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POLICE QUESTION WSC MANAGER Elwood Donaldson is quizzed as part of investigation By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net POLICE questioned Water and Sewerage General Manager Elwood Donaldson for hours yesterday as part of their investigation into matters affecting the institution, The Tribune understands. Mr Donaldson, who was placed on leave in December as the investigation continued, was invited to a police station, interviewed and released yesterday
evening pending the investigation, according to a source who spoke to this newspaper anonymously because they were not authorised to speak on the matter. Mr Donaldson was the only person interviewed in connection with the matter yesterday but The Tribune understands the police have invited others to the Central Detective Unit in recent weeks and have questioned them as well.
ACTING Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander is unhappy with the pace inquests are happening at the Coroner’s Court, saying it is clear that policeinvolved “matters are not moving as swiftly as they should”. Lawyers have long complained about the Coroner’s
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
WEATHER experts are predicting an active and “above average” Atlantic hurricane season, with four major hurricanes expected this year. The season, which starts officially on June 1, is also forecast to have 19 named storms, with as many as nine hurricanes. Yesterday, Myles Laroda, the state minister with responsibility for disaster preparedness, urged Bahamians to start preparing now ahead of the upcoming season, underscoring the impacts of climate change on vulnerable countries like The Bahamas. SEE PAGE TWO
PERMISSION TO STRIKE - BUT UNION MAY NOT USE IT By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
SEE PAGE FOUR
‘OFFICER SHOOTING CASES ARE MOVING TOO SLOWLY’ By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
WARNING OF BUSY HURRICANE SEASON
Court and how long it takes before inquests are held. Although the pace significantly improved during the Minnis administration, it came to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic. While inquests into other deaths have resumed, inquests into police involved killings have not. Last month, National Security Minister Wayne SEE PAGE THREE POLICE on the scene of a homicide at the Rubis gas station on Mackey Street yesterday. Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff
A STRIKE certificate has been approved for the Public Managers Union to take industrial action against the National Insurance Board. PMU President Cassandra Lewis told The Tribune yesterday that despite receiving the strike certificate, the union was hoping not to have to use it. “We received our certificate and reached out to the minister,” Mrs Lewis said. “We would like to attempt to resolve to avoid drastic measures and action.” Both Myles Laroda, minister with responsibility for SEE PAGE SEVEN
INMATE SHOT DEAD AT WORK SITE By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
AN inmate on the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services’ work programme was shot multiple times and killed while on his job yesterday. The man, whom The Tribune was told is Timothy Saunders, was at a fuel pump at Rubis Station at Mackey and Madeira Streets, when a lone gunman approached and shot him several times
in his body. According to the officer in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson, the assailant escaped on foot. During a press conference yesterday, Acting Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander said police were combing the Kemp Road area in search of the person responsible, after receiving tips that the shooter ran in that direction. SEE PAGE FOUR
FACE TO FACE: TWO BABY GIRLS AFTER SIX-YEAR WAIT
- SEE PAGE EIGHT
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
PAGE 2, Tuesday, May 3, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
WARNING OF BUSY HURRICANE SEASON from page one
He also said the government is developing a comprehensive strategy on disaster preparedness and management, with special focus on prevention, mitigation, response and recovery. “Our nation is also in the precarious position of having to change the way we perceive disaster risks within a changing climate,” Mr Laroda said during a press conference at the National Emergency Management Agency yesterday. “The influence of climate change has already begun to change our way of life by fuelling the development of super storms that strengthen quicker and keep their intensity longer. “Whereas category 5 storms, as seen with the impact of the September 2019 Hurricane Dorian,
were once rare, they now occur with disturbing frequency. It is critical that each Bahamian and resident take the necessary precautions now in the event that a storm hits during the hurricane season. Precautionary measures taken now could save life and property in the future.” Acting director of the Department of Meteorology, Jeffrey Simmons said that although The Bahamas was not affected by any storms last year, it is possible the situation could be different this year. Mr Simmons said: “Even though last season was active, 21 named storms, we were not impacted but that is not a license for us to relax. We should be prepared. That gave us time to regroup, especially since Dorian and Joaquin and Matthew, etc, have plagued us for several consecutive
years, so we’re asking everyone to be prepared. “The Department of Meteorology, we are ready, and we have been doing our Family Islands inspection that is going around the islands inspecting our equipment since January.” He also spoke about the agency’s efforts in engaging cutting-edge technology aimed at providing better and more accurate forecasts. “Going into this hurricane season, we have three doppler radars that are now live in New Providence, Marsh Harbour (Abaco) and Long Island. The fourth one will come on stream (at) the end of this month in Ragged Island and we are aggressively working toward having our fifth radar in Mayaguana, which is already installed but we just need to get it online now and we’re working aggressively to
have that done by the peak of the season.” Mr Simmons continued: “Our radars assist us a lot with our forecasts and tracking of hurricanes and all that but we have a lot of convective activities going on, shower activities forming and some of these can be really severe at times and we can have some moderate tornadic activities in them. The radars really assist us in pinpointing where they are and how they are moving, etc.” For his part, director of NEMA Captain Stephen Russell, said officials will be promoting informative messages on hurricane readiness the entire month, which is “National Disaster Preparedness month.” This year’s theme is “Strengthening Community Readiness for a Better Tomorrow.” Last year, former Coroner Jeannine
Weech-Gomez recommended the need for a mass fatality plan and the mobilisation of a missing persons call centre to help strengthen the country’s response to natural crises after Hurricane Dorian in 2019. Coroner Weech-Gomez made the recommendations during the inquest into the presumed deaths of some 34 people reported missing after Hurricane Dorian in 2019. In response to those recommendations yesterday, Captain Russell said: “NEMA and our partners, we have viewed a recent coroner’s report following investigations on Hurricane Dorian and plans are being finalised to more efficiently and effectively care for the deceased, God forbid in the aftermath of disaster.” Hurricane season is June 1 through November 30. “At the household level,
please finalise your household and family plans, will you shelter at home or where would you and your family ride out the storm? As far as your community concern and your community plans, what are your plans in your community?” Captain Russell asked. “You should be developing your community plan to ensure that you know how your community collectively responds to your disaster. We urge persons to know where the vulnerable persons are in your community. If there is a need to evacuate, move them to the shelters and make sure they have some place to go likewise for your business and livelihood, encourage persons to have a plan in place to protect your businesses and safeguard your livelihood.” A list of shelters will be made public in the next two weeks, according to officials.
SURVIVAL WEEKEND RETURNS FOR ROAD PARADE SURVIVAL Weekend is back and set for May 20-22, featuring a road parade and a mega concert with big names in Soca music, including Allison Hinds, Destra Garcia and Patrice Roberts. Local performers Wendi, Patrice Murrell, Latis and Ebony - are also set to take the stage. During a press conference yesterday, Alpha Sounds Promotions president Trevor Davis said the event promises to bring three days of “fun, excitement, and entertainment.” While the road parade will be held on Saturday, May 21, at 8am, the concert will take place later that night. A beach fete is also slated for May 22. However, party-goers will note that the road parade in particular is a scaled down version of what they were accustomed to in years gone by before the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Health and Wellness has given approval for 1,200 participants, organisers said yesterday. Rafael Dean of the Band Owners Association said all safety protocols will be followed and enforced by the Band Owners Association as well as individual bands that will be participating to ensure the “maximum safety of all in attendance”. “About 90 percent of the bands will be participating,” he said, adding: “The capacity for such short notice and what we’re looking at it will be a maximum of probably a 1,000 to 1,200 persons.” Asked how the capacity would be enforced, he answered: “By individual bands. Like we said in our request to the Ministry of Health, everyone is going to be required to either be vaccinated or we’re gonna have a 72 hour COVID test that must be presented to each band’s owner. “So the association will
enforce and we’ll partner with the police with the COVID area to do routine checks as best as possible as they can, but the individual band that are going to participate in this event must ensure that all the mandates that are set out are being followed.” Regarding the safety of the event, Mr Davis said Alpha Sounds had a reputation for holding safe events. He was asked about safety in the aftermath of an alleged chaotic event this weekend at a hookah lounge on Gladstone Road where it is alleged that people were stabbed and various fights erupted. “So, as far as safety again we’re relying on the Royal Bahamas Police Force and we rely on our security team to keep everybody safe, but persons know when they go to a particular event or particular outing what to expect and so when you to come to an Alpha Sounds event you know just to be on your best behaviour because this is the kind of event to have some good vibes, drink water and mind your business,” he explained. Packages are going to be available to all who have bands and will be participating. Meanwhile, “Dis We Ting” Food, Art, and Craft Festival is scheduled to take place on May 7 on the Carnival Grounds.
PERFORMERS will include, clockwise from top right, Destra Garcia, Patrice Murrell and Wendi, and, below left, Allison Hinds.
FROM left, Alpha Sounds president Trevor Davis and Carnival Band Owners Association president Rafel Dean.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, May 3, 2022, PAGE 3
‘POLICE STOPPED POTENTIAL MURDER WHEN ARRESTING FOUR ARMED MEN’ By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
ACTING Commissioner Clayton Fernander showing a pistol with an extended magazine yesterday during his briefing.
‘Officer shooting cases are moving too slowly’ from page one Monroe said policerelated inquests have not resumed because the director of public prosecutions has not appointed a lawyer to marshal the cases. “I’m not happy,” Mr Fernander said yesterday. “I know they’re trying to do some restructuring and all that with the court. No, I’m not happy with the way it’s really moving through the Coroner’s Court. I know they have their challenges and I don’t know what it is, but they’re not moving as I feel it should be. If you speak to the coroner, I like to stay in my lane when I speak to these things. I don’t want to get caught up…(but) obviously there are a number of outstanding matters, a lot outstanding. You hear even family victims speaking out about it and all of that so it’s clear that matters are not moving as swiftly as they should. What’s creating that monster I can’t say.” The Bahamas has one of the highest per-capita rates of police-involved killings in the world. Mr Fernander’s comments came after the country recorded two police-involved killings in the last week. During a press briefing yesterday, Mr Fernander
said the first matter, which happened on Wednesday shortly after 1pm, took place in Carmichael after police were called to the area. He said: “Officers responded from the Carmichael Road division and as they got into that area they saw a young man who was walking with a firearm. As they approached, this chap pulled a weapon and fired several shots at the police vehicle and you would note that a video went viral with that and you can see the suspect shooting at the police vehicle which caused damage to the left rear windshield. If there was an officer sitting in the back there he or she would have been dead today. Officers were able to pursue that young man, there was an exchange of gunfire, the culprit was eventually shot and killed there. A weapon, a pistol, was recovered from that scene.” The second incident, Mr Fernander said, happened in the eastern area of New Providence on Sunday. “Officers from two months ago, we noted a trend in the eastern area where a number of homes were being broken into,” he said. “Officers came together from the eastern division to put a strategy in place with a view to trying to apprehend the persons responsible and
BAHAMIAN SHOT DEAD IN CANADA By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
A BAHAMIAN man was shot and killed in Caledon, Ontario, Canada, last month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed yesterday. In a press statement, the ministry identified the man as Tessio Hanna, 39. He was killed on April 22. The ministry said that according to Ontario Provincial Police, Hanna’s death was originally classified as suspicious when his body was found at a home in an area called Neil Promenade. However, Hanna’s death has since been reclassified as a homicide. “The Bahamas High
Commission in Ottawa is in communication with Ontario Police as investigations continue, and will provide updates to the ministry’s headquarters as more information becomes available,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. “The Ministry extends its condolences to the family of Mr Hanna.” The Toronto Sun said police in Caledon responded to a sudden-death call in the Neil Promenade area at around 5am on April 22. The news outlet said there police discovered Hanna suffering from gunshot wounds. However, last Thursday following an autopsy Hanna’s death was ruled a homicide.
last night it was an operation put in place. While there at a residence in the east, an individual came there, entered a property and attempted to get into a residence and officers approached, there was a struggle, the culprit was armed with a crowbar, there was a struggle, the individual attempted to take the weapon from the officer and he was shot. He died on scene. The crowbar was collected.” Mr Fernander said the victims of recent policeinvolved killings have been “very bold.” “They are very bold and they will go to the very end in not only trying to harm the officers but to get away, and you can see the footage that went viral, that they’re shooting at the police cars as it passes, so we will find that these things happen, they will confront us, but our officers are trained.”
ACTING Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander said police believe they foiled a potential murder when they found four men armed with enhanced weapons in the eastern area of New Providence early Saturday morning. He said the men are now being questioned in relation to four recent murders. While the men were able to initially evade police, they were later found a short time later in the trunk of another vehicle being driven by a woman. “Based on evidence we have collected we feel confident they are responsible for these incidents,” he told reporters during a press conference yesterday. He said officers were alerted to “prowlers” on the premises of a residence around 2.30am on Saturday. “We responded and on arrival four individuals ran from a yard, all armed with weapons, high powered rifles and also pistols,” he said. “They ran and got into a small type vehicle. Officers pursued, the individuals fired a number of shots from their vehicle, from the back windshield, which caused damage to that police vehicle. The vehicle crashed, officers pursued the young
men, they were able to get away. “The area was saturated with assistance, other units and while checking the area about ten minutes later they saw another vehicle where the occupants of that vehicle were acting very suspiciously. There was a female driving the vehicle and a male sitting in the front passenger seat. Officers pulled it over, made a search of that vehicle and found the men in the back trunk of that vehicle and they were armed with a rifle and also a pistol.” Highlighting the pistol, ACP Fernander said the weapon had an extension piece that allowed it to hold three times the number of rounds that it would otherwise have. He said five young men and a woman have been arrested. “We believe we foiled a murder and I believe they were prowling,” he said. “We suspect, based on our intel, that they were trying to break into the home looking for an individual for whatever reason. We are questioning all of them for four recent murders and four shootings, attempted murders.” ACP Fernander also said police recovered 13 weapons and assorted ammunition in the last week for which 14 people in separate incidents have been arrested for having unlicensed firearms.
PAGE 4, Tuesday, May 3, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
POLICE QUESTION WSC MANAGER from page one
The parameters of the investigation have not been publicized, but an audit into the corporation––which was leaked to the media and reported by Eyewitness News last week––found red flags in the operations of the institution. According to Eyewitness News, the Internal Compliance Division at the institution allegedly revealed “high-level corrupt transactions” concerning multiple projects. The audit accuses a former executive member of conflict of interest and fraud. The investigation, according to the report, is part of a probe into the issuance of contracts and the management of the corporation under the Minnis administration. “This special investigation unveiled apparent conflict of interest, lack of due diligence, and poor professional judgment on the part of the former Board and former General Manager Elwood Donaldson in their respective capacities,” the report claimed. “In addition, the evidence persuaded the auditors that there were high-level corrupt transactions that caused significant financial losses to the corporation under the direction of the former board and the former general manager, possibly motivated by self-interest, financial gain, or fraud,” the report suggested.
TROY WILLIAMS
MAN WANTED IN MURDER PROBE By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama Police are searching for a Bahamian man who is wanted for questioning in connection with an attempted murder investigation. The Criminal Investigation Department has released an all-points bulletin on Monday for Troy Williams Jr, 37, aka Shawn John, of No 3 Blockade Drive. He is about five feet, 11 inches tall of thin build and weighs 160 pounds. Williams has dark brown complexion and dark brown eyes and black hair. He is a Bahamian. Williams should be approached with extreme caution. He is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information concerning his location is asked to contact police at 352-1919, 350, 3106/9, 911, 302-8430/1.
A BODY is removed from the scene of a homicide at the Rubis gas station on Mackey Street yesterday.
Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff
Inmate shot dead at work site from page one
The incident happened as the Royal Bahamas Police Force prepared for a press conference to inform the media of various crime matters in the country. “Sometime shortly after 11am this morning police received information of a male employee at this Rubis Station on Madeira Street,” Chief Supt Johnson said. “He was at the pump when he was approached by a lone gunman who shot him multiple times about the body. This male then left on foot and then made good his escape. “We are appealing to members of the public who were in this area and may have seen anything to please contact the nearest police station or contact CID at 5029992 or 3.” Mr Johnson confirmed that the victim was a part of the prison’s work programme and in his 40s, but declined to detail his conviction history. He said due to the early stages of this investigation police were unable to state whether this was a retaliation killing. However, he said investigators intended to view
security camera footage as part of their probe. The incident raised questions about the safety of inmates on the prison work programme. National Security Minister Wayne Munroe confirmed that the programme has been suspended and that top officials have discussed the challenges associated with it. Mr Munroe also confirmed the man’s identity. The minister said: “I have discussed it with the Acting Commissioner of Police Fernander and Commissioner of BDOCS Cleare and the scheme for persons coming to the end for sentences for homicide has been suspended for the moment. “The safety concern is for the convict on the scheme as this was who was the victim of this offence and the potential victims and anyone who might be an innocent bystander. The police will do what is necessary to arrest and put this murderer before the courts as clearly this person may well have done the same thing after the convict had completed his sentence and the shooter would have posed the same risk to that person and any potential innocent bystander.”
As the shooting follows the murder of a man in a drive-by shooting Saturday, Chief Supt Johnson said police are concerned. “It is a concern for police and as you would note we have strategies in place as you know there is Operation Ceasefire that has been very successful in the last couple weeks. Our acting commissioner right now is meeting with the press and allotting the success of that operation so police will continue to be up and about on the streets and we would ask all persons in the society just to be cautious and be aware of their surroundings, but the police are always tweaking and putting extra measures in place to ensure the safety of all citizens,” he said. Meanwhile, Free National Movement Leader Shanendon Cartwright said matters of this kind were becoming “too frequent”, adding it was not a political issue in his view. Asked if there was cause for greater concern considering the victim was on the work scheme, he said: “Yes and I believe that is something that has to be looked into now. Persons who are on the programme now seem to be vulnerable. So, I
think it’s something that we all need to look at from a policy perspective and I’m sure the Royal Bahamas Police Force will have some views on that as well.” As for the government’s crime conclave held in March, Mr Cartwright said it was “a good first start”. “It was a good initial first step but still we are awaiting, the country is waiting for a comprehensive plan. I think that the Bahamian people just don’t want optics, they want tactics and that becomes very important. “But again just want to emphasise you know this is not a political issue, this is an issue that affects all of us and we need to come together and to find meaningful ways to address these, all aspects of crime in our country from the economic aspect to our social structure in the country and bring some relief in this regard to the minds and the tranquility that Bahamians would’ve come to expect in our country.” The Tribune contacted the Office of the Commissioner of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. However, this newspaper was told there would be no comment at this time.
RBDF REPORTS RECENT SURGE IN ILLEGAL MIGRATION By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Royal Bahamas Defence Force has seen a marked increase in illegal migration activity over the last three months, with nearly 1,500 migrants apprehended in Bahamian waters within that time frame. The latest statistics show there have been 1,892 migrants apprehended by local authorities since the start of this year, with most of those interdictions taking place in March. January and February saw 329 and 253 apprehensions respectively. In March, there were 741 migrants apprehended, while 491 foreign nationals were arrested in April. So far in May, there have been 78 migrants apprehended from Bahamian waters. Apprehensions of Haitian nationals were the highest at 1,688 followed by Cubans at 192, Columbians
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and Ecuadorians at four each, Hondurans at three and one for Africa, according to the latest RBDF data. There were also 30 interdictions. The data was released to The Tribune by RBDF Commodore Raymond King yesterday. This comes after the Department of Immigration took 140 Haitian nationals into custody on Sunday. A group of 78 Haitians, including 61 men, 10 women and seven children were turned over to the Immigration Enforcement Unit. The group of migrants was found onboard a sailing vessel and intercepted by the HMBS Madeira in waters near South Beach, New Providence. Further on Saturday, 62 Haitians were turned over to the unit. This group consisted of 38 men, eight women and 16 children. This group was also found on a sailing vessel near Nuevita Rosk, west of Long Island. While they were found on Wednesday, April 27, they were turned over to officials on Saturday. In total, there have been 388 migrants repatriated from The Bahamas in less than two weeks. In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, Commodore King spoke on the latest trends pertaining to migrant activity and the methods used by the foreign nationals to conceal
themselves from local authorities. He said modern migrant vessels tend to look more like “pleasure” or “recreational” sail boats and are moving at faster speeds. He said in one instance, officials spent nearly four days trying to locate a vessel of interest in the Ragged Island chain after boat captains dropped their sails in an attempt to blend in. “This makes it difficult for our aircraft to positively identify them,” the RBDF chief said. “We would actually have to send vessels in amongst those cays to verify who is anchored behind those cays so it’s a very difficult task but we are glad that the coastal radar, the one that was recently installed donated from the United States government did its job.” He also said that while most migrants appear to be heading to the United States as their final destination, there are still some “sporadic” nationals who target The Bahamas for entry. “We’ve seen a shift whereby the migrants are now moving along the Great Bahama Bank so they’ve shifted that along the Cuban coast riding along southern end of our jurisdiction and across the great Bahama bank and so it’s an evasive tactic that they’ve used,” he
continued. “There’s a vessel now that the Coast Guard is dealing with now at the western end of north Andros and so they’re arriving at great Bahama Bank and going as high as possible before they make their break towards the United States so that’s a matter that is going on with an excess of some 200 migrants aboard, so we look to receive those persons from the Coast Guard. “But we still have the sporadic migrants who aim for The Bahamas who despite what the intel is telling us, once they get on the Great Bahama Bank and they wait south of New Providence which places them mid-point between an equal distance between Ragged Island and Andros and we have seen them try to move northwards to catch us off guard and come straight to New Providence.” “…and so, the migrant movement has picked up significantly and we have to remain disciplined and we have to continue to protect our borders and my aim is to intercept them as far out as possible but at times, with the security environment is very dynamic because any criminalisation, once you’re able to counter what they’re doing, they will shift their tactics and you have to pay attention to the new trending to shift the way we do business in order to counter what they’re doing.”
