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Judgment Day is near
LOCAL NEWS Continued from Page 1
According to MSNBC announced that this included their 401Ks and other possessions. To ensure that their message reaches as many countries as possible, the organization has been taking out advertisements on numerous news organizations, including televisions, radio stations, newspapers (including The TCI SUN on Page 22) and websites. According to the organization, starting on ‘judgment day’, the world will begin to undergo five months “of horrible torment”, and all the dead will begin to be raised up and dispatched to their areas of suiting. “It will be on May 21st that God will raise up all the dead that have ever died from their graves. Earthquakes will ravage the whole world as the earth will no longer conceal its dead (Isaiah 26:21). People who died as saved individuals will experience the resurrection of their bodies and immediately leave this world to forever be with the Lord. Those who died unsaved will be raised up as well, but only to have their lifeless bodies scattered about the face of all the earth. Death will be everywhere,” the site said. The site added: “Five months after May 21st, 2011 will be October 21st, 2011. It so happens that October 21st of 2011 is also the last day of the
Biblical Feast of Tabernacles (held simultaneously with the Feast of Ingathering). Tabernacles is held in the 7th month of the Hebrew calendar. “ Representatives from that organization have been traversing a number of countries proclaiming the end of time. On Monday, January 24, one of the entity’s disciples, Gary Daniels, was seen in front of the Rosie’s Delight Restaurant downtown Providenciales displaying a placard and handing out pamphlets and warning of the date of judgment. Daniels said his assessment was based on a mathematical conclusion of historical proportion. “As second Peter chapter 3, told us – a day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day. God told Noah ‘for yet seven days I will bring a flood. The same day as Noah’s flood, 630 years of Noah’s life, the second month; the 17th day of the month – for yet seven days substitute a thousand years (equals) seven thousand years. That day is the second month, the 17th day of the Hebrew calendar (which is) May 21, 2011 in our calendar – May 21, 2011 on Noah’s calendar. “All these dates are tying in and, fulfilling the feast of tabernacles. All the feasts have to be fulfilled – Christ, Passover Lamb, crucified on Passover – fulfilled; Feast of Pentecost – 50 days after His crucifixion where God outpoured His Holy Spirit on the
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Disciples and, He breathe on them the Holy Ghost. So the feast days and the Sabbath days are signs of things to come – we look to our past to find our future. We are looking to Noah’s flood because that is where God sends us,” Daniels argues. Daniels explained that his prediction would attract a number of detractors, but stressed that based on their study, his organization is correct in its pronouncements. “The premise that I am showing here is not one of foolishness, I am sober-minded as when the true believers were speaking in tongues and they (detractors) said ‘these men are full of new wine’. So, we see when the true believers declare the truth they are mocked, they are scourged,” Daniels further noted. When asked by The SUN, what if his prophesy proved false, his response was: “Noah was asked the same question. So when they (people) said to Noah, you are building an ark and it never rained before, why are you doing this? Noah said, ‘God told me (and the people said) ‘sure He did, Noah, sure He did. What are you going to do with this ark and it had not rained before?’ “Surely, this message is not to convince anyone, it is a calling to all those who God has chosen before he created this world. Those who remained in unbelief they would be happy in thinking that that day would not come and, are at the mercy of God,” Daniels said. Like many of their international counterparts, a number of locals are
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
skeptical of Daniels’ predictions, owing to the scores of failed prophesies which preceded his. The website – Religious Tolerance.org has recorded 26 failed end-of-the-world predictions by renowned religious leaders between 1921 and 1990, some of which caused followers of those faiths to take their own life after the predictions bottomed out. One of the most infamous predictions was in 1959 when Florence Houteff's, who was the leader of the Branch Davidians faith group, prophesied that the 1260 days mentioned in Revelation 11:3 would end and the Kingdom of David would be established on April 22. Many of his followers, who expected to die, be resurrected, and transferred to Heaven, sold their possessions and moved to Mt. Carmel in Texas, in anticipation of the "end time". It didn't happen. The group almost did not survive; many, it was reported, killed themselves afterwards. Famed preacher and head of the 800 Club, Pat Robertson, predicted a few years in advance that the world would end in the fall of 1982. It obviously did not happen, but the failure of this prophecy did not seem to adversely affect his reputation. The Branch Dravidians snatched the headlines again in February 28, 1993, when some of its members took on federal agents in Waco, Texas, resulting in a number of them fatally shot.
Graceway Sport Centre: Is seeking a dynamic, ambitious individual with Personal Training and Aerobic Instructor Training Experience to fill the post of Gym Manager.
Key Job Duties/Responsibilities • Administer and implement sport and recreation policy and sales and marketing programs • Identify, develop, and evaluate marketing strategy, based on knowledge of establishment objectives, market characteristics, and cost and markup factors • Lead and implement various types of aerobics programs and activities and must ensure that appropriate standards are met • Responsible for the successful attainment of department targets, including revenue and member retention • Conduct fitness consultations and assessments • Develop individualized programs that ensure client safety and enhancement of personal fitness goals • Assist, monitor and instruct clients by ensuring safe and effective use of gym equipment and weight machines • Ability to work early mornings and late evenings, working min. 60+ hours week plus weekends and all holidays as required is a must • Responsible for management of concession including ordering, sales, inventory, stock and recording etc • Shares Joint responsibility with General Manager for Financial reporting • Must maintain favorable relationships with key shareholders, federation heads including government, Key Clubs, Groups and partners of the center Skills required: • Experience in all aspects of developing and maintaining marketing strategies to meet organizational objectives • Strong communication, excellent written presentation, oral communications and interpersonal skills. • Strong leadership skills, be able to motivate and influence others. • Individual must be able to think creatively and strategically and have excellent judgment. • A demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards. • Excellent people manager, open to direction and collaborative work style and commitment to get the job done. • High comfort level working in a diverse environment. Salary will be compensated base on experience and qualification Salary ranges from $28,000.00 – 30, 000.00 annually Deadline for submission of applicants is May 20th 2011 Submit to: Edith Cox, Graceway IGA Supermarket main office complex Please Note: Only short-listed applicants will be contacted to attend interviews
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MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
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Text "2011" to 5050 for a chance to win the ultimate graduation prize! Win a Macbook laptop, IPAD, IPOD touch and itunes gift cards! The more you text the more chances you have to win! | Each text costs $1.00. Digicel’s terms and conditions apply. QR code compatible with Blackberry Messanger 5.0 -5.0.1. application. To download the QR code application reader, visit www.getscanlife.com. Data charges apply. Promotion ends June 30th, 2011.
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TURKS TURKS & CAICOS SUN & CAICOS SUN TURKS TURKS & & CAICOS CAICOS SUN SUN
FEBRUARY 18TH - MAY FEBRUARY 2011 2011 13TH - 25TH, MAY 20TH,
MAY-13TH - MAY 20TH, FEBRUARY 18TH FEBRUARY 25TH, 2011 2011
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TURKS & CAICOS SUN
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
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LOCAL NEWS
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LOCAL NEWS
Obama: Second term, tough battle
By Sir Ronald Sanders
Barack Obama has launched his campaign for reelection to the Presidency of the United States in 2012. In launching his campaign so early, Obama plans on raising a billion dollars. He will need every cent of it for the financial supporters of the Republican Party and the fringe Tea Party are determined to see the back of him. They will spend a large fortune in trying to realize that ambition. But, first, they will have to decide among themselves who their Presidential candidate will be to run against Obama. The process of reaching that decision will not only eat-up a great deal of their campaign funds, it will leave much Republican blood on the ground. In the meantime, since Obama is expected to win the Democratic Party nomination unopposed, he can concentrate his funding on selling his programme prior to the Presidential run-off, and then on selling himself as deserving of a second term. His first term so far has been anything but a cake-walk. Obama came into office with America involved in two costly wars – three, if we count the so-called “war on terrorism”. Afghanistan and Iraq were not only draining America’s treasury, they were hemorrhaging the blood of American soldiers. Neither was popular or glamorous, and American families want out of both. Obama also inherited the worst US financial nightmare since the recession of the 1930’s, and the Treasury was owed more than a trillion dollars that had to be pumped into financial institutions to keep them afloat and to pull the economy from the brink of collapse. In the year that followed, the domestic scene became even grimmer. Unemployment grew, homes were repossessed as banks foreclosed on unpaid mortgages, and doors of businesses were closed from sea to shining sea. His plans for a health care scheme, signed into law in March of last year, remains an issue among US lawmakers who have used it to divide the society. He has also had to compromise on his plans to reinstate tax cuts introduced by his Republican predecessor, George W. Bush, and to develop a working relationship with big business. In respect of
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
the latter development, he has been accused of being a tool of these corporations whose influence he had pledged to cut when he was campaigning for the Presidency. By the mid-term elections last year, Obama’s popularity rating had declined considerably and the Democrats lost control of the US Congress. As matters now stand, unemployment is still high at 8.8 per cent with more than 7 million people, who were employed three years ago, now out of work. The economy reportedly grew by 2.9 per cent in 2010 but the country is highly indebted at $14.1 trillion with the single largest holder being China with $1.1 trillion. Its debt to GDP ratio is over 90 per cent and could rise to over 100 per cent by 2015. In an unprecedented move, the US Federal Reserve resorted to buying substantial Treasury securities and bonds to keep interest rates low and to avoid more indebtedness to foreign governments. As this commentary is being written, the Democrats and Republicans have failed to reach agreement on a Budget for the next fiscal year despite Obama’s personal intervention. Failure to reach agreement will leave the government with no money to spend on goods and services for the American people. It is quite likely that a Budget will be agreed but it will be one with deep spending cuts that will hurt the Obama administration in the run up to the 2012 Presidential elections. Most at risk will be his signature health care programme that the Republicans are resolved to destroy. One of the unspoken factors – at least openly unspoken – is race. Despite everything that is said. Obama did not win the Presidency the first time round with an overwhelming number of white votes. His support came from blacks, Hispanics and other minorities who voted overwhelmingly for him. It was them and a minority of additional white supporters who got him past the tape. The race issue continues to be used by his detractors in many subtle ways. One example is the continued questioning of whether or not he was born in America and therefore entitled to run for the US Presidency. Just recently, Donald Trump – billionaire landlord, hotel magnate, television personality, and self-described Tea Partier,
Editorial Cartoon
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
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. who fancies his chances of being nominated as a Republican Presidential candidate – has suggested that Obama was born in Kenya and that he should make his birth certificate public. The Republicans have also rubbished Obama’s foreign policy positions stating that they put America at risk and are not tough enough on its enemies or kind enough to its friends. It’s pretty certain that if the Republicans were in office, Hosni Mubarak would still be the President of Egypt and there would have been no urging by the US administration for him to go as Obama did. Obama is also yet to explain in a credible way why he did not adopt the same attitude to the rulers of Bahrain and why he turned a blind eye to Saudi Arabian troops rolling across the border to prop up the Bahrain royal family in the face of street protests, very similar to those in Tunisia and Egypt. Before Obama came to office he said he wanted an America that is less combative and more cooperative with the rest of the world. America’s foreign policy, he said, should be based on its core values including the pursuit of liberty and the protection rather than violation of human rights. He argued that this should be achieved by diplomacy rather than military might and by multilateral approaches rather than unilateral action. In particular, he placed high regard on multinational cooperation through the United Nations. In dealing with Libya, this was precisely the approach he used and to good effect. But he left himself exposed to his willing supporters and his worse critics when he did not apply the same principles in Bahrain and Yemen. Still, Obama’s rating with the American people now stands at 49 per cent, a big jump from the low ratings of four months ago when the Democrats suffered the biggest losses in mid-term elections since 1983. The question is can he sustain it in difficult domestic economic circumstances sufficient to make him win in 2012. He has an uphill task before him, and the Republicans know it. They are gathering their forces.
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PNP Leader Clayton Greene writes UK calling for referendum on Constitution
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
LEADER OF THE Progressive National Party (PNP) Clayton Greene has written the United Kingdom (UK) Government calling for a referendum on the proposed changes to the voting system in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and all other controversial aspects of the constitution. The following is the full text of the latter which Greene, an attorney-at-law and former Speaker of the House of Assembly, wrote to Mr. Henry Bellingham, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Dear Minister Bellingham: Just one week ago today, the United Kingdom had its Alternative Vote Referendum where Britons in their millions took to their local polling stations to inform the government that they did not wish to change the “first past the post” electoral system currently in place. Forty five million people across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland were given the opportunity to express their individual position on so fundamental an issue as the system used to elect representatives to their Parliament. At the same time in these Islands, an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom some thirty two thousand persons are denied an opportunity to do the same. For all the blatant disregard of the wishes of the Turks and Caicos people by the Foreign Commonwealth Office
LOCAL NEWS
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Leader of the Progressive National Party (PNP) Clayton Greene
(FCO) over the last two years; for all the feeble, insulting and deceptive ‘efforts’at inclusion that never seem to place value or give any credence to the impassioned and unanimous pleas of Belongers; nothing so far has been as unashamedly despotic and gravely unacceptable as the recent announcement that the FCO will not conduct a public constitutional consultation meeting in Providenciales, but will broadcast a televised call-in show allowing interested persons to ask questions. The approach of the FCO to the Turks and Caicos Islands and its
characteristic lack of democratic process are in stark contrast to the approach of the British Parliament to its citizens at home. It cannot be suggested that the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands deserve any less than the 45 million Britons. The United Kingdom held the referendum not because they were unsure of the outcome; the polls having already predicted the outcome with statistical certainty; but rather because they understood that on issues that are as constitutionally far reaching as changes in the voting system representative democracy is not good enough – each man must in those circumstances exercise his individual voice. The proposed constitution not only threatens an equally fundamental change to the voting system in the Turks and Caicos Islands but further, marginalizes the vote of the Belonger population and the constitutional authority of representatives in their Parliament to such an extent that we must question whether under the proposed regime we would in fact still have a representative democracy. The FCO, led by the British Parliament has been unashamedly hypocritical in denying the people of these Islands the referendum. Of the 36,000 people that make up the population of the Turks and Caicos Islands, 23,000 reside on the island of Providenciales. It takes a great deal of
effort and an exceptionally wild imagination to wrap one’s mind around the idea that the FCO could accurately determine public opinion on the various controversial proposals without holding at least one public meeting in Providenciales. When Turks and Caicos Islanders most desire and deserve a representative, responsive and transparent government that incorporates their opinions into the decision making processes, they get instead an administration that is patently out of touch, demonstrably insincere and single-minded in its desire to exclude Turks and Caicos Islanders from any meaningful participation in the decisions that impact most profoundly their future. For Democracy’s sake I call on the FCO to reconsider its position and not deny the residents of Providenciales an opportunity to participate publicly in the consultations. Moreover I call on the British Parliament to govern the Turks and Caicos Islands with the same creed and code that it governs its citizens at home and allow a referendum on the voting system and all other controversial aspects of the constitution as proposed. The proposed constitution is revolutionary. A revolution that is against the expressed will of the people is dictatorial. A referendum is the democratic response not only in the United Kingdom but in the Turks and Caicos Islands as well.
• Assist with the compilation of working papers and preparation of examination reports dealing with, among other things, reviews of a licensee’s financial condition and solvency. • Perform other functions as set out in the job description in relation to the post or as may be assigned by the Head of Banking and Trust or the Managing Director.
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMISSION The Financial Services Commission, a statutory body of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government responsible for the licensing and regulation of financial services businesses, is seeking qualified applicants for the post of Bank and Trust Officer. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES The holder of this position will carry out the following duties: • Conduct onsite and offsite review of licensees, including corporate governance reviews and analysis of financial statements. • Assist with the offsite compilation, review and analysis of data and returns regarding financial institutions. • Assist with the conduct of specialized reviews of AML/CFT frameworks of supervised institutions. • Analyze bank applications received and submit recommendations to the senior officer.
SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED • Sound knowledge of banking law, trust law and AML regulations; • Sound knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and International Accounting Standards (IAS); • Sound knowledge of the workings of the Basle Committee on Bank Supervision and the related Core Principles; • Sound knowledge of banking operations and practices and current developments in the financial sector; • Sound understanding of IT systems and their use in the financial services industry. EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE • Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting/Finance or other related discipline. • Five (5) years related experience. OTHER INFORMATION APPLICABLE TO THE POST This position falls within Grade 6 of the Commission’s pay scale. Actual salary payable will be determined by reference to the degree of qualification, experience, knowledge base and other criteria that the Commission may assess. The duties for the above post may be carried out at either of the Commission’s offices in Grand Turk or Providenciales. Applications should be received no later than May 13, 2011 and may be emailed to dmorrison@tcifsc.tc or faxed to 1-649-941-8379 May 10, 2011
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Losing prosecution appeals policeman’s firearm case
LOCAL NEWS
THE LEGAL TEAM for police officer Jack Williams is crying foul after the Attorney General’s Chambers decided to appeal a firearms case against him which it lost on May 2 in the Providenciales Magistrate’s Court. Williams was initially charged with the discharging of an offensive weapon with intent to put others in fear after he was allegedly attacked by a knife-wielding man at an establishment along the Leeward Highway on November 5, 2008, and was forced to brandish and discharge a round from his personal licensed gun. After two years of investigations, the police officer was charged for the crime on April 20, 2010. Williams’ attorney Oliver Smith, after attending court with his client on numerous occasions, filed a submission for the magistrate to dismiss the charge against the policeman on the grounds that the crime for which he was charged was not constitutionally viable, as he was on duty when he
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
...a number of persons in the legal profession have said that this appears to be malicious prosecution... discharged his firearm. On the request of the prosecution in April, who requested more time to research the law, Magistrate Clifton Warner adjourned the matter once again until May 2. The prosecution amended the charge against Williams twice during proceedings. The SUN understands that the Magistrate, on resumption of the matter, was also armed with two case laws. In making his ruling the judge argued that Williams was on duty when he discharged his firearm, plus
the gun was licensed, so it could never deemed an unlawful weapon, as was suggested by the prosecution. Following dismissal of the case, the Attorney General’s Chambers filed an appeal. It is not clear on what grounds, but a number of persons in the legal profession have said that this appears to be malicious prosecution. One legal mind who did not want to be identified, said he and others have concluded that the Attorney General’s Chambers’ decision to appeal the case was tindeed malicious, since a number of known
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
criminals, who successfully argued their cases against the Crown were allowed to go home unprovoked. Yet, they said, Williams’ case, which should not have been taken before the court in the first place, was being appealed. “His matter should have been handled by the Police Force’s disciplinary body, instead of being taken the court. When you have certain people who win their submissions in court and they have never been appealed by the Chambers, it is saying something, which is not good,” the legal source argued.
