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VOLUME:114 No.247, NOVEMBER 15TH, 2017
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TECHNOLOGY: STOPPING THE RISE OF KILLER ROBOTS - PAGE NINE
84 illegals held none from sloop By RASHAD ROLLE and SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporters
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis “is very disturbed” by the illegal landing of a sloop on Adelaide Beach and is awaiting a “full report” on how the landing was possible, his Press Secretary Anthony Newbold said yesterday. The Tribune understands the Minnis administration has ordered the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBPF) and Department of Immigration officers to find the missing illegal immigrants. In recent days, immigration officers have conducted sweeps of areas known for holding Haitian migrants after the discovery of the vessel. Despite
apprehending more than 80 migrants over the past two days, immigration officials said up to press time they had not found any one who was on board when the sloop came ashore. Mr Newbold said: “I know that the minister of national security has commented on the issue, but the prime minister still needs a report. What happened and the degree is totally unacceptable in 2017. The prime minister is also deadly serious about the December 31 deadline for illegals to get out and he will not be deterred by those who would coddle anyone who breaks the law. Being humane is fine, but breaking the law is another [thing] and we are a country of laws.” SEE PAGE FIVE
“HEAVILY degraded” infrastructure in Nassau harbour is “threatening the Bahamian economy’s viability” by hurting cruise and commercial vessel access, an IDB report has warned. An economic analysis, accompanying the $35m Inter-American Development Bank-financed (IDB) project to upgrade the Bahamas’ coastal management and infrastructure, warns that the harbour’s deteriorating breakwaters are affecting the flow of ships to both Prince George Wharf and
Arawak Cay. It revealed that Ministry of Works personnel had described the breakwaters’ repair as “a top project priority”, given the potential impact to The Bahamas’ main cruise passenger gateway and the sole entry point to New Providence for commercial goods. “From the perspective of stakeholders at the Ministry of Works and Urban Development (MOWUD), rehabilitation of breakwater infrastructure for the Port of Nassau and cruise terminal is a top project priority,” said the report, by Dr Craig Landry. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net IN the face of public uproar, the Minnis administration has placed a stipulation on its pledge to increase salaries for Members of Parliament next year, with the prime minister’s Press Secretary Anthony Newbold saying yesterday the salaries will not be increased if the economy does not improve. He would not say which economic metrics will be analysed to determine if a salary increase for MPs should take place. His statements came in response to questions about whether Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis regrets his 2014 position on raising the pay of MPs. SEE PAGE THREE
BPL FRAUD ACCUSED FACES 140 CHARGES By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
FORMER bank employee Reno Bethel was arraigned in Magistrate’s Court yesterday over nearly 100 additional fraud related charges stemming from a multi-million dollar theft scheme at Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) uncovered earlier this year. Bethel, a former employee of FirstCaribbean International Bank (FCIB), stood before magistrate Samuel McKinney facing 93 new fraud-related charges stemming from the five-month scheme. The charges included 35 each of possession of a forged document and uttering a forged document, 18 of fraud by false pretences, two of attempted fraud by false pretences, and three of money laundering. SEE PAGE THREE
ALERT OVER CRUISE PORT’S DEFENCES By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
MPs’ PAY RISE CONDITIONAL ON UPTURN
IMMIGRATION officers stopping traffic on the Paradise Island bridge yesterday.
BAHAMAS MISSED TOURISM BOOM By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas was yesterday exposed as the only Caribbean nation to suffer a decline in per capita GDP this century, while also being the “notable exception” to major tourist arrivals growth. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) book, Unleashing Growth and Strengthening Resilience in the Caribbean, found that
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real per person GDP in The Bahamas had declined by an annual average of 0.4 per cent between 2000-2015. It was the only nation to suffer such a reverse, according to the book, which noted that average regional per capita GDP had risen by an average of 1.2 per cent over the same period. And, while tourism arrivals to the Caribbean had more than doubled in the 20 years between 1995 and 2014, The Bahamas was identified as the only
country to miss out on such growth due to the “maturity” of its main industry and relative lack of new hotel rooms over that period. “The volume of tourists has more than doubled in the Caribbean, from 12 million in 1995 to 26 million tourists in 2014, fuelled by steady growth in key advanced economies and strong inflows of foreign direct investment,” the IMF book said.
MPs, PROVE YOUR WORTH BEFORE EVEN THINKING ABOUT A PAY RISE
FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
SEE PAGE EIGHT
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PAGE 2, Wednesday, November 15, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
SCHOOL HOSTS CAREERS FAIR
STUDENTS attending a career fair at CV Bethel school yesterday and examining some of the stalls at the event. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
CV Bethel Career Fair. Principal Princess Fawkes is pictured with students at the school.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, November 15, 2017, PAGE 3
D’Aguilar: MPs need money to help their constituents By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
FREE TOWN MP Dionisio D’Aguilar yesterday said parliamentarians would not be able to satisfy the overwhelming need of constituents even if their salaries were doubled. Mr D’Aguilar, also Minister of Tourism and Aviation, gave his full support for the proposed salary hike, telling reporters MPs were constantly forced to balance charitable ambitions with personal finances. He called the current pay “negligible” and suggested any increase given to MPs would be injected directly into their constituencies. “It’s such a tiny amount of money to help all of the needs of your constituents,” Mr D’Aguilar said. “I don’t care what any MP says, I am 100 percent certain that almost all of them spend all of that money on their constituents. You need funds to assist. You’re constantly being drawn between trying to help them and not bankrupting yourself and this is the problem every time.” He added: “So the more you give me, the more I’ll give back and obviously I have to dip into my own pocket on top of that.” When asked about internal controls to track spending, Mr D’Aguilar said as an accountant he believed everyone should be able to “account for their funds.” He noted Finance Minister K Peter Turnquest
has indicated the $100,000 capital expenditure for each MP’s constituency will only be released in $25,000 increments every three months. “And in order to get the next one (increment),” he said, “you have to produce the paperwork to show how you spent the previous $25,000. He’s an accountant, he’s no fool, that’s a clever way to do it.” Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced he would present a salary increase for MPs in the next budget cycle. At the time, he said he would create an independent committee to look at the members’ salaries and review the salary structure for government entitles. “Let’s do an analysis of it,” Mr D’Aguilar said outside of Cabinet yesterday. “It’s $28,000. In Free Town, I’ve got 9,000 constituents, 4,500 are registered. “We get $538 a week to tend to the needs of 9,000 constituents. I don’t know about my colleagues, but I give every single dollar that I make to my constituency. So my belief is the more you give me the more I can give to my constituents to help with back to school, catastrophes, there’s always a compelling need to help your constituents.” Dr Minnis’ announcement immediately sparked immense backlash from the general public and the Official Opposition. It also represents a change in Dr Minnis’ 2014
position, when in response to the Christie administration’s desire for the same thing, he said: “As long as I am leader of this country, the FNM would not support any pay increase with all the pain and suffering that is going on in this country.” Yesterday, Mr D’Aguilar said: “It’s never the right time, never the right time to ask for an increase for a MP. They always say that, you ask one month, ten months from now, they’ll say it’s the wrong time. Seems unreasonable to me. “The complaint is often ‘oh I ain’ see my MP, my MP ain’ helping us.’ It seems that the Bahamian people want us to assist them but they don’t want to us to provide the financial resources to do so. You got to be reasonable. “I think it’s been proven time and time again just because you give to your constituents, that doesn’t mean that you’re going to guarantee a vote from them. They not going to necessarily vote for you. I just think there are people who have fallen on hard times and more often than not $538 a week just isn’t going to suffice to try and make a meaningful impact on people’s lives.” The Free Town MP added: “It’s just impossible and even if you double the MPs’ pay, I don’t think you’d be able to fulfil all the requests, so whatever you throw this Member of Parliament, it is going to go into my constituency.”
