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As row over cost of Dubai trip rages on, Brave says
‘IT IS ALL ABOUT MAKING FRIENDS’
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the presence of a Bahamian delegation in Dubai for the Expo 2020 event is a chance to develop friendships and tourism. His comment, made yesterday in Dubai, comes as some Bahamians question the size of the Bahamian delegation and the cost of the event. “We consider Expo fundamentally to be about the relationship between the peoples of the world, the promotion of friendship and co-operation through culture, and the unyielding capacity of human beings to pursue a higher order of civilisation, through innovation and adaptation,” Mr Davis said.
“It is a chance for countries to get to know each other better or perhaps, introduce themselves to each other for the first time. Many Bahamians here in Dubai have been surprised at how many people have never heard of The Bahamas. Our presence and participation are opportunities for both friendship and tourism. “We want you to come and visit: to stay awhile, and experience how life can still indeed be ‘Better in The Bahamas’. And as you get to know us, we relish the opportunity for us to get to know you. At Expo, each of us wants to show the best of us.”
FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis was adamant yesterday that “every red cent” spent by his administration to feed Bahamians at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic can be accounted for amid
SEE PAGE FOUR
NON-LETHAL WEAPONRY CONSIDERED FOR POLICE DEPUTY Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander said he would welcome the acquisition of non-lethal weapons for the Royal Bahamas Police Force, saying the matter is on the table and up for discussion. The issue of non-lethal weapons was raised after police killed Leading Seaman Rodney Adderley last week. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force marine was not armed, but allegedly charged at an officer and tried to take his weapon. SEE PAGE FIVE
SEE PAGE THREE
new questions regarding the initiative. In an interview yesterday, Dr Minnis criticised the Davis administration, saying thorough meetings should have been held with the now defunct National Food Distribution Task Force and other entities
- SEE PAGE NINE
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
‘EVERY RED CENT CAN JAYDA’S BE ACCOUNTED FOR’ RIDE TO EARLY SUCCESS By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
PETER YOUNG: A HAT-TRICK OF HOWLERS FOR GREAT BRITAIN
GB POWER RATES RISE SET AT 3.3%
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
TEN-YEAR-OLD JAYDA MACKEY, pictured at Camperdown Equestrian Centre, is head and shoulders above the rest in her career already - as the proud owner of a protein cookie business, as encouraged by her father after he noticed she had a knack for baking. See Face-to-Face on PAGE EIGHT for the full story.
MAN CHARGED WITH GRIFFIN AND OTHER KILLINGS By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A 21-YEAR-OLD was charged in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday with the murder of four people last year, including well-known businessman and former Bahamas Taxicab Union president Leon Griffin. Demargio Lockhart went before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt to face several
LEON GRIFFIN counts of murder attempted murder August, November December.
and in and
He was one of four men taken to court to face murder charges in separate matters yesterday. Police allege that the 21-year-old killed Griffin, the husband of former Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin, on December 23. News of the former Bahamas Taxicab Union president’s death made headlines after he was found shot in the head
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
SEE PAGE SEVEN
RENEWED calls were made last night for an independent regulator to take over supervision of all Freeport utilities after Grand Bahama Power Company’s base tariff hike was partially approved. The Grand Bahama Port Authority’s (GBPA) decision to grant the island’s sole energy provider an average base rate increase of 3.3 percent, as opposed to the 6.3 percent rise originally sought, united both the private sector and community activists in opposition on the basis that any jump now is “too much” for battered economy struggling to revive from COVID and Hurricane Dorian. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
PAGE 2, Tuesday, January 18, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
SCENES from the Bahamas National Day festivities in Dubai at Expo 2020 yesterday.
Photos: OPM Communications
BURNSIDE ‘PERTURBED’ BY PERFORMANCES AT EXPO 2020 By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
CULTURAL advocate Pamela Burnside says what she’s seen on display from some of the participating Bahamian acts in Dubai threatens to “mash down” all of the cultural strides made over decades by her and her late husband Jackson Burnside III. Mrs Burnside told The Tribune that she was “perturbed” by a lot of the performances put on during Expo 2020, saying she was of the view that the nation was most likely left embarrassed in the eyes of the world. Bahamians at home were able to view some of the shows virtually in addition to video uploaded by some who made the trip. She said a lot of what took place was the result of failure on the part of the government to consult Bahamians with cultural expertise. While expressing certainty that the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band and the Bahamas All Stars Band put on worldclass acts, Mrs Burnside expressed grave displeasure with a dance act that in her view disrespected the laws and morals of the Middle Eastern country among other participants. “I was just very perturbed from the point of view that number one, a praise and
worship choir went instead of the National Youth Choir,” she said. “When we are on the world stage our national institutions are supposed to represent us and at the quality and at the excellent standard. So, I was really upset to know that they weren’t taken and I find it a bit of a conflict for Clint and his choir to go.” She was referring to the presence of Press Secretary Clint Watson, who travelled to Dubai and performed with gospel choir Shaback. She also took issue with the performance of Bahamian comedian Terez Davis-Nixon, who performs as the persona Miss Daisy. “From the point of view of Miss Daisy, that was just mind boggling for me because number one they are not respecting
the culture and the laws of the host country. Alcoholism and intoxication is definitely something that is frowned upon and we know what the situation is with females in the Emirates. “To portray a drunken totally made-up woman that can’t even walk properly and speaking in the Bahamian dialect that only we can understand, but nobody else is going to understand, that is totally inappropriate and it’s brought nothing to the whole contingent. “I don’t know who chose the people to go, but they really should have had a group of people around the table to help them to make those decisions and from the point of view of the disrespect of the country this morning I was just at a loss for words this
morning when I saw they opened with young ladies holding up their long skirt and showing their legs on the stage. Their arms were even bare and they were kicking up their legs in front of the delegation from the Emirates, that is totally unnecessary and disrespectful to the host country.” She also said: “Fred Mitchell was there as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and he has been over in that area for many, many years up and down and to have allowed something like that to be a cultural show? “It’s embarrassing for us as a country. If we have diplomatic relations with countries it’s our responsibility to know the culture and the laws and to prepare whoever we send to represent us in the proper way so
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that we don’t offend those people. “I love my Bahamas and my Bahamian culture. It has been the product of my life’s work and that of my late husband and to see it mashed down? For us to be represented in a space like that without the finest of the finest? “A lot of the things that we sent over there were not respectable and we cannot put that on the stage.” There has been much backlash over The Bahamas’ representation in Dubai, mostly from the standpoint of who attended and the money spent. The Bahamas government budgeted up to $1m for participation and presence at the expo, while the private sector put up $500,000 and the
government of the United Arab Emirates spent $3.5m, a Davis administration official has said. Police Commissioner Paul Rolle is also at the event. In a tweet yesterday, he sought to set the record straight about his travel there. “I wish to set the record straight,” Commissioner Rolle tweeted. “The Bahamas government did not pay for my trip to Dubai and did not give me any per diem. Quite frankly I am free to travel anywhere in the world that I wish and don’t need permission from anyone.” Commissioner Rolle has also tweeted photos from his trip, including of a tour he and Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis had of the police facilities in the UAE.
YOUTH CHOIR ‘MAY NOT HAVE MET THE CRITERIA’ By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS National Youth Choir director Dexter Fernander said that although his group has a reputation for premier cultural displays through song and dance, it may not have met the criteria for participation at the world expo in Dubai. Mr Fernander was in good spirits as he spoke of the issue and sent well wishes to all the performers who were selected for the trip. As controversy erupted in the last several days over the trip, questions have been raised on social media regarding how selections were made for participation. The Free National Movement has also expressed concern about the same issue. This was especially the case regarding the National Youth Choir not being selected as compared with gospel group Shaback, led by Clint Watson, press secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister. Asked about this, Mr Fernander said Mr Watson was an excellent performer “and Shaback has a worldrenowned brand in the gospel field that any musician would be proud of”. Additionally, he said, it was his hope that the concern people have expressed would translate into financial support for shows the
Bahamas National Youth Choir are expected to hold in France and at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The latter is expected to take place in May. “I just want to wish all the best of the whole contingent that are over there to represent the country in Dubai,” he said in a recent interview. “It’s a wonderful platform that they can represent and present the culture of The Bahamas. I guess as with everything sometimes you’re not selected and we try to present the culture, all of the various genres and various styles and I guess this was not an opportunity that the choir would have been maximised for. “So, we wish them all the best.” He added: “We have a lot of plans for this year and so we’re focusing on presentations in France this summer and Carnegie Hall this May. “I could see their concerns because you know we dance and we represent all the genres. We present and we sing and I just don’t know what the requirements (were). “Maybe we did not fit what was necessary for the Dubai trip, but we wish the whole team that they would present to the best of their ability and I know some of the individuals who have travelled and I know the quality of work, so I am looking for the best in what the country will present in Dubai.”
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, January 18, 2022, PAGE 3
‘It is all about making friends’ from page one Mr Davis said it is sometimes difficult for the voices of small countries like The Bahamas to be heard on the world stage. “But we know that when we sing and dance and fully express our creative, cultural identity, we make a much bigger splash in the global imagination,” he said. “And in turn, we know that it is also a chance for us to see others, to listen to them and to learn. By building friendships, by exploring joint opportunities, and by working together to overcome the great global challenges of these times, this is how the ‘Spirit of Expo’ is kindled and will continue. This is what happens when we get to know the best of each other. “Whether it is an investment in a growing technological future, or acting jointly to address the existential challenges of climate change, for each of
us here, for all of us around the world, we can be certain that we are all in this together. “We are very grateful and proud that so many Bahamians have been able to attend this Bahamas National Day at Expo. It is thanks to the ongoing support of our hosts, the government of the United Arab Emirates, that I am also able to share in this day. “The technology and other innovations on display are breathtaking. The immersive cultural experiences, so very stimulating. And the sense of feeling and the possibilities inspired so boundless, that, as I gaze out at the multitude of faces and races, I sense that the bonds of our great human family have already strengthened.” Yesterday in Dubai, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public Service Fred Mitchell and Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates. According to a press release from Bahamas Information Services, the MoU “begins a fruitful relationship between The
Bahamas and UAE”. “The UAE government is committed to providing technical assistance through their technical assistance programme,” the press release said. “Embedded in the agreement, is a
provision that at least 50 percent of the participants in the training programme are women. “Both The Bahamas and UAE are committed to working together on several fronts for the mutual
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis attending events during Bahamas National Day festivities in Dubai at Expo 2020 yesterday.
advancement of both countries. The exchange of information will be invaluable as The Bahamas continues to push through the setbacks of the pandemic toward national and economic growth.”
Photos: OPM Communications
COOPER: TRIP WILL BUILD RELATIONS WITH THE UAE By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
TOURISM, Investments and Aviation Minister Chester Cooper has defended the government’s participation in Expo 2020 in Dubai, saying the Davis administration is focused on building diplomatic relations with the UAE. Mr Cooper addressed the controversy surrounding the world expo yesterday, highlighting its significance for The Bahamas on the global stage. He said: “We are looking forward to regaining our space and our place in the world. We found that the former administration did not bring much focus to international relations. We are pressing forward abroad. “Our Prime Minister is taking the role as promoter and chief to create opportunities and investment opportunities and touristic opportunities for our people. I am delighted that we’re playing that role in terms of showcasing our art, our culture and all that we have to offer to the world.” Asked how likely it is for The Bahamas in the coming years to put on an expo, he said: “It was
a huge undertaking, the expos, and we have to live within our level of resources. We know, for example, the UAE government has spent in excess of $3.5m in The Bahamas pavilion alone. So if you multiply that by 160 countries around the world they have supported in being there, you will see that it’s a large undertaking. “We are building diplomatic relations with the UAE as well and therefore it is important that we have a proper showing in Dubai and it is important that our standing in the world is regained.” The Davis administration approved up to $1m to support The Bahamas Pavilion and a Bahamian “presence” in Dubai, Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister Latrae Rahming said on Friday. Mr Rahming said this was less than the $1.7m approved by the Cabinet of the previous administration. There was also funding from the private sector in the amount of $500,000 and the United Arab Emirates spent $3.5m, Mr Rahming said. When questioned about the expo last Thursday, Mr Rahming explained its importance.
“I think that it is a justified investment when we give our people exposure on the world stage so people could see the talent and I think if this small country could produce per capita the largest amount of athletes and we could produce Sir Sidney Poitier, we could make a significant investment in letting the world see our talent.” Asked yesterday if it
was a justified investment, Mr Cooper said the Prime Minister will make further statements on this matter when he returns to the country. “I support statements made by the OPM previously and I expect that he will have more to say when he returns,” Mr Cooper said. On Sunday, Central Grand Bahama MP and former Youth, Sports and
Culture Minister Iram Lewis said an itemised list of expenditure for the trip should be made public in addition to exactly how many people made up the delegation. Further, he said, Bahamians should be told how many government officials were on the trip and what was the justification for their attendance along with the number of artists and artisans and what was the
criteria to determine which artist, group, choir or entertainer would comprise this cultural delegation. More than 100 of those attending are said to be a part of The Bahamas’ delegation, including the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band, the Bahamas All Stars Band, choirs, among them Shaback led by press secretary Clint Watson, and a number of Bahamian singers and musicians.
