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VOLUME:117 No.55, FEBRUARY 11TH, 2020
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Smith and Gibson sue for damages Cleared of corruption, now they hit back for ‘malicious prosecution’
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net SHANE Gibson and Frank Smith have sued the government for malicious prosecution and are seeking aggravated and exemplary damages stemming from the bribery charges they were acquitted of last year. Mr Gibson has also written to the Bahamas Bar Association, the Police Service Commission and Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, seeking disciplinary proceedings for Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson, Director of
Public Prosecutions Garvin Gaskin and Assistant Superintendent of Police Debra Thompson, people he accuses of misconduct in his prosecution. Mr Smith, the former Public Hospitals Authority chairman who was acquitted last February, has filed a writ in the Supreme Court even as he awaits a Privy Council hearing following the Crown’s appeal of his acquittal. Mr Gibson was acquitted in November 2019. He is seeking damages for being “falsely” imprisoned on August 2 and 3 of 2017.
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis officially launched the Small Homes Repair Programme in Grand Bahama to help residents rebuild their homes destroyed five months ago by Hurricane Dorian. He said the programme will be implemented in Abaco on February 17, and in New Providence on February 24. Dr Minnis said there are
SEE PAGE SIX
SEE PAGE EIGHT
‘FRUSTRATED’ WSC WORKERS STRIKE TODAY THE union representing Water and Sewerage Corporation workers plans to strike today, angered by lingering issues and alleged staff “abuse”. This move, according to Bahamas Utilities Service and Allied Workers Union president Dwayne Woods, makes good on BUSAWU’s threat last week to totally shut down the corporation’s operations over deteriorating labour relations and working conditions. SEE PAGE TWO
DRIVER DIES IN ANOTHER POLICE CHASE
SEE PAGE THREE
four categories of purchase orders that will be granted, ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 grants depending on the degree of damage. He urged recipients to support approved businesses in The Bahamas, instead of spending it abroad in Florida. “This is important. We want to keep the money spent on this programme in the country. That will help Bahamian businesses,” he said.
GENA UNLOCKS POTENTIAL IN CHILDREN
By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
FORGET FLORIDA - SPEND REPAIR GRANTS AT HOME By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
FACE-TO-FACE
By EARYEL BOWLEG ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
33 YEARS FOR INSPECTOR’S KILLER A MAN was sentenced to 33 years in prison yesterday for murdering Inspector Carlis Blatch, above, the aide-de-camp to former Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling. Report - Page 7
A MAN died in a fiery crash after leading police on a car chase in the Carmichael Road area where he collided with a parked Mack truck. Police are expressing concern about public safety after the incident, the second fatal crash involving men attempting to evade police capture in less than two weeks. According to police, the latest incident happened shortly before 11pm on SEE PAGE NINE
‘KARAOKE KING’ SURVIVES BRUTAL ATTACK By FARRAH JOHNSON fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMIAN entertainer Demetrius Smith is in hospital after being stabbed during an armed robbery in eastern New Providence early on Sunday morning. Photos circulating on social media yesterday showed Mr Smith, known as “The Karaoke King”, lying in a hospital bed with a head bandage and face stitches. According to a
ENTERTAINER Demetrius Smith police report, shortly after 3am on Sunday, a man was at a residence in San Souci
off Eastern Road when he was approached by two men who robbed him of cash and a red Chevy Tahoe. The victim, who was physically assaulted and stabbed during the encounter, was taken to hospital where he is currently listed in stable condition, police said. A short time later, officers on the scene observed a red Chevy Tahoe canvassing the area. The officers pursued the vehicle but the
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
SEE PAGE TWO
PETER YOUNG
A TERRORIST’S RIGHTS OR PUBLIC SAFETY?
SEE PAGE TEN
PAGE 2, Tuesday, February 11, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
‘FRUSTRATED’ WSC WORKERS PLAN TO STRIKE TODAY
from page one
In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, Mr Woods said it was the union’s hope to get the attention of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. He said BUSAWU had grown frustrated and wanted Dr Minnis to intervene, bringing closure to the situation. “Last week we made it known that we had a strike certificate in hand in relation to unusual promotions and that is what we are going to use tomorrow to get our voices heard,” Mr Woods said. “It’s only
getting worse. It don’t seem to be getting better.” He added: “Staff morale is at an all time low and it definitely was indicated at the Christmas party where less than 50 persons showed up. So this is no secret and everybody and sundry should be aware of what is going on here because they had ample notice last year and now this year they are starting off on the same foot. So we encourage the prime minister to step in and do the right thing because the people are being abused down at Water and Sewerage Corporation.
“So we appeal to the CEO of the country to come and deal with this.” Last Wednesday, Mr Woods said there were breaches of the Industrial Relations Act, the Employment Act and the industrial agreement made between WSC and the union. He further alleged there was an attempt by WSC to decrease the union’s influence by rolling back a number of benefits. According to him, WSC had failed to pay union members overtime for restoration work in Abaco where they were forced to carry out their duties in
“unsavoury and unsanitary conditions”. The BUSAWU president also said WSC had not paid “regular overtime” for workers in New Providence and the Family Islands for over four months. However, the next day WSC Executive Chairman Adrian Gibson said officials uncovered an “abuse of overtime” among a handful of workers doing restoration on Abaco following Hurricane Dorian. At the time he also hit back at what he termed “baseless and erroneous attacks” from Mr Woods. Last week Mr Woods also
‘Karaoke King’ survives attack from page one
driver refused to stop and led police on a chase. The Chevy crashed in the area of Fox Hill Road and Eastern Road where the two men got out of the vehicle and fled on foot. However, officers pursued the suspects and caught them a short time later. Both males were arrested and taken into custody. The Tribune canvassed the San Souci area yesterday and spoke to residents who said the incident has left them shaken and calling for stronger police presence in the community. One resident, Jawara Pierre, told this newspaper that he was angered when he heard what had happened to Mr Smith, a popular event host and public speaker. “The incident gave me great concern because I have young children and to have someone come and violate my home out of their own hunger or greed doesn’t make me feel safe, that makes me feel unsettled,” he said. Mr Pierre added that he does not believe the police force has been given “enough leverage” to
effectively carry out their duties. He said he believes their hands are being “consistently tied” by “higher ups” who have unintentionally contributed to the country’s crime problem. When asked to elaborate he added: “The minister of national security in particular, there are things that they’re investing in that is useless and a waste of money. The police could be given more vehicles in the different districts. Right here at the Elizabeth Estates Police Station, when my gas tank was stolen, they didn’t even have a car to come and help me. That’s right there (but) I had to walk there and put in a report.”
Mr Pierre insisted that money should be invested to ensure that police can be “mobile and seen and felt in the community.” He also said he believed this would make potential criminals think twice before attempting to break the law. “We have a strong community here in Eastwood and San Souci,” he said. “We are our neighbour’s keeper…so it’s a sad event that happened to Demetrius and we hope to have a stronger police presence in this area.” Lennis Rahming, another resident in the area, said he no longer feels safe in the community in view of Sunday’s armed robbery and other incidents that have
RESIDENTS LENNIS RAHMING, left, and Jawara Pierre talk to The Tribune after the armed robbery in San Souci. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
said the union was “upset and appalled” at the behaviour of the corporation’s executives, namely Mr Gibson and WSC’s general manager. Mr Woods also accused WSC of conducting “unfamiliar methods of promotion,” of which the union is unaware. “This is 10 months overdue and if you recall we have a strike certificate in hand that we will use in short order,” Mr Woods said last week. “We have a membership of about 310 and if you look around, you’ll see the management union is also supporting us so this might
be a total shutdown from Bimini to Inagua.” WSC fired back at what it called a “sudden, ill-advised and unreasonable press conference held by Dwayne Woods”. “WSC rejects these groundless assertions. At no time has the corporation’s executives sought to ignore, disregard or disrespect our employees. Mr Woods’ assertion that the corporation has sought to roll back benefits in our industrial agreement —which binds and governs both parties — is completely and patently false,” a portion of WSC’s statement read.
