09102025 NEWS

The Tribune PUZZLER

PUBLIC OUTRAGE OVER LACK OF A MBULANCE

Long Islanders called incident heartbreaking as woman put on flatbed truck in rain

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

A LONG Island woman fighting for her life was carried to an air ambulance on the back of a flatbed truck in pouring rain on Monday, sparking outrage that ambulances on the island remained parked and unused.

Relatives of Brenda Wells, who suffers from multiple myeloma, said she cried out in pain as they lifted her from the Deadman’s Cay Clinic and onto the truck, holding her oxygen tank as rain drenched her frail body. Her son, Colin Wells, said staff told him the island’s ambulance could not be used because no one on duty could drive standard shift and no key was available. The Nassau-bound aircraft was called midafternoon but did not arrive

GB PASTOR MAKES APPEAL FOR RETURN OF STOLEN PROPERTY

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A GRAND Bahama pastor is appealing for the return of more than $8,000 worth of stolen property after thieves broke into his church and a nearby school over the weekend. Police said the incidents occurred between Friday evening and early Saturday morning at the former City of Lights Building

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Criminal Bar has elected new leaders following the nullification of its previous election results.

Former president Murio Ducille KC confirmed yesterday that Miranda Adderley is the new president and Krista Mason-Smith vice president. He said voter turnout was consistent with the earlier election that was later

thrown out. That earlier vote saw Nathan Smith elected president and Bjorn Ferguson — who faces an accessory after the fact to bribery charge linked to a

Activists: Prosecuting doctor over abortion

‘dangerous, careless move’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

EQUALITY Bahamas has condemned the decision to prosecute a gynaecologist accused of performing an abortion, calling it a “careless, dangerous move” and renewing its call for the procedure to be decriminalised in all circumstances. The statement followed

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Monday’s dismissal of charges against Dr Jamil Minnis, son of former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. Charges were also dropped against the mother and sister of a 15-year-old Harbour Island girl accused of helping her terminate a pregnancy. The case collapsed on the opening day of Dr Minnis’s

‘No Long Islander should have to face that kind of indignity in 2025’

until nearly 6pm. Friends and family said they were forced to do everything themselves: finding a truck, carrying Mrs Wells to the airport, and lifting her aboard the plane.

Residents described the scene as heartbreaking and undignified. One witness said people at the airport were left in tears watching the patient arrive soaked. Voice notes circulating among Long Island residents condemned the situation as “shameful”, with many accusing officials of standing by while a woman in critical condition was treated like cargo.

The incident has renewed anger about longstanding gaps in emergency care on the Family Islands. Although residents said two ambulances have been stationed on Long Island for years, neither is operational.

Long Island MP Adrian Gibson said the vehicles have never been put into service because trained emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and designated drivers were never assigned. He recalled that his own uncle was transported in the back of a truck after a fatal accident in 2011.

“No Long Islander should have to face that kind of indignity in 2025 when ambulances are sitting idle,” he said yesterday, again urging the government to immediately hire EMTs and drivers.

Mr Gibson said, in collaboration with Aliv, one of the ambulances was donated during his first term but was never formally accepted by

staff, who he claimed feared losing their jobs if they agreed to take responsibility for it. Photos now circulating on social media show the vehicles overgrown by grass.

This latest case mirrors an incident earlier this year in Exuma, when residents were forced to place an American tourist with devastating injuries from a boat accident into the back of a truck after waiting nearly an hour for help that never arrived. At the time, residents blasted the lack of emergency services as a danger to both locals and visitors.

Concerns have previously been raised about the new fleet of ambulances imported from Spain. Several National Emergency Medical Services staff told The Tribune last year that the vehicles were too small for larger patients and trauma cases and that all were manual transmission, limiting who could drive them.

That same problem surfaced on Long Island this week. Relatives of Mrs Wells said staff told them the island’s ambulance could not be used because nobody on duty could drive stick shift and, in any event, the key was unavailable. One cousin even volunteered to drive but was reportedly turned away. A Long Island resident shared a video of the ambulance showing chairs still covered in plastic wrap, suggesting it hadn’t been used.

At the time of the Spain purchase, EMTs warned that fewer than ten responders were qualified to operate the vehicles. Health Minister Dr Michael Darville

A PICTURE and video clip shared yesterday on social media showed the ambulance sitting unused, with claims that it has been sitting unused for over a year due to no one being able to drive standrd shift.

still defended the purchase, saying standard shift ambulances were cheaper to maintain and widely used globally.

Officials at the Ministry of Health and the Public Hospitals Authority did not respond to requests for comment up to press time.

“The Royal Bahamas Police Force Fire Services and the Royal Bahamas

BACSWN to invest $427m in aviation, weather safety

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

EXECUTIVES from the Bahamas Aviation, Climate and Severe Weather Network Ltd (BACSWN) yesterday outlined a $427m plan to transform aviation safety and weather monitoring across the country, including the installation of 26 automatic weather observation systems (AWOS), 109 radars, and three monopulse secondary surveillance radars.

The technical details were disclosed during a radio interview.

Michael Strachan, BACSWN’s group financial advisor, said the systems will provide real-time weather data for every operational airport in The Bahamas. Only nine AWOS are currently in place.

“These installations are essential for the safe passage in and out of airports throughout

The Bahamas,” Mr Strachan said. “They will deliver automatic weather information, including altimeter readings, that pilots rely on to ensure safe landings and departures.”

He said the radar systems will expand tracking across one of the busiest airspaces in the world, enhancing both flight safety and storm monitoring capacity.

Robert Dupuch-Carron, BACSWN’s founder, said the company has already invested about $4m to upgrade Department of Meteorology equipment. He stressed the initiative is privately financed.

“This is our intellectual property and our money,” he said. “We take the risk, but the benefits to the Bahamian people include safer skies, upgraded infrastructure and new opportunities for young professionals.”

The Tribune reported in May that the Davis administration

signed a Heads of Agreement with BACSWN to create the region’s first NextGEN Meteorological Watch Office, part of the prime minister’s climate agenda and national infrastructure modernisation.