PAGE 4, Tuesday, January 18, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
University ‘going well’ with plan to move to hybrid model By PAVEL BAILEY AS the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the nation, University of the Bahamas President Dr Rodney Smith has shed light on how the virus has affected campus life and operations nearly two years later. At a press conference for the recent launch of the “UB Says No! Against Gender Based Violence” campaign, Dr Smith commented on UB’s current operations status at the
start of a new semester in an ongoing COVID environment. “Operations are going very well for the university,” he said yesterday. “We actually became completely digitised in the fall of 2019, so when we had the lockdown on March 16, 2020, we were prepared and our faculty members were actually preparing weeks before that actually happened. In the summer of 2020, all of our faculty members became online certified teachers and so we have been able to gradually go
back to a hybrid model.” He said as COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed more classes have been able to partially return to faceto-face learning. “Some of our courses are actually in hybrid mode. For instance, some of the sciences, particularly culinary arts. We have in the past week or so we have been able to mobilise the nursing and allied health division here on the main campus so that the Ministry of Health can have access to the buildings on Grosvenor’s Close, so we are
doing extremely well.” Dr Smith noted that while students are approximately taking 1,300 courses a semester between the main and Grand Bahama campuses, they are logging into these classes digitally not only across all the islands of the Bahamas, but throughout the world as well. He said the digital environment has greatly allowed the university to expand its reach. “As a matter of fact, we have students from Canada as well as France and we have faculty members that are teaching from every
island in The Bahamas. So, digitisation has introduced many opportunities for us for a wider reach and to provide greater access to student and adult learners.” While UB experienced a slight drop in enrolment in the Spring 2021 semester following the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, the school has now doubled the number of registered students this spring semester. With the successful rollout of the vaccination programme and the start of the government’s pilot free testing programme, Dr Smith
said policies are already in place for students that wish to return to campus to do so if they are fully vaccinated or are willing to test weekly. “Since October of last year, we have introduced a policy whereby anyone who is fully vaccinated would have access to campus, but if you’re not fully vaccinated you have to have a negative COVID test every three to five days. And we do have testing sites set up on our campus so that faculty, staff and students are able to get tested right here on campus.”
for mental health issues. During her remarks she stressed the need for all members of the public, especially men and boys, to join the fight against gender-based violence, as she believed it was an issue that does not affect just women. “Many times, people say that’s a women’s issue, we don’t need to get involved, let’s let other people deal with that, but it’s an issue that affects all of us. Men, women and children. And we all have to work together. And so, this campaign which was started in Canada now has 80 countries around the world where men and boys are speaking up, speaking out their opposition to violence against women and children,” she said. She hopes that with the launch of this campaign on campus they can reach an audience that was previously out of reach and gain new supporters. “We’re reaching a target population that we haven’t been able to reach before and there are 4,000 students here. So, it’s an opportunity for us to engage them, start
a discussion you know? Because you can talk about things, but you need to be able to allow people to ask questions and disagree. And we are hoping at the end of this we’ll have a cadre of UB students who will be crusaders or human rights defenders for UB.” When asked by the press what actions would stem from this campaign on campus to ensure that students who encountered gender-based violence could seek help, Dr Smith said, “We have a very very strong counselling department at the university, and we also have a very strong student affairs division. Our dean of students, our dean Joe Stubbs, constantly encourages students to speak out about any kind of violence against them and we do have disciplinary rules and regulations at the university to protect our students.” Dr Smith further encouraged any students who are being attacked or feel uncomfortable to report it immediately to the Dean of Students’ Office or any individual university authority, regardless of gender.
UNIVERSITY PARTNERS IN FIGHT AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE By PAVEL BAILEY
UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas has taken a firm stance against gender-based violence as it partners with the Bahamas Crisis Centre and Rotary Bahamas in a bold new social awareness campaign. The university launched its “UB Says No! Against Gender-Based Violence” campaign yesterday. Special guest speakers at the event included UB President Dr Rodney Smith, Dr Sandra Dean-Patterson, founder of the Bahamas Crisis Centre, and Mike Russell, head of the Rotary Road to Peace initiative. In his opening remarks Dr Smith said he was proud to be part of this initiative and announced the university’s commitment to end gender-based violence on campus. “This white ribbon-tying ceremony is symbolic of the university’s commitment to raising awareness of genderbased violence and doing our part to end it in our community,” he said. “In particular, this campaign is
THE WHITE ribbon ceremony to mark the launch of the “UB Says No! Against Gender Based Violence” campaign. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff keen to engage the students of UB and find male allies and forces to join and share the message that violence against women and children is abhorrent and wrong.” He also pushed for the campaign to extend its reach to the legislative arm of the nation to enact new protective gender laws. “Not only do we need to
educate, we also need to work to ensure that there are good protective measures in place for those who face gender-based violence. We need to continue to advocate for changes to our laws and we must not tire till they are done.” Dr Smith commended the Crisis Centre for its tireless work against
gender-based violence and announced that a series of Zoom presentations would be launched later to help the organisation educate the public on this issue. Dr Dean-Patterson said she was excited about the partnership with UB and was happy to work with Dr Smith once again as they had in the past advocated
‘EVERY RED CENT CAN BE ACCOUNTED FOR’ from page one
involved before “shooting off with information that is incorrect”. Dr Minnis insisted the task force was built on integrity and transparency. Former head of the task force, Mrs Susan Larson, was set yesterday to meet with auditors looking into the programme’s operations. Additionally, Dr Minnis noted the release of preliminary information into an audit of the programme was being used as a distraction from ongoing backlash over the large delegation sent to Dubai for a world expo. He was responding to claims outlined in a press statement released on Sunday disclosing the Davis administration was “concerned” about preliminary details which have emerged from the process of auditing the former government’s COVID-19 spending. Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister Latrae Rahming said in the statement that payments totalling more than $9m were paid out to an entity that did not appear to be classified as an NGO (non-government organisation). The programme was in the purview of the Office of the Prime Minister under the Minnis administration. “As you know during the heat of the pandemic, the entire world, people were being laid off, they were being furloughed and nations were locking down,” Dr Minnis said yesterday. “We then understood that once that happened in The Bahamas, we must be able to put a programme in place so that our people could be fed because we knew that the job loss, etc, you would need a system to assist in feeding people. “We did not feel that the
Department of Social Services alone would be able to handle the numbers that we would be faced with and if we did not do it properly and feed our people, we would run into serious chaos in terms of rioting, unrest and instability. We made the decision that every Bahamian regardless of whether they were employed or not was going to be fed and brought through the pandemic. “We also knew that there were multiple NGOs that were recognised internationally worldwide that had a financial structure in place and had a structure in place in terms of accountability and transparency. So, we set up a task force so as to utilise the services of the NGOs. He continued: “Before the government issues any statement, they should have discussed the matter with the task force where they would get the complete picture and accountability of every red cent and they could have discussed it with the various different NGOs because you cannot try to impugn NGOs and the task force. “They are using this as a diversion from what is happening and what they are being beaten up for with respect to Dubai, which demonstrated their irresponsibility.” Specifically asked about the claim that payments totalling more than $9m were paid out to an entity that did not appear to be classified as an NGO, Dr Minnis said: “They need to call a meeting with the various entities and they can get the details rather than just shooting off with information that’s incorrect. “We can account for every red cent and in fact we purchased the foods locally and we were able to negotiate very, very good prices. Cheaper than if you were buying it from the
supermarket, etc. “The wholesalers gave us the best prices possible. So, the wholesalers did their part in assisting to feed the nation during those perilous times so tell them don’t try to use that as a diversion from their inadequacies and their irresponsibility in how they’re handling this Dubai matter. “But they can be assured that the government that I was head of was totally transparent. We were honest in whatever we did and be assured that the food programme was recognised not just here but we received kudos from NGOs who are a part of international organisations, kudos for the way we handled the Bahamian populace and the way we were able to feed the Bahamian people under those perilous times.” Dr Minnis went on to congratulate former head of the programme, Mrs Susan Larson, for her work through the task force and those NGOs which were also an integral part of providing food for the distribution. In his press statement Sunday, Mr Rahming said early accounts indicate no evidence that an internal control environment related to the food programme and the task force was designed and implemented by the office of the Financial Secretary of the Ministry and the Department of Social Services. Furthermore, there was no evidence that the office of the Financial Secretary, Social Services and the task force collaborated to design policies, procedures and best practices aimed towards the execution of the task force’s duties, inclusive of reporting and monitoring, he said. There was also no evidence of authorised contracts in place with the NGOs under the food programme, he said.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, January 18, 2022, PAGE 5
NON-LETHAL WEAPONRY CONSIDERED FOR POLICE
from page one
Asked about non-lethal weapons during a press conference yesterday, DCP Fernander said: “I welcome that, but it is still on the table for discussion. We will see how quickly we can bring that up based on what is going on out there now and the concerns from members of the public.” In 2020, Police
Commissioner Paul Rolle told police, customs and immigration officers that firearms and lethal force should be used as a last resort and “only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient to obtain public cooperation to an extent necessary to secure observance of law or to restore order, and to use only the minimum degree of physical force which is necessary on any particular
occasion for achieving a police objective.” He said the RBPF was exploring less lethal weapon options like tasers and body wrap technologies to reduce incidents of fatal encounters between police and suspects. “I have approached a company in the US already, a couple of them,” Commissioner Rolle said at the time. “Just yesterday I got a communication from a local
company and have asked Assistant Commissioner (Craig) Stubbs and the executive team to arrange a meeting to get a demonstration so we are actively looking for alternatives, we don’t want to in every instance resort to lethal force so while we explore this whole idea of using tasers, but, of course, with using tasers, every time a person is tased they have to be taken to the hospital,
EMS has to come and they have to be treated so there’s also an inherent danger in that. “I mean it’s less lethal and it’s an option that we are looking at,” he said. Asked when he expects movement on the embrace of less lethal weapons, he said: “Depending on how soon the vendors can get the information to me and then I have then to approach Cabinet. I’m not
only trying to get them, but I have to get feedback from all the other professionals as well with the use of tasers and you talk about the degree of injury and what is happening in other jurisdictions and how that is turning out.” DCP Fernander is serving as Acting Police Commissioner while Commissioner Rolle is out of the country attending Expo 2020 in Dubai.
‘WE’RE FULLY BEHIND THE CRUISE INDUSTRY’ By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
TOURISM, Investments and Aviation Minister Chester Cooper said officials are “fully behind” the cruise industry despite the Pan American Health Organisation’s concern about cruise travel amid the pandemic. Speaking on the sidelines of an event yesterday, Mr Cooper was asked about recently expressed concern from PAHO about limiting cruise ship traffic due to the Omicron variant. “We are fully behind the cruise industry,” Mr Cooper said. “We are supportive of their arrival. We expect their arrivals to continue over the course of the next several weeks as we have been seeing in months of November and December. Some days we’ve had five ships in the harbour. We are satisfied that the cruise lines, notwithstanding the challenges of COVID, have put in place sustainable protocols. “These protocols we’ve tested and proven throughout the course of the pandemic we are consistently looking at the protocols that we have for air travel.” The US Centres for Disease Control recently reclassified The Bahamas’ travel warning from level two to level three due to a
surge in COVID-19 cases. Mr Cooper said these ratings will fluctuate as the pandemic rages on. “While we have the ratings of the CDC in terms of the cruise lines and generally in terms of our country, this is not unlike what we’re seeing everywhere else in the world. As a result of Omicron, case levels have gone through the roof and the reality of where we are now is that we expect in the future that ratings will fluctuate. We’ve been a level two only just recently and therefore we anticipate that as the pandemic isn’t over. We haven’t seen the end of it. We’re going to continue to be very measured in the protocols that we put in place.” Mr Cooper added local officials will continue to monitor the reports of the international communities, the CDC, and other such entities, but are working ‘hand-in-hand’ with the cruise association and “all of our stakeholders” to ensure they strike the right balance. PAHO’s Director of Health Emergencies Dr Ciro Ugarte said during the organisation’s recent press briefing that caution must be used for cruise ship travel. “PAHO has always urged utmost caution and even considering resuming cruise ship traffic because
DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper at the Arawak X Digital Ecosystem Meeting at Baha Mar yesterday. of the very specific poorly understood dynamic of the virus onboard cruise ships for example. In regard to national authorities, our recommendation has been to proceed in progressive manner and on the basis of clear operational and administrative agreements they have with the tourism industry,” he explained. “Therefore, in the context of intense transmission due to the Omicron variant… it seems judicious to suspend or at least limit the cruise ship traffic, as an outbreak on board might end up exceedingly high and probably will go beyond the capacity of local health services. It is a very cautious approach. We need to balance, of course, the economy and well-being of the population. At the same time, we have to continue saving lives and reducing the impact in all sectors.”
JIBRILU ON PRE-RETIREMENT LEAVE By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
TOURISM Director General Joy Jibrilu is officially on pre-retirement leave, Tourism, Investments and Aviation Minister Chester Cooper has announced. While speaking at an event yesterday, he said Latia Duncombe is now the Acting Director General of Tourism. Asked about Mrs Jibrilu, Mr Cooper said: “Mrs Jibrilu is officially on preretirement leave. “Mrs Duncombe, who is a distinguished executive in marketing and sales will be Acting Director General. I’ll have more to say in due course.” He added: “We have a very deep bench at the Ministry of Tourism. We have very senior longstanding executives and we’re delighted for the contributions made by Mrs Jibrilu. “Over the past eight years, tourism and the country (are) better off as a result of her contribution.” Mrs Jibrilu was appointed to the post in May 2014, during the last Christie administration. Before that appointment, she served as the director of investments for the Bahamas Investment Authority, Office of the Prime Minister.
TOURISM Director General Joy Jibrilu.
Funeral Service For
Dorothy “Doris” Lorene Cargill, 91
a resident of #17 Baylilly Drive, Sea Breeze Estates will be held at 2pm on Thursday, January 20th, 2022 at St. Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, West Street, Nassau. Officiating will be Fr. Glen C. Nixon. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Gardens, Soldier Road. She is predeceased by her husband: Arnold Leo Cargill; son: Dwayne Cargill; parents: Charles Clarence Major and Ophelia Major; siblings: Mae Dean, Ermie Saunders, Myrtle Major and Roosevelt Major.
She is survived by her children: Marie, Mizpah, Trevor (Karen), Melvoyn, Sharon, Arnold “Junior” (Almira), Keith (Eunice), Wayne “Tony” (Adria), Tyneil (Kandice); Levant Carey and Bouda Binaei; grandchildren: Lonise, Tonika, Katya (Alie), Trevor II, Traven, Tevar, Alex, Victoria, Kristen, Taylor, Duane, Katelyn, Kennedy, Jayden, Jayla, Jaxon, Justice; great grandchildren: Uriah, Grayson, Kaiya, Jordyn; sisters and brothers and their families: Family of the late Mae Dean, Family of the late Ermie and Harrington Saunders, Family of the late Myrtle Major, Olga and The Right Reverend Gilbert Arthur Thompson and Family, Leona and the late Roosevelt Major and Family, Winston and Patricia Major and Family, Franklyn and Marilyn Major and Family, Mary and the late Alpin Russell Jr. and Family; in-laws and their families: Family of the late Roy and Hilda Cargill, Family of the late Veronica and John Spence, Family of the late Hillary and Josephine Cargill, Family of the late Emily “Ivy” and Albert Rahming, Family of the late Alton and Madge Cargill, Velma and the late Urban Cargill and Family, Family of the late Lucene and Arlington Wilmott, Wilbert and the late Eulahmae Edgecombe and Family; other relatives and friends including: Ian and Tamara Cargill and Family, Monique Cargill and Family, Roger Walters, Family of the late Ethelyn Johnson, Evelyn Knowles and Family, KerriAnn Hansel, Kenris and the late Talmadge Carey and Family, Patricia and the late Cyril Carey and Family, the Bullard Family, Lionel and the late Naomi Symmonett and Family, Sydney Lynn Nottage and Family, Adrian and Violet Rodgers and Family, Roy and Shirley Rodgers and Family, Billy and Bianca Allen and Family, Jacinda Sayde Francis, Warren and Janelle Davis and Family, Arthur and Claudette Seymour and Family, Family of the late Simeon and Ida Bowe, Zoe and the late Clifford Galanis and Family, The Hon. Philip E. Davis QC, MP, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Mrs. Ann-Marie Davis and Family, The Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham and Mrs. Delores Ingraham and Family, The Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie and Mrs. Bernadette Christie and Family, Rev. Alfred Stewart and Family, Beverly Smith and Family, Carolyn and the late R.I. Bartlett and Family, Ralph and Inez Barnett and Family, Family of the late Bina Wallace, Family of the late Franklyn Augustus “Gussie” and Hilda Major, Stella and the late Ervin Knowles and Family, Pastor Rex Major and Family, Family of the late Theodore Major, Family of the late Zilphia Ritchie, Family of the late Florie and Solomon Pinder, Family of the late Addie and Felix Wallace, Family of the late Eva Cartwright, the Glass Family of Exuma, the Saunders Family of Exuma, the Cargill Family of Small Hope Bay, Family of the late Lee and David Armbrister, Geoffrey Jones and Family, Greg and Sylvia Bonamy and Family, Mary Davis and Family, Kathy Davis-Ingraham and Family, Florence and the late Teddy Greenslade and Family, Gloria Ward and Family, Family of the late Roger Kelty, Family of the late Berdina Moxey-Taylor, Cecil Ferguson, the Chea Family, Tizena Darville and Family, the Forbes Family, the Sands Family, the Crawley Family, the Smith Family, the Johnson Family. Doris is also survived by a host of other relatives and friends, all of whom we recognize and appreciate but are too numerous to mention at this time. Relatives and friends may pay their respects at Cedar Crest Funeral Home and Crematorium Ltd, Robinson and Baillou Hill Roads on Wednesday from 12noon to 5pm.
