MONDAY TUESDAY i’m lovin’ it!
HIGH 82ºF LOW 70ºF
The Tribune Established 1903
24/7 BREAKING NEWS ON TRIBUNE242.COM
Biggest And Best!
VOLUME:116 No.79, APRIL 16TH, 2019
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1
WOMAN: THE NAUGHTY WAY TO SCHOOL SUCCESS
Locked up on a barren rock, then driven into the waves for tourists
SHUT IT DOWN By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net
THE treatment of a group of swimming pigs in west Grand Bahama has given way to a growing dispute between the operation’s proprietors and local and international animal rights activists, The Tribune has uncovered. Celebrity Eco Adventures, an expanding aquatic-tourism operation based at Crystal Beach/Deadman’s Reef, Grand Bahama, has come under fire for the way its 19 pigs are housed and treated. Prominent among the concerns being raised and shared across social media is the “remote rock” where the pigs are kept.
The “rock”, which reportedly doesn’t provide any space for fresh water wallowing (the process of mud bathing) or adequate feeding, has led animal protectionists and activists to call for the outright closure of the operation. One such post by Canadian travel blogger Kennidy Fisher, the person behind the “Kennidy From Canada” travel blog, described a recent trip with Celebrity Eco Adventures as “heartbreaking”. Ms Fisher, in a Facebook post made over the weekend, lamented her decision to patronise the venture entirely. “I went thinking it would be the same experience and I was completely
NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames stopped short yesterday of saying the government will cease letting officers investigate police-involved killings, but he said officials are “looking at the process”. Critics highlight the conflict of how police-involved killings are investigated –– officers secure scenes, interview witnesses and compile evidence for Coroner’s Court inquests. Mr Dames said: “We’re
SEE PAGE FIVE
SEE PAGE EIGHT
HORROR AS WOMAN DIES IN CAR FIRE
A “HORRIFIC stretch” is how Superintendent Mareno Hinds yesterday described the recent spate of traffic fatalities occurring across the nation, culminating in Sunday night’s tragic death of a woman in Fresh Creek, Andros. The woman was killed after her vehicle was involved in a collision and subsequently burst into flames. SEE PAGE THREE
TURNQUEST: GOOD TIMES ARE COMING
SEE PAGE THREE
continuing to look at the process and see how we can improve upon it. That is something we’re doing with respect to investigation of matters but it happens in other jurisdictions as well.” Some believe a solution is to give the coroner her own investigative team. Asked if an independent investigative body could be formed, Mr Dames spoke generally about his administration’s efforts to enhance transparency in how law enforcement functions. “We’re looking at every means and ways to bring
A ZEST FOR LIFE WHICH IS NEVER BROKEN
By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net
DAMES: CHANGE CAN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
FACE-TO-FACE
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
EGG-STATIC
YOUNGSTERS enjoying the Old Fort Bay Easter Extravaganza. More pictures - Page 2 Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
THE government’s “tremendous” economic progress will soon be “touched, seen and felt” by many Bahamians, the deputy prime minister promised yesterday. KP Turnquest, speaking after a positive assessment from the International Monetary Fund, said The Bahamas was “moving into a period of economic growth” following the “significant work” completed during its first two years in office. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
POWER CUTS NOW - WHAT ABOUT SUMMER? By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
LOAD shedding yesterday in New Providence sparked worry among business owners regarding Bahamas Power and Light’s ability to keep the electricity on without interruption as the hot summer months approach. An unexpected power generation problem triggered load shedding in two-hour intervals in the
BPL’S HEADQUARTERS majority of the island affecting many local businesses who told The Tribune they
believed yesterday’s occurrence was a preview of what is to come. This came days after BPL chairman Donovan Moxey told the Nassau Guardian the company did not anticipate any load shedding this summer. “We don’t expect any load shedding,” Mr Moxey said last week. “There are several generation assets that we’re looking to make sure that we maintain properly
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
SEE PAGE SIX
PETER YOUNG
CAN ASSANGE’S ACTION BE JUSTIFIED? NO
SEE PAGE TEN
PAGE 2, Tuesday, April 16, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
EASTER COMES TO OLD FORT BAY THE OLD Fort Bay Town Centre Easter Extravaganza. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, April 16, 2019, PAGE 3
from page one
Locked up on a barren rock, then driven into the waves for tourists
wrong,” she said, referring to the world-renowned Exuma swimming pigs operation. “I already went here reading the reviews knowing what I might see but I wanted to see it for myself,” Ms Fisher added. “So these poor pigs are kept in a crate about a (kilometre) off the actual beach where they proceeded to lie to us saying the pigs live their live freely on this beach and they are all wild and blah blah blah.” Recalling her ordeal further, Ms Fisher said employees of Celebrity Eco Adventures could be seen throwing the pigs into the water — “in huge waves, with current”. She added: “They made these pigs swim in water and they were not allowed back on the beach… they were fighting for their lives, and people are just trying to take photos with them, it was horrible.” Ms Fisher said her group opted not to participate any further in the tour in protest, and demanded a refund. The post garnered over 100 comments up to press time yesterday, with dozens of people backing her account of the operation and others defending Celebrity Eco Adventures. When contacted yesterday, Grand Bahama Humane Society Executive Director Tip Burrows said her organisation has received several “concerning” reports related to the operation in recent months, mainly the alleged failure to adhere to “general humane standards”. Ms Burrows said these reports have been forwarded to the Ministry of Tourism, Department of Agriculture and the Grand Bahama Tourism Board, all in an attempt to verify how the operation was established and what regulations it is being made to follow. She said these had resulted in the temporary relocation of the pigs, an occurrence she touted as a “short-lived success”. Ms Burrows said Celebrity Eco Adventures, based on information GBHS has gathered, has and continues
THESE pictures, taken from a video, clearly show the poor conditions in which the pigs are kept.
to place its pigs in “adverse” living conditions. “We’ve raised issues with the relevant authorities and government agencies. We’ve seen things and we’ve heard things that have left us with so many questions. At the end of the day, we just want to ensure the environment that these animals are in is humane,” Ms Burrows told The Tribune. “These pigs are on a rock, not a cay and not an island, a rock surrounded by water and opened to all sorts of adverse conditions including sea swells, waves and inclement weather. That, in of itself, is an issue. If this operation is to be permitted long-term; the basics
of shade, proper housing, feeding and all that goes with that ought to be looked into and regulated.” Celebrity Eco Adventures, for its part, maintained it has done everything necessary to ensure its pigs are “taken care of”. Speaking with The Tribune yesterday, Barbara Darville, one of the company’s lead operators, called social media outcry around its product the “reality” of running an animal-centric business in an animal friendly world. She said despite reports of the contrary, Celebrity Eco Adventures works to ensure the proper health of its pigs, adding that the
conditions its pigs are kept in are in line with recommendations laid out by various government organisations and local veterinarians. “Our pigs are taken care of completely. Check our records and speak to the officials here in Grand Bahama, we are doing our part,” she said. When asked directly about the criticism levied against her company, she added: “We are aware of it. You will have people who are oppose to any business that is making money off of animals. I understand that. There are parts of all of this I feel are malicious toward our business; but
I tell myself that once the persons who are genuinely interested in our business are happy with the product, we are doing a great job.” Mrs Darville continued: “You can’t get lost in the animal rights talk because no matter what, they’ll call it a negative…everything is abuse…everything is a problem. But there is none of that here. We love our pigs and we treat them well.” A source with direct knowledge of the pigs’ health history told The Tribune yesterday the animals have remained in good health throughout the lifespan of the two-year venture.
