08202025 NEWS

TUC THREATENS NATIONAL STRIKE

Unions targeting airport and foot of Paradise Island bridge for planned industrial action

BY ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net

INDUSTRIAL action has been pledged “in very short order” by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) - with the airport and the foot of Paradise Island

bridge to be targeted.

The action comes as the TUC supports the Bahamas Taxicab Union (BTCU) and the Bahamas General Workers Union (BGWU). It follows complaints that livery drivers are being allowed to “steal” jobs from taxi drivers. The TUC includes thousands of

members in its affiliate unions. Obie Ferguson, president of the TUC, yesterday told The Tribune that there may be possible industrial action in the near future - and said it would likely take place at the airport and PI bridge.

Photo: Nikia Charlton

TUC president Obie Ferguson gives remarks during a taxicab drivers meeting on Monday.

CORONER SHOOTING RULINGS ‘discouraged some officers’

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Staff Asso-

ciation chairman Ricardo Walkes says a rise in unfavourable Coroner’s Court rulings has discouraged some officers from carrying out their mandate, adding that he supports equipping police with non-lethal weapons to reduce fatal encounters.

“What it does, in my

opinion, is discourage the officers from carrying out their mandate. However, as police officers we have a mandate to carry out, and we do to the best of our abilities every day,”

Mr Walkes said after meeting Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles last month, where he voiced support for alternatives to firearms. He argued that tasers and other tools could prevent

Tragedy strikes on teen’s birthday

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

JUST hours after staying up past midnight with classmates who called to celebrate his 13th birthday, Prince Chaz Wright was killed in a car crash that has devastated his family and school community.

The Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy student was a passenger in a black Chevy Impala that collided with a tractor

around 11.30am Monday on Warren Levarity Highway, near Bahama Rock. The impact left the car mangled, and firemen had to use the Jaws of Life to pull the teen from the wreckage.

Prince was rushed to hospital, but he did not survive. His father and another man were also injured and remain hospitalised.

School Principal Ashell Bain said the loss has shattered students, teachers, and parents.

“It is really sad, I was

in total shock and broken when I got the news,” she told The Tribune yesterday.

Man charged with impersonating a policeman allegedly for several weeks

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A 20-YEAR-OLD man has pleaded not guilty to charges of falsely pretending to be a public officer and unlawfully possessing police paraphernalia.

Police did not name the man, but The Tribune

understands he is James Rutherford Jr. He appeared in court on Monday.

Police said the charges stem from an incident that gained traction on social media after images and claims circulated about a man pretending to be an officer at Goodman’s Bay.

While police did not confirm the details of the

post, it alleged that officers patrolling the beach encountered a man in a navy tactical outfit and a cap embroidered with “Police”.

The man allegedly identified himself using another officer’s badge number, but one of the patrol officers recognised the name and

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

PROFESSOR Ian Strachan, the former executive vice president (EVP) of the University of The Bahamas (UB), launched a sharp critique of the institution’s pursuit of international accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), branding it “the most colonial thing” UB could have done during The Bahamas’ 50th anniversary of independence. Dr Strachan, once shortlisted to lead UB before the board chose American academic Dr Erik Rolland in 2022, said the decision to chase foreign accreditation reflects the same anxieties that have repeatedly placed non-Bahamians at the head of the institution. His comments marked the first time he has directly hinted

Prince’s death ‘has shattered classmates’

“School is still closed, but this is very rough right now for his classmates. He just turned 13 and celebrated his birthday yesterday. He was up on Monday until midnight with classmates on the phone to bring in his birthday together.”

She described Prince as a quiet, respectful boy who excelled in sports and school life. She said many parents have already reached out to say their children are struggling with the tragedy.

Prince’s uncle, Malik Wright, remembered him as a well-mannered teen who never failed to greet adults politely. He said the family hoped he could be stabilised and airlifted, but instead received the crushing call from doctors that he had died.

“When the doctors called and he did not make it, it was just gut-wrenching; that

accident on Grand Bahama that claimed two young men’s lives at East Atlantic Drive and Tamarind Street. Two women were also injured in that collision. TRAGEDY from page one

took everything out of us as a family,” Mr Wright said in an interview on ZNS. Police are investigating the crash, which came a day after another deadly

Munnings Jr: Bahamas needs more attractions beyond the cruise port

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

VETERAN trade unionist and entertainer Freddie Munnings Jr believes The Bahamas cannot benefit from record visitor arrivals unless attractions are developed beyond the Nassau Cruise Port, resorts, and cruise line-owned private islands. His call was echoed by Trade Union Congress (TUC) president Obie Ferguson, who said

the country lacks even a proper nightclub for tourists and questioned what Tourism Minister Chester Cooper is doing to boost the sector.

Both men criticised the direction of the tourism industry, arguing that many Bahamians see little financial return from the millions of visitors now arriving in the country.

“They talk about the numbers of visitors we bring, but they all pent up at the port,”

Mr Munnings said during a

press conference on Monday hosted by the TUC and the Bahamas Taxicab Union (BTCU) at the BCPOU Hall. “Eighty percent of them don’t even get off the ship, I’m told. Those who do get off the ship, they spend less than $100, so how is that benefiting you?”

He urged officials to develop attractions in outlying communities so taxi drivers have more destinations to offer visitors, accusing policymakers of being “confused” about what experiences should define the

country’s main industry. If tourists remain on cruise ships or at the port, he said, drivers lose vital income.

Cruise companies, meanwhile, continue to expand their private enclaves, from Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay to Disney’s Castaway Cay and Carnival’s Celebration Key.

Mr Munnings also pressed taxi drivers to broaden their services and think bigger. “You should own these ship liners to take people into islands

around The Bahamas. You should own helicopters. You are in the transportation business,” he said.

Mr Ferguson described drivers as “intelligent” people at the heart of the economy, questioning how they are benefitting if the industry is supposedly booming. “We got our Minister of Tourism. I don’t know what he’s doing,” he said.

Mr Cooper did not respond to requests for comment up to press time.

Strachan: Accreditation being rushed to suit political timetables

publicly at how he feels about that leadership trend.