PAGE 6, Tuesday, January 18, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
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Volcanic ash delays aid to Tonga THICK ash on an airport runway was delaying aid deliveries to the Pacific island nation of Tonga, where significant damage was being reported days after a huge undersea volcanic eruption and tsunami. New Zealand’s military is sending much-needed drinking water and other supplies, but said the ash on the runway will delay the flight at least a day. A towering ash cloud since Saturday’s eruption had prevented earlier flights. New Zealand also sent a navy ship to Tonga Tuesday with another planned to leave later in the day and pledged an initial $680,000 toward recovery efforts. Australia sent a navy ship from Sydney to Brisbane to prepare for a support mission if needed. Communications with Tonga have been extremely limited, but New Zealand and Australia sent military surveillance flights to assess the damage on Monday, with aerial photos showing the vibrant Tongan landscape transformed by the ash into a gray moonscape. UN humanitarian officials and Tonga’s government “report significant infrastructural damage around Tongatapu,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. “There has been no contact from the Ha’apai Group of islands, and we are particularly concerned about two small low-lying islands — Mango and Fonoi — following surveillance flights confirming substantial property damage,” Dujarric said. New Zealand’s High Commission in Tonga also reported “significant damage” along the western coast of the main island of Tongatapu, including to resorts and along the waterfront area. The commission said Tonga police had confirmed two deaths from the tsunami, including one who was a British national. Satellite images captured the spectacular eruption, with a plume of ash, steam and gas rising like a giant mushroom above the South Pacific. Tsunami waves of about 80 centimeters (2.7 feet) crashed into Tonga’s shoreline, and crossed the Pacific, causing minor damage from New Zealand to Santa Cruz, California. The eruption set off a sonic boom that could be heard as far away as Alaska. Two people drowned in Peru, which also reported an oil spill after waves moved a ship that was transferring oil at a refinery. Family said British woman Angela Glover, 50, died after being swept away by a wave in Tonga. Nick Eleini said his sister’s body had been found and that her husband
survived. “I understand that this terrible accident came about as they tried to rescue their dogs,” Eleini told Sky News. He said it had been his sister’s life dream” to live in the South Pacific and “she loved her life there.” The explosion of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano, about 64 kilometers (40 miles) north of Nuku’alofa, was the latest in a series of dramatic eruptions. In late 2014 and early 2015, eruptions created a small new island and disrupted air travel to the Pacific archipelago. Earth imaging company Planet Labs PBC had watched the island after a new vent began erupting in late December. Satellite images showed how drastically the volcano had shaped the area, creating a growing island off Tonga. The UN World Food Program is exploring how to bring in relief supplies and more staff and has received a request to restore communication lines in Tonga, Dujarric said. One complicating factor is that Tonga has managed to avoid outbreaks of COVID-19. New Zealand said its military staff were vaccinated and willing to follow Tonga’s protocols. New Zealand’s military said it hoped the airfield in Tonga would be opened either Wednesday or Thursday. The military said it had considered an airdrop but that was “not the preference of the Tongan authorities”. Communications with the island nation is limited because the single underwater fiber-optic cable that connects Tonga to the rest of the world was likely severed in the eruption. The company that owns the cable and repairs could take weeks. Samiuela Fonua, who chairs the board at Tonga Cable Ltd, said the cable appeared to have been severed about 10 to 15 minutes after the eruption. He said the cable lies atop and within coral reef, which can be sharp. Fonua said a ship would need to pull up the cable to assess the damage and then crews would need to fix it. A single break might take a week to repair, he said, while multiple breaks could take up to three weeks. He added that it was unclear yet when it would be safe for a ship to venture near the undersea volcano to undertake the work. A second undersea cable that connects the islands within Tonga also appeared to have been severed, Fonua said. However, a local phone network was working, allowing Tongans to call each other. But he said the lingering ash cloud was continuing to make even satellite phone calls abroad difficult. By NICK PERRY, Associated Press
PM to party in Dubai EDITOR, The Tribune.
THE pandemic is not over. Currently, the Omicron wave is in magnitude nearly our second worst wave of pandemic. More than 120 people are in hospital. Some are fighting for their lives. Many medical workers are out of the system because this variant is so infectious. It is hard to deliver adequate healthcare to Bahamians who are fighting to stay alive. Businesses and essential Government services are also struggling to field full workforces. On top of all of this, many of our children in the public education system have been out of school for almost two years. They have not logged in to the state’s virtual platform at all. They have been wandering up and down the streets without guidance or oversight. Prime Minister Philip Davis left the country to party in Dubai at a time like this. He went to Expo 2020 with a huge entourage of more than 100 people. The trip will cost The Bahamas $1m, according to reports.
The Prime Minister will be living the good life during his trip. He will travel in the nice section of the luxury plane back and forth. He will live it up in a nice suite at a cost most Bahamians would find stunning. Meanwhile we, the common people, are here battling the pandemic with our elected leader not in command. We have been left to fend for ourselves as the virus takes its course, sending more and more people to the hospital for treatment. Mr Davis did not want to miss this luxury trip. He is eating the best food, and socialising with the global elite. It is disgraceful that Mr Davis would abandon his country at this time with all the problems we face. It is even more disgraceful that he would leave to go on a non-essential pleasure trip at the taxpayers’ expense. Additionally, it is a clear conflict of interest for Clint Watson’s choir to have been taken to Dubai. Mr Watson is the press secretary. His choir was selected and taken on the trip over other
deserving musicians and entertainers who are not as well connected as him. Mr Davis should have stayed in The Bahamas and led the COVID-19 fight. Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Chester Cooper should have led a small delegation to the expo. Tourism and investments are within Mr Cooper’s portfolio. In a time of national crisis we have a Prime Minister who does not like to sit at his desk and do the work he was hired to do. Mr Davis loves travelling. He loves taking pictures. In my opinion he especially loves taking pictures with rich and famous foreigners. We need a serious and focused leader to help get us out of the COVID-19 crisis. We need a serious Prime Minister to help revive our economy. It is my personal opinion that it is becoming increasingly clear that Philip Davis is not the man we need in these most difficult of times. MSG Nassau, January 14, 2022.
Send in the clowns... EDITOR, The Tribune.
AS A follow-up to the Christmas Carnival caper we now have the Dubai Debacle. The back-toback mini-disasters by the PLP government are very revealing. We have a seemingly giddy, frivolous, non-serious prime minister who seems to like showmanship and hanging out with celebrities instead of substance. The PLP and Prime Minister Brave Davis do not appear to be taking COVID seriously. First of all, certain people in the PLP thought it would be okay to have a mega-super-spreader like a carnival. Even as many world leaders are staying close to home, Mr. Davis is collecting frequent flyer miles even quicker than Fred Mitchell. Now during a serious COVID wave, with the second highest number of hospitalizations, Mr. Davis abandoned the country with a gussiemae delegation for a luxury trip half way around the world. While many Bahamians are getting sick and many can’t make ends meet, the prime minister is in Dubai on a joy ride, living the good life in first class and luxury accommodations as Bahamians are catching hell. The Bahamas should be represented at the World Expo. But the delegation is way too big and the Minister of Tourism and Investments, Chester Cooper, would have been a better choice to lead our
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net delegation. This is not a trip the prime minister had to make. In my opinion this is a trip of excess. It demonstrates more poor judgment by Mr. Davis. So, who is in the delegation? Well, there is Press Secretary Clint Watson and members of his choir. How many choir members? Are they getting paid for their singing? Is there a conflict of interest here? Mr. Watson has some explaining to do. While we cherish our religious beliefs, so do other countries. Is a Christian Gospel choir the best choice to send to a Muslim country, where proselytizing is forbidden. Why didn’t the government send our world-class Bahamas National Youth Choir, who would sing traditional Bahamian folklore and just about every genre in the world? They would have been a better choice for the country. I’m glad we do have a Junkanoo contingent and members of the Police Force band. Are there other choices that also would have been a better representation of our culture instead of some said to be on the trip who are not the best people to put on the world stage. Meanwhile, the PLP have almost nothing on their agenda. The prime minister’s Business Outlook speech had little by way of accomplishments or vision
to get our economy back on track. Where is the legislative agenda the government promised? Where is their economic plan? Why do they have so little to show more than 100 days in office? Despite his talk about our economic situation, Mr. Davis found money to finance a lavish trip to Dubai. Who is in charge? Why does the Office of the Prime Minister seem so chaotic and disorganized? Mr. Davis seems overwhelmed by the job. Maybe this is why he leaves the country so much. Maybe he’s trying to escape. Mr Davis doesn’t seem to be paying attention to detail and isn’t advancing substantial ideas to get our country moving as COVID continues to damage our economy. Mr Davis used to call Hubert Ingraham “Papa Clown”. Well, he is now acting like Clown-in-Chief. As the line from a song goes, “Send in the clowns… don’t bother they’re here.” After a short four months, we now see exactly what the Brave Davis PLP is mostly about. God help us if this is what we have to deal with for five years. The way this trip was handled is disgraceful. The prime minister’s judgment is going from bad to worse. Even many PLPs are getting more and more upset with Brave Davis. TNR Nassau, January 17, 2022.
Lead by example on masks EDITOR, The Tribune.
SO MANY Ministers MPs - spouses of Ministers - Beauty Queens - MPs getting married all should be fined for every breach of the still in existence protocol and requirement of wearing a mask. $200.00 a pop… these folks listed alone will put $5-6000.00 in the Treasury right now. Public persons need to show example of complying… we are under the fear
of the newest more infectious COVID Omicron so far no confirmed cases, but people if we remain uncovered, especially our mouths, we soon will have a critical surge and bang goes Tourism. Vanity, Ministers, is the sole reason you refuse to wear the masks when interviewed… journalists they are putting you in direct danger of being infected… they stand hardly 4ft away from you… isn’t 6ft the required distance?
Children over two years are not exempted candidates who lost… great to have a Christmas party, but… give and ensure the over two years all have masks. Yes, we are all tired and masks are uncomfortable, but so, seriously, if you catch COVID. Wake up people… save yourself and help save the economy. T MOSS Nassau, December 19, 2021.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, January 18, 2022, PAGE 7
Man charged with Griffin and other killings from page one outside his home at Winton Meadows. Mrs Griffin found him slumped over in his vehicle shortly before 8 o’clock on the night in question. Mr Griffin’s death came a month after two men, officially identified as Pablo Moss and Melvin Johnson, were killed following a shooting on Quakoo Street that occurred on November 23. It is alleged that Lockhart, along with another, caused their deaths and also tried to kill Dion Bethel the same day. Lockhart was also charged with trying to murder Leonardo Collie on November 28 and prosecutors said he caused the death of Lanisha Armbrister and attempted to cause the death of Drazen Dean on August 14, 2021. Lockhart was not required to enter a plea to any of the charges. He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until May 9 when he will be served with a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI). Lockhart is represented by attorney Ian Cargill. Also appearing in court facing three murder charges yesterday were 27-year-old Shaquille Bodie and 18-year-old Eltario Munroe. The two are accused of murdering Kenneth Eulin, Gromyko Symonette and Justin Cash on October 29. According to reports, on the date in question, a group had been on a porch
THE SCENE of the incident in which Leon Griffin was shot dead outside his home. on Prison Lane around 7pm when two armed men opened fire on them before running from the scene. Two died at the scene and an injured man was taken to hospital, however he later died. Due to the nature of the charges, the accused
were denied bail and were remanded to the Department of Correctional Services. They will return to court on April 28 for a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI}. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Darius Hall also appeared before the chief magistrate,
MEN ACCUSED OF DRUG OFFENCES By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net SEVERAL men appeared in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with a number of drug-related offences. Neil Quarrie, 40, of Abaco, stood before Magistrate Samuel McKinney charged with one count of possession of dangerous drugs and another count of drug possession with intent to supply after police said they found him with 10lbs of marijuana in the Fox Town community on January 13. During his arraignment yesterday, Quarrie pleaded not guilty to the charges and was subsequently granted $8,000 bail with one surety. The 40-year-old was also ordered to report to the Marsh Harbour Police Station on Wednesdays before 6pm. Devonte Bethel, 24, also appeared before Magistrate McKinney after he, along with others, was allegedly found with 1lb and five ounces of marijuana on the Berry Islands on January 5 and 12. Police alleged the accused, while being concerned with others, had intent to supply the drugs and also conspired to possess the drugs.
