01232026 NEWS

FRED’S LAST DANCE

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Pair of siblings charged over vulgar shanty demolition clash

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

Reporter

TWO Eleuthera property owners were formally charged yesterday over a confrontation that erupted during a government demolition exercise in Spanish Wells earlier this month, an incident that was purportedly captured on video and widely circulated on social media.

Siblings Blake and Dominique

Pinder appeared before acting Magistrate Gwendolyn Patram and pleaded not guilty to charges of disorderly behaviour, obscene language and abusive language. Blake Pinder also faces an additional charge of obstruction.

The charges arise from a clash between the siblings and members of the Unregulated Community Action Task Force during the demolition of

DISORDERLY - SEE PAGE THREE

“I believe I have one campaign left, and that is the campaign to be re-elected in Fox Hill,” says Mitchell

• Both major parties consider options over pre-election conventions

By AVA TURNQUEST

PLP chairman and Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell said he does not expect to campaign again for the party’s chairmanship as he signalled he has “one campaign left” focused on reelection in Fox Hill.

The comments come as both major political parties buckle down on pre-election planning, with uncertainty whether the Progressive Liberal Party will hold a full-fledged convention ahead of the next general election and the Free National Movement looking to set a date for their non-voting convention.

“I don’t expect to campaign for chairman of the PLP again,” Mr Mitchell told The Tribune. “The only reason I’m not saying it definitively is because you never say never in politics, you don’t know what’s going to happen in this life. But chances are not.”

Facing a contested race for

CONVENTION - SEE PAGE FOUR

POLICE PROBE SUSPICIOUS FIRES IN WEST GRAND BAHAMA

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

TWO separate house fires in West Grand Bahama on Wednesday have left several people displaced, with police investigating both blazes as possible criminal matters.

The first fire broke out around 3am in Hepburn

Town, Eight Mile Rock, while a second incident later that night, around 10pm, destroyed an eightroom structure in West End. Superintendent Nicholas Johnson confirmed that no lives were lost in either incident, adding that both fires remain under active police investigation.

Davis administration reaffirms ‘zero-tolerance’ for corruption

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

WITH its term nearing an end and little tangible progress to point to on corruption and accountability, the Davis administration yesterday reaffirmed its “zero-tolerance” stance after a US defence attorney publicly accused Bahamian institutions of being steeped in drug money and corruption.

Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister Latrae Rahming acknowledged the attorney’s remarks in a statement and said the Davis administration continues to cooperate with international law-enforcement partners while strengthening internal accountability, oversight and enforcement across government agencies.

“Individuals who betray the public trust face consequences, and the actions of any one person do not

RESPONSE - SEE PAGE THREE

Palmetto Point medical facility set for 2026 finish

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administra-

tion says the long-promised Palmetto Point Advanced Medical Facility on Eleuthera remains on track for completion by the end of 2026, though officials acknowledge that delays in sourcing specialised materials could test that timeline.

Health and Wellness

Minister Dr Michael Darville said the nearly 14,000-square-foot facility is intended to serve as the central hub for healthcare services on Eleuthera, providing advanced support to satellite clinics across the island when cases exceed the scope of primary care.

He said the facility will be capable of handling some elective surgical procedures and aspects of secondary care, and will include overnight rooms, surgical suites, prenatal services and other medical departments.

Dr Darville added that discussions are underway about installing a telepad to support emergency response in the event of a mass-casualty incident on the island.

“In this facility, the resident can expect digital X-rays. We would have lab and diagnostics that will be able to improve the quality of healthcare on the island and prevent residents from Eleuthera traveling by flight or by boat to have X-rays, Lab works, all of that will be done at this particular facility,” he said.

Works Minister Clay

Sweeting said the construction contract for the project was signed for just over $8m, but stopped short of committing to a fixed completion date.

the windows, the doors, the roofing materials, which is a metal roof, those are long wait items which may challenge his completion date, but overall, I think the contractor is conforming to the specifications and design.”

Mr Forbes said he could not estimate the length of any potential delay, noting that the materials are already on order and can take three months or longer to arrive, depending on sourcing and global supply pressures.

ensuring weekly circulation of income throughout local communities. The workforce fluctuates between 45 and 50 people, with machinery and materials sourced from multiple suppliers.

He said public reaction has been positive.

“I wouldn't want to put a specified timeline, but I can say they are within schedule and that the contractor would be able to speak more on the delivery date, but we are within schedule. We should be finished by at least end of 2026,” he said.

The most significant risk to that timeline lies in the procurement of specialised materials, according to Livingston Forbes, the Ministry of Works’ project architect for the facility. He said environmental

considerations have been built into the design, including the use of impact-resistant glass windows, but those same specifications could present logistical challenges.

“That's one of those items that may give the contractor some challenges with respect to because those are long wait items,

He explained that international competition for materials has continued to affect delivery timelines, complicating project scheduling across the region.

From the contractor’s perspective, Carey Construction representative John Norris Carey said the project has already delivered tangible economic benefits to Eleuthera.

He said workers have been hired from settlements across the island,

“We are Bahamians, and you know what we do best, complain. But I think the complaining stage is almost over now because of what they see. If they really want to see it, they could come here and drive through, like one or two has done that. They come from far south or far north. They say, ‘Oh, I thought there's only a little place out looking from the front’, but you have to be here to really see it.”

Dr Darville said the Palmetto Point facility forms part of a wider effort to strengthen healthcare delivery outside New Providence, noting that officials are in the process of renovating as many as 52 clinics across the Family Islands.

PMH ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY NEARING FULL OCCUPANCY

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH officials say the long-delayed Accident and Emergency redevelopment at Princess Margaret Hospital is finally nearing full occupancy, with the government now projecting that the newly renovated department will be completely operational within the next six weeks.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said construction work on the A&E facility is finished and that the remaining delay centres on the phased movement of staff, beds, furniture and equipment into the space, a cautious transition after years of missed timelines.

He said parts of the department are already in use, with clinical teams determining how best to complete the move without disrupting care.

“I could tell you, the paediatric section is in, the intensive care section is in, but we need to move

in chest ward and all these other areas, but we leave that to the professional teams to determine how they would occupy. That is happening and very soon, that will be completed, and the residents of New Providence and The Bahamas

will be able to access this fully,” he said. Once the A&E transition is complete, Dr Darville said work will begin on renovating the older emergency spaces, along with other long-needed upgrades across the hospital.

“The spaces where patients are now, once the accident and emergency is completely occupied, we intend now to go in there and to renovate those spaces, along with the renovations for the kitchen, the renovations for the legacy

ward and the flooring in the theatres at the Princess Margaret Hospital. So there is a large sum of funding that's been allocated, finally, to get the necessary renovations done.”

The update comes after years of frustration over the stalled project. The A&E upgrade was announced in 2023 and initially billed as a transformative fix for chronic overcrowding and deteriorating conditions, but it repeatedly slipped past earlier completion targets.

Officials acknowledged late last year that the project had been held up by technical setbacks, including problems with a critical airflow and cooling system, known as the DX unit, as well as delays in equipment and furnishings.

Public Hospitals Authority Managing Director Aubynette Rolle previously said the move into the new department could not happen all at once, with emergency services required to transition in stages to protect patient

safety.

“On November 10, we did do a partial move already that takes care of what we call the acute patients,” she said earlier. “So, we have those patients with observations, cardiology, all of that and that worked out well.” She added that the final hurdle had been the arrival and installation of specialised furniture and equipment, particularly for paediatrics.

Beyond A&E, Dr Darville said contracts are about to be awarded under the CIBC loan facility for additional hospital upgrades, including the kitchen, legacy wards, a new dialysis unit, the eye ward and IT areas. Plans also include an adolescent unit with a dedicated elevator shaft linking Accident and Emergency directly to the ICU, allowing patients to move through the hospital without going outdoors. He added that some ward roof areas require further assessment, with quantity surveyors currently scoping the work and costs.

Government defends record as US lawyer decries ‘systemic corruption’

define the integrity of the nation or the many public officers who serve honourably every day,” he said.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe also defended the administration’s approach, telling reporters on Wednesday that prosecutions of law-enforcement officers demonstrate that wrongdoing is being identified rather than ignored.

“People ask me, well, how do I feel because you have all of these cases coming up against law enforcement?” he said. “I would think we should be more afraid if you didn’t see cases. If you saw absolutely no case against a law enforcement officer, you should be afraid.”

The government’s reaffirmation comes amid criticism that key anti-corruption and accountability measures remain unfinished or under-resourced late in the administration’s term.

Observers have repeatedly pointed to chronic underfunding of the Freedom of Information Unit

and the Office of the Ombudsman, along with gaps in enforcement of the Public Procurement Act, as evidence of faltering commitment to good governance.

Meanwhile, the Independent Commission of Investigations Act has yet to be brought into force.

Governance advocates have long argued that extended delays in anti-corruption reform amount to avoiding oversight.

