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VOLUME:117 No.37, JANUARY 16TH, 2020
OBITS OFFICIA
CLASSIFIED TRADER: CARS, CARS, CARS & MORE CARS
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Prison officers threaten revolt
Union alleges staff ‘treated like inmates’ by Commissioner By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net CORRECTIONAL officers are threatening to “revolt” over long standing issues and victimisation they allege has come from the actions of Commissioner Charles Murphy. According to Ryan Wilson, Correctional Officers Staff Association president, officers have been victims of “intimidation” tactics of the commissioner who they
GOVERNMENT officials must take care not to promote xenophobic positions that suggest foreign is bad for the country when compared with Bahamian labour, Gowon Bowe told The Tribune yesterday. The former Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation chairman branded Labour Director John Pinder’s recent comments as “blunt”, saying the remarks
HOMEWARD HOUND
& BLUE
SEE PAGE THREE
POPCORN the puppy, abandoned after Hurricane Dorian, has a new home thanks to the Bahamas Alliance For Animal Rights and Kindness. See Page 2 for Farrah Johnson’s touching report
BOB’S AID TO MILLER ‘ABOVE AND BEYOND’
BACON & BLUE CHEESE BACON
& BLUE CHEESE
$
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By SYANN THOMPSON Tribune Staff Reporter sthompson@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas should send a strong message to environmental crime offenders that the country’s natural resources and laws will be respected, according to one stakeholder. While applauding Attorney General Carl Bethel for the government’s position on Carnival Cruise Line’s recent dumping in Bahamian waters, Eric Carey told The Tribune those who break environmental laws and are persistent at it should pay the penalty.
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
BACON CHEESE
‘POLLUTERS MUST PAY WITH FINES THAT HURT’
$1BN PLEDGE CENTRES ON HEALTH PROJECTS
SEE PAGE THREE
did not fully represent the true picture of labour in the country and were void of attention to wider issues like a skills gap that has called for the assistance of expatriate workers. He said there must also be more attention given to “productivity, investment and expansion” of businesses. On Tuesday, Mr Pinder said it was his department’s intention to revoke work permits of employers if it is found Bahamian apprentices were not appointed
L SOUR CE
SEE PAGE SEVEN
said conducts frequent walkabouts and transfers officers on a whim. The association is also angered about a newly implemented policy that only allows officers to bring in a certain quantity of medication and food when they report for duty. “The victimisation must cease before the staff at the Department of Correctional Services revolts against the Commissioner,” Mr Wilson said yesterday in a press statement.
PINDER WARNED OVER ‘BLUNT’ VISA CRACKDOWN By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
$1
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
BANK of The Bahamas yesterday said it “went above and beyond” in trying to help Leslie Miller and his family remedy $25$28m worth of loan facilities that had been “seriously delinquent for years”. The BISX-listed financial institution vehemently denied the ex-Cabinet minister’s claim it had been involved in “a malicious
FORMER MP Leslie Miller and unlawful conspiracy” to seize his Summerwinds Shopping Plaza, which had
A US group’s $670m plan to transform Bahamian healthcare - part of the $975m proposal it put forward at Monday’s pledge conference - is one of “five offers on the table”, Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands revealed yesterday. He said The P3 Group’s offer to finance the construction of new public hospitals would be assessed against rival proposals pledging to do the same. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
BETHEL’S RETURN REMAINS UNCLEAR
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
been pledged as security for the loans. The bank also pointed out that Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson’s verbal pre-Christmas ruling only involved Mr Miller’s dispute with the government, not his claims against Bank of The Bahamas or its defence. She is now due to give her written ruling tomorrow as to whether leases allegedly entered into are legally binding.
THE Minnis administration gave no answers about Commodore Tellis Bethel’s job status yesterday despite the scheduled end of his three-month vacation leave. National Security Minister Marvin Dames did not respond to calls or messages. Neither Commodore Bethel nor Deputy Commander Raymond King, the acting commodore, could be reached.
FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
SEE PAGE THREE
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PAGE 2, Thursday, January 16, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
Popcorn the puppy enjoys a new life after Dorian By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net POPCORN the puppy has a new home thanks to the Bahamas Alliance For Animal Rights and Kindness (BAARK). The deaf pup was one of 300 abandoned pets the organisation rescued from Marsh Harbour after Hurricane Dorian devastated Abaco last September. She was officially adopted by Amy Raymond— a deaf woman from Spanish Wells who was eager to give the puppy a “forever home”. Now happy and healthy, Popcorn is light years away from the “weak” pup that was initially rescued from the storm ravaged island. “Poppy is about four months old,” Lissa McCombe, BAARK’s vice chair told The Tribune. “(It was) a little hard to tell because she was so malnourished and thin when we got her in November.” Mrs McCombe said when rescuers first found Popcorn they took her to the medical tents set up in Marsh Harbour, then sent her on a chartered flight to New Providence for further treatment. “We named her Popcorn because she was so playful and fun once she got her nutrients,” she added. “We work closely with Puppy Palace here in Nassau and Claire Cash immediately noticed that Poppy could not hear or
respond to puppy noises. Usually white dogs with blue eyes are deaf.” Mrs McCombe said since rescuers did not know if Popcorn had an owner, they placed her with a foster family in Norman’s Cay, Exuma. “We thought this would be a wonderful place for Poppy to get healthy and run on the beach and learn how to be a healthy puppy,” she explained. “In the meantime, a young lady named Amy Raymond from Spanish Wells had messaged us on the BAARK (Facebook) page very interested in adopting because she is also deaf. “After speaking with Amy, we thought this would be a wonderful family (because) she is a single mom with two kids full of love to give.” Mrs McCombe said that Ms Raymond reached out to Popcorn’s foster mother, Kelly Griffin, and the two “worked on sign language skills” together. “On January 4, we brought Poppy from Exuma to Nassau,” Mrs McCombe said. “Then the next day we took the Bo Hengy up to Spanish Wells to deliver Poppy to her forever home.” Popcorn now lives “happily ever after” in Spanish Wells with two cats, two children and an owner she can relate to in a special way.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, January 16, 2020, PAGE 3
from page one
Pinder warned over ‘blunt’ visa crackdown
and properly trained by employers. The move, he told this newspaper, would give the department teeth and earn it more respect in the eyes of employers who have not ensured apprentices are trained for certain jobs currently held by foreign workers, which is a condition of their work permits. Speaking to the issue, Mr Bowe said the country must abide by its immigration policies and requirements while ensuring its intentions aren’t “impractical” or counter productive. He also noted that if a business is investing in the country without requiring extraordinary concessions, it should be given the liberty of appointing its executives absent of blanket policies that dictate a Bahamian successor as necessary. “The first thing we do need is to support the enforcement of the existing laws,” Mr Bowe. “But equally we need to be
conscious of the fact that we cannot enforce a law that is impractical or abusive. “The question that would first arise is whether or not businesses were forced to commit to apprenticeships even though there were not appropriate apprentices because that would actually be counterproductive to productivity and development in the country. “So when we look at certain skill sets there are certain job classes where the skill sets do not reside in the Bahamas and definitely a business should not be prohibited from bringing in that skill set particularly if they are investing in our country. “Outside of that if there
is a requirement for a Bahamian apprentice or a Bahamian successor it really needs to be very clear in terms of what the expectation is because it cannot be any person that is identified on the street being put into that position and an expectation that they will be trained. “This goes back to a wider issue which is our skills gap in the country meaning that we need to ensure that we are training our young Bahamians and older Bahamians who are actually capable of being trained to fill positions that we believe expatriate labour has predominantly filled in the past.” According to Mr Bowe,
Mr Pinder’s comments did not do the issue justice. “I think it’s only telling half of the story to say that some have not complied with it because there may be an absence of the appropriate labour in order to fill it and what we have to be careful of is creating xenophobia that says foreign is bad and Bahamian is good. “What we should be saying is skill set, productivity, investment and expansion of business is good for the economy. “I think that his statement may come across as a bit blunt and only a part of the story,” Mr Bowe added. Major investments should give investors the ability to choose how the
GOWON BOWE labour detail will look, he maintained. “When you talk about apprenticeship, you are talking about senior executives in a company and when you talk about senior executives in the company, that is not to say that expatriates there have the
necessary skill sets. To be honest that is when immigration and labour has the responsibility to say ‘well you are just hiring a person not a skilled labourer’ and that should be corralled and stamped out, but equally if I am an international investor that says I want certain position filled by trusted allies then there should not be a prohibition on that and there shouldn’t be a blanket policy that there must be a Bahamian successor.” As it stands, Mr Pinder’s intention to revoke permits due to non-compliance on the apprenticeship rule has not been agreed upon and is dependent on further consultation with immigration officials.
