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PA GE S SPORT: MILLER-UIBO & GARDINER TAKE 400M TITLES BANK BOSS WARNS: WE MUST ACT ON JOBLESS
Obie: I’m fighting on for PLP seat Defiant despite heavy defeat at party convention By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net OBIE Wilchcombe says he will “absolutely” continue to vie for the Progressive Liberal Party’s nomination in West Grand Bahama and Bimini despite losing the chairmanship race to Fred Mitchell on Friday. He told The Tribune the PLP must now work with leader Philip “Brave” Davis and help him assemble a team that can win the next election. PLP officials have said they do not want to run former losing candidates in the next election, and some
in the party believe that Mr Wilchcombe destroyed his prospects of getting a nomination in 2022 by challenging Mr Mitchell. Asked about this, the former tourism minister said: “It’s the people’s call. I’m going to stay faithful but it’s the people’s call.” Sources told The Tribune Mr Davis discouraged the former tourism minister from running over the course of three meetings this year. The two met for lunch several months ago and when the former West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP revealed he was
TWO DEAD IN SEPARATE DROWNING INCIDENTS
SEE PAGE FIVE
PINRIDGE MP Frederick McAlpine says he will likely vote to abstain if the Official Opposition brings a no-confidence resolution in the House of Assembly against Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, signalling he will not show public support for the leader of his party. For his part, Centerville
MP Reece Chipman appears undecided on the matter while Golden Isles MP Vaughn Miller said he has to weigh the various factors involved before making a decision. During the final night of the PLP’s convention on Friday, Progressive Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis announced he will bring a no-confidence motion at the earliest SEE PAGE FIVE
THE Bahamas must “aspire to higher” GDP growth rates in the 2-3 percent range if it wants to see “new jobs gushing rather than trickling”, the Central Bank’s governor is urging. John Rolle, addressing a briefing on 2019 first half economic developments, warned that this nation needed to exceed its projected medium term growth rate on a sustained basis “to see a more accelerated reduction” in an unemployment rate that has remained stubbornly over 10 percent for more than a decade. “I would say that if we can get the rate comfortably and consistently above the 2-3 percent range, we will make more of a dent there,” he explained of the link between GDP growth and unemployment. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
‘I’LL PROBABLY ABSTAIN ON CONFIDENCE VOTE’
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net
SMILE FOR THE CAMERA PEOPLE didn’t let the weather stop them enjoying the summer Junkanoo at Arawak Cay over the weekend. More pictures - Page 2 Photo: Kemuel Stubbs
TWO men died in separate drowning incidents over the weekend. Their deaths bring the number of drownings for the month up to four, including a suspected drowning at Jaws Beach earlier this month. The first tragedy occurred on Friday afternoon in the waters at the Sandyport Marina. The Tribune understands the second occurred on Saturday after a man died of complications while diving. SEE PAGE THREE
HAITI INQUIRY INTO EMBASSY ‘CORRUPTION’ By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
THE Haitian Government has launched a commission of inquiry into concerns of corruption at its embassy in Nassau. The commission arrives today and will meet with Bahamian officials, diplomatic staff, local recruits and community leaders to conduct investigations until August 3. It was announced in a
BRADLEY Smith was arraigned last week. press statement released by Haiti’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the weekend
The ministry’s statement referred to a news report of an important investigation carried out by Bahamian authorities on corruption involving Haitian diplomats in Nassau, printed on July 25. It further advised Haitian diplomats that their mission was to project a positive image of the country, and to behave in a manner above reproach. The move has come as a surprise to embassy
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
SEE PAGE SIX
INSIGHT
DOES PLP HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN IN 2022?
SEE PAGE SEVEN
PAGE 2, Monday, July 29, 2019
CROWDS were out in force for the summer Junkanoo at Arawak Cay over the weekend. Photos: Kemuel Stubbs
THE TRIBUNE
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, July 29, 2019, PAGE 3
Two dead in separate drowning incidents from page one
The victim of Saturday’s incident was George Hunt, a beloved fisherman and father whose death was lamented by relatives yesterday. John Culmer, a cousin of the deceased, confirmed Hunt was on a fishing trip
when the tragedy occurred. According to reports, Hunt was diving when he got air bubbles in his blood from using a compressor. He was assisted by fellow divers, but ultimately died at the scene. Hunt, who Mr Culmer affectionately referred to as “Uncle Dukie”, described his uncle in glowing terms. “He loved fishing, he was
a hard-worker, he provided for his kids,” Mr Culmer said. “I loved him…that’s my cousin. He watched me grow up from I was a little boy and now he’s not there.” Mr Culmer, who is a fish broker himself, noted he comes from a family of fishermen. “(Hunt) was a good fisherman…Fishing dying out
like it is because this type of stuff and there’s no young people to replace (them), sadly. The fishing community (will) feel this.” Despite numerous attempts by The Tribune, police did not confirm this incident up to press time. Officers also had not yet identified the victim of Friday’s drowning. The
matter is under investigation. “According to reports shortly after 1.00pm, the body of a male was discovered submerged in waters at the Sandy Port Marina, West Bay Street,” the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement regarding this incident. “He was removed from waters and transported to
THE SCENE off Prince Charles Road yesterday where police are investigating after the body of a man was found with head injuries Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
hospital, where an autopsy will be preformed to determine the exact cause of death.” Their deaths follow the drowning of 72-year-old American Molly Greene in Abaco on July 17, 18-yearold Dustin Ranger in Eleuthera on July 16 and the suspected drowning of a man at Jaws Beach on July 7.
POLICE LOOK INTO SPATE OF ARMED ROBBERIES By TRIBUNE REPORTER
Body of man found with head injuries
POLICE are investigating after the body of a man was found with head injuries off Prince Charles Road. Superintendent Shanta Knowles said the deceased was found by area residents around Seabreeze Drive off Beatriz Avenue. Officials will await the results of an autopsy before classifying the death, she said. Police are appealing for people with any information that can assist with this investigation to contact Crime Stoppers at 328-8477, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991/2, or their nearest police station.
PAIR INJURED AFTER DOMESTIC DISPUTE IN FUSION CAR PARK
THE FUSION Superplex complex By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net A DOMESTIC dispute in the parking lot of the Fusion Superplex complex left a woman employee with injuries and a “person of interest” in custody, police confirmed yesterday. “There was a domestic incident there (Fusion), where a male assaulted a female,” Inspector
Leonardo Burrows told The Tribune. “The female was transported to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.” The Tribune understands the altercation took place on Friday. On Saturday, Fusion Superplex released a statement regarding the matter. “Our security team quickly responded to a domestic dispute that
occurred in the employee parking lot where a female was injured,” the statement reads. “We can confirm that the individual injured is an employee of Fusion Superplex. “The police have taken a person of interest into custody. We continue to pray for our colleague’s quick recovery. We thank you for your support and wish to reassure the public that we will always
provide a safe and wholesome entertainment environment for the entire family.” This weekend’s incident occurred a little over a month after the entertainment facility reported suffering a “significant blow” from constant power woes that left it without a back-up generator to cope with Bahamas Power & Light’s June load-shedding exercises.
POLICE are investigating a spate of weekend armed robberies across New Providence. In two separate incidents early on Sunday morning, men and women were held at bay by armed robbers who stole cash and other items. The first incident took place shortly before 1am, according to police. “Two men and a woman were at Tyler Street, Chippingham, when they were approached by a gunman who held them at bay and robbed them of cash and other items before making good his escape,” police said. In the second incident, three armed men forced their way into a home on Coconut Grove Avenue shortly before 5am. The men stole cash and cellphones before escaping. On Saturday, there was an attempted armed robbery at Burger King on Tonique Williams-Darling highway. The armed man entered the restaurant and demanded cash shortly after 9pm. According to police, the man discharged his weapon and escaped into the nearby area without taking anything. However, a source confirmed to The Tribune that an unspecified amount of cash was taken. Police released a sketch of a man wanted for questioning for armed robbery on Friday. The unknown man was said to have dark brown skin, medium build, and between 5’10 and 6 ft tall. The suspect is believed to be between 35 to 45 years old.
