Man wanted by police becomes crime victim

The Nassau Guardian

Man wanted by police becomes crime victim

A man wanted in connection with a double murder and triple shooting that occurred nearly six months ago was shot along with another man on Friday night, police reported.

Police said Cornelius Roberts, 23, is wanted in connection with the murders of Amati Knowles, 40, and Odrick Telusma, 17.

Knowles and Telusma were shot and killed off Kemp Road, north of Bar 20 Corner, on Whit Monday.

Police said two men drove to the area inside a reportedly stolen white Dodge Ram truck and shot them.

After the incident, the culprits drove to Mt. Pleasant Avenue, off Kemp Road, and shot three other men, who were standing outside a business, police said.

According to police, officers responding to reports of a shooting on Cowman Lane, off Malcolm Road west, around 11 p.m. Friday, found Roberts and an unidentified man suffering from gunshot wounds.

According to reports received by police, two armed men exited a white vehicle and shot the victims as they walked along the street.

Both men were taken to hospital and were reportedly in serious condition.

In a separate incident, which occurred hours later, an off-duty police corporal was shot along with two other men as they exited a nightclub on Fox Hill Road around 1 a.m., police reported.

The men were shot multiples times and were taken to hospital where they were in serious condition, police said.

The man reportedly fled the scene on foot.

 

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Speedweek set to dazzle

The Nassau Guardian

Speedweek set to dazzle

The Third Annual Bahamas Speed Week Revival features once again some of the world’s most beautiful race cars.

Back in the early 1960s, two young Mexican drivers appeared on the international scene and proved both fearless and fast.  The younger brother, Ricardo, crashed to his death in a race in Mexico City in 1962, while his elder brother, Pedro, went on to race successfully for many years.  Pedro drove a beautiful Ferrari in Nassau in 1966, which is the star entry for the Bahamas Speed Week starting on December 4 at Arawak Cay.

Speed Week starts at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre on Sunday, December 1 with some exciting Go Kart racing featuring Vintage Karts of the type that first raced here in 1959.  A group of Bahamian school children will also take to the track demonstrating the skills they learned through the Edukarting program.

The cars will appear first at Fish Fry at 11 a.m. on Wednesday when Sir Arthur Foulkes opens the proceedings and various lucky people will be passengers as the cars drive their first few laps in front of the beautiful sea and cruise ships.

Saturday sees the Fort Charlotte Hillclimb starting at 10 a.m.  The cars will run one at a time from the center of Arawak Cay up the steep incline to Fort Charlotte.  The mighty Ford Mustangs are likely to lead the field here, take a trip out and watch from the top of the hill as cars snake their way up towards viewers.

Sunday is the big occasion, with cars running in groups against the clock to see who is the fastest of all.  There will be two Ferraris from Belgium and a beautiful little Maserati that will surely catch the hearts of the crowd.  This year the general admission is free on both Saturday and Sunday and the organizers have invited Bahamians to bring their families out to the slopes under Fort Charlotte.

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Dozens get food poisoning on Acklins

The Nassau Guardian

Dozens get food poisoning on Acklins

Almost 60 people in Acklins fell ill after eating food during a local church event on Sunday, MICAL MP V. Alfred Gray confirmed yesterday.

Gray, who said he was briefed by Health Minister Dr. Perry Gomez, said the people attended a church function where ham and turkey were served.

“Of course there were many people at the function and those who ate, most of them got sick,” Gray said.

“Something they served was contaminated.”

He noted that food poisoning was confirmed as the cause of the illness.

Gray said around 11 p.m. on Sunday, dozens of people were being seen by the local doctor at the clinic.

“Today (Monday) I was told that all was well,” he said.

“Most who were seen are okay. This morning, everything was stabilized.”

Gray said the incident was no cause for alarm and noted that an investigation has been launched into the exact cause of the incident.

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PLP to hold convention in Nov. 2014

The Nassau Guardian

PLP to hold convention in Nov. 2014

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) will hold its convention in November 2014, PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts said yesterday.

The convention was originally expected to be held this month to coincide with the party’s 60th anniversary.

The PLP last held a convention in October 2009.

The party is mandated by its constitution to hold a convention annually.

Roberts said the party plans to hold several mini conventions on the Family Islands.

The first will take place on North Andros in January 2014.

He said the mini conventions will be an opportunity to interact with residents and built up to the major convention.

However, former PLP parliamentarian George Smith said last month that only in extreme circumstances has there not been a convention.

He also said that it does not seem like a good idea to have mini conventions.

Yesterday, Roberts said, “With the greatest respect to Mr. Smith, he is entitled to his opinion just like any other PLP.”

He said not all PLPs will agree with the date or process, but if they did “there would be no purpose of coming together”.

Roberts said the party has a lot of things to discuss, particularly the 2012 general election.

Of the 155,804 voters, the PLP secured 48.6 percent, compared to the Free National Movement’s 42 percent.

The Democratic National Alliance garnered 8.4 percent.

Roberts said the convention will provide an opportunity to reassess and handle party business that has to be addressed.

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Bill would amend Firearms Act

The Nassau Guardian

Bill would amend Firearms Act

Members of Parliament are expected to begin debate today on a package of anti-crime bills that seek to impose heavier sentences on people convicted of serious crimes.

Proposed amendments to the Firearms Act would increase the range of sentencing for people found in possession of illegal firearms.

The bill also creates the new offense of possession of a prohibited high powered firearm that carries a 25 years to life sentence upon conviction.

“This is a very serious offense to be tried only before the Supreme Court carrying a stiff penalty similar to the range for manslaughter under the penal code of 25 years to life imprisonment,” the bill  reads.

“These weapons are extremely dangerous.”

The bill describes a high powered firearm as “any rifle designed or chambered to discharge any rifle cartridge of .22 caliber or greater with a muzzle energy of 900 foot/pounds higher”.

The bill seeks to amend the Firearms Act to include as offenses the illicit manufacture, trafficking and export of firearms pursuant to the United Nations Convention against transnational organized crime.

According to police, 347 illegal firearms and 5,914 rounds of ammunition were seized for the year.

Further amendments to the Firearms Act would allow all of the occupants of a private vehicle where an illegal firearm is found to “be statutorily liable to be in possession of a firearm, not simply the person in control of the vehicle, i.e. the driver”.

The remaining five bills would amend the Prevention of Bribery Act; the Justice Protection Act; the Evidence Act; the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Penal Code.

The bills were tabled in the House of Assembly last month.

The last package of anti-crime bills was brought by the Ingraham administration in 2011.

The bills increased the sentencing for people convicted of gun crimes, sex crimes and drug crimes.

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Fire at new NEMA office

The Nassau Guardian

Fire at new NEMA office

Fire engulfed the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) new facility on Gladstone Road early yesterday morning, gutting a portion of the building.

The fire occurred around midnight, extensively damaging the northwestern section, authorities said.

The organization moved from cramped quarters downtown into the more than $2 million facility around three months ago.

