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EQUINOR SPILL STILL A THREAT Study says high levels of oil remain on ground despite recovery work By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net A NEW report has found that despite 18 months of weathering and remediation at the Equinor site in Grand Bahama post Hurricane Dorian there remains high concentrations of oil in and around the area. It is likely high enough to negatively impact wildlife that may be exposed. According to the report by the Bahamas National
Trust, nearly five million gallons of oil that were spilled from the facility during the Category 5 storm was spread over wetlands, pine forests and a quarry. As a result, approximately 31 acres of terrestrial habitat has been removed from the oil spill site and will require revegetation. In the quarry to the north of the spill site, there remains oil residue on the surface and this site also requires remediation. SEE PAGE THREE
PEOPLE who receive their first vaccination shot between December 13 and December 31 will be eligible to win a $25,000 cash prize. Ed Fields, co-chair of the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee, announced yesterday that this is an effort to increase vaccination numbers. The government is
teaming up with the Fox Foundation to provide the prizes. People who get their first dose during the period may also be among 50 people chosen in each of the three weeks to receive $500 cash prizes. “We are really trying to focus on getting 200,000 people vaccinated before the end of the year,” Mr Fields said at a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister. SEE PAGE FOUR
- SEE PAGE EIGHT
REPUBLIC DEBATE NOT ON AGENDA By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net MAKING The Bahamas a republic is not on the agenda of the Davis administration, according to Press Secretary Clint Watson. Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and a delegation recently visited Barbados and attended a ceremony highlighting that country’s highly publicised transition to a republic. SEE PAGE FIVE
$25K PRIZE TO BREAK VACCINE HESITANCY By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
NAUGHTY: WHAT KIND OF CLOWN SHOW ARE WE RUNNING?
‘I’LL STAND FOR FNM CHAIRMAN’
SAILING TO SUCCESS DESIGNER Nakia Wong is finding her business is going places after starting to use sailcloth to make merchandise and art. See today’s WEEKEND SECTION for the full story.
HEALTH OFFICIALS BLOCK CARNIVAL By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Ministry of Health has rejected a company’s request to hold the Christmas Carnival event this year, according to Press Secretary Clint Watson. This decision comes even though operators of the event brought their equipment into the country and have already set up many of the attractions, with one
THE CARNIVAL setting up earlier this week. representative telling reporters yesterday it cost “a lot” to bring and set everything up. Joseph Alberts,
manager and coordinator of Midways by McCafferty Enterprises, said his company will now “talk to other people in the political platform” in hope the government will change its decision. He claims health officials never came to the site to inspect the area. “I don’t know what it cost (to bring everything in and set up) but the boats are expensive,” he said. SEE PAGE TWO
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net A CANDIDATE vying for the position of Free National Movement chairman in the party’s upcoming convention says the organisation is at a critical point and if it does not have a turnaround, it will be in “serious trouble” come the next general election. SEE PAGE FIVE
DIANE PHILLIPS: POSTER CHILD OF THE BRAIN DRAIN
SEE PAGE NINE
PAGE 2, Friday, December 10, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
Health officials block Carnival from page one
“Mr McCafferty who owns the carnival, he handles all the expenses, but I know a ship ain’t cheap. But we’re gonna work on it and see if… we invited (health officials) to come out and look at it and see how they like how safe it is and maybe they will reconsider… no one ever came to look at it.” The rejection of the event proved controversial on social media yesterday, with many confused about how the operators were allowed to enter the country and set up without securing approval to host the event. During a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday, Mr Watson explained that while the operators were legally able to enter the country and set up, they never had official approval from the Ministry of Health, something he said should have been obtained first. He said: “If you express a concern, you wanna come and so forth we say these are the approvals that are required, you can go and get approvals from various things. Included in that was, of course, the health protocol that will be required from the Ministry of Health. I think that was the final approval they were waiting on. It’s not a matter of ‘we’re here and we’re hoping that this happens’. The agreement that is made every year is that you come into the country, you
make your request to come in, we tell you the approvals that will be necessary… but at the end of the day all of the approvals have to be in place.” He added: “They never had approval from the Ministry of Health, that’s what they were waiting on.. . .Let me explain it a different way, you can come to the country and say I want to come to try and set up shop to do something particular. “You’re not breaking the law by doing that. Particularly if you follow the customs requirements, approvals to get a particular facility, you can do that. “Those agencies are not going to say ‘where’s your health approval’. . .My thing is at the end of the day, what needed to be sourced first was that health approval before taking everything else...” Mr Watson said the health advisory committee which
has been meeting since the start of the pandemic to give approvals to events found several reasons not to approve the carnival. “Social distancing is a key tool in mitigating (the) spread of the virus,” he said. “As the holiday carnival is usually categorised as an event where people associate in close quarters, the Ministry of Health was not adequately satisfied that people from separate households will remain three to six feet apart from each other. “The carnival falls into the same category as concerts and other large events. Two main groups, that being children aged 11 years and younger, and younger adults have been identified as vulnerable groups who could be negatively impacted. Specifically, children aged 11 years and younger do not have access to any vaccines against COVID-19
in The Bahamas which leaves them susceptible to contracting the virus and spreading it. For younger adults, they’ve been identified by data as being the largest group of individuals who have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus across all three waves.” Health officials were also not satisfied that carnival organisers would consistently enforce rules. “The fact of the matter is the risk outweighs any benefit envisioned,” Mr Watson said. “During the application process, the responsiveness and behaviour of the persons associated with the request for approval has been less than ideal as emails have gone unanswered and the illusion made in the press that the Ministry of Health and Wellness does not have any jurisdiction on the holding of the carnival has given rise to concern of the
level of regard for this ministry that is required for the ministry to have confidence that it can help organisers manage and guide this event safely.” Mr Watson said while organisers did not say how many are expected to attend the event, officials anticipate that “it will exceed numbers seen as high risk for concerts and other outdoor activities.” He said: “Recently, requests submitted to the Ministry of Health and Wellness for events of this scale have not been approved and approving at this stage will reflect a significant deviation from the ministry’s standards for approving these types of requests.” Mr Alberts recently told reporters that Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis gave the company permission to host its event. Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has since pounced on that claim to say Mr Davis is at odds with Health Minister Dr Michael Darville. Asked if Mr Davis gave the carnival approval, Mr Watson said: “Absolute nonsense. The Prime Minister has never spoken about this issue, neither has he been involved in this issue. An operator says they got approval from somebody and a national leader in our country then says the Prime Minister and Minister of Health are on different pages? How can you take
that based on what somebody has said outside of your country? The Prime Minister does not approve carnivals coming into the country.” Yesterday, Dr Minnis said the Davis administration has still failed to clearly explain how the operator got permission to bring in its equipment and set them up. “Obviously approval had to be given,” he said. “Approval had to be given for them to come through customs, ship their things, ship their supplies and equipment into the country (and) obtain temporary work permits for assistance.” Dr Minnis said under his administration, people would typically apply to the Ministry of Finance first. He suggested the government may now be on the hook for thousands of dollars. “The procedure under us was that an application to the Ministry of Finance would subsequently be referred to the Ministry of Health,” he said. “Health would then send their opinion to my office, whether approval or not. That was then taken to Cabinet. Cabinet was informed and then we would approve it and I would come forward as the spokesman for Cabinet, but all agencies were involved. “We want to know where the initial application went to? Who is in charge of finance? The Prime Minister.”
HOSPITAL TO START ‘PHASED RETURN’ TO NORMAL SERVICES PRINCESS Margaret Hospital will start a phased return to normal services amidst the current COVID19 environment. It will begin the shift to a hybrid model of care providing for more face-to-face appointments supported by virtual appointments, which began December 6 and continues into January 2022.
The following specialty clinics have employed a hybrid arrangement of face-to-face and virtual appointments: medical clinic; surgical clinic; orthopaedic clinic; infectious disease clinic; chest clinic; and the gynaecology clinic. Patients requiring appointments to these specialty clinics should e-mail a copy
of the referral or discharge letter to appointments@pmh. phabahamas.org or they can send via WhatsApp, a clear copy of the referral or discharge letter to telephone number (242) 808-9972. Or they may directly contact the PMH Registration and Scheduling Unit by telephone at (242) 808-9972 for further assistance.
The pharmacy will resume normal hours of operation, 8am to 11pm daily for inpatient services and Monday to Saturday 8am to 4pm for outpatient services as of January 2022. PMH’s pharmacy continues to offer online refill service for chronic medications via its WhatsApp option at (242) 424-3642. Dentistry and
mammography services will operate by referral appointment only as of January 2022. The blood bank resumes normal hours of operation Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.30pm and on Saturdays from 9am to 3.30pm. Blood bank services are closed on Sundays and holidays. Ophthalmology services resume regular hours
of operation Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm. PMH morgue services continue with normal hours of operation, Monday to Friday from 9am to 1pm. The Family Medicine – Agape Clinic will transition hours of operation to 8am to 8pm as of January 1, 2022. Phlebotomy services at Agape Clinic have resumed.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, December 10, 2021, PAGE 3
BNT: WE NEED A RAPID RESPONSE PROTOCOL TO DEAL WITH DISASTERS By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas National Trust has recommended the development of a rapid response protocol for responding to disasters in The Bahamas more than two years after Hurricane Dorian brought destruction to Abaco and Grand Bahama. The recommendation was made in a report delving into the state of the environment as a result of the Category 5 storm. A rapid response protocol, according to the report, would ensure officials conduct assessments of damage to marine and terrestrial systems and rapidly implement strategies to improve ecosystem recovery. It would include a database of current or previous studies to identify
where pre-storm baseline data exist and facilitate collaborations to assess storm impacts. An organised emergency plan will facilitate comprehensive, timely responses that will maximise the available resources and facilitate the most successful interventions possible, the report said. Hurricane Dorian struck portions of Grand Bahama and Abaco in September 2019, impacting all aspects of marine and wildlife, including birds and forests, reef habitats, mangroves, marine mammals and seagrass communities at both islands. The report, a collaboration of rapid assessments and input by various government and non-governmental agencies, called for the development of a national-level conservation horticulture programme
that develops and manages ex-situ collections of native plants that are genetically diverse and representative of wild populations to be used for restoration and reforestation. A significant portion of the pine forests on both islands were catastrophically damaged during the hurricane, with implications for bird species that depend on these habitats. Species of particular concern are the critically endangered Bahama Nuthatch which is only found in the pine forests of Grand Bahama and has not been seen since 2018; the Bahama Parrot (a subspecies of the Cuban Amazon Parrot) whose largest breeding population is contained within the pine forests of Abaco and the Bahama Warbler, another endemic, is found exclusively in Pine Forests
on Grand Bahama and Abaco. In addition to the resident and endemic birds found in these pine forests, numerous migratory birds rely on these habitats for up to six months of the year. The Abaco Boa (Chilabothrus Exsul), an endemic snake, is also reliant on terrestrial habitats on Abaco although they mainly utilise coppice habitats. Another recommendation was for the removal of debris from reefs, coastal areas, forests, and other sensitive systems to reduce the impact physical destruction these can cause during future storms and serve as fuel for uncontrolled wildfires through already compromised forests. If large scale debris removal is not feasible, the report noted that there should be the creation of fire breaks to reduce fire
impacts on recovering forests. The report said it is also important for additional marine and terrestrial protected areas to build resilience. Marine and terrestrial organisms may relocate to safer areas during storms and return to recolonise damaged areas afterwards. In addition, the healthier reefs or forests there are, the more reserves there are to repopulate non-motile populations like corals or trees. Another recommendation by the BNT’s report was that Casuarina and other invasive plants be removed from coastal and inland areas to improve coastal resilience. The report said: “Casuarina trees blow over easily during storms, removing material from the coastline and becoming projectiles that damage reef structures
once they enter the water. Inland Casuarinas replace native vegetation rapidly, reducing the chances that storm or fire damaged systems will return to their natural state.” There was also a view that corals and mangroves in priority areas need to be restored to help “jumpstart” the recovery process, including the use of nurseries and other propagation methods where appropriate and cost effective, while adhering to best practises to mitigate against unintended negative impacts such as the introduction of pests or diseases. Rehabilitating and restoring severely damaged coral and mangrove habitats has the potential to increase their rate of recovery and the chance that these areas persist in the face of future storm events and other stressors, the report noted.
THE EQUINOR site after the spill.
Equinor spill still a threat from page one
“Throughout the impact area and beyond the boundaries of the published oil spill impact area, oil was detected on rocks, trees and in soil, including a film of oil in the areas of the wetlands that were partly exposed”, said Dr Ancilleno Davis, a member of the Waterkeeper survey team that collaborated on the report. He reported observing just ten species of birds on the site with none of them being wetland species and only one being a resident forest species. Following a thorough investigation in the aftermath of the storm, Waterkeeper Alliance and Waterkeepers Bahamas, which conducted the impact assessment of Equinor, found that the area requires further delineation and mitigation of both habitat and wildlife impacts. Additionally, the report said Equinor oil residues in soil and surface water are at levels that have and will impact the local wildlife and habitat. Further, the oil storage facility has not been hurricane hardened to withstand the expected wind or tidal forces expected in Grand Bahama. The impact assessment went on to note that crude oil releases that occur on land, or reach land, compound the difficulty in remediation and the impacts can persist for decades after a spill.
Crude oil residues, if not remediated, will have a long-term impact on bird nesting success as well as impacts to the overall ecosystem. “Strategic remediation of the Equinor crude oil residues should be undertaken using methods that reduce the impact to the areas’ ecological services. Longterm monitoring should be conducted to verify ecosystem recovery,” the report said. The report also called for strengthening of requirements to deal with oil spills. “Based on the delayed Equinor response to the Hurricane Dorian release, it is obvious that response assets are not available within a timely manner to address the potential catastrophic releases in the future. This issue must be addressed. “Preparation and planning for expected events is needed similar to US Oil Protection Act (OPA) requirements for spill planning, preparedness, response and funding. A detailed offensive interventions spill response plan must be developed to replace the typical defensive wait-and-see and then clean up the beaches plan. “An offensive plan must include specific strategies to protect sensitive ecological resources and specifically endangered, threatened and vulnerable species and their habitats.” Other considerations must be made for the expansion of surface water
protection and regulations requiring “spill prevention, countermeasure and contingency (SPCC) planning” similar to the US Clean Water Act requirements for large above ground storage facilities, the report notes. “This plan would require adequate response capabilities. Adequate, on-island capabilities should be established, including oil boom containment and oil spill isolation capabilities as well as the training and equipment to deploy those capabilities. This planning should be consistent with and included in the ‘Caribbean Island Oil Pollution Response and Cooperation Plan’ and the ‘Bahamian National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP)’. Facility specific table-top and field exercises should be undertaken according to established plans to increase preparedness in a disaster.” In addition to prevention preparedness and response, a Natural Resource Damage Assessment should occur after every major spill to understand the required remediation steps and costs as well as any financial liability of the responsible party to pay for restoration and loss of services or livelihoods, BNT’s report said. Such an assessment should be codified in legislation to better protect the long-term interests of The Bahamas and its citizens. To read or download the full report, visit https://bnt. bs/postdorianreport.
MAN DIES IN HOSPITAL AFTER SHOOTING POLICE are investigating another homicide when a man died in hospital after being shot on Wednesday. Police said after 7pm on Wednesday, officers were called to the scene of a shooting at Peardale Road. When they arrived at the scene, they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to hospital by Emergency Medical Services, where he later died. Initial investigations
revealed that the victim was sitting in a yard when a gunman approached him and discharged the weapon in his direction. He attempted to run, but was struck several times in his back by the suspect who then fled in an unknown direction. This matter remains under active investigation. This shooting comes after a man was shot on Spence Street on Tuesday night. According to reports, the man was with a group
around 9pm when he was shot several times by the occupant of a small vehicle which had approached them. Police on their way to the scene stopped a speeding truck and saw the victim in the truck’s bed. He was taken to hospital and later died of his injuries. Anyone with information on these incidents is asked to call police at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers at 328TIPS (8477).
PAGE 4, Friday, December 10, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
$25K PRIZE TO BREAK VACCINE HESITANCY from page one “We’re at about 150k now which means that we have a big push but we think we can do it. If we do it that means that we’ve arrived at about 60 percent of the eligible population for vaccination, somewhere between 50 and 60 percent, which is a huge undertaking given the fact that the United States is right now stuck on about 59/60 percent so if we can get to that level we’re gonna be right up there with the big boys. “We’ve gotten to the point where, how do I say this diplomatically, we are deep into the hesitancy pool of individuals for various
reasons and so we have to determine how we can incentivise best those who are sitting on the fence.” Cash prizes will not depend on which vaccine people take. Adrianna Fox, cofounder of the Fox Foundation, said: “Every week we will do a digital drawing of those persons who took their first shot and those results will be posted on ILTV channel on Saturday. So every Saturday we will do a digital drawing. Every week, 50 persons will win $500.” She said at the end of the third week, everyone who took a shot during the three weeks will be entered into a draw and eligible to win the $25,000 prize.
THREE MORE DEATHS CONFIRMED
ED FIELDS, co-chair of the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee.
COVID-19 deaths have increased by three. The latest deaths were reported in the Ministry of Health’s December 8 dashboard, bringing the number of deaths to 708. The deceased — two women and one man — were all New Providence residents who died between November 11-25.
Thirty-six other deaths are under investigation. The ministry also reported four new cases of the virus, which pushed the nation’s confirmed COVID-19 toll to 22,863. Of those cases, only 320 are active. At last report, 15 people were in the hospital with COVID-19.
ADRIANNA FOX, co-founder of the Fox Foundation. Photos: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff
AMERICAN CORNER RENEWED AT UB US CHARGÉ d’Affaires Usha Pitts and University of The Bahamas President Dr Rodney Smith have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) renewing the American Corner at UB’s Oakes Field campus. Yesterday’s MoU signing ceremony celebrates a renewal of the partnership between the embassy and UB, and followed extensive renovations to the space completed during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person programming could not happen. Located on the first floor of the Harry C Moore Library and Information Centre, the American Corner will be open and available to the general public at least 20 hours a week. Comprising two separate spaces, the American Corner features a stateof-the art smart board, flexible and modular furniture, internet connectivity, and a large open space for events with the requisite physical distance. The space serves as an ideal venue for workshops, presentations, and sessions on entrepreneurship, art, design, photography, social issues, and more. Ms Pitts spoke fondly
of her experiences with libraries growing up in Massachusetts and said she was excited to be in a space where information is exchanged. “Here we have a modern advanced version of a library because it includes all the digital tools and technology tools that are now available to improve that exchange of information that really is the bedrock to any democracy,” she said. Dr Smith noted that the American Corner has been a functional and much needed resource. “Renewing this Memorandum of Understanding speaks not only to the continuation of the space, but also to the partnership and friendship that the university shares with the US Embassy,” he said. “It also speaks volumes about the embassy’s and American government’s commitment to community development and support where they have a presence.” The American Corner is a partnership between the US Embassy and UB and is part of the US Department of State’s global American Spaces programme. American Spaces aim to provide
THE MEMORANDUM of Understanding being signed by Dr Rodney Smith and Usha Pitts.
Photos: US Embassy
people around the world with accurate, compelling, timely and audience appropriate information about the United States and its history, culture, society, and values. With more than 650 locations worldwide, American Spaces also foster people to people connections, increase understanding, and build respect with host country audiences through cultural programmes. The American Corner at UB was established in 2013.
Death Notice For
Rachel Miriam Burrows, 66
of #36 Honeyburn Lane, Danottage Estates and formerly of Cartwright’s, Long Island, died at her residence on Wednesday, 8th December, 2021. She is survived by her husband: Garfield Burrows; two (2) sons: Francis D. (Levette) Burrows and Alexis G. (Dr. Paige) Burrows; one (1) daughter: Antonia Burrows; (1) sister: Asenath Cartwright; four (4) grandchildren: Aniya, Flynn, Xavier and Scarlett Rose Burrows; close relatives: Joy and Dwayne Darville, Elizabeth and Winton Rahming and Sean Adderley; and a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.
THE BAHAMAS Humane Society is holding an “adoptathon” for cats and dogs.
HUMANE SOCIETY HOLDS ADOPTATHON THE Bahamas Humane Society is having a three-day “adoptathon” for cats and dogs this month to help relieve the “overwhelmed” facility. The adoptions will only take place today to Sunday from 11am to 3pm. The prices for cats are $12.50; dogs $20; puppies $50 and kittens $35. Interested people are asked to fill out adoption forms prior to the event, which can be accessed at https://www. bahamashumane.org/how-to-adopt/. BHS general manager Percy Grant said pre-approval is needed – nothing is going to happen on the days of the adoption event. “Of course cats are something that you come in and there’s an interview… but when it comes down to dogs we have to go through a check
and everything has to be in place: fenced-in yard… and a dog house in place or a place on the property that the dog can get out of the rain or some shelter,” he told The Tribune yesterday. He said the facility is overwhelmed due to the number of animals being dumped on its doorsteps daily. “It’s an everyday thing. As much as we can get out this weekend, whatever we get out trust me on Monday morning it’s going to pile up again. It’s a revolving door. It’s a very interesting area to work in and it’s something that it’s very stressful at times because you know you are trying to figure out why we have such a mindset. People just… dump off the animals and go get another one and bring that in and
dump that off as well. So as long as people refuse to spay and neuter (the problem will continue). “We need to do a lot more education. I think people need to be more aware that we have to spay and neuter - that’s the only way we can control the population. If we have too many animals it can cause issues (in) neighbourhoods, frustration resulting in animal cruelty. As an ending result, it can also be a bad health issue because if there is a natural disaster and if you got to deal with people and animals that could be something else. It could be unhealthy. Too many dogs throwing down garbage bins.” After the three-day event, there will be no new adoptions. It will only be on a one-on-one basis for people
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, December 10, 2021, PAGE 5
School opening delays ‘a disgrace but not a surprise’ By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson said it is a “disgrace” but not surprising that three schools will likely not be ready to open in January for hybrid learning with face-to-face instruction. “As the union shop stewards, executive officers and from my personal observations and inspection of schools, it is obvious that the completion of the construction and the school repairs will not be completed in time for schools reopening in January 2022,” Mrs Wilson said. “So, the Bahamas Union of Teachers awaits the alternative sites for the schools so that education instruction may resume
BAHAMAS Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson. face-to-face and hybrid models as pronounced by the Minister of Education Glenys Hanna Martin.” Mrs Hanna Martin revealed on Wednesday that Sybil Strachan Primary, C W Sawyer Primary and Ridgeland Primary will
likely not be ready when school resumes next month. She said education officials are working along with the Ministry of Works to identify alternative locations for students of those schools to participate when schools open next year.
