07072026 BUSINESS

Food retailers tell Sebas: ‘Don’t make us bad guys’

BY NEIL HARTNELL and Fay Simmons Tribune Business Reporters

FOOD stores yesterday voiced fears they will be viewed as “the bad guys taking advantage of people” if Sebas Bastian’s pop-up grocery store concept is not handled properly, with one asserting: “We just hope it won’t interfere with the regular business fow.”

Debra Symonette, Super Value’s president, told Tribune Business that the Fort Charlotte MP’s bid to ease cost of living pressures for his constituents via Saturday’s ofering of up to 40 percent discounts on key food items needs to be perceived as a “charitable” initiative rather than a new food store entering into competition with established rivals such as her 13-store chain.

Emphasising that she is not opposed to Mr Bastian’s eforts to bring relief to struggling Bahamians, and that she is “extremely happy” his constituents are getting a muchneeded “break” from high costs, the Super Value chief nevertheless warned that - by selling groceries “at cost” and deep discounts - it could give the public the incorrect, misleading impression that food store businesses are, in efect, price gouging.

Minnis: BPL fuel probe ‘exonerates’ our hedge

BY NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

DR HUBERT

Minnis yesterday asserted that energy regulators have “exonerated” his administration over the fuel hedging strategy it introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic after fnding it generated a “net beneft” for Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) consumers.

OSuper Value chief: Pop-up concept needs careful handling

Adds: ‘We just hope it doesn’t interfere with business ow’

Comparisons to MP’s initiative are not ‘apples for apples’

Ms Symonette told this newspapers that comparisons between food stores and Mr Bastian’s pop-up market are inappropriate as the two are not an ‘apples for apples’ or ‘oranges for oranges’ match. She explained that, unlike the minister for innovation and national development’s Saturday event, food stores are business enterprises that have to cover their costs and make a proft to keep their doors open.

Food distribution retailers and wholesalers employ hundreds of Bahamians, while covering major expenses such as rent and energy, and paying multiple government taxes such as VAT, Business Licence fees, Customs duties and National Insurance Board (NIB) contributions.

Tribune Business was last week picking up growing concerns that Mr Bastian’s pop-up concept could undermine this model, and Ms Symonette confrmed the existence of such sentiments.

“Basically, he’s ofering the stuf at cost or deeply discounted prices,” she told this newspaper. “That, to me, makes it more of a charitable organisation than a business. But, in a business, we need to make a gross proft to cover our expenses. And there are a lot of expenses.

“We have to cover our staf alone. Payroll is a major expense we have to cover, and we have expenses related to the Government - all the taxes we pay, VAT, Customs duties, Business Licence fees, NIB. How in the world can we possibly compete with someone ofering goods at cost? If we

NHI pay delays: Doctor minority ‘making it issue’

Deputy chair: ‘Sad part’ is delays ‘not six months, year’ But Gov’t healthcare scheme ‘owns’ late payments

‘Pressures’ should not obscure 161,000 are benefting

BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE National Health Insurance (NHI) deputy chair yesterday asserted that developing a sustainable fnancing mechanism is “the heart of the matter” for ensuring the scheme’s longterm viability as he urged Bahamians to look beyond delayed provider payments to the bigger picture. Dr Robin Roberts told Tribune Business that the Government-funded and administered healthcare initiative is working “well beyond any expectations” as he vehemently rejected suggestions that NHI’s current fnancial strains, which have left it two months’ in arrears on compensating doctors and other providers, mean it is “collapsing” or

Receiver imposed on Briland resort’s rental pool earnings

BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The former Killarney MP, speaking to the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority’s (URCA) summary of the BPL fuel tarif probe, which contradicted the Davis administration by concluding the hedge produced “signifcant savings” in 2022, told Tribune Business: “I’m glad they came out with it. It certainly exonerates my administration as to what we thought was right. “The same thing with the National Food Distribution Task Force. The new government was accusing us of all manner of things with the food programme, and the report by the Auditor General exonerated us and spoke highly of us…. that we saved the nation from starvation.”

URCA’s summary backed the former Minnis administration by asserting that BPL’s frst fuel hedging strategy, implemented in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when oil prices were relatively low due to subdued global demand, generated “a net beneft to BPL consumers”.

This somewhat contradicts the narrative employed by Jobeth Coleby-Davis, minister of energy, utilities and aviation, during the last parliamentary term when she argued that the Minnis administration’s hedge failed

THE Chief Justice has imposed a receiver over the hotel rental pool income and assets at a prominent Harbour Island resort amid an escalating dispute between the principal owner and some of its 41 condo owners.

Sir Ian Winder, in a July 2, 2026, verdict confrmed his namesake, Raymond Winder, the former Deloitte & Touche

(Bahamas) managing partner, as receiver to take control of all rental revenue at Valentine’s Resort & Marina and how these monies are distributed after fnding “the red fags” identifed by condo unit owners appear “to have merit” at frst sight.

The Order comes amid an increasingly acrimonious legal battle between Lee Prosenjak, Valentine’s principal owner, and Harbour Island Villas Condominium Phase One and Two - the management

companies that operate the 41 condo units on their owners’ behalf. Sir Ian’s verdict details the claims and counter-claims fying between the two sides, which include allegations about non-payment of rental income and due fees; unpaid bills; and disconnection by Bahamas Power & Light (BPL). However, Sir Ian’s ruling limits the receivership to

8pm and 9pm, remained closed for the remainder of the day.

BY ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net

A CONVENIENCE store lost 95 percent of its daily sales due to Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) day-long Sunday outage while a tourism operator sufered another decline in bookings.

Garfeld Johnson, proprietor of Amanda’s Convenience Store, said the outage efectively wiped out an entire work day when it began shortly after 10am, forcing him to close around 12.30pm to protect temperature-sensitive inventory.

“It was of for 10 hours and we open for 12 hours, so we really couldn’t do anything,” Mr Johnson said. “Nobody was coming. So it was basically a whole day lost. We lost about 95 percent of sales yesterday.”

The store, which normally operates from 8am until between

“After a while, we really couldn’t even keep the doors open because the heat started pouring in,” Mr Johnson said. “If I did not close up while some cool air was still in the shop, I may have lost all my candy bars and the margarines and butter, and all that may have started to melt.

“If people had come and the coolers were opening and closing quite frequently, the heat would pour into the coolers. It didn’t make any sense to lose the day’s sales and lose products. You tend to know that you have about 24 hours before the stuf starts to melt. But the chocolates would have gone faster than the cuts.”

Mr Johnson said he now factors outages into his annual fnancial planning. “I still have the inventory, and I’m here today and I try to manage,” he said. “During hurricane months, in my mind, we’re going to lose about seven days of business during June, July, August and September. That’s how I do my fnances.”

that Bahamians will struggle to access essential care. Asserting that such notions are “absolutely not” true, he admits in a letter published today by Tribune Business that the NHI Authority, which oversees the healthcare initiative, is facing fnancial challenges. But, while acknowledging that the Authority “owns” the late payments to providers, Dr Roberts pledged that it will never default on its obligations and urged frustrated doctors and other medical professionals not to undermine public confdence in the scheme and the care it ofers.

He spoke out after Tribune Business recently revealed that the NHI Authority has subtly warned doctors and other

a narrow focus on just the hotel rental pool income and associated assets plus those Valentine’s entities that have a “contractual relationship” with Harbour Island Villas. It appears to exclude other components, such as the resort, marina and restaurants, with the Chief Justice limiting Raymond Winder’s role to settling expenses such as utilities and taxes plus the payment of

Giving the full story over National Health Insurance

Dr ROBIN ROBERTS Deputy Chairman National Health Insurance Authority

Dear Editor,

Thank you for allowing me to occupy this space for what I believe is a defning moment in the evolution of healthcare in The Bahamas.

