03262026 NEWS

THURSDAY

123 No. 86, Thursday, March 26, 2026

SENIOR POLICE OFFICER

CHARGED WITH MURDER

Superintendent remanded over American’s murder as the US Embassy offers FBI assistance

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A SENIOR police officer appeared in court in ankle cuffs yesterday, charged with the murder of a 31-year-old American man outside a West Bay Street bar.

Prosecutors allege Superintendent Berneil Pinder, 54, shot and killed Cody Castillo as he drove a white Ford truck belonging to the Pike Corporation following an incident at Da Plantation Bar & Grill before 6pm on March 21. Pinder was off duty at the time. Castillo was shot in the chest through the side window of the vehicle. He was found lying on his stomach outside the truck in a pool of blood and pronounced dead at the scene. Castillo, of Huntsville, Texas, leaves behind a wife who is four months pregnant. In a rare move, US

Exuma hit-and-run victim dies after hour-long wait

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A 29-YEAR-OLD man died after waiting nearly an hour for an ambulance following a hit-and-run in Exuma, with his family questioning whether the delay cost him his life. Police said Deno Rolle was struck by an unidentified vehicle shortly after 6.20pm Tuesday while riding west along Queen’s Highway near Hooper’s Bay. He was thrown from the borrowed motorcycle and suffered severe head and knee injuries. His sister, Lakesha Rolle,

PINTARD SAYS FNM WOULD PROVIDE INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT OF POLICE FORCE

Mother identifies body of her missing son

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A MOTHER who travelled from Exuma to New Providence to search for her missing son learned yesterday at the morgue that he had been murdered and dead for days. Alice Adderley said she

LOCAL AIRLINES WARN OF 10 PERCENT FARE HIKE AMID SURGING AVIATION FUEL COSTS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN aviation operators yesterday warned travellers to brace for an up to 10 percent hike in air fares due to surging fuel costs with these increases set to be introduced “uniformly” by all carriers to prevent “making a mess of the marketplace”. Anthony Hamilton, president of the Bahamas Association of Air Transport Operators, told Tribune Business that the sector is forecasting an initial 55-60 percent jump in aviation fuel costs with local privately-owned carriers waiting for Bahamasair to

its ticket prices before they follow suit with similar rises. He explained that the industry’s “conventional practice” has been for all carriers to adjust air fares at the same time, and by similar magnitudes, so as to prevent price “gouging” by rogue operators seeking

flew in after relatives urged her to check whether a body found off Carmichael Road matched her 23-year-old son, Cameron Munnings, who had not been seen since Thursday. “I came straight here from the airport,” she said. Police said the body

Plane runs off runway after emergency Mayaguana landing

AN aircraft with two people on board ran off the runway after an emergency landing at Mayaguana Airport yesterday, authorities said.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority said the Piper PA-46, registered in the United States as N46MB,

was en route to Exuma International Airport from Puerto Rico when the pilot reported engine trouble to air traffic control shortly before 1pm.

The pilot diverted to Mayaguana, but after landing, the aircraft exited the runway and came to rest in bushes near the runway

Relatives plead for the unidentified hit-and-run driver to surrender

said she and their mother arrived at the scene to find him unresponsive.

“He was there lying on the floor, just pouring blood,” she said, adding that her brother didn’t own his own bike and rarely rode. “Someone was there, holding his head and just telling him to keep calm but he wasn’t moving.”

Family members said they could not move him because of the severity of his injuries. They waited close to an hour for an ambulance.

He was taken to the Exuma Healthcare Facility and died around 11pm while awaiting airlift to New Providence.

“They did everything they could have done to assist him,” she said. “The

air ambulance didn’t take long. It’s just that it is what it is. But the service at the clinic was good. It’s just the ambulance took a long time to get him there.” Residents in Exuma have repeatedly raised concerns about access to healthcare, particularly ambulance response times. Free National Movement candidate for Exumas and Ragged Island Debra Moxey Rolle said the delay demands action.

“Fifty eight minutes,” she said. “No family in Exuma should have to endure standing by while a loved one remains in critical condition, waiting nearly an hour for help to arrive.”

She said longstanding problems with emergency response remain unresolved.

Ms Rolle said an ambulance should be permanently stationed on the island to improve response times.

She also said there have been no leads in identifying the driver and questioned why the person left the scene.

“You should have stopped to see the person is okay,” she said. “If it wasn’t intentional, turn yourself in, just face the consequences.”

Rolle was the youngest of six siblings. His sister said their last conversation was about him attending his nephew’s PTA meeting on Monday because she could not go. He had worked as a boat captain for nearly 11 years. Relatives fondly remembered an incident where he previously saved a tourist from drowning.

Relatives overcome with emotion after identifying the missing 23-year-old at morgue

Man shot dead while working on car outside South Beach home

A 33- YEAR-OLD man was shot dead outside his home Tuesday night in South Beach, police said. Officers were called to Ruthland Avenue shortly after 8pm by an anonymous caller reporting gunfire. When they arrived, they found the victim lying in front of a white Honda, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency Medical Services examined him at the scene but found no signs of life.

Police said the man had been outside his residence doing mechanical work on a vehicle when a dark-coloured Japanese-made car approached. The occupants opened fire, fatally wounding him.

MORGUE from page one

of a man was discovered shortly after 11am Friday in a bushy area off Opulent Drive. The discovery was made by a woman picking fruits. Officers found the victim with visible gunshot wounds to the upper body. He was described as wearing a white shirt and black pants, with dreadlocks.

Ms Adderley said she had not expected to find her son at the morgue, but relatives suggested she check after a news report described a deceased man matching his appearance. Relatives who accompanied her were overcome with grief, walking out in tears after identifying the body.

Ms Adderley described her son as quiet and reserved, keeping to himself and a small group of friends.

“My son, he had his ways, but he was very quiet,” she said. “He was a very quiet person; he doesn’t go far. The only person he usually be around is his friends, and the sad thing about it is, since this incident happened, his friends has been nowhere to be seen.”

She said he lived with a relative in Kool Acres off Joe Farrington Road and would not normally travel to the area where his body was found unless he had a reason.

She said that raises questions about how he ended up there, adding: “That’s most definitely intentional.”

Ms Adderley said she had not yet told her six other children about his death.

“It’s so rough,” she said. “The family, they’re so close. We make it our business to spend Christmas, summers, Easter, or whatever holiday, we will try to get together. It’s really hard right now.”

She said she found no comfort after seeing his body.

PHA admits failure in care of deaf patient as minister warns of possible law breach

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@

tribunemedia.net

THE Public Hospitals Authority has admitted it fell short in its care of a deaf patient at Princess Margaret Hospital, while Health Minister Dr Michael Darville said the allegations, if true, breached the law.

The response follows

The Tribune’s reporting of the case of Ginika Gibson, a culturally deaf patient who was reportedly unable to communicate effectively with healthcare providers or understand her treatment after a car accident and was initially denied access to her interpreter.

“I read in one of the dailies with great concern about a disabled patient at the Princess Margaret Hospital who was denied a sign language interpreter while receiving medical care,” Dr Darville said in the House of Assembly yesterday. “If these allegations are true, this is certainly a violation of the Persons with Disabilities Act, and the PHA must address this matter with a sense of urgency.”

“I assure the general public that this not a Ministry of Health and

Wellness policy at any of our healthcare institutions. After preliminary investigations, the PHA has released a press statement clearly outlining their findings, and I encourage every Bahamian to read it.”

For its part, the PHA apologised and said the expected standard of care was not met.

“We extend our sincere apology to the patient and her family for the distress and frustration caused,” the PHA said. “We strive to ensure open and effective communication with every patient entrusted to our care. We regret that, in this instance, that standard was not fully met.

“Upon becoming aware of the matter, senior management intervened to assess the situation and ensure that the patient received the appropriate support and attention. Immediate steps were taken to address the concerns raised and to reinforce communication protocols within the care team,” the statement read.

The authority added: “We always pursue opportunities to improve our service; the need to strengthen how we support accessible communication and

consistently uphold patient autonomy. Access to clear communication is not optional; it is fundamental to safe, dignified, and effective care.”

