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VOLUME:118 No.30, JANUARY 6, 2021
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CAN WE BITE NIB BULLET?
‘Bold decision’ needed - raise contributions to sustain cash assistance By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net NATIONAL Insurance Minister Brensil Rolle yesterday admitted that no government has been “bold enough” to take on recommendations that National Insurance Board contributions must increase to sustain the financial viability of the social security net. Mr Rolle was asked yesterday about the possibility of NIB contributions increasing, as he said the agency has to date paid out
THE Bahamas was blacklisted by France because of an incorrect e-mail address, the attorney general has revealed. Carl Bethel QC disclosed French requests for information on tax affairs of its citizens and companies had not been answered by The Bahamas because they were being sent to an e-mail address that was not being
FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
‘D MINUS’ FOR DEFENCE OF EXAM GRADES BAHAMAS Union of Teachers President Belinda Wilson has accused Ministry of Education officials of trying to twist the narrative about the “poor” BJC and BGCSE examination results. She described Monday’s Ministry of Education press conference as “nothing short of a disgrace”. The BUT president and many others have criticised the 2020 exams, which had worsened results compared to 2019 with fewer students achieving A, B and C grades and more students receiving D, E, F and G grades. SEE PAGE FOUR
in excess of $100m “to individuals primarily who have not contributed to NIB or who have contributed partially to NIB”. He was noncommittal on whether an increase will come or when it could happen, only telling reporters it has been an ongoing discussion for years. “I challenged the media last year to have that discussion to engage the public and let’s see their views,” the minister said before yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. SEE PAGE SEVEN
monitored by the Ministry of Finance. He said once the problem was identified The Bahamas moved rapidly to address it, ensuring French tax information exchange requests made under the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development’s common reporting standard and other applicable treaties were responded to appropriately and within the required time.
SEE PAGE EIGHT
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
EMAIL BLUNDER LED TO FRENCH BLACKLISTING By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
WE SHOULDN’T MEASURE OUR CHILDREN AGAINST BROKEN SYSTEM
SIXTH MURDER IN FIVE DAYS AS MAN SHOT
PIONEER IN PARADISE TRIBUTES poured in yesterday after Sandals Resorts founder and owner Gordon “Butch” Stewart died in the United States at age 79. See page two for the full story.
CARRY ON DRILLING - FOR NOW By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
A SUPREME Court judge yesterday granted environmentalists leave to begin judicial review proceedings over Bahamas Petroleum Company’s exploratory oil drilling. However, the judge refused their application for a halt to drilling pending completion of the review,
THE STENA IceMAX drillship. thus allowing BPC’s drilling to continue as the review takes place. Finding the applicants met the threshold required
for judicial review proceedings, Justice Petra Hanna-Weekes also granted their request to add the Town Planning Committee as a party to the matter. BPC’s drilling of Perseverance #1 began on December 20 about 90 miles west of Andros and is expected to be completed within 45 to 60 days. SEE PAGE THREE
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
ANOTHER man is dead after a shooting in Montell Heights last night, making him the sixth person killed in five days. According to police, the latest incident happened shortly after 8pm at Lincoln Boulevard South, Montell Heights. On arrival at the scene, officers found a man’s body on the ground with what appeared to be gunshot wounds. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. Assistant Superintendent Audley Peters said police were told that a group of people were gathered outside a home when a gunman approached and fired shots SEE PAGE THREE
TECHNOLOGY SIX MISSIONS TO SPACE TO COME IN 2021
SEE PAGE NINE
PAGE 2, Wednesday, January 6, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
Pioneer in paradise By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net TRIBUTES poured in yesterday after Sandals Resorts founder and owner Gordon “Butch” Stewart died in the United States at age 79. Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham referred to the hotel mogul’s passing as a devastating loss to the Caribbean region. Mr Stewart, referred to by Mr Ingraham as a “good friend” to The Bahamas, died in Miami on Monday. He was recently diagnosed with an undisclosed illness. Mr Ingraham said: “In all my years of contact with him, whether in office or out, he never over-promised and he always fulfilled his commitments. He was an astute tourism businessman. I valued his views and advice on tourism in our region. ‘Butch’ was, in my estimation the pre-eminent Caribbean hotelier. “His success in competing successfully with some of the largest international hotel brands is testimony to that achievement. He was a good friend to The Bahamas and a reliable corporate citizen. I sometimes felt that we in The Bahamas held a special place in his heart.” Mr Stewart, who was fond of wearing striped shirts, began his career as an air-conditioner and appliance salesman. He was
born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1941 and founded Sandals Resorts in 1981 with the opening of Sandals Montego Bay. Sandals Resorts branched out in 1997 with the debut of its Beaches brand of resorts opening in Negril, Jamaica. Mr Ingraham said he was shocked to learn about Mr Stewart’s death yesterday. “Only then did I recall that I had not received my usual Christmas telephone call from the always warm, cheerful and upbeat hotelier,” Mr Ingraham said. “Butch had made it his custom to telephone Christmas cheer to me every year since our first meeting in St Lucia in 1992 shortly after my election to office as Prime Minister for the first time. There, he gave me the grand tour of his new hotel acquisition ‘La Toc’ and outlined how he proposed to transform the resort into one of his signature fivestar, all-inclusive hotels. “Still, some of my fondest memories of him include time spent over lazy meals at George Myers’ home and of days spent with him in Jamaica and on the waters of The Bahamas doing one of the things that I love best – fishing. I think that Butch qualifies as one of Jamaica’s best exports to the Caribbean. Always a Jamaican at heart, he loved all of the Caribbean. His death is a devastating loss to the Caribbean region.” The Sandals portfolio in The Bahamas includes
GORDON ‘Butch’ Stewart, who has died age 79. Sandals Royal Bahamian in Nassau, a property on Fowl Cay and Sandals Emerald Bay in Exuma. Mr Ingraham, former North Abaco MP, remembers encouraging Mr Stewart to come to The Bahamas. He reminisced: “It was early days in the creation of his highly acclaimed all-inclusive hotel chain. I encouraged him to come to The Bahamas where he already owned land in my constituency and where he purportedly proposed to develop a Sandals Resort. He promised to come. I was to learn that Butch’s word was his bond. “He came to The
GORDON ‘Butch’ Stewart with fellow entrepreneur Richard Branson.
Bahamas. He never built that resort in Abaco but he acquired the then government-owned and money-losing Balmoral Beach Hotel in Cable Beach. He transformed the dog-eared property into the Royal Bahamian Balmoral Hotel Resort and Spa. He expanded the room count, restaurants and beach amenities, including an exclusive off-shore beach experience on neighbouring Balmoral Island and he doubled the number of employees at the resort.” Mr Ingraham said he was honoured to have counted Mr Stewart among his friends.
In a statement yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis recognised the hotelier as a leading pioneer in tourism, whose all-inclusive resorts became an iconic global brand. “He competed successfully with other international brands,” Dr Minnis said. “His commitment to the region was manifest in the economic impact of his properties throughout the region, including his resorts in the Bahamas at Sandals Royal Bahamian on New Providence and at Fowl Cay and Emerald Bay in the Exumas. “He was a great friend and lover of the Islands of The Bahamas and the Bahamian people. At a time when The Bahamas was looking for investors to acquire government-owned hotels, he was the first in line, transforming the Balmoral into the Sandals Royal Bahamian Hotel. He significantly and immediately added to the number of rooms and employees of the resort and the reputation of the Bahamas.” Dr Minnis added: “He was famously enthusiastic about the extraordinary potential of the Caribbean and often remarked about the still untapped potential of the Islands of The Bahamas. He moved a number of significant corporate functions of the brand to The Bahamas.” Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar hailed Mr Stewart as a “captain of tourism” in the Caribbean. “His passing is enormously tragic,” Mr D’Aguilar said. “He was innovative, creative, full of energy, always
ready to start something new and do something different in the Caribbean so his loss is huge. “But I can say that he’s trained his family, Adam, his son who worked with him for 15 years to step up into the mantle and so I am comfortable that Sandals is in good hands and they will continue to go from better to better. Butch built the foundation and his son will now take it to the next level so it’s very, very sad, but I feel that Sandals is in good hands.” Mr Stewart’s son, Adam Stewart, announcing the death of his father, said: “Our family couldn’t be more proud of the legacy you have created and the incredible life you lived. You approached every day to change the world, nothing was impossible. “A Jamaican boy turned entrepreneur with a heart as big as his voice and a personality that nobody could contain. My dad was built of Old World values, manners and respect, humility and appreciation, honesty and integrity and always looked out for everyone, especially his family.” The Progressive Liberal Party’s spokesman on tourism, Vaughn Miller, praised the hotelier as an industry giant, a visionary and an influential investor in Caribbean tourism. He said the PLP thanks Mr Stewart for his contributions to the Bahamian economy. Mr Stewart is survived by his wife, Cheryl; children Brian, Bobby, Adam, Jaime, Sabrina, Gordon and Kelly; 12 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, January 6, 2021, PAGE 3
Carry on drilling - for now from page one The applicants want to quash the approvals the government gave the company last year. Justice Hanna-Weekes said that to grant leave for judicial review she was required to ensure the applicants had sufficient interest in the matter, that they acted promptly enough and that they have an arguable case. A key question hovering over the proceedings was whether the judge would grant the applicants permission to review decisions
of the government in February and April 2020, which authorised the drilling even though the applicants failed to file their application within the required six months period. Last week the government’s lead lawyer, Aiden Casey, QC, argued that if the judge rejected the applicants’ ability to challenge the February decision, there would be little left to their action even if they are allowed to review subsequent decisions. Justice Hanna-Weekes herself indicated last month that she was inclined to
refuse the applicants leave to review the February and April decisions, but yesterday she ruled the applicants had good reason for filing their applications out of time. “Like BPC, the applicants were impacted by COVID-19,” she said. “I accept, as stated by Mr (Joseph) Darville, that (applicants) made several non-mitigation efforts to sway the respondent as late as July 2020 to stop the project when they wrote to the Prime Minister of The Bahamas and in November 2020 with the initiation of letters
before action. Therefore, I find that the applicants wait-and-see strategy was a grave miscalculation. However, I accept that the reasons given, when taken together, are sufficiently good reasons for the court to consider an extension of time.” Regarding the application for a stay, Justice Hanna-Weekes said granting this was tantamount to granting an application for an injunction. “It is important to make a distinction because while the court does have the jurisdiction (to grant a stay), such an order is only
to stay the decision-making process…the decisionmaking process has been completed, the decision has been implemented and subsequently the drilling exercise to which those decisions were made has commenced. Therefore, in my mind, there is no decision-making process to be stayed. I therefore accept the submissions of Mr Casey, QC, in this regard.” She rejected the applicants’ submission that the respondents would suffer no prejudice if their stay application is granted. As for the application to add the Town Planning
Committee as a party to the proceedings, Justice Hanna-Weekes said the definition of land in Section 4.1 of the Planning and Subdivision Act “seems to suggest that the drill site is located within the territorial waters of The Bahamas and would be subject to the PSA.” Noting that in his affidavit, environmentalist Joseph Darville said there has been no publication of a site plan approval in accordance with the Planning and Subdivision Act, she granted permission to add the Town Planning Committee as a party.