Mrs Wilson called for a more proactive approach for dealing with school repairs. “It is my hope that going forward the Ministry of Education will improve on having school repairs completed in a timely manner on an annual basis. The schools not being ready at this time is nothing short of a disgrace. My recommendation, as was given many years ago and consistently given, is that the Ministry of Education needs a maintenance section to carry out scopes of work in schools throughout the year. “The work should be decentralised and the unit populated with skilled workers and experts to ensure that school repairs are not only done in the summer months, but throughout the year. “This
PRESS Secretary Clint Watson yesterday. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff
REPUBLIC DEBATE NOT ON AGENDA
from page one During a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday, Mr Watson suggested that this won’t happen in The Bahamas anytime soon. He said: “This has been an ongoing conversation in our country since 1973, the next phase in our independence. You’ve heard a member of the Cabinet speak about his push to see it happen personally as an individual. It is a conversation we haven’t heard a lot about in recent years until we heard what happened
in Barbados. But it’s obviously in the hands of the Bahamian people to decide. “It’s not on our agenda right now. However, the Bahamian people can change that if they determine this is what they want to do. It would have to be something the Bahamian people request and put on the government’s agenda. “There is a process that’s different from Barbados that we have here in The Bahamas in terms of how that would happen. It’s a little more cumbersome than what Barbados had to go through. Based on our Constitution, it would require two thirds of
Parliament agreeing to it and then it requires a referendum by the Bahamian people. There is a process that’s quite different from Barbados and that we would have to go through for that to be considered.” Foreign Affairs and Public Service Minister Fred Mitchell recently said he believes The Bahamas will eventually become a republic, calling that development his life’s work. “Try as I might over my lifetime, I have been unable to fire up the succeeding generations on this issue,” Mr Mitchell said recently. “Perhaps they have more important things to do.”
‘I’LL STAND FOR FNM CHAIRMAN’ from page one
FNM executive member Collin Ingraham is tossing his hat in the ring for the position of party chairman, which is currently held by Carl Culmer. Mr Ingraham has had ties to the party since high school. After high school, he was afforded an opportunity to attend the College of The Bahamas by a party scholarship orchestrated by then leader, Hubert Ingraham. Mr Ingraham is also a past member of the party’s youth organisation – Torchbearers Youth Association; he was also the chairman of the Marathon Association; was on the management team for several candidates and also served as public relations chair. “I believe that the Free National Movement is at a very critical point, that if we don’t get this right this time we are going to be in serious trouble come next election,” he told The Tribune yesterday. “It is critical for the party to have, not just another chairman, but to have a chairman who is responsible for the day-to-day organisation of the party. I’ve heard others say that the chairman needs to be articulate and be able to go out and represent the party and speak to the media etcetera. “That’s certainly a good thing for a chairman, but a chairman is so much more. The chairman is responsible for the day-to-day organisation of the party. That means every association throughout the length and breadth of this country, including the Women’s
Association, including the youth organisation, TYA.” He said being chairman is not just about being a talking head, but a real worker. “The chairman has to organise the party,” Mr Ingraham said. “That’s a critical part that some seem to forget. Everyone seems focused on being in the limelight, but there is a lot of work that needs to go on behind the scenes. “The fact that the FNM got a crushing, embarrassing defeat on September 16, 2021, losing some 10,000 votes is reason enough to realise the work that has to be done.” Mr Ingraham, who has a foundation called, “Collin Cares” that takes care of those in need, feels the party needs to reconnect with its “foot soldiers”, who feel disenfranchised, by showing empathy and caring. He says he is the right man for the job having been on the team which led the party to several victories at the polls, but always overlooked when it comes to candidacy among other things. “Those persons who sat out (did not vote) who are trying to figure out what to do, we need to get them back,” he said. “They support the ideals and principles of the FNM. They support the philosophy, but then somehow when they vote us in, the same thing happens over and over. We forgot about them. “These people are saying to us, ‘Listen, we haven’t gone anywhere, but we are telling you we are not going to put up with this. You need to get it right this time.’ “The reason that we lost is that far too many FNMs became
disconnected, disenchanted, disrespected and disregarded by the Free National Movement. And, it is going to be a major job for FNMs to come back to our party.” He said he is determined to mend relationships with the disenfranchised FNMs and for the most part, the party is heading in that direction. He feels that he is the man for the job, having played so many different roles in the party. “I think we made the first step by selecting a new leader,” he said. “That’s good and important, but the other officers who are going to be elected, led by the chairman, are going to be significant. The job that chairman has is one of being a part of the healing and reconnecting to our people, association by association and community by community. “I represent those people who have been maligned and disrespected. It’s like we used you to get in and then we forget about you. As a foot soldier and somebody who has been through that over and repeatedly, I have that over all of the persons who are vying for chairman. “All of those running for chairman, there is none who can compare with me with regards to having that fundamental connection with the foot soldiers. That’s just not their history. That is mine.” Former Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands and former Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson have also announced their bids for FNM chairman. The party will hold its next convention in February 2022 when party officers will be elected.
is another set back for teachers and students who have been disenfranchised over the past 20 months. Again, BUT awaits the information for the alternative sites because we must get the students back in the classrooms throughout the country.” Recently, the ministry announced the usual end of term examinations will not be held this year and the National Report Card Day, originally scheduled for December 16 has been postponed. Mrs Wilson said BUT is in agreement with the cancellation of school-based end of term exams for 2021 and the assessment of students when they return face-to-face in January 2022. Despite this, there is still some concern.
“We are very concerned that at this late stage the Department of Education has not presented a comprehensive plan for the academic instruction of students when school reopens throughout the country. Yes, we held meetings with education personnel, but (information) was given in a very ad hoc fashion. “Based on the Ministry of Education’s number, 30 percent of students, which equates to more than 14,000 students, have not had any educational instruction or formal learning since March 2020 - some 20 months ago. This is very serious, so we are awaiting the plan to correct this critical problem which should ensure that these students (get) the much-needed tutoring and extra classes necessary.”
PAGE 6, Friday, December 10, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
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We must act to protect our environment WHEN Hurricane Dorian tore through The Bahamas, the main worry was for the people in its path. But our environment was also a casualty – not least of all when the storm hit the Equinor site in Grand Bahama, spilling oil throughout the surrounding area. Despite 18 months of work since then to remediate the damage, there still remains high concentrations of oil in and around the site. Meanwhile, we have had a change of government and even the new Prime Minister, Philip “Brave” Davis, standing up in front of a climate change conference and being quoted around the world. He talked of how a recent study “declared that The Bahamas had the cleanest air in the world. Other studies have shown that our distinctive, beautiful, aquamarine seas are a magnificent carbon sink. Our seas reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. The Bahamas is not now and never has been the problem. But yet we are forced to pay the price.” Mr Davis was not in office when the storm hit, but he inherits its aftermath. And speaking up about the wonders of environment while far from home is one thing, but we should also be taking action right here on our doorstep. What action can be taken? Well, oil residues remain high, and the Waterkeeper Alliance and Waterkeepers Bahamas recommend “strategic remediation of the Equinor crude oil residues should be undertaken”. More than that, how do we stop such a thing happening again? Dorian was a monster storm, but reportedly the oil storage facility has not been hurricane hardened to withstand the wind and tides expected if another hits. Equinor is far from alone, either, and the report also calls for the strengthening of requirements across the country to deal with oil spills. That should also include oil boom containment capabilities and more, to stop a spill having a major effect in the future, whether through a storm’s effects or other leaks. There has been a prolonged discussion
about the possibility of oil drilling in this country – but as Equinor shows, we need to be ready for spillages even without the prospect of drilling taking place.
Vaccination lottery We can boast about our environmental credentials as much as we like when we are overseas, but we need to live up to them here at home. That’s something this new administration needs to step up to the plate on. We hope it lives up to Mr Davis’ words. Anything that encourages people to put their hesitancy to one side and get their vaccines is to be encouraged. The statistics are piling up around the world to show that the majority of people being hospitalised, and the majority of people dying from COVID19 are the unvaccinated. By a large margin. So while we welcome the prospect of a lottery with a $25,000 prize to encourage people to overcome the hesitancy, is there a certain bittersweet feeling to it? For those who got their shots right away, there may be a feeling that others are being rewarded for waiting while they got nothing for leading the way. It’s the same feeling some who kept their property tax up to date might have felt when seeing people rewarded with discounts on their delinquent accounts. We certainly hope it doesn’t put people off in future of coming forward right away in such circumstances, in the hope they might hold on and get a reward for it. That said, if it works, it will probably save money if it reduces hospitalisations – at the least making resources go farther by having fewer patients in need of intensive care if their vaccination helps to protect them. And, of course, as the long list of deaths from COVID show, with another three deaths recorded on the latest figures, those who got vaccinated early are more likely to have the most precious prize of all: Life.
Decision is keeping tourists out EDITOR, The Tribune.
IT WAS with disbelief that I read your article today that Tourism Minister Chester Cooper has declared that the Health Visa for Bahamian residents will be abolished. He says this is because of “too much complications”! What about the same problems facing international visitors wanting to come to The Bahamas? As the longtime owner of travel agencies in upstate New York we formerly did very good business with your country. It was one of our most popular destinations. Now we are struggling to find anyone willing to book to The Bahamas. It is a difficult environment for the travel business with expensive tests required before tourists can enter or return to the USA, Canada and the UK. We do not need more complications for visitors by forcing them to fulfill all your cumbersome and complicated Visa
procedures. Most people who have booked to you in the past have busy schedules and look forward to a hassle free holiday for awhile. They simply do not have the time or will to go through all your requirements just to come for a break. We can book them to every other southern destination without any complications and we are doing that every day. The Bahamas is getting lost on our travel horizon. For everywhere else we are booking the visitor arrives at the airport, shows their double vaccination certificate, receives their boarding pass and are on their way. Even some of our regular Bahamas visitors are now going elsewhere. We are also facing substantially reduced interest in cruises especially after all the stories of COVID-19 found on ships. The Minister states that the Visa gives them “marketing information”. They always received those
details on the forms completed on arrival at the airport. I understand the Visa is basically a tax and has little to do with health. If it were why are residents now exempted? There have been numerous complaints over the past year by people in the travel business, residents and regular visitors about the Health Visa and all the uncertainties about travel confirmation and the hassles involved...However all their legitimate concerns have been brushed aside by your previous and current Tourism Minister and staff. For me it is regrettable that after years of booking my clients to The Bahamas we now face a situation where most of our clients are going to other places who are welcoming the business lost to you through your poorly conceived policies. RICHARD J HANSON Rochester, New York December 9, 2021
Groves must be turning in his grave EDITOR, The Tribune. GRAND Bahamians were shocked after hearing news of the International Bazaar being in flames for the second time in weeks, which has led to speculations that an arsonist is behind the two fires. The Bazaar is one of the most iconic structures of Freeport City; and is to Freeport what the Washington Monument is to Washington, DC, and the Statue of Liberty is to New York City. The building is a dilapidated eyesore. Making matters worse is the Bazaar’s location near the equally dilapidated Royal Oasis Resort buildings and the apparently abandoned Casa Bahama, Club Amnesia and Captain Kenny’s buildings. On Xanadu Beach - some miles away from the International Bazaar - is the dilapidated Xanadu Beach Resort, which is another eyesore. On Pioneer’s Way, Freeport residents cannot avoid seeing the dilapidated Jasmine Gardens Apartment Complex. Casa Bahama is located on East Mall Drive, which leads, in a northerly direction, to Independence Circle, where the deteriorating structures of the Grand Bahama International Airport, on Grand Bahama Highway and Queen’s Cove Road, are located. Garden Villas and Coral Gardens are the two wellknown ghettos of Freeport. However, it can be
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net argued that the badly dilapidated apartments on Hudson Avenue and Drake Avenue have turned that area into Freeport’s third ghetto. Since the demise of Edward St George in late 2004, Freeport hasn’t attracted a touristic investment on the scale of Atlantis on Paradise Island and Baha Mar on Cable Beach, Nassau. I’ve argued in this space in the past that Freeport is now lagging behind Marsh Harbour in Abaco (at least before Hurricane Dorian), Alice Town, Bimini and Georgetown, Exuma. Had it not been for Freeport’s industrial sector, Grand Bahama would’ve been just another Out Island like Mayaguana, Crooked Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, Long Island and Andros. When the late Wallace Groves signed the Hawksbill Creek Agreement with the White Bahamian government in 1955, he probably envisaged Freeport surpassing Nassau as the capital city within a few decades of its signing. With the advent of The King’s Inn in the 1960s or thereabouts, Groves’ dream was becoming a reality. Freeport historians, however, have often noted that Sir Lynden O. Pindling’s famed “Bend or Break” speech at the official opening of BORCO in 1969 was the beginning of the end of
the Magic City. Hundreds of successful white expatriates, whose industriousness and international connections helped to fuel the prosperity Freeport was enjoying, fled Grand Bahama, fearing that the newly installed Black Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government would implement policies similar to what Black governments had implemented in post-colonial Africa. Several cases in point would be Idi Amin in Uganda, Robert Mugabe in Rhodesia (or Zimbabwe) and the African National Congress government in South Africa although these events occurred years after Pindling unseated the United Bahamian Party and Sir Roland Symonette. This fear was fueled by the Black Power rhetoric of certain radical PLP elements ahead of the historic January 10, 1967 general election, which ushered in majority rule. Whatever the merits of this decades-old narrative, one is hard-pressed to explain away Freeport’s perennial economic recession, with its intermittent economic spurts. Freeport needs sustainable economic growth similar to New Providence’s. Considering the dismal state of Freeport and Grand Bahama 66 years since the signing of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, Groves must now be turning over in his grave. KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama. December 9, 2021.
Zimbabwe rights EDITOR, The Tribune.
ZIMBABWEANS are living in conditions that prevail in war zones such as abductions, torture, death, kidnapping and unlawful arrests. Even though Zimbabweans are not in official war, there is no peace in Zimbabwe. It is really bewildering and strange for Zimbabweans to celebrate International Day of Peace. There is widespread
violence in Zimbabwe against the opposition party members, activists and those that do not affiliate themselves to clueless, careless and corrupt ZANU PF political party. Heartless Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa has shown that he does not care about the gross human rights abuses in Zimbabwe and he and his party members have been violating human rights for other citizens.
If the world does not hold the reckless president of Zimbabwe to account, soon civil war will breakout in Zimbabwe and this will create many problems for neighbouring countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique. KUDZAI CHIKOWORE London, December 8, 2021.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, December 10, 2021, PAGE 7
Crisis Centre calls for govt to create sex offences court THE Bahamas Crisis Centre said it hopes the government follows through on the creation of a sexual offences court, noting that it has been calling for the establishment of such a court for years. In a press release issued yesterday, the Crisis Centre noted the recent revelation that 66 percent of reported sexual offence cases reported
over a period of years are unsolved. It added that the revelation by the Director of Public Prosecutions that 30 percent of sexual offences complaints are withdrawn “shines a bright light on the failure of our criminal justice system, and the challenges facing victims of sexual assault, which can impact their reluctance to report these offences.”
The group said: “Many victims of sexual assault struggle with the decision to report as a result of the perceived failure of the justice system to ensure accountability of perpetrators. “A specially assigned court has the potential to address these concerns and the impunity of perpetrators. Critical to the success of this court is not only the resourcing of that
SIX MONTHS IN JAIL FOR STABBING MOTHER OF HIS CHILD By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A 28-YEAR-OLD man who admitted stabbing his child’s mother about the body during an argument was yesterday sentenced to six months in prison. Shaquille Sands was charged with causing harm after he stabbed his girlfriend’s left thigh and right wrist with a kitchen knife on September 30. The prosecution said on the day in question, the woman reported to officers at the Grove Police Station that she was attacked by her boyfriend at their home. She said Sands stabbed her in her left thigh and right wrist with a brown kitchen knife. Sands was subsequently arrested and taken to the police station, where he denied the offence. The accused told officers that he and the woman were involved in a heated argument when she “slipped down into a chair opposite the bed onto the knife lying in the chair,” causing injuries to her body.
The court was also told that the two had been in a relationship for five years and also had a child together. When Sands appeared before Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt Evans, he pleaded guilty to the offence, but sought to lay the blame on his child’s mother. He explained that whenever they would argue, she would intentionally involve the police in an attempt to place him behind bars. “When I catch her doing her things, she insist on trying to jail me like I could always be around her like she have something over my head,” he told the court. Sands went on to describe himself as a hardworking, self-employed man who stayed out of trouble. He also told the court he had no previous convictions. “I don’t do crime. I ain’t in no gang. I’m a mason, contractor and carpenter,” he said. In response, Magistrate Vogt-Evans said his actions could not be excused, adding he stabbed the complainant not once, but twice.
This, she said, was a serious offence. As a result, Sands was sentenced to six months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. After the sentence was read, Sands replied “wow” as he placed his hand over his head. However, Magistrate Vogt-Evans told Sands to be thankful he was being sentenced for only six months. Aldieno Rolle, 27, also appeared in court yesterday, charged with one count each of damage, trespassing and assault. Police allege that Rolle unlawfully caused damage to Keisha Edward’s iPhone valued at $500, trespassed on her premises and assaulted her. During his hearing before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis yesterday, Rolle pleaded guilty to causing damage but denied the other offences which were later withdrawn by prosecution. He was ordered to pay $500 in compensation to the complainant and the matter was adjourned to December 17.
THREE ARRESTS OVER MARIJUANA FIND By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net THREE men were arrested in Grand Bahama on Wednesday for possession of 2.5 pounds of suspect marijuana. Police reported that
shortly before 3pm, a team of officers from the Predator Units received a tip and intercepted a white bus at the junction of Hepburn Town and Warren J Levarity Highway. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stephen Rolle said officers searched the
bus and discovered a quantity of suspected marijuana. He said three males were arrested for alleged conspiracy and possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply. ASP Rolle said the suspected marijuana has an estimated street value of $2,500.
PROBATION ORDER OVER FALSE REPORT By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A 36-YEAR-OLD man was put on two years probation yesterday and ordered to compensate police after admitting to making a false report to officers last week. Police arrested Torriano Smith after he caused the “wasteful employment of police time and resources”
by knowingly filing a false complaint to show that an armed robbery had been committed on December 5. When Smith appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain yesterday, he pleaded guilty to the offence. As a result, Magistrate Swain placed him on probation for two years and also ordered him to compensate the Royal Bahamas Police
Force $500 for wasting their time. She warned him that if he failed to be of good behaviour during that time, he would spend three months in prison. He was also told that failure to compensate the RBPF would result in onemonth imprisonment. Smith is scheduled to return to court February 3 for a review.
court, but also the ancillary services that would be required. “These services are critical to the ability of the court to respond to these matters and deal with these cases in a timelier manner. This court will interrupt the retraumatisation of survivors of sexual violence that so often occurs in the present system. “Survivors of sexual
assault need to see and know that they live in a country that condemns sexual violence and will ensure justice. It is hoped that this initiative would provide and highlight the importance of the establishment of a forensic laboratory that would enable the analysis of rape kits and other evidence to be addressed in a timely fashion.”
The Crisis Centre said it looks forward to the government resourcing this initiative so that it can have a meaningful impact and energise victims to regain their confidence in a justice system that is survivor friendly. The Bahamas Crisis Centre said it is ready to assist in any way to ensure the success of this court.
KFC LAUNCHES $30K CONTEST FOR JUNKANOO HEADPIECES KFC Nassau is launching its second annual KFC Junkanoo Buckets Competition, offering $30,000 in cash and prizes. Junkanoo artists and enthusiasts of all ages are encouraged to get started on their original headpieces for this year’s competition which will recognise both People’s Choice and Judged winners for both adult and junior categories. “We were so amazed by the creativity that went into our first competition so we really can’t wait to see what our Bahamian people come up with this year. We are proud to be a brand that honors our local culture in such a significant way as both KFC chicken and these Junkanoo headpieces are handmade with pride right here in The Bahamas,” said Joanne Cates, marketing director of Restaurants Bahamas Limited, operators of KFC Nassau. Last year, more than 40 Junkanooers from all over The Bahamas created headpieces that incorporated an actual KFC bucket in the construction. This year, headpieces must incorporate the KFC bucket and depict the KFC brand in the design. “Even though it wasn’t a requirement last year, we were truly blown away by the creative way so many entries depicted the brand that we decided to make it a requirement this year. We offer so many different much-loved products
that we still expect to see unique artistry emerge,” said Cates. She said the headpieces can incorporate either the traditional KFC bucket or the recently released seasonal bucket featuring the late Jackson Burnside’s painting “New Year Risin”. Another change this year is that KFC Nassau has implemented a size limit on entries. The competition is open to entries until 11:59pm on January 12, and the People’s Choice voting will end at 11:59pm on January 18. The judging panel will include Pamela Burnside, wife of Jackson Burnside, as well as co-chairs of the National Junkanoo Committee, Kishlane Smith and Dr Dwight Marshall. Winners will be announced on January 24. “We all know that Junkanoos are notoriously secretive about
their designs, not wanting anyone to know what they are working on until the big reveal. Well this year, entrants will have to decide on their winning strategy do they upload their entries early and maximize the amount of time to garner votes, or do they wait until later on to ensure the competition doesn’t know what their design looks like. This is going to be very interesting to watch and see,” Cates said. This year, first place in both the Adults People’s Choice and the Adults Judged Divisions will win $5,000. Second place will get $3,000 and third place will take home $1,500. In the Junior Junkanoo Buckets People’s Choice and Judged Divisions, first place winners will get $2,000, second place will take home $1,500 and third place gets $1,000. To find out more, visit junkanoobuckets.kfcnassau.com.
