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VOLUME:116 No.200, OCTOBER 10TH, 2019
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Dorian’s $430m hit on Treasury
L SOUR CE
PETER YOUNG: ENFORCE THE LAW BUT SHOW GOOD WILL
SEE PAGE EIGHT
Turnquest details impact on budget and recovery spend By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net THE bill for the fiscal year will balloon by more than $430m because of Hurricane Dorian, with the government expecting to spend nearly $230m to recover from the storm while anticipating a revenue hit of about $215m, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest. He stressed in the House of Assembly yesterday evening that his figures are preliminary. He expects a more
substantial assessment of the storm’s impact when the United Nation’s Economic Committee for Latin American and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) completes their full damage and loss assessment of Abaco and Grand Bahama. The fiscal deficit for the 2019-2020 fiscal year will likely be about $573.4m, he said. In May, the government forecast a deficit of $137m; Dorian has caused that projection to increase by $436.4m. SEE PAGE FIVE
GOVT TO ISSUE FULL THEN CAME THE DELUGE... LIST OF THE MISSING HEAVY rainfall in New Providence left a number of areas affected by flooding. See page 11 for more photographs.
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net MINISTER of Social Services Frankie Campbell said in the House of Assembly yesterday that 1,208 people are still unaccounted for after Hurricane Dorian. The figure is a remarkable increase in the number of people missing and it caused confusion within government yesterday evening because officials had previously indicated the
numbers were steadily declining as they cross-checked databases and tracked people down. Mr Campbell’s statement came during debate on the new disaster preparedness legislation. “We’ve been able to contact or reconnect 950 persons,” he said. “To date the number of persons still missing or unaccounted for is 1,003 in Abaco and 205 in Grand Bahama.” SEE PAGE SIX
ASH CLAIMS PM’S WORDS SPARKED DEATH THREATS By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
BUSINESSMAN Jonathan Ash yesterday claimed that the prime minister’s pronouncements about his involvement in the Hurricane Matthew clean-up caused him to receive death threats and warnings to leave the country. Mr Ash testified in court that after the prime minister made his comments, one man in particular started sending him pictures of “dead people” and told him: “Bey we ga do this to you (sic).” Mr Ash said other men from various areas in New Providence, like the Nassau Village community, started to tell him that he had “better leave the island” and that he “better don’t let no one catch him”. Mr Ash’s statements were
JONATHAN Ash outside court, with his head covered as he is escorted by police. Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/ Tribune Staff in response to a request from the jury for him to explain what he meant when he said he was “in fear” for his life while he allegedly paid former Cabinet minister Shane Gibson bribes to ensure he would be paid the $1m plus he was
owed for hurricane cleanup work. Yesterday, he said at the time, the government had sent him a number to employ to complete the clean-up work. Most of them, he said, had on ankle monitoring devices, and some had curfews. Others, Mr Ash said, were members of various gangs in New Providence, such as One Order, Fire and Theft, and Rebellion. Mr Ash said whenever the government was slow to pay him, he would see the “anger” in his employees. Mr Ash told the court it got to a point where he would have to call former Assistant Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander, who at the time was in charge of the Central Detective Unit (CDU), on Fridays for his assistance.
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
SEE PAGE THREE
ONE KILLED, TWO SHOT BY LONE GUNMAN POLICE in New Providence are investigating a shooting that left two men in hospital and another dead. Shortly after 11am yesterday, the men were standing in front of a building on Taylor Street in Nassau Village when an armed man approached and shot them. SEE PAGE NINE
CABLE BAHAMAS BANKING ON PROFIT RETURN By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
CABLE Bahamas’ top executive has said the 69 percent reduction in fourth quarter losses showed performance was “coming right” regardless of the $332.5m Summit Broadband sale. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
PAGE 2, Thursday, October 10, 2019
Weekend Music • Fashion •Film • Food •History •More Get your copy with tomorrow’s Tribune
THE TRIBUNE
56 HAITIANS DETAINED IN IMMIGRATION OPERATION A DEPARTMENT of Immigration operation resulted in the arrest of 56 Haitian nationals. The operation was carried at approximately 6pm on Tuesday. After processing, 40 people were committed to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre. This group included 13 men, 16 women and 11 minors. These people are expected to be arraigned in
YOUR
Magistrate’s Court sometime this week to answer charges including illegal landing and overstaying, the department said. This operation was led by Harold Thurston, chief immigration officer and his team along with the K9 Unit. This operation covered areas inclusive of Carmichael Road, Faith Avenue, Potter’s Cay Dock, Hay Street and Kemp Road.
CHOICE FOR THE FAMILY WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JOYFM1019
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, October 10, 2019, PAGE 3
FORMER Cabinet Minister Shane Gibson pictured arriving at court.
Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
Ash claims PM’s words sparked death threats from page one Mr Ash also said that he ended up hiring police officers — an Officer Moxey in particular — to be present on Fridays to ensure there were no altercations in the event that “there was a hang up on my money”. Previously, Mr Ash said that after Gibson messaged him on WhatsApp in March 2017 and told him he needed between $50,000 and $100,000 for nine Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) members of parliament, and he subsequently made those payments, various people reached out to him about him “making all this money” and telling him how the prime minister had his name “ringing” throughout the country. At that point, Mr Ash said he felt like he was “between a rock and a hard place”, and began to get afraid. He said with him being a “small businessman,” and before he got “taken out”, he should “come forward and say what happened”. Yesterday, Mr Ash explained that it was after the prime minister made his statements about his involvement in the hurricane clean-up efforts the year before, that he received the threatening message from one man. “And then I had fellows like from Nassau Village begin to say, ‘young man you better leave the island,’ and ‘boy he better don’t let no one catch him,’ and ‘this what we ga do.’ So that’s why I said I was in fear for my life,” Mr Ash said. He also denied assertions by lead defence attorney Keith Knight, QC, that he is a “dangerously untruthful man” who testified against Gibson only because he got immunity from prosecution.
Mr Ash further denied the accusation that he had “a number” of other reasons for giving false testimony against Gibson, which included the Crown releasing a freezing order on his bank account on September 24, just before Gibson’s trial started. “You could take it now,” Mr Ash said. “Take the money and the (agreement). I’d do the same thing.” As vocal and defensive as he has ever been since taking the witness stand, and moments after Mr Knight had urged him to “confess your sins”, Mr Ash instead accused the Jamaican attorney of conjuring up lies in his client’s defense. “I’m not lying,” Mr Ash bellowed. “You are lying for Mr Gibson! You are, not me. Straight up. “I know I’m speaking the truth,” he added. “My statement, my WhatsApp messages, the text messages, the phone calls concerning the ‘shingles’, everything is there. I am not lying! I rest my case.” Mr Knight subsequently drew Mr Ash’s attention to the fact that he was assisting Gibson in his
political campaign efforts in the lead-up to the May 2017 general election, free of charge according to the evidence, in circumstances where he was in a compromising position. However, Mr Ash replied: “You ever hear the saying say when your hand is in the lion’s mouth, what do you do? You just yuck it out? You take your time.” When Mr Knight asked Mr Ash if after the May 10, 2017 general election, if his hand was still “in the lion’s mouth”, Mr Ash replied: “Still right there.” Mr Ash also denied Mr Knight’s assertions that he lied on Gibson because of his “good relationship” with Deborah Bastian— the woman who allegedly acted as a middle-woman
in accepting Mr Ash’s bribery payments on Gibson’s behalf, and his consequent desire to “protect” her. Conversely, Mr Ash said while he and Ms Bastian had an “okay relationship”, she and Gibson had an even better relationship, in that the former minister rehired her to work at a government agency after she was either fired or had retired. “We had an okay relationship,” Mr Ash said. “But her and Mr Gibson had a better relationship than me. He brought her back. She was fired. He brought her back into National Insurance. Check the records.” When asked if he knew that as a fact, Mr Ash merely repeated: “Check the records.” He further
stated that he couldn’t recall when Gibson brought Ms Bastian back to work, he maintained: “I know she was retired,” and said she had told him about the matter. However, despite his insisting that he was not lying on Gibson Mr Ash admitted that on a number of occasions, including some in 2017, he provided false information to “agents of the state.” In response to questions by Mr Knight, Mr Ash said that in 2013, he had some “difficulties” with the
controller of the Department of Customs and Excise Department after he submitted a false declaration of entry. “I’m a businessman… if someone gives me an invoice, and I’m a broker, I only could go by what they give me,” Mr Ash explained. Then in 2017, Mr Ash submitted a false invoice. On another occasion, Mr Knight said, Mr Ash, by way of company, High Rollers Trucking, submitted another false invoice. The court case continues.
