Gibson to expose FNM tax dodgers

The Nassau Guardian

Gibson to expose FNM tax dodgers

Minister of Labour and National Insurance Shane Gibson promised yesterday to expose the current and former politicians from the Free National Movement (FNM) who he said have dodged their real property taxes over the years.

Gibson hit out at the FNM for being “hypocritical” in its calls for Ishmael Lightbourne, the government’s value-added tax (VAT) messenger, to resign or be fired over the revelation that he has not paid real property taxes on his West Bay Street property in at least a decade.

“They are hypocrites,” said Gibson before heading into a Cabinet meeting.

He said it would “shock” the public to learn the identities of prominent Bahamians who have never paid real property taxes.

“And when I finish disclosing the details of all of the persons — I’m not going to limit it to persons who are serving now. I’m going to expand it to people who previously served, who while they served didn’t pay their real property tax and who subsequently caught some of the amnesty periods that we would have offered and they paid their real property tax.

“I’m going to show you the hypocrisy in this.

“They can disclose ours. I’ll disclose theirs. I’m not interested in ours.”

In response, FNM Chairman Darron Cash said Gibson’s threat underscores the need for an independent tax administration regime free of political influence.

“The Bahamian people’s tax information should never be vulnerable or exposed to the whim and fancy of politicians who feel they can exploit that information whenever it is politically expedient to do so,” Cash said in a statement.

“ . . .The fact that FNMs might owe taxes is not enough to circumvent a meaningful debate about the issue.

“The fact that people of prominence owe taxes is a clear indication of what might be wrong with the current system. Being broke is not a sin. This administration’s unwillingness to fix a broken system is.”

On Thursday, The Nassau Guardian revealed that Lightbourne had not paid real property taxes for at least a decade even though his beachfront home on West Bay Street is only assessed at $321,000 (land included). As a result his real property tax bill amounts to $534 a year.

Given the controversy over Lightbourne’s taxes, The Nassau Guardian asked several government ministers if they owe real property taxes.

Gibson said he is up to date on his real property taxes, but admitted that he has been delinquent in the past.

“I myself at one point, I was behind,” he said. “I’m current now.”

He suggested that Lightbourne’s unpaid taxes are a reflection of the financial hardships that many in the country have experienced over the past few years.

“Look at BEC, some people can’t afford to pay BEC,” Gibson said.

“Their lights are off home, so we are acting as though the last 10 years were these great 10 years where everybody was able to take care of their obligations.”

Minister of Agriculture V. Alfred Gray said his real property taxes are up to date.

He said politicians and government officials should set the example with tax compliance.

“I know my taxes are up to date and I’m asking my colleagues to do the same thing,” Gray said.

He added: “Bahamian people, including me, do not like to pay taxes. If I had a chance to avoid paying taxes, I would not pay any taxes, but I am a believer in obeying the law and so I pay my taxes and I will challenge anybody to find out that I don’t and I am up to date as much as I am aware.”

Minister of Financial Services Ryan Pinder said he is current with his taxes.

When asked about the Lightbourne controversy, he said it is “unfair” to single out one person or one tax.

“Every Bahamian has an obligation to pay their taxes,” Pinder said.

“I think it’s as simple as that. I don’t think it’s if you’re an MP or not an MP, if you’re a government employee or not. I don’t think that’s the issue.”

He said enforcing taxes like property taxes is a problem for many governments.

 

 

 

 

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Rotary Club of East Nassau donates $5,000 to fight breast cancer

The Nassau Guardian

Rotary Club of East Nassau donates $5,000 to fight breast cancer

Melissa Major and Megan Trottier of the Bahamas Breast Cancer Initiative Foundation recently spoke to the members of the Rotary Club of East Nassau (RCEN) to thank the club for its $5,000 donation to the foundation. Research in The Bahamas shows that, compared to a six percent worldwide average, 23 percent of Bahamian women test positive for the BRCA gene, a hereditary gene connected to incidences of cancer. The donation was used to purchase 500 BRCA gene testing kits. To date, around 2,000 women have been tested, furthering the research into the cause of the relatively high rate of the BRCA gene.

“The Rotary Club of East Nassau is proud to join the fight against cancer”, said Elmer Lowe, president-elect of the club. “We are doing our part to save the lives of so many of our families and friends.” Donate to the Bahamas Breast Cancer Initiative Foundation or add your name to the BRCA gene testing list at www.bbcif.com. The Rotary Club of East Nassau meets at 1:00 p.m. every Friday at the Nassau Yacht Club on East Bay Street. Find out more information about the club at www.rcen.org and follow on Facebook and Twitter at Rotary East Nassau.

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Tax coalition positive about PM talks

The Nassau Guardian

Tax coalition positive about PM talks

The Coalition for Responsible Taxation yesterday expressed optimism about recent talks with Prime Minister Perry Christie and said it is possible for the group to complete its tax study and present an alternative to value-added tax (VAT) that can be implemented before July 1.

Robert Myers, chairman of the coalition, said the group’s economist will begin working on its report within seven to 10 days. He said Christie has assured the group it will have access to the necessary statistics and data from government agencies that will aid the process.

However, Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Darron Cash said it is “unreasonable” for the prime minister to expect the private sector to produce in depth studies on VAT alternatives so close to the implementation date.
He called on the government to postpone VAT until the private sector and the Ministry of Finance could properly research tax alternatives.

