PUZZLER WEDNESDAY
Big Mac Classically Delicious
HIGH 79ºF LOW 68ºF
i’m lovin’ it!
Monday,
February
CARS! CARS!
8, 2021
The Tribune Established
Being Bound To
Swear To The Dogmas
1903
Of No Master
The Tribune L A T E S T
Volume: 119 No.69, March 2, 2022
N E W S
tise Call
To Adver
-2351
601-0007 or 502
Starting at
$33.60
CLASSIFIEDS TRADER
ed
VAT includ
Established 1903
O N
T R I B U N E 2 4 2 . C O M
Biggest And Best!
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$1
GOVT STEPPED IN TO BLOCK BPL RATE RISE ‘JUNE DEBT PAYMENT OF $2BN IS NO PROBLEM’
Planned increase shelved after Cabinet ruled rise needed ministers’ approval By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A DAY after Bahamas Power and Light “prematurely” announced a proposed hike in electricity costs due to rising fuel prices, Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears said yesterday the government has not approved any rate increase for power in the country, nor is it considering doing so. This was also supported by Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis yesterday,
who committed his administration to doing all it can to avoid “raising the cost of electricity” on the Bahamian people. Both men spoke after the power provider advised consumers in a press release on Monday that fuel costs would rise 3.2 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), w arning some customers could see a rise of about $8, while others could pay $19 more on their electricity bills depending on consumption. SEE PAGE THREE
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
THE Ministry of Finance’s top official last night said he foresees “no issues whatsoever” over the ability to refinance $2bn in domestic debt coming due for repayment by June 2022. Financial secretary Simon Wilson said he was “highly confident, highly confident” that most if not all investors will agree to roll over their existing holdings. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
MORE HEALTH STAFF FOR FAMILY ISLANDS By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
MORE than 200 healthcare workers are expected to be sent to various Family Islands to bolster medical services in those communities, according to Health Mister Dr Michael Darville. Speaking to reporters yesterday, Dr Darville said the decision to increase manpower in public health on the islands was made by Cabinet after a paper highlighting staff shortages
and other deficiencies was brought to the government’s attention. “I’d like to say that fortunately in Cabinet after looking at the manpower deficiencies throughout the Family Islands, the ministry brought a paper, and it was approved for additional staff and so I’m pleased that we will begin to improve the manpower resources throughout the Family Islands,” the minister said before going to a Cabinet meeting. SEE PAGE FIVE
A CORAL PLAGUE A DIVER applies an antibiotic paste to a diseased colony of great star coral on Molasses Reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Bahamians are being urged to sound the alarm over coral disease and the government is being asked to take swift action. See PAGE TWO for the full story. Photo: Karen Neely/Nova Southeastern University
COPS PROBE PRINTERS ON FAKE FOREIGN VACCINE CARDS By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville confirmed yesterday an official investigation has been launched to crack down on local printing companies producing fake vaccination cards. SEE PAGE FOUR
ABUSE VIDEO EXPOSES RISK TO ELDERLY By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Alzheimer’s Association has condemned a video circulating on social media of an elderly person being abused and reiterated “this behaviour should not be condoned or tolerated”. In a release sent on Monday, the association spoke out about the video. “The Bahamas Alzheimer’s Association (TBAA)
AN IMAGE from the video in which an elderly woman is seen being placed into a parked car. recently became aware of a video circulating on social media of an elderly person being abused. The
association condemns these actions in the strongest possible terms and reiterates that this behaviour should not be condoned or tolerated,” it read. “While all abuse against the vulnerable is distasteful we firmly stand in agreement with the World Health Organization and its World Report on Violence and Health, which states that the ‘concern of mistreatment of older SEE PAGE FIVE
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
ALICIA WALLACE: ASK THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS FOR CAREGIVING NOW
- SEE PAGE EIGHT
PAGE 2, Wednesday, March 2, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
BEFORE and after: When a coral becomes infected with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (left) it can be completely dead within a matter of weeks (right).
Warning over coral plague BEGINNING SATURDAY MARCH 5, 2022
FULL SERVICE SATURDAY BANKING 10AM-1PM COMMONWEALTH BANK Golden Gates Oakes Field Prince Charles Drive Wulff Road Freeport Mall Drive
BANKING CONVENIENCE, 6 DAYS A WEEK, TO BETTER SERVE YOU.
“Leader in Personal Banking Services.”
www.combankltd.com
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIANS must “sound the alarm” and the government must take swift action to address stony coral tissue loss disease, a fast-spreading bacteria that is ravaging coral reefs throughout the country, says Waterkeepers Bahamas President Joseph Darville. In a letter yesterday, Mr Darville said he visited Grand Bahama recently and saw the destruction for himself. He said the threat to coral reefs cannot be exaggerated. “What I saw can only be described as an underwater massacre,” he said. “I have never seen anything like it - huge swaths of formerly vibrant reefs, once bursting with colour and life, have become barren, lifeless desert. A cold, grey, underwater graveyard.” Rochelle Newbold, director of environmental planning and protection, told reporters in December that 90 percent of coral reefs off Grand Bahama have already been devastated by SCTLD. She said the problem is significant enough that young Bahamians should begin rethinking career paths that involve marine systems. The destruction of reefs will also leave the country more vulnerable to climate change. Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection says about $16m worth of projects have been funded since 2015 to stop the disease in waters around Florida. It is not clear how much has been spent locally. Mr Darville said: “Florida is pumping millions of dollars into saving its reefs. Other countries in the region are taking action. Meanwhile, our politicians
and civil servants continue to shuffle papers around without any end in sight.” Mr Darville said the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS) approached the Minnis administration in 2020 and explained the serious and time-sensitive nature of the crisis. He said PIMS recommended forming a multi-agency task force to develop and implement a plan specific to The Bahamas. “For more than two years, the scientists and divers have been waiting for the green light to begin taking action, but unfortunately, their initiative has become mired in bureaucracy and red tape. Meanwhile, the disease spreads further with each passing day. It has now gained a foothold in San Salvador, Eleuthera, Long Island, the Berry Islands and maybe others,” he said. “As the local environmental community never tires of saying, bureaucracy has no place in the fight to save our oceans, our resources and the tens of thousands of jobs that depend upon the blue economy in The Bahamas… Lacking the necessary permits and approvals, the hands of the PIMS scientists are tied and have remained so for more than two years.” SCTLD, a bacteria, was first found in corals off Miami in 2014. Currently, there is no cure for the disease, although its spread can be slowed or stopped when Amoxicillin, an antibiotic, is applied strategically to affected reef systems along with other measures. Mr Darville said: “The predictions for The Bahamas are dire: if nothing is done, up to 90 percent of certain brain corals once common on near shore reefs will die, rendering those species locally extinct. The disease is also targeting
To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394
so-called ‘coral dinosaurs’, formations that took hundreds of years to form, but which are disappearing in the blink of an eye. “Before long, it is expected that local fish numbers will begin to plummet, along with sharks, sea turtles and other marine wildlife dependent on coral reefs. The fallout is also likely to accelerate erosion of our coasts, as fewer reefs mean bigger waves pummelling the shore. A low-lying country like The Bahamas will also be affected by even more flooding than we already experience, especially in the face of the stronger and more frequent hurricanes and tropical storms that come with climate change. “Eventually, seagrass beds, mangroves and other near shore habitats that are biologically interconnected with the reef systems will begin to die, while our world-renowned beaches will begin to wash away and disappear. The cataclysmic effect this will have on our tourism industry, our fisheries, our dive operations and our general way of life as island people, is incalculable. I do not exaggerate in calling this a national crisis of the highest order for The Bahamas.” He added: “Boaters, divers, fishermen and ocean-lovers can contribute to stopping the spread of SCTLD. The first way is by learning how to identify the disease and to report sightings so that PIMS can continue to monitor the spread. “Next, when snorkelling, spearfishing or scuba diving, it’s important to disinfect your gear after each dive to avoid accidentally spreading the disease between reefs. Dunking your gear in a bucket of seawater with sodium percarbonate (commonly found in eco-friendly laundry detergent) added works well. Also, boaters should be careful not to transport water between reefs. Be sure to pump out any bilge at reefs where SCTLD is present. Disinfect any remaining bilgewater with a natural detergent and release it into open water away from reefs.”
THE TRIBUNE
Govt stepped in to block BPL rate rise from page one BPL recalled the statement about an hour later in the day, and no further information was given. However, in the recalled press release, BPL said the proposed cost increase, which was expected to take effect today, was in response to rising global oil prices among other factors. Yesterday, Mr Sears told reporters the press release was premature as it was never discussed by Cabinet beforehand as is the protocol. He said: “Specific to the statement that was issued yesterday by BPL with respect to the increase of the rate for electricity, the matter was raised with me by the chairman last week. I spoke very briefly with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet has not had an opportunity as the shareholder of BPL and also as the backstop supplier because the hedge which stabilises the price of electricity — that is provided by the government so the people of The Bahamas is really funding the subsidisation of electricity of The Bahamas and the matter has not been brought to Cabinet at this time and, therefore, the release was premature and when it came to my attention as the responsible minister, I spoke to the chairman
and that statement was recalled.” Acknowledging the hike in energy and fuel prices due to the Russian-Ukrainian war, Mr Sears said the government was looking at ways to keep local fuel costs at an affordable rate. This comes after Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell projected last week that gas prices could increase to as much as $8 per gallon because of the international conflict. Yesterday, Mr Sears said: “At this time, the Prime Minister has appointed a Cabinet subcommittee which is looking at how to address the question of energy on a short-term as well as a long-term basis. “The government and this subcommittee has met with a number of entities, both national as well as international relating to the supply of LNG, solar energy and the development of micro grids within the entire Bahamas with not only in respect to New Providence, but all of our various islands so that we can bring down the cost of electricity and we can have a more sustainable supply to ensure that there is Bahamian ownership in the infrastructure for the provision of electricity. “But at this point, no decision has been made. In fact, the Cabinet has not even considered (any)
Wednesday, March 2, 2022, PAGE 3
WORKS and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears yesterday.
proposal to increase the rate of electricity.” Meanwhile, Mr Davis addressed the issue of electricity costs in a recorded message from Belize, where he is attending a CARICOM meeting. “My government will do its endeavour best to ensure that the rise in gas prices around the world will not have a deleterious effect on our people,” Mr Davis said. “God knows that our people could least afford to have more taxes or costs visited on their backs and my government will do all in its power to see how we can avert raising the cost of electricity on our people and as soon as I’m back to The Bahamas, we will be sitting down to brainstorm this to see how we can best do that.” Asked what the situation means for the government’s proposed rate reduction bond, Minister Sears said: “Well, as you know, the rate reduction bond was a proposal that we met on the table and I can say that at this point, we are not proceeding with the rate reduction bond as framed that we met. “And, therefore, the purpose of this sub-Cabinet committee is to look at all of the available options to consult with our domestic stakeholders and to take proposals back to the Cabinet and have the Cabinet make a determination.”
ABACO POLICE HOLD MAN OVER DRUGS FIND By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
ABACO Police arrested a male resident of Dundas Town after discovering suspected marijuana, a firearm and ammunition at a residence on Monday. According to reports, officers, acting on information, went to a house shortly after 11am where they saw a man sitting in a white van parked outside. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stephen Rolle said
the officers informed the man of their suspicion and conducted a search of the vehicle and the premises. While searching the back of the residence, Mr Rolle said police found a quantity of suspected marijuana, and a red bag, containing a Black Rock Island .38 Revolver, with five live rounds of ammunition and one fired cartridge. The man was arrested and is assisting police with their investigation.
In other crime news, Grand Bahama Police arrested a man for shopbreaking and stealing. ASP Rolle said the incident occurred shortly before 7am at a business establishment located on Alcester Road off East Sunrise Highway. It was reported that a culprit forced open a front western window to gain entry to the business and stole an assortment of items. The officers conducted an investigation into the
matter which led to the arrest of an adult male of Behring Lane, who is assisting with several outstanding criminal matters. • Two Grand Bahama men who were wanted by police are now in custody, police reported. Stephano Perez Forbes, also known as “TV Head,” 32, of No. 70 Cabot Drive, Freeport, turned himself into police at Central Police Station sometime after 9am on Tuesday, March 1. Forbes is wanted in
179 ON INTERCEPTED HAITIAN SAILING VESSEL By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
THE United States Coast Guard intercepted a Haitian sailing vessel with 179 people on board on Sunday, approximately 30 miles off Andros. According to a news release by the US Coast Guard, the individuals were transferred to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force
yesterday. “An Air Station Clearwater C-130 airplane crew spotted the overloaded vessel at approximately 11pm, and reported the vessel to the nearby cutters and command centre watchstanders,” the release stated. Lt Vladimir Jimenez, law enforcement duty officer of the Seventh Coast Guard District command centre, added that the Coast Guard
and partner agencies continue to patrol in the air and on the water to deter these types of “unsafe voyages”. “The probability of a successful migration voyage is low, and when these voyages are stopped, people should expect to be returned to their country of origin.” The release noted that since October 1, 2021, Coast Guard crews have rescued 993 Haitians compared to
1,527 Haitian migrants in fiscal year 2021; 418 Haitian migrants in fiscal year 2020; 932 Haitian migrants in fiscal year 2019; 609 Haitian migrants in fiscal year 2018; and 419 Haitian migrants in fiscal year 2017.
connection with investigations into an assault with a deadly weapon. Also in custody is Stephanas Smith, 25, of Pinder’s Point. He is wanted by police on credit fraud. ASP Rolle said the
suspect was taken into custody on Tuesday, March 1, sometime around 12:05am by the officers from the Northeastern Division. Mr Rolle thanked the public for their assistance in these matters.
PAGE 4, Wednesday, March 2, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
Health system vulnerability a factor in easing restrictions By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net A LOCAL infectious disease expert says the vulnerability of the country’s public health system along with low vaccination numbers remain key determining factors regarding how far COVID-19 measures can be scaled back. Dr Nikkiah Forbes, the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ National HIV/ AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme director, told The Tribune that while The Bahamas is in a good place concerning the rate of new infections, officials could not “throw caution to the wind” in their consideration of returning to normal more than two years into the pandemic. As a result, she insisted a measured and balanced approach was important in maintaining low virus numbers. In recent weeks countries around the world have been loosening measures and Dr Forbes was adamant that in such instances those places had the right metrics. “There has to be a balance. That has to be very important and taken into consideration when we’re rolling back restrictions,” Dr Forbes said in an interview earlier this week. “You see that we are loosening restrictions, but it has to be in a balanced, logical and appropriate way for your country and so let’s remember the context.
DR NIKKIAH FORBES “So, COVID-19 it is very likely that there are still going to be variant strains that develop and we see that the cases, the waves they go up, they crest and then they go down and that has been our experience with the previous four waves. “So, when countries are rolling back restrictions these are some of the things they have to take into consideration: they have to take into account the status of their current
health system to withstand a rise in COVID cases and surges and the vulnerabilities of the health system and the ability of the health system to respond and that is hospitals as well as the public health infrastructure for contact tracing, isolation surveillance of the situation and treatment and prevention and cure. “You also have to take into account vaccination status and coverage. In many of those countries’ vaccination coverage is very
high - more than 70 percent where they’re rolling back measures. They have health care systems with multilevel institutions that can absorb some of the stress of surging COVID cases and waves of COVID cases. “Our health system is not like that and so we really have to take a very measured cautious approach. “It is good that we are in a better situation with COVID now and that we can roll back some restrictions but we can’t throw all caution to the wind.” So far, 161,251 people in the country are fully vaccinated. Dr Forbes said vaccine hesitancy continues to be a challenge. “There is still hesitancy and we see that people are still getting vaccinated but it is slower and we have to do all we can to meet people where they are and help to understand why they’re hesitant. “Now, these vaccines have been around for quite some time. More than half of the world’s population have taken these vaccines and we can see that in the real world that they’re very effective to prevent hospitalisations and deaths and it’s a very good point that you’re raising. With COVID, we’ve been in this fight against COVID for more than two years. It’s always going to be here as a circulating respiratory virus. What’s different now from the beginning of the outbreak is we’re better equipped.
“We have treatments, we have vaccines that we know can help to save lives and we understand more about how it spreads and as we get back to our normal lives that’s very, very important. We need to remember that we can do all we can to protect ourselves from getting COVID-19. That’s following public health precautions and getting vaccinated.” Although daily infections have recently been in the low double and single digits, Dr Forbes said it was likely there could be another wave of COVID-19 in the country. “Well, you know that’s what’s happened to date. We’ve had four and some countries have had others so previous experience will show you. COVID is here to stay and with the majority of the world’s population not being vaccinated that is a set up for other strains emerging. “That just depends on what the strains will do. They become more infectious and could certainly cause the potential for more spread.” Dr Forbes was also asked whether The Bahamas could ever reach the point where the mask mandate is rolled back as had been the case in some areas of the United States. She insisted masks are a very effective tool in cutting the rate of transmission by 50 percent. “So, in places where there would still be high COVID
incidents and spread that wouldn’t be recommended. That would be in places where it’s under control, but again you have to take into account the context of your country and that’s what we’re always called to do and we read about guidelines and recommendations and implementations others are making for you to consider what is the context for your country. “Again, our health system is somewhat vulnerable to COVID. When we have a COVID surge we see that ordinary care, non-COVID care is compromised and it is difficult in COVID care when we are having surges. “Mask wearing is a simple effective tool that if it’s done effectively everyone can cut down the risk of transmission by more than 50 percent. “It would just simply not make sense to do that if we’re in a surge especially in the setting of low vaccination in places where there is a high risk for transmission. So, it’s not something that should be tossed aside and in many places where it is being tossed aside public health experts are lamenting that this can be a little bit too early to do such things and that if it is that there is another wave for example or another strain of COVID that’s more transmissible you will very, very soon find yourself with a rise in cases again. So, you should use caution,” Dr Forbes added.
COPS PROBE PRINTERS ON FAKE FOREIGN VACCINE CARDS from page one
His comment to the press came after the Ministry of Health raised alarm about the issue on Monday, saying it was made aware that several printing entities had been issuing vaccination cards with false information on it. According to the ministry, the cards falsely claim the
card holders had been vaccinated in countries abroad as opposed to locally. Yesterday, Dr Darville said officials were first alerted to the situation by the vaccination committee. “We got information through the vaccination committee that some cards are showing up in the system that are not specific to where the vaccinations were done and the press
release spoke specifically about printing companies tampering with the cards and changing the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on a card that may be for another country,” Dr Darville said before going to a Cabinet meeting. While he was unable to confirm how many of the fraudulent cards have been detected thus far,
Dr Darville said he didn’t believe it was a large number. He also revealed the Royal Bahamas Police Force is now probing the matter and further warned those found connected to the fraud scheme will be held to account. “There is an ongoing investigation. I don’t want to go into the details of the investigation, but we
want all printing companies who are producing cards and if they are involved in this kind of activity, they need to stop immediately because it was referred to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.” Concerns about people using fake vaccination cards comes as COVID cases continue to trend downward both locally and in some parts of the world. Some countries have even lifted mask mandates and other COVID-19 related restrictions in view of improving infection rates and are also encouraging self-COVID testing as the new normal. This comes amid reports that some local stores are also selling the self-rapid antigen tests. Dr Darville cautioned suppliers who have been importing the tests to follow the proper procedure as mandated by the ministry. The public is also reminded that testing at an approved or registered reference lab remains the golden standard, he added. “We work very closely with the reference lab,” the minister said. “You know they test and they test with high specificity and reliability. The Ministry of Health and Wellness wants to make sure that
tests coming into the country meet the WHO standard. “Some of the tests that are out there for sale, we need to know exactly what they are, but they are being used in the country and they are not specific tests. It’s probably a rough guide and for you to ensure that you have a negative or positive test and that may mean whether you go to work or not, it has to be from a registered reference lab. “But we do warn suppliers that tests being imported into the country, particularly self-testing, have to go through a procedure at our national lab to ensure that what you’re doing makes sense because the quality may not be up to par and meet the standard that we have put in place at the Ministry of Health and Wellness.” In a statement released yesterday, the ministry reported that active COVID cases in the country now stand at 254 after a data cleaning exercise was conducted by officials. Due to the declining numbers, Dr Darville said he hopes the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention will lower the country’s travel warning from a level four to a level three or two soon.
