Category Archives: Bahamas

Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin reacts on the sidelines as the Bahamas falls 64-48 to Jamaica.

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said they are trying their best to adjust to the high level of competition the Bahamas is facing at the FIBA Women's CentroBasket Championships.

Coming off their 61-56 loss to Mexico the day before in UVI Arena in St Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, the Bahamas dropped a 64-48 decision to Jamaica on day two of the week-long tournament yesterday.

"We are trying to put it together, but with the youth and inexperience playing at this level, the adjustment of the physicality has been a challenge," said McPhee-McCuin, who is assisted by Donnie Culmer and Terrance 'Red Eye' McSweeney.

"We have not been able to put it together offensively, which dictates how we do defensively. But knowing that we are not playing that well offensively, we have to pick it up defensively."

Jamaica outscored the Bahamas in every quarter, including a 16-8 spurt in the third as they increased their 31-27 halftime lead to 47-35 going into the fourth.

In the first quarter, Jamaica led 16-15 and they went on a 17-13 run in the fourth to preserve the win.

"This is not our top team that we have over here. If we had that team, we would be in shape," McPhee-McCuin stated. "If we can get our top team together, I don't think anyone would be us in this tournament.

"But we have to play with a lot of inexperience so we have to get them to play hard and getting them used to playing at this level. So we're taking it one game at a time. As a coach, I'm trying to figure out ways to give them an opportunity to win, but we have to make shots and we have to defend."

Forward Leashja Grant led the way for the Bahamas with a double-double, scoring 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. She played 30 minutes and shot 5-for-16 from the field and 2-for-3 from the free throw line.

Forward Pamela Bethel was the next highest scorer with nine points and three rebounds. Small forward Philicia Kelly had eight points and three rebounds and centre Shalonda Neely added six points with three rebounds.

Guard Diasti Delancy was the team's assist leader with four and Neely had a best of three steals.

Jamaica had four players in double figures. Both centre Yanique Gordan (10 rebounds, three steals, three blocks and two assists) and shooting guard Sasha Dixon (six rebounds and three steals) shared game high honours with 16 apiece. Forwards Shenneika Smith (seven rebounds) and Tarita Gordon (four rebounds and four assists) both added 10 points.

The Bahamas will be back in action today against the Virgin Islands at 7:30pm. They will play Puerto Rico on Saturday at 5:15pm and close out round robin play against Guatemala 3pm Sunday.

"It only gets tougher from here," McPhee-McCuin pointed out. "I feel like winning the game is great, but we need to find small victories, especially if these girls are going to be the future of women's basketball when the other ones are done playing."

So far, Grant is leading the Bahamas with an average of 20.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, while Delancy is dishing out 3.5 assists.

"In our first game, Leashja had 29 points, but in this game she only had 12 points, so the teams are paying attention to her," McPhee-McCuin said. "They know that she can play and so she will no longer get easy baskets like she did the first game.

"And as a veteran, Diasti is trying to provide the leadership, but as we continue to play, I'm just going to try to get them to continue to play hard and defend. If they can do those small things, we will get better as a team and hopefully we can start winning."

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Jamaica Routs Bahamas 64-48 - Bahamas Tribune

Trinidad Guardian

Beach soccer teams off to Bahamas tomorrow Trinidad Guardian Two of T&T's Youth Beach Soccer teams will leave for Nassau, Bahamas tomorrow to participate at the Youth Commonwealth Games. The two T&T Under 19 teams will form part of a 50-member contingent that will take part in various events at the Games, July ...

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Beach soccer teams off to Bahamas tomorrow - Trinidad Guardian

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Bahamas, July 14th 2017: Kenred Dorsett has been granted $50,000 bail with two sureties after appearing in the Supreme Court today. The 46-year old former Environment Minister has been accused of soliciting bribes from Jonathon Ash for services involving the New Providence Landfill during its fire in March this year.

Dorsett was remanded to the Department of Correction Services on Thursday on a count of nine criminal charges, including a single count of misconduct in public office and four counts each of extortion and bribery. The former minister appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney while, Supreme Court Justice Carolitha Bethel heard the bail application in chambers.

It is alleged that Dorsett, while a public official between March 1st and May 9th, the eve of General Elections this year, demanded and obtained two payments of $10,000 and two payments of $50,000 from Mr Ash.

Dorsett pleaded not guilty to the allegations. The Matter has been adjourned to August 31st.

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#DorsettGranted$50Kbail

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Bahamas Ex Minister, Dorsett granted $50,000 bail Magnetic Media - Magnetic Media (press release)

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Bahamas, July 13th 2017: The erasure of physical banks from some islands in The Bahamas was just one of the many points raised at the 17th International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-17). Bahamasplayed host to the conference when it officially opened at Atlantis, Paradise Island, on Wednesday to the theme, Living in a World of Digital Opportunities.

ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies, expanding the benefits of modern communication technologies to communities in an efficient, safe, affordable manner, and further enabling the inter-connectivity that defines modern life.

The matter of physical banks was raised as an IT best practice that could have an impact on the development of The Bahamas, when ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao, and, Chairman of URCA, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas Randol Dorsett, collectively raised the matter as a vital point, referring to the closure of bank branches on the Family Islands. The men also remarked on the importance of cyber safety in light of the positioning of The Bahamas for inter-Caribbean reach, and the overall social and financial fabric of the country.

The conference aims at increasing cyber-connectivity world-wide done safely and efficiently while enhancing economic and social development, as well as to properly navigate and manage artificial intelligence.

Brahima Sanou, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau Director declared Bahamas as the centre of the world for three days, as discussions centred around the critical importance of telecommunications capability in todays world. The Bahamas was hailed to be one of the main countries other than the United States responsible for boosting ITU.

#MagneticMediaNews

#ClosureOfBanksConcernForIT

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Bahamas plays host to IT conference - Magnetic Media (press release)

The Bahamas in action against Mexico. Photo: 10thYearSeniors

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas overcame an 11-point fourth quarter deficit but their rally fell short, ultimately undone by a turnover problem that plagued them all game yesterday in the FIBA Centrobasket.

Leashja Grant led the Bahamas with a game-high 29 points and seven rebounds but the team lost the tournament opener 61-56 to Mexico at the UVI Arena in St Thomas, in United States Virgin Islands. Phylicia Kelly and Shalonda Neely each finished with six points while Valarie Nesbitt added six. Daniela Prado led Mexico with 14 points, Maria Orozco, Jacqueline Luna and Alexis Castro each finished with 10 and Brisa Silva scored eight.

The Bahamas entered the fourth trailing by seven, but Mexico would open with consecutive field goals to take a 52-41 lead. Pardos wing three maintained the 12-point lead 55-43 before the Bahamas went on a run. Grant sparked the run with a pair of free throws followed by layups from Neely and Kelly.

Grant would convert a three-point play on the next possession to cap a 9-0 run and trim the deficit 55-52 with 2:30 left to play. After the teams traded scores, the Bahamas had an opportunity to pull within one, or tie with a three, but turned the ball over with just over one minute left to play.

Mexico would seal the game at the free throw line and on the offensive boards down the stretch.

Outside of Grants scoring, the Bahamas struggled to find points and shot just 34 per cent from the field without making a single field goal from three-point range.

Nesbitt got the scoring started for the Bahamas with a floater, but Mexico scored nine unanswered, including one play where they stole an inbounds pass and finished with a three-pointer. Mexico went ahead by double digits on a Prado layup for a 14-3 lead with just under five minutes left to play in the quarter. They took a 23-10 lead after the first.

They were definitely nervous, had jitters and, because of it, we dug ourselves in a deep hole, said head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. We still have to find ways to rely on our defence. We lost our identity and tried to be an offensive team, but we just dont have those types of players right now so we have to play better defence and grow up. We have not been together long so as I figure them out and figure out how to get the best out of them, Ill do so but the attitude and effort, they have to bring it.

After trailing by as much as 17, the Bahamas trimmed the deficit to just 10 headed into the half. Mexico struggled through a drought which lasted nearly five minutes, and Neelys hook shot trimmed the deficit to six (30-24).

Castro finally broke the drought with a jumper at the top of the key to give Mexico a 32-24 lead at the half. Fourteen of Mexicos made baskets in the first half came off 12 assists. They finished with 21.

Like the first half, Nesbitt opened the second with a driving layup to again cut the lead to six. On one possession the Bahamas had six second-chance opportunities from steals and offensive rebounds and Grant was finally able to corral a loose ball and finish with a layup to bring the team within five (41-36).

Coach Yo picked us up at halftime. All of our heads were down, which they shouldnt have been. She was able to pick us up and give us a boost, Grant said, Yes we fell short, but we cant take that into the next game. Jamaica will be a brand new day, brand new team, we just have to execute and play Bahamas basketball.

Round robin group play continues today as the Bahamas faces Jamaica at 3 pm local time.

The tournament features the national teams from the Bahamas, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and will be broadcasted live on FIBAs official YouTube channel.

After the 5-day tournament, the top three teams will qualify to the FIBA Womens AmeriCup 2017, to be played in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from August 6-13.

The last edition of the Womens Centrobasket Championship was played in Monterrey, Mexico, where Cuba captured the title with a perfect 5-0 record.