Swimming pigs have become a mainstay in the Bahamas. Back in 2017, the deaths of several of the pigs in Exuma garnered global attention, mainly due to their notoriety and fame. It was later determined the pigs died from ingesting “sand material,” that despite initial concerns the animals were indirectly poisoned by bad feed or harmful products given to them by guests. The occurrence reignited talks around the stalled Animal Protection and Control Act, legislation that looks to regulate the protection and treatment of all animals in the Bahamas. The Bahamas Animal Protection and Control Council, which was establish to develop the Act and promote its contents, has reportedly met only once since the incident. Kim Aranha, a member of that council and the current president of Bahamas Humane Society in Nassau, yesterday confirmed that council has called for standard regulations across the “swimming pigs” industry, which she noted has “sprung up and become a real problem”. “These things are everywhere in the Bahamas now and everyone wants to know who is governing this to ensure these pigs are being treated well. This is simple, there needs to be inspection, monitoring and some level of regulation,” she said. “We just need clarity. Hopefully we get that soon.” Editorial View - Page 4
ANOTHER TRAFFIC FATALITY AS WOMAN DIES IN CAR FIRE from page one
The victim, who police identified as a Caucasian woman, was not believed to be Bahamian. This occurred roughly two days after a male pedestrian in San Salvador was killed after being struck by a car. The Tribune understands this victim to be 54-year-old John Alphonso Ferguson, a resident of North Victoria Hill, San Salvador. There were also two devastating, non-fatal collisions in New Providence on Saturday and Sunday, which followed the death of a 25-year-old man on the island on Thursday after his vehicle collided with a utility pole on JFK Drive. In a statement released yesterday, opposition spokesperson on transport, Glenys HannaMartin described the uptick in serious traffic accidents as a “matter of national concern” and urged Minister of Transport Renward Wells to bring into effect the provisions of the Road Traffic Bill. “Police on the island of Andros are investigating a traffic accident that occurred on Sunday, April 14, 2019 which left an adult female dead,” the Royal Bahamas Police Force said yesterday in a statement. “According to reports, shortly before 6pm, a Caucasian female was driving a dark coloured SUV, on Summer Set Beach Road, Queens Highway, Fresh Creek, when she lost control of the vehicle which
ran off road, bursting into flames. The female succumbed to her injuries on the scene.” Central Andros Administrator Glenn Lightbourn told The Tribune yesterday the victim has yet to be positively identified but confirmed she was the sole occupant of the vehicle. “We were able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire unit at the AUTEC base,” he added. The victim’s husband is said to be a foreign contractor. Officer-In-Charge of San Salvador and Rum Cay Superintendent Kenrid Neely yesterday provided The Tribune with more details about the San Salvador traffic fatality. When asked if the pedestrian was a victim of a hit-and-run, Supt Neely replied: “No…as a matter of fact, the (driver) was the person who contacted us. He stayed on the scene.” He also said he does not think speed was a factor in the incident. “The area where the accident occurred is a dark area, no street lights are on that road,” he said. “There’s some reflectors in the road but there was no street lights in that area. So, it was extremely dark. I think that’s really what contributed to the accident. I don’t think it was speed.” Supt Neely said while he “definitely” thinks more lights are needed, he was told the area doesn’t have any lights
because of its proximity to the airport. When asked if police plan to boost road safety campaigns in the wake of these recent incidents, Supt Hinds told The Tribune: “The irony is we have had that in place from the year began. “It’s just that this is a very, very horrific stretch. And it happens from time to time. But you know we’re not (going to) add any kneejerk reactions to what we’ve already been doing. We
have been doing that, it’s just that it’s not been talked about. It only comes into the public’s consciousness when we have these kinds of accidents.” Mrs Hanna Martin meanwhile called for policymakers to make an “urgent and accelerated response”. “The number of serious traffic accidents in recent weeks, many resulting in death, is a matter of national concern,” she said in a statement.
“The nation mourns each tragic and senseless death and I extend my personal condolences to families of all victims. “I join with the minister of transport in urging road users to exercise the utmost care. Most traffic accidents are attributable to human behaviours such as speeding, overtaking in dangerous circumstances, driving under the influence of alcohol and distracted while driving. The onus then is on each
of us to exercise caution and prudence on the streets. “I also urge, however, the minister of transport to bring into effect the provisions of the Road Traffic Bill. This bill contains a comprehensive safety regime to fill gaps in the current law: this includes the statutory creation of a Road Safety Council: this council is designed to bring a singular focus to the causes of traffic accidents
PAGE 4, Tuesday, April 16, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
LEON E. H. DUPUCH,
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,
jamaaltheartist@gmail.com
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914 Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .
Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991
EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,
C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-
Published daily Monday to Friday
Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES
News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax
(242) 322-1986 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348
WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com
@tribune242
tribune news network
‘You can’t get lost in the animal rights talk.’ Oh yes you can - and must THE swimming pigs have become globally recognised as a part of the Bahamian tourism market. People from around the world come to visit the famous Exuma pigs, and with that global spotlight comes the obvious concern that the pigs are treated well. And so our eye turns to Grand Bahama. An expanding business there has 19 pigs for tourists to encounter during their stay – but far from being in a natural environment, the pigs are kept on a rock in the middle of the sea. Worse still, the only shelter they appear to have is a low structure of breeze block and wood. There are no trees, no undergrowth, nothing to form any kind of break from high seas or strong winds in bad weather. You can see the pictures on page three in today’s Tribune. The pigs do not appear able to roam free – not that there’s much of anywhere to roam where they are kept – and are only brought out when tourists appear before being packed away again. Their treatment has already drawn international disapproval, with one Canadian blogger calling the experience “heartbreaking”. She makes it clear the location is very different from the famed operation in Exuma, but if someone says they have had a bad experience with the swimming pigs in The Bahamas, how many listeners are going to check which pigs are being talked about? “These poor pigs are kept in a crate about a (kilometre) off the actual beach,” she said, before adding the employees of the company could be seen throwing the pigs into the water, even in huge waves. “They were fighting for their lives, and people are just trying to take photos with them, it was horrible,” she said. Local animal rights activists at the
Grand Bahama Humane Society echo the concern. “These pigs are on a rock, not a cay and not an island, a rock surrounded by water and opened to all sorts of adverse conditions including sea swells, waves and inclement weather.” The business itself, of course, sings a different song, with operator Barbara Darville saying the pigs are “taken care of”, but dismissing the concerns as just the “reality” of running a business involving animals, and worryingly saying “you can’t get lost in the animal rights talk”. When your business is based on animals, then you should want nothing but the best in animal rights. That doesn’t sound like there’s any desire to improve the conditions the animals are kept in. If voices repeatedly raise concerns, if these are both local voices and those of disgusted customers, then surely one should listen. The first priority is the health of these animals, and with it, the continued health of the tourism industry itself. A customer who has a bad experience will tell their family, their friends and suddenly you have a host of people put off from coming. Of course, there should be legal measures in place to protect such animals – but the Animal Protection and Control Act seems to be going nowhere fast, so what happens in the meantime? If businesses involving animals are not properly looking after the creatures they make their money from, then they should be shut down until they do. There is no reason to keep animals locked up in such a small space and only released to perform for visitors. There is no reason not to provide a proper environment for the animals to thrive in if they are the foundation of your business. Fix it now – or shut up shop.
