03022026 NEWS

DEMENTIA PATIENT GOES MISSING FROM HOSPITAL

Family accuses PMH of negligence as elderly man found miles away

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A FAMILY has accused the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) of negligence after their elderly father, a dementia patient, went missing after being admitted on Saturday, with relatives saying they were not informed of his disappearance until the following day. Felix Beneby, 72, was

BAHAMIANS STUCK IN DUBAI AS PM WARNS OF ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM IRAN CONFLICT

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

EXPLOSIONS echoed across Dubai on Saturday as intercepted missiles lit up the night sky, sending some Bahamians scrambling back to their hotels while waiting for a way home after the United States and Israel waged war on Iran.

The country’s Supreme Leader

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in coordinated strikes, triggering missile and drone retaliation across the region. Much of Middle

Eastern airspace has since closed, disrupting travel and stranding thousands, including Bahamians.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has said the government is closely monitoring developments and expressed concern for staff at The Bahamas’ embassy in Abu Dhabi, given its proximity to the Israeli embassy. He warned that the conflict could have economic consequences at home.

“As I always said, the stubborn elephant in our room is the

CONFLICT - SEE PAGE 11

admitted on Saturday morning after experiencing hernia pain that began last week and refusing to eat. According to relatives, he went missing hours after being admitted to hospital but was later found Sunday afternoon at his sister’s home on Malcolm Road, about 3.4 miles from the hospital, roughly an hour’s walk away. His son, Solomon Beneby,

PMH - SEE PAGE FIVE

Margaret at his side. See PAGE THREE for story Roberts healing in hospital

Mayaguana’s new airport open and island’s first aviation grade ambulance See PAGE TWO and BUSINESS for story

PM opens $2.1m Mayaguana airport tied to 2,000-job seaport project

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip Davis declared that Mayaguana’s economy will be “forever changed” as he commissioned the island’s new $2.1m airport terminal, tying the upgrade to a planned three-phased deep-water seaport projected to generate 2,000 jobs.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Davis positioned the newly commissioned terminal as proof that the Southern Bahamas “will not be neglected or forgotten” under his administration.

He said Mayaguana is “primed to receive even more investments” and the facility will make the island more accessible than ever before.

“The Southern Bahamas is fully included in our plans and will not be neglected or forgotten, not under this administration. Mayaguana has waited a long time for this,” said Mr Davis

“Your patience has paid off and your future is bright. Welcome to your new airport. And welcome to the next chapter of growth and development for this island.”

FIRST AVIATION AMBULANCE IN MAYAGUANA UNDER DEAL BETWEEN GOVT AND BACSWN

By Fay Simmons Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

AN aviation-spec ambulance has been deployed to the newly commissioned Mayaguana International Airport, in keeping with the terms of a Heads of Agreement between the Government of The Bahamas and Bahamas Aviation Climate and Severe Weather Network (BACSWN).

Prime Minister Philip Davis said of the deployment the ambulance is a part of the broader national aviation and emergency preparedness strategy.

He explained that the ambulance forms part of a wider plan to equip airports across the Family Islands with aviation-specific emergency response capabilities. This includes positioning air ambulances at strategic locations to meet standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

“Part of the initiative of the government is to ensure that we comply with some of our international obligations,” said Mr Davis.

He noted that compliance with ICAO requirements is critical not only for safety but also for the country’s ability to collect overflight fees — revenue generated when international aircraft traverse Bahamian airspace

“Part of that is for what they call the overflight fees — to collect those, we are to provide emergency recovery services, including having air ambulances at the airport in case of emergency from an air tragedy,” said Mr Davis

The ambulance is the first of an estimated 50 bound for The Bahamas facilitated through BACSWN’s strategic alliance with Response Plus Medical (RPM), the largest pre-hospital care and emergency medical services provider in the Middle East. The first vehicles are earmarked for Cat

Island, San Salvador and the islands of MICAL. Their deployment forms part of a strategic collaboration between RPM and BACSWN to strengthen the country’s emergency response capabilities to meet to resolve the glaring deficiencies in its mandatory obligations under the Chicago Convention.

Each ambulance will be outfitted with modern medical equipment and aviation-grade safety features intended to strengthen emergency medical services across the country’s 173,000 square miles of archipelagic airspace.

BACSWN has been tasked by the Government of The Bahamas with establishing the Caribbean’s first NextGen Meteorological Watch Office. The facility will have the capacity to track flights in real time, coordinate crash response and search and rescue operations, and provide live meteorological updates affecting flight and vessel movements across the country’s 173,000 square miles of archipelagic airspace.

The initiative is intended to support the safe, efficient and timely movement of commercial, cargo and private aircraft operating within The Bahamas’ sovereign airspace, in keeping with the country’s binding obligations under the ICAO.

The deployment to Mayaguana represents Phase One of a broader initiative aimed at correcting infrastructural deficiencies that prevent some Family Islands from adequately responding to emergencies. Phase Two will include the introduction of water and air ambulances, along with the refurbishment and construction of aviation-graded clinics throughout the archipelago.

BACSWN officials said the project management company overseeing the initiative is expected to enter shortly into an agreement with the Department of Public Health to regulate the services and provide institutional support. That support will extend beyond equipment to include training and staffing where necessary.

‘I’m really on the road to recovery’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Super Value owner Rupert Roberts has reassured customers of his 13-store grocery chain and the Bahamain public: “I’m really on the road to recovery.”

Giving a cheery smile and a thumbs-up from his hospital room in the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, 88-year-old Mr Roberts confirmed to Tribune Business that he is now out of intensive care with ‘no concerns about the future’ as he recovers from pneumonia.

One of the country’s most prominent businessmen, Mr Roberts was flown by air ambulance from Nassau after being struck down with the illness and urgently needing blood transfusions.

Super Value staff immediately rallied to give blood after flyers were circulated of his predicament on social media.

He warmly thanked Bahamians for their blood donations and prayers for his recovery. The Tribune’s social media post about his illness was flooded with heart-warming messages of support, many from past and present employees.

Suggesting that there is “no reason why we couldn’t come back to the Bahamas in another ten days”, he also revealed that - once the pneumonia’s elimination is confirmed - he will likely have a replacement heart pacemaker fitted while at the Mayo Clinic before returning to this nation.

Disclosing that the heart pacemaker replacement had been discussed previously with Dr Duane Sands, his Bahamian doctor, Mr Roberts told this newspaper how the former minister of health extracted some 64 ounces of fluid from his lungs as part of

efforts to stabilise him and treat the pneumonia so he was sufficiently well to be transported by air ambulance to Minnesota.

Describing himself as “still young”, Mr Roberts voiced optimism about Super Value’s future under its president, Debra Symonette, who he said has been managing the supermarket chain for the past five years, and the involvement of his grandchildren, Patrick and Paige Waugh, in the business.

He even disclosed that the company is “making big improvements” to its warehouse, adding that it had been “operating in the Stone Age and we are bringing it into the 21st century” by doubling the number of shipping containers it handles on a weekly basis from 250 to 500.

Mr Roberts founded Super Value and built it into the country’s largest all-Bahamian food store chain. He has also been a central figure in banking and commercial development for decades.

He was appointed chairman of Commonwealth Bank Limited after Bahamianisation and served from 1984 to 1992, overseeing rapid expansion after stagnation in the final years of foreign ownership, according to the bank.

During his tenure, the bank relocated its head office to 610 East Bay Street, opened branches in Oakes Field and Marsh Harbour, grew total assets by more than 700 percent to over $125 million, and increased net income from $1.3 million in 1984 to $4 million in 1992.

Sebas Bastian’s new memoir achieves US bestseller status

SEBAS Bastian has launched a memoir that his team says has earned bestseller recognition in the United States.

Mr Bastian held a book signing on February 27 for Lion Beneath the Fade, an event attended by family, friends and a cross-section of business, civic and political leaders.

According to a press release, the book went on sale on February 17 in the United States and The

Bahamas and has since been listed as a USA Today Best Seller, LA Times Best Seller and Amazon Best Seller.

Locally, the book is available at Logos Bookstore, Chapter One Bookstore and Bloom & Bindings Bookstore, as well as online through Amazon. The press release described the book as part memoir and part blueprint, tracing Mr Bastian’s path from modest beginnings

to national leadership. The book explores themes of grit, resilience, instinct, adaptability and faith, using the lion as a central metaphor.

At the launch event, Mr Bastian addressed attendees and spoke about the ideas behind the book.

“You don’t need privilege to create opportunity,” Mr Bastian said. “My greatest privilege in life was not wealth or access, it was a mother who worked and

sacrificed relentlessly so I could succeed, and a father who taught me the meaning of hustle. They taught me that discipline is louder than excuses and that opportunity isn’t given… it’s created.”