INSIGHT LTD. SEEKS
CASHIER
Must have sound secondary knowledge of math, two years cashiering experience and speaks English fluently Salary $150 per week. Interested persons call 231-3323 Or e-mail: thepattyplace@gmail.com
Vacancy Notice- DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION Job Title: Director of Immigration SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: An exciting opportunity awaits you in the Turks & Caicos Islands Government Service for the post of Director of Immigration, within the Ministry of Border Control and Labour. The Ministry was recently the first area of Government to be reviewed in a programme of public service reform. It has an ambitious agenda of restructuring, reform and business change. In its business plan for 2011/12 it has identified six key areas of responsibility: • To allow lawful entry of people who will benefit the TCI while preventing abuse of TCI’s society and economy • To enable employers legally to employ suitably qualified and skilled workers, observing the preference for Belongers • To facilitate social dialogue which protects the interests, rights and obligations of employers and employees • To allow a pathway to citizenship which encourages social cohesion • To validate legitimacy and ownership of identity and agreements • To detect and impose penalties for infringement of the law and regulations. The Ministry is restructuring its operations and conducting process reviews in each of these areas, supported by a UK Immigration Adviser, and other sources of technical assistance from overseas. The Director will be expected to participate fully as a senior leader in this programme of change, particularly in the first and last of these areas; and to lead on managing immigration officers and improving their performance throughout these changes. This programme will include work to clarify policy and procedures; to develop capability; to address concerns about performance and conflicts of interest; and to embed good practice. The new policies and procedures which will be put in place will include increasing security, via a new visa operating system; developing and implementing an enforcement and compliance strategy for all areas of the Ministry’s business; implementing the territory’s international obligations in connection with humanitarian protection and tackling human trafficking. The Director carries statutory responsibility for a number of important decisions under the Immigration Ordinance (including granting and refusing leave to enter and stay as a visitor; issue of temporary work permits; issue of entry clearance
visas; exclusion under the Stop List; detention and recommendation for deportation). S/he has a key leadership role in respect of immigration officers; and is expected to be the visible face of the department, dealing with senior stakeholders, and the media and international partners. S/he has to make key operational decisions for example under the National Contingency Plan for Irregular Migrants. S/he needs to be a person of significant operational experience, skill and integrity. The key area of operations is the island of Providenciales and the Director will be expected to spend a considerable amount of time there, and preferably be based there. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE The Director of Immigration is required by statute to be a Belonger of the Turks and Caicos Islands, should have: • significant leadership and management skills, demonstrated in a fast-moving and challenging operational environment, and in the context of a significant change programme; • the capacity to make well-reasoned decisions on individual cases in line with agreed policy, and to ensure that all members of the team do the same; • a high level of personal responsibility and accountability; • a proven record of building an excellent team, to deliver a consistent level of service to the public; • excellent written and oral communication skills, and proven stakeholder management abilities; • a clear commitment to self-development and staff-development; • a proven record of effective work in partnership to deliver service improvements, including with other law enforcement agencies, and with advisers and international partners; and • proven personal integrity. • These qualities will be assessed by means of an assessment centre including interview(s), scenarios and supervised written tests. SALARY: 49,800 – 53,100 USD per annum Applicant’s resume including contact number or email address, two letters of reference and a police certificate should be sent to the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Susan Malcolm Office of the Public Service Management, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands. Fax (649) 946-1582. Email: recruitment@gov.tc Extension: 10322 ONLY SUITABLE CANDIDATES WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED
Forum needs fresh new ideas – Phillips
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
BUSINESSMAN JOHN PHILLIPS will be looking to bring fresh ideas to the Consultative Forum when he takes up his position on the council on Tuesday, May 17. Phillips replaces LIME’s Country Manager and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Drexwell Seymour, who resigned last week, citing frustration from Government stonewalling that sector’s ideas and recommendations. The Interim Administration wasted no time in filling the breach left vacant by Seymour – announcing its regret to see the LIME boss’s departure - while confirming Phillips’ appointment almost in the same paragraph of the press advisory. Phillips told The SUN that the Forum should serve as a cradle for fresh ideas, but has fallen down in that department. He said he would rely on his successful business background to drive the conversation and pilot his ideas through that body. “In a way I hope to bring a slightly more formal approach to things. One thing I see happening is disillusionment on the part of businesses; disillusionment by the public and cancel of Forum members,
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
who said ‘well, nobody (Interim Administration) listens’. But really, nothing is written down (in the Forum). “There are no formal new proposals coming from the Forum. And I think really, that should be the breeding ground for new ideas and for new proposals; and for the Forum to convince the (Interim) Administration that is should go in a new direction,” Phillips said. Phillips, who is a member of the successful Claymore Group, believes that based on his strong business background – not just in the TCI but also other parts of the world - his expertise would be best served in areas of investment and commerce. Phillips said he would be using his time on the Consultative Forum to find new ways to arriving at solutions geared towards rescuing the country’s economy from the dark abyss into which it has found itself. “I know no one likes the new taxes. I understand why Government sees the need to put them in place - to cover the basics of government service. But to me, increasing taxes in a diminishing population cannot be successful. So I want to work more
Commercial and Operations Director
Job Description – Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, this challenging role will require you to manage the day to day operating functions of the customer care, human resources, product development, pricing, carrier services, marketing and sales functions. As part of this role you will be responsible for ensuring that the revenue targets set by the organisation are achieved. You will also be responsible for training all new recruits in the relevant areas. You should possess at least 5 years relevant experience with a proven track record in product management and development, pricing, market analysis, customer care, sales and marketing ideally gained in a Telecoms environment. • A BSc degree in Management or a business/marketing related discipline • Excellent management and interpersonal skills • Good understanding of the Mobility market. Responsibilities will include:
Products •Working with all departments to develop, implement, test all new products or new product features •Completing monthly products reports •Monitoring daily, weekly, monthly products statistics •Keeping up to date with competitor offerings •Working with marketing to drive product revenues Pricing • Develop business cases for price changes and
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towards the potential to improve and expand the economy. If our economy is bigger and thriving, then the tax burden should be lighter across the board. Phillips believes that in order for the Turks and Caicos Islands to return to prosperity that it once enjoyed up to about three years ago, the economy should be diversified and not depend solely on tourism. Establishing the Turks and Caicos Islands as a business centre for the region is one avenue though which Phillips believes the TCI economy can be diversified. “I believe that it is not too hard to find new investments to start interview a new industry or new ideas. I think what we need are some firm policies on how we address that potential market (and) that potential income. “I believe we are ideally placed to become a large business center for the region. I think a great many companies wouldn’t really like to set up their head office in Haiti or the Dominican Republic. But they can set it up in an English-speaking, dollar-based, very pleasant place to operate, with excellent
communication. We have all the components to attract new investments here. “I believe that we have enormous potential for growth in our economy. A lot of resorts have been reporting record numbers this year. But I would like for us to look at other industries for the short, medium and long term, to pick up the economy and keep the small local businesses in business, because right now it’s hard for many of them to survive. Phillips pointed out that the history of tourism indicated that after a while the industry in once thriving destinations often peter out, even though he is of the belief the TCI would survive for the long term due its unique product. “I know that (TCI’s) tourism is doing well, but if one looks at the history of tourist destinations; they have a life and then they start to die out. I think what will keep tourism going in Turks and Caicos is its highend, low density (developments), and it offers a unique vacation possibility on a higher end of the market; and it would probably last longer,” Phillips pointed out.
promotions • Implementing and testing price changes and price promotions • Keeping up to date with competitor pricing and promotions • Analyzing the impact following a price change or promotion
Customer Care • Managing Customer Care team • Implementing and managing a retention program for prepaid and postpaid customers • Responsibility for front office / drop in customers • Liaise with Jamaica Team leaders with regard to TCI customer care • Ensure customer care is informed (and trained if required) of new ads, promotions, price changes and product launches. • Working with customer care agents to ensure customers do not cancel and receive excellent service when they visit the office.
Operations • Working with legal and technical teams to implement new number ranges • Complete monthly board report and board presentation. Sales • Manage the sales team • Drive the department to ensure that sales targets are achieved Marketing • Manage the marketing team • Design and execute all marketing campaigns
Only Belongers apply. Salary Based on experience
Interested applicants should forward their resumes to hrtci@digicelgroup.com
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Former Chief Minister Derek Taylor to challenge Doug Parnell at next PDM Convention
LOCAL NEWS
VETERAN POLITICIAN DEREK TAYLOR is set to be making a return to the local representational political scene as The SUN understands from impeccable People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) source that he will be challenging current party leader Douglas “Doug” Parnell for the reins of the party at next month’s convention. According to the source, the former chief minister’s entry into the political arena will not be similar to that of two years ago when he went in halfheartedly, but stressed that this time he will be donning his full political body armour and ready for both party and national politics. Taylor, in 2009, held out until the eleventh hour before deciding to run for the leadership of the party – a decision which ostensibly placed him third behind another former chief minister Oswald Skippings - who lost to Parnell by a solitary vote in the three-way top tier party race. Taylor did not bother to contest last year’s race which was jointly held for the first time on the islands of North Caicos and Middle Caicos. Parnell retained the leadership in his second outing after
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Former chief minister Derek Taylor
bettering former Immigration minister Samuel “Sam” Harvey. However, according to the PDM source, Taylor has never been more ready to mount a leadership campaign, since he has already been canvassing the political periphery in an attempt to woo the majority of delegates into his corner in time for party polls. The source said Taylor’s decision to glove-up for the party leadership battle
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Veranda is currently seeking quali;ied candidates that have the requirements listed along with an outgoing professional manner. Our ideal candidates must love to work with different types of people, meet challenges with a positive attitude and live the standards of our organization.
GROUP EXECUTIVE CHEF/F&B DIRECTOR
(Chef N B) to be responsible for overall Food & Beverage and culinary operations for Grace Bay Resorts by overseeing concepts for front and back of the house operations, creating the total guest experience. The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in achieving food & beverage revenues, pro@it and guest satisfaction goals by developing and implementing menu designs and concepts that are current with international and local trends, ensuring that the Grace Bay Club and Veranda are culinary destinations. Requirements: • 10+ years experience in a Senior Culinary Role, either as Executive Chef or Culinary Director • 10+ years working in a Luxury Market, in Hotels, Resorts or Michelin Star Rated Restaurants • Extensive culinary skills, with exposure and intimate knowledge of international cuisines and food trends • A strategic thinker skilled at identifying company development opportunities as it relates to overall food & beverage strategic growth of the Brand
KIDS TOWN COORDINATOR
• Responsible for the children’s program design, implementation and evaluation at GBR • Organizes and facilitates all children’s programs, lessons, activities including leading/instruction of some or all activities • Seeks to optimize all sources of revenue generating opportunities for KT (i.e. holiday camps, after school clubs, retail, etc.) • Inventory/ordering of all KT supplies (books, toys, VIK, retail, arts & crafts, water sports equip) • Ensures a safe and clean environment in Kid’s Town and Tree house at all times • Creates weekly hotel kids programs and events and KT staff
PDM party leader Douglas “Doug” Parnell
was not an indictment on Parnell’s leadership, but rather explaining that the current crisis in the Turks and Caicos demands a leader whose mettle but came out shining, revealing that Taylor is such an individual. “The country is in crisis and we need a leader that has been tested and proven to solve the problems. He did it once before, and we believe that I can do it again. During 9/11 (the 2001 terrorist
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
attack in the US), when most countries suffered from the fallout, the Turks and Caicos strove. “That was because Derek Taylor exercise sound government management of the country at the time. Before the PDM left office in 2003, I counted about 29 developments that Derek Taylor had initiated. Twenty nine – that’s a whole lot of developments at one given time,” the source emphasized. The PDM source concluded that the British Government apparently does not see neither of the two political parties’ leadership core as ideal enough, since the UK government had last year, told the PDM party not to contest the next general elections. Derek Taylor has been credited, especially in PDM circles, to have rescued the country on at least two occasions, from what they termed were failed PNP administrations – an allegation that PNP operatives have rubbished time and time again. Taylor is the only challenge to Parnell so far, and whether or not any other challenges would be mounted by other ambitious members of the party.
schedules Requirements: • Bachelor's degree in education, child development, recreation or related @ield in conjunction or equivalent years of experience • Expert swimming skills (min Lifeguarding cert), and general knowledge of most water sports; should have a minimum instructor level certi@ication in at least two teachable water sports (i.e. kayaking, SCUBA, kite boarding) and be able to lead and teach all program activities must have current First Aid and CPR certi@ications and be an excellent swimmer (lifeguard certi@ication preferred) • Must have First Aid Instructor certi@ication or higher and a strong background in wilderness First Aid, survival and camping skills
FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGER
Requirements • At least 5 years @ive star Food & Beverage experience. Caribbean experience considered an asset. • At least 5 years @ive star restaurant management experience, • Degree in hospitality desirable • International experience & multi-lingual to assist our international clientele would be an asset • Energetic, positive and dedicated to motivating and developing team members • Knowledge of @ine wines • Must be competent with a PC and Micros experience is an asset. • Assists with strategy, budgeting, cost management and delivering on objectives • Exceptional communication and customer service skills and lives the standards of our organization
LINE STAFF POSITIONS INCLUDE: PUBLIC AREA ATTENDANTS & SERVERS Salary commensurate with quali@ications and experience
INTERESTED PERSONS MAY CONTACT OUR Human Resource Manager No later than May 20, 2011 Email: deleria.simms@verandatci.com Or hand deliver to our of;ice at Veranda Resort and Residences Princess Dr. Lower Bight, Providenciales
Former TCI Government Minister says he was searched and harassed at Miami Airport
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
McAllister Eugene Hanchell, a former Government Minister under the Progressive National Party (PNP) in the Turks and Caicos Islands, was detained for about an hour and searched, at the Miami International Airport on Thursday May 5, 2011. He was not arrested. Hanchell, who is also known as Piper, said airport authorities told him they had reports that he was travelling with more than $10,000. The following is the full statement from Hanchell: “On May 5th 2011, I departed Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands on AA flight no. 1594 via Miami, USA en-route to Norfolk, VA, on AA flight no. 3523 for the purposes of visiting my oldest son Fabian Hanchell listed in the Navy of the United States of America before his 6 month deployment to defend his great Country, USA. Upon my arrival two (2) uniformed male United States Border Control Officers were checking each passenger’s passport upon disembarkation from AA flight no.
LOCAL NEWS
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Former PNP Government Minister, McAllister Eugene Hanchell
1594. When I presented my documentation I was asked to accompany the officers. During my walk to be processed at Immigration I noticed two (2) nonuniformed officers a male and female all wearing identification badge joining us. Immediately, after I was processed through Immigration
GOVERNMENT VACANCY DEPARTMENT: SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
JOB TITLE: DIRECTOR
SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONBILITIES:
An exciting opportunity awaits you in the Turks & Caicos Islands Government Service for the post of Director of Social Development Department. The incumbent in this position is responsible for directing and participating in the development and implementation of the goals, objectives, policies and procedures of the Department; acting as Advisor on policy matters and legislation that will impact welfare recipients; establishing and maintaining local, regional and international liaisons that will improve service delivery by the Department; working in collaboration with interest groups and other Government Departments, religious and civic groups to assist with providing welfare benefits for clients as well as monitoring welfare programs to ensure foster care, home help and other programs reaching target groups. The incumbent must also conduct relevant research and oversee statistical data collection exercises that will enhance the performance of the Department; organize community outreach groups on established islands; manage and supervise all staff in the Department to ensure proper training, continued maintenance of client confidentiality and take disciplinary actions where appropriate. The successful candidate must also hold regular staff meetings to ensure policies and procedures are properly implemented and adhered to and counsel clients and their families when required. The Director is also responsible for ensuring that a record of all welfare activities and disbursements are kept.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE The position requires the incumbent to have a Masters Degree in Social Work or related field. The incumbent is also expected to have at least seven (7) years working experience in a Social Services Environment, four (4) of which would be at a managerial level. RENUMERATION PACKAGE: SALARY: $70,000.00 - $75,000.00 PER ANNUM TELEPHONE ALLOWANCE: $1,080.00 PER ANNUM
For more information on the Job Description please contact the Office of the Public Service Management; Telephone 649-946-2801, Extension#: 10321. All resumes with contact information and two letters of References as well as a Police Certificate should be addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Public Service Management, Church Folly, Grand Turk. Facsimile: 946-1582, Email: recruitment@gov.tc APPLICATION DEADLINE: 31st May 2011
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accompanied by four (4) officers we walked downstairs where I was processed at Customs. There I asked what this was all about, after travelling to the United States of America for more than half of my life this process is unusual. I was told by the officers that that they are advised from Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands that I am a suspect of bringing $10,000.00 or more concealed in my carry-on luggage and was asked if I ever brought that amount of cash or currency otherwise into the United States of America, My reply was no. I was asked to take everything out of my pockets, which was approximately $1,500.00 in cash, a telephone, a pen and a credit card holder. An officer began to search my bag and halfway through the search he advised me that I can put the cash in my pockets and leave the remaining items and proceed with the other officers to a room inside the general customs area for a few questions. I replied to the officers that I reserve my right to be present while my bag is being searched. They continued the search in my presence and then closed the bag. I was asked if my telephone is unlocked, I said yes. Then they kept my telephone, Credit Card holder and Travel Itinerary and proceeded to a room within the general customs area. I was asked the same questions as mentioned above, (and) shortly thereafter was told to remain in the room while they processed this information. They later returned to the room to inform me that they made a few phone calls and were waiting to hear from their sources. Shortly thereafter they returned for a second time and said that I checked out and that I was free to go and good luck to my son in the US NAVY. My reply to them was to tell the BRITISH TO GET OFF MY BACK! The officer said they cannot reveal their source but smiled at me. Here I took the opportunity to tell the
Officers that it is public knowledge that I am former member of the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands, where there was a public commission of inquiry into allegations of Corruption commissioned by one white retired British Judge who further recommended a Criminal Investigation which is currently ongoing. I was told that whenever I travel into the USA again I may be subjected to the same checks. I offered my telephone number and asked for the officers number in return so that I can inform them myself of my travels to the USA because I have nothing to hide. The officer told me not to worry because they will know when I am travelling. The entire ordeal took no more than one (1) hour and never at any time was I arrested. I flew to Virginia Beach, VA as scheduled and I’m having a wonderful time with my oldest son. I write the above for the sake of completeness because we live in a culture of rumors and to mainly expose the British occupation for their Harassment in the Turks and Caicos Islands towards Turks and Caicos Islanders and their continuous attempt to embarrass us all. I would like to take this opportunity to inform all of our Citizens that our Country is being recolonized by the British, who continue to use former elected Politicians as their conduit. I for one will not be used and will expose them every opportunity I have. This is not the first time they ( THE BRITISH) have tried to intimidate me, they have intervened the banking credit processes and prejudice the Physical Planning Board Process as it relate to me. However I remain confident and not afraid. I am a victim of Political exploitation by Britain in a modern day coup d’état, re-colonizing and marginalizing of the Turks and Caicos Islands and its people for their now obvious occupation and control of our Country.
Caribbean Aviation Maintenance is looking for:
Avionics Technician Must be able to install avionics navigational equipment and systems, troubleshoot for GPWS, FMS, AHRS, GPS etc. Must be able to install passenger audio and video entertainment system (embrear 120). Be able to read and understand complex wiring diagrams. Must have Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering Salary commensurate with experience. Position 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.
Page 12
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
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.
WAITRESS Requirements: • 1-2 years restaurant service experience, with five star experiences as an asset. • Punctual, detail oriented, able to work split shifts when required • Physical ability to move throughout the property constantly to provide support to team. • Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines at the same time. • Must be competent with a PC, Macros experience is an asset. • Must be personable, professional, flexible, always smiling and helpful • Must be a team player driven to deliver exceptional customer service. Qualified Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience
SOUS CHEF Requirements: • Education from a formal culinary institution is required. Kitchen terminology required. • Perform mathematical calculation including but not limited to conversion of recipes, inventories etc • Advanced culinary and artistic skills, cooking methods, knowledge of all different kitchen departments and product identification. • Prepare weekly rosters and payroll reports. • Ensure that all check lists are completed, Haccp, production, etc. • Enforce Health and Hygiene regulations within the kitchen and heighten staff ’s awareness of good personal and food hygiene practices and procedures, i.e. cleaning of kitchen, storage, handling of food, etc. Qualified Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience HOUSEKEEPING SUPERVISOR Requirements: • Possess 2 years experience in a Supervisory role at a high-end resort • Possess knowledge of proper cleaning techniques, requirements, and use of equipment • Assisting the Executive Housekeeper in the day –to-day management and operation of the Housekeeping Department • Possess knowledge of proper cleaning supplies and chemical handling. • Assist the Executive Housekeeper to supervise the Housekeeping Staff, ensuring the standards of the hotel are met • Assist with administration duties, such as timesheets and tracking lost and found property. • Perform the Executive Housekeeper’s duties when not unavailable Qualified Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience FRONT OFFICE RECEPTIONIST Requirements: • Must be educated at least high school level with a good command of English • Must have a pleasant telephone manner and good general communications skills. • Must be computer literate and familiar with Opera system & Microsoft Office package use • Must be willing able to work in shifts and on holidays and week-ends. • Able to implement and carry through role with little or no supervision • Minimum 3 years experience with 3-5 star property A passion for delivering exceptional levels of guest service
Qualified Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience
SOMELLIER Requirements: Grace Bay Clubs Food and Beverage operation is looking for a Sommelier that will be responsible of all aspects of the hotels wine program. He/she directs, implements and maintains a service and management philosophy, which serves as a guide to respective staff. • Ensure that dining patrons are able to find a wine with their budget that fits their tastes and complements their food. • Must be computer literate and familiar with Opera system & Microsoft Office package. • You will work with the kitchen to find suitable wines to pair with dishes on the menu. • You will also work on the floor of the restaurant, helping customers to decide the exact wine that best meets their needs. • You will have at least 2 years experience as Head Sommelier in a 4/5 star establishment, International experience required, been a successful salesman in the previous restaurants you have worked, worked with wine lists that cover all the regions represented in our wine list. (United States, South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Europe) and have an education as Sommelier. Qualified Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience COOK Requirements: • Certification of culinary training or apprenticeship. • High School Diploma of equivalent vocational training certificate • Dependable, organized, team player. • Sanitation certificate. • Must read and speak English fluently. • Must have general culinary skills & either be a graduate from a culinary school with three to four years of high standard cooking experience. Qualified Belongers need only to apply. Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience HOUSEKEEPING ROOM ATTENDANT Requirements: • Ensure the cleanliness of all hotel areas. • Assist in all Housekeeping responsibilities, cleaning of all guest rooms, stocking amenities and linens. • Perform any other tasks or projects as directed by the Housekeeping Management to continue high levels of guest care. • Ensure inventory is used properly and in supply at all times. 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 30th June 2010 @ (649) 946-5050 Ext. 1050 Email: veronica.clare@gracebayclub.com or krystal@gracebayclub.com Fax: (649) 946-5758 P.O. Box 128 Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies
New Age Academy closing
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Page 13
LOCAL NEWS
Space will be rented to Community College
THE PREVAILING HOSTILE economical condition has claimed yet another casualty, this time, one of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ finest educational institutions - New Age Academy and Language Centre. The school will be closing its doors at the end of this school year, as it has become insolvent. Principal and Director for the institution Mrs. Claudette Clare, who confirmed the school’s closure to The SUN during an interview, said over the past two or so years, New Age has been running at a loss due to the noncollection of outstanding fees from parents, whose students have been attending the institution, and the pulling of Government support, which private schools once enjoyed under the Progressve National Party (PNP) Administration.Clare also confirmed that New Age Academy and Language Centre will be making way for the Providenciales campus of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, which she said would be moving to that location at the beginning of the next school year. New Age Academy and Language Centre currently has approximately 140 students enrolled. The property is jointly owned by
Clare and co-director/husband Mr. Bill Clare. The monetary arrangements between the Ministry of Education and the Clares to acquire the building for the Community College were not ascertained. Clare told The SUN that the recession coupled with negligent parents contributed mainly to the demise of the school, since parents of past and present students were in arrears together in excess of more than $100,000. “The recession and getting parents to pay their children’s fees are the main reasons why we have decided to close the school. It has become rough; it didn’t make sense (to continue running the school) because what I was doing was working to pay other people. “And then you have the NIS and the NHIP; these looming taxes; I couldn’t go through another school year with it. And then you get no subsidies from anybody, really – it’s just the fees to keep you going. The fees have to cover everything, and I couldn’t go through it anymore,” Clare noted. The New Age Academy principal added: “Some of the parents were downright worthless, in a way, in the sense that they didn’t see paying the fees as priority. Then some others, they have lost their jobs, that kind of thing.
