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HIGH ALERT AFTER ‘MONSTER’ KILLED

Alleged gang leader gunned down in targeted shooting

By TRIBUNE STAFF REPORTER

POLICE and prison officials are on high alert after the fatal shooting of alleged gang leader

Duran Neely - known as “Monster” - with authorities fearing his death could trigger violent retaliation.

Neely, 37, the alleged head of the Dirty South gang, was gunned down Monday night in a suspected hit believed to have been carried out by a rival gang.

He had long been regarded as a central figure in New Providence’s gang landscape, often described as a “ghost” because he was never directly tied to much of the violence he was suspected of orchestrating.

Neely was twice arrested in late 2015 and early 2016 — first on suspicion of armed robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm, and again for an unspecified offence — but released both times without charge. He later sued the Attorney General for unlawful arrest and detention. In September 2023, the Supreme Court awarded him $26,000 in damages.

Over the years, he faced charges including murder and conspiracy to commit murder, though many of those cases ended without convictions. He was represented by National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, KC, before Mr Munroe entered M ONSTER - SEE PAGE F OUR

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip

“Brave” Davis would not say yesterday if ZNS general manager Clint Watson would receive the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) nomination for Southern Shores, but added: “He’s expressed interest for running for quite some time.” When asked to confirm or deny if sitting Southern

Shores MP Leroy Major would be renominated, Mr

By DENISE MAYCOCK AND LYNAIRE MINNINGS Tribune Staff Reporters

THE grieving mother of 13-year-old Montana Ferguson was left shattered yesterday when police denied her pleas to view her son’s body as it lay in the ruins of a house fire that claimed his life.

Erica Ferguson begged officers to let her see the remains of her twin son, but they refused while

investigators were still in the early stages of their probe.

Montana had been staying overnight at a friend’s home in Crown Haven, Abaco, when the blaze started shortly after 3am He became trapped inside the single-storey wooden house and died despite frantic rescue efforts by neighbours, who broke windows and threw buckets of

ENT - SEE PAGE TWO

Dame Marguerite marks the 25th anniversary of former Prime Minister Pindling’s death

‘Cries for improved firefighting equipment justified’, says davis

EQUIPMENT from page one

water as flames tore through the structure. Firefighters from Cooper’s Town arrived nearly an hour later, by which time the home was destroyed.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday expressed condolences to Montana’s family and acknowledged the need to strengthen fire response across the Family Islands.

“Well, I think the cries are justified, and we are looking into shoring up our firefighting apparatus throughout the archipelago, particularly after so many devastating wildfires,” Mr Davis told reports in New Providence.

“I want to express my heartfelt condolences to the family of that young child and let them know that we are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.”

The teen’s death comes just a week before the start of the new school year. He was a student at S.C. Bootle School in Cooper’s Town and would have entered the eighth grade on September 1. He is survived by two sisters — his twin, Simone, and 15-year-old Sky. His father, Elkin Ferguson, who was away in Eleuthera at the time of the fire, has since returned to Abaco.

Chief Councillor Deangelo Edgecombe, who drove Montana and his siblings to school daily, described him as a humble and respectful boy.

“He was one of the kids on my bus. I drove him when he was in the seventh grade, basically for the

entire school year. I drive these kids five days a week, so you create a bond with them,” he said. “Montana was a handsome, humble young man. I had no problems with him at all.”

Mr Edgecombe said he went to the scene and found the boy’s distraught mother.

“She wasn’t taking it too well,” he recalled. “At the time, the police still had his body there. She wanted to see him, but the officers thought it wasn’t the best thing to do. She was distraught.”

The tragedy has rattled the small settlement and reignited urgent calls for firefighting resources in Little Abaco, where no trucks or hydrants are available and residents are left to battle blazes themselves

The fire also left homeowner Ocianna Scott and her three children homeless, as they escaped but lost all of their belongings.

Montana’s death follows other high-profile blazes this year that exposed major gaps in firefighting capacity. Similar concerns were raised after the Bay Street fire in April, when residents of Victoria Court complained that additional trucks could have contained the blaze sooner.

The government has said it is acquiring 15 to 20 new fire trucks, including units for the Family Islands, but delivery could take nine months as they must be custom-built. Former National Security Minister Marvin Dames has argued the fire service should be separated from the police force, calling the current model outdated and inadequate.

Davis accuses Opposition leader of plagiarising PLP’s crime plan

PM:

Clint

NOMINEE from page one

Davis, on the sidelines of a wreath-laying ceremony for Sir Lynden Pindling, said: “Not at this time.”

Mr Watson was among several hopefuls who attended the PLP’s aspirants’ module over the weekend. Also present were Island Luck owner Sebas Bastian, who is interested in Fort Charlotte; Tribune president Robert Dupuch-Carron, who is eyeing MICAL; former PLP Senator Frank Smith; Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations president Drumeco Archer; and Charles Sealy, the former Doctors Hospital chief executive.

Sources say the PLP wants to replace Mr

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport

Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked police to investigate claims by Coalition of Independents (COI) Chairman Charlotte Green that the government is “selling passports like candy.”

The ministry said a written correspondence was sent to Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles requesting a probe.

It urged Ms Green to “exercise her patriotic duty” by presenting evidence to substantiate her claims. “If she cannot, the country will know that the allegations are bogus,” the ministry said.

Ms Green made the accusations on August 19 in an audio post on Facebook, directly criticising Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell, who has overseen the ministry under multiple Progressive Liberal Party administrations.

“...we

welcome the fact that he’s able to embrace what we have said, and we welcome the fact that he will be pursuing the same issues and the same initiatives that we have laid out for the issue of dealing with the

crime.”

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday accused Free National Movement Leader Michael Pintard of plagiarising a crime plan his party released more than a decade ago.

“Well, I thank them for reminding me of our plans!” Mr Davis said yesterday. “It is a regurgitation of what we have already been saying over many, many years.

“I think I could go back as far as July, I suspect July 2011, when we put out a crime plan and it seemed to be a plagiarism of that, but we welcome the fact that he’s able to embrace what we have said, and we welcome the fact that he will be pursuing the same issues and the same initiatives that we have laid out for the issue of dealing with the crime.”

