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VOLUME:117 No.94, APRIL 6, 2020
HO US E & 12
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INSIGHT: WE’RE SELFISHLY DICING WITH DEATH
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‘I wished we could have said goodbye’ Wife’s sadness as leading specialist claimed by virus By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net THE death of Dr Judson Eneas, 72, due to COVID19 complications, left his wife unable to say goodbye to her husband of nearly 50 years. On Tuesday, March 31, Dr Eneas was taken to hospital after his condition began to decline. He suffered through symptoms of the virus for several days prior to his death, according to his nephew. By Thursday last week, the veteran nephrologist - kidney specialist - was placed on a ventilator. He died just two days later on Saturday.
He is the country’s first doctor to die from COVID19 and the fifth virus fatality. Dr Eneas, identified by healthcare officials as case #18, had no history of travel and is linked to a previous case who had also been hospitalised. Dr Eneas’ wife Marcheta sent a voice note to family members from quarantine, saying she believed her husband’s death was “God’s perfect plan”. She added she was saddened by this turn of events. “Judson fought and he fought and he fought, but the man got tired and after
THE Office of the Prime Minister has announced that starting today, a food shopping schedule will come into effect for the entire country. The schedule has specified days for weekday shopping, but there is no mention of weekend dates. “This measure is intended to reduce the number of people on the road and
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
SUPER Value chief Rupert Roberts yesterday said inadequate warning of the weekend lockdown caused late Friday “chaos” at stores with police officers even threatening to shoot unless persons went home. “The word was out because they [customers] started to rush us at 4pm. Between 5pm to 6pm the police came around, and at some stores they threatened to shoot them [customers] if they did not get off the line and go home, he said. “Some people needed milk for their baby as they had no water at home. It was chaos at some stores.”
‘LAYING THE STAFF OFF WORST DAY OF MY LIFE’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
A MAJOR Bahamian hardware retailer’s principal yesterday said it was “the worst decision I’ve had to make in my life” to temporarily lay-off nearly 70 staff in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Brent Burrows, CBS Bahamas chief, said that with zero revenue coming in the company had to do what was necessary to “survive” so that employees had jobs to return to once the virus threat has passed. Mr Burrows pledged the firm would do everything in its power to “make it right” for its staff as he warned that the private sector and wider economy face “a long climb to get out of this one”.
SEE PAGE TWO
to reduce the number of people at grocery stores at any one time,” Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said last week when signalling the move would be introduced. As a result, members of each household are asked to identify one person to carry out respective shopping duties. That person will be required to provide photo identification, OPM officials said yesterday. SEE PAGE THREE
‘SHUTDOWN DIRECTIVE LEFT US IN CHAOS’
FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
ALPHABET SOUP! FAMILIES GIVEN SHOPPING DAY ROTA By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
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DR Judson Eneas had been married to his wife Marcheta for nearly 50 years
FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
POLICE PROBE PATIENT DATA LEAK Inside By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
ROYAL Bahamas Police Force investigators are expected in Grand Bahama today to investigate how confidential patient records were leaked from the Rand Memorial Hospital and disseminated on social media, Commissioner Paul Rolle told The Tribune yesterday. This comes after an alleged confidential HIV/
COMMISSIONER Paul Rolle AIDS list, revealing dozens of names along with identifying information and
addresses, was posted on social media over the weekend. While the majority of the alleged patients were residents in Grand Bahama, some were said to live on nearby islands and cays. It is unclear whether this is a recently updated document. However, the year 2011 is written on the document and ages of the patients given at the time correspond to around that time. SEE PAGE TEN
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
Celebrating Palm Sunday in your own home
PAGE 2, Monday, April 6, 2020
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CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
Wife’s sadness as leading specialist claimed by virus from page one being with the same man for 50 years I knew there would come a time when he just let go and let God,” Mrs Eneas’ said in the voice note. “I am not angry, I’m not angry at all. I’m sad. The saddest thing is that I couldn’t go to the hospital and say goodbye to him last night and I’m also quarantined and not allowed to leave the house. “Two of his children live in California and Maryland and they might not be able to come and if they do get here, they won’t even be able to come to their mother’s home and find comfort. “This was a year that I will never forget. (The year) 2020 will always be on my mind. His birthday is April 18 and our 50th will be June 20th. We had great plans but they are set aside now.” “I still trust in God and I still love Him,” Mrs Eneas added. Mrs Eneas’ eldest son has been placed in quarantine with her because they both were exposed to the deadly virus. The prominent doctor also has two daughters who live in the United States. The death sent shock waves throughout the medical community yesterday. Health Minister Dr Duane Sands described Dr Eneas as “a colleague, friend and brother”. For the Eneas family, this death is especially difficult as the physician’s brother - Cleveland W Eneas II died just a year ago, leaving only one sister, Dr Agreta Eneas Carey. In an interview with The Tribune yesterday his
Dr Judson Eneas relaxing with his wife Marcheta nephew, Pastor Cleveland W Eneas III – Mr Eneas - also known as Ka-Hun: Anku Sa Ra – said his uncle’s death had left him ‘numb’. It will now be a long road ahead for all the family, Mr Eneas said. “I spoke to my aunt, Dr Agreta Eneas Carey, most recently,” he said. “She was the one who actually broke the news to me just after 12 this morning. We are still getting over my father’s death so this is kind of compounding the situation. “Like my aunt said to me, that both her parents and now both of her brothers have passed and so while it’s easy for any of us to feel sorry for ourselves, I feel it for my uncle’s wife who right now is in
quarantine because she too was exposed by way of him so we are praying that she is not actually positive along with her eldest son. “Then their other two children, of course, they can’t make it into the country because of what’s going on. My aunt Marcheta, Judson’s wife, she can’t even go and see and view the body like she wants to because she is quarantined.” He continued: “So you know those things have compounded it. The fact that he was by himself when he transitioned is also something that obviously weighs on us because the family would have liked to be there to comfort him and it’s just so many different factors. Even the doctors that worked on his case
and on other cases, they are like family to us as well because the medical profession is a fraternity and my family being a part of that. This was family all the way around. “So as far as my perspective, I am just kind of numb because this has truly been like, here we go again. “It’s still a long road ahead,” Mr Eneas added. “Because we don’t even know how funeral arrangements will be handled with everything going on. I am just trying to be supportive as I can to his immediate family and those other members of the family that may be taking it a little harder.” Mr Eneas recalled fond memories of his uncle. These include Dr Eneas’
Saturday morning pancakes, jokes at the dinner table and the occasional football Sunday or Super Bowl event. These memories are all Mr Eneas has now, since last talking to his uncle before his fateful ride to the hospital. Condolences poured in yesterday for those in the medical community and political arena. The death signified a great loss, president of Doctors Hospital, Dr Charles Diggis said in an e-mail early Sunday morning. Dr Diggis wrote: “There is no easy way to accept the loss of a colleague. We are still at the beginning of a ‘fight’ which looms to take us through turbulent times over the next months.... and it will continue to have
casualties - this will change us all forever. “Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to Dr Eneas’ family. “He was with our dream and vision from inception. This is a great loss. Be safe and be careful.....cherish and protect those you love......additional words seem so useless right now. “The ultimate sacrifice. Doctors on the frontline. Patient above self.” Meanwhile, Progressive Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis said Dr Eneas was a man of all seasons. “On this Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, my heart is heavy as I reflect on another giant of a man, a Bahamian patriot, a health professional leader, a youth leader and my personal friend and colleague, Dr Judson Eneas,” Mr Davis said Sunday. “A trained nephrologist, Dr Eneas could have taken his considerable professional skills and talents anywhere in the world, but out of love for country, he chose to return to his home with his lovely wife Marchetta and contribute to the development of our country’s health infrastructure and civic ethos.” Dr Eneas also had marked involvement in the community, as a youth and civic leader. He was a founding member of the Delta Lamda Boule, a fraternity that sponsors the Gentlemen’s Club youth organisation. “His expansive civic work helped to shape a generation of young Bahamian leaders and significantly strengthened our country’s social fabric,” Mr Davis said.
DIALYSIS PATIENT, 79, ADDS TO DEATH TOLL By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT ts-cartwright @tribunemedia.net A 79-YEAR-OLD dialysis patient is one of the country’s COVID-19 related deaths. The patient was one of two COVID-positive patients who died Thursday night. The other was a 67-year-old woman. A family spokesperson confirmed the elderly man’s death to The Tribune, but said the family did not want to comment at this time as “we are trying to accept and deal with it”. According to a Tribune source, the man had been hospitalised and was very ill. “(The patient) was in the hospital and he was ill,” said the source. “He was a dialysis patient and you know
how that is with the COVID19. This already puts him in the high risk group. “Bahamians need to take this virus very seriously,” the source continued. “(The deceased patient) was at risk being ill and in a medical institution, but those who can’t seem to stay from going outdoors really need to check themselves. The more we expose ourselves unnecessary, the more we risk getting it. I can’t understand why people don’t get that. COVID-19 is here in The Bahamas. That is now our reality. The more we adhere to what our health officials tell us to do, the better off we will be.” In a briefing on Friday, Health Minister Dr Duane Sands said that the majority of the remaining patients are in a stable condition but some are very ill.
CHINA DONATES 1,000 COVID-19 TESTING KITS THE People’s Republic of China has donated 1,000 COVID-19 test kits to the Bahamian government. “At a time when COVID-19 threatens the entire world, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China has extended its kind hand of generosity by donating 1,000 test kits to assist the government of The Bahamas with confirmation of suspected COVID-19 cases,” a statement from the Ministry of Health noted. “On behalf of the government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the Ministry of Health wishes to express its deep appreciation to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China for
this valued and very practical donation. These tests kits will go a long way to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in The Bahamas. As an invaluable friend and partner, The Bahamas looks forward to continued cooperation and collaboration with the People’s Republic of China.” The COVID-19 outbreak began in Wuhan, China in late 2019. On December 31, 2019, “a pneumonia of unknown cause” detected in Wuhan was first reported to the World Health Organization’s country office in China. Since then, the disease has spread worldwide with more than 1.2 million infected. Nearly 70,000 people have died from the disease.
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FAMILIES GET SHOPPING DAY ROTA from page one Adults with a surname beginning with the letters A through F will be allowed to grocery shop on Mondays from 6am to noon, Wednesdays from 6am to noon and Thursdays from 1pm to 7pm. Adults with surnames beginning with G through O will be allowed to shop on Mondays from 1pm to 7pm, Wednesdays from 1pm to 7pm and, Fridays from 6am to noon. People whose last name begins with letters P through Z will be allowed to shop on Tuesdays from 1pm to 7pm, Fridays from
1pm to 7pm and Thursdays 6am to noon. As it relates to senior citizens —those 60 and older — and persons with disabilities, OPM said special provisions have been made for them. “Senior citizens and persons with disabilities may shop on Tuesdays from 6am to 12pm; however, persons in these categories may also choose to shop on the day assigned to their last name,” the statement added. Social distancing must be adhered to during grocery shopping, the OPM added. To date, there are 28 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, with over 300 people in quarantine.
Health officials have confirmed five COVID-19 deaths, with the latest case being renowned physician, Dr Judson Eneas. To limit the further spread of the highly infectious disease, Dr Minnis on Friday announced additional COVID-19 prevention measures, including a complete two-day shutdown of all services, with limited exemptions, in the country, which ends 5am today. Speaking at Friday’s press conference, he said: “There are still too many people on the road going out and about and unfortunately, some people are not taking this matter seriously.