MPs’ PAY RISE CONDITIONAL ON UPTURN from page one At the time, Dr Minnis suggested that as leader he would not raise salaries for MPs so long as the economy remained weak and there is “pain and suffering” going on in the country. He was leader of the Official Opposition at the time. By his administration’s own admission, the country’s finances are bleak and the Free National Movement (FNM) came to power emphasising the weakness of the economy. Mr Newbold said there’s “no intention to” raise politicians’ salaries so long as the economy is feeble and Bahamians are suffering. Asked if he meant the economy must considerably improve for MPs’ salaries to be raised, he said: “It’s the only way they will be raised.” Dr Minnis did not suggest when he announced the salary increase in Parliament several weeks ago that a raise is conditional on
improvements in the country’s economy. He said at the time: “I want to put the country on notice that at the next budget I will come forth with a pay increase for the members of Parliament. I only want to put the nation on notice that the time has come when individuals are being paid by that government half a million dollars per annum, individuals are receiving contracts up to $800,000 and the members of Parliament are being paid $28,000…I will establish an independent committee who will look at member salaries, who will look at government structure salaries for this half a million dollar, these $800,000 and these contracts signed a few hours before the election. All of that will be reviewed. (The committee will) review all salary structures for government entities.” Mr Newbold said yesterday: “The prime minister’s position is, there will be a complete review of all public sector salaries. Job
placement is going to be resolved, all a part of what he calls a reform agenda because [the] civil service has to be reformed; talking about job placement, talking about young people who want to get into the civil service, young people who are eminently qualified. “You have to review what is there, see what you need to move around, see where you need to change, see those changes you need to make. That’s his general view. Everyone ought to own a liveable income. The general review committee to be established to look at all of that and we’ll see what their recommendations are for the next budget cycle.” Mr Newbold said the review committee, which he doesn’t expect to be established until next year, may conclude a salary hike is not “a good idea”. “We don’t know what the committee is going to say,” he said. “We also don’t know what the economy is going to look like next year.”
RENO BETHEL, pictured at a previous hearing.
BPL FRAUD ACCUSED FACES 140 CHARGES from page one
Yesterday’s arraignment came just over two months after the 34-year-old was initially arraigned on 47 fraud related charges stemming from the BPL fraud investigation. The total number of charges he is faced with now stands at 140. It is alleged that between February 27 and May 5 of this year, Bethel obtained a total of $1,062,330.05 from BPL’s bank account held at Scotiabank while at Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) on John F Kennedy (JFK) Drive. It is also alleged that on May 4 of this year, Bethel attempted to defraud BPL of a total of $109,147.80 from its Scotiabank account while at FCIB on JFK Drive. It is further alleged that between March 30 and April 7 of this year, Bethel converted $200,000 of Bahamian currency to American currency, and then transferred it to an account in the Canadian Imperial Bank of Canada. He also allegedly converted $6,500 of Bahamian
PASSENGER RIDING IN BACK OF TRUCK DIES IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT A MAN is dead after a treated at the local clinic for traffic accident in San Sal- minor injuries. vador on Monday. Officers from the Royal Police said they received Bahamas Police Force’s a report shortly before 5pm Traffic Division will assist of a fatal accident in the set- with this investigation. tlement of United Estates. The death came one When officers arrived on day after a man died after the scene, they met the life- a traffic accident in New less body of a male lying in Providence. Shortly after the street. 5am Sunday, police received Police said the the driver a report of a fatal accident of a white 1997 Ford at Golf Course Boulevard Ranger truck lost control in Sea Breeze Estates. of the vehicle, causing the When officers arrived on accident. The victim was the scene, they found the a passenger riding on the body of a man with injuback of the truck. ries pinned in a self-drive Wednesday, was 15th November 2017 Cube. He was Another passenger 2008 Nissan
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currency to Canadian currency and transferred it to an account held at TD Canada Trust in Ontario within that period of time. It is further alleged that between February 8 and April 20 of this year, Bethel uttered numerous forged Scotiabank cheques totaling $1,496,005.09 from the Bahamas Electricity Corporation’s account and made them payable to various entities including Bahamas Crane and Concrete Pumps, KS Civil Engineers, HRT Rentals, Bahamas Industrial Equip Sales and Re, Bahamas Heavy Machinery and Trucking, the Bobcat Specialist, Enviro Tank, and Scuderia Electrical via either RBC or FCIB. It is also alleged that between those same dates, Bethel was in possession of multiple forged Scotiabank cheques totaling $1,496,005.09, which were drawn from BEC’s account and made payable to the aforementioned entities. Bethel pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. He was subsequently remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) to await his trial on
March 26 and 27. Bethel was one of three men sought by police on the weekend for questioning in connection with the BPL fraud investigations. The RBPF circulated a notice on November 10 requesting the public’s assistance in locating the three men in connection with the alleged fraud scheme. Police later reported that Bethel turned himself in to the Central Detective Unit (CDU) shortly before 1pm on Monday, accompanied by his attorney. In September, Bethel was arraigned in connection with the fraud scheme. At the time, he stood before then-Magistrate Andrew Forbes facing 23 counts of fraud by false pretences, 23 counts of receiving and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud by false pretences. That arraignment stemmed from previous reports that a nearly $2m fraud scheme had been uncovered that involved cheques paid out to various vendors from December 16, 2016 to May 9. This prompted a wide-ranging audit by Ernst and Young of the electricity provider.
