Stories for June 2015

‘Loving yourself from head to toe’ with regular breast exams

WITH breast cancer being so prevalent in the Bahamas, women are encouraged to get screened regularly to increase the chances of early detection.

The importance of speech therapy

THE real joy for Bahamian speech-language pathologist Sharon Clarke is seeing children achieve their goals after months of therapy.

Behold the power of water - Part III

AS A brief review, last week we looked at the amazing hot foot bath home therapy for congestive headaches, chest congestion, infections and detoxification. This week, we dive into the just-as-easy therapeutic world of the heating compress.

BUN IN THE OVEN: UNEXPECTED CHANCES

IN life some things happen suddenly and without warning. Life can change in a matter of seconds; it’s important to never take things for granted.

Kelly’s 23rd Bride of the Year

KELLY’S 23rd Bride of the Year Erin Brown might also be the Mother of the Year or the Disabled Person of the Year. Stalked by tragedy, she turns each blow into a challenge and then into success which she shares with those around her.

‘Inner beauty never needs make-up’

A LOT of women spend a great deal of time and money engaging in activities to enhance their outer appearance and present a better version of themselves.

Women find their purpose as Kingdom Daughters

THE local non-profit organisation Kingdom Daughters International Network is inviting women from all walks of life to come to together for a time of fellowship and networking.

POLITICOLE: 40 for 40 - with years comes wisdom

IN LESS than a week, I will have my fifth coming of age. If I had to offer wise words to anyone, young or old, after 40 years of life experience, here is what I’d say:

PLP no longer wants Major

House Speaker Dr Kendal Major has been placed in a precarious predicament by the top brass of the PLP on at least three different occasions in 2015.

Speaker did not yield to temptation

The speaker, if only temporarily, saved the life of democracy in The Bahamas.

EDITORIAL: Baha Mar takes last shot to survive - bankruptcy!

THE town went into shock Monday with the surprise announcement by Baha Mar that it has started the process of going into voluntary bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code.

PM: Govt won’t take sides

PRIME Minister Perry Christie last night said the government will not take any sides in the ongoing dispute between Baha Mar and its Chinese financiers, as the Official Opposition reacted with “shock” over the mega-resort’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in the United States yesterday.

Staff sent home but promised pay for next three weeks

MORE than 2,000 Baha Mar workers were yesterday told to stay at home until further notice as the mega-resort pledged to pay salaries and benefits for the next three weeks until it begins court hearings on its Chapter 11 bankruptcy claim.

Baha Mar files for bankruptcy

Shock move by $3.5bn resort amid constructions deadlock

BAHA Mar CEO Sarkis Izmirlian announced yesterday that the $3.5bn Cable Beach mega resort has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a Delaware Court in the United States “in order to complete construction and successfully open”.

Christie: Party will decide if I stay as leader

AS SPECULATION mounts over who could emerge as the next leader of the Progressive Liberal Party, Prime Minister Perry Christie said he is in the process of mulling over who will succeed him as party leader.

140 BTC staff get extra time before losing jobs

THE 140 BTC employees, who were expected to be let go from the company today, “will have a little more time” before they are made redundant, according to Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union Secretary General Dino Rolle yesterday.

Baha Mar sues China State Construction in UK High Court

BAHA Mar developers today filed a claim in the English High Court against the parent company of its general contractor, China Construction America.

Baha Mar: The road to bankruptcy

BAHA Mar President Thomas Dunlap said the path to bankruptcy was lined with extensive construction delays, repeated contract breaches, and other performance failures by an “inexperienced” contractor, China Construction America (CCA), according to court documents filed yesterday.

Baha Mar targets $200m claim on Chinese builder

Baha Mar is aiming to pursue more than $200 million worth of claims against its main Chinese contractor partner, its Board yesterday determining that legal action against China Construction is “possibly imminent”.

Baha Mar troubles ‘threaten recession’

The FNM’s deputy leader yesterday warned that Baha Mar’s ongoing woes threaten to throw the Bahamas back into a recession, and said: “It is the day we feared.”

Baha Mar contractor wanted ‘four times’ more funds than due

Baha Mar yesterday accused its Chinese construction partner of demanding financial compensation that was more than four times’ greater than the sum verified by its financier’s project monitor.

Baha Mar’s ‘cash run out’ by today

Baha Mar’s dash for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection was sparked by fears it “would run out of cash” today, with the $3.5 billion project’s inability to open on March 27 having had a “disastrous” and “devastating” effect.

SPORTING MISCHIEF & MAYHEM: Betty Cole ‘was the first person to see the talent in me’

YESTERDAY I dropped my sons off to the Dolphins Swim Club Summer Camp and, boy, did the memories come flooding back.

Seven dental habits to avoid

THE muscles of mastication (the muscles that we chew with) are very powerful.

YOUR HURRICANE SUPPLEMENT IS NOW ONLINE!

Be prepared for the 2015 season.

In 100m hurdles, Adanaca Brown qualifies for IAAF Worlds

WHILE the focus of attention was on the marquee athletes in premier events at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations National Open Track and Field Championships, sprinter Adanaca Brown stepped up loud and clear for everybody to take notice of her.

The name ‘father’ or the role of father?

FATHER’S Day has come and gone again and such discourse about celebrating our strong fathers did surround it. We still seem to be locked in a culture of patriarchy and misogyny without thinking about real paternity. We know that we like to be called ‘Daddy’ and we celebrate men that sire children around the place as if they were sharing rice. Culturally though, we do not celebrate them being involved in their children’s lives.

‘He ran a perfect race to get the record’

While he congratulated Steven Gardiner for breaking his seven-year-old 400 metres record at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Open Track and Field Championships over the weekend, Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown is now waiting on tomorrow’s final decision on the Bahamas team going to the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, in August.

Are you looking before you leap?

WHILE I caution you to look before you leap, you must leap. The art of leaping is the basic premise of life. We all must leap. In fact, it is impossible not to leap. However, common sense suggests that you at least look to ensure you know the direction in which you are leaping.

LIFE OF CRIME: Dispensing justice

IMAGINE if it were you sitting in the witness box, under oath and asked this question: is the criminal justice system working in The Bahamas?

‘Unaware’ of festival commission theft claim

POLICE Commissioner Ellison Greenslade said yesterday he is not aware of a complaint of theft of more than $20,000 from the Bahamas National Festival Commission.

Gray says no final decision yet on fly fishing regulations

AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister V Alfred Gray yesterday moved to clarify remarks he made last week during the announcement of the government’s proposed plans to regulate the country’s sport fishing industry, stating that the goal of the new laws are to protect and preserve industry for “generations yet unborn”.

Greenslade slams rude police staff

POLICE Commissioner Ellison Greenslade yesterday said he will not respond to “rude behaviour” and “disrespect” from officers as the Police Staff Association continues to voice displeasure over ongoing issues, including concerns over National Health Insurance.

Bahamas ‘not ready’ for same-sex marriage

THE Bahamas is not ready for state-recognition of same-sex marriage, former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette told The Tribune yesterday.

September trial date for Donna Vasyli

A TRIAL date was set yesterday for a woman currently on remand in connection with her Australian husband’s murder.

Man’s body found in Abaco

THE body of a man was discovered in waters near the Union Jack Dock in Abaco early Monday morning, police reported.

Optimism after fly fishing industry consultation

Bahamian Fly Fishing Industry stakeholders yesterday expressed greater optimism over the future of the industry on the heels of a national consultation on a new proposed regulatory regime.

After a hiatus of almost 15 years, All-Eleuthera Regatta set for weekend

WHEN the All-Eleuthera Regatta returns to Governor’s Harbour this weekend, the ASUE Draw will be playing a pivotal role in the sponsorship.

Cargill: ‘It was by far our best nationals’

THIS (the 2015) edition of the RBC National Swimming Championships was the best one of the meet during his tenure and is a testament to the development of the sport as it continues to increase its profile in the Bahamian sporting landscape, according to Algernon Cargill, president of the Bahamas Swimming Federation.

‘Great progress’ in helping insurance industry transition to VAT regime

Financial Secretary in the Ministry of Finance John Rolle said yesterday that great progress had been made in terms of helping the Bahamian insurance industry transition to the Value-Added Tax (VAT) regime.

Some mandatory VAT registrants ‘yet to come forward’

Six months into the implementation of Value-Added Tax (VAT) there are still some mandatory registrants who have not yet come forward, the Ministry of Finances Financial Secretary John Rolle said yesterday, but he added that revenue intake from the tax continues to “line up with expectations”.

Danish investor in Freeport dies, aged 81

LONG time Freeport resident and wealthy Danish investor, Erik Christiansen, died on Saturday after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 81.

Baha Mar files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

BAHA Mar CEO Sarkis Izmirlian on Monday announced that the mega-resort in Cable Beach will voluntarily file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States, in order to finish construction and open the property as soon as possible.

How long has Rubis known about leaks?

Following the recent revelations concerning the handling of the now notorious Marathon fuel leak, one would think Rubis would do everything it could to bring additional leaks to the public’s attention immediately.

Flowers talking big

The Tribune today says “Flowers to challenge banks over web money.”

Sir Durward should be first!

I read lately where the Minister of Education tabled in the House of Assembly during the Budget debate that they were going to name a road after Mychal Thompson. And this was to take place shortly.

What are the PLP’s core values today?

ON the 2012 campaign trail to defeat the Ingraham government, then Opposition leader Perry Christie invited voters to recognise him as the bridge between the late prime minister Lynden Pindling and the “new generation of PLP leaders”.

Visitor covered in oil after swimming in the Bahamas

THE Bahamas Reef Environmental Educational Foundation yesterday released a photo of a visitor’s legs partially covered in oil following a snorkelling trip off Clifton Bay, highlighting the persistent environmental threat oil spills are posing to the area.

Vasyli trial date due to be set today

A TRIAL date is to be set today for a woman currently on remand in connection with her Australian husband’s murder.

Supreme Court ruling to have mixed impact on the Bahamas

LOCAL lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists and experts said Friday’s landmark US Supreme Court decision to legalise same-sex marriage nationwide will have a mixed impact on the movement here in The Bahamas.

Union to make late effort to prevent BTC strike action

THE Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union will make a last-ditch effort today to avoid possible strike action by presenting its members with a proposal from BTC’s management outlining their future employment conditions, BCPOU Secretary General Dino Rolle said yesterday.

PLP chairman: no answer on leadership ‘nonsense’

PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts was tight-lipped yesterday on mounting debate surrounding leadership succession within the party.

More than $20,000 stolen from Bahamas National Festival Commission

POLICE have received a complaint of theft of more than $20,000 from the Bahamas National Festival Commission, The Tribune has learned.

‘Pressure’ for gay marriage

Archbishop says US decision will have consequences

THE Bahamas will “inevitably” face “immense pressure” to let gays and lesbians marry in this country, retired Anglican Archbishop Drexel Gomez told The Tribune yesterday as pastors across the country responded from their pulpits to the US Supreme Court’s decision to legalise same-sex marriage nationwide.

Swim Nationals: Swift dominates to take title for 5th straight year

SWIFT Swimming dominated the Bahamas Swimming Federation’s 2015 Royal Bank of Canada National Swimming Championships by winning the title for the fifth consecutive year at the Betty Kelly Kenning National Swim Complex over the weekend.

Sports notes

THE Cat Island Sailing Club Association is scheduled to hold its annual Cat Island Day Festival from noon until on July 4. The event will be held at the Cultural Village on Arawak Cay.

BFFIA president slams ‘smear’ effort

THE Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association’s (BFFIA) president has accused rival factions of attempting to discredit him and the industry internationally, blaming them for stirring up controversy over the sector’s proposed new regulatory framework.

Fly Fishing AGM was ‘dog and pony show’

THE Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association’s (BFFIA) annual general meeting (AGM) has been slammed as a “disaster” and a “dog and pony show”, with one group telling Tribune Business it no longer recognizes it as the industry’s voice.

Commonwealth conference sparks talk of further academic events

STAGING academic conferences like the 42nd Caribbean Studies Association Conference in the Bahamas would have significant cultural, intellectual and economical benefits for the country, an academic told The Tribune.

Sisters’ anger at church school being leased to government

TWO sisters have come out against a proposed deal between the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the government to lease the former Bahamas Academy building and property on Wulff Road.

Bran: Bahamians ‘holding the bag’ over Baha Mar

BAHA Mar is another example where Bahamians are potentially left “holding the bag” over a major real estate transaction, the Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) leader has warned.

Court: Numbers was being played at FML web shop

TWO Appeal Court judges found there was sufficient evidence to support the Crown’s case that the Wulff Road web shop belonging to Craig Flowers’ FML Group was operating/promoting the then-illegal ‘numbers’ lottery.

Economy ‘remarkably unimpressive’ over past two decades

THE Bahamian economy’s performance has been “remarkably unimpressive” for most of the past two decades, an ex-finance minister warning that the country is having to “run ever faster to stay in the same place”.

National Track and Field Championships: Gardiner sets new national record in 400m

Young rising star Steven Gardiner of Abaco achieved a new national record in the men's 400 metres to highlight Saturday's final day of competition at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations' National Open Track and Field Championships.

Ingraham wins as high jumpers qualify for IAAF Worlds

ONE of the few things that remained consistent at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Open Track and Field Championships was the men’s high jump.

Man on bail arrested after car chase

A MAN on bail for an indictable offence was arrested and charged with illegal firearm possession after police were led on a car chase, crashing into a wall on Saturday night.

Sir William to focus on telecom ‘pioneer’

SIR William Allen is stepping down as Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) chairman at next month’s annual general meeting (AGM) so he can devote more time to the telecommunications start-up he has “pioneered”.

AG: Four-year ruling wait akin to ‘judicial misconduct’

THE Attorney General has urged that the justice system’s inefficiencies be tackled as a “priority”, warning that the protracted wait for judgments would be considered “judicial misconduct and an abuse of power” in many jurisdictions.

Web shops: Gaming Board ‘must get regulation right’

WEB shop operators understand that the Gaming Board “really has to get regulation right” to protect the Bahamas’ good name, a well-known QC says.

FNM deputy urges equal bank treatment for legal web shops

COMMERCIAL banks should no longer refuse to accept web gaming deposits once the industry is licensed and adheres to standard ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) procedures, the FNM’s deputy leader believes.

Man in hospital after shooting

A man is in hospital after a shooting early on Sunday morning.

National Track and Field Championships: Bianca Stuart, Latario Collie-Minns star in Day one

MARK down a record breaking performance in the women's long jump for Bianca 'BB' Stuart as she joined NCAA runner-up Latario 'Robin' Collie-Minns, who got the best of the return of Leevan 'Superman' Sands in the men's triple jump, for the only two World Championship qualifying performances on day one of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations National Track and Field Championships.

Bran predicts PM will run again as PLP leader

DNA Leader Branville McCartney yesterday forecast that Prime Minister Perry Christie will run again as leader of the PLP.

'All seats will be available' at DNA convention

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney yesterday dismissed claims that he and other members of his party were "nervous" about the organisation's first convention.

Bahamians give mixed reaction to US same-sex marriage ruling

THE landmark US Supreme Court decision to legalise same-sex marriage nationwide was met with mixed reactions by Bahamians yesterday.

Bran: Bahamas must address gay marriage issue

Democratic National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney yesterday called for the country to address the issue of gay marriage "sooner rather than later" to avoid a potential conflict of interest as a member of the international community.

89-year-old woman dies after traffic accident

A traffic accident in Grand Bahama has claimed the life of an 89-year-old woman, pushing the number of road deaths on the island to seven for the year.

Guns, ammunition taken off streets in Grand Bahama

Assistant Commissioner of Police Emrick Seymour cautioned businesses and homeowners to secure their properties after police took more guns and ammunition off the streets in Grand Bahama and made several arrests this week.

Two in hospital after shooting

POLICE have launched an island-wide manhunt for the occupants of a silver coloured Nissan following a late night shooting that left two men in hospital.

Man gets seven year sentence for rape

A MAN was sentenced to seven years in prison after admitting to dragging a woman into bushes and raping her.

Taxi drivers stage protest over industry challenges

SCORES of taxicab drivers staged a protest Friday to bring attention to industry challenges they feel have limited their chances of earning fair wages at the Prince George Wharf.

Union president dismisses BTC's security concerns amid layoffs

BAHAMAS Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) President Bernard Evans has dismissed the Bahamas Telecommunication Company's (BTC) decision to alert security forces to possible industrial action by union members amid impending layoffs exercises at the company, saying BTC workers are "fearless”.

PM Davis?

But does he have the blessing of the Shadow PM

Grand Bahama economy

Hawksbill Agreement — to be stupid or super sensitive to the economic conditions?

The nature of leadership

Merriam-Webster defines Failure as an omission of occurrence or performance; specifically: a failing to perform a duty or expected action.

It is now time for politicians to stop playing politics

CRIME is down, murders are up, therefore it should not be said that the PLP’s crime “policies have fallen short and that the sole basis upon which (the government’s) efforts should be measured is the murder rate”.

Rigby slams ‘amateurish’ end to Budget debate

FORMER Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Raynard Rigby yesterday termed last week’s dramatic conclusion to the 2015/2016 budget debate in the House of Assembly “amateurish” and “short-sighted” on the part of the government.

Davis the man to beat for PLP leadership, says Watson

FORMER Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson said yesterday that Works Minister Philip “Brave” Davis is the “fellow to beat” if Prime Minister Perry Christie steps aside as leader of the PLP, but added that this depends on whether or not Mr Christie “endorses” Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe for the party’s leadership.

Police abuse and justice system flaws again highlighted by human rights report

FOR the fourth consecutive year, police abuse and an inefficient judicial system were highlighted as the most serious human rights problems in the Bahamas by American authorities.

FNM blasts claim of PLP winning against crime

THE Free National Movement yesterday blasted the Christie administration for claiming it is “winning” the fight against crime at a time when Bahamians continue to fear for their lives amid “increased bloodshed.”

Flowers to challenge banks over web money

FRESH off a major Court of Appeal victory, FML Group of Companies CEO Craig Flowers may now be turning his sights to a new, bigger legal challenge: fighting Canadian banks operating in the Bahamas over their refusal to conduct business with the legalised web shop sector.

‘First round of redundancies next week’

AROUND 140 people at the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) will be made redundant next week, when the corporation begins their “callous,” “first round” of downsizing, according to Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) Secretary General Dino Rolle.

Breakout games for Seymour, Murray in the minors

IT WAS a pair of breakout games in minor league play for Bahamian prospects Anfernee Seymour and Byron Murray.

‘Golden Knight’ to serve as BOB Express ATM Ambassador

AS he continues to turn back the hands of time, running steadily at an older age, veteran national record holder Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown inked his name on another financial deal with the Bank of the Bahamas.

THE FINISH LINE: Why do we have a new national stadium that isn’t available for our best athletes to compete?

IT’S not how you start, nor how you get there. Most importantly, it’s how you finish.

Lodge owner says: ‘Damage already done’ to fly fishing

A petition has been launched for anglers to register their opposition to the proposed Fly Fishing law and regulations, as a well-known lodge owner yesterday told Tribune Business: “The damage has already been done”.

Trustees split over hotel union’s $1.5m pension fund debt

Pension fund trustees are ‘split down the middle’ over the hotel union’s failure to pay $1.5 million worth of contributions on behalf of its staff, Tribune Business can reveal.

Union leaders pledge huge labour relations shake-up

Trade union leaders yesterday pledged to move on “a very significant” Supreme Court ruling and other recommendations that could produce the biggest shake-up for decades in Bahamian workplace relations.

Stronger Bahamas under fire

FORMER Free National Movement Senator Dr Duane Sands said he is now “absolutely convinced” that the Christie administration’s Stronger Bahamas initiative is nothing more than an attempt to mislead the Bahamian public.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs responds to report

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs last night issued a response to the 2014 United States Human Rights Report.