Salvage teams, including prisoners, who were being overseen by Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) officers and NEMA officials, were sorting through much of the charred remains, when The Nassau Guardian arrived around 11 a.m.

NEMA Director Captain Stephen Russell said around a dozen employees occupy the building for day-to-day operations, but no one was in the building at the time of the blaze.

In the event of a natural disaster such as a hurricane, up to 40 representatives from various government agencies can mobilize there at the facility.

The cause of the blaze up to yesterday evening had not been determined.

Assistant Superintendent Ernest Hanna of the Fire Services Department said police do not suspect arson, but have not ruled it out.

“The most difficult part of our response was gaining entry to the building as it was properly secured and the fire was confined to the workstation area,” Hanna said.

“The electrical supply was comprised due to the damage... to the wiring system.

“That is one of the major repairs that will have to be carried out.”

The new facility has a boardroom, three offices, staff cubicles, a staff lounge, full kitchen fitted with granite counter tops and an operation and training center.

Following an assessment of the damage, Russell said the staff cubicles, several computers, copiers and the roof above that portion were all destroyed.

He said several teams from the Ministry of Works assessed the facility yesterday to determine what repairs need to be made, but he could not put a value to the damage.

“To find this unfortunate event is disheartening. It’s heartbreaking,” Russell said.

“When I called some of the employees this morning on my way here, they could not believe me and thought it was a joke, but I told them it was serious.”

He added, “We are still functioning, and you can contact us for any business related to NEMA at the Cabinet Office on 322-3220 and 376-6362.”

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Minnis defends VAT position

The Nassau Guardian

Minnis defends VAT position

Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis said his party has not flip-flopped on the issue of value-added tax (VAT) and explained that had the FNM been re-elected in 2012 the matter would have been handled “properly”.

Minnis came under fire from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) last week after he criticized the government’s plans to introduce VAT next July.

Although his party had planned to give VAT “early

consideration if re-elected”, Minnis called the new tax “regressive” last week.

Minnis’ statement drew rebuke from PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts, who said the comments were misguided.

Yesterday, Minnis defended his party on the VAT issue. He said he could not say how soon the FNM would have introduced VAT if it had been re-elected.

“That’s not flip-flopping because the FNM would have ensured that proper analysis was done,” Minnis said.

“The FNM would have ensured that the process would have been right. The FNM would have ensured that people were informed properly, and the FNM would have ensured that people knew exactly the state of the economy and what we are trying to do.

“And at the same time we would have improved on the [existing tax] collection that the people are concerned about. We would have decreased [public] wastage.”

Former Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing has said the former administration had planned to implement VAT, and would have done so within “two to three years” if the FNM was re-elected in 2012.

Laing has also said the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Inter-American Development Bank and the Ministry of Finance conducted studies on whether VAT or a sales tax should be implemented in The Bahamas, and a proposal was submitted to the government.

In a speech he delivered to the Rotary Club of Freeport in August on the implications of VAT for The Bahamas, Laing said that proposal formed the basis of the current proposal before the country.

Laing and Minnis were both a part of the Ingraham Cabinet.

Despite his critique of VAT, Minnis did not offer an alternative tax model to get the government out of its debt crisis.

However, he said if the government aggressively collects the hundreds of millions of dollars in outstanding taxes, a new tax model would not be needed.

“If you don’t plug the leakage, regardless of what tax system you put out there, the leakage will continue,” he said.

He added that there are many unanswered questions on the tax and criticized the government for not giving enough information on its plans.

Minnis said it is a “joke” that the VAT legislation and regulations have not been released eight months ahead of the proposed implementation date.

 

Poll

The FNM has begun polling residents to gauge the public’s feelings about the new tax.

Since Friday, Minnis said 200 constituents of Killarney have responded to an online poll on the issue.

He said when asked if the government should introduce VAT, 77.2 percent said no, 14.6 percent said yes and 8.4 percent said they don’t know.

When asked what form of new taxation the country should implement, 13.5 percent said none and 86.5 percent said other tax models, including a sales tax, income tax or payroll tax.

The Killarney MP said similar polls will be conducted in all FNM constituencies, beginning with St. Anne’s.

 

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FNM deputy blasts Miller on gambling admission

The Nassau Guardian

FNM deputy blasts Miller on gambling admission

Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner yesterday suggested that Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller should be arrested after he admitted to gambling last week.

"Tall Pines can buy all the numbers he wants," she said during debate on a package of anti-crime bills. "Maybe he needs to be escorted out of here and asked why is he breaking the laws of the land when in fact he stands here as a legislator. This is the duplicity that we need to look at.

"The reality is you have legislators in here saying they're making the law in here for law-abiding citizens, yet they come in here and claim they are breaking the law. There's got to be something wrong with that. There's got to be something inherently wrong with that. It is an extraordinary contradiction of a message to send to Bahamians in general."

During debate on those bills last week, Miller defended web shop owners and admitted that he plays numbers.

“I went to the barber yesterday (last Tuesday) and a [man] tried to sell me numbers,” he said. “I can’t even buy numbers. I spent $20, and I didn’t catch anything.”

Butler-Turner said yesterday she thought Miller’s admission is cause for concern.

“We must be upholding the laws of the land,” she said. “And if the law of the land says the numbers business is illegal...if you break the law, you are a criminal.”

National Security Minister Dr. Bernard Nottage, who stood on a point of order, said Butler-Tuner has no “moral authority” to criticize the government on web shops.

He said the adminstration she was a part of was aware of the inner workings of those businesses.

“They took on the task of determining how much these web shops make so that they could decide how much to tax them when they were legitimizing them,” said Nottage, referring to the Ingraham administration.

But Butler-Turner claimed that “the licenses that were granted to these people who are running organized crime in web shops [were] not for the selling of numbers; [they were] for people to be able to go there and be able to use a computer”.

Gaming Board Chairman Andre Rollins, who also rose on a point of order, also accused Butler-Turner of duplicity.

“The fact is the FNM, the prior administration, knew full well what was taking place in these web shops,” he said. “They chose to stick their heads in the sand and act as if they didn't know it was taking place.

“This PLP administration, myself and others, have been advocating for us to deal with the industry and regulate it because as the minister of state for legal affairs (Damian Gomez) has acknowledged, there are trafficking concerns and there are terrorist concerns tied to the operation of these web shops in absence of a regulated industry.

“So it is irresponsible and reckless for the member for Long Island to act as though this type of conversation was not taking place around the former Cabinet table.”

On January 28, a majority of people who voted in a referendum on gambling voted against the establishment of a national lottery, and the regularization and taxation of web shops.

A day later, Prime Minister Perry Christie ordered all web shop operators to shut down their gaming operations immediately or face arrest and prosecution.

The matter then went before the Supreme Court and a legal battle is underway.

Nonetheless, Butler-Turner said the law is not being upheld.

Miller, who did not defend his actions, pointed out that the former government failed to shut down any of the web shops while in office.