But Myers said the group would work quickly to get its report out and hopefully persuade the government to adopt a different tax system.

“We will work as diligently as possible to get various statistics and information from the Ministry of Finance, or the National Insurance Board (NIB). He’s [Christie] assured us that we’ll have a good hard look at it and work together,” he said.

Myers said the group has put forth several tax models to the Christie administration that they believe could net the government more than $600 million a year.

He said based on the group’s initial research using NIB data, creating a payroll tax system could give the government an estimated $190 million a year. Myers said a payroll tax is easier to implement and collect than VAT.

Myers said he is assured that the prime minister wants to make the right economic choices for the country and added that Christie’s sit down with the coalition was “a good sign”.

On Wednesday, Christie said he can still be persuaded by the private sector to introduce an alternative tax model if it proves to be viable.

Christie also said the Ministry of Finance is in an “advanced” stage of preparation for VAT and is moving ahead with its implementation.

But Cash said the fact that the government has not completed its VAT legislation, regulations or tariff schedule is evidence that the Christie administration is unprepared.

“He suggested that the government has everything it needs in place to implement VAT on July 1 and that’s not correct, because if the government had everything in place the legislation would be in final form and it would be before Parliament,” Cash said.

“If the government was ready for July 1, the regulations and the tariff schedule would be finalized and would be in place.”

Cash gave credit to the prime minister for being open to discussion but said it is too “late in the game” for the talks with the private sector.

“It is unreasonable for him to believe that the country is going to be able to produce something worthwhile, well considered, fair and responsible within the time frame that he proposes if he wants to hit the July 1 date,” he said.

Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis has said the legislation must be finalized by the end of this month to facilitate the July 1 implementation date.

Christie said yesterday the government is still making modifications to the latest VAT bill based on consultations and feedback from the community.

VAT is expected to generate an additional $200 million in revenue, according to government officials.

The government has said it will introduce VAT at a rate of 15 percent in most cases and 10 percent for the hotel sector.

Several business owners who are a part of the coalition have joined an anti-VAT campaign and are petitioning their customers to do the same.

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Man cleared of armed robbery wants police to clear his record

The Nassau Guardian

Man cleared of armed robbery wants police to clear his record

Although father of two Terrell Neilly was exonerated of armed robbery after almost 15 years of imprisonment, he still has not been able to regain his life.

That is because the conviction that was quashed by the Privy Council on May 10, 2012 still remains on his record.

Neilly, 41, told The Nassau Guardian that the “wrongful conviction” has limited his job options “because people look at you in a different light with a conviction for armed robbery”.

Neilly works as a mason.

Neilly said he has other convictions for drug possession and unlawfully carrying arms.

Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, those two convictions are erased after seven years.

Neilly said he was threatened with arrest when he tried to have his record cleared of the armed robbery conviction by showing an officer at the Criminal Records Office (CRO) the Privy Council decision that quashed his conviction.

According to Neilly, the officer told him that he was not interested in reading the court’s judgment.

Superintendent Paul Rolle, who is responsible for CRO, said the Privy Council would have to send the record of the disposition of the case to the office.

Neilly said the entire situation is unfair to him. He believes that the Office of the Attorney General should have advised the police about his court-directed release.

The blemished record is not the only scar that Neilly has to remind him of his arrest in relation to the January 15, 1998 armed robbery at the Comfort Zone Restaurant.

He still bears the scars from multiple gunshot wounds inflicted during his arrest at Redland Acres on January 17, 1998.

During his trial, the prosecution alleged that Neilly opened fire on police as they approached him.

However, during the trial, and to this day, Neilly said that police made up the story to justify the shooting of an unarmed man.

Neilly told The Nassau Guardian that officers opened fire on him before he put his hands up in surrender.  According to Neilly, he still has shotgun pellets lodged in his body.

Neilly was released from hospital on January 27, 1998 and questioned about the armed robbery. He denied involvement and was not placed on an identification parade.

Neilly was convicted at a second trial that took place between October 4 and 18, 1999.

According to the Privy Council decision, the trial judge allowed a witness to identify Neilly in the prisoner’s dock, although he had not identified anyone during the aborted first trial. The Privy Council ruled that the judge had erred by allowing the dock identification.

Neilly said this conviction robbed him of the opportunity to see his daughters grow up. By the time he was released, they had both graduated high school.

Neilly said his daughters’ mother died shortly after he was freed. He has consulted a lawyer to see if he has any legal recourse.

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Police report string of armed robberies

The Nassau Guardian

Police report string of armed robberies

Police were looking for several men suspected of being responsible for a string of armed robberies in New Providence on Friday.

Police said an armed man robbed a woman of her black Chevy Malibu and her handbag, which contained two cell phones and an undetermined amount of money, around 10 p.m. outside a business on West Bay Street.

Shortly after 9 a.m., two armed men approached a man at a business on Shirley Street and robbed him of a gray 2009 Toyota Corolla.

Shortly before 9 a.m., two armed men robbed a woman, who was standing outside her Fire Trail Road home, of her black 2007 Honda Civic and her wallet, which contained cash, police said.

Shortly after 8:30 a.m, an armed man robbed a business on East and Taylor streets of an undetermined amount of money, before fleeing on foot, police said.