The incident has prompted discourse about accessibility in healthcare, particularly for deaf and hard-ofhearing patients.

According to the Bahamas National Asso ciation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Ms Gibson’s request for a qualified sign language interpreter was initially denied, with communication instead routed through her next of kin despite her being a competent adult.

Interpreter Tamiko Brown said she faced resistance from hospi tal staff and was first told her services were unnecessary. When she later gained access to Ms Gibson, she said the patient was in pain, confused and unaware she was receiving medication through an IV.

The group said between three and five percent of the population is deaf or hard of hearing, warning that many could face similar barriers

Government to lift mask mandate in hospitals on April 1

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@

tribunemedia.net

MAN-

DATORY mask-wearing in healthcare facilities will end on April 1, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said, calling the change a “long time coming.”

The association warned that failures like this undermine informed consent and increase the risk of misdiagnosis and improper treatment, stressing that interpreters are essential in healthcare settings.

not addressed. Under the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act, people with disabilities are entitled to equal access to healthcare and information in accessible formats, and the denial of reasonable accommodation, including interpreter services, is considered discrimination.

Dr Darville told the House of Assembly the government will lift the requirement through the Health Services COVID-19 (General Amendment) Rules 2026, revoking Rule Nine of the 2021 regulations in line with national policy and guidance from the Pan American Health Organization.

“I must admit that this ruling was a long time coming,” Dr Darville said. “But in the abundance of

cautions coming out of the pandemic and the increased instances of flu like viruses, the programme maintained and finally, we are today where the mask mandate would be lifted.”

People will no longer be required to wear face masks when entering hospitals and clinics, though they may choose to do so. The mandate dates back to emergency measures introduced in 2020, when the government required face coverings in public spaces alongside social distancing to curb the spread of COVID-19. In September 2022, Prime Minister Philip Davis eased those rules, removing mask requirements in most settings. The requirement remained in place for healthcare facilities, senior care homes and certain indoor environments.

Since then, mask-wearing has largely been confined to hospitals and clinics until this latest amendment removes the final restriction.

Walker offers FBI support in American’s murder investigation

international attention.

Ambassador Herschel Walker revealed yesterday he has offered the Royal Bahamas Police Force the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

Pinder, dressed in a dark suit instead of his customary superintendent’s khaki uniform, stood silently as the murder charge was read before acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans. He was not required to enter

a plea. Family members were present in court. The matter will proceed to the Supreme Court by way of a voluntary bill of indictment. Pinder was advised of his right to apply for bail in the higher court and was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. He returns to court on July 25 for service of the VBI.

Cassie Bethel and Ian Cargill represented him. Inspector Deon Barr prosecuted. The case has drawn

US Ambassador Herschel Walker in a statement to the press, said yesterday: “I am pleased to see the government of The Bahamas has moved to bring murder charges against the police officer accused of shooting an American citizen this weekend.

“The United States Embassy remains focused on ensuring justice in this case and has offered assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to support the Royal Bahamas Police

Force in its investigation.

“My team and I have been in contact with the family of the victim, and our prayers are with them. Our prayers are also with the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the family of the suspect.

“The protection and wellbeing of American citizens will always be the highest priority of any Embassy, and we will continue to seek justice in this case, and all cases where our citizens have been the victims of crime.”

Pintard challenges Davis over independent police oversight

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Move-

ment leader Michael Pintard said he is prepared to provide independent oversight of the police force, pressing the government to act on what he described as deeper problems in the administration of justice.

His comments come as police face heightened scrutiny following two fatal shootings involving off-duty officers within hours of each other and the circulation of videos showing officers in controversial situations.

Mr Pintard said the national discussion should move beyond immediate reactions and address structural weaknesses.

“There are bigger issues relative to making sure there’s a proper

administration of justice, and so we want the prime minister to get back on the big issues,” he said.

“The big issues are — are you prepared to provide independent oversight of the police force? We are. Are you prepared to make sure that the conditions under which they work, including insurance and gratuities that are owed to them, that you are dealing with them?”

He argued that accountability must extend across the public sector, questioning whether the government is willing to confront misconduct more broadly.

“I don’t believe he’s up to that task, nor is he committed to it,” Mr Pintard said.

When The Tribune contacted Mr Pintard for

further details on how he would ensure independent oversight of the police force if the FNM is elected to power, he said he would address the matter in a statement later this week.

In 2024, Mr Pintard told reporters: “The police cannot investigate itself.”

Questions about oversight are not new. The Police Complaints Inspectorate, a civilian body established in 2009 to review the work of the Complaints and Corruption Branch, has long faced concerns about its effectiveness. United States human rights reports have repeatedly pointed to limited

public information about the body, while a former chairperson, Tanya McCartney, said it lacks the operational capacity to carry out its mandate and called for a dedicated secretariat.

The issue has also been tied to broader reform efforts. The Independent Commission of Investigations Bill, passed after a US federal indictment alleged corruption among Bahamian law enforcement, was intended to place investigations of serious misconduct by security forces and public officials under a single independent authority. The status of the body is unknown.

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Two-tiered justice at work?

IN October, The Tribune reported on an unusual court case, one that a senior attorney went so far as to describe as “highly irregular and unlawful” in its outcome.

The case saw a man arrested and charged with 27 firearm-related charges, including possession of an unlicenced firearm with intent to supply, possession of ammunition with intent to supply, possession of an unlicenced firearm, possession of an unlicenced shotgun, possession of ammunition and possession of component parts of firearms.

This came after officers raided a vessel belonging to the man. Initially, he told police he only had two guns – before the police found eight weapons in a safe and the other guns in a closet.

What made it unusual was that in most circumstances this would have led to a prison sentence – a mandatory prison term, in fact. For the man in question, it did not. He was fined $1.4m instead at Magistrates Court, despite a 2021 Court of Appeal ruling that magistrates had no authority to impose non-custodial sentences for firearm offences.

The guns were found on the man’s yacht at Bimini – and the man, an American, got to pay a fine rather than go to jail.

The case prompted plenty of comment from people wondering if Bahamians were not getting the same treatment from the legal system as foreigners. The sentence came about through a plea deal, but questions were raised as to whether Bahamians would get the same deal.

The case of the American man shot and killed by an off-duty police officer that has dominated the headlines this week yesterday resulted in that officer being charged with murder.

Again, concerns have been raised as to whether cases involving foreigners, in both cases Americans, are treated differently from cases involving Bahamians.

The US Embassy rightly called for there to be no delays in justice in the case of the American man, Cody Castillo, who was shot and killed.

That was followed by comments from Prime Minister Philip Davis saying that a badge was no protection from the law.

The speed with which this case has progressed from the initial incident stands in stark contrast to some other notable cases.

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting on Saturday, police said that the officer fired after a man drove a vehicle in a threatening manner, and with the officer fearing for his life.

Despite the police providing that description, the officer has now been charged with murder.

Early on Monday, another fatal shooting by police took place, on Village Road, this time of a Bahamian, the third fatal shooting this year by an off-duty officer.

Contrast the reaction to the shooting of Cody Castillo to the reaction in that Village Road shooting.

More than that, consider the case of Azario Major. Azario Major was killed in 2021, shot in his car outside a bar on Fire Trail Road on Boxing Day, December 26.

A prolonged campaign for justice from his family finally resulted in a coroner’s court ruling of homicide by manslaughter.

Three officers were subsequently accused of the killing – but in September last year, the officers were seeking a trial before a judge alone, more than two years after the coroner’s ruling. A trial date has been set for June 1 this year, with an alternative trial date of March 2027 if that date cannot proceed.

Years have passed since Azario was shot and killed, and justice does not seem to be moving at the same pace as Saturday’s shooting.

There was no wait for a coroner’s ruling in the shooting of Cody Castillo, moving directly to a murder charge instead.

This has led to concerns that we have an unequal justice system, where Bahamians are not treated the same as foreigners.