As for the reasons behind the increased migrant movement, Commodore King said: “It may be due in part to the United States intent of doing away with I think it’s titled rule 42 whereby migrants will now be given an opportunity to be heard in terms of asylum and the Haitian nationals are looking for the same treatment that Cubans get in being heard in terms of asylum and we believe that’s a strong pull factor, but we still have to remain vigilant in The Bahamas because we’ve seen two vessel which attempted to get to Exuma and New Providence. So, we have to stay disciplined and continue to do our jobs.” Earlier this year, Commodore King said migrant apprehensions in The Bahamas increased by 456 percent in 2021 when compared with the 2020. At the time, he said the high occurrence of apprehensions were likely tied to the influx of Haitian migrants who were seen in Inagua in late September in response to increasing social and political turmoil in the Caribbean country. He also credited the collaboration of the country’s international partners like OPBAT and the United States Coast Guard for assisting with its interception efforts of foreign nationals in Bahamian jurisdiction.
OCEAN CAY EMPLOYEE HELD AFTER MARIJUANA DISCOVERY By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A MALE employee at Ocean Cay, Bimini, was arrested this week for possession of suspected marijuana. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stephen Rolle reported that police on the cay received a report before 1.30pm on Sunday, May 1, that a male employee was in possession of drugs.
Officers, along with security officers, went to the employee’s dormitory where they searched the employee’s room. Inside a gray safe, officers allegedly found a black pouch and a plastic wrapping both containing suspected marijuana. ASP Rolle reported that the male was arrested and taken to Alice Town Police Station for further investigation.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, May 3, 2022, PAGE 5
FNM WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION REACHES OUT TO HELP ILL RESIDENT
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
THE Grand Bahama FNM Women’s Association, along with the executives of the National FNM Women’s Association, launched a community outreach scheme at the weekend by donating and delivering food and other items to a Freeport resident who is ill and unable to leave her home. Kathy Munnings, president of the GB FNM Association, said the donation to Ann Burrows was the first step of the association’s outreach efforts in the community since the COVID-19 pandemic. She was accompanied by national association president Vanessa Scott and her executives who were in Grand Bahama on Saturday. She said the items were delivered to the residence of
Ms Burrows, who has been ill for a very long time. “Ms Ann Burrows is one of our sick and shut-in ladies in our community, and we thank those who donated items,” Ms Munnings said. “We thank all those persons in Grand Bahama for their donation toward our first step in the community.” She said Ms Burrows is a well-known Grand Bahamian who hails from the settlement of Eight Mile Rock, and who worked for many years at the Power Company before she took ill. Drew Burrows, who accepted on behalf of his mother, said his mother is very appreciative. “It was a good gesture, and she is very grateful for Ms Munnings and the members taking time to remember my mother and visit with her; she was very happy about that,” he said.
Ms Munnings said she was pleased Ms Scott and other executives of the women’s association were able to accompany her on their first outreach initiative. She said community outreach is an integral part of the association. “We go and help the sick and shut-ins in our community,” Ms Munnings said. “We plan to also pay a courtesy call on the GB Children’s Home, and the next stop is the Old Folks Home.” Ms Munnings said the association is committed to helping those in need in the community. She said anyone interested in joining the association can attend their meeting, held on the third Thursday each month at 6pm at FNM headquarters on West Atlantic Drive. The next meeting is on May 19.
GB FNM Women’s Association president Kathy Munnings (left) and Vanessa Scott, National Women’s Association president (right) deliver items to Drew Burrows, the son of Ann Burrows.
Cartwright repeats calls for breadbasket VAT relief By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net FREE National Movement deputy leader Shenendon Cartwright continued his criticisms of the government yesterday over its position that value added tax will not be removed from breadbasket items, saying it was a betrayal to tens of thousands of Bahamians who need relief. Mr Cartwright in recent weeks has continued to urge the government to remove the tax from the items, which were zerorated under the previous Minnis administration. On Friday, Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said removing VAT from the breadbasket was not feasible at this time. “Bahamians need relief,” the St Barnabas MP said in a press statement yesterday. “The government’s defiant proclamation that they will give no consideration to tax relief to tens of thousands of Bahamians and continue their 100 percent tax increase on breadbasket items and medicines is short-sighted and simply a betrayal to tens of thousands of struggling Bahamians. “The announcement that VAT on breadbasket items is here to stay means that the pain and struggles for many poor, working and middle class
Bahamian families is here to stay as well. This struggle will unfortunately continue everyday the government refuses to bring tax relief to the most vulnerable as they did for multi-millionaires. “On behalf of the Bahamian people we call upon the government to reconsider and not dismiss the cries of the people.” Since the tax was implemented in January, the government has frequently come under attack from the opposition, which has sought to portray the Davis administration as insensitive and heartless in view of the move. Some in the business community have also backed calls for the removal of VAT on the food items, including Super Value’s President Rupert Roberts. Asked to respond to those calls, Mr Halkitis maintained that the government did not intend to change its position on the policy, which he said followed best world practices and expert advice. “It’s not feasible,” Senator Halkitis said during a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister Friday. “When we first introduced it at seven and a half percent, our advice after considerable deliberations and discussions and back and forth with the private sector, with academia, with scientists and scholars - the
POLICE INVESTIGATE LOUNGE STABBING By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
ACTING Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander said police are investigating the chaos and alleged stabbing at the O2 Hookah Lounge on Gladstone Road Saturday night. Although several videos and eyewitness accounts of the incident were shared on social media, the police said nothing about the matter until yesterday’s press conference, with press liaison Assistant Superintendent of Police Audley Peters telling reporters on Sunday that there were no official reports about the incident. Likewise, ACP Fernander said during a press conference yesterday that no one has made a complaint in relation to the incident. He said: “We saw that video circulating on social media and it appears as though there were a number of fights at that club. The commander, Chief Superintendent Strachan from the Carmichael division is on top of that and looking into those matters but at this present time we don’t have any complaints made at any
of the divisions with respect to incidents that occurred there, but we know based on the footage that is out there that you had a number of fights, different areas on that compound. “That is a concern for us and we intend to invite the owner of the establishment to speak with him with respect to that and we want to encourage all the business owners, the nightclubs, if you’re open, please, don’t have individuals hanging outside in the parking lot and drinking. You have to clear your area. Either you come in or leave and you have to take more responsibility with respect to your business and in the coming days and weeks we intend to reach out to all of the business owners, especially the nightclubs so that we can be on one page with respect to order at these nightclubs.” According to reports, several people were injured when a large fight erupted at the cooler fete event. Videos appeared to show some people getting stabbed. In one video that was purportedly filmed during the incident, several police cars were at the busy scene.
best policy is to have a low rate with minimal exemptions which is what we did and it was very effective and lauded around the world as being effective.” “When the FNM administration came in in 2018 and they made a promise that they would take it off the breadbasket items which they did, but at the same time that they took it off the breadbasket items, in order to be able to do that, they raised the rate from 7.5 percent to 12 percent and so I hear this call coming mostly from the political corners about doing this because okay, it’s a good political point to make, but to recognise that when you begin to introduce exemptions, the only way you can do it is if you pay the higher rate on everything else. “So, we have studied this and we’ve gone back and forth and our best advice is a lower rate that’s the 10 percent, lower than the twelve, but with minimal exemptions because it’s more efficient and again, it’s not something that we did haphazardly,” he also said. In January, VAT was reduced from 12 percent to 10 percent across the board with few exemptions, but also reintroduced on breadbasket items.
PAGE 6, Tuesday, May 3, 2022
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History suggests a recession ahead THE Federal Reserve will likely soon learn what gymnasts already know: sticking a landing is hard. With inflation surging to a new 40-year high and continuing to accelerate, the Fed is expected to lift interest rates by a half-percentage point at the end of its next meeting on May 4, 2022. It will be the second of seven planned rate hikes in 2022 – following a quarterpoint increase in March – as the Fed tries to cool consumer demand and slow rising prices. By raising interest rates, the central bank is hoping to achieve a proverbial “soft landing” for the US economy, in which it’s able to tame rapid inflation without causing unemployment to rise or triggering a recession. The Fed and professional forecasters project that inflation will recede to below 3% and unemployment will remain under 4% in 2023. Our recent research, however, suggests that engineering a soft landing is highly improbable and that there is a significant likelihood of a recession in the not too distant future. That’s because high inflation and low unemployment are both strong predictors of future recessions. In fact, since the 1950s, every time inflation has exceeded 4% and unemployment has been below 5%, the US economy has gone into a recession within two years. Today, inflation is at 8.5% and unemployment is at 3.6% – suggesting a recession will be very hard to avert. Inflation is fundamentally caused by too much money chasing too few goods. In the short run, the supply of goods in the economy is more or less fixed – there is nothing that fiscal or monetary policy can do to change it – so the job of the Fed is to manage total demand in the economy so that it balances with the available supply. When demand runs too far ahead of supply, the economy begins to overheat, and prices rise sharply. In our assessment, measures of overheating – such as strong demand growth, diminishing inventories and rising wages – began to show in the economy throughout 2021. But a new operating framework that the Fed adopted in August 2020 prevented the Fed from taking action until sustained inflation was already apparent. As a result, the Fed is way behind the curve today in responding to an overheating economy. To bring down surging inflation, the Fed will now try to raise interest rates to curb consumer demand. The resulting increase in borrowing costs can help slow economic activity by discouraging consumers and businesses from making new investments. But it would come at the risk of causing major economic disruptions and pushing the economy into a recession. This is the soft landing: Interest rates rise and demand falls enough to lower inflation, but the economy keeps growing. The history of engineering soft landings is not encouraging, however. We found that every time the Fed has hit the brakes hard enough to bring down inflation in a meaningful way, the economy has gone into recession.
While some have argued that there have been several examples of soft landings over the last 60 years, including in 1965, 1984 and 1994, we show in our analysis that these periods had little resemblance to the current moment. In all three episodes, the Fed was operating in an economy with significantly higher unemployment, lower inflation and lower wage growth. In these historical examples, the Fed also raised interest rates well above the inflation rate – unlike today, where inflation is at 8.5% and interest rates are projected to remain below 3% through 2023 – and explicitly acted early to preempt inflation from spiraling, rather than waiting for inflation to already be excessive. Why is the labor market relevant for inflation? One reason the Fed’s challenge is particularly difficult today is that the labor market is unprecedentedly tight, meaning the demand for workers is far outpacing the available supply of them. A tight labor market implies that companies need to raise wages to attract new workers. Usually, the unemployment rate is used as an indicator for labor market tightness. Unemployment is very low today, and the Fed expects it to go even lower. But our research shows that the pressure to raise wages is even higher than indicated by the unemployment rate. The number of job openings are at all an all-time high, and workers are quitting at record rates – both of which are significant for driving up wages. In a sense, wages are the ultimate measure of core inflation – more than two-thirds of business costs go back to labor – so rising wages put significant upward pressure on inflation. Wage growth today is running at a historic rate of 6.6% and accelerating. With wages rising so fast, there is little basis for optimism that inflation can slow to the 2% range targeted by the Fed. Our analysis shows that current wage growth implies sustained inflation above 5%, and that historically wage growth does not slow without significant increases in unemployment and a recession. The US economy today is facing additional inflationary pressures from higher grain and energy prices due to the Ukraine war and more supplychain disruptions as COVID-19 forces new lockdowns in China. These factors threaten to exacerbate inflation even more over the coming year. In our assessment, the inflation problem facing the Fed today is substantial and unlikely to be resolved without a significant economic slowdown. Overall, the combination of an overheating economy, surging wages, policy delay by the Fed and recent supply shocks means that a recession in the next couple of years is certainly more likely than not. By Alex Domash, Harvard Kennedy School and Lawrence H Summers, Harvard Kennedy School Originally published on www.theconversation.com
When not to wear a hat EDITOR, The Tribune. A GENTLEMAN should remove his hat as he enters a building, including a restaurant, home, classroom, theatre, church. This rule includes baseball caps and casual hats. Hats are to be removed when inside, except for places that are akin to public streets, eg, lobbies,
corridors, and elevators in public buildings. I am very baffled of late in seeing men not taking off their hats. I attended two functions over the weekend and was taken aback how either out of ignorance or not knowing any better, this seems to becoming the norm with those who show no respect in removing
their hats, even in church they keep their hats on, what has happened to the standards we once revered, it’s so sad across the board standards have been thrown out the door, today, anything goes. KELLY D BURROWS Freeport, Grand Bahama. May 1, 2022.
A BOY searches for coins thrown by Hindu devotees in river Yamuna where water levels have reduced drastically following hot weather in New Delhi, India, yesterday. The Indian capital, like many other parts of South Asia, is in the midst of a record-shattering heatwave. Photo: Manish Swarup/AP
Why Moncur job is very dangerous EDITOR, The Tribune. THE Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has circled the wagon around the gaffeprone Rodney Moncur. His appointment in the Ministry of National Security as a violence interrupter suggests to this writer that the hierarchy of the PLP government believes that Moncur is one of them, despite his flirtation with the Free National Movement (FNM) in 2016, when he was appointed to the Senate by Loretta Butler-Turner. The readership would also recall Moncur being fielded by the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) in the 2012 general election. Based on his shifting allegiance over the past decade, I think it’s fair to suggest that the former Workers Party leader has played the DNA, FNM and PLP like a fiddle. And it has finally paid off, with Moncur being rewarded with an alleged lucrative post, that might pay him upwards to $65,000 annually, if former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ revelations regarding this matter are indeed accurate. Even if the salary speculated by Minnis in Parliament is accurate, if I were Moncur, I wouldn’t have accepted it, unless the PLP government isn’t really counting on him to communicate with the violent, irrational criminal elements of the netherworld in the inner-city areas of New Providence. Based on what Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis has said, Moncur lives in “Black Village”, which presumably is located in the inner-city. I am going to give my personal opinion on why I seriously doubt Moncur will be able to accomplish what the powers-that-be are hoping for. In fact, I believe that Moncur’s violence interrupter job could place him in a possible life-threatening situation. Based on what I have read on the National Institute of Justice’s website regarding violence interrupters, they are tasked with working in criminal
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net infested ghettos where gangs call home. They must gain the trust of gang leaders, which isn’t easy. Violence interrupters roam the ghettos in order to identify and intervene in gang turf wars before the violence escalates, according to the aforementioned website. Like American violence interrupters, Moncur’s post calls for him to seek out the families of shooting and stabbing victims in order to persuade them not to seek retaliation. In The Bahamas where Bahamians view the judicial system as broken and ineffective, Moncur’s task will be almost impossible -- and extremely dangerous. Violence interrupters are featured in Chicago Cease Fire, an anti-violence programme that is utilised in the Windy City to fight crime. Former gang members were recruited as violence interrupters and are paid about $15 an hour. In a 40-hour work week, they would he paid $600, which is $31,200 annually -- $33,800 less than the $65,000 sum mentioned by Minnis. Chicago CeaseFire is a branch of a national initiative called Cure Violence, the brainchild of American epidemiologist Dr Gary Slutkin. According to a 2013 PBS Frontline article, CeaseFire cut shootings in two Chicago communities by nearly 38 percent and killings by almost 29 percent. Despite this success, albeit moderate, members of the Chicago Police Department were distrustful of violence interrupters, due to their former ties to violent gangs. My issue with Moncur’s post, as stated above, is that it puts him and his family in an awkwardly dangerous position. If the Bloods of Yellow Elder encroach into the territory of, say, the Crips or Aryan Brotherhood in Bain and Grants Town or the 8Trey Gangster Crips in Nassau Village,
and end up murdering a Bloods member, what could Moncur possibly do to defuse this dangerous situation? Moreover, to members of these gangs, while Moncur might be a resident of their community, they will now view him as a member of an establishment that they are at war with. They will not trust Moncur. Also, even if Moncur somehow manages to gain the trust of certain weak elements within these criminal organisations, one cannot naively dismiss the possibility of the hierarchy of the gangs accusing him of being a government informant, who provides sensitive intelligence to CDU and the RBPF regarding their nefarious undertakings. With Moncur’s address in their territories, he would be easy to get to, unlike many government Cabinet ministers who live in safe gated communities and have security. It would’ve been smarter of the government not to divulge Moncur’s job description, as this places him in an awkward situation with the gangs in Black Village. But that’s just my concern about this entire ordeal. There are some things far more important than money, especially $65,000 or whatever fee Moncur will be collecting. By accepting this dangerous job, Moncur, I believe, has overstated his invincibility in his community. Moncur needs to understand that gangs will no longer view him a gaffe-prone talk show host and activist who utters hilarious comments. To them, he’s now a tool of the government, whose RBPF officers have been involved in fatal shootings of gang members over the years in their respective territories. I am not naive in thinking that gang members have forgiven the state and its operatives. My only hope and prayer is that Moncur and his family will remain safe, as he fulfils his potentially dangerous assignment. KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama May 1, 2022.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, May 3, 2022, PAGE 7
PERMISSION TO STRIKE - BUT UNION MAY NOT USE IT from page one
NIB, and board chairman Philip McKenzie met with union officials last week, according to Mr Laroda. He said NIB officials were looking forward to amicable discussions with a view to reaching a
resolution soon. Early last month, the majority of PMU members cast ballots in a strike vote, a show of frustration with the NIB following 29 months of wrangling over outstanding issues. Union members both in New Providence and the
Family Islands cast ballots at the time. At the time, Mrs Lewis said while a majority vote did not necessarily mean the union would strike, it intended to use the right to do so if there was not swift action from NIB. In the days that followed the vote, Mr Laroda
exclusively told The Tribune that an actuarial review of NIB predicted the fund could be depleted by 2028 should officials neglect to take urgent action. The 11th report of its kind reduced the fund’s potential depletion timeline by one year, as the 10th
review had made a prediction of 2029. At the time, Mr Laroda told this newspaper that he was of the view that the situation persisted because the board had run deficits for nearly six years. However, Mr Laroda raised the shocking development as he made a case
for the board’s tight financial position in response to union pressure to revolve labour issues. With NIB’s actuarial review giving undesirable findings, Mr Laroda said he was hopeful that the union would accept a new offer the board made in response to their grievances.
THEFT TRIAL FOR SOLOMON’S EMPLOYEE TO GO AHEAD By PAVEL BAILEY
FROM left, chairman of the Over-the-Hill Community Development Foundation Robert Turnquest, director Karissa Moss, director Keora Beneby and director Lincoln Deal. Photos: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff
Funds to make a difference Over-the-Hill By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
A FOUNDATION catering to inner-city residents wants to award $3,000 to $10,000 to people with projects that make a difference in those communities. Robert Turnquest, chairman of the Over-the-Hill Community Development Foundation, said his team wants to revitalise the areas and improve them. “We want to do this by really empowering community developers who are on the ground making a difference,” he told reporters during an event yesterday.
“The main way we try to empower these community developers is through our grant making programme. So in the Over-the-Hill community development foundation we want to award small grants of $3000 to $10,000 to anybody who has a project or initiative in the area that’s going to make a difference.” Keira Beneby, Karissa Moss and Lincoln Deal are the other board members of the foundation. Mr Turnquest said the foundation has three grant cycles per year. He said the board wants to partner with others who are interested in community development.
“We have a grant application that can be accessed online on our website,” he said. “On the grant application it lays out all of the criteria but it’s really simple, any Bahamian, citizen or resident, 18 years or older that has a passion for community development in the Over-the-Hill area is invited to apply, so you just have to download the grant application and you submit it by email to the foundation.” “We have six pillars of community development. Among those six pillars are the following: social empowerment, economic empowerment, youth and
elderly empowerment, green technology, smart technology and rejuvenation. As a foundation, we want to support anybody who is making a difference based on any of those six pillars.” Mr Turnquest said the organisation initially received a donation of $100k to launch the foundation, as well as an additional $10k donation. “Those were the anchor donations that the foundation received and so the majority of that funding is allocated toward the grant making process for the communities in the Overthe-Hill area,” he said.
