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The Tribune

Volume:116 No.128, JUNE 28TH, 2019

Established 1903

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Shark alert on major beaches By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

IN THE wake of Wednesday’s horrific shark attack that claimed the life of a 21-year-old American woman, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources is advising the public to “exercise extreme caution” while “in and around” the waters of New Providence, Rose Island, and Paradise Island. The ministry is also calling for the public to “avoid” cleaning and discarding fish waste in the ocean, noting this practice attracts sharks into areas used for public swimming.

“A beautiful, gentle soul” is how the family of Jordan Lindsey, 21, described the young woman who was tragically killed by sharks while snorkeling with her family in the waters near Rose Island. “Jordan was 21 and such a great daughter and person. We already miss her terribly,” Lindsey’s father, Michael Lindsey, told ABC News. “Myself, my two boys, and Jordan’s girlfriend, Gianna, were on another part of the island, just swimming on the beach side,” he said. “My wife, Kami, and Jordan went snorkeling on SEE PAGE FIVE

DAME MARGUERITE TAKES A FINAL BOW By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

IT WAS a speech that tracked her humble beginnings from a poor, barefoot girl in Andros to the highest office in the land. And as she marked her departure, Dame Marguerite Pindling issued nuggets of wisdom as well to a nation that hears “too

much too often about the vices that divide us and too little too seldom about the virtues that unite us”. “Virtues,” she said yesterday, “such as our love of family, our devotion to God, our compassion for the elderly and the underprivileged, our patriotic fervor, and our desire to make our country a better place for our children SEE PAGE TWO

SO MUCH PAIN

THE FAMILIES of Blair John and Alrae Ramsey were at Lynden Pindling International Airport yesterday when the bodies of the two men were returned home. Full story - Page 3 Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff Friday, June 28, 2019

INSIDE TODAY

art books film fashion music entertainment history food puzzles

Weekend

HATS ON PARADE Page 20

A COMIC’S VIEW

DIANE PHILLIPS

A REAL SHOW OF COMMUNITY WHICH IS A LESSON FOR ALL SEE PAGE TEN

Dream come true Local vet fulfils lifelong goal pages 4 & 5

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

CHANGE NATIONAL ANTHEM TO ‘TURN OFF THE LIGHTS’ SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Friday, June 28, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

A fond farewell from page one

and all our people, especially those who are most in need of a helping hand. “These are higher values and ennobling aspirations we hold in common. If we do not now share these values and aspirations, we must resolve to embrace them. And to do that –– to give real life and vigor to the things that unite us –– we need, first and foremost, to rise above our baser selves and put aside divisiveness and discord. “We can express differences without being divisive,” she admonished. “We have all been guilty of sowing discord at one time or another in our lives, but it is never too late to move with purpose to a higher, loftier plane –– and to do it together. We need to rise above divisiveness and acrimony and come together on common ground to build up this nation. Kind words for one another can go a long way. Showing respect and courtesy to one another and displaying consideration for each other’s feelings can bring peace and calm to many a household, no less than to our nation as a whole.” Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and Opposition Leader Philip “Brave” Davis praised the 87-yearold for the grace and professionalism with which she performed her role. Various bands played music fit for yesterday’s occasion. But it was Dame Marguerite’s own speech, at times reflective and poignant and at other times lighthearted and cherry, that anchored the affair. From her seat under a tent erected on the grounds of Government House, she told her story while flanked by the nation’s top law enforcement officers, Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson and Defense Force Commodore Tellis Bethel.

We need to rise above divisiveness and come together on common ground to build up this nation, says Dame Marguerite “I cannot but pause for a moment at this demission ceremony this evening to reflect on the great distance I have travelled, to consider on how improbable it was that this poor, barefoot girl from the remote and primitive settlement of Long Bay Cays in Andros, through the grace of God and by the favour of gracious sovereign lady and with the directing hand of not one but two prime ministers was raised up to the highest constitutional office in our land,” she said. “I left school at age 14; consequently, I didn’t have lots of ‘book learning,’ or a college degree but I had a master’s degree in common sense and I knew how to make intelligent decisions. And with common sense, hard work, a fierce determination, a kind and loving heart and most importantly a love for my Lord and savoir, I was able to reach the highest position in our country.” The tenth Governor General of The Bahamas, Dame Marguerite succeeded Sir Arthur Foulkes on July 8, 2014. She thanked the Queen, former prime ministers, the administrators and staff of Government House, her security team, her late husband Sir Lynden Pindling, her family and the “people of our nation” during yesterday’s ceremony. “It has given me so much pleasure to meet so many of our people as I travelled from one end of our Commonwealth to the next,” she said. “I am advised that up

DAME Marguerite Pindling steps down as Governor General of The Bahamas. Right, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis says some words. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

to a few weeks ago, some 517 courtesy calls were paid on me by Bahamians and foreign dignitaries alike. But I especially enjoyed the courtesy calls made by many of our school children particularly the youngest of them, many of whom wanted to know how old I was, while others just wanted to know if I was real and whether they could touch me. “And how could I forget the centenarians whose homes I visited: they represent some of the proudest Bahamians you would ever

meet. For me, these are but a few examples of what I considered to be the most precious part of my assignment as Her Majesty’s representative and indeed the most interesting and fulfilling part of my journey as well.” The ceremonies will continue today, first with a farewell salute to Dame Marguerite in Rawson Square, then with the swearing-in ceremony for her successor, Cornelius Alvin Smith. Editorial View - Page 4

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 28, 2019, PAGE 3

Families united in grief as bodies come home THE FAMILIES of Blair John and Alrae Ramsey at LPIA yesterday as the bodies arrive home. Right, Darren Henfield, Minister of Foreign Affairs, speaks to the media. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net WAILS pierced the air as the plane carrying the bodies of Blair John and Alrae Ramsey touched the tarmac at the Lynden Pindling International Airport yesterday. The young men’s families had gathered to receive their sons, who had finally made the journey home after tragically meeting their deaths in Turin, Italy, earlier this month. It was a heartbreaking scene as the two coffins were escorted to the hearses, with relatives sobbing over the caskets. Both were young men of fine repute - Ramsey, 28, was a foreign service officer on study leave in Vienna, and John, a St Mary’s University graduate student, was there to attend a psychology conference. Yesterday, their loved ones wept for their “babies” — their beloved sons, brothers, nephews and cousins. Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield described the bodies’ arrival in Nassau as part of the “healing process” for both the families and the nation. He noted both families have requested independent autopsies and have hired a pathologist. Mr Henfield made these remarks during a short press conference at the airport’s VIP Lounge, as

