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Volume: 122 No. 91, April 2, 2025
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PM: HEADS WILL ROLL OVER ABACO DELAYS Davis gave blistering rebuke of slow pace of ongoing reconstruction By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis issued a blistering rebuke of public officials and contractors on Friday, warning that “heads will roll” over the slow pace of reconstruction in Abaco. In a private Progressive Liberal Party branch
meeting on the island, Mr Davis condemned delays and mismanagement in the storm-battered community’s recovery, vowing to hold accountable anyone who has failed to deliver. “Let me say this plainly — what has happened in Abaco is unacceptable,” he said, according to a SEE PAGE THREE
‘Price check CONTRACTOR CRITICISES $183M on aisle five’ NO-BID ROADWORKS CONTRACT By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A GRAND Bahama contractor has criticised the government’s decision to award a $183.5m no-bid roadworks contract to a Nassau-based company, saying local firms were shut out of the opportunity without explanation.
Godfrey Waugh, of Waugh Construction in Freeport, said it was unfortunate that the contract was not put out to tender, preventing Grand Bahamabased contractors from competing for the work. “I don’t know why it did not go to bid. You know, it seems like a lot of money SEE PAGE THREE
OFFICERS from Consumer Affairs were seen in several supermarkets checking on compliance to the new 5% VAT rate on unprepared foods. See PAGE TWO and BUSINESS for more. Photo: Nikia Charlton
Merchant surprise as sweets and STEPFATHER sugary drinks not included in VAT cut ACCUSED OF MOLESTING 12-YEAR-OLD
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
A CABINET minister yesterday hailed the decision not to give candy and sugary drinks a 50 percent
VAT rate cut despite the initial confusion this caused for food store merchants. Dr Michael Darville, minister of health and wellness, told Tribune Business that the late move - which took retailers by surprise - is aligning
tax policy with efforts to tackle The Bahamas’ chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) crisis by encouraging consumers to switch to healthier foods. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
Judge denies man’s bail over ‘highly irregular’ affidavit to withdraw charges By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net A MAN accused of armed robbery — while already on bail for murder and attempted murder
— was denied bail for a third time after the Court of Appeal raised alarm over an affidavit allegedly filed by the complainant asking to withdraw the matter. The court described the affidavit as “highly irregular
and unusual”, noting that it could not verify whether the virtual complainant genuinely authored or swore to it. The judges also questioned how the
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SEE PAGE SEVEN
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A 40-YEAR-OLD man was remanded yesterday after he was accused of molesting his 12-year-old stepdaughter twice over the past ten months. Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans arraigned the defendant — whose name is being withheld to protect the identity of the child — on two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a SEE PAGE FOUR