We have stepped up police enforcement including in hotspots. “The physical distancing measures are critical
Five deaths, confirmed cases now rise to 29 By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
THE number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has risen to 29 with five deaths from the disease, health officials said last night. Among the dead are case 18, a 72-year old male healthcare worker from New Providence, who was hospitalised but had no history of travel. He has been identified as prominent physician Dr Judson Eneas, who died Saturday. Health officials said an investigation is being conducted “into the details of this unfortunate death.” An 80-year-old man who was hospitalised in Grand Bahama with no direct links to other cases also died from the disease on Friday. In the country, there are five confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Grand Bahama, 23 confirmed cases in New Providence
and one confirmed case from the island of Bimini. The newest confirmed patient is case #29, a 48-year-old female resident of New Providence with no history of travel. She is in hospital. “Health officials continue to follow the condition of the other 24 COVID-19 positive cases,” a statement from the Ministry of Health said, which urged the public to adhere to social distancing mandates to reduce the spread of the disease. Other newly confirmed cases are all from New Providence with no history of travel. These include a 57-yearold woman, who is case # 25. Officials said she was in isolation at home. She had a direct link to case #22. Case 26 is a 77-year-old woman resident of New Providence; she is also directly linked to case 22 and was said to be in isolation at home.
A 48-year-old man is the 27th confirmed case. He was described as “very ill” in hospital, but had no direct links to any previous case. The 28th case involved a 51-year-old woman. Officials said she was in stable condition in hospital. Four cases have recovered, according to health officials, and 324 people are in quarantine. On Friday, the Ministry of Health announced that two COVID-19 patients who were in hospital died Thursday night. Officials said investigations were being conducted into the deaths. This comes after Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis revealed on Wednesday that Kim Johnson-Rolle, a Bimini resident who died in the capital on Monday, had tested positive for the highly infectious disease. She was the first confirmed COVID-19 death.
People who are experiencing flu-like symptoms or shortness of breath are asked to call the Ministry of Health’s 24-hour hotline at 376-9350 between the hours of 8am and 8pm and 376-9387 between 8pm and 8am for assistance.
GIVING BLOOD
Photos: Woman Marine Myeshia Gibson SOME Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers gave blood at Princess Margaret Hospital’s mobile blood bank, which came to the RBDF base on Friday. Volunteers each donated a pint of blood. The hospital’s staff, including Everette Miller, blood bank supervisor; Glenville Roberts, chief phlebotomist; and Krystal Bain, senior medical technologist were encouraged by the military force’s gift of life. Health officials have made urgent appeals for blood donations and have asked the public to donate at PMH’s Blood Bank. For more information on donating blood, please call 502-7822 or 322-8077.
in this fight so I say to you again, please I implore you, I beg you to stay at home. I repeat stay at home.” Dr Minnis is expected to
provide additional details on the national response to COVID-19 when the House of Assembly meets at 10am today.
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WE NEED TO HOLD THE LINE AS EPIDEMIC GETS WORSE AS AN infectious disease epidemiologist, at this point feel morally obligated to provide some information on what we are seeing from a transmission dynamic perspective and how they apply to the social distancing measures. Like any good scientist I have noticed two things that are either not articulated or not present in the “literature” of social media. Specifically, I want to make two aspects of these measures very clear and unambiguous. First, we are in the very infancy of this epidemic’s trajectory. That means even with these measures we will see cases and deaths continue to rise globally, nationally, and in our own communities in the coming weeks. Our hospitals will be overwhelmed, and people will die that didn’t have to. This may lead some people to think that the social distancing measures are not working. They are. They may feel futile. They aren’t. You will feel discouraged. You should. This is normal in chaos. But, this is also normal epidemic trajectory.
Stay calm. This enemy that we are facing is very good at what it does; we are not failing. We need everyone to hold the line as the epidemic inevitably gets worse. This is not my opinion; this is the unforgiving math of epidemics for which I and my colleagues have dedicated our lives to understanding with great nuance, and this disease is no exception. We know what will happen; I want to help the community brace for this impact. Stay strong and with solidarity knowing with absolute certainty that what you are doing is saving lives, even as people begin getting sick and dying. You may feel like giving in. Don’t. Second, although social distancing measures have been (at least temporarily) well-received, there is an obvious-but-overlooked phenomenon when considering groups (i.e. families) in transmission dynamics. While social distancing decreases contact with members of society, it of course increases your contacts with group (i.e. family) members. This small and obvious fact has surprisingly profound implications on
Jonathan Smith, Epidemiologist, Yale School of Medicine disease transmission dynamics. Study after study demonstrates that even if there is only a little bit of connection between groups (i.e. social dinners, playdates/ playgrounds, etc.), the epidemic trajectory isn’t much different than if there was no measure in place. The same underlying fundamentals of disease transmission apply, and the result is that the community is left with all of the social and economic disruption but very little public health benefit. You should perceive your entire family to function as a single individual unit; if one person puts themselves at risk, everyone in
the unit is at risk. Seemingly small social chains get large and complex with alarming speed. If your son visits his girlfriend, and you later sneak over for coffee with a neighbour, your neighbour is now connected to the infected office worker that your son’s girlfriend’s mother shook hands with. This sounds silly, it’s not. This is not a joke or a hypothetical. We as epidemiologists see it borne out in the data time and time again and no one listens. Conversely, any break in that chain breaks disease transmission along that chain. In contrast to hand-washing and other personal measures, social distancing measures are not about individuals, they are about societies working in unison. These measures also take a long time to see the results. It is hard (even for me) to conceptualise how ‘one quick little get together’ can undermine the entire framework of a public health intervention, but it does. I promise you it does. I promise. I promise. I promise. You can’t cheat it. People are already itching to cheat on the social distancing precautions just
CELEBRATING PALM SUNDAY AT HOME
a “little”- a playdate, a haircut, or picking up a needless item at the store, etc. From a transmission dynamics standpoint, this very quickly recreates a highly connected social network that undermines all of the work the community has done so far. Until we get a viable vaccine this unprecedented outbreak will not be overcome in grand, sweeping gesture, rather only by the collection of individual choices our community makes in the coming months. This virus is unforgiving to unwise choices. My goal in writing this is to prevent communities from getting ‘sucker-punched’ by what the epidemiological community knows will happen in the coming weeks. It will be easy to be drawn to the idea that what we are doing isn’t working and become paralysed by fear, or to ‘cheat’ a little bit in the coming weeks. By knowing what to expect, and knowing the importance of maintaining these measures, my hope is to encourage continued community spirit, strategising, and action to persevere in this time of uncertainty.
Drivers return to work after walkout By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A FAMILY hosts a Palm Sunday church service at their home in Elizabeth Estates for the community to hear during lockdown. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
NATIONAL Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) staff returned to work on Saturday, after walking off the job the day before due to COVID-19 safety concerns. In a statement released by the Public Hospitals Authority this weekend, officials noted workers withdrew their services on Friday at midnight. It is not clear how many workers walked off the job. However, officials said discussions were held between NEMS leadership, the Bahamas Public Service Union and Health Minister Dr Duane Sands to resolve the issue. PHA said: “Dr Duane Sands confirmed his agreement with the terms necessary to end the work stoppage at this critical time. “…(He) has made assurances to the staff which include the commitment to provide an honorarium of up to $5,000 for all frontline staff engaged in COVID-19 healthcare service delivery and reiterated the role of the National Insurance Board benefits for illness arising from the pandemic.
“Also discussed was the government’s underwriting of a death benefit of $100,000 in the event of death arising from jobacquired COVID-19.” On Friday, Dr Sands said more than 50 workers have been taken out of the healthcare system and are in quarantine due to exposure to the deadly virus. Asked by reporters if there were any housing provisions for healthcare workers with families, Dr Sands replied: “We have recognised that people have general concerns in working in such a stressful scenario sometimes people prefer to not to go home. “We have provided a respite-type environment where healthcare workers can be put up, where they can rest and where they can shower or sleep and if they wish, they can stay there as long as they want – paid for by the government of the Bahamas.” The number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the country now stands at five after health officials revealed yesterday that Dr Judson Eneas, who had tested positive for the virus, had died in hospital. He is the country’s first physician to die from COVID-19.
DAUGHTER TOLD HER BED-RIDDEN MOTHER CANNOT BE ASSISTED By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
KIM Sturrup experienced a daughter’s worst nightmare on Saturday after being told her mother’s caretaker would not be allowed to leave her home to clean her mother’s painful wounds due to the country being on full lockdown. Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Mrs Sturrup said her 86-year-old mother, who has been bedridden for two years, needs her wounds cleaned and bandages changed by trained professionals daily. “The community nurse comes three times a week, but of course they’re tied up right now (and) that’s
understandable and so what the caretaker does, she was trained to pat the wound and to clean it out,” Mrs Sturrup said. “(However), when she was coming out on Saturday, they told her that ‘no, they were on full lockdown”. On Friday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis ordered two day shutdown of all services that began 8pm that night and ends 5am today. Under the shutdown, people were ordered to remain in their homes. The new order did not apply to hospitals, hotels with guests, the Royal Bahamas Police Force and Defence Forces, OPBAT, security companies, media personnel and essential workers for Bahamas
Power and Light and the Water and Sewerage Corporations. To quickly rectify the issue, Mrs Sturrup said she called the Royal Bahamas Police Force command centre to assure them her mother’s caregiver should be considered as an essential worker. But Mrs Sturrup said officials refused to give approval for the caregiver to leave her home. “I was just frantic because my mom has ulcers, bed ulcers,” she told The Tribune. “I sent a WhatsApp message and I sent it twice and finally they responded to me and said ‘no, it’s a full lockdown’. “Again, I was trying to explain to them that her wounds need packing and
the response was ‘no, we’re in full lockdown’. Desperate for help, Mrs Sturrup said she also sent emails to police officials to gain approval for the caretaker’s visit. “So, like the first (curfew), I wrote to the commissioner and they gave me the email and I wrote to him. (But), no response,” she said. “Second time, like it said in the WhatsApp, they said to email or send a WhatsApp. I emailed and sent a WhatsApp and no response from the email and then in WhatsApp I finally got a message saying, ‘no we in full lockdown.’” With no other options, Mrs Sturrup said she was left with no choice but to call a police friend, who was
later able to assist her with the matter. “I got the approval through a friend of mine who is also a police officer and who called up to command centre and got the approval last night, I think it was.” Noting that she did “her best” to assist her mother, Mrs Sturrup said it wasn’t until Sunday morning until she got full approval from officials. Still, Mrs Sturrup said: “This says to me that one, that all essential workers need to be properly identified by the government.” She continued: “Who are caregivers, who are caretakers, essential workers and what are their roles? That’s not been established? “...They have to name
them because when I looked at the last emergency order, it was BPL and Water and Sewerage and the hospital. There was nothing to say about the caretakers who are dealing with critically ill patients in private homes, etc.” Mrs Sturrup said while she supports the measures issued by Dr Minnis to combat the spread of COVID-19, she feels that the orders should be made clearer. She said: “At least say come and register at the police station and we will then give your caretaker or give you a letter stamped and approved by the government or the commissioner of police that their movement is noted and the reason as to why.”
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PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis led a virtual Cabinet meeting on Saturday from the Office of the Prime Minister’s conference room. To practise physical distancing, ministers video-conferenced into the meeting to discuss the national response to COVID-19. Photos: OPM Communications Unit
DOCTORS HOSPITAL CLOSED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE decision to temporarily close Doctors Hospital to the general public was made by health officials in an effort to protect healthcare workers and the Bahamian public at large against the COVID19 threat, according to Health Minister Dr Duane Sands.