“They had five years to close them down,” he said. “They closed none down because they wanted the people’s money. That's why they didn't close them down.”

He later added that web shops were around for 65 years.

“And they [are not] going anywhere,” he said.

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$150,000 in drugs found in GB apt., police say

The Nassau Guardian

$150,000 in drugs found in GB apt., police say

Officers on Grand Bahama arrested a 42-year-old man after he was allegedly found in possession of nearly $150,000 worth of marijuana, police said.

On Saturday morning, officers executed a search warrant of the suspect’s apartment in the Lucaya area and found two black duffle bags and suitcases packed with marijuana wrapped in black, brown and clear plastic, according to police.

Additionally, police said they found half a pound of marijuana hidden in a freezer and also found a .9mm handgun and 29 rounds of ammunition.

In all, police said they found 149.5 pounds of marijuana with a street value of $149,500.

In a separate matter last week, a pilot and his two passengers were arrested in connection with suspected drug trafficking after officers discovered 26 pounds of marijuana on an aircraft they were traveling in, police said.

Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) Assistant Superintendent Sam Butler said the drugs were contained in a travel bag on the aircraft. The drugs have an estimated street value of $26,000.

Butler said inter-island drug trafficking is a major concern for the DEU.

“We’ve always been concerned about that,” he said. “That’s one of the recurring trends that we see.

“... Drugs make their way to the islands then on to New Providence where there is a ready market.”

Butler said DEU officers made a similar discovery last month.

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Man convicted of double murder

The Nassau Guardian

Man convicted of double murder

A Supreme Court jury has unanimously convicted a man of double murder.

The jury accepted the contention of prosecutors that Jamaican Serrano Adderley shot Kevin Forbes, 40, of Miller's Heights, and Alwayne Leslie, 28, of Jamaica, on July 11, 2011 at a Haitian shantytown near Montgomery Avenue.

Adderley denied that he was present when the crime occurred.

The prosecution’s main witness, Shawn Knowles, placed Adderley on the scene.

Knowles is on bail, accused of the murder of Adderley’s pregnant girlfriend Erica Ward several weeks later.

Knowles and Timothy Saunders are charged with the July 30, 2011 shooting deaths of Edward Braynen, Ward, who was eight months pregnant, and Chackara Rahming at an apartment at Montgomery Avenue.  Fetal homicide is not an offense under Bahamian law.

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PM seeks better access to concessional lending

The Nassau Guardian

PM seeks better access to concessional lending

Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday appealed to “international financial institutions” to adjust their positions with regard to gross domestic product (GDP) per capita as a measure or means of determining the cost of financial assistance.

“We are all now called middle income countries,” said Christie in his address at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka.

“This means that when we look to the markets and the international financial institutions, there is a measure which is used to determine what level of interest will be offered to us as the price of borrowing money.

“We are no longer able in many cases to get concessional lending because of the measure used to determine our level of wealth and ability to pay.”

Christie said that in this regard The Bahamas supports the efforts of the Commonwealth “to leverage the number of our voices to bring about change in this area”.

He also identified with the call from the young people of the Commonwealth for action to ensure that they are trained and can participate more fully in the world economy.

“The young people are the future of the world,” Christie said.

“In my own country, we came to office with a specific promise to support young people and to reduce youth unemployment.

“We pledged to double the investment in education during our term. We believe that specific programs for youth development are essential to the future success of our country. I would encourage all leaders to lend their support to youth development. There can be no better investment than to engage the youth of our respective nations.”

Unemployment among youths (people 15 to 24) has risen to 30.8 percent from 30.7 percent according to the Labour Force Survey, which was released last month. The survey was conducted in May with a reference period of April 29 to May 5, 2013.

Unemployment among youth in The Bahamas is "considerably higher than any other age group" according to a statement from the Department of Statistics.

Christie said, “As part of our commitment to young people and to the Commonwealth, The Bahamas is pleased to be able to host the next Commonwealth Education Ministers Conference in Nassau.

We are hoping that there is a full turnout and that this body commits itself to the policies which will enhance and train our people, especially our youth. I look forward to seeing you in Nassau.”

The prime minister also said that heads were meeting at a special time in the life of the Commonwealth.

“Our people often question, what are we doing here? We answer that we are here to reaffirm our values, our commitments to democracy, to diversity, to tolerance, to the rule of law. And if that is not enough, we are now here in Sri Lanka to call for growth with equity,” he said.

“I would wish to place The Bahamas firmly in support of this general call. I wish to place The Bahamas firmly in the column that calls for a more just order. I wish to place The Bahamas firmly in the column of standing up for the human rights and dignity of all peoples.

“I wish to support the rule of law. It is a long list of wishes. I think that we are all as countries and leaders capable of ensuring that all of the values of the Commonwealth are upheld.

“So that is the first thing for The Bahamas: We are here to uphold the values of the Commonwealth. Secondly, we are here to reinforce historic ties. Thirdly, we are here to get an opportunity to exchange views with people and nations from theaters far away from our own place in the North Atlantic and by that exchange of views to help our own growth and development.”

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AG: Increased reports of witness intimidation

The Nassau Guardian

AG: Increased reports of witness intimidation

Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson said yesterday there are increased reports of witness intimidation during trials of accused gang leaders and others, but stressed that laws are in place to protect the identities of witnesses.

In spite of the intimidation tactics, Maynard-Gibson encouraged people to come forward with information that could put criminals behind bars.

“We are finding a situation where more and more witnesses are being intimidated,” she said at a press conference at the Office of the Attorney General.

“We want to remind persons in communities that have information, that the police need information to detect crime and to arrest persons who are believed to be guilty of crime.

“We have a very robust regime that works, relating to witness protection and witness anonymity. We have laws in place today where if the judge agrees on an application from the very beginning, we can protect the identity of witnesses.

“These laws are in place to enable people to safely bring information forward.  Even at trial we have video conferencing, we have ways to disguise the identity of a witness to enable persons to testify behind a screen. . .as well as witness protection.”

In The Bahamas’ 2012 Human Rights Report released by the U.S. State Department, witness intimidation was listed as one of the most serious human rights issues in the country.

Maynard-Gibson also spoke of the significance of the crime bills which were debated in the House of Assembly on Wednesday.

She said the legislation is a message that the Christie administration will not tolerate gang activity and is serious in its commitment to curb crime.

Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez said some of these criminal gangs have an international reach, stretching as far as Colombia.

Gomez led debate on the crime bills on Wednesday. He said they will deliver a "death blow" to organized criminal activity and will enhance the effectiveness of the judicial system.

The bills include the Evidence Amendment Bill, the Penal Code Amendment Bill, the Firearms Amendment Bill, the Anti-terrorism Amendment Bill, the Justice Protection Amendment Bill and the Prevention of Bribery Bill.

The amendments to the Penal Code are specifically intended to target gang activity.