There are pivotal moments in the life of a nation - moments that test our values, challenge our resolve and shape the future for generations to come. One such moment was July 10, 1973, upon becoming an independent nation. The creation of the National Insurance Board (NIB) was another. Today, the future of National Health Insurance (NHI) stands among them.

Implementing an NHI programme has been a 40-year journey. Its initial push to cover only the cost of catastrophic services met with great resistance. Wisely, the government policies adopted the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) clarion call of ‘Primary Healthcare for All’, which is a “whole-of-society approach to health that aims at ensuring the highest possible level of well-being and their equitable distribution”.

Primary healthcare seeks “as early as possible along the continuum from health promotion and disease prevention to treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care, and as close as feasible to people’s everyday environment." The NHI launched the primary healthcare programme in April 2017.

Having served as practicing physician in the Government’s health services for more than 40 years, and having had the privilege of serving as both chairman and deputy chairman of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), I have seen frst-hand both the promise and the pressures of healthcare reform in this country. I have seen also the cost and the tragedy of getting it wrong.

For decades, Bahamians have called for a healthcare system that is more accessible, more accountable and more responsive. Over the past nine years, NHI has worked to answer that call by expanding access to quality primary care, strengthening standards, modernising healthcare delivery and improving access to care for more than 160,000 registered benefciaries across the archipelago. We emerge as a

LETTER EDITOR TO THE

leader in healthcare reform in the region.

That progress matters. It deserves to be part of the national conversation, especially now.

Much of the recent public discussion around NHI has centred on provider payments. Some of that discussion has raised legitimate questions. Some of it has refected real frustration. But too much of it has also told only part of the story.

That matters because when public confdence in our healthcare system is shaped by incomplete information, it is not the NHIA that bears the greatest risk. It is the Bahamian people who depend on NHI every day. Let me be clear: NHIA is experiencing fnancial pressures. We acknowledge that reality. It is an issue of timely payment, not a lack of payment. We own it. NHI will not default on its payments. We are working to address it, and to advocate

Grocers ‘feel like we’re under attack all the time’

were to do that, we would go out of business.

“It’s important for us to stay in business. Just the fact we are employing so many people and helping the economy in diferent ways. We help out in times of crisis, hurricanes.”

Mr Bastian signalled he will be having discussions with his fellow MPs to take the discount pop-up market to other constituencies - a move that may well further alarm food store businesses.

Ms Symonette said it was vital that the industry not be perceived, or portrayed, as “the bad guys taking advantage of people when we are not. We are simply trying to cover our expenses and to remain viable”.

She added that it was critical that Mr Bastian, also the minister of innovation and national development, “gives the right concept out and not make it seem as if he is in the same category as we are”.

“It’s not that we’re not happy that the residents are getting a break,” Ms Symonette told Tribune Business.

“We are extremely happy for them with the cost of living. Everyone is trying to fnd a way to save on costs. We’re just hoping it won’t interfere with the regular fow of business.”

The Super Value chief also appeared sceptical that the pop-up grocery market could be restricted to Fort Charlotte constituents only, while there was seemingly nothing to prevent attendees from buying in bulk for relatives or friends living outside the area.

Other sources have also questioned whether Mr Bastian needed licences and/or permits to stage Saturdays event, which Ms Symonette branded “a good question”. She added: “We also hope it’s being properly regulated.

“We source the best possible prices but we have to cover our expenses, and if you compare volunteers to employees who have to

be paid, that’s a huge difference. I really cannot say where he’s getting his stuf.”

Mr Bastian could not be reached for comment before press time yesterday despite numerous Tribune Business attempts to reach him. However, this newspaper was told he was moved to act after seeing how many Fort Charlotte constituents were struggling to make ends meet, and pay all their bills, due to the ever-escalating cost of living.

The former Island Luck co-founder, who resigned from all his corporate posts prior to the May 12 general election, is also understood to not be seeking to enter the food retail or wholesale business but simply ease the fnancial burden on struggling Bahamians in his new role as an MP.

It is thought up to 30 percent of what was sold at Fort Charlotte’s pop-up market on Saturday was sourced from Bahamas-based distributors and retailers, with

for sustainable solutions.

But acknowledging a challenge should never be mistaken for admitting failure, and nor should operational pressures be used to create the impression that NHI is collapsing or that benefciaries should question whether care remains available to them.

That conclusion is simply not supported by the facts.

The programme remains operational. Benefciaries continue to receive care. Providers continue to deliver services. The Authority continues to work to strengthen the programme while addressing the fnancial and operational issues before it.

It is also important to say plainly that the current conversation cannot be reduced to payment delays alone. National Health Insurance (NHI) exists within a broader healthcare system that has long struggled with inefciency, inconsistent accountability, underutilised resources and the growing burden of chronic disease. Injecting more money into the system without confronting those underlying issues will not solve the challenges.  Accountability for healthcare outcomes cannot rest solely with NHIA.

thousands of dollars spent locally.

Speaking at Saturday’s event, Mr Bastian said: “This is an initiative that we brought forward to bring much-needed relief to the cost of living. And the number one contributor … to the cost of living is food.

“So we partnered with local distributors, as well as international distributors, to really get wholesale prices, bring them in and just get our volunteers together, and we just sell these at cost.”

Mr Bastian added that his team also engaged in international sourcing, saying they “analysed the diferent costs from diferent regions and all that. We saw a lot of arbitrages in terms of diferences in prices across several items.

“We realised that there was a savings of about up to 40 percent on many items that can be ascertained by facilitating an initiative like this,” he said. “We have the healthy options, and we have some not so healthy things, obviously. But we have to meet the consumers where they are.”

Cartons of eggs were on sale at 99 cents each, non-perishable items started at 39 cents, and other essentials such as toilet paper, diapers and feminine products started at $1.70.

However, one Bahamian grocer yesterday argued that established food

Appointment availability is largely determined by providers. Utilisation patterns are infuenced by providers. Referral pathways depend on provider participation. Quality standards are delivered by providers. If we are serious about improving healthcare in The Bahamas, then the conversation must be honest about the shared responsibility required to do so.

That honesty also extends to the role NHI has played in supporting the provider community.

Over the years, the programme has helped strengthen primary care as a viable area of practice, supported the growth of medical practices, introduced new standards and systems, and created opportunities for providers to modernise and expand. Many physicians have embraced that work with professionalism and commitment. They deserve recognition and appreciation.

But partnership must be a two-way street. The question before us cannot be only what NHI owes providers. It must also be what all of usinstitutions, physicians and policymakers alike - owe the Bahamian people.

More than 160,000 benefciaries rely on this programme. They deserve quality. They deserve accessibility. Most importantly, they deserve healthcare that prioritises them.

retailers feel “under attack” from politicians entering the market with discounted food sales, adding that such events create an unfair playing feld for businesses already grappling with rising costs.

Speaking to Tribune Business on condition of anonymity, the retailer said many grocery operators believe discounted food markets hosted by politicians misrepresent how the industry functions while placing legitimate businesses that employ Bahamians and operate year-round in an unfair light.

“It really is important that the real grocers have a voice,” the retailer said. “We feel like we’re being under attack all the time. What the hell is going on?

For the good of who? Go look somewhere else.”

The grocer argued that retailers cannot compete with one-of political events because they must cover payroll, utilities, rent, licensing fees and other operating costs every day. “This isn’t a game for us. This isn’t some political ploy. This is real life,” the retailer said.

“We’re running real businesses that families depend on.”

The retailer rejected suggestions that grocery stores are infating prices, arguing competition keeps prices in check. “Competition keeps prices at market rates,” the retailer said. “We have to do

Public confdence in healthcare is a public health issue. When statements made in the public domain leave patients uncertain about whether they can continue receiving care, we have moved beyond debate and into something more damaging. That is why correcting the public record matters.

