03252026 NEWS

“We

PM: ‘BADGE CANNOT

BE ABOVE THE LAW’

Fatal shooting by off-duty officer now being treated as criminal investigation

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip

“Brave” Davis yesterday called for a review of firearm policies for off-duty police officers as it was revealed the fatal shooting of an American Pike Corporation worker is being treated as a criminal investigation.

“The badge can never place anyone above the law,” Mr Davis said after Cody Castillo, 31, and

another man, Michael Russell, a 48-year-old father-of-three, were both shot dead by off-duty officers in separate incidents just a day apart.

Mr Davis’ call for a review of firearm policies, including the use of less-lethal options for police officers, was questioned by the Free National Movement, which warned that such calls often amount to “public relations exercises that lead to nowhere.”

BADGE - SEE PAGE TWO

Emera say GB Power sale not finalised yet

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama Power

Company’s owner has confirmed its sale to the Government has yet to be finalised as an ex-prime minister joined the Opposition’s leader in calling for Bahamian investors to be offered shares in the utility once any

deal closes. Dr Hubert Minnis and Michael Pintard each separately urged the Government not to retain 100 percent of GB Power but, instead, steadily reduce its stake post-acquisition by issuing shares to Bahamian institutional and retail investors.

OFFICER WATCHED AS MAN HACKED DOOR WITH MACHETE, VIDEO SHOWS

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A POLICE officer purportedly stood by as a man hacked at a home’s front door with a machete, despite protests from a woman who said the property was hers, a viral video shows.

The footage, widely shared on social media, shows a police truck with flashing lights parked outside a residence as the incident unfolds.

In the video, a man repeatedly strikes the door with a machete while the person filming questions

Brother ‘shocked’ at police account of fatal shooting

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THE brother of a fatherof-three fatally shot by an off-duty police officer on Monday said the account police gave does not reflect the man he knew.

Ishmel Rolle said his 48-year-old brother, Michael Russell, was a “loving person” with daughters — ages 19, 9 and 6 — who was not known for violence or confrontation.

“He don’t do things like that,” Mr Rolle said. “To just go to a bar, have a cutlass in his hand and go behind someone? That’s really out of character.”

Mr Rolle, 45, said his brother worked as a waiter at Atlantis for about 30 years and would not have risked his job by engaging in such conduct. He said the family was devastated by the news. Two of Russell’s daughters live abroad.

“It was very heartbreaking for them when they

Davis calls for off-duty firearm policy review

It came after the US Embassy issued a strongly-worded statement calling for ‘justice without delay’ into the slaying of Mr Castillo.

Mr Davis said: “I have asked for a full and transparent investigation, and where the evidence supports criminal charges, the law must move swiftly.”

Confirming that that Castillo’s death is being treated as a criminal investigation, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said investigators have obtained CCTV footage and suggested the case could lead to charges rather than proceeding to a Coroner’s Court inquest, which is typical in police-involved shootings.

Police said Castillo, who was from Huntsville, Texas and leaves behind a four-months pregnant wife, was shot shortly before 6pm on Saturday after an altercation that began inside Da Plantation Bar & Grill, moved outside. But yesterday

The Tribune revealed Mr Castillo, who had just celebrated his first wedding anniversary, was not involved in the alleged altercation as he had only driven to the bar to pick up his younger brother, a cousin and a fourth man, who all worked for Pike. He was driving a company vehicle fitted with a dashboard camera and shot in the chest through a side window.

Just a day after

Castillo’s death, police reported that in the second incident, an offduty officer killed Russell off Village Road near Montagu Beach, the third killing involving armed off-duty officers this year.

Police said the officer was walking with a group when he became involved in a verbal altercation with a motorist. Police allege the man exited his vehicle with a cutlass and struck the officer on the back, causing injury.

Mr Davis offered condolences to the affected families and said “each case must be investigated on its own facts.”

He called for a review of rules governing the offduty carriage of firearms, stronger de-escalation standards, and the use of less-lethal tools.

However, the FNM dismissed the idea that anything would come from his statement.

“The opposition wishes to state again that promises of investigations on a range of matters by this government are often public relations exercises that lead to nowhere,” the party said in a statement.

It cited the controversy involving former Immigration Minister Keith Bell, which prompted Mr Davis to announce the establishment of a commission to examine how immigration decisions were made, particularly the exercise of ministerial discretion. The findings of that review have never been made public despite repeated requests for updates from reporters.

The FNM also

referenced allegations raised by US authorities of a cocaine trafficking conspiracy involving Bahamian law enforcement officers. In response, the government pledged significant reforms and passed legislation establishing an independent Commission of Investigations to handle police misconduct and corruption. However, that body has not yet been established, and there has been no clear public update on when it will become operational. The Tribune has been unable to obtain information on its status.

For her part, Police Commissioner Shanta

Knowles said last year that the force was reviewing the addition of non-lethal weapons, including tasers and similar devices, amid concerns about jury findings in fatal shooting cases.

Yesterday, Khandi Gibson, director of Families of All Murdered Victims, called for answers after the recent killings.

“In moments like these, emotions run high, questions arise, and communities are left searching for answers,” she said. “But one thing remains clear: every life matters, and every loss deserves truth, transparency, and accountability.

“We cannot build a safer society without trust. And trust requires that when incidents occur no matter who is involve there is a clear, honest,

and thorough process that brings understanding and, where necessary, justice. This is not about rushing to judgment.

This is about ensuring that no life is dismissed, no family is left without answers, and no situation is ignored.”

Violent cutlass attack

‘out of character’

for man killed by police

the encounter escalated to a fatal outcome.

incident occurred around 1am Monday on Village Road, when an off-duty officer walking with a group became involved in a verbal altercation with a motorist. Police allege the motorist exited his vehicle armed with a cutlass and struck the officer on the back, causing injury.

Police said the officer, “fearing for his life,” withdrew his service weapon and discharged it, fatally wounding the man. Emergency medical services responded but found no signs of life, while the injured officer was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Mr Rolle said he has not been formally briefed by police and questioned how

“Honestly, I broke down,” he said. “I was really wondering what happened, but then they say it was an officer that shot him.”

He said his brother had gone out alone that night, which was unusual. He said he was unaware of any prior conflict or relationship between Russell and the officer involved.

“He wouldn’t have any past beef with anybody. I can’t say if he knew the officer or not — I don’t think he knows him,” Mr Rolle said.

Describing their relationship as “ten out of ten,” Mr Rolle said his brother helped raise him and supported the family during difficult times.

“I really love my brother, he really loved me,” he said. “He’d go to the end to do whatever he needed to do if I need something, basically grew me up, man; took care of me, buy my school stuff, you know, when my old lady couldn’t do it. He did things like that. Buy our school stuff, always have lunch for us.”

He also criticised the lack of communication from the authorities.

“They ain’t say nothing, they ain’t try explain nothing about what went down,” Mr Rolle said.

“Other than that, just put it out there that he come out his car with a cutlass and walk across the road and chop the police officer. That’s a bunch of crap man. I don’t believe that.”

While raising concerns about the handling of the case, Mr Rolle said he does not distrust the entire police force.

“You got some good cops out there who do their job by the book, but you got other cops who just do whatever they feel like because they have the power,” he said. Investigations into the shooting are ongoing.

Prime Minister Philip Davis said the incident — along with another recent police-involved fatality involving a Pike worker — must be examined on its own facts. He also called for a review of off-duty firearm policies, greater use of less-lethal options, and stronger de-escalation standards to better protect lives.

Rough arrest and machete attack caught on

those present and accuses a woman of harassment.

The woman rejects that claim, saying: “I am not harrassing you. This is my place”.

The person recording then turns to a man nearby and asks: “You the police officer watching this?”

Moments later, the man appears to grab or knock the phone from the person filming.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Kirkwood Andrews said a complaint has been made in connection with the incident and that the matter is under investigation.

“I cannot speak to the facts because I don’t know the facts,” he said.

Mr Andrews also said he was awaiting an update on

a unrelated matter involving the arrest of a woman in another viral video. He confirmed an arrest had been made but said he was not aware of any complaint in that case.

Vidoes showed a woman in a physical struggle with a uniformed police officer. She is seen wearing pants and a bra as the officer holds her hands and pushes her against a vehicle.

“You think I care who you is? I don’t care who you is. Don’t you touch me,” the officer says.

The woman responds: “ You choking me, and you out here touching me. You have grudge with people?

You have a problem?”

As the situation escalates, another officer intervenes, telling her: “Miss, relax.”

The woman appears to pull at parts of the officer’s

vest during the confrontation as a bystander questions the reason for her arrest. At one point, the officer appears to slam her against the car while handcuffs are being applied.

A relative recorded the altercation and questioned the level of force used.

In another clip, filmed inside a residence, the woman appears distressed and tells others present that her toenails were broken. Blood is visible on her toes.

Further footage shows an officer inside repeatedly asking for her hands as she cries.

“All my teeth shaking,” the woman says. She tells officers she feels weak and asks for a moment. She is allowed to sit briefly while the officer continues trying to secure her hands.

camera

‘COI to hurt PLP more than Minnis will hurt FNM’

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

AN FNM insider whose work in Killarney dates back to the era of Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield believes the Coalition of Independents will cut more deeply into PLP support than former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis will into FNM votes in the upcoming general election.

Frank Saunders, a longtime campaign general who previously managed Dr Minnis’ campaign from 2006 and is now backing the FNM’s Senator Michael Barnett-Ellis, said COI candidate Dr Veronica McIver is showing notable strength in the constituency.

“She will affect the PLP votes considerably,” he said. “I think she will probably affect the PLP vote more than Minnis will affect the FNM vote.”