BAHAMIAN entertainer Demetrius Smith is in hospital (inset) after being stabbed during an armed robbery.
occurred over the last few years. “I believe the area is a targeted area because the guys (committing the crimes) they’re not stupid,” he said. “They watch the area so if you are living in an upscale or particular house, then they look and say ‘Well okay if he has that house, then he should have so and so inside and I’m
coming after it’ –that’s our problem.” Mr Rahming said he has also had personal experiences with people attempting to trespass on his property on different occasions. “Before we were able to wall our house in, my wife came home with my son and met three guys in the yard...in another incident, my wife was in the kitchen and then she saw the guy in the back of the yard and when she screamed the guy ran. It happened when I wasn’t home but that’s what’s happening here.” Mr Rahming insisted these kind of things keep happening because of a “serious lack of police presence” in the area. “The police for the most part when they do pass this way they’re not checking, slowing down or asking how things are going. They should have some presence out there...but they’re not doing that,” he said. Likewise, Leo Morley said that while his home has never been targeted for an armed robbery or break-in, he is still concerned to hear about what is happening in the neighbourhood. “I think last night’s incident did raise an alarm and
it should because these are our homes,” he told The Tribune. “We worked hard to build these homes and provide for our families and... sometimes you have your kids home and they break into the home, you never know what could happen. “A few years ago we saw the police pretty often, but now I don’t see them as often as I used to.” Police have reported a string of home invasions and armed robberies in recent weeks. Last week, a woman was raped during a home invasion in Coral Harbour. Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) Superintendent Shanta Knowles said although police are alarmed, they do not know if these types of crime are becoming a trend. While affirming the force’s commitment to ensuring the safety of communities, she encouraged the public to be alert and vigilant. “We have a job to do and we’re focused on doing just that – making our presence felt in the community. We will support all victims of crime….of course we will support those who were sexually assaulted,” she said last week.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, February 11, 2020, PAGE 3
Smith and Gibson sue for damages FRANK SMITH, left, and Shane Gibson and have sued the government for malicious prosecution and are seeking aggravated and exemplary damages stemming from the bribery charges they were acquitted of last year.
from page one The damages are for “malicious prosecution arising out of multiple charges of extortion, bribery and misconduct in public office laid maliciously and without reasonable or probable cause.” In a letter to the chairman of the Police Service Commission as well as Dr Minnis, Mr Gibson called for action against Commissioner Ferguson and ASP Thompson, highlighting the controversies arising from his trial, including revelation that ASP Thompson met with key
witnesses to synchronise their testimonies. “I was recently acquitted of 15 counts of bribery contrary to the Prevention of Bribery Act,” Mr Gibson wrote in letter dated February 7, 2020. “I write to formally commence the respective disciplinary proceedings against the commissioner of police and Assistant Superintendent Debra Thompson pursuant to Articles 120 and 121 of the Constitution of the Bahamas and section 50 of the Police Act, 2009. Please formally acknowledge receipt of this letter and indicate whether and what steps you intend to take
following my complaint as other proceedings may be required to compel your lawful actions as a result of the contents hereof.” Articles 120 and 121 of the constitution concern removing or disciplining senior police officers. ASP Thompson admitted during the trial that she made “minor changes” to the statements of Johnathan Ash, who accused Mr Gibson of accepting bribes, and Deborah Bastian, a public servant who worked with Mr Gibson. ASP Thompson said it was common police practice, but in hindsight the meeting between the two witnesses
was wrong. Mr Gibson’s attorneys have harped on this meeting as a key injustice in the case. In a letter to the Bar Association, Mr Gibson cited the rules of the association’s code of ethics and asked for disciplinary action to be taken against Mr Gaskin, in relation to the changes ASP Thompson made to the witness statements, and Ms Bastian’s lawyer. Mr Gibson wrote that if not for Deborah Bastian’s recording of the meeting, neither he nor his attorneys would have known “of the (alleged) abuse of process”.
TWO WOMEN IN HOSPITAL AFTER SHOOTING TWO women are in hospital following a shooting inside a business on Carmichael Road on Sunday night, police said. The incident occurred shortly before 7pm. Police said the two women were inside a business on Carmichael Road west of Gladstone Road, “when they heard a loud bang, moments later, they realised they were bleeding, injured from pellets of a shot gun.”
The women were taken to hospital where they are listed in stable condition. A male employee of the establishment was arrested and taken into custody. Police also recovered a 12-gauge shotgun from the scene. Police also said officers recovered an illegal firearm from the streets of New Providence on Sunday, February 9. Shortly after 9pm, officers from the
South Central Division were in pursuit of a vehicle on Farrington Road. A short time later the vehicle came to a stop with the occupants fleeing into the Chippingham area. The officers chased the men on foot, but they evaded capture. Officers recovered a .45mm pistol with three rounds of ammunition from the scene. No one was arrested in this incident.
Mr Gibson was acquitted of charges of soliciting and accepting thousands from Mr Ash to expedite payments the contractor was owed by the government. The defendants in his writ are the attorney general, the commissioner of police, the director of public prosecutions, ASP Thompson and Mr Ash. Mr Smith, meanwhile, was acquitted of charges of abusing his position as PHA
chairman to demand and receive bribes from Barbara Hanna over the award of a 2016 cleaning contract. The Court of Appeal has declined the Crown’s motion to overturn his acquittal or order a retrial. The defendants in his writ are the attorney general, Health Minister Dr Duane Sands and National Security Minister Marvin Dames. Editorial View - Page 4
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PAGE 4, Tuesday, February 11, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
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Big promises but prosecutions fall flat FIRST on the election trail and then again once in office, tackling corruption was a theme that Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis kept returning to. Even last year, he painted the Progressive Liberal Party as a corrupt group that believes it “owns” The Bahamas – saying that “they believe that the rule of law does not apply to them” and “they believe they can engage in corruption without consequences”. Easy words to say but the high-profile prosecutions launched after taking office – of Shane Gibson and Frank Smith – have foundered. Predictably, the shoe is now on the other foot, with Mr Gibson and Mr Smith suing the government for malicious prosecution and suing for “exemplary damages”. Let us translate that from court speak – they want a big chunk of money, big enough to make prosecutors think twice before doing it again. Mr Gibson is seeking damages for being “falsely imprisoned”. Mr Smith is suing even as he waits to hear the outcome of a Crown challenge at the Privy Council to his acquittal. Mr Gibson also wants action taken against the police commissioner and a police officer who gave evidence at his trial, as well as the director of public prosecutions.
There was nothing as certain from the moment of acquittal as this lawsuit being filed. The substance of the complaints will be decided through the court process and it would be inappropriate to comment on the particulars of those now a new case is under way. But what is clear from this is that the Crown has taken a swing in two big cases and missed both times. Whatever the specifics of the weaknesses of the cases, neither was strong enough to deliver a guilty verdict. Both men walked free, acquitted of all charges. One thing is for certain – we have not heard the last of this. The lawsuit throws up the claims again into the public eye, and more money will drain from the public purse covering the costs of the defence – even before any damages if any are awarded. The Crown may be a little tarnished amid all this legal back and forth – but we hope amid all the claims and counter claims that someone is looking into how we got here, and how we go forward. Meanwhile, the Minnis pledge on tackling corruption has nothing to show for it. Having launched his re-election campaign already, what will he have to show the public by the time the next vote comes around?
Guarding the purse strings DON’T spend your hurricane money overseas! That’s Dr Minnis’ plea to residents who have had their homes wiped out by Hurricane Dorian. Launching the Small Homes Repair Programme yesterday, he said grants ranging from $2,500 up to $10,000 depending on the damage to the property will be available shortly. But he had a caution to Bahamians, telling them to spend the money here rather than in Florida. “This is important. We want to keep the money spent on this programme in the country. That will help Bahamian businesses.” He said if residents in Grand Bahama cannot find what they need in Freeport, they can always go to New Providence. Now, the $10,000 top award of a grant is for people whose homes have been destroyed – that’s not going to go a long way, and as a report last week showed The Bahamas as being the sixth most expensive nation in which to live, those dollars are going to run out faster. Considering many of the building supplies will be being shipped in
anyway, we would not be surprised at all to see some people cutting out the wholesaler to try to make their money go further. Instead, government will hold their hand as the purchase order only goes to approved vendors while tradesmen will need to be approved. Approved by who? And on what basis? There’s already been talk of a shortage of workers in Abaco, an approval process might shrink that even further. It all feels a little like Big Brother is telling people what to do rather than trusting them with the ability to rebuild their own lives. There’s a little too much stick and not enough carrot – such as pushing incentives to reduce the cost of building supplies for people to make use of so they are not tempted to go to Florida instead because it’s cheaper. Still, for people without insurance, that little money might just be the start they need to start rebuilding. We hope this helps them – but we also hope that there are other incentives the government can offer instead of just telling people how to spend their money.
