By NOELLE NICOLLSTribune Staff Reporternnicolls@tribunemedia.net

TWO Bahamian avia-tion officials returnedfrom Haiti yesterday,still in shock over their

experience surviving themassive earthquake thatdevastated Haiti’s capi-tal on Tuesday.

“Reports from theinternational media areextremely accurate, butthey are showing youthe main streets,” saidPat Rolle, Director ofCivil Aviation.

“What they are notshowing you are the sidestreets where everyoneused to live. Things Ithought were importantto me are no longerimportant. It will havethe effect to leave a last-ing impression on me. Iwould not like to expe-rience it again.”

Mr Rolle and HubertAdderley, Flight Stan-dard Inspector, returnedwith tales that still have

NNAASSSSAAUU AANNDD BBAAHHAAMMAA IISSLLAANNDDSS’’ LLEEAADDIINNGG NNEEWWSSPPAAPPEERR

Govt ‘not stalling’over by-election

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TS‘Solid asa rock’

SEE PAGE NINE

Knights beatthe Stingrays

By NOELLE NICOLLSTribune Staff Reporternnicolls@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister HubertIngraham denied allegationsthat the government was drag-ging its feet on calling a by-elec-tion for the Elizabeth con-stituency.

Mr Ingraham addressed thepolitical rumours at a FreeNational Movement press con-ference called to announce theconfirmation and ratificationby the FNM Central Councilof Dr Duane Sands as theFNM’s candidate in the by-elec-tion.

“The reality is, the govern-ment decides when by-elections

are held, not oppositions. Thegovernment is acting consis-tently with when by-electionshave been called in the countryfrom time immemorial. Noth-ing new, nothing changed,” saidMr Ingraham.

He was responding to state-ments issued by the OppositionProgressive Liberal Party(PLP), stating that they found itsuspicious that the GovernorGeneral was yet to receive aletter advising him of the vacantseat in the House of Assembly.

Member of Parliament forElizabeth Malcolm Adderleyresigned his seat eight days ago,

PM addresses rumours,confirms candidate

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Bahamianofficials tellof horror in Haiti

DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATIONPat Rolle embraces his daugh-ter after he returned to theBahamas from Haiti. Mr Rollesaid his experience of the earth-quake there will have a lastingimpression on him.

• SEE STORY ABOVE

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SO GLAD TO BE HOME

SEE page two

By NATARIO McKENZIETribune Staff Reporternmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A FRIEND of BrentonSmith who was with him thenight he was fatally shot,recalled two suspicious-look-ing boys heading from a shortcut at the rear of the CityMarket food store on VillageRoad.

It was there that Brenton,18, met his death on the nightof July 9, 2009, LeshadThompson testified at thecoroner’s inquest yesterday.

The 18-year-old, who saidhe had been friends withBrenton for about a year,recalled that Brenton hadcome to his home in Dan Not-tage Estates around 7.30 thatnight.

According to Thompson,he and Brenton later walkedto a mutual friend’s house not

Friend of Brenton Smith ‘saw suspiciouslooking boys’ on night

of fatal shooting

SEE page 11

By ALISON LOWETribune Staff Reporteralowe@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Union of Teachers PresidentBelinda Wilson yesterday declined to confirmor deny whether she was the author of a peti-tion circulated among union members callingfor them to vote for the resignation of eight ofthe organization’s executive team.

According to BUT Secretary GeneralStephen McPhee, who was one of those tar-geted by the petition, the officers listed were allthose who had supported the recent move to

Teachers union president tight-lipped on petition

SEE page 11

By NATARIO McKENZIETribune Staff Reporters nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

MEMBERS of the Bahamas HotelCatering and Allied Workers Union(BHCAWU) will be headed back to thepolls soon as a decision by the Court ofAppeal yesterday overturned the rulingsof two separate judges in the protractedunion dispute.

The decision means that the BHCAWU,

Ruling sends hotelunion back to polls

SEE page 12

By MEGAN REYNOLDSTribune Staff Reportermreynolds@tribunemedia.net

A YOUNG man was shot dead when he confronted armedrobbers early yesterday morning, sparking a warning frompolice that the public should not challenge criminals alone.

Man shot dead afterconfronting robbers

SEE page 12

Broker selectsBahamas forconsolidation

By CHESTER ROBARDSBusiness Reportercrobards@tribunemedia.netA LEADING Bahamian

businessman said yesterday thatthe Bahamas has a financialilliteracy rate of close to 90 percent.

Dr Jonathan Rodgers saidduring his address to the annu-al Bahamas Business Outlookthat financial illiteracy can be

crippling to a country such asthe Bahamas, given that a largepart of its economy is depen-dent upon financial services.He added that general finan-

cial illiteracy has caused a largesector of the Bahamian popu-lation to fail to duly plan forretirement, and not invest inthe ‘Bahamian Dream’.Dr Rodgers, the well-known

By NEIL HARTNELLTribune Business EditorThe Bahamian small and

medium-sized business sectoris “dying a slow death”, theChamber of Commerce’s pres-ident said yesterday, describingthis nation as a “lumberingdinosaur I can almost guaranteewill die” when it came to pri-vate and public sector policytowards these firms.Describing the private sec-

tor, and especially small andmedium-sized businesses, asbeing “under siege” from acombination of the globalrecession, structural weakness-es and an inadequate policyresponse, Khaalis Rolle “apol-ogised” to Bahamian smallfirms because he believed theChamber had “not met ourmandate” when it came t0 sup-porting them.“I use the term: ‘The private

sector is under siege’,” he toldyesterday’s Bahamas BusinessOutlook Conference. “I thinkwe need to use that term,because the private sector isunder siege, especially the smalland medium-sized enterprises.”

The siege had been producedby a combination of falling rev-enues, as demand shrunk whenthe Bahamian economy tippedinto recession during the 2008second half; the “impediments”caused by the ever-rising cost ofdoing business; a “woefullyinadequate” labour market; andincreasing crime levels.The Bahamian economy had

endured a “slow pace ofgrowth” over the past decade,Mr Rolle said, with small andmedium-sized businessesunable to “take it to the nextlevel” because “there hasn’tbeen much second generationinnovation in the private sec-tor”.

The Chamber president said“a lot of things have beenunmasked” by the global reces-sion, especially Bahamian com-panies that were not operatingefficiently when it hit, withsmall businesses “particularlyhard hit”.

“The small and medium-sized sector is dying a slowdeath,” Mr Rolle said. “We area lumbering dinosaur, and if wedo not change from being alumbering dinosaur, I canalmost guarantee you we willdie.

“We have to be competitive.We have to change our busi-ness models. At the end of theday, consumers have infinitechoice. We have to stand upand give consumers value forthe dollar spent, and if we don’tdo it they will go for the lowcost alternative. We cannot dobusiness as usual and get thetype of support we want.”

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By NEIL HARTNELLTribune Business EditorThe Government was yesterday urged to establish a depart-

ment to deal specifically with this nation’s physical and social

infrastructure needs, a senior accountant estimating that the

Bahamas needed to spend $2.1 billion over the next five years

to bring this area up to standard.Simon Townend, a KPMG (Bahamas) partner and managing

director of KPMG Corporate Finance, while “commending” the

Government for forging ahead with infrastructure improve-

ments across numerous sectors, said there were “a lot of areas”

in which the Bahamas could improve, especially when it came

to the maintenance and overhaul of existing assets.

Government needs‘Infrastructure Dept’to meet $2.1bn need

SEE page 7B

Smallbusinesses

‘dying slow death’

KHAALIS ROLLE

** BBaahhaammaass ‘‘aa lluummbbeerriinnggddiinnoossaauurr’’ iinn mmeeeettiinngg ssmmaallllaanndd mmeeddiiuumm--ssiizzeedd bbuussiinneessssnneeeeddss,, aanndd ‘‘wwiillll ddiiee’’ uunnlleessssaapppprrooaacchh cchhaannggeess** CChhaammbbeerr cchhiieeff ssaayyss pprriivvaatteesseeccttoorr ‘‘uunnddeerr ssiieeggee’’,, aannddaappoollooggiisseess ttoo ssmmaallll bbuussiinneessss

ccoommmmuunniittyy ffoorr oorrggaanniissaattiioonn‘‘nnoott mmeeeettiinngg iittss mmaannddaattee’’ ttoossuuppppoorrtt tthheemm** LLaabboouurr mmaarrkkeett ‘‘wwooeeffuullllyyiinnaaddeeqquuaattee’’** SSeeccttoorr hhaass ddiiffffiiccuullttyyaacccceessssiinngg tteecchhnniiccaall ssuuppppoorrttbbeeccaauussee ooff ffeeeess ddeemmaannddeedd

SEE page 4B

Bahamas ‘90% rate’of finance illiteracyBusinessman warns this has madenation ‘sinking, rudderless ship’

By CHESTER ROBARDSBusiness Reportercrobards@tribunemedia.netSTOPOVER visitors to the

Bahamas fell below the onemillion mark in 2009 followinga 12.8 per cent year-over-yearcontraction, with tourism indus-try earnings dropping 10 percent to around $1.5 billion.Zhivargo Laing, minister of

state for finance, told yester-day’s Bahamas Business Out-look Conference that tourismcontracted despite cruisearrivals being up by 15 per centyear-over-year. However, airarrivals, the country’s “high val-ue-added” stopover segment,contracted by 12.8 per cent to

Tourismearningsfall 10%

to $1.5bnStopovers drop belowone million mark after 12.8% decline

SEE page 5B

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ZHIVARGO LAING

By NEIL HARTNELLTribune Business EditorA BISX-listed company

yesterday asserted it was “assolid as a rock” after raising$1 million to “shore up” itsbalance sheet and ensure itdid not end 2009 in a nega-tive net equity position, tellingTribune Business its assetswould grow by a further $3.5-$4 million when itsCarmichael Road office/retailcomplex was valued uponcompletion.Julian Brown, Benchmark

(Bahamas) president andchief executive, said the com-pany was not unhappy thatjust 67 per cent - or two-thirds- of its year-end private place-ment was taken up, telling thisnewspaper it had set itself aminimum goal of $0.5 million.“We were dodging around

the deficit area, so we decided

to raise some capital to ensurethe balance sheet was secure,”Mr Brown told Tribune Busi-ness. “We did it to shore upour balance sheet in the eventthat we needed to make pro-visions in case the [invest-ment] portfolio did not recov-er.”

Tribune Business revealedback in November howBenchmark (Bahamas) wasworking on strategies toensure it did not end 2009 in anegative net equity position,with an accumulated deficitof losses.

Mr Brown acknowledgedthat the company was then“teetering around” that posi-tion, as the net $932,716 lossfor the first nine months in2009 had left the companyclose to dropping into a neg-ative net worth position, giventhat net shareholder equity atyear-end 2008 was just

$494,525. The Benchmark(Bahamas) president told thisnewspaper yesterday that the$1 million raised, and onwhich the company will payan 8 per cent interest coupon,was due to mature by year-end.

He said this short-termfinancing - equivalent to abridging loan - showed theconfidence the company’sBoard and management hadin their belief that Benchmark(Bahamas) balance sheetwould be much stronger atthe 2010 year-end.“Our objectives were to

raise $0.5-$1.5 million fromthe private placement, andwe’re quite pleased with it,”Mr Brown added. “Andwe’ve only done it for a year,so that gives you a good indi-

‘Solid as a rock’* Benchmark (Bahamas) ‘shores up’ balance sheet with $1m private

offering to escape negative net worth position at year-end 2009

* BISX-listed firm confident 2010 will close in ‘much better shape’,

after Carmichael Road project’s $3.5m-$4m worth valued and listed

on balance sheet* Raised just two-thirds of $1.5m maximum sought* Office/retail complex 70% leased and set for February completion,

with annual rental income estimated at $500k

SEE page 3B

The Bahamian financial services industry received

a notable boost yesterday after a major interna-

tional securities/brokerage business announced it

had chosen Nassau ahead of the Cayman Islands as

the destination in which to consolidate its Caribbean

operations.LOM Holdings, the Bermuda headquartered and

listed broker, asset manager and financial services

provider, said its Cayman operation would close

on March 31, 2010, with all client accounts moving

either to Bermuda or its Nassau offices at the British

Colonial Hilton’s Centre of Commerce.“After an exhaustive review of our regional oper-

ations, we have decided that it is in the best interest

of our clients and shareholders to support the entire

Caribbean region from one office. Therefore, we

have determined that Nassau, Bahamas will be our

new regional hub. LOM has had an office in the

Bahamas since 2001,” said LOM (Bahamas) gener-

al manager Craig Lines. “Uniting our entire Caribbean sales team in once

place will allow us to more efficiently manage clients

throughout the Caribbean, Central America and

South America.”Beginning on April 1, 2010, all communications

will be redirected to Nassau, and any remaining

Cayman customers will be serviced out of the

Bahamas office until they can be transferred as per

client requests.All LOM’s staff and financial advisors in the Cay-

man office have been offered the opportunity to

relocate to the Bahamas or Bermuda offices.

“While LOM regrets this move after 15 years ofSEE page 2B

SEE page 12

RBC has announced a$100,000 donation to the RedCross to support relief andhumanitarian efforts in Haiti.

In addition, RBC has madeits entire network of branchesin the Bahamas, Caribbeanand Canada available toreceive donations on behalfof the international RedCross.

“The international RedCross is on the ground inHaiti and responding to theneeds of the Haitian peopleas quickly as possible,” saidCaroline Turnquest, directorgeneral of the Bahamas RedCross. “Support of this effortwill require massive resourcesso we urge you to give withthe assurance that thestrength and reach of theinternational Red Cross willmake a difference in Haitiimmediately during this diffi-cult time.”

"The Bahamas has veryclose ties with Haiti and asour neighbours we must sup-port them. I appeal to thepublic to exercise the gen-erosity that Bahamians areknown for and help ourbrothers and sisters in Haiti,"said Nathaniel Beneby, vicepresident and country head,RBC Bahamas.

The public is invited to vis-it any RBC Bahamas branchand donate to the Red CrossHaitian Relief Fund byaccount No. 2893865 or to theEmbassy of Haiti’s HatianRelief Fund, account No.2892958.

them in shock of jumpingthrough windows and scal-ing fences to escape the col-lapsing concrete.

Despite the traumaendured, Mr Rolle said hewas most concerned abouthis colleagues who were stillunaccounted for in Haiti. Hedreaded the responsibilityof speaking to their wivesand children.

Both men attended aCaribbean Civil Aviationmeeting in Port-au-Princewith about 30 colleaguesfrom St Vincent and theGrenadines, Antigua andBarbuda and Curaçao.

Just one hour before theearthquake struck, they lefttheir colleagues at the Mon- tana Hotel to return to the

Caribe Hotel, where theywere staying. The MontanaHotel was flattened in theearthquake. Mr Rolle said60 per cent of the Caribedisappeared.

Both men were in theirrooms at the Caribe send-ing e-mails when the quakestruck. Mr Rolle said thewalls of his room collapsed,striking him in the head andcrushing his new laptop andphone.

He said the televisionsailed across the room.

With the hallway doorjammed shut by the vibra-tions, he said he escaped

through the sliding door ontop of a neighbouringrooftop.

Meanwhile, on the otherside of the hotel, Mr Adder-ley also escaped through asliding door, running into anopen area, where he wasrelieved to see Mr Rolle onthe roof top, holding hishead wound with a towel.

“My immediate thoughtwas my family at home. Ididn’t come not to get backhome.

“It is going to take a cou-ple of days to process every-thing, to be stable goingback to my family or work,”said Mr Rolle, who got emo-tional as he spoke.