To be clear, the speed of justice in this shooting case is what we should be seeing. The offer of resources from the US Embassy to help investigators is welcome. The only problem is that we should be seeing this for all cases, whether the victims are American, Bahamian or any other nationality.

We should also be clear about one other thing – the officer accused of the deadly shooting, Superintendent Berneil Pinder, is innocent until proven guilty, just as with any other suspect in any case. The speed to bring the case is welcome, but only if it does not rush the evidence gathering and risk a faulty case – one that could see a murderer walk free or an innocent man be jailed.

Notably, the US Embassy’s statement not only offered prayers to the family of the victim, but also to the police force itself and to the family of the suspect. That is fair, thoughtful, and welcome.

The courts will now proceed to establish the guilt or innocence of the officer accused in this case. Their role in this matter is unchanged from any other case.

But how we got here, how the police initially handled the explanation of the shooting, and how that transformed in just a few days to become a murder charge, is remarkable in contrast to shootings involving Bahamians. Skipping past a prolonged coroner’s court case in itself is a significant difference from a number of other cases.

Do we have a two-tier justice system, as some fear? The goal must be to ensure that justice is equal for all. The urgency and focus brought to bear on this case should apply in all cases.

Has the embassy’s advocacy for justice ensured the matter has been handled with the appropriate urgency? It is hard to argue that is not the case. But who are the advocates for the appropriate urgency in other cases?

Bahamians must not ever be in a position where they feel they receive second-rate treatment in their own country. That is the fear when it comes to any perception of preferential treatment to others.

There are other questions that this case, along with the Village Road shooting, bring to the fore – questions about non-violent solutions, questions about off-duty officers carrying guns, questions about the initial explanations of such shootings from police, all that and more. It will be interesting indeed to see if those questions are treated with just as much urgency from the Village Road shooting.

Desperation politics on display

EDITOR, The Tribune.

WHILE some may characterise it as normal election politics, or electioneering, Desperation Politics we believe would be a more appropriate description for what we are now witnessing, to a degree not seen in this country for a while!

With the weight of history upon him, the prime minister is pulling out all of the stops to ensure that his Progressive Liberal Party wins a second consecutive term, not achieved since Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham did it in the years 1992 – 2002.

Every other day there is chest thumping about some initiative that this government swears will make The Bahamas an even more wonderful place than it already is. Like manna from heaven, the projects seem to be falling from the sky. Even the prime minister’s long suffering constituents in Cat Island can now boast of having a new airport (at Arthur’s town but not yet officially opened) and wonder of wonders, spanking newly paved roads, although not the entire island.

Here in the capital, there will be no VAT on uncooked food as of April 1st, says the prime minister as merchants, especially food stores like Super Value, are tearing their hair out scrambling to meet the deadline while some financial experts say the initiative is counterproductive.

But wait, the much touted golden yolk egg program is set to begin production next month after being almost comatose since its grand ground breaking three years ago.

The minister of education touts the imminent opening of The Bahamas Polytechnic and Accreditation Hub…that’s the old Bahamas Academy site on Wulff Road and one of the forever projects the PLP is famous for. Think the Ministry of Tourism building on

George Street and the 15 years it took to complete that renovation.

And would you know it, forget the war in Iran and its impact on the price of oil, Prime Minister Davis says he guarantees there will be no undue increase in BPL bills. Of course “undue” can be quite a subjective word.

We would not want to miss the new subdivision off St Vincent Road, the roads that have been paved all across New Providence and the parks that have been cleaned. And the deficit of $342 million? No worries, by the end of the year there will be a $75 million surplus! Not to be left out are those wonderful straw vendors who, after enduring the privation of having to set up on Ft Charlotte where their goods were allegedly stolen almost weekly, will now relocate to newly refurbished digs at Ft Fincastle, and…electricity for the Potters Cay vendors. Man you can’t beat this with a stick! However we should note that this will not automatically mean smooth sailing for a government that trips over itself on a daily basis. Remember there is no Grand Lucayan Hotel; no Grand Bahama airport; weekly horror stories of death and devastation at the Princess Margaret Hospital; fights with the unions, most of them; No FOIA; the Exuma Moorings; the $185 million road in West End; maximum secrecy on too many transactions and who is selling passports? On the other side, Mr Pintard, the prime minister in waiting, had a big shindig on Saturday night at the Baha Mar convention center, auditioning for the new job and showcasing his new team for the 2026 election as he

hopes to deny prime minister Davis his fondest wish; that elusive second consecutive term!

What started as amateur hour proved to be a pretty solid presentation with six teams of three candidates each and a dynamic address from Mr Pintard, telling the public what to expect from a FNM government.

One long time politico called Pintard’s speech the best political speech he has heard in the last 50 years. High praise indeed, given that Sir Lynden and Sir Cecil lived here! There were some nuggets from the presentations: On corruption, “you will not be protected”; Immigration, “If you come into The Bahamas illegally there is no way you can become a citizen”; Healthcare, a new hospital built above the present PMH and a new Rand Hospital; NHI to include catastrophic coverage; VAT rebates for qualifying seniors and first time home buyers and $ 100 million to encourage entrepreneurs.

Undoubtedly some bright spots that will need to be burnished by a massive turnout of the FNM faithful and Independents, in numbers not seen since 1992, in order to ensure an FNM victory.

Credit goes to the leader of the opposition for not falling prey to what we call the Perry Christie disease. He has a penchant for indulging in high flown rhetoric that sometimes borders on lecturing the Bahamian people which could backfire. We believe he struck the right tone on Saturday night, electrifying a crowd hungry for what he was selling. However we shall see, as soon as the man who thirteen years ago decried “the ability of one man to hold a country hostage by being the only one to know the date of the general election,” rings the bell! ED MURROW II Nassau, March 22, 2026.

PM defends GB Power buyout as Pintard warns of ‘blank check’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

GOVERNMENT plans to take control of the Grand Bahama Power Company faced pushback in the House of Assembly yesterday, with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis arguing the move could bring relief from high electricity costs and Opposition Leader Michael Pintard warning it carries serious risks.

The exchange came as MPs debated two borrowing resolutions totalling $280m to fund the proposed purchase of all ordinary voting shares in the utility and provide additional operational support. The measures were among five brought to the House.

Union protests over UB pay, demands president’s removal

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter

PROTESTORS gath-

ered outside the House of Assembly yesterday as public service union members pressed the government to intervene in a long-running salary dispute at the University of the Bahamas, with union president Kimsley Ferguson accusing university officials of failing to honour agreed pay adjustments.

Mr Ferguson said about 350 non-academic employees and their families remain on outdated salary scales dating back to the College of the Bahamas era, with promised reviews and merit payments still outstanding.

"These people cannot still be surviving on a scale from 2008," he said, adding that workers have been given a "runaround". "These folks have been owed everything from 2019."

He called on Prime Minister Philip Davis to intervene and urged the removal of University of the Bahamas president Dr Robert Blaine and board chair Allyson Maynard Gibson.

"Being a lawyer, think she understands the repercussions and ramifications of having a disregard for a legal binding document," Mr Ferguson said. "Please remove Dr Robert Blaine if he does not intend to grab the bull by the horn and advance the premier tertiary institution in this country."

He said a salary review expected around 2023

remains incomplete and that merit-based payments dating back to 2019 are unresolved. The delays, he said, have stalled negotiations on a new industrial agreement.

“We have not gotten to the table after presenting proposed industrial agreement to the University of Bahamas and the additional unresolved grievances that we would have had,” he said. “We have been advised that until the salary review is completed, we would be unable to get to the table.”

He said the union filed a trade dispute over merit pay with the Industrial Tribunal and that the matter has remained unresolved since 2019.

“We want to make certain that whatever funding is left available, that the people that we represent can be captured in that funding and receive what we’re not begging for, anything we’re demanding what we’ve agreed to on behalf of the people that we do represent,” he said.

The university said it continues to meet contractual obligations, including annual increments, and that merit payments “have commenced and are ongoing.” It also said the firm conducting the salary review is awaiting information from the union.

Mr Ferguson rejected the university’s position, calling it "inaccurate", "untrue" and "a total fabrication".

