MONDAY McCombo of the
Day
i’m lovin’ it!
HIGH 81ºF LOW 71ºF
The Tribune Established 1903
24/7 BREAKING NEWS ON TRIBUNE242.COM
Biggest And Best!
VOLUME:117 No.54, FEBRUARY 10TH, 2020
HO US E & 12 THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1
THE OSCARS: SHOCK RESULT FOR THE TOP AWARD
PAGES
‘Abaco clean-up is making progress’
Clarke hits back at criticism of pace for island’s rebuild By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net CHAIRMAN of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority John-Michael Clarke yesterday defended the pace of the debris removal on Abaco, noting that officials feel “certain” that work is progressing on the storm-impacted island. “The area where the shanty towns existed has been cleaned,” he told The Tribune. “All of the places in the Marsh Harbour area, the greater percentage of the public spaces, have been
cleaned and total clean-up will be depending on us getting permission from the private property owners. “We started identifying the owners and getting permission along with Don McKay Boulevard and going straight up Abaco because that is exactly where we started so we’ve been looking at cleaning up Don McKay Boulevard. The area in Eastern Shores and Pelican Shores, we’re working with NGOs to get some of that cleaned up… so nobody is going to get left out.” SEE PAGE THREE
ACCEPTING the findings of Auditor General Terrance Bastian’s audit into the Magistrates’ Court as a “serious” matter, Chief Justice Brian Moree has said there will be fundamental changes with the system over the next six months in a bid to restore integrity. Chief among troubling concerns highlighted in an auditor’s report tabled at the House of Assembly last week, was the exposure of instances where
cashiers allegedly altered payment receipts for child and spousal support payments and nearly two dozen missing cheques. The concerns were found in the investigation of documents from the period July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2018. According to Registrar Camille Darville-Gomez in a recent interview with The Tribune, while some of the findings were a surprise, it was known before the report’s completion that there needed to be an overhaul. SEE PAGE FIVE
TAYLOR’S CREDITORS LEFT HIGH AND DRY By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
KELLY’S Home Centre leads the Bahamian unsecured creditors who will receive nothing of the debts owed to them by Taylor Industries, its liquidator has revealed. Andrew Davies, the Crowe Bahamas accountant, warned the Mall at Marathon’s anchor retail tenant will not see one cent of the almost $12,000 owed by the nowdefunct electrical retailer and contractor. Confirming his initial analysis that all proceeds from the firm’s winding-up will almost certainly go to the government and former employees, Mr Davies said the Department of Inland Revenue’s claim for $18,327 in unpaid VAT will rank as a “preferential creditor”. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
DAMES: NO LET UP ON MARIJUANA ARRESTS
MOREE PLANS MOVES TO RESTORE COURT INTEGRITY By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
HOME
By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net
IN THE SWING
THE MINISTRY of Tourism hosted a celebration of all things Bahamian at the Tru Tru Bahamian Festival at John Watling’s Distillery over the weekend. Picture special - Page 13 Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
POLICE officers will not stop arresting marijuana users despite the recommendations made by the Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana concerning the drug, according to National Security Minister Marvin Dames. “The law is the law and until the law has (been) amended or changed, we know that there is a process for that to happen, then I encourage everyone to abide by the law,” he told The Tribune. SEE PAGE SIX
CHINA BAN MAY RELAX TO 14 DAYS By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands said yesterday the government will certainly reconsider a change to the new coronavirus quarantine measures to align The Bahamas with the posture of other countries. However, the final decision will come from Cabinet, he said, although he did not disclose when it would be
MINISTER Dr Duane Sands discussed in Cabinet. He was contacted after Chinese Ambassador to The
Bahamas Huang Qinguo noted in a courtesy call on Friday that the border control and quarantine measures taken by The Bahamas in view of the deadly virus outbreak in China are stricter than other countries. During the meeting, Mr Qinguo expressed the hope that with health improvements in China, the timeframe surrounding quarantine in The Bahamas will change. SEE PAGE TWO
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
INSIGHT
GOOD EDUCATION IS CRITICAL - OR WE’RE GOING NOWHERE
SEE PAGE SEVEN
PAGE 2, Monday, February 10, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
CHINA BAN MAY RELAX TO 14 DAYS from page one Among border security measures in the wake of the virus outbreak, the Bahamas is denying entry to non-residents who visited China within 20 days of presentation while returning residents will be quarantined for an incubation period of 14 days. However, Chinese officials want officials to reduce the 20-day stipulation to 14 days. Mr Qinguo told The Tribune last week China did not support the travel restrictions the Bahamas and other countries have implemented to stop the spread of the virus. Up to press time the virus’ death toll was 908 with 40,171 confirmed infections, according to China’s National Health Commission. Asked whether Bahamian officials were set on the measures in place, Dr Sands said: “As we have learned more about the natural history of this organism, I don’t think that we are so frozen in our
position. We will certainly reconsider a change to align The Bahamas’ posture with most if not all the other countries. “There is no secret that such measures are not consistent with the measures of either the Chinese government or the World Health Organisation or PAHO for that matter,” Dr Sands also said. “But what is clear is that every government, every country has the right to do what it feels is necessary to protect the interests of its own citizens particularly given the special peculiar circumstances in their country. In order to comply with the international health regulations 2005, we had to justify why we made the changes that we did and the chief medical officer as the point of contact for international health regulations had to present in writing the justification as to why the Bahamas took the position that it did and the 25 other countries and it maybe more had to do the same thing.” The justification provided was that the country
is an archipelagic nation with multiple borders, making it more challenging for screening and ongoing recovery from Hurricane Dorian, which impacted the health system. Regarding Friday’s meeting, Dr Sands said Mr Qinguo reiterated the steps the Chinese government is taking to contain the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Dr Sands said the ambassador reiterated that his government was sparing nothing to bring the situation under control, with assurances that Bahamians who are in China were being given particular attention to ensure their safety. Of the 160 Bahamians residing in China, presently five are in Wuhan city, the epicentre of the outbreak, and they are being monitored by the Chinese and the Bahamian Embassy, a press release issued Saturday said. “During the meeting at the ministry’s offices, the ambassador apprised the minister of measures taken to prevent and control the
spread of the virus in and outside of China,” a Ministry of Health statement read. “The ambassador noted that since the outbreak, the measures taken by the Chinese government exceeded the recommended measures by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in an open and transparent manner. He stated that the epidemic first started in Wuhan city, Hubei province, which is located in central China. “Information received January 23, 2020 regarding the increase in the number of cases in Wuhan city resulted in a lock down of the movement of persons in and out of Wuhan city. Other neighbouring provinces also instituted similar measures. Persons, who were permitted to travel, were screened and those with fever were prevented from travelling. “All confirmed cases are being treated and all suspected cases are being quarantined. Stricter measures were taken at the Customs Borders to prevent persons (nationals
DR Sands meeting with the Chinese delegation and non-nationals) from leaving the borders. The foreign minister of China sent a task force to Wuhan city to monitor the situation including the well-being of Bahamian students residing in Wuhan city. Food and other supplies are being provided.” The statement added: “The outbreak in China is improving despite the increase in new cases, as the numbers of suspected cases are decreasing. Further the recovery of persons from the illness is also improving and the government of China is confident that with the warming of the weather, the number of cases will be further decreased. “Ambassador Huang Qinguo noted that the border control and quarantine
measures taken by the Bahamas are stricter than other countries, and hoped that with health improvements in China the period of time for quarantine will move from 20 to 14 days. “Minister Sands thanked the ambassador for the collaborative meeting and noted that these measures were taken due, in part, to the condition in the country following Hurricane Dorian, and that the health prevention messaging speaks to the 2019 Coronavirus and not the Chinese people. “The minister also informed that the concerns raised, especially with regard to the period of time for the quarantine, will be discussed with his colleagues.”
CHINESE MIGRANTS PICKED UP AT SEA
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN and a group of Chinese nationals were intercepted by the US Coast Guard at sea during an illegal human smuggling operation in late January, according to Department of Immigration officials on Grand Bahama. The immigrants were taken to Grand Bahama on January 28, but the Bahamian man was detained by US Coast Guard officials. He is expected to face possible
prosecution in the US for human smuggling. According to reports, sometime around 6pm at Freeport Habour, officials of the USCG Cutter William Flores arrived with 10 Chinese immigrants —seven men and three women —who were discovered onboard a vessel piloted by a Bahamian male, heading toward Florida on January 20. Immigration Napthali Cooper said the migrants were turned over to immigration officials and officers of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. They were taken to the
Department of Immigration in Freeport for processing. He noted that all of the migrants had entered the Bahamas legally from China via Panama onboard Copa Airlines and were admitted as visitors into the Bahamas sometime before Christmas 2019. Mr Cooper reported that the migrants were examined by the medical team from the Disease and Surveillance Unit of the Public Hospitals Authority. They were flown to New Providence last Wednesday and will be detained at the Detention Centre to await repatriation to China.
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, February 10, 2020, PAGE 3
MINNIS TO MAKE TWO MAJOR ANNOUCEMENTS By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis says he will make two major announcements concerning Grand Bahama and a Family Island when he delivers his first national address of the year tomorrow. He told The Tribune: “The address gives me an
opportunity to make two major announcements related to one of the Family Islands and Grand Bahama. I think that those are very important, those will demonstrate to the Bahamian population that investors still have great confidence in The Bahamas in spite of what we went through with the most powerful storm on record impacting our country.” Asked about the Grand
Bahama announcement, he said: “Grand Bahamians will be very, very pleased with our progression and what we are doing for them and the way forward. This will definitely help to change that economy and the direction of Grand Bahama and the particular Family Island I’m referring to, those individuals will be very happy with that project moving forward because
it will result in greater employment for them.” Dr Minnis said it is vital Bahamians see the progress his government is making in rebuilding Abaco and Grand Bahama following deadly Hurricane Dorian and to understand that moving forward will not comprise a quick fix. A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister said updates on social
assistance, electricity service, home and school repair, small business assistance and debris removal programmes will be among the major topics covered in the prime minister’s report to the nation. Hurricane Dorian had a $3.4bn impact on this country’s GDP, according to the Inter-American Development Bank. In addition to news about
recovering from that storm, Grand Bahama residents are still waiting for news about the sale of the Grand Lucayan resort. Michael Scott, the chairman of the government’s special purpose vehicle which owns the resort, told The Tribune recently that officials are eyeing a mid-February deadline for completing the sale of the property.