Before the quake, therewas a residential communitycovering the side of a hillbehind the Caribe. MrAdderley estimated the pop-ulation to be in the thou-sands. He said it was gut-wrenching to see the entireresidential community flat-tened. He said there was

simply a white cloud of dust,with moans and cries ema-nating from within.

Mr Adderley agreed thatthe international media wasnot sensationalising the sit-uation. He said the first daythey left the hotel to searchfor their friends, a youngschool girl lay dead on theroad still in her uniform. Thenext day, she was still in thesame position.

This was a characteristicscene, they said, as deadbodies on the street have notbe collected by the authori-ties in many areas. Mr Rollesaid surviving family mem-bers all over are simply sit-ting with their deceasedloved ones. With rain fallingfor a period of time on Tues-day, Mr Rolle said thisintensified the challengesfaced by the authorities tobring dignity to the deceasedand ensure public health.

When the men tried toseek assistance at a nearbyhospital for Mr Rolle’s open

head wound, they found acondemned building, for-merly the site of a hospital,and an overcrowded Unit-ed Nations clinic. At the sta-tion where they found treat-ment, Mr Adderley said themedical staff were boilingold syringes, because of sup-ply shortages.

With no hotel to return toonce the quake struck, thetwo Bahamian men slept ina bus belonging to one ofthe drivers assigned to theirinternational delegation. MrAdderley said he was par-ticularly touched becausethe men were concernedabout their safety to thepoint of refusing to go andsearch for their families.

“We had to tell them togo, we would be OK.

“The people were loyal.They made sure we wereOK. That was mind bog-gling to me,” said MrAdderley, who was gratefulfor the kindness shown bythe men.

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THE Government yesterdayannounced a Haiti emergency assis-tance fund is being established toprovide an “organised and safe way”for the Bahamian community todonate cash for the relief efforts.

After talks with the Clearing

Banks Association, a specific HaitiEmergency Fund has been set up.

A statement issued yesterday said:“The Government will undertake toensure that donations received aredirected to the government of Haitifor use in its recovery efforts, or to

identified international charities andfirst response organisations render-ing assistance on the ground in Haiti.

“The Government advises thatassistance to Haiti is being co-ordi-nated with the member states ofCARICOM and the Caribbean Dis-

aster Emergency ManagementAgency (CDEMA).”

CARICOM efforts are likely tobe co-ordinated from the BahamasEmbassy in Port-au-Prince, whichdid not sustain damage during theearthquake.

Govt establishing a Haiti emergency assistance fund

THE president of theBahamas Conference of theMethodist Church, Rev BillHiggs, announced yesterdaythat the BCMC is ready tolaunch its response to the dev-astating earthquake in Haiti.

According to Rev Higgs, theconference has received multi-ple reports on the severe dev-astation experienced through-out Haiti, especially in Port auPrince and as such, is moved torespond “immediately and sig-nificantly” with disaster reliefthrough Bahamas MethodistHabitat.

“We called an emergencymeeting with our ministers andstaff persons today to propose aresponse to the disaster. We arelooking at a two-prongedapproach: immediate/emer-gency and long term/rebuild-ing. Already we have begun toactivate our partnershipsthroughout the Bahamas andNorth America to bring reliefto the victims of the earth-quake”, Rev Higgs said.

“The BCMC can aptly offersome assistance in the immedi-ate relief efforts but ourstrongest area is our ability toprovide long term, sustainableaid in the areas of home repairsand reconstruction.”

The BCMC began its Disas-ter Relief Programme in thewake of Hurricane Andrew inAugust 1992. Andrew devas-tated north and centralEleuthera and the MethodistRelief efforts led the way inpartnership with the govern-ment to bring relief to many ofthe settlements there.

These efforts led to theestablishment of a formalorganisation now known asMethodist Habitat, a full timeoutreach programme based atCamp Symonette in James’ Cis-tern, Eleuthera.

Methodist Habitat did agreat deal of work in GrandBahama following Hurricanes

Francis and Jean in 2005, and inInagua, Turks Island and Haitiin the aftermath of HurricaneIke in 2008.

Abraham McIntyre, execu-tive director of Methodist Habi-tat, said the organisation islooking to partner with an InFlight Christian Pilot Associa-tion to be on call to fly in reliefteams and emergency aid toHaiti.

Rev Higgs said the responseof the conference is expectedto be “far-reaching anddiverse.”

He explained that the con-ference has renewed its part-nership with Queen’s Collegeschool, which will open its audi-torium on Saturday, January16, 2010 to receive goods donat-ed by the public.

Sought after items include:blankets, tarps, raincoats; cloth-ing for men, women, childrenand babies; shoes, bed sheets,towels, small toys for children,household utensils and non-per-ishable food items.

Those making donationsshould remember that theseitems have to be packed andshipped to Haiti. They aretherefore being asked to refrainfrom donating large items.

Rev Higgs added: “We ask

that persons also ensure thatclothing and other items are ingood condition. Donors arealso asked to pre-sort theirclothing items before bringingthem to the QC auditorium.Items should be brought in firmcardboard boxes and labelledas to the content in each box.

“Used shoes should beplaced in plastic bags with theshoe size clearly labelled on thebag. Church, student and fac-ulty volunteers will be in placeto receive, package and labelthe boxes. Donated items canalso be delivered to BCMCMethodist Churches through-out New Providence.

“We also invite individuals,businesses, churches and allorganisations to make a finan-cial donation to the BCMC Dis-aster Relief Fund.

“Donations can be mailed toBahamas Methodist Habitat,PO Box SS-5103, or if you con-tact us we can collect yourdonation. Call 393-3726 oremail bcmc@bahamas-methodist.org.

“Direct bank deposits canalso be made to MethodistHabitat, Royal Bank of Cana-da, Mackey Street – branchnumber 05715, account num-ber 1284553,” he said.

BCMC launches Haiti disaster response

RBC donates$100,000 toRed Cross Haiti fund

THE Rotary Club of East Nassau has made a donation of$5,000 to the relief efforts in Haiti and has vowed to raisemore in the coming days and weeks.

According to the club’s president Michele Rassin, they havecollected more than $1,200 from members already and antici-pate raising much more in the very near future.

The club is working with its sister Rotary branches to collectfood, medical supplies, blankets, and other necessary itemsthat can be transported to Haiti immediately.

In fact, Ms Rassin said, their past president Richard ‘Dick’McCombe will be flying down to Haiti today to deliver the sup-plies that have been collected thus far.

She advised anyone who wants to donate food, medicalitems or clothing, to bring their contribution to Doctor’s Hos-pital on Shirley Street or the Windermere Spa in the HarbourBay Shopping Centre.

Rotary Club donates $5,000 to relief efforts

WORKING on the Disaster Relief Programme

Bahamian officials tell of horror in HaitiFROM page one

FLIGHT STANDARD INSPECTOR Hubert Adderley was emotional on his return from Haiti.

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PAT ROLLE shows his head wound.

THE Ministry of ForeignAffairs is asking anyone withrelatives in Haiti to contactundersecretary Carlton Wright.

Mr Wright can be reached at502-9530 or 322-7624 ext 268.

The ministry says it is alsodoing all it can to notifyBahamian citizens visiting Haitiat the time of the earthquake ofthe address of the BahamianEmbassy:

12 Rue Goulard Place Boyer, PetionvillePort-au-PrinceTelephone No. (509) 256-

4407/257-8782Fax No. (509) 256-5729Mobile No. (509) 372-2982

A statement issued by theministry said: “As communica-tions to and within Haiti aredifficult, persons in Haiti are

asked to call the mobile num-ber in the first instance. Per-sons in the Bahamas shouldchannel inquiries via the min-istry so that the embassy num-bers are kept free for persons inHaiti trying to communicatewith the Bahamas.”

The ministry has also beenin consultation with the CARI-COM Secretariat and has madethe Embassy of the Bahamasavailable to assist in the co-ordi-nation and delivery of assis-tance to Haiti.

CARICOM Assistant Secre-tary General Colin Grandersonwill head that mission.

The ministry said it has con-tacted the Ambassador of Haitito the Bahamas to convey thegovernment’s commitment toassist to the best of its ability.

“Diplomatic representativesof the Bahamas abroad were

immediately instructed to sup-port all initiatives to assist Haitiin responding to this disasterand are in contact with theirHaitian counterparts overseas,”the statement said.

“On behalf of the people andgovernment of the common-wealth of the Bahamas, theministry would wish to extendits deepest condolences to thebereaved people and govern-ment of Haiti for the loss of lifeand property in the wake of theearthquake.”

By MEGAN REYNOLDSTribune Staff Reportermreynolds@tribunemedia.net

TEAMS of Bahamian doc-tors, counsellors and construc-tion workers will assist massiverelief efforts in the devastatedareas of Port-au-Prince follow-ing Tuesday’s catastrophicearthquake.

National efforts are being co-ordinated by the NationalEmergency ManagementAgency (NEMA), working aspart of the Caribbean DisasterEmergency ManagementAgency (CDEMA), and aCDEMA delegation will travelto Haiti today to assess thedestruction and devise anaction plan.

NEMA director CaptainStephen Russell has vowed tosend three representatives toHaiti on a rotation basis andthe Royal Bahamas DefenceForce has two platoons onstandby along with the vesselsHMBS Bahamas and HMBSNassau to be deployed to Haitiwith supplies.

Captain Russell has also con-tracted the services of the cargovessels to transport supplies tothe area once he receives con-firmation from CDEMA.

Donations of non-perishablefood items, water, bedding andclothing to be sent to Haiti canbe dropped off at the RedCross Society Headquarters inJFK Drive, the Salvation Armyin Mackey Street or Grants

Town, or at donation centresset up across the country.

Financial donations can alsobe made to various charities ordirectly to NEMA or the Hait-ian Embassy.

NEMA is also appealing forvolunteers in the engineering,medical and counselling pro-fessions to assist in the disasterzone.

Tens of thousands are feareddead and countless more wereinjured and trapped in the rub-ble when the Haitian capitalwas rocked by Tuesday’s mag-nitude 7.0 earthquake and thecity collapsed around its 3.4million population.

As aid pours into the capitalit is feared the city’s surround-ing settlements and communi-ties in southeast Haiti alsoambushed by the earthquakewill be neglected and Haitianauthorities assisted by United

Nations troops on the groundare scrambling to co-ordinateassistance to the victims.

President of the GrandBahama Medical and DentalAssociation Dr George Chariteis co-ordinating a team of doc-tors to provide emergency med-ical attention and BahamasMedical Association presidentTimothy Barrett has urged doc-tors wishing to volunteer to doso through NEMA.

Dr Barrett said: “Once weget on the ground we have tohave a larger body to be asso-ciated with so we can be effec-tive in getting help to the peo-ple that need it because one ofthe things that’s categorically anightmare is to organise helpin some areas and not enoughin others.

“We will have to hold offwhat’s definitely going to be ahealth nightmare becausethere’s no place to go and astime goes on people are goingto be a lot more susceptible tothings like dengue fever, flus,and malaria, so if you are goingyou have to be aware of allthese things.

“We will probably be able tohelp in the coming weeks andmonths, so hopefully we don’tlose our passion as the imme-diacy of the moment passes andwe can still help later on.”

The Salvation Army is alsoorchestrating a mission to Port-au-Prince to provide medicalassistance and distribute foodand water in co-operation with

its sister organisations in Haiti.Both the Salvation Army

and Red Cross are workingwith NEMA to send donationsof food, water, bedding andclothing to Haiti, theCarmichael Road DetentionCentre and Inagua where arefugee camp will be estab-lished to accommodate anexpected influx of refugees.

TentsThe Department of Immi-

gration has indefinitely sus-pended the repatriation of ille-gal Haitian migrants and tentswill be set up at the detentioncentre to accommodate moredetainees.

Haitian Ambassador to theBahamas Louis Harold Josephhas thanked the government,the clergy, the diplomatic andconsular corps, and the gener-

al public for their moral andfinancial support.

He said: “We are keepingour brothers and sisters in ourprayers and will do everythingin our power to assist ongoingrelief efforts.

“According to the first esti-mations made by the Haitianauthorities, there is tremen-dous damage. Port-au-Princeis practically in ruins and greatloss of human life is to beexpected.

“Faced with this situation,efforts are being made on theground by the civil society, thegovernment and the UnitedNations troops stationed in thecountry to rescue and givemedical assistance to the vic-tims.”

Those wishing to volunteerare asked to contact NEMA at322-6081/5.

To make a donation see thecolumn on this page.

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LOCAL NEWS

THE TRIBUNE FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010, PAGE 3

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Bahamian doctors, counsellors and construction workers head for Haiti

RED CROSS BAHAMAS SOCIETYThe Red Cross is appealing for

donations of non-perishablefoods, water, blankets, sheets,towels, cots, clothing and pack-ing boxes.

Goods will be sent to Haiti,Inagua and the Carmichael RoadDetention Centre.

Donations can be taken to theRed Cross Bahamas Society cen-tre in JFK Drive; Quality AutoSales in East Shirley Street; LePetit Gourmet cafe in the ShirleyStreet Plaza; The College of theBahamas Tourism Training Cen-tre in Thompson Boulevard; andBahamas Faith Ministries churchin Carmichael Road.

The international societies ofthe Red Cross aim to raise $10million for the Haiti relief effort.

Financial donations can bepaid directly to the Bahamas RedCross Society’s Haiti Relief Fundat the Royal Bank of Canada,account number 5165-289-3865.

THE SALVATION ARMYThe Salvation Army is appeal-

ing for medical experts to volun-teer their services and assist on amission trip to Haiti which isbeing organised with SalvationArmy groups in Haiti.

Donations of goods and mon-ey to aid the effort will be accept-ed at their headquarters in Mack-ey Street and Grants Town, orcall 393-2745.

THE NEW PROVIDENCE COMMUNITY CENTRE (NPCC)

THE NPCC organising a mis-sion trip to Haiti in co-ordinationwith the Caribbean’s Del Caminonetwork churches in Haiti andthe Dominican Republic.

As they work to put a firmresponse plan in place, the churchwill only be accepting monetarydonations.

Cheques can be made payableto NPCC, with a note to indicatethe money is for ‘Haiti Earth-quake Relief’.

Or call Tim Lee or GillianWatson at the New ProvidenceCommunity Centre in BlakeRoad, western New Providenceon 327-1660, email relief@npc-conline.org, or log on towww.npcconline.org.

THE BAHAMAS CHRISTIAN COUNCIL

Churches are encouraged toparticipate in a combined Haitirelief effort on Sunday by encour-aging their members to bring indonations of money and goodsto be sent to Haiti through theNational Emergency Manage-ment Organisation (NEMA).

The churches are also in com-munication with churches in Haitito learn more about the need andhow they can help. Churcheswishing to get involved in theHaiti Relief Sunday effort cancontact Bahamas Christian Coun-cil president Patrick Pinder on393-3453 or 393-2312

HAITIAN BAHAMIAN SOCIETY INGRAND BAHAMA

Society president Jetta Bap-tiste is accepting donations at Jet-ta's Multi-Service Centre, 37Hearne Lane, Freeport.

Ms Baptiste met with churchand business leaders in Freeportyesterday to assess ways of send-ing relief to Haiti and hopes tosend a team this weekend.

For more information call 352-2384.

HAITIAN GOVERNMENTThe Haitian Embassy in the

Bahamas has opened an emer-gency account at the Royal Bankof Canada main branch acccountnumber 2892958.

For more information call theembassy on 326-0325

Members of the public are alsoadvised to deposit funds into anaccount opened by members ofthe Clearing Banks Association,in aid of the Haiti relief effort.

DONATIONS

Disaster in

HAITI

HELPING OUT THE PEOPLE OF HAITI

RESIDENTS IN THE MASON ADDITION AREA are urging their community to help the people of Haitiafter this week’s earthquake. People in the area showed their support and dropped off items to theorganisers. Stacey Bullard, Audrey Domanny, Katheleen Porter and Anthony Etienne came up withidea.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs information

EDITOR, The Tribune.

