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MAY 27TH- JUNE 3RD, 2011
AG denies corruption allegations Against UK advisers Continued from Page 1
However, in a letter to media houses on Thursday, May 26, Shepheard said: “The TCI Government (TCIG) is aware that various claims have been made alleging corrupt conduct by UK advisers and senior officers in TCIG. These allegations are unfounded. They are, quite simply, lies, and should be given no credence whatever. I, as Attorney General, am considering what legal remedies may be available to TCIG and the individuals against whom the allegations were made are similarly considering what steps they can take. TCIG regards the conduct of those who make and publish these malicious falsehoods as contemptible.” One of the consultants whose name has been mentioned in connection with alleged corruption is a Keith Bellamy. This is in relation to alleged dealings with Inter-Health Canada. A spokeman from InterHealth Canada said they will be happy to respond to these allegations in due course. “Unfortunately, CEO, Roger Cheesman, is currently in the UK attending his daughter's wedding. However, on his return to office on Monday June 6, Mr Cheesman will call a press conference at which both he and Mr Bellamy will take the opportunity to refute these allegations and untruths in the strongest possible terms,” said Inter-Health spokesman Paul Baker. Just last week, a former highranking British civil servant who was given a free Porsche and a luxury Caribbean holiday in the Turks and Caicos Islands was sued for alleged corruption by the UK's Department of Health. A High Court writ issued in the name of Health Secretary Andrew Lansley claims up to £250,000 in damages and compensation from Ken Anderson – the controversial Texan businessman drafted into Whitehall by Tony Blair to encourage more privatesector involvement in the NHS. The writ claims he was given a Porsche Carrera 911 by a former colleague whose consultancy firm was being paid £1,300 a day by the UK's Department of Health, and a weeklong holiday with his three sons in the Turks and Caicos Islands, gifts to which he was not entitled. The Caribbean holiday referred to in the writ was allegedly arranged by law firm Eversheds, which gives advice to the UK's Department of Health and other Government bodies. (Eversheds has also advised Turks and Caicos Islands Government in the privatisation of their new health services, including draft legislation to implement a new national health insurance scheme). Mr Anderson’s family stayed at the luxurious Osprey Beach Hotel in Grand Turk which has a private beach from where guests can scuba dive on the world’s third-largest coral reef.
Attorney General Huw Shepheard
Although Mr Anderson had only two brief meetings with local officials, at which healthcare policies were discussed, the entire trip, including flights and hotels, was paid for by the Turks and Caicos government. Mr Lansley’s writ includes the text of emails between Mr Anderson and Eversheds partner Alun Cole.Mr Cole wrote on August 15, 2005: ‘Hope you all had a good weekend! This time next week hopefully we’ll be enjoying a beer on the beach! I have gone out of my way to stress to TCIG [Turks and Caicos Islands government] that this is your holiday week with the boys. I believe that you will have only two formal appointments. There may be informal invitations . . . but you are and must feel at liberty to turn any or all of them down.’ Three days later Mr Cole sent another message: ‘The government of the Islands has paid for you and I to go Business Class. I’m afraid the boys will have to slum it in Economy!’Mr Anderson replied: ‘Alun, that sounds great! Am starting to feel a little like a free loader! Have checked into diving. Not a busy time of year so we will leave it until we arrive and do a little resort-based stuff I would imagine. Thanks for setting this up . . . the boys and I are very excited indeed.’ On his return, Mr Anderson discussed his trip with Neelam Sekhri, a San Francisco-based healthcare consultant who was then a member of the Department of Health’s Commercial Advisory Board.Ms Sekhri, who is married to an eminent British professor, Sir Richard Feachem, was subsequently hired by the Turks and Caicos government to help implement its health service reforms. The £24,000 bill for her services, however, was paid by the Department of Health – on Mr Anderson’s instructions, it is claimed. According to the writ, this was improper use of public money and Ms Sekhri’s fee, as well as the cost of the holiday, should be returned to the taxpayer. Mr Anderson worked for private healthcare firms in the US and Germany for more than a decade before moving to Britain. At the NHS, he oversaw the introduction of treatment centres run by independent operators, a policy
opposed by health campaigners and unions. He is now based in London as a managing director of Swiss-owned financial services giant UBS. His solicitor, Sue Thackeray, of Finers Stephens Innocent, said: ‘Mr Anderson vigorously defends the allegations. He will serve his full defence within the next week that will put his position clearly forward.’ Mr Cole’s solicitor, Phil Sherrell, said his client had done nothing wrong. He was invited separately from Mr Anderson to the islands to advise on a health project. He had no know¬ledge of any arrangements that may have been made for Ms Sekhri to provide consultancy services to the Turks and Caicos government.Ms Sekhri was unavailable for comment. The Department of Health said: ‘We do not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.’ Mr Anderson, who lives in an £800,000 farmhouse near Wantage, Oxfordshire, was head of the Department of Health’s commercial directorate for four years until 2007. At one stage he was seen as a possible contender for the top job of NHS Chief Executive. He left the health service to become a banker and is now being sued by Mr Lansley ‘in respect of
benefits received corruptly and in breach of duty’, according to the writ. Mr Anderson strongly denies the allegations against him.The 180mph sports car was allegedly given to him by Tyrone Robinson, whose consultancy firm, Broadsword, washired by Whitehall officials in 2003 to advise them on NHS reforms. The writ says the two men had first met several years earlier when they worked together at infrastructure company Amey, where Mr Anderson was involved in bidding for Government-backed private finance contracts.The gift of the £70,000 car was intended to ensure that Broadsword retained its Department of Health contract and that Mr Robinson was paid above the market rate for his services, according to the 20-page legal document. It says Mr Robinson was given a 100 per cent pay rise within a year of starting work with the NHS, boosting his daily earnings from £650 to £1,300 in a deal overseen by Mr Anderson. He was also promoted several times, becoming the direct-orate’s Chief Operating Officer.Broadsword’s contract with the Department of Health ended in 2005 after it had received £226,000 in fees. The consultancy was struck off the Companies Register and dissolved in 2007.
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MAY 27TH - JUNE 3RD, 2011
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TURKSTURKS & CAICOS SUN SUN TURKS CAICOS SUN &&CAICOS TURKS CAICOS SUN TURKS&& &CAICOS CAICOSSUN SUN TURKS
FEBRUARY 18TH - MAY FEBRUARY 25TH, 2011 2011 MAY2011 20TH, MAY 27TH - 13TH JUNE-3RD, MAY27TH - MAY 3RD, 20TH, 2011 FEBRUARY 18TH -13TH FEBRUARY 25TH, 2011 MAY - JUNE 2011
MAY 27TH - JUNE 3RD, 2011
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
MAY 27TH - JUNE 3RD, 2011
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Why Sarah Palin may run for President
By Mark Preston
Alaska's "mama grizzly" is coming to the big screen and quite possibly back to the campaign trail, a move that would shake up a GOP presidential primary field that some Republicans complain is "uninspiring." Sarah Palin is pushing back against Beltway wisdom that she is content to sit on the sidelines in 2012 where she can safely criticize President Obama and offer her 2 cents on the handful of fellow Republicans who are seeking the GOP presidential nomination. A feature film by a conservative filmmaker extolling the former Alaska governor's virtues will debut next month in Iowa, a critical early voting state that embraces socially conservative candidates like Palin. Palin launches a national tour this weekend and the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee is dropping hints from the safety of her perch as a paid contributor at Fox News that she has a burning desire to step back into the arena as a candidate. Fox, however, told CNN it was "not changing Sarah Palin's status." "I think my problem is that I do have the fire in my belly," Palin said in a recent interview on Fox. "I'm so adamantly supportive of the good traditional things about America and our free enterprise system and I want to make sure that America is put back on the right track and we only do that by defeating Obama in 2012." It is this kind of talk that fires up a Republican base, particularly conservatives who view social issues as major themes in the 2012 presidential campaign. The Republican primary field is far from set and with the exits of Mitch Daniels, Mike Huckabee, Donald Trump and Haley Barbour from the presidential race, there is renewed griping among some conservatives that no one candidate stands out. "It really is truly an uninspiring field," said a well-known GOP consultant, who spoke freely
MAY 27TH - JUNE 3RD, 2011
about the state of play in the Republican primary on the condition of anonymity. Turks and Caicos SUN The lineup of current and likely GOP Suite 5, Airport Plaza presidential candidates includes former governors, Providenciales business executives, an ambassador and past and Turks and Caicos Islands present congressional lawmakers. But people are Tel: 649-946-8542 looking for that perfect profile for a candidate to Fax : 649 941 3281 take on President Obama, which may be akin to E-mail:sun@suntci.com trying to find a unicorn. Read us online at www.suntci.com It doesn't exist. Daniels excited the more centrist, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Hayden Boyce economically focused Republicans, but he would Senior Editor: Vivian Tyson have faced opposition from social conservatives. Web Designer: Patrina Moore-Pierre Huckabee appealed to those social conservatives, Graphics Editor : Joleen Grant Marketing & Advertising Manager: Patrina Moore-Pierre but he, too, decided not to jump into the race. Office Manager/Personal Assistant - Dominique Rigby If Palin decides to run, she will be looking for Distributions Manager - Kelano Howell those Huckabee supporters to move to her camp, which a prominent social conservative leader said The Turks and Caicos SUN might not happen. is a subsidiary of Tony Perkins, president of the Family Island Publishing Company Ltd. Research Council, said that Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minnesota, who is considering We are committed to excellence in journalism, educating and informing our readers, serving and a White House bid, has caught the eye of many satisfying our advertisers and assisting in the overall development of the Turks and Caicos Islands. social conservatives and would cut into Palin's support. "I think things have changed dramatically 3. Favorable polling could nudge her to make a run; in the past five months," Perkins said. "I think 4. There is a perceived lack of passion about the there is less room for Sarah Palin with Michele current GOP primary field; and Bachmann taking off like she has. She is the full 5. The fact is, she won't rule out a presidential bid. package that a lot of folks are looking for." But maybe Palin is playing the media much like Still, Palin is performing much stronger than "The Donald" did for months as he openly toyed with Bachmann and just about everyone else in the the idea of running for president. early national polls such as Thursday's Gallup Trump ultimately decided not to run, although Poll, which said Palin, with 15% support, is just he assured us all he would have won had he done 2 percentage points behind front-runner Mitt so. Palin could be doing the same thing by dropping Romney. hints and refusing to close the door to a presidential So, is Palin seriously considering a bid? Let's run, providing catnip for the media and political read the tea leaves: types who keep a close eye on Fox and Facebook 1. A favorable movie about her life is about to be -- her chosen venues to communicate with the masses. released in Iowa; If she runs, it is the core group of social 2. She reportedly has bought a house in Arizona conservatives who Palin would be counting on, (makes more sense to base a presidential campaign not the so-called GOP establishment types. Palin in Scottsdale than Wasilla); relishes being the anti-Washington politician, which is a powerful message to send to conservative voters angry at the direction President Obama has taken the country. Yet the outsider status has its drawbacks as well, if you are seriously considering running a presidential campaign. The same "establishment" types outsider candidates condemn are also needed to run an effective national campaign. As of now, Palin has a skeleton political staff, at best, and her unconventional use of Facebook and Fox has some consultants scratching their heads. "I don't think she has much of any political strategy," said the GOP consultant. "I don't mind her ideologically. But I think she is operationally a complete disaster." The Iowa caucuses do not take place until early next year, plenty of time for Palin to staff up and put a political plan into place -- if, in fact, she is serious and decides to run. For now, though, with Palin or without, Perkins said conservatives are taking a second look at the entire GOP primary. "I would say that it is a void without form," he said. "It has the potential makings for an exciting race. People were waiting on the better known candidates, like Huckabee and the others. When they didn't see them get in, people had to reprocess. They are rebooting, thinking about who to back in the cycle."
EDITORIAL CARTOON
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Seven-member Turks and Caicos Islands delegation going to London for Constitutional talks a seven-MeMBer delegaTiOn from the Turks and Caicos Islands will be going to London from June 15 to 16 to discuss changes to the draft Constitution. The group invited to the FCO comprises the Chair of the Consultative Forum, a representative from the Advisory Council, the leaders of the PNP and PDM, the Chair of the All-Party Commission on the Constitution and Electoral Reform, a representative of the Church, and the Youth Ambassador. They were invited by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). A press release from the Governor’s Office said tThe London meetings will be the final stage of the constitutional consultation process. “It will build on the useful comments made and constructive views expressed in the series of public and other stakeholder meetings held over the past year, culminating with those held by the FCO team in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week,” the release said, adding that tThe Minister for the Overseas Territories, Henry Bellingham MP, has been kept fully informed about this consultation process. “The Minister is looking forward to meeting the group, discussing the main points raised during the process, and hearing final views from them. “ The draft Constitution was published on 8 March 2011, from which date written comments have been invited. Meantime, the Progressive National Party welcomes the invitation of the Government of the United Kingdom to Political Leaders from the Turks and Caicos Islands to attend a face to face meeting with Henry Bellingham, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for the Overseas Territories, on matters relating to constitutional and electoral reform. In a press statement, the PNP said: “We have
been consistent in our calls for such a meeting with the political directorate in the United Kingdom on these matters as well as in our opposition to the suspension of representative democracy in the Turks and Caicos Islands. We are on record as challenging the legitimacy of the Consultative Forum and the Advisory Council and are of the view that, as neither of these two bodies have the consent of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands to represent their interest in this or any other matter, they ought not be permitted to attend any meetings between United Kingdom and Turks and Caicos Islands Politicians, and we object to the attendance of the Governor’s Consultative Forum and Advisory Council at such a meeting.” The PNP statement continued: “Our Party remains committed to the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands and stands ready, willing and able to represent their interest as we seek a return to representative democracy in these Islands and we look forward to working with the People’s Democratic Movement in this effort.” The draft Constitution is based on the text of the 2006 Constitution. It reflects Ms Sullivan’s recommendations, and those of the Commission of Inquiry. The draft Constitution also incorporates amendments that reflect wider FCO policy with regard to the overseas territories and good constitutional practice from other territories. The finalisation of a new Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order, in support of recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry, will enable significant progress to be made against some of the milestones detailed in the 9 December 2010 Written Ministerial Statement of the Minister for the Overseas Territories and the Minister of State for International Development.
CorrECtion and aPology
Sergeant Brian Statia
in the May 20th to May 27th edition of the Turks and caicos sun newspaper, on Page One and Page seven, an article and a caption were carried stating that sergeant Brian statia, a member of the royal Turks and caicos islands Police Force (rTciPF), was charged with theft. The photographs which accompanied the Page seven article and the caption story on Page One, were of Brian statia Jnr., who, although a member of the rTciPF, was never charged with theft. Pc Brian statia Jnr., is the son of sergeant Brian statia snr., who is the officer that was accused of theft, charged and granted bail. The sun very much regrets the error in publicizing the photograph of Pc Brian statia Jnr., and we sincerely and unreservedly apologise for any hurt, embarrassment or inconvenience which the publication of those said photographs may have caused to Pc statia, his family and the rTciPF.
Surprised mock accident greets Fire, Medical teams F ire and r escue and Emergency Medical Services personnel darted out of their stations on the evening of Wednesday (May 18) believing that they were being called to one of their usual emergency scenes, but when they dashed from their vehicles to the crash site opposite Tibor’s Machine Shop along the Discovery Bay main road, they were surprised to find that the scene was staged by their superiors. Nonetheless, the firefighters continued their mission as if they were at a genuine crash site, using their Jaws of Life cutting equipment to pry the overturned Emergency Medical Personnel wheels away an accident victim during the simulation exercise ( SUV open for the medical team, which was equally alert and the victims and whether they were experience within the field. He said except for a handful of diligent, to rescue two dummies seriously hurt. They were relieved that were placed in the vehicle prior and at amused when told it was a senior fire officers, largely the crew mock operation. was under the impression that they to their arrival. Fire Chief Williams Jennings, were heading to a bona fide The scene appeared real for the reporters that similar accident scene, declaring that the duration of the operation, turning told nearby residents and motorists into operations are conducted every same level of professionalism was curious onlookers. At one point a Wednesday night with members of carried out even when they realized crowd had gathered across the road the Fire and Rescue, as a means of that it was a simulation. “They knew nothing about it immediately from the site, and constantly sharpen the alertness of equally at certain points there were his charges and allow junior (simulation). It was a surprise and traffic snarls, as drivers and officers to be in charge of a they did well,” Jennings said, passengers queried the identities of situation so as to grant them deeper noting that since the Fire and
Rescue often finds itself on scenes with the Emergency Medical Service, it was decided that the two conducted the drill together. For his part, Patrick Riel, Supervisor/Training Officer for the Emergency Medical Service said what made the simulation so real was that they received the information at very short notice. “I cannot stress how important these exercises are. The truth of the matter is, if you do 10 people hit by car or you do 10 fires, or you do 10 drownings, and then one day you get to a car accident like this, it is not difficult to lose your skills and to lose your focus. You need to constantly review different scenarios, different simulations and constantly go over them in your head to stay fresh and prepared. “When an exercise like this happens all it does is serves to reinforce and readies us for the real situation, because it’s very real, there is no way to predict what happens. So it is incredibly important, there is no way to predict what will happen when you go on a scene,” Riel said.
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUNMAY 27TH MAY- 27THJUNE2011 3RD, 2011 JUNE 3RD,
TCI to get assistance in responding to TB The TCI Ministry of Health is strengthening its capacity with assistance from PAHO (the Pan American Health Organisation) to help the country better handle any future outbreak of tuberculosis, also known as TB. PAHO has arranged for a consultant, Dr. Ward Schrooten to provide technical assistance in the areas of surveillance, treatment, management and containment of the disease. The consultant will meet next week with Ministry of Health primary care staff and InterHealth Canada clinical staff who are involved with diagnosis and or treatment of tuberculosis. The meeting will review tuberculosis cases and current systems for surveillance and contact tracing, discuss screening, diagnosis, treatment and management of tuberculosis cases, and discuss mandatory requirement for the protection of patient information and confidentiality Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Judith Campbell, in welcoming the support said: “We will be able to review our response to recent cases of TB in the Turks and Caicos Islands including the H.M. Prison, and examine ways to further strengthen our systems and procedures. We are indeed grateful to PAHO for arranging this
assistance and to CAREC to which Dr. Schrooten is attached.” Tuberculosis is a disease of the lungs whose main symptoms are a chronic cough, fever, night sweats and weight loss. It is highly contagious and, left untreated, can be deadly. Dr. Ward Schrooten will visit the TCI from 31st May to 3rd June and will meet Ministry of Health Primary care staff and InterHealth Canada clinical staff on Providenciales and Grand Turk. PAHO – the Pan American Health Organisation, based in Washington, works with member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including the Turks and Caicos Islands, to strengthen their national health systems and improve the health of their people. CAREC – the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre, a PAHO affiliate, is based in Trinidad. It is a regional organization dedicated to improving the health status of Caribbean people by advancing the capability of member countries in epidemiology, laboratory technology and related public health disciplines through technical cooperation, service, training, research and a well trained motivated staff that works with member countries in the Caribbean, including the Turks and Caicos Islands.
