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Man Spared a Life Sentence in Serious Wounding Case

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Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Reporter

 

#TurksandCaicos, December 15, 2023 – He was busted in the head and sliced from back to front of his neck; the images of the injuries are blood curdling.

It was supposed to be a short and straightforward wounding with intent trial, instead it ended up running a near three weeks due to complications and objections in the matter.

The accused is Mr. TERINE HARVEY AKA TC and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) brought him before the court on allegations that he on Thursday June 16th, 2022 in Pine or Sam Wilson Yard did maliciously and unlawfully wound Valman “Val” Forbes.

The trial started on Monday October 30th and ended on Friday November 17th 2023.

Representing the defendant, TC, was Senior Human Rights Defense Attorney, Sheena Mair.  For the Office of the DPP was Senior Public Prosecutor, Nayasha Hatmin.

On October 30th there were issues in the jury process due to insufficient numbers to commence impaneling, and her Ladyship Ms. Tanya Lobban Jackson adjourned to the following day for more potential jurors to attend court.

The jury numbers slowly became sufficient throughout the day on October 31, but the case still could not proceed because the prosecutor with conduct of the matter Mrs. Hatmin was ill and Principal Public Prosecutor Clement Joseph was holding for her.

Mr. Joseph, Ms. Mair and Justice Lobban Jackson discussed and agreed to move forward with the jury selection and five women and two men were picked with the trial set to start the following day, November 1.

When the virtual complainant, Valman “Val” Forbes took the stand, he began his testimony by swearing on the Bible to tell the truth and nothing, but the truth.

Forbes said on the night of June 16th, 2022, TC cut him with something sharp that he didn’t see.  He said he only saw TC’s hand moved swiftly when he tried to turn around and held his neck after feeling the swipe.  Val told the jury he heard a bottle bust, and shortly after, he was cut by TC.  He didn’t see him bust the bottle.

Val gave testimony of how he had to do two or three different statements because his first statement got lost by police officers.  His supporting witness refused to cooperate with the police to give another statement, having learned that the first statement given went missing.

Val Forbes told the court that he and TC had a problem before, and the day of the incident was a continuation.  He said they were in Sam’s/Pine’s Yard in Kew Town, playing Dominos, gambling and drinking.  He admitted, and yes, “smoking weed too.”

He said he and TC argued on more than one occasion and what he think really got him when he told him, “Boy girls/women looking for money these days,” suggesting that TC has none.

Forbes said TC kicked him on his leg and he (Forbes) punched him; they got into a fight.

“I had to show him, he ain’t ready for me.”

Throughout Forbes’ testimony, in an upset and uncomfortable manner, he kept belittling and stating derogatory comments and statements about his alleged attacker as he sat in the defendant’s dock.

The complainant said “he thinks because I have one arm, he could have handled me, but he had to go get something and cut me.”

There were even seemingly irrelevant statements made including about a relationship, Forbes claims to have had with a police woman and how he “can’t stand her anymore.”

Val Forbes spent three days testifying in the witness stand and the cross examination could easily summed up as an unpleasant experience.

Having realized the VC, Val Forbes was not cooperating or unwilling to cooperate with her under cross-examination; Sheena Mair asked him if he smokes cocaine?  He replied, “Yes, we do that sometimes.”

She asked him if he’s high on ‘coke’ now while testifying, however Forbes denied being high at the time.  Still he showed signs of being agitated and irritable in the lengthy intense cross-examination by the defense.

What also appeared rather shocking and surprising was that the doctor testified and made no mention of the head injury.  Dr. Gregory Lawdell only spoke of the size, the depth, the seriousness, and in his professional opinion what he believes caused such a wound to Val’s neck.

Attorney Mair asked the doctor about Val’s behavior and mannerism toward the hospital staff that night when he came in for treatment and the doctor said he was very, very upset and angry but he doesn’t think it was towards the staff but because of what happened to him.

Forbes’ sister, Hynetta Karen Forbes testified regarding photos she took of her brother’s two injuries (head and neck) that night of the incident, as the Police nor the doctor took any photos and had none to give Mrs. Hatmin the prosecutor.

After the Crown closed their case, Sheena Mair made an application of “no case” submission to the judge Tanya Lobban-Jackson, but it was rejected.

The defense then called its only witness Jason Moore who said he refused to give the police another statement because he told them he “lied.”