SIXTH MURDER IN FIVE DAYS AS MAN SHOT A BODY is taken from the scene at Lincoln Boulevard South, Montell Heights, last night.
from page one
in their direction, fatally wounding the victim. Police have not released the man’s identity. Since December 30, 11 people have been murdered. Last night, ASP Peters was asked if police had uncovered any connection with the country’s most recent homicides. “I’m being told by the senior investigator that we’re still doing our
victimology to try to confirm these connections,” he said. “We do understand that there is some speculation on the streets that these incidents may be gang-related, however we have not fully confirmed those assertions and so until such time we will go where the evidence leads us.” Last year’s murder count of 74 killings represented a 21 percent drop compared to the 94 killings recorded in 2019. The reduced murder
count came in a year filled with coronavirus-related restrictions on movement and curfews. A 10pm curfew is still in effect for several islands, including New Providence. Asked to respond to the public’s fears about safety, ASP Peters urged people in communities where criminal activity is prevalent to give the necessary information to police. “With respect to safety, the whole country, everyone is responsible for the safety of each other. The
Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
bottom line is everyone has to take responsibility for each other, so we appeal to individuals who may know of individuals who are brandishing firearms in their community to call the police. “And we have had that instance where individuals are calling the police and we’re going to places, conducting searches and finding these firearms and putting these persons before the court. It seems as if there is a barrage upon us in this new year, but I want
to assure the members of the public, do not be discouraged.” He said police are determined to bring these matters to justice and asked for the public’s patience while they conduct investigations. “Your police department has taken on this yeoman’s task and we are out, resolute in our efforts to search out these communities, search out these culprits and in due course, with all conviction these
individuals will be brought to justice. “I want you to bear in mind, ladies and gentlemen, we’re not out there seeking to make a media headline. We’re here to bring the appropriate person with the appropriate evidence to get a conviction at the end of the day and a sense of justice.” Anyone with information on this shooting or any other crime is asked to call police at 502-9991/2 or Crime Stoppers at 328TIPS (8477).
POLICE OFFICER AIRLIFTED AFTER BEING SHOT By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net AN Andros police officer was airlifted to New Providence yesterday after a suspect shot at him and injured his leg. The suspect was also injured after another officer shot him before he was subdued and arrested. According to preliminary reports from police, shortly after 9am, officers from the
Fresh Creek Police Station were conducting inquiries in the settlement of Stanyard Creek. “The officers approached a male suspect and informed him of a (complaint) that was made against him. As the officers attempted to effect the arrest, a struggle ensued between the suspect and one of the officers. During the struggle, the suspect was able to disarm the officer,” police reported.
“He then discharged several rounds, one of which struck the officer, injuring him in the left leg. Another officer produced his service weapon and shot the suspect, injuring him. He was subdued and the firearm was retrieved. Both the officer and the suspect were airlifted to New Providence. They are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.” At the end of December,
a police-involved shooting left one man dead and three suspects on the loose. At the time, police said officers received information about several individuals who were assembled at Second Street. When police arrived, they found four individuals who fit the description they were given, however three of them ran away. Police said one man produced a weapon and “engaged” the officers, who in return
opened fire. As a result, the suspect was fatally shot. Police said a firearm was recovered from that scene. Back in November 2020, two police officers were shot in Abaco after responding to a domestic dispute on the island. The incident happened in the Pelican Shores, Marsh Harbour area. The officers arrived on the scene and were approached by a man “believed to be involved in
a dispute,” police said at the time. “He produced a shotgun and shot two of the responding officers. One was shot in the stomach and face, the other was shot in the stomach. The officers drove themselves to the clinic and are being treated for their injuries described as non-threatening,” police said. In that matter, the suspect was also shot and had to be taken to a local clinic.
PAGE 4, Wednesday, January 6, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
‘Why is COVID treatment proposal being ignored?’ By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net
LOCAL physicians are disappointed with the Public Hospitals Authority for allegedly ignoring a COVID-19 treatment proposal they sent months ago that they say would convert the infection from being a potentially debilitating and deadly disease, to a mild illness of short duration. Doctors Sy Pierre and Juliette Hepburn sent a proposal to the PHA and the Ministry of Health for consideration to use “photodynamic therapy” and “ozone therapy” on patients suffering from COVID-19. The following is an excerpt from the proposal explaining how the therapy reportedly works: “Photodynamic therapy has a solid track record and is firmly established as a method of effectively targeting infection. Improvements in this technique over the decades have facilitated a much broader scope of action, including treatment of dangerous viruses. “The data and publications included in this submission clearly demonstrate that the Medlouxx PPR device and protocol
DR SY PIERRE provides a highly effective means of treating COVID19 with a safe, portable, non-invasive approach. “In spite of advanced age and the presence of comorbidities in many of the patients treated, the majority experienced mild
to moderate symptoms with notably reduced rates of hospital and ICU admissions, need for ventilator equipment – and deaths.” The Tribune reached out to Dr Pierre, a consultant physician and anaesthetist, who noted
that the therapies are not new to the health industry. Dr Pierre said: “Please note that all the therapies referred to have been available here prior to the COVID-19 pandemic as these therapies are ‘broad spectrum’ antimicrobial therapies that are safe and have been used for years worldwide. “We also sent scientific evidence of the therapies to the physicians in charge of giving the government advice on the management of this pandemic, including both the previous and present ministers of health. However, we received either no response or minimal interest.” Attempts to obtain comment from PHA officials proved fruitless. However, when asked about the matter outside Cabinet yesterday, Minister of Health Renward Wells said officials follow World Health Organisation protocols for treating COVID patients. “There is a protocol and the Ministry of Health and the Public Hospitals Authority comes under the ambit of the Ministry of Health and they are duty bound to follow the WHO protocol,” Mr Wells said. “I’ve heard all kinds of suggestions from the health
community that comes to the Ministry of Health, directly to the minister. I’ve had doctors approach me on the street and say ‘you should use Ivermectin.’ Some of them say, ‘you should use Vitamin D’ – a plethora of things. At the end of the day, I could get up and say, cerasee (bush medicine) works. I would love to know who those individuals are who made the recommendations and what recommendations they made.” Although Dr Pierre said he sent the proposal to the former and current ministers of health, Mr Wells never confirmed or denied receiving it. In his letter to the PHA, which was obtained by this newspaper, Dr Pierre said he and Dr Hepburn wished to offer their services to the Public Hospitals Authority to provide information and expertise on two promising treatments for COVID-19 infections – antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) and ozone therapy (OT). He also offered to assist in the implementation of these therapies to combat COVID-19 infections. Dr Pierre, in his letter, also asked for an audience with the PHA board of directors. This never happened.
The letter read: “Together, aPDT and OT offer easily implemented, relatively inexpensive therapeutic modalities with beneficial outcomes in both early and late COVID-19 intervention. There is substantial evidence that aPDT effectively inactivates a number of dangerous viruses. One of our principals, Dr Juliette Hepburn, is currently involved in a study to further assess the efficacy of aPDT in the early treatment of COVID-19. “A similar aPDT therapy has recently been granted breakthrough status by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), validating this approach. Likewise, OT has proven to be a broad-spectrum antiviral agent and was used effectively in a small number of patients in Sierra Leone to treat the Ebola virus. It has shown evidence of efficacy in elderly patients made critically ill by COVID-19 infection. “We would like the opportunity to meet with the board of the Public Hospitals Authority to present further information on these treatments and to discuss possible implementation to treat both early and late-stage COVID-19 infections.”
WELLS: NO DECISION YET ON VACCINE REQUIREMENT FOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
HEALTH MINISTER RENWARD WELLS
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net HEALTH Minister Renward Wells said yesterday the government has not yet decided whether students in The Bahamas will have to take the COVID-19 vaccine as a part of an entry requirement to attend school. Once a decision has been made, Mr Wells said the public will be informed. He made the remarks in response to questions from reporters outside Cabinet. The matter has been an issue of concern for some parents from the time schools were ordered shut in March. Although schools have since reopened, there are some public institutions on several islands where virtual learning is still only practised. “We are in discussions about it but obviously if that decision is made, we will come back and tell the Bahamian people, but we don’t require you to take the flu vaccine to go to school,” Mr Wells said. “There are some vaccines that are required and there are some vaccines that are not. The flu vaccine is not required.” Asked if the matter is being discussed by Cabinet, he replied: “I’m saying that I’m going to bring it to that level but at the end of the day the current position of The Bahamas (is) that this is (not) mandatory unless the WHO and others change their protocols and their requirements. I don’t believe you’ll see any change with us, but again this situation with COVID is very fluid.” He also said this does not mean the government’s position on not making the vaccine mandatory has changed. Mr Wells again stressed that Bahamians who do not wish to take the vaccine will not be forced to do so. However, he noted some people’s
views may change if new international travel policies are implemented, prohibiting entry into foreign countries without being vaccinated against COVID-19. “We’re not going to change our position on that as far as I’m aware,” he told reporters. “The government of The Bahamas has said that people will take this vaccine because they want to take it. “Now, you have a choice. If a country, if the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union say, ‘Listen, we’re not letting you in our country unless you take this COVID19 vaccine,’ they have the right to do that. Every country around the globe sets its rules as to how you’re going to come into that country.” He added: “This is not new... Countries around the world have been doing that with yellow fever for 50 to 60 years so I say this is not new, so if countries are going to say, ‘Listen, we feel that COVID-19 is such a threat to our economic wellbeing and our social cohesion as a society, we’re not letting in anybody who does not have the vaccine.’ The country has a right to do that.” Several countries have already started vaccinating citizens against the COVID-19 threat, prioritising frontline healthcare workers and those at high risk of contracting the potentially deadly virus. Their vaccinations come as some 33 countries worldwide – including the UK and the United States – battle a new variant of COVID-19, which is said to be more infectious but not more deadly. In response to rising cases stemming from the new strain, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday announced a new national lockdown for England which is not set to end until at least mid-February. Health officials have already said
it’s only a matter of time before The Bahamas sees the new strain. Yesterday, Mr Wells said while officials are closely monitoring the situation, they are also hopeful the current travel protocols will “slow down the progression of this new strain”. “The United Kingdom is on lockdown even while they’re deploying this vaccine to their citizens. Their orders are in place and they’re seeking to do all they can to continue to protect their people as The Bahamas and every other country is doing,” he said. “This strain seems to, as you say, seems to be spreading rapidly. Canada has put some mitigating measures in place to be able to stop travel. We are, as I said, monitoring the circumstance and we have our protocols at the border and we’re hoping as I said, these protocols will be adequate to slow down the progression of this new strain into the country.” Asked yesterday if the government decided yet on which vaccine it will choose for the country, Mr Wells only said that officials are keeping their options open as discussions with several vaccine distributors are continuing. “As I said, we have all of our irons in the fire,” he said. “We’re keeping all of our options open. We’re talking to all of the manufactures the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson, we even had approaches from countries – the Russians, we’ve had overtures from China and we are now having overtures from India in regards to the vaccines and so there is a plethora of potential out there. “So, the government of The Bahamas will make the very best decision in the health interest of the Bahamian people as to which direction we will go in in regards to vaccines.”