How painfully ironic it isthat in the very midst of ourlamentations for the lack of

“majority rule” celebrations,the seemingly hapless con-stituents of ElizabethEstates, 4000 plus strong,have unwittingly become thevictims of a bullying gov-ernment and opposition.

Could you not have found“a few good men” of suffi-cient character, integrity,intellect and with the all-important “ElizabethEstates blood” runningthrough their veins to seektrue representation of thepeople and not perpetuationof the status quo?

In this regard, “we wantthe truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the truth” –if you can handle it.

The absurd notion thatdoctors and lawyers mustcontinually resort to med-dling in politics for the bet-terment of society (two dia-metrically opposed ideas) asopposed to confronting the“challenges of health andjustice for all” is one thatmust die in order forBahamians to live.

MICHAELE NOTTAGENassau,January 13, 2010.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Kindly allow me to respondto a complaint that I read inyour paper dated, November11, 2009, in which a JamaicanNational, Mr Andrew Dillion,claimed that he was not treat-ed fairly by Immigration offi-cers on his arrival at the air-port in October.

Whatever happened onthat day, it appears that hedid not like the experience,because he elected to have hisstory printed on the frontpage of the paper where itcould be seen at first glance.

Let me say that these situa-tions have been rising fromthe beginning, and officerswill continue to refuse leaveto land, to anyone who doesnot meet the requirement asstated in the Immigrationlaws.

As a former officer myself,I am quite aware of these sit-uations, but I believe that it istime for a slightly differentapproach.

I know that no one wants togo through any adverse ordealin a foreign country, butsometimes they do, especiallyon entry.

We must understand that

Immigration and Migrationare becoming very seriousissues these days, especiallywhere people are travellingunder the pretence of bonafide visitors, when in fact, theyare not.

But there are many whoare bona fide, but it is difficultto tell sometimes.

Regarding the detaining ofvisitors, I do believe that it isunfair to detain any visitor atthe centre, who did not com-mit a crime.

Therefore I think the Hon.Minister, should immediate-ly initiate talks with airlinepersonnel, to work out a planwhereby, the aircraft, (empha-sis on Air Jamaica) must notdepart until all of the incom-ing passengers are cleared bythe immigration officers.

If there are refusals, theyshould be returned on thesame flight, or some otherflight on the same day,regardless, whether the flightis full or not.

If it is full, arrangements

must be made to remove apassenger or passengers offto accommodate the refusals.Should the airline refuse toremove any passengers, thenthey must be prepared to payofficers overtime fees, towatch those refusals and alsofeed them, at another loca-tion, other than the detentioncentre (i.e. the airport) untilthey depart.

That is the way it was donein the early days. Persons whoare refused leave to landshould not be taken to thedetention centre.

Though this plan may notwork for nationals from coun-tries on the other side of theglobe, arrangements shouldbe made for them to transitthrough other countries,should their funds allow.

Detaining people, causesthe government money, mon-eys that we do not have at thistime.

Furthermore, detentionwould cause people to tell sto-ries that may, or may not betrue, as in the case of Mr. Dil-lion’s account of his ordeal.

CAPTAIN H. BAINNassau,December 23, 2009.

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EDITORIAL/LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PAGE 4, FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010 THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune LimitedNULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master

LEON E. H. DUPUCH, Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.Publisher/Editor 1972-

Published Daily Monday to Saturday

Shirley Street, P.O. Box N-3207, Nassau, BahamasInsurance Management Building., P.O. F-485, Freeport, Grand Bahama

TELEPHONESSwitchboard (News, Circulation and Advertising) 322-1986

Advertising Manager - (242) 502-2352Circulation Department - (242) 502-2387

Nassau Fax: - (242) 328-2398Freeport, Grand Bahama: 1-(242)-352-6608

Freeport fax: (242) 352-9348

WEBSITEwww.tribune242.com – updated daily at 2pm

WHEN it comes to natural disasters,Haiti seems to have a bull's-eye on it.That's because of a killer combination ofgeography, poverty, social problems, slip-shod building standards and bad luck,experts say.

The list of catastrophes is mind-numb-ing: This week's devastating earthquake.Four tropical storms or hurricanes thatkilled about 800 people in 2008. Killerstorms in 2005 and 2004. Floods in 2007,2006, 2003 (twice) and 2002. And that'sjust the 21st Century run-down.

"If you want to put the worst case sce-nario together in the Western hemisphere(for disasters), it's Haiti," said RichardOlson, a professor at Florida Internation-al University who directs the Disaster RiskReduction in the Americas project.

"There's a whole bunch of things work-ing against Haiti. One is the hurricanetrack. The second is tectonics. Then youhave the environmental degradation andthe poverty," he said.

This is the 15th disaster since 2001 inwhich the U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment has sent money and help toHaiti. Some 3,000 people have been killedand millions of people displaced in thedisasters that preceded this week's earth-quake. Since the turn of this century theU.S. has sent more than $16 million in dis-aster aid to Haiti.

While the causes of individual disas-ters are natural, more than anything whatmakes Haiti a constant site of catastropheis its heart-tugging social ills, disasterexperts say. It starts with poverty, includesdeforestation, unstable governments, poorbuilding standards, low literacy rates andthen comes back to poverty.

This week's devastating quake comes asHaiti is still trying to recover from 2008,when it was hit four times by tropicalstorms and hurricanes, said Kathleen Tier-ney, director of the University of Col-orado's Natural Hazard Centre.

And while there is bad luck involved,former top FEMA official Mark Merritt,president of the disaster consulting firmJames Lee Witt Associates, says, "It's aneconomic issue. It's one of those thingsthat feeds on each other."

Every factor that disaster experts lookfor in terms of vulnerability is the worst itcan be for Haiti, said Dennis Mileti, a seis-mic safety commissioner for the state ofCalifornia and author of the book "Disas-ters by Design."

Add to that the high population densi-ty in the capital, many of them migrantsfrom the countryside who live in shanty-towns scattered throughout Port-au-Prince.

"It doesn't get any worse," said Mileti,a retired University of Colorado professor."I fear this may go down in history as thelargest disaster ever, or pretty close to it."

For this to be the deadliest quake onrecord, the death toll will have to top the2004 Asian tsunami that killed more than227,000 and a 1976 earthquake in Chinathat killed 255,000, according to the U.S.Geological Survey.

While nobody knows the death toll inHaiti, a leading senator, Youri Latortue,told The Associated Press that as manyas 500,000 could be dead.

"Whether it comes in as No. 1, No. 2 orNo. 3, only time will tell," Mileti said."This is a major cataclysm."

Vulnerability to natural disasters isalmost a direct function of poverty, saidDebarati Guha Sapir, director of theWorld Health Organization's Centre forResearch on the Epidemiology of Disas-ters. "Impacts are not natural nor is therea divine hand or ill fate," Sapir said. "Peo-ple will also die now of lack of follow-upmedical care. In other words, those whosurvived the quake may not survive forlong due to the lack of adequate medicalcare."

University of South Carolina's SusanCutter, who maps out social vulnerabilityto disaster by county in the United States,said Haiti's poverty makes smaller disas-ters there worse.

"It's because they're so vulnerable, anyevent tips the balance," said Cutter, direc-tor of the school's Hazards and Vulnera-bility Research Institute. "They don't havethe kind of resiliency that other nationshave. It doesn't take much to tip the bal-ance."

(This article is by Seth Borenstein of theAssociated Press).

My response toJamaican national’s

complaint aboutimmigration officers

LETTERSletters@tribunemedia.net

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EDITOR, The Tribune.

Of all the religious denominations in TheBahamas, based on the 2000 census — nextCensus Day is May 3, 2010 — Baptists (35 percent), Anglican/Episcopalian (15 per cent),and Roman Catholic (14 per cent) comprisethe overwhelming majority.

But for all, from the Baha’i’s to the SalvationArmy, life after death is the most essentialconcept.

The different funerary rituals of these vari-ous belief systems, both local and interna-tional, provide solace and control during thehighly personal and subjective set of respons-es that, not unexpectedly, come to the forewith the passing of a loved one.

The obituaries, or hymn sheets, normallyassociated with these final rites, in the words ofBarron’s Magazine’s Up and Down WallStreet columnist, Alan Abelson, generally pro-vide “a highly compressed and often fascinat-ing biography of those noteworthy souls whohave recently departed from the ranks of thequick.”

Locally, however, it seems that, in mostinstances in these obits, “Honorary” pall-bear-

ers become, incorrectly, “Honourary” pall-bearers.

Granted, it’s probably a minor point undersuch sensitive circumstances, but perhaps, in astrictly orthographic context, and in order tobestow full honour to the distinguished indi-viduals charged with carrying out such roles,the persons editing these “mini” biographiesmight wish to take note.

Hopefully if we can all get “a better grip” onsome of the leading causes of death in TheBahamas — namely: Diseases of the heart;HIV/AIDS; Cancer; Accidents, Suicide andHomicide; Cerebrovascular Disease and Dia-betes Mellitus — not only will there will be asignificantly reduced demand for honorarypall-bearers and everyone else involved infacilitating our final journey to the GreatBeyond, but we can all enjoy a fuller, morehealthful and extended life on this side of thegrass.

Happy New Year.

SIMON ARTZINassau,January 5, 2010.

It’s ‘Honorary’ – never ‘Honourary’

Unwitting victims of bullying government and opposition

THE National Develop-ment Party has announcedthat it will soon host an “Eliz-abeth electoral primary race”to give constituents a chanceto choose which party mem-ber they would most like tosee run in the upcoming by-election.

“We do not believe weshould abandon our principlesbecause this has been thruston us so hastily. We want tocreate a new political cultureand fundamental to that isincorporation of electoral pri-maries by which constituentscan choose who they believeis most fit to represent them,”Dr Andre Rollins, chairmanof the NDP said yesterday.

Dr Rollins said he wants tosee the day when politicalparties do not rely on a Can-didates Committee, usuallyheaded by the party’s leader-ship, to determine who will beoffered as a potential repre-sentative to the people of aconstituency in an election.

Dr Rollins said the event,unlike any other in the historyof the Bahamas, will takeplace within the next twoweeks.

“We will be running adver-tisements to announce to peo-ple of Elizabeth the venue forthe NDP’s Elizabeth electoralprimary.

“Residents of Elizabethand non-Elizabeth residentscan attend the event wherethey can listen to speechesmade by those who wish toearn the nomination of theparty, who would be subject-ed to the questions of the con-stituents and other Bahami-ans present there that night.

“At the end of that processthose persons who are on theelectoral register in Elizabethwill vote on who they wouldlike to be the NDP’s candi-date.

“The individual whoobtains the majority of thevotes will become the candi-date,” said Mr Rollins.

The NDP is the sixth partyto announce that it intends tofield a candidate in the up-coming by-election, joiningthe FNM, PLP, BahamasDemocratic Movement, theWorker’s Party and the new-ly-formed United ChristianLove Revolution Movementfounded by attorney Godfrey“Pro” Pinder.

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LOCAL NEWS

THE TRIBUNE FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010, PAGE 5

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MINISTERS

Hear Anointed Speakers:

Branson Gibson Rachel Sands Maurice Simms

Jarenda Rahming Edward Virgil Jr. Eileen Johnson

THE Progressive LiberalParty yesterday expressedconcern over the “suspi-cious” delay in the issuanceof the by-election writ by theSpeaker of the House ofAssembly.

In a statement issued tothe press, the PLP notedthat its former member ofparliament Malcolm Adder-ley resigned as the repre-sentative of the ElizabethConstituency on January 6– a full eight days ago.

Referring to section 33,paragraphs one and three ofthe Parliamentary ElectionsAct, the party pointed outthat upon the occurrence ofa vacancy in the House ofAssembly while in session,the Speaker must send amessage to the GovernorGeneral requesting theissuance of a writ of elec-tion.

“Upon receipt of theSpeaker’s message, the Gov-ernor General shall as soonas practicable issue a writ ofelection for the election of amember for the constituencyfor which the vacancy hasoccurred, and there shall benot less than 21 nor morethan 30 days between theissue of the writ of electionand the return of that writ,”the Act states.

“Many concernedBahamians are asking whythe issuance of the writ ofelection is being delayed.We in the Progressive Lib-eral Party call on the gov-

ernment to clarify to theBahamian people the legiti-mate reasons for the delay.We remain on guard andtrust that no skullduggery orsinister plot is going on andmay be the reason for thedelay,” the PLP’s statementsaid.

The PLP also took theopportunity to remind thegovernment that democra-cy must not only be free andfair, but must also appear tobe free and fair.

“The PLP fears that thedelay tactics of the govern-ment could cast doubt onthe fairness and integrity ofthe electoral process. Thisdoubt can only deepen cyn-icism toward our democrat-ic institutions and in partic-ular our electoral process,substantially weakening ourdemocracy.

“We urge the governmentnot to further delay theprocess and to ensure thatthe Speaker informs theGovernor General withoutfurther delay so that the vot-ers of Elizabeth may exer-cise their constitutional rightto elect a new member ofparliament, consistent withthe constitution,” the partysaid.

PLP concerned overby-election writ delay

By ALISON LOWETribune Staff Reporteralowe@tribunemedia.net

THE country’s two majorpolitical parties have beenaccused of making a mock-ery of the intelligence of theconstituents of Elizabethafter neither expressed anysupport for a proposal thatcandidates should engage ina live debate in the run-up tothe oncoming by-election.

Andre Rollins, Chairmanof the National Develop-ment Party, yesterdaydescribed it as “absolutelyembarrassing” that bothFNM chairman Carl Betheland PLP chairman BradleyRoberts appear to be againsttheir party’s candidates – DrDuane Sands and attorneyRyan Pinder – taking part inan event that would “deependemocracy” in the Bahamas.

“It is an absolute and uttershame that Bradley Robertsand Carl Bethel have suchlittle faith not only in theconstituents of Elizabeth butalso in the candidates whosebiographies they are parad-ing about the internet.

“These (candidates) arewell positioned to engage ina debate, they appear to bevery accomplished. Howthen can you be afraid to putthem on television for all

Bahamians to be able toappreciate whether or notthey are competent in theirabilities to be solid repre-sentatives of the people.

“They have the profes-sional pedigrees, now wewant to know if they haveinterests of Bahamian peo-ple at heart,” said MrRollins.

The fledgling NDP haspreviously charged that tobegin holding live televisedpolit ical debates in theBahamas, such as those com-monly organised prior toelections in the United King-

dom and United States,would represent a “deepen-ing and maturing of ourdemocracy.”

With members of the pub-lic as well as the media pro-vided an opportunity todirectly question candidates,proposed representativeswould be held to a higherstandard of accountability,having to offer an insightinto their position on issuesand giving constituents afirmer basis than any pre-written speech can provideon which to judge their suit-ability for the job.

However, pressed yester-day on the concept of a livedebate between politicalcandidates, neither MrBethel or Mr Roberts couldbe said to have been partic-ularly keen.

Mr Roberts would barelybe drawn on the matter,telling The Tribune he had“no comment” on the idea.He said his party “may con-sider” such an event if “theother major party” suggest-ed it.

Meanwhile, Mr Bethelsaid he does not thinkthere’s much public supportfor such an event, addingthat live political debates“are not part of our politicalculture” and he does notthink the Bahamas is “at

that stage” yet in its devel-opment.

“We only do what is cul-tural. We will only do whatis cultural. All politics islocal,” said Mr Bethel.

“The debate will be in thehomes of every constituentof Elizabeth and con-stituents will in the ordinaryscheme of things have theright to ask all questions thatare pertinent to them ofeach candidate,” he said.