JOB OPPORTUNITY Busy Optometry office in New Providence looking for full time Optometrist. Must have Doctorate of Optometry degree from an accredited college of Optometry or trained at a college of Optometry from the UK. Must be licensed to practice in country of training. Must be proficient in OCT and Humphrey’s Visual Field.
opticalopportunity36@gmail.com
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, March 2, 2022, PAGE 5
More health staff for Family Islands ABUSE VIDEO EXPOSES RISK TO ELDERLY from page one
“We got an approval of an excess of about 270 additional staff and that is inclusive of our handymen, our additional clerical staff, also ambulance drivers and people who will be able to improve the delivery of healthcare throughout the islands while we move swiftly to do the necessary upgrades of our clinics.” Concerns about the weak quality of the emergency and care services on the Family Islands were reignited in late January after relatives of one of the three men killed in a car crash on Long Island complained about the level of care he received. However, even before then, Family Island residents would often complain about the country’s slow response in getting locals airlifted, especially as it relates to those suffering from COVID-19 related complications. Dr Darville said: “We need to do a better job with Emergency Medical Services, on ground transportation and better coordination because some of the islands, the clinics are far apart, and we need to make sure that we have a better response mechanism on the ground in the event of any type of accident or natural disaster. We need to be able to respond better. That is being done. “One of the elements of the (IDB) loan is to ensure that we put in place in isolation pods at many of our Family Island facilities in the event of infectious disease and lastly, another component of the loan is
from page one
MINISTER of Health and Wellness Michael Darville yesterday. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff infrastructural upgrade – to improve the clinics and get them up to pay which is reflective of where we want to go with National Health Insurance.” He also said the government is seeking to complete renovation works at Princess Margaret Hospital and Rand Memorial Hospital. “We toured the Rand Memorial hospital (and) a portion of the hospital renovations took place under the former administration, but there’s another section of the hospital where nothing was done and then we walked through the Accident and Emergency and looked at the wear and tear that is associated with Dorian and so there had to be additional work there,
but we did go out for request for proposals for a morgue for the Rand Memorial Hospital and some additional space. I believe that would be in probably for the end of the month so we can move swiftly and award a contract. “At the Princess Margaret Hospital, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done. I spoke about the morgue renovation that’s going on. We need now to move to Male Medical II which has been gutted and we need to get some additional bed space.” Yesterday, the minister also gave an update on the Grosvenor nursing building, which was temporarily acquired by the government in January following negotiations with University of
The Bahamas. The building is expected to serve as a COVID facility that can accommodate up to 100 patients. According to Dr Darville, the building is about 70 to 80 percent complete. “We’re in the tail end of the fourth wave,” he continued. “We’re hoping that we would remain this way, but we need to ensure that we prepare for war when there’s peace and that’s my job as the minister - to ensure that we have adequate facilities. “We had a rough ride with the fourth wave at the Princess Margaret Hospital and the Rand Memorial hospital and we need to make sure that we have additional beds.”
people should be heightened by the realisation that the coming decades, in both developed and developing countries, there will be a dramatic increase in the elder population. The report further states that, the consequences of abuse can be especially serious as older people are physically weaker and more vulnerable than younger adults, their bones are more brittle and convalescence takes longer. Even a relatively minor injury can cause serious and permanent damage’.” In the cell phone video, an elderly woman is seen being placed into a parked car by another woman who later hit and screamed at her to stay inside the vehicle. The elderly woman was reportedly wandering around the parking lot before she was put into the car by her caretaker. The association urged law enforcement authorities to take the necessary
action to ensure justice is served in the matter. It also encouraged the government to ensure the 2019 Draft of the Older Persons Bill is “quickly brought before Parliament and that a national policy is developed to ensure these issues of elder abuse are addressed”. The association added it is aware there may be moments of frustration when caring for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s, but said caregivers should not take out their frustration on the person who is in their care. TBBA highlighted the assistance the association offers. “The Bahamas Alzheimer’s Association offers assistance in the form of webinars, where we provide help and instructions on care for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s. One of the aims of the association is to facilitate support and care for the care-givers and families of those suffering with Alzheimer’s.”
OFFICER TESTIFIES IN SOLOMON’S THEFT TRIAL By PAVEL BAILEY
A POLICE officer testified yesterday in the ongoing trial of a former employee of Solomon’s Fresh Market, who is accused of stealing $342.50 worth of groceries. Vashnique Rolle, 28, of Pinewood Gardens, is on trial before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney. The prosecution alleges
that on November 17, 2021, Rolle, while working at the cash register at the store’s Harbour Bay location, was caught on surveillance video stealing hundreds of dollars worth of assorted groceries. The lead investigator in the incident, Sergeant Gerard Miller, told the court that on November 21 he conducted an official interview with Rolle in the
NOTICE Members of Bahamas Electrical Utility Managerial Union, the senior staff of The Union of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation A resolution for the removal of an officer from office under article XVIII of the constitution has been presented for your determination. A vote will take place on 8th March 2022, beginning at 9 am.
Bahamian Brewery & Beverage Co. is looking for a suitable candidate to fill the following position:
Brewery Chief Engineer Qualifications | Suitable applicants must have:
• A degree in Engineering • 5 years experience in Beer Manufacturing • 5 years experience in European Bottling System • 5 years experience in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and at least 5 years in Mechanical Engineering Interested persons may apply in writing to: Barefoot Marketing: P.O. Box F-41779 Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas
presence of her attorney Alleecia Delancy. During this interview, video footage was shown of a light-skinned woman — alleged to be Rolle — cashing out items for purchase for two unidentified male suspects without receiving any currency for the transaction. After being shown the footage, Rolle gave a no comment response to questions of her being the cashier in the video and also gave no comment to questions of her not properly cashing the items presented to her for purchase. Sergeant Miller then said by the end of the interview,
the defendant elected not to give a written statement under caution. He said after Rolle and her attorney read over the police record of interview, they refused to sign it. A receipt related to the incident was shown in court detailing exactly what items were allegedly stolen. During cross-examination, Ms Delancy asked Sgt Miller exactly what items were stolen from the store. The officer said he could not exactly recall without having the receipt in front of him, but explained they were assorted groceries items, including juice and fruits.
Ms Delancy also asked if he had ever shown the defendant the receipt, which he also could not recall. This led Ms Delancy to suggest he never showed this evidence to her client. She further questioned the officer as to whether any of the groceries in the footage had been found to which he responded that up to this point nothing has been recovered. He also said to his knowledge no search of Rolle’s home had been conducted. Ms Delancy then asked Sgt Miller if he had ever spoken to Gilbert Lloyd, to which the officer said he
had no knowledge of this individual. Ms Delancy then explained to the court that Mr Lloyd had a charge account at the store. She then suggested that while her client was accused of stealing she was actually conducting a transaction on Mr Lloyd’s charge account. Ms Delancy finished her arguments by suggesting that Sgt Miller had charged her client without sufficient investigation. The officer responded to this claim by saying he did in fact conduct a thorough investigation of the matter. Rolle’s trial was adjourned to April 12.
PAGE 6, Wednesday, March 2, 2022
The Tribune Limited
THE TRIBUNE
PICTURE OF THE DAY
NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
LEON E. H. DUPUCH,
Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,
Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991
EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,
C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-
Published daily Monday to Friday
Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax
(242) 322-1986 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348
WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com
@tribune242
tribune news network
Taking a gamble on electricity prices ELECTRIC prices going up, electric prices staying the same – it’s hard to keep track after first a statement by BPL, which was then recalled, and now the government saying no rate increase has been approved. So what’s going on? Well, that increase would have seen BPL raise its customer fuel charge by 30 percent with effect from yesterday, but it was not given Cabinet approval. How the new board of BPL contrived to let such a statement go out without approval is curious indeed. The reason for the cost increase was due to rising global oil prices, among other factors. What’s driving that rise? Chiefly, the war in Ukraine. As Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell cautioned last week, gas prices could hit $8 a gallon, and those price increases are equally hitting power generation companies around the world. It’s not rocket science. Russia is itself a major producer of oil and sanctions are stifling the flow of that product. Supply and demand alone will mean that less supply to meet the same demand will see prices rise as customers outbid one another. Five days ago, crude futures rose above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014, while prices for other products including natural gas, grains and feedstocks also surged. Yesterday, oil hit $105 per barrel. Yesterday, Works Minister Alfred Sears said the government has not approved any rate increase. Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis soon followed suit, saying his administration would do all it can to avoid “raising the cost of electricity”. That said, what can the government do? Oil prices are a cost that cannot be avoided – though you can take a gamble on oil prices. There’s a process called hedging, where you essentially buy or sell based on the expected future price of oil to protect you from rising prices. It
is a way to manage your risk. But right now, with prices soaring, if you haven’t a hedging agreement already in place then you’d best hurry or get left behind. So if a deal isn’t in place, either the power company has to run on tighter margins or even a loss, or it has to pass on the costs to the customer. Other plans have been looked at in the past, such as the rate reduction bond pursued to no effect under the last administration, but that’s dead in the water as far as the current government is concerned. Mr Davis pledged to be “sitting down to brainstorm” as soon as he returns to The Bahamas from Belize, where he is attending a CARICOM meeting. Who knows what the price of oil will reach by then? As for the board of BPL, complete with its new appointees, this is a poor start for any sign of independence in managing the company if the government simply steps in and says no. What’s the point of appointing a board if you don’t let them get on with it? This column last week cautioned that the war in Ukraine would affect us all – and here are some of those real-world effects right here on our doorstep. One question will be what hedging deals are already in place – have we already placed our bet at a price level before the surge, for example. That would offer some protection – but higher prices still lie ahead, certainly while the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues. The retracted statement said that a new hedge would have been put in place – but that deal will now not happen. So what next? Time is ticking and prices are rising. The government has stalled the process while it figures out a plan – but it needs to act fast. And, of course, summer is coming. Mr Davis and his team are not to blame for surging oil prices around the world – but finding a solution for that will be no easy task.
Name Sands to Senate EDITOR, The Tribune I WAS pleased to hear the news that my good friend, Dr Duane Sands, won as chairman of the Free National Movement. I have known Dr Sands since we were young. Duane always had exceptional potential. He has lived up to that potential, becoming one of the great surgeons in our country. Dr Sands is needed in the effort to get our party back into fighting shape. We suffered a major loss on September 16. The people were not happy with the FNM. The PLP won by a large number of seats. Dr Hubert Minnis did the honourable thing and stepped aside after the loss. The party wanted to go in another direction. Dr Minnis understood that. The FNM hastily elected Michael Pintard as leader. Pintard has done a reasonable job trying to get the party more organised internally. The party was not operating in the manner it should have been. However, Pintard has been weak in carrying the message against the PLP. He is weak at getting attention from the media. He seems not to know when to go on the attack. He also
likes to apologise too much for the past. As an FNM I have watched Pintard up close for many years. I know him. The problem is that Bahamians do not know who he is. Some have only heard that he was a comedian and poet. He is finding it difficult to excite Bahamians and get their attention. Dr Minnis has been the one leading the fight against the PLP in the House of Assembly. The former prime minister comes prepared and goes right at Philip Davis and his administration. Dr Minnis understands that in opposition you are supposed to challenge the government and hold them accountable. Pintard likes to say he is working with the government. The PLP likes hearing that. They know that as an inexperienced leader he does not yet have the tools to make them uncomfortable. Pintard’s inability to be the lead public spokesman for the FNM is the reason why it is so exciting to have Dr Sands as chairman. Duane is not afraid. Duane knows how to get media attention. Duane knows how to attack. Duane does not want to hold the PLP’s
hand and be friends. Dr Sands can now be the lead FNM voice in the public sphere. Dr Minnis can continue to be the lead FNM voice in the House. Having these two firing at the PLP will make our voice heard even more. Dr Sands should be named to the Senate as a result of his win as chairman. He could take the place of Reuben Rahming. This would give the party’s new chairman yet another venue (the Senate) in which to carry our message. Former FNM Leader and Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham also supports Dr Sands. Duane will be able to draw on Ingraham’s support, mind and resources. We help bring Ingraham more back into the fold by elevating Duane. It will take Pintard some time to learn how to lead. He does not know how to use the media to amplify his voice or cause excitement. While he learns, Drs Minnis and Sands can keep the heat on the PLP and remind people that the FNM is a viable force going forward. THE MACKEY STREET MAN Nassau, March 1, 2022.
A PERSON makes faces as they march in the Societe de Sainte Anne parade during Mardi Gras in New Orleans yesterday. Photo: Gerald Herbert/AP
A brighter future for The Bahamas EDITOR, The Tribune.
WHAT an amazing twelve months it has been since I stepped into the role of CEO at BTC. It’s been a rewarding journey. As a young child from Mount Pleasant, who did not have the luxury of a telephone in the house to now being a part of the country’s premier telecommunications provider this can only be characterised as a dream come true. As a business we are charged to bring value rich telecommunications to every home in The Bahamas. This is our ‘why’ as a business, and I truly believe that we are turning a corner and moving in the right direction as we do our part to build a bright future for The Bahamas. It has not been an easy road. Today actually marks two years that the majority of our colleagues, and many other businesses for that matter are still working from home, in the midst of this global pandemic, that no one saw coming. The pandemic has really challenged us to reengineer how we work in our niche of telecoms and how to pivot to serve our customers. I’ll say upfront that I couldn’t be prouder of the stance that we took to ensure that all our employees were kept employed and all of their benefits were kept in place. This helped them to continue to take care of their loved ones, many of whom were impacted by the harsh realities of this devastating pandemic. The work that our team has put in is nothing short of fantastic and is truly yielding its benefits. Our annual results were recently released, and we’ve seen year-on-year growth, fully due to the investments that we made in the last 24 months. We strive to provide customers with an end-to-end seamless telecommunications experience. We elevated our network by exponentially increasing our fiber-to-the-home footprint, providing the best-connected home option, and we’ve rolled out unmatched value packed propositions converging our home and mobile services. Fiber is the future, and the future is now. Fiber brings tremendous innovation and places us on the cusp of digital transformation. When we were unable to connect in person, fiber helped to ensure our customers had a robust and scalable virtual connection. Schools used fiber to continue education, while businesses used fiber even more to provide services to their customers and countless digital entrepreneurs were birthed through fiber connectivity.
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net I wish I could say we are exactly where I want us to be with our deployment across the archipelago, which is to have 100% of the country on the fiberto-the-home network, but we’ve made some good strides and we’re seeing positive momentum. By the end of this year, we are striving for 40% fiber penetration and by the end of 2023, we plan to fully “fiberise” our network, and retire our legacy copper technology. Right now, our techs are in the trenches expanding connectivity to an additional 12 communities, including Cooper’s Town, Abaco. And, as quickly as we complete a community, we have scores of residents and business customers wanting to know when fiber will be in their area next. Don’t worry, we’re on the way. Making sure that we have a super fast robust broadband into every home in our archipelago sets the foundation for the introduction of the future of 5G mobile networking for BTC. We will need that density of fiber in every neighbourhood, because 5G networks require a higher density of infrastructure and connectivity. We are committed to supporting the Government’s blueprint for change, which includes the 5G network deployment. We’ve already had productive discussions with URCA and the Government and we are looking forward to advancing a 5G trial this year in one of our metropolitan areas, like the Nassau Harbour. BTC remains a great partner of the Government, and we are proud of the many projects that we have teamed up with the GOTB to accomplish. Some of these include a network for the Ministry of Education, connecting over 112 of our schools. The CCTV initiative in partnership with the Ministry of National Security, a state-of-the-art cloud collaboration system for the National Insurance Board, and G-Net providing over 144 high-speed fiber-optic links throughout the country for the Ministry of Finance. It’s “back to business”. That’s the theme that our small business team has coined, and we are working hand-in-glove with the business community as we provide them with smart solutions to rebound. In addition to providing them with great speeds, we are also providing them with stellar 24/7 support, marketing opportunities and fully customized websites with e-commerce functionality as added benefits.
Our customers are at the heart of everything that we do, and we are working harder to serve you better. Service is huge focal point for me. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve expanded our digital self-service options to include artificial intelligence and we’re adopting widely used platforms like WhatsApp to provide customer care and service. Through our payment partners we were one of the first to make it seamless for customers to top-up using the Sand Dollar digital currency. We’ve rolled out more self-service kiosks and introduced a complete store on wheels providing access to all of our products and services. We started a journey to fully evolve our contact centre platform to make it easier for you to reach us and easier for us to provide support. Through our website, we’ve removed the red tape, and made bill payment simple and quick with Fast Pay, and we’ve added two new contact centres dedicated to our enterprise and small business customers. Internally, we’ve even created a special team in the business focused on critically examining and rectifying the pain points in the customer journey and trust me, we’re focused on getting it right for our customers, the first time. We remain committed to supporting our communities. In 2021, we really showed heart, as our teams came together in several ways volunteering countless hours to support our communities. We happily provided thousands of dollars in donations to causes and we assisted over 3,000 families in need with grocery packages. I was really happy to visit Abaco in November to personally participate in a drive-through event with the Ministry of Education where we donated 150 tablets to students that recently returned to the island. BTC wouldn’t be BTC without the people of The Bahamas that support us every day, and we are so grateful for you allowing us into your homes, your businesses and in the palms of your hands. As CEO, I am proud of the men and women that make up this BTC family. By no stretch of the imagination are we perfect, and we know that we have a lot more to do, but you can rest assured BTC will come through to deliver for The Bahamas. I am looking forward to another year of delivering telecommunications service to this great country. ANDRE FOSTER,CEO Bahamas Telecommunications Corp. Nassau, March 1, 2022.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, March 2, 2022, PAGE 7
Officer says ten-year-old girl identified her attacker By PAVEL BAILEY A POLICE officer testified in court yesterday about how a ten-year-old girl identified an accused man as the person who allegedly indecently assaulted her. The testimony came during the ongoing trial of Cardinal Rolle. Sergeant Nickera Robinson, of the Criminal Investigations Department, testified that after receiving information on the suspect, she then downloaded a photo of the accused. A
photo line-up with Rolle and 11 other potential suspects with similar features was done where the victim positively identified Rolle as the culprit, the court was told. This picture was then signed and dated by the 10-year-old girl and her grandmother. During cross-examination the defendant’s lawyer Glendon Rolle asked why Sgt Robinson hadn’t recorded the name of the grandmother. She said that she could not recall. Mr Rolle indicated that he didn’t see the grandmother’s name in the report;
he suggested the complainant’s grandmother was not present when the minor identified the defendant. Sgt Robinson rebutted this by saying the grandmother’s signature was indeed on the photograph alongside the granddaughter. Sergeant Glendera DeanGomez, also of the CID, was the next to give testimony. She told the court that during an interview with the defendant present, the 10-year-old complainant maintained her initial story of events. It is alleged that while on her grandparents’
porch, the accused man approached the child and then touched her genital area along with her stomach and then kissed her twice on the mouth. After this the defendant claimed he had no idea what the ten-year-old was talking about and while he admitted he has been on the property, he said he is only ever there to see the complainant’s grandfather. The witness said the accused also said he had no reason to do such a thing and that he gave no indication as to why the complainant would make up the allegations. He
had no further statements after those and ended the confrontation. Sergeant Dean-Gomez could not recall the demeanour of the defendant during the interview. She was also asked by Mr Rolle if she had asked for the grandfather’s identity to which she said no. He asked if Sergeant Dean-Gomez had informed the defendant of his right to legal counsel, but she could not recall the defendant’s response to this. When he gave testimony, Detective Constable Denise Charlton of the CID clarified this matter. She said
that after the defendant had been informed of the allegations against him he was told of his right to a lawyer but declined, thus leading to officers proceeding with the interview without Rolle’s lawyer present. DC Charlton also said the defendant was not coerced into participating in the interview. This official record of interview was signed by both the suspect and the officers. It was also entered as an official exhibit in court. Rolle’s trial continues on May 17 before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney.