Mr Davis’ comments came in response to a press conference where Mr Pintard unveiled a ten-point plan to tackle violent crime, while accusing the Progressive Liberal Party of corruption, failed leadership, and awarding contracts to people allegedly tied to criminal networks.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe also said the Opposition’s proposals were recycled ideas already being implemented under the government’s Five Pillar Strategy. He said crime has been steadily declining, with major crimes falling in both 2023 and 2024, record numbers of illegal firearms seized, and more police officers and defence force marines added to the ranks Mr Pintard said Bahamians were living in fear as murders and other

violent crimes continued to threaten families and communities. He claimed murders had increased by nearly 40 percent under the Davis administration compared to the FNM’s years in office, rising from an average of 86 a year to 119.

“That means thirty more Bahamians are dying every year,” he said. “And yet this government has failed to put forward a coordinated, credible crime strategy. Their silence is deadly.”

He also pointed to the recent US travel advisory warning about robberies, burglaries and sexual assaults, and cited the indictment of 13 people, including police and defence force officers, as well as the armed robbery of the deputy commissioner of police.

The FNM leader pledged that his party would not award contracts to anyone with criminal ties and challenged the Prime Minister to make the same commitment. His plan included a recruitment drive to address police shortages, upgraded training, leadership and technology, and efforts to clear court backlogs through virtual hearings. He also proposed creating a modern forensic lab, strengthening specialised courts, and reviewing sentencing laws to address gun crime and sexual violence.

Mr Pintard said an FNM government would appeal questionable bail decisions, impose stricter conditions on repeat offenders, expand rehabilitation programmes, and separate young offenders from hardened criminals. Other measures included victim support services, prevention initiatives targeting gangs and drugs, and revitalising communities through expanded neighbourhood watch programmes and a restructuring of Urban Renewal.

has expressed interest for running for quite some time

Major in Southern Shores.

However, members of the constituency branch say there has been no official word from the party, leaving many residents confused.

“The members feel that their opinions, and those of others in the constituency, do not matter regarding this issue, due to how their feelings did not matter in other situations and decisions come from the party line,” one branch member said.

Another member claimed residents have been told Mr Major will not run again. Branch members are divided on Mr Watson’s potential candidacy. Some support him out of loyalty to the organisation, while others believe Mr Major deserves another chance.

Mr Watson has yet to comment on the matter.

adding that he and his team reviewed both videos and “neither is an accurate reflection of what was said.”

“Truth is often a distant friend of the COI when they seek to speak on national issues. In this instance, their xenophobia was on high display, as we have known it to always be,” his said.

The controversy stemmed from an encounter over the weekend in which a COI supporter claimed to have confronted Mr Smith about why the government “is bringing in so much illegal immigrants.” That exchange, recorded and shared online, triggered the MP’s angry rebuttal.

“At no time did I say or suggest that the government is selling out the country, or anything remotely similar to such nonsense,” he said, insisting such claims cannot be made “without facts in good conscience.”

arriving with

in possession of

passports —

we do not see

“During his watch, we have witnessed an alarming increase in fraudulent Bahamian passports being issued,” she claimed. “Foreigners [were] granted passports despite lacking

with people from China, Jamaica, or Europe.” She also alleged that Haitians with Bahamian passports were flying daily to the Turks and Caicos, unable to speak English or fill out immigration forms. Police have not confirmed whether a formal investigation has been launched. This was not the first time this week the COI faced backlash over immigrationrelated allegations. West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Kingsley Smith over the weekend blasted a

video circulated by a COI supporter as misleading and false, rejecting accusations that he is “selling out the country.” In a press release, Mr Smith said the video clips were edited to “intentionally misquote” him,

Mr Smith also criticised the supporter’s grasp of governance, saying: “What is also bewildering about that encounter, is that this COI representative seems to lack a full understanding of the laws and processes with respect to governance.”

Neely believed to have died in hail of bullets after truck ran him off road

frontline politics.

It is believed Neely was driving home when a truck ran him off the road. As he got out of his car, he died in a hail of bullets, with two to three gunmen opening fire. He was found lying in a pool of his own blood. Police said shortly before 8.30pm, officers on routine patrol found a white Dodge Ram engulfed in flames on Munnings Road off Gladstone Road. Nearby, they found a grey Chevrolet Colorado with a man lying dead on the ground beside the driver’s side with multiple gunshot wounds.

After the shooting, a video began circulating online reportedly showing inmates at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services celebrating Neely’s death. One prisoner shouted, “aye 23, pick

up y’all boss bey.” Another banged on bars while a third imitated gunfire. Prison Commissioner Doan Cleare confirmed there is heightened security at the prison.

“I will say that it’s very unfortunate that some will celebrate the demise of someone’s loved one,” he said. “Whenever one strays from the principle of loving your enemies and doing good to those who uses or abuses you, you will witness such careless attitude towards a human life.”

Meanwhile, Bahamas Christian Council president Bishop Delton

past, church leaders have worked with gang members trying to leave the lifestyle, supporting their transition away from crime.

Reid: Neely felt branded a criminal by the legal system even when charges didn’t stick

“He was saying that a lot of times the police made him who he is because they lock him up over and over, and people feel like he did what the police locked him up for.”

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

CARLOS Reid says his last conversation with alleged gang leader Duran Neely revealed a man who felt repeatedly branded a criminal by the legal system, even when charges against him did not stick.

Neely, known as “Monster,” was killed Monday night in a suspected gang hit, sparking fears of retaliation.

Mr Reid, a consultant in the Ministry of National Security, said Neely had expressed frustration over how arrests without charges left a lasting stain on his reputation.

“An example,” Mr Reid said, “is when a person is arrested by police for suspected murder. Although police may release the individual once no credible information is found, the public may still view that person as guilty since nothing is done officially to clear their name.

“He was saying that a lot of times the police made him who he is because they lock him up over and over, and people feel like he did what the police locked him up for.”

Mr Reid warned that Neely’s death could spark retaliation and stressed the need for preventative measures to steer young people away from crime early.

Police linked ‘Monster’ Neely to Dirty South gang for decades

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

POLICE linked Duran “Monster” Neely to the Pinewood Gardens–based Dirty South gang for more than a decade - but case after case brought against him collapsed in court.