Dr Minnis’ independent bid has been a key question in the race, with observers watching how his presence will affect a constituency the FNM has held every cycle since its creation in 2007.

Mr Saunders also pointed to boundary changes as working in the party’s favour.

He said the creation of

the new St James constituency removes several PLP-leaning areas from Killarney, including parts of Adelaide, Coral Harbour and South Ocean, and does not weaken the FNM’s position.

He described Killarney as a constituency where voter behaviour is often shaped by candidates rather than strong party allegiance, and where support can be difficult to gauge.

“Killarney voters are the voters you love to have where all they want is the government to do their job,” he said. “They themselves are not looking for handouts from the government.”

Mr Saunders said turnout in the area has historically ranged between 84 and 86 percent, excluding the 2021 election, and that support has fluctuated over time.

He acknowledged areas such as Gambier remain PLP strongholds and said he does not expect the party to win there. The race features Mr Barnett-Ellis for the FNM, Robyn Lynes for the PLP, Dr Minnis running as an independent, and Dr McIver for the Coalition of Independents.

Residents interviewed in the constituency over the weekend reflected the

uncertainty he described, with some expressing interest in Dr McIver, citing her residence and business ties in the area.

A Hampshire Street resident, who has lived in Killarney for 25 years, said his five-person household is leaning towards the Coalition of Independents, arguing it is time to move beyond what he described as a “tug of war” between the FNM and PLP.

He also pointed to the rising cost of living, saying food, electricity and customs duties have become difficult to manage despite government relief measures.

The same resident

offered a mixed assessment of Dr Minnis. “I don't think he's done anything significant for the area,” he said. “He did something good for the country. I believe the good thing that he did was alleviate taxes for the middle class, or, you know, the poor class.”

Kenny Nixon, a resident for about 20 years, said he has voted for both major parties in the past but is now considering voting for the Coalition of Independents, though he remains undecided. He said a new party could bring change and cited concerns about corruption as a factor shaping his view of the

current administration.

Not all residents shared Mr Saunders’ outlook.

A Devonshire Street resident said he believes Prime Minister Philip Davis’ popularity could secure another term and said he would vote for the PLP if he votes, despite not knowing Ms Lynes.

He also said Dr Minnis could have done more for the constituency, particularly during his time as prime minister, noting that his presence has only become more visible in recent years.

Residents also raised concerns about flooding, poor street lighting and inadequate

drainage, and called for a seawall, road improvements and stronger youth programmes.

Others defended Dr Minnis’ record.

A Tropical Gardens resident described him as a consistent presence who has provided strong representation, while a woman involved in his campaign said: “He has gone above and beyond on many and more than one occasion for the people in Killarney.”

She added that her support for him is also driven by opposition to what she described as “dirty” politics aimed at discrediting his legacy.

Court of Appeal overturns Keno Stubbs’ gun conviction

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Court of Appeal has quashed the firearm and ammunition convictions of Keno Stubbs, ruling that a magistrate failed to grapple with major contradictions in the evidence of the two

police officers whose testimony formed the backbone of the prosecution’s case. The appellate court said Magistrate Lennox Coleby did not give adequate reasons for accepting the officers’ evidence despite clear inconsistencies on critical points, including where the officers were standing when they

claimed to have seen Stubbs, what kind of tree or stump the gun was allegedly hidden in, and how the weapon was retrieved.

The court found that the omission made the verdict unsafe. Stubbs had been convicted on February 13, 2024, of possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition. He was sentenced that same day to four years in prison on the firearm charge and two years on the ammunition charge, to run concurrently.

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house number 17 Hamilton Street with a search warrant.

According to the Crown’s case, two officers later went to the rear of the property, where they claimed they saw Stubbs come out of the house with a firearm in his right hand and place it in a tree in the yard. He was then arrested and charged.

The magistrate accepted the prosecution’s case, describing the police witnesses as credible and competent and their evidence as cogent and compelling. He also found that the defence had not discharged the evidential burden placed on it under the Firearms Act.

But the Court of Appeal said the record showed significant contradictions in the officers’ accounts on matters that went to the heart of the case.

One officer said he and another officer were in a neighbouring yard, separated from Stubbs’ yard by a fence, when they saw the accused with the firearm. He described the tree as taller than the house and full of branches. He also said the appellant climbed a little before placing the gun in the tree and that the senior officer later climbed the tree to retrieve it.

The other officer gave a sharply different version. He said they never left Stubbs’ yard and that there was no fence between them and the accused. He described the location where the gun was hidden not as a large tree but as what appeared to be a coconut tree that had been thrown down and partially cut in half, with no branches. He said he did not climb a tree in the ordinary sense, but instead reached into the trunk or stump and recovered the weapon.

The appellate judges said those conflicting descriptions

were not minor. They said it was difficult to understand how the two main witnesses could differ so sharply on evidence of such importance in a case that depended largely on their direct eyewitness testimony.

The court also found that the magistrate failed to address those discrepancies both when rejecting a no-case submission and when delivering his final ruling. It said a tribunal of fact had a duty to consider the case as a whole, including contradictory evidence, and explain how it resolved those issues before convicting.

While Stubbs raised other complaints on appeal, including arguments about the search warrant, the wanted poster, delay, note-taking, and claims that he was not told of his right to appeal, the court rejected those grounds.

The judges said any issues surrounding the search warrant did not affect the outcome because the prosecution's case did not depend on evidence found through the warrant. Instead, it rested on the officers’ claim that they directly saw Stubbs with the firearm. The court also found no merit in the complaint that the magistrate failed to advise Stubbs of his appeal rights, saying the record showed that he did. The appeal first came before the court as an application for an extension of time to appeal. The judges granted that extension in the interests of justice before considering the substantive case.

Having found the convictions unsafe, the court allowed the appeal and quashed them. Because of that ruling, it said there was no need to consider Stubbs’ separate challenge to the sentence.

Davis warns Pintard bank plan risks jobs

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip

“Brave” Davis has accused Opposition Leader Michael Pintard of proposing to dismantle the Post Office Savings Bank, warning the move would put jobs at risk and leave Family Island residents with fewer banking options.

In a statement responding to remarks made during the Free National Movement’s campaign launch, Mr Davis said Mr Pintard’s plan would shut down a public institution relied on by “Bahamian families, pensioners, workers, and small savers across our archipelago.”

“He is prepared to shut down a public institution that serves Bahamian families, pensioners, workers, and small savers across our archipelago,” Mr Davis said.

Mr Davis argued that the proposal would also threaten jobs, saying abolishing the Post Office Savings Bank would mean firing 98 employees across the Family Islands and placing a wider postal workforce of more than 256 staff at risk.

“He is prepared to place Bahamian jobs at risk. He is prepared to tear away a service that many Family Island communities rely on,” the prime minister said. He also challenged the feasibility of the opposition’s plan, saying Mr Pintard was suggesting the

government could compel private banks to expand into underserved areas.

“He is pretending the government has the power to order private, foreign-owned commercial banks to do what they have already chosen to stop doing,” he said.

Mr Davis said his administration has instead focused on strengthening the Post Office Savings Bank, including increasing the deposit cap from $6,000 to $10,000, maintaining a five percent interest rate for eligible savers, and advancing reforms.

He warned that Mr Pintard had not explained what would happen to employees or depositors if the institution were abolished, or how customers in communities without nearby commercial banks would access their savings.

“He never explained who would carry responsibility for those depositors, what

guarantees would exist for their money, or how families, pensioners, and small savers would be treated if this institution is shut down,” he said.

The prime minister also pointed to interest rates, saying the Post Office Savings Bank offers returns higher than those available in the commercial banking sector.

“What Mr Pintard failed to say is who would match the Post Office Savings Bank’s five percent return for eligible savers.”

Mr Davis said the Central Bank’s January 2026 report showed a mean deposit rate of 0.56 percent, with the highest rate at 3.75 percent on fixed balances over 12 months.

He described the proposal as “reckless” and said the government has a responsibility to protect access to savings and banking services, particularly in the Family Islands.

“The Government has the power to strengthen the public savings bank we own,” he said. “We have the duty to protect access for Family Islanders. Private commercial banks make their own decisions. No speech can change that.”

Mr Davis said more than 35,000 clients currently rely on the Post Office Savings Bank and that new accounts continue to be opened across the country, including in the Family Islands.

He framed the issue as a clear policy divide ahead of the next general election.

At the FNM’s campaign launch, Mr Pintard said his party would ensure Family Island residents have access to banking services.

“We will abolish the bank through the Post Office system and work with the Clearing House to make sure commercial banks lose no money as they provide a service that is needed,” he said.

FNM CHAIR SLAMS ‘SYSTEMIC NEGLECT’ OVER DEAF PATIENT’S HOSPITAL CARE

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Move-

ment Chairman Dr Duane Sands said the reported failure to provide a sign language interpreter to a deaf patient at Princess Margaret Hospital was “very much” a violation of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act, accusing the government of failing to uphold legal standards for accessible healthcare.

Responding to a Tribune report, the former minister of health said the case exposed both a breach of legal obligations and wider systemic failures in how vulnerable patients are treated in the public healthcare system.

“What is true is a consistent test of civil society is how you treat your vulnerable and disabled,” Dr Sands said yesterday.

“It is a measure of the level of concern, but also the state of affairs. And so if there is systemic or state-sanctioned neglect of the vulnerable, the disabled, the impaired, then it gives you an idea of the overall decline in the country, and so we are in a sad state right now where the disabled community is speaking out this way.”

Ginika Gibson, a culturally deaf patient, was reportedly unable to communicate with healthcare

providers or understand her treatment after a car accident at Princess Margaret Hospital. Her initial request for an interpreter was rejected.