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Bahamas suffers 61-56 loss to Mexico in opener | The Tribune - Bahamas Tribune

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Bahamas, July 13th 2017: Not unexpected, but ready to address the fiscal situation, the attitude in which the Ministry of Finance is treating Moodys review of the economy. In a statement, the ministry says it is moving expeditiously to address the fiscal situation. The ministry outlined plans that include fiscal responsibility legislation, procurement regulations, and public expenditure review as some policies it intends to roll out.

Describing the review as an unfortunate development, the ministry says Governments efforts to strengthen revenue administration are receiving renewed focus, especially in the areas of real property taxes, customs, VAT and Business License administration and enforcement. However, it adds this is dependent on Governments plan to introduce a Revenue Administration Bill, as a way of dealing with tax delinquencies.

Other solutions to tackling the downgrade include moving quickly to improve the ease of doing business in The Bahamas, addressing structural impediments to growth and attracting foreign direct investment.

Moodys review was prompted after governments budget statement, and a further increase in debt through planned borrowing. The credit rating agency has called for more policies to be put in place if The Bahamas is to prevent the further downgrade.

#MagneticMediaNews

#MinistryofFinanceRespondsToMoodys

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Bahamas Ministry of Finance responds to Moody's review - Magnetic Media (press release)

insideTORONTO.com

Bahamas National Children's Choir performs for Toronto police ... insideTORONTO.com The Bahamas National Children's Choir put on a performance at Toronto police headquarters Thursday morning. The choir, consisting of 33 children ages seven ... Bahamas children's choir brings sunshine, culture to Toronto ...Toronto Star all 2 news articles »

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Bahamas National Children's Choir performs for Toronto police ... - insideTORONTO.com

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

CIBC's Caribbean corporate and investment banking chief is eyeing "a lot of opportunities" for growth in the Bahamas, having helped place over $100 million in financing over the past year.

Pim Van Der Burg told Tribune Business in a recent interview that the Bahamas was "a very important business" for CIBC FirstCaribbean, ranking alongside Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago as its top three regional markets.

He added that the institution, which has already been "very active" in financing key industries in the Bahamas, aimed to become the top bank in this nation for corporate clients.

"The Bahamas, given the size of the group, is a very important business for us," Mr Van Der Burg said. "We certainly have high expectations of the business.

"What I can tell you is that the Bahamas is in the top three countries in the region. It's a very substantial part, and very important market for us at CIBC for sure.

"My experience from visiting the last week is that there's a lot of opportunity, a lot of development, I think, if we as a bank can deliver good service. We are working hard to make sure we're the best bank in the Bahamas for corporate clients."

CIBC FirstCaribbean has become noticeably more active in the Bahamian capital markets, and in structuring and funding major debt transactions. Desmond Bannister, minister of works, recently confirmed it was working with another investment bank to raise $135 million for cash-strapped utility, Bahamas Power & Light (BPL).

While declining to name specific transactions, Mr Van Der Burg told Tribune Business that the financing raised by CIBC FirstCaribbean's corporate and investment banking team in the Bahamas over the past year would be "above $100 million for sure".

"We have been very active in the Bahamas in the utility space, in the oil and gas sector, and the airline industry," he said. "Without mentioning names, there are several large clients we've been involved with within the last 12 months.

"We have had substantial growth, and also have a line of transactions we're working on. We have a substantial pipeline of transactions we are working on."

CIBC FirstCaribbean's corporate and investment banking clients number 10,000, serviced across the region by a 200-strong team - of whom around 30 are based in the Bahamas.

Mr Van Der Burg praised the local team, headed by managing director, Marie Rodland-Allen, and Raymond Donaldson, and emphasised that the bank was focused on client satisfaction as opposed to specific growth targets.

Explaining that the growth would come if CIBC FirstCaribbean met client needs and expectations, he added: "We are strongly convinced that the growth rate will be determined by client satisfaction.

"Instead of focusing on growth rates, we're really focusing on our clients and making sure we take care of them. That's where we put our energies; making sure we get it right for our customers and, based on that, we believe we will get the growth the clients will allow us to have."

Mr Van Der Burg said corporate banking was typically focused on medium-sized Caribbean businesses, dealing with issues such as investment planning, succession management and financing. Investment banking is targeted at larger clients, with capital markets, initial public offering (IPO) and structured debt transactions among the products offered. Internet and electronic banking services cross both spectrums.

The CIBC corporate and investment banking chief added that while the bank was Caribbean-focused, it is also able to draw on the strength of its Toronto-based parent. All this has helped it to generate $1 billion in financings across the region over the past 12 months.

"Next to Jamaica and Trinidad, the Bahamas is the largest market," Mr Van Der Burg told Tribune Business. "We believe there's substantial opportunities on corporate banking as well as the retail banking side.

"We are really working hard to grow that business. We are investing in premises, IT, information technology and mobile banking."