Bethel denied the allegations and the matter was adjourned to March 12 for trial. Bail was also granted at $2,500 with one surety. Another man, Teco Adderley, 28, was charged with drug possession after police found him with 25 grams of marijuana on January 13. The 28-year-old admitted the offence during yesterday’s hearing. When asked if he had any prior convictions, Adderley told the magistrate that he did not. In response, Magistrate McKinney fined him $400 and warned that failure to pay the fine would result in two months behind bars. Joshua Newry, 23, and a 17-year-old also appeared before court charged with similar offences. They were charged with two counts of possession of dangerous drugs after police found over 12 ounces marijuana at a home they were in on July 28. The prosecutor told the court that around 6.40pm on the date in question, officers went to a home in the Gambier Village community to execute a search warrant. Upon arrival, police met the two defendants and subsequently informed them of their search warrant. While searching the home, officers found
drugs under a mattress in one of the bedrooms and also discovered a grey safe. After questioning the defendants for the safe’s password, Newry then opened the safe where officers found more wrappings of suspected marijuana. Both defendants were subsequently arrested and taken into police custody where they admitted to the offence. During their second appearance in court yesterday, both defendants owned up to the charges. In mitigation, their attorneys asked the court for leniency, noting their clients had no previous convictions and were remorseful for their actions. They also asked the court to take into consideration that both Newry and the minor were still young and deserved a second chance. However, Magistrate McKinney said he could not overlook the considerable amountr of drugs found. He subsequently fined Newry $700 or three months in prison. As for the minor, Magistrate McKinney placed him on 18 months’ probation and warned him that failure to comply with the conditions of his release would result in a $500 fine or three months in custody.
WOMAN DENIES HOUSE BREAK-IN By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A 56-YEAR-OLD woman who denied breaking into a woman’s home and stealing several of her belongings earlier this month was yesterday granted bail before her trial.
Desiree Bain was arrested after police alleged that she, sometime between January 7 and January 11, broke into and entered Lashan Fox-Munnings’ home in Garden Hills. Bain is further accused of stealing an assortment of Ms Fox-Munnings’ items valued at over $5,000 between those same dates.
However, during her appearance before Magistrate Samuel McKinney yesterday, Bain pleaded not guilty to the housebreaking and stealing charges. As a result, the matter was adjourned to March 8 for trial. Bain was also granted $7,000 bail with one surety.
accused of murdering David Gray and trying to murder Carlos Newland and Chavez McPhee on December 22, 2021. However, he was not required to enter a plea to the charges and the case was adjourned to May 4 for a VBI.
Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff Hall was further charged with several firearm related offences after police said they found him with an unlicensed firearm, prohibited weapon and illegal ammunition on January 10. His co-accused, Ashton Wilson, 20, was charged
with one count each of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. However, the two denied the allegations and the chief magistrate adjourned the case to May 4 for trial. Bail was also deferred until January 20.
PAGE 8, Tuesday, January 18, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
Win, lose or draw, Jayda’s giving it all she has
M
ORE and more kids are becoming entrepreneurs these days. Parents are pushing their children to think outside of the box of just having a job or even having one source of income. This shows we are in a new age of parenting. Yes, in days gone by, many people learned about business as they worked with their parents in grocery stores, at the straw market, and all sorts of other industries. But in this day and time, parents are giving children the power to produce something of their own and make their own money. These skills will pay off big time – not only for the children who have increased their chances of success in life, but also for the nation, which will benefit when these kid entrepreneurs become adults. Ten-year-old Jayda Mackey is one of them. She is the proud owner of a protein cookie business. She already has a great formula. More and more people are becoming health conscious, so her business is taking advantage of a trend. She absolutely loves baking, so she is doing something that is fun, which is the key to the longevity of
the business. She sells her product on Saturdays at a gym, which takes advantage of this important aspect: location, location, location. Her cookies are a hit. Jayda already has tips she can share with other kids on how to become a successful entrepreneur. Jayda’s father, Jimmy Mackey of MACFit360 Fitness & Performance Centre, noticed his little girl had a knack for baking. He encouraged her to bake some cookies for his members at the gym. Jayda rose to the challenge: “I love baking regular cookies and got lots of compliments. So, I combine a healthy twist to it using no sugar. I use Whey Protein and a healthy secret ingredient. The advantages of my protein cookies are that they are healthier snacks, and when you are at the gym working out, you may
JAYDA with her little brother, Max.
become hungry for snacks but still want to become fit. So, you can purchase one of my protein cookies instead of missing your workout and driving all the way home for snacks.” Jayda has great entrepreneur role models in her parents, Jimmy and Michaela. She loves helping other kids as a part of the Jimmy Mackey Foundation, a non-profit charity. “It was started by my father who believes in giving back to his community,” said Jayda. “This is where he teaches me to serve others that are not as fortunate like me. I currently lead the Back to School Drive every year. I shop for school supplies, package the bags and give them out to kids.” This is just one of the ways that this little superstar has been giving back. As the head girl of St Anne’s Primary School, Jayda is learning the importance of service above self. I asked her what being head girl entails: “Being head girl requires me to represent my school with pride always. You must also uphold and maintain a high GPA. You will make public and professional appearances and give speeches on behalf of the school. You have to be a role model for all the students primary and high school.” That may seem like a heavy task for some, but not for Jayda. She has been rising to every calling that has come her way. I met her through her uncle, Dr Kenneth Kemp, who raved about her: “Jayda is absolutely the most talented, funny and kind young woman in the world. At only 10-yearsold, she astonishes me every single day. She is incredibly hard-working and consistently goes above and beyond what is required. She’s creative,
JAYDA baking her special protein cookies.
polite and incredibly caring. She’s quiet but adventurous, and she loves to travel, garden and read.” Jayda is a grade A student, consistently on the student honour roll. She was a 3rd place winner for the 2021 Central Bank National Essay Competition and she is a candidate for the Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year. She has already been selected as the Student of the Year for St Anne’s, where she serves as primary school head girl. St Anne’s has bestowed her with five outstanding character, trustworthiness and leadership certificates. She has won multiple awards for swimming, and
ABOVE: St Anne’s Primary School Head Girl and Student of the Year Jayda Mackey. RIGHT: Jayda with her parents, Jimmy and Michaela Mackey, and her brother, Max. has competed locally and internationally, representing The Bahamas. She was honoured to be one of the stars featured in an ALIV commercial and is on advertising billboards throughout the nation. I found out that Jayda is a real bookworm. Her love for reading plays a big part in her ability to excel in academics. In fact, her favourite subject in school is creative writing. “Writing helps me to learn new words and be creative and expressive, it also reminds me to read more books so I can get ideas from that particular book,” she said. “Right now, I’m currently reading the series of ‘Anne of Green Gables’, the series of ‘Emily Wind Snap’, the series of ‘The Black Stallion’ and I am a reading a series by author Raina Telgemeir.” A well-rounded child, Jayda loves sports just as much as she loves to read. She enjoys swimming, horseback riding and basketball. “I got involved in swimming at a really young age and ever since, I started to notice how good I am at swimming I started to train and train harder and harder,” she said. But Jayda may not realise how early in life that she started showing prowess as a swimmer. “Jayda loved the waters from the moment she opened her eyes as an infant,” Michaela shared. “When Jayda was six weeks old, we took her to the beach and she enjoyed the water. She did not cry. By the age of 2, it was all she wanted to do.” She also started horseback riding at an early age. But the more she leaned towards swimming, the less time she had for the horses. However, the national restrictions that came about because of COVID-19, she, like children all around the country, could not engage in the activities that brought them together as much. In this way, she has been able to get back into horseback riding, which she loves. All along, she’s been spending her weekends playing basketball and having fun with her dad, who was once a professional basketball player. The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the way that extra-curricular activities are conducted for kids. For Jayda, she spent her formative years in Girl
JAYDA competing at the Goodwill Games in Suriname. Guides Sunflowers and Brownies, where she earned a number of badges. She looks forward to engaging with her fellow Girl Guides again. She is also a part of the etiquette program GEMS - Graceful Empowered Masterpieces. With so much going on and going for her, Jayda has to find a way to balance it all. If it ever becomes frustrating, she plays with her little brother, Max and her puppy, Cash to help lift her mood. Although little brothers can be annoying, Jayda looks on the bright side: “Max is six-years-old. I will always be able to make time for him. He is the best little brother. Being a big sister helps me to be responsible with other things in life. I find myself being a role model to him because he’s starting to read books like me and we both love to swim. I have to protect, care and discipline him at times. Being a big sister has changed my life and I love my brother.” Michaela said that she and Jimmy knew Jayda was gifted very early on: “Jayda started walking at eight months. Her progression
was advanced every step of the way as a toddler. She was completely potty trained at 18 months. Her literacy level surpassed our expectations when she attended Day Spring Academy. She loves to set goals and challenges herself often to became better. She wrote on her vision board that she wanted to be head girl and took the steps needed. Now she is 10-years-old and Head Girl at one of the best Schools in the Bahamas. (St. Anne’s School)” When asked what kind of expectations they have for Jayda, Jimmy said: “Our expectations in this current moment, is for Jayda to just love what she’s doing and have fun. We always tell Jayda - win, lose or draw, to always show sportsmanship, to learn from her mistakes and never give up.” But what’s going on in the mind of a brilliant ten-yearold? What are her dreams and aspirations for when she grows up? “I am undecided… but what I do know right now is that I love baking, sports and I love to explore,” she said, “But I am thinking of being a cosmetic entrepreneur or a writer.”
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, January 18, 2022, PAGE 9
A HAT-TRICK OF HOWLERS HAS TAKEN THE SHINE OFF OF GREAT BRITAIN
BRITISH people have always been avid travellers. Waves of migration from the days of colonial expansion during the early 19th century have been followed in modern times by large numbers choosing to live overseas, sometimes in the pursuit of economic opportunity, while nowadays the younger generation tends to be more mobile in an increasingly integrated world. But all too often British expatriates become homesick as they recall the familiarity of their home country and traditionally have retained strong feelings of patriotism and fierce loyalties in defending their ancestry. Thus, it struck me that many might be concerned about serious developments in their home country just weeks into a New Year. There are now three major issues in Britain which may have long-term consequences; namely, the political turmoil in which embattled Prime Minister Boris Johnson is embroiled, the scandal surrounding The Queen’s second son Prince Andrew and the huge controversy engendered by the award of a knighthood to former PM Tony Blair. First, the current pressure on Mr Johnson. He is under fire for what is being called “Partygate”. This has been described as political dirty laundry that is rocking the Tory government which he leads - and it has added to the earlier widespread criticism of him after a series of other errors and poor judgments. It has now emerged that, while the UK was in a strict lockdown in 2020, a regular series of parties involving large numbers of people were being held at his office/residence at No
The Peter Young column 10 Downing Street and that the PM himself attended at least one of them. These were in contravention of his own government’s COVID restrictions and, therefore, illegal. He has apologised to the House of Commons, though admitting an error of judgment rather than wrongdoing. He has not only been accused of breaking the law while members of the public were making sacrifices in their personal lives on the orders of the government, but also for lying about it. He has also apologised to Buckingham Palace for his staff holding one such party on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral while the country was supposed to have been in mourning. What a disappointing and dispiriting picture this represents for everybody. For it beggars belief that those concerned in Downing Street, who are working directly for the person responsible for running the country, could have shown such bad judgment. The PM is facing calls to quit from members of his
BRITAIN’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson. own Conservative Party, be ousted and a party some of whom are saying leadership election would they are “troubled, angered follow. The second issue, the sex and appalled” by what has happened and he may scandal involving Prince be forced to stand down. Andrew, has now come to But the next step will be a head. After a long drawn a report by a senior civil out legal process that has servant who is now investi- already seriously damaged gating the case. This could Andrew’s reputation, a US be published within days judge has ruled he should and his future may depend now have to face a civil on its findings and recom- case in relation to accumendations. Meanwhile, he sations of sexual abuse he vehemently could be toppled anyway if which enough of his own MPs turn denies and is prepared to fight in order to prove his against him. Under the Conservative innocence. Last week, in a brief Party rules, a confidence vote will be triggered if 15 statement from Buckingpercent of Tory MPs write ham Palace he was stripped letters of no-confidence of his military titles, royal in him to the chairman patronages and charitaof the backbench 1922 ble affiliations and it was Committee. A vote of no- declared he would continue confidence would follow not to undertake any public and, if more than 50 percent duties. He has also been voted against him, he would stopped from using his title
IS THIS REALLY JUSTICE FOR ALL? IT HAS always been said British justice is supposed to be blind. It deals in truth, hard evidence, fairness, objectivity and cool-headed impartiality and it respects legal precedent. But, in the view of many, various recent cases have tested the validity of this claim, with some people saying justice in the country is beginning to “take a back seat to wokery”, while others have even expressed doubts about the jury system. Earlier this month, four protesters, who had been caught on camera in 2020 toppling a statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol in the southwest of England, were acquitted by a jury on charges of criminal damage. They were part of a Black Lives Matter group who then threw the statue into the nearby harbour while the police stood by watching the demonstration and declining to take any action. The BLM activists argued that tearing down statues was a legitimate political protest which justified committing criminal damage. Another case last week was the clearing by a jury of Extinction Rebellion activists who had climbed on to
train carriages and blocked a railway line in London while demonstrating against the UK government’s alleged lack of action over climate change. They justified their actions by claiming such civil disobedience was in accordance with their Christian faith in order to secure needed action by government. There have been comparable incidents during the last few years and all these have fuelled concerns that, if juries are more likely than not to acquit such protesters, the police could become even more reluctant to arrest them and the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute them. This has prompted a fresh debate in Britain about such lawlessness. Many, including MPs, are saying that allowing those responsible for vandalism and criminal damage - or for blocking roads and transport systems - to go free of any punishment or sanction creates an unfortunate precedent. It gives a green light to others to commit such offences in the name of religion or extreme political ideology; and, the critics maintain, it is outrageous in a free society to
allow people through their selfish actions to disrupt the right of the majority to go about their daily business. One of the problems appears to be the interpretation by some British judges of people’s right of protest and freedom of assembly under the European Convention on Human Rights which the UK still adheres to postBrexit. It seems to me the judiciary may be overemphasising the need for tolerance instead of recognising that disruption and damage to public property caused by activists exercising their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly is unacceptable to society as a whole. Judges may, therefore, have erred in failing to guide juries properly as they are seen by some people to be misinterpreting human rights under the terms of the ECHR. According to opinion polls, most people condemn the perpetrators of such behaviour so that these recent cases could result in an eventual tightening up of the law - and this could even mean changes to the jury system which is considered as a fundamental part of English justice.