‘D MINUS’ FOR DEFENCE OF EXAM GRADES from page one But at the press conference on Monday, Education Minister Jeffrey Lloyd called the 2020 national exam results a “success and remarkable accomplishment” despite the challenges of COVID19. Assistant Director of Education Evelyn Sawyer said more should be taken into account than students’
letter grades when talking about whether exams were a success. Mrs Wilson argued yesterday it was unnecessary for students in the midst of a pandemic to have to sit exams, only for the results to show that the majority of the students obtained poor grades. “The Ministry of Education’s press conference was nothing short of a disgrace,” she told The Tribune. “The
ministry officials tried to twist the narrative about the poor BJC and BGCSE examination results. “The Ministry of Education has an opportunity to calibrate and change the curriculum, syllabus and even the design of the examination to make it more student centred. The Bahamas Union of Teachers is willing to work with the Ministry/Department of Education to improve
the educational system but education officials have to broaden their horizons. “They need to admit that they have failed and recognise there is much room for improvement. Once the education officials make this first step then all stakeholders must be welcomed to the table to discuss all aspects of education for the maximum outcome. “Unless and until egos are put aside and the modus
operandi which is outdated is changed then we will continue to have failing grades. The sad part about all of this is that the thousands of children in our nation are being negatively impacted and the education gap is widening.” The exam statistics, which were released last week, showed the number of BGCSE candidates that received at least a C grade in five or more subjects declined by 5.8 percent. The
number of BJC students receiving a grade of C or higher in five or more subjects declined by 2.7 percent. Both exams showed a drop in students who sat the exam. It was revealed that 10,753 people sat the BJC exams, representing a 3.62 percent decrease from 2019. Meanwhile, 6,073 candidates registered for the 2020 BGCSE exams compared with 6,454 in 2019 - representing a 5.9 percent decline.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, January 6, 2021, PAGE 5
BAHA MAR NUMBERS ‘ON TRACK’
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net BAHA MAR is on track with its occupancy forecast having scaled its operations and staffing level according to a “predicted slow start” to 2021, according to the resort’s president. This comes amid a surge of coronavirus cases in key tourist markets, decreased airlift and travel restrictions. Graeme Davis’ statement in response to questions from The Tribune was issued after Atlantis placed multiple workers on temporary furlough on Monday because of unfavourable occupancy forecasts for this month. Baha Mar reopened its doors to guests and 1,800 employees about three weeks ago. Mr Davis said: “We
are working diligently to restore business levels and continue the road to economic recovery for Baha Mar and the whole country. “The surge of coronavirus cases in key US feeder markets, in addition to decreased airlift along with local and international travel restrictions, certainly pose challenges in attracting visitors to the destination. “However, we are on track with our occupancy forecasts which predicted a slow start to the year and thus, we have scaled our operations and staffing accordingly. Our reopening on December 17 was a first and necessary step towards the financial stability of our 1,800 associates who returned to the resort in phase one and build consumer confidence for the future.”
Mr Davis said Baha Mar has extended its ex-gratia payments for employees who remain furloughed and full medical benefits for another 30 days. “We understand the challenges that COVID-19 has brought on to many of our employees and families and we are closely monitoring global developments to determine when to reopen our additional hotels – SLS and Rosewood – in a sustainable way,” Mr Davis added. “The health and safety of our guests, associates and the community continue to be Baha Mar’s highest priority. Due to the partnership with Doctors Hospital, the resort has been able to implement additional layers of safety by creating a unique programme for testing guests prior to check in, along with weekly testing
‘SLOW RAMP UP’ OF TOURISM PLANNED By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said yesterday officials expect there will be a “slow ramp up” of tourist arrivals beginning next month heading into the spring season. This comes after he expressed disappointment last month with the country’s tourism arrival numbers since border restrictions were softened in November, adding the pandemic has made fewer people want to travel. The situation has forced some resorts, including Atlantis, to reduce staffing levels and place some workers back on furlough status due to COVID’s impact on the travel and by extension, the tourism industry. The mega resort has blamed “lack of adequate airlift” and surge in COVID-19 infections in key US source markets as some of the leading factors that forced it decision to furlough some of the 2,500 staff who returned for the resort’s reopening in December. Asked whether his ministry was concerned about the resort’s decision to do
this, D’Aguilar said everyone must understand that with fewer tourists opting to travel due to the pandemic, business cannot go on as usual. He also said it’s not uncommon for some properties to furlough some of their staff when there are low occupancy levels. “You have to preface every discussion by saying that world tourism is down 70 percent,” he said. “Then you have to layer on top of that what is happening in the United States which is our core market. Ninety percent of our foreign visitors come from the United States and as you can see on the television each and every day, the amount of cases, the amount of (people) in hospital, the amount of people that have sadly died. So, Americans are not travelling obviously, internationally as much as they used to. “If they are travelling, it’s to visit family, it’s a domestic travel and so we expect after Christmas after the new year for there to be a sharp fall off and then in February, March and April for there to be a slow ramp up. So, we did expect that to happen and you know
the hotel business, the staffing levels are based on business so when business goes down, they reduce staffing levels, put people on one day a week and two days a week and then when business comes up, they increase the staff. “So that has happened in this industry for many years and it’s no different.” Speaking to The Tribune on Monday, Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union president Darrin Woods claimed Atlantis management did not follow provisions set out in an industrial agreement regarding how employees are to be furloughed. He added that while the union understands the current economic climate, there is a process that should be followed and respected. Atlantis employees returned to work on December 10, after the mega resort closed in March due to COVID-19 restrictions that affected travel and movement as well as a surge in cases in the United States and other key markets. It is not clear how many employees are now temporarily furloughed.
for all associates and vendors, resulting in over 15,000 rapid antigen tests conducted to date. This approach showcases Baha Mar’s significant commitment to providing a safe environment for
everyone involved and the community. “We are proud of the experiences we were able to provide since reopening during these most extraordinary times. From spectacular dining to a
wide range of recreational activities and amenities, we are establishing the new normal at the resort and continue to provide outstanding service and memorable moments for all of our guests.”
PAGE 6, Wednesday, January 6, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
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Time to refill the NIB pot THERE is a saying in the US that social security is the third rail of politics – the third rail being the one that carries the electric charge and if you touch it, you’ll get zapped. Similarly, here in The Bahamas, one of the long-untouched topics that hasn’t properly been dealt with is the state of the National Insurance Board pot – that’s our social security net. Credit then to Brensil Rolle, the National Insurance Minister, who broached the topic of increasing contributions to make NIB more viable. Let’s be honest – it’s been a rough couple of years between Hurricane Dorian and the pandemic we’re still fighting, and that NIB pot has been stretched as it never has been before. In this column, we were warning that the NIB pot would have to be refilled, even as then Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest was talking last April and then August about there being no plans to increase Value Added Tax “or any other taxes” or existing levies amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Rolle was non-committal about whether an increase in NIB contributions would come – but simply putting the idea out there is a step that shows how necessary such a move might be. On an increase, he said: “The recommendation has been made from 2015, I believe it’s been out there. To be quite frank with you, neither the PLP nor the FNM has been bold enough to take that back to the public and so, during this pandemic, I again say Bahamians now realise the importance and value of NIB.” Tough times call for bold measures – and times have never been tougher. Whatever the solution is, it is clear that our NIB funds need to be shored up. Some of that may well come from people returning to work and the pot is beginning to swell with contributions
once more. And certainly, it will need that broad base to make a difference, so we need people to get back to work and the economy starting to tick once more. Mr Turnquest was right in saying in August that “Nothing from nothing is still nothing” when talking about the futility of increasing taxes when there’s nothing to tax in the first place. But as we start to slowly move back towards our workforce returning and tourists bringing back their money, it is time to assess what we do with NIB, how we fund it – and whether we can fund it better than we have before. It has proven invaluable during this pandemic to so many people – probably it has been of more use to the Bahamian people than at any point since it opened its doors in 1974, not far off 50 years ago. What we need to do now is to prepare for the next 50 years – and whatever might come our way in future.
French folly
Oh la la! What a to-do! We report today on one of those events that you wouldn’t believe if it was in a fiction story. The French have had The Bahamas on a blacklist – and why? The Bahamas protested, asking why the French didn’t contact The Bahamas before blacklisting them. The French said that they did. It turns out they used an email address that no one here in The Bahamas was checking. When they received no response, onto the blacklist we went. Seriously? The economic wellbeing of the country was put at risk because someone didn’t check their email? And that is the story of how we went from “You’ve got mail!” to a very costly faux pas.
2021 hope EDITOR, The Tribune.
FOR everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson. The 21st year in the 21st century will be even more interesting than 2020, the year of perfect vision. This year was a challenging year for The Bahamas with 7871 cases of COVID-19 and 170 deaths, The Bahamas has been transformed by the COVID-19 crisis. The tourism industry earns over 50 percent of the country’s total foreign exchange earnings and provides about one-fourth of all jobs in the Bahamas. Tourism is down more than 50% therefore the Bahamas economic activities have decreased by at least 10%. It appears that a new economic order is materialising with over US $18 trillion debt at negative interest and central banks at negative interest rates and near zero interest rates. The Bahamas interest rate is 4.0%, according to the Central Bank of the Bahamas. Interest rate and money creation are the tools used to manage the economy. Since global debt is at US$ 277 trillion (over 322% of global GDP), money creation will have little effect. Gross domestic product = Money supply x money velocity. Increasing money velocity has been futile because of the fear of job loss, and tough economic times triggered by COVID-19. The most
effective vehicle to increase money velocity is employment creation and small businesses. Big businesses are usually subsidiaries of a foreign company. Most of the foreign exchange earned eventually leaves the country. Small businesses are locally owned and therefore the much-needed foreign exchange will stay at home. According to the Bank of international settlement, as a digital liability of the Central Bank, wholesale CBDCs could become a new instrument for settlement between financial institutions, while retail (or general purpose) CBDCs would be a central bank liability accessible to all. There is also work on policy design frameworks (Davoodalhosseini and Rivadeneyra (2020), Agur et al (2019), Allen et al (2020)), their implications for cross-country payments (Milkau (2019)), implications for the international role of currencies (Ferrari et al (2020) and legal aspects of their issuance (Hess (2020), Duque (2020), Nabilou (2020), Belke and Beretta (2019)). The US dollar standard started in August 1971 when US President Nixon took the US dollar off the Gold standard; it will be fifty years old. The IMF and the World Economic Forum has called for a new Bretton Woods or a reset. This will happen within the next 10 years because the present system is no longer sustainable. Interest rates near zero because of huge
debt. There is no way for interest rates to normalize to around 10 per cent without crashing the economic system. The United States with the World reserve currency and viewed by many as the world’s strongest economy tried to raise interest rates to 2.5% in December 2018 and the stock market crashed. They had to take interest rates to near zero- 0.25 %. It is my view that the end game of the COVID-19 crisis is the central bank digital currency which will likely be backed by contracts. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) mandates that banks open digital wallet in January 2021 for all its customers to receive stimulus money, in the US. “Close scrutiny will show that most ‘crisis situations’ are opportunities to either advance, or stay where you are.” Maxwell Maltz. Things will never get back to the old normal. We call the present situation due to COVID-19 the new normal. I am optimistic because I surmise that human beings will inevitably move to freedom and prosperity, no matter how long it takes. The end of Feudalism, slavery and tyrannical government supports that hypothesis. History illustrates the inexorability of human property. Happy new year- 2021 BRIAN ELLIS PLUMMER Nassau, December 31, 2020.
