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The Tribune
Volume: 119 No.9, December 2, 2021
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CIVIL SERVANTS BLOCK AUDITOR
Officials holding back documents stopping full probe of finances By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Government’s top financial watchdog has renewed complaints that some civil servants are breaking the law by obstructing his office’s efforts to uncover misuse of taxpayer monies. Terrance Bastian, the Auditor General warned that his staff’s work “continues to be impeded” by officials in several ministries and departments. While the guilty parties
were not identified by Mr Bastian, he reiterated failing to hand over necessary files and documents violates the Financial Administration and Audit Act 2010. And these barriers are also helping some public officials evade accountability for the waste and mismanagement of increasingly scarce Bahamian taxpayer funds, the Auditor General wrote, in the wake of the economic effects of COVID-19 and Hurricane Dorian. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
Aeropost purchase, pledged it will offer the “lowest bar entry” for businesses looking to sell products and services to Bahamian consumers online. Mr Bastian acquired Aeropost in October 2021 via Click Partners LP, a British Virgin Islands (BVI) domiciled limited partnership. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
- SEE PAGE EIGHT
‘WE’LL BE A REPUBLIC EVENTUALLY’
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell says he is still committed to seeing The Bahamas become a republic. “As many of you may know, I too am committed to a republic, in making The Bahamas a republic,” he said yesterday, as Barbados made the transition to a republic this week, parting with the Queen of England as its head of state. SEE PAGE THREE
SEBAS LAUNCHES NEW AMAZON-TYPE VENTURE By NEIL HARTNELL and YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporters SEBAS Bastian raised nearly $19m from investors to finance the acquisition of an e-commerce platform he yesterday said will become an “Amazon-like” presence in The Bahamas and the region. The Island Luck cofounder, unveiling his
FRONT PORCH: WHAT’S THE ACTUAL PLAN FOR VACCINE BOOSTER SHOTS?
LET IT RIP BRYSON DECHAMBEAU, of the United States, tees off on the first hole of a Pro-Am tournament ahead of the Hero World Challenge PGA Tour at the Albany Golf Club yesterday. See SPORTS for the full story. Photo: Fernando Llano/AP
LETTING VACCINES EXPIRE ‘EMBARRASSING’ By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said a terrible message will be sent to the international community if Johnson & Johnson vaccines expire at the end of the month before the shots go into arms. He said The Bahamas will likely struggle to get additional vaccines if this happens. His comment came after
DR Hubert Minnis yesterday. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/ Tribune Staff Health Minister Dr Michael Darville said on Tuesday that 20,000 J&J vaccines are
set to expire at the end of this year. Nonetheless, Dr Darville said yesterday that the vaccination committee believes vaccinations will increase during the holiday season and it is working on a “community and social mobilisation” to boost vaccine uptake. Dr Darville said The Bahamas has reached the point where it is clear that those strongly interested SEE PAGE FOUR
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
CENTRAL BANK HIT BY STAFF SICKOUT
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A NUMBER of Central Bank workers called in sick yesterday to protest unresolved grievances with management. According to president of the Union of Central Bankers, Theresa Thompson, chief among workers’ concerns is an outstanding industrial agreement that has yet to be finalised. She said the agreement expired in January of this year and added that workers were still negotiating with bank officials. SEE PAGE FIVE
STATESIDE JUSTICE NOT EASY IN POLITICAL COURTS
- SEE PAGE NINE