“This initiative aligns directly with the Prime Minister’s climate agenda,” Mr Strachan said. “It is about ensuring that The Bahamas has the technology and infrastructure to meet the challenges of climate change while maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety.”

BACSWN also said six aviation-grade ambulances have been ordered for Family Islands, with delivery expected before year’s end. Designed for mass-casualty scenarios, the vehicles will be financed through overflight fees once the network becomes operational.

Mr Strachan said nearly 700,000 flights cross Bahamian

airspace annually, but only a fraction of allowable fees are collected. Restructuring those charges, he said, is key to sustaining the system and funding EMS capacity at Family Island airports.

He explained the proposed rate would be $750 per flight, with $500 going to government coffers. “When you break it down, it works out to two and a half cents per passenger per mile, so it is a nominal cost that will not impact airlines’ bottom line,” he said.

Education is another central feature of the project.

BACSWN has pledged ten scholarships worth $25,000 each for Bahamian students in atmospheric science, with a goal of training more than 100 meteorologists within four years. Partnerships have already been struck with universities in the United States and South Africa.

‘They don’t have no house so they live on the street,’ says pastor

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

AFTER eviction notices were posted in a North Andros shanty town, several Haitian residents have been left homeless, sleeping in cars or wrapping themselves in plastic for warmth, according to Bishop Celiner St Louis of Gospel Assembly.

Bishop Louis said yesterday he has been in contact with a pastor from the Haitian community on the island. He claimed most of the residents hold work permits or other documents, though some are undocumented.

The group fled after authorities marked homes for demolition.

“They have no money to rent house,” Bishop Louis said. “They don’t have no house, so they live on the street.”

He said because of their financial struggles, he has urged them to return to

Haiti. He plans to travel to the island on Friday to assist those in need.

About 20 people reportedly fled last week after the Ministry of Works issued 28-day eviction notices as part of the government’s crackdown on illegal settlements. The notices were posted on 80 homes in an area known locally as Heastie Farms by the Unregulated Community in Action Taskforce. Social Services engaged with one Bahamian resident during the exercise, but most people were not at home. Superintendent Stephen Carey, head of the taskforce, said three undocumented migrants were arrested while trying to escape. He estimated about 20 people fled in total, most of whom got away.

The rise of shanty towns has angered many Androsians, who say the communities create health hazards because of the lack of running water, electricity, toilets and sanitation.

North Andros resident James Storr described the situation as an “immigration crisis”, blaming Bahamian employers for hiring migrants without legal status.

“They are knocking the Bahamians out of work in North Andros, that’s what’s going on,” Mr Storr said.

Others have urged more compassion. Prophet Godfrey Rolle said most Haitians are documented workers and employers should ensure proper housing. He noted that limited rental options make it difficult to accommodate both foreign labour and Bahamians.

“The amount of little children and old people in that village. They are not dogs,” Prophet Rolle said. “They are human beings, and we need to handle them with a little more care.”

He added that Haitian workers are vital to the island’s farming industry and said housing assistance should be offered to all

displaced residents, documented or not.

Another resident, who declined to be named, said this was the second round of eviction notices in the area and accused Mail Boat operators of enabling illegal migration by allowing undocumented passengers to travel to North Andros.

Shanty towns have been a long-standing concern in Andros. In February 2020, under the Minnis administration, eviction notices were served on residents of illegal structures on government land. Officials at the time estimated some 1,800 people lived in two such communities. The government also investigated whether groundwater contamination by E. coli was linked to the settlements.

Mr Dupuch-Carron traced the idea for the project back to Hurricane Joaquin, when he was in Crooked Island as storm surge approached.

“He asked how far I was from the ocean, and I told him about ten feet. He then asked how fast I could run. When I said pretty fast, he told me to run fast,” he recalled of his conversation with a meteorology official. He said the exchange exposed the lack of reliable forecasting data and convinced him of the need for stronger systems.

Regulatory filings are underway, and the upgraded Meteorological Watch Office is expected to be operational by January 2026.

Reflecting on the wider purpose, Mr Dupuch-Carron said: “We owe it to Bahamians to ensure the next generation has better tools to face climate change.”

THIEF S TOLE $8K WOR T H OF T ECH AND SNACKS FROM GB CHURCH

APPEAL from page one

on Britannia Boulevard, where both Christ Commission Church and a private school are based.

Officers responding to the scene found the church door damaged. Electronic equipment valued at over $7,000 was taken, while the school reported the theft of electronics and snacks worth more than $1,000. Senior pastor Alvin Smith said he is offering forgiveness and a chance for reconciliation, even as he urged the culprits to return what was taken. “I am appealing to those persons who may have entered into this place, or who know what happened, to say

something,” he said. “It is not too late for those persons who would have perpetrated this crime. The Lord is forgiving and loving, and so there is a hand extended. We ask for those perpetrators to come back and bring the stuff if they have them.” School officials said the break-in was demoralising. Administrator Stacey Beckles called it a “big setback”, describing it as “heart-wrenching” for people to see their hard work stolen. Fellow administrator Patricia Storr said while the crime was discouraging, the community remains resilient. “We continue to put our trust in God,” she added.

Police said investigations are ongoing.

‘Archaic law’ causes further harm to someone already traumatised

ABORTION from page one

trial before a jury. Prosecutors will now focus on rape charges against 24-yearold Alonzo Pinder, who is accused of impregnating the teenager.

Equality Bahamas said the case highlighted the dangers of maintaining outdated abortion laws. The group argued that treating abortion as a crime restricts access to healthcare, which it described as a fundamental right.

“This cannot be about the opinions of the masses. Abortion is a personal decision and need only involve the person seeking one and the medical professionals supporting them. In cases of rape and incest, it is particularly violent to expect survivors to carry resulting pregnancies to term,” the group said.

It added that prosecuting

people under “archaic law” only causes further harm to those already traumatised.

“This case should not have been brought to court not because it was dropped, but because it was based on archaic law that needs to change,” the statement read.

The organisation said the proceedings caused stress not only to the accused but also to people facing similar difficult circumstances.