WORK by Bill Simmons Construction clearing up a portion of the Pigeon Peas community; top: The Abaco Sunny Waters Agreement signing in Marsh Harbour; bottom: John Michael Clarke, chairman of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority.
‘Abaco clean-up is making progress’ from page one After Hurricane Dorian ravaged Abaco and Grand Bahama in early September, the government awarded contracts to several companies to assist with the clean-up process on the storm-impacted islands. However, many residents of Abaco have since expressed disappointment with the process, noting they are not pleased with the work done thus far. Speaking to The Tribune on matter yesterday, Mr Clarke said officials were “definitely certain that things are coming along” on Abaco. “We’ve actually begun the process of getting permission of removing debris. We’ve already started that process a couple weeks ago,” he added. “Some people have said specifically that they don’t want us to clean their properties because they’re either negotiating with insurance
THREE IN HOSPITAL AFTER SEPARATE STABBING AND SHOOTINGS THREE men are in hospital after separate shooting and stabbing incidents. Police said a man was shot after 9pm on Thursday. He was walking on Taylor Street, Nassau Village when a gunman approached and shot him. The injured man is in stable condition in hospital. Another man was stabbed on Saturday. Shortly before 3am, a group of men were fighting at a bar on Charles Vincent Street off Cordeaux Avenue, when one of the men produced a sharp object and stabbed the victim. The injured man was taken to hospital where he is listed in stable condition. Police are also investigating a shooting that occurred Saturday night, leaving a man in hospital. Shortly before 10pm, a man was in the area of a church at Brougham Street off East Street, when he was approached by an armed male who shot him before fleeing in an unknown direction. The injured male is listed in stable condition in hospital.
companies or they’re making other arrangements and if you have a valid reason, we have to take that into consideration.” However, the cleanup process is not the only matter that has received criticism from storm victims on the island. In recent weeks, many Abaco residents have also spoken negatively about the government’s dome structures, calling them “a waste of money.” Mr Clarke acknowledged some of the complaints and the authority is adjusting its approach. “The whole consideration was that for the residents of Spring City, that those domes were meant to accommodate them in the only free space available in Spring City that had access to utilities (with a) BPL pole right there on the corner (and) the water line right against the road,” Mr Clarke told The Tribune when asked about the criticism. “And we had originally
said that we would put 40 domes in Spring City to accommodate as many of those with damaged homes as possible. (But), there was a challenge and the challenge was that the lots in Spring City, those lots were not as big as the ones in Central Pines, which is the government housing development. “And taking the advice of the director of housing, we thought it might be challenging to put a dome on the property of the house. The house and the dome could not fit on the same property.” The temporary housing initiative, which was announced by the government in late September, is expected to accommodate some 1,000 people for two years. According to Mr Clarke, 32 of the government’s domes in Spring City, Abaco will be made available to residents in the community near the end of this month. However, the domes, he said, will only be
made available to Spring City residents. “Originally, we had planned to put 40 there, but you know we’ve been hearing the complaints of the people and people are saying that 40 is too much so we will stop at the 32 that we have,” he said. “Our initial estimate was that 47 houses were completely destroyed in Spring City and.. we have space for 47, but because persons complained, we will leave it at 32.” Asked when will the domes be completed, Mr Clarke replied that construction workers are working to have it completed later this month. “My expectations were that they should’ve been completed,” he noted to this newspaper. “But, I spoke to the contractor and they had some delays with shipping and that could’ve gone either way…. (but) they’re working to get them finished by the 20th of this month in Spring City.”
SANDS: DON’T SPREAD FALSE VIRUS RUMOURS HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands urged the public to avoid spreading “unverified information,” after reports alleging that a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship carrying passengers believed to have been exposed to the new coronavirus, was recently docked in Bahamian waters. On Friday, the Daily Mail reported that four passengers from the Anthem of the Seas were rushed to a hospital for coronavirus testing after the cruise ship docked in New York harbour. Several other international publications also alleged that the cruise
ship, which held 27 travellers who had recently visited China in quarantine, docked in Bayonne, New Jersey on Friday morning after sailing from the Bahamas. Categorising the report as a “non-story,” Dr Sands said that it was unfortunate that misinformation circulates so quickly. He also told The Tribune that contrary to reports, the vessel in question last docked in the country on January 2. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean posted a notice to its website yesterday stating that the New Jersey Health Authority has received the
test results from the CDC, and that they were negative for the novel coronavirus. The ship will resume sailing today, however it has revised its itinerary, according to its website, and will no longer stop in the Bahamas this week as scheduled. The ship will now sail to Bermuda before returning to New Jersey. The cruise line said it had changed its itinerary to Bermuda, because with a Monday afternoon departure time, the ship would not arrive in Nassau until 3pm today and would need to depart soon after to return to New Jersey.
POLICE FIND MARIJUANA ON BOAT POLICE recovered a large quantity of marijuana from onboard a vessel in New Providence on Thursday. Shortly before 9pm, Drug Enforcement Unit officers, with the assistance of the K9 Unit, acting on intelligence, searched a vessel anchored at Potter’s Cay Dock and discovered six boxes of marijuana. Four men were arrested and taken into custody.
They are expected to be formally charged in court. The drugs weighed 90.5 lbs and have a street value of $90,500. Police also seized 18 marijuana plants shortly after midnight on Saturday. Officers, acting on information, conducted a search of an area at Pinfold Court, Carmichael, where they also recovered the marijuana plants. No arrest was made in this incident.
As it relates to the remaining domes, Mr Clarke said those structures will be installed in other communities throughout island. But, in the meantime, the chairman is urging Abaco residents, who are seeking to have the domes placed on their property, to contact the authority. “Immediately, we want people with housing that have been destroyed and they need a temporary dome on their property to let us know,” he added. “And we are dispatching tools starting this week to start identifying properties with destroyed homes and
installing domes on those properties.” Currently, it is estimated that more than 9,000 homes have been affected by Dorian with damages to the housing sector estimated at $1.48 billion, according to a report from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Small Homes Repairs Programme, which is expected to launch today, will allow for vouchers to be given to victims to purchase building materials and other items related to home restoration. Editorial View - Page 4
PAGE 4, Monday, February 10, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
LEON E. H. DUPUCH,
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,
Jamaal is on holiday
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914 Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .
Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991
EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,
C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-
PICTURE OF THE DAY
Published daily Monday to Friday
Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES
News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax
(242) 322-1986 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348
WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com
@tribune242
tribune news network
Where are our children learning to be violent? HAS your child been in a fight at school in the past 30 days? According to a survey of Bahamian students, around one in five children have been – do the parents of those one in five know? The study illustrates how commonplace violence is in our schools – 260 of the 1500 young people surveyed said they had been in a fight at school in the past month. That’s not even counting fights off the school grounds. While this should be shocking to us all, we’re not entirely sure even how surprising this is. When we see how common violence is in our society at large – as seen in the number of murders we experience in society, the number of robberies and assaults – is it any surprise that it is reflected among the young people who learn from the adults around them? National Security Minister Marvin Dames, in response to the figures, talked of wanting students – as future leaders of the country – to be agents of change. That’s all very well, but we might expect the current leaders to be agents of change too. Why must students wait until they have a chance to be in charge before things improve? There was talk as the results were revealed about – and, take a deep breath here - “healthy relationships curriculum aid” with mention of evidence-based strategies and tactics to support non-violent conflict resolution and non-violent behaviours. Does that sound like a lot of big words with not a lot of detail to you? Yes, it does to us too. We imagine
it probably does to the children affected by school violence as well. So what does that mean? Where does the child affected by violence turn in order to resolve a situation without resorting to raising their fists – or worse, a weapon – themselves? What is being done to spot the child that could start the fight early on and steer them onto a better path? In plain terms, please, not an evidence-based strategy. Who does a child turn to? And a further question for Mr Dames – where are the police officers around schools? Does the survey help to identify which schools have a greater amount of violence so that officers can be better deployed – even within the school precincts where necessary? Let’s not just put it on the next generation to sort the problem out, let’s do all we can to help them deal with it right now – or we don’t really deserve to call ourselves leaders in the first place. Because if we don’t give a child someone to turn to, the survey revealed another detail –that 63 percent of young people felt there was justification for someone to hit a child or hurt a child who misbehaved. Meanwhile, 39 percent felt there was justification for a man hitting his wife, girlfriend or partner if she made him upset. Where did they learn that from? From our generation. From the parents and family members and friends they grow up around. From us. Minister, it’s not the next generation who need to be agents of change. We need to be.
Recovery effort falling short THERE is very much a difference of opinion when it comes to the speed of recovery efforts in Abaco. Yesterday, the chairman of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority, John-Michael Clarke, defended the pace of work there, saying officials felt certain progress was being made. Elsewhere, people on the island have expressed disappointment with the process? Who is right? Well, let’s take a look at one element – the dome city being put up to house refugees. Some residents have called the domes a waste of money. Mr Clarke, meanwhile, says that 32 of the domes will be available to residents near the end of this month. The trouble is, we’ve heard this promise of domes coming soon for a while. Mr Clarke was saying some of the domes would be completed as far back as early December. Then many of the domes hadn’t even arrived in Abaco and were only expected by the end of January. So when we hear talk of how everything is making progress, it’s no surprise that we look back on deadlines that seem to have slipped back. By now, shelters have closed their doors so the people who were in them have found
other places to be – are the domes even in demand any more? Mr Clarke spent part of yesterday calling on people who need a temporary dome to let the authority know – shouldn’t they know already? Shouldn’t they know everyone by name on Abaco and what their needs are by now? How are they still asking what people need more than five months on from Hurricane Dorian? Mr Clarke talks of having “actually begun the process of getting permission of removing debris. We’ve already started that process a couple weeks ago”. A couple of weeks? So we feel it is unsurprising that people feel a lack of progress is being made – and as long as people think that way, then it shows that the government presence isn’t being made to be felt. These are our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends. The whole world reached out to them in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. They shouldn’t feel those closer to home are reaching out to them any less. If officials think enough effort is being made, it seems that’s still falling short. Time to redouble those efforts.
