Volume 8 Issue 8

VOLUME 8 No. 08

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

$1

DEFICIT JUMPS FROM

$15M TO $20M Website: www.suntci.com

Email: sun@suntci.com

BY HAYDEN BOYCE PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The economy of the Turks and Caicos Islands continues to experience serious struggles, with the deficit increasing from $15million in the second quarter (July to September 2011) to $20million in the third quarter (October to December 2011) and the Interim Government admitting that they will likely end the financial year at an increased deficit position of $38 million.

The $5million increase in the deficit was highlighted in the third-quarter financial statements which were released by the Interim Government on Thursday February 23rd.

At the end of December 2011 TCIG recorded a recurrent deficit of $19.9m, which was $7.4m higher than budget, but $33.5m less than the same period last year.

A review of the second-quarter figures

by The SUN showed that at the end of September 2011 revenue and expenditure showed a deficit of $14.9m, $7.6m higher than the budgeted deficit of $7.3m.

However, at the same point last year, the deficit was $35.3m.

Government revenue at the end of December was $118.5million, which was up $2.3million or 2% on budget and $33million on last year, but total expenditure stood at $138.4million which was $9.7million or 7.5% above what was budgeted, but halfmillion dollars below last year.

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Tel: 649-946-8542

Fax: 649-941-3281

Interim Government says it will get higher

A member of the audience displays a sign while Governor Ric Todd addresses the audience a the Providenciales Town Hall meeting on February 21, 2012

LARGE HOTELS TO PAY 30 PERCENT TCI BANK DEPOSITORS MORE FOR ELECTRICITY WANT ANSWERS - PAGE 5

SEE GSAT PAPER ON PAGE 26

www. twitter.com/suntci

LILLIAN BOYCE STEPPING STONES COLUMN

- PAGE 8

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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

Deficit jumps from $15m to $20m (CONT’D )

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

While Governor Ric Todd and Chief Financial Officer Hugh McGarel Groves have sought to put a positive spin and bright outlook on the economic performance, a close analysis of the figures and trends of the past year point to difficulty, if not impossibility of achieving a fiscal surplus in the financial year ending March 2013, which is a key milestone that must be met before elections can be held to return the Turks and Caicos Islands to self-rule.

The document stated: “Historic Liabilities were also a challenge during the financial year where expenditure is expected to be $16m above the budget of $3.3m by financial year end. A large portion of these costs relate to overseas medical expenses from the former Treatment Abroad Program, which is still being settled in court. It is clear from the latest forecast that TCIG will likely end the financial year at an increased deficit position of $38 million, mainly due to the delayed receipt of the $10m transfer from the NIB. This will also include $14.0million of unbudgeted healthcare costs, $16million in historical liabilities and $8.5million in severance costs to voluntary applicants, among many other costs.”

However, McGarel-Groves said a separate Government press release: ““The finances of the Turks and Caicos Islands under the Interim Administration are definitely moving in the right direction. “This analysis shows that the measures we have introduced are having an effect. I look forward to the end of year figures which will take into account the record high season tourism figures as well as the revenue generation measures announced last November.”

His Excellency The Governor Ric Todd added: “Clearly, it is one of our significant milestones to achieve a surplus by March 2013. Not only is this necessary for elections to be held in TCI, but Government finances need to be in the black in this way in order to begin tackling the $189m debt inherited from the previous elected administration.

“I firmly believe that tackling this debt in a professional and open way will send a message to the world that the TCI is properly governed once again and is open and ready for business.”

According to the latest figures, import Duty continues to be the governments’ main revenue source with receipts to end of December totaling $35 million; which was $700,000 less than budget, but $3million above last year, while Customs Processing Fees of $9.3million was $700,000 above budget, which helped to mitigate losses on Import Duty.

Accommodation Tax continues to be a major revenue earner as well with collection at the end of the third quarter totaling $21.9million, which was $4.6million above budget and $5.6million above last year.

Consistent with increased tourist arrivals and increased growth in the tourismA view market, Tax of the Accommodation bar against a budget of $27.7m is forecast

to end the financial year at $33million, resulting in a positive variance of 22% or $6million against budget and against last year’s total collection of $24.5million, will result in a positive variance of $8.6million.

Stamp duty on land transactions which exceeded its entire years’ budget of $8.9m since July 2011; totaled $12.1million at the end of December.

At the same period last year Stamp Duty totaled $7.7million, which demonstrates growth of 57% ($4.4million) when compared to collection this year.

Airport Authority Net Revenue totaled $7.8million; while Work Permits and Residency Fees totaled the same. Work Permits and Residency Fees were on par with collection last year, but $2.4million below budget.

Hampered by numerous delays to the implementation of new work permit fees, along with challenges in enforcement, despite new work permit fees being implemented as of December 1st, 2011, the forecast for Work Permits has been revised to $10.4million which is $5.1million less than budget and almost in line with collection last year of $10.3million.

Efforts are being put in place to strengthen the enforcement arm of this sector and to better analyze collection going forward.

Other revenue accounts such as Crown Land Rents, Financial Services Commission Net Revenue, Port Authority Excess Revenue, Vehicle Licences and Naturalisation Fees were above budget; while Banks Services Tax, Insurance Premiums Tax, Gaming Machine Tax, Sale of Water and Contributions to Scholarships were below budget. The year to date budget also included $1.1million for Water Consumption Tax and Carbon Tax which were not implemented and $1.3million for Sand Mining Royalties which has been delayed.

Civil Recovery Income of $1.2million was received in December as well, resulting in a positive variance against budget and further remittances are expected in this area going forward as well.

In terms of Government’s total expenditure, personnel costs which accounted for 36% of total expenditure at the end of December and 42% of total revenues collected in the same period, stood at $50million. This was almost on par with budget and $2.5million less than last year.

The Public Service Reform Program is now underway with the first set of Voluntary Applicants opting for severance at the end of February.

Voluntary Severance payments range up a full two years salary and will be paid from the Provision for Investment in Milestones Account.

Local and International Travel and Subsistence were slightly above budget by $600,000, while Utilities, Communication and Office Expenses for the same period was $400,000 below budget and government Maintenance expenses was $900,000 below budget, while Operating Expenses and Supplies and Materials was above budget.

Rental of Assets recorded a negative variance of $700,000 where expenditure at the end of December totaled $3.7million compared to

expenditure the previous year of $4.2million.

Works are set to commence on the refurbishment of government owned properties in both Grand Turk and Providenciales which will help to reduce the burden of rental costs in the next financial year.

Subventions of $6million were above budget by $1million, primarily due to the delayed implementation of the Statutory Body Reform Program and Grants and Contributions of $3.6million were $300,000 above budget primarily due an approved supplementary of $700,000 which was granted to offset increased expenditure in the Scholarship Program.

Supplementary expenditure in this area will be met from a transfer from the Contingency Fund.

Against a year to date budget of $9million transfers to National Health Insurance Board totaled $16million at the end of the third quarter, resulting in a negative variance of $7.1million due to TCIG having to make additional payments on behalf of NHIB, which was unable to meet all its obligations.

As a part of the governments’ commitments to assist in covering the cost of healthcare in TCI, in addition to being responsible for the monthly Unitary (Infrastructure Costs) to InterHealth Canada which are paid from the Hospital Infrastructure Charges account and totaled $12.1million at the end of December; the government also remits $1million to National Health Insurance Board on a monthly basis to cover the cost of Treatment Abroad.

In July 2011, NHIB began to experience financial difficulties and it became necessary for TCIG to assist NHIB in meeting its monthly Clinical Service Payments to ICL as well. As a result of this TCIG had to incur an additional $1million of expenditure in this regard per month, resulting in the negative $6.1million plus an additional $1million advance was granted in August to assist with Treatment Abroad Costs, bringing the total Advance to NHIB at the end of December to $7.1m. It was hoped that the transfer of $10.0m from the National Insurance Board for reimbursement of historic employment injury healthcare costs would have assisted TCIG in offsetting the costs it has already born on NHIB’s behalf, but delays in the transfer of these funds have hampered these efforts for this

financial year. In addition to this, as it is not expected that NHIB will be able to resume these payments until April 2012, TCIG will continue to make these and other payments on NHIB’s behalf which is forecast to total $14.0m by financial year end.

SIPT and Civil Recovery expenses which are captured under the Office of the Chief Executives’ budget and have an annual budget of $10million, at the end of December accounted for $10million in expenditure offset by Civil Recovery Income of $1.2million.

With other favourable judgments already in place, it is expected that Civil Recovery income will continue to grow which along with successful recoveries of other valuable assets will offset the cost of SIPT and Civil Recovery expenses.

However, despite the increased deficit position in 2011/2012, 2012/2013 remains a year with good prospects for TCIG. Revenue growth is expected to continue in the tourism sector and TCIG remains on track towards receiving the long anticipated reinstatement of European Union funding through EDF9 which should see TCIG receiving a large amount of funds from the EU in grants as direct budget support. Civil Recovery is expected to continue on its drive towards returning the rightful assets of TCIG including both cash and land, and incremental growth is expected in all other sectors of the economy; while VAT is progressing well towards introduction by 2013.

Staff costs will be substantially reduced in the next financial year as a result of the Public Service Reform Program and the restructuring of government services. New programs such as the Solid Waste Management scheme, TCI Radar Project and others are scheduled to come on stream and the drafting of the new Public Financial Management (PFM) Ordinance is also progressing well. It is expected that this ordinance going forward will continue to enshrine our commitment to high standards of financial management, where both the House of Assembly and the general public will by law, be continuously updated on the finances of the country and Accounting Officers will be held to higher standards in terms of the management of public funds.

The Maranatha High School is seeking to employ an

Administrative Assistant to the Principal

with at least three years experience. Ideal candidate must be a Seventh-day Adventist.

Qualifications: • Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) and Administrative Assistant Diploma • Should be able to provide general administrative support including records management and accounting • Should have good verbal and written communication skills • Should be proficient in the use of Microsoft Word and Excel (knowledge of Quickbooks would be an asset) • Must be able to work on own initiative Submit application and resume by March 2, 2012 to: The Principal Maranatha High School 287 Millennium Highway Blue Hills Email: contact@maranathahigh.com

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

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LOCAL NEWS

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LOCAL NEWS

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

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LOCAL NEWS

Large Hotels to pay 30 percent more for electricity

Large hotels in the Turks and Caicos Islands have been advised that from April 1, 2012, they will have to pay 30 percent more for electricity from Fortis TCI. And they are upset about it, because they say it is an excessive burden that is being unfairly placed on them during these tough economic times.

The SUN obtained correspondence from Electricity Commissioner Malike Cummings which confirmed the increase. The letter which was copied to Philip Rushbrook-Director of StrategyGovernor’s Office and Permanent Secretary Desmond Wilson, stated: “In accordance with Section 32 of the Electricity Ordinance- Charges for Electricity Supplied by Public Suppliers; the Governor has agreed to a rate increase for

consumers within in the Large Hotel category of the Fortis TCI service territory. The electricity base rate would be increased from $0.17/kWh to $0.215/kWh. In addition to the change in the base rate, the consumption band has been adjusted for the large hotel category from 3,200,000 kWh per annum to 4, 200 000kWh per annum.”

A spokesman for one of the large hotels, who asked not to be identified, told The SUN: “This is absolute madness. Everyone knows that we in the Turks and Caicos Islands are already paying some of the highest electricity rates in the region, and so, for a decision to be taken to increase what we have to pay for power in these challenging economic times it can only be designed to ensure that hotels don’t stay in business. This is a total surprise.”

When contacted, Talisha Simons, corporate communications officer for Fortis TCI stated:

“Consistent with the company’s transparency policy and mode of operation, FortisTCI Ltd. did issue a press release dated August 30, 2011 indicating our objectives as it relates to the rate variation application. FortisTCI Ltd. seeks to end Government’s requirement to subsidise service on South Caicos, to levelise rates across the Company’s service territory of Providenciales, North Caicos, Middle Caicos, and South Caicos, to re-balance rates to ensure greater equity and costof-service fairness and to facilitate the continued development of the electricity infrastructure which is one of the best in the Caribbean.

Currently discussions are still ongoing between the Turks and Caicos Islands Government and FortisTCI Ltd., however, once considerations are final the appropriate information will be circulated.

Enid Capron’s Brianna Brown is 2012 Spelling Bee

BY VIVIAN TYSON Brianna Brown of the Enid Capron Primary was crowned the 2012 Champion of the British Atlantic Financial Services National Primary Schools Spelling Bee Contest after outclassing her peers from other primary schools across the Turks and Caicos Islands at the Beaches Resort and Spa, on Friday, February 17.

The win was back-to-back for Enid Capron, as they were the champions for 2011.n Brianna is the daughter of Bryan and Erica Brown.

Together with Principal for the school and other teachers, Brianna’s mom was on hand to share in the victorious moment.

Brianna, on her way to winning the crown, had to stave off spirited challenges from Selena Grant of Precious Treasures; Chelsea Stubbs of Best Institute; Brianna Gardiner of Adalaide Oemler and Travon Walkin of Richmond Hill, Precious, all of whom she pipped by the narrowest Sonia Williams (right), Undersecretary in the Ministry of Education, presents the winning trophy to Brianna Brown. looking on from left are: Rachel Taylor, Principal; and coaches Janet Blake and Nelene Swann of margins - one point – 50 to a four-way tie 49, in the regulation 10 Among the prizes that she won that proved itself today because sponsorship was going on from then. rounds. for herself was a laptop computers ‘Bree’ is a hard worker, and she has Part of the reason why we continue to Among the rules of the and trophies. The elated Brianna, been rewarded. The preparation was sponsor the Spelling Bee competition competition is that, if after 10 rounds told The SUN that her hard work vigorous. We had her at lunch time; I every year is because of our concern there is no winners, the competitor was backed by strong determination, took her home like on Saturdays and for education, and we believe that with most points would emerge coupled with support from her Sundays, and she did work also on the Spelling Bee is an opportunity champion, which this case it was coaches, parents and school family. her own. Her parents also chipped in for our children to showcase what Brianna, with her one point lead.

My coaches really worked hard and did what they could,” Blake said. they have been learning in school And with four competitors all tying at preparing me, and I am very proud In the meantime, Managing and to showcase their ability to spell. for second place, a spell-off was of them, because it actually paid off, Director for British Atlantic That is the reason why we have been held. At the end of it, Travon Walkin I finished in first place,” she said.

Financial Services told The SUN sponsoring the competition and we of Richmond Hill emerged with For her part, Blake, who is a that this competition brought a great will continue to sponsor it, as long most points -5 – with Selana Grant remedial teacher at Enid Capron deal of excitement, as the children as we are around. British Atlantic’s of Precious Treasures and Chelsea Primary School, said that Brianna put in sterling performances. sponsorship of the competition this Stubbs of BEST Institute tying for was a hard worker, and the efforts “We have been sponsoring this year is in the region of $10,000. The third place, with Brianna Gardiner paid off in the finals of the contest. event before we became British sponsorship included the laptop of Adalaide Oemler rounding off the “There is a saying that says, ‘the Atlantic; in fact, I worked with computer, airfare for children top five. workmen is worthy of his pay’, and British American Insurance, and the travelling between the islands.

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COMMENTARY

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

e Governor has become a sounding brass or tingling cymbal ROYAL S. ROBINSON, MBE

competent legal advice on its behalf is tantamount to being In all of my 27 years as a public criminal. Why should they “go to servant and subsequently some 20 a gun fight with a knife”? years in the private sector have I But is the arrogance of these seen a sitting TCI Governor under people seeping through! What they so much public duress. seem not to be able to deal with is This has come about because the quality and quantity of of the stance that he has taken educated Turks and Caicos with respect to public policy and Islanders that they have to deal the delivery of services to the with these days. I have yet to see a people of the Turks and Caicos Governor with even a first degree Islands. It is abundantly clear to behind his name, but he would all and sundry that the man has come here and talk down to not a clue as to what to do to persons in our heritage with PhD’s. effect positive changes. It all now The push back has started in harks back to what he said when earnest now. he first came here and that he did I was more than encouraged a not know why he was chosen and few days ago when I read the surprised by his being chosen.

Editorial in the Weekly News in ROYAL ROBINSON It is now apparent to Prize, which the Editor was chiding the CONTRIBUTER although he has now passed away, Governor for the double standard that having become the Minister that he was engaging in with of Everything Affairs in this country; he is finding respect to the incident between the AG, Mr. himself hard press to deliver the goods for us. What Shepherd and Crown Council Mr. Franklyn. he has been able to do effectively is to alienate the This is the man who in his maiden speech here people of this country that he is supposed to be espoused transparency and in this matter, promised serving. to bring in an independent, Regional AG to deal with Let us start with the NIB debacle! We know that the matter. He failed to do so and at his meeting at at one point in time that NIB owed TCIG some sum Ona Glinton on Tuesday night, tried to trivialize the of money for services rendered to clients as a result incident. He was sternly chided for his remarks as of on the job injury. they were inappropriate.

As I have said before, that amount was agreed Having been, and admitted as much, one of the

by TCIG and NIB and paid over because the architects of bringing the British back into our verifiable invoice was submitted on both occasions. business, I was glad that former Chief Minister Now that the Governor, as Minister of Finance has Skippings could not hold his tongue any further and found himself in a bind, he has decided to look to the lashed out at the Governor for mis-characterizing the pool of funds that has been accumulated, from the accomplishments of previous administrations in contributions made by persons living and working bringing development to this country. Skippings told in TCI, to hijack some of the funds. him in no uncertain terms that he had better stop What is very irksome is the approach that this taking our meekness for weakness and started the Minister has taken to everything. It is his way or the refrain “enough is enough”! highway. That might work in some cases, but people The citizens of this country, no matter what their will allow that to happen for a small time “t”, and political stripes are, are certainly realizing that the would then push back. That the actuaries for NIB and Governor and his cohorts do not have the best NHIP do not agree is not uncommon. What is needed interest of the people at heart. In fact, someone is an independent arbiter, agreeable to both sides to remarked that the man has no heart at all, even come up with a compromise that is fair to both sides. though he professes to be of a Christian faith.

But Minister Todd does not want that, as he would The people of this country are not going to sit by come up short. All he wanted was to get his hands any longer and allow one man to ruin this country on $10M come what may. He was prepared to, and and then cut and run. Every move he makes will be did make a specific law, without public consultation challenged if it is seen to be not in our best interest. to affect this.

I am not sure what his upbringing was, and would What he did not bargain for was the fight back not even try to figure it out. from the Board of NIB! That he and his henchman But what I would say is that never in all of my are trying to say that NIB should not avail itself of years on God’s green earth have I seen a Governor

EDITORIAL CARTOON

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 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

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Hayden Boyce Senior Editor: Vivian Tyson Web Designer: Patrina Moore-Pierre Graphics Editor: Joleen Grant Office Manager: Dominique Rigby Distribution Manger: Kelano Howell Advertising and Marketing ManagerPatrina Moore-Pierre

The Turks and Caicos SUN is a subsidiary of The SUN Media Group Ltd. We are committed to excellence in journalism, educating and informing our readers, serving and satisfying our advertisers and assisting in the overall development of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

so vilified in public in this country. To openly, and to his face call the Governor a liar, must at the very least be disheartening. We are by nature, a very accommodating group of people.

But as many before have found, when you wake up the “sleeping dog” in us that can be very dangerous.

This Governor has done just that. He has sown the wind, and he will certainly reap the whirlwind! He started it and we certainly will finish it.

He was on this fool’s errand of trying to go around the country and saying thing that are not factually correct and thought that the people would have lapped that up and think that they were being done well by his actions. That is not so, and he is finding out the hard way, up close and personal that that would not be so.

The Governor, for all of his bravado has been rattled! That he misspoke and called the milestones what they really are, millstones is a signs of the times. His words are ringing hollow with every pronouncement and are being viewed for what they are, signifying nothing!

He needs a new set of talking points as the ones he is using are like old news and relegated to the garbage bins from whence they came.

• 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-in-Chief, 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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FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

LOCAL NEWS

Former Opposition Leader and NIB Board Floyd Seymour member writes to UK Foreign Affairs Committee Floyd Seymour, former leader of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) has written to the Foreign Affairs Committee in the United Kingdom about how the Interim Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands is handling the transfer of $10million from the National Insurance Board.

In a letter to chairman Richard Ottaway and obtained by The SUN, Seymour wrote: “Let me first begin by introducing myself. I am a former leader of the opposition in the Turks and Caicos Islands and under the chairmanship of Hon. Mike Gapes brought the matter of inappropriate Government behavior to the attention of the committee and was heavily quoted in the Turks and Caicos section of the committee’s seventh report of the 2007-08 session.

The committee’s report played a significant part in the calling of a Commission of Inquiry into possible Government Corruption and the subsequent suspension of sections of the Turk and Caicos Constitutional order 2006.

