Rick Fox Declares His Intention to Enter Frontline Politics in The Bahamas

The prosperous future of The Bahamas depends on the choices we make right now

The Bahamas: It’s Better To Be Number One

The Bahamas Must Be First and It Must Start Now.

Today, I’m announcing that I will be a candidate in the next general election.

For months, I’ve been listening closely to the hopes and frustrations of my fellow Bahamians.  One truth is clear: the future of The Bahamas will depend on the choices we make right now.

You’ve shared that you want more  transparency, a modern economy that prioritizes affordability and security, and a country where opportunity is our reality, not just a promise.

I share that vision. 

And I’m stepping forward today because we cannot wait any longer to realize a Bahamas that we all envision is possible.

Why Now?

We are running out of the one resource we can never get back: TIME.

•⁠ ⁠The time we need to empower our youth with real opportunities.

•⁠ ⁠The time we need to build a nation that runs efficiently, innovates boldly, and leads globally.

•⁠ ⁠The time we need to deliver world-class healthcare, affordable housing, and safe communities.

•⁠ ⁠The time we need to compete on the global stage.

Hurricane Future isn’t coming.  Hurricane Future is here. 

Our Direction

Scripture teaches: “Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long upon this earth.”

We should also honor the fathers and mothers of our nation.  Their legacy brought us to this moment.  Our responsibility now is to move The Bahamas forward. 

We must move with clarity.  We must move with courage.  We must move with honor and integrity.

We will embrace innovation, education, security and opportunity as the pillars of our future.

We will build a future where Bahamians can compete, influence, and lead globally without having to ever leave home.

We will trust in the lord with all of our hearts.  We will not lean on our own understanding and in all of our ways, we will acknowledge him and he will direct our path.

This is Our Moment 

As a candidate and as a leader for The Bahamas I will demand transparency, honesty, integrity while demanding a level of excellence from all of us.

This is bigger than party politics.  This is The Bahamas versus the world.  Imagine a nation where every Bahamian feel secure, safe, empowered, and proud.  Where opportunity flows, innovation thrives, and our people shape the world from home.

More is on the way. 

The Bahamas will lead.  The Bahamas will rise.  The Bahamas will be #1.

It’s Better to Be Number One in The Bahamas.

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The Caribbean Climate Reality

Against the backdrop of a devastating hurricane season that once again underscored the region’s extreme vulnerability, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will take the Caribbean’s climate agenda to the global stage at the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, scheduled for November 10–21 in Belém, Brazil.

The Bank will lead and participate in a series of events, high-level discussions and bilateral engagements aimed at securing greater access to concessional climate finance and strengthening partnerships for sustainable development.  CDB President, Mr. Daniel M. Best said this intensified engagement reflects both the urgency and opportunity of the moment.

“The Caribbean’s climate reality has never been clearer or more urgent,” he emphasised.  “The recent passage of Hurricane Melissa has underscored what we’ve been warning for years: without predictable, concessional finance, small island states cannot keep pace with escalating climate impacts.  COP30 is one of the most consequential arenas for advancing our case for climate justice and fair financing, and the Caribbean Development Bank will ensure our region’s voice is heard.”

At COP30, the Bank strategically engage governments, international partners, and private investors to deepen partnerships and advocate for increased concessional financing and innovative mechanisms to mobilise resources for the region.  On Monday, November 17, 2025, CDB will co-host three side events that reflect key priorities for climate action and resilience in the Caribbean.

The first session, “Leveraging Private Sector Financing for Transport and Energy Sector Transformation in the Caribbean,” will be held from 10:30 - 11:30 am (BRT) at the CARICOM Pavilion.  The event will explore strategies to unlock private capital through blended finance models, risk-sharing instruments, and innovative partnerships to accelerate investment in renewable energy and sustainable transport systems.

A discussion on “Agriculture and Food Security in the Caribbean: Scaling Innovative Solutions for Climate-Resilient Agriculture” is slated for 12:00 - 1:00 pm (BRT) at the Food and Agriculture Pavilion.  The livestreamed event will spotlight climate-smart agricultural practices and investment opportunities that can strengthen food security and reduce the region’s dependence on imports.