Driving so dangerous EDITOR, The Tribune THE driving in Nassau has become nothing short of frightening. I have noticed three trends, all occurring at traffic intersections and all of which have become the norm.s1 When at a traffic light and you are positioned near the front of the queue, the instant the light changes from red to green, you are guaranteed to have at least one driver behind you blare
their horn. They barely give you time to move your foot from the brake to the accelerator. It is now the norm to see a vehicle racing through an intersection clearly running the light that will have been red for at least two or three seconds.Twice today I was positioned at the front of the queue and the light was red. It was Sunday and the intersection was quiet. Because the light was red, I was stationary and not about to proceed until
it turned green. In both instances the cars behind me were sounding their horns incessantly and were clearly irritated that I was not proceeding! (In the US, I know you can turn right on a red light if the coast is clear. As far as I am aware, this is not the law in Nassau). Know road safety, No injury. No road safety, Know injury. VICKI LIDDELL Nassau February 9, 2020
A Pointe to prove EDITOR, The Tribune
Re: Bay Street ‘Facing The Wrong Way’. The Tribune, February 7, 2020. HOPEFULLY, the masters of design responsible for giving us The Pointe with all its unmistakably Bahamian flavour are
still available. Then they could perform their imaginative architectural magic on the high-rise condo buildings proposed for downtown. KEN W KNOWLES, MD Nassau February 8, 2020
PEOPLE attend a memorial service at the Terminal 21 Korat shopping mall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand yesterday. Authorities began releasing bodies to relatives after security forces cornered and killed a soldier who carried out the country’s worst mass shooting in a siege at a shopping mall.
Keep up the quarantine EDITOR, The Tribune WE certainly hope there is no weakening on the part of Dr Sands to lessen the quarantine measures for the Bahamas to prevent the dreaded coronavirus being introduced here just because the Chinese Ambassador to the Bahamas thinks his quarantine measures for the Bahamas are too severe. I would like to remind Dr Sands that although the world is facing a colossal medical tragedy, we cannot forget that controls might have been introduced sooner to prevent the run-away virus if it had not been the Chinese themselves who first tried to cover it up. Don’t let us forget that it was on December 30 that an unknown Chinese doctor – Dr Li Wenliang – warned about a strange illness in his hospital. Officials tried
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net to dismiss his warning as a “rumour” and reprimanded him for his “scare tactics”. It is claimed that early in January he was called in by medical officials and the police and forced to sign a statement denouncing his warning as an unfounded and illegal rumour. And so when precautions should have been taken, the Chinese themselves tried to cover it up! Today that courageous young doctor is dead – killed by the very virus that he tried to warn his colleagues that they should try to do something about because it was lethal. An now the Chinese ambassador is trying to convince Dr Sands not to be over strict in his efforts to make certain that this
same virus does not reach our shores. The Ambassador wants Dr Sands to reduce his 20-day quarantine to 14 days. We urge Dr Sands to remember the young doctor whose voice was silenced when he first tried to warn of the medical threat to the world, and to turn a deaf ear to the ambassador. We encourage him do everything in his power to try to keep this country safe — and don’t forget Dr Li Wenliang — the young doctor who was condemned, and eventually died, because he tried to send out an early warning of the lethal danger. No, Dr Sands, if you think the quarantine should be 20 days – then 20 days it shall be! A VERY CONCERNED BAHAMIAN Nassau, February 10, 2020.
Marijuana madness EDITOR, The Tribune
DEAR Honourable Brother Marvin H Dames, the Most Honourable Hubert A Minnis, the Honourable Carl W Bethel, QC, et al: I have heard much about the Marijuana Commission’s Preliminary report – that so many among you are so very excited about – when there is nothing much to be thrilled with. It sounds like the typical politically correct proposals which consecutive governments have dealt us – for the past five decades! The preliminary report
seems to wholeheartedly support the medical marijuana business, and the Rasta’s Rights. But the poor recreational user is still screwed – even if all convicted users in prison are released, and the expungement of every marijuana conviction of the past and present. All of this while the Police still arrest and charge for marijuana possession; no matter how small. Soon we will be fined on the spot if caught with weed – no matter how minute. So, some users might end up in prison, perhaps again - if they can’t pay the fine.
This is madness mixed with pure political correctness. It is a shallow and dangerous cocktail that the politicians seem to love to serve us because we are politically stupid and mediocre. Look here brothers and sisters, I am advocating for the full nine yards or whole hog, as it relates to marijuana legalisation in The Bahamas. How much more research is considered politically correct?
going to arrive to do the heavy lifting. I could not help but think back on the Lynden Pindling days when Sir Lynden promised Bahamians that they would no longer be “hewers of wood” and “drawers of water”. That‘s when the Haitians started to flood our shores and quickly filled the empty Bahamian shoes by being the hewers
of the wood and drawers of the water — so much so that it was not uncommon to see a Bahamian curl his lips in contempt and hear him remark, “that t’aint fer me, das Haitian work!” Don’t say that Abaconians are already missing their Haitians!
DENNIS DAMES Nassau February 10, 2020
Missing the Haitians EDITOR, The Tribune THIS is no time to be critical, or even sarcastic, but I can’t help but comment on an observation made recently by a friend of mine about how much cleaning up of debris that still had to be done in Abaco after Hurricane Dorian. His aside was that the people seemed to be waiting to see who was
AN OBSERVER Nassau, January 10, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, February 11, 2020, PAGE 5
MOREE HAPPY TO DISCUSS SELECTION OF JUDGES By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
CHIEF Justice Brian Moree says he understands the Bahamas Bar Association’s calls for greater transparency in the country’s judge selection process, telling The Tribune that to do so would ensure a level playing field. BBA president Kahlil Parker, at the start of the legal year last month, called for a transparent and merit-based process for the selection of judges and judicial officers. Chief Justice Moree said he is prepared to sit with Mr
Parker and his colleagues to engage in dialogue on the issue. “I heard Mr Parker and he has expressed views that I think have been held by many persons for quite a long period of time,” the chief justice said in a recent interview. “I would simply say this: the way in which judges are appointed in the Bahamas now is governed by the Constitution, so any fundamental change in that process would require the government to look at the Constitution. “I certainly understand that the view of the bar as communicated by its president with regard to the
transparency of the process. It’s always good to increase that as much as one can and in order to ensure there is a level playing field. I think those are sound and reasonable observations.” He continued: “How it translates into the actual legal position of the Constitution is a matter for the policy makers. There is a Judicial Legal Services Commission, which is an independent constitutional commission that appoints magistrates and judges in the Supreme Courts. “Judges in the Court of Appeal are appointed by the prime minister through the usual constitutional
mechanism. You know, the governor general acting on the advice of the prime minister, so that’s how we do it at the moment. I have indicated to the president that I am prepared to sit down with him and his colleagues to discuss their ideas and certainly to engage in any dialogue on that subject.” This is not to say that there is anything wrong with the way things are currently done, Chief Justice Moree said. “If the question is, ‘could the process be improved’ I think that there is certainly a reasonable case to make that we should look at how we are appointing judges and we
should see whether there is some consensus on a better way of doing it. “I think the way we are doing it now has served the country well. Judges have security of tenure, which is very important to their independence. “…But it’s always good in the development of a country to figure out and sit back and say what has been happening has worked well for us, but can it be improved now in 2020. “I am certainly prepared to engage in the dialogue on that basis not because what has happened has failed. I don’t think that would be a correct premise at all, but
it’s always good to look at it and see whether things can be improved going forward as the country develops and as we become more mature in the context of our political development.” In his address during the start of the legal year, Mr Parker said the pathway to the bench and senior legal office in this country must be meritocratic, straight and narrow, and it must also be transparent and accessible to all. “There are members of the bar and bench qualified and ready to serve their country and all they want for is a reasonable and fair opportunity to be considered,” he said at the time.
Davis puts his case to be the next prime minister
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PLP leader Philip Davis at last night’s rally at Columbus Primary School. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis made his case for replacing Dr Hubert Minnis as prime minister during a campaign launch last night, two weeks after Dr Minnis launched his own re-election bid. The Cat Island, San Salvador and Rum Cay MP peppered his speech with familiar attacks on the Minnis administration, mocking the party’s 2017 general election slogan, “It’s the People’s Time,” and bashing the administration for its handling of Hurricane Dorian recovery efforts, the controversial Oban Energies agreement and the leasing of the Town Centre Mall to host the General Post Office. The mall was part-owned by St Annes MP Brent Symonette, who was minister of financial services when the lease was signed. Mr Davis weaved his backstory of growing up poor into a narrative of wanting to uplift others through policy. “My
grandfather could not read or write,” he said. “He and my grandmother were subsistence farmers on Cat Island. And my father and mother left at the age of 13, barely literate. For most of my young life, I lived in Rolle Avenue. So when I talk about our Over-the-Hill communities, I know what I’m talking about. No ‘silver spoon’ for me. I have worked and lived among you my entire life. I know what it is to go to work, mixing mortar in the heat of the day, hoping and praying to get an honest pay at the end of the day. “I know what it is like to have one good pants and busted shoes. When I see a child walking in the road because he doesn’t have any money for the bus, I’ve been that child. I know what he’s thinking. I know what his parents are dreaming about. And I know the barriers that are standing in his way - and I want to knock down those barriers, give him a chance that education afforded me. I want all Bahamians to live lives of dignity and purpose, not just the ones born to wealth or privilege.” Other speakers last night
included Deputy Leader Chester Cooper, Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin and South Andros MP Picewell Forbes. The speeches were occasionally followed by musical performances and supporters rocked their party colours in overwhelming numbers. With two years to go before the next election, officials said they used the event to test their organisational skills and assess the appetite of their supporters. Barry Griffin, a national vice party chairman and chairman of the committee that planned the rally, said turnout exceeded expectations. “We’re still very far out from the heightened political season,” he said, “and so this really was a tester to feel out the country to see where they are politically and I think this blew our expectations out of the water. The crowd is enormous, more than we could’ve expected. We are happy with where we are. It shows people are not content with what’s happening now with the government and they are coming out and vocalising their support for the PLP.”
