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TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2020

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Retailer urges: Relax lockdown on business

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN retailer yesterday urged the government to permit businesses to open for a short time daily to ease the economic pain just hours before the prime minister tightened the lockdown. Andrew Wilson, Quality Business Centre’s (QBC) principal, told Tribune Business that such an approach would give Bahamian workers much-needed financial “sustenance” while enabling firms to pay at least some of their bills during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pledging that there was “absolutely no doubt” that his retail formats will reopen once the crisis has passed, Mr Wilson warned that companies already “on the margins” may not with the Bahamian economic landscape likely to

be radically reshaped by the pandemic. “What would be helpful would be if the government allowed businesses to open for a short period of time,” he argued. “It gives the employees sustenance, and allows the business to pay their bills. “I look at what’s happening around the world, and the better option would be to let businesses open for two to three days a week, or ‘X’ number of hours every day a week, so consumers can also get what they need to mitigate against everything that’s happening.” Dr Hubert Minnis, though, took the opposite approach last night by unveiling a new emergency order that intensifies the nationwide lockdown The Bahamas has been placed under until month’s end. This effectively shuts The Bahamas’ borders, extends

SEE PAGE 4

Sandals closing leaves Exuma ‘eerily quiet’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net SANDALS Emerald Bay’s closure will have “a devastating impact” on an Exuma economy that has “more to lose” from the COVID-19 pandemic than other islands, Tribune Business was told yesterday. Pedro Rolle, Exuma’s Chamber of Commerce president, described the island as being “eerily quiet” and akin to “Christmas without the festivities”

after its major employer confirmed it was closing for six weeks from month’s end due to the global pandemic. Estimating that Sandals was responsible for the direct and indirect employment of at least 600 persons, Mr Rolle urged Nassau not to forget the contribution made by Family Islands that were primarily “small business economies” which will need significant financial assistance to ride-out the coming economic storm.

SEE PAGE 3

Lockdown sparks increased security services demand By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN security companies yesterday reported an increased demand for their services due to the nationwide lockdown stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Chris Adderley, Westech Security’s managing director, told Tribune Business he had seen multiple requests for more security personnel as a result of the government’s emergency move, and said: “Because of many business closures

most of our clients have not needed security services, but some places wanted more. “Business has increased in some instances. The lockdown is in effect, and you would have businesses that were unprotected. They have called for security in those places. On the first night of the lockdown, five persons raided one of our customer’s places at the Airport Industrial Park. “I really would request for more police patrols, particularly for businesses on the western side of the

SEE PAGE 4

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‘Back to ground zero’ over Dorian recovery By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

BACO’S Chamber of Commerce president yesterday said the island’s post-Dorian recovery has been plunged “back to ground zero” by the COVID-19 crisis, adding: “We’re on our own again.” Ken Hutton told Tribune Business that the emergency nationwide lockdown announced by the government to curb the pandemic’s spread had worsened Abaco’s existing labour shortages by

• COVID-19 pandemic ‘stalls’ Abaco rebuild • Island ‘in back seat, if not pushed out car’ • PM acts on Abaco’s private aviation fears

KEN HUTTON

provoking workers to return home. With the world and Nassau’s attention firmly focused on combating the virus, Mr Hutton voiced fears that international assistance would dry up - especially since all nongovernmental (NGO) and relief agencies had now departed Abaco in response to the pandemic. He suggested that the island is being forced to

“take a back seat, if not being pushed out of the car altogether” by COVID-19, but is likely to have been satisfied by the Prime Minister’s decision last night to effectively close The Bahamas’ borders to inbound and outbound passenger traffic. Prior to Dr Hubert Minnis’ national address,

SEE PAGE 3

Ex-BDB chair: Govt has ‘$2.5bn problem’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net AN EX-Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) chairman yesterday argued that mass COVID-19 related unemployment will give the government “a $2.5bn problem” it has no choice but to finance. Lynden Nairn told Tribune Business the Minnis administration’s estimates of the economic fall-out were too optimistic, and that it appeared to be “preparing for the best and hoping for the best”, just hours before the prime minister tightened the nationwide lockdown imposed on The Bahamas and the private sector. Arguing that the tourism industry’s shutdown could leave as many as 100,000 Bahamians jobless, or on

• Argues too optimistic on COVID-19 outlook • Calls for increased, extended jobless benefit • That Bahamians must pay back after crisis reduced incomes, for an indefinite period, he argued that the government needed to extend both the duration and amount of unemployment benefit that will be provided. Mr Nairn, who was appointed to head the BDB when the current government took office, called for the National Insurance Board’s (NIB) unemployment benefit to be extended - or quadrupled - from 13 weeks to 52 weeks given the continuing uncertainty over how long the coronavirus pandemic will last. And, taking $400 as the “average salary”, he suggested that this be the weekly amount workers

receive over that period. Acknowledging that this would amount to a $2bnplus expense for both NIB and the government, each of which has their respective financial challenges, Mr Nairn said there was no alternative but for workers and taxpayers to cover the holes created once the challenge had passed. Warning that potentially dire socioeconomic consequences meant the government had no choice but to act, Mr Nairn argued that The Bahamas could not afford to leave 100,000 Bahamians “on the street trying to live off a fraction of what they are used to”. While the likes of James

Smith, former governor and minister of state for finance, have estimated that the hotel industry’s shutdown could leave close to one in three Bahamian workers unemployed and take the national jobless rate to 30 percent, Mr Nairn argued that such projections underestimate the tourism sector’s indirect impact on virtually every sector of the economy. “Because circumstances have changed so drastically, my current recommendation is that as many as 100,000 Bahamians will be laid off, or their work hours

SEE PAGE 4

PAGE 2, Tuesday, March 24, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

ARDASTRA’S ‘CATASTROPHIC REVENUE LOSS’ WARNING ARDASTRA Gardens and Wildlife Conservation Centre yesterday said its indefinite closure will cause a “catastrophic revenue loss” as it does its part to help slow the spread of COVID-19. It added that its action was in accordance with the

prime minister’s COVID-19 Emergency Powers Order, which has closed all “nonessential” businesses until March 31. “Over the past weeks, we have monitored the spread of coronavirus and developed plans to keep our animals safe and

healthy through the biggest crisis ever to disrupt our operations,” said Katherine Solomon, Ardastra’s director. “Although we have closed our doors to the public, a small complement of our animal care specialists will continue to work

on-site, feeding and caring for our beloved national treasures,” she added. “This skeletal, dedicated staff will continue to follow world health authorities’ guidelines relating to hygiene and social distancing while carrying out their duties.” Ardastra added that the financial impact meant it was uncertain when it will reopen its doors.

“We know these are trying times, financially and emotionally. Such is the case for us as well. We are doing everything within our power to weather this crisis and be in a position to reopen at some point, once this health crisis has blown over,” said Mrs Solomon. “Certainly, the animals look forward to the return of our guests.” The native wildlife refuge, residing on more than four

acres of lush tropical gardens, includes the national bird of The Bahamas, the Caribbean flamingos, Bahama parrots and Bahamian boas. Other popular species among the 200-strong menagerie are the rainbow lorikeets, accustomed to being hand-fed by guests, and preening peafowls who roam the rescue and rehabilitation facility.

RBC in two branch ‘temporary’ closures ROYAL Bank of Canada (RBC) yesterday announced the “temporary” closure of both its main Bay Street and Mackey Street branches as part of efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The Canadian banking giant said both outlets will close with effect from March 25, 2020, in a bid to further protect clients and employees from the virus. It urged all customers to limit in-branch interactions conducting transactions through its online platform, mobile app or ATM network. RBC indicated that no staff lay-offs were planned as a result of the temporary closure, as impacted workers will be redeployed to nearby branches and support clients over the phone from other locations. They will also be engaged in back office functions, or working on other projects. Further adjusting its

operational hours and business model to cope with COVID-19, RBC is temporarily suspending Saturday banking hours in all branches that offer that service with effect from this weekend. Business days and hours will also be altered in most branches not affected by the temporary closures. RBC said these changes are designed to better promote social distancing while still remaining available for clients’ immediate banking needs. Updated service hours are being posted directly in branches, and will be reflected online. “Developments related to COVID-19 are happening at an incredibly rapid pace,” said Rob Johnston, RBC’s head of Caribbean banking. “We are making these tough-but-necessary decisions to not only protect clients and employees, but to also do our part to help ‘flatten the curve’ and

reduce the spread of this coronavirus. “The health and safety of everyone who enters our branches is our top priority,. At RBC, we are continuing to promote social distancing measures. We are vigorously cleaning, disinfecting and sanitising our locations daily, and we are encouraging employees who are able to work from home to do so for the time being.” “We are all in this together and we all must do our part,” added Mr Johnston. “If you’re feeling unwell, please stay home. If you’re unsure of what to do, listen to local health authorities, practice social distancing, and follow the rules and guidelines put out by governments across the region. “RBC has a long history of standing by Caribbean clients through challenging times, and this commitment will continue throughout this crisis and beyond.”