At the time of the 2022 search, the Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas (UTEB) strongly backed him as the most qualified candidate, calling his career “the epitome of what we as academics aspire towards” and criticising the board’s decision to appoint a foreigner as “a slap in the face.”

“What is it about education that there is this anxiety and the self-doubt around it?” Dr Strachan asked this week, contrasting the hesitation to appoint Bahamians as UB presidents with their elevation to top national posts such as Chief Justice, Chief Medical Officer, Commodore, and Police Commissioner.

Dr Strachan also criticised the immediate fallout of the accreditation drive, saying long-serving faculty were suddenly disqualified

from teaching courses they had delivered for decades.

“While I acknowledge that some persons may have been allowed to teach courses they were not equipped to teach over the years, the current events

epitomise our ‘force ripe’, half-baked approach to SACS accreditation,” he said. He likened the process to “a doctor saying a person has less than perfect eyesight and that

person concluding they should poke out their eyes as opposed to putting on glasses”.

“It shows that many who are in charge don’t understand how disciplinespecific expertise works. They are following the letter of the law rather than the spirit of it. They are being simplistic, not understanding that intellectual excellence, talent and highlevel skills can be acquired and passed on to students by people who developed those skills through multiple pathways.”

The University of The Bahamas, formally established in 2016 out of the former College of The Bahamas, has been engaged in years of preparation for both national and international accreditation. It has submitted applications to The Bahamas’ National Accreditation and Equivalency Council (NAECOB) and to SACSCOC, a leading USbased accrediting agency. Accreditation is intended to ensure academic quality and institutional accountability, while ensuring that UB degrees are recognised internationally.

Dr Strachan, however, dismissed the effort as a vanity project driven by “self-doubt, impostor syndrome, and inferiority complexes”

among Bahamian decision-makers.

He argued that after five decades as a sovereign country with its own public university, Bahamians should not be looking abroad for validation. Instead, UB should be focused on building academic programmes and institutional structures that address Bahamian needs.

“Continuous improvement,” he said, “must come from the inside, from the ground up. You cannot microwave it. You cannot cut and paste it. You cannot rent it from abroad”.

Dr Strachan said the pursuit of accreditation is being rushed to satisfy political timetables rather than academic realities, leaving administrators focused on “the letter of the law rather than the spirit of it”.

Reflecting on the symbolism, he said the decision squandered an opportunity for UB to demonstrate true educational independence during the golden jubilee year. He added that while he raised objections internally during his time in administration, he felt compelled to speak more openly now that he had returned to his role as professor.

“Obviously, sitting in administration was not ideal,” he said. “I expressed my reservations,

I expressed my objections, but my position was not the prevailing position, but now that I’m just a professor again, I’m a citizen and a graduate, I feel like now is the time to share my piece.” Not long after Dr Strachan’s post circulated online, UB issued a detailed statement defending the accreditation process.

The university said that since its establishment in 2016, both the administration and the Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas (UTEB) have consistently supported national and international accreditation. Accreditation, it said, ensures UB degrees are recognised globally, creating opportunities for student and faculty exchanges, international athletic and research collaborations, and broader graduate prospects.

“The administration will continue its collaborative work with UTEB and all stakeholders to achieve this critical goal,” UB said. “We honour the dedication and sacrifices of those who laid the foundation upon which we now build, and we look forward to the successful outcomes of these accreditation efforts, as UB continues to move from strength to strength.”

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is a leading US based accrediting agency that evaluates whether universities meet high standards for academic quality and institutional stability. Securing accreditation is a lengthy process that involves detailed self-assessments, peer reviews, and proof that an institution has strong governance, qualified faculty, sound finances, and effective systems to measure student success. For universities, the designation signals that their degrees are recognised internationally, making it easier for students to transfer credits, pursue graduate study abroad, and take advantage of research and exchange opportunities.

Govt signs $30m IDB loan to strengthen blue economy

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THE government yesterday signed a $30m loan agreement with the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the country’s blue economy.

The initiative, titled Local Sustainability and Development in the Blue Economy of The Bahamas, is designed to drive innovation, bolster climate resilience, and expand marine-related industries.

IDB country representative Shirley Gayle said the loan was long awaited, calling it essential for a nation where “the salt life… is in the DNA of the Bahamian people.” She noted that the blue economy already accounts for about 21 percent of the gross domestic product, with indirect contributions rising as high as 50 percent.

The programme will provide direct support to micro, small, and medium operators in marine-based sectors.

“Employability not just in terms of persons working for someone else, but persons being able to generate their own employment,” Ms Gayle said.

Prime Minister Philip Davis said the project will deliver critical infrastructure and financing, particularly in the Family Islands.

“This project reflects my administration’s recognition of the valuable opportunities within the blue economy,” he said. “It provides critical investment opportunities for local entrepreneurs. We will need private sector innovators to play a pivotal role in growing the sector.”

“It is past time that we fully leverage these resources in innovative and sustainable ways for the benefit of our people,” Mr Davis added. He confirmed the Bahamas

Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) will play a central role in executing the programme and improving its curriculum with project resources.

According to Mr Davis, the loan will be distributed across three components. The first will allocate $17.7m to support SMEs in industries such as tourism, aquaculture, and agriculture. The second will provide $5.5m to strengthen BAMSI’s curriculum and institutional development. The third will direct $4.77m toward climate change mitigation initiatives.

Minister of Economic Affairs

Michael Halkitis explained that the government will provide the remaining financing required for the loan. He said some components should be operational by January.

The loan carries a five-year execution period, with possible extensions depending on project progress. Ms Gayle said oversight will be tied to a formal accountability system. “An integral part of that is what we call the results matrix. It outlines the objectives, how the activities contribute to them, and the milestones that must be achieved,” she said.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs will serve as the executing agency, working alongside an IDB technical team. Other agencies, including the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, and the Bahamas Development Bank, will also be involved.

Officials said operational data and disbursement schedules will be published through IDB channels once the programme officially launches.

In response to a question about the Grand Lucayan resort project in Grand Bahama, Mr Davis said the loan could help entrepreneurs set up businesses tied to that development. “One or two entrepreneurs may want to open their own little business when that development is up and going,” he said.

BAIC workers say they remain trapped in limbo without hope

certification of the results.