Speaking on the matter during Friday’s press conference, Dr Sands said: “… Each confirmed case, we have thoroughly investigated the case to determine where the patient, the confirmed patient was and what environment they may have visited. “And if there was ever a perception that there could’ve been contamination, we have to taken the position that
those facilities would be high-cleaned.” “We’ve done that at Elizabeth Estates. It’s now happening with Doctors Hospital. It’s now happening at Bimini clinic - if it hasn’t happened already and so the whole idea is that we want to keep the public safe but we want also want to keep our healthcare workers safe.” On Thursday, the healthcare facility released a
statement, suspending all in-person visits to the hospital. This, officials said, was to prevent the spread of the highly infectious disease. “Patients will be encouraged to use their mobile devices and the hospital’s wireless internet to communicate with loved ones and friends,” the statement read. “The hospital will also provide teleconferencing kiosks for patients who may
NASSAU in lockdown over the weekend
have challenges doing this on their own. Exceptions may occur but this will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.” Asked if health officials were satisfied that the facility had not been comprised due to possible COVID19 exposure, he replied: “Once there are cases with a connection to the facility, then there are a number of interventions. “If you look at the
persons involved and whether or not they are practicing appropriately, whether they are adhering to infection prevention and control measures, whether some should be put in isolation or quarantine and then the facilities where patients would have been or cases would have been would be high cleaned to a standard defined by international regular protocols.”
Photos: Shawn Hanna and Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
NIB pays out $555,000 THE National Insurance Board has paid out more than half a million dollars in unemployment assistance to self-employed workers in the tourism sector who have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The first batch of assistance was paid out on Friday in the amount of $555,893.66, NIB noted in a press release. Payments in the amount of $440,006.20 were made to 1,192 people via direct bank deposit. “Additionally, cheques were being run for 302 people totalling $115,887.46. NIB advised that where the recipient is
in receipt of a pension, the weekly amount is deducted so that no more than $200 per week is paid to the individual for income support.”
for self-employed tourism workers; 1,494 were approved and 943 were denied due to insufficient documentation.
POLICE TO INVESTIGATE FALSE MESSAGE THE Office of the Prime Minister has asked police to investigate a message circulating on social media which falsely purports that a Bahamian resident filed a complaint against Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. According to a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister, the note further alleges that the resident and her alleged
WHATSAPP ACCOUNT SET UP TO HELP THE PUBLIC THE police wish to inform the public that, due to the high volume of calls to their 311 number, many people are not getting through to the COVID-19 Command Center. As a result, they have established a WhatsApp account number – 806-6852 – to further assist customers. This number is to be used for WhatsApp text messages ONLY. The public is further advised that all emails are to be sent to the email address covid19@rbpf.
NIB added that as of April 2, it had received some 2,666 applications for the unemployment assistance programme
bs only. Other telephone numbers at the police COVID-19 command centre are as follows: #326-6346 #356-9455 #322-1051 The police are seeking the public’s cooperation with these changes in order to minimise inconvenience, as they seek to keep The Bahamas safe and prevent further spread of the virus.
attorney, John Bostwick II, were arrested by police and are on bail. “The public is advised that this note is completely false,” OPM noted in a press release. “This is an example of malicious fake news. It is intended to injure the reputation of the prime minister and Mr Bostwick. The matter has been turned over to police
for investigation by the Office of the Prime Minister. Mr Bostwick has also filed a complaint with the police. “Bahamians are reminded that under the Regulations of the Emergency Powers Order, punishment for creation of malicious fake news could include imprisonment or conviction,” OPM added.
The remainder are still being processed. “The majority of applicants supplied banking details to facilitate direct deposit payments,” NIB noted. “Persons who have had their applications denied, can reapply by attaching the necessary documents to the email notification received and their applications can be reconsidered.” On Tuesday, April 7, NIB will open its application process to other self-employed people outside of the tourism sector who were impacted by the mandated COVID-19 shutdown.
These people will need to be registered with NIB and have a valid business licence. To apply for the government unemployment assistance for self-employed people impacted by COVID-19 in the tourism sector and by the emergency orders, visit https://uebrelief. nibbahamas.com/selfemployed-form to apply online. For more information regarding NIB benefits and the special government assistance programme, visit www.nib-bahamas.com/ NIB-BAHAMAS-COVID19-Alerts.
SPECIAL FLIGHT BACK TO UK SET FOR TOMORROW THE British High Commission in Nassau has announced a special flight to take remaining British tourists and short-term visitors back to London. The flight will leave tomorrow and fly direct to London. It will also allow the direct dependents of those visitors to travel to the UK. There will be a cost per person of £500 ($613). Tickets will NOT be on sale at the airport nor
through other outlets. Anyone wanting to travel can email ukinthebahamas@fco.gov.uk as soon as possible. In a post to social media, the commission urged people: “Do not travel to the airport without a confirmed ticket.” For more information on travel in The Bahamas, the commission also recommends people visit www.gov.uk/ foreign-travel-advice/
PAGE 6, Monday, April 6, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
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A Bahamas for Bahamians IT’S hard to imagine just now – but picture what life will be like when this current crisis is over. Suppose all the measures introduced by the government pay off. People follow the rules, stay at home, and the threat of the virus passes. What next? If we reach a point where The Bahamas is free and clear of the virus – but the rest of the world is still battling with it, how does a country based on tourism begin to function again? Things are going to have to start moving again. When tourism starts again – and at first it may be a trickle, not a flood – hotels are going to need to step up their operations. Hire staff, get facilities ready. Ferries are going to need to start running again. Restaurants and bars are going to polish the glasses and open the doors. So who are they going to serve? Well, how about us? As the country starts to open for business again, why not commit across all those businesses to run at the minimum it takes initially to make these places as cheap as possible for Bahamians to use? Rather than pushing for profits right away, create an opportunity for a Bahamas-wide staycation market. Let Bahamians rediscover their Bahamas. Let them get cheap deals on ferries, on accommodation in the Family Islands or resorts on New Providence. Let people who have never seen Grand Bahama get the chance to see it for themselves. The same with Long Island, or Abaco, or Andros, and so on. Money will be tight for many after the lockdown ends, but for those who do have some money in pocket, the best use of that for the country will be spending it. Money in a pocket will do nothing for the economy once things start moving again, whereas money in
a cash register will fund jobs, get businesses going again, and give the country a chance to be ready when the tourists do arrive once more. It won’t do everything to fix matters – to paraphrase Churchill it’s a little like standing in a bucket and trying to lift ourselves up by the handle – but it can start the process rolling. Those private schools that were planning trips overseas later in this year? Why not give your students a chance to experience somewhere in their own country this year? See an island they’ve never been to? People who have been working through all this will have vacation time to use – and less of the year to use it up in, so it may as well get used up seeing the beauty of Exuma, the charm of Harbour Island or any one of the 700 islands and cays. In doing so, we’ll be paying for the salaries of bartenders and maids, gardeners and butlers, ferry captains and pilots, scuba tutors and dolphin experts, cooks and chefs, serving staff and more – directly helping our Bahamian brothers and sisters by getting them back to work. So what do you say, Ministry of Tourism? Let’s have a push to make it Bahamas for Bahamians. Let’s encourage everyone when this is done to celebrate our nation – and to tell the world all about it. Get some of the big movers in tourism onside, the major resorts, to open up at reduced rates. Get the inter-island transport network to do the same. Keep the margins tight so that more can make the most of it, then make your profits when the tourists of the world return. Let’s stay in our Bahamas – and show the world that The Bahamas is here to stay.
Catching the world off-guard EDITOR, The Tribune “Where there is love grace abounds The marketplace is empty No more traffic in the streets All the builders’ tools are silent No more time to harvest wheat Busy housewives cease their labours In the courtroom no debate Work on earth is all suspended.” COVID-19 has caught the world off-guard and every country is under siege. Everywhere you turn everyone is suspected of being infected with the virus. A sneeze or a cough and you are automatically alienated. Masks and gloves are now a part of our dress code. Leaders around the world are saying do not panic. Curfews are now in place families are locked in their homes and the streets are deserted. “Now that He has our
attention God wants us to spend time with Him.” The government has closed down all of the bars and web shops. All sporting events and social gatherings are cancelled . “Where there is love grace abounds.” Prayerfully, with us being confined to our homes we will take this time to recommit to loving each other the way we used to before we started doing our own thing and went our separate ways. Covid-19 is a global health crisis, and while our leaders are saying do not panic God is saying we’re at a place where love must abound. Where mothers, fathers and children can start afresh. He is reminding us of His command that we are to love each other as He loves us. “Now is the time to be our brother’s keeper”. With Baha Mar closing and Atlantis cutting back on staff and all of those other businesses closed, the Bahamas is now moreso than ever an interdependent nation. For us to survive
we must unite. Even if we have to do it at a distance. This is not the time to be selfish. “God works in mysterious ways” His wonders to perform. While this virus has brought us to a place we have never been. It has also taken us back to a place many of us have forgotten. This is a sad and scary time in our lives, but at the same time it’s an opportunity to bring the families back together. It is a time for healing and forgiveness. Coranavirus when it is gone must leave the family stronger than before it came. “God does not make mistakes”. Is this a way of reuniting us as a people? Will we embrace this opportunity or will we squander it and go back to where we were? Let us move forward with love. Let us never stop praying for each other. God bless us all. ANTHONY PRATT Victoria Boulevard East Street South. March 30, 2020.
Dr Eneas touched lives - and raised up our spirits EDITOR, The Tribune ON Saturday - the day before Palm Sunday - Dr. Judson Frazier Eneas, passed from time to eternity. The media reports that he is the first Bahamian physician to succumb to COVID19. I agree with the quote that The Nassau Guardian attributes to his colleague, Dr. Charles Diggis, “the ultimate sacrifice – doctors on the frontline – patient above self.” Judson is the second child and second son of Dr. Cleveland Eneas and Mrs. Muriel Eneas. Dr. and Mrs. Eneas were nation builders. Both imbued in their children the spirit of public service. Judson was well known and held in high esteem among his colleagues internationally and nationally. He was educated and worked at top institutions in the United States and had a very successful practice in California before he returned home to make his contributions to The Bahamas. Judson did not rest on his professional laurels in The Bahamas. He contributed significantly to the development of the medical profession, especially in internal medicine and nephrology, being Board Certified in each. His quest for excellence was such that he frequently attended and spoke at international conferences. The knowledge and skills obtained from keeping abreast of and contributing to international developments, were shared
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net with his colleagues and patients in The Bahamas. His outstanding accomplishments in the medical arena speak to his intellect, the love of his profession, the love of learning and his spirit of excellence. This leads me to the Judson that I’ve known for almost 60 years. Judson was always soft spoken, scholarly, a leader and peacemaker, loyal friend and a family man. Whenever and wherever I saw Judson, he was well groomed – whether at work, at a party or at the Eneas’ cabana at Adelaide Beach. Mrs. Eneas always told us that we pay the consequences of our actions. This may have been what led Judson and his wife (I think they were married for about 50 years) Marcheta to establish The Gentlemen’s Club, to lead young men to good consequences. Hundreds of young men would have been mentored by Judson and Marcheta and their team. They were taught, especially by example, what it means to be a “gentleman”, good citizen and leader. Thank you, Judson, and Marcheta for pouring your time, talent and treasure into so many young men, and by extension, their families, thereby making The Bahamas a better place. The Links, Incorporated (“Links”) is well known in The Bahamas. I recall
Judson proudly supporting Marcheta as she and others worked to have The Nassau Chapter of Links to be chartered as the first international chapter of Links. Judson loved family and friends, amongst whom he could relax and let his hair down. He loved his Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothers, like family, and they loved him. Such was his professional and social reach that in cities in Europe and across America, when I mentioned that I am from The Bahamas, people have asked me whether I knew Judson and Marcheta Eneas. Those who remember Dr. and Mrs. Eneas (affectionately called Doc and Finnie) will recall that whenever you saw one, you saw the other. The same applied to Judson and Marcheta (the younger Dr. and Mrs. Eneas). Whenever you saw one, you saw the other. Continuing their parents’ spirit of excellence, their three children are making important contributions to society in Maryland, California and The Bahamas. Judson contributed to and built institutions. He meaningfully and impactfully touched people, our most significant resource. Let us uphold Marcheta, his children and the entire Eneas family in prayers at this challenging time, made even more difficult because of COVID19 protocols. May he rest in peace. ALLYSON MAYNARD-GIBSON Nassau, April 5, 2020
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2020
THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS
Selfishly dicing with death it’s that simple By MALCOLM STRACHAN COVID-19, or what some health experts and those on the frontline have begun referring to as “the beast”, has infected over a million people worldwide and taken the lives of nearly 70,000 people – a 100 percent increase in just a week. Of those dead, some of our brothers and sisters were also taken from us in another week highlighting a disregard by some of the guidelines put in place by the government to save our lives. One of the most frustrating aspects of this virus is that it requires us to be reliant on others. What we fail to appreciate as a collective is that what I do doesn’t only affect me or my family. It also affects you and yours. And from time immemorial, what has been characteristic of Bahamian people is an “all for me baby”, “gimme me”, “look out for number one” type of mentality. Now, here it is, such a mentality compromises us all to the point of death. Our nature to disregard the laws of the land continues to cause a wide dismissal of the severity of this issue. Since the outbreak, far too many people have chosen to put their individual needs above their fellow citizens. Giving grace to those who seriously have no choice to move about, that can be understood. However, those of you – and you know who you are – who refuse to heed what has been advised do a great disservice to your country. You all should be ashamed of yourselves. Say what you want about Prime Minister Minnis’ leadership, the fact remains there has been no prime minister in our country to ever be tested like this. None of us would want to trade lives with him, as the responsibility is so great. Worse, when your citizens continue to put themselves and others at risk, one can only imagine that it is like a shepherd leading a herd of wayward sheep.