As I understand it the suspension was to allow for investigations into allegations of governmental corruption; commence a process of civil recovery; a strengthening of the TCI governmental infrastructure to prevent abuses from reoccurring; and prepare the country for free and fair elections.

While I support all of the causes identified, I had originally expressed my concern over the lack of oversight that was being included in the interim amendment order as it left the Governor as both the cabinet and the entire parliament with no oversight bodies such as a Public Accounts Committee, administrative committee; expenditure committee or any other body with legislative authority.

I am now at a point where I am concerned that my worst fairs may be realized where there is now a Governor in the Turks and Caicos Islands that appears to act with dictation, contrary to the law and with no oversight and I am again requesting your committee’s attention to the goings on in the Turks and Caicos.

The Turks and Caicos Islands has a National Insurance scheme that up until now has been a funded social security scheme, that is, we have sought to have each generation pay for its own retirement and social security cost as opposed to having successive generations pay for their parents social security.

The National Insurance fund was also set up as a separate legal entity to prevent political abuse and the use of the fund for purposes other than its intention.

To this the Turks and Caicos Islands has amassed a National Insurance Fund of approximately US$150,000,000. While the current value of future obligations still outweighs the fund by US$119,000,000, because of the scheme’s youth (celebrating 20 years this year), the fund continues to grow with contributions exceeding benefits and administrative cost. The hope is that at the point when the fund reaches equilibrium (contributions equating benefits and administrative cost) the fund would be large enough for investment income of the fund to make up the difference.

The concern that I wish to bring to your attention is that the decisions that have been made or are being contemplated by Ric Todd Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands: 1. In October 2011 Mr. Todd announced that he would transfer US$10M from the National Insurance Board (“NIB”) to TCIG for medical

care for employment injury cases, without consulting with NIB; 2. He has subsequently engaged NIB, but only to seek to convince them that the transfer was appropriate, even though not consistent with our legal advise and in contradiction to a settlement reached with TCIG in 2009; 3. He also sought to have the NIB to write off over US$12,000,000 in penalties for non/late payment; and 4. His chief financial officer has recently indicated that the Government does not recognize the terms of a lease agreement it has with the NIB for office space and is seeking to get out of about US$4M in arrears of payment.

With respect to the US$10,000,000 the NIB has sought to engage the governor on the matter and on two occasions met with him to attempt to show him the error in the advise he may have been receiving and offered suggestions of alternative means of solving the financial concerns of the TCIG. The NIB had also recently written to him outlining the board’s position and the legal advice received.

A copy of that correspondence is attached for your review.

The government in a press release yesterday indicated that he was going ahead with his intention to amend the National insurance ordinance to allow him to take the US$10M irrespective of the NIB correspondence to him.

If his actions are allowed to stand it will result in a total deprivation of the national insurance fund of some US$26,000,000.00 or 17.3% of the fund’s current balance and increase it underfunded ration by almost 22% While the governor as the sole law maker in the TCI under the current legislative and constitutional arrangements may have the power to change the law to accomplish his desires, the National Insurance Board and the wider TCI population does not

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think that he has the legitimate right to make the decision to impact the fund in the way he is contemplating.

For the most part the fund has remained free from any material political intervention for the past 20 years and I am fearful that this action will set a new precedent for future elected officials to seek to utilize this fund to balance budgets, meet fiscal shortfalls and ultimately to deprive the people of the Country of the benefits that they have contributed towards.

Since there are no oversight mechanisms built into the current suspension order and the Governor is an employee of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, I am writing to seek your immediate intervention in this matter to allow for the safeguarding of the Fund for future generations of Turks and Caicos Islanders.

The National Insurance Board, of which I am a member, is in the process of preparing a press release to clarify the matter for the public and I will provide you with a copy once it is agreed and finalized a copy will be provided for you, but given the recent press release and the urgency of the matter I am sending this email as a precursor to seek your assistance in raising this as a matter of urgency.

Should the information provided not provide clarification of the matter I would gladly answer any questions or provide any additional information you may require for your clarification.

I have copied in Mr. Mike Gapes, the former Chairman of the Committee and Rt. Hon. Sir. John Stanley as they were very instrumental in the review of the Turks and Caicos Islands along with the Chairman and CEO of the Turks and Caicos Islands National Insurance Board.

I would like to take you for your attention to this email and look forward to your response.

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FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

LOCAL NEWS

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

TCI Bank depositors still searching for answers Page 8

VIVIAN TYSON LOCALBY NEWS SENIOR SUN EDITOR

The approximately 3,300 customers of the failed TCI Bank, which was ordered liquidated by the Supreme Court, remain at sea as to what will happened to their hard-earned money, as the bank reported in its last quarterly report last year that more than half a million dollars in assets was yet to be collected.

Dubbed as the country’s first so-called indigenous financial institution, TCI Bank collapsed four years after its grand gala-like opening in December 2005.

Its demise was said to have caused mainly from debtors not living up to their expectations, as the liquidators reported that 76 percent of its borrowers, who were loaned in excess of $66 million, were in default.

The bank’s crumbling was fast tracked by the sudden withdrawal of millions of dollars more, weeks before it went under. The sudden withdrawal was said to have triggered by leaks from within the institution that it had become insolvent and was about to be taken over by the courts.

The institution was initially ordered into provisional liquidation by the Supreme Court on request by the Financial Services Commission in what that financial oversight entity said was an attempt to safeguard the funds of depositors.

Upon learning of the bank’s closure, scores of depositors converged at the scene seeking answers as to what would become of their hard-earned savings.

At times they were addressed by joint liquidators Anthony Kikivarakis and Mark Munnings, who were appointed to orchestrate the bank’s eventual winding up operations.

Several meetings were also held between the

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

liquidators, depositors and shareholders, to update them on the progress of the provisional liquidation measure. The liquidators held one meeting with the depositors and shareholders after the court issued a winding up order.

But since then, the depositors said that they have not heard anything as it relates to their monies. Since then, some depositors and shareholders said that they have been left in the dark as to what was happening to the funds.

However, a report issued by the liquidators on June 30 last year, indicated that they had been making progress in their efforts to recoup the bank’s assets.

They reported that they had collected a little over $5.5 million, pushing its cash balance to more than $14 million.

However, the liquidators said that at the time of the report, clearing receivables in the amount of $516,108 remained outstanding.

The liquidators charged that some commercial banks in the TCI should also be blamed for the company not collecting more of its outstanding debts, since they acted on stop payment instructions from their customers on cheques written to TCI Bank customers, and subsequently returned the cheques.

In that regard, the liquidators argued that the commercial banks may have assisted in preferential distribution of the company’s assets to certain customers, noting that stop payments should not have been allowed under any circumstances.

They indicated also that they had received $2.1million from Master Card and Bank of America.

They said also that they were still trying to recover more than $3.5million from Antigua Overseas Bank.

The liquidators also noted that at the time of taking over TCI Bank, loans and loan advances amounted to $66,094,744. Of that amount, some

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

$4,700,000 was collected from loan customers, while 178 loan accounts were completely paid off. They said foreclosures on a number of delinquent customers had commenced.

In the meantime, the liquidators said the their liabilities are made up mainly of deposit balances from its customers and shareholders, such as the Eastern Caribbean Banks and the National Insurance Board (NIB), which amounted to $38,429,104 or 50 percent of its total liabilities.

The liquidators said that on December 28, 2009, TCI Bank received a debenture loan of $5.5 million from the NIB. They said that the debenture is secured by a fixed floating charge over all the company’s assets, bearing interest at 7.5 percent calculated on outstanding quarterly balance.

In April of 2010, NIB notified the liquidators that their appointment had crystalised its debenture and therefore was demanding its money back plus interest.

In January of last year NIB filed application in the Supreme Court requesting the liquidators to pay the sum owed in its CIBC First Caribbean Bank account.

However, after a great deal of back and forth, the liquidators, on April 1, through their lawyer, Clayton Greene, filed a an affidavit with the court, detailing their object to the NIB’s request, and requested more time to investigate the issuing of the debenture and was granted six months to do so, by then High Court Judge Richard Williams.

The liquidators are arguing that in the event that the sum plus interest was to be paid out to the NIB, the company’s assets would be regarded as restricted, which would further reduce the possible dividends to other creditors.

In the meantime, the depositors were still waiting to hear the latest development, and when they should receive their deposits.

Carambola Grill and Lounge is seeking a suitably qualified individual to fill the following position. Only candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be considered.

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- Excellent people skills in order to communicate well with guests and staff.

The salary for this position will be commensurate with experience, training and education. Interested applicants should contact 946-4701 or email info@carambolatci.com

TCInvest/Revenue Control Unit

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Business Community is hereby advised that effective 27th February 2012, the Small Business Center of TCinvest responsible for processing, approving and issuing Business Licenses will be physically moved to the Revenue Control Unit Office (RCU) in Provo and remain in the Headley Durham Building in Grand Turk.

All documentations including new applications and renewals should be submitted to the Revenue Control Unit, Town Center Mall, Providenciales, and/or Headley Durham Building, Church Folly, Grand Turk.

For license related issues on South Caicos, North Caicos, Middle Caicos and Salt Cay, please continue to submit the documentation to the District Commissioner’s Office or your preferred RCU office location.

For more information or questions, please contact TCInvest Grand Turk on Tel: 1 (649) 946-2058 in Providenciales Tel: 1 (649) 941-8465 or Revenue Control at 946-2801.

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

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FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

LOCAL NEWS

WITH LILLIAN BOYCE I attended the town hall meeting in Providenciales a few days ago. I listened, and watched and even participated.

This week I am commending our people for speaking up, for saying just what they meant and doing so firmly and with one voice.

I wish I had the permission to single out some of our brilliant young people who made me proud that night. In fact, I am proud when I watch or listen to them on talk shows or read their articles.

I encourage you to continue the fight.

Yes, you may be singled out, but you understand the injustices, you understand the strategies of the Brits and you all are willing to take the risk. I am praying for you that God will keep you safe as you step into the full potential of leadership in your country.

Relationships in Turks and Caicos have brought us to a test. Our relationships may have cause great upheaval in our lives and have shaken us to the core. Our relationships may have even caused us to question our firmest beliefs at times and it may have

caused us to hurt each other without knowing. Sometimes even after we have learned about the harm inflicted upon us by others or the harm we have caused, we may choose to be unforgiving or to fail to say, ‘I am sorry’.

I stood in the meeting thinking about the road we’ve travelled together as a people; thinking of the good times we have enjoyed and the hard times we have suffered. I reflected on the journey, and now that I am practicing to see the good opportunities in any bad situation, I remember that all upheavals have their purpose. They usher in new beginnings.

They cause us to examine ourselves and our behavior, and prompt us to develop faith and courage- which without the ravaging effects of hurt and pain, we would never experience.

During the past few years, I’ve heard our people pleading with the former Governor Gordon Wetherell and now this Governor Ric Todd to stop referring to all our people as ‘corrupt’.

To paraphrase, I have heard speakers saying “not all of us are corrupt in this country”, yet both Governors and their

friends have continued to use what seems to be their favorite accusations and implications all the time.

Well where am I going with this?

It seems to me there are a lot of double standards in this country. At the meeting, I pointed out to the governor, after understanding his strategy of painting us all with the same brush, that it could not be fair for him to speak freely about the ongoing court cases, but persons, who were charged, such as myself, could not.

In my opinion, it seems that we have all been convicted in advance and are all subsequently referred to as criminals. This cannot be right and it can never be fair. If no one calls this into account, then the Governor may well be on his way to the finish line.

This was unbelievable, but you- the people who were there at the meeting saw it and pointed it out clearly to him.

Remember what he said, “Your brothers and sisters”. He has us all in the same box. He sees us as one, as a people related to each other. Brothers and sisters are sometimes of the same behaviors, they have the same DNA they come from the same environment.

They are all just alike.

He said “your brothers and sisters have been accused of serious crimes, people who have been charged with serious crimes, should not be allowed to get away with them”.

Though he has said “they have been legally charged and haven’t been legally convicted”, our certain conviction seems to be implied. Whatever happened to the basic legal standard of being innocent until proven guilty?

As I said at the meeting, history has recorded, (though it may not have been explicitly written) the divide and conquer strategy of the British Government. I paused to think about the Governor’s use of the term ‘not legally convicted’, within the context of his

speech. You too may do your own research and soul searching.

As I reflect on these issues, it seems to me that the Governor is suggesting that we have already been convicted, just not formally or legally.

This Governor seems to be following in the footsteps of his predecessors.

So what are the stepping stones in this matter? First we must establish that the British Government has launched a campaign to divide’. Next is the obvious step to ‘conquer’.

Go to the dictionary and seek the meaning of ‘conquer’ or let me help youConquer1. Overcome and take control of (a place or people) 2. Successfully overcome (a problem or weakness).

All these imply we are in a war. And though we are not armed with guns and bombs and tanks, it may yet be true. We are in a quiet war, a test of wills between the strength of the British Government and the passion, the courage, the resilience, the patriotism and the faith of the people of the Turks and Caicos.

For the British, their stepping stones are to employ their people and send our people home. Among others, too many to mention, it is to dilute our culture, our heritage and take us back to the places where they had us for hundreds of years; in the yards- in the fields.

Perhaps this is what the Governor meant when he alluded to the fact that there is nothing wrong with being a minority. Who aspires to be a minority in their own country?

As I stated earlier, I am indeed so proud of you, you stood up and spoke to the occasion and I pray that the tapes of these meetings would be shown on television the same way the former Governments tapes were shown. That is what a responsible government would do.

This week, one of my friends whom I respect highly wrote to me and said “this is a necessary evil we are going through, to bring us to our sense of independence” and I am going to add, this has taught us that we are indeed brothers and sisters, even if there are the good the bad and the ugly among us.

Our relationships are our mirrors; they reflect where we are in consciousness. And if we are willing to face the truth about ourselves, let our Stepping Stones be our relationships offering the lessons that lead to our greatest transformation.

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Page 10

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

More teens getting pregnant

BY VIVIAN TYSON SUN SENIOR EDITOR

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A medical health source told The SUN that the TCI has been seeing a spike in teenage pregnancy over the past year and a half, saying that the surprising phenomenon is that the majority of those quizzed said they wanted to get pregnant.

The source who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that they have seen children as young as 12 getting pregnant over the past two years, saying also that many of the fathers have been found to be up to three times the girls’ ages.

“A lot of young girls want to get pregnant. They would tell you that. It is like a fashion thing, you know, like a new handbag; that is how they are going about getting pregnant. They believe that it is cute to have a baby.

They do not think of the other responsibilities that come along with it.

“I talk to some of them, and it is not that they don’t know about protection; they actually want to get pregnant. It is like part of the status; some of them said they want to become ‘baby mama’, and are not aware of the responsibilities that come with having a baby. The fact is that, 99 percent of the time the baby fathers, who these girls bank on for support, are suddenly missing in action,” the source revealed.

The source added: “As a teenager, there is no way that they can be ready to take on such a responsibility. We

had a case where a 12 year-old girl gave birth, and when one of nurses instructed her to give the baby milk, she almost had a mental breakdown; she even refused to hold the baby in her hands much less to make it suckle.

“It seemed at the time reality hit her, and she might be saying to herself, ‘did that thing really came out of me’.

But sadly, at that time the horse has already gone through the gate.”

The source warned that while a baby in the life of teens can be a tumultuous struggle, they should also be cognizant of the reality that having sex without protection can also lead to a number of serious diseases, including the dreaded HIV/AIDS virus.

The source also blasted the action by grown men who prey on innocent children, sometimes promising them expensive gifts, such as high-end phones, other electronic devices and money. The source said special attention should be paid to the action of these predators.

“We know that there is a Sexual Offenses Unit in place, and so, we need to see a lot more arrests taking place. And for the life of me, I can’t see why that is not happening. These men seem like they visit the schools and pounce on these innocent, and sometimes misguided children, who, some of them do not have a strong family unit at home, to impart what is right from wrong, to them. Most of the times, that is what these grown men take advantage of,” the source asserted.

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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

Page 11

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

LOCAL NEWS

Former Minister Lillian Boyce wants Interim Administration to take responsibility for TCI

BY VIVIAN TYSON SUN SENIOR EDITOR

Former Deputy Premier and government minister Lillian Boyce is puzzled as to why the Interim Administration was not taking responsibility for the current situation of the country, while blaming the previous administration for mismanagement.

Boyce was among dozens of persons who voiced their disapproval at the way the current administration was conducting the country’s affairs during a town hall meeting at the Former Deputy Premier and government minister Gustarvus Lightbourne Complex in Lillian Boyce Providenciales which Governor Ric Todd hosted as part of his nationwide responsibility as well.

“Why aren’t you taking milestone update tour.

She said that past Progressive responsibility for the economy, for the National Party (PNP) and People’s crime, for the poverty, for everything Democratic Movement (PDM) that is happening under your watch? administrations, took responsibility for When I watch the news I hear the what was going on in the country commentators say to (Barrack) under their watch be it good or bad, Obama, ‘It is your economy; it is now and now that there is direct British your wars’. When (George W) Bush rule, that government should take was in power it was his (economy and

wars).

“So, every time I hear you and members of your administration speak, you continue to pass the buck. You continue to use the British technique that has been working for many years – Divide and conquer.

“It (blame) is always (placed on) the former administration – the blame game. I think it is time for you to take responsibility for the failures of this country now, because you are charged with our failures, so when is it going to be your time (to take responsibility)?,” she said.

The former minister also knocked the Advisory Council which she said painted themselves in a corner by signing on to the clause which stated that while they were expected to give the governor advice, he was not bound to take them – a mechanism which she dismissed as another divide and conquer tactic, and that Belongers were being pitted against Belongers to achieve that objective.

“You kept reminding the people that (the problems were caused by) the former government. I think it is time

Galmo Williams willing to assist Interim Administration with border protection Former Premier Galmo “If we are serious about Williams said he would be developing a country, protecting our more than willing to sit with borders is very important. We love the Interim Administration to and appreciate our brothers and discuss plans aimed at sisters from Haiti. We helped them bolstering the Marine Branch as much as we can, but we can’t of the Royal Turks and Caicos take all of them,” Williams pointed Islands Police Force, in order out. to stem the tide of illegal He said that if and when the immigration. borders of the TCI is protected, not Williams extended the olive only would the country be able to branch to the Interim stem illegal migration, but would Administration while attending also prevent narcotics and guns a town hall meeting at the from landing on our shores.

Gustarvus Lightbourne In response, Governor Todd Complex in Providenciales, said that the radar would be up and Former Premier Galmo Williams hosted by Governor Ric Todd, running soon, as a piece of as part of his milestones update country-wide equipment that was hampering its commission was tour. sourced and funding was in place, leaving only an “The question I want to ask is about our operator to be employed for the site.

Marine Branch and our border patrol. I want to “We now have the equipment for the radar; it’s know, what plans, if any, you have for developing been serviced and we have money for the operator. our Marine Branch. And if you don’t have any So we are trying to hire that person, so we are now plans, I would be more than happy to discuss some getting close to the radar working. But the radar, on plans from some discussions we’ve had, not only its own, is not like a magic bullet, which protects locally, but also with our neighbours from the the borders. We do need to keep investing in the Bahamas and the US, about how we can develop a marine patrol, but equally, as a former finance proper marine branch. director, you can spend your money on what you “Quite a few studies had been done on how to like, when you like, but you could only spend it develop a marine branch, by former commissioner once. (of police), Mr. Harvey. The study basically said “So, we are back to our old friend – choices; if that if we had a proper marine branch, not only can we want to spend more on one thing, then we have we protect our borders from illegal immigrants but to spend less on something else. I find it, as any also from poachers. And also, when our own people government does, and I am sure you will remember go out there to fish and in distress, we will be able from your own time in government, it is much to reach them shortly,” Williams pointed out. easier to agree on what you want to spend money The former premier also sought answers as to that to agree where you are going to stop spending why the radar system was not up after almost two money. But is some sort of a challenge that I years of ground-breaking, saying that the device, recognize, and its one that place the successor which would assist in protection of our borders, government, which I hope would be in place by should have been up and running from a long time the end of this year,” Governor Todd said. ago.

that you take some responsibility because when we sat in cabinet, I remember a governor was there; and I remember that an AG (Attorney General) was there.

“I remember that I could never sign any document, they did. I remember that I couldn’t, and nobody could sign government cheques. It is time for the British to stop the blame game in our country because you all are bringing us to poverty,” she said.

Boyce also accused the Interim Administration of funneling the resources of the Overseas territories back to the United Kingdom, since that country had found itself in a financial bind.

“You are taking all the money out of our country and sending it to your country, to help your economy, and trying to make criminals out of us.

That is what you all are doing,” she charged.

She also asked Governor Todd to refrain from planting in the psyche of the people that all those charged by the SIPT were corrupt, while branding such behavior as injustice.

