01202026 BUSINESS

Marina chief slams ‘absurd’ claim ‘we’re part of problem’

BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) president yesterday slammed as “absurd” accusations that the industry is not doing enough to aid the crackdown on illegal fisheries practices by failing to alert the authorities to suspect vessels.

Peter Maury told Tribune Business it was “stupid” and “dumb” to suggest that legitimate Bahamian marinas are “part of the problem” as he asserted that previous tip-offs the sector has provided about out-of-season crawfish catches and unlicensed charter operators generated no response from the relevant law enforcement agencies.

Emphasising that Bahamian marina operators would “never knowingly let anyone mess up our marine resources”, he added that the authorities’ failure to act on their previous calls had caused such a loss of trust and confidence that few bothered to submit

• ‘Stupid’ to accuse industry of turning blind eye to illegal activity

• ABM president: ‘We’ve alerted authorities, but nobody acting’

• ‘Nothing but bad reviews’ for Bahamas at latest Boat Show

reports on suspected illegal activities because “nobody comes and does anything about it”.

Mr Maury hit back after both Paul Maillis, the National Fisheries Association’s (NFA) secretary, and Mike Cenci, the WildAid senior law enforcement adviser who played a key role in last week’s apprehension of an alleged illegal sports fishing charter, suggested to this newspaper that Bahamian marinas could do more to aid the fight against such operators who abuse this nation’s laws and maritime resources.

Mr Cenci, in particular, called for marinas to provide more support for law

Tax reporting blunder stuck $2.5m fine on trustee’s client

BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN trust company caused a client to incur a $2.5m penalty after it mistakenly provided information not required by law to the Colombian tax authorities while valuing his investments at three times’ their previously-disclosed worth.

• JP Morgan (Bahamas) valued assets at three times’ earlier disclosure

Justice Camille Darville-Gomez, in December 18, 2025, verdict revealed that Isaac Daniel Picciotto Kassin, a wealthy businessman, had declared the assets held by his Bahamas-domiciled trust as being worth $6.183m in both the 2016 and 2017 tax returns he submitted to his home country tax authorities. The valuation was based on the “historical cost” of acquiring the underlying operating companies held by the trust.

enforcement agencies by tipping them off to the presence of suspected illegal fishing charters. He argued: “The revenue that marinas get does not compensate for the value of fisheries they are ripping off.” And Mr Maillis disclosed that the activities of unlicensed foreign fishing charter operators was one reason why Bahamian fishermen were ambivalent over the new and increased boating fees imposed from July 1 last year. He acknowledged there was a “split” in the fishing community over the issue, with many believing they were justified due to the economic loss and damage

being caused by such illegal practices.

Mr Maury, though, asserted that it was “hysteria” and “insanity” to suggest that marinas are turning a blind eye to suspected law-breakers just to earn extra revenue. He called on law enforcement and the fishermen to meet with the ABM and its members to address any issues and “come up with a solution”.

Amid escalating “rumours” that the Government may revise the new and increased boating fees that were

Gov’ts tax compliance reforms halted accounts ‘running amok’

BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Government’s tax reforms over the past decade have prevented Bahamian businesses from “running amok” with their financial reporting and enabled small enterprises to expand to medium-sized ones, a corporate consultant argued yesterday.

Mark A Turnquest, founder of the 242 Small Business Association and Resource Centre, and a well-known advisor to

the sector, told Tribune Business he backed assertions by Simon Wilson, the Ministry of Finance’s financial secretary, that the enhanced financial reporting demanded by VAT and recent Business Licence reforms has forced many in the private sector to become “more accountable and disciplined” with their record-keeping. He added that this began with VAT’s implementation on New Year’s Day 2015, which demanded that all businesses with an annual

‘Significant concerns’ over $200m Rosewood Exuma’s dock location

BY FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN planning authorities are still voicing “significant concerns” about the location of the $200m Rosewood Exuma project’s service dock despite giving the “overall concept for the resort” support in principle.

Jehan Wallace, assistant director at the Department of Physical Planning, in a January 13, 2026, paper prepared for the Town Planning Committee asserted that relocation of the service dock “is considered essential to ensure environmentally responsible, resilient and sustainable development”. Complaints about the service dock’s location, which sparked complaints and legal challenges from neighbouring developers of the Turtlegrass Resort and Island Club and Over Yonder Cay, was what led the Rosewood Exuma developer to withdraw the project’s first site plan application prior to the

• Top Planning official says relocation ‘essential’

• Concerns persist despite promise it be moved

• Resort ‘concept’ gets Planning nod ‘in principle’

Subdivision and Development Appeal Board’s site visit and subsequent hearing. That first site plan had already been approved by the Town Planning Committee but, based on Ms Wallace’s paper, it appears the same service dock-related concerns still exist despite the facility’s purported relocation by the developer, Miami-based

Freeport needs developer and not just GBPA buyer

BY FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

THE Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce’s president yesterday asserted that any potential Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) purchaser must have “financial and intellectual capacity to act as a developer” and not just merely be able to acquire it.

Dillon Knowles told Tribune Business that the identity of any prospective GBPA buyer is less important than how the organisation operates and collaborates with the Government.

He said evaluation of potential owners or investors should focus on their ability to responsibly develop Freeport and work constructively with the Government, rather than simply functioning as a land sales agency.

"Regardless of who owns the Port Authority, there must be collaboration and clear rules of engagement between the Port Authority and the Government

of the Bahamas,” said Mr Knowles.

“As I have often said, what matters most in the ownership of the Port Authority is that the entity - whoever it may be - has the financial and intellectual capacity to act as a developer, and not merely as a land sales agency. Any assessment of potential suitors should be made with this in mind."

Mr Knowles said a resolution to the arbitration which will determine the Government’s $357m dispute with the GBPA is significant for the local business community. He added that clear guidelines on how the Government and the GBPA will interact going forward should be established to support investment and community confidence.

"I think this issue is important to the community, whether they realise it or not. It is essential that there be a resolution in an open and transparent manner, as it could impact the viability of investment in Grand Bahama, particularly in Freeport,” said Mr Knowles.

“From the Chamber's perspective, our desire - regardless of how the matter is ultimately resolved - is for there to be certainty about the rule of law going forward, and clarity on how the Government and the Port Authority will interact with each other."

Keishla Adderley, the Prime Minister’s spokesman, revealed last week that a verdict to the GBPA arbitration could be announced “any time from now”.

Speaking at the Office of the Prime Minister’s weekly media briefing, she said the purpose of the arbitration was to address and remove obstacles that have been hindering development in Freeport. She added that the Government has not been formally involved in any discussions proposing an acquisition of the GBPA.

"As far as I am advised, the arbitration which was initiated could be resolved and a decision announced any time from now,” said Ms Adderley.

“I noticed that there is also, in the headlines, a discussion among a group of business persons who are proposing to offer an

alternative to the Port. That is not something that this office has been formally in any sort of discussions about, but suffice it to say that the Government and the Prime Minister await that decision.

“That arbitration, of course, was initiated in the interest of removing many of the deterrents to development in the city of Freeport and, by extension, the island of Grand Bahama, so the Prime Minister looks forward to a decision on that arbitration, which could come any time from now."

Tribune Business previously revealed  a Bahamian investor group is aiming to raise more than $400m in initial capital to finance the acquisition of the GBPA and its key economic assets.

Nicholas Rees, chairman and co-founder of Kanoo, the digital payments provider, has teamed with attorney John Bostwick and Paige Waugh, grand-daughter of Rupert Roberts, to form Born Free Capital as a “100 percent Bahamian-owned acquisition vehicle” that is seeking to purchase both the GBPA,

and its quasi-governmental and regulatory powers, and the 50 percent Freeport Harbour Company and DevCO interests held by Port Group Ltd. To finance its ambitious acquisition, Born Free Capital’s investment presentation reveals it is seeking an initial $402.8m in financing through a mix of debt and equity capital. The $42.8m worth of equity is broken down into $5m injected by its “founders’, with a further $37.8m to be raised from both “pre-seed” and “seed investors” in two separate rounds. The $360m debt, described as “bridge” or “mezzanine” financing, will be raised through the issuance of two preference share classes that will pay interest returns to investors of 10 percent over a twoyear period. At the end of that 24-month period, Born Free Capital is offering to either convert those preference shares to $441m worth of equity shares in itself or refinance them via longterm debt worth the same amount and paying 6.5 percent interest.

Musicians unveil ‘safety net’ for Bahamian artists

BY ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business Reporter

THE United Artists Bahamas Union (UABU) yesterday launched its Benevolent Fund Committee to serve as a “safety net” for Bahamian musicians and entertainers regardless of union affiliation and membership.

The Benevolent Fund Committee will start with $3,000 representing a portion of the union levies collected from Tricky Entertainment's Bahamas Breeze Festival, which was held at Atlantis recently.

Stephen Greenslade, the Committee’s co-chair, added that a significant portion of levies collected from foreign artists and associated personnel who engage

in gainful employment in The Bahamas will provide further financing along with a portion of the proceeds generated from two annual major fundraising events including a musician and entertainers gala and a Rake N’ Scrape concert.

“Needless to say, this Benevolent Fund will be used to assist musicians and entertainers in stress and relieve difficulties that are affecting their lives,” Mr Greenslade added. “Plans are underway for the funds to be invested and managed by a reputable accounting firm.

“We have in excess of 50 members in our union... And we are open to all persons who operate in the entertainment space, who are creators. Our overall objective is to create a body

Concern dock location hits ‘market appeal and value’

APPLICATION - from page B1

Yntegra Group. The site plan for the Rosewood Exuma project appears to show the service dock still extending some way out into the water at the development’s north-west tip - near its original site.

Ms Wallace argued that while the land use plans proposed by Yntegra Group are consistent with other resort developments on nearby Exuma cays, the location of the service dock still poses an environmental risk.

She added that even though the Department of Physical Planning agrees with the resort concept in principle, it has a serious objection to the location of the service dock which is planned for an environmentally sensitive part of the cay

“As the Department’s task is to review and evaluate land use, only matters regarding the compatibility and sustainability of the proposed project and applicable zoning is reviewed by the Department,” said Ms Wallace. “With this in mind, the Department supports the overall concept of the proposed development at Sampson Cay.

“The scale, form and land use of the project are generally consistent with resort developments on nearby cays in the Exumas, and the proposal aligns with established tourism and economic development objectives for the region.

“However, notwithstanding this support for the project in principle, the Department has significant concerns regarding the proposed location of the service dock on the environmentally-sensitive side of the cay. For the reasons outlined below, the

relocation of the service dock is considered essential to ensure environmentally responsible, resilient and sustainable development”.

Mr Wallace raised concerns about the “viability and amenity” of the project, noting that resorts in Exuma succeed because guests are attracted to the natural, peaceful environment that provides tourism operations with their main selling point and source of value.

She said that placing a service dock - which brings boat traffic, noise, deliveries and day-to-day operations - into a high-quality, scenic area, could detract from the natural look and feel that visitors to the Exuma cays expect and reduce opportunities for marine recreation.

“The long-term success of a resort in the Exumas depends on the protection of pristine beaches, healthy marine ecosystems and high-quality natural landscapes,” said Ms Wallace.

“The proposed siting of the service dock would introduce operational activity into a high-amenity area, diminish marine recreation and undermine the environmental character that defines the resort’s market appeal and value.” She also highlighted regulatory concerns associated with allowing the service dock to remain in the proposed location, noting that due to it being places in a sensitive coastal area it will face much stricter review from regulators and environmental authorities such as the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP).

“Developments within sensitive coastal environments are subject to heightened scrutiny during planning and environmental review. The current dock location increases

or a system that brings us all together continuously so that we can move from one level to the next with our work, with our craft and also to celebrate our members.

“We want to see entertainers in The Bahamas become celebrities. This fund will be a benchmark of support for all of us, for all who create, for all who entertain, all of our art, our culture. We see this as a stepping stone toward a greater vision,” Mr Greenslade added.