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THE TRIBUNE
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The debt we owe to those who served LAST week’s church services and ceremonies in Nassau to mark Remembrance Day were conducted with customary solemnity, dignity and efficiency. They reflected, as they always do each November, the fine organisational work of those concerned in producing, with appropriate seriousness as well as pomp and pageantry, a national commemoration of those who perished in two world wars and other conflicts. It is said we inherited this administrative expertise from Britain. But we have had sufficient time over many years as an independent country to hone our skills so that we know how to put on a formal show with love, decorum and attention to detail, together with a suitable flourish which accords with our own particular circumstances. The annual traditional Remembrance Sunday service in Christ Church Cathedral was preceded two days earlier by a Remembrance Day Thanksgiving Military Service at St Agnes Anglican church co-hosted by the British Legion – Bahamas Branch, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Police Force and the Bahamas Correctional Services Department. These were followed, respectively, by the usual wreath laying ceremony in the Garden of Remembrance and a separate ceremony outside the Veterans’ Depot. There were also events at the Veterans’ Cemetery and the Nassau War Cemetery. All these occasions were conducted with pride and flawless protocol and formality. While the emphasis was on the millions who died in different parts of the world, there were many tributes throughout to our own Bahamian veterans who selflessly volunteered for military service and were prepared to sacrifice their lives for the cause of freedom. Sadly, their numbers are diminishing with the passage of time. But the remaining veterans and their families are still being supported and cared for by the British Legion – Bahamas Branch and we congratulate the administrator of this organisation, Adina Munroe, who is also a Defence Force Reservist, for her wonderful work in ensuring the effective running of the British Legion’s local branch over the course of many years and for her continuing dedication to such a worthy cause. While Remembrance Day ceremonies
are held annually in Britain and throughout the Commonwealth, the younger generation, in particular, may not be fully aware of the origins and reasons for honouring the fallen nor of the horrific scale of death and destruction during the two world wars. The figures for Britain’s involvement in the First World War are staggering. Of around six million people who served in the war, just over 700,000 did not come back – and, of those who did return home, more than 1.5 million were wounded or disabled in some way. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission was established in 1917 and is responsible for the commemoration in perpetuity of the total of 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during both world wars. The Royal British Legion was founded in 1921 as a charity to provide financial, social and emotional support to the surviving veterans of the Armed Forces and their dependants. Over the years, the Legion has been the champion of the nation’s efforts – through its fund raising, welfare and educational work and the organisation of Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day) both in London and in different parts of the country – to remember and honour those who lost their lives. In total, there are some 2,500 British Legion branches in Britain and in the countries of the Commonwealth. Remembrance Day is always on the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the year when the Armistice was signed in 1918 to end the First World War. The poppy was chosen as a symbol of remembrance following a famous poem written in 1915 called “In Flanders Fields”, the author of which was inspired by the sight of red poppies growing in the battlefields despite the devastation – and the red came to signify bloodshed. As well as paying our own tribute to those who died, this newspaper salutes all those who play a part in the successful organisation and management of the various events here at home each year in memory of the fallen, not least the Bahamas Branch of the British Legion and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force which makes such a strong contribution under the leadership of Commodore Tellis Bethel whom we should like to commend. We all owe a debt of gratitude to those concerned who do this nation proud.
A perfect Weekend EDITOR, The Tribune.
WHOEVER first conceptualised and conceived the idea for your Weekend Magazine is a natural genius and is to be commended. Since its initial insertion into Friday’s edition of The Tribune, my family and I, especially my teenage daughter, Jasmine, a student at the University of The Bahamas, eagerly await each edition. The Weekend Magazine is well researched; well written and fully illustrated
with modern and vintage photographs. I extend special thanks to Capt Paul Aranha, who is a living iconic national treasurer whom I hope the Minister of Education, Sports & Culture will bring on board as a consultant to his critical ministry. He would be a tremendous asset in imparting a ton of Bahamian history and culture to our people, both in school and out of school. The featured articles are often off the chart.
I met and hosted Mr Mitchell Rolle of aramimitchellbespokewear.com, a Bahamian who is an international fashion designer, on my talk show, The Real Deal, as a direct result of your incisive article about him and his works. Thank you, Madam Editor, and your creative staff on a job that is being done with excellence. ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau, November 11, 2017.
Yet more debt? EDITOR, The Tribune. THE government of the Bahamas has been in office since May 10, 2017. Since that time they have borrowed $720m and are still collecting VAT. Now they want to
borrow another $800m while they are still collecting VAT? Instead of tightening government’s purse strings and explaining what they are doing with VAT proceeds, we are being made to believe
that now is an appropriate time for MPs to have pay increases. My God what have we done? NAME WITHHELD Nassau, November 14, 2017.
Dangers of our world EDITOR, The Tribune. WE live in a multipolar world. The United States (US) is no longer the undisputed leader of the world. China is a direct challenge to US hegemony. Venezuela is also a threat to the old world order because she is influencing Latin America and the Caribbean. North Korea is a military challenge to US dominance. Iran is a treat to US control of the Middle East. Russia is also a treat to the US military dominance. In the Caribbean and The Bahamas, the threat of climate change and crime are other aspects of the world in flux. The countries that come out on top of this new world order will be resilient and assertive of their interest. The US has pulledcout of The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), or the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) - a trade agreement between Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru and Singaporein a move designed to hinder the influence of China. On June 1, President Donald Trump announced the US would cease all participation in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation. This accord is designed to let states vulnerable to climate change - such as small island states of the Caribbean - a modicum of hope to mitigate the negative effects of climate change a global problem. The US will pull out of UNESCO in 2018. UNESCO represent the soft power of the United Nations where a world order is encouraged through culture and education rather than force. People usually choose leaders they think will be beneficial to them. China recently unveiled the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road to allow countries to benefit from its endeavours and consequently become allies. For the Caribbean, de-risking and other classification of the US have not been helpful. The offshore industry of the Caribbean has been decimated by US lead regulation. Offshore banking is very popular in the Caribbean. It is an attempt for Caribbean countries to generate income as most are not industrialised and manufacturing is challenging
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net given their circumstances. The New York Times, states the Cayman Islands has US$1.9 trillion on deposit in 281 banks, including 40 of the world’s top 50 banks so offshore banking is an integral part of Caribbean economy. Fourteen nations in the wider Caribbean have been named by the US as “major money laundering” countries in the 2016 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR). This is bad for Caribbean economies. If there is not enough benefits from the US global leadership, countries will look elsewhere. China’s President Xi Jinping visited Trinidad and Tobago in 2013 with US $3 billion in loans for Caribbean countries. The search of capital for cheaper source of labour. Human history from Roman times shows little improvement in the standard of living but from 1820 until the present day standard of living did improve drastically due to productivity improvement. Today, the world is moving to a more service-driven economy. It’s predicted if a country don’t join the productive sector in the next 20 years it will be impractical in the future. Natural resources in a modern developed economy has proven inadequate. Natural resources appropriated by a small number of people does not benefit a country on a whole. The recent Paradise Papers shows the threat of financial exposure to external shock of a develop world controlled system. Bermuda and Cayman has been named as international money laundering countries, 28% of Bermuda GDP is from financial services so they are vulnerable to international financial system which they have no control of. Mr Trump is visiting Beijing and this demonstrates US and China are inextricably linked, similar to how the United Kingdom and the US were in the 1940s. They have a struggle for dominance like Jamaica and Trinidad do in CARICOM but they have a symbiotic relationship. The Venezuelan influence in the Americas cannot be underestimated - see how the OAS was