In 2014, police said they shot him after he allegedly pointed a firearm at officers during a traffic stop. His mother disputed that account, telling The Tribune he had been unjustly targeted.

In November 2015, Neely and several others, including relatives, were charged under newlyamended anti-gang laws carrying sentences of up

to 20 years. Justice Bernard Turner later ruled the amendment had not been properly gazetted, and prosecutors withdrew the charges the following month.

Neely was arrested twice more in December 2015 and February 2016 but released without charge. He later sued the state, and in 2023, Chief Justice Sir Ian Winder awarded him $26,000 in damages after finding the detentions unlawful. The matter was initially heard in March 2021. His lawyer in that case was Wayne Munroe, who is now the Minister of National Security.

Neely was also named as a co-defendant in the

high-profile prosecution of Jahmaro Edgecombe, accused of murdering police informant Alwayne McKenzie in 2012. Justice Gregory Hilton directed the jury to acquit Neely in 2019, saying the evidence was insufficient. Edgecombe was convicted but later won an appeal.

Despite repeated public identification by police as a gang leader, Neely did not hold a murder conviction. Court records show Inspector Ricardo Hanna once suggested under cross-examination that Neely “might have had some kind of insider,” noting he always seemed to be waiting outside his home with a blanket when officers arrived.

The Tribune Limited

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Haiti’s people will

remain impoverished

until systemic corruption is dealt with

HAITI’S Patriotic Congress for National Rescue, launched by the academic community and civil society organizations, recently held a nearly month-long period of consultations across Haiti and its diaspora over the worsening crisis in the Caribbean nation.

It concluded on June 27 with 25 proposals on three points: 19 on the security crisis and six on reforms to public governance and endless transitions.

While these three points are key for a national rescue and are interconnected, they don’t carry the same weight. Based on the number of proposals, the security crisis takes priority over governance reforms and endless power transitions.

As a public policy and administration expert, I believe governance reforms are crucial because Haiti’s insecurity, lawlessness and constant political transitions are rooted in poor governance and corruption.

Excessive corruption is the cancer that eats away at Haiti. It hinders private investment, slows the production of goods and services, and triggers social unrest, criminal activity and poverty. It’s the root cause of the Haitian crisis, not the symptom.

In his book The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality, British-American economist and Nobel laureate Angus Deaton argues that a well-functioning national government is what allows people to escape misery.

His views echo a study by researchers from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank that found an increase in corruption significantly reduces the income growth of impoverished people.

This research clearly illustrates that it’s not poverty that breeds corruption, but rather the reverse. In other words, to truly tackle poverty, we must go to the source of the problem and tackle corruption.

I’ve made the same argument in my self-published book Contemporary Events Related to Equity and Inclusion: A focus on Blacks, the Haitian diaspora, and locals.

It’s clear, therefore, that most of the recommendations from the Patriotic Congress should focus on bad governance and corruption.

Corruption is the norm in Haiti, not the exception. It is rooted in the country’s institutions and remains systemic. The US$2 billion Petro Caribe scandal is a major case in point.

Well-intended investors trying to do business in Haiti often face myriad corrupt officials. I have personal experience with this phenomenon.

I launched a company in Haiti, Biogaz pour une Solution Intégrée, with some well-meaning classmates and colleagues who specialize in the science of soil management and crop production.

When founding and presiding over the business, we’d hoped for political stability due to the election of President Jovenel Moïse in 2017.

Instead, we faced unscrupulous offers, even from a former university classmate

who had become a high-ranking member of the government. Blatant corruption in the form of elected individuals or civil servants requesting substantial kickbacks was ubiquitous. The company did not survive this hostile environment.

The point I want to make here is that some people in Haiti exhibit corrupt behaviours without any discomfort or maybe even without realizing it.

Moïse, meantime, was assassinated four years later. Several suspects have been indicted in his murder, including his widow Martine, former acting prime minister Claude Joseph and former police chief Léon Charles.

Three specific conditions are required to attract private investments in any country: political stability, good governance and anti-corruption measures. With bad governance and systemic corruption, political stability becomes elusive. This again emphasizes the importance of focusing on improved governance to vanquish systemic corruption and lift Haiti out of its current and longstanding misery.

As the first Black independent nation and one that once supported many other Caribbean and Latin American countries in their own quests for independence, it’s troubling that Haiti is experiencing such a dire situation.

The country is the poorest in the Western Hemisphere, with its GDP per capita declining by two per cent a year from 2014 to 2024.

The situation calls for urgent action. But it will not be easy.

National entities need to face facts about systemic corruption and stop playing the blame game. They must reform their institutions, accept accountability for managing public funds and eradicate corruption. International allies and organizations need to set up, not with boots on the ground, but with institutional reforms, mostly in the judiciary system.

Specifically, the mandate of the International Criminal Court should be extended to make substantial money theft and embezzlement a prosecutable international financial crime, one with the same rank as genocide.

This will happen only with the mobilization of civil society to force changes in both national and international institutions. A massive educational campaign is also required among the Haitian population, from elementary schools all the way to university level, to educate and train citizens about what constitutes corruption and what are its disastrous impacts.

Taking steps to eradicate systemic corruption will also address the Haitian insecurity crisis and the endless power transitions because they’re so closely connected.

Haiti needs to build on its glorious history of resilience and resistance to tackle this challenging task, turn the tide and offer its citizens prosperous and peaceful lives and a much brighter future.

Ruolz Ariste The Converstion

Abaco is always on backburner

EDITOR, The Tribune. ABACO is one of the most beautiful places in the world and those of us who live here and are from here are blessed to call it home! But in our paradise, there is a lot to be desired.

Insufficient electricity, inconsistent water supply, lack of medical care, scarcity of flights off of the island.

Let’s look at Abaco’s medical system or what passes for our medical system.

In Abaco’s capital, Marsh Harbour we find the Marsh Harbour Community Clinic- a beautiful building dedicated in April 2017. At the time of the dedication it was said that by the end of 2017, the facility would be fully staffed with doctors and nurses, inclusive of a radiologist and two lab technicians. As of today’s date, we are a far cry from that. There is no working equipment at this facility, not even an X-ray machine.

I recently had a visitor friend who had fallen in the boat. She was believed to have broken her back but because the Marsh Harbour Community Clinic did not have an X ray machine, she could not be diagnosed and she was subsequently flown out to Florida.