Stephanie Duncanson sends strong warning to Governor Todd Local businesswoman Stephanie Duncanson is urging Governor Ric Todd not to take the issues of the Turks and Caicos Islands people for granted as that could be a grave mistake on his part, since the visions that she had been receiving from God a few days ago pointed to serious backlash if he failed to comply with the wishes of the people.

“I have lived in the Turks and Caicos Islands for 27 years, and I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly.

Tonight, we are experiencing ugly things. I am here as a woman of wisdom, and a woman with a spirit of discernment, and I want you to take this message with you tonight; don’t take lightly what you see happening here tonight.

“I am saying this because I am a woman of God and I see things. Do something quickly. Start to plan to call these people back to where they belong in this country,” she reiterated.

Duncanson told Governor Todd that the TCI, in recent time, was experiencing severe poverty of which should be of concern to the Interim Government.

“It is time that the British Government starts taking Turks and Caicos Islanders seriously. You are trying to jail the good, and you are trying to bring poverty to the people of this nation. I am a woman with a business; it has been extremely hard over the past few months. If it is hard for me, it has to be hard for plenty others.

“I have seen where we came together and fought against racial prejudice in this nation. I led that demonstration. Enough, Governor, is enough. It is time now for the work to begin, and not just with you, but bringing to the table the people of this nation – the intelligent minds. Those that know what they want and are determined to get what they want,” Duncanson urged.

In response, Governor Todd assured Duncanson that his administration took the TCI seriously; pointing out that its efforts to return the country on sound footing would soon speak for itself. Governor Todd, however, hastened to point out that the hole that the TCI had found itself in was created between 2003 and 2009.

Page 12

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

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FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

LOCAL NEWS

Different administration, same corruption, says Crayton Higgs Local businessman Crayton Higgs told Governor Ric Todd that the only difference between the Interim Administration and the former Michael Misick administration was that the latter was elected by the people.

He was among the approximately 150 persons who turned out at the Providenciales leg of the Governor’s country-wide milestones update tour, held at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Complex on Wednesday, February 22.

Armed with several huge signs that spoke unsavory tone of the Interim Administration and the Governor, Higgs dismissed charges made by fellow attendees that the governor and his team did not know what they were doing, asserting that he came to the TCI with a mission strip Belongers of their birthrights.

“The only difference between you and the former administration – beside you been worst than them – is that they were elected and you were appointed; that is the only difference.

“They have planned their work and they are now working their plan, and regardless of what it is, judge them by their intentions and their actions.

The only time you would hear the truth from the Interim Government (governor) is when he is quiet. Once he opened up his mouth he is telling lies,” Higgs said.

The businessman said that the $260 million British-guaranteed loan that was secured on behalf of the TCI was used to pay vendors except local ones, who government still owed

millions.

“Let me make it quite clear, I don’t think anybody had a problem with you coming here and fix the corruption, but you have come here and made yourself more corrupt than Mike Misick would ever be. The very thing that you accused Mike Misick of doing, you exemplify. Mike Misick had his own plane; the police plane now is being used strictly for you.

“Before you came, that plane had the Immigration out there on the coast looking for illegal immigrants. That plane now is solely for your purpose.

The same cronyism that both parties practiced when they are in power, the British and the Interim Administration is practicing it,” Higgs further charged.

He told the gathering that the Interim Administration deliberately dismantled the Special Police Immigration and Customs Enforcement (SPICE) Unit because they wanted to encourage illegal immigration so that Belongers would be outnumbered in their country.

“We, as the (local) people have to be made a minority because you want to dilute us politically and to dilute us economically. Once they stripped us from political power and economic power they know that we are basically a minority in our own country.

“We say they (Interim Administration) don’t know what they are doing; they know exactly what they are doing. They plan what they want to do before they get here, and (now) they are working their plan. The only time you would hear the truth

from the Interim Government (governor) is when he is quiet. Once he opens up his mouth, there is nothing else coming out but lies,” Higgs charged.

Higgs added: “It is not now a coincident that you have open borders for illegals to come and there is nobody to do checks and balances. It was intentional; there was no purpose behind that. They (the British) need numbers here above us to make us the minority; and that is going to happen by the hook or the crook.

“Enlargement (of the franchise); you would not hear that word anymore, but judging from their actions, it is still a priority. It is still being implemented. He (governor) said that no citizenship is being given outside of marriage; that’s a lie.

Citizenships are being given out, and I can guarantee you that when we go to elections, you are going to see numbers showing up at the polls that you never knew existed in this country.

It is a sinister plan.”

On the matter of revenue, Higgs argued that if the money that was being raised was not spent on paying British Advisors, the country would have been able to sustain itself.

“Our problem is not that we don’t have enough revenue; our problem is that, the revenue that is being raised is being used for the occupation, that’s all.

If it was being spent on us, we would have been just fine.

“If you take away all the five star resorts and the five star vacations that

Crayton Higgs displays a pair of signs that summed up his assessment of the Governor and the Interim Administration

were being spent on (advisors staying at) the Veranda and Seven Stars and where all the others are staying, and put that back into the treasury, you would see what difference it would make.

“If you take away the millions that are being paid to SIPT (Special Investigation and Prosecution Team) every month, tell me that would not make a difference to the country. We should not be forced to underwrite SIPT,” Higgs noted.

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Initial applications may be made by submitting to Interhealth Canada a comprehensive CV showing qualifications and experience. The CV should be emailed to pnicholson@interhealthcanada.tc Please ensure that a contact telephone number or email address is included in the application

Page 14

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

Fortis gives $10,000 for 2012 Science Fair

BY VIVIAN TYSON SUN SENIOR EDITOR

Electricity company Fortis TCI has pumped $10,000 into the 2012 renewal of the Education Department’s Annual Science Fair, which is slated to take place between March 7 and 8 at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Complex on Providenciales.

The presentation was made at the power company’s corporate office along Leeward Highway, Providenciales, on Tuesday, February 21.

Fortis Corporate Communications Office Talisha Simons said that her company decided to step up its participation in the event as the major sponsor in what she described as yet another demonstration of its commitment to education in the Daphne Penn (left), Manager for Customer Service and George Hinson (second left), Supervisor in charge of Credit control, presents the cheque of $10,000 the Education Department and the Science country.

Fair Steering Committee towards this year’s Science Fair. Accepting the cheque are Tamera Robinson “We feel that it is a very big effort (third left) of the Education Department; Lormeka Williams, Chairman for the Science Fair Steering what we provide to the Department of Committee; and Edgar Howell, Director of Education.

Education in terms of monies, which - Photo: Eustace Musgrove they will be able to use to give schools throughout the Turks and Caicos, on of making the event even better this we got last year, to see how well our every island, in order to buy proper year. students are learning the scientific supplies, so that they can have great “We, in the Ministry of Education principles in our schools; how well they projects to present. and the Education Department are quite are applying those concepts to “They will also have trophies and happy that Fortis TCI has seen it fit to everyday; and how creative they will so forth. It will also be able to supply sponsor the Science Fair again this year. be. So we are looking forward to the them with stay and meals while the This is the third time that the event in March,” Howell said. teachers and students are here (on Department of Education will host the The Director of Education pointed Provo). That is what the money that we Science Fair. The Science Fair that we out that the Science Fair contributes to presented to them this year will go had, students of the HJ Robinson the literal advancement of the Turks and towards,” Simons revealed. presented an original piece of research Caicos Islands, pointing to last year’s Fortis also presented the Education and they won the award for first place presentation by the Clement Howell Department with a framed copy of the in that science fair.

High School, where students used front of its 2012 calendar.

“It brings out the creativity in our everyday materials to construct building Director of Education, in receiving children, and I think this year would blocks. He said the event brings out the the presentation, said that the funds afford us an opportunity, with a little bit creative thinking in the country’s should be able to go a far way in terms more money from Fortis TCI than what children, thereby creating a sneak peak

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of what should be expected in the near future from the country’s youth.

Steering Committee Chairman for the Science Fair, Lormeka Williams, said the committee chose not to tag this year’s event will a theme, since it did not want to box the students into limiting their creative minds to just one or a few presentations, but rather they give them the opportunity to think outside the box.

“The Science Fair is very open to their creativity and what they think should be the next move or way forward in science. So, we are looking forward to seeing a lot of creative and innovative displays, and to just see what the children themselves are thinking and are coming up with this year,” Williams said.

Williams, who is the curator at the DECR, said the fair will be divided into several parts with a quiz competition, the project competition, which is the students’ display their experiments and a poster and design competition. She said schools have the option of participating in all the events or be able to pick categories in which they chose to participate.

In the meantime, Daphne Penn, Manager for Customer Service said that Fortis was committed to education and sport development of Turks and Caicos Islands’ children, and that the power company was particularly keen at bringing out the scientists in them.

“We hope to spark the interest into the area of science including power generation among out children and how it works. We also have a showcase that we produce every year to let children know the dangers of power; what can happen if certain measures are not taken.

We donate to youth education and sports, because we are interested in developing of the youth, because the youth are your country at the end of the day,” Penn asserted.C

TROPICAL IMAGING/BRILLIANT IS LOOKING FOR THE FOLLOWING TALENTED PEOPLE.

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER

Experienced in all aspects of high-end digital photography and workflow, plus several years practice in creative wedding, portrait and commercial photography.

Self-motivated, willing to work weekends and holidays you must also be a customer service fanatic.

Email all resumes/links to ceo@tropicalimaging.com

GLOBAL SERVICES Needs

MARKETING MANAGER & MARKETING AGENT

Qualifications: 5 years international experience must be trilingual associated diplomas communication or marketing degree. Salary $10.00 per hour Please call 649-331-3020

1LABOURER SAMUEL WILSON SEEKS

Salary $5.00 per hour Contact 341-4343

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

Page 15

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

LOCAL NEWS

Anguilla Chief Minister praises hospital in Turks and Caicos Islands One of Turks and Caicos Islands’ hospital has received yet more international approval.

This time the high praise has come from fellow British Overseas Territory, Anguilla.

During a tour of the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre in Providenciales, Chief Minister, the Hon Hubert Hughes, described the InterHealth Canada facilities as ‘extremely impressive’.

He said: “This is a truly wonderful facility and I congratulate InterHealth Canada and the Turks and Caicos Islands Government on what they have achieved.

“Healthcare is one of the biggest and most important issues for any country and I’ve been really impressed with what I have seen.”

Chief Minister Hughes, leader of the Antigua United Movement, was in the TCI on a fact-finding mission along with other senior Anguilla Government ministers and officials.

After being shown around by InterHealth chief executive, Dr Roger Cheesman, and chief of medical services, Dr Robyn Barnes, he added:

InterHealth canada chief executive, Roger Cheesman, right in white shirt, shows Anguilla Chief Minister, Hon Hubert Hughes, and his delegation, the CT scanner at the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre.

“What is obvious is that the people of the TCI now have wonderful medical services to call upon and a hospital it can be truly proud of.

“Walking around, it is obvious these facilities are of huge benefit, as

TURKS AND CAICOS GOVERNMENT VACANCY NOTICE

DEPARTMENT: JOB TITLE: REPORTS TO:

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

TEACHERS

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Applications are invited for teaching positions in the Education System of the Turks and Caicos Islands in the following areas: Primary Teachers

General Primary Upper Primary Reading Low Primary Guidance Counsellor Computer Studies

Secondary Teachers

Geography & Social Studies Special Education Physical Education Visual Arts Home Management/Food & Nutrition Information Technology English Language/English Literature Home Economics Mathematics

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Primary School Teachers are required to hold a Teacher’s Diploma or its equivalent and must have at least three (3) years teaching experience.

Secondary School Teachers, in addition to a First Degree in the subject area, must have a Teacher’s Diploma or Diploma/Certificate in Education, and a minimum of five (5) years teaching in the specific area.

SALARY : $22,680.00 - $24,354.00 PER ANNUM (Trained Teachers) $25,056.00 - $27,918.00 PER ANNUM (Graduate Teachers)

For persons recruited outside the Turks and Caicos Islands a two (2) year extendable contract is offered. Other benefits offered in addition to basic salary include a Housing Allowance, end-of-contract gratuity of 15% of salary, return passages for a family of up to two children under the age of sixteen (16) years, freight cost and duty exemption on personal effects imported within six (6) months of the appointment.

Applicant’s resume including contact number or email address, two letters of reference and a police certificate should be sent to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Public Service Management, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands.

Fax (649) 946-1582, email: recruitment@gov.tc or kawilliams@gov.tc APPLICATION DEADLINE: 16th March 2012 ONLY CANDIDATES SELECTED FOR AN INTERVIEW WILL BE NOTIFIED

is the expertise and experience of all the highly qualified staff I have met.

“This really is an outstanding asset and I it is an inspiration to smaller countries around the Caribbean and the rest of the world. Everyone I have

spoken to has nothing but praise for the facility.”

Chief Minister Hughes and his team also thanked InterHealth Canada for its hospitality.

Meanwhile Dr Cheesman said InterHealth Canada was pleased to host the delegation from Anguilla.

He explained: “InterHealth Canada’s innovative Public Private Partnership programme in healthcare here in the TCI has sparked a great deal of interest and there are projects underway in Europe as well as the Caribbean, while interest is also being shown in West Africa.

“We have been most pleased to share with the Hon Hubert Hughes and his delegation of senior officials, the outcomes of our programme and we are equally pleased that they have shown considerable interest in what we do and how we do it.”

The Anguilla praise follows similar comments from government officials in a number of other countries, including Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and Poland.

HAB MANAGEMENT LTD.

Cook

Main Duties Prepare food items of consistent quality in accordance with production requirements and quality standards while maintaining a safe sanitary work environment. Start prep work on food items needed for the menu of the day. Organize all of the various prep items needed from different areas to ensure that all items are in place and ready for service. Inform the Executive Chef of any shortage of supplies that need restocking before items completely run out.

Requirements Applicants must have a minimum of three-year culinary experience working in a restaurant. Comprehend and follow recipes and cooking techniques. Must have thorough knowledge and understanding of food service sanitation standards. Thorough knowledge and understanding of standard kitchen equipment and its use. Applicants must be willing to work varied shifts, split shifts, nights, weekends and holidays as required by management. Perform other duties as assigned, requested or deemed necessary by management. Applicants will be required to work on a full time basis. Must be able to walk, stand or stoop for the duration of shift (at least 8 hours). Applicants must be able to understand/speak/read/write English proficiently. Applicants must be detail oriented, must be hardworking and a team player. Work with minimal supervision.

Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by February 27, 2012 at ronnie@habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191. Only persons selected for an interview will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.

Page 16

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

Career Opportunities Grace Bay Club is looking for candidates that have the requirements listed along with an outgoing professional manner. They love to work with different types of people, meet challenges with a positive attitude and live the standards of our organization. Their management style is one that balances a commitment to people and their development with business/financial accountability and delivers an exceptional guest experience

MASSAGE THERAPISTS

Job Requirements: • Grace Bay Club is looking for a Massage Therapist/Esthetician who is an enthusiastic team player with excellent customer service.

• The therapist will be responsible for administering professional facial, massage and body treatments to our guests.

• Must have a thorough knowledge of the skin with numerous massage modalities.

• Must possess a general understanding of body treatments and be willing to train in our spa’s specific facial, massage and body treatment offerings.

• Must possess excellent communication skills and be able to learn the product and service knowledge necessary to effectively provide wellness solutions to meet the needs of our guests.

• The Therapist will be required to properly care for equipment, perform prep work, clean and restock spa rooms • Assist in all areas of the spa operation as requested by Supervisors or coaches.

• Be flexible with your schedule, supporting the needs of the spa.

• Build respectful and cooperative relationships with colleagues and leaders.

• He/she must maintain the standards of Grace Bay as found in the standard operating procedures of the department, an as they are amended from time to time.

Education and Experience: • Secondary level education is required. Good writing, reading, listening and basic computation skills are necessary.

• Previous experience in a 5 star spa is required.

• International qualifications (or qualifications equivalent to international standards) are required in Esthetics and Massage Therapy.

Qualified Belongers need only apply.

Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience

KITCHEN HELPER

Requirements: • Assist with Food & Beverage service • Receive and store supplies.

• Stock cupboards, refrigerators and salad bars • Clean food preparation and storage areas • Assist with food preparation • Work with minimal supervision Qualified Belongers need only to apply.

Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Requirements • Minimum 5 years experience as executive personal assistant.

• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality.

• Problem solver, effective communicator and team player.

• International, five star, hospitality experience.

• Dependable, trustworthy, exceptionally organized.

• Ability to work with little to no supervision • Must have demonstrated PC skills including PowerPoint, MS Project, Excel pivot tables and databases.

• Must read and speak English and Chinese fluently.

Qualified Belongers need only to apply.

Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience

BARTENDER

Requirements: • Applicant must be a minimum of 19 years of age.

• Be fluent in written and spoken English.

• Possess a High School Certificate.

• Have two years experience as a Bartender, or one year as a Bar back in a five star-hotel upscale environment.

• Perform specified Bartender duties, including food and drink orders, preparation, and serving.

• Direct and assist the Bar back and beverage servers.

• Follow specific cash and system handling procedures.

• Be responsible in the serving of alcohol and the laws and regulations surrounding it.

• Maintain ongoing knowledge of the hotel operations.

• Maintain the cleanliness, working order, and presentation of the bar top,

tables, service areas and outlet itself.

Qualified Belongers need only apply.

Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience

ASSISTANT CHIEF ENGINEER

Requirements: • At least an associate degree or equivalent in electrical, mechanical, or electronic engineering • Minimum of three (3) years practical experience in operating and maintaining electrical, mechanical, and/or electronic plant/equipment/systems, preferably at a luxury resort • Proficiency in Word and Excel • Proficiency in Opera and SAP would be an asset • Good time management and follow-up skills • Must be able to operate in a high-pressure environment

Responsibilities: • The day-to-day management of the technical team and the operation and maintenance of all plant, equipment and civil works (cables, pipe work, drains, structures etc.) .

• Utilizing all relevant systems/programs in the management of the department (Opera, SAP, Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM), etc.)

• The completion of work orders, energy conservation activities, etc. and analyses as required.

• Assisting with inventory management and the development, implementation and management of all engineering projects.

Qualified Belongers need only apply.

Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience

LABOURER

Requirements: • Operate, maintain and repair the property’s heating, ventilation are conditioning and refrigeration systems • Perform Laundry and Kitchen services • Perform preventative maintenance on the hotel’s systems • Pool cleaning, chemical testing, adding chemical as required.

• Maintain the proper use, cleaning, maintenance and storage of all tools.

• Responsible for cleaning grease traps, lift stations, checking & treatment of sewage treatment plant.

• Assist with additional Maintenance Department tasks as assigned Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience

POOL & BEACH MANAGER

Responsibilities: • Managing all aspects of the beach and pool, in accordance with the hotel standards.

• He/she directs, implements, and maintains a service and management philosophy that serves as a guide to the Water Sports staff. It is the responsibility of the To oversee and supervise Water Sports & Beach Manager to oversee and supervise the Beach and Pool Attendants, ensuring guest services at the beach and pool are running efficiently and smoothly Requirements: • Have two years work experience as a Supervisor in Water Sports in a luxury hotel.

• Be fluent in written and spoken English.

• Possess First Aid certification and CPR Training.

• Be a strong swimmer.

• Monitor the Attendants’ activities to ensure the guests’ needs are being taken care of regularly.

• Greet and inform all guests of the available Water Sports activities.

Actively promote excursions.

• Monitor the cleanliness and maintenance of the beach and pool area, as well as the equipment and furniture at those areas • Maintain awareness of all Water Sports activities and Tour Operators on the island. Actively promote excursions.

• Ensure there are enough supplies, such as fresh towels, for the guests.

• Make certain liability waivers are signed, and all administration is complete.

• Observe and monitor the safety of guests and visitors.

Qualified Belongers need only apply.

Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience Interested persons can contact our Human Resources Department no later than March 2, 2012 @ (649) 946-5050 Ext. 1050 Email: veronica.clare@gracebayclub.com Fax: (649) 946-5758 P.O. Box 128 Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

Page 17

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

LOCAL NEWS

New White Paper aims to improve public accountability A white paper summarizing proposed new and amended pieces of legislation to guide the future governance of the Turks and Caicos Islands was launched for public review on Monday 20th February 2012.

The White Paper has been approved by the Governor and has been presented to the Advisory Council and the Consultative Forum.

It was prepared by the EU funded Legislative Review project team headed by Professor Rose-Marie Antoine which has spent several months with senior government professionals, its advisors, and special interest groups on a wide range of areas, touching all government ministries. The White Paper gives the public an insight into the policy issues involved, analysis of the issues and possible legislative direction being taken and a basis for consultation on these new laws.