This is not about silencing criticism. Scrutiny, accountability and honest discussion are essential to the future of healthcare in this country. But those discussions must refect the full picture. They must acknowledge both the challenges and the progress. They must recognise that National Health Insurance (NHI) was never intended to be defned by a single news cycle or a single operational pressure point. It was created to improve healthcare access, advance quality care and equity for all Bahamians. That mission remains unchanged.

As long as the Bahamian fag fies, the aspiration of universal health coverage must endure. National Health Insurance belongs to the people of this country. Its future should not be shaped by fear, half-truths or narrow self-interest, but by a shared commitment to better healthcare for every Bahamian.

Yours sincerely, Dr Robin Roberts deputy chairman National Health Insurance Authority

this consistently. We can’t sell below cost because we’d be out of business.”

The retailer also said businesses continue to absorb signifcant costs arising from the Davis administration’s recent decision to categorise unprepared foods as VAT ‘exempt’ rather than ‘zero-rated’, which prevents grocery stores from claiming or reclaiming the tax on their input expenses

“It looks good to the general public, but somebody has to absorb those costs,” the retailer said. “If we can’t absorb them, they eventually fnd their way back into the price of goods in another form.”

The retailer added that businesses have also incurred thousands of dollars in software upgrades and system changes to accommodate the VAT policy adjustments.

“Every time there’s a policy change, we spend thousands of dollars updating our systems, changing shelf labels and reconfguring our software. Nobody compensates us for those costs,” they said.

The retailer said many grocers share similar concerns, and want greater opportunity to explain the realities of operating in today’s retail environment. “Everybody is doing their best to stay competitive and stay in the market,” the retailer said.

One social media posting, seen by Tribune Business, said: “If an MP is able to sell groceries 40–50 percent below what local grocers can even purchase them for, it creates an uneven playing feld. Consumers will understandably buy the cheaper products, but private businesses cannot survive by selling below their own cost.

“Over time, this could result in reduced sales, staf lay-ofs, fewer investments, business closures and less competition. Ironically, if local grocers become weaker or disappear, consumers could eventually face higher prices and fewer choices, not lower ones.

“If the cost of living is truly the problem, perhaps the better long-term solution is to reduce the costs that every grocery store faces through lower duties, lower taxes and other measures that allow all retailers to reduce prices for all Bahamians, rather than having elected ofcials compete with the very businesses that sustain our economy.

“Helping struggling families is a worthy goal. The challenge is ensuring that the solution provides relief without unintentionally undermining the businesses that create jobs, pay taxes, support charities and keep our communities fed every day.”

BPL outage costs retailer its busiest day for trading

BY FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN retailer yesterday revealed that Sunday's island-wide power outage forced it to close at 2pm, wiping out one of its busiest trading days and highlighting the growing cost that electricity disruptions are imposing on companies.

Eddie Toote, Designer Beauté’s proprietor, told Tribune Business that the outage disrupted operations across the company's three New Providence locations, with two stores left without electricity for the entire day and a third only briefy regaining service before power was lost again.

"We basically lost the whole day," said Mr Toote.  "We had three locations open on Sunday. One had electricity for about an hour, but the other two didn't have power at all.

We normally operate from 10am to 7pm on Sundays,

but we had to close at 2pm because there was no sign the electricity was coming back on. It wasn't comfortable for our staf or our customers."

While electricity returned to most locations on Monday, one store experienced another interruption during the afternoon. "One store lost power again around 2pm," said Mr Toote.  "When I checked back at closing they told me the electricity never came back on. So yesterday was basically a full day without power, and today was a half day."

Mr Toote said the timing of the outage made the losses particularly painful because Sundays are among the retailer's strongest trading days. "If we were going to choose a day to close, it defnitely wouldn't be Sunday," he said. "We open seven days a week, and Sunday is one of our most productive days."

The outage also disrupted operations for food

retailers, with one grocery operator, who requested anonymity, telling Tribune Business back-up systems could only do so much during an extended blackout.

"Our back-up generator was kind of in and out, so it was a challenge," the retailer said. "The day before was actually worse than Sunday, but it's just not a good situation to have the power of."

The retailer added that generators are not designed to keep every aspect of a supermarket operating normally during prolonged outages. "Back-up generators don't keep everything running," the retailer said. "They only keep some things on, so it's still very inconvenient for businesses."

Mark Turnquest, founder of the 242 Small Business Association and Resource Centre (SBARC), said prolonged outages are especially damaging during the summer months when

retailers typically experience higher sales tied to family gatherings, beach outings and other seasonal activities.

"I'm very disappointed with BPL because these summer months are when a lot of small businesses make their money," said Mr Turnquest. "There are more events, picnics, parties and beach outings, so people are buying clothes, food and other goods."

He agreed that while many businesses have invested in back-up generators, those systems are only a partial solution when outages stretch for hours.

"Generators help, but when an outage lasts more than eight hours it becomes very difcult, especially for convenience stores that have to keep their beverages cold," Mr Turnquest said. "Take ice cream, for example. Once it starts to melt, that's it."

Mr Turnquest said business owners are also facing steadily rising electricity

costs, making prolonged outages even more frustrating. "Year over year, my clients are paying more for electricity," he said. "The bills have already started climbing, and we're only at the beginning of the summer."

Explaining Sunday's outage, Bahamas Power and Light chief executive, Toni Seymour, said the disruption stemmed from an explosion at the utility's primary substation at the Blue Hills power plant.

"We would like to apologise to all New Providence residents impacted by Sunday's prolonged outage," said Ms Seymour. "It resulted from an explosion at our primary substation at the Blue Hills power plant." She said the explosion damaged equipment used to export electricity from the station, requiring crews to frst secure the area before repairs could begin. "A fault of this magnitude takes an exceptionally long time to restore, which is why the outage was so widespread and prolonged," Ms Seymour said. She added that customers still experiencing outages should report them to BPL, as those interruptions are unrelated to Sunday's extended outage and may require additional repairs.

Gas stations urge caution over fuel theft allegations

BY ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business Reporter

A FAITH Avenue gas station operator said an incident that sparked allegations of attempted theft on social media was the result of an honest mistake rather than employee misconduct.

The controversy began after a customer shared a Facebook post alleging that an attendant at an Esso service station on Faith Avenue attempted to short change her $10 worth of fuel from a $20 cash purchase. The customer said the issue was discovered before she left the station, and was corrected after she questioned the cashier.

Following an internal review, Paul Hepburn, operator of the Esso service station on Faith Avenue

and Carmichael Road, said management found the incident resulted from an employee juggling multiple fuel transactions at once.

“Our investigation found that the pump attendant had more than one pump that he was putting money in for, and he made a mistake,” Mr Hepburn said. “He put $10 on her pump, and it was an honest mistake. People make mistakes. We’re human.”

Mr Hepburn said the matter was corrected immediately once it was brought to the cashier’s attention, and maintained there was never any intention to deprive the customer of fuel. “There was no intent to steal,” he said. “He’s not that kind of person.”

Mr Hepburn added that he and the customer later communicated, and he ofered a complimentary fuel voucher in an efort to

Pintard says Gov’t must ‘do right’ by GB straw vendors

BY FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

THE Opposition’s leader yesterday urged the Government to "do right" by Grand Bahama straw vendors, claiming they have been told they will receive no compensation as the International Bazaar redevelopment moves forward.

In a statement yesterday, Michael Pintard accused the Government of failing to address the position of straw vendors in negotiations over the International Bazaar redevelopment, claiming they have been told they will receive no compensation while other stakeholders are being paid.