What must happen for us to get the picture? The threat of potentially getting a virus that has been rapidly killing people and causing suffering to those able to endure has not been enough. Neither is the fact that economies, including ours, have collapsed, making life that much more difficult. None of it has been able to scare the people who continue to ignore the potential outcomes of this deadly virus. If that isn’t disheartening for a prime minister fighting to save the lives of people too ignorant to save themselves, then what is? The fact that Dr Minnis holds the position of prime minister should be enough for the Bahamian people. Why would we seek to tempt death to ravage our communities when there is a better way out? Sure, it won’t be easy, but can we seriously consider the alternative? Currently, the fatality rate around the globe for closed cases of COVID19 is 21 percent – although this number is only in cases confirmed by testing, so if someone has a mild case and is not tested for it they may not appear in those numbers. Factors such as underlying health issues, along with other co-morbidities and healthcare capacity will also play a major role. The World Health Organization has stated that in cases where preexisting health conditions and non-communicable diseases exist, the risk is much higher for those individuals. Data provided by WHO discussed these risks in great detail. “People with pre-existing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) also appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus,” the note read. It went on to list the NCDs, which were cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes and cancer. In the Bahamian context, a country already marked by a 74 percent cause of all deaths to be related to NCDs, one has to wonder if some of us have a death
wish. Digging further into the numbers, we should note WHO produced findings from a study a few years ago that broke down which NCDs have led to Bahamians losing their lives. It outlined that 30 percent of that 74 percent listed earlier could be attributed to cardiovascular diseases, 22 percent were caused by cancer, five percent as a result of diabetes, two percent as a result of chronic respiratory illnesses and a residual 15 percent were caused by other NCDs. Why on earth do you think our lives are being made uncomfortable now while our healthcare system is not crippled by an explosion of this virus in our hospitals? Which of you are willing to see whole families wiped out? And for what, because inside the house was just a little too boring? It is truly times like this where we can see there is a real disconnect between people and reality. For as long as this virus remains a topical issue, it is likely the conversation will continue. However, many Bahamians need to shift their thinking and their actions in response to this outbreak. We need to be mature in our thinking. We must listen to and support our prime minister and the government by doing what we’re told amid this global pandemic, as doing so is crucially important. This time is what all the countries who have stared this monster in the face wish for – the time to flatten the curve while there is still a chance. In terms of whatever your politics may be or however you feel about the prime minister and the FNM, if you’re lucky, you may still be alive in 2022 to cast your ballot. However, with an unpredictable two years ahead of us, an inability to understand that hangs all of us in the balance between life and death. It’s time to wise up, Bahamas. It is time to listen and do what is necessary to keep our loved ones here with us. Stay home and stay safe.
SAY what you want about Prime Minister Minnis’ leadership, the fact remains there has been no prime minister in our country to ever be tested like this.
PUBLIC NOTICE THE CLEARING BANKS’
ASSOCIATION FINANCIAL SERVICES Mystery Shopping Scam PART 1
Mystery Shopping Scam The Mystery Shopping Scam is a scheme often used by fraudsters to gain the assistance of third party victims in money laundering. Phishing emails are used to recruit persons. The scheme begins with an email or Facebook message offering you a job to carry out an evaluation of the services provided by a money transfer agent (such as Western Union or MoneyGram), on behalf of a Mystery Shopping company. You are asked to confirm whether you have an account at a specific bank and also to provide your bank account number, phone number and a copy of a national ID (passport/Driver's license). Once you have confirmed your bank account number, you are told that monies will be sent to your account, of which you are to keep 10% and send the balance to the destination that the Mystery Shopping Company wants it sent to. Once the monies are credited to your account, you receive another communication (via Email, Facebook or WhatsApp) instructing you to send the money.
The funds that are credited to your bank account are proceeds from a previous theft. If you withdraw the funds and send them out, you are liable and will have to pay the bank back. A money transfer can be paid out to the receiver within a very short time. After the money is paid, you generally cannot obtain a refund from a money transfer agent, even if the transfer was a result of fraud.
PAGE 8 MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2020 by Christina Chandler Vice Principal Tambearly International School WHEN Tambearly International School implemented Google for Education tools into subject area curriculum grades seven through 12 in 2017, we had no idea how valuable it would prove to be. Within 24 hours of the Prime Minister announcing school closing on March 16, the Tambearly team of teachers and administration gathered together classroom materials for families to have at home, created lesson plans for 30 days of a new way to guide our students from a distance, introduced an online platform to School teachers, activated150-plus tambearly.org accounts to get all Lower School families connected online - and crossed our fingers hoping for the best. The first obstacle Tambearly staff faced was not being able to have the students and parents present to introduce the tools and Google for Education platform that would serve as their classroom for the coming weeks. The next challenge came realizing the difficulties in communicating steps for success navigating a programme some of our teachers were just introduced to one day before rolled out to the families. What came next, as all were in survival mode, was the realization that Tambearly teachers are so dedicated to making sure teaching and learning is happening that they will do anything it takes. Forty-eight hours after facing the turn of events in response to the dangers of spreading the COVID-19 virus, the Tambearly teachers, students, and parents began to reap the rewards of TEAMWORK. All of the Tambearly family was online by Wednesday experiencing instruction and communications between teachers and students with the emphasis on making learning happen. Continuing educational growth from a distance while maintaining structures established by the classroom teachers and providing human connections remains the primary goal with this transition. A typical day begins with students logging into their Google Classroom each morning to receive their daily agenda. Some lessons are pre-recorded videos with their teacher guiding students with instructional content and guided practice activities, while other lessons are scheduled face
INSIGHT
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
When the doors were ordered closed, a new world opened up for students and teachers
to face classroom sessions using Google Meet. Independent practice takes place using many digital resources uploaded directly to their Google classroom and hard copy materials such as workbooks, textbooks, and handouts provided by the teachers. Images of assignments and activities completed by the students, as well as digital responses using Google docs are uploaded for marking and scoring, then returned to students promptly with feedback and opportunities for revision if necessary. Understanding the students’ success is dependent
on the support from parents, the Tambearly team has seen all families move mountains to help their children interact daily with their teachers and the materials each so thoughtfully prepared for them. Mrs. Alice Langford, founder/principal of Tambearly International School stated: “We won’t let the humps and obstacles deter us. We are all facing challenges we have never had to meet before but we feel our Tambearly Family has risen far above all others in the support and resilience shown keeping educational communication going and putting things in place for
our children in our first days of this crisis.” Pre-Kindergarten through Grade Three students and parents were submitting work through Google Classroom by the end of the first day of the programme being active. Images of our littlest ones tracing letters relating to the sounds shared in the pre-recorded instructional video from their Montessori teacher was the first glimmer of hope Tambearly was truly going to be able to enhance educational opportunities from a distance. Kindergarten parents quickly learned to use the Google tools to share
videos of their students working diligently and then enjoying break time before starting a new task. Grade Three parents uploaded images of bridges built using many different types of resources as the assessment tool for a science class modelled from a live session with their teacher, and students shared math assignments following the instructional videos showing step by step instruction from inside their classroom. The excitement was contagious, like the first day of school all over again. By Day Seven, the administrative team had witnessed optimal levels of student performance. Materials turned in showed students were serious about giving 100 percent to providing their best work. Google meet conferences revealed students were learning more and more about themselves and what type of learners they were. Leila Valerius shared: “I am a procrastinator and have to push myself. I learned I can prioritize and set goals to get my work done. Getting tasks out of the way that do not take as much time, then being able to put more time and focus on harder tasks. I feel I am being more responsible.” Fotini Salpadimos, a Ninth Grade Tambearly student has seen an improvement in the time she gives to thinking through questions before responding. She found being able to control the time she spends on an assignment, not having to pack up and switch classes because the class has ended, has been very beneficial in having success with using critical thinking skills to provide well developed responses. Tenth Grader Nicholas Astwood agrees more time to complete classwork tasks and working at his own pace has improved his work ethic. He states: “Work was adding up the first two days. Then I pushed myself to set a schedule to finish an assignment once I started, not put it off because one hour had passed as if I was in the classroom. I am really proud of myself because I see I can get everything done.” During a Google Meet face-to-face session with her Ninth Grade World geography students, Mrs. Deleveaux reported: “The
students are really stepping up to the challenge and producing work of great quality. Providing instruction that is engaging and learning resources digitally and developing new ways of marking work and providing feedback, while learning new technological tools provides challenges making the days very long.” She added: “The motivations and efforts of the students make every extra hour worth it.” The apprehensions that were high with the parents at the beginning of the week settled as students and parents became more and more familiar with the Google for Education tools and digital resources assisting instruction. One parent of a Second Grader and Fifth Grader shared her pleasure stating: “Learning is going surprisingly well here at the Fun House Academy!” Pride in the Tambearly teachers grew when a Third Grade parent showed her appreciation with the following heartfelt words: “I’m so happy that you organized the homeschooling with the teacher so fast. Everything is working perfectly, the classes are very well organized, and I can see the kids are really enjoying the online classes. It is wonderful to see how great grade three is so well prepared to access the internet system proving the computer classes are very good at Tambearly. Miss Harrison’s videos are very well done with fun and great explanations. We are loving learning French.” The kind words from a parent of students in Sixth and Eleventh grade continued to warm our hearts knowing our students’ needs were being met. She sent gratitude for our teachers stating: “Your relentless pursuit to see the children and the parents through smoothly during this time has been impeccable. The transition has been good for my sons. It is rewarding to see them passionate about being up to date and completing all tasks assigned to them.” Although everyone in the world is facing fears of uncertainties associated with the COVID-19 virus, Tambearly families are not letting anything get in the way of their student’s academic success.