Bloated health insurance EDITOR, The Tribune. Re: All Homes Must Have Insurance’: Leading Insurer Warns Mandatory Cover Has To Be On Agenda After Dorian. – Tribune, Wednesday, Feb 5th. HOPEFULLY the contributor of this initiative, Patrick Ward, is a subscriber to Tribune242.com where he can read appropriate comeuppances to his suggestion, dare I say recommendation. I have no clue as to how insurance premiums are calculated, whether health
and life insurance or general risk insurance, but when every other business in this country has to nip and tuck its costs to the bone, insurers in general seem to feel that God has made them the gateway to salvation, and you either buy insurance or go to hell. Tribune242 contributor “Odrap4” countered Mr. Ward’s suggestion saying that, “Insurance companies should be mandatorily non profit”. And even that may not be enough, as we all know that the Bahamas is hardly the epicenter of
business efficiency. Whenever these guys announce a premium rise they always blame the foreign reinsurers but never ever say what cost and profit they put on the table. It seems the Minister of Finance has some suggestions for bringing the cost of at least catastrophic insurance down. Hopefully the Minister of Health has some thoughts on the equally bloated Health Insurers premiums. BRUCE RAINE Nassau, February 9, 2020.
WAVES crash over the harbour and a lighthouse, as Storm Ciara hits Newhaven, on the south coast of England yesterday. Trains, flights and ferries have been cancelled and weather warnings issued across the United Kingdom and in northern Europe as the storm with winds expected to reach hurricane levels batters the region.
It’s easy to confuse tactics and strategy EDITOR, The Tribune LEADER of the opposition is never an easy job. Since the introduction of internal self-government, we have had more opposition leaders than prime ministers. But there is no doubt that the position can be a catapult into the office of Prime Minister. Witness former opposition leaders Sir Lynden Pindling, Hubert Ingraham, Perry Christie and Hubert Minnis. Other opposition leaders have included Sir Cecil Wallace Whitfield, Cyril Tynes, Sir Kendal Isaacs, Norman Solomon, Henry Bostwick, Tommy Turnquest, Loretta Butler Turner for a hot minute and now Philip Brave Davis. For our democracy to function we need an effective opposition leader and that is why it is so important for Davis to learn the difference between tactics and strategy. Davis’ performance of late has been more knee jerk than strategic. While it is true that the government, not the opposition, sets the national agenda, it serves the common good if the leader of the opposition displays a command of the facts, uses data and persuasion to bolster his lambasting of the government and most importantly always comes across as a prime minister in waiting. In addition to keeping the government’s feet to the fire, the opposition has a duty to put forward in parliament alternative policies and plans in an effort to convince the public that they are a credible government-in-waiting. It does seem like Brave has an obsession with getting into the news, sometimes disregarding the folk
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net wisdom that if you have nothing to say you should just keep quiet and listen. Brave has decided that he will make the economy the focus of his near weekly bashing. The irony of the PLP – the party that made a complete dog’s breakfast out of public finances the last time they were in government - telling anyone how to run the economy is not lost on many. Still, Brave persists. He ought to walk back his latest rant about how we are now on a slippery slope into financial Armageddon piloted by Finance Minister Peter Turnquest. Brave squandered some credibility with his claim that we are courting financial disaster because the national debt is heading north of $8 billion. Brave speculated that the financial markets have lost confidence in the ability of the government to manage our finances and in the capacity of the economy to grow us out of debt. He all but predicted that the flotation of an additional $580 million in loans was likely to flop. But then almost immediately, and obviously coincidentally, the International Monetary Fund slapped him down. The IMF concluded an in-country review in which it essentially proved Brave’s dire prediction was more hyperbole than math. To bolster its satisfaction with what the government is doing in its response to life after Hurricane Dorian, the Fund decided to pitch in $200 million from its own rapid financing facility.
What is unconventional about that is this money comes without the Fund’s usual strenuous conditions. In layman’s language this means we will get the money quickly. To Brave’s obvious chagrin the Fund said that the economy is in a gradual recovery and that Turnquest and his team were providing the “appropriate response”. Surely, Treasury officials must have discussed their latest borrowing with the Fund and gotten the green light. The Fund made a statement saying that public debt is expected to be higher in the medium term. Financial markets tend to like this kind of endorsement. When conducting a country assessment, Fund managers usually meet with a cross section of society, including opposition leaders. Perhaps they didn’t meet Brave because it would be a political faux pas for him to announce pending calamity if he had just been briefed by the Fund that our economic ship was poised to weather post-Dorian reconstruction. As opposition leader Brave must demonstrate that the PLP which he now leads has changed. But each day we get a glimpse of pure unadulterated Perry Christie-ism – a constant public relations junkanoo shuffle but never a tango. Maestro Brave needs to reassess his haphazard approach to public pronouncements disseminated without hint of strategy or discernment. The opposition leader’s job is to humiliate and embarrass the Prime Minister. Not himself. THE GRADUATE Nassau February 10, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, February 10, 2020, PAGE 5
from page one
Moree plans moves to restore court integrity
Most important to this overhaul is the conversion of the process to a cashless system for the payment and receipt of child and spousal support, Chief Justice Moree explained. An expression of interest has already been published in newspapers with six entities submitting proposals for the project, he said, adding that over the next eight weeks or sooner, officials hope to select a suitable vendor. A shortage of staff at the courts, particularly, in the Accounts Department, is also being addressed. “… There are going to be big changes in the Magistrates’ Court which we hope together with what the registrar has already done to strengthen the systems and checks and balances in the Accounting Department, is going to further help us to address these problems and also to be transparent about what is happening in Family Court number three, and to provide a much better service to the Bahamian public with regard to making these payments and accessing these payments,” Chief Justice Moree said. He added: “We’ve taken what is happening in the Magistrates’ Court as very serious matter. It is a significant component of our court system in The Bahamas and it involves literally thousands of Bahamians. So we are committed across the board to improving the service, making it far more accessible to the Bahamian public and in doing so we will be very astute to address the recommendations of the auditor general and the registrar has already began to do that.” Chief Justice Moree said the report provided confirmation of long-standing issues. “Absolutely I think the Auditor General’s report provided some empirical data and confirmation of some of the issues that needed to be addressed,” he told The Tribune. “I don’t think the auditor general said the system completely collapsed. He identified issues and practises and systems that needed to be addressed in order to provide a proper accounting department. “These solutions that we are looking at will most definitely address those issues. There is a micro aspect to this problem and then there’s a macro aspect to this problem,” he continued. “The micro aspect is the specific
CHIEF Justice Brian Moree has said there will be fundamental changes with the system over the next six months in a bid to restore integrity recommendations which the auditor general has made with regard to our Accounting Department. Those are extremely helpful (and) very useful. “We totally accept his recommendations and his comments and efforts are already being extended by the registrar and her team to implement those recommendations but the point that we’re making is we’re going much further than this. “We’re in the process of modernising and reforming our court system – the Magistrates’ Court, the Supreme Court and aspects of the Court of Appeal as well.
“The Magistrates’ Court we hope is going to go through some fundamental changes over the next six months, which we hope will inure to the ultimate benefit of the Bahamian public and is certainly going to address the issues mentioned by the auditor general. “… We are also going to be putting a senior court administrator in the Magistrates’ Court, which is going to assume direct responsibility for all nonjudicial services and we’re going to strengthen the management team in the Magistrates’ Court. “That is part of our HR
needs that we’re working on so the Magistrates’ Court is going to have its own dedicated senior management team which will report to the registrar and she will report to the chief justice and the chief magistrate will continue to be responsible for the judicial functions and services and the senior management team headed by the court administrator is going to be responsible for all non-judicial services, so we are going to have much stronger management, a better system, I hope better staff in the Accounts Department (and) the beginning of the
technology platform.” Mr Bastian’s report said there was also a missing endorsed blank cheque for $6,000 that was later cashed. This was directly given to the Royal Bahamas Police Force for further investigation. Last May, 26-year-old Donavon Harris of Marshall Road, pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a forged document, uttering a forged document and fraud by false pretences at his arraignment before Magistrate Derence RolleDavis and was sentenced to one year in prison. According to a published
report, Mr Harris cashed a $6,000 cheque, drawn on the Civil and Domestic Courts account of the court, at the Royal Bank of Canada Cable Beach Branch on May 24, 2018. The court heard that he told police an accounts supervisor at the complex was the mastermind in a scheme to defraud the Civil and Domestic Courts. As for cashiers altering receipts, Ms Darville-Gomez said the system as been changed and upgraded to ensure only supervisors or other senior staff can carry out the function.
‘WE’LL DEAL WITH ANDROS MIGRANTS IN HUMANE MANNER’ By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said there have been many complaints about illegal immigration in Andros and vowed yesterday to clamp down on the problem in a humane manner. His comments to The Tribune came as the Department of Immigration continues a joint operation on the island. The department said in a statement on Saturday: “In direct response to recent complaints of increased sightings of suspected illegal migrants on the island of Andros, a mass joint exercise dubbed ‘Operation Chickcharney’ was launched Saturday
morning. This exercise involved the combined effort of senior immigration officers, Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers and Royal Bahamas Police Force officers. “The purpose of the operation was to investigate and where necessary take the necessary action against any illegal migrant found, regardless of one’s ethnicity. We have reaped some success, as we continue our operations.” Yesterday, Immigration Director Clarence Russell said the operation is ongoing, with several people in custody assisting authorities and the HMBS Lawrence Major anchored off Andros as the base of operations and transport vessel. Joint teams have more than 50 officers blanketing the districts, he said.