Mr Pintard said members of the Straw Market Company Ltd have reportedly been informed they are not

entitled to compensation and that the Government would "get back to them”. "The Government did not disclose the situation facing the straw vendors, who are also stakeholders in the International Bazaar," said Mr Pintard. He added that the company has since made repeated attempts to meet with Ginger Moxey, minister of Grand Bahama, but has received no response.

"I'm calling on the Government to do right by the members of the Straw Market Company," said Mr Pintard. The Opposition leader argued that “no stakeholder should be left behind” as the Government advances plans for the Afro-Caribbean Marketplace at the International Bazaar. "No stakeholder should be left behind or kept in

N O T I C E

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, (As Amended) NOTICE is hereby given that POLY LTD. is in dissolution and that the date of commencement of the dissolution is the 18th day of May, A. D. 2026.

ENERVO ADMINISTRATION LIMITED LIQUIDATOR

Montague Sterling Centre, East Bay Street P.O. Box N-3924 Nassau, e Bahamas

make amends. “We’re not crooks,” he said. “We don’t encourage that. It’s a bad look on us, but that was never the intent.”

The Facebook post generated many reactions and comments, with several users claiming to have experienced similar situations at service stations across New Providence.

Mr Hepburn said while customers have every right to raise concerns, he believes social media often amplifes negative narratives before businesses have an opportunity to investigate. “I’ve got over 30 employees there,” he said. “They have families and they need to eat, and they’re not trying to rob anybody that comes into Carmichael.”

According to Peter Roker, operator of Roker’s Gas Station, an Esso service station also in the Faith

Avenue area, the incident highlighted the issue of reputational damage, which he said businesses have become constantly subject to in the age of social media.

Because the original Facebook post referred only to “an Esso gas station on Faith Avenue” without identifying a specifc location, other operators along that street could have received unfair backlash.

Mr Roker stressed that any employee intentionally dispensing less fuel than a customer paid for would be committing theft. However, he argued that customers should frst seek to resolve concerns directly with management before taking it to social media.

“If I go somewhere and I don’t get the right service, I’ll ask if there’s a manager or somebody I can call,” he said. “My number, my

the dark regarding the Government's plans for the Afro-Caribbean Marketplace," he said. "No one should be denied fair consideration while

others are reportedly being compensated."

Mr Pintard said the Straw Market Company Ltd, which was established in 2002, was entrusted with managing Straw Markets A,

Notice

DIAMOND BAY HOLDINGS LIMITED (In Dissolution)

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138(4) of e International Business Companies Act, 2000, notice is hereby given that: -

(a) DIAMOND BAY HOLDINGS LIMITED is in dissolution.

(b) e date of commencement of the dissolution is the 30th day of June A.D., 2026.

(c) e Liquidator for the above-named Company is Ian M. Black whose address is c/o Harley James Law, P.O. Box SP-63858, Nassau, Bahamas.

Ian M. Black acting as Liquidator

manager’s number, and at least two other numbers are posted in every possible place for observation at the gas station. If anyone ever has complaints, they have our direct number.”

Mr Roker acknowledged that mistakes can occur in any business, but said management should be given an opportunity to investigate and resolve complaints. “It’s impossible to prevent something from happening, but our mentality is that if something happens and it comes to our attention, we will deal with it straight away,” he added. He also warned that, once false allegations are widely circulated online, correcting it can be difcult and harm the business, costing large amounts of money.

“I think that people have a responsibility for looking into facts a little more before they take any public

B and C at the International Bazaar, encompassing nearly 5,450 square feet.

action, because once you make a statement, it’s hard to go out there and correct it,” Mr Roker said.

“You go to an establishment and you make a statement on social media. Twenty thousand people will see that statement that cost that business $100,000. But then when there's a retraction and only 5,000 people see it, you got 15,000 people who didn't see the correction.”

Mr Roker further cautioned that defamatory social media posts can carry signifcant legal consequences.

“The fact that Bahamians can say whatever they want to say on social media doesn’t mean that they are entitled to say it,” he said. “There’s too much defamatory foolishness happening. The general public does not realise that they can be doing something they could be sued for thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars for.”

The straw vendors' position emerges as the Government moves to complete its long-planned acquisition of the International Bazaar site, a key component of its proposed Afro-Caribbean Marketplace project  Mrs Moxey last week said the Government expected to complete the acquisition within 10 days after reaching agreements with 13 property owners, with only one remaining holdout. She also said compensation payments to those owners were expected to begin shortly. She added that the redevelopment is intended to transform the long-abandoned International Bazaar into an Afro-Caribbean Marketplace featuring pavilions representing 55 African countries, 20 Caribbean nations and The Bahamas. The project is also envisioned as a logistics hub for goods imported from Africa and the Caribbean for redistribution to international markets.

As part of the broader redevelopment, the Government has also acquired the Harcourt property, including the Princess Towers and Casino, for $1m, and secured approximately 4.365 acres of land west of Sunrise Highway for $1 to facilitate the reopening of the roadway through the area, Mrs Moxey has previously described reopening the road as a long-standing priority for Grand Bahama residents. While highlighting the longawaited redevelopment as an opportunity to advance Grand Bahama's economy, Mr Pintard argued that the process should be inclusive. "The people who have invested years in sustaining businesses at the Bazaar deserve transparency, respect and equitable treatment throughout this process," he said. "Their dignity matters."

Chief Justice: ‘Red ags’ on unpaid bills, BPL disconnection assertions

rental income to the relevant unit owners.

And Sir Ian also made clear the receiver is not empowered to take control of the four companies that comprise the Valentine’s Resort & Marina and their assets, and nor will he “have the power to carry on the trade or business” of any of these entities - Valentine’s Resort & Marina, Valentine’s Island Development Ltd, Harbour Island Villas Ltd and Potcake Pros Ltd.

Mr Prosenjak, in a statement responding to Tribune Business inquiries, said he and the Valentine’s Resort & Marina group of companies “welcome” the Supreme Court’s Order appointing the receiver because having an independent, “objective third party reviewing the facts is in everyone’s best interest” given the protracted and deep-rooted nature of the dispute.

“While the order has been described as a limited receivership, in practice what it establishes is an independent fnancial review, narrowly focused on the entity handling HOA (Home Owner’s Association) assessments, owner payments, owner dues still owed to the resort, and the unreconciled accounting left over from previous ownership. It is an interim step in a longer process, not a fnal determination of anything,” he asserted.

“The matter before the court concerns a small number of units, most of which do not participate in the rental pool, and the accounting associated with their HOA dues. The resort itself, including the hotel, marina, restaurants, operate under a separate structure and continue serving guests as they have for years.

“After an extended period of disagreement, an objective third party reviewing the facts is in everyone’s best interest. We have maintained detailed fnancial records and look forward to providing whatever the independent

professional [Mr Winder’s] requests.”

Battle began after Harbour Island Villas, represented by Khalil Parker KC, the Bahamas Bar Association chairman, launched legal action against Mr Prosenjak and the four companies in the Valentine’s Resort & Marina group over how they were being operated and managed following his acquisition of the property. They grounded their lawsuit in claims of “oppression and unfair treatment”, citing the Companies Act’s section 280.

Asserting that the dispute began in August 2023, Harbour Island Villas and the condo owners opposing Mr Prosenjak alleged that he and Valentine’s failed to make due payments to themselves, their insurer and BPL. They added that, while Valentine’s ultimately “serviced some of its debts”, it had not paid the full sum due to the condo management frm including its $150,000 share of July 2024’s rental income revenue - which delayed “necessary and planned upgrades” to the roofs. Further allegations were made about Valentine’s alleges failure “to account” to Harbour Island Villas for the rental income or amounts due to the latter for management and operation of the condos. This ultimately led to the condo management frm’s application to the Supreme Court for the appointment of a receiver over the entire Valentine’s group, although Sir Ian ultimately restricted his remit to just the hotel rental pool.