He also criticised restrictions on the union’s engagement with Deloitte & Touche, saying the union wants to raise questions during presentations

rather than submit them in advance.

"We do not want to frame questions and send them ahead of us," he said. “We empathetically stated to the University of The Bahamas that we want to be able to ask Deloitte and Touche whatever questions arise based on their presentation."

He warned the protest would not be the last.

“There’s going to be continued industrial action today, maybe a short stint, but we will be back until such time as these issues and concerns are addressed,” he said.

Some protesters said delays stretch back years.

"Since 2015, the BPSU was trying to get a meeting with the president, and since then we have not gotten our agreement done yet. We haven't gotten a timeline," one protester said. "From 2016 up to today, it's time for us to get it, our benefits along with our money."

Another said workers feel overlooked despite years of service.

"It's us who are the backbone of the institution from the College of The Bahamas, from then to now, and they still don't even acknowledge us," the protester said. "We need our merit pay. A lot of us have not gotten our merit pay. I've sent emails and got no response at all."

Mr Ferguson later told members he spoke with the prime minister, who said he had made inquiries after earlier demonstrations and was awaiting further clarification on the matter.

The debate unfolded amid uncertainty about the deal. GBPC’s owner, Emera, told Tribune Business the transaction is still only an “option”, despite ongoing discussions and the signing of a memorandum of understanding earlier this year.

Nonetheless, Mr Davis said the acquisition is part of a wider effort to address longstanding energy issues on Grand Bahama, pointing to high costs, reliance on diesel and ageing, inefficient generators.

He compared electricity rates between Bahamas Power and Light and GBPC, saying BPL customers using between 351 and 800 kilowatt hours pay 11.95 cents per kilowatt hour, compared to 22.87 cents in Grand Bahama. For

usage above 800 kilowatt hours, he said BPL charges 14.95 cents, while GBPC charges 27.31 cents.

“Again, almost double,” Mr Davis said. He argued the government should not stand by while residents continue to pay more and wait longer for relief.

“The choice before us is simple,” he said. “Do we side with Grand Bahama, or do we side with the burden Grand Bahama has been carrying?”

Mr Pintard, however, said the government is asking Parliament to approve funding without providing key details about the deal.

“They love to ask us to sign a blank check without laying out the case on what justifies it and how the money will specifically be

used,” he said. “The conclusion we’ve reached is simple - the public pays while the PLP gambles.” He questioned the company's value, its liabilities, the proposed tariff structure, and whether $280m would be enough to complete the plan.

Mr Pintard also called for details on how the utility would be run, what performance standards would apply and what safeguards would prevent political interference.

“Not one of these questions have been answered,” he said.

He said the opposition supports changes to the company’s leadership and ownership, but does not support the Davis administration taking control of GBPC.

Is this the end of Pax Americana?

Author: public comments hint at waning US influence in modern world

THERE has been a slight uptickin recentdaysand weeks of akind of doomsday inevitability surrounding the growingfeelingthatweareall living throughthe endof an American-influenced and even dominated era in the historyofourworld.Someofitis fedbythebehaviouroftheUS president.

Does this make sense?

In recentdays, Trumphas reinforcedthe impressionthat heisalmostalwaysabletotop any previous outrageous antics with something new and even more startling.

Latelast week,duringa visit tothe WhiteHouse by Japan’sPrime MinisterSanae Takaichi, the first woman ever to holdthat job,there were high expectationsin Tokyo that the meetingwould offer her a chanceto influence

Trumpbefore hismuch-anticipated summitmeeting with Chinese Prime Minister Xi Jinping.China’srelationswith Japan have soured recently, and Takaichi reportedly aimed toremindTrumpoftheimportance of the US-Japan alliance and the need forboth to push back againstany aggressive Chinese measures.

Trump’s summit with Xi has since been postponed. Since the US and Japan havebeen trans-Pacificallies fornearly 80years, seniorUS and Japanese officials have tendedto avoidanythingbut verycareful publiccomments about Japan sDecember 1941 sneak attackon American forcesat PearlHarbor thatessentially forced theUS to enter World War II. Naturally, therewas confusion and unease on Saturday

inJapan afterTrump,with Takaichi sittingright nextto him, casually used the World WarII attacktojustify hissecrecy before launching the war against Iran.

When he was asked by a Japanese reporterwhy he didn t giveAmerican alliesin Europe and Asia advance noticeabout theUS attackon Iran, Trump citedthe Pearl Harborraidtodefendhisdecision. He said, as cameras rolled and microphones recorded, “Whoknows better aboutsurprise thanJapan? Why didn t youtell me about Pearl Harbor, OK?

Another uniquely Trump moment. In response,and in the finest traditionsof Asian inscrutability, the Japanese prime minister s faceremained steadfastly immobile. But the president’sremark hit all the newsshows and swamped the internet.

Another Trump remark madewavesonSaturday,after the president learnedof the death of formerFBI director Robert Mueller,a towering Washingtonfigurefordecades who served both Republican and Democraticpresidents, butwhoalsoledtheinvestigationduring Trump’s first term of allegedRussian influence intippingthe balanceofthe close 2016 presidential election toward Trump. Trump was seemingly unable to feel any forgiveness for Mueller s investigation evenafterMueller sdeath.On Saturday,the president posted onTruth Social: “Good, I’m glad he’s dead.He canno longer hurt innocent people! You can chuckle at Trump s unhesitating impulsivity,or you can decry his behaviour as asupreme embarrassment to theUS and eraserof American goodwillaccumulated eversincetheUSworkedhard to restore a democratic balance inworld politicsafter WorldWar II.But somepundits, in increasing numbers, are seeing the fact that Americanvoters returnedTrumpto office even after already experiencinghim forfour yearsas a tell-tale sign of US decline. Inarecent opinionpiece,a New YorkTimes columnist starteda lengthyreporton American decline. Wehad a good run some eight decades orso but itis clear

by now thatthe United Stateshasceased tobethe leader ofthe freeworld. A successor for that post has not been named,and itappears unlikelythat theEuropean Union, or NATO, or whatever constitutes ‘the West’ these dayswill promotefrom within. The job might even be eliminated as one more reduction in force courtesy of President Trump.”

Columnist CarlosLozada cites manyrecent best-selling reference books to buttress his point.Nearly twodecades ago,for example,FareedZakaria, the CNN commentator andWashington Postcolumnist,published abest-selling bookcalled “The Post-American World,” which predicted the United States relative decline versus other economically strong countries. The US wouldremain militarilyand economicallypreeminent, Zakariaargued, but it mighttake ona newpolitical role, relying on “consultation, cooperation and compromise.

Under Trump, Lozada says, theideaof USleadershiphas indeed been remade, “but from authority to domination, from persuasionto bullying, from nurturingalliances to wrecking them.”

Trump’ssteadydrumbeatof causticcriticism ofNATOin particularseemed tohave faced consequences last week whenEuropean leadersinitiallyrefused hisrequestto help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. We don t needanybody,” Trump saidin response. “We’re thestrongest nationin theworld. Wehave the strongest military by far in the world. We don t need them.”

In acomment echoingrecent widely publicised remarks inEurope bythe political leaders ofboth Germany and Canada,the columnist addsthat “this means that what we oncecalled “Pax Americana,” that US-led system of alliancesand institutionsthat promotedAmerican interestsand valuesand helped avoid major conflicts in the decadesafter World War II,is gone,and irretrievably so.”

The Times columnist then cites TheRise andFall ofthe Great Powers, byhistorian PaulKennedy, whichwas published 30 yearsago and quicklybecameoneofthe sacred texts of American decline. Kennedywarnedofwhathe called “imperial overstretch,” and argued that “the sum total of the United States global interestsand obligationsis nowadaysfar largerthanthe country’s powerto defend them all simultaneously. The historianwas writingbefore thefall ofthe SovietUnion that ushered in a pivotal decade during whichthe US arguably squandered a historicallyuniqueopportunitytoinvest inand perhapssocialise to a more Western-influenced style of popular participatorystyle government in Russia.