CARNIVAL GRAND BAHAMA INVESTMENTS LIMITED (CGBIL)
Request for Qualification Carnival Grand Bahama Investments Limited (CGBIL) is in the process of developing a Cruise Port on the southern coast of Grand Bahama Island. CGBIL is requesting “Statements of Qualifications” from Qualified Design Professionals interested in providing architectural and engineering services for the design of the on-land facilities. Should your company like to participate in this state-of-the-art project and would like to receive the Request for Qualification (RFQ) document, please send an email with the following information to: The Global Port and Destination Development Group - Project Management Team at AGault@Carnival.com. All communications concerning the RFQ shall be directed to AGault@Carnival.com. INFORMATION REQUIRED: • Company Name • Principle Name (submitter) • Address • Email • Phone number Upon receipt of your email you will receive the RFQ document. DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF RESPONSES: Friday January 14, 2022 at 4:00pm EST.
PAGE 8, Friday, December 10, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
What kind of clown show are we running? REMEMBER last year when the folks behind the “Holiday Carnival” spent thousands upon thousands of dollars to bring in their equipment, transport it to the Fort, set up their rides, hook up the (BPL?) power, secure temporary housing for their staff, and pay for work permits? All while crossing their fingers that the government would grant them approval to operate? Me neither, because that didn’t happen. Yet, for some reason, the Office of the Prime Minister would have us believe that the same folks who have mastered the art of skewing the odds in their favour so well that I once spent thirty bucks to win my kids a five-dollar stuffed animal did just that this time around. Let’s just say that’s a hard sell.
A Comic’s View
By INIGO ‘NAUGHTY’ ZENICAZELAYA
BRING ON THE CLOWNS
Even harder to sell is that the many arms of government went about whistling and approving their specific areas of oversight without one person stopping to say, “Hey, are these guys even allowed to hold this carnival event this year?” I’ve seen the videos circulating where the carnival operator insists the “Prime Minister’’ approved their coming here. I also watched Press Secretary Clint Watson deny that ever happened. According to Watson, PM Brave Davis
‘No one questioned why they were setting up on ‘‘carnival grounds.” Darville kept on about protocols and approvals pending when the former PM’s main point (made quite convincingly) is that the carnival’s primary demographic includes young, unvaccinated Bahamians.’
NOTICE
has “never spoken directly to anybody on this matter”. Well, did he speak indirectly? Because the circus surrounding this carnival isn’t making sense. Events like the ‘Holiday Carnival’ should and do fall under the purview of health officials. What’s hard to square is that until former Prime Minister Dr Minnis brought the issue up in parliament, everyone, including our current health minister Dr Darville, was “playing crazy”. No one questioned why they were setting up on ‘‘carnival grounds.” Darville kept on about protocols and approvals pending when the former PM’s main point (made quite convincingly) is that the carnival’s primary demographic includes young, unvaccinated Bahamians. It remains to be seen whether the carnival operators will ultimately gain approval to operate this year by adjusting their target demographic to exclude younger persons. However, one clear thing is that it would be business as usual without the much-maligned former Competent Authority’s intervention. It seems up to that point,
WHO could answer how the Carnival arrived here and started setting up without having been given approval? Not press secretary Clint Watson, not Health Minister Dr Michael Darville and not Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis. neither the Minister of Health nor the Prime Minister thought it wise to deal with the carnival chaos “directly”.
THE TAXMAN COMETH, AGAIN?
Mere days after dealing with the public relations fallout from increasing VAT to ten percent on breadbasket items, I was surprised to hear the latest suggestion from the “New Day” government to pull a few more dollars out of Bahamians’ pockets. Minister of Public Works, Alfred Sears, floated what I assume was a trial balloon surrounding more new taxes. He didn’t call it a tax, mind you, but road tolls for the pleasure to freely travel the congested,
pothole-filled streets of the capital would be precisely that. I won’t get into the weeds on how ridiculous a road toll on this tiny island would be. And I won’t bother to answer the apples to oranges comparison of how “Bahamians pay them in Miami” without batting an eye. Because, do we have Miami roads? Instead, I would just remind the new government that their “Blue Print” for change didn’t mention that most of the change would come out of our wallets. Licencing fees are already expensive, and until every ministry, including Road Traffic, is running in tip-top shape and showing accountability and transparency in how our already
burdensome taxes are spent, maybe put a pause on trying to squeeze more blood from stones. I would love smooth roads, and overpasses, and traffic that moves faster than a snail’s pace after 5pm on weekdays. Were we getting a “bang for our buck”, most would happily pay extra. But what most Bahamians don’t like is the bottomless bucket that is “more taxes” on which politicians with limited imagination have come to rely. There’s a big deal being made these days about a global minimum tax rate, particularly on multinational corporations. Here’s a suggestion; perhaps start there, and get back to Bahamians after that.
Dr Michele Singh is no longer employed with the CARIBBEAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
AND
DEVELOPMENT
INSTITUTE (CARDI) and therefore not unauthorized to conduct business on its behalf.
By order of Management SETTING up under way for the Christmas Carnival.
Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff
THE TRIBUNE
Poster child of the Bahamian brain drain
Friday, December 10, 2021, PAGE 9
W
HILE all eyes were on Tiger Woods at the Hero World Challenge at Albany last week, something else that was happening in the rarefied air of the sport was nearly overlooked. A black man was being named president-elect of the USGA (United States Golf Association) for the first time in its 128year history. That man is a Bahamian. His name is Fred Perpall. Commit that name to memory. Perpall is making headlines and the good news is he represents The Bahamas in a way that few, if any, ever have. The bad news is he had to leave The Bahamas to do it. If ever there was a symbol of what the brain drain means to this country, Perpall is the poster child. Perpall’s story is relevant, not because he rose from the depths of poverty – he did not. Not because he overcame physical challenges or any of those touching hurdles that would make you root for him and say if he can do it, so can I. In many ways, Perpall’s early life was ordinary. His mom ran a school cafeteria, his father was an avionics engineer. Naturally athletic, tall and gregarious, Perpall floated through high school, entered the then College of The Bahamas where he nearly flunked out thanks to too much time spent hanging out and too little studying until one day his dad sat him down and issued a stern warning – apply yourself or stop wasting the family’s money. It was the wake-up call he needed. With the help of Lyford Cay Foundation scholarships throughout his college career, Perpall earned an associate’s degree in architecture from COB in 1993, followed by a bachelor’s and then a master’s degree in architecture in 1996 from the University of Texas at Arlington where he had played basketball and ran track. He stayed in Texas, eventually signing on with a company called the Beck Group. He had started college at 15, had a master’s by 22, and launched his career at 24 as a novice architect with a penchant for function and form in institutional design. In the two plus decades since, he has worked on major projects including The University of Texas at Dallas Engineering building, a learning centre at Dallas Baptist University, Harim Group headquarters in Seoul, South Korea and in The Bahamas, at PMH, College of The Bahamas, Bay Roc Condominiums and Nassau International Airport. Meantime, he was steadily climbing the design-build ladder with vision and hard work that he equates to never getting comfortable with being
average. In 2013, the Bahamian who nearly threw away his chance at a higher education, was named CEO of the company he had joined 13 years earlier as a new graduate. Today, as CEO and Managing Director, Perpall heads the international Beck Group with 600+ employees and annual revenue of more than $1 billion. And he is the incoming president of the USGA. And he is chairman of the Dallas Citizens Council. And he is a husband and father of two teenage daughters, and when D magazine published a story on advice from respected dads on being a good father, there was Perpall again. His advice: make your kids productive. Not happy, When they are productive, happiness will follow. That’s their job, not yours as a parent. Fred Perpall, it seems, is everywhere these days, a Bahamian at home in the world at large. In 2018, Perpall, who along the way graduated from Harvard’s Business School Advanced Management Programme and who does come home frequently, delivered the commencement address at the University of The Bahamas. Here is what he said: “Let me tell you that you don’t have to be the smartest, you don’t have to be a genius, you don’t have to be the magna cum laude or summa cum laude student; you just have to get there before they get there. You
don’t have to be stronger or smarter than them; you just have to be willing to work harder. Working hard is the equalizer.” In the world of architecture and construction, Perpall is a hard-working star, a Fellow of the AIA (American Institute of Architects) Large Firm Roundtable, the head of one of the most prominent firms in the huge design-build field in North America with offices throughout the US and Mexico, a firm EY ranked as a 2021 US Best Managed Company and next week he will be inducted formally as president of the USGA. What Fred Perpall would have become had he come home after graduation instead of staying in Texas we will never know, but the fact that he rose to the heights in the heady worlds of business, design and sports, breaking barriers and achieving international success, is reason for pride. Sadly, it is also fodder for regret, that this man with so much talent and drive had to find his way outside his native country to reach his potential and make the difference he did. Speaking of Bahamian ingenuity, there’s apparently a new way to navigate. When the good folks who decided Bahamians deserved the right to turn on red, they never accounted for the ingenuity that such freedom of navigational expression would unleash. If you have not seen it for yourself, let me
PRESIDENT-elect of the USGA (United States Golf Association) Fred Perpall (above and at bottom of page) and (below) with USGA executives on the golf course. see if I can explain it in a way that makes the experience real. So, let’s say you are sitting at the traffic lights at Village Road and Shirley Street, heading north, calmly waiting for the signal to change to green. You are first in line to take off the second it changes. But three cars back, Joe who is already running late, wants to turn left. He thinks for a minute, revs the engine
and goes for it, dashing around the other sitting ducks, appearing at your side window for a flash, circling the other cars, making the left on red except by the time he gears up to make this ingenuous and illegal move, the light has turned, miraculously, green and now you and he lock eyes as you start to take off while he is cutting in front and he does what Joe always does. He forces his car to make
that newly minted legal left turn at any cost. Bahamian ingenuity at its worst. Still, when Joe is home sulking because he lost his job having been fired for being late (anyway) one time too often, you do enjoy the freedom of left on red. It feels like you are getting away with something and then you remember, it’s all good. You were first in line and this law was made for you, baby.
PAGE 10, Friday, December 10, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
‘11 CIVILIANS KILLED IN MYANMAR MASSACRE’ BANGKOK Associated Press
MYANMAR government troops rounded up villagers, some believed to be children, tied them up and slaughtered them, according to a witness and other reports. An opposition leader said the civilians were burned alive, as repression of resistance to a de facto coup takes an increasingly brutal turn. A video of the aftermath of Tuesday’s assault — apparently retaliation for an attack on a military convoy — showed the charred bodies of 11 people, lying in a circle amid what appeared to be the remains of a hut. Outrage spread both inside and outside Myanmar as graphic images were shared on social media of the assault, which Human Rights Watch said was similar to other recent attacks — and looked like it was meant to be discovered. “This incident is quite brazen, and it happened in an area that was meant to be found, and seen, to scare people,” researcher for the group, Manny Maung, said. “Our contacts are saying these were just boys and young people who were villagers who were caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
DUANTE ‘JUST GASPING’ AFTER BEING SHOT BY COP MINNEAPOLIS Associated Press
THE woman who was riding with Daunte Wright when he was pulled over by police testified Thursday about the chaos right after an officer shot him, saying she screamed at Wright trying to get a response but that he “wasn’t answering me and he was just gasping”. “I grabbed whatever was in the car. I don’t remember if it was a sweater or a towel or something… and put it on his chest like you see in movies and TV shows,” Alayna Albrecht-Payton, who was Wright’s girlfriend, testified. “I didn’t know what to do.” Albrecht-Payton answered Wright’s cellphone as his mother tried frantically to reestablish contact after a call with him was cut off right before he was shot. Wright’s mother, Katie Bryant, testified tearfully on Wednesday that she first saw her son’s apparently lifeless body via that video call. “I pointed the camera on him,” Albrecht-Payton said. “And I’m so sorry I did that.” Kim Potter, 49, is charged with first-degree and second-degree manslaughter in Wright’s April 11 death in Brooklyn Center. The white former officer — she resigned two days after the shooting — has said she meant to use her Taser on the 20-year-old Wright after he attempted to drive away from a traffic stop as officers tried to arrest him, but that she grabbed her handgun instead.
SMOLLETT GUILTY OF LYING TO POLICE CHICAGO Associated Press FORMER “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett was convicted Thursday on charges he staged an anti-gay, racist attack on himself nearly three years ago and then lied to Chicago police about it. The jury found the 39-year-old guilty on five counts of disorderly conduct. He was acquitted on a sixth count, of lying to a detective in mid-February, weeks after Smollett said he was attacked. Judge James Linn set a post-trial hearing for January 27, and said he would schedule Smollett’s sentencing at a later date.
FISH swim on a coral reef in Kaneohe Bay on Friday, October 1, 2021 in Kaneohe, Hawaii.
Photo: Caleb Jones/AP
Seeking to save reefs COCONUT ISLAND, Hawaii Associated Press ON A moonless summer night in Hawaii, krill, fish and crabs swirl through a beam of light as two researchers peer into the water above a vibrant reef. Minutes later, like clockwork, they see eggs and sperm from spawning coral drifting past their boat. They scoop up the fishy-smelling blobs and put them in test tubes. In this Darwinian experiment, the scientists are trying to speed up coral’s evolutionary clock to breed “super corals” that can better withstand the impacts of global warming. For the past five years, the researchers have been conducting experiments to prove their theories would work. Now, they’re getting ready to plant laboratoryraised corals in the ocean to see how they survive in nature. “Assisted evolution started out as this kind of crazy idea that you could actually help something change and allow that to survive better because it is changing,” said Kira Hughes, a University of Hawaii researcher and the project’s manager. SPEEDING UP NATURE Researchers tested three methods of making corals more resilient: • Selective breeding that carries on desirable traits from parents. • Acclimation that conditions corals to tolerate heat by exposing them to increasing temperatures. • And modifying the algae that give corals essential nutrients. Hughes said the methods all have proven successful in the lab. And while some other scientists worried this is meddling with nature,
Hughes said the rapidly warming planet leaves no other options. “We have to intervene in order to make a change for coral reefs to survive into the future,” she said. When ocean temperatures rise, coral releases its symbiotic algae that supply nutrients and impart its vibrant colors. The coral turns white — a process called bleaching — and can quickly become sick and die. For more than a decade, scientists have been observing corals that have survived bleaching, even when others have died on the same reef. So, researchers are focusing on those hardy survivors, hoping to enhance their heat tolerance. And they found selective breeding held the most promise for Hawaii’s reefs. “Corals are threatened worldwide by a lot of stressors, but increasing temperatures are probably the most severe,” said Crawford Drury, chief scientist at Hawaii’s Coral Resilience Lab. “And so that’s what our focus is on, working with parents that are really thermally tolerant.” A NOVEL IDEA In 2015, Ruth Gates, who launched the resilience lab, and Madeleine van Oppen of the Australian Institute of Marine Science published a paper on assisted evolution during one of the world’s worst bleaching events. The scientists proposed bringing corals into a lab to help them evolve into more heat-tolerant animals. And the idea attracted Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, who funded the first phase of research and whose foundation still supports the program. “We’ve given (coral) experiences that we think
are going to raise their ability to survive,” Gates told The Associated Press in a 2015 interview. Gates, who died of brain cancer in 2018, also said she wanted people to know how “intimately reef health is intertwined with human health.” Coral reefs, often called the rainforests of the sea, provide food for humans and marine animals, shoreline protection for coastal communities, jobs for tourist economies and even medicine to treat illnesses such as cancer, arthritis and Alzheimers disease. A recent report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other research organizations concluded bleaching events are the biggest threat to the world’s coral reefs. Scientists found that between 2009 and 2018, the world lost about 14% of its coral. Assisted evolution was not widely accepted when first proposed. Van Oppen said there were concerns about losing genetic diversity and critics who said the scientists were “playing gods” by tampering with the reef. “Well, you know, (humans) have already intervened with the reef for very long periods of time,” van Oppen said. “All we’re trying to do is to repair the damage.” Rather than editing genes or creating anything unnatural, researchers are just nudging what could already happen in the ocean, she said. “We are really focusing first on as local a scale as possible to try and maintain and enhance what is already there.” MILLIONS OF YEARS IN THE MAKING Still, there are lingering questions.
“We have discovered lots of reasons why corals don’t bleach,” said Steve Palumbi, a marine biologist and professor at Stanford University. “Just because you find a coral that isn’t bleaching in the field or in the lab doesn’t mean it’s permanently heat tolerant.” Corals have been on Earth for about 250 million years and their genetic code is not fully understood. “This is not the first time any coral on the entire planet has ever been exposed to heat,” Palumbi said. “So the fact that all corals are not heat resistant tells you ... that there’s some disadvantage to it. And if there weren’t a disadvantage, they’d all be heat resistant.” But Palumbi thinks the assisted evolution work has a valuable place in coral management plans because “reefs all over the world are in desperate, desperate, desperate trouble.” The project has gained broad support and spurred research around the world. Scientists in the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Germany and elsewhere are doing their own coral resilience work. The U.S. government also backs the effort. Assisted evolution “is really impressive and very consistent with a study that we conducted with the National Academies of Sciences,” said Jennifer Koss, the director of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program. “We asked them to gather all the most recent cutting-edge science that was really centered on innovative interventions in coral reef management,” Koss said. “And certainly, this assisted gene flow fits right in.” MAJOR HURDLES There are still serious
challenges. Scalability is one. Getting lab-bred corals out into the ocean and having them survive will be hard, especially since reintroduction has to happen on a local level to avoid bringing detrimental biological material from one region to another. James Guest, a coral ecologist in the United Kingdom, leads a project to show selectively bred corals not only survive longer in warmer water, but can also be successfully reintroduced on a large scale. “It’s great if we can do all this stuff in the lab, but we have to show that we can get very large numbers of them out onto the reef in a cost-effective way,” Guest said. Scientists are testing delivery methods, such as using ships to pump young corals into the ocean and deploying small underwater robots to plant coral. No one is proposing assisted evolution alone will save the world’s reefs. The idea is part of a suite of measures – with proposals ranging from creating shades for coral to pumping cooler deep-ocean water onto reefs that get too warm. The advantage of planting stronger corals is that after a generation or two, they should spread their traits naturally, without much human intervention. Over the next several years, the Hawaii scientists will place selectively bred coral back into Kaneohe Bay and observe their behavior. Van Oppen and her colleagues have already put some corals with modified symbiotic algae back on the Great Barrier Reef. With the world’s oceans continuing to warm, scientists say they are up against the clock to save reefs.
JOSH DUGGAR CONVICTED OVER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas Associated Press
FORMER reality TV star Josh Duggar was immediately taken into custody yesterday after a federal jury convicted him of downloading and possessing child pornography. The jury in Fayetteville, about 140 miles northwest of Little Rock, found the 33-year-old Duggar guilty on one count each of receiving and possessing child pornography. He faces up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 for each count when he’s sentenced. “Regardless of wealth, social status, or fame, our office will continue to seek out all individuals who seek to abuse children and victimise them through the downloading, possession, and sharing of child
pornography,” said US Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the western district of Arkansas, which prosecuted the case. US District Judge Timothy Brooks said sentencing will happen in about four months, Fayetteville TV station KNWA reported. “We respect the jury’s verdict and we look forward to continuing this fight on appeal,” said Justin Gelfand, one of Duggar’s defense attorneys. Duggar and his large Arkansas family starred on TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” until the network canceled the show in 2015 following revelations that he had molested four of his sisters and a babysitter. Authorities began investigating the abuse in 2006 after receiving a tip from a family
friend but concluded that the statute of limitations on any possible charges had expired. Duggar’s parents said he had confessed to the fondling and apologised. At the time, Duggar apologised publicly for unspecified behavior and resigned as a lobbyist for the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian group. Duggar later apologised for a pornography addiction and for cheating on his wife, calling himself “the biggest hypocrite ever”. The judge in the child porn case ruled that jurors could hear testimony about how in 2003, Duggar admitted to molesting four girls. A family friend testified that Duggar told her about the abuse. Federal authorities said they began investigating after a Little
Rock police detective found child porn files were being shared by a computer traced to Duggar. A federal agent testified in May that images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including toddlers, were downloaded in 2019 onto a computer at a car dealership Duggar owned. Duggar’s attorney argued that someone else downloaded or uploaded the images onto Duggar’s computer. But the jury wasn’t swayed. Duggar’s father Jim Bob Duggar, who also starred on the reality show, is running in a special election for a vacant state Senate seat in northwestern Arkansas, and the primary election in that race is Tuesday. He previously served in the Arkansas House.