APOLOGY AND CORRECTION In the May 20th to May 27th edition of the Turks and Caicos SUN newspaper, on Page Five, we carried an article under the headline “Teen mom found dead in Blue Hills”, in which it was stated that the deceased teenager was identified as Bethanee Humes. It has since been brought to our attention that the name of the deceased teenager is in fact Shanice Carter, and not Bethanee Humes. The Turks and Caicos SUN accepts full responsibility for the error . We sincerely regret it. Ms. Humes is very much alive, and we have personally extended our apologies to her. The SUN unreservedly apologises for any hurt, embarrassment or inconvenience which the erroneous publication of Ms. Humes’ name may have caused to her, her family and friends.
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MAY 27TH- JUNE 3RD, 2011 TURKS & CAICOS SUN
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN MAY 27TH - JUNE 3RD, 2011
LOCALNEWS NEWS LOCAL
Moure attractions and activities needed in TCI, says Director of Tourism Ralph Higgs By Vivian Tyson SUN Senior Editor
A call has been made to business interests and persons within the community to embrace the tremendous entertainment opportunities that have been going a begging in the tourism sector so as to diversify the sector. The call came from Acting Director for Tourism Ralph Higgs during an interview with The SUN concerning complaints from highpaying visitors that there has been a lack of varying entertainment locally. In the past tourists used the Turks and Caicos Islands as a quiet getaway spot, but in recent years the tourism demographics have been broadened to also include entertainment-seeking visitors, which is why tourists outnumber locals at the annual Conch Festival. Higgs’ invitation came against the background of tourists, in recent days, complaining that entertainment in the TCI fell short of their expectations, even while lauding the country’s natural beauty. Earlier this week, a group of tourists who
came to the TCI on JetBlue, one of the There are so many opportunities,” Higgs recent airlifts into the country, said they insisted. were lured to the TCI after being “wowed He pointed out that around in the world it is by the advertisement of the country”. largely the private sector and not government However, they complained that while that engages in most of the entertainment for they had a grand time snorkeling, bone- visitors, and so, similar measures should be fishing and trips to other islands, said applied in the TCI. especially nightlife entertainment fell It is something for the Cultural Department short. They also complained that there to move forward for us to help and promote. was a lack of local and overall Caribbean But similarly, entertainment around the world culture on display. is embraced by private initiatives. You would Higgs, who concurred with the find that persons who operate night clubs would guests, pointed out that opportunities for make money out of it. We want to encourage entertainment of all sorts in TCI tourism our local persons to see opportunities and are tremendous, but there were limited embrace them. takers for reasons unknown to him. Higgs stressed that it would not be “I am sure you can appreciate that sustainable for the Board to fill the slots left authentic local entertainment would have untapped by the private sector, saying that it to find its roots in local culture, which would not be sustainable. should be something spearheaded by “ I can’t speak to any specific initiative that the Cultural Department, certainly with the Board has on the drawing board or is able our fullest support and encouragement. to put on the drawing board to say increase Entertainment does not necessarily have our entertainment here. It is something that the to be night clubs, bars and art and crafts, private sector does and should embrace them,” but can also be local foods at restaurants. he stated.
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Cracks cause hacking of airport concrete Due to the high standard set by the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority on the expansion of the Providenciales International Airport, large chunks of concrete laid at the facility had to be hacked up and disposed of after cracks were found in them as a result of wind and rain. For the past two weeks, callers to our offices said they saw trucks transporting huge chunks of concrete from the airport to other destinations and were wondering the reason behind it. When contacted Wilma Dietsche of CBMS, the construction company contracted to supply the project with concrete, explained that the material was not dug up due to inferior quality as was queried or suggested by some individuals, including callers to our office. She explained that the material seen being transported by the trucks were in fact discarded Cement-Treated Base (CTB), which is an intimate mixture of aggregate material and/or granular soils combined with measured amounts of cement and water that hardens after compaction. “That was just scrapped CTB. It is not really concrete; that’s cement power mixed with quarry,” she explained. According to Dietsche, climate conditions are the main factors that can lead to the hacking and discarding of CTB, further explaining that if the material is laid
MAY 27TH- JUNE 3RD, 2011
GRACE BAY CLUB ATTENDS LEADING HOTELS OF THE WORLD® SHOWCASE IN SOUTH AMERICA
in windy conditions small cracks can form, resulting in it having to be dug up as per compaction specifications. She noted, too, that rain and sun can also cause shrinkage crack. “If it’s not exactly laid to specification, like if it’s windy, and there are some surface cracks or whatever in it, they take that out and take it to the dump or use it somewhere else for landfill or whatever. “Also when you lay CTB, if it rains too early on it, you can’t use it, and if it’s really a windy night you can get surface cracks and they won’t use it. So then they cut that back out and remove it. Their (Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority and Dexter Construction) standards are very high, so that’s how it is,” Dietsche explained. Canadian company Dexter International was awarded the contract to carry out phase one of the airport expansion project. The work is expected to end in the next two to three months. Phase two of the project is to include construction of a new terminal. The lengthening of the airport is being done to accommodate larger carriers, especially from Europe as a means of expanding the local tourism market. It is not clear that square-footage or dollar value of the section that was dug up.
Grace Bay Resorts, the award-winning, internationally acclaimed operator behind Grace Bay Club and The Veranda, attended the Leading Hotels of the World® Showcases in Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Buenos Aires (Argentina). The showcase event, which took place from April 11 – April 15, gave hoteliers the opportunity to meet with the best travel professionals from several regions in South America. Trade contacts from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador and Central America were also present to participate in this unique and exclusive event.
Ralph Higgs, Director of Tourism for Turks and Caicos Islands, Marcela Camargo, New Business Executive – LHW Brazil Office, Nikheel Advani, COO Grace Bay Resorts, Joao Annibale, Regional Director – LHW Brazil, Gisele Silva, Grace Bay Resorts and Sheila Muller, Press and Leaders Club – LHW Brazil.
We are currently seeking a qualified applicant to fill the position of
STEvEDoRE REQUIREMENT: • Minimum of 3 years experience in Stevedoring work. • Must be in good health to meet the demands of physically challenging work. • Must be available for emergency calls and be able to work at nights and weekends. • Must be Crane Inspection and Certification Bureau certified (CICB) in Basic Safety and Riggings • Must be able to speak fluent English language STEVEDORING WORK AT THE PORT OF PROVIDENCIALES AND/OR THE PORT OF GRAND TURK: • Tie-up and release of ship shore lines. • Discharging of containers from ship. • Back loading of empty containers. • Discharging cement/blocks from ships. • Discharging of bulk aggregate and sand from ships. • Assist in Loading of full container loads (FCL) onto trucks. • Stocking palletized cargo. • Stocking empty units/containers. • Disposal of garbage and debris from ships and port facilities. • Assist with the maintenance and cleaning Equipment. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO: • Discharge and Backload all vessels • Mooring and Unmooring of all vessels • Carry out all other duties as directed by the Supervisor Salary Range: US$10.00 per hour ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED By MAy 27TH, 2011. Human Resources Manager Provo Stevedoring Ltd. P.O. Box , South Dock Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands Fax: (649) 946-4828 Email: cagreene@provostevedoring.com
INSIGHT LTD. SEEKS CASHIER Must have sound secondary knowledge of math, two years cashiering experience and speaks English fluently Salary $5 per hour. Interested persons call 231-3323 Or e-mail: thepattyplace@gmail.com
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MAY 27TH- JUNE 3RD, 2011
LOCAL NEWS
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Police clamping down on loud noise The royaL Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force will be clamping down on individuals and establishments who disturb others by playing loud music. According to Press Liaison Officer Detective Sergeant Calvin Chase, the Force has been receiving an increasing number of calls as it relates to loud noise complaints which are disturbing the peace of others. “In an effort to curb the incidents of this nature the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police are asking for
the public’s assistance by asking that they take into consideration how their activities are effecting others and take the necessary steps to prevent or minimize the disruption being caused,” Chase said in a press statement. He added: “It should also be noted that it is there is a provision within the Summary Offences Ordinance - which states any person(s) in a public place within the sight and hearing of others disturbs the peace by making loud noise, e.g. quarrelling or using instruments or apparatus for production or
reproduction of sound to the annoyance of others living or being in the neighborhood is guilty of an offence and is punishable upon conviction to a fine of $100.00 or three months in Prison.” Chase said the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police will be diligently investigating these complaints but are hoping that the public will adhere to the request to minimize disruptions and thereby minimize the requirement to utilize the provisions of the Summary Offences Ordinance.
Blue Hills traffic victim recovering in Bahamas T he undersTands ThaT the man knocked down by a motor vehicle in Blue hills last week Thursday (May 19) is recuperating in hospital in the Bahamas. Leshundo robinson sustained serious leg neck and leg injuries after being knocked down by a Toyota Corolla driven by a haitian national in the vicinity of the Three Queens restaurant. The royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Traffic department said the car registered 23936 was driven by Lestin Marcelin. robinson was rushed to the Cheshire hall
Medical Centre where he it was revealed that he sustained a dislocated neck and two broken legs. dr robyn Barnes of the Cheshire hall Medical Centre was quoted as saying: “I can confirm that a 27-year-old man was brought into the emergency department at the Cheshire hall Medical Centre with injuries suffered as the result of being in collision with a vehicle. he received emergency lifesaving treatment, before being stabilized and flown to nassau for further treatment.” The police noted that the car received extensive frontal damage.
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LOCAL NEWS
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
MAY 27TH - JUNE 3RD, 2011
District Rotaract conference to take place in TCI
In a little over two weeks, the first ever Rotaract District 7020 Conference will be held in the Turks and Caicos Islands under the theme “EMBRACE HUMANITY, INSPIRE HEARTS, and CHANGE LIVES”. From June 2nd – June 4th 2011, the Turks and Caicos Islands will be host to some 56 regional Rotaractors from Jamaica, Haiti, Cayman, Bahamas, St. Martin, Tortola, St. Thomas and from the two Rotaract Clubs in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The three day conference will take place at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa and signifies the closure of the Rotaract 20102011 year which saw Turks and Caicos Islander Sabrina Palmer – Isaac hold the position of Rotaract District Representative (DRR), the highest post within the Rotaract
TUCA, the Turks and Caicos Cultural community of Providenciales to District 7020 family. Following the arrival of all Group and other TCI entertainers. celebrate with the Rotaractors. district delegates on June 2nd, the The featured speaker is Dr. Carlton In particular residents living welcome and opening ceremony will Mills who will charge the delegates in the Turks and Caicos from the take place at 8:30pm at Beaches. as they prepare for a new year of countries of which the delegates On June 3rd the delegates will service to their communities. will be coming from will have the receive training for the new Rotaract During the gala dinner DRR opportunity to celebrate with their year which includes sessions on Sabrina will turn the reigns of fellow country men. Admission to the roles and duties of leadership of the District to incoming this event is $10. Club Presidents, Secretaries, District Rotaract Representative Sponsors include Platinum Treasurers and Directors, as well as Keitho Nembhard of Jamaica. sponsors, Scotiabank (Turks and additional training in the areas of As this visit to the TCI will leadership, managing personalities be the first for most of the regional Caicos) Ltd and Bordier Bank (TCI) and conflict resolution, fundraising, delegates a range of entertainment Ltd, Gold sponsors LIME and Provo membership issues, goal setting, past activities have been planned for Power Company, Silver Sponsor presidents council, and the rotary/ Caribbean International them outside of the business sessions, First rotaract structure. including a tour of former slave Bank (Bahamas) Ltd and Bronze According to Tremmaine plantation Cheshire Hall and an 80s sponsors, Executive Tours, Pelican Swann, Rotaract District Conference costume bash. Designs and the Turks and Caicos Chairperson, tThe highlight of the The 80s costume bash will take Tourist Board and RBC Royal Bank conference will be the gala dinner place at Club Pillows at 10pm June (Bahamas) Limited. which takes place June 4 6:30pm 3rd and is the opportunity for the at Beaches with performances by
Chef de Cuisine Chef de Cuisine will train and manage kitchen personnel and supervise/coordinate all related culinary activities; estimate food consumption and requisition or purchase food; select and develop recipes; standardize production recipes to ensure consistent quality; establish presentation technique and quality standards; plan and price menus; ensure proper equipment operation/maintenance; and ensure proper safety and sanitation in the kitchen. The Chef must have the ability to manage in a diverse environment with focus on client and customer services are essential to success in this role. Previous experience with control food and labor cost, demonstration cooking, menu development, and pricing and development of culinary team preferred. The ideal candidates will possess a bachelor's degree or related culinary degree with eight or more years of industry and culinary management experience. Overnight Cleaner Applicant must have one year experience in a five star Resort, knowledge of cleaning process and attention to detail. Applicant must have good communication skills. Bartender/Mixologist Applicant must be experienced in mixing and serving drinks in high volume environments, with quality, professionalism and style. Certificate desirable. Applicant must be computer literate and experienced with Micros POS. Good communication and customer service skills. E-mail Cover letter outlining your interest and supporting experience, along with your resume to hr@Wymara.com.
WANTED
ONE Handyman Salary $5.00 per hour 1 Babysitter Mon-Fri 8-5 Must be hardworking and reliable Interested persons should contact 2412212
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MAY 27TH- JUNE 3RD, 2011
LOCAL NEWS
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
West Caicos Marina crumbling
WANTED
1 CHEF For a popular fast food restaurant in Grand Turk Interested persons may call 231-0312 Salary negotiable
One section of the marina
There are calls for the Molasses Reef Ritz Carlton Project on West Caicos to urgently resume in the wake of the marina built at the inception of the project six years ago and expected to last at least ten years beginning to crumble. Construction of the Molasses Reef Ritz Carlton Resort project came to an abrupt end after its main financiers Lehman Brothers crashed with the world economic crisis caused mainly from the subprime real estate market plunge in the United States. The project was almost 90 percent complete at the time of its demise. But following work stoppage The sUN has learnt that the project is being threatened by thieves, and according to our sources, were it not for construction company Ashtrom International maintaining a presence on the island, the buildings would have been stripped of their contents as has the case of other stalled developments especially on Providenciales. Ashtrom International assumed the project midstream after some level of fallout between previous contractors Projetech and the developers Logwood Development Company. Photos obtained by The sUN revealed structural damage to the
marina which was built to last longer than the six years that it was built. A source close to the project told this newspaper that it appeared as if corners were cut in the construction of the marina resulting it beginning to crumble. It is understood that talks between the developers and prospective financiers have been in the making for sometime now, but no apparent breakthrough has been made. But tourism interests are calling on the talking parties to seal a deal soon so that the project can resume, as they believe that with the opening of a Ritz Carlton in the Turks and Caicos Islands the country’s tourism stocks could increase. The Molasses Reef Ritz Carlton Resort project was not without controversy, as at least two industrial actions result from it. The first was by local contractors who claimed that they were booted off the island at the expense of Chinese workers offering cheaper labour. The second demonstration was by the Chinese workers themselves, who complained that local contractors who brought them into the country were not paying them their agreed wages. When the project halted Ashtrom was left with the huge bill of repatriating the Asian workers.
ALBERT PENN SEEKS
1 LABouRER Salary $300.00 per week Contact 241-9774
TURKS & CAICOS WATER COMPANY LTD.
REVERSE OSMOSIS OPERATOR Turks & Caicos Water Company Limited would like to fill the following position for a Reverse Osmosis Operator immediately. Applicant must have 5 years experience in Sea Water Reverse Osmosis, working for facilities producing a minimum of 2.0 MGD of potable water. Applicant must be proficient with RO Pro software, customized SCADA systems, design of membrane arrays, rebuilding of high pressure pumps & energy recover devices, TIG welding, and laboratory analysis of potable water. Applicant must be drug free, have high school degree, valid driver’s license, dependable transportation and clean criminal record. Position requires swing shift hours and 24/7 on call for emergencies. Resume with cover letter must addressed to Plant Manager and be mailed to PO Box 483, Providenciales or faxed to 649-946-5191. Suitable resumes will be required to complete an application process, which includes basic written examination regarding safety and process technologies, police background check and drug test. Suitable applicants will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview. Wages starts at $8.00 per hour based on experience. All resumes must be received by June 6, 2011.
The West Bay Club Is looking for
1 Domestic Worker To work 3 days per week. Salary $5.00 per hour Contact 946-8550
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LOCAL NEWS NEWS
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
MAY 27TH - JUNE 3RD, 2011 MAY 27TH- JUNE 3RD, 2011
Cashless fuel card launched in TCI
Operators of companies and private individuals in the Turks and Caicos Islands have welcomed the introduction of a cashless petrol management system which they said have been saving them and their companies hundreds if not thousands of dollars. NCS Fleet Management System, operated by NCS eMoney Services was officially launched on Tuesday, May 17 at the LIME Corporate Office on Providenciales, but has been operational in the TCI since June last year. The NCS Fleet Management System is designed to control overall motor vehicle expenses not least petrol cost but also wear and tear of automobiles. Not only does the system regulate the possible abuse of petrol, but also determine when the mechanics of an automobile needs to be overhauled based on its fuel consumption history. Customers can also use their cards to purchase auto accessories such as oil, tyres and batteries. Manager for the operation, Antoinette Thomas, said the system provides: • comprehensive data on motor vehicle costs; • reduction in administrative headaches relating to motor vehicle expense; • greater control over fuel purchases; • guaranteed cost protection for fuel and autorelated expenditures; • budgeting and accounting capabilities; and • customized reporting for easy interface to accounting systems.
Thomas noted that individuals who have signed up with NCS Fleet Management were also singing its praises, explaining they have remarked that the system has been assisting them in better managing their petrol spending for the month when they top up their electronic tamper-proof card. According to Thomas, NCS Fleet Management System allows for customers to check their spending progress online. New Era Petrol Station, located along Airport Road is the premier vendor on Providenciales. Telecoms giant LIME is flagship of the company’s six commercial clients so far, being the first to sign up. And Country Manager Drexwell Seymour said his experience of the system showed that once one reaches the fuel top-up limit, he would not be able to access anymore petrol for the period that the card was programmed. “For years we have been trying to save cost on fuel, but because of NCS Fleet, it has helped up in such a tremendous way. It has been a good control feature for us. We have had savings of up to 38 percent in fuel consumption. If there is one good thing about this system is that it is going to be monitored, so people are very careful on how they use the company vehicle. And I encourage other companies to buy into this programme,” Seymour urged. The other corporate companies signed up with NCS Fleet Management System are Digicel, Islandcom, Leeward Water, TCI Waste and Point
Antoinette Thomas
Grace Resort. There are 28 individual clients that have so far signed up to the system. Durham Selver Service Station in Grand Turk is the vendor for NCS Management System on that island. NCS Fleet Management System has been in Jamaica for 19 years and Trinidad and Tobago for seven year, and according to Thomas, the TCI has given the company the push to springboard into other Caribbean countries. NCS Fleet Management Systems offices are located inside MoneyGram, Butterfield Square, Courtyard Plaza and Bishop Plaza in Five Cays, Providenciales. The cost to sign up to the system is $20.