PAGE 4, Thursday, October 10, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
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Can there be smarter ways to pay the bill? THE cost of Hurricane Dorian is beginning to become clearer. Not the human cost - for that we still have the very slowly rising death toll and confusion over how many are missing. The financial cost to the nation, however, is starting to be priced up. Finance Minister Peter Turnquest yesterday warned that the county will have a bill of more than $430m because of Hurricane Dorian - $230m in spending on recovery and $215m in revenue reduction. That money, of course, will have to be made up from somewhere, and already there have been warnings of a cut in spending across government departments. If you look around at government departments, certainly there is little sign of lavish spending in recent times on infrastructure - so as any manager of sizeable businesses will tell you, when significant cuts come that will often mean cutting jobs. Shrinking the number of people contributing to NIB or being able to pay for as much in VAT might not be as helpful as some might imagine. Previously, Mr Turnquest has said there would be no new taxes or increases in existing taxes - although he always added one word at the end: yet. That hour may be coming, but - isn’t it about time the government got a little creative with ways of raising revenue? They’ve already been creative in one respect - setting aside $10m as a loan programme for small and medium-sized businesses to help recovery. But can they be creative in taxes? The Bahamas has a huge number of tourists, for example - is there a way to impose a short-term $5 tax per visitor to go towards hurricane recovery. Literally call it a hurricane recovery tax to let the visitor know that it’s going towards rebuilding the country they’re visiting. How about those residents who live here for an environment free of income tax, in their Lyford Cay, or Old Fort Bay or Albany recluses? Without imposing an income tax, could a contribution be drawn from them? Perhaps a one-off tax on properties worth more than $5m? It’s a dilemma - and one we don’t envy a Finance Minister who had
worked so hard to balance the books. Dorian truly has blown a hole in the budget that the highest-performing economy in the world might have struggled to deal with. But as he considers his options, we hope Mr Turnquest can find some inventive solutions - and that he’ll have the support of the Cabinet when he does.
Paying it forward
The challenge that The Bahamas faces, of course, would be all the tougher if it were not for the help we are receiving from elsewhere. In today’s Tribune, for example, we report that China has donated $500,000 to the National Emergency Management Agency, making good on their earlier promise that the first $20,000 they donated was but the first aid they were offering. Of course, in recent weeks, we have recorded donations from Canada, from the UK, from all manner of places. Even the nation of Micronesia donated $100,000 to assist - all of which does two things: helps to start the rebuilding right away, and eases the burden of cost later. Significant help has come from the US - not just in donations, but in the hours and manpower of rescue teams immediately after the hurricane, without whose efforts many more lives might have been lost. That time for donations has not stopped of course - aid will still be coming to us from afar, and we must make sure that we too continue to give to those in need. The pace of donations at many shelters has slowed now after the initial rush, and more will be needed. Non-perishable food will always be welcomed for people stuck in shelters or staying in people’s homes who need to eat but now have no income, but there will be other specific donations needed too. Organisations such as the New Providence Community Church or the Equality Bahamas team based at the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas will welcome your help. After all, if the world is reaching out to help us, those of us able to do so should be reaching out too.
Dorian, I hate you EDITOR, The Tribune. DORIAN I gon smack you. Dorian behave yourself, you is one big naughty girl. I gon smack you. Dorian you realise you took my friends and neighbours, love ones, dogs and cats and things I had as memories. Dorian behave yourself; I gon smack you. You did that, you blew the 185-200 mph winds as a hurricane category 5 Storm. You were told by God not too. But you still went ahead
of yourself and did so. God will take out his wrath on you. Dorian you realise that. Listen you hear me Dorian! You went out your way and demolished Abaco then you did the same to Grand Bahama. You destroyed buildings, the electrical wires, boats, lives, and even God’s creation islandwide. Dorian I Gon Take A Strapping To You! It was you; quit lying to me. I don’t appreciate it. You told me “You were not going to do it” You told me you were
not going to break the record, but I did not realise what you meant. You made a fool out of me. Oh! Dorian look at the bodies; quit that simper before I really take a strapping to you. I am tired and fed up of talking to you Dorian you think you and me is company eh! I am going to ask Jah to chase you away; get out of my face Dorian and I mean it Now! Get Lost Dorian! Stay Away Now! LOXSLEY L BASTIAN Nassau, October 9, 2019.
Are we equipped? EDITOR, The Tribune. A US-BASED Animal Service using infra-red vision and a drone found a dog, potcake, almost alive under the rubble of Marsh Harbour yesterday which has gone viral on network TV. May I ask our Minister of National Security did the Security Forces immediately after the passing of Dorian use
similar ‘infra-red vision and a drone over the devastated area of Marsh Harbour the Cays, etc? If not why not and the same goes for Grand Bahama. Human life could have been saved or we would have been able to find more bodies so their families would have been able to have closure. We see from a press report in The Tribune
a whole month 30 days after Dorian had passed RBDF finally decides they need a Headquarters on the ground in Abaco and ship their containerised Headquarters set-up…30 days later Minister - Commodore surely the first thing going after Dorian passed? ABRAHAM MOSS Nassau, October 8, 2019.
Cry the beloved country EDITOR, The Tribune. I WATCHED in horror and dismay when our northern islands were decimated by the terrible storm, Dorian, resulting in massive loss of life and belongings. However, in the weeks following this disaster I have been even more horrified and dismayed in watching my country forfeit its right to be called “a Christian nation”. I never dreamt that I would hear my fellow countrymen and women spew such vitriol and hatred against the “stranger in our gates”. This is especially so given the help and love shown to us by countries and people from all over the world. A friend of mine from another country, not Haiti, has been helping in the camps set up for the evacuees. She cooked and found clothing for them for weeks, until last weekend when she saw the persons in charge of the camp or centre, place on the food table a piece of paper with the words ‘Bahamians
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net only’. Is this what we have come to, Bahamas? This week, she will continue helping but she will ensure that she gives her gifts out personally. She also noted that while the Haitian refugees would sweep and mop, the Bahamians would lay off and watch. Reminiscent of the people of North Eleuthera liming while foreigners repaired their settlements. The situation has not been helped by the vitriol being disseminated by social media and talk shows ad nauseam, and further worsened by the Bahamas government changing its stance in respect of Haitians displaced by Dorian. Has the government forgotten that these people watched members of their family washed or blown away? Has it forgotten that they too have lost everything? These persons are still in a state of shock. Some of
the children are orphans. Have we, noted for our Bible pumping, lost sight of the need for humanity. Are we really serious about sending persons like these, many of whom have unexpired work permits, and have been in The Bahamas for many years, into a country which is in the throes of unrest? Do we really have to send immigration officers, dressed as if for desert storm en masse into the Abaco community to add to their distress? Or are our politicians playing to the lowest common denominator in Bahamian society because they fear losing votes? Like Alan Paton I cry for my beloved country and I hope that we will see a return to a Christian nation. Perhaps one day, when the sea reclaims our islands, our descendants may be begging to sit on the hills and mountains of Haiti. JEANNE THOMPSON Nassau, October 5, 2019.
Stop cull on Cable Beach EDITOR, The Tribune. To whom it may concern: Please stop cutting down all the trees along Cable Beach. These trees have given us shade, protection from the wind, absorbed the salt spray, noise, and all the pollution from the traffic for years. It looks so ugly now, with dirty broken curbs, tree stumps, discarded electrical
boxes, billboards, weeds and old tyres. There are a few trees left and they are marked for cutting too. Stop! Stop! Stop! I know there are many out there that hate the Casuarina trees, but please don’t use the excuse that these trees have caused accidents or they leave a mess. People cause accidents, and there is so much more mess now than ever before. There’s been no
attempt to beautify the area, it’s just been left scarred and abandoned. Don’t make Cable Beach as ugly as many other areas in Nassau where things have been hacked up. Leave the trees alone and clean up the mess! Thank you, CABLE BEACH RESIDENT Nassau, October 9, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, October 10, 2019, PAGE 5
Dorian’s $430m hit on Treasury from page one The East Grand Bahama MP revealed that the National Emergency Management Agency has received $5.8 million in donations from various private, corporate, foreign government, intergovernmental and non-profit organisations since the storm. “So far, $1.9m is being spent on the purchase of recreational vehicles which housed relief workers and volunteers and $2.8m was spent on the mobilisation of dome structures to provide the mentioned temporary housing for displaced persons,” he said. He did not say how much the government will borrow, noting that discussions are ongoing over this with leaders of local commercial banks. Of the IDB’s $100m contingency loan for natural disasters, $30m has already been allocated for electricity restoration, $15m for water restoration, $30m for social welfare – including a possible extension of unemployment benefits – $15m for clean-up efforts and one million for the reimbursement of
DAMAGE in Abaco after Hurricane Dorian. evacuation and shelter costs, he said. The government is using the $12.9m from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) and will deploy $20m from the extinguished dormant account funds for disaster recover activities. Mr Turnquest said $10m of this will be earmarked to
Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
help small and medium sized enterprises as part of the $10m loan guarantee and equity financing programme which will let eligible SMEs secure up to $500,000 in financing. “When it comes to spending, initial estimates show we will need to spend an additional $222.4m, with a split of $80.9m for recurrent spending and $141.5m
for capital,” he said. “These funds will primarily be used for rebuilding critical infrastructure on Abaco and Grand Bahama, including electricity and water serves, the reconstruction of affected medical facilities, the construction of temporary housing and the delivery of targeted government services and assistance to affected populations.”