SPORTS PAGE 11
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021
Don’t Blink: Home Run Derby players arrive on Tuesday By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
T
odd Isaacs Jr said they’re just waiting on the arrival of the players on Tuesday to set the stage for the return of the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in its setting under the title sponsorship of Atlantis. After a year’s absence due to the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic, the fourth edition of the mega event featuring local and international professional baseball players will return but will be moved from Montagu Bay to Atlantis on Paradise Island. Isaacs Jr and Lucius Fox, whose idea it was to provide this unique opportunity to showcase the talent available in the Bahamas, said
when Atlantis decided to come on board, it took the event to the next dimension. “Lucius and I always believed in the product. Once we execute it properly in terms of what it would look like and how much fun it would bring to the Bahamian public and how much fun it would bring to the Bahamian people, we try to make magic happen,” Isaacs Jr said. “We hope to make magic again on December 18 as we bring something that the Bahamians came to love for the first three years before the pandemic forced us not to stage the event last year. We’re back and going to be bigger and better.” With Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm leading the way as the only Bahamian playing in Major League this year with the Miami Marlins,
Isaacs Jr said they are hoping that his performance would inspire others in their bid to play in the league, which also features former major leaguer Antoan Richardson as a first base coach with the San Francisco Giants. “Jazz is our leader of the pack right now,” Isaacs Jr said. “He’s making the world excited about Bahamian baseball with his style of play. So kudos to Jazz for leading the way. He’s doing a really good job for all of us.” Chisholm and Richardson will be among the 50 local and international players, who will be a part of this year’s festivities, which according to Isaacs Jr, is a blessing in disguise. “We play with and against or have done so in the past, with these players,” he said. “Outside of the Home Run Derby, we all
have a good relationship, so this week just gives us an opportunity to bring all of these stars to put on a show for the Bahamian people.” Once they arrive and settle in on Tuesday, December 14, the players will be preparing themselves to participate in a celebrity slow-pitch game on Wednesday, December 15 at 7pm on the Atlantis Paradise harbour. At the same location on Thursday, December 16, the players will entertain a number of young Bahamian enthusiasts in a Don’t Blink Kids Clinic from 10am to 1pm. On Friday, December 17 at 11am, the players will go after some bragging rights in a celebrity golf tournament among themselves and some other local and international celebrities at the Ocean
SEE PAGE 13
Dentry Mortimer Jr teams up to win Lil Mo doubles title THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association extended congratulations to Dentry Mortimer Jr and his partner Eduardo Menezes for teaming up to win the boys under-16 doubles title at the Lil Mo competition at the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The mixed doubles format consisted of one 6-game set, no-ad scoring, with a 7-point tiebreaker. In the finals, Mortimer Jr and Menezes won over Juan and Matias Hidrobo 8-6. Mortimer also played in the singles competition where he reached the boys under-16 consolation round. The BLTA applauds Mortimer Jr on his achievements on this international stage. Each year, Little Mo features 500 players from approximately 60 countries. This year was the 15th edition. The competition provided a lot of exposure for our Bahamian juniors who played, some represented for the first time. There were also some quarterfinal appearances, including Briana Houlgrave in mixed doubles with partner Sena Furugen and Breann Ferguson in U14 girls singles, and Cameron Ferguson in the boys U10 singles. According to the BLTA, they all represented the country well.
COVID-19 CONCERNS CAUSE TWO NBA TEAMS TO CANCEL PRACTICES By MICHAEL MAROT AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors cancelled their practices yesterday in precautionary moves, citing the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Both teams made the announcements on Twitter. Chicago forward Derrick Jones Jr also entered the protocol yesterday, the fifth Bulls player in nine days to join the list. Indiana has won twice this week — beating Washington on Monday and routing the New York Knicks on Wednesday. Pacers guard Justin Holiday has not played since entering the protocol on November 30 and team officials have not yet said
SEE PAGE 12
BOXING AMONG 3 OLYMPIC SPORTS IN DANGER OF LOSING 2028 SPOT By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer
PROUD TO BE BAHAMIAN - Team Bahamas at the Lil Mo competition at the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
At XULA Gold Rush, Jacobi Bain and partner Ramirez ranked 2nd in doubles THE Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) 2021-22 preseason NAIA rankings are out and Jacobi Bain and partner Juan Ramirez are ranked second in doubles. In the college preseason, Ramirez and Bain hold the highest preseason doubles ranking for their college, Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) Gold Rush. Ramirez and Bain earned their ranking after runnerup finishes in the Gulf Region and ITA Cup tournaments in October. “This placement will bode well for them in the upcoming college tennis season. We know that they will do well. The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) congratulates Bain on an excellent preseason
F1, Page 14
JACOBI Bain and doubles partner Juan Ramirez, rank 2nd in doubles in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) 2021-22 preseason NAIA rankings. Ramirez and Bain hold the highest preseason doubles ranking for their college - Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) Gold Rush. shooting to the top of the ITA doubles chart. The BLTA encourages Bain
to continue to excel in his craft,” according to a press release.
GENEVA (AP) — Boxing, weightlifting and modern pentathlon were set a target of about 18 months yesterday to make changes in order to keep their status as Olympic sports for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The governing bodies of boxing and weightlifting were described as problem children by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, who has long voiced concerns with the leadership of those sports and issues with corruption and doping. Modern pentathlon has effectively been told by the IOC to remove equestrian jumping from the event, provoking a backlash from
SEE PAGE 12
PAGE 12, Friday, December 10, 2021
COVID
FROM PAGE 11 whether anyone else has been ruled out. Indiana is scheduled to host Dallas tonight. The Raptors lost to Oklahoma City at home on Wednesday night and are scheduled to host the Knicks tonight. Toronto has not had any positive COVID-19 tests since the season began and the Raptors have said all of their players are fully vaccinated. It’s already been a wild week for the Pacers, who snapped a four-game skid on Monday. Then, in the midst of a season where the average attendance at Indiana’s home game sunk to 13,137 entering Wednesday, tied with Detroit for a league low, coach Rick Carlisle and president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard opted to meet with their top players to address speculation about breaking up the team and rebuilding. “Kevin and I made it clear we want to win with this team,” Carlisle said during a postgame availability in which he was coughing. “This team was put together with the idea this could work. We’ve been up against it with some injuries and bad luck, but that’s the NBA. Trades are always possible in this business and our guys know that.” Players also were asked about the reports. “My name is in a trade rumour every day,” said Myles Turner, last season’s league blocks champion. “That’s just part of the business.” Now there are COVID-19 concerns, too. A win Friday would give Indiana its first three-game winning streak of the season just in time for Golden State’s only visit this season Monday as Stephen Curry closes in on the league’s career record for 3-pointers. He needs 10 to break Ray Allen’s mark of 2,973 and if he doesn’t break it Saturday in Philadelphia, he could do it in Indy. Indiana and Toronto aren’t the only teams affected by the pandemic despite 97 percent of all players being fully vaccinated, according to league officials. Jones is averaging 7.0 points in his first season in Chicago. The other Bulls in the protocol are All-Star DeMar DeRozan and guards Coby White, Matt Thomas and Javonte Green. Resurgent Chicago had the Eastern Conference’s second-best record through Wednesday’s games and added guard Stanley Johnson to the roster with a 10-day contract. Memphis guard Ja Morant and Denver guard Austin Rivers also remain out of action because of COVID-19. And earlier this week, ESPN reported it had obtained an NBA memo that reminded teams that any unvaccinated players would not be allowed to travel to Toronto starting January 15 because of new Canadian laws mandating all visitors entering the country be vaccinated.
THE TRIBUNE
Grizzlies ride second-half push to 108-95 win over Lakers By CLAY BAILEY Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jaren Jackson Jr scored 25 points, Desmond Bane added 23 and the Memphis Grizzlies pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 108-95 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers last night. Tyus Jones and De’Anthony Melton added 12 points apiece for Memphis, which won for the sixth time in seven games. LeBron James had a triple-double with 20 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, and Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 22 points. Talen Horton-Tucker and Avery Bradley each added 10 points. Memphis opened the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run, pushing the lead to double-digits for the first time for either team. With that spurt, Memphis extended its lead to 94-80. Los Angeles never got its deficit to single digits. The Grizzlies were without leading scorer Ja Morant and their top defender, Dillon Brooks, who are in health and protocol protection. That put Memphis at a personnel disadvantage. Memphis, which leads the league in points in the paint, was forced into long-range shots early by the Lakers defence, and the shooting percentage reflected the situation. But in the second quarter, Memphis was able to run more. The transition baskets contributed to
By RAUL DOMINGUEZ Associated Press
MEMPHIS Grizzlies forward Kyle Anderson (1) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the first half last night. (AP Photo/Nikki Boertman) the Grizzlies building a 59-53 lead at the half. The Lakers were having trouble holding onto the ball, and by the end of the third quarter had committed 19 turnovers that lead to 22 Memphis points. That helped the Grizzlies carry an 85-78 lead into the fourth. TIP-INS Lakers: James and Davis were listed on the team’s injury report as probable — James with rectus abdominis strain; Davis with a left thumb sprain — but both played. … The Lakers saw their four-game
winning streak in the series end. … James’ steal in the first quarter was the 2,086th of his career, moving him past Karl Malone for 11th on the all-time list. Grizzlies: F Kyle Anderson returned to action after missing four games with back soreness. … Had 13 steals in the first half, nine in the second quarter, setting a franchise record for steals in a quarter. UP NEXT Lakers: At Oklahoma City tonight. Grizzlies: Host the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
Vikings ‘steel’ the show, 36-28 By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Dalvin Cook rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns in his faster-thanexpected return from a shoulder injury, and the Minnesota Vikings held on to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-28 by forcing an incomplete pass in the end zone on the final play last night. Ben Roethlisberger’s throw to Pat Freiermuth was on target, but Anthony Barr and Harrison Smith sandwiched the rookie tight end at just the right moment to dislodge the ball and give the Vikings (6-7) a critical victory after they nearly squandered a 29-0 late-third-quarter lead. All but one of Minnesota’s games this year have been decided by eight points or less. Roethlisberger had touchdown passes to Najee Harris, James Washington and Freiermuth in the second half, and Harris ran for a score, too, as the Steelers (6-6-1) recovered from their abysmal start. The Vikings had a 300-66 advantage in total yards in the first half, but Ahkello Witherspoon intercepted Kirk Cousins twice after halftime to fuel the rally.
SPURS TOP NUGGETS, SNAPPING TWO-GAME SKID
Deny last-play pass in end zone
VIKINGS free safety Xavier Woods (23) celebrates at the end of last night’s game against the Steelers. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn) Just as vital as all the turf he tore up on the ground was the 17-yard catch Cook made on a seam route on third-and-9 from the Minnesota 26 with 2:38 left. That forced the Steelers to use all their timeouts, leaving Roethlisberger 96 yards and 2:16 to go after Jordan Berry pinned a punt deep against his former team. Roethlisberger hit Chase Claypool for 48 yards while Bashaud Breeland was committing pass interference to reach midfield. Claypool pulled in a fourth-and-2 slant to reach the Minnesota 34. Diontae Johnson set up the last play from the 12 by taking a crossing route 12 yards out of bounds,
but Roethlisberger and the Steelers, who failed on a 2-point conversion try earlier in the fourth quarter, wound up just short. INSTANT COOKING Just 11 days after Cook dislocated his shoulder, keeping him out of last week’s loss at previously winless Detroit, he lined up in the backfield and enjoyed the most running room he’s seen all season. Cook set a franchise record with 153 rushing yards in the first half, and he needed only 14 carries to do it. The Vikings trampled the Steelers with their zone blocking scheme, creating gaping holes for Cook to burst through and minimising the contact with his still-healing shoulder. The Vikings averaged more than 10 yards per play in the first quarter. UP NEXT The Steelers host Tennessee on December 19. They’re 4-0-1 in their last five home games. The Vikings visit Chicago on December 20, giving them 10 full days between games.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Derrick White had 23 points, Lonnie Walker IV added 21 and the San Antonio Spurs never trailed in beating the Denver Nuggets 123-111 last night, snapping a two-game skid. Dejounte Murray added 20 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for San Antonio, which is in the middle of a five-game homestand. Nikola Jokic had 22 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for his fifth tripledouble of the season for Denver. Aaron Gordon added 25 points and Will Barton had 19. Denver closes a sevengame trip Saturday in San Antonio. The Nuggets pulled within two baskets on several occasions but never led while trailing by as many as 18 points. Denver entered the game third in the league defensively, limiting opponents to 104.5 points per game, but not lately as injuries mount. P.J. Dozier and Michael Porter Jr. are both out for the season and Jamal Murray is out indefinitely following knee surgery. Denver, which was 3-7 in its previous 10 games, was also without Austin Rivers due to health and safety protocols. The Nuggets came out sluggish on the second night of a back-to-back as the Spurs set or matched several season-highs in the first half. San Antonio opened the game 4 for 5 on 3-pointers in building a 22-12 lead. The Spurs set a season high with 37 points in taking an eight-point lead after the first quarter. Jokic had 13 points in the second quarter, rallying Denver within 69-65 before San Antonio scored five straight to close the half. The Spurs set a season high for any half with 74 points in the first and matched another high with 37 points in the second quarter. The Spurs were without starting forward Keldon Johnson due a sprained right ankle, but Devin Vassell returned from a three-game absence.
AMONG 3 OLYMPIC SPORTS ‘TUA’ ON A ROLL, DOLPHINS STREAKING INTO THEIR BYE BOXING IN DANGER OF LOSING 2028 SPOT By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa jogged off the field this past Sunday, went into the Miami Dolphins locker room, completed his postgame media session and then returned to the field for a few moments. The game was long over. The 65,000 fans were gone. Almost all of them, anyway. “Tua, you the man,” someone yelled from the seats. That seems to be the consensus in Miami these days. For those seeking gaudy numbers from a quarterback, Tagovailoa isn’t the right choice. He has only one 300-yard passing game this season. But for those seeking effective numbers, that fan was right: Right now, he’s the man. Tagovailoa has posted four consecutive games with a passer rating over 100, the longest such active streak in the NFL and tying the second-longest such streak in Dolphins history behind someone named Dan Marino, who had six straight. Broken ribs, a busted finger and trade talks dominated the first half of the season. Tagovailoa has overcome them all and is suddenly on a roll. “He’s definitely playing with a lot more confidence,” Dolphins offensive lineman Michael Deiter said. “Just making quicker decisions, having better plans. And that starts with the offensive line giving him the ability to do all of that, to have confidence, not be worried about getting hit a lot. We need to make sure we’re always on top of that. He’s been just way more confident, which is making sure that he’s having way more fun, which is ultimately helping him just go out and cut it loose.”
MIAMI Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) aims a pass during the first half against the Giants on Sunday. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) The Dolphins — who have a bye this week before returning December 19 to play host to the New York Jets — have won five straight games, with Tagovailoa missing the first one of those against Houston because of an injury and then taking over in the second half against Baltimore in what became win No. 2 of the streak. Put simply, he hasn’t been the same player since coming back. In his first five appearances of the season, dealing with the broken ribs suffered in Week 2 and then a broken finger on his throwing hand, he was completing 65.6% of his passes with a rating of 85.9 and the Dolphins were terrible. In the four games since, even with the finger not fully healed for some of these games, he’s completing 78% of his
passes with a rating of 109.2 and the Dolphins have been unbeatable. “He’s a young player,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores said. “Every time he gets snaps and every time he goes out there and plays, he gets a little bit more comfortable. He gains confidence. We’ve seen that in his play and hopefully that continues.” The numbers are changing. He hasn’t. He doesn’t go out much because he doesn’t like to be recognised. When his mother is in town, he’ll put on a hoodie and sunglasses and head to a nearby grocery store to buy her flowers. If people recognise him, they’re usually cool about it. The typical reaction when that happens, in his words: “‘Oh, that’s Tua. Let’s go eat Subway.’” The compliments for Tagovailoa come from all corners of the Miami locker room, with good reason. But getting Tagovailoa to play up his own numbers, well, that’s impossible. He was asked after Sunday’s win over the New York Giants how he thought he played, and politely answered a question on a topic that seemed to make him a tiny bit uncomfortable. “I don’t think of myself,” Tagovailoa said. “I just think of the overall offence. I think we can get better, continue to get better, find ways to get better. And that’s what this bye gives us: a chance to self-scout, look at the things that we can clean up, work on, and then implement it when we play the Jets.” The Dolphins are one of the last four teams to have their bye week this season. Some were off in early October; others, such as Indianapolis New England, Philadelphia and Miami, are getting theirs now, a break to recharge for a frantic finish.
FROM PAGE 11 angry athletes. The high-profile incident of a coach striking a horse at the Tokyo Olympics has undermined modern pentathlon’s reputation despite more than 100 years in the Games since being created by IOC founder Pierre de Coubertin. All three sports have been left off the initial list of 28 on the 2028 program, which will be put to IOC members for approval in February. The list of approved sports includes skateboarding, surfing and sports climbing. All three made successful Olympic debuts in Tokyo and look to be locked in for the future as the IOC chases younger audiences. It also sets them to receive a share of future Olympic broadcasting income, which is currently worth at least $15 million to each sport. The three sports left isolated Thursday still have a “pathway for inclusion” at the 2023 annual meeting of the IOC membership, Bach said. They need to “demonstrate to the satisfaction” of the IOC executive board they have made changes variously to the governance and organizational culture of the sports. Modern pentathlon also needs to replace horse riding with
a more inclusive discipline accessible to young people worldwide. Soccer is still on the Los Angeles program, but Bach put FIFA on notice because of its plans to play World Cups every two years, instead of every four. The current cycle of men’s World Cups would put any biennial tournament in a direct clash with the Los Angeles Olympics. The World Cup plan, which has faced resistance in Europe and South America, is being pushed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, but momentum has stalled in recent weeks. Bach said the IOC still had not been consulted about the plan, but he is due to talk Saturday with Infantino — an elected IOC member — at an online meeting of Olympic sports leaders. Other sports can also be added to the Los Angeles sports program in 2023, when local organizers are scheduled to ask for medal events they want to host. Baseball and softball are a potential choice. They were added by organizers to the Tokyo Olympics, along with karate, to appeal to Japanese fans. Baseball, softball and karate were not requested by organizers of the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will have breakdancing in addition to skateboarding, surfing and sports climbing.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, December 10, 2021, PAGE 13
INCUMBENT president Lynford ‘Neil’ Miller and vice president Anthony Hinsey are confident that they can take the Bahamas Golf Federation to higher heights, once they are re-elected. The duo will head the administration team going into the election of officers on January 22, 2022.
If re-elected, Miller and Hinsey confident they can take Bahamas Golf Federation to ‘higher heights’ By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tyribunemedia.net WITH another strong, vibrant team in place, incumbent president Lynford ‘Neil’ Miller and vice president Anthony Hinsey are confident that they can take the Bahamas Golf Federation to higher heights, once they are re-elected. The duo will head the administration team going into the election of officers on January 22 for the next two years. Already they are being challenged by the duo of former administrators D. Shane Gibson and Craig Flowers for president and vice president respectively. However, the Miller-Hinsey led team are running again on their past tenure in office where they claimed that they were successful in reaching milestones that were not successful in prior regimes. “Through a successful partnership and the hard work from Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy, the junior golf programme is stronger than ever and the optimism of our future is bright,” the executive team said. “We’ve fostered positive relationships with numerous organisations such as the USGA and the R&A that have lent their support either through financial donations or inkind provision to see the opportunities we have set forth become a reality for our youth. Introducing the game of golf to thousands of youths and adults has been more rewarding than we could have ever imagined and we feel like we have only scratched the surface.” They also charged that they have changed the mindset and flow of the national team development programme and very soon, the Bahamas will be back in the winner’s circle on the international scene. “The 10th Hole, the restaurant at the BGF golf facility, is flourishing and providing members with food/drink options at their home facility,” the executives say. “Our members and non-members were able to play the BGF Golf Facility 9 Hole course when we opened it in 2019. “We have assisted with the implementation and progression of the golf team at the University of the Bahamas. We have created a new wave of young instructors trained to teach the Fourteen Clubs method of instruction, which has
been praised and reviewed by Andy Leadbetter of the world-renowned Leadbetter Golf Academy.” Through their committed partners, the BGF executives said they ran successful local junior golf tours and have covered the travel costs of the junior golfers in Grand Bahama from 2018-2019. “We have fulfilled our obligations to the USGA and R&A by consistently implementing initiatives to grow the game, and by keeping the GHIN handicap system updated and growing,” the executives said. “We pushed the promotion and growth of golf clubs, and we have enabled the formation of the first women’s only golf club.” In support of Riccardo Davis Jr, the BGF has watched as he created The Bahamas Professional Golf Tour, a professional tour which also encourages the inclusion of amateur golfers wanting an increased competitive atmosphere. “US Kids Golf now has a local Nassau Tour which is earning our youth the opportunity to qualify for international events and points without having to incur the cost of travel,” the executives say. “The Ministry of Education and Youth, Sports & Culture have supported and assisted us with getting golf in the school curriculum so that all public schools taught golf in the Spring of 2020. “We also saw the hosting of the first school annual golf championships which hosted 248 players and 32 schools. There is so much more on our agenda that needs to be accomplished. Many of our youth golfers who would not have normally been exposed to the game of golf are moving through their collegiate careers because of our efforts. Who would want to stop this kind of growth?” And though their current administrations’ success thus far, there is still a lot more to be done in their continued effort to make the sport of golf one of the most vibrant in the country again. Joining Miller and Hinsey for election to office are Gina GonzalezRolle, running for director as chair of the junior division, Frederick Taylor as director with a focus on the central division development, Timothy Pinder for director with a focus on player development, Ethelyn Davis for director with a focus on amateur to professional golf development, Dr
Patti Symonette for director as chair of the women’s division, Georgette RolleHarris for director with a focus on general development of golf and Keno Turnquest, Peter McIntosh and Duwayne Hepburn, all for selection committee members. Over the next two years in office, once they are reelected, the administrators revealed that they intend to push forth ten (10) agenda items which they feel are necessary and can help with the overall strategic development of golf in and for The Bahamas. 1. Continue the open dialogue with the membership golf courses and the governing body for the sport “We will continue to find ways to keep the membership informed of opportunities and events within The Bahamas,” the executives say. “We have used Golf Genius and Facebook as our main communication platforms. “The membership base is no longer simply a base of information. We will continue to strengthen the community of members for the growth of the organisation. We will add a podcast as our third platform focusing on sharing our history.” The BGF will form a research committee to electronically record the information for the BGF administrations for the past 20 years. “We need clarity in place for future boards for proper administration. We have experienced an unfortunate level of dishonesty from past administrations in the respect of constitutions and other items related to the management of the federation,” they say. “If anyone is interested in joining this committee please let us know. We will continue to strengthen the relationship with our golf courses and governing bodies so that we can be knowledgeable on what is happening so that we can have a voice with all items pertaining to golf in The Bahamas.” 2. Support a sustainable school golf programme Although the school golf programme is flourishing in New Providence and Exuma, they will push more focus on Grand Bahama and Long Island with the instructors available to assist with on-site programme development. “Some may say that there are no courses on Long Island, but we will first create the golfers, and in the meantime think about
viable solutions for them to play,” the executives say. The school golf championships is scheduled to be held March 21-25, 2022 and after hosting 248 players and 32 schools this year, they are anticipating that the numbers will soar past 300 players and 30 schools represented. “We will continue to develop young coaches through Fourteen Clubs with the support of the BPGA, so that we can teach more youth,” the executives say. 3. Continue to support junior golf The executives admitted that there’s no other way to put it other than “the junior golfers are the future. If we do not invest in them, we are not doing our job to grow the game. Junior golf in Nassau is almost at a sustainable level. “We will move the focus to further supporting Exuma, building out the programme in Long Island, and Grand Bahama. Junior golfers will grow with the mindset of playing good golf...not rushing the process.” The Operation 36 model has been tested over the past four years, and has culminated into the playing ability tests. “Our juniors will learn the mindset of the process by only advancing if they are able to successfully play from a short yardage,” the executives say. “We will then be on the level of junior golf development in other high performing countries.” 4. Reintroduce Women’s Golf Women’s golf, according to the executives, is one of our main focus areas for 2022-2023. “We have supported the stream upwards to ensure viability, so now we can focus on strengthening the middle. “There will be more ladies-focused events, and push for more ladies to join clubs,” the executives say. “We have many young women transitioning from youth and college golf, along with women who already play golf. We will bridge the gap, and strengthen this so that our women’s complement for the CGA competitions are better represented. 5. Promote additional club growth Over the last number of years, the BGF has allowed clubs to promote golf at all levels of play. “The more clubs that are created, the more creative groups we
Don’t Blink: Home Run Derby players arrive on Tuesday FROM PAGE 11 Club on Paradise Island. The event will conclude with the much anticipated Don’t Blink Home Run Derby on the Atlantis Paradise Harbour on Saturday, December 18, starting at 1pm. “The additional activities are something that we always wanted to do from the beginning,” Isaacs Jr said. “The sponsorship of Atlantis has now allowed us to add those events to the week of activities.