paralysed in sanctioning Venezuela all because of the influence of Petrocaribe. Many Latin American and Caribbean countries have benefited from concessionary oil loans which have helped the cash flow in their domestic economy. No matter what the United States does, Venezuela will survive because they are willing to fight to the end. They have a model in Hugo Chavez. The Iran and North Korea factors are helping Venezuela by demonstrating the US is not omnipotent and dissipates power by spreading it too thin. My view is that we are seeing a wave of resetting the international order when the head of the IMF states “if we have this conversation in ten years’ time we might not be sitting in Washington DC. We will do it in Beijing.That’s a possibility. And it’s actually called for in the articles of the IMF - the head office has to be in the largest economy in the institution”. China now has the world’s largest economy using purchasing parity but the second largest in actual GDP. It is expected that in about ten years China will have the world largest GDP. What does this mean for the world order? It means China will be the most powerful country in the world! Whoever got the gold makes the rule - is this true? The recent hurricanes which decimated several Caribbean countries means they will have to rebuild. United States and Europe will not be able to assist them to the extent they desire - that’s guaranteed. CARICOM countries will stand shoulder to shoulder with them because they know that eventually they will experience a similar fate because climate change increases that possibility. Why am I bringing all these conundrums; because as Malcom X said the future belongs to who prepare for it today. If The Bahamas prepares for a future of global change The Bahamas will come out being a beneficiary of the new world order. But, if The Bahamas act subservient to the old order it will be adversely affected. The choice is clear - build or regress. BRIAN ELLIS PLUMMER Nassau, November 9, 2017.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, November 15, 2017, PAGE 5
84 illegals held - none from sloop from page one “Accountability is intended to be one of the hallmarks of the Minnis administration’s good governance policy.” The sloop came ashore sometime Saturday night or early Sunday morning. Immigration director William Pratt said Monday he “had no idea” how such a sloop could land so close to the RBDF Coral Harbour Base and go undetected. He said the RBDF should perhaps “improve their surveillance”. In an interview with the Nassau Guardian on Monday, National Security Minister Marvin Dames emphasised officials won’t always get it right. “I have been in this business, and I have first-hand experience,” Mr Dames said. “I have flown these islands and these oceans for hours not seeing a single thing in sight. And so, if you want an appreciation of just how expansive this country is, you take a tour on one of these helicopters or you take a tour on one of these boats. You travel for hours and don’t see anything. But
is there anything out there? Of course. Always remember that these persons who are trying to evade the law, they have their techniques and strategies too. We have to adjust to those techniques and strategies to ensure that we are much better and we are able to interdict them on a more frequent basis.” Kirklyn Neely, head of the Department of Immigration’s Enforcement Unit, has estimated between 150 to 250 undocumented migrants were on board the sloop. Despite apprehending 57 illegal immigrants yesterday, Mr Neely said his department is “no closer” to finding the missing migrants. After the second day of extensive searching, Mr Neely said immigration officers have still not found “one single person” from the sloop. However, he said the massive searches will continue until law enforcement catches the individuals or find the information they need. Authorities believe the immigrants who landed on Sunday morning or Saturday night had help
from people already on New Providence and have warned anyone who was found hiding them would be jailed, fined or both. “At this point, we don’t have the information we need and we have not caught anyone,” said Mr Neely. “We had four buses with 70 to 80 officers searching throughout New Providence. We will keep going and we will keep searching and we will not stop until we get some of those people, this is an ongoing effort. “We hope someone can tell us about these people from the boat. We got 57 persons today [Tuesday] including Haitians, Jamaicans, Chinese and Dominicans. There were four Haitian children included in that number. But at this point, we have no additional leads but we will keep going.” As part of yesterday’s search operations morning traffic heading on to Paradise Island were greeted by the sight of Immigration officers stopping traffic in the hunt for illegal migrants. This operation - and the entire stop and search
THE SLOOP that was found on the shoreline of Adelaide Village in this photograph posted to Facebook. operation - last night brought fierce criticism from human rights activist Frederick Smith QC. He told The Tribune: “I quite understand the embarrassment of the defence force in discovering a sloop next door to their base, but that does not give licence to the Immigration Department to randomly stop, question, search and detain the public. “The Paradise Island
exercise is unconstitutional... The process of randomly stopping and searching someone is unlawful. “The Immigration Act only gives Immigration officers the same powers as the police. Immigration are not a law on to themselves and are acting illegally in these random roadblocks.” He continued: “The Immigration and Defence Force have become a
renegade arm of institutional terrorism on The Bahamas’ population. It is no longer a migrant issue, it is the complete abandonment of all constitutional rights for any person on the streets. “I have repeatedly said that the Immigration Department and their over reach in the exercise of their powers is going to negatively affect the rights of every person in The Bahamas.”
LANDING OF SLOOP ‘A SIGNIFICANT SECURITY BREACH’ By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) said the landing of an illegal sloop on the shoreline of Adelaide Village over the weekend was a “a significant security breach just three quarters of a mile from” the Royal Bahamas Defence Force base. The statement from the office of the leader of the PLP said National Security Minister Marvin Dames “must accept full responsibility for these failures.” “The Minister of National
Security is obligated to give a full account as to what personnel or what established security protocols failed which resulted in allowing undocumented illegals to go undetected right on the doorstep of the defence force.” The PLP, in its press statement, faulted Mr Dames for his comments to the Nassau Guardian on Monday in which he emphasised not all of the country can be guarded all the time. “The excuse given…for his government’s failure to spot a sailing sloop with suspected illegal migrants aboard within two mile
range of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force base is unacceptable. In this instance, our party does not ask him to guard the whole Bahamas, but to simply guard the shoreline close to the defence force base. The forces under his command could not even do that. “This was an unacceptable security failure that requires an immediate investigation so we know why it happened and what we can do to avoid it from happening again.” The Official Opposition added: “The PLP stands ready to assist. The FNM
must get to work and stop deflecting attention by giving poor excuses, engaging in victor’s justice by locking up their opponents, contracting the economy by firing suspected PLPs and failing to fix Grand Bahama.” Yesterday Mr Dames reiterated his earlier comments on the matter as he spoke to reporters outside the Cabinet Office. “The Bahamas is an archipelago of over 700 islands and cays, we’re stretched over 100,000 square miles of sea,” Mr Dames said. “I can tell you from
personal experience I’ve had many trips when I was in the police force running operations, you can go out for hours and not see anything, land, boats, or anything else. For someone to think that every vessel that comes through here should be identified, that’s not humanly possible. So my point is we have to use intelligence to drive our business, law enforcement is a very dynamic business, when you create strategies and develop initiatives to target criminal activity and criminal gangs, transnational organisations, they
too realise that when they feel that push they’re going to find other ways to circumvent your activities and you have to adjust to that. “And so, that is my point, we are looking at any number of technologies and we have any number of technologies, that we are now using with the defence force and other agencies who are involved in protecting our borders. But even with that, to think that’s going to put a 100 percent blanket on our country and prevent any illegal business or activities from taking place is almost impossible.