Get tough on owning a gun EDITOR, The Tribune BEFORE any Bahamian government or Commissioner of Police gets too comfortable with the recent marginal reductions in several categories of violent crime, we would do well to finally address the underlying matter at the heart of our violent crime problem. That matter is the easy availability of guns and our politicians’ and courts’ dereliction of duty in the areas of bail for violent crimes and sentencing for gun possession. As usual, one of our southern neighbours (this time Barbados) has proved more proactive than us, notwithstanding
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net that their rate of gun crime and murder is minuscule compared to ours. A bill introduced last week to the Barbadian Parliament will, when enacted, ensure that no individual charged with murder, or a firearms offence punishable by at least ten years in prison (which includes mere possession in Barbados), will be considered for bail within two years after they were charged – except in special circumstances. Meanwhile, in The
Bahamas we appear poised to move in the other direction, with members of the bench agitating for the return of bail discretion to magistrates for serious offences such as murder. If ever we had a government prepared to act appropriately in the matter of bail and sentencing for gun crimes, rates of violent crime would drop dramatically in the Bahamas, given the prevalence of prolific offending by and against people on bail and those given pitifully light sentencing for gun possession. ANDREW ALLEN Nassau April 15, 2019
Foreign policy based on cult of personality EDITOR, The Tribune THE A-list columnist Philip Galanis posited an interesting take on the geopolitical machinations by the US and China to achieve hegemony in the Caribbean. But while Galanis was transfixed by these two elephants having at it with all of the tools of persuasion at their disposal, even he failed to see the 800 lb. gorilla watching the festivities. He could not see that, from the US side of the table, the issue was Venezuela and specifically the Trump administration’s attempts to boot its president Nicolas Maduro out of office for supposedly committing the crime of incompetency. China supports Maduro and has been giving Venezuela an assortment of oil purchase life-lines for some time. It is largely because of the support of China and Russia that Maduro remains president of Venezuela today. Last week Donald Trump handpicked five heads of government from the Caribbean to attend him at his palatial Mar-a-Largo retreat in Florida. Coincidentally, the five countries – the Bahamas, Jamaica, Haiti, St. Lucia and the Dominican Republic – all support Juan Guaido, the man the Americans recognize as the constitutional (though un-elected) president of Venezuela. This was not a case of rewarding the favoured five with a presidential audience, but more a case of admonishing other Caribbean leaders for not joining the US-led anti-Maduro bandwagon.
Caricom has officially adopted a wait-and-see attitude on Venezuela and prefers a political solution to the problems there. They are opposed to any form of military intervention as some perceive the US might be chomping at the bit to execute. The US put on a full court press to isolate Maduro and while the fav-five flew to Florida, Beijing was busy standing up for international norms in what was clearly a rebuke to the US. This week was supposed to be the 60th annual general meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Chengdu, China. The US insisted that the host China issue visas to Guaido’s representatives and none to the delegates sent by Maduro. China refused but did offer the olive branch of proposing that no representative be seated for Venezuela, a Solomonic resolution that stepped on everybody’s toes, equally. But the US was having none of it and so intimidated Luis Alberto Moreno, the President of the IDB into doing something the Bank has never done in its history: cancel the highest-level policymaking meeting of the Board of Governors. Who cares about climate change, infrastructure and innovation that were on the agenda anyway? The bank will supposedly reschedule to a new venue within 30 days. But the fact that Moreno, a former Minister of Economic Development in Colombia who harbours designs on the Colombian presidency himself, could be so easily rolled by the US Treasury
Department was a harbinger for the eventual irrelevancy of the IDB in regional development. Suddenly, China’s New Development Bank (NDB) looks more sexy to the developing world. The US still would have gotten its way with the IDB but Moreno should have been seen to at least put up a fight to defend the bank’s neutrality in matters involving the internal affairs of a member state. What is most egregious is the fact that four of the fav-five who traipsed to Mar-a-Largo were the beneficiaries of billions upon billions of dollars from Hugo Chavez via the PetroCaribe oil slush fund. Despite the passionate advocacy of then BEC Chairman Leslie Miller, The Bahamas did not sign on to PetroCaribe. But for the others it was a lifeline between survival and fiscal calamity back when the price of a barrel of oil hit $140 10 years ago. PetroCaribe set a price as low as $70 a barrel that the beneficiary countries paid at the pump and then financed the difference between $70 and the daily spot price of oil over 25 years at interest rates as low as 1%. A part of that money Venezuela pumped into the PetroCaribe Fund, a philanthropic piggy bank that helped these countries balance their budgets and financed schools, social programmes and even small businesses and farms. The two most vocal critics of the PetroCaribe cheap oil programme were Trinidad and Tobago (an oil exporter that never felt the sting of high oil prices) and the United
States that was losing influence in its backyard to an upstart it hated. So clever at seizing the public relations mantle was Chavez that over the objections of the US government in 2008 when the financial crisis was biting, he sent free Venezuelan home-heating oil to hundreds of thousands of poor Americans. Even when oil prices plummeted, Chavez kept the free heating oil flowing to these American homes prompting Time magazine to ask back in 2009, why, if Chavez can be so benevolent, can’t the US oil companies do the same. Chavez and Maduro ran into a triple whammy of falling oil prices, biting US sanctions and the sheer incompetence and corruption of the government in removing professionals from the state-run oil company and installing either generals or cronies who ran it into the ground. While Barack Obama used both carrot and stick with Maduro in an attempt to walk the fine line between hardship and misery for the Venezuelan people, Trump doubled down and essentially shut down the oil company and the financial apparatus on which it depended. In essence they ostracised Maduro but strangled poor Venezuelans. If Maduro cannot sell his oil, thanks to the embargo, how is he to get the money to pay for the food and medicines his people desperately need? The US solution is for power to be transferred to Guaido and they will immediately lift the sanctions. Supposedly manna will flow from
heaven. This is foreign policy based on the cult of personality and not a reasoned foreign policy based on the national interest of either state. Push must come to shove soon, or we could have the biggest humanitarian crisis that this hemisphere has witnessed in recent times. With Maduro’s hands tied, the Jamaicans are getting ready to transfer US$1.6 billion from the PetroCaribe Fund into their Treasury and Maduro is powerless to intervene. Indeed, Jamaica’s climb out of the IMF debt trap has been helped in part by seizing the chance to repay its oil debt to Venezuela at a heavy discount. The Dominican Republic owed Venezuela US$4 billion but used the embargo confusion to settle on a repayment of $1.9 billion, representing a $2.1 billion haircut for the Venezuelan people. Haiti has gotten so much money from PetroCaribe and Venezuela has forgiven so much of their debt that both sides have lost count. The shoddy accounting is perhaps exacerbated by the heavy hand of corruption on both sides. The Venezuelans could be forgiven for questioning the loyalty of their Caribbean amigos in all of this. Meanwhile Mr. Galanis probably knows another African saying: When you wrestle with a gorilla you don’t quit when you’re tired – you quit when the gorilla is tired. THE GRADUATE Nassau April 11, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, April 16, 2019, PAGE 5
Murphy takes charge as new prison commissioner
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net AS RAIN poured around him yesterday afternoon, Charles Murphy accepted the mantle as the new commissioner of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. Eight people applied for the position during the lengthy, international and local search process but ultimately officials chose the person closest to home, National Security Minister Marvin Dames indicated. “Today’s handing over ceremony is another milestone in the development of the institution,” he said. “The rehabilitation and preservation of inmates’ rights is a subject of particular importance to this administration and it is one of priority for our government. We have attached central importance to the advancement and development of a correctional framework that seeks to address the principles of
human rights for the incarcerated and the provisions of rehabilitative strategies and programmes for the same. We are truly committed to supporting correctional reform in The Bahamas by adopting an holistic approach to implemented changes to the criminal justice and rehabilitative system, as a whole.
