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VOLUME:115 No.67, FEBRUARY 27TH, 2018
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1
WOMAN: OVERBURDENED? TIME FOR A GREAT ESCAPE
Crash families ‘kept in the dark’ Anguish of Andros plane relatives after debris find By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net THE son of one of the North Andros plane crash victims has said the news that officials have found the debris field from the accident is the “latest and hardest” hit in a series of stunning blows. Kermit Adderley Jr’s mother, Margaret Adderley, was travelling to Nassau from Andros to see her newborn grandson when the ill-fated plane went down in the ocean. The 49-year-old mother of two was one of six people on board who died. On Sunday, nearly six weeks after the incident, crash investigators
TEENAGER’S DOUBLE MURDER CHARGE
confirmed a debris field discovered by fishermen in waters off Andros earlier this month was that of the plane that crashed. “I am still working through the flight going down,” Mr Adderley told The Tribune. “Now we have to go through this process hit by hit, with no one showing the people who died any respect.” According to Mr Adderley, crash investigators have not been forthcoming with information related to the incident. He said family members have been left to comb through media reports and internet gossip to learn of any changes in the case. SEE PAGE THREE
THE Jamaican wife of a Bahamian man and her 11-year-old daughter were left traumatised and degraded after spending ten days in detention at an immigration safe house for women and children, according to a court filed affidavit. Kediesha Bent-John, 35, said she and her daughter
were fingerprinted and forced to give blood and urine samples without their consent before spending the entire detention period locked in a basement room with poor ventilation. She also claimed she was denied food for three days while detained due to her behaviour. She characterised the cramped environment as a “female prison” for adults SEE PAGE SIX
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was killed yesterday when a woman suspected of fleeing the scene of an earlier car crash was in collision with his vehicle. Chief Superintendent Craig Stubbs said the shocking accident nearly led to an altercation between the female driver and witnesses who believed she was driving recklessly. He said no decision has been made yet about whether any charges would be brought in connection with the accident. “Shortly before 1pm this afternoon,” Supt Stubbs told The Tribune, “police control received a report of a traffic accident at the intersection on Malcolm Road and East Street.” SEE PAGE SEVEN
ALIV AND BTC LINE UP FOR BATTLE By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER’S ORDEAL IN DETENTION By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
‘FLEEING’ DRIVER IN SECOND FATAL CRASH
KEOANTE PINDER, aged 18, being brought to Magistrate’s Court yesterday to be charged with murder. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
RIVAL firms Aliv and BTC yesterday signalled their readiness to battle it out in the marketplace - with Aliv revealing a massive investor oversubscription, yet facing BTC staff who were “not quaking in our boots” over the firm’s revenue decline. Aliv said it had gained “massive firepower” from its $50m-plus capital raise, which will likely accelerate its growth. Its share issue was more than three times oversubscribed. Meanwhile, Bernard Evans, of the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union, said they were “not overly concerned” by the competition. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
ALL CHANGE - NEW PROSECUTOR PARACHUTED INTO SMITH TRIAL By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
FORMER PLP Senator Frank Smith’s bribery and extortion trial was adjourned to Wednesday after his lawyer lamented the “shoddiness” surrounding the Crown’s intent to produce additional
FORMER Senator Frank Smith. documents at such a “late stage” in the proceedings connected to its case against
the accused. This came as Crown prosecutor Anthony Delaney, originally the lead prosecutor on the matter, announced that English attorney Edward Jenkins, QC, would be leading the Crown’s case against Smith henceforth. SEE PAGE FIVE
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
LIVING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF FOX HILL SHOOTINGS
SEE PAGE EIGHT
PAGE 2, Tuesday, February 27, 2018
THE TRIBUNE
QUEEN’S COLLEGE FLAGS AT HALF MAST FOR SIR DURWARD STUDENTS and staff returned to the Queen’s College Village Road campus yesterday to find the flags of The Bahamas Conference of the Methodist Church and the school flying at half-mast. “It was a sobering return for the Queen’s College family after the mid-term break,” a statement from Andrea Gibson, school principal, said. “Sir Durward and Queen’s College were inseparable. Our students will not easily forget the glorious winter day on December 4, 2017, when the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band marched the full length of the main driveway, performing in spectacular fashion, to celebrate the 100th birthday of one of the school’s most well-loved alumni.” On January 11, 2008, Sir Durward was inducted into
school’s hall of fame. “His global accolades and his national accomplishments helped make him a ‘giant of a man’ and for years he led the development office of Queen’s College from a position of force and pride,” Ms Gibson said. “He always wanted the best for the school. He displayed an eagerness for futuristic thought and progressive development. “...Sir Durward’s commitment to Queen’s College was based on what the school had done for him. Although the times he served as foundation chair were vastly different to the days he sat in the classroom as a student, he credited much of his success to the foundation he received in his early years at QC.” The school will hold a memorial service for Sir Durward at a later date.
RBDF MOURNS BAHAMAS LEGEND A celebration of the life of Sir Durward Randolph Knowles, O.B.E., B.O.M., J.P., aged 100
THE Royal Bahamas Defence Force said yesterday it joins the nation in mourning the death of sailing icon Sir Durward Knowles. “A legendary Bahamian, Olympic sailing champion and Guinness World Record holder, Sir Durward’s legacy and
numerous achievements in the interest of community and national development will forever be etched in the annals of Bahamian history,” a statement from the RBDF said. “On July 31, 2014, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force commissioned one of its Legend Class patrol craft
in honour of Sir Durward. Her Majesty’s Bahamian Ship Durward Knowles shall be a constant reminder of this great Bahamian and an inspiration to us all. “We honour his legacy and contributions to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and will remain forever grateful.”
THE patrol craft named after Sir Durward Knowles and, top, the Olympic legend at the boat’s commissioning ceremony. Photos: RBDF
CORRECTIONS OFFICERS WANT FAIR TREATMENT ON GRIEVANCES of Nassau, The Bahamas, who died peacefully at Doctors Hospital, Collins Avenue, Nassau, on Saturday, 24th February, 2018, will be held at Ebenezer Methodist Church, East Shirley Street, Nassau, on Monday, 5th March, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Reverend Milton Lightbourne, Minister of Ebenezer Methodist Church and Dr. Reginald W. Eldon will officiate. Sir Durward Randolph Knowles is survived by his wife, Lady Holly Knowles; son, Randy Knowles; daughters, Jill Thompson and Charlotte Albury; grandsons, Roscoe (Lori) Thompson, Jason (Sofia) Thompson and Jeffrey (Sheena) Thompson; granddaughters, Kristy (Mike) Robinson, Rebecca (Greg) Peters and Tiffany (Jimmy) Diamantis; great grandchildren, Kimberly Collins, Rocky Thompson, Alex, Britni and Dylan Thompson, Alyse and Leah Thompson, Lee, Luke and Layla Peters and Elena Diamantis; sister, Violet Weech; brothers, Herbert (Lorna) Knowles, Percy (Yvonne) Knowles and Emerson (Shirley) Knowles; nephews and nieces, Elaine Forde, Dickie Kemp, Dianne Kemp, Dave Weech, Rochelle McCabe, Andy, Bruce, Sherry and Cindy Knowles, Vicki Knowles, Patrick and Troy Knowles and many other relatives and close friends including Keith Evans, Marina Roberts, John Darville, Jack and Betty Sands, Carol and Linda Sands, Barrie Farrington, Reynell and Whitefield Neely, Laura Lowe, Paul Cayard, Sheila Bethel, Ebenezer Methodist Church Family, Bahamas Methodist Conference, One Bahamas Foundation, Bahamas Association For Physically Disabled (B.A.P.D.), The Lunch Bunch, The Coffee Group, Queen’s College Foundation, The Rotary Club of East Nassau, International Star Class Yacht Racing Association (I.S.C.Y.R.A.), Sloop Sailing Association, Bahamas Olympic Association and Nassau Habour Pilots. Our amazing caregivers Margaret, Louie, Joseph, Jean and Pancie. Special thanks to Dr. Agreta Eneas-Carey, Mikus Mikula, the caring Nurses and Staff of Doctors Hospital. A heart felt thank you to Reverend Milton Lightbourne for his support and comfort during this time. Instead of flowers the family request that donations be sent to Bahamas Association For Physically Disabled, P.O. Box N. 4252, Nassau or Bahamas Humane Society, P.O. Box N. 242, Nassau in memory of Sir Durward Randolph Knowles. THE FAMILY REQUEST THAT ALL ATTENDING THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR SIR DURWARD RANDOLPH KNOWLES TO PLEASE WEAR THE COLOUR OF THE OCEAN. Arrangements by Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited.
