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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
LOCAL NEWS
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
Former Premier caught in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil BY HAYDEN BOYCE PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Former Premier of the Turks and Ciacos Islands Michael Misick is being held in custody awaiting extradition hearings after he was arrested in the Brazilian capital of Rio de Janeiro by that country’s Federal Police on the morning of Friday, December 7th, 2012. The 46-year-old Misick was arrested while trying to board a domestic flight at the Santos Dumond airport. His arrest stemmed from an international arrest warrant that was issued by Interpol and further warrant issued by Brazilian Supreme Court, it was confirmed by the TCI Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIPT). Misick, who was TCI’s first Premier, faces a number of serious charges relating to corruption and maladministration in TCI. Reliable sources told The SUN that members of the SIPT knew of Misick’s whereabouts for quite some time and they had a small, dedicated team that was tracking him for many months, while they were processing various legal applications. This newspaper understands that
regular updates on Misick’s movements and whereabouts were being sent to officials in the UK and that his presence in Brazil was even discussed while UK Minister for Overseas Territories Mark Simmonds was in the Turks and Caicos Islands for the official opening of Parliament in late November. According to sources, his arrest warrant was decreed by the Minister Ricardo Levandowsky, of Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court, on November 22, based on the request made by the UK Government. Head of Interpol in Rio de Janeiro, Orlando Nunes, told a news conference at the headquarters of the Federal Police in Rio.Orlando on Friday that Interpol in Brazil was following Misick for about six months. Also according to the sheriff, Misick had a luxurious life in Brazil and lived in an apartment in Ipanema neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. "This goes to show that Brazil is not free territory for international criminals," said Nunes. Misick was living in the Dominican Republic for many months, but he apparently moved to South America where it would have been more difficult to track him down. Brazil is one of the largest countries in the world, with a population of 199
million. His arrest was sought in relation to an ongoing investigation by the SIPT into issues arising from Sir Robin Auld’s 2008-09 Commission of Inquiry relating to alleged corruption and maladministration. A statement issued by Governor’s spokesman Neil Smith said that the UK authorities are grateful to their Brazilian counterparts for their cooperation are now seeking Misick extradition to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Officials from the communications team at the British Embassy in Rio de Janeiro told The SUN that Misick is receiving British consular assistance, by virtue of being a native of a British Overseas Territory The Embassy spokesperson said that it was up to Brazil’s legal system to determine when the extradition hearings commence. In March of this year, Misick announced he had sought “political asylum” in an unnamed country after the arrest warrant was issued for him. A few days later he said: “I am not a fugitive, and will never be a fugitive. I have applied for political asylum from another country and I am merely seeking protection from political persecution.” The British government had
Former Premier of the Turks and Ciacos Islands Michael Misick
obtained the warrant from Interpol in March, saying authorities wanted to question Misick as they investigated allegations of rampant corruption in the territory. Misick, who was first elected premier in 2003 and then re-elected in 2007, stepped down in 2009, shortly after Britain took temporary control of the local government.
Maranatha to use tablets as textbooks by September 2013 By the beginning of the new school year September, 2013, the Maranatha High School textbook system should be fully digitized, allowing students to store books weighing many pounds on a 10 ounce tablet. Launched on the school’s compound on Thursday, November 29, the Maranatha Tablet Computer Initiative (Maranatha TCI) could revolutionize learning in the Turks and Caicos, and probably lead the way in the region. The initiative will be powered by telecoms provider Digicel, whose general manager, E. Jay Saunders, was on hand to donate five tablets to kick-start the programme. The initial five tablets would be used to initially train teachers, so that they would be able the seamlessly lead the transition from hard copy textbook teaching to that of digital. Courtney Brown, teacher in the Science and Technology Department at the school said that the idea was born after a discussion to get the students at the institution more engaged in school after some of them had began to complain that the ferrying of textbooks back and forth every day had become a hassle for them, and requested an initiative where tablets could be used instead of text books. “We thought about it, and we said that if we were to introduce tablets as a platform for teaching and learning, we need to have it first done with the
teachers. So this initiative is to really get the teachers to become familiar with the tablets, to find the resources to teach the subjects that they are teaching and then we are going to move towards the students using it as well,” Brown said. Brown said that the implementation of Maranatha TCI would readily eliminate a great deal of administrative overheads and book purchasing costs, which has to be paid up-front, noting also that the programme would remove the delay in textbook shipping or reordering. “Teachers would also benefit as well in terms of the management of class work. It will eliminate the printing of exam papers, printing of handouts testing for example -we use online testing for multiple choices because every student at Maranatha High has an account, so we send them exercise to do through that. So now we will be able to take the whole class and give them multiple choice exams or regular test, using the tablets. “It is going to be better for the students on a whole to better manage their academic life. They would have their school calendar there; they would have assignments; they would have a video camera, just regular still camera to take pictures. And we can give assignments now; so instead of going home to do assignment or research on, say, a revolution, you can create a two-minute
video on the revolution,” Brown explained. In the meantime, Alton McPherson, Head of the Science and Technology Department at the school, and also a teacher of Mathematics, Physics and Information Technology said that the training of teaching staff was tantamount to the success of the programme, which is whey have begun to use the first set of tablets to focus on the teachers. “There is no way that the students can be fully engaged without the staff being trained, because the students using the tablets by themselves, they are going to end up in gaming, internet messaging and all of that. So, we need to have the staff trained before the students get engaged. We hope to use three to three and a half months to train the staff. A number of students, even if they have not acquired these new tablets, have tablets of their own. And so, we hope plan to develop a focus group of either one class or a selected 10 to 15 students to pilot the project before September begins,” McPherson said. In the meantime, E. Jay Saunders, Manager for Digicel TCI said that his company, in addition to providing the internet service, would also supply the devices. “The most basic role is that we will provide them with the tablets. The first few we provide them at an aggressive
price. The other ones, we basically gave it to the school. Beyond and above that, we have created something now called the Digicel 4G Campus, where our goal now is to get free internet, using our service, to every school in the Turks and Caicos. “As far as I am aware, we don’t have any school in the Turks and Caicos that can be called a wired campus – one that is wireless internet right around the campus, where you can go and sit at the lunch bench outside and get onto the internet,” Saunders said. He said revealed that the Digicel 4G Campus would be rolled out early next year. He said also that through the programme, Digicel would be offering tablets to participating schools at a cost of $150 per device, adding that the telecoms company would offer 4G internet at an extremely competitive price. “We have a very aggressive timeline to have this in for the first three months of the next year, but the goal is (to roll out) by September 13, to ensure that all schools that want to be a part of that progrmme could be on it. We have spoken to a number of schools already, and so far 13 schools have committed and say they want to be a part of it. And, those schools represent more than 80 percent of the population in the Turks and Caicos,” Saunders said.
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DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
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Airport Grace Bay Cruise Centre
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Is it the done thing or what? By Royal S. Robinson, MBE
Look at where these persons are seated in the House of I think that we as a people just Assembly. They are on the side have a tendency to let things of the House where the slide and say that they do not government side sits. If the case matter, so why bother. In the were that they should be siding overall scheme things, we cannot with the opposition as a matter let them happen. People tend to of cause, they would have been take some things for granted, seated on that side. There is even though they are wrong in plenty room there on the side of form and substance, and would the opposition! not change if not challenged. I have been listening to and A recent case in point was the have given my personal opinion Governor’s selection of his two as to the status of the election appointed members. Yes, our 2011 petition that was brought against edition of the Constitution gave Dr. Edward Smith as first him the absolute right to select two respondent and Hon. Amanda persons. However, that did not Missick as second respondent ROYAL ROBINSON give him the absolute right to be and the enjoining of the AG in CONTRIBUTER both tone deaf and insensitive in the matter. No matter what the his appointments. arguments that have been If he were, as he likes to say, in tune with the pulse brought by the Petitioner, the judge has a serious hurdle of the real people of the Turks and Caicos, he would to overcome and that is the settled case of Hobbs from know that the people wanted to be as far away as 1904. possible from any vestiges of the previous Interim The second one is that there has never been an Administration. He himself wants to be a constant election petition brought on the basis of any wrong reminder of those days, so he selects persons from one doing of a losing candidate in an election. I am sure that of his operating bodies, the Consultative Forum to be many of you would remember that in 1999, in North his armor bearer in the new House of Assembly. He Caicos East (better known as Bottle Creek), that the wanted to directly insert himself into the process by candidates were Michael Misick, Ashwood Forbes and insisting that he read a speech to the House of Assembly Emmanuel Missick. Michael lost by 4 votes. that was of his own making. Many got some 70 + votes. Those were his I have said it before, and I will say it again and legitimate votes as he was on the ballot and those again until he is removed from office, that no matter the people voted for him. Everyone knew that he siphoned cunning smile or the infamous tick, this man means off votes from Mike and Ashwood. People in the Turks and Caicos Islanders no good. We can see that constituency would tell you that Mike got the worst of by every action that he has taken so far. the siphoning off. His petition did not complain about But let us return a bit to the appointments and their the 70 + votes, as Selver is complaining about the 58 positioning in the House of Assembly. First of all, the for Smith. Governor sits in Cabinet as the President. All policies He complained about those persons would should and pieces of Legislation must come from that body have been able to vote, but did not, because of some before they are debated on in the House and passed, irregularities in the process at that time. What with or without amendments. eventually happened was that there were only two Form and precedent dictate that the members so instances proved to the satisfaction of the Supreme appointed, vote with the governing party, and unless it Court’s Justice Richard Ground. So he found for the is a question of a vote of conscience. Then they would Respondent Forbes, and in that instance, the two, could abstain. It was certainly bad form to vote against a not overcome or be equal to the four. That judgment government motion in direct support of the opposition. was given on the basis of the Hobbs case of 1904.
EDITORIAL CARTOON
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
Turks and Caicos Sun Suite # 5, Airport Plaza Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands Tel: (649) 946-8542/ (649) 241-1510 Fax: (649) 941-3281 Email: sun@suntci.com Read us online at www.suntci.com
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In 2003, the situation was different. The provable numbers of irregularities were greater than the vote margin, so the same Justice Ground ruled in favour of the Petitioners, Hanchell and Been, in South Caicos North and Five Cays, respectively, and a bye election was called. So from facts on the ground here in Turks and Caicos Islands, we have had a recent similar circumstance, but no case was brought to overturn an election based on the supposed fact that votes were siphoned off from the a candidate because another candidate inserted himself into the process by having his name on the ballot. The challenge has always been to unseat from the Legislature or House of Assembly, a successful candidate. As Ariel Misick QC said, if the Justice in this case were to go in that direction, she would be making new law. There is never a case where a Court of lower jurisdiction can overturn a decision of a court of higher jurisdiction. As a result of this case being now brought, I would like the penalty for a false declaration under the law to be substantially more than the one thousand dollars of three months imprisonment or both. It should be a real deterrent to avoid someone doing that for the “fun” of it and then getting away with what could be termed a slap on the wrist. I rest my case! Royal Robinson was a former Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance and Health in the Progressive National Party (PNP) Administration.
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN’S LETTERS POLICY
The Turks and Caicos SUN welcomes Letters to the Editor. Letters containing libelous or defamatory charges, personal attacks or abusive language will not be considered for publication. We would prefer letters of 500 words or less, and we will not print anonymous letters or letters tagged with initials. All letters are subject to the final approval of the Publisher and Editor-inChief, who reserves the right to accept or reject submissions and to edit letters and headlines to meet our established standards for grammar, clarity and length.
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
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DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
LOCAL NEWS
Gunmen-slinging thugs traumatize Clement Howell students BY VIVIAN TYSON SUN SENIOR EDITOR
A number of students at the Clement Howell High School on Providenciales were left traumatized after gun-toting and machete-wielding men invaded the campus on Thursday, December 6, in search of pupils said to have been involved in an earlier skirmish with alleged student members of their gang. One female student, The SUN understands, collapsed from hyperventilation on seeing the incident, and had to be rushed for medical attention. Other students observed by this newspaper were in obvious shock from the traumatic incident, which forced the school to close for the remainder of the day. Some students were in the middle of their end of year exams when the fracas broke out. An eyewitness said that sometime during the latter part of lunch period, a group of male students were seen fighting near the cafeteria area. The melee was quickly quashed by security guards on the compound. Two students received minor cuts and bruises from that encounter. One of the fighting students, who managed to elude the guards, reportedly ran onto the road and minutes later a white car with approximately six men aboard screeched at the school gate. The eyewitness said that the men, after alighting from the vehicle, dashed onto the compound, scaling the above waist-high entrance gate that, at the time, was being manned by a female security guard. The campus invasion triggered a melee among the now frightened students, who, in their disorganized attempts to scurry for safety, almost caused a stampede. The eyewitness said that some male students who were suspected to be on the men’s hit list were quickly ushered by teachers into room before the thugs could spot them. They reportedly remained there until the armed men left. There is conflict as to whether the hoodlums did discharge gunshots. The eyewitness said that they did, while the police said they could not confirm it. According to the eyewitness, the
Frantic parents scrambling to take their children from the school after gunmen invaded the institution
men fired two shots at the back of the building before rushing back through the gate and invaded the auditorium where some students were in the middle of their exams. Chaos also reigned when the men entered, as the students took cover. The eyewitness said that the men, whose invasion lasted about five minutes, fired another round shortly after boarding the vehicle and was about to exit the general compound. Some of the students said to have been involved in the fracas, for the better part of the afternoon, were holed up in an almost four-hour-long meeting, involving some of their parents, the school’s administration and members of the Education Department. Deputy Premier and Ministry of Education Youth and Culture Hon. Akierra Misick; Opposition Leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson; Country-wide MP. Hon. Josephine Connolly; and Hon. Delroy Williams, Member of Parliament for the Wheeland constituency, also visited the scene, where they held meetings with the school’s administration and the Education Department. Misick later told the media that police security would be provided at the institution for at least until the end of the term, with a view to pan out a more long term security mechanism at
the institution. The Acting Premier said that she could not comment at length about the situation since the police were still carrying out investigations. “We have heard rumours, and we are telling people not to pay any credence to the rumours right now. There are rumours that gunshots may have been fired; the police are investigating the matter. What I can say is that persons that entered the property were not students that created the chaos, which resulted in the exams being suspended. “We, from the Ministry (of Education) are watching this matter. We have requested that government psychologist come in and speak with the students and teachers who were visibly shaken and may have concerns about today’s actions. We know the concerns of Clement Howell High School in terms of security, in terms investing resources and protecting the students, the teachers, and ensuring the parents that their children are here to get an education and not become part of a gang,” Misick said. In the meantime, Hon. Cartwright-Robinson said that the Opposition got wind of the incident while at a meeting in Grace Bay, and rushed to the scene. She said that the Opposition was concerned about the security of staff and students, and so,
Leroy Charles is New Director of Crown Land Unit Mr. Leroy Charles has been appointed Director of the Crown Land Unit in the Lands Division of the Attorney General’s Chambers, with effect from December 3rd, 2012. Mr. Charles brings to the position a wealth of experience, having served for more than 25 years as a professional Land Surveyor and Land Administrator in his native country Guyana and the Turks and Caicos Islands, where he served for nearly twelve (12) years as Director of Lands and Surveys
(later Survey and Mapping). Prior to his most recent appointments Mr. Charles worked with the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission. In January 1988 he moved to the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA) – a Drainage and Irrigation Land Settlement Scheme, where he served as Head of the Lands and Surveys Division, Corporate Secretary, Deputy General Manager and General Manager for more than eleven (11) years.
would be making representation to have security shored up at the institution. She said also that the Opposition would be batting for a better gate system at the institution in the wake of the thugs scaling the existing one onto the compound. “We are also going to go on board to deal with some of the students that may have involved by providing financial support for whatever programmes and for whatever assistance that we can give. We have had the opportunity to speak with some of the students – to comfort them. Some of them are terrified. They explained to us what the situation is as it relates to gangs. “And, we are calling on the police, because I know that Officer (Hilton) Duncan was doing good job in dealing with gangs, and we need to re-staff the Community Policing Department again, to make sure that we take this matter in hand because it is obviously escalating, and as parents, you need to step up and do your part. Ensure you know where your kids are and what they are doing, and please, take their security seriously,” Cartwright-Robinson urged. Cartwright-Robinson defended the residual action taken by Principal Gerald Persaud, after some parents criticized his immediate response to the incident. “I spoke to the principal, I spoke to the teachers. You can appreciate that this is something that he can’t really speak to as yet. He was trying to deal with the students on the campus; not that he is trying to run away from parents. I had the opportunity to speak to some of the parents as well. But he has had to be dealing with the police, and immediately responding to the police, the students and the staff,” Cartwright Robinson explained. She conceded that while Clement Howell High was overcrowded, such reality had nothing to do with the school yard brawl, but rather a disagreement in the community between warring factions, made up of idle youth, that spilled over on campus. Cartwright-Robinson also called for the return of metal detectors to the compound, emphasizing that they would be for the security of the students and teachers.
Prior to migrating to the Turks and Caicos Islands, Mr. Charles was a Senior Lecturer and Assistant Dean in the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Guyana. Mr. Charles is a Graduate of the University of East London, United Kingdom, where he obtained a Honours Degree in Survey and Mapping Sciences (1983) and a Master of Philosophy in Photogrammetry and Digital Map Revision (1986). He is married to Wendie and together they have four (4) children. Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Charles said: “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to continue to serve the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands in this new post. I pledge to continue to serve with the same commitment and dedication that has been the hallmark of my entire public service career. This is a role that comes with very significant responsibilities, and I wish to give the assurance that I intend to rise to the challenge.”