MAN ON WORK PERMIT GUILTY OF HARBOURING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A HAITIAN man was ordered to pay a fine of $6,000 or serve two years in prison yesterday after pleading guilty in the Freeport Magistrates Court to charges of harbouring illegal migrants. Saintilus Souffrant, 41, appeared before magistrate Rengin Johnson where he was charged with harbouring three undocumented Haitian migrants at his residence in Freeport. Souffrant has a valid work permit and lives on Gordon Avenue. According to the particulars, sometime last Saturday it was discovered Souffrant had knowingly harboured Katiana Eithenne, Nadine Chery, and Monese Joseph at his residence for the past two months. Souffrant was fined $6,000 and in default will serve two years imprisonment at the
Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in Nassau. Magistrate Johnson also ordered Souffrant be deported to Haiti on payment of the fine or completion of serving his custodial sentence. Also appearing in the court were the three Haitian women who were charged with illegal landing. On Saturday, November 11, the women were found in Freeport, Grand Bahama, having landed from a place outside the Bahamas without leave an immigration officer. The women claimed to have arrived in The Bahamas illegally by boat from Haiti two months ago and were residing here without legal status. The trio pleaded guilty to the charge and were ordered to pay a fine of $300 each or in default serve six months in prison. They were also ordered deported on payment of the fine or completion of their custodial sentences.
SUSPECT SHOT BY POLICE A SUSPECT who allegedly pulled a gun on police is in hospital recovering after he was shot by officers. According to police, shortly after 3pm yesterday officers from the Northwestern Division were on routine patrol of Baltic and Benico Avenue in Hillside Estates when they saw a white Honda Civic at a stop. Police said the officers recognised the front passenger as a wanted suspect. As police were about to search the men in the car, the driver reached under his seat and pulled out a firearm, the Royal Bahamas Police Force reported. Officers, in fear for their
lives, shot the driver, police said. A black Taurus 9mm pistol and seven rounds of ammunition were recovered from the scene. The suspect who was shot is in serious condition in hospital and under heavy police guard. The other suspect is in police custody. Police also arrested two other men for illegal firearm possession yesterday. Shortly after noon, officers were on Moss Road when they stopped a 2005 silver Honda Accord with two men inside. The officers searched the car and found a 9mm pistol with six rounds of ammunition in the gun’s magazine.
FROM left, Saintilus Souffrant, Katina Eithenne, Monese Joseph and Nadine Chery.
PAGE 6, Wednesday, November 15, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
‘Opposing citizenship law changes is downright evil’ By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net STATE Minister for Legal Affairs Elsworth Johnson yesterday suggested critics of proposed changes to citizenship laws were “downright evil” as he called for elevated and rational discourse on the issue. Mr Johnson, former Bar Association president, spoke generally about the need to remove the “emotionalism” surrounding the contentious issue and instead focus on resolutions which will further the upward mobility of the country. He did not state whether he supported the proposed changes to the Bahamas Nationality Act or whether he felt the move conflicted with the outcome of
the 2016 gender equality referendum. Mr Johnson said: “If we want to see this country grow, if we want to build a country where our daughters, our sons, can thrive - I have a Haitian village just opposite to me and the young boys in there are my godchildren. I don’t like it that the Haitian village is there because it’s built against every code but I love them like my own, I check on them, in my heart of hearts I know they’re Bahamians because we have conversations. What do we do with them? “We have to take this debate to a higher level, we must see the human dignity in it, the human persons that are suffering and see whether or not at the end of the day we are being just
downright evil.” The government plans to amend the Bahamas Nationality Act to give children of unwed Bahamian fathers with foreign mothers and married Bahamian women living abroad automatic rights to citizenship upon application. The Minnis administration’s plans touch on two issues which were addressed in last year’s referendum. The first of four questions involved changing the Constitution to give married Bahamian women with foreign spouses the same right their male counterparts have to confer citizenship to children regardless of the country in which the children are born. On that question, 32,249 people voted ‘yes’ to the question and 51,022 people
voted ‘no.’ The third question involved changing the Constitution to give an unwed Bahamian father the same right that a Bahamian woman has to pass citizenship to a child born in or out of wedlock, providing proof of paternity. On this issue, 28,246 people voted yes but 54,890 people voted no. “This whole issue - I know we had a hotly contested [referendum] recently where there was the pros, the cons, the ones who thought they should have been given resources to carry their campaign during the debate, there were those who were adamantly saying there was no need for a referendum, that by simple legislation you could have had things
done,” Mr Johnson said to reporters outside the Cabinet Office. “I’m not going to condescend or speak to whether or not we should or should not make the changes, I want to speak to the Bahamian society and say we must come up to a higher level and accept certain truths as they exist in our society. “If a lady can have a child under certain circumstances they can be a Bahamian, why can’t a man do the same thing? If it is and I believe in patriotism, I love my country, I would die for the sovereignty and protection of my country. But if there are persons who are here and after you’ve put them to the litmus test, if they pass the litmus test and they know in their heart of hearts they’re Bahamian,
then swear them in now. “For those imposters,” Mr Johnson continued. “I would have no association but we must remove the emotionalism from it. We must come in a rationale way as to how we will resolve these issues, how we will build this country, how we will take this country from Third World status to First World. “We need citizens who are committed and who are prepared to work, persons who are prepared to make the necessary sacrifice. Now if these persons meet all of the criterion, the Constitution is a living document, the Privy Council has already said that. It makes adjustments as society makes adjustments. It’s for us to see where it’s necessary and do that.”
UNION chief John Pinder examining damage inside the post office last year after flooding. The building continues to have problems, leading to operations being suspended.
POST OFFICE OPERATIONS SUSPENDED AGAIN AMID PROBLEMS By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
OPERATIONS at the General Post Office were suspended for the second day yesterday, despite a promise from Transport and Local Government Minister Frankie Campbell that issues in the building will be resolved “in the shortest period of time”. In an interview outside Cabinet, Mr Campbell told reporters the government is aware of the situation and his ministry is “redoubling our efforts to ensure that Christmas cards are delivered on time”. However, Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) President Kingsley
Ferguson said after eight years of waiting on the government to fix the problems at the main post office building, he is not “trusting anyone’s word”. He said the employees will not return to work until the problems are fixed. On Monday, nearly 100 employees at the “rat and mould” infested General Post Office demonstrated, demanding the government make the building inhabitable or move them out completely. Mr Kingsley told The Tribune the workers will demonstrate every day until the government pays attention to their concerns. In response, Mr Campbell said his ministry is “working” to move the
employees out of the building but admitted it will take some time. “We are advised that a part we were seeking for months is about a week away. It has been shipped, it’s in Florida and we are advised once it’s here, installation should take three to five days and that will resolve the air condition and ventilation problems,” Mr Campbell said. “The rodents, since I became the minister, I have sent the Environmental (Health) Department there and we will send them back. That is a continuous problem that is caused by our bad habits but they will go back and resolve that issue. Also there is a question of
poor lighting in the general mail sorting area, so we will seek to remediate those pressing issues to make the place tolerable until such time as a permanent location is identified and addressed... In the meantime we will address the urgent matters, we want them to know that help is on the way. “We didn’t want to have a knee jerk reaction and do something that won’t be sustainable. So, yes, we looked at a number of relocation sites and we are still not at a point where we want to make an announcement because we don’t want to make a premature announcement. However, we are in an advanced stage. We will redouble our efforts to ensure that the Christmas cards are delivered on time,” Mr Campbell said. However, Mr Ferguson said he is not satisfied with
the minister’s answer. “It’s not good enough for me. He still didn’t give a timeline or say when these things are going to happen,” Mr Ferguson said. “So we will stay out here until things are fixed in there. There is mould that needs to be removed, we have a water situation that needs to be fixed, we have carpet that plants are growing out of because it is so nasty, so what about that stuff? It has been eight years. We have had enough.” Earlier this year, thenBPSU President John Pinder threatened industrial action if the government did not immediately relocate employees from the “unsanitary” building. At the time, he said his members were forced to work in a mould infested building with rats, termites and a leaking ceiling. Since then, Mr
Ferguson said things have got progressively worse and despite employees only working half days, many of them have reportedly developed respiratory issues because of the toxic environment. In October, Bahamas Chamber of Commerce CEO Edison Sumner said reduced operations at the General Post Office are negatively affecting businesses, adding the chamber sees “no end in sight” to the problem. The Christie administration, through a public private partnership, gave the green light to a project to relocate the General Post Office to the Independence Drive Shopping Centre off Tonique Williams Darling Highway. However, the Minnis administration halted that project, expressing concerns it was approved without due diligence.