Prison officers threaten revolt from page one
CHARLES MURPHY, Commissioner of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
prohibited, but we continue to offer inmates this privilege. The offic“Senior officers are being ers’ restroom in maximum disrespected daily and the security and the inmate association stands with all kitchen is out of order. ranks and file. The presi- Male and female officdent of the association is ers are at the mercy of being attacked personally their bowels if it chooses for addressing pertinent to break down. How can matters that affect the staff. a commissioner who cares “Whim policies are being for his staff treat officers created to victimise staff. and inmates in such an Officers are being treated inhumane manner?” like inmates. The DepartThe staff association said ment of Correctional several other unresolved Services hired men and matters have also been women, not children,” the the source discontent and association also said. discomfort. Health concerns and These include insuffiworking conditions have cient supplies to sanitise also affected staff morale, the working environment, Mr Wilson said. He noted failure of executives to the practice of inmates approve tradesman allow‘slopping’ — using buck- ances for inmates and ets to urinate and defecate insufficient prison transporin due to lack of toilets tation as only 10 percent in some areas — creates of the facility’s vehicles are a hazard for staff and operational. prisoners. Several calls were placed “Correctional offic- to Commissioner Murphy ers and inmates are faced and National Security with a toxic environment Minister Marvin Dames yesthat continues to wreak terday. However there was havoc on staff and inmate no response up to press time. housed at the departWhile there has been no ment,” Mr Wilson said. official explanation about “Slopping still presents an the officers’ medication and imminent danger to officers and inmates. Recently air-conditioned units were installed through a number of cell blocks that immediately can spread unknown diseases and possible outbreaks because of poor ventilation. “The stench of urine and faeces clouds the atmosphere through cell blocks. Tobacco products are
BETHEL’S RETURN REMAINS UNCLEAR from page one
Communication representatives throughout the administration and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force offered no comment. Eugene Poitier, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, immediately hung the phone up after telling The Tribune: “I have no comment about anything concerning Mr Bethel and I’m very busy, okay.” Commodore Bethel began his leave on October 15, 2019. Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis claimed this reflected his administration’s policy of not letting officers accumulate so much vacation leave that they require substantial payments before they retire. Captain Samuel Evans, former deputy commander of the RBDF, was forced
TELLIS BETHEL into retirement in October. He was paid out the remainder of his contract. In November, he dismissed Dr Minnis’ claim about accumulated leave as disingenuous. The administration is facing lawsuits from officers at the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Department of Corrections who say the government illogically used its vacation leave policy to sideline officers it wants removed from leadership positions.
In the past three months, Mr Dames has declined to give answers on what the future holds for Commodore Bethel. Asked on Tuesday about the RBDF chief’s expected return to work, he said: “We shall see.” “As we move each day, we will certainly keep you appraised,” he said. “We want to be respectful to the commodore. We want to be
respectful to other officers within our law enforcement agencies as we should be.” In a lawsuit filed recently, Assistant Commissioner of Police Kendal Strachan asked the Supreme Court to declare the forced leave he took last year as administrative leave and not vacation leave. He wants the court to declare his transfer to the Ministry of Social Services unlawful.
food restriction, it could be linked to instances in the past where officers were found drug smuggling. Over the past few years, several correctional officers have been arrested and charged in connection with smuggling contraband into the facility. In October 2018, one former correctional officer was sentenced to three months in prison after admitting to trying to smuggle drugs concealed in his socks into the Fox Hill compound. That same month, another officer was arrested for trying to smuggle a cell phone into the facility. And in April 2018, an overnight operation involving more than 200 law enforcement officers searching the BDCS found homemade shanks, cell phones, marijuana and other contraband in inmates’ cells. This came after a video went viral of prisoners, suspected to be from the Fox Hill compound, preparing to roll what appeared to be marijuana joints, while music played in the background. Editorial View - Page 4
PAGE 4, Thursday, January 16, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
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Less talk, more action A DAY after National Security Minister Marvin Dames took time out of his day to complain about how The Tribune reported his comments about the Commissioner of Police’s time at the helm coming to an end, a matter of more substance landed on his desk. As we report today, there is unrest among correctional officers – with complaints of intimidation tactics by the commissioner, officers being transferred on a whim, victimisation, and more. The president of the Correctional Officers Staff Association is blunt, warning that the victimisation must stop before the staff “revolts”. Stories frequently emerge from Fox Hill about the intolerable conditions being experienced by prisoners – though seldom do they make clear the extent to which those conditions also affect staff. Today, that is made clear, from the stench of urine and faeces because of a lack of toilets and prisoners having to use buckets instead, to parts of the building being out of order. The prison at Fox Hill has long been a powder keg – and it does not need the prospect of a prison officer revolt to add to the threat. It’s the kind of situation that a National Security Minister should be absolutely on top of – with no need for the staff association to go public with such concerns. These are essential
officers carrying out an essential role – we cannot say for sure how true all of the complaints of the association are, but it is noteworthy that the association president complains staff are being treated like inmates or children rather than valued colleagues. Some of the complaints are linked to long-standing institutional problems – prisoners using buckets as toilets didn’t start yesterday, but what’s being done about it to make sure it’s not still happening tomorrow or next year? Uniformed staff are in an awkward position – they have greater restrictions on any kind of protest they might make, but the trade-off for that is usually that they will be treated better by government representatives and greater discussion will take place to try to resolve problems. Clearly, that doesn’t seem to be happening here. So, Mr Dames, perhaps it’s time to spend less time grandstanding about headlines and more time working to solve problems. Oh, and one other thing, the commodore of the defence force, Tellis Bethel, was due back at work yesterday from enforced leave and there’s no word from you as to what job he’s doing – it might be helpful to uniformed officers to know what’s going on with their leadership. Just a thought.
Carnival brings a test of nerve THE news that Carnival Cruise Lines has again discharged material into Bahamian waters is a real test for the Bahamas government. Last year, the government introduced new laws that would allow it to fine companies that polluted The Bahamas – well, here’s where the rubber meets the road. Does the government have the courage to see that through when the company involved is one that makes a crucial contribution to the Bahamian economy? Carnival is a regular visitor with its cruise ships, has made substantial donations after Hurricane Dorian to help the nation get back on its feet, is involved with a plan for a $100m cruise port in Grand Bahama and more. The connection between the company and The Bahamas is long and strong. The FNM has its own close links – Katherine Forbes-Smith, the recently resigned president of the Senate, has
been a local consultant for Carnival, for example. So what happens now, when Carnival has reportedly carried out further environmental infractions – discharging sewage from the MS Maasdam and rust from the Carnival Sunrise? Does the government have the nerve to hold the company to account – with the recently passed Environmental Planning and Protection Act allowing a fine of up to $30m and even imprisonment? As Eric Carey, of the Bahamas National Trust, says, the punishment needs to act as a deterrent – after all, if you’re not going to discourage someone from doing it again, why have the laws at all? So let’s see if the government is ready to live up to its promises when it was introducing the laws. These are laws they wanted, that they took the time to write, debate and pass. Let’s see if they’re ready to use them.