“Note that our government fully understands and has also embraced the many complexities involved in the rehabilitation of offenders as we seek not only to reduce recidivism but ensure that ex-offenders become law-abiding and productive citizens with the necessary educational and technical prerequisites
CHARLES MURPHY, above right, takes over as the new commissioner of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. He is seen shaking hands with the former commissioner Patrick Wright, who inspected the guard of honour, bottom left. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
upon release. Hence, since coming to office we began taking immediate steps to reform and transition the facility, while maintaining its success. Therefore, Commissioner Murphy you can expect our government’s full support as the Department of Corrections continues to evolve into a fully functioning
correctional facility. This will entail the continued development of comprehensive strategies that will enable the corrections facility to adapt, adjust and overcome the changing dynamics of rehabilitative services for the country.” Commissioner Murphy has been serving as acting commissioner of the
DAMES: CHANGE CAN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT from page one
about greater level of transparency in everything we do,” he said. “You know what we did in terms of the body cams. We’re about to go to Cabinet any day now with the victorious bidder. That’s all in an effort to bring greater transparency to the way we do things. It’s coming and we’re going to come as well with dash cams. We’re taking any number of measures when you talk about greater transparency and the way our law enforcement agencies conduct their business. It’s a process, not something that can happen overnight.
“But it is our goal to ensure that transparency is the order of the day for all of our law enforcement agencies and that’s the reason why we have laws in place that when people do commit offences be they police officers, customs officers, defence force officers, there are consequences. We’re always looking at ways to improve our delivery of service to the public and that’s what we will continue to do. There are areas where we have to improve upon and sometimes it takes a matter or incident for us to look internally to see how we can respond to it.” Last week a jury found that an officer unlawfully killed Osworth
Rolle in November 2016. Attorney General Carl Bethel said he is awaiting the coroner’s file on the matter to decide what comes next. The law grants him the power to send the matter back to the Coroner’s Court for a fresh inquest or to the director of public prosecutions who can decide whether to pursue criminal charges against the officer responsible. The officer that killed Rolle remains on active duty. Unlike in some jurisdictions, officers responsible for killings in the Bahamas are not placed on desk duty pending the outcome of an investigation.
department since his predecessor Patrick Wright retired. When he spoke yesterday, he told correctional officers that no form of corruption will be tolerated during his leadership and all staff will be held to the highest ethical standards. “‘The trust that the Bahamian people have reposed in us will not be betrayed without being challenged,” the new prison chief said. “Integrity is our watchword.” Yesterday, Progressive Liberal Party chairman Fred Mitchell said his party does not support Commissioner Murphy’s appointment. “The appointee superseded two women who were in line for the job and from all accounts seemed qualified for the job,” he said. “There appears to have been partisan political motivations in making the appointment.” However, Mr Dames dismissed the PLP’s concern yesterday as typical opposition politics.
PAGE 6, Tuesday, April 16, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
BPL’S MULTI-FUEL ENGINES TO ARRIVE IN EARLY MAY
By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
THE seven multi-fuel engines that will power Bahamas Power and Light’s new $95m electricity plant are scheduled to arrive in the capital on May 4 and will take 23 days to be placed. BPL said yesterday these engines are scheduled for testing and commissioning in late summer. A press statement released by the power provider said crews
were hard at work preparing the hall at Station A for its next stage. “The refit of Station A at Bahamas Power and Light Co Ltd Clifton Pier Power Station has already been a logistical tour de force, and as the ship scheduled to leave Trieste, Italy with seven Wärtsilä 50DF multi-fuel engines makes its provisioning stops in preparation to cross the Atlantic, crews are hard at work prepping the hall at Station A for its next life,” the statement sad. “Over the next six months, BPL and Wärtsilä will be engaged in a
complex, delicate dance that will require absolute perfection to pull off. In broad strokes, the dance starts with getting Station A ready, which will include pouring new foundations for the new engines. This will require more than 2,000 cubic yards of concrete – that’s 200 trucks of concrete – and is the main feature of the preparation of the engine hall. Next will come delivery of the engines, followed by placement – a production in itself – and then delivery and set up of the auxiliary equipment. “As noted, the preparation of
the engine hall is well underway. The foundations for the first two engines have already been laid, with the rest to be completed within the next few weeks.” It continued: “As for the shipping of the engines, they are scheduled to be in Nassau on May 4, although considering that they are crossing the Atlantic, there is some leeway in the expected arrival date. “The placement of the engines begins with getting them off the ship at the port. Special equipment is already in the pipeline
to effect the transfer, including vehicles that will transport each engine from the port to the engine hall.” This task requires the engines to be transported at walking pace – two miles per hour – from the port to the hall through the night along an already-mapped route with the use of cutting edge digital equipment, BPL said. BPL said the transfer from the port to the hall, at that pace, is expected to take about nine hours, with the team walking the engines the entire route.
With power cuts now, what will happen in the summer?