PAGE 6, Tuesday, February 11, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
REGISTER FOR PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE By EARYEL BOWLEG ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
KINGDOR National Parkinson Foundation is trying to get assistance from the Ministry of Health to set up a national register for the number of people with Parkinson’s disease. The foundation’s president, Marvis Darling-Hill, explained yesterday at the foundation’s press conference announcing its Moving Day 2020 event that organisers have put forth applications and reached out to the medical community to set one up. She added: “We’ve even attempted to go directly to doctors ….. but a lot of the doctors in The Bahamas
unfortunately feel that we’re just going to run and take these people to the United States and whatever. “We would love to continue to deal to with that aspect of it because it’s very important. We really would like to get our register together so we would know – have an idea – as to the number of persons with this disease. Now this disease…. it’s a silent disease. It’s a closet disease and so we are concerned with that people really learn as much as they can about it.” Neurologist and foundation committee member Dr Edwin Demeritte revealed he sees five to ten new cases annually and estimated
about 1,500 people have the condition. He said: “It’s long past time that you know we do need to establish a national register so we can actually we can keep a close eye on it.” Dr Demeritte, however, noted it is hard to calculate data of individuals suffering from the disease as there several factors such as people seeking medical assistance in the US and others with Parkinson’s not coming forth to seek help. Both Dr Demeritte and Ms Darling-Hill noted the difficulty of diagnosing the disease, but individuals with two or three cardinal symptoms associated with the
condition are considered to have it. The symptoms are tremors of the hands, arms, legs, or jaw; rigidity or stiffness of the limbs; slowness of movement, and postural instability (impaired balance). One factor for developing the condition Dr Demeritte identified was age: “The older you are the more likely you are to get it, if you start at 60 years of age by the seventh decade you double the prevalence rate of your Parkinson’s disease and going into 80 the same you have a doubling effect.” While the average age of Parkinson’s onset is 60, symptoms can happen
before the age of 40 due to genetics. He also stressed that Parkinson’s is not fatal and people live a full life span, but support is needed. He explained: “So when you look at somebody who is you know (has) Parkinson’s disease who’s being treated, 75 – 79, they live a full life span. Now the difficulty which you have is taking care of somebody who has Parkinson’s disease requires a lot of commitment, requires a lot of effort and when you look at the expense whether it be from some of the medications some of the care that they do – it is a family disease which requires full family support.”
The foundation is focused on not only helping those affected by the disease but spreading awareness about the disorder. April has been reserved as Parkinson’s Awareness Month. The foundation’s Moving Day, a major fund raiser, is back after a two-year absence. The event includes a 3k noncompetitive walk, 5k competitive run/walk, and 10k competitive run/ cycle which will be held on Saturday March 28, starting at 6am at Montagu Beach park. Registration is open and can be done on www. kingsdorpf.com or contact (242) 326 5291 for more information.
Forget Florida - spend repair grants at home, says Minnis from page one WE want to make sure the money spent is used for home repair, sais Dr Minnis.
“We also want to make sure the money spent is used for home repair,” Dr Minnis said. The prime minister stated that if residents in Grand Bahama cannot find what they need in Freeport, they can always go to New Providence and spend with businesses there. The in-person sign-up location for the programme is located at the Office of the Prime Minister in the Harold DeGregory Government Complex in Freeport. However, the prime minister is encouraging persons to go online at www.drabahamas.org to register. In Abaco, residents may register at the Government Complex, and in New Providence, persons may register at the NEMA on Gladstone Road. During yesterday’s opening ceremony, Dr Minnis said that residents whose homes were assessed with minimal damage will be eligible for $2,500 in purchase orders. Purchase orders in the amount of $5,000 and $7,500 would be eligible to persons with medium damage, and major damage, respectively. Dr Minnis stated that purchase orders in the amount of $10,000 would be eligible to persons whose homes were destroyed. He noted that recipients will be able to use the funds for home improvement materials, labour, or a combination of both. “As a government, we understand that many Bahamians in the disaster zones have had great financial pressures placed on them. It has been difficult for many to find the funds necessary to make repairs to their homes,” Dr Minnis said. The prime minister noted that persons must meet certain criteria to qualify for the programme. A person needs to be Bahamian, own the property in question, and there must be proof of residence as of August 31, 2019. The property would need to have been uninsured, and the property has to be in Grand Bahama, Abaco, and the cays. Under the programme, he said, tradesmen contracted for repairs will
need to be approved, and material purchased with purchase orders will have to be from approved vendors in the Bahamas. In order to make sure money is used for home repairs, Dr Minnis said the Disaster Reconstruction Authority will disburse 50 percent of the purchase orders first to qualifying applicants. “An inspector will check and ensure that the purchase order was spent on the home. Once that is confirmed the remaining 50 percent will be disbursed,” he stated. Dr Minnis explained that the DRA has also partnered with various NGOs in communities affected by Dorian. Through the partnerships, he said the government pays for home repair labour, and the NGOs provide supplies and various types of logistical and technical assistance. “Those initiatives will continue in conjunction with this new Small Home Repair Programme. We thank the NGOs that are assisting for their generosity and kindness to Bahamians in need,” he said. In terms of hurricane restoration, Dr Minnis said his government continues to work hard in restoring disaster zones in the northern Bahamas. He noted that Hurricane Dorian brought historic destruction and was the strongest to hit the chain of islands. Full recovery for the islands affected, he said, will take a long time. Dr Minnis noted that high surge destroyed homes and businesses, and lives were lost. Dorian was the second strongest hurricane by wind speed recorded in the Atlantic. Its power was immense; its destruction was widespread. “It will take years for us to fully recover,” he said. “Government pledges its full support along each step of the way to restoration. We came to government to help people. This Small Homes Repair Programme is directed at helping Bahamian people get their homes back to normalcy,” he said. “We are a resilient people. Together we will build back better and stronger.” Editorial View - Page 4
TRU TRU BAHAMIAN FESTIVAL In Monday’s Tribune we reported the weekend’s Tru Tru Bahamian Festival was hosted by the Ministry of Tourism. We are happy to clarify the
event is organised by the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association sponsored by the Tourism Ministry and a variety of corporate partners.
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THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, February 11, 2020, PAGE 7
33 years for killing former GG’s aide By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
INSP Blatch was shot in front of his daughter while they waited in his car outside a school to pick up his son.
A MAN was sentenced to over 30 years in prison yesterday for murdering the aide-de-camp to former Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling over a year ago. Justice Bernard Turner sentenced Timothy Cole to 33 years behind bars for murdering Inspector Carlis Blatch in September 2018. Cole was also sentenced to an additional 18 years for robbing the senior officer at gunpoint during the fatal encounter. The sentences are to run concurrently. Cole’s sentencing came a little over a year after Insp Blatch was shot in front of his daughter while they waited in his car outside H O Nash Junior High School to pick up his son. Assistant Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander said Insp Blatch was on-duty at the time of the incident, but had “slipped out” to pick his children up from school. At the time of the incident, Insp Blatch was said to be sitting in his vehicle with his 13-year-old daughter, waiting for his son who attends H O Nash Junior
TIMOTHY Cole murdered Inspector Blatch in September 2018 High when a man, said to be Cole, approached him and pointed a gun in his direction. He ordered Insp Blatch to get out of the car, then shot him. The gunman subsequently pulled the officer out of the car, got into the vehicle and drove off. Before that happened, however, Blatch’s daughter got out of the car and ran for help, police said. Insp Blatch was transported to Princess Margaret Hospital, where he died. That night, the Ministry of National Security confirmed that an island-wide manhunt was underway for the gunman. Police meanwhile issued a sketch of a suspect being sought in relation to the shooting. Cole was charged with Insp Blatch’s death just
four working days later. He was also accused of armed robbery in relation to the theft of the officer’s Hyundai Elantra that was worth $19,000 along with a Samsung Note 8 worth $600. Insp Blatch was immediately remembered for his professionalism after the fatal shooting. A statement from the Office of the Governor General noted that the officer was stationed at Government House for the 14 years leading up to his death, serving with distinction as the officer-in-charge of protocol, then as aidede-camp to the governor general. He was a fixture at the side of Dame Marguerite and worked very closely with her on official matters.