Police in need of training EDITOR, The Tribune. BASED on their often observable actions, I always thought that many members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force lacked basic training in how to properly interact with members of the public. What I did not know was that some senior members of the force are downright stupid until I observed it with my very own eyes. Firstly let me put in this disclaimer. I have never been arrested nor have I ever been charged with any criminal offence. I have never had any personal negative police experience. So back to the matter at hand. I am a signed up member of Bahamian Evolution, an all-inclusive movement whose aim is to cause the government to recognise the value of this country’s natural resources, and to cause those resources to be professionally managed, sustainably exploited and marketed worldwide preferably via a Ministry of Natural Resources. Then our aim is to ensure that every single Bahamian benefits personally and directly from the natural resources of this country through a properly functioning sovereign wealth fund. Starting in September of this year, 2020 www. bahamianevolution.com led by Lincoln Bain and a few young Bahamians have been educating the Bahamian people about the natural resources of our country through documentaries on its website, on Clinton Watson’s Beyond the Headlines television show, by way of news conferences in Rawson Square, by word of mouth and by other means. The first thing that gave me cause for concern was the very first news conference we had at Rawson Square. When I got to the
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net square immediately I was taken aback by the presence of at least ten police officers, many of them of the senior ranks. I have attended a number of press conferences prior to this and never once saw a single police officer. Why? Because it is not necessary. In my opinion it is an abuse of the limited law enforcement resources of this country. So not only was this sizeable contingent of police offers present at this news conference, but it did not take me long to detect that their demeanor and body language clearly indicated that we were the enemy. Now this is really nonsensical because when we achieve our goals, police officers will benefit handsomely along with all Bahamians. This very same scenario repeated itself at all of our Rawson Square press conferences sometimes with a 30-seater police bus present. So against that backdrop, two weeks ago on December 16, 2020 Bahamian Evolution had the audacity to stage a march from Arawak Cay to Rawson Square. When I arrived on site I observed that Lincoln Bain was engaged in an intense, but polite conversation with several senior police officers. They were telling him that their mandate from the Commissioner of Police was to prevent the march because the Commissioner had not given his permission. Now in a democracy where persons have the right to freedom of assembly and freedom of movement, there is absolutely no need to obtain permission from anyone to exercise those rights. Moreover Mr Bain indicated that he had followed all of the normal
but unnecessary protocols to have the march. But I digress. Finally Mr Bain told the police officers that all we wanted to do was to walk peacefully on the sidewalk, not obstructing traffic, from Arawak Cay to Rawson Square, and this is when the unbelievable stupidity happened. A senior police officer looked Lincoln Bain in the eye and told him that if we attempt to walk on the sidewalk as requested, we would be arrested. And to put meaning behind those words the ubiquitous 30-seater police bus along with a good number of squad cars were present. Which planet do those police officers live on? Which country do they think this is? Cuba or China? They must have temporarily taken leave of their senses! And to add insult to injury, at the very same moment that the officer was speaking, other Bahamians and visitors to our country were walking peacefully on the same sidewalk between Arawak Cay and Rawson Square. So somehow it was legal for them to do it, but it was illegal for us to do it. In the end the march was officially called off, nonetheless we did walk peacefully downtown to Rawson Square and we did hold our press conference. However the actions of certain members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force left a very bad taste in our mouths. The situation leaves much to be desired. There is an urgent need for the Commissioner and his officers to be educated on the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas with specific emphasis on the freedoms that are guaranteed and enjoyed by every citizen of this Commonwealth. WELLY FORBES Nassau, December 29, 2020.
THE TRIBUNE
Can we bite NIB bullet? from page one “Individuals have, in my opinion, now recognise(d) the true value of NIB and its contributions and the value of the contributions to the community. The government itself, in unemployment assistance alone, is spending nearly $100m to individuals primarily who have not contributed to NIB or who have contributed partially to NIB. “So, members of the public know how important that is and I challenge the media and I offer that challenge again to the media to put it out there, to let me see what the response of the public is going to be because your platform is much, much larger than mine.” Pressed further on whether there had been a recommendation to increase contributions, Mr Rolle said: “That recommendation has been made from 2015, I believe it’s been out there. “To be quite frank with you, neither the PLP nor the FNM has been bold enough to take that back to the public and so, during this pandemic, I again say Bahamians now realise the importance and value of NIB and they may be eager to contribute, but I urge you to use your great
platform so that we can get their response.” Mr Rolle said all of NIB’s directors have pushed the government to make the move, but the government has not made the determination. However, eventually, he said the decision will have to be made. “We have to also take into consideration that during Dorian and this pandemic the resources and the funding to the board has been diminished and we have got to make a decision to make sure the board continues to be able to serve and that may mean that consideration will be given to the recommendation that has been advanced to us many, many times by actuaries and others who say listen this is what must take place.” The minister also addressed concerns about delayed assistance payments. “The government assistance programme offered by the government and executed by NIB, there was a delay in that process and that delay has been addressed. “Cheques are now available to everyone who qualifies and they could collect the cheques consistent with where it was and the other programme, direct deposits have taken place.”
DECISION SOON ON NEW NIB DIRECTOR By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net A DECISION will be made “shortly” on who will succeed National Insurance Board Director Nicola Virgill-Rolle when she vacates the post, according to NIB Minister Brensil Rolle. Mrs Virgill-Rolle’s resignation was confirmed in late November. “The search is continuing,” the minister said yesterday when asked for an update on a new NIB director. “Dr Rolle has made a commitment to be with us until the end of February. “The Prime Minister has looked at some candidates and we continue to search and a decision will be made shortly.” He added: “The existing director’s contract expires and (she) will leave in February and there will be a person to replace her in place.” A month ago, Mr Rolle admitted he did not take Mrs Virgill-Rolle seriously when she first revealed she was considering resigning after more than two years as NIB’s director.
Once her decision was made official in writing, Mr Rolle said the board sought to dissuade Mrs VirgillRolle, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Mrs Virgill-Rolle’s resignation was announced in unusual fashion, with her new employer making public her new post before an official government statement was released. She will leave NIB to become the next executive director of Lyford Cay Foundations, a release from the foundations said. The release made no mention of her tenure with NIB. Mrs Virgill-Rolle was appointed director of NIB on July 1, 2018. She declined comment when contacted yesterday. “She indicated that she found a more stable offer,” Mr Rolle told The Tribune at the time. “She made a commitment to go and I wished her well in her new venture. “I’m happy for her. I’m happy she’s found something that she claims is more long-lasting. She did a good job at NIB and I just wish her well at her new job.”
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Wednesday, January 6, 2021, PAGE 7 NATIONAL Insurance Minister Brensil Rolle
PAGE 8, Wednesday, January 6, 2021
THERE is a story about a family with generations of people baking turkeys in the same way. They always cut the legs off before putting it in the pan to bake. When being taught to a cook turkeys, the youngest generation asked why it is done that way. The parents said they did it that way because their parents did it that way. Unwilling to leave it at that, the youngest generation asked the grandparents why the legs are always cut off. The grandparents said they only did it that way because the pan wasn’t big enough for the whole turkey to fit. This story illustrates two important points — gaining knowledge without understanding is not true learning and does not make for a solid education. Nor does it make sense to do things in
THE TRIBUNE
The system doesn’t work and we shouldn’t just measure our children against it
By Alicia Wallace a particular way because it is the way it has always been done. These points are directly related to two issues in The Bahamas that need to be addressed in order for us to progress as a nation. The Bahamas General Certificate for Secondary Education (BGSCE) examination results are never satisfactory. We are unimpressed by the performance of high school students every year. They spend grades seven through nine preparing for the Bahamas Junior
Certificate (BJC) examinations, and grades 10 through 12 preparing for another set of exams that supposedly determine the course of the rest of their lives. When we talk about the BGCSE results, our focus and disdain is disproportionately on the students when we need to be critical of the practice of testing in this manner and the system within which students are being educated and teachers forced to function. Rote learning, which is
memorisation, is not help- G. We are not doing stuful beyond an assignment or dents any favours by testing test that requires regurgita- them in this way, insisting tion, but it is what we depend BGCSEs are a reasonable on in order to get through way to not only assess their large amounts of material high school performance, in classes with but make students at decisions varying levels It was unreasonable about their and with to push students to futures in the very differ- take the BGCSEs long term. ent learning The needs. There and absurd to BGCSEs is no time expect high grades. are flawed in – and little Yes, some students many ways. motivation – We can talk to ensure do well anyway, but about inconstudents are they are obviously sistencies able to apply in the minority. in the curwhat they are riculum and learning. The the way it is goal is to get them to the taught in different schools, BGCSEs and passing them lack of responsiveness to difwith grades of C or better. ferent learning styles, failure Still, the exam results are far to identify conditions that from satisfactory. affect learning and unequal According to the Min- access to the exams among istry of Education, only other issues. For 2020 in parsix percent of students ticular, we cannot ignore the who took the BGCSEs chaos of the academic year. in 2020 received grades It was unreasonable to push of C or better—the basic students to take the BGCSEs requirement for jobs and and absurd to expect high scholarships. Only 8.22 grades. FRI Yes, DAYsome students percent of grades were do well anyway, but they are As, 11.27 percent were Bs, obviously in the minority. i’m lovin’ it! and 26.76 percent were Cs. The are a HIGH BGCSEs 79ºF More than half of the grades source LOW of stress 65ºF and bring awarded were D through very little reward. The SUN AND SHOWER
results are consistently disheartening. They make it easy for Bahamians to consider ourselves not only uneducated, but undeserving of anything better than we get. It is commonplace to insult each other and ourselves by referencing the D-average. We have readily accepted underperformance as our identity and the reason we are not progressing at the rate we believe possible. We fail to challenge that D-average— its accuracy and its source. There is no reporting on the number of students who were not allowed to take extended papers, automatically setting an upper grade limit of C. We do not think about the fact that an A-average would not mean much if students are being taught with the goal of passing a set of exams. The proof is in the application. So what if they can write the instructions for baking a turkey, but what use is that if they don’t know they don’t need to cut off the legs if the pan is big enough? Context matters. Reason matters. Being able to ask questions and think critically matter.