PAGE 4, Monday, July 29, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
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Why Minnis and Davis really have no reason to feel relaxed PERHAPS the two most relaxed men in The Bahamas this weekend were Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and his opposition number, the PLP leader Philip “Brave” Davis. Minnis could relax knowing the PLP convention had kept in place the same old line-up which has faced him since the 2017 election which, barring a spectacular disaster on the FNM’s part, poses no threat. Davis could sit back knowing any discontent with his performance had been firmly put in place and he can be left to get on with trying to recreate the party in his own image. Neither man, though, should have any real reason to be comfortable in their current performances. Just look at the story today in Tribune Business where Central Bank governor John Rolle lays out some pretty frank facts on the true state of our economy. He points to issues not borne just out of the last two years but from successive governments - FNM and PLP - which have left us with a mountain to climb. Tourism may be robust declaring each month higher and higher numbers but we know how fickle that can be. A repeat of Hurricane Matthew and we would be back to square one, tourists staying away firstly in the immediate aftermath and then for at least a year or two only slowly returning to our resorts. A lot of what Mr Rolle highlights will be known to Dr Minnis and his cabinet but we are sorry to say there is little on the ground which appears to be happening. We have promises of future projects down the line which will deliver work through things like the partnership with Global Ports in Nassau and Royal Caribbean in Grand Bahama but people are suffering now and need help today. Unemployment is stubbornly high, says Mr Rolle, there needs to be a “gushing” of jobs for those seeking work. Despite the high tourist numbers 60 percent of businesses, he says, have reported falling profits in the first half of the year. Bad debts - loans made out by banks which are not being repaid - are running at nine percent which is more than double the number in most developed countries where even at their lower level would terrify economists. So what should Minnis be doing? His much vaunted Over-the-Hill initiative has hardly set the business world alight with firms and investors showing little enthusiasm to set up shop in the inner city areas. Foreign investors are wanted, we are told, yet restrictions on visas
hardly signals these entrepreneurs are welcome; their money yes, but not themselves. ‘Doing business’ here remains as difficult as it always has been, handicapped by archaic processes, overmanning and plain obdurance. Here’s just one example. A businessman we know last week tried to deposit a cheque in his account at a bank he has used for many, many years. The cheque, we’ll say, was made out to M. Moss. “Sorry Mr Moss,” said the teller who’d know him for years. “This could be any M. Moss. It needs to be your full first name.” Absolute, maddening, nonsense which we are sure all of us - not just in business - experience time and time again. As Tribune Business reported last week, six months to open a business account at a commercial bank is not uncommon. New legislation to meet international financial transparency regulations are also having an adverse effect on business. So, Dr Minnis here’s an idea (and Mr Davis perhaps you could look at this too). Our economy doesn’t work and pretty well never has. We’ve relied on tourism and when we have the right product and we’re hurricane free it works. We depended on the finance sector but that’s contracted and will reduce even more in the coming years. What else do we have to offer? Government has talked about being new centres for tech companies and health research. There have been a few isolated announcements but nothing of any real significance. Creating jobs should become a crusade, maybe even with its own cabinet-level minister whose role is to get on every plane he or she can, speak at every forum shouting the message: it’s business in The Bahamas. The rest of government should be driving through all the red tape and bureaucracy to make sure when those potential investors come to take a look everything is in order. We keep being told - look at Singapore. There’s a reason people say that - because it worked. Their leadership decades ago decided on an economic revolution which turned it from a former colonial port into one of the world’s key economic centres. Why can’t that be us? Imagine for one moment truly unleashing investors on to Grand Bahama where waterways and roads have remained laid out for decades.
Burning issue haunts Mitchell EDITOR, The Tribune
WELL, mudda sic! I almost choked on my oatmeal this morning when I read Fred Mitchell’s advice to party followers as they went into convention to vote for their party’s leaders last week. “Candidates for office in the PLP,” Mr Mitchell told party members, “should avoid making public comments which may have the effect of bringing the business of an internal party campaign into the public domain to the detriment of the PLP and bring party members falsely into disrepute.” Continued Mr Mitchell: “All candidates are reminded that they are to act with decorum. It is inappropriate to lead public attacks on other party
members. It does not meet that standard of good conduct. Candidates for office in the PLP where they believe they must speak publicly about their candidacy should speak the truth and avoid slanderous and salacious comments. Out of an abundance of caution, it is probably appropriate to avoid discussing party business in public.” Thirty-six years ago this same Fred Mitchell, surrounded by a handful of party faithful, met under the large fig tree in parliament square just opposite the courts, burned the Bahamas Constitution and sent its ashes to then Prime Minister Lynden Pindling! The words of warning at that time from Youth for Christ Leader Stunce Williams should still ring in Mr Mitchell’s ears.
The reverend gentleman told Mr Mitchell: “I am afraid that if you lead young people into burning a flag and burning a Constitution, if you are not careful those same young people one day will burn a country. “I want to say to Mr Mitchell that if one day he did become the prime minister of this country, I am afraid that burning a copy of the Constitution may one day come out of the grave to haunt him.” Maybe this is why Mr Mitchell never realised his life’s dream to become this country’s prime minister — he awakened too late to reality! A VOICE FROM THE PAST Nassau July 26, 2019
Obie now at the back of the bus EDITOR, The Tribune THE Progressive Liberal Party has now concluded its 54th National Convention. The event was well organised and executed. I extend my congratulations to the Convention Committee and all persons who played a role in bringing this off. The leadership troika of Messrs. Davis; Cooper and Mitchell, along with Ms. Robyn Lynes, were returned to their respective offices. I never expected a serious challenge by former Minister Obie Wilchcombe. His campaign was a long shot at best and was a bare ripple in the internal PLP pond. His career, at this point, within the PLP is over. In politics, regardless of the system of governance, once you challenge the leadership and lose, you are consigned to the very back of the bus, if you are allowed to remain on board. Perceived political and other baggage in our wonderful nation are almost automatic barriers to sustainability in The Bahamas. Our voters are brutal on this point, rightly or wrongly. It would seem that with the return of my good friend and leader the Hon. Philip “Brave” Davis, QC, MP, (PLP-Cat Island) that some within the party are already acting and behaving as if the recently concluded convention is or will be the final one leading up to the anticipated 2022 general elections, keeping in mind that there is another three years of this current regime. If there is a convention next year or the year after, will the re-elected leaders still be entrenched in those positions, barring an act of God Himself? The battle has now begun for the game of thrones. On one side stands the political juggernaut in the form of the Free National Movement (FNM) and on the other is the self declared
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net revived Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). The FNM has 35 members in the House of Assembly. The PLP has 4 and some suggest that it might pick up one or two more in due course. If that were to happen, in the best case, the party would then still only hold 6 seats. If this plays out, the chances of unseating the Minnis regime by a Vote of No Confidence would be almost impossible unless the PLP is able to persuade 15 or so FNMs to support such a motion. Most PLPs with whom I have spoken to before; during and after the convention are of the view that the revived PLP will defeat Minnis and crew at the nest poll. Is this wishful thinking or a realistic expectation? Minnis is not evolving, so far, as the Great Hope & Political Savior that he held himself out to be. It is an open secret that thousands of FNM supporters are disappointed in the rate of delivery on the myriad of promises made during the campaign by the Most Honourable. The game of thrones has begun. How will it play out? I did not hear or see the actual roll out of any ‘new’ public policy initiatives at the convention. It is possible that they will be announced as we go forward. Minnis and crew are not loved, universally, as they would have been in 2017. The PM has squander much political capital and has little, at this point, to show for it. Serious missteps and perceived arrogance by many within the regime could prove fatal if continued. If 50% of the announced projects by the FNM were to come to pass and its leadership appoint a real
communications team, it would be nearly impossible for a revived PLP to defeat it in 2022. The FNM is, like the defunct PLP under Brother Christie, it’s worst enemy. They declared, famously, that it was ‘the People’s Time’! Is it really, however? Brave, upon re-election, by acclamation, stated that: ‘I will not let my people down...!!’ All of these cliches sound good and make good reading but, in actual fact they have been demonstrated to be just that, cliches. I have heard rumours that a certain faction within the PLP is content with Brave because of his uncanny ability to raise funds for the party and his legendary organisational skills. In short, some see him as interim leader while warming the leadership position for a Christiesponsored team of Messrs. Sears & Cooper. Mind you, I have no evidence of this, but I do know that Cooper was/is the hand picked “blue eyed boy” of Brother Christie. Sears, some say, has access to funding by his legal association with certain monied interests and big time clients. He has the gravitas and experience as an MP and former cabinet minister. Cooper, some say, has the youthful appearance that some clamor for. Brave has never been accepted by the higher echelons of the PLP, from Ingraham’s time as Chairman back in the day. Brother Christie, in my view, barely tolerated Brave. Had it not been for him losing his constituency, big time, in 2017 it is likely that he would still be at the helm of the PLP. The game of thrones has begun and, as in all things, to God be the glory. ORTLAND H. BODIE, JR Nassau July 27, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, July 29, 2019, PAGE 5
from page one
I’ll probably abstain on confidence vote, says MP McAlpine
opportunity and require Free National Movement parliamentarians to “go on the record and vote”. He cited the controversial Town Centre Mall lease as rationale for such a move. The House of Assembly is currently on summer recess until October 2. Although no one expects Dr Minnis would lose a noconfidence vote, the actions of Mr McAlpine, Mr Chipman and Golden Isles MP Vaughn Miller are likely to be closely watched as the three have frequently criticised the Minnis administration. Mr McAlpine said: “The opposition has a right to call for a vote of no confidence. As it stands for me, in terms of supporting it, I can’t say I will and I can’t say I won’t. I probably will more than likely abstain in that vote, the reason being that when you talk about a vote of no confidence you have to consider who you are gonna place there. I’m one of those persons who have been very vocal when it comes to this government so I can’t vote yes. “People might say, ‘you’ve been so ferocious against the government so why aren’t you going to support this?’ The answer is that I really don’t wish to at this time support it but I can’t come out and say I don’t support it. I don’t think I can run away from the vote, I won’t be ducking
during the time of the vote and one else should either.” Mr Chipman said: “I am not sure what is the basis of this ‘no confidence’ vote coming from the PLP. However, what is clear is that the confidence of the Bahamian people in politics and politicians has eroded. We have strayed from the people’s agenda and have deviated to the same ole ways of institutional politics. If the basis of the no confidence vote is trust, trusting to do what is right by the Bahamian people, then we have an issue, not just with one person but with many, not just with one party but with many. A ‘no confidence’ vote should be a matter of trust and for me that is a tough call at this time. The existing institutional politics continues to ruin the minds, direction and future of our people and country.”
