Daily Archives: August 16, 2017

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Team Bahamas struggled to score for much of the second and third quarters and failed to keep pace as they lost their opening game of the FIBA U18 Centrobasket Championship for Women.

They suffered a 53-39 loss to Costa Rica as the eight team tournament tipped off yesterday in Aguada, Puerto Rico.

Tanea Bowleg led the Bahamas with seven points, while Terell Cox added six and Briontae Riley finished with five points and eight rebounds.

Valeria Gonzalez led Costa Rica with 12 points while Fiorella Mendez and Laura Castro each scored 10.

The Bahamas scored just six points in both the second and third quarters as Costa Rica outscored them 27-12 during that timespan.

After they fell behind by six points early, the Bahamas rallied to tie the game at 10 on a Cox layup. Tied again at 12, the Bahamas took their first lead of the game 15-12 on a Cox three point play with just over one minute left to play in the quarter. She scored the last five points for the team, and her free throw was the difference as they took the slim one point lead into the second.

Costa Rica opened the second on a 14-5 run to take an eight point lead before Bowlegs three pointer ended the drought for the Bahamas and kept them in contention. It was only one of two field goals for the team in the quarter that they scored just six points. Costa Rica took a 28-21 lead at the half.

The competition level is intense and thats what the coaches kept stressing when we were back home, Bowleg said, We just werent hitting open shots and open layups, we were responding too late on our closeouts and they were hitting their shots. I want to play in this gold medal game so as the captain I just have to tell my team we have to refocus and win these next three games.

Costa Rica took their first ten point lead on a Gonzalez three pointer to open the second half and the Bahamas never threatened again. Gonzalez made another three near the end of the quarter to build a 15 point lead at one point. They took a 47-21 lead into the fourth and both teams scored 12 points in the final period.

Terrence McSweeney took over head coaching duties and said the team would have to bring the same level of intensity and focus to the game that they have in their preparation thus far.

Our shootaround was awesome, the girls had a lot of energy but it all boils down to the third and fourth quarter, just like the senior team when I was with them in the USVI [at Centrobasket] we had no legs and we see the same thing here. My forte as a coach is to mentally and physically get the girls ready. We realised at the end of the game the legs were just not there. We rotated 10 players which was not the norm, but we were trying to search for the correct lineup, he said, They have to bring the game. We cannot be timid at this level of basketball because when players see that they will take advantage. Neither team shot it very well from the perimeter, our post up game was not where we wanted it to be, we missed easy shots we made at shootaround so now they have to soul search individually because they have to bring that these next few games.

Participating teams include the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Suriname.

The top-three teams from the tournament will qualify to FIBA Under-18 Womens Americas Championship 2018.

The Bahamas will face Suriname on Wednesday 2pm and Puerto Rico on Thursday 6pm to complete the group stage.

See the original post:

Bahamas Loses Opener In U18 Centrobasket - Bahamas Tribune

THE shocking events that unfolded in Charlottesville, Virginia over the weekend stunned a modern world that wanted to believe racism was a thing of the past or reserved for over zealous police in troubled cities. Suddenly, racism was alive, re-asserting its demonic vehemence when white supremacists led by the KKK staged the Unite the Right rally protesting the removal of a statue of confederate Gen Robert E Lee and were met by counter protestors.

Scenes of violence and hatred exploded like the lava of an erupting volcano.

Millions watched online and on TV as hatred spewed forth its effluent. Brawls broke out. Cops met angry protestors with shields, tear gas and pepper spray. Two policemen monitoring the violence from overhead were killed instantly when their helicopter crashed. A car driven by a 20-year-old man described as disillusioned, misguided and a supporter of the neo-Nazi white supremacist movement plowed into a crowd of counter protestors, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer, a paralegal who devoted her life to the fight for human rights and justice. In all, 34 people were wounded, 19 suffering serious injuries.

It took the state of Virginia years to reach the decision to remove the statue at the heart of the anger and conflict, a statue that symbolised the Souths defiant defense of a slave economy. The debate over its presence or removal raged in full view of the public.

In the end, right won out. Historys evil must be remembered lest it be repeated, but it need not assume a place of honour in a state capital that is home to its flagship university, one designed by the framer of the Constitution, Thomas Jefferson.

What happened in Charlottesville and American President Donald Trumps refusal to lambast the KKK, neo-Nazis and white supremacists shook a sleeping public accustomed to so much protection for equal rights that the underlying need for that protection had slipped out of mind and sight. If it re-awakened the reality of racism in its most heinous form in the United States, it also sent a message to The Bahamas.

In The Bahamas, the evil of racism is much more insidious. Rarely openly displayed, its existence is caught in the glare of an eye when a black Bahamian does not realise a white Bahamian sees. It shows up in unpredictable places where instead of a wave or greeting there is an unexpected icy stare. Some vow it is alive in pricing, the same goods or services sold at different prices depending on the consumer or the community.