The renewed debate was triggered by remarks made this week by US defence attorney Martin Roth during the sentencing of his client, former Royal Bahamas Defence Force chief petty officer Darrin Roker, before US District Judge Gregory Woods.

Roker was sentenced to four years in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in a cocaine-smuggling conspiracy in which he accepted payments in exchange for providing information to help traffickers evade detection. He had faced up to 20 years behind bars, but the judge cited his advanced

cancer as a “powerful mitigating factor” and said that without it, he would have imposed a “substantial period of incarceration.”

Roker is the first of 13 defendants to be sentenced in a sweeping corruption case involving multiple law enforcement officers.

During the hearing, Mr Roth acknowledged his client’s personal failings but said, “It’s not easy when you are living in a culture where the entire system, almost every branch, is infected with drug money and corruption.”

In a statement yesterday, Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard said the case, along with others before the courts, highlights vulnerabilities that must be addressed to protect the integrity of the country’s uniformed services.

He said that while the criminal actions of one person do not define an entire institution, such breaches of trust demand serious reflection and decisive corrective action.

Mr Pintard added that accountability is not about demoralising officers who

serve honourably, but about strengthening systems to detect, deter and address wrongdoing effectively.

He also pledged that an FNM government would not weaponise law enforcement for personal or

political gain. “We recommit to removing bad actors, and deepeening collaboration with local and international observers to improve investigative oversight,” he said. “We

‘We recommit to removing bad actors, and deepeening collaboration with local and international observers to improve investigative oversight’ -Michael Pintard FNM leader

also intend to ensure serious investment in training, internal oversight, ethics education, and modern accountability mechanisms that reduce the opportunity for corruption before it begins.”

Court of Appeal orders new bail hearing for man accused of killing prison

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of killing a Bahamas Department of Correctional Services officer has had his bid for bail revived after the Court of Appeal set aside a Supreme Court judge’s refusal and ordered the application to be reheard.

The appellate court overturned the denial of bail to Michael Petty Jr, who is charged with the murder of prison officer Ashantino Johnson, finding that the original hearing was marred by procedural errors. Petty was arrested and charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder. He had applied for bail on an urgent basis, arguing that he faced genuine safety concerns while in custody because the deceased was a law enforcement officer.

In November 2025, a Supreme Court judge rejected that application, ruling that it did not meet the strict threshold for urgency and that Petty had failed to show he would be in danger if remanded to

Fox Hill Prison. The judge ordered that he remain in custody for his own safety and protection. Petty appealed.

Allowing the appeal, the Court of Appeal found that the judge erred by relying on a Tribune

newspaper article that was never admitted into evidence. The court also held that, having determined the application was not urgent, the judge should not have proceeded with the hearing without first giving the prosecution an opportunity

officer

to file evidence.

The appellate court said that while hearsay material may be relied upon in bail applications, such information must still be properly placed before the court so both sides can address it.

“It has been well established that a person who is arrested and charged with an offence could be detained in custody. However, the Crown must satisfy the court based on evidence that the detention of the detainee is required in the interest of justice,” the judgment said.

Because of those procedural missteps, the court concluded that the bail refusal could not stand.

It ordered that Petty’s bail application be fully reheard before a different Supreme Court judge, emphasising that it made no determination on whether bail should ultimately be granted.

The ruling was delivered by Court of Appeal president Justice Evans, sitting with Justice Turner and Justice Hilton.

Petty remains in custody pending the rehearing of his bail application.

RBDF marine among two men charged in Carmichael shooting and robbery

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO men accused of aiding in the robbery and shooting of a woman near a business on Carmichael Road last week were remanded to prison yesterday. Prosecutors allege that Adrius Austin, 38, aided and abetted the armed robbery and attempted murder of a woman on January 16. Police reported that the victim was robbed and shot by male suspects around 2pm that day. She was last listed in stable condition in the hospital.

Austin and another man are accused of driving the

getaway vehicle, a grey Suzuki Jeep, which was later found abandoned off Cowpen Road near the Haitian Village with both the driver’s and passenger’s doors open. Police said a wallet containing the victim’s driver’s licence was recovered from the vehicle. Austin and co-accused Deon Burrows, 37, are also accused of robbing Tia Wilson of $1,238 while armed with a handgun as she worked as a cashier at Chances Web Shop on East Street South on January 6. Prosecutors allege the same vehicle was used as the getaway car in both incidents. Austin is further accused of aiding and abetting another armed robbery

on that same day.

The men were not required to enter pleas to charges of abetment to commit armed robbery, abetment to commit attempted murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley. They were informed that their matters will proceed to the Supreme Court by way of voluntary bills of indictment and advised of their right to apply for bail in the higher court. Both men were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services pending service of their voluntary bills of

indictment on June 11. Inspector Deon Barr prosecuted.

Pinders dispute ‘shantytown’ tag as family land case heads to trial

from page one

condemned structures in a shantytown area of Spanish Wells. Prosecutors allege the defendants shouted racial slurs and obstructed officials as the operation was being carried out, allegations both denied in court.

As a condition of their release, the defendants were ordered not to post anything about the matter on social media. The case was adjourned to February 4.

The confrontation followed a demolition exercise that drew national attention after videos circulated online showing heated exchanges between the siblings and task force officers. The operation formed part of a broader

government initiative to remove unregulated structures deemed unsafe or unlawful.

Prior to the charges being laid, Blake Pinder had publicly accused government officials of illegally demolishing property owned by his family, arguing that authorities failed to properly engage him despite efforts to regularise the development. He maintained that the land, owned by his late father for decades, had been used to provide housing and had existing utility connections, and he disputed its classification as a shantytown. He also previously claimed that he had sought assurances from local officials ahead of the demolition and raised concerns about how the exercise was conducted.

‘I don’t expect to campaign for PLP chairman again’, says Mitchell

CONVENTION from page one

chairmanship in 2023, and with the public edorsement of Prime Minister Philip Davis, Mr Mitchell described his bid as likely the “penultimate” campaign of his political career.

Among his challengers at that convention was thenPLP deputy chair Robyn Lynes, who appeared before the party’s candidates committee this week as she seeks a nomination ahead of the general election.

Yesterday, Mr Mitchell said: “I believe I have one campaign left, and that is the campaign to be re-elected in Fox Hill.”

Asked whether the PLP would host a convention before the election, Mr Mitchell said he could not say.

“I don’t know the answer to that. I can’t speculate one way or the other, I don’t know the answer,” he said.

The Tribune understands that the party is considering holding a convention in February.

However, PLP deputy national coordinator for the election Valentine Grimes said while he supports the idea of ‘bringing the troops together’ before the election, he is not convinced that a full convention involving internal elections is required.

“I’m not 100 per cent sold on that particular issue yet, but ultimately if the council decides then it is the responsibility of the trustees to oversee the running of those elections,” Mr Grimes said.

“The problem is that sometimes elections can be so divisive and the question is, is there a necessity to have that type of situation just before a general election? I would hate to see us go into a convention that would be

counterproductive.

“The internal fight is sometimes more vicious than the external fight,” he said.

Mr Grimes added that the party believes the Davis administration has performed strongly and is deserving of a second term, while acknowledging that victory is not guaranteed.

“Of all the recent leaders, I believe that [Mr Davis] stands the best chance of having a second term and we are reasonably confident of victory,” he said.

“We understand it wont be easy. In the words of a former athlete, ‘we have to run through the tape’. No matter how well it looks.”

As for the Free National Movement, party leader Michael Pintard told The Tribune the party will hold a non-voting convention as it prepares for the next general election.

“Yes, but not a voting convention,” Mr Pintard said. “We are looking to have a business convention. I can’t comment on dates yet, there is a committee is meeting on that.”

For his part, FNM chairman Duane Sands said the proposed convention would

address internal party matters, including potential constitutional adjustments and recognition of members of the party’s meritorious and advisory council.

He said the FNM remains focused on election readiness despite uncertainty over when Prime Minister Philip Davis will ring the bell.

“It gives us an opportunity to showcase the vision of our leader and his team. There is no question of the value or need for convention but in the setting where you have no idea when an election is going to be held and the appearance that an election is imminent, it’s a rock-paper-scissors thing, and you have to be ready. The FNM is ready but you can always be readier.

Dr Sands said: “Let him ring the bell. Let him fool around and find out. The public is not on Philip Davis run right now, all of the posturing and pretty PR gimmicks. We realize that we need to continue to build on any incremental growth and support that we have, and we intend to continue to do that constituency-by-constituency. It’s a ground game.”

Davis calls for unity as PLP ratifies second slate of candidates

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Progressive Liberal Party last night ratified its second slate of candidates ahead of the next general election during an event at party headquarters, drawing a large and energetic crowd of supporters.

Prime Minister Philip

“Brave” Davis addressed party members, acknowledging that some supporters may have been disappointed that their preferred candidates were not selected. He urged unity

and encouraged supporters to focus on the wider national interest.

Mr Davis reflected on his own experience of political disappointment, stressing the importance of loyalty to the party and the stakes of the upcoming election. He also welcomed the newly ratified candidates.