Police also said a man armed with a knife broke into a woman’s home in Heritage Subdivision, Grand Bahama, shortly after 10 p.m., and stole her purse, which contained around $160 and a cell phone.

Police said the suspect, who wore a stocking to conceal his identity, fled on foot.

According to police, no one was injured in any of the armed robberies.

Armed robberies remain a major concern, particularly in New Providence, even though police recorded a decline in these crimes last year.

Police said armed robberies fell by eight percent, from 1,106 cases to 1,022, while robbery fell by two percent.

In a recent e-mail alert, the United States Embassy in Nassau warned its citizens residing in and travelling to The Bahamas to be on “heightened alert” for armed robberies.

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Pastors charged with cruelty to child, one charged with indecent assault

The Nassau Guardian

Pastors charged with cruelty to child, one charged with indecent assault

Two pastors of the People’s Assembly Word Centre on Wulff Road have been accused of committing a crime against a child.

Arsenio Butler and Devin Sears were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt on Wednesday.

Butler, 27, is accused of indecently assaulting a boy of 15 on February 1.

Butler and Sears, 25, the youth pastor, are charged jointly with cruelty to a child by allegedly getting the juvenile drunk.

The men pleaded not guilty and were remanded to prison. They will appear before the magistrate today (Thursday) for a bail hearing.

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DPM expresses concerns over iguana smuggling

The Nassau Guardian

DPM expresses concerns over iguana smuggling

Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis yesterday expressed concern that 13 rock iguanas were stolen from San Salvador and smuggled into the United Kingdom.

“I am anxious, as are all concerned citizens, that this criminal act is fully investigated and that all parties involved in this despicable attack on our natural heritage are dealt with by the law in all relevant jurisdictions,” said Davis, the Member of Parliament for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador.

“We must all play our part in protecting our natural heritage.”

According to the BBC News, a customs team at London’s Heathrow Airport seized 13 iguanas on February 4.

The report said the iguanas, which were stuffed into socks, were found in a suitcase after officers stopped two Romanian women who had arrived from The Bahamas.

Twelve of the endangered lizards survived the voyage, according to the report.

Davis expressed concern that the women may have had assistance from residents on San Salvador as well as New Providence before boarding the flight to London.

“This story is troubling in many ways,” said Davis in a statement.

“These animals are an endangered species, living in isolation from regular human contact. They run away from intruders. To secure 13 animals and to remove them from San Salvador in secrecy would seem to be a daunting task.

“Further, the atrocious act was compounded by taking endangered animals out of the country into a foreign country by two women, with the explanation, apparently, being offered by them to British officials that they were in the process of delivering them to a third party in Germany.”

Davis said he has been in contact with Bahamian security organizations to ensure that The Bahamas is “intimately involved in finding a resolution to this theft and, hopefully, to arrange the safe return of the still living iguanas to their habitat in San Salvador”.

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Vote Yes coordinator: Web shop regulation overdue

The Nassau Guardian

Vote Yes coordinator: Web shop regulation overdue

Former Senator Philip Galanis yesterday said the country should not be held “hostage” by last year’s referendum results and urged Prime Minister Perry Christie to quickly regulate the web shop sector.

Galanis, a coordinator for the referendum’s Vote Yes campaign, also applauded the government’s meetings with religious leaders and web shop owners in an effort to try and find a solution to the problem.

Galanis spoke with The Nassau Guardian a day after Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe said he and Prime Minister Perry Christie have been meeting with the Christian Council and other religious leaders about the economy.

During those meetings, the economic impact of the unregulated web shop industry was also discussed, Wilchcombe said.

While it is unclear if these discussions mean the government plans to regulate the industry, Wilchcombe said he feels the web shop sector must be properly taxed and regulated to help bolster the economy.

Wilchcombe’s ministerial portfolio includes gaming.

Galanis said the meetings are a step in the right direction and hopes the government quickly moves to regulate the web shop sector.

“I applaud the government for doing whatever it can to find ways and means by which to increase the revenue,” Galanis said. “I also believe that it’s long overdue for the web shops to be regularized, regulated and to be taxed and for us to stop pretending as if they don’t exist.

“I believe it’s important for them to do whatever they need to do to work behind the scenes and not allow a handful of religious leaders to impede the progress that needs to be achieved in this country.”

On January 28, 2013, voters were asked whether they support the regularization and taxation of web shops; and whether they support the establishment of a national lottery.

Most of the voters said no to both questions; however, less than 50 percent of registered voters took part in the process.

Although Prime Minister Perry Christie pledged to abide by the outcome of the referendum and shut web shops’ gaming operations down, the industry remains vibrant.

A group of web shop owners have filed court action against the government to keep their businesses open.

Galanis said the prime minister’s integrity will not be diminished if he sets the referendum’s results aside and regulates the industry.

“The outcome of the election was neither conclusive nor persuasive,” Galanis said. “Less than 50 percent of the people went to vote, many of those who voted no voted for purely political reasons because they wish to oppose the government.

“Mr. Christie, I think, has sufficient grounds on which to put aside the outcome of the referendum and do what’s in the best interest of this country. Mr. Christie is the minister of finance. Mr. Christie should be saying to the Bahamian people, ‘This is a source of revenue that we need, this is a source of revenue that’s going to minimize or reduce the money we need to garner from other forms of taxation; for example, VAT.’”