MOTHER IN TEARS AS SON JAILED OVER FIREARM By PAVEL BAILEY
A MOTHER burst into tears in a Magistrate’s Court room yesterday as her son was sentenced to two years in prison for firearm and ammunition possession. Peter Outten, 23, stood trial before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney on charges of possession of a dangerous firearm and ammunition. In March 2021, Outten was arrested after being
found in possession of a 9mm pistol with one unfired round of ammunition without a license. While Outten had pleaded not guilty to the offence and had several witnesses testify in his defense, the Magistrate rejected the defense’s evidence due to the conflicting stories of the witnesses. As such, Magistrate McKinney found the accused guilty on both charges.
Outten’s lawyer Bjorn Ferguson then asked for mercy on his client’s behalf stating that the accused was a father of three with one child on the way and that Outten was the sole breadwinner of his family. In view of Outten’s previous firearm conviction in 2018, for which he served 18 months in prison, the Magistrate sentenced him to two years in prison on his latest firearm charge. Magistrate McKinney
also ordered the accused to pay a $7,500 fine on the gun charge or face an additional nine months in prison. Outten was further sentenced to one year in prison for the ammunition charge. This is to be served concurrently. After being informed of his right to appeal his sentence within seven days, Outten embraced his tearful mother before being escorted from the courtroom.
IT WAS determined yesterday that there is sufficient evidence to proceed in a trial of a former Solomon’s Fresh Market employee accused of stealing $342.50 worth of groceries. Vashnique Rolle, 28, of Pinewood Gardens, is on trial before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney. In her latest court appearance Rolle’s lawyer, Alleecia Delancey, unsuccessfully submitted that there was insufficient evidence to convict her for stealing the grocery items. Delancey submitted that there was no evidence to prove that Rolle stole the items alone. Delancey further suggested that her client unwittingly helped the actual thieves, two unidentified male suspects previously shown in security footage in court, who had actually stolen the items due to a cashier system error. When asked by the magistrate if the defence accepted the fact that the stolen items were transferred from one end of the
cashier’s belt to the next, Delancey said yes but she stood by her assertion that a system error was at fault for theft. She maintained that Rolle had properly swiped her card to complete the transaction even though the system failed to properly cash the items. Prosecutor Inspector Timothy Bain argued that the theft was the result of the defendant failing to use the Point of Service (POS) Terminal correctly. He went on to recall how Darrell Mitchell the AML Foods Security Manager had previously testified that all the store’s operating systems were operating correctly. The prosecution then submitted that the accused had the opportunity to face the allegations directly but refused to do so at the time. He further said that there is compelling evidence for Rolle to answer for the charge of stealing by means of employment to which the Magistrate agreed. As such Rolle’s case was adjourned to May 16 for her to gather witnesses to speak in her defence.
PREGNANT WOMAN FINED OVER DRUGS By PAVEL BAILEY
A PREGNANT mother was fined in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday for possession of dangerous drugs. Jermeckia Adderley, 22, of #20 Palmetto Avenue, appeared before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply. On April 29, Adderley was arrested at her residence after officers found plastic baggies in her bedroom that had seven brownies and one rice krispy treat containing Indian Hemp. While the accused pleaded guilty to the charge against her, she tearfully told the court that she recently found out she was pregnant and that she had not seen her children, aged three and one, since her arrest last Friday. Adderley further said that she was afraid for her children’s safety and that she had complied with
officers during her arrest. Adderley’s mother then explained to the court that her daughter has had a drug problem since the age of 18. She said her daughter uses them to cope with the trauma of an incident of sexual abuse and the murder of her grandmother. Although Magistrate McKinney told Adderley that child protective services had likely taken care of her children during her time in custody, he also warned her to find alternative coping mechanisms. He said the accused should seek other legal means of therapy to deal with her issues for her own sake and that of her children. The magistrate then ordered Adderley to pay a $500 fine for the charge or face three months in custody. He also placed the accused on a year’s probation when, if any other legal matters are committed, she will risk three months in prison.
MAN ACCUSED OF GUNPOINT ROBBERY By PAVEL BAILEY A MAN was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services yesterday for allegedly robbing a woman at gunpoint of her vehicle. Tameko Lewis, 27, stood before Magistrate Kendra Kelly charged with the robbery. On April 25 in New Providence Lewis is alleged to have held up Ms Cooper with a black handgun and then stole her 2012 White Honda Fit (L/P # AH4878) valued at $6,000.
Due to the serious nature of the offence the accused was not required to enter a plea in court and was informed that his case would proceed by way of Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI). Lewis was also informed that he had the right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail in this matter. Until that time, the accused is remanded back to the Bahamas Department of Corrections. Lewis is expected to return to court on June 24 for service of a VBI.
PAGE 8, Tuesday, May 3, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
There is hope: Two baby girls after six year wait I MET Vandera Carey several years ago when I was coordinating UNESCO’s Jazz Day Celebrations with Dr Leon Higgs. She told me that she would like to be a part of the event. While we knew Vandera would deliver a lovely performance, we discovered that it is the stage where her personality comes alive. She went up on that stage and performed her heart out, and the crowd loved her. Meanwhile, her biggest fan, her husband George, was waiting in the wings. Back then, they did not have children. They were praying, hoping, waiting... and trying. The night that Vandera performed, I saw George give his wife so much love and support. He seemed like he just wanted to make all her dreams come true. Well, from their lips to God’s ears, what seemed like an impossible six year wait was rewarded with two bouncing baby girls. But, it was not an easy journey. As Infertility Awareness Week came to a close this weekend, Vandera and I discussed that journey, and the joy of faith that has brought them all the happiness in the world. She penned this letter from the heart: “As a child, we sang the playful adage: First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the mummy with the baby carriage. This is the status quo of every married couple, but not quite how it went for me. “When my husband and I decided to try for a baby, it did not go quite that way. This was my introduction and first close encounter with the giant, Infertility. (Infertility is a medical term for a woman over the age of 25 who has been trying to conceive for more than 6 months). In fact, it took six long years. “While this is so, there were two occasions when we conceived, and later lost those pregnancies. It was devastating. Questions began to flood my mind about the health of my body, my husband’s body, and whether God was punishing me for anything. I wanted to correct whatever the issue could possibly be. I began learning everything I possibly could about infertility. I felt like I could fix the problem on my own, but I was only defeating myself. I had a moment with God, and promised Him that I will wait on Him, and that I wanted to recover all that I’ve lost in the process, and one year later, I was on a new job, and found myself pregnant one week post
ABOVE: Vandera Carey, infertility awareness advocate. RIGHT: George and Vandera with their daughters Geanna-Marie (age 4) and Geah-Rose (age 2 and a half). BELOW RIGHT: George and Vandera Carey pregnancy – a dream delayed, but not denied. my probationary period. While this was not the ideal scenario, all things worked out perfectly. While struggling with infertility, one is expected to function normally, be questioned constantly by family, and friends about my delayed motherhood because in our culture, it is normal to not only conceive just after marriage, but also normal to ask those questions to a married couple without a child. “Trapped in my own prison, I had no answers, and little to no support through this ordeal, because while other women overcame infertility, they’ve closed the door behind them without sharing the knowledge and/or support with other women dealing with the same thing. “My doctors recommended fertility treatments, but to my dismay, they all failed. I am not knocking the treatment because some people have been successful with the added intervention. I later conceived my two daughters naturally. Nevertheless, with the help of my doctor,
and other research, I discovered what some of my issues were and I was able to conceive both of my children. “Last week during World Infertility Awareness week, I took to social media to share my story and to lend support to my community. I was amazed by the reception and number of women who reached out to me privately. I plan to build a strong network for women struggling in this area, where we can have a safe space to share knowledge and lend support for those believing and hoping for their miracle. “I encourage all women who are dealing with infertility issues, to know that there is hope, and to stay in the fight. God is still in the miracle business.” So many couples are silently dealing with infertility, and the emotional struggle can be amplified by the lack of understanding, insensitivity, and inappropriate comments from friends, family and even social media. There are so many misconceptions about infertility due to lack
of clarity and perception.
flawed
Here are a few pointers about infertility and the effect it has on couples: 1. Infertility is diagnosed after a woman under the age of 30 has been trying for one year to conceive. 2. Every 1 in 8 women struggle with Infertility 3. Infertility is mostly transitory with the proper care and medical assistance. 3. Trying to conceive (TTC) can be emotionally, mentally and physically exhausting. 4. Having to explain why “we are not pregnant yet” hurts. 5. Comments like “you’re getting old” or “what are y’all waiting on” doesn’t help. 5. No, we are not jealous of your pregnancy success, we actually find it admirable. 6. Infertility is sometimes due to a male factor. 7. Your kind support is more satisfying than overwhelming us with unsolicited advice. 8. We do not always want to share our feelings about pregnancy or infertility status. 9. When friends who did not struggle to conceive, think they “get it”. No sis, it’s not as easy as you imagine. 10. I might be able to handle it well, but that does not mean that it is easy for me to handle. 11. Being infertile, does not make a woman less than any other woman.”
National Infertility Awareness Week is a movement founded in the United States of America in 1989 by RESOLVE: the National Infertility Association. Its mission is to empower you and change the conversation around infertility. Vandera hopes that by bringing awareness of this plight in the Bahamas, couples here could have the support, as well as the wealth of information they need to help them through their journey. Today, Vandera’s life is filled with more love than she even imagined: “Geanna-Marie (age 4) is
definitely my twin. We get that all the time. She has her dad’s personality but she has my entire face! The little one, Geah-Rose (age two and a half) - she keeps the house lit. She keeps everybody on their toes because we have to keep up with her... she moves very swiftly and she is strong willed. She has her dad’s face, but her own personality... not even mine... she has her own personality and a very big personality!” Follow Vandera and learn more @faithandfertilitykeys on Instagram.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, May 3, 2022, PAGE 9
WESTERN HISTORY AND European VALUES UNDER ATTACK unity called into question The Peter Young column ONE interesting aspect of the terrible war in Ukraine that has gradually emerged is the failure of the European Union as an institution to play a significant role in equipping that beleaguered country to resist Russia’s prolonged aggression. With the war now into a third month, this is worth examining. While the EU may have used its collective weight to press its member states to punish President Putin with financial sanctions and has imposed a no-fly zone for all Russian aircraft, it has been for individual member states acting primarily on their own initiative to supply aid and assistance in the shape of weapons and other military equipment together with receiving refugees – and the star of the show has been Poland. Likewise, former EU member, Britain, has played an important role – including a visit to Kyiv by Prime Minister Boris Johnson - as recognised by a headline in the UK press over the weekend saying “Brexit Britain leading power in Europe as Boris spearheads West’s fight against Putin”. Amongst other countries, the US has, of course, also contributed strongly, not least with President Biden’s most recent additional commitment with a request to Congress for $33bn worth of weapons and military equipment. It is generally agreed that among EU countries Poland has taken a leading role in confronting Putin. To some, this is ironic after the country’s ongoing row with Brussels in recent months over differing interpretations of sovereignty that resulted in the European Court of Justice ruling in favour of denying Warsaw access to certain EU funding – and this is now seen as ill-judged. The country has become the lynchpin of Western efforts to provide weaponry and other support, including the offer of used MIG fighters which was turned down by NATO for being too provocative. Poland has also, of course, taken in millions of Ukrainian refugees; and many consider that the effectiveness of this military and humanitarian assistance led to Russia’s decision to cut off gas
UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday but unity across Europe in support of Ukraine has been patchy. supplies to the country, as foreign policy through ever closer political union, trawell as to Bulgaria. As for Britain, having ditionally it has adopted a already sent its own military cautious approach to forequipment and supplies, it eign affairs while lacking an has also provided a much- effective system to resolve needed sense of direction issues in the international within the NATO alliance, arena. This is quite different, and it now seems to be toughening up its response of course, from NATO. even further. Foreign Sec- Founded in 1949, this retary, Liz Truss, said last organisation is an intergovweek that Western powers ernmental military alliance should now provide war- between 30 member states, planes and heavy armour of which 28 are in Europe because Putin’s aggression and the other two are the was posing a threat to the US and Canada while 3 are wider security of Europe nuclear weapons states: the – “If Putin succeeds, US, the UK and France. there will be untold fur- With its US military domither misery across Europe nance, it provides a defence and terrible consequences umbrella for the EU in response to Putin’s aggresacross the globe”. The lack of EU unity has sion that has presented a been criticised by former clear and present danger to European Council Presi- the collective security of its dent, Donald Tusk, who member states. NATO’s role remains slammed member states like Germany, Hungary and crucial, but an important Italy for blocking tougher separate development last sanctions while, separately, week was the gathering France has been accused at an American air base of appeasement over Presi- in Germany of a US-led dent Macron’s frequent coalition of Western allies contacts with Putin which to discuss how to help some have said were aimed Ukraine to defeat Russia’s at giving him diplomatic forces. Named the Contact cover for the invasion Group, this was the first of rather than having any regular monthly meetings chance of securing an end of more than 40 partner to hostilities. Tusk said that countries including NATO for him the leitmotif or – and others like Australia essential theme for the EU and South Korea – together was unity. But the Russian with Ukraine’s defence invasion, which had cre- minister. The US has said ated the most acute crisis it would be “a vehicle for in Europe since the Second nations of goodwill to World War, had revealed intensify our efforts… and deep divisions amongst the coordinate our assistance”. It also shows, perhaps, bloc’s political elite. However, while Germany a hardening of the West’s was originally against an resolve to stand up to embargo on Russian energy, Russia and to try to weaken it now appears to be taking it in response to the growa more positive stance gen- ing danger of the war erally following its new spreading to neighbouring Chancellor’s announcement countries. Putin’s public of a dramatic rise in the threat of nuclear confronnation’s defence spending tation remains despite US and an eventual decision to Defense Secretary Lloyd send weapons to Ukraine Austin’s recent comment after at first declining to that “nobody wants to see do so for fear of provoking a nuclear war. Nobody can win it” – and it is clear that Putin. The EU has a limited tensions between Russia collective identity. It is not and the US and its allies a state and has no central have soared to their highest governing role. As it seeks levels since the 1962 Cuban to move towards a common missile crisis.
BUSY MONTH OF MAY IN WARTIME IT WOULD be invidious to suggest that any particular month of the year in history is more significant than any other because, of course, important events are taking place all the time. But, with May now upon us, it is interesting to reflect on several happenings in this month during the Second World War. On May 10, 1940, Winston Churchill took over as Britain’s wartime leader from Neville Chamberlain whose position as British Prime Minister was no longer tenable after his earlier policy of appeasement had failed. He had shown himself to be ill-equipped to save Britain from conquest by Nazi Germany and
resigned after losing a confidence vote in the House of Commons. Five years later, the war in Europe formally ended and victory was celebrated on VE Day on May 8, 1945. This was after Hitler had committed suicide on April 30 and Germany had surrendered unconditionally on May 7. The history books say that all combat actions were ceased at the end of the day on May 8. But, with the time difference, this was May 9 in the former Soviet Union which therefore celebrated its Victory Day on that date to mark its own triumph over Nazi Germany. In today’s Russia, Victory Day is an important
public holiday typically celebrated with military parades, festivals and fireworks across the country – and, according to some, Putin uses it to glorify himself as well as Russia as a whole. Now, it has taken on a special significance because of the war in Ukraine. There is speculation that Putin might use Victory Day this year to announce an extension of the war to other countries – and he might also declare a general mobilisation of the Russian population while renewing his threats of nuclear war against the West. So, as the horrors of this war continue to unfold, all eyes will be on Moscow on May 9.
IN TALKING about his new book “The War on the West: How to Prevail in the Age of Unreason”, Douglas Murray, the controversial bestselling British author and political commentator, explains its focus on the explosion in recent years of anti-Western sentiment across the world as faith in its history, traditions and culture has come under relentless attack. Published in April, this important book is described by critics as brilliant and provocative and an invaluable guide to understanding the concerted assault on those traditions and history that has gathered pace in recent years. The Wall Street Journal has called Douglas Murray one of the most effective and widely-heard voices in the struggle against the seemingly inexorable march of progressive ideology through the culture, institutions and politics of the great Western democracies which is said to be undermining their cohesion and purpose. As part of earlier commentary about the Enlightenment – the intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries – Murray has spoken of some of the then greatest advances in human history providing, among other things, the philosophical basis for the principles of toleration and reason which, he says, are the foundation of the aspiration to build societies fit for all human beings to live in. In his book the “The Strange Death of Europe” in 2017, he examined the apparently voluntary collapse of the old continent’s moral and “civilizational” identity in face of mass immigration – and, in his work “The Madness of Crowds”, published in 2019, he described the destructive potential of identity politics that has come to dominate public discourse. Now, in his latest book, he examines what has been called one of the most remarkable phenomena in modern history; namely, the apparent ambition to denigrate – and even destroy -- everything that has successfully created Western civilisation,
a threat that is all the more remarkable because it is coming from within. Murray calls it a cultural war which is being waged remorselessly against all the roots of Western tradition and against everything good that this tradition has produced – the things that most people were brought up to believe were positive about their country, themselves and their past. It is fascinating and revealing to listen to the author talking about Britain’s history, achievements and heroes being at the centre of people’s feelings of national pride, and he acknowledges the bad as well as the good. But he suggests that history is now being looked at purely, and almost simplistically, through the lens of racism, slavery and colonialism with an emphasis on diversity, inclusion and equity – and he says, in harsh terms, that dogma is the enemy of democracy and the “harbinger of mob rule”. These are, of course, issues of the utmost importance, but the scope of history is even broader. This raises questions about historical revisionism as the reinterpretation of an historical account of something. It is legitimate to challenge orthodox views in light of the discovery of new facts and evidence. But, it is argued, wholesale denigration and condemnation of established history can surely only be justified on the basis of rational argument -- rather than on the extreme views of minority groups -- and after taking into account as well the different values, conditions of life and standards of the past. Thus, many believe that each new generation should learn from the mistakes of history rather than seek to condemn it since it obviously cannot be changed. It would not be appropriate to opine further here on these important issues. But, whatever one’s views about them, Douglas Murray’s latest book is clearly challenging and provocative – and it promises to be a most interesting read.
PAGE 10, Tuesday, May 3, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
A CROWD of people gather outside the Supreme Court last night in Washington after a draft opinion circulated among Supreme Court justices suggests that earlier this year a majority of them had thrown support behind overturning the 1973 case Roe v Wade that legalised abortion nationwide. Photo: Alex Brandon/AP
Draft opinion suggests abortion law overturn WASHINGTON Associated Press
A DRAFT opinion suggests the US Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade case that legalised abortion nationwide, according to a Politico report released yesterday. A decision to overrule Roe would lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states and could have huge ramifications for this year’s elections. But it’s unclear if the draft represents the court’s final word on the matter — opinions often change in ways big and small in the drafting process. Whatever the outcome, the Politico report represents an extremely rare breach of the court’s secretive deliberation process, and on a case of surpassing
importance. “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” the draft opinion states. It was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court’s 6-3 conservative majority who was appointed by former President George W Bush. The document was labeled a “1st Draft” of the “Opinion of the Court” in a case challenging Mississippi’s ban on abortion after 15 weeks, a case known as Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The court is expected to rule on the case before its term ends in late June or early July. The draft opinion in effect states there is no constitutional right to abortion services and would allow individual states to more heavily regulate or outright ban the procedure.
“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” it states, referencing the 1992 case Planned Parenthood v Casey that affirmed Roe’s finding of a constitutional right to abortion services but allowed states to place some constraints on the practice. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.” A Supreme Court spokeswoman said the court had no comment and The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the draft Politico posted, which dates from February. Politico said only that it received “a copy of the draft opinion from a person familiar with the court’s proceedings in the Mississippi case along with other details supporting
the authenticity of the document”. The draft opinion strongly suggests that when the justices met in private shortly after arguments in the case on December 1, at least five voted to overrule Roe and Casey, and Alito was assigned the task of writing the court’s majority opinion. Votes and opinions in a case aren’t final until a decision is announced or, in a change wrought by the coronavirus pandemic, posted on the court’s website. The report comes amid a legislative push to restrict abortion in several Republican-led states — Oklahoma being the most recent — even before the court issues its decision. Critics of those measures have said low-income women will disproportionately bear the burden of the new
restrictions. The leak jumpstarted the intense political reverberations that the high court’s ultimate decision was expected to have in the midterm election year. Already, politicians on both sides of the aisle were seizing on the report to fundraise and energise their supporters on either side of the hot-button issue. An AP-NORC poll in December found that Democrats increasingly see protecting abortion rights as a high priority for the government. Other polling shows relatively few Americans want to see Roe overturned. In 2020, AP VoteCast found that 69% of voters in the presidential election said the Supreme Court should leave the Roe v Wade decision as is; just 29% said the court should overturn
the decision. In general, AP-NORC polling finds a majority of the public favors abortion being legal in most or all cases. Still, when asked about abortion policy generally, Americans have nuanced attitudes on the issue, and many don’t think that abortion should be possible after the first trimester or that women should be able to obtain a legal abortion for any reason. Alito, in the draft, said the court can’t predict how the public might react and shouldn’t try. “We cannot allow our decisions to be affected by any extraneous influences such as concern about the public’s reaction to our work,” Alito wrote in the draft opinion. People on both sides of the issue quickly gathered outside the Supreme Court waving signs and chanting.