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
(ACTIVATING, DESIGNING, SPLICING, ENGINEERING & TROUBLING SHOOTING)
Primary objectives of the Job Duties: Utilize Computer Aided Design software to design plant extension and system rebuilds/upgrade projects. Prepare cost estimates for minor and major plant extensions. Activate and trouble shoot nodes, trouble shoot and correct internet system problems, splice and maintain the Fiber Optic system when necessary. Act as the company’s primary liaison with Residential, Commercial and Multi Dwelling Unit construction developers. Roles and Responsibilities: • Understand and follow all company safety standard and practices including but not limited to: vehicles safety, proper placement of trafCic signs and cones. Understand and follows accident reporting procedures. Understand and follows applicable Electric Safety Code rules and regulations • Have the ability to troubleshoot and maintain head-end equipment (Ciber optic lasers, Ciber optic splitters, modulators and RF combination network). • Supervise and train Cield technicians • Have the ability to read and interpret, organize, update and maintain complete set(s) of system prints • Related to repairs to optimize system faults when necessary. • Utilize Signal Level Dsam-3600b meters w/voip/Web Browser and path track Cield view • Must be willing and able to handle special projects • Perform all job functions with the appropriate safety measures • Must be capable of carrying heavy equipment and climbing 32ft ladders • Must be able to work Clexible hours, including weekends and holidays • Have a valid driver’s license and the ability to operate large vehicles in a safe manner • Liaise with Express High speed internet-TCT to troubleshoot internet problems • Inspect, test and repair cable and Ciber equipment at WIV various
Apart from this current crop (of students attending the school) the school has over a hundred thousand dollars on the street from other students. And they (parents) are bobbing and weaving; they are hiding; they are saying different things (when they are contacted). They are just trying to evade the whole thing of paying the fees”. The veteran educator said even after setting debt collectors on the delinquent parents, the majority of them were still not making any efforts to fulfill their obligations. “It seems that we have to go to court, really (to recoup the school fees).” Clare stressed that students would not be left out in the cold, since she had invited six schools to come in and make their pitch for the parents to see which of them would be best suited for their children’s education. Claudette Clare has worked in education for 39 years in a number of capacities, including as senior education officer and co-coordinator for the Provo branch of the Community College. She also served as vice principal at the Clement Howell High School and worked on the Education Ordinance. “Claudette Clare is going to relax a bit right now. We are going to have a little office not far from the school,
Principal and Director for the institution Mrs. Claudette Clare
where Mr. Clare would do his little business and will be there to help him out,” noted. The closing of New Age Academy and Language Centre will be a significant loss to education in the TCI, since that institution was very unique, providing general education to students, while catering to students whose first languages are not English. Among its many achievements were the copping of the National Debate Competition last year; second place in the Tourism Speech Competition, in addition to GSAT and CXC achievements. “We are very sad that this is how it had to come to an end, but the vision can be captured by somebody else and made to live on,” Clare concluded.
locations. • Verify that repairs are made to the satisfaction of the customers’ and meet company’s standards. • Determine the serviceability of residences deemed not serviceable according to the company’s billing database. Communicate the status of serviceability to the customer service department. • Prepare costs estimates if construction is necessary to service a residence or commercial establishment • Responsible for the coordination of design information exchange and timeliness of construction activities between WIV and developers to ensure construction projects are designed and completed within a timely manner and within established cost guidelines. • Prepare bill of materials for supplies and materials required for construction related projects • Communicate with and assist Cield technicians with revisions to strand and design maps of existing cable facilities • Assist with the upkeep required for the Satellite farm • Drive company vehicle and ensure vehicle is properly maintained • Perform other duties in keeping with the position
Quali4ications and requirements: Education: BSc in Electronics or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent approved training courses in electronics Experience: Five years experience related experience • Must have experience in general drafting and the ability to use tools, Instruments, and materials normally used in such activities. • Must have extensive knowledge of equipment characteristics, capabilities and limitations. Must have the ability to make sketched diagrams accurately. Skills and workings conditions • Excellent communications skills with external and internal customers • Must be committed to providing exceptional customers service (both external and internal) at all times. Have the Ability to keep to schedule with minimum supervision. • Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where on limited to standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral diagram, or schedule form. • ProCicient in CAD Software and preparation of engineering design and costs estimates for new build, rebuild and upgrade projects. Salary: $35, 000.00 - $40,000.00 per annum Plus additional beneCits Contact: TCT by Express High Speed Internet P.O. Box 679 Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands administrator@wiv.tc or fax 946-4866 No telephone calls please
Page 14
LOCAL NEWS OPINION
Leadership vacuum
TURKS AND CAICOS Islands (TCI) citizens have been receiving some useful advice designed to resolve the current economic depression in these islands. That advice has been consistent with the Capitalist economic culture and history of the TCI and the expectations of the TCI’s predominantly Capitalist customer base. It has been coming from individual citizens and legal residents, but NOT from the Brit High Command or their Socialist “experts.” However, unless that advice is considered, filtered, improved, sorted and acted upon, what good is it? It will have been purely academic. Who will even think back to the opportunities it provided once the Brits’ own economic plans have doomed us as a Socialist sinkhole that lives off an ever-diminishing slice of the cheap tourism industry? All-inclusives educate Butch Stewart’s kids and grandkids, not yours! What will educate your kids and grandkids are home-grown Capitalist free-market solutions that expand the entire TCI economy by attracting wealthy customers to our immigration, ship registry and other similar unique products. We have so far received professional-level demographic, statistical and economic analysis from Fred Skovberg on one of the special interest websites. Bill McCollum has provided outside- the-box thinking of the type we sorely need. Richard Berke, The Torch, Mike St. Louis and others have offered practical management-by-objectives suggestions. Much well-intentioned advice is already on the table. More will follow. Yet only groups of islanders can activate those suggestions. The Brit High Command will not take suggestions from individuals, particularly ex-pats. As Socialists, the Brits ideologically despise and distrust all individual action and all ideas that come from individuals. Only ideas emanating from committees and groups of people are valued. We ex-pats, as a group, had no input at all to the combination of criminal islander politicians and negligent Brit bureaucrats that combined entirely predictably to screw our shared economy into the ground. Further, we have paid far more than our fair share of costs here for many years. In fairness, we ought to be consulted by the Brits, as a group. However, that is a conversation the Brits will not permit. They will speak to extremely wealthy ex-pat owners of large businesses only, and will even consult them privately regarding taxation, if you can believe that. However, the investments and property rights of individual ex-pats who are the backbone of the TCI customer base mean nothing to the Socialist Brits. That conversation would be far too inconvenient. The only group regarded lower than TC islanders by the Brits is TC ex-pats. It is only islanders to whom the Brits even have to pay lip service. That is not because the Brits are fond of islanders. Far from it. It is because the Brits’ UberSocialist pals at the EU and UN are watching. It is not a foregone conclusion that the Brits will listen to islanders, but islanders are the only ones who have a chance to be heard. Yet if islanders do not bring forward any cogent free-market suggestions for publicly necessary consideration by the Brits soon, it will be too late. The Brits will simply continue to play out their standard Socialist playbook that says on every page, “and when that doesn’t work, consult more experts and raise more taxes so that when that doesn’t work, at least a higher proportion of a weakened and dependent populace will look to government for future Socialist solutions that won’t work either but will incrementally increase government control over individual action.” In that Socialist playbook, there is no index entry for, “customers, preferences of.” Customers are things you have to compete for so Socialists know nothing about them and don’t want to know. Competition is greed to the Brits, and all personal incentive is considered evil. If a government holds a big economically well developed chunk of land were wealth is less transient than on a small less developed island chain, it can get away with Socialism for, oh, about 60-70 years. That is because when you start on that wonderful road to Socialist serfdom, enough wealth exists in situ. Perversely, persuasive proponents of Socialism have
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
By The Torch
often become wealthy through the Capitalism they detest before they flip to Socialism. Socialism is more cunning than Communism, its partner in collectivism. It allows convenient private ownership of wealth to continue to exist so as to compete for customers to create more wealth. That allows government not to have to compete for customers itself, but instead merely to take what it wants from the wealth creators to pursue its noble “public good” purposes. Wealth adjusts over longer periods of time with incremental Socialism on a larger land mass until you literally run out of other peoples’ money. This is now happening all over the Socialist world. When you begin the Socialist path on a small less well developed island chain with much of its wealth being transient, wealth will leave proportionately faster. You cross the Thatcher Line very quickly. Here we were already weak and less wealthy as a consequence of the worldwide recession just when the Brits arrived with their Socialism fix. This has been a perfect economic storm of recession, Brit-supervised corruption and Socialism for the TCI. The only path out of this economic abyss is to attract new customers. So, instead of streamlining and de-criminalizing our existing tax collection systems and then putting regulations in place to attract new customers, the Brits kill our potential future growth with an impending VAT, an energy tax and increases in other tax rates and fees during a recession, all of which will have the effect of driving away the only thing that can resolve our problem – NEW customers. A brief discussion of the physics of customers in the TCI is necessary. We need NEW customers to buy what we have. That’s for sure, and that has been the thrust of The Torch’s suggestions. However, the TCI customer base still includes current ex-pats, a sizeable base. They are the largest and wealthiest group of customers buying what islanders have to offer. For clarity, when The Torch refers to the term “expats,” he is referring not to the broader group of workers here on an annual work permit. While some of that group may stay here for years, they will mostly return to their home countries in a relatively short time, not putting down any roots here. They are not in our customer pool, even though they are physically here. The Torch refers instead to full time, property-owning economically-active ex-pats who generally love these islands and intend to stay here for some indefinite period of time. These ex-pats, which include The Torch, are valuable to islanders for two reasons. We pump the economy, though now to a diminished extent, but also we are part of the system that attracts NEW customers. To whom do you think potential NEW customers will speak about the quality of ex-pat life in the TCI? They will inquire of islanders about other things, but when it comes to the overall quality of ex-pat life here and how well they will be treated here by islanders and local government, they will seek out and inquire of those who have been there and done that. Current expats are your sales people. As you islanders have been fond of telling your sales people this past 15 years whenever we have been outrageous enough to speak out about things that affect us, we can leave if we don’t like it. You can’t successfully threaten your own customers (and sales people) like that for long. It is a question of good will. Some of us told you that at the time, but you wouldn’t listen. Those were the boom years. It seemed so easy, didn’t it? You did not build good will with your customers because you didn’t think you had to. Many old customers have left. The Brits have put up taxes to repel new customers. Businesses are stagnating and closing. Critical scholarships are in jeopardy going forward. Nor has the exodus been limited to ex-pats. Citizens who can go have gone. These tend to be the more productive and valuable citizens who are sorely needed here for permanent economic recovery, e.g. Lee Ingham. Mom and Dad, The Torch regrets to advise that your kids away at college ain’t coming back. Why would educated folks seeking to make their way in the world come back here? This is just another form of
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
exodus caused by lack of customers. And that’s the good news! The bad news is that unless we can think and act our way out of this depression and drag the treacherous Socialist Brits with us, your younger kids and grand kids ain’t even going away to college. Can we now please agree that the present situation, one you islanders so often threatened us with and perhaps even cherished in your most nationalistic, political gang-stoked entitlement fantasies, is destructive and is not good for anyone? Can we also agree that many remaining ex-pats actually seem to care about this place, regardless of the shabby ways in which you have treated us over the years? We are trying to help! Will you realize that and listen to our advice this time? Even if islanders do accept the well-intentioned advice being brought forward (and it is not all from expats by any means), the real question is who amongst islanders would move these suggestions forward? That’s a problem The Torch cannot solve. The Torch had hoped the members of the Advisory Council and the Consultative Forum would have been more vocal and suggestive themselves. After a promising start, that hasn’t happened. The Torch suspects this is because there has been much more behind-the-scenes co-opting of these bodies by the Brit High Command than the single publiclyknown incident regarding the budget in which the Consultative Forum was completely co-opted by the treacherous Brits. So no actual leadership has been available from these two bodies, the members of which were specially selected by the Brit High Command as the most docile and respectful prominent islanders. Probably the cunning Brits blew some smoke and these folks were forever neutralized. As an aside, The Torch commends Drexwell Seymour for the personal integrity required to resign from the Consultative Forum over the Brits’ obvious budget fraud perpetrated against Forum members and the public at large and for the courage it took to follow through on his decision. At last, an islander with a spark of leadership and personal courage. The Chamber of Commerce is an apolitical economic body. So it might have been a source for leadership on macro-economic issues. Nothing from them yet. Individual islanders do not have a track record of stepping up to the line. It is unlikely, The Torch concludes, that any individual islander will provide clear leadership on economic solutions. So by embarrassing default, we come to the two political gangs. The Torch did not expect leadership from either of them. And there has been none. They are busy with other matters. Yet they are the only islander groups that have sufficient infrastructure and organization in place to handle such a project. So we have to go with what we’ve got. The Torch calls upon the two political gangs for help. Form a bi-partisan TCI Economic Recovery Team the purpose of which would be to receive, sort, improve and package economic suggestions from individuals and then shove them right up the….The Torch means to say, present them in a business-like manner to the Brit High Command together with the promise that your economic recovery package of suggestions will be forwarded to the FAC and the Brit media simultaneously to begin with and if ignored, to the appropriate bleeding hearts at the EU and UN. You might mention something about racism and colonialism. They’ll wet their pants. Let The Torch know if you need his special diplomatic touch to address a letter to the Brit Socialist scum. Also, leave your Pretty Darn Mean and Plunder, Nepotism and Pilfering egos at the door. You are being requested actually to do something for your country for once, not just to demagogue about it. You can get back to stealing and robbing just as soon as there’s something to steal and rob and the Brits are asleep again. Help The Torch and others to help you get our shared economy back on track. This will get the Brits back into comatose-mode sooner rather than later and get you back to what you do best – robbing and stealing us to the next Commission of Inquiry. Islanders, we are all going through economic Hell right now, and the only thing that is certain is that we must keep going. The economic stagnation your lethargy and the Brits’ Socialism imposes upon us simply keeps us in economic Hell longer.
BIGGEST Kenneth Grant is LIME’s
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
Team LIME knows that healthy habits equal a healthier life and this was the driving force for an internal program called “Biggest Loser – LIME style.” Head of Corporate Sales, Delleriece Hall was the motivator behind the LIME staff campaign and there were many who started on the journey to being “LIME’s Biggest Loser”. There were several staff members who eagerly signed up for the initial weigh in at LIME’s office. The anticipation level was ramped up with bi-weekly boot camp sessions facilitated by John Wright of Wrightfully Fit. Participants also had the opportunity to participate in group activities and individual exercise as well. Kenny Grant emerged victorious and healthier as “LIME’s Biggest Loser.” Mrs. Sandra Lightbourne was the runner up with a 20 pound weight loss achievement. Kenny lost about 40 pounds and 15% of his body mass taking his BMI measurement from “obese” to “good.” In recounting the steps to a healthier man, Kenny said, “I did set a goal but I did not think that I would lose 40 pounds but with the assistance of
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Loser
LIME's Biggest loser participants
Kenny Grant - before
colleagues and changing my eating habits, I did it.” Kenny recounted that he cut a lot
Kenny Grant - after
of carbohydrates from his diet and paid greater attention to what he ate. He continued, “I had to learn to eat better.
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LOCAL NEWS
The bottom line for weight lost is measuring calories in and calories out. I exercised more with encouragement from coworkers.” Dr. Joanna Bowden of Grace Bay Medical Centre was the doctor who assisted the team in the program. Kenny said, “Education is key and Dr. Jo showed how to be more cautious in how we eat and what types of exercise could be used to burn off calories.” When asked how he felt after losing so much weight, he commented, “I feel a lot lighter; better health wise in that my diabetes is a lot more controlled and my medication intake is down. I went from taking 4 pills a day now I take only one and I had problem with my knees but since I lost the weight, it is less of a problem now.” With his win, Kenny walks away with a round trip ticket to New York City, hotel for two nights and $1,000.00 cash towards that new wardrobe. LIME’s GM Drexwell Seymour said, “I am encouraging all companies and organizations to do similar programs which will encourage employees to be more effective as they live a healthy life. What an impact it would be if all companies would participate in an exercise like this.” There were other participants who are also on their way to a healthier lifestyle after participating and they are now motivated to achieving their “goal weight.” This program now encourages colleagues to continue with the healthy lifestyle. Kenny now serves as an inspiration to us all. Kudos Kenny! LIME is the Caribbean's largest telecommunications company with a proud history in the region, and which is always working to improve life in the Caribbean. LIME delivers the very best communication services to governments, businesses and families in 13 Caribbean countries with one unifying promise—building, connecting and serving communities. LIME is part of Cable & Wireless Communications PLC, one of the world's leading communications companies.
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
ImperIal Dry CleanIng & launDry Center
PRESSER
Imperial Dry Cleaning & Laundry Center is looking for a who must be flexible because you will call in the night before to find out the shift you will be working. Must like to clean must be flexible with hours and location fast worker is good but must also have attention to detail must be hardworking a very physical, dirty job must have a get it done attitude clean MVR- No DUI’s or reckless driving tickets would like someone with 1 yr experience pressure washing experience. Responsibilities Under general supervision, high-pressure cleaners operate high-pressure cleaning equipment and wash areas assigned to them. This includes using other cleaning materials and chemicals to achieve desired results of cleaning and sanitation. Requirements Most high-pressure cleaners are required to have a high school diploma or GED and some practical experience. Training, which includes safe work practices, is done on the job during a probationary period. Salary: $6.00per hour. Please send your application to Imperial Dry Cleanings in Long Bay.
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
IMMEDIATE OPENING
BENCHMARK SURVEY ASSOCIATES
SURVEY TECHNICIAN REQUIREMENTS: • At least 3 years experience working as a survey technician with little supervision • Knowledge of cadastral system • Proficient in AutoCAD and use of Sokkia survey equipment and Trimble GPS equipment DUTIES INCLUDE: • Conducting field jobs for boundary relocation, set out, topo surveys etc. The position will likely become redundant upon completion of the Provo Airport extension (approximately 3 months). Salary $4,000 per month Interested applicants should email resume and reference letters to the Managing Director bsa@express.tc within 1 week of the date of this notice. Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.
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MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Lilio Malbranche wins Digicel 500,000th
LOCAL NEWS
From left to right: Ava-Dayne Kerr- Heading of Marketing, Tiffany Henfield-$1000 Text to Win Winner, Lilio Malbranche-500,000th All Pass Winner and E. Jay Saunders, CEO of Digicel.