The project is expected to address identified deficiencies and gaps in laws which are key to the governance process in the TCI, and develop more efficient and transparent modes of operation for the public sector.

This EU funded Project, and similar exercises being undertaken by

the Attorney General's Chambers through its own resources and through UK funded drafters, will help the Turks and Caicos Islands meet one of the key milestones for a return to elected government, that is, the introduction of new Ordinances and amended legislation to address deficiencies in the existing legislative framework. The review and reform exercise should result in new laws which are compatible with the new Constitution and with regional and international treaty obligations.

The Territorial Authorizing Officer for the EU funded Project is the Turks and Caicos Islands, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Chairman of the Project Working Group, Mr. Delton Jones, in welcoming the launch of the White Paper said: "The Project is an important input to ongoing efforts to elevate public sector management through the institution of a series of political, economic and social development projects aimed at helping to restore the economic viability and good governance of the TCI. The EU Project is thus one component of a wider initiative of stabilization and development towards a path of

Two Ground Mechanics

5 years experience in repair and maintenance of the Airline ground service equipment gas/diesel engine etc. Ability to drive trucks, towing vehicles.

Driver

5 years or more experience in this position. Willing to work long hours, weekends and holidays. Valid TCI drivers licence. Any experience in aviation would be an asset.

Ramp Attendants

• Over 5 years experience in maneuvering heavy duty equipment e.g. (pushing and towing aircraft).

• Experience in general handling of General Aviation.

Narrow body and wide body aircraft.

• British Airways, JAR OPS, Supervisor Aircraft loading qualified.

• US Airways fleet service door opening trainer.

• Awareness Certification of acceptance/refusal of hazardous material as per IATA regulations.

• Comprehensive knowledge in the operation of all Ground Service Equipment (GSE).

Salarys commensurate with experience All positions require the following: • Excellent command of the English language – reading, writing and speaking.

• 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.

greater financial viability and sustainability being undertaken by the TCI Government. We are very thankful to the EU for providing the funding to enable the TCI to engage the services of the very experienced team of consultants to work along with the Working Group to undertake this very important legal review/reform project. I hope the populace would embrace the opportunity to make an input into the final laws through the consultative progress that is integral to the project.”

The key areas targeted for review and reform are: • Regulation of Healthcare Facilities and Health Professionals • Trafficking in Persons • Regulation of Crown Land • Integrity in Public Life

JOB TITLE:

• Creation of a Fractional Ownership Scheme • Improvements to the Land Registry • Juvenile Justice, the Rights of the Child and Adoption • Family Law and Domestic Violence law • Public Service Reform • Environment, including Public Health, Agriculture, Aquaculture and Waste Management • Immigration • Labour and Industrial Relations • Upgrade of the International Financial Sector • Companies, Commercial Entities and Investment • Oversight to Implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) • Education • Stamp Duty

Billing and Collections Specialist

REPORTS TO: Finance Manager

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF JOB: • Ensure bank reconciliations are completed within deadlines • Reconcile account receivables, customer deposits and returned checks within deadlines • Manage the aged debt collections process • Ensure collections targets are achieved • Deal with customer queries and follow through to resolution in a timely fashion • Deal directly with Internal & External Auditors on queries and information requests Main Duties and Responsibilities: • Document and update accounting policies and procedures • Prepare receivables analysis for management reporting • Ensure cash reconciliations received from the stores are accurate and received on time • Properly classify & categorize postpaid customers according to group standards • Liaise with lawyers on outstanding legal cases where necessary

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS & FUNCTIONAL SKILLS: • BSc Business Administration/Accounting or Masters in Accountancy • Pursuing CPA/ACCA/CIMA qualification • Five (5) years experience in a large customer based Telecommunications Network, banking or retail industry • Excellent communications skills • Strong systems skills and knowledge desirable • “Can-do” positive attitude • Superb attention to detail, strong analytical skills and the ability to deliver results to tight deadlines in a fast paced and dynamic environment • Ability to work in a team environment and on own initiative with the desire to learn new skills • Willing to work outside of regular office hours FUNCTIONAL SKILLS: • Excel, Analytical, Great Plains

Interested applicants should forward their resume to hrtci@digicelgroup.com .

Bigger Better Car Wash DOMESTIC WORKER, CAR WASHER, LABOURER AND SALES CLERK Wishes to employ a

Must be willing to work late hours. Wages starting at $5 per hour. Please contact Marsha Simmons and Elcie Bernadin for more information on 231-0662.

Page 18

LOCAL NEWS

BELONGERSHIPS

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

BELONGER STAUTUS APPLICATION (Section 3 (2) of the Immigration Ordinance Take notice that I, Governor of The Turks and Caicos, in excercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 3 (2) of Immigration Ordinace, intend to grant a Certificate of Belonger Status to PATRICK JOSEPH of Providenciales, a national of Haitibeing satisfied by virtue of marriage to a belonger of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

BELONGER STAUTUS APPLICATION (Section 3 (2) of the Immigration Ordinance Take notice that I, Governor of The Turks and Caicos, in excercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 3 (2) of Immigration Ordinace, intend to grant a Certificate of Belonger Status to MRS. WALDOLIE DIEUJUSTESIMONS of Providenciales, a national of Haiti, being satisfied by virtue of marriage to a belonger of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

BELONGER STAUTUS APPLICATION (Section 3 (2) of the Immigration Ordinance Take notice that I, Governor of The Turks and Caicos, in excercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 3 (2) of Immigration Ordinace, intend to grant a Certificate of Belonger Status to MR. KENARD CRUICKSHANK of Providenciales, a national of St. Vincent, being satisfied by virtue of marriage to a belonger of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

BELONGER STAUTUS APPLICATION (Section 3 (2) of the Immigration Ordinance Take notice that I, Governor of The Turks and Caicos, in excercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 3 (2) of Immigration Ordinace, intend to grant a Certificate of Belonger Status to MRS. SUSAN LAURA HUBBARDHAMILTON of Providenciales, a national of The United States of America, being satisfied by virtue of marriage to a belonger of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

BELONGER STAUTUS APPLICATION (Section 3 (2) of the Immigration Ordinance Take notice that I, Governor of The Turks and Caicos, in excercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 3 (2) of Immigration Ordinace, intend to grant a Certificate of Belonger Status to MR. HENDERSON JONES of Providenciales, a national of The Bahamas, being satisfied by virtue of marriage to a belonger of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Melbourne Smith-Penn showing off an artwork of Henry the Conch

Henry the Conch to become national character

BY VIVIAN TYSON SUN SENIOR EDITOR

Local artist and inventor Melbourne Smith-Penn has landed what is shaping to become a masterpiece – a national character that will be named Henry the Conch.

Henry the Conch, an environmentally-friendly mollusk is also a story-teller of especially old tales going as far back as the era of piracy and the trans-Atlantic slave trade. A costume to make Henry the Conch come alive as a character was being worked on according to Smith-Penn. He explained further that a theme song for Henry the Conch has already been developed.

“He basically wants us to keep the environment, the waters and the whole nine yards clean, and then he is going to tell us stories about Christopher Columbus, Black Beard and all the other characters at that time.

“And he is not a character that basically represents the Turks and Caicos – he represents the whole Caribbean – because there are characters (already created) that represent Jamaica, Haiti and everywhere else. But he is the first character that is going to come up and basically explain what is going on under the sea world,” the artist declared.

Smith Penn said that Henry the

Conch will be used mostly for the schools, as he promises to be educationally-inclined.

“He will be informing the kids on how to keep the environment clean, and make us learn more about our history – not just world history, but about our ancestors and so on – that is basically the kind of character that he is. He will also create shows and promote shows.

And later on he will be taken to the next level where there will be animation and movie stories, that’s the next step,” Smith-Penn disclosed.

The artist said that he had been working on the Henry the Conch character for about a year, which included working on a trademark and create the desired artwork. He said the idea for Henry the Conch derived from a conversation he had with someone who asked why not create a conch character, and he ran with the idea.

Smith-Penn said, too, that there will be Henry the Conch T-shirts and other memorabilia that will be created in the future, as the character becomes a household name.

He said that in about three weeks, the T-shirts should be printed and will be sold to stores on consignment so as to promote the character in the tourism realm. He said that a Henry the Conch launch was on the cards for Easter, which will take the form of a show.

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

Page 19

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

LOCAL NEWS

Paralympic Athlete Rick Ball delivers Motivational Speech to Sandals Foundation Sponsored Schools More than 1,200 students at the Sandals Foundation sponsored schools sat intently this week to listen to Rick Ball, Canadian Paralympic Athlete and three time world record holder, deliver an exceptional motivational speech on overcoming obstacles.

Ball lost his left leg below the knee in a motorcycle accident near his home in Ontario in 1986 and is no stranger to overcoming adversity.

During his speech at Clement Howell High and Enid Capron Primary he spoke about the importance of dreams, perseverance, and having confidence in one’s own abilities to overcome obstacles and achieve goals.

A longtime supporter of the Sandals Foundation, Rick Ball has headlined two of the foundation’s trans-Antigua half marathon race at sister property Sandals Grand Antigua rising over ten thousand for the charity. Rick commented on his inspiration speech at the schools, he said, “It feels great to be able to share my story about overcoming challenges,” he continued, “It is important that the kids know that whatever obstacle they face, they can overcome and continue to follow their dreams just like I have and I am living proof of that.”

Ball began long distance running in 2007, under the guidance of Orillia coach Roger DePlancke. Rick has since been carded as an elite Para-athlete by Athletics Canada in the T44 category and has competed in several half and full marathons alongside able-bodied runners, including the 2009 Boston Marathon. In 2010, he broke the three-hour barrier for the marathon (in a time of two hours, 57 minutes and 47 seconds)…a first for a single-leg amputee. He also holds the fastest time in the world

Rick Ball with a student from Oseta Jolly Primary School

for the 10,000 meters and the half-marathon.

Ball is quite familiar with the Sandals

Foundation and its projects. He has been actively working with the foundation to promote literacy, sports and motivation in Antigua. He has competed in two Trans-Antigua Half Marathon and help raised hundreds for the Sandals foundation.

PR Manager for the Sandals Foundation, Elanor Finfin Krzanowski, also commented on the successful event, she said, “Rick Ball has truly been an inspiration and when he recounts his story, you begin to understand the power of perseverance,” she continued, “His story of overcoming life’s challenges can apply to anyone facing obstacles whether it’s reaching an educational goal or a personal one” she concluded “I am happy he has taken time away from his family vacation to speak to our students.”

Today Rick Ball shares his story as a motivational speaker for corporate audiences, hospitals, running clubs and Sandals Foundation sponsored schools across the Caribbean including Turks & Caicos based Clement Howell High and Enid Capron Primary.

The Sandals Foundation, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, was created to continue and to expand upon the philanthropic work that Sandals Resorts International has undertaken. It is the culmination of three decades of dedication to playing a meaningful role in the lives of the communities where we operate across the Caribbean. The Sandals Foundation funds projects in three core areas: education, community and the environment. One hundred percent of the monies contributed by the general public to the Sandals Foundation go directly to programs benefiting the Caribbean community.

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

POSITION AVAILABLE: PRESIDENT The Board of Governors of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College invites applications from suitably qualified and experienced persons to fill the post of President at the TCI Community College with effect from 1st August 2012.

The President is the Chief Executive Officer of the College and is responsible to the Board of Governors for the efficient Administration and management of the College Campuses, as well as the efficient operation and direction of its units and departments. The President exercises specific powers as are invested in him/her by the TCI Community College Ordinance 25/94.

Key responsibilities 1. General management and leadership of the College campuses.

2. Setting of programme goals and objectives for the development of the College and implementation of College policies.

3. Providing supervision and direction for the faculty and staff of the College.

4. Lead the production of annual budget, accounting and finances of the College.

5. Provide leadership in the development and maintenance of articulations with regional and international organizations as well as promotion of College nationally, regionally and internationally.

6. Supervision of the academic work of the College.

7. Supervision and direction of the faculty and other staff of the College.

8. Work with the Vice President and the Academic Dean in accreditation, articulation and equivalency procedures, as well as quality assurance.

9. Represent the College at national, regional and international fora.

10. Any other reasonable duty as may be assigned from time to time by the Board of Governors for the efficient functioning of the College.

Minimum Qualifications Minimum qualifications for the post are a Bachelors Degree in Education or an education related discipline and a Masters Degree in Educational Management, Leadership and/or Administration from an accredited and recognized institution.

The equivalent of six years of progressively responsible management experience in a managerial post, including at least five years of

effective leadership in educational management or in a tertiary education institution.

Desired qualities and skills A visionary person who has demonstrated leadership ability, and effective management skills.

A person who is passionate about the value of education.

An excellent range of effective communication and interpersonal skills with a capacity to motivate and inspire, as well as to build collegial support for a cohesive campus community.

An ethical, approachable, self motivated and trustworthy person.

Proven leadership in and contribution to programme and institutional development, Contribution to, as well as writing articles and doing research for journals.

Evidence of continuing scholarship or professional interests in Tertiary and Higher Education.

Salary is in the scale $53,915.22x$1,490 - $58,386.42. In addition the successful applicant will be paid a responsibility allowance, telephone and transport allowance to assist with the carrying out of duties.

For persons recruited outside the TCI a two year contract is offered.

Other benefits include a housing allowance of $650 per month and an end of contract gratuity of 10% of salary.

Interested candidates should complete an application package which should include, a letter of interest, a current resume, copies of qualifications, two character references, a police record, a current medical certificate and a recent testimonial from current place of employment which should be sent to the President, TCI Community College, PO Box 236, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Island to reach not later than 13th April 2012.

FAX TELE E-mail

649 946 1661 649 946 1163/1686 tcicomc@tciway.tc

Page 20

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

Grand Turk Men’s Group writes to UK Foreign Minister William Hague The Right Honourable William Hague Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office London Through H.E The Governor, Damian R. Todd Dear Sir, Re: THE PATHWAY TOWARDS TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS We write on behalf of the group of men of Grand Turk that participated in the consultation on the pathway towards the acquisition of Turks and Caicos Islander status. The Governor at a town hall meeting on Tuesday 21st, stated that there was overwhelming support for the proposition that the status should be conferred by way of marriage only. The government put out a press release on Wednesday 22nd, entitled “Strong Public Response to Key Milestones” that highlighted the type of response garnered from the public.

We are therefore reiterating the key points that formed the cornerstone of our submission that was signed on by 386 citizens and represents more than 70% of the response. Those points are as follows: 1. That the pathway towards Turks and Caicos Islander status shall be by way of marriage only and to a Turks and Caicos Islander through a connection by birth 2. That the period of marriage shall be 10 years

continuously before an application for status can be made 3. That the spouse be of good character and has the ability to read and write English at a proficient level 4. That the spouse pursue and pass a course of Turks and Caicos Islands studies at the TCI Community College 5. That the application on behalf of the spouse shall be made by the Turks and Caicos Islander 6. That there shall be no ability to transfer such status by the spouse that has been granted such status 7. That the status so granted, shall be able to be revoked because the has been away from the country for a continuous period of 7 years and/or ran afoul of the law With respect to PRC and BOTC 1. Unskilled workers shall not have the ability to apply for PRC status 2. Unskilled workers shall have a work permit for a 5 year period after which they shall be required to leave the country for a period of at least 2 years before another application can be made on their behalf 3. Female work permit holders on becoming pregnant shall leave the country prior to or during the third trimester of such pregnancy, returning to their country of residence to give birth to their children 4. In the unlikely event that a child is born to such parent in the Turks and Caicos Islands, then that child should, up to the age of 18 years be granted

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Grace Bay Club is looking for candidates that have most of the requirements listed along with an outgoing professional manner. They love to work with different types of people, meet challenges with a positive attitude and live the standards of our organization. Their leadership style balances a commitment to people and their development with business/financial accountability and delivers a consistently exceptional guest experience.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Job Requirements & Qualifications: • Recognized Accountancy Qualification, ACA/ACCA/CIMA/CPA • 5 to 10 years post qualification experience.

• Experience in running the finance function in a luxury hotel/resort/club.

• Considerable people management experience.

• Excellent knowledge of hotel accounting software.

• Advanced mathematical and accounting concepts • Analyzing and interpreting general business periodicals, professional journals and governmental regulations.

• Coordinates and manages the Business Planning and Forecasting process in conjunction with the General Manager and Department Heads.

• Supervises the timely preparation and distribution of Financial Statements and Operating Reports in conjunction with Corporate and Owner guidelines including cash flow statements, Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience

RESTAURANT MANAGER

Requirements: • Certification in Food & Beverage Management • At least 4 years experience operating a restaurant and expertise in fine wines • Experience in quality and efficiency initiatives • International and multi-outlet experience • Must be able to work with different types of people, meet challenges with a positive attitude and live the standards of our organization.

• Responsible for ordering and receiving food and paper shipment.

• Maintain food and equipment inventories, and keep inventory records.

• Responsible for training restaurant staff, supervising restaurant operations.

BOTC status in order for that child to travel The pathway towards BOTC shall be by way of a PRC. Both the PRC and BOTC allow the holder to be free of immigration control. Neither the PRC holder nor the BOTC holder shall have the ability to advance to Turks and Caicos Islander status save as set out above.

There shall be a points system that allows an applicant to advance to PRC status. This system shall start from the application of a WORK VISA. A form of the points system is attached.

Although we have actively participated in this consultation process, we remain resolute in our opinion that the consultation process should have been limited to Turks and Caicos Islanders and Turks and Caicos Islanders alone. Furthermore, the final configuration of the pathway should be left to a democratically elected government, by the people, of the people and for the people.

We needed to be on the record with you so that any deviation in a material way from the position that we have gathered support for would be met with great resistance by the people of this country.

We remain, Royal S. Robinson, MBE and Carlis Williams Co-Chairmen Cc Minister Bellingham

Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience

KITCHEN HELPER

Requirements: • Assist with Food & Beverage service • Receive and store supplies • Stock cupboards, refrigerators and salad bars • Clean food preparation and storage areas • Assist with food preparation.

• Work with minimal supervision.

Qualified Belongers need only to apply.

Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) oversees all aspects and teams at Grace Bay Club and The Veranda Resort for Accounting, Strata, and Information Technology. The CFO is responsible for relationships with banks and investors, special projects, and business development. The CFO reports directly to the Board.

Requirements: • Oversee Accounting team, IT team and strata accounting for both resorts.

• Ensure accuracy of financial reports to investors and lenders.

• Implement and monitor strategic objectives. Actively seek profitability improvements.

• MBA or equivalent degree.

• Previous relationships with major lending institutions and Real Estate Private Equity funds • Previous experience in investment banking, strategic consulting and/or private equity.

• Previous experience in real estate development and hospitality • Fluency in English. Other languages a plus. Willingness to work long hours when needed.

Qualified Belongers need only to apply.

Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience Interested persons can contact our Human Resources Department no later than February 17, 2012 @ (649) 946-5050 Ext. 1050 Email: veronica.clare@gracebayclub.com Fax: (649) 946-5758 P.O. Box 128 Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies

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Science GSAT Past Paper 1

1. The dark section of the eye is called the (A) eyeball (B) iris (C) lens (D) pupil 2. The special process of removing germs from milk is called: (A) freezing (B) evaporation (C) pasteurization (D) condensation ‘ 3. The colour seen when iodine is placed on starchy food is: (A) blue-black (B) purple (C) brown (D) red 4. Which of the following shows that light can be broken up into many colours?

(A) The atmosphere (B) Cellophane paper If a student connects this dry cell, bulb and wire as shown, the bulb would: (C) A colour wheel (D) A prism (A) light (B) light then go off (C) not light (D) keep getting brighter 5. We cannot see an object around a corner because: (A) the object does not reflect light 16. A candle and a light bulb are similar because they: (B) the retina does not receive images from a distance (A) use electricity (B) give off heat and light (C) light travels in straight lines (B) give off black waste (D) need oxygen to burn (D) light is absorbed before reaching around the corner 17. Which of the following colours is NOT found in the colour spectrum? A Items 11 to 13 (A) Green (B) Violet Look at the table below to help you answer items 11 to 13.

(C) Orange (D) White Vitamins A B C D

Foods rich in eggs, paw paw, cod liver oil grains milk meat nuts oranges lemons green vegetables cod liver oil, made when the body is exposed to sunlight

What the vitamin does Prevents night blindness Helps growth Helps the blood Helps to form strong bones

6. Vitamin C is found mostly in: (A) grains (B) citrus fruits (C) eggs and fish (D) cod liver oil 7. When a child is getting a cold, one treatment is: (A) eating citrus fruits (B) exposure to sunlight (C) eating grains (D) taking cod liver oil.