CIVILIANS RESCUED FROM MARIUPOL STEEL PLANT HEAD FOR SAFETY
ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine Associated Press
RUSSIA resumed pulverising the Mariupol steel mill that has become the last stronghold of resistance in the bombed-out city, Ukrainian fighters said yesterday, after a brief cease-fire over the weekend allowed the first evacuation of civilians from the plant. More than 100 people — including elderly women and mothers with small children — left the rubble-strewn Azovstal steelworks on Sunday and set out in buses and ambulances for the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles to the northwest, according to authorities and video released by the two sides.
Mariupol Deputy Mayor Sergei Orlov told the BBC that the evacuees were making slow progress and would probably not arrive in Zaporizhzhia on Monday as hoped for. Authorities gave no explanation for the delay. At least some of the civilians were apparently taken to a village controlled by Russia-backed separatists. The Russian military said that some chose to stay in separatist areas, while dozens left for Ukrainian-held territory. In the past, Ukraine has accused Moscow’s troops of taking civilians against their will to Russia or Russian-controlled areas. The Kremlin has denied it. The Russian bombardment of the sprawling plant by air, by tank and by ship picked up again after
the partial evacuation, Ukraine’s Azov Battalion, which is defending the mill, said on the Telegram messaging app. Orlov said high-level negotiations were underway among Ukraine, Russia and international organisations on evacuating more people. The steel-plant evacuation, if successful, would represent rare progress in easing the human cost of the almost ten-week war, which has caused particular suffering in Mariupol. Previous attempts to open safe corridors out of the southern port city and other places have broken down, with Ukrainian officials accusing Russian forces of shooting and shelling along agreedon evacuation routes. Before the weekend evacuation, overseen by the United
Nations and the Red Cross, about 1,000 civilians were believed to be in the plant along with an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian defenders. Russia has demanded that the fighters surrender; they have refused. As many as 100,000 people overall may still be in Mariupol, which had a prewar population of more than 400,000. Russian forces have pounded much of the city into rubble, trapping civilians with little food, water, heat or medicine. Some Mariupol residents got out of the city on their own, by way of often damaged private cars. As sunset approached, Mariupol resident Yaroslav Dmytryshyn rattled up to a reception center in Zaporizhzhia in a car with a back seat full of
youngsters and two signs taped to the back window: “Children” and “Little ones.” “I can’t believe we survived,” he said, looking worn but in good spirits over their safe arrival after two days on the road. “There is no Mariupol whatsoever,’’ he said. “Someone needs to rebuild it, and it will take millions of tons of gold.” He said they lived just across the railroad tracks from the steel plant. “Ruined,” he said. “The factory is gone completely.” Anastasiia Dembytska, who took advantage of the ceasefire to leave with her daughter, nephew and dog, said her family survived by cooking on a makeshift stove and drinking well water.
NYPD VETERAN GUILTY IN CAPITOL RIOT WASHINGTON Associated Press
A FEDERAL jury on Monday convicted a New York Police Department veteran of assaulting an officer during the US Capitol riot, rejecting his claim that he was defending himself when he tackled the officer and grabbed his gas mask. Thomas Webster, a 20-year NYPD veteran, was the first Capitol riot defendant to be tried on an assault charge and the first to present a jury with a selfdefence argument. Jurors deliberated for less than three hours before they convicted Webster of all six counts in his
indictment, including a charge that he assaulted Metropolitan Police Department officer Noah Rathbun with a dangerous weapon, a metal flagpole. The assault charge alone is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, although sentencing guidelines likely will recommend a significantly shorter prison term. Webster, 56, testified that he was trying to protect himself from a “rogue cop” who punched him in the face. He also accused Rathbun of instigating the confrontation. Rathbun testified that he didn’t punch or pick a fight with Webster as a violent mob attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021,
disrupting Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory over then-President Donald Trump. Two jurors who spoke to reporters after the verdict said videos capturing the officer’s assault from multiple angles were crucial evidence rebutting Webster’s self-defence argument. “I guess we were all surprised that he would even make that defence argument,” said a juror. “There was no dissention among us at all. We unanimously agreed that there was no self-defence argument here at all.” Another juror said Webster’s self-defence claim
“just didn’t stack up”. US District Judge Amit Mehta is scheduled to sentence Webster on September 2. Webster’s jury trial was the fourth for a Capitol riot case. The first three defendants to get a jury trial also were convicted of all charges in their respective indictments. A judge decided two other cases without a jury, acquitting one of the defendants and partially acquitting the other. Webster, who wore a mask in court, showed no obvious reaction to the verdict. “We’re disappointed,” defence attorney James Monroe said.
THIS still frame from Metropolitan Police Department body worn camera video shows Thomas Webster, in red jacket, at a barricade line at on the west front of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington.
PAGE 12, Tuesday, May 3, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
Three female trailblazers in tech highlight the importance of internet safety for girls and women April 28 was celebrated globally as International Girls in ICT Day, and BTC has thrown its full support behind girls and young women who seek to thrive in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This year’s Girls in ICT Day theme was “Access and Safety,” which calls for the development of solutions and ideas for lowering barriers to access and improving safety online for girls and young women. In recognition of Girls in ICT, BTC highlighted three of its own: Kailei Symonette, Tina Cooper and Anishka Maycock – women who have spent more than 20 years in the male-dominated field of technology, and now hold some of the most senior technology positions in the business. The company is also celebrating the over 40 students from schools all across the country that are participating in its “Future Tech Stars” programme. The 20-week all-expenses paid programmed is providing teen girls with the opportunity to delve deeper and learn more about digital and crypto, web development and programming in Python. “This year’s theme of ‘Access and Safety’ is such a fitting topic as being a female in this maledominated field was not easy and I had to work twice as hard to break any stereotype,” said Tina Cooper, BTC’s senior manager of Service Delivery in the Northern Bahamas Cluster. Tina has been employed at BTC for the past three decades. She began her career on March 9, 1992 as a technical assistant and has held various leadership roles. “There was not much room for complaints but hard work, much sacrifice, and constant training; particularly working on the Family Island where you had to know everything from climbing 11ft ladders and strapping it from a van to a utility pole as there were no bucket trucks,” Tina recalled She believes that this year’s theme of having safe access to the internet is so important as it’s the only way for girls and young women to thrive in STEM careers. “As the world evolves it is imperative that we train our girls to be future leaders,” said Tina. “We must invest in them and in their development so that they can improve the living conditions of the society in the community in which they live. By doing this we ensure the sustainable knowledge empowerment and capacities for women in the field of information, communication and technology lives on through them.” Tina said Girl’s in ICT Day reminds us that this field helps to improve the lives of people everywhere through better health care, better environmental management, better communication, and a better educational system that
ANISHKA Maycock
KAILEI Symonette
TINA Cooper transforms the way children and adults learn. “This day serves to inspire both government and the private sector to find ways to equip girls
and young women with skills they need to become ICT professionals,” she said. Kailei Symonette, BTC’s senior manager of NNOC and B2B,
Operations has been working in the field of technology since 1991, gaining experience in many areas such as BTC’s Central Frame, Maintenance and Installation Control, Western Exchange, Delaporte Exchange, South Central Exchange, Central IV and NNOC. Kailei said she enjoys working in the field of technology because it is exciting, specialised and lucrative. “I truly enjoy my job and that is what encourages me to stay motivated daily. I love a challenge and hate to lose. Challenges motivate me to stay on the top,” Kailei says, adding that she experienced the most challenging part of her job when she initially began her career at BTC, simply because she was entering a field that was male dominated. “Now women are excelling in every field and BTC has also introduced training programmes in equality, diversity and inclusion,” Kailei says. She encourages young girls who are interested in the STEM field to start young. “Parents and educators need to encourage young girls to challenge stereotypes and let these young women know that they can be anything they want to be. Expose yourself to new activities and ideas and consider new non-traditional occupations. Demonstrate that your knowledge and skillsets are equal to or surpasses that of your male peers. Educate yourself! Gain exposure!
Be relentless in learning the standard and updating yourself within the environment you want to work in. Get yourself a good mentor or two in the industry,” said Kailei. She believes that women should be able to access the internet without fear of being stalked or harassed. “If they are unable to access the internet, they are unable to have freedom to learn. These women are unable to access technology which means that they are not able to benefit from vast field of knowledge that we call the internet. Girls want to learn, they are diversifying themselves and are learning skills in technology, and empowering others to join. The internet needs to be a safe place for everyone to get their knowledge freely,” said Kailei. Anishka Maycock, BTC’s manager of OSP Technical Services in Grand Bahama and Bimini, has been employed with the company for the past 21 years. She has served in the area of Cable Development/Maintenance, Repairs & Installation as well as DSL and Fiber installation. Anishka said the most challenging aspect of her job is being a woman. “Some men tend to not include women in the decision-making when they feel that they are more experienced in the field,” she said. Despite this, she encourages women to still pursue careers in STEM if this is where their interest lies.
BAMSI celebrates eliminating barriers for women Three members of the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute’s (BAMSI) team, headed by BAMSI president, Senator Dr Erecia Hepburn, were part of a special ‘who’s who’ celebration of International Women’s Day 2022. The event featured a cadre of female professionals who reflected not only the diversity of career paths now available to women, but also showcased women at the top of their respective fields. From industry executives to corporate chiefs and successful entrepreneurs, Crypto Isle’s celebration of women was an exercise in diversity, female empowerment and women supporting women. Dr Hepburn, who has herself made inroads in the male-dominated field of agriculture as the first female president of the institute, was accompanied by Manager of Academic Affairs Brandly Mortimer. Noting the theme “Break the Bias” that speaks to eliminating any man-made barriers that stand in the way of a women’s success, Dr Hepburn celebrated the increasing involvement of women in agriculture in he Bahamas. “Females are the future and we rock with agriculture,” she said.
(l-r) Manager of Academic Affairs Brandly Mortimer, BAMSI President Senator Dr Erecia Hepburn and Senior Officer of Academic Affairs Jarenda Rahming.
Also on hand was Senior Officer of Academic Affairs Jarenda Rahming, who said the unique celebration provided an opportunity for them to network, and promote BAMSI’s vision for agriculture and its forward-looking agenda, in terms of food security, education and the introduction of technologically advanced measures. The most exciting part of the event, Mrs Mortimer said, was that it provided an occasion for them to meet with women who have broken the mold and successfully launched out to follow their own dreams and career goals “It was good to see a lot of women at the International Woman’s Day event who are well established and hugely successful,” she said. “These women have achieved a lot, so it was good to have the opportunity to speak with them and learn how they were able to successfully navigate their way to the top. It was inspiring and I feel empowered now also, and see that I can do it as well.” Ms Rahming added that she met with the owners of Lucayan Tropical Produce and other interested businesses and entrepreneurs who expressed their excitement about what BAMSI has to offer. She said they are looking forward to future outcomes from similar kinds of networking opportunities.
Cool for Throwback the summe r accessories PAGE 11
TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2022
make a statement
By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
As the temperature heats up, it’s time to get that hair off your face. And with all the fabulous hair accessories currently available, you can stay cool and comfy while looking super stylish all at once. This season’s hottest trends are a throwback to the hair accessories of our childhood. Some of them have been heating up since 2019, but due to the pandemic, were not often seen outside of TikTok and Instagram. But now that people are finally out and about again, we will see these trends in-person. Headbands are definitely seeing a resurgence in popularity, giving a preppy nod to the past. Grabbing a thick fabric print headband is a great way to add a much-needed pop to an outfit. Velvet headbands, bejewelled with rhinestones, sequins or pearl accents, can give a glamorous stamp to a more formal and super feminine look, perfect for attending a church service, spring tea party or an evening soirée. Headbands can anchor loose curls or add pizazz to a bun or ponytail. Just chose a thinner band if you want to have the benefit of the headband without it being a focal point of your look. And just like headbands, butterfly/claw clips have also been seen making a comeback. These cute little clips are perfect for securing flyaway strands. And while they are primarily used by school girls (and gymnasts in competition), many adult models have been seen wearing them in a dazzling array of spring pastels as they strutted down the fashion runways. A similar look can be achieved with hair pins, but use blinged-out versions with pearls or beads at the end. One look we love for both clips and hair pins is to stack them in your hair similar to how you may
(Image: styleoholic)
(Image: Michelle Amo-Instagram)
(Image: Fashion Trend Seeker-YouTube) wear a bracelet stack on your wrist. Another tend that borrows from the past are scrunchies and bows. Grab some light-weight organza print scrunchies to accent a low pony tail or a high messy bun. Or get your Victorian-lady-ofthe-manor look on and tie your hair back with a big beautiful hair bow in a bold jewel tone for an extra chic appearance. Whatever you choose, the look will be cool, fresh and fabulous, we’re sure.
Bahamas Bridal Show to feature pre-wedding event By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
AS the local wedding industry seeks to make its comeback, the Bahamas Bridal Show is seeking to encourage people to shop for their weddings at home by supporting the numerous local businesses participating in this year’s big event. During the Office of the Prime Minister’s press briefing last Friday, organisers of the Bridal Show made a presentation and appeal for Bahamians to attend the event. Makeva Wallace, coordinator of the Bridal Show, shared some new details about this year’s event that will now feature a pre-bridal event on May 14 to create a buzz around the event. The Bahamas Bridal Show has been held annually since 1990; 2020 marked the first year the event was postponed due to the pandemic. “When the pandemic hit in 2020, the Bridal Show was one week away from happening. And of course, it was a sold-out show. There was no more room for vendors. However, the former Prime Minister made the announcement that we were shutting down. Ever since then, we have been begging for our wedding industry to get some type of help and relief. Our cries fell on deaf ears,” said Makeva during Friday’s briefing. After two years of postponements due restrictions on large events, the annual signature show that many brides and grooms attend to get help and inspiration for their big day is finally back. The Bahamas Bridal Show, organised by Buttons Formal
Wear, is now in its 32nd year will be taking place on Sunday, May 29. Brides- and grooms-to-be, and anyone who loves weddings and
fashion are invited to peruse the booths of local wedding vendors. The icing on the cake will be the fun display of wedding fashions and formal wear by Buttons.
Currently, there are over 50 exhibitors taking part in this year’s event. “There were a lot of vendors who pulled out the show because their business did not survive the pandemic. So, we are encouraging couples and Bahamians to come out and support these businesses,” said Makeva. When Bahamas Bridal Show founder and executive producer Tommy Stubbs started the annual event, he made a promise to help local businesses reach more clients and to encourage couples to shop at home for their weddings and other special events, which would in turn boost the local wedding industry.
More information about the upcoming event will be announced by organisers in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, those in the local wedding and bridal industry are gearing up for a busy year as many of their calendars are already fully booked for the rest of the year. If predictions pan out, there will be some 2.5 million weddings happening in the US this year - the most since 1984 according to The Wedding Report, a trade group publication that gathered its data through a survey of vendors and consumers. This number is believed to have been influenced by the majority of celebrations rescheduled during the last two years. Considering that the pandemic has been receding, restrictions have been relaxed locally and the fact that the Bahamas is a stone’s throw away from the US, it is likely some of those couples may opt for a destination wedding to these shores and local vendors can share in the bounties.
PAGE 14, Tuesday, May 3, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
BODY AND MIND
A ‘pandemic of obesity’ in Bahamian children With close to 50 percent of the nation’s kids overweight, healthy summer activities are vital By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
WITH the summer school break right around the corner, local paediatrician Dr Dashawn Saunders is stressing the importance for parents to break sedentary lifestyle practices children may have developed being home during the pandemic and create structured activities for them that involve being physical. Dr Saunders is presently a paediatric consultant with the Department of Paediatrics and serves as Deputy Medical Chief of Staff at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). She works in private practice at Agape Child and Adolescent Clinic, along with Dr Paul Roberts and team. Dr Saunders believes the foundation for a healthy life is established in childhood. Along with diagnosing and treating various issues in children, she firmly believes in proper diet and exercise for children. “Obesity in children is a growing crisis in the Caribbean, where one in three children are overweight or obese. At present, the Bahamas is number one, with over 45 percent of children either overweight or obese. Excess sugar consumption, sedentary lifestyles,
lack of physical activity, virtual learning with children in front of computer screens for hours and constant unhealthy snacking have all contributed to the ballooning pandemic of obesity,” Dr Saunders said. Children that live in households with overweight adults are four times more likely to become overweight adults, she said. “The American Academy of Paediatrics studies have revealed that watching TV for more than 1.5 hours daily is a risk factor for obesity for children four through nine years of age. Teens who watch more than five hours of TV per day are five times more likely to be overweight than teens who watch zero to two hours. Food advertising and snacking while watching TV also promotes obesity and children who overuse media are less apt to be active with healthy, physical play,” she said. “Children that are obese are at risk for diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, poor self-esteem such as depression and eating disorders.” Dr Saunders said many parents struggle with getting their kids to eat a well-balanced diet. This is because many of them have developed unhealthy eating habits themselves that lead excess weight gain in our children.
“These can include soda and excess juice consumption, large portion sizes and snacking while watching television. A lot of children miss breakfast, but this is brain food. Children who do not eat breakfast, may not be able to concentrate, and it increases unhealthy snack consumption,” she said. “There are, however, creative ways for parents to integrate healthy food in their children’s diets,” she said. Breakfast is always encouraged and an alternative can be making healthy smoothies. Dr Saunders said it is also important to involve the child in the preparation process and make eating healthy a fun activity. “Allow your child to be an active part of the (smoothiemaking) process, choosing fruits and vegetables and mixing with milk or yoghurt. Fun activities can include using cookie cutters for sandwiches and adding a fruit or vegetable as decoration, designing lunch bags with stickers, writing positive notes and placing in lunch kits. Add imagination to food, such as using raisins in a dish to make a smiling face or a carrot for a nose in a meal. Encouraging increased water intake and also eating as a family at least once a day (are good habits),” she told Tribune Health.
As for exercise, Dr Saunders said an hour a day is the minimum amount of physical activity every child over the age of six should be getting. “That accumulates to seven hours a week over the age of six. Younger children should get up to three hours of physical activity a day. Physical activity is key to promoting healthy lifestyle changes. This can include skipping rope, swimming, jogging, playing basketball or soccer. But in general play, getting outdoors and being imaginative with things such as hop scotch, playing marbles, playing catch, for example, (is important); ensuring that kids are kept active on a daily basis,” she said. Physical activity helps children to maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints, controls body weight, improves self-esteem, encourages healthy sleep habits, and improves attention span, school performance and overall behaviour. Activities, Dr Saunders said, should be age-appropriate and include swimming, bicycling, and playing sports such as soccer, tennis, baseball and basketball. Parents, she said, should provide active toys such as balls and skipping ropes. There should also be active engagement from the
family, including on walks and hikes. “Limit screen time, including time spent on TV, videos, computers and video games each day. Use the free time for more physical activities and make time. Some children are so over-scheduled with homework, music lessons and other planned activities that they do not have time for exercise,” she said. Being overweight or obese at a young age, she said, can lead kids down a wrong path. “Many kids that are overweight suffer from body image concerns and are eager to try weight loss programmes including extreme diets. Many of these diet programmes, however, are unhealthy as they don’t provide adequate nutritional value that a teenager needs for proper pubertal development,” she said. “Parents should speak with their paediatricians before starting weight loss programmes, including strength training, because it can put children at risk of injury to growth plates and spine. With children under ten, parents focus should be on establishing healthy eating habits to result in healthy bodies. For older children, we encourage slow reduction in weight whilst maintaining healthy eating habits and physical activity.”