Strong rhetoric against illegal immigration has been a feature of Dr Minnis’ tenure as prime minister. Yesterday he again sounded a warning to Bahamians, saying: “If they are caught harbouring illegals they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of our laws. “We will be dealing aggressively with illegals within our borders. However, they will receive respect and be treated in a humane manner within the confines of our laws. There have been a lot of complaints coming out of Andros and some other areas and we will be looking into all of them.” Andros has become central as the government seeks to lift a Supreme Court injunction blocking the
demolition of shanty towns around the country and address immigration issues related to their existence. Former Chief Councillor Peter Douglas, 60, claimed recently in an affidavit that there are 900 people living in three shanty towns across North Andros. And in a recent statement about the discovery of E coli in water on the island, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said it was examining whether Norther
Andros’ groundwater was contaminated by nearby unregulated communities. “...A discussion ensued as to the possible source of well water contamination which was suggested to be as a result of unregulated development (lack of bathroom facilities attached to structures not approved for construction),” its statement said. “The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resource has been actively working
to determine whether any agricultural crown land has been encroached upon by the migrant community of North Andros or Bahamians and will do everything under the law to ensure that if such encroachment has occurred, it is brought to an end. Furthermore, the use of crown land is strictly for agricultural purposes by those who are registered to lease the land and thus, have no right to sublease to any individual or group of persons.”
PAGE 6, Monday, February 10, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
DAMES: NO LET UP ON MARIJUANA ARRESTS
from page one
“…We will certainly have a healthy discussion on the recommendations (made) and at the end of the day, whatever decisions are made will be made in the best interests of the Bahamian people and will be made in the best interest of this nation. That has been our objective from day one and we will not be coerced or forced into any decisions.” The commission’s preliminary report, which was officially tabled in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, recommends releasing from prison those convicted for having small amounts of the drug
and decriminalising up to one ounce of cannabis for persons 21 and over. It also recommends legalising the substance as a sacrament for the Rastafarian community. Since the report’s release, many members of the Rastafarian community have praised the commission’s recommendations, noting the move as a step in the right direction. “You know over the years, for the last 20 something years, we was at the table agitating concerning our sacramental rights and it was being denied over and over and repeatedly,” said Priest Rithmond McKinney, head of the Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress (EABIC) Bahamas
branch. “…The church giving persons underage alcohol as their sacrament in the church and that’s deemed to be okay in this country so it’s only natural now for the government to show back human rights and respect human rights and respect the Rasta man sacramental rights.” However, in light of the report’s recommendations, Priest McKinney said he also feels that police officers should use their discretion when it comes to arresting persons found with small amounts of the drug. “So, now we’re asking for the police to use some discretion and stop trying to give these young people criminal records,” he told The Tribune last week.
“Right now, persons still getting lock up for two and three joints. We want the police to use some form of discretion at this moment… now that they know this coming on board. “So, don’t try to lock up everyone you see with a small amount of marijuana because you want to build a case and get promotion because of the more people you lock up with marijuana.” However, Mr Dames said while he expects some changes to come as a result of the report, members of the public are still advised to follow the law as nothing has been finalised concerning marijuana legislation. “The report hasn’t been finalised as yet...it is
clear that some changes will come, but what those changes are we haven’t got to that point yet,” he said. “And once, the recommendations are clearly reviewed and discussed and a determination is made in respect to those recommendations, if it requires from that point, the amendments of certain legislation, then we will move in that direction.” But in the meantime, the minister is urging members of the members of the Rastafarian community and the public at large to be patient. “This is a process and you know as a government, we promised that we will go through this process and we were very methodical and very structured
in our approach and we ensured that we canvassed the length and breadth of this country, getting the opinions of ordinary Bahamians,” he said. “…Of course, some of us would’ve already expressed some of our opinions and everyone is entitled to our opinions and at the end of the day, we will ensure that there is a consensus and that’s the direction we intend to go as a nation.” Attorney General Carl Bethel has previously said his office has not started work on marijuana legislation. “My staff are bogged down with Ministry of Finance on the budget bills,” Mr Bethel told The Tribune last week.
Moree: Changes would ease pressure on courts By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net CHIEF Justice Brian Moree has said decriminalising small amounts of marijuana possession is a “policy issue” that if made, would alleviate some of the case load from the court system. Stressing he needed to be extremely careful in speaking about the controversial issue, Chief Justice Moree told The Tribune the matter solely rests with executive and legislative branches of government. He was asked recently about his view on
expunging records of those convicted of possession of small amounts of cannabis, as has been repeatedly echoed by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis who has maintained that his government is aiming to change the way the country treats people sent to prison for the offence. Chief Justice Moree was also asked if he believed the change, if implemented, would impact many people. “The courts may at some point in the future be required to consider cases that will commence in respect to this whole matter and so as chief justice and indeed as judicial officers,
we must not be expressing personal views about these matters because that might affect our ability to deal with cases if and when they come into the courts,” he said during an interview at his Bank Lane office. “So this is a matter where judicial officers have to exercise some restraint.” He continued: “…(This) is really a question of policy for the executive and legislative branches of the government than the judicial branch, because as you know, the courts don’t get involved in policy. We get involved in deciding cases and deciding the law so I don’t think it’s appropriate
for us to engage in a discussion about the social policies. “Having said that, what I can briefly address is the statistical impact of these drug cases on the court system. “Now we don’t have the empirical data available to us, but I think it’s safe to say that currently quite a large number of cases that come before the criminal courts relating to possession of drugs and specifically marijuana sometimes in quite small quantities sometimes in large quantities. “I would have thought that any decision by the government and the
PM Hubert Minnis wants a “complete overhaul of the rehabilitation process” for prisoners. legislature to decriminalise possession of certain quantities of marijuana would almost inevitably result in a reduction of some of the cases that are currently filed in the courts. I must say that’s a fairly logical and uncontroversial statement. If today something is a crime and tomorrow you decriminalise it and it’s no longer a crime, then that is going to result in the reduction of a number of cases and I think that’s simply a logical extrapolation of the policy decision by the government.” He also said: “Certainly to the extent that it does result in a reduction of cases within a certain category that will provide time hopefully to deal with other matters.” The Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana has recommended that possession of up to one ounce of marijuana be decriminalised for people 21 and over. “However, it is recommended that further consideration is needed in establishing the age that a person can be in possession of cannabis without a criminal record,” the BNCM’s report tabled at Parliament last week says. The commission recommends that the amount decriminalised be reviewed every two years following comprehensive analysis and impact studies. The commission did not
take a view on whether cannabis should be legalised for recreational use, a matter that divided members. Meanwhile Dr Minnis told The Tribune last week that he wants a “complete overhaul of the rehabilitation process” for prisoners, declaring too many people have been deprived of their freedom and future. Dr Minnis’ comments came after he met representatives of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Committee, which has the power to expunge records of young people and firsttime offenders who meet criteria. The committee’s work is a part of a package which officials hope will eventually include a parole system that would allow some prisoners to receive early release from prison. Dr Minnis said: “We want to give our countrymen a freedom and a future they have been deprived of because of minor offences and in some cases, decades old offences. “We need to reform the whole system so they can have a clean slate and their lives can begin again. We are a government of expanding freedom and creating better futures.” Dr Minnis has especially stressed the role the Rehabilitation of Offenders Committee will play in expunging the records of people convicted of marijuana possession crimes.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020
THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS
Education is critical otherwise we’re on the road to nowhere by Malcolm Strachan
A
T A time when the country is filled with challenges, the Bahamian people, while not having a shortage of problems, can’t say the same for solutions. Countries all over the world are experiencing problems. From the climate crisis to world hunger and poverty and everything in between, organisations around the world, particularly in the field of technology, are seeking the wisdom of those able to provide solutions. As we all know, every solution starts with a question or series of questions – all powered by the ability to think critically. Our limitation in this thinking, as a nation, has been our Achilles heel. With so many annoyances within Bahamian society, many of us wonder why processes that don’t have be difficult are the way they are. We question why individuals in front-facing positions at service providers seemingly have a talent for making simple processes more difficult than they have to be. The ease of doing business is not easy at all. Utilities don’t work well. Citizens don’t feel safe. Illegal immigration continues to be a problem. The middle class is evaporating right before our eyes and home ownership for many people is fleeting. The list goes on. Our grievance over a lack of critical thinking is nowhere more glaring than in politics. For decades, Bahamians have pinballed back and forth between the Progressive Liberal Party and the Free National Movement. Stagnated by cultish party loyalties and uninformed voters, political parties have a very low bar to win an election – only having to worry about being better than the next guy.
Thus, our political climate is one where politicians come around every five years claiming to have all the solutions – or at least more than those they oppose – but when they are given the opportunity, our complaints just shift from one group to the next. It’s a tragic reality for any country. However, what must be assessed is how we evolve as a nation going forward. The correlation between democracy and education has been studied extensively by researchers and it has been determined that individuals with lower education are different political actors than those with higher levels of education. Additionally, one’s economic status can be a predictor of one’s education level. Accordingly, it should be a priority to place a higher value on education – not just by increasing graduation rates, but also affecting the type of thinkers being produced in our classrooms. While we take into account that introducing another school of thought to people who have attached their national identity to their political party may lead to resistance, we can’t dismiss the benefits of a more active and engaged democratic process. Additionally, looking long-term at the potential advantages for first-time voters and the younger generations, they can also benefit greatly by being introduced to a different form of learning. All told, we should be mindful that a society that thinks critically benefits far beyond politics. As this hopefully becomes a matter for public discourse, we would not want the policy makers to narrowly focus solely on the political implications. Countries that have pursued education reform by making inquiry-based learning the cornerstone of their curriculums have raved about the benefits it has had on their students. Inquiry-based learning is defined as “a learning and
teaching method that prioritises student questions, ideas and analyses” to encourage students to use evidence-supported reasoning to solve a problem. The Bahamas is at a pivotal point in its history with frustrated citizens leading to massive migration outflows and an increase in the nation’s brain drain. As this becomes more common, we have to really start asking ourselves how this nation is going to further its development without the human capital necessary to lead the charge. As our political leaders thrive in an environment where citizens largely accept or refute policies based on their support of a particular political party, neither the directorate nor the electorate, for the most part, are focused on the future of the country. Needless to say, this model only leads to failure. Our citizens have to be trained to place the right people in leadership to govern. This will only come about by looking at the problems of the day and discerning who is most capable of solving them. Moreover, a government presiding over a people informed on the country’s problems increases accountability in government, and thus, raises the standard of governance. With no shortage of complaints among the populace, don’t you think it’s time we educated ourselves and our children on how to solve problems? Countries that have emphasised the importance of critical thinking in their children from an early age have proven to perform well in solving their problems. And as we continue to flail in a flood of our societal ills, ranging from crime to pollution, high cost of living to high unemployment, climate change to illegal immigration – and the list goes on – the revolving door of archaic political ideologies and empty promises will guarantee we are on a collision course for failure. The choice is clear.