8. Cod liver oil contains: (A) vitamins A and D (B) vitamin A (C) vitamin B (D) vitamins C and D 9. When you eat the right kinds and amounts of foods each day you have eaten a: (A) dehcient diet (B) balanced diet (C) staple diet (D) vegetable diet 10. A lunar eclipse occurs when the: (A) moon goes around the earth (B) earth spins on its axis (C) earth revolves around the sun (D) moon passes through the earth’s shadow 11. Two organs protected by our ribs are the: (A) heart and lungs (B) heart and kidney (C) lungs and kidneys (D) intestines and heart 12. Sound enters the ear through the: (A) eardrum (B) auditory canal (C) semi—circular canals (D) auditory nerve 13 When the brain receives messages about sound it: (A) vibrates (B) rotates (C) transfers them (D) interprets them 14. Before food can become useful in our bodies, it must first be: (A) heated (B) purified (C) digested (D) refrigerated 15. Carefully examine the picture and answer the item.

18. The number of colours in the colour spectrum is: _ (A) five (B) eight (C) seven (D) six 19. A device used in homes, offices and factories for putting out fires is called a/an: (A) extinguisher (B) exterminator (C) fire alarm (D) cylinder 20. We can see things most clearly through materials that are: (A) white (B) translucent (C) transparent (D) opaque 21. Which of the following diseases is carried by the Anopheles mosquito?

(A) Tuberculosis (B) Malaria (C) Typhoid (D) Dysentry 22. Self control is: (A) showing patience (B) keeping calm in difficult situations (C) avoiding the use of obscene language (D) all of the above 23. What is the best way to help a person who is covered in flames?

(A) Roll the victim on the ground (B) Throw cold water on them (C) Apply lotion on the victim’s skin (D) Remove the victim’s clothes 24. A disease which can be spread through drinking impure water is: (A) cholera (B) influenza (C) yellow fever (D) dengue fever 25. Water vapour changes from a gas to a liquid by the process of: (A) convection (B) evaporation (C) condensation (D) conduction 26. To which of the following groups does conch belong?

(A) Crustacean (B) Reptile (C) Amphibian (D) Mollusk 27. Spiders and cockroaches belong to the invertebrates group because: (A) they do not have lungs (B) their young develop from eggs (C) they do not have backbones (D) they have many legs

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"I'm so, so proud to be British and to be flying our flag," she was saying when the show's host, actor James Corden, cut off her second acceptance speech, prompting the singer to make a rude middle-finger gesture in frustration.

- READ ADELE GIVE PRODUCERS THE FINGER

Rihanna and Chris Brown collaboration sparks outrage LOS ANGELES - R&B singer Chris Brown has earned a measure of musical redemption and forgiveness from exgirlfriend Rihanna by collaborating on new music together, three years after Brown pleaded guilty to assaulting the pop star.

Brown, 22, and Rihanna, 24, were openly tweeting each other and promoting their collaboration on each others' singles over the weekend as the Barbadian "We Found Love" singer celebrated her 24th birthday. "@chrisbrown Turn up the music remix #RihannaNavy #Teambreezy enjoy!!!" the birthday girl tweeted on Sunday with a link to her collaboration on Brown's single, "Turn Up the Music," before posting another tweet with a link to her duet with Brown on a remix of her single "Birthday Cake."

Rihanna provided vocals on a remix of Brown's new uptempo dance song "Turn Up The Music" while Brown lent his voice to Rihanna's sexually-charged song "Birthday Cake."

Their reconciliation, which has been the topic of much speculation in the media after the two were spotted together numerous times, comes after Brown made his official return to the Grammys on February 12 and won one award, prompting him to lash out at critics saying, "HATE ALL U WANT BECUZ I GOT A GRAMMY Now!" on his Twitter.

The singer almost derailed his career three years ago on the night before the Grammys, after he was arrested for beating up his then-

Rihanna and Chris Brown

girlfriend, Rihanna, and since then, Brown has been working to rehabilitate himself in the eyes of fans.

His musical reunion with Rihanna had social networks abuzz through the weekend and into Tuesday, as critics and fans were split on the newly released duets, with some making cynical puns, others calling it a publicity stunt and the rest embracing the new songs. "#Rihanna and Chris Brown are recording a song together, I guess she was concerned about being a one hit wonder," said user @GreenRoomShow on Twitter, while another user, @ElsaBreezy, posted "I Respect Rihanna And Chris Brown For Collaborating Despite Knowing There Will Be A Lot Of Negativity From The Losers Who Are Stuck In 2009."

Brown's "Turn Up The Music" is currently at No. 8 on the iTunes singles chart, while Rihanna and Brown's duet on "Birthday Cake" is circulating the Internet after being offered as a free download by the singer over the weekend.

Brown, appears on the new version, rapping about how he wants to "f***" her and "give it to her in the worst way."

While some fans have expressed acceptance and even excitement about the collaboration, others are outraged, announcing their loss of respect for the pop princess for what seems like welcoming her former abuser back into her life.

"Deleted Rihanna off my iPod. Not being associated with that imbecile in any capacity," one Twitter user wrote.

Adele gives producers the middle finger at Brit Awards LONDON - Adele, fresh from her six Grammy wins last weekend, walked away a winner once again at Tuesday's Brit Awards for music, taking prizes for album of the year and best British female solo artist before making an obscene gesture after the show's host cut her acceptance speech short.

"I'm so, so proud to be British and to be flying our flag," she was saying when the show's host, actor James Corden, cut off her second acceptance speech, prompting the singer to make a rude middle-finger gesture in frustration.

She stressed afterward that it was aimed at industry leaders, not her fans.

"I'm sorry if I offended anyone but it was the suits that offended me," Adele said. "Thank you all very much and thanks to my fans. I don't want them to think I was swearing at them."

The show's broadcaster, ITV, issued a statement apologizing to Adele for cutting her off.

"We regret this happened and we send deepest apologies to Adele that her big moment

was cut short tonight due to the live show overrunning," ITV said.

The 23-year-old singer, who had to undergo vocal cord surgery in November, also delivered a powerhouse performance of her single "Rolling in the Deep" to thousands of fans and industry insiders at London's O2 arena.

"It's been an amazing year," Adele said as she received the female artist statuette from petite pop star Kylie Minogue.

"I feel like a drag queen next to you," joked the winner, who wore a sleek black Burberry gown but towered over Minogue. She thanked her record company "for letting me be the kind of artist I want to be."

Adele lost out on the British single prize to boy band One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful," but took the coveted album of the year award for "21." The statue was presented by singer George Michael, returning to the stage after suffering life-threatening pneumonia in December.

"Ladies, don't be like Rihanna‌ if a man beats you stay away, call the cops, get help. Don't let him remix your face or your song," another wrote.

"Rihanna owes better to her millions of female fans than to sing/dance on stage with a man who put her in hospital," said another.

Without having treated Rihanna or knowing the full details of the continuing saga of Rihanna and Chris Brown, experts weighed in on the rekindled music relationship. While some said the revived pair is inappropriate and dangerous, others suggest that Rihanna may have healed from the experience and now feels empowered to separate business and personal relationships.

"It is always a little worrisome to see an abused woman readmit her abuser into her life," said Alan Hilfer, chief psychologist at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn. "This is, however, quite common and we often see women willing to forgive men for some of the awful things that they have done. As psychologists, we are always working to get people to change their behaviors and hope we can be successful. We advocate the ability to forgive, but not necessarily forget."

Rihanna seemed to allude to the situation with her former flame Tuesday while accepting best international female artist at the Brit Awards.

"At times when I feel misunderstood, my fans always remind me that it's O.K. to be myself," she said during her speech.

National Enquirer publishes Whitney Houston casket photo LOS ANGELES, -- U.S. tabloid The National Enquirer has published a photo of Whitney Houston, lying in her coffin at a Newark, N.J., funeral home last weekend.

It is unclear who snapped the photo, and Houston's family has not commented publicly yet about it being published on the cover of the celebrity gossip newspaper under the headline, "Whitney: The Last Photo!" the Los Angeles Times said.

The image shows Houston looking peaceful and beautiful in a purple dress and sparkly earrings with makeup meticulously applied to her eyes and lips.

Written on the cream-colored lining of her coffin were musical notes and the word "Nippy," the nickname her family called her.

A private wake was held for Houston last Friday at Whigham Funeral Home. Her funeral took place Saturday and she was buried next to her father Sunday.

The Grammy Award-winning recording star was found dead Feb. 11 in her bathtub at the Beverly Hilton hotel. Her death at age 48 is under investigation, but a lethal combination of prescription drugs and alcohol is suspected as the cause

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Gansevoort Turks + Caicos is a contemporary full service luxury boutique resort on Grace Bay Beach. We are looking for driven and energetic professionals with Five Star experience and who are committed to achieving excellence by ensuring our luxury standards and services are consistently delivered to exceed our customers expectations.

GENERAL MANAGER:

The General Manager is the primary strategic business leader of the property with responsibility for all aspects of the operation. The General Manager must oversee property performance, sales & marketing initiatives and strategies, manage profitability and revenue generation. Additionally, the General Manager must be able to attract talent and build talented teams and be multi-skilled and celebrate diverse environments and can relate to people from a variety of backgrounds. The General Manager must have at least 10 years experience in managing in a five star boutique hotel with minimum 3 as a GM. Essential duties include but not limited to: • Maximize revenue and profitability, represent the hotel in the community and head the executive committee of the property.

• Manage all sources of revenue to include rooms, food and beverage, and others.

• Ensures all departments are profitable and maintain strong working relationships with all stakeholders.

• Achieve exceptional levels of guest and team member satisfaction • Promote the Gansevoort culture at every opportunity and stay true to its core values • Operate the hotel under the covenants of the management agreement, and other relevant brand standards/SOPs. • Establish the strategic plan and execute to fulfill property revenue and profit objectives in accordance to annual budget, marketing plan and capital expenditure plan.

In collaboration with the hotel's financial controller, prepare and manage the budget and quarterly forecast process, and general reporting requirements internally, with brand leadership, banking affiliates, owner's representatives and investors.

• Continually analyze market trends and direct team accordingly to obtain objectives.

• Creates local and national marketing plans and pricing strategies and knows market segments. Responds quickly to changing market conditions and revises strategies accordingly.

• Actively participates in sales discussions, meetings and plans. Knows key account executives and business base. Knows monthly production levels for each sales team.

• Produces monthly financial reports and knows at all times where the hotel stands against budget.

• Protects the hotel and its assets through enforcing and maintaining a preventative maintenance program.

• Provide exceptional customer service to all hotel guests, making their stay as comfortable and accommodating as possible while achieving team and Brand goals.

• Follows company policies and procedures and is able to effectively communicate them to subordinates.

FRONT OFFICE MANAGER: Applicant must have excellent communication and problem resolution and conflict management skills, at least 4 years experience in Luxury Hotel Front Desk with at least 2 years in management and maintain a presentable image consistent with the expectations of our clientele. Technical skills include Microsoft Office suite, Opera PMS and OVOS, training and coaching skills as well exceptional customer service and organizational skills. Hospitality Management certificate or equivalent experience required. English language required with additional languages an asset.

Essential duties include but not limited to: • Directs operation of guest experience from arrival at airport to rooming of guest.

• Financial responsibility for collecting all room bills and for ensuring maximum optimization of room inventory • Works with central reservations, revenue management, sales and finance to maximize revenue potential • Guides and coaches the development of Front Desk Managers, Agents, and Bellman.

• Provides training and ongoing instruction and coaching to ensure SOPs are followed and consistent, high quality service level is delivered and sustained • Manages reservations from on line, credit card collections, deposits, room assignments, guest amenities and room drops • Continually monitoring all transactions to ensure accuracy – must be detail oriented and very organized • Dealing with all levels of guests and associated issues or concerns. Must be competent and confident professionally dealing with guest issues (conflict resolution) and resolving them to protect the business and satisfy the guest.

RESTAURANT MANAGER: Report Directly to the Food & Beverage Director. This

position is responsible for managing all activities of the Food & Beverage Departments for the organization. The daily operation of vessel’s Beverage Sales Operation including the effective administration, supervision and execution of programs consistent with the company standards and goals of providing excellent service while generating maximum revenue.

Essential duties include but not limited to: • Directs the activities of restaurant service personnel, Bartenders, Beverage Attendants, Host/Hostess.

• Directs and ensures the implementation and execution of corporate policies and procedures.

• Controls, measures and reports Outlet sales performance on a daily basis and takes

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required corrective action to ensure operations are in accordance with the company standards and objectives.

• Creates new opportunities and maximizes existing ones to generate extra revenue.

• Maximizes profitability by increasing turnover (revenue and covers).

• Ensures that department’s operational budget is strictly adhered to and that all costs are strictly controlled.

• Recommends measures to control/reduce costs.

• Works closely with the Controller and provisioning in regards to inventory taking, cost control, loading, ordering and storing.

• Ensures that all bars are counted after each shift and investigates discrepancies.

• Assures correct pouring and ensures proper void handling.

Requirements: College or University degree in hospitality management, business administration or related field preferred. International equivalent suffices.

4-6 years restaurant operational management experience in 4/5 star hotels, restaurants • Fluent in English, both verbal and written. A second language is preferred.

• Experience in managing a large multi-national staff.

• Extensive knowledge of varying brands and quality of liquors.

• Knowledge of new and old world wines including food and wine pairing.

• Ability to read, interpret and demonstrate the preparation of drink recipes.

• Ability to investigate and solve guest complaints, follow up and meet/exceed guest expectations.

• Extensive knowledge of Micros POS and Opera Salary Range: 50,000-60,000 annually commensurate with experience

POOL & BEACH ENTERTAINMENT MANAGER:

This position is responsible for ensuring complete compliance with all hotel standards and overseeing the entire Pool & Beach Entertainment operation which includes Pool & Beach Attendants, Kids Club Coordinators and contracted service providers. The Pool & Beach Manager has overall responsibility for safety, maintenance coordination, inventory and servive at the pool and beach, as well as managerial, administrative, facility, aquatic, communications and leadership duties, including:

Essential duties include but not limited to: • Ensure quality, safety and guest/owner satisfaction in the operation of programs and services.

• Keep all equipments and furnishing in 1st class condition.

• and coordinates resort recreational activities including, group beach activities when needed, individual/games organized daily Kids Club outings and special functions, seasonal programs and special events.

• Manage and oversee lifeguards: Plan and organize workloads and staff assignments.

• To ensure that all employees deliver the company brand promise and provide exceptional guest service at all times.

• Responsible for scheduling of all workers.

Minimum Requirements: • 3-5 years experience in sports & recreation administration, management and entertainment • Must be CPR Certified. Boat license or certification desirable and certified to sail Hobie Wave.

• Must have proven strong coaching and leadership skills, excellent written and communication skills.

• Must be a certified pool operator.

• Fluent English (additional language an asset.)

Salary Range: $25,000 – $40,000 annually commensurate with experience Housekeeping Manager: needed for the Housekeeping Department. The Manager is required to have at least a high school diploma and previous experience Housekeeping experience in a luxury resort environment. Responsible for training new employees and ensuring work schedules are coordinated to maintain the highest level of consistent quality for our guests and owners. The manager will oversee the work of the employees, order cleaning supplies as needed, assign and inspect work. The manager assigns tasks to employees and may make cleaning suggestions to help improve service. Manager must be able to resolve guest issues regarding the cleaning or hotel services. Must be Computer literate with knowledge of Microsoft Office software and Opera to prepare reports, employee schedules, inventories, budgets as required; should have good communication skills; and MUST be detail-oriented and tenacious.

LAUNDRY MANAGER: 3 years experience in laundry as a Supervisor. Familiarity with presser/folder an asset. Responsible to maintain accurate inventory of linens and towels, forecast reordering, protect assets, train, and coach and manage staff. Salary range $7.00 - $12.00 hourly

KITCHEN UTILITY/STEWARDING: Attention to detail, maintain a clean environment to high standards and must be able to set up event areas. Salary range $5.00 - $8.00 PUBLIC AREA ATTENDANT/ROOM ATTENDANT : Loves to clean. Clean and maintain guest’s rooms and general areas. Clean and replenish amenities as per the resort standards. Salary range $5.00 - $8.00 hourly

SECURITY AGENTS: Excellent communication skills oral and written. Observant at all times. Experience in investigations and dealing with challenging situations. Good customer service skills. Salary range $7.00 t0 $10.00 hourly

HOUSEMAN: General cleaning of guests room areas assists room attendants with heavier tasks, window washing, linen delivery and removal. Salary range $5.00 - $8.00 hourly SERVERS: Provide guests with food and beverage service – restaurant, bar, room service, beach & pool. Able to work on feet all day and good mathematic skills, experience in fine dining service, an asset. Salary range $5.00 – $8.00 hourly

Interested applicants can contact our Human Resources Department, Monday through Friday 10am to 5pm. Closing date for all application is March 9th, 2012 E- Mail cover letter outlining your interest and supporting experience in a particular position and, along with your Resume or C.V. to hr@wymara.com

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Cayman Islands

taking away insurance market share from Cayman Islands

Baha Mar on track for 20 storeys by year-end NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Baha Mar passed its first anniversary of construction on February 22nd and the developers say that it is on track to meet all of its targets.

The US$2.6 billion Bahamas-based hotel, which will feature the Caribbean’s largest casino, is reportedly on track to reach 20 storeys by year-end.

Robert Sands, the Cable Beach resort developer's senior vice-president for public and governmental affairs, is on record as stating that they were still on target to complete the core resort campus by end-2013 and be fully operational by December 2014.

He added that Baha Mar was also about one-third of the way towards meeting its public commitment to employ 4,000 Bahamians over the lifetime of the construction phase, and had issued about 25 per cent of the total $400 million worth of contracts reserved for local contractors. He said 7,000 fulltime Bahamian jobs would be created when Baha Mar full opens in December 2014.

Sands expressed confidence that Baha Mar and its main contractor/project manager, China State Construction, would meet the July 1, 2012, target for having the casino hotel built to 100 feet above grade level.

The start of construction on the core casino and casino hotel, together with the 200,000 square convention centre and associated hotel, will provide further confirmation for Bahamians that, some nine years after Baha Mar was first conceived, the project is finally becoming a reality.

The Baha Mar executive said the final demolition of the old Nassau Beach Hotel should take place by the end of next month, paving the way for further foundation piling and seawall work contracts that should all be given to Bahamian contractors and companies.

Sands said the Morgan's-branded lifestyle hotel will be constructed

Artist rendition of the Baha Mar Resort

between the Wyndham property and where the Nassau Beach Hotel now sits, and the beach and pool area would lie between that and the Rosewood-branded property.

He added that, while Baha Mar did not have to announce its casino brand/partner until six months before it opened, the developer was continuing to do due diligence on the shortlisted groups seeking the partnership.

Baha Mar will make The Bahamas one of the best tourist locations in the world, alongside destinations such as Las Vegas and Orlando. It will draw millions of vacationers and business travelers every year to its six hotels with almost 2,250 new rooms and condos, the largest convention center in The Bahamas, the largest casino in the Caribbean, a worldclass golf course, retail village and much more. Baha Mar has completed full sets of hotel management agreements with Rosewood Hotels and Resorts to operate and manage the 200 room Luxury Hotel, Morgan’s Hotel Group to manage and operate the 300 room lifestyle hotel, and Hyatt Hotels and Resorts to operate and manage the planned 700 room Grand

Hyatt Convention Hotel. The completion of these agreements is part of a strategy to bring best-in-class Brands to Baha Mar. With the hotel operator selection process finalized, Baha Mar will now focus on its Casino Brand selection process. The hotel room breakdown is as follows: Current operations: Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort (700 rooms) and The Wyndham Nassau Resort (550 rooms), for a total of 1,250 rooms currently operating. To be built: a Rosewood luxury hotel (200 rooms), a Grand Hyatt convention hotel (700 rooms), a Mondrian lifestyle hotel (300 rooms), a Casino hotel (1000 rooms) and 313 residential condos and villas, for a grand total of over 2,500 new rooms.

Baha Mar will employ approximately 4,000 Bahamians over the life of the construction period, which is expected to last four years. This number was determined based on information from the Department of Labour about the number of registered Bahamians with the specific, expert construction skills needed to build Baha Mar. At all times, the objective is to employ the maximum number of Bahamians possible, based on

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the skills available.

Having received all approvals for work to proceed, and having now received the full projectfunding facility, several hundred Bahamian jobs (of the more than 4,000 total noted above) have already been created, working with over 70 local contractors on projects involving the construction of the new Commercial Village and work to re-route West Bay Street and the JFK Connector.

To supplement the Bahamian labor available to build the resort, Baha Mar has partnered with China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), one of the best and most experienced construction companies in the world. It will supply Baha Mar with short-term labor from China to help complete the resort so that all the hotels, condos and other attractions can be fully operational as soon as possible.

To house the short-term workers, a temporary Employee Housing Facility will be built. It will be self-contained, secure and environmentally-friendly, advanced in health and safety standards, and will comply with all of the relevant Bahamian building codes.