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.
Director of owner relAtions Requirements: • Relationship management at executive levels is a critical part of this role – 3 years experience • Communication expertise in dealing with executive management, ownership, investors and guests • Exceptional organizational skills coupled with a drive and ability to deliver customer service excellence • Negotiating skills and budget development and management • Understanding and experience with budgets and strata management • Comfortable with ambiguity and a wide spectrum of tasks • Competency with Microsoft Office Professional products and Opera • Team player, motivated by providing the ultimate experience for clients. • Must read and speak English fluently. Additional languages an asset. • Past 5 star luxury experience needed in Housekeeping, Engineering, Finance, Front Office operations, Revenue Management and Interior Design • International Experience in Hotel Management needed Qualified Belongers need only to apply salary range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience
AssistAnt MAnAger Requirements: • Five (5) Years Management Experience is 5- Star Resort • Degree in Hospitality Management (for an accredited university) • Knowledge of Business Management • Be able to work with different Nationalities, ability to communicate in French would be an asset • Dealing with a contractors and suppliers • Ensuring security is effective • Carrying our inspections of property and services • Ensuring compliance with licensing laws, health and safety and other statutory regulation • Meeting heads of department and planning monitoring the progress of business strategies 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 2011 @ (649) 946-5050 Ext. 1050 Email: veronica.clare@gracebayclub.com Fax: (649) 946-5758 P.O. Box 128 Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies
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MAY 27TH- JUNE 3RD, 2011
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
THE BEATINGS WILL CONTINUE By The Torch We've all heard the humorous saying, "The beatings will continue until morale improves." That saying is funny primarily because it depicts an obvious non sequitur that any rational person hearing the phrase would understand immediately. If the beatings continue, how could morale ever improve? Beatings would naturally lower the morale of the recipients, not raise it. A subtler humor is actually in the realization by the rational person hearing the phrase that apparently the speaker of the phrase is the only one oblivious to the demonstrable fact that morale will never improve under the very condition he promises will continue. Yet it is entirely possible that the speaker of the phrase is perversely well-intentioned. He may really want morale to improve but not know how to accomplish that goal. He sincerely thinks that the beatings will cause his desired result. However, what difference does the intent of the speaker make in the real world. Others will suffer beatings. He presumably will not. Morale will not improve. The speaker's intent is meaningless in the real world. It is certainly meaningless in relation to his targeted topic of morale. Morale will not improve regardless of the intent of the speaker. More important, at least from the speaker's psychological perspective and from that of our judgment of him, is that there is some disconnect in his intellect that prevents him from understanding that in reality beatings do not lead to morale improvement. To the extent that his intellect, for whatever reason, prevents him from understanding the inverse relationship in reality between beatings and morale, he is clinically insane. There is also a darker implication in the phrase. The beatings are mandatory, evidence "will." This is an authoritarian statement that permits no further thought or discussion. There is no appeal from this statement envisioned by the speaker. The final decision has been made already by the speaker. The authoritarianism is how we know that the speaker will not be beaten. Authoritarian elites never include themselves in their own adverse impositions upon others. They consider that they know better than others what is good for the lives of those others, but it is only those others who need that imposed wisdom. The implication in authoritarian elitism is that the elites don't need authoritarian impositions because they are by definition wise enough in themselves. In practice, we see daily that elites worldwide can rarely control their own lives. Yet they still think they ought to be in control of ours. The authoritarianism is also how we know that those enduring the beatings have not been consulted, either at all or in any meaningful sense. Had they been, then any rational group of individuals would have objected to the beatings and argued objectively, perhaps through their appointed leaders, that the beatings not only will not cause the allegedly desired result but also that the exact opposite of continuity of beatings would in fact cause the allegedly desired result. Then there is the issue of the causation of the beatings. The word "continue" tells us that the beatings are already occurring and have been for an unspecified time. What caused the psychological requirement for beatings in the insane mind of the authoritarian elite speaker? Did the recipients of the beatings do something to require that they be beaten in order to prevent some greater unspecified malady in the mind of the speaker? Or are the beatings simply punitive and designed to prevent recurrence of prior undesired action. No causal justification is specified in the short statement, and hence we have to complete the analytical circle without evidence of any punitive or prohibitive intent. We come back by default to what we perhaps hope is nothing more than an inherently humorous statement. The Torch would think the phrase funny indeed if he did not realize that it characterizes in reality the entirety of the Brit High Command's current economic plan for the TCI. In the analog, the morale is our economy and the beatings are the VAT, the cap-and-trade energy tax, the increased customs rates, increased immigration and other government fees and any and all antibusiness government regulation, and the costs thereof, yet to be introduced incrementally over the next few years of the Brit occupation. The Brit High Command's economic plan for the TCI is that all of these "beatings" will be forcefully applied to citizens, residents and anyone dumb
enough to become our new customers. The beatings will be administered without effective consultation and certainly without the consent of the beaten. The beatings will be administered until such time as we and our few remaining customers determine collectively, some might say miraculously, that we are somehow sufficiently incentivized. At that point, it is imagined by the Brit Socialist authoritarian elites that spontaneously, and without any economic cause and effect whatsoever, our economy will suddenly improve out of thin air – and at the fantasy rate of 4% per annum, which has been decreed in their infinite Canute-like wisdom. Government will collect vast sums out of that very same thin air and pay off our $260M (and expanding) debt. It will then have to expand the airport yet again in order to accommodate the squadrons of pigs who will have to land somewhere. Back to reality for a moment. New customers for the TCI, combined with the retention of those we still have, is the only way our economy (and morale) can improve. The Torch cannot state that fact any more clearly. The Torch can find no statement by the Brit High Command that indicates any other theory for economic improvement than that new customers will come. In their Feb 2010 assessment of “Current and Potential Revenue Sources,” they speak blithely and ad nauseum about “revenue,” as though they and it are close friends. Then you realize that their revenue is not like yours or The Torch's. It is not earned. It is taken by force from those who earned it. So that seems to indicate that they understand the requirement for new customers and new revenue. They must understand on some base level that we existing customers do not have enough money to fund their fantasies. Accordingly, at least by implication, the Brits must believe that new customers will somehow appear in order to receive their share of the beatings. Perhaps the Brits' theory for our economic recovery is that things are so bad elsewhere, relatively speaking, that enough new customers will come here. Well, certainly things are bad worldwide, particularly in Socialist welfare entitlement states. That theory doesn't hold water though because it assumes that all such decisions about where to take one's wealth are zero-sum decisions in which the wealthy potential customer will decide to take his or her wealth to whichever jurisdiction captures 50.1% of the value in his or her analytical process. That's not how it works. When times are tough, people instinctively hang onto what they already have. They don't strike out boldly towards the devil they do not know. Numerically, it may take a 70-80% decision value to justify a wealthy individual bringing his wealth to the TCI. How many high-quality wealthy business people do you consider would currently decide that the TCI is worth the risk? Now add a VAT and a cap-and-tax energy plan to your consideration. Yet that is precisely the risk the Brits are doubling down on for our economic future. They are going to tax us more until we make more money. They are going to beat us until our morale improves. The Torch would like to know what difference any reader can see between that humorous saying and the apparent actual Brit economic plan for the TCI. The Torch thinks that they are identical - intellectually, epistemologically and philosophically. The Torch wonders how a group-think of at least neuronically intelligent, Oxbridge educated, FCOindoctrinated, career Socialist business-virgins, that is to say the Brit High Command, could arrive at such an existentially insane economic plan. The Torch realizes of course that he has answered his own question. It is only when you read the Brits' first published economic analysis after their Occupation began, namely the above-referenced, “TCI: Current and Potential Revenue Sources: An Assessment,” that you can fully comprehend just how well the Brits have cornered the market on stupid. On page 4 of said document, they state that our overall taxation is already quite high, “TCI is frequently presented as a 'low tax' environment. In fact the ratio of total taxes and fees collected in recent years to the country’s GDP has for some time been above the average among Caribbean tax jurisdictions. This is in spite of the complete absence of all the mainstream taxes: corporate income tax, personal income tax, property taxes and a broad based sales or VAT. In their absence, public revenues have been raised from an unconventional package of taxes and fees and especially from high rates of import duties,
LOCAL NEWS stamp duties, high fees on work and residency permits and sector specific indirect taxes mainly on hotels and restaurants.....This evidence enhances the conclusion that TCI is not and has not been a particularly low tax environment.” There is not a single ex-pat in these islands who could not have instinctively told you that the TCI is not a low-tax jurisdiction! It's just that the taxes here are called something different. Islanders may not have that perspective, but they pay some of those taxes too and will soon be paying much more. And that's just the taxation paid by an individual directly to the taxing authority!! There is an exponentially larger indirect taxation – the effective taxes individuals pay to businesses as part of the prices paid for goods to reimburse those businesses for their direct taxes paid. When you factor in indirect taxation, the TCI is in fact a high tax jurisdiction. In other words,we already have an effective cascading VAT-style of tax that adds taxation at each level of added value. It's called customs duty. It is already high and all you have to do to make the system work is to collect it from everyone. That system is already in place and taxes only need to be collected at ports of entry. But creating new taxes and raising existing taxes are the only plans in the Socialist playbook! Our existing revenue system had to be ignored! The Torch has been searching for a while now for a reason why the Brits constantly state flatly, but without reason, that the current TCIG revenue system is broken, even though they describe it above as being robust. He thought he had not found it again on page 14 of the above-referenced document where it states, “However, notwithstanding its somewhat unconventional nature, this structure (the current revenue system), over a sustained period until 2009, does not seem to have been a hindrance to relatively strong revenue growth.” Do you mean until just after the worldwide recession began? But then a reason of sorts was found on pp. 1516 as to why the current revenue system would not be optimal going forward. It's an illogical reason, but it's a reason: “This judgement relates in particular to the likely future of the condominium model of property development in the islands. If such a return seems likely then the pre-existing revenue system – eccentric as this may be – could be one leading option for the future. If on the other hand such a return is adjudged to be unlikely – as several commentators in the islands think it is - then some significant changes in the revenue balance would be called for unless public services were to be run permanently at a much reduced level.” Let The Torch understand. Because new customers are unlikely to show up to buy condos, we have to change and expand our taxation system completely to drive away new customers. Stated in different Brit-speak: if there will be no customers to buy condos, there will be customers to tax. Morale will improve and the beatings will continue. The Torch thinks that what the Brits should have done to resolve our economic crisis were (1) to reduce public spending immediately across the board to some painful level; (2) to streamline and decriminalize the current revenue collection system; (3) to adjust for inflation the fees that have not been increased in a while; (4) to fund completely the rebuilding of our police force as compensation for their constitutional negligence in our economic crisis; (5) to make public all future TCIG expenditures over a certain amount; (6) to make certain legislative and administrative adjustments to attract and permit new customers and then (7) to bloody well get out of the way while the folks take over. We'll improve our own morale, thanks. Wait a minute though. Here's something from the Brit High Command that sounds promising. The Torch has been thrashing around trying to find something from the Brits that indicates a more intelligent and decisive plan for our economy, and here is FCO honcho Hague speaking on May 19, “The scale of the challenge is unprecedented and our response must match the aspirations of people across the region. The UK will ...[support]... those in the region who demand more open, transparent government and genuine political and economic participation. Our response ... must be bold and ambitious. It is in our national interest to do so. During next week... we will discuss ... how to help drive economic and political reform which is based on a partnership of equals.” Hey, that sounds.... Oh. Wait a minute. The Torch got carried away. He apologizes. That is Hague speaking on May 19, but he's talking about the Palestinians, not us. For us, the beatings will continue.
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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
MAY 27TH- JUNE 3RD, 2011
Come and join our winning team!!! Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages and Spa, the only 6 Diamond all inclusive property in the Caribbean and its authorized Recruitment Agencies are inviting applications from suitably qualified Turks and Caicos Islanders for the following vacant positions. Applicants must have a clean police record and a good command of the English language both written and spoken. In addition candidates must be able to work nights, public holidays and week-ends. The Resort thanks everyone for their interest in advance and advises that only short listed applicants will be contacted for an interview. Security Department Requires:
ASSiStAnt SecuRity MAnAgeR
the Spa Department requires:
Requirements include but are not limited to: • Ensure that the team responds rapidly to all incidents. • Timely follow up with thorough investigations. • Identify and eliminate risk. • Ensure that all Safety and Loss Prevention systems are functioning and maintained at high standards at all times. • Tertiary level education preferred • At least 5 years relevant experience
FitneSS cooRDinAtoR
Salary for the above mentioned position range from $23,000.00 to $30,000.00
Requirements include but are not limited to: • Certification in a varied range of fitness areas and classes • Ensure maintenance of safety and sanitation standards and policies • Maintain and manage the Gym and its environs including tennis facilities Salary for the above mentioned position range from $17,000.00 to $25,000.00 the Accounts Department requires:
FinAnciAl contRolleR the Room Division requires:
HeAD ButleR Requirements include but are not limited to: • Certified English Butler • 5 years experience in Managing a Butler team • Attention to detail Salary for the above mentioned positions range from $25,000.00 to $35,000.00
Requirements include but are not limited to: • Ability to manage a multimillion dollar financial portfolio. • Ability to manage and oversee the Warehouse, Cost Control and Accounts departments, in the areas of strategic, day to day, budget and staff management • Over 10 years as a Financial Controller in a five star or six diamond resort with over 600 rooms Salary for the above mentioned position is negotiable
executive HouSekeepeR Requirements include but are not limited to: • Schedules staff according to forecasted occupancy and maintains productivity standards. • Oversee the financial processes of budgeting, purchasing, payroll and inventory control. • Maintain quality standards to ensure the highest level of cleanliness • Maintain all safety and security policies. • Minimum of 3 years housekeeping management Salary for the above mentioned positions range from $30,000.00 to $50,000.00
Applications giving full details of qualifications and experience should be sent to: mmvaughn@grp.sandals.com or Fax to: 941-4870 Attn: M Mcclean-vaughn the Human Resources Department Beaches turks and caicos p.o. Box 186 lower Bight Road and
the public Relations Department requires:
puBlic RelAtionS cooRDinAtoR Requirements include but are not limited to: • University Degree (BA/BS: Communication, Public Relations, Marketing, Advertising or equivalent preferred) • Must be able to produce clear, concise and effective press releases • Must have strong creative thinking process for story generation and strong copyrighting skills and creative story writing. Salary for the above mentioned position range from $17,000.00 to $25,000.00
the labour commissioner labour Department providenciales turks and caicos islands and should reach not later than June 10th 2011. otherwise, please call anytime for an appointment tel # 649-946-8000 ext 4138
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MAY 27TH- JUNE 3RD, 2011
LOCAL NEWS
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Kazz ForbeS
TCI fashion designer
Y IT C K r Yo w e n In n o TI C e ll o C TS u deb Noted fashioN aNd commercial photographer, and proponent for the arts in the Turks and Caicos Islands - Kazz Forbes - will be making his fashion debut in the Big Apple next month. Forbes, who hails from South Caicos - will be showcasing his designer collection “Le Caicos Chic: A romance with decadence” at the Caribbean International Fashion Week (CIFW), which takes place on Wednesday, June 8th 2011 in New York, USA. The CIFW is an event that is being held in conjunction with Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Foundation’s 2011 Caribbean week of activities. This inaugural event marks the assembly of dozens of premier Caribbean designers with a multitude of extensive media, buyers, Caribbean officials and industry professionals with the sole purpose of bringing more exposure and sales revenue to Caribbean fashion designers in effect bringing a greater admiration and appreciation for Caribbean fashion and beauty. “Kazz’s participation beat out an impressive field of 365 applicants to complete with the group of 15 elite designers from the Caribbean that will be presenting,” says Glenda Lugay, CEO of CIFW. As the principal designer for Saint George Fashion House (SGFH), a men’s and women’s high-end fashion line, Forbes endeavors to establish a Turks and Caicos Islands first, a designer clothing brand for the discerning fashion conscious clientele
Photographer Kazz Forbes isthe principal designer for Saint George Fashion House
from our ‘Beautiful by Nature’ shores to the international market. Accompanying Forbes to New York is his muse, Ms Brianna Williams. Brianna, who currently can be seen hovering over Down Town Providenciales on a Digicel TCI billboard that was photographed by Forbes, is slated to wear one of the designer’s signature pieces, one that is expected generate a lot of media and fashion attention. The photographer has completed campaigns and projects for Digicel, TCI Top Model Contest & Fashion
t & C MiNiatUre GOLF SEEKS 1 Ticket Attendant 2 Waitresses 2 Kitchen Helpers 1 Gardener Salary $5.00 per hour Contact 941-4653
Ms Brianna Williams Extravaganza, VH1 Save The Music Foundation, Miss Earth Canada Organization, MTV UK, Bahamas Islands of the World Fashion Week, Mrs. Bahamas Pageant, Montreal Mode & Fashion Festival and Royele Model Management, to name but a few. This experience has fueled his ambition, fashion awareness and direction. Since its inception, the Saint George Fashion House label has garnered tremendous buzz amongst industry insiders and fashion lovers awaiting its debut. This was one of the principal reasons why Forbes was
chosen to represent the Turks and Caicos Islands at such a prestigious event. “I’ve always had a passion for fashion. I love it in all its creative forms. There is a time for everything and I have chosen the year 2011 to showcase and offer fashion of my own creativity. Being a designer from the Turks and Caicos, given an opportunity to debut in the fashion capital of the world: New York City is a major career boost. Words cannot express my excitement, the anticipation and the sheer pride I feel to represent my homeland,” said Forbes, SGFH principal designer. “This is indeed an incredible honour and a privilege that I am entrusted with. One that I endeavor the make TCI, my supporters and myself proud.” Forbes’ participation to the Caribbean International Fashion Week is being sponsored by the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board, DigicelTCI, Acres of Diamonds, Caribbean Property Management, Alicia Shulman Jewels of NYC, Kenneth Gallagher, Royal West Indies Resort, Caribbean Energy Distributors, NuWoman Magazine, Savory & Co, Royele Communications Ltd, Benjamin Moore Paints and TCI Paint Supplies. For more information, kindly contact Mr Kazz Forbes on (649) 243-3000 or via email: media@saintgeorgefashionhouse.com . Forbes work is featured on: www.KazzForbes.com and www.SaintGeorgeFashionHouse.com
KATIVSCA RODRIGUEZ Looking for a
BaBysitter To work 6 days per week Salary $5.00 per hour Contact 346-9908
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LOCAL NEWS NEWS
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN MAY 27TH MAY- 27THJUNE2011 3RD, 2011 JUNE 3RD,
Thieves strip mega-million dollar Emerald Point development By Vivian Tyson
Unfinished multimillion dollar condo homes being constructed in Leeward under the cash-strapped and scrapped Emerald Point Development have been stripped of their construction material, including priceless Italian marble tiles amounting to thousands of dollars and are wasting away. A site once advertising the expansive project now bears a red marquee sentence which reads” This project has been permanently discontinued.” Further down, the side reads: “The owner of Emerald Point in Leeward has decided to sell the 35 acres at the top end of Grace Bay Beach and has put a list price of $95 million on the property which includes three high-end homes”, apparently obviously oblivious to the vast decline of the construction. The property is said to have been owned by Leeward Marina and Nikki Beach developer Rodney Propps, who was granted a whopping $41m advance towards the construction of the controversial scheme by British Caribbean Bank. However, it was understood that the development became insolvent and plunged into receivership. The 35 acre property located in the northeast point of Providenciales was being built as a luxury residential resort and spa development on the eastern most end of the world-famous Grace Bay Beach. It was supposed to sport British Colonial architecture with just walkways and golf cart
spa and health and fitness centre. The SUN understands that the development was almost 80 percent complete when it went under. When this newspaper visited the scene, the sprawling development was only a shell of what it was meant to be. Firstly, the property has been overrun by wild and prickly weeds, a clear sign of its abandonment. Apparently ‘keep out’s signs has been ignored, as there was no human presence there to ensure such measure was carried out. Further observation showed hard-hitting signs of plundering, as the dry walls were ripped apart and electrical items yanked; expensive tiles laid on various parts of the floors were hacked up and removed; all their fixtures unscrewed and taken away, sections were lumbers were installed to reinforce parts of the building were removed; and the roofing materials in and outside were ripped from the buildings. Instead of its alluring beauty which was advertised on the development’s website, the property is now a sorry eyesore. The infinity pool is now the catchment for slimy-looking mossy water, which has become a habitat for Roof stripped of its materials tadpoles, mosquitoes and other critters. A source told The SUN that the materials paths, ensuring optimal peace and tranquility. The design of the development shows each removed from the property were believed to have building housing five residences, with the first two been loaded on barges and shipped to Haiti, but levels each consisting of luxurious three-bedroom this could not be independently verified by this units, and the third level listed as a spacious four- newspaper. It is feared that if Government does not switch bedroom penthouse. Amenities of the development, according to on the green light or assist developers in identify the design were to include what has been referred funding to restart projects that have been stalled, to as generous terraces, infinity swimming pools, similar occurrences could occurred at these closed private lounge pavilions, lush landscaping, properties. beachfront dining option, high-end marina, tennis courts, a family area, a five acre meditation garden, a naturalistic
NOTICE Regulation 7 of the physical Planning (Development Permission) Regulations, 1990 An Application, PR10857 by Mr. Gilbert Fitzroy Selver for the Development of a Propane Gas Station has been submitted to the Department of Planning for consideration of Development Permission on 60611/27, South Dock Road, Providenciales. Anyone wishing to make representation(s) may do so in writing to the Director of Planning, South Base Grand Turk or through the Department of Planning, Downtown, Town Center Mall, Providenciales, within twenty eight (28) day of publication of this Notice. Notice Date: May 13, 2011
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OFFICE ASSISTANT F Chambers, a modern law firm in the Turks and Caicos Islands is seeking an Office Assistant to join its young vibrant team of Professionals. Job Duties • Maintaining files and databases • Prepares reports, presentations, memorandums, proposals and correspondence • Monitor office operations • Schedules appointments and meetings for executives and upper level staff • Serves as the go-to for office inquiries and conflicts • Manages staff schedules • Tracks office supply inventory and approves supply orders • Be the first point of contact for the office • Answer all telephone calls Required Skills • Excellent oral and written communication skills • Detail oriented and works with a high degree of accuracy • Highly organized and flexible • Ability to multitask and meet changing deadlines • Must be self directed and able to complete projects with limited supervision • Maintains staff confidentiality • Working knowledge of email, scheduling, spreadsheets and presentation software Job Requirements • 2 years or more related experience • Minimum: High School Diploma • Belongers need only apply. All resumes and cover letters should be sent to: 2 Southern Shores Building One, P.O. Box 666, Leeward Highway, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos, Telephone: 1 649 339 6275 Fax: 649 339 7777 Email: HR@fchamberslaw.com
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W E L C O M E S
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HAITI
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LIFESTYLE
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Digicel celebrated with the residents of Middle Caicos 100% network coverage on that island on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at Bambarra Beach. The full day event included giveaways, phone sales and lots of fun and music. Digicel’s recent network upgrade has allowed the telecommunications company to provide 100% population coverage throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands. According to Digicel CEO, E. Jay Saunders, “It was important to bring the celebration to the beautiful island of Middle Caicos because Digicel worked to ensure that it provided the island with the Best Coverage. It goes hand in hand with our belief in providing the best service, best value and best network across every island in the Turks and Caicos Chain.”