By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net DEPARTMENT of Correctional Services officers have a litany of grievances that include officers not receiving their pensions, their permanent and pensionable letters and not being promoted. Bahamas Prison Staff Association President Anthony Butler spoke with The Tribune, detailing these issues and appealing for officers to be treated in a “fair” manner. In terms of pensions, Mr Butler discussed the “selective process” whereby some formerly retired officers who work year-to-year receive both their pensions and salaries, while others do not. He said: “The commissioner has the right to… accept you if you come back year-to-year for ten years. Some persons, it depends on when you apply for it, that speeds up the process or it stagnates it. “Now what we have been encountering is some persons… they’re coming back faster than others. So we have an administration problem. They are selective on who they allow to come back in a timely manner. “Some persons they will go and they’ll return in three months, and everything is processed properly. Some persons will go a year without their salaries and they (will) still be in limbo with no question as to whether they coming back or not. “Some persons will go for the year, with the full salary. We even have some persons who went on pre-retirement, and they came back (and) were receiving their pensions, and their salary, which they are entitled to by law. “Some persons were receiving it, some persons (weren’t) receiving it. It’s a selective process, which is the challenge within
our organisation. They’re being too selective on who they give these benefits to. But the law states you are entitled to your pension, because you’ve already earned that. “Your pension, and if you come back to work, you are entitled to your salary. You’ve already earned your pension, so that should not be withheld from you. “Now if they decide to take you back, and you continue to work, then you are entitled to a salary. “And they don’t do that to the police force… so I don’t know why there’s a selective process for correctional officers.” Mr Butler said this issue dates back to mid2016, under the Christie administration. In December 2017, Mr Butler reached out to Minister of Public Services Brensil Rolle on the matter. “Last time I spoke to (Mr Rolle), he told me the matter was before the Public Service Commission, then he told me the matter was before the (Attorney General’s) Office.” Another major issue, Mr Butler said, is that there has been a delay in some officers receiving their permanent and pensionable letters. This forces these officers to keep banking with the Bank of The Bahamas, much to their chagrin, he said. He said: “We had a squad (of 123 new officers) who came in 2016. They already went through their probation period. Now it’s 2018. “For some strange reason, nobody could process these 123 individuals… They have yet to receive their permanent and pensionable letters. “There was a circular that went out from the Ministry of Finance that does not allow them to do any banking (with institutions besides the Bank of The Bahamas).
“That is unconstitutional and that is unfair to these officers, because they want to be able to go and bank at the other various banking institutions.” Mr Butler said he sent a letter “about three to four weeks ago asking for (the letters) to be released so the officers can do their personal banking”. “I’ve also spoken to Mr Rolle and (Minister of National Security) Mr Marvin Dames on that matter.” Mr Butler said another major issue affecting correctional officers is promotions being withheld. He said: “After the election when the FNM came in, I went and I inquired about our promotions, because we did not get any. You know the police and the defence force they got a whole load of promotions (in 2017). “I went to the public service and I inquired about our promotions, and I was given that they were processing 270 applications for promotion within our organisation — which is relatively small compared to the 800, 500, they sent to the police and the defence force.” Mr Butler continued: “August when it was supposed to be released, that never came to fruition. I could understand that because (there) was a new change in administration. But it’s almost a year again. “I checked (last) December again. Once again I spoke to Mr Rolle and the promotions were cut down from 270 to 108.” Mr Butler stressed: “Officers really need that promotion. You have persons working hard, and the only type of incentive they get to continue on is that promotional exercise.” He said the ongoing issues are affecting the morale of correctional officers.
THE TRIBUNE
Bahamian expertise and it is going to be safer, more reliable and more
former Christie administration and Mr Davis, former minister of works.
tal services position tasked through thirdPAGE party Tuesday, February 27, 2018, 3 with mitigating BPL’s envi- lets and the establis ronmental impact. of a tender process,
Crash families ‘kept in the dark’
EX-MIN NOT TO CRASH
from page one
“Every day it was something new if you listen to what people say out here and on sites. And that’s what made it hard to deal with. “It hurts more watching the news and reading things, not knowing what is what. Some people saying it (the found debris) was another plane from years ago and all that. “You don’t know what to go by and when you ask the government people, they don’t know nothing or then didn’t want to tell us,” he said. Mr Adderley said he was asked to give DNA samples shortly after the crash, however, was unaware if the request was made to help identify his mother’s remains. “We did what they ask. They wanted DNA, I gave that. We were back and forth for two weeks with that. No time to grieve. “We coming up on six weeks now. We hearing about remains, skeletons; body parts. Government people still ain’t saying nothing. What are we to do?” The Tribune understands
SOME of the wreckage from the crash in Andros.
WRECKAGE from the crash in Andros. that none of the families involved has been able to
carry out funeral arrangements - all waiting for
SURINAME SMUGGLER HAD COCAINE IN HIS STOMACH By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A SURINAMESE man was sentenced to 18 months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services after admitting to smuggling one pound of cocaine in his stomach into the Bahamas with the intent to supply. Deputy Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain sentenced Juan Savier Pranaware to a year and six months after he pleaded guilty to conspiring to and consequently possessing one pound and six ounces of cocaine with intent to supply, as well as conspiring to and consequently importing the drugs between February 20 and 23. According to the Crown’s case, although the 25 year old was not found with the drugs on his person when initially searched, while in hospital he later excreted a number of capsules containing cocaine, which he had swallowed while he was in his home country. According to a brief summary of the facts, at about 12.40am on February 20, a team of officers at the Lynden Pindling International Airport customs hall area observed Pranaware, who had just come in from Suriname on a flight. Based on information they received, officials informed Pranaware that he was suspected of trafficking dangerous drugs in his belongings, and that he would be subjected to a secondary inspection. A check for drugs in his belongings proved negative, however, a search of his person revealed some $900, which police suspected to be the proceeds of illegal activities. After questioning him further, officers realised Pranaware was acting in a suspicious manner, and subsequently arrested him. He was taken to a police station, where he was booked in, and subsequently taken to the emergency room of the Princess Margaret Hospital, where he was examined by medical officials. Those officials consequently observed a foreign object in Pranaware’s stomach.
JUAN SAVIER PRANAWARE, 25, of Suriname at magistrate’s court yesterday. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff Sometime between February 20 and 23, the Surinamese national excreted a number of black plastic wraps, which contained suspected cocaine. Pranaware was eventually released from hospital and taken to the police station, where he was further questioned under caution with a Dutch translator. At that time, Pranaware told the investigating officer that he was given the drugs by someone named Leroy Johnson, who bought his ticket while in Suriname. He said he would have received between $2,000 to $3,000 for successfully delivering the drugs. He also said he was in financial problems when he decided to engage in the illegal acts. Pranaware accepted the summary of the facts as they were read yesterday. When the deputy chief magistrate asked Pranaware why he should not be committed to prison for his actions, his attorney Dion Smith said his client, who comes from a poor background, takes care of his mother, sister and brother back in Suriname, and that his actions were only so that he could make some money towards that end. Thus, Mr Smith requested that the magistrate consider imposing a non-custodial sentence on his client, preferably a penalty. However, Deputy Chief Magistrate Swain said while she noted Mr Smith’s plea in mitigation, she could not avoid imposing a custodial
sentence on Pranaware for his actions, which she added he risked his life to do. She subsequently sentenced him to 18 months on all four counts, set to run concurrently. Upon completion of his sentence he is to be turned over to immigration officials for deportation. The deputy chief magistrate further ordered that the drugs be destroyed and the $900 he was found with confiscated.
officials to confirm if any remains were found.
Mr Adderley said: “We started making up funeral
arrangements, doing an obituary, that sort of stuff; now this. Now we are back at square one. “We don’t know if we getting remains or be left in the dark again. We are hurting. “I don’t know where it went wrong or who went wrong, but it’s hurtful, they are acting like these people were just toys out there.” In addition to Mrs Adderley, Desiree Shaneig Russell and her young daughter Destinique Wilson; Carter from page one store Campbell, a local owner; Valentino Knowles and Captain Darren Clarke died in the January 17 The crash kille crash. Since the incident, offipeople, including cials have revealed the pilot Darren Clarke, 45. lacked the required licences In the wake of th to charter flights. Investigatorsincident, also believe astating weather may have played a described Clarke role in the crash. “hacker.” The The Bahamas Civilterm Avia- i when referring tothe a tion Authority has, in wake of the crash, pledged providing transpo to clamp down on illeservices at a reduced gal charter operations by without having the embracing technology, involving law enforcement sary licence to oper and increasing surveillance the industry. Clarke to identify and prosecutew law-breakers in the aviation industry.