Dr Minnis, along with the 45-year-old mother and 25-year-old sister of the teenager, had been charged with “intentionally and unlawfully” causing her to abort a foetus on Harbour Island on September 4.

While abortion remains illegal in almost all circumstances in The Bahamas, cases reaching the courts are rare. Nonetheless, a widespread underground culture of the practice reportedly exists.

Former president says voting turnout same as first attempt

ELECTED from page one

high-profile police corruption probe — vice president. The outcome unsettled several attorneys, with some absent members expressing shock that an election had been held, saying they had received little notice of the meeting. The results were ultimately declared void after it was determined that

not enough members had participated.

Responding to the controversy, Mr Ferguson said the election was poorly timed but insisted his candidacy should not be judged based on pending charges. “As a Bar, we should all be staunch in our view to uphold the constitutional guarantee of innocence until/unless found guilty in a court of law,” he said. “Any other

position from the Bar is inimical to our oath and duty to defend and protect the constitution.”

The Criminal Bar, a branch of the Bahamas Bar Association, represents criminal lawyers on issues ranging from inadequate court facilities to low fees for crown briefs. It is often the first body attorneys turn to before escalating matters to the Bar Council.

ANN MARIE DAVIS of the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister attended the Opening Ceremony for the 47th Conference of the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) held at Margaritaville Beach Resort on Monday. In addition to its general sessions, the conference, which runs from September 5 – 12, features Women in Parliament and Youth conferences, with discussions focused on climate change, women’s empowerment, gender equality, budgeting, and legislation from a gender-based perspective.

RBPF warns of rise in phishing scams

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Financial Crimes Investigation Branch of the Royal Bahamas Police Force is warning of a rise in phishing scams that trick victims into giving away their banking details through fake texts, phone calls, and websites.

Superintendent Anthony McCartney, officer in charge of the branch, said the scams are not new but remain a persistent problem. He noted that people from various banks have been affected, prompting police to renew their appeal for vigilance. According to investigators, scammers often claim victims’ accounts are locked and direct them to fraudulent websites where they are asked to enter banking information. Once obtained, criminals

lock victims out of their accounts and transfer money elsewhere.

Deputy Superintendent Yvette Rolle-Davis said fraudsters also target verification codes, persuading victims to hand them over during calls, which gives full access to accounts. She warned that people who allow their accounts to be used to move illicit funds are still legally responsible.

“So, you may have a family or friend who’s giving you some excuse as to whatever reasons that they need to use your banking account information to transfer funds… That itself is a no-no. And as we know with your account, the individuals who are allowing their accounts, they are, in fact, responsible for their own accounts,” she said.

Supt McCartney urged the public to stop assisting scammers, whether

knowingly or not. “We also want to send an appeal to persons who facilitate or assist these scammers in perpetrating these offences, we find that often times persons who come in contact with the police, they indicate that their banking information was stolen or lost,” he said.

“They’ve been asked by a friend to assist them from withdrawing funds from their account. Again if you want to prevent being subject to the harsh penalties of the law, we would advise you to desist from conducting such activities.”

Police stressed that financial institutions will never ask for personal information or verification codes, and people should report suspicious messages directly to their banks.

Officials said the scams are increasing daily, affecting people of all ages. They noted some success

Severe weather in Miami causes three flights to divert to LPIA

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THREE flights bound for Miami were diverted to New Providence on Monday due to severe weather at the destination, leaving nearly 200 passengers stranded for hours.

Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) marketing and commercial development vice president Jan Knowles said the diversions involved flights from St Croix, Mexico, and

Santiago and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. “We began seeing diversions at 3.45pm,” Ms Knowles told The Tribune yesterday. “The last diverted flight left LPIA at 1.20am this morning.” She added that one relief flight from Miami was arranged to bring in a new crew after some crews exceeded their permitted working hours. American news station Local 10 reported that passengers on American Airlines Flight 1917, diverted to Nassau, endured

hours stuck on the tarmac without air conditioning. Some reportedly fainted from the heat. The flight, originally due to land in Miami before 4pm Monday, did not arrive until about 1.30am Tuesday. Video footage shared with the station showed large crowds of passengers waiting inside Lynden Pindling International Airport. Ms Knowles said she was not aware of any medical emergencies at the airport in connection with the diversions.

recovering stolen funds and making arrests when incidents are reported quickly. Supt McCartney added that police are using technology and international

cooperation to track suspects, many of whom operate across borders.

“This is very alarming to us as law enforcement as our resources are directed

solely into dealing with persons, who, just by taking a little bit due diligence, can minimise or prevent themselves from being the victim of crimes,” he said.

The Tribune Limited

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

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

LEON E. H. DUPUCH

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

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Falling short for Family Islanders

A WOMAN had to be loaded on the back of a flatbed truck to be taken to an airlift for medical care while an ambulance stood unused in Long Island.

The patient clutched her oxygen tank as she was carried in the rain to an air ambulance in Long Island. The island’s actual ambulance could not be used because no one on duty could drive the stick shift vehicle and there was no key available.

Re-read those two sentences. If you are able to do so without shaking your head in despair or crying out in anger, we admire your restraint.

The incident took place on Monday –and prompts all kinds of questions about the quality of medical care available not just in Long Island, but across the other Family Islands and in New Providence too. Two ambulances have been stationed on Long Island for years. Neither is operational. To repeat a key word there: Years.

The local MP is Adrian Gibson. He says neither vehicle has been put into service because trained personnel and designated drivers were never assigned. He said yesterday: “No Long Islander should have to face that kind of indignity in 2025 when ambulances are sitting idle.”

He is right.

There are all kinds of examples of bad planning in this. First, having a stick shift vehicle should not be an insurmountable hurdle. Such vehicles are not uncommon – and learning to drive them is not complicated. If the personnel needs to be trained, train them. If for some reason you cannot teach a driver to drive such a vehicle, then why did you buy that type of vehicle in the first place? In either situation, the answer is not for the emergency vehicle to stand idle while patients have to be conveyed by other means. Not having a key available? That is simply bad organisation. The keys should always be available, in close proximity to the vehicle itself. Failing to clear that hurdle is simply a failure of basic fleet management.