Digicel representatives interacting with residents
The young and old turned out for the Digicel fun day
Middle Caicos residents assist in serving lunch
Children engage in fun and games on the beach
Lunch is served The youngsters came out in their numbers to participate in the Digicel day of fun E. Jay Saunders (seated) pose with staff members
Cooling out in the shade
Children play Digical games to win prizes
It was fun galore in Middle Caicos
Digicel TCI CEO- E. Jay Saunders
Trina Adams of Digicel
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Dining Out Dos and Don'ts Afraid dinner out will ruin your diet before you even start your entrée? These 10 dos and don'ts will help. Some people trying to lose weight steer clear of restaurants to avoid the large portion sizes, bottomless bread baskets and all those high-calorie entries. But shunning restaurants altogether isn't a realistic approach to weight loss — and it's unnecessary. You can eat out and lose weight. Start with this list of tips to help you navigate the menu options at your favorite fast-food joints and sit-down restaurants. 1. Set a budget Determine how much you're willing to eat before looking at the menu. You can give yourself some leeway by scheduling some exercise on or near days you plan to eat out. Putting in gym time or going for a brisk walk will help offset a little extra eating. And remember, be flexible. You can loosen up a bit on special occasions, as long as you eat carefully most of the time. (Just don't let every day become a special occasion.) 2. Put on your game face Decide on some guidelines before you go to a restaurant, and stick to them. For instance: Skip the all-inclusive (prix fixe) menu and opt for à la carte selections. Doing so might not be as economical, but you'll probably eat less. Take one piece of bread, then ask your server to remove the breadbasket from the table. 3. Make special requests You're paying good money for that meal, so you're entitled to make special requests or slight modifications. Why not say: Can I have that without butter? Grilled? With the sauce on the side? I'd like mixed greens instead of fries with my sandwich. 4. Practice portion control Some restaurant portions can be two, three, even four times the "normal" size — especially super-sized fast food meals. check by: Ordering a salad as a starter and then splitting a main entrée with a friend. Creating your own scaled-down meal from a couple of appetizers and/or side dishes. 5. Break down (language) barriers If you don't know what a preparation term means, ask. In general, though, the following words translate into high-fat, high-calorie dishes: Au gratin, scalloped, hollandaise. Parmigiana, scampi, Bolognese. 6. Downsize the super-size Super-sized fast food meal options can be loaded with calories. Either: Order something small, like a basic burger. After all, the first bite tastes the same as the last. Order yourself a children's meal. 7. Watch out for extras The average burger with ketchup, lettuce and tomato isn't so bad. But one with "the works" is usually a caloric nightmare. Skip: Bacon, cheese and mayonnaise. Double-burger patties and extra pieces of bread. 8. Don't go top heavy Salad bars and garden salads grace menus across the country. But those extra toppings can sabotage your seemingly diet-conscious choices: Go light on croutons, grated cheese and bacon. Opt for small amounts of low-fat or nonfat dressings on the side. 9. Don't drink away your progress A drink with dinner is fine, but too many margaritas may wreak havoc on your dieting resolve. Keep your appetite under control by: Alternating alcoholic beverages with noncaloric sodas or sparkling water. Not drinking alcoholic beverages on an empty stomach. 10. Resign from the "clean plate club" You paid for it so you have to eat it, right? Wrong. Just think of the health and emotional costs of those extra calories on your body. Downsize by: Eating half the meal and doggie-bagging the rest. Pushing your plate away when you're full. And remember to eat slowly. It takes 20 minutes for your body to recognize that it's full.
Keep your portions in
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[Pitbull - Intro] Me not working hard? Yea right picture that with a kodak And better yet, go to times square Take a picture of me with a kodak Took my life from negative to positive And I just want y'all know that And tonight, let's enjoy life Pitbull, Nayer, Ne-Yo [Ne-Yo / Nayer - Chorus] Tonight I will love love you tonight Give me everything tonight For all we know we might not get tomorrow Let's do it tonight I will love love you tonight Give me everything tonight For all we know we might not get tomorrow Let’s do it tonight Don’t care what they say All the games they play Nothing is enough Till they handle love (Let’s do it tonight) I want you tonight, I want you today I want you tonight Grab somebody sexy tell ‘em hey Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight [Pitbull - Verse 1] Get busy tonight Cuz to more and more to do bad before and for Prius Desperate tonight I can make you my queen And make love to you eanless This is insane, the way the name growin’, money keep flowin’ Hustlers move aside, so I’m tiptoein, keep flowin’ I gotta locked up like Lindsay Lohan Put it on my life baby
I can make you feel right baby I can’t promise tomorrow But I promise tonight Dale [Pitbull - Pre Chorus] Excuse me But I might drink a little bit more than I should tonight And I might take you home with me if I could tonight And I think you should let me cause I look good tonight And we might not get tomorrow
Reach for the stars And if you don’t grab em, at least you’re on top of the world Think about it Cuz if you slip I’m gonna fall on top of you girl Put on ‘em ball when they sleep at the Macy’s And it ain’t no secret My granny’s from Cuba but I’m an American Tied over money like Seacrest Put it on my life baby I can make you feel right baby I can’t promise tomorrow But I promise tonight Dale
[Ne-Yo / Nayer - Chorus]
[Pitbull - Pre Chorus]
Tonight I will love love you tonight Give me everything tonight For all we know we might not get tomorrow Lets do it tonight I will love love you tonight Give me everything tonight For all we know we might not get tomorrow
Excuse me But I might drink a little bit more than I should tonight And I might take you home with me if I could tonight And I think you should let me cause I look good tonight And we might not get tomorrow
Lets do it tonight Lets do it tonight Don’t care what they say All the games they play Nothing is enough Till they handle love (Lets do it tonight) I want you tonight, I want you today I want you tonight Grab somebody sexy tell ‘em hey Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Grab somebody sexy tell ‘em hey Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight [Pitbull - Verse 2]
[Ne-Yo / Nayer - Chorus] Tonight I will love love you tonight Give me everything tonight For all we know we might not get tomorrow Let's do it tonight I will love love you tonight Give me everything tonight For all we know we might not get tomorrow Lets do it tonight Don’t care what they say All the games they play Nothing is enough Till they handle love (Lets do it tonight) I want you tonight, I want you today I want you tonight Grab somebody sexy tell ‘em hey Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight
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ENTERTAINMENT
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
Oprah Winfrey's Final Show
- a TearFul FareWell aFTer 25 YearS U.S. television star Oprah Winfrey, 57, has ended her quarter-century-long talk show, tearing up as she told her millions of worldwide viewers that they and the program have been "the great love" of her life. Earlier in the week, in the lead-up to the finale, Winfrey brought in top Hollywood celebrities to share the stage. But on the last day, there was just Winfrey. There was little background music on the hour-long show that is airing Wednesday,
just Winfrey showing clips from over the years as she reminisced about the lessons of life she brought to viewers. She told her legions of fans to listen to their inner feelings about life. In what she described as her "last class," she told viewers to remember that they are responsible for their own lives. Over the years, Winfrey's fame and fortune spiraled to new heights as her media empire grew. Forbes magazine last year ranked her as the third-most
powerful woman in the world. Forbes estimated her wealth at $2.7 billion. That is a long path from her youth, the daughter of a single mother in rural, poor Mississippi. In her finale, Winfrey said viewers often taught her and that 25 years after the first show, she is still saying "Thank you, America." At the end of the program, Winfrey told her fans: "I won't say goodbye. I'll just say, until we meet again."
LindsAy LohAn stArts house Arrest for jeweLry theft Actress Lindsay Lohan began a sentence for jewelry theft under house arrest on Thursday, but is likely to serve only about 35 days of her four month term, officials said. Lohan, 24, turned up at a Los Angeles jail at 5 a.m. on Thursday, was deemed eligible for home confinement, fitted with an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet and released to her home within an hour, Los Angeles Sheriff's department spokesman Steve Whitmore said. "Ms. Lohan will be under the supervision of the sheriff's department and her release date is expected to be around June 29," Whitmore said. "She will serve about 35 days on home detention." The "Mean Girls" actress was sentenced two weeks ago to four months jail and 480 hours community service after pleading no contest to stealing a $2,500 gold necklace from a store in January. It was not immediately clear how much time she would be confined to house arrest. But Whitmore said earlier this month she would likely serve 16-17 days at home under programs for nonviolent offenders, good behavior and because of overcrowding in the city's jails. Lohan has already started her community service at a women's jail.
Actress Lindsay Lohan
Lohan has been in and out of jail and drug and alcohol rehab for the past four years following a 2007 arrest for drunken driving and cocaine possession. Her troubles have derailed her once promising Hollywood career, but she was cast in April in an upcoming movie about New York crime boss John Gotti, alongside actors Al Pacino and John Travolta.
Schwarzenegger mistress' hubby: Thought he was my son Mildred Baena's ex says he didn't know about her affair with former Calif. governor until recently The estranged husband of the woman identified as the mother of Arnold Schwarzenegger's out-of-wedlock son says he just learned the truth about the boy's parentage. "One week ago," Rogelio Baena said when asked when he learned that he was not the child's biological father. In an interview broadcast Tuesday, Baena told Entertainment Tonight's "Insider" that he was still committed to the child who he hasn't seen since last year. "That's my son," he said. "I don't know what happened." The Colombian also said he had no idea
that his ex-wife Mildred Baena had had an affair with the former California governor, movie star and husband of Maria Shriver, a member of the Kennedy political dynasty. "The Insider" also broadcast video Tuesday of Maria Shriver praising Mildred Baena at a 2001 celebration for one of Baena's relatives. Rogelio Baena admitted he was angry about the news. "I don't know if he's watched TV," he said in Spanish when asked if the child had found out about the scandal. Shriver said she was proud of Baena for being a single, hard-working mother. Schwarzenegger can be heard echoing her praise, saying the housekeeper did "an incredible job."
Winfrey recently started the Oprah Winfrey Network on cable television and plans to devote her time to it and her other media ventures. At the age of 19, Winfrey became a news anchor. In 1984, she moved to Chicago to host a morning talk show and within a year it was named "The Oprah Winfrey Show," eventually becoming the top-rated talk show in television history with many millions of viewers weekly in 150 countries.
Group continues to protest Grammy category changes NEW YORK — A coalition of musicians is demanding the Recording Academy restore more than 30 categories cut from the Grammy Awards, alleging the reductions unfairly target ethnic music and were done without the input of its thousands of members A protest was planned Thursday in Beverly Hills, Calif., at an academy board meeting. It is part of a campaign by those upset by last month's decision to reduce the Grammy fields, which this year totaled 109, to 78. Grammy President and CEO Neil Portnow said changes would be in effect for the 2012 Grammys. He urged dissenters to work with the academy, which would examine the effect of the changes for the 2013 awards. But protesters hope the process could be reversed in time for next year's Grammy ceremony if at least one board member asks the academy to reconsider. "Hopefully during that time, someone will rise and be brave enough and do this," Bobby Sanabria, a fourtime Grammy nominee in the Latin jazz category and a leader of the movement against the changes, said in an interview Wednesday. The Academy announced the changes April 6; the move came after a more than yearlong examination of the awards structure, the first in the Grammys' 50-plus year history. Portnow said at the time that the changes would make the Grammys more competitive, and the awards more coveted. But the move upset many Academy members, who were taken off guard by the announcement. "The effect will be that the music will be very, very homogenous, it's already starting to sound like that already," he said. "Society as we know it now is very multicultural and very diverse, and the Grammys always reflected that." Portnow, in an interview this week, said he understands the frustration of those affected. However, he denied many of Sanabria's contentions, including the idea that non-mainstream categories bore the brunt of the reductions. "In this year's awards, in the 53rd (annual ceremony), there were 34 mainstream categories. Next year, with the changed revision, there will be 20 mainstream categories. That's a significant reduction in mainstream areas. In non-mainstream categories ... there were 71. In the upcoming 54th awards, there will be 54," he said, saying that percentage-wise, mainstream categories were more effected. "Not only non-mainstream categories were affected here," he said. "The facts here don't play that out." After the Academy announced the changes, meetings were held in chapter cities across the country to reach out to members. Portnow said he's willing to meet with members of Sanabria's coalition. "They've done a great job in mobilizing the community to do something. If the community has been mobilized, let's take it to the next step ... a positive direction," he said.
KFWS • MindGym October 4, 2010
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King Features Weekly Service
October 4, 2010
October 4, 2010
King Features Weekly Service
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Some flashes of Aries ire might erupt as you confront an unusually bewildering situation. But you should be able to keep your temper under control as you work through it. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) That marriage ‘twixt the arts and practicality that Taureans excel at once again highlights your enjoyment of much of the week. However, you need to watch any sudden urge to splurge. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Even with all the plusses apparently outweighing the minuses, you still might want to defer an important decision to make sure you have all the facts you need. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) One or two problems might threaten to derail otherwise smoothly running situations at work or at home. But a few well-placed words should help get things back on track quickly. LEO (July 23 to August 22) This could be a good time for all you Leos and Leonas in the spotlight to open your generous Lion’s hearts and share the glory with those who helped you accomplish so much along the way. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) You might want to get advice from someone who’s been there and knows these situations better than you do, before investing time or money (or both) in a questionable matter. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Be careful how you handle a workplace matter that seems out of place
A NECESSARY ASSUMPTION —13—
October 4, 2010
King Features Weekly Servic
If a contract can be made only when the defenders’ cards are divided in a certain way, declarer must play for that distribution to exist. He lays his plans accordingly —15— and dismisses all other distributions from his mind. Here is a typical case: West leads the king of clubs, won by dummy’s ace. The situation is far from promising, since it is possible to lose three hearts, a club and a diamond. However, there is a good chance that West, who overcalled, has the king of diamonds, in which case one loser can be lopped off. Furthermore, dummy’s fourth diamond offers the prospect
in the schedule you’ve prepared. Before you act, one way or another, find out who set it up and why. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your entertainment aspect is strong this week. Besides providing a wonderful break from everyday obligations, sharing fun times brings you closer to those you care for. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Having a weekend fun fest? Your friend or relative who’s down in the emotional dumps could perk up if you find a way to include him or her in your plans. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) If you’re in one of those “the Goat knows best” periods, you might want to ease up and try listening to what others have to say. You could learn something. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) That new challenge is getting closer, and you should be out there now showing facts and figures to potential allies to help persuade them to rally to your support. Good luck. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Getting a head start on holiday plans could help free up some time later to spend on other projects. Meanwhile, a colleague has some ideas that you might find worth discussing. BORN THIS WEEK: You are always there for others, and sometimes you need to be reminded that you need to be there for yourself as well.