PAGE 4, Tuesday, February 27, 2018
THE TRIBUNE
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Oban deal a sign of desperation THE sight of hundreds standing and pacing under a broiling sun during the recent job fair in Grand Bahama must have torn at Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ heart. The nation’s leader must have thought desperate times call for desperate measures for nothing short of desperation could account for the rush with which he signed a Heads of Agreement with Oban Energies for a proposed $5.5 billion crude oil refinery, storage and distribution facility at East End, Grand Bahama. Everything about Minnis’ action shouted that it was prompted by desperation to create employment for a struggling Grand Bahama. But the best of intentions must be accompanied by reason and care lest it erode the more important foundation of public trust. Where was the public consultation as promised pre-election? Where was the transparency the prime minister said he stood for? Where was the environmental impact assessment prior to signing a Heads of Agreement for a project with great risk potential? Where was the Bahamas Investment Authority and where was the prime minister when obvious red flags about the company and its cast of characters were being waved in front of their faces? The warning signs were everywhere and impossible to ignore. First, Oban Energies, according to its own website, only exists as a company for the proposed deal it wants to pull off in Grand Bahama where it intends to build a crude oil refinery, storage and distribution facility with an initial capacity of four million barrels of crude oil in the first year, expanding to 20 million by year four. The website, which has already undergone revision, no longer shows names and there is no About Us menu option because there is no Us as a company outside of the Grand Bahama project. In other words, there was no Oban Energies with experience in the industry prior to the creation of Oban Energies for the proposed project. While the company does not have a history it can point to, its non-executive chairman, Peter Krieger does. He has faced two legal battles for misappropriation of funds, one for $3.7m settled out of court with Krieger paying $110,000 and serving seven years’ probation having pled guility. The other accusation of misappropriation of funds involved even more money, $8.7m, and was linked to the British American Insurance failure in the Caribbean that took down CLICO in The Bahamas, leaving thousands of Bahamians devastated. In that case, which dates back a decade, Krieger said he was the injured party, arguing he
was never paid the $70m owed to him by British American Insurance for property he sold them before they failed. The case was never fully prosecuted because the statute of limitations for the filing had run out. No trace of any case can be found to support Krieger’s claim that he was the injured party. While Krieger has attempted to downplay his involvement in Oban, now saying he is serving as an “ambassador,” no other names of prominent, experienced corporate or industry leaders are showing up though we fully expect the new public relations team they have retained in Grand Bahama will recommend a quick fix. The attempts by Krieger and company to do something in The Bahamas stem all the way back to the Ingraham administration. The Tribune understands the concept did not sit well with that FNM government. Nor did it conclude under the succeeding Christie regime. How, then, did the desperation to fix Grand Bahama lead the Minnis administration down a path that both of his predecessors did not take? Even if everything about the company wanting to do the project had fallen into place as it should have, even if we could identify where the money was coming from, who was involved beside one man who has twice been accused of multi-million dollar misappropriation of funds? We are also very concerned about Oban Energies using the Heads of Agreement letter to raise funds. It is a Catch-22 that could backfire with The Bahamas the victim. If they use the letter, but do not raise enough funds and do not return every penny of what they do raise, it will taint The Bahamas’ reputation and the next project that comes down the pipeline will pay the price. Dr Minnis, we watched as you shrewdly outwitted the Dissident 5 who voted no confidence in your leadership prior to the election. But if your colleagues start to peel away from you, the oil mess may be too sticky to handle. It is easy to extricate yourself now, it will be harder later. If we were advising a government that wanted to retain the popularity with which it was swept into office, we would suggest words like “after thorough review that turned up new information that was not left to us by the previous government.” Or rely on your medical background, Dr Prime Minister, reminding people that you are dedicated to saving lives and if the environmental impact assessment concludes the risks are too great, you cannot in good conscience let this proceed. Every way you look at the Oban deal, this barrel is too heavy to handle.
Sands and sins EDITOR, The Tribune. HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands’ announcement that he is proposing a sin tax to fund National Health Insurance is probably a very good call and would catch a lot of people, but I don’t think that it will be enough to run a NHI plan. I wonder if the Minister has given any consideration to mandating a healthy Body Mass Index for Civil Servants and those employed in State Owned
Enterprises and even PPP’s. Sir Sol Kerzner made a given garment size, a prerequisite for employment at his hotel back in the day. It seemed to work well and I imagine it is still a condition of employment today. Obviously a decent period of notice should be given to existing employees, so that everyone knows the rules and if you can’t cut it by then ( excuse the pun ) you can find something else to do. Maybe employers will not hire employees that
smoke and certainly those with a drinking problem should look for something else to do. If the Minister could get that implemented by next year this time, there would be a lot of healthy people in the Civil Service, productivity would certainly rise, and the government could then enroll all those who qualify to stay, with Private Health Insurers. MONKEEDOO Nassau, February 20, 2018.
Not a new idea EDITOR, The Tribune.
THE News carried a story featuring IDB and a programme which challenged young people to come up with new-unique ideas/concepts - note all important new/unique. Two of the named concepts one was plagiarised
as The Tusk Group have developed solar roof tiles a long time ago and have been marketing them ..... the other concept to capturing rainwater is as old as the oldest goat in Long Island ... it is still a Town Planning Regulation that all homes must have a rain water cistern. Not
required today. Surely the managers at IDB could have checked and done their due diligence before making such a boo-boo in public? Try again IDB. ABRAHAM MOSS Nassau, February 14, 2018.
What about Minister of Finance? EDITOR, The Tribune. FOR the past eight months, Peter Turnquest, the Minister of Finance, has been consistently referred to in the local media only as Deputy Prime Minister and very seldom, if ever, according to his most important portfolio which is Minister of Finance. Even when he is making pronouncements having to do with the portfolio of the Minister of Finance he is still referred to as DPM. In our system of Cabinet Government the Minister of Finance (Chancellor of the Exchequer in Britain) is perhaps the most important Minister after the Prime Minister. In fact, the Minister of Finance is the only one other than the Prime Minister who the Constitution specifically provides must be appointed from among members of the House of Assembly. There is no mention of Deputy Prime Minister in our Constitution and so it is up to the Prime Minister whether or not he designates somebody for that position. The Constitution provides only that in the absence of the Prime Minister “some other member of the Cabinet” may perform his duties. So the Deputy Prime Minister has no specific constitutional role other than what the Prime Minister chooses to give him. He does not automatically act as Prime Minister but has to be designated on each occasion when the Prime Minister is absent. Any other Minister can act. Perry Christie and before him Hubert Ingraham for a time and even Sir Lynden Pindling have blurred the lines by keeping the Minister of Finance portfolio for themselves. This is how we got the classic conundrum of Christie’s split personalities. Christie admitted that his Prime Ministerial alter ego debated complex economic policy with his Minister of Finance persona.
held the title of DPM but everyone knew he was Mr Tourism. Frank Watson was Hubert Ingraham’s trusted letters@tribunemedia.net DPM but he was first and A Prime Minister speaks foremost the Minister of for the entire govern- National Security. Brent ment while the Minister Symonette had his time in of Finance holds the brief the DPM barrel but got his for economic matters. The props from being Minister Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs. Cynthia “Mother” Pratt holds no brief at all. It is telling therefore that was the first female DPM. on May 12, 2017, the newly- She acted for Perry Christie elected Hubert Minnis for six weeks during a brief advised the Governor Gen- convalescence, but everyeral to appoint the Minister one knew that her day job of Finance and the Attor- was Minister of National ney General days ahead of Security. Philip “Brave” Davis lorded over the Minnaming his full cabinet. At Government House istry of Works for five years that day, Dr Minnis told the while rolling around town nation that Turnquest was as Perry’s hapless DPM. In 1968, the Australians appointed to the Finance portfolio as the Constitu- gave special constitutional tion demands in Article status to their DPM by 77. The nation had waited making the Office of the to hear who would get this DPM a ministerial portimportant post. Playing folio, appointed by their perhaps only to a partisan Governor General and audience, Minnis advised therefore able to sit in cabius that Turnquest would net of his or her own accord simultaneously serve as without having to get through the door by virtue Deputy Prime Minister. Turnquest and all who of being attached to a subhave held the title of DPM stantive portfolio. Since then, only two Ausbefore him would be hard pressed to tell us if they ever tralian DPMs have gone on spent one minute of any to become prime minister, day doing the job of DPM. including Julia Gillard who Other than a few dollars became PM in 2010 followmore in their pay packet, ing Kevin Rudd’s political as best anyone can tell the hari-kari with some claimonly real perk of the office is ing she helped push him a blue licence plate with the onto the sword. The British government letters DPM emblazoned. There is no legal seat for uses the honorific as we a DPM at the Cabinet table. do, at the discretion of the Convention holds that the PM to give seniority to a title is usually reserved cabinet minister, usually a for senior members of the big-wig in the party though governing party. Should the post is vacant today. In the PM resign or is inca- our region neither Jamaica pacitated, the DPM has no nor Trinidad and Tobago automatic call on his chair. bothers to give anyone the When A D Hanna held title seeing it as the useless the title, it was clear that protuberance that it is. So far there seems to be a he saw his unitary role as Finance Minister. They jinx on this imaginary office called him “Mr Deputy” that so fascinates our press but most saw that sobriquet corps. Despite being so as acknowledgment of the close to the top job, not one fact that he was a powerful DPM has, so far, gone on to deputy leader of the PLP. become Prime Minister. DPM jobs typically go to THE GRADUATE those least likely to chalNassau, lenge the PM. February 26,2018. Sir Clement Maynard
LETTERS
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, February 27, 2018, PAGE 5
FORMER Senator Frank Smith (centre) arriving at magistrate’s court yesterday.
Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
All change - new prosecutor parachuted into Smith trial from page one Smith’s lead attorney Keith Knight, QC, submitted to Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt that the Crown’s application to serve the accused’s side with additional information constitutes an “abuse of the process” and could mitigate against a fair trial for his client. Mr Knight further submitted that if the court were to grant the Crown’s application, it could result in the “entire structure” of the accused’s crossexamination of virtual complainant Barbara Hanna being changed, and that the accused side would likely be “embarrassed” as a result. During yesterday’s proceedings, and prior to Mr Jenkins’ formal introduction to the court, Mr Delaney told the chief magistrate that the Crown wished to deal with certain “housekeeping matters” that did not concern the public. In response, Mr Knight said he was informed that certain documents were to be served on the accused, and that given that the matter has been consistently dealt with in the public’s eye, he saw no reason why the Crown’s issue needed to be “chambered”. After his brief introduction, Mr Jenkins told the chief magistrate that as a result of Mr Knight’s case against Mrs Hanna – that it was improbable for what Mrs Hanna said took place to have occurred –various matters were investigated,
BARBARA Hanna arriving at magistrate’s court yesterday. one of which resulted in time that if so, it meant a court order for the pro- Mrs Hanna’s credibility was duction of certain bank destroyed. On the other documents. hand, Mr Knight said if Mr Knight opposed the the documents were shown move, however, stating that to police as Mrs Hanna doing so would be an abuse claimed, its lack of discloof the process and mitigate sure puts the accused at a against a fair trial. disadvantage. Mr Knight referred to Further charging at various excerpts from the the time that the lack of trial’s December 1, 2017, disclosure may mean contranscripts, when Mrs stitutional provisions on Hanna said without prod- fairness might have been ding that she gave police breached, Mr Knight documents about Pouland emphasised that the prosLimited, Smith’s company, ecution--which he said that the prosecution did not includes police investigadisclose during discovery. tors--were obligated to At the time, the prosecu- turn over all documents, tion, after having inquired no matter their perceived whether the documents benefit. were given to the police, On that basis, Mr Knight reported that investiga- charged yesterday that if tors said they were never in the Crown’s application is receipt of them. granted, it could comproMr Knight argued at the mise the cross-examination
process. He also noted that the Crown’s application came at a “late stage” in Mrs Hanna’s cross-examination. The chief magistrate suggested that the accused’s side, rather than put the cart before the horse, should see what it is the Crown is seeking to produce and then determine if and how it would impact its case. However, Mr Knight still maintained that on the face of it there is a “certain shoddiness” surrounding how the matter was being handled by the Crown. Yesterday marked the first day of Smith’s trial since December of last year, when the chief magistrate said based on a doctor’s note, Mrs Hanna would be unable to give testimony for at least six weeks, thus
TEENAGER’S DOUBLE MURDER CHARGE By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
AN 18-year-old man was arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court over allegations he killed two men and attempted to kill another while they were in a car port in the Pinewood Gardens area earlier this month. Keoante Pinder, of Sutton Street, Pinewood Gardens, stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt faced with two counts of murder and one count of murder concerning the February 16 shooting deaths of Rashad Bethel and D’Siorn Symonette, and the attempted murder of Roland Brown. According to initial reports, shortly after 8pm on the Friday in question, a group of men were gathered under a car port at a residence on Saffron Street, when two men armed with firearms drove up to the
KEOANTE PINDER, left, and Steve Voltaire outside court yesterday. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff residence on a scooter. serious condition. A short The two gunmen subse- time later, a second victim quently fired shots in the was pronounced dead at the direction of the men, hit- hospital. ting all three of them before Pinder was not required fleeing on foot. to enter a plea to the One of the men was con- charges and the matter firmed dead on the scene. was adjourned to April 18 Paramedics were called for service of a voluntary to the scene and took the bill of indictment. He was other two men to hospital in remanded to the Bahamas
Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) in the interim. Another man, 25-yearold Steve Voltaire, was charged before the chief magistrate with stabbing another man to death on Potter’s Cay Dock on Friday, February 16. According to police reports, police received a call shortly before 5am on the day in question that the victim, Matthew Mortimer, was found unresponsive at a stall on Potter’s Cay Dock. Officers, with EMS personnel, were called to the scene and attempted CPR, but were unable to revive the man. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Voltaire was not required to enter a plea and his matter was also adjourned to April 18 for service of a VBI. He too was remanded to the BDCS until that time. Both men are represented by attorney Murrio Ducille.
leading her to adjourn the matter. Mrs Hanna was present in the Nassau and South Streets court complex yesterday, though she never set foot in the court room due to the various submissions from counsel taking up all of yesterday’s proceedings. Smith is facing 15 criminal charges concerning his alleged solicitation of $65,000 in bribes from a woman he is said to have assisted in getting a contract. He is currently out on $50,000 bail. He was initially arraigned before the chief magistrate in July of last year charged with 13 counts of extortion and one count of attempted extortion and bribery. It is alleged that between April 2016 and April 2017, in respect of his duties as a public officer, Smith demanded and obtained $5,000 per month from Mrs Hanna, knowing he was not lawfully authorised to do so. He is alleged to have attempted to extort another $5,000 from Mrs Hanna in May 2017. Concerning the bribery charge, it is alleged he solicited $5,000 a month from Mrs Hanna for aiding her in
getting a contract with the Public Hospitals Authority, where he formerly served as chairman. Smith pleaded not guilty to all of the charges during his initial arraignment. During day one of the trial, Mrs Hanna told the court that Smith asked her for $5,000 a month after she received a government contract to clean the Critical Care Block at the Princess Margaret Hospital. She said within a week of being awarded a oneyear, $500k plus contract in 2016, she spoke to Smith who told her she had to give him $5,000. Believing it to be a one-time payment, Mrs Hanna said she obliged and gave him the money. Upon doing so, however, she said she was told she had to make monthly payments in that amount. However, Mrs Hanna has admitted to taking out two separate loans from Smith’s lending company, one before she started paying him $5,000 a month and one after she began doing so. She also admitted during cross-examination that she called Smith and warned him that he was being targeted, but did not reveal who she meant.