There is video footage of the ambulance in Long Island, with the chairs still covered in plastic wrap. There is

absolutely no point in an ambulance being there solely to gather dust.

The person to pay the price for this bad planning is the patient. She should not have to suffer because of poor logistics.

This is far from the only case where there have been problems with emergency response. In Exuma this year, a US tourist who was in a boat accident waited for help that never arrived… and waited, and waited. In the end, he was loaded into the back of a truck to be taken for assistance.

In New Providence, earlier this year, FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands said there were just two ambulances in service to cater for the needs of 300,000 people in the capital. In June, it was reported that only one was in operation at one point.

After another incident in Long Island in January 2022, when a relative of a traffic fatality victim complained about the level of care, Health Minister Dr Michael Darville said: “I am concerned with the fact that in our Family Islands ground transportation for medical emergencies needs major improvements.”

He added: “I believe the days are gone when individuals who are in any sort of traumatic event are placed in the back of a truck and try to get to the facility or get to the airport. I believe we must do better.”

Here we are, three and a half years later, and the days of a patient in the back of a truck are still here – on the very same island that prompted his response. At the time, he said “unequivocally that something must be done”. So what has been done? The personnel is not there and the vehicles are useless.

If this is the kind of action that Dr Darville envisaged in response, it falls short by a long measure.

When we talk of Family Islanders deserving the same level of care as people in New Providence, we do not envisage that ending up as everywhere ending up with no ambulances.

These are literally emergency matters. They need to be fixed. It really and truly is a matter of life and death. For all of us.

Our children are not disposable

EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN The Bahamas, there is an unspoken crisis unfolding in our homes, schools, and communities. Children—our sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, and neighbours—are being sexually abused and exploited. Yet, too often, those who see something and know something choose to say nothing. This silence does not protect the innocent; it shields the predator. It is a betrayal of the most sacred duty we have as adults—to guard the most vulnerable among us. A moral compass is not a luxury; it is the foundation of a just and safe society. If we have reached a place where fear, shame, and social ties take precedence over protecting a child, then we have lost our way. We cannot call ourselves a decent people if we stand by quietly while innocence is stolen. Turning a blind eye does not absolve guilt—it makes us accomplices.

OF THE DAY

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fun,

We cannot pretend that our law enforcement and legal system alone will solve this. Too often, cases are delayed, mishandled, or lost in a maze of bureaucracy. Justice is slow, and predators exploit this weakness. That is why every citizen has a role to play. When a child’s life and dignity are at stake, there is no such thing as “someone else’s business.” That child is our business. This is not an appeal—it is a demand. It is a demand for courage over comfort, for action over apathy. If you know, you speak. If you see, you act. There are no excuses. No more covering for family members, friends, or community leaders who prey on the young. No more whispering in private while remaining silent in public. The future of our nation depends on the moral backbone of its people, not the indifference of its bystanders. We must restore morality, decency, safety, and

humanity to our communities. We must teach our children that their bodies are sacred and their voices powerful. We must show them, through our actions, that they matter more than the reputations of predators. Protecting them is not a favour—it is our sacred obligation.

Bahamians, we are at a crossroads. Either we choose to stand boldly for the children who cannot yet stand for themselves, or we choose the coward’s path of silence and complicity.

The decision we make today will echo for generations. Let us be remembered not for our excuses, but for our courage. Our children are not disposable. Their innocence is not negotiable

Our silence will not save us—it will destroy us. Speak up. Act now. Protect the children.

SHERVONNE CASH

HOLLIS Nassau, September 8, 2025.

Lack of progress on every island

EDITOR, The Tribune. ANOTHER General Election is fast approaching and there are many candidates offering themselves for various parties, and all of them are campaigning very hard in the hopes of winning. That is very good and it is democracy at work. This little country of ours must be able to move forward on the world stage and remain among the top tier countries in the region.

However, can we really say that we are moving forward, especially as it relates to Family Island development? Sadly, one size does not fit all and the demographics and uniqueness of our islands require custom fittings. The things they all require, however, are working fire engines, ambulances, lighted airstrips and proper banking services. This is 2025 and many islands are still in the 1960s.

In 1992, The Bahamas saw a change in government after twenty-five years of PLP reign. This change started the wheel of progress on our Family Islands. Roads were paved, telephone lines were available eliminating the party-line system, electricity and running water was installed. Banking services were increased/improved and airstrips were paved. Things were moving forward but there was still work to be done. Work that should have been continued by every successive administration.

It seems that Family Island development has taken a back seat since then and while some islands are receiving a small slice of the pie, other islands are receiving the crumbs or nothing at all. We cannot continue like this. Land that can be used for National development projects is either given away or squatted on with no real consequences. It saddens me whenever I read about the conditions of our Health system on

some islands and the lack of necessities at the various clinics.

Why is it that in 2025 we are transporting critically ill persons on the back of trucks? Why is it that ambulances that are usable are not strategically placed or available at the clinics on these islands? While this administration bragged about how many ambulances they purchased, why are some of these vehicles still parked and not in use?

I understand that these emergency vehicles are standard/manual shift and many of the drivers do not know how to drive them. If this is the case, lessons should be made available to the drivers and these vehicles assigned. Police Officers, nurses and doctors stationed on islands that are considered remote should be trained to drive standard shift vehicles as they are first responders in every aspect. I salute those that are fully trained and hope that all will avail themselves of these skills.

Recently a young child lost his life in a house fire on an island and a business and livelihood was destroyed by fire on another island because of the lack of firefighting equipment. We must do better. Instead of jet-setting across the globe, funds must be allocated and used where needed the most. There is a maintenance department in some ministries but the Ministry of Works has a “functioning” maintenance department that should be able to deploy personnel to service ambulances, fire engines and any other emergency vehicles assigned to family islands.

Clinics should be inspected and upkept on a regular basis, especially those remotely situated.