“We’re all excited about it. We have even more major league players coming down and there are more top prospects coming down, so it’s really going to be an exciting week for all of us.” All in all, Isaacs Jr said everything is shaping up to be a fantastic week. “The inclusion of the softball game will allow us to reach more persons within the community, whom we might not have reached in the past,” said Isaacs Jr. “And having the golf tournament gives us as players another opportunity
to compete against each other and to really enjoy the Bahamas for what it is and what better setting to do that than on Paradise Island.” Isaacs Jr said all of the players want to be the last man standing as the Home Run Derby champion, so he anticipates that the competition will be intense, especially in the team concept. The last time the event was held, Isaacs Jr said his Team Isaacs was beaten out by Team Fox, but they hope to reverse that decision this
time around as they crown the champions. “There’s going to be a lot of home runs and a lot of excitement, so we want to urge the public to come out and support the event,” Isaacs Jr stressed. “It’s going to be a funfilled week of action.” All of the events are free. Persons can follow all of the social media pages @ dbhrderby to obtain information on how to secure their tickets. And to get their direct information, they can call or text 242-818-3786.
will have that are pushing growth. Our goal is to assist the creation of an additional 5 clubs by the end of 2023,” the executives say. Some of the clubs which are currently in the database are the Poopdeck Eagles, Palmdale Golf Club, Women Who Play Golf 242 & Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy. “If you are a member of a group of golfers, please let us know so that we can add your group to our list,” the executives say. 6. Change the mindset of developing golfers to developing low handicap golfers “Over the next two years, we will focus on growing the number of low handicap players, and the number of aspiring professional players,” the executives say. “The BGF will naturally still host the major events and championships, but will allow the clubs to produce and run their schedules as desired. The Central Division will work with Fred Taylor and Timothy Pinder pushing the value of the playing ability tests (PATs). “For too long have we simply allowed the development of the mindset of high scoring based on not playing from the distance per skill set.” Taylor and Pinder Frederick will produce a 2022 schedule with seminars and PATs for all serious golfers who aspire to play on the national teams. “Once players are able to demonstrate their ability to shoot good scores from tournament distances. “Ethelyn will work with the BPGT and BPGA to provide quality low handicap and professional tournament opportunities,” the executives say. “We are bridging the gap between our amateur and professional players. She will ensure that rules clinics are held so that our tournament players are always informed and can perform at their best.”
7. Redefine the national team development and qualifying process “Our national teams over the past two terms have been improving in overall performance, outlook, and accountability,” the executives say. “We have shown the courses that we can commit to practice schedules, and that our squads are committed to playing good golf, versus free golf.” 8. Reintroduce a major fundraising event for a separate scholarship fund for aspiring collegiate golfers “We will introduce the little BIG bringing together our youth and adults. This scholarship fund will be held separately to support collegiate golf,” the executives say. “We will create an educational committee to oversee this. We will hold an annual fundraiser for proceeds to build this fund.” 9. Build a home facility According to the executives, the BGF is growing. “We need sustainability which means another revenue source. This will come from the creation of our home facility,” the executives say. “In the next two years, we would have created an additional 200 golfers. We need to secure a place for them to play and become lifelong golfers.” 10. Strengthen the bridge between the BGF and the BPGA to run seamless transition programmes and championships “For years the BGF and the BPGA have been trying to work together with a seamless process,” the executives say. “We feel that with the addition of numerous young coaches and the possibility of an apprentice programme, the relationship between the two bodies can thrive.” Persons wishing to get more information from the executive team on their overall development plan can contact the executives at 1.242.432.0355.
DANISH GOLFER OLESEN CLEARED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ON A FLIGHT LONDON (AP) — Danish golfer Thorbjorn Olesen was cleared Wednesday of sexually assaulting a woman on a flight to Britain from a World Golf Championships event in Tennessee in 2019. The 31-year-old Olesen wept and hugged his partner after being acquitted at a London court of sexual assault, assault by beating and being drunk on board the plane from Nashville to London. Olesen faced allegations he grabbed a woman’s breast, pushed a member of the cabin crew and urinated on a firstclass passenger’s seat. He said he has no memory of his behaviour after drinking alcohol and taking sleeping tablets. Olesen’s lawyer said the player’s career would have been “over” if he was found guilty. “I want to apologise wholeheartedly to everyone on board the flight ... who was affected by my behaviour,” Olesen said in a statement issued after the verdict. The jury deliberated for less than an hour. “I do not remember anything
that happened after takeoff, but I am embarrassed and ashamed by the account of my actions that was outlined during the trial,” said Olesen, a five-time winner on the European Tour who was ranked No. 62 at the time of the incidents but has since fallen to No. 432. “I have paid a very heavy price for my mistake. This case has had a devastating impact on me personally, on my family, and on my career.” Olesen, who was a member of Europe’s Ryder Cup-winning team in 2018, was arrested after arriving at Heathrow Airport on July 29, 2019. He was suspended by the European Tour the following month pending an investigation, with the suspension lifted last July because of a delay in court proceedings. “I want to thank everyone who has supported me during the past two years and the European Tour for reinstating me in 2020,” Olesen said. “I have learned from my mistake and will make sure I never put myself in a similar position again.”
PAGE 14, Friday, December 10, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
ASHES: ROOT, MALAN DIG IN TO LIFT ENGLAND TO 107-2 ON DAY 3 By JOHN PYE AP Sports Writer
MERCEDES driver Lewis Hamilton, of Britain, left, and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, of the Netherlands, speak during a press conference yesterday ahead of the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Antonin Vincent/Pool via AP)
F1 title contenders are mellow headed into dramatic conclusion By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Lewis Hamilton entered Yas Marina Circuit chasing history yesterday dressed head-to-toe in purple with a graffiti-styled expletive scrawled across the back of his sweater. Asked if he was sending a message, the seven-time champion claimed he was unaware what it said until he was getting dressed. Pure coincidence, Hamilton said, but it sure looked as if he was ready for the finale of his title fight with Max Verstappen. Both drivers had spent the last three days relaxing in Dubai before making their way 75 minutes south for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where the championship will be settled Sunday. They are tied in the standings — the first time since 1974 the title contenders entered the deciding race equal in points — and the championship battle this season has been the most dramatic in at least a decade. As Hamilton and Verstappen sat next to each
other for their joint news conference, the F1 championship trophy strategically placed between them, the race was already on. No, not for the F1 title, but rather which driver could more convincingly appear as if they didn’t have a care in the world headed into the climactic conclusion. “I stayed over in Dubai, ate a few nice meals with friends and family, celebrated the birthday of my girlfriend, as well,” Verstappen said. “These things also need to happen because, I mean, Formula One is of course one thing, but it’s also important to not forget what very important things are and it’s been nice weather and doesn’t remind me too much of wintertime back in Europe.” Verstappen, just 24 years old, is trying to become the first Dutch world champion. He had a pretty decent hold on this title race until last month. Hamilton reeled off three straight victories to cut all 19 points off Verstappen’s lead in three action-packed races against his new rival. Hamilton now has a record
eighth F1 title in reach. The only Black driver in the global series can break his tie with Michael Schumacher by finishing ahead of Verstappen on the 16-turn, 5.28-kilometre (3.28 miles) track. “With the year that we’ve had, I’m sure some people would have ruled us out being this close at the end,” Hamilton said. “And no one’s ever done eight before. I feel grateful. I remember what it’s like going for your first, so I know those experiences and the roller coaster of emotions.” But what about the drama and tension of this better-than-TV title fight? Will they wreck each other Sunday as has happened twice already this season? Do they need to have a private chat to discuss Verstappen’s increasingly aggressive driving? Neither fuelled the flames on the opening day of the most important weekend of the season. “I think as a driver you don’t think about these things. You just want to go to a weekend where you just want to do the best you can as a team and of course
you try to win the race,” Verstappen said. “Naturally the media starts to say these things. I arrived here just trying to do the best I can and trying to be the best prepared.” Added Hamilton: “I just don’t give it any energy. I’m here to do the best job I can with this incredible team.” Nobody really knows if Thursday’s display was gamesmanship over who could care less about Sunday’s stakes because both clearly want to win the sterling silver, 24-carat hard gold plate trophy inscribed with a spiraling flow of the signatures of every champion since 1950. Hours before their news conference, Verstappen lamented his treatment by the F1 stewards — which he thinks has been unfair and the root cause of recent public vitriol toward him. The drivers have combined for three penalties in the last three races. Verstappen was widely criticised after last week’s chaotic race in Saudi Arabia. It was when Hamilton called the Red Bull
driver “dangerous” and “crazy” during the race and flat accused Verstappen after the race of being “over the limit, for sure.” “What is unfair is that I am treated differently to other drivers,” Verstappen insisted. “Clearly other drivers can get away with it, and I can’t. “I think that’s a bit of a problem here.” But he won’t change his driving style and instead hopes the stewards ensure the finale is “fair for everyone, and clearly that’s not the case at the moment. “But like I said, I don’t feel like I was wrong, and clearly, it is not wrong for others, so why should I change when others are allowed to race like that? I think everyone should be allowed to race like that.” There has been intimation that Hamilton and Mercedes have been bullying Verstappen, who has never won a major championship above the karting level, and WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury this week made a video telling people to lay off the budding superstar.
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Joe Root grafted his way to 26 and shared an unbroken 41-run, thirdwicket stand with Dawid Malan as England reached 107-2 at tea on Day 3 of the Ashes series opener, reducing Australia’s big firstinnings lead. Travis Head was last man out for 152 when the Australians were dismissed for 425 late in the first session today, a lead of 278 runs. England’s openers survived to reach 23 without loss at the first interval but both were out early in the afternoon session and the total was 61-2 when skipper Root, the leading test batsman in 2021, went to the crease. Root and Malan set about making amends for the failure in the first innings when he won the toss, elected to bat and England was bundled out for 147. Malan faced 92 balls for his unbeaten 35 at the tea break. England was still 171 behind with two days and a session remaining at the Gabba. Opener Rory Burns narrowly avoided an unwanted pair, getting a reprieve after being given out lbw to Mitchell Starc without scoring in the first over of England’s second innings two days after being bowled out by the Australian leftarm paceman on the first ball of the series. This time, a successful review showed the ball may have gone over the stumps. But he was out in the first over after the interval without addition to his score or the England total when he was caught behind of Australia captain Pat Cummins for 13. Haseeb Hameed compiled 27 from 58 deliveries before he gloved a legside catch off Starc to wicketkeeper Alex Carey in the only other wicket of the middle session. Day 3 started with Australia on 343-7, and Head on 112, and the hosts added 82 for the loss three wickets. Head marshalled the lower order after England rallied midway through Day 2 with three wickets, including opener David Warner for 94. He shared important partnerships of 70 with Cummins (12) on Day 2, and 85 for the eighth wicket with Starc (35) and 29 for the ninth with Nathan Lyon (15) on Day 3 to prolong Australia’s innings and keep a tiring England team in the field in humid conditions.
VILLARREAL MAKES LAST 16 IN CL, LEICESTER FALLS IN EUROPA By KAREL JANICEK Associated Press VILLAREAL clinched the final place in the last 16 of the Champions League yesterday, while Leicester failed to advance in the Europa League. Villarreal beat Atalanta 3-2 away in a game postponed from Wednesday because of heavy snow in northern Italy. The Spanish side only needed a draw to advance as runner-up from Group F but jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the 51st minute, with Arnaut Danjuma scoring twice. Atalanta answered with goals from Duván Zapata and substitute Ruslan Malinovskyi but it was too late to turn things around. Atalanta finished third in the group and will enter a playoff to get into the last 16 of the second-tier Europa League, the competition Villarreal won last season. Leicester faced a mustwin game at Napoli to advance in the Europa League but lost 3-2. Spartak Moscow secured top spot of Group C with a 1-0 away victory at Legia Warsaw. Also, Eintracht Frankfurt, Galatasaray and Red Star Belgrade made the next round while Bayer Leverkusen, Lyon, Monaco
and West Ham had already qualified with a game to spare. Only the eight group winners go straight into the round of 16 — the runnersup enter a playoff with the eight teams who finish in third place in the Champions League groups. In the inaugural Europa Conference League, Jose Mourinho’s Roma reached the next round after a 3-2 win at CSKA Sofia and Basel was the last to reach the round of 16. Another big team in the competition, Tottenham, had its game against Rennes postponed after a coronavirus outbreak at the English club that would have deprived manager Antonio Conte of at least eight players who have tested positive. A new date for the match has not been announced. AZ Alkmaar, Copenhagen, Feyenoord, Gent, LASK, and Rennes had already won their groups in the third-tier competition. The draw for the next stage is scheduled for Monday. EUROPA LEAGUE In the tightly contested Group C, all four teams could still qualify for the round of 16 ahead of the final round. Leicester had a disastrous start to the game at Napoli.
ATALANTA’s players look dejected after Villarreal scored during the Champions League group F soccer match between Atalanta and Villarreal in Bergamo, Italy, yesterday. (Spada/LaPresse via AP) Forward Adam Ounas gave Napoli early lead four minutes into the game with a low shot. Twenty minutes later, Eljif Elmas doubled the advantage. Leicester pulled one back three minutes later when defender Jonny Evans found himself at the right spot in the area to reduce the lead and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall equalized in the 33rd after a rebound.
But Napoli recovered with Elmas scoring again in the second half. A 1-1 away draw against Fenerbahçe was enough for Eintracht Frankfurt to claim Group D. Olympiakos finished second after a 1-0 loss to host Antwerp. Galatasaray held Lazio to a 0-0 draw in Rome to advance from Group E, leaving its Italian opponent in second.
Red Star drew 1-1 with Braga after Aleksandar Katai converted a penalty kick to equalise after the Portuguese club took the lead through Galeno’s spot kick. The result meant Red Star stayed one point ahead of Braga atop Group F. Lyon’s perfect record in Group A ended with a 1-1 draw against Rangers. The Scottish side took the lead shortly before the break but Calvin Bassey scored
an own goal to level in the 49th. Rangers finished second in the group, with Sparta Prague third after a 2-0 win over Brøndby. Real Sociedad clinched second place in Group B with a 3-0 win over 10-man PSV, getting two goals from captain Mikel Oyarzabal. West Ham recorded its first loss of the group stage, 1-0 to Dinamo Zagreb which finished second in Group H. EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE Roma leapfrogged previous leader Bodø/Glimt of Norway, which was held 1-1 at Zorya Luhansk in Group C. Roma was 3-0 up after Tammy Abraham netted his second goal in the 53rd, before CSKA netted two consolation goals. In Group G, Vitesse beat Mura 3-1 to sit second, leading Tottenham by three points. Arthur Cabral scored twice for Basel in a 3-0 victory against Qaraba to advance as winner in Group H. Denmark’s Randers placed second in Group D despite a 1-0 loss to Alkmaar while a 1-1 home draw against Anorthosis Famagusta secured second place in Group B for Partizan Belgrade.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, December 10, 2021, PAGE 15
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF
Cincinnati makes history as first team outside Power Five in playoffs
PARTY CRASHERS By RALPH RUSSO The Associated Press
C
incinnati has broken college football’s glass ceiling.
The Bearcats will play Alabama in the Cotton Bowl and Michigan will face Georgia in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Eve after being selected to the College Football Playoff as a historic field of four was set Sunday. The winners will play for the national championship on Jan. 10 in Indianapolis. Fourth-seeded Cincinnati is the first team to reach the CFP from a non-Power Five conference. The Bearcats (13-0) won the American Athletic Conference and head into the postseason as the only unbeaten team in the country. Previously, no team from a so-called Group of Five conference had ever even come close to making the playoff in the final CFP rankings. Not two UCF teams that went unbeaten in the 2017 and ‘18 regular seasons nor Cincinnati last year, when undefeated was only good enough for a Peach Bowl bid against Georgia. “We don’t want to carry the flag for non-big schools, so to speak. We just want to be us,”
Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell said. The Bearcats made history with little debate. Playoff selection committee chairman Gary Barta said there was strong consensus for Cincinnati at No. 4 ahead of No. 5 Notre Dame, which had only one loss — at home against the Bearcats in early October. Ohio State, which has two losses including to Big Ten rival Michigan in its regular season finale, finished sixth. Others next up on the list were Big 12 champion Baylor at No. 7, the SEC’s Mississippi at No. 8, Big 12 runner-up Oklahoma State, No. 9, and the Big Ten’s Michigan State at No. 10. All have two losses. The Bearcats might not have been so comfortably in the field had things gone differently at the Big 12 championship game Saturday. Oklahoma State, which was No. 5 in the CFP rankings going into the game, came up inches short of scoring a go-ahead touchdown in the final minute against Baylor. The Bears made the goal-line stand to win the Big 12 and, after Cincinnati took care of Houston in the AAC title game, the Bearcats were in the clear.
With Alabama and Georgia both in the playoffs, it is the third time two teams from the same conference are in the CFP and second time it has happened with the SEC. In the 2017 playoff, Alabama beat Georgia in overtime to win the national title. As conference leaders consider expanding the playoff bracket from four to 12 teams as soon as 2024, only two Power Five leagues will be represented this season: the SEC and Big Ten. The Atlantic Coast Conference missed out for the first time. The Big 12 was shutout for the second straight season and the Pac-12 for the sixth time will not have a team in the playoff. Cincinnati’s reward for making history is a matchup with the defending national champions in the Cotton Bowl at the home of the Dallas Cowboys. “We certainly think Cincinnati belongs in the playoff,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. The Crimson Tide is in the playoff for the seventh time in the postseason format’s eightyear history after handing Georgia its first loss of the season in the Southeastern Conference title game Saturday. Alabama (12-1) seemed to be a loss away from being eliminated from playoff contention heading into its game with Georgia, after barely beating
in-state rival Auburn the week before after four overtime periods. Instead, Bryce Young and the Tide lit up the Bulldogs’ vaunted defense to earn the top seed. Saban’s Alabama dynasty has won three playoff championships to go along with three BCS titles since 2009. Georgia (12-1) managed to stay in the field as the third seed, becoming the second team to lose its conference title game and still make the playoff. Notre Dame did the same last season, when it lost a rematch with Clemson in its lone season playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference, a move prompted by pandemic-altered schedules. The Bulldogs will be making their second CFP appearance when they meet second-seeded Michigan (12-1) in the Orange Bowl. Coach Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines are in the playoff for the first time after winning the Big Ten for the first time since 2004. Michigan, which went 2-4 last season, is also the first team to make the playoff after being unranked in the preseason AP Top 25. This will be the first matchup of the two historic programs — no team in college football history has won more games than Michigan —- since 1965. The Bulldogs beat the Wolverines 15-7 in the Big House that year.
Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) celebrates with teammates after his 13-yard touchdown run against South Florida during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, in Tampa, Fla.