Slavery in our democracy EDITOR, The Tribune THE ban on plastic bags is a welcome change in the right direction. However, how can the government stand by this directive, yet continue to remain silent on drilling for oil in Bahamian waters? What of our so-called environmental leaders and employees? Are we really so bought and sold that we can’t even speak up on such matters? Do we now only allow our voices to be heard if they are aligned with our employers? There seems to be a total disconnect of sensibilities here. The abundance of scientific findings make quite clear to those who are paying attention what must be done. They state unequivocally that we must leave the vast majority of oil reserves in the ground, if, and only if, we are concerned about our descendants. One can only conclude that this D-educational system everyone is crowing about, has in fact affected most who
inhabit this beautiful chain of islands. Is it something in the water we are drinking, or is it desperate greed that allows us to boast of our faulty reasoning abilities? I can only wonder why this administration, headed by someone who supposedly understands the scientific method and the value of this way of thinking, is somehow so confused on this issue. There is little discussion now on the reason why there are more and stronger storms like Dorian, chronic droughts, melting ice caps, dying coral reefs, a rising tide that will soon engulf a sizeable portion of The Bahamas. Yet, almost complete silence on this matter. Do the editors of The Tribune and our other papers not read anything beyond the pages of their own publications? There is a wealth of information out there that should leave no person who can read with any doubt whatsoever on what must be done. We must transition away from fossil fuels as
quickly as possible. Certainly before begging the world for money and aid while we continue to live like we haven’t a care for the world. If we really need this money so badly to do the right thing, why not take the web shops over? These guys have made their millions, or billions. And, in my opinion, they did it illegally, just like the stores hoping to make money on selling plastic bags, right? They will still be rich. And, perhaps we could begin to free ourselves from the slavery we endure in our democracy and our daily lives from our own Bahamian masters. It is my view that were we to reserve the death penalty for politicians who are corrupt and take bribes, we would likely see an immediate improvement in our “representatives”. Or, perhaps no representatives at all! PORCUPINE Nassau January 15, 2020
It’s time to get serious about recyling EDITOR, The Tribune WE LOVE to bellyache about government policy after it becomes law instead of demanding more transparency during the law-making process. A vivid example of this is the kerfuffle about single use plastic bags. For starters, the government should be applauded for doing its part, no matter how tiny, to reduce global warming. We can’t complain about monster hurricanes then sit on our hands. It is also admirable to see the government act in unison with our CARICOM partners to try and improve the health and sustainability of our oceans – the central nervous system of all our economies. That said, there are aspects of the new ban on plastics that represents a good start but needs to go further, and other aspects that just make no sense. The law stopped the importation of single use plastics from the first of this year. Merchants are given six months to deplete their existing stocks and to do so they can charge any fee they want ranging from twenty-five cents to one dollar per bag. Interestingly, the law set no fee for things like plastic straws and Styrofoam used by the food service industry. But just who gets the twenty-five cents per bag? Does it go to the merchant, to an environmental fund or straight to the Treasury? While we are not the highest at twenty-five cents, it bears noting that Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago charge seven US cents per bag and Jamaica, whose ban came in a year ago, used to charge about forty US cents per bag. We have further madness
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net where one food store chain is selling single use bags in bulk for $75 for a pack of 2,000 which is about three cents per bag. But if at the cash register you want a single use bag to haul the bulk purchase bags away, it will cost you twenty-five cents. Make no mistake, this is a good start for the Bahamas and the effort must not stop here or in July when the honeymoon period expires. Inside of single use plastic bag we transport meats and dairy products wrapped completely in plastic; fruits and vegetables in single use plastic bags as well an assortment of other food items and sundry goods. At the dry cleaners, clothes are still protected in single use plastic and we will still be allowed to haul away our waste in plastic garbage bags. Instead of acting helpless, merchants can assist their customers by reverting to paper bags (carbon heavy to produce but they breakdown easily in landfills) or, as they do in Jamaica, recycle cardboard boxes by giving them to shoppers for free. Single use plastics make up less than 10 percent of the typical landfill, but a disproportionate amount of them end up in the ocean where they don’t break down, harming fish and marine life. But let’s get serious. Cloth bags and reinforced plastic bags may sound like viable alternatives, but they do more environmental damage because of the higher carbon emissions required to make them.
One study found that consumers would have to use a cloth bag 131 times before it had a smaller carbon footprint than a single use plastic bag. One alternative whose time may have come is straw bags, made with native sustainable straw and sisal (not the imported fake stuff). This has a much smaller carbon footprint than cloth or hardened plastic bags. Straw vendors could make special purpose bags suitable for hauling groceries and even doubling as book bags, laundry bags and a host of other uses that would make plastic bags a thing of the past. Plastics are one of the greatest by-products of the petro-chemical industry. They single handedly transformed the retail trade, especially the grocery business. They will be with us for a long time. We need now to get serious about recycling. The government should issue recycling bins to every household and business. Private companies could be awarded contracts to collect recycled material from these bins and then sort and recycle them for profit. Imagine also if we paid enterprising people for single use plastic bags in any condition. We should pay for other plastics, glass and aluminium cans the same way some now pay for returned beer and soda bottles. In addition to helping the environment it would be perhaps the most effective clean-up campaign New Providence has ever seen. And maybe the cheapest. THE GRADUATE Nassau, January 16, 2020.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, January 16, 2020, PAGE 5
WILSON: HEADS SHOULD ROLL OVER TEACHER SHORTAGE By SYANN THOMPSON Tribune Staff Reporter sthompson@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson said “heads should roll” due to the “perennial” shortage of teachers, adding more than 100 teachers are still waiting to be placed in schools by the Ministry of Education since the 2019-2020 school year started. “Teachers are needed, and they are needed now. Some heads should roll because this is a perennial problem,” said Mrs Wilson.
Over 90 percent of these teachers who graduated from the University of the Bahamas had government scholarships and, according to Mrs Wilson, by now these teachers should have been allocated to schools. “Sadly, teachers and guidance counselors who have graduated from the University of the Bahamas many of whom have had the privilege of government scholarships, grants and tuition fees assistance and who have successfully completed their studies are still at home waiting to be employed and posted in
schools. The acting director said that the Ministry of Education is awaiting vetting for these teachers and when the vetting process is completed they will be employed. This shows the incompetence and inefficiencies that exist in (the Ministry of) Education,” said Mrs Wilson. Teachers are needed in New Providence; Abaco and its cays; Eleuthera, specifically Harbour Island; and Mayaguana, said Mrs Wilson. The shortage of teachers for various disciplines include general primary school teachers,
art, music, physical education, Spanish, sciences, English, religious knowledge and mathematics. The shortage has had a negative impact on teachers, she said, and affects not only their well-being but also has an affect on students. “There is teacher burn out, teachers are substituting without a free period five days per week, the syllabus and curriculum not being taught fully because many subjects that are on the timetable are not being taught because there are insufficient teachers. Most
BUT’s Belinda Wilson of the times the substitution is just babysitting because the teachers more often than not are substituting
in areas that are not within their disciplines,” said Mrs Wilson. The union president has also been pushing for the national exam timetable to be rescheduled in the wake of Hurricane Dorian. “The examination results is just a symptom of the breakdown of the system. How can students pass examinations if they did not have a teacher for six months out of a nine months school year?” Teachers are accustomed to working in the midst of staff shortages, but Mrs Wilson said this should not be the norm.