“PLPs, I have been in politics long enough to know this truth,” he said.

“There are moments when the candidate you supported did not get the nod. Moments when the result did not go the way you prayed for. Moments when disappointment sits

heavy in your chest and I do not speak about that as an observer, I was one of those candidates.

“I know what it feels like to fall short.

“I know what it feels like to be counted out. I know what it feels like to hear ‘no’ when your heart was set on ‘yes’. But I also know this, I got back up, I dusted myself off and I did my duty to this party because I understood something bigger than myself. I understood that when the PLP wins, Bahamas wins.”

Last night, 15 candidates were ratified, including 12 incumbents and three

newcomers. These include Ronnell Ambrister who was ratified MICAL. During her address, she became tearful as she expressed gratitude to the party and to future constituents.

Other ratified candidates included North Abaco MP Kirk Cornish; Leonardo Lightbourne, MP for North Andros; Wayde Watson, MP for Bain and Grants Town; Patricia Deveaux, MP for Bamboo Town; Sylvanus Petty for North Eleuthera; and Clay Sweeting for Central and

South Eleuthera. Wayne Munroe was ratified to serve Freetown despite a challenge from resident and long-time PLP member Ormanique Bowe.

Additional ratified candidates included Darron Pickstock, MP for Golden Isles, who won his seat in the November 2025 by-election following the death of Vaughn Miller. Also taking the stage were Lisa Rahming, MP for Marathon; Bradley Fox Jr for Central and South Abaco; Zane Lightbourne,

MP for

The ratification event featured supporters blowing horns and wearing PLP paraphernalia. It was more elaborate than the party’s first ratification, with candidate tents, large screens and lighting. Despite intermittent rainfall, two guest artists performed, and each candidate briefly addressed the crowd, outlining their background and plans for their constituencies.

Heads of Agreement signed for $283m New Providence Specialty Hospital

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter Lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH Minister Dr Michael Darville said the government has officially signed the Heads of Agreement with the China Export-Import Bank for the New Providence Speciality Hospital.

Dr Darville made the announcement while addressing supporters during the Progressive Liberal Party’s ratification of 15 candidates yesterday, noting that land clearing is expected to begin within a few weeks, allowing construction to move ahead.

The signing comes after repeated delays as Dr

Darville had previously said the agreement was expected to be signed in early December 2025, but final documentation from Beijing was only received and executed last week.

Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of the event last night, Dr Darville said the project is now ready to move into the construction phase.

“A week ago we finally got the document from Beijing that has been signed by the Ministry of Finance and the Chinese EXIM Bank and so the project will be delivered and very shortly you will see tractors on the ground preparing land preparation in order for the contractor to go on site and start the foundation

and following that, you’ll begin to see vertical construction,” he said.

He added: “The total deal is about 283 million. As I said before, that a portion of it will be financed by way of the Ministry of Finance, and the other portion, which is about 70 to 73%, will be financed by the China EXIM Bank.

“I will be laying in Parliament very shortly all of the documents, so it could be completely transparent, and make a communication to the Bahamian people of the whole intricacy of the deal, and to assure them that everything is done within order, accountability, and transparency.”

The New Providence

Speciality Hospital is intended to be a stateof-the-art medical facility offering advanced specialised services not currently available in the public health system. These include cardiac care, oncology, orthopaedics and diagnostic services, with the goal of reducing the need for Bahamians to seek treatment overseas and easing pressure on Princess Margaret Hospital. Dr Darville said teams are working closely with the Ministry of the Environment to satisfy environmental certification requirements. This includes the transplantation of flora to ensure the development does not negatively impact

a resident of Thompson Lane, Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera, died at PMH on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. He is survived by his, 5 sons: Nelson, Larry, Steven & Lionel Fernander & Owen Cox; 3 sisters: Almaria Pinder, Marlene Dorsette & Coraline Snyder; 1 brother: Loniel Fernander; 10 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, numerous nieces & nephews & a host of other relatives & friends.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

migratory birds or the surrounding ecosystem. He said there is no fixed completion date, but

construction is projected to take between 30 and 36 months once ground is broken.

a resident of Treasure Cay, Abaco, Bahamas, died at the Princess Margaret Hospital on Thursday January 15th, 2026.

He is survived by his, wife: Lorraine Edgecombe; sons: Trevor (Pakesia), Roberto (Michelle), Lowell Jr., Lowtadus, Geneko, Ryan (Driscol) and Lavar; daughters: Lowrell, Luneka, Darlene, Garnique, Coralee and Wendina; grandchildren: Trevor Jr., Tasanne, Malaysia, Jayda, Ayden, Izaiah, Isaiah, Pedria, Ryanann, Michael and Tranique; siblings: Pastor Herbert, Robert, Garnet, Johnly, Jeason, Viola, Merlene, Dennalee, Sybil, Georgina and Gretchin and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral arrangements are being finalized and will be announced at a later date.

The Tribune Limited

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

Contributing Editor 1972-1991

RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Words won’t fix ‘infection’

WORDS are not the same thing as actions.

In yesterday’s Tribune , we reported on the case against Darrin Roker, a corrupt former Royal Bahamas Defence Force chief petty officer who by his own admission was part of a conspiracy smuggling cocaine into the United States.

Roker’s own lawyer said that in The Bahamas, “the entire system, almost every branch, is infected with drug money and corruption”.

The conspiracy claims involve other Bahamians as well as non-Bahamians, and an unnamed high-ranking politician has been referenced in the legal papers for the case. The response to the sentencing came from government voices – note that we are talking about voices, not actions.

The Minister of National Security, Wayne Munroe, defended the government’s current approach, saying we “should be more afraid if you didn’t see cases”.

He is right in one sense – that when cases are heard, it shows that some people are indeed being caught, and not everyone gets away with it.

However, the case against Roker, who has been jailed for four years after a plea deal, was being held in the US, not in The Bahamas. No case has been launched in The Bahamas to tackle these people who are accused of betraying our nation. No, we are relying on another country to dispense justice, not our own system. No word from Mr Munroe on what investigation is going on in our country into a multinational conspiracy reaching into the highest levels of the political realm.

Latrae Rahming, the director of communications in the Office of the Prime Minister, also put out a statement, saying “individuals who betray the public trust face consequences, and the actions of any one person do not define the integrity of the nation or the many public officers who serve honorably every day”.

Again, nice words, but Roker has not faced any legal consequences here in The Bahamas, nor have his co-accused, so the talk of facing consequences is just that, talk, unless we rely on the US to deliver justice on our behalf.

Notably, Roker has admitted to his role in a conspiracy. That means we are not talking about “individuals who betray the public trust” but allegations that this was a concerted

effort by a group of people, including whoever that high-ranking politician is. As it stands, no action has been taken by this government against a politician over this matter, so somewhere, if the allegations are true, that person is sitting alongside other politicians who are wondering who among them is the one helping to smuggle cocaine.

Meanwhile, measures to ensure accountability, including the Freedom of Information Act, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Public Procurement Act, the Independent Commission of Investigations Act, the annual declarations by Parliamentarians… all of these fall short of delivering all or part of the enforcement and transparency they are intended to deliver. Toss in the lack of any prosecution under the muchvaunted anti-gang legislation and you have a package of laws that are delivering little or nothing at all.

That would be actions, or in this case lack of action, as opposed to words. Roker’s case is not the only one. Apart from the rest of the alleged conspiracy, and the others who face prosecution under that case, there are other allegations of corruption in The Bahamas. Some of those are before our own courts – those are the cases Mr Munroe can talk about rather than the ones outside our jurisdiction. Then there are the likes of the Peter Nygard prosecutions, where he is facing charges in Canada and New York, but there remains no sign of a major investigation here despite the claims of abuse in The Bahamas as well as overseas.

Neither Mr Munroe nor Mr Rahming’s comments imply any imminent action to investigate this specific cocaine smuggling ring, nor any action to toughen up and increase accountability. So far, they remain only words. It should be obvious, but there should be absolutely no reason why a major probe should be off the table when we are talking about Bahamian involvement in a massive smuggling ring which includes police and defence force officers as well as a top politician. That should be so shocking, so outrageous to the establishment, that we should be tearing walls down to find out who is involved, who is responsible, who turned a blind eye and who is guilty. It appears we are not shocked. We are not outraged. What does that say?

A Policy Without Logic

By Donnette Russell-Love

IN THE world of international relations and cross-border law, data usually drives policy. When two nations are so closely linked—geographically, culturally, and economically—that their systems function as a single unit, policy decisions are typically designed to protect and streamline that integration.

But on January 21, 2026, that logic appears to have been discarded.

The inclusion of The Bahamas in the US government’s "List of 75" countries facing an immigrant visa pause is more than a bureaucratic hurdle; it is a strategic contradiction that threatens one of the most stable and profitable bilateral relationships in the Western Hemisphere. As a legal professional specializing in cross-border compliance, I find this move impossible to reconcile with the facts on the ground.