“His service at Government House was marked by his expert understanding of the procedures which attend the affairs at Government House, and as ADC to the governor general. He always took great care to pass on his expertise to other staff, among whom he was highly regarded. His interactions with the public also made him respected and admired,” the statement noted. Meanwhile, former Governor General Sir Arthur Folks called Insp Blatch a “gentleman to the fingertips”, adding that he knew Insp Blatch “very well and had the highest regard for him”. “He was a decent human being,” Sir Arthur said. “He was a gentleman to the finger tips and he was admirably suited for the job he was in. I worked with him for several years and it is a great tragedy and I’m very disturbed about this. He was there for the entire time I was there, the four years. He was perfect for the job for that particular field, protocol and diplomatic protection. He was always in place and he always did the right thing at the right time. He had the right personality for it.”
HAITIAN JAILED FOR GETTING FAKE BIRTH CERTIFICATE FOR DAUGHTER By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A HAITIAN man was sentenced to three years behind bars yesterday for getting a fake birth certificate and school acceptance letter in order to obtain legal papers for his daughter. Jacsen Simeon avoided the maximum five-year penalty yesterday for swindling the government out of a certificate of identification in a bid to obtain a belonger’s permit for his daughter who was born in Haiti. However, Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis ordered that Jacsen Simeon, who is on a valid work permit that expires on November 14, be deported as soon as he completes his prison sentence. Simeon’s sentence came after he, via the assistance of translator Charlene Jean, pleaded guilty to 11 fraudrelated offences stemming from his actions that date back to January 2014. He admitted to uttering a fake birth certificate copy in his daughter’s name with plans to defraud the Passport Office on January 28, 2014, and being caught with that document on the same date. Simeon also admitted to defrauding the Passport Office of a certificate of identification for his daughter on that same date. The 42-year-old further admitted to uttering and being caught with a fake birth certificate copy in his
daughter’s name, which, along with a fake Yellow Elder Primary School letter of acceptance he uttered, he tried to use to obtain a belonger’s permit for her on April 12, 2016. According to the facts, on February 4, acting Registrar General E Sally-Ann Lockhart-Pratt contacted the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and reported that Simeon came to the department seeking to get a copy of a birth certificate in his daughter’s name. As a result, checks were made of the department’s computer system which revealed that the photocopy Simeon possessed was legitimately issued in the name of Rashad Travis Wallace. That information was immediately brought to Mrs Lockhart-Pratt’s attention, and it was eventually confirmed that the copy Simeon possessed was fake. Police action was requested, and Simeon was eventually arrested. During the course of the investigation, several persons at the Registrar General’s Department were questioned in connection to the matter. Inquiries were also made at the Passport Office. As a result, Acting Chief Passport Officer Siobhan Deane stated that in 2014, Jacsen used the fake birth certificate to obtain a certificate of identification from the department in his daughter’s name.
WOMAN DENIES STEALING IN CAR SCAM OPERATION By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
A 29-YEAR-OLD woman was remanded to prison yesterday after denying allegations she stole thousands of dollars from several people in furtherance of a car scam. Felicia Wilmott, pictured, was charged before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis over claims she scammed four people out of more than $20,000. It is alleged that between July 1, 2019 and February 3 of this year, she stole $12,500 from Deandra Johnson and Johnson Alvin Farisen by reason of service. It is further alleged
that between September 16 of last year and January 13 of this year, Wilmott defrauded Savannah Laroda of $5,500 cash. It is also alleged that between September 21 and December 8, 2019, she stole $8,000 from Vonette Saunders by reason of service. The Elizabeth Estates resident is further charged with stealing $3,494 from Mark Farrington by reason of service. Given her not guilty pleas, Magistrate RolleDavis adjourned the matter to April 20 for trial. Bail was denied and she was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Corrections in the interim. She has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.
Further inquiries were also conducted at the Department of Immigration, whose Chief Immigration Officer Norman Bastian provided information that in 2016, Simeon used the fake birth certificate along with a fraudulent letter of attendance from the Yellow Elder Primary School to obtain a belonger’s permit for his daughter. On February 6, while being interviewed by police, Simeon admitted to the offenses. He said he was assisted by a man name Herode Gedeon aka “Basle” and paid him $1,000 to get the fake documents. Simeon further admitted to using those documents to obtain the certificate of identification for his daughter and also using the documents to obtain a belonger’s permit from the DOI for his daughter. Simeon also told officers that his daughter nor his wife, Ashmide Simeon, knew of the fake documents and that he acted alone. Yesterday, in response to a question from the senior magistrate, Simeon said he committed the acts solely for his daughter’s benefit. “I wanted to help my child,” the man said. He said he trusted that whatever Gedeon was doing was on the level, but eventually found out that was not so. When asked by the magistrate if he pointed Gedeon out to the police, Simeon said he had
a contact for the man, but he died last year. “I am ashamed for what took place,” Simeon said via Ms Jean. “He told me he was he was assisting me. I thought he was doing it the right way.” The magistrate then asked if Simeon could read English at all, to which the man replied: “Yes, a little bit.” Thus, Magistrate Rolle-Davis said he should have known that the birth certificate said his daughter was born in the Bahamas, and not Haiti. And if so, Simeon knew it was forged, the senior magistrate reasoned.
JACSEN Simeon yesterday. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
Magistrate Rolle-Davis ultimately sentenced Simeon to three years behind bars, asserting that he “knowingly” committed the various offenses. He further charged that Simeon’s actions were “calculated and planned”, and that it was only due to the “benefits of his deception” that he was able to stay under the radar for so long. Thus, Magistrate RolleDavis said he was satisfied that Simeon should be punished in such a way so as to “deter others who may have the desire to defraud the government”.
PAGE 8, Tuesday, February 11, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
Gena holds a key to unlocking children’s potential T
HE values we impart to our children are often reflected in the way they live their lives as adults. That is why, when I write Face to Face and tell the stories of people who are walking in their purpose, they often refer to their parents and credit them for their part in making them who they are. This week as I write about my aunt, Gena A Brown, I am delighted to share the story of a woman who has always exhibited grace and kindness in my life. But I also realise just how good of a mother she is when I think about her two sons – twins Kurt and Kent. These two young men are just phenomenal. They are smart, witty, handsome, debonair and most of all, they are perfect gentlemen. Gena has released her first book, I Need My Blankie. It is designed for “Preserving God’s Purpose and Potential in Children”. As we spoke about her passion for children and why she wrote the book, I began to see that this is more than a book release. This is a testament of her life. After successfully raising twin boys into responsible citizens and great role models while also pouring into the lives of her nieces and nephews, her extended biological and church family, as well as other children, she found a calling – sharing her tips for good child rearing with the world. For the past 15 years, Gena has been teaching at various Boys and Girls Clubs in the country. “There was no guide, no manual, nothing given to me by those asking me to teach,” said Gena. “There was a hodgepodge of subjects being taught with no clear or defined goal or objective at the endAs well intended as persons may have been and still are, they didn’t have a definitive plan - a focused objective. I realised that we needed to have a training tool or document strategically and intentionally designed to train children in the ways of the
Lord. They wanted to teach the children the right way to go. They are faith-based organisations. They are well intended community and church programmes, but there was a need to fill that void.” While mentoring children in New Providence, especially in the inner city over the years, Gena would have heart-to-heart talks with the children. In this way, she learned to understand and relate to them. It tore at her heart anytime she learned of children who were being abused, mistreated or neglected. By writing a book for those entrusted with caring for these young children, she hopes to begin changing their lives by connecting the children with their care-givers in a way that results in better lives for the children. Gena was determined to be a good example and raising energetic twin boys was in no way an easy feat. They were miracles in her life from the start. She was living in Abaco when she was pregnant. Back then, there were what was known as “fly-in” doctors. They were not stationed on the island. They would fly in on special days to attend to patients. Pregnant women would have to keep their files on them and drive to the settlement when the doctors were visiting. Gena – and everyone around her – kept wondering why she was putting on an exorbitant amount of weight during her pregnancy. She went from being a 115 pound first runner-up in the Miss Bahamas beauty pageant to “someone unrecognisable” weighing 175 pounds. When the doctor would use his stethoscope to check her tummy, he would joke and tell her the baby was an acrobat, because the heartbeat could be heard on both sides.