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© 2010 King Features Synd., Inc.
of saving still another trick. But this latter possibility is complicated somewhat by the built-in block in diamonds. Thus, suppose declarer draws three rounds of trumps immediately and leads the diamond queen. Whether West plays the king on this trick or the next, South is unable to utilize dummy’s fourth diamond, and he goes down one. This threatening complication should start South on a train of thought that will lead him to the winning solution. He should cash the Q-J of trumps and then lead the queen of diamonds, leaving one trump at large. It does not matter whether or not West covers; in either case, South plays three diamonds in succession, ending in his hand. As it happens, West cannot ruff the third diamond, and South makes the contract, since he can next cross to the king of spades and discard a loser on the nine of diamonds. It is true that declarer runs the risk of the second or third diamond being ruffed, but, because making the contract is his primary consideration, he has no choice but to proceed on the assumption that the winning distribution actually exists. © 2010 King Features Synd., Inc.
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October 4, 2010
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Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham delivers $3billion budget NASSAU, Bahamas – Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham Wednesday presented a US$3.1 billion budget outlining a number of tax measures in the face of what he termed the “ongoing challenging fiscal environment”. Ingraham told legislators that his administration is projecting recurrent revenue to be US$1.5 billion, while recurrent expenditure is pegged at US$1.6 billion. The Prime Minister said that among the revenue measures will be the introduction of a number of measures to further rationalise tariff and excise rates, encourage energy efficiency and provide relief to consumers. He announced a reduction in taxes on a number of food items including turkey, ham and beef as well as the rate on electric cars, which is being reduced from 85 to 25 per cent to align it with the rate on hybrids. Ingraham said that in order to promote energy efficiency the rate on insulated concrete forms and insulated steel wall panels is being reduced from 45 to 25 per cent and the rate on sprayon thermal foam insulation is being reduced from 45 to 10 per cent. “To that same end, the rate on solar air conditioners is being reduced from 45 per cent to 10 per cent” and that the rate on kidney machines and parts will no longer attract a 10 per cent tax. The Prime Minister said that the
current seven dollar air ticket tax that is applicable on tickets sold in The Bahamas for travel outside the country is being eliminated and will be merged into the existing US$20 air departure tax. “Effective as of October 1, 2011, the combined air departure tax will be levied at a rate of US$25 per ticket,” he said, adding that the Stamp Act is being amended to clarify that the exemption for the transfer of mortgages between lending institutions applies to all such transfers and not only those held by first-time homeowners. “To encourage the payment of arrears in respect of commercial property taxes, a 100 per cent waiver of the applicable surcharge will be offered for a period of six months.” Ingraham also said that the Tariff Act is being amended to provide an exemption for the purchase of classroom supplies by teachers upon the supply of a confirmation letter from their school. “The Tariff Act is being amended to provide for the introduction of the specific tariff rates agreed under the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union,” he added. But he told legislators that it is evident that the Government continues to face an ongoing challenging fiscal environment and that “our attempt to secure a meaningful increase in the ratio of Recurrent Revenue to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to some extent more closely aligned with international
norms, has been disappointing. “We must redouble our efforts on this score in both the near term and over time if the Government is to have access to the level of fiscal resources needed for the administration of a modern and progressive Government that can meet the economic and social needs of its citizens,” he said. He said that the Government debt is forecast to stand at US$3.779 billion, or 46.2 per cent of GDP, at the end of the upcoming fiscal year. The Prime Minister said that last year his administration reduced the allowances of senior public officials by 50 per cent, while indicating that increments for public officers would not, for the most part, be paid in 2010/11. He said it also froze public service promotions in most cases. “With all Public Officers having made that significant contribution over the course of the past fiscal year, I am announcing that, in the coming fiscal year, the Government will re-institute the full payment of allowances. “I am also announcing that public officers at the maximum of their pay scales will receive a one-time lump-sum payment equivalent to one increment,” he said, adding that during this fiscal year “two additional increments will be added to every pay scale. “Every Public Officer will be entitled to an increment in pay during the next fiscal year, and a further increment during the subsequent fiscal
Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham
year,” he said, adding that the freeze on promotions is being lifted. The Prime Minister also announced that his government would reverse a number of measures outlined in last year’s budget “specifically in respect of contributions and grants to charitable organizations and institutions”. Ingraham said that his administration “has demonstrated a proven and consistent track record of meeting head-on the priority policy challenges confronting the Bahamian economy and people. “Despite a very difficult global environment, we have assessed options and made choices in respect of proactive actions to support economic activity and provide assistance to those most in need.” He said while the environment has improved and looks promising, “we clearly continue to face economic and social challenges”.
Venezuela says US sanctions to hurt US businesses most CARACAS, Venezuela – U.S. sanctions against Venezuela's state oil company will primarily affect American businesses, the country's foreign minister said Thursday. The U.S. State Department has targeted Petroleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, for doing business with Iran, saying it delivered at least two cargoes of refined petroleum products worth about $50 million to the Middle Eastern nation. "These illegal, abusive measures taken by this weak government of the United States ... those most affected are businesspeople of the United States," Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said in an interview on state television. The Venezuelan oil company will be barred from any U.S. government contracts, U.S. importexport financing and export licenses for sensitive technology. But it won't be prevented from selling crude to the United States or through its U.S.
subsidiary, Citgo. Maduro said preventing PDVSA from buying technology affects U.S. companies contracted by the Venezuelan oil company. Referring to oil-industry technology previously obtained from U.S. companies, Maduro said: "We can substitute them in a process of adjustment and produce them in Venezuela or begin to acquire them from our strategic allies in the rest of the world." He did not elaborate on the contractors affected or the sorts of oil industry equipment that Venezuela might no longer obtain from U.S. companies. Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said previously that while shipments of heavy crude to PDVSA's U.S.-based subsidiaries will continue, the company cannot guarantee shipments to nonaffiliated private oil companies.
"Our industry has the capability to face and overcome this attempt at sanctions," Maduro said. "What they're trying to do with the sanctions is hit us from an economic point of view." Asked whether Venezuela might consider suspending oil shipments to the United States, Maduro said such actions could only be considered in "extreme moments," though he didn't give details. Venezuela sells more than half of its oil exports to the United States, an amount that has varied recently between 900,000 and 1.2 barrels a day. Thousands of PDVSA employees and supporters of President Hugo Chavez denounced the U.S. measures during a second day of rallies Thursday in Caracas and other parts of the country.
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Jamaica energy minister says US revoked his visa KINGSTON, Jamaica- Jamaica's energy and mining minister resigned from his powerful Cabinet post Tuesday, hours after disclosing that the U.S. State Department had revoked his visitor visa, possibly due to a police investigation of him. Energy and Mining Minister James Robertson said he was not informed why U.S. visas for him and his wife, Charlene, were withdrawn, but he speculated the decision could be tied to allegations he was involved in a murder-for-hire plot. U.S. officials declined all comment on the visa matter, citing privacy rules. In his statement, Robertson said the murder-for-hire accusations by St. Thomas businessman Ian Johnson "have been, and remain, wholly rejected." Robertson was never charged and has filed a defamation lawsuit against Johnson, a district constituent who made the allegations in an unsuccessful application for political asylum in the U.S. In his resignation letter to Prime
Jamaica's energy and mining minister James Robertson
Minister Bruce Golding, Robertson said he was stepping down immediately following conversations with Golding, Cabinet colleagues, and his wife and daughters. "Recent events which include several unsubstantiated allegations have taken a heavy toll on my family and me. I am confident however that this matter will be resolved once given the opportunity and due process,"
wrote Robertson, who is also deputy leader of the governing Jamaica Labor Party. Jamaican police have said they opened an investigation into criminal allegations against the energy minister, without specifying if the probe involved Johnson's allegation. On Tuesday, Assistant Police Commissioner Les Green said he expected to provide an update on the investigation in the next day or two. He gave no other details. Jamaica's Cabinet met Tuesday to address the situation. Phone calls made to the government's information minister, Daryl Vaz, went unanswered. The Jamaica Observer newspaper, which first broke the news that a top minister's visa was revoked, said Robertson did not offer to give up his parliamentary seat or step down as Labor's deputy leader. The prime minister has said he first alerted police about the "disturbing allegations" against Robertson in late October after Johnson visited him at a constituency
office and handed him a handwritten letter outlining his assertions. Golding has said he passed the letter to police commanders Nov. 1 and asked them to speedily investigate. Later, in a sworn statement made while he was in Florida, Johnson alleged in his unsuccessful application for U.S. political asylum that Robertson was behind the death of Johnson's mother and had taken out a contract on his life, among other accusations. Peter Bunting, a spokesman for the main opposition People's National Party, said the visa reversal by the U.S. was a cause of "serious concern" and would hobble Robertson's ability to do business as a government official. "It is very exceptional and unusual for the U.S. government to take this action against a high government official of another country and we would have to assume that it was not done ... arbitrarily," Bunting said. Robertson said he has asked his U.S.-based attorney to find out why his visa was canceled.
CBS pulls Jamaica PM says controversial ad natural gas project to proceed calling for end to Haiti deportations NEW YORK – CBS television has pulled a Times Square Jumbotron advertisement that called for a stop to Haiti deportations because it was “too controversial”. The Center for Constitutional Rights has launched an email campaign calling on the television station to explain its position. “We were totally taken aback that there was pushback on this. Totally,” said Annette Warren Dickerson, the group's director of education and outreach. “It was a huge letdown. I would just like to know why,” she added. The advertisement contains a slogan in block letters: “The cholera epidemic in Haiti is killing thousands. Why is the USA still deporting people to Haiti? “One deportee has already died,” the ad says, showing a photo of 34-year-old Wildrick Guerrier, who died with cholera-like symptoms in January, nine days after being deported from the United States. Guerrier served probation for battery on a Florida cop and was later convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm while working as an armed security guard. Dickerson said she received an email from the marketing firm, Neutron Media, saying, “The CBS censors have pulled down your creative for being too controversial.” When Homeland Security decided to resume deporting Haitians in January, immigrant advocates and human rights groups were outraged, saying conditions in Haitian police stations are unsafe and unsanitary. But last week, the Obama administration extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for tens of thousands of Haiti living illegally in the United States. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, said this extension will be effective July 23 this year, and is for an additional 18 months. She said the extension will allow Haitian TPS beneficiaries to remain in the US through January 22, 2013.
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The government's plan to introduce liquefied natural gas to oildependent Jamaica will proceed, despite calls by an independent investigator to halt the tender process for the project, the prime minister said Thursday. Prime Minister Bruce Golding said in a statement that his Cabinet will review a call by the Jamaican contractor general to redo the government's tender process for the offshore energy project, including a re-gasification terminal and a natural gas transportation system to feed the electricity grid by 2013. Contractor General Greg Christie said his assessment of a government contract revealed numerous irregularities and financial conflicts of interest that he asserts must result in criminal investigations by prosecutors and police. But Golding said diversifying Jamaica's energy sources is too important for the LNG project to be scrapped. Christie's recommendation "does not mean that the LNG project has been canceled, far from it. It is too important to us, too vital for our economic future, to our investment prospects, our hope for development, and therefore the project is proceeding apace," said Golding, who first made the comments at the start of a call-in radio program. Golding's office said the move to introduce natural gas will help ease soaring energy prices in Jamaica. In a 609-page report, Christie alleged the preferred bidder, Belgium-based shipping group Exmar Marine NV, was privy to information not provided to other bidders, giving it an "irregular, improper and unfair advantage." Citing a slew of email correspondence, Christie said he concluded there was a too-cozy relationship between Exmar executives and Stephen Wedderburn, LNG project coordinator
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Bruce Golding
at the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica, and Ian Moore, a former chairman of the PCJ and principal of Caribbean LNG, a British Virgin Islands-registered company that is part of the Exmar Consortium. Exmar and Wedderburn did not immediately respond to Thursday calls or emails for comment. Moore has told the Jamaica Observer newspaper that "we have nothing to hide." Christie suggests the men steered the government's energy policy away from coal to liquefied natural gas and then shared valuable pre-bidding information with Exmar, which he said had been lobbying for the introduction of LNG to Jamaica from as early as 2006. Christie called for criminal investigations to determine if anyone conspired or attempted to use insider information for financial gain. His report was first published on the Jamaican Parliament's website Tuesday.
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Grisly recovery continues as tornadoes devastate US As severe weather moved eastward, the devastation mounted Thursday in parts of the Midwest where hundreds mourned the deaths of loved ones and clung to hopes they'd be found alive following a wave of powerful tornadoes. The National Weather Service has issued tornado watches through Thursday night for parts of Pennsylvania, New York and Vermont, signaling that "conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes" albeit falling short of a more grave, and more certain, warning. Severe thunderstorm warnings and watches, meanwhile, also extended from Georgia north along the Appalachian mountains to West Virginia on Thursday evening. Two people died Thursday evening in Atlanta, at the southern edge of the storm system, after trees fell on two vehicles, said city police spokeswoman Kim Jones. There were also numerous reports of wires and trees down throughout the city, though no indication of any tornado like those that ripped through the central United States earlier this week. The worst-hit community is Joplin, Missouri. The twister that hit that city Sunday night was the single deadliest in the United States since modern recordkeeping began 61 years ago. Newton County Coroner Mark Bridges told CNN on Thursday night that the death toll from the EF5 twister -which had winds topping 200 mph -- had risen to 126 people. Those bodies were being stored in temporary refrigeration units, while they are identified and eventually released to their relatives. After flying in $2 million worth of equipment, a federal government team will head the effort to positively identify the tornado victims, according to Bridges. After the first case resulted in a false identification, authorities are now not allowing individuals in because many bodies are in such bad condition that they're difficult to recognize, the coroner said. Instead, they are relying on information like dental records, fingerprints, DNA and other such data. "A lot have blood on their face, they don't look like they used to look," Bridges said of the victims. As criticism grew that authorities weren't moving fast enough, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said he asked the state's Department of Public Safety to take over the process of identifying victims on Wednesday. Andrea Spillars, the department's deputy director, led the team of 60 people who worked through the night and
released a list Thursday -- published online at dps.mo.gov -- of 232 people who have been reported missing since
Sunday night. The governor said that he expected the pace of the bodyidentification and release process to pick
Debris fills a pool as residents retrieve their possessions from a destroyed apartment complex after a devastating tornado hit Joplin
Kyle and Alicia Gordon cry and embrace in their son's room after losing their home to a devastating tornado that hit Joplin, Missouri
Firefighters dig through rubble as they look for survivors after a devastating tornado hit Joplin, Missouri
up significantly in the coming days. "When I see the local folks strained beyond their limits, we move in," Nixon told CNN on Thursday, adding that "now is not the time to point fingers." "The mourning here is not over (but) we're going to do everything we can." Roughly 8,000 structures in Joplin suffered damage, city manager Mark Rohr said, citing a Federal Emergency Management Agency report. The southwest Missouri city feared another blow late Tuesday as storms moved through the area, but there were no reported touchdowns then. But the same storm system late Tuesday and early Wednesday did leave 11 people dead in Oklahoma, four in Arkansas and two in Kansas, authorities said. The most severe damage from that round of severe weather appeared to be in central Oklahoma's Canadian County, which includes a sliver of of Oklahoma City. At least seven people were killed and more than 100 were injured, according to the sheriff's department and the county's emergency management office. Others were missing, authorities said. Cole Hamil, a 15-month-old boy, was among those killed. And on Thursday, authorities found the body of his 3-year-old brother, Ryan, floating in a lake. Their 5-year-old sister Cathleen survived, as did their mother Catherine Hamil, who is pregnant. "I lost both of my boys," said a tearful Hank Hamil, the brothers' father, on Thursday. "Ryan was my little buddy. Cole was, too. I loved them both," said Hank Hamil, who was out of town when the storms struck. It has been a historic tornado season in the United States. More than 500 people have been killed, according to figures from the National Weather Service and local authorities. That makes 2011 the deadliest season since 1953, when 519 people were killed in twisters. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin declared a state of emergency Wednesday in 68 Oklahoma counties hit by the tornadoes and other severe weather. Only nine counties in the state were not included in the declaration. "Our hearts go out to those who lost their loved ones in the storms last night, and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with all the families and communities that have been affected," Craig Fugate, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said in a statement.
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Palestinians accuse Netanyahu of killing peace process Palestinian officials are accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of killing the peace process and say they will move ahead with plans to go to the United Nations in September to seek full membership of a Palestinian state. The Palestinian leadership had hoped that Netanyahu might make concessions on borders and other key issues during his trip to the United States. That did not happen. In Washington, the Israeli leader said his government is willing to make what he said are painful compromises for peace, but he made no commitment to abide by President Barack Obama's calls for a peace deal based on pre-1967 armistice lines and land swaps. In remarks on Israeli army radio Wednesday, Nabil Shaath, a senior Palestinian official, accused the Israeli Prime Minister of killing the peace process that has already been stalled since last year. "Mr. Netanyahu yesterday
destroyed any small hope that existed that there will be a resumption of the peace talks," he said. Public opinion polls in Israel showed Netanyahu's approval rating has jumped following his U.S. visit. Newspapers Wednesday spoke of how the Israeli leader was received with standing ovations during his trip to the United States. "The Israelis are these days not spoiled with love stories like this in the world," said Akiva Eldar, a senior columnist with the Tel Aviv newspaper, Haaretz. "We're getting more and more criticism and here you go to the American Congress and you see your leader getting so much love." Analysts say the boost in popularity gives Netanyahu less of an incentive to change his policies. For their part, the Palestinians say they are moving ahead with plans to go to the United Nations in September to apply for full membership as a Palestinian state. In the meantime,
Ratko Mladic arrested: Bosnia war crimes suspect held Fugitive Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic has been arrested in Serbia after 16 years on the run. Gen Mladic, 69, was found in a village in northern Serbia where had been living under an assumed name. He faces charges over the massacre of at least 7,500 Bosnian Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica in 1995. Serbian President Boris Tadic said the process to extradite the former Bosnian Serb army chief to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague was under way. Following the arrest of Radovan Karadzic in 2008, Gen Mladic became the most prominent Bosnian war crimes suspect at large. His detention, President Tadic said, brought the country and the region closer to reconciliation, and opened the doors to European Union membership. He also rejected criticism that Serbia had only taken action following international pressure. "We have been co-operating with the Hague Tribunal fully from the beginning of the mandate of this government," he said. Serbian media initially reported that Mr Mladic was already on his way to the UN tribunal for the former Yougoslavia in The Hague. But Serbian prosecutors later said the procedure to extradite him might take a week. A spokeswoman for families of Srebrenica victims, Hajra Catic, told AFP news agency: "After 16 years of waiting, for us, the victims' families, this is a relief." Gen Mladic is due to appear before a Serbian judge later on Thursday. He was arrested in the province of Vojvodina in the early hours of Thursday, Serbian Justice Minister Slobodan Homan told the BBC. He was reportedly using the assumed name Milorad Komodic. Serbian security sources told AFP news agency that three special units had descended on a house in the village of Lazarevo, about 80km (50 miles) north of Belgrade. The house was owned by a relative of Gen Mladic and had been under surveillance for the past two weeks, one of the sources added. UN war crimes chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz welcomed the arrest, saying: "Today's events show that people responsible for grave violations of international humanitarian law can no longer count on impunity." Mr Brammertz said UN prosecutors thanked the Serbian authorities for "meeting their obligations towards the tribunal and towards justice".