New doubts emerge over $975m loans offer from US company
DEPUTY Prime Minister Peter Turnquest addresses the conference on Monday. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net FORMER Central Bank Governor James Smith said it is unlikely the government will seek access to $975 million in loans a US-based company pledged during a conference on Monday to raise funds for Hurricane Dorian recovery. Dee Brown, president of The P3 Group, has said his company would provide loans at concessionary rates. But Mr Smith said this would likely prove unnecessary. “I don’t think government is in a position where it needs to go outside the normal capital markets to get loans,” he said yesterday. “That kind of money they can raise internally, from local banks or banks that have offshore parents, they can go to ordinary capital markets and I suspect they’ll get better terms. I don’t believe their rates would be truly concessionary. They’re using other people’s money and I’ll be really surprised if they’re offering rates that we couldn’t get from international capital markets. Lending rates are at historically low levels now so I
don’t expect this to go anywhere really. We have fairly competent advisers and a few people in government who will know better.” The P3 Group’s $975 million concessionary loan pledge represented the lion share of the $1.5 billion in pledges the government said it received on Monday. Chester Cooper, deputy leader of the Progressive Liberal Party, accused the government yesterday of misleading people and demanded details about potential arrangements struck with foreign entities. With respect to The P3 Group, he said the borrowing rate would be a real concern. “We would like to know why this route would be any more feasible than a national investment bond that would allow Bahamians to participate,” Mr Cooper said. “The structure of any potential deal must also be carefully vetted and due diligence done in P3 and the finances. On which islands would P3 undertake construction? And what labour would be needed in the construction phase? Who would manage these assets? “If the P3 is allowed to construct what amounts to the entire public healthcare
infrastructure, would this ultimately result in new taxes or user fees, given the minimal revenue streams of existing cavities? And how will this factor into the government’s long-delayed reconfiguration of NHI?” The government has announced no plans to strike a deal with The P3 Group. Katherine Forbes-Smith, managing director of the Disaster Recovery Authority, told The Tribune on Tuesday she has not yet examined the company in any detail. For his part, Mr Brown said on Monday that his company’s pledge “can be delivered quickly and efficiently with an emphasis on resiliency and sustainability,” adding that some of the resources could be immediately deployed, including funds for community engagement, architecture, engineer and design services, master cleaning, technology infrastructure and assessments, local capacity building and education, training and access to working capital for small and medium sized businesses. Six hundred and seventy million could be set aside for healthcare funding to rebuild hospitals and medical facilities, he said.
Meanwhile, Free National Movement chairman Carl Culmer blasted the PLP’s response to the pledging conference yesterday. On Tuesday, PLP leader Philip “Brave” Davis also expressed scepticism about The P3 Group
pledge. Mr Culmer said: “Leave it to the woeful PLP’s self-anointed ‘mastermind’, the old and tired Brave Davis, to search for an angle to attack a positive, success in the Hurricane Dorian efforts. Not only were Brave’s latest
attacks on the success of the Hurricane Dorian Pledging Conference nonsensical and illogical, but they are also tinged with Davis’ own sour grapes – maybe for past failed leadership to deliver such results in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.”
PAGE 6, Thursday, January 16, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
100 DOMES EXPECTED IN ABACO THIS MONTH ONLY a handful of the domes meant to be temporary shelter for Abaco storm victims have arrived on that island, however more than 100 of the structures are expected to arrive before the end of the month. John Michael Clarke, chairman of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority, said as of January 14, some 11 domes were being erected in Spring City, Abaco. By January 23, 119 domes will be on the island, a delay from an earlier anticipated timeline, he said. Officials hope to erect 40 domes in Spring City by the end of January and commence with the construction of the other domes in communities throughout the impacted areas in Abaco, as soon as the residents for those structures have been identified. The authority is currently working with the Department of Social Services,
the Ministry of Works, the Department of Housing and NEMA in finalising the process for applications for temporary housing as well as for home repairs, according to a release from Bahamas Information Services. Applications are expected to be accessed online by the end of January, at the Ministry of Works in the government complex in Marsh Harbour, and at the Disaster Reconstruction Authority office in Grand Bahama in the Star General Building. Mr Clarke said while $6.4 million has been budgeted for the domes as a temporary housing solution, an estimated $4 million has been committed to cost. “The domes are meant for temporary housing and not replacement homes,” he said. “The government is still committed to ensuring that residents get the necessary assistance to repair their homes. Given
the extent of the damage, it was initially recognised that residents would have no housing while their homes are being repaired. Hence, the domes are deemed the most resilient solution to provide temporary housing.” The criteria for domes and any other temporary housing solutions the government may provide are: the applicant must be a Bahamian citizen; documents showing property ownership and proof of residence on the property as of August 29, 2019 must be presented; and the property/house must be classified as severely damaged or totally destroyed based on assessment by the Ministry of Works. The application process and qualification criteria will be published on the government’s website: www.bahamas.gov.bs and via other media avenues for easy access. The estimated
ONLY a handful of the domes have arrived so far
Sands happy to welcome signing of industrial agreement with CPSA Since 1892 Bahamians have been protecting the environment with the passage of the Sea Gardens Protection Act, which prohibited dredging or removal of coral, sea fans or other organisms from the seabed.
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By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net AFTER several years of negotiations, the Consultant Physicians Staff Association officially signed its first industrial agreement with the Public Hospitals Authority yesterday. Noting the move was a long one in the making, Health Minister Dr Duane Sands told reporters at yesterday’s signing that the agreement will help strengthen the relationship between the two parties. “Today’s signing marks the successful culmination of a process spanning more than three years. In May of 2016, the CPSA achieved voluntary recognition by the board of the PHA as the sole bargaining agent for the consulting physicians at PHA institutions,” he said. “And in November of that year, they submitted an
timeframe for home repairs is between 12-15 months, based on assessments carried out by the Ministry of Works. A total of 4,791 homes and structures have been assessed on Abaco and Grand Bahama. The Authority aims to provide between 250 - 400 temporary housing units on the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama. All of the domes will be on Abaco by February 15. They will be erected on Abaco and surrounding cays, and Grand Bahama. “We are actively in discussions with the MSC Foundation to provide temporary housing in Grand Bahama, in accordance with its timeline of mid-March this year,” Mr. Clarke said. The Bahamas Disaster Reconstruction Authority is responsible for the management of reconstruction and restoration in areas designated disaster zones.
SABRIQUET PINDER-BUTLER, the president of the CPSA, and Health Minister Dr Duane Sands yesterday. Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
industrial agreement to the authority. “After a period of negotiations and having come to an agreement on financial matters at the end of 2018, and having recently received the approval of the industrial agreement from the Office of the Attorney General, we are now prepared to execute the first official industrial agreement with the CPSA. “…So, today’s agreement is significant because it strengthens the relationship between our consultant doctors and the public institution in which they provide care,” Dr Sands said. In 2018, members of CPSA protested outside Princess Margaret Hospital over an unresolved industrial agreement with PHA, citing insufficient funds and the lack of health insurance and pension plans as some of the issues. But, under the new
industrial agreement, Dr Sands said workers will be able to receive lump sum payments, a base salary increase and an increase in extra hours allowance. The new contract will also allow for hazard protection in the workplace. Dr Sands continued: “This agreement which takes effect from July 1, 2016, and spans a five-year term ending on June 30, 2021, represents a comprehensive compensation package that brings our consultant physicians in line with increases across the public service. “And with this agreement, we formally recognise that our consultant physicians not only have skin in the game, but they also have a seat at the table.” While expressing gratitude on behalf of all CPSA members, Dr Sabriquet Pinder-Butler, president of the association, said
members are hopeful that the agreement will result in further improvements for the doctors. “We expect today that this signing of our industrial agreement will also allow for equitable treatment and benefits of members of the CPSA who are employed by not only the PHA, but also the Ministry of Health as this has been an outstanding issue,” she said. “We are all servants of the public everyday, even though senior doctors are often excluded from benefits provided to public servants without justification. Moving forward, however, we expect that this practice of exclusion and discrimination to discontinue.” Despite this, Dr PinderButler maintains that CPSA is committed to ensuring that the highest quality of healthcare is delivered to all Bahamians.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, January 16, 2020, PAGE 7
Polluters must pay with fines that hurt, says BNT chief from page one “I commend the AG for his stance and for the government’s stance because we certainly think that this is the time for government to send a message that polluting of our waters will not be tolerated, and we need to re-enforce and reemphasise that,” said Mr Carey, executive director of Bahamas National Trust. “The government has brought forward new legislation to deal with this matter and we encourage the Attorney General to send a clear message that the laws and the environment of The Bahamas will be respected.” Tribune Business reported that a monitor appointed by a South Florida federal court revealed Carnival Cruise Line committed further environmental infractions last year – some of which occurred while vessels were in port in Nassau and Freeport. The monitor’s latest report, filed on New Year’s Eve, detailed incidents including the March 6, 2019 discharge of 34 cubic metres of black
water/sewage in Bahamian waters from the MS Maasdam as it sailed from Half Moon Cay, the private island, to Fort Lauderdale. Also cited was a September 9, 2019 incident involving the Carnival Sunrise when “a considerable amount of rust” was discharged into Nassau harbour after a technician started up an “infrequently used water pump” while the vessel was docked at Prince George Wharf. The recently passed Environmental Planning and Protection Act entails a series of fines and penalties allowing them to be directly proportional to the environmental infraction. This law allows fines from $500 to $30 million and or imprisonment not exceeding ten years. Mr Carey explained that large companies who commit major environmental crimes should receive fines that are commensurate with the infraction. “I would say that (the fines) need to be on the scale of millions rather than thousands or tens of thousands,” he said. “For any
company that is a multi-million-dollar company, then the penalty should fit not only the crime, but how serious it is, but it should also be a significant deterrent. “Charging a major corporation $500 will not be a deterrent but charging them $10 million might indeed be a deterrent. The fine needs to be fixed at a level that government is confident will act as a deterrent to Carnival. Even if it is not a deterrent, the amount must be significant that if we have to do clean up or mitigation, that the government has the wherewith all to do that, and then of course to fund the necessary monitoring which obviously must take place.” He added Bahamian officials need to better monitor vessels in this territory as ocean polluting can cause havoc on the marine environment. “The introduction of any foreign entity, whether its pollutants like sewerage or fossil fuels or oil spills or plastics, upsets the balance of the ocean and it can directly kill marine animals that may ingest this raw sewerage.