But Gena had a dream and in that dream, she saw herself deliver three babies. She told her grandmother Blanche, who advised her to let the doctor know of her dream. The doctor was tickled by the news of the dream, but laughed and dismissed it. Back then, there were no ultrasound facilities on the island, so there was no way for her to confirm the dream. When it was time to come to Nassau to deliver, it was not until the first baby came out and the nurse said, “There’s another!” that Gena’s dream was given some credit. After the second boy came out, the after birth followed. The hospital staff were enthralled by the two mirror-image twins. They were taken to neonatal intensive care at the time. They were just over four pounds each, and could fit in the palm of a hand. Gena was sent home to recover; but two days later, she was back at the hospital because she was haemorrhaging. She had lost so much blood she was going in and out of consciousness. While at the hospital, a nurse told her that she had infact delivered a third baby – a little girl who came out still born. This news was devastating to Gena, especially considering her dream. It is a loss she still feels to this day. It is also a part of the reason why she feels so deeply for children and desires to see them raised in environments that will make them thrive. “I want to see children who are socially well-adjusted and who have manners and respect for elders,” she said. “I want to see children who have high self-esteem, who are community-minded and oriented, disciplined and with inherent values
GENA and her twins Kurt and Kent, who are married with children - moral values and character that would help them to become good community builders.” Gena’s husband, Malford “Mario” Brown became a pillar in Kurt and Kent’s lives. When she wanted to further her education and achieve more in her life, Mario supported her and took care of the boys while she studied and took night classes. Even when the twins were bigger and Gena wanted to travel to America to become a certified John C Maxwell team member, her husband travelled with her and encouraged her every step of the way. Today, she is a certified teacher, trainer, coach and public speaker. She adds these qualities to her professional certifications. She is an accomplished business professional who has occupied leadership positions in the financial services and tourism industries over the years. She currently serves in the capacity of Senior Director of Human Resources, Professional Development & Training in a quasi-government ministry. She is a management studies graduate of the University of the West Indies, and she holds specialised certifications in a wide array of disciplines including banking and finance, human resources and talent management, adult education, curriculum design and development and youth development. Gena’s book, the first in her “Sprout Series: Training and Mentorship Books for Children Ages 5-8” includes stories and an instructional guide. “Bible Story Time” provides instructions on how to deliver the stories in an exciting way, while providing guidance on how to discuss moral issues with young children. It also provides activities to engage in with children, with a specific goal in mind. She also guides the adult in learning how to use key phrases that would encourage a child to find his or her voice and be able to speak to their parent or a responsible adult about anything. Other objectives of the book include fostering a safe, secure and supportive home environment and teaching childen how to love, honour and respect elders. Gena grew up in an
GENA BROWN - John C Maxwell certified trainer, teacher, coach and public speaker environment like this. She was raised in a home on Nassau Street by her mother, Sylvia Eloise Ingraham (nee Thurston). There, her grandmother Blanche Thurston (nee Hanna) always had a full house. Family was always around. Because of the loving environment, many children were raised there. It was not uncommon to have to move the living room furniture at night and put blankets and pillows on the floor so that the children could all lay down in a row. It was always a good night’s sleep on mama’s wooden floor because the children’s bellies were always full, they were always clean, and they were always made to know just how much they were loved. She dedicated her book about children and family to my grandmother Sylvia. My father Allan writes the book’s tribute to their mother, calling her “the very epitome of unconditional love and unwavering support” for her children. Gena also dedicates the book to her father Prince Edward Hepburn; grandmother Mildred Clarke-Hepburn; grandfathers Henry Thurston Sr and Carrington Hepburn; and her aunt, Mary Thurston-Outten. She
also learned valuable lessons in caring for children from her eldest cousin, Sandra North, founder of of the Aztec Juvenile Junkanoo Group and Youth Organisation. I Need My Blankie was officially launched in December 2019 with a special leadership training seminar, conference and panel discussion. There, she issued a clarion call for parents to “take full responsibility for their children and to bring them up in the knowledge and admonition of the Lord”. The scripture reference for the conference was Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it”. The love of her husband and twins, and the loss of the little girl whom she carried and saw in her dream, are the impetus for Gena to continue to pour out her passion in the Sprouts book series. Find I Need My Blankie (illustrated by Renbert Mortimer) on Amazon. com or contact Gena at genabrown86@ hotmail.com or call (242) 432-5110.
LEFT: a young Gena competing in Miss Bahamas; above: Gena learning a dance move from little Layla Major, who read an excerpt at the book launch; right: Gena’s twins, Kurt and Kent
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, February 11, 2020, PAGE 9
Driver dies in another high speed police chase from page one Sunday as officers were responding to reports of people fighting in the street at Milfred Avenue off Carmichael Road. Chief Superintendent Craig Stubbs, head of the Traffic Division, told The Tribune: “A homeowner… called the police reporting that there were some persons at his residence creating a disturbance where he was having a private function for family and friends. Police arrived on scene, they would have spoken to the private homeowner who pointed out a vehicle.” Witnesses at the scene pointed out police to a man who was sitting in a silver coloured Nissan Skyline. As the officers approached the vehicle, the man sped off, leading police on a chase that ended on Carmichael Road west of Gladstone Road. Chief Superintendent Stubbs said the driver, who was known to police, hit a number of things on the road. “The vehicle then exited onto Carmichael Road and was travelling west when
the driver lost control and collided with a utility pole. He would have continued travelling off the westbound (land)….where he then collided with a tree…..then he collided with a parked Mack truck. Once the vehicle came at rest, it burst into flames.” Police Fire Services came to extinguish the flames. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are trying to identify the young man as he was burned beyond recognition. However, CSP Stubbs said they have an idea who he was based on the owner of the car who came on the scene, but a positive ID must be done by DNA. This incident follows another police chase that happened on February 1. Police said officers were acting on information shortly after 9pm when they visited the Golden Gates area and saw a silver coloured car that was occupied by two men who were behaving suspiciously. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, suspecting the men to have been involved in an armed robbery, however the driver led police on a high-speed chase. Police said the driver lost
control and ran into a concrete wall on the western side of Baillou Hill Road, near Moonshine Drive. The driver was pronounced dead on the scene and the passenger was taken to the hospital where he eventually died from his injuries. CSP Stubbs advised members of the public not to evade police as they will be pursued. “Just stop. If you commit an offence, deal with the consequences but when you take these…. high-speed chase, you’re putting everybody, all road users or persons who are not associated with the chase at risk for harm or death,” he said. On Friday, National Security Minister Marvin Dames said the February 1 crash was “unfortunate” and “tragic” yet it was not “uncommon” for police chases to end badly. “If you watch the news, you would see in the United States and other places, these highspeed 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.
THE SCENE where a man died in a fiery crash after leading police on a car chase in the Carmichael Road area where he collided with a parked Mack truck.