“If you come into The Bahamas, the minute you hit any one of our gateways, you hear Bahamian music, you see Bahamian culture, you experience Bahamian dance and the like. And so we are very happy about this initiative. We are proud

regulatory risk, potential stakeholder objection and future mitigation obligations,” said Ms Wallace, adding that a dock in such a location is more likely to suffer damage, require frequent repairs or become unreliable over time due to exposure.

“From an operational standpoint, sensitive beach systems are less suitable for service infrastructure and are more vulnerable to erosion, storm surge and sea-level rise. Relocation would reduce long-term maintenance, improve operational reliability and enhance climate resilience,” said Ms Wallace.

“While the Planning Department may support the overall resort concept as its land use is similar to nearby cays, the proposed location of the service dock presents a concerning environmental and planning risk.” These concerns will likely be debated at the upcoming public consultation on the Rosewood Exuma project’s second site plan application, which is due to be held on Thursday, February 5, at Black Point All-Age School.

The 131.2-acre resort development will feature 33 hotel units and 40 residential cottages, with more than 100 individual buildings covering a gross floor area of 519,808 square feet. With total bedrooms numbering 230, divided into 51 in the hotel and 179 in the residences, and an assumed two persons per room, maximum guest numbers are pegged at 460 at any one time with employee housing set to feature 150 units.

The Department of Physical Planning said density works out at 3.5 persons per acre based on the 460strong figure. A revised Heads of Agreement for the project was signed with the Government on May 21, 2024, and its certificate of environmental clearance (CEC) was granted on June 23, 2025. Geotechnical

that we have gotten it to this stage, and we look forward to the support  of the society as we move forward.”

Fellow co-chair, David “Funky D” Ferguson, in highlighting the importance of the Fund said many artists are currently struggling, adding that musicians are not usually granted bank loans.

“Right now, we have a lot of new artists who are unaware of the framework of the music,” he said. “For instance, we had a lot of entertainers who are suffering because they don't have a job, they don't have enough gigs to support your life. For instance, there are many entertainers who, they make money, but they don't know how to invest the money, or they don't know how to make sure that

works were said to have been “extended until June 30, 2026”, with temporary housing and maintenance works approved to start on June 5 last year. Civil works design approvals for paving, grading and maintenance have also been obtained.

The Yntegra Group, developers of the proposed East Sampson Cay project, announced last November that it would file a revised site plan application with the Town Planning Committee following community feedback and ongoing controversy surrounding aspects of the project.

The development has drawn sustained criticism from the neighbouring Turtlegrass Resort and Island Club, whose owner, Bob Coughlin, is part of the Save Exuma Alliance (SEA). Opponents have said the Rosewood resort is “vastly oversized”, and warned that development of a service dock in Sampson Cay’s north bay would destroy coral reefs, disrupt tidal flow and harm marine life.

Yntegra Group, which is headed by Felipe MacLean, has consistently rejected and pushed back against these arguments. The Miami-based developer has asserted that its project will have a $1.6bn impact over 20 years, translating into $80m per year, along with an $834m boost to Bahamian economic output (GDP) and $336m in additional income for Bahamian workers over the same period.

This is equivalent to an average $41.7m GDP impact, and $16.8m in extra income, over that 20-year span. The increase in government taxes is forecast at $176m over two decades, with the Rosewood Exuma developer also projecting it will help create “533 full-time equivalent jobs annually” in construction, tourism and other industries.

The presentation also reveals that Born Free Capital is planning to give Bahamian investors, as well as GBPA licensees, an equity ownership interest in the purchase by issuing 20m common shares, priced at $3.25 per share, in a $65m initial public offering (IPO) although a date and timeline for this was not provided.

Two tranches of four million shares, worth a collective $13m each, would be allocated to a fund created for GBPA licensees and the Government’s National Investment Fund, respectively, with the remaining 12m - valued at a collective $39m - would be available for purchase by Bahamian private investors. Collectively, the Government, licensees and Bahamian investors would end up owning 5 percent of Born Free Capital’s equity, with the largest interests held by its founders (25 percent); and seed and converted preference share investors (30 percent and 35 percent) if all goes to plan.

afterwards, what's going to happen if the system dies because music is an up and down industry. One day you could be up and one day you could be down.

“This Benevolent Fund is for when a musician is down. We have a lot of musicians who had operations or who passed away, the family didn't have enough money to bury them. So what we want to focus on is having a safety net for musicians who were falling down or who need medical help because, when you go to the bank, banks don't lend musicians money. You go to the bank and say, ‘I'm a musician’, ain't nothing happening.”

Mr Greenslade said the Fund is open to all musicians and entertainers regardless of whether they

are part of the UABU. “The founding members of the United Artists Bahamas Union (UABU) believe in the phenomenal abilities and talents of the Bahamian creatives in the music and entertainment industry in our beloved Bahamas and abroad,” he said.

“Although the ultimate goal of this organisation is to protect the rights and interests of its members, the current plight of the creatives in our music and entertainment industries has become an important factor that accelerated the efforts of the UABU to cause a safety net, in the form of a Benevolent Fund, to be created for the benefit of the UABU members and deserving musicians, entertainers and DJs as a whole. Needless to say, the welfare of our members is deserving of a much-needed attention and urgency to ensure that our members are protected in every appreciable way.”

US futures sink after Trump warns of higher tariffs for 8 countries over Greenland issue

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer

EUROPEAN shares mostly fell and U.S. stock futures skidded Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to slap a 10% extra tariff on imports from eight European countries because they oppose having America take control of Greenland.

Germany’s DAX lost 1.3% to close at 24,960.33 and the CAC 40 in Paris fell 1.9% to 8,101.96. Britain’s FTSE 100 declined 0.4% to 10,190.26. Among U.S stock futures, the S&P 500 was down 1% as of 11:48 a.m. Eastern Time, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.8% and the Nasdaq composite was down 1.2%. U.S. stock markets are closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Trump said Saturday that he would charge a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland because of their opposition to American control of Greenland.

The European countries targeted by Trump blasted his threat to raise tariffs, saying they “undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.” The unusually strong joint statement was the most forceful rebuke from the European allies since Trump returned to the White House almost a year ago. Trump’s moves are testing the strategic alignment and institutional trust underlying support from Europe, the largest trading

partner and provider of financing to the United States, Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.

“In a world where geopolitical cohesion within the Western alliance is no longer taken for granted, the willingness to recycle capital indefinitely into U.S. assets becomes less automatic. This is not a short-term liquidation story. It is a slow rebalancing story, and those are far more consequential,” Innes said. In Asia, shares were mixed after China reported that its economy expanded at a 5% annual pace in 2025, though it slowed in the last quarter. Strong exports, despite Trump’s higher tariffs on imports from China, helped to offset relatively weak domestic demand.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost 1.1% to 26,563.90. The Shanghai Composite index gained 0.3% to 4,114.00.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 declined 0.7% to 53,583.57. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was due to hold a news conference later Monday as she prepares to dissolve the parliament for a snap election next month.

Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.3% to 4,904.66, pushing further into record territory on strong gains for tech-related companies. Computer chip maker SK Hynix climbed 1.1%. Taiwan’s Taiex added 0.7%, while the Sensex in India fell 0.6%.

On Friday, stocks edged lower on Wall Street as the first week of corporate earnings season ended with markets trading near record levels.

Gov’t blasts assertion VAT savings just $11 per month

BY FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

THE DAVIS administration yesterday blasted suggestions that the average Bahamian family will only save $11 per month from eliminating VAT on all unprepared food.

Hitting back at claims that its latest tax relief move, initiated ahead of the upcoming 2026 general election, will have minimal impact on the high cost of living for most Bahamians, the Office of the Prime Minister said the ultimate savings per household depends on how much food they purchase and consume.

It said in a statement that all households will “see relief” as a result of the complete removal of VAT on all grocery items sold in food stores from April 1, 2026 in a bid to ease persistent cost of living pressures.

“Beginning April 1 this year, VAT will go down to zero for unprepared food sold at the food store. How much your family will save depends on what you buy and how it was taxed previously. All Bahamians who buy food at the market will see relief,” said the Office of the Prime Minister’s statement.

It was alleged that the average Bahamian household would save about $11 per month from the upcoming VAT cut on unprepared food, using a calculation that divided the Government’s estimated $15m revenue loss by the number of households in The Bahamas.

However, the Government said this figure is misleading as the $15m represents the net fiscal impact to the Public Treasury after accounting for business credits and other adjustments, not the total amount Bahamians will save at the food store check-out.

“The Nassau Guardian this morning committed a miscalculation

in their front-page story and headline, with an erroneous claim that the average household will save $11 a month after the April 1 VAT cut,” said the Office of the Prime Minister said.

“The Guardian mistakenly equated the fiscal impact of the VAT cut - a $15m revenue loss - with the consumer benefit. The Government’s $15m is a bottom-line fiscal impact number after accounting for business credits and substituted spending.

“The total dollars left in Bahamian pockets at the grocery store check-out gross relief will be the sum of VAT removed from the final retail price of all food sold, which is a significantly larger pool of money.”

The Opposition has also criticised the Davis administration’s complete removal of VAT on all food, excluding hot or readyto-eat meals, branding the concession “April Fools’ economics”.

Opposition leader

Michael Pintard said the Davis administration’s latest cost of living measures are politically motivated and long overdue.

“With only months left in a five-year term, and in the face of his imminent political retirement, Prime Minister Davis delivered a national address that relied more on performance than proof,” said Mr Pintard.

“What was presented as reassurance amounted instead to smoke and mirrors, a package of shameless campaign cuts designed to distract a frustrated and increasingly impatient nation, rather than confront the real cost of living pressures Bahamians face every single day.

“If these measures were truly essential, Bahamians would not have had to wait almost five years to see them,” Mr Pintard said, adding that the FNM has consistently called for VAT relief on food and essential items since 2021.

Bahamian fishermen demanding Dominican poacher crackdown

BY ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN fishermen yesterday said they are hoping the Government will crack down equally as hard on Dominican poachers and foreigners working on locally-owned fishing vessels following a late December meeting with senior security officials.

Captain Chuck Pinder, hailing the increased law enforcement focus on illegal foreign charters and sports fishing operators, said fishermen met with Captain Floyd Moxey, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) commodore, and Wayne Munroe, minister of national security, on December 16, 2025, in a bid to combat an increase in the presence of Dominican poachers in Bahamian waters once again.

He added that fishermen informed the Government about damaged condos and traps that were found, as well as the presence of Dominican divers on Bahamian-owned fishing vessels, providing them with the names of boats “that we know that they are on”.

“And they can't be on a Bahamian commercial fishing vessel unless they are Bahamian,” Mr Pinder added, referring to Fisheries Act reforms passed under the Minnis administration. “So, in other words, these people have been issued Bahamian passports to be fishing in our country. We’re trying to figure out how is that possible to happen?

“It's a lot that's going on with the illegal charters, with our own commercial fishing vessels, with illegal activity taking place. And we’re just trying to figure out how all of this is taking place. Who's responsible for it? And why is it happening?

“And we need to get to the bottom of it; to get these people back out of

our country because there is a connection. Every time we see that the Dominican fishermen are back on the commercial fishing vessels, we see an increase in poaching from the Dominican Republic.”

Mr Pinder emphasised that persons are now understanding how much money and resources are being stolen from The Bahamas in the form of seafood, and demanded that Bahamian fisherman be put first.

“We had them out. These people were out as of four years ago, and we’ve seen banks come back to life where they had been damaged and raped,” he added. “And now, since we see these Dominicans back in The Bahamas’ fishing industry, we also see an increase of the poaching that's now taking place in the southern banks once again.

“So we think that they are both tied together, and we have asked The Bahamas government to look into this and to get these people out of our fishing industry. What the Government has done has actually made it harder for the Defence Force to do their job because now they intertwine. We got boats out

there. We don't know who's who. And we need to clean up our fishing industry, put Bahamians first and guard our heritage against all those that plan to exploit it.”