Five million dollars to fund the new Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction will come from the dormant account funds, he said. Because the projected $573m deficit exceeds the $137m fiscal target identified in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, Mr Turnquest said “the government is required to devise and present a fiscal adjustment plan outlining three components: the reasons for the departure from the fiscal target, the measures the government intends to take to get back on track and an estimate of how long it will take to do it.” He added: “As required by the act, we intend to provide such a plan to both the Parliament and the Fiscal Responsibility Council in November as part of the upcoming 2019 fiscal strategy report. We will also present a supplementary Hurricane Dorian budget that will outline the adjusted revenue and spending positions, alongside a request for the additional borrowing authorisations.” Drawing implicit contrasts with the previous administration, Mr
Turnquest said the Minnis administration put the government in a better position to respond to hurricanes of the magnitude of Dorian through several measures: by putting in place the “IDB contingent line of credit, the legal provisions to provide access to the use of extinguished dormant account proceeds, the decision to reinstate its insurance cover with the CCRIF and the enhanced revenue measures approved in 2018.” Although the administration’s fiscal consolidation efforts have taken a hit from the storm, he said “this is not and will not be a licence to return to the days of reckless and feckless fiscal management.” “This combination of substantially reduced revenue and critically required expenditure will create a substantially different budgetary trajectory over the upcoming budgetary periods,” he said. The Ministry of Finance will work with agencies to implement a ten percent budget cut across government agencies, he said, adding that this will not affect plans related to critical initiatives for Abaco and Grand Bahama.
to the United States. We know also that 50 students are at schools in Andros, and that more than 150 are being accommodated on Eleuthera. “Approximately 100 students presented for registration at the stadium, who did not have National Insurance numbers as required, who have not been able to obtain an NI number, and who have not yet been placed in a New Providence schools, due to their failure to meet this requirement.” Dr Minnis added: “National Insurance is among the government offices present at the stadium, thereby permitting
parents and or guardians to obtain National Insurance numbers for their children, so that the children can be placed in schools. The Ministry of Education is clear that there must be a process in place for each student enrolled in a government-operated school to substantiate that student’s identity.” The prime minister said whether Bahamian or non-Bahamian, all students entering government schools must have a NIB number. He said: “The NIB number is used to track each student throughout their years in the government school sector.”
$20M COST TO REBUILD GRAND BAHAMA SCHOOLS By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net
THE Ministry of Education’s Hurricane Dorian relief budget to rebuild damaged schools in Grand Bahama will be approximately $20m, according to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. Speaking during the House of Assembly yesterday, Dr Minnis said the Ministry of Education is awaiting advice from the Ministry of Works on the scopes of work and cost for the repairs needed for the 16 schools on Grand Bahama. He said: “The Ministry
of Works has undertaken to provide those confirmed details to the Ministry of Education by Friday, October 11. The estimate thus far is the Ministry of Education’s Hurricane Dorian relief budget will come in at approximately $20m. “(The money will be used) for additional furniture and furnishings, for educational supplies, for the busing to school and back to the shelters for Abaconians residing in New Providence, funding for additional security services at these schools, for additional grant-in-aid to private schools who have taken in students at the
government’s request, for additional funding for lunch for the increased number of students in New Providence schools, for students from Abaco who are also being accommodated in other Family Island schools and provision for fees to cover parents and guardians who are unable to pay for certain services at schools, such as insurance, etc. “ The prime minister said Hugh Campbell Primary School and Maurice Moore Primary School in Freeport sustained significant water damage from the sea surge. Schools in West End Grand Bahama experienced minor damage. While East
End Primary, Free Town Primary, Sweeting’s Cay Comprehensive and East End Junior High in East Grand Bahama sustained significant damage. Dr Minnis also said the Ministry of Education is still in the process of tracking down many of the registered 2,500 students from Abaco before Hurricane Dorian struck the Bahamas. He said some of the students are in other Family Islands, private schools or were displaced by Dorian. He said: “Approximately 300 students remained in Abaco, not all of whom are in schools, and some students have travelled
ACP BUTLER: NOTHING COULD HAVE PREPARED ME FOR DORIAN By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net HURRICANE Dorian brought on a “new phenomena” for Grand Bahama and the northern Bahamas, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police Samuel Butler who admits having to abandon their pre-storm police plans in order to save lives. He said that nothing could have prepared him for it as they too found themselves at the mercy of the monster storm when their command centre at the Gerald Bartlett Police Headquarters Complex in Freeport was flooded by surge. The police chief lost 90 percent of their police vehicles the day of the storm. “I would definitely mark this as the greatest challenge I have ever experienced in my life of policing,” he told The Tribune on Wednesday. “I certainly have been in a whole lot of other ordeals, but there was nothing like Hurricane Dorian, and I don’t think that there is nothing that would have been able to truly prepare you to deal with it,” said the 35-year veteran of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Mr Butler further said: “We had specific plans ahead of Dorian through many police briefings and with NEMA. We thought we had it all together; we had to quickly abandon
the police plan and we had to do what made sense to save lives. Even at the risk of our own lives we had to go out there and do what we had to do to help as best we could,” he recalled. Mr Butler believes that there are many lessons to be learned by everyone from Dorian. After devastating Abaco, Dorian made its way to Grand Bahama and pummelled the island for some 40 hours with winds of over 155mph and brought 20ft storm surge. It left widespread destruction in its wake on September 2. To date nine bodies have been recovered and 30 persons are still missing on Grand Bahama. “I am certain we would have learned if we did not learn lessons from any other event as it relates to hurricanes. Dorian certainly brought on a new phenomena for GB and the northern Bahamas, and Abaco as well. And I believe that based on this new norm when an announcement is given in the future, I believe we will definitely have people heeding to it. Although evacuation orders were given for residents in East Grand Bahama, many remained and lives were lost as a result and 30 others are still missing. In one East End community alone, 14 persons were swept away by surge in the
High Rock area and are still missing. ACP Butler stressed that when an official (evacuation) notification is given, it is coming from experts that understand the nature of weather. “You are to be responsive to it as it, certainly, could help save your life and the life of your family,” he said. Mr Butler also recognized those members of the public who assisted in rescuing persons during the storm. He stressed that the police could not have done it alone. “I really want to give strong credit to members of the community as so many of them were out there alongside us. The police could not have done it alone. There were so many out there helping to remove people to safety and lending equipment, jet skis, small craft vessels, and heavy duty equipment to ride through high water. “When there are events like this, we always like to see that kind of community spirit; there were persons there with us and we thank members of the community for doing what they have done, and even risking their own lives to go out and help.” “You only had to be there in the middle of that event and see any number of mothers dragging their children to safety leaving their households. I am really grateful for those assets that came to our assistance as things could have been
much worse had it not been for the community spirit and support. I have nothing other than great credit for those persons who came out to assist their brothers and sisters at such a time,” he said. ACP Butler said he was very pleased with the
performance of the police department. He noted that over 200 officers were affected by the storm, losing their vehicles, homes, and property, and are still reporting to work to ensure that the Grand Bahama community is safe. He added that they
also lost two police stations in the East End area. He said that since losing about 90 percent of their police vehicles, they are now using rented vehicles for daily patrols in various communities and the business areas of Grand Bahama.
PAGE 6, Thursday, October 10, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
GOVT TO ISSUE FULL LIST OF THE MISSING from page one
“That is according to our records at the Department of Social Services. There are persons who had made reports directly to the police and there is that possibility of double reporting.” The Tribune asked Mr
Campbell after his contribution if these were the correct numbers. He said: “Yes, that is what has been reported to us at social services. The police and other agencies may have a different figure.” Other government officials last night, speaking
on background, said fewer than 400 people are unaccounted for according to their records but up to press time Mr Campbell’s figure was the only official one provided. On September 11, NEMA said 2,500 were reported missing following the storm. That dropped
to 1,300 on September 12. During his address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 27, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the number of people still missing was about 600. Earlier this month, NEMA said 424 people are still missing.