Because the CSCEC believes so strongly in Baha Mar, they have also invested $150 million to help make it a reality. When the resort is fully operational almost 98% of the workforce will be Bahamian. Baha Mar will immediately create thousands of job opportunities for Bahamians, including the ability to learn new skills and build meaningful careers as managers and supervisors. Baha Mar has created the Baha Mar Training and Service Academy and committed an initial $8 million towards making this institution a major contributor towards the training of the Bahamian workforce in skills needed in both the construction and hospitality industries. The Bahamas will be a better place to live and work, with a stronger economy immediately and over the long term.

Reflecting its strong belief in The Bahamas, and the great success Baha Mar will have, the Export-Import Bank of China has provided Baha Mar with $2.5 billion of project financing. This is an extraordinary level of financial support given the weakness in the global economy.

Police charge one person after US Supreme Court judge is robbed CHARLESTON, Nevis –Police say they have charged a 28-year-old man in connection with the robbery of a United States Supreme Court judge who was holidaying in Nevis earlier this month.

Press and Public Relations Officer Stephen Hector, said the accused Vidal Browne turned himself in over to law enforcement officials in St. Kitts hours after his photograph was released to the public. He has since been transferred to Nevis and is due to appear in court soon.

Police said that on February 9, a masked intruder cut through a screen door of the Golden Rock villa home of Justice Stephen Breyer and demanded money. He reportedly made off with

some US$1000 in cash.

The 73-year-old U.S. Supreme Court judge, his wife Dr. Joanna Breyer, a renowned pediatric psychologist, and two guests were unharmed during the incident.

Justice Breyer, who has since returned to the United States, has been visiting Nevis for some 18 years.

An article in the L.A. Times over the weekend quoted Justice Breyer’s sister-in-law Mary-Anne Sergison-Brooke as saying that the thief, “looked more nervous than we were …

Nevis is such a nice, friendly island. We were never that worried.”

The US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) confirmed that it had been assisting the police here in its investigation of the robbery.

“We are assisting the local police with their investigation,” said FBI spokesman Paul Bresson in a brief statement.

Jeff Carter, a spokesman for the US Marshals Service, which provides protection for members of the Supreme Court, when they are traveling, said that the agency is aware of the incident involving Justice Breyer on the Caribbean island of Nevis and was assisting the Supreme Court Police and local law enforcement authorities with the investigation.

Page 34

CARIBBEAN NEWS

NOTICE OF SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION

Scotiabank (Turks & Caicos) Ltd. of Cherokee Road, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands hereby gives notice of its intention to sell by Public Auction the following properties pursuant to its power of sale as registered Chargee under the Registered Land Ordinance of the Turks and Caicos Islands: 1. Parcel 60805/15/K19, Cheshire Hall and Richmond Hill, Providenciales.

Comprising of a three bedroom townhouse in phase 2 of the Flamingo Park Development. The property has access to the communal facilities at the development including a pool, gazebo, pergola lounge area, paved parking, landscaping, 4 tennis courts and boundary fencing/walls.

Registered Proprietors: Deanne Nicola Williams

2. Parcel 50402/93, Kewtownship, North Caicos. Comprising of a single storey residential development, providing four bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room, and kitchen and dining area.

Registered Proprietor: Annie Victoria Williams 3. Parcel 60907/229/K9, Leeward Going Through, Providenciales. Comprising of a two bedroom townhouse at the Provo Golf Club with kitchen and dinning area, 2 full bathrooms. The property benefits from view of the first tee and comes with half price golf membership and access to a pool which is shared between 9 units.

Registered Proprietor: Simon Richard Padgett 4. Parcel 60604/20, Norway and Five Cays, Providenciales. Comprising of a single storey residential development providing two bedrooms, three bathrooms, kitchen, dining and living room.

Registered Proprietor: Henry Nathaniel Rigby

5. Parcel 60611/53, Norway and Five Cays, Providenciales. Comprising of 0.25 acres of an undeveloped inland lot. The property is elevated at its roadside frontage and the land slopes slightly in an easterly direction. Any development on the land can enjoy the view of a pond located south-east of the property.

Registered Proprietor: Carline Sylvestre 6. Parcel 60503/57, Blue Hills & Stamers Run, Providenciales. The subject property provides a range of residential buildings positioned on a prominent site fronting the Blue Hills coastal Road. There is a large single storey retail store in front to f the property. Altogether the property provides a total of 33 rooms; seven living rooms, one dining room, seven kitchen, seven full baths,one part, bedrooms and 1family room.

Registered Proprietor: James Calvin Williams

7. Parcel 60400/311, Chalk Sound, Providenciales. Comprising of a high-end detached residential home. The property provides three main bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, four living/dining areas on the ground floor. There is a pool and deck area to the rear and a carport to the front of the property.

Registered Proprietor: Patsy Lee Jennings.

8. Parcel 60900/194, Leeward Going Through, Providenciales. The subject 0.65 acres development is comprised of two buildings. There’s a main two- storey residence providing a three bedroom, two bathroom house and three rental units. The adjoining semi-detached structure provides three apartment units each comprising of bedroom, bathroom, open plan Kitchen/dining/living area.

Registered Proprietor: Usril Alexander Morris

9. Parcel 60900/123, Leeward Going Through, Providenciales. The subject property is comprised of a main residential development and a guest house. The main building provides 3 bedrooms, 2 full bath, living room and kitchen. There is a deck and hot tub in the garden at the rear of the property.

Registered Proprietor: Carmen Rochelle Brown

10. Parcel 60609/68, Norway and Five Cays, Providenciales. Comprising of a partially completed two storey residential development. The property provides the following completed works; foundations, water cistern under building, internal block walls, internal concrete stair 95% completed , plumbing rough-ins, electrical first fix, formwork and rebar to upper floor ring beam, superstructure walls, concrete slabs to balconies and upper floor slab.

Registered Proprietors: Sean Gerald Rodgers and Nyoshi Natasha Rodgers

11. Parcel 60503/83, Blue Hills & Stamers Run, Providenciales. Comprising of a two-storey apartment building. The lower floor provides 3 (three) apartments each consisting of one bedroom, bathroom and an open plan living/dining room. The upper floor provides a 3 (three) bedroom apartment comprising of open plan living/dining room, kitchen, Master bedroom (with ensuite and walk in closet) Two bedrooms, and external patio.

Registered Proprietor: Georgia Rosemarie Williams

The auction will be held at the offices of Scotiabank (Turks and Caicos) Limited, Grace Bay Branch, Providenciales at 10 o’clock in the morning on Friday the 9th day of March 2012.

A reserve price will be fixed on all parcels. A deposit of 10% is due immediately upon all accepted bids.

Terms and Conditions of Sale by Auction are available by request from Scotiabank Collections Manager (649) 946-4750.

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

Cayman Islands taking insurance market away from Bermuda Premier McKeeva Bush says while Bermuda has been the champion of the insurance and reinsurance industry, the Cayman Islands was now a better choice and could grow in this market “without the malice, without the inhibitions of race, without the inhibitions of transport.”

Speaking at the 11th annual Insurance-Linked Securities Summit, Bush said that in addition to changes to immigration policy to entice the industry to this jurisdiction, his government intends to offer financial concessions that will dramatically reduce operational costs compared with other financial centres.

An industry expert at the summit said Bermuda would lose out because it had adopted its own capital rules that in many ways were similar to the European-led Solvency II regulation, which he described as a “huge miscalculation”.

“Over the next two years we are going to see a lot of business which has historically been in Bermuda pick and leave to come here and it’s already begun,” said Jeff Mulholland, managing director and head of insurance and pension solutions for the Americas with Societe Generale.

“My prediction is: buy Cayman real estate.”

Mulholland outlined the reasons why he believed that Cayman should expect an influx of new business and new industry professionals at the same time, stating that the industry was not looking for light regulation.

“We are looking for very highly sophisticated, very efficient regulation which means people who are on point and who understand the risks and how to analyse the risk for the policy holders and shareholders and provide an appropriate reaction to and management of those risks. We are not looking for a jurisdiction that turns a blind eye to those risks because in the process the credibility of the product is dramatically reduced,” he said.

Appropriate legislation was the first priority for the industry and in his mind Cayman and Bermuda were the only credible choices in this regard. “When you consider the most important criteria is efficient regulation, immediately the US, Canada and Europe drops out of the game,” he confirmed.

Now that the choice had been narrowed down to Bermuda and Cayman, Mulholland said that Bermuda could be discounted because it had decided to adopt its own capital rules which in many ways were similar to the European-led Solvency II regulation.

“This is important because by kowtowing to the Europeans effectively Bermuda has just made itself obsolete. I think it was a huge miscalculation by the Bermudan government,” he said, stating that this would be a “huge problem” for Bermuda over the next ten years and that it has already started to impact the industry. As a result Cayman was going to see a tremendous influx of capital and expertise.

“In the advisory work we do right now this is not a controversial statement,” he confirmed, “This is a majority view and a view that has changed over the last year.”

The primary life insurance industry and the life reinsurance business which historically has sought to execute and provide capital relief to onshore companies in North America and Europe would now be attracted to Cayman, he said.

In his welcome at the conference, held this week at the Marriott Beach Resort, Premier McKeeva Bush outlined the reasons why Cayman made a far better choice for the insurance and reinsurance industry than its competitor, Bermuda. He described how Cayman had much more to offer industry professionals on many levels – from the ease of doing business to the ease of living in Cayman. He said that changes were in the pipeline to ensure that such professionals made Cayman their number one choice, including a raft of new immigration and financial concessions to dramatically ease the path for business in this industry.

“It’s because we recognise the need of expertise in our local work force that the government has decided to offer a package of concessions for the international insurance and reinsurance industry which will allow them to attract and retain the top professionals in their field. Not only will insurance and reinsurance companies benefit from immigration concessions, it will mean an expedited process allowing workers at all levels to take up their post in a matter of days instead of weeks or even months,” he said. “In addition to this immigration policy my government intends to offer financial concessions which will dramatically reduce operational costs compared with other financial centres.”

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

Page 35

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

CARIBBEAN NEWS

Jamaica gang feuds driving rise in murder rate KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica is developing a new policy to battle crime as gang violence drives the homicide rate higher, the country's top security official said Tuesday.

National Security Minister Peter Bunting said 165 killings have been reported by police so far in 2012, compared to 135 slayings during the corresponding period last year on the Caribbean island of 2.8 million people.

Violent gangs are deeply entrenched in Spanish Town, just west of Kingston, and in some residential sections of the northwestern parish of St. James, which includes the resort city of Montego Bay. Fighting between the gangs for control of drug trafficking and extortion rackets has

long been blamed for the majority of Jamaica's homicides.

Police Commissioner Owen Ellington said at a news conference with Bunting that much of the security forces' resources are now focused on trying to contain 42 active gang conflicts.

Ellington told reporters that the Shower Posse gang, which was controlled by convicted drug kingpin Christopher "Dudus" Coke from his slum stronghold of Tivoli Gardens, has been significantly hobbled since his capture in June 2010 but remains an active gang in West Kingston.

Bunting said Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller's nearly two-monthold government intends to fast-track

anti-gang legislation and is crafting a new security policy meant to reduce crime to "First World levels" by 2017, when he hopes to have a maximum of just 321 killings.

A U.N. study on the Caribbean released earlier this month said Jamaica has had the world's thirdhighest murder rate over the past decade, with about 60 murders per 100,000 inhabitants. Jamaica loses some $529 million a year due to crime, according to the report.

Last year, Jamaica had 1,125 slayings, a roughly 22 percent drop from the 1,442 killings in 2010. A record 1,683 people were killed in 2009.

Bunting said a major goal is to

target gang kingpins and facilitators for organized criminal networks, not the people lower down the chain.

Many of those arrested in previous years have been underlings who had little connection to gang leadership.

Such workers are easily replaced.

"We don't always want to be chasing out the symptoms, we want to get to the infection," he told reporters at the prime minister's offices.

Bunting intends to create a task force to identify and arrest crime facilitators, such as accountants, real estate brokers, lawyers and corrupt public officials. He also hopes to give courts greater power to seize their assets.

He also said Jamaican society must undergo "mental reconditioning" to encourage more people to report crimes. Those who live in Jamaica's slums are deeply distrustful of the police and authorities, and an antiinformant culture is widespread.

St Lucia observes 33 years OECS Chief Justice resigns suddenly of political independence CASTRIES, St Lucia – St Lucia on Wednesday February 22nd observed the 33rd anniversary of its political independence from Britain with the traditional military parade and Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony urging the nation to move boldly into the future.

The anniversary is being attended by the Royal Highness Prince and Princess Edward, Earl and Countess of Wessex who arrived here on Tuesday as part of activities to observe the Diamond Jubilee celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ascension to the throne..

Addressing a flag raising ceremony shortly before midnight Tuesday, Prime Minister Anthony said that fears about being unable to withstand an uncertain future was not unique to St. Lucia.

He said that there were social, political, economic and environmental issues affecting the entire globe and called on his countrymen to shed their fears and doubts and make way for the ambition and mental achievement of maturity.

“We have not yet liberated and expanded our minds to think independently. Perhaps not surprisingly, that same discussion obtains in our larger Caribbean neighbours such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, as they celebrate 50 years of independence.

“Having fears about being able to withstand the uncertain future is not unique to us but we must not allow our fears to define us.

“Globalization and high debt has led the citizens of the great United States of America to question their self-sufficiency and the

ability to survive independently of the world.

“Suddenly, the United States has had to come face to face with the reality that, in the next few years, it will no longer be the dominant economic power in the world,” Anthony said, adding “yet, many Americans believe that they have the inner resources to ‘make it’.

The Prime Minister said that this is the “kind of inner confidence which countries like ours need to emulate to get rid of the selfdoubt that still so often afflict and plague us”.

He said that despite the challenges St. Lucia has done well, pointing to the achievements of two Nobel Laureate Awards and accomplishments in the spheres of sports and education.

“The St. Lucian spirit has been tried and tested over the past decade, whether it is in the face of natural disasters, social misfortunes or economic depression.

Through it all, we have remained steadfast in our conviction and strong in our resolve.

“Our ability to reconcile the irreconcilable, our patience and tolerance and our skill to adapt are qualities which we must not be afraid to share with succeeding generations,” he added.

Anthony, who led his St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) to victory in the November 28 general elections last year, said that while St. Lucia was not a perfect nation, it was vital that citizens remain optimistic and proud, and invited them to unlock the potential within themselves in order to grasp the opportunities which accompany the challenges needed to help build a better nation.

CASTRIES, St Lucia – The Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Hugh Anthony Rawlings has resigned.

His resignation takes effect from August 1.

Chairman of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony of St. Lucia said that a committee has been activated to pick his successor.

Justice Rawlings, a national of St. Kitts- Nevis held the position of Chief Justice since May 2008 after Sir Dennis Byron retired.

Anthony said he had received the letter of resignation from Justice Rawlins in his capacity as OECS chairman and has informed the leaders of the sub-regional grouping.

“We are aware that there have been a number of challenges faced by the courts and it is to the credit of the Chief Justice that some of those challenges were dealt with, and dealt with in the accustomed fashion that a Chief Justice would deal with problems of that nature.

“So we want to extend our deep thanks and our appreciation to the Chief Justice for serving the people of the OECS with dignity, character and with honour,” Anthony said.

The OECS Chairman said that the leaders of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Montserrat and St. Kitts-Nevis have also expressed their appreciation to the outgoing head of the sub-regional jurisdiction for his work over the years.

“A search committee has now been activated to begin the process of identifying a replacement. We are proceeding apace and in good time so that by the time the resignation takes effect, hopefully we will have a new Chief Justice in place,” Anthony said.

“As you know it is a critical and crucial position in the regional arrangement in the court system, and it is vital that an arrangement be found to avoid any delay in the dispensation of judicial services to the sub-region,” he added.

But legal sources are questioning the decision by Justice Rawlins to resign saying the holder of the office normally serves until retirement.

“I don’t know of any situation which would have caused undue concern for the Chief Justice, he probably feels that given his own personal circumstances this was the best time for him to make his exit,” Anthony said.

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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

HIGHLIGHTS

• Romney back in Republican Race • Chavez unstable health creates uncertainty in Venezuela • World outraged grows following attacks by Syria

Friends of Syria meet to push for relief access Western and Arab nations challenged Syria to allow in desperately needed humanitarian aid at a meeting Friday aimed at increasing pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to end his bloody crackdown.

More than 60 nations gathered in Tunisia for the first "Friends of Syria" conference, amid continuing violence in the flashpoint city of Homs and a growing global outcry over the deaths of thousands of civilians.

"The current situation demands an Arab intervention in the framework of the League, an Arab force to keep peace and security, to accompany diplomatic efforts to convince Bashar to leave," Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki told the conference But the conference of Arab and Western foreign ministers was marked by the absence of Russia and China -highlighting the difficulty in building Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived at her hotel in Tunis on Friday to attend a meeting of an international consensus on Syria. the so-called “Friends of Syria."

Both countries refused to attend and have frustrated efforts to rein in and determined effort... to help bring most," she told reporters in London.

Bassma Kodmani, a spokeswoman Assad's regime, including by vetoing an end to the violence and human rights abuses, and promote a peaceful for main opposition group the Syrian UN Security Council resolutions.

An early draft of the meeting's solution to the Syrian crisis," Annan National Council (SNC), repeated calls on Friday for the creation of three declaration said it could call for the said after his appointment.

US Secretary of State Hillary humanitarian corridors: one from Syrian government "to implement an immediate ceasefire and to allow free Clinton said Friday's meeting was Lebanon to assist Homs, one from and unimpeded access by the UN... looking for "concrete progress on three Turkey to help Idlib and one from fronts: providing humanitarian relief, Jordan to help Deraa. and humanitarian agencies."

"What is absolutely urgent for us The UN is stepping up its efforts increasing pressure on the regime, and to deal with the crisis and on Thursday preparing for a democratic transition." in Tunis is to ask for humanitarian "We hope to see new pledges of assistance," she told France Inter radio, named its former leader Kofi Annan as emergency assistance for Syrians adding that the opposition hoped a joint UN-Arab League envoy for caught in Assad's stranglehold, and "Russia could put pressure on the Syria. coordination and Assad regime" to accept aid convoys.

"I look forward to having the full international cooperation of all relevant parties and diplomatic pressure on Damascus to The draft declaration demanded stakeholders in support of this united allow it to get to those who need it that humanitarian groups be allowed in

to Syria to assess the need for aid and "be permitted to deliver vital relief goods and services to civilians affected by violence."

It threatened increased sanctions, including travel bans, asset freezes, a stop to oil purchases and the closure of foreign embassies in Damascus and Syrian embassies in other capitals.

The SNC has warned that military intervention might be the "only option" to end the crackdown, but Western and Arab nations have so far rejected the idea of a foreign mission similar to the operation that helped topple the Libyan regime.

The draft declaration also called for the Arab League to convene a meeting of the Syrian opposition and praised the SNC. But it did not appear to give the SNC exclusive recognition, calling it only "a legitimate representative of Syrians seeking peaceful democratic change."

A Syria-based opposition group, the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change (NCCDC), said it was boycotting the Tunis conference, complaining of exclusion and fearing escalated militarisation.

Activists say more than 7,600 people, mostly civilians, have died since Assad's hardline regime launched a crackdown to snuff out a revolt that began with peaceful protests in March 2011.

Monitors said 86 people were killed across Syria Thursday, 61 of them civilians.

Prosecutors target cruise ship captain, Costa executives GROSSETO, Italy - The captain of the Costa Concordia, the liner which capsized off the coast of Italy last month killing at least 25 people, made a series of errors that were compounded by failures onshore by the ship's operators, according to prosecution documents.

Prosecutors accuse captain Francesco Schettino of causing the accident by bringing the giant vessel too close to shore where it struck a rock that tore a large gash in the hull, causing water to flood into the engine rooms.

He is under formal investigation in the case, accused of multiple manslaughter and abandoning ship before the evacuation of more than 4,200 passengers and crew was complete.

On Thursday, prosecutors added two new counts to the charge sheet, accusing Schettino of abandoning incapacitated passengers and failing to inform maritime authorities. Officials confirmed that tests showed he was not on drugs at the time of the accident.

First officer Ciro Ambrosio and seven other ship's officers and executives of the operator Costa Cruises are also under investigation.

They include the vice president of Costa Cruises,

Manfred Ursprunger and Roberto Ferrarini, head of the company's crisis unit, with whom Schettino was in contact during the evacuation.

Pretrial hearings, including an investigation of the ship's "black box" recorders, are due to open on March 3.

The Costa Concordia foundered and capsized meters from the shore off the Tuscan island of Giglio on January 13. At least 25 people died in the accident and a further seven are unaccounted for.