Mr Pinder praised the crackdown on illegal charter fishing activity following the apprehension of a vessel suspected of participating in such activity last week. He added: “WildAid is a great asset to The Bahamas government in combating all this illegal fishing and poaching that's taking place. They have made a lot of waves and a lot of moves, and it's very influential on The Bahamas government becoming more aggressive on these things happening in our country.”

Paul Maillis, the National Fisheries Association’s (NFA) secretary, said fishermen have had mixed reactions to the increased boating fees introduced last year, adding that some saw the hikes as justified due to the activities of unlicensed foreign fishing charter operators.

Mr Pinder yesterday told Tribune Business that non-Bahamians “were getting away with a lot”, and the boating fees did need to go

up for them. However, he argued that the increased boat registration fees for Bahamian fishermen “are ridiculous.”

“Since this government has taken over, the registration policies have changed, and they increased the registration on boats by thousands of percent,” he added. “So we own an 87-foot plus steel hull. We were paying $400 a month for registration for our vessel. We now pay over $3,000.

“I actually own a charter company out of Spanish Wells. It cost me, all in all, all my registration for my vessels, my liability insurance, everything came to $1,700. I'm now paying $3,014 for that same registration and all my other fees. So they've not only increased the registration on the foreigners, which is fine - I think some can be adjusted, I think they went a little too far with some things, it can be adjusted - but I also think that what they did on the Bahamian side of it was ridiculous. I think they went too far with that, and a lot of Bahamians are hurting because of it.”

JP Morgan (Bahamas) loses bid to strike out client’s claim

However, JP Morgan Trust Company (Bahamas), the trustee for Mr Kassin’s trust, failed to properly update its records to show that it was an entity that did not have to be reported or disclosed to the Colombian tax agency, DIAN, under the provisions of The Bahamas’ Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information Act 2016.

And, in addition to inadvertently disclosing its clients assets, JP Morgan’s Bahamas affiliate compounded this error by valuing the trust’s assets at “market value” rather than the “historical cost” method employed by Mr Kassin.

As a result, it declared that the trust’s assets were worth $22.732m and $20.813m for the 2017 and 2018 tax years, respectively - providing valuations that were three times’ higher than those submitted to the Colombian tax authorities by Mr Kassin.

This “discrepancy” resulted in the latter having to pay a combined $2.516m in penalties and an “additional wealth tax”, and Mr Kassin sought to recover this sum from the Bahamian trust company on the basis that it had incorrectly disclosed his assets and over-valued them.

When no settlement was reached, the Colombian entrepreneur launched legal action in the Supreme Court against JP Morgan (Bahamas) alleging negligence and breach of fiduciary duty. Justice Darville-Gomez, in her verdict, rejected the Bahamian trust company’s bid to strike the claim out after finding there

was sufficient evidence to suggest Mr Kassin’s claim has “a real prospect of success” and that it merits a full trial.

Internet research by Tribune Business reveals that Mr Kassin is involved in the wine business as president of the Colombian-based business, PDC Vinos y Licores – Casa Pedro Domecq Colombia, and as a director of the Chilean firm, Viña Undurraga. He is also named as president of the Chamber of Associated Industries of Alcoholic Beverages (CABA) and a founding member of the Colombo-Chilean Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Justice Darville-Gomez’s verdict discloses that Mr Kassin settled the Bahamas-domiciled Cabo Verde Trust on July 13, 2016, as a revocable trust to hold his corporate ownership interests. Its main direct asset was a 50 percent equity interest in Rising Fawn Ltd, a Bahamian company that in turn owned a British Virgin Islands entity called Hampton Holdings. This latter vehicle owned 100 percent of the shares in various Chilean domiciled companies. The investment structure was seemingly designed to give increased privacy and confidentiality, and better protect key assets owned by Mr Kassin and his family, from the threat posed by violent crime and political instability in their native Colombia. He disclosed the trust’s assets as being worth $6.183m for both the 2016 and 2017 tax years - a figure derived from the “historical cost” of acquiring the Chilean companies’ shares. The Bahamas, in the meantime, passed the

Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information Act and brought it into effect on January 1, 2017. This legislation put into law The Bahamas’ obligations to comply with the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) - the global benchmark governing how nations exchange tax-related information with other jurisdictions.

JP Morgan Trust Company (Bahamas) and other Bahamas-based financial institutions were immediately required to comply with the Act and provide all information on client activities “reportable” under the CRS to the Ministry of Finance for passing on to their home country tax authorities. However, Mr Kassin’s trust did not fall into the “reportable “ category.

“In or around early 2017, the trust was classified in the defendant’s [JP Morgan’s] records as being a passive non-financial entity (Passive NFE). A Passive NFE is an entity that is considered to be reportable for the purposes of the CRS,” Justice Darville-Gomez wrote.

“However, in or around early 2018, certain personnel of the defendant determined that the trust’s classification should be updated in order to reflect ti being an active non-financial entity. For the purposes of the CRS, an Active NFE is an entity that is not considered to be reportable.

“Nonetheless, the update to the trust’s classification was not made by the defendant’s CRS team and, as a result, the trust continued to be classified on the defendant’s records as

‘Confusion’ over circumstances around illegal charter’s seizure

SAILING - from page B1

implemented on July 1 last year, Mr Maury said he and other Bahamian marina operators - as well as the Ministry of Tourism - faced “non-stop” criticism and concerns at last week’s boat show in Stuart, Florida.

He added that boaters forcefully expressed that “they feel ripped off” by The Bahamas charging “extra for this, extra for that”, and said: “It was not a good feeling as a Bahamian that this is what the rest of the world thinks of us.”

The ABM president also suggested reports of last week’s illegal sports fishing charter apprehension had “caused confusion” among

law-abiding foreign boaters, as they seemed to suggest some of the charges against Rayne Check and its twoman crew related to the number of rods the vessel possessed. While Bahamian law imposes catch limits and how many rods can be thrown at one time, he added that there are no curbs on rods on board. Mr Maury also vehemently rejected suggestions that marinas are failing to offer full support for the drive to eliminate illegal fisheries and maritime practices.

“We’ve done this,” he told Tribune Business of assistance provided by the industry to law enforcement. “I have sat with a lot of marina operators that have called the authorities, but nobody is interested and nothing happens.

“In one case I called the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries that we had a boat in the marina loaded with lobster pre-season. They said: ‘Well, we haven’t got a boat’. I said: ‘The boat is right here in the marina. You don’t need a boat. You can drive over, walk over’. I

being a reportable Passive NFE,” the judge continued.

“Consequently, although the trust was not reportable, the defendant, in its capacity as a reporting financial institution, reported its determination of the actual value of the trust to the Competent Authority [Ministry of Finance] on two occasions in August 2018 and in August 2019. The reports were then subsequently reported to the DIAN by the Competent Authority.”

The reporting error was then compounded by JP Morgan Trust Company (Bahamas) declaring the value of the trust’s assets to be more than three times’ higher than what Mr Kassin had disclosed. This “discrepancy” resulted in the Colombian paying a $2.224m tax penalty and $292,610 via an “additional wealth tax”.

Mr Kassin, in an August 27, 2020, e-mail told JP Morgan Trust Company (Bahamas) that it was in breach of the revocable trust agreement and responsible for the penalties he had incurred due to it “mistakenly reporting the trust’s financial information to the Competent Authority without having any legal obligation to do so and against his alleged express instructions not to do so”.

He called on it to compensate him for the tax penalty, but JP Morgan’s Bahamas subsidiary argued in an October 12, 2020, e-mailed reply that there was no breach of the trust agreement and any talk of reimbursement was “premature”. It later informed the Ministry of Finance on September 2, 2021, that the trust’s information was submitted erroneously due to “an inadvertent, isolated administrative mistake”.

Dissatisfied, Mr Kassin launched a Supreme Court legal action for alleged

negligence and breach of

fiduciary duty against JP Morgan Trust Company (Bahamas) on March 25, 2022, claiming reimbursement of the $2.5m tax penalty and associated costs and interest totalling a further $71,000-plus. The Bahamian institution, in its defence, argued that Mr Kassin’s trust “sustained no loss” and that the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information Act 2016 protected it from his claim. It also alleged that he failed to “exercise reasonable care with his own tax reporting”, and then sought to strike out the claim on the basis it had no chance of succeeding and was “frivolous, vexatious, scandalous and/ or an abuse of the process of the court”.

Mr Kassin, though, countered that “ the trust documents do not exonerate the trustee from what they have described as ‘inadvertent disclosures’. The trust documents specifically exclude acts of gross negligence and willful default… The tax penalty consequences were a direct result flowing from the trustee’s gross negligence and/ or willful misconduct”.

The Colombian said it had been agreed with JP Morgan executives that the trust and its assets would be valued based on “historical cost”, rather than the “market value” that the trustee used.

“Counsel submitted that the claimant was left in the dark regarding the filing of the respective reports until he received a ‘surprise notice’ in 2020 that provided him with very little time to comply with or seek to remedy the outstanding tax obligations alleged against him,” Justice Darville-Gomez wrote.

“As a result, counsel submitted that the claimant - having no assistance

from the defendant on the matter, despite his invitation for the defendant’s help - made and acted on his determination that his best course of action to mitigate his loss would be to pay the $2.2m settlement assessment amount required by the DIAN.. instead of trying to appeal it.”

However, JP Morgan Trust Company (Bahamas) continued to insist it was protected by both the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information Act and the trust’s governing instruments, and that the claim should be struck out.

“Therefore, the defendant’s position as submitted by its counsel was that because the penalty was imposed on the claimant by the DIAN, which is the Competent Authority in the Colombian jurisdiction, if the penalty was determined correctly then it would be outrageous for the claimant to attempt to pursue recovery for his losses here in The Bahamas,” Justice Darville-Gomez.

Finding that Mr Kassin’s case “sets out sufficient facts, is coherent, and discloses legally recognisable causes of action”, she also ruled that “it is not frivolous, vexatious or wholly unsustainable. Nor is it an abuse of process”.

“On the pleadings, I am satisfied that the claimant’s case is sustainable,” Justice Darville-Gomez ruled. “I do not accept that this case is frivolous or presents no substantial argument. Nor do I accept that the law on statutory immunity is so settled as to preclude inquiry. For these reasons, I find that the claimant has a real prospect of success and that there is a compelling reason for trial.” She thus dismissed JP Morgan’s strike-out bid.

know this is true because we talk about this as marinas.”

Mr Maury said such experiences have diminished trust and confidence among Bahamian marinas that the authorities will ever act on their tip-offs. “They said we’re part of the problem. That’s just stupid, just dumb,” he blasted. “They don’t even understand what we’re talking about.

“How are we part of the problem when nobody comes? Nobody reports it any more because they know nobody will come and do anything about it. Fishermen can say we don’t do anything, but where was their help in combating the Dominican poachers? They say we don’t do enough, but they have the same problem. They love to blame someone like us, and say it’s the marinas, but they can’t stop it themselves and who’s helping them?

“Every time we call, nobody comes. I know marinas have done it before and they have had the same result. Don’t tell us we’re doing nothing. I don’t want to get into a war with the fishermen, but do they think we just sit around and watch these guys? If they are out there, take a picture of the offending boat and I’ll do something about it and send it to the authorities. Show me the pictures, show me the proof,” Mr Maury continued.

“I don’t want to write them off, but at the same time to say we’re part of the problem.. We certainly wouldn’t knowingly let anyone mess up our marine resources and I don’t think any ABM members would. It’s a stupid conversation.

Let’s have a sit down and discuss it like reasoned people and come up with a solution. When we see someone poaching or doing something wrong, do something about it.

“These accusations are absurd. It’s so ridiculous it’s not even possible it could happen, but I guess some people take them seriously and believe them.” Mr Maury also argued that the reduced boating traffic and visitors to The Bahamas, which many are blaming on the new fees and how they were implemented, is depriving the Government of vital revenue income that could help finance the crackdown on illegal fisheries practices.

“As far as fees go, and the process of boater entry, that needs to be fixed,” the ABM president told Tribune Business. “Some people have said the Government are going to revise the fees down to what they were, but I just cannot believe that. That’s just rumours, but they have to make a decision. We’ve talked to everybody we could.