Mr Miller, meanwhile, said among the factors that could influence his decision is whether Dr Minnis publicly responds to St Annes MP Brent Symonette’s revelation that he discussed details about the Town Centre Mall lease with Dr Minnis. A no-confidence motion would take priority on Parliament’s agenda. The Minnis administration could respond by amending the resolution and turning it into a vote of confidence as it did last year when the PLP brought a noconfidence motion against House Speaker Halston Moultrie. In light of the PLP’s convention last week, Mr McAlpine criticised the FNM for not having its own national convention since 2016. The FNM’s constitution requires the party hold
a national convention every two years. The FNM will hold a youth convention next month. “I know we talk about democracy in the party, and even though we talk about the PLP not being democratic, we’ve not had a convention as we’re scheduled to have,” Mr McAlpine said. “We’re having the youth convention, only to turn around and have some of the older people answer the people at the PLP convention. That’s sad, not very accountable and transparent or democratic. You can’t speak about this transparency and at the end of the day people see the game you’re playing. Why won’t you call a national convention? We’ve not had a national convention since before the general election. At least the PLP have had
FREDERICK MCALPINE two and yet we have the nerve to get in their business about who’s running for chairman and who’s not. Why are we even in their business?” Mr Chipman added: “What was of greater interest to me (at the PLP convention) was the ratification of the new party constitution and whether it paved the way for candidate debates, whether it deepened the principles of
SCENES from the final night of the PLP convention at the Melia last Friday.
democracy and engaged the rights of constituents in the decision making process. I am told the FNM is redoing their constitution as well and I am hoping for the sake of our people the above is included, but we will see.” The PLP changed its constitution to significantly boost the number of delegates that can participate in its conventions, a move that could impact future leadership contests. The number of delegates per constituency that can vote has been increased from ten to 20. Affiliate organisations like the Progressive Young Liberals and the Women’s Branch Association will be allowed to have branches in every constituency, not just one per island, and every such branch will have the power to send five delegates to a convention.
Photos: Donavan McIntosh
Obie: I’m fighting on for PLP seat from page one
considering another chairmanship run, Mr Davis told him not to and that he could not count on his support. Sources said the pair met a third time this month where Mr Davis discouraged him from running. In a bid to get him to stand down, Mr Wilchcombe was made an attractive offer related to the next general election but decided still to run. Yesterday, Mr Wilchombe said: “Whatever discussions I had with Mr Davis I wish to remain confidential. I’m from the school where I believe it’s imperative that the leader of our party can talk to someone and they can protect whatever was discussed.” He continued: “I think by my running democracy was made to live in our organisation. That’s imperative because we have to at all
OBIE WILCHCOMBE times send the right message to the country. Internal democracy is fundamental for the growth and further development of our party and for the inclusion of more and more of the people. “I’m a PLP. Where I go from here is very simple, to help my party win the next general election. The PLP must win. It’s time now for us to present to the nation a new paradigm and I want to be a part of scripting that. The PLP cannot
simply criticise the FNM. The FNM is doing a good job working for the PLP. They’re helping us win the next election but what we have to do is, we have to show the Bahaman people why we deserve the chance to be the next government and that’s predicated on the reality that Bahamians have told this nation every five years, look here, we’re dissatisfied, your’e not fulfilling our obligations. “No matter what you’re talking about we’re not satisfied and we keep changing governments look for that moment, that gross national happiness, when we can see that appear but it’s not there yet, so the PLP has an opportunity. The leader of the party, we must work with, we must stand behind him, we must have him put behind a team to help them create that message, what do you want, how are you going to govern, where are you going to take me, how
will you make my life better and give me more opportunities in my country. That’s what we have to be focusing on and that’s what I want to help on.” Mr Mitchell received 802 votes while Mr Wilchcombe received 338 votes last week. Mr Wilchcombe received fewer votes than he did in 2017 when Mr Mitchell won by 208 votes. Former cabinet minister George Smith said Mr Wilchcombe’s challenge was “ill-advised”. From the beginning Mr Davis and his allies saw the race as a test of his strength and embraced a strategy of putting himself at the centre of the contest, repeatedly reminding his base of his confidence in his team. “The PLP has always, always reposed great faith in the leader of the party because they understand that the leader, despite all the assistance he may have, is who must be
looked to for guidance and direction,” Mr Smith said yesterday. “Bahamians repose great confidence in leaders in church and civil society so when Philip Davis indicated he was comfortable with the principle officers he had, unless you have an overriding reason to tell him ‘for this reason no,’ the convention would always go with him. Obie was ill-advised and I think that he misread his popularity. Bahamians never like to tell you ‘I prefer Harry to you,’ they will encourage you verbally but you must know how to read the signs.” Nonetheless, Mr Smith believes Mr Mitchell would have won without Mr Davis’ full-fledged endorsement. “He certainly would not have won with the overwhelming majority and as convincingly as he did,” he said, “but Fred would have pulled it out because he did perform in a satisfactory
way as chairman.” Some delegates who spoke to The Tribune on the convention floor agreed. “I voted for this team which we have here now because I believe this is a strong team and I don’t believe at this point in time we should show the public that we are divided,” said Janet Johnson. “Regardless of what the leader said about Mr Mitchell, I don’t see why you would try to fix something that is not broken. Mr Mitchell has done an awesome job holding this government’s feet to the fire.” As for what the convention means for Mr Davis and the PLP, Mr Smith said: “The convention proves he is unquestionably, indisputably the leader of the PLP. His job now is to formulate platforms or programmes that we can articulate and promote throughout society.”
PAGE 6, Monday, July 29, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
Haiti inquiry into embassy ‘corruption’ from page one
BRADLEY SMITH, left, and Brenard Musgrove outside court last week. Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
staff, according to Herns Mesamours, head consular officer from the Haitian Embassy. Mr Mesamours told The Tribune the statement was responding to media coverage of an arraignment of three Bahamians and two Haitians accused of a fraudulent marriage scheme. However, he said he was confused by the reference to the court arraignment,
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were charged in Magistrate’s Court with matters related to fraudulent marriages. Bradley Smith, 48, of Moncur Alley off Kemp Road; Bernard Musgrove, 19, of Palm Beach Street; Haitian national Willy Exama, 24, of Mackey Street; Haitian national Anslene Nicolas, 23, of Greenwood Road; and Bridney Johnson, 19, of Yellow Elder, appeared before Magistrate Kara Deveaux-Turnquest. Smith, a Justice of the Peace, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false pretences, two counts of
attempted fraud by false pretences, two counts of abetment to commit fraud by false pretences, two counts of abetment to commit fraudulent marriage and two counts of conspiracy to commit a fraudulent marriage. Smith pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. Exama, Johnson, Nicolas and Musgrove were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud by false pretences, fraud, attempted fraud by false pretences, fraudulent marriage and conspiracy to commit a fraudulent marriage. Both couples pleaded not guilty to the five charges.
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and had spoken with the minister earlier this month. “We have nothing to do with that. I don’t know what’s going on,” Mr Mesamours said, “everything is clear.” In an earlier written statement, Mr Mesamours said he was not concerned about a scandal at the embassy. “Only, I will brandish the results that I provide with the full support of other staff of the Mission since the nine months that I am head of the consular section of the Embassy of Haiti in the Bahamas,” read his translated statement. On Wednesday, three men and two women
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THE final phase of the digital transformation upgrade of ZNS television was completed when Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on Friday officially launched digital high definition (HD) television at ZNS northern service in Grand Bahama. This now marks the complete and full transition of ZNS television from analogue broadcasting system to digital, to improve quality and content of television programming in The Bahamas. Dr Minnis pushed the switch at 5.45pm in the ZNS Broadcasting Studios located on the second floor of the Harold DeGregory Government complex, in Freeport. “The entire operation at ZNS is now digital,” the prime minister said, noting that the ZNS has come a long way in the past 40 years. Dr Minnis said that ZNS is now fully equipped to take advantage of this new digital era. The first phase of digital transformation at ZNS was started in New Providence in December 2012 at a cost of some $5 million. The second phase began in December 2018 in Freeport when a contract was signed for the digitalisation of northern service at some $500,000. Chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas Mike Smith and executives signed a contract with Broadcasting Video System (BVS) Group at the time. Prime Minister Minnis congratulated the board and execute management and staff of the Broadcasting Corporation of the
Bahamas for realising the completion of the second phase of ZNS television high definition upgrade. “ZNS has come a very long way having evolved out of the Bahamas Telegraph Department, and tonight marks 42 years since the opening of ZNS TV in 1977,” he said. In 1990, the northern television service was introduced. Dr Minnis said that the digitisation upgrade of the northern service will improve programming in terms of technical quality and content. He encouraged the northern service in GB to provide enhanced local programming to include more live interaction with New Providence in the morning television show, and enhancements in regular news update, evening news, and television specials. Additionally, the prime minister also stressed that providing accurate and timely news to Bahamian public is important. He stated that the Bahamian public is being bombarded and misled by “fake news” on social media. “As there is often considerable misinformation and outright falsehood in the public domain, it is essential that broadcasters such as ZNS provide accurate and timely news. Bahamian journalism should maintain the best practices of the profession and fulfil its indispensable function in a democratic society.” “Accordingly, it is essential that the journalists at ZNS continue to improve their skill set and knowledge base, including Bahamian civic, history, and international current affairs. “And these days Bahamian people like others around the world are being assaulted and misled by fake news disseminated in lightning speed on social media. “They are misled by some who have no, absolutely no with a capital N, no journalistic training and who are quite often ill-informed or ignorant of the issues on which they presume to shape public opinion,” he stated. Prime Minister Minnis stated that the quality of technology is essential in
ZNS’ mission to inform, educate, and to entertain. “Whatever technology is used in whatever age, it is the quality of producers, directors, and journalists who make the difference in broadcast journalism.” “I am so pleased that this new digital equipment will help to better showcase what programmes are created by staff of the northern service as the switch is made from analogue to digital,” he said. “We look forward to Bahamians throughout the country benefitting from the new norther service TV programming and invite the public to stay tune.” Also he indicated that the government has embarked on a revolution in digital technology which will boost national development throughout the island chains and cays. Dr Minnis stated that the use of such advance technology will reduce the cost of government especially in a far-flung archipelago as The Bahamas. He noted that a few months ago government signed a $30M loan with the Inter-American Development Bank for the digital transformation of government that will: 1. Simplify and digitise government procedures. 2. Strengthen institutional capacity for digital government 3. Enhance transparency and accountability in government The prime minister stated that the digital transformation programme will give rise to a single window for doing business with government inorder to improve the ease of doing business for Bahamians and for international investors. “It will also support the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act which is part of our efforts to deepen democracy. “The digital transformation of The Bahamas is rapidly gathering momentum as we seek to ensure that our country is utilising the technology necessary for every island in our commonwealth to take full advantage of 21 century global economy,” he said.