The Trust Gap: The Preclearance Paradox

To understand why this decision is so jarring, one must look at the concept of US Pre-clearance. There are only six countries in the entire world that host these facilities. These are not "convenience centres" for tourists; they are high-level security outposts where the Bahamian government has invited US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers onto Bahamian soil to conduct full US immigration and customs inspections.

Of those six trusted partners— Canada, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Aruba, Bermuda, and The Bahamas—only one was placed on the 75-country visa pause list.

This begs a fundamental question that remains unanswered: If The Bahamas is trusted enough to host US federal officers in Nassau and Freeport (prior to hurricane Dorian in 2019), why is it suddenly not trusted enough to process immigrant visas for the very families who anchor our society? If there is a legitimate security or administrative concern, why is it being handled with a blunt instrument rather than through the surgical, high-level coordination that a Preclearance partnership is built for?

By singling out The Bahamas while exempting all other Preclearance nations, the US government has created a "Trust Paradox" that undermines the diplomatic standing of one of its most reliable neighbours.

The $4 Billion Reality: More Than Just Neighbours

If the security logic is thin, the economic logic is entirely non-existent.

In an Economic Impact Report released by my firm on January 12th, we documented the sheer scale of the US-Bahamas trade relationship. The Bahamas is not just a neighbour of the US, they are a $4 billion-a-year commercial corridor.

Approximately 90% of everything consumed in The Bahamas—from the food on the tables and the clothes on their backs to the medical supplies in the hospitals—originates from US sources. The Bahamas is, for all practical purposes, a de facto offshore extension of the American market.

This trade is the lifeblood of Florida’s maritime hubs. Between 80% and 85% of these exports move through the Port of Miami, Port Everglades, and the Port of Palm Beach. When you restrict the mobility of the people who manage this trade—the business owners, the investors, the professionals, and the families who anchor this bilateral relationship—you are not just "reviewing a process." You are actively

injecting friction into a high-performance economic engine.

The Florida Connection: The Consumer Cost

We must also look at the "hidden" economic impact that often goes uncounted in high-level diplomatic cables: the Bahamian consumer in Florida.

Our report highlights that Bahamians are among the highest per-capita spenders of any international visitor group in the State of Florida. Our travel is purposeful and frequent. We are the "repeat commercial travellers" who sustain retail centres like Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, Aventura Mall, and the Town Center at Boca Raton. We are the patients filling specialized healthcare corridors in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

The report estimates that this relationship generates over $1 billion in annual direct impact for Florida through combined goods exports, in-state consumer spending, and service sector revenue. By disrupting the visa process and creating an atmosphere of uncertainty, the US risks a 15-20% reduction in this commerce.

In what world is it "strategic" or "rational" to jeopardise a $4 billion trade corridor with a stable, democratic, and USD-backed partner for the sake of an opaque administrative review?

The Need for Transparency and Redress

The US government owes its closest Caribbean partner more than a generic "administrative review" explanation. If this pause is about document integrity, show the Bahamian Government the metrics so they can work with the US to fix them - together. If it is about security, explain why the existing Pre-Clearance framework is not being used to address it. And if it is about political signalling for a domestic audience, then we must be honest about the cost being paid by Bahamian families and Florida businesses. Stability in international relations is built on predictability and the rule of law. By singling out The Bahamas, the US has introduced an element of "political risk" into a relationship that has been a model of low-risk, highyield cooperation for decades.

A Final Word

The Bahamas is not a distant, peripheral concern. They are a strategic partner located 50 miles from the US mainland. They graciously host the US border, and a US Embassy on their shores, and the Bahamas powers billions of dollars in Florida exports. It is time to realign policy with the economic and security reality. It is time to treat The Bahamas with the consistency, courtesy, and respect that a Preclearance partnership demands. Bahamian families, Bahamian businesses, and the shared economic future of the Bahamas deserve a policy based on data and trust—not one that defies both.

Born in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Donnette Russell-Love, Esq. is a US attorney with more than 25 years of legal experience and a 19-year professional connection to the Bahamas, where she has worked closely with Bahamian individuals and families navigating the US immigration system. Her career has been shaped by the realities of cross-border life in the Caribbean, giving her deep insight into family-based immigration, waivers, humanitarian cases, and the consequences of visa denials.

Trumpian diplomacy

EDITOR, The Tribune.

WHEN asked by The New York Times this January what can limit his actions and statements to the nation, Donald Trump’s reply was “There is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the one thing that can stop me. Apparently, The President knows his mind and has a moral code. That said so did Adolf Hitler, Stalin and so many other authoritarians. There are certain things that powerful people will not do. Some boundaries that cannot be overcome. So far President Trump has not faced that particular challenge. The things that have been done both internationally and domestically all have unintended consequences.

Attempting to raise capital from those he sees as past users of the USA have good and bad consequences. Yes, over a trillion dollars have been raised to pay off the USA massive debt, but a direct sense of chaos now exists within every marketplace, stock exchange and retail store on this planet. Confusion as to the ever-changing rules of global and domestic financial and commercial engagement spreads like an unquenchable forest fire. Many allies are now economic and diplomatic enemies of The Trumpian Decree’s. Stack the diplomatic essence of his actions

onto this pile and the fire of chaos continues to rise. Smoke may obscure some of the consequential realities of these actions, but we can all see that The USA is now a divided nation. Messaging creates further unintended consequences. Americans hear “Buy American, look within to find what you need and desire” and “Buy local-Regional in order to save money and build America”. Yes, these messages are truly inspiring and based on fact but what happens when your former trading partners do the same? Your manufacturer’s marketplace shrinks and could disappear. Did President Trump apply this policy towards a regional target, say the America’s? That would have made a lot of sense buying from Canada,

Mexico and Central-South Americans sources. Yet The Trump Administration goes out of its way to make enemies within that specific zone attacking leaders of Venezuela, threatening Cuba, Peru, Columbia, Mexico and even their most reliable of partners Canada. A fool’s errand taking one step forward and three steps backwards. If the President wants to be seen as a leader who cares about ordinary people (his fellowship) his messaging is extremely contrarian. Diplomatically President Trumps Administration claims to support the Ukraine(the invaded party) while claiming to be good friends of Russia’s Leader Putin. He respects and supports the Persian Winter Protestors but does

absolutely nothing to help them. America’s ally Israel is allowed to invade Gaza, threaten Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Jordan while doing nothing for the millions of Palestinians made homeless once again by Israeli Tanks. The President boasts with a smile on his face about building casinos in Gaza. With all diplomacy done behind closed doors, we cannot know how America will react, what it will do and when its actions will start and why these events even happen.

America’s Agenda is being formulated not by the proper authorities in Congress, but behind closed doors where billionaires gather and conspire.

“Through a clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise

as hell, and visa a versa too. People will see what they want to see prescribed to them. Who wrote this message? A learned political scientist or a great political thinker? Perhaps you know him as one Adolf Hitler. Since the Second World War Ended the political parties/organisations and conservative think tanks of the world have studied the psychology and political genius of the Nazi Party. Various elements have been used during the last three American Elections. What else have these people picked up from the master race?

STEVEN KASZAB Bradford, Ontario January 20, 2026.

Arresting officer denies beating suspect in attempted murder trial

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A POLICE officer yesterday denied assaulting a man who is on trial for allegedly attempting to shoot two police officers with a rifle at St Lucia Crescent in 2022.

Antonio Cartwright, 34, is standing trial before Justice Franklyn Williams on charges of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to

endanger life.

Prosecutors allege Cartwright shot at and attempted to kill Sergeant 3614 Danielle Wilson and Police Constable 4318 Whitley Brown while they were on patrol on May 5, 2022.

Detective Constable 4032 Tenaj Rolle, the arresting officer, testified that after the alleged shooting he went to No. 44 St Lucia Crescent, where he spoke with PC Brown, who was standing at the

door. He said ASP Miller asked whether Sergeant Wilson was all right.

DC Rolle told the court that he heard movement from behind the door and kicked it open. He said he searched a manhole in the roof, along with the kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms.

He said that, accompanied by ASP Miller, he then opened the door to a third bedroom tactically, entered with his weapon

US men remanded as Crown appeals bail in illegal fishing case

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO American men accused of illegally operating a fishing vessel in Bahamian waters on 17 occasions over the past two years were remanded yesterday after the prosecution successfully stayed their bail pending an appeal.

Prosecutors allege that Matt Vinson Blodgett, 45, of Miami Lakes, Florida, and Isfrain Miguel Ferreiro Jr, 30, of Hialeah, Florida, engaged in fishing activities without a licence aboard the vessel Rayne Check on 17 occasions between March 23 2024 and January 12. The pair were also found with three THC vape pens

in Black Point, Exuma, on January 12. The seized drugs were valued at $60.

Senior Magistrate Raquel Whyms granted each defendant bail in the amount of $50,000, with the condition that their vessel remain confiscated. However, she stayed her ruling after Sergeant 2257 Wilkinson indicated the prosecution’s intention to appeal.