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
LOCAL NEWS
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
Over 100 charges for alleged female credit card thieves Three sisters and a cousin who allegedly stole a black credit card and went on a spending spree across Providenciales, were altogether slapped with more than a hundred charges ranging from theft, forgery, handling stolen goods, obtaining goods by deception and uttering forged documents. Sisters Lashanda Smith, Kiskidee Smith, Shakera Clarke and cousin Latoya Knowles, were slapped with 18 individual charges and another 18 joint raps. The charge list against the four was so long that president Judge; Clifton Warner dubbed it ‘the marathon case’. The three were reported to have stolen a Bank of America credit card registered to Raul Lakani on November 24, at the Carol Gardens Hotel in Providenciales. The court was told that, after obtaining the card, the foursome visited a number of
establishments to purchase items ranging from shoes, clothing, grocery and gasoline. The court was informed that they went to went to Kishco Trading, where they spent $2,000 on shoes and clothing items. They spent $2,000 at Building Material, $1.054.50 at Max’s Minimart on Airport Road, a another , $517.88 at Miss Moonie’s Restaurant in Juba Sound, $355.66 at Quality Supermarket on the Leeward Highway, $170 at Executive Tours (gas purchase) and $16.93 at Danny Buoys. The quartet was not allowed to enter a plea, as they were informed by Warner that their alleged acts was indictable and to that end the Supreme Court was the appropriate place for their case to be thrashed out. Samantha Glinton, who led the prosecution, told the court that she would not object bail providing that
CRIME AND INCIDENT REPORTS The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police are investigating an Aggravated Burglary in The Bight area which was reported to 911 on Thursday December 06th 2012 at 10:18AM. A male reported that his wife and maid were being held by (2) two masked males. The said males instructed the husband to go to a bank for a specific sum of money and upon being released, he contacted 911. Police officers responded and undertook a full scale operation involving officers from numerous units as well as a helicopter and tracker dog. The wife and maid were not seriously harmed and a manhunt is still underway for the (2) two subjects. The scene was processed by scenes of crime officers and further
investigations are being carried out by the Royal Turks & Caicos Police. The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police are also investigating a theft from (3) three containers in Leeward Palms which was reported to Five Cays Police Station on Wednesday December 05th 2012 at 10:25AM. A number of items were discovered stolen, namely a quantity of electrical wire and also a radio from a truck which was parked nearby. The scene was processed by scenes of crime officers and further investigations are being carried out by Criminal Investigations Department. The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police are also investigating a burglary which was reported on
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the accused agreed to the conditions of surrendering their travel documents, report to the police station twice a week and not make contact with the witnesses. However, Oliver Smith, the attorney representing Latoya Knowles and Laura Maroof, who represented Shakera Clarke, protested aspects of the bail conditions. Maroof initially argued that seizing Clarke’s travel document should be enough, since she was the mother of a seven month-old baby and could have problems dealing with the hassle of making two trips a week to the police station. She later settled for a once a week report, after Glinton advised the court of past incidents where accused whose travel documents were seized, still managed to flee the country. Maroof also sided with Smith that since the accused did not know who the witnesses were they could inadvertently
make contact with them, which could result in the revocation of their bail privileges. Smith had argued for his client’s travel document not to be seized, saying that she was Belonger and had nowhere to go. However, Glinton told the court that some of the accused had ties to other countries. She said that Kiskidee Smith only returned to the Turks and Caicos Islands in the latter part of November, while Knowles returned to the country from the Bahamas as an adult. She said also that Lashanda Smith had an adopted mother, who was originally from the Dominican Republic. She noted also that the women had never faced such charges before, and since, if found guilty, could face up to seven years in jail, there was no telling what they might do if given too much latitude. The four are to appear in the Supreme Court on January 11, for a sufficiency hearing.
Wednesday December 05th 2012 at 6:39PM. A resident of Thompson Cove, Providenciales contacted 911 and reported that he secured his home at 5PM and upon returning at 6:15PM, discovered his home ransacked. Numerous items are missing. These items include, Laptop computers, and Flat screen TV’s among other items. Officers responding to the scene made a search of the nearby area and were able to recover some of the items that were stolen. The scene was processed by scenes of crime officers and further investigations are being carried out by Criminal Investigations Department.
reported that a vehicle pulled into her yard and then she heard what she believed to have been multiple gun shots coming from that area. Police officers arrived quickly at the location although person(s) responsible had already fled. The scene was processed by scenes of crime officers and further investigations are being carried out by the Criminal Investigations Department.
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police are also investigating a report of shots fired, which was reported on Thursday December 06th 2012 at 3:03AM. A resident of Blue Hills, Providenciales contacted 911 and
Police are appealing to the public who may have information to call the Police on 911 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1-800-8477. Tips can also be submitted anonymously in English, French or Spanish on either www.crimestoppers.tc or on Facebook as a fan of Crime Stoppers Turks & Caicos. Crime Stoppers tips are received in the USA. For more information, please call 2323763 or 232-3287
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
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DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
LOCAL NEWS
Stolen uniforms forces police to reexamine tailoring contracts BY VIVIAN TYSON SUN SENIOR EDITOR
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force has been forced to review its overall outsourcing policy after thieves broke into a Providenciales tailoring store and stole an undisclosed number of uniforms. The police said the incident may have taken place between Friday night (November 30) and Saturday morning (December 1). No police hats were at the store during the time of burglary. As a result of the theft, Deputy Commissioner of Police Brad Sullivan is warning the public to be vigilant when approached by especially an unfamiliar individual wearing a police uniform, since the stolen clothes could be used for a variety of illegal reasons. “The tailor shop on the Old Airport Road was broken into sometime between the hours of closing and reopening the next morning. In that period the person or persons who committed the burglary stole a number of police uniforms that were either being tailored or were being constructed for us. Although we do not have any new leads on this, I just want to emphasize the seriousness of this matter. “I want to stress to the general public that there is a need to question our officers until we get to the bottom of this. If you do not feel that the
person you are speaking to is a police officer, do not be afraid to ask them to see their badge, to see their warrant card and, or call 911, and say that there are persons asking questions and you are not sure that they are police officers,” Sullivan emphasized. Sullivan continued: “These types of clothing articles being out there in the public can be used for a variety of reasons, which none of them would be proper. Our police officers have a distinct uniform for a reason; we are the authority; we are doing the job of policing. So, for individuals to steal this items, we can only speculate as to what use they would be put to.” Sullivan told the media that they were not sure as how many uniforms stolen from the tailor shop, and that the owner and investigators have been working to determine the correct number. “That is the problem that we are facing right now; our investigators have been to the tailor shop, he (owner) was unsure as to how many uniforms he was working on. We are going through our processes with our officers to determine who had uniforms there that were being tailored or altered, plus what he had started making for us…that’s a working in progress right now,” Sullivan explained. He said that as a result of the stolen uniforms, the authorities would now reexamine how it awards
contracts certain jobs to private entities. “Up to this point there has not been a lot of consideration. Once you need the uniform or certain things done, you approach the company that is available to do them locally, and that’s what we have been doing. Hindsight being 20/20, we probably should do a security review of the establishment to see how he does secure his establish; what is kept there; what should be locked up better; what measures he has to take to have our business, because this uniform is very important to the country. “We should be, if we haven’t already, take steps to ensure that the contractors we deal with to do such things are taking all the security measures that they need to take. When you are working on something like this (police uniforms) it has to be secured. It has to be accounted for. This can’t be on shelves where people can see it and people take the opportunity to take it. ” Sullivan said.
He said that the force was not looking into having a full time inhouse tailor, citing a lack of work, given the size of the force. Sullivan said that the public is being relied on to tell any information that they might have or report any suspicious activities involving the stolen uniforms to pass on such information to the Criminal Investigation Division, 911 or through Crimestoppers. In the meantime, Audley Astwood, the new Police Spokesman said that a reward has been offered to anyone who could give information leading to the recovery of the uniforms. “And also, we want to remind the public that measures are being put in place to make sure that this type of incident does not happen again. We will now take the approach that when we give someone police uniform to make, it will be as if we give you a firearm, so that people do not get access to the uniforms easily,” Astwood said.
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DION RAMSEY/DRS BUILDING LTD SEEKS
Salary $7.00 per hour Contact 242-5334
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
LOCAL NEWS
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
Decision in election petition delayed BY HAYDEN BOYCE PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Madam Justice Margaret RamsayHale said she needs more time to deliberate on legal arguments before she gives her ruling in the Cheshire Hall/Richmond Hill election petition. When the court resumed at 4 p.m. on Wednesday December 5th, Ramsay-Hale said she found it “difficult to condense” the arguments which were submitted over the past two days. However, she noted that because of the seriousness of the case and in the public interest, she will endeavour to have the decision available in good and reasonable time. If Madame Justice sides with Queen’s Counsel Ariel Misick, the case will end, but if she rules against him, a date of January 7th, 2013 has been set for a trial to begin to determine if there will be a by-election. During two days of hearing, the court heard submissions from Ariel Misick, QC, who is representing Hon. Amanda Misick who won the Cheshire Hall/Richmond Hill seat, and Jamaican, Allan Wood, QC, who is the lawyer for Oral Selver who lost by 30 votes in the November 9th general elections. On Tuesday, Ariel Misick applied to have the petition filed by Selver struck out as disclosing no cause of action. In the petition, Selver alleges that Edward Smith is a US Citizen who has voluntarily acknowledged allegiance to
the United States and was therefore not qualified to be a candidate. He contends that but for Smith's nomination, the 58 persons who voted for him might have given their votes to the other candidates including himself and because Amanda Missick won only by a margin of 30, the election results may have been different. In moving the strike out application, Ariel submitted that the petition was misconceived in two respects. Firstly, it was submitted that the question of the validity of the nomination of Smith was different to the question of whether a member was validly elected. Secondly, it was submitted that if Smith was disqualified from being elected, that did not mean that the votes given to him did not count. It was further submitted that whether the 58 votes for Smith were counted or thrown out, Amanda Missick would still have won. Wood argued that where a candidate who is not duly qualified has not won, an election petition can only be entertained, as in this case, if by reason of the votes cast for that candidate, a court is satisfied that the election may have been affected and the result may have been different if that irregularity had not occurred. Misick said that if Smith had won, the position would have been entirely different, because he would have been disqualified from holding office. He said that eligibility of a
Systems Specialist/ Systems Integrator Doves Security Services is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Systems Specialist/Systems Integrator. Candidate should posses at least an Associate Degree in electronics or management of information systems as well as a project management certificate from a recognized tertiary intuition as well as industry certifications A+, network+, security+ ITIL, MCTS & MCSA/MCSE, CCTV, CEHFI. The candidate is required to have at least 10 years experience working with various aspects of information technology and security surveillance & access control systems; pc’s servers, security equipment, POS systems (alarm integrated), Alarm systems, CCTV systems, access control systems, switches & routers & integrated building management systems and home automation systems This position requires an advanced IT Professional with in-depth knowledge of building management systems, project management, advanced CCTV systems & access control systems in the following areas; residential, commercial, shipping & logistics, police airport shopping centers supermarkets and gated communities. The candidate will be responsible for all the maintenance of systems (IT, fire, Alarm, CCTV, BMS)and server equipment for Doves Security Systems as well as all of its client locations in the Turks & Caicos Islands. Must have installed similar applications, reference sites/application will be checked. SAlary: $15.00 per hour ONLY QUALIFIED APPLICANTS MAY APPLY QUALIFIED BELONGERS WILL BE GIVEN FIRST PREFERENCE
candidate for an election and the eligibility of a candidate for nomination are not the same thing, adding that the court has to decide whether a candidate is eligible to be elected. Misick told the court: “If you are being asked to examine your Common Law jurisdiction my learned friend (Mr. Wood) has to show that such jurisdiction exists. And there is not a single Common Law case where any court, anywhere, has voided an election based on the disqualification of a candidate who never won. There is no such Common Law and it is impossible to think that is such had existed, it would not have been exercised.” In response to a question from the judge about Smith’s alleged unlawful act, Misick said: “With due respect, My Lady, you would be creating new law if you were to come to that conclusion. You would be overriding a case that has stood since 1904.” Judge Ramsay-Hale asked: “What about the argument that if there was an irregularity the (Smith’s) votes would be thrown away? Ariel responded: “ My argument, based on a case that has stood since 1904 and my learned friend or anyone else cannot quote any other case which says that rule in Hobbs (case law) does not apply to a case where the disqualified candidate has not won. If his vote stands, then his votes must be counted. Either the votes count or they don’t, because you still have 58 votes for him, 394 for the winning candidate and 364 for the losing candidate. So you can’t have a situation where the votes count and they don’t count at the
same time.” He added: “The jurisdictional basis for dealing with these cases is the same; if it is not perverse you count the vote because people have exercised their preference and that is precisely the reason why the Elections Ordinance provides for the returning officer and the presiding officer to notify people at the poll on the day of election when someone is disqualified. You can’t have an election where someone is valid and invalid at the same time.” Wood said that although Smith has not been elected, he inserted himself unlawfully in the election process and this has affected the election. He added: “By reason of a falsity, Smith has inserted himself as a candidate in the election process and because of this he has been given votes that exceed the winning margin between the legitimate candidates. No court can truly say that the majority if voters in the constituency have supported the candidate who was returned and that in a nutshell is what this case is all about. So there is a clear irregularity in the elections process, going back to the nomination papers which I submit the court can’t shut its eyes to.” Ariel rebutted by saying that under the law, Smith was qualified to be nominated and he was entitled to stand in the elections, and if he was so entitled, then his votes must be counted and they must stand. He added: “In this case, no one any authority to disregard the votes. The law says he was a proper candidate.
ASSISTANT FRONT DESK OPERATOR SUN AND FUN SEA SPORTS
Must have drivers license Must speak English well Be willing to work weekends Interested applicants please call 946-5724 Ask for Mr. Paul
Job Opportunity
Senior Litigation Solicitor
A senior litigation solicitor is required for a new firm based in Providenciales. The successful candidate will be a qualified solicitor with at least ten years of post-qualification experience in appropriate litigation disciplines: commercial, corporate, construction, insolvency, negligence, compliance, fraud and related matters. Excellent communication skills, experience with solicitors’ accounts, ability to manage files and work independently is essential, together with the requisite experience in preparation of cases to instruct counsel and direct client relationships. Experience in mediation/A.D.R. will be considered an advantage. Salary commensurate with experience. Please send application in writing to: Unit 007 SDR Complex, 176 South Dock Road, P.O. Box 666, Providenciales
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Page 11
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
LOCAL NEWS
REPORT on the Remuneration and Allowances of the Speaker and other Members of the House of Assembly (PURSUANT TO SECTION 124(2) OF THE CONSTITUTION)
Introduction 1. Schedule 2 to the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2011 (the Constitution) empowers the Integrity Commission (the Commission) to provide a Report recommending appropriate levels of remuneration and allowances to be paid to the Speaker and other members of the House of Assembly. In pursuance of its constitutional mandate, the Commission humbly presents this Report. 2. Specifically, section 124 of the Constitution enacts as follows: “(1) There shall be paid to the Speaker and the other members of the House of Assembly such remuneration and allowances as may be prescribed by Ordinance. (2) The House of Assembly shall not proceed on any bill for an Ordinance referred to in subsection (1) unless a Report by the Integrity Commission recommending the appropriate levels of such remuneration and allowances has been laid before the House and has been published; and no Ordinance shall provide for levels of remuneration or allowances that exceed the levels recommended in such Report. (3) The remuneration and allowances payable to the Speaker and the other members of the House of Assembly are hereby charged on and shall be paid out of the Consolidated Fund.” In the view of the Commission, fixing remuneration for parliamentarians cannot be done in a vacuum. The fundamental and overriding question to be asked is: What price are the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) prepared to pay for good governance? The Constitution itself is predicated upon the need to implement best practices and notions of good governance in the Islands. 4. Good governance includes the maintenance of law and order, and acknowledgment of the importance of honesty, fairness and transparency in public affairs and the creation of an environment in which citizens are afforded an opportunity to maximize their potential. Obviously, also inherent in the notion of good governance is the absence of corrupt practices. 5. Members of the House of Assembly are law makers. But Ministers, especially, perform critical roles as policy and decision-makers. They are charged with responsibility for the implementation of programmes and policies for the development of the Islands. Accordingly, the role of government and the concept of governance in the TCI are of paramount importance in the context of the political, social and economic development of the Islands. 6. It follows that the representatives of the people in the House of Assembly should be persons not only of good character and standing but should be persons in whom the people are satisfied of their credentials for representation and leadership. Competent political leadership is crucial for good governance and the country must be prepared to pay the people’s representatives decent remuneration for decent work. 7. At the same time, remuneration must never be the motivation for public service. On the other hand,
virtues such as a sense of duty and public purpose and a desire to contribute to the growth and development of one’s country ought to be the motivating factors. But public service also entails some personal sacrifice and members of the House of Assembly cannot expect to earn salaries comparable to the highest paid executives in the private sector. 8. The foregoing are some of the general considerations which the Commission took into account in formulating the recommendations which appear later in this Report. 9. Before setting out its recommendations, the Commission deems it prudent to explain the manner in which it proceeded and the methodology it adopted in arriving at its recommendations. BACKGROUND CONSIDERATIONS 10. In developing its recommendations, the Commission took into account the following matters: (a) The Fiscal and Economic State of the Islands. It is undoubted that the recession which has engulfed the world since 2008, has had a severe impact on the financial and economic health of the TCI. For the last several years, the Government’s finances have been in a parlous state and it has been obliged, inter alia, to raise a loan of US$260 million from Scotia Bank backed by a guarantee of the British Government for the period 2011 to 2017. The effects of the global recession were compounded by other factors specific to the TCI and the end result has been a significant increase in the Government’s fiscal deficit. The dire financial situation required the most stringent response by the INTERIM ADMINISTRATION and it is common knowledge that the TCI are experiencing a period of great austerity reflected in the introduction and implementation of a wide range of measures. 11. Accordingly, having regard to the fiscal and economic realities of the times, the Commission considered it essential to bear in mind the ability of the TCI Government to pay reasonable and respectable remuneration and allowances to the members of the House of Assembly. After all, public officials and workers can only reasonably expect to receive such remuneration as the TCI can bear. (b) The Underlying Principles The Commission also took account of certain principles which should underpin the fixing of remuneration. The Commission identified seven principles against which remuneration and allowances should be determined. These are: (i) Members of the House of Assembly must be remunerated at a level that is proportionate to the responsibilities associated with membership of the House or Ministerial responsibility. (ii) Levels of remuneration must adequately reward public service and render such service satisfying to the member. (iii) Levels of remuneration must be so reasonable and proportionate that they serve as a disincentive to members to become corrupt.