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MONDAY, JULY 29, 2019
THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS
IF all the returned leadership team of Philip “Brave” Davis, Chester Cooper, Fred Mitchell and Robin Lynes were hoping for at last week’s PLP convention was to excite their core supporters, then it may have not been an absolute waste of time. However, that alone won’t secure them an election victory Photo: Donavan McIntosh
Does the PLP leadership have what it takes to form the next government in 2022? A
BY MALCOLM STRACHAN
FTER the almost complete wipeout of the Progressive Liberal Party on May 10, 2017, many believed it would be the end of former Prime minister Perry Christie’s political career - and the end of the PLP’s relevance as one of the two major parties. Fast forward two-plus years and only one of those opinions may be unequivocally true. Certainly, Perry Christie’s legacy ended unceremoniously, as he lost his seat to a now isolated Member of Parliament. Nonetheless, Christie’s reign has left the PLP with a seemingly unshakeable stink no matter how much the party’s leadership tries to rebrand. The Bahamian people are simply not buying what they’re selling – not yet. If all the returned leadership team of Philip “Brave” Davis, Chester Cooper, Fred Mitchell and Robin Lynes were hoping for at last week’s PLP convention was to excite their core supporters, then it may have not been an absolute waste of time. However, that alone won’t secure them an election victory in 2022. It’s not implausible to believe they would have to hope for a complete botching of the next three years of the Minnis administration - with too many familiar faces in their current make-up. Looking lower on the political landscape, the DNA are still not seen as a viable alternative. And with only a short time to drum up the kind of support that wins an election, an upset victory is unlikely for the fledgling party. The Bahamas is still very much a two-party country. Davis and company know this. Perhaps this is why there has been less urgency on the part of the PLP to truly rebrand with fresh faces. Deputy leader Chester Cooper, for all his potential, still remains a token figure in the minds of many Bahamians who believe any potential PLP government will still be formed with faces we really no longer wish to see in frontline politics.
Davis’ connection to the not-so-distant Christie administration has not been more prominent than this past week as tensions became obvious in the leadup to the PLP convention. Christie’s command of the leadership of the PLP was evident throughout the eight-year period from 2009–2017 where the party did not have a constitutionally mandated convention. Many observers credit this to Christie’s resistance to relinquishing power, which his successor Brave Davis should know all too well. Christie, who promised to step down as leader and prime minister by the middle of his administration’s last term in governance, ultimately reneged on that promise. Subsequently, Davis did not get his chance for leadership until Christie was banished from the political scene in the election. Now, Davis has shown during the events leading up to the convention a resemblance to his former leader. As last week began with subtle barbs exchanged between returning PLP chairman Fred Mitchell and Obie Wilchcombe, the former sought to make Davis’ desires for the leadership team of Davis, Cooper, Mitchell and Lynes to run unopposed at the convention known to all and sundry. “No one expected, indeed the party faithful were promised a unified convention and now it appears from various voice notes and video clips that there is a propaganda campaign which is going on which is distracting us from the central job, or has the potential to do so, because it appears there is going to be some contest,” said Mitchell in a voice note that made the rounds throughout the country. Davis, although calling the process democratic the entire time, also made it quite evident that he had no interest in Wilchcombe usurping Mitchell as the party’s chairman. Sharing details from a conversation between himself and Wilchcombe, Davis said: “I say here what I have been saying to fellow PLPs: whoever wants to run for any position should run. “This is the time to sort these kinds of things out.
I feel very good about the current team’s forward momentum. “But if Obie wants to make an argument about why he should be chairman, he should do so. “He came to ask me about running and I told him I don’t see that he has the support. But if he sees things differently, no one is standing in his way.” Wilchcombe’s second loss in his pursuit of the PLP chairmanship in two years - this time by nearly 500 votes - evidences that Davis didn’t have to stand in his way. However, just as the
delegates were not interested in Wilchcombe becoming the spokesperson of the party, a large portion of the Bahamian people experience a similar unsettling feeling about the PLP leading the country again. Despite their penchant to promote themselves as a changed party, they still look very much the same. Notwithstanding a passionate contribution from deputy leader Chester Cooper where he outlined the vision for the country under the PLP, the Bahamian people know these are the things conventions and rallies are made of – their
sole purpose being to ignite a party’s base. Unfortunately, for all of Cooper’s promise, the traumatic period of 20122017 under the PLP is one the Bahamian people may not yet be ready to forgive – at least not without witnessing real change. In 2017, the PLP missed a great opportunity in harnessing the mind of former Attorney General Alfred Sears. Seen as a true visionary, it is dumbfounding to many why he is not being elevated in the party. Perhaps this is why many Bahamians are not buying the PLP rebrand. Although many still cling to hope
Sears is waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike, others understand this game is all about controlling the power within the party. Unfortunately, bright minds like Sears lack the support from within and are therefore wasted towing the party line. With the party firmly in the grip of the Davis team, we can expect an energised campaign to ensue as the PLP tries to make the most of the attention following the convention. Time will tell if any of their efforts mattered to the Bahamian people.
PAGE 8 MONDAY, JULY 29, 2019
INSIGHT
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
1969 talk of nationalisation EACH week, The Tribune is looking back 50 years ago to get a glimpse of the issues of the day in 1969. Nationalisation was the talk of the day in the issue of July 29, 1969, with Prime Minister Lynden Pindling denying that he had said anything about nationalisation of
industry in Freeport. His comments came after reports that he had said that if Freeport building contractors rebel against government immigration policy, his administration would seriously consider nationalisation of local construction industry - reports Mr Pindling quickly
dismissed. What he actually said, The Tribune reported, was that he had heard a rumour that “some building contractors have met and decided to take concerted action over the government’s enforcement of the Immigration Act by closing or threatening to close down their jobs with
the object of striking panic in the hearts and minds of their Bahamian workers, thereby inducing them to rebel”. He added that the government would be unwise not to take under consideration measures it thinks fit to guarantee the job security of Bahamian citizens.