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
T
HE image and standing of Guyana are being tarnished throughout the world. Yet, a small window of opportunity remains open for the country to be regarded as democratic and for its government to be hailed as legitimate. All the players in Guyana – the political parties and their leaders, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the Judiciary and civil society groups – should work toward that noble goal. For if Guyana is not respected internationally as a democratic state and its government is not seen as credibly elected, it will be isolated from regional, hemispheric and international activity that will hurt its people irreparably. The first indication of the gravity with which the international community regards Guyana’s situation was given by the Commonwealth of 55-nations on April 2, exactly one month since the general elections were held without a declared result. Through the Ministerial Action Group (MAG), its watchdog for abuses of human rights and democracy, the Commonwealth “strongly iterated that any Government which is sworn in without a credible and fully transparent vote count and tabulation process would lack legitimacy”. And they “called upon the GECOM to immediately fulfil its constitutional mandate and ensure the sovereign right of the people of Guyana to duly elect their Government is respected through a transparent and credible counting and tabulation process”. While offering “to provide assistance to ensuring a credible and transparent conclusion to the electoral process in accordance with the will of the people as expressed on 2 March”, the Commonwealth Ministers were clear that, were it to become necessary, they would “convene an extraordinary meeting to discuss the situation and explore appropriate options”. Take that to mean exclusion of Guyana from the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth action would be replicated by the Organisation of
INSIGHT
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2020 PAGE 9
CARICOM should help but Guyana must save itself American States (OAS) and the European Union. Collectively, the member states of these three groupings represent Guyana’s major trading partners, and the countries that provide it with access to the global trading and financial system. Practically, they could cripple Guyana, and its “sovereignty” - much proclaimed over the last month by those who reject the concerns of the global community – would be meaningless. That “sovereignty” would not save Guyana from sanctions bilaterally applied by the powerful countries, international organisations and financial institutions with the capacity to do so. What would be the benefit to Guyana, as a nation, or to its people as individuals, for such a scenario to unfold? Neither those courting sanctions nor those urging their application would gain in any way. Far better for all players to uphold the principles and values enshrined in the nation’s Constitution and in the Charters of the Commonwealth, the InterAmerican System and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to which Guyana is a signatory. By doing so, GECOM would order a recount of all the votes cast under the supervision of a highlevel CARICOM team,
consistent with the Agreement of March 16, signed by President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharat Jagdeo. The result of the elections would then be credible to all - domestically, regionally and internationally. Then, a much needed Government could be established to get on with looking after the wellbeing of the Guyanese people, especially now when the country, like all other nations, is gripped by the deadly tragedy of COVID-19 and urgent measures are required to save lives. Incidentally, in playing a role in Guyana’s elections, CARICOM is doing no more than carrying out the requirements of the Revised Treaty Chaguaramas (the CARICOM Treaty), by which, in its preamble, CARICOM governments accepted their various agreements based, in part, on the Charter of Civil Society which the Conference of Heads of Government adopted on 19 February 1997. At Article VI, under heading, “Political Rights”, the Charter states that “The States shall ensure the existence of a fair and open democratic system through the holding of free elections at reasonable intervals, by secret ballot, underpinned by an electoral system in which all can have
confidence and which will ensure the free expression of the will of the people in the choice of their representatives”. The language could not be clearer. CARICOM’s role is not “interference” in the domestic affairs of a foreign country; it is participation in “community affairs” which is the essence of the revised CARICOM Treaty and the Charter of Civil Society that preceded it. It is often overlooked that “CARICOM” is the acronym for “Caribbean Community”. And, by helping Guyana to maintain its democracy, CARICOM nations would also be strengthening their own collective standing as proud democracies where human, political and civil rights are preserved, protected and promoted. It is also significant that the Commonwealth Ministers in their April 2 statement “encouraged CARICOM to remain seized of the situation in Guyana”. The Commonwealth recognised that CARICOM, more than any other body, has a clear right to be involved in Guyana. What Guyana must remember is that its leaders were among the key founding fathers of CARICOM, of “Caribbean Community”, of regional integration and of all that comes with it. No one played a greater role in its creation than Guyana’s first independence Prime Minister, Forbes Burnham. Every Head of Government of Guyana since then, including the present Opposition Leader, Bharat Jagdeo, has remained faithful to it. CARICOM still has a role to play in supervising a transparent recount
GUYANA’s first independence Prime Minister, Forbes Burnham of all the votes of March 2nd so that a credible elections result can be declared acceptable to all. It owes it to itself as much as to Guyana to play that role. It was not by chance that the Commonwealth and the OAS both appointed two former Prime Ministers of Barbados and Jamaica to lead their Elections Observation Missions. Neither Owen Arthur nor Bruce Golding would have anything but Guyana’s best interests at heart. If Guyana’s leaders fail to take advantage of this narrowing window of opportunity to produce a credible elections result, certified by CARICOM, it will have closed every
chance to maintain its democracy. Worse it will itself invite the sanctions that will certainly come and the ostracization and pain that will follow. CARICOM should help, but Guyana must save itself. The writer is Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organisation of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and at Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com
PAGE 10, Monday, April 6, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
POLICE PROBE PATIENT DATA LEAK FROM THE RAND from page one While Commissioner Rolle would not go into further details this probe, the Public Hospitals Authority said in a statement Saturday it was assured the investigation would be swift and
come with a “serious” outcome for anyone engaged in the leak and circulation of the document. “The Public Hospitals Authority has launched a criminal investigation into the leak and dissemination on social media of a purported confidential
document pertaining to clients of the Grand Bahama Health Services,” the statement said. “The PHA has been assured that the matter which is now in the hands of the authorities will result in a swift and serious outcome for those who are engaged in the
leak and circulation of this document.” PHA went on to warn members of the public that patient health records are confidential and cannot be released without the consent of the patient, adding any breach of this privacy is punishable under the Data
Protection (Privacy of Personal Information) Act. “All persons found to have obtained unauthorised health information and forwarded this information, will be brought before the court,” PHA noted. “Persons who receive any and such information via email, WhatsApp
KEISHON Bethel outside court last Friday. Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
20-year-old on murder charge By EARYEL BOWLEG ebowleg@tribunemedia.net A 20-YEAR-OLD man was charged with murder and violating the national curfew on Friday. Keishon Bethel appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt accused of murdering Lynden Humes
on January 5. He did not enter a plea and is expected to return to court on June 2 to receive a voluntary bill of indictment. Until then, he is remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, however he can apply for bail. Bethel’s attorney, Roberto Reckley expressed
safety concerns for his client and Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt noted that she would alert the prison commissioner. In a separate matter, Bethel was charged with violating the curfew. Police allege he was found on April 1 at 2am at Big Pond. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and is expected back
in court on September 2 to answer to the curfew violation charge. Meanwhile another man was charged with attempted murder and violating the curfew on Friday. It is alleged that Farron Stanford Palmer, 27, being concerned with others, tried to kill Jerone Thompson on March 28. Appearing
before Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt, he was not required to plead. As for his curfew violation charge, it is claimed he was in the area of Albury Street, Chippingham, at 10pm and not in his home. He pleaded not guilty. He is expected back in court on June 2 for a VBI.
FORMER SPEAKER INGRAHAM IN HOSPITAL Death Notice for
Faye Anita Higgs, 74 of Harley Street, Palmdale, Nassau, The Bahamas, died at her residence, on Friday 27th March, 2020. Faye was predeceased by her loving Husband: Bertram Gordon Higgs; Parents: Falmon Arlington Albury and Ethelyn Agatha Albury; Sister: Celestia Christine Albury; Father-In-Law: Gordon Higgs; Mother-InLaw: Lamar Higgs, Brother-In-Laws: John Michael Symonette, Bruce Casity, Glen Bethel, Brennen Cartwright: Sister-In-Law: Madie Cartwright, Joy Albury. Faye is survived by her Children: Delicia Higgs and Donovan Higgs; Nephew/Adopted Son: Geoffrey Albury; Daughter-In-Law: Eltoya Higgs; Grandsons: Dylan Higgs and Evan Higgs; Granddaughters: Morgan Higgs and Ariana Higgs; Sisters: Barbara Casity of Lakeland Fla, Cheryl Sawyer, Ruie Symonette, Pauline Wong; Brothers: George Albury and David Andrew Albury; BrotherIn-Laws: Michael Sawyer, Peter Wong, Frank Pronovich, Keith Bomar, Ray Simpson; Sister-InLaws: Anne Bethel, Angela Pronovich, Juliana Bomar, Lisa Albury, Janet Cheong Albury Simpson; Aunt: Edna Lowe; a host of nieces and nephews too many to mention, numerous god children whom she cherished, her extended Spanish Wells family who always made her feel welcome, her Glad Tidings Tabernacle family, especially Pastor Irene Russell, Minister Lucinda Rolle, Minister Kevin Armbrister, Dexter Cartwright and family, the choir along with Sherrie Carey, Joanne Kemp, Joy Carey, Gene and Minnie Hall, and the entire church family, her many friends that she cherished for their love and support throughout the years, and last but not least her Royal Bank family who she worked with for most of her life. A special thank you to Barbara Elaine Kelly Albury (deceased) and Andrew (Drew) Albury for their love and support over the years. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date for non immediate family and friends to pay their respects. Arrangements by Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited.
FORMER House of Assembly Speaker Oswald Ingraham is in hospital. A statement from Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Fred Mitchell said the party’s leader, Philip “Brave” Davis, was asking for prayers for Mr Ingraham. “The leader of our party, Philip Davis has asked us to say a special prayer today for the former Speaker of the House Oswald Ingraham who is in hospital,” Mr Mitchell said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him, Mrs Ingraham and the family.” When contacted, Mr Mitchell could not say why Mr Ingraham is in hospital. The former member of Parliament for South Eleuthera served as speaker during the last Christie administration.
UNWELL: Oswald Ingraham
or other media source are encouraged to delete not forward or share this information with other persons.” PHA said Grand Bahama Health Services continues to maintain the strictest commitment to the privacy of its patients and their health information.
WOMAN ARRESTED FOR MAKING THREATS TO OFFICERS POLICE have arrested a woman for making threats against officers. The 21-year-old resident of Russell Drive was taken into custody into connection with a social media post which threatened the lives of police officers. Police also said the Central Detective Unit is investigating “fake news” circulating on social media. The Royal Bahamas Police Force said a social media page with the name “Prime Minister the Most Hon Hubert Minnis,” is suggesting that the curfew has been extended for another week until April 14 at 5am. The profile also claimed that telecommunications companies are to eliminate data connections and Wi-Fi at all homes will be disconnected. Police said the information was fake news and is under active police investigation. Police reminded the general public not to disseminate information that can create panic in the community and cause undue stress. Under emergency order regulations passed in Parliament, knowingly spreading fake news during the COVID-19 crisis is a criminal offence.
MAN HURT AFTER GUN SHOTS FIRED
A GRAND Bahama man was shot on Thursday night, police said. Shortly after 10pm, police received a report of gunshots fired in the West End community. Responding officers met a man who told them that while he was walking near West End Primary School a gunman approached and shot in his direction. The man ran to a nearby home, police said. He sustained injuries to his hand. EMS were called and provided medical assistance. An investigation is ongoing.
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, April 6, 2020, PAGE 11
PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON HOSPITALISED WITH VIRUS LONDON Associated Press
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to a hospital yesterday for tests because he is still suffering symptoms, 10 days after he was diagnosed with COVID-19. Johnson’s office said the admission to an undisclosed London hospital came on the advice of his doctor and was not an emergency. The prime minister’s Downing St. office said it was a
“precautionary step” and Johnson remains in charge of the government. Johnson, 55, has been quarantined in his Downing St. residence since being diagnosed with COVID19 on March 26 — the first known head of government to fall ill with the virus. Johnson has continued to preside at daily meetings on Britain’s response to the outbreak and has released several video messages during his 10 days in isolation.
In a message Friday, a flushed and red-eyed Johnson said he said he was feeling better but still had a fever. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who has been designated to take over if Johnson becomes incapacitated, is set to lead the government’s coronavirus meeting today. The government said that almost 48,000 people have been confirmed to have COVID-19 in the U.K., and 4,934 have died.
London has been the centre of the outbreak in the UK, and politicians and civil servants have been hit hard. Several other members of Johnson’s government have also tested positive for the virus, including Health Secretary Matt Hancock and junior Health Minister Nadine Dorries. News of Johnson’s admission to hospital came an hour after Queen Elizabeth made a rare televised address to the nation, in
UK PM Boris Johnson
which she urged Britons to remain “united and resolute” in the fight against the virus. “We will succeed — and that success will belong to every one of us,” the 93-year-old monarch said, drawing parallels to the struggle of World War II. “We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again,” she said.