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THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, March 24, 2020, PAGE 3

GAS STATIONS: WE’RE NOT WORRYING ON FINANCIAL HIT By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The Government’s Emergency Powers (COVID-19) (No.1) Order 2020 has, until March 31, reduced gas stations from a 24/7 operation to one that can only be open between 6am and 5pm. As a result, Mr Dorsette said: “What I have done now is that I stopped my 11pm shift and put my three shifts together, and have everyone working 24 hours a week. At the end of the day we have to do what we have to do; we don’t want the coronavirus here. I sanitised my place,

and I gave my guys gloves to wear. We just have to do what has to be done. “It doesn’t make any sense beating up our mouth talking about shutting down. I told them you have your 11 hours now; work your hours. So we had to double up on shifts, because our 11pm to 7am shift doesn’t exist any more because we now close at 5pm. “One of my cashiers in here right now works the 11pm to 7am shift, and she says two days is better than no days. Everybody right

now is working a six-hour shift, but the last shift ends up doing the clean-up for the next morning. When they are finished at 5pm they clean up the shop for tomorrow morning,” Mr Dorsette continued. “At the end of the day we have to do what we have to do. We don’t need it here. I’m going to be 74 at my next birthday, so I am in the vulnerable group and I am not chancing that. “All we have to do is continue the social distancing and try to be safe. We really don’t need to hear about no

more cases. Our big problem is nobody is doing any testing, so we don’t know what we have here. We are a country where tourists are, and Bahamians are moving up and down, but right now people aren’t travelling. Right now I want to go to Florida and I’m not going. Not me.” The financial impact “hasn’t even crossed his mind,” said Mr Dorsette, who added: “I watched the stock market dive, so I can’t worry about revenue now. I wasn’t here to experience the Spanish flu. This is what

we are dealing with now. We have to be safe. It isn’t about revenue now.” Harris Smith, supervisor at the Rubis gas station on East-West Highway, added: “I don’t know if it is affecting me. People are still coming in. We have adjusted the hours to five hours per staff member. It’s going OK thus far. We usually run a three-shift system, so I really can’t say how much I have been losing.” He said he does not plan to lay off any workers at this time.

‘BACK TO GROUND ZERO’ OVER DORIAN RECOVERY “Absolutely. We’re going through it now,” Mr Hutton replied, when asked by Tribune Business whether the pandemic was disrupting Abaco’s post-Dorian rebuilding. “We’re actually losing our labour force as workers that came from other islands are returning to their homes during the shutdown. There’s businesses that are struggling to find manpower as it is, and mine’s one of them. “It’s obviously stalling recovery efforts. I think it’s just another part of what’s happening with this virus. It can’t continue the way it was before. People, as much as they can, are staying in their homes - whatever’s left of their homes - or those that can have gone to other islands. “All the NGOs have left, all the aid groups have left. We’ve very much back to ground zero in some cases. We’re very much on our own again. Very much so.” Hurricane Dorian was estimated to have inflicted $3.438bn in physical damage, economic/revenue losses and “additional costs” on the Bahamian economy when it ravaged Abaco and Grand Bahama

in early September 2019. Abaco suffered the brunt of this multi-billion dollar hit, with 89 percent of the total $1.48bn damage to the nation’s housing stock incurred by residential and commercial properties on the island alone. Now, with international and Bahamian government attention focused elsewhere, Mr Hutton said the post-Dorian recovery was likely to stall or falter as the world ramped up efforts to control COVID-19’s spread. “In terms of getting international relief here, there’s obviously something that’s more urgent in other parts of the world right now,” the Abaco Chamber chief told Tribune Business. “We’re definitely taking a back seat, if not being pushed out of the car altogether, and that’s really going to affect our ability to come back. “It’s certainly not been the best seven-month period, or even 12-month period, we’ve had. I hate to say it couldn’t get much worse. You have the old saying: ‘When you reach the bottom, stop digging’, but it appears someone’s ready to start blasting. “We’re just focused on making it through the day, rebuilding what we can rebuild with what we have got, and restoring Abaco. We’re focusing on Abaco. The world will do what it’’s

got to do.” Mr Hutton said one positive for Abaco was that its supply chain had experienced no COVID19 related disruption, with cargo ships bringing food, construction materials and other essential supplies to the island on a frequent basis. But, prior to the Prime Minister’s decision to close The Bahamas’ borders last night, Mr Hutton said the volume of incoming private aircraft - combined with the lack of health checks - represented a risk Abaconians did not want to tolerate. “We still have a lot of private flights coming in from the US all the time unchecked,” he told Tribune Business. “There’s no temperature taken. The passengers are asked a few questions and allowed through, going off to Hope Town, Elbow Cay and wherever they go. There was a gentleman that came here from Utah last week.” Mr Hutton said many were likely second homeowners come to view Dorian-related damage to their properties, or the rebuilding efforts, while some may have been seeking refuge from the pandemic currently ravaging their home countries. “Wearing my chamber hat I called Civil Aviation and said: ‘This has to stop’,” he added. “If you’re going

to shut the country down and tell everybody to stay at home, you cannot let all these other people come in. We don’t know what they’re bringing with them. It defeats the purpose. Just close Abaco to international flights until this is over. “It’s not just me. The whole community is very concerned about this. We’re telling everyone to stay in their bedrooms but are leaving the front door wide open.” Mr Hutton said Civil Aviation had been responsive to his arguments, and the prime minister acted on them last night. The second COVID-19 emergency order also closed The Bahamas’ borders to pleasure yachts and boats, which have been seen as another potential source of COVID-19, although cargo shipments will not be impacted. The Abaco Chamber president added that the private aviation threat was aggravated by the fact that the island’s Dorian-ravaged

healthcare infrastructure, which has lost doctors, nurses and physical clinics, would simply be unable to cope with a COVID-19 pandemic. “The thing is: Nassau does what it does. The bigger issue is we don’t have the kind of healthcare facilities that you have in Nassau,” Mr Hutton said. “We don’t have the doctors, we don’t have the facilities to deal with this kind of stuff. “I’m sure arrangements have been made, but we have nowhere near the capacities you have in Nassau. If this thing goes south it’s going to be a very dangerous situation here.” After all it experienced with Hurricane Dorian, Mr Hutton said Abaco was “likely more prepared than anywhere else” in The Bahamas to cope with the COVID crisis. “There’s no panic buying, no one’s freaking out,” he added. “Everyone’s just doing what they have to to get through this like they have been doing for seven months.”

of time for people to not be working. It’s a sad state, but it’s all around. The cancellations have started to come in. I don’t know what the mood is in Nassau but it’s like it’s Christmas Day. You drive on the streets and there’s not a lot going on. It’s eerily quiet. It’s Christmas Day without the festivities. “This is the time when people make most of their money for the year, and you add to that the cancellation of the Family Island Regatta and it’s going to be a rough period; a rough year.” Mr Rolle added that economic activity related to Exuma’s previously buoyant second home market was also grinding to a halt as

the worldwide travel industry shutdown amid border closures, travel bans and flight cancellations due to the ongoing pandemic. The Bahamas announced its own measures last night. “This situation impacts the entire economy,” the Chamber of Commerce president added. “I think we have more to lose than some of the other island economies because we were benefiting substantially more from what is happening in the aftermath of the hurricane. “A lot of projects people were building for and trying to get funding for, those things are going to be put on hold. The question is: Will it impact them long-term? Will

they be cancelled? You only have funding for so many things, and if you are waiting for income for a project and it doesn’t come through, will that cause the cancellation of the project?” Mr Rolle said Exuma residents typically have “very little wiggle room” financially when it comes to funding home construction or improvement projects, given relatively low savings levels, and failing to proceed would undermine consumer and economic confidence. “I think it’s going to have a devastating impact in the short run on what happens locally in the near future. That’s the reality,” he added of the pandemic’s effect.

GAS stations yesterday said they have placed the financial fall-out from the COVID-19 pandemic on the backburner as they bid to keep all staff employed by slashing working hours. Bernard Dorsette, owner of the Rubis gas station on East Street South, told Tribune Business: “You have to do what you have to do. If that’s what it is, that’s what it is. We are at a situation where we haven’t been this way before.”