(iv) There must be differentiation between remuneration paid to Ministers who will serve as full-time officials and other members of the House of Assembly who will be free to pursue their private occupations while still serving as members of the House. (v) Levels of remuneration must reflect the realities of public service in a small Commonwealth jurisdiction. (vi) Levels of remuneration must bear relativity to the remuneration accorded to members of legislatures in the Commonwealth Caribbean. (vii) Levels of remuneration must take account of the cost of living. The Commission examined and analysed the remuneration packages for members of Parliament in the following Commonwealth Caribbean countries: Anguilla, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Montserrat. 14. In addition, the Commission took into account the salaries and allowances paid to members of the last elected House of Assembly in the TCI. 15. At all times the Commission was aware that some British Overseas Territories in the Commonwealth Caribbean region, though small in population, are more financially and economically robust than the TCI and even several of the independent Commonwealth Caribbean nations. This last observation applies in its fullest rigour to Bermuda and the Cayman Islands especially. Comparative Tables The Commission is of opinion that the TCI Government should provide certain perquisites of office to certain members of the House of Assembly as follows: (i) Provision of Official Cars 22. The Commission recommends that, in future, the TCI Government lease official vehicles for use by the Premier, Deputy Premier and Ministers in Grand Turk. (ii) Provision of Housing 23. The Commission also recommends that the Government provide for the Premier, a fully maintained official residence in Grand Turk and Providenciales, at a monthly rent in the vicinity of $6 000 for each of these Islands, and also provide necessary household staff. ALLOWANCES (i) Constituency Allowance 24. The Commission is satisfied that the allowances attributed to members in the last elected House of Assembly were grossly disproportionate to the basic salaries or the work associated with the respective offices. The Commission, however, is not in favour of the total abolition of allowances. The fact that the Constitution specifies that there must be a minimum number of 9 meetings of the House of Assembly per calendar year does not derogate from the inescapable duty of members of the House to service and be seen to service their constituencies on a regular basis. Accordingly, the Commission recommends that every member of the House of Assembly be paid a monthly constituency allowance of $1 200. (ii) Telephone Allowance 25. The Commission recommends that all members of the House of Assembly should receive a monthly telephone
allowance of $100.00. TRAVEL ALLOWANCES 26. The Commission recommends that actual expenses incurred by Members for subsistence and travel should be reimbursed by the Government in accordance with procedures set out in the Government’s travel policy and procedures. (C) Salaries 27. The Commission does not believe that the salaries and allowances paid in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda are an appropriate benchmark for the TCI. These are jurisdictions with per capita incomes far in excess of what obtains in TCI. The Commission therefore sought to find a level of salary which would be more tolerable in the TCI. The Commission specially considered the offices of Premier, Deputy Premier, Speaker and Leader of the Opposition in order to fix appropriate levels of remuneration for all members of the House. PREMIER 28. The office of Premier is arguably the most important in the Islands. It is therefore vital that this office be remunerated by taking into account the vast responsibilities associated with this office while, at the same time, paying due regard to the levels of remuneration of other persons in the public service and the ability of the country to pay reasonable remuneration. 29. Accordingly, the Commission recommends that the basic annual salary of the Premier should be $140 000. Thereafter, the Commission has applied a 10% differential between the salaries of the Premier, Deputy Premier and Ministers. Deputy Premier, Other Ministers and Members 30. The salary of the Deputy Premier should be fixed at $126 000 and those of Ministers should be pegged at $113 400. Other Members of the House should be paid $70 000 per annum. Speaker and Deputy Speaker 31. The primary role of the Speaker is to preside over debates in the House of Assembly. The Speaker must ensure that the Rules of the House are followed and must be fair and impartial to all parliamentarians in the execution of his role. The office of Speaker is clearly one of tremendous responsibility, sensitivity and importance. The previous salary of the Speaker ($48 000) was altogether too low. The Commission recommends that the Speaker’s salary be increased to $75 000 and the Deputy Speaker be paid $72 000. LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION 32. The role and function of the Leader of the Opposition in a democratic society are of the greatest importance. Such a person is recognised by the Constitution and is expected to be the leading voice in the House of Assembly and the society at large holding the Government of the day accountable for its stewardship. And, of course, the Leader of the Opposition is often perceived to be the leader of the “Government-in-waiting”. 33. The salary of the Leader of the Opposition should be equated with that of the Speaker as is the case in Barbados. Thus, the Commission recommends that a salary of $75 000 per annum be assigned to the office of Leader of the Opposition.
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
PROVO WATER COMPANY LTD.
Provo Water Company Ltd is seeking suitable applicants to fill the following positions:
POSITION: SYSTEM DESIGN ENGINEER
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION: • Registered Civil Engineer • At least 5 t years’ experience in civil works with emphasis waterworks and piping networks. • Have a strong knowledge of hydraulics and piping design calculations. • Effective organization skills and ability to work effectively both in a team setting and independently • Computer proficient with exposure in Microsoft Word and Excel and hydraulic modeling software. JOB DESCRIPTION: The System Design Engineer works under the direction of the head of the Engineering Department. This individual provides technical direction and management for the design compliance and construction works leading to the maintenance of the islands waterworks system. This position can be adapted to either primary or construction or facility maintenance functions.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO: • Provide Surveys, Designs and detailed engineering for proposed waterworks, civil works, engineering projects, modifications and maintenance. • Monitor and Record hydraulics input - output data such as system’s pressures, velocities and flows including pumping stations and water storage facilities for engineering design task. • Carry out continuous engineering studies, investigations and design calculations for the maintenance of water supply system in the island. • Provide cost-effective solutions to waterworks requirements/situations and establish review procedures to minimize cost growth. • Perform Engineering field surveys for establishing boundaries and limits , developing contours and profiles, piping routes and levels. • Develop company standards for all construction and or facility maintenance works. • Apply standard practices and techniques in specific engineering assignments, including proficiency in use of engineering/project scheduling tools. • Provide technical assistance to the Operations and Maintenance Department • Ensure that the integrity of master plans is maintained and maintain and update the general site plans for all waterworks facilities including new connections and facilities. • Ensure all subcontractors employed to execute engineering-construction tasks conform to applicable company standards for security, safety, environmental controls, hazardous materials and underground utilities. Salary Range: US$ 36, 000 – 48, 000 per annum POSITION: CONTRACT AND DOCUMENT CONTROLLER
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION: • Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or similar discipline. • At least 5 years experience in contracts and
documents preparation, dissemination and monitoring including the safekeeping thereof particularly acquired from a construction or utility industry. • Strong analytical skills particularly in the design of work processes, workflow, procedures and operations. • At least 2 years experience in storekeeping and stock control system. • Good communications and organization skills • Computer proficient.
JOB DESCRIPTION: A Contract and Document Controller is required to maintain a master contract and document register of all the latest transactions and drawings on every project and purchasing activities of the company and ensure that all recipients are transmitted the documents they require as soon as new revisions are received. This individual reviews contracts; formulates, designs, revises and finalize documents according to what was required and has been agreed upon by the company and parties concerned such as contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers and the likes. This individual is in charge with all the liaison works including the submission and transmittal of contracts/documents to all concerned government and private agencies relative to the on going projects or purchasing activities. This position reports to the Head of Engineering.
The duties of a Contract and Document Controller are: • Reviews and registers internal and external contracts and documents. • Maintenance of controlled and uncontrolled documents registers. • Prepares field work orders including attachment of agreements and drawings for approval by management and execution by field staff. • Prepares reports of investigations, tests, maintenance or other works of the department • Reconciles contractor invoices against work completed to ensure field work invoices are paid accurately • Sending of document transmittals and submittals to all parties concerned. • Log, reference, distribute, and file all related correspondence, drawings, and documents. • Ensuring that contracts and document transmittals are acknowledged in case there is a dispute on whether the said papers were transmitted. • Manage the contracts & document/drawing review process, Internal and External. • Designs and formulate office forms and control system whenever necessary. • Inspect, accept, and store delivered materials and equipment including documentation and control thereof. • Archiving data for historical purposes. • Maintain an accurate and up to date data base of all engineering documents. • Performs other task as may be assigned from time to time relative to the day to day operation of the engineering and administrative department such as detailed engineering and inventory management task. • Assist in leak detection, field investigations, asset maintenance • Performs other duties as instructed by the Head of Engineering Salary Range: US$ 32, 400 – 42, 000 per annum
POSITION: AUTOCAD OPERATOR MINIMUM QUALIFICATION
• Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering • 3 to 5 years AutoCAD experience a must. Must have previous experience in mechanical, electrical and civil drafting, blue print reading and 2 or 3 dimensional work • Must have at least 2 years of experience in a waterworks environment • Strong proficiency in AutoCAD Civil, ArcGIS or equivalent software for piping network design is a must. • Strong knowledge of Primavera (P3) planning software and Microsoft applications. • Must be able to work under time pressure to meet strict deadlines while producing accurate work JOB DESCRIPTION: The AutoCAD Operator reports to the Head of Engineering and must be able to prepare design and as built drawings in AutoCAD, generate engineering flow diagrams from engineer’s examples, update and modify building and piping layouts, update and modify piping networks and details in AutoCAD in a water utility environment.
The duties of an AutoCAD Operator include: • Able to prepare plans and exhibits which entail making accurate computer drawings from design sketches, conceptual drawings, field compiled survey data, and verbal instructions. • Updates mechanical, electrical and civil plans and drawings according to amendments and revisions. • Produce and compile standard facility and utility drawings. • Make all required revisions to approved designs and maintains complete and accurate drawings. • Perform 3D view layout, layer and dimensioning techniques. • Create new drawings out of survey data and verbal instructions. • Follow through with all projects to ensure successful fabrication and installation. • Complete field surveys using manual and modern methods to produce accurate location or as built drawings • Maintain a highly organized and accurate database of the company’s field assets including location and detailed drawings • Assist in leak detection investigations that may require periods of night work • Assist in engineering investigations that may include meter testing and other technical work • Assist in performance of maintenance schedule of the Engineering Department • Other duties as assigned by the Head of Engineering to meet the objectives of the Engineering Department and the Company Salary Range: US$ 32, 400 – 42, 000 per annum All applications must be submitted by December 19th, 2012.
Office Manager PROVO WATER COMPANY LTD. P.O. Box 39, Grace Bay Road Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands Fax: (649) 946-5204 Email: K.Clarke@provowater.tc
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Page 13
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
LOCAL NEWS
A call for heads to roll at Clement Howell At least one member of the clergy is calling for heads to roll at the Clement Howell High School after gun and machete-wielding men invaded the school’s compound on Thursday (December 7) in search of pupils alleged to have been in a fight with student members of their gang. Pastor Brandford Dean of the National Church of God on Providenciales said that Gerald Persaud, principal for the school should be relieved of his job immediately as a result of his handling of the chaotic situation. He said that rather than being locked in meetings in the aftermath of the incident, Persaud should have made himself available to parents, to address them of the situation. “Ask me, should he be here tomorrow? No. Is this a school that I would allow my children to attend? No. As long as he (Persaud) is here, no. I think he should not be here
tomorrow, and I think action should be taken, whereby he should be eliminated immediately from the Turks and Caicos,” Dean said. While bashing the overcrowding situation, which he said could have resulted into the tense situation there, Dean lashed Persaud for not taking charge of the matter from the outset, while stopping short of blaming him for how the situation played out. “I dislike what is happening here, at the school, with all these children. First of all, I think it is too overcrowded, and provision should be made for other accommodations. Secondly, I am disturbed by reasons that, while this was going on, I heard that the principal left the scene and said he had to go to a meeting. I don’t think there is any reason that he should have left the scene and go to a meeting. “And so, I see no reason for him to be a principal tomorrow. As a matter of fact, I would take it a little bit further; I
AMBERGRIS CAY SERVICES LTD. (IN RECEIVERSHIP) SHORT TERM EMPLOYMENT POSITION
Ambergris Cay Services Ltd. (In Receivership) is seeking to fill a temporary post on Ambergris Cay for the period 18th December 2012 to 6th January 2013. The available position is for a PASTRY CHEF.
JOB SUMMARY: Responsible for assisting in the management of the day-today pastry operation of the Restaurant Facility on Ambergris Cay, providing exemplary food and beverage service to visitors to the Cay over the Christmas and New Year period. Performing additional responsibilities, although not detailed, as requested by the Lead Chef and/or Sous Chef
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 1. Assisting the Lead Chef and Sous Chef with all back house operations; 2. Assist in planning, preparation and presentation of meals for guests on Ambergris Cay. 3. Preparing and cooking necessary food items as advised by the Lead Chef or Sous Chef 4. Cleaning and maintaining kitchen work stations 5. Keeping all necessary stocks organized 6. Delivery of outstanding food services to a professional standard. 7. Excellent hands-on knowledge of a wide variety of local and international cuisines. 8. Must be able to work irregular hours, to include nights, weekends, and holidays. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND QUALIFICATIONS: 1. 5 years relevant experience operating in a high quality international environment. 2. International experience of preparing food for special events. 3. Excellent communication skills and a pleasant, professional demeanor. 4. A resourceful personality. 5. Must work and reside on Ambergris Cay for the indicated period. 6. Excellent references are essential Salary: Commensurate with experience. Closing date for applications: Tuesday, 10th December, 2012. Applications must be in writing addressed to: Ambergris Cay Services Ltd. (In Receivership) Unit 51, Salt Mills Plaza, Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, E-mail: burkley.malcolm@ambergristci.com Tel: (649)-941-3777 ; Fax: (649)-941-3778.
see no reason for him to remain here in the Turks and Caicos Islands, because this would not be a place that I would send my child. This is not the environment that I would want my children to grow up in,” Dean charged. The pastor continued: “I pray the blessings of God would continue to move among these children, and I certainly would keep them in prayer.” Another preacher, Apostle Elva Swann, said that the invasion of the school was a wakeup call for those in authority to address the situation. She said that a greater presence by Persaud could somewhat have appeased the chaotic situation. “I think what should have happen today what the principal’s presence should have been felt on the ground. I think the issue should have been addressed with the teachers, the children and the parents. This is an issue which affects the whole community. This is
where our youth and our children come. A young lady told me that a school official was on the microphone asking for the children to cooperate and go back to their class. “But of course, who would return to their class if you see someone with guns coming to shoot you? Everybody is looking for safety. First of all, there needs to be appropriate counseling for those that had been affected and traumatized by this whole event,” she said. She continued: “This is a wakeup call for us, as a little country, who said something like this would never happen here. I think we need to wake up and smell the coffee, so to speak. “As a woman of God, I have to refer to the Bible. The Bible said in the last days there will be wars and rumours of wars. Gang fights is war on a lower level, and we expect those things to happen here in the Turks and Caicos. “We are not exempt from the troubles of the world. At this time we need to focus, and as a nation, we need to turn our attention back in the right place. Get our focus on God, and we need to continue working with our children, to ensure that we teach them the right things and the right way to go.”
ROYAL FOOTWEAR PLUS
1 CASHIER SEEKS
Salary $5.00 per hour Contact 242-0388
DOMESTIC WORKER AND DOG SITTER
to work 6 days per week at $6.00 per hour Must be available to work holidays and some evenings. Must also be able to care for 2 dogs including walking them. Contact 232-1010
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
LOCAL NEWS
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
Premier Dr. Rufus Ewing meets students and TCI residents in London Just after arriving in the United Kingdom (UK), Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing and Minister for Finance and Tourism Hon.Washington Misick conducted “a very important meeting in their four (4) day business trip”: a meeting with TCI students and residents in London. Premier Ewing, on his first official trip since winning the November 9th election, to attend the Joint Overseas Ministerial Council, made a special effort to meet with some twenty (20) students who are studying at various institutions across the United Kingdom. The students were joined at the meeting by other the Turks and Caicos Islands nationals who are now living in London. They came to hear directly from the Premier and the Minister of
Finance and Tourism, how they the new government intended to assist in particular those who were paying their own way through university, as the government moves to prioritise education. The attendees also sought updates on the portfolio assignments of Ministers and points of contact, particularly in the Ministry of Education. . The students asked a range of questions regarding access to funding, partial scholarships and employment opportunities back in the TCI. Most had an optimistic view of the future saw the fact that the Premier and one of his Ministers had come to meet, listen to their challenges and hear their views, a signal of “great things to come”. Premier Ewing told students that he is fully aware of the struggles of being a student in a foreign country
and of the sacrifices that their parents have to make so that they could get quality education. He congratulated those at the meeting who were not on government scholarships, but who saw it necessary to further their studies, albeit on their own. Minister Misick stated that he was impressed by the turn out and the range of study areas represented by the students noting that, “The Turks and Caicos Islands is in good hands by the sheer presence of the youth and talent that is in this room.” He pointed out that the Turks and Caicos Islands needed them to, “return home not only to take up positions in the public service but also in the private sector so that they can help in rebuilding and strengthening the middle class in the territory which is a key area of focus for the government”.
The students who attended the gathering agreed to form an association under the name TCI Overseas Students Association (TOSA) UK, which would liaise with each other and the government with the intention of strengthening the support structure for TCI Students in the UK as well as assisting new students entering the UK. The Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board will act as a support body for the Students’ Association to provide assistance as necessary. The Joint Overseas Ministerial Council brings together leaders from British Overseas territories and UK Ministers. Premier Ewing is accompanied on the trip by Minister Misick and Ronlee James, the Head of Secretariat in the Office of the Premier. The party returns to the TCI on Friday, December 7th 2012.
TCIG requests rental properties for listing In an effort to ensure increased efficiency in the TCIG recruitment process, the Human Resources Management Directorate is compiling a list of houses and apartments that
Ricardo Fulford Consultant Services on behalf of his clients:
Domdesign, L.T.D. is seeking employment for the following: 1) SALE PERSON Salary is $5.00 per hours. Interested candidate may email Domdesign, L.T.D. at Domdesign2010@gmail.com for further details regarding employment. Martha Beauty Salon And Boutique is seeking employment for the following: 1) COSMETOLOGIST Salary is $5.00 per hours. Interested candidate may visit Martha Beauty Salon And Boutique for further details regarding employment. Jojo Kids World is seeking employment for the following: 1) DOMESTIC WORKER Salary is $5.00 per hours. Interested candidate may contact employer at 331-3020 for further details regarding employment. Caribbean Creation is seeking employment for the following: 1) SALESPERSON Salary is $5.00 per hours. Interested candidate may apply through Ricardo Fulford Consultant Services on behalf of Caribbean Creation. TCI RIO RECYCLING is seeking employment for the following: 1) WASTE COLLECTOR Interested candidate may contact TCI RIO RECYCLING at 331-9649 for further details regarding employment. Tripple S VIP Services is seeking employment for the following: 1) MECHANIC Interested candidate may contact Tripple S VIP Services at 331-2839 for further details regarding employment.
are available for rent. The Department is therefore inviting landlord(s) who own furnished property/properties and would like to be included on this list, to submit their names and contact details along with a detailed description of the property and its location to the address below. Information submitted should include: • The monthly rental and any deposits required. • Arrangements for electricity, telephone, water and cable or internet. Please state your property’s
Wanted
GARDENER
Wages: $5 per hour Applicant must be honest, reliable, Hardworking and fluent in English, French Please call: 346-0002
I Variety Store Seeks Store Clerk To work full time Salary $5.00 per hour Contact: 344-0981
source of water supply. • The number of bedrooms and bathrooms - small or large. • Amenities including water heater, air conditioning, washer and/or dryer. Landlords are advised that this listing IS NOT a guarantee of rental, neither will the TCIG enter into negotiations with any landlord regarding rentals. All Agreements are between landlords and tenants and NOT the responsibility of the TCIG.