UNITED CONSULTANT IMMIGRATION SERVICES
Acting on behalf of clients: Diva Beauty Center, Bon appetite rests, JID Barbershop, Jose joyeria Janiece Carter, P.V.H. Production, B. Stubbs, Mep Solution Ltd. 2 Nails Technicians 5.00p/h 2 Cashiers 5.00 p/h 2 hair dresser 5.00 p/h 1 Cosmetologist 5.00 p/h 2 Kitchen helpers 5.00 p/h 2 Sales Persons 5.00 p/h 1 Waiter 5.00 p/h
2 Waitresses 5.00 p/h 2 Green Keepers 5.00 p/h 1 Domestic 5.00 p/h 1 Babysitter 5.00 p/h 2 Cleaners 5.00 p/h 1 Masseuse 6.00 p/h 1 Taylor 5.00 p/h
NANNY To work 5 days per week and on emergency calls at night. Salary $5.00 per hour Contact 341-0903 or 243-4888
Digicel is proud to congratulate Lilio Malbranche as the 500,000th activation and grand prize winner of the 500,000th All Pass Promotion. An, employee of Ocean Club Resorts in Providenciales, Mr. Malbranche was overjoyed upon receiving the news and expressed a sincere thank you to Digicel for the opportunity to win great prizes. As the 500,000th person to subscribe to the All Pass Plan, Mr. Malbranche receives $500, A new Blackberry Torch and an upgrade to the improved VIP Pass which gives the same calling plan access as the All Pass with the additional upgrade of Unlimited Blackberry Data Service for 24 hours. Malbranche will be presented with his prizes during a brief ceremony at Digicel’s flag store located at the Graceway House on May 12th at 12:30pm. Just last month Digicel launched its 500,000th countdown promotion and quickly achieved the 500,000 milestone. The hugely popular All Pass plan launched in July 2010 provides the Best Value for customers to call locally, regionally and internationally (USA, Canada and UK Fixed lines). For only $2.50 customers are granted a 24 hour pass to Unlimited local Digicel to Digicel calls, 100 minutes to Digicel regional numbers and 30 minutes to the USA, Canada and UK fixed lines. Head of Marketing, Ava-Dayne Kerr reiterated “the popularity of the All Pass goes to show that Digicel’s Best Value plans appeal to our customers and allows them to reach out to more of their loved ones in more places.” Also a big winner this month is Ms. Tiffany Henfield, employee with the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority. Ms. Henfield is the winner of $1000 for taking part in Digicel’s Easter Text to Win promotion where customers unscrambled Easter words for a chance to win the grand prize of $1000. For further information on Digicel’s All Pass Plan and other promotions, please visit www.digiceltci.com and www.facebook.com/DigicelTCI
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Show tourism courtesy to locals and residents
LOCAL NEWS
BLYTHE CLARE, THE Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board Training Manager is urging greater courtesy from some players in the hospitality sector towards locals and residents, and not just to tourists. Speaking at the Star Awards Ceremony on Monday, May 9, at the Regent Palms Resort in Providenciales, Clare said she noticed that employees at especially restaurants would extend all out courtesies to guests visiting those establishments, but for the most part, snub locals and residents who pay for similar services. “Some times when we frequent restaurants or business places, people tend to not even say ‘hello’, ‘good morning’, and ‘how are you’, as a resident. But we want to encourage persons to not only think of the guests when they walk through the door, but also those of us who live and work here in the Turks and Caicos,” Clare said. According to her, such attitude
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
does not augur well for the industry, while recommending proper training to stem such shortfall in politeness. She noted that the Tourist Board hosts one day seminars on hospitality, and urged those who have not done so yet, to sign up, so as to improve their service delivery. “Tourism is indeed our lifeline here in the Turks and Caicos, and I want to pay tribute to all the hoteliers here who see the importance in providing training for your employees, and I am passionate about what I do. I am going to encourage all of you – those of us in the hospitality sector – to continue to encourage persons to strive for excellence. There is no room for mediocrity in today’s world,” she said. Clare pointed out that, since the Tourist Board believes in excellence at every level, she was particularly happy that that TCHTA had invited her to the event, since it was awarding
the crème de la crème of the industry. She noted that despite the TCI receiving hats full of accolades for its natural beauty particularly for its beaches and marine areas, its people remain the most important resource. “We at the Tourist Board have won numerous accolades. So, we have to promote our most valuable asset – our people. And working with children in the schools, I am happy to say that they are aware when it comes on to tourism. “And I love to work with the young people, because they seem to get it, when you say to them that tourism is our bread and butter industry. When you talk about the benefits of tourism they get it. And I am quite sure that those who work in the hospitality industry, we also get it,” Clare said.
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
Blythe Clare
The Star Awards was designed to honour excellence in the hospitality industry from the line staff to overall management. Royal West Indies copped the prize for Hotel of the Year.
Want news?
VISIT US ONLINE
www.suntci.com Got news? CALL us at 946-8542 or EMAIL us at sun@suntci.com
Page 19
OPINION
Wetherell’s pursuit of havoc, discord and destruction of the TCI!
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
IT
HAS BEEN a very interesting, but eventful few weeks. We saw that Jorge Baca was a convicted man who led the team that held public meetings and made recommendations as to how our tax base should be restricted so that more revenue could be gotten from the public. At all of the public meetings, he came under great pressure to defend what he was proposing, because his proposal did not make economic sense in the context of the Turks and Caicos Islands. We have to first of all know that what he was proposing was what he knew best and that was to perpetuate a system in which the “rich and privileged” got taken care of while those persons on the bottom of the totem pole would hardly be able to eke out an existence! Peru has one of the greatest disparities between the top and bottom and very little middle class. We here, in the past twenty years have been slowly but surely building that much needed middle class in our country. All of Government’s policies were geared to empowering Turks and Caicos Islanders, and giving them a leg up rather than a hand out. This started with trying to train and educate as many persons as possible, to giving them land at Belonger discounts that would allow them to get in business for themselves or obtain a home for their families. That the administration of some of these policies was not properly monitored to ensure that there was always value for money was not a reason to jettison them wholesale or just vilify them! But let us return to the Baca issue. Here it is that you have a person with a criminal background leading a team of advisers, his input being the hallmark of the design of an economic plan because he is the expert in that area and when he gets “outed” by an ever vigilant citizen, all that the Governor can mouth is that had he known at the time that he was hired to do the job that the man came with serious baggage, he would not have been hired! Man, give me a break! The Baca advice should have been rejected and not the Governor trying to
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
put a band-aid over a broken bone! That cannot work! Now I see why Wetherell really did not want the Budget debate to take place. It had nothing to do with members of the Forum wanting additional information on which to make an intelligent contribution, but that the details of his sinister plot to try and return Turks and Caicos Islanders to be just “hewers of wood and drawers of water” would have been exposed. So for all of his spouting of transparency and accountability, he could not have allowed that to see the light of day! Then to top this all off, the presentation that was prepared for the PS/Finance to read was the worst that I have ever seen in all my days as a citizen of this country! There was so much smoke and mirrors and defective assumptions that defied human logic. Some of the written words must have made his stomach curl as they went totally against the grain for him as a Turks and Caicos Islander, first and foremost, and secondly as the repository of the economic and financial information for the past 10 years! The triumvirate of Wetherell, Capes and Gardiner will and are wrecking havoc on our economy and way of life! These persons know nothing more than to impose taxes and remove any semblance of the required social safety net for this country. Wetherell in all of his press briefings like to start off by saying that the economy was in bad shape, we were debt ridden and there were serious mismanagement issues that caused them to take over this country! But you must now wake up and smell the coffee. You cannot continue to blame the previous administration for your current failures! You came in saying that you had all of the solutions at your fingers tip and you needed no help from the political directorate to assist you in putting matters right! You broke it and now you own it! Everything is taking a tail spin and nose dive! People continue to leave as the prospects of job opportunities grow dimmer. Turks and Caicos Islanders are finding it difficult
to pay mortgages, utilities and school fees as there are little to no jobs available! The triumvirate has now borrowed $260 million, $175 million being shored up by a bond that become due in 5 years! No details were given at the Budget debate, because there was none. In any event, the sum of just over $16 million per month will have to be set aside to satisfy that bond when it becomes due! I do not know where on God’s green earth of Turks and Caicos Islands are we going to be able to get that type of money. We are going to be in for a hell of a ride after Wetherell leaves us in August! The hole that he has dug for us is now so deep, that it is scary to say the least! You see, when the issue of the borrowing was being floated in our current context, I clearly said that it would have been better if we forego such borrowings until we had stabilized the economy by encouraging inward investment opportunities and more dollars were flowing through. Now we really have this huge debt burden without any realistic chance of servicing it. My hat must go off to Wetherell and his team for creating the greatest Ponzi scheme in the world! This makes the work of Bernie Madoff look like child’s play. When we had real numbers and a number of projects going on simultaneously, and we wanted to borrow $120 million, they scoffed at the notion. Now they have committed to borrowing nearly three times that amount and not a dime of which is being use to stimulate the economy. Because of the uncertainty that they have created, investors are leery about committing money for investment in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Unless and until that cloud of nontransparency is removed and a clear economic and development policy is produced, nothing meaningful will take
LOCAL NEWS
By Royal S. Robinson MBE Contributor
place. And it will not take much. Just a few well planned and targeted projects in each of the islands, coupled with the certainty that investment is welcomed, and the red carpet laid out and that should do the trick! But none of the advisers so far have been equal to the task as they have taken the lazy man way out by imposing taxes without having a plan to create jobs and stimulate the economy. By now, that classroom block in Cheshire Hall would have been nearing completion, the Campus of the Community College would have taken shape, the causeway between North and Middle would have been done. Those were just a few of the infrastructural development that would have taken place under our plan. Under Wetherell’s plan we will have a lot of debt, but nothing to show for it. Just look at the scenario and see if we are better off under this Interim Administration! Just to cap it off, while I previously was silent about Turks and Caicos Islanders being part of the Advisory Council and Consultative Forum, it must be clear to all and sundry that they are participating in a fool’s paradise, because the Triumvirate has no respect for your views. The Budget process was the culmination of such disdain for your presence by those persons, so my suggestion is that you should in mass, RESIGN and maintain some modicum of dignity. The Triumvirate continues to think that they can feed us “poo” for breakfast and we will think that we are being given “bangers and mash”! Say it ain't so Turks and Caicos!
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LOCAL NEWS
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
TURKS & CAICOS SUN MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
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MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
PAID ADVERTISEMENT TURKS & CAICOS SUN
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
“…blow the trumpet… warn the people” Ezekiel 33:3
Judgement Day May 21, 2011 THE BIBLE GUARANTEES IT!
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MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
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LOCAL NEWS
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All the winners display their awards as they pose for a group photo.
Bartender of the Year – Norwyn Guthrie THE
Blythe Clare (left) the TCI Tourist Board Training Manager and Rosemary Wilson, the Tourist Board Representative in Canada
Employee of the Year – Tamara Dixon BEACHES TURKS AND CAICOS
Barbara Weinstein (left) and Christine Morden
Denard Sweeting of WIV
From left Norwyn Guthrie, Godfrey Williams Thierry Grandsire, general manager for Grace Bay Club
Chef of the Year – Chef Colin Watson BEACHES TURKS AND CAICOS
Housekeeper of the Year – Lyde Pedor THE ALEXANDRA
Ambassador of the Year – Godfrey Williams GRACE BAY CLUB
TCHTA’s Shining Star Award– Pierre Beswick THE SANDS RESORT
Supervisor of the Year – Jean Souvenir THE REGENT PALMS
The Heart of Hospitality – Robert Delra THE REGENT PALMS
Hotel of the Year - Royal West Indies Resort
Taxi Driver of the Year – George Hinson of BOY HALL TAXI
Manager of the Year – Sonia Williams-Ewing OCEAN CLUB RESORTS
Hotelier of the Year – Donald Dagenais BEACHES TURKS AND CAICOS
Shernelle Blackman (right) collects the Entertainer of the Year on behalf of David Bowen, from TCHTA President Karen Whitt
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
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LOCAL NEWS
MARCH 5TH - MARCH 12TH, 2010
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
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The Golden Rules of
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
Weight Loss
Running keeps you fit, healthy, and happy, but to lose real weight, what you eat. Heed these key nutrition principles and slim
you also have to focus on down for good.
Rule 1: Take Really Good Notes Writing down everything you eat may sound tedious, but it pays everything you eat for at least one week (and then doing so again every making sure to include important details, such as when, where, why, and "Reviewing these details will help you glean important information
off. Recording few weeks after that), how much you eat. about your habits.
Rule 2: Measure What You Eat Get out a cereal bowl. Fill it as you normally would with your Read the label to find out the serving size and the calories per what's in your bowl. Is it more than a serving? Less? Chances you think. Pour it into a measuring cup to find out.
favorite brand. serving. Look at are it's more than
Rule 3: Beef Up Your Protein Intake Protein is essential for a healthy body; it builds muscle and mass. Every day, runners need at least a half gram of protein per 150-pound person, that's 75 grams. Protein also plays a key role longer to digest, so you feel fuller longer, and it helps keep bloodyou don't get ravenously hungry and feel the need to overeat.
preserves lean body pound of weight. For a in weight loss. It takes sugar levels steady, so
Rule 4: Add Color to Every Meal Eat red, yellow, orange, green, or purple food. They're low-calorie and vitamins and minerals your body needs to function, keep your immune and maintain strong bones and muscles. They're also rich in fiber, which slimming down.
loaded with system up, is key for
Rule 5: Stop Grazing The idea was that instead of eating three meals a day, you'd eat six or so The rationale seemed reasonable: You'd never get too hungry, and then eat too much at any one meal. People who eat low-calorie diets feel more less hungry when they eat three times a day compared to six times a day, mini meals aren't beneficial for appetite control. Rule 6: Always Have a Plan What's for dinner? Nothing? Might as well do takeout. "You can whack a lot creating a menu and making a meal plan, "and then shopping ahead of time for you need to execute that plan."
Rule 7: Slow Down Here's another mealtime experiment for you. Check the clock when you take your Look at it again when you're finished eating. How much time has elapsed? Five minutes? the better.
small meals. you wouldn't satisfied and suggesting that
of calories by the ingredients
first bite of dinner. Ten? The longer,
Rule 8: Do Not Rush Weight Loss You need three months to train your brain to make a habit of good consumption behaviors. months to get used to reading labels at the grocery store, to learn how to plan your meals figure out how to add in more fruits and vegetables.
You need three and shop, to
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LOCAL NEWS
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Move Your Body 3....2000.........11.......Let's Move Clap your hands now! Clap your hands now! Clap your hands now! Clap your hands now! jump, jump, jump! jump, jump, jump! jump, jump, jump! jump, jump, jump!
Mission One, let me see you run Put your knees up in the sky 'cause we just begun hey.......hey Mission Two, this ie how we do Shuffle shuffle to right, to the left Let's move.....hey......hey Mission Three, won't you dougie with me Throw your own little swag on this swizzy beat hey.......hey Mission Four, if you ready for more Jumprope jumprope, get your feet off the floor hey.....hey i ain't worried doing me tonight a little sweat ain't never hurt nobody don't you stand there on the wall everybody, just move your body, move your body, move your body, move your body, move your body! everybody, get to move your body! everybody, get to move your body! everybody, get to move your body!
can you get me bodied i wanna be myself tonight can you get me bodied i wanna be myself tonight don't you see my body? i want to let it out tonight wanna party, wanna dance, wanna be myself
tonight, hey!
Mission Five, come along let's go Time to move your little hips vamonos, vamonos hey.......hey..... Mission Six, bring it back real quick Do the running man and then turn around like this hey.....hey..... Mission Seve, time to break it down Step and touch to the dancehall sounds hey.....hey...... Mission Eight, feel that heart beat race Snap your fingers, tap your feet, just keep up with the pace hey.....hey..... I ain't worried doing me tonight a little sweat ain't never hurt nobody don't you stand there on the wall everybody, just move your body, move your body, move your body, move your body, move your body! everybody, get to move your body! everybody, get to move your body! everybody, get to move your body!
can you get me bodied i wanna be myself tonight can you get me bodied i wanna be
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
Beyonce Knowles myself tonight don't you see my body? i want to let it out tonight wanna party, wanna dance, wanna be myself tonight, hey! Fellas on the floor All my ladies on the floor Everybody get ready to move
Baby all I want is to let it go Aint no worries no We can dance all night Move your body That means come closer to me While me dance to the beat Move your body
Now run to left, to the left, to the left Now run to the left, to the left Now run to the right, to the right, to the right Run back to the right, to the right Now run to left, to the left, to the left Now run to the left, to the left Now run to the right, to the right, to the right Now wave the american flag Wave the american flag Wave the american flag Wave the american flag hey
Now cool off, cool off Now cool off, cool off HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Run back to the right, to the right
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Seychelles quiet on reported royal honeymooners
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
VICTORIA, Seychelles – The Seychelles' foreign minister said Thursday that the archipelago's privacy and seclusion make it a good honeymoon destination for people like Prince William and Kate — but would not confirm or deny reports that the British royal couple is there. Jean-Paul Adam said questions about the couple, now known as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, would have to be referred to Buckingham Palace. British media said the pair jetted off Tuesday to the Seychelles, a string of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) off the eastern coast of Kenya. "Obviously people will always speculate about them being in Seychelles, but Seychelles people do not feel that they need to talk about these things loudly,"
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Adam said. "We are somewhere that people come to get away from that kind of thing." But he said the couple has visited the islands before, as have other celebrities. The Seychelles has only 90,000 people and is used to hosting celebrities and the fabulously wealthy. "The Seychelles is well-known as a honeymoon destination, first of all," Adam said. "And secondly as a very private and secluded destination. And we have had William and Kate visit us before. So I think that a lot of people have, right from the start, put us in the running for being a country to host the honeymoon." Pierre Delplace, who manages a luxury hotel on the main Mahe Island, said residents know the royal couple is there. "It's the Seychelles' greatest trait:
everyone knows that they are here, but no one will talk about it," he said. "We know, of course we know ... it was even in a newspaper, but that's it. There's no case of everyone wanting to go and see them and take their photos, not at all. I think that discretion is the first rule of the Seychelles." Prince William and his wife are reportedly staying on the archipelago's secluded North Island, some 19 miles (30 kilometers) away from the capital of Victoria. "North Island is a private island, with 11 absolutely superb villas," Delplace said. "There, you have peace, you can do what you wish, you can eat what you like, when you like, where you like. There is no dress code, there is no stress, there are not people all around you. So, yes, they
have chosen the peace and beauty of the Seychelles." The island on Wednesday was closely monitored by three national coast guard boats, further fueling speculation that the royal couple had chosen it as their destination. The coast guard escorted away a boat that came too close. A company that owns many exclusive, lush islands in remote locations has refused to give out any details of the royal honeymoon until it is over. Buckingham Palace also has requested the royal couple's privacy be respected while they are on holiday. William proposed to Kate last October in a rustic log cabin on the slopes of Kenya's highest peak, Mount Kenya. Both Kenya and the Seychelles are former British colonies.
Whitney Arnold Schwarzenegger divorced Houston headed back to rehab Less than a year after heading out of the California Governor's Mansion, movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver, have announced a separation. This comes after 25 years of marriage. Shriver is a relative of the Kennedy political family and Schwarzenegger was a two-term Governor of the Golden State. Since Schwarzenegger left office, it had seemed as though the two were living separate lives. Shriver has worked on her women's empowerment website, guest edited an issue of Oprah Winfrey's magazine and promoted causes near to her heart, such as Alzheimer's research. She struggled with the death of her father, Sargent Shriver, in January, and took her son Patrick and some of his friends on an East Coast college tour in April.
Shriver, 55, spoke openly about the uncertainty she felt about moving on to the next phase of her life. "It is so stressful to not know what you're doing next," Shriver said in a March 28 YouTube video to supporters. Though there was no intimation of a split, Shriver appeared without her wedding ring. "I'd like to hear from other people in transition," Shriver said. "How did you get through it? What were three things that enabled you to get through your transition?" The former governor, 63, told a Times reporter in April that he yearned for a show business comeback. It was later announced that Schwarzenegger had signed on to star in three films, including another installment in the "Terminator" series. There hasn't been any word of an affair by either party-- it is still unclear for the immediate reasons for the divorce.