“It certainly degrades the quality of water, if it gets into areas that could potentially impact coral reefs then the degraded quality of the water could have a negative impact. Coral reefs are prevalent and healthy in The Bahamas is because we have relatively clean and crystalclear waters, interfering with that upsetting the balance with things like coral reefs is very negative for our waters. Human health and welfare also a concern, if the dumping is relatively close to an area where humans can then be impacted either—swimming in it or it washing onto beaches—then it’s definitely potentially for human contact with raw sewerage or byproduct or break down of it,” said Mr Carey. “The protection of our environment is not only important to tourism but also to our very way of life. The environment is what feeds us, and it provides tourism opportunities, it’s what we depend on for our very existence.” Editorial View - Page 4
THE CARNIVAL Sunrise was cited in an incident last year when “a considerable amount of rust” was discharged.
PAGE 8, Thursday, January 16, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
W Biden scares Trump and he may be right to do so
ITH everything that’s going on in Washington DC these days, a couple of old aphorisms come to mind. The first one is “where there’s smoke, there’s fire”. Right now, there is so much smoke billowing around Donald Trump’s presidency that it almost obscures the tragic conflagration that is engulfing Australia and its climate-denying prime minister. Literally every day, something new emerges about Trump’s efforts to cheat his way to another term in office. The second aphorism is “there is no hell like a woman scorned”. Former American ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovich whose steady, inspiring and ultimately truly patriotic testimony before the House Intelligence Committee last fall led as much as anything to Trump’s current impeachment predicament - is back in the news again. It seems scuzzy Rudy Giuliani and his even seamier associates were dealing with crooked
STATESIDE
with Charlie Harper
Ukrainian officials to barter for her ouster well before Trump finally decided to sack her. It is rumoured that Yovanovich, now in temporary exile at Georgetown University, is preparing some memoirs. That should be a sensational book, if and when it appears. But the headlines this week concern a second
woman scorned. That’s Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren. She and presidential rival Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont had dinner at her house in late 2018. He may have said that a woman could not beat Trump this year. This information was leaked from the Warren camp, and Sanders has forcefully denied it.
It does seem entirely plausible that Sanders, whose own campaign has sometimes displayed tonedeafness toward women and minorities, said just that. And he may be absolutely right. But in the still rigidly politically-correct Democratic Party, that remark might be enough to finally dismiss Sanders, whose hoarse Brooklyn-accented
hectoring is now officially tiresome, from the race. Warren and Sanders made nice at Tuesday’s surprisingly interesting Democratic debate on CNN, politely agreeing to disagree. Joe Biden, positioned on the debate stage between the two leftist contestants, looked on benignly. People now watch Biden for signs of senescence. They seem to be there. He occasionally closes his eyes in searching for the right word, sometimes fumbling a line or two. But there are several things to remember about Biden. He is still running ahead in most polls. He is still obviously the opponent Trump fears most and Trump is pretty smart about these political things. And
probably for the first time in his three presidential runs, the nomination is sitting there for Biden. Everyone is looking at him. But some think he isn’t mentally flailing. He’s just who he has always been – a garrulous, back-slapping politician whose verbal gaffes are endearing to most voters beyond the Washington Beltway. And Biden might also be someone who could return America to some kind of calm political normalcy, for the first time since the end of the George H W Bush presidency 27 years ago. For the majority of polled Americans who yearn for comparative political peace and quiet, that just might be enough to propel Biden to the White House.
It was all white on the night
FROM left, Democratic presidential candidates businessman Tom Steyer, Sen Elizabeth Warren, former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen Bernie Sanders, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Sen Amy Klobuchar before a Democratic presidential primary debate in Des Moines, Iowa on Tuesday. THERE were no ethnic or racial minority candidates on Tuesday’s debate stage. There were four white men and two white women. The prominent African American candidates have withdrawn. But the two remaining women made some noise and
scored some points. At one point in the debate, likeable Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar noted that among the six participants, only she and Warren had never lost a political race. As the two women exchanged “you go, girl!” glances, there was a feeling
the US is indeed moving toward electing a female chief executive in the near future. Klobuchar, who represents a state Trump quietly almost stole from the Democrats in 2016 and where he has held rallies recently, is emerging as a solid potential addition to
the 2020 Democratic ticket as Vice President. If she does well in the Iowa caucuses in a couple of weeks, speculation about her as a VP candidate should intensify. After all, the US has already had a female VP, if only on HBO’s popular Veep series.