from page one
[and] appropriately so that we will be ready for the summer. We are also looking at bringing in some additional rental generation to cover the needs in the summer. So from our perspective, we’re doing everything that we can in order to prepare for the load that we’re required to deliver during the summer months.” Meanwhile BPL insiders said yesterday the power provider was battling problems with a generator that had gone offline and an internal BPL email obtained by The Tribune further confirmed this. It said that without GT#8 there was an 18-megawatt shortfall. As a result, only
189-megawatts were available where demand required 207-megawatts. According to BPL, the areas first affected were in east New Providence just before 10am yesterday. These included: areas south of Soldier Road, near Kennedy Subdivision, Bernard Road, Village Road, some parts of Kemp Road and Danottage Estates. At the same time, customers in Fox Hill were also disconnected for nearly five hours beginning at 9am as BPL conducted overhead maintenance. This affected customers on Fox Hill Road north of Step Street, including the side streets, according to BPL’s Facebook page. Load shedding then moved to Elizabeth Estates one and two, Prince Charles
FORM B Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))
Ellice Sallyann Lockhart-Pratt Registrar of Marriages
FORM B Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))
Ellice Sallyann Lockhart-Pratt Registrar of Marriages
BAHAMAS Power and Light HQ. Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
east and west, Fox Hill North. West Bay Street, John F Kennedy Drive, Coral Harbour, Lyford Cay, Carmichael Road West, Firetrail Road, and the area near SC McPherson School were also affected. The widespread outages either caused customers to be inconvenienced because they could not use debit or credit cards as machines were offline and in other cases people were turned away from stores, some business owners told The Tribune yesterday. Stephanie Ferguson Williams, owner of Da Vinci Printing Innovators in the Village Road Shopping Centre, said her business was greatly affected. The disruption, she said, lasted from 10am to about noon. “We weren’t able to serve any customer for the two hours,” she said. “We had six or eight people came to the door that we weren’t able to serve. This is an Internet based businesses where customers email files so were weren’t able to do anything. “We are concerned about load shedding. We don’t have a generator so whenever it goes off that’s something we have to deal
with. It’s either that or get a generator and put yourself in more expense and that shouldn’t be.” The Computer Store had a similar experience, with an employee telling The Tribune they did not have a generator so no transactions could occur when load shedding takes place. Asked if there were concerns headed into the summer season, he replied: “I mean, it’s BPL!” Another store in the Village Road area, the Craft Cottage, said one customer was inconvenienced, as they could not use the card machine. “We are always hopeful, but judging from past experience we know that this is something that can happen again,” The Tribune was told. According to BPL’s Director of Communications Quincy Parker, the nature of load shedding is unpredictable. He said: “Because load shedding is an unexpected response to unforeseen circumstances I cannot really say. All I can say is we are load shedding at present and we expect to be doing so for the next few hours.” He said the cause of the
generation issues was still under investigation. Bahamas Electricity Workers Union president Paul Maynard further confirmed that BPL was at peak generation, but said once the issues were resolved with the offline generator there should be no more load shedding. BPL later reported that power was restored to all customers affected by load shedding in New Providence at 5.03pm, bringing the load shedding exercise that begun at 9.52am to a close. “We are continuing to effect repairs on our generating units at Blue Hills and Clifton Pier Power Stations which came offline and caused the generating shortfall which led to load shedding. It is expected that three of these units will be returned to service by 11PM tonight which will place BPL on a more solid footing for service tomorrow. “While we do not expect any load shedding in predominantly residential areas this evening, some trimming of load may occur in the mainly commercial areas such as Palmdale, Shirley Street, Mackey Street etc if required,” BPL said in a brief statement.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, April 16, 2019, PAGE 7
MIGRANTS CAUGHT HEADING FROM CUBA UP TO 50
ANTON LODIMUS, left, and his brother Dwayne Lodimus outside court yesterday. Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
Haitian brothers face charges of killing 40-year-old By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net TWO Haitian brothers are behind the shooting death of a 40-year-old man in the Mackey Street area last month, police have alleged. Police claim 25-year-old Dwayne Lodimus and his 21-yearold brother Anton are the ones
who murdered Elroy “Skully” Burrows on March 19. According to initial reports, shortly before 11am on the date in question, police received reports of gunshots in the Mackey Street area near Wilton Street. Upon their arrival at the scene, police met a man lying at the junction of both streets who appeared to be lifeless. EMS personnel were
subsequently summoned to the area, and upon their arrival, pronounced the man dead at the scene. At the time, officers said the information they were working with was that the victim had just come from patronising a local business, and while walking across the street, he was approached by a lone gunman who opened fire and shot him multiple times.
Due to the nature of the charge, the Lodimus brothers were not required to enter a plea and the matter was adjourned to May 16 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). Bail was denied and they were both remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) in the interim. They have a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.
THE wave of migrants from Cuba taking the treacherous journey to Florida continues to persist, and to date some 50 Cubans intercepted in Bahamian seas have been brought to Grand Bahama in the last two weeks. An immigration official confirmed the Immigration Department has so far processed a total of 50 Cuban migrants in the last 14 days alone. The latest group was spotted last Friday on Cay Sal Island and brought to Freeport on Sunday afternoon, immigration officer Napthali Cooper said. According to reports, the US Coast Guard Cutter Robert Yered arrived around noon with nine Cubans who were turned over to officers at the Department of Immigration. Mr Cooper reported that the migrants were all men who were initially spotted by a USCG aircraft on Cay Sal Island on April 12. “Upon seeing the aircraft the men ran into the bushes,” he said. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force was initially notified and requested assistance from the USCG. Through the United States/ Bahamas Comprehensive Maritime Agreement, a USCG cutter was allowed to enter and investigate the sighting. Later in the evening, a USCG team went ashore on Cay Sal Island and located nine men who claimed to be Cuban nationals. According to Mr Cooper, the Cubans told officials they had departed Cuba on Friday, April 12, in the rustic sailboat and were headed to the US.
THE MIGRANTS
MAN ON DOUBLE MURDER CHARGE
TERRENCE Rolle yesterday. By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A 34-YEAR-OLD Bimini man was arraigned on double murder charges in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Terrence Rolle, of South Bimini, who also resides at Sir Francis Point, Freeport, appeared in Court One before Deputy Chief Magistrate Debbye Ferguson on two counts of murder. Renaldo Toote represented Rolle, who is accused of the shooting deaths of two young men in February 2017 at a popular night spot in Freeport. It is alleged that on February 1, 2017, the accused, being concerned with others unknown, killed 24-year-old Stefan LaFrance, of Hunters, and Joseph Bain. According to police reports, the men were shot
Photo: Vandyke Hepburn outside the Game Time Bar in Freeport just as they were leaving the bar shortly before 1am. Rolle was not required to enter a plea to the murder charges. Prosecutor Sergeant Veron Rolle told the court that bail could not be granted in Magistrate’s Court as the offence falls under Part C Subsection 3 of the Bail Act. He also indicated that the matter would proceed by way of Voluntary Bill of Indictment to fast track it to the Supreme Court for trial. Deputy Chief Magistrate Ferguson explained to Rolle that she could not grant bail and that his attorney would have to apply to the Supreme Court for his pre-trial release. She adjourned the case to June 24 and remanded Rolle to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in New Providence.
PAGE 8, Tuesday, April 16, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
O
NE cannot meet a person like Paul Fernander and forget him. His effervescent smile, big personality, booming voice and “get it done” attitude speaks volumes. He is a veteran in sales in media, but he also has in-depth knowledge in broadcasting that allows him to liaise effectively between the client and the media and production personalities. Not only that, Paul cares about people. He will take the time to ask you about yourself, will remember what you told him and on the next occasion he sees you and strike up a conversation right where you left off. His infectious personality makes him relatable and memorable. I have known Paul for many years. We worked together at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas and at More 94.9fm; I worked as a radio and television reporter. More 94.9fm is a private, smaller entity than the BCB; therefore, under the directorship of Galen Saunders, I learned to take on other tasks, including leading radio remotes and producing programmes. So I had many opportunities to work directly with Paul and see his vigour for his craft first hand. Recently, I saw Paul and he was walking with a limp. He seemed much weaker, but was still flashing that big smile. I asked him what happened, and he was like “I was in a terrible car crash!” I was in shock, and then he said, “No, no… I had a stroke”. This is how Paul is – always “pulling your leg” or making a joke, even in serious circumstances, taking the edge off what could otherwise be a tense moment. That playfulness and lightheartedness was always tempered by the things Paul actually gets involved with. He often conceptualises or participates in efforts that help others and the community. During his long years in media sales, he has helped to develop many community programmes including the Dollar for Scholars, Stocking Stuffers, Trot for Tots and Secret Santa. He has co-produced three telethons for charity and is on the committee for Andros Crab Fest and Cat Island Rake n’ Scrape Festivals. He is also on the committee for the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre’s 2019 Geriatric Hospital’s Push-A-Thon and the Bahamas National Council for Disability. “My passion is to be involved in organisations that promote Bahamian culture and help people,” he said. Paul was born in Nassau and grew up on Providence Avenue in the heart of Chippingham, the fifth of eight children born to Dennis and Rosie Fernander. It was a lower-middle class community where everyone in the neighbourhood knew each other and “all had to have respect for
CLOCKWISE, from left: Paul and his wife, Porcia: the Fernander children today; Paul rushing with Sting Junkanoo group; Dennis and Rosie Fernander and their children.
