December 1st, 2003 The Abaconian Page 1 VOLUME 11, NUMBER 22, DECEMBER 1st, 2003 Cable Bahamas Expands Services Hundreds Respond to Channel Upgrades By Isobel Sherman Cable Bahamas announced major up- grades to their cable television services to Abaco. These became effective on Novem- ber 21. The company introduced its up- grades at a promotion in Marsh Harbour on November 21 and 22 at Solomon’s SuperCenter. The company is offering 53 channels of basic cable service plus several packages of additional channels which are available on Abaco for the first time. Additional channels are available through their Freedom TV premium services, a col- lection of top premium channels available either individually or in packages which include movie channels, sports channels, special events and family channels. With the packages viewers are offered a total of 89 channels. Additionally, music will be available early next year with 40 channels of specific types of music, all without ad- vertising. Also coming early next year will be a home theater pay-per-view movie and adult programing. The new services are available through the one-time purchase of a set-top box for $29.95 which includes a remote control. During the promotion at Solomon’s custom- ers who purchased a set-top box were given a free month of all the premium cable chan- nels. The set-top box has extensive paren- tal control features which allows parents to Customers lined up on November 21 and 22 to sign up for Cable Bahamas’ new services. The company is offering a greatly expanded control access based on ratings or channel. number of channels and packages to suit each viewers preferences. Shown above is JC Percentie, Sales Representative, explaining the services to Kelly Dam and Lisa Bethel. Please see Cable Page 22 Inquest Begins in Aaliyah Crash Students Visit College Fair By Stephanie Humblestone old R and B singer and actress Aaliyah and Over two years after the tragedy, a eight others. Coroner’s Inquest has begun at the Magis- The chartered Cessna 402, registered to trates Court in Marsh Harbour into the plane crash which claimed the lives of 22-year- Please see Aaliyah Page 2 Batelco Offers Improved Service The college fair held in Marsh Harbour on November 18 gave students an opportunity to find out about a variety of schools, finding out what programs they offer and asking questions of the counselors. Students from six high schools attended. Renew your subscription before the expiration date shown in the label below. The Abaconian PRST STD 7571 N.W. 78th St. US POSTAGE Medley, FL 33166-7530 PAID Forward and Address Correction Permit #5050 MIAMI FL 331 Batelco shows off its new bucket truck which is part of its program to offer better and faster service to its customers. Shown above on the ground is Patrece Williams, heading the Customer Service Department, in the bucket Mr. Henry Roamer, General Manager for Abaco, and Mr. Emalin Sawyer, Technical Manager for Abaco. Page 2 The Abaconian December 1, 2003 Inquest Will Seek Cause of Nine Deaths “Was it more severe than here?” asked on the night in question. Fire fighters Rock- turn, had relayed such concerns to Nassau Aaliyah From Page 1 the Coroner. ling Bootle and Barry Swain left at the end but to “no avail.” No one has been able to answer this ques- of their shifts but before the plane with Mr. Jones was the last witness of the three Sky Stream Inc. of Pembroke Pines, tion. Aaliyah and entourage had taken off. day hearing. He gave a vivid account of Florida, and operated by Black Hawk In- Taxi driver Louise McIntosh of Cooper’s “Would it not have been prudent to have the crash site’s swampy terrain in an area ternational Airways Corp, burst into flames Town and Annie Russell of Dundas Town waited until after the plane had left?” the west of the airport called the “marles.” He at around 6:50 p.m. on August 25, 2001, drove the fated party to various venues for Coroner asked Mr. Bootle. What emerged described “charred bodies” and horrendous shortly after taking off from Marsh Harbour the shooting of the music video Rock Da from questions relating to the fire services injuries. Some of the jurors looked visibly airport bound for Opa Locka, Florida. Boat and on to the airport on the evening of in general at the airport was that they are shaken. A ten-minute recess was requested. Coroner William Campbell opened the the 25th of August. understaffed, have no emergency cell When the inquest resumes on December inquest on November 17 into the deaths of It appears that Aaliyah curtailed her stay phones and a system of operation in place 8th, jurors will be taken to the site. Police all on board the aircraft: Aailiyah Haughton, on Abaco and found a “last minute” char- which is questionable. photographer Officer Moultrie provided Captain Antonio Luis