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
activists say they plan more nonviolent demonstrations. Akiva Eldar believes that by sticking to the status quo, Netanyahu has started a countdown to a showdown
in September. "The Israelis are worried that the day after [while] nothing will actually change on the ground, the Palestinian people will react and they will try to impose this change," he said. "I think what the Israelis are mostly worried about is that it will be a nonviolent struggle. They know how to deal with terrorism. They know how to deal with violence. They don't have much experience in dealing with a nonviolent struggle." Earlier this month, thousands of Palestinians marched on checkpoints along the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and along fences dividing the Israelicontrolled Golan Heights and Syria, as well as along Israel's border with Lebanon. The marches were supposed to be nonviolent, but resulted in the deaths of a number of Palestinians after demonstrators confronted Israeli security forces with rocks and firebombs.
Embattled Strauss-Kahn relocates to luxury townhouse New York -- Ex-International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn has a new place to stay under house arrest -a luxury townhouse in New York's tony Tribeca, according to a source with knowledge of his whereabouts. The judge presiding over his sexual assault case accepted a new location Wednesday for Strauss-Kahn, who moved the same day from his temporary apartment in Lower Manhattan, according to court officials. He is under court-ordered watch, part of the terms of his $6 million bail agreement. Strauss-Kahn must pay for the 24-hour armed guard posted at his door and other electronic surveillance. The swank townhouse was once listed at just under $14 million for purchase earlier this year, according to a real estate website. A townhome listing says it's 6,804 square feet, and was recently renovated by architect/designer Leopoldo Rosati. Built originally in 1915, the three-story pad is said to have a state-of-the-art inhome theater, gym, spa steam bath and bar. "My phone's been ringing nonstop," said Robert Dvorin, senior vice president for listing agent Town Residential, a New York residential real estate brokerage. He refused comment on the terms of the deal, but pointed CNN to websites that show at one point the asking rental price for the property was $60,000 per month. He wouldn't say what StraussKahn is actually paying. Strauss-Kahn can leave the building only for court appearances. If he wants to leave for any other reason, including religious services, he must provide six hours notice to prosecutors. He has been indicted on seven
charges stemming from an alleged assault on a hotel maid. He faces two counts of criminal sexual act; two counts of sexual abuse; and one count each of attempt to commit rape, unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching. If he is convicted, Strauss-Kahn faces up to 25 years in prison. In his written resignation to the International Monetary Fund last week, Strauss-Kahn said, "I deny with the greatest possible firmness all of the allegations that have been made against me." Wednesday's announcement also comes one day after Strauss-Kahn's wife, Anne Sinclair, said she is closing down her popular French blog. Sinclair, who has been writing about life in the United States on her blog, "Two or Three Things Seen in America" since 2008, wrote Monday: "You understand the circumstances which force me to temporarily suspend this blog." She closed by saying, "See you soon." Meanwhile, candidates are emerging for the IMF chief's job. On Wednesday, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde announced her bid, and would be the first woman to run the fund since the global financial institution was founded in 1946. Germany strongly backs her candidacy, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said Wednesday -throwing the weight of Europe's largest economy behind Lagarde. Elsewhere, Mexico is looking to buck the trend of a European-only policy for the top job, and is expected to put forward Central Bank chief Agustin Carstens as Strauss’ replacement.
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Hosni Mubarak to stand trial for murder Egypt will put Hosni Mubarak, its president for three decades, on trial in connection with the deaths of protesters during the uprising that forced him from office, prosecutors said Tuesday, raising the prospect that the region's push for reform would force a modern Arab strongman to face justice before his own people. Adel Said, a spokesman for Egypt's prosecutor general, said Mubarak could face the death penalty on charges that he conspired in the killings. But the announcement appeared aimed at least in part at appeasing victims' families and blunting a major demonstration planned for Friday. Many Egyptians said they were skeptical that the 83year-old former president, who has been allowed to remain at a hospital near his villa in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el Sheik, would ever face justice. "His first day in court will be a good day for the families of those who were murdered," said Hossam Bahgat, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, a Cairo group that has worked with the families of some protesters who were killed. "We remain concerned at the lack of transparency and coherence and the lack of strategy to deal with all crimes of the past," Bahgat said, including what he called "the failure of the prosecution to disclose the details of the investigation and the kind of evidence they have amassed against Mubarak and his sons." Mubarak's sons, Gamal and Alaa, who are being held in a Cairo prison, were also charged Tuesday with abusing power to amass wealth, enriching associates and accepting bribes, the office of Prosecutor General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud said. Many believed that before the revolution, Gamal was being groomed to succeed Mubarak. Hussein Salem, 77, a Mubarak associate wanted by Interpol, was also charged but remained at large. No trial dates have been set. The announcement came at a sensitive time for the militarydominated transitional government running Egypt until parliamentary and presidential elections this year. Protesters have demanded that Mubarak stand trial, frustrated that demonstrators have been jailed, tried
and sentenced by military courts while Mubarak and most of his inner circle have managed to escape punishment. A criminal court Sunday issued the first death sentence to a police officer for killing protesters during the uprising. The officer, Mohammed Ibrahim Abdel Monem, was sentenced in absentia for killing at least 20 demonstrators and injuring more than a dozen by randomly firing his rifle outside a police station Jan. 28. On Saturday, a judge postponed the trial of former Interior Minister Habib Adli and four of his aides, who are accused of shooting protesters, after victims' families attempted to storm the courtroom, shouting "Butcher! Butcher!" Last Friday, thousands of protesters streamed into Tahrir Square, chanting for Mubarak to be jailed. Some hoisted signs that showed him behind bars and dressed like a convict. Protesters are also seething that the former first lady, 70-year-old Suzanne Mubarak, was allowed to avoid prison by suddenly complaining of heart problems after she was ordered detained this month. She stayed at the same hospital as her husband for a few days, then was released from custody after she turned over about $4 million in assets and property to the government. Prosecutors say she is still being investigated. Emad Gad, an analyst at the Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, said that prosecuting members of the former regime is key for the new government. "It's a matter of credibility for the government and the supreme military council," Gad said. "They have to apply the law, to secure the Egyptian society." Activists saw the prosecutor's statement as an attempt to head off Friday protests, dubbed "Egypt's second revolution." Demonstrators are expected to demand that Mubarak be tried, members of his former regime expelled from the government and the former government's emergency laws overturned. "It's 30 years too late," said Tarek Shalaby, 26, a blogger and social media consultant recently jailed for
Hosni mubarak
protesting outside the Israeli Embassy in Cairo. The process is also likely to be watched closely around the Middle East and North Africa, where revolts this year brought down two longstanding leaders, Mubarak and Tunisian President Zine el Abidine ben Ali, and threatened rulers in Libya, Bahrain, Yemen and Syria. Joel Beinin, a professor of Middle East history at Stanford, said it was unlikely that Mubarak will get the death penalty or even a hefty sentence, given his advanced age, deteriorating health and record as a war hero. He said bringing charges against Mubarak also raises the thorny issue of whether the military government should also be held accountable for protesters' deaths. "It's unclear how far this can go. If the charge is killing protesters, there were others who authorized that up the chain of command," Beinin said. "They probably did not want to put Mubarak in the dock and have only done it to address the growing distrust," Beinin said. "They threw him under the bus." The leading presidential candidate, Arab League SecretaryGeneral Amr Moussa, served as Mubarak's foreign minister. Although the two also have been rivals, Moussa will have to more forcefully distance himself from the former president to win support from a population clearly dissatisfied with the pace of the transition, Beinin said.
NATO ATTAcks ROck LibyA As DipLOmATic EffORTs cONTiNuE iN EuROpE
NATO attacks continued in Libya Thursday while diplomatic efforts unfolded overseas
At least three loud explosions rocked the Libyan capital, Tripoli, late Wednesday. Libyan government officials said the blasts were caused by NATO airstrikes that hit targets that include a vocational school. The Reuters news agency said Thursday that forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi were pounding Misrata, a rebel-held city east of Tripoli. Meanwhile, Spain says it received a proposal from the Libyan government for a possible cease-fire. A spokesman for Spain's prime minister said Thursday that Spain would favor a cease-fire but certain conditions and steps needed to take place first. Earlier Thursday, a British newspaper, The Independent, said Libya had sent a number of foreign
governments letters proposing the cease-fire. Libya's crisis -- and the broader Arab uprising in the Mideast and North Africa -- are major topics for Group of Eight world powers meeting in France. The African Union says it is exploring a political solution to Libya's unrest. AU Commission chairman Jean Ping has told heads of state meeting in Ethiopia that the situation on the ground in Libya remains a serious concern. On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced the U.S. has been providing ammunition to NATO allies carrying out strikes in Libya. Colonel Dave Lapan said the U.S. had provided material support that included munitions to help back operations in Libya.
Daily acetaminophen use reduces prostate cancer risk by 38% Taking an acetaminophen tablet daily for at least five years reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer by 38%, researchers from the American Cancer Society reported Monday. Using the drug, the best-known form of which is Tylenol, also reduces the risk of the more aggressive form of prostate cancer by 51%, the team reportedin the online version of the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. Previous research has shown that daily doses of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) can reduce the risk of prostate cancer by a modest amount. Acetaminophen is not considered an NSAID, but it does have anti-inflammatory properties, and researchers speculated that it might also be useful against prostate cancer. About 192,000 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed in the United States in 2010, making it the second-most-common type of cancer in men after lung cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. About 27,000 men died from it last year. Epidemiologist Eric Jacobs of the society and his colleagues used data from the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, which included 78,485 men. Participants answered questionnaires about food consumption and drug use in 1992 and every two years thereafter. During the follow-up period, there were 8,092 cases of prostate cancer, but men who had been using acetaminophen daily for at least five years were less likely to have developed the tumors. Those who took it for shorter periods of time received no benefit. Jacobs cautioned men that, while use of recommended dosages of the drug is generally safe, overdoses can cause acute liver damage. He speculated that the study might yield insights into other ways in which physicians could interfere with the development of the disease.
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Preacher says world will actually end in October OAKLAND, Calif. – A California preacher who foretold of the world's end only to see the appointed day pass with no extraordinarily cataclysmic event has revised his apocalyptic prophecy, saying he was off by five months and the Earth actually will be obliterated on Oct. 21. Harold Camping, who predicted that 200 million Christians would be taken to heaven Saturday before catastrophe struck the planet, apologized Monday evening for not having the dates "worked out as accurately as I could have." He spoke to the media at the Oakland headquarters of his Family Radio International, which spent millions of dollars_ some of it from donations made by followers — on more than 5,000 billboards and 20 RVs plastered with the Judgment Day message. It was not the first time Camping was forced to explain when his prediction didn't come to pass. The 89year-old retired civil engineer also prophesied the Apocalypse would come in 1994, but said later that didn't happen then because of a mathematical error. Through chatting with a friend over what he acknowledged was a very difficult weekend, it dawned on him that instead of the biblical Rapture in which the faithful would be swept up to the heavens, May 21 had instead been a "spiritual" Judgment Day, which places the entire world under Christ's judgment, he said.
Harold Camping
The globe will be completely destroyed in five months, he said, when the apocalypse comes. But because God's judgment and salvation were completed on Saturday, there's no point in continuing to warn people about it, so his network will now just play Christian music and programs until the final end on Oct. 21. "We've always said May 21 was the day, but we didn't understand altogether the spiritual meaning," he said. "The fact is there is only one kind of people who will ascend into heaven ... if God has saved them they're going to be caught up." Josh Ocasion, who works the teleprompter during Camping's live broadcasts in the group's threadbare studio sandwiched between an auto shop and a palm reader's business, said
Obama says US UK relationship is enduring LONDON – President Barack Obama sought to reassure the world Wednesday that American and European influence remains as dominant as ever even as rising powers like China and India assert themselves. To the British Parliament seated at majestic Westminster Hall, Obama declared: "The time for our leadership is now." "Even as more nations take on the responsibilities of global leadership," Obama said, "our alliance will remain indispensible to the goal of a century that is more peaceful, more prosperous and more just." "After a difficult decade that began with war and ended in recession, our nations have arrived at a pivotal moment once more," he said. Obama was granted the honor of being the first U.S. president to speak from the grand setting of Westminster Hall, and he received a deeply friendly welcome. He recounted a history between two countries an ocean apart that began in war but has become an indispensible global force for economic growth, security, democracy and peace. His speech came not long after Obama joined Prime Minister David Cameron in promising jointly to continue a relentless and punishing campaign against Moammar Gadhafi's forces in Libya, saying there "will not be a let-up" in pressure to force Gadhafi out. In his appearance before Parliament, Obama talked about a strong partnership with Great Britain. "The path has never been perfect," he said. "But through the struggles of slaves and immigrants;
he enjoyed the production work but never fully believed the May 21 prophecy would come true. "I thought he would show some more human decency in admitting he made a mistake," he said Monday. "We didn't really see that." Follower Jeff Hopkins said he spent a good deal of his own retirement savings on gas money to power his car so people would see its ominous lighted sign showcasing Camping's May 21 warning. As the appointed day drew nearer, Hopkins started making the 100-mile round trip from Long Island to New York City twice a day, spending at least $15 on gas each trip. "I've been mocked and scoffed and cursed at and I've been through a lot with this lighted sign on top of my car," said Hopkins, 52, a former television producer who lives in Great River, NY. "I was doing what I've been instructed to do through the Bible, but now I've been stymied. It's like getting slapped in the face." Camping's hands shook slightly as he pinned his microphone to his lapel, and as he clutched a worn Bible he spoke in a quivery monotone about some listeners' earthly concerns after giving away possessions in expectation of the Rapture. Family Radio would never tell anyone what they should do with their belongings, and those who had fewer would cope, Camping said. "We're not in the business of financial advice," he said. "We're in the business of telling people there's
women and ethnic minorities; former colonies and persecuted religions, we have learned better than most that the longing for freedom and human dignity is not English or American or Western — it is universal." Obama spoke to both houses of Parliament and British leaders present and past who were gathered in the cavernous 11th century hall where generations of rulers have held coronation banquets and where many others lay in state while awaiting burial. His address came midway through a four-country European tour during which he's connected with his unlikely Irish roots and enjoyed the hospitality of Queen Elizabeth II even while keeping an eye on events at home where casualties mount from a monster tornado in Missouri. Wednesday's speech was billed as the centerpiece of the president's tour, and he addressed grave questions of war, peace and economic strain, calling on Britain and the U.S. to meet the challenges together, and more broadly on the world to move toward democracy and universal rights. "Our idealism is rooted in the realities of history - that repression offers only the false promise of stability; that societies are more successful when their citizens are free; and that democracies are the closest allies we have," the president said. On foreign soil, Obama also sprinkled his speech with promotions for his political agenda at home. He called for spending on education and science even during austere times; for more international progress on reducing the carbon emissions that cause global warming; and for a government assurance that people can get health care. Here, too, he said the United States and Britain can serve as model for emerging giants such as China, India, Brazil and others. "The successes and failures of our own past can serve as an example for emerging economies — that it's possible to grow without polluting; that lasting prosperity comes not from what a nation consumes, but from what it produces, and from the investments it makes in its people and infrastructure," he said.
someone who you can maybe talk to, maybe pray to, and that's God." But he also said that he wouldn't give away all his possessions ahead of Oct 21. "I still have to live in a house, I still have to drive a car," he said. "What would be the value of that? If it is Judgment Day why would I give it away?" Apocalyptic thinking has always been part of American religious life and popular culture. Teachings about the end of the world vary dramatically — even within faith traditions — about how they will occur. Still, the overwhelming majority of Christians reject the idea that the exact date or time of Jesus' return can be predicted. Tim LaHaye, co-author of the bestselling "Left Behind" novels about the end times, recently called Camping's prediction "not only bizarre but 100 percent wrong!" He cited the Bible verse Matthew 24:36, "but about that day or hour no one knows" except God. Camping offered no clues about Family Radio's finances Monday, saying he could not estimate how much had been spent advertising his prediction nor how much money the nonprofit had taken in as a result. In 2009, the nonprofit reported in IRS filings that it received $18.3 million in donations, and had assets of more than $104 million, including $34 million in stocks or other publicly traded securities.
TAYLOR’S VARIETY STORE 10 LABOURERS at $6.50 per hour. Must be able and willing to work on weekends and holidays. 10 DOMESTIC WORKERS at $5.50 per hour 5 SALES AGENTS at $6.00 per hour SALES MANAGER at $8.00 per hour Contact No. 232-1199
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Bill Gates says he pushed for Microsoft to buy Skype Bill Gates was among those who pushed for Microsoft to take over the Internet calling and video chat service Skype -which it did last week for $8.5 billion. When asked on the BBC TV show Hardtalk whether it made sense for Microsoft, the titan of the tech industry that Gates co-founded, to pay more than $8 billion for a company that makes a largely free Web phone system that isn't currently turning a profit and was valued at about a third as much two years ago, Gates said absolutely. "I was a strong proponent at the board level for the deal being done," said Gates, who serves as Microsoft's chairman. "I think it's a great, great deal for Skype. I think it's a great deal for Microsoft. The idea of videoconferencing is going to get so much better than it is today." Skype, based in Luxembourg, is used by about 170 million people each month and is Microsoft's largest purchase to date. In November 2009, the majority of Skype was purchased from then-owner EBay by a group of investment firms led by Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz, in a deal that valued the company at about $2.8 billion.