“It’s crazy. Everyone’s up in arms. I spent a weekend at the Stuart Boat Show. I heard more of it non-stop. That’s the fees. They [boaters] feel it’s offensive the way they are being treated..

NOTICE

FINCH LTD.

Incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 2000 of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Registration number 210349 B (In Voluntary Liquidation)

Notice is hereby given that the above-named Company is in dissolution, commencing on the 19th day of January A.D. 2026.

Articles of Dissolution have been duly registered by the Registrar. The Liquidator is MR. SERGIO RODRIGUES BUTORI, whose Address is R PE Joao Manuel 1178, Apto 72, Esquerdo, São Paulo, Brazil. Any Persons having a Claim against the above-named Company are required on or before the 18th day of February A.D. 2026 to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the Liquidator of the Company, or in default thereof they may be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such claim is proved.

Dated this 19th day of January A.D. 2026. SERGIO RODRIGUES BUTORI LIQUIDATOR

having to pay extra for this, extra for that. They just feel ripped off and like everyone’s killing them. They just don’t have faith in the country.

“I hope by mid-February that they make some changes. We had the Ministry of Tourism, and a dozen Bahamian marinas in Stuart, and everybody was telling us the same story. It’s nothing but bad reviews for The Bahamas. We’ve been going to three boat shows and hearing how bad we are. It’s not a good feeling as a Bahamian that this is what the rest of the world thinks of us.”

Mr Maury added that reports of the circumstances surrounding the Rayne Check’s seizure had also unsettled boaters. “There’s some issues with clarity of the law with this US boat they got,” he added. “This charge about how many rods confuses people. It’s just wrong. That’s caused more confusion. The law doesn’t say that: There are no restrictions on the number of rods.

“Catch limits, and that you cannot throw more than six rods at a time, is in the law. The feedback from boaters is that they think The Bahamas is just making stuff up to try and catch them. They don’t realise that saying this stuff, people industry and who have been doing it for a long time following the law, say The Bahamas is making stuff up to charge them with.”

While The Bahamas’ new two-year frequent digital cruising card (FDCC) has gained traction with boaters, others have pointed out that The Bahamas has gone from charging $600 for a cruising permit, which included a fishing permit and no anchorage fee, to a $1,000 cruising permit fee,

$350 anchorage fee and $300 per month fishing permit fee.

The ‘temporary’ 12-month cruising permit fee for a vessel below 50 feet in length has risen from $300 to $500, a two-thirds or 66.67 percent rise, with those between 50 feet and 100 feet seeing an increase of similar magnitude from $600 to $1,000. And the new anchorage fees range from $200 to $1,500 “for foreign pleasure vessels not mooring at a marina”, and are again linked to vessel size.

A key element in the Davis administration’s fiscal strategy has been to avoid imposing new and/or increased taxes and fees on Bahamian families, likely due to the potential fall-out for general election votes. Instead, the increases have fallen heavily on foreign visitors, and not just cruise passengers but, in particular, the private aviation and boating markets.

Boating industry contacts spoken to by Tribune Business said that, while not opposed to ensuring that visiting boats and yachts pay their fair share in taxes, any increases in fees/ levies must be reasonable and proportionate in scale, with the industry properly consulted in advance and informed of changes in sufficient time so that they can adjust. Much of the backlash is over lack of notice and consultation.

The Government perceives the private aviation and boating markets as having deep pockets, and the ability to pay more because users are wealthy. However, this newspaper has been told that both sectors are incredibly fickle and, if participants perceive they are being targeted for taxes because they are wealthy, they have the means and transportation to go elsewhere besides The Bahamas even if it costs more.

Accounting crackdown helps firm grow from small to large

turnover higher than $100,000 collect and remit the tax to the Government on an least a quarterly basis. This forced many to improve and upgrade accounting systems and record-keeping to ensure they could submit accurate returns to the Department of Inland Revenue.

Mr Turnquest then acknowledged to this newspaper that this change accelerated with the more recent Business Licence reforms, which require companies with an annual turnover exceeding $5m to submit audited financial statements to the Government, while those with top-line revenues between $250,000 and $5m must supply figures that have been verified by an appropriately-qualified accountant.

“The number one reason why 90 percent of my clients continue to operate successfully is because they were required to give accounts in reference to VAT,” he said. “Before VAT

they were running amok and doing no accounting. When VAT came in they had to be more disciplined and accountable.

“They were now producing income statements, balance sheets and cash flow, and doing a lot of budgeting on revenues because they were required to do this. Although a lot of people at the time were not ready for that, in the long run it was beneficial. If that didn’t happen, many small businesses would have remained small or gone out of business.

“Above the $100,000 threshold they had to submit accurate returns. People started to budget better, especially their cash flow. They were spending money like anything, but they realised that all income coming in had to be budgeted properly. They realised that all sales are not profit because they had to account for costs and expenditure,” Mr Turnquest added.

“What Mr Wilson is doing is bringing accountability because, over the years, a lot of organisations

were not running an efficient and effective business because of the lack of financial statements, foundation and estimates of cash flow. That was a major problem.”

With VAT’s arrival, and now the recent Business Licence reforms, Mr Turnquest said Bahamian businesses with annual turnovers ranging from $250,000 to $5m and then upwards “have to be disciplined” because they are required to submit financial information that must be accurate and, in the case of larger companies, audited.

“The most important thing about running a sustainable business over time is being disciplined,” he added. “You cannot spend what you don’t have, and have a budget in place.

That’s what’s caused a lot of businesses, who would otherwise not have stayed in business over time, to now be more accountable and responsible when it comes to financial reporting. If you don’t have sound financial statements and reporting mechanisms you will fail.

“You have to comply with regulations because

you have to be accountable and responsible for every cent that comes into your business. What I like about what the Government did over time is that they were strict over people collecting their VAT money. A lot of people were collecting it but not remitting it to the Government. You have got to be a legitimate business, comply with regulations and the number one measure is compliance.

“I tell my small business clients that in order for them to go big, to move from a small to medium-sized to large, you have to comply with regulations, be disciplined and be in business not just for one day,” Mr Turnquest added.

“Once staff see that you have to account for the money being taken out of

the business, there’ll be less chance of them stealing and less chance of them being unproductive.

‘It’s [the Government’s accounting demands] been beneficial from day one in 2015, when it started bringing VAT in and modern forms of accounting.. People want to see reports based on fact, not fiction.”

Mr Wilson last week likened the mandatory Business Licence audited financials to “reverse psychology” that has paved the way for more Bahamian businesses to access financing by eliminating “chaotic” record-keeping. He told a Bahamas Business Outlook conference panel discussion that the reforms imposed by the Government had forced local companies - especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - to clean up their act to such an extent that they no longer have to “massage the numbers” when approaching banks, investors and other formal lenders for capital.

Mr Wilson asserted that previously “borderline” firms were increasingly saying that “the pain in the first year [of reforms] was worth it” after the Davis administration imposed a legal mandate requiring all businesses with annual turnover exceeding $5m to

provide financial statements to obtain their Business Licence.

“When talking about the SME sector it’s about reverse psychology,” Mr Wilson said. “Bahamians are very innovative. They start businesses, they have great ideas, they have great products and they have great marketing. But the one thing we noticed with Bahamian business persons is there are poor record-keepers.

“When you look at a business, on the top-line it’s very successful. When you go one step beneath, it’s chaotic. Three years ago we got a lot of push back, a lot of angst from accountants and the business community when we said we needed financial statements for tax purposes. Businesses over $5m needed audited financial statements.

“The first year was complete hell,” Mr Wilson admitted.”Everybody was complaining and we got called all kinds of bad names and so forth. But what we realised; this is year three. What we are seeing now is businesses that are borderline are saying the pain in the first year was worth it when they had to get audited financial statements. I now know what I make and don’t make.”

Hackers target Iran state TV’s satellite transmission to broadcast exiled crown prince

By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

A CRACKDOWN on demonstrators taking part in nationwide protests in Iran killed at least 4,029 people, activists said Tuesday.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency offered the toll, saying more than 26,000 people have been detained in the crackdown as well.

It said of the dead, 3,786 were demonstrators, 180 were security forces, 28 were children and 35 were people not demonstrating.

It fears many more may have been killed.

The agency has been accurate in previous rounds of unrest in Iran and relies on a network of activists on the ground to confirm each death. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll in part due to the government shutting down the internet in Iran.

Hackers disrupted Iranian state television satellite transmissions to air footage supporting the country's exiled crown prince and calling on security forces to not "point your weapons at the people," online video showed early Monday, the latest disruption to follow nationwide protests in the country.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that ODALAINE ADOLPH of Soldier Road, Nassau, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 20th day of January, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that JEAN LOUIS ATLES of Carmichael Road, Nassau, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 20th day of January, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that WIDNEL SAITIL of P.O. Box N-7147, #7 Marsh Harbour, Abaco, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 20th day of January, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

The hacking comes as the death toll in a crackdown by authorities that smothered the demonstrations reached at least 3,941 people, activists said. They fear the number will grow far higher as information leaks out of a country still gripped by the government's decision to shut down the internet. Iran's Foreign

Minister Abbas Araghchi had his invitation to speak at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, withdrawn over the killings. Meanwhile, tensions remain high between the United States and Iran over the crackdown after President Donald Trump drew two red lines for the Islamic Republic — the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran conducting mass executions in the wake of the demonstrations. A U.S. aircraft carrier, which days earlier had been in the South China Sea, passed Singapore overnight to enter the Strait of Malacca — putting it on a route that could bring it to the Middle East.

The footage aired Sunday night across multiple channels broadcast by satellite from Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the country's state broadcaster. The

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that JULIO GUE of Prince Charles, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 20th day of January, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that WISLET MAURICE of Carmichael Road, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 13th day of January, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that LAVITA PIERRE of P. O. Box N-7060, #178 Robinson Road, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 13th day of January, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

video aired two clips of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, then included footage of security forces and others in what appeared to be Iranian police uniforms. It claimed without offering evidence others had "laid down their weapons and swore an oath of allegiance to the people."

"This is a message to the army and security forces," one graphic read. "Don't point your weapons at the people. Join the nation for the freedom of Iran."

The semiofficial Fars news agency, believed to be close to the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, quoted a statement from the state broadcaster acknowledging that the signal in "some areas of the country was momentarily disrupted by an unknown source."

It did not discuss what had been aired.

A statement from Pahlavi's office acknowledged the disruption that showed the crown prince. It did not respond to questions from The Associated Press about the hack. How much support Pahlavi has inside of Iran remains an open question, though there have been pro-shah cries at the demonstrations and at night since the crackdown. Sunday's hack isn't the first to see Iranian airwaves disrupted. In 1986, The Washington Post reported that the CIA supplied the prince's allies "a miniaturized television transmitter for an 11-minute clandestine broadcast" to Iran by Pahlavi that pirated the signal of two stations in the Islamic Republic. In 2022, multiple channels aired footage showing leaders from the exiled opposition group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq and a graphic calling for the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that ALMANETTE EDOYARD of Yamacraw Hill Road, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 20th day of January, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that ADELIN SAINT-MARTIN of P. O. Box N-356, Golden Isles Road, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 13th day of January, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that LOUVIENNE SIMEUS of Bernard Road, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 13th day of January, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

Inequality and unease are rising as elite Davos event opens with pro-business Trump set to attend

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press

CORPORATE chiefs and government leaders

including U.S. President Donald Trump swarm into Davos, Switzerland, this week, joining an elite annual meeting that promotes dialogue and economic progress — even as a domineering tone from Washington has upended the global order and billionaires have reaped trillions in new wealth as the poor lag behind.

The World Economic Forum, the think tank whose four-day annual meeting opens Tuesday, has a stated motto of "improving the state of the world," and this year's theme is "A spirit of dialogue." One question is whether Trump will speak with attendees — or at them.

Nearly 3,000 attendees from the interlinked worlds of business, advocacy and policy will tackle issues including the growing gap between rich and poor; AI's impact on jobs; concerns about geo-economic conflict; tariffs that have rocked longstanding trade relationships; and an erosion of trust between communities and countries.