Galanis was referring to the government’s plans to introduce value added tax at a rate of 15 percent in most cases and 10 percent on the hotel industry.

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Bell defends Greenslade

The Nassau Guardian

Bell defends Greenslade

Minister of State for National Security Keith Bell yesterday defended Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade in the wake of controversy surrounding the discrepancies between hospital records and police statistics.

Bell, who was speaking at a crime forum at The College of The Bahamas’ Harry C. Moore Library, said the concerns are unwarranted.

Dr. Duane Sands recently released records from Princess Margaret Hospital which indicates that the number of people treated for gunshot injuries and rape related injuries in 2013 is greater than the number of incidents police reported.

Bell said he has no reason to question the police’s crime statistics, adding that Greenslade’s character is being unfairly attacked.

“Over the last two years there has been a direct attack on the personal character of the commissioner of police which I believe is poor,” Bell said.

“This debate about the police statistics being different than the hospital is another attack on the commissioner of police and I hold the commissioner to be an honest and God fearing man of the highest integrity.”

Sands previously suggested that the disparity between the hospital records and the crime statistics is a result of political interference. Although he added that he has a great deal of respect for Greenslade.

Bell said he was “completely bewildered that a professional would go out there and deliberately deceive the Bahamian people”.

Greenslade, who was also a panelist in yesterday’s forum, said he has a “problem” with people questioning his integrity.

He maintains that the crime statistics accurately reflect the level of “serious” crime in the country.

Greenslade added that the root of the crime problem won’t be fixed by adding more patrol cars, more police men or even by removing him as commissioner.

“So I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “Where do you want me to go?”

Bell said the hospital and the police use different methods to collect their data and both entities use their data for different purposes.

According to data provided by police, 197 people were shot last year.

However, PMH Emergency Room statistics show that 278 people were treated for gunshot related injuries in 2013.

Additionally, according to hospital statistics, 147 people were treated after reportedly being raped and the police reported that there were 104 rape reports in 2013.

As it relates to the disparity in the number of shootings, Bell said based on the severity of the injury, the police place those incidents in various categories.

“The reality is when... the hospital calls and indicates that a persons is there suffering from gunshot wounds, the police would respond and the police would send a form called the hospital form which is completed by the hospital physician,” Bell said. “Depending on what the physician says is the nature of the injuries would determine how police categorizes the matter in their crime statistics.”

Bell said the categories range from simple assaults to causing harm, and causing grievous harm to murder.

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Constitutional bills expected in March

The Nassau Guardian

Constitutional bills expected in March

Chairman of the Constitutional Commission Sean McWeeney said yesterday the bills for the promised constitutional referendum on gender equality may be tabled in the House of Assembly next month.

Prime Minister Perry Christie had originally promised that the bills would be tabled by the end of 2013 and passed in both the House and Senate by February, in time for a constitutional referendum by the end of June.

McWeeney said the four draft bills are before the commission and should be presented to Cabinet in the next two to three weeks.

“There is one bill for each question to ensure that voters can have a real say and understanding,” he said.

“Some people may agree with some questions and disagree with others.”

Once Cabinet has approved the bills they will be tabled in the House of Assembly.

McWeeney said the government’s mid-year budget communication may slow down the process.

“That takes up a lot of Parliament’s time,” he said.

The government intends to bring its mid-year budget to the House of Assembly on February 12, Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis told The Nassau Guardian.

Last October, Christie announced that a constitutional referendum would take place before the end of June after a public education campaign.

Originally, he had promised the referendum will take place by June 2013.

The government hopes to “amend the citizenship provisions of the constitution to achieve full equality between men and women with respect to the acquisition and transmission of Bahamian nationality”.

Christie said the government also proposes to expand the definition of discrimination in Article 26 of the constitution to “include discrimination based on sex as a prohibited ground so that women would be able to enjoy the same level of protection from discrimination that men already enjoy”.

The government has also promised to introduce value-added tax (VAT) on July 1.

When asked if this would be too much for the public McWeeney said he didn’t think so.

“The two subjects are just so diametrically opposed to each other that I really don’t see any clash there,” he said.

“Mind you it will involve some division of the public’s attention, but I don’t see that as being a major problem.”

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Evans feels vindicated over BTC sale objection

The Nassau Guardian

Evans feels vindicated over BTC sale objection

Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) President Bernard Evans said yesterday he felt vindicated after learning that former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham attempted to retain majority stake in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) in 2011.

“When I saw it, it made me pause for a long time and reflect,” said Evans, referring to a Nassau Guardian article published on Wednesday under the headline “Former PM wanted majority BTC stake”.

“You mean to tell me through all of that, he was seeking to find a way at the very end to get out of it?

“That only proves to exonerate me, that I was on the right side of history; that we were on the right side of that situation.”

Evans and union members, along with the then opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and members of the public vehemently objected to the sale of a majority interest in BTC to the foreign company, Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC).

Hundreds of BTC workers protested the sale outside the House of Assembly on numerous occasions in late 2010 and early 2011.

During a protest in 2011, as Ingraham exited the House and manoeuvrered through a sea of protestors, some shouted out to him, “Hubert sell out. Hubert sell out.”

Seemingly unfazed, Ingraham, who was under heavy police guard, walked to a waiting car and was escorted from the area.