Eight bodies, including that of a five year-old girl, were found by divers on Wednesday on the submerged deck of the liner, which lies on its side in some 20 meters of water.

Schettino is blamed for bringing the ship near to the rocky shore in order to perform a display maneuver known as a "salute," but prosecutors have also pointed to wider failures in the management of the accident.

In documents filed on Wednesday notifying Schettino of the impending investigation, prosecutors say Schettino slowed the ship down while he was having dinner on the night of the accident, then sped up to 16 knots to make up time, despite being in shallow water.

They also say his nautical charts were not

appropriate and not detailed enough to reveal obstacles including the rock on which the fatal impact occurred.

The report also points to the large number of people in the bridge area at the time of the accident, including Domnica Cermotan, a friend of Schettino's.

They say this "generated confusion and distraction for the captain."

It says he failed to perform appropriate maneuvers to avoid the collision, did not activate procedures to seal the ship, and did not take charge of the crew during the operation. He also took too much time to sound the general alarm and order the evacuation of the ship.

The prosecutors also blame Costa's crisis unit of being "culpably unaware of the real situation on board the ship" and of falling to properly verify the information provided to it by Schettino.

The unit limited itself to "bureaucratic aspects...and to the future prospects of repairing the ship," the report said.

As well as the official investigation, Costa and its parent company Carnival Corp, the world's largest cruise operator, face a wave of civil suits from the victims' families and from passengers and crewmembers aboard the ship.

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

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FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

WORLD NEWS

Karzai says US officer burned Korans, Obama apologizes KABUL- President Hamid Karzai on Thursday blamed a U.S. soldier for "ignorantly" burning copies of the Koran at a NATO base, an accusation that could trigger more protests across Afghanistan.

Demonstrations against the burning of copies of Islam's most holy book drew thousands of angry Afghans to the streets, chanting "Death to America!" for the third consecutive day in violence that has killed 11 people including two foreign troops and wounded many more.

President Barack Obama sent a letter to Karzai apologizing for the burning of the Korans at the sprawling Bagram airbase. Obama told Karzai the incident was not intentional.

The letter, which the White House said was a follow-up to a phone call earlier this week between the two leaders to discuss a "long-term partnership" between Washington and Kabul, was delivered to Karzai by U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker.

The Koran burnings could make it even harder for U.S.-led NATO forces to win the hearts and minds of Afghans and bring the Taliban to the negotiating table ahead of the withdrawal of foreign combat troops by the end of 2014.

Karzai said the American officer had acted "out of ignorance and with poor understanding" of the Koran's importance, a presidential statement said.

Daughter refuses to bury dead mother SUNDSVALL, Sweden -- A Swedish woman has refused to bury the remains of her 90-year-old mother since she died four years ago, officials said.

The woman's daughter, whose name was not reported, has refused to have her buried before an autopsy can determine the cause of death, The Local reported Wednesday.

"This is tragic for everyone involved. She's fighting for something she believes in. At the same time her mother deserves being buried and finding peace," said Tor Frylmark, the Skons Parish dean of Sundsvall, in eastern Sweden.

The daughter claims no one tried to resuscitate her mother before her death and that her mother was given the wrong medication shortly before she died.

However, doctors refused to do an autopsy on the 90-year-old and have said it was clear she died of a cardiac arrest and that there is nothing more that can be done.

Frylmark said he has contacted the daughter to say the parish has an "obligation" to bury the dead woman, but the daughter continues to disagree.

"It didn't go so well. It was a short conversation.

She didn't even want to discuss burial," Frylmark said.

Local authorities said they would arrange a funeral, but the daughter appealed the decision to the county council, where the matter is currently resting.

An Afghan soldier shot dead two NATO soldiers during a protest at a base in Nangarhar province, local officials and western military sources said.

NATO confirmed a man in Afghan army uniform killed two of its troops in the east, but declined to say if the shooting was connected to the protests.

Muslims consider the Koran the literal word of God and treat each book with deep reverence. Desecration is considered one of the worst forms of blasphemy and there could be further trouble on Friday when congregational prayers are held.

A small protest of around 500 people also turned violent in the capital Kabul, with gunfire crackling above

the city as police and plain-clothed intelligence officers charged demonstrators wearing bandanas and hurling rocks and sticks, firing low above their heads and sending them fleeing.

A wounded youth lay on the frozen asphalt on a road, blood pouring from his side. Crouched over and cradling him, a relative appealed to the government to not hurt its own people.

"Ministry of the Interior! Don't you see we are fighting NATO?" said the man, who did not give his name.

Masked men sped by on a motorcycle blasting a battle song played by the Taliban insurgency, while police in machine gun-mounted pick-up trucks picked up the wounded.

Gingrich blasts Obama’s apology to Afghan president Republican White House hopeful Newt Gingrich has angrily denounced President Obama's apology to Afghan President Hamid Karzai over the burning of Korans at a U.S. military base.

The former speaker took to his Twitter feed to condemn Obama's letter to Karzai, saying: "It is an outrage that on the day an Afghan soldier murders two American troops, Pres. Obama is the one apologizing."

The incident at Bagram Air Base triggered a violent response from Afghans, with 14 dead over three days of protests. Two American soldiers were shot dead when an Afghan soldier turned his weapon on them at their base in Khogyani in eastern Nangarhar province, district governor Mohammad Hassan told AFP. Obama's apology mirrored that given by thenPresident George W. Bush in April after an American sniper in Afghanistan shot a Koran, peppering the Muslim holy book with bullet holes. At the time, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino had emphasized that it was important to show that the US president "knew that this was wrong."

Ahead of Gingrich's vitriolic comment, Obama spokesman Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One that the apology was "wholly appropriate, given the sensitivities to this issue, the understandable sensitivities."

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Gingrich (L) via his twitter feed said "It is an outrage that on the day an Afghan soldier murders two American troops, Pres. Obama is the one apologizing."

"His [Obama's] primary concern as Commanderin-Chief is the safety of American men and women in Afghanistan, of our military and civilian personnel there," said Carney. "And it was absolutely the right thing to do."

Asked whether Obama was concerned that Republicans might seize on the letter to reinforce their charges that Obama too-easily apologizes for the United States, Carney replied: "That's a fully false, fallacious and ridiculous narrative that is not borne out by any facts."

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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

WORLD NEWS

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

Chavez health setback creates uncertainty in Venezuela

President Hugo Chavez's revelation that his cancer may have returned has plunged Venezuela into a period of deep uncertainty as it ramps up for what many expect to be the most closely contested presidential elections in years.

Less than 24 hours after Chavez disclosed that doctors have found a new lesion that is likely cancerous in the same area where a malignant tumor was removed last year, what-next scenarios have begun to proliferate in the local media and among analysts.

Chavez could still tap a successor to run in his place, the October 27 elections could be delayed, or he could just muddle through with a campaign message that shifts attention from the state of his health to the legacy of his Bolivarian revolution.

But underlying the speculation are deeper fears of the unpredictable consequences of a vacuum of power in a country that has been dominated by Chavez, 57, since he came to power in 1999.

"No one needs to be alarmed, and no one should start celebrating: because independent of what my personal fate may be, this revolution is on its way and

Hugo Chavez

nobody and nothing is going to stop it," Chavez said Tuesday.

Chavez, who had declared himself cancer-free after surgery in June and four rounds of chemotherapy, had displayed signs of picking up the pace of his schedule in recent months, resuming weekly television and radio broadcasts, delivering rousing speeches

ousands back Putin's presidential bid in Moscow MOSCOW - Thousands of people marched in Moscow under Russian flags, balloons and banners on Thursday to back Vladimir Putin's bid to return to the presidency and counter opposition protests that have challenged his authority.

People wrapped themselves in warm hats, scarves and coats on a chilly national holiday and started marching along the banks of the Moscow River behind a long blue banner declaring: "Our vote for Putin."

The former KGB officer is on course to win the election on March 4, extending his 12-year rule for another six years, although tens of thousands have shown their concern over his return to the Kremlin by protesting in the past two months.

The atmosphere was festive on Defender of the Fatherland Day, a holiday which honors the armed forces.

"I support Putin. He's an FSB (security service) guy and my father is too so I like him," said Rostislav Galeyev, 20.

The communists and nationalists also staged small rallies in several other cities across the vast country of more than 140 million people but there were no immediate reports of clashes.

Putin's campaign team, which portrays him as a strong leader and guarantor of stability, has failed to quell reports that many of the people at pro-Putin rallies are paid or coerced into attending by employers and trade unions.

Putin says that even if some are obliged to attend, there are many more who want him to return to the post he held for eight years until 2008, a period in which Russians enjoyed an economic boom on the back of a surge in the price of oil, Russia's main export commodity.

The latest opinion poll this week showed he would win more than 50 percent of the votes on March 4, enough to avoid a second-round runoff. His rivals include Zhirinovsky, communist Gennady Zyuganov and businessman Mikhail Prokhorov.

He has announced token electoral reforms but opposition leaders who met President Dmitry Medvedev this week say they do not go far enough and will not be implemented quickly. The next opposition protest in Moscow is planned for Sunday.

Putin was president from 2000 until 2008, when he was barred by the constitution from running for a third successive term, but has remained dominant as prime minister.

If he wins two more terms, he could stay in power until 2024. The opposition protesters say a growing number of Russians feel they have no say in the way Russia is run and that it is bad for any country to be led by one person for so long.

and greeting supporters.

In a television interview Tuesday, Chavez acknowledged he may have to slow down if the lesion is found to be malignant.

"If it is malignant, I would be going into a different phase... certainly localized radiation therapy," Chavez said.

He said he would go to Cuba in the coming days to have the lesion removed, and then tests would determine if it is cancerous. But he said the chances it is malignant "exist and are high."

Despite his insistence that the cancer has not metastasized, Chavez has provided no details about the type of cancer or his condition, which has added to the public uncertainty.

Brazilian oncologist Carlos Dzik told AFP that cancerous cells may have grown back if the surgery to remove the tumor did not get everything. "That is what we call a local recurrence of the tumor," he said.

Luis Vicente Leon, head of the polling firm Datanalisis, said the health setback "could generate a temporary effect of popular solidarity, as it did the

first time, but the magnitude would probably not be as great, because it is no longer a surprise."

He said Chavez should come up with some "new ideas to compensate" for his health problems, and possibly rely less on the strength of his flamboyant personality and more on the legacy of his socialist revolution.

He might also identify one of his lieutenants as a potential successor, he said.

Among those mentioned as possible successors are Vice President Elias Jaua, Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello and Chavez's brother, the governor of the state of Barinas, Adan Chavez.

"Perhaps he won't want to do it quickly, because it would spur rumors of his sickness," he said.

Other analysts note that the elections won't be formally convened until the end of March, so the National Electoral Council could still change the date. Or the president, whose current term ends on January 10, could decide against running for another six-year term.

Romney clawing his way back in Republican race MESA, Arizona - Mitt Romney is fighting his way back into the driver's seat in the Republican presidential race, putting in a strong debate performance in Arizona and gaining in polls against conservative rival Rick Santorum.

An aggressive Romney repeatedly put Santorum on the defensive in a CNN debate on Wednesday and attacked the former senator and staunch social conservative for supporting big-spending government programs.

Romney has also battled his way into a slight lead in a new poll in Michigan, which along with Arizona will hold a primary contest on February 28. Romney had trailed Santorum by as much as double digits a week ago in the Michigan race.

On Thursday, Romney won the cautious endorsement from Michigan's largest newspaper - with the caveat that the former Massachusetts governor stop "chest-beating" with his rivals and return the focus to his record and collaborative leadership.

The pace of the Republican race quickens dramatically next month, with 22 states holding nominating contests in March, including 10 on "Super Tuesday" March 6.

"This debate will really give Romney some momentum heading into the Michigan primary," Republican strategist Ron Bonjean said. "Santorum clearly was having a hard time having to apologize and explain so many of his votes."

The debate was Santorum's first time in the political spotlight since charging into a national lead after winning three contests on February 7 in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado.

But his sometimes awkward defense of votes he cast in the Senate, including his claim that politics was a "team sport" and that he sometimes had to vote for bills that did not like, could hurt his support among conservatives tired of Washington politics-as-usual.

"There is always an excuse," rival Ron Paul said of Santorum's various explanations. "That's what the problem is with Washington," said Paul, a Texas congressman who described Santorum's fiscal conservatism as "fake."

Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, is the latest candidate to seriously challenge Romney for the party's nomination to face Democratic President Barack Obama in a November 6 general election.

The primary in Michigan, where Romney was born and raised and his father was an auto executive and popular governor, has become a must-win for Romney, the former head of a private equity group.

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

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FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

HIGHLIGHTS

• US Postal services to eliminate 35,000 jobs • Royal Bank of Scotland lost two billion pounds in 2011 • Top ten soda brands

To close tax loopholes, Obama would open new ones WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama wants to close dozens of loopholes that let some companies pay little or nothing in taxes. But he also wants to open new ones for manufacturers and companies that invest in clean energy.

To some analysts, the new loopholes risk upending the level playing field Obama says he wants to create.

Some also fear that companies could game the system to grab the new tax breaks.

"The administration is not making sense," says Martin Sullivan, contributing editor at publisher Tax Analysts. "The whole idea of corporate tax reform is to get rid of loopholes, and this plan is adding loopholes back in."

Economists across the political spectrum support a kind of grand bargain: cut corporate tax rates while deleting tax breaks that benefit a favored few.

The plan the government rolled out Wednesday goes a long way toward doing that. It lowers the official corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 28 percent. And it eliminates many tax loopholes.

But the plan gives manufacturers new tax breaks, which would cut their effective tax rate to no more than 25 percent.

Other economists oppose a separate plank of the Obama plan: a minimum tax on foreign earnings of U.S. multinational companies. No other country imposes such a tax on its companies, they note. U.S. businesses would face a competitive disadvantage.

Facing resistance from Republicans and many businesses, Obama's plan is in any case a longshot proposal so close to Election Day. "For anything that Obama recommends during an election year and with a divided Congress, the best one can say is, 'Good luck,'" says Henry

Aaron, senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution.

"Those who stand to lose are really upset and will work hard to defeat it."

Just about everybody agrees something has to change. When Japan enacts a corporate tax cut in April, the United States will be left with the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world.

That puts the U.S. companies that actually pay the official corporate tax rate at a disadvantage against their foreign competitors. (Many U.S. companies effectively pay lower rates because of tax breaks.)

The loophole-riddled U.S. tax code now benefits numerous industries over others. One tax break, for example, lets oil companies write off drilling costs immediately instead of over time, as most businesses must.

In the end, different industries can pay far different effective rates. The Treasury Department says U.S. utility

companies pay an average effective tax rate of 14 percent. By contrast, retailers pay an average 31 percent.

The administration says the point of its tax plan is to give corporations a more competitive tax rate and to make the system fairer and more efficient — not to squeeze more overall tax revenue from corporations. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner calls the current tax code "fundamentally unfair." But the administration also needs to end some loopholes to help pay for a lower corporate tax rate.

The White House argues that tax breaks for manufacturers could ultimately pay off for the economy.

When factories expand, for example, the benefits tend to spill into other businesses: Shipping companies and warehouses must add jobs, too, to transport and store the goods that manufacturers are producing.

Economists also note that manufacturers account for a disproportionate amount of the research and development that create innovative products and new ways of doing business. The National Science Foundation has found that manufacturing companies are nearly three times likelier to introduce a new or significantly improved product than other companies are.

Sears shedding some stores, reports 4th quarter loss NEW YORK — Sears said Thursday that it's unloading some of its profit-busting stores, but the retailer fell short of revealing how it plans to woo shoppers back into its remaining ones.

Investors have long speculated that the troubled retailer could sell off its massive real estate holdings to generate extra cash. But industry watchers say that will do little to solve Sears' main problem: Rivals have been able to lure customers away from the chain because of its drab stores and unexciting merchandise.

"The image is atrocious. The stores are old and they're run down. They don't look like a nice place to visit," said Ron Friedman, a partner in the retail and consumer products industry group of accounting firm Marcum, LLP in New York. "I don't think that the

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In a separate deal, Sears will sell 11 stores to the real estate company General Growth Properties for $270 million. The company also said it plans to cut inventory by $580 million.

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In Thursday's announcement, Sears said it swung to a loss in the fourth quarter, with adjusted earnings totaling 54 cents per share, well below analyst expectations of 76 cents per share. Revenue fell 4 percent to $12.48 billion from $13 billion last year.

Analysts expected $12.44 billion.

During an interview with The Associated Press, D'Ambrosio emphasized that it's important to distinguish between the retailer's short-term operating performance and its balance sheet or liquidity. The company does have cash.

He also said that he and the board are "wide open for good ideas" for investing in the stores. But D'Ambrosio said that how much Sears invests in capital expenditures doesn't tell the whole story.

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BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

Royal Bank of Scotland lost two billion ponds last year The Royal Bank of Scotland has reported its fourth year of losses since the bank's bailout in 2008.

The bank posted an attributable loss of £2bn in 2011, up from a loss of £1.1bn in 2010.

In reaction to the annual results, Chancellor George Osborne said RBS is "cleaning up the mess after the biggest bank bailout in history".

Last month chief executive Stephen Hester turned down his bonus of nearly £1m following political pressure.

On a pre-tax basis, last year's loss was £766m compared with £399m in 2010.

The difference between the attributable loss and the pre-tax loss was down to a tax charge of £1.25bn, which RBS described as "particularly high" and "primarily as a result of continuing Ulster Bank losses".

Last year, the company's share price fell 48% and now stands at under 30 pence. Shares gained 5% on Thursday.

Despite that performance, the bank paid out £785m in bonuses to staff in

total last year.

"We all understand that a company that is making losses at the bottom line tests the patience of those who depend on it," Mr Hester said in the results.

RBS is 82% owned by the state after its £45.5bn bailout in late 2008 at the height of the financial crisis, when it posted the biggest annual loss in UK corporate history.

During 2011, the bank's profitability was boosted in the third quarter by an increase in the value of its debt.

For 2011, RBS said its investment bankers will share a bonus pool of £390m.

But the BBC's business editor Robert Peston pointed out that, on average, pay for investment bankers fell 26% to £112,000 per head - which he described as "controversial" because the drop in that division's profitability.

RBS had to set aside £850m to compensate people who bought payment protection insurance they didn't need It also had to take a loss of £1.1bn

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on its investments on Greek government debt amid the ongoing eurozone debt crisis.

Without those charges and adjustments for bad debt, the so-called core bank, which includes NatWest, made a profit of £6bn - which was down almost 18% on 2010.

RBS has been selling off its "noncore assets" to revive its profitability.

The balance sheet has been reduced by more than £700bn from the peak of the crisis, it said.

"RBS and the economy are linked together. It's safe to say that if the economy recovers this year then RBS

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

will likely make money this year," said Ralph Silva, who runs the consultancy firm, SRN. "If you look at these numbers and take out the Greek issue and you take out the payment protection they actually broke even and that's a very positive first step."

The bank also said it had given more than 40 pence in every £1 lent to UK small and medium-sized businesses, which is more than was demanded by government targets, and provided 4,000 business loans each week on average.

Mr Hester was appointed chief executive at the end of 2008 to replace Fred Goodwin, who was recently stripped of his knighthood over the collapse of the bank.

RBS' chairman, Sir Philip Hampton, also gave up £1.4m worth of shares he was due next month.

TMobile USA to make data network work with iPhone NEW YORK — T-Mobile USA on Thursday said it will revamp its wireless data network this year, with the side effect of making it compatible with iPhones and some other smartphones sold by competing carriers.

T-Mobile is the smallest of the four nationwide carriers and the only one that doesn't sell the iPhone. But the reorganization of its wireless spectrum means that iPhone 4S users could migrate over from Sprint Nextel Corp. and Verizon Wireless when their contracts expire.

Owners of AT&T Inc. iPhones could move over too, if they figure out how to "unlock" their phones from AT&T's network.

AT&T does "unlock" other brands of smartphones on request, and they, too, will work on T-Mobile's revamped network.

Currently, T-Mobile undercuts the other carriers with a contract-free plan with unlimited calling and texting for $70 per month. It includes 5 gigabytes of data, after which speeds are throttled.

On a contract-based plan with Verizon, unlimited calling, texting and 5 gigabytes of data would cost $140 per month.

AT&T iPhones that are moved over to the current T-Mobile network can make phone calls and get low-speed data service, but don't get high-speed data.

The retooling of the wireless network is part of T-Mobile's plan, announced Thursday, to start "LTE" wireless data service next year. That technology provides for even higher download speeds, but relatively few phones can use it. Verizon and AT&T already have LTE networks, and Sprint is set to fire one up this year.

Another effect of the revamp is that many international visitors will be able to use their smartphones on T-Mobile's network. So far, the nationwide U.S. network that's been compatible with most phones from overseas has been AT&T's.