CLOCKWISE from top left: An owner of a New York funeral parlour walks through his body holding facility; Pope Francis celebrates Palm Sunday Mass behind closed doors; A woman sitting on a bench in London is told to go home by a police officer’ a nurse adjusts the tiny face shield for a newborn baby inThailand; A Sri Lankan fire brigade person disinfects his colleagues after they assisted transporting a coffin.
The ‘hardest, saddest week of your lives’
MEXICO TO TAKE ON MORE SOCIAL SPENDING
NEW YORK Associated Press
MEXICAN President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said yesterday there will be no huge economic stimulus program as the country faces the threat of coronavirus-induced crisis almost certainly unlike any it has seen in the past century. Instead, the administration will expand social programs, continue to prop up the heavily indebted state-owned oil company, deepen the government’s austerity campaign and do everything possible to avoid taking on more debt. “There is a lesson that we have learned well and that we don’t forget,” López Obrador said to an empty and echoing National Palace patio. “An economic model that only benefits minorities does not yield general well-being, but on the contrary engenders public misery and violence.” The economic reactivation plan remains consistent with his administration’s priority of helping Mexico’s most vulnerable through greater public spending on social welfare and keeping people employed, he said. As an example, he said the top level of government bureaucrats will have their salaries reduced and give up their annual bonuses.
AMERICANS braced for what the nation’s top doctor warned yesterday would be “the hardest and saddest week” of their lives while Britain assumed the unwelcome mantle of deadliest coronavirus hotspot in Europe after a record 24-hour jump in deaths that surpassed even hard-hit Italy. US Surgeon General Jerome Adams offered a stark warning about the expected wave of virus deaths. “This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment,’’ he told “Fox News Sunday.” New York City, the US epicenter of the pandemic, saw a glimmer of hope, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo saying that daily deaths had dropped slightly, along with intensive care admissions and the number of patients who needed breathing tubes inserted. Still, he warned that it was “too early to tell” the significance of those numbers. Italy and Spain also got some encouraging news. Italy registered its lowest day-to-day increase in deaths in more than two weeks — 525, said Angelo Borrelli, the head of the national Civil Protection agency. The pace of infection also seemed to be slowing. The country recorded 4,316 new cases yesterday. Earlier in the outbreak, daily increases topped 6,000. Even so, Borrelli warned, “This good news shouldn’t make us drop our guard.”
Confirmed infections fell in Spain too, and new deaths declined for the third straight day, dropping to 674 — the first time daily deaths have fallen below 800 in the past week. “We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said. Italy still has by far the world’s highest coronavirus death toll — almost 16,000 out of nearly 130,000 confirmed cases. Top Italian officials took to national television after photos were published showing huge crowds out shopping in Naples, Rome, Genoa and even the hardhit Veneto city of Padua. Lombardy Vice Gov. Fabrizio Sala said cellphone data showed 38% of the region’s people were out and about — the highest figure since March 20. Health Minister Roberto Speranza told RAI state television that all the sacrifices Italians have made since the nationwide lockdown
began on March 10 risked being reversed. Restrictions on movement vary from country to country. In Germany and Britain, residents can get out to exercise and walk their dogs, as well as go to the supermarket, the post office and other essential tasks. Yet in Serbia and South Africa, dog walking is not allowed. In France, heat-seeking drones have been whizzing over Fontainebleau forest to identify rule-breakers after the former royal estate in the Paris suburbs was closed to the public. That high-tech measure has been coupled with more traditional police patrols on horseback and roadblocks that turn back the cars of those seeking to escape urban areas. In Sweden, authorities have advised the public to practise social distancing, but schools, bars and restaurants are still open. At the Vatican, Pope Francis celebrated Mass and blessed palms for Palm Sunday in a near-empty
NEW YORK LION TESTS POSITIVE NEW YORK Associated Press
A TIGER at the Bronx Zoo has tested positive for the new coronavirus, in what is believed to be the first known infection in an animal in the US or a tiger anywhere, federal officials and the zoo said yesterday. The four-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia — and
six other tigers and lions that have also fallen ill — are believed to have been infected by a zoo employee who wasn’t yet showing symptoms. The first animal started showing symptoms March 27, and all are doing well and expected to recover, said the zoo, which has been closed to the public since March 16 amid the surging coronavirus outbreak in New York.
St. Peter’s Basilica. Usually tens of thousands of faithful would have crowded the square outside to attend a papal Mass. Holy Thursday and Easter services will be held the same way. In the pope’s native Argentina, the faithful were using plants at home for a “virtual” blessing during a livestream of the Palm Sunday service. Worldwide, more than 1.2m people have been confirmed infected and more than 65,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. The true numbers are much higher, due to limited testing, different ways nations count the dead and deliberate under-reporting by some governments. The rapid spread of the virus in the United States has prompted a chaotic scramble for medical equipment and protective gear. An Associated Press review of federal purchasing contracts showed that federal agencies largely waited until mid-March — more than two months after the first warnings of a potential pandemic — to begin placing bulk orders of N95 respirator masks, mechanical ventilators and other equipment needed by front-line health care workers. Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Sunday that he hoped the pace of new infections would plateau soon, but that the virus is unlikely to be completely eradicated this year. That means the US could see the a resurgence during the next flu season, he said.
MEXICO CITY Associated Press
PAGE 12, Monday, April 6, 2020
THE TRIBUNE
OPINION
Bill Gates: 3 steps to make up for lost time on COVID-19 By Bill Gates
T
here’s no question the United States missed the opportunity to get ahead of the novel coronavirus. But the window for making important decisions hasn’t closed. The choices we and our leaders make now will have an enormous impact on how soon case numbers start to go down, how long the economy remains shut down and how many Americans will have to bury a loved one because of covid-19. Through my work with the Gates Foundation, I’ve spoken with experts and leaders in Washington and across the country. It’s become clear to me that we must take three steps: First, we need a consistent nationwide approach to shutting down. Despite urging from public health experts, some states and counties haven’t shut down completely. In some states, beaches are still open; in others, restaurants still serve sit-down meals. This is a recipe for disaster. Because people can travel freely across state lines, so can the virus. The country’s leaders need to be clear: Shutdown anywhere means shutdown everywhere. Until the case numbers start to go down across America — which could take 10 weeks or more — no one can continue business as usual or relax
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the shutdown. Any confusion about this point will only extend the economic pain, raise the odds that the virus will return, and cause more deaths. Second, the federal government needs to step up on testing. Far more tests should be made available. We should also aggregate the results so we can quickly identify potential volunteers for clinical trials and know with confidence when it’s time to return to normal. There are good examples to follow: New York state recently expanded its capacity to up to more than 20,000 tests per day. There’s also been some progress on more efficient testing methods, such as the self-swab developed by the Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network, which allows patients to take a sample themselves without possibly exposing a health worker. I hope this and other innovations in testing are scaled up across the country soon. Even so, demand for tests will probably exceed the supply for some time, and right now, there’s little rhyme or reason to who gets the few that are available. As a result, we don’t have a good handle on how many cases there are or where the virus is likely headed next, and it will be hard to know if it rebounds later. And because of the backlog of samples, it can take seven days for results
“First, we need a consistent nationwide approach to shutting down. Despite urging from public health experts, some states and counties haven’t shut down completely. In some states, beaches are still open; in others, restaurants still serve sit-down meals. This is a recipe for disaster. Because people can travel freely across state lines, so can the virus. The country’s leaders need to be clear: Shutdown anywhere means shutdown everywhere.”
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— Bill Gates
to arrive when we need them within 24 hours. This is why the country needs clear priorities for who is tested. First on the list should be people in essential roles such as health-care workers and first responders, followed by highly symptomatic people who are most at risk of becoming seriously ill and those who are likely to have been exposed. The same goes for masks and ventilators. Forcing 50 governors to compete for lifesaving equipment — and hospitals to pay exorbitant prices for it — only makes matters worse.
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Finally, we need a databased approach to developing treatments and
a vaccine. Scientists are working full speed on both; in the meantime, leaders can help by not stoking rumours or panic buying. Long before the drug hydroxychloroquine was approved as an emergency treatment for COVID-19, people started hoarding it, making it hard to find for lupus patients who need it to survive. We should stick with the process that works: Run rapid trials involving various candidates and inform the public when the results are in. Once we have a safe and effective treatment, we’ll need to ensure that the first doses go to the people who need them most. To bring the disease to an end, we’ll need a safe and effective vaccine. If we
do everything right, we could have one in less than 18 months — about the fastest a vaccine has ever been developed. But creating a vaccine is only half the battle. To protect Americans and people around the world, we’ll need to manufacture billions of doses. (Without a vaccine, developing countries are at even greater risk than wealthy ones, because it’s even harder for them to do physical distancing and shutdowns.) We can start now by building the facilities where these vaccines will be made. Because many of the top candidates are made using unique equipment, we’ll have to build facilities for each of them, knowing that some won’t get used. Private companies can’t take
that kind of risk, but the federal government can. It’s a great sign that the administration made deals this week with at least two companies to prepare for vaccine manufacturing. I hope more deals will follow. In 2015, I urged world leaders in a TED talk to prepare for a pandemic the same way they prepare for war — by running simulations to find the cracks in the system. As we’ve seen this year, we have a long way to go. But I still believe that if we make the right decisions now, informed by science, data and the experience of medical professionals, we can save lives and get the country back to work. • Bill Gates is cofounder of Microsoft and a co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
As a developing nation, important questions we need to think about... Our island nation, The Bahamas, is one of 204 countries and territories around the world being affected by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Here, billionaire Bill Gates answers a few critical questions in relation to our neighbours in the United States that we, as a developing nation, must also address immediately: Q: What do you think of efforts to slow the spread? Gates: The only model that is known to work is a serious social distancing effort (“shut down”). If you don’t do this then the disease will spread to a high percentage of the population and your hospitals will be overloaded with cases. So this should be avoided despite the problems caused by the “shut down”. If a country doesn’t control its cases then other countries will prevent anyone going into or coming out of that country. We are going into lockdown but as usual in retrospect we should have done it sooner. The sooner it is done the easier it is to get the cases down to small numbers. The current phase has a lot of the cases in rich countries. With the right actions including the testing and social distancing within 2-3 months the rich countries should have avoided high levels of infection. I worry about all the economic damage, but even worse will be how this will affect the developing countries who cannot do the social distancing the same way as rich countries, and whose hospital capacity is much lower. Some people like health care workers will be doing heroic work and we need to support them. We do need to stay calm even though this is an unprecedented situation.
“THE CURRENT PHASE HAS A LOT OF THE CASES IN RICH COUNTRIES. WITH THE RIGHT ACTIONS INCLUDING THE TESTING AND SOCIAL DISTANCING WITHIN 2-3 MONTHS THE RICH COUNTRIES SHOULD HAVE AVOIDED HIGH LEVELS OF INFECTION. I WORRY ABOUT ALL THE ECONOMIC DAMAGE, BUT EVEN WORSE WILL BE HOW THIS WILL AFFECT THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WHO CANNOT DO THE SOCIAL DISTANCING THE SAME WAY AS RICH COUNTRIES, AND WHOSE HOSPITAL CAPACITY IS MUCH LOWER. SOME PEOPLE LIKE HEALTH CARE WORKERS WILL BE DOING HEROIC WORK AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM. WE DO NEED TO STAY CALM EVEN THOUGH THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION.”
Q: What about a national “shelter in place” policy? Gates: Most people can shelter in their home but for people who that doesn’t work for there should be a place for them to go. We are working on seeing if we can send test kits to people at home so they don’t have to go out and so the tests get to the people who are the priority. The US still is not organized on testing. I think people in the US will be able to largely isolate for 2-3 months. If they can access testing including a home test kit then they will understand who is infected. I keep saying how important the testing piece is.