Investigations continue into foul odour at BAF

OFFICIALS at the Department of Environmental Health Services are still investigating and trying to determine what could have caused the foul odour that made several employees ill at the BAF Building on Queens Highway in Freeport earlier this week.

Former NBA player to host basketball camp

RETIRED NBA player Kenny Anderson is excited to be in Grand Bahama to share not only his talent but his life experiences with young people at a basketball camp/clinic set for this weekend on the island.

PM stresses importance of education to conference

PRIME Minister Perry Christie highlighted the importance of education, telling the 19th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (19CCEM) that the overall level of education in a country directly impacts its social elements such as crime, earning power and wealth distribution.

Nolle prosequi issued in murder case

LESS than a year after a 31-year-old man was charged with murder, prosecutors yesterday produced a written directive mid-trial from the Office of the Attorney General requesting that proceedings against him be discontinued.

Concern over hiring process at prison

BAHAMAS Prison Officers Association President Gregory Archer said politicians are unduly interfering in the hiring processes at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS), sometimes causing qualified applicants to lose out on jobs.

Critics ‘clouding’ new Fly Fish regulations

The Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association’s president yesterday accused critics of “clouding” the issues surrounding proposed regulatory reforms, arguing that the success of local fishing lodges hinged on the treatment of Bahamian guides.

NCAA: Top junior sprinters sign national intent letters

SEVERAL of the country’s top junior sprinters signed national letters of intent to join elite NCAA Division I track and field programmes for the Fall 2015 semester.

Gray: We’ll do nothing to endanger fly fishing

The Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources yesterday pledged that the Government would do nothing to jeopardise the $141 million Bahamian fly fishing industry, while insisting that the sector must be regulated.

Taking the weight off productivity concerns

Recent American statistics indicate that overweight employees cost their employers a collective $73 billion per year, and file twice the number of worker compensation claims than their ‘in shape’ counterparts.

Clubs and Societies 06262015

Caribbean BBQ Association. - More than 65 interested and eager chefs attended the Nassau Smoking Hot BBQ Training Camp on Wednesday at the College of the Bahamas.

US slams ‘weak enforcement’ of labour legislation

The Bahamas was yesterday criticised for “weak enforcement” of its labour laws by the US government, with fines and penalties insufficient to prevent violations by employers.

Man gets 23 years for hacking death of former girlfriend, attack on man

A MAN yesterday accepted a plea agreement that landed him in prison for 23 years for the hacking death of his former girlfriend and the subsequent attack on her male friend.

Are they teaching the Word of God in your church?

I HAVE decided to take the time and share with you my followers this morning the importance of the Word of God and how essential it is to not only include it in our prayers, but that those that preach and teach us repeat it into our hearing.

Meditation: The One Not Chosen

IN Acts 1:23-26, we read the story of the person selected to replace Judas Iscariot. There is Matthias, who is selected over one who went by three different names (Joseph or Barsabbas or Justus).

The judgment of the Lord is over this nation

THE Almighty God’s judgment is at hand, for the spirit of iniquity is in the land, for the land has polluted itself.

Father’s Day at Ebenezer in Exuma

SISTER Krivoy Smith and the women of Ebenezer showered the community’s fathers with love, gifts and a four-course, five-star meal during this year’s Father’s Day celebrations at Ebenezer Union Baptist Church in Exuma. They were treated as kings in a royal palace.

Introducing the first annual Bahamas Independence Gospel Celebration

AS the Bahamas approaches its 42nd anniversary of independence, for the very first time the country’s churches, including the gospel music community, will come together to host the first annual Bahamas Independence Gospel Celebration.

In celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist

WILDERNESS is representative of our lives: prepare then, in our lives a road for the lord to travel.

Rum Cay church salutes veteran educator and lay reader

Members of the St Christopher’s Anglican Church in Rum Cay let be known that their congregation will never be the same again after the retirement of veteran educator and lay reader Constance Martin.

Independence anniversary events have $1.1m budget

ORGANISERS of the 42nd independence anniversary are hoping that this year’s celebration not only “captures the best of our culture,” but unites citizens around the world in a “truly Bahamian experience.”

Wilchcombe: I will make people happy

A day after saying he would not contest the leadership post of the PLP if Prime Minister Perry Christie sought a re-election bid, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe suggested that if he were to become the nation’s leader he would work to restore the “gross national happiness” of Bahamians.

Minnis demands address by PM on crime situation

FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday demanded that Prime Minister Perry Christie address the nation after Bahamians were “robbed” of their right to be informed of the government’s proposed plans to tackle the country’s crime challenges and other issues.

Egregious error by PM

In the dispute on the motion for closure of the budget debate Prime Minister Perry Christie is reported as saying:

Flat fishing regulations

An open letter to V Alfred Gray, Bahamas Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources

YOUNG MAN'S VIEW: Fear of Rollins leads to shortened Budget debate

OF late, political chicanery seems to be pervasive within our local political framework. Last Wednesday’s showdown in the House of Assembly left an entire nation without any contributions to the Budget debate from our country’s leader, Prime Minister Perry Christie, Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and Minister of National Security Dr Bernard Nottage. The entire episode – where we saw these men expressing a preference to shut down all debate rather than allow then Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) backbencher Andre Rollins to speak – was a complete farrago!

Rubis probe as fuel found in trench

RUBIS Bahamas yesterday confirmed remediation work is underway at Porky’s service station after a product that appeared to be fuel was found in a trench dug by the Water and Sewerage Corporation.

Mitchell quiet on leadership

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday remained tightlipped over whether he will make a bid for the leadership of the Progressive Liberal Party if given the opportunity.

Everything comes up roses for Flowers as conviction quashed

WEB shop operator Craig Flowers walked away from the Court of Appeal yesterday with a clean record after judges squashed his convictions and sentences concerning a raid on one of his gambling houses in 2009.

Hyatt taking Baha Mar bookings from September 9

A HOTEL brand set to operate at Baha Mar when the resort opens following numerous delays has advised its guests that they are set to open within three months.

'Other crime down' but murder rate 16% up on last year

STATE Minister for National Security Keith Bell and Attorney General Allyson Maynard Gibson championed the Christie administration’s efforts to fight crime yesterday even as the murder rate for 2015 outpaced last year’s figures.

Hotel industry wants Cuba ‘National plan’

The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) yesterday called for a National Plan to counter Cuba’s eventual opening to US tourists, warning that this nation’s “stronghold markets” will be endangered by its western neighbour.

Coach Todd to lead CTJBA Elites in AAU basketball tournament

THE CTJBA Elites, led by coach John Todd, are set to compete at the AAU basketball tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida, July 26 to August 2.

Former UFC icon Ian Freeman eager to face ‘Kimbo Slice’

IN his return to mixed martial arts, Bahamian-born fighter Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson proved he remains a big draw to the fighting scene and now another former Ultimate Fighting Championship icon looks to take him on.

Bahamas’ biggest names in track and field get set for Nationals

THE country’s biggest names in track and field are set for competition this weekend as they vie for spots on various national teams and embrace a rare opportunity to compete in front of the Bahamian crowd.

A splash in history

The Bahamas Swimming Federation took time out to celebrate the achievements in its recent history while also looking ahead to future growth and development of the sport locally.

BIMINI RESIDENTS UNHAPPY OVER GARBAGE COLLECTION

BIMINI residents are complaining that a proliferation of flies and unpleasant odour have overtaken their small community due to the improper handling of solid waste collection and disposal on that island.

Connecting generations of artwork

A COLLABORATION between a well-known Bahamian painter and his ceramics sculpting daughter – Around and Back Again – has been on display at the Stan Burnside Gallery in eastern New Providence for the past week and ends tonight with a sale.

Bahamian photographer wins top prize in Beijing

BAHAMIAN photographer and journalist Eric Rose has become the first foreigner to win a top prize in a prestigious photography competition in China.

‘We must move beyond politics to solve national issues’

CHRISTIAN Council President Rev Dr Ranford Patterson yesterday suggested that Bahamians in all levels of society are incapable of moving “beyond our politics” in order to collectively “solve issues that will affect the national good of our country”.

‘Time will tell’ if Carnival led to more promiscuity

CHRISTIAN Council President Rev Dr Ranford Patterson yesterday defended himself from previous criticism that suggested he was out of touch for saying that Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival would encourage “promiscuity, fornication, rape, incest and other sins of the flesh.”

$35m paid out by web shops to govt

TOURISM Minister Obie Wilchcombe yesterday disclosed that web shop operators have paid about $35m in taxes, fees, penalties and Request for Proposals to the government during the transitional period.

Four face court on firearms charges

THREE men and a woman, two of whom are customs officers, were arraigned in Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday in connection with a major weapons bust near the Arawak Cay Port last week.

Change in grounds of appeal over death in police custody

LAWYERS for two policemen challenging the Coroner’s Court ruling on Aaron Rolle’s death in police custody as unlawful have amended their grounds of appeal.

Man accused of murdering waitress

A STEWARD of Baha Mar appeared in Magistrate’s Court yesterday accused of being the man who drove a car into a waitress and a bar owner in western New Providence, fatally wounding the woman.

Bostwick lawyer grills police witness over second report

THE continuation of former Senator John Bostwick Jr’s ammunition possession trial saw tense moments during his lawyer’s cross-examination of prosecution witnesses yesterday.

Mitchell says no policy discourages investment

IMMIGRATION Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday defended the country’s immigration policy against claims that it has discouraged foreign investment.

Haitian man shot in immigration swoop faces court charges

THE Haitian man “accidentally” shot in Eleuthera by a police officer during an immigration exercise earlier this month has been charged with illegal entry.

Insurers gain ‘last minute’ extension over VAT credits

The Bahamian insurance industry was yesterday granted a ‘last-minute’ two-week extension for the filing of its first Value-Added Tax (VAT) ‘credits’ claim, a leading executive acknowledging the sector “didn’t get everything we wanted”.

Web shop operators mull ‘discrimination’ lawsuit against banks

Bahamian web shop operators may sue the Canadian-owned commercial banks for “discrimination” over their refusal to accept deposits from a legalised gaming sector, a well-known QC said yesterday.

Conviction quash: Flowers sees licence obstacle removed

FML web shop boss, Craig Flowers, yesterday saw a potential obstacle to obtaining a gaming licence eliminated when the Court of Appeal quashed his prior criminal conviction.

Tourism fury over fly fishing ‘tsunami’

A furious tourism industry is uniting to oppose the new Fly Fishing law and regulations, fearing it will cost the Bahamas millions of dollars and “further erode the competitive position” of the sector.

Four charged with housebreaking

FOUR men were arraigned on a number of housebreaking and stealing charges in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

157 people on bail killed within past six years

STATE Minister for National Security Keith Bell offered harrowing statistics in the Senate yesterday about the fate that sometimes await people who are released on bail.

Sports notes

THE Bahamas Swimming Federation is gearing up to host its Royal Bank of Canada National Swim Championships at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex starting this evening.

One man dead, one injured in shooting

ONE MAN is dead and another in serious condition in hospital after they were shot multiple times while walking through Montell Heights on Tuesday night.

VIEW FROM AFAR: Why equality should be above politics

THERE are many fundamental issues that arise in a nation’s journey to a more enlightened future for its citizens, socially and economically.

Davis: Deal in works over $21m Baha Mar payment

WORKS Minister Philip “Brave” Davis confirmed yesterday that a possible deal is in the works between the government and Baha Mar to pay the $21m owed to the resort to cover the government’s portion of costs for roadwork associated with the development.

What a difference a word makes

Today’s Tribune headline reads “Gov’t to GIVE Baha Mar $21 million”.

FNM Convention is overdue

Michael Pintard, chairman of the FNM, publicly stated that there will not be a convention this year.

Rules for fishing the flats

I am an Italian citizen and a passionate fly fisherman. I am really worried of the situation I will face arriving in Exuma for my hard earned holidays with my spouse on July 4, 2015.

Foul smell forces employee evacuation and hospital treatment

SIXTEEN people employed at the BAF Financial & Insurance Building on Queen’s Highway were evacuated after some persons fell ill and had to be rushed to hospital on Tuesday afternoon.

Move to create new report on Urban Renewal ‘pure garbage’

PUBLIC Accounts Committee Chairman Hubert Chipman has condemned the government’s decision to challenge Auditor General Terrence Bastian’s report into Urban Renewal’s Small Homes Repairs project, calling the move “pure garbage”.

OPINION: Baha Mar’s woes - an educated guess

With all sides tight-lipped, it is almost impossible for Bahamians to know what is really happening with the $3.5 billion Baha Mar project.

Minnis accuses govt of budget error

FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday accused the government of decreasing the money allocated for National Health Insurance to “cover up the fact that they forgot” to include the Department of Public Health in 2015/2016 budget.

Minister hopes Carnival report out next week

THE revenue and economic impact figures for Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival will “hopefully” be released next week, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Danny Johnson said yesterday.

‘Don’t put strings on Baha Mar money’

LONG Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner criticised the government for stalling its contractually obligated payment to Baha Mar for West Bay Street roadwork, adding that the money owed should not be “tied to any quid pro quo”.

Wilchcombe: No challenge if Christie stays as leader

TOURISM Minister Obie Wilchcombe said he would not compete with Prime Minister Perry Christie if the 71-year-old offers to lead the PLP at the party’s October convention.

Davis 'ready' for PM job

DEPUTY Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis emerged yesterday as yet another hopeful successor to PLP leader, Prime Minister Perry Christie.

One man dead, one in hospital after Montell Heights shooting

POLICE have launched an island-wide manhunt in New Providence for the occupants of a silver Honda following a shooting incident that has left one man dead and another in hospital on Tuesday night.

QC slams selection of Bimini as ‘model PPP’

An outspoken QC has slammed the selection of Bimini as a model tourism public-private partnership (PPP), arguing that the Resorts World project was “completely divorced from a harmonious relationship” with local Bahamians.

Sports notes

WHETHER or not the lights will be repaired in time, the New Providence Softball Association is gearing up to host the Rising Stars Under-19 ladies’ softball team out of Grand Bahama to a three-game series in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex this weekend.

Kentucky returning to Bahamas in 2016 to play Arizona State

THE University of Kentucky men’s basketball team is slated to play Arizona State University in a regular season game in Nassau on November 28, 2016.

Old Bahama Bay wins 5th Annual Snapper Fishing Tourney in West End

OLD Bahama Bay once again walked away as winners of the West End 5th Annual Snapper Fishing Tournament on Saturday.

Vanderpool-Wallace to make a splash at Nationals this week

WHEN the Bahamas Swimming Federation hosts its Royal Bank of Canada National Swimming Championships at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex this week, look for Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace to be among the top stars making a splash.

National basketball team brings home the silver

Some “miscommunications” on the defensive end caused the Bahamas men’s national basketball team a chance to successfully defend their title as they returned home from Tortola, Virgin Islands, with silver medals following the 2015 Caribbean Basketball Confederation men’s championship series.

Bahamas develops ‘multi-destination’ product with Cuba

Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe said yesterday that the Christie administration is working with the Cuban government to develop a “multi-destination” travel arrangement with the Bahamas, emphasising he was not concerned about losing stopover visitors to its western neighbour.

Insurers ‘very frustrated’ over VAT uncertainty

A “very frustrated” Bahamian insurance industry is still trying to obtain clarity on Value-Added Tax (VAT) credits just weeks before it must submit those claims, one leading executive warning yesterday: “The clock is ticking.”

Gov’t unveils its CLICO solution

The Government is proposing to “pay out” all CLICO (Bahamas) annuity holders and transfer insurance policyholders to a new company by year-end, Tribune Business can reveal.

Help Ranfurly children go back to school

RANFURLY Home Administrator L Alexander Roberts said he strongly believes “the Bahamian public would never allow the day to come” when the home would have to close its doors due to financial problems.

Ruining our beaches with garbage

CONCERNS are being raised about rubbish left on Cabbage Beach, Paradise Island, by vendors who use the area by Riu Palace Hotel near the public access road to sell goods and rent umbrellas.

Grand Bahama gears up for independence day

THE BUILD-UP to Independence Day celebrations in Grand Bahama start this weekend in various settlements, while the official 42nd Independence celebrations will take place at the Independence Park in Freeport on July 9.

Laing: Follow successful countries on immigration

FORMER State Finance Minister Zhivargo Laing told The Tribune that just as successful countries in the world have benefitted from the influx of progressive and productive immigrants, so can The Bahamas.

Aaron Rolle custody death appeal due to begin today

THE appeal hearing into the Coroner’s Court ruling on Aaron Rolle’s death in police custody as unlawful is expected to begin in the Supreme Court today.

New date for sentencing over schoolboy’s stabbing

A NEW sentencing date has been set for three men involved in an after school scuffle that led to the fatal stabbing of a CV Bethel student.

‘Why the hold up over web shop licences?’

FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest yesterday criticised the government’s decision to extend the transition period for web shops until an unspecified date, adding that it “hampers the ability of the industry to progress and develop in a transparent manner and with certainty”.

Banker: Tourism needs ‘first class’ infrastructure

A top Caribbean banker has warned the Bahamas to ensure its infrastructure remains “first class” for its tourism industry to remain competitive.

Citizen involvement key to transparency

Engaging citizens is vital to promoting greater transparency and curbing corruption, Transparency International’s regional director calling for civic groups to offer solutions rather than merely be seen as “angry activists”.

Drone import controls sparking operator fears

A Cabinet Minister yesterday moved to allay fears among aerial cinematographers and drone operators that the Government’s Customs Management Act amendments would prevent them fulfillimng work orders by preventing equipment imports.

Dozens apprehended in downtown immigration clampdown

IMMIGRATION officers apprehended dozens of people in the downtown area on Tuesday as part of their efforts to clamp down on illegal immigration.

Bahamian author writes Christian romance series

MICHELLE Turnquest’s writing is directly impacted by her spiritual life and personal journey with God.

Sherice Major launches 'IslandBreak' travel app

A CREATIVE risk taker, and sometimes mover and shaker, is how Sherice Major is known to many Bahamians.

BUN IN THE OVEN: Colour blind

IT IS amazing that we live in a world that seems to be so much more tolerant of differences than before. We support causes, lend our time, and sometimes money to bring awareness to a whole slew of causes and coloured flags. We’ve become seemingly accepting of religious and sexual orientation differences for the most part. But have we really?

Local businesswoman promotes beauty and health with medical travel agency

AFTER studying anthropology and working with a Hollywood makeup pioneer in the United States, Leslie Simone Gibson has returned to the Bahamas to launch a medical travel agency.

Hundreds flock to Downtown Yoga Festival

MORE than 300 participants found their way to Pompey Square on Saturday to experience the second Downtown Nassau Yoga Festival, which was dubbed a great success by organisers.

POLITICOLE: The face and future of Bahamian independence

I am my mother’s only child. My mother has only one sister. My mother’s sister has four daughters. They are my sisters. The third is closest in age to me, and is one of my best friends.

Bahamas soccer player meets superstar Ronaldo

AN ordinary Saturday at the beach for 17-year-old Christopher Godet turned unforgettable over the weekend when he met his idol, soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, in the crystal clear waters at Paradise Island.

Dr Rollins’ resignation

The resignation from the PLP of Dr Rollins seems to have brought out further craziness of even qualified attorneys pontificating totally irrationally that Dr Rollins should resign his seat.

Yamacraw FNM and entitlement?

I read with great interest the story in the other daily this past Saturday regarding the FNM Yamacraw nomination and wondered whether a sense of entitlement is involved.

Deafening silence on budget

The commencement of the National Budget Debate in the House of Assembly two weeks ago was met with eager anticipation and reserved anxiety as Bahamians everywhere watched and listened with a hopeful expectancy.