We must take the comforts of our people on these islands seriously. Only then can we look at the next phase of having persons return home to their islands to further develop. The ground work must start with the government. Citizens should not be a convenience and matter only when a vote is needed. Not all islands have the same needs, and some have needs that should take priority. It will make a difference in local tourism as well as international tourism. People would gladly build Air BnB’s and other investments on their islands if the proper infrastructures and services are made available.

Every island should have a branch of Bank of the Bahamas. Even if the branch services are not daily but staggered, availability should be there. Yes, I know that we are moving to a digital world, but some basic services should never be replaced by machines. Physical Banking is quickly becoming a thing of the past on some of our islands and it appears that with progress came regress.

So as the silly season heats up, let us look closely at what is given, what is promised, what is realistic and what is achievable.

Health care, emergency service vehicles, proper maintenance of clinics and availability to medical treatment, lighting of airstrips for emergency transport, clean running water, electricity, phone and cable services are not luxuries, they are necessities and should be made available to every Bahamian regardless of island and regardless of political choice. Forward, Upward, Onward, Together. Bahamian lives matter at all times, not just at elections.

VANESSA A SCOTT, JP Nassau, Bahamas September 9, 2025.

Man charged with rape and robbery of woman in GB

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 24-YEAR-OLD man was denied bail last week after being charged with raping and robbing a woman at knifepoint at a Grand Bahama inn in January.

Prosecutors allege Shemar Moss attacked the complainant in a room on King’s Road around 4am on January 19. The woman said Moss demanded sex, pulled a knife when she refused, and robbed her of her phone. She alleged he forced her to unlock the device, assaulted her, and raped her after removing her tampon. She said he slapped her when she begged him to stop.

The complainant claimed Moss told her she would

not get her phone back and ordered her to leave. She also said she had been in a relationship with his brother, Steffon Moss, who was asleep in the room at the time.

Shemar Moss was charged with rape and armed robbery, while his brother was charged with abetment to rape.

During a bail hearing before Justice Petra Hanna-Adderley, prosecutors noted that a witness, Othnell Clarke, withdrew his police statement without explanation.

Justice Hanna-Adderley said it was troubling that he could not stand by his statement only months later but nonetheless accepted the withdrawal. The court heard Moss argued that being held

in custody prevented him from supporting his children and family. However, Justice HannaAdderley noted he was already on bail for murder and attempted murder at the time of the alleged assault.

Prosecutors say Moss fatally shot Torry Henfield and wounded Crawford Hanna during a shooting at a night spot on East Sunrise Highway on December 25, 2021.

Justice Hanna-Adderley ruled that Moss posed a high risk of reoffending and interfering with witnesses and denied bail. His rape trial is scheduled to begin on July 27, 2026.

Cassie Bethel represented Moss, while Sean Smith prosecuted the case.

PROSECUTION CLOSES IN TRIAL OF A HIGH SCHOOL COACH ACCUSED OF SEX WITH TEEN

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THE prosecution closed its case yesterday in the trial of a high school coach accused of sexually assaulting an underaged male student four years ago. Robert Ayton, 54, appeared before Justice Guillimina ArcherMinns as prosecutors announced they would not

proceed with their final two witnesses. Ayton elected to have his attorney, Mario Gray, deliver an opening statement for the defence. The defendant also confirmed his intention to testify and call two witnesses later this month. Mr Gray is scheduled to begin the defence on September 15. Prosecutors allege Ayton touched the complainant inappropriately at the Doris

Johnson High School gym between October 1 and 31, 2019, and later had sexual relations with him at his home on two separate occasions between June 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021. The complainant was between 14 and 15 at the time.

Ayton faces two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and indecent assault.

Cordell Frazier and Vashti Bridgewater are prosecuting the case.

MAN CHARGED WITH HAVING $110K WORTH OF M ARIJUANA AND COCAINE IN HIS HOM E

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted $25,000 bail yesterday after being accused of having $110,000 worth of cocaine in his home last week.

Prosecutors allege that 51-year-old Carrington Knowles was found with 21 grams of marijuana after officers saw him acting suspiciously near a business on Talbot Street around 8.30pm on September 3.

Police later searched his residence on Penny Savings Bank Lane, where they allegedly seized an additional 7.3lbs of marijuana and 11lbs of cocaine.

The marijuana and cocaine have an estimated street value of $14,000 and $110,000 respectively.

Knowles was charged with possession of dangerous drugs and two counts of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply before Senior Magistrate Shaka Serville.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges. Bail was set at $25,000 with one or two sureties.

As part of his bail conditions, Knowles must sign in at the Wulff Road Police Station every Tuesday and Saturday by 7pm and will be fitted with a monitoring device.

He is scheduled to return to court on November 28.

Tai Pinder-Mackey represented the accused, while Inspector Cordero Farrington prosecuted the case.

MAN CHARGED WITH P OSSESSION OF A GUN AND A MMO AND DECEIT OF P UBLIC OFFICER

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was remanded to prison on Monday after being accused of carrying a loaded gun and falsely claiming to be a police officer.

Prosecutors allege that Brandon Carey, 32, was found outside a business on East Street South around 1am on September 5 with

a black Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Shield Plus pistol and four 9mm rounds. When confronted by Police Constable 4111 Brown, Carey allegedly claimed he was a police officer. He was arrested after officers discovered this was false.

Carey was charged before Magistrate Lennox Coleby with possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of ammunition, and

deceit of a public officer. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until the outcome of his bail hearing, set for September 12. Mark Penn represented the accused, while Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie appeared for the prosecution.

Misogyny in politics holds women back

W HILE L eslie Miller’s misogynistic, infantilising reference to Senator Michela Barnett- E llis is not at all surprising, given his many public episodes, it has drawn attention to the longstanding issue of discrimination against women in political and public life.

The idea that women are inferior and must be relegated to the private sphere and men are superior and entitled to the public sphere persists well beyond the time that one income was sufficient and (some) women’s only work was in the home and in service to the family (which was never the case for black women).