In The Bahamas, where whites make up less than 15% of the population, was it anti-white racism when the Bahamian flag was designed with the aquamarine, black and gold? Here, in the governments own words, is the description of the symbolism: Black, a strong colour, represents the vigour and force of a united people The omission of white as a colour on the flag has long sparked controversy and the late Norman Solomon excused it by saying that the white welting holding it together represented the minority segment of the population. Mr Solomon, a former UBP politician and progressive leader recognising the need for majority rule, refused to be insulted by the flags design but for others it has remained a sore spot for more than 40 years.

If the hate and bitterness that spilled over in Charlottesville by people who felt displaced was misplaced, it touched a sensitive nerve that triggered 24-hour coverage of an issue so painful and raw it refuses to hide its ugly head.

In The Bahamas, while this weekends events were a reminder, there have been improvements but we still have a short way to go. Most Bahamians work, live and play together without issue. They show the respect they should to people with whom they interact. Many would not even remember if the last person they spoke to or did business with was black, brown or white.

Fortunately, we are far ahead of our neighbour to the north. Bahamians are largely colour blind in the best sense.

But we must not ignore the undercurrent that influences decisions, makes immigration issues tougher and builds resentment. In addition to time mending and blending all, there is only one strategy to make certain that someday there will truly be One Bahamas. That solution is to treat each person as if you could not see colour. If the young man accused of stealing a pack of cigarettes has to be shackled going to court, so should the former Cabinet minister accused of extorting thousands of dollars.

If a developer snubs his nose at the government and tells it to leave the project alone, that developer should be apprised of the rules and should he not wish to abide by those rules that everyone else has to abide, he should be invited to do business elsewhere. The clerk who steals must be prosecuted in the same way his boss must be if there is a Customs violation.

Racism will never vanish until we vanquish the differences with which we treat people. Eradicate the difference in treatment and the resentment that breeds racism will, finally, be a lesson for history classes. This is one evil that we can put to rest and say Sleep well and for a very long time.

Read the original post:

Editorial: Hidden Faces Of Racism In The Bahamas - Bahamas Tribune

Dustin Johnson and his fiance Paulina Gretzky are no strangers to tropical vacations, so it wasn't a huge surprise to see them pop up at Baker's Bay in the Bahamas the day after the PGA Championship wrapped up at Quail Hollow.

The couple, along with some friends jetted off to the vacation spot made popular to golf fans by the #SB2K crew - Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas and Smylie Kaufman - over the last couple of years.

In case you weren't already jealous of the people who vacation here, these photos ought to do the trick:

A post shared by Paulina Gretzky (@paulinagretzky) on Aug 14, 2017 at 10:54am PDT

my one & only

A post shared by Paulina Gretzky (@paulinagretzky) on Aug 15, 2017 at 12:47pm PDT

That's my best friend@paulinagretzky

A post shared by (@kmelnichenko) on Aug 15, 2017 at 12:20pm PDT

Via kmelnichenko Instagram Story

Via kmelnichenko Instagram Story

Via kmelnichenko Instagram Story

Via kmelnichenko Instagram Story

Be sure to check back for more on this important developing situation.

Here is the original post:

DJ, Paulina unwind with Bahamas vacay ... obviously - Golf Channel

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#Bahamas, August 16, 2017 Nassau As The Bahamas government exacts austerity measures across the public sector to see a rebound in the economy, there are strides to boost recurrent revenue too. Tourism Minister Dionisio DAuguliar recently explained that somehow the country has got to get tourists to spend more money and he signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbnb which paves the way to a new tax and a new stream of government income.

During the signing, it was shared that the tax could be along the lines of the 7.5% which is where VAT stands but more significantly, he noted, is the revenue Bahamian home owners could make in vacation home rentals. Airbnb says there are 1900 listings from The Bahamas, 1200 of them active. Tourism Minister DAguliar explained that not all vacation home renters are listed on Airbnb, which means a vigorous registration drive campaign must be launched.

Here is the original post:

Bahamas Tourism signs MOU with Airbnb - Magnetic Media (press release)

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#Bahamas, August 16, 2017 Nassau Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Hubert A. Minnis and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Peter Turnquest led the verification process for FNM Members of Parliament prior to participating in the weekly Cabinet Meeting on Tuesday.

The men were two of 15 Cabinet Ministers to take advantage of the verification opportunity as Public Treasury Department staff are stationed at the Cecil V. Wallace-Whitfield Centre to conduct the process for public service employees there. Other honourable ministers verified yesterday were: Brent Symonette, Carl Bethel, Desmond Bannister, Jeffrey Lloyd, Marvin Dames, Frankie Campbell, Dionisio DAguilar, Michael Pintard, Darren Henfield, Senators Dion Foulkes, Kwasi Thompson and Elsworth Johnson.

It was explained in a BIS media release that Cabinet Ministers, Romauld Ferreira, Lanisha Rolle and the Brensil Rolle are off island while Health Minister, Dr. Duane Sands had already completed his verification. #VerificationCentres were established since August 8 and public sector workers who do not register by end of the month, will have their salaries interrupted, though not ceased, until they do get verified.

See the article here:

Bahamas FNM Ministers & MPs verify with Public Treasury - Magnetic Media (press release)