With all the revenue that we pour into the Public Treasury and we don’t even have an X-ray machine?? This is unconscionable!!

Let’s look at the medical care in South Abaco:

Great Guana Cay – no medical facility and no government doctor/nurse visits

Man-O-War Cay – a makeshift community clinic and perodic visits from PRIVATE doctors; there are no government doctor/ nurse visits (A permanent community clinic building is near completion built by donations).

Hope Town – Government Clinic is staffed by nurse and medications are in stock Marsh Harbour – Clinic has staff but as the main Abaco clinic, there is not even an X ray machine or EKG equipment to assess patients with either a broken bone or cardio issues.

Spring City – no medical facility and no government doctor/nurse visits Cherokee Sound – no medical facility and no

government doctor/nurse visits

Casurina Point/Bahama Palm Shores – no medical facility and no government doctor/nurse visits

Crossing Rocks – no medical facility and no government doctor/nurse visits

Sandy Point – Government Clinic is staffed but at times there are medication shortages Moore’s Island – Government Clinic is housed in a trailer and is staffed. Medication is rarely available 6 out of South Abaco’s 10 communities have NO direct government medical services. This is shameful and unacceptable!!

And as we look at these far flung communities, there are seniors who can’t frequent the Marsh Harbour or Sandy Point Clinics- due to either a long drive or in the case of residents in the cays, having to struggle up and down dock ladders, up and down ferries to come to Marsh Harbour for medical care.

Why are our senior citizens being deprived basic medical care during their golden and twilight years?? Our elderly can’t even get their blood pressure checked. What a way to live in the 21st century? Our elderly deserve so much better.

But another twist to the frustration is this. If a senior citizen, in many cases from a community that has NO visits from a government medical practitioner, goes into Marsh Harbour and visits a private doctor, and that same private doctor (who is licensed to practice by the Ministry of Health) writes a prescription to his patient for medications, the Government Clinic refuses to fill a prescription by a private doctor, and the patient/ senior citizen is denied free medication. This policy has to change!!

Let’s look at Abaco’s broken medical care in emergencies, when seconds count and minutes matter.

We have lost far too many- heart attack victims, shark attacks, stroke patients, a young man with

the bends- we rush them to Marsh Harbour for medical attention, only to wait as the minutes go by and minutes turns to hours before an air ambulance will show up. As these precious minutes pass, the chances of a life being saved drifts away. In recent times, the amount of available local private air charters have decreased.

I can speak from experience- as I’ve had family and friends face such situations.

When my daughter has excruciating abdominal pain at 9 pm, and your mind wanders is it appendicitis? And fear starts to grip you as a parent, will a flight come, is the weather good enough to get out, can we wait until morning?

Abaco is growing, we NEED a facility that is staffed and has proper medical equipment to handle emergencies, to stablilize patients.

A reliable swift medical evacuation plan needs to be put in place that Abaconians and visitors can rely on in their times of crisis. Instead of the continual of wastage of public funds by governments – how about putting funding into a reliable Medevac plan?

This present PLP government is NOT the answer. They are too consumed with trying to put a bandaid (pun intended) on the crippling healthcare crisis in New Providence that the healthcare needs in the Family Islands are an afterthought!

Well, enough is enough! I am tired of Abaco continually being on the backburner with NO voice, no one to stand up and SPEAK for our people!

Our people need help; our elderly need basic healthcare services in their home communities and all of us need access to emergency medical care!

We can do better! We must do better! Medical care is a serious issue..I have a plan! We can fix this!!- but it will take all of us, we, the citizens, the private sector, a government that is concerned about Abaco, together we can make it better and we will!!

Govt to introduce electronic medical records as they seek to digitise healthcare system

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas is set to introduce electronic medical records before the end of the year, marking a major step towards a fullydigitised healthcare system, according to Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville.

Dr Darville said the reform, supported by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and financed through a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), is already underway with a pilot programme in two clinics.

He described the move as “one of the greatest successes” of his ministry, saying it will transform the way patients and physicians manage medical information.

“This is where we’re heading in healthcare,” he said. “This is where we need to go. If we do not go this way, we would have a system that is not really functioning adequately, and

we will not be able to have a smooth operation and growth and development of healthcare across the country.”

The shift will enable patients to control access to their medical records while allowing doctors across the islands to share information more efficiently.

“For our E-clinical records, a patient will have access to a mechanism

where they can release records,” he said. “The records will ultimately be the responsibility of the patient, and there would be all these cybersecurity mechanisms of who can access what part of the records.”

The government is also rolling out complementary digital platforms, including a national scheduling system and pharmacy

M AN ACCUSED OF S TABBING T WO PEOPLE TO UNDERGO PSYCHOLOGICAL

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MENTALLY ill man was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation in prison after being accused of a stabbing two men with a knife on the same day.

Willie Robert Joseph, 40, is accused of seriously injuring Keno Cartwright in New Providence on August 20. He was charged with grievous harm and two counts of assault with a dangerous instrument before Senior Magistrate Anishka Isaacs. Joseph is also accused of assaulting Peter Bethel with a knife. The defendant did not enter a plea after displaying

EVALUAT ION

unstable behaviour in court. He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, where he will undergo a psychological evaluation. Joseph is expected back in court for a report on September 10. Assistant Superintendent of Police K. Bould prosecuted the case.

S IX MON T HS JAIL FOR MAN ADMI TT ING T O INJURING SOMEONE WI T H A ROCK IN ATTACK

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to six months in prison yesterday after admitting he injured another man with a rock during an altercation on Marathon Road last

management network, designed to link clinics and hospitals across the country.

“Without digitisation of the records, without digitisation of pharmacy, without digitisation of appointment schedules, it’s going to be very difficult for us to move from where we are to a more modernised healthcare service, where services are delivered in a timely or patient care environment,” Dr Darville said.

To safeguard the system, new legislation is being drafted to regulate the storage, privacy, and use of health data, with cybersecurity protections a central focus.

“There has to be legislation that would govern the way how data is managed in the country, where data would be stored, the privacy associated with data,” he said. “This legislation will guide not only my

ministry, but digitisation throughout the country, and it’s absolutely something that must come into play.”