According to the bill, anyone who is convicted of being in an unlawful gang or participates in or contributes to the activities of an unlawful gang would be liable to a fine of $500,000, and imprisonment of 20 years, subject to a minimum term of 15 years.

The bill seeks to bring the code in line with The Bahamas’ international obligations to suppress organized crime under the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime.

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War veterans to be honored on Remembrance Day tomorrow

The Nassau Guardian

War veterans to be honored on Remembrance Day tomorrow

Plans for the observance of Remembrance Day to be held tomorrow at Christ Church Cathedral and the Cenotaph Cemetery have been announced by the Cabinet Office.

A press conference was held at the Cabinet Office on Thursday, during which members of the Remembrance Day Planning Committee outlined activities of the day, held to honor war veterans.

Present were: Michael Humes, first assistant secretary at the Cabinet Office and chairman of the Remembrance Day Planning Committee; Rev. Patrick Adderley, dean of Christ Church Cathedral; Bishop Cephas Ferguson, chairman, British Legion Bahamas Branch; Andrew McKinney, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Rev. Gloria Ferguson, representative, Bahamas Christian Council, and other members of the committee from the Ministry of Works and Urban Development; the Royal Bahamas Police Force; the Royal Bahamas Defence Force; Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture; Bahamas Information Services (BIS); The Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (ZNS) and the Government Printing Department.

Immediately following the church service, a number of youth marching bands will march in processional from the Cathedral to the Cenotaph, where a short ceremony organized by the Bahamas Christian Council will be held.

“Both the church service and Cenotaph ceremony are held annually to honor the service of the men, living and departed, who served the cause of freedom in the two World Wars,” Humes said.

Wreaths will be laid by the governor general, the prime minister, the chief justice, the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Assembly, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of the services.

Prior to this, the British Legion Bahamas Branch will hold a Pre-Memorial Service at the Veterans Cemetery on Infant View Road at 9:30 a.m.

Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes is expected to lay a wreath and bring remarks.

World War I ended officially at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, and November 11 was set aside in the United Kingdom, United States and France as a Day of Remembrance for those who gave their lives in the war. It was known as Armistice Day.

It was from this date, November 11, 1918 that the Government of The Bahamas made the decision to commemorate Remembrance Day on the nearest Sunday to that date, hence the selection of the second Sunday. World War II ended in 1945.

During both wars, The Bahamas was under the rule of Great Britain and hence, men and women enlisted to serve in various capacities. Their names appear on a plaque at the base of the Cenotaph, the monument erected in their honor.

A number of The Bahamas war veterans are members of the Bahamas Chapter of the British Legion, formerly known as The Bahamas Ex-Servicemen Association formed after World War II.

Also associated with Remembrance Day is the wearing of the Poppy — a beautiful red flower said to be one of the few things, which survived in the battlefields of Northern France during World War I. The flower also represented the bloodshed of all those who died during that war.

Another significant aspect of the Remembrance Day Service is the Last Post and Reveille — the sounding of the final bugle call of the day signaling the end of the soldier’s day, which can be traced back to when the British Army was on campaign in the Netherlands.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force Band still continues this practice, which has become a staple at all state and military funerals. It symbolizes the “end of the soldier’s day” in so far as the dead soldier has finished his duty and can rest in peace.

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Pilot, passengers suspected of drug trafficking

The Nassau Guardian

Pilot, passengers suspected of drug trafficking

A pilot and his two passengers were arrested in connection with suspected drug trafficking after officers discovered 26 pounds of marijuana on an aircraft they were traveling in, police said yesterday.

They could face criminal charges as early as today, head of the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) Assistant Superintendent Sam Bulter said.

According to police, officers attached to the Drug Enforcement Unit were acting on intelligence when they went to Lynden Pindling International Airport and conducted a search of a private charter aircraft on Wednesday afternoon.

Police believe the men trafficked the drugs from Andros.

Butler said the drugs were contained in a travel bag on the aircraft. The drugs have an estimated street value of $26,000.

Butler said inter-island drug trafficking is a major concern for the DEU.

“We’ve always been concerned about that,” he said. “That’s one of the recurring trends that we see.

“...Drugs make their way to the islands then on to New Providence where there is a ready market.”

Butler said DEU officers made a similar discovery last month.

He said several men were arrested after they were caught bringing cocaine into New Providence from Grand Bahama.

Additionally, he said there was a marijuana seizure several weeks ago. The drugs in that case were transported from Andros.

Butler noted that the police have been having considerable success with drug seizures over the past few months.

Police have made major drug busts in Bimini, Ragged Island and Exuma and recovered millions of dollars worth of drugs in the past two months.

Meantime, police are seeking three men in reference to outstanding drug matters.

According to police, the first suspect is Andrew Augustine Adderley, aka “Bozo”, 45, of Clarence Town, Long Island.

Adderley is described as being of a light brown complexion, of average build, and 6’4”.

The second suspect is Reginald Robert Hulbert, 40, of Gregory Town.

Hulbert is of a light brown complexion and is 5’7” in height, according to police.

The final suspect is Mark Anthony Johnson, 46, of Floon Close, Monastery Park.

Police said Johnson is of light brown complexion.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of these suspects is asked to call police at 919 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS.

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Priest urges gov’t to tax web shops

The Nassau Guardian

Priest urges gov’t to tax web shops

Anglican priest Father Sebastian Campbell yesterday urged the Christie administration to make the “unpopular” choice to tax web shops in order to take advantage of the “wealth sitting in our midst”.

Campbell also encouraged religious leaders to help educate the public on the government’s plans for tax reform.

Gaming Board Chairman and Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins on Sunday also urged the government to tax web shops.

In a departure from the stance taken by the Bahamas Christian Council on the issue, Campbell said it is time to be frank because the “numbers” business is here to stay.

He said the government must take the lead and tax the industry in order to inject revenue into the public coffers.

“Effectively tax the number houses,” he said. “Research has already shown that this is an oasis of wealth sitting in our midst. Governments sometimes must make hard and unpopular decisions for the good of the country; go for it.”

On January 28, the government held a referendum that asked voters if they supported the regulation and taxation of web shops and the creation of a national lottery. Most of those who voted said no to both questions.

While the Christian Council urged people to vote no for moral reasons, Campbell said those involved in the web shop industry likely voted no in order to guarantee greater gains for themselves and avoid taxation.

“The resource is here; let’s tax it for the common good,” Campbell added. “As Parliament goes into the debate of gaming, now is the time to level the playing field. Do not give away rights to foreigners that Bahamians don’t have in their own country.”

Campbell was referring to the impending House of Assembly debate on the Gaming Bill. The bill would allow casinos to offer mobile and Internet gaming while preventing web shops from legally doing so, and maintains the status quo on who is prohibited from gambling.

People ordinarily resident in The Bahamas cannot gamble legally in casinos.

Campbell also stressed that the government’s plans to institute a 15 percent value added tax (VAT) on July 1, 2014 is a “bullet we will have to bite”.