the families waited in an adjoining room for the plane carrying Ramsey and John to arrive. “We’ve been dealing with this ordeal of the loss of these two Bahamian young men in Turin, Italy since…the beginning of the month,” Mr Henfield said. “And today marks, in my mind, the first phase of this event with their repatriation to the Bahamas. They’re being accompanied by Sharon Brennen-Haylock, who is the director general in (the Ministry of) Foreign Affairs. “The families are all gathered here. We have been personally involved with the families since day one and we’re happy to have them here today, at the VIP Lounge (and) Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that they can witness the removal of the bodies and be a part of what I think is part of the healing process for families and for the country.” Although he underscored the importance of the media’s presence, Mr Henfield continued: “Our priority has been, and always will be, how we treat the families in the face of this very tragic and very sad incident that has attracted the attention of the entire country and even some parts of the international community.” “The (families do) not wish to speak with the press today. They just want to be here, receive their sons, and to grieve. And we

continue to ask the Bahamian people to cover them in their prayers, that God may give them strength to walk through this dark hour.” Mr Henfield added the independent autopsies were set to be completed between yesterday and today – before the funerals, both of which will be held tomorrow, June 29. Ramsey’s will be held at St Agnes Anglican Church at 10am. John’s will be held at Evangelistic Temple at 1pm. The bodies of Ramsey and John were found in the Po River in Turin, Italy, on June 4 and 5 respectively. Results of the autopsies conducted in Italy earlier this month state drowning as the cause of death. John’s father, Randolph John, 56, does not believe the men died by drowning, and added that if the men indeed drowned, it meant that they were “incapacitated” before being tossed in the river. Mr John said last week Tuesday: “If I was born three times again I wouldn’t accept that (the autopsy results). If it was in fact a drowning then it means that they were incapacitated prior to being thrown in the river. That’s what it would mean.” Shortly after the men’s bodies were found, John’s mother Cathleen Rahming told The Tribune he was a strong swimmer and fit.

Former classmates Ramsey and John were staying at a bed and breakfast establishment at Via la Loggia 2 in Turin. Italian officials have reportedly ruled the deaths accidental, according to Italian media.

PAGE 4, Friday, June 28, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

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Shark attack shows need for safe practices THE news that a 21-year-old American woman was killed in a shark attack while swimming off Rose Island has been a shock both here and abroad. Rose Island has long been a favourite spot for tourists and Bahamians alike – Jordan Lindsey’s death while snorkeling could have been almost any one of us. We certainly all feel shocked that it happened – but should we be quite so shocked that it was possible that it happened? The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources issued a public advisory after the attack, and one of the first things they have warned about is to warn people not to clean or discard fish waste in the water. Simply put, such a practice puts blood into the water – and that attracts sharks. We have heard anecdotal concerns about how fish vendors in particular places are not careful enough about disposing of fish waste, and putting blood in the water too close to populated areas. We hope this warning is well heeded by such vendors – but also that members of the ministry will carry out inspections to enforce that. Perhaps more worrying though is a practice that is not condemned by the ministry. The diving sector is a $70m industry in The Bahamas – and one of the practices that concerns have already been raised about is chumming.

Chumming is when bloody meat or other material is thrown into the water to feed sharks. That attracts sharks – which makes a great sight for visitors, perhaps, but sharks drawn to an area by blood can include more dangerous predators from the species, that might do serious damage to a swimmer by mistake. As environmentalist Joe Darville said yesterday, if chumming is done, people should not be in the water. It only takes a shark snapping at the chum and making contact with a diver for tragic circumstances to ensue. We do not know the circumstances behind this incident yet – though we expect a full investigation. There are a number of professional marine operators in The Bahamas, and we would hope they will be eager to provide as much information as they can to the investigation to establish if chumming was being done in the area, and to help make clear what happened. More than that, we would hope that starting with the larger operators, they work to ensure that chumming is not used as a means of attracting sharks, and especially not when people are in the water. And if they don’t, then regulators should lay down the rules to be enforced. A tragedy has happened already. We must work to ensure there is not another.

The end of an era LAST night marked the end of an era in more ways than one. Dame Marguerite Pindling’s departure from the role of Governor General also saw The Bahamas without a Pindling in public office. It’s perhaps fitting that it comes in the approach to Independence celebrations, the anniversary of that change that saw a newly independent country elect Dame Marguerite’s husband, Sir Lynden, as its first prime minister. In her farewell address, Dame Marguerite issued a call for something that perhaps might not have been seen as much in public life as it ought to be – unity. “It is never too late to move with

purpose to a higher, loftier plane,” she said. “We need to rise above divisiveness and acrimony and come together on common ground to build up this nation.” Both Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and Opposition leader Phillip ‘Brave’ Davis were there to applaud her speech. We’ll see if they take up her challenge – and set aside political sniping for the sake of progress. And again, that call is timely, with Independence celebrations around the corner – when we shall be singing of lifting up our heads, and be reminded of the national motto. Forward. Upward. Onward. But most of all, together.

Keep protecting us EDITOR, The Tribune POLICE shoot to live, not to kill. It is obvious from the conduct of criminals that they do not care if their target is armed or unarmed. Most of the victims being shot and murdered are unarmed. The criminals expect the Police to be armed and when confronted will shoot to kill. Police officers in-theline-of-fire or attempting to arrest the armed culprits must decide to return fire even when the armed culprits are running away and firing at the Police Officers in hot pursuit. It is one of those times when there could be a shot in the back. There are others. Police Officers exposed to gun violence of this kind have to decide if their lives are AFTER Bahamas Electrical Workers Union president Paul Maynard said the ongoing power cut situation is at its “worst”, readers posted their responses on tribune242.com. OldFort2012 had this to say: “Things will get better when BPL workers do an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay, BPL management becomes competent, political parties stop using BPL to employ

in danger. That decision is theirs, no reporter, politician or anyone else. They are on the scene and it is their lives at stake. It is why the FBI and other Forces train their Officers in such instances to aim for the upper mass of the body. This eradicates the danger. One has to be a likely victim to know the feeling when a criminal gun is pointed towards you, even after telling him to drop it. You have just three seconds to decide, who is going to the morgue. There are three occasions when I survived encounters of this nature. On one occasion another man died, on another three bullets went through the canvas where former ACP Lawrence Major was seated and my encounter with “Mong” in

their supporters and when Bahamians start paying their bills on time and in full, without stealing electricity. IE: never.” Well_mudda_take_sic said: “Baha Mar is lit up every night like a palace

St James Road who was wanted for two rapes. He tried to take my issued firearm from me and died in the effort. During those seconds the Policeman thinks of his family and the marching band behind him. The reporters, politicians and others must await the Coroner’s Inquest when they can provide evidence they may have that would be important to the inquiry. It is my hope, that our Police Officers will continue to perform with the distinction as they are and do not allow the noise in the market to deter them against protecting themselves and us against the prevalent gun violence. PAUL THOMPSON Nassau May, 2019 while Bahamians are left in darkness to suffer in sweltering heat. Yes indeed, Minnis is doing all he possibly can to make sure it’s the foreign people’s time. And we sure don’t hear him singing anymore about how it’s gonna be the Bahamian people’s time. He swing Bahamian voters big time with all his sweet talk about Rock with Doc. What a joke!”