That patriarchal arrangement was in service to capitalism, even more than it was for men, as women made (and still make) it possible for men

By Alicia Wallace

to work through the provision of various unpaid services including the maintenance of the home and the people living in it and the reproduction of labourers.

Patriarchy created a hierarchy and it has required us to live according to this division, even after the point that women entered the public sphere and, as a matter of necessity, started to work for wages. Patriarchy assigned values and expectations based on gender and while the economic realities have

changed and society along with it, patriarchy has its devotees.

Just as patriarchy separated women and men into the private and public spheres, it instilled the belief that men are to be leaders and decisionmakers while women are to follow and submit.

Misogyny extends beyond the hatred of women to the hatred of all that is feminine. As emotions are viewed in a binary way, considered feminine or masculine, certain emotions are reserved for women and

Patriarchy created a hierarchy and it has required us to live according to this division, even after the point that women entered the public sphere and, as a matter of necessity, started to work for wages.

restricted for men.

On the basis of these socially constructed rules, it was determined that women are too “soft” and “emotional” for leadership, even as men regularly perform anger to the detriment of the people expected to follow them.

Women have worked, for generations, to gain access to opportunities to work and to lead through consistent efforts including, but not limited to, higher education. Today, men regularly attempt to use the level of education many women have attained, and subsequent professional success, as evidence that gender inequality does not exist. They refuse to see the persisting issues including sexual harassment in the workplace, the gender wage gap, and the impediments to participating in frontline politics and public life.

Miller’s misogynistic comment is evidence of the discrimination that still exists and is not only an annoyance, but a barrier to equal participation and, ultimately, the representation of women in leadership at the level that is proportionate to the population. It also highlights the issue of intersecting forms of discrimination that women face.

A women vying for candidacy or for a seat in Parliament are not only unfairly judged rather than appropriately assessed because of their gender, but because of their (perceived) age, class, and other identities. Women are expected to be deferential and young people are expected to be deferential. Young women are expected to be doubly deferential should they even dare to be in the same space as men.

I t is an embarrassment that only 18 percent of parliamentarians are women. No government administration has ever addressed this issue by instituting a political quota. Perhaps even worse, no political party has chosen to take the lead in addressing this issue, demonstrating commitment to achieving gender equality by instituting a quota at the party level.

This is clear evidence of the priorities and the cowardice of political parties. Temporary special measures such as political quotas have been recommended to The Bahamas on numerous occasions through international human rights mechanisms in which The Bahamas voluntarily participates.

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in Article 3, obligates States to “ensure the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all civil and political rights set forth in the present Covenant.”.

Importantly, Article 25 states, “Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity[…] to take part in the conduct

have emerged and knowledge that has since been created that are not explicitly stated in the Convention. To ensure that it can carry out its mandate and respond to the realities on the ground with its collective human rights expertise, the C E DAW Committee produces General Recommendations which expand upon Articles of the Convention, address areas of concern, and guide States in their reporting.

of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives [and] to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors.”

Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women (Convention of Belem Do Para) states in Article 4 that “Every woman has the right to the recognition, enjoyment, exercise and protection of all human rights and freedoms embodied in regional and international human rights instruments. These rights include, among others[…] The right to have equal access to the public service of her country and to take part in the conduct of public affairs, including decision-making”. It continues, in Article 5, “Every woman is entitled to the free and full exercise of her civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and may rely on the full protection of those rights as embodied in regional and international instruments on human rights. The States Parties recognise that violence against women prevents and nullifies the exercise of these rights.”

The Sustainable Development Goals were adopted in 2015, and goal five on gender equality includes “ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life” as a target. The indicators are the proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments and local government and the proportion of women in managerial positions.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), also known as the bill of women’s rights, was ratified by The Bahamas in 1993—acknowledgement discrimination against women as a violation of women’s human rights and a commitment to take the necessary steps to come into compliance with the Convention in order to end discrimination against women.

Article 7 of the Convention calls on States to “take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the political and public life of the country and, in particular, shall ensure to women, on equal terms with men, the right[…] to be eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies [and] to participate in the formulation of government policy and the implementation thereof and to hold public office and perform all public functions at all levels of government.”

As C E DAW was adopted in 1979 and entered into force in 1981, there issues that

There are General Recommendations, for example, on violence against women, older women and protection of their human rights, rights of rural women, and gender-related dimensions of disaster risk reduction in the context of climate change. I n 2024, the C E DAW Committee produced General Recommendation 40 on equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems. I t begins, “Women have the right to equal and inclusive representation in all decision-making systems on equal terms with men[…] This right is still not respected. This also seriously hampers implementation of all other rights under the C E DAW Convention.” General Recommendation 40 was produced as a comprehensive guide for States “on achieving equal and inclusive representation of women in all decision-making systems across all sectors, aiming for a systemic change”. It recognises seven pillars of equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems, recognising “patriarchal structures impede women’s equal and inclusive representation in decision-making systems” and the need for a transformational approach that dismantles those structures. The pillars are:

1. 50:50 parity between women and men as a starting point and universal norm;

2. Effective youth leadership conditioned by parity;

3. Intersectionality and inclusion of women in all their diversity in decisionmaking systems;

4. A comprehensive approach to decisionmaking systems across spheres;

5. Women’s equal power and influence in decisionmaking systems;

6. Structural transformation for equal and inclusive decision-making;

7. Civil society representation in decision-making systems.

General Recommendation 40 is available online. It described all seven pillars and not only sets on the obligations of States, but provides guidance for meeting the obligations. Its recommendations include legal amendments to institutionalize 50:50 parity between women and men in all spheres of decision-making, adoption of a parity strategy, provision of education on temporary and permanent special measures, implementation of awareness-raising campaigns toward positive discourse on parity, cooperation with media to condemn, monitor and ensure accountability for sexism and misogyny, and prevention and prosecution of hate speech in decision-making and against women candidates. All candidates, representatives, leaders, and members of political parties should read the document and contribute to moving The Bahamas toward compliance through all means available to them.