Q: What can educators and parents do for students, especially kids from low income families? Q: What do you think about the current state of testing nationwide? Gates: The testing in the US is not organized yet. In the next few weeks I hope the government fixes this by having a website you can go to to find out about home testing and kiosks. Things are a bit confused on this right now. In Seattle the U of W is providing thousands of tests per day but no one
is connected to a national tracking system. Whenever there is a positive test it should be seen to understand where the disease is and whether we need to strengthen the social distancing. South Korea did a great job on this including digital contact tracing. We need to democratize and scale the testing system by having a CDC website that people go to and enter their situation. Priority situations should get tested within 24 hours. This is very possible since
many countries have done it. Health care workers for example should have priority. Elderly people should have priority. We will be able to catch up on the testing demand within a few weeks of getting the system in place. Without the system we don’t know what is missing – swabs, reagents etc.
Q: How should we determine which businesses should stay open?
Gates: The question of which businesses should keep going is tricky. Certainly food supply and the health system. We still need water, electricity and the internet. Supply chains for critical things need to be maintained. Countries are still figuring out what to keep running. Eventually we will have some digital certificates to show who has recovered or been tested recently, or when we have a vaccine, who has received it.
Gates: It is a huge problem that schools will likely be shut down for the next few months. There are a lot of online resources from people like Khan Academy and Scholastic. Comcast and other internet connectivity providers are doing special programs to help with access. Microsoft and others are working on getting machines out but the supply chain is quite constrained. Unfortunately low-income students will be hurt more by the situation than others so we need to help any way we can.
SPORTS SECTION E
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2020
Jones: ‘I’m back home’ By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
J
onquel ‘JJ’ Jones, the Bahamas’ top female professional basketball player, is back home in Grand Bahama after escaping Russia before the coronavirus pandemic exploded and now she’s urging Bahamians to heed the warnings by the government officials. Jones, who helped to guide the Connecticut Sun to the Women’s National Basketball Association’s championship series last year, only to lose 3-2 to the Washington Mystics, spent the past few months in Yekaterinburg, Russia, where she played for the second consecutive year. Her UMMC Ekaterinburg women’s team in the Premier League ended up with a perfect 16-0 win-loss record and they had only lost one game in the entire Russian League before the season came to a close due to the spread of COVID-19. “I’m back home right now and the only way I can deal with it being confined indoors is to do a lot of body workouts,” Jones said. “It’s a good thing that we have a decent yard that I can go outside and do some exercise, but I can’t do anything else really.” Jones, 26, left Russia on March 19 and was self-quarantined for 14 days before she interacted with the public in Grand Bahama. However, her reunion was short lived as the curfew was imposed by the Bahamas Government. “There were only a select few of my close friends and family that I got to see before the lock down,” Jones said. “Everybody else, I contacted on the phone or via social media.” And how is she coping with the worldwide crisis? “I try to stay off social media. I probably check my phone once in the morning when I wake up and just before I go to bed in the evening,” she pointed out. “I really don’t be on my phone a whole lot. “I’m just hunkering down with my family and trying to use my time to stay fit,” she stated. “By the time we’re done with this, it will probably be time to go to the WNBA, so I want to make sure that I go back in some kind of condition.” Prior to coming home, Jones said she was enjoying a great
WNBA star Jonquel Jones, of Grand Bahama. experience with UMMC Ekaterinburg, a team she felt was capable of matching up with any WNBA team with all the talent on their roster. She started on a team that included Brittney Griner and Alanna Smith from the Phoenix Mercury; Courtney Vandersloot from the Chicago Sky and Breanna Stewart from the Seattle Storm and a few Russians. “It was a good experience. I’m looking forward to going back next year and trying to finish the season off on a high note,” Jones said. “We didn’t complete the season, so we really didn’t know how good we would have been. But with the team we had, we knew that we could have easily won the championship title.” While this was her second year in the Russian League, Jones said the competition for them was really in the European League where all of the best teams in Europe are assembled. “I think that’s where the most competition comes from,” she reflected. “We kind of used the Russian League as a practice. Not trying to be disrespectful to the other teams, but our competition really came from the European League. “Compared to China, I think the European League is more competitive. With our team so stacked, I think we could have played against any team in any of the leagues.” As she prepares for her return to the WNBA whenever they get started, Jones said the goal would be to redeem themselves by getting back to the final and hopefully winning the title that slipped away from them last year.
“I felt like we finally played up to our full potential to play for a WNBA title,” she stated. “But I walked away disappointed because we were just one game and one quarter away from being champions. “So it was disappointing, but it also put a lot of stuff into perspective. I think all of us will come back from that experience more hungrier to go and get it done this year.” As a 6-foot, 6-inch, 190-pound centre, Jones made her presence felt as the league’s leading rebounder with an average of 9.7 per game, was tied with Griner for the most blocked shots with 2.0 and was 12th in scoring with 14.6 in 28.8 minutes in 34 games played. The 2016 first round No. 6 pick overall out of George Washington got her first start in the WNBA All-Star Classic after she helped Phoenix to their best season ever. “I need to be more efficient in the post. I felt I could have done a better job with that in the final,” she reflected. “That’s one of the ways that I feel I can get better. Of course, I also need to work on my core strength to get it where it needs to be so that I can be able to bang with some of the stronger post players. I think I also need to be more aggressive in asking for the ball in certain situations and be able to attack the basket and not waiting for my team-mates to give me the ball.” While there have been some cases of players in the Women’s National Basketball Association testing positive for COVID-19, Jones said the WNBA has had its
share as well, including Phoenix. “While I was playing in Russia, one of our players, Theresa Plaisance, was playing in China and as I was talking to her on the phone, she said she came down with some of the symptoms,” Jones said. “She didn’t realise that it was the virus until she returned to the United States. She went on television to talk about her experience. Thank God, she has since been cleared of it.” Jones said the good thing is that when she was in Russia, there were no confirmed cases in Yekaterinburg. However, up to the time she was there, she said there were about 100 cases in Russia. To date, there are more than 5,300 cases in Russia with about 355 recovered and 45 deaths recorded. The United States has more than 330,000 confirmed cases with over 17,000 recovered and more than 9,600 deaths. More than 1,272,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide with just over 260,000 recovered and more than 69,000 deaths. In the Bahamas, there are 28 confirmed cases and more than 300 in quarantine, with five deaths so far. Out of that total, there are five confirmed cases in Grand Bahama. In her time of lock down in Grand Bahama, Jones encouraged all Bahamians to remain safe and follow the rules as outlined by the government. “I think the prime minister is doing a great job just keeping us updated on everything,” she said. “Our country can’t handle a big outbreak like some of the bigger countries. The bigger and richer nations are having a hard time dealing with this. “So the last thing we want to do is try to put a strain on the medical facilities with the doctors and nurses. “So everybody needs to stay at home, be safe and wash your hands. These things can really help to eliminate the virus from spreading in our country.” Jones said she knows that “everybody wants to touch the road,” but she noted that as soon as everybody obeys the laws, “we should be able to do it. But this thing is scary. We need to be better safe than sorry.” She said she’s doing her part to stay safe because she’s eager to get back to the WNBA to continue her pro career.
Kobe, Duncan, Garnett headline Basketball Hall of Fame class By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer KOBE Bryant’s résumé has yet another entry to validate his greatness: He’s now, officially, a Hall of Famer. And he’s got plenty of elite company in the 2020 class, one that may be as glitzy as any. Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash on January 26, and fellow NBA greats Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett headlined a nineperson group announced Saturday as this year’s class of enshrinees into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “An amazing class,” Duncan said. They all got into the Hall in their first year as finalists, as did WNBA great Tamika Catchings. Others had to wait a bit longer for the good news: Twotime NBA champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich finally got his call, as did longtime Baylor women’s coach Kim Mulkey, 1,000-game winner Barbara Stevens of Bentley and three-time Final Four coach Eddie Sutton. They were the eight finalists who were announced in February, and the panel of 24 voters who were tasked to decide who merited selection
KOBE BRYANT
TIM DUNCAN
KEVIN GARNETT
wound up choosing them all. Also headed to the Hall this year: former FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann, selected as a direct-elect by the international committee. “He was the head of FIBA and this was a way to honor him,” Hall of Fame Chairman and enshrinee Jerry Colangelo said. “It was a special thing done through that committee.” Bryant died about three weeks before the Hall of Fame said — as if there was going to be any doubt — that he was a finalist. Duncan and Garnett were also widely perceived to be locks to be part of this class; they were both 15-time NBA All-Stars, and Bryant was an 18-time selection. Bryant’s death has been part of a jarring start of the year for basketball: Commissioner Emeritus David
Stern died on January 1, Bryant and his daughter Gianna were among nine who died in the crash in late January, and the NBA shut down March 11 as the coronavirus pandemic began to grip the U.S. “Obviously, we wish that he was here with us to celebrate,” Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s wife, said on the ESPN broadcast of the class announcement. “But it’s definitely the peak of his NBA career and every accomplishment that he had as an athlete was a steppingstone to be here. “So we’re incredibly proud of him.” Bryant was also a fivetime champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, just as Duncan was with the San Antonio Spurs. “This is an incredibly special class, for many reasons,” Colangelo said.
Garnett is the only player in NBA history with at least 25,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 5,000 assists, 1,500 blocks and 1,500 steals. He also was part of Boston’s 2008 NBA title. “This is the culmination,” Garnett said. “All those hours ... this is what you do it for, right here. To be able to be called ‘Hall of Famer’ is everything.” Duncan spent the entirety of his career with the Spurs, and is now back with the team as an assistant coach under Gregg Popovich. “It’s kind of the end of the journey here,” Duncan, on the broadcast, said of his enshrinement. “It was an incredible career that I enjoyed so much. To call it a dream come true isn’t even doing any justice to it. I never dreamt I’d be at this point.”
Duncan, Garnett and Bryant were similar in many ways as players: The longevity of their careers, the eye-popping numbers, almost perennial inclusion on award lists. They also shared a dislike for touting personal accomplishments. But even the Hall would have touched Bryant, those closest to him said. “No one deserves it more,” Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss said. Added Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, Bryant’s former agent: “All of us can trust that this Basketball Hall of Fame honour is one Kobe would, and will, deeply appreciate.” Catchings was a 10-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medallist. Tomjanovich, who had overwhelming support from NBA peers who couldn’t understand why it took so long for his selection, was a five-time All-Star as a player, guided Houston to back-to-back titles and took the 2000 US Olympic team to a gold medal. The enshrinement ceremony in Springfield, Massachusetts, is scheduled for August 29. Should the pandemic force a delay, there is a tentative plan for an October ceremony as well.
WNBA POSTPONES START OF THE SEASON THIS MONTH By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA season will not start on time next month because of the coronavirus pandemic, and when it begins is unclear. The league has announced it will delay the season for an indefinite period. Training camps were to open on April 26 and the regular season on May 15. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement the league will “use this time to conduct scenario-planning regarding new start dates and innovative formats.” “Our guiding principle will continue to be the health and safety of the players, fans and employees,” Engelbert said. The WNBA, which was set to being its 24th season and is the longest running professional women’s sports league, will still hold a virtual draft April 17. A few college underclassmen — including Oregon’s Satou Sabally, Texas A&M’s Chennedy Carter and UConn’s Megan Walker — have said they will enter the draft. They have until Tuesday to withdraw their names from the draft and still keep their college eligibility assuming they haven’t signed with an agent. Every other major sports league has been put on hold because of the virus. Engelbert told the AP last week that the WNBA could begin its season before the NBA or other sports leagues resume. “A league of our size and scale is smaller than other big leagues,” she said. “We might be able to tip this season off before some other leagues since we only have 12 teams and 144 players.” The postponement of the 2020 Olympics gives the WNBA flexibility with its schedule. The league was set to go on a monthlong break in July to allow players to participate in the Tokyo Games which have been postponed for a season. “We were already scenario planning around what our season would look like if we played games during our month hiatus,” she said. “We have an advantage here to use that time. We’re already looking at arena availability and how to get broadcasts of our game in that period.” Engelbert said that whenever the WNBA does start, it will follow a strict protocol regarding the health and well-being of players, coaches and fans. Two WNBA cities are major hot spots for the virus: New York and Seattle. One of the Storm’s homes for the season, the Angel of the Winds Arena, is being used as a coronavirus isolation site.