Mr Campbell also said in Parliament yesterday that with about 900 people remaining in shelters, the Fox Hill Community Centre shelter, the All Saints Auditorium shelter and the Pilgrim Baptist Church shelter will all close this week. “We’ll be left with two
shelters,” he said, including the “Seventh-Day Adventist church shelter on Wulff Road and the Kendal Isaacs Gym, which has the gym and three tents that hold 150 persons each.” “At one point there were close to three thousand people at shelters,” he noted.
‘Respectful’ burial 30 MISSING IN GB for unidentified storm victims By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands said the unidentified remains of people killed by Hurricane Dorian will be respectfully placed in a burial site after a consultation process with the public has been completed. Speaking to reporters Dr Sands said family members can later retrieve their loved ones’ remains if the identity process takes place after a burial. Dr Sands also called on family members to come forward and identify their loved ones killed by Dorian. Up to press time, the official death toll stood at 61. He said: “We have pretty much completed all of the autopsies I believe that given the fact that there have been no significant retrievals, the forensic team has caught up, they have captured DNA samples, soft tissue and bones. “The challenge remains in Abaco where the majority of the remains have not been identified. And I think what we now have to do is make a public announcement to try to get family members to come forward in order to identify the victims.” He added: “At some point in time once agreed and the public consultation process has been completed, then based on international standards the plan would be to place in a respectful way the remains in a burial site where they can be retrieved if the identification process takes placed subsequent to burial.” Dr Sands said there are no plans for bodies to be flown to New Providence but officials would like to ensure that the public is made aware of the process of identification. Dr Sands said: “As we have refined the missing persons list
A BODY being removed from The Mudd in Abaco on September 9. Photo: Gonzalo Gaudenzi/AP then it is assumed that perhaps morgue’s cooler in Abaco. some of the people on the missHe said: “Well, we have one ing persons list maybe among the body out of I believe nine in Grand dead but then perhaps not. Then Bahama and the remaining bodies what we would be able to do is to would be in Abaco. I think we now say this is the process to provide have…I believe the number is 46, I information. Where was the person believe but without having the data last seen? What were they wear- in front of me I would say that is a ing? Did they have any identifying cautious 46.” characteristics? When asked for a timeline of “Do they wear braces? Did they how long the bodies will be kept have tattoos? Have they had sur- before they have to be buried, gery? Do they have any scars? Had Dr Sands said as long as they are they had an amputation? So, on refrigerated, they can be kept and so forth. All of these things are indefinitely. helpful and as we narrow it down, “We have remains in our poswe’ll be able to compare that to the session at the Princess Margaret database and then we can get tissue Hospital that have been there more samples or DNA samples from an than a year. Clearly that is not the inquiring family member to see ideal and we believe that once the whether we have the remains.” appropriate education process and Dr Sands said out of Grand interaction with the public has been Bahama, eight bodies have been adequate that is not an unreasonidentified and released to their able to allow these souls, these families. He said the remains victims to have the appropriate of 46 bodies are being kept in a resting place for their remains,” he freezer and seven bodies are in the noted.
A MONTH after Hurricane Dorian, some 30 people, including several children, are still missing on Grand Bahama, a top police official confirmed on Wednesday. Assistant Commissioner of Police Samuel Butler stressed that all efforts have been and are still being made to locate those that are unaccounted for since the storm battered Grand Bahama and Abaco in early September. Most of the missing Grand Bahama residents are from several East End settlements and one Freeport community that is prone to severe flooding during hurricanes. “Predominantly, the larger numbers were lost in McLean’s Town, High Rock, and a few would have been over the bridge at Dover Sound at Perimeter Parkway…where we got the brunt of our report, and one at Queen’s Cove, and so we’ve been widespread doing the best we could (searching for them),” ACP Butler said. “I know that our community is concerned, and the police department is concerned about missing persons…and declared on records we have some 30 persons reported unaccounted for,” he said. He said police have put all their resources, as well as partnering with other law enforcement agencies in the US and Caribbean, searching for those missing people based on data and information they would have received from day one. He noted that in the early stages the US Coast Guard conducted flyovers and aerial searches in areas based on reports that people were swept out to sea. ACP Butler said that searches were conducted by vessels, and along the shorelines. Cadaver dogs from the US were also brought over to assist in the ground search for bodies, he said. “We done ground searches and going through the marsh, partnering with fire rescue from Florida with special heavy equipment, and also with Peace
Riverside K9 Unit from the USA which brought seven cadaver dogs and 14 handlers that worked with our K9 unit, the fire department going out and searching many areas.” He reported that here had been some 15 to 16 cadaver dog hits which only turned out to be dead animals. However officials have recovered nine bodies from Grand Bahama to date. Police are committed to bringing closure to as many of the storm-related missing persons cases, said the ACP. “The search is still ongoing, and we want people to know we will continue to do what we could in hope to bring closure to some of these (cases). We want to the community to know we are here to serve and if they have a concern to come in or call, and my office is open to receive concerns from the community,” he stated. “We appeal to the community that any piece of information they have is important to the police. So, whether you are seeing something or whether your nostrils are drawn to a particular scent of concern, we would like to receive that information,” he said. He urged anyone who has not seen or heard from a neighbour since the storm to come in and make a report to the police. He said that anyone can make a missing person’s report. “In a Family Island setting basically everybody knows everybody, if anybody by any chance is not accounted for we are asking you to be responsible and brave enough to come and say that to the police,” ACP Butler said. “Once we get a report - it can come from anybody, a concerned neighbour or family member - we will make contact with their next of kin and follow up with them to ensure they are unaccounted for. It is very important, anyone can come in a give a report of missing neighbour,” he said. • POLICE have released another name of an Abaco resident who went missing during Hurricane Dorian last month. The missing woman is Rose Marie Lubin, 26, of The Mudd, Abaco. She also lived in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, police said.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, October 10, 2019, PAGE 7
CHINA GIVES GIFT OF $500,000 IN AID THE People’s Republic of China presented a cheque for $500,000 to the National Emergency Management Agency yesterday towards Hurricane Dorian recovery and rebuilding efforts. A handover certificate on provision of emergency humanitarian assistance between China and Bahamian officials was signed during a press conference at NEMA on Gladstone Road. Signatories were Captain Stephen Russell, director of NEMA, and Huang Qinguo, China’s ambassador to The Bahamas. Also present were Sharon Brennen-Haylock, director-general, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tiffany Knowles, accountant, Bahamas Disaster Relief Fund.
The latest donation came on the heels of $20,000 for immediate supplies, and a $100,000 cheque from Red Cross of China to the Government of The Bahamas. The Chinese ambassador said China’s government cares about those impacted by Hurricane Dorian and is in support of the recovery and rebuilding phases. “We believe The Bahamas government will overcome the difficult times,” he said. Captain Russell thanked the Chinese government for its timely gesture as NEMA progresses through recovery into rebuilding. The aim, he said, is to return residents to their communities and get government services up and running.