SANADIA A PIONEER IN HER PROFESSION By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMIAN Sanadia Smith has broken the barrier at Bahama Rock as the first female certified heavy equipment operator at the rock mining plant in Freeport. Ms Smith was one of several speakers invited to talk to young students enrolled at the Ruthnell Technical Institute during a career seminar held at its campus in Hawksbill. “It has been an overwhelming experience,” she said. “It was something I did not think I was capable of doing.” Ms Smith said she dreamt of becoming a heavy equipment operator just like her father. “Growing up, I used to watch my dad operate heavy equipment at Freeport Harbour, and that was something I always dreamt of doing. I wanted to give it a try. And for me now being able to stand here and say I am doing it, is a privilege.” Ms Smith has been employed at Bahama Rock for 11 years. She initially started working in the office doing filing and other clerical work. “When the opportunity came to become an operator, I took it. I started off as a truck driver, and then eventually became a heavy equipment operator,” she said. Ms Smith said that skilled labourers are in high demand today. She told students that there are job opportunities available for both men and women at Bahama Rock. She encouraged other women to get into the field
SANADIA SMITH by expanding their knowl- employees at Freeport edge and skills. Container Port that were Ruthnell Technical Insti- initially enrolled at the tute provides technical institute. certificate programmes in Mrs Clarke told students various vocational fields. that Hutchison Ports HoldIt is registered with the ing, which is headquartered National Accreditation and in Hong Kong, has 53 ports Equivalency Council of the within 27 countries. She Bahamas (NAECOB). stated that there are many Representatives from opportunities for employvarious industrial compa- ment at FCP. nies, including Bahama She said employees start Rock, the Freeport Conat the base level as a stetainer Port, and LEAD vedore and move up the Institute talked about job opportunities available. ladder to other positions Abaco businessman Renard as a straddle operator and Watkins also encouraged crane operator. Mrs Clarke reported that students about the imporFCP acquired state of art tance of establishing a equipment, including the pension investment fund. Yvette Farrington acquisition of remote-conClarke, the HR training trol cranes, in 2018. coordinator Hutchison Ports, said they have had an established relationship with Ruthnell Technical for the past nine years. She indicated that there are currently almost 100
JOB OPPORTUNITY A company is looking for an experienced accounting clerk. Confidentiality, excellent organizational skills, and accuracy are important qualifications for this position. Knowledge/Skills: •
Experience with data entry, record keeping and other day-to-day financial and operational tasks.
•
Organizational, verbal, and written communication skills is a must.
•
Proficiency in QuickBooks
•
Strong understanding of accounting processes and internal controls
•
Excellent leadership and supervisory skills
•
Excellent critical thinking skills
•
Excellent communication skills and customer relations
•
Excellent time management skills
•
Ability to work well with minimal supervision
Duties: ·
Using bookkeeping databases, spreadsheets and software
·
Posting financial transactions using Quickbooks software
·
Receiving and recording vouchers, cash and checks
·
Entering debits and credits into software appli cations and databases accurately
·
Producing a variety of reports including income statements and balance sheets
·
Checking for accuracy in reports, figures, and postings
·
Reconciling and reporting any discrepancies found in the records
email resume to chinainvestment1969@hotmail.com
“We have a remote operating system where there is no one physically inside the crane, which is controlled by persons from a room. I get a thrill just watching them do that because it looks like they are playing video games,” she said. The HR training officer said FCP plans to replace all its cranes. “When we replace our cranes, we are going to be on the cutting edge again - everything is going remote,” she said. When he spoke, Mr Watkins told students about the importance of LUCK – being a labourer under correct knowledge. He urged students to get to class on time, always ask for help and to read as often as they can. He also stressed that safety is very important on the job. Mr Watkins said another important thing they should do is to prepare for retirement. “You got to prepare for your retirement, even while you are now getting ready to go in the workforce. Nobody’s job is for long and nobody’s job is forever.” Mr Watkins encouraged the students to form an Alumni Association and put aside 20 percent of their earnings or $20 daily for six days, for the next seven years. “Whenever they are selling the next hotel in Freeport, I want to hear it is your group that is proposing to purchase it,” he said.
AUBYNETTE ROLLE
ROLLE NAMED AS NEW PHA MANAGING DIRECTOR THE Public Hospitals Authority has announced the appointment of Aubynette Rolle as the entity’s acting managing director. “Mrs Aubynette Rolle’s vast knowledge and experience in healthcare services and operations demonstrates her ability to be resourceful, collaborative and work harmoniously with doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, general staff, hospital administration and board-level leadership,” PHA chairman Andrew Edwards said. “We are confident in her expertise and capacity to enhance the quality of care and overall services offered by the PHA to the Bahamian people.” Mrs Rolle has a masters
certificate in healthcare leadership from Cornell University. She is licenced as a counsel and attorney and “serves as an innovative healthcare catalyst” with over 30 years of experience in the medical and health services field, PHA said. She began her career as a registered nurse and midwife. “The executive team and I are mandated by the chairman and the board to prioritise our people both internally and externally through the demonstration of care by committed and compassionate professionals and leadership. I am eager to work alongside the PHA team to cultivate a higher standard in healthcare and patient services,” Mrs Rolle said.
PAGE 8, Wednesday, March 2, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
Ask the difficult questions today for the caregiving we’ll need to provide tomorrow
EARLIER this week, a video of an elderly woman being abused by a supposed caregiver made the rounds and drew commentary from shocked and disgusted members of the public. Many people, if they had not seen the video, would not believe people could be so cruel to elderly people. It is not often we consider this group of people or its vulnerability beyond the pittance we know as “old age pension”. They are, far more often than we acknowledge, at the mercy of their children and grandchildren. In many cases, people do not want to be bothered with the care of their parents or grandparents. They simply do not see it as their responsibility or do not see how they could find the time and other necessary resources to do it. This could play a role in the violence against elderly people we see and the acts we will never see.
PREPARING TO CARE
As I get older, I recognise other family members are aging too. I wonder what their lives will look like in the next decade or two, and what that means for my own life. Their health and wellbeing are factors that help determine where I will be and how I will live in the years to come because I have no intention of abandoning them. As a feminist woman, I also consider and respond viscerally to the expectation that people have of women to do care work. I go back and forth on concepts like “obligation” and “responsibility” because I both reject the assertion that it is my job by virtue of being born and assigned female at birth
By Alicia Wallace
- to take care of my aging family members whenever the time comes, and I am unwilling to leave the care of those people to chance or in the hands of unscrupulous or ill-equipped people. In a society that is uncomfortable discussing aging, progressive illness and death, most of us are playing guessing games. We have no idea who is prepared to step up, or in which ways they will avail themselves. Not knowing how to approach the conversation or being unaware how quickly conditions change, most people seem to ignore the fact that is aging, whether their own or their parents’ and guardians’. Have you ever asked your parents what they want to happen if they become incapable of making decisions for themselves? Do you know if they would prefer a loved one or a stranger to care for them? Are you aware of your parents’ and grandparents’ financial situations? Do you attend medical appointments? Do you know the condition of their health, both physical and mental? Can you name the medications they are on? Are they adamant staying in their own homes or are they open to moving in with you? How often do they speak with your siblings and their siblings? How are your siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins willing and able to show up for them?
Getting the answer to these questions is not fun. There is often resistance when the topic of old age, possible illness and palliative care are raised. No one really wants to think about becoming dependent on their children or grandchildren for their most basic needs. No one wants to think they may, some day, not be able to make decisions for themselves. Still, these things happen and it is much better to be prepared. Open, honest conversations are critical to our survival and comfort. When we pretend as though these things cannot happen to us, we can easily end up in bad situations such as being stuck in the care of the worst possible family member or suddenly providing care without knowing what to do or how to do it.
CARING FOR LOVED ONES WITH ALZHEIMER’S
It is challenging to care for a person with Alzheimer’s, regardless of the stage they are in. The early stage can trick us into thinking the person is simply forgetting things in a way that is “normal” as they get older. Because of that assumption, other symptoms are often missed or misinterpreted. It is important to remember that no one wants to experience the lack of control that comes from a failing memory. It
Small/Medium Resort is searching for a
Head Chef
The ideal candidate must be knowledgeable in culinary arts, detail-oriented and self-motivated with excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Core Competencies: • Ability to execute duties with accuracy and proficiency • Demonstrate a keen eye for details • Manage small food and beverage operations within budget guidelines and to the highest standards • Lead F&B team by attracting, recruiting and training talented personnel • Design F&B menu, purchase inventory and manage food cost while providing exceptional customer satisfaction. • Must be hands on, very practical and must be able to work well with others • Must be knowledgeable in culinary and bartending. • Must comply with all health and safety guidelines of the Resort. • Oversee the day-to-day operations of all food outlets on property. • Overseeing the maintenance of all kitchen and restaurant equipment, organizing repairs when needed. • Must be able to prepare local and international cuisines. Required Qualifications: • 5+ years’ experience • Salary commensurate with experience • Must have own transportation
email: info@sandyport.com P.O. Box SP-63162 Nassau, Bahamas
can be embarrassing and frustrating for them, and the expressed annoyance of loved ones and caregivers does not help. They have feelings, and they deserve to be treated with respect and kindness and to retain their dignity. At times, people with Alzheimer’s may insist that what they are saying is true. It is not that they are lying, but that they do not remember. It is not helpful to accuse them of lying. It is not helpful to tell them they are wrong. As tempting as it may be, it is useless, and can actually be harmful, to correct them. In their minds, certain people are still alive, some of the people dearest to them may now be dreadful, and events in their histories are happening in the present. They are not faking it, nor are they trying to confuse or upset you. Recognize that something is happening in their brains, whether or not you understand it, and try to minimise their frustration by acknowledging their realities. It is difficult for people who are accustomed to independence to receive care and adjust to new conditions. You may find that you need to keep doors locked, hide keys and monitor the movements of your loved one with Alzheimer’s. Understand how this can be frustrating and demoralizing. Find ways to give them independence and treat them like adults. You may not be on top of everything at all times, so mistakes will happen and they may give you some extra work. We have all seen bulletins about missing elderly people who likely escaped their homes and caregivers. It happens. They should not be punished for getting out. Again, they are experiencing life differently and their brains are not cooperating with what you know to be true. Rather than punishment, they need extra love and care.
WHO CAN PROVIDE CARE?
Some people believe children and grandchildren should be endlessly available for caregiving. This makes sense when we take into consideration many people regard procreation as an insurance policy. Unfortunately for them, having children does not guarantee care and it certainly does not guarantee good care. Some children will simply opt out. Some will stick around for the optics. Some will genuinely care and do all they can to provide support. Some will be resentful, angry and terrible at caregiving. Which of these would you want to care for you? Of course, there is more than willingness in the equation. Caregiving requires resources. Adequate housing and appropriate household fittings and mobility devices are necessary. There has to be clean water. The caregiver needs to have money to purchase enough food and/or supplements, and medication. They also need time. Caregiving is not easy work for anyone, but it is especially difficult for a person with a full-time job. In many cases, it simply cannot be done. Support workers are needed to fill in the gaps. Again, this requires money. For most families, it is also important for the support worker to, for a period, work alongside the primary caregiver or someone else in the household so they can learn the norms of the household and the best ways to engage the person. It is not advisable to choose the person who does not have a job to provide care. Having the time is not the same as having the appropriate manner and the skills required. It is also not advisable to direct the person with the most money to simply pay someone to do it. When that person decides they have the right to make all of the decisions
without consulting with anyone else, problems arise. The caregiver needs to have or be able to build rapport with the person receiving care. They need to work and communicate well with loved ones. They need to be patient and understanding, and able to deescalate situations. They also need to understand what constitutes abuse and be resolutely against all forms of abuse. Clearly, there are serious conversations that need to take place before a caregiver is chosen.
LOOKING AT THE SYSTEM
People are not only getting older every day, but we are living longer lives. They are not necessarily healthier or more comfortable lives, but longer, nonetheless. This needs to be a consideration as laws, policies and programmes are developed. What will happen to elderly people who have no family to take care of them? What support do families need, regardless of their financial assets? How can we prepare people for the role of caregiving and assist people who want to plan for the later years? These may seem like individual problems now, but as more people live longer, the aging population grows, and progressive and debilitating diseases become more common, it will be unavoidable in our communities and across the country. It will impact different groups of people in different ways. People in the Family Islands will have different experiences as will migrant people. People experiencing poverty will certainly face specific barriers. While we need talk within our families and communities, we also need to demand more of the government. Caring for us, the people, is its job, even (or especially) when we reach and pass three score and ten.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, March 2, 2022, PAGE 9
WEATHER SATELLITE ROCKETS TO ORBIT TO MONITOR US WEST By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — America’s newest weather satellite blasted off Tuesday to improve wildfire and flood forecasting across the western half of the country. It’s the replacement for a satellite launched exactly four years ago, which ended up with a cooling line blockage that hindered its main camera. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the new model is redesigned to avoid the problem. It will be designated GOES-18 after reaching an equatorial orbit 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometres) up. The first images should come next year, following months of testing. This is the third in a nearly $11.7 billion series of four weather satellites that are among the most advanced ever built; the cost includes 30 years of operation. The
A UNITED Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, carrying America’s newest weather satellite, lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Tuesday, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The satellite will be designated GOES-18 and will improve wildfire and flood forecasting across the western half of the country. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
first soared in 2016 to track Atlantic hurricanes and other East Coast weather, while the second lifted off March 1, 2018. The fourth is set to launch in 2024. The NASA-supported GOES satellites “provide the
only continuous coverage of weather and hazardous environmental conditions in the Western Hemisphere,” said NOAA programme director Pam Sullivan. “These observations are even more critical now in a time when
the U.S. is experiencing a record number of billiondollar disasters.” GOES-17 — which is losing as much as 10% of its data because of overheating camera detectors — will be moved aside as
an orbiting spare, once the newly launched craft is ready to take its place next year over the Pacific. Each is the size of a small school bus, weighing more than 6,000 pounds (2,700 kilogrammes). Besides observing conditions here on Earth, the satellites also monitor solar flares and the resulting space weather. Despite its flaw, GOES-17 beamed back stunning pictures of the Tonga volcanic eruption in January. The new satellite should provide even better images of such events, according to NOAA scientists. Tuesday’s Cape Canaveral liftoff aboard United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket coincided with the opening of the so-called meteorological spring. The three-month season begins March 1, as defined by meteorologists and climatologists for record-keeping. This year’s spring equinox falls on March 20.
CHEROKEE ON A SMARTPHONE: PART OF A DRIVE TO SAVE A LANGUAGE By MATT O’BRIEN AP Technology Writer BY ITSELF, being able to read smartphone home screens in Cherokee won’t be enough to safeguard the Indigenous language, endangered after a long history of erasure. But it might be a step toward immersing younger tribal citizens in the language spoken by a dwindling number of their elders. That’s the hope of Principal Chief Richard Sneed of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who’s counting on more inclusive consumer technology — and the involvement of a major tech company — to help out. Sneed and other Cherokee leaders have spent several months consulting with Lenovo-owned Motorola, which last week introduced a Cherokee language interface on its newest line of phones. Now phone users will be able to find apps and toggle settings using the syllable-based written form of the language first created by the Cherokee Nation’s Sequoyah in the early 1800s. It will appear on the company’s high-end Edge Plus phones when they go on sale in the spring. “It’s just one more piece of a very large puzzle of trying to preserve and proliferate the language,” said Sneed, who worked with members of his own western North Carolina tribe and other Cherokee leaders who speak a different dialect in Oklahoma that is more widely spoken but also endangered. It’s not the first time consumer technology has embraced the language, as Apple, Microsoft and Google already enable people to configure their laptops and phones so that they can type in Cherokee. But the Cherokee language preservationists who worked on the Motorola project said they tried to imbue it with the culture — not just the written symbols — they are trying to protect. Take the start button on the Motorola interface, which features a Cherokee word that translates into English as “just start.” That’s a clever nod to the casual way Cherokee elders might use the phrase, said Benjamin Frey, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and
AN example of personalisation options in the Moto App in Cherokee. (Motorola Globalization team via AP) professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “It could have said ‘let’s get started’ in many different ways,” Frey said. “But it said ‘halenagwu’ — just start. And that’s very Cherokee. I can kind of see an elder kind of shrugging and saying, ‘Well, I guess let’s do it.’ ... It reminds me very fondly of how the elders talk, which is pretty exciting.” When Motorola thought of incorporating Cherokee into its phones, Frey was one of the people it reached out to. It was looking to incorporate a language that the U.N.’s culture agency, UNESCO, had designated as among the world’s most endangered but also one that had an active community of language scholars it could consult.