FREE TO AIR OUR DIRTY LINEN DURING the course of writing this week’s column, it occurred to me that others might find it overly critical of my own country, Britain. It is certainly not my intention to be censorious for the sake of it. But being able to describe freely and honestly what is going on in the country and publicising wrongdoing or incompetence among the ruling class - without fear of harassment or victimisation - is all part of the right of freedom of expression that is a central plank of democracy. The monarchy is a key part of the life of the nation and the actions of the government affect the lives of everybody. So it is important to air what is
happening - both good and bad; and that, of course, is one of the roles of the Fourth Estate. While researching this, I came across a recent survey about British expatriates. It found that what nearly 50 percent of Britons currently living overseas missed most was the English countryside. According to the survey, they also missed such things as marmalade, scones, crumpets, custard and fish and chips as well as a trusty English pub. Memories are often selective and tend to emphasize the positive. So, many are aware of Shakespeare’s description of England in grandiose terms in his play
Richard II as “This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle, this blessed plot… a precious stone set in the silver sea…” Or they may be able to recite at least the opening words of the famous poem “Home-Thoughts, From Abroad” by Englishman Robert Browning: “Oh, to be in England now that April’s there”. But whatever may be the case, as mentioned at the beginning of this column, many yearn for the familiar in their own country which they fervently want to prosper and, most importantly, they often retain a fierce loyalty to their roots. So they want to know what is going on in their own country.
of “His Royal Highness” for official purposes. He will, therefore, have to face the court case in the US as a private citizen. This will have been a tough decision for The Queen and a painful duty in relation to her favourite second son. But it is said that, in order to protect the dignity and reputation of the institution of the monarchy, she had no choice - given the need, in particular, to limit damage to this year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Even though Prince Andrew has already brought the Royal Family into disrepute over this sex scandal, it is said The Queen’s first priority is to safeguard the monarchy so she had to distance the Royal Family from the immense damage of a court
case in which the Prince could face the ignominious prospect of being crossexamined about his private life. The third event is the award in the New Year’s honours of a knighthood to former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This is the Order of the Garter as a Knight Companion which is within the gift of The Queen herself. It is traditionally given to former Prime Ministers - the most recent one being Sir John Major - though Blair has had to wait 14 years for it. Although a successful political leader in many respects, he remains a discredited figure in Britain after facing a public backlash over his decision to take the country to war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Such is the level of his unpopularity that a petition to cancel the award has attracted more than a million signatures - and many complainers are now calling into question the judgment of Her Majesty’s advisers. This has come at the worst possible time as many people are genuinely concerned about the effect on The Queen personally of the scandal surrounding Andrew so soon after losing Prince Philip less than a year ago and having had also to face the pain and embarrassment caused by Harry and Meghan’s harsh and - in the view of most people - unjustifiable attacks on the Royal Family. As she continues to bear these various blows with dignity and fortitude, judging from the huge number of comments in the UK press many people now wonder how - after a lifetime of duty, dedication and hard work - The Queen manages to put up with it all.
Funeral Service For
Dorothy “Doris” Lorene Cargill, 91
a resident of #17 Baylilly Drive, Sea Breeze Estates will be held at 2pm on Thursday, January 20th, 2022 at St. Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, West Street, Nassau. Officiating will be Fr. Glen C. Nixon. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Gardens, Soldier Road. She is predeceased by her husband, Arnold Leo Cargill; son, Dwayne Cargill; parents, Charles Clarence Major and Ophelia Major; siblings, Mae Dean, Ermie Saunders, Myrtle Major and Roosevelt Major.
She is survived by her children: Marie, Mizpah, Trevor (Karen), Melvoyn, Sharon, Arnold “Junior” (Almira), Keith (Eunice), Wayne “Tony” (Adria), Tyneil (Kandice), Levant Carey, Bouda Binaei; grandchildren: Lonise, Tonika, Katya (Alie), Trevor II, Traven, Tevar, Alex, Victoria, Kristen, Taylor, Duane, Katelyn, Kennedy, Jayden, Jayla, Jaxon, Justice; great grandchildren: Uriah, Grayson, Kaiya, Jordyn; sisters and brothers and their families: Family of the late Mae Dean, Family of the late Ermie and Harrington Saunders, Family of the late Myrtle Major, Olga and The Right Reverend Gilbert Arthur Thompson and Family, Leona and the late Roosevelt Major and Family, Winston and Patricia Major and Family, Franklyn and Marilyn Major and Family, Mary and the late Alpin Russell Jr. and Family; in-laws and their families: Family of the late Roy and Hilda Cargill, Family of the late Veronica and John Spence, Family of the late Hillary and Josephine Cargill, Family of the late Emily “Ivy” and Albert Rahming, Family of the late Alton and Madge Cargill, Velma and the late Urban Cargill and Family, Family of the late Lucene and Arlington Wilmott, Wilbert and the late Eulahmae Edgecombe and Family; other relatives and friends including: Ian and Tamara Cargill and Family, Monique Cargill and Family, Ava Cargill, Anettrea Cargill and Family, Quincy Cargill and Family, Roger Walters, Family of the late Ethelyn Johnson, Evelyn Knowles and Family, Kerri-Ann Hansel, Kenris and the late Talmadge Carey and Family, Patricia and the late Cyril Carey and Family, the Bullard Family, Lionel and the late Naomi Symmonett and Family, Sydney Lynn Nottage and Family, Adrian and Violet Rodgers and Family, Roy and Shirley Rodgers and Family, Billy and Bianca Allen and Family, Jacinda Sadye Francis, Warren and Janelle Davis and Family, Arthur and Claudette Seymour and Family, Family of the late Simeon and Ida Bowe, Zoe and the late Clifford Galanis and Family, The Hon. Philip E. Davis QC, MP, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Mrs. Ann-Marie Davis and Family, The Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham and Mrs. Delores Ingraham and Family, The Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie and Mrs. Bernadette Christie and Family, Rev. Alfred Stewart and Family, Beverly Smith and Family, Carolyn and the late R.I. Bartlett and Family, Ralph and Inez Barnett and Family, Family of the late Bina Wallace, Family of the late Franklyn Augustus “Gussie” and Hilda Major, Stella and the late Ervin Knowles and Family, Pastor Rex Major and Family, Family of the late Theodore Major, Family of the late Zilphia Ritchie, Family of the late Florie and Solomon Pinder, Family of the late Addie and Felix Wallace, Family of the late Eva Cartwright, the Glass Family of Exuma, the Saunders Family of Exuma, the Cargill Family of Small Hope Bay, Family of the late Lee and David Armbrister, Geoffrey Jones and Family, Greg and Sylvia Bonamy and Family, Mary Davis and Family, Kathy Davis-Ingraham and Family, Florence and the late Teddy Greenslade and Family, Gloria Ward and Family, Family of the late Roger Kelty, Family of the late Berdina Moxey-Taylor, Cecil Ferguson, the Chea Family, Tizena Darville and Family, the Forbes Family, the Sands Family, the Crawley Family, the Smith Family, the Johnson Family. Doris is also survived by a host of other relatives and friends, all of whom we recognize and appreciate but are too numerous to mention at this time. Relatives and friends may pay their respects at Cedar Crest Funeral Home and Crematorium Ltd, Robinson and Baillou Hill Roads on Wednesday from 12noon to 5pm.
PAGE 10, Tuesday, January 18, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
OUT OF THIS WORLD
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Associated Press AUCTION house Sotheby’s Dubai has unveiled a diamond that’s literally from out of this world. Sotheby’s calls the 555.55-carat black diamond — believed to have come from outer space — “The Enigma.” The rare gem was shown off on Monday to journalists as part of a tour in Dubai and Los Angeles before it is due to be auctioned off in February in London. Sotheby’s expects the diamond to be sold for at least $6.8m. The auction house plans to accept cryptocurrency as a possible payment as well. Sophie Stevens, a jewelry specialist at Sotheby’s Dubai, told The Associated Press that the number five bears an importance significance to the diamond, which has 55 facets as well. “The shape of the diamond is based on the Middle-Eastern palm symbol of the Khamsa, which stands for strength and it stands for protection,” she said. Khamsa in Arabic means five. “So there’s a nice theme of the number five running throughout the diamond,” she added. Stevens also said the black diamond is likely from outer space. “With the carbonado diamonds, we believe that they were formed through extraterrestrial origins, with meteorites colliding with the Earth and either forming chemical vapor disposition or indeed coming from the meteorites themselves,” she said. Black diamonds, also known as carbonado, are extremely rare, and are found naturally only in Brazil and Central Africa. The cosmic origin theory is based on their carbon isotopes and high hydrogen content.
555.55-CARAT BLACK DIAMOND LANDS IN DUBAI
TUSKEGEE AIRMAN MCGEE DIES CHARLES McGee, a Tuskegee Airman who flew 409 fighter combat missions over three wars and later helped to bring attention to the Black pilots who had battled racism at home to fight for freedom abroad, died on Sunday. He was 102. McGee died in his sleep at his home in Bethesda, Maryland, said his son, Ron McGee. After the US entry into World War II, McGee left the University of Illinois to join an experimental program for Black soldiers seeking to train as pilots after the Army Air Corps was forced to admit African Americans. In October 1942 he was sent to the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama for flight training, according to his biography on the website of the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
Omicron variant slamming South American hospitals
RABBI SAYS HE ESCAPED WITH HOSTAGES THE rabbi of a Texas synagogue where a gunman took hostages during livestreamed services said yesterday that he threw a chair at his captor before escaping with two others after an hours-long standoff, crediting past security training for getting himself and his congregants out safely. Rabbi Charlie CytronWalker said he let the gunman inside the suburban Fort Worth synagogue Saturday because he appeared to need shelter. Later, he heard a gun click as he was praying. Another man held hostage, Jeffrey R Cohen, described the ordeal on Facebook yesterday. “First of all, we escaped. We weren’t released or freed,” said Cohen. Cohen said the men worked to keep the gunman engaged. They talked to the gunman, he lectured them. At one point as the situation devolved, Cohen said the gunman told them to get on their knees. Cohen recalled rearing up in his chair and slowly moving his head and mouthing “no.” As the gunman moved to sit back down, Cohen said Cytron-Walker yelled to run. “The exit wasn’t too far away,” Cytron-Walker said. “I told them to go. I threw a chair at the gunman, and I headed for the door. And all three of us were able to get out without even a shot being fired.”
A GIRL hugs her stuffed toy as she gets a shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a community health centre, in Brasilia, Brazil, on Sunday. BRASILIA, Brazil Associated Press THE coronavirus’ omicron variant starting to barrel across South America is pressuring hospitals whose employees are taking sick leave, leaving facilities understaffed to cope with COVID-19’s third wave. A major hospital in Bolivia’s largest city stopped admitting new patients due to lack of personnel, and one of Brazil’s most populous states canceled scheduled surgeries for a month. Argentina’s federation of private healthcare providers told the AP it estimates about 15 percent of its health workers currently have the virus. The third wave “is affecting the health team a lot, from the cleaning staff to the technicians, with a high percentage of sick people, despite having a complete vaccination schedule”, said Jorge Coronel, president of Argentina’s medical confederation. “While symptoms are mostly mild to moderate, that group needs to be isolated.” It wasn’t supposed to be this way: South America’s vaccine uptake was eager once shots were available. About two-thirds of its roughly 435 million residents are fully immunized, the highest percentage for any global region, according to Our World in Data. And health workers in Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina have already been receiving booster shots. But the omicron variant is defying vaccines, sending case numbers surging. Argentina saw an average 112,000 daily confirmed cases in the week through January 16, up from 3,700 a month earlier. Brazil’s
health ministry is still recovering from a hack that left coronavirus data incomplete; even so, it shows a jump to an average 69,000 daily cases in the same seven-day period, up 1,900 percent from the month before. Omicron spreads even easier than other strains, and is already dominant in many countries — among them, Brazil and some parts of Argentina. It also more easily infects those who have already been vaccinated or infected by earlier versions of the virus. Early studies show omicron is less likely to cause serious diseases than the delta variant, and vaccination and booster shots still offer strong protection against serious illness, hospitalisation and death. Lesser severity leaves South America’s residents loath to give up their long-awaited summer that, so they were told, would mark a return to normality after full vaccination. The enduring pandemic often seems an afterthought to people who are out and about, and don’t glimpse how omicron has started affecting medical staff. Beaches were packed this weekend in Argentina and Brazil. Matías Fernández Norte, a surgeon at the Hospital de Clínicas in Buenos Aires, told the AP that the high number of professionals on leave has generated “physical and spiritual fatigue, in addition to the stress of dealing with a patient on the edge.” “You feel like you are living a parallel reality. In the street you meet a world that doesn’t seem to feel the pandemic,” he said. “Sometimes it feels like people have forgotten. Unfortunately, that’s what we feel.”