The Bahamas National Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing said interpreter access was treated as non-essential, with communication instead routed through her next of kin, even though she was a competent adult.

Interpreter Tamiko Brown said she initially faced resistance from staff and was told her services were not needed. When she eventually reached Ms Gibson, she found her in pain, confused, and unaware she was receiving medication through an IV.

Ms Brown also said mask-wearing prevented lip-reading and criticised the reliance on Ms Gibson’s mother to make medical decisions, saying it undermined her autonomy.

The BNADHH warned that such failures can prevent informed consent and increase the risk of misdiagnosis and improper treatment. The group called for interpreters to be recognised as essential in healthcare settings, along with national funding, enforcement of accessibility laws, and mandatory deaf awareness training. It also noted that between three and five percent of the population is deaf or hard of

hearing, meaning thousands of Bahamians could face similar barriers when accessing public services.

Under the Act, people with disabilities are entitled to the same standard of healthcare and access to information as others, with services required to be delivered in accessible formats. The law also defines discrimination to include the denial of reasonable accommodation, such as communication support.

Dr Sands said the reported handling of Ms Gibson’s case, particularly the failure to prioritise direct communication and interpreter access, ran counter to those requirements.

He said routing communication through Ms Gibson’s mother despite her being an independent adult raised concerns. While next of kin can play an important role for children, the elderly, or incapacitated patients, he said it should not replace direct engagement with competent adults.

“You provide care by whatever means necessary, but as a general standard, understand that you ought to make sure that the patient is able to communicate effectively,” he said.

“Sometimes next of kin is important, particularly when people are infirm, or when they are elderly or when they are young, right? So, infants, young children, you have to rely on the next

BUS DRIVERS DEMAND $2 FARE AS RISING FUEL COSTS SQUEEZE EARNINGS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter

BUS drivers are again pressing for a fare increase as rising fuel prices and the cost of living squeeze their earnings, with a union leader warning the current rate is not sustainable.

Rudolph Taylor, president of the Bahamas Unified Bus Drivers Union, said the 25-cent increase granted in 2024 falls far short of what drivers need, dismissing it as “a drop in the bucket.” He said the sector has long pushed for fares to rise to $2, but those requests have been ignored by successive administrations.

“We were in talks over the years for an increase,” he said. “We just got an increase but the increases are so marginalised.”

Mr Taylor said drivers are already feeling the

impact of higher fuel costs, with the price of running a bus for a full day now exceeding $100. His comments come as local fuel retailers warn of further increases after a conflict in the Middle East disrupted a key global energy transit route, pushing oil prices above $100 a barrel.

Prime Minister Philip Davis said the government is monitoring developments, adding that existing reforms are expected to help cushion the impact.

Mr Taylor said that even before the latest fuel increases, daily operating costs were already above $100 and have since risen further.

“It’s more costly because diesel was under $5 but now it’s over $5,” he said. “We wouldn't have been at this crossroad had we got the $2 we agreed upon across the board.”

He added that the pressure on drivers extends beyond fuel.

“Last year, before we even got this fuel increase, break parts went up. The dealer parts went up. Tyres went up. Tyres are to the point right now where paying for a good tire anywhere from $150 for a tyre.”

Despite the rising costs, Mr Taylor said drivers are still trying to manage, noting that some passengers voluntarily pay more than the standard $1.50 fare.

“I don't think it's fair to the drivers who risk their lives on the road,” he said. “Persons feel as if the busses are not needed. Some persons are very judgmental about the buses….but they need to have their facts and see what bus drivers does on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis for the public.”

of kin, and oftentimes, a mother, not always, but most commonly, a mother. Sometimes, the elderly people, an immediate next of kin, can make a tremendous amount of difference.

“But for the hearing impaired, and otherwise, you really ought to have people who can communicate with them, that's either on staff or on call for the hospital, and that means that you

are paying attention to the needs of the people that you're privileged to serve. But you know, at this point, the situation at the hospital has deteriorated to such a level that that is not even a reasonable expectation right now, it's whatever buck up goes.”

Dr Sands said gaps in staffing and resource allocation are undermining care delivery, noting there are no formalised policies guaranteeing access to sign language interpreters. He added that proper care depends on adherence to best practices and ensuring patients are fully informed.

“What you basically want to do is to make sure that in the exchange between the health system and the patient, that the patient is informed, that their family is informed, that there is a fair and reasonable exchange, and every single day, including today, you will hear stories otherwise,” he added. Minister of Social Services Myles Laroda was unresponsive to requests for comment up to press time, while Director of Social Services Deidre Hepburn declined to comment.

The Tribune Limited

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Vote splitting and election math

THE election battles are shaping up across the country – but one of the more intriguing constituencies will be Killarney, where there will be at least a four-way fight for the seat.

Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis intends to run as an independent candidate in the constituency he has long represented, which will pit him against a rival from the FNM party he will be departing when his candidacy is confirmed.

There will also be Robyn Lynes for the PLP, and Dr Veronica McIver for the COI. The DNA, however, is DOA for this election.

How the votes will break down is a matter of considerable debate.

In a field of four, barring any other additions big enough to divide the vote further, there are questions of who will poach votes from who.

The obvious question is how much of the support that saw Dr Minnis voted in for the FNM will carry over to his independent campaign, and how much will stay with the party’s new candidate, Michela Barnett-Ellis. How much of the vote is about the person, and how much is about the party?

It is always worth considering the value of any individual constituency MP – but it is also worth weighing up how much that candidate might be able to achieve. A successful candidate with the backing of a successful party can bring the weight of government to bear on issues in a constituency. A candidate whose party is defeated, or who stands alone as an independent, cannot.

The possible split in that vote of course could open the door to the PLP candidate to snatch the win.

Looking back to the 2021 election results shows us that Dr Minnis won the seat with 2,501 votes, with his nearest rival recording 1,948 votes for the PLP. Other candidates were very much also-rans. Richa Sands, for the COI, got 323 votes. Kendal Lewis Jr, for the DNA, got, remarkably enough, the same amount, 323 votes. And independent Celi Moss got 31 votes. That translated to 48.79 percent of the vote for Dr Minnis, compared to 38 percent for the PLP. The DNA and the COI got 6.3 percent each.

With the DNA out of the picture, the obvious home that protest votes against the two major parties would go to would be the COI – although Dr Minnis throws a spanner in that theory. He has become a protest vote himself, despite having led one of those parties. Either way, there was a share in the last election of about 12 percent of people who did not want to vote for either of the parties likeliest to form a government.

The COI, it should be noted, offers a platform that makes little to no sense when it comes to governance, full of promises of free things but little detail on how it gets paid for. That includes free electricity, free education, a free acre of land for every Bahamian (although the value of an acre of land can vary plenty, as we all know) and more. Promises are worth nothing, of course, if they cannot be delivered.

Who will those COI votes come from? Well, one long-time FNM campaign general suggests that the PLP will be likeliest to suffer in that regard.

Frank Saunders says the COI candidate “will affect the PLP votes considerably. I think she will probably affect the PLP vote more than Minnis will affect the FNM one”.

To secure a win in the constituency, the PLP has to manage to increase its share of the vote since the landslide victory in the nation it secured last time around. Despite that landslide, the PLP did not unseat the FNM in Killarney. Is it likely that the PLP will win more seats than last time around? Or will voter dissatisfaction mean losing seats rather than gaining them? Given our nation’s history of swinging from one party to the other at the polls, it is hopeful indeed to believe the share of the vote will go up for the incumbent party.

The other hope for the PLP in Killarney is Dr Minnis. The difference between the parties last time was about 550 votes. If Dr Minnis gets that many FNMs to vote for him rather than the party candidate, the PLP is in business in Killarney. There will be similar battles and computations taking place across the country over the coming weeks – but Killarney’s unique list of candidates makes it a key battleground.

It is still hard to tell what Dr Minnis’ grand plan is – as an independent MP, he will have just one voice regardless of who wins the House of Assembly. Still, sometimes all it takes is one voice standing strong to bring change.

More than words

There has been a swift response from our leaders to concerns over the shooting of a US man by an off-duty police officer.

Prime Minister Philip Davis has called for a review of firearm policies in the wake of the shooting, and declared that “the badge can never place anyone above the law”. He has also called for a “full and transparent investigation, and where the evidence supports criminal charges, the law must move swiftly”.

In this column yesterday, we noted the danger of police comments too swiftly taking the side of officers in shooting incidents, using such phrases as “in fear of his life” to explain a shooting while the investigation was still under way. There is also a danger in acting too swiftly against officers because of public response. The investigation must always be fair, it must always be balanced, with no fear or favour.

It is encouraging that the prime minister sees the importance of responding to concerns over police shootings. However, this is not the first such shooting there has been, and it does prompt the question of why this response to this shooting and not to others.

Words are also easy to say. Mr Davis’ review must follow those words with actions, if his words are to have substance.

Is an early election PLP’s survival plan

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE clearest interpretation of the current political situation is this: the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is not approaching an early election from a position of strength, but from a position of urgency.

If the government genuinely believed that time was on its side, it would govern calmly until the end of its constitutional term. Instead, all indications suggest otherwise. According to the Constitution, Parliament is dissolved five years after the first sitting of the current House unless it is dissolved sooner. The current Parliament first convened on October 6, 2021, meaning its term runs until October 6, 2026, unless the government calls for an early election. This is significant because an early election would not reflect confidence; it would suggest desperate calculation.

Why the calculation?

The PLP may have concluded that it cannot afford to complete its term under increasingly challenging economic circumstances.