CDB will also join forces with CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean,  the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and the CREWS Secretariat to turn attention to disaster preparedness with a panel on “Climate Information and Early Warning Systems for Latin America and the Caribbean”  Scheduled for 3:45–4:45 pm (BRT) at the CARICOM Pavilion, the discussion will explore initiatives by the three institutions to finance and implement early warning systems for the region.

“CDB’s agenda at COP30 underscores our approach to climate action, which is practical, innovative, and built on partnerships,” President Best noted.  “The Caribbean is helping itself by developing our own solutions to protect lives, preserve livelihoods and transform our energy, transport and agriculture systems to secure our future, but we need the global community to stand with us.”

CDB targets 30-35% of its resources to climate finance demonstrating its commitment to helping Borrowing Member Countries adapt to the accelerating climate crisis.  The Bank is also better positioned to deliver transformative regional interventions through a recent increase in its GCF financing threshold to USD 250 million and its new Climate Change Project Preparation Fund, both of which will help countries design and finance concrete, high-impact projects faster and more effectively.

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Grenada 19 October, 1983

1983 Coup D'état - Grenada

By Everton Obi Powell

Maurice Rupert Bishop (29 May 1944 – 19 October 1983) was a Grenadian revolutionary and the leader of the New JEWEL Movement (NJM) – a party that sought to prioritorize socio-economic development, education and black liberation.  The NJM came to power during the 13 March 1979 revolution which removed Prime Minister Eric Gairy from office.  Bishop headed the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada (PRG) from 1979 to 1983.  In October 1983, he was deposed as Prime Minister and executed during a coup engineered internally by Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard.

In September 1983, simmering tensions within PRG leadership reached a boiling point.  A faction within the party, led by Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard, tried to make Bishop either step down or agree to a power-sharing arrangement.  Bishop rejected the proposal.

In response, the Coard faction in conjunction with the PRA placed Bishop under house arrest on 13 October.  Large public demonstrations gathered to demand Bishop's release and his return to power.  The protesters numbered as high as 30,000 on an island of 100,000, and even some of Bishop's guards joined the protests.  Despite the sizable support, Bishop knew the determination of the Coard faction.  He confided to a journalist: "I am a dead man."

On 19 October, a crowd of protesters managed to free Bishop from house arrest.  He made his way, first by truck, then by car, to army headquarters at Fort Rupert (known today as Fort George), which he and his supporters were able to seize control of.

At that point, Coard dispatched a military force led by Hudson Austin from Fort Frederick to retake Fort Rupert.  Bishop and seven others, including his cabinet ministers and aides, were captured.

A four-man PRA firing squad executed Bishop and the others by machine-gunning them in the Fort Rupert court yard.  After Bishop was dead, a gunman slit his throat and cut off his finger to steal his ring.  The bodies were transported to a military camp on the peninsula of Calivigny and partially burned in a pit.  The location of their remains is still unknown.

Partly as a result of Bishop's murder, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the nations of Barbados and Jamaica appealed to the United States for assistance, as did Sir Paul Scoon, Governor-General of Grenada.  Within days, President Ronald Reagan launched a U.S.-led invasion to overthrow the PRG.

US invaded within 6 days with 8000 soldiers.  Bernard Cord and Hudson Austin were captured and sentence to death but sentences were commuted to Life.

Austin was release in 2008 and died from cancer in 2022.  The final U.S. report claims 19 killed and 116 wounded; the Cubans to have had 25 killed, 59 wounded and 638 "combatants" captured; the Grenadians to have suffered 45 killed and 358 wounded.

Violence and death surrounded Bishop family.  In 1974 his father Rupert was shot in the back and killed at by Eric Gairy Mongoose Gang during a protest.  Maurice himself was shot and killed during the 1983 execution.  His son's mother and girlfriend was killed during the 1983 execution and his only son Vladimir was stabbed to death in a Toronto nightclub at only 16.

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The Politically Immature and Thuggish Lincoln Bain

Mr. Lincoln Bain, Your childish apologies have become meaningless, weak, and lack substance

Mr Lincoln Bain, refrain from violence.  Focus on substance over spectacle, and let your vision for The Bahamas speak for itself

By Maria Russell
Freeport, G.B. Island, The Bahamas
In response to Tribune242 FaceBook Post,  Pintard Condems Lincoln Bain...

