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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2025
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Security force insurance arrears ‘within tolerance’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net UNPAID medical coverage for police officers and the other security forces is “within tolerable” limits, a Cabinet minister asserted yesterday, while denying allegations that the arrears exceed $100m. Wayne Munroe KC, minister of national security, told Tribune Business that figure - detailed in a February 3, 2025, notice by the Police Staff Association (PSA) to its members - as well as suggestions that Colina Insurance Company “has threatened to cancel policies” due to
the non-payment were both incorrect. While not providing the accurate premium arrears figure, he said the sum involved was “within tolerance” for the relationship between the Government and the BISX-listed life and health insurer. Mr Munroe also argued it was extremely rare in the corporate world for companies and governments not to owe monies to their vendors at some point in their dealings, describing this as a normal business occurrence. And, in a thinly-veiled suggestion that the Police Staff Association memorandum’s leak could be related to the upcoming general election
and start of political campaigning in earnest, he said the contents have been sent to the ministry of national security’s legal unit for its “advice” and assessment in a hint that disciplinary action may follow. Pointing out that, as members of the uniformed security services, police officers have a duty to be accurate with information that they release, Mr Munroe voiced concern that the Association’s actions could “impact morale within the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF). He expressed particular unhappiness that it had not exploited his “open door” policy to bring its concerns to him first.
New Providence energy grid overhaul ‘progressing well’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A BOARD member for the company charged with transforming New Providence’s electricity grid last night said “everything is progressing well” amid speculation one of its key partners has halted work. Anthony Ferguson, CFAL (Colina Financial Advisors) principal, refuted suggestions that Pike Electrical, which is supplying the manpower, materials and expertise to upgrade Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) transmission and distribution network, had initiated a temporary pause as it waits for all necessary agreements to be concluded. Asserting that he “doesn’t see any issues or challenges” for Pike’s relationship with Bahamas Grid Company, the entity to which the New Providence grid’s assets have been transferred,
PIKE Electric vehicles are seen parked behind a locked gate off of Western Road on February 4, 2025. Photo:Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff he confirmed that “one outstanding matter” is expected to be resolved before the week ends but declined to provide any details. Other contacts, too, speaking on condition of anonymity, said an agreement is supposed to be signed on Friday. Mr Ferguson, who sits on Bahamas Grid Company’s Board together with Christina Alston, BPL’s chair,
and members of Island Grid, its management/ operating partner, pointed to the number of Pike bucket trucks seen around New Providence performing the required upgrades since summer 2024, along with the volume of electrical equipment such as sub-struts and wires that has been imported to support the effort.
The minister hit back after the Association, in its February 3 missive on PSA-headed paper, said: “As public servants we have made a profound commitment to protect and serve our communities. However, we face challenges that hinder our effectiveness and threaten our well-being, challenges that deserve our urgent attention and collective action. “One of the most pressing issues we currently confront is the alarming situation regarding our insurance coverage. It deeply concerns me to report that the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas once again
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‘Sexy body’ manager stripped of $31,200 By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A FORMER Atlantis restaurant manager who was fired for asking a female employee to “show him her ‘sexy body’” has been stripped of his $31,200 damages award for unfair dismissal. The Court of Appeal, in its January 31, 2025, verdict, overturned a previous Industrial Tribunal ruling by finding that the dismissal of Bradley Babbs, a near-30 year veteran of the Paradise Island mega resort, was not compromised by the failure to
provide him with a written copy of his accuser’s witness statement. The appeal court, in a unanimous decision written by its president, justice Milton Evans, noted that his termination stemmed from a sexual harassment complaint after Mr Babbs allegedly promised a female employee, Ms Cartwright, he would arrange her transfer to the restaurant she managed provided she agreed to display her ‘sexy body’ to him in a video call. Noting that the nowfired manager was earning $650 per week when dismissed on February 14,
2022, the Court of Appeal said: “On February 10, 2022 a female employee made a formal complaint that she received a call from the respondent [Mr Babbs], offering to recommend her transfer to the restaurant he managed on condition that she would video chat with him to see her ‘sexy body’. “She claimed that she found the respondent’s comments inappropriate. Consequently, on February 12, 2022, the respondent was suspended for two days without pay, pending investigation. Upon the respondent’s return from suspension on February
14, 2022, the appellant [Atlantis and its Island Hotel Company subsidiary] conducted a hearing regarding the complaint of gross misconduct.” This involved alleged “sexual harassment” of the female worker making the complaint, “and for offering, in his managerial capacity, to ensure the complainant’s transfer to another restaurant. At the conclusion of the hearing, the respondent was summarily dismissed for gross misconduct, without pay and without notice”.
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FTX Bahamas ‘shoots for’ February 18 first payout By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net FTX’s Bahamian liquidators are “shooting for” February 18 as the date to start payouts to small creditors and victims owed less than $50,000 as a result of the crypto exchange’s fraud-driven implosion. Tribune Business has confirmed that Brian Simms KC, the Lennox
Paton attorney and senior partner, and his fellow FTX Digital Markets liquidators, the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) accounting duo, Kevin Cambridge and Peter Greaves, have informed creditors in the so-called “convenience” class that this is the date when many will start to recover their assets. “They’re shooting for February 18th,”
one well-placed source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said of the liquidators for FTX’s former Bahamian subsidiary. This newspaper understands that persons in the “convenience” class group account for around 80 percent of all FTX Digital Markets creditors, but the timing of their payout will depend on whether they have fulfilled Know Your
Customer (KYC) and other conditions. International reports have suggested that these early-payout creditors, representing the bulk or greatest volume of FTX Digital Markets claims, could recover sums equivalent to 118 percent of what they were owed when the Securities Commission placed the crypto exchange
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WAYNE MUNROE
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PI resort developer spars with opponents over Atlantis lease By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net DEVELOPERS of the first new Paradise Island resort “in many years” yesterday sparred with opponents over the wait to seal a lease deal with Atlantis for construction of a 100-space car park. The One Ocean Association, which represents residents in the adjacent high-rise condominium complex, through its attorneys argued that the Town Planning Committee’s decision to grant conditional approval for transforming the former Paradise Harbour Club site into a seven-storey hotel was unlawful. Christina Davis-Justin, appearing on the One Ocean residents’ behalf before the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, argued that the Committee’s decision was based on insufficient public consultation and failed to address her clients’ legal property rights. She argued that the original site plan, submitted on March 5, 2024, included a seven-storey hotel and a two-story parking garage on lot 13. Then, a revised
plan, submitted on April 29, 2024, relocated the garage to lot eight without public notice or hearing. Lot eight, the proposed new site of the parking garage, is owned by Atlantis and the developer, HotelConsult Bahamas, has yet to secure a lease with the mega resort. “It is inconceivable how you can grant an approval, a site plan approval, which is a legal term of art, to a proposed development that you have not publicly consulted on, as required by the Act,” said Ms DavisJustin. “And you’re also giving approval to a person who has not actually shown that they have standing or legal authority to make a development.” Roosevelt Whyms, the Appeal Board’s deputy chairman, questioned Tamika Thompson, HotelConsult Bahamas’ attorney, on the status of the lease talks with Atlantis. She said her client is still in “favourable” negotiations with Atlantis. Mr Whyms highlighted that, during appeal hearings, developers must provide proof of ownership in the form of a conveyance or documents to show they have been granted
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