Citing “a recent threatened lapse of the condominiums’ insurance policy and the temporary disconnection of electricity” due to purported non-payment of the relevant bills by Mr Prosenjak and Valentine’s, Harbour Island Villas asserted that condo owners had been “arbitrarily excluded… from the use and enjoyment of the amenity areas including the swimming pool, gym, beach chairs and other amenities”.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that I ALANDINA GABRIEL SIMEON of P.O. Box# N-7147, Washington Street, New Providence, Bahamas, 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 7th day of July, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that WALKY FONTAINE of Berry Avenue, Yamacraw Hill Road, Nassau, The Bahamas, 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 7th day of July, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

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 7th day of July, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

Several unit owners provided afdavit evidence to back up Harbour Island Villas’ allegations. Mary Barroll, arguing that electricity and water disconnections “have undermined the stability and security” of the condo complex, alleged that she and other owners had been exposed to real property tax liabilities after being “arbitrarily excluded” from the rental pool and associated income.

The rental revenue is split 50/50 between the condo owners and Mr Prosenjak/Valentine’s. Sir Ian, summarising Ms Barroll’s evidence, wrote of her allegations: “Funds deducted from unit owners for utilities and insurance have not been properly applied. Premiums went unpaid for months, risking cancellation of insurance, and payments to vendors remain outstanding….

“Unit owners have not received rental revenues since July 2025, despite repeated demands. Complaints continue, and she fears irreparable harm to Valentines’ fnancial viability.. She denied that the power outage was due to load shedding, asserting instead that it was caused by failure to pay the BPL bill. She added that $150,000 deducted was only paid after the commencement of the action.”

Michael Strange, Harbour Island Villas’ treasurer, accused Mr Prosenjak of “bullying tactics” and failing to respond to queries by the condo management frm’s Board. He alleged that a $150,000 assessment, deducted from owners’ rental earnings in June 2024, had not been remitted to a contingency fund controlled by the Valentine’s owner until January 2025, while producing an e-mail from agent Stuart Tavares to show the insurance was not in good standing.

John Nichols, meanwhile, claimed he was informed that 12 condo unit owners saw their rental income withheld by Valentine’s in 2025. “He was informed that Valentines’ failure to pay power bills led to a temporary electricity cut by

BPL, which also disabled the reverse osmosis system supplying fresh water. The generator was in disrepair and unable to minimise the disruption,” Sir Ian wrote.

However, Mr Prosenjak countered that, after acquiring Valentine’s Resort & Marina in early 2023, “he voluntarily waived over $180,000 in contractual property management fees and dedicated hundreds of hours to fnancial reconciliation and audit support, work that would ordinarily command professional fees exceeding $30,000”.

The Valentine’s chief said all relevant fnancial information was available to unit owners via an online portal, which they refused to access, and he rejected all accusations of fnancial mismanagement, refuting claims of non-payment of insurance premiums and BPL bills while “insisting that Harbour is manufacturing an accounting crisis”.

“Lee alleged that Mary Barroll harbours personal animus against him because his ofer to acquire the resort was accepted over hers. He claimed that Barroll and her allies are using their control of Harbour’s Board to orchestrate a takeover of the company and to fuel litigation not supported by the majority of members,” Sir Ian wrote of Mr Prosenjak’s evidence.

“Regarding the rental pool and amenity access, Lee explained that only unit owners in arrears were excluded or threatened with exclusion. He alleged that Barroll owed $40,000 in unpaid fees and Strange owed $20,000. Nevertheless, all unit owners have continued to enjoy amenity access despite breaches and non-payment. He argued that his conduct is neither extortionate nor capricious, stressing that collapse of the resort would harm his own investment.”

Two condo unit owners also backed Mr Prosenjak, adding that they had enjoyed “stronger rental performance, increased property value and a more professionally managed resort” since he took over its ownership.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that I GABRIELLA SAINVIL of Hawkins Hill, New Providence, Bahamas, 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 7th day of July, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that I EMMANUEL DELUSMA of Carmichael Road, New Providence, Bahamas, 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 30th day of June, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that I RIDLEY JOEL ST. LUC of Bacardi Road, New Providence, Bahamas, 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 7th

Mr Nichols, though, refuted Mr Prosenjak’s claim that Ms Barroll harboured a grudge against him for beating her to Valentine’s Resort & Marina’s acquisition, adding that she and her husband, Wayne Albo, never made a formal purchase ofer and only participated in preliminary discussions on a deal.

Sir Ian, in his verdict, wrote: “Both parties have advanced competing accounts of the state of the resort under Lee’s management. While I note that the evidence remains untested by cross-examination, I am satisfed that there is sufcient material to demonstrate that delayed payments to Harbour, utility companies, insurers and unit owners, under Lee’s management, have placed unit owners’ investments at risk.

“The extent of that risk is unclear, as Lee has not been forthcoming with information. I am not satisfed that Lee has made out his claim that the requested information was available to Harbour and unit owners who have refused to access it, or that no proper request for the information has been made. If what is alleged by Harbour is proven, it would amount to oppressive conduct which unfairly disregards the interests of Harbour and the unit owners.”

And the Chief Justice added: “At this preliminary stage, I fnd that the red fags identifed by Michael Strange appear, prima facie, to have merit and warrant the appointment of a receiver on an interim basis. These red fags, albeit subject in some cases to dispute, include supplier payments extended beyond 30, 60 and even 90 days; missed payments to Harbour’s insurance company on three occasions; critical suppliers cutting service, including BPL disconnecting power.”

Sir Ian added that an online booking agent, Booking.com, “suspended service in November 2025 due to late payment” while there was a “failure to pay

unit owners their earnings or respond to enquiries; refusal to provide BPL invoices showing delinquent balances; failure to complete promised marina dock repairs despite claiming a $1m loan approval; resort receiving large advance deposits yet appearing short of cash during peak season; and refusal to provide monthly fnancial information to Harbour’s Board.”

However, Sir Ian limited the terms of Raymond Winder’s appointment and imposed regular reporting requirements in a bid to minimise costs. Mr Prosenjak, meanwhile, in his statement to Tribune Business, said the condo owners and management company could have handled things diferently.

“The process should have begun diferently,” he argued. “The governing documents that bind all of us provide for mediation precisely so disagreements like this can be resolved co-operatively, and we would have welcomed that conversation before court intervention was sought. Still, an independent review is likely to accomplish much of what mediation was designed to do: A neutral professional examining the facts and helping the parties reach a common understanding.

“We also understand owners’ frustration with rising costs. Those costs refect realities facing every business in The Bahamas right now: Insurance premiums, labour, utilities and the particular challenges of keeping reliable power and water on Harbour Island. A neutral review of those numbers gives everyone a shared set of facts, which is the foundation any lasting agreement gets built on.

“As stated before, our objective is not confict. It is clarity. We are committed to co-operating fully and expect this process to produce a constructive, long-term working relationship that benefts the resort, the home owners, our team members and the Harbour Island community.”

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL

The public is hereby advised that I, AH-MANDAH TATIANNA TA’LEAH CAMPBELL of #7 Alexis Drive Imperial Park, New Providence, Bahamas, intend to change my name to AH-MANDAH TATIANNA TA’LEAH SIMMONS If there are any objections to challenge the name by deed poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Offcer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, The Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that I JENSEN-KENSEL BELLOT of #24 Haven Street, Soilder Road, New Providence, Bahamas, 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 30th day of June, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that STEVENSON AIMABLE of #30 Constitution Drive, New Providence, Bahamas, 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

Tourism operator estimates 25% of Sunday business lost

IMPACT - from page B1

The latest outage also compounded losses for a tourism operator after her business was already afected by a three-hour power interruption on Friday, one day before the US Independence Day holiday.