I'm not taking sides, but bullying, intimidation, and fear have no place in a democracy.  That was not the time and place.  It only takes away from the message of the protest.  These silly antics are a turn-off on all levels.  Mr. Pintard has nothing to prove.  He's already a Member of Parliament and the Official Opposition Leader by law as outlined in our constitution.

Mr. Bain, you, on the other hand, have a lot to prove to the Bahamian people, especially if you're serious and ready for mainstream politics.  To get into parliament, one would think that maturity, political sportsmanship, and a willingness to engage in respectful dialogue would be essential.  If you two have a personal beef, maybe it would be wise to settle it out of the political spectrum.

You don't want to be known more for your radicalism than your message.  Having the loudest mouth is unnecessary and a turn-off.  Your apologies will become meaningless, weak, and lack substance.  Antics and polarization won't get you elected.  Empathy and humility will.

Refrain from violence.  Focus on substance over spectacle, and let your vision for the country speak for itself.  If the populace is to take you seriously, you must demonstrate leadership worthy of representing the Bahamas both domestically and internationally.  Your actions will be scrutinized globally, so it's crucial to maintain a level of maturity and statesmanship.  Anything less, undermines your message and credibility.

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Rick Fox - Betrayal or Survival?

Survival is serious, says Rick Fox

BETRAYAL OR SURVIVAL?

Rick Fox Legacy

Was it Betrayal or Survival?  What would you do?

Survival is serious.  The lengths we go to in life to secure our future and our family’s future can be serious.  Some people bet on a life of crime.  I bet on basketball.

Some of you have asked: Why did you play for another team?

It was a simple decision: I played to secure a future for my family.

At the time, The Bahamas didn’t have a national team that competed globally.  There was no path to the NBA from home.  Playing for another team wasn’t betrayal, it was the only opportunity to be seen, to prove myself, and to secure my future.

In the summer of 1990, with the guidance of my coach Dean Smith and my parents, I joined Canada’s NBA summer league team.  I made the all-star team, caught the attention of NBA scouts, and earned my place among the pros.

That decision was never about leaving The Bahamas behind it was about making sure The Bahamas would one day be seen on every stage I stepped on.

Every decision since then has been in service to my family and to The Bahamas.  Every opportunity I’ve had has come from God.  He is driving this ship.

From championship podiums to Hollywood sets, from boardrooms to global summits The Bahamas has been with me every step of the way.

You don’t have to be seen to serve.  You just have to be in action.

And I’ve been a Bahamian in action my entire life building, competing, and winning for my family and our people.

WHAT HAVE I DONE FOR THE BAHAMAS? WHAT WILL YOU DO?

People ask: What have you done for The Bahamas?

My question back is simple: What will you do?

Let’s turn the conversation of service into a competition.  Who among us has done more for the nation we love?

Just because one is unseen doesn’t mean one was absent.  Let me shine a light.

For over 30 years, I’ve made The Bahamas number one: not just in sports, but in business, culture, and innovation.  From courts to boardrooms, studios to sustainability summits, I’ve delivered results that carry the Bahamian flag higher every time.

I’ve rebuilt our basketball programs, mentored athletes, brought world-class coaches, and funded clinics and camps.  I’ve fought for Bahamian players to gain international exposure and opened doors for scholarships around the world.

Through Partanna, I’ve positioned The Bahamas as a leader in climate innovation — creating jobs, opportunities, and global respect for our people.  I’ve sponsored students to study abroad, bringing knowledge and technology home to fuel our growth.

This is the work of impact — not applause.  I don’t chase validation.  I chase results.  I didn’t return home seeking fame or power.  I was invited to help solve national problems: housing, opportunity, and sustainability.

I am not a politician.  I am a winner who happens to be on Team Bahamas.

THE MOVEMENT TO WIN

Some enter politics to serve.  The day I enter, I enter to compete to defend, to facilitate, and to lead.

Winning requires strategy, focus, discipline, and execution the same principles that have guided my success for decades.

This movement is not for everyone.  Some are satisfied with what they have.

But this movement is for Bahamians who want to see our country rise to a level not seen before, locally and globally.

We will finish what our forefathers started.  We will go all the way.