During his remarks, he also explained the origin of

the book’s title.

“The title The Lion Beneath the Fade was a birthday gift from my close friend Danae Bethel,” he said. “The lion is from my astrology sign Leo, and the fade comes from how I wore my haircut as a young boy. She brought me a pre-designed book cover with the title on it. Inside were blank pages and a note that said, ‘You can’t tell a story with a blank page.’ Those words stayed with me. They kept me writing during moments when I felt like I’d never finish or get it right.”

Former Grand Lucayan employees collect final severance payouts

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FORMER employees of the Grand Lucayan Resort began collecting severance cheques on Friday, with some saying the payouts were lower than they had anticipated after years of working on short-term contracts.

Line employees — most of them casual or contract workers — received two weeks’ pay, an additional two weeks’ gratuity and an accrued Christmas bonus. The payments followed the government’s decision two weeks ago to make the workers redundant as part of efforts to transition the Grand Bahama property to redevelopment under a $120 million purchase agreement with Concord Wilshire.

For some, the figures did not match what they believed they were owed.

Shaneka King, who worked four years on contract in the guest services and concierge department, said she expected a package calculated by years of service.

“What we were expecting was two weeks pay for every year that we been here, and for managers and supervisors, which would have been four weeks for every year,” she said.

“Unfortunately, that did not happen,” Ms King added on Friday after receiving her package shortly after 12.30pm.

“So, all in all, if you calculate it, we looking at four weeks pay, and that would have gone to the majority of persons who are here.”

An email sent to staff on Thursday instructed line

workers to bring identification to collect their cheques between 9am and noon, with supervisors and managers scheduled from 1pm to 5pm.

Many gathered outside the resort’s Convention Centre from 9am, but the payout process did not begin until after 11.30am. The general manager

apologised for the late start and had chairs brought outside.

Labour officials were also on site to register former employees for unemployment benefits through the National Insurance Board and to enrol them in the Job Seekers programme.

The hotel, which had been operated under government management for several years, shut down in recent months after water service was disconnected for non-payment. Employees were sent home.

Ms King said casual workers were not represented by the union and were placed on three-month contracts that required a week off without pay before renewal.

“I want to say maybe about 85 percent of the persons who are employed at Grand Lucayan are all casual workers, meaning that when we were employed, we were on contract every three months; we had to take a week off, and you come back to work after that week which is nonpayment, it was not vacation, it was just a week off,” she said.

“This went on for over four years under the government hotel. So we were looking at least to get some kind of relief to make all workers permanent because we know that at the end of the day something like this could happen. And so, said so done.”

She said the union represents only permanent workers, whom she described as a “handful.”

“I have been at Grand Lucayan for four years and everyone who they hired were contractual workers.

“They made some adjustments to a few persons and I don’t know how it was made

where only a few persons were given the opportunity to become permanent. And those workers were not a part of the union. The persons that were really a part of the union were persons who were here before Grand Lucayan had turned over. You know, the old employees that stayed on, which is just a handful.”

Despite her disappointment, Ms King said she would consider returning if the hotel reopens.

“Yes, I love what I do,” she said. “But I do wish that when the hotel comes on stream, it will actually value the employees enough to have all of them as permanent workers, and maybe the entire country would stop this contractual, casual worker thing.”

Others expressed relief.

“I am satisfied and happy. It could have been better,” bartender D’vone Knowles said.

“We were waiting a long time for this and it finally came through. I feel that the government did a good job. We got slightly less, but I’ve been here for a year,” said Mr Knowles.

Talisa Jones, a customer service representative employed for over a year, said she would use part of her payout to cover bills.

“I worked at Grand Lucayan for almost a year and couple months. As for my payout, it was okay, it’s something,” she said.

Although she was pleased with the amount, she criticised the delay.

“I think the process could be more smoother,” she said. “I feel they shouldn’t tell us the time to come and still have people waiting in the sun.”

“I don’t think it was really

professional because the supervisors and managers are here and we still have line staff waiting to receive their packages.”

Another worker, who asked not to be named, said he was grateful for the payment.

“I have been working here two years. I got what I was supposed to get,” he said.

“Honestly, speaking, we were contract workers so we were not entitled to nothing. So, for the Prime Minister to give us anything is a blessing because he did not owe us nothing. Every three months, we had to sign a week off, and we had to sign back on contract, so he really by law he did not have to give us a dollar.”

In a statement, Director of Investments Phylicia WoodsHanna said the redundancy exercise was a necessary step in repositioning the property. She said the separation packages were structured in accordance with the Employment Act and all applicable agreements, ensuring affected employees received their full entitlements.

She said the transition creates the pathway required for Concord Wilshire and incoming partners to begin the next stage of redevelopment. The government, she added, is coordinating with the Department of Labour, union representatives and private sector partners to connect impacted workers with vacancies, training opportunities and placement support across Grand Bahama and the wider economy. Payouts for line staff continue on Monday, while supervisors and managers are scheduled to receive their packages on Tuesday.

MINNIS THANKS MUNROE FOR SLAMMING FNM’S ‘INGRATITUDE’ IN PARLIAMENT

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minis-

ter Dr Hubert Minnis has thanked National Security Minister Wayne Munroe after the PLP MP rose in the House of Assembly to challenge the Free National Movement’s treatment of him.

“My wife and the people of Killarney told me I should publicly thank you, Hon Wayne Munroe KC, MP, Free Town Constituency. So thank you,” Dr Minnis said in a Facebook post.

“You stood up for me in Parliament, not for politics or party points, but as a

man. And that meant something. You didn’t have to speak on how I was treated, especially as the PLP candidate for Freetown. It would’ve been easier to stay silent. But you didn’t. That takes courage.”

Dr Minnis’ message followed an unusual moment in Parliament during debate on a resolution to borrow $1.86 million from the African Export-Import Bank to fund an Afro-Caribbean marketplace in Grand Bahama.

During that debate, Dr Minnis defended his administration’s record, arguing that his government delivered results despite governing through Hurricane Dorian and the

COVID-19 pandemic.

“The PLP is the party of big promises, big excuses, and spectacular failures,” Dr Minnis said.

Although he supported the borrowing resolution, he questioned the government’s performance and pointed to unfinished projects, including the redevelopment of the Grand Lucayan resort and the construction of a new airport for Grand Bahama.

Mr Munroe then rose on a point of order and turned his attention to the FNM’s decision not to renominate Dr Minnis for Killarney.

“Killarney does not understand, Madam Speaker, all that he has now articulated being in his term

that Marco City and the rest of them are not acknowledging when they say that he is not worthy of a nomination for the FNM,” Mr Munroe said. He continued: “But Killarney you're reciting things that you say should have recommended you to receive a nomination for the FNM for Killarney but they did not give that to you and so my point of order, Madam Speaker, is that since their side has said that all of what Killarney has said didn't recommend him for nomination for them,

then, Madam Speaker, he is misleading the public by saying this is all good works because if it was good works, Marco City would have recognised that and would have given him the nomination for Killarney, but Marco City did not Madam Speaker.”

“And so by him standing up and advancing this as good works, when Marco City did not recognise it, and Saint Barnabas did not recognise that it's good works, he should desist from this list.”

On Friday, Mr Munroe said his intervention

was not a defence of Dr Minnis’ tenure as prime minister, but a comment on what he described as ingratitude.

“I wasn't really defending him, and it was just speaking a truth,” Mr Munroe said.

“The truth is that all of the persons who have basically pushed him down and stepped on him were people who he gave an opportunity to and as I said in the House, to me that's being kind of ungrateful. And ingratitude is the worst character defect that you could ever have.”

“And so when you hear them bragging about the accomplishment of the previous administration, as they do in the House, as I say, I don't agree with them, which is why I would say I'm not defending him. I happen to think, yes, he ought to have been voted out, but these persons who now stand on his record as their record, you really can't say we did a good job in the Minnis administration and then say Minnis gotta go at any cost; those two things don't line up.”

Family demands answers after dementia patient goes missing

PMH from page one

said the family only learned of the incident the next morning and alleged that serious lapses in protocol occurred.

“Emotional and physchological trauma currently being experienced but my family cannot be expressed in words,” he said. “To walk at night from PMH to Malcolm Road with a hernia pending surgery scheduled for Monday, I cannot even begin to imagine the pain of each step on that uneven path.”

Mr Beneby said the

family had called an ambulance shortly after 10pm on Friday, but it did not arrive until after 2am Saturday. He said doctors decided to admit his father and indicated surgery would be performed.

Believing his father was receiving care, he returned the following morning with food, only to discover he had gone missing.