MINNIS TO CREATE UNIT “TO DELIVER” ON GOVT PROMISES By MORGAN ADDERLEY
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THE Minnis administration will establish a Deliverables Unit to help the government make good on its promises of “good governance and accountability”. In yesterday’s press briefing, Press Secretary Anthony “Ace” Newbold announced the creation of the unit, which will be “responsible for tracking projects and initiatives set out and agreed by the prime minister and establishing timelines for the completion of such projects.” “The unit will do the same for projects of various ministers and ministries,” Mr Newbold said. “This unit will be handpicked and will be a combination of the best and brightest from the public and private sectors.” Mr Newbold also said
this past September, “parliamentarians and senior members of the public service were lectured in seminars by Sir Michael Barber who is the founder of Delivery Associates.” Sir Barber headed the Delivery Unit for former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s administration. Of Sir Barber, Mr Blair wrote: “Michael Barber’s pioneering work as head of my Delivery Unit helped ensure real progress, not just with our education reforms, but with healthcare and policing too. It attracted worldwide attention.” According to its company website, Delivery Associates “has been established to improve the effectiveness and accountability of government worldwide; that is the capacity of governments to deliver, and to
be seen to deliver, benefits that benefit citizens without overburdening them with taxes.” For Delivery Associates, the objective is to “design the roadmap to achieve the departments’ goals,” “set up the team and routines to ensure delivery of improvements” and “strengthen and train government officials to deliver their goals”. According to Mr Newbold, the Bahamian Deliverables Unit will be established by January 2018. Mr Newbold reiterated the Minnis administration’s commitment to accountability, saying “the quarterly meetings for ministers to account to the prime minister have begun. Ministers [Jeff] Lloyd, [Romauld] Ferreira, and Lanisha Rolle are the first ones to report.”
PAGE 8, Wednesday, November 15, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
MPs, prove your worth before even thinking about a pay rise W
to make the most of their sudden privilege. Do we reap the benefits of their arrangements, or are they purely personal? How can the perks of life as a Member of Parliament trickle down to constituents in need? What should we be thinking about now, particularly as salary increase for Members of Parliament continues to dominate national dialogue. The Member of Parliament: Who, What, and How?
E, the Bahamian people, are frequent victims of the bait and switch. Parties in opposition agree with us, promise to represent our positions, then forget about us once they have consent to govern on our behalf. They repeatedly fail to show their understanding of the duties we’ve entrusted them to carry out. Good intentions, wherever they existed, seem to fly out the window as they face off with their opposition and each other, figuring out how
The Member of Parliament is the presence and the voice of the people. The vote of the MP is a
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MEMBERS of the Cabinet during a public address ahead reflection of the constituof Hurricane Irma earlier this year - but have MPs yet ency’s position on the issue. proven their worth enough to earn a pay rise? The MP is committed to Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff amplifying the voices of their constituents after first priority of the MP, information and consultaactively listening to and never eclipsed by personal tive activity that led to the understanding them. The desires or party pressure. chosen action. This adminMP is accessible to con- The MP knows the salary istration has not brought us stituents. There is an office, and expectations of the either of these things with staffed and open during position before running for reference to its own actions. reasonable hours that are or accepting it and is pre- It has spent months looking made known to the public. pared for that reality for the back, working to convince There are phone num- duration of the term. us we did that right thing in bers and email addresses May, and they are not the that work and messages What we got for our votes worst option. are answered in a timely Do we have MPs who Have we heard anyfashion. The MP is in the know why they have a seat, thing about the decisions constituency on a regular remember who gave it to being made in Parliament? basis and not only knows them and treat their constit- Has any MP invited conthe needs, but addresses uents like their employers? stituents to discuss bills or them without Is there a policies under considerabeing asked It is as though way to assess tion? Where decisions have by dozens, MP per- already been made, have we scores, or current MPs intend formance? been shown the receipts? hundreds of to ride out this term Are we, as Can we see how and why people, or the same way the Bahamian our representatives, our being shamed citizens, employees, acted as they on social rode out the last one voters and did? Do we have accountmedia. The — pointing fingers employability and transparency? MP sees to it ers, working and hoping to be road repairs together to Can we justify a pay are done, tree seen as the lesser access and increase? branches on of the evils because keep record As employers, we are power lines of MP posino clearer on the activiare moved they think we have tions on ties of our MPs today than and people no other choice. Are issues and we were in April. They are con- we prepared to let contributions are not responding to our nected with to debates? needs, including us in the organisations them think that? The decision-making process or and individucurrent encouraging us to particials who can help meet their administration campaigned pate by making information needs. heavily on accountability accessible, conducting polls The MP meets with con- and transparency, but we or surveys or looking to us stituency members on a have yet to see it develop for recommendations. regular basis. The MP systems that align with Accountability and transreports on proceedings those concepts. In fact, it parency are still just words in Parliament, provides looks a lot like their ver- being thrown around, information on bills being sion of accountability and stripped of meaning and debated, updates members transparency are only ret- purpose. How, in this on participation in regional rospective. They are more state, can the Prime Minand national events, wel- interested in exposing and ister even hint at increased comes feedback, answers punishing the previous salaries for MPs? There is questions and considers administration, giving the no need to get into what constituents’ points of view nation a series of spectacles. has already been pointed before arriving at a posiIt is as though current out, including the fact MPs tion. Constituents are the MPs intend to ride out this hold other paying jobs and term the same way the rode many Bahamians have lost out the last one — point- their jobs in recent months. ing fingers and hoping to be More to the point and in seen as the lesser of the evils keeping with the theme of because they think we have accountability and transno other choice. Are we parency, why should we prepared to let them think increase pay for MPs when that? Do we want to give we don’t even know what our votes to (members of) they are doing? We do not the party that does the least receive reports. We are not damage simply by doing the invited to give performance absolute minimum? Are evaluations. we ready to demand true We depend on the media governance and evidence to clue us in to what is hapof the accountability and pening in the country and, transparency they claimed more specifically, in Parliato value throughout their ment. We do not receive campaign? regular communication from our employees, but What is good we are expected to pay governance? them more. For what? Even In May 2017, the Baha- better, with what? Where mian people ousted the is the money supposed to PLP and defaulted to the come from? Would this be FNM with the expectation part of a larger exercise to of receiving good govern- address the plight of most ance. Good governance is Bahamian people in the accountable and transpar- labour force? Is this adminent, but also responsive, istration ready to talk about inclusive and participatory. a living wage? We know accountability is A few things must be responsibility for decisions made clear. Compensation and their consequences as must be commensurate well as reporting on and with performance. The explaining them to the Bahamian people need to people. observe and participate We understand transpar- in monitoring and evaluaency is the ability to see the tion. There must be a recall decision-making process system. Sitting MPs should and being able to see the not be responsible for deciding on their own salaries. To go further, perhaps any raise in salary should come into effect at the start of the next term — in 2022. Until we truly have good governance — accountability, transparency, responsiveness, inclusivity and participation — we must reject all requests for salary increases. Let’s not forget who is really in charge here. It’s the Bahamian people who would have to pay. Can we afford it?