INSIGHT
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
T
HERE were echoes of US President Donald Trump’s famous campaign slogan, “Make America great again”, in the first parliamentary statement of Britain’s new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. “Our mission”, Mr Johnson declared is “making this country the greatest place on earth”. As with President Trump’s slogan, Prime Minister Johnson’s catchphrase is designed to appeal to a certain section of the population who long for a bygone time when their interests alone were supreme. For an older generation of the English, the lyrics of the British patriotic song, “Rule Britannia”, written in the 18th Century but still lustily sung today, epitomises how they regard themselves: “When Britain first, at Heaven’s command Arose from out the azure main; This was the charter of the land, And guardian angels sang this strain: ‘Rule, Britannia! rule the waves: Britons never will be slaves’.” This idea of a superior Britain – a nation upon whose Empire “the sun never sets” – in large part contributed to the slim majority of 51.9 percent that carried the referendum vote to leave the European Union (EU) in 2016. The older generation - and those who linger in the notion of an England raised up “at heaven’s command” - longed for a return of Britain, unshackled from links to its former European foes and free to traverse the world in the expectation of trade and other arrangements that suit Britain and maintain its exceptionalism. It is from the ranks of such thinking that Mr Johnson emerged to become Prime Minister of Britain. He has proven himself to be an astute politician, helping to topple two Prime Ministers of his own Conservative party – David Cameron and Theresa May. He has also outfoxed former allies in the campaign to leave the
Boris Johnson’s homegrown can of worms EU who also harboured ambitions to be Prime Minister. His impish schoolboy persona hides his capacity for political machinations without which few leaders achieve their high office. In his campaign to become Prime Minister, Mr Johnson talked much about the urgency of BREXIT – the shorthand term for Britain leaving the EU. But, immediately upon assuming office, his longerterm ambitions were made clear. He is in the game for the long haul, including a general election that would give him the national authority, as Prime Minister, that he does not now enjoy. In his first statement in the House of Commons, he laid out the framework of his manifesto for a general election. This included: changing tax rules; providing funding for frontline public services, “to deliver better healthcare, better education and more police on the streets”; making sure the National Health Service receives funds to pay for 20 hospital upgrades and winter-readiness;
providing proposals for drastically reducing waiting times at hospitals and for appointments with doctors; increasing the minimum level of per pupil funding in primary and secondary schools and returning education funding to previous levels; investing in infrastructure, fibre rollout, transport and housing that can improve people’s quality of life and fuel economic growth and provide opportunity. In echoes of President Trump, Mr Johnson, in more coded language, also addressed immigration – one of the core issues that influenced the pro-Brexit vote among those opposed to migrants – by saying: “No-one believes more strongly than me in the benefits of migration to our country. But I am clear that our immigration system must change. I will ask the Migration Advisory Committee to conduct a review of that system as the first step in a radical rewriting of our immigration system.” And, he promised that “we will look back on this period, this extraordinary
SIMPLE RULES FOR THE ROAD - THEY’LL KEEP YOU SAFE BE responsible while driving and walking. For your safety and the safety of others, you must follow these rules. Never Drink and Drive Alcohol causes a number of impairments that lead to car accidents. The consumption of alcohol while driving causes blurred vision and loss of consciousness. Drinking and driving is an offence and is punishable by law. Always Wear A Seat Belt Wearing a seatbelt can save your life and it reduces the risk of serious injury during an accident. There is a greater chance of surviving when wearing a seatbelt. Avoid distractions while driving Distracted driving is any activity that takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, or your mind off your primary task of driving safely Pedestrian Safety We all are pedestrians from time to time, so it is important to pay attention to what is going on around us. To stay safe walking, follow these rules. Walk Facing Traffic When Walking on the Side of the Road If there is no sidewalk and you must walk on the side of the road, choose the side where you are facing oncoming traffic. This gives you the best chance to see traffic approaching closest to you. Cross Safely Look both ways before crossing any street. Make eye contact with any drivers
MONDAY, JULY 29, 2019 PAGE 9
who may be turning. Give them a wave. Make sure they see you. Walk Single File When Not Separated from the Road Unless you are on a sidewalk separated from the road or you are in a wide pedestrian lane, you should walk in single file. This is especially important on a road with curves and where traffic has only a split second chance of seeing you before hitting you. Be Visible Wear bright colours when walking in daytime. When walking at night, wear light-coloured clothing and reflective clothing or a reflective vest to be visible. Drivers are often not expecting walkers to be out after dark, and you need to give them every chance to see you. Be just as cautious at dawn or twilight, as drivers still have limited visibility or may even have the setting or rising sun directly in their eyes. Be Predictable Make a practice of staying on one side of the path while walking rather than weaving randomly from side to side. Watch your arm motions, or you may end up giving a black eye to a silently passing walker, runner, or biker. Keep the Volume Down Don’t drown out your
environment when listening to your headphones. Keep the volume at a level where you can still hear warnings from other walkers, bikers and runners. Hang Up and Eyes Up Chatting, texting, or playing games on a mobile device while you walk is as dangerous as doing those things while driving. You are distracted and not as aware of your environment. You are less likely to recognize traffic danger, passing joggers and bikers or tripping hazards. Potential criminals see you as a distracted easy target. Adopt habits that can keep your phone in your pocket, or at least stop in a safe place to complete your phone tasks before moving on. Know When Walking
to
Stop
Heat sickness, dehydration, heart attack or stroke can strike walkers of any age. Learn the symptoms of medical emergencies and carry a cell phone to dial 919 or 911 Be Aware of Stranger Danger Choose your walking route for paths frequented by other walkers, joggers, and bikers. If you see someone suspicious, be prepared to alter your course or go into a store or public building to avoid them. Acting alert and aware can convince bad guys to choose an easier target.
period, as the beginning of a new golden age for our United Kingdom.” The problem Mr Johnson faces is that he has taken over a Kingdom that is far from united. More than 48 percent of the British people did not vote for BREXIT, and many have since voted with their feet, migrating where they could to other European countries, including neighbouring Republic of Ireland which remains staunchly in the EU. Additionally, business, particularly in the key financial services sector, have shifted their operations from London into other capitals in Europe to maintain their access to the much larger EU market that could disappear without a BREXIT deal favourable to Britain. The chances of Mr Johnson being able to improve on the deal, negotiated by Theresa May and rejected by the British Parliament, are pretty remote. He knows that despite the brave face he puts on it, come October 31 he will either have to accept the May deal or walk away from Europe with no deal. Politically, he could not accept the May deal. So, in his parliamentary statement, he began the process of preparing the British public for no deal
PM Boris Johnson with the EU. Mr Johnson declared: “The UK is better prepared for that (no deal) situation than many believe. In the 98 days that remain to us we must turbocharge our preparations to make sure that there is as little disruption as possible to our national life. I believe that is possible with the kind of national effort that the British people have made before and will make again.” Deal or no deal, Mr Johnson is living on tenuous grounds. He has inherited a minority government and any three defectors could abruptly and swiftly end his political life. He, therefore, urgently needs legitimacy as
Prime Minister. He knows his best chance of achieving that goal is an election contest with a Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn in whom there is insufficient national confidence. Shortly after October 31, Britain will have another general election at which politicians will be punished or rewarded for BREXIT. Either way, the UK economy - which slowed to 1.4 percent in 2018, the slowest rate since 2012 - will require astute management, much of it dependent on Britain concluding beneficial trade agreements and new investment in financial services and manufacturing – a daunting prospect since the UK will be negotiating from a position of weakness with the bigger economies US, China and India. Mr Johnson has now opened the can of worms he helped to create. The writer is Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organisation of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and at Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com
PAGE 10 MONDAY, JULY 29, 2019
INSIGHT
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
By GAVIN NAYLOR Director, Florida Programme for Shark Research, University of Florida
In recent weeks there have three reported shark attacks on swimmers in Bahamian waters, including one fatality.
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HARKS elicit outsized fear, even though the risk of a shark bite is infinitesimally small. As a marine biologist and director of the Florida Programme for Shark Research, I oversee the International Shark Attack File – a global record of reported shark bites that has been maintained continuously since 1958. We are careful to emphasise how rare shark bites are: You are 30 times more likely to be struck by lightning than be bitten by a shark. You are more likely to die while taking a selfie, or be bitten by a New Yorker. In anticipation of the anxiety that’s typically generated by the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week programming, here are a few things about sharks that are often overlooked.
Shark Week looms but don’t let it make you afraid of the water
A big, diverse family Not all sharks are the same. Only a dozen or so of the roughly 520 shark species pose any risk to people. Even the three species that account for almost all shark bite fatalities – the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) and bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) – are behaviourally and evolutionarily very different from one another. The tiger shark and bull shark are genetically as different from each other as a dog is from a rabbit. And both of these species are about as different from a white shark as a dog is from a kangaroo. The evolutionary lineages leading to the two groups split 170 million years ago, during the age of dinosaurs and before the origin of birds, and 110 million years before the origin of primates. Yet many people assume all sharks are alike and equally likely to bite humans. Consider the term “shark attack,” which is scientifically equivalent to “mammal attack.” Nobody would equate dog bites with hamster bites, but this is exactly what we do when it comes to sharks. So, when a reporter calls me about a fatality caused by a white shark off Cape Cod and asks my advice for beachgoers in North
Carolina, it’s essentially like asking, “A man was killed by a dog on Cape Cod. What precautions should people take when dealing with kangaroos in North Carolina?” Understanding local species’ behaviour and life habits is one of the best ways to stay safe. For example, almost all shark bites that occur off Cape Cod are by white sharks, which are a large, primarily cold-water species that spend most of their time in isolation feeding on fishes. But they also aggregate near seal colonies that provide a reliable food source at certain times of the year. Shark bites in the Carolinas are by warm-water species like bull sharks, tiger sharks and blacktips (Carcharhinus limbatus). Each species is associated with particular habitats and dietary preferences. Blacktips, which we suspect are responsible for most relatively minor bites
on humans in the southeastern United States, feed on schooling bait fishes like menhaden. In contrast, bull sharks are equally at home in fresh water and salt water, and are often found near estuaries. Their bites are more severe than those of blacktips, as they are larger, more powerful, bolder and more tenacious. Several fatalities have been ascribed to bull sharks. Tiger sharks are also large, and are responsible for a significant fraction of fatalities, particularly off the coast of volcanic islands like Hawaii and Reunion. They are tropical animals that often venture into shallow water frequented by swimmers and surfers. Sharks are important predators that play critical roles in ocean food chains. Humans are not targets Sharks do not “hunt” humans. Data from the International Shark Attack
File compiled over the past 60 years show a tight association between shark bites and the number of people in the water. In other words, shark bites are a simple function of the probability of encountering a shark. This underscores the fact that shark bites are almost always cases of mistaken identity. If sharks actively hunted people, there would be many more bites, since humans make very easy targets when they swim in sharks’ natural habitats. Local conditions can also affect the risk of an attack. Encounters are more likely when sharks venture closer to shore, into areas where people are swimming. They may do this because they are following bait fishes or seals upon which they prey. This means we can use environmental variables such as temperature, tide or weather conditions to better predict movement of bait fish toward the shoreline, which in turn will predict the presence of sharks. Over the next few years, the Florida Programme for Shark Research will work with colleagues at other universities to
monitor onshore and offshore movements of tagged sharks and their association with environmental variables so that we can improve our understanding of what conditions bring sharks close to shore. More to know There still is much to learn about sharks, especially the 500 or so species that have never been implicated in a bite on humans. One example is the tiny deep sea pocket shark, which has a strange pouch behind its pectoral fins. Only two specimens of this type of shark have ever been caught – one off the coast of Chile 30 years ago, and another more recently in the Gulf of Mexico. We’re not sure about the function of the pouch, but suspect it stores luminous fluid that is released to distract would-be predators – much as its close relative, the tail light shark, releases luminous fluid from a gland on its underside near its vent. The goblin shark, found mainly off Asia, can project its jaw forward to pull prey into its mouth.