GOING BOWLING | COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL SCHEDULE All Times EST
FRIDAY, DEC. 17 Bahamas Bowl Toledo (7-5) vs. Middle Tennessee (6-6), Noon (ESPN) Cure Bowl N. Illinois (9-4) vs. Coastal Carolina (10-2), 6 p.m. (ESPN2) SATURDAY, DEC. 18 Boca Raton Bowl W. Kentucky (8-5) vs. Appalachian St. (10-3), 11 a.m. (ESPN) Celebration Bowl SC State (6-5) vs. Jackson St. (11-1), Noon (ABC) New Mexico Bowl Fresno St. (9-3) vs. UTEP (7-5), 2:15 p.m. (ESPN) Independence Bowl No. 12 BYU (10-2) vs. UAB (8-4), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN) LendingTree Bowl E. Michigan (7-5) vs. Liberty (7-5), 5:45 p.m. (ESPN) LA Bowl Oregon St. (7-5) vs. Utah St. (10-3), 7:30 p.m. (ABC) New Orleans Bowl No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette (122) vs. Marshall (7-5), 9:15 p.m. (ESPN) MONDAY, DEC. 20 Myrtle Beach Bowl Old Dominion (6-6) vs. Tulsa (6-6), 2:30 p.m. (ESPN) Tuesday, Dec. 21 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Kent State (7-6) vs. Wyoming (66), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Frisco Bowl No. 24 UTSA (12-1) vs. San Diego St. (11-2), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) WEDNESDAY, DEC. 22 Armed Forces Bowl Missouri (6-6) vs. Army (8-3), 8 p.m. (ESPN) THURSDAY, DEC. 23 Frisco Football Classic Miami (7-5) vs. North Texas (6-6), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN) Gasparilla Bowl UCF (8-4) vs. Florida (6-6), 7 p.m. (ESPN) FRIDAY, DEC. 24 Hawaii Bowl Memphis (6-6) vs. Hawaii (6-7), 8 p.m. (ESPN) SATURDAY, DEC. 25 Camellia Bowl Ball St. (6-6) vs. Georgia St. (7-5), 2:30 p.m. (ESPN) Monday, Dec. 27 Quick Lane Bowl Nevada (8-4) vs. W. Michigan (7-5), 11 a.m. (ESPN) Military Bowl Boston College (6-6) vs. East Carolina (7-5), 2:30 p.m. (ESPN) TUESDAY, DEC. 28 Birmingham Bowl No. 21 Houston (11-2) vs. Auburn (6-6), Noon (ESPN) SERVPRO First Responder Bowl Air Force (9-3) vs. Louisville (6-6),
3:15 p.m. (ESPN) Liberty Bowl Mississippi St. (7-5) vs. Texas Tech (6-6), 6:45 p.m. (ESPN) Holiday Bowl UCLA (8-4) vs. NC State (9-3), 8 p.m. (FOX) Guaranteed Rate Bowl Minnesota (8-4) vs. West Virginia (6-6), 10:15 p.m. (ESPN) WEDNESDAY, DEC. 29 Fenway Bowl Virginia (6-6) vs. SMU (8-4), 11 a.m. (ESPN) Pinstripe Bowl Virginia Tech (6-6) vs. Maryland (6-6), 2:15 p.m. (ESPN) Cheez-It Bowl No. 19 Clemson (9-3) vs. Iowa St. (7-5), 5:45 p.m. (ESPN) Alamo Bowl No. 14 Oklahoma (10-2) vs. No. 15 Oregon (10-3), 9:15 a.m. (ESPN) THURSDAY, DEC. 30 Duke’s Mayo Bowl South Carolina (6-6) vs. North Carolina (6-6), 11:30 a.m. (ESPN) Music City Bowl Purdue (8-4) vs. Tennessee (7-5), 3 p.m. (ESPN) Peach Bowl No. 11 Michigan St. (10-2) vs. No. 13 Pittsburgh (11-2), 7 p.m. (ESPN) Las Vegas Bowl Wisconsin (8-4) vs. Arizona St. (8-4), 10:30 p.m. (ESPN) FRIDAY, DEC. 31 College Football Playoff Semifinal (Orange Bowl)
No. 2 Michigan (12-1) vs. No. 3 Georgia (12-1), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) College Football Playoff Semifinal (Cotton Bowl Classic) No. 1 Alabama (12-1) vs. No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) Gator Bowl No. 20 Wake Forest (10-3) vs. No. 23 Texas A&M (8-4), 10 a.m. (ESPN) Sun Bowl Washington St. (7-5) vs. Miami (75), Noon (CBS) Arizona Bowl Cent. Michigan (8-4) vs. Boise St. (7-5), 4:30 p.m. (TBD) SATURDAY, JAN. 1 Outback Bowl No. 22 Arkansas (8-4) vs. Penn St. (7-5), Noon (ESPN2) Citrus Bowl No. 17 Iowa (10-3) vs. No. 25 Kentucky (9-3), 1 p.m. (ABC) Fiesta Bowl No. 5 Notre Dame (11-1) vs. No. 9 Oklahoma St. (11-2), 1 p.m. (ESPN) Rose Bowl No. 7 Ohio St. (10-2) vs. No. 10 Utah (10-3), 5 p.m. (ESPN) Sugar Bowl No. 6 Baylor (11-2) vs. No. 8 Mississippi (10-2), 8:30 p.m. (ESPN) TUESDAY, JAN. 4 Texas Bowl LSU (6-6) vs. Kansas St. (7-5), 9 p.m. (ESPN)
INSIDE THE CFP SEMIFINALS
ORANGE BOWL Georgia (12-1, SEC, No. 3 CFP) vs. Michigan (12-1, Big Ten, No. 2 CFP), Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET, Miami Gardens, Florida Top Players Georgia: TE Brock Bowers, 47 catches, 791 yards, 11 TDs. Michigan: DE Aidan Hutchinson, 14 sacks, 15.5 TFL, 58 tackles, 12 QB hurries. Notable Georgia: The Bulldogs are in the playoff for the second time, and first since 2017-18. They are also making their 25th consecutive bowl appearance, the longest active streak in the country. Michigan: The Wolverines won their first Big Ten championship since 2004 and are the first team unranked in the preseason AP Top 25 to make the playoff. Last Time ... Georgia 15, Michigan 7 (Oct. 2, 1965) Bowl History Georgia: Fourth Orange Bowl appearance, first since 1960 (14-0 win over Missouri), and 58th bowl appearance overall. Michigan: Fourth Orange Bowl appearance, first since 2016 (33-32 loss to Florida State), and 49th bowl appearance overall. COTTON BOWL No. 1 Alabama (12-1, SEC) vs. No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0, American), Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. ET, Arlington, Texas Top players Cincinnati: Senior QB Desmond Ridder, 3,190 yards passing, 30 TDs; 361 yards rushing, six TDs. His 44 wins are the third-most ever by an FBS quarterback, behind Kellen Moore’s 50 and Colt McCoy’s 45. Ridder is the school and American Athletic Conference career leader with 12,281 total yards. Alabama: QB Bryce Young, 4,322 yards passing with 43 TDs and only four interceptions on 462 attempts. The sophomore is a Heisman Trophy finalist, with a chance to become the first Crimson Tide quarterback to win college football’s highest individual award. Notable Cincinnati: The Bearcats, the only remaining undefeated team, are the first program from outside the Power Five to make the playoff. Their only loss over the past two seasons was in last year’s Peach Bowl, when Georgia kicked a 53yard field goal with three seconds left for a 24-21 win. Cincinnati won the AAC title over Houston, which had won 11 games in a row. Alabama: This is defending national champion Alabama’s record seventh CFP appearance in the eight seasons of the four-team format. This is the second time the Crimson Tide have played in the Cotton Bowl for a CFP semifinal, having beaten Michigan State 38-0 six years ago on its way to a national title. But they also played at the home of NFL’s Dallas Cowboys in another semifinal last year, beating Notre Dame in a Rose Bowl game relocated from California because of the pandemic. Alabama is 8-3 in CFP games. The Tide won the SEC title game over Georgia, which had been the only other remaining team besides Cincinnati without a loss. Last Time ... Alabama 45, Cincinnati 7 (Nov. 17, 1990). Bowl History Cincinnati: First appearance in Cotton Bowl, 20th bowl overall. Alabama: Ninth appearance in Cotton Bowl (4-4), extending its overall record to 74 bowl games. That is 17 more than Georgia, the next closest team.
MONDAY, JAN. 8
College Football Championship Semifinal winners, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
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Harper connects at buzzer, Rutgers shocks No. 1 Purdue 70-68 By MATT SUGAM Associated Press PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Ron Harper Jr hit a buzzer-beater from just inside half court, and Rutgers shocked Purdue in its first-ever game as the nation’s No. 1 team, winning 70-68 last night. Harper finished with 30 points on 10-of-15 shooting and 10 rebounds for the Scarlet Knights, a doit-all performance that concluded with the most stunning shot of the young college hoops season.
Rutgers (5-4, 1-1 Big Ten) beat the top-ranked team for the first time in programme history. Purdue had gone ahead 68-67 on a layup by Trevion Williams with 4 seconds left. With no timeouts, Rutgers inbounded the ball to Harper, who dribbled across the half-court line and let it fly from the big “R” logo. The ball went through as time expired and Rutgers fans stormed the court. Williams scored 21 points off the bench for Purdue (8-1, 1-1 Big Ten), which
RUTGERS forward Ron Harper Jr (24) hits the game-winning shot against Purdue during an NCAA college basketball game in Piscataway, New Jersey, yesterday. (AP Photo/Noah K Murray) was a unanimous No. 1 in this week’s AP Top 25, the programme’s first time atop the poll. Its stay will be brief. The lead changed hands three times in the final 13.1 seconds. Harper hit a turnaround jumper to put Rutgers ahead 67-66, its first lead since early in the second half. Purdue had a 10-point lead with 8 minutes left
before Rutgers began chipping away. Caleb McConnell made a turnaround jumper in the paint to get Rutgers within 65-63 with 2:07 remaining, and Mowat Mag pulled Rutgers within one on a dunk off a pass from Harper with 1:05 left. McConnell had 12 points, five rebounds, and five assists for Rutgers. Jaden Ivey scored 15 points for Purdue.
BIG PICTURE Purdue: The Boilermakers were off to another strong start under coach Matt Painter, going 8-0 for the third time under his tutelage and looking like a Big Ten title contender. They’ll have to regroup after crumbling under the scrutiny of the No. 1 ranking. Rutgers: After making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the 30 years
last season, it had been a rough start to the 2021-22 campaign, with losses at UMass and Big East bottom-feeder DePaul, as well as at home to Lafayette. Now the Scarlet Knights know they can beat anybody. UP NEXT Purdue: Hosts North Carolina State on Sunday. Rutgers: At rival No. 23 Seton Hall on Sunday.
MITCHELL, GOBERT LEAD JAZZ OVER 76ERS FOR 6TH STRAIGHT WIN By AARON BRACY Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points, Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 21 rebounds and the Utah Jazz extended their winning streak to six games with a 118-96 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers last night. Hassan Whiteside added 14 points and 10 rebounds for Utah. Joel Embiid had 19 points and nine rebounds for the 76ers. Seth Curry scored 18 points and Tobias Harris 17 for Philadelphia, which had won four of five. Both teams were playing the second night of a backto-back, and it was the 76ers who looked tired after halftime. The Jazz were coming off a 136-104 win over Minnesota on Wednesday night, in which they made 25 3-pointers, two shy of their season high.
“They’re playing free,” Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. “They get a lot of 3’s up, they stretch the floor. They’re a tough basketball team, especially offensively.” But against the Sixers, the Jazz, who finished with 15 3-pointers, used their inside game to take control in the third quarter. Whiteside’s three-point play pushed their advantage to double-digits, and Rudy Gay’s finish from close range and a foul shot for another three-point play gave Utah its biggest lead to that point, 71-58 with 2:27 left in the third. The Jazz kept it up in the fourth, taking firm command on Jordan Clarkson’s 3-pointer that put them up 99-81 with 7:21 left. Utah’s lead reached as many as 23 points in a dominating fourth quarter. Embiid was back on the court for the seventh straight contest after
PHILADELPHIA 76ers’ Joel Embiid (21) goes up for a dunk as Utah Jazz players watch during the first half last night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola) missing nine in a row due points and being active in two-game sweep of the host to COVID-19 protocols. Philadelphia’s 110-106 win Hornets over three days. And the four-time AllHe has looked more like at Charlotte on Wednesday, himself of late, scoring 32 when the 76ers completed a Star and MVP runner-up
last season showed off his unique athleticism for a 7-footer against the Jazz, dribbling the length of the court while twice crossing over Whiteside before finishing with a one-handed dunk with 4:04 remaining in the first quarter. But Embiid was quiet after halftime, scoring just six points in the second 24 minutes, and his frustration showed when he picked up a technical foul with 5:04 left in the fourth for arguing with the officials. BACKING GOBERT Jazz coach Quin Snyder defended Gobert against comments by Timberwolves Patrick Beverley and Anthony Edwards following Utah’s game in Minnesota on Wednesday. Beverley and Edwards criticised Gobert, saying the three-time NBA defensive player of the year doesn’t match up 1-on-1 against the opponent’s top players.
Shaq’s shortcut: Buy Bill Russell’s NBA rings in auction By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer BOSTON (AP) — Basketball fans hoping to buy something from Bill Russell’s memorabilia collection should expect some big-name competition. Hall of Famers Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley say they’re interested in bidding on items that Russell — a civil rights icon and the most decorated champion in team sports history — is selling off. An online auction with 429 lots began last week and will culminate in a live event at the TD Garden today. “I’d like to take some of that stuff off their hands,” O’Neal said on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” on Tuesday night. “To be able to have all 11 of those rings, nobody’s outbidding me on that one.” In fact, Russell is only selling two NBA championship rings — his first and his last — along with his Hall of Fame ring, one commemorating his two NCAA titles, another for making the NBA’s 50th anniversary team and one the league
gave him for winning the most titles in professional team sports history. Also on the block are his Olympic gold medal, his final Celtics jersey, his honorary law degree from Harvard -- along with the cap and gown he wore for the ceremony -- and a scrapbook page with a signed letter from Jackie Robinson thanking Russell and four Black teammates for refusing to play in a 1961 exhibition in segregated Kentucky. “What he’s done for civil rights in this country is unmatched,” Barkley said on the broadcast. “Him and (Muhammad) Ali will always be my heroes as far as that goes. It’s easy to be a social justice guy now when you’ve got $100 million, you’re making $30-40 million a year, but those guys did all the heavy lifting back in the day. I think I might look at that auction and bid on something.” The items, which have a combined estimated value running into the millions, include signed shoes, shorts and shirts Russell accumulated during a career in
which he won 11 NBA titles — the last two as a playercoach and the first Black head coach in any US major pro sport. The most valuable item — already over $400,000 in online bidding through Thursday afternoon — is expected to be the jersey Russell wore in his last game, in the 1969 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. But there are also quirkier items like an autographed Wheaties box, dozens of canceled checks, and seats and slices of the parquet floor from the original Boston Garden. “There’s no question this is one of the most significant athlete collections ever to come up for auction,” said Hunt Auctions President David Hunt, who has also worked on collections from Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio and Roberto Clemente. “We’ve been very fortunate to work with some of the icons in sports. There’s no question Bill is in that group.” Russell, who has been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and as a coach, won
THE 1969 game worn jersey of Boston Celtics’ legend Bill Russell is displayed along with other memorabilia set to go up for auction yesterday in Boston. Basketball fans hoping to buy something from Bill Russell’s memorabilia collection should expect some big-name competition. Hall of Famers Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley say they’re interested in bidding on items that Russell is selling off. An online auction with 429 lots began last week and will culminate in a live event at the TD Garden today. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) two NCAA titles with San Francisco and the 1956 Olympic gold medal as well as the 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons. But he also leaves a legacy as a civil rights pioneer, marching with Martin Luther King Jr, and backing Ali when he refused induction into the Vietnam War. Russell received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011; it’s not in the auction, nor is an autographed photo of him with President Barack Obama. “You can obviously understand what that piece is worth to him,” Hunt said. “When you’ve won every conceivable thing there is, you’re able
to keep things and still sell a lot of things. That’s a blessing to be as accomplished as he was.” Hunt said he went through the collection with Russell and was taken aback by the sight of Robinson’s letter. “To be able to sit there with Bill and have him tell the history of these pieces — to not only participate in sports history, but some of the most significant moments in American history — that’s what’s special, for me,” Hunt said. “You think about Jackie at that point in the country’s history, and Bill taking that stand, at a really volatile point in the country’s
history,” Hunt said. “When you come across a page like that, you sort of take a minute and process what you’re looking at. If that doesn’t give you chills, I don’t know what does.” An unspecified portion of the proceeds will go to MENTOR, which connects young people with advisers who can connect them with opportunities they might otherwise miss out on. “Potential is equally distributed; opportunity is not,” Russell said. “The work that MENTOR does has a special place in my heart and I am honored to provide support in some small way.”
PAGE 18, Friday, December 10, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
STOCKS CLOSE LOWER ON WALL STREET AS RALLY MOMENTUM COOLS By DAMIAN J. TROISE AND ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers A SELL-OFF on Wall Street left stocks broadly lower Thursday, giving back some of the market’s gains from a three-day winning streak. The S&P 500 fell 0.7%, with more than threefourths of the companies in the benchmark index closing lower. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fell 1.7%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped less than 1 point. Small-company stocks fell more than the rest of the market, sending the
Russell 2000 index 2.3% lower. Roughly three stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange. The pullback follows a 3.6% gain for the S&P 500 index over the first three days of the week, largely in response to easing worries about the omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. That marked an about-face for stocks following two weeks of losses over concerns about rising inflation and the coronavirus potentially crimping economic growth. Investors welcomed reports this week of early indications suggesting the
omicron variant may be less dangerous than delta, including word from Pfizer that its lab tests suggest the drugmaker’s COVID-19 boosters provide protection against the new strain. “Today, because of that, folks are taking a little bit of a breather to gauge other information that could suggest a more sustained direction for the market, particularly on the economic data front,” said Greg Bassuk, CEO of AXS Investments. The S&P 500 fell 33.76 points to 4,667.45. The Dow slipped less than 1 point to 35,754.69. The Nasdaq fell 269.62 points to 15,517.37.
The Russell 2000 gave up 51.50 points to 2,220.71. Every major index is still on track for a weekly gain. Technology stocks and a mix of retailers and other companies that rely on direct consumer spending weighed on the S&P 500 the most. Chipmaker Nvidia fell 3.4%, while Tesla slid 6.1% for the biggest drop in the index. Travel-related companies slipped after spending the last few days gaining ground. Carnival fell 1.7% and United Airlines fell 1.8%. Bond yields fell slightly. The yield on the 10-year
Treasury fell to 1.49% from 1.51% late Wednesday. Energy futures closed mostly lower. The price of U.S. crude oil fell 2% and helped pull energy stocks lower. Devon Energy fell 4%. Health care companies rose. CVS Health climbed 4.5% after raising its dividend and issuing a solid forecast. Pfizer, which has been touting the potential benefits of a vaccine booster against the latest COVID-19 variant, rose 1.3%. Investors received an encouraging update on job market’s recovery. The Labor Department
reported that the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits plunged last week to the lowest level in 52 years. The employment market’s recovery has been a key focus for Wall Street while it gauges the strength of the economy as it moves past the virus pandemic. Rising inflation has been another focus, and investors will get an update Friday when the Labor Department releases its Consumer Price Index for November. The latest inflation data comes ahead of the Federal Reserve’s two-day meeting of policymakers next week.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, December 10, 2021, PAGE 19
NATIONAL DEBT JUST UNDER ECONOMY’S SIZE AT 98.4% FROM PAGE 24
“As a ratio to GDP, the direct charge rose by an estimated 4.6 percentage points on a yearly basis to 94.4 percent at end-September. In addition, the national debt-to-GDP ratio increased to an estimated 98.2 percent compared to 94.3 percent in the same quarter of 2020.” Breaking down the 2021 third quarter increase in the national debt, the Central Bank added: “Budgetary financing during the first quarter of fiscal year 20212022 was dominated by domestic sources. Specifically, internal borrowings amounted to $473.8m, and
consisted of Treasury bills/ notes ($265m); loans and advances ($160m) and government bonds ($48.8m). “Further, drawdowns on existing external facilities totalled $23.7m. Debt repayment for the period totalled $342.9m, of which the largest portion (89.3 percent) went towards retiring Bahamian dollar debt. As a result of these developments, the direct charge on the Government rose by $151.6m (1.5 percent) over the quarter and by $1.183bn (13.3 percent) year-on-year to $10.087bn at end-September.” Bahamian dollar-denominated debt, the Central Bank added, accounted for
55.1 percent of The Bahamas’ total national debt while foreign currency liabilities made up the balance at around 44.9 percent. “Public sector foreign currency debt declined by $37.5m (0.7 percent) to $5.053bn during the third quarter, but rose by $904.5m (21.8 percent) relative to the same period last year,” the Central Bank said. “In particular, amortisation payments of $59.1m outweighed new drawings of $24.6m. “By component, the Government’s outstanding liabilities - which accounted for 89.7 percent of the total - decreased by $15.8m (0.3 percent) to $4.533bn
on a quarterly basis. In addition, the public corporations’ debt stock reduced by $21.7m (4 percent) to $520.3m. “Relative to the same quarter of 2020, total foreign currency debt service payments contracted by $298.8m (76.4 percent) to $92.1m,” the regulator continued. “Contributing to this outturn, the public corporations’ segment declined significantly by $237m (88.5 percent) to $30.8m, with amortisation payments reducing sharply by $235.4m (91.2 percent) to $22.6m, while interest payments fell by $1.6m (16.5 percent) to $8.2m.