“We work with the people, not about the people,” said Juliana Rebelatto, who holds the role of head linguist and globalisation manager for Motorola’s mobile division. “We didn’t want to work on the language without them.” Motorola modelled its Cherokee project on a similar Indigenous language revitalisation project Rebelatto helped work on in Brazil, where the brand — part of Chinabased parent company Lenovo — has a higher market share than it does in the U.S. The company last year introduced phone interfaces serving the Kaingang community of southern Brazil, and the Nheengatu community of the Amazonian regions of Brazil and neighbouring countries. Several big tech companies have expressed interest in recent years in making their technology work better for endangered Indigenous languages, more to show their good will or advance speech recognition research than to fulfill a business imperative. Microsoft’s text translation service recently added Inuinnaqtun and Inuktitut, spoken in the Canadian Arctic, and grassroots artificial intelligence researchers are doing similar projects throughout the Americas and beyond. But there’s a long way to go before digital voice assistants understand these languages as well as they do English — and for some languages the time is running out. Frey and Sneed said they recognise that some Cherokee will have concerns about tech companies making a product feature of their work to preserve their language — whether it’s a text-based interface like Motorola’s or potential future projects that could record speech to build a voice assistant or real-time translator. “I think it is a danger that companies could take this kind of material and take advantage of it, selling it without sharing the proceeds with community members,” Frey said. “Personally, I decided that the potential benefit was worth the risk, and I’m hoping that that will be borne out.” Frey didn’t grow up speaking Cherokee, largely due to his grandmother’s experiences of being punished for speaking the language when she was sent to boarding
school. For over 150 years, Indigenous children in the U.S. and Canada were taken from their communities and forced into boarding schools that focused on assimilation. She and others of her generation were beaten for speaking the language, had her mouth washed out with soap and was told that “English was the only way to get ahead in the world,” Frey said. She didn’t pass it on to Frey’s mom. “This was a 13,000-year chain of intergenerational transfer of a language from parents to children that was broken because the federal government decided that English was the only language that was worthwhile,” he said. Only about 225 of the roughly 16,000 members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians spoke Cherokee fluently as their first language at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Now I think we’re down to 172 or so,” said Sneed, the principal chief. “So we’ve lost quite a few in the last couple of years.” The Oklahoma-based Cherokee Nation has more speakers — an estimated 2,000 —- but they are still a fraction of the more than 400,000 people who comprise what is the largest of the 574 federally recognised tribes in the U.S. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said in a statement Monday that incorporating the language into technology products is “a win not just for Cherokee Language preservation, but for the perpetuation of all Native languages.” Frey hopes the new tool will be a conversation-starter between older Cherokee language speakers and their tech-savvy grandkids. It complements language immersion programmes and other homegrown activism that’s already happening in North Carolina and Oklahoma. He said it will take more than text-based smartphone interfaces to really make a difference. “If the youth today are watching TikTok videos, we need more TikTok videos in Cherokee,” said Frey. “If they’re paying attention to YouTube, we need more YouTubers creating content in Cherokee. If they’re trading memes online, we need more memes that are written in Cherokee.” “We do have to make sure that the language continues to be used and continues to be spoken,” said Frey.
TECHTALK
GM SAYS CRUISE ROBO-CAR UNIT WILL BE HELMED BY FOUNDER VOGT DETROIT (AP) — General Motors said Monday that Kyle Vogt will take over as CEO of its Cruise autonomous vehicle subsidiary, a company he helped found in 2013. A GM representative confirmed what Vogt posted on Twitter, that he had “once again” accepted the job as CEO of Cruise. He replaces Dan Ammann. The Detroit automaker announced in December that Ammann was leaving the company to be replaced by Vogt as interim CEO at Cruise. Cruise is operating a small fleet of autonomous-vehicle in San Francisco that it opened to the general public at the beginning of February. GM expects to get a permit to charge passengers for autonomous rides this year. “Based on feedback from early users of our robo-taxi service, we’ve made something really special,” Vogt tweeted Monday. “I try to stay clear of too much hype and unrealistic expectations, but this just feels absurdly better than the status quo. “We’ve needed this for a long time.”
NHL LAUNCHING FACEOFF PROBABILITY STAT WITH AWS TECHNOLOGY By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer THE NHL is launching a new faceoff probability stat that uses a decade’s worth of data and in-game analytics to determine the likelihood of each player in the circle winning the draw. The league and Amazon Web Services unveiled the new feature Tuesday. It’s the latest innovation in the puck and player tracking sphere and could be just the start of machine-learning technology in hockey with implications for gambling and countless other statistics. Using information from the past 10 years of games in combination with the location of a faceoff, game situation and player performance, AWS software spits out percentage chances of who’s coming away with the puck in a matter of seconds before the linesman drops it. “Hockey is such a series of so many events that lead up to an outcome,” NHL executive vice president of development and innovation Dave Lehanski said. “We’ve identified the faceoff as being this key component — the beginning of some of these incredible events, and that’s what we want to start analysing.” Faceoff probability graphics are set to debut on Sportsnet in Canada this week and on ESPN and Turner later in March.
PAGE 10, Wednesday, March 2, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
RUSSIA TARGETS URBAN AREAS AS DEATH TOLL STAYS UNCLEAR
PEOPLE look at the gutted remains of Russian military vehicles on a road in the town of Bucha, close to the capital Kyiv, in Ukraine, yesterday. KYIV, Ukraine Associated Press RUSSIAN forces escalated their attacks on crowded urban areas yesterday in what Ukraine’s leader called a blatant campaign of terror, while US President Joe Biden vowed to make his Russian counterpart “pay a price” for the invasion. “Nobody will forgive. Nobody will forget,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed after the bloodshed on the central square in Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, and the deadly bombing of a TV tower in the capital. Biden used his first State of the Union address to highlight the resolve of a reinvigorated Western alliance that has worked to rearm the Ukrainian military and adopt tough sanctions, which he said have left Russian President Vladimir Putin “isolated in the world more than he has ever been”. “Throughout our history we’ve learned this lesson — when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos,” Biden said. “They keep moving. And the costs and threats to America and the world keep rising.” As Biden spoke, a 40-mile convoy of hundreds of Russian tanks and other vehicles advanced slowly on Kyiv, the capital city of nearly three million people, in what the West feared was a bid by Putin to topple the government and install a Kremlin-friendly regime. The invading forces also pressed their assault on other towns and cities, including the strategic ports of Odesa and Mariupol in the south. Day six of the biggest ground war in Europe since World War II found Russia increasingly isolated, beset by the sanctions that have thrown its economy into
AMBULANCE paramedics move an injured man on a stretcher, wounded by shelling in a residential area, in Mariupol, Ukraine, yesterday. Photo: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP turmoil and left the country tower, which is near cen- the square, was destroyed practically friendless, apart tral Kyiv and a short walk in the attack. from a few nations like from numerous apartment The attack on Freedom China, Belarus and North buildings. A TV control Square — Ukraine’s largroom and power substation est plaza, and the nucleus of Korea. As the fighting in were hit, and at least some public life in the city — was Ukraine raged, the death Ukrainian channels briefly seen by many Ukrainians toll remained unclear. One stopped broadcasting, offi- as brazen evidence that the senior Western intelligence cials said. Russian invasion wasn’t just The bombing came after about hitting military tarofficial estimated that more than 5,000 Russian soldiers Russia announced it would gets but also about breaking had been captured or killed. target transmission facilities their spirit. Ukraine gave no overall used by Ukraine’s intelThe bombardment blew ligence agency. It urged out windows and walls of estimate of troop losses. The UN human rights people living near such buildings that ring the masoffice said it has recorded places to leave their homes. sive square, which was piled Zelenskyy’s office also high with debris and dust. 136 civilian deaths. The real toll is believed to be far reported a missile attack Inside one building, chunks on the site of the Babi Yar of plaster were scattered, higher. Britain’s Defence Min- Holocaust memorial, near and doors, ripped from istry said it had seen an the tower. A spokesman for their hinges, lay across hallincrease in Russian air and the memorial said a Jewish ways. “People are under artillery strikes on popu- cemetery at the site, where the ruins. We have pulled lated urban areas over the Nazi occupiers killed more out bodies,” said Yevhen past two days. It also said than 33,000 Jews over two Vasylenko, an emergency three cities — Kharkiv, days in 1941, was damaged, official. Kherson and Mariupol — but the extent would not be Zelenskyy pronounced were encircled by Russian clear until daylight. the attack on the square In Kharkiv, with a popu- “frank, undisguised terror” forces. Many military experts lation of about 1.5 million, and a war crime. “This is worry that Russia may be at least six people were state terrorism of the Russhifting tactics. Moscow’s killed when the region’s sian Federation,” he said. administrastrategy in Chechnya and Soviet-era In an emotional appeal Syria was to use artillery tive building on Freedom to the European Parliaand air bombardments to Square was hit with what ment later, Zelenskyy said: pulverise cities and crush was believed to be a missile. “We are fighting also to be The Slovenian Foreign equal members of Europe. fighters’ resolve. Ukrainian authorities Ministry said its consu- I believe that today we are said five people were killed late in Kharkiv, located in showing everybody that is in the attack on the TV another large building on what we are.”
Another Russian airstrike hit a residential area in the city of Zhytomyr, the town’s mayor said. Ukraine’s emergency services said Tuesday’s strike killed at least two people, set three homes on fire and broke the windows in a nearby hospital. About 85 miles west of Kyiv, Zhytomyr is the home of the elite 95th Air Assault Brigade, which may have been the intended target. Zelenskyy said 16 children had been killed around Ukraine on Monday, and he mocked Russia’s claim that it is going after only military targets. “Where are the children? What kind of military factories do they work at? What tanks are they going at?” Zelenskyy said. Human Rights Watch said it documented a cluster bomb attack outside a hospital in Ukraine’s east in recent days. Residents also reported the use of such weapons in Kharkiv and Kiyanka village. The Kremlin denied using cluster bombs. Cluster bombs shoot smaller “bomblets” over a large area, many of which fail to explode until long after they’ve been dropped. If their use is confirmed, that would represent a new level of brutality in the war and could lead to further isolation of Russia. The first talks between Russia and Ukraine since the invasion were held Monday, but ended with only an agreement to talk again. On Tuesday, Zelenskyy said Russia should stop bombing first. “As for dialogue, I think yes, but stop bombarding people first and start negotiating afterwards,” he told CNN. Moscow made new threats of escalation, days after raising the specter of nuclear war. A top Kremlin official warned that the West’s “economic war” against Russia could turn
Photo: Serhii Nuzhnenko/AP into a “real one”. Inside Russia, a top radio station critical of the Kremlin was taken off the air after authorities threatened to shut it down over its coverage of the invasion. Among other things, the Kremlin is not allowing the fighting to be referred to as an “invasion” or “war”. Roughly 660,000 people have fled Ukraine, and countless others have taken shelter underground. Bomb damage has left hundreds of thousands of families without drinking water, UN humanitarian coordinator Martin Griffiths said. “It is a nightmare, and it seizes you from the inside very strongly. This cannot be explained with words,” said Kharkiv resident Ekaterina Babenko, taking shelter in a basement with neighbors for a fifth straight day. “We have small children, elderly people, and frankly speaking it is very frightening.” A Ukrainian military official said Belarusian troops joined the war yesterday in the Chernihiv region in the north, without providing details. But just before that, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said his country had no plans to join the fight. A senior US defence official said that Russia’s military progress — including by the massive convoy — has slowed, plagued by logistical and supply problems. Some Russian military columns have run out of gas and food, the official said, and morale has suffered as a result. Overall, the Russian military has been stalled by fierce resistance on the ground and a surprising inability to completely dominate Ukraine’s airspace. The immense convoy, with vehicles packed together along narrow roads, would seemingly be “a big fat target” for Ukrainian forces, the senior Western intelligence official said.
BIDEN’S STATE OF THE UNION VOW TO FIGHT RUSSIA AND INFLATION WASHINGTON Associated Press ADDRESSING a concerned nation and anxious world, President Joe Biden vowed in his first State of the Union address last night to check Russian aggression in Ukraine, tame soaring US inflation and deal with the fading but still dangerous coronavirus. Biden declared that he and all members of Congress, whatever their political differences, are joined “with an unwavering resolve that freedom will always triumph over tyranny”. He asked the
lawmakers crowding the House chamber to stand and salute the Ukrainians as he began his speech. They stood and cheered. It was a notable show of unity after a long year of bitter acrimony between Biden’s Democratic coalition and the Republican opposition. Biden’s 62-minute speech, which was split between attention to war abroad and worries at home — reflected the same balancing act he now faces in his presidency. He must marshal allied resolve against Russia’s aggression while tending to inflation,
COVID-19 fatigue and sagging approval ratings heading into the midterm elections. Biden highlighted the bravery of Ukrainian defenders and the commitment of a newly reinvigorated Western alliance that has worked to rearm the Ukrainian military and cripple Russia’s economy through sanctions. He warned of costs to the American economy, as well, but warned ominously that without consequences, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression wouldn’t be contained to Ukraine.
“Throughout our history we’ve learned this lesson – when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos,” Biden said. “They keep moving. And, the costs and threats to America and the world keep rising.” Biden announced that the US is following Canada and the European Union in banning Russian planes from its airspace in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine. He also said the Justice Department was launching a task force to go after crimes of Russian oligarchs, whom he called “corrupt leaders who have
bilked billions of dollars off this violent regime”. “We are coming for your ill-begotten gains,” he said, pledging that the US and European allies were coming after their yachts, luxury apartments and private jets. “Putin may circle Kyiv with tanks, but he will never gain the hearts and souls of the Ukrainian people,” Biden said. “He will never extinguish their love of freedom. He will never weaken the resolve of the free world.” Even before the Russian invasion sent energy costs skyrocketing, prices for
American families had been rising, and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to hurt families and the country’s economy. Biden outlined plans to address inflation by reinvesting in American manufacturing capacity, speeding supply chains and reducing the burden of childcare and eldercare on workers. “Too many families are struggling to keep up with the bills,” Biden said. “Inflation is robbing them of the gains they might otherwise feel. I get it. That’s why my top priority is getting prices under control.”
SPORTS PAGE 11
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022
NBA, Page 13
MLB cancels opening day By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer JUPITER, Florida (AP) — Major League Baseball’s financial fight cost regularseason games for the first time in 27 years when often acrimonious talks to end a management lockout collapsed yesterday and Commissioner Rob Manfred scrapped March 31 openers. With owners and players unable to agree on a contract to replace the collective bargaining agreement that expired December 1, Manfred cancelled the first two series for each of the 30 teams, cutting each club’s schedule from 162 games to likely 156 at most. “We exhausted every possibility of reaching an agreement before the cancellation of games,” Manfred said during a news conference in the left-field corner of Roger Dean Stadium as fans outside the
spring training home of the Miami Marlins and St Louis Cardinals chanted: “We want baseball!” Five miles away and 90 minutes later, the players’ association held its own news conference at a hotel, with union head Tony Clark and chief negotiator Bruce Meyer flanked by pitchers Max Scherzer and Andrew Miller — both members of the union’s eight-man executive subcommittee — and Noah Syndergaard seated among about a dozen players in the audience. “This has been making in the years, seeing things that have happened over the course specifically of this last CBA,” Scherzer said, “things that have happened to different players in certain situations, that we absolutely have to have corrections.” Manfred vowed players will not receive salary or major league service for games missed, exacerbating
BASEBALL Commissioner Rob Manfred outside Roger Dean Stadium on Monday after a labour negotiating session with baseball players. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) already visceral anger of the roughly 1,200 players locked into a contest of will against 30 controlling owners. Manfred maintained daily interleague play made rescheduling impossible. “To say they won’t reschedule games if games
are cancelled or they won’t pay players for those games that are cancelled is solely their position,” Meyer said. “We would have a different position.” Talks that began last April went nowhere, and MLB locked out players December 2 in the sport’s first work stoppage since 1995. There were just six economic negotiating sessions over the next 2 1/2 months in New York, but more intensive talks began on February 21 in Florida. After 13 negotiating sessions over 16 1/2 hours Monday, the sides recessed at 2:30am, having made progress but still far apart on key economic issues. Tone changed with the daylight, and the league sent the players what it termed a “best offer” on the ninth straight day of talks. The union held a Zoom call of 30-40 players and reacted angrily with a rejection. Both sides said they were
leaving town, and there was no date scheduled for bargaining to resume. At 5:07pm of the lockout’s 90th day, Manfred declared the opposite of play ball! “Against that backdrop of growing revenues and record profits for owners of the league,” Clark said, “players seek and deserve nothing more than fundamental fairness.” Baseball’s ninth work stoppage will be the fourth causing regular-season games to be cancelled, leaving ballparks quiet from Fenway Park to Dodger Stadium. Caught in the crossfire of the money fight, players said they would only discuss — but not commit to — possible on-field changes that Manfred says are needed, such as pitch clocks and the elimination of defensive shifts. An expanded postseason was another casualty — for now.
“Manfred gotta go,” tweeted Chicago Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman. The bulk of fan ire on social media was aimed at Manfred, who was spotted practicing his golf swing between bargaining sessions by an Associated Press photographer yesterday. Others were upset that Manfred was laughing and jovial with reporters at his news conference announcing the cancellation. “Have no clue how he has the ability to laugh about anything right now,” Los Angeles Angels pitcher Michael Lorenzen tweeted. “Mind is blown.” Players are angry payrolls decreased by four percent from 2015 through last year and many teams jettisoned a portion of highpriced veteran journeymen in favour of lower-priced youth. “The game has suffered damage for a while
SEE PAGE 12
PROVIDENCE STORM CHAMPIONS JACOBI Bain in action.
JACOBI AND GOLD RUSH PULL OFF BIG VICTORY By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbsWtribunemedia.net JACOBI Bain played a pivotal role for the No.10 ranked Xavier University of Louisiana Gold Rush men’s tennis team as they pulled off another big win, this time with a 4-1 triumph over the No.7 ranked William Carey on Monday in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. In their third win in 11 days against a top-15 opponent and the second during that time against a top-7 team, Bain and Santiago Perez secured a 6-1 decision over Tm Fischer and Tom Tillger, while Bain prevailed with a 3-6, 6-1,
6-2 comeback victory over Lachlan Vickery. “I played really good in doubles and in singles, I played a better second and third set,” Bain said. “In the first set, the guy wasn’t missing, but as I got back into my groove in the second set, I just dominated from there.” Bain, an 18-year-old 6-foot, 1-inch, 190-pound freshman, noted that it was a big win for the Gold Rush. “Everyone is playing really well,” Bain said. “We leave on Wednesday (today) to play against another top ranked team. We just want to go out and
SEE PAGE 13
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Providence Storm were a little too much for Island Dreams to handle down the stretch in the boys’ under-18 championship game in the Providence Basketball Club’s Mid-Term Break Classic on Monday night. The classic, played at the CI Gibson Gymnasium, took the place of the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic, which was called off for the third consecutive year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the inactivity of high school sports. SEE THE FULL STORY ON PAGE 12 Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff
Next up on Staley, QB questions hang over Gamecocks’ to-do so many NFL teams list: SEC tourney title at scouting combine By TERESA M WALKER AP Sports Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Coach Dawn Staley and her top-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks have taken care of one goal by winning their sixth Southeastern Conference women’s basketball regular season title. Now, they’re preparing for the next step. South Carolina comes to Music City looking for the Gamecocks’ seventh SEC Tournament championship in eight seasons, an NCAA Tournament tune-up for a programme trying to get back to the Final Four for a second straight year. “It’s all a learning experience,” Staley said. “Our core group of players really set the example how things need to get done. Hopefully, everybody’s continuing to learn because we’re going to need them in the next
By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer
SOUTH Carolina guard Destanni Henderson (3) dribbles towards the basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi on Sunday. (AP Photo/Rogelio V Solis) phase of our season, which Henderson and Aliyah is postseason.” Boston, who was named A postseason Staley and the SEC Player of the Year company hope starts with yesterday while winning her an SEC tourney title. third straight SEC DefenThe top-seeded Game- sive Player of the Year cocks (27-1) have won 15 crown. straight led by first-team All-SEC guard Destanni SEE PAGE 12
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The buzz at the NFL scouting combine yesterday wasn’t so much about this year’s unheralded crop of quarterback prospects. It was on veterans who may or may not be on the move this month. Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said he still doesn’t know if two-time reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers wants to return, retire or relocate. He expects an answer soon. Cardinals GM Steve Keim said he’ll exercise the fifth-year option on disgruntled QB Kyler Murray’s contract. Texans GM Nick Caserio demurred when asked about embattled QB Deshaun Watson, who
AARON RODGERS was held out last season after being accused of sexual misconduct. “We’re day to day in terms of handling that,” Caserio said. “We’re always going to do the right thing by the Houston Texans organisation.” Colts GM Chris Ballard indicated he wasn’t yet sold on former No. 2
overall draft pick Carson Wentz as the long-term answer in Indianapolis, and neither GM Terry Fontenot nor coach Arthur Smith would commit to Matt Ryan remaining the Falcons’ starting quarterback next season. Browns GM Andrew Berry told local reporters he fully expects Baker Mayfield to be the starter in Cleveland in 2022, and suspects offseason surgery on Mayfeld’s non-throwing shoulder will facilitate a successful comeback. “The reality is that we have seen him play at a high level before. Being realistic, the injury does have some impact on his performance,” Berry said. “We are focused on him
SEE PAGE 13
PAGE 12, Wednesday, March 2, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
ISLAND Dreams with their runners-up awards. Photos by Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff
THIRD place Jordan Prince Williams Falcons with their medals and trophy.