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PAGE 10, Wednesday, November 15, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
SESSIONS ‘DIDN’T LIE’, JUST FORGOT
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday displayed a hazy memory of the Trump campaign’s discussions about and dealings with Russians in the 2016 election, denying he ever lied to Congress about those contacts but blaming the chaos of the race for fogging his recollections. During more than five hours of testimony to Congress, Sessions sought to explain away apparent contradictions in his earlier accounts by citing the exhausting nature of Donald Trump’s upstart but surging bid for the White House. He also denied under repeated questioning from Democrats that he had been influenced by Trump. But after saying under oath months ago that he was unaware of any relationship between the campaign and Russia, Sessions acknowledged for the first time that the arrest of a low-level campaign adviser reminded him after all of a meeting at which the aide, George Papadopoulos, proposed setting up a gettogether between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “After reading his account and to the best of my recollection,” Sessions told the House Judiciary Committee, “I believe that I wanted to make clear to him that he was not authorised to represent the campaign with the Russian government or any other foreign government for that matter. “But I did not recall this event, which occurred 18 months before my testimony of a few weeks ago,” he added, “and I would gladly have reported it had I remembered it because I pushed back against his suggestion that I thought may have been improper.”
ARMED Zimbabwean soldiers sit on top of a military tank in Harare, Zimbabwe, yesterday.
Photo: Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/AP
Tanks in the streets in Zimbabwe HARARE, ZIMBABWE Associated Press AT least three explosions were heard in Zimbabwe’s capital early Wednesday and military vehicles were seen in the streets after the army commander threatened to “step in” to calm political tensions over 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe’s possible successor. The ruling party accused the commander of “treasonable conduct”. The US Embassy closed to the public and encouraged citizens to shelter in
place, citing “the ongoing political uncertainty through the night”. For the first time, this southern African nation is seeing an open rift between the military and Mugabe, the world’s oldest head of state who has ruled since independence from white minority rule in 1980. The military has been a key pillar of his power. The Associated Press saw armed soldiers assaulting passers-by in the early morning hours in Harare, as well as soldiers loading ammunition near a group
of four military vehicles. The explosions could be heard near the University of Zimbabwe campus. The developments came several hours after the AP saw three armored personnel carriers in a convoy heading toward an army barracks just outside the capital. Mugabe last week fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and accused him of plotting to take power, including through witchcraft. Mnangagwa, who enjoyed the military’s backing and once was seen
as a potential president, fled the country and said he had been threatened. Over 100 senior officials allegedly supporting him have been listed for disciplinary measures by a faction associated with Mugabe’s wife, Grace. The first lady now appears positioned to replace Mnangagwa as one of the country’s two vice presidents at a special conference of the ruling party in December, leading many in Zimbabwe to suspect that she could succeed her husband. Grace Mugabe is unpopular with some
Zimbabweans because of lavish spending as many struggle, and four people accused of booing her at a recent rally were arrested. The president reportedly attended a weekly Cabinet meeting Tuesday as the military vehicles were first sighted. On Monday, army commander Constantino Chiwenga issued an unprecedented statement saying purges against senior ruling ZANU-PF party officials, many of whom like Mnangagwa fought for liberation, should end “forthwith”.
FOUR KILLED, TEN HURT IN CALIFORNIA GUN RAMPAGE CALIFORNIA Associated Press
A GUNMAN driving stolen vehicles and choosing his targets at random opened fire “without provocation” in a tiny, rural Northern California town Tuesday, killing four people and wounding at least ten others, including a student at an elementary school,
before police shot him dead, authorities said. The rampage began shortly before 8am when the gunman fatally shot a neighbour he had been accused of stabbing in January, Tehama County Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston said. Shortly afterward, the gunman rammed through the gate of Rancho Tehama
Last Rites For Woman Reserve Sgt. 523 BARBARA MORLEY, 55 of Millennium Gardens, will be held on Thursday, 16th November, 2017 at 10:30 am at Our Lady of the Holy Souls, Catholic Church, Deveaux & Young Streets. Officiating will be Father William Quiamjot, assisted by Deacon Maxwell Johnson and Archdeacon James Palacious. Interment will follow at the Lakeview Memorial Gardens, JFK Drive. Cherished memories will forever linger in the hearts and minds of her family: SISTERS: Elaine, Elizabeth Ann, Percia, Colette and Sharise Morley, Katie Longley, Sandra Miller, Rose Buchan, Chere Black, Percis Eneas, Melinda Pratt and Dellie Saunchious (Miami, FL); BROTHERS: Spurgeon, Darren, D’Antoine, Pedro, Durran and Wenzil Morley; GOD CHILDREN: Leading Woman Marine Arlean Mackey, Rico Jr., Shamara, Pauline, Shafrey, Temeko, Lawrence, Thomas, Jathan, Johnathan, Sharando, Geno, Donique Archie, Debbie, Jeffrey Jr. and Walternique; AUNTS: Ruth Nairn and Pearlinea Braynen; UNCLES: Donald Minnis, Jimmy and Flecher Jones; SISTERS-IN-LAW: Michelle, Leslie, Gigi and Marsha Morley and Muriel Symonette; BROTHERS-IN-LAW: Ramon Knowles and Godfrey Wilson; NIECES: Leading Woman Marine Arlean Mackey, Darlene Rolle, Lionica Mills, Paulette Butler, Melissa Cornish, Marosel Cartwright, Spurgeonique, Misty, Monique, Shanique, Brianna, Gianna, Avanique Morley, Breonna Brice, Shafrey Wilson, Christina, Clesha, Belica and Shavone Clarke; NEPHEWS: Wayne Strachan, Alton Rolle, Desmond Clarke, Raymond Mackey, Daaron, Stepheno, Lamarko, Rodger and Daniel Saunchious, Ramon Jr, DeAngelo, Jaron, Kareem, Theo, Tekio, Lakito, Ken, Kahtil, Jeffrey Jr. and Daniel; GRAND NIECES AND NEPHEWS: Shenna, Desmond, Christy, Denzil Jr, Denielle and Desron Clarke, Dwayne, Desmonique, Destiny, Philip, EJay, Cattieya, Alexiou, Keyshawn, Keyshell, Altia, Altonese and Alton Jr.; COUSINS: Stephanie, Angie, Jackie, Charlene, Magnola, Sherry, Janet Michellel, Glendina, Rochelle, Jennifer Nicole, Renae, Patricia Knowles, Christine Rolle, Margo Braynen-Beneby, Theresa Guy, Charlene Sweeting and Marilyn Pratt (Washington D.C); SPECIAL FRIENDS: Karen & Thoma Minnis, Donna, Paula, Gillien Rolle, Cindy, Yvette, Permell, Andrea, Lucille, R/Sgt. Jefference Williamson, Sgt Oral