Grab power with cannabis EDITOR, The Tribune

LET US not forget that the legal battle that the Bobo Ashanti has put against the government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas has been overcome in other Commonwealth jurisdictions. In 1997, Dr Dennis Forsythe, described in Forsythe v Director of Public Prosecutions and Attorney General (1997 34 JLR 512) as a sociologist, holist, author, Rastafarian and attorney-at-law, petitioned the Jamaican Supreme (High) Court for a declaration that his rights to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion had been infringed by the Dangerous Drugs Act. Although that case was earlier rejected by the bench, Justice Minister Mark Golding asserted later on that the Dangerous Drugs Act could no longer withstand a constitutional challenge under Jamaica’s Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms. Cannabis then was decriminalised according to Jamaican law, and the Rastafarian faith was given special exemption to cultivate, possess, and utilise the plant. As a fellow Commonwealth nation, The Bahamas inevitably will follow suit. Legal precedent aside, The Bahamas also should and must strongly reject the propagandised reasoning behind Cannabis being placed on the global Schedule I listing of dangerous drugs. Many of the arguments against the decriminalisation of Cannabis are based on decades of misinformation. The inherent threat to multiple long-standing industrial sectors, including the oil, cotton, plastics, wood/paper,

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net

food, and pharmaceutical industries also plays a significant role in continued prohibition globally. The tragedy is that most persons who stand against Cannabis are not even aware that the plant genus is a sustainable, renewable, and safe alternative in each of the aforementioned industries. It is also arguable that those persons who are against Cannabis are not aware of the fact that the imposed illegality of Cannabis in the 1930’s was spurred on by racial bias. Racial bias which was used as a means to shift support in prohibition’s favour. (e.g. the term “Marijuana” was coined specifically as part of that campaign). Such trends still continue to this very day as the majority of those incarcerated for Cannabis are persons of colour. It is commonly observed that opponents to Cannabis decriminalisation tend to target the psychoactive effects of Cannabis and often declare that Cannabis needs to be controlled like alcohol. This false comparison of the effects of Cannabis and the intoxication of alcohol needs to be eliminated. Alcohol’s effects are proven to be damaging to the human body, especially the brain and the liver, where cells are destroyed by alcohol. Cannabis, on the other hand, repairs the human body due to its inherent compatibility with the human endocannabinoid system. Cannabis’ effects on the brain have even been shown scientifically to increase brain cell and neuron activity. Further to this, it is unfortunate

that a surprising number of individuals within the medical community continue to play into the medicinal versus recreational categorisation of Cannabis. It is a fact that all usage of the plant in its pure form is medicinal, whether the individual ingesting it in whatever form realises this or not. With the advent of the modern human diet, it can be deduced that a reasonable percentage of the population does suffer from what can be termed as an endocannabinoid deficiency - Hence the growing health crisis in developed nations. Cannabis is a viable solution to this health crisis through the availability of Cannabis flour, seeds, oils, and other nutrient based usages. It has been said before and must be said again: Cannabis in its pure forms can heal, clothe, feed, shelter and provide energy for the people of this region and the world. It is time for those who declare independence to truly exhibit said independence. Our nations cannot continue the persecution and incarceration of our people for a plant that can and will reset our internal economies through multiple industries, and make our nations effectively self-sustainable as a result. The Monarch of the system that this nation of The Bahamas still pledges loyalty to once bowed in respect and reverence to the knowledge and wisdom of our people. Armed with the knowledge and wisdom of how we can improve our society on multiple fronts, let us stand and fully reclaim our global economic sovereignty and power through cannabis. YORK R BROWN Nassau June 25, 2019

We should have higher goals EDITOR, The Tribune I WISH to inform the Hon Minister Bannister that when I can’t sleep because of boiling temperatures, when I watch my appliances malfunction, when I can’t watch my favourite tv programmes, when I can’t cook or heat my food, all because of BPL power cuts, the fact that there may have been more power cuts under the PLP brings me no solace.

It was my opinion that we changed governments in 2017 under the promise that better would come. Unfortunately this better does not seem to be able to keep the lights on in the 21st century. When are we going to see some innovation by a government toward renewables? And, while I am griping I would like to ask the Honourable Prime Minister why he deems it fitting to award scholarships to

persons with two point grade averages, paid for by us the tax payer. Shouldn’t our goals be higher? I prefer the remarks made by my housekeeper to her daughter when she brought home a report card with a 2.10 grade average. “This is really not good enough . You have to do better”. JEANNE THOMPSON Nassau June 27, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 28, 2019, PAGE 5

Shark tragedy

21-YEAR-OLD Jordan Lindsey was killed by sharks while snorkeling with her family near Rose Island. Below, A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist with transporting her body back to California.

Family remembers a ‘beautiful, gentle soul’ as authorities urge the public to exercise ‘extreme caution’ in the water from page one another part of island. My wife was near Jordan, a few feet away, when the shark attacked. “She said it happened so fast, and no one yelled anything. My wife got to Jordan and pulled Jordan to shore by herself. The medical staff said they still had to do an autopsy. My wife said no one told her there were three sharks.” Lindsey’s right arm was torn off and her left arm, both legs, and buttocks were bitten, according to the ABC article. Following the tragedy, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources issued a public advisory. “The public is advised to exercise extreme caution in and around the waters of New Providence, adjacent islands and cays, in particular the areas of northern shoreline of New Providence, the northeastern shoreline of Paradise Island, Rose Island and along the Montagu foreshore,” the statement

reads. “The public is further advised to avoid the cleaning or discarding of fish waste in the water as this practice attracts sharks into areas often utilised for swimming by the public and our guests. Further, if a shark is seen in the swimming area, persons are advised to leave the water and in no circumstance molest or play with the animal. “Also, if injured and bleeding while in the water, it is recommended that you leave the water as sharks are attracted to blood. “The public is encouraged to report all sightings to the Public Authority.” Environmentalists have also spoken against the practice of feeding sharks, known as “chumming”. While the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) stressed the rarity of fatal shark attacks in The Bahamas, in a statement yesterday the institution warned against chumming. “Although the details surrounding this attack are not known, the BNT would like to caution all

marine operators bringing people into the marine environment to be especially careful to not disturb or attract these large predators by feeding or chumming the waters,” the statement noted. “Sharks can be dangerous and a healthy respect for them is important.” In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, environmentalist Joe Darville said chumming while unprofessional divers are in the water is a “catastrophe waiting to happen”. “If chumming is done, persons should not be in the water,” he said. “When smell of food is all through the water, sharks are in a (frenzy) and cannot distinguish fish from legs and arms.” A GoFundMe page was set up for Lindsey to assist with transporting her body from The Bahamas back to her Californian home. It is accessible at: https://www. gofundme.com/f/jordanlindsey Up to press time, the page had raised nearly $60,000. Editorial View - Page 4