Butler-Turner would give PLP ‘greater run for their money’ than Minnis

FORMER Progressive Liberal Party Cabinet minister George Smith thinks Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner would be bigger competition for the PLP in the next general election than current Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis.

Lawyers claim abuse of process in firearms case

A CANCELLED arraignment for three men and a woman accused of being firearms traffickers drew the ire of their lawyers yesterday who called the move by Crown prosecutors an abuse of process.

When will Americans give up their ‘inalienable rights’ - guns?

“AT some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries. It doesn’t happen in other places with this kind of frequency.

Anger over stalemate in Urban Renewal investigation

PUBLIC Accounts Committee chairman Hubert Chipman said he was “angered” that the PAC remained at a “disgusting” stalemate regarding its probe of Urban Renewal’s operations as he suggested that House Speaker Dr Kendal had prevented the work from progressing.

PLP to hold convention at end of October

THE Progressive Liberal Party will hold its convention this year at the Melia resort during the last week of October, PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts told The Tribune yesterday.

Speaker: I reached a point where enough was enough

HOUSE Speaker Dr Kendal Major moved to clarify comments he made last week in Parliament that insinuated that he wanted to be replaced, saying in that moment he had reached a point where enough was enough.

Baha Mar to be given $21m

THE Christie administration has agreed to pay the $21 million owed to Baha Mar to cover the government’s portion of costs for roadwork associated with the development to assist Baha Mar in its stalled operations and to help pay the thousands of Bahamians currently on the resort’s payroll, The Tribune understands.

Behold the power of water – Part II

LAST week, we took a broad look at a very healing modality – hydrotherapy. This week, we turn all the theory and explanations into practical applications, and perhaps learn why our grandparents adhered to certain home remedies.

SPORTING MISCHIEF & MAYHEM: LeBron - legacy of a loser

FIRST things first - Golden State in 6! I told you so again! “Naughtydamus” lives! Now that we’ve got that important announcement out of the way, let’s get down to this week’s business.

Lady Truckers roll past Wildcats 8-7 in walk-off victory

THE Johnson Lady Truckers needed a lift and Theola Williams-Ferguson came in and was responsible for both the tying and winning runs as they rolled past the Sunshine Auto Wildcats 8-7 in a walk-off victory in the bottom of the eighth inning last night.

Nassau All-Stars are crowned champions

The Bahamas Baseball Federation’s 13th annual Andre Rodgers National Baseball Championships came to an end on Sunday in Grand Bahama with teams from the host Grand Bahama and New Providence splitting up the hardware in the various divisions.

Zonta to train unemployed women through workforce readiness programme

THE Zonta Club of New Providence (ZCNP) is furthering the empowerment of women through its’ second annual Workforce Readiness Programme, where unemployed women will receive job training will culminate with two participants receiving college scholarships.

Considering race/ethnicity and gender today

IN THE wake of the recent church shootings in South Carolina, race is certainly on the radar. The apparent thinking is that the world has moved beyond racism and the inequality that race is used to reinforce.

Dry mouth and oral health

SALIVA is very important to us and impacts the mouth’s health greatly. It is made in salivary glands; some large (major) and some small (minor). Some salivary glands make thick saliva and others watery saliva, and all the saliva comes together to make an ideal consistency.

Call for owners to be forced to fix rundown buildings

A PROMINENT Freeport lawyer is calling on the powers that be to force property owners of dilapidated buildings in the City of Freeport to fix them up or sell them.

Commonwealth education ministers gather for conference

THE 19th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) was opened yesterday by Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald, who outlined the goal of global education practitioners to provide quality education for equitable development in member countries.

Court to hear Keod Smith appeal

COURT of Appeal judges will hear an appeal brought by a lawyer facing contempt of court after he accused a Supreme Court judge of bias.

Campaign finance reform key to anti-corruption, says expert

CAMPAIGN finance reform was yesterday singled out as one of the most important elements for transparent governance by a global anti-corruption network seeking to establish a local chapter in the country.

$2,300 payout for each fire-hit straw market vendor from govt

THE government has agreed to pay $2,300 to each of the 23 straw vendors in George Town, Exuma who were left “devastated” after the market was destroyed by fire in April, according to Deputy Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis.

Freeport findings will be ‘set aside’

An outspoken QC warned that the recommendations on Freeport’s future presented to the Prime Minister yesterday are all “liable to be set aside” via a second Judicial Review action he plans to launch.

Bahamas’ blacklisting is ‘irrelevant and gratuitous’

A former Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) chairman yesterday slammed this nation’s ‘blacklisting’ by the European Union (EU) as “irrelevant” and “gratuitous”, adding that it would have no impact on the industry.

Ex-president tells BREA: ‘Be more accommodating’

An ex-Bahamas Real Estate Association (BREA) president yesterday urged it to be “more accommodating and sensitive”, and focus on growing its membership rather than “pushing people away”.

Ex-Minister wants Chinese currency hub ‘within a year’

A former Financial Services Minister yesterday urged the Government to establish an operational Chinese currency trading platform within 12 months, and not let “a great opportunity pass us by.”

Cuba: Immediate threat to 20% of Bahamas’ visitors

Cuba’s opening will immediately threaten more than 20 per cent of the Bahamas’ stopover visitor market, it has been revealed, amid calls for a ‘tourism trade agreement’ with the US to mitigate the impact of its ‘diplomatic reset’ with Havana.

Abaco man held over ammunition find

A 25-year-old Abaco man was arrested at the Grand Bahama International Airport on Sunday after a large quantity of ammunition was allegedly discovered in his luggage, police reported.

Police ready to host summer camp

THE annual Royal Bahamas Police Force Youth Summer Camp, now in its 22nd year, will start next week under the theme of “Positively Our Youth Today for a Brighter Tomorrow”.

A LIFE OF CRIME: Securing a conviction

THERE were not many suspects when the apple was picked in the Garden of Eden - it was evident who took it - but, over time, crime solving has become anything but simple.

Bahamian prospects in minor league baseball are off to a promising start

SUMMER league baseball is underway and some of the top Bahamian prospects in the minor leagues are off to a promising start with their respective clubs.

Freeport report ‘transformative’

A Government-appointed committee’s recommendations on Freeport’s future will be presented to the Cabinet today, its chairman Dr Marcus Bethel describing the documemt as “transformative” for the city and Grand Bahama as a whole.

Gov’t, private sector slam EU ‘blacklisting’

The Government and private sector have slammed as “highly disappointing” the European Union’s (EU) decision to ‘blacklist’ this nation’s financial services industry, arguing that the move has no merit.

To be good or great

THE train that takes you towards a great life is available only to those willing to do the work. They are the ones who are willing to take the leap, accepting personal responsibility and speaking fearlessly.

Beauty training pays off for sales assistants

FOR two sales associates at Nicole’s Hair World & Beauty Supplies, training has paid off.

Centrobasket - Bahamas set to field pair of Under-17 teams

AFTER the senior men’s and women’s basketball teams performed admirably on the regional stage and qualified for future FIBA events, attention now shifts to the juniors as they look to do the same.

Man with monitoring bracelet shot dead

A 34-year-old man, on bail for a double murder, died after he was shot in the head and upper body late Sunday night off East Street South.

6th ‘Ballin By Da Beach’ Girls Basketball Camp starts today

NOW into its sixth year, one of the country’s only summer basketball camps dedicated solely to girls continues to grow in popularity and stature.

INSIGHT: Chaos in the PLP

For the past two weeks the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has been mired in internal chaos, with two of its members of Parliament abandoning ship in near succession, citing the party’s poor leadership as a main catalyst.

Anglicans happy to pay NHI tax?

According to a recent article published on the front page of the Guardian, Bishop Gomez seems to think so.

Get the right mix

I read both Adrian Gibson’s and “A Concerned FNM” views on who should or should not be candidates for the FNM.

93% is not a failure

When is ninety-three per cent a failing grade? I ask this question because evidently, the critics of the Prime Minister are aggressively seeking to convince the Bahamian public that ninety-three per cent is a failing grade.

Minnis backs Major over decision to let Rollins speak

FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday said House Speaker Dr Kendal Major made the “correct decision” in allowing former PLP MP Dr Andre Rollins make his contribution to the Budget debate last week.

Superstar Ronaldo and son take a Bahamian break

THE WORLD’S best footballer has been in the Bahamas, celebrating his son’s birthday and Father’s Day at the One & Only Ocean Club, Paradise Island.

Web shop transition extended - without a new deadline

THE government has extended the web shop industry’s transition period until an unspecified date, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe confirmed yesterday.

Turnquest slams internal govt probe as ‘sabotage’

THE government’s decision to commission an independent report into Urban Renewal’s Small Homes Repairs project is an attempt to “interfere with” and “sabotage” the work of the Public Accounts Committee, FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest said yesterday.

Mortimer denies DNA is in talks with Rollins

DNA Deputy Leader Chris Mortimer yesterday denied that his party was in discussions with former Progressive Liberal Party MP Dr Andre Rollins to join the Democratic National Alliance before the next general election.

Rollins won’t resign seat despite quitting PLP

FORT Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins has dismissed calls from some in the Progressive Liberal Party to resign from his seat and force a by-election.

Woman dies after car pins her to wall

A 19-year-old mother of one died in hospital after she was hit by a vehicle outside the bar where she worked following a heated argument with a female patron early Saturday morning.

Man found shot dead in bushes on Cox Way

A MAN has been found shot dead in bushes on Cox Way off East Street South, police are reporting.

Books donated to church

URBAN Renewal donated hundreds of books to the Church of God of Prophecy at Palm Tree Avenue and 2nd Street, The Grove, this week in a drive to improve literacy and educational levels in the community.

Laing: Immigration can boost economy

FORMER State Minister for Finance Zhivargo Laing believes that the country should look at its immigration policy as a means of bringing new economic injection in The Bahamas.

A GLIMPSE INTO A LIFE OF PUBLIC SERVICE

AN INSIGHT into the myriad of career opportunities in the public service proved beneficial for students attending the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute’s (BTVI) recent career expo and trade fair.

Track and field community mourning loss of former SC McPherson sprinter Brian Babbs

THE track and field community is mourning the loss of another former athlete.

Bahamas will be well represented at Special Olympics World Games

SPECIAL Olympics Bahamas will be well represented at the Special Olympics World Games - the largest sports and humanitarian event held anywhere in the world in 2015 - scheduled for July 25 to August 2.

DeAndre gets scholarship offers from top colleges

THE suitors continue to line up for the top ranked high school basketball recruit in America, and although we are quite some time away from a final decision, Bahamian centre DeAndre Ayton mulled his first round of scholarship offers.

URCA targets Cable 27% price increase decision in ‘first half’

Regulators aim to release a decision on Cable Bahamas’ bid for a 27 per cent basic TV price increase “within the first half” of 2015, after rejecting the company’s claim they are ‘sitting’ on the application.

Top banker expects new Mortgage Plan in ‘couple of weeks’

JAMAICA - The Bahamas’ high number of delinquent residential mortgages is a “huge concern” for both the Government and commercial banking industry, with CIBC FirstCaribbean’s top regional executive predicting that a revised Mortgage Relief Plan could be unveiled in a few weeks.

Gov’t securities issue 63% oversubscribed

Institutional investors are likely to be left disappointed after the last Bahamas Government Stock (BGS) issue for the 2014-2015 fiscal year was more than 63 per cent oversubscribed.

Judge says ‘no arguable case’ for BREA appeal

A Supreme Court judge has refused to grant the Bahamas Real Estate Association (BREA) leave to appeal her verdict in favour of an ex-Cabinet minister, finding it has “no arguable case”.

‘My $1m investments don’t fit in Bahamas’

An ex-MP whose entire $1 million investment has been endangered by the never-ending wait for Government approvals says: “The system has decided I don’t fit in the Bahamas.”

‘Kimbo Slice’ knocks out legendary Ken Shamrock in 1st round

A fight that was more than six years in the making didn’t last a round as Bahamian born Kevin ‘Kimbo Slice’ Ferguson rebounded from a strangle hold that could have singled the end, by landing a solid right to knock out a bloodied legendary Ken Shamrock for a well-deserved victory.

Bahamas falls to US Virgin Islands 71-65 at CBC

IT was the battle on the boards late in the game that ultimately undid the Bahamas’ chances to repeat as Caribbean Basketball Confederation champions.

Players from defending NBA champions Warriors to be special guests at Jeff Rodgers basketball camp

JEFF Rodgers is excited. His month-long annual summer basketball camp is fast approaching, but this year Rodgers is even more delighted to feature some special guests during the daily sessions 9am to noon Monday to Friday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, starting on June 28.

CIBC regional restructure exercise 75% complete

CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank’s regional restructuring exercise is about 75 per cent through its, its top executive adding that the process was largely complete in the Bahamas.

Gov’t, private sector slam EU ‘blacklisting’

The Government and private sector have slammed as “highly disappointing” the European Union’s (EU) decision to ‘blacklist’ this nation’s financial services industry, arguing that the move has no merit.

Male passenger, 61, dies after Grand Bahama crash

A 61-year-old man of Hanna Hill, Eight Mile Rock, has died from injuries suffered in a traffic accident on Warren Levarity Highway on Saturday, Grand Bahama Police are reporting.

Two men arrested after woman abducted

Two men have been arrested after a woman was abducted early on Sunday morning.

Police seek wanted man and missing girl, 17

POLICE are seeking the public’s help in locating two people - a man wanted for firearms trafficking and a 17-year-old girl who has been reported missing by her family for 17 days.

Woman struck by vehicle following bar row dies

AN ARGUMENT involving several people at a Gladstone Road bar in Nassau early today resulted in the death of a woman and a man in serious condition in hospital, police are reporting.

FNM interviewing hopefuls for 2017 election

THE Free National Movement (FNM) has begun interviewing hopefuls for a place on the party's general election ticket in 2017, chairman Michael Pintard said on Friday.

Mould contamination in police stations 'still not addressed by government'

THERE has been no success in trying to get the government to address reported mould contamination in police stations across New Providence, Police Staff Association (PSA) Chairman Dwight Smith said yesterday.

Mitchell denies new immigration policies are xenophobic

IMMIGRATION Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday denied that new policies of the Immigration Department and Ministry are xenophobic.

Grand Lucayan Resort plans to reopen Lighthouse Pointe property

FOLLOWING a successful year, the Grand Lucayan Resort plans to refurbish and reopen the 200-room Lighthouse Pointe property, expanding its total room inventory to over 700. It is expected to be back in operation by the end of the year.

Law enforcement officers 'insulted' by lack of consultation on NHI

THE chair of the Police Staff Association (PSA) yesterday criticised the government for not including the organisation in initial discussions surrounding the implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI), adding that the various associations representing law enforcement officers in the country felt "insulted" and "disrespected" by a lack of consultation.

VIDEO: Peter Nygard ordered to return to court in September

PETER Nygard, the Canadian fashion mogul, has been ordered to return to court in September for the continuation of proceedings against him concerning his alleged contempt of court.

Top law firm to represent teacher in appeal against sexual assault conviction

A TEACHER'S appeal against a jury’s finding that he had unnatural sexual intercourse with an underaged male student will be argued by a top law firm.

PLP Fort Charlotte branch: Party must not be distracted by anyone's ego

THE Fort Charlotte branch of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has called for an end to the denigration and mockery of the party resulting from anyone’s ego, personality or selfishness.

Sears stays silent on Fort Charlotte return

FORMER Fort Charlotte MP Alfred Sears was tight-lipped yesterday about his future in the constituency amid calls for him to return as Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) representative for the area after Dr Andre Rollins' resigned from the party.

Ministry confirms nurse suspended over ambulance at prom

THE MINISTRY of Health has confirmed that a public nurse has also been suspended in connection with the use of a government ambulance at a high school prom in Abaco earlier this month.

No Freedom Farm, but Andre Rodgers National Baseball Championship off to a flyer

ALTHOUGH Freedom Farm opted not to travel to Grand Bahama this year, the Bahamas Baseball Federation's (BBF) 13th annual Andre Rodgers National Baseball Championship got off to a great start on Thursday.

Businessman doubts minimum wage hike will impact unemployment

LEADING businessman Dionisio D'Aguilar yesterday said he remained unconvinced that the government's 40 per cent minimum wage hike, while politically popular, will have much impact on the status quo of anemic economic growth and stark unemployment.

Time for a Bahamas Republic

Amidst all of the political shenanigans, trickery and exploitation of an uneducated and unassuming, electorate, the system has been used to keep the black Bahamians poor, controlled and out of the loop. Now many, especially all those who are guilty of this, would ridicule the messenger, but be that as it may. Call me anything, but don’t call me collect!

Priest jailed in Bahamas cruise sex abuse case

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - A former Roman Catholic priest was sentenced on Thursday to 11 years in prison for taking a teenage boy on a cruise ship vacation to the Bahamas with the intent to engage in illegal sexual conduct.

New Urban Renewal report commissioned as doubt cast on auditor general’s work

THE government has commissioned an independent report into Urban Renewal’s Small Homes Repairs project, according to Minister of Works Philip “Brave” Davis.

Minnis blasts govt for shorter Budget debate

FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis accused Prime Minister Perry Christie and senior members of his Cabinet of putting party politics over the good of the nation when they cut the budget debate short in what he saw as an apparent attempt to silence Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins.

‘I won’t join the FNM’

NEWLY independent Fort Charlotte MP Andre Rollins will not make any sudden moves to join the Free National Movement as the dust settles on his explosive resignation from the governing party.

PM: Baha Mar impasse may mean staff can’t be paid

PRIME Minister Perry Christie acknowledged yesterday that the continuing impasse at Baha Mar could result in the resort eventually lacking the capacity to pay the thousands of people currently on its payroll.

Rollins told to quit seat

PLP trustee Valentine Grimes yesterday challenged Dr Andre Rollins to resign from his Fort Charlotte seat and allow the constituents “to choose the representative they deserve”.

Freedom of Information legislation ‘not a quick process’

THE implementation of the government’s Freedom of Information legislation will “not be a quick process,” State Minister of Legal Affairs Damian Gomez said yesterday, adding that the government anticipates incurring “significant costs” to implement it.

Attorney General waiting for documents in BEC bribe probe

The Office of the Attorney General is awaiting “certified copies of certain documents” before deciding the next course of action in its investigation into the Bahamas Electricity Corporation bribery claims, State Minister of Legal Affairs Damian Gomez said yesterday.

Marco City PLP branch says Greg Moss was not their first choice

THE Progressive Liberal Party’s Marco City Branch is “happy” that area representative Greg Moss resigned from the party, adding that he was not the group’s first choice for a candidate.

PM defends integrity against Rollins claims

PRIME Minister Perry Christie defended his integrity yesterday against Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins’ recent attacks, but also highlighted the dentist’s resignation from the governing party as a symbol of this country’s “dynamic democracy.”

Wells: I would not have stayed with PLP if I had been in Rollins’ position

ALTHOUGH he opted to stick by the decision he made to remain in the Progressive Liberal Party, Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells said he would have acted no differently if placed in the same position as his fellow MP Dr Andre Rollins.

Miller feared Speaker was ready to quit amid row

TALL Pines MP Leslie Miller said he believes the “volatile” actions of Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins were birthed from his frustrations of being backed into a corner, unable to have an influence on the country’s development.

Parishioners celebrate priest’s anniversary

PARISHIONERS from all walks of life, and friends from abroad, filled to overflowing St Anselm’s Catholic Church earlier this month to celebrate with Monsignor Preston Moss his 50th anniversary of ordination to the Catholic priesthood. The parish church, nestled in the heart of Fox Hill, was also celebrating its 80th year.

A heavenly night with music stars

“TONIGHT is all about the classics and singing in Paradise,” Lady Gaga told an almost sold-out Imperial Ballroom at Atlantis on Saturday evening.

