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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
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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
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GOOD EDUCATION IS CRITICAL - OR WE’RE GOING NOWHERE
SEE PAGE SEVEN