Providence Storm win U-18 basketball championship By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net THE Providence Storm was a little too much for the Island Dreams to handle down the stretch in the boys’ under-18 championship game in the Providence Basketball Club’s MidTerm Break Classic on Monday night. The classic, played at the CI Gibson Gymnasium, took the place of the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic, which was called off for the third consecutive year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the inactivity of high school sports. Providence Storm, coached by Lamont Armaly, pulled off a 56-46 victory over the Island Dreams, coached by Deshan Baker. “I think this was needed. Two and-a-half years of not playing organised basketball is unbelievable,” said Providence Basketball Club head coach and tournament organiser Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson. “For me, I travelled throughout the pandemic and it gave my guys the exposure that they needed to play the game of basketball. “But it was important to put this one on to help the local clubs and hopefully everybody who participated had a great time and it helped them to get better.” The Mid-Term Classic came on the heels of the Holiday Classic that was staged in December. But Johnson said without the Hugh Campbell Classic on the agenda again this year, he thought it was only fitting to have something else in place. A total of 16 teams participated in the tournament that saw Jordan Prince Williams Falcons clinch third
SEC
FROM PAGE 11
South Carolina already has a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament locked up. Last season the Gamecocks lost in the national semifinals to eventual national champion Stanford by a point. No. 6 LSU is the biggest threat at the SEC tourney with coach Kim Mulkey having guided the Tigers to the largest turnaround in league history by a firstyear coach. The Tigers (25-4) earned the No. 2 seed after being picked to finish eighth after winning only nine games last season. LSU has won this tournament only twice and not
place with a 49-40 win over Teleos Academy. On Sunday night, the Falcons, coached by Hanna, emerged as the 15-andunder champions with a 56-46 win over the visiting Tabernacle Baptist Falcons from Grand Bahama. Storm 56, 46: Most valuable player Tashon Butler led three players in double figures with 15 points, including six in the fourth quarter as Providence went on a 15-9 tear in the fourth quarter to seal the deal. Devontino Brown added 12 points, James Delia had 10 and Stephon Johnson chipped in with nine. “My guys worked hard. This was a good tournament, very competitive,” Armaly said. “We had a game plan and we stuck to it. They executed it very well.” Not only was it a good feeling to win the game, but Armaly said it was even better to see the tournament come off. He encouraged the other clubs and teams to practice like they do five days a week as they never know when they will get the call to participate again. Ralfie Madius was the only player in double figures for the Dreams with a game high 16 points. Sanchez Gittens was their next best scorer with nine, despite fouling out in the third quarter. Jamie Vil and Santoine Sawyer both finished with seven. “We did good. We just didn’t finish the game. Coming down the stretch when we should have been stronger with the ball, the guys just faded away,” Baker said. “They weren’t as strong as they should be. It’s part of coaching. We just have to get back to the drawing board.” Despite the loss, Baker said he was proud of his
team’s performance, considering that they haven’t played together in two years and they incorporated some new players this year. “We still have a lot more work to do, but we will get better,” he promised. The Storm opened a slim 14-12 first quarter lead, thanks to four apiece from Brown and Delia and three each from Butler and Steven Joseph. Madius paced the Dream with seven. Island Dream turned things around in the
second quarter as they went on a 15-10 spurt to post a 27-24 half-time advantage. Again Madius had seven and Vil and Gittens added three each. Delia and Garrard Rolle both contributed three for Providence. But in the third, Providence got seven from Johnson and four from both Butler and Keith Forbes in a 17-10 surge that pushed their lead to 51-47 going into the fourth quarter. Sawyer and Gittens came up with four and three
respectively to keep the Dream hopes alive. However, the Dream connected on just four of their eight free throws in the period, which was critical when it counted the most as they were unable to mount a comeback. They had the Storm in foul trouble for the duration of the game, but couldn’t convert their charity shots. While the Dream ended up going 14-for-25 from the foul line, the Storm were 8-for-16.
Falcons 47, Teleos 40: Jordan Prince Williams got a 1-2 punch from Nathan Pratt with 18 and Tayshawn Wallace with 16 in holding onto the consolation third place prize. Tevin Joseph helped out with six and Wayde Sands added five. In a losing effort, Michael Albury was held to just 12 points after he suffered a slight right hand injury in the third quarter and wasn’t as effective when he came back going scoreless in the fourth. Cedric Farrington had 11, Emmanuel Adams eight and Romail Strachan chipped in with seven. Falcons 56, Falcons 49: Ensuring that they got to at least celebrate a big victory, Jordan Prince Williams and coach Hanna used a balanced scoring attack with Trevor Clarke leading the way with 22, Michael Munnings had 12, Akhari Major had 10 and Andrae Smith added six. Tabernacle, coached by Quincy Gray, returned to Grand Bahama, having gotten 16 points from Noah Bain, nine from Bradleon McDonald and Aidan Miller, six from Joshua Williams and five from Jarius Hall. “We have a lot of talent in this country so hopefully we can get to play some more basketball so that these young men can stay out of trouble and not pick up the guns or knives,” Johnson said. “Hopefully one day some of them will earn athletic scholarships to play college basketball.” But he admitted that they will not know unless they can hear that whistle blown to jump the ball at half court to start another game in a basketball tournament or classic. “We need that basketball back to keep these young men off the streets,” Johnson stressed.
since 2003. Mulkey, with her three national titles at Baylor and 19 NCAA appearances, already sounds more focused on what’s next with her Tigers looking at a No. 2 seed for the NCAA Tournament. “I don’t feel like conference tournaments do anything for those who have already validated where they should be seeded in the tournament,” Mulkey said. “The regular season means more to me than any conference tournament.” This is the SEC’s seventh women’s tournament in Nashville and first since 2018, taking advantage of the men heading to Tampa for a break from Music City.
The tournament opens today with Texas A&M playing Vanderbilt followed by Auburn and Alabama. Tennessee, picked to finish second, is the No. 3 seed despite losing three starters to injuries with a fourth missing 12 games. The Lady Vols play their first game Friday along with fourth-seeded Mississippi. INJURY ISSUES The top two seeds could be without key player apiece. South Carolina centre Kamilla Cardoso has an upper-body injury that kept her out of the regular season finale. “Knowing Kamilla, she’s going to want to play,” Staley said. Alexis Morris sat out LSU’s win at Tennessee
last weekend after spraining an MCL in her knee in a win against Alabama. She’s LSU’s second-leading scorer averaging 15.8 points a game. Mulkey said she doesn’t know if Morris will play in the tournament. UPSET POSSIBILITIES Even with South Carolina’s dominance, nothing has been guaranteed in this league this season. Missouri handed South Carolina its lone loss of the season Dec. 30 in Columbia, Missouri. Auburn, the tournament’s 14th seed, has a pair of upsets on its résumés after knocking off then-No. 4 Tennessee in January and then-No. 21 Georgia to wrap the regular
season. Vanderbilt beat then-No. 15 Florida last week for the Commodores’ first win over a Top 25 team since March 2020 and one of Texas A&M’s four SEC wins came on the road at Kentucky. LAST TIME, FIRST TIME This tournament will wrap up Texas A&M coach Gary Blair’s final season, unless the Aggies can pull off several upsets and win it all. He announced before the season that this would be his last after leading the Aggies to five SEC titles, including last year’s’ regular season-title, and 16 straight NCAA Tournament berths. This time, the Aggies
(14-14) come in as the No. 12 seed playing 13th-seeded Vanderbilt (13-17) in the tournament opener. The Commodores are led by coach Shea Ralph, making her SEC tournament debut, and are back in this event after ending their season with a depleted roster during the first year of the pandemic. SEMIFINAL REMATCHES If the bracket holds, the top four seeds are on target for meeting again Saturday in the semifinals after wrapping up the regular season against each other. South Carolina beat Ole Miss 71-57 in Oxford, while LSU fended off the Lady Vols 57-54 in Tennessee.
MLB
FROM PAGE 11
now. ... The game has been manipulated,” Clark said. “The value inherent and how players are respected and viewed has changed. Players have been commoditised, monetised in a way that is really hard to explain.” Some clubs gave up on competing in the short term to better position themselves for future seasons. “We have been screaming for years about competition issues,” Miller said. The sport will be upended by its second shortened season in three
JORDAN Prince Williams with their 15-and-under championship awards.
TABERNACLE Baptist Falcons with their under-15 runners-up awards.
years following a 2020 schedule cut to 60 games because of the pandemic. The disruption will create another issue if 15 days are wiped out and stars such as Shohei Ohtani, Pete Alonso, Jake Cronenworth and Jonathan India would be delayed an extra year from free agency. Players would lose $20.5 million in salary for each day of the season that is cancelled, according to a study by the AP, and the 30 teams would lose large sums that are harder to pin down. The first 86 games of the 1973 season were cancelled by a strike over pension negotiations, the 1981 season was fractured by a 50-day midseason strike over
free agency compensation rules that cancelled 713 games, and a strike that started in August 1994 over management’s attempt to gain a salary cap cancelled the final 669 regular-season games and the World Series. It also led to a three-week delay of the 1995 season, when schedules were cut from 162 games to 144. The most contentious proposals involve luxury tax thresholds, the size of a new bonus pool for prearbitration players and minimum salaries. MLB proposed raising the tax threshold from $210 million to $220 million in each of the next three seasons, $224 million in 2025 and $230 million in 2026.
“We have a payroll disparity problem,” Manfred said, “and to weaken the only mechanism in the agreement that’s designed to promote some semblance of competitive balance is just something that I don’t think the club group is prepared to do right now.” Players asked for $238 million this year, $244 million in 2023, $250 million in 2024, $256 million in 2025 and $263 million in 2026. “We’re seeing it act as a salary cap,” Scherzer said. “The San Diego Padres have the higher payroll than the New York Yankees.” MLB offered $25 million annually for a new bonus pool for pre-arbitration players, and the
union $85 million this year, with $5 million yearly increases. “There’s dollars to be allocated toward them that would fairly compensate their contributions on the field, more so than what’s on the table,” Scherzer said. MLB proposed raising the minimum salary from $570,500 to $675,000 this year, with increases of $10,000 annually, and the union asked for $725,000 this year, $745,000 in 2023, $765,000 in 2024 and increases for 2025 and 2026 based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners. “The last five years have been very difficult years from a revenue perspective for the industry given the pandemic,” Manfred said.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, March 2, 2022, PAGE 13
World Athletics agrees to impose sanctions against Russia, Belarus THE World Athletics Council has today agreed to impose sanctions against the Member Federations of Russia and Belarus as a consequence of the invasion of Ukraine. All athletes, support personnel and officials from Russia and Belarus will be excluded from all World Athletics Series events for the foreseeable future, with immediate effect. Upcoming events include the World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022, the World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade 2022, and the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 2022, which begin on Friday, March 4, in Oman. The Council also agreed to consider further measures, including the suspension of the Belarus Federation, at its scheduled Council meeting next week (March 9-10).
The Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) has been suspended from World Athletics since 2015, due to doping violations, and therefore is not currently eligible to host World Athletics events or send teams to international championships. The Authorised Neutral Athlete (ANA) process remains in place but Russian athletes who have received ANA status for 2022 are excluded from World Athletics Series events for the foreseeable future. This means that all Russian ANA or Belarusian athletes currently accredited for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 2022 and the World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade 2022 (March 18-20) will have their accreditation withdrawn and entries denied, as will any support
personnel and officials. In an address to the Council, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “The world is horrified by what Russia has done, aided and abetted by Belarus. World leaders sought to avoid this invasion through diplomatic means but to no avail given Russia’s unswerving intention to invade Ukraine. “The unprecedented sanctions that are being imposed on Russia and Belarus by countries and industries all over the world appear to be the only peaceful way to disrupt and disable Russia’s current intentions and restore peace. “Anyone who knows me will understand that imposing sanctions on athletes because of the actions of their government goes against the grain. I have railed against the practice of politicians targeting athletes and sport to
make political points when other sectors continue about their business. This is different as governments, business and other international organisations have imposed sanctions and measures against Russia across all sectors. Sport has to step up and join these efforts to end this war and restore peace. We cannot and should not sit this one out.” World Athletics Athletes’ Commission chairs Renaud Lavillenie and Dame Valerie Adams welcomed the decision. “We stand in solidarity with our fellow athletes, competitors, and friends from Ukraine who are facing far greater challenges than just disruptions to their training and competition, but are in fear of their lives and the lives of their loved ones,” Lavillenie said. “While we understand the
implications of this decision for Authorised Neutral Athletes from Russia and Belarusian athletes, who may not be condoning their nations’ deplorable military action in Ukraine, we cannot ignore the message that inclusion of these two nations’ athletes would send to our friends in Ukraine and the rest of the world.” In accordance with World Athletics rules, the Member Federations from Russia and Belarus have been informed of the Council’s decisions and have the right to respond. If necessary, the Council will reconvene to consider that response. Besides Belarus, Serbia is the only other European state that has so far failed to specifically denounce the Russian intervention in Ukraine or join international sanctions against Moscow.
Raptors beat Nets again as full capacity returns in Toronto TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Gary Trent Jr scored 24 and the Toronto Raptors rallied to beat Brooklyn 109-108 last night for their second win over the struggling Nets in two days. Pascal Siakam fouled out with 18 points and Malachi Flynn scored 15 for the Raptors, who were coming off a 133-97 victory in Brooklyn on Monday. Thaddeus Young and Khem Birch each had 11 points for Toronto. Trent went 9 for 9 at the freethrow line. James Johnson scored 19 points, Seth Curry had 18 and LaMarcus Aldridge added 16 for the Nets. Cam Thomas had 11 and Goran Dragic scored 10. CELTICS 107, HAWKS 98 BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 33 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to help Boston rally in the second half and beat Atlanta. Derrick White and Grant Williams each added 18 points off the bench. Marcus Smart finished with 16 points and four assists. Boston has won 10 of its last 12 and
three of four since the AllStar break. Trae Young had 31 points and Bogdan Bogdanovic added 25 for the Hawks, who have lost two of three. TIMBERWOLVES 129, WARRIORS 114 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 39 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota, which had its offence humming inside and out in a victory over sputtering Golden State in a potential playoff series preview. D’Angelo Russell pitched in 22 points, and Malik Beasley added 20 points on 6-for-9 shooting from 3-point range for Minnesota. The Timberwolves owned a 54-42 edge in points in the paint, too, with the bangedup Warriors mostly out of answers for slowing Towns down around the basket. Stephen Curry led Golden State with 34 points, but the league’s career leader in 3-point shooting went just 5 for 16 from long range with several of his heaves way off the mark. Gary Payton II added 14 points for the Warriors, who have the
THE TORONTO Raptors team mascot pumps up the crowd as the Raptors play against the Brooklyn Nets in Toronto yesterday. The Raptors were permitted a full crowd of 19,800 at Scotiabank Arena for the first time since December 13, after the Ontario government accelerated the lifting of restrictions. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) NBA’s second-best record Golden State on the road but have lost six of eight for now, and moved a season-best five games above games. The Timberwolves the .500 mark. CLIPPERS 113, (34-29), who entered ROCKETS 100 the evening 3 1/2 games HOUSTON (AP) — out of the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference Ivica Zubac had 22 points with the play-in avoid- and 12 rebounds, and ance that comes with it, Los Angeles pulled away played without Anthony in the third quarter and Edwards because of knee cruised over Houston. The Clippers used a tendinitis. They still won their sixth straight game 40-point third quarter against the Warriors at to take a 14-point lead home, never minding their entering the fourth. They 11-game losing streak to then scored the first seven
points of the final period, with five from Amir Coffey, to make it 96-75 with 10 ½ minutes to go. Zubac and fellow starters Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris and Nicolas Batum didn’t play in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach. The Rockets got 20 points from rookie Jalen Green as their skid reached 10 games. Houston, which has the worst record in the Western Conference, has won just once in the last 15 games. WIZARDS 116, PISTONS 113 WASHINGTON (AP) — Kyle Kuzma scored 21 points and Thomas Bryant added 16, and Washington Wizards won its 14th straight home meeting with Detroit. It’s the longest home winning streak against any team in franchise history. The Wizards pulled within a game of idle Charlotte for 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Jerami Grant scored 26 points for Detroit, which had a chance to tie on its final possession. Saddiq Bey missed from the perimeter, and after an offensive rebound, Killian Hayes missed a 3-pointer.