Davis hopes future Speakers won’t follow Major’s lead

DEPUTY Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said he hopes future Speakers of the House of Assembly won’t follow the precedent Dr Kendal Major set when he allowed Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins speak in Parliament Wednesday night.

Bimini developer targets 150,000 visitors by 2016

JAMAICA- RESORTS World Bimini’s president yesterday said the development was expecting to attract between 125,000-150,000 visitors next year, benefiting from its parent’s North American strategy to capitalise on the ‘explosion’ of Asian visitors over the next four to five years.

TUC ‘emphatic’ in $210 minimum wage opposition

A leading trade union body yesterday said it “emphatically” disagreed with the new $210 weekly wage, arguing that it was sticking up for non-unionised Bahamian workers.

Skills worry over $732m Agency ‘3 months away’

The Government’s Central Revenue Administration (CRA) has hired 75 per cent of its target staff, and anticipates being operational in “less than three months”, amid concerns over whether all its recruits have the necessary tax enforcement skills.

It came to an uphill sprint . . .

THE New Providence Cycling Association hosted its pre-Independence Cycling Series over the weekend.

‘All he has to do is stay humble’

As the pacesetter, winning two NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, Mychal ‘Sweet Bells’ Thompson said he knew it would have only been a matter of time before his son, Klay Thompson, would be a champion as well on the biggest stage in the game today.

THE FINISH LINE: Women’s basketball takes a quantum leap with title win

The Bahamas Basketball Federation has seen the resurgence of the women’s basketball programme, which took a quantum leap by winning the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Nygard risks jail if he does not face court

FASHION designer Peter Nygard risks jail if he does not appear for today’s hearing seeking his committal to prison for alleged contempt of court.

Revenge is sweet - Undefeated Bahamas beats Antigua & Barbuda 69-61 to advance to semis

THE latest chapter in the rivalry with Antigua and Barbuda went to the Bahamas as they continued their undefeated streak at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships.

Jeffery Gibson is the man to watch this year in 400m hurdles

THERE has been a lot said about the performances of the Bahamas quarter-milers this year, but Jeffery Gibson is slowly building up his reputation as a competitor to watch this year on the international scene in the men’s 400 metre hurdles.

Judge reserves decision in BAMSI arson case

A JUDGE has reserved his decision on whether the indictment against a man accused of setting fire to a dormitory at the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Sciences Institute should be squashed.

Contractors Bill: Industry has ‘no idea’ on its fate

Bahamian contractors yesterday said they have “no idea” what the Government intends to do about proposed legislation to regulate their industry, after making all the changes requested.

Cable slams URCA on ‘languishing’ 27% TV price increase

Cable Bahamas’ chairman has accused the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) of allowing its application for a 27 per cent basic pay-TV price increase to “languish with no end in sight”.

Sports notes

THE Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations has announced that the final registration for the Open National Championships is today.

BPSU chief wanted $250 minimum wage

A trade union leader yesterday praised the increased $210 private sector minimum wage proposal as “a good start”, while admitting he would have preferred $250 per week.

CIBC eyes retail ‘footprint’ growth

JAMAICA - CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank plans to expand its retail footprint in the Bahamas its top regional executive yesterday describing this nation as “incredibly important” to its banking operations.

Gov’t ‘stretched’ to manage FDI projects

JAMAICA- The Government is “stretched” in its capacity to manage major foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, the Prime Minister’s senior policy advisor has conceded.

A stronger Bahamas – A Father’s Day message

THE strength of our country must not and cannot be measured in the erection of buildings, advances in technology or in political manoeuvres. Its very foundation must be the hard core strength in relationship. This relationship must have its genesis in the family.

MEDITATION: Fathers and Children

IT IS such a wonderful thing to see a loving father with his children. Every child who has a sensitive, caring, approachable and available father is truly blessed.

Canon Peter Scott to celebrate 30 years as an Anglican priest

ON June 28, the family of the Holy Spirit Anglican Church, Chippingham, as well as many others from across the diocese will gather to celebrate with Canon Peter AG Scott his 30th anniversary of ordination to the sacred priesthood.

Remembering Charles Zonicle on Father’s Day

FATHER’S Day will be bittersweet for the family of Charles Zonicle, who will continue to mourn his death and reflect on the fond memories they shared while he was alive.

Baptist Youth Convention aims for spiritual revival with Summer Fest

UNDER the theme “The SHIFT is on – Acts 2 and Joel 2”, the Bahamas National Baptist Youth Convention will play host to Summer Fest: Reloaded 2015.

Anglican Church Men host historic conference

THE Anglican Church Men in the Diocese of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands held their 42nd ACM conference last month on the island of Providenciales.

YOUNG MAN'S VIEW: Rebranding the FNM

OVER the last two weeks, there has been open jockeying for nominations in the Free National Movement, particularly among members of the old guard who have decided to voice their desires to run again in the mainstream press and on social media.

Armed robbery ring cracked, says police commissioner

POLICE made two major ammunition and weapons busts this month as the result of a new operation and cracked a major armed robbery ring this week, Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade said yesterday.

Of political parties, budgets and inadequate debate

Although this gentleman, Prof Tinker, did not appear on any of The Tribune media he made a significant contribution to a morning radio show.

A plan for development

So we are told we will have a National Development Plan - I immediately wonder who is qualified will draft this? Ministry of Investment says: The People!

Does the Bahamas have special laws for those in authority?

RELIEVED that his political colleagues had let him off the hook, MICAL MP V Alfred Gray declared in his defence that he would never break the law knowingly.

Rubis seeking meeting amid oil leak fears

GORDON Craig, managing director of Rubis (Bahamas), said his company is seeking a “much needed” meeting with environmental officials and representatives from the Sandyport Development Company (SDC) as they “work to communicate the exact extent” of the feared Sandyport service station fuel leak.

CLICO policyholders stage protest

BISHOP Simeon Hall yesterday led dozens of CLICO (Bahamas) policyholders in a march to Parliament in an attempt to urge the government not to forget its promises to assist the thousands of people who lost millions of dollars when the company collapsed.

BEC bribe probe out of Greenslade’s hands

POLICE Commissioner Ellison Greenslade yesterday said the investigation into the Bahamas Electricity Corporation bribery claims is “totally out of my hands” but added that a senior assistant commissioner of police is investigating the matter with the Office of the Attorney General.

PM repeats commitment to failed mortgage relief plan

PRIME Minister Perry Christie said his government is still committed to its once failed mortgage relief programme, revealing yesterday that he received a major communication from a clearing bank that puts his administration at “a major stage” in the initiative.

PM: ‘encouraging’ news on Baha Mar

PRIME Minister Perry Christie last night said he received “encouraging” news about a possible impending resolution to the Baha Mar deadlock.

Two staff now suspended over prom use of ambulance

TWO Public Hospitals Authority employees have been suspended for 10 days after allowing a teenage girl to use a government ambulance for her prom entrance in Abaco last Friday.

Minnis tells PM to be a man and bring equality referendum

FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday castigated Prime Minister Perry Christie, saying he needed to “be a man” and do his job in passing the four bills in the House of Assembly which are needed to advance the referendum to amend the country’s Constitution.

Govt seeks to raise minimum wage to $210

THE government will raise the national minimum wage to $210 per week following months of research and negotiations on the topic, Labour and National Insurance Minister Shane Gibson announced in the House of Assembly yesterday.

ROLLINS QUITS THE PLP

FORT Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins quit the Progressive Liberal Party last night, explaining that it was obvious he was no longer wanted in the party after government members made several attempts to block him from contributing to the budget debate in the House of Assembly. Dr Rollins said that while he had had no prior intention yesterday of resigning from the party last night, he “would be a fool” to call himself a PLP after the “way I was treated in here tonight”.

Bahamas ‘unfairly dumped on’ with EU blacklisting

The Bahamas was yesterday “dumped on” through its inclusion on another so-called financial services ‘blacklist’, although an ex-Attorney General and others suggested the development should be taken “with a big grain of salt”.

Bahamas tops Caribbean for LA, Houston tourists

The Bahamas is the most sought-after Caribbean destination among US west coast and central markets for a leading travel website’s clients, with this nation urged to “tell the story” of its individual islands and create an ‘urgency’ to visit.

Salary pressure ‘risk’ via minimum wage increase

Higher-paid Bahamian workers were yesterday warned not to expect, or push for, an automatic pay increase now that the minimum wage is being raised by 40 per cent to $210 per week.

Klay and Mychel Thompson become first pair of brothers to win NBA title and D-League championship in same season

THE Golden State Warriors are the 2015 NBA Champions thanks in large part to the contributions from the “Splash Brothers” but there is another fraternal relationship that took centre stage after this prestigious feat.

It’s official - Todd Isaacs Jr joins Indians in MLB

Less than a week after he was drafted for the second time into Major League Baseball, Bahamian outfielder Todd Isaacs Jr made his entrance into the MLB official when he signed his contract with the Cleveland Indians.

Team Bahamas tops Suriname 72-57 at the CBC

THREE games and three blowout wins thus far for the Bahamas’ senior men’s national basketball team as they continue to dominate regional competition at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships.

Ragged Island plans for homecoming

THE Ragged Island Cultural & Heritage Association (RICHA) has announced plans for its second annual homecoming in July in Duncan Town, Ragged Island.

Students learn table etiquette

LAST week 80 students from D W Davis Jr High School learned the principles of table etiquette at Sandals Royal Bahamian.

Lyford Cay students’ graduation celebrated

THE Lyford Cay International School (LCIS) hosted the graduation ceremony for the school’s 10th graduating class on June 10 at the Meliá Nassau Beach hotel.

DNA: Govt must help ensure Baha Mar success

DNA Leader Branville McCartney yesterday urged the government to play a “more active and collaborative role” in ensuring the success of the Baha Mar mega-resort, adding that any further delays could have negative implications for the country’s reputation and workforce.

Web shop pays out $50,000 to local winner

IN keeping with the slogan “Everybody wins,” FML Web Café was pleased to recently present a local winner with a $50,000 cheque.

Plans unveiled to regulate fly fishing

AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister V Alfred Gray revealed the government’s plans to regulate the country’s sport fishing industry with the aim to give local guides exclusivity in the area.

Man faces retrial for attempted murder

A MAN will be retried on three attempted murder charges after Court of Appeal judges yesterday quashed his directed acquittal.

Catholic call on climate change

CATHOLIC bishops from around the region have joined the movement to circumvent climate change and urged its membership to advocate for a universal climate agreement.

Family needs support for baby with rare birth defect

EIGHTEEN–month-old Feliah Demi Dean was born with a rare birth defect and needs costly corrective surgery as it has left her with an abnormal nose.

‘Double-edged sword’ to FNM’s VAT exempt plan

The FNM leader was yesterday warned that exempting ‘breadbasket’ items and utility bills from Value-Added Tax (VAT) was “a double edged sword” that would raise the tax burden for vulnerable Bahamians.

Manslaughter sentence reduced over time served

A CONVICT had his 18-year sentence for manslaughter reduced by the Court of Appeal yesterday.

CIBC chief ‘satisfied’ KYC policy followed

JAMAICA - CIBC FirstCaribbean’s top regional executive yesterday said he was “reasonably satisfied” that the necessary Know Your Customer (KYC) policies were in place and being followed, even though a disgraced FIFA official hid nearly $1 million from the US tax authorities in a Bahamian account.

SAC volleyball standout signs letter of intent for full scholarship at University of North Carolina

ST Augustine’s College Big Red Machine volleyball standout Jannelle Curtiss signed her letter of intent for a full scholarship at the University of North Carolina - Charlotte yesterday during a press conference at the Holy Cross Anglican Church.

Battle 4 Atlantis: ‘Tum Tum’ Nairn and Spartans good to go

ALREADY touted as one of the top early season tournaments in NCAA basketball, early reports indicate the Battle 4 Atlantis has scored another stacked field for 2016.

‘Realistically, being a professional athlete, it’s all about the money’

AS he continues to make his way in his career as the country’s first professional volleyball player, Byron Ferguson has his sights set on bringing greater awareness to a path to the pro ranks for Bahamians.

Questions put to Jerome Fitzgerald still to be answered

FOR THE first time this year, we tuned in to the Parliamentary Channel and gave up Monday morning to listen to the time wasting political chatter.

Bahamas polishes off Guyana in huge 89-69 victory at CBC

MAKE it two in a row for the Bahamas men’s national basketball team at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation 2015 Men’s Championships.

TOUGH CALL: Deadlock at Baha Mar

THE Baha Mar resort has been in the works so long that it is easy to forget the way we felt about this massive development at different points along its ponderous trajectory.

Court seizes $38,000 from American

A MAGISTRATE yesterday seized more than $38,000 from an American man who lied to authorities about the amount of money in his possession before his scheduled return to the United States.

Bahamasair moves to replace aging fleet

BAHAMASAIR Chairman Valentine Grimes yesterday said the airline’s move to replace its aging Dash 8-300 fleet with five new Avions de Transport Régional (ATR) planes was made as a part of recent a cost-cutting initiative to boost “frequency, reliability and cost efficiency”.

Music star Jack Johnson helps to spread word about plastic pollution

THE Island School hosted the SEA Change Youth Summit with musician Jack Johnson and the 5 Gyres organisation lto raise awareness about the impact of plastic pollution in the ocean and to inspire young students to be advocates for change.

Haitian shot during raid now in detention

THE Haitian shot by a police officer during a round up in Eleuthera last week is being held at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, prompting fears that he will be deported without trial.

CLICO policyholders to march on Parliament

HUNDREDS of CLICO (Bahamas) policyholders are expected to march to Parliament this morning to protest the government’s “lack of action” in assisting thousands of people who lost millions of dollars when the company collapsed.

Watson: Party won’t be rocked by bribe probe

THE Free National Movement will not be negatively affected by the revelation of the identity of the former Bahamas Electricity Corporation official who is alleged to have taken bribes between 1999 and 2001, former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson said yesterday.

Butler-Turner: PLP unrest a sign of poor leadership

PRIME Minister Perry Christie’s poor leadership has been reflected in the actions of his members of Parliament who joined the PLP on the unfulfilled promise that they would play an integral role in leading this country, according to Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner yesterday.

Attorney: ‘Solve FNM leadership issues at convention’

A NOTED attorney yesterday confirmed “leadership issues” within the Free National Movement as he expressed hope that another convention will be held by the end of the year to put an end to the party’s internal struggles.

Claim of crack in fuel line at Sandyport

OFFICIALS from the Sandyport Development Company yesterday insisted that a crack in the bulkhead of a Rubis (Bahamas) fuel line positioned at the rear-eastern side of the Sandyport marina was the source of a feared fuel leak first reported last week.

New hearing date for men accused of robbing Deputy PM

A NEW status hearing date has been set for three men who might stand trial in a month’s time accused of the armed robbery of Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.

SAVE OUR SUMMER

ENVIRONMENTAL group Save The Bays is calling its inaugural “Save Our Summer” event a big success, with turnout exceeding expectations and much-needed funds raised to support the organisation’s diverse range of programmes and initiatives.

Sister city deal to benefit Cat Island

THE signed Sister City agreement in Cat Island is the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship that will foster cultural, educational, tourism and commercial exchanges with Richton Park, Illinois.

Politicians ‘using police as scapegoat’

FORMER Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Thompson yesterday criticised previous comments by Prime Minister Perry Christie referring to a “division” between the country’s armed forces.

ZNS outage in Family Islands

CABLE subscribers in the Family Islands were last night left without access to ZNS due to an outage.

$2.4M DEAL TO SEE STONED CRAB RESTAURANT REOPENED

THE old Stoned Crab Restaurant property on Taino Beach has been purchased and will be restored to its former glory through a capital investment of $2.4m.

Reviving ‘the art of sculling’

THE Grand Bahama Regatta committee is on a mission to revive the Grand Bahama Regatta. Coincidentally, this goes hand in hand with the Bahamian Brewery and Beverage’s mission to revive the art of sculling in The Bahamas. As a result, the Brewery recently donated a cheque to the committee to assist with putting on this year’s regatta.

Bahamian baseball legend Mario Ford to host 28th annual summer camp at Windsor Park

BAHAMIAN baseball legend Mario Ford is set to host his 28th annual summer baseball camp at Windsor Park, Nassau, on June 29.

Mitchell unconcerned about effect of citizenship changes in Dominican Republic on the Bahamas

IMMIGRATION Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday shrugged off concerns that immigration challenges between the Dominican Republic and Haiti could lead to an increase in illegal immigration to the Bahamas.

FNM celebrates Janet Bostwick’s anniversary

JANET Bostwick, who, in June 1982, became the first woman elected to the House of Assembly, has been honoured for her dedicated service to the Free National Movement and to the Bahamian people.

Bahamas Democracy Party seeks to win seats in 2017

A GROUP of concerned citizens has formed a new political party – the Bahamas Democracy Party – with plans to run several candidates in the next general election.

Opposition fearing ‘major repercussions’ on FATCA Bill delay

The Opposition yesterday said it was “very, very concerned” that the Bahamas had yet to pass legislation giving effect to its tax information exchange commitments with the US, and warned this could have “serious repercussions” if not addressed soon.

Hundreds of ‘Basketball Smiles’ in camp’s 16th year

COACH Sam Nichols and his coaching staff are back in town for their 16th annual Basketball Smiles basketball camp.

Agent ‘comfortable’ $52m Gov’t debt fully subscribed

The placement agent for the latest $52 million Bahamas Government Stock (BGS) issue yesterday said it was “comfortable” based on market signals that it will be fully subscribed.

BOB’s ‘problems much bigger’ than Resolve bail out

Bank of the Bahamas’ continued quarterly losses show it has “much bigger problems” than the $100 million in ‘bad’ loans already removed from its balance sheet, the Opposition’s deputy leader said yesterday.

Disgraced FIFA boss stashed $1m at CIBC Bahamas

A disgraced senior FIFA official has agreed to forfeit 50 per cent of the $1 million he had stashed away in a secret CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) account, court documents have revealed.

Contractors seek Gov’t Baha Mar ‘intervention’

The Bahamian Contractors Association’s (BCA) president yesterday urged the Government to intervene on behalf of local companies who are owed millions of dollars for work on the Baha Mar project, describing it as “a major issue” with significant economic and social repercussions.

Equality referendum ‘will probably not happen’

LONG Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner criticised the government for once again “neglecting the constitutional referendum”, which she says probably will not happen under this Christie administration.

Softball in limbo as games cancelled due to ‘no lighting’

THE Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex became the latest sporting facility to be hit by thieves stealing copper as the New Providence Softball Association’s regular season games had to be called off last night because of “no lighting.”

McCartney: ‘I’m still trying to get more linebacker reps and go after that spot’

NOW one of the veteran leaders on the defending Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders, special-teams ace Bahamian Karl McCartney reflected on his time with the club thus far and his plans for the immediate future.

Minister awaits report over Sandyport ‘leak’

A Cabinet Minister said yesterday he is expecting in “short order” to receive a full report on the reported fuel leak at Sandyport’s canal, adding that there were several potential sources for the spill.

Sports Notes

THE Brajaxba Tennis Beat The Heat Tournament was held at the Winton Tennis Centre over the weekend.

Gov’t receives 40-50 self-energy responses

The Government has received between 40-50 registration applications to-date for its residential energy self-generation (RESG) programme, a Cabinet minister noting that the Family Island response had been tepid.

Wellness challenge participants reclaim their health

FIVE Bahamians were able to jump-start their journey to reclaiming their health in an eight-week wellness programme.

Health coach aims to break taboo surrounding painful skin disease

HIDRADENITIS Suppurativa is the name of a chronic skin disease that is not well known and only rarely diagnosed, even though many suffer from it.