A zest for life which has never been broken older persons”. The Fernander kids grew up across the street from RM Bailey Jr (his father is whom the high school is named after). They considered him their adopted grandfather and the neighbourhood considered him “the mayor of Chippingham”. He holds fond memories of his childhood days: “Providence Avenue was the street where the community came to see who was the fastest sprinter; and the Fernander boys were the ones to beat. The races were mostly one or two lamppost sprints and bragging rights. During Christmas holidays, children on bikes and skates filled Providence Ave as it was the main road in Chippingham and was usually the best paved road. “I grew up in a time when going over the fort hill to Western Esplanade or going to the ditch in the back of Seafloor Aquarium to swim or pick sea grapes and coco plums were daily summer rituals. We were also fortunate to have a park a stone’s throw from our house. The C I Gibson park was the meeting place for all the boys in the area, as it could be used for flying kites, playing basketball, porking (hitting each other with a ball), swinging, or playing on the seesaw. The park was also the location for summer basketball tournaments. We saw teams come to Chippingham from
Bain town, Christie Park, Rock Crusher, Farrington Road as well as other areas for epic basketball battles.” During the 1970s, his mother Rosie was given an opportunity to attend university in North Carolina to obtain a Bachelor’s degree. She took her daughter along (another daughter died at the age of two) and left the five boys with their father. As Paul recalls, this gave the boys in the community “a house that everyone could come to and have a free-for-all daily”. He first attended Quarry Mission Primary School, then William Sayles Primary. He passed the common entrance exam and was one of 125 fortunate students to receive a scholarship to The Government High School. “During the summer after I finished GHS I worked with noted local photographer Antoine Ferrier,” said Paul. “Ferrier was trained by George Poliard, who trained at the historic black college Tuskegee Institute. The love I developed for photography gave rise to my love for television broadcasting.” Paul graduated in 1976, the year the College of The Bahamas was established. He studied communications and basic electronics at COB and then he left New Providence to attend the University of North Carolina in Charlotte.
FORM B Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))
Ellice Sallyann Lockhart-Pratt Registrar of Marriages
“I started working with the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas in 1979, and I was given the rare opportunity to train in both television and radio programming and production,” he said. At ZNS he had the opportunity to enhance his broadcasting skills as a participant of a United States Embassy sponsored Broadcasting in America programme. This programme provided 32 participants from the region with practical experience on how regions are impacted through Broadcasting in America. The five areas consisted of: Politics in TV Broadcasting Washington DC; Religion in TV Broadcasting Salt Lake City Utah; TV Broadcasting and Movies Los Angeles California; TV Broadcasting and Agriculture Lincoln Nebraska Marketing; and Television Broadcasting Cincinnati, Ohio. Because of his love for people, Paul joined the Bahamas Communication Public Officers Union under the leadership of veteran unionist Keith Archer. After a short stint in the general membership, Paul
was elected as Assistant Secretary General. During the time Idena Burrows became President and he was elevated to Secretary General, after the promotion of the then-Secretary General Harold Carter to management in Batelco. Wanting more, Paul was nominated and succeeded in winning a Trustee position in the umbrella organization, the Trade Union Congress, under the leadership of Hudly Bodie. Paul said: “In 1985 I moved in to the sales department at ZNS. In 1994 after the introduction of private broadcasting, I left ZNS to assist with the opening of More 94.9 FM as the Sales Director. In 2002, I returned to the BCB in the marketing and sales department. In 2006, I started working in marketing and sales at Tripoint Communications whose main core of business was electronic transactions products sales and service. In 2012 I started working as the Special Projects Coordinator for Guardian Media (Nassau Guardian, Freeport News, Print Masters, Star 106 Hits, Guardian Radio and Hot 91FM).”
PAUL and the Crab Fest committee meeting with Tourism Minster Dionisio D’Aguilar.
Through his lengthy career in media and broadcasting, Paul always kept a thumb on community and cultural affairs and could be seen participating in too many events to mention. He also enjoys acting and once received a Dansa theatre award for best supporting actor for his role in Trevor Rhone’s play ‘Smile Orange’. He considered himself “extremely fortunate” to have worked with Rhone, whom he considers “an outstanding playwright”. “After suffering a stroke on July 2, 2018, I realised that the way I treated persons I came in contact with throughout my life caused them to show me unprecedented kindness during my recovering period,” Paul told me. “Persons from all strata of Bahamian society expressed kind sentiments, gestures, motivation and prayers for my recovery. I have heard people say ‘give me my flowers while I am living’ and I never fully appreciated the phrase until the amount of expressions of goodwill I received overwhelmed me. I will forever be grateful to my wife Porcia, my family, friends and in some cases strangers that became my friends because I shared my circumstances.” He shared this advice: “My life lesson is simple – follow the golden rule to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. What I would like to share is… find a soul mate like I found in my wife Porcia… and become a rock for each other. Don’t take anything or each other for granted and remember, you are together for better or worse.
FORM B Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))
Ellice Sallyann Lockhart-Pratt Registrar of Marriages
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, April 16, 2019, PAGE 9
PMH COMMUNICATIONS TEAM STAGES SIT-OUT AS AC FAILS TO WORK By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net
DISGRUNTLED employees of the communication centre in Princess Margaret Hospital staged a sit-out yesterday due no air-conditioning in their department. Bahamas Public Services Union president Kimsley Ferguson said the air-conditioner in that particular block has been down since last Wednesday and the area has no windows. Mr Ferguson said: “The problem starts from the accounts door into this particular area that covers communications. (There is) no means of ventilation, even if fans are placed in this particular area it wouldn’t assist with what is going on. “Hence the workers would have withdrawn themselves from this particular critical area in the hospital that deals with emergencies and so no calls are coming in at this present time.” When asked how long the sit-out will go on, Mr Ferguson said until the airconditioner is sorted out. He added: “I don’t know who the reports would have went to, but for such a critical area like this it should have been dealt with expeditiously. Until (they) get it sorted out we are going to be right in the corridor.” According to Mr
EMPLOYEES of the communication centre yesterday. Ferguson, he has tried to reach the hospital administrator but to no avail. “Someone would have spoken to the human resources manager who said it’s just coming to her attention this morning which is very difficult to believe for such an important area so for whatever reason it has been difficult trying to access particular individuals who have a responsibility for these things. “We’ve seen some workmen here trying to get it going apparently the unit is running but we don’t feel anything coming into those areas that this particular unit supplies,” he said. Tabitha Deveaux, a telephonist, said they shouldn’t have to work under those conditions. She said: “We’re here to save lives, that is our job, that’s what we came here to do and if we become a patient
who is going to assist the clients on the outside? It is not only hot and humid you can smell mould, mildew and there is no ventilation.” An employee who preferred to be unnamed, said: “This the beginning of the third week sitting here under these conditions. There is no other ventilation, those windows can’t open and there is no fan, so I don’t know what’s going on. “My staff is not here but someone has to answer the phone in case there is an emergency. Like you can see I’m dressed for the occasion…something has to be done and it seems like nobody (cares) and we keep complaining. They established a help desk, we called the help desk — you get no resolution.” The Tribune’s attempts to get a comment from the Public Hospitals Authority were unsuccessful.