PAGE 8 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020
INSIGHT
Time for a new approach in Venezuela - and it may very well be played by Trump himself WHEN is a failed policy recognised as a failure and abandoned for a new approach? That was the question Barack Obama and his administration had to confront after more than 50 years of a policy of trade embargoes, sanctions and, at one point, invasion that failed to dislodge the Castro government in Cuba. It is a question the present Donald Trump administration should be considering in relation to Venezuela and the Nicolas Maduro government. Over the last four years, the US government has imposed an array of sanctions against individuals and state enterprises in Venezuela. While the former may have hurt the individuals concerned, the latter has hurt the poorest and most vulnerable, exacerbating the flow of people from the country into neighbouring states. But, even the continuous sanctions have not created conditions in Venezuela where the people or the military have risen-up
to bring about the regime change being sought by the US, Canada and a few countries in South and Central America. Maduro’s government has remained in place by virtue of several circumstances, including strong support from a significant number of the population; the division among the opposition parties and the unattractiveness of their leaders, despite assertions to the contrary; and the financial backing of Russia and China which continue to buy Venezuelan oil. The US government, Canada and a few countries in Europe have recognised Juan Guaidó as the
TEMPLE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMINATION 2020-2021 Temple Christian High School will hold its Entrance Examination on Saturday, February 15, 2020 at the school on Shirley Street from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon for students wishing to enter grades 7, 8, 9 & 10. Application forms are available at the High School Office. The application fee is twenty-five dollars ($25). Application forms should be completed and returned to the school by Friday, February 14, 2020
For further information, please call telephone number: (242) 394-4481 (242) 394-4484
President of Venezuela and have supported his efforts to organise protests and demonstrations, although even these have diminished in recent months. Keeping large crowds on the streets arises either out of deep commitment to a cause or considerable financial support. Protests and marches don’t pay bills unless the protestors and marchers are compensated. Money – and donors – seem to have dwindled considerably. This latter policy of support has encouraged Guaidó not to seek genuine national solutions in the several brokered attempts at dialogue that have occurred. No party to a negotiation, assured of external backing, would make concessions that would not put it in an advantageous position. Convinced the US, Canada, a few European and Latin American governments would back his hard-line positions, Guaidó didn’t bargain, he postured. This is not to say the Maduro government did not also take unyielding positions. They clearly did; also encouraged by
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
VENEZUELAN President Nicolas Maduro inside the Supreme Court in Caracas external forces, especially Russia and China, and by the fact the majority of countries in the world still recognise it as the government of Venezuela. In the global support game, the score is Guaidó fifty or so; Maduro well over a hundred. In all this, there have been no winners, only losers. And the biggest losers are the people of Venezuela whose quality of life, except for the higher echelons of the society, has dramatically deteriorated. Other losers are the neighbouring states into which Venezuelan refugees have poured. Each of them has been impacted by the inward migration. Costs of dealing with the influx of migrants has been high and has diverted funds that should be used to deliver the goods and services their own people expect. There will come a time when these same neighbouring countries will have to evaluate the damage to them of increasing and stringent sanctions on Venezuela that escalate migration. When their own circumstances compel them to do so, they will object to further sanctions and call for a reversal of many of them. Recognising sanctions have not produced the desired collapse of the Maduro government and that he has failed to mobilise enough internal dissent, particularly from the military, to topple the Government, Guaidó has
been calling for US military intervention. A member of Guaidó’s group, Iván Simonovis, personally delivered a letter to President Donald Trump, requesting the United States go “on the offensive”. In a tweet, Simonovis also declared, “Now we are asking to accelerate the process and cut the oxygen line, to finally end Maduro’s time”. He has repeatedly stated the solution for Venezuela is a “military coalition”. In part, this is why the US and nine countries from the Lima Group (including Guaidó’s representative), pushed through a resolution on September 11, 2019 at the Organisation of American States (OAS) to invoke the terms of the Rio Treaty, an anachronistic 1947 compact. As I have written before, the objective of the resolution, set out in an accompanying notice, was to “adopt measures” to intervene in Venezuela which, it claimed “pose a threat to peace in the Americas”. Guaidó was a guest at President Trump’s ‘State of the Union’ address on February 4, and he was received by the President at the White House for a halfhour meeting. After the meeting, Guaidó reported that “concrete measures” against Maduro would be announced in the coming days. Much as Guaidó might want it, President Trump’s “measures” are
most unlikely to include a military intervention in Venezuela. This President has shown a marked reluctance to commit the lives of American soldiers and the resources of the US Treasury to fighting someone else’s war, particularly as not only would it put the US in an unnecessary confrontation with Russia and China, there would not be much benefit to come from it for America. As President Trump pointed out just the day before he received Guaidó, the US is entirely self-sufficient in oil and gas, and whatever top-up it needs it can get quicker and cheaper from Canada. There is clearly a standoff now in the Venezuelan situation. It cries out for a fresh approach. President Trump might himself be the trump card in the resolution of this situation, if he decides to use his personal authority and bargaining skills for a direct discussion with Nicolas Maduro, centred on the welfare of the Venezuelan people. The writer is Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and at Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
INSIGHT
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020 PAGE 9
Remember - never take a chance with a robber
BY observing basic precautionary measures, chances of becoming a robbery victim are greatly reduced. Here are some general rules to follow: • Travel in well-lit streets. • Avoid dark corners, alleys and entrances to buildings. • Always try to walk on the side of the street facing oncoming traffic. • If you must travel at night regularly, do not carry more than you can afford to lose. • If possible, walk with a companion, either male or female. An armed robber is less likely to confront two or more, than a lone individual. • When waiting for a bus, try to select a well-lit area. Aim for a busy stop where many people will be coming and going. • Do not hitchhike or accept rides from strangers. • Avoid taking shortcuts through deserted areas such as parks, playgrounds, vacant lots, etc. • Be cautious entering your car as someone may be hiding inside. Or, when leaving your car, someone may be waiting. Park in well-lit areas. • Never carry weapons that can be used against you. • If someone asks directions, keep it polite but maintain a safe distance. • If you are alone and think you are being followed, head for an occupied building such as a bar, restaurant, gas station, fire station, etc. If none is available, cross the street in the middle of the block. If there is street vehicular traffic, try to stop a car for help. If you are confronted do not resist. Cooperate. Give
the criminal whatever he asks for: wallet, keys, jewellery, credit cards etc. Your life is more valuable than replaceable possessions. • Do not make any sudden, unexpected moves. A nervous criminal may think you are reaching for a concealed weapon. • If the suspect claims he has a gun, knife, razor or anything that can harm you in his pocket, never try to force his bluff. • Never try to be a hero and apprehend the criminal yourself. • Notify police as soon as possible. BURGLARY • If you arrive at your home or business and feel that it has been burglarised, DO NOT ENTER, but go to another location and call the police. Let the police search the property to make sure that no suspect is still present. Upon entering your home or business, do not touch things unnecessarily as you may disturb or destroy fingerprint and other evidence. Inform the police of anything that have been moved from its original position so that it can be checked for prints. Notify the police if you find anything that is not yours that may have been left behind by the burglar such as tools, clothing, etc. Be prepared to provide the police with
serial numbers and a complete description of all missing property. Tell the police if you have engraved any of the items with your driver’s license or other personalised number. ROBBERY • You have heard it before and now here it is again: Never resist if you are the victim of a robbery. Do exactly as you are told to do in order to minimise your chances of being injured and to speed the departure of your assailant before he gets other ideas. The assailant, in most cases, does not want to hang around much longer than you want him to. Your money and other valuables can hopefully be replaced. If they cannot be replaced do not let that thought cause you to hesitate. YOU certainly cannot be replaced. Try to obtain a good description of the suspect(s) and the direction and mode (on foot, vehicle) of escape. It is always a good idea to have a second bill fold with a few dollars and a few important looking cards in it to give to an attacker should the need arise. Keep your real cash and cards in an interior pocket not easily accessible by the robber. However, do not resist any attempt the attacker may make to search your pockets or belongings.