1 BABYSITTER Wanted
Wages: $5 per hour Applicant must be honest, reliable, Hardworking and fluent in English, French Please call: 345-3940
ONE LABOURER NEEDED
Salary $5.00 per hour 5 days per week Contact: U. Robinson at 232-3117
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
BUTLER
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
IMMEDIATE OPENING
The butler will provide the highest of penthouse service to our guests. The Butler’s primary goal is to create an ambiance of superior luxury by anticipating each individual guest’s needs.. This is accomplished through moments of surprise and delight that our guest would never have experienced before. Also ensure guest familiarities to frequent guests visiting the hotel.
Requirements: • Minimum of 3 years experience in food and beverage fine dining as a personal Butler • Must possess excellent communication skills, both verbal and written • Strong knowledge of a variety of cuisines and wines/beverages • Must possess local knowledge in order to respond to all inquires from guest, such as restaurants information • Must posses basic computational ability • Must posses basic computer skills • Must be able to follow through all the guest requests and communicate them to the appropriate departments and management in an efficient manner • Must be have attention to details second to none ability, superior interpersonal skills and desire to provide exceptional service to our guest. • Ensure guests receive prompt, courteous, pro-active and personalized service • Clean and maintain all butler areas including occupied and no-occupied rooms, pantries, stores, equipments, perishable, and stationary. • Liaise with private dining and check on regular basis to ensure amenities, resident preferences and other such points are taken care of and carried out flawlessly. • Maintain appearance, discipline and efficiency at all times • Practice tactful up-selling of hotel products and facilities • Ensure repeat guests are met and greeted on a daily basis and profiles are updated. • Ensure long staying/special attention/occasion –celebrating guests are taken care of exclusively, paying particular attention to their needs and requests. • Attend daily briefings and note information about guests and function in the hotel • Fully understand the difference in guest levels (VIPs) and room categories • Respect guest privacy and do not discuss guest’s private information with colleagues • Ensure all unattended valuables and belongings inside guest rooms are noted and
PROVO GOLF CLUB
Turks & Caicos Water Company d.b.a. Provo Golf Club is seeking a suitably qualified individual to fill the following position. Only candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be considered.
HORTICULTURIST
Must be knowledgeable and experience in the areas of Plant Pathology, Plant Propagation, Entomology, Integrated Pest Management, Soil Science and Landscape Design Principles. REQUIREMENTS • Must have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture. • Should have at least 10 years or more experience working on a Golf Course. • Requires knowledge of landscape construction and materials. • Must be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel. • Must be self-motivated and willing to work long hours. The salary for this position is $55,000.00 per annum commensurate with experience, training and education. Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by December 24, 2012 at ronnie@habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191. Suitable applicants will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.
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the supervisor is informed about the same • Provide third service to guests by ensuring rooms are tidied up after guest leaves room • Demonstrate discretion and courtesy when entering into the private space of guests Physical requirements • Must be able to stand and exert well-paced mobility for up to 8 hours in length • Must be able to exert well-paced, ability to reach other departments and locations in a timely manner • Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space • Must be able to bend, stoop, squat and stretch to fulfill cleaning tasks. • Must be able to bend and squat and lift up to 25 lbs • Must be able to push and pull equipment weighing up to 75 lbs • Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions. Bending, climbing, listening and hearing ability and visual acuity. • Requires manual dexterity to use and operate all necessary equipment • Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts Starting salary $6.00 per hour, not including tips.
SECURITY OFFICER
Requirements: • Minimum 2 years experience as a security officer within a resort • Must be able to speak and write English fluently. Duties: • Must be able to detects potential sources of security problems, safety hazards and fire hazards by maintaining surveillance of resort • Patrols resort on a regular basis • Ensures all resort entrances are locked and unlocked per resort policy • Maintains resort key management procedures and ensures that all keys are accounted for • Closes and secures F & B outlets each night • Ensures that all meeting rooms and exhibit rooms are secured • Completes daily security log, including pertinent information from the shift • Handles complaints, investigates and thoroughly reports on guest or employee injuries, worker’s compensation claims, thefts, assaults, lost property, car accidents, loud parties, vandalism and other guest complaints in accordance resort policy and procedure • Informs supervisor and management immediately. • Respond to emergencies; coordinates the partial or complete evacuation of the resort such as fire, armed robbery, severe injuries, power failure or bomb threats in accordance with resort policy and procedures. • Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts Salary $6.50 an hour not including service charge
All interested applicants should apply to Regent Palms, Human Resources Department, and bring along an updated resume, or by emailing your resume to marjorie.dorsett@regenthotels.com no later than Friday, December 21, 2012.
TURKS AND CAICOS WATER COMPANY LTD TURKS AND CAICOS WATER COMPANY LIMITED is seeking a suitably qualified individual to fill the following position. Only candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be considered.
MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS Job Description • Responsible for maintaining the general condition of the company’s properties with regards to all aspects of electrical, plumbing and mechanical. • Complete daily tasks as outlined by Supervisor. • Complete maintenance request work orders on a timely basis. • Performs all weekly, monthly and other scheduled preventative maintenance programs. • Actively pursue new tasks or jobs when assigned work is completed. • Maintain Wastewater Treatment Plant. Requirements • Should have eight years experience as a Maintenance Technician or experience working in a similar position. • Must have strong skills in troubleshooting and repair of electrical, plumbing and general maintenance. • Work with minimal supervision. • On standby for 24 hours call out emergencies. • Should have great oral and written communication skills. • Must be proficient in Microsoft Office. The salary for this position is $26,000.00 per annum commensurate with experience, training and education. Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by December 24, 2012 at ronnie@habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191. Suitable applicants will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
LOCAL NEWS
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
Veranda staff will be given first priority for jobs when resort sells to Butch Stewart BY HAYDEN BOYCE PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Staff at The Veranda have been told that after the resort is sold to Gordon “Butch” Stewart on December 17th, they can re-apply for their jobs and will be given first priority when it comes to hiring. According to Al Edwards, Beaches Director of Corporate Affairs, this promise was made by Beaches’ General Manager Don Dagenais when he addressed The Veranda’s staff on Friday November 30th. Edwards said that The Veranda’s staff “enthusiastically welcomed” Dagenais and his senior management team, adding that the Beaches boss proceeded to inform them that next Monday and Tuesday they would be handed application forms to re-apply
for positions as Beaches formerly takes over The Veranda on the 17th of December 2012. “Then on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, interviews begin in earnest, with decisions expected to be made from the following Monday,” Edwards told The SUN. Edwards added that at Friday’s meeting, Dagenais set about explaining that the staff of The Veranda would become part of the best resort chain in the Caribbean which will provide them with opportunities to enhance their careers across 23 properties in seven Caribbean countries. He also stressed that they were now part of a team whose priority it is to employ professionalism in servicing the guests. Regarding concerns about work permits, Edwards said that in the
presence of Alpheus Smith, a representative from the Turks and Caicos Labour Commissioner’s office, who attended Friday’s meeting, Dagenais made it clear that every “effort by his organisation would be made to see to it that good employees would continue to carry on with their duties but in the context of strict compliance of the laws of the country”. Dagenais who has been involved in hotel management for over 40 years, said he was looking for a seamless transition and that the welfare of his additional staff complement would be one of his major priorities over the coming weeks. Meantime, commenting on the Veranda deal, Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, Gordon 'Butch' Stewart said: "I would like to thank both the Governor Ric Todd and the
Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands for facilitating this acquisition and helping to ensure what we anticipate will be a smooth transition. The government was particularly accommodating in the early discussions we had on this deal and its assistance has proven to be invaluable. Although we have some loose ends to tie up, I'm sure all maters will be amicably resolved.” Beaches Turks and Caicos resort is part of Stewart’s controlled Sandals Resorts International (SRI) chain of Caribbean hotels. The 633 suite property comprises three distinct villages, namely The French Village, The Italian Village and the Caribbean Village. According to initial plans, The Veranda may become the Key West Village, thus making it the fourth village of Beaches Turks and Caicos.
Premier Ewing notified about Beaches sale on Friday Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands Hon Dr. Rufus Ewing says he was notified on Friday evening (November 30th 2012) by Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort & Spa, that they had purchased the Veranda Resort Hotel, an acquisition that they have been trying to accomplish
for some time now. According to a Government press statement, Premier Ewing has acknowledged that the transaction is a private matter between the owners of Beaches and Veranda and as such outside the business of government. Dr. Ewing is however assuring
HAB Group wishes to recruit a
PRE CONTRACT QUANTITY SURVEYOR/ESTIMATOR The successful candidate will be required to demonstrate considerable experience in the preparation of all precontract construction documentation including but not limited to; detailed take offs, bills of quantities, specification production, material scheduling. The candidate will also need to be experience in the co-ordination and control of various design consultants employed in the pre contract design process with relevant input to the design process. The candidate will be required to demonstrate a familiarity with relevant industry standard compute software such as Autodesk, AutoCAD, Autodesk Design Review and Collaborative Project management software as well as standard Microsoft Office products. Applicants for this position will possess relevant industry recognized qualifications in addition to 12 years or more practical experience.
The salary for this position is commensurate with experience, training and education. Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by December 24, 2012 at ronnie@habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191. Suitable applicants will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.
Turks and Caicos Islands residents that the Government will continue to monitor well after the sale has been completed, with a view to ensuring that those who are currently employed with Veranda will be afforded an opportunity to continue their employment with the new owners and that the people of the TCI will benefit from the opportunities presented by the acquisition. The Premier also stated that the
Turks and Caicos Government will now seek to engage Beaches in developing an MOU that will seek to revisit the 2006 Beaches Development Agreement to 1) improve the immigration provisions and concessions in TCIG’s favor and 2) to seek additional benefits to the TCI that will ensure greater employment protection, and development of the a Skills Training Unit at the TCI Community College.
CLIPPERS BARBER SHOP & BEAUTY SALON SEEKS
1 Cosmetologist Salary $5.00 per hour 6 days per week Contact 242-0388
VACANCY
FINANCIAL / MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT Applications are invited for the position of
Location – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands Educational requirements – Bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting or equivalent Professional requirements – US Certified Public Accountant or UK Chartered Accountant; practical experience in the financial services sector with management accounting is preferred. Knowledge in accounting IT systems is necessary. ONLY BELONGERS NEED APPLY. Please submit applications to: Human Resources, P.O. Box 270, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands
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DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
LOCAL NEWS
Butch Stewart buys the veranda resort in Turks and Caicos Islands After almost two years of negotiations, Jamaican hotel magnate Gordon "Butch" Stewart has finally bought The Veranda Resort & Residences, a five-star fully-inclusive property located on Grace Bay beach. The multi-million dollar sale to Sandals Resorts International by Faez Limited will become official on December 17th, 2012, officials told The SUN. Mark Durliat, Chief Executive Officer, Grace Bay Resorts, said: "While the sale of this magnificent property was not anticipated so early in its establishment, we feel proud to have been the operators who established it as among the top five-star fully-inclusives in the Caribbean. Our team will work hand-in-hand with Sandals Resorts International to provide a wonderful experience for all during the transition, and we remain grateful and indebted to our staff, without whom the success of The Veranda and its rapid growth over the past three years would not have been possible." Grace Bay Resorts, the developer and owner of the world-renowned Grace Bay Club, has managed The Veranda for the past three years since its opening in 2010, and will cease direct management and supervision of all operations, effective with the close of
Gordon "Butch" Stewart
the sale. The Veranda will be transitioned to Sandals Resorts International as an expansion of the award-winning Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa and will honor all previous bookings. Officials said Grace Bay Resorts will work closely with the Sandals Resorts International staff at The Veranda over the next several weeks to ensure a seamless and successful transition during the holiday season. The Verandah, which is an $80million, five star fully-inclusive 123-room residence-style resort, is
located right next to Beaches Resort and Spa, with only a beach access separating the two properties. Sitting on 11 acres and boasting 800 feet of beachfront, The Veranda is made up of one, two, three and four-bedroom cottages and 40 studios and has a total of 168 keys. It is built in the Key West/Caribbean style. Earlier this year, The SUN broke the story that Stewart and Veranda owner Andre Serruys of Britain, held several meetings about the multimillion sale which would make Stewart the largest single owner of beachfront property in Providenciales and increase his majority percentage of hotel rooms in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Veranda is an $80 million investment, but it was reportedly sold for around $100million. With the integration of The Veranda into Beaches Resort, the Butch Stewart resort will have a total of 875 keys and over 1,100 bedrooms, mainly suites, making it the largest hotel on the Turks & Caicos Islands. Beaches Turks& Caicos employs around 1, 400 people and with the acquisition of The Veranda, that figure would go up to about 1,800 employees. It has one of the best beaches in the Caribbean and the third-rated barrier reef for scuba diving in the world. The hotel also boasts the largest water park
in the Caribbean and with 16 restaurants, it has more restaurants than any resort in the Caribbean. When Stewart first established operations in the Turks & Caicos he took over a small hotel of just 150 rooms with limited facilities. At that time, American Airlines was offering one flight a day from Miami. In order to expand, Stewart chartered five airplanes from Continental Airlines to help create additional airlift. These aircraft serviced key sites namely Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia and Atlanta and had the effect of putting the Turks& Caicos on the map as a top Caribbean destination. Earlier this month, Butch Stewart's Sandals Resorts International bought a four-star hotel that recently closed in the eastern Caribbean nation of Grenada. Stewart says he will invest $100 million to convert the former La Source property of 100 rooms into a 265-room complex. It will be renamed Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa and it is scheduled to open in early 2013 and become the 14th Sandals resort in the Caribbean. The resort is located on Pink Gin Beach and is currently closed. It was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and didn't reopen until February 2008.
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
LOCAL NEWS
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
Police to beef up patrol this Christmas season As the festive season approaches, the general public should see a high visibility of police personnel, Deputy Commissioner of Police Brad Sullivan has promised. Speaking at a news conference earlier this week at the Police Headquarters on Old Airport Road, Sullivan said that he and his charges were trying to avoid a repeat of last December, when the crime level had become a concern to citizens and businesses. He told media representatives that such measures was already in gear, and the need to increase manpower in certain areas, in case the needs arise, was already on the cards.
“This is part of our strategies anyways. Into December, would be talking about new patrols. You may not see them all because all of them might not be uniformed, but it is just to beef up everything we have got. Because we don’t want a December like last December, so we are really striving to put more officers on the streets, around businesses, places where there is money, valuables being exchanged on a regular basis. This time of the year, going into the Christmas season, business owners, the public, security companies have to be aware and have to be cognizant of what this could happen. We have put out more
patrols, and we are relying on our officers to communicate with the public or communicate with the business community and the security companies, to really reach out there,” Sullivan said. It is a general scenario that when approaching this time of the year, certain level of thefts spiral upwards. Those crimes mainly include armed robberies and burglaries. Last year during this time, the police were inundated with reports of, especially domestic and business burglaries, and according to Sullivan, every effort was being made to minimize those actions. The commissioner is also
warning the public and businesses to be on the lookout for face police officers, and if not sure to ask for their badge and warrant card. In the meantime, the police are advising persons to be wary of their surroundings and ensure that they take the extended steps of securing their property so as to avoid falling victims to criminals this Christmas season. They are also urged to report suspicious activities in their neighbourhoods by calling 911, Crimestoppers or the nearest police station. They said information would be kept in the strictest of confidence, so persons should not feel afraid to report those matters.
DONT BE A VICTIM OF CRIME 1. Stay alert: Keep your mind on your surroundings, who's in front of you and who's behind you. 2. TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. If you feel uncomfortable in a situation, leave.
Handy’ Pro Maintenance Seeks
1 PluMber Salary $7.00 Contact 242-0388
1 BEAUTICIAN 2 BARBERS
NEXT BARBER SHOP SALON & SPA SEEKS
Must have at least five years experience Salary based on commission Contact 332-0057
GOOD HANDS AGENCY SEEKS
Manager – Sushi Restaurant Bar Salary negotiable per experience
2 Domestic Workers 2 Labourers
To work 5-6 days per week Salary $5.00 per hour Contact Alden C. Durham 9463437 or 244-0277
EXECUTIVE CLEANING SERVICES LTD SEEKS
1 DOMESTIC WORKER $5.00 per hour
1 FLOOR & CARPET TECHNICIAN
Must have at least seven years experience Salary $350.00 Contact 332-0057
InterIsland Aviation Services Group Aircraft Mechanics
is seeking
Experience working on piston and turbo-propeller aircraft. Responsible for inspecting, servicing, repairing and testing aircraft, engines and related systems as directed. Read, understand and work from aircraft maintenance manuals and specifications. Salary commensurate with experience.
2 PIlOTS
To be a commander of the EMB 120-ATC. Must have a valid Airline Transport Pilots license, First class medical and 3,000 hours flight time aero planes, 1,600 pilot command including 500 hours experience on multi crew turbine propeller airplanes and 100 hours on type (jet prop). Salary commensurate with experience
TwO SeCurITy GuArdS
• Must have 5 years experience • Must be able to speak at least two languages • Monitor and authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors, and other persons entering the premises. • Write reports of daily activities and irregularities, such as equipment or property damage, theft, presence of unauthorized persons, or unusual occurrences. Salary commensurate with experience
All positions require the following: • Excellent command of the English language. • Good communication skills and team player • Detail oriented & organized individual • Ability to work shifts, early mornings, late nights, weekends and Holidays. • Clean police record • Able to work under pressure belOnGerS need Only APPly.
Interested person should apply to Hr@flyairtc.com or via fax to Hr department 649-946-4040. no phone call please. Qualified candidates will be contacted for interview.