By KEILE CAMPBELL

SIX months after voting for new union representation, workers at the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) say they remain trapped in limbo — without coverage, without answers, and increasingly without hope.

What began as a routine union poll has spiralled into a prolonged legal stalemate after the Bahamas General Workers Union (BGWU), the former bargaining agent, secured an injunction blocking

A leading international school in Nassau seeks a full-time Teaching Assistant for children ages 18 months–3 years

Requirements:

Duties:

The rival Bahamas Public Sector and Health Professionals Union (BPSHPU) insists it won overwhelmingly and is waiting on the Supreme Court to confirm its recognition. In the meantime, employees say they are left exposed.

Anthony Walkine said the lack of representation has left staff vulnerable to mistreatment and even firings.

Marcus Thompson described being suspended for ten days without pay

and only receiving a letter after the fact. “Some of them are scared to open and speak right now,” he said.

“They know you don’t have no union here. They are just taking advantage of the staff.”

Nineteen-year employee

Shenika Neilly said her career has stalled. “This is like the third year they promised me something. I couldn’t get it. Because we right now don’t have a union.”

“We don’t have no one to even carry our matters.”

As a single mother, she said the lack of benefits has left her struggling to provide for her children.

“We already showed them who we wanted to represent us and it’s still on hold. It ain’t fair. We just have to take whatever they give us.”

BPSHPU President

Latonya Symonette told The Tribune the delay is hurting workers who followed the law and voted.

She said BAIC staff have gone more than six months without union coverage,

while dues are still being deducted for the BGWU despite cease and desist letters. “That is egregious,” she said. BGWU attorney Keod Smith previously argued the poll was invalid under Section 43 of the Industrial Relations Act, citing the lack of a petition and registration list. Justice Andrew McKinney granted an interim injunction halting certification until a final ruling, which has not yet been scheduled.

Former track and field athletes tie the knot

FORMER track and field

athletes William ‘Knucklehead’ Johnson and Dawn Woodside-Johnson tied the knot on Monday at St Joseph Catholic Church. The private wedding ceremony was officiated by Monsignor Alfre Culmer and was attended by family members from their families. Each of the newly wed children stood in the bridal party. Johnson is one of the country’s most prolific middle distance runners. He still holds the Bahamas national record in the men’s 21,500m at three minutes and 45.72 seconds. Woodside-Johnson, a twin to former hurdler Dianne Woodside-Johnson, is a former discus and shot put thrower.

‘Until lawmakers act, officers must use guns’

DISCOURAGED from page one

officers from feeling forced to use deadly force, particularly against unarmed but aggressive suspects.

“If we armed our officers with more non-lethal weapons, then that would be an avenue where, well, we won’t have to, or be forced to withdraw and discharge our firearm,” he said.

With proper training, he added, officers would be equipped to make the right judgment call in each circumstance. “I don’t think it would change that much, because once you are trained, when you are properly trained in the use of firearms and nonlethal weapons, then you will know which weapon you would use at any given point actually.”

Mr Walkes pushed back against suggestions that Coroner’s Court has become a problem for police. “I won’t say it’s more rigorous. I mean, it’s a matter of the evidence that’s presented and the way it’s presented, and legal representation,” he said.

Commissioner Knowles confirmed Monday that the force is actively considering non-lethal weapons.

Her comments came days after a Coroner’s Court jury ruled that 27-year-old Dino Bain was unlawfully killed. Bain, who was unarmed, was shot in the back by Reserve Constable

Franklyn Armbrister during a December 2023 operation. Jurors returned a “homicide by murder” verdict — the first against an officer since last year.

Body-worn and security camera footage contradicted Armbrister’s claim that Bain was armed. No firearm was found, and medical evidence showed Bain was shot while bent forward. Armbrister was granted bail yesterday, with the matter referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Since 2023, Coroner’s Court juries have ruled 16 police killings justified, eight as homicides by manslaughter, and one as homicide by murder. Fatal encounters have declined as adverse verdicts against officers have become more frequent.

Discussions on tasers, pepper spray, and similar tools have surfaced before but stalled. Mr Walkes said that until lawmakers act, officers must rely solely on firearms.

“My suggestion was the use of tasers but of course, that has to come with training, and it also has to be passed, the legislation has to be passed in Parliament,” he said.

“It’s not just where the commissioner can say that they want to use these nonlethal weapons. It has to be first passed in Parliament for us to be able to use these non-lethal weapons.”

UB North Campus returns to pre-Dorian enrollment levels

BY DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

T HE University of The Bahamas North Campus has returned to pre-Hurricane Dorian enrollment levels, welcoming 300 new students for the autumn semester.

Denise Barnes, vice president of human resources and vice president of UB North, said

the influx of students marks a significant milestone for the campus.

“These numbers reflect pre-Dorian levels. For the past few years, many students who were accepted did not arrive, but now we are filled to capacity, which is very exciting for us,” she said.

UB North completed Phase One of the new campus, with a soft opening at the former Kipling

Building in December 2024. UB North has now fully relocated from the Teachers and Salaried Allied Workers Union Building, said Ms Barnes.

The new students began orientation on Tuesday.

Ms Barnes said while there are no new programmes, the university is planning innovative, niche programmes, particularly in STEM fields.

The library, currently

housed at the Sir Charles Hayward Library, will eventually return to the campus.

“UB is on the move. It’s all about student success,” Ms Barnes said. “We are here because of the students. It is not simply about accommodating them; we are providing a service that ensures they can thrive academically and personally.”

from page one

realised he was impersonating a colleague.

The post also claimed the suspect had been working alongside real officers for weeks without their knowledge, and that at least one inspector said he had been unaware the man was not legitimately part of the force. It further alleged that the suspect had been arrested for a similar offence in 2022 and discharged with a warning, and that a search of his home uncovered an imitation firearm concealed in a baby carrier.

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

CONCERNS about a possible serial stabber have emerged after police revealed yesterday they are questioning a man in relation to three separate stabbing incidents in two days, including two against men in their 60s.

According to police, the latest incident occurred yesterday morning in the Farrington Road area and involved a 60-year-old bus driver. The driver told officers he was sitting in his jitney collecting passengers before 10am when a man approached and asked for money. After he said he had none, the suspect pulled a sharp object and stabbed him in the neck before fleeing the scene. A woman was also reportedly assaulted during the escape.