Sharks range in form from the bizarre goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni), most commonly encountered in Japan, to the gentle filter-feeding whale shark (Rhincodon typus). Although whale sharks are the largest fishes in the world, we have yet to locate their nursery grounds, which are likely teeming with thousands of foot-long pups. Some deepwater sharks are primarily known from submersibles, such as the giant sixgill shark, which feeds mainly on carrion but probably also preys on other animals in the deep sea. Sharks seem familiar to almost all of us, but we know precious little about them. Our current understanding of their biology barely scratches the surface. The little we do know suggests they are profoundly different from other vertebrate animals. They’ve had 400 million years of independent evolution to adapt to their environments, and it’s reasonable to expect they may be hiding more than a few tricks up their gills. theconversation.com
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
INSIGHT
MONDAY, JULY 29, 2019 PAGE 11
Cyber crime - don’t leave yourself open to attack By SCOTT SHACKELFORD Associate Professor of Business Law and Ethics, Indiana University
* In recent months cyber attacks in The Bahamas have hit a number of institutions including broadcaster ZNS and the Ministry of Tourism.
H
IGH profile data breaches at companies like British Airways and Marriott get a lot of media coverage, but cybercriminals are increasingly going after community groups, schools, small businesses and municipal governments. Just in the Midwest, hospitals, libraries, voter registration systems and police departments have fallen victim to one type of digital hijacking or another. Cybercrime is not just a concern for corporate technology departments. Schools, scout troops, Rotary clubs and religious organisations need to know what to look for and how to handle it. As the academic director of a new cybersecurity clinic at Indiana University, I’ll be helping to lead students and faculty members in teaching local, county and state government agencies, not-for-profit organisations and small businesses how to improve their cyber hygiene. They’ll learn how to better manage digital systems, protect their intellectual property and improve consumer privacy. Everyone should know the basics for how to protect themselves and the groups or organisations they’re part of. Here is a brief look at some of the cybersecurity best practices we’ll be teaching members of our communities to keep in mind as they go online for work, play or volunteering. 1. Keep everything up to date Many breaches, including the 2017 one at the Equifax credit bureau that exposed the financial information of almost every American adult, boil down to someone leaving out-of-date software running. Most major computer companies issue regular updates to protect against newly emerging vulnerabilities. Keep your software and operating systems updated. To make it easy, turn on automatic updates when possible. Also, be sure to install software to scan your system for viruses and malware, to catch anything that might get through. Some of that protection is free, like Avast, which Consumer Reports rates highly. 2. Use strong, unique passwords Remembering passwords, especially complicated ones, isn’t fun, which is why so much work is going into finding better alternatives.
For the time being, though, it’s important to use unique passwords that are different for each site, and not easy-to-hack things like “123456” or “password”. Choose ones that are at least 14 characters long. Consider starting with a favourite sentence, and then just using the first letter of each word. Add numbers, punctuation or symbols for complexity if you want, but length is more important. Make sure to change any default passwords set in a factory, like those that come with your Wi-Fi router or home security devices. A password manager programme can help you create and remember complex, secure passwords. 3. Enable multi-factor authentication In many situations, websites are requiring users not only to provide a strong password but also to type in a separate code from an app, text message or email message when logging in. It is an extra step, and it’s not perfect, but multi-factor authentication makes it much harder for a hacker to break into your accounts. Whenever you have the option, enable multi-factor authentication, particularly for crucial log-ins like bank and credit card accounts. You could also consider getting a physical digital key that can connect with your computer or smartphone as an even more advanced level of protection. 4. Encrypt and back up your most important data If you can, encrypt the data that’s stored on your smartphone and computer. If a hacker copies your files, all he’ll get is gibberish, rather than, for instance, your address book and financial records. This often involves installing software or changing system settings. Some manufacturers do this without users even knowing, which helps improve everyone’s security. For data that’s crucial, like medical information, or irreplaceable, like family photos, it’s important to keep copies. These backups should ideally be duplicated as well, with one stored locally on an external hard drive only periodically connected to your primary computer, and one remote, such as in a cloud storage system. 5. Be careful using public Wi-Fi When using public Wi-Fi, anyone nearby who is connected to the same network can listen in on what your computer is sending and receiving across the internet. You can use free browsers like Tor, which was originally developed to provide secure communications for the U.S. Navy, to encrypt your traffic and camouflage what you’re doing online. You can also use a virtual private network to encrypt all your internet traffic, in addition to what goes through your browser – like
Spotify music or video in the Netflix app – to make it more difficult for hackers, or even casual users, to spy on you. There is a wide range of free and paid VPN options. In short: Be cautious, proactive and
informed Of course, there is much more a person or organisation can do to protect private data. Search engines like DuckDuckGo don’t track users or their searches. Firewall software built into both Windows
and Mac OS – or downloaded separately – can help stop viruses and worms from making their way into your systems. To protect yourself against data breaches at places where your
information is stored, you should consider freezing your credit, which blocks anyone from applying for credit in your name without your personal permission. It’s free. If you have already received a notification that your data has been stolen, consider putting a free “fraud alert” on your credit reports. There are plenty of other places to learn more about cybersecurity, too, including some very good podcasts. No person, organisation or computer can ever be 100 percent secure. Someone with the patience, money and skill can break into even the most protected systems. But by taking these steps, you can make it less likely that you’ll be a victim, and in the process help raise the overall level of cyber hygiene in your communities, making everyone safer both online and off. theconversation.com
PAGE 12, Monday, July 29, 2019 By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A LANDSCAPING company was ordered on Friday to fully compensate one of its employees for the all of the days it suspended her without pay earlier this month - when she was on jury duty. Justice Gregory Hilton ordered Creative Designs by Munroe’s Landscaping and Xerascaping Company to reimburse Wendalyn Davis after docking her pay for days she was summoned to serve as a juror in a recent criminal trial. Munroe’s Landscaping also risked being fined for effectively suspending Ms Davis indefinitely for not showing up to work on another subsequent day when she was summoned to appear in court for jury selection. However, though noting that suspending Ms Davis “until further notice” in that instance was “tantamount to a dismissal”, as well as “incorrect and wrong”, Justice Hilton “cautioned” the company on the issue, and ordered that she be re-engaged. Failure to comply with the order would result in the company being found to be in contempt, Justice Hilton said. Justice Hilton’s orders came after Crown attorney Joel Seymour - who prosecuted the trial in which Ms Davis sat as a juror called on the judge to order Munroe’s Landscaping to compensate Ms Davis for the “pain and suffering” she might have suffered as a result of being suspended for merely performing her “civic duty in this society”. According to Mr Seymour, Ms Davis was summoned to serve as a member of the jury pool
THE TRIBUNE
Company ordered to compensate employee for docking her salary when on jury service for the period July 1 to August 31. On July 8, the trial of the Crown vs Ashley McKenzie, which he prosecuted, opened before Justice Hilton. The very next day, on July 9, Mr Seymour said Munroe’s Landscaping issued Ms Davis with a formal notice of job abandonment. According to Justice Hilton, the letter, which was actually a pink slip, bore the caption: “Job abandonment/unauthorized absenteeism”. The particulars of the letter read: “These actions are against company policy. You did not show up for work on your designated days and times. As a result of this management has decided to give you the rest of the week off without pay and you are to return on the 13th of July, 2019. If such actions persist this could lead to your dismissal without pay”. Two days later, on July 11, and the day the trial ended, the Supreme Court’s
bailiff’s office sent a letter to Munroe’s Landscaping to inform them that Ms Davis was a member of a jury pool and had since been selected as a juror in Ashley McKenzie’s trial. Also on that day, a letter was sent from the Office of the Supreme Court’s Registrar confirming that Ms Davis was selected as a juror and is in the jury pool. That letter also indicated the dates on which Ms Davis was required to appear for jury service: June 20 for orientation; July 1; and July 8, 9 and 11. It was also indicated in the letter that she was scheduled to return on July 22. Also sent to Munroe’s Landscaping on that date was information pertaining to the obligations of both an employee and his/her employer under the Juries Act. Also attached to that letter were the relevant sections of the Juries Act. According to Mr Seymour, the jury selection record and daily jury attendance confirmed that
Ms Davis was present at court at all times during the commencement of trial and at any adjourned date given in the matter. Fast-forward to July 22, however, Ms Davis was indefinitely suspended from Munroe’s Landscaping for another unauthorized absence. In another pink slip, signed and dated July 22, management said: “These actions are against company policy. You did not show up to work on your designated day and time. As a result of this management has decided to suspend (you) from your duties effective 22nd July, 2019 until further notice. Again if such actions persist this could lead to your dismissal.” As a result of the aforementioned, Ms Davis lodged a complaint to the court and the Registrar. Justice Hilton consequently subpoenaed Stephen Munroe, the company’s owner and founder, as well as its manager, Katherine Saunders. When the proceedings commenced on Friday, Mr Munroe indicated he was shocked that he was made to attend, because while he is the owner and founder, he has effectively “retired” from the day-to-day running of the company. And for that reason, he said he did not authorize and/or endorse the letters issued to Ms Davis, adding he only just found out about the matter. He consequently deferred to his wife, Nadine Munroe, who is the company’s CEO. Mrs Munroe, in turn, asserted Ms Davis had given the court the wrong information. She said Ms Davis neglected to tell Justice Hilton that the company’s work shift starts at 7am. Jury duty, as she was told, commenced at 10am. Thus, Mrs Munroe said Ms Davis’ instructions were to report to work for 7am, then head to jury duty. However, she said, Ms Davis unilaterally decided “to do what she wants to do” and did not show up