Bill Gates
Gates also said in the BBC interview that the decision to buy Skype was one that had implications for the future of Microsoft. "I'd be the first to say that there's several tech companies including Microsoft, including Apple, including Google, who're doing fascinating work and the importance of software, I think, is more evident to people than it's ever been," Gates said. "It'll be fascinating to see how the
Apple to issue MAc updAte to hAlt MAlwAre AttAcks Apple says it will issue a software update in coming days for Macs to combat a recent surge of malware attacks. When using a Web browser, the phishing scheme redirects users to fake websites and claims their computer has a virus, according to an update on Apple's support web site. The user is then offered fake anti-virus software -- falling under names such as Mac Defender, MacProtector or MacSecurity -- and eventually prompted to offer credit card information to complete the "purchase." The support page offers detailed instructions on how to remove the malware if it's installed to a Mac. Users can avoid the attack by force quitting their browsers if these phony notifications pop up. Apple says in some cases, a browser may automatically download and launch the malware installer. If that happens, Apple says cancel the installation immediately, go to the Downloads folder and delete the installer. A software update for Mac OS X will arrive soon that will automatically find and remove Mac Defender or any related malware. The support statement from Apple comes several days after reports of malware attacks targeting Mac computers began surfacing on the Web. The scams also raise arguments -including this one from PC World -- about whether Apple computers aren't as secure as some users might believe.
brilliant ideas out of Microsoft research, coming together with Skype, what they can make of that.... It's a great purchase that a lot of innovation will come out of." In its largest acquisition ever and the tech world's most massive deal in years, Microsoft Corp. bought Skype Global for a stunning $8.5 billion. "The combination will extend Skype's world-class brand and the reach of its networked platform, while enhancing Microsoft's existing portfolio of real-time communications products and services," the companies said in a statement. Previously, Microsoft's biggest buy was $6 billion for online advertising firm aQuantive in 2007. Skype's software allows users to talk for free online using messaging, voice and video and can also connect them to a land line or mobile phone for a fee. Users will now be able to connect to Microsoft offerings such as Lync, Outlook and Xbox Live, while Skype will support devices such as Xbox and Kinect, the companies said. Skype is owned by an investment group led by Silver Lake, which bought the real-time voice and video company
from its previous owner, eBay, in 2009 for slightly more than $2 billion. It was founded in 2003 and now has 170 million connected users who chatted for 207 billion minutes last year. The company will become a new division of Microsoft and will be led by its current chief executive, Tony Bates. Ben Horowitz, general partner of Menlo Park-based venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz -- an owner of Skype along with Silver Lake -- said the purchase is a "smart move." The combination, he said, will give Skype and Microsoft the competitive heft to combat Google and the Facetime video chat function from the Apple iPhone. "Many observers believed that as the world inevitably transitioned to mobile and Web, Skype would be left in the dust," Horowitz wrote in a blog post. "In retrospect, it was easy for people to underestimate the quality of the Skype engineering team and the power of Skype's network effect." The boards of both companies have approved the deal, which is now subject to regulatory approval. The companies said they hope to finalize the deal this year.
Yahoo ready to deliver on promise to upgrade email SAN FRANCISCO – Yahoo Inc. is giving its popular email service a longpromised facelift in an attempt to make it more appealing to people who are increasingly using Facebook, Twitter, Google and other online alternatives to communicate. The changes announced Tuesday build upon a redesigned email format that Yahoo began testing seven months ago. The estimated 277 million users of Yahoo's free email service will be switched to the new version during the next few weeks. The overhaul will enable updates to Facebook and Twitter accounts to be posted from within Yahoo's email boxes. The revamped service is supposed to be two times faster and capable of sending attachments of up to 100 megabytes. Other tools include better junk-mail controls and the ability to chat with friends and family logged into Facebook. Yahoo is counting on the changes to help attract and retain email users at a time when more people are flocking to the rival Gmail service run by Internet search leader Google Inc. Although Yahoo's service remains larger than Gmail, it has been losing ground in the past year. Through April, Yahoo boasted 277 million email users worldwide, a drop of about 3 million, or 1 percent, from the same time last year, according to the research
firm comScore Inc. Meanwhile, Gmail had grown to 220 million wordwide users, up 43 million, or 24 percent during the past year. Most of Gmail's gains appear to be coming at the expense of Microsoft Corp.'s Hotmail service, which remained the global leader with 327 million users, according to comScore. But that figure was down 27 million, or 8 percent, from last year. Cultivating loyal email users is important because they tend to be frequent visitors and they often remain logged in when using other online services run by the email providers. The return trips and logged-in activity creates more opportunities to show Internet ads, the main way that both Yahoo and Google make money. Yahoo, though, hasn't been luring as many advertisers as Google for years, a problem that has weighed on Yahoo's stock. The email upgrade is expected to be among the signs of progress that Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz emphasizes Wednesday when she and other top company executives are scheduled to update analysts on their turnaround plan.
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BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY
TURKS AND CAICOS SUN
MAY 27TH- JUNE 3RD, 2011
Google invests $55 million in Mojave Desert wind farm Google Inc. is investing $55 million in a large Mojave Desert wind farm, pumping fresh air into California's struggling wind power industry. The Internet search giant made the announcement in Anaheim at the industry's largest gathering, where wind farm developers and turbine makers said the investment could be a key step in California's efforts to regain its once enviable title as the world's capital for wind power. We just fell off a cliff," said Gary Polakovic, a consultant for San Diego wind energy developer EnXco Inc. "But all eyes are on California now. It's our chance to do this right." Google said Tuesday that it was partnering with Citibank, which is also shelling out $55 million to help finance part of the Alta Wind Energy Center, one of the world's largest wind installations. When complete, the project in the Tehachapi Mountains will generate 1.5 gigawatts, enough to power 450,000 homes. The installation will help boost wind jobs in the state 20% while feeding more than $1.2 billion into the Kern County economy, according to developers. The project stands in stark contrast to the state of wind turbines in California.
In the industry's early years, California led the way, with its turbines generating 90% of the world's wind power as thousands of massive propellers dotted mountains from Palm Springs to San Francisco. But in recent years, California — hurt by permitting delays and expiring government incentives — has seen its share of the world's wind power plunge to 1.6% as other states and countries bolstered their alternative energy projects, according to the Global Wind Energy Council. The state gets just 3% of its electricity from wind, compared with 15% in Iowa and 8% in Texas. "We stalled and fell behind," said Lorelei Oviatt, planning director for Kern County. "It's not just where the wind blows — if it were that simple, everyone would be happy." California's woes have been a magnified version of the troubles facing the national wind industry, analysts said. Last year, the market was "in distress," said Denise Bode, chief executive of the American Wind Energy Assn., the trade group that organized the Anaheim conference. The amount of generation capacity installed was half the amount of the year before. The U.S. trailed
China in 2009, even though it was a record year, and was eclipsed again in 2010. Things are still looking "pathetic," said Jonathan Kim, a power and utilities analyst with Royal Bank of Scotland. Attempts by inexperienced real estate developers and farm owners to launch wind projects have failed by the thousands, he said. "Sales are low, everyone's stock is depressed, and we're seeing a lot of people struggling," Kim said. "It's just not a good time for the sector." Unpredictable government incentives that expire every year or two are a major culprit, he said. A substantial federal tax credit is set to end in January, and investors fear that it won't be renewed. Critics have also ramped up complaints that turbines are noisy eyesores that kill birds and reduce property values. But even in such a sour environment, many analysts and industry officials said California is poised to return to its heady days. The state is hosting the wind conference for the first time since 2007. The confab at the Anaheim Convention Center is expected to draw 20,000 people, up from 7,000 four years ago.
Shopping malls may need to reinvent themselves LAS VEGAS – Back when most shopping malls were built, cutting edge technology was color television and a mobile phone meant a land line with a really long cord. Today, technology allows shoppers to compare prices while at the store or buy online and has become one of the biggest threats to retailers and their mall landlords. Many retailers have adapted or embraced new technology as another channel for their sales. But malls are not so nimble. Some retailers such as Kohl's Corp and Macy's Inc, whose department stores anchor big regional malls, have said they want to shrink the size of their stores. That is much easier said than done. Malls can refurbish, upgrade lighting, change the decor or add space. But significant changes are difficult, both physically and legally, and take years. That means much of the next phase of the evolution of the U.S. mall -- a concept that proliferated in the 1960s through the 1980s -- will be undertaken by developers of new malls, whose construction and financing are just beginning to look plausible. "It's a transformation of the industry," said Grant Herlitz, president of the Howard Hughes Corp, a developer and diversified real estate company spun off from mall owner General Growth Properties Inc. "Developers have to meld themselves with those retailers to figure out the mall of the 21st Century," Herlitz said. Malls are great big organic beings, with the fate of the specialty retailers, department stores and mall owners intertwined. Legal agreements govern what department stores and landlords can do with the buildings they either own or lease and often require all parties approve major physical changes. Other agreements, such as operating covenants, dictate the hours and years a department store must remain open for business and what it can sell. "It's not that simple," William Taubman, chief operating officer of
luxury mall owner Taubman Centers Inc, said while attending the International Council of Shopping Centers annual convention in Las Vegas. "They take enormous approval from the department stores as well as the communities," he said. "Where we've had department stores that in our view were underperforming and in our view were willing to downsize, by the time you get done figuring all the cost involved, it almost never works." Retailers will shape new mall development, said Howard Hughes Chief Executive Officer David Wienreb. The company has more than a dozen development sites or redevelopment projects, such as Manhattan's South Street Seaport, Hawaii's Ward Centers and Cottonwood in Salt Lake City. "We create a user friendly experience that's an enhancement to the community and that speaks to what the retailer is looking to deliver to their customers," Weinreb said. Australia's Westfield Group has been a pioneer in U.S. mall redevelopment, melding traditional mall retailers with atypical mall retailers. It was the first to add value stores such as Costco Wholesale Corp and Target Corp stores and grocery stores to malls that include high-end retailers such as Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom Inc. USING TECHNOLOGY TO FIGHT TECHNOLOGY Many retailers today are embracing technology. Walt Disney Co's Disney Store has been transforming its toy stores into hightech playgrounds. The stores have become entertainment centers, where children can wave a wand and Cinderella appears in the mirror, build their own car that is based on the movie "Cars" or see clips of Disney films in an in-store mini theater. Disney opened a dozen of the new stores last year. After those generated double-digit traffic increases, the company accelerated the roll-out and
plans to open another 40 this year. O'Neill Properties Group plans to use technology to lure shoppers to The Point, a planned development that includes a 3 million square-foot retail development on part of the 453 acres in Sayreville, New Jersey, 30 miles from
Manhattan. O'Neill plans to make massive use of LED (light emitting diode) video lighting to advertise the products and the websites of the mall retailers to the 800 million people who drive past the site annually.
AIR TURKS AND CAICOS Two securiTy Guards Must have 5 years experience Excellent command of the English language and spanish – 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 Salary $5.00 per hour Belongers need only apply. Interested person should apply to HR@flyairtc.com or via fax to HR Department 649946-4040. No phones call please. Qualified candidates will be contacted for interview. INTERISLAND AVIATION SERVICES GROUP is seeking
ramp aGenTs • Over 5 years experience in Ramp Supervising. • Over 5 years experience in maneuvering heavy duty equipment e.g. (pushing and towing aircraft). • Experience in general handling of General Aviation. Narrow body and wide body aircraft. • British Airways, JAR OPS, Supervisor Aircraft loading qualified. • US Airways fleet service door opening trainer. • Awareness Certification of acceptance/refusal of hazardous material as per IATA regulations. • Comprehensive knowledge in the operation of all Ground Service Equipment (GSE). Salary commensurate with experience.
one eLecTricaL TecnicHian Must have 5-10 years experience Must have wiring certificate Must be able to prepare electrical materials, lay out electrical materials, perform open and short circuit test, install armored cable metal etc.. Salary commensurate with experience.
Two securiTy Guards Must have certificate in Security Tactics Must have 5 years experience Salary commensurate with experience. All positions require the following: Excellent command of the English language, 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 649946-4040. no phone call please. Qualified candidates will be contacted for interview.
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
MAY 27TH - JUNE 3RD, 2011
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MAY 27TH - JUNE 3RD, 2011
TCI Cricket Ass’n conducts level 1 training
cricket,” Etienne said. The National Cricket Association staged a Lone female who participated level one cricket coach on Saturday, May 21, in the training, Joel Charles, said: as a means of introducing participants to the “I found this exercise to be quite game of cricket officiating under International informative. Honestly, I didn’t Cricket Council (ICC) auspices. know lots of things about cricket According Michael Pereira, President of the because I never paid attention to National Cricket Association, ICC dictates that the sport. in order to qualify for a level one qualification, But recognizing that it is our individuals must undergo two educational Caribbean Sport and that it has courses. He noted that the second course will gained popularity over the years, I be held in a matter of weeks. found it fitting that I involve myself, Pereira pointed out that among the areas particularly because my husband is covered were: “Umpire signals, symbols, how also involved in it as well. to score and some other areas. I hope that what “I think the initiative adopted these guys have learnt today they will apply it President for the National Cricket Association, Michael Pereira (seated at centre) poses by the Cricket Association in the and assist us during the new season.” with participants in the cricket clinic. Turks and Caicos would really He noted that following the courses, the the cricket association for staging the course, ignite interest especially among participants will go on to test their skills for adding that it would assist his cricket development students and other youths, to learn the cricket, level one qualification. He said that since the new season may require that two grounds be used which he could use to augment the game overall play the cricket, because there is no telling where it can take the Turks and Caicos Islands in terms simultaneously, it would need additional officials, in the TCI. “I believe it is time for cricket in the Turks and of competing on the international level, within the and so, these new officials could fill in the gap. “From now on we will be doing a lot of Caicos to be taken to another level. Cricket in the Caribbean and so on.” The participants included: Joel Palmer, Austin educational course to empower more people to Turks and Caicos Islands is not what it is in other make the league more professional and more parts of the Caribbean, and now is the right time Etienne, Joel Charles, Sean Khan, Kareem Jack, for cricket development here, now that you have Athol Gibson, Ian Ganess, Delano Hall, Nagarajan organized,” Pereira said. One of the participants, Austin Etienne lauded so many people from other countries that play Khutalingham and Andy Khutalingham.
Northern Star turn back Conch Shockers
Turks and Caicos Basketball Federation recruiting The Turks and Caicos Basketball Federation is presently recruiting Turks and Caicos Islanders Basketball Players From all islands to participate in training for the Caribbean Basketball Confederation in Nassau Bahamas on July 26th 2011. Practice days are Mondays and Wednesdays at 7.p.m and Saturdays 5.30 a.m at the Gus Lightbourne Sports Complex.
Action from the men’s league
Northern Star FC strengthened their position at the top of Da Conch Shack Men's Beach Soccer League with a 9-7 victory over the Conch Shack Shockers last weekend. A rain affected opening game saw Provo United having to forfeit their game to the Stingray Strikers due to having insufficient players. This allowed Marco Fenelus to climb to the top of the goalscoring table with 14 goals as he scored an impressive eight goals for Northern Star. Matt Green chipped in with other goal. Northern Star almost gave away a 7-3 lead and had to fight hard to keep the Shockers at bay. Jean Guerrier scored five goals with Rayan McKnight and Nickenson Agelus one each for the Shockers. Northern Star FC need only two wins from their remaining four games to secure a spot in the grand final but all three other teams are still close behind and anyone still has a chance to win the league. MVP for the day was Marco Fenelus of Northern Star FC.
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LOCAL SPORTS
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
MAY 27TH - JUNE 3RD, 2011
Clement Howell strengthening its Sports Program
Clement Howell High School Boys softball team
The great philosopher jean Piaget once said “children learn best through play”. This brief statement explores a very important concept that is often overlooked, that is, ”play is a very important tool in a child’s development”, in that through play, they are able to interact with other children and develop their socialization skills. Secondly, this is where they are able to fine tune their motor skills through running, jumping and throwing, and learning how to manipulate tools in their environment. The skills that they learn will not only increase their self confidence but they are also able to help their peers that might have some difficulty mastering these very basic but important skills. As such, it is extremely important that we create the opportunities and environment for our children to develop their physical and academic skills to their full potential. Building on this premise, the clement Howell high school has sought to create new programs that would allow students to maximize their full potential, not only academically but also physically. One such individual behind this concept is the physical education teacher at the clement Howell high school, Mr. Charles Forbes. Mr. Forbes joined the teaching staff at the high school in 2007. One of the first things he noted was that there was no program for a girls’ basketball team and a boys’ softball team. As a matter of fact, many students-wear of the viewpoint that basketball was for boys and softball was for girls. The next several years were spent educating the students about this misconception. After canvassing the student body and realizing that
Wins for Baller, Shrimps as Women’s Soccer League end regular season
The Women's Beach Soccer league finished its regular season with wins for the Beach Soccer Ballers and the All Star Shrimps.
Clement Howell High School female basketball team
some students were interested in learning both disciplines. The idea for the formation of a girls’ basketballl team and a boys’ softball team was put forward to the school’s administration, which threw its full support behind the program. Additionally, the idea also received the full support of the Sports Commission and the Turks and Caicos Islands softball Federation, both organizations shared the view that both programs might eventually become a part of the high school program in the near future. During the initial stages of the girls’ basketball program, progress was rather slow as finding a regular coach was more difficult than anticipated. Fortunately, the program received a boost when Mr. Sidwell Glasgow, an industrial arts teacher, joined the school staff in 2010. He quickly endorsed the idea of the program and immediately began the process of making the team a reality and serving as the team’s coach. Recently, Mr. Michael Cumberland, a former professional basketball player now living within the Turks and Caicos Islands joined Mr. Glasgow to assist with the program. The CHHS Eagles Program started in September of 2009. The team initially consisted of some 12 girls. Recently, the team participated in games against an all girls team from the British Collegiate School and more recently, the newly formed, adult female team, the “Shaky Flamingoes” in the Providenciales night league program, in an attempt to improve their level of play and experience. Presently, the team is in training to compete in the up-coming Tanka Williams Bahamas PreThe Baller's had already secured first place in the league but were pushed all the way by the New Wave Warriors as they claimed the narrowest of victories with a sudden-death penalty shoot-out win. The game ended 6-6 in regulation play with goals coming from Sarah Cenary (4), Patrice Senior-Clayton (1) and Jessica Eugene (1) for the Ballers and Chanile Butterfield (3), Gaya Smith (2) and Britney Bien-Aime (1) for the Warriors. Extra time could not separate the two teams who now faced the dreaded sudden death shootout. The Ballers had to thank Alexandra Wilson for the win as she pulled off three tremendous penalty saves from the Warriors before Jessica Eugene scored the elusive goal after both SeniorClayton and Cenary had missed.
independence Tournament scheduled for July 7. Based on the progress made and the enthusiasm and commitment demonstrated by the girls, the program is well on its way to becoming a huge success. Introducing the boys program was not as difficult because the game was introduced to them in their physical education curriculum. Through this medium they were able to learn about the history of the game and how to play. The interest showed by the boys helped the program immensely. During the early stages of its development, those students that showed an interest in the program trained along with members of the girls’ softball team. In 2010, Mr. Forbes received some additional help when Mr. Darrell Williams, an industrial arts teacher. The program started with some 30 boys, today; there are 22 boys from forms 1 and 2 that are actively involved in the program. Realizing that many of our young men are at risk, the program is designed to address some of these challenges. Components of the program include study time, monthly social and guest speakers, to address many of the challenges that they might face on a daily basis. Due to the large number of boys in the program, the program can use the assistance of persons to help with developing this group of young men. If there are persons that are interested in assisting with the softball or the mentoring program, please contact Mr. Forbes at the school. The team meets every Friday at the down town ball park between 3pm and 5pm every Friday. The victory means that the Ballers have been undefeated since the first day of the season and will fancy their chances in next weeks final against. The Caribbean Predators who have faltered in recent weeks. The All Star Shrimps claimed a comfortable win over the Predators (13-3) with Christina Hinds shooting herself back to the top of the goalscoring charts with nine goals. Shinaydine Pluviose (2) and Gillian Vernice (2) rounded off the scoring as the Shrimps dominated the game. Kadine Delphin (2) and Yarileny De La Cruz got on the score sheet for the Predators. The Shrimps will now be full of confidence as they play against the Warriors to determine who finishes third or fourth. MVP for the day was Alexandra Wilson.