Brazil’s council of state health secretariats estimates that between 10 percent and 20 percent of all professionals in the health network — including doctors, nurses, nurse technicians, ambulance drivers and others in direct contact with patients — have taken sick leave since the last week of 2021. “We are having trouble making the schedules,” said the council’s director, Carlos Lula. The press office of Rio de Janeiro state’s health secretariat told the AP that about 5,500 professionals have left their jobs since December. All elective surgeries scheduled in the state health network have been suspended for four weeks. As for urgent care, relocations and overtime are being used as stopgap measures. “Forty percent of our staff is on sick leave,” Marcia Fernandes Lucas, health secretary for the municipality of Sao Joao de Meriti, in Rio’s metropolitan region, told the AP in her office. “We are able to work with these 60 percent by redeploying them (between health centers).” Public hospitals in Bolivia are operating at 50-70 percent capacity due to the high number of infections among health care workers, according to the Bolivian doctors’ union. In Santa Cruz, the country’s most populous city, the Children’s Hospital is overwhelmed — but less by its number of patients than the amount of staff falling ill, according to Freddy Rojas, its vice director. Last week, the facility stopped admitting new patients. “There has been a collapse, because we don’t have replacements,” said José Luís Guaman,
Photo: Eraldo Peres/AP
interim president of the doctors’ union in Santa Cruz. Such is the risk of medical services grinding to a halt in Argentina’s Buenos Aires province — the country’s most populous — that health workers have been allowed to return to work even if coming into contact with someone infected, provided they are asymptomatic and vaccinated. Other provinces in Argentina are expected to adopt the same rules in the coming days, in line with the health ministry’s recently-issued guidelines. Similar measures are being enacted by authorities in France and the US, where omicron has been putting hospital systems to the test for weeks. Chile has seen a constant increase in its number of cases, prompting the reactivation of public- and private-sector hospital beds, but so far the country hasn’t experienced hospital overload. Peru has also seen case its numbers rise, but its facilities aren’t yet suffering. The Pan American Health Organization said on Wednesday it expects omicron to become the predominant coronavirus variant in the Americas in the coming week. Ten countries in the region — especially in the Caribbean — didn’t reach the goal set by the World Health Organization to have 40 percent of citizens fully vaccinated by end-2021. While a smaller fraction of people develop serious illness from the the highly-transmissible variant, the crush of contagion and resulting strain on hospitals means omicron shouldn’t be underestimated, said Lula, of the Brazilian health secretariat council.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, January 18, 2022, PAGE 11
SPORTS PAGE 12
TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2022
NFL, Page 15
Kashon Conliffe signs with San Diego Padres By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
K
ashon Conliffe became the fourth Bahamian baseball player to sign a professional contract in the current 2022 Major League Baseball International Signing Period. Conliffe, a 16-year-old, Maximum Development Academy prospect, made it official yesterday when he signed with the San Diego Padres organisation at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. “I’m able to accept this opportunity to play pro baseball because of the hard work, dedication to my passion, and perseverance that has allowed me to overcome many obstacles. It was a rough journey that helped me to develop my leadership ability, integrity, and discipline, which are all vital skills which led me to this very moment,” he said. “I’m really excited about the future and my baseball career. I’d like to encourage any aspiring players to always put God first and work hard toward achieving your goals which includes having good grades in school and never giving up on your dreams. The Padres have signed 25 players thus far in the current signing period. Conliffe becomes the second Bahamian prospect signed to the organisation in as many years, following Evan Sweeting in 2021. “Thank you to my grandparents for all of the love, support and guidance. It is because of their actions and belief in me that I am able to pursue my dreams
STEVEN GARDINER BREAKS HIS NATIONAL RECORD IN 300M
SHOWN, left to right, Greg Burrows Jr, Kashon Conliffe and coach Cliff Terracusso. Photos: 10th Year Seniors and my path to greatness. we’re ecstatic to add him Thank you to all of the to our organisation,” Freedom Farm coaches for McLaughlin said. “He’s a creating an environment great athlete, we believe for young people to come in athletes and we believe together and create healthy athletes make adjustments. competition and develop We’re going to push him us,” Conliffe said. “Thank hard and I think he is going the Padres for accepting to do really well. me into their family, for “It is going to be a lot seeing the potential in me of hard work. We have a and for helping me to culti- vision of great things for vate it and for that I firmly him and hopefully, he has commit to always giving the same vision. Hopefully, my best to the team.” they can come true.” Padres’ internaMaxD Academy is led by tional crosschecker, Bill Greg Burrows Jr and ClarMcLaughlin, was optimis- ence McKenzie. tic on Conliffe’s dynamic Burrows credited the athleticism. volunteer coaches at Free“I remember the first dom Farm Baseball League time I saw him. I put him in for their contribution to my book, but I didn’t want the many players that have to talk about him too much signed professional conbecause I didn’t want other tracts in recent years. teams to see in him what I “These kids would not had seen in him. Honestly be able to get here without
KASHON CONLIFFE, 16, made it official yesterday when he signed with the San Diego Padres organisation at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. He became the fourth Bahamian baseball player to sign a professional contract in the current 2022 Major League Baseball International Signing Period. the coaches at Freedom Farm. You guys are a big part of what we are doing and without you guys it wouldn’t be possible. Kashon is a product of the village that Freedom Farm has created,” Burrows said. “He’s one of the best athletes I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach, that says a lot when you look at the guys that have come before him. “His talent is right there, I can’t wait
to see him blossom into professional baseball. I think he is going to be the Padres’ best kept secret. “I am confident this guy is going to make it to the Major Leagues and he is going to represent The Bahamas very well. “He carries himself very well, well-groomed, well-dressed and he gets that from his grandparents Joyce and Peter [Conliffe].”.
OFF to what he considers to be his best indoor track and field start ever, Bahamas male 2021 Athlete of the Year Steven Gardiner feels he’s on track to securing his third straight medal at a global meet in the men’s 400 metres at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in August. Dropping down to the 300m in his season opener on Friday in the University of Alabama (UAB) Blazer Invitational at the Crossplex Athletic Facility in Birmingham, Gardiner clocked a blazing lifetime best of 32.06 seconds to break both his own meet and Bahamian national records of 32.51 that he posted in 2018. In the race that turned out to be the world’s best mark before American Jacory Patterson surpassed it with 31.99 at the Clemson Invitational at the Clemson Indoor Track and Field Complex on Saturday, Gardiner beat out Great Britain’s Matthew HudsonSmith, who ran 32.80 and USA’s Mason Phillips, who was third in 33.09. “I felt pretty good about it. It’s the fastest I’ve ever opened up in January and it’s a huge PB (personal best), national record and meet record,” said Gardiner. He added the feat to a number of national accomplishments over the past few years he’s been competing professionally. “I’m really thankful for it.”
SEE PAGE 15
BBF HOPES TO SECURE FUNDING FOR MEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Basketball Federation president Eugene Horton said they are still hoping to secure the necessary funding for the men’s national basketball team to travel to the second round of the FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers February 24-28 in the Dominican Republic. Horton, who moved up to assume the responsibility of president last year when Mario Bowleg got elected as the Member of Parliament for Garden Hills and was subsequently named the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, said after the first window, they thought they had sufficient funding in place, but that didn’t pan out. “Every time we travel, it costs us about $50-60,000,” Horton said. “We are in the process of trying to put things in place where we, as a federation, try to become self-sufficient. But with this window just around the corner, we have fallen short of our target goal. “So, hopefully with everything going out there in social media that we are pulling out of the competition, we will have some corporate sponsors or business persons step up to assist us.” Despite the rumours on social media that the Bahamas has pulled out of the competition, Horton
OUR men’s national basketball team is hoping to secure the necessary funding for them to travel to the second round of the FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers February 24-28 in the Dominican Republic. refuted the allegations at this time, but noted that they are willing until the end of the month to make a final decision on whether or not the trip will be on or if it will be called off. The team is scheduled to travel to the Dominican Republic from February 22-28 with their two games being played on February 25 and 26 against the Virgin Islands and the host Dominican Republic respectively. “We are trying to find the funding now so
that we can make the trip,” Horton said. “We know we can go to the government and possibly get the funding, but with everything going on with COVID-19, we hope that the government will be our last resort. “We are at the point where we are trying to be self-sufficient in trying to get the funding. We would like to know that the funding is secured and then we can start making plans for the team to travel. If we
can’t get the funding, we will seek to ask FIBA if they can have the games pushed back to maybe the summer.” Looking at the dilemma that they are in, Horton said the federation is not looking at not making the trip because if they don’t participate in the games, they will forfeit their chances of advancing to the next level. “We know that this is the best chance for us to qualify for the Olympics,” Horton said. “But we have
to go through these games to advance and once we advance, we could add more of our top players like Chavano “Buddy” Hield and Deandre Ayton from the NBA. “But we have to play in these rounds in order for us to move on. We know we have the players out there who are preparing for this next round, so we don’t want to discourage them by not going to this next round in February. But we need the funding to move on.”
Moses Johnson, who coached the team in the absence of national team head coach Chris DeMarco from the Golden State Warriors in the NBA, is expected to return as the head coach. The team lost both of their matches in November to Canada, 115-73 and 113-77 in the Dominican Republic. Members of the team were Michael Carey, Shakwon Lewis, Domnick Bridgewater, JR Cadot, Kemsy Sylvestre, Mychel Thompson, Travis Munnings, Willis Mackey Jr, Rashad Davis, David Nesbitt, Mark St Fort and Kentwan Smith. Former NBA player Dexter Cambridge was the assistant coach. The federation was expected to host those games in the Bahamas, but because the Ministry of Health and the Bahamas Government denied their request because of the rise in cases in COVID-19, the team had to travel which, according to Horton, forced them to spend more money. With the games returning to the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas will once again have to spend more money. But in order for the team to continue in the process, they have to compete. Horton said hopefully the Bahamas can host the third round when they take on the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands in their final two games on July 1 and 4 respectively.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, January 18, 2022, PAGE 13
INTERNATIONAL BASKETBALL ACADEMY LAUNCHES GRASSROOTS BASKETBALL LEAGUE WEEK: January 15, 2022 Results Team 11U: Final Score Mustangs - 16 Eagles - 27 Highest Scorers: Mustangs Andica Curtis - 7pts Khamani Wilson - 5pts Highest Scorers: Eagles Tajhanique Morley - 15pts Oman Forbes Jr. - 6pts Brayzhon Bowles - 4pts Team 13U: Final Score Eagles - 24 Wildcats - 27 Highest Scorers: Eagles Pachino Smith - 12pts Brayzhon Bowles - 4pts Tajhanique Morley - 4pts Highest Scorers: Wildcats David Francis - 11pts Marlon Bostwick - 6pts Andica Curtis - 6pts Oman Forbes Jr. - 4pts Team 15U: Final Score Bulls - 47 Mustangs - 39 Highest Scorers: Bulls Laterro Young - 16pts Rico Pierre - 12pts Jefferson Lightbourn - 7pts Highest Scorers: Mustangs Jayonn Joseph - 19pts Tavari Roker - 8pts Fernaldo Lubin - 8pts Team 15U: Final Score
Wildcats - 45 Tarheels - 38 Highest Scorers: Wildcats Raymone Woods - 20pts Kirkwood Rolle - 13pts Lethario Babbs - 5pts Highest Scorers: Tarheels Jefferson Bethel - 26pts Samuel Joseph - 6pts Team 18U: Final Score Mustangs - 37 Bulls - 46 Highest Scorers: Mustangs Jayonn Joseph - 15pts Bryan Rolle Jr. - 12pts Highest Scorers: Bulls Leo Johnson - 17pts Jadyn Farrington - 11pts Prescott Stubbs - 8pts Laterro Young - 8pts Team 18U: Final Score Wildcats - 38 Tarheels - 31 Highest Scorers: Wildcats Xavier Thompson - 16pts Raymone Woods - 10pts Qui’Aundre Robinson - 8pts Highest Scorers: Tarheels Jefferson Bethel - 9pts Lazarro Thompson - 6pts Aaron Rolle - 4pts Maleek Pierre - 4pts Samuel Joseph - 4pts Rhiaughn Ferguson 4 pts
By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
INTERNATIONAL Basketball Academy’s Grassroots Basketball League (GYBL) features a total of 15 teams across four different age groups (U11, U13, U15,U18) and is hosted Saturdays at the Prince Charles Park in Gleniston Gardens. Photo: Sideline Sports
IN an effort to provide student athletes with an avenue for exposure and continue to hone their skills, International Basketball Academy tipped off a new venture with its Grassroots Basketball League. The GYBL features a total of 15 teams across four different age groups (U11, U13, U15,U18) and is hosted Saturdays at the Prince Charles Park in Gleniston Gardens. IBA Director and Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins head coach, Denycko Bowles, said the main beneficiaries of the league will be the youngest generation of prospective players. “The Grassroots Youth Basketball League has been a vision of mine for years. It was geared towards allowing kids to get more instructional game play in a format where they can compete and learn the game simultaneously. When I look back at my brother who’s now in the 6th grade at Claridge Primary and how disadvantaged he was, I wanted to make a change more so for him and kids alike. At the primary school level, I feel they’re not getting the experience and
exposure they really and truly need. It may be across the board, I don’t know but from a basketball standpoint, it’s behind,” he said. “Compared to kids in the US and around the world their games are far greater merely because they’re getting that proper structure and experience real early. Taking this into consideration, we can see the impact this has been having once our players get to the junior and senior levels of their school careers and there’s an obvious domino effect.” With school sports at a standstill, Bowles said the league provides an outlet for basketball players to maintain their skills until a return to normalcy can be found amid the COVID19 pandemic, particularly those seeking scholarship opportunities. “Keeping our student athletes active during COVID is extremely important. When we look at the world and sports, we see they are rolling full steam ahead. If we want to continue to be able to compete, our activity level must be to a point where we give our kids the best possible opportunities to succeed. We are already
disadvantaged in areas so I think every opportunity we can provide an outlet for our kids would be a bonus,” Bowles said. “While we’re all aware of the pandemic and its ramifications, I feel that we can adjust and adapt with the world flow and the way sports is operating around us. I think it’s only right and it’s only fair. These kids have dreams, goals and aspirations so I feel we should not take this away nor handcuff them but create avenues to ensure success. “The Bahamas is a sports nation. Sports have been good to many of us and our forefathers. Sports are a way of life for many and have saved lives in more ways than one. We must figure out a way to get back on track and to allow these kids to make their dreams a reality.” The GYBL is a three-tier league that will run for three non-consecutive, 12-week periods during the year. The Spring Edition (Jan April) opened last weekend and is set to be followed by the Summer Edition (April - July) and the Fall Edition (September- November).
Booker scores 48 points in Suns’ win over Spurs on Martin Luther King Jr Day SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Devin Booker had a season-high 48 points and the Phoenix Suns dominated the fourth quarter to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 121-107 last night for their fourth straight victory. Chris Paul added 15 points and 12 assists as Phoenix won its sixth straight on the road and fifth consecutive in San Antonio. Spurs centre Jakob Poeltl had 23 points and 14 rebounds, and Dejounte Murray added 18 points. Booker was 18 for 33 from the field and 5 for 13 on 3-pointers in eclipsing his previous high of 38 points, which he collected twice. Phoenix was without injured starter Deandre Ayton, but reserve centre Bismack Biyombo responded with 17 points and 14 rebounds. HAWKS 121, BUCKS 114 ATLANTA (AP) — Trae Young scored 30 points for Atlanta Hawks, who trailed for much of the game before rallying for a win over Milwaukee, snapping a 10-game home losing streak. Winning at State Farm Arena for the first time since November 22, the Hawks avoided their longest stretch without a home victory since an 11-game skid near the end of the dismal 2004-05 season, when Atlanta finished 13-69. Khris Middleton scored 34 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 27 for the Bucks. The Hawks appeared headed for another home loss in the traditional game in Martin Luther King Jr.’s hometown on the national holiday honoring the civil rights leader, trailing by as many as 14 and finding themselves down 97-86 with about 9 minutes remaining. MAVERICKS 104, THUNDER 102 DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic had 20 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds for his third triple-double in five games, and surging Dallas withstood a late run by Oklahoma City. Dorian Finney-Smith added 17 points and 10 rebounds and Kristaps Porzingis had 13 points, eight rebounds and four blocks for the Mavericks, who have won three straight and nine of their last 10. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points to lead the Thunder, who have dropped seven of their last eight games. The Thunder cut a sevenpoint Dallas lead to two with 2.6
SUNS guard Devin Booker (1) is fouled as he drives to the basket against Spurs guard Derrick White, left, during the second half last night in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) seconds to play and had the ball. Josh Giddey threw a cross-court inbound pass for Mike Muscala, but Tim Hardaway Jr won the battle for the ball. HEAT 104, RAPTORS 99 MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 23 points, Jimmy Butler got a triple-double in the game’s final moment and Miami held off Toronto. Bam Adebayo, in his first game back after missing six weeks following thumb surgery, scored 14 points and made a pair of free throws with 8.5 seconds remaining. Butler finished with 19 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds — the last of those coming as time was expiring, when Fred VanVleet’s 3-point try missed. Gabe Vincent scored 15 points for Miami, which pulled into a virtual tie with Chicago for first in the Eastern Conference. VanVleet finished with 22 points for Toronto, which got 23 from Chris Boucher and 18 points and 10 rebounds from Pascal Siakam. HORNETS 97, KNICKS 87 NEW YORK (AP) — Miles Bridges scored a career-high 38 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, leading the Charlotte Hornets to a 97-87 victory over the New York Knicks. Terry Rozier added 22 points. He and Bridges combined to outscore the Knicks by themselves in the first half as Charlotte bounced back nicely from a loss to Orlando that ended its four-game winning streak. The Hornets played without LaMelo Ball. Julius Randle and RJ Barrett each scored 18 points for
the Knicks, who had their threegame winning streak snapped. GRIZZLIES 119, BULLS 106 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Desmond Bane and Ja Morant scored 25 points each, and Memphis dominated short-handed Chicago. Brandon Clarke added 15 points and seven rebounds in the main event of the 20th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. The Grizzlies have won 12 of their last 13. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 24 points and five assists, while Coby White finished with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists. Chicago lost its fourth straight. CAVALIERS 114, NETS 107 CLEVELAND (AP) — Darius Garland strengthened his All-Star case with 22 points and 12 assists, leading Cleveland over Brooklyn. Isaac Okoro added 15 points and Jarrett Allen had 14 and 10 rebounds for the Cavs, who won their fifth straight. Kyrie Irving scored 27 points in his fourth game of the season and James Harden added 22 for Brooklyn, which was playing its first game since superstar Kevin Durant, the NBA’s leading scorer, sprained his left knee. He’s expected to be out several weeks. WIZARDS 117, 76ERS 98 WASHINGTON (AP) — Kyle Kuzma had 15 points and 16 rebounds, and Bradley Beal added 13 points in his return from a three-game absence to lift Washington over Philadelphia. Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr missed a second straight game after entering health and safety protocols. Assistant Pat Delany, who coached the team Saturday, also entered the protocols, forcing assistant Joseph Blair to take over for this game. Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid scored 32 points, but he was on the receiving end of the game’s biggest highlight when Kuzma dunked over him in the second quarter. CELTICS 104, PELICANS 92 BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 27 points and Boston erased an 18-point firsthalf deficit with a win over New Orleans. Tatum scored 21 in the second half to help Boston rally for its fifth win in six games.