PAGE 6, Tuesday, February 27, 2018
THE TRIBUNE
Mother and daughter’s ordeal in detention from page one
affidavit, her husband travelled to Jamaica and adopted her daughter but “torture” for children, shortly after their marriage. including a five-month-old The 11-year-old is infant she said was being enrolled in a local primary held there. school, according to her affiMrs Bent-John alleged davit, which indicated the the infant had no formula child maintained an above and its mother was given average GPA, is active only “bottled water with a in several extracurricular capful of sugar to feed her sporting and philanthropic baby over the several days” groups, and has three scholshe was at the facility. arships pending for high She said the women at school. the facility did not feel safe She explained her husas they were not allowed to band made several attempts close bedroom or bathroom to apply for her spousal doors, underscoring several permit but was frequently instances of male officers turned away by Department walking into bathrooms of Immigration officers for while migrants, including insufficient documents. herself, were showering in In one instance in 2016, stalls with no curtains. Mrs Bent-John said they An occurrence that left a Jamaican her shocked and speech- submitted police record but were less, and vigilant to protect her daughter from being told at the department it was stale-dated. She said exposed. “We were locked in this she was later advised that police records are valid for house all day five years. and night,” ‘The conditions Mrs Bentread the affiJohn said her davit filed on of our arrest and husband’s January 22. detention were most recent “It was a attempt was very fright- inhumane and in Septemening and degrading. I wish last year; humiliating (my daughter) could ber however, experience, erase this from her it was not knowing that we were memory, but it will accepted as the departlocked away be impossible for a ment in an child to forget such requested a unknown new police location and a frightening and no one was bizarre experience.” record from telling us Jamaica. Her what was filed affidahappening. We were cut off vit included copies of her from our family and friends. Jamaican police record, “(My daughter) is still application letter, and additraumatised by the whole tional documents. ordeal. She hasn’t been On December 8, sleeping in her bed,” the according to her affidastatement continued. vit, immigration officers “She keeps coming to searched the home but did our room begging to sleep not allow her husband to with us as she has been produce any documentahaving nightmares since our tion. They told the child to release. take off her school uniform “She is fearful that we and put on plain clothes, could be arrested again the affidavit read. at any time since it was “The immigration officers done so barbarically and were armed,” it continued. casually the first time. The “I went willingly as I was conditions of our arrest and too shocked to even quesdetention were inhumane tion whether they had a and degrading. I wish (my warrant or ask why we were daughter) could erase this being arrested…I asked from her memory, but it will how I could be illegal when be impossible for a child to I was married to a Bahaforget such a frightening mian and I lived with my and bizarre experience.” husband. They refused to Mrs Bent-John and her daughter were arrested on look at the documents we December 8, 2017 around had. “My husband pleaded 6am, and were released with the immigration officwith reporting conditions on December 19 after filing ers to allow (my daughter) a habeas corpus application to do her exams and he contesting the legality of would get my documents sorted out. They told him their detention. Supreme Court Justice to go to Hawkins Hill if he Gregory Hilton is expected wanted but the mother and to deliver his ruling on the child will be coming with us.” matter later this month. The affidavit continued: According to her affidavit, Mrs Bent-John had “(My daughter) started to been a frequent visitor to cry. (She) explained to the the Bahamas since 2009. immigration officers that She said she reconnected she had an end of term with her husband Andrick exams…it was important John in 2012, and got mar- that she did her exams as ried in Nassau after a they were the district end of term exams.” yearlong courtship. According to her According to her
ANDRICK John and his daughter Chitara. affidavit, her daughter had been working hard to obtain a better score on the exam as it determined high school placement, adding that she wanted to secure a scholarship to attend Queen’s College. After being placed on a bus, Mrs Bent-John said she and her daughter were driven around for hours as immigration officers rounded up and arrested more people. She noted the bus passed her daughter’s school three times, and the child cried persistently. They arrived at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, the affidavit continued, where the pair was subjected to an hourslong processing that included fingerprinting, and blood and urine samples. She said she was handcuffed and placed back on a bus with her child, and transported to a facility that looked like an old convent, which she would later learn was the immigration safe house around 9pm. “Upon being handcuffed I asked to see a lawyer and they said no,” the affidavit read. “I asked if I could call my husband and they said no.
We were terrified as we had no idea where we were and I still did not get to speak with my husband. “The building was very heavily guarded by a male defence force officer and two female immigration officers. There was also a social worker at the House. Only the defence force officers could open the main door.” Mrs Bent-John said she and her child were taken downstairs to a basement and given a small Red Cross bag bearing the date 1991, which contained a small bar of soap and a hardened tube of toothpaste which could not be used. “The ventilation in the room was very poor. There were two small windows, no air condition and they gave us a time when to open and close the windows.” Mrs Bent-John said she suffered from severe asthma, and had her pump inhaler with her. She said there were two bathrooms in the basement shared by the occupants of four bedrooms, with four adults in each room. She said the pair shared a room with three women and their babies but they only spoke Haitian Kreyol. “There was no radio or television access at the safe house so we were totally oblivious to what was happening around us. There were no books, magazines or anything to keep us entertained or occupied. “We could see outside the small window but we were not allowed to go outside. To the adults this was a female prison and to the children this was torture.” Mrs Bent-John explained that each time the officers changed shifts they would patrol all rooms, and migrants developed a schedule to allow for
“private moments in the bathroom.” According to the affidavit there were two instances in the early morning when a female immigration officer threatened to cut her dreadlocks. She made several claims against the officers, including being starved for a period of three days. It continued: “I started screaming and it was obvious that they didn’t want us to make noise, perhaps the location would be found if we became loud so I used that to my advantage. “They told me for my outrageous behaviour I would not be given any food for three days.” Mrs Bent-John claims migrants were only given bottled water with meals, and on those three days, her daughter brought her the bottled water. She said her daughter cried daily for her father. On December 14, the pair were allegedly visited by two white human rights representatives - a man and a woman, who were accompanied by a female immigration officer. The pair were asked how long they had been in detention, whether they had been in contact with her husband, and if they had eaten. The representatives reportedly left after speaking with the other Haitian women detained at the facility. On December 15, Mrs Bent-John said the pair were taken to the CRDC for “visitor’s day”, but when they arrived she was instead asked to call her husband on the telephone. However, the call was intercepted and she never spoke with him. She said she and her daughter were asked to sit in a room. “While we were there we saw two of the immigration officers placing what appeared to be a recording
device under the desk and they opened a picture frame on the wall and placed a small device there also. “We waited for about 20 minutes, then one of the said immigration officers who had placed recording device in the room brought a lawyer into the room and jokingly said ‘close the door so we don’t hear your conversation.’” Mrs Bent-John said it was then she met with her attorney Crispin Hall, who had been retained by her husband. “I was crying most of the time and I was guarded in my statement to him.” the affidavit continued. “I explained to the lawyer what had happened, but I did not go into too much details because unknown to the lawyer we were being recorded.” Mrs Bent-John’s application is among some 15 separate cases in which the government has been asked to prove the lawfulness of the applicants’ arrest and further detention at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre. Of those cases, several applicants have been unconditionally released; however, the Crown has objected to costs being awarded due to its position that all the arrests and subsequent detention were lawful. The Immigration Department has come under heavy scrutiny following the landmark case of Bahamas-born deportee Jean Rony JeanCharles, which officials note has highlighted the need for widespread reforms. Last night, a source close to the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity refuted the existence of a “basement” at the Immigration safe house; however, it was confirmed that it was a multi-level facility.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, February 27, 2018, PAGE 7
THE AFTERMATH of the crash at the intersection of Malcolm Road and East Street which left one person dead, as seen in this photograph posted to social media.
‘Fleeing’ driver in second fatal crash from page one “The officers responded and determined that a crash involving one of the vehicles, a Nissan Sentra, was initiated at the Winders Terrace corridor and Malcom Road corridor where the Nissan vehicle collided with a Ford white van. The vehicle did not stop at the scene;
it travelled west on Malcom Road and upon exiting Malcom Road collided with a Honda vehicle that was travelling south; the impact caused the Honda vehicle to enter northbound on East Street and collide with a Ford F250 truck. The driver of the Honda vehicle was unresponsive and EMS confirmed no signs of life on scene. The
female driver of the Nissan was transported to PMH for injuries sustained in the crash; all vehicles were extensively damaged.” Early investigations suggest the female driver of the Nissan Sentra allegedly prompted the accidents and failed to remain stationary after the first incident, Supt Stubbs said. “We want to sit down and
POST WORKERS STILL SUFFER FROM BREATHING PROBLEMS By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net
DESPITE an Environmental Health Services assessment that the mould at the General Post Office is “benign”, post office workers are still experiencing respiratory problems, Bahamas Public Services Union President Kimsley Ferguson said yesterday. Mr Ferguson told The Tribune he received an Environmental Health Services assessment about five or six weeks ago stating the mould poses no health risks. However, Mr Ferguson said the mould and conditions in the building have “an impact on my eyes where (they) begin to run water.” He continued: “A couple of (employees) have been
having respiratory problems, and when they would have been moved, (their) problems ceased. So that’s been the experience. “I can’t say very much more, other than the fact that we need to get the people out of the building.” The mould, rat infestation, heat from a broken air-conditioner and alleged rashes from handling mail are just a few of the problems post office workers protested throughout last year. Last month, Mr Ferguson told The Tribune: “The only thing that has been done in the post office so far is they’ve installed an air conditioner. Nothing other than that has been done, and we had agreed that a mould remediation process would take place. “What the air condition is now doing is blowing
the mould that was existing before the air condition was installed. It was said by management that a cleaning exercise would have been embarked upon, but we have found out that that hasn’t been done as yet either. “We were hoping that things would have been done in the order of priority, what would have guarded the health of those persons who actually are working in there.” In early 2017, then-BPSU President John Pinder threatened industrial action if the government did not immediately relocate employees from the “unsanitary” East Hill Street building. At the time, he said his members were forced to work in a mould infested building with rats, termites and a leaking ceiling.