Sergeant Wilkinson argued that, as American citizens, the defendants were unlikely to return for trial and further contended that the Magistrate lacked jurisdiction to grant bail under Article 117 of the Fisheries Act. As a result, the defendants remain on remand at the Bahamas Department

of Correctional Services while the prosecution pursues its appeal before the Supreme Court.

Last week, the men were charged with 17 counts of engaging a fishing vessel without a charter fishing licence, matters which will be heard in the Supreme Court.

Ferreiro Jr separately pleaded guilty to possession of dangerous drugs before Magistrate Whyms. The charge against Blodgett was withdrawn. Ferreiro was fined $300 or one month in prison.

The men are scheduled to return to court on April 24 for service of their voluntary bills of indictment.

Sheanda Cooper-Rolle and Alphonso Lewis represented the defendants.

Teenager granted bail in Kemp Road firearm case

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 17-YEAR-OLD boy accused of possessing a loaded firearm near Kemp Road earlier this week was granted bail yesterday.

Prosecutors allege the teenager, whose name is being withheld because he is a minor, attempted to flee on foot after police approached him for suspicious behaviour on Whites

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

AN armed suspect escaped on foot early Thursday morning after firing several shots during a verbal altercation and being fired upon by police at a business establishment on Faith Avenue.

According to police, the incident occurred around 12:30am on Thursday, January 22, at the junction of Faith Avenue and St Vincent Road. Initial reports indicated that a group of men was gathered at the business

Road around 9pm on January 20.

During the chase, police said they saw the suspect discard a brown pouch containing a black Springfield XD .45 pistol and six rounds of ammunition. Both the firearm and the defendant were recovered.

The teenager denied charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr. His

when a light grey Honda, occupied by two males, arrived at the location. One of the occupants exited the vehicle and became engaged in a verbal altercation with a member of the group already present.

Police said the dispute escalated when the male produced a firearm and discharged several shots in the direction of the individual with whom he was arguing. An officer who was on the scene and observed the incident unfolding reportedly drew his service weapon and discharged shots in the direction of the armed suspect,

guardian was present in court.

Bail was set at $7,500 with one or two sureties.

As part of his bail conditions, the defendant must sign in daily at the Wulff Road Police Station and observe a 6pm to 7am curfew.

The matter returns for trial on April 22.

Sergeant 3004 Forbes prosecuted, and Kimberley Rolle represented the defendant.

who then fled the area on foot, running south along Faith Avenue.

The suspect was last seen on Ambergris Street, reportedly suffering from injuries to his head and mouth. Police said the suspect was heard requesting assistance after being shot and was subsequently helped from the area in an unknown vehicle.

Investigators made inquiries at both hospitals for anyone who may have presented with gunshot-related injuries; however, those efforts were unsuccessful. Investigations into the matter are continuing.

at the low-ready position and then raised it.

Inside the room, he saw the defendant sitting on a bed and sweating heavily.

DC Rolle said he identified himself as a police officer and instructed the defendant to get up. While the defendant complied, DC Rolle said he resisted arrest by raising his hands as officers attempted to place handcuffs on him.

DC Rolle later transported the defendant to the police station.

Under cross-examination by defence attorney Stanley Rolle, DC Rolle said he was not wearing a body camera during the incident, explaining that officers were not equipped with them at the time.

He denied suggestions that he failed to tell the defendant to get up or

explain the reason for his arrest. He also denied rushing at the defendant while he was on the bed or striking him.

DC Rolle said he had received information that fellow officers had been assaulted with a firearm and that he acted with caution based on that information.

When questioned about his report that the defendant was sweating, DC Rolle said it was a sunny day. Although he could not recall the temperature inside the house, he said the front windows were open. Mr Rolle suggested that both the officer and the defendant were sweating because DC Rolle had beaten the defendant. DC Rolle maintained that he never touched him.

DC Rolle said he did not show the defendant his warrant card because there was no time to do so.

Mr Rolle suggested that there was no time because DC Rolle jumped the defendant as soon as the door was opened, an allegation DC Rolle denied.

DC Rolle told the jury that the defendant was wearing shorts at the time of his arrest.

Justice Williams later explained to the jury that prosecutors allege the defendant fled from police before entering the house where he was arrested. The judge also told the jury there was no evidence that the defendant sustained injuries. Janet Munnings and Jacklyn Burrows are prosecuting the case.

THIS DC 3 airplane once greeted trav-

ellers at Nassau's mainairport with a sunny welcome! File photo

Drug plane wrecks on western New Providence

EVERYONEin theBahamas

has – or has heard – a story about a drug plane. That’s the reason for this series of articles aboutaccidents orintentional ditching that happened between 25and55 yearsago.Theywill tryto providean overviewas wellasthe detailsofeach crash.

It’slong enoughago thatrevivingthese storiesshouldnot harm peopleor reputations.We cantell whathappenedthrough physical artefacts and proof: the airplanes themselves.Sources includeoral history,first-hand observations fromfinding historicaircraftin theBahamas,a dozen recentmemoir booksby survivors ofthe tradeor their family, andmany newsarticles, socialmediaposts,researchand satellite images online. The databasesof aircrashes, however,barely scratchesthe surfaceofthe levelofactivity that actualoccurred, since smuggling drugs is illegal and was meant tobe – and stay- secretive.

My knowledge of drug planesbeginson ourhomeisland. So I llstart with New Providence, atour familybusiness,Cable BeachManor,and move west, south and east.

WhenIwasage7,inthemid1970s,we foundaprivate Beechcraftplane offDelaporte Village. Then, off the Thunderball house,a smalldrug plane sank, and another thereafter off the Caves nearby.

Thenthedrugwarcameclose to ourfamily, whenour mother andsisterwatchedtheDEA(US Drug Enforcement Agency) chase a drug plane into the water offRanger Road,Lyford Cay, during acocktail reception.Thepilotclamberedashore with hisdog andtried--despite beingsoaked andbleedingand having a dog – to blend in with the party!

Atage13 orso,mybest friendandIset offonourfirst circumnavigation ofNew Providence in a15’ Boston Whaler,when justoff Yamacraw we saw an RBDF cutterandthen asmalldrug planein shallowwater.The sailors couldnot get asclose as we could, sowe went swimming onthe wreck andI was terrified while groping under the floorboardsthat Ihad found ahumanbody.(Alasitwasonly insulation that looked like an armflailing around.TheRBDF inspected us afterwards.)

Then onto my friend s parents’ place on eastern Rose Island,which wasoftentrashed, burned, and desecratedas a signal from drug smugglers for us to stay away from it.

There are at least 10 wrecked aircraft on NewProvidence, an islandjust21 mileslongand sevenwide.In otherwords,a wreckeveryfive milesonaverage. That s a lot. And it doesn t take into account dozens of othersoffshore or on land.

Travelers to Lyndon Pindling International Airport(LPIA) might be surprisedat the rich historyof theplane thatfor yearsgreetedthemwitha“Welcome tothe Islandsof TheBahamas message painteddown the fuselage. This particular planemodel (DouglasC-47,or DC-3) was, likeWindsor Field, builtin WorldWar II.(Equally surprising isthat twin-propeller cargo planesstill flyinto Nassau daily,carrying meatfor island restaurants.)

RAFhistorian MartinPole has researched the “Welcome” plane, from its RAF (Royal Air Force) war serviceto the Venezuelanmilitary. Theplane had an accident in 1954, followed 15 years later by its entry into Panama’s Air Force. In 1981 itwas sold toThe Bahamasas N4683U to grace the entranceof thecapitals’ air-

port. In 2003the aircraftstarred in the movie Into The Blue, after being sent to thebottom as a dive site off Coral Harbor. Typically, aircraftbounced fromlegitimate employmentto shadier workfor drugsmugglers, from militaryto silver screentothe deepbluesea. However,thetrails ofsomeof theassetsthat littertheBahamas today fromthe 1970sto 1990s don’t justlead researchersin circles.Fiftyyears ago,those trailscouldlead someone withan inquisitive mindto arestingplace sixfeet under!

That’s because planes filled withmillions ofdollars incocaine or marijuanawere so vulnerable and valuable that they and their pilot sconnection to theplanet wastenuous.Hundreds of peoplefrom--growers tofinanciers tosoldiers offortuneto fuellersandspeedboat runners, lookouts,lawyers, and manymore--had vestedinterestsingettingthecargotothe USmarket.Theywerenotinterestedinleavingpapertrails,and the planeswere gossamer-thin threads connecting supplier with consumer.The entire schemecouldbe tippedoffbalanceby fuelor engineissues, detection, betrayal, inexperience, illness, disorientation, folly and mistake, or by just plain accident.

Why so many accidents?