Cheryl Cambridge, owner of Cheryl’s Bahamas Taxi and Tours, said Sunday’s outage forced staf to relocate to a Starbucks so they could access Internet service, while the company’s credit card machine had to remain at the ofce.

“My electricity was of for 11 hours yesterday,” Ms Cambridge said. “The girls went to Starbucks. I give

them money because I can’t have them sitting up at a place using free Wi-Fi. So I give them money. They was working out of there.

“It was a mess because they can’t use the credit card machine. I don’t want them to take the credit card machine of my premises. So they had a lot of work to do this morning.”

Despite those eforts, Ms Cambridge estimated the company still lost about 25 percent of its Sunday business. “I would say about 25 percent because you can’t be answering phones in people place like that,” she said.

The latest disruption followed Friday’s outage, which Ms Cambridge

previously estimated cost her about 15 percent of July 4 business after her ofce was unable to respond to last-minute booking requests from American tourists during one of the busiest periods of the year. She said many prospective customers booked with competitors because her staf could not respond to e-mails before power was restored.

The repeated outages have intensifed frustration among businesses that say they are contending with lost revenue, rising electricity bills and operational disruptions at the height of the summer tourism season.

Toni Pratt, BPL’s chief executive, apologised for

Sunday’s outage, which she said resulted from an explosion at the utility’s primary substation at the Blue Hills power station following a lightning strike.

“We at BPL would like to apologise to all of the residents in New Providence who were impacted by the prolonged outage on Sunday,” Ms Pratt said. “We understand how a prolonged outage could be disruptive to your day-today lives, and we are truly sorry for the inconvenience caused.”

She said an explosion occurred shortly after 10am in a 33-kilovolt switchgear cabinet that serves as the export point for electricity from the Blue Hills power

station to surrounding communities.

“When the explosion occurred, it caused damage to the bus bar, which is where the energy is stored before it’s exported,” Ms Pratt said. “We were not able to send any power from the Blue Hills power station at that time until that portion of the bus bar could be isolated.”

She added that repairs could only begin after the area was declared safe for crews to enter and assess

the damage. “A fault of this magnitude does take an exceptionally long time to restore, which is why the outage was widespread for such a long period of time,” Ms Pratt said.

She said customers still experiencing outages should contact BPL because any remaining service interruptions are unrelated to Sunday’s system-wide outage and may require separate repairs.

Sustainable NHI funding is at ‘heart of the matter’

providers they will continue to sufer delayed payments during the 2026-2027 fscal year as three-quarters of the scheme’s $24.5m budget increase relates to taking on the National Drug Plan.

It wrote, in a June 24, 2026, memorandum to all physician, laboratory and other service providers, that just $6.5m of the scheme’s 2026-2027 funding increase will be used to cover existing obligations and responsibilities plus “prioritise arrears from previous fscal periods”.

The memo used guarded, coded language to warn that Bahamian doctors and other medical professionals will likely still endure delayed compensation with payment timing dependent on when the Ministry of Finance releases the necessary funds. It conceded that these “funding constraints” will impact providers’ operations and fnancial status, but branded the situation as “realities” that have to be managed.

Dr Roberts, though, told this newspaper that it was only a small minority of doctors making noise about delayed NHI payments.

“The sad part about it is the delays in payments are not six months or a year. It’s about a month or two

months maximum,” he said. “It’s only a small portion of physicians trying to make it out to be a real big issue and it isn’t.”

However, in his letter, Dr Roberts acknowledged the payment delays but argued that their impact should not be blown out of proportion to the extent it obscures the work NHI is doing in providing improved primary healthcare access for 161,000 Bahamians or undermine public faith in the scheme.

“Much of the recent public discussion around NHI has centred on provider payments. Some of that discussion has raised legitimate questions. Some of it has refected real frustration. But too much of it has also told only part of the story,” Dr Roberts wrote.

“That matters because when public confdence in our healthcare system is shaped by incomplete information, it is not NHI Authority that bears the greatest risk. It is the Bahamian people who depend on the programme every day.

“Let me be clear,” he added. “NHI Authority is experiencing fnancial pressures. We acknowledge that reality. It is an issue of timely payment, not a lack of payment. We own it. NHI will not default on

its payments. We are working to address it and to advocate for sustainable solutions.

“But acknowledging a challenge should never be mistaken for admitting failure, nor should operational pressures be used to create the impression that NHI is collapsing or that benefciaries should question whether care remains available to them. That conclusion is simply not supported by the facts. The programme remains operational. Benefciaries continue to receive care. Providers continue to deliver services.”

NHI’s funding presently comes 100 percent from the Bahamian taxpayers via annual Budget allocations. While its budget has expanded by almost 50 percent year-over-year, from $48.2m to $72.7m, representing an increase of $24.5m, much of the latter fgure relates to monies for purchasing medications. And the timing of payments, including doctor and laboratory compensation, depends on when the Ministry of Finance releases funds from the cashstrapped Public Treasury.

The revised NHI Act, passed into law under the frst Davis administration, paves the way for the scheme to be fnanced by a mixture of employer and

Ex-PM ‘glad URCA came out’ with BPL fuel hedge ndings

POWER - from page B1

- and produced no savingsbecause BPL had to rely on more expensive automated diesel oil (ADO) fuel as opposed to the cheaper heavy fuel oil (HFO) on which the strategy was based.

employee contributions, although the Government has yet to pull the trigger on this, decide the rates and how the burden will be shared. Dr Roberts signalled this is ultimately the direction NHI must take for its long-term survival and commercial viability.

“That is the heart of the matter. That is the heart of the matter; a sustainable system,” he told Tribune Business. Dr Roberts added that, back in 2021, he had participated on consultations proposing that every working Bahamian pay $1,000 per year, or $84 per month, towards NHI with this contribution split 50/50 between employer and employee.

For workers on minimum wage, their share would only be $15 per month, but he added that the proposal sought to “balance that out” by requiring all workers earning over $40,000 per year to pay 100 percent of their contributions. However, the Government did not approve the plan, which Dr Roberts said would have led to “full universal healthcare coverage” in fve years - meaning by 2026.

Instead, he added that the NHI Authority focused on creating the standard health beneft (SHB) - the minimum level of primary care coverage that both NHI benefciaries and those

newspaper. “There were complaints about us purchasing Wartsila engines for BPL. That was the right thing.

on private medical insurance schemes must have - and which was the central reform in the newly-passed NHI Act.

Dr Roberts, meanwhile, warns in his letter that simply throwing more money into public healthcare will not necessarily lead to better treatment outcomes. “The current conversation cannot be reduced to payment delays alone,” he explained \.

“National Health Insurance exists within a broader healthcare system that has long struggled with inefciency, inconsistent accountability, under-utilised resources and the growing burden of chronic disease. Injecting more money into the system, without confronting those underlying issues, will not solve them.

“Accountability for healthcare outcomes cannot rest solely with NHI Authority. Appointment availability is largely determined by providers. Utilisation patterns are infuenced by providers. Referral pathways depend on provider participation. Quality standards are delivered by providers. If we are serious about improving healthcare in The Bahamas, then the conversation must be honest about the shared responsibility required to do so.”

Dr Roberts, calling on Bahamians to take more responsibility for their personal well-being, and help reduce the chronic non-communicable diseases leading to so many deaths and an over-burdened healthcare system, said: “People took on NHI right away. It’s working successfully. We have almost half the population on NHI already. No island in the Caribbean can boast that.

“NHI is working well beyond any expectations, well beyond any expectations from how quickly people have grabbed on to NHI, how they have enrolled in NHI, the physicians knocking down doors to join us and expanding into the Family Islands, realising there are good opportunities for them to go there by joining the NHI programme.

“The main issue we have now is the patients who are enrolled in NHI. We have a signifcant amount of patients enrolled in NHI, and they don’t go for an annual check-up. That’s where it’s important for us to educate these people that they have a responsibility, a free service that is available and they need to use it.” NHI, of course, is funded by the taxpayer.