Now, ofcourse, Vladimir Putin has returned the world s

largestcountryto itsfamiliar governmentof strongly repressive, unrepresentative centralisedautocracy. Paul Kennedywrote thata superpower, in order to maintain its status, usually needs to accomplishthree hardthings all at once.First, provide and payfor militarysecurity,both for itself andits allies. Second, satisfythe economic needsand desiresof itspopulation.Third, ensureenough long-termeconomicgrowthto sustain militaryand economic superiority.

Achieving all three of those featsover asustained period of time will be a very difficult task,” Kennedy wrote. Yetachieving thefirst two feats or either one of them without thethirdwill inevitablylead torelative eclipse over the longer term. That has been thefate of past great powers, such as imperial Spain, Napoleonic France, andtheBritishEmpirewhenit gave way tothe United States after World War II.” In TheEnd oftheAmerican Era, publishedtwenty years ago, GeorgetownUniversity professor Charles Kupchan wrotethattheUShadfailedto rethink its grandstrategy in the 11 years between the fall oftheBerlin Wallandthedestruction of theWorld Trade Center.

America wasa great poweradrift, oblivioustothe growinginfluence oftheEuropean Union,indifferent to Russia s furyover NATOexpansion,tornover howtoaccommodate China’s coming rise.”

There s more. In1994, foreign correspondentRobert Kaplan wrote an article in The Atlantic magazine entitled The ComingAnarchy. In forecastingabout theUnited States,he predicted “polarisation, fragmentationand political dysfunction;an electronic mediathatwouldadopttheaspirationsofthe mob,anda military-technology complex that could prove as dangerous as its military-industrial predecessor.” Thearticle was later expanded tobecome a popular book ofthe same name.

Kaplan wrote that “shallow leadersandadviserswould,by the veryvirtue of theirlack of wisdom and experience, eventually committhe kindof ghastly miscalculationthat would leadto a generalwar -justas Europeanleaderswho lacked a tragicsense of the past hadblundered intoWorld War I.

It’seasy for Times columnist Lozadato writetoday about allthe academicpredictions that the current American administration has seemed to fulfil. But in fairness, wemight givethe last wordto currentUSDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Inhis2024 book The War on Warriors, Hegseth complained that an unholy allianceof politicalideologues andPentagon p---ieshasleft ourwarriors withoutrealdefenders in Washington.

General election is a toss-up

Recent FNM launch energizes opposition in lead up to vote

WITHboth majorparties having launched their official campaigns, theupcoming generalelectionappearstobe a toss-up.

The Progressive Liberal Party’s(PLP) launchafew weeks ago was a high-energy well-attended event buoying thespiritsofthepartyfaithful and leaders, manyof whom areconvincedthatre-election is near. Some in the PLP campfeel nearcertainthat theywill upendtheone-term curse thathas doggedBahamian politics for decades.

They may beright. Yet are they being overconfident?

Bahamianshave awayof surprising governmentsconfidentof re-election.AskSir Lynden Pindling,Hubert Ingraham,Perry Christie,and Dr. Hubert Minnis, all of whom wereconfident ofreelectionbefore theirparties were voted outof office. If Mr.Davis succeedshewill be trumpeted by his party.

Following the Free National Movement s (FNM) launch last week, the party’s spirits and belief that they can win havebeen significantly boosted. Even a strong PLP member hoping for victorylabelled theFNM’s event “impressive.”

Theturnout andenergyat the opposition slaunch was as energetic asthe government’s.The eventshoweda united party, with a mostly new slate of candidates. More thanjust wellproduced, itfavourably highlighted FNM Leader Michael Pintard and arange of policies.

Voters wantto envisiona party leader asa potential primeminister. Afterlast week, more voterslikely saw Mr. Pintard inthe proverbial chair.

After critiquingthe PLP’s record last Saturday, various candidatespivotedtospecific policy and programmatic ideas proposed bythe FNM. The range ofspeakers showcased theparty’s newtalent and seasoned faces.

Editorials inboth dailies described thelaunch ingenerallypositive terms. The NassauGuardian,which has been consistently critical and negative about theFNM and Mr. Pintard offered some praise in two editorials.

Delivering one of the strongest andmost focused speeches of hispolitical life, MichaelPintard onSaturday nightoutlined aforcefulcase against Philip Davisand the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP),put FreeNational Movement (FNM) candidateson noticethat hewould not tolerate corruption in his administration, andpledged thatheand histeamwould govern with integrityand hu-

mility, one editorial noted. “A lotof thelaunch was about the show of it all – that is tobe expected,but there was substance as well to hold the party too as the campaign proceeds,” The Tribune wrote. “It was a showing strongerin substancerather than just fullof catchy slogans. Many in thecountry were pleasantlysurprised atthe turnout andthe dynamismof the eventand arenow weighingtheir optionsafter watching a resurging party. This includesmany inthe FNMs base whofeel greater motivation to support the party. While theFNM mayfeel more confident of its electoral prospects, it has considerable work todo. Though many Bahamiansare struggling withcost-of-living pressures and the inability to affordmany things,thiswill notautomatically ornecessarilytranslate intoa winfor the opposition.

Further,the FNMfacesan incumbent PLPwith many strengths,thathasoftenmade it a politicaljuggernaut. The PLP s base remains strong, though there are disgruntled supporterswho maynotvote for the partybecause of various disappointments and unfulfilled promises.

Theparty willbeflushed withmoney, includingfrom gaming boss,Sebastian Bastian,and othergamblinginterests who overwhelmingly favour thePLP. Incumbent parties haveother sourcesof significant fundingfrom domestic andforeign donors

Cuba readies for first Russian oil shipment of year as

By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ Associated Press

HAVANA(AP) Cuba is preparing to receive its first shipment of Russianoil this year, just days after the government announced itwas operating on natural gas, solar power andthermoelectric plants as severe power outages continue to hit an island whose power grid is crumbling.

The Russian-flagged Anatoly Kolodkin issome 3,000 nautical miles from Cuba in theAtlantic Oceanand isexpected to reach the island in 10 days, Jorge Piñón,an expert at theUniversityofTexasEnergy Institute,told TheAssociated Press.

If so,that wouldmark the first time anyoil shipment from anycountry reaches Cuba inthe pastthree months given a U.S. energy blockade

The tanker is carrying 730,000barrels offuel andis on the list of vessels of its type sanctionedby theUnited States, the European Union andthe UnitedKingdomfollowing the warin Ukraine, Piñón said.

He added that it's hard to determinehow longthatamount offuel couldsustainCuba:

crisis deepens

“We’re talking aboutcrude oil that hasto berefined into liquid fuels. ... Each product has its specific demand.”

Piñónsaid theanticipated shipment could produce about 180,000 barrelsof diesel-enough to feedCuba’s daily demand for nine or 10 days.

Tracking a second vessel Another vessel,the Hong Kong-flagged Sea Horse, is also reportedlycarrying Russian oil to Cuba, transporting approximately 200,000 barrels of diesel, Piñón said. Henoted thatCubaconsumes roughly20,000 barrels of diesel per day, and that the Sea Horse s cargo does not necessarily coveroverall demandfordiesel giventheisland’s low storage inventories. Piñón believes thefuel will likelybe usedfor “critical sectors of the economy, like transportation and agriculture. Hesaid itwould likelytake four daysfor the SeaHorse to reach Cubaif that isindeed its destination.

Piñónnotedthattheshiplingeredfor20daysinthemiddle of the Atlantic Ocean before deciding tocontinue itswestsouthwestward journey. It is some 958 nauticalmiles from

Matanzas, Cuba.

Thedifficulty intracingthe ship’s destinationlies inthe fact that someof these vessels amid tensions caused by international sanctionsor threats of capture by the United States turnoff theirsatellite tracking devices,preventing effective monitoring,experts say. Ifthearrival ofanyofthe two ships is confirmed, it would be thefirst shipment of Russian oilthis year.The previous shipment detected was transportedby theOcean Mariner with85,000 barrels fromthe portofPajaritos, Mexico, on Jan. 9.