PAGE 6, Friday, June 28, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

LONG ISLAND DEAL WILL BRING RELIEF TO RESIDENTS By Kathryn Campbell

NO LONGER will residents of Salt Pond and other settlements in Long Island have to wait for the tanker trucks to visit their homes and fill their tanks with water to take baths, clean and do laundry. The Bahamas government signed a $4,092,720.03 contract for phase 2 of the Long Island Water Supply Improvement Project with Bahamas Hot Mix (BHM) that will bring relief to residents and provide potable water for various settlements in Long Island. Executive Chairman, Water and Sewerage

Corporation and Long Island MP Adrian Gibson described the signing as a “historic milestone” in the development of Long Island. A cross-section of the Long Island community witnessed the signing held at Regatta Site in Salt Pond. The work is expected to be completed in 16 months and will be supplied by an expanded desalination plant in Simms. The projects are as a result of a $28.33m loan from the Caribbean Development Bank, which includes $13.3m in counterpart funding from the Bahamas Government and WSC.

CONTRACT signed: Seated from left: Desiree Ferguson, administator; Desmond Bannister, Minister of Public Works; Adrian Gibson, Executive Director, WSC and MP for Long Island; Ebbe Saidi, Managing Director, BHM; and Elwood Donaldson, General Manager, WSC. Photo: Patrick Hanna/BIS

Cooper urges URCA to investigate BP&L By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party deputy leader Chester Cooper wants the Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority to investigate Bahamas Power and Light, insisting apologies won’t help the many consumers and business owners that have lost

valuable appliances during continued power cuts. The Exuma and Ragged Island MP further questioned why Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’s voice had been absent in comforting Bahamians suffering during this “death spiral” of BPL. He said it appeared Dr Minnis was hiding behind Minister of Works Desmond Bannister who

asserted this week that BPL is performing better now than it was under the former Christie administration. Mr Cooper’s comments came as load shedding continued in the capital. BPL said yesterday while the first bank of rental Agrekko units carrying 10 megawatts were up and running since yesterday, the second bank is to be installed no later than Saturday.

FORM B Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

Shane A. Miller Registrar of Marriages

Speaking during a Southern Shores constituency meeting last night, Mr Cooper criticised the Minnis administration saying it failed to adequately address BPL’s problems since taking office. He suggested that had PowerSecure still been managing the affairs of BPL the situation would have been far better, adding the summer of 2016 with the company at the helm had gone relatively smooth. “I am seriously concerned for the future of our nation,” Mr Cooper told party supporters. “From this budget of special interests to what appears to be the death spiral of Bahamas Power and Light, I am genuinely afraid for our children and for us. “For more than a week now, Bahamas Power and Light has launched load shedding resulting in rolling blackouts throughout the island. But not only Nassau has been impacted. Bimini, Abaco and other islands have been impacted. However, Nassau has been impacted the worst. “After days of silence and a week of untold suffering, the new BPL chairman, who got his job after the prime minister fired the previous board, got up and said he apologised. How nice? After babies and the elderly and everybody else was left to sweat and suffer, we get an apology. After sick people couldn’t get the oxygen machines to work in their homes, we get an apology. After business after business had to shut down and send employees home, we get an apology. Fusion (Superplex) lost $32,000 in one day. “Rosalee’s Takeaway off Nassau Street lost her

fridge and can’t operate in the dark; she got an apology. An apology won’t help the hundreds, maybe thousands, across our country who lose appliances and electronics from the surges and who complain that they get peanuts in settlement from BPL.” He continued: “I call on URCA to investigate the policies and practices of BPL as it relates to reimbursement for the damage they cause. And I can tell this government quite plainly and clearly, you could keep your corned beef and you could keep your apology. An apology won’t help a frustrated mother who can’t put her children to sleep. An apology won’t help the woman who was in the newspaper, dying of cancer, whose family had to feed her ice chips to try and keep her cool. An apology doesn’t help traffic congestion when all the traffic lights don’t function. “They had two years to fix BPL, but this lousy crew played games rather than fix this situation and understand that this is only the start of the pain. Rental generators will mean that the people will pay for that. It means your light bill will go up again. And we get apologies. “All this time, the prime minister is silent. All this mouth in Parliament about the PLP being corrupt, but where’s his mouth now? You put the chairman of BPL out here to apologise But he works for you. You’re his boss. The Bahamian people didn’t elect him to hold him accountable. “Where are you, Mr Prime Minister? Are you hiding behind our Minister

CHESTER COOPER of Works and his nonsense? I heard Desmond Bannister on the news saying that this summer has been better than under the five summers of the previous PLP administration. You think his head good? You think the heat getting to him? That’s the best he has?” The MP also noted the government’s failure to make public a report from a police investigation into a series of fires that crippled infrastructure at the power provider’s Clifton Pier Power Plant last year. Earlier this week, Bahamas Electrical Workers Union president Paul Maynard said the ongoing situation is at its “worst” as he suggested Bahamians needed to protest against BPL’s failure to do its job. On Monday, BPL chairman Donovan Moxey blamed this month’s adverse weather conditions for the power provider’s inability to receive rental generators earlier, which rendered it unable to fulfil electricity demands over the weekend when two of its units went offline. Although this was an “anomaly”, according to Mr Moxey, he apologised for the “unacceptable” widespread load shedding, which grossly inconvenienced thousands of customers.