Amazing gifts for the Bahamas Association for the Physically Disabled By VICTORIA SARNE Life has a way of making us humble and being the complex mixture that it is, we are often faced with a dilemma - to celebrate the wonderful and compassionate actions of some who relieve suffering, while we know that humanity can also deliver carelessness and indifference to those in need whether challenged physically or mentally. We can smile and be grateful for the generosity of giving and making a difference yet shed many tears for those unfortunate enough to suffer life’s seemingly random, cruel moments when it inflicts life defying disabilities. Tears don’t achieve anything but seeking solutions with teamwork does - and at the Bahamas Association for the Physically Disabled (BAPD) many hands work together to take care of everyday duties: Linda Smith, director, plus two aides; Charlotte Albury, president, and Hannah Foster-Middleton, physiotherapist. The mission of BAPD is multifunctional, meaning that they are a day-care facility for physically disabled children providing breakfast, lunch and snacks, four days a week as well as special education and currently have an enrolment of between 16 and 19 children of varying ages. They teach computer training and the children receive physical therapy. BAPD provides an environment dedicated to promoting selfesteem, improving social skills with the goal of functionally independent living being attained wherever possible. As was the case for everyone, the Pandemic brought many changes and obstacles for all of us and it it is an ongoing challenge for BAPD to
find funds for all the many daily needs that arise for teaching and supplies, including big-ticket items such as equipment. A recent surprise helping hand was offered by ALIV when their executive visited the centre to be followed up with a wonderful surprise gift of new tablets for each child. With determination, other solutions can be sought and found and relationships formed that bring benefits. This past Friday and Saturday, BAPD was blessed with an outpouring of loving care and generosity from two companies out of the US: Progressive Paediatric Therapy and Falk Prosthetics & Orthotics. Their team came to Nassau with an incredible gift of time, love, labour and professional, hands-on expertise together with their generous donations of wheelchairs and orthotics for the children with special needs. Their visit was facilitated by the generosity of others who were willing to give: Breezes who offered free accommodation for the visitors; Jet Blue’s Humanitarian Aid allowed them to bring the extra luggage with supplies (also donated), free of charge; and the Bahamas government waived duty and vat on the wheelchairs when they were shipped and the shipping cost was also discounted. Amazing teamwork. Although the physical challenges cannot be measured with a cure, because there is none for those suffering from cerebral palsy, birth traumas or similar illnesses, it is possible to make life more bearable and a little easier for the young disabled children, parents or caregivers. This means everything to them and these are things we can do. For those of
US companies Progressive Paediatric Therapy and Falk Prosthetics & Orthotics came to Nassau with a gift of time, love, labour and professional, hands-on expertise for Bahamian children with special needs.
us lucky enough to enjoy good health and mobility, it may be a challenge to understand just how enormous and life changing the equipment is unless we see for ourselves, but for the child and caregiver receiving such help it makes a huge difference to their everyday quality of life. On Friday and Saturday, everyone at BAPD, Linda, Charlotte and Hannah worked to
exhaustion with the professional team from Progressive and Falk. Mary Pengelly, Jennifer Norton, Justin Kuntze and Carey Britton came to Nassau for a weekend of diagnosis, remedial therapy and individual fitting of shoes and orthoses - all of which takes time and patience with each child. Bathchairs and wheelchairs were individualised to fit each child and one electric chair was given for a little girl who had enough mobility to help herself. Her smile alone was enough to tell the world how important that gift was. Sixteen wheelchairs in total were delivered for use at the centre and another shipment is on its way for the children to use at home. The equipment alone was a huge gift when you think of the cost, for
instance, of a wheelchair; they start around $8,000 per chair (the kind that needs someone to push it) and range up to $20,000 plus for an electric chair that can be operated by the user. As far as it is possible the shoes and orthoses come in all sizes and these days are made to look as pretty as possible with different designs and colours for boys and girls and again are individually adjusted to each child. While this is a heartwarming “good news” story, the need, the work and support required to help those in need in a practical way, is ongoing and if you can help by any means, every small gift of time, money or in-kind makes it all possible. Social Services and Ministry of Education cannot cover everything and parents and caregivers are always challenged between working when possible to support the family yet still trying to deliver the kind of continuous care the children need. It is important to remember that there is no respite for parents in these circumstances, no care available for the caregivers. Something else, as a community we need to think about. Until then and for people and children who seem “other” than us, we can’t say we are a just or humane society if we don’t do what we can. If you can be of help in any way, you can contact Mrs. Linda Smith, BAPD, at 242 456 0228; e.mail lin63smith@gmail. com or info.bapd@gmail.com. “If we want to go fast we travel alone, if we want to go far, we travel together.” Let’s aim far, for the future.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, May 3, 2022, PAGE 13
Most HPV related cancers are preventable The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most widespread sexually transmitted infection (STI). Most persons do not know that HPV can potentially be a cancer-causing infection. Nearly 35,000 men and women are diagnosed every year in the United States with HPV related cancers. Almost all men and women who are sexually active and not vaccinated for HPV, will have HPV at some time in their lives, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Men can get HPV through vaginal, oral or anal sex with an infected individual. Most HPV infections clear up on their own within a few months of becoming infected, and nearly 90 percent of HPV infections would be cleared up within two years. There are more than 100 types of HPV and about 40 of them are sexually transmitted. Each of the types of HPV is assigned a number and they are categorised as low risk or high risk. Low-risk HPV strains may produce no symptoms or possibly cause warts on your penis, scrotum, anus or back of your throat and they often resolve on their own without long term side effects. High-risk HPV may lead to cell changes that may lead to various types of cancer such as penile cancer, throat and esophageal cancer and anal cancer in men. According to the CDC 60 percent of penile cancers and 90
percent of cervical cancers affecting women, are caused by HPV. It is beyond heartbreaking to see far too many young women in the Bahamas, who are in the prime of their lives diagnosed with cervical cancer. The diagnosis of cervical cancer at any age is devastating but women in their twenties and thirties who usually have young children, fighting advanced cervical cancer is a national tragedy. Most of these cases of cervical cancer were preventable if a preteen or young adult HPV vaccine had been administered. The HPV vaccine can only prevent infection, it cannot treat HPV once a person is infected.
HPV vaccine can prevent 90 percent of cervical cancers In 2021, 39 women in the Bahamas were diagnosed with cervical cancer and 28 women died from cervical cancer. A landmark Swedish study that involved nearly 1.7 million women, determined that there was a 90 percent reduction in cervical cancer incidence during the 11-year period of the study, that took place between 2006 and 2017. A British study found that the HPV vaccine reduces cervical cancer rates by 87 percent. This study was published in the
scientific journal, the Lancet, looking at the impact after the HPV vaccine was introduced in England in 2008. In 2006, the HPV vaccine became available to girls, teens and young adult women and consequently the HPV rate in American teens had reduced by 56 percent by 2013. The HPV vaccine was only approved for use in females until 2009. The current recommendation by the CDC is for two doses of the HPV vaccine be given to boys and girls between 9 and 12 years old, and three doses be given over a six month period to all boys and girls after the age of 15 up to the age of 26 years old. In October 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of the HPV vaccine in men and men aged 27 to 45 years old. There is debate in the medical community regarding the use of HPV vaccines in men over the age of 26 years old. There is a clear medical consensus that all adolescent boys will benefit from receiving the HPV vaccine. A man of any age that has no HPV symptoms of warts or genital, anal, throat or esophageal cancer, should benefit from receiving the vaccine. However, if a man has been sexually active and not always used a condom then it is likely that they will have HPV and there will be less benefit in receiving the HPV vaccine.
THE UROLOGY DOCTOR IS IN...
Dr Greggory Pinto
Unfortunately, worldwide there are more HPV vaccine outreach and education efforts directed at adolescent females and their parents. There is a widely accepted lack of education regarding the benefits of HPV vaccinations for boys, male adolescents, and young men up to the age of 45. The best mode of protection against men getting HPV is using a condom every time and receiving the HPV vaccine. A man may not develop an HPV related cancer but they may transmit HPV to their female partner who may develop a cancer secondary to HPV. You cannot get HPV from a toilet seat or swimming in a pool or coming into
contact with blood from an HPV infected individual. HPV is spread through vaginal, anal and oral sex. It is spread through skin-to-skin contact. There are 3 HPV vaccines – Cervarix, Gardasil and Gardasil 9 – which prevent cancers and diseases related to 9 types of HPV. Approximately 92 percent of HPV related cancers can be prevented by the HPV vaccine. Education and awareness are important keys in the prevention of HPV related diseases and cancers in both men and women. The HPV vaccine is readily available in the Bahamas for female and male preteens and young adults and it may prevent HPV related cancer for the individual or their future sexual partners. Men use a condom every time and practice monogamy. Seek comprehensive, confidential and compassionate urological care. • Dr Greggory Pinto is a board-certified Bahamian urologist and laparoscopic surgeon. He can be contacted at OakTree Medical Center #2 Fifth Terrace and Mount Royal Avenue, Nassau, Bahamas; Telephone – (242) 322-1145-7; email: welcome@urologycarebahamas.com or visit the website:www.urologycarebahamas.com
Parkinson’s and brain diseases – Just how does your brain work? By THE CLEVELAND CLINIC
starts at a healthy brain and diseases expand from there:
Every April, the Kingdor Parkinson’s Foundation, a local non-profit organisation headed by Mavis Darling-Hill, engages with the global Parkinson’s community to support Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Their aim is to raise awareness about Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative condition that affects the brain, resulting in a progressive loss of coordination and movement problems. But there are other brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis that we should be concerned about as well. So how exactly do they affect the brain? Let’s take a look! Did you know that our brains are much more efficient than computers in every way? Or that our brains have 100,000 miles of blood vessels, which is enough to circle the earth four times? “The brain is the most complex thing in the universe,” says neurologist Marwan Sabbagh, MD, a board-certified geriatric neurologist specialising in Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Nevada. “On one level, it’s a softball-sized collection of cells, chemical and connective tissue and on another level, it’s the totality of all things.”
• Healthy brain: Healthy neurons have smooth branches called dendrites in elegant clusters.
He shares nine mind-blowing ways your brain is incredible:
• Alzheimer’s disease: There are tangles inside the neurons and sticky bits of protein form around them. The brain loses memory, mass and other functions. The risk increases with age and affects 1 in 10 people older than 65. Nearly half of people over the age of 85 have Alzheimer’s.
• The human brain is the only object of any kind that can contemplate itself. • The brain only feels pleasure and there are no pain receptors in the brain. Migraine and headache pain arise in the meninges, or the brain’s covering.
“hottest” (arousal actually starts in your brain) part of the body. • The brain’s ability to create new connectivity is known to occur throughout life. • The brain is at least half fats.
• The brain runs on electricity, producing enough power to light a 25-watt bulb.
• Brains have the consistency of a loose gelatin dessert. Brains removed for study are specially treated to make them firm.
• The brain is both the hottest (2.5 degrees Celsius warmer than core body temperature) and
• Your eyeballs are an extension of your brain and are directly connected to it.
• The collection of neurons lining the stomach and intestines operates independently to digest food and is sometimes called the second brain. The brain is a truly unique, oneof-a-kind organ. Thinking takes place in the brain and specifically, in cells called neurons, which are connected to each other by branches. Brain diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and multiple sclerosis take place among the branches in what is called the neuron forest. These diseases can rob us of our ability to think, reason and remember. The neuron forest
GLENYS HANNA-MARTIN, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, joined BNBA representatives, health career workers and breastfeeding advocates to unveil the new billboard. (BIS Photos/Raymond A Bethel, Sr)
New billboard campaign to help bring breastfeeding rate to 50 percent in the Bahamas With the aim of increasing the nation’s breastfeeding rate from 18.7 percent to 50 percent, the Bahamas National Breastfeeding Association (BNBA) has launched a billboard campaign to encourage support for this goal. The billboard, sponsored by the Ministry of Health, and erected on a roadside wall on East Street
(north) adjacent to Mortimer Candies, was dedicated during an outdoor ceremony Friday, April 22. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, BNBA representatives, health career workers, breastfeeding advocates, passersby and volunteers attended the event.
“We want to take breastfeeding to the next level because we realise breastfeeding is the way forward for the Bahamas. Breastfeeding benefits mother, baby, the family, the environment and the workplace. We need the support of everyone so we can accomplish that goal,” said Anna Forbes, BNBA member. Mrs Forbes emphasised that breastfeeding is a shared responsibility and, as such, appealed to Minister Hanna-Martin to inform Parliament that mothers need more time off, fathers need to have vacation time with mothers, there’s necessity for mothers at work to have a break every three
hours to pump milk and provisions for storage of milk. “That is action, and then we know that if we want a change, we need the support of the government. We need the support of our community. The billboard is a constant reminder of the importance of breastfeeding. As you walk, as you drive, you can see that and take it to your community that breastfeeding is the golden standard,” she said. Minister Hanna-Martin endorsed the association’s initiative and expressed 100 percent commitment. She commended the BNBA for being, steadfast, faithful
• Multiple sclerosis (MS): The covering of the branches, known as myelin, wears away, peels off or otherwise disappears. Brain signals are no longer insulated from one another and they get mixed up. About 1 in 1,000 people get MS and the cause is little understood. • Parkinson’s disease: The brain cells and their branches need a substance called dopamine to transmit messages properly. When dopamine-producing cells stop working, messaging breaks down. Parkinson’s disease is most commonly seen in people over the age of 60 and is more prevalent in men than women. The cause for Parkinson’s disease is barely known. Your brain has many functions, so it’s important to take care of it as best you can. and dogged in the promotion of breastfeeding in the country. She further encouraged mothers to do all that they can to breastfeed their newborn babies and to do so for as long as is practicable. “The science is clear; breastmilk is the premium nourishment for newborn babies, it is the perfect food and it helps build immunity. It is proven that breast-fed babies fare better, it creates strong bonding with mother, strong correlation between breastfeeding and high IQ of babies, it is free and produced naturally through God’s beautiful grace and ingenuity,” she said. “We want the community and the extended family to support our young mothers because this is the guarantee for a new generation – breastmilk. It may sound like a small thing but this is a fundamental, humongous, important intervention in the rearing of our children. Let us as a nation, in all the things we commit to nationally, that we also commit as a people to the principle of breastfeeding our newborn humans in this nation so we can guarantee them the best opportunities possible - their well-being, health, psychology, intellect and their success as adults.’
SPORTS PAGE 15
SOFTBALL, page 16
TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2022
Ayton leads Suns past Mavericks By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Devin Booker added 23 and the topseeded Phoenix Suns rolled to a 121-114 win over the Dallas Mavericks last night in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. The Suns never trailed, jumping to a 9-0 lead in the opening minutes and rarely let off the gas. They shot 50.5% from the field, won the rebounding edge 51-36 and beat the Mavericks for the 10th straight time, counting regular season games. Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. It’s the first time Dallas has advanced to the postseason’s second round in Doncic’s four-year NBA career. Doncic and Maxi Kleber looked ready for the challenge but the rest of the Mavs didn’t do
much until it was too late. Kleber finished with 19 points. Game 2 is on Wednesday in Phoenix. Booker missed three games during Phoenix’s first-round win over the New Orleans Pelicans because of a strained right hamstring suffered in Game 2. He returned for the closeout Game 6 and scored 13 points, but looked a little more cautious than usual in his effort to stay healthy. That hesitancy was gone in the first quarter on Monday: Booker scored 13 points on 4 of 8 shooting and added six rebounds and four assists. Ayton dominated in the paint and mid-range, hitting his usual array of turnaround jumpers, runners and dunks. The 6-foot11 center shot 12 of 20 from the field. Chris Paul added 19 points and Cam Johnson had 17 off the bench. All five Suns starters scored in double figures.
DEANDRE Ayton shoots over Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber during Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference playoff series last night. (AP Photo/Matt York) The Suns’ opening salvo was highlighted by a Jae Crowder
3-pointer and Booker’s lob pass to Mikal Bridges for a dunk. Phoenix extended its lead to 18-6 midway through the first quarter before a discombobulated Dallas called timeout. The Mavericks stayed in the game for a while thanks to Doncic and Kleber, who hit his first four 3-pointers. The pair helped Dallas pull within 51-47 midway through the second but the Suns finished the half with another run, going into the break with a 69-56 lead. OUCH Doncic was slow to get up in the second quarter after taking a knee to the groin from Jae Crowder, who was shooting a 3-pointer and called for the offensive foul. After an official review, Crowder’s foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1. 7-FOOT FUN Suns backup centre JaVale McGee brought the crowd to its
feet early in the fourth quarter with a rare defensive play on the perimeter. He stole the ball from Doncic and then dribbled the length of the floor, finishing with a powerful dunk to put the Suns up 21 points. TIP-INS Mavericks: Doncic scored 14 points in the first quarter on 5 of 9 shooting. Kleber hit 5 of 6 3-pointers in the first half and had 16 points before the break. Kleber took a scary fall in the fourth quarter after being bumped by JaVale McGee while finishing a dunk. Kleber landed on his upper back and was shaken up for a few seconds before taking his free throw. Suns: Crowder hit a 3-pointer in the second quarter then turned and started celebrating with former Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who was sitting courtside. Fitzgerald is a part-owner of the franchise.
Fox has first hit, stolen base of career By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net LUCIUS Fox ended his drought at the plate and achieved a career milestone with the first hit and first stolen base of his Major League Baseball career. Fox was a part of an offensive outburst for his Washington Nationals in their 11-5 win over Antoan Richardson and his San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, on Sunday. Fox got the start in shortstop and finished 2-5 with one run scored, one RBI and one stolen base. “I got two infield hits, I stole a base, went first to third, scored from third on a dirt ball -- and it was all with the legs,” Fox told MLB.com following the series-clinching win. “That’s special.” Fox originally signed with the Giants in the International Signing Class of 2015. “This is where it all started. Signing day, I came to [Oracle Park to] watch the Giants play,” Fox said. “To actually get that first hit in the Giants’ stadium, it’s special. But I kind of had that feeling in my mind that I was going to do something special today.” Fox made his MLB debut on April 10 with a squeeze bunt and run scored in a win over the
SINGLE-A: BJ MURRAY EARNS PLAYER OF THE GAME HONOURS By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
Alex Cobb. He followed shortly after with his first stolen base in the very next at bat. He singled again in
BJ Murray had his breakout game thus far in his first season at the Single-A level with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Murray earned Player of the Game honours when he finished 2-3 with a home run, double, an RBI and three runs scored in the Pelicans’ 9-1 win over the Columbia Fireflies, April 30 at TicketReturn.com Field in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Murray began his day with a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning. He also doubled in the fourth inning. The 22-year-old infielder has hits in four of his last six games and is slashing .200/.310/.400 thus far this season. The Chicago Cubs prospect was selected by the club with the 22nd pick in the 15th round, no. 454 overall and spent his first
SEE PAGE 17
SEE PAGE 16
WASHINGTON Nationals’ Lucius Fox, of The Bahamas, slides home to score against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco on Sunday. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Mets but remained hitless with an 0-20 start to his big league career. The Nationals experienced their own struggles as a team and entered the
series against the Giants with eight straight losses. They won 2-3 games at Oracle Park to bring those offensive struggles to an end.
Fox did not appear in the first two games of the series but got the start at shortstop on Sunday. In the first inning, Fox hit his milestone single off
In return to clay, Andy Ronaldo scores again, Murray celebrates Manchester United beats victory over Thiem Brentford 3-0 in EPL By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer
MADRID (AP) — The moment the ball hit the net on match point, Andy Murray turned to his team and started celebrating profusely, jumping, pumping his fists and yelling. It was clear it meant more than just another firstround win. In his first match on clay in nearly two years, Murray defeated Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the second round of the Madrid Open yesterday. It was his first win on clay since 2017. “I put in lots and lots of work, you know, this last little period,” Murray said. “I wanted to go out and put on a good performance. I have had some doubts and stuff about my own game at times over this last period, but I do feel like I have
ANDY MURRAY, of Britain, returns the ball against Dominic Thiem of Austria during their match at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, yesterday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) started to play some better unforced errors on centre tennis.” court. Playing as a wild card The 78th-ranked Murray after changing his mind on hadn’t played on clay since participating in the clay- the 2020 French Open. He court season, the former said he trained for four No. 1 broke Thiem once in each set and made only 13 SEE PAGE 16
MANCHESTER, England games remaining and is five (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo points behind fourth-placed continues to be the shinArsenal and three behind ing light in an otherwise Tottenham, with both rivals disappointing season for still having four to play. Manchester United. Ronaldo, who has netted Make that 18 goals in the in each of his last four games, English Premier League is third on the league’s list for the Portugal superstar of top scorers behind Liverafter he converted a penalty pool’s Mohamed Salah (22) that he earned himself in a and Tottenham’s Son Heung3-0 victory over Brentford min (19). yesterday. And he’ll be back again Ronaldo also had a goal next season, unlike some of disallowed at Old Trafthe other players in United’s ford for a narrow offside as team. United saved one of its best United fans gave standing performances of the season ovations to departing veterfor its final home game. CRISTIANO Ronaldo ans Nemanja Matic and Juan Bruno Fernandes and RaphMata as they were substituted ael Varane — with his first in English on their final Old Trafford appearances. football — were the other scorers. It was also the last home game in charge The victory kept alive -- at least for interim manager Ralf Rangnick, who mathematically -- sixth-placed United’s will be replaced by Erik ten Hag during chance of finishing in the top four and the offseason. qualifying for next season’s Champions League. United, though, has only two SEE PAGE 17
PAGE 16, Tuesday, May 3, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
‘We are happy to say that softball is back’ By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net DESPITE not having the proper size field to play on, the Bahamas Government Departmental Softball Association kicked off its 2022 season over the weekend. It was the first time that the league, now under the presidency of Dwayne Stevens, played since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic that halted local sporting activities in 2020. “We are happy to say that softball is back,” said Stevens after watching the series of games played on opening weekend on Sarturday and Sunday. The games were staged at the Bankers Field in the Balliou Hills Sporting Complex. “We had some very good games and it showed that both the players and the fans are all eager to see softball back. We had only standing room in the stands.”