“I went there to bring him some some fish soup, and that’s when I found out, but I found owut that the surgical team discovered it last night when they were looking for him, so my thing is, they should’ve called me last night,” he

Govt rejects family’s claim to Perpall Tract subdivision

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE government says the Perpall Tract off West Bay Street — where approximately 30 acres have been allocated for a new 169-lot subdivision known as Premier Estates West — is Crown land lawfully acquired in 1957, responding to a public claim by a man who says the property belongs to his family.

The reaction surfaced after Dexter Cedric Edwards, speaking during a live interview on the Facebook page of Coalition of Independents leader Lincoln Bain, asserted that the land forms part of a tract owned by the Morris brothers and their descendants.

In a statement issued over the weekend, Minister of Housing and Urban Renewal Keith Bell rejected that claim, saying the land has long been vested in the government and used for public purposes.

“The position is clear. The land is owned by the Government of The Bahamas. It was lawfully acquired in 1957 for public purposes, and title was properly vested and recorded. That legal status has not changed,” Mr Bell said.

He said portions of the larger Perpall Tract have already been developed into government subdivisions under successive administrations and that many Bahamian families currently reside on those lots.

“I wish to assure all homeowners in those earlier subdivisions that their titles are valid and secure. The claims now being circulated have no lawful basis and do not affect the ownership of

persons who purchased from the Government,” the statement said. “It has come to our attention that certain individuals are purporting to claim or offer for sale portions of this Government property. Those claims are unfounded. The land remains owned by the Government for the benefit of the Bahamian people.

“Approximately 30 acres of the property has been allocated for the development of a new 169 lot government subdivision called Premier Estates West. This project is designed to expand home ownership opportunities for Bahamian families. That is its purpose, and that is its focus.”

Mr Bell said the ministry will act to protect public land from unlawful interference and warned members of the public against attempting to purchase land without proper verification.

“I urge members of the public not to be misled,” he said. “Do not attempt to purchase government land from persons who have no lawful authority to sell it. Before paying any money, retain a reputable attorney to conduct a full title search at the Registry of Records. Any person who proceeds without proper legal verification does so at their own risk.”

Mr Edwards claimed his family has had a presence on the land for more than 35 years and insisted their rights must be respected. During the live broadcast, Mr Edwards displayed documents which he said show ownership of approximately 46 acres forming part of a larger tract of more than 200 acres associated with the Morris brothers.

said. He added that the family was especially concerned for his safety given his medical condition, noting that if a stabilising device failed, it could have led to severe bleeding.

The family is now seeking answers about how Mr Beneby could leave the facility unnoticed and why they were not notified immediately.

Officials from the Public Hospitals Authority did not respond to calls seeking comment up to press time yesterday. This is the latest incident to place PMH under renewed scrutiny over patient care.

The Tribune Limited

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

Contributing Editor 1972-1991

RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Platitudes won’t protect the abused

THE news that 26 children aged as young as eight were referred to the Bahamas Crisis Centre in the first two months of this year alone is a reminder of the horrific abuse statistics in our nation.

Cleopatra Christie, the centre’s administrator, described the number as “a lot”, and pointed out the strain that our society is under from dealing with the aftermath of abuse – a strain felt infinitely more by the victims themselves.

She talked of “women who are living in their cars with their children while the ministry (of Social Services) is seeking to do its best”. She said there were calls from women who need help “on a daily basis” and asked bluntly: “How do we resolve the homelessness for victims of violence?”

In January alone, Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles said her officers had processed 2,916 domestic violence and serious crime matters alone. From that, there were 220 follow-up visits – one wonders why not more given the number of cases – and referred 163 to agencies including Social Services and the Crisis Centre. Then there were another 126 protection orders, and 54 bound to the peace. For one month alone, that is a heavy amount of cases – and signifies not just the challenge facing the police and other agencies, but that we should ask the question of why we allow this on a cultural level.

Social Services Minister Myles Laroda noted that the number coming forward is usually just the tip of the iceberg – there are many who dare not speak up out of fear of the consequences. He also said work is under way on a new shelter for women and children affected by domestic violence. Forgive us if we are doubtful given the various claims over time about shelters being built under this administration. Another has apparently been completed and is awaiting furniture and security features. This is needed, certainly, and we will be sure to follow up and ask more about these proposals.

This is, of course, not a new problem. In 2022, a University of The Bahamas study by William J Fielding, Virginia CF Balance and Niambi Hall-Campbell found shocking statistics including that married women were more likely than unmarried women to report non-consensual sexual intercourse. Rape, in short. Married women more likely to be raped by their husband than unmarried women to be raped by their partner. There was outrage, there was shock – but did anything change after all the headlines? If we are admitting so many children to care, then it would seem not.

Any man who forces himself on a woman has no right to call himself a man. Any man who forces himself on a child can only call himself a monster.

There should be no hesitation in calling these monsters what they are. There should be no room for them to hide.

A rapist should be denounced by society, by the church, by all who know them. There should be no equivocating. No means no.

And yet there are those who will defend, who will claim that it is women trying to entrap men. Why, in 2023, Pastor Rex Major stood up in front of Prime Minister Philip Davis at a public event and proclaimed that “people does lie” as a counter to calls for marital rape legislation.

He said: “People lie and they have liars with them cuz we don’t want this man no more, I gat me eye on something fresh. I’m serious. Let’s be careful how we tread this road here now.”

At the time, there was some applause for his comments at the national ecumenical church service. What did the Prime Minister do? Walk out? Reject the comments? Well, he has made no move to bring legislation preventing marital rape, deeming it not a priority of this administration.

We tolerate abuse too much in our society. It is hard to press legal consequences – rape cases are notoriously difficult to take to a conclusion. But that does not mean the abuse is not happening in our society – every day. The figures from the past two months of the effects on children are proof of that. If we cannot even protect children, how are we going to stop this cycle from continuing for the next generation, and the generation beyond that?

We need to be outraged, yes. But we need to do more than that. There are steps we can take – including on gender violence, which we rejected when we changed the gender violence bill to the protection against violence bill.

There is still opportunity to show how seriously we take such terrible abuse statistics – seriously enough to take action under this administration, or neglect the need and show how little you treat it as a priority.

We need to protect our women and children. International Women’s Day is only a few days away – it will be next Sunday. Watch for the platitudes spoken on that day – and for every politician who talks of the importance of our women, ask them what they are going to do to protect them. If they have no proposals, they can keep their platitudes.

Grand Bahamians have been hoodwinked

EDITOR, The Tribune.

TO plagiarise the words of a former FNM candidate, Grand Bahamians, you’ve been hook winked, bamboozled and flat out deceived by this PLP government on the deal with Concord Wilshire and its alleged acquisition of the Grand Lucayan. PM Davis and DPM Cooper gave you the impression that the deal was finalised with the expensive party the PLP held last year at the Grand Lucayan. Grand Bahamians were also misled into thinking the $120 million price had either been paid or was about to. Either way, Grand Bahamians were told in so many words that this was a done deal. Grand Bahamians must now take the words of Eyewitnesses News that alleges that the deal has “collapsed,” despite the reassurance of one Richard Bosworth of the Concord Wilshire Group. The press statement issued by Bosworth looks suspicious. This writer believes that it was actually penned by

one of Brave’s speech writers inside the OPM. Any goodwill that Brave and Cooper had with Grand Bahamians has been eroded. You cannot keep treating those people like conch and expect them to keep supporting you. They don’t believe Bosworth when he allegedly wrote that “discussions remain active” or that the “redevelop of the Grand Lucayan Resort is moving forward.” Bosworth’s statement made it sound like the deal was never finalised, even though the PLP gave Grand Bahamians the exact opposite. Brave those are just trying to buy time because elections are just around the corner. Don’t believe this election ploy Grand Bahamians. Someone in that OPM is not being truthful about this deal. Grand Bahamians will also like to know which area at the GB International Airport is work ongoing? There is no visible construction activity that can been seen by motorists passing that facility. Are Brave and Cooper also trying

Politicians will face judgment

EDITOR, The Tribune.

A GENERAL election for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas nearing, (only to be told that the prime minister has internally decided the date, not yet revealed to the country, he calculated (and a key participant, his party, contesting the elections), what is so democratic about that?

Thanking you for the space to have these matters of public interests published for debating, but the problems besetting the country were many, numerous, complex, political, spiritual, ignorance, poor behavioral traits, poorly socialised, the sin nature, carelessness, and the weapon of choice being firearms US patented, but ideally, before the weapons came we had had a peaceful country. The US and its president is having discussions thousands of miles away, many of those discussion weren’t even their business, but close to home, the trafficking in US made guns, ammunition is their business and we must get them discussing it, the ramification, the reparation to the families of the victims killed by their guns, because America failed to keep their guns within their borders, let us talk America/Bahamas?