PARK in a well-lit area
PAGE 10 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020
INSIGHT
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
Behind Hollywood’s night of glamour lies an industry in need of change
CHARLIZE Theron arrives at the Oscars last night at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
AS THE great and good of the movie world stepped out on the Oscars red carpet, old Hollywood glamour – and old Hollywood values – remained central to the night. The Academy Awards presentation is one of the most prestigious events in the film industry. And while the awards are the focus of limited academic research, they offer insight into Hollywood trends and the issues faced by the American film industry. By assessing the Oscars’ current status, we can clearly see tension arising between the old guard of Hollywood and the newer values and practices of the industry. Debates around the diversity of nominees
– both in terms of gender and race – come at a time when the way that we interact with film is changing. Online streaming services are offering easy access to movies. And although some streaming firms’ films have been recognised by the Academy Awards, movies are only eligible for nomination if they have had a theatrical release alongside their online debut. In 2019, Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma became the first Netflix film to be nominated for best picture. In 2020, an even more extensive slate of Netflix movies were nominated for a total of 24 awards, including The Irishman (four including best actor, best picture and best director), The Two Popes (best actor, best supporting actor and best adapted screenplay) and Marriage Story (six including acting, directing and screenplay). But despite Netflix’s seeming dominance of this year’s Oscars, the relationship between streaming services and the Academy has not been
without controversy. Martin Scorsese has begged people not to watch The Irishman on a phone screen. This seems odd coming from a director who is clearly benefiting from a service that offers its subscribers the ability to watch films anytime, anywhere. In 2019 Steven Spielberg spoke in favour of the Academy only celebrating films that have had a theatrical release and one of the prize’s key rules is that a film must have a “qualifying theatrical run of at least seven consecutive days, during which period screenings must occur at least three times daily”. At least one of these screenings must be between 6pm and 10pm and the theatrical run must be for “paid admission in a commercial motion picture theatre in Los Angeles County”. This is a potentially prohibitive rule for smaller-scale or streaming service-only productions. It also underlines the oldfashioned idea of LA being the one and only home of movies.
New tensions, old values The Academy’s difficulty in keeping up with the times is also evident in the regular rows over diversity. Claims of sexism and racism, as well as ageism and homophobia, are frequently levelled at the Academy Awards. In 2012, a study by the LA Times found that 94 percent of Oscar voters were white and 77 percent were male. The Academy has attempted to improve these figures in recent years, breaking its own cap of 5,000 members in order to diversify its voters. A recent report revealed the Academy had issued more than 900 invitations for extra voters as part of a diversity initiative in 2018. Nearly half (49 percent) of those invited were female and 38 percent were people of colour. Beyond that, however, the make-up of the Academy’s membership remains opaque. Despite the push to improve the diversity of the Academy, the lack of women nominated for best director has become a tiresome norm for the Oscars – and 2020 was no exception. Likewise best actor and supporting actor nominees were all white, as were best supporting actress. In the best director category, only the presence of Bong Joon Ho for
FOR SALE
by CLAIRE JENKINS Lecturer in Film and Television Studies, University of Leicester and STEVIE MARSDEN Research Associate, CAMEo Research Institute for Cultural and Media Economies, University of Leicester
Korean movie Parasite mitigated against the once again deserved hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, while Cynthia Erivo was the lone woman of colour vying for best actress. Such biases are exacerbated by the regulations regarding theatrical release. Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime offer opportunities to women and filmmakers of colour that are not available in the mainstream but these films tend to be overlooked at awards ceremonies. For example, Lynne Ramsay’s 2017 film You Were Never Really Here, a film distributed by Amazon, was hailed by critics but failed to receive a single nomination for the 2018 Oscars. Meanwhile directors such as Scorsese – whose names can justify the brief theatrical release required by the rules and who bring “prestige” (not to mention lots of viewers) to these services – tend to overshadow the less wellknown names. Perhaps as a result of this, there’s been a downturn in interest in the Oscars broadcast in recent years. The 2018 and 2019 Academy Awards achieved the lowest ratings ever for the ceremony. Critics believe the Oscars have become increasingly predictable in terms of
who wins awards. The long speeches and problematic hosts have also become off-putting for viewers. Seth McFarlane’s sexist performance of We Saw Your Boobs at the 2013 ceremony was widely criticised as distasteful and, in 2019, the awards ceremony was without a host after Kevin Hart stepped down following controversy around his homophobic humour and offensive tweets. The broadcast is also struggling to adapt to changing viewing practices of both the ceremony and the films it highlights. While ratings for the televised ceremony fall, key events or scandals (remember when Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announced the wrong winner of best picture in 2017) are becoming the key talking points in the hours after the ceremony and tend to be consumed as clips via social media or YouTube. These viral Oscars “snippets” – and their evident popularity – suggest today’s audiences are less interested in the prolonged celebration of traditional Hollywood and are more likely to want to pick and choose what aspects they engage with. So, if the way in which we interact with film is changing, can the Academy keep up? theconversation.com
MONTROSE AVENUE, SHIRLEY HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION LOT NO. 26 PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: Commercial Structure PROPERTY SIZE: 5,940 sq. ft. ACCOMMODATION: One storey commercial building with three office spaces with an attached income-producing apartment comprised of three bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, living room. APPRAISED VALUE: $227,000.00
INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD CONTACT: IAN SYMONETTE: 397-6940 OR 376-1343 OR EMAIL: DISTRESSED.PROPERTIES@COMBANKLTD.COM
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, February 10, 2020, PAGE 11
Say No to violence, Dames urges students By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net
ABOVE: NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames and, below, Arvis Mortimer, monitoring and evaluation specialist at the CSJP. Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames urged Bahamian students on Friday to “say no to violence” after a recent survey revealed that 17 percent of the students surveyed say they were in a fight at school within the last 30 days. The survey, facilitated by the Citizens Security and Justice Programme in partnership with the Ministry of Education, also found that 63 percent of young people felt there is justification for someone to hit a child or physically hurt a child who misbehaved. The findings were made known at an inter-school rally at Marathon Mall, where officials spoke on the importance of developing healthy relationships to help reduce crime in the country. “So in 2019, with the Citizens Security and Justice Programme, which falls under the Ministry of National Security, we did a survey in eight (public) high schools in New Providence and the survey was done in grades 10 through 12, so students between the ages 13 to 18,” said Arvis Mortimer, monitoring and evaluation specialist at the CSJP. “And we had over 1,500 young people like yourselves that’s answered this survey questionnaire..and what we found (from the preliminary data) was that 17 percent, which was about 260 of the respondents, said that they were in a physical fight on the school’s grounds within the last 30 days. We also found that 63 percent of the young people felt… that there could be some justification if someone hit a child or physically hurt a child who misbehaved. “And then we saw about 39 percent of these respondents who believed that there could be some justification for a man hitting his wife, girlfriend or partner if she made him upset. And for us, this was kind of, I wouldn’t say surprising because it mirrors cultural trends, but it definitely was the catalyst to work with the Ministry of Education and partner with them,” she said. For his part, Mr Dames told students that as future leaders of the country they must be willing to be agents of change. “As we look throughout our communities, as we look within our schools, as we look within public spaces, we’re seeing too many of our young children engaging in very unhealthy lifestyles and unhealthy relationships, too many fights,” he said. “…This is not a good reflection of who we ought to be as future leaders of this great nation of ours.” “We’re depending on you
to lead us at some point, when we’re all old and decrepit and so we have to prepare you and we have an obligation to do that, but you have to be willing participants and that is so important.” “...So, let’s say no to violence. Let’s say no to bullying. Let’s say, yes, to healthy relationships.” Ms Mortimer noted that in partnership with the Ministry of Education, CSJP was able to produce the healthy relationships curriculum aid, which seeks to reduce crime and violence in the country by providing
tools to help foster stronger relationships. “We worked with the senior education officer of health and family life education department in the Ministry of Education and we provided the evidence-based strategies and tactics, included in the curriculum aid that seeks to support non-violent conflict resolution and non-violent behaviours. “We’re very excited about the curriculum aid that we have developed. It was implemented in the 2019 school year in September (in) all eight of the
senior high schools where the survey was distributed or conducted and so far, the response has been pretty good,” she said. “We’ve had over 1,300 young people who have participated in the classes where the curriculum aid was introduced and we’re excited to go back into the schools and follow up with the students and the teachers and continue advancing the cause of reducing crime and violence in our country.” Editorial View - Page 4
shooting last year. Joeric Delaney, of Catherine Street, was charged before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes
PAGE 12, Monday, February 10, 2020
Dames calls police chase ‘tragic’ By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames has called a recent police chase that led to two men being killed in a car crash “unfortunate” and “tragic”, adding it’s never easy when “someone loses their life”. While he said the matter is under investigation, Mr Dames told reporters it is not “uncommon” for police chases to end badly. “If you watch the news, you would see in the United States and other places, these high-speed chases that (happen) from time to time, end in disaster. If not disaster for the persons who are being chased, it’s some innocent civilian standing on the side of the road,” he said. “Or some driver going
about their business trying to get to their destination or even a law enforcement officer. And so this is very dangerous business especially on the streets of our nation and our streets are very narrow, but persons, young men in particular, continue to take these risks. “I am not going to speak to that matter because, of course, that matter is certainly under investigation and we’d have to let the courts at the end of the day make some determination as to what transpired.” According to police, officers were acting on information shortly after 9pm on Saturday February 1 when they visited the Golden Gates area and observed a silver car that was occupied by two men who were behaving suspiciously. Speaking at the scene,
771 Greenslade; Detective Corporal 3557 Farrington; and Detective Corporal 3569 Brown. According to a police
piciously. Instead, however, the vehicle’s occupants opened fire and led the officers on a high-speed chase to Pinewood Gardens
Paramedics were called to the scene and took the two injured men to hospital. Two officers suffered minor injuries and were also taken
Delaney was not required to enter a plea to the charges and the matter was adjourned to a later date for service of a voluntary
Police car chase ends with two men dead from page one suspected of being involved in an armed robbery. The first attempt by the officers, the vehicle failed to stop. It led police on a high-speed chase from the Carmichael Road corridor to Golden Gates #1 subdivision, East Street and come back around. The vehicle at the time was travelling at a high rate of speed.” Police said the driver lost control and collided with a concrete wall on the western side of the Baillou Hill Road, near Moonshine Drive. “The driver was ejected
from the vehicle,” a police statement said. ‘EMS and Fire Services were called to the scene where the passenger had to be extracted.” The driver was pronounced dead on the scene and the passenger was transported to the hospital where he eventually died from his injuries. Police said they recovered a 9mm pistol with 12 rounds of ammunition from the scene. The incident followed a separate police chase last Thursday that resulted in a man being shot and taken to the hospital in critical condition. “Upon arrival to the
area, officers saw a vehicle fitting the description, attempted to stop the driver who ignored and sped off,” police said. “The vehicle came to a stop on Brougham Street off East Street where two males exited the vehicle. One of the males produced a firearm, pointed it in the direction of the officers and discharged it. Officers, being in fear of their lives, fired their service weapon at the suspects injuring one of the males. The suspects fled on foot but were captured a short time later. The injured male was transported to hospital by EMS where he is listed in critical
Chief Superintendent While acknowledging Craig Stubbs told report- that any death is tragic, ers: “Officers on mobile Mr Dames was clear that patrol attempted to stop his ministry will not stop a vehicle, a Nissan Note, its efforts to combat crime silver in colour, suspected across the country. of being involved in an “It’s a very tragic situaarmed robbery. The first tion and anytime someone attempt by the officers, the loses their life, no matter vehicle failed to stop. who they are, it’s very “It led police on a high- unfortunate and I would speed chase from the again warn the young Carmichael Road corridor men out there especially to Golden Gates #1 subdivi- who feel that living a life sion, East Street, and came of crime is the only way back around. The vehicle at to go,” the Mount Moriah AVAGAY Ekisha Jemison outside court. Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune staff the time was travelling at a MP added. high rate of speed.” “And there are consePolice said the driver quences and in this small lost control, ran into a con- country of ours, we will crete wall on the western not sit back and allow side of Baillou Hill Road, a handful of misfits to near Moonshine Drive, run rampant though this By NICO SCAVELLA Chief Magistrate Andrew January 19 and January and Staff wasReporter later pronounced terrorise Tribune Forbes charged country with three and 24. Dueto to her not guilty nscavella@tribunemedia.net persons pleas, hardworking Dep Chief Magisdead at the scene. trafficking in innocent, offences alleged to have trate Forbes adjourned passenger, been officers Bahamians. A The29-YEAR-OLD committed earlier the matter to March 31 for Jamaican woman was this month. Bail was denied to and added, was taken to the “That trial. is not going remanded to prison on It is alleged that she smug- she was remanded to the hospital where eventuhappen…and underof Friday after denying alle-he gled her first victim into the Bahamas not Department gations smuggled country sometime between Correctional Services in the allyshe died fromthree his injuries. this government.” women into the country as a
JAMAICAN WOMAN DENIES SMUGGLING THREE WOMEN
means to exploit them. Avagay Ekisha Jemison stood before Deputy
January 14 and January 24; her second victim between January 17 and January 24; and the third between
interim. Jemison has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.