The minister stressed the importance of strong safeguards during an AI cybersecurity training hosted by his ministry and PAHO.

“It’s important that you have this cybersecurity mechanism to ensure that my digital records don’t get into the wrong hands, and that requires a lot of very important steps,” he said.

Dr Darville said the digitisation effort has been nearly four years in the making and will serve as the backbone of wider health sector improvements.

As part of those improvements, the government is preparing to break ground on a new $200m modern healthcare facility, with financing secured through international agreements.

He confirmed that procurement for land clearing has been completed and construction will begin “very soon,” noting the government is finalising documents with the Chinese Exim Bank following an earlier concession loan agreement.

“You can’t build a modern healthcare facility for 200 plus million dollars, and it is not digitised. Everywhere is becoming digitised,” he said.

Dr Darville tied the new facility to his ministry’s push for a paper-free healthcare system, promising transparency as construction begins.

“I also made a commitment from that with the Opening of Parliament that we would update the Bahamian people about the parameters and what it means and become very transparent of what the next steps would be.”

$8,000 B AIL GRAN T ED FOR MAN ACCUSED OF CAUSING FATAL T RAFFIC ACCIDEN T IN E XUMA

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted bail yesterday after being accused of causing a fatal traffic accident in Exuma that claimed the life of young father Kevon Taylor. Rage Rolle, 33, is accused of causing the death of 22-year-old Taylor around 12.57am on July 7 on Queen’s Highway, Exuma.

Rolle was charged with

vehicular manslaughter before Senior Magistrate Shaka Serville.

Police allege Rolle, while driving a blue 2014 Honda Accord eastbound, crashed into Taylor’s motorcycle while driving dangerously. Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim left behind two young children. His family said he had recently moved to Exuma for work after the pandemic. Rolle was not required to enter a plea. The case will

proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). He was granted $8,000 bail with one or two sureties. As part of his conditions, he must sign in at the George Town Police Station in Exuma every Tuesday and Saturday by 7pm. The VBI is scheduled for service on December 11. Cordero Farrington prosecuted the case, while Devard Francis represented the accused.

December.

John Basden, 23, struck Jamie Sturrup in the face with a rock during the dispute on December 22, 2024. He was charged with causing harm before Senior Magistrate Anishka Isaacs. Basden pleaded guilty and accepted responsibility for the attack. Magistrate Isaacs admonished him for his violent actions and sentenced him to six months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Assistant Superintendent of Police K Bould prosecuted the case.

TWO WEEKS PRISON FOR BAIL VIOLAT ION FOR MAN WAI T ING FOR ATT EMP T ED MURDER T RIAL

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN awaiting trial for the 2024 attempted murder of Rayshuan Rolle was remanded on Monday after admitting to breaching his bail conditions.

Aliastair “Ally” “Panda” Major, 23, who is on bail for attempted murder, failed to sign in at his local police station for four days between July 3 and August 7.

Reserve

Corporal Suzette Pamela Ferguson, 60

Sergeant 3634 Johnson prosecuted the case, while Alphonso Lewis represented the defendant.

Major is accused of shooting 22-year-old Rayshuan Rolle on Sumner Street on June 29, 2024. After he pleaded guilty to violating his bail terms, Senior Magistrate Kara Turnquest Deveaux sentenced him to two weeks at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Memorial Service For

Patrick René, 69

will be held on (TODAY) Wednesday, August 27th, 2025, 10:00am at Butlers Funeral Homes and Crematorium Chapel. Officiating will be Pastor Bruce Davis.

Left to cherish memories are his children: Jamel René, Janell Rene-Charles, Julia and Emmanuel René; son-in-law: Simeon Charles; daughter-in-law: Leslie René; grandchildren: Christian Lloyd, Jakaj René, Skylar René, Zayne René and Jasmine Anderson; brothers and sisters: Dieudonné, Patrick, Lourdes, Junie, Josie and Maude; predeceased by his sister: Marie Juline René who sadly passed away just two weeks before his passing. Many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and cousins whom he all loved dearly; dear friends: Phillip and Olive Rolle and many others. Cremation held prior to Service.

All arrangements entrusted to Butlers’ Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Ernest and York Streets.

of Soursop Street, Pinewood Gardens, New Providence, Bahamas will be held on Thursday, August 28, 2025. Cremation will follow.

Left to cherish her memories are her son: Courtney Gabriel Ferguson; grandson: Breon Courtney Ferguson; sisters: Betty Mae (Lemuel) Brown, Gloria McPhee, Sheralyn Anderson, Joan Anderson, Claudibelle Farquharson (Nial); nieces & nephews: Valentino Brown, Alexandrea Kemp, Mikeiko (Cyprian) Collie, Whitley Brown, Denise (Jermaine) Cox, Anishka (Neil) Irving, Shelley (Anthony) Knowles, Tanya (Matthew) Pinder, Crystal, Lincoln (Rashan) McPhee, Trishon, Assistant Commissioner Chaswell Hanna, Trivoughn Sturrup, Tonya (Devon) Cartwright, Tremaine & Talehiah Deveaux, Kissenger (Lissette) Anderson, Ryan Oneal Anderson, Monique (David) Catalano, Kendra Dorsette, Kendrick & Anastacia Anderson, Quincey (Michelle) Anderson, Veronica Ferguson; great grandnieces & nephews: Joshua & Calee Kemp, Cyrai & Caliah Collie, Jaiden & Jared Cox, Dominic & Danielle Knowles, McKhaln Pinder, Noah McPhee, Dondre Williams, Chaswell Jr., Charlotte & Chloe Hanna, Tario Smith, Travante, Trinity & Tailyn Gaitor, Paul Jr., Payton & Paxton Stroud, Selena, Savannah, Liam, Emma & Luke Cartwright, Kobe Anderson, Tamika & Cleavon Bain, Karissa Catalano, Brent & Dorsette, Lennique Moss, Kissadee Sweeting, Trevor Brown, Jarvis Anderson, Quincey, Shaquon & Quinage Anderson, Wyatt & Summer Roberge; cousins: Hudon (Frances), Alvin Jr. (Antoinette), Beauford (Robertha), Rodman (Gretal) Deleveaux, Dollemae (Ehurd) Hanna, Janace Deleveaux, Guilford Lloyd, Yvonne Coakley, Wyomie Hanna, Jennie Humes, Mizpah Strachan, Judy (Hermis) Chisholm, Doralyn Miller, Karen David, Beryl Folkes, Paulette Brown, Rev. Dr. Phillip (Charlene) McPhee, Maedawn Munroe, Prince McPhee, Edison (Ismae), Endric(Lavern), Kinson(Marcia), Valliere (Zena), and Geoffrey (Darilyn) Deleveaux, Rionda (Deon) Godet and Gia Deleveaux; other relatives and friends including: James, Thelma, Dennis, Lionel, and Hudley Anderson, Eloise Humes, Joanne Sands, Charmaine Collie, Ronald Deveaux, Deneace Lloyd, Keiron Laing; Reserve Superintendent Stephanie Hamilton, Reserve Sargeant Ellen Strachan and Reserve Inspector Fern Sands & Superintendent Marlon Grant.