UNIQUE VACATIONS LIMITED VACANCY Manager – Call Center Operations Unique Vacations is looking for a dynamic and results oriented individual who is intelligent, persuasive, forward thinking, and above all, able to demonstrate excellent leadership skills. In addition to extensive leadership experience, the candidate must have held a management position in a well-established company and be able to demonstrate a track record of sustained success. A sound knowledge of call center operations is an asset and customer relationship management is essential; as is a broad understanding of Caribbean travel. A strong appreciation for the sales and customer service function with a focus on meeting clients’ needs though understanding clientele is required. Job Summary: • Develop all agents, supervisors and managers through monitoring of work performance and counseling them in the areas of quality service, telephone etiquette, overall product knowledge, sales techniques and provide the individual with a development plan. • Maintain and track the agent’s daily performance and phone statistics; analyze data to identify strengths and weaknesses and counsel individuals accordingly. • Ensure a “goal” plan is set for each agent, supervisor and manager. Every goal plan ensures the maximum productivity and is customized based on their individual needs. • Completes group-monitoring sessions each week. • Hosts periodic focus groups to identify employee concerns and satisfaction. • Assist in planning and executing call center promotions and morale boosting activities. • Administer disciplinary action when necessary. • Enforce rules of conduct based on company/ department policy. • Communicate the standards of performance and assist individuals in achieving these standards. • Disseminate new information, procedures and programs and communicate to the agents, supervisors and managers in a timely and effective manner through daily/ weekly briefings and/ or emails. • Communicate effectively with other managers, peers and subordinates through both written and verbal skills both locally and in other sites. • Encourage participation, teamwork and establish an open and trusting environment. • Evaluate the agent’s, supervisors and managers performance to ensure that each is performing up to measured standards. • Supervise that all necessary documentation is processed in a timely manner. • Review all documentation for accuracy prior to submitting (i.e.: administrative forms to HR, etc) • Submit and verify all personnel action forms to payroll on a timely basis to provide accurate reporting. • Process shift swaps and vacation/ floating holiday requests for all call center personnel. • Work closely with Work Force Management to ensure effective scheduling and staffing. • Conduct company annual performance appraisals as required by management. • Assist in the interview and selection process of new positions. • Identifies and assists in developing follow up training courses. • Must be able to escort Familiarization trips as needed. • Must remain current with all the resorts updates and if required by management, must take opportunities to view first hand. • Must be available to work nights, weekends and holiday schedules a needed. • Other duties as required. Experience/Skills/Qualifications: • Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management or similar • Minimum of 5 years management experience in a Call Center***(preferred) Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.Interested persons should submit their applications by February 13th, 2020 with curriculum vitae to
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PAGE 10, Tuesday, February 11, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
AMERICA - A COUNTRY SEEMINGLY AT WAR WITH ITSELF IT MUST surely be both disturbing and disheartening for so many admirers of the US to watch the growing political divisions which seem to be affecting the whole country and could develop in to a downward democratic spiral with endless partisan vitriol and bitter debate. The seeds of my own love affair with the ‘land of the free’ were sown when I was fortunate enough to spend a year in Massachusetts as an English Speaking Union exchange student and this was followed by frequent return visits. So, through these and maintaining contact with friends, it has been easy to keep up with events over the years. With the nation apparently in a
ceaseless domestic political war, not helped by the long-drawn-out electoral process, some people are even saying US politics may already be beyond the point of repair. Others say that is fearmongering, but commentators are indulging in hyperbole about how bad things have become, with one BBC journalist concluding a report with the words ‘ broken politics, broken democracy, broken country’. It is saddening, in particular, to witness the deterioration of civility and decorum in public life and the coarseness and ugliness of political discourse. This was shown most recently not only in President Trump’s socalled victory address to his
The
Peter Young column IT WAS sad to write in this column last November about the terrorist attack that had taken place on London Bridge. This resulted in the murder of two young people - who were dedicated to the rehabilitation of prisoners - by a convicted Islamist terrorist. The attacker had been released from prison on licence after serving half his sentence and was himself later killed by the police. How depressing it is, so soon after that, to comment now on another similar incident in the British capital just a week ago. This time, in the south London district of Streatham, a knife attack, described by the police as an Islamist-related terrorist incident, led to a young convicted terrorist being shot dead by police within barely a minute of launching his action that injured three people. The perpetrator had similarly been released from prison automatically a few days earlier
and was being watched as part of a counter-terrorism surveillance operation. The sad fact is the UK is facing a wave of Islamic terrorism which started with the terrible atrocities in London in 2005 which resulted in 56 deaths and some 700 injuries. In the past couple of months alone, as well as the London Bridge and Streatham attacks there has been a similar assault inside a high-security prison that left several prison officers injured. Britain’s traditional tolerance and her respect for the rule of law, together with recognition of the need to protect the human rights and civil liberties of all including wrongdoers, is well known. But no one needs to be reminded after these incidents that the most important duty of the state is to protect its citizens - and press reports suggest there is a growing feeling among the public that the official response in Britain
supporters following his acquittal on impeachment charges by the Senate but also by his refusal to shake hands with Nancy Pelosi before delivering the State of the Union speech and then her ripping up his speech afterwards in an undignified act of petulance out of keeping with the solemnity of the occasion. But perhaps one should not be surprised. That was an example of the disharmony coming to a head and some see the divisiveness of the Trump era as a culmination of the downward spiral, though the pundits say disunity has been growing gradually. Clearly, the impeachment of the President made the situation worse, not least because deep down even Democrats must have
accepted it amounted to a naked political play rather than a grave constitutional undertaking. Right from the beginning of the Trump presidency, the Democratic Party was unashamedly seeking his removal from office and thus preventing him from standing for another four-year term. Whatever view some take of the allegation of abuse of power, I, for one, find it hard to see how his action was sufficiently serious to amount to an impeachable offence - unwise in a telephone call to a foreign leader to have mentioned a political rival in the context he did but not bad enough to lead to removal from office. The vote in the Senate showed
political polarisation at its worst, with all except former Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, voting on party lines. Many are now saying the Democrats’ failed efforts to force Trump out of office will have strengthened him politically to the extent he now looks almost certain to win a second term in November’s election, not least because he has a good story to tell about his achievements - particularly a strongly performing economy which he described in his State of the Union address. What a political roller coaster is surely ahead, with the threat of a nasty presidential campaign. But I think that BBC assessment was somewhat over the top.
What comes first - a terrorist’s rights or the public’s safety? to this recurring terrorism has not been sufficiently robust in the past. Now, there is outrage, in particular, that convicted terrorists are being automatically released after having served only half their sentences. In its manifesto for last December’s General Election, the Conservative Party pledged to end this policy. As an immediate reaction to the Streatham incident, the government has described the situation as one of “severe gravity” and, as a first step, is putting forward emergency legislation to keep in jail those convicted of the most serious and violent crimes and to enhance the involvement of the Parole Board in assessing the suitability of terrorist offenders for release after serving two
thirds of their sentence. Reportedly, under present plans the new system will apply to both current and future offenders. But there are already signs that applying any new measures retrospectively might run into legal challenge by the civil rights lobby and opposition under the European Convention on Human Rights, which is separate from the EU and of which the UK remains a member. It looks to me that the new government’s action is none too soon. There comes a point when enough is enough and there has to be a toughening up of the treatment of those involved in terrorist activity. The State’s duty of protection of the right to life must include measures to prevent terrorism and members of the public can simply not understand how convicted ‘jihadis’, who all too often will remain dangerous, can be released prematurely from prison and allowed to walk the streets. Moreover, what makes this worse is the knowledge that there are more than 200 terrorist offenders in prison currently awaiting such release. People accept, however, that anti-terror measures should be proportionate and, as such, not undermine democratic values. So a balance has to be struck between the rights under the law - not just of early release - of individuals who have committed a terror offence and the rights of other people to walk around free from the threat of terrorist violence. As far as I can see, it is the case that some of those who have become radicalised and involved in some way in terrorist activity cannot be rehabilitated because they are fanatics driven by
THE ATTACKS on London Bridge. above, and in Streatham, below, were sad to see
deeply held beliefs and an ideology whose aim is to implant Sharia principles in Western countries. So, it may come to a point that, unless terrorists, who have constituted a threat to the peace and to law-abiding
citizens by trying to kill others while seeking martyrdom, can show beyond reasonable doubt that they have genuinely changed their toxic mind-set and beliefs, they could end up staying in jail indefinitely.
become republics. As Head of State for seven decades, The Queen, now 93 years old, has been at the centre of Britain’s national life during a period of sustained relative peace and prosperity. She has been a beacon of decorum and decency with, in the words of the Prime Minister at the time she overtook Queen Victoria, unerring grace and dignity; and she has been a reassuring presence - with her portrait on banknotes and stamps as a constant reminder - providing stability and continuity in an ever-changing world and a calm symbol of unity above transient politicians forever at odds with one another. Her longevity also makes her the most experienced and knowledgeable Head of State probably of all time for she has been
seeing state papers and has met and got to know successive world leaders, continuously since 1952. Everyone recognises The Queen has had a tough time recently. All will hope she overcomes the recent setbacks involving the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to step down as senior Royals and the issues surrounding Prince Andrew, not to mention concern about the health of the Duke of Edinburgh. Meanwhile, she herself continues to be widely loved, admired and respected, both at home and overseas, for her dedication to duty and public service. She has also, of course, travelled all over the world and particularly to Commonwealth countries, including The Bahamas of which, as a realm rather than a republic, she is Head of State and the Governor General is her representative. With very little support for republicanism in Britain, so many people fervently hope and pray The Queen, who remains in good health, will continue to flourish in the coming years.
ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR HER MAJESTY A SIGNIFICANT anniversary fell last week which may have escaped people’s notice. February 6 was the day The Queen acceded to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25 following the death of her father King George VI. There were Gun salutes at the Tower of London and in Green Park near Buckingham Palace and there was a special ringing of the bells of Westminster Abbey - where The Queen was married in 1947 and her coronation took place in 1953 - to mark Accession Day. Some people think she has only now become the longest-serving monarch, but she achieved that in 2015 when she surpassed the reign of her greatgreat-grandmother Queen Victoria. On her accession she also became Head of the Commonwealth. Such a role for the monarch was recognised on the basis that, without exercising sovereignty, The Queen could bring to bear beneficial influence and be a visible symbol of unity for this free and voluntary association of its members even if most of them would
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, February 11, 2020, PAGE 11
TRUMP LOOKS TO ‘SHAKE UP THE DEMS’ WITH NEW HAMPSHIRE RALLY NEW HAMPSHIRE Associated Press EAGER to put on a show of force in a general election battleground state, President Donald Trump tried to rattle Democrats yesterday with a rally in New Hampshire on the eve of the state’s first-in-the-nation primaries. Trump, on a high after his acquittal last week on impeachment charges, boasted about the nation’s strong economy, tore into his possible general election foes and launched an assault on the Democrats who tried to
remove him from office, calling the episode a “pathetic partisan crusade.” “Our good Republicans in the United States Senate voted to reject the outrageous partisan impeachment hoax and to issue a full, complete and absolute total acquittal,” Trump told a crowd that roared and cheered throughout his speech. “And it wasn’t even close.” Trump’s rally comes a day before New Hampshire Democrats head to the polls following the disastrous Iowa caucuses that failed to produce a clearcut winner to take Trump on in
November. Trump mocked the lingering uncertainty over the outcome of the party’s kickoff caucuses, where the results are still under dispute. “Does anyone know who won Iowa?” he asked the crowd. “I don’t know.” Before leaving Washington, Trump said he had planned the rally to rattle Democrats and demonstrate his strength in the state before the primary vote. “Want to shake up the Dems a little bit - they have a really boring deal going on,” Trump tweeted. “Still waiting for the Iowa results, votes were fried. Big crowds in Manchester!”