The injured driver managed to drive himself to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to report the incident before

Officials confirmed only that the matter is before the courts and that the incident attracted attention online. The accused appeared before the Magistrate’s Court, where he was granted $5,000 bail. The case was adjourned to September 9.

being rushed to the hospital, where he remains in serious condition.

A short time later, officers arrested a 39-year-old man near Horseshoe Drive. Police say he is also being questioned in connection with two other stabbings that occurred Monday and early Tuesday on University Boulevard and College Avenue.

In the University Boulevard case, a 62-year-old man was walking in the area shortly after 9am on Monday when he was approached by an unknown man who stabbed him in the neck with a sharp object. The victim was taken to the hospital, where he is listed in stable but serious condition.

In the third incident, a 42-year-old man said he was walking near a public school around 2am yesterday on College Avenue when he was stabbed in the upper body by a man known to him. He was also transported to the hospital and is currently in serious condition.

The Tribune Limited

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

Contributing Editor 1972-1991

RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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What is the Bahamian experience?

A QUESTION was raised last week –or rather a discussion point of what The Bahamas wants to be.

The matter came up in comments from the departing British High Commissioner, Tom Hartley, but they could equally apply to comments from legendary Bahamian entertainer Freddie Munnings Jr.

Mr Hartley was talking about future possibilities for the country. Mr Munnings is considering the same – in his case, how The Bahamas benefits from record visitor arrivals if people are not going beyond the cruise port and private islands owned by cruise lines.

Where there has been growth in tourism numbers, it has largely been in cruise visitors – the figures for stopovers remain stubbornly flat.

With those numbers go significantly different amounts of spending. The average cruise visitor spends far, far less than the average stopover visitor.

For Mr Munnings – and Trade Union Congress president Obie Ferguson – they do not see much of a financial return from the millions of people visiting our country.

“They talk about the numbers of visitors we bring, but they all pent up at the port,” said Mr Munnings.

He says 80 percent of visitors do not even get off the ships. If they do, they spend less than $100.

It does not take much working out to see we are only receiving a tiny fraction of benefit from those millions.

There are of course questions about whether cruise visitors are ever likely to spend much. People often choose cruise trips because of their pricing. The

PICTURE OF THE DAY

travellers themselves may not ever be intending to spend much.

Still, for those who do disembark, the options should not stop at the shore.

Presenting those visitors with more options presents them with more reasons to take money out of their wallets.

For all the talk of how many visitors there are, Downtown persists to lag behind where it should be. There are some thoughtful, imaginative businesses trying to make an impact there – and then there are plenty that are simply filling space in crumbling buildings hoping for some pity visits.

As you walk through Downtown, do you feel the flavour of the country? Or is it filled up with T-shirt shops and tacky souvenirs?

What is there that defines the Bahamian experience for many who visit?

Mr Munnings is right that people should be encouraged to come out of the port – but they need to be given a good reason for doing so too. Finding the right balance in all of this is a challenge – but failing to do so hurts people. And here’s the thing, it will also hurt politicians.

Tellingly, Mr Ferguson yesterday said of the Minister of Tourism – that would be Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper – “I don’t know what he’s doing.”

If people keep being told what a good time the country is having but they aren’t seeing it, that spells election trouble for any incumbent government.

And if the Deputy Prime Minister is being criticised, then there are plenty of other MPs who will sit uneasy in their seats.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

A COUPLE days ago, Progressive Liberal Party chair Fred Mitchell issued a very contentious press release that left this writer with the impression that he believes Free National Movement Chair Dr Duane Sands is afraid to contest Elizabeth again. I have seen several newspaper reports that mentioned Sands’ name among a few eyeing Killarney, widely considered a safe area for the FNM. With possible boundary changes to that constituency, no one can state with certainty which way the political pendulum will swing, especially with Dr Hubert Minnis being a huge factor in Killarney. Mitchell took exception to the FNM for campaigning in Elizabeth. Informed FNMs, however, have gone on record on social media in stating that the team of Ellsworth Johnson was actually in Elizabeth Estates - a community in the Yamacraw constituency. In all things considered, Sands cannot be faulted for contemplating on switching constituencies. He has contested Elizabeth four times, in 2010, 2012, 2017 and 2021. His only successful contest was in the unusual 2017 general election. Using the batting average analogy, Sands is hitting just 25 percent at the home

Sands low batting average Criminals will not self-correct

EDITOR, The Tribune. DELUSIONAL might be one way of describing it. In the clinical literature or in local vernacular there would undoubtedly be other ways of saying the same thing. All the same, that phenomenon of looking at very bad situations and pacifying ourselves with the anesthetic cop-out that it could have been worse is becoming more and more popular today. At home and abroad, there are examples after examples that this psychosis is widespread. On the local scene here in The Bahamas, we may look at, for example, another onslaught of murders and console ourselves with the comparison that the number so far is a bit lower than it was last year at this time. When it comes to child abuse - sexual or otherwise - we may tend to wring our hands while shedding a tear or two, and feel a measure of contentment in accepting that at least the victims are still alive. Settling for the perceived lesser of two evils becomes the usual default in this world of 21st century dystopia. Around the world, in places near and far, situations are devolving from worse to worst without clear signs that they will be getting any better anytime soon. What used to be outrageous in

plate. In Major League Baseball, a batter who is hitting at 250 would be considered average. Yet despite Sands’ below average election record in Elizabeth, the incumbent, JoBeth Coleby-Davis, should not rest on her laurels. In 2021, ColebyDavis gained just 49 percent or 1,893 votes out of the 3,870 who voted. Anything less than 50 percent of the votes at the polls is not impressive to say the least. There were 5,709 registered voters in Elizabeth in 2021. Yet of that number, the PLP incumbent only got a mere 33.16 percent of the votes. Some 3,816 registered voters did not support the PLP incumbent. These election figures suggest that Elizabeth isn’t really a PLP stronghold. The support for the governing party is not overwhelming, when one analyses the numbers. Yet despite this, Sands has only won one of the last four elections in Elizabeth, dating back to the February 2010 by-election. In that contest, Sands was initially declared the winner, securing 1,501 votes to the PLP Ryan Pinder’s 1,499. Subsequent to this,