FORM B Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

Shane A. Miller

Registrar of Marriages

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 28, 2019, PAGE 7

Schizophrenic mother claims demons told her to set fire to young child By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A JURY yesterday saw graphic photos of the charred body of a oneyear-old girl who died from being set afire by her schizophrenic mother who claimed demons told her to do it, a court heard yesterday. At least one juror could be seen fighting back tears as she and her fellow jurors flipped through the photo album chronicling the injuries Philicia Marshall suffered, allegedly at the hands of Phillipa Marshall in December 2017. The all-female jury also saw photos of the elder Marshall, which showed her having sustained burns, boils, and swelling around on her abdomen area as of December 28, 2017. The evidence was shown during day one of Marshall’s trial before Justice Bernard Turner over allegations she caused her

daughter’s death by means of unlawful harm. Prosecutors allege Marshall doused her child with gasoline and set her afire in December 2017 at her Faith Gardens home after hearing voices. The child died in February 2018 after having been cared for at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). Based on the evidence led thus far, Philicia suffered injuries to her head, her stomach, her right forearm, and her back. According to a statement by crime scene investigator Corporal 2179 Jermaine Stubbs, which was read into evidence by his senior, Inspector Gardell Rolle, sometime around 10.30am on February 20, 2018, he got certain information from Dr Caryn Sands, a forensic pathologist stationed at the Rand Laboratory at PMH. When he arrived at the laboratory, he spoke with Dr Sands in person and got additional information and instructions. Cpl Stubbs said Dr Sands also showed

him the body of a deceased female child that was covered in bandages. Cpl Stubbs said he took pictures of the child’s body in that condition. Afterwards, he said the bandages were removed. When the bandages were removed, Cpl Stubbs said he noticed a series of injuries about the child’s body. He subsequently took photos of the child’s body, which he later had placed on a CD. A photo album was also created from the images. The jury also heard evidence from Detective Corporal Rudolph Sweeting, another crime scene investigator, who said he was the one who took photographs of the elder Marshall while she was admitted to the Accident & Emergency section of PMH on December 28, 2017. Three photographs ended up being placed in the album that was tendered into evidence yesterday: one of Marshall’s

face, a full body shot of the accused, and a close up of her abdomen. In May of last year, Justice Turner ordered that a jury determine whether Marshall, a resident of Kemp Road, was mentally fit to stand trial. Prior to her initial arraignment before Magistrate Samuel McKinney, Marshall had spent several weeks at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre due to mental health issues. She is now listed as an outpatient there. Marshall was granted $15,000 bail with two sureties by former Chief Justice Stephen Isaacs in April 2018. As part of her bail conditions, Marshall must live with her sister-in-law. She is also to have supervised visits with her two other children. Attorney Bjorn Ferguson represents the accused. Cephia Pinder-Moss and Tommel Roker represent the Crown.

GB YOUNGSTERS JOIN EMPLOYMENT SCHEME By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY 200 young people on Grand Bahama are participating in the government’s Summer Youth Employment Programme this year. Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe, parliamentary secretary of information and communications in the Office of the Prime Minister, and MP for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, addressed the participants during the launch of the programme yesterday at the Foster B Pestaina Auditorium, in Freeport. There are 175 college and high school students enrolled in the programme, which places participants at local companies and government agencies to provide them with on-the-job training and experience over the long summer break. During her address, Mrs Parker-Edgecombe told students to make a lasting impression on their employers. “A lot of you are going to have to prove yourself on the job; don’t take it for granted. Your employers will look at you, and some may want to keep you for the entire time or every summer,” she said. “Don’t slack off and talk to friends all day, and be on WhatsApp and say you don’t have anything to do.” While the job placement might not be exactly in their area of interest, the MP told them to make the most of

the experience. She said that before she was hired at ZNS, she worked at Shell, and at a lime farm in East Grand Bahama to earn money for college. Mrs Parker-Edgecombe said that working at the farm was “one of the best experiences of her life”. “I couldn’t find a job in the office arena. I had an aunt who worked on the farm and I said to her, ‘I just want to work, I don’t care what it is’...to gain finances to assist with my college,” she recalled. She would have to get up at 6am for three weeks and get in the back of a truck to head to the farm in East End to pick limes. “That was one of the best experiences of my life, actually. It was one of my very first jobs,” she said. She told students to make the most of where they are being placed and gain as much experience as they can. “Your employers are going to be looking at you to see what it is that you have to offer,” said Mrs Parker-Edgecombe. She also noted that while getting an education is important and having a degree, it is not enough sometimes. “Just getting an education nowadays is not going to be enough, you have to know how to utilise what you learned and apply it your work. You have persons with degrees who are sometimes are at home doing nothing...because sometimes there aren’t opportunities,” she explained.

HUNT FOR ARMED ROBBER

POLICE are searching for a man responsible for an armed robbery on Wednesday. According to reports, shortly after 9pm a woman was standing outside a residence on Vanria Avenue, Sunset Park when she was approached by an armed man who robbed her of a silver Nissan Bluebird Sylphy before speeding off in an unknown direction. In other crime related news, police also reported that 12 people were arrested and 109 drivers were ticketed by mobile and traffic division officers in the past 24 hours.

PAGE 8, Friday, June 28, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

I’m off to petition the PM to change the national anthem to Turn Off The Lights I DISTINCTLY remember in January of 2018, that works Minister Desmond Bannister suggested that Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) was on pace to deliver to the public its best summer on record. Fast forward eight months to August of 2018, and I can honestly say that, it wasn’t the best summer ever, it was full of load shedding and unbearable heat! Now if drama, intrigue and confusion, sprinkled with a dash of pettiness and decent serving of backbiting is your cup of tea, then boy did BPL ever deliver in the summer of ‘18. The sweltering summer started off, with a dramatic firing by Minister Bannister that wiped the board clean. Then there was a $300,000.00 salary demand, followed by (totally unscripted) accusations of “political interference” by ousted chairperson Darnell Osborne, who presented her case to the media in a way that would make Omarosa proud. That led to Minister Bannister bringing “the receipts” on alleged egregious personal expenditures by board members

TEDDY PRENDERGAST, once the lead singer of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes

we’re doing everything that we can in order to prepare for the load that we’re required to deliver during the summer months.” No, no, no, Doc!

(something something security, something something makeup) that had women around the country sucking their teeth and ready to fight. (Some are still vex.) Which led to BPL’s newly appointed chairman Dr Donovan Moxey’s attempting to sell the mobile payment app of his “other” company to BPL. As a professional comedian I couldn’t write this joke, um ... story any funnier. It should have been filmed, it had reality show with mass appeal written all over it. Housewives from wherever didn’t stand a chance against “The Real Big Bosses of BPL.” And then, suddenly all the chaos went silent, the comedy manna from comedy heaven stopped falling.

Silence! Until April of this year, re entering from stage left BPL Chairman Donovan Moxey, looking to play the lead roll, this season “The Real Bigger Bosses of BPL.” Talking the talk - “We don’t expect any load shedding,” Moxey said, in an interview with The Nassau Guardian. He added, “There are several generation assets that we’re looking to make sure that we maintain properly [and] appropriately so that we will be ready for the summer. “We are also looking at bringing in some additional rental generation to cover the needs in the summer. (You mean those huge monstrosities that disrupt traffic at the most inopportune times?) “So from our perspective,

Haven’t you learned from Minister Bannister’s past braggadocio, how far off he was, and how we all roasted as a result. Quiet, sir, like the old people say “Hush, yinna ga put mouth on it.” And he did, karma reared her ugly head, and served up a whole plate full of “crow.” Load shedding in abundance, endless hours of sweltering throughout Nassau. Forcing Dr. Moxey to take the bull by the horns, and address the totally unacceptable, substandard power provision, we’ve been receiving here in Nassau. “We acknowledge that it is our responsibility first and foremost to keep the power on, and we did not do that.” “For this, we again apologize.” Moxey said during a press conference at BPL’s headquarters.