Thisstressful trademeant

PART of the cover drawing from the Miami Herald's 1984 specialreporton drugtraffickingandcorruption inTheBahamas titled "A Nation for Sale."

that planes wereoften overloaded andenvironmental flying conditions often overlookedordisregarded.Thetemperature at11,000 feetin the mountainranges ofthe MedellinValley inColombia were lower than in The Bahamas,whichofcourseaffected the flight. Pilotswere sometimes inexperienced andunregulated, high, drunk, terrified, sleep deprived. Some fliers lackedconfidenceorexperience (orboth)flyingaircraftthatmay have been stolen,bought cheap, poorlymaintained oronthe brink offailing (orall ofthose conditions!) In A Smuggler's Paradise: Cocaine Trafficking Through The Bahamas, author Bruce Bullington analyses the unique role The Bahamas played in narcoticstrafficking. In1983, journalists workingfor the Miami Herald investigated chargesmade byconvicted smugglers, allegationsof participation indrug corruptionby Bahamianofficials. Thespecial reportthey publisheddescribed

onthePalms; and TurningThe Tide are just a few samples.

Severalofthebooksspeakto the extensivesocial damage and political and financial costs ofthetrade onsocieties,governments, and participants. That, and profits!Lots of them. People participatedin thedrug tradefor thesame reasonthey participatein publiclytraded markets: fear andgreed, or both. OneUS pilotmade more in one flight than he had made inyears asafire fighterback home.

Onecharacter inthestory: the aircraft In thisseries ofarticles we ll walk with the silent characters: the aircraft. OneDC-3 was builtinChristmasweek1943in the Carolinas, served in Massachusetts, moved to civilian servicein the1970s, thenwas Impoundedat Nassau,Bahamas fordrug smugglingin 1984.

Afterthat, tailnumber N3139F went to the Dominican Republic as HI-463, until 1986. Then itflew toNassau in1988,

thenationas"asmuggler'sparadise." They wroteabouthow The Bahamaswas repeatedly implicated indrug smuggling, especially cocaine and marijuanadestined fortheUS consumers. Reasonsincluded coastalalignment withtheUS, and geopolitics:Colombians, Jamaicans, andothers foundan environment morethan willing to accept pay for cooperation. The Miami Herald’s infamousSeptember23,1984sixpart take-down of The Bahamas in A Nation For Sale, included snippets of thethesis that smugglers say everyonehas a price.” Theyused theword of smugglers to arguethat in The Bahamas everything--including access, justice,and evenconfiscated drug--canbe bought back. Thenewspaper seriescited the UK Commissionof Inquiry, orWhitePaper, onseniorBahamian political, financial, and legalexecutives.Totheextentit relatesto airplanewrecks,the smugglerswere protectedby thegovernment andevenenabled. The moneyflowed in quickly, and reputations bled out slowly. They were tempting times. Onesmuggler whowas thrownintoHMFoxHillPrison commentedthatif twodrugpilots were jailed, one would be released to work off the pay to get the other out.

Books about this epoch have colourful names for a reason: WarOn Drugs:Studies InThe Failureof U.S.Narcotics Policy;Snowbirds; Lifeand Death of theMedellin Cartel; Kings ofCocaine; WeedMan; Buccaneer: TheProvocative Odyssey; NoOrdinary Bird: Drug Smuggling, a Plane Crash, anda Daughter'sQuest; The Pilots DoubleLife;Snow

in and

whereit waspossiblylined alongthe airportroad.Folks parkfamily carsthereon weekendstowatchplanesland and pick pigeon plums, while passengersogleat therowof mothballed trophiesas their plan lands.

Another largewarplane went to the RCAF of Canada in 1943,then toMichigan, then toMiami in1966. Her slideinto disreputebeganwith a Wilmingtonregistry, then Palm Treein 1970, anda year later was simplylisted as Derelict, Nassau. A Dakota aircraft--whichmay wellhave trained in Nassauwith over 10,000airplanes atOakes Field and Windsor Field in WWII (resulting in 178 accidentsatleast)- crashedshortly after take-off fromNassau” on July 20, 2000,killing both pilots.

Noindicatorsarethatitsoperator, Allied AirFreight, was a drug outfit.

Many airaccidents haveoccurredinournation:real,commercial,regulated, formovies, helicopter,and, ofcourse, private andillicit usethat includes drugs, seaplanes, tourists andlarge commercial flights from overseas.

Nassau hasalways beenthe primary airportby landand sea:the seaplanerampby BASRA and thePI Bridge, andmammothOakesField(by Universityof TheBahamas) andWindsorField(nowLPIA, out west). The remains of hundreds and hundreds of airplanes from the drug smuggling heyday have stories to tell.

So put your seatbelts on and enjoythose aviationadventuresasweexaminethemeach Friday in the coming weeks.

A foot in worlds2

Is Bahamas First or Second? (Or is it time to ditch the concept altogether?)

LIKE anyBahamian, I bristle whensomeone calls The Bahamas “a ThirdWorld country.

How dare you insult us?

The Bahamas hasa high standard of living, high speed internet. We werethe first country in the worldto have a Central Bank-backed digital currency.We leadtheregion in tourism andare home to some of the best doctors in the world. Our capitalcity is home to a world-class international airport and cruise port. We rea peaceful,democratic nation with somuch to be proud of – and we’re still in our infancy. Justa babe of barely more than 50 years old, compared tocountries in Europe with centuries of history. But even as Iemotionally revolt,cringe, andsay allthat to defendthe nationwhose passport I proudlywhip out when travelling, a small voice inside nudges me. Remember thefires last week in Exuma and Abaco -the onesthat burnedout of control because therewere no availablefire trucksandfire hydrants weren’t functioning?

How about the schools that are forced to close because there is norunning water and the toilets don’t work?

How aboutthe ongoing conditions atPrincess MargaretHospital, wheresources sayithas onlygottenworse since2023 whenBahamas Nurses Union President Amancha Williams said conditions were so bad the facility was “run rightdown to the ground. Yes, the same hospital where justthe other day this newspaper ran a frontpagestory aboutawoman

once a luxury for the wealthy, a near necessity for all.

Just as Iam driving along thinking of all the remarkable achievementsof thisamazing nation, I hita pothole. Then another.And thenI tryto avoid yet another.

I passa stretchof road where I can’tfind a single block withouttrash alongthe curb or the side.

AsI passGoodman’s Bay and seeall thefolks jogging, cycling, or walking, I think about theunhealthiness ofthe bulk ofour population.It impacts our productivity and

who foundher motherdead in the facility.Where werethe nurses or aidesor anyone else? Instead,they leftit toa family member to discover the coldbody lyingin theward not far from a nurse s station.

Years of shortages, staff issues,filth, andpoorconditions--despite doctorswho try hard--have made the public facility an institutionof last resort,yetthe onlyonemost of the population can afford.

Power failures, potholes, PMH Every time I begin to defend the country I want to believe inmy heartis “First World,” Iam remindedofthe gaps. Including the Family Islands,wherepowerfailureson a regularbasis leavecitizens in the dark fordays at a time andmake backupgenerators,

economy, notto mentionour social well-being. Weare the fifth mostobese nationin the world, justbehind Tonga, Nauru,Tuvalu, andSamoa, with nearly half our populationqualifying forobesity status.

What arecord! Compare our47.5 percentobesepopulation to Thailand, Denmark, Singapore, Zimbabwe, all at 15percent orless. AndVietnam and Ethiopia at almost negligible counts.

NHI underfunding or population overeating

Our problem is not just the underfunding of our National HealthInsurance plan.The problemis overeatingand undercaring forself bythe bulk of ourpopulation. Eating toomuch processedorfast food, not getting enough exer-

cise. That s notto say,however, that NHI underfunding is not a serious issue.It isfor alldoctors offices thataccept NHI patients andwait monthsfor reimbursement. If Dr. Duane Sands calculations are correct--and there’s noreason to suspect otherwise--thegovernment sNHI debtis$24 million.It soundslike alot, but palesin comparisonto the $60million earmarkedfor roadworksand anannual budgetofmore than$3billion.

Inmeasuring FirstWorld and Third World countries, the health and well-beingof a nation is as much an indicator of itsstatus asitsinfrastructure. Our rates of hypertension, heart disease, andcancer exceed regional and global rates. Our social services safety net has more holesthan we want to admit.And oureducational system isnot equippedfor the growingnumber ofyoung childrenwith specialneeds-especiallythose ontheautism spectrum--that nowcount in the thousands and whose families are struggling to find the right balance.

Yet on a beautiful day, there isno placeonearth I d rather be.

On that beautiful day--with the sunon our faceand the balmy breeze at our back, with theviewof theLucayanSea or the sound of waves stroking theMontagu Bayshoreline-we are transfixed. The wonders outweigh the woes, and weare likeatourist againin ourowncountry.Wecouldnot care less what World the world says we re in: we re in a world of our own.

Extreme contrasts

Many ofus have said itin a dozen different ways: this crazy, gorgeous, sad, wonderful nation we call home is a world of extreme contrasts. Megaresorts and megapoverty. Exclusive enclaves of estates,one afteranother worthy of Architectural Digest covers, andjust afew miles away,high density streetswith hovels,peeling paint, dirtyards, andfleabitten dogs living on scraps and finding shade under abandoned vehicles.