Moore said he needed the money, and Val Forbes had “paid” him to lie.  He told the judge and jury he went back and told the authorities what he did.

Her Ladyship Ms. Tanya Lobban Jackson, at the close of the defense and prosecution speech or closing remarks, summed up the case to the jury by outlining the evidence and the law clearly to them.

They jury was then released for deliberation and came back with a verdict of not guilty against TERINE HARVEY.

Magnetic Media was present for days throughout this trial and captured the Val Forbes on video while the jury was out deliberating.

He appeared so happy and confident in hope of a guilty verdict.

We also captured the defendant outside the court while he awaited his verdict and after the verdict of “not guilty” was delivered.

Clearly pleased with the outcome, Harvey said about his attorney, “She’s the bomb, she’s the bomb.”

Bahamas News

Camp Inclusion tours Nassau Cruise Port

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NASSAU, The Bahamas – Participants of the Ministry of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting’s Camp Inclusion, including the camp’s student advocates, recently toured Nassau Cruise Port in a move designed to produce multiple benefits for the children.

Camp officials said the tour was part of the “moving away” from the old tradition of keeping children with disabilities locked away at home, and towards greater social inclusion for persons with disabilities – especially children.

Facilitated by the Community Affairs Division of the Ministry of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting at the Flamingo Gardens Family Life Centre, the camp is a collaborative effort between the Ministry, its Community Affairs and Disability Affairs Divisions, the Bahamas Coalition of Advocates for Disability Awareness and Service (BaCADAS), and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD). The majority of the Camp Instructors are persons with disabilities.

The Camp is in keeping with the Global Family Day 2024 theme of “Embracing Diversity, Strengthening Families,” and is an extension of the Ministry’s continued efforts to take the lead in ensuring access and inclusion for all — particularly the community of persons with disabilities — in every aspect of society.

Children with different levels and types of disabilities, along with student advocates, participated. Its focus was to ensure that participating youth learn about living with mobility and intellectual disabilities, advocacy, inclusion and accessibility.

Mr. Townsley Roberts, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, said the visit is expected to have a number of expected outcomes.

“It was very important to get the kids out and for them to see parts of the island that they rarely get a chance to experience,” Mr. Roberts said. “It was also an opportunity for them to feel a part of the Bahamian society because many times they are kept at home or just in the classroom (and) so this gives them a chance to spread their wings; an opportunity to dream. You never know, something they saw today can spark their imaginations and some may become artists, want to work in the tourism field or even just to try and experience a cruise. The ability to dream, to feel a part of society, to feel included, is important to the growth of all children, including persons with disabilities.”

Mr. Roberts applauded officials at Nassau Cruise Port for agreeing to the tour, which he said also allowed chaperones to inform the student advocates of some of the aspects that makes a facility accessible and inclusive.

“We are so happy that the Cruise Port allowed us the opportunity to come and tour the facility. As the name of the camp goes, what we are promoting is inclusion — total inclusion in all aspects of Bahamian society including the culture, and the open spaces. We want to make sure that all spaces are accessible and one of the things we know, because we had the opportunity to inspect the cruise port, is that the Port is accessible to persons with disabilities. So why not bring the children – including the student advocates — here as a means of helping them to understand and to witness first-hand what accessibility means and how it, or the lack of accessibility, affects the lives of persons with disabilities.”

Mr. Antoine Munroe, a Camp Instructor and employee of the Disability Affairs Division of the Ministry of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, said access and inclusion ensures that every person is able to achieve the same outcomes whether in social, educational, or employment settings, and are the best methods of ensuring that persons with disabilities are given the same opportunities to participate in society. He applauded the inclusion of the student advocates in the camp.

“It is a passion of my own to see young people included and exposed to the life of persons with disabilities. Being able to tour the facility gave me an understanding of how I can use my cane to move about with a little assistance and I thought that was very, very smooth. I congratulate those persons who were able to cause this to happen, and also the persons in charge of the Nassau Cruise Port.  I think this is a very good step in the right direction,” Mr. Munroe added.

 

Release: BIS

(BIS Photos/Patrice Johnson)

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Bahamas News

National Commission for Persons with Disabilities gauges ‘accessibility’ at ZNS, BIS as part of ongoing inspection schedule

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NASSAU, The Bahamas – Inspectors attached to the Inspectorate Division of the Secretariat of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) conducted assessments of the facilities at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas, and Bahamas Information Services, Tuesday (July 23) as part of their ongoing efforts to ensure that all public facilities, and those private facilities that provide services to members of the public, are accessible for all.