the Election Court would rule that five protest votes in favor of the PLP candidate were valid. This ruling would tip the election scales in Pinder’s favor, giving him four more votes than Sands. Moreover, in the 2012 General Election, Sands lost by just 124 votes. Notwithstanding the narrow losses, there are no consolation prizes in politics. Despite his powerful position in the FNM, Sands has lost 75 percent of his election contests. I wouldn’t classify his seeming reluctance to run again in Elizabeth as fear. I view it as political expediency. Sir Lynden Pindling, despite his popularity during the height of his career, wouldn’t have dared to run in Shirlea, an area once represented by United Bahamian Party Leader Sir Roland Symonette. No one would have labeled him a coward for not doing so. If I were an advisor to Sands, I would suggest that he strongly consider running in the FNM safe area of Long Island. I cannot imagine him having anymore political relevance moving forward in the event he loses for a fourth time in Elizabeth. At some point the FNM will have to cut its losses.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama August 13, 2025.

yesteryear became a bit disdainful more recently. Nowadays, such atrocities have become so normalized in news accounts and social media that the wonder could mostly be about to what degree will the hauntingly egregious rise tomorrow. Are we inoculating our humanity and sensitivity to horrors that we might one day fall victims to in this pot of slowly boiling water? Without any grounding in psychology or psychiatry, my opinion is that we have turned the corner on any sense of objective right and wrong, good and bad, or simple morals and decency. That road ahead, unfortunately, appears to be so blurred by our attachments to various constructs which subdue our natural intelligence. Manipulations by that ever-evolving technology of artificial intelligence, along with malevolent bad actors, have deeply damaged the psyche of far too many of us. Gone are the days of seeing is believing. Facts and accepted truths may come into insidious conflicts. Can we help but come to places of frustration and resignation about much of what goes on around us? With those blurred of stripes these days, just how many of us will be able to pick out particular zebras of reality to pursue? We must now, more than ever, clearly

see what we lookin’ at.

Our Bahamas can proceed forward, upward, onward together if we collectively select and prioritize a course correction from sinking deeper and deeper into the sewer of vicious criminality - of all kinds. No delusions or illusions should be in anyone’s mind about truths and consequences with regard to our system of justice.

Past and current silliness about reckless bail and electronic monitoring for serious felonies can have their ceremonial last rites like yesterday. Only when murder victims walk the streets again should murderers be allowed to walk the streets again. Common sense is good sense, and much of what has been allowed to persist in our Independent Bahamas continues to be nonsense.

Convincing me that criminals will self-correct will not be an easy task. Law-abiding Bahamians could and should come together and mandate meaningful corrective methods in arriving at that elusive better Bahamas. Or, we may all just keep doing the same thing that we’ve been doing, and hope that things change for the better. Delusional, yes, but not uncorrectable.

MB August 19, 2025.

Davis: Govt overhauling national curriculum to modernise eduction

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedai.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the government is overhauling the national curriculum as part of wider efforts to modernise education in The Bahamas, though he did not provide details on the changes.

“We are reforming curricula to make them more relevant to today’s economy,” he said. “We are investing in training programmes for teachers and administrators. And we are strengthening partnerships with parents and communities.”

He spoke yesterday at the annual Public School Administrators Conclave, held over two days at the British Colonial hotel. More than 160 administrators from public schools across the country attended the event, which was held under the theme “Transformational Leadership: Building Capacity, Raising Standards, and Achieving Excellence.”

Mr Davis expressed gratitude to administrators for their dedication,

saying the work they do in classrooms and offices is essential to shaping the nation’s future.

“Because for every child in The Bahamas today, there is an administrator, a principal, a vice-principal, or a district officer whose decision, whose encouragement, whose leadership may alter the course of that child’s life,” he said.

He said raising standards goes beyond improving exam results.

“It means ensuring that children understand that hard work is rewarded, that excellence is expected, and that they are capable of more than they sometimes believe,” he said.

He stressed that accountability must be shared at every level of the system: government must provide resources, teachers must deliver quality instruction, administrators must lead effectively, and parents must support the work of schools. Administrators themselves, he added, must also continue to receive training and support to carry out their responsibilities.

Police officer arrested in Dino

Bain’s ‘unlawful killing’ granted bail

A POLICE officer arrested after a Coroner’s Court jury found that Dino Bain was “unlawfully killed” during a police-involved shooting was granted emergency bail in the Supreme Court on Monday. Reserve Police Constable 3099 Franklyn Armbrister, who fatally shot the unarmed 27-yearold with a single bullet,

was released on $9,900 bail by Justice Cheryl GrantThompson after spending the weekend in custody. The decision follows a rare Coroner’s Court ruling last week, in which jurors ruled that Bain’s death was homicide by murder.

Bain was shot on December 28, 2023 in a backyard on Dean Street during a police operation

targeting his brother. Armbrister claimed Bain was armed and pointed a weapon, and later insisted that he “threw the gun” — but no firearm was recovered, and witness testimony contradicted the officer’s account.

The matter has been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions to decide whether criminal charges should be filed.

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas (UB) student was placed on probation yesterday after police found $120 worth of marijuana in his backpack. Carmelo Thompson, 19, was also ordered to attend six months of counselling after pleading guilty to drug possession before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley. He was one of several men who appeared in court on drug-related charges yesterday. According to police, Thompson was seen walking west along Bamboo Boulevard on Friday wearing a black face mask and carrying a multicolored purple backpack. Suspicious, officers stopped and searched him, finding a clear ziplock bag containing 24 grams of suspected marijuana inside the bag.

He was arrested and taken to a nearby station, where he admitted that the drugs were his. Thompson told officers he had bought the marijuana for $30 from “somewhere” in Pinewood Gardens.

In court, Thompson apologised and expressed regret for his actions. He pleaded for leniency so he could continue his studies and move forward with his life. He also presented the court with his university acceptance letter and a copy of his transcript.

After reviewing the documents, Magistrate Reckley noted Thompson’s good academic performance and agreed to give him a second chance. However, he warned that any future offenses would carry harsher penalties.