HORNETS SIGNING ISAIAH THOMAS TO 10-DAY CONTRACT By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a 10-day contract with two-time former All-Star and veteran point guard Isaiah Thomas, a person familiar with the situation
NFL
FROM PAGE 11
getting healthy. We know how he works. We think he is talented. We have seen him play at a playoffcalibre level before, and I do not think there is any reason to think he can’t rebound to that level next year.” Yesterday, Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy revealed that quarterback Dak Prescott had offseason surgery on his non-throwing shoulder, but said it didn’t appear to negatively affect him last season. No team in the NFL has had as much trouble under center over the last few seasons as the Denver Broncos, who have churned through 10 starting quarterbacks since Peyton Manning’s retirement. The latest, Teddy Bridgewater, who went 7-7 last year, but was the best of the bunch. Finding a worthy successor to Manning — a year after his Hall of Fame
told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP yesterday on condition of anonymity because the deal will not become official until today. The Hornets have been thin at point guard since trading Ish Smith to the Washington Wizards for forward/centre Montrezl Harrell.
induction — is job No. 1 for Denver GM George Paton. “It’s always a priority,” Paton said. “It’s the most important position in sports, so we’re always looking.” Along with just about everyone else. The Broncos have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Rodgers should he ask out of Green Bay. “We just want the best guy. We don’t care if it’s free agency; we don’t care if it’s the draft; we don’t care if it’s a trade,” said Paton. “We’re going to exhaust all options to try to get the best guy for the Broncos.” Saying “there’s no new updates” on Rodgers’ situation, Gutekunst seemed to speculate the four-time MVP wasn’t all-in on playing an 18th NFL season yet. “With Aaron, I think he’s got a very tough process that he goes through to get himself ready to play every season. It’s a
The 5-foot-9, 189-pound Thomas is expected to add some depth behind LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier. ESPN was first to report the deal. The 33-year-old Thomas hasn’t seen significant playing time in the NBA since the 2019-20 season, when he played 40 games for the
big commitment, and he’s done that for a long time and it certainly shows in the results,” Gutekunst said. “I think he feels he needs to do that to play at the level he plays that. And so I know that weighs on him, but I think he’s going through that now.” Gutekunst said he expects to know Rodgers’ decision before the league’s new year kicks off March 16 with the start of free agency. Ballard said he will continue meeting with Colts coach Frank Reich and team owner Jim Irsay, and hopes to make a decision at quarterback in the next 10 days. “Ultimately, you’ve got to have a guy you believe in,” Ballard said. “I’m not saying we don’t, but in the long term is that the best answer for us? We’re not there yet, I’m not there yet.” There’s also chatter about Seattle’s Russell Wilson wanting a fresh start, and both the Buccaneers (Tom Brady) and
Wizards and averaged 12.2 points per game. He has bounced around this season, playing a combined five games for the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Thomas’ best season in the NBA came with the Boston Celtics in 2016-17, when he averaged 29.0 points and 5.9 assists per game.
Steelers (Ben Roethlisberger) need to replace elite quarterbacks this offseason. “I would say we’re open to any” quarterbacks, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said. “We have two veterans on our roster in Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins. Both have started NFL games and both have won NFL games. So we’ll see how things evolve.” Murray recently deleted all references to the Cardinals on his social media accounts, but he isn’t fading from their view at all. “Kyler Murray, to me, is someone really different from anyone else I’ve ever evaluated,” Keim said. “He can do it all and he’s very competitive and he wants to be great. Those are all strengths. “When I look back three years ago, see the progress he’s made on and off the field, it’s been tremendous. And he’s a big part of our turnaround.” And a big part of the Cardinals’ future, if Keim can help it.
Adding to the shine on veteran signal callers is the notion this year’s college class doesn’t stack up to past years. “It’s going to be fascinating to see who kind of blinks when it comes to these quarterbacks. I don’t have one with a top-10 grade,” said NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah. Without a premier prospect among the top QBs — the group that Pitt’s Kenny Pickett, Matt Corral of Mississippi, Liberty’s Malik Willis and North Carolina’s Sam Howell — the first one might not go until the teens because teams will be leery of bypassing a player with a much higher draft grade. “That’s the tricky part about this draft,” Jeremiah said. “That’s why I’ll be curious to see which teams can eliminate that need by going the veteran route and trying to get one in hand so they don’t end up having to bypass what they think is a much, much better football player at another position.”
NACAC STRONGLY CONDEMNS RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE THE North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) today issues a very strong condemnation of the recent decision by the Russia to invade the country of Ukraine and starting a war that will incur significant loss of lives, the destruction of the country’s economy and leaving untold numbers without homes and places of work. NACAC is extremely proud that the athletes of the world have let their voices join those of millions around who vehemently reject the Russian invasion and its seeming disregard for all norms of democracy and international law. As a member of World Athletics, NACAC has been a party to all Congress decisions to impose sanctions on Russia for the numerous infractions of the organisation’s competition rules and failure to satisfy all conditions required for a return to full participation in its global events. We understand only too well the evidence of Statesponsored doping that has characterised the Russian athletics programme. Today, NACAC acknowledges that genuine leadership requires of us the airing of our condemnation of a government that has shown a complete lack of respect for peace and international understanding, two of the most fundamental principles for which sport exists. As the world’s leading sport for individuals, the entire athletics fraternity must be unified in this condemnation and ensure that there is no room for Russia to manoeuvre in sport to achieve its government’s ugly and most despicable aggression against Ukraine. We ask the same in respect of the government of Belarus that has made clear its support for the actions undertaken by Russia in respect of Ukraine. We agree with the athletes of the world and encourage those of our sport to continue to make their voices heard, loud enough to have the desired impact - an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine and a return to international peace.
JACOBI FROM PAGE 11
do our best. For me, I just hope to play my best as well and help the team win again.” The Gold Rush are 6-3 and Bain said all of their losses have come from topranked teams, so he’s quite pleased with how the team is performing. So is head coach Alan Green, who likes what he’s seen from his team so far. “Our guys were in a nationals-type battle out there,” Green said of the Gold Rush’s performance on Monday. “The atmosphere was hectic and loud. But our guys stepped up and played like some grown men. I’m proud of them for that.” The Gold Rush is slated to be back in action from Thursday to Sunday when they compete in the GGC Spring Invitational in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Hopefully when they’re done, they will be able to move up the ladder in the team rankings.
TO ADVERTISE TODAY IN THE TRIBUNE CALL @ 502-2394
PAGE 14, Wednesday, March 2, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
Russia excluded from more sports as sanctions mount By GRAHAM DUNBAR AND JAMES ELLINGWORTH AP Sports Writers GENEVA (AP) — More and more sports are following the appeal of the International Olympic Committee and banning Russian athletes from competing in the wake of the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia was barred from competing in international ice skating, skiing, basketball, track and some tennis events yesterday, a day after being kicked out of soccer competitions and hockey — Vladimir Putin’s favourite team sport. The decisions follow the IOC’s request to international sports federations to keep Russian athletes out of events they organise. The International Skating Union, the body that runs the sport around the world, said no athletes from Russia or Belarus “shall be invited or allowed to participate” in events until further notice. Belarus has been a key ally of Russia in its attack on Ukraine. The world figure skating championships are scheduled for later this month in Montpellier, France. The ISU decision means Olympic champion Anna Shcherbakova and 15-yearold teammate Kamila Valieva, who was the focus of a still-unresolved doping dispute at last month’s Winter Olympics, will be excluded from the competition. The sports restrictions have drawn sharp criticism from Russia. “Our country has always adhered to the principle that sport is beyond politics, but we are constantly drawn into the politics, because they understand the importance of sport in the lives of our Russian people,” Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, who was stripped of an IOC
honour for organising the 2014 Sochi Olympics, said yesterday at a Sports Ministry meeting. Russian and Belarusian tennis players including top-ranked Daniil Medvedev, who is Russian, can play on the ATP and WTA tours, but without national flags, and at the Grand Slams. The countries are barred from team competitions like the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup until further notice. Russian players won both last year and are already qualified for this year’s finals as defending champions. In Norway, Russian crosscountry skiers — who won 11 medals at the Beijing Olympics — were heading home after being excluded from competition by the International Ski Federation, known as FIS. The decision came after a three-day standoff with Norwegian ski officials, who said they would refuse to let Russians and Belarusians race if FIS maintained its previous policy of allowing them to compete as neutral athletes. “Firstly, I am glad that FIS has taken this decision,” said Norwegian ski federation president Erik Røste, who also sits on the governing body’s ruling council. “Then I have to be honest and say it has taken too long.” The FIS position shifted Tuesday morning after its president, Johan Eliasch, took part in a conference call hosted by the IOC with the governing bodies of Olympic sports. In track and field, Russia has been suspended since 2015 for doping violations but allowed to compete as “Authorised Neutral Athletes.” On Tuesday, the sport moved to a blanket ban on Russia and Belarus. The governing body of track is run by Sebastian Coe. As an athlete, Coe defied calls to boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympics because of the Soviet
A RUSSIAN flag is held above the Olympic Rings at Adler Arena Skating Center at Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on February 18, 2014. (AP Photo/David J Phillip) Union’s invasion of AfghanOther sports like swimistan and won a gold medal ming, cycling and auto in the 1,500 metres. racing haven’t followed the “I have railed against the recommendation from the practice of politicians tar- IOC to ban Russians. geting athletes and sport Swimming’s governing to make political points body, known as FINA, said when other sectors continue yesterday it would allow about their business,” Coe Russian and Belarusian said. swimmers to take part “as “This is different as gov- neutrals, competing under ernments, business and the FINA flag and with the other international organi- FINA anthem.” sations have imposed Russia is hosting the sanctions and measures world short-course champiagainst Russia across all onships in December. FINA sectors. Sport has to step up said it had withdrawn a fedand join these efforts to end eration honour awarded to this war and restore peace. Putin in 2014. We cannot and should not Cycling will allow Russit this one out.” sian riders to compete as Russia was suspended by neutrals but will bar Rusthe International Basket- sian and Belarusian teams ball Federation. That will and sponsors. hit Russia’s bid to qualify Auto racing’s internafor next year’s men’s World tional body, the FIA, said Cup. Russia already had Russian drivers like Nikita one qualifying game against Mazepin can still compete the Netherlands called off but a block on having cars last week. The Russian in national colors would women’s team has quali- stop Mazepin’s team Haas fied for a place at the World bringing back the Russian Cup in September. flag-stripe livery it removed The International Vol- during last week’s testing. leyball Federation stripped The Russian Grand Prix Russia of hosting the men’s was cut from the calendar world championships in on Friday. August. Volleyball also The World Games, a suspended Russian teams multisport competition set and clubs from interna- to be held this summer in tional events, while rowing, Birmingham, Alabama, badminton, canoeing and banned athletes and offitriathlon decided to exclude cials from Russia and Russian athletes from their Belarus from taking part in competitions. the 11-day event featuring
sports and disciplines that aren’t on the Olympic programme. Organisers said they were following the direction of the IOC, which provides support for the World Games. Russia and Belarus combined to send more than 150 athletes to the last World Games, held in Wroclaw, Poland in 2017. Russian athletes have already arrived in China for the Winter Paralympics, which open Friday. They are scheduled to compete as RPC, short for Russian Paralympic Committee, after the IOC offered a possible exemption for events starting at short notice. The Ukrainian team isn’t yet in Beijing, but organisers said they expect the country’s athletes to arrive in time. The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee opposes the Russian team competing. “As the world watches in horror while Russia brazenly attacks the innocent people and athletes of Ukraine, this is the only acceptable action to be taken until peace has been restored,” the USOPC said in a statement. The governing bodies of three Olympic sports — fencing, shooting and boxing — are led by Russians. So far, only shooting has barred Russian athletes from competing. The billionaire president of the International Fencing Federation, Alisher Usmanov, said yesterday he would “suspend the exercise of my duties ... until justice is restored” after being sanctioned by the European Union. The invasion has also led to some sponsors and companies cutting ties. Adidas, the maker of the Russian national soccer team jerseys, said it was suspending its partnership with the federation with immediate effect.
South Africa beats New Zealand by 198 runs, splits series By STEVE MCMORRAN AP Sports Writer SOUTH Africa completed an extraordinary turnaround in form when it beat New Zealand by 198 runs in the second test yesterday to square the two-match series. After setting New Zealand a target of 426, South Africa bowled out the home team for 227 to win with more than a session remaining at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. New Zealand won the first test by an innings and 276 runs, bowling out South Africa for 95 and 111 at the same venue. As if to defy that result, South Africa captain Dean Elgar made the bold decision to bat on winning the toss in the second test. Determined to atone for the first test loss, the Proteas held the upper hand for most of the next five days. “It was a bold decision and one we had to take as a unit,” Elgar said. “Luckily it paid off. It was something which could have backfired and I would have looked like an absolute idiot. “This is a big win in the context of playing away from home, being 1-0 down and being beaten within 2-1/2 days in the first test and then bouncing back to what we’ve done now.” South Africa scored 364 batting first, led by a maiden century to opener
Sarel Erwee, then bowled out New Zealand for 293 to take a 71-run first innings lead. Kagiso Rabada took 5-60. Kyle Verreyne, thrust into the role of wicketkeeper-batsman by the sudden retirement of Quinton de Kock, also posted a maiden test century to lead South Africa to a declaration at 354-9 in its second innings, a lead of 425. Any hopes New Zealand might have had of winning the test crumbled before stumps on the fourth day when it lost its first three wickets for 25 runs. In an outstanding opening spell, Rabada removed both New Zealand openers, Tom Latham and Will Young, within the first three overs. New Zealand resumed Day 5 at 94-4, needing to bat through all of the final day with six wickets in hand. It probably never considered an attempt to overtake the West Indies’ world-record winning fourth innings total of 418. At first its prospects of saving the match looked good. Devon Conway, who was 60 when play began, and Tom Blundell who was 1, both appeared comfortable as the session progressed, eating up valuable time. But Conway was out for 92 close to the end of the first session. He fell lbw to the young fast bowler Lutho Sipamla, playing
NEW Zealand’s Devon Conway during play on day five of the second cricket test against South Africa at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, yesterday. (AP) across the line to a ball that was hitting leg stump. It was a crucial blow for South Africa. Had the fifth wicket partnership, broken at 83, continued into the second session of the day, the tension of the final day would substantially have ramped up. Instead, New Zealand went to lunch five wickets down and saw its hopes of saving the match fade away when Blundell (44) and first innings century-maker Colin de Grandhomme (18) were out within five overs of the start of the second
session. That left only the bowlers to come. Kyle Jamieson, who has some allround ability with a test half century to his credit and a batting average of 25, was 12 when he casually hoisted a ball from Marco Jansen high into the leg side where it was calmly taken by Rabada. Tim Southee hit Rabada for four and was out two balls later in the first over after drinks, leaving South Africa one wicket from victory. New Zealand’s lastwicket pair, Neil Wagner and Matt Henry, offered a
hint of resistance. Henry made 58 and Wagner 49 in the first innings of the first test and they held out for 34 minutes.In a last, dramatic twist, light rain began to fall at 3:17pm and the umpires called for the covers and for tea to be taken early. The final wicket fell shortly after the resumption when Henry was adjudged lbw to Keshan Maharaj, who took 3-71. The 21-year-old fast bowler Marco Jansen took 3-63 and Rabada, voted player of the match, took 3-46.
OUSMANE Dembélé (AP)
PLAYING WELL AGAIN, DEMBÉLÉ BACK IN GOOD TERMS AT BARCELONA By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — It wasn’t long ago that Ousmane Dembélé was being jeered by Barcelona fans at the Camp Nou. He had just refused to leave the club after being told he wasn’t wanted anymore. There had been backand-forth accusations, with Barcelona saying it only wanted fully committed players and Dembélé saying he would not give in to blackmail. The relationship appeared well beyond saving. Fast forward a few weeks, though, and everyone is smiling again. The grievances are suddenly gone and peace has apparently been restored. Dembélé looks happy. He is playing well and scoring, and fans have been cheering instead of booing him. The club again wants him to stay. “He still has our offer,” Barcelona president Joan Laporta told radio station SER. “As I said before, I think he is an extraordinary player — one of the best in the world in is position. Hopefully he will rethink his decision at the end of the season.” Laporta, who in the past called Dembélé better than Kylian Mbappé, told the France forward to look for another club in January after he rejected a “very good offer” to extend his contract. The negotiations had been ongoing for several months ahead of the end of the contract this season. Barcelona has been restructuring its finances and had to renegotiate the salaries of several of its players recently, reducing some of them, including of veterans Gerard Piqué and Sergio Busquets. The 24-year-old Dembélé didn’t accept the financial terms to renew his contract, nor accept joining another club on loan despite “at least two good offers” — including from an English club — at the end of the winter transfer window. Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández left him out of the squad during the dispute but eventually decided to bring him back. Dembélé stayed on the bench in the league match against Atlético Madrid at the beginning of February, when the crowd at Camp Nou showed its discontentment with the player by loudly booing him. Xavi said Dembélé kept acting professionally and eventually gave him more minutes, putting him back in the starting lineup in a 4-1 league win at Valencia. A couple of matches later, Dembélé was scoring his first goal since returning, a tough-angled shot into the top of the net after getting past a defender inside the area in the team’s 4-0 rout of Athletic Bilbao. He showed the kind of form that had convinced Barcelona to break its own signing record to acquire him from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 in a deal worth up to 147 million euros (then $175 million). Dembélé was touted as the replacement for Neymar after the Brazilian transferred to Paris SaintGermain, but he never met the expectations in part because of a series of injuries.