The political risk for the government is clear. The economy is no longer in a brief period of post-crisis recovery where positive headlines alone can sustain a government. Even the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that Bahamian growth will slow in 2026 and then stabilise at a modest medium-term pace. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Davis has warned that rising global oil prices and supply chain pressures could raise costs for electricity, freight, transport, and groceries in The Bahamas. In simple terms, the administration knows that the cost of living may tighten further, not ease. This is the core issue. A government that has failed to address the country’s numerous challenges during a time of tourism recovery and relative external calm will face harsher scrutiny if conditions worsen. If Bahamians are already questioning why so many promises remain unfulfilled, what will they ask six months from now if electricity costs stay high, food prices rise again, housing pressures increase, and economic growth remains insufficient to improve daily life? This is the critical question hanging over the government.

The PLP came to power with a ‘Blueprint for Change’ and reinforced its goals in both the 2021 and 2023 Speeches from the Throne, promising relief, reform, modernisation, and an improved quality of life for ordinary Bahamians. However, when a government spends years making broad commitments and still finds itself nearing the end of its term with significant public dissatisfaction regarding affordability, healthcare, housing, public services, and execution, voters begin to

Issue of elder abuse

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I AM reaching out to bring your attention to an urgent and often overlooked humanitarian issue within our community: the abuse and neglect of elderly citizens under the care of their relatives. While much focus is placed on youth and economic development, our seniors are increasingly becoming an “invisible” population, vulnerable to physical neglect, financial exploitation, and emotional abuse within the domestic

sphere. Recent reports from the Ministry of Social Services have highlighted a troubling rise in requests for group home placements, but many more cases remain behind closed doors. Unfortunately, this is not just a statistic to me. My own mother has fallen victim to this environment, and I believe her story needs to be told to prevent others from suffering in silence. The public needs to understand the gravity of this situation and the gaps in our current support systems that allow this to

persist. A featured report on the current state of elder care and the legal protections—or lack thereof—for our seniors would be of significant public interest and could spark much-needed advocacy.

I am prepared to speak with you further, provide documentation, and offer more context on the patterns I have observed. Thank you for your time and for the vital work you do in our community.

JERMAINE CLEARE March 24, 2026.

reach their own conclusions. This administration may have become adept at the rhetoric of transformation without actually delivering on its promises.

This is why an early election might make harsh political sense for the PLP, not because problems have been solved, but because they remain unresolved; not because the outlook is becoming brighter, but because it may be growing darker; and not because the government seeks more time, but because it fears what additional time may reveal. The fiscal contradiction facing the public is glaring. The government claims to prioritise discipline and progress, yet the mid-year budget period coincides with public scrutiny concerning approximately $242 million to $249 million in arrears and unpaid invoices by the end of 2025, depending on classification. This is not a trivial political issue; it strikes at the heart of public trust. If the government cannot meet its major obligations in a recovering economy, voters will naturally wonder what will happen when external pressures increase.

Moreover, the IMF has already cautioned that housing affordability in The Bahamas has been compromised by limited wage growth, financing constraints, and a supply that has not kept pace with demand. In other words, one of the most challenging and personal aspects of the cost-of-living crisis is not temporary; it is structural. This means that time does not necessarily heal these issues; quite the opposite, time may intensify public anger, as each passing month makes it increasingly clear that too many Bahamians are working harder while falling further behind.

Union leaders representing civil service, state-owned enterprises, and government agencies have also expressed concerns regarding unsigned and unfilled contracts, along with failures to meet obligations under current agreements.

Then, there are the public’s concerns about the PLP’s transparency and accountability, as well as its stance on freedom of information, suggesting it may be concealing perceived corruption, which undermines its integrity.

This backdrop makes an early election appear less like a noble strategic move and more like a survival tactic. The PLP may now be feeling compelled to go to the polls before voters fully realise the extent of the looming challenges. They would want to act before slower growth, rising import costs, and ongoing affordability pressures solidify into a

definitive public verdict. The goal would be to act before voters transition from frustration to firm conclusions.

Once that conclusion takes hold, the questions become formidable. If the PLP could not resolve manageable problems, why would voters trust it with more significant challenges? If it could not transform recovery into widespread relief, why should anyone believe it has a viable growth strategy for a more difficult period? If the country still lacks a clear and comprehensive plan to increase output, enhance productivity, expand ownership, reduce living costs, and build resilience, what exactly is the government asking the public to support in renewing its mandate?

The rationale behind an early election is increasingly compelling. The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) seems to grasp that the date of October 6, 2026, signifies more than just the conclusion of its constitutional mandate; it represents a critical political risk horizon. As the nation inches closer to that date, the probability grows that the harsh realities facing the electorate will overshadow political slogans, drown out carefully crafted speeches, and lay bare the widening chasm between the party’s promises and its actual performance in office.

Indeed, calling an early election could be a strategically sound move for the government, though perhaps not for the flattering reasons its advocates and hardened supporters might put forth. The administration believes that the electorate has not yet fully grasped or connected the pertinent issues. It is also likely that, as economic conditions continue to decline, increasing skepticism about the government’s competence will emerge more acutely among voters. Furthermore, the PLP has come to the political conclusion that engaging with the electorate sooner rather than later, even if circumstances are less than favorable, could prove to be a safer bet. This behavior does not reflect that of a government that is eager to fulfill its entire constitutional term with confidence and pride. Instead, it conveys a different narrative: that of a government attempting to evade the inevitable challenges it faces as it navigates a precarious political climate. The sense of urgency displayed suggests that the PLP is motivated by a desire to mitigate potential fallout rather than a commitment to complete its full term.

The government’s current stance is to avoid running on its record and instead focus on outrunning it.

Observantly.

AMUN DUNAMIS Freeport, Grand Bahama March 23, 2026.

Acountability and transparency

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WRITE today as a concerned citizen who believes deeply in the promise of The Bahamas, yet feels increasingly burdened by a reality we can no longer afford to ignore—corruption and its quiet but devastating grip on our nation’s progress. Corruption is not an abstract concept. It is the reason opportunities feel limited, why systems fail the very people they are meant to serve, and why so many Bahamians struggle to see a fair path forward. It stifles innovation, discourages investment, and erodes public trust. Most importantly, it robs ordinary citizens of dignity and hope.

One area that raises serious questions is the apparent absence—or invisibility—of regulatory bodies that should be active and accountable.

For instance, does the Bahamas Boxing Commission truly exist in a functional, transparent capacity? If it does, where is the evidence of its work, its oversight, and its commitment to athletes? Fighters put their lives on the line in the ring, yet the public sees little to no assurance that a governing body is actively protecting their interests. If such an institution exists, then it must prove its existence through action, transparency, and accessibility to the people it serves. This is not just about boxing. It is symbolic of a broader issue: institutions that should serve the public operating in obscurity, or worse, not functioning at all. When accountability disappears, corruption finds fertile ground. As we approach the 2026 general election, the question

before us is not merely who will lead, but how they will lead. Will they confront corruption directly, or allow it to continue festering beneath the surface? The future of our country depends on leaders who are willing to establish transparency, enforce accountability, and rebuild public trust from the ground up.

Stamping out corruption is not optional—it is essential. Without it, no meaningful progress can occur. With it, we open the door to opportunity, fairness, and sustainable growth for all Bohemians. The people of this nation deserve clarity. They deserve institutions that work. And above all, they deserve a government that serves them—not itself.

HWF Nassau, March 24, 2026.

Man on trial for murders claims police suffocated and beat him until he confessed

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN on trial for the murder of two teenage boys told the Supreme Court yesterday that police beat him and forced him to confess to the killings.

Deon Scavella, 30, gave evidence in his own defence before Justice Jeannine Weech-Gomez. Prosecutors allege that Scavella shot and killed Devonte Lindsey, 15, and Keishon Williams, 13, on March 19, 2017. Their bodies were later found on a dirt road off Graham Drive in Yellow Elder Gardens.

Scavella said that on May 5, 2017, he was at the PLP headquarters making posters and banners before his uncle picked him up.

He said that after returning home in Yellow Elder, he spoke with family members on the porch before stepping away to take a call from a female friend near the back door.

While on the call, he said he heard a screeching sound but paid no attention. He later saw a man run past him, scale a nearby wall, and return with an object.

Scavella said the man grabbed him and told him he was under arrest.

He claimed that as he was taken to the front of the residence, he asked Officer Benson Miller three times why he was being arrested but received no response.

Scavella alleged that an Officer Arnold grabbed him, pushed him onto a car, slapped him, and put a gun to his head.

He said the officer warned him that if he spoke further, he would be killed.

Scavella said he complied out of fear. He said he was thrown to the ground, handcuffed, and that some of his family members were also restrained.

He said he was taken to Grove and East Street South police stations before being transferred to the Central Detective Unit the following morning. At CDU, Scavella said he was placed in a room with two female officers. He said he became concerned when he overheard one of them say she did not want to see what was going to happen in the room before leaving.

Scavella said he told Officer Strachan that he did not kill anyone when he was accused of murdering the two boys.

He claimed that while his hands were cuffed behind him, Officer Raphael Miller placed a bag over his head and suffocated him.

He said he managed to tear a hole in the bag with his teeth to breathe, but a second bag was placed over his head.

Scavella said he could not breathe through “snot and tears” and signalled with his hands for officers to stop.

He said he was suffocated and beaten until he agreed to do whatever officers told him.

Scavella testified that Officer Deleveaux later gave him a shirt and two sets of papers, one of which related to the case.

He claimed he was told to memorise the document and did so because he feared for his life.

Scavella said he did not know Devonte Lindsey and that claims he targeted him over a prison stabbing were part of a script he was forced to repeat. He said he had never been stabbed or involved in any altercation in prison.

He also said references to a Luger firearm were part of that script, adding that he never had such a weapon and did not shoot the victims.

Earlier in the trial,

Scavella’s alleged videotaped confession was entered into evidence.