The Guardian revealed on Tuesday that Ingraham made a final bid to hold on to a majority stake in BTC weeks before signing a deal with CWC in 2011.

“I was reading that in amazement really. I said, ‘wow’,” Evans said.

“At some point he must have recognized that it may have been a mistake and was trying to correct it.

“But if he had reservations I think… he should have done the right thing; he should have called it off.

“I have no doubt, they (FNM) would have still been in power if they didn’t do it.”

In a letter to Ingraham in March 2011, Tony Rice, who at the time was CWC’s CEO, advised Ingraham that it would not be in the company’s interest to agree to a minority stake in BTC.

CWC paid $210 million for the 51 percent stake in BTC in 2011.

On Wednesday, Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis defended Ingraham’s eleventh-hour attempts.

He said it proved that the Ingraham administration had the best interest of Bahamians at heart.

But Evans said, “No one had a gun to their head.”

Prime Minister Perry Christie said last week his government negotiated a deal with CWC to give up two percent of its shares in BTC at no cost to the government or the Bahamian people.

Under the terms of the new deal, CWC will transfer 5,093,200 of its shares to be held in a trust for the Bahamian people.

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Rising cancer rates trigger concerns

The Nassau Guardian

Rising cancer rates trigger concerns

A day after the World Health Organization (WHO) said global cancer rates are growing at an alarming rate, local oncologist Dr. Theodore Turnquest said doctors in the country have noticed increases in certain cancers in the last five years.

“What we are seeing an increase in is the amount of colon cancers that we are [treating],” Turnquest said yesterday.

“We used to do about 30.  Now we’re up to about 45 to 50 a year.”

He said cases of stomach cancers, which were uncommon, are now around 10 to 15 per year.

“We’re seeing an increase in the types of cancers that are associated with a sedentary lifestyle,” he said.

“We are also seeing an increase in rates of smoking-related cancers as well. So we’ve seen an uptick in lung cancer and bladder tumors.”

As for breast cancer, Turnquest said there has been an average of 80 to 100 new breast cancer cases treated in the public health system each year.

He said prostate cancer continues to be the most common cancer in men with 60 to 70 new cases a year.

Turnquest, chief of the Department of Medicine at Princess Margaret Hospital, said there needs to be more resources dedicated to cancer care.

He said more oncologists are also needed.

The WHO has warned that developing countries will shoulder the burden of increased cancer rates.

The World Cancer Report 2014 said global incidents of cancer are growing at an alarming rate and noted that urgent emphasis needs to be placed on “implementing efficient prevention strategies to curb the disease”.

“In 2012, the worldwide burden of cancer rose to an estimated 14 million new cases per year, a figure expected to rise to 22 million annually within the next two decades,” the WHO said.

“Over the same period, cancer deaths are predicted to rise from an estimated 8.2 million annually to 13 million per year.”

The report noted that globally, in 2012 “the most common cancers diagnosed were those of the lung (1.8 million cases, 13 percent of the total), breast (1.7 million, 11.9 percent), and large bowel (1.4 million, 9.7 percent).

The most common causes of cancer deaths were cancers of the lung (1.6 million, 19.4 percent of the total), liver (0.8 million, 9.1 percent), and stomach (0.7 million, 8.8 percent).

Dr. Christopher Wild, director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and co-editor of the WHO’s report, warned that “we cannot treat our way out of the cancer problem”.

“More commitment to prevention and early detection is desperately needed in order to complement improved treatments and address the alarming rise in cancer burden globally,” he said.

Avoidable

“Access to effective and affordable cancer treatments in developing countries, including for childhood cancers, would significantly reduce mortality, even in settings where healthcare services are less well developed,” the WHO said.

It noted that “the spiralling costs of the cancer burden are damaging the economies of even the richest countries and are way beyond the reach of developing countries”.

“In 2010, the total annual economic cost of cancer was estimated to reach approximately US$1.16 trillion,” the WHO said.

“Yet about half of all cancers could be avoided if current knowledge was adequately implemented.”

Turnquest agreed, noting that education in the school system is one step to curbing increases in cancer.

“We also need to tackle our obesity problem,” he added.

“That is going to be our biggest problem. The obesity problem will result in diabetes, high blood pressure and cancers associated with it.”

The number of cases of younger people diagnosed with cancer is also on the rise, Turnquest said.

“Historically, most cancers occur in people in their sixth or seventh decade of life,” he said.

“But we are seeing more and more people show up in their late 30s, early 40s. That’s here in The Bahamas. No one is quite sure why it is happening or if this is a statistical aberration.”

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Airline opens direct flight to Hope Town

The Nassau Guardian

Airline opens direct flight to Hope Town

ABACO – After a test run last year, Tropic Ocean Airways, partnering with IJet Charters, landed a seaplane full of U.S. journalists in White Sound Harbour.

The Ft. Lauderdale-based airline is beginning twice-weekly regular flights directly to Elbow Cay starting February 14.  The Customs and Immigration Departments will be available at the Abaco Inn to greet and clear passengers.

Saturday, January 25 was a perfect day with clear, blue skies and a calm sea of Abaco.  Shortly after 10:30 a.m. the seaplane began circling the area outside of White Sound, Elbow Cay before splashing down.  After a smooth landing the plane taxied into the harbor and onto the small beach in front of the Abaco Inn.