It’s a tried-and-tested tactic for Trump: Scheduling counterprogramming to divert attention from Democratic debates and other major moments, keeping him in the spotlight and building supporters’ enthusiasm in the months before Election Day. At the same time, Trump continued to celebrate the Senate’s acquittal decision, lacing into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her performance during his State of the Union address last week. “I had somebody behind me who was mumbling terribly,
mumbling, mumbling,” Trump complained, calling it “very distracting, very distracting.” He did not make mention of how, at the address’ conclusion, Pelosi tore up her copy of the speech. In a nod to the longtime supporters who have returned to his rallies again, Trump returned to one of his greatest, if rarest hits, delivering a spoken-word performance of “ The Snake,” a dark 1960s song he has used as an allegory to warn of what he sees as the dangers of illegal immigrants and refugees allowed into the United States.
GIVE ME A BREAK
KOBE WIDOW STRUGGLING TO COPE WITH DEATHS LOS ANGELES Associated Press
THOR the bulldog takes a nap before competition at the 144th Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York yesterday
China’s daily death toll from virus tops 100 for first time BEIJING Associated Press CHINA’S daily death toll from new virus has topped 100 for first time, with more than 1,000 total deaths recorded, the health ministry announced earlier today, as the spread of the contagion shows little sign of abating while exacting an ever-rising cost. Though more offices and stores in China have reopened after the extended Lunar New Year break, many people appear to be staying home. Public health authorities are watching closely to see whether workers’ returning to cities and business resuming worsens the spread of the virus. Another 108 deaths were reported over the previous 24 hours, the National Health Commission said in a daily update. That increased the total to 1,016 deaths, well beyond the toll taken by the 2002-2003 outbreak of SARS which
CHINESE President Xi Jinping receives a temperature check as he visits a health centre in Beijing yesterday comes from the same family of coronaviruses as the current deadly pathogen. Newly confirmed cases fell slightly to 2,478 from 3,062 the day before, bringing the total to 42,638 on the mainland, some of whom have since been cured and released from hospital. The outbreak’s persistence is
dimming optimism that the nearquarantine of some 60 million people and other disease-control measures might be working. The director-general of the World Health Organization said that the agency is still unable to predict where the outbreak is heading but that he believes there is still an opportunity to contain it. “In recent days, we have seen some concerning instances of onward transmission from people with no travel history to China, like the cases reported in France yesterday and the U.K. today,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The detection of the small number of cases could be the spark that becomes a bigger fire, but for now, it’s only a spark.” In Beijing, there were few signs of activity. The capital’s broad avenues were largely free of traffic, and thousands of rental bikes stood in long ranks with hardly a customer. Tourist attractions such
as the Forbidden City remained closed, as did schools, and many people worked from home, hoping to avoid crowds. Iris Ke, who works for an advertising company, said she plans to wait until next week to go back to the office. “We just need to have a little more sense of self-protection,” said Ke. “Life goes on anyway. How come we stop going outside or stop working simply because of fear of disease? We can’t do that.” Those shops and restaurants that did open found few customers. At the Sanyuanli market in Beijing, the stalls were stocked with pork, mutton, seafood and vegetables and shoppers wore face masks. Britain, meanwhile, declared the virus a “serious and imminent threat to public health” and said it would forcibly detain infected people if necessary. France tested scores of children and their parents after five British tourists contracted the virus at a ski resort.
VANESSA Bryant expressed grief and anger in an Instagram post yesterday as she copes with the deaths of her husband Kobe Bryant, their daughter Gigi and seven other people in a helicopter crash last month. “My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone,” she wrote. “It’s like I’m trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me. It feels wrong. Why should I be able to wake up another day when my baby girl isn’t being able to have that opportunity?! I’m so mad. She had so much life to live.” Bryant said she realises she has to remain strong for her three surviving daughters, Natalia, Bianka and Capri. “I know what I’m feeling is normal. It’s part of the grieving process. I just wanted to share in case there’s anyone out there that’s experienced a loss like this,” she wrote. “God I wish they were here and this nightmare would be over. Praying for all of the victims of this horrible tragedy. Please continue to pray for all.” The social media post included a video feature from Slam Magazine about Kobe Bryant coaching their daughter Gianna’s basketball team. Bryant was killed when the helicopter carrying him, his daughter and seven others crashed into a mountainside in Calabasas, California, while flying to a girls basketball tournament on January 26.
KOBE and daughter Gianna
AUDIENCE FIGURES FOR OSCARS UN WARNS OF ‘MAJOR SHOCK’ NIGHT FALLS TO ALL-TIME LOW AS LOCUST OUTBREAK SPREADS NEW YORK Associated Press
JOHANNESBURG Associated Press
WITHOUT a host or a great deal of pizzazz, ABC’s telecast of the Academy Awards reached its smallest audience ever of 23.6 million viewers. The Nielsen company said Sunday night’s audience was down 20 percent from a year ago. The previous low-water mark for the Oscars was the 26.5 million people who watched in 2018. The Academy Awards honoured “Parasite” as best picture. While that made history as the firstever foreign language film to win the top award, it was clearly not an audiencegrabber. The Oscars were held sooner in the year than usual, and that may have prevented the show from building buzz. “It was too predictable, too white and too boring,” said Tom O’Neil, founder of Goldderby.com, a website devoted to awards show news. The actors who took the four biggest prizes
UGANDA scrambled to respond to the arrival of the biggest locust outbreak that parts of East Africa have seen in decades, while the United Nations warned yesterday that “we simply cannot afford another major shock” to an already vulnerable region. An emergency government meeting hours after the locusts were spotted inside Uganda on Sunday decided to deploy military forces to help with groundbased pesticide spraying, while two planes for aerial spraying will arrive as soon as possible, a statement said. Aerial spraying is considered the only effective control. The swarms of billions of locusts have been destroying crops in Kenya, which hasn’t seen such an outbreak in 70 years, as well as Somalia and Ethiopia, which haven’t seen this in a quarter-century. The insects have exploited favorable
OSCAR statues stand outside Hollywood Boulevard — Joaquin Phoenix, Renée comic monologue with Zellweger, Brad Pitt and Steve Martin and Chris Laura Dern — had also Rock. But a handful of critswept previous awards, so ics felt the lack of host was there were few surprises a handicap this year. and few indelible moments, Dominic Patten of he said yesterday. “The Deadline said the show only suspense of the even- “bellowed out for a ringing was for best picture, and master to harness what the average viewer hadn’t soon became a lackluster seen ‘Parasite’ or ‘1917,’ so circus.” they weren’t emotionally Hank Stuever, critic for invested,” O’Neil said. the Washington Post, said For the second straight the show was too predictyear, the Oscars went host- able. He called it “Oscar less, opening with a rousing autopilot — three and a half production number from hours of Hollywood cruisJanelle Monae and a crisp ing along at 35,000 feet”.
wet conditions after unusually heavy rains, and experts say climate change is expected to bring more of the same. Keith Cressman, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organizations senior locust forecasting officer, said Kenya has received “waves and waves of swarms” since the beginning of the year from the Horn of Africa, and “over the weekend they moved on the side of Mount Kilimanjaro across the border into Tanzania.” “Also over the weekend they moved into northeastern Uganda,” he told a news conference at U.N. headquarters in New York. “We’re expecting any day
they will move across the border into the southeast corner of South Sudan,” where another several million people face hunger as the country struggles to emerge from civil war. A medium-size swarm of locusts can eat the same amount of food as the entire population of Kenya, Cressman said, and “that swarm in one day can eat the same amount of food as everybody here in the tri-state area, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. So not taking action in time — you can see the consequences.” U.N. officials warn that immediate action is needed before more rainfall in the weeks ahead brings fresh vegetation to feed new generations of locusts. If left unchecked, their numbers could grow up to 500 times before drier weather arrives. “There is the risk of a catastrophe,” U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock told a briefing in New York, warning that 13 million people already face severe food insecurity.