The proposed tax has elicited an outcry from the business community and the Free National Movement, which has called on the government to delay the implementation date and educate the public on the tax.

Officials have said the new tax will help reduce the gap between revenue and expenditure.

Campbell said the church needs to step forward and help the government with its public education process for VAT.

“I call [on my] colleagues within the church to step forward,” said Campbell, rector of St. Gregory’s Anglican Church. “It is our duty to prepare our congregations and the nation as a whole for this reality.

“This is where leadership is warranted now in our development. The church must assist in leading the way and not get in the way of this necessary, progressive, albeit radical move.”

Campbell said the government should not delay tax reform or implement it too close to the next election.

“We have no luxury in waiting for this one,” he added. “By 2017 Bahamians would have experienced the results and government would have had time to tweak and show the public the benefit of the new regime. The lowering of custom duties on some items will make the whole thing more palatable.”

Campbell added that along with VAT, the government must also aggressively collect outstanding taxes.

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Mother, daughter shot to death

The Nassau Guardian

Mother, daughter shot to death

A 34-year-old woman and her 14-year-old daughter were shot dead and a man was injured at an apartment on Woodes Alley, off Market Street, around 5 a.m. yesterday, police said.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson, two armed men broke into the apartment and began shooting.

The woman and her daughter were shot to the upper body and the man to his leg, police said.

He was taken to hospital and was reportedly in stable condition.

A relative identified the victims as Angelique Berry, 34, an Atlantis Resort chef, and Indiana Forbes, 14, a student of C.C. Sweeting Senior High School.

Ferguson did not confirm whether there were any other residents in the apartment at the time of the shooting.

Police arrested a man, who resides in the area, but the second suspect remained at large.

Ferguson thanked residents of the community and responding officers for their “quick action” which led to the arrest.

Marguerite Burrows, Berry’s aunt, told The Nassau Guardian her family will struggle to cope with the tragedy.

Burrows said Berry and her daughter had a close relationship and were well loved by the family.

“Indiana was especially very, very loving,” she said. “This is certainly a tragedy for the family.

“They will be missed very much. This is hard to cope with...two people dying at the same time.”

The deaths pushed the country’s murder count for 2013 up to 93.

Twelve murders have been recorded since the government placed police officers on New Providence on 12-hour shifts in September.

C.C. Sweeting Senior High School Principal Joan Gray, who was contacted for comment, said the school held a general assembly yesterday morning to announce the deaths.

While several pastors and Ministry of Education officials counseled students and staff, several students overcome with emotion had to be taken home, according to Gray.

She described Indiana as a “fun-loving and jovial student”, who she said will be greatly missed.

“We have tried calling the family, but with the business of the day, we were not able to reach them,” she said.

“However, some of our staff members visited because they actually knew them and live in the same neighborhood.

“We extend our sincerest condolences and our prayers are with them at this time.”

The school plans to hold a memorial sometime next week to honor Indiana.

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Munroe: RBPF creating ‘dangerous system of work’

The Nassau Guardian

Munroe: RBPF creating ‘dangerous system of work’

Wayne Munroe, the attorney representing the Police Staff Association (PSA), said yesterday the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) may be liable for creating a “dangerous system of work” for officers.

Munroe said he is worried that police officers’ extended 12-hour shift would leave armed officers fatigued, which could be dangerous for them and the public.

He said his law firm will soon interview police officers who have recently been involved in traffic accidents to determine if the incidents were a result of work fatigue. He said his firm may file lawsuits against the government on their behalf.

According to Munroe, police officers have been placed on 12-hour shifts, five consecutive days a week, which is against the normal practice.

“Wherever you have people working 12-hour shifts, they usually work three days on and then maybe a day or two off because the concern is of stress and fatigue and its effect on the human body,” Munroe said.

“The concern, since a lot of policemen are armed, is the attentiveness and everything that goes with having tired, armed policemen on duty. That’s a very real liability issue to the public.”

The PSA has been demanding extra compensation for officers who were placed on 12-hour shifts in early September in response to a rise in the level of violent crimes.

Government officials have said the staff association is not a union and is handling the concerns inappropriately.

Last week, Minister of National Security Keith Bell said he sympathizes with officers, but added that the 12-hour shift in the police force is nothing new.

But Munroe said while officers are committed to their duties they should not be overworked and overstressed.

“No employer, not even the police force, can create a dangerous system of work for their employees. Policemen are faced with the dangers inherent in their duties and they don’t have a problem with that, but what a person cannot do is then create a dangerous circumstance by introducing fatigue into it.

“Could you imagine if you have a fatigued policeman on the convoy that comes from the prison, and there is a serious crash and members of the public are struck and killed?

“Well the policeman won’t be responsible because he is fatigued. the person who would be responsible is the person who puts him in the position of being fatigued.”

PSA Chairman Inspector Dwight Smith said yesterday the association plans to hold a press conference with their attorney tomorrow to discuss their concerns.

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Two arraigned for Haitian man’s murder

The Nassau Guardian

Two arraigned for Haitian man’s murder

Two teenagers were yesterday charged with the murder of a Haitian man last month.

Veronal Verona was gunned down at Palm Beach Street and Cordeaux Avenue as he headed to work on October 25.

Police have charged Bernard Taylor, 18, of Key West Street, and a 15-year-old, with Verona’s murder and armed robbery.

Prosecutors say Verona was robbed of his wallet that contained $700. The accused teenagers were not required to enter a plea to the charges at their arraignment before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt.

They have been remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison as the court does not have jurisdiction to consider bail for those offenses. However, Ferguson-Pratt advised them of their right to seek bail in the Supreme Court.

Prosecutors plan to fast-track the case to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment.

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New trial ordered after co-accused murdered

The Nassau Guardian

New trial ordered after co-accused murdered

A man whose co-accused was murdered in the middle of the trial will get a new opportunity to contest the allegation.

Justice Bernard Turner discharged the jury hearing the armed robbery trial of Theophilus Lloyd and Lamar Roberts after the latter was gunned down outside his home in Pinewood Gardens on Monday.

Lloyd’s retrial has been set for February. He remains on remand at Her Majesty’s Prisons. Lloyd and Roberts were accused of a hold-up that occurred in 2010.

Roberts, who was wearing an ankle bracelet as a condition of his bail, was reportedly outside when three men in a charcoal Suzuki SUV ambushed him.

Roberts ran as the gunmen pursued him, pumping bullets into him.

Police have not released a possible motive for the crime.

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Roberts: Govt should change discrimination in Gaming Bill

The Nassau Guardian

Roberts: Govt should change discrimination in Gaming Bill

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts said yesterday that if the majority of parliamentarians express opposition to discriminatory elements of the Gaming Bill, the government should immediately amend the proposed legislation to give Bahamians the same rights as foreigners.

“It is time for discrimination to be removed and to allow Bahamians full rights to participate in gaming in The Bahamas as [do] visitors to our country,” Roberts told The Nassau Guardian. “That has always been my view.  There is no secret about that.”