"It's really going to be a discussion at a very important moment ... geopolitics is changing," said Mirek Dušek, a forum managing director in charge of programming. "Some people think we're in a transition. Some people think we've already entered a new era. But I think it's undeniable that you are seeing a more competitive, more contested landscape."

Trump set to loom large Trump's third visit to Davos as president comes as U.S. allies worry about his ambition to take over Greenland, Latin America is grappling with his efforts to reap Venezuela's oil, and his hardball tactics toward Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell have

stirred concern among business leaders and lawmakers alike.

Trump's peace-making credentials also will be on the table: An announcement looms about his " Board of Peace " for Gaza, and he and his administration are expected to have bilateral meetings in the warren of side rooms at the Congress Center. The U.S. leader seems to revel in strolling through the Davos Congress Center and among executives who back his business-minded, money-making approach to politics.

Critics will also be nearby. Trump has blown hot and cold recently with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, an invitee. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi of Iran was set to speak,

but his appearance was cancelled. Iran's leaders face U.S. sanctions over their handling of recent protests, and organizers said Monday that "the tragic loss of civilian lives" means "it is not right" for the government to be represented.

The two likeliest counterweights to Trump's administration on the international scene — China and the European Union — get top billing on the first day: EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will speak Tuesday morning, right before Vice Premier He Lifeng, China's "economic czar" — as Dušek put it.

Founder Schwab sits out, as Nvidia chief makes a debut

“It’s really going to be a discussion at a very important moment ... geopolitics is changing. Some people think we’re in a transition. Some people think we’ve already entered a new era. But I think it’s undeniable that you are seeing a more competitive, more contested landscape.”

Mirek Dušek

The forum will be without its founder, Klaus Schwab, who hosted the first event in Davos 55 years ago focusing on business, only to see it since balloon into a catchall extravaganza. He stepped down in April. New co-chairs Larry Fink, the head of investment firm BlackRock, and Andre Hoffman, vice chair of pharmaceuticals firm Roche, are in charge.

This year will also mark the debut appearance of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, arguably the world's most important tech leader today, among some 850 CEOs and chairs of global companies — along with celebrities like Hollywood actor and safe-water advocate Matt Damon.

The future of AI, its impact on business and work, and the prospects for artificial general intelligence will be key themes.

The presidents of Argentina, France, Indonesia, Syria and Ukraine will be among the dozens of national leaders on hand.

As rich-poor divide widens, trust in institutions falters Leading public-relations firm Edelman reports in its annual trust barometer

ATTENDEES

to a

Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. Photo:

– launched a quarter-century ago and this year surveying nearly 34,000 people in 28 countries – that trade and recession fears have climbed to an all-time high, optimism is falling especially in developed countries, and "grievance" last year has morphed into broader "insularity."

"People are retreating from dialogue and compromise, choosing the safety of the familiar over the perceived risk of change," said CEO Richard Edelman. "We favor nationalism over global connection and individual gain over joint progress. Our mentality has shifted from 'we' to 'me'."

The survey found that about two-thirds of respondents said their trust was concentrated toward CEOs of the companies that they work for, fellow citizens or neighbors, while nearly 70% believed institutional leaders — such as from business or government — deliberately mislead the public.

Oxfam, the world-renowned advocacy group, issued a report which showed that billionaire wealth rose by more than 16% last year, three times faster than the past fiveyear average, to more than $18 trillion. It drew on Forbes magazine data on the world's richest people.

Oxfam said the $2.5 trillion rise in the wealth of billionaires last year would be enough to eradicate extreme poverty 26 times over. Their wealth has risen by more than four-fifths since 2020, while nearly half the world's population lives in poverty, the group said.

The Trump administration has led a "pro-billionaire agenda," the group said, through actions such as slashing taxes for the wealthiest, fostering the growth of AI-related stocks that help rich investors get

richer, and thwarting efforts to tax giant companies.

The advocacy group wants more national efforts to reduce inequality, higher taxes on the ultra-rich to reduce their power, and greater limits on their ability to shape policy through lobbying.

With such concerns filtering through to policymakers, Trump, who is leading the biggest-ever U.S. delegation and will have about a halfdozen Cabinet secretaries in tow, is expected to discuss housing and affordability in his Davos speech on Wednesday.

Critics of WEF, and Trump, take to the streets As usual, protesters rallied over the weekend in and near Davos ahead of the event. Hundreds of marchers scaled an Alpine road up to the town on Saturday behind a banner in German that read "No Profit from War" and alongside a truck that bore a sign: World Economic Failure.

Companies like Microsoft, India's Tata Consultancy, social media titan TikTok and cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike joined governments from countries such as Nigeria, Qatar, Ukraine and the United States — a USA House is making a debut this year — to set up shop on the Davos Promenade to promote their services, products and national economies.

Davos storekeepers rent out their premises so that forum participants can have the prime real estate for the week.

Critics have long accused the annual meeting of generating more rhetoric than results, and they see Trump's return as sign of the disconnect between haves and have-nots. Some say Swiss leaders who support the event and flock to Davos too are adding to the problem.

AP Source: Fed Chair Powell to attend Supreme Court argument on Cook case

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer

FEDERAL Reserve

Chair Jerome Powell will attend the Supreme Court's oral argument Wednesday in a case involving the attempted firing of Fed governor Lisa Cook, an unusual show of support by the central bank chair.

The high court is considering whether President Donald Trump can fire Cook, as he said he would do in late August, in an unprecedented attempt to remove one of the seven members of the Fed's governing board. Powell plans to attend the high court's Wednesday session, according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

It's a much more public show of support than the Fed chair has previously shown Cook. But it follows Powell's announcement last week that the Trump administration has sent subpoenas to the Fed, threatening an unprecedented criminal indictment of the Fed Chair. Powell — appointed to the position by Trump in 2018 — appears to be casting

off last year's more subdued reponse to Trump's repeated attacks on the central bank in favor of a more public confrontation. Powell issued a video statement Jan. 11 condemning the subpoenas as "pretexts" for Trump's efforts to force him to sharply cut the Fed's key interest rate. Powell oversaw three rate cuts late last year, lowering the rate to about 3.6%, but Trump has argued it should be as low as 1%, a position few economists support. The Trump administration has accused Cook of mortgage fraud, an allegation that Cook has denied. No charges have been made against Cook. She sued to keep her job, and the Supreme Court Oct. 1 issued a brief order allowing her to stay on the board while they consider her case.

If Trump succeeds in removing Cook, he could appoint another person to fill her slot, which would give his appointees a majority on the Fed's board and greater influence over the central bank's decisions on interest rates and bank regulation.

shapes the How travel

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

TRAVEL is often marketed as escape. Abreak from routine. Areward. Butfrom a mental healthperspective, travelcan besomethingelse entirely.It canregulatethe nervous system, disrupt emotional patterns and create clarity that daily life does not allow. That reality became especially clear to Bahamian therapist ChristinaJohnson duringher recenttrip toAnt-

lation. There areno crowds, no schedules and no noise competing for attention.

She saidthere wasno sensory overload andno constant stimulation, and “it felt like being wrapped in permission to just exist.”

From a mental health standpoint, thatmatters. Johnson believes much of what peopleexperience asinternal mental noise is shaped by their surroundings.

arctica,aplace definednotby activity but by stillness.

Johnsonis anindividual, couple and family therapist, mental health consultant, speaker andcertified life coach.She recentlycompleted arare personalmilestone byvisiting everycontinent on Earth.Still, she is carefulnot toframeAntarctica as aprofessional exercise or therapeutic retreat.

“I don’t wearmytherapist hat anywhere besides on the job,” she said. “I was there as Christina on a well deserved vacation.

Yeteven withoutintention, themental impactoftravel was unmistakable.Antarctica offered what many people unknowingly cravebut rarely access. I knew I would feel grounded, regulated and deeplyat ease,” she adds. I ve always loved silence and stillnessand Antarctica is astunning example of stillness.

Unlike mostdestinations, Antarctica offerslittle stimu-

Itwas agreatdemonstrationofhowmuchofourmental noise is shaped by our environment,notjustourinnerworld, she said.

Her experience stands in contrastto anothermajor journeyshe completedlast year,trekking toEverestBase Camp, Nepal. That trip demanded endurance,mental stamina and perseverance.

“TheEverest BaseCamp trek andAntarctica mettwo very differentpsychological needs for me, she said.

Thetrek requiredconstant effort and selftrust. Antarctica required nothing at all.

“There wasno proving,no pushing andno striving.It was about presencerather thanperformance.”

Those two formsof travel servedifferent mentalfunctions. Achievementbased travel strengthens confidence and resilience. Stillness based travel supports regulation and introspection.

“Trips like thisremove external markers ofsuccess and force you to sit with yourself.”

Clinically, Johnson explainsthatthenervoussystem is deeplyattached topredictability. Familiar routines create a senseof safety and conserve emotional energy. Whenthose routinesdisappear, the nervoussystem initially becomes alert.

Ifthe environmentfeels safe, theparasympathetic nervoussystem engagesand allowsfor rest,reflectionand emotional processing,” ahe said.

“I’m not a big napper, but being away from my twelve hour work days,PhD studies and therhythm ofmy everyday life, I napped every day. That level of rest was unfamiliar but deeply needed.”

At home, people are surrounded by cuestied to roles, responsibilities andhabits. Traveldisruptsthosecuesand creates psychologicaldistance from stressors.

“Whenyou arenolonger reactingto familiartriggers, your braincan reorganiseinformation differently.”

Thatis whyinsightoften emerges whenpeople step away from their routine. Even small changes in environment can shift perspective.

Notalltravelaffectsmental health the same way. Johnson

New Year's resolutions tips: be realistic

THE NEW Year is here, andhealth expertsweighin on some of the most common New Year sresolutions and how to set yourself up for successasyoupursueeachof them.

“Many of the behaviours linked toresolutions involve activities orhabits that you’ve had for years,” says psychologist Susan Albers, PsyDat ClevelandClinic, OH. “Giveyourself some time to adaptand make changes.”

Eat healthier Thisis ahuge, broadcategory, and tryingto overhaul yourentiredietallatonceisa surefire way to overwhelm yourself. Instead,narrow your focus and work on masteringa healthyhabitlike eating breakfastevery morning, giving upsoda, including a vegetable in every meal, curbing your sweet toothonceandforall,turning to healthier snacks and scaling back on processed foods.

Onceyou’veaccomplished one goal, you canmove on to the next and feel confident in yourabilityto acethatone, too. If youneed help,seeing a dietitian isone ofthebest waysto makethis theyear youcleanupyourdiet.Asexperts infood andnutrition, theycan helpyou naildown nutrition basics andfigure out what works best for you. Dietitians canhelp you siftthrough themisinformation, give you some fresh ideas andhelp provideaccountability,” says registered

dietitian TeganBissell, RD, LDN, CDCES. Work out more There’sareasonwhygyms are sopacked atthe startof the newyear. Establishingan exercise routine isone of the mostpopularNewYear sresolutionsthere is.Butif you ve never been one for physical activity, or if you’ve fallenoutofthehabit, it canfeel nearlyimpossible to begin.

Don’tgotoohardtoosoon.

If you re startingfromzero, you need to set the bar low enough to be realistic,” says certified professional trainer Alena Beskur, CPT. This will look different for everyone, dependingon individual abilityand activity level. Maybetaking a workout class will help you ease intothings. Maybeyou want to starta runningregimen.Or maybeit means starting withcore strength exercisesand then adding in other types of weight-training or resistanceexercises tobuild muscle. Youcan eventry hiring a personal trainer for a fewsessions, justtofigure out how to begin. Whatever youdecide, start smallandrampupyoureffort slowly. One ofthe best ways to motivateyourself to stick to your newexercise plan is toset smallergoals inpursuit of a larger one.

Yougetthe senseofaccomplishment that reaffirms your efforts,” says exercise specialistBen Kuharik, and this cansnowball into

MIND

achieving evengreater goals.