The Tribune Weekend A1MAIN
16 inJUST WHY CAN’T 20WE reviewGETRREAL? egal style Volume: 113 No.28
EVERY now and then, complaints about dress codes at government offices arise – and with good reason. The “rules” are both nonsensical and unevenly applied. Some government offices are more stringent (and ridiculous) than others. Ministry of Education on University Drive and the Department of Immigration on Hawkins Hill are well-known for refusing to allow people to enter because of their attire. For some reason, arms are very offensive to whomever is making and enforcing these “rules”. In The Bahamas, we often say, “It ain’ playin’ hot.” The heat here is no joke. It is not shocking that people opt to wear sleeveless shirts and dresses. It is completely reasonable to wear shorts on a warm day. For some, shorts are a part of their uniforms. It is also normal to wear sandals. Not only that, but some people wear sandals because they meet specific needs related to injuries or medical care. It is foolish and an unacceptable exercise of power to turn people away from government offices because of their attire when they would not get a second look anywhere else. In 2016, when voter registration was remarkably low, women were turned away from registration stations because their arms, shoulders, or cleavage were visible. This discriminatory practices was not consistent across locations, but was enough to frustrate people who had the right to (register to) vote. The #TooSexyToVote campaign challenged this and those working at registration stations were directed to allow women to register, whether
L ATEST NE WS ON TRIBUNE2 42.COM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016
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‘Cover breasts to register for vote’
Inside Weeken
Commissioner defend staff as women are tursned away for ‘improper’ atti re
By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@ tribunemedia.net
to be identified, told The Tribune she was told registration officials at by the AMID reports that some Elizabeth Estates Post Ofwomen have been turned fice that she would not be allowed to register to away from registration vote sites on separate occasions bebecause of “improper” at- cause of what she tire, Parliamentary Com- ing at the time. was wearmissioner Sherlyn Hall yesOn her second attemp terday defended the right t his staff not to process of she went into the post office peo- wearing an ankle length ple because of their cloth- maxi dress, but ing, telling The Tribun was e permitted to begin still not women registering to the provote cess. with “half their breast s out” Returning for a third is not permitted. try, With voter registration the expectant mother wore a jacket and was still performing sluggishly told this that she was year, concerns have too bare, so been she had to put raised that citizens on a scarf in have been repeatedly turned order to be registered. The Parliamentary Elecaway and reportedly pre- tions Act makes vented from registering no mention for of dress code. reasons ranging from regMr Hall yesterday sugistrar workers taking lunch gested that breaks to what officia people may ls have been turned away deem to be inappropriat e pointed to the public and clothing. service having a “dress code” Yesterday, a pregna nt woman who did not want SEE PAGE FIVE GINGER MOXEY, in yellow, to become the Progressive centre, with supporters registering to vote in Grand Liberal Party candidate for Bahama on Wednesday as Central Grand Bahama. See full story on page thre
THE FRONT page story in 2016 in The Tribune as women were turned away from registering to vote for ‘improper’ attire. or not their arms, shoul- wife. Compare and contrast ders, or cleavage could be the severity of the situations seen. and the responses to them. Still, the discrimination People are not allowed to continues at government access government services remember because their arms and toes GAoffices. LANIS TELI LS MAturned RCHERSsome: away PRIORITYare SCH visible, a vindicOOL SUand PPLY TEA GOone CHERS H ES TObeing MA ITY RULE CELEBR from theJOR Department ofATION tiveBEE person N PAID gets SAL ARprobation Y FO R MON Immigration for wearing for sharing explicit photos a sleeveless shirt, but was of another person without allowed to enter when she their permission. put a towel around her We need to be able to shoulders. What is the goal respond to our reality. We here? Is the government celebrate independence trying to force modesty every July, but continue the TO MEETimposed on women? (Yes,GOVT theFAILS practices us TRANSPupon ARENCY dress codes also impact through colonization. From men; women are dispro- national examinations toTH portionately affected). Is modes of address, we con-HA YEA this an ill-conceived form tinue to force the use of REA of occupancy control? systems and practices thatAD -O Is this just another duty were not designed for us EDIT to give security guards? and do not respond to our T How are arms and toes so realities. We have a difdangerous that they need ferent pan and the whole to be covered in order turkey will fit. Why are we for citizens and residents still cutting off the legs? to access the services to In 2021, commit to which we are entitled and moving beyond the checkfor which we pay? ing of boxes and mindlessly While the government, following procedures. through some of its offices, Let’s reconsider the rules insists arms and shoulders and reassess what we have be covered, there is little accepted as normal, right, consequence for people and good. Let’s consider the who violate the privacy of current context, think about others. Last week, a man what we want, and let that was given one-year pro- guide our work to dismanbation for posting nude tle the archaic and build the photos of his estranged future.
By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Repor ter aturnquest@ tribunemedia. net FORM ER Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) MP Philip Galanis yester warned organisers of day March Bahamas not to We “kid themselves” in attemp ting to align or equate their campaign narrative to country’s achievement the of Majority Rule. Taking a stance on the
drama unfolding around the historic holiday, Mr Galan is added that it was senseless to “cloud or confus the significance of Major e” ity Rule Day with the group’ protest on national issues. s He declared that January 10, 1967, was second only to emancipation from slavery in 1834 and the tainment of Independenatce in 1973, all of which were sacrosanct. “I think primacy or pref-
erence ought to be given to organisers of Major Rule Day, because it is ity like a day unlike any other in Bahamian history,” day Galanis told The Tribun Mr e. “And also the We March people, while I fully respec t their rights to protest, congregate and march as much as they wish, they can do that any other place or day other than what is being planne d.” SEE PAGE 16
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@ tribunemedia.net
THE Christie admin tration failed to uphold isits pledge for transparency several times in 2016, from failing to account for money given to the YES Baham constitutional referen as dum campaign to not tabling dits for several govern aument institutions. Following the June referendum on gender equality, Prime Minister Perry
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@ tribunemedia.net
SOME 200 “suppl teachers across the country” have gone months withouy t receiving their salarie s, hamas Union of TeachBaers (BUT) officials said yesterday. The supply teachers are retirees who have mostly been re-engaged by the government because of short-
Christie suggested that administration would his port how much money regave to the YES Baham it as campaign. The payme nts were critici sed as unfair some, since taxpa by yers’ monie s were used to fund only one side of the debate.
“We just finished and we have to make that (finan cial) assessment movin g forward,” Mr Christie said earlier this year about penditure, adding that exafter
ages across the countr y, The Tribune was told. According to one BUT official, about 160 such teachers were hired at beginning of the most the recent school term follow ing an unusual numbe r of teacher resignations. Neither Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald nor Education Director Lionel Sands could be reache d comment up to press for time yesterday.
the mid-year budget debate had ended his admin istration would have “furth time to reflect” on the er matter. However, as 2016 draws to a close, the Christie ministration has yet to adgive an account of its referen dum expenditure. Peter Turnquest, Free National Movement (FNM deputy leader, said yester-) day that his party plans to press the issue. SEE PAGE SIX
H Tur den the wou ply t teach the have Ms not ju have Unio
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, January 6, 2021, PAGE 9
SIX SPACE MISSIONS
TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2021
By IAN WHITTAKER Senior Lecturer in Physics, Nottingham Trent University & GARETH DORRIAN, Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Space Science, University of Birmingham
be propelled onto a different path towards the Moon by the rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage. The Orion capsule will then travel to the Moon under the power provided by a service module sup(THE CONVER- plied by the European SATION) – Space Space Agency (Esa). exploration achieved The mission will provide several notable firsts in engineers back on Earth 2020 despite the COVID- with a chance to evaluate 19 pandemic, including how the spacecraft percommercial human space- forms in deep space and flight and returning samples serve as a prelude to later of an asteroid to Earth. crewed lunar missions. The The coming year is launch of Artemis 1 is curshaping up to be just as rently scheduled for late in interesting. Here are some 2021. of the missions to keep an eye out for. • MARS MISSIONS In February, Mars will • ARTEMIS 1 receive a flotilla of terresArtemis 1 is the first trial robotic guests from flight of the Nasa-led, several countries. The international Artemis United Arab Emirates’ Al programme to return Amal (Hope) spacecraft astronauts to the Moon by is the Arab world’s first 2024. This will consist of interplanetary mission. It is an uncrewed Orion space- scheduled to arrive in Mars craft which will be sent on orbit on February 9, where a three-week flight around it will spend two years the Moon. It will reach a monitoring the Martian maximum distance from weather and disappearing Earth of 450,000km – the atmosphere. farthest into space that any Arriving within a couple spacecraft that can trans- of weeks after Al Amal port humans will have ever will be the China National flown. Space AdministraArtemis 1 will be tion’s Tianwen-1, consisting launched into Earth orbit of an orbiter and a suron the first Nasa Space face rover. The spacecraft Launch System, which will enter Martian orbit will be the most powerful for several months before rocket in operation. From deploying the rover to Earth orbit, the Orion will the surface. If it succeeds,
China will become the third country to land anything on Mars. The mission has several objectives including mapping the mineral composition of the surface and searching for sub-surface water deposits. Nasa’s Perseverance rover will land at Jezero Crater on February 18 and search for any signs of ancient life which may have been preserved in the clay deposits there. Critically, it will also store a cache of Martian surface samples on board as the first part in a highly ambitious international programme to return samples of Mars to Earth. • CHANDRAYAAN-3 In March 2021, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch its third lunar mission: Chandrayaan-3. Chandrayaan-1 launched in 2008 and was one of the first major missions in the Indian space programme. Comprising an orbiter and a surface penetrator probe, the mission was one of the first to confirm evidence of lunar water. Unfortunately, contact with the satellite was lost less than a year later. Sadly, there was a similar mishap with its successor, Chandrayaan-2, which consisted of an orbiter, a lander
(Vikram) and a lunar rover (Pragyan). Chandrayaan-3 was announced a few months later. It will consist of only a lander and rover, as the previous mission’s orbiter is still functioning and providing data. If all goes well the Chandrayaan-3 rover will touch down in the lunar south pole’s Aitken basin. It’s of particular interest as it is thought to host numerous deposits of subsurface water ice – a vital component for any future sustainable lunar habitation. • JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE The James Webb Space Telescope is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, but has had a rocky path to being launched. Initially planned for a 2007 launch, the Webb telescope is almost 14 years late and has cost roughly US$10 billion (£7.4 billion) after apparent underestimates and overruns similar to those experienced by Hubble. Whereas Hubble has provided some amazing views of the universe in visible and ultraviolet region of light, Webb is planning to focus observations in the infrared wavelength band. The reason for this is that when observing really distant objects there will probably be gas
clouds in the way. These gas clouds block really small wavelengths of light, such as X-rays and ultra violet light, while longer wavelengths like infra-red, microwave and radio can get through more easily. So by observing in these longer wavelengths we should see more of the universe. Webb also has a much bigger mirror of 6.5-metre diameter compared to Hubble’s 2.4-metre diameter mirror – essential for improving image resolution and seeing finer detail. The primary mission of Webb is look at light from galaxies at the edge of the universe which can tell us about how the first stars, galaxies and planetary systems formed. Potentially this could include some information about the origin of life as well, as Webb is planning on imaging exoplanet atmospheres in high detail, searching for the building blocks of life. Do they exist on other planets, and if so, how did they get there? We are also likely to be treated to some stunning images similar to those produced by Hubble. Webb is currently scheduled to launch on an Ariane 5 rocket on October 31. • Originally published on theconversation.com
SLACK KICKS OFF 2021 WITH A GLOBAL OUTAGE By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer
SLACK, the messaging service used by millions of people for work and school, suffered a global outage on Monday, the first day back for most people returning from the New Year’s holiday. It’s the latest tech glitch to show how disruptive technical difficulties can be when millions of people are depending on just a few services to work and go to school from home during the pandemic. The company stopped releasing its daily user count after topping 12 million last year. “Our team is currently investigating and we’re sorry for any troubles this may be causing,” Slack said in a prepared statement. The outage began around 10 a.m. Eastern time and disrupted service in the U.S., Germany, India, the U.K., Japan and elsewhere. At 12:30 p.m., service was still sporadic and Slack said the outage was ongoing, but that some users may begin to see improvement.