I applaud his timely, response, however, what are you going to do to ensure BPL keeps the power on Dr Moxey? And what’s the solution to the present, existing problem. Nassauvians are tired of of suffocating in unbearable heat, compounded by daily, load shedding, in fact sometimes multiple times daily. “We recognize our duty to our stakeholders to communicate forthrightly and in a timely manner about those things which impinge on our ability to meet our mandate to supply power to our customers, and it is in that spirit that we are here this morning.” And then, very craftily Moxey dropped this nugget – “Let us be clear; what occurred over the weekend was an anomaly. While our company admittedly has a history of difficulty dealing with the summer months, the experience of the past weekend was out of the ordinary, and we are here to explain how and why. The short order fix is expected to be by the end of this week.” Short order what? No one has got time for

that, and the pontificating that comes along with it. I think all Nassauvians, after years of suffering, want and need a long term, effective form of power provision. And just like that, I’ve conjured up the evil BPL spirits, my power just went off! Karma seems to have given me a hail!! And now I sit here, patiently sweating to death. Join me next week on “The Real Bigger Bosses of BPL.” As works Minister Desmond Bannister will not be outdone“Despite days of load shedding, Bahamas Power and Light’s (BPL) performance so far this summer has been better than it was during any of the summers under the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) administration.” I’m surprised Bannister didn’t sever his tongue with that one? In the meantime I’m off to petition the office of the PM, to change the national anthem from ‘March On Bahama Land’ to ‘Turn Off The Lights” by Teddy Pendergast. It could happen!

FORM B Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

Shane A. Miller

Registrar of Marriages

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 28, 2019, PAGE 9

PRICE CONTROL HOTLINE RE-LAUNCHED

By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net

THE Price Commission has relaunched its 24-hour hotline in an effort to combat serious breaches of the Price Control Act and announced its partnership with the National Emergency Management Agency to ensure consumers aren’t taken advantage of this hurricane season. At a press conference held at the Department of Labour yesterday, Price Commission chairman Daniel Sumner said the agency intends to update the public about ongoing efforts to

protect consumers. He said: “Currently the Price Commission falls under the carriage of the Ministry of Labour and has been given the mandate to serve and protect consumers from unfair prices charged by unscrupulous merchants. I have received numerous complaints from various consumers about a number of merchants committing alleged price infractions on the bread basket list of food items. “These cases are considered to be serious breaches of the Price Control Act and the Price Commission is actively pursuing these matters in conjunction with the relevant law enforcement authorities

and we wish to put merchants on notice that those found guilty will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.” The chairman highlighted a few areas the commission will be closely monitoring and put merchants on notice. “We wish to assure the public that we here at the commission will be policing and watching out for any price gouging. The price commission is aware that over the years, the Bahamian public has become overwhelmed by the practice of price gouging by a small pocket of dishonest merchants,” Mr Sumner said. “Price gouging has a penalty of a fine not exceeding $5,000 per item.

Therefore, we are putting merchants on notice to ensure they have the correct prices on all food items that are available for sale to the public in their stores. Additionally, the Price Commission wishes to advise the public that it will continue to monitor and ensure the availability, quality and standards of breadbasket items.” He added: “Another concern of the Price Commission is hoarding. The fine for hoarding (is) $2,500 per item...we are warning these food stores that the Price Commission will not stand by and allow the Bahamian people to be taken advantage of.”

• A CANDELIGHT vigil will be held tonight by women putting the spotlight on crime. The Bain Town Chapter of Women Against Crimewill hold the vigil at the Mother Butler Park from 7pm. The event is described as being under the theme of “Pursuing Peace”. A spokesperson said: “Women throughout New Providence are invited to attend.” • THE Coalition To Save Clifton is holding Clifton field trips until the end of July. A separate water safety course is also available. For details, contact Rev CB Moss on 328-8984 or email revcbmoss@hotmail.com.

Funeral Service For Joyce Victoria Lowe, 88 of New Orleans, Louisiana and formerly of Hamiltons, Long Island, The Bahamas, who died at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, on 14th June, 2019, will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church, Robinson and Claridge Roads, Nassau, on Saturday, 29th June, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. Father Jay Cartwright and Deacon D’Arcy Rahming will officiate and interment will follow in Woodlawn Gardens Cemetery, Woodlawn Way and Soldier Road. She was predeceased by her father Manoah Cartwright and mother, Marion Cartwright; brothers, Alphonso, Bruce, Frank and Daniel Cartwright; husband, George Lowe; son, Gregory Cartwright; daughter, Sandra Slatter; grandson, Joseph Sauvinet and son-in-law, Per Nielsen. She is survived by her daughters, Bernadette Nielsen (Peter) and Sheryl Sauvinet (Eric); grandsons, Donahue Sasso (Charmaine), Sean Sasso (Manchy), Robert Slatter, Andrew, Gregory and Nathaniel Cartwright; granddaughters, Virginia Saunders, Skyland Sasso and Stacey Slatter; daughter-in-law, Idella Cartwright; sister-in-law, Mildred Cartwright; great granddaughters, Seannell Sasso, Chryshanta Sasso; great great granddaughters, Joycee Saunders and Jimena Thompson and many other relatives and close friends. Relatives and friends many pay their respects at Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited, 19 Palmdale Avenue, Palmdale, on Friday, from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and at the Church on Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to service time. Arrangements by Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited.

PAGE 10, Friday, June 28, 2019

HEN a tour bus carrying four locals and 24 passengers from a Carnival Cruise Line ship docked in Eleuthera crashed on Monday, the rush to assist was nothing short of phenomenal. Every member of the 110-mile long island’s medical community must have received word within minutes. Short debate followed about whether to transport the injured to the well-equipped Eleuthera Medical Centre, a community-owned facility that opened in August 2018 in Palmetto Point, or rush the injured to the government clinic at nearby Rock Sound. The decision was made to shorten the transport time and go to Rock Sound. It seemed like only minutes had passed when the US Coast Guard scrambled a C130 cargo plane and shipped in ambulances. On the ground, nurses drove south from all over the island. No one appointed Dr Arlington Lightbourne lead doctor – it just happened naturally. The man who founded the Eleuthera Community Health Initiative and developed the Eleuthera Medical Centre with the intention of making affordable health care available for the island of his ancestry and where he wanted to raise his family, saw what Family Island life really meant. “The whole island came together,” he said. “It was fantastic. Two doctors came, nurses (including from his clinic) came from everywhere. Residents showed up to see what they could do to help. Dr Duane Sands (Minister of Health) was super. He was on point every minute. He sent in a doctor from Nassau as fast as he could get him here and he was a great help. You could see what a difference it makes when you have a minister of health who understands trauma and has been in the trenches with it before.” Time will tell the extent of injuries. Investigations will answer questions about what caused the tragedy. Americans are litigious.