The plane, that day carrying journalists and public relations people from the U.S., was greeted by members of the Ministry of Tourism, the Abaco Chamber of Commerce, IJet Charter’s Jim Swieter, the staff of the Abaco Inn and curious onlookers.  Tom Hazel, manager for the Abaco Inn, handed out frozen cocktails to the passengers as they disembarked.

After mingling on the beach and securing their bags, the visitors walked up to the Abaco Inn’s deck overlooking the ocean where they were greeted by immigration officials.  It was all smiles as the passengers were stamped in to the country.

“I wanted to stabilize the airfares and make it easy for the people of Hope Town and its visitors to come and go from FLL and PBI nonstop,” Swieter said.

While Tropic Ocean Airways will begin regularly scheduled flights from Ft. Lauderdale into Elbow Cay on February 14, a route from West Palm Beach is scheduled to start in March.  Roundtrip tickets start at $599.  The seaplane can hold up to eight passengers.

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Govt still reviewing alternative mortgage relief plan

The Nassau Guardian

Govt still reviewing alternative mortgage relief plan

The Christie administration is currently examining an alternative proposal to its last mortgage relief plan, which fell far below expectations, Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis said yesterday.

Halkitis said the government plans to make the proposal public after a period of review.

“As you know, we did [have a] go at it,” Halkitis said, referring to the prior plan.

“It wasn't as successful as we thought it would be. We have gotten a subsequent proposal from the Clearing Banks Association so that we can see if, one, we can afford it and two, if this is something that would truly impact people.”

The previous plan which was projected to assist 1,100 homeowners, actually helped fewer than 10.

The government allocated $10 million for that plan in September 2012.

According to the government's figures, at the time, there were around 4,000 homeowners in arrears.

Until an alternative plan comes into effect, Halkitis said the government is hoping to provide homeowners with other forms of protection.

“We will be moving ahead very soon to bring into effect the [Homeowners] Protection Bill which will bring some relief and some protection to homeowners,” said Halkitis who spoke to reporters following a graduation ceremony at Holy Trinity Activities Centre. “So it is something that we are still looking at.”

The bill would give borrowers additional time to repay on defaulted loans through court intervention, in a bid to avoid foreclosure.

It would also allow a borrower to transfer a mortgage from one bank to another without having to pay stamp tax if the loan is under five years old.

Halkitis said the government will continue to work to fulfill its election promise to help struggling homeowners.

“We haven't given up on the process,” Halkitis said.

Included in the original plan were pledges to get local banks to agree to a 120-day moratorium on foreclosures and to write off 100 percent of unpaid interest and fees for those facing foreclosure.

As a part of that plan, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) also said it would encourage banks to reduce the interest rate on the mortgages in question to prime plus one percent.

The PLP pledged to guarantee interest payments for affected borrowers until 2017, if the banks agreed to their requests. However, these details were not included in the modified mortgage plan, which was later presented to Parliament.

Back in May 2013, CBA chairman Nathaniel Beneby Jr. said the high level of unemployment was the primary reason why more Bahamians did not qualify under the last plan.

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Acklins residents concerned fishing guides being displaced

The Nassau Guardian

Acklins residents concerned fishing guides being displaced

ACKLINS – Bonefish lodge operators in Acklins are calling on the central government to investigate “rogue” bonefish lodge operators who have entered the sector.

Bonefish lodge operators in Acklins were among those who attended a special meeting organized by the Combined Churches Committee held recently at Acklins Community Centre at Spring Point to address residents’ concerns.

Some lodge operators at the meeting complained that a few lodge owners are not following the law.  Newton Williamson, owner of Grays Point Bonefish Lodge, said: “I have been in this business for many years and have adhered to the rules and regulations governing the sports fishing and I don’t like what I see going on nowadays.  I think it is wrong for guests to be allowed to go out on the flats by themselves.  First of all that practice is dangerous for the guests, and secondly, it deprives the local guides from earning a living and taking care of their families.”

Concerns with guests going on the flats alone escalated a year ago after new entrants joined the sector.  These guests pay a discounted rate to some lodges, are provided with vehicles and are allowed to roam the island and its fishing grounds at will.  These guests, who have visited before, have logged the coordinates of the major fishing  grounds in their global positioning system (GPS) devices and they know exactly where to go to fish without the service of fishing  guides.

“Guests simply cannot be allowed to go out on their own,” said Francita Neilly, island administrator, to the gathering.

“Acklins must be the only place that allows them to do that foolishness.  I know that they cannot do that in Andros.  I will inform the ministry about the situation so that they can deal with those lodges who are breaking the law.”

Lodge operators also complained about a shortage of sports fishing guides.  Neilly said a training session will be initiated early this year for new fishing guides and for those who wish to sharpen their skills.

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Verdict expected today in attempted rape case

The Nassau Guardian

Verdict expected today in attempted rape case

A jury yesterday heard closing arguments in the case of a man accused of the attempted rape of a woman while his movements were being monitored by his ankle bracelet.

Raymond Rolle's fate will be determined today when the jury is expected to return its verdict.

GPS data collected from Rolle's tracking device placed him in the vicinity of where the incident allegedly took place. In his testimony, Rolle, 33, explained his presence in the area. He said he was smoking behind the wall that bordered the complainant's property.