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
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DECEMBER 1ST - DECEMBER 8TH, 2012
Grammy Nominations 2013 List: Justin Bieber Snubbed, Frank Ocean, Jay-Z, Kanye West And Fun. Top Nominees The 2013 Grammy nominations were announced Wednesday with Frank Ocean, Jay-Z, Mumford & Sons and Fun. as the top nominees. The 55th annual Grammy Awards will air on Sunday, Feb. 10, on CBS. Unlike the American Music Awards, which are decided by fans, the Grammy Awards are chosen by a committee of industry professionals. Ocean, Jay-Z, Fun., Mumford & Sons and Kanye West each received six nominations. The Black Keys and Miguel both came in a close second with five nominations each. Missing from the lineup, though, was Justin Bieber, who took home three American Music Awards last month. Many, including the Bieb's manager, believe the 18-year-old pop phenom was snubbed of Grammy nods. "I just plain DISAGREE," Scooter Braun, his manager and Schoolboy Records boss, tweeted. "The kid deserved it. Grammy board u blew it on this one." The girls were also on fire as Grammy nominees, with Kelly Clarkson on top with four nominations. Taylor Swift received three nominations while newcomer Carly Rae Jepson scored two for her hit single, "Call Me Maybe." Album of the Year nominees included The Black Keys for "El Camino," Fun. for "Some Nights," Mumford & Sons for "Babel," Frank Ocean for "Channel Orange" and Jack White for "Blunderbuss." Record of the Year has The Black Keys for "Lonely Boy," Kelly Clarkson for "Stronger," Fun. for "We Are Young" featuring Janelle Monae, Gotye for "Somebody That I Used To Know" featuring Kimbra, Frank Ocean for "Thinkin Bout You" and Taylor Swift for "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." Below is the full list of the 2012 Grammy nominations by category. Album of the Year The Black Keys - El Camino Fun. - Some Nights Mumford & Sons - Babel Frank Ocean - Channel Orange Jack White - Blunderbuss Record of the Year The Black Keys - "Lonely Boy" Kelly Clarkson - "Stronger" Fun. feat. Janelle Monae - "We Are Young" Gotye feat. Kimbra - "Somebody That I Used to Know" Frank Ocean - "Thinkin Bout You" Taylor Swift - "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" Best New Artist The Alabama Shakes Fun. Hunter Hayes The Lumineers Frank Ocean Best Pop Vocal Album
Kelly Clarkson - Stronger Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials Fun. - Some Nights Maroon 5 - Overexposed Pink - The Truth About Love Song of the Year Ed Sheeran - "The A Team" Miguel - "Adorn" Carly Rae Jepsen - "Call Me Maybe" Kelly Clarkson - "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" Fun. - "We Are Young" Best Pop Solo Performance Adele - "Set Fire to the Rain (Live)" Kelly Clarkson - "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" Carly Rae Jepsen - "Call Me Maybe" Katy Perry - "Wide Awake" Rihanna - "Where Have You Been" Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Florence and the Machine - "Shake It Out" Fun. - "We Are Young" Gotye feat. Kimbra - "Somebody That I Used to Know" LMFAO - "Sexy and I Know It" Maroon 5 - "Payphone" Best Dance Recording Avicii - "Levels" Calvin Harris feat. Ne-Yo - "Let's Go" Skrillex feat. Sirah - "Bangarang" Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin "Don't You Worry Child" Al Walser - "I Can't Live Without You" Best Dance/Electronic Album Steve Aoki - Wonderland he Chemical Brothers Don't Think deadmau5>Album Title Goes Here< Kaskade Fire & Ice Skrillex Bangarang Best Rock Performance Alabama Shakes - "Hold On" The Black Keys - "Lonely Boy" Coldplay - "Charlie Brown" Mumford & Sons - "I Will Wait" Bruce Springsteen - "We Take Care of Our Own" Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance
Anthrax - "I'm Alive" Halestorm - "Love Bites (So Do I)" Iron Maiden - "Blood Brothers" Lamb of God - "Ghost Walking" Marilyn Manson - "No Reflection" Megadeth - "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)" Best Rock Song Jack White - "Freedom at 21" Mumford & Sons - "I Will Wait" The Black Keys - "Lonely Boy" Muse - "Madness" Bruce Springsteen - "We Take Care of Our Own" Best Rock Album The Black Keys, El Camino Muse, The 2nd Law Coldplay, Mylo Xyloto Bruce Springsteen, Wrecking Ball Jack White, Blunderbuss Best Alternative Music Album Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do Bjork, Biophilia Gotye, Making Mirrors M83, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming Tom Waits, Bad As Me Best R&B Performance Estelle - "Thank You" Robert Glasper Experiment feat. Ledisi "Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.) Luke James - "I Want You" Miguel - "Adorn" Usher - "Climax" Best Traditional R&B Performance Anita Baker - "Lately" Beyonce - "Love on Top" Melanie Fiona - "Wrong Side of a Love Song" Gregory Porter - "Real Good Hands" SWV - "If Only You Knew" Best Urban Contemporary Album Chris Brown, Fortune Miguel, Kaleidoscope Dream Frank Ocean, Channel Orange Best R&B Album
Robert Glasper Experiment, Black Radio Anthony Hamilton, Back To Love R. Kelly, Write Me Back Tamia, Beautiful Surprise Tyrese, Open Invitation Best Rap Performance Drake feat. Lil' Wayne - "HYFR (Hell Ya F--ing Right)" Jay-Z & Kanye West - "N---as In Paris" Nas - "Daughters" Kanye West feat. Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz - "Mercy" Young Geezy feat. Jay-Z & Andre 3000 - "I Do" Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Flo Rida feat. Sia - "Wild Ones" Jay-Z & Kanye West feat. Frank Ocean & The-Dream - "No Church in the Wild" John Legend feat. Ludacris - "Tonight (Best You Ever Had)" Nas feat. Amy Whinehouse - "Cherry Wine" Rihanna feat. Jay-Z - "Talk That Talk" Best Rap Song Nas - "Daughters" Wale feat. Miguel - "Lotus Flower Bomb" Kanye West Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz - "Mercy" Drake feat. Lil' Wayne - "The Motto" Jay-Z & Kanye West - "N---as In Paris" Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa Featuring Bruno Mars - "Young, Wild & Free" Best Rap Album Drake, Take Care Lupe Fiasco, Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1 The Roots, Undun Nas, Life Is Good Rick Ross, God Forgives, I Don't 2 Chainz, Based on a T.R.U. Story Best Country Song Carrie Underwood - "Blown Away" Ronnie Dunn -"Cost of Livin' " Eli Young Band - "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" Alan Jackson - "So You Don't Have to Love Me Anymore" Eric Church - "Springsteen" Best Country Solo Performance Dierks Bentley - "Home" Eric Church - "Springsteen" Ronnie Dunn - "Cost of Livin' " Hunter Hayes - "Wanted" Blake Shelton - "Over" Carrie Underwood - "Blown Away" Best Americana Album The Avett Brothers, The Carpenter John Fullbright, From the Ground Up The Lumineers, The Lumineers Mumford & Sons, Babel Bonnie Raitt, Slipstream Best Blues Album Shemekia Copeland, 33 1/3 Dr. John, Locked Down Ruthie Foster, Let It Burn Heritage Blues Orchestra, And I Still Rise Joan Osborne, Bring It on Home
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FUN & GAMES LOCAL NEWS
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DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
HIGHLIGHTS
Trinidad Prime Minister denies allegations of substance abuse READ MORE ON PAGE 34
Digicel in talks to enter Bahamas market NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Perry Christie, said on Tuesday he has had talks with regional mobile phone service provider Digicel about entering the Bahamian market once the Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) monopoly on cellular services ends. According to the Nassau Guardian, Christie said he has several ideas on how the telecommunications sector can benefit from Digicel’s presence, but added that he has to tread lightly on the matter due to the government’s minority stake in BTC. The prime minister said he has sought advice from the team of government negotiators he assembled for talks on the government’s plans to regain majority shares of the company. “I’ve had a number of conversations with representatives of another major entity in the region who have made a formal request to see me with respect to doing business in The Bahamas,” he told reporters.
“It is a matter that I have advised my negotiating committee of and I have sought some advice from them because I have some specific ideas of how The Bahamas can also benefit from the presence of a new entrant who comes in, obviously at a time when it is appropriate to do so.” Christie said he did not want to divulge the ideas he had for Digicel. “It would not be fair for me other than to say I have sought the advice of the negotiating committee with respect to their making an approach to me,” he said. “I represent the 49 percent shareholder of BTC… There is an obligation as a 49 percent shareholder [that] I do the right thing and say the right thing.” Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) bought 51 percent of BTC in April 2011. One of the conditions of the sale was that the company would enjoy a monopoly on the mobile phone sector until 2014.
While in opposition, Christie said he would regain the majority shares of the company if elected as prime minister. Talks between CWC and the government’s negotiating team have been suspended until the new year, Christie said, but the negotiations are expected to wrap up in early 2013. Although the talks have been amicable, Christie said neither side wants to budge from its original position. “They have been able to hold discussions [in a] very cordial sort of atmosphere that both sides understand the positions the other has taken, except to say that Cable and Wireless would wish to retain the majority interest,” he said. “I think it is fair to say that my latest information indicates that they would wish to continue being the majority shareholder. I am told they have even had discussions as to their not being happy with their minority position in Trinidad.”
Christie said the government is firm in its resolve to regain the majority stake in BTC, but he would not say what his administration would do if Cable and Wireless executives do not have a change of heart. Whatever the outcome of the discussions, the prime minister said he hopes the company would be able to provide better service to its customers. “It is very difficult to drive around New Providence and have a conversation without it being interrupted, so one of the things that we are really looking forward to is an improvement in the service at BTC,” Christie said. “I’m hoping that given all of the negatives that have been associated with the transaction itself and the fact that we have indicated our concern about Cable and Wireless when the transaction first took place, we really want to see that the country is the beneficiary of good service.” BTC launched its 4G service one year ago.
Haiti to improve Chavez set to skip children education with summit due to health $50 million IDB grant Haiti will improve education for as many as 360,000 children from preschool through grade 9 with a $50 million grant from the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB). The grant will fund the building of new schools, tuition-free primary education, student health programs, and strengthen the Ministry of Education and Professional Training (MENFP) and its executing agencies. Twenty new public schools will be built, benefitting 8,200 children from preschool through grade 9. When completed, these schools will include equipped libraries, sanitary facilities, a school canteen, energy and water systems, and be made accessible to disabled children. The grant will also subsidize education expenses for 35,000 children attending primary non-public schools for two school years. The IDB contribution adds resources to an existing tuition waiver program, which is co-financed by the government of Haiti, the Caribbean Development Bank, CIDA, the Global Partnership for Education, and the World Bank. The program is expected to increase retention and contribute to Haiti’s goal of providing free and universal education to all 6 to 12 year olds by 2015. In addition the $50 million will fund bi-annual deworming campaigns in schools for 300,000 children and support 100 schools which enroll 15,000 children in achieving a “Hygiene Friendly” certification. School deworming is a simple and inexpensive yet highly cost-effective intervention. Hygiene Friendly certified schools will contribute to children’s health through prevention of water-borne diseases and promotion of good hygienic practices. Another component is technical assistance to the Ministry of Education to further develop and structure interventions aimed at expanding literacy skills and strengthening the institutional capacity of the MENFP to implement its 2010-2015 Education Plan and regulate nonpublic schools. This will include reconstruction of MENFP offices, upgrading of information systems, and procedures for school accreditation.
BRASILIA/CARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez looked set to miss a regional trade summit in Brazil on Friday, officials said, an absence bound to heighten speculation over the leftist leader's health. Before he went to Cuba last week for more cancer-related treatment, Chavez had enthused about attending the Mercosur bloc's meeting in Brasilia to celebrate Venezuela's entry. He has not been seen in public since November 15. "It looks like he is not coming, but the Venezuelans have not yet confirmed that," Brazilian foreign ministry spokesman Tovar da Silva Nunes said. Another Brazilian government source said Chavez's logistics and security advance staff were leaving Brasilia. In Caracas, a source at the Miraflores presidential palace also said Chavez, 58, was not going to travel. The recently re-elected president traveled to Cuba nine days ago for "hyperbaric oxygenation" treatment - normally used to treat bone decay caused by radiation therapy. Chavez has had three cancer surgeries in Cuba since mid-2011. So even though officials were portraying the latest treatment as normal follow-up after radiation, rumors are rampant that it could be more serious. "If Chavez does not show up at the first meeting where Venezuela is a full member of Mercosur, it will create a lot of distrust over his health," said Marcelo Coutinho, professor of international relations at Rio de Janeiro's Federal University. Officials have given no detailed information about the condition of Chavez. He is guaranteed warm and discreet treatment in Cuba because of his friendship with past and present rulers Fidel and Raul Castro, plus the strict controls on information there. Chavez's presence in Cuba, where he has spent more than three months in total since his first 2011 diagnosis of cancer in the pelvic region, has overshadowed December 16 regional elections in Venezuela. Without his presence on the campaign trail, the campaign for 23 governorships has been a low-key one, failing to light up the public like October's presidential election did with a record voter turnout of more than 80 percent.
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CARIBBEANâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;NEWS
Detained software guru McAfee hospitalized in Guatemala GUATEMALA CITY - Software guru John McAfee, fighting deportation to Belize, was rushed to a hospital in Guatemala on Thursday after his lawyer said he had two mild heart attacks earlier in the day, and doctors said he was suffering from anxiety and hypertension. Reporters saw McAfee carried out on a stretcher from an immigration service cottage where he was detained after crossing illegally into Guatemala from neighboring Belize, where police want to question him in connection
with his neighbor's murder. The 67-year-old U.S. software pioneer's hospitalization came after Guatemala denied a request for asylum. McAfee was posting on his blog www.whoismcafee.com in the morning, the time his lawyer said he suffered the heart attacks. "I don't think a heart attack prevents one from using one's blog," said the lawyer, Telesforo Guerra. On Thursday afternoon he was carried out, wrapped in a blanket with
Man chains himself to US Embassy in Dominican Republic in protest
In protest man chains himself to US Embassy in Dominican Republic
SANTO DOMINGO - A man behind a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic chained himself to the building's fence in protest on Tuesday, claiming that a botched DNA test led officials to wrongly deny his daughter American citizenship while also ruining his marriage. Miguel Familia, a naturalized U.S. citizen from the Dominican Republic, alleged that a DNA test ordered by the embassy to prove the girl was his daughter came back negative and she was denied residency in 2005. After he received the test results, Familia divorced his wife and accused her of having an extramarital affair, according to his lawyer, Carlos de la Rosa. But for years his ex-wife continued to insist the girl was his daughter. That led Familia to seek two separate paternity tests on his own earlier this year and both tested positive, de la Rosa said. By protesting outside the embassy, Familia was attempting to draw attention to his legal case and the mistake that he blames for tearing his family apart. He filed a complaint in the Dominican Republic in July against the embassy and a U.S.-based laboratory, seeking $180 million in damages. "They destroyed my family and I lost seven years with her," he said of his daughter, Ashley. A U.S. Embassy spokesman declined to comment on the lawsuit. Officials at the DNA testing laboratory, Clinical Test & Research in Ridgewood, New Jersey, could not be immediately reached for comment. According the U.S. State Department website, DNA tests can be required for parents who are U.S. citizens seeking citizenship for their child where it is not clear a birth certificate is adequate proof showing a biological relationship.
his eyes shut and taken to a police hospital. Guerra's assistant, Karla Paz, said she found McAfee lying on the ground and unable to move his body or speak. Oscar Enrique Gonzalez, head of medical services at the hospital, said McAfee showed "a syndrome of anxiety and hypertension". He said doctors were still studying his heart. McAfee was detained by Guatemalan police on Wednesday for illegally sneaking across the border with his 20-year-old girlfriend to escape authorities in Belize. He has said he fears authorities in Belize will kill him if he returns. Guatemala's foreign minister, Harold Caballeros, said McAfee's request for asylum was rejected. Constitutional lawyer Gabriel Orellana, a former foreign minister, said the government should have given more weight to the asylum request rather than simply judge him over his illegal entry into Guatemala. "We should take into account the fact that McAfee has not been accused of any crime in Belize," he said. Police in Belize want to quiz McAfee as "a person of interest" in the killing of fellow American, Gregory Faull, with whom he had quarreled. But they say he is not a prime suspect in the probe. McAfee says he has been persecuted by Belize's ruling party because he refused to pay around $2 million he says it is trying to hustle out of him, he said. Belize's prime minister denies this and has described McAfee, who made millions from the Internet anti-virus software that bears his name, as "bonkers." McAfee later lost much of his fortune and turned to a life of semireclusion by the Belizean beach. After his arrest, McAfee spent the night in a cottage belonging to the immigration department. He passed much of the night reading his blog and posting his thoughts on a laptop he said was lent to him by the warden. One person asked him if he felt like committing suicide. "I enjoy living, and suicide is absurdly redundant," he wrote. "The world, from the very beginning, hurls viruses, accidents, hungry animals,
defective DNA - and uncountable more - in an attempt to kill us. It always succeeds. Suicide is simply aiding and abetting." McAfee's earlier posts spoke of his relief at arriving in Guatemala, thinking he had found a way out of his troubles. One of his readers posted a message offering him just that. "John. I have a special ops team near the La Aurora International Airport. I can get you out of jail and provide safe passage back to the States for a fee. Please let me know if this interests you." Government spokesman Francisco Cuevas said on Wednesday the eccentric tech entrepreneur, who loves guns and young women and has tribal tattoos covering his shoulders, would be expelled to Belize within hours. However, an immigration department official later said immediate deportation had been ruled out. The U.S. State Department said it was aware of McAfee's arrest and its embassy was providing "appropriate consular services," but said it could not comment further. On the large Belizean island of Ambergris Caye, where McAfee has lived for about four years, residents and neighbors say he is eccentric and at times unstable. He was seen to travel with armed bodyguards, sporting a pistol tucked into his belt. The predicament of the former Lockheed systems consultant is a far cry from his heyday in the late 1980s, when he started McAfee Associates. McAfee has no relationship now with the company, which was sold to Intel Corp. McAfee was previously charged in Belize with possession of illegal firearms, and police had raided his property on suspicions that he was running a lab to produce illegal synthetic narcotics. He says he has not taken drugs since 1983. "(Before then) I took drugs constantly, 24 hours of the day. I took them for years and years. I was the worst drug abuser on the planet," he told Reuters before his arrest. "Then I finally went to Alcoholics Anonymous, and that was the end of it."