CHIEFS AND 49ERS HAVE THE EDGE WITH HOME ADVANTAGE ON Sunday, the two teams that will advance to play in the Super Bowl on February 2 in Miami will be identified. Both the NFC’s San Francisco 49ers and the AFC’s Kansas City Chiefs will be playing at home this weekend, and both are heavily favoured over their opponents. It’s hard to disagree with the oddsmakers, given how the teams arrived at their current positions. The Chiefs’ victory over the Houston Texans was simply jaw-dropping. The Texans opened the game by moving out to an astonishing 24-point lead on a variety of big plays and unfathomable miscues by Kansas City. Watching the game on TV was a surreal experience, as the Chiefs fumbled kicks and uncharacteristically dropped several catchable passes from quarterback Pat Mahomes. Then a big kickoff return ignited the Chiefs and they outscored Houston by 51-7 for the rest of the game. This match seemed like a video game at times. But it won’t be forgotten that ultra-talented Houston QB Deshaun Watson couldn’t stop the bleeding once KC got on a roll. It’s fair to wonder when Watson will advance to the next level in the playoffs. Kansas City will host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. The Titans are the wonder story of these playoffs. They have good offensive and defensive lines and a “game
manager” at quarterback, but this team’s success is all about its 6’3”, 247-pound sledgehammer runner, Derrick Henry. Opposing teams have stacked their lineup to stop him but it hasn’t worked. The Titans simply whipped the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens last weekend, sending the losers and QB Lamar Jackson to their second first-round playoff home loss in a row. There will be valid questions now about both the Ravens’ coaches and their prodigiously talented quarterback. Kansas City will likely fly into Sunday’s game on a carryover high from their epic comeback against Houston. Most see Tennessee as essentially one-dimensional with superman Henry. But the Titans will scare the Chiefs out of their socks, and might even upset them. Tennessee is a team built for the playoffs, and they are certainly peaking at the right time. The 49ers earned a second straight weekend at home by dispatching the
KANSAS QB Patrick Mahomes
Minnesota Vikings, as San Francisco’s fearsome defensive line simply stopped the Viking offense. There’s been much talk about all the first-round draft picks on SF’s defensive front, and they all did play like stars. It never felt like the Vikings could really win this game. On Sunday evening, the Green Bay Packers managed to build a lead and hold off Seattle to earn a trip to San Francisco. QB Russell Wilson and the Seahawks waited too long to really get into this game, and when they made it close at the end, Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers made a couple of gutsy pass completions to seal his victory. Rodgers has made a career of elevating the performances of largely anonymous offensive teammates, and is doing so again this year. He and his firstyear head coach seem to be on the same page of the playbook most of the time, and the team’s defense has played well enough to keep them in almost every game. Every game, that is, except the one with the 49ers earlier this season. In that game, the 49ers raced out to a 26-0 halftime lead on the way to a 37-8 thrashing of Green Bay. It’s hard to foresee an identical outcome this time, but the game might not be very close. Las Vegas oddsmakers have already installed San Francisco as the Super Bowl betting favourites.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, January 16, 2020, PAGE 9
MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING BAR OWNER GETS BAIL By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
THE man accused of murdering Via Caffe owner Albert Rahming nearly four years ago has been granted bail ahead of his trial. Justice Bernard Turner granted Kendino McDonald $20,000 bail yesterday ahead of his trial over claims he murdered Mr Rahming on November By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net SURVEILLANCE footage played in court showed a prosecutor angrily advancing towards a young man he claimed had told others to shoot and stab him because of his role in having one of the man’s friends convicted of a crime. The footage played before magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux showed Joel Seymour charging towards Daltino Thurston because he allegedly took exception to Mr Seymour being the lead prosecutor in Javon Rolle’s criminal trial. The video shows Mr Seymour gunning after Thurston, who backs off to avoid the prosecutor’s advances, but not before another man, said to be Thurston’s younger brother George Rahming, swiftly strikes Mr Seymour once in the head. The video was shown moments before Mr Seymour admitted he was angry when he went after Thurston, an altercation that came after he claimed he and Thurston exchanged blows over the young man’s alleged words. However, that initial altercation, which took place near K-Souse on Baillou Hill Road and Palmetto Street, which is owned by Mr Seymour’s cousin, was not captured by the security camera stationed on Thurston’s mother’s house. The footage was played moments before Thurston’s attorney, Ramona Farquharson-Seymour, suggested it was foolish for Mr Seymour to have gone after a man whom he claimed had just asked other people to shoot and stab him. As evidenced by the video, and as suggested by Mrs Farquharson-Seymour, Mr Seymour would not have sustained the injury that goes to the heart of the charge against Rahming had he instead gone to the police. To that, Mr Seymour said: “… At the end of the day, I’m human as well.” Thurston and Rahming are on trial over allegations the pair both attacked and injured Mr Seymour on January 5, 2019. The pair also face obstruction of justice charges. Rahming is accused of injuring Mr Seymour while Thurston is accused of attempting to intimidate, and commit violence against the prosecutor. Both men have denied the charges. According to the evidence led at trial, the
13, 2016. As part of his bail conditions, McDonald must report to the Wulff Road Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday before 6pm and be fitted with an electronic monitoring device. He must also remain within 100 feet of his residence between 9pm and 6am daily. He is also not to come into any deliberate contact with any of the witnesses in the matter.
Justice Turner further ordered McDonald to turn himself into custody by 6pm on June 7 of this year, so as to be accounted for when his trial starts the following day. On November 29, 2016, McDonald was charged with Mr Rahming’s murder. The businessman was shot dead and his bullet-riddled body found slumped in a black Mercedes Benz in the parking
lot east of the Nassau Sailing Club on the Montagu foreshore around 7.30am on the day in question. McDonald was also charged with five counts of armed robbery and two counts of rape. He was charged with robbing a 21-year-old woman of a $500 Kipling bag at gunpoint before sexually assaulting her on October 11, 2016. He was also charged with
robbing a man of a $500 Samsung phone at gunpoint on the same day. McDonald was also charged with robbing a man at gunpoint of $840 cash, a $400 Movado watch and two silver rings, each valued at $75 on October 19. McDonald and Marco Davis were also charged with robbing a 16-year-old girl of an iPhone and a $400 gold Michael Kors watch before sexually assaulting
her on November 8 of that year. They were further charged with robbing a man of $2,000 cash, a $400 Samsung phone and a watch on that same day. Yesterday, McDonald’s attorney Lennox Coleby said his client won one of the armed robbery cases at the no case submission stage before Justice Gregory Hilton. He said the Crown has since appealed the decision.
Court sees video of prosecutor charging towards defendent incident in question technically has its origins in an armed robbery trial against Rolle before Justice Renae McKay that Mr Seymour successfully prosecuted in December 2018. Thurston was Rolle’s alibi witness during the trial in December, and was also good friends with Rolle, who was at the time engaged to one of Thurston’s cousins. On January 5, 2019, Mr Seymour went to K-Souse. While there, he encountered Thurston, whom he claimed made threatening remarks indicative of his contempt towards him for successfully prosecuting Rolle’s matter. According to Mr Seymour, Thurston said things like “ya boy there is a prosecutor, he’s the one who send Javon to jail” and that he (Thurston) should go “deal with him now”. Mr Seymour also claimed Thurston told another male to stab him. Mr Seymour claimed the two ultimately grabbed each other by the other’s collar and exchanged blows before being separated by onlookers. Mr Seymour was sent to the “front” of K-Souse, while Thurston was sent to the rear of the establishment opposite his mother’s house. Sometime later, when
Mr Seymour went to his truck—which was parked on Palmetto Street—to leave, he said he heard Thurston telling people things like “Yeah bey, ya boy is a prosecutor. He must be ain’t know where he is, aye? It’s killing season”, and “police and prosecutors could get it too”. The breaking point for Mr Seymour was when Thurston started pointing out his truck to the other men. Essentially marking his truck made him not only afraid but upset. As a result, Mr Seymour said he approached Thurston, albeit angrily, with a view to getting him to stop what he was doing. However, he said before he could get the words out of his mouth, he felt a sudden blow to the left side of his head. Mr Seymour said he doesn’t know what him, but he felt metal when he was struck. He said as he stumbled backwards, he looked up and realised it was Rahming, donned in a beanie, who had hit him. Mr Seymour claims Rahming stabbed him in the head with a knife he claimed the young man could be seen closing and securing on the video. However, the wound he sustained was deemed a
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“minor” one by emergency room physician Dr Leonardo Rahming, and one that didn’t even require stitches. That second altercation was captured on the surveillance footage and played in court for the magistrate to see. It shows Thurston, Rahming, and about four other males standing in the road opposite their mother’s house. Their mother, Lavita Thurston, could also be standing in the road not too far from the group, her back to the camera. At around the 3.25 mark, Mr Seymour could be seen coming from off-frame towards Thurston, who backs up as he approaches. Before Mr Seymour could get within an arm’s length of Thurston, Rahming suddenly decks him in the left side of the head, apparently
startling the prosecutor, who staggers and holds his left hand up in defence after the fact. Mr Seymour then clasps the left side of his head and backpedals away from the group and out of the frame. Mr Seymour claimed that while doing just that, he heard Thurston say, “Shoot him, shoot him!” During the latest trial proceedings, Mrs Farquharson-Seymour questioned why Mr Seymour, after knowing the volatility of the situation, and hearing the things he claims Thurston said, didn’t just leave the area from the onset and report the matter to the nearest police station. Mrs FarquharsonSeymour subsequently submitted that the reason he opted not to go to the police was because he
“forgot” his “office” and who he was on that night. As such, she asserted that Mr Seymour’s decision to approach Thurston was “inappropriate”. However, Mr Seymour refuted her assertions, insisting: “At the end of the day, I’m human as well.” He further noted that if Thurston or anyone else had threatened him, he could “deal with that”. However, he said he takes exception to anyone pointing out his truck, which he said he uses to transport his daughter, niece, and “all kind of different” people close to him. “If you have a problem with me, deal with me,” he said. “Don’t point out my vehicle for other persons to come and shoot at my vehicle. I have to be upset.” The matter continues.