Lindsay Lohan expected to serve jail term at home Singer Whitney Houston recently entered an out-patient treatment program. "Whitney Houston is currently in an out-patient rehab program for drug and alcohol treatment," her rep told PEOPLE Magazine in a statement. "Whitney voluntarily entered the program to support her long-standing recovery process." Houston, 47, initially entered rehab in 2004, telling ABC News interviewer Diane Sawyer at the time: "I partied a lot. Trust me: I partied my tail off." But, the singer also admitted, "You get to a point where you know the party's over." She then received treatment again in 2005, this time with the help of her mother, Cissy Houston. Her latest attempt to get clean and sober is on the heels of a failed comeback tour that fizzled due to canceled shows coupled with due to performances where the singer appeared to be under the influence.
LOS ANGELES– Actress Lindsay Lohan was sentenced on Wednesday to four months in jail after changing her plea and effectively admitting stealing a $2,500 gold necklace from a Los Angeles store. But Lohan, who was not in court on Wednesday, will likely serve just 16-17 days of her sentence -- most likely under house arrest, officials said. "I am glad to be able to put this past me and move on with my life and my career," Lohan said in a statement. "I support the judge's decision and hold myself accountable for being in this situation." Lohan's lawyer entered a no contest plea on behalf of the actress to a reduced misdemeanor theft charge. Under California law, a no contest plea is an admission of guilt. Lohan, 24, who has been in and out of jail and drug rehab for almost four years, had previously insisted she was not guilty of deliberately walking out of a store in January without paying for the necklace she was wearing. Los Angeles Superior Court
Judge Stephanie Sautner sentenced the "Mean Girls" actress to 120 days behind bars, 480 hours community service and ordered her to report to jail on or before June 17. Sautner last month had imposed the same sentence on Lohan for violating her probation, and the two terms will run concurrently. However, Lohan's lawyer said the actress had applied to serve her sentence at home under a house arrest or electronic monitoring program designed to combat overcrowding in Los Angeles jails. "As they would with any other defendant with a similar sentence and a minimal criminal history, the Sheriff's Department will determine whether she is eligible for electronic monitoring and early release," attorney Shawn Holley told reporters after the hearing. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore, said that under programs for good behavior and because of overcrowding and budget constraints, Lohan would likely end up serving 16-17 days at home. Whitmore denied that Lohan
was getting special treatment because she was a celebrity. "Absolutely not. This is a lower level crime and it is certainly nonviolent. It appears that a person like Ms Lohan would be eligible." Lohan was also ordered to complete psychological counseling and an anti-shoplifting program. "I don't think the root of her problems is substance abuse. I think she has other problems for which she self medicates," Judge Sautner said. Lohan started her community service last week by working at a women's shelter in Los Angeles. But Sautner said she could not undertake her community service at the same time as being under house arrest. "I only hope that she benefits from seeing how other people's lives can become when you lose a couple months pay check," Sautner added. Lohan's once promising Hollywood career has been stalled since a 2007 drunk driving and cocaine possession arrest, five trips to rehab, and at least three brief stints in jail. However last month, she landed her first part in a major movie for several years in an upcoming feature about the New York Gotti crime family, alongside actors John Travolta and Al Pacino. Filming is due to start later this year.
KFWS • MindGym March 14, 2011
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March 14, 2011
King Features Weekly Service
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) With change dominant this week, don’t be surprised to find new facts emerging that could put another slant on a situation and offer you another choice. Think it through before you decide. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) There could be some lingering problems from a previous matter that involved a decision you felt you had to make. Resolve the situation with your strong Taurean nononsense approach. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) The Gemini’s carefully made plans could be undone by someone’s unexpected decision. Getting the full story behind that surprise move can help you decide how to deal with the matter CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Recently uncovered information might put a new light on a situation you thought had been resolved. Keep an open mind about possible changes that you might have to consider. LEO (July 23 to August 22) With a potential revision of an old agreement, you can’t beat the Big Cat for knowing how to sharpen a “clause” to the best advantage. Someone close could have the news you’ve been waiting for. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Certain issues in the workplace could put you in the middle of a dispute you’d rather not deal with. Express your honest feelings before the pressure to take sides builds up. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You might feel uneasy disagreeing with someone you’ve been close
King Features Weekly Service
March 14, 2011
TO THE VICTOR BELONG THE SPOILS
This deal from a team-offour match demonstrates how psychology sometimes plays a primary role in determining the outcome. The contract at both tables was three notrump played by South,—13— and both Wests led a spade. Both declarers won East’s ten with the jack, but that is where the similarity ended. Both declarers realized that they would need a club trick to make the contract, and also recognized the danger posed by the possibility that East might have the ace of clubs. In that case, East
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to. But your relationship should be able to withstand and even thrive when confronted with your true feelings. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A romantic situation seems to be creating more confusion than you can handle. If so, own up to your feelings. The sooner you do, the better your chances are for working things out. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) With change directing the Archer’s aim, consider a second look at your plans and see where they might benefit from a revision. A workplace matter is close to a resolution. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) New contacts help you learn some important information about upcoming developments. The week calls for the Sea Goat to be more flexible than usual in a number of matters. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) With both change and uncertainty in your aspect, you might feel less confident in a previous decision. That’s OK. Check it out and see where it could be modified, if necessary. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Old relationships that seemed to be sinking are buoyant again, and new relationships are benefiting from Cupid’s loving care. This could be a good time to make a major move. BORN THIS WEEK: While you prefer to tread your own path, you’ll go out of your way to help someone in need.
• one wri wh sag is n not The a m If as org the • out wa a tr gro any the 10 • futu flig are ma • ear as The atu • log is has pie
© 2011 King Features Synd., Inc.
could win the first club lead and return a spade. If West originally had five spades, this would defeat the contract. At the first table, South crossed to dummy with a diamond at trick two and led a low club toward his hand, hoping to steal his ninth trick if East had the ace and played low. Unfortunately for South, East alertly put up the ace and returned a spade, whereupon West cashed four spade tricks to sink the contract. The declarer at the second table found a more devious way to try to steal a club trick. After winning the first spade, he cashed the ace of diamonds and then led the club king. This sequence of plays was designed to foster the impression that South had started with the singleton ace of diamonds and was trying to create an entry to dummy. East was tempted to take his ace, but he had no way of knowing for sure that his partner could run four spade tricks. So East ducked the king, after which declarer ran like a thief with his nine tricks to net 700 points for his team. © 2011 King Features Synd., Inc.
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n vbve d he
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ur t, y of h n rt
a h as
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ts ly s, m er n k5, 5, e-
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MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
Golding plans to cut ten thousand jobs from Jamaica civil service
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Prime Minister Bruce Golding has tabled a ministry paper called the Master Rationalisation Plan that sets out the final decisions of Cabinet which calls for a cut in the public sector of over ten thousand workers over a five year period. Speaking in the Budget debate yesterday, Golding said, “The primary objective of the exercise was to improve the efficiency of government, not to cut staff, and that the impact on staffing would ultimately be determined by the final decisions on how MDAs (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) were to be restructured.” Golding noted that the programme will be implemented alongside the Public Sector Modernisation Programme (PSMP) of the Cabinet
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Office. The focus of the PSMP is to increase productivity, incorporate performance monitoring and evaluation systems and decentralize human resource management. When fully phased in over the five year period, the rationalisation plan is expected to result in $40 billion to $50 billion in savings on the fiscal budget. These savings will come primarily from staff reduction and the disposal of assets arising from the privatization and outsourcing of certain functions. Even greater benefit is expected from improved efficiency and productivity. It is projected that the staff complement will be reduced from the current levels of just over 118,000 to between 108,000 and 109,000 over the same five year period. Mr. Golding noted that the consultative environment fostered with
Bahamasair not attractive to investors Bahamasair is not an attractive acquisition for investors and it could be too costly if the government simply did away with it, according to Bahamasair’s chairman, J. Barrie Farrington. Farrington told The Nassau Guardian yesterday that nothing about Bahamasair’s operating results would be alluring to a private investor. He also suggested that, like Trinidad and Tobago’s BWIA airlines, it could cost the government millions just to shut Bahamasair down. Therefore, Farrington conceded that government and Bahamasair’s stakeholders – the Bahamian people – might have to tarry on with an airline that has consumed almost half a billion dollars since its creation in 1973. He said, however, that there are several options under consideration for the airline that could cut its losses. Bahamasair lost $24 million during the 2009/2010 fiscal year, according to the company’s latest annual report. “In my opinion, and the opinion of the board of directors, we are pretty much at the crossroads with respect to Bahamasair. And we are of the mind, as is the government, that we’re near the time when we need to make substantial changes to the way we operate the airline,” Farrington said. The leader of opposition business in the House of Assembly, Obie Wilchcombe, released a statement yesterday suggesting there is a need for a “paradigm shift” in the role of the national airline in the 21st Century Bahamas. “The government should now shift the purpose of the national flag carrier to filling the widening gap in tourism arrivals to The Bahamas,” Wilchcombe said. “A policy position should be taken that disallows Bahamasair using state funds to compete with small Bahamian airline owners.” Farrington suggested that Bahamasair’s executive body is exploring what Wilchcombe suggested. He said Bahamasair could be concentrated on markets that have not been fully developed in order to supplement the legacy carriers. “We are engaged in doing a number of models that deal with scheduling and the number of planes required,” Farrington said. “With such an undertaking, we are hopeful that we will be in a position within the next six to eight weeks to have something concrete that we can present to our oversight committee for making the decision and then pass it to government to gain (its) insight.”
input from staff at ministries, departments and agencies will continue. “In implementing these changes, close consultation will be maintained with public sector unions to minimise as far as possible the effects of the dislocation to the affected employees where this cannot be avoided,” Mr. Golding said. He noted that where services will be outsourced to private sector organisations, the government will, as done under previous memoranda of understanding with unions, engage in assisting displaced workers to seize the opportunity to provide those services themselves. He gave the example of the Government Printing Office that came off the fiscal budget and became a successful employee-owned organisation in the 1990s.
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Bruce Golding
In his remarks, Golding paid tribute to the leadership of distinguished public servant and former Permanent Secretary in the office of the Prime Minister, Mrs. Patricia Sinclair McCalla and to her team and the Consultative Monitoring Group led by Peter Moses which was intimately involved in the design, finetuning and delivery of the programme.
IMF says Haiti economy recovering
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti– Just over a year after the earthquake that devastated Haiti, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is reporting that the country’s economy is looking up. Indicators of improved performance, following the first review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement with the IMF, have earned the Caribbean nation another US$13.1 million from the Washington-based financial institution. The IMF said the completion of the review yesterday would enable the immediate disbursement of the funds, bringing total payments under the ECF to about US$26.2 million. “The authorities are to be commended for their good policy implementation, despite the challenging international and domestic environments. The Haitian economy is recovering, and just over a year after the devastating earthquake, essential state functions have been reinstated and prudent macroeconomic policies have helped support growth and contain inflation to single digit levels,” said IMF Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair Naoyuki Shinohara. “The economic outlook is favorable, provided that the authorities and the international community make concerted efforts to accelerate the reconstruction and facilitate the transition from disaster recovery to policies aimed at ensuring high and sustained growth and poverty reduction.” It is within that context, Shinohara said, that the disbursement of donor pledges together with the authorities’ timely implementation of structural reforms, notably in the areas of economic governance and the business environment are equally important. The IMF official noted that the aim for Haitian authorities this fiscal year is to consolidate the recovery and reconstruction efforts, raise domestic revenue, contain current expenditure and align the budget to support the reconstruction priorities and povertyreduction spending in the context of sustainable public financing. “These fiscal commitments will need to be complemented by further improvements in public financial management and economic governance,” he said. Haiti’s ECF arrangement was approved on July 21, 2010 along with the full relief of the country’s outstanding US$268 million debt to the IMF. Both decisions formed part of a broad strategy to support Haiti’s longer term reconstruction plans, following the January 12, 2010 earthquake.
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Bermuda opposition parties to merge to challenge ruling party CARIBBEAN NEWS
HAMILTON, Bermuda – The United Bermuda Party (UBP) and the Bermuda Democratic Alliance (BDA) will merge next week promising to represent all citizens regardless of race and class. The One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) will formally be announced at a news conference on Tuesday and is likely to be led by veteran politician John Barritt. The Royal Gazette newspaper said it had obtained a leaked copy of the new party’s constitution that indicates it has been founded on the principles of opportunity, responsibility, integrity, transparency, fairness, inclusiveness and service. It will operate as “a broad church” as it will be open to all those with the country’s best interests at heart. “Members of the One Bermuda Alliance understand that our community is tired of politics as usual and putting political parties first at the expense of what is best for Bermuda. “We will enhance our democracy by making our parliamentary system more inclusive, more transparent and more collaborative for the public and parliamentarians.” The new party, which is expected to challenge the ruling Progressive Labour Party (PLP) in the next general election, says it will address crime, violence, gangs and drugs with
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a modern justice system. It is also promising to renew fiscal prudence to ensure Government lives within its means and enhance g international business and rejuvenating tourism. It said an education system to help children compete in 21st century will also be adopted as well as a more affordable and accessible healthcare. The new party’s executive committee will be made up of a chairperson, two deputy chairpersons, a treasurer, a secretary, the leader, deputy leader and two others elected as regional officers, according to the constitution. UBP Devonshire South Central MP Mr Barritt has long been touted as the favourite person for the top job. UBP Senator Michael Dunkley and BDA leader Craig Cannonier are understood to have been other possible contenders. Mr Barritt is very popular and wellrespected as UBP leader of the House, Party Whip and Shadow Minister for Legislative Reform and Justice. The married father-of-three has been an MP since 1993 having formerly worked as a journalist for The Royal Gazette and was then the editor of The Bermuda Sun. He then went to law school and qualified as an attorney, currently working as a consultant attorney with Mello Jones & Martin.
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
RUSSIA OPENS DOORS TO ST LUCIANS CASTRIES, St Lucia,– St Lucians have been told to expect some academic benefits, in the field of science and technology, as their government enhances diplomatic relations with Russia. The two have signed a Protocol of Intentions which will, among other things, provide a number of state scholarships at Russian universities and territory institutions. “This protocol of intention allows us to move in the multilateral arena and to hold discussions in terms of improving our bilateral relations,” Minister of External Affairs, International Trade and Investment Rufus Bousquet said. “Of course it also includes a clause which allows us to put high level experts to hold discussions on matters of mutual interest…We understand that Russia has a very strong academic record in the areas of engineering and I am sure that there will be many St Lucians who would like to take advantage of that expertise.” Russia's Ambassador designate to St Lucia, Victor Zotin, said that the island’s tourism industry will also receive assistance as his government’s is willing to collaborate to boost tourist arrivals from his country. “I hope very much that the other steps will follow this document and we shall develop a relationship between our two states. We are interested in developing all round relations with your country: education, investments and tourism which is very important for your country. I hope very much that more and more Russians will come to your beautiful island of St Lucia,” Ambassador Zotin said. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in 1979, soon after the country gained political independence from Great Britain.
Three children die in Nassau house fire
THREE children died and four others were in critical condition at the Princess Margaret Hospital Wednesday after a fire engulfed their home on Sandilands Village Road. Their father, who neighbours say, operates a small electrical repair shop out of the building, reportedly left the seven siblings, whose ages range from two to 10, at home alone. His wife, it is reported, does not live in the country. According to police press liaison officer Sgt Chrislyn Skippings, the fire started sometime after 3.40pm. A short time later it had engulfed the lower level of the apartment complex. As the blaze started to consume
Allen Stanford
the structure, neighbours banded together and tried to save the children who could be heard screaming inside. Father and son, Kendall Wildgoose Sr and Jr tried their best to break through the front door of the apartment but were thwarted in their attempts by the heat of the inferno. However, when firefighters soon arrived and extinguished the blaze, they discovered the seven children in an "unresponsive state" in an eastern bedroom of the apartment. Sgt Skippings said: "A male child was pronounced dead at the scene, while the six other children were taken to hospital by EMS personnel where it is reported that an
additional two children succumbed." While seeking to not identify the father, Sgt Skippings did confirm that a "male relative" is assisting the police with their investigations into the fire. The constituency's Member of Parliament, Ryan Pinder, was on hand as investigators taped off the area. Describing the scene as a "tragedy", Mr Pinder said his prayers are with the family. "I received a phone call shortly after the police were dispatched and made my way here. Everybody is sad. This is a tight-knit community on Sandilands Village Road. Everybody knows each other, and
everybody looks out for each other," he said. Mr Pinder's former rival for the constituency, Dr Duane Sands, also arrived at the scene yesterday, and expressed his sympathies for the family and their loss. Noting that he was on his way to the hospital to assist doctors there with the resuscitation efforts, Dr Sands said the challenge right now for the remaining four children is dealing with the damage that was undoubtedly done to their airways. "So, we are very grateful to God that they have made it, but the next few days are going to be very, very dicey in terms of how they do," he said.
Stanford to face fraud trial in September TEXAS, United States– Alleged Ponzi Schemer Allen Stanford will go to trial in another four months, a judge has decided. US District Judge David Hittner, who had postponed Stanford’s January trial so he could get treatment for addiction to antidepressants, this week signed an order for the court case to begin with jury selection on September 12. Stanford’s defence team has not indicated whether it is in agreement
with the new date. However, one of his attorneys, Ali Fazel, said his client was still in rehab in a hospital unit at a federal prison in Butner, North Carolina. He has been there since Judge Hittner ruled him incompetent to stand trial and ordered rehab. Stanford, who is accused of bilking investors out of US$7 billion through the sale of fraudulent certificates of deposit by his Stanford International Bank in
Antigua, will face 14 charges when his trial begins. He’d originally been charged with 21 counts including mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and obstructing a US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation. However, prosecutors dropped seven of the charges last week. The former billionaire could face 20 years in prison if convicted on any of the fraud counts.
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UN expects fresh Haiti cholera outbreaks with rains
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
PORT-AU-PRINCE – Humanitarian workers in Haiti are preparing for fresh cholera outbreaks as the rainy season threatens to revive an epidemic that has killed nearly 5,000 people since October, U.N. officials said Wednesday. The warning from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) reflects big challenges that will confront Haitian President-elect Michel Martelly. Martelly, a former carnival singer with no previous government experience, takes the reins of his impoverished, earthquake-battered Caribbean nation Saturday. Martelly has said that fighting the seven-month-old cholera epidemic and helping destitute survivors of the 2010 earthquake will be immediate priorities of his presidency. A huge U.N.-led humanitarian
THREE CHARGED IN DEMON CLEANSING FRAUD
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operation has helped to reduce the fatality rate from the cholera epidemic from peaks last year when dozens of sick patients were dying every day. But downpours heralding this year's rainy season appear to have led to increased cholera cases again in some areas, prompting fears of fresh outbreaks of the deadly diarrheal disease that is spread by contaminated water and food. "More water means more cholera and the sanitation in the country is still very weak," OCHA spokesperson Emmanuelle Schneider told Reuters. "We are calling for heightened vigilance ... we are expecting (fresh) outbreaks of cholera in the West, including Port-au-Prince, South and Southeast Departments," she added. The epidemic is not expected to regain the deadly force seen in previous months. But aid workers said the fresh
FLORIDA, United States – Three women in the United States have been charged with fraud after allegedly tricking people in the tiny British Overseas Territory of Anguilla and the US states of Texas and Wisconsin into sending them tens of thousands of dollars to get rid of evil spirits. Police in the Caribbean island helped US federal authorities in the investigation that led to the arrest of Bridgette Evans, 32, of Florida and Polly Evans, 36, and Olivia Evans, 22, both of Texas. They are each facing two counts of mail fraud and ten counts of wire fraud, according to an indictment filed in the US District Court of the Southern District of Florida which lists 10 separate wire transactions, totaling US$59,000, from December 2007 to October 2008. Federal prosecutors allege that from January 2007 through February 2009, the defendants falsely represented to their victims that they had the power to detect the presence of evil spirits and get rid of these evil spirits and resulting illnesses through a religious cleansing. The women induced the victims to send them thousands of dollars, promising to return the money after the purported cleansings. In one instance, one person sent a Rolex watch with a prism after being told it was needed as “a vortex for demons to return to hell”. As was the case with the money, the watch was never returned as promised. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison on each count.
outbreaks underline the vulnerability of much of the population in the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation. Haiti's health ministry says the epidemic killed 4,938 people from midOctober up to April 29. "We are afraid that with the rainy season and the cyclones it's going to be quite problematic again," said Esther van der Woerdt, a coordinator with the PAHO/World Health Organization. The United Nations has been embarrassed by investigations into the epidemic that indicate that cholera may have been introduced to Haiti by U.N. peacekeepers, although the world body says there is no conclusive evidence. Schneider said the United Nations and its humanitarian partners need more funding to cover a U.N. appeal for around $175 million to cover the cholera response, and $950 million requested last year by the world body
for earthquake aid. The U.N. cholera response appeal has been only 48 percent covered by donors, while the response to the U.N. earthquake appeal lags even further, with only 20 percent covered. "We need more money than this ... we predict that there's still going to be 500,000 people in camps at the end of the year," Schneider said, referring to homeless earthquake victims who are still sheltering in tent and tarpaulin camps. The 2010 quake killed more than 300,000 people and initially left more than 1.5 million homeless. Foreign donors, who have pledged billions of dollars of reconstruction funds, are hoping that Martelly can form a stable government in one of the world's most volatile states to channel aid and investment into the wrecked economy.