“Take this as a learning experience,” the magistrate said, placing him on six months’ probation. He was warned that failure to

comply would result in a $500 fine or a one-month prison term.

Also appearing in court yesterday on similar charges were 27-year-old Brisco Larrimore, 59-yearold Godfrey Johnson, and 64-year-old Bradford Darville.

Darville and Larrimore were both arrested after police found them with drugs earlier this week after separate incidents. Darville was found with one gram of suspected cocaine, while Larrimore was found with 19 grams of suspected marijuana. Both men were ordered to attend six months of drug counselling and remain on good behavior for the same period.

Johnson, however, was sentenced to nine months in prison for drug possession with intent to supply after officers found him with 9.4 ounces of marijuana.

Legal reforms long overdue

ANOTHER year of Independence has come and gone, and The Bahamas remains in the same place that has been for decades when it comes to women’s rights and gender equality.

This location is the result of colonisation which extended its tentacles into the present through the laws that remain unchanged and the constitution that was passed down to many former British colonies. The stagnation of this country and its laws and policies are a result of (neo) colonialism along with the neoliberalism—ushered in by structural adjustment programs across the Caribbean and the “Global South” and the pressure to pay off foreign debt—and concentration of power in few people for whom corruption is (or becomes) more attractive than the work of representing the people, ensuring our needs are met, and guaranteeing our human rights.

Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says, “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms[…], without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or

under any other limitation of sovereignty.”

Everyone in The Bahamas, however, does not have all of the rights and freedoms to which we are entitled. Women are especially affected by the lingering colonial laws and the harmful gender ideology that both undergirds and is perpetuated through them. A truly independent Bahamas must contend with the colonial roots of its existence today and make the changes necessary for the advancement of women’s rights and the achievement of gender equality.

Here are four areas for legal reform that are long overdue, highly necessary, and critical to growth as an independent nation: 1. Criminalise marital rape. Women, regardless of marital status, are human beings with human rights. Human beings have the right to be free from violence. Rape is an act of violence, and this does not change regardless of the identities of the perpetrator and survivor/victim or the relationship, if any, between them. Rape is rape. In the Sexual Offences Act, the definition of rape explicitly excludes married people. Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act says, “Rape is the act of any person not under 14 years of age having sexual intercourse with another person who is not his spouse[…] without consent.” This exclusion is discrimination against married women in particular. In addition to the cementing

A truly independent Bahamas must contend with the colonial roots of its existence today and make the changes necessary for the advancement of women’s rights and the achievement of gender equality.

of harmful gender ideology, this faulty definition of rape prevents married women from being recognised as people before the law and denies them equal protection of the law—violations of human rights.

Article 6 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says, “Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.” Article 7 adds emphasis stating, “All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.”

2. Guarantee genderequal nationality rights. The constitution discriminates against women by limiting our ability to confer citizenship on spouses and children. This creates a different category

of citizenship for women— one that is less than or below that of men. It regards Bahamian women as appendages to the men they marry rather than full human beings in their own right and citizens of The Bahamas. Inability to confer citizenship on children leads to complications and disadvantages in the lives of Bahamian women married to non-Bahamian men that Bahamian men married to non-Bahamian women do not face. A referendum must be held, following a robust educational campaign on nationality rights and, in the interim, the Bahamas Nationality Act must be amended to allow Bahamian women to automatically confer Bahamian citizenship on their children.

3. Decriminalise abortion. Women have the right to bodily autonomy and to decide if they want children, how many they want, and how they space them. No one should be forced to carry a pregnancy to term for any reason. Abortion needs to be decriminalises and made accessible as a part of the expansion of sexual and reproductive health and rights and services. There must also be

comprehensive sexuality education in all schools, access to contraceptives, and policies to ensure that tubal ligation is accessible to women, regardless of age or marital status.

4. Include “sex” in the prohibited grounds of discrimination. The definition of “discriminatory” in Article 26 of the constitution has almost an exact copy of the identity markers listed in Article 15 on fundamental rights and freedoms except for its exclusion of “sex”. The framers of the constitution made the decision to deny Bahamians legal protection against sex-based discrimination. This must be remedied. As we lament the apparent increase in genderbased violence, we cannot ignore the relationship between discrimination and violence or the relationship between structure violence and interpersonal violence.

Practical areas that need attention and investment include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for women and girls, a political quota for 50 percent to encourage and increase women’s participation and representation in frontline politics, free BRCA gene mutation testing for Bahamian women, prioritising

1. Participate in the Feminist Standards for Governance process. Equality Bahamas is engaging the public in a series of workshops toward the development of a people’s agenda for 2026 to 2031. Workshops are designed to identify issues and work toward solutions in several thematic areas including health, education, social services, women and LGBTQI+ people, and the environment. To see dates and register for upcoming sessions, visit tiny.cc/feministstandards.

2. Join Feminist Book Club Equality Bahamas and Poinciana Paper Press host monthly book club meetings. This month, the book selected is The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings. It is available in hardcopy, ebook, and audiobook formats. Join the discussion at Poinciana Paper Press, 12 Parkgate Road, on Wednesday, July 16, at 6pm. Register at tiny.cc/fbc2025. Need more time? Get the book for August. We’ll be reading All Fours by Miranda July.

those with family history of breast or ovarian cancer, and paid parental leave that supports birthing parents in recovering and caring for babies and non-birthing parents in sharing the care work while supporting the recovery of birthing parents. In addition to these issues of gender inequality in law, policy, and programming, The Bahamas has an ineffective governance structure. We see, every day, that Members of Parliament are incapable of managing constituencies, legislating, policymaking, and heading ministries. It is not only an issue of budget, but skill, time, and priorities. We need cabinet ministers with technical expertise and managerial skills to ensure that budgets are properly allocated, staff are appropriately assigned and supported, and the needs of the public are being met. We need people who understand law and policy and have the aptitude to make connections between the realities of our daily lives and the legal frameworks and tools that create environments for the betterment of society. We need people who live in our communities to manage the public goods and services that are necessary for safe, healthy lives, from well-maintained roads and street lighting to garbage collection and participatory decision-making processes. Independence is a time to look not only at where we have come from, but to see how much further we need to go. It is not only for celebration and reflection on the past, but orienting ourselves to the future still to be built. This can be a better place. We can have effective governance with high levels of citizen participation. We can benefit from the full engagement of all residents, regardless of their identities, in an environment that enables everyone to share their knowledge and ideas, equally access opportunities and outcomes, and build healthy, happy communities.