OnThursday, Gen.Francis Donovan, head of the U.S. Southern Command, said in Senate testimonythat hisofficersare trackinga Russiandestroyersupportedbyanoil“replenishment ship” that is scheduledtomake aportcall toCuba.Hesaidtheoiler,even if itdoes unloadits cargo,is unlikely to have any significantimpact onCuba’s oilsupplies. In response to senators’ questioning, Donovansaid his command is not currently rehearsing for any military interventioninCuba anditssole planning focus is on protecting the U.S.Embassy andmilitary

eagerto keepfavour withthe governmentof theday,especiallyiftheybelieveitwillbe re-elected. Though the PLP has the money advantage, the FNM willneed topress its donors tobe morecompetitive.

ThePLP hasalwaysenjoyed a strongground game,

including get outthe vote (GOTV) strategies and mobilization on election day. The party will alsopresent its record to the public under the theme, Building on Progress.” The government isnow rushingthroughlegislation to boost its record. Suchlast minute s legislation, however, has usually not convincedundecided voters.

Having served a term as prime minister,Philip Davis will be seenby many as someone who can do the job. Mr. Pintard will need to showcase in the campaign the gravitas and persona necessary to convince more voters thathe isprime minister material.

For all its strengths, the PLP facesthe burdenof incumbency and theone term curse. Theparty’s failureto deliveron arange ofbigticket items and promises, includingin GrandBahama, will cost it votes.

In anarticle inthis journal onMonday, entitled, Too soonforPLPtocelebratevictory:Only opinionpollthat counts is theelection,” the writer dissects thenature of polls and their potential unreliability. And pollsare just snapshots of agiven moment.

Whiletherecentpollballyhooedby thePLP andreferencedby thewriter hassome resonance, italso hasa stark warning for theparty, as noted in the column.

“For fewer than two in five people to begiving outright support to the incumbent party is a worrying sign for re-election hopes.

For the PLP, the writer continued, the pollresults last week contrast pretty badly with itselection results in 2021. Theparty has gone from52%supportintheelectiontojust38%inthecurrent polling.That38%isonlyjust above what the FNM got in the last election when it suffered a landslide defeat.

Importantly, the low voter turnoutat thelastelection, causedin partabouthealth safety concerns during a COVIDwave, contributedto agood numberof voters,alreadyexhaustedbypandemic restrictions,notvoting.Many FNMs stayedat homefor myriad reasons.Many more of them are likely to vote this year.

Thetakeaway isclear. Thereare pathwaystovictoryforboth parties.Ifthe PLPcanget outitsbaseand enoughother voters,itcan win re-election, especially if the FNM s basedoes not come out in strong numbers.

Yet, if the FNM gets out its base andenough votersdisgruntled withthe government, it can win. Both parties should be looking at the undecidednumbers withcautious eyes, wondering how they can garner those votes.

The FNM, as the opposition party, has a chance to secure perhaps the greater number of undecided voters.

Thereis anold sayingin politics: “Theonly voters youcanbe sureofarethose voterswhotell youtheywill vote against you.”

TheGolden Islesby-electioncontained lessonsfor bothmajor parties,including theimportanceofvoterregistration, ground games, and candidateappeal. Inthegeneral election,the incumbent government will have less stateand otherresourcesto pour intoan individualconstituency.

With the election likely weeks away,the Bahamian people areabout tocut through thepolitical noise, predictions, andguesses. They willrender averdict on Philip Davis andhis government,and willdecide whethertheybelieveMichael Pintardand theopposition shouldform thenextgovernment.

Bothcamps realizethe electionis moreatoss-up than manythought asrecently as January.

Street vendors chat on the Malecon during a

16, 2026.

base in GuantanamoBay, althoughifneeded itcanalso respond to anymigration or humanitarian crisis in the Caribbean.

Deepening crises Cuba produces barely 40% ofitspetroleum;therestisobtained fromRussia, Mexico and Venezuela. But criticalshipments from Venezuelawere haltedafter the U.S.attacked theSouth American countryin early Januaryand arresteditsthenleader, President Nicolás Maduro a key commercial andideological partnerfor

Cuba. In late January, U.S. President Donald Trump threatenedtoimpose tariffsonany country that sells or supplies oilto Cuba.Thatmonth, Mexico halted itsoilshipments to Cuba. Thesituation hasdeepened the island s energyand economic crises, leading to 10hourblackouts, forcingareduction in working hours, limiting transportationand leadingtoadropintourism previously oneof itsmain sources of income. The worsening situation also hassparked small protests. Cuba hasbeen experiencing asevere economic crisis since thebeginning of thisdecade duetotightened U.S.sanctions, theimpactof theCOVID-19 pandemicand aninternal financialreform that triggered inflation. Foodand medicineshortageshavebecomearealityfor Cubans. Meanwhile,the criseshave unleashedasurge in emigration, particularly of young people and skilled workers, to the U.S., Mexico and Europe.

PM slams FNM ‘scaremongering’ in clash over passport fraud

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister

Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday pushed back against what he called “scaremongering” on immigration, clashing again with Opposition Leader Michael Pintard over claims of widespread fraud involving national documents.

The exchange follows last week’s dispute, after Mr Pintard tabled a list of fraud investigations and said more than 250 cases were under review. Government officials later said 98 suspected passport fraud cases were being probed, adding the list reflected an earlier subset of referrals from the Passport Office.

Speaking during

debate on borrowing resolutions in the House of Assembly, Mr Davis accused Mr Pintard of hypocrisy, saying he was part of an administration

that weakened passport renewal requirements.

“You do not get to weaken the system in Cabinet, sit silent while the checks are stripped

Double murder suspect details alleged police abuse on stand

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter Pbailey@tribunemedia.net

PROSECUTORS

cross-examined a man yesterday who claimed police beat him and forced him to confess to the murder of two teenage boys who were shot and killed in Yellow Elder Gardens in 2017.

Deon Scavella, 30, gave evidence in his defence during his trial before Justice Jeannine Weech-Gomez in the Supreme Court.

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.

He claimed on Tuesday that he was forced to confess after police tortured him at CDU.

Scavella told the prosecution he did not scream when Officer Raphael Miller put a bag over his head and choked him.

While the prosecution said Scavella had previously mentioned a struggle, he said he struggled to breathe during the incident.

The prosecution submitted that Scavella had earlier

described the item used to choke him as an evidence bag. However, Scavella said it was a fish bag.

The defendant told the jury he was choked with a fish bag the day before.

When the prosecutor pointed out inconsistencies in a report about where his hands were cuffed, Scavella attributed this to him being a fast talker.

He maintained that he was handcuffed behind his back on a chair.

Scavella told the prosecutor he signalled with his hands and foot for the officers to stop.

The defendant agreed that a report, dated before March of this year, said an evidence bag was allegedly placed over his head.

He also agreed there was a difference between an evidence bag and a fish bag.

After the prosecutor suggested the bag was too small for him to bite through, Scavella said, “if you are struggling in real life, you would do anything to breathe.”

He said that after he denied committing the murders the first time and the bag was placed over his head again, four officers were present and blows

came from everywhere.

He further claimed he was thrown onto the floor and stomped on for a while.

He said he felt pain.

While he could not say who pushed him, Scavella said he fell onto his side.

Scavella said he again signalled for the officers to stop before agreeing to comply with their demands.

He agreed with the prosecutor that there were two marks on his head in a video.

He claimed he suffered a 1¾-inch injury to his temple.

He said officers gave him a shirt to put on.

Scavella claimed the fabricated script officers gave him said he was stabbed in the back by one of the deceased in prison.

In a taped interview, Scavella is heard saying he was “jooked” by someone and that when he put his hand to his back, he felt blood.

When the prosecutor said Scavella gestured to where he was stabbed in a video, he said he was only rubbing his side.

Marianne Cadet represented the accused.

Shaneka Carey and Davina Pinder were the prosecutors.

Two women charged over viral clash with police officer

By PAVEL BAILEY

Staff Reporter

TWO women accused of resisting arrest and disorderly behaviour during an incident that went viral on Family Street were granted bail yesterday.