FROM PAGE ONE

Mr Hutton revealed he and other Abaco residents had become extremely fearful of the potential health hazard posed by the multiple private planes flying into the island. Disclosing that there were minimal to no health checks on the passengers, he said the Abaco Chamber had urged that the island be closed to international flights until the COVID-19 emergency was over - an action that the Prime Minister took last night. Warning that permitting continued private aviation flights “defeats the purpose” of the government’s nationwide curfew and business lockdown, Mr Hutton said it was effectively “leaving the front door open” to new coronavirus infection at the same time as Bahamians were being urged to stay at home. And, with Abaco having “nowhere near the healthcare capacity you have in Nassau,” he argued it represented a “very dangerous situation” for the Dorian-ravaged island should it suffer a COVID19 outbreak.

SANDALS CLOSING LEAVES EXUMA ‘EERILY QUIET’ FROM PAGE ONE

“I don’t know what the dollar figure is going to be, but it’s going to have a serious impact on the local economy directly and indirectly. It impacts everybody,” he added of Sandals Emerald Bay’s closure from March 30 until May 15. “I had a discussion with them last weekend, and the unknown was when they would have to close and for how long. “A six-week period of time initially is still a long period

LEGAL NOTICE

FINAL NOTICE Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act 2000, notice is hereby given that:Longway Invest Ltd. has been dissolved and struck off the Register pursuant to Certificate of Dissolution issued by the Registrar General on 12th March, 2020.

Kim D. Thompson Liquidator

PAGE 4, Tuesday, March 24, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Ex-BDB chair: Govt has ‘$2.5bn problem’ FROM PAGE ONE

or pay substantially reduced,” he told Tribune Business. “Accordingly, I believe the government needs to implement a more comprehensive approach to income replacement and forget the food stamp programme.” He argued that the “food stamp” initiative, unveiled by the government last week, was “grossly understated” and “Inadequate” based on the thousands of Bahamians laid-off by the

hotel sector. This benefit, which is designed to give persons $100 every two weeks until June 30 ($700 in total) will help 7,142 persons based on its $5m budget, Mr Nairn argued. With Atlantis and Baha Mar likely to lay-off more than that number combined, he added: “Based on anticipated lay-offs at most, if not all, hotels, 7,142 is grossly understated. Moreover, $700 is inadequate for 3.5 months. “What we need to consider is a much larger number of people receiving

unemployment benefit for longer than 13 weeks, which will have significant social ramifications for our country and exacerbate the economic impact. I believe the government should seek to increase the benefit paid out to people through NIB. “I think what we should consider doing is amending the unemployment benefit so that the period the benefit is extended to persons goes from 13 weeks to 52 weeks, and the amount from $200 per week to $400 per week,”

Mr Nairn argued. “Based on an average salary of $400 per week, if we were to say what would be the cost of paying $400 a week to people for 52 weeks, that would be $2bn a year. One needs to look at that as a $2bn problem and, combined with a government revenue loss that’s going to be above $500m, we have a $2.5bn problem.” Mr Nairn said the burden should be split between both the government and NIB depending on how long the COVID-19 crisis lasts for. He acknowledged NIB’s existing financial challenges, with benefit payouts exceeding contribution income for the last several years, and actuarial projections that its $1.6bn reserve fund will be exhausted by the early 2030s unless drastic changes are made. “If the assumptions I am making come true, then NIB’s assets would

be significantly impacted to the tune of $1bn,” he added. “NIB already has significant under-funding issues. We have to consider alternatives to that. The government could seek to borrow money, which would result in significant debt and perhaps new and increased taxes. “We should agree that once The Bahamas emerges from this crisis that the NIB ceiling and contribution rate are going to have to increase to pay for this $1bn to address what we expect to be a significant unemployment crisis. Addressing it will be borne by practically every worker and business in this country. That’s how it ought to be: A shared responsibility. We take care of it once we emerge from this crisis.” Arguing that there was no choice but to take such drastic measures, Mr Nairn added: “We cannot have

100,000 individuals on the streets trying to live off a fraction of what they are used to. That will be extremely harmful to this country. You cannot imagine how harmful that will be.” He argued that allowing NIB to take the lead on an expanded unemployment benefit would enable the government to “take a breather” for four to six months, and give it time to work out how it will finance its share of the potentially $1.5bn financial burden. “It seems the government is preparing for the best and hoping for the best,” Mr Nairn argued of its current measures. “I would urge that you prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I would urge that you answer this question: What should we be doing, starting now, if we believe the effects of COVID-19 will linger for 12-18 months?”

Retailer urges: Relax lockdown on business

(Commonwealth Building Supplies) told customers: “We want to let you know that in line with Emergency Powers Order No. 2, we will be ceasing all operations until March 31 (or as announced by the government). “During this time, our retail store will remain closed to the public. Additionally, our service and installation department will also be closed. For those customers who may have deliveries, installations or service calls scheduled, please look out for an e-mail from our sales team manager with further updates. “For those customers with special orders on the way, we will do everything in our power to maintain our delivery timelines, and personalised updates will come as we get them.” One hardware retailer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Tribune Business that they had elected to remain closed and not take advantage of the previous contractor-related concession because “it defeats the purpose” of combating COVID-19’s spread. They explained that servicing the construction industry would still require the presence of 20-30 persons split between delivery drivers, warehouse workers, cashiers, floor personnel and back office staff, which made it difficult - if not impossible - to comply with social distancing protocols. “It’s just not worth the stress, the hassle, and the health of the staff,” the retailer said prior to the prime minister’s address. “We just decided to ride this thing out and see what transpires. I think there’s going to be a total shutdown at some point. I’m amazed they have only four cases, so I don’t know how much testing they’ve done. “I’m with the government on what they’re doing, but

they need to fine or jail a few people defying their orders. If they hit one or two people they’ll fall into line. There’ll be some teeth behind it. We took the position to put our staff over revenue and money. We just don’t want our people getting sick.” Mr Wilson, meanwhile, said he had placed all his 30 employees split between QBC and Fashion on Broadway on vacation during the shutdown and was hoping the emergency powers “blow over” before that period ends. “Everything has closed. It is what it is. It’s not something that anybody has experienced before in our lifetime,” he told Tribune Business. “I just have to defer to the wisdom of those who have much more information than I do. “It’s going to be challenging, but I’m certain we’re definitely going to re-open. We’re fine for the shortterm, and we have absolutely no doubt we will survive this. Hopefully the economy will survive and we don’t have to downsize on the other side of this. But we’re hopeful.” However, Mr Wilson said there was “no question” that many Bahamian-owned businesses - especially those of the micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) variety - will not be able to re-open once the COVID-19 pandemic has passed. “I’m 100 percent certain a lot of businesses will not be able to re-open,” he added. “This is like nothing we’ve ever seen before. I don’t know when COVID19 will be over. The best guesstimates are the end of summer. “I suspect for a lot of businesses that have been on the margins, they will never reopen. The economy has not been the best for many merchants that I have spoken to, and I suspect some of them that re-open will downsize.”

FROM PAGE ONE

the curfew to 24 hours, and also reduces the number of companies that are “exempt” from such strictures. All non-essential businesses are to close unless they, and their staff, can operate remotely from home. The limited concession granted to hardware and building improvements retailers, which allowed them to serve licensed contractors only, has been removed while all construction activity apart from “urgent plumbing, electrical and roof repairs” must cease as of 7pm tonight. Acknowledging the consequences, CBS Bahamas

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ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE: 2,154.63 | CHG: -5.86 | %CHG: -0.27 | YTD: -76.97 | YTD%: -3.45 BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.45 22.65 7.00 6.70 2.60 2.00 5.47 12.77 6.17 4.50 10.60 3.64 5.10 10.88 8.15 16.99 9.40 4.24 15.21

52WK LOW 3.35 20.91 5.50 5.38 1.96 0.67 2.00 10.21 5.60 3.89 6.01 2.53 1.80 8.00 6.46 13.60 6.98 3.14 13.85

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Bank of Bahamas Benchmark Cable Bahamas CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Colina Holdings Commonwealth Bank Commonwealth Brewery Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank Finco Focol J. S. Johnson

SYMBOL AML APD BPF BWL BOB BBL CAB CIB CHL CBL CBB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FIN FCL JSJ

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB

PREFERENCE SHARES

1.00 10.00 1.00

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00

115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) +

SYMBOL FBB22

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2015-1-3Y BGS: 2014-12-5Y BGS: 2015-1-5Y BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-3Y BGS: 2015-6-5Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-3Y BGS: 2015-10-5Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y

BAH29 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0305 BG0307 BG0330 BG0403 BG0405 BG0407

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing)

LAST CLOSE 3.55 17.43 6.00 6.68 2.10 1.62 2.90 11.26 6.00 4.15 6.11 2.91 4.90 8.16 8.15 13.99 8.97 4.24 15.21

CLOSE 3.55 17.43 6.00 6.68 2.10 1.62 2.70 11.26 6.00 4.15 6.01 2.73 4.90 7.16 8.15 14.00 8.97 4.24 15.21

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.10 -0.18 0.00 -1.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CLOSE 100.00