The last public debate inthe run up to an election inthe Bahamas was in 2002. Atthat time the leaders of theFNM, PLP, the Coalition forDemocratic Reform and theBahamas Democratic Move-ment - Tommy Turnquest,Perry Christie, Bernard Not-tage and Cassius Stuart -debated each other on issueslive on radio.

Yesterday Mr Stuart saidhis party also remains infavour of live public debates.

“I think a national debateis a good thing and givesconstituents an opportunityto see exactly who theseindividuals are who arevying the represent them.

“It also unrobes the indi-vidual from their parties andexposes them for what theyreally are and whether theyhave grasp of nationalissues.”

FNM and PLP accused of being‘afraid’ of political debates

NDP to host ‘Elizabeth electoral primary race’PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT atan NDP press conference thisweek are: Renward Wells,Andre Rollins, Arlington Cox,Cecil Newry

ANDRE ROLLINS

XELIZABETHB Y - E L E C T I O N

By NATARIO McKENZIETribune Staff Reporternmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

CHIEF Justice Sir MichaelBarnett yesterday highlightedpolicies he said will increase theefficiency of the courts as well asimminent changes in the makeupof the Supreme Court.

Speaking at a ceremony tomark the opening of the legalyear, the Chief Justice began byacknowledging the 7.0 magnitudeearthquake that devastated Haition Tuesday.

“My thoughts and prayers arewith the people of Haiti and I urgepersons to support generously,relief efforts to assist our neigh-bours in the south,” Sir Michaelsaid. The Chief Justice noted thatthree criminal courts will operatein New Providence and one inGrand Bahama.

“It is expected that in themonth of January, fixtures will beset by these three courts in NewProvidence for the cases to beheard throughout this year. “Oncethese dates are fixed, save inextreme cases the matters will beheard on their scheduled dates,”Sir Michael said.

He added: “They will not beadjourned simply to accommo-date the convenience of counselfor either side.

“Each trial judge will have apre-trial conference in these crim-inal matters not less than a weekbefore the trial date to ensure thatthere are no unresolved issueswhich would necessitate an adjust-

ment to the trial date.” The Chief Justice said that the

purpose of the pre-trial review isto ensure that in the event thescheduled trial is unable to pro-ceed, another trial will be heard inthat period.

“This is designed to ensure thatvaluable court time is not wast-ed. Justices are expected to prop-erly manage their calendars andthe trials before them.

“Counsel and jurors shouldunderstand that the court willbegin on time at 10 am and situntil 4.30 pm or later if necessary.We have impressed on the Com-missioner of Police that persons incustody should be in court so thatthe court can commence at 10 am.

“Too much time is wasted ifpersons in custody are not broughtto court until 10.30am or even lat-er,” Sir Michael said.

According to the Chief Justicethere will now be a policy thatjurors not take electronic com-munication devices when theybegin their deliberations.

“Jurors should also be awarethat it will be the policy of allcourts that all electronic devicesmust be given to the clerk of thecourt for safe keeping before jurydeliberations begin. No electron-ic communication devices will bepermitted in the jury room.”

The Chief Justice acknowl-edged his predecessor Sir BurtonHall who was present yesterday,stating that the judiciary wasgrateful for his years of distin-guished service. Sir Burton whoserved as Chief Justice of theBahamas for eight years demit-ted office last August to become apermanent judge of the Interna-tional Tribunal of the formerYugoslavia.

Sir Michael also expressed grat-itude to Senior Justice John Lyonswho resigned last August, statingthat Senior Justice Lyons hadbrought energy and work ethic tothe courts particularly on the com-mercial side. The Chief Justicealso acknowledged Justices Rhon-da Bain, former Director of LegalAffairs and former Director ofPublic Prosecutions BernardTurner who were appointed tothe bench.

Sir Michael also highlighted the

fact that there will be furtherchanges to the makeup of theSupreme Court in 2010. Accord-ing to Sir Michael, Justice CherylAlbury will demit office on Janu-ary 31. Court of Appeal JusticeHartman Longley will retire fromthat court on January 31 to againbecome a Supreme Court judge.According to Sir Michael, TheLegal Services Commission hasadvised the Governor Generalthat he would become a SupremeCourt judge again effective Feb-ruary 1, 2010.

“Justice Longley will beassigned as a resident justice inthe northern region. This willresult in the northern region hav-ing two resident justices, JusticeEvans and Justice Longley.

“This will eliminate the needfor a justice residing in New Prov-idence, having to be assigned toGrand Bahama for short periodsof time to conduct criminal trials.

“Both criminal and civil mat-ters will be heard in GrandBahama on a year round basis,”Sir Michael said.

The Chief Justice also notedthat contrary to some mediareports, the Supreme Court doesnot have its full complement ofjudges. “It is important that wefill the complement of justices,”he said. According to Sir Michaelthis will ensure that trials are dealtwith on a timely basis, which willhelp to alleviate the backlog ofcases.

Addressing the need for mag-istrates to serve on some of themajor family islands, Sir Michaelalso noted that although adver-tisements were circulated last yearonly a limited number of attor-neys applied.

“In a Bar made up of over1,000 lawyers of whom 800 arepractising, I was astonished at thelimited number of applicationsreceived.

“The process of selection con-tinues and it is expected that suchmagistrates will be in place in afew months.

“This is a matter of urgency.The family islands cannot contin-ue to be served by magistratesfrom New Providence travelling tothese islands on an interim basis,”Sir Michael said.

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LOCAL NEWS

PAGE 8, FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010 THE TRIBUNE

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Chief Justicehighlights thepolicies fornew legal year

Patri

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Phot

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Man in hospitalafter stabbing

A 51-YEAR-OLD man wasstabbed multiple times as he wasleaving Royal’s Takeaway nearthe corner of Market Street andWulff Road on Wednesdaynight. Police say the three menapproached on a bicycle andattacked him in Flemming Streetjust after 8pm.

He was taken by ambulancefor treatment and remains inhospital in stable condition.

Police have launched an inves-tigation into the incident and areurging anyone with any infor-mation which may assist investi-gations to call the RoyalBahamas Police Force CriminalDetective Unit on 502-9991, orcall police emergency on 911 or919, or Crime Stoppers anony-mously on 328-TIPS (8477).

• Burger King RobbedMASKED armed robbers

threatened a cashier at gun-pointat the Burger King drive-throughon Prince Charles Drive andescaped with an undeterminedamount of cash. Police said thetwo men pulled up to thecashier’s window at the drive-through in a white HondaAccord at around 7.30pm onWednesday. One of the menpulled out a handgun anddemanded cash. Staff raised thealarm by pressing a panic but-ton and police were called.

But officers did not arriveuntil after the men robbed therestaurant of an undeterminedamount of cash and fled in anunknown direction. No one wasinjured during the robbery.

Officers investigating the inci-dent are urging anyone with anyinformation which may assist tocall the Criminal Detective Uniton 502-9991, or call police emer-gency on 911 or 919, or CrimeStoppers anonymously on 328-TIPS (8477).

• Family arraigned on firearmand ammunition allegations

A NASSAU family of fiveand another man were arraignedin Magistrates’ Court yesterdayon five charges relating to unli-cenced firearm and ammunitionallegations. Keno Hamilton, 26;Barbara Hamilton, 46; ElizabethHamilton, 44; Kelson Hamilton,25; Givanani Hamilton, 17; andMichael Jordan, 18, all of AmosFerguson Street, pleaded notguilty to all charges.

Keno Hamilton was remand-ed into custody as he had previ-ously been convicted of a similarcrime, while the others werereleased on bail.

Magistrate Carolita Bethelread the charges to the familyand Mr Jordan in Court Eight,Bank Lane yesterday morning.

The first charge was posses-sion of an unlicenced firearm.Prosecutors say they were foundwith a .9mm pistol, serial numberTZG51400, on Saturday.

The accused are furthercharged with being in possessionof a .40 pistol, serial number 122-00868, on the same date.

Three further charges relateto possession of 11 .9mm bullets,24 .45 bullets, and nine .40 bullets.

By RENALDO DORSETTSports Reporterrdorsett@tribunemedia.net

WITH the starters seeingjust 10 minutes of gametime,the C.C. Sweeting Cobras hadbuilt an already insurmount-able lead and easily defeatedthe league’s bottom feedersin GSSSA senior boys play.

The Cobras scored a 52-13win over Anatol Rodgers yes-terday to keep pace with theC.V Bethel Stingrays in a pen-nant race which will morethan likely come down to theseason’s final slate of games.

C.C. Sweeting held AnatolRodgers scoreless in the firstquarter and led 19-0 after theopening period.

Roosevelt Whylly was amatchup nightmare for Ana-tol Rodgers in the openingquarter, dominating with ninepoints which included onebreakaway slam dunk.

Gabi Laurent added six inthe quarter while PatrickDavis finished with four.

Starting point guard Ange-lo Lockhart began the secondquarter with the second unitand quickly reeled off sevenpoints before he was sent tothe bench.

The Cobras built a 29-0lead before Anatol Rodgersfinally reached the scoreboardlate in the second quarter.

Nearly 15 minutes into thecontest, Anatol Rodgersreached the scoreboard forthe first time when TylerThompson made a pair offree throws.

Their first field goal came

By RENALDO DORSETTSports Reporterrdorsett@tribunemedia.net

WITHOUT head coachDonavette Martin patrollingthe sidelines, the GovernmentHigh School Magic continuedto roll in GSSSA play.

Marcelene St. Jean againsaved her best work for thesecond half as she led the Mag-ic with a game high 15 points inthe 32-21 win over the C.I Gib-son Rattlers.

Trailing for much of the first,

the Rattlers staged a rally mid-way through the second halfto pull within two, howeverfailed to surge ahead to takethe lead.

A foul prone and sloppilyplayed first half saw both teamsstruggle early on.

The Magic took an early 6-0lead and maintained theadvantage despite a slow scor-ing pace to go ahead 12-8 with3:38 left in the half on a lay-up by Chiquita Ferguson.

Lashantah Deveaux gavethe Magic their biggest lead of

the first half of the next pos-session with a three point playfor a 15-8 advantage.

A streaking Magic team sud-denly went cold as they missedtheir next eight shots from thefield, however the Rattlersfailed to capitalise on the lapsein offensive production.

Nekythra Gilcud finallybroke the three-minute scor-ing drought for the Magic witha floater as her team took a17-11 lead into the half.

Rattlers’ leading scorerRobin Gibson began the sec-ond half with a three pointwhich trimmed the deficit tothree, but the Magic respondedwith a pair of free throws fromDeveaux to maintain a twopossession advantage.

Trailing 20-14, the Rattlerswent on a 5-0 run as Gibson’sjump hook in the lane madethe score 20-19 with 10:20 leftto play.

Rattlers’ guard StevandreWells had an opportunity totake the lead or tie on the nextpossession, however, shemissed both at the line.

After grabbing an offensiverebound, Jaliyah Colebrookefollowed with the same oppor-tunity when she was fouled butalso missed both shots at theline.

The Rattlers would never

threaten again.St. Jean went on a 6-0 run

of her own beginning with atough running lay-up, stole theinbound pass and made a base-line jumper and capped the runwith a fastbreak lay-up follow-ing a steal.

The third basket gave theMagic a 26-19 lead with justover two minutes remaining.

St Jean sealed the win as shewent three of four from theline in the game’s waningmoments, ending any hope of aRattler comeback.

St. Jean finished with a teamhigh 15 points, while Deveauxadded seven and Gilcudchipped in with six.

Gibson led the Rattlers witha game high 16 points.

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THE defending championscruised to another seeminglyeffortless win behind theirdynamic front-line andremained unbeaten in Gov-ernment Secondary SchoolSports Association leagueplay.

Pamela Bethel and LeashaGrant again led the way forthe C.R Walker Knights intheir 67-11 dismantling of theC.V Bethel Stingrays yester-day at the D.W Davis Gym-nasium.

Bethel finished with a gamehigh 26 points, 19 of whichcame in the second half as theKnights’ lead became insur-mountable, while Grant fin-

ished with 14 points and dom-inated the painted area onboth ends of the floor.

The Knights raced out to a14-3 lead early in the quarterand took a 29-8 lead into thehalf.

A vaunted defence whichhas been C.R Walker’s callingcard all season held theStingrays without a field goalin the second half as the leadballooned beyond 50.

Bethel set the tone for theKnights in the second mak-ing three of her game high

five three pointers within thefirst two minutes of the half.

Bethel’s third three gaveher team a 48-10 lead with12:41 left to play.

The efficiency of theKnights half court trap wasamplified when an alreadyshorthanded Stingrays teamlost primary ballhandler andleading scorer Shatyna Stuartto an ankle injury on the verynext possession.

Bethel’s steal and break-away lay-up gave the Knightstheir first 40 point lead of the

game, 50-10 with 10:04remaining.

With Grant dominating theboards and delivering pictureperfect outlet passes, theKnights’ fastbreak attack wasin full effect with Bethel gen-erally serving as the benefi-ciary on the offensive end.

A trio of free throws fromShaquelle Bain served as theonly Stingrays scores of thesecond half with Stuart side-lined.

Bethel’s fifth jumper fromlong range gave the Knights a50-point advantage with justover two minutes remaining,61-11.

Tameka Martin was thethird Knight to reach doublefigures with 14, while Kee-drah Hanna and TheodoraBain finished with eight

points apiece.Stuart led the Stingrays

with six points.

Knights whip Stingrays 67-11IN the first series of

the New ProvidenceVolleyball Associationplayoffs, teams cameout to execute theirgame plans in an effortto get one step closer tothe championships.

In the ladies’ matchthe Johnsons LadyTruckers, shorthandedwith only six players,pulled off the first gameagainst the COB Caribs25-21, 25-19 and 25-12.Anastasia Sands- Moul-trie and ShantiaMcPhee led all scorerswith 12 and 11 pointsrespectively for the win.Janet Williams scored 7points for the Caribs.

In the men's match,The ScotiabankDefenders quickly dis-posed of DaBasement25-21, 25-12 and 25-16.Shedrick Forbes andSherwaine Arthurs ledthe charge with 11 and 9points respectively tosecure the win. RonnieLexidor led Da Base-ment with 5 points in alosing effort.

PLAYOFF ACTION CONTINUES FRIDAY:

7:30pm ScottsdaleVixens (Pennant win-ners) vs Champions

8:30pm Technicians(Pennant runners up) vsNational Fence Intrud-ers.

Short-handedLady Truckersdefeat Caribs

Bethel scores gamehigh 26 points

Theodora Bain

Magic dazzle Rattlers

Marcelene St. Jean

Whylly dominates as Cobras trounce Anatol Rodgers

SEE page 10

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SPORTSINBRIEF

TENNISSAN JOSE, Calif.Associated Press

PETE Sampras wouldlike a sit-down with long-time American rival AndreAgassi away from the ten-nis court to discuss Agas-si's harsh words about the14-time Grand Slam cham-pion in his recent autobi-ography, "Open."

Sampras said Thursdayhe was surprised and dis-appointed by Agassi's"shots" at Sampras in thebook and would like tomeet "man to man" to dis-cuss it.

Sampras hasn't readAgassi's book, in whichAgassi acknowledged tak-ing crystal meth, and does-n't plan to. Agassi also talksabout evading punishmentfor a failed drug test anddealing with the insanepressure he felt from hisoverbearing father andcoach.

"He was a big rival," saidSampras, who retired in2003. "I think it's a reflec-tion that I didn't knowAndre all that well in ourcompetitive days. Got toknow him a little bit betteras we got older, but in (our)mid-20s and times he wasthere and at times he was alittle removed. Little did Iknow he was gettinginvolved in some bad deci-sions."