Drink less

Whether you re starting the yearwith a DryJanuary, resolving to scale back on happy hours with friends or tryingto stopdrinking altogether, thiscommon New Year s resolution can feel incredibly daunting.

First, it’s importantto understand your relationship with alcohol, says addiction psychiatrist David Streem, MDofClevelandClinic,OH. If you’reliving with alcohol usedisorder, alsoknownas alcoholism, drinking isn t just ahabit; it’sa medical condition.

It may not be safe for someone withalcohol use disorder to stop drinking without professionalsupport,” Dr. Streem says. A medicalrehabilitationfacility canbestsupport youonyour path to recovery. Butevenifyou reanoccasional or social drinker, examining your relationship to alcoholshould stillbeyour firststep.Onceyoufigureout why you drink, when you’re most likely todrink and how drinking makesyou feel,you canformulate a planthatwill help youscale backor giveit upentirely. Thismayinclude understandingandlearningto avoid yourtriggers, finding enjoyable, alcohol-free ways to spendyour time,seeking supportfrom friendsand family, embracing non-alcoholicdrink options,and choosingaquit date – and sticking to it.

explains that vast open spaces likeAntarctica oftensoften thenervous system,while heavily stimulating environments keep it on alert.

“Vastspaces createwhatis known as thesmall self effect youfeel tiny,but ina grounding way.”

In contrast, sherecalls that thetrektoEverestBaseCamp wasoverwhelming forher nervous system.

“The sensory overload made my nervous system feel unsafe and Ifelt anxious and dysregulated,” she said.

Shestresses thattravelcan sometimes surfaceunresolvedemotional issuesby removing familiar coping structures.

Ourroutines, socialsupports andcomforts disappear onceweget onthatplane. That canbe freeingand itcan also be destabilising.”

Johnson encourages travellersto payattentionto warning signs suchas irritability, numbness,headaches, digestive issuesand muscle tension.

Sheisalso clearthattravel is not a substitute for therapy.

Travel aligned with mental wellness tends to expand emotional capacity.Avoidant travelmay feelgood inthe moment butoften leaves people depleted. Completing amajor life goal adds another psychologicallayer. Johnsonexplained that the brain is wired for pursuit.

“When thechase ends, people canfeel joyfollowed by emptiness.The mindhas tointegrate theexperience into identity. For Johnson, visiting every continent broughtfulfilment and reflection. Ability is notwho I am, she said. Meaning doesnot come from how far I go, it comesfromhowdeeplyIlive because of it.”

Blairwood Academy outreach for parents and teachers spotlights early recognition of dyslexia

A NEWawareness campaign isshining a spotlight ondyslexia a learningdifference that canaffect up toone infive Bahamians andoffering parentssimple,practical waysto identify early signsso children can receive support as soon as possible.

BlairwoodAcademyhasbeenlivinguptoits long-standing missionto “leaveno childbehind sinceit wasfounded in1989. Inrecent months,theacademyhasexpandeditsoutreach to raiseawareness about dyslexia andthe importance of early recognition and intervention.

Parentsandeducators canrecognisesignsof possible dyslexia such astrying to avoid readingor beingsloworhesitant whiledoing so,missing words,difficultycopying fromthe board, or trouble following directions, learning rhymes,tellingtimeorlearningphonenumbers and addresses. Poor handwriting can also be a possible sign – ascan troubleusing scissorsor tying shoes.

Dyslexia primarily affects reading and writingskills, thoughit canalso influencehow individuals process, retain, and recall informationtheyseeandhear.Globalestimatessuggest thatasmany as20percentof peoplemaybe affected.

As part of itsawareness efforts, Blairwood Academy has been engaging educators and parents alike. This has included hosting a forum with teachers aimed at improving recognitionofdyslexia andhelpingschoolsunderstand how early intervention can make a meaningful difference.

“We have been carrying out an outreach programme for dyslexia,” said Blairwood Academyvice-principal ShemecaMoss. At Gerald CashPrimary School,we hosteda forumwiththeirteachers.Wearetryingtoraise awarenessand helppeopleunderstand thedifference between dyslexia and other developmental issues.”

Mossemphasised thatrecognisingdyslexia can begin at home and encouraged parents to play an active role.

Interms ofliteracy,readingto yourchild early isa greathelp,” shesaid. “Focusing on sight words is also important. Family game nights can be very telling you begin to understand what is reallyhappening with your children.Games likePictionarycan helpparents spot potential challenges early.

She added thatreading clubs can alsobe beneficial,noting BlairwoodAcademy hasa book club for its students.

While BlairwoodAcademy iswidely recognised forits worksupporting childrenwith autism, dyslexia is a separate condition. However, estimatessuggest upto halfof individuals with autism may also experience dyslexia.

“Earlyinterventioniscrucial,”Mosssaid.“It giveschildrenthebest possiblechanceofreceiving the support they need.” The dyslexia awareness campaign will lead intoLiteracyWeek, whichrunsfromFebruary 2–6.The academyisalsopreparing foritsannualCooks forKids eventinApril, whichinvites restaurants and businesses to participate inraising awarenessoftheabilities andtalents of children at the school.

The Cooksfor Kidsevent willshowcase our kids and really put them front and centre to demonstrate their skills, said academy director KimKooskalis. “Childrenwith autism cando somuch.Our goalisalways tohelp them reach their full potential.”

Blairwood Academy continues to seek funding tosupport itsgrowing programmes. The school slargest fundraiserto datewas its Behind the Mask event held in April last year. Over theyears, theschool hasassisted childrenwithbothdyslexiaandautism–withsome ofthosehelpedwithdyslexiahavinggoneonto become teachers at the school.

We maintaina one-to-seventeacher-to-student ratio, and we truly celebrate our children’s successes,” Kooskalissaid. “Some of our teacherswere oncestudentshere,and werecently hostedour first autism ball,where studentsservedon theorganisingcommittee. There isalways more wehope todo we need additionalspace,more classrooms,abus,and an occupational therapyroom. We have partnered withthe ErnieEls Foundationto enhance our programming andadded a behavioural and therapy component. It is all about the kids. Raisingawareness bringsgreater visibilityand,ultimately,a greaterchanceofearly intervention, which is the key.”

More details about theCooks for Kids event willbe announcedcloser toApril. Tolearn more aboutBlairwood Academy andits programmes, visit blairwoodacademy.com or follow Blairwood Academy on social media.

Twenty years strong!

Stride for Life steps into new era

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net

FOR two decades, Stride for Life has beena visiblereminder ofhow deeply cancertouches Bahamian families and howpowerfully community support can respond. As the CancerSociety ofTheBahamas prepares for the 20th annual Stride for Life Fun Run and Walk on Saturday,February28,beginning6am at Goodman’s Bay,organisersare reflecting on a milestone shaped by resilience,growth, andcollective purpose.

ShaquilleJones, thesociety s Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator,said reachingthe20year mark representsfar more than longevity. “Reaching our 20th StrideforLife milestoneisincrediblymeaningfulfor theCancerSociety ofThe Bahamas,as itrepresentstwo decadesofawareness, hope, andcommunity supportfor those affected by cancer, he said. What began years ago as a small

fundraising walk has steadily transformedintoone oftheorganisation’s flagship events, welcoming families, corporateteams, survivors, andsupporters fromacross the country. Accordingto Mr Jones, the evolution of Stride for Life hasmirrored thechanging needsofthecommunityitself.“The event isbecoming moreinclusive, moreimpactful anddeeplyrooted in our mission of education, support and advocacy for those affected by cancer,” he said.

This year s eventintroduces a notable changewith anew route and venue at Goodman’s Bay, a move designedto enhanceboth accessibility andatmosphere. The beachfront location offers open space, improved safety, and a layout better suited for growing crowds. MrJones explainedthat the shiftalso aligns witha broader moment of reflection for the organisation itself.

“As the Cancer Society of The Bahamas celebrates50 yearsof ex-

istence; a milestone that marks five decades of compas sion, care, and un wavering service, we believe this new venue will enhance the overall experience by encouraging greater participation, providing a familyfriendly environment, and creating a celebratory spacethat reflectsthe hope and unity at the heart of Stride for Life,” said Mr Jones.

Inclusivity remainsa defining feature of the event, with multiple routes designed towelcome runners, walkers, children, and those whopushorroll.Theemphasis,Mr Jones noted, is intentional. Inclusivity has alwaysbeen central to Stride forLife becausecancer affectspeople ofall ages,abilities, and backgrounds,” he said.

Beyondthe physicalroutes,organisers hopeparticipants leave withadeeper understandingofthe cause they are supporting. Stride for Life,Mr Jonessaid, isas much about awareness and encouragement as it is about fundraising.

“Ourmessage isone ofLife, Hope,Love, Caring,andUnity beyonda cancerdiagnosis.Stride forLife remindsusthat noone faces canceralone. Wewant participants to leave knowing that awareness saveslives, earlydetection matters, and support makes a real difference for patients and survivors, he said.

For first-timeparticipants, the invitationis simpleandwelcoming.No athleticbackgroundis required,onlya willingness to show up and be part of something meaningful.

We would say: justregister. You don t need to bea runneror have a personal connection to cancer toparticipate, as this event is a fun, familyfriendly, and offersanenjoyable wayto

make alasting impacton thecommunity,” said Mr Jones. What consistently defines the morning, however,is notthe route or thenumbers, butthe energy people bring with them. Without a doubt,it’sthespiritoftogetherness. Participants bringsmiles, team pride, competitiveness,and an overwhelming sense of support for one another. Seeing survivors walking alongside families, friends,and supporters; creates an atmosphere that isboth powerfulandunforgettable, reminding us whyStride for Life continues tothrive after20 years, said Mr Jones.

AsStridefor Lifestepsintoits 20thyear,thatsharedspiritremains its heartbeat: agathering of movement, memory, and hope that continues towalk, run,and rollforward together.

Seafood, dairy, eggs can help with thyroid

issues

ASJANUARY isThyroid Awareness Month, Dr Ossama Lashin,PhD, anEndocrinology expertat Cleveland Clinic,OH, issharingclear, easy-to-understand informationto helpthe publicbetter understand thyroidhealth, common thyroid problems, and when toseek medical care.

“The thyroid is a small glandlocated inthe neck,but it plays a major role in keeping the body healthy,” said Dr Lashin. It produces hormones that help the body use energy,regulate temperature,and supportthenormal function of theheart, brain, muscles, and many other systems.”

Thyroid problemsare commonandcanaffectpeople indifferent ways.Anunderactive thyroid, known as hypothyroidism, occurs when thegland doesnotproduce enoughhormone. Themost

common cause is Hashimoto’s disease, anautoimmune condition. People withhypothyroidism may experience symptoms such as tiredness, weightgain,constipation, dry skin, feeling cold, lowmood, and heavier or irregular menstrual periods. In contrast,an overactive thyroid, orhyperthyroidism, happens whentoo muchhormone isproduced. Common causes include Graves’ disease, toxic thyroid nodules, and thyroiditis.Symptoms mayincludea fastorirregular heartbeat,weight lossdespite anormal appetite,anxiety, shaky hands, feeling overheated, excessivesweating, frequent bowel movements, and difficulty sleeping.

Dr Lashin also highlighted thatthyroid nodules,which are small lumps in the thyroid, are very common. With modern ultrasoundtechnology, up to 60to 68 percent of adultsmay haveone ormore nodules, and most of these are not cancer. Another condition,

thyroiditis,refers toinflammation of thethyroid and can occurafter pregnancy,known as postpartumthyroiditis. In somecases,peopleexperience abriefperiod ofhighthyroid hormonelevels followedby low levelsbefore eventually recovering. Certain groupsare more likelytodevelopthyroidprob-

lems, including women, older adults, peoplewith afamily history ofthyroid diseaseor other autoimmuneconditions, and those withiodine imbalance in their diet.Risk is also higher inpeople whohave received radiation to the head or neck, especially during childhood, those taking certain medicationssuch asamiodarone,lithium, orsome cancer treatments, and women in the firstyear after giving birth. While autoimmune thyroid diseases cannot be fully prevented, Dr Lashin notes that people can lower their risk and detectproblems early. Using iodized saltat home, eatingiodine-rich foodssuch asseafood, dairyproducts, and eggs, avoiding unnecessaryiodine supplementsunless prescribed,and limiting unnecessary radiation exposure are allhelpful measures. Anyonewith symptoms orknown riskfactorsshould

discuss them with a healthcare professional. Routinethyroid testingis notrecommended forpeople who feel well andhave a low riskof thyroiddisease. However, testing maybe appropriate for individuals with symptoms orincreased risk. Routinescreening forthyroid canceris alsonotrecommended inpeople without symptoms.