Dennis Schröder and Jaylen Brown each had 23 points, Al Horford scored 12 and Grant Williams 10 for Boston. Tatum and Brown each had eight rebounds and Schröder added nine assists with five boards. New Orleans centre Jonas Valanciunas recorded his 30th double-double this season with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Herbert Jones had 16 points and Brandon Ingram had 15 points with 10 rebounds. TRAIL BLAZERS 98, MAGIC 88 ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 16 points in his first game back from a collapsed lung, Jusuf Nurkic added 21 points and a season-best 22 rebounds, and Portland beat Orlando. McCollum missed 17 games over six weeks after being injured December 4. The ninth-year pro started yesterday but played on a minutes restriction. He made 7 of 13 shots and 2 of 4 3-pointers in 28 minutes. Portland beat the Magic for a 10th straight time dating to January 13, 2017. Ben McLemore added 14 points and four 3-pointers for the Blazers. Nurkic registered his team-best 18th double-double and finished one rebound shy of tying a career high. Orlando never led after scoring the game’s first basket and fell to 0-20 when failing to score 100 points. Franz Wagner and Mortiz Wagner each had 14 points. CLIPPERS 139, PACERS 133 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nicolas Batum scored a season-high 32 points, Reggie Jackson added 26 points and Los Angeles beat Indiana in a matchup of sub-.500 teams. Marcus Morris had 21 points for the Clippers, who snapped a two-game skid with their highest-scoring game of the season. Batum and Jackson combined to score 33 of their team’s 35 points in the fourth. Caris LeVert had 26 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with 28 seconds to play and the Pacers down by five. Chris Duarte added 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists as seven Pacers scored in double figures. They’ve lost four in a row and 10 of 11. The Pacers got within three with 30 seconds left on LeVert’s basket after trailing by 13 earlier in the fourth. But Jackson scored the Clippers’ final seven points to close out the win.
“As with anything new, you tend to expect a steady increase but more so progression so I think that’s key. Of course as it stands, we as a country are still dealing with and figuring out ways to get our lives back to what we know as comfortable. Hence I expect the league to really and truly pick up within the next few months although it has really sparked a lot of interest now. Once parents are mainly comfortable then everything will be fine because the players are ready to go. There will be a definite increase and I’m excited for what is to come for IBA’s GYBL. Needless to say, I’m sure this growth will demand more assistance and volunteers alike and eventually more venues, who knows. “Nonetheless, I’m truly grateful and thankful to God for not only giving me the vision but allowing it to come to fruition. IBA seeks to continue to build our country in and through the sport of basketball and I know that once God continues to lead, all things will be made possible. The sky certainly will be the limit for IBA Bahamas.”
LIVERPOOL RELYING ON ABNORMAL SEASON TO CATCH MAN CITY LONDON (AP) — Wiping out Manchester City’s 11-point lead at the top of the Premier League looks an onerous task. Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is at least gaining hope from a season with so many sudden variables. Squads are being stretched by coronavirus cases, African Cup of Nations absentees, injuries and postponements that can overload schedules. Liverpool did manage to end a three-match winless run in the league by beating Brentford 3-0 on Sunday, even with its attacking options depleted by Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane being on international duty in Cameroon. Midfielder Fabinho headed in a corner just before halftime, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored his first league goal at Anfield since July 2020 and Takumi Minamino completed the win after coming off the bench. Having surrendered the trophy to City last season, Liverpool does at least have a game in hand on the leaders which could cut the deficit to eight points for Klopp’s side. “We don’t have to convince anyone outside to believe,” Klopp said. “If you are with us, you will enjoy the ride and we will go for everything. We are ready to go as much as we can. “In a normal world nothing happens anymore (with the title) but what is normal nowadays? We try to do our part, there is nothing else to do.” A blow for Klopp was OxladeChamberlain going off injured with Liverpool going to Arsenal in the semifinals of the League Cup after a goalless first leg. “We don’t know yet but he rolled his ankle and now we hope it is nothing serious,” Klopp said.
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Osaka, Nadal advance at Australian Open By JOHN PYE AP Sports Writer MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The first test of Naomi Osaka’s new approach to tennis might have been when she completely whiffed an overhead to give her opponent a break point on Day 1 of the no-Novak Djokovic Australian Open. Osaka didn’t throw her racket. She didn’t roll her eyes. She smiled. “There are situations where I previously would get upset. But at this point in my life, like, I’m here because I want to be here and because I find that it’s fun for me,” Osaka said. “Might as well enjoy it while I still can.” In Osaka’s mind, the drama involving ninetime champion Djokovic’s deportation on the eve of the Australian Open was something for the players in the men’s draw to worry about. Her title defence began smoothly enough: She won the first five games on the way to a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Camila Osorio. With so much attention on the 11-day saga of Djokovic’s attempt to participate in the year’s first Grand Slam tournament, the returns of Osaka and Rafael Nadal have been overshadowed. Osaka wasn’t bothered by that. Nadal didn’t seem to be put off by it, either, renewing his bid for a record 21st Grand Slam singles title with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Marcos Giron. Nadal is tied with Djokovic and Roger Federer with 20 major singles titles each, the most in the history of men’s tennis.
NAOMI OSAKA, of Japan, hits a forehand to Camila Osorio of Colombia during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday.
RAFAEL NADAL, of Spain, plays a forehand return yesterday to Marcos Giron of the US during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia. (AP Photos/Hamish Blair) With Djokovic unable to defend his crown in Melbourne because he didn’t meet Australia’s strict COVID-19 vaccination criteria, the door is slightly more ajar to Nadal. Osaka’s main concern, meanwhile, is winning a third Australian title in four years. “To be completely honest, it didn’t really affect me,” Osaka said of the Djokovic drama. “My goal, like even before this whole situation, is to just focus on myself more, what I need to do to become better. “Me, I’m a tennis player. I’ll focus on my matches. You as, I guess, an audience, focus on whatever is in the news, no?” A potential fourth-round meeting with top-ranked Ash Barty could be waiting. Barty, aiming to be the first Australian woman to win the title in Melbourne since 1978, beat Lesia Tsurenko 6-0, 6-1. Osaka, after winning the title last year, pulled out of the French Open before the second round, then sat out Wimbledon. She played at
the Tokyo Olympics, where she lit the cauldron, but ended her 2021 season early after a third-round loss and a teary news conference at the US Open. Two of her goals for 2022 are to stay completely composed on the court and off, and to enjoy the game. And, yes, finally, the focus was on tennis in Australia. It got started in a big way, with a combined 64 singles matches on opening day. French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova, fifthseeded Maria Sakkari, No. 15 Elina Svitolina and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka all advanced. Two young American contenders went out in the first round, with 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin losing 7-6 (2), 7-5 to Madison Keys and No. 18 Coco Gauff saving five match points before losing 6-4, 6-2 to Wang Qiang. Olympic champion Belinda Bencic advanced to a second-round match against Amanda Anisimova.
Men’s Olympic champion Alexander Zverev wrapped up the Day 1 programme on Rod Laver Arena with a 7-6 (3), 6-1, 7-6 (1) win over Daniel Altmaier and will next play John Millman, who ended 40-year-old Feliciano Lopez’s 79th consecutive Grand Slam event in the first round. No. 14 Denis Shapovalov followed up his win with Canada in the ATP Cup with a 7-6 (3), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3) win over Laslo Djere. Also advancing were No. 7 Matteo Berrettini, No. 10 Hubert Hurkacz, No. 16 Cristian Garin, No. 17 Gael Monfils and No. 23 Reilly Opelka, while No. 12 Cameron Norrie lost in straight sets to Sebastian Korda. Nadal won the Australian Open in 2009 and is the only past champion in the men’s bracket after Djokovic’s late withdrawal Sunday. Yesterday, the topranked Serbian landed in Dubai, then caught a flight to Belgrade. Yesterday was Nadal’s first appearance at a major
since he lost to Djokovic in the semifinals of the French Open. He missed Wimbledon because of fatigue, skipped the US Open with a painful left foot and, after recovering from COVID19, started 2022 with a title in a tuneup tournament in Melbourne. “Honestly, it’s been very tough moments and there are still doubts,” Nadal said. “But here I am and I can’t be happier to be back in this amazing stadium. It’s fantastic.” The 35-year-old Spaniard said Djokovic’s absence would have an impact on the tournament. “In a personal level, yes, I would like to see him playing here,” Nadal said. “If it is fair or not that he’s playing here is another discussion that I don’t want to talk anymore.” Djokovic had been scheduled to play the last match on Rod Laver against Miomir Kecmanovic. Instead, Salvatore Caruso, who lost in qualifying but became the so-called lucky loser to fill the late vacancy
in the draw, took the court and lost to Kecmanovic 6-4, 6-2, 6-1. Djokovic’s ultimately unsuccessful bid to defend his title involved two court hearings and time in immigration hotel detention. It began when he was granted an exemption to strict vaccination rules by two medical panels and Tennis Australia in order to play in the tournament. That exemption, based on evidence that he recently recovered from COVID19, allowed him to enter the tournament. But upon arrival, border officials said the exemption was not valid and moved to deport him. Showing evidence of vaccination is a requirement for anyone — players, coaches, fans, others — entering Melbourne Park for the tournament. A security official with a loudspeaker reminded people lining up outside the complex early yesterday to have proof of vaccination ready for inspection and added: “Oh, a ticket would be handy, too!”
Coach Lance Brauman brings week-long training camp to New Providence
LEWANDOWSKI WINS FIFA BEST PLAYER VOTE AHEAD OF MESSI, SALAH
By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
ROBERT Lewandowski was voted the best men’s player in the world yesterday, retaining the FIFA award he won last year despite being left off the ballot paper filed by runnerup Lionel Messi. The Bayern Munich forward overturned the result last month of the Ballon d’Or prize where he placed second behind Messi, who finally led Argentina to a senior title at the 2021 Copa América. Mohamed Salah of Liverpool placed third. “I am very honoured to win this trophy,” Lewandowski said on a video link from Munich. The trophy was presented by club officials during the online ceremony hosted at FIFA headquarters in Zurich. Lewandowski was the overwhelming choice of national team captains and coaches plus selected media in more than 200 countries, yet was almost caught by Messi, who got more than double the number of votes from fans worldwide than the Poland captain. All three candidates voted as captains of their national teams, and Lewandowski ranked Messi second of his three choices. Salah had Lewandowski and Messi in his top three. Messi did not pick either of his closest rivals in the voting. His top two choices were Neymar and Kylian Mappé, now his teammates since joining Paris Saint-Germain in August. Lewandowski broke two Bundesliga records by scoring 41 goals for Bayern in its title-winning 2020-21 season and 43 in the calendar year of 2021. Both marks were held since 1972 by another Bayern great, Gerd Müller. “If you ask me that a few years ago if it was possible, I would have told you, no, it’s impossible to score so many goals in the Bundesliga,” said Lewandowski, who has scored four more in two games this year.