PAGE 16, Wednesday, March 2, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
‘REPUTATION ON CHOPPING BLOCK’ OVER REEFS THREAT
FROM PAGE 20
Besides “a decrease in fishing stocks” from the loss of food and breeding grounds on the coral reefs, she added that the “very lucrative” shark diving industry would also be hit given their importance as a nutrition source for these species. “I think we’re out of time,” Ms Ingraham told this newspaper of a disease that was first detected in The Bahamas at the end of 2019, just after Hurricane Dorian. “Almost two years have gone by without doing the necessary work. We’re hearing from divers who go out every day that they’re seeing the effects of it.” Grand Bahama and Abaco are two of the islands most impacted
to-date, she added, while stony coral tissue loss disease has also been detected in Bimini, the Berry Islands and New Providence. As to the ramifications, Ms Ingraham said: “We will be in a place where all of the work people have done on coral restoration will go down the drain, and we won’t even have the genetics from the species to manipulate it to save it. “We’re an ocean nation. That’s really what we’re known for. We’re known for our waters, known for having the third largest barrier reef. A lot of our reputation is on the chopping block, our economies, our industries. “Going back to what astronauts have said, when they think of one spot they can identify from space,
Share your news The Tribune wants to hear from people who are making news in their neighbourhoods. Perhaps you are raising funds for a good cause, campaigning for improvements in the area or have won an award. If so, call us on 322-1986 and share your story.
the waters of The Bahamas really resonate. We have a reputation for what is underneath.” Ms Ingraham, suggesting post-COVID economic reform plans could be in peril as a result of the disease’s spread, added: “The Prime Minister and other ministers are talking about moving towards a blue and green economy. We also have an orange economy, and our artists sing about coral, our life underneath. “It’s going to take away from our culture. It’s in Bahamian culture to tell we have these ecosystems in our waters. We are also trying to move away from fossil fuels to renewable energy and the green economy. This is really vital to us. We’re in position to be a change agent and stand out
as showing how the blue and green economies can shift our situation.” Joseph Darville, Waterkeepers Bahamas’ president, said the former Minnis administration had been warned two years ago about the threat to Bahamian coral reefs and associated ecosystems but had done little to nothing about it. In a letter released yesterday, he wrote: “The Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS), a conservation non-governmental organisation (NGO) with an office in Nassau and staff on several Bahamian islands.... recommended the formation of a multi-agency task force to develop and implement an action plan specific to The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that OSCHEA LEMAN CLARKE of P.O. Box CB-13363, South Beach, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 2nd day of March, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that NAVICENE JEAN NOEL of P.O. Box N-3623, Bar 20 Corner, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 23rd day of February, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that EDUARDO MARCELINO CALDEROW CASTELLON of Millenium Gardens, Nassau, The Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 2nd day of March, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com
TUESDAY, 1 MARCH 2022
BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 6.70 40.15 2.05 2.90 2.60 6.05 10.05 3.60 9.02 3.10 7.15 13.00 2.71 10.10 11.06 10.75 15.00 4.00 10.00 16.50
52WK LOW 4.50 32.12 1.46 2.20 1.30 5.50 6.00 2.82 4.25 2.27 5.00 9.75 1.99 6.50 9.50 8.40 13.10 3.42 8.00 15.50
SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Benchmark Bahamas First Holdings Limited Bank of Bahamas Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Cable Bahamas Commonwealth Brewery Commonwealth Bank Colina Holdings CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) Limited Focol Finco J. S. Johnson
PREFERENCE SHARES 1.00
1.00
1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00
1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00
1.00 10.00 1.00
1.00 10.00 1.00
Bahamas First Holdings Preference Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Bahamas Class A Focol Class B
CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00
52WK LOW 100.00 100.00
SECURITY Fidelity Bank (Note 22 Series B+) Bahamas First Holdings Limited
CLOSE
CHANGE
%CHANGE
YTD
YTD%
2246.77
-0.11
0.00
18.53
0.83
SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ BFHP CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB
BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 102.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.98 100.00
104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 96.71 93.97 94.12 91.00 90.95 89.02 89.62 89.00 90.24 90.73
MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.50 4.67 2.20 207.86 207.68 1.72 1.83 1.81 1.05 9.37 11.83 7.54 16.64 12.84 10.77 10.00 10.43 14.89
52WK LOW 2.11 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.68 1.73 1.75 1.01 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20
Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y BGRS FX BGR106036 BGRS FX BGR117037 BGRS FX BGR118037 BGRS FX BGR125238 BGRS FX BGR127139 BGRS FX BGR127149 BGRS FX BGR129249 BGRS FX BGR131249 BGRS FX BGR132249 BGRS FX BGR136150
BAH29 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0307 BG0330 BG0407 BSBGR1060361 BSBGR1170376 BSBGR1180375 BSBGR1252380 BSBGR1271398 BSBGR1271497 BSBGR1292493 BSBGR1312499 BSBGR1322498 BSBGR1361504
LAST CLOSE 5.30 39.95 2.04 2.31 2.49 6.05 9.50 3.30 7.99 2.82 7.15 13.00 1.96 10.06 11.44 10.75 15.00 3.94 9.85 15.50 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00 LAST SALE 100.00 100.00 107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 89.62 100.00 100.00 100.00
CLOSE 5.30 39.95 2.04 2.31 2.49 6.05 9.50 3.30 7.99 2.82 7.15 13.00 1.91 10.06 11.37 10.75 15.00 3.94 9.85 15.50 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00
BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings
VOLUME
2,000
0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
CLOSE 100.00 100.00
CHANGE 0.00 0.00
107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 89.62 100.00 100.00 100.00
0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Financial Conservative Fund Leno Financial Aggressive Fund Leno Financial Balanced Fund Leno Financial Global Bond Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Equities Sub Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - High Yield Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F
MARKET TERMS
CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.05) 0.00 (0.07) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
(242) 323‐2330 (242) 323‐2320 EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.140 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
VOLUME
DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.080 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25% 6.95% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.50% 6.25% 4.25% 5.40% 5.20% 5.22% 5.00% 5.00% 5.50% 5.55% 5.60% 5.65% 5.69%
NAV 2.50 4.67 2.20 204.67 199.97 1.72 1.83 1.81 1.01 9.37 11.79 7.54 15.94 12.47 10.74 N/A 10.43 14.89
YTD% 12 MTH% 0.34% 4.30% -0.06% 5.21% 0.21% 2.72% 1.37% 3.18% 8.18% 14.94% 0.26% 2.76% 0.36% 2.37% 0.28% 2.51% -1.31% -3.43% -0.02% 10.36% -0.33% 18.23% 0.22% 3.05% -3.89% 14.76% -1.04% -2.57% 0.81% 4.20% N/A N/A 3.00% 25.60% 7.90% 48.70%
P/E 22.2 42.9 N/M 16.5 N/M N/M 25.7 -7.5 57.1 15.3 15.9 18.0 18.7 21.5 17.6 14.8 18.4 19.4 10.5 24.6 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
YIELD 3.21% 3.15% 0.98% 3.46% 0.00% 0.00% 2.74% 0.00% 0.00% 4.26% 3.08% 5.54% 22.72% 0.60% 2.88% 2.23% 3.60% 3.05% 2.03% 3.94% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%
MATURITY 19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025 20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2022 4-Aug-2036 14-Jul-2037 13-Oct-2037 15-Oct-2038 15-Jan-2039 15-Jan-2049 15-Apr-2049 15-Jul-2049 15-Oct-2049 21-Apr-2050
NAV Date 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 28-Jan-2022 30-Sep-2021 30-Sep-2021 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021
YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful
TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | CORALISLE 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333
“For more than two years, the scientists and divers have been waiting for the green light to begin taking action but, unfortunately, their initiative has become mired in bureaucracy and red tape. Meanwhile, the disease spreads further with each passing day. It has now gained a foothold in San Salvador, Eleuthera, Long Island, the Berry Islands and maybe others. “As the local environmental community never tires of saying, bureaucracy has no place in the fight to save our oceans, our resources and the tens of thousands of jobs that depend upon the blue economy in The Bahamas,” Mr Darville continued. “As I write this, Florida is pumping millions of dollars into saving its reefs. Other countries in the region are taking action. Meanwhile, our politicians and civil servants continue to shuffle papers around without any end in sight. Lacking the necessary permits and approvals, the hands of the PIMS scientists are tied and have remained so for more than two years.”
Ms Ingraham yesterday suggested that the former administration may have been pre-occupied by COVID-19 and Hurricane Dorian. She added: “This gives the Davis administration a real opportunity to see what needs to be addressed soon. “It’s not just impacting coral reefs. It’s affecting Bahamian culture, it’s impacting Bahamian pockets in terms of livelihoods, and it’s affecting major industries in terms of tourism and financial services.” Mr Darville added: “A national plan for saving our reefs has already been drawn up. We must urge the decision makers to stop delaying, stop dithering, stop wasting precious time, and let the qualified environmental scientists save our reefs, our livelihoods, before it’s too late. “With stony coral tissue loss disease, as with the COVID pandemic, politicians need to get out of the way and let the experts take charge.”
PUBLIC NOTICE
INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, KELVIN A. KISSOON of Coral Vista and AND LATOYA S JOHNSON of Prospect Ridge, Nassau, The Bahamas, parents of CHANCE JADORE JOHNSON a minor intend to change our child’s name to CHANCE JADORE KISSOON. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Deputy Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.
NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that OIMER GLINTON of Sea Grape, Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 2nd day of March, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that JERMAINE ROLLE JR of Martin Town, Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 2nd day of March, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that ELOY FRANCISCO MONTERO ROJAS of P.O. Box SS-5979, Eastwood Estates #47, Tulip Blvd., New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 2nd day of March, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that ROBERTHO KARLOS MONESTIME of March Harbour, Abaco, The Bahamas Mais applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 2nd day of March, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, March 2, 2022, PAGE 17
HEDGING DELAY THREATENS TO COST BPL’S CONSUMERS FROM PAGE 20
stabilised the price of electricity for almost two years. “So the people of The Bahamas are really funding the subsidisation of electricity in The Bahamas, and the matter has not been brought to Cabinet at this time, and therefore the release was premature,” Mr Sears added. However, while the BPL release has been discarded, and the developments it detailed may never happen, its contents give a good insight into the thinking and decision-making of the utility’s Board and senior management as they seek to mitigate the impact of soaring oil prices on households and businesses. Tribune Business understands that the release had been approved by BPL’s Board, which ties in with what its chairman, Mr Rolle, told this newspaper on Sunday. When Tribune Business contacted him to ask whether BPL plans to extend the existing fuel hedge that is due to expire end-June 2022, he replied that he was discussing the very subject at that moment. Disclosing that four people, who he did not name, were meeting with him, Mr Rolle said a statement on the matter was due to be issued shortly. “We are trying to determine what our next move is at this very moment,” he added. “We are discussing the hedging, the impact of what is happening in Ukraine, discussing all those things. “Until we have made up our minds about how we put the numbers together it would be premature for me to comment.” The promised statement duly emerged on Monday, only to be withdrawn via an e-mail sent to the media by Whitney Heastie, BPL’s chief executive, less than two hours later. The statement, which announced a new fuel hedge that will now not happen, said the 30 percent rise to 13.7 cents per kWh would “remain well below market prices”. Without the protection afforded by the hedge, BPL said its customers would be at the mercy of soaring global oil prices that have been exacerbated by the
Ukraine conflict, and the fuel charge would jump by 80.9 percent to 19 cents per kWh. With the proposed hedge containing the jump to 3.2 cents, as opposed to 8.5 cents, the state-owned energy monopoly said the 13.7 cents per kWh rate would still be 39 percent lower than if market prices were allowed to prevail, thus producing significant savings for households and businesses. BPL said the nowshelved fuel hedge would have resulted in just an $8 monthly increase in electricity bills for low-usage consumers, using 250 kWh per month, while those using 600 kWh would suffer a $19 rise. And BPL’s now-discarded release warned that the longer the Government delays in implementing a new fuel hedging mechanism, the more costly it will be for consumers and businesses, as well as the economic recovery. Mr Heastie was quoted as saying the rise in global oil prices, which yesterday hit $105 per barrel as measured by the US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate crude futures, meant an increase in fuel costs on BPL’s next hedge was “inevitable”. “We could wait until July 1, 2022, to adjust the fuel cost,” he was quoted as saying, “but doing so would mean a higher per kilowatt hour increase - 15 cents per kWh instead of 13.7 cents per kWh - and it would come in the summer time when consumption is highest, which would be more challenging for many customers. “We know no one wants to see a rise in costs, but putting the increase in place now, when energy use is significantly less than during peak season, enables a lower increase to be spread over a longer period of time and eases the impact to customers’ monthly energy costs.” Cabinet’s decision to hold-off on such a move thus threatens to saddle Bahamians with higher energy costs, but Mr Sears hinted that a new hedge had to be balanced with the interests of taxpayers who are financing this mechanism at a time when the Public Treasury is under great strain.
Matt Aubry, the Organisation for Responsible Governance’s (ORG) executive director, speaking before BPL withdrew its release, said “any additional cost hit is going to be an impact on our economic recovery”. However, he added that the statement’s contents showed fuel hedging had been beneficial, which was “key” given the “pressing issue” of oil price rises. Arguing that fuel hedging was only a short-term solution, Mr Aubry said The Bahamas needs to focus on economic diversification and renewable energy to mitigate energy price hikes and volatility. “Containing costs through a hedging strategy is a short-term solution,” he argued, “but not a longterm solution because eventually the market catches up to you. There’s not much that can be done to manage this situation, but it reminds us that better fiscal management nationally and as entities is key.” Calling for The Bahamas to find new industries that are less reliant on fossil fuels, the ORG chief said: “Hopefully this [Ukraine] crisis is resolved quickly, but let’s keep the focus on reform for the long-term. The more we prepare ourselves, manage our debt and focus on natural and alternative resources........” The Prime Minister, in a recorded message from Belize, where he is attending a CARICOM meeting, pledged that upon his return the Government will “brainstorm” on how it can avoid raising electricity costs on Bahamians. “My government will do its endeavour best to ensure that the rise in gas prices around the world will not have a deleterious effect on our people,” Philip Davis QC said. “God knows that our people could least afford to have more taxes or costs visited on their backs, and my government will do all in its power to see how we can avert raising the cost of electricity on our people. As soon as I’m back to The Bahamas, we will be sitting down to brainstorm this to see how we can best do that.” It is difficult to see how, in the short-term, this can be achieved. The Bahamas, which relies almost
100 percent on fossil fuels to meet its energy needs, is a price taker and thus at the mercy of global markets that have been rocked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The best defence mechanism thus far has been BPL’s fuel hedging, which comes at a cost to the taxpayers who are also the utility’s customers. The Government also earns significant revenues from taxing vehicle gasoline and diesel, but given its fiscal crisis it will be reluctant to cut taxes. Mr Sears said the Cabinet sub-committee, which was formed over a month ago, has been given “strict marching orders”. He added: “Since our existence, we have met with a number of global suppliers of LNG (liquefied natural gas), and also energy companies, both local as well as foreign, and we are working very aggressively to go back to the Cabinet with a number of proposals.”
The minister said the Government was “not proceeding” with BPL’s $535m rate reduction bond (RRB) refinancing “as framed” under the former Minnis administration. This was designed to free BPL’s balance sheet from some $321m in debt, and provide the funds needed to address transmission and distribution (T&D) upgrades that would have made the utility more efficient. Mr Sears continued, “Therefore the purpose of this Cabinet sub-committee
is to look at all of the available options, to consult with our domestic stakeholders and to take proposals back to the Cabinet and have the Cabinet make a determination.” The Davis administration has been eager to avoid increasing electricity costs. Upon taking office, the Prime Minister said the Government could not proceed with the RRB because the debt servicing costs would impose too great a burden upon consumers via increased light bills.
Correction In an article on Page 6B in Monday’s Tribune Business, a photo of Hubert Edwards was incorrectly used. It should have been a photo of Robert Sands, who was the person interviewed for the article. This newspaper apologises for any confusion caused
LEGAL COUNSEL A leading law firm seeks experienced
(Senior) Legal Counsel,
with a demonstrated history working as a corporate legal advisor in the retail industry. The ideal candidate must have proven experience and meet the minimum qualifications of the following: • A minimum of seven (7) years International Retail Industry Experience. • Strong focus on commercial, litigation, intellectual property, and technology law. • Expert management of a sizeable brand portfolio and working closely with international clients and/or outside counsel to prepare, file, and prosecute client matters. • Experience managing large portfolios and providing commercial advice on matters of licensing, negotiating, and drafting various commercial agreements. • Demonstrated experience assessing Commercial Transaction Risks. • Extensive knowledge of Private Labels, gap analysis, legal risks assessment and ability to identify and align the risk to the business’ operational requirements. • Sound knowledge of client’s legal rights and actions involving brand protection measures. • Consult with legal clients, advise them on brand development strategies and render legal opinions on matters. • Identify complex brand issues, negotiating legal settlements and filing lawsuits. • Counsel international clients, including management and members of the R&D, technical operations, and corporate development teams, on brand risks and opportunities. • Provide due diligence support for corporate development activities. • Provide counsel on adversarial proceedings, litigation, oppositions, and/or Bahamian proceedings for commercial, company and technology matters..
Qualified Candidates are encouraged to send their resumes to:
oipjobopportunity@yahoo.com
BAHAMAS POWER & LIGHT’S (BPL)
PAGE 18, Wednesday, March 2, 2022
‘NO ISSUES WHATSOEVER’ ON $2BN GOV’T ROLL OVER FROM PAGE 20 “I will say because of the pandemic and the collapse in revenues, it probably caused the Government to borrow a littler more than planned at different times,” Mr Wilson replied, when asked to explain how the “bunching” of $2bn in debt maturities had occurred. “We don’t have a challenge with this. It’s mostly domestic debt, so I don’t think it’s going to prove a major problem,” he reiterated, adding that the greater transparency and accountability provided by the Government’s annual borrowing and debt management strategy would help prevent this happening again. “We look at the maturities to make sure there’s a very smooth maturity
profile,” the Financial Secretary said of the Government’s various debt issues. However, not all institutional investors and holder of government debt securities were yesterday as confident as Mr Wilson and Mr Bowe when it came to the roll over prospects. Several sources, speaking to Tribune Business on condition of anonymity, said the perceived extra risk associated with government debt in the wake of multiple sovereign credit rating downgrades and the economy’s struggles to revive post-COVID meant that many investors were seeking to reduce their exposure to both bonds and Treasury Bills. They also pointed out that many institutions, especially the commercial banks, were at or near their
regulatory and prudential limits in terms of how much government debt they can hold. And several institutions, including Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) and Bank of The Bahamas, have already been forced by the downgrades to take impairment hits against their existing holdings. As a result, they argued there were several factors mitigating against a smooth collective roll over of the $2bn. “I was horrified to see the issue you wrote about, where 26 percent of direct government debt is coming due,” one contact said. “The can has hit the wall, and it’s going to be interesting to see what they are going to do. “Everybody is at their limit, that’s what they don’t understand. They think the pension funds and investors
have no limits, and that is not the case. You’re going to start having to take impairment charges on your balance sheet. I can tell you there will be institutions that want no more government debt. I don’t know what is going to happen, but it is a concern.” Tribune Business reported in January that just $11.986m, or 25 percent, of a recent $47.326m Bahamas Government Registered bond issue was picked up by private investors although a subsequent one-year placement was oversubscribed. Michael Halkitis, minister of economic affairs, conceded that the market was seeking one-year, short-term paper because of the perceived risk associated with government debt. Mr Wilson, though, last night said neither the desire for short-term debt, nor the limits on how much government paper banks
and others can hold, was likely to impact the $2bn refinancing. “The market is evolving, which is good,” he said in response to the first point. “It’s going to help us develop a proper yield curve. “You have to know the market, and you cannot as a government.... you have to be conscious you cannot interfere with the market dynamics.” As to the concerns on investor limitations, Mr Wilson described these as “dynamic, not static”. He added that the Davis administration’s borrowings are forecast to decrease significantly as the economy continues to emerge from COVID-19. “We’re not out of the pandemic. We’re very mindful of that,” Mr Wilson said, while revealing that government revenues have “increased slightly” more beyond the $162m mark at which they were ahead of
THE TRIBUNE
Budget projections for the 2021-2022 half-year. As for the fall-out for the Bahamian economy, and the Government’s finances, from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Financial Secretary added: “We are concerned but not overly concerned. We take our cues from what we’ve seen on terms of the forecasted impact on the US economy.... What will be the impact on our main trading partner, the US? “As it stands now, most forecasts don’t have this conflict having a dramatic impact on the US recovery. All things being equal, if the US economy stays normal it bodes well for the Bahamian economy. “Revenues are performing very well, but there’s a lot of work to be done. We are going into high revenue season, and are really trying to focus on doing things to make it easier for taxpayers to meet their obligations.”