Prosecutors allege that Sterlanda Bastian, 37, and Tannescia Bastian, 30, acted disorderly and used obscene language in the presence of Police Constable 3855 Carey on March 23. The pair are further accused of resisting arrest, obstructing the officer,

assaulting him and threatening him with harm.

The charges stem from an altercation with a police officer that went viral on social media on Monday. In the videos, one of the defendants is seen wearing a bra top alongside a male officer. The defendants reportedly disobeyed the officer’s orders.

Sterlanda Bastian was charged with obscene language, disorderly behaviour, assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, threats of harm, and damage. Tannescia Bastian faced similar charges, except for damage.

away, and then come to Parliament pretending to be guardian of the process,” the prime minister said. He argued the

documents tabled by Mr Pintard show enforcement action, not systemic failure.

“What they show is serious enforcement, a serious crackdown on a serious problem,” Mr Davis said. “The FNM’s conduct on this issue has been very reckless and misleading.”

Mr Pintard rejected that characterisation, saying the changes under the FNM applied to e-passport renewals, not new applications.

“What he should point out is that under the e-passport renewal was the area we did not feel that all of the documents you submitted in the beginning ought to be resubmitted and that is what the member of cat island refused to say to the public,” he said.

FNM MP Kwasi

Thompson said the issue demands a more serious response.

“The public wants the government to act seriously with respect to a very serious problem,” Mr Thompson said.

Mr Davis defended his administration’s immigration record, saying more than 15,000 repatriations have been carried out, additional officers have been hired and efforts continue to remove unregulated communities.

“Yes, we do it all with compassion and within the law which we’re required to do and employing our Christian principles to which we all belong, but our record speaks for itself,” he said. “I invite the Bahamian people just look at what that is and forget the scaremongering.”

38-YEAR-OLD JUNKYARD WORKER

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A 38-YEAR-OLD man has been ordered to undergo six months of rehabilitation and pay $500 in fines after pleading guilty to starting a fire at a local junkyard.

Edison Oliver appeared before Magistrate Olivia Blatch in Grand Bahama on Wednesday, charged with making a fire in a town other than a kitchen and

endangering property by negligent use of fire. He was not represented by counsel.

The incident occurred on March 22 at a junkyard on Zachary Street. Oliver told the court he works at the junkyard, where scrap metal and copper are collected and packed into a trailer for export to the United States. He said the fire got out of control accidentally.

In mitigation, Oliver said he is employed and is the father of one child.

Magistrate Blatch noted that Oliver pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and that his previous record was not of a similar nature. He was fined $150 on the first count and $350 on the second count, with 12 months’ imprisonment in default if the fines are not paid.

Magistrate Blatch also ordered him to undergo six months of rehabilitation. The matter was adjourned to September 25 for review.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges before Senior Magistrate Anishka Isaacs. David Cash, counsel for the defendants, argued that his clients should be granted bail based on the nature of the charges, which carry a maximum penalty of two years and a $5,000 fine. He said both were fit candidates for bail and would appear for trial.

Bail was set at $5,500 for Sterlanda Bastian and $4,500 for Tannescia Bastian. Their trial is set for June 2.

Inspector Timothy Bain was the prosecutor.

Man gets 18 months priosn after fleeing intent to rape trial

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter

A MAN who admitted absconding during his 2022 intent to rape trial was sentenced to 18 months in prison yesterday. Kiko Green failed to surrender to custody on September 1, 2022. He had been granted $9,500 Supreme Court bail in January 2020 on a charge of assault with intent to rape. Prosecutors alleged Green sexually assaulted a woman while she was passed out in her home in Eleuthera in December 2019. The complainant said she felt dizzy after consuming several drinks Green had made for her. While she could not recall the alleged assault, a female friend testified she caught Green performing a sexual act on the complainant when she went to check on her. Green was on trial before Justice Deborah Fraser when he failed to appear as a key witness was due to testify. An arrest warrant was issued and the jury was dismissed. He later pleaded guilty to violating bail conditions before Magistrate Abigail Farrington. Green was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Iran reject US ceasefire plan, issues own demands as strikes land in mideast

DUBAI Associated Press

IRAN on Wednesday dismissed an American plan to pause the war in the Middle East and launched more attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab countries, including strikes that hit a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a fire.

Iran’s defiance came as Israel launched airstrikes on Tehran and as the United States deployed paratroopers and more Marines to the region.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview on state TV that his government has not engaged in talks to end the war, “and we do not plan on any negotiations.” That followed a report from Iranian state TV’s English-language broadcaster quoting an anonymous official as saying Iran rejected America’s ceasefire proposal and has its own demands for an end to the fighting.

are on the way to the Middle East

At least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will be sent to the Mideast in the coming days, three people with knowledge of the plans told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military plans.

The paratroopers are trained to jump into hostile or contested areas to secure key territory and airfields.

The Pentagon is also sending about 5,000 more Marines trained in amphibious assaults and thousands of sailors to the region.

It cited an Iranian fivepoint proposal that includes a halt to killings of its officials, safeguards against future attacks on Iran, reparations for the war, the end of hostilities and Iran’s “exercise of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.”

Those measures, particularly reparations and its continued chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz, likely will be unacceptable to the White House.

missile alert sirens sounded in Bahrain. Kuwait said it shot down multiple drones but that one hit a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport.

Meanwhile, six people allegedly linked to Hezbollah were arrested in Kuwait for planning to assassinate Gulf leaders, Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior said in a statement. Fourteen associates had fled the country, officials said.

Earlier, two officials from Pakistan, which transmitted the US plan to Iran, described the 15-point proposal broadly, saying it addressed sanctions relief, a rollback of Iran’s nuclear program, limits on missiles and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is shipped.

details not yet released.

An Egyptian official involved in the mediation efforts said the proposal also includes restrictions on Iran’s support for armed groups. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss

Teens get probation after using AI to create fake nudes of classmates

By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press

TWO teenage boys who used artificial intelligence to create fake nude photos of their classmates at an exclusive private school in Pennsylvania received probation Wednesday after dozens of victims described the images’ traumatizing effect on them.

The boys were 14 at the time. They admitted this month that they made about 350 images, showing at least 59 girls under 18, along with other victims who so far have not been identified.

Authorities said the boys took images of the girls from school photos, yearbooks, Instagram, TikTok and FaceTime chats in 2023 and 2024, and morphed them with images of adults depicting nudity or sexual activity.

More than 100 students and parents from Lancaster Country Day School were in court to hear victims describe the shock of having to identify their own faces in pornographic photos to detectives. Juvenile proceedings in Pennsylvania are normally closed, but this was opened by the judge, providing an unusual opportunity for the community to be seen and heard.

The girls described the fallout — anxiety attacks, a loss of trust, problems focusing on schoolwork and a fear that the images may someday surface in unexpected ways.

The two young men stood stone-faced throughout, flanked by their lawyers and parents, as they were called pedophiles, “sick and twisted” and perverted.

“I will never understand why they did this,” one victim told Judge Leonard Brown, saying it “destroyed my innocence.”

One young woman told Brown “how excruciating it is to bring these feelings up again and again.” Another choked back tears as she excoriated one of the defendants for expressing “fake empathy” as girls confided with him about their pain, before it became known that he had been part of creating and disseminating the images. Still another said all of her friends transferred schools, and that she “needed trauma therapy to even walk around my neighbourhood.”

The defendants declined several opportunities to comment to the judge, who said he had not heard either boy take responsibility or apologize.

“This has been a regrettable, long, torturous process for everyone involved,” said Heidi Freese, defence attorney for one of the defendants.

“There were very interesting, underlying legal issues surrounding the charges in this case and those will be decided on a different day in a different case.” Brown ordered each to perform 60 hours of community service, have no contact with the victims and pay an unspecified amount of restitution. If they don’t have any additional legal problems, Brown said, the case can be expunged after two years. As he imposed his sentence, Brown said that if they were adults, they probably would be headed for state prison. He said they should “take this opportunity to really examine” themselves.