He claimed that during the interview, Officer Strachan kicked him under the table to prompt answers.

Scavella said his head was down in the recording because he was in disbelief that he was being framed for a crime he did not commit.

He said he did not sign the interview forms because the statements were not made of his own free will.

He also claimed he was told he did not need a lawyer and was not allowed to make any calls.

Scavella said that the day after the interview, Officer Strachan told him he would be taken on a “dry run” before being driven to his home in Yellow Elder and an area known as The Gulff.

He said the account he gave police about meeting the victims before the shooting was false and part of what he had been told to say.

Scavella said he did not report the alleged abuse until he felt safe in prison.

He claimed injuries to his temple and calf resulted from the alleged beating, pointing to a photograph taken by The Tribune outside Magistrates Court on May 9, 2017 as showing the injury.

He said Dr Johnson’s evidence indicated he had been beaten to the chest. While he told the doctor he was beaten on May 6, 2017, the report recorded the incident as May 8, which he attributed to a misunderstanding.

He also pointed to an injury to his temple in video footage shown of him with police at the scene.

Marianne Cadet represents the accused, while Shaneka Carey and Davina Pinder are the prosecutors.

Prosecutors call for 20-year prison sentence for repeat child molester

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

PROSECUTORS have called for a repeat child molester to face a 20-year prison term for having sex with a nine-year-old boy he lured to his home in September 2024.

Dwight Jason Bell, 58, appeared yesterday for a sentencing hearing for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor of the same sex before Justice Jeannine Weech Gomez.

Bell had sex with the underage boy at his home on Market Street and Laird Street on September 7, 2024, in New Providence.

The boy had been picking fruit with his siblings before being lured into the man’s home.

When the child’s mother found him in Bell’s yard after searching for him, he told her he had been

molested.

Bell pleaded guilty to the charge last October.

Prosecutor Desiree Ferguson recommended a 20-year prison term for the convict.

Ms Ferguson noted that the accused had a prior child molestation conviction, with a previous victim aged five.

Bell was sentenced to nine years and five months in prison for the rape of the five-year-old boy on Christmas Day 2014.

Ms Ferguson noted that his latest offence took place shortly after his release from prison.

Ms Ferguson said Bell’s sentence should send a strong message and act as a deterrent to similar crimes. She added that children must be protected and that the convict took advantage of the complainant. The prosecutor said Bell’s employer could not believe

he was a child molester when told, given how he conducted himself at work.

Despite this, Ms Ferguson said the convict hung his head when he admitted the offence in police custody.

Ms Ferguson told the court that Bell told authorities that he had “a weakness for young boys”.

Justice Gomez remarked that if the convict had received proper psychiatric care while in prison for the first offence, he might not have returned before the court.

Ms Ferguson responded that she did not think it would have made a difference.

Defence attorney Nathan Smith said his client could receive psychiatric care during his latest prison term.

Mr Smith recommended a ten-year prison term.

Bell returns for sentencing on April 27.

Tow truck driver accused of stealing and laundering $5,000 granted bail

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A TOW truck driver accused of stealing $5,000 last summer was granted bail yesterday.

Prosecutors allege that Shannon Dean, 24, and an accomplice stole

Man

$5,000 from Quincy Lockhart and deposited it into Dean’s Commonwealth Bank account between August 25 and 26, 2025. Dean pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing and money laundering before Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly Burrows.

He was granted $3,000 bail with one or two sureties. As a condition of bail, he must sign in at the East Street South Police Station by 6pm on Thursdays.

Dean returns for trial on May 7. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom prosecuted.

charged with gun possession with intent to put another in

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of threatening someone with a firearm over the weekend was granted bail yesterday.

Prosecutors allege that Valentino McDonald, 24, put Deno Merone in fear with a black pistol in New

Providence on March 21. McDonald was also found with two grams of marijuana that day. He pleaded not guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to put another in fear, but pleaded guilty to possession of dangerous drugs before Magistrate Lennox Coleby.

As part of a conditional

fear

discharge on the drug charge, McDonald was ordered to make a $200 charitable donation or risk one month in prison.

Bail on the firearm charge was set at $6,000 with one or two sureties.

He returns to court for trial on April 27. Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie prosecuted.

Here's an idea for conferences. . .

focus on what can actually advance national development

LASTweek,itwasreported inthisnewspaperthatthegovernment would host a national conferenceat BahaMar aimed atunlocking monetisationopportunities inthe sector. Concerns havebeen raised about the event, from thelevel ofinclusivity (orexclusion),to thedecisionto hold it at a foreign-owned resort.

In seeing the announcement of this conference,I immediately thought of several themes around which national conferences could, and should,beorganized.Iaskeda fewfriends andcolleaguesto share their ideas for national conferences(which maybenefitfrom governmentcoordination) in The Bahamas.

Oneofmy friendsnotedat the start,that theconference on monetizing content creationdoesnot seemtobe completely open to the public.

“Fromwhat Iunderstand,” they said, the conferenceis not open to everyone. If this is true, it s limiting,as it excludessmaller contentcreators or serves to discourage people interestedin content creation.”

They alsoexpressed concern about thepunishment socialmedia platformslevy against influencers focused on making theworld abetter

elder care services-from home health,adult day programs, and mobile labs, to hospice and respite car--while equipping families to navigate the public health system with clarity. It would directly address the urgent gapsin support for both vulnerable seniors and overwhelmed caregivers, turning scattered resources into a coordinated, accessible system that actually works in real life.

Environment and Sustain-

place, calling out corporations and governments complicit in genocide,and bothraising awareness and callingfor action among followers. They suggested that this conference, and supportfrom the government,would likelybe focused on the “palatable" influencer.

“As we’ve seen in the last couple of years, they continued, “some creators are using their influenceto discussimportant issues,and they’rebeing shadowbanned, censored, demonetized, and evenremoved.There’stheobvious(andseparate)conversation about the problematic issues with theplatforms themselves, but wheredoes that leave these content creators?

Everyone I asked for input wasenthusiastic indescribing conferencesthey deemnecessary. Only oneperson said they were not particularly bothered by the announcement ofthe conferenceon social media monetization. All the other contributors expressed disappointmentat the decisiontoprioritizethistopic at a time filled with urgent concerns. Rather than(or inaddition to) complaining aboutthe social mediamonetization conference, let’s generate ideas for other conferences.

Aging (a) Aging and Alzheimer's in SmallIsland Developing States (SIDs). This conferencewould includepeople fromotherSIDstoaddressthe ongoing and worsening crisis of agingwithout developmental infrastructureof care to supportpatients andtheir families. Howdo wemaintain the dignity and humanity of elderly peoplewithout compromising the productivity of the those in the workforce today and the hope of the future?This conferenceisan opportunity toexplore dementia villages and the potential forindustry development in the Family Islands, employing healthcareworkers and increasingquality oflife of elderly peoplein need of 24-hour care.

(b) “Aging withDignity:A National Blueprint for Elder Care& CaregiverSupport.”

This would be a practical, solutions-focused conference mapping the full spectrum of

ciety. (Natasha Knowles)

ability

(a) “Safeguarding Against the Apocalypse: Food Security inThe Bahamas.” This conferencewould beorganizedaround onebigquestion: If andwhen the apocalypse”happens,howareweto sustainourselves? Foodsecurity isalready achallenge under our current circumstances. This is a question that needs our attention.

(b) “Climate Change: Preparing for the inevitable. At this conference, we face a question: Howare we preparingforthepossibilityof a complete environmental catastrophe? It ispossible for TheBahamas tobesubmergedpartially orevencompletely. Predictions indicate that wewill facesignificant sealevelrise by2050.Arewe preparing an ark? Has the government even considered climate relocation? Small Island DevelopingStates are purchasinglandinothercountries. It’s notenough tosound the alarm. We need to prepare.

(c) SolarandAlternateEnergy.” This conferencewould focus on technology services, solutions,and providers,and itwould beaimed atconnecting the Caribbeanto the future.

National Development (a) “The Bahamasin2073: A DiasporaThink-Tank. This conferencecalls onparticipants to envisionone century of independence. If the experiment in asovereign Bahamian stateparty achieved 100 years of self-determination, what will our geopolitical, culturaland economic landscapebe?Thisconference is important,as itis linkedto thebroadvision toachievea centennialgoalofnationhood. What wouldsustainability mean for asuccessful Bahamas (asopposed tothe antithesis afailed state)?What needs to becultivated? What needs tobe prioritized?What gritandeffort doweneedto produce six generations of independentBahamians (asopposed to being reabsorbed by another nation,the sea,or other threats)?This conference demandsa clear-eyed long-haullook intotheunknownofademocraticexperience forour archipelagicso-

(b) “Regional Solidarity.” This conferenceasks aquestion we have notyet fully engaged. Howdo wesupport our Caribbeanneighbours? Forexample, theaggression we are witnessingwith Cuba, and what ishappening in Haiti. This is important because the answeris not sending armed forces,as we have beendoing, tocause more issues. Theremust be supportfor localsolutions. Are we solidifyinga bloc that willbuffer whatwill comeinevitably?

(c) “Taking Tourismto the People. The conference would connectpotential tourism stakeholdersdirectly with hotel owners, operators, andmanagers togrowideas andopportunities. Itwould provide access to tourism funders and owners, bypassing gatekeepers, governments and middlemenfor morecoherent and realisticconversations on the evolving tourism landscape.