have an in-depth dialogue with her,” he said, noting she was conscious and alert when transported to the hospital. As for the deceased, Supt Stubbs said he was likely driving between five to ten miles per hour or may have even been stationary when the fatal accident occurred. “All physical evidence on the road’s surface and the examination of the extent of
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damage done to his vehicle suggest he would’ve been caught by surprise,” he said. Supt Stubbs said all vehicles involved in the crash were registered and properly licenced, though it is too early to say if they were properly insured. Yesterday’s tragedy brings the country’s total number of traffic fatalities for the year up to 13,
following a weekend in which two occurred, Supt Stubbs said. “This is abnormal,” he added. “All of our efforts relating to enforcement and education are an ongoing process. We are back at the drawing board looking at other ways to force people to slow down and to remain stationary when accident happens.”
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PAGE 8, Tuesday, February 27, 2018
THE TRIBUNE
ALIV CELEBRATES WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL CELEBRATING Women International in partnership with ALIV officially handed over 15 computers to Blairwood Academy on February 26. The school, which is an alternative school for children with autism and different types of behavioral issues, is located on Village Road and was in dire need for computers. Celebrating Women
International’s Dawn Davies, Diane Morley and Loretta Butler-Turner made the presentation all citing that it was a great initiative taken on by the organization as well as ALIV. Chief ALIV Officer Damian Blackburn noted that it is very important that every child gets the best possible start in life and ALIV is committed to enhancing education for as many
children as possible. Blairwood Academy Principal Kim Kooskalis thanked everyone for the donation explaining that the school “really needed” the computers. She added that the computers will assist the children – 105 enrolled at the school – to reach their full potential. The school is putting on a ball to raise funds for the school on March 10 at BahaMar.
Funeral Service For EDWARD CAMILLE BONAMY, 55 of Brackenbury Road, who died at the Princess Margaret Hospital on February 21st, 2018, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 28th, 2018, at Zion Baptist Church, East and Shirley Streets. Officiating will be Rev. T.G. Morrison, assisted by Rev. Anthony Sampson, other associate Ministers, Deacons and Evangelists. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Gardens, Soldier Road. Left to mourn and cherish his memories are Brothers: Gaetano (Al) Bonamy, Wayne Sands, and Ron McKenzie, Leroy & Bentley Simmons; Sisters: Antionette Bonamy, Gillianne Bonamy, Jacklyn Patrice Kemp, Symmonetta Patrice Bonamy-Ebanks, and Agatha Williams; Brother- in-law: Alfred Kemp Jr.; Sister-in-law: Dr. Therese Thompson-Bonamy; Uncles: Eugene Bonamy, George Simmons, Richard Williams, John Robinson, Jamal Banihani; Aunts: Delrona Higgins, Anne Robinson, Veronica Bonamy, Shirley Bonamy, Melvina Bonamy, Ena Bonamy, Daisy Simmons, Laverne Simmons Banihani, Mary Wright (Grand Bahama), Catherine Simmons (Grand Bahama); Nieces & Nephews: Tayo Bethel, Xan-Xi & Jo-el Sweeting, Zakita, and Madhiba Bethel, Antonio, Hannah, and Joshua Bonamy, Allen, Jermaine, Gerard, Joia, and Jerrelle Kemp, Reneisha, Reneika, and Wayne Jr. Sands, Geneva, Shantavia, Lachondra, Amber, Sean; Grand Nieces and Nephews: Amari and Khemar Davis, Jafaan Sweeting, Jamaiya and Jaden Kemp, Conrad III, Conarj, Connard Maycock, Quentin Stuart, Shanteria, Geoffrey, Tennika, Gianna, Ky-onna, Sean Jr., Shaine, Brianna; Cousins: Isadora Saunders, Daria Bonamy-Bain, Ebony, Sylvia, Tanya and Shavonne Bonamy, Gregory, Steve, Keith, John Jr, Dwight Bonamy, Timothy Bain, Sharon, Debra, Irene, and Veronica Bonamy, Reginald and Bernard Bonamy, Ian, Bernard Kenneth Jr., Lynden, Julian, Jason, and Quintin Bonamy, Shirley E Bonamy-Sturrup, Daphne Bonamy-Rodney, WandaLee Bonamy, Kerry, Clover, Kaylene, Candida, Inga, and Kendra Bonamy, Melvin Jr., Macio, Spencer, and Lynden Bonamy, Lauria, Nicole, Senitta, Zanda, and Alcindor Bonamy, Jessiemae, John Henry, and Anne Higgins, Wendy and Agatha Williams, Jennifer Forbes, Patricia Saunders, Kim Saunders, Robert Young, Cyrelle Saunders, Demeko Young, Ashley Robinson, Kristi Williams-Thompson & Vito Thompson, Nikia Williams, Dansbury (Ricardo) & Shamon Williams, LaToysa & Dion Munroe, Trenton Williams, “Yoki”, Jeff, Bill Simmons, Bridgette, Di, Jackie Simmons, Wellington Morris & Adrian Grant, Selina, Ang, Monique, Tanya and Ronald Simmons, Nicoya Smith, Tamal Beneby, Tamaro Butler, Timothy Darian and Timaria Bain, Nadia Saunders, Nicoya Smith, Keeshan Fowler, Richika Manson, Timaria Bain, Spenderica and Lashanda Dean, Brittany Bonamy, Jandira Sturrup, Lorae and Keona Bonamy, Alexis Bonamy, Kydra Bonamy, Brent Saunders, Ramon Bonamy, Brandon Saunders, Kurt, Kent and Travis Bonamy, Codero Bonamy, Craig Miller Jr., Sean Saunders Jr., Bain, Joenathan Miller, Keyshawn Bonamy, Torry Bonamy, Theotis and Jimmy Bonamy, Bjorn Bonamy, Sylvia Godet & Family, Sydney Godet & Family, Cynthia and Richard Gibbs, Marjorie and Edith Godet, Hilton and Cynthia Simmons & Family, Shannie and Leo Ferguson & Family, Sidney Saunders & Family, Theresa Saunders, Patsy Petty & Family, Marjorie Hield, Yvette Miller, Anne Symonette, Yvonne Seymour, Evelyn and Kirk Thompson & Family, Margaret Simmons, Lewis Simmons, Daniel and Monica Simmons, Marshall and Michelle Simmons, Marionette Simmons, Naomi Simmons, Ruth Simmons, Malteed Simmons, Edna Outten & Family, Albertha Rox & Family, Veronica Fulford & Family, The family of Edna Morley, Gloria Williams & Family, Albert and Lily Simmons & Family, Wadney and Beryl Simmons & Family, Henry Simmons, Donald Thompson & Family, Genevieve Simmons & Family, Joseph Simmons, The family of Winifred Beneby, Mildred Simmons-Johnson & Family, Ramona and Leon Wilson & Family, Helen Johnson & Family, Allan and Jannet Francis & Family, Neville and Gelita Glinton & Family, Maxwell and Dianna Glinton & Family, Maud Henry & Family, Simeon Seymour, Elaine Seymour & Family, Edna Mae Henry & Family, Jill Henry & Family, Gayle Pinder & Family, Tracey Roberts & Family, Betty Brown & Family, Abubakari Josey, Mildred Edgecombe & Family, Rahming Family, Teddy & Nelson Francis, Yvonne Moore, Russell Strachan & Family, Barbara Ingraham & Family, Holbrook Stuart & Family, Rosalie McIntosh, Millicient Moore, Seymour Family (South Caicos), The Hall Family of Lorimers, Grand Turk & Providenciales including the Families of Floretta Gibbs, Dorothy Hamilton, Williamae Green, Withlene Forbes, Alicia Dean, Emmanuel Missick, Israel, Robert, and David Hall, Louis Astwood, Ivy and Lydia Hamilton and Junior Nottage, Victoria Saunders & family, Eucal Bonamy & family, the family of the late Evelyn Bonamy, the family of the late Jim Bonamy, the family of the late Phineous Bonimy, the family of the late Victoria Bonamy, the family of the late Arinese Munnings, the family of the late Remilda Simms of Liberty City, Miami, Florida, the family of the late Ralph Munnings, the family of the late Thaddeus Thompson, the family of the late Roselean Adderley, the family of the late Mary Bonimy, the family of the late Hezekiah and Edna Seymour, the family of the late Charles Smith Sr. of Dumfries, the family of the late James Campbell Sr. and Doreen Campbell, the Larramore family, the Pratt family, the family of the late Wilfred and Rosa Rolle, the family of the late Israel Rodgers, the family of the late William and Sadie Russell, the Farringtons of Arthurs Town and Dumfries, the family of the late Richard and Vera Smith, the Stubbs family of Dumfries, the King family of Dumfries, the Dean family, the Hepburn family of Orange Creek, the Newbold and Stuart families of Orange Creek, Joyce McIntosh & family of Cooper’s Town, Abaco, the family of the late James Webb Sr., the Armbrister family, the McDonald family; Other Family & Friends: Felix Bethel and family, Sister Antoinette Cumberbatch and family, Allison Grant and family, Mrs. Beverly LaRoda and Mr. Audley Hanna, Mr. Phillip Davis, Mrs. Miriam Emmanuel, Ruiz Munnings and Family, The Thompson Family of Staniard Creek, Andros and Orange Creek, Cat Island, Charles Thompson, P.S. Harrison Thompson, Rev William Thompson, The King Family, Ms. Smith, The Seymour Family of Tea Bay, Cat Island, Charles and Venus Bonimy, The Williams family of Arthur’s Town, Cat Island, Yvonne and Norma Williams & family, Myrna and Reese Alberto of Havana, Cuba, The Blue Hill Estates Families, The BTC family, The customers of Jill’s Kitchen & Takeaway, Reverend Terrance Morrison and the family of Zion Baptist Church and others too numerous to mention. Viewing will be held in the Celestial Suite at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Ltd., Robinson and Soldier Roads on Tuesday (TODAY) from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and at the church on Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. until service time.