Why a title at all

The Bahamas is, in some ways, just like allof us. The differenceis thatwhilemost ofusstand ontwolegs,The Bahamas has onefoot in the First World and another stuck in the Third World for now. All ofwhich raisesthe question: what difference does it make? What if we abandoned the notion of First and Third World countries? Would it make anydifference to our

lives, our standing, our ability to function?

The concept of First, Secondand ThirdWorldnationsmaybe pastitsprime. Thosecategories wereartificial constructs that arose during the Cold War era of the 70s, when it was convenient to label countriesbased onsuch simplistic measures: First World meant democracy, free, high standardof living, stronginfrastructure, etc.like theUnited States; Second World status was attributed to Communist nations or states like the USSR and Cuba; and Third World was reserved formostof thenewstatesof Africa and many poor coun-

tries in the Caribbean and other places. Itwas almostlike thegood guysand badguysof anold western movie.You knew who thegood guyswere if theywere inthe FirstWorld. You could count on them if you were acountry that needed a hand. But life is notas simple or easy to define as it was half a century ago.The samenation that may failin roadworks mayhave anenviableenvironmental record. The country that lacks sophistication in the orange economy maybe a leader in solar power or the health of its people. Which one is the preferred

partner? This is just a personal observation, but Isee no benefit in maintaining atradition that assignedrankings tonations when theconditions thatgave rise tothat systemno longer prevail. AndI don’tthink TheBahamas stands alonewhen it comes toa footin two worlds. Butwe justmight bethe most beautiful ofall those models. And who cares what world they assign us to, so long aswe know thatthe decisionswe aremaking,the funds we budget, and the laws we enforce, pave the way for a better life ahead.

NASA and families of fallen astronauts mark 40th anniversary of space shuttle Challenger accident

CAPE CANAVERAL Aerospace Writer

FAMILIES of the astronauts lost in the space shuttle Challenger accident gathered back at the launch site Thursday to mark that tragic day 40 years ago.

All seven on board were killed when Challenger broke apart following liftoff on Jan. 28, 1986.

At the Kennedy Space Center memorial ceremony, Challenger pilot Michael Smith’s daughter, Alison Smith Balch, said through tears that her life forever changed that frigid morning, as did many other lives. “In that sense,” she told the hundreds of mourners, “we are all part of this story.”

“Every day I miss Mike,” added his widow, Jane Smith-Holcott, “every day’s the same.”

The bitter cold weakened the O-ring seals in Challenger’s right solid rocket booster, causing

Rescue efforts underway as wo confirmed dead after landslides hit New Zealand campground and house

By ROD McGUIRK Associated Press

LANDSLIDES hit a house and a campground in New Zealand on Thursday, leaving at least two dead while emergency crews were trying to rescue others buried in rubble, officials said.

The first hit a house in the community of Welcome Bay on New Zealand’s North Island at 4:50 a.m., police said. Two people escaped the house, and the bodies of two who were trapped inside were recovered hours later, Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said.

Later the same morning, emergency services were called to a second slide at the base of nearby Mount Maunganui. The rubble hit Beachside Holiday Park in a town named after the extinct volcano.

Images showed vehicles, travel trailers and an amenities block

crushed by debris.

Police Superintendent Tim Anderson said the number of people missing was in the “single figures.”

No survivors or bodies had been recovered by late Thursday from the Mount Maunganui rubble, where dogs were being used to sniff for human victims, Mitchell said.

“There was a shower block and a, sort of, combined shower blockkitchen block and there were people using that at the time the slide came through and they are some of the ones that we’re working hard to try and recover now,” Mitchell told Australian Broadcasting Corp. Further north near Warkworth, a man was missing after floodwaters swept him from a road Wednesday morning as heavy rain lashed large swathes of the North Island, a police statement said.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon urged residents in affected areas to heed local authorities’ safety advice during the extreme conditions.

“Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island. Right now, the government is doing everything we can to support those impacted,” Luxon posted on social media.

Fire and Emergency NZ commander William Pike said there were some signs of life immediately after the Mount Maunganui slide.

“Members of the public ... tried to get into the rubble and did hear some voices,” Pike told reporters. “Our initial fire crew arrived and … were able to hear the same. Shortly after our initial crew arrived, we withdrew everyone from the site due to possible movement and slip.”

the shuttle to rupture 73

seconds after liftoff. A dysfunctional culture at NASA contributed to that disaster and, 17 years later, shuttle Columbia’s. Kennedy Space Center’s deputy director Kelvin Manning said those humble and painful lessons require constant vigilance “now more than ever” with rockets soaring almost every day and the next astronaut moonshot just weeks away.

Challenger’s crew included schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe, who was selected from more than 100 teachers representing every state. Two of her fellow teacher-in-space contenders — both retired now — attended the memorial.

“We were so close together,” said Bob Veilleux, a retired astronomy high school teacher from New Hampshire, McAuliffe’s home state.

Bob Foerster, a sixthgrade math and science teacher from Indiana, who was among the 10 finalists, said he’s grateful that space education blossomed after the accident and that it

didn’t just leave Challenger’s final crew as “martyrs.”

“It was a hard reality,” Foerster noted at the Space Mirror Memorial at Kennedy’s visitor complex.

Twenty-five names are carved into the black mirror-finished granite: the Challenger seven, the seven who perished in the Columbia disaster on Feb. 1, 2003, the three killed in the Apollo 1 fire on Jan. 27, 1967, and all those lost in plane and other on-the-job accidents.

Relatives of the fallen Columbia and Apollo crews also attended NASA’s Day of Remembrance, held each year on the fourth Thursday of January. The space agency also held ceremonies at Virginia’s Arlington National Cemetery and Houston’s Johnson Space Center.

“You always wonder what they could have accomplished” had they lived longer, Lowell Grissom, brother of Apollo 1 commander Gus Grissom, said at Kennedy. “There was a lot of talent there.”

Mayor Mahe Drysdale said those unaccounted earlier had included people who had left the campground without notifying authorities. The campground was closed after the disaster.

Australian tourist Sonny Worrall said he was lazing in a hot pool within the campground when he heard then saw the landslide.

“I looked behind me and there’s a huge landslide coming down.

And I’m still shaking from it now,” Worrall told New Zealand’s 1News news service. “I turned around and I had to jump out from my seat as fast as I could and just run.”

He looked back to see the rubble carrying a travel trailer behind him.

“It was like the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life,” Worrall said.

Sorority strengthens partnerships with Ahanta through community service

Therecent courtesycallin

Accra markedmore thana ceremonial visitfor membersof the Eta PsiOmega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®. Itrepresented a meaningfulstep towardintentional partnership, service, and sustainableimpact within the Ahanta West community, particularly forthe Ahanta people,where directgenealo-

academic achievement,and long-term community advancement, especially within communities that share ancestral ties acrossthe Atlantic.

Healthcare alsoemerged as a priority area. Conversations underscored the importance ofaccessible medical services, preventative care,

Olympiad berth on the line at 2026 Chess Championships

Nassau, TheBahamas (January2026)

andhealth education,with particular attention given to women andchildren. Strengthening healthoutcomes was recognised as essential toimproving quality oflife, supportingfamilies, and honouring a collective responsibility tocare forcommunities connected byboth history and heritage.

gical links tothe ancestry of Bahamian peoplehave been identified.

The courtesy call, extended by Mavis Kuukua Bissue, Memberof Parliamentforthe Ahanta WestConstituency, provided chaptermembers withthe distinguishedopportunity to also meet with Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s Ministerfor Foreign Affairs, along with the Queen Mother ofthe Ahantapeople. Discussions emphasisedthe sharedresponsibility ofDiaspora organisationsand local leadership tocollaborate in addressing critical community needs rootedin partnership, respect, and shared heritage.

Centralto thedialoguewas theurgent needforeducational resources,particularly the development and enhancement ofcommunity libraries. Access tobooks, literacy tools, and safe learning spaces was highlighted as foundational toyouth development,

Tyiece Hanna

Classic Italian cookbook gets English edition after years of effort

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) As a child growing up in Italy, Lidia Bastianich recalls seeing one particular cookbookin just abouteveryone's kitchen.It wascalled"TheTalisman ofHappiness" andit was oftengiven asa wedding present to couples starting new lives together. "Ithasall thebasicrecipes.And itsaysthe basicthing that foodisa connector,that food is happiness," she says.

ThebookbyAdaBoni its Italian title is "Il Talismano della Felicita" was first publishedin1929,andbecameago-toplacetofind the recipe forspaghetticarbonara orpork galantine. Its simplicity andaccessibility got it compared to "The Joy of Cooking," but it predated Irma S. Rombauer's iconic work.