The resolution of the Pennsylvania case comes days after three teenagers in Tennessee sued Elon Musk’s xAI, claiming the company’s Grok tools morphed their real photos into explicitly sexual images. The high school students are seeking class-action status to represent what the lawsuit says are thousands of people who were similarly victimized as minors.

The scandal in Pennsylvania led to a student protest, criminal charges against the two teenagers and the departure of leaders at the school, which says it has about 600 students K-12, class sizes averaging just 12 kids, and “an endowment in excess of $25 million.”

Nadeem Bezar, a Philadelphia lawyer who represents at least 10 of the victims, said Tuesday he expects to file a claim “against the school and anybody else we think has culpability in these deepfakes being created and disseminated.”

He said he has not yet seen the photos but expects the legal process to determine “exactly when and where and how the school knew, how the boys created these images, what platforms they used to create these images and how they were disseminated.”

As AI has become accessible and powerful, lawmakers across the country have passed laws aimed at barring deepfakes.

President Donald Trump signed the Take it Down Act last year, making it illegal to publish intimate images including deepfakes without consent, and requiring websites and social media sites to remove such material within 48 hours of being notified by a victim.

Forty-six states now have laws addressing deepfakes, with legislation introduced in the remaining four -- Alaska, Missouri, New Mexico and Ohio -- according to the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted the US and Iran are in talks even as Iranian officials deny it. “Talks continue. They are productive, as the president said on Monday, and they continue to be,” Leavitt said at a White House briefing Wednesday.

Leavitt warned that if talks with Iran don’t pan out President Donald Trump “will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before.”

Some of the points in the US ceasefire proposal were nonstarters in negotiations before the war: Iran has insisted it won’t discuss its ballistic missile program or its support of regional militias, which it views as key to its security. And its ability to control passage through the Strait of Hormuz represents one of its biggest strategic advantages.

Iran’s attacks on regional energy infrastructure, along with its restrictions on the strait, have sent oil prices skyrocketing, putting pressure on the US to find a way to end the chokehold and calm markets.

More US troops

Most Americans believe the US military action against Iran has gone too far and many are worried about the cost of gasoline, according to a new AP-NORC poll.

The survey indicates that while Trump’s approval rating is holding steady, the conflict could be swiftly turning into a major political liability for his Republican administration.

Diplomatic efforts face major challenges

Mediators are pushing for possible in-person talks between the Iranians and the Americans, perhaps as soon as Friday in Pakistan, the Egyptian and Pakistani officials said.

Trump has said the US is “in negotiations right now” and that the participants include special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance. Trump has not disclosed who from Iran they are in contact with, but said “I can tell you, they’d like to make a deal.”

Press TV, the English-language broadcaster on Iranian state television, quoted an anonymous official as saying, “Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its own conditions are met.”

While Iran and Oman both have territory in the strait, its narrow shipping channels are viewed as international waters through which all ships can travel.

Any talks between the US and Iran would face monumental challenges. It’s not clear who in Iran’s government has the authority to negotiate — or would be willing to, as Israel has vowed to continue killing the country’s leaders.

Iran remains highly suspicious of the United States, which twice under the Trump administration has attacked during high-level diplomatic talks, including on Feb. 28.

Israel launches new strikes on Iran — and also comes under attack

The Israeli military said Wednesday it had carried out waves of airstrikes in Tehran, following strikes a day earlier targeting an Iranian submarine development centre in Isfahan.

Missile alert sirens sounded multiple times in Israel as Iran and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon launched attacks. Hezbollah has fired rockets into northern Israel around the clock since the war began.

Iran also kept up pressure on its Gulf Arab neighbours.

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said it had destroyed at least eight drones in its oilrich Eastern Province, and

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More than 1,500 people have been killed in Iran, its Health Ministry says. Twenty people have been killed in Israel; two Israeli soldiers have also been killed in Lebanon. At least 13 US military members have been killed. More than a dozen civilians in the occupied West Bank and Gulf Arab states have also died.

Nearly 1,100 people have died in Lebanon, authorities said. In Iraq, where Iranian-supported militant groups have entered the conflict, 80 members of the security forces have been killed.

Energy prices fall back but remain high

The news of potential negotiations drove down the price of oil. Brent crude oil, the international standard, was trading around $100 a barrel Wednesday, after nearing as high as $120 earlier last week. That’s still up around 35% from the start of the war.

Economists and leaders have warned of far-reaching effects if energy prices remain high — from rising prices on food and other basics to higher rates for mortgages and auto loans. Iran has allowed a small number of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, but has said no ships from the US, Israel or countries seen as linked to them can pass.

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Tourism operator calls study of ‘cocaine sharks’ misleading

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A STUDY detecting traces of cocaine, caffeine and common painkillers in sharks off Eleuthera is being criticised by a local shark tourism operator, who warns the findings risk overstating the condition of Bahamian waters.

The peer-reviewed research, published in Environmental Pollution, analysed blood samples from 85 sharks across five species and found four contaminants — caffeine, cocaine, acetaminophen and diclofenac — in 28 sharks from three species.

Travis Cove, an operations manager for Stuart Cove, said the conclusions could unfairly damage the reputation of waters widely regarded as pristine.

“From my perspective as a shark tourism operator, this study feels overstated in a way that could unfairly damage the perception of otherwise pristine waters. While the researchers used credible analytical methods, the actual findings are

extremely limited—only a small fraction of the 85 sharks sampled showed detectable compounds, and cocaine in particular was found in just two individuals,” Mr Cove said. “That’s not evidence of widespread contamination; it’s evidence of trace, isolated detections. The study also relied on blood serum, which only reflects very recent exposure, not long-term environmental conditions. In an area with any level of human activity, especially tourism and boating, detecting minute traces of common substances like caffeine isn’t surprising and doesn’t indicate a polluted ecosystem.”

He also raised concerns about the study’s methodology, noting the absence of standard laboratory blank controls, which he said could allow for minor contamination during analysis, particularly for substances like caffeine.

“Even the authors acknowledge that they cannot establish causation between these detections and any biological effects in the sharks,” he said. “From

an industry standpoint, presenting these findings without proper context risks misleading the public into thinking the marine environment is broadly contaminated, when in reality the data only suggest limited, low-level exposure that is neither widespread nor proven to be harmful.”

The researchers linked the presence of contaminants to human activity, including tourism-related development, vacation homes and wastewater discharge, and identified caffeine as a key indicator of such impacts.

Bahamian environmental scientist Dr Ancilleno Davis said the study follows international standards and described it as “well implemented,” but noted limits in how broadly the findings can be applied.

“My key thoughts are this is a very interesting and well implemented study,” he said. “The Cape Eleuthera Institute has led The Bahamas on the shark biology and ecology work in The Bahamas for years.”

Dr Davis said the sample

size and location limit the conclusions that can be drawn.

“A map of the area surveyed would be useful to allow future comparisons if the research is replicated in other areas of The Bahamas,” he said. “Eigthy-five sharks in my opinion does not represent The Bahamas. Eleuthera does not represent The Bahamas. The coastal areas of Eleuthera on the inside of The Bahamas may also differ from the Atlantic Coast.”

He added that testing blood serum captures only certain contaminants and may not reflect the full scope of environmental

exposure.

“That's why they're using those tests for those types of drugs and caffeine and stuff that if a shark ingest them from the environment or if it's in the water and a high enough concentration, it will go through their gills, their stomachs, or maybe through the fish that they eat,” he said.

“Some fish might be eating the trash or waste from the boats or vessels, and then the sharks eat them. That would turn up inside the sharks. It's very interesting to me that the caffeine and the cocaine show up in the sharks. The cocaine in particular, because that doesn't have

a very long residence time. So it may mean that those sharks recently ingested something that had cocaine in it, or some other organism that had already ingested the cocaine. That also indicates that it might be or that it might be so prevalent in the system that there's cocaine dropped in the water or people deliberately doing it to see what the sharks do.”

Dr Davis said further research should expand to other species such as conch, grouper and lobster and examine additional pollutants, including oil, to better assess the impact of human activity on marine ecosystems.