ALTHOUGH they train in the warm weather conditions in Clermont, Florida, coach Lance Brauman didn’t mind bringing part of his Pure Athletics Track Club, led by two-time Olympic gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo, to the sunny Bahamas for a week-long training camp. “It’s nice. It’s January. We’re just coming off the Christmas break and so we wanted to change things up a little bit,” Brauman said. “Anytime you can go away on a little bit of a camp, it gets everybody focused because they get out their daily routine and start to think more about track and field.” As they wrapped up their final training session on Friday at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, Brauman said he couldn’t ask for a better atmosphere to have the team, including MillerUibo’s husband, Estonia’s decathlete Maicel Uibo, British long jumper Jazmin Sawyers, American sprinter Lynna Irby and Trinidad & Tobago’s sprinter Khalifa St Fort, put in the necessary work to make the trip here a worthwhile one. As for Miller-Uibo, she is coming off her successful defence of her gold medal in the women’s 400 metres at the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games last August in a new Bahamian national and NACAC area record of 48.36 seconds. After turning in a sensational season in 2021, Brauman said he’s anticipating another banner year ahead of the 27-year-old Bahamian multiple indoor and outdoor national record holder in 2022. “She had a great season last year, a couple of small injuries here and there towards the end, but she had a really good training session, so she was able to
maintain fitness through the games,” he said. “When you can run your personal best at the Olympic Games and you’re still not feeling one hundred, that’s pretty good.” The goal, according to Brauman, is for MillerUibo to remain healthy this season as she goes after the World Championships’ gold medal she missed out on in 2019 when she was beaten by Bahrain’s suspended Salwa Eid Naser in Doha, Qatar. While Naser clocked the third fastest time in history of 48.14, Miller-Uibo trailed with the sixth best time of 48.37. “We want her to continue to build on her performance last year,” Brauman said. “We want her to try to stay healthy as she gets ready to run and keep building on what she’s done over the past few years. “She’s run 48.36 now and we both think she can run even faster. The plan is to run in the 47s and maybe take a legitimate shot at the world record (of 47.60 that was set by East Germany’s Marita Koch on October 6, 1985, in Canberra). After missing out on another opportunity to complete a 200/400m double in Tokyo where she finished eighth in the final of the 200m two days before she stormed back to clinch the 400m gold, Brauman said Miller-Uibo will continue to run the two events during the season. But whether or not she will contest the double feat at the World Championships or the Olympics again will all depend on the schedule. “She’s training for both events so we will continue to do both races during the season, but whether she does both of them at the championships or the games will depend on the year and the schedule,” he said. “As for which event she will concentrate on during the meet, it
COACH Lance Brauman speaks to the media. all depends on how she’s training and what she looks like going into the championships.” In their projection for the season, Brauman said the aim is to get MillerUibo prepared to run 21.5 (in the 200m) and 47-something (in the 400m), but they will wait before they decide which one she will contest at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, August 6-15. Looking at the rest of the Pure Athletics’ team members here in the Bahamas, Brauman said Irby has already ran 49.8 and as a training partner of Miller-Uibo, he expects her to lower her times tremendously based on her training sessions. “We were hoping for a better year for her, but she was able to get two medals on the relay teams for the US in the mixed gender and the women’s 4 x400m, so it still turned out to be a
good year for her.” Brauman said. Sawyers, according to Brauman, finished eighth in the women’s long jump at the Olympics and is now training well. He figures that she too will rise to the occasion and soar at the World Championships. Coming off some injuries as well last year, Brauman said Uibo is looking to rebound this year in the men’s decathlon and he’s right on track for a great comeback in the two-day, 10-event multiple competition. “He took some time off to recuperate and he’s come back in really good shape, so I’m really pleased with that,” Brauman said of Uibo. And while St Fort is a newcomer to the club, Brauman said after making Trinidad & Tobago’s women’s 4 x 100m relay team last year, he anticipates that she will come around
and be a force to reckon with in both the 100 and 200m. “We’re trying to get her in the shape that she was in about four years ago as a junior athlete,” Brauman said. Although only five athletes made it here for the camp, there are a total of 17 athletes in Pure Athletics, including South Africa men’s 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekirk, American sprinter Noah Lyons, Panama’s Alonzo Edwards and Trinidad’s Kareem Richards. “It’s a good mix of international athletes and I’m really pleased with their training at this point,” Brauman said. “The weather has been really nice in Florida. It’s still pretty nice there, but this has been a nice chance to refocus on what’s going to happen this year. “This is a talented group so the expectation is what it’s been in every championship year and that is to get some individual gold medals and have some people run some personal bests in the process and to represent their countries to the max.” In summing up the trip here, Brauman said MillerUibo’s parents May and Shaun Miller Sr made everything so easy and that was evident by the manner in which they raised their daughter to be one of the finest athletes in the world to coach. “She represents herself, her family and her country very well at all times,” Brauman said. “You could never doubt that for once.” And with the hospitality that he and his visiting athletes have received from the Bahamian people wherever they went, Brauman said the country rates as one of the best places he gets to travel to and will continue to come as long as he is welcomed in the manner he has been received.
By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, January 18, 2022, PAGE 15
Sawyers and St Fort train with Miller-Uibo in The Bahamas By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net GREAT Britain’s long jumper Jazmin Sawyers and Trinidad & Tobago’s sprinter Khalifa St Fort said they couldn’t ask for a better teammate than Bahamian two-time Olympic women’s 400 metre gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo. Sawyers and St Fort were among the members of Pure Athletics Track Club that spent last week in town in a training camp at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. Also at the camp were MillerUibo’s husband, Estonia’s decathlete Maicel Uibo, American sprinter Lynna Irby and Pure Athletics’ founder and head coach Lance Brauman. Here for her maiden voyage to the Bahamas, Sawyers thanked MillerUibo for providing her with the opportunity to view where she came from, how she grew up and what made her such a special athlete to emulate. “I can’t tell how great it is for me to be able to train with Shaunae,” said Sawyer, who has been part of the track club based in Clermont, Florida, for the past five years. “Since I’ve joined the club, she’s been an Olympic champion twice. “But it’s not just her accolades that make her such a great training partner. While everybody just sees her on the big screen winning the medals, we get to see the hard work that she puts in and that makes you want to train harder.” As a jumper, Sawyers said she joined the club to improve on her sprinting to help in her approach on the runway. She said MillerUibo has not only inspired her, but she encourages her
in all of her endeavours to be the best that she can be. Back for her second trip here and her first since she represented Trinidad & Tobago at the World Relays in 2017, St Fort said she got to relive some of her memories, but was delighted to experience something new training with Miller-Uibo and Pure Athletics. “As a training partner, Shaunae is so encouraging,” said St Fort. “She pushes you and as a leader, she’s someone to look up to. Anytime that I feel discouraged, she’s always there to help uplift me and pushes me to do very well.” St Fort, who actually grew up in Miami and attended St Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, said the Bahamas reminds her so much of her experience in Trinidad with the coconut water and Caribbean food. “Everyone we have seen has been so hospitable,” she said. “I have really enjoyed my time here again.” As for her career, St Fort said coming off what many considered to be a pretty good junior sting, she decided to join Pure Athletics in 2020, but unfortunately, everything got sidetracked by COVID-19, but she’s looking forward to seeing what 2022 brings. “I believe the pandemic has helped me a lot because I got a chance to push myself under coach Lance before I really got out there and tested myself in the major competition,” she said. “I think he’s done a good job of getting me ready and I feel I am making good progress before I start racing this year.” Having made Trinidad & Tobago’s 4 x 100 metre relay team that competed in the Tokyo Olympics, St Fort said her goal this year is to be the best athlete she
GARDINER FROM PAGE 12
Heading into the race, Gardiner said he and his American coach Gary Evans talked about what he should do and what time he should run. He said they anticipated it would be at least 32.2, but when he saw 32.0 on the clock, Gardiner was shocked. “I’m really pleased with the shape that I’m in. This is my best offseason training in my six years with coach Gary and I feel pretty confident going on to the rest of the year,” Gardiner reflected. “I’m looking forward to some great performances. “We’re just going to go out there and do what we always
TRINIDAD & Tobago sprinter Khalifa St Fort speaks with Tribune Sports. Photos: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff
GREAT Britain’s long jumper Jazmin Sawyers in action. can be, whether it’s in running her personal best or getting into a final. “Win, lose or draw, I will smile and shake the hands of all my competitors because I know that on that day, I was the best Khalifa St Fort that I could be,” she stated. “I am eager to run in my first World Championships and especially on that brand new track in Oregon.” The compact 23-year-old St Fort said she’s just looking forward to hitting her times in training and watching to see how they will translate in races as she critiques her performances to ensure that she enjoys the best possible season in 2022 as she attempts to improve
do and that is to have fun. But the goal is to get back on the podium again (at the World Championships).” Although he’s competing indoors right now, Gardiner said he won’t be participating in the World Indoor Championships. Instead, he said he will be using the meets to get him prepared for the outdoor season and the trek towards Oregon. The 26-year-old six-foot, fourinch Abaco native is expected back in action next week in South Carolina. And with the World Championships still a long way off, Gardiner feels it will take another Bahamian national record to successfully defend his title from the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, in 2019.
on her personal best of 11.06 in the 100m and 23.31 in the 200m. Sawyers, coming off an eighth place finish in the final of the women’s long jump in Tokyo, said her goal is to go for the trifecta this year as she competes in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, and the European Championships in Munich, all held between the months of July and August. “When will you ever get to do three championships in such a short space of time. I don’t think I will ever again,” Sawyers said. “So I’m taking this up as a fun challenge and not a scary challenge. I just have
“I will definitely have to do a personal best in order to be a contender for another medal, possibly a record,” Gardiner, whose national 400m record stands at 43.48 from Doha, projected. “We’re not chasing the record right now. We’re just concentrating on going out there to win. “If we get the record on the way there, it will just add to the accomplishments this year. I’m in the best shape of my life. I’ve never felt this way in my offseason and it gives me a lot of confidence moving forward.” Every day, Gardiner said Evans has inspired him by telling him that he’s “looking good” and that has increased his motivation to go to Oregon and do it again just like he did in Doha and Tokyo (at the
to work on getting adjusted to the time zones and hopefully I will be okay.” The 27-year-old Sawyers, with a lifetime best of 6.90 metres or 23-feet, 7 ¾-inches in the long jump, said she’s even more excited about all of the talent she’s surrounded by in Pure Athletics. “We have Olympic and World Championships champions and a worldrecord holder, so I’m hoping that I can add to the accolades that the club possess as the only long jumper in the group to win a medal at these three meets that will all take place in the space of six weeks. “So I’m always aiming high. I haven’t achieved everything that I want yet, but I’m happy and grateful for what I have done. I would like to achieve more and hopefully I can do it this year or over the next few years.” For her to accomplish the gold-medal feat, Sawyers said she simply needs to clear seven metres or better (22-11 3/4) and she will be a world contender for the podium just like MillerUibo has done over the past
2019 World Championships and 2020 Olympic Games) in August. And while he is expected to continue to run the 200m to develop his speed, Gardiner said there’s no doubt that his focus will remain on the 400m. Gardiner, who won his first major international medal at the World Championships in London in 2017 with the bronze in the 400m, holds the Bahamas’ indoor national records in the 200m (20.71), 300m (32.06) and 400m (49.63). And outdoors, the five-time Bahamas national champion owns the national records in the three events in times of 19.75 in the 200m, 31.83 in the 300m and 43.48 in the 400m. He has also ran a pretty decent 100m in 10.35.
few years in the 200 and 400m. She noted that the trip here has rejuvenated her faith in her ability to become a global medalist when she saw the appreciation that everybody exerted towards Miller-Uibo as they traversed around the island. “It makes me feel like whenever someone comes to my home, I want them to feel as welcome as I was here and so I will cherish the memories that I experienced here,” said Sawyers, who was born in Stoke-onTrent, Staffordshire and graduated from the University of Bristol. “I was also impressed with what I saw when we visited her school. I asked the teachers if she ever got in trouble, but they all said no, which was also very encouraging. Now I know why she’s such a successful athlete. She came from very humble beginnings and she carried that over to her professional career as an athlete to emulate.” For both St Fort and Sawyers, they were just happy to be here to enjoy the wonderful Bahamian experience with Miller-Uibo.
STEVEN Gardiner.
STAFFORD PROPELS RAMS PAST CARDINALS 34-11 IN PLAYOFF ROUT By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Matthew Stafford passed for 202 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score in his first playoff victory, and the Los Angeles Rams roared out of the wild-card round with a 34-11 win over the Arizona Cardinals last night. Odell Beckham Jr and Cooper Kupp made touchdown catches for the NFC West champion Rams (13-5), who will visit the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday for a spot in the NFC championship game. Los Angeles advanced in the postseason for the third time in the last four years under coach Sean McVay. David Long also scored on a 3-yard interception return while the Rams’ defence harassed Kyler Murray into a calamitous playoff debut. Los Angeles jumped to a 28-0 lead and cruised in the first playoff game at SoFi Stadium, which will host Super Bowl 56 next month. After an inconsistent finish to the regular season, the Rams’ constellation of big stars came together brilliantly on the postseason stage.
Stafford was outstanding in his first playoff game with the Rams, going 13 of 17 without an interception and coolly directing LA’s offence while seizing his first playoff win in 13 NFL seasons — the first 12 spent in Detroit. Beckham had four catches for 54 yards, including his first career playoff touchdown catch for the Rams’ first points. He also threw a 40-yard pass during his own first postseason victory. Linebacker Von Miller added six tackles and a key early sack in his first postseason appearance since winning the MVP award in Super Bowl 50. Murray went 19 of 34 for 137 yards and two interceptions for the Cardinals (11-7), who followed their 10-2 start with a 1-5 slide. Arizona lost on the road for only the second time in 10 games this season under coach Kliff Kingsbury, but fell to the Rams for the 10th time in the NFC West rivals’ last 11 meetings. James Conner rushed for a TD for the Cardinals, who have one playoff victory since the 2009 season. Murray went 7 for 17 for 28 yards and threw two interceptions in an awful first half that left the Cardinals trailing 21-0 with just 40 yards of offence. Los Angeles went up 21-0 when linebacker Troy Reeder’s pressure
RAMS wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr, top, catches a touchdown against Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson (20) during the first half of their NFL wild-card playoff football game last night. (AP Photo/Mark J Terrill) prompted Murray to fling the ball blindly out of the end zone to avoid a safety. Long made a
shoe-top interception and took one stride to score the shortest pick-6 in NFL playoff history. The Rams won even with a quiet night from NFL receiving leader Kupp, who had three receptions for 16 yards while the game was still in doubt. Kupp finished with five catches for 61 yards, failing to get 90 yards for only the second game this season — both times against Arizona. The Rams capped their second offensive drive with Stafford’s precise 4-yard throw to Beckham. The eight-year veteran wideout has six TD catches in his last eight games since he joined the Rams at midseason and filled the void left by injured Robert Woods. Stafford scored his first playoff rushing TD since January 2012 to cap the Rams’ next drive. After Long’s TD, the Cardinals finally got a first down seven minutes before halftime, but Rams lineman Marquise Copeland got his first career interception on a deflected pass. Kupp’s TD catch after halftime was set up by Beckham’s 40-yard pass down the sideline to Cam Akers — the sixth completion of Beckham’s eight-year career. WEDDLE’S RETURN Eric Weddle got significant playing time for the Rams in the
37-year-old veteran’s first NFL game since the 2019 season finale. The two-time All-Pro safety ended his retirement last week to help out after Los Angeles lost starters Taylor Rapp to a concussion and Jordan Fuller to a season-ending ankle injury. INJURIES Cardinals safety Budda Baker left the field on a stretcher in the third quarter after a helmet-tohelmet hit with Akers. Players knelt around Baker in concern before he was taken off the field. He was taken to a hospital for further evaluation but had movement in his extremities. J.J. Watt had three tackles for Arizona in his first game since late October. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year had shoulder surgery, but rushed back to help the Cardinals. Long (knee) and Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth (ankle) both missed time in the second half. UP NEXT Cardinals: An offseason evaluation of what went wrong late in such a promising season. Rams: A showdown with the Buccaneers and Tom Brady, who has a bit more experience with playoff pressure than Murray.