This fall, the first English edition of the complete work with nearly1,700 recipes arrives on shelves, thanks to years of dogged pursuit byVoracious publisherMichael Szczerban. The hunt is on

He first heard aboutit from Samin Nosrat, author of "Salt Fat Acid Heat," and that, combined with his love of Italy,led him on a more thandecade-long journeyto getthe rightsto publish itin English."Just thepoetry ofthat name 'The Talismanof Happiness' it felt timeless and also like it was from so long ago," Szczerban says.

Boni, who died in 1973, was one of Italy's first foodwriters, andthe seedsof "The Talisman of Happiness" grew from a magazine. Shecodified andtesteddishesthat haveremained the backbone of Italian cooking and reflect regional differences. There are 10 gnocchi recipes, 12 minestrones and 20 risottos.

"This is a cookbook that's really meant for cooking. It is a book for cooks. It's a book that's intended tobe used,not just tosit ona coffee tableoron ashelf,butto becomeyours,"says Szczerban.

There's no frilly languageor stories. Each entryincludesingredients, andthedirections are usuallyjust afew paragraphs,telling the homecook tolook forthe meatto be"done" and the vegetables to be seasoned "to taste." Unlike recipesfrom Milk Street,Bon Appetit orAmerica's Test Kitchen,Boni didn't weigh things tothe gram or evendictate oven degrees. Her Cod with White Wine only specifies"a fewspoons" ofwine. Elsewhere,she

calls for a "finger of oil" or "a few leaves of rosemary."

"I think that there wasa very specific editorial vision for these recipes, which was to give youenough tomake it,but notso muchthat you couldn'tmake it yourown," Szczerban says. A 12-year sleuthing adventure

The more Szczerbanlearned about "The Talisman of Happiness," themore intrigued he became.What atfirst wasan impulseto finda copy for himself grew into something larger.

"As I began to understandmore of what it was theplace that it seemed tohave had in Italianhistory andculture,andthen thespread of Italian cooking throughout the world I thought, 'Idon't need just acopy of this.I need to be able to use myposition as a publisher to bring this to therest of the English-language world,'" he says.

The book had been updated regularly in Italy and there hadbeen a few stabsat an English version, butthe recipeswere changedin order totailorthemto Americantastesandheavily abridged. "Nobody hadtranslated the full beast," Szczerban says.

Szczerbanstarted asleuthing adventurethat took some 12 years calling random numbers at the Italianpublisher witha scriptcreated from Google Translate, poring over bankruptcy reportstoseewho mighthaveinheritedtheintellectual property rights, andtalking to every Italian book figure and agent he could.

Abreakthroughcame whenhecontacteda book packager like a movie producer, but for books who knewsomebodywhoknew someone else who maybecould locate a relative. Afew months later,they founda greatnephew. "I think you needed somebody on the groundinItalyto unlocktherelationshipof trust," says Szczerban. He decidedto use the1959 Italianedition as themodel,tapping eighttranslators.Heremoved only recipes that were completely unworkableand sectionsonItalian etiquettethat were dated. The original edition was constantly consulted.

"Wewanted itto beAda'sbook, still.We weren't tryingto modernizeit. Wewere trying to preserve it and tokeep it intact," he says. "The wordtalisman, tome, hassuch power.I wanted it to be the talisman it was back when it was first published."

TheBahamas ChessFederation(BCF)is proud to announce the return of the Bahamas National Chess Championship2026, the Federation’s premier over-the-board competition andoneof thecountry’s most enduring annual sporting traditions. This year’s championshipwill bea FIDE-rated, 10-player Round-Robin stagedover nine rounds, running Friday, January23 to Sunday, February1, 2026,at Boost Academy.

The field features 10 ofthe nation’s top performers, eachearning qualification through performance andconsistency across the local chess calendar. Competing for the 2026 crownare: FIDE Master Cecil Moncur (2025 NationalChampion), Avian Pride (2025 JuniorNational Champion), Woman CandidateMaster (WCM) Chika Pride (Junior National Female Championandthe onlyfemalequalifier), CM Kendrick Knowles (five-time National Champion), William Davis, Dr. Kenville Lockhart, Sohan Umesh, Curtis Pride Jr Philip HannaJr., and Bharath Nair

With 2026being anOlympiad year,the championship carriesadded significance.In addition tothe national title andcash prize, the 2026 National Champion will receive an automatic place onTeam Bahamas for the 2026 Chess Olympiadin Uzbekistan, raising the stakes for every round.

“AsPresident oftheBahamas ChessFederation, Curtis Pride, Sr,President of the Bahamas Chess Federation said, it s a privilegetowelcomebackourNationalChampionship and to see this calibre of talent on one stage. Each qualifier has already proven they belong among the country s best, and now the challenge is to stay composed, prepare well,and deliverwhen itmatters most.I wish all players their very best and look forward to an exciting championship.”

Thetournament willbeofficiated by Chief ArbiterInternational Arbiter(IA) Andre White, and matches will be streamed liveviaDGTboards, allowingchessfansat home and abroad to follow the games as they unfold.

BCFencourages thepublic,supporters, and the wider chess community to stay en-

North Carolina town is returning land to the Cherokee Indians

By GRAHAM LEE BREWER Associated Press

An important cultural site is close tobeing returnedto the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians aftera citycouncil in North Carolinavoted unanimously Monday to return the land.

The Noquisiyi Mound in Franklin, North Carolina, was part of a Cherokee mother town hundreds of years before the founding ofthe United States, and it is a place of deep spiritualsignificance tothe Cherokeepeople. Butfor about200 yearsit waseither in the hands of private owners or the town.

“When you think about the importance of not just our history but those cultural and traditionalareas wherewepracticeall thethings webelieve in, they should be in the hands of the tribethey belong to," said MichellHicks, principal chief of theEastern Band of CherokeeIndians. “It’s a decision that we’re very thankful to the town of Franklin for understanding.”

Noquisiyi is thelargest unexcavated mound in the Southeast, saidElaine Eisenbraun,executive directorof NoquisiyiInitiative, thenonprofit that has managed the site since2019. Eisenbraun,

who workedalongside the town smayor forseveral years onthe return,said the nextstepis forthetribal council to agree to take control, which will initiate the legal process of transferring the title. It sabig dealforCherokees to get our piece of our ancestral territoryback ingeneral, said AngelinaJumper,a citizenofthe tribeanda Noquisiyi Initiativeboard member who spoke at Monday’s city council meeting. But when you talk about a mound site like that, that has so much significance and is still standing as high as it was twoor three hundred yearsagowhen itwastaken, that kindof just holdsa level ofgravitythat Ijusthaveno words for."

Inthe1940s, thetownof Franklinraised moneytopurchase themound froma private owner.Hicks saidthe tribe startedconversations with the town about transferring ownership in 2012, after a town employee sprayed herbicide on the mound, killing all the grass.In 2019,Franklin and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians createda nonprofitto overseethesite, whichtoday itissituated between two roads and several buildings.

“Talkingabout LandBack,

it’s partof a livingpeople. It’s not like it s ahistoricalartifact,” said StaceyGuffey, Franklin s mayor,referencing the global movementto return Indigenous homelands through ownershipor costewardship “It’s part of a living culture, and if we can t honour thatthen welose the character of whowe are as mountain people. Noquisiyi ispart ofaseries of earthen mounds, many of which stillexist, thatwere the heart of the Cherokee civilisation. The EasternBand of CherokeeIndians alsoowns the Cowee Mound a few miles away, and itis establishing a culturalcorridor ofimportant sites thatstretches from Georgia to the tribe’s reservation, the Qualla Boundary. Noquisiyi, which translates to star place, is an important religious site that has provided protectionto generationsof Cherokeepeople, saidJordan Oocumma, thegroundskeeper ofthemound.Hesaidheisthe firstenrolled memberofthe tribe to caretake the mound since the forced removal.

“It’salso aplacewhere when youneed answers,or youwant toknowsomething, youcan gothereand youask, and it ll come to you, he said.

“It feels different from being anywhere elsein theworld when you’re out there.”

‘My life is ruined, I have to start all over’

In Hepburn Town, Okino Kareem Burrows said he lost everything when fire tore through the home where he was staying. He told The Tribune that he woke up shortly after 3am to use the bathroom and discovered flames coming from an unoccupied bedroom.

Despite his efforts to contain the fire, the blaze quickly spread.

“I have nothing — no documents, no clothes.

Everything burned,” Mr Burrows said during a television interview on ZNS.

He believes the fire was started deliberately, claiming a mattress was set alight in one of the rooms, triggering the blaze.

“My life is ruined. I have

to start all over,” he said. When The Tribune visited the scene, a young man was seen sifting through the charred remains for scrap metal. He said he was a friend of Mr Burrows.

Mr Burrows’ grandmother, Enid, was visibly emotional as she spoke with The Tribune. She said her grandson, who works on a fishing vessel, had gone out to sea on Thursday.

“God protected him,” she said, explaining that she raised Mr Burrows and regards him as a son. She was too distressed to continue speaking.

Mr Burrows is appealing to the public for assistance, particularly building supplies, to help rebuild the residence.

Police are continuing investigations into both fires.