Celebrated inequalities of the pleasure industry

THE Bahamas is a place that was once dominated by colonial powers who used it to furnish their needs and desires. Our bodies were theirs and our souls, supposedly unsaved, because we were deemed not to have souls.

Move! Get out of your own way!

THE first step of any effective life strategy must be to move. Moving, in my view, is the undercurrent of all of life itself. Nothing stays the same. Everything moves.

BUN IN THE OVEN: Top things not to say or do to a pregnant woman

EVERYONE knows that pregnant women can be a bit touchy, but in their defence, they do have a very good reason – pregnancy hormones. For some, those pesky hormones make you feel like a 15-year-old adolescent, up and down just like a roller coaster.

Monique Hinsey makes her mark on education

THIS July 1, a one-day student success seminar will promote the successful completion of high school and the immediate transition to college, all spearheaded by Bahamian entrepreneur Monique Hinsey.

Conference seeks to endow women with purpose

FOR some women it is not enough to excel in their careers, family life, relationships and civic duties. They are not satisfied until they determine their precise purpose in life.

POLITICOLE: The Bahamas was never for Bahamians

MORE than 700 years ago, a “peaceful” people inhabited these islands we now call home.

Marching to his own tune

There will be no argument from me, whether Candia Dames is good at what she does.

Don’t worry about the differences

The public need not be concerned about the reported differences, that may exist between our law enforcement agencies. It is nothing new to law enforcement.

No more free pass for Rubis

Were I an executive of Rubis Bahamas, I would be quite happy today, all things considered.

Sears ‘available’ to run if chosen by the PLP

WHILE the Progressive Liberal Party regretted its decision of having nominated Dr Andre Rollins in the Fort Charlotte constituency, former area MP Alfred Sears yesterday said he is “available” and willing to return to party politics “in any way the party wishes”.

Only four granted bail in most serious cases this year

STATE Minister of Legal Affairs Damian Gomez yesterday declared the government’s Swift Justice programme to be a success, pointing to the number of bail applications granted to accused charged with murder this year as proof.

Nottage refuses to answer on equality referendum

DESPITE the nation’s leader previously stating that the proposed constitutional referendum on gender equality may take place this month, National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage yesterday refused to answer when asked for an update on the proposed referendum’s timeline.

Turnquest rules out bid while Bethel keen to seek election

FORMER National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest yesterday said he had “no intention” of throwing his hat into the ring for the 2017 general election as two other former Cabinet ministers from the Ingraham-led administration expressed interest in returning to frontline politics.

Gomez challenges Moss to prove claims of tax flaws

CENTRAL and South Eleuthera MP Damian Gomez expressed disappointment in Marco City MP Greg Moss during his budget contribution in the House of Assembly yesterday as he urged the outspoken parliamentarian to produce evidence proving that the government’s tax reform strategies are flawed.

Employee is suspended as ambulance is used for prom

THE Public Hospitals Authority yesterday condemned the use of a government ambulance by a teenage girl for her prom entrance in Abaco last Friday.

Wells’ future in PLP unclear

BAMBOO Town MP Renward Wells yesterday told reporters that he contemplated resigning from the Progressive Liberal Party as recently as last week while insisting that “all things were possible” regarding whether he would quit the party ahead of the 2017 general election.

Call for independent probe amid Rubis spill fears

OFFICIALS of the environmental advocacy group Save the Bays yesterday called for an independent investigation into reports of a feared fuel leak from the Rubis (Bahamas) service station in the Sandyport Olde Town Mall.

Man, 47, dies in Long Island traffic accident

POLICE in Long Island and officers from the Traffic Department, New Providence, are investigating the circumstances surrounding an accident in Deadman’s Cay on Sunday night that has left a 47-year-old male resident dead.

Behold the power of water – Part I

OVER the past few weeks we have been looking at the various treatment modalities that naturopathic medical doctors use to promote healing.

LIFE OF CRIME: Serial killers - Is a new breed of assassins lurking on the streets of the Bahamas?

A SERIAL killer holds a worldwide fascination, nicknames like “The Ripper” have entered cultural folklore and they have made many fictional writers famous.

Developer was ‘under siege’ on title defects

An Eleuthera resort developer was left “under siege” after title defects prevented its project from moving forward for four-and-a-half years and threatened valuable investment incentives granted by the Government.

Financial industry fears FATCA start with no legislation

The Bahamian financial industry is concerned it will have to start reporting information for the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) without the necessary legislation being in place, Tribune Business can reveal.

Wilson: Mortgage Relief objectives being achieved

A leading businessman yesterday urged critics to “stop harping on” about the Government’s failure to-date to deliver a viable Mortgage Relief Plan, arguing that several of its key objectives had already been achieved.

Cable to expand shareholder base via 3:1 stock split

Cable Bahamas yesterday said its proposed ‘three-for-one’ share split was “a great opportunity” for individual Bahamian investors to “get in on the ground floor”, and benefit from potential upside prospects such as this nation’s second mobile licence.

New Oriental closes location on ‘double digit’ sales decline

New Oriental Cleaners yesterday told Tribune Business that a “double digit” sales decline had forced it to close its Shirley Street/Okra Hill location, although no jobs will be lost.

60 complete jobs training programme

SIXTY young people enrolled in the Fresh Start Programme in Grand Bahama completed a 15-week training course and are now equipped with skills to enter the job market.

After $10m oil clean-up pledge, why is Clifton still polluted?

NEARLY six months after the government announced it would spend $10m on oil spill remediation efforts, petrochemical pollution remains a serious threat to the sensitive marine environment throughout The Bahamas, but particularly at Clifton Bay, environmentalists say.

Government denies cut in health insurance benefits

THE government yesterday denied claims that it was seeking to reduce health insurance benefits for public sector employees in the lead up to National Health Insurance, adding that it will consult with “representatives of the various public sector unions” should any adjustments occur.

100 years of influencing lives celebrated by Girl Guides

THE Bahamas Girl Guides Association has announced the names of those being honoured at their “One Hundred Years of Influencing Lives” centennial celebration as the organisation’s leaders call for a “new outlook” to ensure the proper development of the nation’s young girls.

Men’s oral health

CNN reported last week that 80 per cent of American men can remember all the details of their first car, but could not recall their last medical checkup. This is a very interesting finding.

‘We have a number of qualifiers’ for Jr Pan Am, World Youths

The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations hosted its second national championships in two weeks, this time for the juniors, at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium over the weekend.

Bahamas routs Bermuda 57-38 in CBC opener

DESPITE a relatively new supporting cast, the defending champions staked their claim as early favourites at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships.

SPORTING MISCHIEF & MAYHEM: A legend lost - RIP Dusty Rhodes

GROWING up in the Bahamas there was a Saturday fixture at noon. Championship Wrestling from Florida, with host Gordon Solie.

National teams named for Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships

THE Bahamas Golf Federation has released the names of players who have been selected to represent the Bahamas at both the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships and the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships.

Wells: Contractor’s Bill would stop BAMSI woe

THE Government was yesterday urged to move “with haste” to bring the long-awaited Contractor’s Bill to Parliament, with one MP it describing it as a “panacea” for many of the industry’s ills.

New hearing date for John Bull raid appeal

A NEW hearing date has been set for a man contesting his conviction for conspiring to rob a John Bull retail store.

Attempted murder sentencing delayed in lawyer’s absence

A MAN facing up to life imprisonment for double attempted murder during a late night home invasion had his sentence delayed by a week due to a miscommunication.

MP urges revised pension legislation

BAMBOO Town MP Renward Wells yesterday reiterated calls for the Government to enact legislation regulating the pensions industry, arguing that retirement savings plans must be contributory with employees able to transfer them between jobs.

Attorney General’s office fails to show up for Aaron Rolle unlawful death appeal

CROWN prosecutors were no shows for a scheduled hearing on Monday concerning an appeal of the Coroner Court’s ruling on Aaron Rolle’s death in police custody as unlawful.

Police name man shot dead on Grand Bahama

GRAND Bahama police officially released the identity of the man shot and killed last week on the island as Antonio Williams, aka “Babes”, of No 7 Bass Lane.

Charlton sets new national record in 100m hurdles

SEVERAL Bahamian student athletes closed out their collegiate seasons at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships highlighted by All-American finishes and a new national record.

INSIGHT: The good, the bad and the ugly - A dangerous mix of tourism and crime

For generations the relationship between country's leaders and its inhabitants have straddled a Cartesian dualism, in a sense that both politician and voter interact within a single socio-economic reality from competing foundations.

Time for a convention

THE FNM Chairman is quoted as making the above statement in responding to Mr Frank Watson.

Too much to pay

Valet parking at hotels.....surely $16.75 is ridiculous?

But the PLP are really transparent

Just look at the statesmanship, openness and concern for spending the public’s tax dollars by presenting the Auditor General’s Report on the former government’s Jobs Programme so we know what’s going wrong. Or should I say, what “went” wrong.

PAC teeth surgically extracted

What’s going on in this country? Slowly but surely we are being stripped of every form of decency, integrity, law and order.

American held after failure to declare $30,000

AN American man from Michigan is in police custody for failing to declare nearly $30,000 in cash while at the airport on Saturday.

VIDEO: Resort told arrested union leader ‘not to interfere’

NICOLE Martin, the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) president who was arrested on Friday after she and union members attempted to attend a management and staff meeting at the One & Only Ocean Club, Paradise Island, had been told not to interfere by resort management and employee union members.

Power problems at BEC as board is ‘ignored’

RESIDENTS across New Providence can expect load shedding this week as the Bahamas Electricity Corporation grapples with power generation issues, according Executive Chairman Leslie Miller.

Moss quitting a ‘relief’ - and Rollins may follow

THE Progressive Liberal Party should be “relieved” at Marco City MP Greg Moss’ resignation, said former PLP Cabinet minister George Smith, adding that the controversial backbencher had been “out of sync” with the party on many issues.

No word on date for equality referendum

CONSTITUTIONAL Commission Chairman Sean McWeeney said he has not been given any indication of when the proposed referendum on gender equality might be held despite the committee being “just about finished” with its public education campaign and Family Island consultations.

Will Wells stay or go? He says watch his speech

BAMBOO Town MP Renward Wells would not comment yesterday on whether he plans to resign from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) but urged the public to pay attention to his speech in the House of Assembly today.

Report on Carnival ‘soon’, says Major

ALTHOUGH it is well past the 21-day self-imposed deadline Bahamas National Festival Commission Chairman Paul Major gave for the release of Junkanoo Carnival revenue and economic impact figures, the data has yet to be released.

PM ‘must do more’ on Baha Mar

LONG Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner said yesterday she does not believe Prime Minister Perry Christie and his Cabinet have done all they can to ensure that mega-resort Baha Mar opens as soon as possible.

GLIMPSE INSIDE FREEPORT STEM CELL CLINIC

OKYANOS Cell Therapy Clinic held its first open house on Friday allowing persons inside for a guided tour and to see how stem cell therapy is performed at the facility in Freeport.

‘A bloody mess’: $17.1m loss sparks new BOB fear

Angry shareholders are losing faith in Bank of the Bahamas (BOB) ability to regain full health, with one describing it as “a bloody mess” following a 73.4 per cent increase in investor losses to $17.148 million.

Super Value fears sandwich via price ‘collision course’

Super Value’s owner says the Value-Added Tax (VAT) Unit and Price Control are “on a collision course”, and fears his business will be caught “in the middle”.

Dinner will honour union leader

KEITH “Muggins” Archer’s many years of dedication and service as a labour unionist are to be marked with a testimonial dinner later this month.

Bahamas strikes gold

Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said she could not ask for a better performance than what she got from the women’s national basketball team as they won the Caribbean Basketball Championship title and in the process qualified for the 2016 CentroBasket Tournament.

Bahamian quarter-milers taking international circuit by storm

THE Bahamian quarter-milers are now taking the international circuit by storm.

Cafe Skans set for cruise ‘reinvention’

Café Skans’ owners/operators are aiming to ‘reinvent’ the Bay Street eatery as an outdoor café to cater more to a cruise visitor clientele, telling Tribune Business that downtown Nassau and how it functions needs to be addressed so food and beverage businesses can survive.

Skans owners to add several hundred jobs

The owners/operators of Café Skans and Olives Meze Grill plan to create several hundred jobs by opening five eateries at Baha Mar and another in Harbour Bay, telling Tribune Business their employee count will ultimately hit close to 400.

Business Licence cut plugs ‘one little leak’

Super Value’s owner says he “jumped for joy” over the top-rate Business Licence cut, describing it as akin to “plugging one leak” amid concerns over rising crime and living costs.

MLB PROSPECT DAVIS ON RANGERS’ SUMMER LEAGUE TEAM

AS he continues his path toward Major League Baseball, one Bahamian prospect has begun his minor league campaign in the Caribbean.

Lady Operators stop Lady Truckers 12-6

HIGH school sensation Rochea Morley came up with the biggest hit of the game as her grand slam in-the-park fuelled a six-run surge in the bottom of the sixth inning for the Bommer G Lady Operators that eventually stopped the Johnson Lady Truckers in the ladies opener of the New Providence Softball Association double header in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex Saturday night.

Bahamas teams fall short in Rugby 7s Olympic qualifier

IN the Bahamas’ first bid to reach Olympic qualification in rugby sevens, they fell short in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

FINCO rejects 90% of Gov’t home applicants

Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) mortgage lending arm rejected 90 per cent of applicants seeking loans to purchase government homes, a Cabinet Minister has revealed.

Youth activist hits out at Minister over rise in child abuse cases

OUTSPOKEN youth activist Tavarrie Smith yesterday accused Minister of Social Services Melanie Griffin of dereliction of duty in light of the 22 per cent increase in child abuse cases.

CARIBBEAN TITLE GLORY FOR BAHAMAS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

THE Bahamas women's national basketball team avenged last year's disappointment of missing out at a shot at the final by winning this year's Caribbean Basketball Championship title.

Education Director blames school brawls on 'poorly socialised' students

THE recent wave of high school brawls were the result of “poorly socialised” high school students, Education Director Lionel Sands said yesterday, adding that there is “very little” the Ministry of Education can do to prevent such incidences from occurring in the future.

Dion Foulkes declares interest to run for FNM in Yamacraw

FORMER Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Dion Foulkes yesterday confirmed his desire to run in the 2017 election after he was recommended for nomination by the party's Yamacraw Constituency Association (YCA).

BTC staff in 'painful' wait for job news

BAHAMAS Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) President Bernard Evans spoke yesterday of turmoil and hardship among BTC employees as they await news of their fate with the company.

Hotel union president taken into custody after Ocean Club row

BAHAMAS Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union president Nicole Martin was taken into police custody after she and union members attempted to attend an executive meeting at the One & Only Ocean Club on Friday.

Rubis officials looking into claims of fuel leak in Sandyport

OFFICIALS from Rubis (Bahamas) said yesterday they are looking into reports made by residents and store owners in the Sandyport area claiming that the company's area service station was emitting fumes and leaking small amounts of fuel into a nearby canal.

Angry customers complain over shipping company

ENTICED by the promise of low, flat rates and next day delivery, clients of a local shipping firm now say they "were misled and taken advantage of" by a company they claim, "doesn't do legitimate business".

Arise Sir Hartman - Queen’s Birthday honour for Chief Justice

HARTMAN Longley, the Chief Justice of the Bahamas, has been knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Cat Island and Richton Park, Illinois to sign Sister City Agreement

A SISTER City Agreement will be signed in Cat Island today establishing a close link between Cat Islanders and the people of Richton Park, Illinois.

Twelve to represent Bahamas at the CBC

THE Bahamas Basketball Federation has finalised the list of 12 players who will represent the men’s team at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships next week in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Donna Vasyli’s trial process to start on June 29

DONNA Vasyli, who is accused of her Australian husband’s murder, was formally arraigned in Supreme Court yesterday.

Just desserts

Re: Mitchell: PLP Deserves Second Term In Office. - The Tribune, June 4, 2015.

Second term?

I can’t believe the arrogant conceit of our Foreign Affairs Minister. Did Fred Mitchell really say the PLP “deserves another term in government” because its members have “better ideas” than those of the FNM?

A tribute to Gabriel Sastre

It would be greatly appreciated if you would agree to print a brief tribute to the late Gabriel Sastre who passed away and was interred just recently.

'I seek favour of the people, not the establishment' says Greg Moss

MARCO City MP Greg Moss said he does not fear retribution from fellow House of Assembly representatives following his abrupt resignation as a member of the governing Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).

Teenager held over shooting of school guard

POLICE arrested a 17-year-old boy yesterday afternoon in connection with the shooting of a security guard at L W Young Junior High School.

18 years in jail for abetment to murder

A MAN was sentenced to 18 years in prison yesterday for abetment to murder in the fatal stabbing of the teenage son of convicted drug traffickers Dwight and Keva Major.

Heather Hunt lined up for Yamacraw seat

FORMER Senator Heather Hunt has emerged as the front-runner to represent the FNM in the Yamacraw constituency, according to party insiders.

Fitzgerald: No regrets over ‘no prosecution’

MARATHON MP Jerome Fitzgerald told parliamentarians yesterday that despite the Free National Movement’s continued criticism over his signing of a nolle prosequi as the acting attorney general in 2012 to drop charges against a married couple, he would do it again today “because it was the right thing to do”.

Gray in clash over Acklins regatta

WHAT was expected to be a routine press conference about dates for the coming Acklins regatta turned chaotic yesterday when members of the Acklins Trade and Development Association interrupted the event to criticise Minister V Alfred Gray’s decision on who will spearhead the regatta.

Nottage seeks to clarify comments on murder rate

BAINS and Grants Town MP Dr Bernard Nottage yesterday sought to clarify earlier comments he made in the House of Assembly over the country’s crime situation.

Smith vows to stay with PLP

NASSAU Village MP Dion Smith yesterday pledged unwavering support for PLP Leader Prime Minister Perry Christie and commitment to toe the party line as he distanced himself from his dissenting colleagues.

Several suspects sought for three overnight armed robberies

POLICE are searching for several suspects responsible for three separate armed robberies that occurred overnight in New Providence.

Man, 26, shot dead outside nightclub

A 26-year-old man became the country’s latest murder victim after he was lured outside a nightclub and shot multiple times by a hooded assailant on Thursday night.

Sports notes

THE Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations will be back in action this weekend as the National Junior Track and Field Championships are slated for 5:30pm today and 1pm Saturday. Competition will be held in the under-18 and under-20 divisions for boys and girls.

THE FINISH LINE: Proper lighting needed at QE Spors Centre, Baillou Hills

The Amateur Boxing Federation of the Bahamas sent three boxers to the qualifying tournament in Tijuana, Mexico, and all three were successful in qualifying for the 17th Pan American Games by winning bronze medals.

Minister: Bahamas failing to ‘maximise benefits’ from FDI

A Cabinet minister yesterday warned the Bahamas was failing “to maximise the benefits” from all the foreign direct investment (FDI) it receives, largely because local businesses and workers were not in position to exploit these opportunities.

PM ‘two hats’ give overly-optimistic economic outlook

The Prime Minister’s ‘wearing of two hats’ is delivering an overly-optimistic economic outlook, as key indicators fail to justify his forecasts “just yet”.

‘Sense of entitlement’ undermines economy

A misguided “sense of entitlement” has undermined Bahamian productivity and competitiveness, a top private sector executive yesterday warning there was “no merit” to growing the economy unless locals benefited.

Freeport College students celebrate graduation

THE College of the Bahamas’ northern campus held its Spring 2015 commencement ceremony for some 48 graduates on June 4 at the Grand Lucayan Resort in Freeport.

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES 12 June 2015

Bahamas Actors & Filmmakers Group. - A meeting was held on Monday of the Bahamas Actors & Filmmakers Group, bringing together members of the Bahamian acting and filmmaking community.