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FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

Page 41

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

Euro zone economy to shrink in 2012 BRUSSELS - The euro zone's economy is heading into its second recession in just three years, while the wider European Union will stagnate, the EU's executive said on Thursday, warning that the currency area has yet to break its vicious cycle of debt.

However, the EU's top economics official said that recent surveys pointed to just a mild slowdown for the euro zone.

"Recent developments in survey data suggest that the expected slowdown will be rather mild and temporary," EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn told a news briefing following the release of the European Commission's interim report on the EU economy.

"But the turnaround of the trend still needs to be confirmed in the coming months and it essentially

depends on the policy decisions to be taken," he said.

The Commission forecast that economic output in the 17 nations sharing the euro will contract 0.3 percent this year, reversing an earlier forecast of 0.5 percent growth in 2012.

The wider, 27-nation European Union, which generates a fifth of global output, will not manage any growth this year, the Commission said.

"The EU is set to experience stagnating GDP this year, and the euro area will undergo a mild recession," it said.

"Negative feedback loops between weak sovereign debtors, fragile financial markets, and a slowing real economy do not yet appear to have been broken," the Commission said.

The euro zone was last in recession in 2009, dubbed the Great Recession worldwide, when the

economy contracted 4.3 percent during the deepest global slump since the 1930s.

A poisonous mix of high public debt, evaporating investor and business confidence and rising unemployment killed off the two-year recovery from the global financial crisis, economists say. Despite signs of stabilization this year, economists polled by Reuters only expect growth to return in 2013.

Inflation for the euro zone this year should come to nearer to what the European Central Bank judges about the right level for stable prices and a healthy economy: 2.1 percent, the Commission forecast.

The growth forecast for the euro zone is a shade more optimistic than the International Monetary Fund's view that output in the currency area will dip 0.5 percent this year. But both agree the bloc

US Postal Service closings plan to eliminate up to 35,000 jobs The U.S. Postal Service announced plans on Thursday to close or consolidate 223 mail processing centers and eliminate up to 35,000 jobs as part of its strategy to cut costs by reducing its network of facilities.

The Postal Service has been losing billions of dollars each year as email chips away at mail volumes and as it faces massive annual payments to the federal government.

Postal officials said in September they would study more than 250 of the 461 processing sites for possible consolidation with other facilities as part of a series of cost-cutting steps. They also announced plans to end next-day delivery to cut back on overnight work.

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has said the agency needs to reduce $20 billion in annual costs by 2015. Moving processing away from the 223 centers would reduce operating costs by $2.6 billion annually, according to the Postal Service's website.

That includes eliminating as many as 30,000 fulltime jobs and 5,000 non-career positions, USPS spokesman Sue Brennan said. The agency has gotten rid of about 140,000 jobs in the last five years, mainly through attrition, but still had about 650,000 workers at the end of 2011, according to its first-quarter financial statement.

None of the facilities would close before mid-May

due to a temporary moratorium announced in December that is intended to give Congress time to pass legislation to help overhaul the mail agency.

The Postal Service, which does not receive taxpayer funds, wants Congress to eliminate an annual payment to prefund retiree health benefits and let it end Saturday mail delivery.

The agency also wants to take over its health benefits from the federal government and to close thousands of post offices.

Lawmakers have been deeply divided on whether to allow facility closures, end the prefunding payment and other measures. Some lawmakers have praised the Postal Service for "rightsizing" its network, while others say the planned closings will hurt the agency's business model.

"At a time when the Postal Service is competing against the instantaneous delivery of information from email and the Internet, slowing down mail delivery service will result in less business and less revenue," said Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont in a statement on Thursday.

Donahoe told lawmakers last week, in a letter announcing the agency's five-year turnaround plan, that failing to take all of its planned cost-cutting actions could lead to annual losses of $18.2 billion by 2015.

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will manage only a modest recovery in the final months of 2012.

The forecasts could still worsen.

They rely on the assumption that EU leaders will act to resolve the sovereign debt crisis, which is now in its third year and has shattered investor confidence in a region once regarded as one of the world's safest havens.

"The balance of risks to GDP growth remains tilted to the downside amid still-high uncertainty," the Commission said. "The interim forecast continues to rely on the assumption that adequate policy measures are decided and implemented."

Germany and France, the euro zone's two largest economies, are likely to escape recession this year, growing 0.6 percent and 0.4 percent respectively, while Greece will enter its fifth year of economic contraction and Spain will shrink 1 percent, the Commission said.

Top 10 soda brands by market share as of 1010

1. Coke (Coca-Cola): 17 percent 2. Diet Coke (Coca-Cola) — 9.9 percent 3. Pepsi-Cola (PepsiCo)— 9.5 percent 4. Mountain Dew (PepsiCo) — 6.8 percent 5. Dr. Pepper (Dr. Pepper Snapple) — 6.3 percent 6. Sprite (Coca-Cola) — 5.6 percent 7. Diet Pepsi (PepsiCo) 5.3 percent 8. Diet Mountain Dew (PepsiCo) 2 percent 9. Diet Dr. Pepper (Dr. Pepper Snapple) 1.9 percent 10. Fanta (Coca-Cola) 1.8 percent

SOURCE: BEVERAGE DIGEST

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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

Ponting is not going quietly any time soon. If he were going to do that, it would have happened last year, when he gave up the captaincy of the national team.

Asked Tuesday how long he expected to play, he said, “I don’t see a finishing line.”

READ FULL STORY BELOW

Australian cricket captain goes down swinging LONDON — If the end of a sports career is a kind of death, then Ricky Ponting is doing all he can to fight it.

When Ponting, 37, called a news conference Tuesday in Sydney after his exclusion from Australia’s one-day international team, there was speculation that he might announce his retirement from top-flight cricket. We should have known better. Ponting is not going quietly any time soon. If he were going to do that, it would have happened last year, when he gave up the captaincy of the national team. Recent tradition is that Australian captains leave the team when they give up the job. Ponting stayed.

Asked Tuesday how long he expected to play, he said, “I don’t see a finishing line.”

Michael Jordan sues Chinese sports firm BEIJING -- Iconic U.S. basketball star Michael Jordan is suing a Chinese sporting goods company for using his name and jersey number, the athlete's law firm said.

In China, the first name in Qiaodan Sports Co. Ltd. is pronounced "cheow-DEN," The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The company has been marketing sports items under that name since the late 1980s and one of Jordan's tasks will be to prove his international fame proceeded that, the Journal said.

Jordan, who helped the Chicago Bulls basketball franchise win six National Basketball Association championships in the 90s, does not have his name registered as a trademark in China.

In China, however, use of a famous name is illegal whether or not it has been registered.

In a video explaining his lawsuit, Jordan said, "It's not about the money. It's about principle -protecting my identity and my name."

Jordan said whatever monetary award he wins in the case will be donated to the promotion of basketball in China.

Two NBA players from China, Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian have won similar lawsuits. Yao successfully sued Wuhan Yunhe Sharks Sportswear Co. over its "Yao Ming Era" logo and Yi prevailed in a case against Fujian Yi Jianlian Sports Good Co. Includes Appetizer, Combo Entree and a Fruit Punch

He admitted that he had not seen his exclusion coming but said he accepted that after scoring only 18 runs in his last five one-day international innings, he could not complain.

“My job as an international batsman is to score runs, and I haven’t done that in the last few games,” he said.

He also said he did not “expect to play one-day cricket for Australia anymore,” but stopped short of formally retiring from that form of the game.

Ponting made it clear that his sights were still firmly set on making one more trip to England for the Ashes series of five-day tests next year.

Australia lost on its last two visits, both times with him as captain.

“It would be good to get back for the Ashes. If I’m a good enough player to do that, it would be great to go back one more time,” he said.

And he left little doubt that he believes he is still good enough. “I’ve only got test cricket left now, and I still have what it takes to be a dominant player.”

As in baseball, playing top-flight cricket into your late 30s is tough.

Experience and smarts usually cannot make up for the physical decline. A player like England’s current batting coach, Graham Gooch, who evolved from a good player into a great one when he was 37, is the exception. The usual shift is in the other direction.

Declining fielding skills do not help, either.

Ponting was, even by Australia’s traditionally high standards, a formidable fielder. Had he been born in Tennessee rather than Tasmania, he might have made a spectacular second baseman or shortstop. He remains very good, and an utterly reliable catcher, but has inevitably lost speed and range.

Ponting’s place in five-day tests was in doubt before the recent series at home against India. His career test batting average before his 35th birthday was 55 runs per completed innings. His average since is 42.

Good scores, including an innings of 221 against India, have secured his test place for now, but veterans on the other side did less well.

The revered Sachin Tendulkar, 38, who has made 99 scores of 100 or more in international cricket, has now batted 29 times in search of the elusive 100th. Rahul Dravid, 39, and V.V.S. Laxman, 37, struggled for runs.

Even the best players have poor runs. But what may be seen in a younger player as a temporary dip is likelier, in older players, to be interpreted as terminal decline.

None of the Indian players has anything left to prove. Nor does Ponting. If he had retired Tuesday, we would be acclaiming an astonishing career. In 135 years of Australian international batting, only Donald Bradman, who may be statistically the most remarkable performer in any sport, is unequivocally his superior. Ponting’s career totals of more than 13,000 runs in both test and one-day international cricket are Australian records. Only Tendulkar and Dravid have scored more for any country in tests, and only Tendulkar has scored more in one-day internationals. Ponting is the only man to have played on more than 100 winning five-day test teams.

Ponting captained Australia to two World Cup titles. He secured the first in South Africa in 2003 with his impressive innings in the final against India.

Ponting exudes an uncomplicated masculinity, underlined by his nickname of Punter (from his enjoyment of a bet) and his enthusiasm for golf and Australian rules football. In his early days, alcohol threatened to derail his career, but he overcame that.

He personifies an Australian sporting archetype — tough, competitive, aggressive to the point of abrasiveness, someone who maximizes his immense natural gifts, the cherished “Aussie battler.” And whatever Aussie battlers do do, they do not quit.

Knicks star Jeremy Lin moves from couch to fancy NYC pad NEW YORK - New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin, who famously slept on a teammate's couch the night before his breakout performance, now has an apartment of his own.

The two-bedroom rental is on the 38th floor of the residences at the W New York Downtown Hotel and overlooks the Statue of Liberty.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Lin signed the contract Wednesday.

The apartment was listed at $13,000 a month. Matthew Moinian, the son of W's developer, says Lin got a better deal, but he declined to disclose the price.

Lin was waiting to see if the Knicks would guarantee him a contract before he got his own apartment. In the meantime, he stayed with his brother and a teammate.

Lin is now signed with the Knicks through the season.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

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LOCAL Guyana beatNEWS Kishco in T20 dress rehearsal Seventeen year-old former Clement Howell High School student Jawellin Sealey captured 2 wickets for 20 runs from 3 overs.

Schools competition begins next week

Next week sees the start of the eagerly awaited TCIFA School's competition for Providenciales.

Teams will compete in eight catergories, U11 Boys, U13 Boys, U16 Boys, U20 Boys, U11 Girls, U13 Girls, U16 Girls and U20 Girls.

Next week's games will see almost forty teams compete in the younger divisions which has pleased technical director Matthew Green.

"Every year the competition becomes bigger with more schools competing. A lot of the schools have been practicing for a while now and the games should be very exciting."

Teams are divided in groups with the best placed teams progressing to semi-finals and in the case of the U11 Boys (which has twelve teams competing) quarter finals. Games start at 3.30pm and are played on the following days: Tuesday 28th February Under 11 Boys and Under 13 Girls

Wednesday 29th Under 13 Boys Thursday 1st March Under 11 Girls.

Finals will be played on Friday 2nd March.

Green hopes that the competition will encourage more schools to set up programmes for their students.

"There are a few schools that are nor competing but hopefully that will change next time. We realize that not all schools have facilities to play soccer after school but that is why we encourage them to use our pitches for their extra curricular programmes and PE lessons".

The competition is an important part of the TCIFA calendar as it allows the association a chance to reach new players. Green added "The games will allow our academy coaches to spot new talent that can be invited to join our programmes, youth leagues and center's of excellence. Every

year we find new recruits that end up becoming valuable members of our programmes, I will be playing a close attention to these games to see if we find any more diamonds in the rough".

When asked who he felt would win this year Green said it was too close to call. "Enid Capron normally do very well at the Junior level, but I think they will be pushed very hard this year by the likes of Ianthe Pratt and Oseta Jolly. Provo Christian, Provo Primary should also do well but Wesley Methodist look very strong in the girls competitions. It promises to be a great week of football and I encourage parents and teachers to come out and support their kids".

More information on the games can be found at the TCIFA offices on 941 5532 / 231 1860.

Senior school games will be played later in March (23rd-30th).

Alpha Christian Academy Annual Sports Day

Alpha Christian Academy staged its annual sports day on Wednesday, February 22, at the Downtown Ball Park, where students got the chance of competing against each other in what turned out to be a competitive day of athletics, including relays.

There were events from the Kindergarten to Grade Six level. Photos show the children competing at the event.

Race on for basketball playoffs

Despite a game-high 20 points from Delano Smith, the Police went down to a close 58 – 62 score-line to the seemingly unstoppable South Caicos as the Providenciales Amateur Basketball Association competition last Friday, February 17.

Smith also made three steals and four assists in his top score, and was supported by K. Doughty, who scored 18 points, five rebounds and two assists.

Leading the South Caicos Charge was Kirk Adams, who shot 18 points, while grabbing seven rebounds and making six assists and two steals.

In another encounter, Predators got the better of the Cobras 50 to 44, courtesy of Roger Mendez, who shot 13 points, made 10 assists and made eight steals, and Troy Saunders, who shot 10 points, collected 10 rebounds and made three assists. Alvin Handfield shot 10 points and collected six rebounds for the Cobras.

On Saturday, February 18, the Predators returned to outlast Customs 45 to 42, with Saunders again, with Michael Taylor leading the Predators charge. Saunders shot 15 points – the same as Taylor – and grabbed 9 rebounds, while making three steals. Taylor collected six rebounds and made four assists.

For Customs, Ezra Taylor 11 points, 12 rebounds and four steals. He was supported by Derek Hanna, who shot 10 points, five assists and three steals.

In another encounter, a game-high 22 points from Cameron Henry was not enough for the Steelers to stop a Flyers blowout, who won by a 66 to 45 margin. Henry also collected eight rebounds and made four assists. Zachery Rigby of the Flyers shot 18 points, made four assist while making four steals.

The Race for the playoffs continues this

weekend with an exciting game between South Caicos and Flyers. Both teams have similar records, each with only one loss (14 and 1). A win for either team could change the dynamics of the playoffs.

Also Knights and Lions share the same record with 10 wins a piece. They are currently in the fourth and fifth position respectively in the standings. They will play each other next weekend.

Predators are currently in 3rd and Customs in 6th.

Six teams will advance to the playoff which is set to begin March 3rd.

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FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

LOCALNEWS SPORTS LOCAL

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

SWA Sharks FC v Cheshire Hall FC – 2-2

SWA Sharks and Cheshire Hall FC played to an exciting 2-2 draw in last week’s round of matches in the WIV-Sponsored Provo Football Premier League at the TCI Academy Field.

Yohan Grant and John Beckford scored for Cheshire Hall FC, while Rey Garcia netted both goals for the SWA Sharks.

The game, which was the 4pm curtain raiser to the Pedagogue/HAB 6pm clash, began with a number of key players missing, but arrived before the game was out, saw actions swinging from both ends.

Cheshire Hall dominated the early stages of the contest, launching a series of attacks from the midfield, which resulted in a two-goal lead heading into the halftime interval.

The first goal came when Grant eluded the Sharks keeper, and

unleashed a shot which hit the post drew level courtesy of a defensive and James Rene, who also had a and ended in the back of the net after mix-up which saw goalkeeper Ricky good game in defence. Pedagogue rebounded off the goalkeeper, who Henry hitting his own player with did manage a lot of possession with failed have a go at the ball from the the ball while attempting a clearance, good work from Dane Ritchie and allowing the ball to fall kindly for Carlington Smith. initial shot.

Half time came with HAB 3-0 up.

The second goal came when a Garcia to tap in.

In the feather encounter, HAB Pedagogue hit back with a goal from shot from Grant eluded the keeper for Beckford chest into net. Cheshire all trounced Pedagogue 4-1, in what Carlington Smith after good work went for the kill in that half, but stout was an exciting affair. Both squads from Ricardo Walker.

HAB weathered the storm and defending by the Sharks prevented a went into this game with improved team, particularly HAB who have got the crucial 4th goal killing off the goal avalanche.

It was a new look Sharks on recruited Joseph Ronald, a well game. HAB ended the game with 10 men after Kelly Louimo was given resumption of play in the second half, known and skilled player.

HAB started off playing a marching orders after two bookable as they played with more purpose and accuracy with their passes. The defensive game with the plan of offenses.

The President’s Player of arrival of a couple of strikers for hitting Pedagogue on the counter, The Week was Sharks midfielder the Sharks in the form of Reynaldo which worked for them. Craig Garcia and Stephens Derilien also James made a big difference in Arlindo Serpa. One game has been central defence putting his Creole scheduled for this weekend, which helped to bolster their attack.

The first Sharks goal came when night school lessons to good use to will see Cheshire Hall FC facing AFC Academy at 6pm. The curtain Rey Garcia unleashed a close range organize the shape of the team.

Goals came from Dukens Dorisca, schedule curtain raiser between HAB shot into the back of the net from a Woody Gibson cross. They later ably assisted by Rodney Davilmar and Sharks has been postponed.

Guyana beat Kishco in T20 dress rehearsal

Guyana Jaguars defeat Kishco in a friendly match

Last year finalist the Guyana Jaguars beat the newcomers Kishco in a pre season T20 Cricket match that was played on Sunday 19 February, 2012 at the Downtown Ball Park Providenciales, as the teams prepare for upcoming competition.

Batting first after winning the Toss, the Jaguars posted a respectable total of 180 runs for six wickets from their allotted 20 overs.

Sheldon Henry and Jawellin Sealey of the Guyana Jaguars

Sheldon Henry, with an unbeaten 86 runs, which included 10 4s and two 6s was the top-scorer.

Winick Caleb supported well with 30 runs, while Marcel Morris chipped in with 27 runs.

Bowling for Kishco, Maddy Nath took two wickets for 23 runs from two overs and Vinod Panikar had two wickets for 24 runs from four overs.

In reply, Kishco was dismissed for 144 runs in

16.3 overs, with Ajesh Vargesh 37 runs and Simjo Devassi 28 runs were the principal contributors.

Bowling for the Jaguars, veteran Beashan Bhagwandas snared three wickets for 32 runs from 4 overs, while Seventeen year-old former Clement Howell High School student Jawellin Sealey captured 2 wickets for 20 runs from 3 overs.

Net Rockers are TCIFA Women’s League

The Women’s Football League (WFL) games culminated on Sunday, February 12, 2012 with the final league matches. The first match commenced at 4:00 p.m. with Net Rockers FC vs. Academy Hurricanes. Spectators were in great anticipation of this match, as both teams fought fearlessly with many strikes on goal. However, in the end the game was a draw as none of the teams were able to score. Net Rockers emerged as winners of the league with a total of 23 points and Academy Hurricanes followed in second with a total of 20 points.

Competing for third position in the league Revolution FC and Academy Strikers commenced their game at 6:00 p.m. During the 38th minute of the game Joan Whent from Revolution FC was able to sink the first goal of the evening, which was followed by a goal from Aldine Woolery in the 76th minute. The game was well defended

Net rockers team

by Academy Stickers who were unable to score any goals.

Revolution FC holds the position of third place in the league for the 2011/2012 season with a total of 9 points whilst the new and upcoming Academy Strikers remains in fourth position with 0 points.The President of the WFL, Ms. Candace Hanchell notes that “the continuous improvement of players’ skills is evident in the level

of competition this year. All teams have competed fiercely and congratulations are in order for Net Rockers FC on their win not only for this season but for consecutively holding the WFL’s league championship title for a period of two years.” Ms. Hanchell also notes that she is proud of the level of commitment from each player and coaches alike and believes that a special mention is in order for Academy Strikers as they are the youngest team of the league, but they continue to tackle the game and the ball with full enthusiasm and has shown improvements at a massive rate.

The WFL Cup Games will commence on Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. with the first game between Academy Hurricanes and Revolution FC. The second game will commence at 6:00 p.m. this game will see Revolution FC vs. Academy Stickers.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 24TH - MARCH 2ND, 2012

The Clement Howell High School Sports Day took place on Thursday, February 16 and Friday February 17 at the National Stadium on Providenciales. The event was kicked off with the usual cheerleading contest before the delving into the various track and field disciplines.

The houses contested the Howell, Butterfield, Cox, Gardiner and Ewing. The following are photo highlights of the event.

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