Political campaigns launches, but why does the atmosphere exemplified one of festive jubilation, rather than a country at the crossroads, contemplative posturing, faced with mountains of unknowns, social decay, crime and the tendencies by inmates released from incarcerations after sentencing came full cycle, to relapsed into a previous condition, esp. relapses into criminal behaviors-repeated offenders, were at an unacceptable high. Respondents being processed on serious crime of murder, released on bail only to commit another, manages to

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obtain another go at bail, released on monitoring devices, only to be the subjects themselves of being murdered (retribution killings is how the evidence appeared to read, but why? And the High Courts’ hands being tied because the Legislature has not restricted how many bails could be had, or no bail for a specific crime, for what offenses were they applied?

As I pen this essay of sort, I am reminded by Father God, that this has been the same narrative being played out for decades now, almost as if either the will to do cannot be assembled, oblivious the solutions, political down the road confrontations, afraid to be known as the ones who did, what, to what?

No matter the category one may belong to, it does suggest that they have chosen the wrong career. So, really, just how much longer will be having the same discourse? But you know I have had the same conversation with Father God, and here is His take: **Those politicians with responsibility for the administration of justice in the land, and all of the ones on the governing side, not so much the opposition whose influences were minimal bears less of a burden, but the blood of all of the victims killed by criminals that were supposed to be in prisons, but let out to roam streets of New Providence said God Most High, and they kill again, and again, the blood of all of the people that those criminals freed for whatever period, will be on the hands of the politicians, not the High Courts, because they can only practice what the lawmakers gives them, the

Mouth of God has spoken and my words shall not returned to me void, they shall achieved whatever I sent them forth to do.’ Okay Cat Island, meaning me, have them print that.” Lord, for behold your words have already settled in the Heavens, amen.

Editor, another point of contention, many Bahamians have expressed the feeling of embarrassment, anytime our governments ask other countries to borrow small money, what kind of a country are we managing? Two hundred & sixty million dollars for a hospital amount to small money. If you all were to apply one-year of the Valued Added Taxes’ money, could it build it with changeover? I do believe that something is very wrong with the way we are giving away the Bahamian people’s lands (another 300 acres of prime beachfront front property, in addition to the 500 (plus) acres gone before-And you believe that this wouldn’t get God’s Attention)?

And to the **Second Richest country on the globe, without a cent being accrued to the Public Treasury of The Bahamas (whilst Bahamian people were being made to pay electric bills that they had not used in the form of Surcharges, unable to feed their children, unemployed in the thousands (and the government can find the heart to give the people’s things away the Chinese, the extension to the Baha Mar Resort, on Cable Beach, New Providence)? This couldn’t happen in the People’s Republic of China, the politicians doing it would have been killed by the State**But God! For He assures us that whatever a man or woman sow that shall they also reap.

FRANK GILBERT Nassau February 18, 2026.

Economic empowerment and accountability needed

EDITOR, The Tribune.

RECENT discussions in your publication regarding mandatory economic partnerships and the Government’s $1.86 million guarantee for the International Bazaar redevelopment highlight a deeper national question: how do we structure economic growth to ensure both empowerment and accountability?

to hoodwink, bamboozle and mislead Grand Bahamians about this airport deal too?

All Grand Bahamians ask is that this PLP tell the truth and nothing but the unvarnished truth. They are tired of being played like fools. Yet PLP goons have the gall to campaign in Freeport, while talking about how things are booming. The emperor has on no clothes. If the hotel deal has collapsed, then just come out and say so. You are already on pace to being wiped out on Grand Bahama anyways. It’s too late to salvage a seat. Brave and Cooper should have left the deal that the FNM had on the table. Their plan to embarrass the FNM has backfired. Now nearly five years later that resort is in a worst state than it was in when Brave became PM.

THE WHISTLEBLOWER

Freeport, Grand Bahama February 23, 2026.

Mr Jamal Moss’ call for stronger Bahamian ownership in major developments is a timely reminder that participation without equity limits long-term wealth creation. Sustainable progress requires that Bahamians move from employees to stakeholders. Establishing measurable national targets — such as increasing

majority Bahamian ownership in priority sectors over the next decade — would bring clarity and accountability to this objective. Similarly, the Government’s guarantee for the Bazaar redevelopment underscores the delicate balance between stimulating growth and safeguarding public resources. If public guarantees are to be used as tools for economic revival, they must be accompanied by transparent terms, defined risk assessments, and measurable return-on-investment benchmarks. Taxpayers deserve clarity on performance expectations and oversight mechanisms. Both matters ultimately point to the same need: a structured national economic strategy. Alongside ownership reform and responsible redevelopment financing, The Bahamas should consider establishing a National Entrepreneurship and Equity Fund — capitalised through public-private collaboration — to provide seed funding, low-interest financing, and technical support for qualified Bahamian entrepreneurs. Economic sovereignty is achieved not through rhetoric, nor through unchecked guarantees, but through disciplined policy execution grounded in transparency, measurable targets, and entrepreneurial infrastructure.

ROLAND ANDREWS Sr Nassau, February 26, 2026.

‘Alarming’ 26 child sex cases logged at Bahamas Crisis Centre

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Crisis Centre received 26 sexual cases involving children aged eight to 16 in January and February, a figure its administrator described as alarming.

TWENTY-SIX child sex offence victims, aged eight to 16, were referred to the The Bahamas Crisis Centre in J “For just January, and we're just about at the end of February now. So yes, it's a lot. That's 26 children that have come to us, that have been referred directly to us, and all in reference to sexual offences,” said Cleopatra Christie, the centre’s administrator. Ms Christie spoke on

the sidelines of the second annual National Women’s Empowerment Symposium on Friday. She did not provide details of the cases but outlined the strain on services dealing with sexual and domestic abuse.

Limited resources remain a persistent obstacle, she said, with violence frequently pushing women and children into homelessness.

“You hear about women who are living in their cars with their children while the ministry is seeking to do its best, it is still limited. So on a daily basis, we receive calls with women I need help. So that is an area where we need to put particular attention. How do we resolve the homelessness for victims of violence?,” she said.

Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles, unveiling 2025 statistics, said officers processed 2,916 domestic violence and serious crime matters in January alone, including 77 walk-ins. Police conducted 220 follow-up visits and referred 163 matters to agencies including Social Services, the Crisis Centre and the judiciary. Officers also assisted in securing 126 protection orders and 54 binding over the peace orders.

At the Crisis Centre, the legal burden is growing. Ms Christie, who is also an attorney, provides free legal advice to women referred from the Domestic Violence Unit and other sources. In 2025 alone, she handled more than 74 cases in the Magistrate’s

Family Court on Ber-

nard Road. With only two qualified legal professionals at the centre, she said the caseload has become overwhelming.

The centre has since added a trained attorney as a volunteer, who is expected to help move cases more efficiently in the coming months.

Social Services Minister Myles Laroda said the numbers demand concern.

“History have told us that the those who actually come forth represent a small percentage, and so

it'll be we should be concerned if it's 29 and we should hope and pray that that numbers reflect more of the reality than what history have shown just a small percentage of those suffering at the hands of violence,” the minister said. He said construction is under way on a new shelter to provide a safe haven for women and children affected by domestic violence. One facility is being built, while another has been completed and is awaiting furniture and

security installation.

Anne Marie Davis, wife of the prime minister, called the referral numbers “disheartening” but said increased reporting may reflect growing public awareness and confidence in the system. “I think if we punish them to the fullest extent of the law, it would be harsh, and probably in some cases, especially as the Privy Council calls it the worst of the worst we could. I would think we could, we should have some harsher penalties,” she said.

Biometric voter card rollout begins amid push to modernise registration

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Parliamentary Registration Department has officially begun rolling out biometric voter cards, beginning with Golden Isles, St James and Carmichael, and expects to distribute about 2,500 ID cards this week.

Parliamentary Commissioner Harrison Thompson said the cards are being issued in phases, focusing first on constituencies with the largest numbers of registrants.

On Saturday, the department distributed cards to verified voters in Golden Isles, St James and Carmichael, with the Grand Bahama rollout expected to begin this week.

He said constituencies with smaller voter populations will be targeted next, but declined to say which ones.

Saturday’s exercise comes as the department ramps up preparations for the upcoming election.

Mr Thompson said staff have been working feverishly, some for as long as 20 hours a day.

“You come here late hours of the night and you'll see on vehicles in the parking lot, because we are serious about being ready for elections and having a fair and efficient election in this country,” he added.

According to officials, more than 20,000 Bahamians have requested getting biometric cards, with officials expecting this number to rise in the coming days.

The cards are optional and use biometric data — specifically facial images and fingerprints — already provided to the Parliamentary Registration Department.

Project manager Lucretia Dean-Rolle said this information comes from the passport office while background information on where you live etc comes its existing legacy system.

“We are not migrating data from the passport office. Rather, we are migrating the facial image fingerprint, because these are the unique identifiers of each of you,” she said during a press conference on Friday.