CHANGE 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

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

LAST SALE 100.00 107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

VOLUME

8,500 600 1,679

1,000 151,650

VOLUME

EPS$ 0.239 0.932 1.760 0.369 0.070 0.000 -0.438 0.722 0.449 0.184 0.140 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.939 0.203 0.631

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.020 0.000 0.720 0.220 0.120 0.000 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.200 0.120 0.610

P/E 14.9 18.7 N/M 18.1 N/M N/M -6.2 15.6 13.4 22.6 42.9 26.8 10.5 11.1 11.2 17.2 9.6 20.9 24.1

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

YIELD 4.79% 7.23% 0.00% 3.89% 0.00% 1.23% 0.00% 6.39% 3.67% 2.89% 0.00% 15.90% 1.22% 4.58% 2.94% 3.86% 2.23% 2.83% 4.01% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST Prime + 1.75%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2022

6.95% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.25% 4.50% 6.25% 3.50% 3.88% 4.25%

20-Nov-2029 30-Jul-2018 16-Dec-2019 30-Jul-2020 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2018 26-Jun-2020 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2018 15-Oct-2020 15-Oct-2022

YTD% 12 MTH% 0.37% 3.81% 0.24% 4.38% 0.23% 2.75% 5.76% 5.76% 12.81% 12.81% 0.58% 4.04% -1.09% 5.26% 0.22% 4.45% 2.29% 9.61% 11.57% 11.57% 18.35% 18.35% 5.17% 5.17% 15.86% 15.86% 5.67% 5.67% 3.40% 3.40% N/A N/A 10.80% 2.60% 10.40% -4.00%

NAV Date 31-Jan-2020 31-Jan-2020 31-Jan-2020 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019 31-Jan-2020 31-Jan-2020 31-Jan-2020 31-Jan-2020 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.30 4.38 2.09 195.13 166.73 1.67 1.83 1.76 1.23 8.34 10.26 6.94 12.01 12.35 10.74 10.00 8.98 11.79

52WK LOW 1.67 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.67 1.83 1.76 1.23 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Preferred Income Fund Leno Growth Fund Leno Diversified Fund Leno Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

NAV 2.30 4.38 2.09 195.13 166.73 1.67 1.83 1.76 1.23 8.34 10.23 6.94 12.01 12.35 10.73 N/A 8.98 11.40

MARKET TERMS

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

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 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

30-Sep-2019 30-Sep-2019 30-Sep-2019

Lockdown sparks increased security services demand FROM PAGE ONE island. That would be good, but I understand the police are doing what they can do to keep patrols up and watch over all of us on the streets.” Mr Adderley added: “People are wanting security services all over. Most clients have asked for security for persons controlling walk-ins into their store. You have to do the counts to make sure a limited amount of persons are let into the stores. This is where we have seen the most increase; to make sure that there is order in the customer’s store.” Another security personnel manager, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “There has been increased demand for security services. But I think the focus has been with the existing customers we have. “I have not seen an abundance of calls from new businesses, but existing clients have been asking for a cross-section of security services - from equipment to manpower. We have been speaking to clients and giving them the cross -section of both. So we increased

electronic security in places that has a lot of traffic, or we have increased manpower in areas that does not have a lot of traffic.” They added: “Let’s say you have a retail store. So instead of having a guard in place we would say: ‘Let us put in a motion sensor and allow for a response service’. This has been working pretty good; our clients have been happy with this service.” “The client should really trust the security personnel, and follow the mandate of the government and manage social distancing, and keep off of the road to manage social distancing. This is a great help. I think their systems should be tested; both manpower and electronic. For example, to ensure smoke alarms are working and making sure you have a timely response team ready, and things like that.” Monique Miller, Baycroft Security International’s managing director, said: “Yes sir, we have seen an increase in demand for security services.” She also added that they sub-contract out security alarm systems and focus primarily on manpower.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, March 24, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

BODY AND MIND

The importance of focusing on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net CONCERNED about their physical health and contracting COVID-19, Bahamians have stocked up on vitamins, minerals, medicines, immunity-boosting foods, and are practicing social distancing recommended by the government, which has put in place extreme measures, including a 9pm-5am daily curfew to suppress the spread of the infectious disease. If Bahamians also consistently practice washing their hands, using antibacterial disinfects, staying clear of those exposed, then they may be able to keep the infection at bay. While measures are being met to keep one’s body healthy, local clinical psychologist Dr Tracey King is encouraging Bahamians not to overlook their mental well-being, which is also being threatened at this time. “Initial interventions focused only on one’s physical health. However, this has shifted to include mental health,” Dr King told Tribune Health. “It is important to remember that our physical and mental health is intertwined, and ignoring either can lead to detrimental outcomes. This COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted people emotionally. Therefore, not addressing one’s mental health could lead to sustained psychological issues and exacerbate preexisting ones.” So far, the Bahamas has recorded four cases of COVID19. The expectation that this number will climb has brought on panic, fear and a range of emotions that can be debilitating should they linger for too long.

DR TRACY KING’S STRATEGIES TO COMBAT FEAR AND PANIC · Accepting that there will be a level of uncertainty in this situation. · Stay up to date on what is happening, but limit time spent watching or listening to media coverage. · Get information from credible sources.

“Emotional reactions to stressful situations like the COVID 19 crisis will differ from person to person. Some may experience worry, fear, panic, anger, sadness, loneliness, and anxiety. However, I believe that underlining most of these emotions is the uncertainty related to our present circumstance. There are so many unknowns, which drives our sense of uncertainty about our health, health of others, employment and financial status, as well as gaining access to the things we need higher,” she said. Dr King said in a unique circumstance like a pandemic, the presence of these emotions are normal. How long they last though, will determine how well a person is able to cope emotionally during this time. “There has been an increase in stress related to the COVID-19

pandemic. Although stress is a part of life, how we cope with it affects our overall health, physically as well as mentally. If stress and other emotions are dealt with poorly, it can have a negative influence on one’s psychological state. Therefore, it is essential that we manage our emotions in healthy and effective ways to maintain good mental health,” said Dr King. But simply telling people not to panic will do little to quell fears. “Considering the precautions currently in place, effective communication becomes even more vital. It is not enough to just say don’t panic or be fearful. We need to acknowledge that these emotions are a part of a normal human reaction to our present circumstance. Also, at the same time encouraging persons to employ healthy and constructive

coping strategies to manage the emotional fallout they may be experiencing,” she said. As a psychologist, Dr King has also had to adjust, as the pandemic is impacting the delivery of mental health services, internationally and locally. “This situation is not something we have experienced before. In addition, the dynamic nature of this crisis creates an added challenge. Therefore, adjustments are being made accordingly, keeping in mind the needs of the client, privacy concerns, as well as confidentiality issues. Some of the necessary changes used to combat the obstacles presented by COVID-19 might include social distancing techniques, decreasing face-to-face interactions, and increasing the use of technology, like Telepsychology, to provide mental health services,” she said.

· Stay connected with your loved ones using the telephone, email, text messaging, and social media. · Engage in relaxation activities like taking deep breaths, stretching, meditating, praying, or doing something you enjoy. Remain active by reading, writing, playing games, or solving puzzles. · Maintain a sense of hope and practice positive thinking . Remember that children are also affected. Therefore, be supportive when helping children cope with their emotions, listen to them, and give them extra care and attention during this time.

Bahamians turn to natural remedies to combat flu-like symptoms By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net BETWEEN the panic buying and last-minute shoppers, people may have found themselves in a situation where they don’t have the essential items needed for at-home isolation during this coronavirus outbreak and all that it has brought with it. One such item is vitamin C supplements. They have been flying off the shelves in Nassau and the panic buying has even left online retailers like Amazon with sold out of stock for weeks ago. But not to be deterred in taking care of their health, many Bahamians have resorted to natural remedies instead of their usual store-bought ones. “I got a chance to get my hands on some vitamin C, but I am also a natural remedy type of person. And like vitamin C, the stores are also now sold out of fresh ginger. On a normal day, ginger serves as a great immune system booster. I am happy to know that persons are also taking advantage of this old school route as there are so many positive and amazing benefits,” said Melissa James. “Over the years I have learned that ginger is good for digestive and heart health. It is known to be beneficial in fighting infections and I am sure there are more benefits. I have stocked up on what I have gotten my hands on, but this crisis has made me think even deeper. I have a big enough yard space to plant my own crops,