Minnesota sues TikTok, alleging it preys on young people with use of addictive algorithms

By STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press

MINNESOTA on Tuesday joined a wave of states suing TikTok, alleging the social media giant preys on young people with addictive algorithms that trap them into becoming compulsive consumers of its short videos.

This isn’t about free speech. I’m sure they’re gonna holler that,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said at a news conference. “It’s actually about deception, manipulation, misrepresentation. This is about a company knowing the dangers, and the dangerous effects of its product, but making and taking no steps to mitigate those harms or inform users of the risks.”

The lawsuit, filed in state court, alleges that TikTok is violating Minnesota laws against deceptive trade practices and consumer fraud. It follows a flurry of lawsuits filed by more than a dozen states last year alleging the popular short-form video app is designed to be addictive

to kids and harms their mental health. Minnesota’s case brings the total to about 24 states, Ellison’s office said.

Many of the earlier lawsuits stemmed from a nationwide investigation into TikTok launched in 2022 by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from 14 states into the effects of TikTok on young users’ mental health. Ellison, a Democrat, said Minnesota waited while it did its own investigation.

Sean Padden, a middleschool health teacher in the Roseville Area school district, joined Ellison, saying he has witnessed a correlation between increased TikTok use and an “irrefutable spike in student mental health issues,” including depression, anxiety, anger, lowered self-esteem and a decrease in attention spans as they seek out the quick gratification that its short videos offer.

The lawsuit comes while President Donald Trump is still trying to broker a deal to bring the social media platform, which is owned

by China’s ByteDance, under American ownership over concerns about the data security of its 170 million American users.

While Trump campaigned on banning TikTok, he also gained more than 15 million followers on the platform since he started sharing videos on it.

No matter who ultimately owns TikTok, Ellison said, it must comply with the law.

TikTok disputed Minnesota’s allegations.

“This lawsuit is based on misleading and inaccurate claims that fail to recognize the robust safety measures TikTok has voluntarily implemented to support the well-being of our community,” company spokesperson Nathaniel Brown said in a statement.

Teen accounts on TikTok come with 50+ features and settings designed to help young people safely express themselves, discover and learn.

“Through our Family Pairing tool, parents can view or customize 20+ content and privacy settings, including screen time, content filters, and our time away feature to

pause a teen’s access to our app,” Brown added.

Minnesota is seeking a declaration that TikTok’s practices are deceptive, unfair or unconscionable under state law, a permanent injunction against those practices, and up to $25,000 for each instance in which a Minnesota child has accessed TikTok. Ellison wouldn’t put a total on that but said, “it’s a lot.” He estimated that “hundreds of thousands of Minnesota kids” have TikTok on their devices.

“We’re not trying to shut them down, but we are insisting that they clean up their act,” E llison said. “ T here are legitimate uses of products like Tik Tok. But like all things, they have to be used properly and safely.”

Minnesota is also among dozens of U. S states that have sued Meta Platforms for allegedly building features into I nstagram and Facebook that addict people. T he messaging service S napchat and the gaming platform Roblox are also facing lawsuits by some other states alleging harm to kids.

MUSK SAYS HE PLANS TO

SUE

A

PPLE

FOR NOT FEATURING X OR GROK A MONG ITS TOP APPS

By The Associated Press

BILLIONAIRE SpaceX, Tesla and X owner Elon

Musk says he plans to sue Apple for not featuring X and its Grok artificial intelligence chatbot app in its top recommended apps in its App Store.

Musk posted the comments on X late Monday, saying, “Hey @Apple App Store, why do you refuse to put either X or Grok in your ‘Must Have’ section when X is the #1 news app in the world and Grok is #5 among all apps? Are you playing politics? What gives? Inquiring minds want to know.”

Grok is owned by Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI

Musk went on to say that “Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation. xAI will take immediate legal action.”

He gave no further details. In an emailed statement, Apple defended the fairness of its App Store.

“The App Store is designed to be fair and free of bias,” it said. “We feature thousands of apps through charts, algorithmic recommendations, and curated lists selected by experts using objective criteria. Our goal is to offer safe discovery for users and valuable opportunities for developers, collaborating with many to increase app visibility in rapidly evolving categories.”

The company has faced various allegations of antitrust violations in recent years.

A federal judge recently found that Apple violated a court injunction in an antitrust case filed by Fortnite maker Epic Games.

Regulators of the 27-nation European Union fined Apple 500 million euros in April for breaking competition rules by preventing app makers from pointing users to cheaper options outside its App Store.

Last year, the EU fined the U.S. tech giant nearly $2 billion for unfairly favoring its own music streaming service by forbidding rivals like Spotify from telling users how they could pay for cheaper subscriptions outside of iPhone apps.

As of early Tuesday, the top app in Apple’s App Store was TikTok, followed by Tinder, Duolingo, YouTube and Bumble. Open AI’s ChatGPT was ranked 7th.

A Gaza-bound ship that left Cyprus with 1,200 tonnes of food aid nears Israeli port

By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS Associated Press

A SHIP that set off from Cyprus loaded with 1,200 tonnes of food supplies for the Gaza Strip approached the Israeli port of Ashdod on Tuesday in a renewed effort to alleviate the worsening crisis in the Palestinian territory, where food security experts say the “worst-case scenario of famine” is unfolding. The Panamanian-flagged vessel HENKE is loaded with 52 containers carrying food aid such as pasta, rice, baby food and canned goods. Israeli customs officials had screened the aid at the Cypriot port of Limassol, from where the ship departed on Monday.

The ship was expected to dock at Ashdod late Tuesday and start offloading the aid on Wednesday.

Some 700 tonnes of the aid is from Cyprus, purchased with money donated by the United Arab Emirates to the so-called Amalthea Fund, set up last year for donors to help with seaborne aid. The rest comes from Italy, the Maltese government, a Catholic religious order in Malta and the Kuwaiti nongovernmental organization Al Salam Association.