Mr Thompson, meanwhile, defenced the process as transparent, noting that his office had met with both three parties about the.

Both the Free National Movement Party and Coalition of Independents have

raised concerns about the process.

“Things might not go the way you want it to go, and sometimes you can com plain about that, but that's fine. Don't talk about trans parency, because everything we do is about board,” Mr Thompson added.

Voters wishing to collect their cards must bring valid government-issued photo identification and must col lect the card in person.

No third party will be allowed to collect a card on behalf of another voter unless there is written authorisation from the cardholder.

Applicants should also be prepared to confirm certain details with staff to

Funeral Service For Margaret Edith French, 95

of Village Green Road, New Providence, Bahamas died peacefully at home on Thursday, February 5th, 2026 will be held at Christ Church Cathedral, George Street, Nassau on Friday, 6th March, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow in The Columbarium, Garden of Remembrance, Christ Church Cathedral, George Street, Nassau, Bahamas.

She was predeceased by her husband, Nathaniel James “Jim” French; daughter, Victoria Anne “Vicki” Roberts; parents, Franklin and Mary Brown; sisters, Mildred, Florence Alma and Eileen Warren; brothers, Lewis and Norman of Canada; sister-in-law, Gwendoline French, Agnes Evans (née French) and her husband George Evans; brothers-in-law, Sydney French and wife Ivy French (née Agnew)

She is survived by her son, Nathaniel James French III “ Jimmy”; daughter, Gwendoline “Eileen” French; daughter-in-law, Janet Caroline French (née Marsden); grandsons, Darren Anthony Roberts and Nathaniel James French IV “Jamie”; granddaughters, Michelle Anne Stevenson (née Roberts) and Joanna Caroline Lowe (née French); son-in-law, Michael Craig Roberts; grandsons-in-law, Patrick Cyril Stevenson and Simon Gregory Lowe; granddaughter-in-law, Ashley Marie Roberts (née Hall); great grandsons, Connor Patrick Stevenson, William Craig Stevenson and Oliver James Lowe; great granddaughters, Sofia Marie Roberts, Saria Anne Roberts and Amelia Margaret Lowe; nieces, Linda Sauer (née Evans), Joan Newbold (née Evans-Predeceased), Maureen French, Patricia French and husband Bruce; “adopted” grandson, Jacob Evans; Denise Miller, Merle Key and Family, Canadian Family and many other relatives and close friends too many to mention.

A special thank you to Emily and Shaun her caregivers; her doctor, Dabrielle Hunt-Burrows and her staff.

verify their identity before the card is issued.

Starting today, voters can also collect their cards at the Kendall Isaacs gym from 9am to 6pm.

“I encourage all eligible Bohemians who have completed the biometric process in St James, Golden Isles, Killarney and West Grand Bahama to collect their cards as soon as possible as they are able to your participation helps to complete this reform and strengthens our system for everyone,” he added.

Government officials have long argued that the laminated voter cards now in use are outdated and

World on terror alert as Iran vows revenge

AP staff reporters

THE world is on high alert for terrorist attacks as Iran vowed revenge for the killing of its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and traded strikes with Israel as part of a widening war prompted by the surprise US and Israeli bombardment.

US military said three service members have been killed and five seriously injured, the first known American casualties from the conflict, the US Central Command said Sunday, without identifying the deceased.

Blasts in Tehran on Saturday sent a huge plume of smoke into the sky in an area of government buildings. Iranian authorities say more than 200 people have been killed and 600 injured since the start of the strikes that killed Khamenei and other senior leaders. Iran fired missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states in retaliation while Israel pledged “non-stop” strikes against Iran’s leaders and military. Iranian state TV later confirmed the death of Khamenei, 86, who had ruled since 1989, and declared 40 days of mourning. Intelligence sources claimed around 40 Iranian officials were also killed in the strikes.

Shortly after explosions were reported in the Iranian capital on Saturday,

US President Trump took to social media to accuse Tehran of waging an "unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder targeting the

United States". Trump argued Iran had rejected every opportunity to renounce its nuclear programme and claimed it was developing

SUSPECT

AUSTIN Associated Press

THE gunman who killed two people at a bar in Texas early Sunday in a mass shooting that left 14 others wounded was wearing a sweatshirt that said “Property of Allah,” and another shirt with an Iranian flag design, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

The shooter has been identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, the law enforcement official and another person familiar with the matter said. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.

The shooting erupted a day after Israel and the United States launched an attack on Iran that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The FBI said it was investigating the shooting as a potential act of terrorism.

Diagne was originally from Senegal, according to multiple people briefed on the investigation. One of the people told the AP that Diagne came to the U.S. in 2006 and was a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Officers in Austin shot and killed the gunman, who used both a pistol

SHOOTING

POLICE investigate the site of a shooting at Buford’s in Austin, yesterday.

Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman/AP

and a rifle to carry out the attack, police said. The FBI said the shooting was being investigated as a potential act of terrorism.

The suspect drove past the bar several times before stopping and shooting a pistol out the window of his SUV at people on a patio and in front of the bar, said Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. The gunman then parked the vehicle, got out with a rifle, and began shooting at people walking in the area before officers who rushed to the intersection shot him, Davis said. There have been at least two other high-profile shootings in Austin’s Sixth Street entertainment

district within the past five years, including one in the summer of 2021 that left 14 people wounded. Although this weekend’s shooting doesn’t meet the definition of a mass killing, there have been five of those so far this year.

The FBI is investigating whether the shooting early Sunday was act of terrorism because of “indicators” found on the gunman and in his vehicle, said Alex Doran, the acting agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio office.

“It’s still too early to make a determination on that,” Doran said.

The shooting happened outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden just before 2

long-range missiles that could threaten Europe, US troops overseas, and even "soon reach the American homeland". The president said in a social media post that "heavy and pinpoint bombing" of Iran would "continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary." The president earlier said the operation was to "prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests."

Europe has mostly stayed out of the war and pressed for diplomacy, but in an indication that the conflict could draw in other nations, Britain, France and Germany said Sunday they were ready to work with the US to help stop Iran’s attacks. Leaders of the countries said in a joint statement that they were “appalled” by Iran’s “reckless” strikes on their allies.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain would allow the United

The UK maintains nearby bases on Cyprus and the Chagos Islands, a British archipelago in the Indian Ocean.

The UK is already considering raising the terror threat level amid concerns over Iranian retaliation, Defence Secretary John Healey revealed, saying the national threat level could be increased from the current “substantial” level currently designated. The level could be raised to either “severe” or even higher to a “critical” by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre and MI5 security service. The current substantial level means that an attack is “likely”.

In Israel, loud explosions caused by missile impacts or interceptions could be heard in Tel Aviv. Israel’s rescue services said nine people were killed and 28 wounded in a strike that hit a synagogue in the central town of Beit Shemesh, bringing the overall death toll in the country to 11. Eleven people were still missing after the strike, police said, as rescue crews combed the rubble.

a.m. along Sixth Street, a nightlife destination filled with bars and music clubs and only a few miles from the University of Texas.

The school’s president said on social media that some of those impacted included “members of our Longhorn family.”

“Our prayers are with the victims and all those impacted,” said university President Jim Davis.

The entertainment district has a heavy police presence on weekends, and officers were able to confront the gunman within a minute of the first call for help, Davis said.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson praised the fast response by police and rescuers.

“They definitely saved lives,” he said.

One of the victims was found in the street between two parked cars. Inside the multi-story bar, there were overturned tables and drinks left behind by fleeing customers.

Another shooting early Sunday at a Cincinnati nightclub and concert venue wounded nine people, police in Ohio said.

All nine had gunshot wounds, but none were nonlife threatening, said Adam Hennie, the city’s interim police chief.

On Sunday, the US and Israel pounded targets across Iran, dropping massive bombs on the country’s ballistic missile sites and wiping out warships as part of an intensifying military campaign.

The US military, meanwhile, said B-2 stealth bombers have struck Iran’s ballistic missile facilities with 2,000-pound bombs. Trump claimed that nine Iranian warships had been “destroyed” and sunk, and that the Iranian navy’s headquarters had been “largely destroyed.”

The strikes and counterattacks underscored how the killing of Khamenei, and Trump’s calls for the overthrow of the decades-old Islamic Republic, carried the potential for a prolonged conflict that could envelop the Middle East. It also represents a startling show of military might for an American president who swept into office on an “America First” platform and vowed to keep out of “forever wars.”

In southern Iran, at least 165 people were killed when a girls’ school was struck, and dozens more were wounded, the staterun IRNA news agency reported. The Israeli military said it was not aware of strikes in the area.