CAPTAIN MARVIN WATERSPORTS SEEKS
WILSON VALBURN
1 BOAT CAPTAIN
Must have atleast 3 years experience Salary $12.00 per hour Contact 231-0643
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Salary $5.00 per hour Contact 0388
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
CARIBBEAN NEWS
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
US Senate votes against indefinite detention for Caribbean immigrants WASHINGTON – The United States Senate has voted in favor of barring the government from imprisoning Caribbean and other nationals who are US citizens and permanent residents and are arrested and held in indefinite detention without trial. The Senate voted 67 to 29 in adding the measure, sponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, and Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, now pending on the Senate floor. “What if something happens, and
you are of the wrong race in the wrong place at the wrong time, and you are picked up and held without trial or charge in detention ad infinitum?” said Feinstein during the floor debate. “We want to clarify that that isn’t the case — that the law does not permit an American or a legal resident to be picked up and held without end, without charge or trial,” she added. Feinstein said the amendment is aimed at clarifying that the US government not put US citizens arrested domestically in military
detention. She said she limited the amendment to citizens and permanent residents, otherwise known as green card holders, because she thought the language would “get the maximum number of votes in this body.” But some legislators have objected to the amendment, saying that US citizens arrested inside the United States on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack should be held under the laws of war and interrogated without receiving the protections of ordinary criminal
Trinidad Prime Minister denies allegations of substance abuse PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has dismissed allegations that she is in a battle with substance abuse. “I have no such problem and I have nothing further to say with respect to that…it would be most interesting if with every allegation that is made I need to defend myself personally. I serve
my country well, I have nothing to be afraid of, I have nothing to be ashamed of and absolutely no substance abuse whatsoever” the Prime Minister told reporters in response to allegations from a former Government Minister. Persad-Bissessar made the comment following the opening ceremony of the Third high-level dialogue of the Caribbean Basin
suspects, like a Miranda warning of a right to remain silent. Other civil liberties and human rights groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Human Rights First, have also objected to the amendment. They say that it is too limited to American citizens and green card holders, rather than to all people. “Senator Dianne Feinstein has introduced an amendment that superficially looks like it could help, but in fact, would cause harm,” said Chris Anders of the ACLU.
Security Initiative (CBSI) in Port of Spain. Last week, former Minister of Gender, Youth and Child Development Verna St Rose Greaves alleged that the Prime Minister “has an issue which must be addressed frontally”. St Rose Greaves also questioned the Prime Minister’s ability to function and also alleged that ministers had files against her. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister steered clear of any questions surrounding the hunger strike of environmentalist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh to protest the proposed construction of the Debe to Mon Desir segment of the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension . “I have already spoken on that matter and I have no further comment on it.” Persad-Bissessar said.
Come and join our winning team!!!
The Human Resources Department is looking for:
ASSISTANT HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER The Assistant Human Resources Manager assists the Human Resources Manager in promoting employee satisfaction, ensuring compliance with labor laws and maintaining the highest level of standards in the Resort. He/ She is also responsible for planning, managing, controlling, and coordinating benefits, team member relations and discipline. They also assist in the development and formulation of policies, procedures and practices to support the operational needs of the Resort. Skills Level of Education Bachelor degree in a relevant field
Essential requirements The individual we are looking for should possess the following skills and qualities:
- A strong understanding of labor and employment law - Minimum of 5 years of Human Resources experience - Must have strong decision making skills - Strong oral and written communication skills - Ability to work effectively in a team environment and take initiative - Excellent organizational skill - Ability to communicate at all levels The Administrative Department is looking for:
ASSISTANT DEPARTURE LOUNGE/ARRIVAL MANAGER
Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages and Spa, the only 6 Diamond all inclusive property in the Caribbean is inviting applications from suitably qualified Turks and Caicos Islanders for the following vacant positions. Applicants must have a clean police record and a good command of the English language both written and spoken. In addition candidates must be able to work nights, public holidays and week-ends. The Resort thanks everyone for their interest in advance and advises that only short listed applicants will be contacted for an interview.
The individual is responsible for all departures and arrivals of guests from the airport to the Resort. This includes welcoming / greeting of guests at the Airport and ensuring that the Transfers from the Airport go smoothly to the Resort. This aspect also includes the Departure Lounge process for all departing guests from the Resort to the Airport. Responsibilities also include All VIP Transfers and delegation and assignments to VIP Drivers on a daily basis and follow ups with VIP Transfers. A Team Player who is willing to take on new challenges in the workplace, share and learn from a diverse Team and excel in the Hospitality Industry. Applicant must have a keen knowledge of the history and general knowledge of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Suitable applicants must possess: • At least three (3) years’ experience in working with Costumers Services and at least two (2) years in working within the Hospitability Industry. • A High School Diploma and obtained a Diploma or Associates Degree in Hospitality Management. • Three (3) references from an esteem establishment or a reference from previous workplace. SECURITY MANAGER Interested applicants must possess:
Requirements: • Diploma / Degree in a relevant field. • Minimum 3-5 years’ experience in the security. • Good knowledge and understanding of Security & Safety regulations. • Able to advise the team on Security & Safety provisions, development and systems. • Strong leadership qualities with excellent
interpersonal and communication skills. • Computer literate • Excellent health and clean working record.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Interested applicants must possess: • Bachelor of Science in relevant field • 10 years Administrative experience • Confidential • Proficient in Word, Excel and Microsoft Outlook • Highly detailed orientated and well organized • An excellent communicator
The salary for the positions indicated above range from $23,000.00 to $40,000.00 per annum
Applications giving full details of qualifications and experience should be sent to: mmvaughn@grp.sandals.com or Fax to: 941-4870 Attn: M McClean-Vaughn The Human Resources Department Beaches Turks and Caicos P.O. Box 186 Lower Bight Road and
The Labour Commissioner Labour Department Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands
and should reach not later than December 14th 2012 Otherwise, please call for additional information tel # 649-946-8000 ext 4138
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
HIGHLIGHTS
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First US states legalise recreational cannabis but federal laws still ban it READ MORE ON PAGE 36
With war shifting US and Russia discuss Syria’s future DUBLIN — Diplomatic efforts to end Syria’s civil war moved forward Thursday with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joining Russia’s foreign minister and the U.N. peace envoy to the Arab country for extraordinary three-way talks that suggested Washington and Moscow finally might unite behind a strategy as the Assad regime weakens. In Washington, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said intelligence reports raise fears that an increasingly desperate Syrian President Bashar Assad is considering using his chemical weapons arsenal — which the U.S. and Russia agree is unacceptable. It was unclear whether Mr. Assad might target rebels within Syria or bordering countries, but growing concern over such a scenario clearly was adding urgency to discussions an ocean away in Ireland’s capital. On the sidelines of a human rights conference, Mrs. Clinton gathered with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to look for a strategy the international community could rally around to end Syria’s 21-month civil war. The former Cold War foes have fought bitterly over how to address the conflict, but Mrs. Clinton stressed before the meeting that they shared a
common goal. “We have been trying hard to work with Russia to try to stop the bloodshed in Syria and start a political transition for a post-Assad Syrian future,” Mrs. Clinton told reporters in Dublin. “Events on the ground in Syria are accelerating, and we see that in many different ways,” she said. “The pressure against the regime in and around Damascus seems to be increasing. We’ve made it very clear what our position is with respect to chemical weapons, and I think we will discuss that and many other aspects of what is needed to end the violence.” Earlier Thursday, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Lavrov met separately for about 25 minutes. They agreed to hear Mr. Brahimi out on a path forward, a senior U.S. official said. The two also discussed issues ranging from Egypt to North Korea, as well as new congressional action aimed at Russian officials accused of complicity in the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. Washington and Moscow have more often publicly chastised each other than cooperated on an international strategy for Syria. The U.S. has criticized Russia for shielding its Arab ally. The Russians have accused the U.S. of meddling by demanding Mr. Assad’s downfall and
ultimately seeking an armed intervention such as the one last year against the late Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi. But the gathering of the three key international figures suggests possible compromise in the offing. At a minimum, it confirms what officials describe as an easing of some of the acrimony that has raged between Moscow and Washington over the future of Syria, an ethnically diverse nation whose stability is critical, given its geographic position in between powder kegs Iraq, Lebanon and Israel. Mr. Panetta said Thursday that the U.S. fears Syria is thinking of using its chemical weapons. “The intelligence that we have raises serious concern that this is being considered,” he told reporters. Other administration officials in recent days have spoken about Syrians preparing weapon components of sarin gas. The new activity, coupled with fears that rebel advances are making Mr. Assad more desperate, have led to the fear that he is deploying the weapons. On Thursday, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad accused the United States and Europe of using the issue of chemical weapons to justify a future military intervention against Syria. He warned that any such intervention would be “catastrophic.”
Kate leaves hospital after morning sickness LONDON - Prince William's pregnant wife Kate left the King Edward VII hospital in central London on Thursday where she had spent four days being treated for acute morning sickness. Accompanied by her husband, Kate, 30, appeared at the steps of the hospital smiling and holding a bouquet of yellow flowers. Neither she nor William spoke to waiting reporters before being driven way. Kate, who married the second-in-line to the throne in April last year, has been suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum, an acute morning sickness which causes severe nausea and vomiting and requires supplementary hydration and nutrients. There has been no announcement about when the baby is due, although the prince's spokesman has said Kate is less than 12 weeks pregnant. Kate, known formally as the Duchess of Cambridge, will now recuperate at Kensington Palace, a royal residence in west London, her husband's office said. "She is feeling better but now requires a period of rest," a royal spokeswoman said.
"Their royal highnesses would like to thank the staff at the hospital for the care and treatment the duchess has received," the spokeswoman added. The onset of the severe sickness and the need for Kate to go to hospital brought forward the announcement of her pregnancy, sparking a frenzy in the British media and even taking by surprise her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, according to reports. Bookmakers have been quick off the mark to lay odds on a name for the unborn baby, who will be third in line to the British throne after William and his father Charles. The government is passing legislation in time for the birth to change historic rules of succession so that males no longer have precedence over a female sibling. There has even been speculation that Kate could be carrying twins, as the acute sickness she is suffering is slightly more common in twin pregnancies. World leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama were swift to follow British Prime Minister David Cameron in sending their congratulations.
It’s unclear what new approach Mr. Brahimi may outline. One possibility would involve resuscitating, with U.S. and Russian support, the political transition strategy both countries agreed on in Geneva in June. That plan demanded several steps by the Assad regime to de-escalate tensions and end the violence that activists say has killed more than 40,000 people since March 2011. It would then have required Syria’s opposition and the regime to put forward candidates for a transitional government, with each side having the right to veto nominees proposed by the other. If employed, the strategy surely would mean the end of more than four decades of an Assad family member at Syria’s helm. The opposition has demanded Mr. Assad’s departure and has rejected any talk of his staying in power. Yet it also would grant regime representatives the opportunity to block Sunni extremists and others in the opposition that they reject. The transition plan never got off the ground this summer, partly because no pressure was applied to see it succeed by a deeply divided international community. Mr. Brahimi’s predecessor, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who drafted the plan, then resigned his post in frustration.
World’s tallest woman dies in China BEIJING - A Chinese woman who was certified as the tallest in the world has died, an official from her hometown said. Yao Defen, of eastern China's Anhui province, was listed as the world's tallest woman by Guinness World Records in 2010, when she stood 2.33 metres (seven foot eight inches) high, according to the record compiler's website. "Yao Defen died in the middle of last month," a spokesman for the government of Shucha township, where Yao lived, told AFP by telephone. The official, who refused to give his name, said that he was not certain of the cause of her death. Yao, recorded as the third tallest woman who ever lived, was 40 when she died. Her gigantism was reportedly due to a tumour in her pituitary gland. An Anhui newspaper reported that she died on November 13, having reached a height of 2.36 metres, adding that she was already more than two metres tall when she was 15.
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DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
Jessica Tata gets 80 years over Texas child-care death A Texas woman convicted over the death of a toddler in a fire in her home child-care centre has been sentenced to 80 years in prison. Four children died and three others were injured when a fire broke out after Jessica Tata left them alone to go shopping. Investigators said the blaze began when a pan of oil she had left cooking ignited while she was out. The 24-year-old still faces charges for the three other deaths. Although she did not intend to kill the child, under Texas law a person can be convicted of murder if he or she committed an underlying offence and that action led to the death.
Burglar calls 911 to save himself from gunwielding homeowner A suspected burglar called 911 after the owner of the home he broke into caught and held him at gunpoint. The suspect, Christopher Moore, placed the emergency call in Springtown, Texas, during the botched burglary attempt early Tuesday after James Gerow, the homeowner, and Gerow's son pointed guns at him as he sat in his pickup truck parked in the driveway. "I'm out in the country somewhere," Moore told the 911 operator during the 10-minute call. "Some guy's got a gun on me." Gerow's wife, Lindy, placed a concurrent call to 911 that confirmed Moore's account. "You better come quick," she said, "or my husband's going to shoot him." "If he gets out of the truck, shoot him in the legs," James Gerow told his son, according to the Dallas Morning News Crime Blog. "You ain't gotta kill him—just shoot him in the legs." When police arrived, both Moore and Lindy Gerow were still talking to 911 dispatchers. According to CBS' Dallas-Fort Worth affiliate, Moore was arrested and charged with burglary. He's currently being held on a $35,000 bond.
The jury could have sentenced Tata to a range of terms: from five years to life in prison. She is eligible for parole after 30 years. At the sentencing hearing in a Houston courtroom, the greatgrandmother of Elias Castillo, who died aged 16 months, said that while she holds Tata accountable for what happened, she forgives her. "Nobody wins in this situation," Patty Sparks said afterwards. "My heart goes out to the Tata family and those precious mothers and fathers who lost their babies." During the trial, Tata's defence lawyers argued that she was a good person who loved children but had made a terrible mistake.
Defence lawyer Mike DeGeurin said he still believes Tata should not have been tried for murder because the deaths were an accident. "The sentence is not going to fix things," he said. "It's not going to make anybody feel better later on. But the jury has spoken. That's their sentence." Prosecutors argued that she was an irresponsible day-care owner who had repeatedly left the children in her care. "She was being paid to watch these children. She knew better," prosecutor Steve Baldassano said. "It's nobody's fault but her own." Jurors deliberated for seven hours over two days. Tata had no visible reaction after the sentence was announced.
Jessica Tata
First US states legalise recreational cannabis but federal laws still ban it Colorado and Washington have become the first US states to legalise the possession and sale of marijuana for recreational use. The legalisation will set the stage for a possible showdown with newly re-elected President Barack Obama as the states’ initiative is in defiance of the US Department for Justice’s federal laws which consider marijuana an illegal narcotic. Supporters of Colorado’s constitutional amendment were the first to declare victory after returns showed 53 per cent voted in favour. And supporters of Washington State’s legalisation initiative declared victory after the Seattle Times and other media projected a win for marijuana proponents. But another ballot measure to remove criminal penalties was defeated in Oregon, where significantly less money was devoted to campaigning. Mason Tvert, co-director of the Colorado prolegalization campaign said: “Colorado will no longer have laws that steer people toward using alcohol, and adults will be free to use marijuana instead if that is what they prefer. And we will be better off as a society because of it.” The Drug Policy Alliance, a national advocacy group that backed the initiatives, said the outcome in Washington and Colorado reflected growing national support for liberalised marijuana laws. Citing a Gallup poll last year, the DPA said a 50 per cent of Americans favoured making marijuana legal, versus 46 per cent opposed and 4 per cent undecided. Colorado and Washington have already legalised marijuana for medical purposes, but full legalisation is sure to put them in further conflict with the federal government. The US Department of Justice initially reacted Colorado’s declaration by saying its enforcement policies remain unchanged, adding: ”We are reviewing the ballot initiative and have no additional comment at this time.“ In addition to Colorado and Washington’s full legalisation, measures to legalise marijuana for medical use are thought to have passed three states, including Massachusetts. Seventeen other states, plus the District of Columbia, have already legalised medical marijuana use. Under the measures in Colorado and Washington, personal possession of up to an ounce of marijuana would be legal for anyone over 21 years of age. Cannabis could also legally be sold and taxed at statelicensed shops in a system based on that used for alcohol consumption.
Gary Parrish smokes marijuana in a glass pipe at the Space Needle in Seattle. Possession of marijuana became legal in Washington state at midnight, and several hundred people gathered at the Space Needle to smoke and celebrate the occasion, even though the new law does prohibit public use of marijuana.
In Colorado the cultivation of up to six marijuana plants will also be legal, although ‘grow-your-own’ will still be illegal in Washington state. Oregon's failed initiative would have gone a step further and also legalised the cultivation of unlimited amounts of marijuana for personal recreational use. Tvert said provisions legalising simple possession in Colorado would take effect after 30 days, once the election results are certified. Colorado's amendment also mandates establishing rules for sales and excise tax collections once the state legislature reconvenes in January. In a statement, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper said: ”The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will…This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through.“ He added: ”Federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don't break out the Cheetos or gold fish too quickly.“ Critics say the social harms of legalizing marijuana from anticipated declines in economic productivity to a rise in traffic and workplace accidents – outweigh any benefits. The pro-movement, however, points to potential tax revenues and argue that marijuana prohibition has accomplished little.