PAGE 10, Thursday, January 16, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
Ten years after Haiti’s tragedy have any lessons been learned?
ABOVE: women dance during a religious ceremony in Canaan, a district in Croix des Bouquets, Haiti, created for people who were displaced by the earthquake 10 years ago. Home to more than 300,000 people, Canaan has no running water, electricity or other public services despite repeated promises that NGOs, foreign governments and Haitian officials would help.
by Jean-François Savard, Emmanuel Sael and Joseph Jr Clormeus MORE than 300,000 people were killed, several hundred thousand were injured and nearly 1.5 million were left homeless when a magnitude 7 earthquake hit Haiti on January 12, 2010. On that day, the workspace that my colleague Joseph Jr Clorméus, who co-authored this article, usually occupied at the Ministry of National Education completely collapsed. He witnessed an apocalyptic scene: colleagues had lost their lives while others were having limbs amputated to escape certain death under the rubble. Outside, corpses littered the streets of the
capital while the horrifying spectacle of blood mixed with concrete and dust offered itself to the desolate gaze of a traumatised population. Ten years later, Haiti hasn’t recovered from this disaster, despite billions of dollars being spent in the country. Two main factors explain, in our view, the magnitude of this tragedy: the weakness of Haitian public institutions and the disorganisation of international aid, particularly from NGOs. The weakness of the Haitian state Haiti is vulnerable to earthquakes. Historically, they have been managed
by the military, which played an important role in both national development and natural disaster management. But the speedy dismantling of the national army under Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s presidency did not allow for the transfer of the army’s natural disaster management skills to other civilian public institutions. Indeed, a great deal of know-how disappeared. Despite the presence of several government bodies that had tried to develop skills in relation to earthquakes, no reliable operational body was able to manage the institutional vacuum left by the army. Today, Haiti remains very vulnerable to natural disasters on its territory.
The succession of unstable governments over the past four decades hasn’t helped either. These have significantly weakened the central administration, which then had little capacity to manage and control the country’s territory. For example, Port-auPrince, a city originally designed for 3,000 people, was home to almost a million. Ten years later, we can only note that nothing has really changed in this respect. The Haitian state has shown itself incapable of decentralising and developing its rural environment, which is experiencing an exodus year after year. The capital and its surroundings are overpopulated and there are no real urban planning policies to impose standards and counter the anarchic constructions that proliferate the city. In this context, any major earthquake could only lead to the disastrous consequences that the country has experienced. Another problem: in 2010, the Haitian public administration, far from having been reformed, was mainly concerned with collecting taxes on property without any real security control over the territory. The combination of overcrowding, chaotic urban development without a regional development policy, a flagrant lack of resources to intervene on its territory and the skills of its staff has meant the
Haitian public administration has never been able to anticipate the impacts of an earthquake. Disorganised international aid The weakness of the Haiti’s public administration is compounded by the disorganisation of international aid. Following a decree adopted in 1989 (which amended Article 13 of the 1982 law governing NGOs), responsibility for the coordination and supervision of NGO activities on the territory of the Republic of Haiti was entrusted to the Ministry of Planning and External Co-operation (MPCE). In the aftermath of the earthquake, many studies reported on the presence of thousands of NGOs in the country. However, on its official list, the MPCE recognised barely 300 of them. It can, therefore, be concluded the majority of these NGOs were operating in near obscurity. Several studies have also shown - and we’ve seen on the ground - that the international community’s assistance deployed immediately after the earthquake failed to meet a humanitarian challenge of such magnitude. There was no co-ordination in the interventions of friendly countries in order to optimise the efforts on behalf of the victims. There was great humanitarian disorganisation and even a failure on the part of the
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international community, which had to improvise ineffectively to co-manage a disaster. With a presence on the ground as early as 2012, we’ve observed that the majority of NGOs arrived in Haiti not to respond to a need expressed by the Haitian government, but rather to serve their own interests, as Dr. Joanne Liu, former president of Médecins Sans Frontières, reports. There was no co-ordination between them, nor was there any co-ordination with the government. Furthermore, although UN forces deployed with MINUSTAH were present in Haiti, the forces were fragmented and operated under often incompatible models and values. Aid was inefficient, even harmful. The scandal of the reintroduction of cholera in Haiti underscores this reality. Post-earthquake Despite the fact that billions of dollars had been spent in the country, according to international reports, five years after the disaster, debris was still lying in the streets, thousands of people were still living in refugee camps and the majority of public buildings had not been rebuilt. All of this testifies to the serious difficulties of coordination on the ground. A decade later, the challenges are still immense for Haiti since it must develop construction policies that fit into a certain vision of urban planning. It must also rebuild the archives of public institutions that have been damaged or have disappeared, and it must help post-earthquake generations learn from the past, develop and implement an emergency plan for natural disasters, and design and implement policies and spaces adapted for people with disabilities. Today, international development practices are seen to be based on a wealth accumulation perspective, giving priority to private sector interests. Canada’s initiatives to direct its aid to the development of the mining sector and freetrade zones in Haiti are evidence of this. What’s more, Canada’s decision to freeze funding for new projects in Haiti raises several questions: why leave Haiti in such a difficult position? Is the decision intended to make the Haitian state face up to its responsibilities or simply to take the Canadian government off the hook for the failure of international aid in that country? Is this an admission of powerlessness in the face of the profound institutional weaknesses in Haiti? As we look back at Jan. 12, 2010, we raise a question as troubling as it is fundamental: Has the Haitian government and the international community really learned any lessons from the earthquake? theconversation.com
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, January 16, 2020, PAGE 11
RBC charity soirée and silent auction at Island House. Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
ISLAND DELIGHT
PAGE 12, Thursday, January 16, 2020 By DAVID ALLEN University of Warwick
I
T HAS long been recognised that all work and no play is likely to lead to less productive, dissatisfied workers. As far back as the 1930s, management researchers such as Elton Mayo and Mary Parker Follett noted that aspects of human nature, such as relationships, were important motivating factors in the workplace. It was a radical departure from Henry Ford’s assertion that “men work for two reasons. One is for wages, and one is for fear of losing their jobs”. There was no time for fun in the early-1900s stopwatch driven world of scientific management and the efficiency movement. But the script for the workplace as a fun environment was rewritten by numerous Silicon Valley start-ups during the dot-com boom. They are now epitomised by the office perks that come with tech companies like Google. These encompass, variously: music and art studios, mini-golf courses, ping pong tables, foosball, climbing walls and even nap pods. Besides making working lives more enjoyable, there is strong evidence that fun in the workplace packs a powerful punch in terms of organisational benefits. For example, I researched the restaurant industry (in collaboration with John Michel from Loyola University and Michael Tews from Penn State in the US), an environment with more than 60 percent employee turnover annually, and found that workers who socialised more in the workplace and who saw their co-workers and the workplace as more fun were less likely to leave. Fun in the workplace can also foster more positive attitudes, help teams become more cohesive, and help people deal with or recover from stressful work experiences, while
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Why every company needs to have a Chief Fun Officer also developing stronger relationships. So how can firms create a suitably pro-fun culture and environment, with the appropriate activities, in order to capture these benefits? One important lesson for managers is that fun in the workplace is highly subjective. Some employees might look forward to meeting their co-workers for happy hour, viewing it as a chance to have fun and build camaraderie and team spirit. For others, however, the thought might fill them with dread. That is why managers must consider how people view an activity that they may ostensibly intend to be fun before, during and after the activity. Our research has identified a range of factors that affect the way people judge events to be fun or not.