History

(a) “Learning and Recording OurRecent Past. Weneed legalexpertiseon property rights. Why are there somany abandonedbuildings? We needto gain insight asto whythe landissue isso different in The Bahamas and

the Caribbean from North America. People want to trace heritage andfeel tiedto land, but thecurrent systemleaves manyofus withoutthoseties. Wealso sufferfrominsufficient knowledge of our family origins. We need to bridge the gap. (Lisa Lawlor Feller)

Science

(a) Conferences on the sciences. We need more conferences in this field, supported by University of The Bahamasand UniversityofThe West Indies, to help people. High school and undergraduatecollege sciencefairsfor students to displaytheir work andresearch wouldbebeneficialfor studentsandprofessionals in the field. Conferences providing aplatform to shareknowledge andideas would spark moreinterest in the sciences. Health fairs featuring NHI and other health serviceswouldbegreat.(Marjahn Finlayson)

Governance

(a) Transparencyin The Bahamas.” This conference would be a space for all of the organisations with an interest in freedomof information, public transparency,and accountabilityto reviewthe government’s work. It would be live-streamed so the public can participate in frank as-

sessment of progress.

(b) “Civic Responsibility in Government Offices. Similarto theFuture ofDemocracy conferences heldat the University of TheBahamas, this conference would make clear the duties of every government office, including services and the documents required. It would introduce ideal function and present atleast oneexampleof a government agency thatis getting it right.

(c) Transportation Solutions. The culture ofthe road is taking lives, both directly and indirectly, fromall of the stress and losttime and wages.

providers, marketers, advocates, and policy makers to assessneedsandensureequal andequitable accesstofree andaffordable femininehygiene products.

(b) “Human Rights-Based Governance.” This conference,co-hostedbyUniversity of The Bahamas (given its relative neutrality and role in advancing development), would generate preliminary actions towardensuring humanrights principlesare embedded inpublic sector governance. Thisconference is important,as goodgovernance is key to ensuring that human rights for all--including marginalized/underrepresented groups--arerealized in accordance with international humanrights standards. It would be open to all, includingcivilsocietyorganizations, youth, students, public sectorrepresentatives, privatesectorrepresentatives, academics, anddiplomatic corps whoare interestedin meaningfully contributingto an open dialogueand participating incapacity-building workshops. Thisforum would be designed to lead to real-world improvementsin thequalityof life,publicservice delivery, and social cohesionfor residentsandciti-

(d) Environmentalgovernance conference. Government and quasi-governmental agencieswill discusslegislation, monitoring, enforcement, fees and fines related to environmental protection. Local advocates, environmentalprofessionals,students and educatorswill bea allowed tosee thepresentations, and a panel will be held for questions. (Dr. Ancilleno Davis, @SciPerspective) (e) Transparencyconference.Government-ledconferencewithaseriesofpresentations on howto access governmentinformation invarious ministries. Discussion of thevarious elementsofthe Freedom of Information Act (Dr. AncillenoDavis, @SciPerspective)

Social Justice (a) MenstrualHealth and Hygiene.” This conference would connect Bahamians with manufacturers,service

zensinTheBahamas.Itwould provide aplatform forinterested andaffected stakeholders to discussmethod and process. (Aneesah Abdullah) (c) “Education Reform.” This conferencewould bring together key stakeholders to develop coordinated,evidence-based solutions to the mosturgent challengesinThe Bahamas. Withoutthis level of focus and collaboration, meaningful progressin this criticalarea willremainlimited. (Kendra Ferguson)

In addition to the recommended conference themes, one personsaid, Ialso want us to have conferences in churchhalls andcommunity centres or localparks so that we stophanding all ofthe tax payers’ money to foreign owned companies! Iwant us to believe in Bahamians.

What conferenceswould youliketoseeheld,delivering clear outcomes?

Longest line at Philadelphia airport? Waiting for cheesesteaks, not security

By TASSANEE VEJPONGSA and LEAH WILLINGHAM Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP)

Travelers passing through PhiladelphiaInternationalAirportonMonday may haveexpected longsecurity lines.But thelongest linewas madeofcheesesteaks.

Organizers saythey achieveda newGuinness World Record for the longest line of cheesesteak sandwiches, with1,291 lined up insidea departure hallto markNational Cheesesteak Day.The displayfar surpassedtheprevious benchmarkof 500 sandwiches.

“We went for the world record for the longest cheesesteak inhistory, said ClarenceLeJeune of MarketPlace PHL,a company thatoperates airport concessions. Todaywe ac-

complished that goal here in Philadelphia.

The cheesesteak,which originated in Philadelphia in theearly1900s,iswidelyconsidered the city's signature food. LeJeunecalled it synonymous with Philadelphia, alongside its sports culture.

People in black aprons assembled cheesesteaks along tables set up in the walkway between TerminalsB andC, filling rollsfrom silver buckets asthey movedpast storefronts.

After the recordwas certified, volunteers handed out the sandwichesto travelers, airport workers and Transportation Security Administration staff,who havebeen workingwithout pay during the government shutdown.

LeJeunejokedtherearefew hardrules forcheesesteaks, which is part of the beauty of the experience”— except, he said, You don task for Swiss cheese," referencing a 2003 moment whenthen-presiden-

Photo:

Here's how to recycle those old laptops, iPhones

By ALEXA ST. JOHN and KIKI SIDERIS Associated Press

MANY consumersare guilty of filling drawers or closets with old laptops, cell phones,fitness trackersand other electronic devices once they areno longerneeded. It's hard to know where to recycle thoseitems, orit seemscostly and inconvenient.

Theworld generates millions oftons ofelectronic waste also called e-waste eachyear.Accordingtothe United Nations'most recent estimate, people worldwide produced137 billionpounds (62million metrictons) ofewaste in 2022,and only about 22%ofit wasproperlyrecycled. TheEnvironmental ProtectionAgency estimatesthat lessthan aquarter ofe-waste is recycled in the U.S. each year. Keepinge-waste outof landfills isimportant because thedevices containmaterials thatcan harmtheenvironment.Electronics canalso contain precious metals and rare earths thatare hard to source, making recycling valuable to businesses.

Theway thatwe re creating andusing anddisposing of these devices has generated this completelyunsustainable waste stream,” said Rick Neitzel, an environmental health sciences professor at theUniversity ofMichigan. “And there’sno signsofthat abatingatall.Infact,thetrend continues to accelerate.”

Expertssay thatifmore consumersrecycle theirewaste, itcould evendrive down thecost ofsome electronics. Here are some tips. Why recycling e-waste is challenging but important While all recycling comes withchallenges, itisoften

more confusing torecycle ewastethan aplastic bottleor cardboardbox. Commoncontainers canbe recycledcurb sideor inpublicbins, butit often takes someresearch to figureoutwhere totakean electronic device.

Cardboardcomes inmany shapes and sizes, but at the end ofthe day, it sstill cardboard,” Neitzel said.

Electronics,on theother hand,canrange fromasmall earbud toa largerefrigerator, each withdifferent materials inside,hesaid.Recyclersneed tobeabletoextracteachcomponentand materialefficiently. That is a complex, energy-intensive andexpensive process.

But theefforts areworth it. Components suchas steel, aluminium, copper, gold, silver, plastics andeven glass, can be recoveredand reused, saidJohn Shegerian,founder of ElectronicRecyclers International. Keeping harmful materials out of landfillsis another incentive.

These electronics which could and have historicallyended upin ourlandfills orin otherinappropriate places can leakallthestuff that’scontained therewithin: Mercury, lead,cadmium, beryllium,arsenic. Allthese things arehorrible ifthey get into our environmental ecosystem, Shegerian said. Expertssay recoveringpreciousmetalsfromdevicesalso helpstheenvironmentbyloweringtheneedtominemoreof those resources.

Preparing yourdevice for recycling

Someconsumers maybe hesitant to recycledevices because ofthe personaldata stored on them. Experts say that inorder toprotect your

data,start witha factoryreset

not just deleting files.

Resetsrestore thedeviceto itsoriginal settingsandthoroughly remove data. It s importanttofollowthemanufacturer’s guidance,as eachdevice has different steps. Wiping an Androidphone, for example, requires different steps than wiping an iPhone. The Cyber Security and Infrastructure Agency provides guidance on data protection, including where to look for manufacturer instructions.

Even factory resets may leavetracesof data,sosome recyclerswillgo asfaras shreddinga device'shard drive andverify it'sbeen destroyed.What's leftgoes through the recycling process.

Some devicescan berefurbished and reused

Ifanitem isnewerandstill in workingcondition, manufacturers mayrefurbish and resell it.Some charitiesand recyclers canalso refreshdevices sothey can begiven to those in need.

Look for major electronics and computermanufacturers that allow for their old equipmenttobe shippedbackas part ofbuy-back offerings,or droppedoff atapartnering site. Apple,for example,offers acredit towarda future purchaseif yourtrade-inis current enough.Otherwise, theyprovidefreerecyclingfor older models.

SalvationArmy and Goodwill Industrieshave donation programs thataccept some used electronics, but it is important tocheck withyour store to findout exactly what they need. Consumers should avoid inundatingplaces with items that can t besold ordisposed of properly.

For devicesat theend of their life

Evenif adevicecan't berefurbished, manufacturersare

still a good first place to check, experts say.

“The manufacturers are where we want this stuff to endup becausetheyknow their products, they know best andmostefficientlyhowtorecycle them,” Neitzel said.

Retailers such as Best Buy and Staples accept devices big and small for recycling. Best Buywillalso haulawaytelevisions and larger appliances forafeewhennewmodelsare purchased, then work with electronics recyclers.

While localgovernments typically don'taccept electronics in curb side recycling, many havedrop-off locations that can be researched on their websites.

“Typically,if you’re droppingthemoff atagovernment-runelectronicwastecollection station,you canbe confidentin that,"Neitzel said.

Recycle Nationallows consumers to look specific items up and find locations in their zip codethat willtake those items.

Other mail-inoptions include Amazon and Waste Management. Consumerscan order boxes totheir home, fill themupwith theiritems,and ship it back.