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DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
WORLD NEWS
Illegal immigration drops after decade-long rise WASHINGTON — New census data released Thursday affirm a clear and sustained drop in illegal immigration, ending more than a decade of increases. The number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. dropped to an estimated 11.1 million last year from a peak of 12 million in 2007, part of an overall waning of Hispanic immigration. For the first time since 1910, Hispanic immigration last year was topped by immigrants from Asia. Demographers say illegal Hispanic immigration — 80 percent of all illegal immigration comes from Mexico and Latin America — isn't likely to approach its mid-2000 peak again, due in part to a weakened U.S. economy and stronger enforcement but also a graying of the Mexican population. The finding suggests an uphill battle for the Republicans, who passed legislation in the House last week that would extend citizenship to a limited pool of foreign students with advanced degrees but who are sharply divided on whether to pursue broader immigration measures. In all, the biggest surge of immigration in modern U.S. history ultimately may be recorded as occurring in the mid-1990s to early 2000s, yielding illegal residents who now have been settled in the U.S. for 10 years or more. They include migrants who arrived here as teens and are increasingly at risk of "aging out" of congressional proposals such as the DREAM Act that offer a pathway to citizenship for younger adults. Earlier this year, Obama extended to many younger immigrants temporary reprieves from deportation. But Vargas, who has lived in the U.S. since 1993 and appeared this year on the cover of Time magazine with other
immigrants who lacked legal status, has become too old to qualify. "This conversation is a question about how we as a nation define who is an American," Vargas said, noting that if politicians don't embrace immigration overhaul now, a rapidly growing bloc of minority voters may soon do it for them. "If you want us to pay a fine to become a citizen, OK. If you want us to pay back taxes, absolutely. If you want us to speak English, I speak English. But we can't tread water on this issue anymore." Jeffrey Passel, a senior demographer at the Pew Research Center and a former Census Bureau official, said U.S. immigration policies will have a significant impact in shaping a future U.S. labor force, which is projected to shrink by 2030. Aging white baby boomers, many in specialized or management roles, are beginning to retire. Mexican immigration, which has helped fill needs in farming, home health care and other low-wage U.S. jobs, has leveled off. "Immigration is one way to boost the number of workers in the population," he said, but the next wave of needed immigrants is likely to come from somewhere other than Mexico. "We are not going to see a return to the levels of Mexican unauthorized immigration of a decade ago." The immigration shift may have an impact on the future racial and ethnic makeup of the U.S., pushing back official government estimates as to when whites will no longer be a majority in the country. The Census Bureau originally reported in 2008 that white children would become a minority in 2023 and the overall white population would follow in 2042. But the agency has since suggested the tipping points may arrive later, due to
Aussies sorry for prank call to Kate's hospital LONDON — Two Australian radio disc jockeys apologized Wednesday after impersonating Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles in a prank call and getting a London hospital to tell them all about Kate Middleton's condition. The King Edward VII hospital in London acknowledged that the Australian radio station made the hoax call to the hospital in the early hours Tuesday — and that the hospital fell for it. The 30-year-old Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant and is being treated at the hospital for severe morning sickness. A woman using the often-mimicked voice of Britain's monarch asked after the duchess' health — and was told by a nurse that Kate "hasn't had any retching with me and she's been sleeping on and off." "She's sleeping at the moment and she has had an uneventful night. She's been given some fluids. She's stable at the moment," the kindly nurse informed the supposed queen and prince on the station's recording. A dog yaps in the background while the alleged queen and prince talk about traveling to the hospital to check in on the patient. "I would suggest that any time after 9 o'clock will be suitable to visit," the nurse said. "We'll be getting her freshened up." The duchess is married to the queen's grandson, Prince William. The hospital says the call had been transferred to the ward and the conversation was held with one of its nursing staff. Its telephone protocols are now being reviewed, the hospital said in a statement. The Australian station 2DayFM placed the recording of the conversation on its website. Australian radio personalities Mel Greig and Michael Christian later apologized for the hoax — along with their station.
a slowdown in mostly Hispanic immigration. New census projections will be released next week. It all depends "on the availability of jobs as well as changes in federal and state immigration policies," said Mark Mather, associate vice president of the Population Reference Bureau. The immigration numbers are largely based on the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey through March 2011. The data showed that 11.1 million, or 28 percent, of the foreign-born population in the U.S. consists of illegal immigrants, virtually unchanged since 2009 and roughly equal to the level of 2005. An additional 12.2 million foreign-born people, 31 percent, are legal permanent residents with green cards. And 15.1 million, or 37 percent, are naturalized U.S. citizens. Fewer Mexican workers are entering the U.S., while many of those immigrants already here are opting to return to their homeland, resulting in zero net migration from Mexico. In 2007, legal and illegal immigrants made up equally large shares of the foreign-born population, at 31 percent, due to ballooning numbers of new unauthorized migrants seeking U.S. construction and related jobs during the mid-2000s housing
boom. Naturalized U.S. citizens then represented 35 percent. Broken down by geography and race, roughly half of all states last year posted declines or no change in their numbers of foreign-born Hispanics, including big immigrant states such as California and New York as well as economically hard hit areas in Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina, which previously had seen gains. Foreign-born Asians were a bigger source of population gain than Hispanic immigrants in California, New York, Virginia, Illinois and New Jersey. Newly moving into suburban communities, the Asian population spread out more across the southeastern U.S. and Texas, increasing their share in 93 percent of the nation's metropolitan areas. As a whole, foreign-born residents are slowly graying, with 44 percent now age 45 or older. They are more likely than in 2007 to be enrolled in college or graduate school (39 percent, up from 32 percent) and to be single (17 percent married, down from 22 percent). Births to immigrant mothers also are on the decline, driving the overall U.S. birth rate last year to the lowest in records dating back to 1920.
AMBERGRIS CAY SERVICES LTD. (IN RECEIVERSHIP) SHORT TERM EMPLOYMENT POSITION
Ambergris Cay Services Ltd. (In Receivership) is seeking to fill a temporary post on Ambergris Cay for the period 18th December 2012 to 6th January 2013. The available position is for a
RESTAURANT HOST/MAITRE'D.
JOB SUMMARY: Work alongside with the Lead Chef and Sous Chef to organize and direct the activities of all the Food and Beverage department of the restaurant facility on Ambergris Cay to ensure an exceptional level of customer service and satisfaction. Providing exemplary food and beverage service to visitors to the Cay over the Christmas and New Year period. This very demanding job requires high skill levels, assisting in monitoring of all Restaurant front house activities. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 1. Supervising of the waiting staff, welcoming guests and assigning them to tables, taking reservations, and ensuring that guests are satisfied. 2. Assist in presentation of all meals to guests using the restaurant facility on Ambergris Cay. 3. Delivery of outstanding services to a professional standard. 4. Excellent knowledge of a wide variety of local and international cuisines. 5. Assist in all other duties as required by the Lead Chef & or Sous Chef. 6. Must be able to work irregular hours, to include nights, weekends, and holidays.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND QUALIFICATIONS: 1. 5 years relevant experience operating in a high quality environment, providing a fine-dining experience in an international environment. 2. International experience of working on special event arrangements; 3. Excellent communication skills and a pleasant, professional demeanor. 4. A resourceful personality. 5. Must work and reside on Ambergris Cay for the indicated period. 6. Excellent references are essential Salary: Commensurate with experience.
Closing date for applications: Tuesday, 10th December, 2012. Applications must be in writing addressed to: Ambergris Cay Services Ltd. (In Receivership) Unit 51, Salt Mills Plaza, Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, E-mail: burkley.malcolm@ambergristci.com Tel: (649)-941-3777 ; Fax: (649)-941-3778
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HIGHLIGHTS
SEC warns Netflix CEO over Facebook post READ MORE ON NEXT PAGE
Obama takes fiscal cliff campaign to middle-class President Barack Obama takes his "fiscal-cliff" campaign to the home of a family in Northern Virginia on Thursday to illustrate the impact of letting taxes go up on the middle class, as signs emerge that Republicans are contemplating a change in strategy in their battle with Democrats over deficit reduction. With about three weeks remaining before steep tax hikes and budget cuts that comprise the so-called fiscal cliff are set to begin, the White House said Obama would visit the home of a family that responded to a presidential Twitter request for real-life stories about the burden of a tax increase on the middle class.
Northern Virginia is a suburban expanse across the Potomac River from the U.S. capital that includes some of the wealthiest counties in the United States as well as populous middle-class developments that have grown up over the past quarter century. Due to its proximity to the White House, the president often uses it as a setting for public relations efforts. "A member of this family shared her story about how paying $2,200 more in taxes next year would impact them if Congress doesn't act," said a White House statement, which added that over 100,000 people responded to the Twitter request. Obama and Democrats in
Congress want the tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year to be extended for taxpayers with income below $250,000 a year, but not for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. In exchange, the president has said he is willing to consider significant spending cuts that include unspecified changes to "entitlement" programs such as Medicare, the government health insurance plan for seniors. Republicans are holding out for an extension of all the tax cuts, but have become increasingly divided over the past two weeks about whether they can prevail in the face of Obama's firm stance and Republican control of only the House of Representatives but not
Starbucks bows to pressure on UK tax Coffee chain Starbucks said it could pay about 20 million pounds in corporation tax in Britain over the next two years, surrendering to widespread public criticism over allegations of tax avoidance. "We are making a commitment that we will propose to pay a significant amount of corporation tax during 2013 and 2014 regardless of whether our company is profitable during these years," Starbucks UK managing director Kris Engskov said in a speech. The announcement follows weeks of public attacks in the media and parliament after a Reuters report in October which said that over the past three years Starbucks has paid no corporation tax in Britain despite telling investors that the local business was highly profitable, while reporting an actual loss. One of the tax-deductible costs weighing on Starbucks' British business has been the royalties paid to an Amsterdam-based Starbucks company for the use of intellectual property, such as the brand. "In 2013 and 2014 Starbucks will not claim tax deductions for royalties or payments related to our inter-company charges," he told an audience at the London Chamber of Commerce. In doing so, Starbucks would contribute about 10 million pounds in tax each year, he said, meaning that the company would pay more than is required under British tax law. Engskov said again on Thursday that the group has always acted according to the letter of the law, saying that the company, which opened for business in Britain in 1998, was not hiding big profits from the tax authorities. He said Starbucks served 2 million British customers a week but it had not seen the same success in terms of generating profits due to the high rents it paid to secure the best locations and the costs of its rapid expansion. Recent store openings had put the company on track for sustained profitability, he said, but its customers expected it to do more on tax sooner. He said he had not yet discussed the proposal with the tax authorities. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said corporation tax was not a voluntary tax and Parliament set out the rules and rates for businesses to follow. "The public expects businesses to pay their fair share and HMRC will challenge, through the courts if necessary, any structures or tax payments that do not comply with the UK tax law," a spokesman said. The coffee chain's units in Germany and France also fail to report profits due to intercompany royalty payments, the Reuters investigation of the company's accounts showed last month.
the U.S. Senate. On Wednesday night, Republican Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee hinted on PBS' "Newshour" program that a change of strategy might be in the works. "I think that there's a lot of thinking about the best way to actually cause the president to actually come forth with a real plan" for deficit reduction that might break the deadlock, he said, adding that "it just isn't" happening now. "There's movement in a lot of directions," he said. "And so I do think Republicans are looking" at "what is the best way to get us in a place where we actually have the leverage."
US uncertainty stifling business investment NEW YORK - Political, fiscal, and regulatory uncertainty in the United States is hampering capital investment in the country and beyond, Tom Kloet, chief executive of TMX Group , Canada's biggest exchange operator, said on Thursday. Kloet, a Chicago native who guided TMX through its recent C$3.8 billion ($3.84 billion) takeover by Maple Group, a consortium that includes some of Canada's biggest banks, pension funds, and insurers, said the lack of compromise in Washington on the "fiscal cliff" is frustrating and stifles business. "As a business owner that represents 4,000 listed issuers on the stock exchange of the biggest trading partner the United States has, I've got to say that the uncertainty is really hurting the appetite for capital expenditures and capital investment right now," he said. With less than a month left to confront the steep budget cuts and tax increases that will begin taking effect in January and could send the economy back into recession, Democrats and Republicans have yet to find common ground on some key issues, preventing a deal. Kloet said that aside from reaching an agreement on the fiscal cliff, politicians could help restore confidence in the market by being proactive about initiating comprehensive tax reform in a bipartisan way with government and industry input. "This idea of solving things with a gun to your head all of the time just doesn't seem like the right path," he said. The Toronto Stock Exchange parent's main focus is on paying down its large debt load related to the Maple deal and integrating former rival Alpha, as well as clearinghouse Canadian Depository for Securities Ltd (CDS). But it is also eying global expansion and is looking to the United States with interest, said Kloet, who once ran the Singapore Exchange. But while valuations of potential acquisition targets are relatively cheap due to a slump in trading volumes, deals are less likely while the economic environment remains so uncertain, he said. The Toronto-based exchange operator, which celebrated its 160th anniversary in October, was in talks earlier this year to buy U.S. stock market operator Direct Edge Holdings LLC, the No. 4 U.S. stock exchange by volume.
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BUSINESS & TEchNology
Facebook in talks to buy Microsoft ad technology Facebook Inc is in negotiations with Microsoft Corp about acquiring advertising technology that could allow the social network displays ads on other websites, broadly expanding its advertising business, according to media reports on Thursday. Facebook is in "serious" discussions with Microsoft about a deal to purchase Atlas Solutions, an ad-serving product that Microsoft acquired
through its $6 billion acquisition of aQuantive in 2007, according to reports in the technology blogs Business Insider and AllThingsDigital on Thursday. The deal could allow Facebook to significantly expand its advertising business by showing ads on third-party websites, mounting a challenge to Google Inc's DoubleClick ad network, said the reports, which cited anonymous sources.
The potential price for the acquisition was unclear, though Business Insider said the highest bid for Atlas in Microsoft's previous attempts to sell the business was $30 million. Facebook and Microsoft representatives declined to comment. Facebook, the world's No. 1 online social network with roughly 1 billion users, has been moving aggressively to bolster its advertising business with new capabilities, including ads on mobile devices and features that demonstrate the effectiveness of its ads to marketers. Facebook currently generates 86 percent of its revenue, which totaled roughly $1.3 billion in the third quarter, from ads that appear on its own website.
Sirius returns cash BMW recalls utility vehicles for steering issue to shareholders After months of waiting, John Malone's Liberty Media has convinced Sirius XM Radio Inc. to open its piggy bank. The satellite-radio company on Thursday announced a $2 billion stock repurchase program and a special dividend of 5 cents a share that will cost a total of $325 million. Much of the cash will flow to Liberty, which is the company's largest shareholder. Sirius shares rose 3 cents to $2.80 in mid afternoon trading on the Nasdaq. The stock is up 54% since the start of the year. The cash distributions come in the wake of a long-fought battle for control of Sirius that culminated a few weeks ago, when Sirius Chief Executive Mel Karmazin said he would step down early in 2013. In recent months Liberty has raised its stake to 49.8%, from its initial position of 40%, and is awaiting approval from the Federal Communications Commission before going above 50%. Sirius said Liberty would sell shares in the buyback to ensure its shareholding doesn't rise as a byproduct of the repurchases. Liberty has made clear it thinks Sirius should undertake buybacks or dividends. In July, Mr. Malone, who is Liberty's chairman, said "If we have to spend our money to go from 40% to 50%…we'd like to get that capital back." Liberty has spent roughly $1.5 billion in the last several months on Sirius shares. Greg Maffei, chief executive officer of Liberty, said recently that Sirius should take on more debt, which can help fund cash distributions. On Wednesday, Sirius announced it had entered a $1.25 billion credit facility with a group of banks. Liberty initially acquired a 40% effective stake in Sirius for a nominal amount, as part of an agreement for the investment company to provide a loan-rescue package to Sirius in early 2009. At that time Sirius was losing money. Since then, however, the radio company has started generating significant profits. Analysts expect the company to generate $691 million in free cash flow in 2012. The turnaround has helped lift Sirius's stock price and the value of Liberty's stake, now put at around $9 billion. The company didn't set a timetable for the buyback but said the dividend will be distributed Dec. 28 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 18.
BMW of North America will recall 29,800 X5 utility vehicles with diesel engines to replace an engine part that could break and cause a loss of power steering, federal safety officials said Thursday. The issue affects 2009-2012 BMW X5 35d models made from September 1, 2008, through November 15, 2012, according to a report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. BMW of North America, a unit of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, said the engine belt idler pulley bolt could loosen and break over time, which in turn could cause an unexpected loss of power steering and increase the risk of a crash. The automaker has informed dealers and expects to begin notifying customers in January. Dealers will replace the bolt for free.
SEC warns Netflix CEO over Facebook post Now social-media messages are getting even chief executives in hot water. The Securities and Exchange Commission said it may bring suit against Netflix Inc. and CEO Reed Hastings over a post that Mr. Hastings made on Facebook several months ago, marking one of the higher-profile reverberations for an executive for posting on Facebook Inc.'s namesake site. Mr. Hastings boasted on his Facebook page in July that Netflix exceeded 1 billion hours of video streaming in a month for the first time. The post may have violated rules of fair disclosure, the SEC said. The SEC said it may also issue a cease-and-desist
THE GRAND TURK INN IS HIRING AN ASSISTANT MANAGER REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE OWNER TO RUN THE LITTLE HUT.
Experience/Education/Responsibilities: At least 6 years’ experience managing a customer restaurant At least 5 years’ supervision experience, of teams of employees. At least 3 years’ experience in event planning, management and banquet preparation. Responsible for running the Little Hut Restaurant, accounting, sales, cooking, menu planning, cleaning, purchasing and security. Experience in managing, planning and organizing of special functions including wedding, private parties Responsible for site maintenance and landscaping. Must display a high level of energy, have an entrepreneurial spirit, be motivational, effective in providing exceptional customer service and ability to run an operation on it own. Salary $18,000 per annum. Please submit resumes to the Grand Turk Inn – grandturkinn@gmail.com
proceeding against Netflix and Mr. Hastings. Mr. Hastings responded in another Facebook post Thursday. He said further disclosure at the time wasn't necessary because he has more than 200,000 subscribers to his Facebook page, which makes it a "very public" forum. Netflix had also disclosed on its blog in June that it was nearing the 1 billion streaming hours milestone, he said. Mr. Hastings, who is also on the board of Facebook, added that, at any rate, such information isn't a "material" event to investors. Netflix shares jumped 6.2% on July 3, the day Mr. Hastings made the disclosure.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Administrative Assistant An Insurance Agency and Brokerage is seeking a dynamic, outgoing proactive person, with a background in Administration and Customer Service with a minimum of 4 years experience in General & Motor Insurance. Job entails the processing of applications, policy documents, client renewals, supervision and assistance with claims. Secondary languages will be an asset along with any accounting knowledge or computer training with In-Visage or TAM Software Systems. Kindly send resumes to: Human Resource Manager P.O. Box 355 Providenciales
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LOCAL SPORTS
DECEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 15TH, 2012
U19 players participate emulate world football stars Over 70 players participated in the recent TCIFA U9 World Cup competition. The four week event saw players from the Under 9 Regional Academy emulate the stars of the world game at the TCIFA Academy field. A very close competition saw Mexico defeat last season’s winners England in a tense final. Although there had to be a winning team every player can feel proud of their achievements as the standard of play has improved tremendously over recent months to produce a thrilling
and exciting league. Head Coach Fraser Park was impressed with the level of football and commitment from the young players.” Every week the players get better and better. Hopefully they will continue to remain active for many years to come”. Park has been more than ably assisted in the past year from coaches Neil Smith, Benneth Williams, Haroon Swaby, Dane Ritchie and Randy Ford. Technical Director Matthew Green was delighted with the league. ”I was very pleased to see such a high standard of football in this group.