for work, neither before her civic duty nor afterwards. In response, however, Justice Hilton noted Mrs Munroe had misapprehended the law as outlined in the Juries Act. Mrs Saunders, meanwhile, accused Ms Davis of being difficult and refusing to provide the company with the information pertaining to her jury duty. Additionally, Mrs Saunders claimed Ms Davis would tell her that she would not be coming to work on a day she was on jury duty. And not only did Ms Davis not return to work, Mrs Saunders claimed, but she did not provide Munroe’s Landscaping with any information pertaining to her jury duty. Mrs Saunders said she had to get that information from a representative from the bailiff’s office “after the fact”. Mrs Saunders said she repeatedly tried to explain to Ms Davis that performing one’s civic duty does not automatically translate to a day off; once one’s civic duty is at an end that individual should report to work if time allows. Justice Hilton agreed with those sentiments, indicating that in the event one’s civic duty comes to an end on any given day, for example, if a matter is adjourned, they can and/or are liable to report back to work. Notwithstanding those issues, Mrs Saunders said the July 9 pink slip was actually because she did not report to work on the Saturday prior. According to Mrs Saunders, at the time, Ms Davis had claimed she was sick, but did not bring in a doctor’s note. Concerning the July 22 pink slip, Mrs Saunders explained that on that Monday, Ms Davis sent her an email essentially dictating to Munroe’s Landscaping what she planned to do in light of the fact she had to appear in court as a member of the jury pool. Mrs Saunders said Ms Davis told her that she would not go into work that
day, but instead go in the following day and use July 22 as her day off. Mrs Saunders said she tried to explain to Ms Davis that after her civic duty is completed, and if time allowed it, she ought to report to work. However, Mrs Saunders said Ms Davis’ words to her were “as a manager you have no understanding”. Ultimately, Mrs Saunders said Munroe’s Landscaping was placed in a precarious position because the information pertaining to Ms Davis’ jury duty and her and the company’s obligations pursuant to the Juries Act were not provided to the in a timely manner, but after the fact. However, Justice Hilton said whether or not the company knew the law or were advised of same, the law “is still the law”. To that end, he also stressed that a company “cannot hold an employee to a standard that is contrary to law”. Justice Hilton said he was satisfied that based on Mrs Munroe’s and Mrs Saunder’s explanations, Munroe’s Landscaping’s breach of the Juries Act was not intentional. However, he said it was a breach nonetheless. He subsequently ordered that Ms Davis be fully compensated for each day she was suspended from work without pay pursuant to the July 9 pink slip, as well as July 22. He also ordered that her suspension be lifted and she be re-engaged with the company. To that end, Justice Hilton further ordered she be compensated for the days she was suspended subsequent to the July 22 pink slip. Justice Hilton further noted the tenor of the last line of the July 9 letter is “tantamount to a dismissal”, or at the very least, a threat of dismissal, given that “until further notice” suggests an indefinite timeline. Nonetheless, he said, he would not fine the company or its two representatives, but merely caution them.
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MARVIN DAMES By FARRAH JOHNSON MORE than a hundred new recruits were inducted into the Royal Bahamas Defence Force during a passing out parade at HMBS Coral Harbour on Friday. After successfully completing the RBDF’s military recruitment training programme and obtaining certifications in swimming, first-aid, naval infantry and military martial arts, New Entry 56, consisting of 98 men, and Woman Entry 25, made up of nine women, were officially welcomed to the force. Presenting the keynote address, National Security Minister Marvin Dames commended the graduates for their hard work and encouraged them to “take pride” in themselves, their country and the organisation they were now representing. “Over the past 17 weeks, you endured the rigours of recruit training including an extensive curriculum and achieved multiple qualifications,” he said. “You responded to your military indoctrination in the same spirit of your motto: ‘No Quit 56... Always Strive 25’(and) all 107 of you...have earned the right to be commissioned as marines.” Mr Dames said the graduates chose a “noble” profession that was not fit for the “faint of heart,” and encouraged them to strive to be “positive influences” who contribute to nation building.
Monday, July 29, 2019, PAGE 13
DAMES WELCOMES RECRUITS INTO ROYAL BAHAMAS DEFENCE FORCE “Historically, less than one percent of The Bahamas’ population has had the privilege of serving in our country’s military and you must be commended for answering the call to naval service,” he told the graduates. “Your pledge to guard our heritage will necessitate the protection of our nation against the transnational threats of human and gun smuggling, poaching, drug trafficking...the potential for maritime and land based terrorism and assisting in providing relief to your fellow citizens during times of disaster.” Mr Dames told the recruits that they had joined the force just as it was entering a “new era of modernisation with the decentralisation of its operations.” He explained that the decentralisation programme involves the “restructuring and redevelopment of new strategies and technologies,” that will allow officers to address present “challenges” and ensure they can “effectively execute” their mandate accordingly. “The Bahamas government is committed to supporting the Defence Force in its efforts to fulfil it’s five major strategic roles over the next several years for the decentralisation of the places in the northern, the central and southern Bahamas,” he said. “[This includes] the transformation of its human
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capital as a model of excellence and leadership, Owners of apartments, homes, duplexes, condos and other Owners of apartments, Owners of apartments, homes,homes, duplexes,duplexes, condos andcondos other an integrity and achievement, rental options seeking to provide provide accommodations the mobilisation of itsresidential residential rental options seeking seeking to for f residential rental options toaccommodations provide accommod troops...the conservation of University of The students receiving grants under University of The Bahamas students students receiving grants under the the University ofBahamas The Bahamas receiving grants u our environment and the Grant Programme must apply and enroll in UB’s Government Tertiary regeneration of our nation’s Government Tertiary Grant Programme must apply and enroll in U Government Tertiary Grant Programme must apply and en youth into productive, responsible and employable Housing Registry Friday,16th 16th August August 2019. 2019. 2019. Housing Registry byby Friday, citizens.” Housing Registry by Friday, 16th August Mr Dames confirmed the initiative is already in Property requirements include: progress and noted the government has made Property requirements include: Property requirements include: Fire extinguisher provisions to establish a Smoke detector/s multi-agency drone proFire extinguisher Smoke detector/s gramme to “enhance the Burglar bars/Security Enclosed Fire yard extinguisher Smoke detector/sscreens reach of professionalism of law enforcement agencies Burglar bars/Security screens Enclosed yard Clothes lines Coin-operated/nearby laundry Burglar bars/Security screens Enclosed yard and crime reduction” in the country. Wi-Fi Refrigerator Clothes lines Coin-operated/nearby laundry He also revealed that Clothes lines Coin-operated/nearby laundry mobile container units have already been purchased for Electricity Stove Wi-Fi Refrigerator the Ragged Island base and Wi-Fi Refrigerator added that “modernisation Hurricane shutters/protection Beds and expansion” has already Electricity Stove begun at the Inagua base, Electricity Parking Stove Running water where the “country’s first ever” long range coastal Hurricane shutters/protection Beds radar was installed last Hurricane shutters/protection The online application is accessible at Beds April. https://www.ub.edu.bs/admissions/housing/. Parking Running water Congratulating the Parking new entrees, Mr Dames Running water reminded them of their For more informationiscontact: The online application accessible at various duties and responsibilities and urged them to The online application is accessible at https://www.ub.edu.bs/admissions/housing/. UB Housing and Residential Life continue to “uphold moral #21 Gregory Street https://www.ub.edu.bs/admissions/housing/. principles.” Nassau, New Providence “As an archipelagic For more information contact: nation boasting some Tel.: 302-4433 For more information contact: 700 islands and cays and UB Housing and Residential Life having the largest maritime domain in the region #21 Gregory Streetand Residential Life UB Housing with over 100,000 square Nassau, New Providence #21 Gregory Street miles of water, maritime security remains paraTel.: 302-4433 Nassau, New Providence mount and you are charged Tel.: 302-4433 with ensuring our nation’s defence through the protection of our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
PAGE 14, Monday, July 29, 2019
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POLICE FIRE TEAR GAS, RUBBER BULLETS AT HONG KONG PROTESTERS HONG KONG Associated Press
POLICE in Hong Kong fired tear gas and rubber bullets repeatedly yesterday to drive back protesters blocking streets with road signs and umbrellas in another night of pitched battles in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory. It was the second night in a row that tear gas was used in escalating pro-democracy protests. The demonstrations began early last month to voice opposition to an extradition bill that has since been suspended, but the movement has
grown to encompass a broader push for full democracy. Protesters occupied two areas at opposite ends of central Hong Kong following a mid-afternoon rally against police use of tear gas at a demonstration the previous weekend. On the western end of Hong Kong Island, one group blocked areas near the Chinese government’s liaison office and began to move forward as night fell. Police issued warnings, and protesters threw eggs at them. Officers fired tear gas to halt the advance. Police then embarked on an hourslong effort to push the
protesters eastward and get them to disperse. In repeated standoffs, spontaneous but highly organized protesters set up behind scaffolding that they built across a street. Police lined up behind clear shields about 30 meters (100 feet) down the road. Dozens of journalists in bright yellow vests stood in between the two on the sidelines. The police would advance gradually, firing bursts of tear gas. Protesters in hard hats scurried about, rearranging makeshift barriers of pilfered road signs and other items. By the time the police reached the scaffolding, they had backed off about 6 metres.
