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Volume: 120 No.19, January 30, 2023
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PM: HOSPITAL IS IN A CRISIS ‘We will fix it’ says Davis as he highlights the need for action By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Philip Davis admitted Princess Margaret Hospital is in a state of “crisis” after a tour of the public health facility on Saturday. Mr Davis along with Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville, Public Hospitals Authority managing director Dr Aubynette Rolle and other officials toured wards, in particular those that are
under renovation. Speaking to the media afterwards, Mr Davis acknowledged the state of PMH and the government’s commitment to addressing it. “A government has (the) responsibility of ensuring that its citizens have access to public health services in a manner that is dignified, and in surroundings and facilities that accord to best practices. The challenges we see, or we saw this morning, is not new. SEE PAGE FIVE
A SUPREME Court judge has ruled that an immigration officer falsely imprisoned, sexually assaulted and battered a Jamaican woman who was released into his custody eight years ago. The January 27 ruling by Senior Justice Indra Charles
brings an end to a saga which saw Claudia Edwards Bethel file a civil suit in 2019 against immigration officer Norman Bastian, the attorney general, minister of immigration, director of immigration, and the commissioner of police years after her rape case against Mr Bastian was tossed out of the Magistrate’s Court. SEE PAGE THREE
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE government and insurance industry last night traded blows over fears that Bahamian healthcare costs will further increase due to a new VAT treatment set to take effect from April 1, 2023. The row erupted after the Bahamas Insurance Association (BIA) issued a late Friday statement warning that medical bills and treatment costs for thousands of Bahamians will increase due to the Ministry of Finance’s decision to stop insurers recovering the 10 percent VAT paid on health insurance claims payments from the Government. Such a move, the trade body warned, will likely make private healthcare less accessible for more Bahamians as they will now be responsible for paying VAT on top of their actual medical bill. However, this was disputed by the Ministry of Finance. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
CRIMES AGAINST PERSON GO UP BY 23 PERCENT
IMMIGRATION OFFICER RULED TO HAVE ASSAULTED DETAINEE By TANEKA THOMPSON Tribune News Editor tmthompson@tribunemedia.net
INSURERS AND GOVT IN ROW OVER VAT ON HEALTHCARE
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis tours Princess Margaret Hospital with chief hospital administrator Mary Walker to view conditions and the status of renovations on Saturday. Photo: Austin Fernander
‘INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE’ OVER COLEBY-DAVIS By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net COMMISSIONER of Police Clayton Fernander said there is “insufficient evidence” to proceed with investigations into claims made against Housing and Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby- Davis. Commissioner Fernander was referring to claims that Mrs Coleby-Davis allegedly assaulted a police officer with her vehicle during an
JOBETH COLEBY-DAVIS, Minister of Transport & Housing. exchange at the Carnival Road March last May. The Elizabeth MP has repeatedly denied any
wrongdoing and Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis has since defended her, saying he was satisfied with her account of what happened that day. During a press conference at police headquarters on Friday, the police chief was asked for an update concerning the status of investigations into the incident. “I wish to say that the investigators in our legal SEE PAGE THREE
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander revealed on Friday that crimes against the person increased by 23 percent last year when compared to the same period in 2021, including murders, armed robberies and sex crimes that also trended upwards. Despite an uptick in these offences, he said serious crimes and crimes against the property decreased by two percent and nine percent respectively. SEE PAGE FOUR
INSIGHT HAITI TEETERS ON THE BRINK OF CIVIL WAR SEE PAGE EIGHT