Credit must go to the dedication of the players themselves and the coaches that give up their free time. Many of these players will move up to the under 11 group, but they have had a good grounding in the game and I am sure they will continue to develop.” After the competition ended the following awards were handed out. The following are photo highlights of the event. Victorious Mexico Captain Sean Gardiner accepts the winning trophy (winning team) Runner team England, are
captured with medals (second place team) Team MVPS: Mexico-Sean Gardiner; England-Callum Park; Brazil-George Ellis; France-Devante Young; Spain-Jude Smith; HollandJean Pierre; Japan-Mickey Forbes; and South Africa-Rasean Missick. The top goal-scorer was Sean Gardiner with 10 goals. Christina Louisy was named the Girl Tournament MVP. Sean Gardiner was the Boy MVP, while Radisha Johnson was named Player Of The Year-Radisha Johnson.
AFC atop female league table As the WFL heads into its break and with a third of the season gone AFC Academy Strikers find themselves top of the league and on an unbeaten run of three games. Last season they failed to win a game and only scored two goals but a lot of hard work over the past six months has paid off. Despite their lack of experience (average age is 13 years old) they have played some impressive and attractive football in recent weeks. Two weeks ago they won their first ever league game with a 4-0 victory against
Revolution FC as Yarileny De La Cruz scored a hat-trick and Kadine Delphin added another and last Sunday they came from behind to beat their sister team the AFC Academy Hurricanes by a 3-1 margin. AFC Hurricanes started strongly and controlled most of the possession with sarah Cenary and Scateline “Chucky”Gedeon running the midfield. The Strikers struggled to find their passing game and found themselves a goal down when Sarah Cenary broke through the Strikers’
Police stop Beaches – Game 11
Man of the Match: Ira Baptiste
Police recovered from a disastrous start to hand Beaches their first defeat of the Competition as the Turks and Caicos Islands Cricket Association T20 Competition continued on Sunday December 2nd at the Downtown Ball Park in Providenciales. Batting first after winning the toss, Beaches posted a decent 175 runs for 8 wickets from 20 overs. Anthony McKnight top scored with a stroke, making 62 runs, 5x6 (five sixes) and 4x4 (fours fours) and Kareem Jack added 5x4 (five fours) Bowling for the Police, Garvin Bruno claimed 3 wickets, 28 runs from 4 overs and Ira Baptiste supported with 2 wickets for 19 runs, from 4 overs. In reply Police lost their first 2 wickets without troubling the scorers but recovered to reach 176 runs for 6 wickets and 17.2 overs. Ira Baptiste scored a cyclonic 63 runs which consisted of 7 scorching fours and 4 towering sixes. Kavin Mars contributed 31 runs and Grantley Williams chipped in with an unbeaten 20 runs. Bowling for Beaches, Damian ST. Ange took 2 wickets for 25 runs from 4 overs. Ancell Williams, Martinique Williams, Hanzie Zietsman took 1 wicket each.
defence and forced the ball home. However, rather than dishearten the young team the goal seemed to wake them up as the Strikers players finally came to life and started to pressure their opponents and Kadine Delphin’s shot was deflected into the back of the net to tie the game. Jenny Fluerenvil, who had another impressive game on the right wing made it 2-1 as her cross sailed into the goal. Hurricanes will have considered themselves very unfortunate to be a goal down at half time as they had played a strong half and given the Strikers players few clear cut chances. The second half started off quite evenly with the Hurricanes trying hard to get back on level terms, however the Strikers defence held firm under the leadership of Shinaydine Pluviose and Alyssa Laing. Gaya Smith tried rallied her troops and Sarah Cenary was a constant threat on the counter attack but it was the Strikers who sealed the game when Yarielca De la Cruz’s powerful long range shot found the back of the net. De la Cruz almost made it 4-1 a few minutes later as she dribbled into the box only to place the ball wide. Hurricanes kept fighting until the end
but it was not enough on the day and the Strikers held on for the win which puts them two points clear of Net Rockers FC. Hurricanes coach Gerry Gregg had mixed feelings about the game. “We played some nice football today at times and the girls tried hard, but we just needed one or two players to step up a bit more and use their experience to greater effect. Having said that, the likes of Sarah, Chucky, Shrimpy (jacinda Alfrena) and especially Gaya Smith showed their quality, they need just more support from players around them.” Technical Director Matthew Green was pleased with the Strikers win although he admitted they could have played better. “Credit must go to Hurricanes who played very well today, restricting the Strikers time on the ball. The score line was slightly flattering but it shows just how much the team has improved that they can play below par and grind out a result against a very good team. The season has a long way to go as yet, but they are in a nice position at the moment, hopefully they will handle the pressure and continue to play attractive football that yields results”.
Turks and Caicos Cricket Asociation Competition 2012?2013 POINTS STANDING
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Chanderpaul receives high praises READ STORY BELOW
Windies board praises Chanderpaul for regaining number one batting spot ST.JOHN’S, Antigua - The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has praised veteran middle order batsman Shrivnarine Chanderpaul for regaining his ICC ranking as the top Test batsman in the world. Chanderpaul replaced Australia captain Michael Clarke, leading him by a single point, at the top of the latest test rankings released by the game’s governing body on Tuesday. Chanderpaul’s return to the top of the table follows his double century last month in the first test against
Bangladesh. “On behalf of the WICB as well as cricket lovers across the Caribbean, I want to congratulate Shiv on regaining the number one batting spot in the ICC Test rankings as he completed another outstanding year of batsmanship for West Indies in the Test match arena,” said WICB president Dr.Julian Hunte. “Shiv has set very high standards and has maintained those standards”. Chanderpaul’s 879 ranking points is closely followed by Clarke on 878 points and Hashim Amla of South
WICB confirm Grenada to host Zimbabwe for 2013 tour ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Grenada’s National Stadium will host international cricket for the first time in four years when Zimbabwe tour the Caribbean next year. The West Indies Cricket Board confirmed this week that that West Indies will resume Test cricket with the embattled African nation, with a a month long series that includes two Test matches, three One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20 Internationals. In a tour that runs from February 20 to March 20, Grenada will host all three ODIs while the T20 doubleheader is scheduled for Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua. The two Test matches played at Kensington Oval in Barbados and Windsor Park in Dominica. Grenada’s National Stadium last hosted international cricket when West Indies entertained Bangladesh in the second Test of the controversial tour three years ago. The tour will also see West Indies facing Zimbabwe in Tests for the first time in nine years though they played each other in a limited overs series in the Caribbean in 2010. ITINERARY: February 20: Zimbabwe v UWI Vice Chancellor’s XI, Grenada (venue to be confirmed) February 22: 1st ODI – Grenada National Stadium, Grenada February 24: 2nd ODI – Grenada National Stadium, Grenada February 26: 3rd ODI – Grenada National Stadium, Grenada March 2: 1st T20I – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua March 3: 2nd T20I – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua March 7-9: Three-day warm-up – 3Ws Oval, Barbados March 12-16: 1st Test – Kensington Oval, Barbados March 20-24: 2nd Test – Windsor Park, Dominica
Africa on 875 points. Earlier this year he scaled new heights becoming just the second West Indian after Brian Lara to make 10,000 Test runs. “He continues to demonstrate his commitment to West Indies cricket and his love for the game” said Dr. Hunte. “In 18 years of international cricket Shiv has also demonstrated his appetite for runs and the ultimate desire for success.” Chanderpaul ended 2012 with 987 Test runs at the amazing average of
98.70 runs per innings. He was the leading West Indies batsman in Test cricket this year followed by Marlon Samuels (866 runs), Kieran Powell (587 runs), Darren Bravo (482 runs) and Darren Sammy (456 runs). “We urge Shiv to continue to ‘bat on’ for West Indies” said Dr. Hunte. “This year the team showed major improvement with four Test match wins and Shiv played a vital role in those results. He remains a source of inspiration…”.
Jamaican is first Caribbean player to win golden boots in Central America SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador -Jamaica’s national midfielder, Sean Frazer, has created history by becoming the first Caribbean player to win the golden boots in a Central American league. Frazer who plays for Alianza has finished as the top scorer in the El Salvador premier league with some 15 goals. Alianza, one of the most popular and successful clubs in El Salvador, finished second in the regular season and will now play CD FAS in a two way semi-final. Frazer is no stranger to creating history having been a member of the first Jamaica team to qualify for a FIFA Youth World Cup Finals - the Under-17 edition in New Zealand in 1999. Two years later, Fraser was on the second Jamaica youth team to play in a World Cup Final - in Argentina in 2001.
Barbados jockey edges closer to CAN$9m record with 23rd race win TORONTO, Canada - Barbadian Patrick Husbands won his 21st added-money race of the Woodbine season and 23rd of the year when he carried Pyrite Mountain to a photo-finish win in Sunday’s CAN$125,000 Kingarvie Stakes. Going off as the favourite in the mile and sixteenth trip, Husbands brought the bay colt home with a tremendous run in the final stretch to beat pace-setter Power Phil by a nose. The pair completed the outing in one minute, 45.46 seconds. They seemed to be out of contention with a furlong to run but Husbands got the best out of the two-year-old when it mattered most. “At the first turn, we got hung out pretty wide and lost a lot of lengths” said trainer Mark Frostad. “I thought that was coming back to haunt us, but fortunately Patrick prevailed and the horse ran a game race”.
For the veteran rider Husbands, it was his first stakes win in nearly a month following his last score in the Autumn Stakes on November 10. He is now two short of his Woodbine personal-best of 23 wins, with just under two weeks left in the season. The win also carried his earnings to CAN$8.9 million, just short of breaking the ninemillion dollar mark for the eighth time in his career. Husbands had a clean trip, breaking smartly from near the outside and racing off the pace, as Power Phil led the field through the first quarter in 24.60 seconds and the half-mile in 49.16. Approaching the turn, Husbands eased Pyrite Mountain into contention but lost ground as the race swung for home, allowing Power Phil to regain the advantage. However, Husbands and the bay colt steadily wore down the leader to snatch a dramatic win.
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HIGHLIGHTS
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Chiefs left with questions after Jovan Belcher murder-suicide READ ON PAGE 44
Kobe Bryant tops 30,000 points, keeps an eye on Michael Jordan The “best Laker that’s ever played?” Maybe Magic Johnson was being facetious. Maybe not. What’s certain is that Kobe Bryant joined an extremely exclusive NBA club of players who have scored 30,000 points Wednesday night. The Los Angeles Lakers guard who, unimaginably, has spent half his life playing in the league, became the youngest to reach 30,000 at the age of 34 years and 104 days. Bryant’s historic moment came just before halftime. He joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain with a one-handed floater in the lane over Robin Lopez. There were a few cheers, but the game wasn’t stopped. Before the second half started, the milestone was acknowledged and Bryant hugged his teammates and waved to the crowd. “Honestly, I don’t why I’m still working as hard as I am after 17 years [in the league],” said Bryant, who has won five championships and now has 30,016 points. ”It’s just, I enjoy what I do. I think that’s the thing I’m most proud of is every year and every day
Kobe Bryant
working hard at it. It’s a lot of years, a lot of work.” Bryant was unusually talkative after the 103-87 victory moved the Lakers to 9-10 ahead of Friday’s big
Golf acts to ban anchored putting THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Mark Cokewell’s long putters were leaned against a golf bag on the practice green at Sherwood Country Club here like Douglas firs stacked against the fence of a Christmas tree lot on Dec. 26. At this time last year, the Krutch II putters from Rosemark Golf, the company Cokewell founded, were selling briskly. But a ruling on Wednesday by golf’s governing bodies has turned the clubs into fool’s gold. The United States Golf Association, acting in concert with the Royal & Ancient, proposed a new rule, Rule 14-1b, which states that in making a stroke with any club, players cannot intentionally anchor the club on any part of the body or use their gripping hands to rest against the body. In a conference call with reporters, Mike Davis, the executive director of the association, said that this was not an equipment ban but a clarification of what constitutes a stroke. “This is a playing rule,” he said, “not an equipment rule.” The proposed rule would allow the continued use of all conforming golf clubs, including belly-length and long putters, as long as they are not anchored during a stroke. The intent, Davis said, is to preserve golfers’ abilities to play a wide variety of strokes in their individual style and the integrity of the game. The governing bodies presented examples of how long putters could still be legally used, including the stroke of Matt Kuchar in which he rests the shaft on his forearm and clasps the putter with his other hand. “We believe a player should hold the club away from his body and swing it freely, whether it’s a putt, a chip, a pitch, a bunker shot, an iron shot, a recovery shot or a shot played from the teeing ground,” he said. “We think this is integral to the traditions of the game.”
game against the Thunder in Oklahoma City. He talked about Jordan, his idol, and admitted that they were similar in off-the-court demeanor, too. Bryant wasn’t waiting
for a welcome-to-the-club call. “Knowing him the way I know him, probably not,” Bryant said. “I probably wouldn’t call [him] either.” One-quarter of Bryant’s 30,000+ points have come on free throws, 1,540 of his points have come on three-pointers. Where does he go from here? He leads the league with a 27.9point average, which means he should pass Chamberlain (31,419) this season. Over the summer, ESPN’s Michael Wilbon said he ran into Bryant at a golf course and asked if were going to play a round. “Nah,” Wilbon said he joked. “Gotta catch Michael.” After Chamberlain, the next target is Jordan’s 32,292…and Jordan’s six championships, of course, are always the great white whale. ”Scorers kind of have a fighterpilot mentality. We’re a different breed,” Bryant said. ”But there are different positions. We scored in a myriad of ways. We all went about it differently in different situations. It’s fun to see.”
India’s Olympic Committee is suspended by the IOC NEW DELHI — The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday suspended the Indian Olympic Association for chronic violations of the international Olympic Charter, creating one of the most embarrassing episodes in Indian sports history. The suspension could cost athletes in India financial support from funds provided by the international committee. It also means that unless the sanctions are lifted, Indian athletes cannot compete under the country’s flag in Olympic events. The I.O.C. said in a statement that its executive board decided to suspend the Indian association because of “its failure to comply with the Olympic Charter and its statutes, failure to inform the I.O.C. in a timely matter, and as a protective measure against government interference in the I.O.A.’s election process.” Most of India’s sports leaders are politicians who are either too old or have been in power too long to meet international leadership guidelines. While the international committee has been warning Indian leaders for years about such problems, those leaders would have to surrender power to meet the international demands. That has not happened. “The Indian Olympic Association did not do anything to prevent this suspension from happening because they would have to give up their positions to do so,” said Boria Majumdar, a history professor at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and a co-author of “Olympics: The India Story.” In television interviews Tuesday night, several top Indian sports officials said they were blameless. Tarlochan Singh, the vice president of the Indian Olympic Association, said that his committee tried to amend its code to abide by international requirements, but it was overruled by the government.
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Chiefs left with questions after Jovan Belcher murder-suicide KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Brady Quinn can’t help but wonder whether he missed something in the final days of Jovan Belcher’s life. Could the Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback have listened better to his teammate? Could he have noticed a change in the linebacker’s temperament? Did Belcher utter something under his breath that may have let on that he was capable of killing his girlfriend and himself? “When you ask someone how they’re doing, do you really mean it?” Quinn wondered. “When you answer back, are you really telling the truth?” The murder-suicide last Saturday raised similar questions among players and coaches across the NFL. In an era in which physical safety is of paramount importance, it’s become clear that ensuring the emotional wellbeing of the men who play the game is just as essential. “The relationships you have with people face-to-face, on a daily basis, kind of get brushed aside for everything else that’s out there,” Quinn said. “A lot of times people hide their issues, their problems. They don’t talk to anyone until it’s too late.” This past July, the NFL established an emergency hotline that operates 24 hours a day and connects players, staff and family members in crisis with mental-health professionals who are not affiliated with the league or its teams. The group, which provides a
Jovan Belcher (right), his girlfriend and his young baby in happier times
similar service to the Veteran’s Administration, is required to keep its conversations confidential unless the individual calling indicates they may harm themselves or others. Robert Gulliver, the NFL’s chief human resources officer, said “absolutely, players and staff are taking advantage of the opportunity” provided by the hotline. Gulliver couldn’t say whether Belcher had called, citing its confidentiality policy, and could not provide any data that indicates how much it is being used. But Gulliver did say that what happened to Belcher may cause the NFL to consider more offerings in the future. “Mental health continues to be, in general society, an area that often has
a stigma attached to it,” Gulliver said. “We’re trying to change that culture and break down that stigma and show people that mental is part of total health.” That stigma is pervasive in the NFL, where a macho culture has been long ingrained. In numerous interviews with current and former players, The Associated Press found many who said they would refuse to seek support for various reasons. Maybe their issues would get back to their coaches and affect their playing time or their contracts. Maybe their teammates would view them differently. Several players indicated that the same attitude that carried them to the NFL — that in some ways they are
indestructible — makes it difficult for them to reconcile needing outside help. “In all my years playing football, I’ve never really seen a guy come out and say he needed help with this or he was having issues with this,” said Rams offensive tackle Wayne Hunter, who’s in his ninth year in the league. “Guys, including myself, generally keep our personal issues to ourselves.” Hunter said that when he was with the Jets, he took advantage of a team psychologist who provided support. Otherwise, he leaned on teammates. “It was nice to have another set of ears other than the team psychologist,” Hunter said. “The psychologist analyzes and sometimes over analyzes — I’m talking generally speaking — and they give you what they think is a right answer. But going to a friend gives you another perspective, gives you his side and a more personal side.” Then there’s the tight-rope between offering help and prying into personal lives. “A football locker room is a microcosm of the rest of society,” said Rams defensive lineman Chris Long. “When do you come up and help somebody out and when do you feel like you’re intruding?” Browns coach Pat Shurmur and Cowboys coach Jason Garrett both reminded players this week to seek help, whether their problems are with drugs and alcohol, their professional life or things happening at home.
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