The league, undoubtedly the largest that exists on the island, is normally played at their home at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. But because their four fields are being renovated to accommodate the upcoming Babe Ruth Caribbean Baseball Tournament in June, the league had to move their games to the modified pitch field. Stevens said they hope that once the tournament is completed, they would be able to return to their home facilities as the modified pitch field is not as acommodating in terms of the size. He noted the league lost more than 20 balls being hit out of the park as a result of home runs that they were not able to retrieve. He noted that the cost of softballs is extremely high and would add to the expenses in the option of the league as long as they use the Bankers Field. In the ladies games played on Saturday, the Bahamas
Departmental of Corrections Keepers roughed up the Royal Bahamas Police Force Interceptors 18-10 and the Royal Bahamas Police Force Enforcers blanked the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Waves 7-0. The men’s games saw the PMH Medics blast the RBPF Enforcers 17-10, the PHA Rookies knocked of the BDOC Reformers 27-20, the RBPF Interceptors pulled off a 28-22 decision over the RBDF Floaters 28-22 and the BTC Lasers routed the RBDF Cannons 27-9. On Sunday, the Electrotelcom Invaders ladies won 23-9 over the BTC Dials and in the men’s action, the PHM Rookies out-slugged the BTC Ringers 29-24 and the BDOC Reformers did a number on the RBDF Floaters 25-9. Stevens noted that over the weekend, they also got to witness the first home run ball hit out of the park by a female player.
FANS enjoy the game as the Bahamas Government Departmental Softball Association kicked off its 2022 season at the Bankers Field in the Balliou Hills Sporting Complex over the weekend. Photos by Tim Clarke It’s not yet certain In reference to organisHe said it bodes well for what is to come because the how many teams will be ing the two leagues, Stevens said he doesn’t foresee any competition is extremely participating. “We are trying right problems because the two tough and the players are eager to play, even though now to galvanise the teams leagues are separate and many of the teams didn’t because as you would have apart, although there are have sufficient fields to realised, with no games some players who play both played since 2020, a lot leagues. practice. He noted that once the In addition to slowpitch, of the managers have lost Stevens also serves as the interest and it’s a matter of BGDSA returns to their president of the New Provi- trying to get them to reor- home site, the NPSA will ganise their teams,” Stevens look at the possibility of dence Softball Association. playing more games on the He noted that the fast- said. “So once we can ascer- weekends on Saturday and pitch league is expected to start in June, once they tain which teams will be Sunday. He said no decihave completed all of the available, then we can make sion will be made until they necessary transfers of docu- a determination on exactly would have discussed the ments from the previous when we can start playing,” way forward with the team he added. representatives. administration.
DAVID ORTIZ TOURS BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
BASEBALL Hall of Fame inductee David Ortiz speaks to reporters during a news conference after his orientation tour of the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum yesterday in Cooperstown, N.Y. The former Boston Red Sox player will be inducted on July 24. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)
By JOHN KEKIS AP Sports Writer COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — “Papi! Papi!” With the chants echoing in the Plaque Gallery as he entered, David Ortiz felt right at home inside the Hall of Fame. The dreams of his youth growing up in the Dominican Republic came full circle on Monday at the end of the tour to prepare for his induction this summer. And Big Papi clearly was touched. “The party’s just beginning,” Ortiz said. Hearing a group of high school ballplayers calling out his nickname helped, too. A big smile creased his face as he sat somewhat in awe of his surroundings, wooden carvings of Babe Ruth and Ted Williams off just to his right. “Man, it’s been a long road, you know what I’m saying. Being in this room, it’s my first time ever. It gives me goosebumps because as a kid, it’s like these guys in this room, you look at them and you’re like wow! It’s kind of impossible (to imagine) considering where I come from,” he said.
“The greatest players to ever play the game. It’s a huge compliment. I still can’t believe it. I still can’t believe it,” he said. “I know on the field I do whatever it takes to win championships and represent Boston. It worked.” The longtime Red Sox slugger was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first try in January by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. A 10-time All-Star over 20 seasons, mostly with Boston, Ortiz was chosen on 77.9% of ballots, just above the 75% threshold needed for election. He’s the 58th player picked in his first year on the ballot. The 46-year-old Ortiz is the fourth Hall of Famer born in the Dominican Republic. He joins Juan Marichal, Pedro Martinez and Vladimir Guerrero. Ortiz will be enshrined on
July 24 along with veteran committee selections Buck O’Neil, Minnie Miñoso, Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat and Bud Fowler. Ortiz said he first started thinking about the Hall of Fame when he reached 400 homers in July 2012. “Once I hit my 400th, somebody had a conversation with me about it and I was like, ‘Hmm. Let me try to take care of myself better, see if I can get there,’ “ he said. “That’s when I started paying attention.” Ortiz, who batted .286 and hit 541 home runs with 1,768 RBIs playing for Boston and Minnesota, made 88% of his plate appearances as a designated hitter. That’s the most by anyone in the Hall of Fame, surpassing Seattle’s Edgar Martinez, who was a DH for 71.7% of his plate appearances.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Ortiz was one of the game’s top clutch hitters, helping the Red Sox to three World Series titles in his 14 seasons with them. And his mile-wide grin endeared him to fans far and wide, making him one of the game’s most popular players. A group of high school players from Easton, Pennsylvania, validated that on this day. At the Hall of Fame by chance after their game was rained out, they trailed him on his tour before greeting him and chanting his nickname. As he made his way through the Hall of Fame, Ortiz stopped and stared at the Ted Williams display and spoke with reverence about the Splendid Splinter’s sacrifices during World War II, when he spent three years in military service from 1943-45
instead of playing for the Red Sox. Ortiz also swung one of Williams’ bats and one of the Babe’s in the Hall. That made the impact of the day even more poignant. “I grew up tough, man. I grew up tough,” Ortiz said. “My childhood wasn’t that easy, but I had great parents to guide me and keep me away from trouble.” A left-handed hitter, Ortiz was signed by Seattle as a teenager, then traded to Minnesota as a minor leaguer. He made his major league debut with the Twins in 1997, but there was no hint of a future Hall of Famer. He was released in 2002 and then signed by Boston and his career took off. Still, those six years with the Twins remain embedded in his mind. When he entered the Plaque Gallery, Ortiz made a beeline for the plaque of Kirby Puckett and took a selfie in front of it. Puckett, who died of a stroke in 2006, was in the Minnesota front office and developed a close friendship with Ortiz when he arrived. Ortiz wore No. 34 with the Red Sox in honor of Puckett, who wore the number for the Twins.
ANDY
FROM PAGE 15
weeks on the surface to prepare for his return. “All matches right now are important for me,” he said. “Playing matches on the clay, you need a little bit more patience on the court, you need to think a little bit more than on the other surfaces. It’s been really positive for me.” Murray won the Madrid title in 2008 and 2015. He hadn’t played in the Spanish capital since 2017, the year he was ranked No. 1 for the last time. He also was a finalist in Madrid in 2016, losing to Novak Djokovic. “I feel very lucky to get to play in these places,” Murray said. “Fantastic atmosphere, not having been back here for a long time. I hope everybody who came to watch enjoyed it as much as I did playing.” Murray came to Madrid with a 10-8 record. He hasn’t won more than two matches in his last six tournaments. Before that, he reached the Sydney final in January.
SIMONA HALEP, of Romania, returns the ball during a match against Coco Gauff, of United States, at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid yesterday.
COCO GAUFF, of United States, returns the ball during a match against Simona Halep. (AP Photos/Bernat Armangue)
Thiem, the former No. 3-ranked player who was a finalist in Madrid in 201718, has been recovering from a wrist injury that sidelined him for eight months. He never found his rhythm against Murray and ended with 33 unforced errors. Simona Halep continued to impress in Madrid by overpowering American teenager Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-4 to make the quarterfinals.
She has 30 main draw wins, behind only the 31 she has at the Australian Open and Roland Garros. “It means a lot because I feel great,” Halep said. “I like the conditions. The people are very nice to me. I will always have a warm welcome. Everyone makes me feel like home.” Halep will face eighthseeded Ons Jabeur, who defeated Belinda Bencic 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in a match
A two-time Madrid Open champion, Halep upset No. 2-ranked Paula Badosa in the second round. The 21st-ranked Halep converted three of her five break opportunities to close out the center-court match against 16th-ranked Gauff. She rallied from a break down in the second set, winning the last five games. Halep won in Madrid in 2016 and 2017, and was runner-up in 2014 and 2019.
interrupted by rain after the second set. The 10th-ranked Jabeur, the only top-10 woman left in the draw, lost to Bencic at this stage in Madrid last year, and also in the final in Charleston last month. “I came here to take my revenge,” Jabeur said. “I wish I played like that in the final in Charleston, to be honest.” On the men’s side, Jannik Sinner saved three match
BJ Murray
MURRAY FROM PAGE 15
season in the Arizona Complex League. Through 16 ACL games, Murray hit .286, slugging .482 with a .826 OPS, 16 hits, including two home runs, three doubles, a triple, 12 runs scored an eight RBI His season was highlighted by a 4 - 4 game in his ACL Cubs’ 9-5 loss to the ACL Giants Orange. Murray hit a two-run home run, singled on a line drive to left field in the third, singled on a fly ball to right field in the sixth, and singled in the eighth to right field. He also added his first stolen base of the season. Murray was drafted following a star-studded career with Florida Atlantic University. He had an accolade-filled year in 2021 and received conference-wide recognition for his breakout sophomore season. He was named a 2021 All-Conference USA second-team selection. points in beating Tommy Paul 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-3. The American squandered two match points on serve at 5-3 in the second set, and another while trying to break at 6-5. “It was a very difficult situation,” Sinner said after the three-hour match on center court. “I’m happy to be in the second round.” The Italian next has Alex de Minaur, who beat Pedro Martínez 7-6 (2), 1-6, 6-3. Nikoloz Basilashvili defeated Fabio Fognini in straight sets to set up an encounter with Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz, who already has three titles this season: Rio de Janeiro, Miami and Barcelona. The 18-year-old Alcaraz has been attracting as much attention as Rafael Nadal, who is expected to make his return from injury on Wednesday. The practice courts were packed at the Caja Mágica tennis complex on Monday when Alcaraz trained with Djokovic. The top-ranked Djokovic is scheduled to debut on Tuesday against Gael Monfils.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, May 3, 2022, PAGE 17
Herro scores 25, Heat take Game 1 over 76ers 106-92 By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 25 points, Bam Adebayo finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds, and the Miami Heat topped the shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers 106-92 last night in the opener of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Jimmy Butler added 15 points for the top-seeded Heat, who got 10 from Gabe Vincent and P.J. Tucker. The 76ers were without Joel Embiid, the MVP finalist who isn’t even in Miami while recovering from an orbital fracture and concussion — injuries suffered in Philadelphia’s first-roundclinching win at Toronto. He’s not expected to play in Game 2. And as would be expected, he was missed. Tobias Harris scored 27 points for Philadelphia, which got 19 from Tyrese Maxey and 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists from James Harden. Game 2 is Wednesday in Miami. Miami came out as aggressive as could be, putting Tucker on Harden and having him guard him the entire 94 feet of the floor in a similar approach to what the Heat utilised against Atlanta’s Trae Young in the first round series. It worked — for a while. Miami led by as many as 12 in the opening quarter, then
GRAND Bahamian Abigail Simms with her Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Women’s Tennis Tournament championship trophies.
ABIGAIL AND WARRIORS WIN WHAC TENNIS TITLE PHILADELPHIA 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) drives to the basket as Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) defends, during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series yesterday in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier) a 10-2 run fueled by eight points from Herro gave the Heat a 13-point edge at 37-24 to mark their biggest of the half. The margin was still 46-36 midway through the second after another Herro basket. The rest of the half was all Philly. Miami went 1 for 9 from the field over the final 6 minutes of the half, with four turnovers in there as well, and Philadelphia went on a 15-4 spurt. Harden’s shot in the lane with 28 seconds left put the 76ers up 51-50, their first lead of the night and the score that
they took into the locker room. The 76ers scored the first four points of the second half, going up by five. That was as good as it got for the 76ers. Adebayo took a bullet pass from Tucker for a dunk that put Miami up 62-61, and that would be the final lead change of the night. It was the start of a 10-0 run that built a cushion, and then an 13-2 run early in the fourth decided matters and pushed the Heat edge out to 98-77. CLANK The teams combined to shoot 7 for 33 in the first
half from 3-point range — 3 for 17 by the 76ers, 4 for 16 by the Heat. ROBINSON SITS Heat guard Duncan Robinson, who led Miami in games played for a third consecutive regular season, didn’t appear in Game 1. It’s the first time since April 2019 that he dressed but didn’t play, ending a streak of 256 games including playoffs. He missed three games this season while on Miami’s inactive list. UP NEXT Game 2 is Wednesday in Miami.
SETTING history for Indiana Tech, Grand Bahamian Abigail Simms and the Warriors won the WolverineHoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Women’s Tennis Tournament championships on Saturday, marking two consecutive years as champions. They defeated No. 2 University of Northwestern Ohio 4-0 at the Grand Rapids Racquet Club. Simms was key playing the #1 doubles and #2 singles. Abigail won at No. 2 Singles, defeating Ana Cetina 6-4, 6-2. Due to the team shutting out the opponents 4-0 in singles, the doubles match with Abigail Simms/Criss Echavarria versus Veronika Kovalchuk/Jelena Lopicic went unfinished. The team was undefeated in the conference going into the championships. Warriors now receive the league’s automatic berth to the NAIA Women’s Tennis National Championship in Mobile, Alabama, May 17-21. Simms also captured the All-Conference award due to her hard work and great results this season. She was named the Conference player of the week in April. “The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) congratulates Simms on setting history with back to back conference championships! In addition, your AllConference Award and Conference Player of the Week recognition were well-deserved,” the BLTA wrote. “Simms and her teammates are going to Nationals again and we pray they have great success.”
RONALDO FROM PAGE 15
WASHINGTON Nationals’ Lucius Fox slides home to score against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, on Sunday.
WASHINGTON Nationals’ Lucius Fox, left, celebrates with Cesar Hernandez after the Nationals defeated the San Francisco Giants in a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, May 1, 2022. (AP Photos/Jeff Chiu)
FOX
FROM PAGE 15
the sixth inning off Yunior Marte and eventually scored a run on a wild pitch.
“From when I hit it, I was gone. When I hit it and saw they were playing me in the shift, I said, ‘There’s no way he was going to get me.’ So I was on full go. Once I touched first and I saw the
ball wasn’t there, it was just joy, just pure joy. “I was jumping up and down,” Fox said. “It was crazy. I smile a lot, but I couldn’t stop smiling in that moment.”
WASHINGTON Nationals’ Lucius Fox hits an RBI-single against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, May 1, 2022. Fox and the Nationals will look to maintain momentum when they travel to Coors Field to take on the Colorado Rockies. The first of a three-game series takes
place tonight at 8:40pm local time. Both teams are coming off series wins with the Rockies recently defeating the Reds, and the Nationals beating the Giants.
Monday marked a year since the postponement of United’s home match against Liverpool, when fans made clear their anger at the ownership of the Glazer family in the wake of the European Super League debacle. Supporters have protested at each of United’s final three home games and the anti-Glazer sentiment was apparent before and during the victory against Brentford. It was the first match that Brentford had lost with Christian Eriksen in the team and he pulled the strings in the London club’s first competitive match at Old Trafford since 1975. Anthony Elanga set the first goal in the ninth minute, scampering down the right and crossing for Fernandes to volley home. Ronaldo was proving a handful, forcing David Raya into an awkward save from a long-range free kick, then furiously claiming he should have had a penalty following Mads Bech Sorensen’s challenge. Then Ronaldo smartly flicked a pass into Mata, who lashed narrowly wide of the near post on his first Premier League start of the season. The roles were reversed when Mata broke down the left and sent a low cross that Ronaldo squeezed past Raya. The provider and scorer celebrated together, only for the goal to be ruled out following a VAR review. United created breathing space in the 61st minute when Ronaldo was bundled over in the box by Rico Henry before sending Raya the wrong way in front of an elated Stretford End. Ahead of the final goal, Pontus Jansson nearly turned a cross from Ronaldo into his own goal but it went behind for a corner. Telles swung it in and Varane hooked home the ball via a minor deflection.
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THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, May 3, 2022, PAGE 19
SANDS: POOR SACRIFICED ‘ON TAX EFFICIENCY ALTAR’ FROM PAGE 24
Acknowledging that there may have been some merit to the Davis administration’s decision to return to a lower rate, broad-based VAT when it was taken late last year, Dr Sands said the economic climate had changed so drastically that a rethink was urgently required to mitigate what many are describing as a cost of living crisis for the most vulnerable elements in Bahamian society. Accusing the Government of “just being tone deaf”, he told this newspaper: “It’s an unfortunate situation to just become stubborn in spite of things that have happened. You might have made a decision, and arguably it was not an unreasonable decision at a particular point, but we now have a drastic claw back in terms of buying power from the war in Ukraine, COVID-induced supply chain challenges, delivery challenges and so forth. “Oil prices, which impact everything, have gone up. One dollar buying power six months ago may only be at 88 cents now. You say it’s no big deal charging 10 percent VAT on medicines and breadbasket items, but it’s a friggin big deal those barely making it.” But Gowon Bowe, who headed the private sector’s Coalition for Responsible Taxation when VAT was introduced in 2015, told Tribune Business on Monday that he has “extreme difficulty” with why some cannot see that zero rating/exempting these goods from the now-10 percent levy “is counterproductive to what the objective is”. Removing VAT from goods such as flour, corn beef, grits and tomato paste merely gave a tax break to those who could afford to pay the tax, he reiterated, which further worsened the unfairness of what is already a regressive consumption-based tax that imposed more of a burden on low income Bahamians. Pointing to multiple studies and empirical evidence that all favoured The Bahamas maintaining a broad-based, low-rate and efficient VAT with minimal zero ratings and/ or exemptions, Mr Bowe said the consensus was that redistributing what wealthier persons paid in VAT on breadbasket items to the poor via social security assistance was a better, more targeted way of assisting those struggling with the cost of living. He argued that the ‘VAT on breadbasket items’ debate must be approached “from the point of knowledge, study and information, not uninformed, ignorant and emotional”. Yet, while Dr Sands produced no data to back his argument, he argued that Mr Bowe’s approach was too focused on tax efficiency and the overall economy as opposed to the impact on lower income and more vulnerable Bahamians. “I think you have to ask: ‘What is the viewpoint?’” the FNM chairman responded. “The viewpoint is the ease of administration
and efficiency of tax collection. There’s no question that an across-the-board, one-size-fits-all rate is going to optimise collections. That doesn’t change the fact that VAT is a regressive tax which will be disproportionately imposed on those least able to afford it. “The Government has made it very clear; they have advised that this is going to drive people to require social assistance. What you are saying is that on the altar of tax efficiency you’re happy to drive more families below the poverty line and to give them hand-outs to make ends meet.... The most vulnerable in the community, if you’re saying you’d rather give them handouts than remain independent, then I think there’s something fundamentally wrong with our humanity. “Gowon is looking at the net impact on the overall economy. The more efficient the tax is, the more you collect across the board. Fine, but don’t ignore the uneven impact the tax has on the poor compared to the wealthy. That’s the reason why, in 2018, we made a conscious decision to eliminate VAT on breadbasket items.” Senator Michael Halkitis, minister of economic affairs, last week argued that the former Minnis administration undermined the low-rate, broad-based VAT model because it was forced to increase the rate from the initial 7.5 percent to 12 percent to pay for the zero ratings and exemptions it granted. He added that the Government’s stressed financial position also means that any revenue cuts it makes in one area has to be compensated by increases in another. Still, Dr Sands told Tribune Business it was “unconscionable” that the Davis administration had effectively made it “more expensive to get healthy” for persons “struggling to make ends meet” by placing 10 percent VAT on all medicines. “There’s no other way to put it. It’s unconscionable,” he asserted. “Things have changed compared to three, four months ago. The world has been turned upside down. The breadbasket of the world [Russia/Ukraine] is in the midst of a war. We have not yet resolved problems with the supply chain. We see oil prices that are way more expensive than ever imagined, at $6.50 per gallon. This is the equivalent of a fiscal Dorian. It requires that we make the tough decisions.” Turning to the Davis administration’s decision to restore VAT on breadbasket foods and medicines, Dr Sands added: “The fact you conceived this idea seven to eight months ago, are you able to pivot or are you just stuck? You have to be able to be flexible, you have to be able to respond. If you are stuck like a deer in the headlights, and are unwilling to pivot, you have to question the commitment to lead.” Urging the Government to “take another bite at the apple”, and “take the political hit” from doing so, the
FNM chairman in his voice note likened the Government to the last French queen, Marie Antoinette, who when advised that many of her subjects could not afford to buy bread allegedly responded: “Then let them eat cake.” The Opposition has long sought to portray the Government as insensitive and uncaring on the VAT breadbasket issue, in hopes
of gaining political advantage. Dr Sands’ voice note argued that such history was now being repeated in The Bahamas some 233 years later, where the most vulnerable are “being battered by an economic storm” that projects inflation will this year hit 7.3 percent - the highest level in 30 years. With many food prices hitting record levels in
March 2022, he added: “Despite acknowledging that the most vulnerable are being pushed below the poverty line, like modern Marie Antoinettes, the new PLP administration insists they are not going to ease up on this governmentimposed burden.” Suggesting that the Cabinet has “doubled down”, the FNM chairman said the Government was more
interested in obtaining taxes to expand the size of the public sector and fund its travel. “Will nothing get them to see the plight of the people?” he asked. “Never mind the hardship, never mind the pain, never mind the worry.... For the love of God, ease up on the taxation, cut back on nonessential spending. Things are hard for far too many people in The Bahamas.”