THE GOVERNMENT of the People’s Republic of China presented a cheque for $500,000 to NEMA yesterday towards the Hurricane Dorian recovery and rebuilding efforts. The Chinese Ambassador to The Bahamas, Huang Qinguo and Director of NEMA, Capt Stephen Russell are pictured. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
Disaster bill a ‘bold step’ for future hurricane preparedness
By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday described the Disaster Preparedness and Response Amendment Bill 2019 as one of many “bold steps” that will fundamentally change how the country prepares for and responds to hurricanes. During debate on the proposed legislation yesterday, Dr Minnis said Hurricane Dorian’s devastation forced the country to look differently at major storms, adding that it could no longer assume that this was a once-in-a-lifetime event. The amendment bill calls for imprisonment of one month or a fine of not more than $500 or both for people who refuse to evacuate once an order is given. A curfew can also be ordered when evacuation is ordered. The prime minister can further make an order declaring relief from any disaster, which shall include a rebate of business licence fees, waiver of value added tax, exemptions from excise tax or tariff tax and waiver of any other fee, levy or tax payable under any law. And in cases where people do not heed evacuation orders, the bill
proposes to legislate that no first responder has the duty to risk his life to rescue or recover anyone until officials give the all clear. As many people have been left displaced, Dr Minnis said trenching for the $6.4m “family relief centre” - a dome facility - in Abaco will begin this week. “In light of such super storms we have to change the way we think, the way we act, and change our laws and mindsets in order to better protect human life,” Dr Minnis told the House during debate on the bill. “As prime minister I take the safety and protection of the Bahamian people as among my most solemn obligations. “How we once prepared for and respond to hurricanes is no longer good enough in this era of superstorms. This is why my government has brought forward these amendments to the Disaster Preparedness and Response Act.” He also said: “When orders are made with the advice of experts at our Department of Meteorology, it will be important for all Bahamians and residents to listen and to follow reasonable instructions intended to save lives. “Remaining on the coast in the direct path of a storm is a bad idea. Remaining in a low-lying area prone
to flooding is a bad idea. Remaining in a poorly built structure is a bad idea. “Using good judgment and relocating to higher ground or a safer area or building before the storm as advise could save your life and that of your family.” He again defended the government’s response in the aftermath of Dorian insisting “you can only arrive faster if we were in the Star Trek-era, ‘beam me up Scottie.’” The prime minister accused the official opposition of politicising the situation even those that came down to life and death. The accusation triggered a heated row between Dr Minnis and opposition leader Philip “Brave” Davis. Mr Davis then stood on a point of order insisting the prime minister should withdraw the comment or explain the basis of the comments. “The opposition Mr Speaker said we did not respond fast enough, our response was quick to the affected area to save lives and that we did,” Dr Minnis continued. He added: “Even in the midst of the heartbreak of Hurricane Dorian, some were engaging in political gimmicks and games. Some were intent on displaying
MINNIS HIGHLIGHTS UNEVEN BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN man who breached the parameters of a permit to construct a two-storey building has for the last two years been barred from occupying the structure on which he spent “all of his life savings”. By contrast, people living in shanty towns have been allowed to build hundreds of homes that are sub par according to the building code. “What type of law do we have?” Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis questioned yesterday as he drew this comparison, suggesting that laws governing construction in the country have not been evenly applied. “Using good judgement and relocating to higher ground or a safer area or building before the storm as advised could save your life and that of your family,” the prime minister also said during debate in the House of Assembly. “You know we always talk about code and many people don’t like me to say this (but) it is a fact. Just opposite my headquarters a young man built a structure. He had a permit by law to construct this building - two storeys. “He went three storeys (which is) outside the law. Two years later the law will not allow him to open his building.
“All of his life savings. He breached the law one additional storey and the authorities forbid him from opening up and earning a living and in fact it was recommended that he shave off the third floor in compliance with the law and the permit. “But others are able to build without any permit number. What type of law do we have, Mr Speaker? “One set of law for one individual and another set for another? I have been fighting for the longest to have mercy on this young Bahamian who has used all of his money and went three storeys and asked to shaved off one. “What he (is he) gonna use? A chainsaw?” Dr Minnis acknowledged the building’s owner broke the law, but said common ground should be met by allowing him to pay a fine for breaking the rules. According to Dr Minnis there were numerous examples like this one. As Hurricane Dorian pummelled Abaco a little over a month ago, many were forced to flee poorly constructed shanty town homes. The situation was compounded by the flood prone nature of The Mudd, Pigeon Peas, Sand Banks and Farm lands. In some instances, storm surge reached as high as 20ft. With nowhere to go, many sought shelter at the government clinic and
complex that houses the Office of the Prime Minister and courts among other things. However, Dr Minnis said the government is now faced with $2m dollars in damage done by people occupying the clinic as Dorian continued its rampage. “During the hurricane, The Mudd was devastated,” he told the House. “During the eye of the storm hundreds of individuals fled from The Mud and into the government complex – (the) Office of the Prime Minister, the court and inclusive of the clinic. “There would have been hundreds of individuals seeking refuge and relief. “I’ve been informed the clinic was minimally damaged. (It is) structurally sound (and) it stayed in tact but I’ve been informed that as a result of individuals seeking shelter in the clinic they would have damaged up to $2m in medical equipment. “Not the storm. The individuals who rushed, damaged some of our most vital instruments and equipment to the tune of $2m that has to be replaced.” The prime minister said using good judgement and relocating to higher ground, a safer area or building before hurricanes as advised could save lives. The death toll tied to Hurricane Dorian is 61 and has remained unchanged for nearly a week.
the flag and colour of a singly political party instead of a banner of unity and our national colours.” Mr Davis insisted that Dr Minnis never included him in pre-hurricane preparation and maintained that the Progressive Liberal Party never wore its party colours in the aftermath of the storm’s effects in New Providence. However, Dr Minnis quickly rebuffed this when he pulled out a cellphone that showed an image of Mr Davis walking into a flooded yard wearing a yellow raincoat. In the background was a pickup truck with a PLP flag attached. The debate then spiralled into a shouting match between both members that only quieted when Speaker Halson Moultrie
stood to his feet and ordered that some comments be removed from the record. When he continued, Dr Minnis said the opposition had opposed for opposing sake, adding his suggestion for a curfew in Abaco to address security concerns had been shot down by them. As it stands, Dr Minnis said Abaco was preparing to accept workers and residents as the rebuild effort begins in earnest and additional officers had been sent to tend to safety concerns. He said: “The reconstruction ministry is in the process of preparing temporary housing for government employees on Abaco. One hundred RV trailers will accommodate 300 critical government
personnel who will play an essential role in reconstruction and recovery. “I note that a protocol is being determined for the relocating of individuals back to Abaco. Further a land site next to the Spring City subdivision on Abaco is being prepared to create the family relief centre, which will serve as temporary housing accommodations for families affected by this monster hurricane. “The family relief centre will comprise 250 dome structures that will include plumbing drainage, a sewer system and electricity and each dome can accommodate between two and five individuals (with an) estimated cost of about $6.4m. Land is being prepared and trenching is beginning this week.”
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Enforce the law but show good will
LAST week’s controversial exchanges about the treatment of displaced migrants following the destruction by Hurricane Dorian of the shanty towns in Abaco should have come as no surprise. As everyone knows by now, the potentially explosive issue of Haitian immigration to The Bahamas goes back a long way. We are told that, although successive governments from the Pindling era and beyond put in place immigration laws to control the influx of migrants from our southern neighbour, what was on the statute book was often not enforced properly. Lax immigration policies and procedures allowed unregulated shanty towns like the Mudd and Pigeon Pea to develop, with scant regard for building codes or other requirements. These became a haven for Haitian migrants, many of whom had entered the country illegally, and grew to such an extent that it had become almost too difficult to do anything about them – not least because, reportedly, some 40 per cent of people living there had immigration status through work permits.
The Peter Young column While causing a human tragedy of horrendous proportions, the plain reality is that the force of Mother Nature has at the same time removed the long-standing problem of what to do about the shanty towns. Now that they have, effectively, been destroyed – with many people losing everything including their documents -- the Government is faced with a genuine dilemma in dealing with the survivors. Dorian has focused world attention on The
Bahamas so that the way displaced people, including undocumented and illegal immigrants, are handled will now be put in the spotlight, with international donors of humanitarian assistance and financial aid watching what is happening. In the wake of such a natural disaster there is the need, as a member of the international community, to respect human rights and treat people decently and humanely. But, equally, the laws of the country have to be applied.
Task Clearly, the redevelopment of Abaco will be a monumental task that could take years and few would disagree with the government’s decision to declare the shanty towns a no-building zone so that those concerned should not be permitted to start any sort of reconstruction that would almost inevitably develop into something similar. Nonetheless, the property rights of those living in them have to be respected. If, as has been proposed, this area could be turned into a park and
HOMES in ruins in The Mudd after Hurricane Dorian, pictured last month. PHOTO: Fernando Llano/AP memorial site, that seems to be appropriate. Meanwhile, surely the priority should be to resettle the survivors while, in slower time, helping them to establish their future, including their immigration status, before finding employment. The suggestion by one Senator to give undocumented storm evacuees freedom to reside and work legally for a year looks to be a helpful way forward – and, while a general amnesty for migrants is normally something to be avoided since it encourages others to enter the country illegally, it surely ought to be considered in the exceptional circumstances of Dorian, particularly as the numbers are relatively small in relation to the overall domestic population. It was encouraging that in the immediate aftermath of Dorian the Immigration Minister stated that the Government was committed to assisting all victims affected by the storm regardless of origin or status. But he was later reported to have said that undocumented migrants would have no special
protection against deportation. Moreover, the Government’s announcement that migrants who have lost their job “need to go home” has been described by the group Rights Bahamas as part of the Government’s “savage and cold-hearted” position in relation to those displaced by Dorian.