While the greater-than-expected use of ADO fuel reduced the anticipated cost savings from the Minnis administration’s hedge, BPL’s former chief executive, Shevonne Cambridge, subsequently said it was “in the money”. Dr Minnis yesterday also contrasted the current spate of BPL blackouts and outages with the utility’s performance during his administration.

“You must remember that, when everyone was indoors at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and running air conditioning all day long, we never had any load shedding,” he told this

“We had a programme where Wartsila staf would remain for a period of time to service the engines. They [the Davis administration] cut that short and then they had challenges securing parts. We also had a programme that the engines would be serviced in winter.

“If they review a lot of the programmes done

under my administration, they’ll spend the next few years exonerating and praising my administration for what we had done. This news coming out with the food programme, and now the BPL fuel hedging initiative, I’m happy with that,” Dr Minnis added.

“I can only say that what was done under my administration was done in the best interests of the Bahamian people, not the best interests of any political party. The Bahamian people, the people, came frst under my administration, not a political party.”

URCA’s summary report revealed that the pain inficted on Bahamian businesses and consumers by up to 163 percent hikes in BPL’s fuel charges failed to achieve the Government’s goal of wiping out the utility’s fuel arrears as a near-$38m unpaid bill remained.

The eight-page document on the probe it commissioned into Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) so-called 2022-2024 ‘glide path’ strategy, which was implemented to recoup under-recovered fuel costs, reveals that it missed the Davis administration’s main objective of eradicating unpaid arrears that peaked at close to $120m in February 2023.

The report also afrmed that the burden imposed on BPL customers, namely Bahamian businesses and consumers, to pay-of the utility’s past due fuel bills to its supplier, Shell, “became onerous”. And this impact “was magnifed” because the Davis administration and BPL elected to impose the peak hike - an up to 163 percent increase in the latter’s fuel charge compared to October 2022 levelsbetween June and August 2023, when summer consumption was at its highest.

The electricity regulator, in an analysis of the fndings, said BPL’s ‘glide path’ strategy was ultimately fawed - and did not wipe out the utility’s arrears - because it failed to match customer charges and billings with the actual cost and what it was paying Shell. It added that splitting BPL’s customer base into two groups, those who consumed more or less than 800 kilowatt hours (KWh) per month, resulted in businesses paying more and “subsidising residential customers”.

Pledging to “take regulatory action” based on the fndings from the

review of events between late 2022 and early 2024, URCA said it will enact “new fuel charge regulations” that deal with issues including how revenues generated from this portion of customer bills are used. The “timing of when fuel charges will be passed through” to BPL consumers will also be addressed to prevent a repeat of early 2023’s near-$120m fuel arrears.

Other issues that URCA is promising to address involve “changes to the costs” that factor into the fuel charge’s calculation; how this charge is passed on to consumers to “smooth out recovery”; and the use of incentives/imposition of penalties “regarding the efcient procurement and use of fuel”. It noted that BPL has to submit a full tarif submission to it by next year, including fuel charges, which are set to take efect in 2027.

As for the charges imposed on Bahamian businesses and households during the ‘glide path’ strategy, URCA said BPL reduced the fuel tarif from its peak for commercial customers in September 2023 and all users come December 2023. However, splitting its customer base into two - based on the 800 KWh threshold - meant that businesses and heavy users paid a higher rate and efectively shouldered the bulk of covering BPL’s unpaid fuel arrears.

“As a result, the average unit costs experienced by each rate class diverged from each other upon ‘glide path implementation. The consequence of this was that commercial customers subsidised residential customers,” URCA said.

“While BPL did increase the fuel charge rate in accordance with its glide path, it did not meet its objectives in recovering its current and accumulated fuel costs. At no point during the study period did BPL’s billed fuel adjustment charges refect the actual cost of fuel. At the end of the glide path period, March 2024, the cumulative remaining under-recovered fuel balance was reported by the independent consultant to be approximately $37.6m.

““In summary, URCA’s ex-post review found that while BPL’s glide path responded to real fuel cost pressures, the approach did not consistently align billed fuel charges with actual fuel costs and created distributional impacts across customer classes. The review also underscored that reliability constraints and operational realities can drive higher fuel use during peak periods, reinforcing the need for a clearer, more predictable framework for fuel cost recovery.”

Disability Icon Awards celebrate leadership, achievement and inclusion

THE achievements, leadership and resilience of outstanding Bahamians took center stage as the 2026 Disability Icon Awards celebrated individuals whose lives have helped build a more inclusive nation and expand opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Held at Bahamas Harvest Church under the theme, “Celebrating the achievements of persons with disabilities and their leadership,” the awards recognised men and women whose service, advocacy and professional excellence continue to inspire others while advancing disability inclusion throughout The Bahamas.

One of the evening’s highest honours was bestowed upon former Minister of Social Services and Community Development, Melanie Grifn, who served as Guest of Honour. Widely recognised as one of the architects of modern disability policy in The Bahamas, Grifn’s leadership helped establish much of the legislative and institutional foundation upon which many of today’s disability initiatives continue to build.

During her tenure, the Disability Afairs Unit was expanded into a full division, the Disability Allowance for children under 16 with disabilities was introduced, and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities was established. She also guided The Bahamas’ accession to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and led the passage of the landmark Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act,

2014, legislation that transformed the country’s approach to disability rights and equal opportunity.

Attorney Garry Russell was also recognised for his outstanding contributions to disability advocacy and public service. A Counsel and Attorney-at-Law and Chief Examiner with the Compliance Commission, Russell has combined professional excellence with decades of dedicated advocacy for persons with disabilities.

As former President of both the Bahamas National Council for Disability and the Disabled Persons Organisation, he has helped strengthen disability rights while serving as a respected voice within both the legal profession and the wider community.

Attorney Gary Z Russel, centre, received his Disability Icon Award from Minister of Social Services Barbara Cartwright and Mrs Ann Marie Davis, Office of the Spouse

Former Minister of Social Services, Ambassador Melanie Griffin, receives the highest honour at the Disability Icon Awards 2026, for the groundbreaking work she led to advance the rights of persons living with disabilities. Pictured with her are Minister of Social Services Barbara Cartwright and Minister of State Bacchus Rolle; Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources Zane Lightbourne; Permanent Secretary Phedra Rahming-Turnquest; Dr Anthony Hamilton, Chair, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities; and other distinguished guests

Also honoured was Rivianna Smith, Managing Director of the Training Centre for the Disabled, whose life’s work has empowered countless Bahamians through education, vocational training

and personal development. What began as volunteer service in 1995 became a lifelong calling after the passing of the Centre’s founder, Phillip Smith, when she stepped forward to continue his vision.

Know your health ahead of Chronic Disease Awareness Day

By Dr Antonio Lewis Camargo, MD Specialist in Cardiology, Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic

This week is Chronic Disease Awareness Day - but what are chronic diseases and how should you be making sure you are ready to deal with them if you or your family are afected? Dr Antonio Lewis Camargo, of the Cleveland Clinic, answers your questions.

1. What are chronic diseases, and where does heart disease t among the most common chronic conditions a ecting adults today?

Chronic diseases are conditions that persist for a year or longer, require ongoing medical care, or limit daily activities, think diabetes, arthritis, chronic lung disease, and heart disease.

Heart disease sits at the very top of that list. It's not one condition but a family of them: coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, valve disease. Together, they make cardiovascular disease the single leading cause of death worldwide, and in the US it kills more people every year than cancer and accidents combined.

2. What characteristics make heart disease a chronic condition, and how does it di er from an acute cardiovascular event such as a heart attack?

