Category Archives: Bahamas

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.

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#MinistryofFinanceRespondsToMoodys

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

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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

Print Wednesday 12th July, 2017 By Angela Ayimbire Accra, July 12, GNA Twelve Ghanaian Athletes will leave for Bahamas on Saturday to participate in the Commonwealth Youth games. Addressing the media on Wednesday, Mr Mawuko Afadzinu, Chef de Mission of the Ghana Olympics Committee said all necessary preparations have been made for the trip. He said the young athletes would have the opportunity to exhibit their talents in By Angela Ayimbire

Accra, July 12, GNA Twelve Ghanaian Athletes will leave for Bahamas on Saturday to participate in the Commonwealth Youth games.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, Mr Mawuko Afadzinu, Chef de Mission of the Ghana Olympics Committee said all necessary preparations have been made for the trip.

He said the young athletes would have the opportunity to exhibit their talents in seven sporting disciplines and possibly come back with medals.

The seven sporting disciplines are swimming, tennis, athletics, beach volley, cycling, boxing and judo.

We want to give our young athletes the feel of what it takes to compete at the international stage. We do so in the knowledge and believe that it would help them to take their preparation, training and mindsets to the level of champions because until they begin to compete with the best and highest performers in the world, it is difficult to leave the threshold of the ordinary.

Our primary objective for going to Bahamas is to pipe up desires in our athletes and to get them performing at the level where the country can get medals as the end product.

After giving them the right level of exposure and sensitizing them to have the mind set of champions, we expect them to return home with medals he said.

He expressed gratitude to the Minister of youth and sports and the Director General of the National Sports Authority for their support.

The team was accompanied 11 officials and a medical officer.

GNA

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Ghanaian Athletes for Bahamas on Saturday - Ghana News Agency

by: Michael Buresh Updated: Jul 12, 2017 - 7:26 AM

July 12, 2017 - The remnants of tropical depression #4 are still moving west/northwest & are approaching the Bahamas but convection has weakened even more. What's left of this wave will cross Southern Florida Thu./Fri. with some enhancement of showers & storms but no serious consequences. Redevelopment of t.d. #4 is not expected.

Shear tendency:

Imagery below courtesy CIMMS shows a newly established "blob" of African Saharan dust (orange & red) continues over the Central & especially E. Atlantic - an indication of the dry air.

The Gulf of Mexico... Caribbean & SW Atlantic:

Water vapor imagery:

Surface analysis centered on the tropical Atlantic:

Surface analysis of the Gulf:

Caribbean:

Wind shear analysis - pretty harsh from the Central Atlantic & much of the Caribbean:

Tropical waves are moving off the coast of Africa but are not particularly impressive. The area is largely being held in check by the Saharan dust plume alluded to earlier.... & the "popcorn" type cloud cover from 10 to 30 degrees N is indicative of stable air. Forecast models - as a whole - have backed off on development eminating from the deep tropics over the next week - 10 days. Even the GFS model which has been very bullish in recent days has "lost" much in the way of development. But the overall environment for tropical cyclones over the deep tropics will become more conducive for tropical development the last 10-12 days of July, so the Central Atlantic will remain an area to watch.

In the E. Pacific.... "Eugene" is spinning down well west/southwest of the Baja of California... while a new tropical cyclone has formed well to the southeast.

2017 Cox Media Group.

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"Talking the Tropics With Mike": Weakening wave approaching ... - ActionNewsJax.com

Patch.com

Coast Guard Interdicts 102 Haitian Migrants Near Bahamas - Miami ... Patch.com Miami Beach, FL - The Coast Guard said that Tuesday's interdiction was the largest in more than a year. US Coast Guard repatriates 102 fleeing Haitian migrants to HaitiMiami Herald Coast Guard repatriates 121 Haitian migrants found at seaFox News More Than 100 Haitian Migrants Found on Crowded Boat Rescued ...NBC 6 South Florida all 7 news articles »

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Coast Guard Interdicts 102 Haitian Migrants Near Bahamas - Miami ... - Patch.com

TEAM Bahamas is all geared up and ready to compete in their opening game of the CentroBasket Tournament today in the British Virgin Islands.

The team, which left town on Monday, will be playing against five other teams for one of the three spots that will emerge out of the tournament for the FIFA Womens AmericCup, scheduled for August 6-13 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Today, Team Bahamas will play against Mexico. On Thursday, they will play Jamaica, followed by the Virgin Islands on Friday, Puerto Rico on Saturday and Guatemala on Sunday.

Named to the team are Valerie Nesbitt, Philicia Kelly, Linda Pierre, Shalonda Neely, Samantha Gilbert, Tracy Lewis, Disti Delancy, Joette Fernander, Pamela Bethel, Lashae Rolle and Taneil Poitier.

Yolett McPhee-McCuin is the head coach, assisted by Donnie Culmer and Terrance Red Eye McSweeney. Jurelle Nairn is the team manager and Sasha Ferguson is the trainer.

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Team Bahamas To Face Mexico Today - Bahamas Tribune