“Similarly, the Government’s debt component moved lower by $61.8m, as amortisation payments contracted by $66.3m (64.5 percent) to $36.5m, although interest charges rose by $4.5m (22.4 percent) to $24.7m. “As a consequence of these developments, the Government’s debt service to revenue ratio decreased to 10.7 percent at end-September from 40.9 percent in the previous year, while the debt service ratio narrowed to 9.5 percent from 70.3 percent in 2020, when exports contracted sharply due to COVID-19.” Elsewhere, tourism’s post-COVID rebound
resulted in a $700m-plus increase in net travel receipts in the 2021 third quarter as it was up against a year-before period when the sector was virtually shutdown. “The services account position switched to an estimated surplus of $399.2m from a deficit of $188.5m in 2020,” the Central Bank said. “Leading this outturn, the dominant net travel receipts - largely tourism driven - recovered to $752.3m from $46.5m in the same period last year, as the sector output registered a healthy rebound, following the COVID-19 related falloff in the preceding year.”
GM CEO SAYS MAKING VENTILATORS CHANGED THE COMPANY CULTURE By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT (AP) — The CEO of General Motors said Thursday that the automaker learned valuable lessons last year when it stepped in to boost emergency production of ventilators to treat severely ill COVID-19 patients. The company was able to help a small West Coast ventilator maker start large-scale production in about a month. That gave GM the confidence that it could speed up other tasks, such as bringing electric and other vehicles to market faster, CEO Mary Barra said. "Doing the ventilator project was kind of a game changer from a General Motors perspective, from a culture-change perspective," Barra said in a wide-ranging conversation with members of the Automotive Press Association of Detroit. Barra said that in the past, the GM management team would have resisted when told they needed to help a company that builds 250 ventilators per month accelerate production to 30,000 in 150 days. "They would have looked at me like I was crazy," she said.
Instead, employees approached the problem as if their loved ones might need the breathing machines and accomplished the goal, Barra said. Still the company was accused by former President Donald Trump of moving too slowly. In March of last year, GM put hundreds of workers on the project to help Ventec Life Systems of the Seattle area ramp up its production at a time when there were fears that the country would run short of the breathing machines. GM put up capital and converted an electronics factory in Indiana to help make the ventilators with a speed that one supply chain expert said was "lightning fast." Barra said the company now uses the same approach for its own electric vehicles, software, and partially automated driverassist systems. Also at the event, Barra gave a strong hint that Michigan may get an electric vehicle battery factory. When asked if the state has a chance to get a plant, she said discussions are ongoing. "In the not-too-distant future, we'll be able to answer that question," Barra said, adding that it an
NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that DANNLEY SUFOIR of Market Street Nassau, Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 3th day of December, 2021 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
announcement would likely come in weeks, not months. GM has announced plans to build four North American battery factories. Locations of two have been announced, Lordstown, Ohio, and Spring Hill, Tennessee. Barra also took a mild shot at Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk. When asked about Musk's criticism of a Biden administration plan to give bigger tax credits to buyers of union-made electric vehicles, she said it's much more difficult to build cars for the broader mass market versus selling luxury vehicles to a slice of buyers. She said GM's stock is undervalued when compared with Tesla, Rivian, Lucid Motors, all relatively new companies with big market valuations that focus solely on EVs. "Sometimes the iconic, traditional company, even though they're innovating
GENERAL Motors Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra speaks during the opening of their contract talks with the United Auto Workers in Detroit on July 16, 2019. Barra said Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021, that the automaker learned valuable lessons last year when it stepped in to boost emergency production of ventilators to treat severely ill COVID-19 patients. Photo:Paul Sancya/AP quickly, gets looked at with a different lens," she said. Barra also said she doesn't think GM will return to having huge stocks of vehicles on dealer lots, now that it has managed through a global computer chip shortage with lower stocks. While there are some customers who want to buy a vehicle immediately, others want to order online and avoid
going to a dealership, and GM will serve them both, she said. Her comments came after the company announced two more steps to make sure it has raw materials for the transition from petroleum to battery power. The company announced a deal with MP Materials to supply rare earth metals and finished magnets for the electric vehicle motors
from a new factory to be built in Fort Worth, Texas, starting in 2023. It's also negotiating what is likely to be a joint venture with Vacuumschmelze (VAC) of Germany to build a U.S. factory to make electric vehicle motor magnets. Production is to start in 2024 and will create "hundreds of new jobs" the companies said.
PAGE 20, Friday, December 10, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
DOCTORS ‘COMPLETELY CONFIDENT’: COVID TEST STAFF GROW BY 100 FROM PAGE 24
Describing its Grand Bahama location, which has the ability to perform 1,5000 tests daily, as the healthcare provider’s “highest throughput site” with demand having “grown pretty drastically”, he added that another testing site will open in Eight Mile Rock in January 2022 - coinciding with its ongoing moves to establish a clinic in that same community. Revealing that Doctors Hospital carries 75,000 COVID testing kits in its inventory at any one time, thereby ensuring that all Bahamian islands can access this critical resource, Mr Deveaux said the need for enhanced testing capacity will remain for the foreseeable future given that the pandemic shows no sign of slowing down. “Completely and absolutely confident,” he told Tribune Business, when asked how well-placed Doctors Hospital was to meet both peak Christmas/New Year travel demand and the narrowed 24-hour testing window for US travellers. “We’ve expanded our resource pool by 100odd folks in anticipation
of more stringent testing requirements. We did that somewhat fortuitously, not knowing this [US] announcement was coming down. We have no capacity constraints whatsoever, and all sites remain, including those that cater to tourists. “We just..... frankly, we have excess capacity. We have no concerns, from a resources or supply chain perspective, about being able to meet demand. We were actually just looking at it before you called.” Doctors Hospital now has some 270-plus staff working on performing testing and analysing the results. To-date, since the COVID pandemic’s start in March 2020, the BISXlisted healthcare provider has performed more than 817,000 tests - some 723,013 of the rapid antigen variety, and 94,246 RT-PCR tests. “We haven’t seen a significant enough spike to do things differently,” Mr Deveaux said of Christmas/ New Year travel, although he added that increased tourist arrivals as well as Bahamians travelling to the US will likely “trigger” heightened demand. “There is no doubt we have the capacity to
meet demand,” he reiterated. “We’re well within our capacity to meet the demand of Bahamians and returning guests. Last time we spoke, we were opening a site at Carmichael Road and that has the capacity to do 750 tests a day. ‘‘We’ve expanded the site at the Hilton, and that has the capacity to do 1,000 tests a day. We’ve put infrastructure on the ground in Grand Bahama and Exuma. We have no concerns about capacity whatsoever. That’s not going to be the challenge. The challenge is going to be what happens with travel, and that’s not so much to do with testing.” Mr Deveaux said that COVID rapid antigen test results were typically available within one to two hours. And, while RT-PCR tests results are advertised as requiring a 24-48 hour wait, “the overwhelming majority” are turned around in 24 hours. The Doctors Hospital financial chief added that it also offers “high priority services”, where results for an unvaccinated person suddenly needing to travel to the US can be made available in an hour. The healthcare provider also
has a “mobile service for persons who do not want to come to one of our sites; we’ll come to them”. Doctors Hospital presently has ten COVID testing sites in Nassau: Three apiece at Atlantis and Baha Mar, plus others at the Hilton, Town Centre Mall, Carmichael Road and at its own hospital. It also has locations in Grand Bahama and Exuma, making for a total of 12. Besides the Eight Mile Rock site that will open early in the New Year, Mr Deveaux said: “We also see a need to expand further, maybe into Eleuthera and Abaco, but for right now if we take it to say Abaco, Grand Bahama and Exuma, that’s the majority of airlift we have covered. “Our site in Grand Bahama is the highest throughput site. Our capacity on the island is enough to test 1,500 people if it got to that. Our operation in Grand Bahama has grown pretty drastically. We’ll be offering in Grand Bahama, by the way, given that community has been more economically depressed, a relatively lower pricing than Nassau to reflect the
STILL SCEPTICISM ON REVIVAL OF ELEUTHERA ‘BENCHMARK’ FROM PAGE 24 are pleased to hear of the signing, there is a level of scepticism, a sense of let’s wait and see if there will be follow through. I personally hope to be able to visit a Ritz-Carlton, Eleuthera, in the near future at that site.”
Mr Sands added that himself, the Chamber and the rest of Eleuthera’s private sector “look forward to learning more details about timelines to action the commitments made” between the Government and Colombian billionaire, Dr Luis Carlos Sarmiento,
NOTICE EMPRESAS INMOBILIARIAS II LTD. Registration Number 169562 B Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act 2000, notice is hereby given that EMPRESAS INMOBILIARIAS II LTD. has been dissolved and struck off the Register of Companies with effect from the 13th day of October, 2021. DEBRA RACKSTRAW Liquidator
and his Cotton Bay Holdings team. “The combination of a Ritz-Carlton resort development in south Eleuthera inclusive of other developments, such as the Disney Cruise Lines’ Lighthouse Point project and the Jacks Bay Development will, once actioned, confirm Eleuthera is headed in a positive direction,” he said. “It is important that every project that is approved by the Bahamas government succeeds while delivering on its commitments as per its Heads of Agreement. These Heads of Agreements are ultimately a contract with the Bahamian people. Although the Chamber is unaware of the specific commitments and concessions on this project, the recent discussions related to the Disney project set a new benchmark for community engagement by a developer,” Mr Sands continued. “Disney has made an effort to be a good corporate citizen and has also, through action, raised the expectations of the community. I assume this project will be expected to meet similar expectations.”
Daniel Zuleta Martinez, Cotton Bay Holdings’ Bahamas country manager, on Monday said some 500 persons will be employed over a four-year construction build-out that will take place in three phases. While no start date was given, the property will feature 90 rooms including a 60-villa Ritz-Carlton Reserve, with 200 full-time jobs set to be created upon completion. Prime Minister Philip Davis, who was present at the Heads of Agreement signing with deputy prime minister, Chester Cooper, said a compliance unit will be created to ensure the developer meets its commitments and that Bahamians are given first preference for jobs. Describing the Cotton Bay project as “an igniting of the past”, Philip Davis added: “Investments have been the lifeblood of the economy. We have been restoring and bringing in new investments.” Mr Cooper said the developers were proceeding because “the environment is now ripe for investment”. He added: “It is an important beginning and a bright future for residents of South
economic reality of what’s going on.” The VAT-exclusive pricing for a rapid antigen test in Eight Mile Rock and other communities will be discounted to a VATexclusive price of $15m, as opposed to the $20 charged in Nassau. The Nassau VAT-inclusive price for a rapid antigen test is $22.40, and for an RT-PCR test it stands at $134.40. With the Government still rolling-out its preelection campaign promise to deliver ‘free’ COVID testing for all, the service continues to provide a revenue stream that compensates Doctors Hospital for the pandemic’s impact on other areas of its business. The BISX-listed healthcare provider enjoyed a $7.747m revenue boost as a result of administering more than 100,000 COVID-19 tests during the ten months to end-January 2021. It revealed to shareholders in its annual report for that year that the income from COVID testing was the key factor in delivering an 18.6 percent year-over-year increase in total revenues to $76.398m.
The top-line surge also helped Doctors Hospital overcome what it had originally anticipated would be a sharp drop in profitability, after April 2020 resulted in a 44.2 percent year-overyear revenue drop and net loss as numerous services and procedures were either reduced or cancelled due to the pandemic’s start. The healthcare provider turned around a $351,917, or 16.4 percent, year-overyear decline in net income for its first quarter by transforming it into a 107 percent increase in fullyear profits, which more than doubled from the prior year’s $6.009m to $12.439m for the 12 months to endJanuary 2021. “It’s an unfortunate part of our business but an essential service we’re happy to deliver,” Mr Deveaux said of the company’s COVID testing. “We see no signs of it slowing down. At any point in time we carry as much as 75,000 test kits in inventory to ensure the islands of The Bahamas have the available resources they need. We see no signs of slowing down for the foreseeable future.”
Eleuthera in terms of job creation, new business opportunities and economic growth. “We have seen increased interest in investment. The Ritz-Carlton brand is good for Eleuthera and we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.” Some 34 persons currently work at Cotton Bay. Turning to the bigger picture, Mr Sands said: “Ultimately, the success of this project is also tied to the broader participation, destination building and the economic multiplier effect it will have for the residents of Eleuthera. “The Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce and other organisations were engaged very early on by Disney to discuss these forward-thinking ideas. I invite Cotton Bay Holdings and RitzCarlton to consider similar discussions. “The success of this contract will in the future be measured in terms of the growth of commerce, local participation, the education and training of locals to inherit higher level jobs. It would also be embodied in action and language that feeds other causes like the nurturing of art and culture, consistent employment opportunities for
individuals and families, innovation, sustainability, and alternative energy.” Mr Sands said that as devastating as COVID has been, the economic recession in south Eleuthera “has been prolonged and as economically challenging”. He added: “The execution of multiple, quality projects in one destination is more likely to ensure success of that destination. A Ritz-Carlton resort, with other comparable branded projects, and ongoing investment in residential real estate together equate to the potential for a brighter long-term future for the economy of Eleuthera. “We truly wish this project every success, and wish to ensure Cotton Bay Holdings and Ritz-Carlton that the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce welcomes their project to our island. Our doors are open at The Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce Business Centre, and we are committed to play our role in supporting the ultimate goal of the growth of commerce, the success of their project and others as part of the overall development of a healthy community.”
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, December 10, 2021, PAGE 21
‘WRITING’S ON THE WALL’ ON INCOME TAX REFORM FROM PAGE 24 15 percent minimum global corporate tax initiative will stop at targeting just a handful of multinationals focused on the digital economy. Warning that The Bahamas cannot afford to be caught flat-footed when this eventually expands to cover all entities, including small businesses, Mr Bowe said this nation needed to work with the financial services industry and its clients to devise an alternative structure that will maintain the sector’s competitiveness while allowing it to “play in other countries’ sandboxes”. The Bahamas, he added, needed to maintain access to capital markets and clients in developed countries, and not be cut-off because of a non-compliant tax system, as this would endanger “the lifestyle we have become accustomed to” as a small, open economy. Mr Bowe also suggested that The Bahamas has “wasted the better part of 20 years” by failing to look seriously at tax reform, as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) blacklisting and OECD’s ‘harmful tax
practices’ initiatives of that year were merely an indicator of the future pressures that would be applied to international financial centres (IFCs). Describing the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, which called for The Bahamas to get ahead of the global push by implementing both its own corporate income tax version and a personal income tax for high earners, as a “high level, desk top” review of the available options, he added that more empirical analysis is now required from the Government. Suggesting that the Deloitte & Touche (Bahamas) study on taxation from 2016 now needs to be “updated and expanded” through such modelling, Mr Bowe said: “When you look at our tax system, it isn’t equitable, it’s not sufficient to meet the Government’s needs in terms of expenditure, and it’s not competitive.” The G-20/OECD focus on multinationals was merely a “pilot project” towards developing a taxation framework “palatable” for wider roll-out and imposition on most business categories, he
added, arguing that it was “naive to believe the framework being developed is only going to stop at large companies”. Mr Bowe warned: “We should be ahead of that, look at the writing on the wall and devise a strategy that allows us to be in front of it as opposed to being behind the 8-ball. The last thing we want happening is us signing up to ‘Pillar One’ and ‘Pillar Two’ believing it will only impact those companies. “Then it manifests itself into a global tax that we’re not ready to implement. I see this as our lead time.” Pillar One and Pillar Two refer to the two key components of the 15 percent minimum global corporate tax initiative. The first pillar is billed by the OECD as ensuring “a fairer distribution of profits and taxing rights among countries with respect to the largest and most profitable multinational enterprises”. This taxing rights reallocation only applies to multinationals with annual turnover greater than 20bn euros and profit margins greater than 10 percent, with a particular focus on those that have benefited so
much from the digital economy - the likes of Facebook, Apple and Google. Just 25 percent of profit above the 10 percent threshold is to be reallocated. And the 15 percent minimum global corporate tax, billed as generating an additional $150bn in annual global tax revenues, is only targeting companies with a yearly turnover of greater than 750m euros. The OECD/G-20 are hoping that all countries will formally commit to the initiative in 2022, with implementation targeted at 2023. Mr Bowe said The Bahamas should be now using what little time it has to explore and develop the mechanisms required to collect and enforce personal income, and corporate income, taxes as well as develop the necessary information repository to correctly calculate taxes due and crackdown on potential fraud and evasion. “We should be using this time while the OECD finalises its framework to ready ourselves for implementation, even in advance of it,” he added. “We need to get to the basis of ability to pay as opposed to some
SENATE PASSES BILL EASING WAY FOR DEBT LIMIT INCREASE By KEVIN FREKING Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate moved ahead Thursday with legislation that would create a onetime, fast-track process
for raising the debt limit, overcoming a Republican filibuster and likely averting another last-minute rush to avoid a devastating federal default. The bill fits the two goals that Republican
leader Mitch McConnell had set months ago for the politically difficult vote to increase the country's borrowing authority: Democrats probably will have to pass the debt ceiling increase on their own,
without GOP support, and they will have to increase it by a specific amount. McConnell was able to deliver enough Republican votes to advance the bill Thursday when 14
arbitrary mechanism. Right now it’s consumption. “We need to have something that allows us to equitably distribute the responsibility and, more important, have it very transparent in terms of looking at the revenues and their use, and what is being taxed. “In my view, The Bahamas has wasted the better part of 20 years because when we were blacklisted, and the [OECD] inclusive framework came about in 2000-2001, that was always an indicator that the OECD and larger countries felt tax arbitrage opportunities were a disadvantage to those countries.” The Bahamas, as small, open economy that relies on being a services exporter via its status as an international business centre and financial services centre, cannot afford to be cut-off from key global markets. “I don’t subscribe to the notion that we do it because they want it,” Mr Bowe said of tax reform. “I subscribe to the notion we want to play in their sandbox. We need to develop strategies that allow us to play there. If they exclude us, we’re in even deeper trouble. We need to be forward looking
and get ahead of this; grey listings, blacklistings and what they impose in their sphere. “We don’t want to be first out the gate, but we don’t want to be left in cement shoes when the rest of the world is scampering down the track. If we want to play in their sand box, we have to play by their rules. I hear it from politicians: Why let them dictate to us? They forget the childhood experience, where if you went to someone else’s court you had to play by their rules. “If you didn’t want to do that, and go to their court, that’s fine but The Bahamas is an open economy. We import everything we need, so we need an open economy in The Bahamas to sustain the lifestyle we have become accustomed to. If the rules change, don’t cry about it. Adapt, make sure we comply with those rules and beat them at their own game.” Mr Bowe acknowledged that the IMF report had become “political fodder”, and added: “It should not have been haphazardly issued. It should have been developed into a ‘white paper’ and road map to what I call the future tax system of The Bahamas.”
Republicans sided with Democrats to end debate. That was the most precarious and unpredictable vote in the process. That support largely held with the vote on final passage of the measure later in the evening. The bill now goes to President
Joe Biden's desk for his signature. Now that it's been cleared, Democrats can use their majority to pass the debt ceiling increase itself — likely next week — without having to worry about gaining the 60 votes necessary to overcome a filibuster.
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000)
MH Yellowtale Ltd. Registration Number: 174969 B (In Voluntary Liquidation)
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000 notice is hereby given that MH Yellowtale Ltd. has been dissolved and has been struck off the Register of Companies with effect from the 15th day of November, 2021. ____________________________ GSO Corporate Services Ltd. Liquidator
NOTICE PONGSAK INVESTMENT LTD. N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows: (a) PONGSAK INVESTMENT LTD. in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000. (b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 8th December, 2021 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General. (c) The Liquidator of the said company is Bukit Merah Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, P.O. Box N-3023, Nassau, Bahamas Dated this 10th day of December, A. D. 2021 _________________________________ Bukit Merah Limited Liquidator
PAGE 22, Friday, December 10, 2021
THE TRIBUNE
NASSAU MUST ‘WAIT A BIT LONGER’ TO ASSIST ABACO
A CABINET minister yesterday said infrastructure works required in Nassau “will have to wait a little longer” as he emphasised the urgency of Abaco’s post-Dorian reconstruction. Alfred Sears, minister of works and utilities, added that he is also giving priority to the “human infrastructure” in his ministry’s Abaco office after meeting with employees at the Marsh Harbour office this Wednesday. He thanked them for their service and listened to their concerns. “I am here to ensure that when I sit in Nassau and decisions have to made, they are made in a concrete way and I feel the urgency. I also want to hear from our colleagues who are in Abaco – all of you – who have gone through this hurricane serving the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and serving Abaco,” said Mr Sears.
“The entire Bahamas will understand why Abaco will be given priority. Things that need to be done in Nassau will have to wait a little longer. Very few people anywhere in the world have lived through 180 miles per hour (mph) wind, experienced 20-plusfoot waves rushing through the community, taking loved ones out to sea never to be seen again.” Mr Sears led a delegation to Abaco on a “reconnaissance” tour that began on December 8 and finishes today. He was joined by Melanie Roach, director of public works; Robert Mouzas, deputy director of public works; Ted Johnson, acting head architect; David Cox, senior civil engineer. Also in attendance were parliamentary secretaries, Kirk Cornish and John Pinder; Donald Rolle and Terrece Bootle-Laing, local
ALFRED SEARS, minister of works and utilities, addresses a staff meeting at the ministry’s Abaco office in Marsh Harbour. Also shown from left: Kirk Cornish, parliamentary secretary and MP for North Abaco; Terrece Boodle-Laing, administrator; and Melanie Roach, director of works. government administrators; Richard Bruneau and Joshua Smith; technical leaders.