Sampras spoke on a con-ference call organized bythe SAP Open, where he isscheduled for a Feb. 8 exhi-bition match against Spain'sFernando Verdasco. Sam-pras even expressed amaze-ment at Agassi's timing tomake such dramatic reve-lations about his personallife and problems.

Sampras 'disappointed'by remarks inAgassi's book

FOOTBALLINDIANAPOLISAssociated Press

PIERRE Garcon made con-tact with some family mem-bers in Haiti and receivedsome good news.

The Indianapolis Coltsreceiver said Thursday he gotcalls earlier in the day fromrelatives, who let him knowthey had survived the earth-quake that devastated Haititwo days earlier.

Garcon said his motherreceived a call from a relativeon Wednesday night.

"I heard from some family,got some good information,"he said. "We're still lookingfor the rest of them. We've stillgot more people that need tobe found. We're still hopingthat everybody's all right."

Garcon attended highschool in Florida, but his par-ents emigrated to the U.S.from Haiti, and most of his rel-atives still live there. Garcon,visibly drained after Thurs-day's practice, said he's thank-ful for the concern peoplehave shown for the nation.

"There's a lot of support,"he said. "It's nice to get sup-port from a lot of people. Ireally appreciate it. We need alot more."

Garcon is expected to playin Saturday's playoff gameagainst Baltimore, but he'sstruggling to focus.

"It's hard, but it's something

you've got to do," he said."You've got to deal with it.It's kind of tough, but there'snot much you can do aboutit."

Garcon has used Twitter toget people to help the coun-try, and he is giving auto-graphed items to fans whodonate money to the reliefeffort.

"Eventually, I'll go downthere," he said. "My mom'sgoing down there soon, I haveother family members goingdown there, and people fromchurch are going down there."

Meanwhile, Jozy Altidore,who plays for the U.S. nation-al soccer team, has beenunable to get through to hisrelatives in Haiti and is alreadypreparing to travel to the dev-astated country.

Altidore, whose parentsmoved to the U.S. from Haiti35 years ago, has more than adozen family members —uncles, aunts, nephews andnieces — unaccounted for.

With phone lines down andInternet connections wipedout, traveling there seems theonly option.

"We are just praying — thatis all we can do right nowbecause communicating withHaiti is very difficult," the 20-year-old Altidore said in atelephone interview with TheAssociated Press on Thursday."There is not much (news) interms of the status of my fam-ily. We have been constantly

tracking the Red Cross Website but we still can't getthrough to anybody there. Weknow as much as everybodyelse."

Altidore plays in Englandfor Premier League club Hull.

"I want to go now if I'mable to make the trip over andhelp in any way," he said. "Mymother and father (Joseph andGiselle) are also looking intogoing, but I'm also concernedfor their safety there."

Alditore, who is expectedto be on the U.S. squad at theWorld Cup in South Africa inJune, was assured Thursdayby Hull manager Phil Brownthat he will be given compas-sionate leave to help thesearch.

Donations for victims of the7.0 magnitude earthquake con-tinued to flow in from thesports world.

Major League Baseballpledged $1 million to help vic-tims of the earthquake.

Commissioner Bud Seligsaid in a news release Thurs-day that the contribution isbeing made on behalf of theleague and its 30 teams.

"This generous donationfrom Major League Baseballwill help save the lives of Hait-ian children," said Ann M.Veneman, executive directorof UNICEF. "The people ofHaiti urgently need food, freshwater, shelter and medicalsupplies, and the first days arecrucial."

Garcon hearsfrom family afterHaiti disaster

IN THIS Dec. 6, 2009, file photo, Indianapolis Colts widereceiver Pierre Garcon (85) looks on during the first half of anNFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Indianapo-lis. Garcon walked into the team's complex on Wednesday,Jan. 13, 2010, with a heavy heart. The fun-loving receiver'strademark smile was deeply concerned after Haiti's devastatingearthquake and the fate of "countless" relatives who live nearthe capital city of Port-Au-Prince.

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MARTIAL ARTSMIAMI LAKES, Fla.Associated Press

HERSCHEL Walker isalways looking for somethingto do.

He'll climb into a steel cagethis time to try his hand --fists, actually, and just aboutanything else on his still-sculpted 47-year-old body --at mixed martial arts. Thismeans Walker will have gonefrom ballet to bobsleds to bru-tality after winning the Heis-man Trophy as a runningback at the University ofGeorgia and a noteworthypro football career, too.

He's nothing if not a rest-less and curious soul.

''People always say whatyou can't do instead of whatyou can," Walker said in whatserves as a mantra for his life."This is the hardest thing I'veever done. Sometimes, youhave to set your ego aside. Imissed Christmas and NewYear's (while training). Youcan tell I'm serious, because Ilove Santa Claus."

He says his fight debut,scheduled for Jan. 30 atBankAtlantic Center, is nojoke. Walker, in fact, said itwas "an insult" to havewatched unprepared formerbaseball star Jose Cansecoembarrass himself in a mixedmartial arts debacle.

If he's being fast-tracked inpromotions by his Strikeforcehandlers -- and he absolutelyis -- Walker is a willing andfearless participant in theshow.

''I'm not even a little bitafraid," Walker said. "I've

had great respect for thissport ever since I saw it forthe first time and said tomyself, 'I want to do that.'That respect has helped melearn what I have to learn todo this."

Walker, by the way, holds afifth-degree black belt in taekwon do, but said that partic-ular discipline probably didhim more harm than goodwhen it came to training formixed martial arts. Differentmovements, he said. Differ-ent lots of stuff, he said.

''I had to forget somethings," Walker said.

But he still looks good.He's eating only one meal a

day, as usual -- no red meat,as usual -- and getting throughon "three or four hours" ofsleep, as usual. His once-famous workout routine con-sisting of what he said wasonce 5,000 push ups and 5,000sit-ups per day is all the waydown to 1,500 push-ups and2,500 sit-ups on heaviest dailyduty.

''I can lift a bus," Walkersaid.

Maybe he can.He spars regularly with a

kid who wasn't born whenWalker won his Heisman Tro-phy in 1982. His trainer,Javier Mendez, went fromthinking Walker was "ridicu-lous" for taking a fight whilestill an MMA novice to callinghim a "one of a kind athlete."

Walker, at 6-foot-1 and 216pounds, said his body fat hasbeen measured at 4 percent,and Dr. Allan Fields, a physi-cian on hand for Tuesday'snews conference, declaredhim a cardiovascular marvel.

Walker jumps into MMA the way he does everything – full tilt

FORMER NFLplayer and Heis-man Trophywinner HerschelWalker discusshis upcomingMMA matchduring a Strike-force news con-ference in Mia-mi Lakes, Fla.Tuesday, Jan.12, 2010. Theformer runningback holds afifth-degreeblack belt in TaeKwon Do.

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about a minute later whenThompson made a threepointer from the right wingwith 1:02 left to play in thehalf.

The Cobras’ onslaughtcontinued with a 14 pointquarter and they led 33-5at the half.

The lead reached 30 forthe first time on a threepoint play by KemsySylvester which made thescore 36-6 early in the thirdquarter.

Ashanteo Cooperbecame the only othermember of the AnatolRodgers lineup to scorewith Thompson on thebench when he made athree pointer of the leftwing for a 42-12 deficit.

Thompson added anoth-er free throw and theCobras took a 42-13 leadinto the fourth.

With the game well outof reach, the second halfbecame a showcase for theflashy passing skills of back-up point guard Leon Saun-ders who thrilled his benchwith several highlight reelassists.

Saunders spun through atrio of Anatol Rodgersdefenders, and dished a nolook pass over his shoul-ders to a wide open CarsonSaunders who finished toregain the 30 point lead forthe Cobras, 44-13.

The Cobras’ lead reachedits biggest of the gamewhen Saunders dished awrap around pass behindhis back to Sylvester whofinished for the game’s finalscore.

The Cobras ended thefinal quarter as they beganthe game as they held Ana-tol Rodgers scoreless.

Sylvester finished withseven points, while Leonand Carson Saundersadded six points apiece.

Thompson led all scorerswith 10.

Cobras trounceAnatol RodgersFROM page nine

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suspend Ms Wilson over alleged abuse ofunion funds.

Mr McPhee said he was never informedthat the petition was being circulated and onlylearned of it when he was contacted by a “dis-traught” Family Island educator who wantedto know the meaning of it.

Having been told by the educator that hehad received the petition with the informa-tion that it was “from the President”, MrMcPhee then issued his own letter to unionmembers. In it he told them that the individu-als listed in the president’s petition, which pro-posed their removal, were committed to work-ing for union members as they were mandatedto do. He said that they had been “workingtirelessly” to internally address “seriousbreaches” allegedly attributed to PresidentWilson.

“You elected the executive committee inJune 2008 to do the union’s business respon-sibly and account for our actions. We take ourduties seriously and have been doing just that,”he told them.

The letter outlined numerous sums of unionfunds in the thousands that the executivesalleged have either been used for non-unionrelated purposes or were used without properauthorisation.

Among these, it is alleged that $1,000 wasused to have a non-union family member stayat a hotel. It claimed that $65,000 was alsotaken out from the union’s pension savingswithout the executive committee’s knowl-edge.

The letter alleged that Mrs Wilson was cir-culating a petition asking members to recall theeight executive officers on the false claim thatthey were not doing the union’s business.Those listed were Secretary General, StephenMcPhee; Assistant Secretary General, JeleahTurnquest; Trustee, Julimae Johnson-Roberts;Trustee, Margaret Albury; Assistant Treasur-er, Andrea Lockhart; Area Vice President forNew Providence, Bridgette Seymour; Execu-tive member for Exuma, Philip Sturrup, andExecutive member for Grand Bahama, Mara-

lyn Burrows. “The executive committee has been work-

ing diligently and at the greatest level of trustand accountability,” said the letter sent outby the Secretary General.

The eight members listed in the petitionmake up over half of the total executive teamof the union, which consists of 15 persons.

In the petition, which was apparently cir-culated sometime before Christmas, it is stat-ed that two votes of “no confidence” broughtagainst Mr McPhee and the union’s Vice Pres-ident at last year’s annual general meetingwere “withdrawn because the executive com-mittee agreed to work together for the bet-terment of the union.”

However, the petition goes on to outlinehow the executive committee later voted eightto four to suspend Mrs Wilson as president,accusing her of “misappropriation of unionfunds without an investigation being launched”and that the Appeals Committee “found thesuspension to be out of order and declared itnull and void.”

The petition then alleges that the execu-tives “disrespected the membership by declar-ing the decision of the Appeals Committeenull and void.”

“The President has consistently assistedand fought for members experiencing hard-ship, victimisation and persecution on theirjobs, while most of the other executives haveshown very little interest and support in thisregard,” said the petition. “They seem morefocused on punishing the President than help-ing the membership,” the petition continued.

The petition then outlined how the union’sconstitution allows for executive members tobe forced to resign if a petition calling for suchaction gathers the signatures of 50 per cent ofthe membership. The petition urged membersto add their signatures to this effort againstthe eight members listed.

It also asked that they support the calling ofa special general meeting to deal with the mat-ter.

Asked if she were responsible for the peti-tion, and what she made of its contents, MrsWilson said she had "no comment."

far away where they stayedfor several minutes.

He further testified thatBrenton had intended tostop at the home of a girl inKemp Road but after learn-ing that she was not athome, they proceeded backto his house. Thompson saidthat as he and Brentonapproached a short cut atthe rear of the City Marketfood store on Village Roadthey saw two boys.

Thompson described oneof the young boys as beingabout 4ft 11ins tall, brownskinned and between 13 and14 years. He said the boywore a red shirt and shortwhite pants. He recalled thatthe other was about hisheight, 5ft 11ins, and verydark skinned. He said theother boy wore a darkcoloured shirt and whitepants. He appeared to bebetween 17 and 18.

Thompson said that onthat night he was wearing acamouflage singlet and shortblack and white pants. Hesaid that Brenton wore awhite T-shirt and blue jeans.

Thompson recalled thatthe younger boy, who wasstanding by the hole in thewall at the rear of the foodstore, looked back throughthe hole, picked up his slip-pers and ran to catch upwith the other boy who waswalking towards them.Thompson said the twoyoung boys walked pastthem.

“We continued to walktowards the shortcut. Bren-ton was saying and I wasthinking it looked suspiciousthat the younger one beganto run,” Thompson said.

Thompson also recalledthat a black Ford ExplorerSUV drove around the cor-ner and stopped in front ofthem before speeding off.He said Brenton told him towait behind and started towalk ahead to the hole inthe wall. Thompson saidthat Brenton peekedthrough the hole in the wall,then pulled his head backand leaned against the wall.

Thompson said he saw ahand with a gun reacharound the wall and then ashot was fired. Thompsonsaid the Explorer they had

seen only moments earlierstopped. He recalled thatthe gunshot left his earsringing and he watched asBrenton staggered towardshim and collapsed whilecoughing up blood.

He said he discoveredthat Brenton had been shotin the left side of his chest.Thompson said he held hisfriend and told him told himhe wasn’t going to die. Hesaid that he had attemptedto call 919.

Thompson testified thathe saw three people walk-ing towards them. He saidthey all had on suits withbadges on their waists,although they never identi-fied themselves as policeofficers.

According to the witness,one of them, who hedescribed as dark, a littlepudgy and about 6ft tall, hada silver gun in his hand. Healso testified that he sawfour people get out of theExplorer. Thompson said hedid not see an ambulanceuntil he was escorted into apolice vehicle. He said thathe and Brenton were notinvolved in the robbery ofthe City Market food store.

Forensic pathologist DrGovinda Raju, who was thesecond witness to testify,told the court that he per-formed an autopsy on MrSmith on July 15, 2009.

Mr Smith, he said, wasdressed in blue jeans and awhite T-shirt. He describedhim as being approximately6ft 1in tall and weighing 160pounds. Dr Raju said there

was an entry gunshot woundto Smith’s front left upperarm but no exit wound. Heretrieved the bullet fromSmith’s back around hisright shoulder joint. The bul-let was turned over to policeballistics experts.

Sergeant Santrice Bow-leg told the court that whileon mobile patrol withSergeant 451 Sands around8.30pm, they received a callfrom the police controlroom about an armed rob-bery at the City Marketfoodstore on Village Road.

She said they arrived atwhat she recalled as BarbaraStreet where she saw a maledressed in a white shirt andblue jeans lying on theground. She said she madeinquiries and was informedby Detective Corporal 1476Kelsie Munroe that he haddischarged his weapon. Shesaid a crowd had gatheredand she took DC Munroe towhere his marked police carwas parked at the rear ofCity Market. She said DCMunroe and his partner leftin the police vehicle withDC Munroe driving.

Sergeant Bowleg said sherecalled hearing a descrip-tion of a person wearing awhite shirt and blue jeans inconnection with the armedrobbery but said she was notcertain.

Attorney Roger GomezJr, who represents the Smithfamily, asked her why shewas so concerned about offi-cer Munroe.

Sgt Bowleg said it was ahostile environment and shewanted to get him out ofthat environment. She said itwas normal police proce-dure when an officer isinvolved in a shooting.

Mr Gomez asked her ifshe had called an ambulanceand she admitted that shedid not as she had assumedthat someone else had calledfor an ambulance already.

Mr Gomez also asked herwhy she and her partner hadgone to the rear of the store.Sgt Bowleg said theybelieved the robbers wouldcome from the rear. She saidshe had been concerned forBrenton’s safety but MrGomez questioned howcould that be so if she didnot know if he were alive ordead.

The hearing continues.