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Top Cibc Chief Targeting Bahamas Growth Inroads - Bahamas Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Transparency International's Bahamian representative yesterday said economic abuses "by corrupt officials" had helped bring this nation to the precipice of its second 'junk' creditworthiness downgrade.

Lemarque Campbell, Citizens for a Better Bahamas' chairman, told Tribune Business that the scourge of corruption was a major factor behind "all of the societal ills in the Bahamas".

He confirmed that Citizens for a Better Bahamas, together with Transparency International, had written to the newly-elected Minnis administration backing its anti-corruption pronouncements, and urging that it tackle freedom of information and public procurement as priorities.

"Corruption has proven to be a major contributor to all of the societal ills in the Bahamas," Mr Campbell told Tribune Business, adding that its eradication would help to reduce this nation's current $300 million-plus annual deficits.

"Now that the new government has settled in, we decided to write to them to offer international expertise in fighting corruption. We don't live in a vacuum; we are a part of a global community and the world is watching."

He tied corruption to the Bahamas' continued economic slide, and its low GDP growth, high unemployment and fiscal crises.

"As we can see, Moody's is already giving us a downgrade review," Mr Campbell wrote to this newspaper. "We have essentially had an abuse of our economy by corrupt officials for many years, through reckless spending and a lack of accountability.

"The Government now has a responsibility to guard against such abuse by implementing the necessary anti-corruption reforms. We can decrease the deficit once we tackle corruption. Additionally, as we rely so heavily on foreign direct investment (FDI), we have to remember that no credible investor would want to deal with any corrupt government.

"We ought to have a strategic action plan in place if we are serious about tackling corruption in the Bahamas. The Government needs to go after the low hanging fruit. For instance, we need to hear more about advancements being made on strengthening and implementing the Freedom of Information Act."

K P Turnquest, the minister of finance, last week told Tribune Business that anti-corruption laws, together with a Fiscal Responsibility Act, are the new government's top legislative priorities once the House of Assembly returns in September.

While the Minnis administration has talked all the right things, it now has to execute amid signs that Bahamian patience is already starting to 'wear thin' over its blaming of the former Christie government for a variety of woes.

Backing the Government's rhetoric, Transparency International and Citizens for a Better Bahamas jointly outlined "five areas for priority consideration".

They said these were "the full enactment and implementation of a strong Freedom of Information Act"; enactment of legal protections for 'whistleblowers'; the Public Disclosure Act's enforcement; political campaign finance reform; and "a fair and open public procurement system".

The letter, signed jointly by Mr Campbell and Alejandro Salas, Transparency International's regional director for the Americas, pledged their organisations' full support if the Government "heralds in an auspicious new era of transparency, accountability and integrity in governance in the Bahamas".

They wrote: "We recognise and applaud your government's commitment to deliver on your campaign promises of transparency, accountability and good governance reforms, as outlined in your recent pronouncements to introduce various anti-corruption legislation, along with an autonomous anti-corruption agency.

"We look forward to your government's prompt and ongoing development of modern and robust anti-corruption policies. To that end, we wish to extend our support to your government through our global network of research, expertise and advice on international best practices in the areas of open, transparent and accountable governance.

"We expect that your government will adopt a national action plan for good governance, which includes increased levels of citizen participation in the decision-making process."

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Corruption Abuses Bring Bahamas To 'Junk' Brink - Bahamas Tribune

The contingent of 16 (eight athletes and eight officials) will be led by Chef de Mission, Michael Henao and flag bearer, Mathew Stubbings (Tennis).

PNG will take part in Athletics (men/women), Beach Volleyball (men), Swimming (men/women) and Tennis (men/women).

Henao said it was a great honour as the Chef de Mission to lead Team PNG.

As we set foot in the Bahamas with our bright Black, Red and Gold colours, I will be a proud man leading you into the arena of the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Proud because I believe in you and the reason that we are here for these Games. I am confident that each of you has prepared well and will be giving your very best.

Be rest assured I have been supporting you for longer than you know. I am not here to tell you how to win but to push you on as you dig deep for that extra strength, said Henao.

He added the PNG Commonwealth Games Associations vision for the 2017 Bahamas Commonwealth Youth Games is for Team PNG to have an excellent games experience and to encourage the development of youth sports programs in Papua New Guinea.

President of the PNG Olympic Committee, Sir John Dawanincura added on by encouraging the athletes to do their very best.

Be a great ambassador for your family, your team, sport, country and yourself by conducting yourself well among your team mates and rivals.

Remember the PNG Commonwealth Games Associations values of Honesty, Excellence, Respect and Openness as your guide.

Enjoy the challenge and learn what you can from this experience and dont forget to have fun, said Dawanincura.

The 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games will run from July 18-23.

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Team PNG departs for the Bahamas this weekend - Loop PNG