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New Zealand Cricket: Tours ‘most unlikely’ to proceed WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White says Black Caps tours to Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands and the West Indies in June and July are “most unlikely” to go ahead because of the coronavirus pandemic. A tour to Bangladesh in August is also in doubt, it said. New Zealand Cricket has already
postponed a tour by the national women’s team to Sri Lanka, scheduled for later this month. White said cricket in New Zealand was better placed to navigate the shutdown caused by the pandemic because it had completed most of its summer domestic programme before the viral outbreak hit. “Given the bigger picture and the terrible toll COVID-19 is taking worldwide we need to look
after not only our own people but the greater community good,” White said. “With the lockdown now in full force we’re mindful of the difficulties facing our cricket community, particularly in view of the suspension of trust funding. “Our current focus is very much on ensuring the future sustainability of cricket in New Zealand.” The New Zealand government announced earlier Friday that
annual funding to national sports organisations for this financial year will continue into next year to ensure those organisations can continue to operate in the absence of revenue from broadcasting, sponsorship and sports betting. “The global spread of COVID19 has had a significant impact on sport and recreation in New Zealand, including the cancellation or postponement of all sport from
international, professional to grassroots competitions and the closure of community facilities,” Sports Minister Grant Robertson said. “Sport, recreation and play are vital for the health and well-being of our communities, and we are committed to doing everything we can to support the sector, both at a grassroots and elite level, into the future.”
COLUMN: POSTPONING OLYMPICS MERELY AN INCONVENIENCE FOR GOLF By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer THE move was expected, yet no less exceptional, when the IOC decided to postpone the Tokyo Olympics until next year. It brought mixed reactions from so many Olympic athletes. Those from smaller sports might require another year of funding or sponsorship. Others were on the homestretch of a training cycle designed to peak at just the right time for a chance they get once every four years. The lucky ones who had early qualifying at least get to keep their places. Kat Holmes, on her way to earning another shot at the Olympics in fencing, just got accepted into medical school and had plans to go straight from Tokyo to orientation. Now what? As for golf? That elicited a collective shrug. Golf has a place in the Olympics, even if it took a century to get back in the game. But the reaction — or lack of one — to the unprecedented decision of postponing the Olympics was another reminder that a gold medal isn’t the standard as it is for other sports.
Inbee Park might beg to differ. Her victory in Rio de Janeiro was one of the more underappreciated moments of the 2016 Games, perhaps because golf was so new and so much attention was spent on the number of men scared off by the Zika virus. Five victories the previous year, including two majors, made Park a lock for one of the four coveted spots for South Korea. A thumb injury led to speculation she might retire. There was pressure from golf-mad South Korea for her to give up her place to another player in better form. Park went two months without facing top competition. And then she throttled Lydia Ko, who had replaced Park at No. 1 in the world, for a five-shot victory. Park was so desperate to return to the Olympics that she added tournaments to the early part of her schedule, before COVID-19 shut down everyone’s schedule. In that respect, the postponement bought her time. How much time depends on when golf resumes, which is anyone’s guess. Then again, it’s not like the delay is causing golfers
IN this photo, Inbee Park, of South Korea, holds up her gold medal after the women’s golf at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP)
IN this photo, from left are silver medallist Henrik Stenson, of Sweden; gold medallist Justin Rose, of Britain; and bronze medallist Matt Kuchar, of the United States, after the final round of the men’s golf event at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP)
any problems with finances, training or even age. It doesn’t have the qualifying pressure found in other sports. There are no Olympic trials for golf. It’s not up to individual countries to decide who goes. Qualifying is based on the world ranking, the same system used by the majors for the last 20 years. Sure, it could come down to one round or one shot, but that would be decided by a calculator, not a stopwatch. Matt Kuchar made a 12-foot birdie on his final hole at Firestone in 2016 for a 66. That was enough to move him to No. 15 in the world, sending him to Rio as the fourth American when Jordan Spieth
withdrew. Kuchar came home with the bronze. The cutoff for the world ranking this year would have been June 22 for the men, June 29 for the women. That’s roughly five weeks before the Olympic competition. For 2021, it’s likely to be the same. Much like the Ryder Cup, no one really pays close attention to the final qualifying spots until a few months to go because of the effect of so many big events. Justin Thomas is keen to be in Tokyo no matter when the Olympics are held, and he said going into this year he might even consider adding tournaments to his schedule to make sure he’s among the top four
Americans (countries are allowed a maximum of four if the players are among the top 15 in the world). He was fishing last week when the IOC announced the postponement until 2021. Thomas was bummed but not surprised. And he concluded a text message by saying, “Whenever it’s played, it’ll be great and I hope I’m part of the team.” This year, next year, whenever. Golf had a 112-year absence from the Olympics, and even with so many men staying away, it held its own in Rio. With so many venues half-filled, men’s golf was a rare sellout for the final round when Justin Rose outlasted Henrik Stenson
to win the gold. It was a big moment for Rose, and he gained an even greater appreciation from the reception when he took the medal home to England. The TV ratings in Sweden were eight times higher than when Stenson won the British Open at Royal Troon a month earlier. The six medals in men’s and women’s golf went to six countries, a testament to such a global sport. Thomas wants badly to be an Olympian, but postponement is not a big deal, even if what caused it — the spread of the coronavirus — is. It’s not as though Thomas has been training four years for this. He was gearing up for the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, British Open and Ryder Cup (whenever they’re played). Green jackets and silver claret jugs and leaps into Poppie’s Pond remain the pinnacle of golf for men and women. That’s why it was easy for golf to shrug over the news of Olympic postponement. It doesn’t mean no one cares. Unlike with other sports, waiting another year for the Olympics is little more than an inconvenience for golf.
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Monday, April 6, 2020, PAGE 15
A CENTURY AGO, SPORTS RISES FROM RAVAGES OF WAR AND DISEASE By TIM DAHLBERG AP Sports Writer THE world in 1919 was hardly a place for fun and games. A war like no other had ravaged Europe, killing untold millions and leaving the continent devastated. The Spanish Flu pandemic was waning but still wreaking its horrors, with some 50 million people dead worldwide, including 675,000 in the United States. But hundreds of thousands of troops from various countries were still in Europe. The war was over but they were bored, with little to do until the time came to be shipped home. And so was born an international competition like no other. The InterAllied Games would bring together nations weary of war in some traditional — and not so traditional — sports. A century before the Tokyo Olympics were postponed as coronavirus spread across the earth, sports helped in the healing. Italians played basketball for the first time, while Americans won medals by throwing grenades like the baseballs they tossed at home. There was golf and tug of war, and a black American was a big star, 17 years before Jesse Owens stared down Adolf Hitler in Berlin. Fourteen countries competed on the outskirts of Paris, including a team from the Kingdom of Hejaz (now part of Saudi Arabia) that brought four camels used in the opening parade. Women were not invited to compete, but French tennis phenom Suzanne Lenglen — who would win her first Wimbledon title the next month — played demonstrations and beat every man she met on the other side of the net. And it was all done in a stadium built in 90 days — mostly by American troops
— and named after Gen. John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe. The stadium not only sat 25,000 but had dressing rooms, showers and a special bungalow built for Pershing to host friends and dignitaries with a private entrance to the stadium. “Here were these people who came together in the spirit of sport and really showed that it could be a healing property,” said Doran Cart, senior curator of the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. “They wanted to continue the feeling of camaraderie with the allied nations and keep the troops occupied. Sports were seen really as an activity everybody could take part in.” Silent films from the time show the parade of athletes circling the track on opening day, then jumping hurdles and running relays. A boxing ring was set up in the middle of the stadium, and the swimming was outdoors. All the competitors were amateurs, as was the order of the day, and collected small medals as their prizes. Various countries also donated prizes, with the winner of the rifle shooting competition getting a statue from Pershing of an American doughboy in action during the war. Though ostensibly an international competition, the games had a distinctly American flavour. They were the brainchild of Elwood S Brown, who headed athletics for both the American Army in Europe and the YMCA. Brown saw them as a way to keep troops out of trouble after the war was over while showing that America was as good on the playing field as it was on the battlefield. In a 1918 letter proposing the games, Brown said they would be a way of “demonstrating to our allied friends America’s best in sport, her great play spirit
and incidentally her finest in physical manhood.” Indeed, Americans built the stadium, won most of the medals, and even fed the other competitors with military rations left over from the war that had ended in an armistice just
eight months earlier. Just to make sure the US team was loaded, about 40 athletes who never served in the war were put on a ship to France to compete in their specialties. They joined 1,000 other athletes and 7,000 troops from various countries in
a mini-Olympics that drew big crowds. After years of war, they competed in the day and socialised at night. Off the field, the hottest spot was the YMCA InterAllied Hut, which quickly drew the name “the melting pot.” Cinema shows
were held nightly in the hut, and there were four formal dances. The hut was staffed by 21 YMCA secretaries and 95 other American women who worked in shifts as “floaters,” with duties as dancing partners and game players.
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Athletes Village for Olympics could house COVID-19 patients IN this June 6, 2019, photo, a sightseeing boat cruises the Tokyo Bay as the construction site of Tokyo Olympic Village is seen from seen from the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo.
TOKYO (AP) — The under-construction Athletes Village for the Tokyo Olympics could be used as a temporary hospital for
coronavirus patients. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has been talking about the possibility of occupying the massive development on
Tokyo Bay, which is to house up to 11,000 Olympic and 4,400 Paralympic athletes and staff during the games. The complex, which will eventually include 24 buildings, is expected to remain unoccupied with the IN this January 9, 2020, photo, two Olympics delayed for sets of bedroom furniture, including 16 months. cardboard beds, for the Tokyo 2020 Koike said the Olympic and Paralympic Villages are Athletes Village was shown in a display room in Tokyo. “one of the options, (AP Photos/Jae C Hong) but the village is not finished yet. We are Co., and Sumitomo Realty talking about places that & Development Co. are available even today or The group running tomorrow and checking a Harumi Flag said the propossibility one by one.” posal to use the property As another alternative, for coronavirus beds was Koike said on Friday that speculation and added the the Tokyo city government developers had not heard would buy a hotel to house from the city. patients. The group also said Through Thursday, Japan Harumi Flag had not had reported about 3,300 decided on its plans for cases of coronavirus with the development in light 74 deaths, according to of the 16-month Olympic the health ministry. Tokyo postponement. reported 97 new cases on One of the biggest Thursday with officials challenges for Olympics looking for more beds in organisers will be lining the capital as totals rise. up the Athletes Village for The coronavirus causes next year, along with about mild or moderate symp- 40 sports venues. toms for most people and Estimates suggest the can include a fever, cough- postponement will cost ing and mild pneumonia. between $2 billion and The risk of death is greater $6 billion, with most of for older adults and people the bill going to Japanese with other health problems. taxpayers. The 5,600 units in the Tokyo organisers offiAthletes Village will be ren- cially are spending $12.6 ovated after the Olympics billion to organise the and sold. Almost 1,000 are Olympics, although a govnow for sale, or have been ernment audit says the sold. Occupancy was sup- figure is twice that much. posed to begin in 2023, and All but $5.6 billion is public apartment prices are listed money. between $500,000 and $2 Organising committee million. documents show the SwitThe Athletes Village is a zerland-based International joint venture involving 10 Olympic Committee is conmajor companies and the tributing $1.3 billion. city of Tokyo. The complex The IOC had income of will be known as Harumi $5.7 billion in the last fourFlag and the developers year Olympic cycle. More include Mitsui Fudosan than 90 per cent is from Residential Co., Nomura selling broadcast rights and Real Estate Development sponsorships.