CANDIDATES COMMITTEE REPORT April 5TH, 2019 LIST OF ENDORSED NAMES: EXECUTIVE MEMBERS: 1. Rosemary E. Burrows 2. Maralyn Genette Burrows 3. William Ingraham 4. Cyril Morris Jr. 5. Wayne Thompson 6. Kameisha Delique Wells 7. Judd T. Williams TRUSTEES: 1. Jacqueline Lorene Mckenzie 2. Bolinder Newbold – Munroe 3. Vernincha Louise Delcine Simmons 4. Lana Monique Williams-Smith 5. Haldane Alfred Stubbs AREA VICE PRESIDENTS: NORTHERN BAHAMAS: 1. Ann Marie Bullard 2. Eldecia Shaquincha Ethlyn Thompson GRAND BAHAMA: 1. Quintin Howard Laroda 2. George Austin Trevor Mills. NEW PROVIDENCE: 1. Vernon Jemell Rodgers SOUTHERN BAHAMAS: 1. Ann Louise Strachan ASSISTANT TREASURER: 1. Catherine Knowles-Stubbs 2. Katress Wells SECRETARY – GENERAL: 1. Helena Cartwright 2. Dion Damien Johnson 3. Tiffany M. Delancy-Laing ASSISTANT SECRETARY – GENERAL: 1. Juanita T. Gaitor 2. Cedricka Rolle PRESIDENT: 1. Joan Knowles-Turnquest VICE PRESIDENT: 1. Tiffany Burrell-Roberts 2. Jason Haley From the desk of John Musgrove Secretary-General The Bahamas Union of Teachers.
PAGE 10, Tuesday, April 16, 2019 THE sudden news of the arrest in London of the co-founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, not surprisingly hit the headlines last week. This is a significant and intriguing development because controversy about it is shaping up to be a major test of the principle of a free press in a democracy protecting the public interest and the right of governments to keep their classified information secure. The arrest has been welcomed and condemned in equal measure. Mr Assange jumped bail in England in 2012 to escape an arrest warrant for extradition to Sweden to face charges of rape and other sexual misconduct. He then sought asylum at Ecuador’s embassy and had been living there ever since. After accusations of leading an erratic and sordid lifestyle during his seven-year sojourn at the embassy, his asylum was eventually revoked last week and Ecuador’s diplomatic protection ended. British police were allowed to enter the embassy and take him into custody for failing to surrender to the court, though there is some evidence his arrest was also at the request of US law enforcement. Within days, he was found guilty by magistrates of breaching his earlier bail conditions and now faces one year in prison, but it remains to be seen whether Sweden will resurrect the charges against him. To some people, however, the Swedish aspect is almost a sideshow. What is more significant is that he also faces possible
THE TRIBUNE
Can Assange’s actions be justified? Not in my book The Peter Young column extradition to the US to face charges of conspiracy in hacking in to government computers in order to steal official classified electronic communications. WikiLeaks is described as a non-profit organisation that publishes classified information and news leaks provided by anonymous sources. On its website it expresses its willingness to ‘accept restricted or censored material of political, ethical, diplomatic or historical significance’. At first sight, that sounds much like the regular work of investigative journalism. But Mr Assange has attracted
notoriety because of the sources of the classified material WikiLeaks has published and the way it has been obtained. The basic question is whether his organisation is a bastion of transparency - because conveying to others information the government does not want the public to see helps to hold it accountable - or whether, by revealing classified information obtained illegally, it is acting irresponsibly in a dangerous and treacherous manner and even putting the lives of government employees at risk. The US indictment which has been made public seems to be based on allegations Mr Assange conspired with former US Army intelligence analyst, Chelsea Manning, to crack government computer codes. But, rather than being accused of espionage, he is apparently facing a maximum of five years in prison for the less serious charges of receiving and publishing classified data. Reportedly, the British government’s view is he must now face justice, whether that means in Sweden on sexual misconduct charges or in the US for computer hacking. Extradition from Britain will be a matter for the courts and
Happy birthday, your Majesty
presumably an important consideration will be the likelihood of his receiving a fair trial. Concern has also been expressed that extradition which then leads to prosecution of a foreign publication for violating US security laws could create a dangerous precedent when it can be contended the information concerned was disseminated in the public interest. However, that raises the question of who is the judge of what that interest is? Official material is classified because the government considers its publication would be injurious to the interests of the state. So can it ever be justifiable to release classified documents to the public without authority? Newspapers have often published such information - including, in the case of WikiLeaks, the Guardian in the UK and the New York Times which have carried redacted versions of material. But, in open democratic societies, such questions have long been subject to debate and conflicting views - in particular, how to determine and define the public’s right to know. In Britain, the Official Secrets Act has been accepted as necessary for the nation’s security, though
ASSANGE after his arrest prosecutions under it are relatively rare. But the essential role of the Fourth Estate there in holding politicians accountable - and in cutting down to size those who abuse their power -has been notably effective. Investigative journalism is crucial for a democracy to thrive and this has been bolstered by Freedom of Information legislation. But the activities of WikiLeaks surely exceed what could be considered reasonable and acceptable behaviour since, in proactively and systematically hacking into government-owned classified computers, it was behaving more like a hostile foreign intelligence organisation. Its actions amounted to criminality which is clearly incompatible with investigative journalism. Presumably, there are also privacy laws to consider that apply equally to
THERE is no denying the annual Masters tournament at Augusta National in Georgia is the pre-eminent event in the world’s golfing calendar. The venues for the US Open and the British Open – properly termed The Open – change each year and, while excellent golf courses, they are not strictly comparable. For professional players the dream is to compete at the Masters, and victory there is seen as the pinnacle of golfing achievement. The setting and atmosphere at Augusta are unmatched and this, combined with its history of notable performances by legendary former players, makes it, in the view of most, a truly amazing place. The climax on Sunday of Tiger Woods’ spectacular success in winning his fifth Masters title and his 15th major tournament places this year’s event in a special category as one of the most memorable. But, even the day before in the glorious spring sunshine, TV commentators were calling it one of the very best, with a starstudied field of the world’s top golfers competing on a course that was in perfect condition after the rains of the previous week. At one point on Saturday afternoon, in a bunched and crowded leaderboard of players separated by only a stroke or two, eight of the top ten were already winners of majors.
THE Queen’s 93rd birthday on April 21 coincides with Easter this year. This is her real birthday. Her official birthday is usually on the second Saturday of June because of the greater likelihood by then of fine weather for the traditional annual ceremony of Trooping the Colour. In the present mood of the country, with many saying politicians have forfeited public trust, British people should surely be thankful to have a Head of State who is widely loved and revered and, in a troubled world, is a symbol of stability, unity and continuity. It is wonderful that she remains in good health and continues to perform her public duties as an inspiration to the nation. • Peter Young is a retired career diplomat and former British High Commissioner to The Bahamas where he is now a permanent resident
FORM B Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))
Ellice Sallyann Lockhart-Pratt Registrar of Marriages
privately-owned computers. It would be impossible to conduct government business properly, not least with foreign countries, if detailed discussion of policy leading up to decision-making were to be made public; for example, in the case of WikiLeaks disclosing the content of diplomatic cables. If there is public concern about the actions of governments, there are ways of protesting and persuading them to change -- from the extreme of the current rioting in French cities to investigative journalism in exposing wrong doing by government ministers and, ultimately, to the ballot box. But indiscriminately leaking government communications is likely to make governing more difficult and less effective, which may not be in the public interest. The fundamental issue remains. Can it ever be right in a democratic society to allow a self-appointed quasi-whistle blower from an organisation like WikiLeaks to determine what is in the public interest and claim his judgment of that justifies the theft and leaking of classified documents belonging to an elected government? In my view, the answer is a resounding ‘no’.