Any unseen work I’ve done, any blessing I’ve received, has been used to lift this nation, open doors for our youth, and build pride that cannot be taken away.

That is my contribution.  That is my legacy.  That is what I’ve done — and will continue to do — for The Bahamas.

Every chapter of my life has been about winning: on the court, on the screen, in business, and now, in building solutions for our people.

Today begins the most important chapter yet: competing and winning for the Bahamian people from home.

I have a vision for the next 50 years: a Bahamas where our children inherit a nation that works for them, not against them.

Where we don’t just talk about progress we deliver it.  No movement builds a future alone.

This vision needs teammates, builders, and believers.  It will grow as quickly as the Bahamian people decide they’ve had enough — that they deserve more — and are ready to rise.

I’m ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with every Bahamian who wants more: more honesty, more opportunity, more action, more results.

Today is the beginning of a movement that competes, wins, and delivers for The Bahamas.

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The UN Approves a New Multinational Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in Haiti to Replace the Kenyan-led Security Support Mission

The UN Security Council on Tuesday 30 September, 2025 - authorized a new multinational Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in Haiti to replace the Kenyan-led security support mission, amid escalating gang violence, widespread rights abuses and a humanitarian emergency affecting all aspects of life in the island nation.

The resolution – co-penned by Panama and the United States, and backed by dozens of countries in the region and beyond – was adopted by a vote of 12 in favour, with three abstentions from China, Pakistan, and Russia.  Under an initial 12-month mandate, the GSF will work in close coordination with the Haitian National Police (HNP) and the Haitian armed forces to conduct intelligence-led operations to neutralise gangs, provide security for critical infrastructure, and support humanitarian access.

The 5,550-strong force will also protect vulnerable groups, support reintegration of former fighters and help strengthen Haitian institutions.

The Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, authorised by the Security Council in October 2023, faced chronic underfunding, insufficient personnel, and limited operational capacity, making it difficult to contain gangs that now control large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

While the MSS enabled the HNP to regain access to some areas and infrastructure, it struggled to match the scale of the crisis.

Kenya, which led the MSS, also backed the new mechanism.

Haiti is facing nearly 1.3 million internally displaced people, rising kidnappings, widespread sexual violence, and gangs that control large areas of the capital.

Haiti is not alone

Introducing the text in the Council, Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba of Panama emphasised the urgency of international support.

“Since last year, this Council has requested the Secretary-General to put forward recommendations to address the multidimensional crisis in Haiti.

Haiti is facing an unprecedented, multi-dimensional crisis that requires our decisive attention,” he said.

He urged all Security Council members to support the initiative, stating that doing so would “send a clear message to Haiti – you are not on your own.”

UN Support Office in Haiti

The resolution also tasks the Secretary-General to establish a UN Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH) to provide logistical and operational support to the GSF, HNP and Haitian armed forces, including rations, medical care, transportation, strategic communications and troop rotation.  UNSOH will also support the Organization of American States’ SECURE-Haiti project and ensure compliance with international human rights standards.

A force against gangs

The United States, a sponsor of the resolution, highlighted the scale of the new mission.  Ambassador Mike Waltz said that the MSS mission lacked the scale, scope and resources needed to take the fight to the gangs and restore a baseline of security in Haiti.

“Today’s vote sets that right.  With this vote to transform the MSS mission to the new Gang Suppression Force, a mission five times the size of its predecessor and with a strengthened mandate to go after the gangs,” he noted.

“The international community is sharing the burden and living up to its promise to help Haiti turn the tide.  It offers Haiti the chance to assume responsibility for its own security.”

Haitian government ultimately responsible

The Council stressed that Haiti’s government retains “primary responsibility” for national security and governance reform, including tackling corruption, illegal arms flows and the recruitment of children by gangs.

The GSF is intended to support Haitian authorities while creating conditions for the country to gradually assume full security responsibility.

A decisive turning point

The decision to transform the MSS mission to the GSF marked “a decisive turning point” in one of the most serious challenges in Haiti’s already turbulent history, the country’s ambassador said after the vote.

While the Multinational Security Support mission has been “a valuable support and a strong signal of international solidarity”, Ambassador Pierre Ericq Pierre stressed: “But the reality on the ground has reminded us that the scale and sophistication of the threat far exceeds the mandate initially granted to this mission.”