Some programscharge smallfees. Somereturnsites, forexample, chargeafewdollar processing fee such as$5permonitor,orasetcost per the weight of returns or by the car-load if you drop off in person.

And even whena device can't be refurbished, recycling isimportant forthedomestic supply chain ofminerals and rare earths, saidTerence Musho, an associate professor of engineering atWest Virginia University.

He saidimproving themineral recovery process and boostingrecycling ratescan alsohelp consumersinanother way: It canalso potentially bringdown theprice of your future electronics.

AI-renderedVal Kilmerwillposthumously appear in a new film

By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer

NEW YORK(AP) A year after the actor's death, a generative AI versionof Val Kilmer will co-star in an independent film, in one of the boldest usesyet ofartificial intelligence in moviemaking. FirstLine Filmsannounced Wednesday that Kilmer has posthumously joined thecast of afilm titled As Deep asthe Grave. The producers saidthat, before his death,Kilmer had signedon toperform inthe moviebut wasunable tobecause of his health.

Kilmer's estate gave permissionfor his digital replication, and isbeing compensated for it.Mercedes Kilmer, the actor'sdaughter, saidthe roleresonated withher father.

KilmerdiedlastAprilattheageof65frompneumonia. In 2014, Kilmer was diagnosedwith throat cancer and required two tracheotomies. Afterlosing his natural speakingvoice,KilmerturnedtoanAIsoftwarecompany to digitalrecreate his voice.In his finalscreen performance, 2022's “Top Gun:Maverick,” Kilmer's voice was digitally altered.

OnlyFansowner LeonidRadvinsky diesof cancer at 43

By KAITLYN HUAMANI AP Technology Writer

LeonidRadvinsky,the billionaireownerofOnlyFans, the adultcontent platform,has diedfrom cancer,according to the company. He was 43.

Radvinskytransformed thepornography industrywith OnlyFans'subscription-based modelafter acquiringthe company that owns and operates the platform in 2018.

OnlyFansallows creatorstochargedirectly fortheir content.Whileitattracts somecelebrities,athletesand otherpublic figuresas awayto interactwith fansand monetize offof those interactions,it is largelyknown for its use by those making or seeking pornographic content.

Africa’s solar boom faces higher costs as China cuts export subsidies

By ALLAN OLINGO Associated Press

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) China s decision to end value-added tax rebates on solar panel exports and phase outincentivesformakingbatterystorageequipmentcould pushup thecostof solarinstallationsinAfrica, whichrelies heavily on imported Chinese technology. The changes, expected to take effect April 1 for solar panels and beginning next yearfor batteries,may complicate efforts to expandrenewable energy to closevast electricity gapsacross Africa,though expertssay theimpact likely will be manageable.

Africaalreadypayssignificantly moreforsolarequipmentthanotherregions becauseoftransportcosts, smaller import volumes and tariffs.

China'spolicychangereflectsbroadershiftsafterfierce competition among Chinese manufacturers pushed solar modulepricesto aslittleas$0.07perwatt in2025,from $0.25in 2022.Thathelped driveglobaladoption ofsolar energy, but left many companies with heavy losses. 3 mencharged with conspiringto smuggle US artificial intelligence to China

By

ated

LARRY NEUMEISTER and MICHAEL LIEDTKE Associ-

Press

NEWYORK (AP) A seniorvicepresident ofSuper MicroComputer Inc.andtwo othersaffiliatedwith thecompanywerechargedThursdaywithconspiringtosmugglebillionsofdollarsof computerserverscontainingadvanced Nvidia chips to China.

ThemenviolatedU.S. exportcontrolslawsbyscheming to divertmassive quantities of thehigh-performance servers assembled in theUnited States to Chinabetween 2024 and 2025,accordingtothe indictmentinManhattanfederal court.

In a release, FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. BarnacleJr.saidthe defendantsusedfabricateddocuments, stagedbogusequipmenttopassauditinventoriesandutilized apass-throughcompanytoconcealtheirmisconductandtrue clientele list.

Justices grapple with Trump reviving strict border asylum limits

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

THE Supreme Court grappled Tuesday with whether the Trump administration should be able to revive an immigration policy that has been used to turn back migrants seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border.

Some conservative justices seemed receptive to the Justice Department’s push to overturn a lower-court ruling against the practice known as metering. Immigration authorities limited the number of people who could apply for asylum, saying it was necessary to handle an increase at the border.

Advocates say the policy created a humanitarian crisis during President Donald Trump’s first term as people who were turned away settled in makeshift camps in Mexico as they waited for a chance to seek asylum.

The policy isn’t in place now, and Trump ordered a wider suspension of the asylum system at the start of his second term.

The administration, though, argues that metering remains a “critical tool” used under administrations from both parties, and should be available if necessary in the future.

Some justices seemed

open to that argument, though others raised questions about whether the policy would allow people who entered the country illegally to apply for asylum while new arrivals seeking legal entry at the border could be blocked.

“Why would Congress privilege someone who illegally enters the United States?” Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked. An attorney for the Trump administration maintained that people turned away one day could potentially come back later. “It’s saying our port is at capacity today, try again some other day,” said Vivek Suri, assistant to the solicitor general.

The Associated Press found thousands of immigrants on waiting lists when the policy was in place in 2019.

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, migrants who arrive in the US must be able to apply for asylum if they fear persecution in their home countries. The legal dispute at the heart of the metering case centres around the meaning of the words “arrive in.”

The Justice Department argues it means anyone who is in the United States already, so it doesn’t apply to people authorities stop on the Mexico side of the border. But immigration attorneys say the law has

Georgia could

long meant anyone who comes to a port of entry must be able to apply, and it should stay that way.

“This life saving protection and more importantly, access to it is enshrined in our laws and has been for decades now,” said Rebecca Cassler, an attorney for the American Immigration Council, after arguments.

Chief Justice John Roberts peppered an attorney for the migrants with questions on exactly where someone must be to claim asylum. But Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson suggested

that those questions are hard to answer when the policy isn’t being used.

“It just seems to me that we have a lot of hypotheticals regarding how this policy may have worked in the past, how it’s possibly going to work in the future, but we don’t have a policy in effect right now that we can actually rule on,” she said.

Metering was first used during President Barack Obama’s administration when large numbers of Haitians appeared at the main crossing to San Diego

become the first state with weapons detection in all public schools

By JEFF AMY Associated Press

GEORGIA could become the first state to require every student to be checked for weapons when arriving at a public school each day.

A bill is nearing passage that would require weapons detection systems in a further reaction to a 2024 school shooting that killed four.

“That rifle would have never reached our hallways,” said Daria Lezczynska, a junior at Apalachee High School in Winder, where the shooting took place. “Lives would have been saved. Families would not be grieving, Students like me would not be carrying this trauma.”

Some schools have long used metal detectors or required students to carry clear backpacks to cut down on weapons. But a new generation of technology marries computer analysis with cameras or the same electromagnetic fields as metal detectors to detect knives and guns. The systems have spread rapidly through schools, arenas, stadiums and hospitals.

“It’s very commonplace for me to walk through a weapons detection system when I enter into a courthouse,” said Chuck Efstration, the bill’s sponsor and Republican house majority leader who represents the Apalachee campus. “Georgia’s students and educators deserve similar security with weapons detection systems inside of every Georgia public school.”

There’s little rigorous research nationwide proving that weapons detectors prevent school shootings. In Georgia, there are questions about who will pay what can be $10,000 or more per system. School employees must staff checkpoints and search bags. And even supporters of the systems say searchers can become dulled by a multitude of false alarms and miss the few actual weapons. Some question whether weapons detectors are necessary in elementary schools, as Efstration’s bill mandates. And those who find Georgia’s gun

laws too permissive say installing weapons detectors everywhere is a form of surrender, accepting that society will be awash in guns and violence.

A Senate committee on Monday passed an amended version of Efstration’s bill, meaning it needs final votes in the Senate and House in the closing days of Georgia’s 2026 legislative session before reaching Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk for his signature or veto.

It’s unclear how many schools nationwide use weapons detectors. A US Department of Education survey found that in the 2021-2022 school year, 6.2% of all schools and 14.2% of high schools nationwide required random metal detector checks. Only 2.4% of all schools and 6.2% of high schools required daily metal detector checks. More schools required clear bookbags or banned bookbags than required daily metal detector checks. Checks were more likely to be required when a school was in a city, when the majority of students were nonwhite, and when large majorities of students were poor.

Atlanta’s school district spent more than $4 million to roll out new systems in 2021 in middle and high schools, replacing old-style metal detectors. District

Police Chief Ronald Applin said officials wanted something that students could move through more quickly, saying traditional detectors were “too cumbersome.”

Applin said guns found at Atlanta schools fell from 32 the year before the new system to four so far this year.

The 1,700 students at Midtown High School typically hold their laptops in the air as they pass through detection gates, with a computer screen telling employees whether a bag needs a secondary search.

“It’s not real adversarial at the metal detector,” said School Resource Officer Meredith Littles. “A lot of people get worried about the dynamics of what that looks like. But it’s very non-intrusive.”

One key question is how sensitive to make the system, said Nikita Ermolaev, a research engineer at IPVM, which tests and researches security technology. Too sensitive, and alarms go off for everything. Not sensitive enough, and weapons slip through. And trying to maintain vigilance is a challenge.

“You have 100 alarms and the first 99 of them are false alarms on laptops or binders, right? You’re naturally going to assume that the 100th alarm is also going to be on something benign,” Ermolaev said.

“And that’s how sometimes weapons such as guns or knives can go through the system.”