FROM page one

Friend of Brenton Smith ‘saw suspiciouslooking boys’ on night of fatal shooting

Teachers union president tight-lipped on petition

FROM page one

BRENTON SMITH

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COMING SOON. . . . . . . . . . . A UNIQUEINITIATIVE

SHOWCASINGTHE WORK OF

TALENTED YOUNGBAHAMIANS

McCarthy Jean-Baptiste,20, of Carter Street, OakesField, Nassau, was shot inthe head in Sunlight Cot-tage, off East Street, justbefore 1.30am yesterday byrobbers who had held himup earlier.

Police maintain Mr Jean-Baptiste was in CarewStreet, off Mount RoyalAvenue, when he wasrobbed by two men wear-ing hooded jackets.

He then saw the twomen in Sunlight Cottageand confronted them,according to police reports.

One of the robbers thenpulled out a handgun andopened fire, fatally shoot-ing Mr Jean-Baptiste in thehead.

He is the fifth murdervictim of the year.

Royal Bahamas PoliceForce press spokesman SgtChrislyn Skippings issueda warning to the public.

She said: “If you areaccosted or robbed by any-one, try to remain calm.Try not to panic, or showsigns of anger or confusion.

“Do not fight back andtry to take the matter intoyour own hands.

“Get a good descriptionof the attackers and thedirection they would havefled and contact thepolice.”

An increase in murdersand violence inflicted byarmed robbers is feared byBahamas Against Crimeleader Reverend C BMoss who warned busi-nesses to take extra pre-cautions following themurder of a Bertha’s Go-Go Ribs employee gunneddown at the takeaway onPoinciana Avenue in Sep-tember.

Just weeks earlier,mother-of-three WendyBullard was gunned downin front of her office at21st Century Steel Weld-ing on Royal Palm Street.

Police are appealing forinformation to aid theinvestigation into Mr Jean-Baptiste’s murder.

Anyone with any infor-mation that may assistinvestigations should callthe Criminal DetectiveUnit at 502-9991, policeemergency at 911 or 919,or call Crime Stoppersanonymously on 328-TIPS(8477).

which represents more than6,000 workers, will now haveto go back to “square one”and hold new nominations andelections.

The executive council of theunion now has seven daysfrom yesterday’s decision tomeet and set a new nomina-tion and election date, a sug-gestion that was raised by Jus-tice Christopher Blackmanand agreed by all parties.

Dozens of union membersshowed up at the Court ofAppeal yesterday to witnessthe proceedings.

After an hour-long hearing,the Court set aside the deci-sions of Senior Justice JonIsaacs and Justice NevilleAdderley. Senior Justice Isaacshad declared the May 28 elec-tions null and void. NicoleMartin had won that electionby a landslide.

More than a month afterthat decision, Justice Adder-ley ordered a new nominationprocess which paved the way

for new elections in late Sep-tember. Those elections yield-ed similar results for Ms Mar-tin and her team. Last week,however, Justice George New-man granted a stay of JusticeAdderley’s decision pendingyesterday’s appeals hearing,resulting in Ms Martin onceagain having to vacate herpost.

“We are saying that thejudges’ decisions regarding theappeals will not be allowed tostand. The matter will have tostart afresh,” Dame Joan saidyesterday.

The court is expected toproduce a written decisiontomorrow. Also heard will bearguments on costs.

Outside the court yesterday,Ms Martin told reporters, “Ithink the obvious thing is thatpeople preferred not to do thisagain but of course we haveto respect and obey the wishesof the court.

“This has been a learningexperience. My tolerance hasbeen tried but at the end ofthe day if it is the people’s

wish, the people’s wish hasalways been what has beencarried out. My personal feel-ings aside, I must now do whatis in the best interest of theunion. This is going to makeour union in the long run abetter union, a stronger unionand union that really has to beresponsible.”

Roy Colebrooke, whoremains the union’s Presidentin the interim, told reporters:“We have to do what is in thebest interest of the organisa-tion and not ourselves. This isa very costly venture for theunion. While all of us aremembers of the union this is acost that comes directly fromthe membership. I trust thatthis is the last time that wehave to go through thisprocess.”

According to Mr Cole-brooke, it costs the union$20,000 to hold elections.

Attorney Keod Smith, whorepresents several union exec-utives, said the decision is par-ticularly significant because ithighlights the function of the

union’s executive council.“What we have had is a

clear situation where thecourts have now articulatedthat the executive council ofthe union is the head body ofthe union. That has been theissue falling through cracks allthe time.

“In those circumstances, wehave a very clear articulationof what the position the exec-utive council is that the execu-tive council should have fol-lowed and what the membersshould follow,” Mr Smith said.

During the hearing yester-day, the court noted the mainissue for the court was thevalidity of the actions takenby Registrar of Trade UnionsHarcourt Brown as well as theactions of Secretary GeneralLeo Douglas.

The Registrar’s decision tocertify May 4, 2009, which wascommunicated to him by MrDouglas as the nominationdate for the first elections andhis decision, was central to theunion dispute. First vice-pres-ident Kirk Wilson had

informed the Registrar thatMay 11 was the nominationdate. He was not allowed torun in the May 28 elections ashe failed to nominate on May4 but ultimately succeeded ingetting the election resultsoverturned because of proce-dural errors.

“It is the council that mustexercise its power and it mustexercise it in accordance withthe constitution as to the dateand time the union electionswill be held. That is not some-thing you can delegate beyondthe rank of executive council,”Dame Joan said.

Justice Newman also notedthat the executive councilcould delegate general pow-ers to carry out the union’sbusiness but there were spe-cific powers the council held.

“What is just and right andproper is that each member ofthe union must have their rightunder the union’s constitutionto elect who they wish to carryon their business for the ensu-ing term. That is democracyin action,” Dame Joan added.

leaving the constituency without a rep-resentative.

During last night’s conference MrIngraham also announced that the gov-ernment plans to release Haitian nation-als currently held at the detention centreand give them temporary status.

He said the government would applya different course of action, althoughunspecified, for any new detainees thatmight arrive. He said the governmentdid not fear a significant change inmigration patterns, considering the factthat most Haitians who migrate to theBahamas, come from the northern partof Haiti. This area was unaffected byTuesday’s earthquake that ravaged Port-au-Prince. Mr Ingraham said Haitiansliving in Port-au-Prince were not his-torically an immigration concern.

The press conference was called, notonly to announce the confirmation ofDr Sands as the FNM’s by-election can-didate, but to allay the opposition’s sus-picions about perceived stalling tactics incalling the election. He reminded themof the Bahamas’ recent history of by-elections. He recalled the last record ofa by-election that was called as a resultof former Prime Minister Sir LyndenPindling resigning his seat.

Sir Lynden resigned on July 9, 1997.The Speaker of the House advised theGovernor General in a letter datedAugust 5, 1997. A writ of election wasissued on August 11, and the electionwas held on September 5.

Mr Ingraham noted it took over 50days for a by-election to occur the lasttime it was needed. With only eight daystranspiring since the resignation of theformer Elizabeth MP, Mr Ingraham saidin keeping with established precedents,

an election would be ordered in duecourse.

In further addressing the unfoldinghumanitarian crisis in Haiti, Mr Ingra-ham said he considered organising agovernment mission to Haiti in keep-ing with plans by the Jamaican, Barba-dian and Dominican Prime Ministers,but decided against it.

“What could I possibly do except getin the way of people? What we can do tohelp the Haitian people can be donefrom the Bahamas,” he said, noting thegovernment’s account that was set upat all commercial banks to accept dona-tions for the relief effort.

While private organisations are organ-ising flights to Haiti with relief supplies,Mr Ingraham said the government wasnot making any efforts to transportequipment.

In speaking as Leader of the FNM,Mr Ingraham said the party was ready tocontest the seat in Elizabeth with theirnewly declared candidate Dr Sands. Hesaid the election would be fought on theground, going street by street, house byhouse.

“You have heard a chorus of confu-sion from Opposition quarters ever sincethe resignation which precipitated thisby-election. That is not surprising sinceconfusion has been their hallmark forquite some time now.

“In due course we will sweep up allthe debris they are attempting to strewin our path and dispose of all the smokeand mirrors they are using in an attemptto confuse the Bahamian public,” hesaid.

Dr Sands said the people of Elizabethcould rest assured that he would bringthe same level of service and profes-sional expertise to his political careeras he does to his medical career.

IN REPLY to an articlein Thursday’s Tribune, head-ed “Police accused of beat-ing, giving suspect electricshock”, the Royal BahamasPolice Force has confirmedthat the Complaints andCorruption branch of theforce is investigating the alle-gation of brutality against an

unconfirmed number ofpolice officers.

Barry McPhee, Jr,claimed he was arrested bypolice and accused of steal-ing an LG Shine cell phone,which he claimed he pur-chased from a street vendor.

His mother claimed thatpolice officers “wrapped

Saran wrap around his head.They taped his mouth, hand-cuffed his hands behind hisback, threw water on himand shocked him with a livewire connected to a car bat-tery.” She also alleged thatthe police could not produceany documentation to provethat there was a charge

against her son or a warrantfor his arrest.

“The public is assured,”said a statement from theRoyal Bahamas PoliceForce, “that the RoyalBahamas Police Force takesall allegations of misconducton the part of police officers,police reservists and police

civilians seriously. Similarly,members of the RoyalBahamas Police Force havethe assurance of the Com-mand of the Royal BahamasPolice Force that while theyare performing their dutiesin line with the Constitutionof the Bahamas, all other rel-evant laws and police force

policies which guarantee therights of all persons, theyhave the full support of theForce.

“However, nothing in thisstatement is to be construedas an acceptance of abuse ofmembers of the public ormalicious complaints againstpolice officers.”

Police respond to ‘beating’ allegations

Man shotdead afterconfronting

robbersFROM page one

FROM page one

Ruling sends hotel union back to polls

Government ‘not stalling’ over by-election

DR DUANE SANDS speaks to the media after Prime Minister Hubert Ingrahamannounced him as the candidate for Elizabeth.

FROM page one

Tim

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Broker selectsBahamas forconsolidation

By CHESTER ROBARDSBusiness Reportercrobards@tribunemedia.net

A LEADING Bahamianbusinessman said yesterday thatthe Bahamas has a financialilliteracy rate of close to 90 percent.

Dr Jonathan Rodgers saidduring his address to the annu-al Bahamas Business Outlookthat financial illiteracy can be

crippling to a country such asthe Bahamas, given that a largepart of its economy is depen-dent upon financial services.

He added that general finan-cial illiteracy has caused a largesector of the Bahamian popu-lation to fail to duly plan forretirement, and not invest inthe ‘Bahamian Dream’.

Dr Rodgers, the well-known

By NEIL HARTNELLTribune Business Editor

The Bahamian small andmedium-sized business sectoris “dying a slow death”, theChamber of Commerce’s pres-ident said yesterday, describingthis nation as a “lumberingdinosaur I can almost guaranteewill die” when it came to pri-vate and public sector policytowards these firms.

Describing the private sec-tor, and especially small andmedium-sized businesses, asbeing “under siege” from acombination of the globalrecession, structural weakness-es and an inadequate policyresponse, Khaalis Rolle “apol-ogised” to Bahamian smallfirms because he believed theChamber had “not met ourmandate” when it came t0 sup-porting them.

“I use the term: ‘The privatesector is under siege’,” he toldyesterday’s Bahamas BusinessOutlook Conference. “I thinkwe need to use that term,because the private sector isunder siege, especially the smalland medium-sized enterprises.”

The siege had been producedby a combination of falling rev-enues, as demand shrunk whenthe Bahamian economy tippedinto recession during the 2008second half; the “impediments”caused by the ever-rising cost ofdoing business; a “woefullyinadequate” labour market; andincreasing crime levels.

The Bahamian economy hadendured a “slow pace ofgrowth” over the past decade,Mr Rolle said, with small andmedium-sized businessesunable to “take it to the nextlevel” because “there hasn’tbeen much second generationinnovation in the private sec-tor”.

The Chamber president said“a lot of things have beenunmasked” by the global reces-sion, especially Bahamian com-panies that were not operatingefficiently when it hit, withsmall businesses “particularlyhard hit”.

“The small and medium-sized sector is dying a slowdeath,” Mr Rolle said. “We area lumbering dinosaur, and if wedo not change from being alumbering dinosaur, I canalmost guarantee you we willdie.

“We have to be competitive.We have to change our busi-ness models. At the end of theday, consumers have infinitechoice. We have to stand upand give consumers value forthe dollar spent, and if we don’tdo it they will go for the lowcost alternative. We cannot dobusiness as usual and get thetype of support we want.”

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By NEIL HARTNELLTribune Business Editor

The Government was yesterday urged to establish a depart-ment to deal specifically with this nation’s physical and socialinfrastructure needs, a senior accountant estimating that theBahamas needed to spend $2.1 billion over the next five yearsto bring this area up to standard.

Simon Townend, a KPMG (Bahamas) partner and managingdirector of KPMG Corporate Finance, while “commending” theGovernment for forging ahead with infrastructure improve-ments across numerous sectors, said there were “a lot of areas”in which the Bahamas could improve, especially when it cameto the maintenance and overhaul of existing assets.

Government needs‘Infrastructure Dept’to meet $2.1bn need

SEE page 7B

Smallbusinesses‘dying slow

death’

KHAALIS ROLLE

** BBaahhaammaass ‘‘aa lluummbbeerriinnggddiinnoossaauurr’’ iinn mmeeeettiinngg ssmmaallllaanndd mmeeddiiuumm--ssiizzeedd bbuussiinneessssnneeeeddss,, aanndd ‘‘wwiillll ddiiee’’ uunnlleessssaapppprrooaacchh cchhaannggeess** CChhaammbbeerr cchhiieeff ssaayyss pprriivvaatteesseeccttoorr ‘‘uunnddeerr ssiieeggee’’,, aannddaappoollooggiisseess ttoo ssmmaallll bbuussiinneessssccoommmmuunniittyy ffoorr oorrggaanniissaattiioonn‘‘nnoott mmeeeettiinngg iittss mmaannddaattee’’ ttoossuuppppoorrtt tthheemm** LLaabboouurr mmaarrkkeett ‘‘wwooeeffuullllyyiinnaaddeeqquuaattee’’** SSeeccttoorr hhaass ddiiffffiiccuullttyyaacccceessssiinngg tteecchhnniiccaall ssuuppppoorrttbbeeccaauussee ooff ffeeeess ddeemmaannddeedd

SEE page 4B

Bahamas ‘90% rate’of finance illiteracyBusinessman warns this has madenation ‘sinking, rudderless ship’

By CHESTER ROBARDSBusiness Reportercrobards@tribunemedia.net

STOPOVER visitors to theBahamas fell below the onemillion mark in 2009 followinga 12.8 per cent year-over-yearcontraction, with tourism indus-try earnings dropping 10 percent to around $1.5 billion.

Zhivargo Laing, minister ofstate for finance, told yester-day’s Bahamas Business Out-look Conference that tourismcontracted despite cruisearrivals being up by 15 per centyear-over-year. However, airarrivals, the country’s “high val-ue-added” stopover segment,contracted by 12.8 per cent to

Tourismearningsfall 10%

to $1.5bnStopovers drop below

one million mark after 12.8% decline

SEE page 5B

SEE page 5B

ZHIVARGO LAING

By NEIL HARTNELLTribune Business Editor

A BISX-listed companyyesterday asserted it was “assolid as a rock” after raising$1 million to “shore up” itsbalance sheet and ensure itdid not end 2009 in a nega-tive net equity position, tellingTribune Business its assetswould grow by a further $3.5-$4 million when itsCarmichael Road office/retailcomplex was valued uponcompletion.

Julian Brown, Benchmark(Bahamas) president andchief executive, said the com-pany was not unhappy thatjust 67 per cent - or two-thirds- of its year-end private place-ment was taken up, telling thisnewspaper it had set itself aminimum goal of $0.5 million.