fruits and natural plants that can be used for natural health remedies. If only for myself and my family, I am going to look into this. Now is a better time than ever.” Meanwhile, Amanda Deal said that while she has stocked up on her necessary vitamins, she is also an “old school child”, and is happy to adopt some of the practices her parents passed on to her. “The other day when I had a cold, I went over to my neighbour’s house because I know she has a moringa tree, and I came home and steeped the leaves down and drank it. Listen, do not knock until you try it. I woke up feeling better than I had gone to bed the previous night. I made some for my son as well. I will always be thatperson that goes back to natural remedies regarding my health because it has proven true to help,” said Ms Deal. Erin Greene, co-owner of the local farmer’s market Seasonal Sunshine Bahamas, said in recent years, and especially this past Winter, they have seen an increase in customers looking for things like fever grass, cerase, five finger and other sorts of indigenous bush teas. “If it is local and it is hard to get, we are going to find it for you. We consult also with home owners and individuals around food preparation and backyard farming. We sell a number of local products like fever grass tea and so forth on a regular basis at our local farmer’s market, and we recommend

the use of these things to boost the immune system on a regular day,” said Ms Greene. She said more and more Bahamians are becoming open to the idea of exploring backyard farming and other agricultural options. “They are focused on healthcare and personal wellness. We have seen an increase in customers also looking for locally harvested sea moss, herbs, and things like coconut oil, moringa seeds and moringa oil. We have been heartened by it and it has been great to see this focus on local, not for the economic aspect, but also for the health and wellness and personal sustainability,” said Ms Greene. She believes it is also important for people to balance pharmaceuticaldrugs and medicationswith traditional practices, and understand that the best food is the food that is grown in the soil that you live on. “That connection with the land that you live on has what you need to survive in it. So eating local is the first step to health and wellness. A commitment to supporting local agriculture is a benefit to your budget. The most you will spend is time, reorganising the way that you buy food, the way that you store and prepare food, and the way that you think about food. That is going to be your biggest expenditure,” said Ms Greene.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, March 24, 2020, PAGE 7

Social distancing is vitally important in coronavirus battle THE UROLOGY DOCTOR IS IN...

Dr Greggory Pinto The Bahamas and the world are united in defeating COVID19, and social distancing is an absolute necessity in slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus. Social distancing, or physical distancing, is a nonpharmaceutical infection control action intended to stop or slow the spread of a contagious disease. Good hygiene and social distancing are very effective strategies in preventing the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the islands of the Bahamas. Understanding the novel coronavirus is an evolving process, but there is no debate regarding the need for social distancing to limit new cases and contain the spread. Need motivation to stay indoors and keep to yourself? Then we need not look further than the current and worsening devastation throughout Europe, particularly in Italy, and in the United States, with New York state hard hit. COVID-19 could very quickly spread rapidly throughout this country and leave devastation in it’s wake, overwhelming our health system and crippling our economy. Italy’s experience with the virus must show the Bahamas and the world that steps must be taken early to limit the movement of people, closure of all but essential services and that social distancing must be strictly enforced. The future of the Bahamas is at stake. The temporary economic hardships and daily inconveniences will save lives and help reduce the likelihood of an uncontrollable outbreak of COVID-19 in the Bahamas. Social distancing with imposed nightly curfews, restrictions on gatherings and the temporary closure of nonessential businesses is a national sacrifice necessary for the future of the Bahamas and the Bahamian people. Sacrifice now and live to see a better day. Despite our collective current hardships, we as a country are

blessed that the confirmed cases of COVID-19 remain low and there have been no deaths. That blessing can change in an instant if the Bahamas relaxes and acts carelessly and foolhardy in our future actions. Social distancing is not easy, but is, without any doubt, necessary. One person with COVID-19 in the Bahamas could potentially infect dozens who could in turn infect hundreds. If you refuse to practice social distancing during these critical times then you are not protecting yourself and you are not protecting others. Many patients have mild or minimal symptoms, but yet they could potentially spread the virus to loved ones, neighbours, colleagues or church members. COVID-19 is thought to be spread primarily by coughing or sneezing, which can travel up to six feet. The recommendations are that we maintain a minimum of three feet apart, and ideally, six feet. Handwashing and proper hygiene is important; cover your mouth with a disposable tissue or inner flexed elbow when you cough and sneeze and turn your head away from others. Never share eating utensils and toothbrushes. Avoid touching your nose, mouth and face. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, or an alcoholbased hand rub, as this kills germs that may be on your hands. The CDC recommends that persons with symptoms of COVID-19 should wear a mask and self-isolate, even away from family members within a home. The do’s and don’ts of social distancing:

1. Do not entertain

People should not be hosting parties or making invitations to have dinner or coffee, or have play dates for their children. Limit interactions with others as much as possible. Keep in contact with others with electronic devices. Isolation can be depressing, so safe fellowship over the internet or via phone or tablet is encouraged to lift spirits and unite the community in these difficult times.

2. Don’t wrongly assume that a person is not infectious because they have no symptoms

You cannot look at someone and determine whether they have been infected with the novel coronavirus. Approximately 18 percent of infected people have been found to exhibit no symptoms, but yet they are contagious. People could also infect others before they start to exhibit any symptoms. It is best to act as if every person encountered is

infected and take an abundance of precautions such as maintaining three to six feet distance from others at all times. No greetings involving hugging, kissing or even handshakes.

3. Don’t misinterpret social distancing to mean never go outside

Definitely abide by current curfewrestrictions put in place to protect Bahamian society. Social distancing means maintaining safe distances from individuals and situations that could lead to transmission of the coronavirus. Stay home unless it is absolutely necessary that you leave your home for an essential task; if groceries are needed for example, let one designated person in the household go to the food store and ensure that person practices social distancing. Keep a safe distance from others and avoid confined spaces and groups more than 10, but take in daily fresh air and sunlight as it is important for your emotional well-being. Ideally, do not congregate in groups at all, even if less than 10 people. Walk around your yard, do that gardening you never had time for in the past.

4. Do not visit the elderly or immunocompromised

It may sound callous and uncaring, but this suggestion is anything but that. The elderly are particularly vulnerable to serious complications of COVID-19 as are people with concurrent illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney failure, sickle cell disease, asthma, among many others. Social distancing does not mean abandonment or emotional distancing. It is a perfect time to teach your grandparents about video communications and interfacing. The economic hardships brought on by the novel coronavirus will strike the most vulnerable among our society and we as a nation must ensure that those blessed with advanced age have meals, medication and love. However, visiting your elderly grandmother with diabetes in a large family group could put her at higher risk of contracting the virus. It should also be known that recent statistics out of New York show that approximately 53 percent of persons with severe COVID-19 respiratory symptoms are 18 to 49 years old. Young people should let go of the false belief that the virus can only give them mild symptoms.

5. Don’t let children play in close contact with others

Schools haveclosed to allow for social distancing. Many of us are at our wits’ end trying to supervise academic learning, instil discipline

and entertain our children, who are often bouncing off the walls. Inviting other children into your home for play dates or group activities, or sending your children to play outside in groups of school or neighbourhood friends defeats the process of social distancing and puts your children at greater risk of COVID-19 transmission. Reconnect with your children and use this time when they are out of school to positively mould your children and guide them. Children need daily fresh air and sunlight, but it must follow the guidelines of social distancing and avoiding close contact with others.

6. Do understand that the practice of social distancing is strongly supported by the medical and scientific community as a means of reducing the spread of COVID-19

Numerous scientific studies, including those published in the journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases, demonstrated that social distancing can limit the spread of respiratory viruses and limiting those who ultimately become infected. Social distancing can hopefully prevent our healthcare system from being overwhelmed, which could lead to more deaths from, not just the coronavirus but other diseases.

7. Continue to practice social distancing if you have to go to the hospital, clinic or doctor’s office

Many of the symptoms of COVID-19 can mimic those of allergies or the flu, and there is emerging evidence that gastrointestinal symptoms or a loss of taste and smell may be part of the early symptoms of the virus. Do not rush for medical care for any flu-like symptom as this will overwhelm the healthcare system and potentially place large crowds of coughing or feverish people all together in a highly contagious situation. Call the Bahamas coronavirus hotline before you seek medical attention, or call your physician’s office before arrival for medical advice. And if you are recommended to visit your physician, then measures can be taken to protect other patients and medical staff.