Adjournment in manslaughter appeal

LAWYERS representing two remand inmates have abandoned their intention to argue against their sentencing on manslaughter before a Supreme Court judge.

Residents unhappy at response to Rubis spill

COMMUNITY action group Justice for Marathon has condemned government’s efforts to address health concerns of residents potentially affected by the 2012 Rubis gas leak as “sketchy” and reactionary.

DNA: Budget fails to address the key issues

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney yesterday criticised the government’s 2015/2016 fiscal plan insisting that it takes only “minor steps in the right direction” but “failed to honestly address the key issues plaguing our economy.”

Haitian man accused of immigration officer assault

AN undocumented Haitian man has been charged with four counts of assault with a deadly instrument and causing damage to a Department of Immigration vehicle in connection with the illegal immigrant landings in Eleuthera last week.

Marinas demand ‘stiffer penalties’ for boat thieves

Bahamian marina operators yesterday demanded “stiffer penalties” for boat thieves, their incoming association president telling Tribune Business the issue was giving the sector a “black eye”.

Gov’t critic praises ‘impressive’ Budget

A well-known Government critic has praised the Christie administration for so far living up to its Value-Added Tax (VAT) promises, and starting the process to “move the Bahamas away from the fiscal cliff”.

Gardiner 'boy wonder'

ABACONIAN Steven Gardiner, dubbed the “boy wonder dream kid” by his new coach George Cleare, moved from the ninth fastest Bahamian to the fourth in a span of just one week as he dropped his personal best time from 44.98 on June 6 to 44.64 yesterday to complete a pair of victories that now has his name sprawling through the international circuit.

Roberts promises statement shortly on Moss replacement

PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts yesterday said the Progressive Liberal Party will be releasing a statement “very shortly” on a potential replacement for Marco City MP Greg Moss, who resigned from the party this week due to a problem with leadership.

Boxers qualify for Pan Am Games, bring home bronze

BEFORE they left last week for Tijuana, Mexico, veteran team member Carl Hield had predicted that all three boxers representing the Amateur Boxing Federation of the Bahamas would win a medal and qualify for the Pan American Games. Mission accomplished.

Team Bahamas to face Jamaica in gold-medal game

FOLLOWING the disappointment of 2014, the Bahamas women’s national team will have an opportunity for a complete turnaround just a year later and will play the gold-medal game in the Caribbean Basketball Confederation championship tournament.

Setting rhythms in the workplace

Music is said to be the universal language. Somehow bars, notes, chords, rhythms and beats have the ability to transport us into another world and emotional state of being. It influences the way we communicate, and most understand its immense power in causing people the world over to pay attention, receiving messages encrypted in each note and bar.

IMF shows PM ‘too optimistic or misleading’

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Bahamas assessment backs the Opposition’s assertion that the Prime Minister is “overly optimistic or misleading” in his growth projections, its deputy leader said yesterday.

Bahamas must avoid investment incentive ‘race to the bottom’

The Bahamas is seeking to avoid “ a race to the bottom effect”on investment incentives, a Cabinet Minister revealing that this issue is being debated as part of the National Development Plan (NDP).

Gov’t grants $22m in hotel incentives

More than $22 million in investment incentives were granted under the Hotel Encouragement Act over the past 12 months, the Minister of State for Investments has revealed.

Rastafarian accused in $1m drug case told he should have known better

A RASTAFARIAN who dreads the three-year prison sentence he faces for possession of $1m worth of marijuana was told by a magistrate yesterday that he ought to have known better than to participate in illegal activities.

YOUNG MAN'S VIEW: Moss resigns as bridge to the future implodes

THE resignation of Greg Moss from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is indicative enough of an urgent need for a change in the direction within the organisation itself and with the governance of this country.

Bostwick 'incredulous' when ammunition found

THEN-Senator John Bostwick Jr expressed incredulity when questioned about the magazine clip and ammunition found in his backpack, a detective testified yesterday.

The costs of NHI

Retired Archbishop Drexel Gomez I suggest should speak to a few, note few, of his inner circle and associates and canvass them to see how many owe thousands in back real property taxes and utility bills before advocating further tax burdens.

The FNM in 2017

As the FNM prepares for the next general elections which is fast approaching and given the National Chairman’s comments this week in the newspapers about the candidate selection process, the question that immediately comes to mind is, what role will Tommy Turnquest, Brent Symonette, Dion Foulkes, Carl Bethel and Zhivago Laing play in 2017?

Investigation launched into Haitian man’s shooting by immigration officer

THE shooting of a Haitian man by an immigration officer has led to calls from local and international human rights groups for a full and transparent investigation.

Baha Mar focuses on completion amid speculation by travel site

BAHA MAR officials would not respond directly to international reports that a travel industry insider was told by unnamed representatives of the resort that it would open in late August or September.

Nottage insists all crime better than in 2011

THE country’s crime situation under this Christie administration is worse when compared to the Free National Movement’s last term in office, according to Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn yesterday.

Child abuse up by 22% in the Bahamas last year

REPORTED child abuse cases grew by an estimated 22 per cent in the Bahamas last year when compared to 2013, according to statistics released by Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin yesterday.

Hanna won’t get BAMSI contract to rebuild dorm

THE government will not give the contract to rebuild the fire-damaged dorm at the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute to the same contractor, Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis confirmed yesterday.

Man found dead with gunshot wounds

THE country’s murder count now stands at 68 following the shooting death of a 39-year-old man in Grand Bahama yesterday.

Schoolgirl has part of ear bitten off in fight

FOUR teenage girls from CV Bethel Senior High School were taken into police custody Tuesday afternoon for participating in a brawl that sent two other students, both girls, to the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Lawyer backs FNM on probe

A TOP lawyer found that House of Assembly Speaker Dr Kendal Major’s recent ruling on the Public Accounts Committee’s attempts to investigate the Urban Renewal Small Home Repairs project is based on advice that contains “rank nonsense,” “limp” reasoning and “tortured logic.”

NCAA: DeAndre Ayton tops ‘ESPN 60’ for class of 2017

THIS week represented the beginning of NCAA basketball recruitment as coaches were able to officially contact those respective recruits for the first time.

On Da Hook

AS SUMMER has arrived, many fishermen change their tackle box from deep sea fishing gear to bottom fishing or deep drop gear.

YOUR SAY: Meeting to build links between regions

Next week, Brussels plays host to a new meeting between leaders from Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean, a positive sign of the shared will to bolster bridges and consolidate ties that have profound roots in our past and significant possibilities for the future.

Bbimini Big Game Club names new tournament director

MISTY Wells, a competitive angler and outdoors events marketer known as the “Outdoor Darlin”, has been named as Tournament Director for the Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina.

Expert diver issues call for more national parks

EXPERT commercial diver and spear-fisherman David Rose believes that more national parks and protected areas for marine resources in Grand Bahama are needed to replenish the dwindling stock.

Examiner sent to Abaco to assess missed BJCs

DESPITE “corrective measures” carried out by the Ministry of Education following the reported refusal by an adjudicator to make a 40-mile journey to assess Bahamas Junior Certificate craft examination submissions by two entrants in Abaco, parent Huel Moss insisted that he is “still disappointed” over the ordeal.

BNCC to run in 2017 election

EXECUTIVES of the social reform organisation, the Bahamas National Citizenship Coalition yesterday announced plans to transition into a political party to contest the 2017 general election.

Union chief: We are standing up for taxi drivers over inspection challenges

THE president of the Bahamas Taxi Cab Union yesterday rejected claims that the union is doing nothing to bring relief to taxi drivers facing adversity due to the government’s new stipulation that taxi drivers must now keep their cars in “immaculate” condition to pass inspection.

Minister outlines how local sports will benefit from the budget

AS members of parliament debated the 2015/2016 budget in the House of Assembly, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson outlined the various ways local sports will benefit from the plan.

Gomez denies favouritism in V Alfred Gray probe

STATE Legal Affairs Minister Damian Gomez yesterday denied that political favoritism played a role in Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson’s decision not to bring charges against anyone in the judicial interference case involving MICAL MP V Alfred Gray and Mayagunana Administrator Zephaniah Newbold.

Woman accused over McCartney killing denied bail again

A WOMAN awaiting trial in connection with the murder of businessman Kurt McCartney has been denied bail a fourth time.

$56,000 for The Ranfurly Homes for Children thanks to Popeyes Bahamas Bowl

POPEYES Bahamas Bowl organisers yesterday pledged to strengthen the relationship between the game and the local community during a press conference in the convention area of the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island.

Auto repair industry seeks own ‘trade park’

Bahamian auto body repairers have urged the Government to establish a ‘trade park’, where ‘roadside’ or ‘backyard’ operators can rent work space and legitimise their operations.

Businessman hits Mortgage Relief focus as ‘asinine’

An outspoken businessman yesterday slammed the Government’s continuing Mortgage Relief promises as “the most asinine policy I have ever heard”, arguing that its approach to jump-starting the housing market was all wrong.

Dealers deny seeking ‘blanket’ wreck ban

Auto dealers yesterday denied seeking a ‘blanket ban’ on wrecked vehicle imports, while urging the Bahamas to avoid becoming an industry “dumping ground”.

IMF: Bahamas 1.5% growth ‘insufficient’ to cut jobless rate

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday warned that the Bahamas’ forecast economic growth will be “insufficient to generate a significant reduction” in the 15.7 per cent jobless rate, as it slashed this year’s GDP expansion forecast to 1.8 per cent.

DNA chiefs’ firms suffer ‘double digit’ VAT slump

The Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) leader and party chairman both said yesterday that their businesses had suffered “low double digit” sales decreases post-Value Added Tax’s (VAT) introduction, and warned that a retail shake-out is imminent.

Sports Notes

THE New Providence Softball Association is scheduled to continue its regular season action tonight in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

Popeyes Bahamas Bowl partners with ESPN

In its inaugural edition, The Popeyes Bahamas Bowl made an indelible mark on the NCAA Bowl season, and now the event looks to extend its reach through a partnership with “the worldwide leader in sports.”

Bahamas routs Antigua and Barbuda 74-39 to win group

IT was a wire-to-wire blowout win for Team Bahamas as they continue to deliver a series of impressive performances at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships.

MLB Draft: Cleveland Indians pick Todd Isaacs Jr as 574th selection in 19th round

HIS path to Major League Baseball took him to junior college for a season to improve his stock, and Todd Isaacs Jr did just that as he was drafted midway through day three of the 2015 MLB Draft.

More than 4,000 distance runners to hit Nassau in November for the Bahamas Half Marathon

OVER 4,000 long distance runners are expected to be in New Providence later this year as the island gets ready to host the Bahamas Half Marathon.

Bahamas losing $60m health spend annually

The Minister of Health yesterday said Bahamians are spending more than $60 million annually on overseas care that could remain at home.

Over 4,400 Bahamians receive food assistance

More than 4,400 Bahamians are receiving assistance from the Ministry of Social Services via its pre-paid card, with $12.8 million allocated in the 2015-2016 Budget for food assistance.

Bran urges wrecked auto ban ‘reconsider’

The Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) leader yesterday urged the Government to “reconsider” its ban on wrecked vehicle imports and 10-year auto age limit, warning it would cause job losses and “interrupt the way of life for thousands”.

ART OF GRAPHIX: Skills needed to become master of your domain

When you decide to make the big leap and become a business owner, you are accepting that you have a lot of learning to do. Running a successful business is not a talent that you are born, and requires dedication and concentration.

Police chief: All crime down except murder

POLICE Commissioner Ellison Greenslade said yesterday that crime continues to trend down in all categories except murder, adding that more has to be done to fight crime instead of believing that we can “arrest our way out of this”.

Greg Moss’ long battle inside the PLP

LONG before his impromptu resignation from the Progressive Liberal Party on Monday due to what he called “a problem with leadership”, Greg Moss had battled with the reality that the party that “believed in Bahamians” had failed to live up to the principles and ideals on which the party was built.

Mixed reaction from Marco City constituents

SOME Marco City constituents are supportive and others are fuming over area MP Gregory Moss’ resignation from the Progressive Liberal Party.

PLP Chairman: Moss has squandered opportunity for public service

MARCO City MP Greg Moss squandered a “golden opportunity for public service,” PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts said yesterday in reaction to the MP’s surprise decision to resign from the party.

Court shock at Gray case convict in legal limbo

THE Court of Appeal yesterday expressed surprise that a teen convict at the centre of judicial interference allegations against a Cabinet minister had been released from custody without either bail or serving his sentence.

Relative of plane crash victims says ‘thank God they were okay’

THE FIVE people who were on board a plane that crashed in waters off New Providence on Monday night have all been released from hospital and are said to be in “good condition”.

Hint that Rollins won’t be nominated again by PLP

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Stalwart Councillor Valentine Grimes hinted yesterday that the PLP would not renominate Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins to contest his seat in the next general election.

Moss: Why I quit

MARCO City MP Greg Moss yesterday shot down speculation that he is joining the Free National Movement as he insisted on a definite political run in the 2017 general election as an independent candidate.

Man, 39, dies of gunshot wounds in Grand Bahama hospital

A 39-year-old man of Bass Lane, Freeport, died early this morning in hospital from multiple gunshot wounds, Grand Bahama police are reporting.

Businessman opposes vehicle import restrictions

GRAND Bahama businessman Kendal “KC” Colebrook is opposed to the ban on the import of certain categories of vehicles into The Bahamas, saying it will significantly affect the livelihood of auto-body technicians and an industry that is growing in Freeport.

Haitian man shot in the head - but details of incident remain unclear

A HAITIAN man was allegedly shot in the head by police in Eleuthera yesterday, according to reports reaching The Tribune last night.

‘Where is detention centre for women and children?’

COMMUNITY activist Louby Georges yesterday called on the government to disclose the location of the Detention Centre’s Special Facility for Women and Children.

Freeport man charged after brutal attack on woman

A 42-year-old Freeport man accused of a brutal attack on a woman last week in Grand Bahama was charged on Tuesday in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court.

Gaps in Bostwick case footage

CONTINUOUS footage of former Senator John Bostwick Jr’s movements at a resort in Freeport, Grand Bahama was not available as his ammunition possession case continued yesterday.

Xtreme Gladiator Championship set for South Andros next month

GLADIATOR Championship Wrestling was so impressed with their trip to South Andros over the weekend that they are eager to return on July 11 for the Xtreme Gladiator Championship on the island.

14-member men’s national basketball team named for CBC

WITH three days to go before they travel and just as the women’s tournament gets ready to wrap up, the Bahamas Basketball Federation has finalised the list of 14 players who will represent the men’s team at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships next week in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Steven Gardiner dips under 45 seconds in the 400 metres

STEVEN Gardiner, off to an impressive start in his first year as a professional athlete, became the ninth Bahamian male quarter-miler to dip under the 45-second barrier in the 400 metres when he took the victory in the Star Athletics Sprint Classic in Montverde, Florida, over the weekend.

Investment weakness may expose Bahamas to ‘bottom feeders’

The Bahamas was yesterday warned to take the US government’s ‘investment climate’ concerns “very seriously”, as they potentially jeopardise this nation’s ability to attract “the best of the best investor class”.

URCA accuses Cable of breaching tower bar

Cable Bahamas’ battle with URCA over its communications tower construction has intensified, after the regulator accused the BISX-listed provider of breaching its order to halt their build-out.

New Gov’t debt security targets $200m ‘finish line’

The Government’s new debt security will attempt to cross the $200 million “finish line” next week when the final $55 million tranche comes to market, its placement agent yesterday expressing optimism that it will be “well received”.

Auto repairers claim dealers ‘wrecking us’

Bahamian auto repairers yesterday blasted new car dealers for successfully lobbying the Government to ban ‘wrecked’ vehicle imports, alleging that this would jeopardise 4,500 jobs and “push the small man out of business”.

Nassau/PI resorts enjoy ‘best quarter’ for 7 years

The Nassau/Paradise Island hotel industry has enjoyed its “best quarter performance for seven years” during the first three months of 2015, with occupancies ahead of year-before comparisons through April.

Increase in number of working poor needing food assistance

MORE and more of the working poor are depending on food assistance as they combat the “silent struggle” of hunger, according to a local humanitarian organisation.

Flu forces Bennett to cancel London show with Gaga

TONY Bennett cancelled his London show with Lady Gaga last night because of a flu virus, four days before they are due to perform in the Bahamas.

Guns and ammunition discovered

FIREARMS and ammunition were discovered in the Lewis Yard area on Monday, but no arrest has been made, police reported yesterday.

CBC: Bahamas comes from behind for 2nd straight win

FORWARD Shanea Armbrister and guard Philicia Kelly combined for 39 points as the Bahamas women’s national team picked up their second straight victory at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships yesterday in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Greenslade: Don’t point fingers in crime fight

DAYS after Prime Minister Perry Christie said he was walking on “eggshells” over crime due to a “division” between the country’s law enforcement agencies, Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade said more emphasis needs to be placed on what “contributions” Bahamians are making to fight against crime instead of “pointing fingers.”

Getting set to run for Pompey

IN trying to bolster the country’s sports tourism calendar and add more of a historical flare to National Heroes Holiday, BAF Financial and Insurance Limited announced plans for the inaugural Run for Pompey race weekend scheduled for October in Exuma.

Coleby can’t travel because his passport was stolen

Grand Bahamian collegiate player Dwight Coleby was hoping to make the trip to Tortola, British Virgin Islands, this weekend with the Bahamas men’s national team as they attempt to successfully defend their title at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championship.

Credit Bureau bids in review

The Central Bank’s Governor yesterday said legislation to establish a Bahamian Credit Bureau was being finalised, with bids from potential operators now in and under assessment.

Thunderbird wins the South Andros Regatta thanks to Frank Hanna

TO reward businessman Frank Hanna for coming on board as his new sponsor, Rev Dr Philip McPhee’s Thunderbird went out and won the South Andros Regatta over the weekend.

Credit unions enjoy ‘enviable’ 7% growth

Bahamian credit unions in have experienced an “enviable” 7 per cent growth rate over the past five years, the Central Bank’s governor said yesterday, an expansion rate that has likely outstripped their banking counterparts.

Fidelity beats capital raising target by $5m

Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) has beaten its capital-raising target by $5 million, generating $23.5 million from a combination of preference shares and its debt paper programme.

Abaco fears ‘boat theft capital’ rap

Abaco’s tourism industry is being undermined by the island’s growing reputation as “the boat theft capital of the Bahamas”, top private sector executives warned yesterday.

School security guard fights for life after shooting

A SECURITY guard is fighting for his life in hospital after he was shot multiple times by a gunman dressed in a school uniform yesterday afternoon.

Five people rescued from plane crash at sea

SEARCH and rescue teams last night rescued five people who were on board a single engine Cessna 172 aircraft flying from Pittstown, Crooked Island that crashed into the sea some 13 miles southeast of Nassau, officials said last night.

Alpha Men

SOCIETIES create ideals of what men and women should be, how they should behave, what they should wear, and these ideals become almost like laws.

You are the change you are searching for

EVERYTHING changes. Life is a continuous cycle of changes. From the time we form as tiny drops of protoplasm all the way to our ultimate demise, we have changed and continue to change.

Aspiring businesswomen empower each other

FEAR of the unknown has stopped many a Bahamian woman with intriguing ideas from starting her own business, initiative or programme.

Dell’s Naturals

FOR several years now, Randell Haynes has been very particular when it comes to what products she uses on her hair and skin.

Health insurance ‘will reduce unacceptable infant mortality’

HEALTH Minister Dr Perry Gomez yesterday suggested that the achievement of the proposed implementation of National Health Insurance could lead to the reduction of the country’s “unacceptable” infant mortality rate by enabling prospective mothers to receive adequate antenatal care.