SLACK suffered a global outage Monday, during the first day back to work for most people after the New Year’s holiday. Users reported service was down in the U.S., Asia, Latin America Europe, and India. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File) Slack said that people should check https://status.slack.com for updates. Most issues were resolved by 3 p.m. on Monday afternoon. Internet service outages are not uncommon, are usually resolved
relatively swiftly and are only rarely the result of hacking or other intentional mischief. Google went down briefly in December, with people in several countries briefly unable to access their Gmail
accounts, watch YouTube videos or get to their online documents during an outage Monday. In August, Zoom went down briefly just as many students were beginning the school year at home. And in September, Microsoft services had an outage that lasted for five hours. More complaints rolled in as the sun hit the West coast and there were still outages four hours after it began in New York City. The outage comes about a month after Salesforce.com said it would acquire Slack for $27.7 billion. The companies hope to be better able to compete against Microsoft, which is a threat to both of them. Slack is being acquired by Salesforce.com for $27.7 billion. The deal is aimed at giving the two companies a better shot at competing against longtime industry powerhouse Microsoft. Microsoft Teams is a direct competitor to Slack and it is a software giant that competes with Salesforce.
TECHTALK ROBOTS WITH RHYTHM: BOSTON DYNAMICS’ DANCING ANDROIDS A HIT WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) — These robots have rhythm. Boston Dynamics released a video last week showing four of its robots dancing to the 1962 hit “Do You Love Me?” by The Contours, and it caught fire online. Two of the company’s humanoid Atlas models do the twist, the mashed potato and other classic moves, joined by Spot, a doglike robot, and Handle, a wheeled robot designed for warehouse work.
Videos Boston Dynamics is infamous for its scary robot videos, but this one is clearly a playful attempt to close the books on 2020. “Our whole crew got together to celebrate the start of what we hope will be a happier year,” the Waltham, Massachusetts, company says in the caption. Thousands applauded the robots’ moves and the technology powering them. Others appeared to be a little freaked out by their dexterity. “Slightly creepy, I have to admit,” tweeted Carl Bildt, a Swedish diplomat who co-chairs the European Council on Foreign Relations. “Do you love me? Not when you come to annihilate us,” tweeted Jan Nicolas, a photographer.
STATE PROVIDES $4M FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING LOCATIONS BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts has provided an additional $4 million to support more electric vehicle charging stations across the state. The money comes from the state’s portion of the 2017 Volkswagen diesel emissions court settlement.
Fund Of the $4 million, $1.5 million will fund fast-charging stations, $1.5 million will be spent on publicaccess charging stations, and $1 million will go to workplace and fleets charging station infrastructure, according to state officials. Gov. Charlie Baker said in addition to cutting greenhouse gases, the electric vehicle charging programmes will also provide economic development opportunities and support the growth of innovative clean energy jobs.
PAGE 10, Wednesday, January 6, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
Acquitted after false report By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A MAGISTRATE yesterday acquitted a man who was accused of assaulting a woman last month after it was revealed she gave false information to police. David Hanna, 45, appeared before Senior
Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis after he was accused of assaulting the woman on December 14. The court was told that the complainant had told police that she was the caretaker for a boatyard at Arawak Cay. At the time, she said she left the premises to get pet food from the Humane Society.
She claimed that when she returned, she saw Hanna by the boatyard despite the fact that he was not supposed to be there. The prosecution said the woman claimed Hanna “automatically exploded” and grabbed a piece of wood with nails in it and swung it at her. She said the accused also threw rocks
and bottles in her direction. Hanna was arrested a short time later; however, when he was questioned by police, he denied the allegations. Hanna told the magistrate that he was actually the caretaker of the boatyard. He claimed the complainant was a “drug addict and prostitute”
who he had paid to “have some fun”, and said that day, the woman “took his money to buy drugs and rum and never came back”. Hanna said when he tried to confront the complainant two days later, she ran away and filed a report with the police. After listening to his
explanation, the magistrate allowed the prosecution to contact officers at the Arawak Cay Police Station, who said they were familiar with Hanna and confirmed he was the caretaker of the boatyard. As a result, Magistrate Rolle Davis acquitted Hanna of the charge and dismissed the case.
$8,000 THE PRICE OF MARIJUANA BROWNIES By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A COOK, caught with marijuana brownies that the prosecution said he intended to sell, was fined $8,000 yesterday. Witfield Braynen, Jr, was arrested after officers found the brownies and two separate packages of Indian hemp in his home on January 1. The drugs had a combined value of $6,800. He pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous drug possession with the intent to supply during a hearing before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis. The court was told that that night officers went to Braynen Jr’s Coral Harbour home with a search warrant. Upon their arrival, they informed the accused of their search and began their investigation. Braynen Jr then escorted the officers to a bedroom he occupied and showed them a red shoe box in his closet that contained a wrapping with a quantity of suspected marijuana. The accused then led the officers to his kitchen
where he pointed out a pan of marijuana brownies he made and told them he was a cook who prepared the baked goods for his consumption. During their search, officers also made checks of a hole in Braynen Jr’s residence, and found a bag with two pounds of Indian hemp in it. They also recovered a plastic bag with five Xanax pills from the accused’s car. He was subsequently arrested and taken to the Drug Enforcement Unit where he admitted to the offences in an interview with police. During the hearing, Braynen Jr was represented by lawyer Bjorn Ferguson. He told the magistrate his client pleaded guilty at his earliest opportunity and noted that he assisted the police with their investigation. He also said the accused had baked the brownies to celebrate with his friends, but now acknowledged his wrongdoing. After listening to Mr Ferguson’s plea in mitigation, Magistrate Rolle Davis fined Braynen Jr $8,000 or one year behind bars.
PROBATION ORDER FOR CUTLASS ATTACK By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A 29-YEAR-OLD man who swung a cutlass at another man during an argument was put on probation yesterday for one year. Police arrested Aldrico Miller after he assaulted his former prison mate with the gardening tool on January 1. He owned up to the offence during a hearing before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis. The prosecution said that morning, Shannon Key was standing in his yard washing his sister’s car when he noticed Miller singing lyrics from a reggae song while walking past his residence. The court was told that Mr Key was familiar with the accused as they had both spent time in prison. The court was told that that day Miller approached Mr Key and asked for a favour. When Mr Key refused, Miller left the yard only to return with a cutlass which he swung at the complainant. The court was told that Miller then picked up a few rocks and threw them at Mr
Key. His actions caused Mr Key to receive scrape marks on his chest and left arm. After Mr Key filed an official complaint, Miller was arrested. In an interview with police at a nearby station, Miller said he knew Mr Key from prison and claimed he happened to be through the corner where he lived because he was visiting people who also lived in that area. Miller said while he did walk past Mr Key’s house singing the reggae song, it was Mr Key who confronted him. Miller told the magistrate that the cutlass he swung at Mr Key was in the complainant’s yard and he only picked it up to defend himself. He claimed Mr Key confronted him when he walked past so he grabbed the gardening tool and told him to “come from around” him. After listening to his explanation, Magistrate Rolle Davis placed Miller on probation for one year. He told him if he appeared before the courts within that timeframe for any other offence, he would be sentenced to six months in prison.
MORE THAN 70 HAITIAN MIGRANTS REPATRIATED MORE than 70 Haitian migrants were repatriated on Monday. According to The Department of Immigration, the group consisted of 57 men, three boys, 13 women and one girl, who were flown to Port-au-Prince on board a Bahamasair flight. “The group consisted of 21 convicted adult migrants lawfully detained and processed in Long Island and
an additional 53 migrants who were lawfully detained and processed for illegal landing in South Andros over the holiday season,” the Department of Immigration said. The repatriation exercise was led by Senior Immigration Officer Vonetta Darling Flowers and a team of eight officers from the Department’s Enforcement Unit.
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THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, January 6, 2021, PAGE 11
JON OSSOFF, left, and Raphael Warnock exchange elbow bumps during a campaign rally in Augusta, Georgia, on Monday. Both were in runs too tight to call at the time of going to press last night. Photo: Michael Holahan/The Augusta Chronicle via AP
Georgia awaits results as Senate hangs in balance ATLANTA Associated Press
GEORGIA officials counted the final votes of the nation’s turbulent 2020 election season early Wednesday as polls closed in two critical races that will determine control of the US Senate and, in turn, the fate of President-elect Joe Biden’s legislative agenda. The two Senate runoff elections are leftovers from the November general election, when none of the candidates hit the 50 percent threshold. Democrats need to win both races to seize the Senate majority — and, with it, control of the new Congress when Biden takes office in two weeks. President Donald Trump encouraged his loyalists to turn out in force even as he undermined the integrity of the electoral system by pressing unfounded claims of voter fraud to explain away his own defeat in Georgia. As of Wednesday morning, it was too early to call the close races. In one contest, Republican Kelly Loeffler, a 50-year-old former businesswoman who was
appointed to the Senate less than a year ago by the state’s governor, faced Democrat Raphael Warnock, 51, who serves as the senior pastor of the Atlanta church where Martin Luther King Jr. grew up and preached. The other election pitted 71-year-old former business executive David Perdue, a Republican who held his Senate seat until his term expired on Sunday, against Democrat Jon Ossoff, a former congressional aide and journalist. At just 33 years old, Ossoff would be the Senate’s youngest member. This week’s elections mark the formal finale to the heated 2020 election season more than two months after the rest of the nation finished voting. The heightened significance of the runoffs transformed Georgia, once a solidly Republican state, into one of the nation’s premier battlegrounds during the final days of Trump’s presidency. Biden and Trump campaigned for their candidates in person on the eve of the election, though some Republicans feared Trump may have confused voters
by continuing to make wild claims of voter fraud as he tries to undermine Biden’s victory. The president has assailed Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, repeatedly for rejecting his fraud contentions and raised the prospect that some ballots might not be counted even as votes were being cast Tuesday afternoon. State officials said there were no major problems with voting on Tuesday. Gabriel Sterling, a top official with the Georgia secretary of state’s office, said voting was smooth across the state with minimal wait times, though lines of around an hour built up in Republican-leaning Houston, Cherokee, Paulding and Forsyth counties. While they have no merit, Trump’s claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election have resonated with Republican voters in Georgia. About 7 in 10 agree with his false assertion that Biden was not the legitimately elected president, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 3,600 voters in the runoff elections.