US Coast Guard repatriates 48 Cubans The United States Coast Guard says it has repatriated 48 Cubans intercepted at sea to the Spanish-speaking Caribbean island. The Coast Guard said since April 28, cutters in the Florida Straits have intercepted at least 59 Cubans in nine separate episodes. It said that 48 of them were returned to the island, nine were taken to the Guantánamo naval base because they might qualify for resettlement in a third country, and two others were brought ashore because they were legal residents of the United States, the Coast Guard said. It said it periodically intercepts and returns to Cuba dozens of nationals as part of the “wet foot /dry foot” policy in which Cuban migrants intercepted at sea are generally repatriated while those who reach shore can stay and apply for US legal residence after more than a year in the country. The Coast Guard said since October 1, at least 365 Cuban migrants have been intercepted in the Florida
Straits, disclosing that a year ago, from October 1, 2009, to May 1, 2010, only 135 Cuban migrants were stopped. “In April, we had the largest number of Cuban migrant interdictions so far this fiscal year, with 125 Cuban migrants,” said Lieutenant Commander Matt Moorlag, a Coast Guard spokesman here. “Though interceptions may be rising, the number is still much lower than the figures we saw between 2005 and 2008,” he added. During those years, the number of Cubans intercepted at sea exceeded 2,000 per year. Interceptions began to decline dramatically in 2009, when the number reached only 799, Moorlag said. He said the Coast Guard had also noticed a difference in migrants intercepted in recent months compared to those stopped between 2005 and 2009. In those years, Moorlag said Cubans intercepted had been largely brought by smugglers using fast boats. But many of the migrants intercepted recently have come in homemade, “rustic” boats, he said.
Jamaican voters want a change of Government, according opinion polls
KINGSTON, Jamaica– Jamaicans want a change of government according to an opinion poll published here. The poll, conducted by University of the West Indies (UWI) professor, Ian Boxill for the RJR Communications Group, found that 57.5 per cent of Jamaicans said it was time for a change from the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government while 32.4 per cent said that there was no need for a change. The poll also shows that the JLP is trailing the main opposition People's National Party (PNP) as the organization likely to garner most votes if an election were held now.
In the April 9-15 poll, 36 per cent of Jamaicans said they would vote for the PNP, giving the party an 11 per cent lead over the JLP, a four percentage drop from the party's ratings in the July 2010 poll. The pollsters said that 12.6 per cent of those questioned were undecided and 22 per cent said they would not be voting. The poll also reflected a growing disaffection among members of the public with politics - as only 45 per cent of potential voters said they would vote in the next election. This represents an eight per cent drop in the numbers since the last poll in July 2010 when 39 per cent said they were not likely to
vote. On the other hand, 13 per cent said they were more likely to vote for a third party in a general election. But both the JLP and the PNP the two main political parties here – continue to have higher unfavourable than favourable ratings. Since the July 2010 poll, the PNP's favourable ratings have remained relatively unchanged, while those of the JLP have declined by 10 per cent moving down to 28.8 per cent in April. The JLP's unfavourable ratings have also increased by eight per cent to 56 per cent in 2011, while the PNP's unfavourable ratings have declined by five per cent to 44.6 per cent.
UK REJECTS CHANGES TO THEIR VOTING SYSTEM
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The UK has voted overwhelmingly to reject changing the way MPs are elected - dealing a bitter blow to Nick Clegg on top of heavy Lib Dem poll losses. Officials say 19.1m people voted in the second UK-wide referendum in history - a higher than expected turnout of 41%. The final result put the Yes vote at 32.1% and the No vote at 67.9%. It comes as the Lib Dems suffered a rout in English local elections - and the SNP scored an historic victory in the Scottish Parliament poll. Alex Salmond's party will form a majority government - humbling Labour in one of its traditional heartlands and paving the way for a referendum on Scottish independence. Labour made significant gains in town halls in the north of England and in the Welsh assembly elections, it fell just short of an absolute majority. Labour also held Leicester South in a Parliamentary by-election with an increased majority, although the Lib Dems hung on to second place. Sir Peter Soulsby, whose decision to stand down triggered the contest, won the contest to be Leicester mayor. The Conservatives managed to
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make significant gains too - with their Lib Dem coalition partners apparently bearing the brunt of public anger over spending cuts at English local elections. And there was a double blow for Lib Dem leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg - who saw his dream of ditching Britain's first-pastthe-post electoral system comprehensively dashed. Mr Clegg said: "I wish I could say this was a photo finish but it isn't, the result is very clear. I'm a passionate supporter of political reform but when the answer is as clear as this, you have got to accept it." "This is a bitter blow for all those people, like me, who believe in the need for political reform." The official result of the AV referendum was declared early on Saturday morning. According to the Electoral Commission, 6,152,607 voted Yes to the Alternative Vote, while 13,013,123 voted No. Labour leader Ed Miliband - who also backed AV, while many of his own party did not - said he was "disappointed" but the people had "spoken clearly and it's a verdict I
MUBARAK DETENTION EXTENDED; FORMER TOURISM MINISTER GETS 5 YEARS
Hosni Mubarak will remain in detention for at least another 15 days, as prosecutors further investigate the former Egyptian president and other high-ranking members of his deposed government, state media reported. Mubarak and two sons were detained in connection with the deaths of protesters during unrest that led to the president's ouster, an official with Egypt's Justice Ministry said at the time of their detentions. Prosecutors also have been investigating what properties and bank accounts the Mubaraks have. Meanwhile, former Tourism Minister Zoheir Garranah has been sentenced to five years in prison for squandering public funds and illegal profiteering, according to Adel Saeed, a prosecutor's spokesman. Garranah is the latest former government minister to receive a prison sentence in the wake of the demonstrations and Mubarak's resignation. Last week, Interior Minister Habib El Adly was handed a 12-year prison sentence for corruption. He will face a separate trial on May 21 for his role in the killing of protesters during the unrest. Former Finance Minister Youssef Boutros Ghali is also charged with squandering public funds. He fled the country on February 12, according to a written statement from the prosecutor's office. Several other former top government officials are under investigation for corruption, prosecutors say.
accept". But David Cameron, whose Conservative Party campaigned to keep first-past-the-post, said the referendum had delivered a "resounding answer that settles the question" over electoral change and people now wanted the government to get on with governing in the national interest. The director of the No campaign, Matthew Elliott, said he had been "astonished" at the scale of the No victory: "I personally believe that this result will settle the debate over changing our electoral system for the next generation." Mr Clegg told the BBC the Lib Dems were facing "the brunt of the blame" for coalition spending cuts, adding that, for some voters, they were bringing out "memories of things under Thatcher". He promised to "redouble our efforts" and "get up and dust ourselves down". BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the order had gone out from Conservative HQ that Tories, who campaigned against their Lib Dem coalition partners over AV, should not be seen gloating. But he said while there was no serious talk about challenging Mr
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
Clegg's leadership, Mr Clegg was expected to put up more of a fight against his Conservative colleagues so there would be more difficult months ahead for the coalition. The Lib Dems have lost almost half their councillors whose seats were up for grabs but the Conservatives, who already controlled more councils than all the other parties put together, have increased their number of councillors and gained control of two councils. In Northern Ireland, The DUP and Sinn Fein are expected to remain the biggest parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly, but there has been controversy over the system for counting votes. The SNP's victory in Scotland is the first time any party has achieved a majority since the 129-seat Scottish Parliament was established in 1999. Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said he would stand down in the autumn. In Wales, Labour won 30 assembly seats, one short of the 31 needed to gain an overall majority. The Conservatives made gains, but Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems suffered losses.
Queen Elizabeth becomes UK’s secondlongest reigning monarch
LONDON – Queen Elizabeth who was king from 1760 until surpassed George III on Thursday 1820 during the period that the to become the second-longest United States won independence reigning British monarch in more from Britain, into third place. than 1,000 years of history. George suffered from mental Only Queen Victoria -illness in the latter part of his life whose relatives and descendants which was documented in the make up a who's who of successful film "The Madness of European royalty across the 19th, King George." 20th and 21st centuries -- spent Buckingham Palace said there more time on the throne. would be no celebration to mark The 85-year-old Elizabeth II, the occasion. "It's business as who acceded to the throne on usual," a spokesman said. February 6, 1952, has now ruled The queen, who celebrates her for 59 years and 95 days, more diamond jubilee next year, will than every other monarch bar become the longest reigning Victoria in more than 1,000 years monarch in September 2015. Queen Elizabeth II of British history when leap-year Last month, Prince Charles, days are included. 62, broke the record for spending the The longevity of her reign pushes George III, longest time as heir-to-the-throne.
PAIR OF CONJOINED TWINS SEEN AT HOSPITAL
A pair of conjoined twins is seen at a hospital in Suining, Sichuan province, May 9, 2011. The twin sisters, who were born on May 5 weighing 4.05 kg (9 lbs), are still in critical condition due to the proximity of their heads causing breathing difficulties, local media reported.
Bin Laden sons say US broke international law
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
WASHINGTON — The adult sons of Osama bin Laden have lashed out at President Obama in their first public reaction to their father’s death, accusing the United States of violating its basic legal principles by killing an unarmed man, shooting his family members and disposing of his body in the sea. The statement, provided to The New York Times on Tuesday, said the family was asking why Bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda, “was not arrested and tried in a court of law so that truth is revealed to the people of the world.” Citing the trials of Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi leader, and Slobodan Milosevic, the former Serbian leader, the statement questioned “the propriety of such assassination where not only international law has been blatantly violated,” but the principles of presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial were ignored. “We maintain that arbitrary killing is not a solution to political problems,” the statement said, adding that “justice must be seen to be done.” The statement, prepared at the direction of Omar bin Laden, who had publicly denounced his father’s terrorism, was provided to The Times by Jean Sasson, an American author who helped the younger Mr. Bin Laden write a 2009 memoir, “Growing Up bin Laden.” A shorter, slightly different statement was posted on jihadist Web sites. Omar bin Laden, 30, lived with his father in Afghanistan until 1999, when he left with his mother, Najwa bin Laden, who co-wrote the memoir. In
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L-R: Omar bin Laden and his father Osama Bin Laden
the book and other public statements, the younger Mr. bin Laden had denounced violence of all kinds, a stance he repeated in the sons’ statement. “We want to remind the world that Omar bin Laden, the fourth-born son of our father, always disagreed with our father regarding any violence and always sent messages to our father, that he must change his ways and that no civilians should be attacked under any circumstances,” the statement said. “Despite the difficulty of publicly disagreeing with our father, he never hesitated to condemn any violent attacks made by anyone, and expressed sorrow for the victims of any and all attacks.” Condemning the shooting of one of the Qaeda leader’s wives during the
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assault on May 2 in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the statement added, “As he condemned our father, we now condemn the president of the United States for ordering the execution of unarmed men and women.” In explaining the killing of Bin Laden, Obama administration officials have cited the principle of national selfdefense in international law, noting that Bin Laden had declared war on the United States, killed thousands of Americans and vowed to kill more. The sons’ statement called on the government of Pakistan to hand over to family members the three wives and a number of children now believed to be in Pakistani custody and asked for a United Nations investigation of the circumstances of their father’s death. None of Osama bin Laden’s sons
other than Omar, who lives in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, were named in the statement; Ms. Sasson said she believed it was approved by three other adult sons who have not lived with their father for many years. Before Osama bin Laden fled Afghanistan in 2001, he had at least 11 sons, one of whom was killed in the assault last week, and nine daughters, by Ms. Sasson’s count. In addition to the statement, Ms. Sasson shared notes on what Omar bin Laden, who declined to be interviewed directly, had told her by telephone in recent days. The notes describe Mr. Bin Laden’s struggle, as he came of age, to understand and eventually reject his father’s embrace of religious violence. Mr. Bin Laden told Ms. Sasson that the death of his father “has affected this family in much the same way as many other families” that experience such a loss. But he also described a childhood of “upheavals and relocations” that, she said, “caused his mother and siblings great upset and danger.” Mr. Bin Laden said that by the age of 18, after Al Qaeda had plotted the bombings of two American Embassies in East Africa and two years before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, he had concluded “that the course of action his father was taking was not for him, irrespective of what his father’s wishes were,” Ms. Sasson said. Eventually he asked his father’s permission to leave Afghanistan with his mother and younger siblings. He told Ms. Sasson that he “thanks Allah that his father granted his permission for this departure, otherwise the grief the family faces could be even greater.”
NATO strikes Libyan capital after Gadhafi appears
TRIPOLI, Libya – NATO airstrikes struck Moammar Gadhafi's sprawling compound in Tripoli and three other sites early Thursday, hours after the Libyan leader was shown on state TV in his first appearance since his son was killed nearly two weeks ago. Explosions thundered across the capital and ambulances raced through the city as the last missile exploded. Government officials and state-run Libyan television said the strikes targeted Bab al-Azaziya, Gadhafi's compound, but did not specify which buildings were hit. Reporters who were taken there later Thursday saw one missile-damaged building, and evidence that at least three missiles had hit the compound. NATO, which has hit the Libyan capital repeatedly this week, said Thursday's attack successfully hit "a large command and control bunker complex in downtown Tripoli that was used to coordinate attacks against civilian populations." In the eastern city of Benghazi, headquarters for the opposition movement trying to topple Gadhafi, rebel spokesman Abdel-Hafidh Ghoga claimed that anti-Gadhafi residents in the Tripoli area were staging peaceful demonstrations in many neighborhoods, prompting the regime to deploy troops and tanks in the streets that may have been diverted from other regions. Ghoga, who did not specify the source of his information, said anti-Gadhafi militants had burned a police station in one suburb, and were setting up night patrols and checkpoints in other neighborhoods. There was no immediate independent confirmation of his claims; the foreign
journalists in Tripoli are assigned government minders and limited in their movements. After the early-morning airstrikes, medics arrived at Khadra Hospital with the bodies of two men they said were killed in the attack. One of bodies was charred; the other was covered by a green blanket, a leg dangling from the stretcher. From a bus ferrying reporters to the hospital, smoke could be seen rising from part of the Gadhafi compound. Skid marks left from screeching vehicles crisscrossed the roads around it. The medics said others had been killed by the airstrikes and were still being retrieved from the compound. Gadhafi's compound has been a frequent site of recent airstrikes, including one on April 30 that killed the leader's son, Seif al-Arab. Officials said Gadhafi — Libya's autocratic leader for 42 years — was in the compound when that strike occurred but escaped unharmed. NATO has repeatedly said all its targets in Libya are military and that it is not targeting Gadhafi or other individuals. In its latest update Thursday, NATO denied targeting the North Korean Embassy in Tripoli — a response to a report by the Libyan state news agency JANA that the embassy had been damaged during one of this week's strikes. Gadhafi had seven sons and one daughter. He also had an adopted daughter who was killed in 1986 when a U.S. airstrike hit the Bab al-Aziziya residential compound in retaliation for a bombing attack on a German disco in which two U.S. servicemen were killed..
In an apparent effort to dispel rumors that Gadhafi himself had been killed, Libyan state TV showed him meeting tribal leaders, but did not record him speaking. To authenticate the scene, the camera zoomed in on the date on a TV monitor in the room, which read Wednesday, May 11. It was apparently recorded at the hotel where foreign correspondents must reside in Tripoli. Gadhafi did not make himself available to them. The last time Gadhafi had been seen in public previously was April 9, when he visited a school in Tripoli. Intensified NATO airstrikes on Gadhafi's forces across Libya have given a boost to rebels fighting to oust the regime, with the opposition claiming Wednesday that it had captured the airport in the western city of Misrata. In all, NATO said, the alliance has carried out more than 2,400 airstrikes since March 31 as part of the effort to assist the rebels and pressure Gadhafi relinquish power. Even though some of the recent reports of ground combat are difficult to confirm, they seem to represent a major boost for the rebels' military prospects after weeks of stalemate on several fronts. The rebels control most of eastern Libya, but Misrata — about 125 miles (200 kilometers) southeast of Tripoli — is the only rebel stronghold in the west. Local doctors say more than 1,000 of its residents have been killed in the fighting and shelling during the siege by Gadhafi's forces. In Tripoli, a government spokesman, Moussa Ibrahim, denied the Misrata rebels' claims of success, saying regime forces still held the airport.
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US President Obama calls for immigration system reform
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President Barack Obama has called for broad reform of the US immigration system, while highlighting steps he has taken to strengthen border security. In Texas, Mr Obama backed a path to legal status for illegal immigrants, as well as crackdowns on employers who hire illegal workers. He called on Congress to reject "the usual Washington games" and enact a comprehensive overhaul. An estimated 11m illegal immigrants, most of them Hispanic, live in the US. In El Paso, a Texas border city, Mr Obama said he had satisfied calls from conservatives to tighten security at the border and to increase deportations of illegal immigrants. He called on Congress to reform the immigration system in a manner that would encourage skilled and motivated immigrants to participate in American society while ending what he called an underground economy that preys on low-wage illegal immigrants. "We need to come together around reform that reflects our values as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants, that demands everyone take responsibility," he said. Immigration reform is of particular importance to the growing Hispanic electorate, which is Democraticleaning and whose continued support Mr Obama will need in his 2012 re-election bid. Ahead of Mr Obama's speech, White House aides stressed Mr Obama remained committed to reform, even though Republicans derailed overhaul efforts in 2006, 2007 and 2010. In Texas, Mr Obama mocked Republican opponents on the issue. "We have gone above and beyond what was requested by the very Republicans who said they supported broader reform as long as we got serious about enforcement," Mr Obama said.
"But even though we've answered these concerns, I suspect there will be those who will try to move the goal posts one more time... Maybe they'll say we need a moat. Or alligators in the moat." Opponents, mostly conservatives, have criticised proposals as an unacceptable "amnesty" for people who have broken the law - even though one major proposal backed by Democrats would have applied only to those who came to the US as children. While Washington DC has been unable to achieve federal immigration reform, three states have sought to take action themselves. Arizona, Georgia and Utah have passed measures giving police the power to demand documentation from people they suspect of being illegal immigrants who have been detained on other charges. Arizona's law has been put on hold by the federal courts. Meanwhile, a judge in Utah blocked the state's new immigration law on Friday, just hours after it went into effect. District Judge Clark Waddoups issued his ruling in Salt Lake City, citing its similarity to Arizona's law. The American Civil Liberties Union and National Immigration Law Center had sued to stop the law in Utah, saying it was modelled after the Arizona and that its implementation could lead to racial profiling. In 2008, 67% of Hispanics voted for Mr Obama, compared with 31% for Republican John McCain, exit polls showed. The Hispanic vote pushed Mr Obama over the margin of victory in four states won by President George Bush in 2004, some analysts calculate. The Republican Party lost significant support among Hispanic voters following the 2004 election, in which Mr Bush won 40% of the Hispanic vote, in part because of the party's hard line on illegal immigration, analysts say.
Gingrich jumps into presidential race Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich made it official Wednesday: He's running for president. The Georgia Republican announced via Twitter that he is formally seeking the 2012 GOP presidential nomination. Gingrich is widely viewed as the most serious official Republican candidate so far. "I'm announcing my candidacy for president of the United States because I believe we can return America to hope and opportunity," the former speaker said in a campaign video posted online. "We Americans are going to have to talk together, to work together, find solutions together, and insist on imposing those solutions on those forces that don't want to change." The candidate called for more jobs, a balanced budget and decentralized government. "There are some people who don't mind if America becomes a wreck so long as they dominate the wreckage," Gingrich said. "But you and I know better." Let's get together, look reality in the face, tell the truth, make the tough choices and get the job done," he declared. "There's a much better American future ahead." House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, said earlier Wednesday that "the discussion
Alleged rape victim flees Libya
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TFormer House Speaker Newt Gingrich
around the presidential race will obviously increase" when Gingrich entered the race for the GOP nomination. "I think Gingrich has always been an ideas man, and I'm sure that will provide a lot of positive input to the debate," Cantor said. Gingrich's online announcement followed a recent trend by national politicians to make major announcements through the Internet. Barack Obama first announced his selection of Joe Biden as his running mate in 2008 on his campaign website and in a text message to supporters. Then-Sen. Hillary Clinton announced her presidential candidacy in 2007 with the release of a statement and video on her campaign website. Asked about his embracing of technology to make his
announcement, Gingrich told Fox News' Sean Hannity on Wednesday night that "there are a lot of principles that haven't changed." He came out swinging against Obama, the "elite" media and Hollywood. Obama should be ashamed of himself for "dishonest scare tactics" in comments about Republican approaches to the budget and immigration, Gingrich said, adding he wanted to "clear away the liberal policies." The candidate has traveled to key early voting states trying to build a network of support and has met with fundraisers. He has assembled a campaign team and told supporters he aims to raise $100 million. During his appearances, the former speaker has pushed a wide array of policy proposals in his bid to lay the foundation of a campaign and prove he is a serious candidate, not just a symbol of the past. "I expect the American people in the end will be remarkably fair. They'll render judgment, and they'll decide whether or not Newt Gingrich is somebody that they think can solve the country's problems and be the kind of leader they want for this country," Gingrich told Fox News in March. He has given his audiences a lot of political red meat and has not shied away from controversy.