Last week, Prime Minister Perry Christie suggested that there is not a consensus in his party over controversial elements of the Gaming Bill that would allow casino operators opportunities that web shop owners cannot lawfully enjoy.

“Members will have an opportunity to speak and as the leader of the government I will have an opportunity to respond,” said Christie outside the House of Assembly.

“...For example, if I’m sitting in there and all the members of Parliament get up, the great majority of them get [up] and say we are against this, what do you expect me to do?”

The prime minister said his views would be guided by debate on the bill.

Yesterday, Roberts said he is sure that PLP MPs will urge the government to reconsider the discriminatory elements of the bill.

“We have a new generation of leaders in the PLP and [not] a single one of them is afraid to express their point of view,” Roberts said.

On Monday, Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez said the debate on the Gaming Bill should not be muddled with the argument over whether Bahamians should be permitted to gamble legally in The Bahamas.

He said the Gaming Bill is meant to reform the industry and boost tourist arrivals along with the revenue and taxes earned on casino gaming.

“I want to stress that we are competing with the world and not with ourselves,” said Gomez while speaking at the opening of the Caribbean Gaming Forum at Atlantis resort.

“The discussion of citizens gaming is a completely different discussion than the one we are having concerning our tourism product. To suggest that they are the same is grossly misleading.”

However, Roberts believes the two issues should be dealt with at the same time.

“This is a good time to do it,” the chairman said. “We can do the necessary ammendments. If the majority of the members agree then you can make those simple ammendments right there on the spot to the present bill before the House.”

The Gaming Bill was tabled in the House of Assembly nearly two weeks ago.

Some observers have criticized the government over provisions in the bill that would allow casinos to offer mobile and Internet gaming, while preventing web shops from legally doing so.

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Police: Murder victim’s boyfriend a suspect

The Nassau Guardian

Police: Murder victim’s boyfriend a suspect

Police said yesterday they were questioning the boyfriend of a woman who was shot and killed on Woodes Alley, off Market Street, on Wednesday.

Angelique Berry’s 14-year-old daughter Indiana Forbes, a student of C.C. Sweeting Senior High School, was also shot dead.

On the scene of the murder, police had said there was a home invasion.

A 31-year-old man was also shot in the leg during the incident, police said.

Superintendent Paul Rolle said yesterday that police took the man into custody on Wednesday and were questioning him.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson said at the scene that police suspected that two armed men broke into the apartment and began shooting.

Police said the two victims were shot in the upper body.

Ferguson said on Wednesday police had taken two people into custody.

Marguerite Burrows, Berry’s aunt, told The Nassau Guardian her family will struggle to cope with the tragedy.

Burrows said Berry and her daughter had a close relationship and were well loved by the family.

“Indiana was especially very, very loving,” she said. “This is certainly a tragedy for the family.

“They will be missed very much. This is hard to cope with... two people dying at the same time.”

The deaths pushed the country’s murder count for 2013 up to 93.

C. C. Sweeting Senior High School Principal Joan Gray said the school plans to hold a memorial sometime next week to honor Indiana.

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Sands highlights benefits of Gaming Bill to Bahamas

The Nassau Guardian

Sands highlights benefits of Gaming Bill to Bahamas

The swift passage of the Gaming Bill would create a “win, win” situation for the government and casino operators, Baha Mar Senior Vice President of Administration and External Affairs Robert Sands said yesterday, adding that the issue of Bahamians participating in the industry should be addressed separately.

The bill was tabled in the House of Assembly on October 16 and has been criticized for the elements that discriminate against Bahamians.

Critics of the bill have said it affords foreigners rights that Bahamians do not have.

But Sands said the bill would expand the tourism industry, while creating more jobs and tax revenue for the government.

“We’re not modernizing a bill for foreigners,” Sands told The Nassau Guardian. “We’re enhancing a piece of legislation that’s on the books that puts The Bahamas at a distinct disadvantage [to] the rest of the world.

“This bill is not about anything foreign. This bill is all about modernizing an existing piece of legislation that would work towards the sustainability of the gaming industry. We will be worse off not passing the current piece of legislation.”

Casino operators made recommendations to the government on how to modernize the sector.

On Sunday, Gaming Board Chairman and Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins said he does not support the bill.

Rollins wants the government to create an environment to encourage Bahamians to become owners in the industry, and he wants the provision that discriminates against Bahamians to be eliminated.

People who are ordinarily resident in the country will still be prohibited from gambling.

Sands said improving the industry and addressing discrimination are matters that should not be lumped together.

“There is a discriminatory element in the existing [law], so not addressing the current bill will not change the status quo of the existing gaming law in this country,” Sands said.

“But what in fact it will do is create opportunities that are economic, that are employment sensitive, that are profit sensitive, so it’s a win, win situation.

“I believe the government in [its] wisdom can address this particular element as a separate and distinct issue.”

The debate on the controversial Gaming Bill was expected to begin in the House of Assembly today.   However, it has been delayed.

Sands said he was informed that the debate would begin two weeks after the bill was tabled. He added that the reason for the delay was not explained to Baha Mar.

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40 Cuban migrants apprehended

The Nassau Guardian

40 Cuban migrants apprehended

Forty suspected Cuban migrants were arrested near Cay Sal on Monday after evading capture since last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

There were 39 adults and one child in the group.

They were arrested for illegal entry into The Bahamas.

The statement said the ministry received reports that officers on patrol saw a go fast vessel with an estimated 40 people on board heading north from La Isabella, Cuba, as early as October 24.

“The go fast vessel was observed reportedly offloading these suspected Cuban migrants onto a deserted cay near Cay Sal,” the statement said.

“The report is that the go fast vessel was subsequently stopped in international waters. Two smugglers were reportedly found on board the vessel and were detained.  The migrants however evaded capture until October 28,” the statement said.

Immigration Director William Pratt told The Nassau Guardian that the U.S. Coast Guard spotted the group and apprehended the migrants before turning them over to Bahamian authorities.

U.S. authorities arrested the smugglers, who are reportedly American, Pratt said.

Pratt said immigration authorities hope to repatriate the first group of Cubans by the end of next week.

Last week, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell and Cuban Ambassador to The Bahamas Ernesto Soberon Guzman exchanged diplomatic notes cementing a new standard operation procedures between the two countries.

This will allow Cuban detainees to be repatriated in a matter of weeks as opposed to the previous months-long process.

Mitchell said in the past, bureaucracy has “bogged down” the repatriation process for Cubans.

In some instances, Cubans have lingered in the Carmichael Road Detention Centre for over nine months, officials said.

Mitchell said the new procedures will also allow time for the government to uphold its obligations through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to ensure proper screening for political asylum.

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Cyber crimes ‘a growing threat’

The Nassau Guardian

Cyber crimes ‘a growing threat’

The country is under threat by the growing incidence of cyber crimes, Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade said yesterday.