“We were dodging aroundthe deficit area, so we decided

to raise some capital to ensurethe balance sheet was secure,”Mr Brown told Tribune Busi-ness. “We did it to shore upour balance sheet in the eventthat we needed to make pro-visions in case the [invest-ment] portfolio did not recov-er.”

Tribune Business revealedback in November howBenchmark (Bahamas) wasworking on strategies toensure it did not end 2009 in anegative net equity position,with an accumulated deficitof losses.

Mr Brown acknowledgedthat the company was then“teetering around” that posi-tion, as the net $932,716 lossfor the first nine months in2009 had left the companyclose to dropping into a neg-ative net worth position, giventhat net shareholder equity atyear-end 2008 was just

$494,525. The Benchmark(Bahamas) president told thisnewspaper yesterday that the$1 million raised, and onwhich the company will payan 8 per cent interest coupon,was due to mature by year-end.

He said this short-termfinancing - equivalent to abridging loan - showed theconfidence the company’sBoard and management hadin their belief that Benchmark(Bahamas) balance sheetwould be much stronger atthe 2010 year-end.

“Our objectives were toraise $0.5-$1.5 million fromthe private placement, andwe’re quite pleased with it,”Mr Brown added. “Andwe’ve only done it for a year,so that gives you a good indi-

‘Solid as a rock’* Benchmark (Bahamas) ‘shores up’ balance sheet with $1m privateoffering to escape negative net worth position at year-end 2009* BISX-listed firm confident 2010 will close in ‘much better shape’,after Carmichael Road project’s $3.5m-$4m worth valued and listedon balance sheet* Raised just two-thirds of $1.5m maximum sought* Office/retail complex 70% leased and set for February completion,with annual rental income estimated at $500k

SEE page 3B

The Bahamian financial services industry receiveda notable boost yesterday after a major interna-tional securities/brokerage business announced ithad chosen Nassau ahead of the Cayman Islands asthe destination in which to consolidate its Caribbeanoperations.

LOM Holdings, the Bermuda headquartered andlisted broker, asset manager and financial servicesprovider, said its Cayman operation would closeon March 31, 2010, with all client accounts movingeither to Bermuda or its Nassau offices at the BritishColonial Hilton’s Centre of Commerce.

“After an exhaustive review of our regional oper-ations, we have decided that it is in the best interestof our clients and shareholders to support the entireCaribbean region from one office. Therefore, wehave determined that Nassau, Bahamas will be ournew regional hub. LOM has had an office in theBahamas since 2001,” said LOM (Bahamas) gener-al manager Craig Lines.

“Uniting our entire Caribbean sales team in onceplace will allow us to more efficiently manage clientsthroughout the Caribbean, Central America andSouth America.”

Beginning on April 1, 2010, all communicationswill be redirected to Nassau, and any remainingCayman customers will be serviced out of theBahamas office until they can be transferred as perclient requests.

All LOM’s staff and financial advisors in the Cay-man office have been offered the opportunity torelocate to the Bahamas or Bermuda offices.

“While LOM regrets this move after 15 years of

SEE page 2B

By CHESTER ROBARDSBusiness Reportercrobards@tribunemedia.net

THE NATIONAL Insur-ance Board (NIB) is financingmore than $100 million in gov-ernment office complex pro-jects that will “attract invest-ment returns higher than thelocal investment market canpay”, its director saying yester-day that the social security pro-gramme has enjoyed significantgrowth to reserves of $1.6 bil-lion.

Algernon Cargill said he andhis staff were committed tokeeping NIB solvent for yearsto come, something will requirean increase of 2 per cent in con-tributions over the next severalyears - from the current 8.8 percent to 10.8 per cent, with 1 per

cent rises required to fund boththe National Drug Plan andunemployment benefit.

“As administrator of thenation’s social security organi-sation, NIB must also fight toimprove benefits paid toBahamians and ensure thatthese benefits keep pace withthe cost and challenges or 21century living,” said Mr Cargill.

NIB paid out $158 million inbenefits in 2009, and took insome $160 million in contribu-tions.

Mr Cargill added that thenewly-implemented unemploy-ment benefit programme waspart of the effort to meet theneeds of the changing social sit-uation, while the Chronic Dis-ease Prescription Drug Plan(CDPDP) - to be launched lat-er this year - is designed to do

the same. The unemploymentbenefit programme has paid outmore than $20 million to 14,000individuals as of year-end 2009.

The CDPDP will receive $7million in financing through themedical benefits branch of NIBfor the first phase, which willrequire no new contributions,as it is a pilot programmedesigned to “work out thekinks”.

Phase two funding willinclude funding from specifiedgroups, new deductions fromthe earnings of workers andemployers, and reimbursementfrom insurers through coordi-nation of benefits for memberswith insurance plans.

“Let me assure you that wewill be using the same invest-ment management techniquesdescribed heretofore, so that

the plan will not negativelyimpact NIB’s portfolio,” saidMr Cargill.

“Your National Insurancecontributions are very impor-tant to all that we do. It allowsus to honor industrial claims,ensure that we can pay pen-sions and make a variety of oth-er compensatory and benefitpayments.”

Mr Cargill said that despitethe planned increase in theinsurable wage from $400 to$600 per week, only about 40per cent of workers will beaffected, yet will receive morebenefits for higher contribu-tions.

“Properly supported andemployed, NIB can rise to thenoble calling for which it wasestablished thirty-six yearsago,” Mr Cargill said.

He added that the introduc-tion of the Med-4 form hadreduced short-term claims onNIB by 20 per cent.

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being in Grand Cayman, it ispart of a wider review of ourstrategy regarding overseasoffices, offshore costs and,ultimately, reflects the realign-ment of the offshore invest-ment environment over thepast few years,” Mr Linessaid.

Broker selectsBahamas forconsolidationFROM page 1B

Insurable wagerise to hit just

40% of workers

By NEIL HARTNELLTribune Business Editor

The Bahamas was unableto cut hotel room rates asdeeply as other Caribbeandestinations in response to therecession because to havedone so would have left theindustry mired in “deeperunprofitability” due to highoperating costs, the ministerof tourism and aviation saidyesterday.

Vincent Vanderpool-Wal-lace told the Bahamas Busi-ness Outlook Conference thatthis nation had to accept itwould be unable to convertany cruise ship passengers tostopover visitors simplybecause land-based stays inthis nation were out of theirprice range.

Visitor per capita spendingin the Bahamas was “one ofthe highest in the world”when compared to othernations, Mr Vanderpool-Wal-lace said, adding that while itwas “very close to the top”on this indicator it was alsoone of the highest operatingcost destinations on the plan-et.

The main factors influenc-ing these costs were labourand utilities and, as a resultof this high operating costbase, the Bahamas “had oneof the smallest reductions inroom rates in the entire

region” in response to therecession.

Mr Vanderpool-Wallacesaid these costs meantBahamian hotels “had nochoice” but to implement rel-atively minimal discounts,because “if they had reducedrates to the level of their com-petitors they would have fall-en into deeper levels ofunprofitability”.

Per capita hotel room costshad grown by a $100 averagein the Bahamas in recentyears, and Mr Vanderpool-Wallace said this nation’s rel-atively high room rates and

operating costs meant it hadto pitch for the high-end, pre-mium travel market.

The Bahamas, he added,was unable to compete withrival destinations that offeredCanadians travelling fromToronto a one-week, all-inclu-sive stay including airfare forjust $400.

“That is not our business.This is not the business we’recompeting in. We could nevercompete in that business,” MrVanderpool-Wallace said.While Canada had been theonly growth market forCaribbean tourism in recenttimes, the minister added thatit was also one of the mostprice sensitive.

Mr Vanderpool-Wallacesaid there were also “a largenumber of people coming oncruise ships to the Bahamasthat can’t be converted”,explaining that while cruisearrivals were up by 15 percent year-over-year in 2009,this nation’s hotels could nothope to attract the many pas-sengers enjoying a $199 three-day cruise.

Higher spending stopovervisitors to the Bahamasdeclined by more than 10 percent in 2009, but there hadbeen a “steady increase” inthose tourist numbers in the

four months between Sep-tember and December 2009, atrend that had continued intoJanuary. Mr Vanderpool-Wallace said March was alsolooking good, and Februarynot as promising, but point-ed out that the shortenedbooking window made trendsvery difficult to predict.

The minister of tourism andaviation said the Bahamashad “an asset utilisation prob-lem” in that it had focused onjust one destination, Nas-sau/Paradise Island, to thedetriment of all other islands.While stopover visitor num-bers to Grand Bahama andthe Family Islands had large-ly remained stagnant over thepast 20 years, onlyNassau/Paradise Island hadshown a marked increase.

This had driven the Min-istry of Tourism’s quest tobrand and differentiate allislands of the Bahamas, MrVanderpool-Wallace admit-ting that this nation’s USproximity advantage had beennegated because it was moreexpensive and, in the case ofthe Family Islands, more timeconsuming to fly to this nationfrom New York when com-pared to European destina-tions like Paris, London andRome.

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THE TRIBUNE FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010, PAGE 3B

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cation of what the balance sheet will look like in a year. Wedon’t want to have that money around for too long, payingout on it.”

When asked whether the BISX-listed company was dis-appointed at just being able to place two-thirds of the issue,Mr Brown replied: “It’s a difficult time. Everyone’s havingtheir challenges. I would not say we’d complain.

“I think we’ve done OK under the circumstances. Wedid a private offering, and we got interest coming in to usfrom private investors.”

Expressing confidence in the company’s property invest-ment, Mr Brown said: “We have not taken in anything on theCarmichael Road property. We will not have a valuation onthe property until it’s completed, so we’re pretty confidentthat once that’s done we will be in pretty good shape on thebalance sheet. We would have at least a $3.5-$4m millioninvestment included on a valuation basis.

“We took the private placement offering on the basis wewanted to ensure the balance sheet was secure until we gotan opportunity to do the Carmichael Road project valuationand put it on the balance sheet. We’re, as they say, solid asa rock.”

Mr Brown said the response from potential tenants ofthe 18,000 square foot Carmichael Road property had been“overwhelming”. He added that on Wednesday afternoon hehad given a proposal to a potential tenant who had metwith him inquiring about leasing an 1100 square foot space.

“I think right now we have about 70 per cent of that pro-ject leased, and we should be signing lease agreements with-in the next 30 days,” Mr Brown told Tribune Business,adding that he could not name any tenants apart from theanchor, Bank of the Bahamas International, until theseagreements were signed.

Benchmark (Bahamas) was expecting to earn about$500,000 in per annum revenue from the project, Mr Brownsaid, with rates set at around $30 per square foot - $23.50 forbasic lease, and $6.50 for common area maintenance (CAM)and other expenses.

The Benchmark (Bahamas) president said the CarmichaelRoad project’s construction was scheduled to be completedby the end of February 2010.

While final figures for 2009 were yet to be produced, MrBrown said the fourth quarter recovery in CommonwealthBank’s share price, one of Benchmark (Bahamas) majorholdings, was likely to have a positive impact on the com-pany’s balance sheet and income statement.

‘Solid asa rock’

FROM page 1B

VINCENT VANDERPOOL-WALLACE

Hotel rate cuts were‘lowest in Caribbean’

* High costs prevented deep discounts for fear of ‘deepunprofitability’, and work against cruise conversion* ‘Asset utilisation’ problem with Family Islands

Tackling the issues facingsmall and medium-sized busi-nesses and, by extension, thewider Bahamian private sector,Mr Rolle hit out at the qualityof labour being graduated fromthis nation’s schools, arguingthat too many workers did notunderstand their obligations toemployers, and then wasted thecompany’s time and money inLabour Board complaints afterbeing rightfully dismissed.

“The woefully inadequateeducation system is the Achillesheel of the business communi-ty,” the Chamber president toldthe conference, organised byTCL Ltd (The Counsellors).

“We are not getting what weneed from the education sys-tem, and the business commu-nity, are the beneficiaries of theunder-performing employeesthat come out of their doors.

It’s extremely difficult havingto spend time before theLabour Board, not because I’vebeen a bad business person, butbecause people do not under-stand their obligations to theiremployer.

“We invest in training, mak-ing sure employees are com-fortable and give them oppor-tunities. If they don’t show upfor work, they don’t rationalisethat they’re wrong for that.”

Mr Rolle said the firstresponse of employees right-fully dismissed in such situa-tions was to “run to Mr [Har-court] Brown, [the director oflabour], who rings me and sayshe’s got someone here for me.Ninety-nine point nine per cent

of the time I win the argument,but I spend valuable time infront of the Labour Board.

“There are a good cadre ofperformers, who are well-edu-cated, understand what theirobligations are and live up toit. It’s that grouping that reallytries our system.”

Apart from the challenges inaccessing the required capital,financing and resources, MrRolle said small and medium-sized businesses found it diffi-cult to obtain technical exper-tise from the likes of attorneys,accountants and marketingmanagers because they chargedthe same fees to provide themwith services as they did largerfirms with deeper pockets.

The newly-establishedChamber Institute, he added,was designed to find a way forsmall businesses to access suchprofessionals at reduced cost,with fees “reasonable and pro-portionate to what their needsare”. The Chamber’s Small andMedium-Sized Enterprise Unitwas an attempt to assess whatcompanies needed “to surviveand be viable”.

Arguing that the Bahamaswas “not realising our truepotential” economically, withthe small and medium-sizedbusiness sector under devel-oped, Mr Rolle said these com-panies should be “shored up”to protect domestic demand inthe event an external recession

impacted key influences on thisnation’s well-being.

Based on the World Bank’sEase of Doing Business report,which ranked the Bahamas68th out of 183 countries, MrRolle said it was still “too cost-ly”, as a percentage of GDP percapita, to start a business in thisnation.

Urging small businesses to

stop seeking government hand-outs, Mr Rolle added: “Weneed to move small and medi-um-sized enterprises beyondtraditional risk and ratiomatrixes. We’ve been doingthat for too long, and it’s con-tributing to a dying sector.”

Deno Moss, a Scotiabank(Bahamas) executive, suggestedcreating a national fund withtwo tiers of shares - one pur-chased by Bahamians, the oth-er by foreigners - to providefinancing for small and medi-um-sized businesses.