May Her Soul Rest In Peace.

Focus on Women in Translation Month

WOMEN in Translation

Month is a time to highlight women authors whose work is translated and direct readers to that work. There is no shortage of excellent books to read. The genres, lengths, and subject matter vary greatly. Today, we can easily enjoy books that were originally written in wide range of languages, from Spanish to Japanese, thanks to the translation work undertaken by people who are committed to conveying meaning.

Winner of the International Booker Prize 2024 Jenny Erpenbeck said, “There are so many lives not only to discover but to dive into by reading – so called “other” worlds that by turning page after page become familiar to you, since we all are human beings and live on one planet.”

Jhumpa Lahiri, author of Translating Myself and Others, called translating the “most profound, most intimate way of reading.”

She said, “A translation is a wonderful, dynamic encounter between two languages, two texts, two writers. It entails a doubling, a renewal... It was a way of getting close to different languages, of feeling connected to writers very distant from me in space and time.”

Here are nine books in translation to consider reading this month:

1. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman. Can a story of sisterhood come from a girl who is locked in an underground bunker with 39 women, none of whom know how they got there? Originally published in 1995, this book is now on many lists of must-read books. Rod Schwartz, translator of the book, said, “I guess it just strikes a chord with the younger generation, which it didn’t at the time – and whether that’s to do with publicity or whether it’s completely random, I don’t know. That’s one of the wonderful things about publishing – you never know.”

By Alicia Wallace

2. That Salt on the Tongue to Say Mangrove by Jasmine V. Bailey. The publisher said, “Mangrove forests grow on coastlines, with root systems that hold them upright in the unstable grounds where land and water meet. That Salt on the Tongue to Say Mangrove draws on the in-between nature of these trees to explore spaces between— between a foot and the floor, a cup of coffee and its dish, a face and the shoulder of a couple on a motorbike. These are poems that dwell in the tidal movement between saying and what’s left unsaid.”

3. Human Acts by Han Kang. Chicago Review of Books called Human Acts “pristine, expertly paced, and gut-wrenching” and The Nation said it is “unique in the intensity and scale of this brutality.” This is the story of the

survivors and victims of the 1980 Gwangju uprising of students in South Korea. Kang’s The Vegetarian was the first book Feminist Book Club, hosted by Equality Bahamas and Poinciana Paper Press read in 2025, and every member would agree that she is adept at evoking feelings that are visceral and disturbing.

4. Here is a Body by Basma Abdel Aziz. This

is quite an interesting book to read and discuss, given the times that we are living through. The description by the publisher said, “Mysterious men are rounding up street children and enrolling them in a socalled “rehabilitation program,” designed to indoctrinate them for the military-backed regime’s imminent crackdown on its opponents. Across town, thousands of protesters encamp in a city square demanding the return of the recently deposed president.” This is a particularly interested translated work since, as noted by reviewer Rawad Alhashmi, it is quite unusual that the children in the novel speak formal

Arabic—acquired through formal education—rather than their native dialect, and translator Jonathan Wright was able to deliver the English translation with this peculiar effect.

5. Woman, Life, Freedom by Marjane Satrapi. Do you remember the story of Mahsa Amini, the young woman arrested by the morality police in 2022 in Iran? This book is a collection of graphic storytelling by more than 20 artists, journalists, activists, and academics, all focused on the uprising of the Iranian people. BookPage said, “The visual medium enhances the storytelling and creates an immersive reading experience that accessibly communicates information.”

6. On the Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle. What is it like to fall through the cracks of time? What if it is November 18, every single day? That is Tara’s life. On the Calculation of Volume is a planned septology, so Winner of the Nordic Council Prize, the first two volumes have been published with the third due in English in November 2025. Five of the books have been written in Danish thus far, and they are currently being translated in 20 countries. One reviewer said, “I wasn’t planning to read this book so quickly, but it sucked me in and I couldn’t put it down. This is a literary book, despite it’s fantastical premise[…]”

9. The Tokyo Suite by Giovana Madalosso. The title may mislead you. This novel is set in Brazil. Cora disappeared with Maju, her nanny. It takes some time for Cora’s mother to notice. “Her marriage is strained, and she finds solace in an affair, distancing herself further from her family. Meanwhile, her husband, overwhelmed by the complexities of their domestic life, remains emotionally detached[…] Madalosso’s narrative delves deep into the human psyche, examining themes of maternal guilt, societal expectations, and the search for personal identity.”

Check local bookstores for these and other translated books by women. If you have to order online, make an effort to support independent bookstores.

7. The Woman in the Purple Skirt by Natsuko Imamura. The publisher said, “Someone is following her, always perched just out of sight, monitoring which buses she takes; what she eats; whom she speaks to. But this invisible observer isn’t a stalker – it’s much more complicated than that.” 8. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. A little more than one year ago, I was beginning to steadily feed my curiosity about short novels. Browsing a bookstore, I came across Kitchen. Its hot pink cover with kitchen utensils on it already told a story. First published in Japan in 1987, Kitchen is the story of two mothers. It includes love, tragedy, and grief. Yoshimoto, who wrote while holding a job as a waitress, was celebrated as a talented young writer. Kitchen has even been developed into what is recognized as a cult film.