Then there’s the cost. Georgia gives each public school campus $50,000 a year for school safety, but many districts are already using that money to pay on-campus officers. House budget writers have proposed borrowing an additional $50 million for grants to districts.

“While we absolutely think weapons detection is imperative, it can only be made possible with appropriate funding,” said Gretchen Walton, an assistant superintendent in Cobb County, which with 103,000 students is Georgia’s second-largest school system.

Others, including some Democrats, see the focus on weapons detection as misplaced. They say Georgia should be looking to limit children’s access to guns.

“We have allowed guns and weapons of war to become more available than a pack of gum in this state, then act confused when people keep dying,” said Democratic state Rep. Bryce Berry, a public school teacher who voted against the bill in the House. “Let’s stop hiding behind procedure and politics and pretending that the threat our children face is some vague, mysterious force.”

federal law requiring officials to screen anyone who arrives at the border seeking asylum. A divided 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed her ruling, but nearly half of the judges on the full San Francisco-based appeals court voted to rehear the case, a strong signal that may have caught the justices’ attention.

People seeking refuge in the US are able to apply for asylum once they are on American soil, regardless of whether they came legally. To qualify, they have to show a fear of persecution in their own country because of specific reasons, such as their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.

from Tijuana, Mexico. It was expanded to all border crossings from Mexico during Trump’s first term in the White House.

The practice ended in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic led the government to greater restrictions on asylum-seekers. President Joe Biden formally rescinded the use of metering in 2021.

Also that year, US District Judge Cynthia Bashant, an Obama nominee, ruled that metering violated the migrants’ constitutional rights and a

Once people are granted asylum, they can’t be deported. They can work legally, bring immediate family into the country, apply for legal residency and eventually seek US citizenship.

The metering case is one of several immigration suits the court is considering this term, including Trump’s push to end birthright citizenship for babies born to people in the US illegally and the administration’s effort to strip legal protections for migrants fleeing from instability and armed conflict.

NTSB: Fire truck in LaGuardia crash lacked equipment needed to trigger runway warning system

NEW

YORK Associated Press

A RUNWAY warning system failed to sound an alarm moments before an Air Canada jet and a fire truck collided while the plane was landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, federal investigators said Tuesday.

National Transportation Safety Board chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said during a news conference that the system didn’t work as intended because the fire truck did not have a transponder.

While the NTSB hasn’t recommended that vehicles on airport grounds have transponders, they should, Homendy said.

“Air traffic controllers should know what’s before them, whether it’s on airport surface or in the airspace. They should have that information to ensure safety,” she said.

The plane carrying more than 70 people slammed into the fire truck while landing late Sunday night, killing the two pilots and injuring several passengers. Most, though, were able to escape the mangled aircraft, and a flight attendant still strapped in her seat survived after being thrown onto the tarmac.

Investigators don’t know yet whether the two people in the fire truck heard the control tower’s frantic, last-second warnings to stop before pulling into the plane’s path, Homendy said.

Homendy said NTSB investigators have not yet interviewed the firefighters or determined whether they braked or turned to avoid a collision. She said investigators also have not reviewed data from the flight data recorder.

Investigators also want to know more about the role of the air traffic controllers and what they were doing while juggling a late night emergency involving another plane. Homendy warned against jumping to conclusions.

“I would caution against pointing fingers at controllers and saying distraction was involved. This is a heavy workload environment,” she said.

There were two controllers on duty in the control tower at the time of the crash, which is typical for a late night shift, she said. Both controllers were early into the their shift when the crash happened.

One controller cleared the truck to cross the runway just 20 seconds before the collision, when the plane was a little more than 100 feet (30 meters) in the air, the NTSB found.

The crash came at a time of increasing frustration with air travel in the US, caused by long security lines because of the government shutdown, winter storms and rising costs.

While flights resumed Monday at LaGuardia — the New York region’s third busiest airport — the runway where the collision happened was still closed.

About one quarter of the airport’s flights were cancelled Tuesday, according to FlightAware.com, and there were significant delays averaging more than four hours. But it did not appear the cancellations were spilling over to other airports around the US

The wreckage from the crash remained on the closed runway, which is likely to stay shut down for days during the investigation, Homendy said. Investigators need to sift through a lot of debris, she said. Authorities recovered the plane’s cockpit and flight data recorders by cutting a hole in the aircraft’s roof.

There were 72 passengers and four crew members aboard the Jazz Aviation flight that originated in Montreal and was operating on behalf of Air Canada, according to the airline. About 40 people, including the two from the fire truck, were taken to hospitals. Some suffered serious injuries, but by Monday morning, most had been released, and others walked away without needing treatment.

The pilot and copilot who died in the first fatal crash at LaGuardia in 34 years were both based out of Canada, said Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport.

Department of Immigration repatriates 116 Haitian nationals

THE Department of Immigration’s Deportation and Removal Units successfully executed deportation orders today, resulting in the repatriation of 116 Haitian nationals to Cap-Haitien, Haiti.

The repatriated group consisted of 79 adult males, 33 adult females, and four minors.

The group departed from the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) at 10:57 a.m. aboard a Bahamasair flight. The Department confirmed that all standard health and safety protocols were strictly observed throughout the process to ensure the well-being of both the deportees and the escorting officers. This morning’s exercise is part of the Department’s ongoing enforcement activities aimed at ensuring strict compliance with the immigration laws and regulations of The Bahamas.

The Department of Immigration remains firmly committed to upholding the laws of the country and relies on community partnership to assist in these efforts.

Women Walk Bahamas holds second annual event

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net

AT an age when most teenagers are still figuring out their next step, Sean Christopher Kennedy Jr is stepping into authorship with a clear message for his generation; slow down, look inward and rethink what it truly means to lead.

The 18-year-old educator and youth leader is preparing to release two books, Identity: Called to Serve, Not to Shine and If You’re Too Big to Serve, You’re Too Small to Lead. Both works are rooted in his ongoing efforts to guide young people towards purpose, discipline and self-awareness, drawing from his own experiences within education and mentorship spaces.

Sean said the inspiration behind the books emerged from what he has observed among his peers, as well as his own personal journey.

“I began to notice a pattern among young people. Many are talented, gifted, and full of potential, but they are lost when it comes to identity and purpose. They are being influenced by a world that promotes visibility over value, recognition over responsibility, and performance over purpose,” he said.

That disconnect, he explained, became the driving force behind his first book, which challenges young people to reconsider how they define themselves in a world that often rewards attention over substance.

“Identity: Called to Serve, Not to Shine speaks to the internal

struggle of trying to be seen, trying to fit in, and trying to meas ure up. I wanted to redirect that thinking and help young people understand that their calling is not about being in the spotlight, but about fulfilling purpose through service,” said Sean.

His second book, If You’re Too Big to Serve, You’re Too Small to Lead, shifts the focus to lead ership, questioning common ideas around status and author ity. Rather than positioning leadership as something to attain, the young author frames it as a responsibility that must be earned through action.

While the titles stand on their own, Sean sees both books as part of a wider mission. His work across education and youth initiatives, including his role at Southern College and his involvement in mentorship programmes, centres on shap ing individuals from within.

“Everything I do through Southern College, Brain Train Christian Univer sity, Atlantic High School and the Kingdom Build ers Foundation is centred on build ing leaders from the inside out. I am not just trying to produce successful individuals; I am building grounded, purpose-driven leaders who under stand identity, responsibility, and service,” said Sean.

Across both books, the consist ent message that

Young

author turns focus to purpose

“You must understand who you are before you can lead, and you must be willing to serve before you can truly lead others,” he said.

He also challenges the idea that visibility equals impact, noting that meaningful work is not always seen.

“Being seen does not always mean you are impactful. Sometimes the most powerful work happens in places where there is no recognition,” said Sean.

The Bahamian author’s writing style is shaped by lived experience rather than theory. He points to his own academic turnaround, from struggling in school to graduating as salutatorian, as a

“My approach to writing is very honest and experience-driven. I do not write from a place of theory alone. I understand what it feels like to be behind, to feel pressure, and to have to rebuild yourself. Because of that, my storytelling is direct.”

defining period that continues to influence how he communicates.

“My approach to writing is very honest and experience-driven. I do not write from a place of theory alone. I understand what it feels like to be behind, to feel pressure, and to have to rebuild yourself. Because of that, my storytelling is direct,” said Sean. The process of writing, however, came with its own demands. Maintaining consistency and confronting personal truths proved to be some of the more difficult aspects of bringing the books to life.

“Writing a book requires consistency even on days when you do not feel motivated. I had to push myself to stay committed to the process,” said Sean. He added that openness was equally challenging, as it required him to reflect honestly on his own development. Sean said there were moments where he had to reflect deeply and be honest about his struggles, growth, and mindset.

Although his primary audience is young people, Sean is intentional about reaching a wider group, including those who play a role in shaping the next generation.

“I also want educators, parents, and leaders to read them. If we are going to develop the next generation properly, it requires understanding from all sides. Ultimately, I want transformation, not just inspiration. Inspiration is temporary, but transformation creates lasting impact,” said Sean. The writing process has also had a personal effect, prompting him to examine his own approach to leadership, faith and growth. Sean said it reinforced his understanding of leadership as responsibility rather than recognition, while also strengthening his sense of purpose and discipline.

He is now preparing to officially introduce both titles at a launch event scheduled for June 13 at Pilgrim Baptist Temple Hall, beginning 7:30 pm.

“The Grand Launch will be a full experience that brings together purpose, leadership, and impact. This night will also mark the official launch of our non-profit organisation, The Kingdom Builders Foundation. The vision is to create a moment where literature meets movement,” said Sean.

For Sean, the books are only the beginning of a larger effort to influence how young people see themselves and their future.

“The goal is simple; not just to release books, but to launch a purpose,” said Sean.