As the Security Council granted a stronger, more offensive and more operational mandate, “it is giving the international community the means to respond to the gravity of the situation in Haiti,” he added.

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U.S. Treasury Sanctions Former Haitian Politician and Gang Leader for Their Connections to Serious Human Rights Abuse

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning a former member of Haiti’s parliament, Prophane Victor, for his role in forming, supporting, and arming gangs and their members that have committed serious human rights abuse in Haiti.  OFAC is also designating Luckson Elan, the current leader of the Gran Grif gang, for his involvement in serious human rights abuse related to gang activity in Haiti’s Artibonite department.

Prophane Victor, and Luckson Elan - Haiti

“Victor and Elan, through their influence over or leadership of the gangs in Haiti, have sought to perpetuate the horrific violence and instability,” said Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith.  “Treasury remains committed to holding accountable those who seek to leverage human rights abuses, violence, and corruption to achieve their political aims.”

Promoting accountability for gender-based violence is a top priority for the U.S. government.  President Biden issued a Memorandum on Promoting Accountability for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in November 2022 that directs the U.S. government to strengthen our exercise of financial, diplomatic, and legal tools against this scourge.  The UN Panel of Experts report on Haiti states that the “levels of violence and the depths of cruelty that gangs will go to in violating human rights are unprecedented, with regular indiscriminate attacks against the population and the obstruction of humanitarian assistance.  Sexual and gender-based violence and rape in particular have become one of the most horrific expressions of violence over the past two years.  Such violence and insecurity not only undermine the political transition, but also decimate the national economy and threaten the future of the country.”  Today’s action targets one actor directly responsible for gender-based violence and one that has provided material support to gangs, including those that have engaged in gender-based violence as a regular practice of intimidation, control, and extortion.

serious human rights abuse IN ARTIBONITE, Haiti

Prophane Victor is a former Haitian legislator who started arming young men in Petite Rivière, Artibonite to secure his control over the area and his election in 2016.  Those men went on to form the Gran Grif gang, which is currently the largest gang in the Artibonite department and the main perpetrator of abuses, including sexual violence.

Prophane Victor materially supported Gran Grif until at least 2020.  Prophane Victor has also trafficked weapons to Haiti and is known to have relationships with and provided funds to other gangs throughout Haiti, including rivals of Gran Grif.  Prophane Victor’s gang affiliations and material support to them contribute to the climate of terror as the gangs engage in an array of cruelty and violence, fight for control, and leave residents to pay the consequences.

Luckson Elan is the current head of Gran Grif gang.  Luckson Elan and other members of the Gran Grif gang are responsible for serious human rights abuse including kidnapping, murder, beating, and raping of women and children, as well as looting, destruction, extortion, hijacking, and stealing crops and livestock.  The situation is especially devastating for his child victims who have been subjected to forced recruitment and sexual violence.

OFAC is designating Prophane Victor pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818 for being a person who has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse, where the activity is conducted by a foreign person.

OFAC is designating Luckson Elan pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being a foreign person who is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse.  OFAC also is designating Luckson Elan pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being or having been a leader or official of an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse relating to the leader’s or official’s tenure.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.  In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.

Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.  U.S. persons may face civil or criminal penalties for violations of E.O. 13818. Non-U.S. persons are also prohibited from causing or conspiring to cause U.S. persons to wittingly or unwittingly violate U.S. sanctions, as well as engaging in conduct that evades U.S. sanctions. OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. sanctions, including the factors that OFAC generally considers when determining an appropriate response to an apparent violation.

Financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action.  The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law.  The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior.

For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here.

GLOBAL MAGNITSKY

Building upon the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, E.O. 13818 was issued on December 20, 2017, in recognition that the prevalence of human rights abuse and corruption that have their source, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States, had reached such scope and gravity as to threaten the stability of international political and economic systems.  Human rights abuse and corruption undermine the values that form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies; have devastating impacts on individuals; weaken democratic institutions; degrade the rule of law; perpetuate violent conflicts; facilitate the activities of dangerous persons; and undermine economic markets.  The United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences on those who commit serious human rights abuse or engage in corruption, as well as to protect the financial system of the United States from abuse by these same persons.

September 25, 2025

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