FROM left, ALIV events and sponsorship manager, Bianca Bethel-Sawyer, Blairwood Academy vice principal Kim Johnson, Blairwood Academy principal Kim Kooskalis, Celebrating Women International 2017/2018 honouree Loretta Butler-Turner, Celebrating Women International Dawn Davies, chief ALIV officer Damian Blackburn and Celebrating Women International Diana Morley.
FORMER AG SITS ON SOUTH AFRICAN TRIBUNAL ON ECONOMIC CRIME By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net FORMER Attorney General Allyson MaynardGibson recently sat as a member on South Africa’s People’s Tribunal on Economic Crime where the five-panel team held hearings highlighting corruption and state capture during the country’s apartheid and post-apartheid era. Mrs Maynard-Gibson’s participation on the tribunal flowed from what she called her passion for dealing with matters involving the rule of law and the administration of justice. “Just like here in the Bahamas, there is a strong democracy in South Africa,” she told The Tribune. “People who came before the tribunal were making very serious allegations and nothing was anecdotal; they produced their research and did a lot of work and were not the least bit afraid to do so. There is strong evidence of democracy and an information regime. We similarly have a strong democracy where people are not afraid to speak and we are
implementing a stronger information regime. To be able to get the reports that were put in front of us, people obviously fought to get it and they got it.” The tribunal’s work came amid political turmoil in the country, as former Presi-
ALLYSON Maynard-Gibson. dent Jacob Zuma and his party faced allewgations of far-reaching corruption. Since the four-day hearings in early February, the panel has released an interim report. Accused parties will have three months to respond to allegations against them before the final report is released.
In the interim report, the panel concluded some foreign governments were duplicitous in the face of the United Nations’ anti-apartheid stance. It recommended that a thorough investigation take place of the French government and the Kreditbank, which may have secretly cooperated with the apartheid system by “ensuring the unlawful flow of arms and ammunition and facilitating payment through a labyrinth of devious structures and routes.” The panel also encountered “persuasive circumstantial evidence” of state capture––systemic corruption where private interests influence a state’s decision making to their own advantage. The examination of state capture could touch on controversial matters that recently ensnared South Africa’s rulers. The point of uncovering all this, Mrs Maynard-Gibson said, is that it is extremely “important society becomes aware of these things because of the adverse impact it all has; it completely weakens a society.”
ON ISSUES OF THE DAY THE death of Bahamian Olympic legend Sir Durward Knowles prompted tributes from readers on tribune242.com. Watcher said: “Rest in Peace. You gave us all so much to be proud of.” There was this from K4C1: “If Bahamians want to emulate their life after someone, Sir Durward Knowles is that person. RIP, sail into the Bahamian sunset proud.” BMW had a suggestion: “A holiday for our first Olympian? RIP Sir Durward.” Gbgal said: “A genuine national hero! No blemish on his reputation. I admire his unselfish generosity, wholehearted commitment to our country and people
without reservation and to his family and friends. Think about his image on a bank note as well as a statue. Ensure he is remembered!” And Quietone said: “EARTH, RECEIVED AN HONOURED GUEST, A GREAT BAHAMIAN WILL BE LAID TO REST . . .” Monday’s lead story in The Tribune told how Immigration officers have been accused of soliciting
thousands of dollars in bribes from migrants, according to allegations in a court filed affidavit. Sheeprunner12 had this to say: “That is why the Bahamian government MUST solve this illegal immigration and Dreamers (their children) problem before this explodes any further . . . It is a ticking time bomb for our communities and for the nation’s reputation.” Jackbnimble agreed: “You and I and thousands have been saying it for years. The Government is just not listening . . . nor, I fear, will they ever.” • Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.
PAGE 10, Tuesday, February 27, 2018
THE TRIBUNE
Living with the aftermath of Fox Hill shootings
I CAME face to face with the mayor of Fox Hill last week, and it touched a chord with me when he admitted the community is “still trying to catch itself” after the deadly shootout at the Fox Hill Park four years ago. I spent my teenage years in this community. My mother lives not far away and I know many of the residents. So, I know all too well what he meant. The community was rocked by this senseless act.
I met a mother in pain because she wants to see justice served to bring closure. On December 27, 2013, a group of men in a vehicle used high powered weapons to spray the Fox Hill Park. It is said they were told the person they were after was on the park, but he wasn’t. Yet, they opened fire in the area which represented the core of the Fox Hill community. People are always there. They gather there to talk and laugh, play dominoes, have a drink; the kids frolic and play, and for pedestrians it’s safer to take a short cut through the park due to the layout of the roundabout there. On that Friday evening, that was exactly what was happening. School was out, people were coming home from work and no one was expecting it to be the scene of one of the worst tragedies in this nation. Twelve people were injured and four lost their lives – most of them unaware of the danger and had no chance to run for cover. One of those victims was Shaquille Omar Rashad Demeritte-Kelly. He was a 19-year-old
Face to Face
By FELICITY INGRAHAM
student with a 4.0 grade point average and a bright future. His mother, Sonia Kemp, reached out to me. I met a mother in pain because she wants to see justice served to bring closure to the case. Yet, she is full of hope because she has learned to share her story of how she copes to help others who have lost loved ones. When I interviewed Sonia, it was the first time that she ever took a look at her son’s funeral pictures. It was also the first time in four years her family sat down at the dinner table to eat together – the first Sunday meal at the table without Shaquille. It seemed reaching out to me and sharing her pain could help her to become stronger and help her to heal. But in truth, she had done so much more for me. She handed me a book that she authored called “Lord, Don’t Let Him Die”. She wrote this book in honour of her son and the words brought great comfort for my own grief as I recently lost a loved one. Sonia wants the nation to know the tragedy feels like it happened yesterday, and what makes it worse is that, to date, the trial of the accused has yet to begin. There was an arraignment which was well-publicised and since then she
says, the case has been put off twice. Last month, she says she got a call to say the case would soon be given a start date, but she hasn’t heard anything since. “I feel like I have no voice,” she shared. “I feel like I am here screaming for someone to help me. It’s
a light, squeaky voice he was sometimes teased for. He was a star in basketball and was well-loved by his family and peers. Just before the tragedy, he had graduated from the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) with a 4.0 GPA in barbering. Sonia is a professional hair braider with specialisation in kids designs. Kellie built an extension to her shop and ordered all of his supplies, including his barber’s chair. He proudly opened his shop next to his mom on December 20, 2013. The plan was for him to work and save money as he had his sights set on Oklahoma state for higher education.