THE TRIBUNE

A real show of community we can all learn from

THE BUS crash in Eleuthera on Monday and, inset, Dr Arlington Lightbourne

While most were very appreciative of the immediate care they received on the ground and thanked doctors, nurses and others who came to help, they may see dollar signs in their eyes when they return home

and lawyers start to call or friends tell them to call a personal injury lawyer. American juries love to punish the guilty by pinching their purses. A jury threw a $206 billion fine at the four major tobacco

companies to teach them a lesson. ‘Thank you’ on an island when people are in shock or scared may transform into dollar signs when back home on familiar soil. Most of the injuries were not life-threatening though there were several injuries to the head and some internal bleeding. As I write, there is concern about one individual who may have suffered paralysis. None of the Bahamians onboard the bus – the driver and three tour guides or chaperones – appeared to have been seriously injured. If there is a takeaway in

this tale of a day that started out to be the memory of a lifetime and turned instead into a day they will never forget for all the wrong reasons, it is this. The Family Islands may not have a movie theatre. They may be short of luxury shopping and fancy restaurants. Food choices may be slimmer, fuel stations farther apart, but when it comes to pulling together in the face of adversity, Family Islands shine. Doc said it best “the whole community came together.” Nassau could take a lesson.

ONCE AGAIN SAILING MAKES ITS STYLISH MARK IT WAS a sight to behold. Dozens of what resembled little white snubnosed bathtubs powered by sails almost as tall as the youngsters at the tiller filled every corner of Montagu Bay last weekend for the 2019 Opti Nationals. There were 92 boats with competitors ages eight to 15 from Abaco, Harbour Island, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Long Island, Turks and Caicos, Cayman and New Providence. This was the second year the Opti Nationals hosted by the Royal Nassau Sailing Club (RNSC) drew a huge crowd of sailors,

spectators and volunteers, a welcome indication of sailing’s perennial strength and a stark reminder that sailing should be the national sport. And thanks to the Bahamas National Sailing School and the Bahamas Sailing Association, more young people from every walk of life are experiencing the thrill of urging the best performance out of a boat powered only by wind. When some of those who competed this weekend are older, they will crew aboard native sloops, sailing into the wind with sails

hard in, heeling, defying all odds for a boat with a mast twice the height of the length of its hull and sails large enough to fill the lobby of a small hotel. The sheer beauty and implausibility of the native sloop is a majestic sight that can be captured nowhere else but in The Bahamas. You can play basketball anywhere. Baseball, soccer, field hockey. You can run track and field and all the courses must meet universal measures. But native sloop sailing is a Bahamian thing and if it is our waters that define us, if it is sailing which penned our birth

and wrote our history and remains our unique entry into the world of sports, the it is sailing that should be our officially recognised national sport. As for the Opti Nationals, the two-day record-breaking regatta took countless hours of preparation. Kudos to Regatta Chair Peter Bruce Wassitsch, and a full team including Ana Elisa Wassitsch, Nadine Raine, Lori Lowe, president of the Bahamas Sailing Association, Jimmy Lowe, founder of the Bahamas National Sailing School, Toby Saddleton, commodore of

the RNSC, hard-working RNSC staff, Fernando and Francisco de Cardenas, race officers, Barry Willmot, Regatta Desk at the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, Emergency Medical Services. PMH and Doctors Hospital, and sponsors including John Bull, Bahamas Realty, Green Parrot, IPBS, WE Services and Asa H Pritchard. Together, the effort made the RNSC the comeback club and added one more checkmark to why sailing should replace cricket as the national sport of The Bahamas.

A pain in the cafe ... THIS week’s stink cell phone lack of manners award goes to… the woman in the red t-shirt with the yellow logo getting breakfast at Café Caribe at Logo’s one early morning who refused to turn the sound off on videos she was flipping through on her cell phone despite three different sets of people at different tables asking her to do so. Clearly, she had good reason to continue interfering with everyone’s attempt at a conversation of their own: “I watchin’ something,” she said loudly. Annoyed. Thank heavens her order was pick up.

FORM B Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

Shane A. Miller

Registrar of Marriages

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, June 28, 2019, PAGE 11

SENATOR MOSS BACKS COOPER’S CALL TO RAISE AGE OF CONSENT

Supermarket thieves build trolley ladder to escape

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net POLICE are investigating the overnight burglary of Super Value Baillou Hill Road, where assailants stacked trollies to escape the store through a hole cut into the roof. A video of the incident’s aftermath went viral across social media yesterday, garnering hundreds of responses and reactions. According to police, officers responded to an alarm activation at the store shortly after 1am, where they discovered the culprits had cut a hole into the store’s roof, before lowering themselves into the establishment using ropes. Police said the assailants searched the store, before stacking several dozen shopping carts together for use as a ladder. The makeshift contraption allowed the assailants a way back into the roof, where they made good their escape. When contacted by The Tribune yesterday, the chain’s operations manager, Kendrick Moss, declined to comment on the incident, insisting the matter was under “a formal police investigation.” Up to press time, police said it was “unknown” what was taken from the store. Investigations are ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident or any other crime is asked to call police at 919, 502-9991 or the Crime Stoppers hotline at 328-TIPS (8477).

THE TROLLIES are stacked up in Super Value on Baillou Hill Road, where the thieves escape from the store through a hole cut into the roof.

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party deputy leader Chester Cooper has drawn support from Free National Movement Senator Jamaal Moss over his desire to raise the age of consent. During his budget contribution on Tuesday, Senator Moss argued the age of consent for participation in sexual activity - 16 - has caused more harm than good. “As a young Bahamian,” he said, “I want to also join the Member of Parliament that we need to seriously look at increasing the age of consent to 18. In my view, this outdated law has done more harm than good. Young Bahamians, whether they male or female, have been taken advantage of by older persons and have also lived by this false mindset that at the age of 16 it is okay to go there and have sex with whoever you please. “I don’t care if they are out of school. They are children. At the age of 16, is it okay for me to go to any liquor store or sit at a bar table and order drinks upon drinks? No. Can a 16-year-old be registered on the voter’s list and vote? No. So why are we saying it’s okay for 16-yearolds to give consent? Something is wrong with that.” During a recent speech before the PLP’s New Providence Women’s Branch, Mr Cooper said he disagrees with the age of consent, saying it should be 18 for men and women. “We must protect vulnerable and inexperienced young women from being preyed upon,” he said. Mr Moss also called for harsher penalties for weapons possession during his speech. “I suggest that every individual who is caught with an illegal weapon be given an automatic 15 years in jail and five years per bullet,” he said. “Now some may say that’s a bit too harsh but to be honest with my fellow Bahamians I don’t care.”