8. Thoroughly wash your hands and sterilise them

It is necessary that someone within the family goes to the grocery store, pharmacy, gas station, et cetera, but ensure that all excursions out of the home are necessary and practice distancing of three to six feet from others. Greet others without touching. Wash your heads frequently. The

coronavirus is thought to survive on various surfaces for varying lengths of time. Sterilise common areas within the home and workplace. The list of do’s and don’ts is far more exhaustive. Comprehensive guidelines can be readily found on the Bahamas Ministry of Health government website. Information and proper understanding are one of the many keys in our fight against the coronavirus. There is no current vaccine for the coronavirus and such a vaccine may be more than one year away. Social distancing is imperative if we are to prevent an overwhelming disaster from the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus in the Bahamas. Need motivation to practice social distancing and proper hygiene? Then visualise your loved ones fighting for their life on a ventilator. Look in the mirror and think of the pain and anguish that your loved ones would endure seeing you in grave peril from the virus. Social distancing and confining ourselves to home is not a normal life nor an enjoyable one, but it is our best opportunity to maintain the health of our nation. We here in the Bahamas cannot look at the novel coronavirus outbreak and devastation throughout the world as if it is some science fiction movie that could never happen on our shores. Much of the world viewed the previous events of COVID-19 pandemic in China as something that had nothing to do with them, and now countries such as Italy are presently experiencing a worse pandemic than faced by China. Wake up Bahamas, and see this worldwide pandemic as the potential life and death situation that it is. The Bahamas has to date four confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus. On January 31, 2020 Italy had two confirmed. As of March 22, the total cases of COVID19 in Italy exceeded 63,000, with 6,077 deaths. Let us learn from the mistakes Italy made in their collective late responses to contain the coronavirus. • Dr Greggory Pinto is a Bahamian urologist who has trained in South Africa, Ger- many, France and India. He is a member of the European Asso- ciation of Urologists. Dr Pinto can be reached at Urology Care Bahamas at the Surgical Suite, Centreville Medical Centre, Col- lins Avenue and Sixth Terrace. Call 326 1929, e-mail welcome@ urologycarebahamas.com, or visit www. urologycarebahamas. com.

How to stay on track with your health and fitness goals during the pandemic Health coach Ethan Quant, of Elite Wellness Solutions, has succeeded in his weight loss journey and now wants to share his methods with the Bahamas in an effort to foster a culture of wellness and conquer the obesity epidemic. With the introduction of social distancing, public meetings are being suspended, travel is being restricted, schools, restaurants and even gyms are closed. I have been getting a lot of questions about what people can do to stay on track with their health, wellness and fitness goals. So I decided to give you guys some tips. These are just my suggestions as a health and lifestyle coach and wellness expert, and these tips should be used along with the information you receive from health officials. The first thing I want to say is, when you are buying food, stay away from overly processed, high-calories foods as much as possible - things like chips and sweets may be nice to snack on, but your body is really going to have a hard time processing that junk, so I would encourage you to limit them as much as possible or stay away from them all together. This is important, because highly processed foods are packed full of artificial ingredients, high in unhealthy fats, high in refined sugar, they cause weight gain, are

ETHAN QUANT

HEALTH COACH extremely low in nutrients, they negatively impact your digestion, and they are highly addictive. Instead, look for healthier alternatives and opt for whole foods. Frozen fruits and vegetables are always a great option, and oats and nuts are great as well. But, as with everything, find things that you actually like and are going to enjoy eating. The second thing is, I know that a lot of gyms are closed, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t get your workout in. There are tons of free workouts that require little to no equipment on YouTube that you can do. Check out

Bowflex Barbie Fit TV for some of her ‘Train with Me’ workouts. If that’s not your style, you can just do a quick search and I guarantee you will find something you can do and will like. You can also crank up the music and have a dance party. This may sound silly, but you can actually burn quite a lot of calories by dancing for 20 minutes. Also, even though the gyms are closed, the streets are still open. You can go outside for a walk or a jog, and do body weight exercises. Just be sure to wash your hands when you get back in. Whatever it

is, just do something to keep your physical activity level up. The last thing I would like to tell you is to take time to unplug and clear your mind. It’s easy to stay on social media to get information and stay connected with family and friends, but it’s very important to unplug. You want to take some time each day to put down your phone, step away from the computer, close your eyes, clear your mind and just breathe. This is very important, and is going to be a major help with not becoming overwhelmed in the face of everything that is going on right now.

I do hope you found this article helpful. Remember, if you want help with this or any other aspect of your health and wellness journey, please feel free to contact me directly. And remember: Tough times don’t last, tough people do! Stay safe everyone. • Health coach Ethan Quant, of Elite Wellness Solutions, has succeeded in his weight loss journey and now wants to share his methods with the Bahamas in an effort to foster a culture of wellness and conquer the obesity epidemic.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, March 24, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Conquering the Fear Pandemic We have come a long way in mastering the art of communication, and whilst the immediacy of it in modern times is useful and effective in many ways, there is also a huge downside which enables the manipulation of populations, whether intentional or unintentional. It’s easy to frighten people en masse these days and cause panic which spreads just as quickly as any virus. This is because one of our most primitive instincts as humans is the ‘fight or flight’ reaction designed to save us from dangerous predators human or animal. While fear was very necessary for the survival and evolution of the human race back when we lived in caves, in today’s world, not so much. Of course we must take precautions in our daily lives against all kinds of potential harm, but the sensation of fear if left unchecked can overwhelm us and raised stress levels are very detrimental to our mental and emotional well-being. We have to temper fear with reason. In other words, to adapt a wellworn saying: We need to stay calm to carry on. Fear doesn’t lend itself to rational decision-making as can be seen from the panicked buying of toilet paper - yes I am being slightly flippant, but where did that notion start and become a supposedly universal necessity for coping with the respiratory symptoms of COVID 19? Completely irrational; although it has lent itself to many light-hearted cartoons. In this day and age of advanced technological achievement, it seems our brains have not been able to adapt as well to mastering uncertainty which causes us anxiety and fear. Our brains just don’t like uncertainty. We are much better prepared to deal with defined outcomes even if they are known to be negative. So how do we become more resilient, retain

Life lines

Victoria Sarne

cooler heads and master our own thought processes? Brooke Taylor, executive coach for Women at Brooke Taylor Coaching says: “Our brains are constantly creating narratives to explain how the world works. When the environment no longer fits into one of our precious narratives, the narrative breaks down. As the narrative breaks, our certainty and emotional wellbeing breaks with it. When our narratives break down, fearful narratives can get installed. We search for a new narrative to quell the stress and restore certainty. This moment of vulnerability is when we turn to the news, world leaders, and family to install a new narrative. This is fertile ground for sensationalized and fearful narratives to take hold as people search for certainty in consensus. This can explain why people chase

falling markets during economic downturns, and why leaders make rash decisions during crises.” How do we return ourselves to a more comfortable place of being in current circumstances? Things which seem small can make a big difference if you change your perspective. - Stop looking for the negative in the news there will always be plenty of that, drama sells readership, instead of checking how many people are sick, check to see how many have recovered. - Respond instead of reacting by taking some deep breaths and looking objectively at the whole picture - this gives you time and space to stop and think. - Ask yourself what story is running in your head. Our imaginations love worst case scenarios- how many of you watch horror movies or go on scary

fairground rides. We choose to be frightened then. But you can choose not to be frightened in real case scenarios. - Look for facts not feelings. Brooke Taylor suggests asking yourself, “What do I know for sure?” This more objective, positive attitude changes the narrative in your head; it will be different for each person and each situation: you can tell yourself basic simple facts such as I am still breathing, I have food on my table, I am taking care of my family - I am doing everything I can under the circumstances, basic everyday things to return your mind to a calmer place. - Keep active. Don’t just sit and watch TV or social media looking for the next piece of negative, fake or melodramatic posts - do housework, clean out the cupboards or the fridge; if your children are out

of school help them keep up with school work or get them to help you with tasks. - Don’t talk about the negative all the time, you’re giving it legs. Focusing on positive aspects will lower your stress levels improving your ability to fight illness and keep your family calm. Of course it is right to be concerned about what is happening in our own immediate environment and we must take steps to make our lives as safe as possible under the current circumstances. Those measures are in place, make sure to follow them until the risk passes - and it will, nothing lasts for ever. Mastering your own fear and staying calm is also contagious - that’s worth spreading around. • Victoria Sarne is an entrepreneur and writer. She headed a team to establish a shelter for abused women and children in Canada and was its rst chairwoman. You can reach her at victoria.conversations@gmail. com, visit lifelineswritingservice. com, or call 467-1178.

A four-step maintenance plan to help keep your relationship going strong By GARY W. LEWANDOWSKI JR. Professor of Psychology, Monmouth University (THE CONVERSATION) Early on, relationships are easy. Everything is new and exciting. You go on dates, take trips, spend time together and intentionally cultivate experiences that allow your relationship to grow. Then, somewhere along the way, life happens. One study on married couples in their 30s and 40s found that their marital quality declined over the course of a year, in terms of love, passion, satisfaction, intimacy and commitment. Too often, people shrug their shoulders and convince themselves this is just how it goes. Switching to relationship autopilot feels justifiable when you’re short on time, low on energy and must focus on other priorities like careers and kids. This is when doubt can creep in and tempt you to hit the reset button. But maybe you’re being too hard on a perfectly good relationship. Every couple experiences ups and downs, and even the very best relationships take effort. Rather than getting out, it’s time to get to work. Whether your relationship is already stuck in a rut, or you’re trying to avoid ending up in one, most people need to focus more on what happens between “I do” and “I don’t want to be with you anymore.” As a relationship scientist, I suggest the following four psychology research-based strategies to

kickoff your relationship maintenance plan.