Heart disease usually builds quietly for decades, plaque accumulating in an artery wall, heart muscle gradually stifening, long before anyone feels a symptom. A heart attack is the acute moment when that slow process erupts: a plaque ruptures, a clot forms, and blood fow to part of the heart muscle is suddenly cut of. The heart attack is the headline; the chronic disease is the story that was writing itself for years beforehand.

3. Why is cardiovascular disease considered one of the greatest public health challenges worldwide? The scale is staggering. In the US, someone dies of cardiovascular disease roughly every 34 seconds, close to a million Americans a year. And it's not just a disease of old age anymore: roughly 1 in 6 cardiovascular deaths now occur in adults

younger than 65. Add in the cost, hundreds of billions of dollars annually in care and lost productivity, and you have a condition that reshapes families, workplaces, and health systems all at once.

4. What are the major risk factors for developing heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions? Some risks are fxed, age, family history, and genetics. But most of the burden comes from factors you can infuence high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, excess weight, inactivity, poor sleep, and chronic stress. High blood pressure alone afects nearly half of US adults, making it the single most common driver of cardiovascular risk in the country. Risk factors don't just add up, they multiply each other's damage, so tackling even one meaningfully lowers overall risk.

5. What role do healthy eating, regular physical activity, stress management, quality sleep, and

Under her leadership, the Training Centre has provided generations of persons with disabilities with the skills, confdence and opportunities needed to achieve greater independence and realise their full potential.

Among the distinguished honourees was Abbie Daxon Munroe, a dedicated public servant and passionate advocate whose life refects remarkable perseverance and service. Born blind and educated at the Erin Gilmour School for the Blind and later the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute, Munroe built a successful career in the Ofce of the Attorney General before joining the Ofce of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Through her longstanding involvement with the Bahamas Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Disabled Persons Organisation, she has championed greater inclusion while inspiring others through both her advocacy and her example.

Awards were also presented in categories recognising achievement in education, athletics, entrepreneurship, volunteerism, media, culture, employment, self-advocacy and community service, refecting the many ways persons with disabilities continue to enrich Bahamian society.

Among those attending the ceremony were Senator Barbara Cartwright, Minister of Social Services; Bacchus Rolle, Minister of State for Social Services; and Zane Lightbourn, Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, who joined families, advocates and community partners in celebrating the accomplishments of this year’s recipients.

More than an awards ceremony, the Disability Icon Awards celebrated the power of leadership, perseverance and service. The evening highlighted Bahamians whose lives continue to open doors for others, strengthen communities and inspire a future where every citizen has the opportunity to contribute, lead and thrive.

8. What are some of the most common myths or misconceptions about heart disease that people should be aware of?

other lifestyle habits play in preventing heart disease?

The American Heart Association groups the core protective habits into what it calls "Life's Essential 8": eating well, staying active, not smoking, sleeping enough, and controlling weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar. Diet patterns like Mediterranean or DASH remain the best-studied for heart protection, not because of any single "superfood," but because of the overall pattern: vegetables, whole grains, fsh, olive oil, and less processed food and added sugar. None of these habits work in isolation; they reinforce each other.

6. What warning signs or symptoms may indicate an underlying heart condition, and when should someone seek medical attention?

Chest pain or pressure is the classic warning sign, but heart disease doesn't always announce itself that way, especially in women, who more often present with fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, or jaw or back discomfort instead of textbook chest pain. Palpitations, unexplained swelling in the legs, and fainting are also worth a call to your doctor. Sudden or severe symptoms, crushing chest pain, difculty breathing, one-sided weakness, mean call 911, not "wait and see."

7. How does early detection and diagnosis of heart disease in uence treatment options, long-term outcomes, and quality of life?

Catching heart disease early is the diference between managing risk and managing damage. A person identifed with high blood pressure or early plaque buildup has dozens of tools available, lifestyle change, medication, closer monitoring, that can stop progression in its tracks. Wait until symptoms force the issue, and the options narrow to procedures and higher-risk interventions. Early detection isn't just about living longer; it's about staying active and independent longer.

The biggest one: that heart disease is an "old person's disease." The biological process plaque quietly building in artery walls, can begin in the teens and twenties, decades before any diagnosis. A close second is the myth that it's mainly a man's disease; cardiovascular disease kills roughly as many women as men, and it's still the leading cause of death for women in the US. And because conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol rarely cause symptoms, "I feel fne" is one of the least reliable ways to judge your heart health, numbers matter more than how you feel.

9. Many heart conditions can be managed but not cured. What strategies help patients successfully live with chronic cardiovascular disease and reduce their risk of complications?

Consistency beats intensity. Take medications as prescribed, keep follow-up appointments, and treat blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar as numbers to track, not abstractions. Layer on the same lifestyle habits that prevent heart disease in the frst place, diet, movement, sleep, stress management, no tobacco, and learn your own early warning signs so you can act on changes quickly rather than waiting for a crisis. Living well with heart disease is less about heroic efort and more about steady maintenance.

10. In recognition of Chronic Disease Awareness Month, what recommendations would you give to help people reduce their risk of heart disease and maintain a healthy heart throughout their lives?

Know your numbers, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, weight, the way you'd know your bank balance, and review them with your doctor regularly rather than waiting for a wake-up call. Build a heart-healthy plate most days, move your body most days, protect your sleep, and keep stress and tobacco use in check. None of this requires perfection. The evidence is consistent that small, sustained changes, a daily walk, one fewer processed meal a week, a blood pressure check you actually schedule, compound into real protection over a lifetime.

“Together, the contestants and their designers exceeded every expectation, delivering one of the most visually stunning and unforgettable costume showcases in the history of the Miss Universe Bahamas Organisation.

He explained that since the concept was introduced in 2022, it has grown into a signature attraction for visitors from around the

“Tourists eagerly stop to photograph and flm the extraordinary creations, sharing them across social media and introducing audiences worldwide to the incredible artistic talent found throughout the islands,”

"This is our way of celebrating the magnifcent talent we have in our

country," he added. "These extraordinary designs showcase the creativity of our people while giving each contestant the opportunity to proudly represent her island in a way that is both elegant and unforgettable."

The contestants traveled from Arawak Cay before making their fnal stop at the British Colonial Hotel to take part in the ofcial judging.

The winners of the Costume Competition; Winner Miss Abaco, Alexandria Pinder

1st runner upMiss New Providence, Davonya Si rin

2nd runner upMiss Eleuthera, Dashae Clarke

With excitement continuing to build, the Miss Universe Bahamas Organisation now turns its attention to the upcoming preliminary competition and grand fnale, where one outstanding woman will earn the opportunity to represent the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on the Miss Universe stage and if the costume competition is any indication, this promises to be one of the most exciting and memorable Miss Universe Bahamas competitions ever.

Headdresses depicting their islands’ delights crowd at Miss Universe pageant

By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

IF the summer heat was not enough to ignite pageant season, the contestants of Miss Universe Bahamas certainly turned up the temperature without hesitation or apology.

The ladies recently competed in the costume segment of the pageant, each sporting a beautiful oversized headdress depicting their island, to the delight of hundreds of fans who lined the motorcade route to cheer on their favourite.

Leading the spectacular procession was Miss Universe Bahamas 2025, Malique Bowe, who captivated onlookers in a vibrant orange pleated cocktail dress.

National Director Anthony Smith explained that the decision to focus primarily on the headwear rather than the usual full costume was inspired by the elegance of the traditional British High Tea and Ladies Who Lunch culture.

“This has become one of the most anticipated attractions of the Miss Universe Bahamas competition,” he told Tribune Woman.

“Every designer embraces the challenge with bold vision, remarkable creativity and exceptional innovation, transforming each hat into a true work of art that celebrates the unique identity of the Bahamas,” he said.

Anthony said that this years designs were a “remarkable fusion of imagination, craftsmanship and Bahamian creativity.”