Tiger triumph was America at its best To golf aficionados, it was magical stuff. The final day was just as good, albeit under cloudy skies, with an electric air of expectancy. The battle went up to the wire as a clutch of players were still in with a chance during the final holes, including Francesco Molinari, the Italian winner of last year’s Open at Carnoustie in Scotland who had been the overnight leader. But Woods, whose last win at a major was more than 10 years ago, finally prevailed by a single stroke. Amid emotional scenes, a Hollywood scriptwriter would have been hard pressed to have devised a more fitting denouement. It was breathtaking stuff and an incredible comeback for him at the age of 43 after a string of injuries and personal problems that had threatened to end his career. Even those with little interest in golf will acknowledge the excellence of this momentous sporting event – and, reflecting on the extensive and high quality TV coverage during all four days of a tremendously successful tournament, I couldn’t help thinking this was America at its best.
FORM B Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))
Ellice Sallyann Lockhart-Pratt Registrar of Marriages
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, April 16, 2019, PAGE 11
FLAMES and smoke rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris and massive plumes of yellow brown smoke fill the air. Above, President Emmanuel Macron talks to the media.
We’ll rebuild Notre Dame PARIS Associated Press
FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild Notre Dame with help from the international community after a devastating fire gutted the famous cathedral on yesterday. Speaking after the roof of the 850-year-old building caved in, Macron said that a national fundraising campaign to restore the historic building would be launched and he called on the world’s ‘greatest talents’ to help. The French leader credited the ‘courage’ and ‘great professionalism’ of firefighters with sparing Notre Dame’s facade and two landmark towers from being destroyed. In an impassioned speech outside the cathedral, Macron said: “We will appeal to the greatest talents and we will rebuild Notre Dame because that’s what the French are waiting for, because that’s what our history deserves, because it’s our deepest destiny.” Late last night, fire chiefs confirmed that the structure of the cathedral has been saved, despite initial fears it may be entirely destroyed. It wasn’t until early this morning that the fire was declared to be “under control and partially extinguished”. The massive fire swept across the top of the cathedral as it was undergoing renovations Monday, collapsing its spire and threatening one of the world’s greatest architectural treasures as tourists and Parisians looked on
President Macron vows to restore famous monument
aghast from the streets below. The 12th-century church is home to relics, stained glass and other incalculable works of art
and is a leading global tourist attraction, immortalised by Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”
The Paris prosecutor’s office said it was treating the fire as an accident, ruling out arson and possible terror-related motives, at least for now. French media quoted the Paris fire brigade as saying the fire was “potentially linked” to a $6.8m renovation project on the church’s spire and its 500 tons of wood and 250 tons of lead. Despite the dramatic image of the flaming cathedral, no one was killed. One firefighter was injured, among some 400 who struggled against the flames for hours before finally extinguishing them. Firefighters
continued working through the night to cool the building and secure the monument, as residual sparks sprinkled down from the gaping hole where the spire used to be. The blaze started at 6.50pm after it had closed to the public, and spread to one of the cathedral’s landmark rectangular towers. Nearby buildings were evacuated as fears mounted that the structure could collapse. As the spire fell, the sky lit up orange and flames shot out of the roof behind the nave of the cathedral, among the most visited
landmarks in the world. Hundreds of people lined up bridges around the island that houses the church, watching in shock as acrid smoke rose in plumes. Paris fire chief JeanClaude Gallet said the church’s structure had been saved after firefighters managed to stop the fire spreading to the northern belfry. Gallet said “twothirds of the roofing has been ravaged”. As the cathedral burned, Parisians gathered to pray and sing hymns outside the church of Saint-Julien-LesPauvres across the river from Notre Dame while the flames lit the sky behind them.
PAGE 12, Tuesday, April 16, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
CAREY WARNS OF POACHING AS CRAWFISH SEASON CLOSES By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas National Trust wants to remind the public the season for harvesting crawfish is closed. The closed season began on April 1 and
ends on July 31. Eric Carey, BNT executive director, said yesterday a closed season was instituted for the singular reason that environmentalists wanted to protect the species when it is breeding, which is when the Caribbean spiny lobsters are most vulnerable.
Mr Carey said: “The Bahamas has very carefully managed its crawfish stocks over the years, and we’ve been very progressive with conservation measures to ensure that it is sustainable. Scientists determine that between the period of the end of
March and the beginning of August, mostly the spring and summer months...it just makes sense not to harvest pregnant females. “Clearly it is intended to allow for the species to be able to sustain itself to allow the species to reproduce without being molested and that has in large measure led to the success of our lobster fishery.” The Bahamas became the only country in the Caribbean region to be certified for a sustainable lobster fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The Bahamas is now among the eight percent of MSC certified fisheries from developing countries. “The Bahamas is also working with the Marine Stewardship Council to certify that our lobster was sustainably harvested. So, we were harvesting only during the open season and that we were harvesting only the legitimate sizes. We have established that the tails have to be five inches that is to ensure we are harvesting mature adults so not only do we harvest only in the non-breeding season, we also only harvest adult lobsters and the Bahamas worked very hard to get that certification. “If you don’t have that certification then you risk losing the ability to export to many markets. This was a collaborative effort between commercial wholesalers, exporters, fishermen, organisations like the Nature Conservancy provided a lot of support for this, organisations like BREEF were very involved
because this is a species that collectively we want to see the species sustain.” Mr Carey said the greatest threat to our fishing industry is poaching. He said: “The main cry of the Bahamian fishermen by in large adhere to the closed season for lobsters while our boats are in port, lobsters are being pillaged and harvested uncontrolled in the closed season. Pregnant females, all sizes, babies included are just being raked up off the sea floor by these Dominican illegal poachers. “We know the government of The Bahamas takes it very seriously having invested significant funds into new vessels... but we have to stamp out poaching because we will
not gain the support of fishermen.” He added: “They may feel as if they were being punished for obeying the law and it’s open season because there is ineffective enforcement. We have to stamp out poaching otherwise our fishermen obeying the law will lose their industry anyway if the Dominicans and people coming from the north, Americans are not respecting our fishing legislation especially in this case (relating) to lobsters.” According to the Department of Marine Resources, during this period it is an offence for an individual to capture, have in one’s possession, kill or offer for sale or market any fresh or live crawfish.
MP’S BROTHER ACCUSED OF INDECENT ASSAULT By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
THE brother of a Member of Parliament is accused of indecently assaulting a woman at the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Sciences Institute’s distribution centre in
January. Davante Lavaco Bowleg, 36, was made to stand before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis yesterday to face a single count of indecent assault stemming from the alleged January 31 incident. Bowleg pleaded not guilty to the charge and the matter was adjourned to
May 27 for trial. He is the brother of North Andros and Berry Islands MP Carlton Bowleg Jr. As the matter is a summary offence, the accused was granted $3,000 bail with one suretor, pursuant to an application made by his attorney Murrio Ducille.