US URGES ‘GREATER FOCUS’ ON GAMING, MONEY TRANSMISSION FROM PAGE 20 “Banks and trust companies face money laundering risks as they conduct a high volume of transactions, handle significant wealth, utilise wire transfers and provide banking services through channels that vary in anonymity and complexity. Trust companies, in particular, may be used to conceal beneficial ownership,” the report continued. It is unclear what the INCSR assessment meant in relation to trusts and “beneficial ownership”. It is possible that the latter term may have been confused with trust “beneficiaries”, who typically have no control or say over a trust’s assets or how they are managed. The Bahamas also appeared to get little credit for passing, and implementing, multiple legal reforms to strengthen its antifinancial crime defences over the past four years with only a brief mention made of its 13 new laws. These enabled it to escape the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) enhanced
surveillance list and, more recently, the European Union’s (EU) anti-money laundering blacklist. And Senator Ryan Pinder, the attorney general, told Tribune Business earlier this year that The Bahamas is aiming to be “40 out of 40” and achieve near-total compliance with global anti-financial crime standards this year. He added that the jurisdiction was aiming to “take the last strides” to meet the FATF’s so-called ‘40 recommendations’ after its regional affiliate found The Bahamas was either largely or fully compliant with 38 of the standards in a December 27, 2021, report. Elsewhere, the US called on The Bahamas to improve governance via transparency and accountability-related reforms. The Davis administration had promised to pass anti-corruption legislation during its first 100 days in office, including the Integrity Commission and Ombudsman Bills that stalled under its predecessor, but that period has past with little visible progress made. “Since 2017, The Bahamas has enacted, but not fully brought into force, a range of laws to fight official corruption. Draft laws presented by the prior administration to establish an ombudsman’s office and an anti-corruption agency, focused on public corruption, had not yet been taken up in October by the new administration,” the US report said. “In May 2021, the first information commissioner and deputy commissioner were appointed under the Freedom of Information Act to support public access to government records. Parliament has not yet brought into force clauses of the same Act, however, that define a process
for the public to obtain information. “It is important The Bahamas follow through with plans to fully bring into force transparency and accountability legislation to prevent and address corruption, and preserve public confidence.” The US government report, meanwhile, again repeated criticism from previous years that the number of suspicious transactions reports submitted to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) “is low compared to the size and scope of the financial sector”. “Technology improvements were introduced in June 2019 allowing STRs to be filed electronically with the Financial Intelligence Unit. The FIU attributes timelier STR reporting to these improvements. As of October 20, 2021, the FIU received 593 STRs for sectors with $442bn in assets, up 29 percent from 461 STRs in 2020,” the report added. “To enhance the due diligence for politically exposed persons (PEPs), the Government implemented a searchable database of legal entities registered or resident in The Bahamas, and accessible by law enforcement and regulatory agencies.” It continued: “The Bahamas appointed five new magistrate judges, and four new Supreme Court justices, in May 2021 to help address deficiencies in the anti-money laundering/ counter-terror financing regime. The Government is also investing in improved court infrastructure and IT (information technology) systems. “In 2021, there were 20 money laundering charges and four convictions, representing 20 and 60 percent decreases, respectively, from 2020.”
CIBC LOAN DEFERRALS DECREASE BY $420M FROM PAGE 20 income increased year-onyear by $51m, driven by the lower revenue provision for credit losses,” CIBC FirstCaribbean said. As for corporate and investment banking, 2021’s annual revenues of $82m was slightly down on the prior year’s $85m but ahead of the $80m generated in 2019. And profit was up significantly at $53m compared to $35m in 2020 and $43m in the pre-COVID days of 2019. “Total revenues decreased year-on-year by $3m or 4 percent primarily due to lower FTP earnings on deposits, foreign exchange earnings and credit services fee income. These decreases were
CALL 502-2394 TO ADVERTISE IN THE TRIBUNE TODAY!
partially offset by higher net interest income. Net income increased year-on-year by $18m primarily as a result of lower provision for credit losses,” the bank added. When it came to wealth management, CIBC FirstCaribbean saw revenues fall year-over-year from $14m to $10m. The fall was even greater compared to 2019’s $18m in top-line earnings. The unit’s 2021 loss was flat against the prior year’s ‘red ink’ of $5m, but more than double the $2m loss incurred in 2019. “Total revenues decreased year-on-year by $4m or 29 percent as a result of lower FTP earnings on deposits due to lower margins. Net income declined marginally year-on-year as the lower FTP earnings were offset by lower internal expense allocations and provisions for credit losses,” the bank told shareholders.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, March 2, 2022, PAGE 19
GLADSTONE ROAD TO BE FOUR LANES BY END-2024 By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net
GLADSTONE Road will be transformed into a fourlane highway over its entire length - from Carmichael Road to John F Kennedy (JFK) Drive - by end-2024, it was revealed last night. Lambert Knowles, principal of Engineering and Technical Services (ETS), and lead engineer on the Gladstone Road Improvement Project, told a town hall meeting: “After discussions with the Ministry of Works on the studies,
the design criteria was to increase Gladstone Road to four lanes. “Then the width of each lane will be 12 feet, enough to provide six-foot sidewalks on both sides of Gladstone Road for the full length wherever it is possible. To provide a bicycle path outside of the driving surface. “To provide bus stops with approximately half of a mile maximum distance between any of the bus stops. To provide sight distance for speed at 350 feet, so that you can see a vehicle and a posted speed, and the design speed of 35 miles per hour.”
New roundabouts will be constructed at the new Rubis gas station, and another near Aquinas College high school. There will also be changes to the roundabout at JFK Drive and Gladstone Road. Mr Knowles said: “The biggest problem we found with Gladstone Road after a two-year investigation was with the existing gap layout. The existing JFK layout has a significant issue with not allowing traffic to slow down westbound coming along JFK. “They basically zoom through and prevent anybody else getting on the
roundabout, especially north-bound from Gladstone Road. Plus, it’s also unsafe, because of the speeds you can get going around the roundabout. One of the main things to be done was to try and correct that.” The JFK roundabout will be expanded to three lanes in some areas, and will be dual lane for the most part. Mr Knowles said this will create better traffic flow for that intersection, and allow vehicles exiting Gladstone Road on its north end better access to join the traffic. There will be a total of 13 new bus stops along
Gladstone Road with designs that will mirror those on Baha Mar Boulevard, with adequate pull over space. There will also be a proposed four-foot pullover lane for both north and south-bound traffic. Mr Knowles said: “At the moment, civil design is 90 percent complete or more; we’re just making adjustments. The intention is to go to tender, or at least put out a notification for request for tenders, sometime before the second quarter of this year. “Then the tender award would be in just around the middle of this year. The
THE WEATHER REPORT
5-Day Forecast
TODAY
ORLANDO
High: 80° F/27° C Low: 60° F/16° C
TAMPA
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
A shower in the morning; some sun
Mainly clear
Partly sunny and pleasant
Sunny to partly cloudy
Partly sunny and breezy
Partly sunny and breezy
High: 80°
Low: 69°
High: 80° Low: 68°
High: 79° Low: 69°
High: 80° Low: 68°
High: 79° Low: 71°
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
87° F
69° F
84°-67° F
83°-65° F
81°-66° F
81°-70° F
The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.
N
almanac
E
W
ABACO
S
N
High: 77° F/25° C Low: 69° F/21° C
7-14 knots
S
High: 79° F/26° C Low: 65° F/18° C
6-12 knots
FT. LAUDERDALE
FREEPORT
High: 80° F/27° C Low: 67° F/19° C
E
W S
E
W
WEST PALM BEACH
N
| Go to AccuWeather.com
TONIGHT
High: 77° F/25° C Low: 61° F/16° C
High: 78° F/26° C Low: 64° F/18° C
MIAMI
High: 82° F/28° C Low: 66° F/19° C
8-16 knots
Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 82° F/28° C Low .................................................... 68° F/20° C Normal high ....................................... 78° F/26° C Normal low ........................................ 64° F/18° C Last year’s high ................................. 84° F/29° C Last year’s low ................................... 74° F/23° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ................................................. 4.33” Normal year to date ..................................... 2.86”
ELEUTHERA
NASSAU
High: 80° F/26° C Low: 69° F/20° C
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2022
High: 78° F/26° C Low: 70° F/21° C
N
KEY WEST
High: 76° F/24° C Low: 67° F/19° C
The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
tiDes For nassau High Today
Ht.(ft.)
Low
Ht.(ft.)
6:35 a.m. 6:58 p.m.
3.2 2.7
12:14 a.m. -0.5 1:01 p.m. -0.4
Wednesday 7:24 a.m. 7:47 p.m.
3.2 2.8
1:08 a.m. -0.6 1:47 p.m. -0.5
Thursday
8:10 a.m. 8:33 p.m.
3.1 2.9
1:58 a.m. -0.6 2:30 p.m. -0.6
Friday
8:53 a.m. 9:17 p.m.
3.0 2.9
2:46 a.m. -0.5 3:11 p.m. -0.5
Saturday
9:35 a.m. 10:01 p.m.
2.8 2.8
3:32 a.m. -0.4 3:51 p.m. -0.4
Sunday
10:16 a.m. 10:44 p.m.
2.5 2.7
4:18 a.m. -0.2 4:30 p.m. -0.2
Monday
10:58 a.m. 11:29 p.m.
2.3 2.6
5:04 a.m. 5:10 p.m.
0.0 0.0
sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset
High: 80° F/27° C Low: 71° F/22° C
N
S
E
W
7-14 knots
S
3-6 knots
ANDROS
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
uV inDex toDay
6:33 a.m. Moonrise 6:12 p.m. Moonset
6:02 a.m. 5:20 p.m.
New
First
Full
Last
Mar. 2
Mar. 10
Mar. 18
Mar. 25
CAT ISLAND
E
W
part before we can start work is that we have to relocate the utility poles, so we’re looking at starting that somewhere around the second quarter. “Hopefully we can start road construction in the third quarter of this year. It is going to be an 18 months to 24-month project, so we’re looking at completion in the third or fourth quarter 2024.” Mr Knowles assured residents that accessibility for motorists will be paramount, and there will be no closing off of properties during the construction process.
SAN SALVADOR
GREAT EXUMA
High: 80° F/27° C Low: 71° F/22° C
High: 79° F/26° C Low: 73° F/23° C
N
High: 78° F/26° C Low: 70° F/21° C
E
W S
LONG ISLAND
tracking map
High: 80° F/27° C Low: 72° F/22° C
4-8 knots
MAYAGUANA High: 79° F/26° C Low: 73° F/23° C
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures
CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS
are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
RAGGED ISLAND High: 79° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C
L
High: 79° F/26° C Low: 73° F/23° C
GREAT INAGUA High: 83° F/28° C Low: 74° F/23° C
N
E
W
E
W
N
S
S
4-8 knots
4-8 knots
marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR
Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday:
WINDS NW at 6-12 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NW at 7-14 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots WSW at 6-12 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots S at 4-8 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots WSW at 4-8 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots N at 7-14 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots W at 3-6 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots S at 4-8 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots SW at 3-6 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots SSW at 4-8 Knots NE at 7-14 Knots W at 4-8 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots E at 4-8 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots SW at 4-8 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots
WAVES 2-4 Feet 3-6 Feet 0-1 Feet 0-1 Feet 1-3 Feet 3-6 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 3-6 Feet 0-1 Feet 1-3 Feet 0-1 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 0-1 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-6 Feet
VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles
WATER TEMPS. 76° F 76° F 78° F 78° F 80° F 79° F 79° F 81° F 79° F 78° F 81° F 80° F 79° F 79° F 80° F 82° F 81° F 80° F 77° F 77° F 77° F 78° F 80° F 80° F 79° F 78° F
business@tribunemedia.net
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022
$5.37
$5.19
$5.37
$5.16
‘No issues whatsoever’ on $2bn Gov’t roll over By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Ministry of Finance’s top official last night said he foresees “no issues whatsoever” over the Government’s ability to refinance $2bn in domestic debt coming due for repayment by June 2022. Simon Wilson, the Government’s financial secretary, told Tribune Business he was “highly confident, highly confident” that most if not all investors will agree to roll over their existing holdings despite conceding that there is a “bunching” of different debt issues reaching maturity. The fact some $2bn is coming due for repayment within a six-month period had “not been raised as a problem”, he added, by either the Ministry of Finance’s debt management office or the Central Bank which were in contact with the institutional and high net worth investors holding it. “We don’t see a problem. This is normal Treasury operations,” Mr Wilson told this newspaper in response
ALFRED SEARS QC
• Refinance ‘not raised’ as issue despite ‘bunching’ • ‘Concerned, but not overly’, over Ukraine fall-out • Revenue ‘slightly’ up on $162m over-Budget mark to concerns about the huge amount of principal maturing all at once. “It’s not external (foreign currency) debt. It’s a bunching, but it’s normal Treasury operations. “It has not been raised with me as a problem. The people in the debt management office at the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank haven’t raised it as a problem. They don’t see it as a problem, and they’re the ones speaking to the holders of the debt.” Some $1.907bn in Bahamian dollar-denominated government debt is maturing during 2022’s first half, according to the latest public debt statistical bulletin released by the Ministry
of Finance. That means almost 26 percent of the Government’s $10.318m direct debt is due to mature in 2022, split into some $1.905bn in domestic principal and a further $179.7m that is held by foreign investors. In total, some $2.085bn in debt principal is due for repayment between January and June 2022. Mr Wilson’s optimism, though, was backed by Gowon Bowe, Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) chief executive, who told this newspaper on Tuesday that there were several trends in its favour when it came to lenders agreeing to refinance, or roll over, their government debt holdings.
SIMON WILSON Besides the lack of suitable alternative investments that provide similar levels of liquidity, and count towards regulatory capital for banks, insurers and other institutions, Mr Bowe also argued that government debt is generating higher returns than the meagre interest paid on bank deposits. These factors, he said, were in favour of investors renewing/extending their existing holdings.
SEE PAGE 18
US urges ‘greater focus’ on gaming, money transmission By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE US government yesterday urged The Bahamas to place “greater focus” on combating financial crime conducted via online gaming and money transmission services providers. The Biden administration, in the justreleased International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), identified both these sectors as “vulnerabilities” when it came to countering money laundering and the financing of terrorism. And it also called on The Bahamas to “follow through” on passing and implementing anti-corruption legislation. “As an international financial centre, the country is vulnerable to money laundering in financial services, real estate, online gaming/casinos and money transmissions,” the US report said. “Greater focus on small money transfers and online gaming sector vulnerabilities is needed.” Drawing on what it said was data provided by the Central Bank, the report added: “The Bahamas faces money laundering challenges in its casinos and online gaming industries. “The Central Bank reports that, from January to September 2021, casinos generated $856m in sales and $131m in gross revenues. Online gaming, which ostensibly is restricted to citizens and residents, generated $3.2bn in sales and $136m in gross revenues in a country with a population of less than 400,000.” Some will likely question these figures, especially for “online gaming”, at a time when The Bahamas and its tourism economy were still emerging from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, gaming was not the only area of concern identified in the INCSR. “The Bahamas identifies its real estate sector, valued at $1.65bn in 2020, as highly vulnerable given the high demand by foreigners and large sums associated with the market,” the US federal government’s report said. “Less anti-money laundering focus is given to the smaller money transmission sector, which remains vulnerable given the large number of transactions, high numbers of one-off and non-resident customers, and usage by undocumented migrants.” Turning to the bank and trust company sector, the document added that it “has over $442bn in assets and $11trn in crossborder flows, while the domestic banking sector has $18bn in assets and $70bn in deposit flows.
SEE PAGE 18
THE Bahamas’ “reputation is on the chopping block” if it fails to immediately combat a new “pandemic” devastating the coral reefs relied upon by tourism and fisheries, activists warned yesterday. Rashema Ingraham, executive director for Waterkeepers Bahamas, told Tribune Business
By NEIL HARTNELL and YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporters
of certain brain corals could be killed off by it. With environmental activists previously producing studies showing that tourism, which relies heavily on the oceans and their ecosystems, and fisheries contribute $7.8bn annually combined to Bahamian gross domestic product (GDP), Ms Ingraham argued that the country can delay taking action no longer.
SEE PAGE 16
SEE PAGE 17
‘Reputation on chopping block’ over reefs threat that the country’s plans to develop the so-called “blue economy” will be endangered if it fails to deal with the stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) that is spreading rapidly across reefs in the northern Bahamas. She added that, if left unchecked, the disease will ultimately undermine Bahamian culture, livelihoods and incomes given predictions that 90 percent
• 30% fuel charge hike rescinded • As Cabinet did not approve move • But even greater rise in holding-off
BAHAMAS Power & Light’s (BPL) plan to raise its customer fuel charge by 30 percent with effect from yesterday did not happen because it was not approved by Cabinet, it was revealed yesterday. Alfred Sears, minister of works and public utilities, who has responsibility for BPL, told reporters ahead of the weekly Cabinet meeting that BPL’s fuel charge which typically accounts for between 50-60 percent of customer bills - will remain at 10.5 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) under the existing ‘hedging’ arrangement. BPL was forced to retract a Monday release, unveiling a fuel charge increase of 3.2 cents to 13.7 cents per kWh, less than two hours after it was issued to the media on the grounds that the move had not been approved by the Government’s highest decision-making body. Mr Sears confirmed that the Davis administration had not agreed to the fuel charge increase despite a Cabinet subcommittee having just been created to address rising oil prices, and the negative impact they will have on energy and transportation costs, plus the wider Bahamian economy, as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Specific to the statement that was issued Monday by BPL with respect to the increase in the rate for electricity, the matter was raised with me by the chairman [Pedro Rolle] last week and I spoke very briefly with the Prime Minister,” Mr Sears said. The Government, as BPL’s 100 percent shareholder, did not have an opportunity to review and give the go-ahead for an increase. Mr Sears indicated it was important that it do so given that Bahamian taxpayers are effectively “the backstop” for the existing BPL fuel hedge, which has
WHEN a coral becomes infected with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (left) it can be completely dead within a matter of weeks (right). This relentless, dangerous malady is sweeping across our underwater landscape, threatening the fishing, diving and tourism industries. Solutions exist and help has been offered, but the government is dragging its feet.
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
Hedging delay threatens to cost BPL’s consumers
CIBC loan deferrals decrease by $420m By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net JUST $6m worth of loans remained in CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) COVID loan deferral initiative at end-October 2021 compared to $426m exactly one year earlier. The BISX-listed institution, in its just-released annual report, disclosed that “gross outstanding loans” remaining in its pandemic moratorium at the 2021 financial year-end comprised $2m worth of mortgages; $4m in business and government loans; and $22,000 in consumer loans. This compared to $86m in mortgages; $327m in business
and government loans; and $13m in consumer loans which were in the COVID deferral initiative at end-October 2020, when the pandemic was at its height. CIBC FirstCaribbean also revealed: “Of the loans that were under the programme as at October 31, 2021, the gross outstanding balance of loans that received extension of an initial deferral, or in the process of being provided an extension, was $6m.” This compared to $205m some 12 months before. The data provides a glimpse into the impact the economy’s post-COVID re-opening has had on the ability of consumers and businesses to again start meeting their loan repayments, as restrictions and protocols are
eased in line with the decline in cases. CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Bahamian subsidiary enjoyed a positive $146m bottom line swing during the 12 months to end-October 2021, rebounding from a $63.543m net loss in a COVID-ravaged 2020 to produce an $82.183m profit a year later. The reversal was driven chiefly by a $76m reduction in loan loss provisions, “as the current year reflected an improvement in our economic outlook”, while the $73m goodwill impairment charge taken in 2020 was not repeated and absent from the 2021 figures. Breaking down its results into three business categories, CIBC FirstCaribbean revealed that profits generated by its
retail and corporate/investment banking units easily outweighed a $5m loss produced by the wealth management division its third consecutive year ‘in the red’. On the retail banking side, the unit rebounded from a $19m loss in 2020 to generate profits of $32m. While the latter was $5m down on the $37m in net income generated in 2019, it was produced from $88m of revenues that were essentially flat with the prior two years. “Total revenues were stable as lower performing loan income was partially offset by lower fund transfer pricing (FTP) on loans, and by higher foreign exchange commissions and cards services income. Net
SEE PAGE 18