In neighbouring Pakistan, violent clashes between protesters and security forces in the port city of Karachi and in the country’s north on Sunday left at least 22 people dead and more than 120 others injured as pro-Iran demonstrators attempted to storm the US Consulate, authorities said. In the north of the country, demonstrators also attacked UN and government offices. Police and officials at a hospital in Karachi said that at least 50 people were also wounded in the clashes and some of them were in critical condition.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his “profound sorrow over the martyrdom” of Khamenei” and conveyed his condolences to Iran, according to his office. He said: “Pakistan stands with the Iranian nation in this moment of grief and shares in their loss.

Twelve people were killed and over 80 wounded in clashes with police in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region when thousands of Shiite protesters angered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran attacked the offices of the UN Military Observer Group and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), local police official Asghar Ali said. In Islamabad, police fired tear gas and swung batons as hundreds of Shiite protesters, angered by the killing of Khamenei, tried to march toward the US Embassy. The clashes took place outside the Diplomatic Enclave, where the embassy is located and additional police had been deployed. Meanwhile, in the northwestern city of Peshawar, authorities also used tear gas and batons to disperse thousands of demonstrators attempting to approach the US Consulate to hold a rally to denounce the killing of the Iranian leader, police said.

Shiites also held a peaceful rally in Multan, a city in Punjab province, chanting slogans against Israel and the United States.

Mamoona Sherazi, who attended the rally, said that she was protesting Khamenei’s killing. She described him as a fatherly figure and a strong voice for Shiites, adding that he also supported Sunni Muslims facing oppression. “God willing, we will never bow before America and Israel,” she said.

Bahamians stranded amid Middle East war

cost of living, and we have very little control of costs, so with the unrest in the Middle East, we expect and it’s projected that oil prices might rise,” Mr Davis told reporters on Saturday.

“If that does, then all we can do is try to minimise the impact on our citizens by looking how we could either relieve it through the taxes that has now imposed on importation of fuels and or giving relief in some other form of fashion.”

In Dubai, air operations were suspended as missiles and drones targeted Israel and US military assets in the region. The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted hundreds of projectiles since the start of the Iranian attack, with the death toll rapidly rising. The attack led to retaliatory strikes on multiple countries in the region and increased tension in the Middle East reverberating around the world.

One Bahamian traveller, who asked not to be named, said she had been celebrating a birthday with friends when the situation shifted abruptly. Tours were cancelled. Authorities advised them to return to their hotel and remain indoors.

She said the gravity of the moment only became clear when she heard the blasts.

“As we were walking out, we literally heard two bombs go up in the sky,” she said. “Listen, that was definitely not the culture shock I was looking for, but yeah, so we hurried back to the hotel, and we’ve been in here ever since.”

She said she was not afraid but anxious to return home.

“I am really not scared,” she added. “The only thing that I am anticipating is when can I go home?”

Tanaz Cunningham, a Bahamian living in Dubai, co-owner of All Things Arabian, said life had not been dramatically disrupted, though explosions were audible every 30 minutes to an hour.

“It’s just a matter of just staying inside and making sure no debris fall anywhere around you to get injured,” she said.

“We’ve been hearing like a lot of loud noises, like a bunch of boom boom, like, all around the city, but it’s just the UAE intercepting the missiles. Nothing has been like drastically hit and no bunch of casualties.”

Her husband, a Bahamian pilot based in Dubai, was stranded in Tanzania when airspace closures prevented his return from a 24-hour layover.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a travel advisory over the weekend, urging Bahamians in the Middle East to exercise caution and avoid all travel to Israel, Palestine and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Beyond those territories, countries including Syria, Iraq and Yemen were categorised under “Avoid Non-Essential Travel,” while the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain were listed as requiring a high degree of caution. Bahamian nationals in those Gulf states were advised to shelter in place and avoid non-essential movement.

The ministry urged travellers to monitor official guidance, follow instructions from local authorities and confirm flight status directly with airlines.

Gaza’s ceasefire had some momentum. Now, some fear a new war will distract the world

GAZA STRIP Associated Press

SOME Palestinians say they fear the widening war sparked by US and Israeli attacks against Iran could overshadow the fragile situation in Gaza, just over a week after US President Donald Trump rallied billions of dollars in pledges for the territory’s reconstruction and tried to nudge a ceasefire forward.

Residents say they are scared of neglect and deprivation, with Israel in the wake of the weekend strikes closing all crossings into their shattered territory of over 2 million people.

Palestinians told The Associated Press they were rushing to markets, haunted by memories of painful food scarcity last year under months of Israel’s blockade. Part of Gaza, around Gaza City, was found to be in famine.

“When the crossings shut down, everything was suspended from the market,” said Osamda Hanoda from Khan Younis. “The prices go up, and people live in misery.”

Reports show prices of goods rising sharply

The shaky Israel-Hamas ceasefire had led to more humanitarian aid and other supplies entering Gaza, even as the United Nations and aid partners say more of everything from basic medical supplies to fuel is needed.

Now, Palestinians are hoarding again, with reports of prices rising sharply for basic goods such as bags of flour.

“We are afraid of not finding milk” and diapers for the kids, or food and water, said Hassan Zanoun, who was displaced from Rafah.

COGAT, the Israeli military body overseeing civilian affairs in Gaza, did not respond to a request for comment Sunday. In its announcement of the closings, it asserted that the food supply inside the territory “is expected to suffice for an extended period.” It added that the rotation of humanitarian workers in and out of Gaza is postponed.

It was not clear when any crossing might reopen. Israeli authorities focused on Iran, and citizens dashed repeatedly for shelter as sirens wailed.

Ramadan is disrupted

The war in Gaza began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and it’s been marked from the start by restrictions on people and supplies being allowed into the territory — and terrified people, including medical evacuees in need of treatment, getting out.

A month ago, Gaza’s main Rafah border crossing with the outside world — its only crossing not with Israel — reopened,

allowing a small and tightly controlled flow of Palestinian traffic in both directions. No cargo was allowed through.

Now all crossings are closed again in the middle of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, a time of chosen deprivation, evening feasts and prayer. Images have shown Palestinians lined up at long tables in the middle of bombed-out debris.

The strikes on Iran shook that routine.

“All the people rushed to markets, and they all wanted to shop and hide,” said Abeer Awwad, who was displaced from Gaza City, as word of the explosions in Tehran began to spread. Under the Oct. 10 US-brokered ceasefire, the heaviest fighting has subsided, though regular Israeli fire continues in Gaza. The U.N. World Food Program has noted progress in the enclave but said in its latest food security analysis last week that hunger remains.

“Households reported an average of two meals per day in February 2026, compared to one meal in July,” it said. “Still, one in five households consumed only one meal daily.”

A challenge for aid groups and others

Refocusing the world’s attention on Gaza is a challenge for aid groups and others as Iran scrambles for new leadership and explosions continue in Tehran, Israel and around the Middle East.

Trump has said bombing in Iran could continue through the week or longer, and warned Tehran of “A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!” if it escalates attacks. It’s a dramatic turn from Trump’s launch less than two weeks ago of his new Board of Peace, a gathering of world leaders that is aimed at ending the war in Gaza but has ambitions of resolving conflicts elsewhere.

Even with that bump in momentum on Gaza, major challenges remain for the ceasefire. They include disarming Hamas, assembling and deploying an international stabilization force, and getting a newly appointed Palestinian committee meant to govern Gaza into the territory.

As the Middle East turns to another war, some Palestinians see a benefit: Israel’s military is distracted.

“The good thing is that the sound of booms and demolitions is rare now near the yellow line,” said Ahmed Abu Jahl, of Gaza City, speaking about the line dividing Gaza and marking out roughly half the territory controlled by Israeli forces.

“Even the drones, they are still flying overhead, but their number has gone down.”

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

Monday, March 2, 2026

A world at war and the lessons of the past

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

THE world woke up to war on Saturday. The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran – and Iran in turn launched retaliation attacks on Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait. Targets hit included Fairmont The Palm Hotel in Dubai, as well as injuries in an incident at Dubai International Airport. Three hundred British troops were with 200 metres of an Iranian missile and drone strike on a US naval base in Bahrain – showing how high the risks of even greater escalation might be.

The explanation for why the strikes happened now was slim at best from US President Donald Trump, saying that there were “imminent threats” without spelling out what those were in detail. It stands in considerable contrast to another war that has been subject to question over the years –the Iraq war – not least of all from Trump himself. That was a war with a Bahamian casualty.

Norman Darling was born in The Bahamas and serving as a Private First Class in the US Army when he was on patrol with seven others near Mahmudiya, south of Baghdad.

He had joined the Army to give his daughter a better life in Florida, trying to do his best for his family.

The patrol was searching for roadside explosives on April 29, 2004, when a vehicle approached his unit. The driver detonated a bomb, killing himself and the entire patrol.

Darling was awarded the Purple Heart and granted US citizenship posthumously.