Election officials across the country, including the Republican governors in Arizona and Georgia, as well as Trump’s former attorney general, William Barr, have confirmed that there was no widespread fraud in the November election. Nearly all the legal challenges from Trump and his allies have been dismissed by judges, including two tossed by the Supreme Court, where three Trumpnominated justices preside. Even with Trump’s claims, voters in both parties were drawn to the polls because of the high stakes. AP VoteCast found that 6 in 10 Georgia voters say Senate party control was the most important factor in their vote. In Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood, 37-year-old Kari Callaghan said she voted “all Democrat” on Tuesday, an experience that was new for her. “I’ve always been Republican, but I’ve been pretty disgusted by Trump and just the way the Republicans are working and especially the news this weekend about everything happening in Georgia,” she said. “I feel like for the
Republican candidates to still stand there with Trump and campaign with Trump feels pretty rotten. This isn’t the conservative values that I grew up with.” But 56-year-old Will James said he voted “straight GOP”. He said he was concerned by the Republican candidates’ recent support of Trump’s challenges of the presidential election results in Georgia, “but it didn’t really change the reasons I voted.” “I believe in balance of power, and I don’t want either party to have a referendum, basically,” he said. Even before Tuesday, Georgia had shattered its turnout record for a runoff with more than 3 million votes by mail or during inperson advance voting in December. The state’s previous record was 2.1 million in a 2008 Senate runoff. Democrats counted on driving a huge turnout of African Americans, young voters, college-educated Georgians and women, all groups that helped Biden win the state. Republicans, meanwhile, have been focused on energising their own base of white men and voters beyond the core of
metro Atlanta. If Republicans win either seat, Biden would be the first incoming president in more than a century to enter the Oval Office facing a divided Congress. In that case, he would have little shot for swift votes on his most ambitious plans to expand government-backed health care coverage, address racial inequality and combat climate change. A Republican-controlled Senate also would create a rougher path to confirmation for Biden’s Cabinet picks and judicial nominees. With many Republicans skeptical of the outcome even before the results were announced, Georgia Republican Party Chair David Shafer said the party was closely watching the vote counting. “Other than the good Lord above, we are trusting no one,” Shafer said during an election night event at an Atlanta hotel, noting that 8,000 Republican volunteers were observing voting and counting. “We will have eyes on every part of this process, and we are doing everything in our power to restore the confidence of the people in the integrity of our elections.”
BIDEN WON - BUT REPUBLICANS SET TO CHALLENGE RESULT WASHINGTON Associated Press
REPUBLICANS mounting an unprecedented challenge to Joe Biden’s election win are setting up a congressional showdown on Wednesday that threatens to divide their party and the country for years to come. With protestors already gathering in Washington to support President Donald Trump, the House and the Senate will convene a joint session to count the electoral votes cast in November’s election. Trump has repeatedly said there was widespread fraud, but his claims have been roundly rejected by Republican and Democratic election officials in state after state and by judges, including at the Supreme Court, further cementing Biden’s victory. Trump sees the joint session of Congress as one of his final attempts to overturn the results, even though there is no credible path for that to happen. Echoing Trump’s baseless claims, some of his Republican allies in Congress plan to formally object to
PRESIDENT Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally for Sen Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue on Monday. Photo: Evan Vucci/AP the results, focusing on six battleground states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. But a growing number of their GOP colleagues, especially in the Senate, said they would not sign on. If an objection has support from both a House member and a senator in writing, then both chambers will vote on it. That could
happen three or more times on Wednesday as Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ted Cruz of Texas, and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, along with at least ten other GOP senators, have indicated they will support at least some of the House challenges. It is unclear just what the Republican senators will do, but the process could drag into the night as the
two chambers will have to consider each objection individually. There could be more than 100 Republicans in the House willing to object. The challenge to the presidential election is on a scale unseen since the aftermath of the Civil War, though the typically routine process of confirming Electoral College votes has been hit with brief objections before. In 2017, several House Democrats challenged Trump’s win, but Biden, who presided at the time as the vice president, swiftly dismissed them to assert Trump’s victory. In 2005, a challenge by a Democratic House member and a Democratic senator to George W Bush’s victory in Ohio was quickly dismissed by both chambers. The effort this week is expected to be much broader, but is all but certain to fail. Biden is set to be inaugurated Jan 20. Republicans had not yet settled on a full strategy the night before the joint session. A late-night meeting on Monday convened by Cruz reached few conclusions, according
to two Republicans familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it. Cruz will object to electoral results from Arizona, another Republican said — likely to be the first objection considered, in a state Biden won. Hawley has said he will object to the Pennsylvania results, and Loeffler may object to Georgia, where she was vying to keep her seat in a runoff election on Tuesday. With mounting desperation, Trump declared at a campaign rally for Loeffler and David Perdue in Georgia Monday that he would “fight like hell” to hold on to the presidency and he appealed to Republican lawmakers to reverse his election loss. Perdue is seeking another six years in the Senate, but his term expired Sunday. The days ahead will be defining for his presidency. Trump is whipping up crowds and people are gathering in Washington, where security is on alert. Lawmakers are being told to arrive early at the Capitol and some are considering sleeping overnight in their
offices to ensure they can safely access the building amid the protests. Vice President Mike Pence will be closely watched as he presides over the session. He is under growing pressure from Trump and others to tip the results in Trump’s favor. But Pence has a ceremonial role that does not give him the power to affect the outcome. “I promise you this: On Wednesday, we’ll have our day in Congress,” Pence said while himself campaigning in Georgia ahead of Tuesday’s runoff elections that will determine control of the Senate. But he did not detail what that meant. The high-stakes decisions on whether to ally with Trump are splitting the Republican Party. A range of Republican officials — including Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland; Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the third-ranking House GOP leader; and former House Speaker Paul Ryan — have criticised the GOP efforts to overturn the election. And more than a dozen Republican senators have said they will not support the effort.
SPORTS PAGE 12
T-BIRD FLYERS’ ANNUAL TRACK CLASSIC SATURDAY By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
THE T-Bird Flyers are expected to be the first out of the gate for 2021 when they host their Annual Track Classic at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on Saturday. The event, which is expected to be staged without any fanfare, will begin at 9am and will be used as a qualifier for the postponed 2020 CARIFTA Games. Meet director Foster Dorsett said they are anticipating a great time as athletes get adjusted to the new norm for sports, not just in the Bahamas but around the world. “The athletes are edgy and excited to get back on the track,” said Dorsett of the meet that comes on the heels of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ Odd Distance Track Meet on December 19. “Now that we have permission to have a meet, we will do it without any spectators, but the athletes and coaches are excited to have the first regular track meet. So we are excited about that.” With the protocol measures in place, Dorsett said they intend to utilise the spacing on the track by using alternate lanes in events such as the 100 and 400 metres, while the distance runners will be limited to the amount of participants in each race. Unfortunately, Dorsett said they have decided not to stage the 200m, an event that he said normally has an abundance of entries. Instead, he said the focus will be on the 100-400 combo. In each age group, Dorsett said there will also be a limited amount of events
SEE PAGE 14
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2021
NBA, PAGE 14
Davis: GSSSA putting ‘safety first’ By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
W
ith the emphasis on the return of face-to-face instruction in schools, Government Secondary Schools Sports Association president Varel Davis said they will put safety first as they follow all protocols with regards to after-school sporting activities. Davis confirmed that after a series of meetings, it was confirmed that if there is any sport that the GSSSA would engage in this year, it would be track and field. Hopefully, she said they can host the meet at the end of February. “We’re just hoping and praying that things will open up for the kids, especially those kids who are in grade 12 and are looking at
obtaining scholarships to go to college,” Davis said. “We don’t know if the other sports will take place due to COID-19 and the health officials protocols for contact sports so we hope to get them to do something. Not being able to do anything would be a loss for them and in the long run could hurt their chances of getting their scholarships.” Once the students return to school and they are given the go-ahead from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health, Davis said they will begin their after-school practices for track and field. “We will have to follow the guidelines from the Ministry of Health on how we can start our after-school practices,” Davis said. “All of the coaches are eager to get their practices started.
“We have sent in a proposal to see how best we can actually open up with practice with the protocols in place. “So once we get that, we will get started for our track and field season in February.” With the majority of schools using their inter-house track and field meet to select their teams, Davis said the physical education teachers and coaches may have to resort to their practice sessions without sufficient time to organise their individual meets. “If we have to go with this then we will only participate in the GSSSA Track and Field Championships,” Davis said. “Nothing is normal due to COVID-19, we just have to adjust to what is going on in the country until we get back to normal,” added Davis.
“The idea is we just want our kids to be able to participate in atleast one major sporting activity instead of just not being able to participate at all.” With the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) indicating that the CARIFTA Games, which was postponed last year, will more than likely return this year in Bermuda, Davis said they want to ensure that their athletes are also prepared for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ Nationals and final CARIFTA trials. Already, the BAAA has hosted their Odd Distance Track and Field Meet on Saturday, December 19 at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium and the first meet for 2021 is expected to be staged Saturday as the T-Bird Flyers Track Classic is all set to take place.
DeVonta wins Heisman Trophy
ALABAMA wide receiver DeVonta Smith looks at the Heisman Trophy after being named the winner yesterday in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Smith finished with 447 firstplace votes and 1,856 points to easily out-distance Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence (222, 1,187), Alabama teammate Mac Jones (138, 1,130) and Florida’s Kyle Trask (61, 737). (Kent Gidney/Heisman Trophy Trust via AP SEE THE FULL STORY ON PAGE 16
KINGS guard Buddy Hield in action against the Warriors. (AP)
‘BUDDY’ HIELD SCORES 10 IN BLOWOUT LOSS TO WARRIORS SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — (AP) — Chavano “Buddy” Hield scored 10 points for the Sacramento Kings in a 137-106 loss to the Golden State Warriors Monday night. Hield also grabbed six rebounds, dished out one assist and a blocked shot in 30 minutes on the hardwood. Before tonight’s game, he was at 73 straight games with at least one 3-pointer dating to November 3, 2019, the NBA’s longest active such streak. The Kings host the Chicago Bulls Wednesday to begin a season-long stretch with seven straight home games. Stephen Curry followed up his career-high 62 points a night earlier with another 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Curry had
23 points at halftime on 7-for-11 shooting, including 4 of 7 on 3-pointers — nine fewer than his total at the break the night before but impressive nonetheless on a winning back-to-back. He finished with five 3s. Golden State jumped to a 19-7 lead and the Kings called a timeout after Curry’s first 3 of the night at the 5:24 mark in the opening quarter. With Draymond Green back and healthy playing his third game this season, the Warriors again showed more effort and energy on the defensive end as they did Sunday to split a two-game home set against Portland. The Kings, coached by former Warriors top assistant and Kerr close friend Luke Walton, dropped their third straight.