Another team of officers, more mobile with smaller shields, then swept in to clear the area. Some protesters were detained, Hong Kong media reported. Hong Kong has been wracked by protests for seven weeks. Initially, the protesters were demanding the scrapping of a proposed extradition law that would send suspects to mainland China to face trials. The legislation is seen as a threat to Hong Kong’s freedoms that were guaranteed for 50 years when China took back control of the former British colony in 1997. The bill was eventually
suspended, but the protesters then called for the resignation of the city’s leader and an investigation into whether police have used excessive force in quelling the protests. Underlying the movement is a push for full democracy in the city, whose leader is chosen by a committee dominated by a proBeijing establishment, rather than by direct elections. Earlier yesterday, protesters rallied at a park in Hong Kong’s financial district before marching out in several directions despite not winning police approval for a public procession.
65 MOURNERS KILLED BY BOKO HARAM AT FUNERAL IN NIGERIA
COLOMBIAN WINS TOUR DE FRANCE PARIS Associated Press COLOMBIANS made themselves at home on the Champs-Elysees yesterday when their countryman - 22-yearold Egan Bernal - became the Tour de France’s youngest postWorld War II champion, and its first from South America. “I am the most happy guy in the world. I just won the Tour de France, and, yeah, I can’t believe it,” Bernal said on the podium in the race winner’s jersey. At the finish, Bernal fell into the arms of his family. “I cannot believe it. It’s just incredible. I am sorry. I have no words,” he said. “I still can’t understand what is happening to me.”
COLOMBIA’S EGAN BERNAL, right, rides past the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Elysees yesterday.
US intelligence chief quits after two years WASHINGTON Associated Press DAN Coats, director of national intelligence, will leave his job next month, President Trump announced yesterday, after a turbulent two years in which Coats and the president were often at odds over Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump announced Coats’ departure in a tweet that thanked Coats for his service. He said he will nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, to the post and that he will name an acting official in the coming days. Ratcliffe is a frequent Trump defender who fiercely questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller last week during a House Judiciary Committee hearing. Coats often appeared out of step with Trump and disclosed to prosecutors how he was urged by the
PRESIDENT TRUMP president to publicly deny any link between Russia and the Trump campaign. The frayed relationship reflected broader divisions between the president and the government’s intelligence agencies. Coats’ public, and sometimes personal, disagreements with Trump over policy and intelligence included Russian election
interference and North Korean nuclear capabilities. Trump had long been skeptical of the nation’s intelligence agencies, which provoked his ire by concluding that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election with the goal of getting him elected. In a letter of resignation released Sunday night, Coats said serving as the nation’s top intelligence official has been a “distinct privilege” but that it was time for him to “move on” to the next chapter of his life. He cited his work to strengthen the intelligence community’s effort to prevent harm to the U.S. from adversaries and to reform the security clearance process. A former Republican senator from Indiana, Coats was appointed director of national intelligence in March 2017, becoming the fifth person to hold the post since it was created in the wake of the Sept. 11,
2001, attacks to oversee and coordinate the nation’s 17 intelligence agencies. Coats had been among the last of the seasoned foreign policy hands brought to surround the president after his 2016 victory, of whom the president steadily grew tired as he gained more personal confidence in Oval Office, officials said. That roster included Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and later national security adviser H.R. McMaster. Coats developed a reputation inside the administration for sober presentations to the president of intelligence conclusions that occasionally contradicted Trump’s policy aims. His departure had been rumored for months, and intelligence officials had been expecting him to leave before the 2020 presidential campaign season reached its peak.
AT LEAST 65 people have lost their lives after suspected Boko Haram militants opened fire on a funeral in Nigeria’s northeastern state of Borno. Gunmen arrived on motorcycles and in vans at the village near the state capital, Maiduguri, on Saturday, eyewitnesses say. A number of mourners were reportedly killed straight away, while others died trying to chase off the attackers. There has been an increase in Islamist attacks across the region. Local government official Muhammed Bulama said he thought the latest attack was in revenge for the killing of 11 Boko Haram fighters by the villagers two weeks ago. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed and more than two million displaced over the past decade of conflict. Boko Haram, loosely translated, means “Western education is banned” and promotes a version of Islam that forbids Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with the West. The group is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state. It has been active not only in Nigeria, but also in the neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Boko Haram has been notorious for kidnapping schoolchildren and attracted global media attention in 2014 following the abduction of almost 300 girls from a school in the town of Chibok, in Borno, the state where the militant group has been most active. In 2015, it was ranked the world’s deadliest terror group by the Institute for Economics and Peace. Territory controlled by the group has declined in recent years and it has splintered into competing factions.
WOMAN SET TO REPLACE PUERTO RICO’S GOVERNOR DOESN’T WANT JOB
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico Associated Press
THE woman who is supposed to replace Puerto Rico’s embattled governor announced yesterday that she doesn’t want the job as the US territory reels from political crisis. Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez said in a Twitter post that she hopes Gov Ricardo Rosselló will appoint a secretary of
state before resigning on August 2 as planned. Former Secretary of State Luis Rivera Marín would have been next in line as governor, according to the US territory’s constitution. But he is one of more than a dozen officials who have resigned in recent weeks since someone leaked an obscenity-laced chat in which Rosselló and close advisers insulted people including women and victims of Hurricane Maria.
Rosselló announced that he would step down following nearly two weeks of massive protests amid anger over the chat, corruption charges against several former government officials and a 13-year recession. In the chat, the 40-year-old Democrat and son of a governor called a female politician a “whore,” referred to another as a “daughter of a bitch,” and made fun of an obese man with whom he posed in a photo.
Rosselló became the first governor to resign in the modern history of Puerto Rico, a US territory of 3.2 million American citizens. He is more than halfway through his four-year term. Marín’s resignation had left Vázquez as next in line to be governor. But she said she has already told Rosselló about her wishes not to get the job, creating a chaotic scenario about who will be Puerto Rico’s next leader.
If Rosselló’s choice for a secretary of state is not approved, Puerto Rico’s law dictates the treasury secretary would be next in line if the justice secretary doesn’t become governor. But current Treasury Secretary Francisco Parés is too young at 31 years old. The constitution dictates the person would have to be at least 35, so that would leave interim Education Secretary Eligio Hernández next in line.
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START-UP LOOKING FOR SUPPORT TO LAUNCH FINANCE ADVICE PLAN By FARRAH JOHNSON
A LOCAL tech start-up is seeking support to launch a financial and investment literacy programme aimed at teaching the millennial generation about the importance of investing and wealth-building. Stacc Financial, a digital financial services company, is seeking a grant of $100,000 to help develop “Stacc Academy”, which will teach individuals between the ages of 23 and 38 about saving, investing and building wealth. “In June we launched our beta app wait list which also provides access to a free 7 day stock trading email course,” says Kenneth Moncur, co-founder and chief tech officer. “Based on achieving over 1,000 signups within 24 hours it’s safe to say that Bahamians are interested in developing healthy financial and investing skills.” Underscoring its main goal is to provide financial and investment literacy to people with “little or no access, privilege or knowledge”, the group plans to target select communities to help individuals reduce
debt, increase savings and financial assets. “Loan indebtedness is a reality for most Bahamians with a high number currently living from paycheck to paycheck,” a statement from the company read. “Because of this and other outlying factors, we believe it is critical to develop a new solution to educate and support Bahamians to ensure they manage debt, thoughtfully consider the role of both loan and savings and develop habits to practice budgeting and investing.” Stacc Financial insisted their programme is a worthwhile investment, because when people are financially illiterate, their communities tend to “suffer economically”. The company said they are “committed” to promoting financial and investment literacy to ensure Bahamians are not burdened with debt which may have the potential to hinder them in future endeavours. Further, first time investors learn how to enter the stock market, build investment plans for financial gain and plan for a better quality of life.