It is important to remember the Bahamian connection to Iraq because it is a reminder of the global impact of these matters.

As we digest the beginning of this country, we have already seen how it might start to affect Bahamians today.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already urged Bahamians not to travel to parts of the Middle East, telling people to avoid all travel to Israel, Palestine and Iran, and avoid non-essential travel to Syria, Iraq and Yemen, and caution for the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain.

Those in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain

have been urged to shelter in place until further notice and avoid non-essential movement.

Given the increasing business connections between the region and The Bahamas, that is a challenge. I know of several people who had travelled to the region recently or had travel plans lined up who are now rethinking.

Questions are also being raised internationally about what this will do to oil prices – meaning you and I might end up paying more for our power bills in the long run.

The comparison with the Iraq war inevitably also invites contrast with how

the case for war was laid out.

Back then, it took nearly two years for the administration of then-President George W Bush to build up to the war itself.

In 2001, the administration started to build up those efforts, leading to the Iraq Resolution passed by the US Congress in 2022, with the intent to “disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to end Saddam Hussein’s support for terrorism, and to free the Iraqi people”.

Through 2003, the US kept building its case, including a famous address by Secretary of State Colin Powell to the Security Council.

Joined by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair in laying out the case, including in a dossier in the UK that came to be known as the Dodgy Dossier, that was praised by Powell. The concerns centred around how authentic the claims were of the existence of weapons of mass destruction – weapons which were not found in Iraq after the subsequent invasion.

Considerable effort when in to getting a mandate from the UN Security Council to justify the war –only for Secretary General Kofi Annan to describe the war as illegal.

There was a resolution though – the UN adopting a resolution to give Iraq a last chance to disarm or face the consequences. By comparison, the US attack along with Israel on Iran has not seen such a long and deliberate build-up.

In a recorded speech, Trump accused Iran of an “unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder targeting the United States”. One of the examples he gave was the 1979 takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran, another was a bombing of a US barracks in Beirut in 1983 that killed 241. Neither seems particularly relevant to any imminent claims of threat.

The more imminent threats he referenced seemed to include Iran having a nuclear programme – even though the White House claimed to have “totally” wiped out that programme when it joined in Israel’s attacks on Iran in June last year. Gone or not? If it was destroyed then, how is it a justification now?

Trump said: “For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted ‘Death to America’ and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed.” He called it “mass terror”, but did not pinpoint why the attack takes place now instead of after 46 years, or 45, or one.

Trump also claimed Iran would soon have a missile capable of hitting the US, but has provided less evidence than in those dossiers of years gone by.

Trump has called for regime change in Iran –and certainly the initial attacks have already led to a change in leadership. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatolah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the attacks. When it came to the Iraq war, Trump has said a number of times that he opposed the 2003 invasion, although fact checkers have shown over the year he said no such thing before the invasion happened. He has criticised it often though, after the invasion, and fully opposing from 2004. He said on Fox News at one point: “Look, we should have never been in Iraq. I’ve said that from day one.”

He also called Iraq a “terrible mistake” in an interview with Howard Stern, adding: “And it turns out that all of the reasons for the war were blatantly wrong. All this for nothing!” It should be noted that Iran is continuing to insist that it should have the right to enrich uranium. There may well be cases for presenting concerns about the nation’s intentions – but the Security Council, and even Congress, have been bypassed in this decision. No building the case these days, just the attack. We will never know if there could have been another way now.

Right now, the world is waiting to see what happens next – Bahamians included. The general advice right now seems to be keep your head down and stay out of it. Not the worst advice, but it all shows the uncertain world we live in right now. Between this and the action in January to capture President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, we are in a new age.

GOVERNOR General Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt welcomed students of Gerald C Cash Primary School in a courtesy call on Tuesday at Government House. The youngsters took part in the national ‘242 Day’ observance (February 24), celebrated at Government House and around the country.

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Job Title: Project Manager

Bahamas Debt Conversion Project I or r r Con• rvotl,Jn

Organization: Department of Marine Resources, Ministry of the Agriculture & Marine Resources,

Project: The Bahamas Debt Conversion Project for Marine Conservation (BDCPMC)

Post of Duty: Department of Marine Resources, Ministry of the Argricuture & Marine Resources - Nassau Office

Position Type: Full-time

Type of Contract: Individual Fixed Sum Non-Government Contract

Duration: 3 Years Reports to: Director of Department of Marine Resources

Citizenship: Citizenship of The Bahamas is preferred

Background

The Bahamas Debt Conversion Project for Marine Conservation (BDCPMC) is a national initiative that supports improved management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), advances Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), and strengthens institutional capacity for marine conservation and sustainable use. The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) is a key implementing agency under the Project, with statutory responsibility for fisheries management, licensing, and compliance. The DMR is seeking to engage a Project Manager to support coordination, planning, reporting, monitoring and tracking of DMR's BDCPMC-related activities. This position is suited to a highly organized individual with strong implementation experience, comfortable working in a dynamic, multi-agency environment and coordinating activities that progress at different speeds.

Role and Responsibilities

The Project Manager will provide coordination and implementation support for BDCPMC-related activities undertaken by DMR.

Project Planning & Execution

1. Develop and maintain a detailed work plan, schedule and resource allocation for all DMRled activities under BDCPMC.

2. Prepare and maintain DMR's -BDCPMC work plans aligned with approved milestones and timelines.

3. Coordinate with the PMU, BPAF, TNC, and BNT teams to align timelines, deliverables and quality standards.

Job Title: Mangrove Project Officer

Organization: Forestry Unit, Ministry of the Environment & Natural Resources,

Project: The Bahamas Debt Conversion Project for Marine Conservation (BDCPMC)

Post of Duty: Local Office Grand Bahama Forestry Unit, Ministry of the Environment & Natural Resources, Position Type: Full-time

Type of Contract: Individual Fixed Sum Non-Government Contract

Duration: 3 Years

Reports to: Director of Forestry Citizenship: Citizenship of The Bahamas is preferred

Background

Grand Bahama Island contains some of the most ecologically and socio-economically important mangrove systems in The Bahamas and has experienced significant hurricane impacts, highlighting the need for strengthened mangrove protection and restoration.

Although The Bahamas is a member of the Bahamas Mangrove Alliance, there is currently no permanent on-island presence to coordinate mangrove activities on Grand Bahama and other family islands. This position is intended to address that gap and support on-the-ground implementation in Grand Bahama, Abaco and other family islands. Thus the successful candidate will be required to travel to other islands (at the project expense) and engage in similar mangrove related work as those presently occurring in Grand Bahama.

Purpose ofthe Assignment

The Project Officer will serve as the on-island focal point for mangrove-related activities on Grand Bahama under the Bahamas Debt Conversion for Marine Conservation Project, ensuring effective implementation, coordination, and stakeholder engagement. The Officer will also work on other islands where mangrove related work is required.

Scope of Work

The Project Officer will support the execution of project activities across identified mangrove areas on Grand Bahama, Abaco, and any other island where mangrove resources are identified. The officer will report to the Director of the Forestry Unit within the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and coordinate with the Mangrove Coordinator and other Senior Forestry Officers. Other aspects of the work include:

A. Field Implementation & Coordination

Support the implementation of mangrove conservation and restoration activities

Coordinate field operations in identified mangrove sites

Assist with logistics, scheduling, and coordination of field teams

Support monitoring and data collection activities

Generate reports related to the work

B. GIS & Data Collection Support

Assist with on-the-ground GIS and ecological data collection

Ensure adherence to standardized data collection protocols

Support data verification and reporting to national teams

Coordinate with GIS specialists and technical advisors

C. Stakeholder & Community Engagement

Engage local communities, fishers, NGOs, and stakeholders

Support awareness and outreach activities related to mangrove conservation and the BDCPMC

Act as liaison between national agencies and local stakeholders as directed

Support Bahamas Mangrove Alliance initiatives on Grand Bahama as directed

Support Mangrove restoration, research, education and outreach activities in Abaco or other assigned islands

D. Reporting & Administration

Prepare regular field and progress reports

Support procurement and activity documentation

Assist with donor and project reporting requirements

Flag implementation risks or challenges early

Key Responsibilities

Execute project activities on Grand Bahama, Abaco or other islands within The Bahamas

Ensure timely and effective field-level delivery

Maintain strong local partnerships

Represent the project at island-level meetings or international meeting if assigned

Support adaptive management of mangrove activities throughout The Bahamas

Deliverables

Inception briefing on Grand Bahama mangrove and other islands context Reports on mangrove status in Abaco and other islands

Monthly field and progress reports GIS and ecological data submissions Stakeholder engagement summaries

island-level completion reports

on work related delivery to the overall project (BDCMCP)

4. Participate in regular sessions with the Project Management Unit, Project Partners Meeting, a11 Partners Meeting, and other scheduled meetings to advance project milestones.