Morales, Douglas ter service. Airport Superintendent Bobby Jones each juror with 15 enlarged photographs of Kratz, Eric Foreman, Keith Wallace, Gina “It sounded like a break down plane, like stated on day three of the Inquest that the the area, the dead and the injured immedi- Smith, Scott Gallin, Christopher a car without a muffler,” said Ms. McIn- onus is on the firefighters to cover the air- ately after the crash. Maldonardo and Anthony Dodd. tosh when the Cessna 402 was coming down port at all times, regardless of “shifts” as Key witness, Fire Chief Clay Wilhoyte “Whilst the inquest in law can reach a to land. She described how she doubted this Marsh Harbour is an “international airport,” of Hope Town, the first person to arrive at verdict of criminal liability of named per- was the plane the party were going to use. something Mr. Evans, Civil Aviation ex- the crash site, is summoned to attend when sons, its overriding purpose is to find facts, Mr. Walter Evans, an airworthiness in- pert, had stressed earlier. However, Mr. the inquest resumes along with teams of not attach blame,” Coroner Williams stated spector with the Department of Civil Avia- Jones agreed that concerns relating to staff investigators, national and Stateside, from in his opening address. tion in Nassau, was clearly attentive to this had been brought to his attention and he, in all sectors of the airline industry. After empanelling a jury of seven from description and asked her to repeat it. a cross section of the Abaco community, Ms. McDonald was one of the two to be he asked attorneys from abroad to identify recalled on day two when she was asked to themselves, having recognised that there are verify the amount of luggage taken by her “persons/legal entities who have a substan- to the airport, overloading being one of the tial interest in the hearing.” factors under investigation. She maintained Attorneys from Florida, California, that there were only five to six pieces of Washington and Texas, representing huge baggage accompanying the nine passengers corporations such as Cessna, Teledyne Con- and they appeared not to be “that heavy.” tinental Motors and Superior Air Parts, Porter Lester Archer, who handled the stood one by one, gave their names and baggage from the taxi with ticket agent for stated that they were there simply to “ob- American Eagle, Carrington Stuart, esti- serve.” mated that each piece of luggage weighed Assisting the Coroner was prosecutor for no more than 45-50 pounds. However, he the Coroner’s Court, Inspector Bradley gave the number of pieces at no more than Neely. Two court reporters, Jacqueline “10.” Schultes and Katherine Habok, accompa- Mr. Archer claimed that he watched the nied them from Nassau. pilot load the plane. Customs Officer Donald The Inquest will broadly follow the chro- E. Burrows later refuted this, saying that nological sequence of events, starting with he observed Mr. Archer assisting Captain the identification of the bodies, autopsy re- Morales. This discrepancy prompted the ports, eyewitness and other accounts of the EWELRY jurors to recall Mr. Archer to the stand. J immediate pre- and post-accident events and Coroner Campbell asked once more, responses by the emergency services. Many “Did you load the plane?” of the eleven named witnesses testified in “I did not,” he stated categorically. the initial hearings from November 17-20, On day three of the inquest Inspector two of whom were recalled to the stand by Bradley Neely confronted Mr. Stuart with jurors for clarification of their evidence. ERFUME a signed statement made immediately after P On day one Dr. H.C. Govinda Raju, the crash in which he stated that both he Pathologist at the Princess Margaret Hos- and Mr. Archer “put the luggage into the pital in Nassau who conducted autopsies on nose of the plane.” all nine of the deceased, gave a detailed “I meant ‘at the nose’ and the police said and graphic account of their injuries, sum- they changed it,” he replied. ming up each case with a probable final Clearly confused but deciding to let the cause of death. Pilot Luis Antonio Morales matter drop, Coroner Williams cautioned was found to have traces of cocaine in his him about putting his signature too readily urine and alcohol in his stomach. However, to something he had not completely Dr. Raju emphasised that forensic reports checked. OMEGA to be given in December will confirm and Customs Officer Burrows claimed over- enlarge on this finding. WATCHES hearing a conversation between Aaliyah Day two Dr. Ravindranath Swarna at the and Captain Morales in which he expressed government clinic in Marsh Harbour re- concern about the amount of luggage but traced his steps on the night of the crash she apparently said, “Everything has to go.” focusing on the two survivors who were to When Mr.