Apple unveiled iPhone 17 lineup, including the frst iPhone Air, here’s what’s new

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS

AP Business Writer

APPLE’S iPhone 17 lineup is here. The tech giant on Tuesday unveiled four new models that mark the latest editions to its marquee product.

That includes the introduction of the iPhone Air, which Apple says is its thinnest smartphone yet.

And, as seen in years past, its newest phones boast better cameras, longer lasting batteries and a handful of other upgrades across the board. The latest devices come with a new a A19 chip, which will particularly help power Apple’s artificial intelligence features.

Tuesday’s lineup mark the first phones Apple has released since President Donald Trump returned to the White House and unleased a barrage of tariffs impacting goods that businesses sell and consumers buy every day.

Some analysts speculated that California-based Apple may raise iPhone prices leading up to Tuesday’s announcement. But for the most part, Apple is sticking with the same price tags it’s slapped on its newest iPhones over recent years, just weeks after Google also held steady on prices for its new Pixel smartphones.

Here’s what to know about the iPhone 17, which officially hits stores Sept. 19 — and other gadget updates.

Apple’s going price for the iPhone 17 begins at about $800 — compared

to $1,100 and $1,200 for its iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models. The iPhone Air will start at $1,000. Most of that aligns with the pricing Apple has rolled out with its new iPhones over the last five years — with the exception of the Pro, which is $100 more expensive this year. But that still falls within the $800 to $1,200 range that the company has outlined between its most basic and top offerings since 2020.

Apple’s latest iPhone lineup arrives as companies across industries face rising costs from Trump’s new punishing tariffs on imports from around the world. And the Trump administration has also repeatedly insisted that iPhones should be made in the US, rather than in the company’s current manufacturing hubs overseas. But analysts stress that this is an unrealistic demand that would take years to pull off — and could result in doubling, or event tripling, iPhone’s current average price of $1,000.

In addition to better camera quality on its front and back facing lenses, iPhone 17’s front camera has been upgraded across its lineup to have a wider field of view and new sensor, allowing you to take landscape photos and other selfie orientations without having to rotate your phone.

iPhone’s new Air offering also gives users the option to record videos using the front and back cameras simultaneously.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max added a more powerful telephoto lens, among other improvements.

Apple also boasted longer battery life across its iPhone 17 lineup. It said that its new iPhone Air, in particular, would be the tech giant’s most power-efficient iPhone yet.

The iPhones Apple rolled out last year were the first the company designed with a wide range of new AI features.

The iPhone 17 lineup announced Tuesday doesn’t make as many leaps as its predecessor — but each phone will come with Apple’s latest operating system, iOS 26, which will feature incremental AI advances.

Previewed at its developers conference in June and set to also launch next week, iOS 26 will include capabilities like allowing you to take a screenshot and get a breakdown of what’s on your screen, as well as more live translation offerings. Apple on Tuesday also pointed to other features powered with AI that are specific to the iPhone 17 line, such as its new “Center Stage” feature for its front-facing camera.

Still, Apple is playing a bit of catchup in the AI arena overall, and has run into some recent missteps. While the iPhone 16 has proven to be popular, the models didn’t sell quite as well as analysts had anticipated because Apple failed to deliver all the AIfuelled improvements it had promised, including a

smarter and more versatile Siri assistant. The Siri improvements have been pushed back until next year.

In addition to the iPhone 17, Apple also unveiled other gadget updates on Tuesday — including AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Among updates to Apple’s newest AirPods is live translation, which uses on-device AI to translate when other languages are spoken around the person using them. Similar live translation offerings have been previous rolled out by rival Google, for its Pixel products. Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 will be priced at $249.

Apple’s boasted a new “sleep score” tracking feature and hypertension notifications for its Series 11 smart watch. The hypertension feature flags for potential high blood pressure — taking data from the heart rate sensor and analysing it for patterns related to hypertension. Apple on Tuesday noted that this is still pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

Meanwhile, Apple says its latest high-end sports watch — the Ultra 3 — now features the biggest display and longest battery life seen in any of the company’s watches, among other updates. Available starting Sept. 19, the Ultra 3 is priced at $799, while the Series 11 is $399. Apple’s latest update to the Apple Watch SE, its simplest watch offering, will be $249.

How the AP uncovered US big tech’s role in China’s digital police state

By DAKE KANG Associated Press

OVER the past quarter century, American tech companies to a large degree designed and built China’s surveillance state, playing a far greater role in enabling human rights abuses than previously known, the Associated Press has found.

AP journalists spoke to more than 100 sources, scoured tens of thousands of documents, and obtained several major leaks of internal and classified material, the existence of which is being reported here for the first time.

Researchers and reporters have raised questions about American technology in Chinese policing before. Companies have pushed back, saying they weren’t aware of or responsible for the way their technology was being used.

But AP found Chinese police and state-owned defence contractors partnered with American tech firms — especially IBM — to design China’s surveillance apparatus from the top down. American tech companies not only knew, some also directly pitched their tech as tools for Chinese police to control citizens. IBM and other companies that responded said they fully complied with all laws, sanctions and US export controls governing business in China, past and present.

AP reporters and freelance partners spent three years combing through tens of thousands of documents, including:

-Thousands of pages of classified government documents, blueprints, and accounting ledgers from a Chinese military contractor and IBM partner. They were taken out of China by a whistleblower and handed to AP by an intermediary, both of whom declined to be named for fear of retribution.

-Over 20,000 leaked internal emails and a large database from Landasoft, a Chinese surveillance company and former IBM partner. They were obtained from an intermediary who declined to be identified for fear of retribution. Landasoft sold the software used to flag and detain people in China’s far western region of Xinjiang during a brutal government crackdown.

- Hundreds of marketing presentations, flyers, pamphlets and posts, often obtained from the companies themselves, at policing trade expos, on company and third-party websites and on official accounts on WeChat, a Chinese social media platform. Many advertised their gear directly for use by Chinese police or surveillance firms and were marked “internal.”

-Over 4,000 Chinese procurement bids given to AP by ChinaFile, a digital magazine published by the nonprofit Asia Society, as well as others found separately by AP reporters. Many showed purchases of American and foreign technology by Chinese police.