Israeli says strikes on Gaza hospital targeted a Hamas camera, without providing evidence

By WAFAA SHURAFA, MELANIE LIDMAN and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

THE Israeli military said Tuesday that its double strike on a Gaza hospital targeted what it believed was a Hamas surveillance camera. But the first strike killed a cameraman from the Reuters news agency doing a live television shot, according to witnesses and health officials.

The military released its initial findings into the strike that killed 20 people, including five journalists. It claimed without providing evidence that six of those killed were Hamas militants, but two were identified by their employers as a health care worker at the hospital and an emergency services driver.

The military said the back-to-back strikes on southern Gaza’s largest hospital were ordered because soldiers believed militants were using the camera to observe Israeli forces. But its account appeared to contradict the sequence of events in Monday’s attack on Nasser Hospital.

A senior Hamas official denied that Hamas was operating a camera at the hospital.

“If this claim was true, there are many means to neutralize this camera without targeting a health care facility with a tank shell,” Bassem Naim, a member of the group’s political bureau, told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

Questions raised about Israeli military’s account

An initial strike hit a top floor of one of the hospital’s buildings. Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri was killed in that blast while filming from the site, according to a fellow journalist and a doctor at the hospital.

Hospital officials said a second person, who has not been identified, was also killed in the first strike.

Health workers, journalists and relatives of patients then rushed up an external staircase to reach the site of the first blast. Photos taken from below showed at least 16 people gathered on the staircase, trying to help those hit. Among them were four men wearing the orange vests of emergency responders or health workers. No one on the staircase was seen holding weapons.

Video footage taken by Al-Ghad TV shows the second strike hitting, causing a large boom and engulfing everyone on the staircase in smoke. Hospital officials say 18 people were killed in the second strike.

The military did not immediately elaborate on why it struck a second time or how it would have identified militants among the crowd on the staircase. Its statement was issued after an initial inquiry into the attack, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a “tragic mishap.”

Among the six people killed Monday that Israel claimed were militants were Jumaa al-Najjar, a health care worker at Nasser Hospital, and Imad al-Shaar, a driver with Gaza’s civil defence agency, which operates under the Hamas-run Interior Ministry, according to the agency and Nasser hospital’s casualty list.

Without offering evidence, Israel has in the past identified emergency responders that work under the Hamas-run government as militants to be targeted, including in the killing of 15 medics in March, when Israeli troops opened fire on ambulances in southern Gaza.

The military’s chief of general staff acknowledged several “gaps” in the investigation so far, including the kind of ammunition used to take out the camera. Rights groups condemn `double tap’ attack on hospital

The initial findings

emerged Tuesday as a surge of outrage and unanswered questions mounted, after international leaders and rights groups condemned the strikes.

“The killing of journalists in Gaza should shock the world,” said United Nations Human Rights Office spokesperson Thameen AlKheetan. “Not into stunned silence but into action, demanding accountability and justice.”

Among the journalists killed in the strikes was Mariam Dagga, who worked for The Associated Press and other publications.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli army spokesperson, said none of the journalists killed in the strikes was suspected of being associated with militant groups and that they were not targeted.

The Israeli military said it is conducting an ongoing investigation into the chain of command that approved the strike. A military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines said both of the strikes that hit the hospital were launched from a tank.

Known as “double taps,” such consecutive strikes have drawn condemnation in wars in Ukraine and Syria, particularly when they hit civilians or medical workers racing to help.

Israel has attacked hospitals multiple times throughout 22 months of war in Gaza, asserting that Hamas embeds itself in and around the facilities, though Israeli officials rarely provide evidence to support that claim.

Hamas security personnel have been seen inside such facilities over the course of the war, and parts of them have been off limits to reporters and the public.

Protests in Israel as Netanyahu meets with security cabinet

Earlier Tuesday, protesters in Israel set tires ablaze,

TRUMP CLAIMS TO HAVE ENDED T HE WAR IN CONGO. PEOPLE there say

By CHINEDU ASADU and JUSTIN KABUMBA Associated Press

GOMA, Congo (AP)

— US President Donald Trump claims that the war in eastern Congo is among the ones he has stopped, after brokering a peace deal between Congo and Rwanda in June. But residents, conflict researchers and others say that’s not true. Trump on Monday repeated claims that he ended the decadeslong conflict, describing Congo as the “darkest, deepest” part of Africa. “For 35 years, it was a vicious war. Nine million people were killed with machetes. I stopped it. ... I got it stopped and saved lots of lives,” he asserted.

The Associated Press previously fact-checked Trump’s claim and found the war far from over. Now residents report clashes in several hot spots, often between the Rwandabacked M23 rebels who seized key cities earlier this year and militia fighting alongside Congolese forces.

A final peace deal between Congo and the rebels, facilitated by Qatar, appears to have stalled. Each side has accused the other of violating peace terms.

Here’s what people say about Trump’s latest claim:

An inspector says people are still being displaced

The local human rights inspector in South Kivu province’s Kabare territory, Ciruza Mushenzi Dieudonné, said residents

that’s not true

in the communities of Bugobe, Cirunga, Kagami and Bushwira continue to flee clashes between the M23 rebels and the Wazalendo militia.

“The problem now is that we do not have humanitarian assistance, hospitals operate during the day and health professionals find refuge elsewhere at night to escape the insecurity,” Dieudonné said.

Amnesty International says clashes reported this week

Christian Rumu with Amnesty International said the rights group learned of clashes during the past 24 hours in various locations. “It is far from the reality to say that he has ended the war,” he said of Trump.

“The US president is misguided in his assessment because people on the ground continue to experience grave human rights violations, and some of these amount to crimes against humanity,” Rumu said, urging Trump to speed up the peace process.

A student says fighting has continued Amani Safari, a student in Goma, the city first seized by the M23 and most affected by the fighting, said nothing has changed since the peace deal was signed in June.

“Unfortunately, when you look at this agreement, there are no binding sanctions against the two countries that violate it,” Safari said. “The United States only sees American interests.”

blocked highways and clamoured for a ceasefire that would free hostages still in Gaza, even as Israeli leaders moved forward with plans for an offensive into Gaza City that they argue is needed to defeat Hamas.

Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza braced for the expanded offensive against a backdrop of displacement, destruction and the famine that has gripped parts of the territory.

Netanyahu met with his security cabinet meeting Tuesday, but the government said the meeting would not include discussion of ceasefire talks, according to an official with knowledge of the situation.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter, said there was a delegation from Egypt in Israel on Monday, and they discussed the negotiations.

