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Volume: 122 No. 148, June 26, 2025
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FNM SOUTH ABACO CHAIRMAN RESIGNS Thompson leaves in protest as party set to ratify Sweeting By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Free National Movement’s branch chairman for Central and South Abaco has resigned in protest as party officials prepare to ratify Abaco Chief Councillor Jeremy Sweeting as the candidate for that constituency.
Roscoe Thompson, the outgoing chairman, who had sought the nomination, confirmed to The Tribune yesterday that he officially stepped down earlier this week, saying he could not support Mr Sweeting. He declined to elaborate further. Both men are high-profile SEE PAGE THREE
PINDER: 47% OF CRIMINAL CASES TRIED SUCCESSFULLY By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net THE Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) successfully concluded 47 percent of its criminal matters between July 2024 and June 2025 through either convictions or plea agreements, according to Attorney General
Welcome to the big league, VJ
Ryan Pinder’s 2025/2026 Budget contribution. Of the 163 matters disposed of during the period, 12 resulted in convictions, and 66 were resolved through plea deals. Another 30 cases ended in acquittals, and 55 were withdrawn due to either insufficient evidence or complainant SEE PAGE SEVEN
VJ Edgecombe reacts after being selected third by the Philadelphia 76ers In the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. See SPORTS for story. Photo: Adam Hunger/AP
Work on new Supreme Court complex to begin by year’s end By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net THE government plans to break ground on the new Supreme Court Judicial Complex before the end
of the year, with a public unveiling scheduled for July during the Bahamas’ Independence celebrations. Making his 2025/2026 budget contribution, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said the new facility on
Shirley Street will improve public access to justice and boost confidence in the country’s judicial system. “This state-of-the-art Supreme Court complex SEE PAGE FOUR
AG: Staff costs for accountability agencies to come from global fund By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder said yesterday that staffing for the Independent Commission of Investigations and the Office of the Ombudsman will come from an $11m global fund provision in the
2025/2026 budget despite their small individual lineitem allocations. The government has allocated only $30,000 to the newly established Independent Commission of Investigations, a body the Davis administration promoted as key to SEE PAGE FOUR
ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder.
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COOPER: BOUNDARIES WORK TO BEGIN IN JULY By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper said yesterday that the Boundaries Commission will formally begin its work on July 2, following delays and growing calls for constituency rebalancing ahead of the next general election. Mr Cooper said the group has already held preliminary meetings but will engage more fully starting next week. “We continue to do the SEE PAGE FIVE