FORM B Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

Shane A. Miller

FORM B Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

Shane A. Miller

Registrar of Marriages

PAGE 12, Friday, June 28, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

HEATWAVE PUTS SPAIN, ITALY AND FRANCE ON HIGHEST ‘RED’ WEATHER ALERT PRAGUE Associated Press

FRANCE’S national weather service issued its highest-level danger alert yesterday as it warned that parts of the country could expect temperatures to reach an “exceptional peak” today amid a record-setting heatwave in Europe. Meteo France raised the hazardous weather warning to “red,” the highest level, for the Marseille and Montpellier areas in southeastern France, forecasting hazardous temperatures of 42-45 degrees Celsius. It was the first red alert Meteo France activated since a four-level

weather “vigilance” system was introduced following an estimated 15,000 heat-related deaths in France during a 2003 summer heatwave. The Italian Health Ministry said seven cities, including Florence, Rome and Turin, already were at Italy’s highest heat warning level Thursday. Today, 16 cities will be under alerts for high temperatures. Italian authorities instructed people to avoid being outside during the hottest hours of the day and to stay away from areas with a lot of vehicle traffic to prevent ozone exposure. Amid the blistering weather in Europe, hundreds of firefighters

FIREFIGHTERS try to extinguish a wildfire in Palma d’Ebre, Spain yesterday.

struggled to contain a wildfire in northeastern Spain that forced the evacuation of 53 residents. Firefighters said temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius, low humidity and high winds fanned the flames. Miquel Buch, the regional interior minister, said authorities suspect the Catalonia region’s worst fire in two decades started when the heat caused improperly stored chicken manure to combust at a farm. In the Czech Republic, where a new June temperature record was set this week, were set this week, gorillas and polar bears at Prague’s zoo kept cool by eating their own version of sorbet.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY LOOMS AFTER MANAFORT DENIES FRAUD CHARGES

GROUP WANTS GRIZZLY BEARS RESTORED TO MORE STATES

NEW YORK Associated Press

Associated Press WILDLIFE advocates are seeking a court order that would force US officials to consider if grizzly bears should be restored to more Western states following the animals’ resurgence in the Northern Rockies. Grizzly bears are protected as a threatened species outside Alaska. An estimated 1,900 bears live in portions of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Washington state. In a lawsuit filed yesterday in federal court in Montana, the Center for Biological Diversity said grizzlies should also be considered for areas of California, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and Oregon.

A GRIZZLY bear and a cub along the Gibbon River in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming earlier this year.

Trump told to be tough with Putin OSAKA, Japan Associated Press

PRESIDENT Donald Trump is under pressure to take a firm stand against election interference tomorrow when he holds his first meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin since the special counsel found extensive evidence of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. US officials are on high alert for more interference next year. Trump said in advance he expected a “very good conversation” with Putin but told reporters that “what I say to him is none of your business.” His aides have grown worried that Trump could use the meeting to once again attack Robert Mueller’s probe on the world stage, particularly since the special counsel now has a date to testify before Congress next month.

TRUMP at a rainy Osaka airport. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer pressed the president Thursday to directly challenge the Russian leader on election interference and send a signal “not merely to Putin but to all of our adversaries that interfering with our election is unacceptable, and that they will pay a price — a strong price — for trying.”

Putin is among five world leaders with whom Trump will hold with one-on-one meetings on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Osaka. The president went into the meetings complaining that the US has been “ripped off” by other nations for years and after publicly airing grievances with Germany, India and even host nation Japan, whose leaders are all on his schedule for the day. Trump has complained in recent days that the US military alliance with Japan is one-sided, said Germany was taking advantage of the US on support for NATO and tweeted that India’s tariffs on the U.S. “must be withdrawn!” Trump also meets Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, whom the American leader has come to view as a populist leader in his own image.

• POLITICAL unease over the White House’s tough talk against Iran is reviving questions about President Trump’s ability to order military strikes without Congress approval. The Senate is heading toward a vote tomorrow on an amendment to a sweeping Defense bill that would require congressional support before Trump acts. It’s not expected to pass. But lawmakers say Trump cannot continue relying on war authorisation Congress approved in the aftermath of Sept 11. The effort signals discomfort with Trump’s approach to foreign policy. Most Democrats and some Republicans support the amendment. But it faces steep resistance from the White House and the GOP leader says it would “hamstring” the president’s ability to respond militarily at a time of escalating tension between the US and Iran.

PAUL Manafort, the imprisoned former chairman of President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, pleaded not guilty yesterday to New York state mortgage fraud charges that could keep him locked up even if Trump pardons him for federal crimes uncovered during the probe of Russian election meddling. Manafort’s lawyer said he intends to challenge the state case under New York’s strong double jeopardy protections, which bar prosecutors from bringing state charges if a person has received a presidential pardon for federal charges stemming from the same conduct. “In our views, the laws of New York do not allow the people to do what they did in this case,” Manafort’s lawyer Todd Blanche told reporters after Manafort’s arraignment. Manafort, in a blue jail uniform and handcuffs, walked with a limp as court officers led him down a public hall to and from the courtroom. He had been transferred last week to a federal detention center in New York for his arraignment in the state case. Manafort, 70, remained seated as he entered his plea and had to be helped out of his chair when taken out of the courtroom. He used a wheelchair at his last federal sentencing in March because of gout. Manafort, pictured, is already serving a 7½-year prison sentence for misleading the US government about his lucrative foreign lobbying work, hiding millions of dollars from tax authorities and encouraging witnesses to lie on his behalf. He is due back in court in the state case on October 9. His lawyers asked if he could skip all pretrial hearings, but Judge Maxwell Wiley said he will decide that on a hearingby-hearing basis.

THIS artist’s rendering made available by NASA shows multiple views of the Dragonfly dual-quadcopter lander.

NASA PLANS TO SEND A DRONE TO SATURN’S LARGEST MOON Associated Press

NASA is sending a drone to explore Saturn’s largest moon. The space agency said Thursday the Dragonfly mission will fly over Titan, exploring different locations on the icy moon to study whether it can support microbial life. The mission, part of NASA’s competitive New Frontiers program, beat out another possible project to collect samples from a nearby comet. It will launch

in 2026 and arrive at Titan in 2034. Titan is a haze-covered world with a thick atmosphere. The moon also has lakes of methane and an ocean below the surface, making it an attractive place to explore whether its environment can support primitive life. Titan was last studied by the international Cassini-Huygens mission. In 2017, the Cassini spacecraft plunged into Saturn, ending two decades of exploration.