So far this year, banks alone have seen a net loss of over $25 million due to cyber crimes, Assistant Superintendent Michael Edgecombe revealed. That figure does not include people who have been individually targeted, he said.

Greenslade said cyber crime is perhaps the fastest growing type of crime in the world.

"There are significant emerging threats from persons who seek to illegally collect and utilize the personal information of individuals locally and abroad,” said Greenslade during the National Training Symposium of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort.

"There are no boundaries that limit the reach of these 21st century criminals who have a multitude of faces. We have arrested some of them before and we will arrest them again. We are going to seek to prosecute and we are not going to offer any apologies for that."

While he did not provide figures for The Bahamas, Greenslade said it is estimated cyber crimes cost the United States government in excess of $388 billion a year.

"Notwithstanding the successes that we enjoy today, our country is open to a myriad of threats from criminals and the criminal organizations who are engaged in cyber crimes, white collar crimes, identity threats, intellectual property crimes and many iterations of criminal conduct," he said.

According to statistics presented earlier this year, white collar crimes nationwide resulted in the loss of over $11.5 million from various businesses and unsuspecting Bahamians last year.

More than half of the $11,508,229 ($6,592,256) was misappropriated through the 138 fraud cases recorded last year. Another $746,567 was stolen by reason of service. The remaining amount was stolen through other illegal means.

There were also scores of forgery cases which did not result in the loss of money.

Superintendent Paul Rolle said the police force is concerned about child pornography and the growing incidence of defamation through social media web sites.

He said officers have gone through the necessary training to detect such crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Rolle said the police force has established a cyber crime lab which has also helped it with criminal investigations.

Greenslade said the police force will also work with the data commissioner to address the issue.

He said 13 officers were trained last year in how to deal with high tech and Internet-related crimes.

Prime Minister Perry Christie also acknowledged that cyber crime is becoming a great concern.

He said he is pleased therefore that there was police and criminal justice cooperation at yesterday’s symposium.

Three industry experts were honored at the symposium, including NIB Director Rowena Bethel, former Data Commissioner George Rodgers and Rolle, who now heads the Central Detective Unit.

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Abaco airport terminal set for January opening

The Nassau Guardian

Abaco airport terminal set for January opening

The delayed Marsh Harbour International Airport terminal on Abaco will open in January, Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna-Martin said yesterday.

The airport was slated to open in July and then delayed to December.

Hanna-Martin said it was delayed due to design problems at the facility, among other issues.

“Mr. Speaker, the government has not been able to meet that date as is now obvious,” she said during debate on a bill to amend the Airport Authority Act.

“The problems in design continue to pose vexing problems.

“I will say, however, that there continue to be concerns.  However, the government has determined to complete all aspects of construction and do what is necessary to open the facility while seeking to mitigate the challenges posed by certain design features.

“The urgent need to open this new terminal is compounded by the profound inadequacy of the current terminal and the gross inconvenience to passengers using that terminal.”

North Abaco MP Renardo Curry said the airport will create new jobs and business for the people of Abaco.

“There [are] some men that sow and there are others that reap. So we are the reapers. The harvest is ours,” Curry said.

Many residents on Abaco have expressed frustration over delays in the opening of a new airport terminal.

The Ingraham administration broke ground on the Leonard M. Thompson International Airport in September 2011. The airport had an original budget of $27 million and was scheduled to open in October 2012.

Minister of Works and Urban Development Philip Brave Davis said in the House of Assembly yesterday that one of the issues was the lack of toilets in the VIP section.

He said the Airport Authority will outsource the management of the airport to a private sector entity.

“It should be made abundantly clear that this plan to transfer management to a private sector company does not mean that the government is divesting the property, but only transferring,” Davis said.

The amendment to the act seeks to empower the Airport Authority, which owns Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA), to “incorporate into its remit other airports in the country, and specially in this instance, the Marsh Harbour International Airport as well as a much larger reform of the aviation sector”.

Hanna-Martin said: “Ultimately, it is the intent of the government that every government owned airport will come under the umbrella of the Airport Authority.

“Today, however, we are speaking only of the transfer of the Marsh Harbour Airport from the remit of the Civil Aviation Department to that of the Airport Authority.”

Regarding LPIA, she said, “The icing on the cake, so to speak, will be the unveiling of a statue of Sir Lynden [Pindling] in January 2014 [at LPIA].

“A sculptor has been selected, and the committee formed to oversee the selection process according to established criteria is currently in negotiations with the selected artist with a view to completing the contract for the work.”

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PM says some Biminites resistant to change

The Nassau Guardian

PM says some Biminites resistant to change

Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday suggested that some of the people in Bimini who are against the major developments currently underway on that island are "resistant to change".

Some Bimini residents have voiced their opposition to the Resorts World developments in Bimini, which include the construction of a 4.5-acre docking island for its SuperFast ferry and two luxury resorts, among other amenities.

"When you read the newspapers and see what is happening in Bimini, when people live in traditional areas and change comes in, there are people who are resistant to change," said Christie during the Office of Data Protection Commissioner’s first National Training Symposium at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort.

"There are people who believe that their existence should conform with their own philosophy of living and that the intrusion of more capital, more money, more jobs and more Bahamians coming into their community, changes the character of their community.

"And so... as we modernize, as we grapple with the distinction of this country as compared to its neighbors, these are the issues that we have to deal with…There is so much work to be done in the country."

Christie underscored the need for various islands in the country to be further developed.

Project Manager and Partner at Bimini Sands Frank Cooney offered similar sentiments.

When asked earlier this week how most Biminites view the project, he told Guardian Business that most Biminites are "not in favor of change".

An environmental impact assessment (EIA) of a Resorts World ferry terminal project in Bimini, noted the concerns of some of the residents.

"A polling of 50 residents found that while many feel the project would create an economic benefit, they also feared the impact the project would have on the marine environment,” according to the EIA summary.

Additionally, almost two-thirds of Biminites surveyed said they did not want an increase in the island’s existing 52,000 annual visitor number.

According to the report, the project may potentially introduce an additional 570,000 tourists per year to Bimini — a factor of 11 more than the number of tourists currently visiting Bimini — and thereby boost the local economy and employment.

Christie said previously that the project is expected to result in the creation of hundreds of jobs.

The Malaysian conglomerate, the Genting Group, acquired the Bimini Bay Resort and rechristened it Resorts World Bimini in March 2013.

In the months after, the company announced plans to undertake a $300 million expansion of the resort within three years.

Resorts World Bimini has also confirmed that it has received construction permits which would allow it to build a 1,000-foot pier and the docking island.

Resorts World is expected to invest around $2.7 million on various island-wide projects, including a clean up and beautification initiative.

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Nine men charged after $1.2 mil. drug bust

The Nassau Guardian

Nine men charged after $1.2 mil. drug bust

Nine men charged in connection with a $1.2 million drug bust, pleaded not guilty to various drug related offenses during their arraignment before Magistrate Andrew Forbes yesterday morning.