Rhetoric It is claimed that the tougher government rhetoric recently is in response to what is regarded as a long-term and deep-rooted resentment of Haitians – and it is disturbing to read that Rights Bahama is reporting to bodies like the UNHCR and InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights about possible unfair treatment of migrants that might even be illegal; for example, in relation to property rights. This could have a damaging effect on The Bahamas if not carefully handled in a sensitive manner. The sad fact is that, despite the best efforts of the RBDF to intercept
vessels from Haiti and prevent waves if illegal migrants, the threat of such mass migration is intensifying as political unrest there becomes worse, with no functioning government and a failed economy. So, by common consent, strong measures are necessary to try to keep the floodgates closed, but the effects of Dorian have created a oneoff case for exceptional treatment of those affected by it through no fault of their own. In my view, public relations in all this is important – not propaganda which seeks to mislead people, but a positive presentation of what the Government is doing, since it is what people think is happening that is important and their views will depend on receiving accurate and upto-date information. There seems to be a need to achieve a balance between enforcing the law in order to reassure people that the Government has not gone soft on immigration and, at the same time, showing a humane attitude at a time of unprecedented disaster.
CLIMATE CHANGE PROTESTERS OVER THE TOP
I WONDER whether others reacted whatever the worthiness of their cause, the as I did – “Oh, not again” -- to the news of police do at least claim to be committed to yet another act of vandalism by the climate balancing the right to peaceful protest with change movement Extinction Rebellion. ensuring disruption to communities is kept After attempting to close down London to a minimum. So, many have welcomed in April, they pulled off a new protest last recent reports of a pre-emptive police raid on week in the centre of the city. Using an old Extinction Rebellion’s London warehouse to fire engine, a group of activists sprayed a red confiscate equipment used to blockade roads liquid simulating blood over a government and build protest sites. building housing the Treasury to protest Few people now argue that climate against the global economic system which, change and global warming is not happenthey claim, increases ing, but what is still not carbon emissions. The clear is the extent to police were present but, which human activity to the fury of many, did is contributing to this. not initially intervene The latest report by though they later made the Intergovernmensome arrests. tal Panel on Climate Now ExtincChange confirms that tion Rebellion sea levels are likely to protesters have rise as a result of global descended en masse yet warming. Thus, as a once more on central Small Island DevelopLondon to shut down CLIMATE protestors block the Mall leading ing State with low lying major sites and to cause to Buckingham Palace in central London, coastal areas, The Bahachaos and disruption in this week. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) mas is under threat as the streets for a period never before. The Prime of two weeks. This seems already to be a Minister spoke eloquently about this at the larger protest than last April. The organis- UN General Assembly in September when ers term it peaceful civil disobedience and he urged all nations to treat climate change as are calling on politicians to outline what their an emergency and reminded those concerned plans are to tackle climate change and global that the low-lying islands of The Bahamas warming and on the government to declare a were particularly vulnerable to rising sea “climate and ecological emergency”. levels. It is ironic that the protesters should Meanwhile, there is growing scepticism target their own country when Britain’s per- about the activities of young people, the most formance in relation to the issue has been prominent of whom is the 16-year-old Swedrelatively good, with a commitment to cut ish climate change activist, Greta Thunberg, carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. One who, the cynics say, is being used by unknown can only wonder how they would fare in Bei- backers to hector governments about the jing if they sought to complain about China’s danger of the Earth becoming an uninhabitperformance as one of the world’s biggest able furnace and to advocate the destruction polluters. of the global economic system in order to I believe this behaviour of the protesters on reduce carbon emissions. such a large scale should not be tolerated in a But many declare it is simply unrealiscivilised and ordered society. There was wide tic to return to a form of existence not seen condemnation of what was seen as a feeble since before the Industrial Revolution, by police reaction to the chaos and disruption – to mention just two examples -- stopping in London last April when many complained air travel or banning diesel engine vehicles. that civil disobedience on a scale that violates There is general agreement that climate the rights of millions to go about their daily change and global warming have to be tacklives peacefully was unacceptable. While led. The immediate answer is surely to ensure they have an obligation to serve the whole implementation of the important 2015 Paris population and not pander to protest groups, Climate Agreement.
A MEMORABLE RUGBY WORLD CUP
AFICIONADOS will have no difficulty in rising at the crack of dawn to watch the live ESPN coverage of the rugby world cup now taking place in far-off Japan. This six-week feast of top class rugby football, which takes place every four years, has teams from twenty countries competing. They are headed by the all-conquering New Zealand All Blacks who this time around will be seriously challenged by several
others including England. Last weekend the English team secured its third win during the pool stage – with victory over a strong Argentinian side in a match which was televised at 4 am our time – and has reached the knockout quarter-final. By general consent this has been a successful tournament – with each stadium of a high standard and good accommodation for players and visiting supporters, and enthusiastic crowds in
their thousands. Naturally, I am rooting for England to go all the way and win the world cup. The last time an English team achieved that was in 2003. Their coach has been saying that his team is well trained and well prepared, describing his players as “fit, fast, fierce and ready to go.“ But here in The Bahamas in order to watch the action live you do have to set that alarm clock!
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, October 10, 2019, PAGE 9
One killed, two shot by lone gunman
IN this image from video, victims are seen arriving for medical treatment. from page one
Freeport early yesterday. According to reports, shortly after 1am police The assailant ran away, were alerted to gunshots however the injured men being fired at a business were taken to hospital. Two in the area of East Atlanof them were listed in stable tic Drive and East Sunrise condition and the third was Highway. initially in a critical condiWitnesses reported tion but later died. that two men entered the The killing takes the establishment, produced murder toll for the year to a firearm and opened 83, according to Tribune fire, injuring two men in records. the upper body. The vicMeanwhile, Grand tims were taken to the Bahama police have two Samaritan’s Purse field male suspects in cus- hospital, where they were tody in connection with seen by doctors, and are a shooting that left two listed in serious, but stable men seriously injured in condition.
Police also said they are investigating an industrial accident that left a New Providence kitchen worker in hospital. Shortly after 8pm, workers were in the kitchen of a restaurant stall at the eastern side of Potter’s Cay Dock when the gas range they were working on exploded. One of the men was burned on his upper body but the other man was not injured. The injured man was taken to hospital and is in stable condition. Investigations are continuing into these matters.
PAGE 10, Thursday, October 10, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
All we wanted was a quiet life - now look at us WE all live in a democracy. We vote in elections. We choose our leaders in a hopefully thoughtful process. We hope we made the correct choice with our vote. And then, mostly, we leave the governing to our elected leaders. We want them to do a good enough job in their positions so we don’t have to worry about them or fret that they need to be replaced. We just, basically, don’t have the time or energy to devote to following our leaders around, via the media or otherwise. Our lives are just too busy. We chose those leaders to lead, manage and direct government and our national affairs. We want them to just get on with it and let us tend to our affairs, be they professional, financial, personal, familial or other. It’s their duty to do a good enough job that it doesn’t distract us too much from our daily lives. The shortcomings and peccadillos of our political leaders are diverting and often make for good social chatter, like the weather, the disastrous Miami Dolphins or the latest NBA gossip. Once in a while, however, things start to seem so unusually unsettling that we have to actually think about making a change. Therefore, impeachment is a huge nuisance. That’s where the American voter is right now. That voter made his or her choice three years ago and mostly wanted their president to govern the country without too much fuss and bother, and not make anyone think about needing to vote or choose for another four years. As long as scheduled transfer payments like social security and Medicare were flowing and there were no new, intrusive or burdensome federal rules to observe or resist, most voters didn’t think or care very much about the federal government. Now, the president is being impeached by the House of Representatives.
STATESIDE WITH CHARLIE HARPER House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has declared the whistleblower complaint about Donald Trump shaking down the president of Ukraine for damaging information on potential rival Joe Biden was finally enough to convince her to take her foot off the brake on impeaching the president. American voters now have to try to digest all the information that’s coming at them like streams of water from a fire hose. And
it’s not even an election year. What a nuisance! We all live in a democracy. Sometimes this requires more than simply voting every two or four or five years. This is one of those times for Americans, and maybe for others around the world, too. Laziness and disengagement will yield predictably disappointing results. Engagement and voting might bring welcome change, and that change might even last for four years!
WHAT IF THE POLLS ARE RIGHT?
Trump is still in office, so it seems that in his mind at least, stubborn adherence to 2016 campaign promises and pandering to his base is still a workable formula for re-election. But what if some of today’s polls are right? What if much of the national TV and print media are correct that most Americans are weary of Trump and ready and willing for change?
