepburn said the team is ready to go.

“The mood of the team today was excitement because everybody was just happy to get back in the pool,” he said. “Everybody was just looking forward to getting back into the pool.”

Will Farrington, another team member, was just as ecstatic. “I missed swimming in the 50 metre pool,” he stated. “It was a lot of fun being in the pool again. It feels really nice. It’s probably the nicest pool that I’ve been in.”

Along with his team-mates, 15-year-old Farrington, who is appearing on his third team, said they are all eager to go for the sixth straight. “I know everybody was really happy because we were talking about it for a while,” he said. “Just being able to swim in the pool again is so nice.”

Nobody was more thrilled sbout the return to the pool than head coach Travano McPhee.

“It’s been a long time coming. We’ve been out of the pool for about eight to nine months now,

so to get them back into their comfortable zone, they were really excited.

“A couple of them, when they walked into the pool, they said they had goose bumps, so to just get that feeling and to get them back into their element, was really good.”

The team will take today off as the workmen complete all of the final repairs around the pool. But the team will be back on Saturday morning and will train every day

THE stage is now set for the playoffs in the New Providence Public Primary Schools Sports Association’s 2024 Volleyball Tournament.

Yesterday, the primary boys completed their round robin play at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium and

today, starting at 9am, their playoffs, along with the girls, will begin. The day will conclude with the champions being crowned. While the final of the two days of competition for the boys was an opportunity for teams to advance to the final four, the other teams were sent home packing until next year. Margaret Albury, coach of Stephen Dillet, was so

excited after they went undefeated in all three of their games played.

“We had a pretty good performance. The boys came through,” Albury said. “We don’t know who we will play, but we looking to win it all. We always have to work on something, but we will be ready for whoever we meet.”

Despite not advancing, Tito Hanna said he was still

happy with his Eva Hilton team. “Our boys really stepped up in our last game. We could have done better in the earlier games, but it’s all a learning process for us,” he said. “We just have to get ready for next year.

“We had a lot of unforced errors and a lot of the guys not communicating with each other. We had some problems with our service as well. Those are some of

the areas that we have to work on.”

With four pools contested only, the top two teams in each pool advanced to the playoffs. They are as follows: Pool A - Stehen Dillet (3-0) and EP Roberts (2-1).

Pool B - Sybil Strachan (3-0) and Sandilands Primary (2-1).

Pool C - Centerville (3-0) and Cleveland Eneas Primary (2-1). Pool D - Yellow

Elder (3-0) and Garvin Tynes Primary (2-1).

Unlike the boys, there were only two pools, so the top four teams advanced. They were as follows:

Pool A - Sandilands (5-0; Garvin Tynes (4-1); Claridge Primary (3-2) and Woodcock Primary (2-3).

Pool B - EP Roberts (5-0); Centerville (4-1); Yellow Elder (3-2) and Ridgeland Primary (3-2).