“The situation is beyond dire,” Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos told The Associated Press.

Cyprus was the staging area last year for 22,000 tonnes of aid deliveries by ship directly to Gaza through a pier operated by the international charity World Central Kitchen and a US military-run docking facility known as the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore system. By late July 2024, aid groups pulled out of the project, ending a mission plagued by repeated weather and security problems that limited how much food and other emergency supplies could get to those in need.

Cypriot Foreign Ministry said the aid mission is led by the United Nations but is a coordinated effort — once offloaded at Ashdod, UN employees will arrange for the aid to be trucked to storage areas and food stations operated by the World

Central Kitchen.

The charity, which was behind the first aid shipment to Gaza from Cyprus last year aboard a tug-towed barge, is widely trusted in the battered territory.

“The contribution of everyone involved is crucial and their commitment incredible,” Kombos said.

Shipborne deliveries can bring much larger quantities of aid than the air drops that several nations have recently made in Gaza.

United Nations Office for Operations Chief Jorge Moreira da Silva called Tuesday’s shipment a “crucial step in alleviating suffering in Gaza.”

“We need rapid, unhindered and safe flow of humanitarian aid for all civilians in need,” he posted on X.

The latest shipment comes a day after Hamas said it has accepted a new proposal from Arab mediators for a ceasefire. Israel has not approved the latest proposal so far.

Israel announced plans to reoccupy Gaza City and other heavily populated areas after ceasefire talks stalled last month, raising the possibility of a worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which experts say is sliding into famine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed reports of starvation in Gaza as “lies” promoted by Hamas. But the UN last week warned that starvation and malnutrition in the Palestinian territory are at their highest levels since the war began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which the militants abducted 251 people and killed around 1,200, mostly civilians.

Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamasrun government and staffed by medical professionals, said the Palestinian death toll from 22 months of war has passed 62,000. It does not say how many were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up around half the dead. The United Nations and other independent experts view its figures as the most reliable count of casualties.

Gunmen kill at least 13 people in a mosque shooting in northwestern Nigeria

By DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN Associated Press

GUNMEN attacked a mosque in northwestern Nigeria on Tuesday morning, killing at least 13 people during morning prayers, local authorities said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in the town of Unguwan Mantau, in the state of Katsina, but such attacks are common in Nigeria’s northwestern and north-central regions where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. The attacks have killed and injured scores — last month, an attack in northcentral Nigeria killed 150 people. The prolonged conflict has become deadlier in recent years, with authorities and analysts warning that more herdsmen are taking up arms. The state’s commissioner, Nasir Mu’azu, said the army and police have deployed in the area of Unguwan Mantau to prevent further attacks, adding that gunmen often hide among the

crops in farms during the rainy season to carry out assaults on communities. He added that the mosque attack was likely in retaliation for a raid by Unguwan Mantau townspeople, who over the weekend ambushed and killed several of the gunmen in the area.

Dozens of armed groups take advantage of the limited security presence in Nigeria’s mineral-rich regions, carrying out attacks on villages and along major roads. The farmers accuse the herders, mostly of Fulani origin, of grazing their livestock on their farms and destroying their produce. The herders insist that the lands are grazing routes that were first backed by law in 1965, five years after the country gained its independence. Separate from the conflict between farming and herding communities, Nigeria is battling to contain Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast, where some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than 2 million displaced, according to the United Nations.

BTC launches 2025-26 Phone Book

JUNKANOO is being celebrated with the new BTC telephone directories this year.

The 2025–2026 edition embraces the spirit of Junkanoo on the cover as well as in a feature article by Arlene NashFerguson, director of Educulture Bahamas Ltd.

The cover story dives into the roots and cultural significance of Junkanoo, reminding readers that the vibrant celebration is deeply tied to national pride and historical memory.

“Junkanoo is not just a parade, it’s a story of resilience, creativity, and identity,” said Ms Nash-Ferguson. “This year’s directory is more than a reference book; it’s a keepsake. We must ensure our children

understand the legacy of Junkanoo, which embodies the strength of our ancestors and the uniqueness of our Bahamian spirit.”

BTC’s online digital directory can also be accessed by visiting www.btcbahamas. com and clicking on “phone book”.

“The BTC telephone directory continues to be an essential resource,” said Najah Finlayson, BTC’s manager of directory publications and B2B marketing.

“Whether you’re a business owner, a student, or just someone trying to track down a phone number, the directory offers a quick, accessible solution. We’ve kept our signature layout – White Pages for names and numbers, Yellow Pages for business categories

– because that’s what people know and trust.” BTC has also included an “Everyday Living” section filled with lifestyle articles – from wellness tips to household hacks. For younger readers, BTC has added a Junior Junkanoo puzzle in the community pages, giving teens a chance to win prizes by completing it. Also new this year is a curated list of frequently visited Bahamian websites that covers utilities, banking, entertainment, as well as an expanded “How-To” guide in the Yellow Pages section. The books are now available for collection across New Providence and Grand Bahama. The book is also being distributed door-todoor in Abaco.

Good Samaritan saves co-worker’s car from fire

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A YOUNG man leapt into action yesterday, saving his coworker’s car from being engulfed in flames during a chaotic fire off Shirley Street and Dowdswell Street.

The blaze erupted shortly after 2pm. Witnesses said it started at the base of a tree before quickly spreading. Some believed the extreme heat sparked it, while others suspected something may have been thrown at the tree. Within minutes, flames consumed it and threatened nearby vehicles.

Steven Desinord, an employee at The SignMan, leapt into action. As the Nissan Note began catching fire, he jumped inside and moved it to safety.

“It was my coworker’s car,” he told The Tribune, suggesting he felt he had no choice. His split-second move drew applause from coworkers and bystanders as firefighters arrived after the blaze had already been extinguished.

The car was badly damaged, scorched along one side. Its owner, who had purchased it within the last year, stood devastated, unsure if insurance would cover the loss.

Bystanders rushed in with extinguishers — including one from The Tribune — to stop the flames.

The cause of the fire remains uncertain. Witnesses recalled that last year, workers asked Bahamas Power and Light to cut down the same tree because it was touching an electrical line.