SONIA holds a copy of her book alongside Shaquille’s graduation photo
my child. As long as there is breath in my body, I owe it to my son to see that justice is served. I held my dying son in my arms. I feel like nobody cares. When it happened, it was all over the news but as the years roll by, it goes away from everyone’s memory except my own.” Shaquille, affectionately called “Kellie” (pronounced Keelee) was an honour roll student and a 2012 graduate of Bahamas Academy. Every year he won the “good conduct”, “honesty” and “school spirit” awards in addition to his academic accolades. He was a quiet child with
After his first successful week as an entrepreneur, he closed his shop that Friday afternoon at 5:02pm and headed to the Fox Hill roundabout to buy Chinese food. On his way home, he became victim to a stray bullet. A child came to Sonia’s door and alerted her that her son had been shot on the park. She screamed to her husband and started running towards the park. “I felt as if I were in a movie,” she said, “but as I got closer to the park, I could see people who had gotten shot lying all over the ground.” “Immediately I saw my son, my Kellie, and I knew
SONIA and the kids (Shaquille, far right)
SONIA weeps over the coffin
SHAQUILLE on a Caribbran cruise two months before he was killed
the nightmare was real. I remember jumping the wall to get to him as fast as I could. The sight of seeing my son, my love, the child I carried for nine months lying on the ground with a bullet hole in his head and lying in a pool of his own blood was more than I could bear.” “I knelt down to him on my knees and I screamed out to God, Why? Please God, don’t let my son die. I
“I remember jumping the wall to get to him as fast as I could”. love this child so much, and he was on the ground struggling to breathe. I wanted to take his place. I wanted this bad thing that happened to my son to go away. He heard me screaming, and with the love he had for his mommy, he lifted his head and tried to say, ‘Mommy’, but it was too much for him. So I got as close as I could so he could hear me; I told him that God loves him, and I held his hand until the paramedics took him away from me. I remember looking on the ground where they removed him and seeing his brain matter there, I felt a sense of hopelessness. But then I thought, ‘Is there anything too hard for God to do?” Months after Shaquille’s death, Sonia’s daughter Precious lost her baby, which lived for just 20 minutes after a full-term delivery. Doctors said the shock was too much for Kellie’s sister. Her younger son, CJ, now 17, is still battling with the loss of his brother and confidante, as are his other siblings Micheala and Sammy. Her husband Carl has “truly been the rock of the family”. Shaquille’s father Michael Kelly is still coming to grips with the loss. She also lost her parents since then, Fox Hillians John and Patricia Demeritte. “When innocent persons start to die, its a problem,” she stated. “Something has to be done about these gun laws, every and anyone can have a gun. When my son laid on the ground, I used my hand to hold his brains to his head and he looked at me for help and there was nothing I could
“When innocent persons start to die, it’s a probem”. do.” Since his death, she says so many people have honoured him because of the life he lived. Akhepran International school has a scholarship in his name, and Bahamas Academy featured him in their physical education book. His friends continue to keep his memory alive on social media. “I just miss him,” Sonia confessed. “My life will never be the same again because a part of me was taken away so unexpectedly. Some people talk bad about Fox Hill but really good people live here. People that abide by the law, and my son was one of them.” She feels he was a child who was “near to perfect”, one who had promised her he would take care of her all her days. But she found a way to find comfort in the scriptures and she lays out her journey to recovery beautifully in her book. The book is also in the memory of the other three victims: Shenique Sands, Claudenzo Davis and Eric Morrison. Sonia is also a pre and primary school teacher and a cook, currently assisting the Urban Renewal Programme in Fox Hill. She serves as children’s choir director, women’s ministry assistant and family life assistant at her church, New Providence SDA church. She speaks at churches and groups. Copies of her book can be found worldwide through Tate Publishing. “Lord, Don’t Let Him Die” can be found in Logos Bookstore in the Harbour Bay Shopping Plaza, at the Seventh Day Adventist bookstore on Tonique Williams-Darling Highway, or on Amazon.com.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, February 27, 2018, PAGE 11
OFFICER DENIES MURDERS WERE DRUG-RELATED By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A LEAD police investigator denied a lawyer’s assertion in the Supreme Court yesterday that the murders and armed robbery of a couple in Grand Bahama were drug-related. Det Sgt 772 Lorenzo Johnson was questioned by Geoffrey Farquharson, lawyer for one of three accused men, about a statement that was given to the police by the mother of murder victim Barry Johnson. Johnson and his wife, Sheena, were shot to death on September 12, 2015, at their triplex apartment in Deadman’s Reef. Their bodies were discovered the following morning by a tenant. The Johnsons were robbed of their GMC truck and a set of keys. Five men – Paul Belizaire, Devaughn Hall, Kevin Dames, Allan Alcime, and Virgil Hall – were arrested and charged in connection with their deaths and the armed robbery. The latter two accepted plea deals with the Office of the Attorney General to testify as witnesses for the Crown. Murder charges wwere
dropped against the men who pleaded guilty to armed robbery and are serving time. During cross-examination, Mr Farquharson, who represents Paul Belizaire, produced a statement given by Althea Johnson on September 17, 2015, about a week following her son and daughter-in-law’s death. In the statement to police, Mrs Johnson said that two of her other children had also died years earlier. Mr Farquharson noted Mrs Johnson mentioned that her son Greg Johnson and his wife, Elsa were also deceased. The lawyer asked Det Johnson whether he knew that Greg Johnson Jr, the nephew of the deceased who testified during the trial, was the son of Greg and Elsa Johnson, who are both now deceased. Det Johnson said that he did not know that, and he never asked any questions about the persons referred to as Elsa and Greg Johnson in the statement given by Mrs Johnson. The lawyer asked: “If you knew that both had died in a drug-related matter in separate plane crashes, would you have made inquiries into them?”
The prosecution had objected to the question saying that it was not relevant to the case, but Mr Farquharson told the judge that there was nothing wrong with him asking such a question, and repeated it. Justice Evans allowed the witness to answer the question, and the witness replied that he knew nothing about that. Barry Johnson was employed as a supervisor at the Freeport Container Port, and his wife was a teacher at the Eight Mile Rock High School. In earlier testimony, Alcime fingered Devaughn Hall as the mastermind behind the armed robbery of the Johnsons. Alcime testified that Devaughn Hall told him that he knew where some cocaine and $2m were and if he wanted to come with him to get it. Devaughn Hall is represented by Jethlyn Burrows, and Dames is represented by Carlson Shurland. Neil Brathwaite and Erica Kemp of the Office of the Attorney General are appearing on behalf of the Crown. Justice Estelle Gray Evans is presiding over the trial. The trial continues today at 10am.
LARODA: MPS ON TARGET FOR DISCLOSURE By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
PUBLIC Disclosure Commission Chairman Myles Laroda fully expects members of Parliament to meet the upcoming deadline for financial disclosure submissions. Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Mr Laroda said despite serious challenges facing the PDC, MPs, senators as well as other government officials required to disclose are fulfilling their obligations as required by law. The deadline to submit financial records is March 1. “It is fair to say that those who are required to declare up to last year, you know there was a mad rush into that, so up to last year most people would have put in their declarations,” Mr Laroda said yesterday when he was contacted. “For this year, we have written our letters and they are coming in. So I have no reason to believe that the vast majority of people would not have disclosed.” He continued: “We had a few challenges early on, but we have sent out letters in the past to individuals to say when they should disclose. “Since late last year we are back and have been having our meetings and have sent out some letters. “So there might have been individuals who may have not declared up to a certain point. Part of the reason has been that our letters were sent a little bit late, but we are on par for
the new individuals who would have come in during 2017 that they have disclosed for the year before. So those are going to be due March the first and some other letters are due for 2017.” Back in December, Mr Laroda said neither he nor his unit could address any issues with filings from the 2016 and 2017 periods, or the government’s self-imposed deadline to prosecute delinquent public officials under the Public Disclosure Act. There was a July 3, 2017, timeline set by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis for
the files on delinquent disclosures to be sent to the Office of the Attorney General, however no action was ever taken against persons who fell in this category. In the case of persons appointed or elected after the annual March 1 deadline, the Public Disclosure Act states disclosures must be filed within three months from the date – effectively, August 10 for MPs and August 22 for senators. The government has, in the past, used the latter deadline – which coincided closely with the expiration date of board appointments – as the main reason for inaction.
THE three men accused of the double murder and armed robbery – Kevin Dames, Devaughn Hall and Paul Belizaire – at an earlier court appearance. Photo: Vandyke Hepburn
PAGE 12, Tuesday, February 27, 2018
THE TRIBUNE