-Publicly available records, including Chinese research papers, news articles, corporate reports, and court judgments. Most were obtained in China, where access to such information is growing increasingly tight.

The investigation started with a massive trove of internal emails and a database from Landasoft, the Chinese surveillance firm, obtained by Yael Grauer, a freelance journalist. Grauer worked with AP journalists to verify, analyse, and report out its contents.

The emails and documents revealed Landasoft software was at the heart of China’s mass detention campaign in Xinjiang — targeting, tracking and grading virtually the entire native Uyghur population to forcibly assimilate and subdue them. The leaked material was peppered with references to American firms.

Reporters searched phone numbers and crosschecked the leaked material with publicly available information to confirm its authenticity.

Chinese corporate records revealed Landasoft’s links to IBM as a reseller of IBM’s i2 police surveillance analysis software. Analysis of the leaked emails revealed Landasoft staff said their software was copied from i2 and customized for the Chinese market.

Reporters traced IBM’s partnership with Landasoft and affiliated companies back to the 2000s. Classified Chinese government documents obtained by AP revealed that IBM and other American companies played an instrumental role in Beijing’s surveillance apparatus from the very beginning.

Three outside experts on Chinese surveillance judged the classified documents as authentic.

What to know about the Israeli strike aimed at Hamas leaders in Qatar

By JOSEPH KRAUSS Associated Press

AN ISRAELI strike that targeted top Hamas leaders Tuesday as they gathered in the Gulf nation of Qatar marked a major escalation against the militant group and could upend negotiations aimed at ending the war in Gaza and returning Israeli hostages.

It could also spark a diplomatic crisis with Qatar, a US ally hosting thousands of American troops that has served as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas for several years, even before the latest war.

Hamas said its top leaders survived, while acknowledging the deaths of two lower-ranking members and three bodyguards. The militant group, which has sometimes only confirmed the killing of its leaders months later, offered no immediate proof that senior figures were still alive.

Qatar said a member of its internal security forces was killed and others were wounded.

The strike came as Hamas leaders based in the Qatari capital, Doha, were weighing a new ceasefire proposal from the Trump administration. The White House said Israel had informed the US before the strike and that it had in turn warned the Qataris.

President Donald Trump distanced himself from the strike, saying in a social media post that “this was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” and that bombing Qatar “does not advance Israel or America’s goals.”

Nearly all of Hamas’ top leaders in Gaza, including the two architects of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war, have been killed.

But part of the group’s senior leadership, including Khalil al-Hayya, Mahmoud Darwish and Khaled Meshaal, have long resided abroad, mainly in Qatar and Turkey. Israel has threatened to target Hamas leaders wherever they are, but until now had steered clear of Qatar, likely because of the Gulf nation’s close ties to the United States and its role as a mediator.

Hamas has survived the assassination of several top leaders since it was established in the 1980s, but it has never faced an onslaught on the scale of Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 attack.

The war has killed over 64,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many were fighters or civilians but says women and children make up around half of the dead. Entire towns and neighbourhoods have been bombed to rubble, 90% of the population of 2 million has been displaced, often multiple times, and parts of the territory are experiencing famine.

The Hamas-run government and police have largely vanished, but the group is still able to mount guerrilla-style attacks on Israeli forces. Four soldiers were killed Monday when a bomb was thrown into a tank.

Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack and killed some 1,200, mostly civilians. Forty-eight hostages are still inside Gaza, around 20 of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefires or other deals. They are Hamas’ last bargaining chip, and the militants say they will release them only in return for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal.

DOES DONAL D TRUMP HAVE POWER T O IMPOSE SWEEPING TARIFFS?

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

THE Supreme Court granted an unusually quick hearing on President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on Tuesday, putting a policy at the center of his economic agenda squarely before the nation’s highest court.

The justices will hear the case in November, a lightning-fast timetable by the Supreme Court’s typical standards, and rule at some point after that. The tariffs will stay in place in the meantime.

The court agreed to take up an appeal from the Trump administration after lower courts found most of his tariffs illegal.

The small businesses and states that challenged them also agreed to the accelerated timetable. They say Trump’s import taxes on goods from almost every country in the world have nearly driven their businesses to bankruptcy.

“Congress, not the President alone, has the power to impose tariffs,” attorney Jeffrey Schwab with the Liberty Justice Center said.

Two lower courts have agreed that Trump didn’t have the power to impose all the tariffs under an emergency powers law, though a divided appeals court left them in place.

The Trump administration asked the justices to intervene quickly, arguing the law gives him the power to regulate imports and striking down the tariffs would put the country on “the brink of economic catastrophe.”

The case will come before a court that has been reluctant to check Trump’s extraordinary flex of executive power.

One big question is whether the justices’ own expansive view of presidential authority allows for Trump’s tariffs without the explicit approval of Congress, which the Constitution endows with the power to levy tariffs. Three

of the justices on the conservative-majority court were nominated by Trump in his first term.

While the tariffs and their erratic rollout have raised fears of higher prices and slower economic growth, Trump has also used them to pressure other countries into accepting new trade deals. Revenue from tariffs totalled $159 billion by late August, more than double what it was at the same point a year earlier.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer has argued that the lower court rulings are already affecting those trade negotiations. If the tariffs are struck down, the US Treasury might take a hit by having to refund some of the import taxes it’s collected, Trump administration officials have said. A ruling against them could even the nation’s ability to reduce the flow of fentanyl and efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, Sauer argued.

The administration did win over four appeals court judges who found the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, lets the president regulate importation during emergencies without explicit limitations. In recent decades, Congress has ceded some tariff authority to the president and Trump has made the most of the power vacuum. The case involves two sets of import taxes, both of which Trump justified by declaring a national emergency: the tariffs first announced in April and the ones from February on imports from Canada, China and Mexico. It doesn’t include his levies on foreign steel, aluminum and autos, or the tariffs Trump imposed on China in his first term that were kept by Democratic President Joe Biden.

Trump can impose tariffs under other laws, but those have more limitations on the speed and severity with which he could act.

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