Use boredom as a 1.pivot point

No one raises their hand and says, “Sign me up for a boring relationship.” But boredom serves a purpose. Like your phone indicating your battery is low, boredom is an early warning system that your relationship needs a recharge. At different times, all relationships experience boredom. Psychology researcher Cheryl Harasymchuk and colleagues have explored how people react. For example, to turn things around when you’re bored, do you fall back on things that are familiar and make you feel selfassured, like taking a walk around the neighborhood? Or do you choose growth-enhancing activities – like going for a hike on a new trail in an unfamiliar park – to mix things up? It turns out that study participants preferred growth-enhancing activities when they were bored, and when given a chance to plan a date, they incorporated more novelty into those outings. Rather than resigning yourself to boredom’s inevitability – “This is just how relationships are” – use boredom as a call to action.

2. Keep dating

Rather than wait for boredom to strike, couples would be wise to be more proactive. It’s a simple as continuing to date. Early in relationships, couples prioritize these one-on-one outings, but eventually begin to coast, just

when the relationship could use an extra boost. To recapture that early relationship magic, research shows that couples should engage in new, challenging and interesting activities. Rather than sitting at staring at your phones, couples should break their routine and try something different. It could be as simple as trying a new restaurant, or even a new dish at a favorite place. Not only does branching out counteract boredom, but trying new things helps you grow as a person. All of this spills over into the relationship, increasing levels of passion, satisfaction and commitment. In one study, researchers asked married couples either to play games like Jenga, Monopoly, Scrabble and UNO, or take an art class together. All couples increased their levels of oxytocin – the so-called “cuddle hormone” which helps partners bond. But the art class couples had larger oxytocin increases and touched each other more, perhaps because the activity was newer and further outside their comfort zone. That novelty may encourage them to rely on each other for assurance.

3. Movie nights

Not looking to dig out your oil paints? Here’s a lower key option: Grab a spot on the couch and have a couples movie night. Over the course of a month, researchers asked some couples to watch and discuss a romantic comedy such as “When Harry Met Sally,” while others did an intense relationship workshop.

Fast forward three years, and the movie watchers were less likely to have broken up. It probably isn’t just taking in any film, but rather that watching a romantic story gives couples a less threatening way to discuss relationship issues. It may also help them see their relationship differently. That’s important, because research from psychologist Eli Finkel and others shows that viewing your own relationship through completely neutral eyes helps couples hold off declines in marital quality.

Finding the bright 4.spots

Activities are great, but you also need to do daily maintenance. There’s an old adage in psychology research that “bad is stronger than good.” For relationships, that often means focusing on what’s wrong, while overlooking what’s right. Talk about self-defeating. Of course, you can just as easily find the ways your relationship is thriving. Be more intentional about noticing your relationship’s bright spots. Not only will you appreciate your partner more, but you can use what’s going well to help improve less bright areas. Too often, people wait for something to break before trying to fix it. Adopting a maintenance mentality can more proactively help your relationship. One new study tested a way to help couples in already healthy relationships. The researchers’ intervention had couples complete research-based positive psychology activities over four weeks such as:

Write the story of their relationship, focusing on the positives, then share with their partner Write a letter of gratitude to their partner Identify their partner’s strengths and their strengths as a couple Create a list of positive moments or activities partners want to share with each other. Pick one, and plan a time to do it Create a desired happiness chart and discuss what small relationship tweaks can help make it a reality. At the end of the month, compared to couples on the study’s waitlist, participants reported more positive emotions, better relationship functioning and improved communication. Another month later, their average relationship functioning remained better than that of the comparison group. Few people enjoy cleaning, doing laundry or mowing the lawn. Yet, if you neglect those tasks, life quickly falls into disrepair. Your relationship is just the same. Rather than thinking about replacements when your relationship shows signs of wear, invest the time and energy into a little maintenance. Using any or all of these easy-to-implement strategies should not only help a relationship survive, but hopefully even thrive. - This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Read the original article here: .https://theconversation.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, March 24, 2020, PAGE 9

“We March For Justice”

Long Islanders show support for slain women Saturday, March 14, marked the day Long Islanders, especially women, came together to pay tribute to Jane Harding, 62, and Melissa Hui, 34, a mother and daughter of Salt Pond, Long Island, who were found murdered in late February on the island. Friends and family gathered in Salt Pond at the march route’s starting point and proceeded south towards the Cultural Site. The procession was led by Samantha Ritchie, Jane Harding’s daughter and Melissa’s sister, supported by her husband Garreth, father-in-law Gary Ritchie, and the crowd of supporters, family, friends and organisers, who peacefully “marched for justice”.

Along the short route, the crowd sang a song of inspiration, adding to the sombre atmosphere of the morning. Once gathered at the Cultural Site, all were seated to listen to a programme of celebration for Melissa and Jane. It was a celebration in prayers, for the family and for the community; songs of inspiration and courage, tributes and sharing of memories, encouraging community members to be vigilant and not be “close-lipped” about the social ills that disrupt communities and families. The ‘We March for Justice’ group presented Samantha Ritchie with the proceeds from

the sale of T-shirts to help with expenses. Local Government Chief Councilor Ian Knowles represented the administration community of Long Island and spoke to the importance of “speaking up” when things arise in the community. He spoke about the quiet lives Melissa and her mother Jane led and pressed for more male representation and support throughout the community. The bodies of Melissa and Jane were found two days after they were reporting missing in late February. A teenager has since been charged with the murders and rapes of the two women.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 67° F/19° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Mostly sunny and pleasant

Mainly clear

Mostly sunny and beautiful

Partly sunny and pleasant

Mostly sunny and comfortable

Mostly sunny and beautiful

High: 82°

Low: 70°

High: 82° Low: 70°

High: 83° Low: 71°

AccuWeather RealFeel

90° F

74° F

90°-77° F

93°-77° F

91°-73° F

90°-73° F

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 72° F/22° C

ABACO

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

6-12 knots

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 70° F/21° C

4-8 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 71° F/22° C

WEST PALM BEACH

tiDes For nassau High

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 71° F/22° C

MIAMI

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 68° F/20° C

4-8 knots

KEY WEST

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 76° F/24° C

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 82° F/28° C Low .................................................... 70° F/21° C Normal high ....................................... 80° F/26° C Normal low ........................................ 66° F/19° C Last year’s high ................................. 79° F/26° C Last year’s low ................................... 58° F/14° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ................................................. 1.71” Normal year to date ..................................... 4.17”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 70° F/21° C

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 73° F/23° C

N E

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

8:49 a.m. 9:08 p.m.

2.7 2.6

2:44 a.m. 3:04 p.m.

0.0 -0.1

Wednesday 9:23 a.m. 9:42 p.m.

2.6 2.7

3:21 a.m. 3:36 p.m.

0.0 -0.1

Thursday

9:57 a.m. 10:17 p.m.

2.5 2.7

3:59 a.m. 4:08 p.m.

0.0 0.0

Friday

10:32 a.m. 10:53 p.m.

2.4 2.7

4:36 a.m. 4:40 p.m.

0.0 0.0

Saturday

11:07 a.m. 11:32 p.m.

2.2 2.6

5:15 a.m. 5:14 p.m.

0.1 0.1

Sunday

11:46 a.m. -----

2.1 -----

5:56 a.m. 5:52 p.m.

0.3 0.2

Monday

12:14 a.m. 12:30 p.m.

2.6 2.0

6:42 a.m. 6:36 p.m.