Minister Sears said many employees, although storm “battered” in the midst of their suffering, still went out
and rebuilt. “I am asking the leaders of the Ministry to ensure that we do not let
anybody slip through the cracks,” he added. “That’s the first obligation when we talk about infrastructure. We talk about the roads, docks, schools, but we have to talk about the people and ensure that there is healing and restoration, and that you feel our heart because you are on the frontline even without equipment.” He encouraged staff not to feel shy or embarrassed to state their concerns. A cross-section of the responses, some emotional, included a lack of empathy; the need for equipment; benefits; career paths; unequal treatment; human resources; and low morale. The Ministry recently conducted a similar exercise in Grand Bahama, meeting with engineers, inspectors, architects, carpenters and operators to say thank you and hear their concerns.
MINISTER LEADING DELEGATION ON ABACO ‘RECONNAISSANCE’ A CABINET minister is leading a “reconnaissance” tour of Abaco and its cays to assess how much infrastructure still needs rebuilding in Hurricane Dorian’s wake. “We will view the physical infrastructural work to be done, road projects underway, look at schools in the community,” said Alfred Sears, minister of public works and utilities. “We will be looking at the progress of the bridge in Little Abaco and to see what can be done to expedite that project. We will be paying attention to the docks. The docks are critical because it is the lifeblood of all of our communities. “We will be going to some of the cays in the Abacos so we can ascertain work that has been done. As you know some of the
work has been done by NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and we are grateful for [it].” Mr Sears was accompanied by Melanie Roach, director of public works; Robert Mouzas, deputy director of public works; Ted Johnson, acting head architect; David Cox, senior civil engineer. Parliamentary secretaries Kirk Cornish and John Pinder, along with local government administrators, Donald Rolle and Terrece Bootle-Laing, and technical leaders are also joining the delegation. Mr Sears, emphasising that islands and cays devastated by Hurricane Dorian will be given priority, told Ministry of Works staff in Abaco: “It means that as we rebuild we have to do it differently and build with resilience and sustainability.
FROM L to R: Melanie Roach, director of works; Alfred Sears, minister of works and utilities; John Pinder; and Kirk Cornish inspect construction of a seawall in Green Turtle Cay.
“I am asking everybody as we meet, let’s have a common objective to make this place that we call home - this Bahamas - the
template for what a sustainable, resilient small island state can be. “We cannot just build back the way it was. It has to be stronger,
it has to be better. This is how you turn a misfortune, a disaster, into an opportunity. We are moving forward to embrace an opportunity to become the best small island nation state in the world.” The delegation visited Green Turtle Cay to assess seawalls; the teacher’s cottage and Amy Roberts Primary School; docks including Canon and Government; and Customs and Post Office buildings on its first day. It also toured Sherwin Bootle Secondary School in Cooper’s Town; the Crossing Rock Bridge in Little Abaco; and the Fox Town dock.
‘DON’T LET IMF DRAG US INTO INCOME TAXATION’
FROM PAGE 24
income earners will more readily find loopholes and ways to legally minimise their income tax exposure, once again putting the taxation burden on the middle and lower income groups. Responding to the IMF’s advice, revealed earlier this week by Tribune Business, that The Bahamas should get ahead of the global push for a 15 percent minimum global corporate tax by adopting this levy for its own benefit, Mr Smith told this newspaper: “Some may want to adopt it because the IMF says so, but we’ve been down this road before. “Where we are now is very much like in 2000, with the exchange of tax information and the OECD’s then ‘harmful tax practices’. These Europeans, the developed countries, come up with these ideas to assist their economies, shove it down our throats and we go along with it.” The Biden administration’s election for the first time installed in the White House a US government whose taxation views were broadly aligned with those of high-tax European welfare states, hence the convergence via the G-20/ OECD towards the 15 percent minimum global corporate tax that they want to implement from 2023. However, Mr Smith yesterday joined those arguing that The Bahamas will be little impacted by the G-20/OECD proposal at this point because the largest multinationals being targeted by the 15 percent minimum tax do not represent this nation’s financial services market or have a major physical presence here. The Bahamas has traditionally focused on the private wealth management space, as opposed to the institutional business targeted by the likes of Bermuda and Cayman. The former finance minister said the G-20 wanted the likes of The Bahamas to sign up to the initiative merely so it could argue that the majority of countries are in agreement.
“A one-size-fits-all tax does not reflect the realities on the ground,” Mr Smith told Tribune Business. “I don’t see us dragging along with this unless it makes sense to us. We have to examine this closely, not follow the dance from the developed world on taxation. “The Bahamas built its financial services sector on the basis of no direct taxes or income taxes, and bank secrecy. They are things of the past. Now we’re going to go down this line of adapting without any analysis as to whether it works for The Bahamas. I would not recommend going along with this just because this is what the US and OECD want us to do. “I’m merely saying that, for the first time, let us do our own internal analysis to see if it’s a good fit for The Bahamas so, at the end of the day, we will be better off with it than without it. The international agencies have a tendency to come out with ideas that fit well for them, the bigger economies, and than drag us along to say they have a consensus on this.” Should The Bahamas impose a personal income tax, Mr Smith argued that the base would be muchnarrowed due to high unemployment levels. And an expensive, complex collection, enforcement and administrative machinery would be required to oversee such a taxation system, and crack down on evasion, fraud and other abuses. Noting that The Bahamas has traditionally struggled with “large leakages” from its existing taxes, Mr Smith said failing to implement the proper administrative mechanisms will again result in “another burden on the working population without getting the receipts you expect”. He added: “The argument against regressive taxation, I certainly understand that, but we have to recognise our history. We elected to have no direct taxes on income for many reasons, and following from that is this regressive system, but so is income tax.”
Explaining what he meant by that, Mr Smith said: “The high earners and companies can afford to hire lawyers to help them minimise their taxes. You end up again putting a heavy tax burden again on the lower income people who can’t afford it. That’s the potential repercussion. “Your labour force is usually only 50 percent of the total population, and if there is 30 percent unemployment that substantially reduces the tax base. And you have another problem. The very wealthy business owner will likely switch to dividend payments and reduce their salary” to minimise their income tax payments. Many in the Bahamian private sector, though, are likely to be open to a corporate income tax if it means replacing the disliked Business Licence fee regime. While corporate income tax is levied on profits, the latter is calculated as a percentage of revenue/ turnover. This has left some companies paying more in tax than they make in annual profits, while driving others into losses. The Business Licence fee also favours low revenue/high margin companies at the expense of high turnover/low margin ones, penalising the likes of food stores and gas stations, while creating further distortionary effects for price controlled firms. Pledging that the 15 percent minimum global corporate tax deal, to which The Bahamas has signed up, “does not seek to eliminate tax competition, but puts multilaterally agreed limitations on it”, the OECD said the twopronged agreement will see countries collectively gain around $150bn in new revenues annually from multinational enterprises. The first pillar is billed by the OECD as ensuring “a fairer distribution of profits and taxing rights among countries with respect to the largest and most profitable multinational enterprises”. Some taxing rights over multinationals will be reallocated from these companies’ home countries to
the markets where they have business activities and generate profits, regardless of whether they have a physical presence there. The taxing rights reallocation only applies to multinationals with annual turnover greater than 20bn euros and profit margins greater than 10 percent, with a particular focus on those that have benefited so much from the digital economy - the likes of
Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google. Just 25 percent of profit above the 10 percent threshold is to be reallocated. The OECD predicted that $125bn of multinational profits will be reallocated to small jurisdictions in this way. However, questions have been raised as to whether the likes of Amazon meet the 10 percent profit margin and thereby qualify.
And the 15 percent minimum global corporate tax, billed as generating an additional $150bn in annual global tax revenues, is only targeting companies with a yearly turnover of greater than 750m euros. The OECD/G-20 are hoping that all countries will formally commit to the initiative in 2022, with implementation targeted at 2023.
POSITION AVAILABLE:
COMPLIANCE OFFICER
A dynamic Bahamian securities firm licensed by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) is looking for a Compliance Officer whose general responsibility will be to provide an in-house compliance service that effectively supports the business areas ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations and internal procedures. The applicant must possess an ICA and/or ACAMS or other similar awarding body qualification. Duties: o Prepare internal reports and assessments on compliance o Submission of regulatory reporting and filings and liaison with SCB o Perform transaction and AML/KYC monitoring of accounts o Support the customer onboarding o Be able to pass the respective Compliance Officer and MLRO licensing requirements of The Bahamas o Facilitate ongoing customer account reviews, considering the risk of each account o Write and update policy, procedure and guides for staff, including management o Monitor relevant Bahamas legislation and make recommendations for changes required o Serve as the Money Laundering Reporting Officer o Design and deliver compliance training o Any other duties that may be required Skills Required: o Sound knowledge of and understanding of how to apply international AML/CFT/CPF standards, frameworks and guidance issued by International Standard Setting Bodies, such as the FATF and the OECD, in the Bahamian context o In-depth knowledge of and understanding of money laundering and terrorist financing risks of financial institutions and how the AML/CFT/ CPF framework of The Bahamas applies to the business of a financial institution o Strong analytical, research and policy analysis skills; as well as, the ability to utilize AML compliance software o Series 7 or equivalent would be an asset o Good verbal and written communication skills o A positive attitude and proactive Candidates should submit their resumes via email to:
hrbusiness530@gmail.com no later than December 17th, 2021.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, December 10, 2021, PAGE 23
DOMESTIC CONSTRUCTION ‘LACKLUSTRE’: DOWN 38%
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net DOMESTIC construction activity was branded “lacklustre” in the 2021 third quarter with the value of new mortgage commitments falling by 38.3 percent to $14.4m year-over-year. The Central Bank, unveiling its third quarter economic review, hinted at weakness in future housingrelated construction activity by revealing that mortgage financing commitments for new builds and repairs fell by 31.6 percent compared to the same period in 2020. “Compared to the same period in 2020, total mortgage commitments for new buildings and repairs - a forward looking indicator
of domestic activity - fell by 31 to 67, while the corresponding value decreased by 38.3 percent to $14.4m,” the Central Bank report said. “In terms of loan category, the number of undisbursed approvals for residential commitments reduced by 26 to 65, with the associated value declining by $4.6m (26.9 percent) to $12.4m. In addition, two commercial commitments were approved, valued at $2m, vis-à-vis seven, valued at an estimated $6.4m last year.” The subdued activity may have been linked to a rise in interest rates, although the Central Bank did not explicitly make the link. “In terms of interest rates, the average financing costs for commercial mortgages firmed to 7.29 percent from
5.47 percent in the preceding year,” it added. “Likewise, the average interest rate for residential mortgages moved higher by nine basis points to 6.36 percent.” The regulator also affirmed that construction projects financed by foreign direct investment (FDI) continue to largely underpin the industry’s forward momentum. “During the third quarter, output in the construction sector continued to be undergirded by a number of ongoing, varied-scale, foreign investment projects in the capital and the Family Islands. However, domestic private sector activity remained lacklustre,” the Central Bank said. “Total mortgage disbursements for new construction and repairs - as reported by domestic
MOBILE SWITCH IN 20% SPA BUSINESS BOOST By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net SPA services providers say business volumes are 20 percent higher than pre-COVID levels after the pandemic forced them to convert to mobile operations. Yumecka Roberts, owner/operator of Heavenly Hands Mobile Spa, told Tribune Business that business has “actually gotten better” since The Bahamas re-opened following last year’s COVID-19 lockdown, and the initial ‘drive through’ or curb-side model that many companies were forced to rely upon. “Most people prefer to have the services in their home rather than going into a spa where they are being exposed to the disease,” she said. “Especially with going into a hotel with different people in the beds, so they prefer us to come to their house. “So business got better right after COVID-19. We were closed for a while when COVID-19 first started before we could get our approvals to come back. Basically, we jumped probably by 20 percent. I want to say 30 percent, but it’s the holidays now. Business will be increasing anyway for the holidays because people buy gift
certificates for their loved ones.” The spa industry’s holiday season traditionally includes the whole of December, and Ms Roberts said business to-date has increased by 10 percent compared to 2019 levels. She added: “But during our slow months we have increased bookings by 20 percent because people would prefer us coming to them, especially for spa parties, this was when everyone stopped partying and went to more private Airbnbs and wanted personal attention.” Shuntelle Sturrup, owner/ operator of Body Bliss Mobile Spa, added: “It’s been up and down as far as restrictions, but dealing with customers it is based on their comfort level because everybody is not keen on me entering their home or their establishment. “Because of the Omicron [the new COVID variant], the only thing I can do is alert my clients and let them know that I sanitise before and after my services. I wear a mask, and also that I am fully vaccinated.” Things are “slowly getting back to normal” for Ms Sturrup. “I work for myself, that’s the only thing,” she added. “Because when you work for a company, you work mostly on a commission basis, going by
QUANTITY SURVEYOR’S MOVE TARGETS GREATER EXPOSURE By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMAS-based quantity surveyor is hoping its move to Thompson Boulevard will generate more exposure and increase its business volumes. Daria Stubbs, director at BCQS International, told Tribune Business the firm is trying to make potential customers aware it is seeking retail clients and not just the high-end corporate projects. She said: “Right now we are having challenges with the banks because they keep telling us we are not on the list when we should be on the list. This was a customer telling me that BCQS was not on the list, so I called a manager at the corporate centre and they told me that we were on the list. “So obviously some officers aren’t getting the memo, which could be affecting our business because we do do work for the corporate as well as the retail side. So maybe in some branches they have us on the corporate side and, on the retail side for the smaller clients, people are just not getting the information that we are an option.” BCQS performs valuations for commercial banks on repossessed homes and other distressed
properties. Ms Stubbs added: “We do foreclosures but, because we do a lot of large projects, people tend to put us in that category. “But we are trying to hit some of the smaller markets as well and, like I said, it’s I a challenge that we have in getting the banks to know that we are here for the smaller projects as well and not just the large projects.” Admitting that marketing may have been lacking in the past, Ms Stubbs said increased promotion is one of BCQS’ targets for 2022 along with making persons aware of their new location on Thompson Boulevard. The firm has moved from Lyford Cay House, and she added: “Obviously by remaining in Lyford Cay House we were limiting our clientele, and now that the new signs are visible from the road, we will probably get more exposure.” Ms Stubbs said BCQS is aggressively going after work at the Jacks Bay project, seeing it as a potential game changer for South Eleuthera. “We’re also eying some developments in Grand Bahama as well, so that’s something to keep in mind. So overall there are a few projects, but we know it takes a lot of time and then governments change, so it all resets things for us,” she added.
whatever contract that you signed up for.” Having worked in the spa industry for years prior to her starting her own business in 2019, she knows how challenging working for a company can be. “People are starting to get back into the comfort of getting regular spa treatments, but we do have a new variant, so I don’t know how that’s going to go for the industry. I’m just gauging myself and taking my time because I have to protect myself,” Ms Sturrup said. The Christmas/New Year holiday is traditionally the spa sector’s busiest time due to the amount of gift certificates in circulation, and persons ordering spa treatments as presents. “It’s always busier around the holidays,” she added. “Like this December, people are looking for gifts for people, so they will do a spa day for their loved one or they will get a gift card or something like that. “I’m not going to lie, but this year is a little better than it was in 2019, and certainly better than 2020. I started in late 2019 and things were pretty lucrative then, but this year things are great because people prefer to stay at home rather than come to the spa. It is more relaxing.”
banks, insurance companies and the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation - decreased by 3 percent ($0.7m) to $21.7m, extending the 2.5 percent reduction in the prior year. “Contributing to this development, commercial disbursements reduced by 67.1 percent ($0.9m) to $0.4m, extending the 47.5 percent decline in the preceding year. In contrast, the residential component grew by 1.1 percent ($0.2m) to $21.3m, following a 12.5 percent contraction last year.”
As for the banking industry, the Central Bank report said: “Data obtained from the commercial banks, insurance companies and the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation showed that the total value of outstanding mortgages rose by $5.1m (0.2 percent) to $2.954bn during the third quarter, a reversal from the $3.3m (0.1 percent) decline in 2020. “In particular, the dominant residential component - which comprised 94.5 percent of the total - increased by $5.5m
(0.2 percent) after a modest decrease of $2.5m (0.1 percent) in the prior year for an ending balance of $2.790bn. “In contrast, the commercial segment reduced by $0.5m (0.3 percent) to $163.8m, albeit a moderation from the $0.8m (0.5 percent) fall-off a year earlier. At end-September, domestic banks held the majority of outstanding mortgages (87.3 percent), followed by insurance companies (6.4 percent) and the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation (6.3 percent).”
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021
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‘Don’t let IMF drag us into income taxation’ GOWON BOWE
‘Writing’s on the wall’ on income tax reform By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas must see “the writing on the wall” and get ahead of the worldwide 15 percent minimum corporate tax push by enacting reforms for its own benefit, a top banker said yesterday. Gowon Bowe, who headed the private sector’s Coalition for Responsible Taxation prior to VAT’s introduction, told Tribune Business that the country must “get in front” of the G-20/OECD push “as opposed to being behind the 8-ball” via taxation reforms that create a more equitable system, improve economic competitiveness and provide sufficient revenues to fund public services. In an assessment that contrasted with former finance minister, James Smith (see other article on Page 1B), he argued that it would be “naive” for The Bahamas to believe that the
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By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas must not permit the likes of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to “drag us” into imposing income taxes that “don’t make sense”, a former finance minister argued yesterday. James Smith, now head of the Government’s Debt Advisory Committee, told Tribune Business that The Bahamas cannot afford for the G-20/ OECD and multilateral agencies to “shove down our throats” potential tax reforms without first subjecting them to rigorous analysis to see if they are “a good fit”. Warning that The Bahamas has “been down this road before”, he suggested that corporate and personal income taxes, or a combination of both, may not be the best model for this nation to adopt given that the tax burden would again likely fall on the middle and lower income classes. Mr Smith, also an ex-Central Bank governor, suggested that The Bahamas’ population - and especially the 235,000strong pre-COVID labour force that would be responsible for paying income taxes - may not provide a sufficiently large enough base to generate the revenues required by the Government. Hinting that this was no time for The Bahamas to engage in tax experiments, he added that this base will presently be “substantially reduced” by COVID-19 related unemployment levels estimated by some to be as high as 20-30 percent still.
DOCTORS HOSPITAL
Doctors ‘completely confident’: COVID test staff grow by 100 JAMES SMITH
• Ex-minister: Can’t be ‘shoved down our throat’ • Warns any reforms must be proven ‘good fit’ • Fears tax burden falls on middle, lower class And, while The Bahamas is viewed by many as having relatively high per capita gross domestic product (GDP), this number is skewed by a relatively small proportion of extraordinarily high earners - many of whom generate the bulk of their earnings outside this nation, raising questions as to whether it would be captured by a local income tax. Mr Smith, acknowledging the desire by many to move away from regressive consumption-based taxes, such as VAT and import tariffs, to more progressive
income-based levies, nevertheless argued that the latter taxation forms could also become “regressive” in the Bahamian context. This, he explained, was because companies and high income earners will more readily find loopholes and ways to legally minimise their income tax exposure, once again putting the taxation burden on the middle and lower income groups. Responding to the IMF’s advice, revealed earlier this
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National debt just under economy’s size at 98.4% By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas’ national debt was just less than the size of the economy at end-September 2021 after increasing to almost $10.5bn over the previous three months, it was revealed yesterday. The Central Bank’s 2021 third quarter review revealed that the debt expanded by a net $132.2m, or 1.3 percent, during that period to take the Government’s total debt - both it direct liabilities and those guaranteed on behalf of state-owned agencies - to a new high of $10.488bn. However, the slower pace of debt increase, coupled with increased economic activity as The Bahamas continued its post-COVID
re-opening, grew gross domestic product (GDP) just enough to ensure the latter was marginally bigger than the national debt. The Bahamas’ debt-toGDP ratio dropped from 100.4 percent at end-June 2021 to 98.4 percent some three months later, according to the Central Bank, but still at an elevated level that continues to give the Government and many citizens/ residents much cause for concern. “The national debt, inclusive of contingent liabilities, expanded by $132.2m (1.3 percent) over the three-month period, and by $1.141bn (12.2 percent) on an annual basis to $10.488bn,” the Central Bank report said.
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Still scepticism on revival of Eleuthera ‘benchmark’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce’s president has acknowledged that a “level of scepticism” exists over this week’s deal to revive “the benchmark of what was possible in the Family Islands”. Thomas Sands, in e-mailed replies to Tribune Business questions, hailed the revised Heads of Agreement between the Government and Cotton Bay Holdings but pointed out that it was “close to two generations” since there
was any operational activity at the Cotton Bay Club site. “The sooner this agreement is converted into action, the more confidence will be gained,” Mr Sands said. “The Cotton Bay Club was once the lead resort property and employer on Eleuthera, the benchmark of what was possible in the Family Islands. “It has now been close to two generations since there were any operations at this site, and there have been a number of related Heads Of Agreement announcements. “Although most Eleutherans, like myself,
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• ‘No capacity’ issues for Christmas and US demands • Healthcare provider can do up to 150k tests monthly • Testing sites expanded; GB has ‘biggest throughput’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net DOCTORS Hospital is “completely and absolutely confident” it can meet new US COVID testing protocols and higher Christmas/New Year travel demand after a 100-strong staffing expansion. Dennis Deveaux, the BISX-listed healthcare provider’s chief financial officer, told Tribune Business yesterday that it has “no capacity constraints whatsoever” given its ability to perform between 120,000 and 150,000 COVID tests per month. Asserting that Doctors Hospital has “excess capacity” when it comes to providing both RT-PCR and rapid antigen tests, he said the forecast increase in travel by both Bahamians and tourists over the festive season has yet to materialise but added that the ‘24hours before travel’ testing deadline set by the US was “well within” its capabilities to meet. Revealing that testing capacity at its British Colonial Hilton and Carmichael Road sites has been expanded to 1,000 and 750 tests per day, respectively, Mr Deveaux said Doctors Hospital’s sites in Grand Bahama and Exuma have also been similarly equipped.
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