Humes, Beverley Taylor, CDR Whitfield Neily (RBDF), Sherelle Grant Bethel, Carol (Baltimore Maryland) and A HOST OF RELATIVES AND FRIENDS INCLUDING: Commissioner Anthony Ferguson and Family, ACP Samuel Butler, ASP Melanie Allen, Insp. Shakiel Riley, Sgt 824 Linda Sullivan, R/Sgt.757 Patrice Sherman, Cpl Leslie Allen, Cpl 3636 Rolle, Sgt Gareth Rolle, Sgt Earl Greenslade, Insp W. Pearson, Sgt Rigby, Insp Burrows, R/Sgt 599 Ian Bethel, R/Sgt 175 Wilton Cunningham, R/Sgt J.M. Johnson, R/Asp Howard Williams, Insp Reno Williams, R/Sgt Don Moss, Insp, Johnson, Royal Bahamas Police Force Drug Enforcement Unit Family especially the Airport Team, Retired Commissioner Greenslade, Angie Butler, Bruce Rodgers, Father Kelly, Father Arlene and The Our Lady of the Holy Souls Roman Catholic Church Family, Mrs. McKenzie, Jaret Minnis, Tryone Brown, Van Prosper, Marvis, Diane, Greg Fernander, R.M. Bailey Class of 1979, Reverend Small, Tony, Mr. & Mrs. Nehemiah Heild, Patrona Goodman, Jan Carey, Nickey Brice, Sandra Miller, Laurice Pinder, Tabby, Bridgette and Lynette, Sister Nicky, The Royal Bahamas Defence Force Family, The Housekeeping Department of Melia Nassau Beach Family, Geriatric Unit of The Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre Family, Wise Master Builder Family, Central Church of the Nazarene Family, Bishop Samuel Johnson and Family, Deliverance Revival Centre Church Family, The Butler Family, The Bell Family, The Dames Family, The Knowles Family, The Beneby Family, Bishop Ian Bratwait and The Holy Dove Church Family. The body will repose at Curtis Memorial Mortuary on Wednesday from 11:00am until 5:00pm, and at the Church on Thursday from 9:30am until service time.
Elementary School about two miles away and spent about six minutes shooting into the building, striking at least one student, Johnston said. Surveillance video showed the gunman, who was not identified, trying unsuccessfully to enter the school, authorities said. School officials’ swift decision to lock the doors after hearing gunfire was “monumental” in saving
the lives of countless children, Johnston said. No one was killed there. The gunman left the school after he could not get inside and purposely crashed the stolen truck he was driving into another vehicle and shot at its occupants, Johnston said. The shooter stole the car of a person who stopped to check on the crash and ran away when confronted with a gun. He continued the
rampage until police shot him about 45 minutes after it started, Johnston said. “This man was very, very bent on completing what he set out to do,” the assistant sheriff said. The shootings occurred in the rural community of Rancho Tehama Reserve, a homeowners association of modest houses and trailers in rolling oak woodlands dotted with grazing cattle about 130 miles north of Sacramento.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, November 15, 2017, PAGE 11
‘We are part of US opioid problem’ By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands yesterday flagged concerns the country’s pharmaceutical industry was complicit in the raging opioid crisis afflicting the United States. Dr Sands referenced pockets of opioid dependence in the country, stating while it did not match the epidemic faced by American health officials, it was “bad enough”. There is currently no programme monitoring the prescription of narcotics, he said. Dr Sands added the country’s weak legislative and regulatory framework has given rise to anecdotal accounts of local businesses cashing in on an increasing tourist demand for narcotics that was legal, but possibly unethical and immoral. He told reporters outside the Cabinet Office the government was working to clamp down on the narcotics trend and also address gaps which allow for the prevalence of “gray market drugs.” “We are complicit in this (US) market,” he said, “and there are anecdotally individuals who have a robust business in the prescription of narcotics. There are people that participate in it and it’s legal, it’s not like trafficking cocaine or marijuana, but the same way in the US where it can be a big business and a lucrative business, people get involved. And it can happen in a regulatory environment that is weak, as ours is. So people will say ‘but it’s not illegal, I’m not breaking the law,’ well it may not be illegal but it’s possibly unethical and immoral.” Dr Sands added: “We have pockets of individuals that have opioid dependence and who have opioid seeking behavior. I don’t
DR DUANE SANDS, Minister of Health. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff think it’s as bad yet, but it’s protect The Bahamas, so bad enough and we mirror what happens we run out or mimic what happens in of medication and unfortuthe US. We take their good nately if you have surgery habits and their bad, so or if you have cancer, well when we look at whether we out.” there is a need to revamp Dr Sands revealed our approach to narcotics in those concerns during an particular: the answer is cat- interview on shortfalls in egorically, absolutely yes.” medication availability, tellAmerican President ing reporters the challenges Donald Trump declared his to keep drugs in stock were country’s opioid crisis as a multifaceted for both the public health emergency private and public sector. last month, following scores He acknowledged of reports that have labelled public health has been sigthe epidemic the deadli- nificantly challenged in est drug crisis in American making certain medications history. available, but noted his Dr Sands continued: ministry recently revamped “The [International Narcot- the pharmacy department, ics Control Board] gives a and the senior pharmacy quota of narcotics to every team, at the Princess Margiven country, by a certain garet Hospital along with time in the year the Baha- other initiatives. mas finds that it has run out He told reporters in an of narcotics. So if you’re earlier interview: “Our phara cancer patient if you are macy legislation is not strong a surgical patient you can enough, or it’s not as strong take Tylenol or Motrin as it ought to be in 2017 and because we have run out of so we see in this market what narcotics. we call gray market drugs. “Could that be because Drugs that are supposed to we are prescribing those be going to Kuala Lumpur same pain medicines or Turkey or some other intended for internal [local] country not intended for this use to visitors? Now we market, making its way into don’t have the same level this country. of drug enforcement agency “We have unfortunately type oversight of narcotics a challenge with narcotics in the Bahamas, the same in this country and I believe type of prescription that I The Bahamas finds itself write a regular request for participating in the narinsulin, I can write a request cotics challenge in the US for morphine. as visitors come here not “While it is possible to necessarily for sun, sand, track it, it doesn’t have the and sea, but to get narcotrobust safety net that it ics, that’s another challenge ought to have in order to we’re trying to shut down.”