Both entities fall under the remit of the Ministry of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting as does the Secretariat.

The team was headed by Mr. Townsley Roberts, Deputy Executive Secretary, Secretariat of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, and included Mr. G. Michael Ellis, Senior Inspector; Mr. Wesley Paul, Inspector; and Mr. Thorne Clarke, Inspector.

Deputy Executive Secretary Roberts said the inspections were two-fold.

“Today we are inspecting ZNS and BIS which are both a part of the Ministry of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting to ensure that they are accessible because it is our belief that we cannot ask the public to do the things required by law without first ensuring that our entities are also in compliance,” Mr. Roberts said.

“People need to understand that accessibility to persons with disabilities is just as important as it is to persons without a disability. We want to be able to go about your day-to-day business without any obstacles in our way.

“What makes us disabled is the built environment, the barriers in front of us. If you remove those barriers, then we can do many of the same things persons without disabilities can do, and sometimes better. So this is what we are about. We are trying to make The Bahamas a place for all persons (and) where it will be comfortable for persons with disabilities to be able to manoeuvre through buildings and other spaces with the same ease and comfort expected by everyone else.”

The inspection team conducted assessments of wheelchair ramps, bathrooms, office spaces, and parking and reception areas, and measured doorway and hallway widths, in addition to other spaces to ensure that the requirements as set out in the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act, 2014, are met.

Mr. Ellis, who spent 34 years as a member of the Royal Bahamas Police Force before retiring as a Senior Police Officer and who brings that same knowledge of the law to his new role, said the inspections help to ensure that the community of persons with disabilities enjoy the same rights to accessibility as any other citizen.

“Persons with disabilities, including those in wheelchairs, persons with walkers, crutches and those who use other assistive devices such as canes, should be able to move around just like everyone else,” Mr. Ellis said.

“We were looking to make sure that there were accessible bathrooms for both males and females, to ensure that there are proper ramps and that the ramps are the proper sizes, to ensure that all of the offices are accessible and all of the other areas are accessible for persons with disabilities.

“The Act says whatever we, as able bodied persons can do, a person with a disability should be permitted or allowed to do the same without any hindrance. Our job is to ensure that these facilities are in compliance with the Act.”

Once inspections are completed, Adjustment Orders are sent to those facilities/businesses found not to be in compliance with the Act, advising them of any faults, and providing a time-frame for compliance.

 

(BIS Photos/Anthon Thompson)

Release: Bahamas Information Services

 

PHOTO CAPTIONS

 

Header:  – ZNS/BCB

Left to right:

1:  G. Michael Ellis – Sr. Inspector (NCPD)
2:  Thorne Clarke – Inspector (NCPD)
3:  Townsley Roberts – Deputy Executive Secretary (NCPD)
4:  Wesley Paul – Inspector (NCPD)
5:  Carlton Smith – Chief Security Officer (BCB)

Insert:  – BIS
Left to right:

1:  Elcott Coleby – Director General (BIS)
2:  Wesley Paul – Inspector (NCPD)
3:  Townsley Roberts – Deputy Executive Secretary (NCPD)
4:  Carlton Smith – Chief Security Officer (BCB)
5:  Thorne Clarke – Inspector (NCPD)
6:  G. Michael Ellis – Sr. Inspector (NCPD)

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Crime

Shooting Incident

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***MEDIA RELEASE***

 

July 23rd, 2024.

 

Around 10:59 am, the Police Control Room received a call of gunshots at a location along the Millennium Highway, Providenciales.

Officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force were dispatched and, based on preliminary investigations, were told that the occupant (s) of a red Suzuki Swift was at a business place when another car pulled alongside it, and the occupants started shooting.

The driver of the Swift drove off while the other unidentified vehicle sped off in a separate direction. 

Officers found the Swift abandoned near Miracle Close, Blue Hills, shortly after.

Based on investigations, no injuries were reported.

This remains an active investigation.

The RT&CIPF is asking anyone with information or CCTV footage of the shooting that may assist the police with enquiries to contact 911, the closest police station, the Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 and anonymously give any information.

Additionally, persons are being asked to download the Crime Stoppers P3 app.

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