Dr Lashin advises seeking medical attention ifa lump is feltin theneck orif thereare persistentproblemswithswallowing or changesin the voice.

Forpeople inLatin America and the Caribbean, iodine intakecan varyby country. DrLashin recommends checking whether household salt islabeled as iodized. Pregnant and breastfeedingwomen shouldspeak with their doctorto ensure their prenatal vitamins contain adequate iodine.

Even after 30 years of working, learning never stops for Cheryl

FOR Cheryl McPhee, learninghas alwaysbeena partof life.A retiredhotelier with more than 30 years of experience in thehospitality industry,shespentdecadesmastering customer service, teamwork,and hands-onproblemsolving skillsshe now proudly addsto throughthe Empowerment Hour Programme atthe Carmichael Community Centre. Mrs McPhee’s careerbegan on ParadiseIsland andconcluded atCrystal Palace, where she built a reputation through yearsof dedicated, people-centeredwork. Nowa wife, mother, and grandmother,she recentlyreturned tothe classroom not outof necessity,butoutofadesireto grow.

“I found the Empowerment Hourexciting,productive,and highly educational,” she said. The courseswere practical, engaging,and veryhands-on,

which made learning enjoyable and meaningful.”

ThroughtheMinistryofSocial Services,Information and Broadcasting s Empowerment Hour Programme,Mrs McPhee participatedin garment making andsewing club activities, as wellas backyard farming two skill-based components designedto promote self-sufficiency,creativity, and confidence. One of herproudest moments came whenshe completeda handmadedress duringthe sewingcourseand gifted itto afriend for Christmas. It felt goodto create somethingwithmyownhands and then share it with someone else,” she said.

Thebackyard farmingprogramme also lefta lasting impression. Athome, Mrs McPhee and herfamily now growfruits andvegetablesfor personal use,including beets, cabbage, lettuce,tomatoes,

papaws, and pigeon peas reinforcing food awareness, sustainability, andhealthy living.

“We are growingfor home consumption, and that alone makes adifference,” she shared.

Led by the Ministry’s Com-

Food companies targeting users with 'GLP-1 Friendly' labels

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer

MEALS and snacks with “GLP-1 Friendly” labels on the packaging are becoming more commoninU.S. supermarketsasagrowing numberofAmericans try obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound to lose weight.

But thelabels aren’t regulated bythe U.S. Food and Drug Administration, unlike the popular medicationsthemselves. Dieticianssay people takingGLP-1 drugsneed toread ingredient lists and talk to experts about what nutrients they need – and don’t need.

“Adrugdoesnoteducate youonhowtoeat properly, said SuzyBadaracco, a registered dietitian andpresident ofthe foodtrends forecasting firm Culinary Tides. You re not magically goingto be educated without a doctor’s help to eat healthy.”

Nutritional needs

The nutritionalneeds of GLP-1users aren't that differentfrom thoseof thegeneral population,saidShannonChristen,adietitiananddiabeteseducator withUCHealth Universityof Colorado Hospital.

The differenceis thatGLP-1 userseat less because the drugssuppresstheir appetites, so the foods theydo eat need tobe packed with nutrients, Christen said. Theycan expect to eat around50% lessthan theyate before they started taking the medications, she said.

“Everybite needstobe nutritious,” Christen said.

Proteinhelps GLP-1users maintainmuscle mass asthey loseweight. Christensaid she generally recommendsthat patientseat 20-30 grams ofprotein per meal,or 1.2grams per

kilogram of body weight daily.

Samantha Snashall, aregistered dietitian at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, saidGLP-1 users should alsotry to meettheU.S. DepartmentofAgriculture’s recommended dailyamount offibre, whichis around 14 grams forevery 1,000 calories consumed. Fiber is importantfor everyone, but it's particularly helpful for GLP-1 patients because constipationis afrequent sideeffect ofthe medications, she said.

Badaracco said it’s easy for GLP-1 users to getdehydratedsincethe drugsmayblockthe body's thirst signals. Freshfruits and vegetables provide hydration, she said, and patients should also drink water throughout the day.

GLP-1users shouldavoidmeals andsnacks thataredeepfried,highinsugarorsaturatedfat and spicy or acidic,since those foods can worsen sideeffects and workagainst weightloss efforts, Snashall said.

Food makers see a market Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy mimic the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1, which the body produces in thesmall intestine to control bloodsugarlevels, digestionandappetite. Around 12% of U.S. adults were taking GLP-1 medicationsas ofNovembertolose weightor treat a chronic conditionlike diabetes, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Big food companiesexpect the demand for GLP-1 drugs only to growas the injected medication becomes available inpill form, which happened with Wegovy lastweek. Meals marketed forGLP-1 usersalso areattracting nonusers,including peoplewho havecome offthe drugs but want to maintain weight loss.

munityAffairs Division,Empowerment Hour isa community-based initiativethat serves children, teens, and adults throughtargeted programming.

In addition to adult daytime empowerment courses,the programmeincludes the I Have the Power’ Youth Empowerment Programme for adolescents and teens, and an after-school enrichmentprogramme offeringhomework assistance, arts and crafts, and structured activitiesfor younger children.

For Mrs McPhee,the experiencehas beentransformative notbecause she lacked direction,but because the programme met her where she was and added value to her life.

“Yes,this coursewillhave a positive impact on my life, shesaid. “Iam trulylooking forward to the next programme.”

Her storyreflects theheart

of EmpowermentHour a reminder thatempowerment has no agelimit, and that

learning, purpose,and growth remain possible at every

of life.

Nestle targetedGLP-1 userswhen it launchedits VitalPursuit frozenmeal brandin thefall of2024.Thecompany didn'tusea GLP-1 Friendly labelat firstbutaddedone tothepackagingaftercustomersreportedthata labelwould helpthemidentify productsthat mettheirdietary needs,accordingtoJennifer Barnes, vicepresident of brandmarketing for Nestle's frozen meals.

Sales have been briskand the company is addingnew mealsto thelineup, Barnessaid. She saidthe products have broadappeal; 77% of VitalPursuit salesare comingfrom households where no one is using GLP-1 drugs.

ConagraBrandsadded a “GLP-1 Friendly” labelto26of itsHealthyChoicefrozenmeals in early 2025. The SmoothieKing chain has a “GLP-1SupportMenu,”whileseveralmealkit brands cater to patients, like Factor s GLP-1 Balance.”

Both Conagra and Nestle got approval from theU.S.Department ofAgriculture s Food Safety andInspection Serviceto use “GLP-1 Friendly labels. The USDA said it granted approval because the labelsare accompanied by statements aboutprotein andfibre contentand aren't misleading. Butthe USDA reiterated that there is no regulatory standard for the term GLP-1 Friendly.

Other companies aretargeting GLP-1 users but not mentioning the drugson their labels or menus. InNovember, Frenchyogurt maker LactalisbegansellingRatioProFiberyogurtin the U.S.The companysaid theyogurt, which contains20 gramsofproteinand 10gramsof fibre perserving, was formulatedwith GLP-1 usersinmind. RestaurantchainsChipotleand Shake Shackalso mentionedGLP-1 userslast month whenthey debutednew protein-heavy menu items.

Watch for added ingredients

Packaged foods may benefit GLP-1 users wholive aloneordon t wanttodoa lotof cooking,Snashall said.But consumersshould

Stars pack Ralph Lauren's Milan Fashion Week show

By COLLEEN BARRY AP Fashion Writer

MILAN (AP) Colman

Domingo, LiamHemsworth andNoah Schnappwere among the celebrities who packed the Ralph Lauren front row duringMilan Fashion Week on Friday for the launch ofa Milan-centricseasonthat includesdressing TeamUSA for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics.

Domingo wasfresh offthe Golden Globesred carpet, Hemsworth tooka breakfrom the ski slopes, and Schnapp just wrappedthe “Stranger Things finale. Ralph Lauren's runway collection for next winterwas Americana, featuringlayered outerwear, Texan suitingand handknit ski sweaters. Hundreds of screaming fans waitedoutside thebrand's Milan palazzo forK-pop star

Mark Lee,rushing hisvehicle as he stepped outto give fans a big heart sign. The Canadian-born singersaid thatKpop s massive appeal continues to catch him off guard. “It surprises me even to this day.I wasborn inNorth America,andeventhenK-pop wasn’t thisbig,’’ Lee said from the frontrow before the show. “Iam honouredtobe able tobe apart ofthis phenomenon. Ifeel likeit s kind of my responsibilityto share thegoodinfluencesthatIhave in K-pop, for the world. During the show, singer Nick Jonasand actor Tom Hiddleston flanked David Lauren, thefashion house’s brand andinnovation leader who willbe back inMilan as Team USAis fittedfor the openingandclosingceremony looks for theFeb. 6-22 Games.

AfterthereleaseofStranger

Things final season, Schnapp said heis readingscripts and looking perhapsbeyond the sci-fi world. I m pretty proud ofwhatwe havedone.Iam happytoclose itout.Ithink it s time. Iam excited about what’sto come,’’ the 21-yearold actor saidbefore the show.

“I love Italy,I love the Italianpeople,and Ilovethis brand,’’ said Schnapp, wearing a smart doublebreasted Navyjacket with golden buttons. The University of Pennsylvania senior said he would be back in Italy ina coupleofweeks towatch some Olympicice hockey games with his Canadian-born parents.

“They made sure I was educated in the hockey culture,’’ Schnapp said.

Domingoturned headsat

the GoldenGlobes witha lapel fullof Boucheron diamonds. ForRalph Lauren, he wore Boucheron stud earrings to accompany his three-piece suit witha matchingovercoat flungjauntily overhis shoulders.

Domingo, a darling of the fashion world who won anEmmy for “Euphoria,” saidthe collectionfelt “very modern.”

“We werewatching sort of Texas tuxedos and cowboy hats,cowboy boots, we’re lookingat Navajo prints,at beautiful jewellery. Things that look vintage andthings thatare looking forward.We re looking atmountaineer boots which I thought was very bold to put in the conversation assort ofeffortlessly luxurious,'' the

be wary of added ingredients like sugar or sodium. Labels can be verymisleading, making a person thinkit’s healthier than itis,” Snashall said.

Vital Pursuit’s CauliflowerCrustThree Meat Pizza has 400 calories and 32% of the recommended dailyvalue of protein,for example, but it also contains 40% of the recommendedsodiumandsaturatedfat.Christensaid sheadvises GLP-1users tochoose foodswith less than 10 grams offat per serving because fat can worsen symptomslike nausea and acid reflux.TheThreeMeat Pizzahas18gramsof fat.

Smoothie King’s 20-ounceGladiatorGLP-1 Vanilla smoothiehas morecalories, sodium andcholesterol thananoriginal glaseddonut from Krispy Kreme.

Christen said that if foods are going to be labelled GLP-1 Friendly, shehopes theyare truly nutrient dense andcome in reasonable portions.

“Doneresponsibly,I thinkthelabelscould actuallyhelppeople makesmartchoiceswhile they re ontherapies, butdone poorly,it could trivialise the medical treatment and drift into diet culture marketing, Christen said.

Meeting nutritional needs

Badaracco said she advises clients not to put GLP-1 Friendly on theirpackaging. Thelabelsaren't backedbystandardsand mayconfuse somecustomers bymaking themthink that eating frozen andready-made meals that mention the medications will give them the benefits of the drugs.

Badaracco said labelsshould instead focus on how products will benefit consumers.