interim. He has a right to apply to the TRIBUNE Supreme Court THE for bail. Delaney is represented by attorney Ian Cargill.
HOW The Tribune covered the story earlier this month.
THE DAMAGE caused after a car chase involving police which ended in a crash that killed two men on Saturday. Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff condition. The other male was arrested and taken into custody. Police have recovered a 9mm pistol with six
rounds of ammunition at the scene.” Police Inspector Leonardo Burrows said
“We would’ve recently signed a contract for the use of body worn cameras and dash cams and it’s an incident like this that will certainly allow the public to see exactly what happened, how it happened and why it happened… because at the end of the day, it’s all about transparency.” Meanwhile, as it relates to other crime matters, the national security minister urged members of the public to notify the police if any suspicious activities are seen happening in their respective communities. The Tribune recently reported that in the last several weeks residents in both eastern and western New Providence have complained about increased burglaries in their communities.
yesterday the injured man from Thursday’s incident is now in stable condition. Editorial View - Page 4
Quiet gated communities such as Palm Cay, Treasure Cove and Sandy Port have also reported several of these incidents to police. Speaking on the matter to reporters on Friday, Mr Dames said: “Crimes of this nature, as always, are of a concern and I get constant updates from the Royal Bahamas police force. “And I believe that they are following many number of leads. Where those leads will end up, we just have to wait and see but this is the world that we’re living in today unfortunately.” “And I continue to say to members of the public that anytime you see anything, remotely looks suspicious, you pick up the phone and call the police and let’s deal with it.”
CUSTOMERS ANGRY OVER ANOTHER BLACKOUT GUNMAN INJURES MAN INSIDE HOUSE
By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
MANY customers took to social media to voice frustration on Friday over
an electricity failure by Bahamas Power and Light leaving them without service. Customers in east and west New Providence were
A MAN was wounded after a gunman opened fire on a home in Flamingo Gardens on Friday, police reported. Shortly before midnight, an unknown person armed with left entered without during firearm a yardpower on Turks Court, Flamingo Gardens and opened fire on a home, the morning hours of the before fleeing in an unknown direction. day. A man who was inside the house was
In a statement published on the company’s Facebook page, BPL advised the
In Loving Memory OMarche rville Bernadetle - Knowles
September 30, 1930 - February 10, 2010
Dearest Mummy, I am honoured and privileged to have been your daughter. You always loved me unconditionally and was the BEST mother I could ever wish for, I will love and miss you forever. Your one and only Nicky
grazed on the stomach, police said. No one else was injured during the incident. Police are appealing to members of the public, who may have information that can public that had assist with this and technicians other investigations, to contact the Central Detective Unit at 502been dispatched to “investi9991/2, Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477) andpolice address orgate” the nearest station. technical
difficulties which resulted in a disruption in service. The outage affected more than a dozen areas. During the outage, disgruntled customers in these affected areas took to the comment section of the company’s statement to voice their complaints. One customer said: “Turn this light on! Y’all want charge more and doing foolishness and not deduct for poor service! No one can be understanding about your difficulties because y’all aren’t understanding to our plight from your lack of competency!” “South Beach isn’t listed but lights are off also no time is listed for lights to be back on, some of us work from home and this is a
huge inconvenience to me and my customers,” another Facebook user added. Other customers accused BPL of using technical difficulties as an excuse to cover up incompetence and load shedding. When asked to respond to complaints, Quincy Parker, BPL’s director of communications, told The Tribune that the company stands by its original release. “If we have put out a statement that is the statement that we stand by,” he told The Tribune when contacted. Shortly after noon Friday, the company released another statement advising the public that power had been restored to the affected areas. The company also apologised for any inconvenience caused.
BPL’S HQ “Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) wishes to report to customers in New Providence that all feeders were closed at 12.13pm restoring power to all customers in the affected areas,” the statement read. “Technical difficulties at our Clifton Pier plant resulted in manual load shedding commencement at 10.02am.”
FIRE CONFIRMED AT PLANT BAHAMAS Power and Light confirmed that a fire involving an Aggreko rental unit occurred on Friday at its Blue Hills Power Station. According to BPL officials, the incident did not pose as a “significant threat” to its generation assets nor had it caused customers on the island to be affected. “Only a single unit was involved in the fire and the incident had no effect on the
load to the grid, therefore no customers were affected,” the power provider said in a statement released on Saturday. “The unit was a part of a bank of 25MW of rental units maintained and operated by Aggreko personnel, and the fire was quickly brought under control and then extinguished.” The power provider, however, did not reveal the cause of the incident.
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, February 10, 2020, PAGE 13
Best of The Bahamas Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
THE MINISTRY of Tourism hosted the two-day Tru Tru Bahamian Festival at John Watling’s Distillery over the weekend. The festival is a celebration of all things Bahamian and showcased the best of The Bahamas. The event featured authentic Bahamian food and drink and an incredible array of Bahamian made products. Popular Bahamian musicians like the Rhythm Band and the Royal Bahamas Police Force Pop Band gave performances.
PAGE 14, Monday, February 10, 2020 LOS ANGELES Associated Press “PARASITE” last night became the first non-English language film to win best picture in the 92-year history of the Academy Awards. Bong Joon Ho’s masterfully devious class satire took Hollywood’s top prize at the Oscars, along with awards for best director, best international film and best screenplay. In a year dominated by period epics — “1917,” “Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood,” “The Irishman” — the film academy instead went overseas, to South Korea, to reward a contemporary and unsettling portrait of social inequality in “Parasite.” True to its name, “Parasite” simply got under the skin of Oscar voters, attaching itself to the American awards season and, ultimately, to history. The win was a watershed moment for the Academy Awards, which has long been content to relegate international films to their own category. Multiple standing ovations greeted Bong’s several wins. “I am ready to drink tonight,” Bong said, prompting roars from the crowd. Unexpectedly called up again for best director, Bong saluted his fellow nominees, particularly Martin Scorsese, and concluded: “Now I’m ready to drink until tomorrow.” After the Dolby Theatre had emptied out, the “Parasite” team still remained on the stage, soaking in their win. The win for “Parasite” — which had echoes of the surprise victory of “Moonlight” over “La La Land” three years ago — came in a year when many criticised the lack of diversity in the nominees and the absence of female filmmakers. But the triumph for “Parasite” enabled Hollywood to flip the script and signal a different kind of progress. In doing so, the film academy turned away another history-making event, again denying Netflix its first best-picture win despite two contenders in “The Irishman” and “Marriage Story,” and a big-spending awards campaign blitz. Mendes’ audaciously conceived World War I film “1917,” made to seem one continuous shot, had been the clear favorite heading into Oscars, having won nearly all the precursor awards, including top honors from the Producers Guild, the Directors Guild, the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs. In the end, “1917” went home with three awards for its technical virtuosity: Roger Deakins’ cinematography, visual effects and sound mixing. All of the acting winners — Brad Pitt, Renee Zellweger, Joaquin Phoenix and Laura Dern — went as expected. While Pitt, notching his first acting Oscar,
THE TRIBUNE
THE FIRST FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TO WIN BEST PICTURE AWARD
Parasite makes history at Oscars
BONG Joon Ho takes the top prize at the Oscars last night
THERE were Oscars for, left, Renee Zellweger for Best Actress, Joaquin Phoenix, above, for Best Actor, Brad Pitt for Best Supporting Actor and Elton John, right, with Bernie Taupin, for best original song from Rocketman.
had regaled audiences with one-liners in the run-up to Sunday, he began his comments on a political note. “They told me I have 45 seconds to speak, which is 45 seconds more than the Senate gave John Bolton this week,” Pitt said, alluding to the impeachment hearings. “I’m thinking maybe Quentin does a movie about it.”