In Washington especially but all over the US, the nuisance threat of impeachment is growing. Usually reliable polling indicates Let’s think the unthinkthat ever higher numbers of potential voters want able for a moment. Suppose the evidence the House impeachment process to continue, and of the president’s outragrowing percentages of geous and unprecedented citizens indicate their will- misbehaviour continues to ingness for Trump to be mount, in spite of his resolute (for now) removed from resistance to office. ‘Many prominent Congressional That Senate subpoenas impeachment delivered to is essentially a Republicans, White political pro- including Majority the House and cess is actually Leader Mitch many memimbedded in bers of his the American McConnell and administraconstitution, South Carolina’s tion. so the poliSuppose tics of what’s Lindsay Graham, this leads to going on now have angrily an indictment represents denounced (impeachno surprise. House Speaker Trump’s intentions. ment) in the House of Nancy Pelosi Other GOP Representasought no senators are likely tives. The case House resoagainst Trump lution prior to join in this would move to beginning condemnation to a trial in the formal of a potentially the Senate. impeachment Even today, process, pre- disastrous there seem to sumably to presidential be faint cracks protect some impulse, and this in the dam of House DemoGOP support crats currently might weaken for Trump in representing their resolve to the Senate. conservative support him in There are at districts from least two fachaving to an impeachment tors at work cast a vote in trial if he persists One favour of and the troops do here. is Trump’s impeaching inexplicaa president leave their border ble return who retains assignment.’ to an earlier considerable impulse to grass-roots pull American troops home popularity. The Republicans, clev- from the trip-wire funcerly, have seized on this. tion they presently perform They also point out, clev- along part of the unstable erly and also correctly, border Syria shares with that the Democrats and Turkey. Such a move, which American liberals generally regard Trump as when Trump pursued it profoundly illegitimate, over 18 months ago caused both because he failed to respected Defence Secrewin a majority of the popu- tary Jim Mattis to resign lar vote in 2016 and because in protest, will principally he benefited from foreign benefit the autocratic leaders of Turkey, Russia, Iran (Russian) interference. But the Dems are also and probably Syria itself. really angry because he It will also represent a neither observes long- comprehensive betrayal of established American America’s long-time Middle political norms nor cares a East allies, the ethnic whit about their objections Kurds. It might also potenas he thumbs his nose at tially imperil Middle East poor people, immigrants, Christians, a significant global warming and other minority in several major foreign policy concepts regional nations. Many prominent Senate devised in comfortable including salons in Washington and Republicans, Majority Leader Mitch New York.
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS?
McConnell and South Carolina’s Lindsay Graham, have angrily denounced Trump’s intentions. Other GOP senators are likely to join in this condemnation of a potentially disastrous presidential impulse, and this might weaken their resolve to support him in an impeachment trial if he persists and the troops do leave their border assignment. The other factor is Utah Senator Mitt Romney, who has probably been the most consistently outspoken congressional Republican in his criticism of Trump. Immediately denouncing Trump’s shakedown of the Ukrainian president and joining the critical chorus on the troop pullback idea, Romney has staked out a clear potential position as a viable alternative to Trump. We should not forget Romney was the Republican nominee for president in 2012. Many observers believe that if not for Barack Obama’s smart and timely rescue of the American auto industry in the run-up to that election - which ensured that Obama would carry Ohio, Michigan and other auto industry-dependent Rust Belt states - Romney would now be concluding a triumphant two terms as president. Of course, Romney’s infamously overheard private remark that 47 percent of Americans were welfare cheats of some kind didn’t endear him to voters. But who will remember that slip of the tongue eight years later? If Trump does eventually succumb to his largely selfinflicted political wounds and resigns or is impeached, two things could happen that may seem almost inconceivable now. First, he might take obsequiously loyal Vice President Mike Pence down with him. That would mean the acting president of the United States would be the Speaker of the House of Representatives. President Nancy Pelosi! And from the potential wreckage of the Trump presidency, the new standard-bearer of the Republican party might turn out to be Mitt Romney. Who would you favour in 2020? What if the choice were Romney or Joe Biden? How might Romney fare against fellow senators Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders or Kamala Harris? Ironically, Trump and his damaging attacks on Democratic rivals could fuel Romney’s second bid for the White House. Some Senate Republicans might be tempted to look ahead to such potential contests if Trump’s presidential ship continues to take on water. They might be tempted to jump off that ship before it sank.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, October 10, 2019, PAGE 11
WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE... FLOODING in areas of New Providence yesterday as streets quickly filled with water after a heavy burst of rainfall.
NOTICE OF OFFICE CLOSURE The Nassau Office of The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI)
WILL BE CLOSED
on Friday, October 11th, 2019 for the state funeral of its Chairman Tennyson R. G. Wells. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Almost one in five prisoners re-offend
PAGE 12, Thursday, October 10, 2019
By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net
WITH the recidivism rate at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services said to be
around 17 percent, officials remain committed to rehabilitating prisoners and preventing the further
increase of recidivism in the country. Speaking at the official launch of a “Beyond Our Prisoners” conference yesterday, National Security Minister Marvin Dames said some $17m have already been committed to strengthening crime prevention initiatives beyond the prison walls. One of these initiatives, he noted, will include the refinement and expansion of the “risk need responsivity” model, which is expected to be completed by the end of December. According to Mr Dames, this model, developed with the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, supports inmate risk and needs classification. “Rehabilitation is not a one size fits all experience. The model that is being refined looks at the incentivisation of the prison management structures and identify ways to have inmates take more responsibility for their own rehabilitation,” he said. “It seeks to reward those who are actively and genuinely trying to better themselves so that they can turn their lives around. The developing model seeks to have through the gate provisions so that inmates are already linked to the relevant probation social work, welfare and housing
THE TRIBUNE
services…as they re-enter their communities.” In addition to this, Mr Dames noted the ministry will implement an improved electronic data management system. “The implementation of the upgraded electronic data management system will allow the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services to follow the progress of each inmate through their stay at the prison, adjusting their programmes as it needs progress,” he said. He continued: “Today, we complete the first part of the (citizens of security justice) programme to train 400 community leaders in sexual violence prevention, gender-based violence prevention skills, affected parenting skills and skills for effective conflict resolution.” According to Mr Dames, this is just the beginning as more than $1m has been invested to improving Bahamians for non-violent conflict resolution. He continued: “We are completing the refurbishment works and access negotiation for three community centres and are acquiring three more. These centres are strategically placed throughout the community where indicators have shown that there is a significant need for diversionary intervention.”
Youth employment, as noted by Mr Dames, is another area of focus in the ministry’s plan to reduce recidivism. He said: “Through soft skills and technical skills training, the Department of Labour has partnered with the National Training Agency and other educational service providers to implement training programmes designed to prepare some 2,600 young persons for the workforce. Graduates of the prison, under the BTVI training programme, are registered with the department of labour so that they can be assisted with seeking employment upon their release from prison.” In his address, Mr Dames noted that a case management system is also in the works. These crime prevention initiatives, he suggested, are vital in ensuring that inmates do not return to prison after being released. “Beyond the prison walls, we continue to collaborate with at least 13 agencies everyday and we work to manage the crime and safety elements within our communities. This is important because we are cognizant of the fact that more affected crime prevention initiatives is one way to reduce prison overpopulation and overcrowding,” he said.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, October 10, 2019, PAGE 13
‘ONCE IN A LIFETIME’ $1.2M GIFT TO HOSPITAL A SIGNIFICANT donation of medical equipment valued at $1.2m was made to Princess Margaret Hospital’s Division of Orthopedics. Called a once-in-a-lifetime gift by Dr Dane Bowe, consultant orthopaedic and arthroplasty surgeon at PMH, the donation comes in response to Hurricane Dorian and the range of injuries treated in the wake of the storm’s passage. The initiative began with Professor Dr Ross Leighton of Dalhousie University, who reached out to Dr Bowe in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. Dr Bowe said: “I received a text from Dr Leighton - one of numerous mentors at Dalhousie University - asking about
what he could do to help our situation. I responded by requesting equipment needed to treat severely damaged/crushed limbs.” Dr Leighton contacted representatives from DePuy Synthes, a division of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies. DePuy Synthes sent equipment valued at $1m via an NGO within days. The equipment includes battery operated power drills, saws and external fixators used to treat and save mangled limbs. Dr Leighton also secured $200,000 worth of similar equipment from Smith & Nephew, an international medical technology company, via Dalhousie University. The donation enhances the quality of care delivered
to patients with serious orthopaedic injuries. “The equipment is very important, it is not new to us, but it is certainly the gift of a lifetime, because we really needed this equipment to save limbs, especially after Hurricane Dorian,” Dr Bowe explained. Dr Bowe expressed the gratitude of the hospital’s Orthopaedic Division and the entire PMH family to Dave Simpson, CEO, as well as Jeff Deane and Rob Pikula of DePuy Synthes. Gratitude is also extended to Gwenael Gouery, Amanada Paniagua and Ryan Huggett in addition to the donors from Smith & Nephew and mentors from Dalhousie University who made this donation possible.
THE DONATED equipment is demonstrated, above, and, below, a closer look at some of the items.