1. Make fun voluntary The more voluntary an activity, the more likely it is people will see it as fun and enjoy participating. But that means truly voluntarily, as opposed to an activity that is technically voluntary, but where people still feel pressure to engage in some way. 2. Fun from the top Workers are also likely to value fun in the workplace more highly if managers and leaders are supportive of fun. In simple terms, it is the difference between a manager who, as everyone runs to the break room to have birthday cake, signals “great, let’s all go and celebrate and then we will get back to work”, and one that mutters “here we go again,
people are going to get distracted and we will lose 30 minutes of work time”. As organic fun is more effective than manufactured fun, it makes sense for managers to create an environment where employees initiate and organise various fun activities as much as possible, as opposed to managers and leaders driving it from the top down. Pressure of work is also a factor. Employees with a heavy workload may view fun events as obstacles in their schedule. 3. Recognise different personalities Personality traits are important. Optimistic people with a positive approach to life are more likely to treat fun activities favourably. Organisations
that have a strong culture of fun and believe in the benefits of hiring people that fit the culture of their organisation are more likely to have employees who share fun as a common value. Those employees are more likely to have a positive perspective on fun events. 4. Types of fun The type of activity makes a difference. The research I’ve mentioned suggest events involving food, celebrations of personal milestones and workplace outings are best received. Avoid events where people risk making a fool of themselves in front of their co-workers. But companies can also design physical spaces that are conducive to socialising and interaction in the
workplace (yes, even on work time). They can also use onboarding and newcomer orientation as an opportunity to show that the organisation is open to fun and wants to foster those types of interaction. It may be worthwhile to allow an employee to specifically champion fun in the workplace and take a lead on those activities. Millennials and Generation Z are the leaders, managers and workers of the coming decades. When it comes to the competition for talent and building great teams with engaged workforces, those organisations that provide an environment in which employees are able to have some fun are likely to have the last laugh. theconversation.com
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, January 16, 2020, PAGE 13
Shooting leaves man in hospital POLICE are investigating a shooting that has a man in hospital on Wednesday. Police were told that shortly after 1am, a man was sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot of a night club located on Ludlow Street, when he heard gunshots. The man then realised that he had been shot.
ARMED MAN ROBS SPORTS LOUNGE
POLICE are looking for an armed man who robbed a sports lounge on Tuesday. Shortly after 10pm, an assailant entered a sports lounge located on Palmetto Avenue off East Street, held a cashier at bay and robbed the establishment of cash before running away. An investigation is ongoing.
He was taken to hospital and is listed in stable condition. Anyone with information that can assist this investigation is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477), the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991/2 or the nearest police station.
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PAGE 14, Thursday, January 16, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
PUTIN KEEPS FIRM GRIP ON POWER
EARTH HAS ITS HOTTEST DECADE EVER
MOSCOW Associated Press
WASHINGTON Associated Press The last decade was the hottest ever measured on Earth, capped off by the second-warmest year on record, two US agencies reported yesterday. And scientists said they see no end to the way man-made climate change keeps shattering records. “If you think you’ve heard this story before, you haven’t seen anything yet,” Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, said at the close of a decade plagued by raging wildfires, melting ice and extreme weather. Schmidt said Earth as a whole is probably the hottest it has been during the Holocene — the past 11,500 years or so — meaning this could be the warmest period since the dawn of civilization.
PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin engineered a surprise shake-up of Russia’s leadership yesterday, proposing changes to the constitution that could keep him in power well past the end of his term in 2024. Hours after he made the proposals, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev resigned and Putin named the littleknown head of Russia’s tax service to replace him. Putin kept his ally Medvedev in the Kremlin’s leadership structure by appointing him to the newly created post of deputy head of the presidential Security Council. But the duties of that position are unclear. Putin’s proposed constitutional reforms, announced in a state of the nation address, indicated he was working to carve out a new governing position for himself after his term ends, although the suggested changes don’t specify what path he will take to stay in charge.
FLAMES consume a hillside as firefighters battle the Maria Fire in Santa Paula, California last November.
House leaders march Trump impeachment articles to the Senate WASHINGTON Associated Press IN A dramatic procession across the US Capitol, Democratic House leaders marched the formal articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate yesterday, setting the stage for only the third trial to remove a president in American history. Trump complained anew it was all a “hoax,” even as fresh details emerged about his efforts in Ukraine. The ceremonial pomp and protocol by lawmakers who will be prosecuting the case against Trump moved the impeachment out of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Democratic-run House to the Republican-majority Senate, where the president’s team is mounting a defense aiming for swift acquittal. “Today we will make history,’’ Pelosi said as she signed the documents, using multiple pens to hand out and mark the moment. “This president will be held accountable.” Earlier, the House voted 228-193, almost entirely along party lines to deliver the charges. The split reflected the deeply divided nation at the start of this presidential election year. It came one month after the House impeached Trump alleging he abused
HOUSE Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving and Clerk of the House Cheryl Johnson carry the articles of impeachment his presidential power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden, using military aid to the country as leverage. Trump was also charged with obstructing Congress’ ensuing probe. Trump’s political campaign dismissed the House effort as “just a failed attempt to politically damage President Trump leading up to his reelection.” The Senate will transform itself into an impeachment court today. The Constitution calls for Chief Justice John Roberts to preside at the trial, administering the oath to senators who will serve as jurors and swear to deliver “impartial justice.’ Technically, the House was simply notifying the Senate of its delivery of the articles, with a more formal presentation today.
The top Republican in the House, Kevin McCarthy of California, said Americans will look back on this “sad saga” that tried to remove the president from office with the “weakest case.” The president’s team expects acquittal with a Senate trial lasting no more than two weeks, according to senior administration officials. That’s far shorter than the last presidential impeachment trail, of Bill Clinton, in 1999, or the first one, of Andrew Johnson, in 1868. As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sets the rules for the trial, Trump has given mixed messages about whether he prefers lengthy or swift proceeding, and senators are under pressure with the emerging new evidence to call more witnesses for testimony.
CANADA SEEKING OFFICIAL STATUS IN IRAN PLANE PROBE OTTAWA, Ontario Associated Press
CANADA’S transport minister said yesterday his country is demanding official status in Iran’s investigation of the crash of a Ukraine International Airlines jet in Tehran last week. Iran admits its air-defense forces shot the plane down, having not identified it as a commercial airliner. All 176 people aboard were killed,
including 138 people who were headed for Canada and 57 Canadians. Transport Minister Marc Garneau said two Canadian investigators are in Iran as part of an international team and have been getting good co-operation, but he wants their participation in the probe formalized. He said the plane’s “black boxes” are in Iranian hands, but another two investigators are ready to go wherever and whenever the recorders are examined.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, January 16, 2020, PAGE 15
STEPHEN KING CRITICISED FOR COMMENTS ON DIVERSITY NEW YORK Associated Press
STEPHEN KING
STEPHEN King says he cares only about “quality,” not “diversity” when deciding on awards. Some are asking why he thinks the two must be different. “I would never consider diversity in matters of art. Only quality,” King tweeted this week. “It seems to me that to do otherwise would be wrong.” The best-selling author’s comments came shortly after the announcement of this year’s nominees for the Academy Awards, widely criticised for only choosing male directors and
for an almost entirely white group of acting finalists. King wrote that he had been allowed to nominate people for best picture, best adapted screenplay and best original screenplay, and that for him “the diversity issue — as it applies to individual actors and directors, anyway — did not come up.” King, many of whose books have been adapted into movies, did not say who he did nominate. A spokeswoman from Scribner, King’s publisher, said that no further comment from him was expected. Admirers of King, an outspoken liberal, were disheartened by his
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comments. Author Roxane Gay tweeted that “as a fan, this is painful to read. “It implies that diversity and quality cannot be synonymous,” Gay wrote. “They are not separate things. Quality is everywhere but most industries only believe in quality from one demographic. And now, here you are.” Director Ava DuVernay tweeted: “When you wake up, meditate, stretch, reach for your phone to check on the world and see a tweet from someone you admire that is so backward and ignorant you want to go back to bed.”
At a TV critics meeting, Cynthia Erivo, this year’s lone Oscar acting nominee of color, was asked about King’s comments while promoting a series based on the author’s “The Outsider.” The English actress, who is black, is a double nominee for her her portrayal of Harriet Tubman in the film “Harriet” and for the film’s original song “Stand Up.” “I like to think I’m part of the world of diversity,” Erivo said Wednesday. “I feel like this year we had a flurry of beautiful pieces by people who are of a diverse nature — black women, women in general.”