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
The father of the woman who was dragged away by officials loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi after telling journalists that some of his troops had beaten and raped her said Monday that his daughter is in Qatar. Eman al-Obeidy, who garnered worldwide attention for her vocal allegations against Gadhafi's regime, had told CNN she fled Libya, fearing for her safety. Her father declined to provide further details about her whereabouts, but said he spoke to her Monday and she told him she is in Qatar. Al-Obeidy told CNN in a previous interview that she crossed into Tunisia on Thursday with the help of a defecting military officer and his family. She said she left Tripoli in a military car, wearing a head cover that hid everything except one eye. Al-Obeidy said she entered at the Dahibah border crossing disguised "in the local manner" and was not challenged. She described the trip from Tripoli as "very tiring." Along the road to Tunisia, the car she was in was stopped several times at checkpoints, al-Obeidy said. The military officer would show his permit and they would be allowed to continue, she said. Al-Obeidy said she was able to make the crossing by using a refugee document. European diplomats drove her from the border region to Tunis, and gave her sanctuary there while she considered her future, according to Western diplomatic sources. She said she was afraid she was being followed and might still be in danger, adding that she hoped she could obtain protection from a Western government. "I still do not know what I am going to do. Of course I'd like to see my family," she said, speaking in Tunisia. Al-Obeidy's mother learned about her daughter's escape after seeing news reports on TV, her father told CNN from the family's hometown of Tobruk, Libya, on Sunday. Atiq Al-Obeidy said that his wife then called him, and both parents were overjoyed. Atiq Al-Obeidy admitted he was "not optimistic" that his daughter would be able to safely leave Libya, thinking forces loyal to Gadhafi "would do the worst to her, given his past." "I am extremely delighted, and I will be looking forward to more information about how she was able to escape," the woman's father said Sunday. Eman al-Obeidy received worldwide attention on March 26, when she burst into the Rixos Hotel in Tripoli while international journalists staying there were having breakfast. She told reporters she had been taken from a checkpoint east of Tripoli and held against her will for two days while being beaten and raped by 15 men.
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Obama way ahead of Republicans for 2012 election
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama has a wide lead over potential Republican rivals for the presidential election in 2012, but faces serious doubts about his handling of the U.S. economy, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found on Wednesday. The survey offered a boost for the president after the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Now, 45 percent of Americans believe he will win re-election, a 1O-point rise from a poll taken before November's congressional elections. The survey is an indication of how difficult it will be for Republicans to dislodge an incumbent president in the November 2012 election. Ipsos pollster Julia Clark said the Republican results are likely to improve as the field takes shape and Americans begin hearing more about Obama's challengers. "Most people don't know much about any of these people, and plus there is always an advantage for the incumbent," she said.
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The field of possible Republicans challengers to Obama has not generated much enthusiasm so far, with several waiting to announce their candidacy. Obama, who made history in 2008 by becoming the first AfricanAmerican to be elected president, leads possible Republican candidates by double digits. He polls above 50 percent when compared to his closest rivals, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, according to the poll. Obama leads Huckabee by 51 percent to 39 percent, and Romney by 51 percent to 38 percent. The president's approval rating is at 49 percent, a 3-point increase over last month, amounting to only a modest bounce after the May 2 bin Laden operation. Other surveys have given him a slightly larger post-bin Laden boost. Obama got no lift on the economic front, the issue that is most likely to
determine whether he wins again in 2012. Only 34 percent of Americans approve of his handling of the economy, a finding linked directly to a surge in gasoline prices to around $4 a gallon. It was the lowest approval for Obama on the economy in the Ipsos poll since he took office in January 2009. Although employers have been hiring at a faster rate in recent months, Americans are still grappling with 9 percent unemployment. "The economy and jobs are definitely the No. 1 issues," said Ipsos pollster Julia Clark. While the successful bin Laden mission pushed Obama's approval rating on handling terrorism to 59 percent, "that is probably not enough to swing an election because we know the economy is the most important issue," Clark said. American attitudes about whether the country is on the right or wrong track have improved. Now, 56 percent
FAA proposes major revamp of airline pilot training
Airline pilots and flight attendants would have to learn how to respond to "real world" scenarios and demonstrate those skills in flight simulators and in emergency drills under proposed FAA rules. Federal Aviation Administrator Randy Babbitt called the changes to pilot training, proposed Wednesday, "the most significant changes" to crew training in 20 years. In the past, officials said, pilots were required to learn how to recognize and recover from problems such as aeronautic stalls or flight upsets. Under the proposed rule, they will also have to demonstrate their skills in flight simulators. Additionally, flight crews, flight attendants and even ground-based airline dispatchers will have to train as a team on how to respond to emergencies. The proposed rule is a mash-up of a rule first proposed in January 2009 and newer proposals prompted by the crash just one month later of Colgan Air Flight 3407 near Buffalo, New York. That crash, which killed 50, brought to public attention disparate training practices between small carriers and the large airlines. "It's clear to us in looking at (the Colgan crash) that there are things we should be doing now," Babbitt said. "My goal is to make sure that the entire industry -- from large commercial carriers to smaller, regional operators -- is meeting our safety standard." The FAA said the proposed rule, published Wednesday in the Federal Register, addresses changes mandated by Congress and more than 25 recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board. The changes "are intended to contribute significantly to reducing aviation accidents," the proposed rule states. The FAA says 178 accidents from 1988 to 2009 were the result of inadequate training, incomplete operating manuals, inadequate training standards and operating procedures. The accidents resulted in 492 fatalities, 196 serious injuries and 615 minor injuries. Babbitt said the rule addresses a change in training philosophy designed to produce qualified crews. Officials also said it reflects advancements in aircraft simulator technology, which create realistic flying experiences. When possible, airlines must use simulators to train flight crews, the rule says. The proposal also would require remedial training for pilots with performance deficiencies such as failing
a proficiency test or check, or unsatisfactory performance during flight training or a simulator course. "The United States has the world's safest aviation system, but we are continually seeking ways to make it even safer," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "This proposal will make U.S. pilots and other crew members even better equipped to handle any emergency they may encounter." A public comment period on the rule closes on July 19, after which the FAA will spend time addressing the comments before publishing a final rule. The training rule is one of three major proposed rules at various stages of development that are expected to have a significant impact on airline training and safety. The FAA is working on a separate rule that addresses pilot fatigue by regulating flight time and rest periods, and a rule setting minimum pilot qualifications.
Billy Graham hospitalised
Famed evangelist Billy Graham, 92, was being treated Wednesday at an Asheville, North Carolina, hospital for pneumonia following an overnight health episode, according to a spokesman. Graham was in good spirits and humor and signed all admission forms, spokesman A. Larry Ross said. Initial pulmonary testing suggested pneumonia, and further tests showed Graham's heart was normal, Mission Hospital said. Graham had episodes of sweating and coughing overnight, according to Ross. The evangelist had a slight fever and difficulty breathing, but was not believed to be in an acute situation. The founder of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has preached to millions over six decades, and has provided counsel to generations of U.S. presidents, beginning with President Harry S. Truman. Billy Graham has been hospitalized or treated for several ailments over the years, including head surgery, a fall, intestinal bleeding, prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease. According to Ross, Graham has remained in good health overall. Age-related conditions -- including macular degeneration and hearing loss -- have kept Graham at home in recent years, but the evangelist is involved in writing projects, including a manuscript for a book about aging, Ross said. Graham's wife, Ruth Bell Graham, died in 2007.
think the country is on the wrong track, a marked improvement from the 69 percent who thought so last month. The public also weighed in on the budget battle in Washington, and they showed a centrist attitude. A majority of those surveyed, 52 percent, said they believe a combination of tax increases and spending cuts are best to bring down the $1.4 trillion deficit. Republican lawmakers in Washington prefer budget cuts to rein in the budget, while Democrats would also like to raise taxes on the wealthy. Obama has called for a fair, balanced plan of budget cuts and tax increases on wealthier Americans. "I think what this poll is telling is that there is a sensible middle when it comes to deficit reduction," Clark said. The survey was conducted May 59. A randomly selected sample of 1,029 adults was interviewed by telephone, both landlines and cell phones. The results are considered accurate to within 3 percentage points.
MAN JUMPS TO DEATH OFF WORLD'S TALLEST TOWER IN DUBAI A man threw himself off the world's tallest building in Dubai, its developer said, plummeting to his death in the first suicide from Burj Khalifa tower. The man, believed to be in his twenties and of South Asian background, jumped from the 147th floor of the 828meter (2,717 feet) skyscraper and landed on a terrace on the 108th floor, local daily The National reported, but those details were not confirmed by the building's developer. Emaar said it had a recorded an "incident involving a male" at its Burj Khalifa site Tuesday morning. "The concerned authorities have confirmed that it was a suicide and we are awaiting the final report," the statement said. It gave no further details on the incident. The man may have worked at a company inside the 160-storey building, the paper said, adding that police said statements showed a holiday he had requested was turned down
Microsoft to buy Skype for pricey $8.5 billion
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NEW YORK– Microsoft Corp plans to buy Internet phone service Skype for $8.5 billion in its biggest-ever acquisition, placing a rich bet on mobile and the Internet to try to best rivals such as Google Inc. In a deal that took a month from offer to signing, the software company outbid Google and Facebook, which sources said offered to partner or buy Skype for $3 billion to $4 billion. Microsoft's interest in the money-losing, but popular service highlights a need to gain new customers for its Windows and Office software. Skype has 145 million users on average each month and has gained favor among small business users. But investors expressed skepticism over the deal, sending Microsoft shares down 0.62 percent to $25.67. If those losses hold, the software giant's market value -- already exceeded by Apple Inc last year -- will slip behind General Electric Co's and begin to approach IBM's. Led by private equity firm Silver Lake, eBay Inc and other investors including the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Andreessen Horowitz, would make $5 billion, or three times their investment, a source familiar with the deal said. Microsoft is putting more energy and resources into mobile and the Internet as the personal computer business underpinning its Windows and Office franchise appears to be under threat. The Luxembourg-based company, which allows people to make calls at no charge, but has also developed premium services, would give Microsoft a foothold in the video-conferencing market as businesses shift to cheaper ways of communicating. Skype delayed plans for an IPO that was expected to value the company at more than $3 billion. It looked tie-ups with Facebook and Google. Such a deal was expected to value Skype at $3 billion to $4 billion. "It doesn't make sense at all as a financial investment," said Forrester Research analyst Andrew Bartels. "There's no way Microsoft is going to generate enough revenue and profit from Skype to compensate." Skype could be combined with Microsoft
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
software such as Outlook to appeal to corporate users, while the voice and video communications could link to Microsoft's Xbox live gaming. Skype also would offer Microsoft another route to develop its mobile presence, an area it has already put more energy and resources into as PC usage comes under threat. Skype would become a new business division within Microsoft with Skype CEO Tony Bates in charge and reporting to Ballmer. "Tony didn't look for it. The ownership group, led by Silver Lake, didn't look for it. We just decided (it was) something that we thought made sense for us," a jubilant Ballmer told reporters. The sum would not stretch Microsoft. It would bankroll the deal with cash sitting overseas, which would be taxed if Microsoft brought it home. But others said the price was high. "In this atmosphere of Internet Bubble 2.0, picking up an unprofitable online company for roughly 10 times sales probably seems downright cheap," said Shanghai-based Michael Clendenin, managing director of consulting firm RedTech Advisors. "But if you consider (it) was just valued at about $2.5 billion 18 months ago when a chunk was sold off, then $8.5 billion seems generous and means Microsoft has a high wall to climb to prove to investors that Skype is a necessary linchpin for the company's online and mobile Sources said Google offered to partner or buy Skype for $3 billion strategy," he said. to $4 billion. Skype, which was formed in 2003. EBay Inc bought it in 2005 for $3.1 billion. Last year, it lost 2011, capped the strongest start to deal-making $7 million, according to data in its initial public since 2000, according to Thomson Reuters data. "I wish they had not done it," said Whitney offering filing. In 2009, eBay sold a majority stake in Skype Tilson, founder and a managing partner of T2 for $1.9 billion in cash and a $125 million note. Partners LLC, which owns Microsoft shares. "Everybody I know uses it and I am glad Microsoft EBay retained about a third. Ballmer said his company did not use Wall owns it. They just probably paid too much for it." "We aren't big enough to have a big say. But I Street advisers on the deal, approaching the owners directly. Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan advised am sure that everybody else -- the bigger shareholders -- are going to be asking Microsoft, Skype. The deal, the biggest in technology so far in 'why did you this?'"
Galleon boss Rajaratnam found guilty of insider trading US hedge fund billionaire Raj Rajaratnam has been found guilty of making tens of millions of dollars from insider trading. The unanimous verdict, which he plans to appeal, ends an eight-week trial in what prosecutors call the largest hedge fund insider trading case in history. Central to the prosecution's evidence were tapped phone calls between Rajaratnam and corporate insiders. Rajaratnam faces between 15and-a-half and 19-and-a-half years in jail. He was released on a $100m bail with an electronic tag until the sentencing date of 29 July, although prosecutors had asked for him to be kept in custody, saying he may flee to his native Sri Lanka. Rajaratnam was found guilty on all of the 14 charges he faced, including five counts of conspiracy
and nine of securities fraud. The hedge fund manager's defence attorney said they would appeal the verdict, noting that 23 of the 37 original accusations against his client had already been dropped before the trial began. The jury decision was postponed
for several days after one juror fell ill and had to be replaced, forcing the jury to restart their deliberations from the beginning. Jurors went back to the courtroom repeatedly during their deliberations to listen to sections of the 45 tapes of wire-tapped telephone calls. "Rajaratnam was among the best and the brightest - one of the most educated, successful and privileged professionals in the country," said Manhattan attorney Preet Bharara, who prosecuted the case, in a press release following the verdict. "Yet, like so many others recently, he let greed and corruption cause his undoing." The attorney general's office has charged 47 people with insider trading in the last 18 months, and Rajaratnam is the 35th to be convicted. "The message today is clear - there are rules and there are laws, and they apply to everyone, no matter who you
are or how much money you have." Prosecutors argued Rajaratnam made as much as $63.8m (ÂŁ39m) in illegal profits from 2003 to March 2009 by trading on tips from a network of highly-placed corporate insiders. The companies traded included Google, Intel and Hilton Hotels, the prosecution said. In his final closing arguments, Assistant US Attorney Jonathan Streeter said the Rajaratnam defence team wanted the jury to defy logic and common sense and ignore the evidence provided by dozens of recorded phone calls of illegal trading tips. Prosecutors highlighted conversations they argued showed the win-at-all-cost attitude of Rajaratnam, who wanted to "conquer the market". The court heard how investment manager Danielle Chiesi, speaking with Rajaratnam, boasted about one insider tip.
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Osborne says British recovery choppy, coalition solid MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
Britain's road to economic recovery will be rocky but the coalition government is as committed as ever to slashing a record budget deficit, finance minister George Osborne said on Wednesday. Osborne, speaking to business leaders in London, said the government was on track to all but eliminate a deficit running at close to 10 percent of national output over four years and did not see the need to further hike taxes or cut spending. The Bank of England said on Wednesday its near-term outlook for growth had worsened since February [ID:nLDE74A136]. Data published last month showed the economy effectively stood still in the six months spanning the turn of the year. "The recovery will be choppy," Osborne told an audience of business leaders in London. "High commodity prices, the
BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
British finance minister George Osborne
earthquakes in Japan and uncertainty in the euro zone are all weighing down on growth across the world."
GOOGLE’S ADVERTISING SYSTEM UNDER US INVESTIGATION
Google's advertising system is being investigated by the US Justice Department, the company has revealed. The internet search giant added that it had put aside US$500m (£306m) to settle any potential charges. The investigation is looking at how Google's automated advertising system treats some unnamed advertisers. A separate study is continuing to be carried out by the European Commission. Google's advertising revenues hit $8.3bn in the first quarter of 2011. Google revealed the Justice Department investigation in a regulatory filing to the US financial watchdog, the Securities and Exchange Commission. It said that as a result of putting aside the $500m, its net profit for the first three months of this year would be less than first reported in April, falling to $1.8bn from $2.3bn. Google said in a statement: "Although we cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this matter, we believe it will not have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows." The Justice Department has yet to comment. The European Commission's continuing anti-competition investigation into Google was launched in November of last year. It was started after Google's search engine rivals complained that the firm had abused its dominant position. Among a number of accusations, rivals including Microsoft's Bing have accused Google of manipulating its search results to promote its own services, and discourage firms from advertising with other search engines. It is not yet known whether the US Justice Department's investigations concern accusations of anti-competition practices, or if they follow a complaint from a rival of Google.
Critics, including the opposition Labour party, have warned that the coalition government's harsh austerity measures risk derailing Britain's fragile recovery, especially given the likelihood that interest rates will rise later this year. "Reducing the deficit is not in and of itself a guarantor of economic success," Labour finance spokesman Ed Balls said, warning that Britain may have to follow other European states in unleashing further austerity measures if growth remains weak. Poor local election results for the junior government partner, the Liberal Democrats, and the party's defeat in a referendum on changing the electoral system have also raised concerns that strains within the coalition could hamper the deficit plan. Osborne said the government was determined to push on with its
program of spending cuts and tax hikes. "We in this government, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, are as united today in our mission to reduce Britain's deficit as we have ever been. "The coalition is going to last the course. There has been a very clear reaffirmation of that in recent days," he said, though the task would not be easy. "For every line item of public spending, there will be a union defending it." Political analysts say the coalition is likely to survive until the next election in 2015, but argue that both parties can expect to face the wrath of voters if the economy fails to bloom under the government's austerity plan. "In the end the proof will be in the pudding for us, politically," Osborne said.
Toyota takes billion dollar hit after disasters
Toyota Motor took a $1.3 billion hit from the cost of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March, but the world's largest automaker said Wednesday it is moving to resume normal production sooner than previously expected. The effect of the quake caused the company to miss its previously stated earnings target. The company said continued uncertainty about the lingering impact of the quake would prevent it from setting new production and sales targets for the upcoming 12 months, as it typically does at this time of year. Toyota said production is expected to normalize in stages, starting in June both inside and outside Japan, rather than starting in July in Japan and in August outside its home country as it previously announced. Production in June is still expected to down 30% from normal on a global basis, the company said. "Toyota Motor Corp. is carefully monitoring the situation in each region and for each vehicle model and is every day working its hardest to identify every way to restore production as much as possible," said the company's statement. "However, it is possible that during this period of adjustment in production, reduced production levels may have a significant impact on TMC's business results." Even with the hit from the disaster in Japan, the company's operating income for the fiscal year ending March 31 rose to ¥468.2 billion, or $5.4 billion, from ¥147.5 billion, or $1.6 billion, on increased global sales. But that was far below the company's previous target of full-year operating earnings of ¥550 billion, or $6.4 billion. The earthquake that took place just before the end of the quarter wasn't the only problem faced by the
automaker. A rise in the value of the yen versus the dollar and euro made its cars more expensive in overseas markets and reduced the income it got from those sales. It estimated the change in currency valuation during the year reduced income by about ¥290 billion during the year, or about $3.4 billion. In addition, sales were hurt by recall and quality issues that arose in early 2010. Toyota's sales fell in Japan, North America and Europe during its fiscal year, even while industrywide sales rebounded in those markets. It took improved sales in emerging markets around the globe to allow it to post a modest 1.4% increase in the number of vehicles sold worldwide, although there was an overall drop in overall market share. Recall and warranty costs increased by ¥30 billion during the fiscal year, even though many of the recall costs were incurred in the previous year. And those increased costs aren't expected to peak until later in this fiscal year. That cost estimate does not include legal expenses or lost sales from the recalls. The negative publicity from recalls caused Toyota to increase its spending marketing and cash-back offers to buyers in an effort to hang onto sales. So even as high gas prices should be lifting sales for its fuel-efficient models, Toyota finds itself facing unusual struggles for a company that could seem to do no wrong just a couple of years ago. "Toyota has been socked with one thing after another," said Edmunds.com senior analyst Michelle Krebs. "They had not yet recovered from last year's (recall) fiasco when the Japan earthquake knocked out some of its production."