POLITICOLE: Bahamas after college = professional suicide

AS the school year ends, here is my advice to prospective or recent Bahamian college students and graduates.

Ingraham will boost Christie

Life is about cause and effect. If you plant corn, it follows that you ought to pray for rain.

NFL team owner's son latest victim of Abaco boat theft ring

NORTH Abaco MP Renardo Curry yesterday said he fears the destruction of his constituency’s tourism market as a boat theft ring continues to thrive “at an all time high” on the island.

Immigration officer on leave after accusation

POLICE are investigating allegations of inappropriate conduct by an immigration officer towards a female detainee at the Detention Centre, the Department of Immigration said yesterday.

Gray: I would never break the law knowingly

MICAL MP V Alfred Gray yesterday insisted that he would never knowingly break the laws of the country as he defended himself following the Free National Movement’s attempts to stop him from speaking in the House of Assembly.

FNM suspended from House after protest against Gray

FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman and Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant were suspended from yesterday evening’s House of Assembly session after they repeatedly defied Speaker Dr Kendal Major’s orders to cease their protest against MICAL MP V Alfred Gray.

Moss quits PLP citing failed leadership

MARCO City MP Greg Moss shocked the House of Assembly last night with the surprise announcement of his immediate resignation from the PLP, informing the

SPORTING MISCHIEF AND MAYHEM: Crowning glory

AS you all recall a few weeks ago, right after I nailed the Mayweather/Pacquiao prediction, I mentioned that we may have a possible Triple Crown winner in American Pharoah.

LIFE OF CRIME: Paedophilia and the need to protect children

Paedophilia. The dark, dark secret. A terrible taboo. Surely this does not exist in the Bahamas?

Saying farewell to Bishop Moss

MOURNERS, including Prime Minister Perry Christie, attended the funeral service of the Rt Rev Cornell Moss, the Bishop of Guyana, at the Church of the Ascension in Grand Bahama on Friday.

Family’s donations follow in footsteps of nurse

THE family of the late Nurse Lula Poitier-Knowles continued her legacy of giving and caring for the sick by making a donation of money, children’s books and DVDs to the Rand Memorial Hospital’s Paediatric Unit, which is named in her honour.

Social services project aims to help people ‘rise’

AFTER years of planning and research, the Department of Social Services’ Conditional Cash Transfer project is now a reality following the launch of the Ministry of Social Services’ RISE public relations campaign yesterday.

Defenders win the title

It took a marathon three sets for the Scotiabank Defenders to successfully defend their men’s title as the fifth annual ‘Defend Ya Spike’ international volleyball tournament came to a close at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium on Sunday night.

Used auto dealers ‘100% behind’ 10 year age barrier

Several used car dealers yesterday said they were “100 per cent” behind the Government’s decision to ban the importation of wrecked vehicles more than 10 years old, one telling Tribune Business the policy should have been implemented “a long time ago”.

Council: Review minimum wage every two years

The National Tripartite Council will in future review the minimum wage every one to two years to determine if increases are warranted, as one member yesterday denied that an impending rise would harm the economy or employment levels.

FNM deputy urges Cabinet to devolve investment powers

The Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA) must be empowered to issue approvals “independent of Cabinet”, the FNM’s deputy leader said yesterday, arguing that this nation was “far away” from providing the necessary investor-friendly environment.

Oil price crash makes BPC ‘even more attractive’

The Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC) yesterday said its exploration activities have been made “more attractive than ever” by the recent oil price crash, and it will “break even” with a much smaller oil field than previously thought.

Bacon offered $15m for Clifton ‘solution’

Hedge fund billionaire, Louis Bacon, offered the then-Ingraham administration $15 million for a property deal that he billed as a solution to the “controversial” Clifton Cay development.

‘No complain of bag tampering’ in Bostwick case

WITNESSES who testified yesterday of their involvement in the ammunition case of former Senator John Bostwick Jr denied ever receiving complaints of bag tampering during screenings at the Grand Bahama International Airport.

CBC: Bahamas tops USVI 67-63 for victory

WHAT a difference a year has made for our senior women’s national basketball team as they started the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships with a win over the same team that sent them to an opening-round loss in 2014.

Human trafficking suspect granted bail

A WOMAN accused of being an accomplice in human trafficking was granted bail in Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Two Bahamians held after $1m drug discovery

TWO Bahamian men are in police custody after they were discovered with more than $1 million worth of marijuana in Andros yesterday morning.

Still no transcripts available for extradition proceedings

TRANSCRIPTS are still unavailable to lawyers in the extradition proceedings against five men wanted to face drug trafficking charges in the United States.

US: Bahamas faces WTO 'challenges'

The Obama administration believes the Bahamas will face “external and internal challenges” to becoming a full World Trade Organisation (WTO) member, with this nation’s preferential trade regime with the US set to expire at year’s end.

Staff 'anxious on BEC game plan'

Staff are “anxious to learn PowerSecure’s “game plan” for the Bahamas Electriccity Corporation (BEC), a trade union leader said yesterday, with the Government said to be nearing completion of the new manager’s transition arrangements.

Sir Durward, Frank Hanna donate money for All-Andros Regatta

WITH the 22nd annual All-Andros and Berry Islands Regatta next on the calendar for the Independence Holiday in Morgan’s Bluff, North Andros, legendary Sir Durward Knowles and colourful businessman Frank Hanna provided their financial assistance.

Boxers to bring home the bronze

AFTER booking their tickets for the Pan American Games, all three boxers lost their semifinal matches at the Qualifying Tournament in Mexico on Sunday.

Radio host charged over demonstration

A well-known businessman and radio talk show host was charged on Monday in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court after being arrested for demonstrating without a permit at the Harold DeGregory Government Complex.

Man found beaten to death and shooting victim are latest homicides

A SUSPECTED vagrant was found naked and beaten to death yesterday afternoon hours after police discovered the lifeless body of another man with a gunshot wound in his chest off Fire Trail Road.

MP cites poor leadership as the reason

MARCO City MP Greg Moss has announced that he will immediately resign from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), citing poor leadership as the reason for his decision.

YOUR SAY: Why National Health Insurance?

IN the lead-up to the 2002 general election, I joined a delegation led by Perry Christie on a visit to Moore’s Island, Abaco. In our walkabout, we met a young man who was extremely challenged, both mentally and physically.

Disclosure and the law

BAHAMIAN voters deserve transparency and accountability in government in tangible ways, not just lip service.

National Health Insurance

The newspapers have been filled with articles on the government’s plan to introduce National Health Insurance in a matter of months which will mean another tax on the citizens, which is cause for much concern. In a similar vein as the folly of BAMSI and of COB attempting to transition into a University – we are trying to run before we have even begun to creep!

Labour laws

Please allow me to voice my observations regarding the current labour laws of The Bahamas.

Remember - The Bahamas still belongs to Bahamians

“I WISH to be very clear, and very frank. Unless your Government delivers on the much advertised partnership between the Government and Baha Mar, I am seriously considering whether investing billions of dollars in this country is the right decision……Indeed in order to meet firm board commitments of the partners, these matters must be finalized no later than the first week of February (2006).“

Police search for shooting suspects

POLICE are searching for suspects responsible for three separate shooting incidents that occurred Friday night.

PM ‘walking on eggshells’ in the fight against crime

AMIDST the recent scourge of homicides, Prime Minister Perry Christie said he is being “subjected to walking on eggshells” despite his claims of wanting “the madness on our streets to end”.

Minimum wage rise recommended

THE National Tripartite Council has forwarded a recommendation for a minimum wage increase to Labour Minister Shane Gibson for review and approval.

Steps taken over birth records alarm

THE IMMIGRATION Department took proactive steps to ensure the authenticity of birth certificates used in citizenship applications following concerns about the validity of the documents issued in 2012 and 2013, according to Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell.

$20m plan will help train young for job market

LABOUR Minister Shane Gibson said the government’s new $20m employment plan will help identify and train thousands of young people for the job market.

One killed in four shootings over weekend

A MAN was shot and killed outside a home in Yellow Elder Gardens on Saturday night, pushing the year’s homicide count to 65, according to The Tribune’s records.

Minnis urges no delay in charges over BEC bribe

FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday urged the attorney general to move forward with criminal charges against the Bahamian official named in a US plea deal who allegedly received bribes to secure contracts with the Bahamas Electricity Corporation.

Mother Pratt: Quiz govt, not us

THE PUBLIC Accounts Committee should seek answers from top government officials if it continues its controversial probe into the Urban Renewal 2.0 programme, according to co-Chair Cynthia “Mother” Pratt.

CIBC probes $250k FIFA bribe cheque

CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) is conducting an investigation into revelations that one of its executives deposited part of a $10 million FIFA bribe into a Nassau-based account.

Law firm strikes back at developer over title defects

A Bahamian law firm has accused a resort developer of “exaggerating” claims it was slow to resolve its title defect crisis, arguing that its approach to handling the Government was the best available option.

US slams Bahamas’ over ‘investment transparency’

The US has again slammed the Bahamas for “lack of transparency” in government contract bidding processes, with American companies complaining about “undue political interference”.

Woman killed when car crashes into bushes

POLICE are investigating the death of a woman who lost control of her vehicle and crashed into nearby bushes in Eleuthera.

Marathon health screenings cancelled without notice

PUBLIC health screenings for Marathon residents who were possibly exposed to harmful chemicals as a result of the 2012 Rubis fuel leak were cancelled without notice this weekend.

Taxi driver’s concern over government regulations

A BAHAMIAN taxi driver is upset with the government’s stipulation that taxi drivers must now keep their cars in an “immaculate” condition to pass inspection, without specifying the interpretation of “immaculate”, which could be a tiny scratch.

CBC Championships: Bahamas looks to improve on last year’s 5th place finish

THE race for the Caribbean Cup gets underway today as the Bahamas looks to improve on last year’s fifth place finish at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships.

‘There is just no way I see myself losing this fight to Ken Shamrock’

LESS than two weeks before his return to Mixed Martial Arts and against one of the most well-known names in the history of the sport, Bahamian born Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson has harsh words for his competition.

Diamond League: Anthonique fifth overall in 200 metres

IT has been a busy few weeks for Bahamian sprinter Anthonique Strachan and she capped this past weekend with her third race on the Diamond League Circuit.

Boxers qualify for Pan Am Games

ALL three boxers representing the Bahamas in Mexico have booked their ticket to the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, July 10-26.

Auto Mall Boomers win ‘Defend Ya Spike’ volleyball title

EVERY year, more and more international players flock to the Bahamas to compete in the Scotiabank Defenders Defend Ya Spike volleyball tournament.

Private sector seeks ‘five-year’ financing proposal for NHI

The Bahamian private sector wants to see a ‘five-year Plan’ for how National Health Insurance (NHI) will be funded, after Prime Minister Perry Christie ensured “catastrophe” was avoided.

Auditor-General ‘impeded’ in scrutinising government

The Auditor-General has been “impeded” in his efforts to scrutinise the Government’s spending, resulting in civil servants escaping accountability for “loss or wastage” of taxpayer monies.

Chef with a taste for art

ALLAN Pratt, known as one of the best pastry chefs in the Bahamas, reveals another side of his talents this week with the opening of a solo art exhibition at the Doongalik Studios Art Gallery, Village Road.

Grand Bahama workers march through Eight Mile Rock

HUNDREDS of workers in Grand Bahama marched in Friday’s Labour Day Parade, which was held for the first time in Eight Mile Rock, the largest settlement on the island.

Turkish family will keep up fight to find missing men

A TURKISH family living in Canada insisted that despite the “unwillingness” of Bahamian authorities to assist in finding two relatives, they will remain relentless in piecing together what happened to the men who were last seen in Grand Bahama and have been missing now for more than three years.

Memorial service at cathedral for Bishop Cornell Moss

A MEMORIAL service will be held at 7pm on Tuesday at Christ Church Cathedral, George Street, for the Right Rev. Cornell Jerome Moss, Bishop of the Diocese of Guyana, including Suriname and Cayenne. Bishop Laish Boyd will officiate.

Immigrants detained over weekend

A NUMBER of illegal immigrants have been apprehended over the Labour Day weekend in Bahamian waters.

Lack of action on problems facing Coroner’s Court

THE Coroner’s Court continues to operate without a court seal or Internet access, and is short staffed, according to acting Coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez.

‘Too early’ for BOB bailout reporting

The special purpose vehicle (SPV) created to relieve Bank of the Bahamas of $100 million in ‘bad’ commercial loans must be given “a chance to work”, a Cabinet Minister has urged.

No control on Tourism travelling for five years

No controls existed over the Ministry of Tourism’s “significantly large travel budget” for almost the entire duration of the 2007-2012 Ingraham administration, the Auditor-General has found.

Standards Bureau to give commerce boost

A properly-functioning Standards Bureau could help boost commerce in the Bahamas, while lowering trade costs and promoting linkages between different sectors.

‘Strong’ Bahamas team to defend title at CAC Age Group Championships

AFTER two intense days of competition in the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium over the weekend, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations completed its trials for the Central American and Caribbean Age Group Championships and the team to defend the title is just about set.

Sports notes

BRAJAXBA Tennis is scheduled to host its “Beat the Heat” tennis tournament at the Gym Tennis Club, Winton Meadows, on Saturday and Sunday.

Man shot dead

Police are searching for a suspect after a man was killed in a shooting on Saturday night.

Woman dies after car crash

A 31–year-old woman died in a traffic accident in Eleuthera on Saturday.

Three in hospital after shootings

POLICE are searching for suspects in connection for three separate shooting incidents on Friday.

Gladiator Championship Wrestling champions look ahead to Nassau event

NICK Cara and three other world champions will be among a list of eight Gladiator Championship Wrestling (GCW) competitors who will be in New Providence to promote the Xtreme Gladiator Championship that will be held over the Independence holiday weekend at the Melia Nassau Beach Resort.

Contestants eye Miss Teen Bahamas International crown

THIRTEEN hopefuls will adorn the stage at Melia Nassau Beach Resort on Sunday night competing for the title of Miss Teen Bahamas International.

Trio unsuccessful in recusal bid

THREE men hoping to have a judge recuse himself from presiding over their appeal against a murder conviction and life sentence had their hopes dashed on Thursday.

Appeal hearing on human trafficking conviction adjourned

THE expected Court of Appeal hearing for a woman challenging a human trafficking conviction did not happen on Thursday.

MP speaks out against domestic violence

IF A man hits you, he is not just hitting you, he is hitting your daughter, your unborn granddaughter, and he is teaching your son how to hit a woman, Marco City MP Gregory Moss said at an anti-domestic violence candlelight vigil in Grand Bahama.

PM calls for Caribbean nations to recommit to saving youth

PRIME Minister Perry Christie on Tuesday implored American and Caribbean national security officials to become more proactive in their approaches to reducing trans-national criminal activity and the conditions that lead youths to engage in illicit practices.

YOUNG MAN'S VIEW: PLP misplaces its belief in Bahamians

LET’S be frank and honest and agree that, by all signs and indications, the governing Progressive Liberal Party has swung into campaign mode in anticipation of the 2017 general election.

Trial date for woman accused of murdering friend

A TRIAL date has been fixed in 2016 for a woman accused of murdering a female friend.

Minnis: Govt should improve upon 52-week job programme

FREE National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said if the management of the Ingraham administration’s 52 week job programme was “severely deficient” as described by the auditor general, he hopes the government makes the necessary adjustments to improve on the initiative.

Don’t let politicians into the pulpit

The criticism by the Chairman of the PLP of The Christian Council raises an interesting perspective left in the war-chest of the BCC.

A clarification from the Finance Minister, please

Budget 2015-2016…Real Property Tax on owner occupier pensioner.

Review payments to senior citizens

This matter mainly concerns (a) Pensions of Senior Citizens, (b) Food assistance and (c) Housing situations of seniors in this country – dealing with their pensions.

Mitchell calls for body find to be investigated as murder

AUTHORITIES found a dead body washed ashore on Harbour Island that is suspected to be part of a group of Haitian migrants who were apprehended in Eluethera on Tuesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell said yesterday.

Halkitis rejects FNM criticisms of budget

STATE Finance Minister Michael Halkitis yesterday defended the government’s fiscal track record saying the opposition’s criticisms of the 2015/2016 budget projections are “mischievous” for the sake of political gain.

FNM job programme management ‘deficient’

THE operations of the 52-week job initiative programme, implemented under the previous Ingraham administration, have been found “severely deficient” which created an environment highly vulnerable to fraud, an audit of the programme has revealed.

Mitchell: PLP deserves second term in office

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said yesterday that the Progressive Liberal Party “deserves another term in government” because its members have “better ideas” than the Free National Movement.

PM cannot say when Baha Mar will be open

PRIME Minister Perry Christie said despite meeting with Baha Mar executives “every single day” over continuing challenges with completion of the $3.5bn project, only resort officials can now say when the mega resort will open.

Birth records under scrutiny

POLICE were called in to investigate how an officer who was transferred from the Registrar General Department’s birth record office was able to log 75 birth certificates in the system that were not recorded in the department’s Data Management Search Section.

Woman badly hurt near school

GRAND Bahama Police are questioning a 40-year-old man in connection with an incident that has sent a badly injured woman to hospital in Freeport.

BBF to host its annual Summer of Thunder Exhibition in August

THE Bahamas Basketball Federation is set to host its annual Summer of Thunder Exhibition beginning August 1 at the Kendal G L Isaacs Gymnasium.

Bombers defeat Shockers 83-81

BETTY Cole Park came alive with a throng of fans as employees, family members and friends filled out the bleachers and surrounding area to cheer on the big game which saw the Banqueting Bombers defeat the Housekeeping Shockers 83-81.

Sprinters to represent Bahamas at IAAF World Youths

THE Bahamas will look to continue its rich history at the IAAF World Youth Athletics Championships led by athletes that have turned in some of the top times on the youth top lists thus far this season.

Thompson cleared to play in NBA Finals opener tonight

In a move that was expected, but still a sigh of relief to basketball enthusiasts and Golden State Warriors fans, Bahamian descendant Klay Thompson was cleared to return to the floor when the NBA Finals tip off tonight.

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Cheek to Cheek

WHAT happens when you pair a musical legend like Tony Bennett with the flamboyant talent of Lady Gaga? A concert that is pure magic.

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES 04062015

Cycling Club Bahamas. - Weekend events: Friday (Holiday) Labour Day & Saturday - leaving 6am sharp from Harbour Bay Shopping Centre in front of First Caribbean Bank 30 miles headed west. In order to complete this ride, it is recommended that you have done some recent cycling, Leaving P/I bridges optional at the end. The pace will range from 18–20+mph, two-hour duration.

What goes up must come down

A TEAM from the American-based SpaceX rocket programme yesterday arrived in Abaco tasked with the identification and retrieval of debris believed to be a part of the group’s Falcon 9 rocket that crashed into a floating barge while attempting to land in April.

‘Horror’ at failure to assess exam

THE father of an autistic young woman registered for the Bahamas Junior Certificate Craft examination in Abaco said he and members of his family are “upset and dissatisfied” after Ministry of Education adjudicators reportedly refused to make a 40-mile journey from Marsh Harbour to Cooper’s Town to see his daughter’s exam submission.

Bail decision upheld for human trafficking suspect

THE Court of Appeal has upheld a judge’s decision to grant bail to a man accused of having a role in human trafficking.

Woman found guilty of huband’s manslaughter given appeal date

A WOMAN who claimed she killed her husband in self-defence will now have her substantive appeal hearing in September.

Development Bank praises government for public opinion project

INTER-AMERICAN Development Bank country representative Astrid Wynter commended the government for authorising the Latin American Public Opinion Project for the first time in the country.