Pitt said the honour had given him reason to reflect on his fairy-tale journey in the film industry, going back to when he moved to Los Angeles from Missouri. “Once upon a time in Hollywood,” said Pitt. “Ain’t that the truth.” Zellweger completed a comeback, winning her second Academy Award for her fragile but indomitable
Judy Garland in “Judy.” Dern won for her performance as a divorce attorney in Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story.” Accepting her first Oscar, Dern thanked her in-attendance parents, “my legends, Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern.” Phoenix, long one of Hollywood’s most respected actors, took best actor for his limber but morose Joker. In his acceptance speech, Phoenix spoke deliberately about a host of issues, including sexism and racism in the film industry, ecological disaster and vegetarianism. “I’ve been a scoundrel in my life. I’ve been selfish, I’ve
been cruel at times and hard to work with. But so many of you in this room have given me a second chance,” Phoenix said. When people guide each other toward redemption, he said, “that is the best of humanity.” He concluded quoting a lyric of his deceased brother, River Phoenix: “Run to the rescue with love and peace will follow.” For the 87th time, no women were nominated for best director this year, a subject that was woven into the entire ceremony — and even into some attendees’ clothing. Natalie Portman wore a cape lined with the names of female
filmmakers who weren’t nominated for best director, including Lulu Wang (“The Farewell”), Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”) and Mati Diop (“Atlantics”). Some performances, like Eminem’s performance of “Lose Yourself,” were unexpected (and drew a wan response from Scorsese). All of the song nominees performed, including Elton John who won with his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin for their “Rocketman” tune. • Behind Hollywood’s night of glamour lies an industry in need of change - Page 10
THAILAND IN MOURNING AS ANGRY SOLDIER GUNS DOWN 29 BEFORE HE IS SHOT DEAD BANGKOK Associated Press
NEW York City police work the scene of a shooting yesterday
GUNMAN AMBUSHES NYC POLICE TWICE IN 12 HOURS
NEW YORK Associated Press
A GUNMAN was taken into custody yesterday after he ambushed police officers in the Bronx twice in 12 hours, wounding two in attacks that ignited outrage from officials who blamed the violence on an atmosphere of anti-police rhetoric. The man, whose name was not released, was captured after he walked into a police station in the Bronx and started shooting shortly before 8am. His shots struck a lieutenant in the arm and narrowly missed other police personnel
before he ran out of bullets, lay down and tossed his pistol. That attack came just hours after the same man approached a patrol van in the same part of the Bronx late on Saturday and fired at two officers inside, wounding one before escaping on foot. Despite multiple shots fired in both incidents, nobody was killed, and all are expected to recover. “It is only by the grace of God and the heroic actions of those inside the building that took him into custody that we are not talking about police officers murdered inside a New York City police precinct,” said a chief policeman.
A SOLDIER angry about a land dispute went on a 16-hour shooting rampage in northeastern Thailand, killing at least 29 people and wounding dozens more. Police and military personnel hunted the gunman overnight in a shopping mall where he had holed up and shot him dead yesterday morning. It was Thailand’s biggest mass shooting carried out by a single gunman. As mourning began for the victims, the country counted its losses: a mother shot dead at the wheel of her car as her son sat beside her, a 13-year-old student gunned down as he was riding his motorbike home and more than two dozen other people. Authorities said the attack was carried out by a single gunman — a disgruntled soldier who opened fire on strangers before he was fatally shot at a shopping mall. Another 58 people were wounded. More than 1,000 people turned up a the vigil led by Buddhist monks. They
FORENSIC officers inspect the shooting scene outside the Terminal 21 Korat mall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand yesterday lit candles and prayed and chanted in the town square featuring a statue of Thao Suranari, a governor’s wife who is revered for leading troops against invaders from Laos two centuries ago. Officials said the gunman was angry over a financial dispute with his commanding officer. He made Col. Anantarote Krasae his first victim before stealing guns from an army camp and heading to the mall, shooting wildly along the way at
people inside and outside the building. The attacker was identified as Sgt. Maj. Jakrapanth Thomma, who holed himself up in the Terminal 21 Korat, an airport-themed mall filled with colourful Lego sculptures, a merrygo-round and huge replicas of landmarks from around the world. After most mall employees and shoppers were evacuated, a joint police and military team hunted
down the gunman and killed him. “This incident was unprecedented in Thailand,” Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters as he gave a casualty count after visiting the victims in hospitals. By the end of the day, the toll had risen to 29 people killed. Video taken outside the mall showed people diving for cover as shots rang out. Many were killed outside the mall, some in cars and others while walking.
PAGE 16, Monday, February 10, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
INVEST IN ALARM SYSTEMS, SAY SECURITY FIRMS By EARYEL BOWLEG ebowleg@tribunemedia.net SECURITY companies in New Providence are urging homeowners to invest in alarm systems as a first line of defence against criminals in view of concerns over a perceived increase in home invasions. With reports of armed robberies, burglaries and recently a break-in at former Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes’ home, it appears there is a need now for the residential security feature.
Kostedde Williams, managing director at Pro-Tech Security and Alarms Services, told The Tribune that he’d seen a steady increase in sales of alarms over the years. “In 2019, (it) went up about eight percent, which was a steady increase versus 2018,” Mr Williams said. “(In) 2020 the first few months, we’ve already surpassed our totals for last year January and even this month already we will surpass our totals for last year February. So, more people are engaging in purchasing alarm systems.”
However, another security firm – Sure Alarm Systems – said it experienced a decline in alarm sales since 2015. However recently, the company has witnessed a sales increase. The company’s office manager, Candy Weatherford, attributed the decrease for alarm systems to the rollout of value added tax (VAT) in 2015 as it “took a huge bite out of people spending money on alarms”. “I think coming into it, everyone was afraid of the impact it would make, you
know, on their bottom line so you saw the decrease. So I’d say from 2015, we’ve seen a decrease. They’re making wiser choices with their money and how they’re spending it and we are seeing an increase now in alarm installations and crime has become, you know, gotten worse so that has played a factor in the increase.” Ms Weatherford emphasised that an alarm does not ensure that a break-in will not occur but is a deterrent and a warning for people. She encouraged consumers
YEAH, YOU’RE SEEING DOUBLE. Our Signature Wraps are protein-packed with Double Meat!
to shop wisely when buying alarm systems as some companies sell “Chinese knock-offs,” whose parts are hard to find and only available where the device was purchased. She also warned about security companies with hidden fees and not having set prices up front. Another measure Ms Weatherford suggested was purchasing outdoor lights – energy saving LED or motion sensitive – so that neighbours can see if an intruder is at the door. Winston Sweeting, a locksmith at Harding Security, advised installing cameras, home alarm systems, strong locks, gates, and fences as the first line of defence against robbers. He said: “Adding these things or increasing the level of security on these things usually stops them at step one, which is the deterrent. If you have somebody that could see that and is still willing try then (your) camera system should be able to see. You’d be able to see them from afar and monitor them whether you’re at work or home – anywhere once you’re on your phone you could see it happening in real-time.” While the cost of an
alarm maybe a turn-off, Mr Williams underpinned the value of investing in a security system. “When we build a home, you know, pretty much that’s one of the single greatest investments,” he explained. “We store our family and valuables in there and I think just like a bank banks secure their money because they know that’s valuable. So, they do all the security measures that is needed to protect it and I think we should do the same thing for our homes. We should look at it as a very valuable place even though it has a price and it could be costly. To go through these dramatic events that could happen and what we’re reading in the papers is even a whole lot more costly.” Last month Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson, while presenting 2019 crime statistics, said there had been 113 reports of burglary and 684 cases of housebreaking. As for shopbreaking incidents, there were 495 and 283 reports of stolen vehicles in 2019. Police have reported a string of home invasions since the start of the year.
SIR ARTHUR AND HIS WIFE ‘SHAKEN’ AFTER ROBBERS BREAK INTO THEIR HOME
FORMER Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes By EARYEL BOWLEG ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
The original, official Subway® restaurants! Locations in Nassau:
Cable Beach – Charlotte Street North Marathon Mall – Food Court Shell Airport Service Station Palmdale Shopping Center Shell Old Fort Bay Town Centre Carmichael Road – Shops at Carmichael Plaza East Street South – Independence Shopping Plaza Double meat based on average 6" sub. Subway® is a Registered Trademark of Subway IP LLC. © 2019 Subway IP LLC.
FORMER Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes and his wife have been left “shaken” after their West Bay Street home was broken into as they slept on Wednesday night. Sir Arthur, confirming the incident to The Tribune Friday, said robbers stole a number of items including a laptop and about $100 cash. Police also confirmed the incident but did not provide any details and did not include it any daily crime reports. However, it is believed that the robbers entered the home through a kitchen window. It is not known how many people entered the home. “I don’t know what time it happened but we were home,” Sir Arthur explained when contacted Friday. “We were already in bed and they came in and we discovered it the (next) morning. My wife went into the kitchen …and found a laptop missing and the kitchen door open and then she realised something was wrong.” “We were quite shaken to think that someone was in our house in the middle of the night. That’s a little disturbing.” There have been a string of reported home invasions and burglaries in recent
weeks. Sir Arthur said these are just the realities of society. “We live in the same community and these are the problems we all have to face together,” he said. Last week, Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) Superintendent Shanta Knowles said crime can happen anywhere and advised individuals to put in place residential security measures. “Your location doesn’t necessarily make a difference, it’s continuing to be aware and to make your surroundings secure,” she said. “I know a lot of people (are) not interested in putting up security bars and screens in their homes because sometimes it detracts from the beauty of the home, but it’s a safety measure and we encourage you to use them. We encourage these surveillance systems and to have them in operation and in use. “Get to know your neighbours. Neighbours can share information. Neighbours can watch out for neighbours and that’s what we encourage. “We are encouraging neighbours to be nosey and see who is going to the home next door. See who is not familiar with the home next door. Make calls,” Supt Knowles advised.