The prime minister has said Israel will launch its expanded offensive in Gaza City while simultaneously pursuing a ceasefire, though Israel has yet to

send a negotiating team to discuss a proposal on the table. Netanyahu has said the offensive is the best way to weaken Hamas and return hostages, but hostage families and their supporters have pushed back.

“There’s a good deal on the table. It’s something we can work with,” said Ruby Chen, the father of 21-yearold Itay Chen, a dual Israeli-American citizen whose body is being held in Gaza. “We could get a deal done to bring all the hostages back.”

Hamas took 251 hostages on Oct. 7, 2023, in the attack that also killed about 1,200 people and triggered the war. Most hostages have been released during previous ceasefires. Israel has managed to rescue only eight hostages alive. Fifty remain in Gaza, and Israeli officials believe around 20 are still alive.

Israeli strikes continue after hospital attack

A day after the hospital attack, Israeli strikes killed at least 16 Palestinians, hospitals said.

Officials from Nasser Hospital, Shifa Hospital and Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan Clinic reported that among the 16 were families, women and children.

Also Tuesday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said that three more adults died of causes related to malnutrition and starvation, bringing the malnutritionrelated death toll to 186 since late June, when the ministry started to count fatalities in that category. The toll includes 117 children since the start of the war.

Israel’s military offensive has killed 62,819, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says around half were women and children. The count does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The UN and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on war casualties. Israel disputes its figures but has not provided its own.

Lil Nas X pleads not guilty to attacking police officers as he walked naked on LA street

By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer

An activist in Goma says Trump needs to do more

Espoir Muhinuka, a activist in Goma, said there is no sign the war will end soon and urged Trump to take steps to achieve the permanent ceasefire the peace deal provided for.

“If this does not happen, it would deceive all of humanity,” Muhinuka said.

Civil society leader says residents are losing hope of peace

The president of civil society in North Kivu province, John Banyene, said he and other residents are losing hope of permanent peace.

“The killings, the displacement of the population and the clashes continue, therefore, we are still in disarray,” Banyene said. “We, as civil society, encourage this dialogue, but it drags on.”

Analyst says peace efforts appear to have stalled

Christian Moleka, a Congo-based political analyst, said the peace deal brokered by Trump initially helped to facilitate the peace process, but Congo and the M23 missed a deadline to sign a final peace agreement.

“For a conflict that combines the complexities of the structural weaknesses of the Congolese state, local identity and land conflicts, and the fallout of crises in neighbouring countries … Trump’s approach may appear as a truce rather than a definitive settlement,” Moleka said.

LIL Nas X was charged Monday with four felonies after police say he charged at them when they confronted him for walking naked down a Los Angeles street last week.

The musician, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, pleaded not guilty in a court appearance to three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer, the district attorney’s office said.

The charges were far more serious than initial reports that he was being investigated for a misdemeanour, and, with convictions, the counts could collectively bring a sentence of more than 10 years in prison for the singer and rapper whose “Old Town Road” was one of the biggest hit singles in history.

Police said officers found the 26-year-old walking naked on Ventura Boulevard, a major thoroughfare in the Studio City neighbourhood, shortly before 6 am Friday. They say he charged at the officers when confronted and was arrested.

The criminal complaint filed in court Monday includes few details, but says that for each of the three officers he “did unlawfully use force and violence and inflict an injury” on a person he “reasonably should have known” was a peace officer “engaged in the performance of a duty.”

Police, suspecting a possible overdose, took him to a hospital where he spent several hours before being taken to jail, where he has remained since.

After spending three days

in jail, he was released on $75,000 bail, conditional on attending drug treatment. A message to his attorneys was not immediately answered.

But one of them, Christy O’Connor, told a judge Lil Nas X has led a “remarkable” life that has included winning two Grammy awards.

“Assuming the allegations here are true, this is an absolute aberration in this person’s life,” O’Connor said in court, according to NBC. “Nothing like this has ever happened to him.” The charges were first

Rahming holds Back to School Foam Splash Party

CHILDREN in Marathon enjoyed a Back to School Foam Splash Party at Grace Community greenspace on August 14, 2025. The day featured water slides, foam pools, and games, with kids receiving food, party bags, and backpacks with school supplies. MP Rahming also visited homes, giving out vouchers and encouraging children to set goals for the new school year. She shared her experiences growing up in Marathon and stressed the importance of education in achieving success, reminding everyone that local support is always available.

Senator Seymour says she will not seek office in upcoming general election

FREE National Movement (FNM) Senator Maxine Seymour announced yesterday that she will not seek elected office in the upcoming general election, though she pledged her continued loyalty to the party and commitment to public service.

“Serving my country has been the highest honour of my life,” Ms Seymour said in a statement. “I consider public service a sacred duty, a calling, and a vow. A vow which I take seriously and a duty for which I have given my all.”

She clarified that her decision applies only to running as a candidate, stressing that she will remain active in the Senate and within her party.

“I will honour my responsibilities in the Senate and in my shadow portfolio, for as long as I am called to do so, with undiminished diligence.”

Ms Seymour, a thirdgeneration FNM supporter who joined the Torchbearers more than 30 years ago, said she is committed to working alongside the party’s ratified candidates.

“I am deeply and unwaveringly committed to the Free National Movement,” she said. “I believe that we have a strong, capable team, led by our leader Michael C Pintard, and I will give my full energy to ensuring its success.”

She added that her work will continue beyond politics, with literacy and other social priorities high

on her agenda.

“Leadership is exercised wherever one works faithfully for the good of others. Beyond politics, my service continues.

Literacy, among other vital national priorities, is close to my heart because it is the key that unlocks opportunity, dignity, and empowerment,” Ms Seymour said.

In her statement, Seymour also thanked party supporters and constituents in Sea Breeze. “To those who have

stood with me, walked with me, and placed their trust in me, I extend my deepest gratitude,” she said. “This is not the end of my service, but the beginning of a new chapter. I will continue to be a voice for the voiceless and to work for a Bahamas that offers equal opportunity to every citizen. A Bahamas for all Bahamians.”

She closed with a pledge: “I vow to thee, my country, my heart, my soul, and my strength.”