0.4 0.3

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

7:09 a.m. 7:23 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

7:33 a.m. 7:47 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Mar. 24

Apr. 1

Apr. 7

Apr. 14

CAT ISLAND

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 72° F/22° C

6-12 knots

7-14 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Today

almanac

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

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.

uV inDex toDay

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 71° F/22° C

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 73° F/23° C

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 73° F/23° C

W S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 73° F/23° C

7-14 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 80° F/27° 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: 75° F/24° C

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 83° F/28° C Low: 74° F/23° C

8-16 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 S at 4-8 Knots SSW at 8-16 Knots SE at 6-12 Knots S at 7-14 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots SSE at 6-12 Knots E at 8-16 Knots E at 7-14 Knots SE at 6-12 Knots S at 7-14 Knots S at 6-12 Knots SW at 8-16 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots SSE at 7-14 Knots E at 8-16 Knots E at 6-12 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots E at 7-14 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots SSE at 4-8 Knots SSE at 4-8 Knots SE at 8-16 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots SSE at 7-14 Knots

WAVES 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 3-5 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-6 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 3-6 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 4-7 Feet 3-6 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-3 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 77° F 77° F 77° F 78° F 76° F 77° F 74° F 74° F 76° F 77° F 79° F 80° F 77° F 78° F 79° F 79° F 77° F 77° F 77° F 77° F 76° F 76° F 78° F 78° F 77° F 77° F

SECTION B

TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2020

Life of Black hair care pioneer offers important life lessons for career women By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

“SELF MADE” is one of Netflix’s newest limited series and is inspired by the life of Madam C J Walker, a pioneer in the black hair care industry, who became the first female millionaire by her own efforts, grit, passion and resilience. In this new show, audiences are introduced to a washerwoman whose dreams of breaking the shackles of poverty, while also breaking barriers, lie in a small jar of a special mixture that grows and nourishes black hair. Born Sarah Breedlove in 1867, Walker’s ability as an outstanding saleswoman, driven by a cause and with ability to remain undaunted in the face of adversary, all contributed to her great achievements in business and the socio-political sphere. At the heart of her success, though, were her relationships. She aligned herself with people who showed loyalty. She established a team of female sales agents and factory workers whose positions signified much more than a paycheck – it meant upward mobility for black women. They were committed to a cause. Her daughter from her first marriage, a free spirited bisexual woman, later took a vivid interest her mother’s dream, expanding the Indianapolis-based business to New York. But one of her most important relationships was her third marriage to Charles Joseph Walker, a newspaper advertising agent, who maybe played the most instrumental role in her success. He supported his wife’s endeavours, was hands-on in business matters, and always pitched advertising campaigns to promote the products. It was also following her marriage to Charles Walker in 1906, that she became known as Madam C J Walker. She marketed herself as an independent hairdresser and retailer of cosmetic creams and the “Madam” was adopted from women pioneers of the French beauty industry.

MADAM C J Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower in the permanent collection of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

MADAM C J Walker (1867 – 1919 ) was one of the first American women to become a self-made millionaire. Between 1911 and 1919, during the height of her career, Walker and her company employed several thousand women as sales agents for its products.By 1917 the company claimed to have trained nearly 20,000 women Dressed in a characteristic uniform of white shirts and black skirts and carrying black satchels, they visited houses around the United States and in the Caribbeanoffering Walker’s hair pomade and other products packaged in tin containers carrying her image However, as her business and status increased, her marriage suffered. She was thought to be business obsessed, to the point where she neglected the most important relationships in her life. She and Charles eventually divorced in 1912. While we can never know what ultimately led to the failure of her marriage – it was probably a myriad of reasons, including infidelity – her story does bring up the question of how many women bosses seeking to make it big are directing all their energy towards a professional

dream, but are maybe neglecting the important relationships in their lives. How many women are sacrificing time with their loved ones in order to be on top? And how can they strike a balance between their ambitions and their families? “It is very important for me to live my life in my purpose, so that is top ranking, but what is even more important is the relationship I have with my children, and even a relationship that I have with a partner,” said Stanya Davis, founder of the life coaching institute Eve’s Journey. “These are the relationships that supported me, that supported my success, and the people who had to deal with me when I wasn’t successful or when I had moments when I wasn’t feeling good enough or feeling like I am doing the wrong thing. My relationship with my friends, parents, children are relationships that really kept me going,” said, And the current COVID-19 pandemic is really driving home the

message valuing family and loved ones over everything else. “Looking at this pandemic, where the world has literally stopped, businesses have stopped... but what do we have? We only have each other. In this world where in one split second you can go from having it all and to then having nothing at all, relationships are the only real things we have,” said Stanya. “It means nothing of you have success and no one to share it with. The moments when I feel powerful and achieve so much and have no one I can talk to about it, it means absolutely nothing.” Kendia Laramore, a Bahamian entrepreneur, believes the socialisation of women in modern times is the reason they have this “go-getter” approach. “It is a woman’s innate nature to nurture and pay attention to the important details, however, socioeconomic factors like equality and male dominated industries have forced women to ‘man up’,” said Ms Laramore. “We have it 10 times harder than men to achieve respect in those aforementioned industries, and because of this, we are now

committing our focus to ensuring that we are seen as equal in skill sets such as innovation, endurance, and leadership. Depending on the industry, this can take up a lot of time, so much so that we become tunnel-visioned and this is where relationships become neglected and other important aspects of our life dwindle.” She added: “Speaking from personal experience in my pursuit of success, I’ve lost many relationships, both romantic and platonic, due to the amount of time I spent focusing on my goals. If that invisible pressure wasn’t there for women to prove themselves, balance would be easy for us. Women are magical creatures: resilient, tactical, innovative. I smile because it is the truth and this is our power.” Kendia believes women who are trying to build enterprises also deserve patience from their relationship partners. “It’s not only important for the women to be mindful of important relationships, but also for those important people in our lives to be patient with us and try to see our vision. This is balance,” she said. Crystal Johnson, a budding entrepreneur who also works fulltime, said that while achieving her business goals are very important, she is mindful of the relationships that matter. “It’s easy to as a single, childless person to revert to the thinking that I don’t really need anyone. Things are going my way; my career is established. I have a business idea I believe in and if I work hard enough, I will be successful. But while those things are purposeful, my belief is that life is the sum of who you spend it with. You will enjoy life to the level you enjoy the relationships around you. If you have none or neglect those that you have, who will be there to pat you on the back when you have achieved and say ‘well done’,” she said. “You reap what you sow, and if you don’t sow into building good relationships you won’t have them when you need them.”

Women’s club squares up against coronavirus with help of technology By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net EVEN though groups of no more than 10 individuals are encouraged to gather right now in an effort to fight the spread of the coronavirus, Bahamians are finding ways to remain connected. Sites like Facebook and apps like Instagram, WhatsApp and Zoom are being used to their fullest potential to assist during this time of social distancing. Shannelle Johnson, founder of the Diamonds And Pearls Ladies Club, said her monthly women’s coaching club won’t be affected by the time apart, as the members are being empowered more now than ever to encourage and support one another, no matter the physical distance. “These women are not going to take this sitting down, we just don’t operate that way. That is just the benefit of having a network of women in sisterhood.

The way how the world is moving, every day is going to be something else. So we are not falling victim to whatever the next issue is; it is all about empowering each other, networking and equipping ourselves to deal with what is coming,” said Ms Johnson. Through their Zoom account, she explained, all the members can connect to the group from the comfort of own homes. “We would normally meet on a Sunday between the hours of 4pm and 6pm, so the biggest challenge we may have is finding a quiet spot for your two hours of ‘me time’, because most of the members do have kids. This would be something new for us, the Zooming. But at least we know there are features out there available for us if this is what we have to do. WhatsApp also has a feature that allows you to have more than one person on a call,” said Ms Johnson. This month’s topics will include “Attachment Styles” and how do women attach to others.

“That is one topic everyone is excited about. We are going to learn about how our attachment styles can affect a relationship. And it doesn’t matter the type of relationship; social or romantic. So we will talk about that and see if our attachment styles are healthy or unhealthy, and know what we need to do to make it the very best it could be. We already know the topics that we are coaching on and so we will just go from there,” said Ms Johnson. “We are not going to allow the virus to stop us from being productive or living. Coaching is all about finding yourself in a crisis and then knowing how to maximise the situation and find solutions.” She said they will also talk a bit about the coronavirus pandemic, but not so much about the scientific side of things. “I think enough of that information is already out there, so basically we going to take it from the perspective of what are we doing - how has the experience

been, what can we do to live a normal life and keep each other encouraged,” she said. For Ms Johnson personally, she said nothing much has changed and she is still living her life as normal and not in fear. “I am not to fear, and one thing that I have done is to encourage my women is to build up our immune systems. I sell essential oils and it is a part of my coaching. I have always encouraged healthy lifestyles. This is something I have been coaching since the month of January, so all of the ladies have been all about healthy lifestyles,” she said. For all those interested in being a part of the movement, Ms Johnson said Diamonds and Pearls is a ladies’ club that offers a monthly two-hour getaways for professional women seeking to refocus. “We have all been guilty of being super strong and independent, holding it all together and leaving ourselves empty. Confidentiality and exclusivity is unique to this group, therefore

attendance is by invite only. However, referrals and plus ones are welcomed and considered,” said Ms Johnson. “Diamonds and Pearls is something I have been praying about for the past eight years. Women live a life where they wear so many hats, and they focus on all these different roles and leave out the role of self. And so I started this club last year with the objective to coach. She added: “We usually have a wine and cheese theme, and we come together the fourth Sunday of every month to learn about self-love, self-care, and how to live a productive, purposeful life, all while managing and wearing all of the hats without the stress. “We want a sisterhood of love, not competition. This is an environment where you can express yourself fully without judgement and gossip.”