“Youwant totalktothe consumerabout what itis thatthey’re lookingfor. They’re looking for protein, they re looking for fibre, a goodsource ofhydration,great flavour,it keeps your energy up,” Badaracco said.

isthemost

Dating burnout and the quiet return to matchmaking

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

WHEN manysingles say they are fine, what they often mean is tired. Tired of learning someone’s favourite colour. Tired of explaining theirlifestoryonrepeat.Tired of datingapps thatpromise connectionbut deliverconfusion. In small, close-knit communities, thatexhaustion can feeleven heavier.Social circles overlap. Privacy is limited.Dating historiesare rarely private. Andwhile engagement announcements and weddingphotos filltimelines, many singles quietly recalibrate their expectations, telling themselvesthey arecontent, even whensomething deeper remains unmet.

That emotional fatigue is whatmany nowrefer toas datingburnout. Andaccording to professional Bahamian matchmaker Lance Gibbs, it is oneof the most consistentemotions heencounters among clients and onehe understandspersonally. Frustration, he said. “That really sums it up.” Gibbs path into match-

making wasshaped by more than professional curiosity.For overa decade, heimmersed himself inthe studyof human behaviour, sociology, and social psychology, reading extensively on attraction, boundaries, and what sustainshealthy romanticrelationships. Hisfirst venture in the relationship space grew into oneof the largest of itskind inthe Caribbean. But thework tookon new meaning after personal loss.

Afterthe deathofhis first wife,Gibbs found himselfdating againknowledgeable, self-aware,and emotionallyopen yetstill worn down by the process. Even though Iknew how to attract the right woman and build ahealthy relationship, thefatigue ofgoing onso many dates just to eventually find my person was exhausting,” he said.

What kept himgoing, he explained, wasremembering how fulfilled life felt when he was marriedand howdeeply hewanted toexperiencethat again.

I knew how satisfied and happy my life was when I was

married. And I was determined to find thatkind of love again.

“Iwasabletofindmysoulmate twice, Gibbs said.

That experienceof grief, fatigue, hope, and renewal, became the foundation for his approach tomatchmaking. Not simplyintroducing people, buthelping them avoidyears ofemotionaltrial and unnecessary heartbreak in the process.

Today, Gibbs founder of Legacy Matchmakers, workswith peopleacross professions and age groups, fromtheir late twenties intotheir sixties. Doctors, lawyers, business owners, financeprofessionals.Attractive,accomplished individuals whose lives appear full from the outside, yetrelationships remain the onearea that feels persistentlyunresolved.

Dating burnout, however, doesnot always announce itself clearly.

“People areguarded,” Gibbs said. They don t wantto soundlikethey need a relationship, so they speak in circles.”

Henotices itin thesubtle signals. Clientswho insist they arefine eitherway, yet quietly plan their lives around work, children, or nieces and nephews. Others who say there are no goodpeople left,” or who dread the idea of starting overwith first-date small talk.

“When someone says they don t really need anyone, I askthemif theycouldtruly survivealoneinaroomfor30 days withno contact.That question usually changes the conversation.”

Theexhaustion, hebelieves, is notsimply about dating apps ormodern culture, but aboutdating without understanding how relationships actually work.

“We are dating without a mapand everyonewantsthe right person, but very few peopleare focusedonbecoming the right partner. He describesthree patterns driving burnout:poor signallingof intentionsand values, emotional overinvestment inpotential ratherthan reality, anda lackof accountability when relationships fail.

He saidpeople recognise when somethinggoes wrong but don’t stopto study why. They just repeat the cycle. The repetitionis oftenwhat leadspeople toreconsider how theydate altogether.Not outof desperation,butefficiency, he said.

Matchmaking, heexplained, offersstructure ina landscapethat oftenfeels chaotic.Clientsarevetted.Intentions are aligned. Lifestyle, values, and readiness matter as much as chemistry. In smaller communities especially,it’salowrisk,high reward way to meet people

you would never encounter in your normal circle. There are incredible people whoare essentiallyhiddengems.Highly functional, deeplycommitted to theirwork, and notout socialising in obvious ways.

For those experiencing burnout, Gibbs is careful not to sell hope as a quick fix. People think the solution isfindingtherightmatch.But anewfacedoesn tfixoldpatterns,” he said. Instead, heencourages a pause. Preparationover pursuit. Understanding what readiness trulylooks likebefore invitingsomeone new into one’s life.

When you stop looking and start preparing,you reclaim your power,” he said. Herecalls oneclientwho cameto himexhausted,frustrated, andready togive up entirely. Six months later, after focusing on readiness ratherthan searching,that same client called with different news.

They had just gotten engaged,” Gibbs said. “That’s why I do this work.

For singles navigating dating burnout,his adviceis simple, butnot easy: “Don’t lower yourstandards. Butdo consider changing your strategy.

Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrate Timket, the baptism of Jesus

New Palmdale store about more than just books

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net

FOR Brittany Thompson, opening the doors to Bloom & Bindings was never just aboutputtingbooksonshelves.Itwasabout creatingaspace thatfeelsintentional, warm,and rootedintogetherness. Sinceofficiallyopening atWong’sPlaza inPalmdale lastDecember, thebookstore has quickly positioneditself asa gentlepause from everyday rush, inviting readers, creatives, and families to slow down and gather. Thenameitselfsets thetoneforwhat Brittany envisionedfrom thevery beginning. Rather than leaningsolely into the literal mechanicsof books, she wasdrawn to the deeper meaning behind connection and sharedexperience.Assheexplains:“People often ask me if bindings means that we bind booksand whileI lovethatidea (andmay consideritatsomepoint),it’sactuallyabout binding community.Bloom represents growth, creativity,and becoming,while Bindings speaks toconnection, the way booksbringpeopletogetherandhowshared spaces create lasting relationships.”

Bloom & Bindings, Brittany said, was always meant to be morethan a bookstore. It is a place whereideas grow, conversations happen,and peoplefeel connectedto something meaningful. That senseof purpose foundan almost serendipitous match inPalmdale. What began as a conversation quickly turned into anopportunity thatfelt tooaligned toignore. Brittany recalls how sharing her plans with her sisterled her directly tothe now homeof Bloom&Bindings. I sharedmy vision andbusiness planwith mysister Blayre; what I wanted Bloom and Bindings to include, from the café and kids’ corner to a conference room andenough space for bookshelves.She mentionedthatthere might be an available unit in the same plaza whereherbusinessislocated,sowewentto take a look. When wewalked in, it literally had space for everything I had envisioned,” said Brittany. Whatfollowedonly reinforcedthatthe timing was right. A unit that initially seemedunavailable suddenlyopened up,a momentBrittany describesasunmistakable. At first,I was told theunit was alreadytaken,but withinaboutfifteen minutes,I wasinformedthat theperson who had initially claimed the space had backed out and itwas now available. That moment felt like a sign and everything after that alignedso effortlessly.Being ableto build Bloom & Bindings in a space that fits the visionand beneighbours withmy mum andsister,not justathomebut atworktoo, made thetiming feel absolutelyright, she said. Inside the store,the atmosphere reflects thatintention.Itis designednotjustfor

browsing, but for breathing.Brittany hopes each visit leaves a lastingimpression that goes beyond thepurchase.“Ihopepeopleleavefeelinginspired, calm,and connected.Whethertheycome infora book,acoffee,ora conversation,IwantBloom& Bindingstofeel likeapausefromthe rushanda place whereideas aresparked andpeople feelen-

couraged toslow down, reflect,and dreama little more boldly,” she said. That philosophy extends beyond the shelves and intothe experiencesshecurates.On January18, Bloom& Bindingshosted its Blooming All2026 visionboard eventcentred oncreativity andintention. ForBrittany, it isa natural evolutionof both the brand and her personal interests. CreatingBlooming All2026feltlike anatural extension of Bloom & Bindingsand of me personally.One ofmysidepassions hasalwaysbeen eventplanning,sobeing abletocombinethatwith mylove ofbooks andcommunityhas beenincredibly fulfilling. The event was designed to give people spaceto dreamopenly, planintentionally, and createalongside others.Bloom &Bindings

isn t just aboutreading, it s about growth,creativity, and connectionand eventslike this allow me to bring all of those passions together in one meaningful space, said Brittany.

As a young Bahamian woman buildingsomething from theground up,Brittany is candid about the emotional weightthat comeswithsteppinginto purpose.Sherecalls the night beforeopening with strikingclarity,amomentthat reshaped how she understandsreadiness. The day beforeour grandopening,I felt this deep,hollow ache in my stomach.The kindof nerves thatcome when something bigis aboutto happen. Iremember sharing that moment with my family realising it wasn’tfear, but growth showing up as discomfort. That experience reminded me thatif you wait until youfeel completely ready, you maynever begin,” she said.

Equally important, she credits thepeople aroundher for helping turnvision into reality. Along with that, I ve learned how importantit is to surroundyourself withsupportive, like-mindedpeople.

My husband hasbeen a constantsourceofencouragement and reassurance,grounding me whenthings feltoverwhelming. My sister, Brielle,has been an incredible helpin keeping things organisedand managingthesocials,amongother

things as we work side by side in the storeand I m also grateful forclose friendswho consistentlyoffer adviceand helpful guidance when needed. Having the right peoplearound youmakesall the difference.No onebuilds something meaningful alone.

Carver Garden Club plants the seeds for agriculture programme

By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

THEladiesof theCarverGardenClub recently presentedthe studentsand staff ofDorisJohnsonSeniorHighschoolwith a varietyof fruittrees toadd tothe school’s developingagriculture programme.

This latest donation is just one of many waysthe clubhassoughtto helpadvance horticulture in the Bahamas since its founding in 1946. In the1960s, the clubspearheaded the planting of Poincianatrees along the streetwhichis nowcalledPoinciana Drive. And over theyears, the club has tendedto avarietyofpublic spacesand provided decorfor churchesand other events.

This latest initiative was the brainchild of currentpresident Isla Deane,who explainedthat theclub wantedto giveback totheschoolaftertheywereabletohosta prior flower show there.

“They assisted us with our show and allowedustouse theirfacilitiesforour gardenclub lastyearandwe wantedto donate somethingas athank you,” she said. MrLightbourneindicatedthattheir agricultureprogrammeneededexpanding -that theyneededdifferent localfruit trees because they are trying to expand and improve their argiculture products. In fact, lastyear thestudents wereable to sell someof theirproduce atthe flower show. So we hope that these trees can become a part of that. Schoolprincipal KentLightbourneexpressedhisthanksandnotedthatthetrees wouldbea tremendousadditiontothe school’slandscaping andtheagriculture programme.

“It is not a verybig one, we do have about20 students,” he explainednoting that studentshave theoption tochose

from practical coursesas such carpentry, auto mechanics, cosmotology and welding in addition to agriculture.

“It is a smallprogramme so I really wanted to expandit so that wecould get more students interested and the best way todo thatis forthemto beable seethe fruittrees aboutand seethe benefitsfirst hand.”

Mr Lightbourne toldthe Tribune that when he arrived at the school it was a barren landof potential. Hehad been transferredfrom HONashwhich hasa very strong agriculture and animal husbandry programme andknew that creating a similar environment was the legacyhewanted toleavebehind wheneverhistime comestoleaveDoris Johnson.

Already the school is dotted with various treeswhich havehad benches addedunder themto createpleasant shady spacesfor studentsto congregate duringschool breaksandthey havea variety offruit treeswhich arebearing fruit for students and staff alike to enjoy.

“Every dayat lunch time,when the children pass this jujutree, (he said pointing to a large juju tree, loaded with fruit)theystopand theyarepickingand eating, so when theycan see these things practically, they aremore interested in taking part in it.”

He explained that the plan is to find the perfect spots for each plant to grow into a full tree and have the students take part in the care of them.

Theyalso servepractical purposesas well.

Hesaidthatas theschoolisagovernmentfacility,thestudentsdoexperiencea shortage of food and many rely on the assistance of social serivces.

Many of these students simply may not have access tofresh fruits and vegetables andwe havecases wherethey may