SPORTS
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, January 6, 2021, PAGE 13
SPURS BEAT BRENTFORD, BUT WILL WAIT 110 DAYS FOR CUP FINAL By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer
DELVIN Moss presents uniforms to coach James Rolle and jumpers Tamara Myers, Andira Ferguson, Stoney Duncanson, Stephan Farquharson and Daejha Moss.
Leap of Faith Jumpers show off official team uniforms By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net EVER since James Rolle formed the Leap of Faith Jumpers track club for jumpers in 2010, he did so without the support of a legitimate sponsor until businessman Boomer George added them to his brand of sporting organisers. Rolle and five of his 14-plus athletes showed off their aquamarine uniforms with gold and white writing as they received them from Boomer George’s agent, Delvin Moss, at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. Rolle said through the sponsorship, his club members can now concentrate on competing in as many meets as they can so that they can try and qualify for the various international meets this year, including the postponed 2020 Olympic Games and the regional junior CARIFTA Games. “We have some elite athletes in college like LaQuan Nairn, Daejha Moss, Charisma Taylor and Jyles Etienne and local athletes like Ryan Ingraham, Tamara Myers, Holland Martin and Kaiwan Culmer, who need to get into the meets to qualify for the Olympics,” Rolle said. Boomer George, in making his first commitment to a track team, said it goes with his philosophy of winning. “Anything I put my hand into, I want to win, or at least be well represented,” said Boomer George, who has been successful with teams in the New Providence Women’s Basketball Association and the New Providence Softball Association. “I don’t like to be a loser. I like to win.” With this being an Olympic year, the 2020 games being postponed from last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Boomer George said he’s prepared to work with Rolle in providing whatever assistance his assistants need either in the United States or here at home. “I want to be a major contender for athletes making the Olympic team,” he said. “So whatever I can do for the athletes, I will do it. It ain’t no big deal. I want to help them as much as I can.” Rolle thanked Boomer George for coming through at a critical stage in the club’s existence. “We really appreciate it and we will perform and make you want to come back again and again,” he said. Daejha Moss, a long and high jumper who has been a member of the club for the past eight years, said she has accomplished so many goals, but having an official uniform sponsored
COACH James Rolle with (l-r) Daejha Moss, Andira Ferguson and Tamara Myers as they display their Leap By Faith uniforms.
LONDON (AP) — Jose Mourinho reached his first final as Tottenham manager after Son Heung-min and Moussa Sissoko clinched a 2-0 victory over Brentford in the League Cup yesterday. But Tottenham will have to wait 110 days before contesting the final against either of the Manchester clubs, with City playing United in the other semifinal today. Mourinho will have a chance to deliver Tottenham’s first trophy since winning the League Cup in 2008. And he knows all about success in this lesser regarded competition after lifting the trophy four times across spells in charge of Chelsea and Manchester United, including when the west London club beat Tottenham in the 2015 final. “I had to learn the meaning of the cups here and I always took it serious,” said Mourinho, who was hired by Tottenham in November 2019. “I think if there is any secret it is to take it seriously.” Second-division team Brentford knocked out four Premier League sides to reach the semifinals, but gifted Tottenham an opening goal in the 12th minute when Sissoko was left unmarked for a header. But Tottenham took until the 70th minute to extend its lead when Son lifted the ball into the net after Harry Kane and Tanguy Ndombele combined for the breakaway. Brentford had been denied an equaliser when a VAR review spotted — through a forensic examination of footage — that Ivan Toney was marginally offside with his knee before scoring. The west London club finished with 10 men after Josh Dasilva’s high studs-up challenge left Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with a gash on his left shin.
ALEX MORGAN SAYS HER FAMILY HAS CONTRACTED CORONAVIRUS
COACH James Rolle and jumpers Stephan Farquharson and Stoney Duncanson in their uniforms. by Boomer G will go a long way. “I like the colours,” said the 21-year-old Moss, a 2017 CARIFTA Games high jump silver and long jump bronze medallist. “Blue and yellow was always our colour. I like it. It fits well, great material. It’s a good quality too, so I’m very pleased with it.” As she headed back to school at North Dakota State on Monday after spending Christmas here at home, Moss said she would like to produce her personal best in both the long and high jump, including breaking the Bahamian national record in the high jump. The Queen’s College graduate has a PR of 1.74m (5-8 1/2) in the high jump and 5.87m (19-3 1/4) in the long jump. She has also done 10.88m (35-8 1/2) in the triple jump and ran 7.70 seconds in the 60 metres and 12.60 in the 100m. Myers, a graduate of the University of Arkansas and the Bahamas women’s national triple jump record holder, has been home for the past two years competing for Leap of Faith and she too was impressed with
the sponsorship and the uniforms. “The colours are amazing. They are bright and vibrant. They are definitely different from the other track teams, so we will stand out,” Myers said. “So I’m looking forward to competing under the Boomer George brand. It just adds to the touch. “With the amount of jumpers we have on the team, I think we will really stand out.” Myers, a member of the Bahamian national team at all international events from the CARIFTA Games to the Commonwealth Games, said the only thing missing from her résumé is the Olympics. “Last year was a trying time for all of us, so we’re just getting back into the groove,” she pointed out. “Certainly for me, I want to qualify for the Olympics, whether it be the long or the triple jump or both. So I’m looking forward to the upcoming season.” Myers, 27, has a lifetime best of 6.51m (21-4 1/4) in the long jump and 14.03 (46-0 1/2) in the triple jump outdoors and 6.33m (20-9 1/4) in the long jump and
13.40m (43-11 3/4) in the triple jump indoors. Stoney Duncanson, a 2016 graduate of St John’s College now attending the University of the Bahamas, has been a part of Leap of Faith since 2014. The 21-year-old said he loves the uniforms as well. “I love the uniforms. This is my favourite colour and it’s just a blessing to be sponsored by Boomer George,” said Duncanson, who has done a lifetime best of 2.05m (6-8 3/4). “I plan to show off the uniform this Saturday when I compete. Hopefully it will be a very good showing in it.” Stephan Farquharson, another high jumper who is proud to be a part of Leap of Faith for the past three years, said the uniforms are striking and appealing. “I now have a chance to represent my club proudly and put our name out there,” said the St Augustine’s College 12th grader. “This year, I’m looking forward to turning in my PRs in the high, long and triple jumps.” Farquharson, a fourth place finisher at the 2019 CARIFTA Games, is
aiming to clear 2.13m (7-0) in the high jump, 15m (49-2 1/2) in the triple jump and 7m (22-11 3/4) in the long jump. “I love coach Rolle as a coach. From day one, I felt we had a connection. He’s such a positive coach and a great guy to bring me up through the ranks,” he said. “He’s just an awesome coach.” For the past seven years, Andira Ferguson has been a part of Leap of Faith, but it’s the first time that she’s going to be able to compete in an official team uniform. “I’m glad that Boomer George has decided to trust us with their name and to represent them, not only in the Bahamas, but whenever we go abroad to compete,” she said. Ferguson, who is preparing to head back to Fresno State, said her goal this year is to stay healthy and hopefully she produces her best performances, not just distance-wise, but technically in this process. “I just want to be mentally focused in everything,” said the 22-year-old Ferguson, who has a PR of 5.82m (19-1 1/4) in the long jump and ran 12.11 in the 100m.
(AP) — Alex Morgan has revealed on social media that she and her family contracted the coronavirus over the holidays in California. Morgan, 31, recently returned to the United States from England, where she played this fall with Tottenham in the FA Women’s Super League. Morgan is married to fellow soccer player Servando Carrasco. They have a 7-month old daughter named Charlie. “We are all in good spirits and recovering well,” Morgan said in a post Tuesday on Twitter. “After our isolation is completed, I will follow US Soccer’s return to play guidelines to ensure my body is fully recovered and I can join my teammates back on the field soon.” The two-time World Cup winner was working her way back to fitness with Tottenham following the birth of Charlie. She played in five games with the Spurs, scoring twice. The U.S. women’s national team is expected to open its January training camp on Saturday. The team is preparing for the Olympics in Tokyo, set for this summer.
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BODYBUILDING AND FITNESS FEDERATION LOOKS FORWARD TO COMPETITIVE SEASON By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net COMING off their appearance at the 47th Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships in the Dominican Republic last month, president Joel Stubbs said the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation is looking forward to a competitive season this year. “The positive energy and enthusiasm for the sport of bodybuilding is on the rise once again,” he said. “Many athletes, officials and organisers have already announced their participation to the 2021 seasons. “I am hopeful that there will be renewed beginnings for everyone involved. As for our athletes, many of them have returned from the CAC games pumped and energised to train and make the necessary efforts to accomplishing their short coming and placements this year.” Following the Bahamas’ sixth place finish with four medals, led by the husbandwife team of Jimmy and Serena Salis Decius-Norius at the CAC Championships, it was announced that the 48th CAC Championships will take place in Bridgetown, Barbados in June, 2021. As a result of the championships being pushed forward, Stubbs said the BBFF has adjusted its schedule to include the Novice Championships on May 15, the Northern Bahamas Championship in Grand Bahama on May 29 and the Nationals June 12. “We’re doing all of this in an effort to have our locals settle rivalries and to bring back the competitive spirit and to also pick a national team to represent our
“We will be back in the winning circle this year, that’s guaranteed’ — Joel Stubbs
JOEL STUBBS, president of Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation. country at this year’s CAC Proper preparation is key,” Championships and any said Stubbs, a Bahamas other world or international pilot by profession, but who also works as a personal event,” Stubbs said. “I am optimistic that with trainer for a number of the gyms being re-opened athletes. “We will be back in the and remaining open, this will allow our athletes to winning circle this year, train harder and prepare that’s guaranteed.” Stubbs also noted that better, and do it with the same intense level of focus, there are a few intercompetitions determination, dedication national and commitment that they scheduled that will enable some of the pro bodybuildonce had.” Stubbs, one of about 10 ers to compete as they try professional bodybuild- to qualify for the World ers, said the Bahamas has Games in Europe later this always had great geneti- year. All in all, Stubbs said they cally-gifted athletes here and with the right atmos- anticipate a very productive phere, tools and financial year for both the amateur assistance, the sky will and pro bodybuilders and be the limit for them. “I the federation will be doing say this with pride and a all it can to ensure that evehumble sense of boasting. rybody is ready to go.
Wednesday, January 6, 2021, PAGE 15