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52wk-Hi 52wk-Low Securit y Previous Close Today's Close Change Daily Vol. EPS $ Div $ P/E Yield1.49 1.03 AML Foods Limited 1.17 1.15 -0.02 10,000 0.283 0.000 4.1 0.00%10.75 9.90 Bahamas Property Fund 10.74 10.74 0.00 0.992 0.200 10.8 1.86%7.00 5.77 Bank of Bahamas 5.90 5.90 0.00 0.244 0.260 24.2 4.41%0.63 0.63 Benchmark 0.63 0.63 0.00 -0.877 0.000 N/M 0.00%3.49 3.15 Bahamas Waste 3.15 3.15 0.00 0.168 0.090 18.8 2.86%2.15 2.14 Fidelity Bank 2.37 2.37 0.00 0.055 0.040 43.1 1.69%13.95 9.63 Cable Bahamas 10.00 10.00 0.00 1.406 0.250 7.1 2.50%2.88 2.72 Colina Holdings 2.72 2.72 0.00 0.249 0.040 10.9 1.47%7.00 5.00 Commonwealth Bank (S1) 7.00 7.00 0.00 0.419 0.300 16.7 4.29%3.65 2.21 Consolidated Water BDRs 2.78 2.79 0.01 0.111 0.052 25.1 1.86%2.55 1.32 Doctor's Hospital 2.55 2.55 0.00 0.627 0.080 4.1 3.14%7.80 5.94 Famguard 6.49 6.49 0.00 0.420 0.240 15.5 3.70%11.80 8.75 Finco 9.28 9.28 0.00 0.322 0.520 28.8 5.60%10.45 9.80 FirstCaribbean Bank 9.99 9.99 0.00 0.631 0.350 15.8 3.50%5.53 3.75 Focol (S) 4.77 4.77 0.00 0.326 0.150 14.6 3.14%1.00 1.00 Focol Class B Preference 1.00 1.00 0.00 0.000 0.000 N/M 0.00%0.30 0.27 Freeport Concrete 0.27 0.27 0.00 0.035 0.000 7.7 0.00%6.13 5.00 ICD Utilities 5.59 5.59 0.00 0.407 0.500 13.7 8.94%10.50 9.95 J. S. Johnson 9.95 9.95 0.00 0.952 0.640 10.5 6.43%10.00 10.00 Premier Real Estate 10.00 10.00 0.00 0.156 0.000 64.1 0.00%

52wk-Hi 52wk-Low Security Symbol Last Sale Change Daily Vol.1000.00 1000.00 Fidelity Bank Note 17 (Series A) + FBB17 100.00 0.00

1000.00 1000.00 Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) + FBB22 100.00 0.00

1000.00 1000.00 Fidelity Bank Note 13 (Series C) + FBB13 100.00 0.00

1000.00 1000.00 Fidelity Bank Note 15 (Series D) + FBB15 100.00 0.00 3

52wk-Hi 52wk-Low Symbol Bid $ Ask $ Last Price Weekly Vol. EPS $ Div $ P/E Yield

FINDEX: CLOSE 000.00 | YTD 00.00% | 2008 -12.31%

BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES AS OF:

Fidelity Over-The-Counter Securities

30 May 2013

29 May 2015

WWW.BISXBAHAMAS.COM | TELEPHONE:242-323-2330 | FACSIMILE: 242-323-2320

19 October 2022

Prime + 1.75%

Prime + 1.75%

7%

THURSDAY, 14 JANUARY 2010BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE 1,565.41 | CHG -0.10 | %CHG -0.01 | YTD 0.03 | YTD % 0.00

BISX LISTED DEBT SECURITIES - (Bonds trade on a Percentage Pricing b ases)Maturity

19 October 20177%Interest

52wk-Hi 52wk-Low Symbol Bid $ Ask $ Last Price Weekly Vol . EPS $ Div $ P/E Yield14.60 7.92 Bahamas Supermarkets 10.06 11.06 14.00 -2.246 0.000 N/M 0.00%8.00 6.00 Caribbean Crossings (Pref) 2.00 6.25 4.00 0.000 0.480 N/M 7.80%0.54 0.20 RND Holdings 0.35 0.40 0.35 0.001 0.000 256.6 0.00%

41.00 29.00 ABDAB 30.13 31.59 29.00 4.540 0.000 9.03 0.00%0.55 0.40 RND Holdings 0.45 0.55 0.55 0.002 0.000 261.90 0.00%

52wk-Hi 52wk-Low Fund Name NAV YTD% Last 12 Months Div $ Yield %1.4387 1.3535 CFAL Bond Fund 1.4387 6.30 6.302.8869 2.8266 CFAL MSI Preferred Fund 2.8869 -1.81 -1.811.5087 1.4336 CFAL Money Market Fund 1.5071 0.08 5.233.3201 2.9343 Royal Fidelity Bahamas G & I Fund 3.1168 -7.94 -7.9413.2400 12.6816 Royal Fidelity Prime Income Fund 13.2400 4.93 5.90103.9873 93.1999 CFAL Global Bond Fund 103.9873 3.41 3.41101.7254 96.4070 CFAL Global Equity Fund 101.7254 5.52 5.521.0804 1.0000 FG Financial Preferred Income Fund 1.0804 4.32 5.261.0364 1.0000 FG Financial Growth Fund 1.0269 -0.59 -0.191.0742 1.0000 FG Financial Diversified Fund 1.0742 3.56 4.429.5795 9.1005 Royal Fidelity Bah Int'l Investment Fund

Principal Protected TIGRS, Series 19.5795 5.33 5.33

11.2361 10.0000 Royal Fidelity Bah Int'l Investment Fund Principal Protected TIGRS, Series 2

11.2361 12.36 12.36

7.7171 4.8105 Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund 7.7171 40.05 40.05

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price

52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity

52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity

Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price

Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week

Change - Change in closing price from day to day EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths

Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today NAV - Net Asset Value

DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months N/M - Not Meaningful

P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings FINDEX - The Fidelity Bahamas Stock Index. January 1, 1994 = 100

(S) - 4-for-1 Stock Split - Effective Date 8/8/2007

(S1) - 3-for-1 Stock Split - Effective Date 7/11/2007

31-Dec-09

31-Dec-09

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | FG CAPITAL MARKETS 242-396-4000 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525

31-Dec-09

31-Dec-09

31-Dec-098-Jan-10

31-Dec-09

MARKET TERMS

Colina Over-The-Counter Securities

BISX Listed Mutual Funds

31-Oct-09

31-Dec-09

31-Oct-09

NAV Date

31-Dec-0931-Oct-09

31-Oct-09

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Small businesses ‘dying slow death’FROM page 1B

just under one million visitors.“Developments were further

complicated by the fact that thehotel sector had to enhancetheir incentive programmes in abid to support operations,” MrLaing said.

Hotels across the Bahamaslamented that Revenue PerAvailable Room (RevPAR)was consistently down last yearas rates were reduced to attractbusiness.

Mr Laing said the Govern-ment “did what was necessaryto respond to the extraordinarycircumstances” caused by theglobal recession, although theBahamian economy was esti-mated to have contracted by 5per cent in 2009.

He added that the Govern-ment’s stabilising social assis-tance programmes were “notsustainable” when viewed fromthe public finances’ perspective.

Zhivargo Laing said theimpact of the late 2008 financialcollapse could have been worseeffect for the Bahamian econo-my had the government notquickly enacted its social pro-grammes, capital works projectsand created the national unem-ployment benefit.

He added that despite theGovernment’s efforts to min-imise the inevitable job losses,the economy contracted by 5per cent last year and unem-ployment was driven up to 14.2per cent.

Without the Government’simmediate injection of capitalinto public works projects, heventured that unemploymentpercentages could have hit the

20 per cent range. Mr Laingsaid the Government’s financestook a hit as a result of revenuedecline and increased spend-ing, with revenues contractingby 7 per cent in fiscal year 2008-2009 compared to fiscal year2007-2008.

He said government expen-diture also increased by 7 percent, mainly owing to its invest-ment in its social safety net pro-jects.

DeficitMr Laing said that, conse-

quently, the country’s deficitsurged from a range between$100-$190 million, or about 1.5to 3 per cent of the country’sGross Domestic Product(GDP), to an estimated $361million or 4.9 per cent of GDPin fiscal year 2008-2009.

“These have been unprece-dented times for governmentsaround the world, which havebeen driven to implement mea-sures to support theireconomies amid the contrac-tion in private sector activity,and they have had varying

capacities to achieve this out-come,” said Mr Laing.

“Fortunately for theBahamas, our low debt-to-GDPratios have provided us withthe fiscal space to incur addi-tional debt in such critical cir-cumstances.”

Internationally-recognisedcredit rating agency, Standardand Poor’s (S&P), recentlyreduced this country’s longterm sovereign credit ratingfrom an A- to a BBB+.

“I hasten to note that despitethe downgrade, our debt is stillinvestment grade. Therefore,the new rating should not sig-nificantly impact our ability togrow,” said Mr Laing.

He argued that he worst ofthe economic decline hadpassed, but said the recoveryprocess will be challenging.

“Although global indicatorshave in recent months pointedto a modest recovery, the paceof growth is expected to be rel-atively slow compared to recov-eries in past recessions, andhigh levels of unemploymentwill be the norm for sometime,” said Mr Laing.

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THE TRIBUNE FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010, PAGE 5B

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Bahamas ‘90% rate’ of finance illiteracy

‘Eye Doctor’, said inept financial acumen hadmade the Bahamian economy a “sinking, rud-derless ship”, and a dull government as well asprivate citizens were at the helm.

“We can no longer look out for financial peo-ple to look after our best interests,” said DrRodgers.

He said governments were looking out fortheir political endeavours, while the financialservices sector was only interested in more mon-ey. The sector’s regulators were “listening to thetune of government, but dancing to the tune ofthe financial sector”.

Dr Rodgers said statistics have shown thatcountries where children perform well at mathstypically have the best economies. And with a

national BGCSE exam average of ‘D’, and only15 per cent of graduates pursuing tertiary edu-cation, he said Bahamian financial literacy was ina tailspin.

Dr Rodgers said the Government needed totake a strong look at the Bahamas’ tertiary edu-cation. He suggested that the resignation of theCollege of the Bahamas’ president, Janyne Hod-der, should have dealt a sobering blow to thosewho control the educational system within thepolitical ranks. Dr Rodgers said despite people’sday-to-day financial interactions, there was nounderstanding of financial information. Helamented that there were limited laws protectingconsumers of financial institutions, leading topredatory banking practices.

“We need to have more competition in thebanking sector to bring down the cost of money,”he said.

Tourism earnings fall 10% to $1.5bn

FROM page 1B

FROM page 1B

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THE TRIBUNE FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010, PAGE 7B

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Addressing the Bahamas BusinessOutlook Conference, Mr Townendsaid this nation would increasinglyhave to look to private-public sectorpartnerships to finance and devel-op its infrastructure needs, given thatthe Government - with the need toreduce the national debt and fiscaldeficits it was currently incurring -would be constrained in theresources it was able to provide.“The total cost of infrastructure thatneeds to be funded in the next fewyears for the Bahamas is $2.1 bil-lion,” Mr Townend told the confer-ence, which was organised by TCLLtd (The Counsellors).

He divided this spending, whichKPMG estimated would need to beincurred within the next five years, ashort to medium-term timeframe,into these infrastructure areas:

* Education - $500 million* Healthcare - $300 million,

including new hospitals* Roads - $200 million* Airports - $450 million* Sea ports - $100 million* Prison - $100 million* Solid waste - $50 million* Government buildings - $200

million* Alternative energy - $200 million

Emphasising the need for theGovernment to share the infra-structure financing/development bur-den via public/private partnerships,with the private sector sharing boththe risk and the returns (rewards),the KPMG partner said the Gov-ernment’s annual capital expendi-ture budget totalled $255 million.

Putting this into perspective, Mr

Townend said nine to 10 such Bud-get allocations would be needed tomeet the $2.1 billion infrastructureneed, placing it outside the five-yeartimeframe.

“Our annual capital expenditurebudget is $255 million, so it will take10 years to achieve that [total],” headded. “Of that $255 million capitalexpenditure, a lot of that is spent onmaintenance, not building newthings.”

Further proof, of any were need-ed, of why the Government wasunable to finance the Bahamas’infrastructure needs on its own camefrom the state of its public finances,Mr Townend suggested. The $2.1billion infrastructure requirementsexceeded the $1.486 billion in totalrevenues the Government was pro-jected to earn in 2009-2010, whilethe national debt continued to climbsteadily - hitting $3.675 billion at the2009 third quarter’s end.

Mr Townend estimated that theBahamas’ national debt-to-GDPratio had hit 53 per cent at the end ofthe 2009 fourth quarter, a majorjump of nine percentage points onthe 44 per cent ratio it had reachedat 2008 year-end. This, too, was anincrease on the 41 per cent, 40 percent and 39 per cent ratios achievedat year-ends 2007, 2006 and 2005respectively.

Given the Government’s deter-mination to reduce the debt-to-GDPratio, lower the fiscal deficit and getthe public finances back on track,as announced by Zhivargo Laing,minister of state for finance, at yes-terday’s conference, Mr Townendsaid public sector financing for infra-structure projects might be in shortsupply. However, he added: “Ibelieve the Bahamas is forging

ahead. I think there’s a lot of areaswhere we can improve what we’redoing with infrastructure.

“I commend the Governmentbecause it’s looking at all sectors,and looking long-term - longer thanfive years.” Mr Townend said it wasunusual for governments to look fur-ther than five years ahead, the usualduration of the political cycle. TheIngraham administration has accel-erated capital spending on publicworks related projects, viewing themas not only propping up the econo-my and creating jobs in the short-term, but also improving theBahamas’ capital stock and physi-cal assets, leaving something thatwill be of long-lasting benefit tofuture generations.

PartnershipsAnd the Government was also

seemingly starting to embrace pri-vate-public partnerships, Mr Tow-nend saying that the $409.5 millionLynden Pindling International Air-port (LPIA) was a “quasi” version ofsuch a partnership, given that theNassau Airport Development Com-pany (NAD) was under the man-agement of Vancouver Airport Ser-vices (YVRAS).

The upcoming Arawak Cay con-tainer port, he added, would be atrue public-private partnership - ajoint venture between the Govern-ment and shipping companies.

Other infrastructure projectsunderway include the $120 millionNew Providence Road ImprovementProject; the $200 million worth ofnew government office complexes;and the recently-completed $44 mil-lion Nassau Harbour dredge. Other

infrastructure projects included theimpending Bahamas Telecommuni-cations Company (BTC) privatisa-tion; the possible privatisation of theBahamas Electricity Corporation(BEC); and the planned construc-tion of a new hospital.

Describing infrastructure as the‘glue’ that binded an economy andsociety together, and underpinnedeverything they did, Mr Townendsaid the term did not just refer tophysical assets, such as roads, portsand airports, or utilities such aswater, electricity and telecommuni-cations, but also key social services -especially education and healthcare.

Bahamian schools needed signifi-cant attention, Mr Townend, said.This nation had 250 schools, of which160 were public. Some 17 per cent ofthe Government’s annual Budget,or 5 per cent of GDP, was spent oneducation - with 85 per cent of thebudgetary allocation going on recur-rent ‘fixed’ costs.

More than 50,000 children werein the public school system, morethan half of these in primary schools,but with 50 per cent of public schoolBGCSE grades at ‘E’ or below, com-pared to 18 per cent of all privateschool grades, Mr Townend ques-tioned whether the Bahamas wasgetting ‘value for money’ from itsinvestment in its human capital infra-structure.

Arguing that the Ministry of Edu-cation should be focused on learning,not repairing schools, as it rushedto do every summer, Mr Townendsaid the Bahamas needed to create“a world class learning environmentin its schools” through the use ofInformation and CommunicationsTechnology (ICT).

The UK had implemented such a

project, Building Schools for theFuture, a £40 billion project covering3,500 secondary schools, and aKPMG study had shown UK schoolsrebuilt using a public-private part-nership - Private Finance Initiative -had seen educational attainmentimprove 44 per cent faster.

Suggesting that the Bahamas fol-low the British government’s leadin setting up Infrastructure UK, MrTownend said: “We need an Infra-structure Department in governmentthat deals specifically with infra-structure.

“I would recommend an Infra-structure Department.

“We need a complete overhaul ofhow infrastructure assets are man-aged and maintained in theBahamas.

“We need to look at what under-pins these changes we want, becauseif we do not look at the backbone ofthe economy, which is infrastruc-ture, change can’t happen.”

A KPMG survey of 16 islandstates including the Bahamas, whichconducted interviews with 40 gov-ernment officials, found that 89 percent of them felt infrastructure qual-ity was average or below average.

Some 66 per cent believes infra-structure development efficiency wasaverage or below average, with 60per cent of projects “never or rarelycompleted on time”. Some 64 percent of projects were “never, rarelyor only sometimes on budget”.

Going forward, Mr Townend sug-gested that apart from creating anInfrastructure Department, theBahamas needed to develop a “post-five year strategy” for infrastructure;define its needs in this area; andreview the Government procure-ment process.

Government needs ‘InfrastructureDept’ to meet $2.1 billion need

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