According to the 47-year-old complainant, she had just come out of the shower and was sitting on her bed with a towel wrapped around her when she came face to face with a naked man with nothing on besides his ankle bracelet.

The woman said the man, who had a knife in his hand, tried to impose himself on her. However, she fought him off and he eventually fled through a window.

The defendant is represented by Raymond Rolle, who is not related to him. Darnell Dorsette and Charles Newbold are the prosecutors.

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March conclusion to BTC deal

The Nassau Guardian

March conclusion to BTC deal

Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) is expected to finalize its deal with the government regarding the give back of nearly two percent of its shares in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) by the end of March, according to Franklyn Wilson, who led negotiations for the Christie administration.

Under the terms of the new deal, CWC will transfer 5,093,200 of its shares to the government to be held in trust for the Bahamian people. The BTC Foundation will manage that trust.

Wilson told The Nassau Guardian the foundation will be created soon after that deal has been finalized.

“What we signed was a memorandum of understanding,” said Wilson, who was contacted for more details about the deal. “It must be turned into a definitive agreement.

“Cable & Wireless calls for the final documentation to be done on or before March 31 and I would expect the foundation would be created very, very shortly thereafter.”

Prime Minister Perry Christie announced last week that the government negotiated the deal with CWC to give up nearly two percent of its shares in BTC at no cost to the government or the Bahamian people.

The foundation will also hold all of the dividends and income from the shares.

The government has projected that annual dividends from the recovered shares will be in the low seven figure range based on BTC’s past performance.

As has been widely reported, money accrued in the foundation will be earmarked specifically for sports development, civic activities and aiding the crime fight through expanding closed-circuit television networks.

While Christie has said the government will table the new deal with CWC in Parliament, it is unclear exactly when that will happen.

The deal will not change BTC’s management structure and BTC’s executive control will remain in the hands of CWC.

The Ingraham administration sold 51 percent of BTC to CWC in 2011.

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American man stabbed to death

The Nassau Guardian

American man stabbed to death

An American man was bound with duct tape and stabbed to death at his home on Freeport, Grand Bahama, on Friday night, police said.

According to police, a Caucasian man, who is believed to be in his 40s, was found inside his home on Albacore Drive, off Midshipman Road, around 10 p.m.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Emrick Seymour, officer in charge of Grand Bahama and the Northern District, told The Nassau Guardian that the victim’s dog was also stabbed to death.

Emergency medical services personnel transported the victim to the Rand Memorial Hospital, but he died shortly after arriving, police said.

Seymour said the man, who had not been identified, lived on the island for several years.

He called the incident unusual and said police were investigating the matter very closely, noting that police revisited the scene on Saturday.

However, police did not know the motive for the murder, and had no one in custody up to yesterday evening.

Asked whether the victim was tortured, Seymour said, “I really don’t want to speculate until the investigation would be able to conclude any and every possibility.”

This is the first recorded murder for Grand Bahama for the year, and the ninth for the country.

Another incident involving a stabbing death on New Providence has not yet been classified.

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Sexual assault claims on Bimini

The Nassau Guardian

Sexual assault claims on Bimini

Two women on Bimini reported that they were sexually abused in separate incidents on Sunday, police said yesterday.

In the first incident, police said a North Bimini resident reported that several men sexually assaulted her at her home at 1:45 a.m.

The men were taken into custody and were being questioned in the matter, police said.

In the second incident, a female employee at a resort on the island reported that a male at the resort sexually assaulted her at 5:10 p.m.

A man was being questioned in relation to the matter, police said.

Responding to inquiries from The Nassau Guardian, Resorts World Bimini said in a statement last night it is aware that alleged illegal activities may have occurred involving non-Biminite Bahamian nationals, who were contracted as construction workers.

An incident took place in non-public areas of the resort and no employees or guests of Resorts World Bimini were involved, the statement said.

“We are fully cooperating with authorities in the ongoing investigation,” it added.

“We are also assisting authorities with their investigations into another matter involving an alleged sexual assault of a Resorts World Bimini employee by a subcontractor staying at the resort.”

The incidents have been reported on what is traditionally a quiet community with a very low crime rate.

The reports come as Bimini continues to benefit from an economic boost as a result of the presence of the Resorts World Bimini project, which opened last year.

But there have been some concerns among Biminites that increased numbers of workers and visitors to the island could result in more crime.

Nationally in 2013, incidents of rape, attempted rape and unlawful sexual intercourse increased, according to police.

Crime statistics released by Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade last month show that most of the country’s crimes — 8,653 of the 10,723 reported incidents — occurred in New Providence.

On Grand Bahama, crimes against the person fell by 19 percent and crimes against property fell by 13 percent.

Overall, crime in the Family Islands (not including Grand Bahama) fell by 11 percent.

Crimes against the person in the Family Islands fell 43 percent.

It was unclear last night whether police intended to charge any of the men in custody in relation to the reported sexual assaults on Bimini.

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Men get 10 years for armed robbery

The Nassau Guardian

Men get 10 years for armed robbery

Two men who admitted to an armed robbery before jurors saw them on surveillance footage were each sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment yesterday.

Ashwell Bain and Trevor Bowleg pleaded guilty to the March 24, 2011 hold-up at the Leam Wong Food Store.

The men got away with $500 after Bowleg pulled a handgun on a cashier, according to the evidence.