PAGE 14, Thursday, October 10, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
BIDEN CALLS FOR TRUMP’S IMPEACHMENT
TURKEY STRIKES AGAINST SYRIA
ROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE Associated Press DEMOCRATIC presidential candidate Joe Biden said yesterday for the first time that President Donald Trump must be impeached for abusing the powers of his office to help his own reelection. Biden made the remarks as part of a blistering 25-minute speech in New Hampshire, departing from his usual campaign pitch and signaling that he will aggressively confront Trump as the president faces an impeachment inquiry rooted in his unfounded accusations that the former vice president and his son had nefarious dealings in Ukraine. Trump is “shooting holes in the Constitution”, Biden said, by asking foreign powers to find dirt on the Bidens and then refusing to cooperate with the resulting House impeachment inquiry. “This is a president who has decided this nation doesn’t have the tools, the power, the political will” to punish bad behavior, Biden said, cataloguing a litany of Trump’s actions that the former vice president said warrant impeachment. The speech comes after two weeks of uneven responses from Biden as he and his advisers debated internally the best way to handle Trump’s broadsides. Biden had alternated between muted dismissals at a series of fundraisers and more aggressive public displays, urging reporters to “ask the right questions”, promising he’d beat Trump “like a drum” and using a campaign rally in Reno, Nevada, to hammer the president. His New Hampshire speech, though, was his most thorough, visible retort to date, with his impeachment call timed at midday to ensure that it carries the news cycle.
IN this photo taken from the Turkish side of the border between Turkey and Syria, in Akcakale, Sanliurfa province, southeastern Turkey, smoke billows from targets inside Syria during bombardment by Turkish forces yesterday. Photo: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP
TURKEY launched airstrikes, fired artillery and began a ground offensive against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria yesterday after US troops pulled back from the area, paving the way for an assault on forces that have long been allied with the United States. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the campaign, which followed an abrupt decision on Sunday by US President Donald Trump that American troops would step aside to allow for the operation.
Haiti paralysed with no PM and rioting demonstrators PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti Associated Press
HAITI’S economy is paralysed. Demonstrators fight police, block roads and loot stores several times a week. President Jovenel Moïse is avoiding public appearances. And dozens of people from political parties old and new are vying to become the country’s next leader. Opposition leaders range from a wealthy grocerychain owner to a collection of veteran politicians with murky pasts, some with allegations of corruption and ties to organised crime. Despite unifying outrage at Moïse’s political and economic mismanagement, protesters say the absence of a charismatic leader and a clear strategy is fueling chaos and the sense of an unending crisis. Moïse still has more than two years left in his term after taking office in February
2017 and says he will not step down despite violent protests that have shuttered businesses and kept two million children from going to school for nearly a month. Nearly 20 people have died and about 200 injured in protests fueled by anger over corruption, rising inflation and scarcity of basic goods including fuel. With Moïse unyielding, the opposition disorganised and the international community on the sidelines, Haiti likely faces months or even years of dysfunction that’s deep enough to cause widespread misery and political and economic free-fall without causing a government overthrow. “It’s a completely dysfunctional country,” said Benzico Pierre with the Center for the Promotion of Democracy and Participatory Education, a Haitian think tank. “There’s no trust in the institutions.” It’s a concern that Carl Murat Cantave, president
of Haiti’s Senate, acknowledged in a speech televised Tuesday as he warned that Haiti’s crisis is “rotting”. He urged Moïse to launch a dialogue and said all options should be placed on the table. “The country needs a genuine re-engineering so it can move forward because everyone is failing as a leader,” he said in Creole. “Only the people right now have legitimacy.” Hours after Cantave’s speech, Moïse’s office issued a statement saying he has named seven people charged with leading discussions to find a solution to help end the crisis. Among them is former prime minister Evans Paul, who recently told The Associated Press that he believes Moïse has several options, including nominating an opposition-backed prime minister and shortening his mandate. On Wednesday,
opposition figures who are leading the protests rejected Moïse’s statement, saying the commission has no credibility. “A head of state who respects himself and who respects his people does not create, in times of crisis, a commission of negotiation with his advisers and his spokesmen. This is not serious,” attorney André Michel told The Associated Press. Michel was one of 70 candidates who participated in the presidential election of 2015, the same year he had his US visa revoked for what he says are unknown reasons. He is now a member of an opposition coalition called the Consensual Alternative, which is organising the protests. Also a member of that coalition is Senator Youri Latortue, a retired military official who is considered one of Haiti’s most powerful politicians. He worked
under former presidents Jean-Bertrand Aristide and René Préval and has denied corruption allegations including drug trafficking that the US made against him more than a decade ago. Until recently, he led a party allied with Moïse’s Tet Kale faction until he broke away. “The president has shown he is incapable of governing,” Latortue told AP. He noted that a company once owned by Moïse was named in a Senate investigation that found that huge sums of money from a Venezuelan subsidised oil program were misspent during Haiti’s previous government. Moïse has denied any wrongdoing. In her first public comments on Haiti’s current situation, US Ambassador Michele Sison told the AP that the country needs a functioning government that can address people’s pressing needs.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, October 10, 2019, PAGE 15
To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394 MEMBERS of Freeport Lions Club and Lions Club International have delivered 40 pallets of relief items and food in GB communities affected by Dorian. Lion’s president Dudley Bent is third from right. Photo: Daashia Cochran
Lions roar in to offer relief By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
THE Freeport Lions Club and Lions International have gone in several affected communities in Grand Bahama delivering relief supplies to residents from Freeport to East End. Lions Club President Dudley Bent and Willie Gonzales of Florida led a team of members last week on their third outing since the passage of Hurricane Dorian. They ended their relief distribution in East End, which was the hardest hit area in Grand Bahama where many lost their lives, homes, and property when a 20ft surge swept the area on September 2. The group brought a total 40 pallets of food which were donated and collected in the US by the Lions Club International. Mr Bent said that going into East End was very “touching” when seeing the devastation and its impact on residents there. “It touches you,” he said, especially to know that retired residents such as William Cooper will have to start all over against after losing his home. “William Cooper had a three-bedroom home in High Rock and it’s only the foundation - just the bare concrete - that is left, the entire home is now gone and he has to be trying to repair his workshop to live in. This is a man who worked all his life and had retired, and now he has to practically start over. It touches you.” Mr Bent, who is also project manager for Lions International Bahamas Relief Project, said “we have to be our brother’s keeper and help each other.” He noted that Lions International is one of the world’s largest service organisations, which started in 1917. The group started early in the morning in North Bahamia, moving from community to community delivering food care packages to residents. “We gave out food, water, and put tarp on people’s homes for them, helping with clean up, anywhere there is a need we are here to help,” Mr Bent said. They plan to go into the Arden Forest area and other areas this weekend. In addition to Arden Forest, storm surge had inundated many communities in Freeport, including Queens Cove, Back of Town, Sunset, Heritage, Hudson Estates, Coral Reef Estates, and Pioneer’s Loop, Regency Park and North Bahamia, Hawksbill, and the entire downtown area. Mr Bent said: “For me personally, I never seen water like that before. I worked at one of the shelters at First Baptist Church and when you see water destroy people’s homes and lives, and the water reach in the centre of Freeport, it tells you that this storm was here to create some very serious damage.” He said that people must take heed and evacuate when the order is given for them leave. “If they say evacuate don’t hesitate or question or put politics in it – your lives are more important and you got to take it serious,”
he said. Mr Bent indicated that the local Lions Club has been able to call on other chapters of Lions Club International, allowing them to pool their resources for relief items. “Our next shipment is due on Thursday, and we will give school supplies to the schools – so we are working very hard,” he said. There are two clubs in Grand Bahama, where there are presently 59 members locally. Daashia Cochran who travelled along with Willie Gonzalez of the Marathon Lions Club and Florida Keys on all three trips bringing relief items and supplies to Freeport - said nothing could prepare outsiders for the vast devastation she has seen on Grand Bahama. “I’ve been on all three trips now with Mr Gonzalez, who organised the relief
efforts from the Florida Keys through Florida up to Port St Lucie,” he said. “Just two years ago we went through Irma and I (am) still trying to rebuild our home that was destroyed. I kind of felt like I had prepared myself mentally, but I don’t think you can ever prepare mentally for just the emotions that are involved in this where you need disaster relief and where families’ lives have changed forever,” Ms Cochran said. She stated that the lives of Bahamians impacted by Dorian will never be normal after such a storm. “I heard people saying we want to get back to a normal, but that’s changed. The normal they once knew is not going to be same normal ever again. They must consider it a new life from this point on because they are starting over as changed persons.”