PAGE 20, Tuesday, May 3, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
$700M OPTIMISM BAHAMAS CAN ‘TAKE OIL PRICE PRESSURE’ FROM PAGE 24
inflows will improve “the capacity of the Government to raise more of its financing needs in local currency” as this will offset the external leakages that inevitably occur when the public sector starts spending borrowed Bahamian dollars. Noting that all government spending “contains elements of foreign exchange outflows and leakages”, the governor added: “The economy is in a stronger position to fund these outflows through inflows coming through the private sector”. Assessing the implications of all this, the Central Bank said: “The domestic economy is projected to maintain its growth momentum in 2022 supported by robust, ongoing recovery in both stopover and cruise activities. Nonetheless, risks to the sector remain heightened as the emergence of new strains
of COVID-19 could potentially derail the progress made on the international health front and disrupt the travel sector. “Likewise, the rise in fuel costs could erode the travel industry competitiveness, while counter-inflation policies could constrain the travel spending capacity of key source market consumers. However, new and ongoing foreign investment-led projects, combined with post-hurricane rebuilding works, are expected to provide impetus to the construction sector. “In terms of the labour market, the unemployment rate is expected to remain above pre-pandemic levels, but with further workforce engagement concentrated primarily in the construction sector and full re-employment of tourism sector employees.”
GOVERNOR RAISES RESERVES FORECAST AS $3BN BEATEN
“Over the course of the year, for the most part, there have been over-subscriptions of government debt issues. We see the Government’s net and total borrowing needs beginning to moderate over the medium term. They were elevated at the height of the pandemic.”
very close in some ways to spending $1bn on the oil component of imports. Last year we were a few hundred million dollars below the level of expenditure we spent on oil just a few years ago.” Should current global prices “persist”, Mr Rolle said Bahamians “should not be surprised if the oil bill goes up $100m or a few hundred million dollars. But that doesn’t immediately translate into a reduction of foreign exchange because it’s happening in a period with all the inflows and also happening amid the level of recovery that is taking place when there is a significant bump up in foreign exchange coming into the country. “We saw for January to March, compared to last year, $700m-plus more in US dollar purchases at the banks,” the Central Bank
FROM PAGE 24 the reserves as of the beginning of May were just above $3bn. The Central Bank expects further seasonal accumulation in the external reserves over the remainder of the peak tourism months, before some reduction sets in over the second half of 2022. “Nevertheless, we believe that conditions have improved enough such that, by the end of 2022, some net gains will remain in the reserves compared to the end of 2021. This is an upward revision to the forecast for the reserves.... The strength of the reserves and improved tourism outlook continue to support a more accommodating monetary policy position for credit expansion,” Mr Rolle added. “Nevertheless, private sector credit conditions have remained contractionary during the first quarter of 2022, with a
governor continued. “So it’s a sign that the volume of foreign exchange inflows is up, and that is going to absorb a lot of these additional pressures” from soaring global oil prices. With increased foreign sector transactions indicating a strengthening economy still trying to recover all output lost during COVID-19, Mr Rolle said: “During the first quarter, the foreign currency inflows through commercial banks were almost two-thirds higher than were experienced in the same period of 2021. Similarly, there was a healthy resumption in domestic demand, reflected in a one-third boost in commercial bank sales of foreign exchange to the private sector..... “Returning to the nearterm risks in the economy, these are varied. One is the projected impact of rising interest rates in the
further net repayment on mortgages and consumer loans, although there was a modest increase in outstanding credit for other purposes, including business activities. It should be noted that the domestic lending environment is still characterised by elevated risks, and a constrained pool of eligible borrowers, which even predated the pandemic.” Asked about the possibility of further exchange control liberalisation, especially when it came to facilitating investments by Bahamians in digital assets and cryptocurrencies, Mr Rolle said this depended on implementing reforms to the economy’s underlying fundamentals such that further loosening did not “destabilise” it. He also warned that “we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves” and reach a position where Bahamians were seeking to invest in external assets, digital or traditional,
US and other major economies which are intended to slow inflation, and could particularly dampen the medium-term post-recovery prospects for tourism. “In the meantime, the inflation on imported fuel and other goods and services is expected to add to the leakage rate of foreign exchange from the economy. So far as oil prices are concerned, inflation could also make international travel less affordable - a potential drag on tourism. There are also lingering gaps in health system infrastructures at home and abroad that could lead to frustration from additional waves of COVID-19 infections,” Mr Rolle continued. “While there, therefore, remains a net positive outlook for near-term growth and the potential for accumulation of external reserves, efforts must continue to strengthen the economy’s resilience.
for “speculative” purposes because there was “fear and panic” that the economy was in trouble. Asserting that “building confidence” in the domestic economy is key, Mr Rolle explained: “I want the public to understand we have done a lot in a gradual way to increase Bahamians’ access to foreign exchange for investment purposes. When we look abroad, that approach of how we reform the system to provide access is going to continue to be guided by how ready and prepared our economy is to do so in a stable and non-destabilising fashion. “We need to understand that our aspirations are not disconnected from the kind of reforms we have to continue to make in this economy so that when Bahamians look abroad to invest, whether it’s crypto or other traditional portfolio investments, they so as part of the process of
For its part, the Central Bank expects to maintain a cautious, but balanced, approach to managing foreign exchange risks and to safeguarding the stability of the financial sector.” Responding to questions from Tribune Business, Mr Rolle said higher interest rates in the US and elsewhere as central banks worldwide seek to combat inflation may “impinge on persons’ ability to afford to travel” in the medium to longer-term once the postCOVID pent-up demand has been released. “We have to be very attentive to how we move beyond that period,” he explained. “It means the environment has to be characterised by a reasonable amount of caution, and a continued focus on how we get the economy stronger and more resilient over the medium and long-term.” Mr Rolle said the increased foreign exchange
diversifying their mix of investments. “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves and have a situation where persons are looking to get outside because they’re speculating it’s not safe to be in The Bahamas for whatever reason, and therefore may have fear and panic as their motivation to get out,” the governor added. “We want to do it so we build confidence that Bahamians have in the domestic system, and so the desire is not driven by fear or the need to hedge against things going wrong in our economy.” Mr Rolle said fixing the Government’s fiscal health was also critical in this area. He added that the performance of the Government’s domestic debt offerings had also improved during recent issues. “The Government bond market, the performance has varied,” the governor conceded. “However, in the very
recent period we’ve seen significant improvement in the amount of funds being put forward for investment in government instruments.
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50.21
2.25
SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ BFHP CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB
BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.54 99.98 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.98 100.00
104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 91.00 100.00 99.98 91.00 90.95 89.02 89.62 89.00 90.24 90.73
MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.52 4.69 2.22 207.86 212.41 1.73 1.83 1.82 1.05 9.37 11.83 7.54 16.64 12.84 10.77 10.00 10.43 14.89
52WK LOW 2.11 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.68 1.73 1.75 0.99 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20
Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y BGRS FX BGR125238 BGRS FL BGRS79026 BGRS FL BGRS78024 BGRS FX BGR125238 BGRS FX BGR127139 BGRS FX BGR127149 BGRS FX BGR129249 BGRS FX BGR131249 BGRS FX BGR132249 BGRS FX BGR136150
BAH29 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0307 BG0330 BG0407 BSBGR1252380 BSBGRS790262 BSBGRS780248 BSBGR1252380 BSBGR1271398 BSBGR1271497 BSBGR1292493 BSBGR1312499 BSBGR1322498 BSBGR1361504
LAST CLOSE 5.35 39.95 2.04 2.31 2.25 6.05 9.25 3.30 7.60 2.66 7.34 14.00 2.18 10.25 11.81 10.75 15.00 3.99 10.00 15.50 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00 LAST SALE 100.00 100.00 107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.54 99.98 100.00 100.00 100.00 89.62 100.00 100.00 100.00
CLOSE 5.35 39.95 2.04 2.31 2.25 6.05 9.25 3.25 7.52 2.67 7.34 14.00 2.13 10.25 11.70 10.75 15.00 3.99 10.00 15.50 1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00
BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings
0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
CLOSE 100.00 100.00
CHANGE 0.00 0.00
107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.54 99.98 100.00 100.00 100.00 89.62 100.00 100.00 100.00
0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Financial Conservative Fund Leno Financial Aggressive Fund Leno Financial Balanced Fund Leno Financial Global Bond Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund RF Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Equities Sub Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - High Yield Income Fund RF Bahamas International Investment Fund Limited - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F
MARKET TERMS
CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.05) (0.08) 0.01 0.00 0.00 (0.05) 0.00 (0.11) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
VOLUME
2,128 1,300 60,728
732,025
20 10
VOLUME
(242) 323‐2330 (242) 323‐2320 EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.140 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.080 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25% 6.95% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.50% 6.25% 4.25% 5.00% 4.53% 4.50% 5.00% 5.00% 5.50% 5.55% 5.60% 5.65% 5.69%
NAV 2.52 4.69 2.21 197.44 202.39 1.73 1.82 1.82 0.99 9.37 11.79 7.54 15.94 12.47 10.74 N/A 10.43 14.89
YTD% 12 MTH% 0.99% 4.22% 0.36% 5.78% 0.67% 2.74% -2.97% -2.35% -4.72% 6.04% 0.83% 2.82% -0.18% 3.72% 0.76% 3.55% -3.55% -3.85% -0.02% 10.36% -0.33% 18.23% 0.22% 3.05% -3.89% 14.76% -1.04% -2.57% 0.81% 4.20% N/A N/A 3.00% 25.60% 7.90% 48.70%
P/E 22.4 42.9 N/M 16.5 N/M N/M 25.1 -7.4 53.7 14.5 16.3 19.4 20.9 21.9 18.1 14.8 18.4 19.7 10.6 24.6 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
YIELD 3.18% 3.15% 0.98% 3.46% 0.00% 0.00% 2.81% 0.00% 0.00% 4.49% 3.00% 5.14% 20.38% 0.59% 2.80% 2.23% 3.60% 3.01% 2.00% 3.94% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%
MATURITY 19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025 20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2022 15-Oct-2038 28-Mar-2026 22-Sep-2024 15-Oct-2038 15-Jan-2039 15-Jan-2049 15-Apr-2049 15-Jul-2049 15-Oct-2049 21-Apr-2050
NAV Date 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 25-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Mar-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Jan-2022 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021 31-Mar-2021
YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful
TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | CORALISLE 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that ELVAIS JEAN of East Avenue, Carmichael Road, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 3rd day of May, 2022 tothe Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that SHEKANYA MEZILIEN of Pelican Shores, Abaco, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 3rd day of May, 2022 tothe Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that ITALIA PHISSIEN-ST. FELIX of Harbour Island, Eleuthera, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 26th day of April, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, May 3, 2022, PAGE 21
GOVERNOR WARNS ECONOMY ‘OVERPOWERED’ AFTER 2023
FROM PAGE 24
Just 1,494 applications were denied, a 26.2 percent drop on 2021 first half rejects and a 50.2 percent decline compared to the 2020 second half. John Rolle, the Central Bank’s governor, said yesterday: “The latest lending conditions survey covering the second half of 2021 points to increasing applications for credit, and a higher average rate of approval for applications. “On average, more than four out every five requests were for consumer loans, with the largest single concentration being for debt consolidation. Again, the more common reasons for unsuccessful credit applications were high debt service burden, insufficient or unverifiable income and underemployment. “Although recent data points to less uptick in
average loan delinquency rates than was projected to occur during the pandemic, there is still additional rebuilding needed to improve beyond the prepandemic baseline. As the Credit Bureau’s operations mature, confidence around lending is expected to increase,” Mr Rolle added. “In this regard, a renewed and co-ordinated public education campaign is being organised around the bureau over the remainder of this year. In addition, over the second quarter of this year, the Central Bank intends to launch a public consultation process for the moveable collateral registry in preparation for infrastructure that would increase the potential for secured lending for business purposes.” The lending conditions report found that consumer loan applications rose by 4.6 percent compared to
the 2021 first half while interest in commercial credit and mortgages both rose by 1.6 percent. “On an annual basis, a similar firming trend was revealed broadly across mortgages (66.9 percent), commercial purposes (23.5 percent) and consumer loans (22.9 percent),” the report added. “Consumer loans represent 87.4 percent of total loan requests, with the number of applications increased by 4.6 percent over the prior six months, and by 22.9 percent relative to December 2020. A disaggregation of the consumer component revealed that requests were concentrated most for debt consolidation (24.5 percent), ‘other’ miscellaneous reasons (20.8 percent), travel (14.9 percent) and credit cards (14 percent). “A majority of the categories registered gains,
although debt consolidation contracted by 22.8 percent on a half-year basis, and by 34.4 percent relative to December 2020. Of significance, travel loan applications almost doubled over the latter half of 20211. “In addition, increases occurred for furnishings and appliances (53.7 percent), education (28.8 percent), credit cards (22.1 percent) and home improvement (18.8 percent). On an annual basis, applications strengthened considerably for credit cards and travel, while notable gains also occurred for household and miscellaneous purposes and services.” The Central Bank report indicates that while debt consolidation still accounted for one out of every four consumer loan applications in the 2021 second half, the demand for such credit had slowed
appreciably since the COVID-19 pandemic’s peak in 2020. More than half of all consumer loan denials, some 52 percent, occurred because borrowers debt service ratios were just too high. When it came to mortgages, the report added: “Over the latter half of 2021, the number of mortgage applications grew by 1.6 percent to 1,178. Requests for residential mortgages continued to dominate at 98.6 percent of the total. The total volume of residential mortgage applications also rose by 2.8 percent relative to the previous six-month period, and by 65.5 percent year-on-year. “Mortgage applications retained the lowest approval rate of all loan categories, at 39.4 percent, softening both from the first half of 2021 (51.5 percent) and December 2020
DEBT CONSOLIDATION STILL LEADS CONSUMER LENDING FROM PAGE 24 Just 1,494 applications were denied, a 26.2 percent drop on 2021 first half rejects and a 50.2 percent decline compared to the 2020 second half. John Rolle, the Central Bank’s governor, said yesterday: “The latest lending conditions survey covering the second half of 2021 points to increasing applications for credit, and a higher average rate of approval for applications. “On average, more than four out every five requests were for consumer loans, with the largest single concentration being for debt consolidation. Again, the more common reasons for unsuccessful credit applications were high debt service burden, insufficient or unverifiable income and underemployment. “Although recent data points to less uptick in average loan delinquency rates than was projected to occur during the pandemic, there is still additional rebuilding
needed to improve beyond the pre-pandemic baseline. As the Credit Bureau’s operations mature, confidence around lending is expected to increase,” Mr Rolle added. “In this regard, a renewed and co-ordinated public education campaign is being organised around the bureau over the remainder of this year. In addition, over the second quarter of this year, the Central Bank intends to launch a public consultation process for the moveable collateral registry in preparation for infrastructure that would increase the potential for secured lending for business purposes.” The lending conditions report found that consumer loan applications rose by 4.6 percent compared to the 2021 first half while interest in commercial credit and mortgages both rose by 1.6 percent. “On an annual basis, a similar firming trend was revealed broadly across mortgages (66.9 percent), commercial
purposes (23.5 percent) and consumer loans (22.9 percent),” the report added. “Consumer loans represent 87.4 percent of total loan requests, with the number of applications increased by 4.6 percent over the prior six months, and by 22.9 percent relative to December 2020. A disaggregation of the consumer component revealed that requests were concentrated most for debt consolidation (24.5 percent), ‘other’ miscellaneous reasons (20.8 percent), travel (14.9 percent) and credit cards (14 percent). “A majority of the categories registered gains, although debt consolidation contracted by 22.8 percent on a half-year basis, and by 34.4 percent relative to December 2020. Of significance, travel loan applications almost doubled over the latter half of 20211. “In addition, increases occurred for furnishings and appliances
(53.7 percent), education (28.8 percent), credit cards (22.1 percent) and home improvement (18.8 percent). On an annual basis, applications strengthened considerably for credit cards and travel, while notable gains also occurred for household and miscellaneous purposes and services.” The Central Bank report indicates that while debt consolidation still accounted for one out of every four consumer loan applications in the 2021 second half, the demand for such credit had slowed appreciably since the COVID-19 pandemic’s peak in 2020. More than half of all consumer loan denials, some 52 percent, occurred because borrowers debt service ratios were just too high. When it came to mortgages, the report added: “Over the latter half of
2021, the number of mortgage applications grew by 1.6 percent to 1,178. Requests for residential mortgages continued to dominate at 98.6 percent of the total. The total volume of residential mortgage applications also rose by 2.8 percent relative to the previous six-month period, and by 65.5 percent year-on-year. “Mortgage applications retained the lowest approval rate of all loan categories, at 39.4 percent, softening both from the first half of 2021 (51.5 percent) and December 2020 (54.7 percent). A breakdown by structure revealed decreases in approval rates for existing dwellings (51.6 percent), new construction projects (36.4 percent) and rehabilitations and other additions (22.8 percent). “Meanwhile, although the 18.8 percent approval
(54.7 percent). A breakdown by structure revealed decreases in approval rates for existing dwellings (51.6 percent), new construction projects (36.4 percent) and rehabilitations and other additions (22.8 percent). “Meanwhile, although the 18.8 percent approval rate for commercial mortgages nearly tripled relative to June 2021, it was reduced by 6.3 percentage points year-on-year..... The primary specified reasons for the rejection of mortgage requests was applicants’ breach of the debt service ratio threshold of 40-45 percent (50.5 percent) and prior loan delinquency (12.6 percent). Also, other ‘miscellaneous’ reasons cited influenced one-fifth of rejections.” The latter factor included low credit scores and lending outside bank policy. rate for commercial mortgages nearly tripled relative to June 2021, it was reduced by 6.3 percentage points year-on-year..... The primary specified reasons for the rejection of mortgage requests was applicants’ breach of the debt service ratio threshold of 40-45 percent (50.5 percent) and prior loan delinquency (12.6 percent). Also, other ‘miscellaneous’ reasons cited influenced one-fifth of rejections.” The latter factor included low credit scores and lending outside bank policy.
TO ADVERTISE TODAY IN THE TRIBUNE CALL @ 502-2394
PAGE 22, Tuesday, May 3, 2022
THE TRIBUNE
BAHAMIAN CONTENT CREATORS LOSING OUT OVER ‘THOUSANDS’ By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN content creator said the sector is missing out on “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in revenue due to difficulties in obtaining payment from abroad, and hopes digital assets will provide a muchneeded cure. Michael Armogan, president of the Bahamas ESports Federation, told Tribune Business that Bahamian content creators are missing out on advertising revenue from social media platforms such as YouTube because the government has failed to put in place sound banking policies that allow the social media giant and others to send payment to this nation. He said: “Content creators have been using alternative methods to
get paid, by either using a US bank or some other method. But even if you take a look at Google’s creator programme or the YouTube partnership programme, The Bahamas isn’t even listed.” He added that The Bahamas was not listed on the YouTube partnership programme because the country’s banking system is red-flagged by the social media giant. Mr Armogan said: “Essentially they’re saying that there’s not enough interest, but banking is a part of the problem, too. So yes, there is a situation with interest and the amount of content creators that actually are on the platform that are getting the requirements. “But also, when they do hit the requirements and they try to be eligible, if their account is listed as being created from The Bahamas or listed from The Bahamas, then it really
stops it from getting there. Some people are bypassing and saying they’re from the States, Canada. “When they do try to send the information into the bank, there’s a problem. Typically they have to go through some alternative route, either sending it to some exchange or third -party person, or even having it sent via cheque to then cash over here, which would difficult because the cheque is a US cheque.” Mr Armogan believes this can be solved by the Government reaching out to the social media platform to meet its requirements, which he adds can be done in “either a few months or a few weeks, depending on the seriousness of the approach. “This should really be a situation where all you have to do is put in your banking details and SWIFT code, and it goes directly to your account,” he said. “This is
something that the Government really should be taking a look into, because it’s holding a lot of things back, especially since they’re taking a look at this whole ‘white paper’ situation with cryptocurrency.” In the Caribbean, only Jamaica currently can be monetised through YouTube’s partnership programme. Websites and bloggers can earn through Google’s adsense platform, but the revenue pale in comparison to the thousands of dollars content creators can make on the video-sharing platform. Mr Armogan said: “Honestly, the best thing to do was start taking a look at the banking procedures and making sure that they’re allowing these international companies to actually work with us and not be as held back, as we typically are. “I think, again, a lot of this conversation is starting to happen now.