Devard Dames, 37, of South Bimini; Ramond Colebrooke, 37, of St. Vincent Road, New Providence; Samiko Rigby, 26, of Boyd Road, New Providence, and Allan Knowles, 38, of Long Island, were charged with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply and importation of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

They were allegedly found with the drugs on Thursday on Finley Cay, off the coast of Eleuthera.

Those men were also charged along with Elridge Matthias Bowleg, 38, of Eleuthera; Kendrick Smith, 31, of Eleuthera; Donovan Seymour, 33, of Eleuthera, and Valencio Darling, 26, of Eleuthera, with conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with the intent to supply and conspiracy to import dangerous drugs.

Those crimes are alleged to have taken place between September 19 and October 24.

The ninth defendant, John Cartwright, 56, was charged separately with conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply and conspiracy to import the drugs.

He is also accused of committing those crimes between September 19 and October 24.

Prosecutor Ercel Dorsett said the drugs weighed 1,374 pounds and have an estimated wholesale value of $1.2 million. Police initially said the drugs were worth more than $2 million.

The matter was adjourned to February 17 at 10 a.m. for all defendants except Cartwright.

Forbes adjourned Cartwright’s case to February 26.

Forbes noted that the court has no jurisdiction to grant bail to any of the defendants.

They were remanded to Her Majesty’s Prisons (HMP).

The prosecutor told the court that Rigby had outstanding warrants in Grand Bahama. It is unclear what he was wanted in connection with.

The men were arrested last Thursday.

Police said three men were arrested on Eleuthera and another four were arrested following a high-speed boat chase, which ensued off the coast of Eleuthera and ended in waters near New Providence. The chase ended when the suspects’ boat ran out of gas, according to authorities.

Police said they found dozens of bales of marijuana aboard the speedboat.

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Butler-Turner suggests PM has dislike for women

The Nassau Guardian

Butler-Turner suggests PM has dislike for women

During a heated row in the House of Assembly last night, Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner suggested that Prime Minister Perry Christie has a dislike for women after he said he will not be intimated by her “might or size”.

“Maybe the member feels that she could intimidate me by might or by size,” said Christie while contributing to debate on a bill to amend the Airport Authority Act.

In response, a seemingly irate Butler-Turner said, “We come here in different colors, different sizes and different genders.

“To have the prime minister of this country talk about might or size, let me tell you, it is no question that you are a big man, and I’m a big woman and there are other big people in this place.

“I take exception to that because I can find all kind of faults with people on that side, whether they are ugly or whether they aren’t ugly.

“So they are here talking about my size; that should be off the table; that should not even be up for debate.

“I am not ashamed of who I am.  When (my grandfather the late former governor general) Milo Butler was leading the charge for the PLP, nobody had a problem with his size.

“But because I am on this side, you have a problem with it? Well you face it. This is my size, I am a woman and I am proud of who I am.

“As for my being offended by the prime minister, I don’t need an apology from him.  He clearly demonstrates that he has a dislike for me, my size and maybe women.”

Christie shot back, saying, his family would be amused “at the question of my sexuality” suggested by Butler-Turner.

“But she knows when I say it that in given situations when you test a gladiator, the gladiator says let us go the center where we are able to put this to the test,” he said.

“To those gladiators who sit along with her... they would know the tragic error of her ways in applying an imputation, the suggestion to me, they would know better. And they would know better because we have met in the forum of activities before.

“My wife knows, she knows what I was when she met me, a man of distinguished reputation in the field of valor.”

Butler-Turner and MICAL MP V. Alfred Gray were arguing over amendments the Ingraham administration made to the Mayaguana deal between the government of The Bahamas and the I-Group.

The Ingraham administration had referred to the original deal entered into by the first Christie administration as the “great land give-away”.

While Christie was responding to Butler-Turner, she continued firing remarks at him, prompting him to say: “She has come as near as she possibly can to questioning my manhood.

“I wish in the old gladiatorial fashion that I could challenge her, but I wouldn’t do that.

“I have no intention of defaming you, of insulting you. I am in a debate, in a discussion, if I misstate, I would withdraw any misstatement.”

He added: “The member has every opportunity in the world to do anything that she would wish with respect to me.

“The only thing I can assure her of, make sure it is complete, for then I would have to carry out that maxim that seven times down and eight times up.”

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Life sentence for cop killing

The Nassau Guardian

Life sentence for cop killing

A judge yesterday sentenced Stephen ‘Die’ Stubbs and two other men to life imprisonment for the murder of a policeman, rejecting pleas by the prosecution to impose the death penalty a second time.

Jurors also convicted Stubbs, Andrew ‘Yogi’ Davis and Clinton ‘Russ’ Evans of the attempted murder of Constable Marcian Scott in the March 1999 shooting at the now-closed Club Rock Disco.

Supreme Court Justice Roy Jones sentenced the men to 10 years in prison for that offense. Evans was sentenced to three years for pointing a firearm at two officers who pursued him following the shooting.

The men appeared unfazed at the decision. Family members complained that police denied them access to the sentencing hearing.

At the time of their first conviction, the men received the mandatory death sentence. The appellate court quashed the conviction and sentence and made an order for retrial in 2004.

Due to developments in the law, the death penalty has been discretionary since 2006.

Although a 2011 amendment to the Penal Code defined a life sentence as natural life, the Court of Appeal said recently the sentence still remains uncertain because of the constitutional power of the governor general to grant clemency.

In making their case for the death penalty, prosecutors Vinette Graham-Allen and Ambrose Ambrister relied heavily on a 2011 amendment to the Penal Code, which includes the murder of a policeman as a death-eligible offense.

They also contended that the failure to give the convicts notice of their intention to seek the death penalty immediately after the conviction was not fatal to their application, a procedure that has been sanctioned by the Privy Council.

Jones disagreed on both points, determining that the circumstances of the case did not meet the required standard of the “worst of the worst”.

Constables Jimmy Ambrose and Scott, who were both attached to the Central Detective Unit, were reportedly at the club to conduct “spot checks” and to meet with an informant.

While there, a fight broke out between two groups of men.

After the fight, the convicts allegedly emerged from the club as Ambrose and Scott spoke to two of the men involved in the initial fight.

The convicts, on the evidence, opened fire on the men. Davis caught Ambrose, threw him to the ground, kicked him repeatedly and shot at him.

Evans and Stubbs joined into the fray, kicking and shooting Ambrose, according to the evidence.

Jones agreed with submissions by defense lawyers Murrio Ducille, Ian Cargill and Romona Farquharson that the murder of Ambrose could not be considered the “worst of the worst”.

Jones said, “The argument of the Crown that it is an extreme and exceptional murder by being included in a particular category in the statute is rejected.

“Furthermore, although the deceased was on duty, there is no suggestion in the evidence that he was targeted because he was a policeman in the execution of his duties.”

The men intend to appeal the conviction and sentence.

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