IMMEDIATE OPENING FOR EXECUTIVE STAFF SOLUTIONS LTD
Requirements: • Excellent verbal, written and computer skills including Word, Excel, Quickbooks and Access with ability to create and maintain complex databases • Strong organizational skills with ability to prioritize competing tasks and work with no supervision Duties Include: • Conducting sales calls and all follow-up related thereto • Maintaining databases and corporate accounts • Drafting correspondence, documents, applications and contracts for the company and for clients Wages are commission only with no set salary and depend entirely on sales and collections by the Executive. Interested applicants should email resume and reference letters to Curtis Selver (SSL@express.tc) within 1 week of this notice. Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.
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The Panthers Track Club results
The Panthers Track Club performed above expectations at the Silver Lightning Invitational Track Meet Nassau Bahamas May 7, where its members copped a number of medals. The following are the results of the local club. Under 13 Boys 100m Devante Gardiner – 2nd - 13.20sec Toushaurn Capron - 11th - 14.23sec 200m Devante Gardiner - 3rd – 27.56sec Toushaurn Capron – 8th - 28.51sec Long Jump Devante Gardiner – 1st – 4.51m Keishawn Ewing – 8th – 3.72m Under 15 Girls 100m Onilia Richards – 4th - 13.41sec Janeria Johnson – 10th - 14.03sec 200m Onilia Richards – 11th - 28.89sec Janeria Johnson – 15th - 29.36sec Under 17th Girls Long Jump Kali Thompson – 3rd - 3.87m High Jump Kali Thompson – 3rd - 1.37m Under 17th Boy 100m Lamar Walters - 9th - 11.97sec 200m Lamar Walters - 5th - 24.35sec. 400m Melvin Elsie - 2nd - 50.04sec 1500m Merlin Bowe – 2nd - 5:03.05sec OPEN 100m Shyon Parker - 8th - 11.21sec Roshand Cox - 12th - 11.32sec
200m Alyxando Williams 24.00sec
- 13th
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400m Shyon Parker – 8th - 55.96sec 800m Eddison Johnson 2.23:67sec Hardiko Harvey 2.35:59sec
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4th
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5th
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110m Hurdles Tanikko Clarke - 4th - 17.59sec Kendino Adder - 6th - 17.77sec High Jump Edison Johnson – 2nd – 1.70m Long Jump Roshand Cox - 2nd - 6.30m Kendino adderley - 8th - 6.00m Shot Put Roshawn Been - 1st - 10.68m Discuss Tanikko Clarke - 4th - 30.40m Roshawn Been - 5th – 27.71m Relay 4x100m Team A – 3rd – 43.81sec Anthony Pratt, Shyon Parker, Tanikko Clarke, Roshand Cox Team B - 5th - 45.11 sec Kendino Addison, Eddison Johnson, Alyxando Williams, Anthony Francis Team C – 6th - 46.00 sec Hardiko Harvey, Melvin Elsie, Merlin Bowe, Lamar Walters OPEN Women 100m Judy Delancy - 6th - 13.94sec 200m
TCI gear up for World Cup prelims The North, Central America and Caribbean Zone will kick-off their 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign in early June in order to reduce the number of teams to be included in the Preliminary Draw on June 30 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The region’s ten lowest ranked teams according to March’s FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking were paired against each other to produce a series of five play-off matches which will be played on a two-legged, home and away basis. Montserrat will face Belize; Anguilla will oppose the Dominican Republic; the US Virgin Islands will go up against the British Virgin Islands; Aruba will take on St. Lucia, while the Bahamas will face off with the Turks and Caicos Islands. The winners of these fixtures will join the
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
remaining 25 higher-ranked teams from the region in the Preliminary Draw. The first leg will be played on Friday 3 June, with the return leg scheduled for Tuesday 7 June. The teams taking part in this extra preliminary round of fixtures and their rank in the region according to March’s FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking are as follows: 26. Belize 27. Dominican Republic 28. British Virgin Islands 29. St. Lucia 30. Turks and Caicos Islands 31. Bahamas 32. Aruba 33. US Virgin Islands 34. Anguilla 35. Montserrat
Judy Delancy – 9th - 29.01sec Long Jump Judy Delancy - 1st – 3.92m Relay 4x100m - 2nd - 54.19sec Onilia Richards, Janeria Johnson, Kali Thompson, Judy Delancy Masters Female Shot Put Judith Robinson - 2nd – 9.21m Two young athletes we took for exposure Master Ismarck Saimpha Master Kervens Saimpha Ms. Judith Robinson Head coach Mr. Jermaine Fulford asst. coach Ms. Paula Garland female chaperone We had 22 athletes took part. This is the largest track and field team even left the Turks & Caicos Islands and had brought home this number of medals. First time Turks & Caicos Islands part take in any Masters event. We took part in 23 events and won 14 medals (3 gold, 7 silver, 4 bronze) Turks & Caicos Islands Junior Nation Record 400m boys Mr. Melvin Elsie who ran 50.04m. (This have to be confirm and sanction by TCAAA, but we know its so). Please contact Mr. Neroy Kennedy at 231- 1411 or Ms. Roselie Ingham at 231-2688 who can confirm such. We would like to say Thanks to: First and foremost we want to thank God for his grace and protection All the Parents who entrust their kids to us Mr. Arlington Musgrove Caribbean Management Services Limited Misick & Stanbrook Miller Simons O’Sullivan Tuscany Development Diamond Cleaning Ms. Melinda Jolly Grace Bay Pharmacy Stelvert Outten- Corey Chapel Services Mrs. Heather Allen Bahamas Air Ms. Michelle Lee Radio Turks & Caicos And to all persons who had sponsor our athletes individually at the very last moment
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
VINCENT GARLAND is looking for a
DomEsTIC WoRkER
salary $5.00 per hour Contact: 243-5738
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PREMIER CONTRACTING SEVICES LTD Seeks to Employ 2 REFRIGERATION TECHNICIAN The person selected for this position will be responsible for inspections and preventative maintenance on mechanical systems which includes calibration and repair of HVAC systems and pneumatic control systems. Duties and Responsibilities include: Performing work assigned by maintenance supervisor. Cleaning and repairing HVAC systems and piping repairs. Rebuilding compressors, duct work, inspections and troubleshooting. Performing preventative maintenance on large refrigeration and HVAC systems. Qualifications: • Vocational education in HVAC and Refrigeration systems • Training and experience in Electrical and plumbing maintenance • Computerized electronic controls and a working knowledge of computers preferred. • Five years experience in related fields. Drivers license mandatory. • Reading, writing and speaking the English language is required. Must be willing to be on call 24 hours, must be able to work nights, weekends and holidays. Salary ranges from $19,200.00 – $22,000.00/annum. Please send detailed employment applications to: The Manager Premier Contracting Services Ltd, Graceway House Leeward Highway. Or Fax applications to: 941-8883 Closing date for applications is June 25th 2011
MERVIN JENNINGS Is looking for
2 Carpenters Salary $8.00 per hour Contact 243-6200
ABUNDANT LIFE INTERNATIoNAL sEEks
LoIs mCINTosH
salary $5.00 per hour 4 days per week Interested person should contact 941-4550
$5.00 per hour Interested person should contact 941-4550
1 Domestic Worker
IMMEDIATE OPENINGS
FITNESS TRAINER Requirements: • 5 years experience as a fitness trainer in a high end environment with experience in both personal training and teaching classes. • Certification(s) or equivalent experience in fitness instruction, personal training, pilates etc. • High level of personal fitness with ability to demonstrate proper usage of equipment and proper exercise techniques. • Ability to communicate and interact with luxury guests • Very energetic person with commitment to ensuring high levels of guest satisfaction. Duties Include: • Create and provide consistent professional fitness classes and personal training sessions in accordance with spa protocols and accepted certification practices. • Provide instruction on safe usage of fitness equipment. • Care for and maintain fitness equipment. • Actively promote the spa, treatments, services and retail as well as any promotions or discounts. Assist in areas of the spa operation as requested by management. Starting Wages $6.50 - $7.00 per hour not including service charge
EXECUTIVE CHEF Requirements: • 12 years plus experience in culinary and kitchen management, and must be in fine dining or luxury hospitality • Knowledge and skill in variety of cuisines, also room service and banquet operations • Practical creativity to provide innovative menus and recipes along with financial acumen to control cost and produce profit • Previous responsibility for food purchasing, including negotiating prices. • Prior experience standardizing recipes, plating instructions, and costing. Duties Include: • Participate in the development and implementation of business strategies
1 Labourer
for Food and Beverage including development of annual budget, monitoring actual versus budgeted expenses and recommending menu pricing • Develop and implement menu and dining strategies • Prepare reports summarizing food and beverage profitability, customer satisfaction, etc. • Lead staff meetings and train and coach staff Salary $50,000.00 per annum COCKTAIL SERVER Requirements: • 3-5 years experience working in a luxury restaurant environment • Throughout knowledge of wines and mixed beverages • Excellent communication skills • Ability to understand the guest, internal and external, and meet and exceed the needs of both the guest and the company • Ability to provide genuine service through actions that display selfconfidence, grace and courtesy to guests and colleagues Duties Include: • Offering beverage suggestions and taking guest orders • Exhibit knowledge of all cocktails, beverage items and wine list • Demonstrating knowledge of resort, in-house facilities and local information to respond to guest questions • Maintaining cleanliness and appearance of outlet • Adhere to legal and/or Regent Policies and Standards Starting salary $5.50- 6.00 per hour not including service charge
SPA ATTENDANT Requirements: • Must posses and demonstrate the ability to interact with all guests and team members effectively with tact and diplomacy in line with property's service standards. Duties Include: • Ensure that standards of cleanliness and organization are met at all times in the spa area. • Escort guests from reception; provide locker keys, towels, robes, water etc. and assist with guest needs as required. • Starting salary $5.50 an hour not including service charge
Interested applicants should apply to the Regent Palms, Human Resources Department, Monday through Friday, 10AM to 5PM and bring along an updated resume, or by emailing your resume to mdorsett@regentexpereince.com, no later than the end of business day on Friday, May 27, 2011.
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Six FIFA officials accused in bribery case
Soccer’s world governing body, which has little international oversight and has long faced charges of corruption, found itself embattled again Tuesday when six of its top officials were accused of participating in a bribery scandal related to bids for the 2018 and the 2022 World Cups. The news was particularly embarrassing and perhaps threatening for FIFA’s president, Sepp Blatter. Though not accused of corruption himself, Blatter faces re-election next month as his reputation continues to suffer and the organization he runs continues to be plagued with accusations of illicit behavior. The latest charges surfaced Tuesday in a British parliamentary inquiry and were made by a London newspaper, The Sunday Times, and a former chief of England’s failed bid to secure the 2018 World Cup. According to information given to a House of Commons committee by The Sunday Times, two African delegates on FIFA’s executive committee, Issa Hayatou of Cameroon and Jacques Anouma of the Ivory Coast, were each reportedly paid $1.5 million to vote for Qatar, which ultimately won the 2022 World Cup over the United States in a vote last November. Qatari officials called the accusations baseless. Sunil Gulati, the president of the United States soccer
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
federation, did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment. Meanwhile, according to a former head of England’s 2018 bid, four other FIFA executive members — Jack Warner of Trinidad and Tobago, Nicolás Leoz of Paraguay, Ricardo Teixeira of Brazil and Worawi Makudi of Thailand — behaved in an “improper and unethical” manner ahead of the 2018 vote, which was won by Russia. David Triesman, a former chairman of England’s soccer federation and a former chief of its 2018 World Cup bid, said that Warner suggested that $4 million be paid to finance an education center in Trinidad and asked for more than $800,000 to buy Haiti’s World Cup television rights. Warner, who is the powerful president of FIFA’s North American, Central American and Caribbean region, denied making any such requests. According to Triesman, Leoz asked for an honorary knighthood, Makudi wanted money from British television to approve an exhibition between England and Thailand, and Teixeira asked “to come and tell me what you have got for me.” None of those three could be reached for comment. “I cannot say they are all angels or
they are all devils,” Blatter told The Associated Press in Zurich, where FIFA is headquartered. “We must have the evidence and then we will act immediately against all those” who violated the organization’s ethical rules. Given his re-election bid June 1, Blatter may feel pressure to act swiftly and harshly to deal with the new allegations. He has enriched FIFA’s coffers, but his reputation has suffered considerably since he became its president in 1998. So much so that Grant Wahl, a soccer reporter for Sports Illustrated, attempted to unseat Blatter. Wahl received much international attention but ultimately could not persuade any of the world’s national soccer federations to nominate him. Instead, Blatter will face Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar, the president of FIFA’s Asian confederation, who is running as a reform candidate. Blatter told The A.P. on Tuesday, “I’m fighting to clean FIFA.” After championing a widely successful World Cup in South Africa last summer, Blatter had celebrated the 2018 and 2022 votes as further opportunities to bring the world’s largest and most popular sporting event to places where it had never been held — Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Lakers’ Phil Jackson exits in unaccustomed fashion
DALLAS — If Phil Jackson is peat. But these Lakers, who were coming off their second truly calling it quits for good — he consecutive title, weren’t up for says he is, others have doubts — the challenge, not even at the then arguably the greatest coach in beginning. NBA history went out in historic In the end, Jackson seemed and embarrassing fashion. glad it was over. The Dallas Mavericks’ 122-86 That Jackson’s children and victory against the Los Angeles grandchildren flew in for Sunday’s Lakers on Sunday at American game so they could witness his Airlines [AMR] Center sent the possible last game also spoke to the 11-time champion Jackson into feeling that there was little retirement with the second-worst confidence the Lakers could even loss of his career. It’s the first time extend the series against the one of his teams has been swept Mavericks, let alone rally to make out of the playoffs. another championship run. And that’s not even "It feels really good to be considering the day began with ending this season to be honest with him being fined $35,000 by the you," league for comments about the Jackson said. "I came back this officiating and then his team’s Phil Jackson year with some trepidation. The thrill meltdown in the waning moments of trying to chase a three-peat is with Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum getting always exciting. But I knew it was a big challenge for ejected for flagrant fouls. this team to three-peat. It was a challenge bigger than "Yes, this is in all my hopes and aspirations that we can beat." this is the final game that I’ll coach," said Jackson, Jackson sounded like a man who was done with who won six titles with the Chicago Bulls and five coaching. He detached himself from the talk about with the Lakers. "This has been a wonderful run. I what the Lakers have to do to regroup for next season. go out on a sour note after being fined $35,000 by Of course, Jackson has walked away before. And the league. So that’s not fun having a feeling like he has come back to win titles. I’ve been chased on the freeway by them. But as He retired after leading the Bulls to six titles in Richard Nixon said, ’You won’t be able to kick this the 1990s. He did the same after leading the Lakers to guy around anymore.’ " three straight titles in 2000-02. Jackson thought about retiring last season, but He retired following the 2004-05 season, before was pulled back for one more try at a fourth three- returning in 2006.
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
But the legitimacy of both votes was cast into doubt even before they occurred. Reporters from The Sunday Times, posing undercover as businessmen, reported before the November votes that two FIFA executives, Amos Adamu of Nigeria and Reynald Temarii of Tahiti, had offered to sell their votes. Both were barred from participating in the balloting. Accusations that two other African delegates — Hayatou and Anouma — had accepted bribes to be paid to their respective soccer federations were not published last year for legal reasons, the paper said. Instead, The Sunday Times sent a letter to the parliamentary inquiry, saying that such accusations had been made by a whistleblower who had worked for Qatar’s 2018 bid. (Adamu had reportedly made a similar arrangement but was not allowed to vote after The Times’s article appeared last October, two of the newspaper’s investigative reporters told the parliamentary inquiry.) “The whistleblower’s allegations raise questions about the validity of Qatar’s winning bid,” the Times reporters wrote to inquiry officials. The Qatar soccer federation said the allegations were “evidently wholly unreliable,” and added, “We have nothing to hide.”
FEDERER SAYS HE CAN STILL RETURN TO WORLD NUMBER ONE
Roger Federer rejects the idea that the balance of power in men's tennis has tipped toward Novak Djokovic after a 32-match winning run and believes he can still beat Pete Sampras's record for time spent as world number one. The Swiss world number three, who has a record 16 grand slam titles to his name, has been left in the shade by Rafa Nadal for much of the past 12 months and has now seen Djokovic supplant him as the Spaniard's main rival. However, Federer feels he can reclaim his throne and move ahead of American great Sampras who spent a total of 286 weeks as world number one to Federer's current 285. "It's still important for me to get back to being world number one," Federer told reporters in Italy ahead of his second round match against France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Rome Masters. "I mentioned after Wimbledon it was a goal of mine. "It's still very real and possible. I think I can do it if I win one of those grand slams." Serbia's Djokovic could become the first player other than Federer or Nadal to hold the top ranking since 2004 if he wins the Rome Masters this week, but Federer remains confident he can still challenge the top two. "They (Djokovic and Nadal) are playing better than me but I'm close to winning those tournaments," said Federer, who lost to Nadal in the semi-finals of the Madrid Masters last week. While the 29-year-old did not watch Djokovic's straight sets defeat of Nadal in the Madrid final Sunday, he felt the Serb would have it tougher in Rome and Paris.
Bryant refutes talk that the demise of the Lakers is near
MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011
Definitely, there was a "fatigue" factor in the Los Angeles Lakers being swept by the Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers "made a lot of mistakes." And the Mavericks "played much better than we did." "But in terms of the decline of the Lakers — it's nonsense," Bryant said Wednesday in his exit interview for the season and his last time to visit with Phil Jackson as the Lakers' coach. "We have a challenge right in front of us," Bryant said. "It's going to be a weird (offseason), going into a season where we really don't know what to expect. We don't know who's coming back, who's coaching, so many question marks. … "There's going to be a lot on us to keep on winning without Phil. … (But) if this team came back as is, I think we can win." It also will be a different offseason for Bryant because he feels he is healthy enough to take on the type of training he couldn't do last season. Despite issues with a knee and a foot, Bryant indicated he wouldn't take a "gamble" with any procedure that might keep him from working out as he wants to do. "I'm actually alright, my foot is a little swollen, other than that, OK," Bryant said. "It will be a good chance to train. … I didn't have a chance to grind like I like to. This summer I have that chance." What exactly does that mean?
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Kobe Bryant
"This offseason gives me chance to really go at it, to get as strong as I can. … There's another level I feel I can get to," Bryant said. "I feel fine, I definitely feel I can play longer. "Just a lot of strengthening, make sure my leg gets strong. … Shut up those mo' folks saying that I'm done." The presumption is that Jackson assistant Brian Shaw will become the Lakers' next coach — and Bryant hopes that's true. "There's a familiarity. He's very familiar with all of us, and how we like to be coached," Bryant said. "He communicates very well. One thing about Brian, he's very clear with what your role is on the team. I think that helps." Bryant said there was no doubt
Jackson would not return, as he did after taking a break from his three-peat championship early in the 2000 decade on the shoulders of Shaquille O'Neal and a young Bryant. Soon to be 33, Bryant can reflect on both stints Jackson had with the Lakers. He learned much from Jackson each time. "The second time around even more so, because he was more open around me, there was more of a trust, I trusted him more," Bryant said. "The first time around I really didn't. … I understood the first time around there was a different dynamic. We had the big fella (O'Neal). A lot of times I was ridiculed. The second time around, we didn't have that issue. It was pretty easy." What he'll miss about Jackson, Bryant said, "was his philosophy, on the game. His philosophy on life is something I've adopted and carried it with me, so I don't think that's going to change. "He's affected me, impacted my basketball game and as a person." And he said the two men will remain in contact. "I'll always talk to Phil," Bryant said. "We had a meeting upstairs, we said goodbye, have a good summer. But I'll talk to him. … I can always reach out to Phil. If I'm going to go flyfishing, I'll reach out to him." To roars of laughter, Bryant was asked if he really would go fly-fishing. "I love it," he said, smiling.
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MAY 13TH - MAY 20TH, 2011 TURKS & CAICOS SUN
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