Unfortunately, it’s only happening because of cryptocurrency and FTX, and I think the other one is OKX, coming here, and so they’re now wanting to be this tech hub. Meanwhile, we are still very much held back by our own government in regard to the ways that we can make money. “So, yeah, the first step is essentially taking a look and making sure that the banks here, and the main one being our own Central Bank, which actually manages and dictates all the policies and procedures, starts taking a look at this and paving the way forward and, if any banks are trying to stop it, let’s say one of the Canadian banks as an example, not allowing that.” Mr Armogan added: “A lot of content creators are already put into a situation where they don’t want to create content on YouTube because there’s no way for
them to really monetise it, and those ones you can’t even calculate because they’re not even wanting to do that. “But if you take a look at the content creators already out there, some of them already having millions of followers and hundreds of thousands of views. They can quite literallybe making thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, just from the content creation alone. That’s not anything to do with partnerships or anything like that, because then they would actually be recognised as a verified partner.” The only social media platform that allows for monetiaation for Bahamian content creators is Twitch, but it is primarily a gaming platform. Facebook has started its video monetisation programme but that, too, is not eligible for Bahamians.
Mass production farm: ‘It took 10 years to get right’ A MASS producing farm says “it took us over ten years to get it right” when it came to working out the temperature and climaterelated conditions for optimum plant output. Lucayan Tropical Produce’s developers gave food security non-profit, the Agricultural Development Organisation (ADO), an insight into their struggles to build a sustainable agricultural business during a tour of its 20,000 square metre facility. Philip Smith, the ADO’s executive chairman, said: “While it is evident that there is a huge difference in resources and production capabilities between a mass production facility like Lucayan Tropical Produce and a backyard farmer in Cat Island, what is most interesting to us is how we can learn from both and help each other.” Lucayan Tropical Produce’s facilities feature a combination of greenery,
soil, plants, shade houses, refrigeration, boilers, equipment and multiple rows of cucumbers, lettuce and tomaotes. “We started in the fourth quarter of 2006 and it took us over ten years to begin to get it right,” explained the company’s president, Cameron Symonette. The most surprising lesson they learned was how dynamic agriculture was versus other traditional manufacturing businesses. Cameron Symonette and his father, Craig, also a director of Lucayan Tropical Produce, described this as “the continuous pursuit of a happy plant, one that wants to produce”. “We changed systems and management four times and kept trying to get it right,” said Cameron Symonette. “We felt we could produce 100 percent of the market needs for cucumbers, and 100 percent of the island of New Providence’s need for
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LUCAYAN Tropical Produce’s president, Cameron Symonette, explains the benefits of sharp changes in night and day temperature for healthy, ‘happy’ plants to visitors from the new food security non-profit, the Agricultural Development Organisation (ADO). Picture L to R are ADO director, Diane Phillips; ADO executive chairman, Philip Smith; Sysco Bahamas president, Karen Casey and, in the background next to Mr Symonette, is Craig Symonette who founded Lucayan Tropical in 2006. Bahamian tomatoes, but it just wasn’t happening.” What stood in the way was lack of any significant difference between night and day temperatures. “Under good farming conditions, a plant stresses every day in the heat and relaxes at night,” said Cameron Symonette. “In The Bahamas, there is little
difference between night and day, so the plant is stressed most of the time given the rolling average of difference being so small. It took us a long time to figure that out; to figure out what made the happy plant.” Now, with strictly controlled temperatures, constant refrigerated trucking and a new closed loop
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that KENLEY SANON of Dundas Town, Abaco, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 26th day of April, 2022 tothe Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
IN THE ESTATE OF GARLAND WAYDE SANDS late of Cloister Drive, Paradise Island one of the Islands of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Deceased. NOTICE is hereby given that all persons having any claims against the above-named Estate are required on or before the 1st day of June A. D., 2022 to send their names and addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the undersigned in writing or in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution AND all persons indebted to the said Estate are hereby requested to pay their respective debts to the undersigned on or before the date above mentioned. AND NOTICE is hereby also given that at the expiration of the time period above mentioned, the assets of the late GARLAND WAYDE SANDS will be distributed among the persons entitled thereto having regard only to the claims of which the Executor shall then have had notice in writing. Dated this 2nd day of May, A. D. 2022 Roberts, Isaacs & Ward, Unit No.2, Cable Beach Court Professional Centre, 400 West Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas.
temperature-controlled chill house under intense lighting, the lettuce that Lucayan Tropical Produce turns out is proving to have a longer shelf life than rival products, said Mr Symonette. Through the new indoor growing system, the company is able to produce lettuce year-round. Despite growing up to five varieties of tomatoes, the exteme summer heat puts a halt to that production. Lucayan Tropical supplies about 65 percent of the cucumber market with both slender European varieties and traditional produce. Karen Casey, an ADO director and president of Sysco Bahamas (Bahamas Food Services), said of the visit: “It takes a tremendous investment to create a massive scale successful farm in The Bahamas. It reinforces our need to focus on cooperative crop planting and we are extremely grateful that the Symonettes have offered to help us in that.”
Mr Smith added: “Craig and Cameron shared 16 years of experience with us, experience we can take back to workshops on community farming, backyard and schoolyard farming. This has been an incredibly valuable tour.” ADO was formed in early January with a $1.1m grant from FTX, the cryptocurrency exchange and blockchain trading platform that is now constructing its headquarters in The Bahamas. Ryan Salome, FTX Digital Markets chief executive, serves on the steering committee along with Royal Caribbean International president and chief executive, Michael Bayley; businessman and ex-minister of tourism, Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace; Ms Casey and Mr Smith. The latter is the former executive director of the Bahamas Feeding Network. More than a dozen community and civic leaders serve on various committees.
NOTICE IN THE ESTATE OF PHILIP ROBERTS late of #58 McKinney Drive in the Western District of The Island of New Providence one of the Islands of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Deceased. NOTICE is hereby given that all persons having any claims against the above-named Estate are required on or before the 24th day of May A. D., 2022 to send their names and addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the undersigned in writing or in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution AND all persons indebted to the said Estate are hereby requested to pay their respective debts to the undersigned on or before the date above mentioned. AND NOTICE is hereby also given that at the expiration of the time period above mentioned, the assets of the late PHILIP ROBERTS will be distributed among the persons entitled thereto having regard only to the claims of which the Executor shall then have had notice in writing. Dated this 22nd day of April, A.D. 2022 Roberts, Isaacs & Ward, Unit No.2, Cable Beach Court Professional Centre, West Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, May 3, 2022, PAGE 23
Planning Appeals Board will be ‘no rubber stamp’ By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A CABINET minister yesterday pledged that the newly-appointed planning appeals Board will not serve as “a rubber stamp” for any government or Town Planning Committee decisions. Alfred Sears, minister for works, speaking at the unveiling of the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB), said it will not interfere with, or intervene in, prior planning decisions without cause or proper consultation with persons impacted by potential development. Mr Sears said: “I have appeared before the Board,
and I can tell you that this board and the incoming chairman would not be a rubber stamp. But I wouldn’t use the word ‘rubber stamp’ in relation to this process from my personal experience. “The Board has been very judicious, and I’m not getting this second hand. It’s as an advocate when I appeared before the Board. Every courtesy was extended, and there was a careful attention to the submissions. I made written submissions and oral submissions, and determination was made, and I have no reason - I would reject any assertion or allegation - of rubber stamp.” Mr Sears recalled: “One case I appeared in,
a developer wanted to build condominium complex on West Bay Street. A determination was made for a rejection in part, and an approval in part, and a rejection could be that the zoning of the area is for single storey, single family dwellings. The application may be an application for a multi-family dwelling, and the applicant may challenge - as was done in that case - that when one looks, first of all, the zoning did not prohibit it. “There were no restrictive covenants in the conveyance, or one may argue that the development within the immediate area was consistent with what the applicant proposes to do, and ask that there would be review and a
variation on the determination that the town planning committee. “So the issues related to zoning issues, related to the environment and here, there are standards applied. You look at the conveyance, you look at the zoning, and the environment and, of course, the law requires that there also be public hearings. The residents within that area will have an opportunity to weigh in and indicate any objections that they may have, and all of these are some of the factors that would be considered in a judicial manner by the board and a determination made,” the minister added. “The board will also have the benefit of the record of the Town Planning
Committee meeting, the various zoning ordinances related to the specific area, the application that had been made, as well as the record of the hearing that would have taken place by the Town Planning Committee. “So as an appellate body, it has a record and it will review the record. It will then invite the aggrieved applicant to come in to give them a hearing, have the representative from the ministry give any background information, and hear both sides, which is what is done in any judicial hearing.” Dawson Malone, the Callenders & Co attorney and partner, will chair a Board whose primary function is to adjudicate appeals of
THE WEATHER REPORT
5-Day Forecast
TODAY
ORLANDO
High: 89° F/32° C Low: 72° F/22° C
TAMPA
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
A t‑storm around in the afternoon
Partly cloudy with a thunderstorm
A morning thunder‑ storm; clearing
Partly sunny with a shower in spots
Mostly sunny and nice
Humid with partial sunshine
High: 84°
Low: 72°
High: 83° Low: 72°
High: 82° Low: 74°
High: 83° Low: 73°
High: 85° Low: 74°
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
91° F
75° F
93°-77° F
94°-79° F
93°-77° F
95°-78° F
The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.
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almanac
E
W
ABACO
S
N
High: 81° F/27° C Low: 75° F/24° C
8‑16 knots
S
High: 85° F/29° C Low: 75° F/24° C
8‑16 knots
FT. LAUDERDALE
FREEPORT
High: 84° F/29° C Low: 76° F/24° C
E
W S
E
W
WEST PALM BEACH
N
| Go to AccuWeather.com
TONIGHT
High: 88° F/31° C Low: 73° F/23° C
High: 83° F/28° C Low: 71° F/22° C
MIAMI
High: 85° F/29° C Low: 75° F/24° C
6‑12 knots
KEY WEST
High: 84° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C
ELEUTHERA
NASSAU
High: 84° F/29° C Low: 72° F/22° C
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2022
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uV inDex toDay
The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
tiDes For nassau High Today
Ht.(ft.)
Low
Ht.(ft.)
10:15 a.m. 10:37 p.m.
2.2 2.8
4:27 a.m. 4:15 p.m.
0.0 0.0
Wednesday 10:54 a.m. 11:18 p.m.
2.1 2.7
5:08 a.m. 4:53 p.m.
0.1 0.1
Thursday
11:36 a.m. ‑‑‑‑‑
2.0 ‑‑‑‑‑
5:50 a.m. 5:34 p.m.
0.3 0.3
Friday
12:01 a.m. 12:22 p.m.
2.6 1.9
6:36 a.m. 6:19 p.m.
0.5 0.5
Saturday
12:48 a.m. 1:13 p.m.
2.5 1.9
7:25 a.m. 7:11 p.m.
0.6 0.6
Sunday
1:39 a.m. 2:10 p.m.
2.4 1.9
8:18 a.m. 8:09 p.m.
0.6 0.7
Monday
2:34 a.m. 3:09 p.m.
2.4 2.0
9:10 a.m. 9:12 p.m.
0.6 0.7
sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset
6:33 a.m. Moonrise 7:41 p.m. Moonset
8:21 a.m. 10:28 p.m.
First
Full
Last
New
May 8
May 16
May 22
May 30
CAT ISLAND
E
W
High: 82° F/28° C Low: 76° F/24° C
N
S
E
W
7‑14 knots
S
7‑14 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 81° F/27° C Low .................................................... 75° F/24° C Normal high ....................................... 83° F/28° C Normal low ........................................ 70° F/21° C Last year’s high ................................. 89° F/32° C Last year’s low ................................... 71° F/22° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ................................................. 8.28” Normal year to date ..................................... 6.33”
High: 82° F/28° C Low: 75° F/24° C
Town Planning Committee decisions. An Abaco native, who was living in Grand Bahama at the time Hurricane Dorian struck both islands in 2019, said “proper planning and development” is important to him. Mr Sears said there are several developments that have sought to appeal planning decisions, which the Appeals Board will have to evaluate. However, none of those appeals involves the Beyond Da Village Pig Experience, whose bid for approvals was recently rejected by the Town Planning Committee. Charles Zonicle, the Department of Physical Planning’s director, confirmed no appeal had been submitted over this project.
ANDROS
SAN SALVADOR
GREAT EXUMA
High: 82° F/28° C Low: 75° F/24° C
High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C
N
High: 82° F/28° C Low: 73° F/23° C
E
W S
LONG ISLAND
tracking map
High: 84° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C
7‑14 knots
MAYAGUANA High: 83° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures
CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS
are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
RAGGED ISLAND High: 83° F/28° C Low: 78° F/26° C
H
High: 83° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C
GREAT INAGUA High: 86° F/30° C Low: 78° F/26° C
N
E
W
E
W
N
S
S
7‑14 knots
7‑14 knots
marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR
Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday:
WINDS E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots
WAVES 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 3‑6 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet
VISIBILITY 10 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 8 Miles 9 Miles 8 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 6 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 9 Miles 6 Miles 7 Miles
WATER TEMPS. 76° F 76° F 79° F 80° F 78° F 79° F 80° F 81° F 78° F 78° F 80° F 80° F 79° F 80° F 81° F 81° F 80° F 81° F 79° F 80° F 78° F 78° F 80° F 81° F 78° F 79° F
business@tribunemedia.net
TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2022
$6.25
$6.33
$6.25
$6.33
Sands: Poor sacrificed ‘on tax efficiency altar’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE FNM’s chairman yesterday accused the Government of driving more Bahamian families into poverty, and sacrificing them “on the altar of tax efficiency”, by refusing to eliminate VAT on medicines and breadbasket foods. Dr Duane Sands, former health minister in the Minnis administration, in a voice note circulated widely on social media branded the Davis administration as “modern Marie Antoinettes” in a reference to the 18th century French queen widely-renowned for her insensitivity to the plight of the less well-off.
• Brands Gov’t ‘modern Marie Antoinettes’ on breadbasket VAT • Says lower income Bahamians suffering a ‘financial Dorian’ • Handouts plan shows ‘something wrong with our humanity’ Speaking subsequently to Tribune Business, he asserted that imposing 10 percent VAT on medicines and foods such as rice, flour and bread was “a big friggin deal for those barely making it” amid “a fiscal Dorian” sparked by
surging inflation that has sent food and gasoline prices skyrocketing. Challenged to justify the reimposition of such tax breaks, when all studies have backed the Davis administration’s position of keeping VAT zero ratings and exemptions to a bare minimum,
Dr Sands said while this may maximise tax revenues it neglects the plight of lower income Bahamians having to now choose when they eat and how much they can afford to buy. As for the arguments that social security spending was a better way to target VAT relief to the poor, the Free National Movement (FNM) chairman said this was equivalent to giving persons “a hand-out rather than letting them remain independent” by making essential medicines and foods more affordable. He added that “there’s something fundamentally wrong with our humanity” by adopting such a position.
Governor warns economy ‘overpowered’ after 2023 By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE CENTRAL Bank’s governor yesterday warned that surging global inflation and other external risks “could overpower” the Bahamian economy once the return to pre-COVID output levels is completed in 2023. John Rolle, speaking at its 2022 first quarter briefing, said “a distinction” must be drawn between a healthier near-term outlook driven by “pent-up demand for travel” and the potentially rockier path that lies beyond next year once the economy’s post-pandemic reflation finishers. Acknowledging that the timeline for returning to pre-COVID gross domestic product (GDP) levels was more optimistic than end-2021 forecasts, which projected that recovery might take until 2024, he
• Bahamas must ‘energise’ to beat inflation, low growth • But could regain preCOVID GDP earlier than forecast • Tourism back to ‘two-thirds’ of 2019 business volumes nevertheless warned that The Bahamas must quickly focus on “how we energise the economy to move ahead beyond 2023”. Otherwise The Bahamas could swiftly fall back into anemic annual GDP growth rates of less than 2 percent, which it suffered for the
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
JOHN ROLLE entire decade leading up to COVID. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is already forecasting that this nation’s economic output will expand by just 1.5 percent in 2027. “We’re continually emphasising that there has to be a distinction made between getting back to prepandemic, for which the headwinds are less for The Bahamas because there is still pent-up demand for travel and, in many cases, we’re still growing back into the capacity that existed,” Mr Rolle explained.
SEE PAGE 21
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
SEE PAGE 21
DR DUANE SANDS
$700m optimism Bahamas can ‘take oil price pressure’
Debt consolidation still leads consumer lending ALMOST one-quarter of consumer loan requests received by Bahamian commercial banks during the 2021 second half were for “debt consolidation”, it was revealed yesterday, again exposing the elevated strain COVID placed on borrowers. The Central Bank’s report on bank lending conditions for the 2021 second half also disclosed that the rate of mortgage loan approvals had dropped significantly during the period, hitting 39.6 percent compared to ratios above 50 percent for both the 2021 first half and second quarter. That means just four out of every ten, or two out of five, applications was approved during the last six months of 2021. Meanwhile, credit applications for 2021’s latter half rose by 25.7 percent compared to the same period the year before, aided by the easing of pandemic-related restrictions, the volume remained well down on requests submitted in both 2018 and 2019. With the 14,325 total applications also representing a 4.2 percent increase compared to the 2021 first half, the report also revealed that some 78.2 percent or 11,197 were approved. This represented an 8.78 percent improvement compared to the 2021 first half, and bettered the year-before period by 45.9 percent.
SEE PAGE 19
CENTRAL BANK
Governor raises reserves forecast as $3bn beaten By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Central Bank yesterday raised its year-end forecast for The Bahamas’ external reserves holdings after they started May above $3bn following a $523m expansion during the first three months of 2022. John Rolle, its governor, giving the first quarter economic briefing, said the monetary policy regulator now expected the foreign currency reserves - which are key to supporting The Bahamas’ fixed one:one exchange rate peg with the US dollar - to close 2022 ahead of year before levels. The external reserves closed 2021 at $2.459bn, and Mr Rolle yesterday said the 2022 first
quarter increase had been driven by a combination of the Central Bank’s net foreign currency purchases from the commercial banks and the proceeds of government borrowings. “In the first quarter, the seasonal pattern of private sector net contribution to gains in the Central Bank’s external reserves was also re-established, as commercial banks made a net sizable sale of foreign exchange to the Central Bank,” the governor explained. “This, added to proceeds from the Government’s foreign currency borrowing, boosted the reserves by $523m over the quarter. “Taking net private sector receipts for April into account,
SEE PAGE 20
A “$700m-plus” increase in US dollar purchases from the commercial banks during the 2022 first quarter has given the Central Bank’s governor optimism The Bahamas “can absorb” much of the pressure from high global prices. John Rolle, speaking at the regulator’s briefing for the three months to end-March, said the year-over-year jump signalled that foreign currency inflows have risen significantly due to the tourism industry’s rebound and wider economic reflation following the COVID-19 pandemic. Global oil prices, which last night stood at $105.3 and $107.8 per barrel on the West Texas Intermediate and Brent Crude exchanges respectively, will “take a bigger chunk” of The Bahamas’ foreign exchange earnings in 2022 but the
governor said he confident these outflows will largely be offset by what the country brings in. Noting that the annual oil/fuel import bill reached close to $1bn the last time global oil prices spiked in 2008-2009, Mr Rolle said soaring global inflation generally would inevitably mean that The Bahamas spends more foreign currency on imports because the price of most goods will rise. “It means more foreign exchange has to be used up to sustain the level of imports, essential imports that the economy needs to keep up, energy imports,” he explained. “We know the oil component of inflation is going to take a bigger chunk of foreign exchange and help push up foreign exchange outflows.... “What I can say is that at the height of the oil prices peak in the last episode, The Bahamas came
SEE PAGE 20