5. Implement periodic reviews and updates of project plans to address emerging needs or risks.

6. Track deliverables, coordinate timelines, and ensure efficient execution of activities across field teams and in coordination with the Project's agreed timeline and deliverables.

7. Coordinate DMR's inputs into MPA development especially concerning Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) processes and the METT evaluations.

8. Function as secretary to the Marine Spatial Planning Committee

9. Support Dl\1R's role in the development and implementation of climate-smart MPA Management Plans.

Budget & Grant Management

1. Lead budget development nnder the BDCPMC for submission to the PMU.

2. Manage the project budget, track expenditures, and ensure compliance with the project financial procedures.

3. Work with the Financial Officer for the preparation and submission of the financial reports, budget requests/forecasts and variance analyses to the Director for review and sign-off.

4. Assisting with the coordination of procurement-related activities associated with BDCPMC implementation, including the procurement of services and equipment, in accordance with Government procurement rules and internal approvals.

5. Identify opportunities for access to the project's grant management funding

6. Prepare project financial summary reports for submission to PMU

7. Maintaining organized project documentation to support audits, reviews, and evaluations.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

1. Serve as the Department's liaison to government agencies, local communities, NGOs, research institutions and conservation partners on Project matters as directed.

2. Organize stakeholder workshops and public briefings, where necessary.

3. Develop regular progress reports, presentations and facilitate communication materials development for internal and external audiences.

4. Facilitate inter-agency and stakeholder communications.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Quality Assurance

1. Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and a monitoring framework to measure progress against conservation targets.

2. Oversee data collection, and analysis to track contributions to the development of MPA management effectiveness and other project plans and programs.

3. Conduct regular quality-assurance reviews and implement corrective actions as needed.

Administration & Documentation

1. Ensure systematic organization and archiving of project documentation-binders, digital files, off-site backups.

2. Prepare reports as required for submission to the PMU for project reporting.

3. Assist the Director with contract deliverables associated with Project consultants and service providers.

4. Coordinate inputs across DMR technical, administrative, and field units.

5. Tracking progress against deliverables and flagging risks or delays for management consideration.

6. Working constructively with stakeholders from a variety of institutional, professional, and community backgrounds.

Education

• Minimum bachelor's degree in environmental management, marine or fisheries sciences, conservation biology, climate change, natural resource management, public ad ministration, project management, or a related field;

• An equivalent combination of education, professional training, and relevant experience, with demonstrated application of conservation or climate-related work in practice.

Pr ofessional Experience;

• Five (5) years implementation experience in project coordination, programme delivery, or operational support roles within environmental, conservation, marine, or natural resource management initiatives.

• Demonstrated practical experience implementing conservation initiatives, particularly those related to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), fisheries management, coastal or marine resource protection, or climate change adaptation and resilience.

• Expe1ience translating conservation plans, policies, or funding commitments into on theground activities, procurements, work plans, and measurable outputs.

• Experience working within or alongside government institutions, with an understanding of public-sector processes, approvals, and reporting requirements.

• Proven ability to coordinate multiple, interrelated activities moving at different speeds and involving multiple stakeholders.

• Experience working with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including government agencies, NGOs, technical specialists, and community representatives.

Skills and Competencies·

• Strong organizational and multitasking skills, with the ability to manage parallel implementation workstreams.

• Ability to manage competing priorities in a multi-agency implementation environment.

• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to convey technical conservation and climate-related information in a practic al, implementation-focused manner.

• Sound judgment, professional discretion, and respect for confidentiality.

• Ability to work independently while remaining responsive to supervision, direction, and instirutional protocols.

Submit your cover letter and resume to CCEAU@BAHAMAS GOY BS and LESTERGITTENS@BAHAMAS GOY BS The application process closes March 2nd at 4:30pm. The Successful candidate should be able to assume the post in March 2026

20-year sentence for fatal bar stabbing over cheating

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Friday for the fatal 2022 stabbing of a man outside Tropical Bar in Grand Bahama after the victim accused him of cheating with his girlfriend.

Rosceno Cox, 25, was sentenced to 20 years for manslaughter and six months for causing harm, to run concurrently, before Justice Andrew Forbes.

Cox fatally stabbed Ted Cooper Jr in the parking

Man

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of breaking into a woman’s home and raping her at knifepoint in the Wulff Road area last weekend was remanded to prison on Friday. Prosecutors allege that Andrew Nerenal, 33, entered the residence of a 27-year-old woman on Peardale Road through a window at 4am on

lot of a bar on McKenzie Street on June 29, 2022. He pleaded guilty to the charge on November 20, 2025. Cox had reportedly met the deceased, who was his friend, at the bar and told him that his girlfriend was cheating on him. The deceased then accused Cox of sleeping with his girlfriend, which Cox denied. As Cox was leaving the bar, another man handed him a knife and told him to leave. When Cox went to his vehicle, a fight broke out between the two men, during which the deceased was stabbed.

In his probation report, Cox said he was extremely remorseful and shaken by the incident. He acknowledged that he should have run to his vehicle, but was worried about what onlookers would say if he ran away. He said he was aware that he had destroyed the victim’s family and disappointed his parents.

The victim’s family asked the court to impose the maximum penalty.

Eleina Cooper, the victim’s mother, questioned why her only son was dead. She said she was

bewildered by the cruelty of the incident and that Christmas and her son’s birthday were no longer joyous occasions.

Ted Cooper Sr, the victim’s father, spoke of his profound hurt and confusion. He said his son was about to receive a promotion before his death and that he thinks of him daily.

Cox’s parents said they were shocked by their son’s actions but accepted that he must face the consequences.

The court noted that Cox had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty

at the earliest opportunity and cooperated with investigators.

Justice Forbes said Cox made a series of poor decisions that night, which led to a tragic outcome. He said confronting the deceased with the allegation while both had been drinking, and failing to leave when tensions escalated, were serious errors in judgment.

Although the justice said the crime was not as brutal as others, he said it was nonetheless brutal for the family, who lost a loved one.

The court found that

both young men appeared to have been on positive paths before the incident, but that the community had lost another life to senseless violence.

While on remand, Cox will be enrolled in electrical and automotive courses and will attend anger management and substance abuse classes. Time already spent on remand was deducted from his sentence. He was informed of his right to appeal.

Ashley Carroll and Sean Smith were the prosecutors. Brian Hanna represented the accused.

February 21. The victim was reportedly awakened to find the defendant holding a sharp object over her. He allegedly sexually assaulted her before fleeing through the front door towards a nearby park. The victim was taken to hospital, where she was treated for an injury to her right finger.

Nerenal was not required to enter a plea to rape and burglary

before Magistrate Abigail Farrington. He was informed that the case will proceed to the Supreme Court by voluntary bill of indictment. He must apply for bail in the higher court.

Nerenal was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until service of his voluntary bill of indictment on May 29.

Assistant Superintendent of Police K Bould was the prosecutor.

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of walking with a gun on Murray Street was granted bail on Friday. Prosecutors allege that Holbrook Storr, 25, was found with a black JA-380 pistol in his jacket after police stopped him on suspicion at 9pm on February 25.

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in a vehicle near Andros Avenue and Hepburn Alley last week was granted bail on Friday. Prosecutors allege that Derek Dauphin, 42, had unlawful sexual intercourse with the underage girl while parked on a vacant property at 9pm on February 22.

Storr returns for trial on May 26.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie was the prosecutor.

Storr pleaded not guilty to possession of an unlicensed firearm before Magistrate Lennox Coleby. He was granted $7,000 bail with one or two sureties. Under the terms of his bail, he will be fitted with a monitoring device and must obey an 8pm to 7am curfew. He must also sign in at the Elizabeth Estates Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday by 7pm.

Dauphin pleaded not guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse before Magistrate Abigail Farrington. Bail was set at $9,000 with one or two sureties. He must sign in at the Wulff Road Police Station every Friday by 7pm.

The matter returns to court on June 11.

Assistant Superintendent of Police K Bould was the prosecutor. Alphonso Lewis represented the accused.

BARTLETT HILL PRIMARY AND ST. GEORGES HIGH REIGN SUPREME AT 2026 JUNIOR JUNKANOO

SCHOOLS throughout Grand Bahama participated in the 2026 Junior Junkanoo Parade on Saturday evening at Explorer’s  Way, Freeport.

In the Primary Division, Bartlett Hill Primary won, with 606 points; second place was Walter Parker Primary, with 575 points; Lewis Yard Primary was third, with 472 points; and Hugh Campbell Primary was fourth, with 447 points. In the Senior Division, St Georges’ High won, with 646 points;  Eight Mile Rock High was second, with 604 points; and Jack Hayward Senior High was third, with 552 points.