Both men, according to their lawyers, had disadvantaged childhoods.

According to attorney Calvin Seymour, Bain, who is 36, grew up without knowing his father, and spent periods of his childhood at the Boys’ Industrial School.

Bowleg, 34, lived at the Ranfurly Home, according to Raymond Rolle.

In delivering her sentence, Justice Vera Watkins said that Bain had no previous convictions. Although Bowleg had convictions for nonviolent offenses such as stealing, drug possession, unlawful possession and causing damage, Watkins said she would give him the same treatment as Bain since his last conviction was in 2003.

Watkins did not accept the recommendation of a seven year sentence from Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Franklyn Williams.

She said the men deserved a lengthier term because the use of a firearm placed the store’s employees “at great risk of serious injury or death”.

The time each convict spent on remand will be deducted from their overall sentence. Bain spent two years and 10 months at Her Majesty’s Prisons and Bowleg spent a year on remand.

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Murder case forwarded to Supreme Court

The Nassau Guardian

Murder case forwarded to Supreme Court

A murder suspect’s case was concluded in the Magistrates’ Court when prosecutors presented documents transferring the matter to the Supreme Court.

Kevin Glinton, 22, of Nassau Village, is accused of the September 25, 2013 shooting death of Denero Lewis.

Lewis was walking on John Road when a man whom he knew shot him multiple times before running away, according to police.

Glinton, who was not represented by an attorney, will be arraigned before Senior Justice Jon Isaacs on February 21.

At that time, he is expected to receive a trial date.

The case of a father accused of causing the death of his son through negligence was also transferred to the Supreme Court yesterday,

Delano Coakley Sr, is accused of the August 24, 2011 traffic death of his son, Delano Jr.

The little boy was in his mother’s arms when he was thrown from a car when it crashed.

Coakley, of Bamboo Town, will be arraigned before Isaacs on March 7.

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Jury empanelled in officer’s attempted murder case

The Nassau Guardian

Jury empanelled in officer’s attempted murder case

A jury of eight women and one man was empanelled yesterday to hear the case of two men accused of the attempted murder of a policeman.

Maurice Armbrister, of Faith Gardens, and Excell Josey, of Balls Alley, are accused of shooting Superintendent Clayton Fernander during an attempted hold-up outside his home on April 10, 2013.

They have denied the allegations at their trial before Justice Carolita Bethell.

The trial has been adjourned to 2:30 p.m. on January 30 at the request of Director of Pubic Prosecutions Vinette Graham-Allen.

Wayne Munroe appears for Armbrister and Romona Farquharson-Seymour represents Josey.

Both men are on remand.

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Crime poses growing concerns for tourism

The Nassau Guardian

Crime poses growing concerns for tourism

While acknowledging the United States Embassy’s warnings on crimes have put “tremendous pressure” on the Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe said yesterday the country has not seen any fall-off in visitors to date.

However, Wilchcombe said it is only a matter of time before the warnings begin to turn people away from the destination.

"You have to watch what's going on," he told reporters yesterday, a day after the U.S. Embassy in Nassau released its latest warning to American citizens.

"But the truth is our tourism numbers are growing. We're seeing the numbers increase every day.

“We're seeing numbers going up incredibly high and we feel very good about it.

"That means that we have to have a two tiered approach: one where we're fighting the warnings and fighting crime, and at the same time we're continuing our aggressive marketing throughout the world.”

On Tuesday, the embassy warned Americans living in and traveling to New Providence and Freeport, Grand Bahama, to be on “heightened alert” and to take “appropriate steps” to enhance their personal security to avoid becoming victims of crime.

The warning also highlights the murders of two Americans over the past eight months and multiple armed robberies that have occurred recently.

Anthony Kyle Welch, 47, who moved to The Bahamas from Mississippi, was bound with duct tape and stabbed to death at his home on Albacore Drive, off Midshipman Road in Freeport, Grand Bahama, around 10 p.m. on Friday.

In May 2013, Kyle Brauner, 34, of Illinois, who was a crewmember of a vessel docked in Nassau, was shot dead during a robbery shortly after leaving Hammerheads Bar and Grill around 4:30 a.m.

Wilchcombe said the Ministry of Tourism now has to do some damage control.

He said the country must find a way to combat crime.

"We don't want those messages getting out there because the truth is they build up," Wilchcombe said. "It becomes like a song. If you hear a song long enough you start to sing it even though you don't like it. And so, we have to be very careful about that."

Acting Deputy Chief of Mission John Armstrong told The Nassau Guardian yesterday that the embassy has an obligation to warn its citizens of the dangers they may face when traveling here.

"[The warnings] have been sent by the embassy to American citizens who have enrolled and asked to receive such messages,” he said. “Of course they send it to other people too.

“Of course we have noticed that some Americans are being more cautious. We’re not discouraging people from coming here, just to make it clear, but we are reminding people that they should be careful and take precautions for their own safety.”

Armstrong added, “The Bahamas is a great country but don’t leave your street smarts at home.”

Wilchcombe said officials from the U.S. Embassy advised him before they issued the warning.

He said, "We must constantly work hard to ensure that the world knows that one or two bad apples do not make The Bahamas bad."

The embassy has issued several crime warnings over the years. Before Tuesday, the most recent one was issued in December 2013.

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