Auditor highlights concerns over fiscal management

PUBLIC funds were used to finance travel for a “senior civil servant” and his wife to New Providence for “personal health reasons,” an auditor general’s 2012-2013 report has revealed.

Auditor-General blasts key revenue agencies’ IT management woes

The Government’s two key revenue-generating agencies are unable to rebound quickly if struck by a major disaster, the Auditor-General warning that they “are not effectively managing their [IT] systems”.

Minister: ‘We’re doing something’ to resolve CLICO

A Cabinet Minister yesterday urged CLICO (Bahamas) 13,000 policyholders to “be patient” and promised the Government was working on “something” to end their six-year plight, even though it had not allocated any Budget funds to cover the necessary $30 million guarantee

Hard Rock’s Bahamas franchise in court war

A furious legal battle is raging over the Hard Rock Cafe’s Bahamas franchise, after a judge this week refused to dismiss a lawsuit by its former owners alleging they were deliberately squeezed out of their $4 million investment.

Wait time for passports is increased to 12 weeks

THE demand for passports has tripled this year compared to 2014, forcing the collection time to increase from eight weeks to 12 weeks, according to Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell.

‘Irrational’ Miller blasted by insurers

The Bahamas Insurance Association (BIA) yesterday slammed “irrational, reckless and “uninformed” comments by firebrand MP Leslie Miller, who suggested the sector “don’t give a damn” if sick Bahamians died.

Gov’t open to $100k Business Licence certify alternatives

The Government was yesterday said to be willing to work with the private sector on the revised $100,000 ‘certification threshold’ for Business Licence fee turnover.

THE ART OF GRAPHIX: Understanding the web's design code

A debate has raged for years over whether professional website designers should know how to code websites. Over the past year or so, I have seen blog posts written that exhort web designers to learn HTML, CSS and PHP. Some of these blogs have even gone as far to say that if you do not know how to code, you are not a true web designer. Numerous persons feel these opinions do have merit.

Prepare now for the tax compliance tide

On October 29, 2014, some 51 countries from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) ‘Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes’, and the G-20 countries, endorsed a new Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information in Tax Matters.

Amateur boxing club continues its quest to positively impact lives of inner-city youth

ONE of the fastest rising boxing clubs in the country and headed by one of the most well known names in the sport, the Meacher “Major Pain” Amateur Boxing Club continues its quest to positively impact the lives of inner-city youth.

TOUGH CALL: A serious Wrinkle in the system

Here’s a story that needs to be re-told in full. I knew the protagonist as a high school student in Queen’s College more than 40 years ago, but have had no substantive dealings with him since then.

Concern about morals

DR Ranford Patterson, president of the Bahamas Christian Council, rightly spoke out concerning the sexual degradation and public debauchery that were defining marks of the government’s recently held carnival.

BFA chief: We wanted no part in Blatter’s corruption

After “blowing the whistle” on some of the corruption that was going on in the sport, Bahamas Football Association (BFA) president Anton Sealey said there was no way that they would have supported Joseph ‘Sepp’ Blatter for another term in office as president of FIFA.

Victim shot dead while visiting girlfriend

A 36-year-old man became the country’s latest murder victim when he was shot multiple times while visiting his girlfriend on Monday night.

Miller says insurance providers ‘don’t give a damn’ if everyone dies

HEALTH insurance providers “don’t give a damn” if everyone in the country dies, Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller claimed yesterday, adding that the government must move full speed ahead with its National Health Insurance scheme without giving much consideration to the concerns of the insurance industry.

‘No objection’ over use of foreign PR firm

THE head of a local public relations firm said she has “no objection” to the government’s hiring a foreign firm to help manage its Stronger Bahamas initiative.

Woman found injured near school campus

GRAND Bahama police have reported that an injured woman was found near the rear of a school campus in Freeport on Wednesday morning.

McCartney: I’m staying with the DNA

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney yesterday said he wanted to make it “absolutely clear” that his affiliation with the FNM was a “thing of the past” affirming that he was “already home with the DNA.”

Carnival cash wait goes on

THE Bahamas National Festival Commission has not lived up to its self-imposed 21-day deadline to release the revenue and economic impact report on the inaugural Junkanoo Carnival because the event did not perform as organisers “overzealously” projected, according to FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest.

Bran says: ‘No success in VAT’

The Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) leader yesterday asserted that “there is no success in Value-Added Tax”, arguing that Bahamians were now “paying” for successive governments’ fiscal mismanagement.

‘No rationale’ in IMF body’s report for Fiscal Responsibility delays

The Government was yesterday warned not to use an IMF affiliate’s report to delay moving on Fiscal Responsibility-type legislation, a top private sector executive saying the document provided a damning “indictment” of its financial reporting systems.

Crime scene photos destroyed in flood

A FLOOD destroyed photos taken of a murder victim at a morgue, a jury was told yesterday.

No answer on decision over web shop licences

TOURISM Minister Obie Wilchcombe could not confirm yesterday whether the Gaming Board has made a decision on which companies were successful in their bids to obtain a gaming house operator’s license to operate legally in the country.

92 migrants held in Exuma

RESIDENTS of Staniel Cay, Exuma, provided food and water as well as a change of clothing for the nearly 100 Haitians who made their way into the settlement after their sloop sank, Royal Bahamas Police Force officials said yesterday.

Straight talk on NHI plan

Your editorial of the May 16, in which you advanced the idea that NHI cannot be afforded and will “seal the fate” of the PLP, was disappointing and, frankly disingenuous as well.

Just not for Bahamians

There are those who question the government’s assertion that it has created “tens of thousands” of jobs since it has been in office.

Monthly VAT pay plan’s ‘disservice’ to small business

The Government was yesterday urged to postpone plans to make at least some quarterly and monthly filers pay Value-Added Tax (VAT) monthly, a well-known consultant describing this as “an injustice and disservice” to small businesses.

‘Large cry’ from SMEs over Business Licence verification threshold

A top private sector executive yesterday urged the Government to reconsider the proposed $100,000 threshold for companies to have their turnover certified by an accountant, arguing this would almost double Business Licence costs for small firms.

‘Sonny Boy’ tournament showcases our young boxers

THE 20th Annual Wellington “Sonny Boy” Rahming Silver Glove Tournament was held at the Wulff Road Boxing Square this past Saturday.

$2 billion Gov’t spend ‘doesn’t bode well’

The Government will miss its original goal of eliminating the GFS fiscal deficit by the upcoming 2015-2016 Budget year, amid warnings that its near-$2 billion recurrent spending “doesn’t bode well” for hitting its revised targets.

DNA says latest Budget is filled with empty gestures

DNA Leader Branville McCartney said yesterday that while that 2015/2016 budget contained “some glimmers of hope” it was mostly filled “with few details and empty gestures as part of a bid to distract the public” the government’s “poor record on issues of national importance”.

Scotiabank Defenders get set to retain their title

THE Defend Ya Spike Volleyball Tournament is back for the fifth consecutive year and a number of international and professional players are expected to participate in the three-day event at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium this weekend.

Rising tennis star Jacobi Bain impresses overseas

FOURTEEN-year-old Bahamian tennis prodigy Jacobi Bain had an impressive international singles performance over the weekend, winning the Cupa de Vara a Municipiului Bucuresti tournament in Bucharest, Romania.

12-woman roster selected for CBC Championships

AFTER an intensive search to come up with the right pieces in the absence of two key players, the Bahamas Basketball Federation has selected the 12-woman roster that will travel to Tortola, British Virgin Islands, for the Caribbean Basketball Championships this weekend.

Activist encouraged by support for Freeport union

VETERAN Trade Union activist Lionel Morley is encouraged by the outpouring of support locally and internationally for the union’s efforts to establish a union for workers at the Freeport Container Port.

Hearing date set for rape appeal

THE Court of Appeal has set a substantive hearing date for a man challenging a jury’s verdict that he raped a teenage girl ten times.

Gov’t told: Don’t finalise conclusions on Freeport

THE Government was yesterday urged not to finalise the report and recommendations on Freeport’s future, a well-known QC warning this would spark a further Judicial Review challenge.

QC seeking Freedom of Information ‘with teeth’

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) “with teeth” is as vital to the Bahamas’ governance as the opening of the radio airwaves was in the 1990s, an outspoken QC said yesterday.

Mouthwash 101

THERE are many mouthwashes/mouth rinses in grocery stores and pharmacies nowadays. Fifty years ago, there were few commercial mouthwashes available, and almost everyone used the same ones. They were used mostly as breath freshener, although one also claimed to kill germs. Nonetheless, many persons bought the mouthwashes and gargled and swished with them for pleasant breaths.

Bahamian mother raises awareness of clubfoot condition

THE mother of four-year-old Kaylee Thomas, who was diagnosed with having a clubfoot at birth, is engaging in several initiatives to raise awareness of the condition in the Bahamas.

Age ain’t nothing but a number at the Geriatric Hospital

THE staff at the Geriatric Hospital, located at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, are proud of 50 years of service and achievements, and are preparing to host a series of events for the remainder of the year in celebration of the milestone anniversary.

Cigar business lights up for Tanika Williams

WHILE it can be tough for women breaking into male-dominated industries, Tanika Williams believes when it comes to business there is “no boys only club”.

Brides-to-be spend an 'Evening by the Watters'

WATCHING shows like TLC’s “Say Yes To The Dress” and “Four Weddings”, make many brides-to-be yearn for professional advice and consultation for their big day.

POLITICOLE: Charlie Charlie - who is the real demon?

LAST week, I wrote that we were in the asylum. Little did I know that this week I’d be able to specifically substantiate that claim. But I can’t yet decide who is most culpable for ushering in the madness.

Roberts vs Christian Council

THE comment by PLP chair Roberts as to the relevance of the Christian Council is laughable as if the Christian Council was irrelevant then why do politicians, especially PLP’s hang around churches every weekend and die to get in the churches’ pulpits?

Two sides to Baha Mar story

Baha Mar… reading your back to back Editorials you paint a wicked story about China State Construction and not a whisper (this writer is sure you have a lot of inside information) as to the other side of the equation which is or has been clearly the key to the work-slow up and question as to when Baha Mar will officially open.

Vandals strike at national park

RESIDENTS of the Pride Estates West community and representatives of the Bahamas National Trust said they are working to restore the area’s $15,000 boardwalk after vandals left the “peaceful retreat” covered with obscenities and suspected gang tag lines.

Two cruise crew dead

POLICE in Grand Bahama and Abaco are investigating the deaths of two crew members on separate cruise ships that were in Bahamian waters.

Police probe suspected suicide

POLICE are investigating the death of a man found hanging outside his home off the Eastern Road yesterday morning.

Man shot dead

A man was shot dead last night in front of a home off Wulff Road.

Freedom of Information Bill does not fix flaws, says expert

THE draft Freedom of Information Bill does not eliminate the flaws inherent in previous legislation passed by the former Ingraham administration, an expert on right to information laws has said.

First phase of NHI to boost present health system

THE first phase of National Health Insurance would see sweeping changes implemented to strengthen the nation’s existing health care system, Public Hospitals Authority Managing Director Herbert Brown yesterday suggested.

Bahamian entertainers not yet paid for Carnival

SEVERAL Bahamian entertainers who performed at the inaugural Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival have still not been paid, The Tribune understands.

‘Believing in Bahamians?’

THE Free National Movement ramped up its criticism of the Christie administration’s “Stronger Bahamas” initiative yesterday, with Leader Dr Hubert Minnis and former Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner both criticising the government for hiring a foreign public relations firm to help market the programme.

Man held after drugs and firearm discovered

A 37-year-old Bahamian man was taken into custody over the weekend in connection with a drug and firearm seizure.

Violence without response

THE church has rallied around the “new” demon challenge in wooden number 2 pencils and paper. It has brought the prayers out en mass, into schools and communities in search of those unknowing demon sympathizers on a mission to save them from their sins and from the evil that awaits them in “Charlie Charlie”.

Are you asking the ‘right’ questions?

ONE of the core principles emphasised in my public speaking programme is the importance of thinking critically and asking the ‘right’ questions. To speak well you must think well. There is no other way to gain clarity about who, what, when, where, why and or how the situation you’re observing came into being.

SPORTING MISCHIEF & MAYHEM: Boom now or be labelled forever an NFL bust

MOST professional athletes, especially those in the NFL, want a bust, as in enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Each inductee gets a sculpture (bust) in his likeness, the ultimate accomplishment for a player individually in the game.

Boxers off to final qualifying trials for Pan Am Games

RASHIELD Williams, Carl Hield and Kieshno Major are off to Tijuana, Mexico for the final qualifying trials for the Pan American Games.

Women’s national team getting prepares for Caribbean Basketball Championships

The women’s national basketball team will be travelling without one or two key components, but head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin is still confident that they will do very well.

North American union backs workers at Freeport

THE International Longshoremen’s Association – the largest union of maritime workers in North America – is supporting the efforts of workers to be unionised at the Freeport Container Port (FCP).

Be prepared - but hurricane season not due to be strong

ALTHOUGH the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season is not expected to be as active as past seasons, officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have warned that residents should still “carry out all necessary preparations” as the potential of storms making landfall still exist.

Sandals slams union’s untrue lay-off claims

Sandals Royal Bahamian’s general manager yesterday dismissed as “mischief” claims that the all-inclusive resort was set to terminate 129 employees, as the trade union body responsible for making them swiftly withdrew the allegations.

City Markets pension fund battle heats up

The ‘11th hour’ bid to intervene in the City Markets pension fund controversy was yesterday branded “fanciful at best”, as arguments over who is representing the former supermarket chain’s workers and beneficiaries intensified.

‘Far beyond conscionable’

Ex-City Markets staff were yesterday said to be “sick and tired” of the four-year struggle to obtain their due pension and severance benefits, a former manager adding: “This has gone far beyond conscionable.”

‘Bureaucratic delays’ drive Doctors losses

Doctors Hospital’s chairman has blasted the “many bureaucratic obstacles” it has faced in obtaining approvals for its medical tourism initiatives, implying that this played a key role in driving a 190 per cent year-over increase in its net losses.

Moody’s warns over fiscal ‘complications’

While praising the Government for “outperforming” its 2014-2015 Budget projections, a leading credit rating agency yesterday warned that National Health Insurance (NHI) and low economic growth levels will “complicate the [fiscal] consolidation”.

Judicial review bid on immigration policy delayed

YESTERDAY’S expected hearing of a woman’s application for judicial review of the government’s new immigration policy did not proceed due to in chamber discussions with lawyers from both sides.

Convicted rapist given appeal date

A MAN found guilty of rape is now represented by a Queen’s Counsel who will argue his appeal against conviction at a hearing in three month’s time.

Bulgarian guilty of credit card scam launches court appeal

A BULGARIAN, who admitted being involved in a credit card scam, is now seeking to have the Court of Appeal overturn his conviction and one-year sentence.

Onward together

“Good things happen to nations that go independent at an early age.” So declared Mr Lynden Pindling to cheering Bahamians in the year 1969.

Group re-enacts Burma Road walk to raise awareness

DESPITE a small turnout, one official of the Bahamas National Citizenship Coalition’s (BNCC) “Re-enactment of Burma Road Walk and Festival” yesterday said that the goal of bringing awareness to the “enduring issues of economic ownership, independence and sovereignty” was achieved.

Health Minister welcomes toxicologist, then says he hasn’t been briefed on his work

HEALTH Minister Dr Perry Gomez was yesterday unable to offer reporters insight into toxicologist Dr Rik van de Weerdt’s role in the government’s probe of the 2012 Rubis gasoline leak.

LIFE OF CRIME: Mental disorder and killing

OVER the years I have received more abuse for giving evidence to the courts about the existence of mental illness in someone who has killed another person than all of the rest of my involvement in forensic psychiatry.

Dwight Coleby signs ‘grant-in-aid agreement’ to join Kansas Jayhawks

ALMOST two weeks after he announced his decision to transfer, Dwight Coleby has revealed where he could continue his NCAA basketball career in the Fall 2016 season.

Registration deadline today for Age Group Championships

WITH the Age Group Championships set for this weekend at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ president Mike Sands is expressing concern for the lack of athletes registered to compete in the two-day meet.

Six Bahamian student athletes earn berths to NCAA Outdoors

SIX Bahamian student athletes earned berths to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with their performances at respective regional preliminaries this weekend.

CFL: Enrico Forbes joins Stampeders in training camp

THE NEXT step on the path to professional football for one Bahamian gridiron star will be another attempt to find a place on a Canadian Football League roster.

INSIGHT: Fuelling our own demise

The Bahamian government is attempting to walk a line - a line which is in fact a gulf - between climate advocate and gung-ho oil investor.

Cookie jar

The government having shamefully and dictatorially blocked the Public Accounts Committee from officially investigating the spending irregularities at Urban Renewal . . .

Traffic lights

This is not the first time I have written about this problem; but it appears that when the traffic lights on Mackey Street, Madeira and Bar Twenty Corner are non functional, the traffic flow is smooth and congestion is non-existent.

Business licence regulations

I sincerely wonder if Mr Christie has any idea of what small businesses have to go through just to get their licence renewed. I am not only referring to the cost of doing business, but also to the hassle they have to go through, just to get the necessary paperwork.

Charles did us proud

All Bahamians should be exceedingly proud of the performance of Charles Hamilton Jr, in the 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Bahamians open your eyes, and protect your future

JAMES Freeman Clarke, an American theologian and author, wrote that “a politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.”

Bishop calls for govt to honour CLICO promises

A well-known Bahamian pastor has urged the government not to forget its promises to assist the thousands of Bahamian policy holders who lost millions of dollars when CLICO (Bahamas) collapsed.

Watson: Time for Bran to come home to the FNM

FORMER Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson said it is time DNA Leader Branville McCartney “comes back home” to the FNM.

Shooting brings 2015 count to 63

MURDERS are up five per cent compared to the same time last year, an analysis into the country’s homicide figures for the first five months of 2015 has revealed.

Stronger Bahamas initiative slammed as propaganda

FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest said the new “Stronger Bahamas” government initiative is propaganda, adding yesterday that the Christie administration is “insulting” Bahamians by suggesting in an advertisement for the plan that the country has become safer.

McCartney: Rubis not the only health issue - what about the landfill fires?

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney said while the Christie administration is addressing the health concerns of Marathon residents affected by a 2012 underground fuel leak, the government must also turn attention to residents of western New Providence whose well-being is impacted by acrid smoke when the landfill burns.

$6m deal to build fire station

A $6 MILLION contract for the construction of a new Police Fire Station in Grand Bahama, which has been without one since the devastating hurricanes of 2004, has been signed.

‘Fireman’ Brown finishes third behind James, Merritt in 400

WHILE Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown and Donald Thomas were taking care of business at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, a number of athletes were making their presence felt for their respective colleges at the NCAA Regional Championships.

Telethon raises $150,000 for the fight against cancer

MORE than $150,000 was donated to the Cancer Society of the Bahamas during a four-hour “telethon” yesterday afternoon which marked the official launch of the organisation’s $3m campaign to raise funds for the expansion of the Cancer Caring Centre off Collins Avenue.

Bahamas banker collected $250k FIFA bribe cheque

A Bahamas banker made a round-trip to New York to collect a $250,000 cheque from a top FIFA official that was part of a $10 million bribe to influence voting on which nation would stage the 2010 soccer World Cup.

City Markets pension deal facing challenge

An ‘11th hour’ bid to prevent settlement of the long-running City Markets pension fund controversy seeks to overturn a court Order giving hundreds of ex-employees “more than they are entitled to”.

Pyfrom, Rolle take home national bowling titles

Richard Pyfrom, representing what he calls the new age bowlers, proved that consistency pays off as he finally emerged as the men’s champion of the Bahamas Bowling Federation’s National Bowling Championships. He joined Driskell Rolle, who regained her ladies’ title after relinquishing it last year.