MAY 27TH- JUNE 3RD, 2011
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Usain Bolt wins Rome 100m but leaves it late to edge out Asafa Powell Usain Bolt had said he wanted to show the world he was back in business, but by his own lofty standards the Jamaican's comeback season could prove more difficult than even he had thought as he was left fighting for victory in the 100 metres at the Diamond League meeting in Rome. After a poor start at the Stadio Olimpico the triple world record holder was in the unusual position of gritting his teeth all the way to the line, only just fending off his compatriot and the former world record holder Asafa Powell to win in 9.91sec. "I was so nervous I got a bad start and then kind of started to panic," the 24-year-old said. "My coach will analyse the race. I was not proud of the race but I am getting there." On the start line Bolt had mouthed to the cameras, "Number one in the world, I'm ready," but his winning time with the slightest of tailwinds does not quite top the world rankings – a place occupied by another Jamaican whom he will now face in Ostrava on Tuesday, Steve Mullings. Still, the second fastest time in the world this year – on his first outing – is not a thing to be sniffed at and Bolt will surely be relieved to have got this race and first victory out of the way. Earlier this week Bolt had admitted he felt nervous for the first time in his senior career, the memories of a disappointing 2010 which ended in defeat to arch rival Tyson Gay and a recurrence of the back injury caused by scoliosis of the spine clearly still fresh in his mind. On crossing the finish line Bolt had glanced across to Powell to offer the kindest of smiles, one that seemed to say: nearly, my friend, but not quite. For despite a poor start, by far the worst of the top three finishers, Bolt's
indomitable strength remains his incredible ability to plough up the track over the last 50m. For Powell, finishing just 0.02secs behind Bolt was a lost opportunity. "I was too focused on Usain and so he beat me," said the 28-year-old. "I'm a little upset with myself. I know that I had to take this victory, I lost a very important opportunity." After watching such a close run race against a world-class field that included the European double sprint champion Christophe Lemaitre who finished third in 10secs, the 47,732 people who turned out to catch a glimpse of Bolt in Rome's Stadio Olimpico will not have been disappointed. The Jamaican remains the unmistakable star of the athletics world, even as he strolled out onto the track hundreds of people crowded towards the front of the stand to get a picture and take a closer look at the sprint sensation. Meanwhile, Britain's world champion Phillips Idowu posted a new world leading distance of 17.59m with his third attempt in the triple jump, but the 32-year-old will be disappointed that he could not get closer to the elusive 18m barrier. Dai Greene opened his hurdling season with an impressive performance in the 00m hurdles - not that the Welshman was happy with the result. Despite beating a truly worldclass field that included the two-time Olympic gold medallist Angelo Taylor and two-time world champion Kerron Clement, as well as his fierce rival and training partner the European silver medallist Rhys Williams, Greene finished second overall behind the South African Louis Jacob van Zyl. Crossing the line in 48.24sec just a metre behind Van Zyl, Greene found
Usain Bolt, right, celebrates with Jamaican compatriot Asafa Powell after the 100m in Rome.
it difficult to smile even when reminded of the stars he had left behind him. "It's nice but at the same time I'm not happy unless I'm winning," said Greene. "That's the mentality I have." After a sensational 2010 in which the 25-year-old claimed European and Commonwealth titles as well as breaking 48sec for the first time to improve his personal best to a worldclass 47.88sec in Split last September, Greene has set high ambitions for himself this year. The Llanelli-born hurdler is targeting a gold medal at the world championships in Daegu this summer as part of an overall plan to go for gold at London 2012. Britain's best female 400m hurdler, Perri Shakes-Drayton, tested out her pace over the flat and came up trumps with a new PB of 51.47sec, finishing in sixth place against a world-class field. Three-time 200m world champion Allyson Felix won by a mile in a world leading time of
49.81sec - the first woman to break 50sec this season - crucially leaving the defending 400m world champion Sanya Richards-Ross lagging behind in fifth place. Felix has announced plans to double up over both distances and challenge her US compatriot for the 400m title which makes the world championships a scintillating prospect. Just 45 minutes later in the 200m Felix clearly didn't have enough gas left in the tank for a second victory, finishing fourth but again beating Richards-Ross into fifth place. But there were disappointments for a host of Britons competing here. The 1500m world silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey finished in 10th place behind Maryam Yusuf Jamal, who won in a new world leading time of 4mins 01.60sec, and the long jumper Shara Proctor - in her debut season in a British vest after switching allegiance from Anguilla last year - jumped 6.62m to finish fourth. In the men's 800m Michael Rimmer finished 10th.
Usain Bolt is back with new look He’s back. Considerably more muscular across the shoulders and sporting a new Mohican-style haircut but still the same laughing, showboating Usain Bolt who outran the world in 2008 and 2009 before a back injury last August proved he is human after all. “Last season wasn’t my best season,” admitted the Jamaican triple world and Olympic champion, who wooed the locals by turning up for a media conference on Tuesday dressed in an Italian football shirt. “It was kind of a season of down time for me. So for me, this season is back to business. I’m really focused and ready now. I'm going out there to prove to the world that I’m still the best.” The back is no longer hampering him, as confirmed by a visit to his specialist in Munich en route to Rome, and the times he has been hitting in training have convinced him that he is close to peak physical shape. As for the bigger picture, he says the race is just a stepping stone towards the World Championships in South Korea in August, where he will be defending the
100m and 200m titles he won in such breath-taking style Berlin in 2009. Breaking his world records of 9.58sec and 19.19sec again is not, however, the primary objective. “The records are not my aim,” he said. “It’s always the championships and the gold medals. I just want to show the world I’m back. I don’t think I need to break records to show that. I just need to start winning and stay on top.” Bolt’s problems last year meant he was in the uncomfortable position of being upstaged by American rival Tyson Gay, who consigned him to his first defeat in two years at the Stockholm Diamond League event before the Jamaican called an early halt to his season. In fact, Bolt was not even the fastest sprinter in Jamaica in 2010 — an honour that fell to Nesta Carter. But judging by the way Bolt was mobbed by photographers and cameramen, his fallow season has in no way diminished his star quality. Bolt, who has been greeted by similarly chaotic
scenes on his international travels since his world record-obliterating performances at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, obliged by hamming it up for the lenses, at one point flexing his biceps when asked about his new gym workouts that have bulked up his physique while producing a weight loss of about 10lb. “I’ve been doing a lot of work strength-wise, corewise,” he said. “That’s why I might look a little bit bigger maybe.” The Italian football shirt was just part of the show, though Bolt admitted he had been told four times in a few hours that he was a dead ringer for Italy and Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli, which is not the most tactful observation for such a diehard Manchester United fan. “Balotelli’s a little bit aggressive but he’s a great player so it’s OK,” shrugged Bolt, who, volcanic ash permitting, will be flying straight to London after the race to take in Saturday’s Champions League final at Wembley. He predicts 2-1 to United.
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Stars lead late rally as Heat advances to NBA finals CHICAGO — There are perhaps a thousand ways to seize a conference title, but none more emphatic, more authoritative or more vehement than the method LeBron James chose Thursday night to send the Miami Heat to the N.B.A. finals. Derrick Rose elevated for a series-saving shot at the arc. James leaped with him, then swatted the ball and the Chicago Bulls into oblivion. The buzzer sounded on an 83-80 Miami victory, and James and his teammates began a subdued celebration, having claimed the Eastern Conference crown in five games. “There’s no sense of relief right now,” James said. “We still got work to do.” The Heat will battle the Dallas Mavericks in the finals, in a rematch of the 2006 series, which Miami won. The series begins Tuesday in Miami. For a team that for months seemed incapable of closing games, the Heat now stands as a collection of experts. James punished the Bulls in one fourth quarter after another for the final four games of the series, all of them Heat victories. In the finale, James and Dwyane Wade alternated big shots and suffocating stops as they crushed the Bulls’ spirit and ruthlessly erased a 12-point deficit in the final 3 minutes 2 seconds. For the fourth straight game, the young Bulls were incapable of matching the Heat’s steadiness down the stretch, or its awesome star power. Rose missed 7 of 9 shots in the final quarter and had two turnovers before having his last-gasp
shot blocked at the buzzer by James. Symbolically at least, it was a repeat of Game 4, when James forced Rose into a misfire on a potential gamewinner in regulation. “It’s on me,” Rose, the Chicago native who revived the Bulls and led them to a league-best 62win season, said glumly. “Everything. It’s on me. Turnovers, missed shots, fouls. If anything, learn from it. That’s all I can do right now. The series is over with.” Wade and James combined for 17 points in a 19-4 run to finish the game and scored 22 of the Heat’s 26 points in the final period. Chris Bosh scored the other 4. Play for reverberating play, this was the vision the Heat had last summer, when the franchise lured James and Bosh to South Beach to join Wade. “There’s a history in this game of great players shining in those moments, when the game is in the balance,” Coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And all three of those guys are special players. That’s why we recruited them so hard this summer.” When it was over, the Heat players smiled and hugged — each other, then the Bulls — but dispensed with any of their signature bravado. James is heading to his second finals, his first since 2007, in search of his first championship. Wade is returning for the first time since 2006, when he and Shaquille O’Neal led Miami to its only championship. James finished with 28 points and 11
rebounds. Wade had 9 turnovers in the first three quarters but finished with a flourish, scoring 10 of his 21 points in the fourth. Bosh added 20 as the Heat’s superstar core again carried the night. Rose had 25 points, but struggled with his shot (9 for 29) and had little help — themes that defined the Bulls throughout the series. Luol Deng scored 18 points in the finale, and Ronnie Brewer had 10. But Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah, the starting frontcourt, combined for just 10 points and 14 rebounds. Kurt Thomas, making his first appearance of the series, made a series of big plays down the stretch and for a time kept the Bulls’ hopes alive. Chicago had a 12-point lead with 3:53 to play, and 23,057 jumping fans sensed a victory. Three minutes later, they were reduced to nervous murmuring. Wade drove for consecutive layups. James hit a 3-pointer. Rose fouled Wade on a 3-pointer, leading to a 4-point play. James followed with another 3, and suddenly the game was tied at 7979 with 1:01 left. The Heat took the lead — its first since the first quarter — on a James 20-footer, after James stole a pass from Rose. “We made mistakes, and they fed off them,” Deng said, adding, “That level of play in the fourth quarter is what we have to learn to play all the time. We’re capable of playing with this team.”
FIFA open graft probe into Bin Hammam and Jack Warner PARIS- Mohammed Bin Hammam, the Qatari who built his bid for the FIFA presidency around his anticorruption campaign, on Wednesday found himself at the centre of an alleged graft probe concerning the election bid which should leave the way open for his rival Joseph Blatter to claim a fourth term. The world football governing body announced they are investigating allegations against Bin Hammam, the Asian Football Confderation president, and FIFA vice-president Jack Warner. The probe also concerns Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester. The allegations, including bribery, were made by executive committee member Chuck Blazer. CONCACAF secretary general Blazer claims that FIFA's code of ethics was violated during a meeting "apparently organised" by Bin Hammam and Warner on May 10-11 in relation to the FIFA presidential election which takes place in Zurich on June 1. For Bin Hammam, 61, the man who claimed that his rival Blatter had sullied FIFA's reputation, the news is a blow to his campaign. "I'm confident in my ability to restore FIFA's prestige," Bin Hammam had told AFP earlier this month. "What
Summoned: Jack Warner (left) and Mohamed Bin Hammam have been called to appear before a disciplinary hearing
has been lacking has been this transparency which we haven't been able to get through to the public. That will be top of my priorities." The four officials have been called to a hearing of FIFA's ethics committee in Zurich on May 29. FIFA said that Claudio Sulser, the head of the ethics committee, will not take charge of the hearing as he shares Swiss nationality with Blatter. The committee's deputy chairman Petrus Damaseb of Namibia will instead chair proceedings. The FIFA statement read: "On May
24 2011, Fifa executive committee member and Concacaf general secretary Chuck Blazer reported to Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke possible violations of the Fifa code of ethics allegedly committed by officials. "In particular, the report referred to a special meeting of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), apparently organised jointly by Fifa vice-president Jack A. Warner and Fifa executive committee member Mohamed Bin Hammam. "This meeting was linked to the upcoming Fifa presidential election.
"In view of the facts alleged in this report, which include bribery allegations, Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke, in compliance with art. 16 of the Fifa code of ethics, yesterday requested the Fifa ethics committee to open ethics proceedings." The claims come after FIFA launched a separate probe into corruption charges made by former Football Association and England 2018 World Cup bid chairman Lord Triesman. Lord Triesman claimed that FIFA members - Warner, Nicolas Leoz, Ricardo Teixeira and Worawi Makudi had sought "bribes" in return for backing England's failed 2018 World Cup bid. Bin Hammam has also been forced to deny allegations that his native Qatar paid large bribes to secure hosting rights for the 2022 World Cup. Time is not on Bin Hammam's side. Even though the fresh accusations sully further the reputation of FIFA it serves only to boost Blatter's bid. The Swiss has vowed a "zero tolerance" plan to fight against corruption "with the reinforcement of legal and ethical tools... and a council of wise heads made up of personalities from outside the world of football". Bin Hammam's supporters will decry a conspiracy against their candidate. The Blatter camp will argue that the incumbent did not need trumped up charges to win a fourth term. South America, Africa, Oceania and Europe's support had been promised in favour of the 75-year-old who seems to be coasting, barring a major upset, to a comfortable victory.
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LOCAL NEWS
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Dodgers challenged in court over role in beating LOS ANGELES – The hits keep coming for Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and they aren't the kind that is helping the organization. The latest off-the-field distraction came Tuesday when the family of a San Francisco Giants fan who was brutally beaten at Dodger Stadium on Opening Day sued the team and McCourt, claiming security cutbacks were partially to blame for the attack. The suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of Bryan Stow contends the Dodgers were negligent by not providing more security and not having adequate lighting in the parking lot where the incident occurred. Combined, both elements "provided a perfect opportunity to commit a variety of crimes," the lawsuits states. "Unfortunately, for Bryan Stow, this is exactly what happened." Stow, 42, remains in critical but stable condition under heavy sedation to prevent seizures caused by the traumatic brain injury he suffered in the March 31 attack. Police arrested Giovanni Ramirez, 31, over the weekend but charges have not yet been filed against him. They have not identified a second attacker and a woman suspected of driving the pair from the scene. Ramirez was being detained on a parole hold, and detectives still had not presented their case to the district attorney's office. Detective Pjai Morris said additional investigative work was being carried out, but he was confident the case would go forward. Chip Matthews, who is representing members of Ramirez's family, said Ramirez never went to the game that day. Matthews told The Associated Press that Ramirez is willing to take a polygraph test to show he was not at the stadium and had spent the day at his aunt's house with several family members. In recent weeks McCourt has seen Major League Baseball appoint a monitor to oversee the Dodgers and his ex-wife ask a judge presiding over their divorce trial to order the sale of the team. Baseball officials also have said they don't believe McCourt has enough money to make payroll at the end of this month. Attorneys for Stow believe McCourt has mismanaged one of baseball's most storied franchises by spending lavishly since buying the team in 2004 and reducing security during games. Court documents filed in the divorce trial indicate the McCourts took out more than $100 million in loans from Dodger-related entities. Jerome M. Jackson, an attorney for the Dodgers, said in a statement that the organization had been unwavering in its support for the Stow family and for police investigators. "But, to be clear, Mr. McCourt and the Dodgers will defend themselves against the allegations," the statement said. The lawsuit also noted that Dodgers staff was slow to respond to Stow, taking between 10 and 15 minutes before they arrived to the scene. His attorneys also claim Dodger Stadium has more crime than any other MLB venue and the defendants knew the area was unsafe and a haven for known gang members to "meet, plan and carry out criminal activity."
Lakers move quickly to get Mike Brown as head coach In a surprising and quick move, Brown may not sign his deal the Lakers ended their search until early next week because for a head coach Wednesday by there are still details to be agreeing to hire former worked out, possibly including Cleveland Cavaliers coach how much he would earn if a Mike Brown. lockout occurs after the league's The decision to hire labor contract expires June 30. Brown, 41, to replace Phil Brown could get up to 50% Jackson was made mostly by of his yearly salary while the Jim Buss, the team's executive lockout is in place, according to vice president of player NBA executives familiar with personnel who is the son of the negotiations. However, the owner Jerry Buss, according to Lakers probably would like to several NBA executives not negotiate that package down to authorized to speak publicly. $1 million, the executives said. The Lakers released a The Lakers' coaching search statement Wednesday saying began May 17 when Jerry Buss, they have met with Brown and Jim Buss and General Manager are "impressed by him," that an Mitch Kupchak finally had their Former Cleveland Cavaliers coachagreement is "in place," but he season-ending meeting. Mike Brown hasn't signed a contract yet. Last Saturday, Brown met with As The Times reported Jim Buss in Minneapolis while Buss Tuesday night, Brown is expected to sign a deal was at an NBA predraft camp, according to league worth about $4.5 million a season over four years executives. for a total of about $18 million. The last year is a Brown was very prepared and wooed Buss with team option, which means Brown would get paid his presentation about defensive schemes. Brown $2.5 million of his salary if he is not retained. also talked about his experience working with a Brown posted a 272-138 record in five seasons superstar in Cleveland in LeBron James, and how he with the Cavaliers before he was fired after the 2010 would coexist with Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. season. Buss returned home Tuesday night around 7:30, "I'm here to continue to try to help this and about two hours later the framework of a deal organization carve a championship path that's was in place, the executives said. already been laid," Brown said Wednesday on ESPN Brown was also in the running for the head during halftime of the Dallas Mavericks-Oklahoma coaching job with Golden State. However, Buss did City Thunder game. not want to lose Brown to the Warriors. "I know I'm not going to fill [Jackson's] shoes… Other likely candidates for the Lakers coaching But I am excited to help carve my own path with job were Rick Adelman, Mike Dunleavy, Lakers this team going forward," Brown said. He worked assistant coach Brian Shaw and Jeff Van Gundy. But this season as an ESPN analyst. Adelman, Dunleavy and Van Gundy never got an Derek Fisher, the Lakers' veteran point guard, interview with the Lakers, according to various NBA in a Twitter message said: "Will miss Phil but officials. excited to start a new chapter under Mike Brown. Adelman had some support from Jerry Buss, but Looking forward to a different style and energy!!" Jim's decision carried the day. The decision to hire Brown caught many by "What you can expect from a Coach Brown surprise, even some in the Lakers' front office who team is a family atmosphere, a defensive-minded anticipated a coaching change to take place near team," Brown said on ESPN. "I want a hardmid-June. working team, but yet still I want a team-first team."
Woods on crutches but expects to play in US Open NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – Tiger Woods says he'll be ready to go for the U.S. Open. Good thing for Woods there's time to get healthy. The golfing great hasn't hit a ball in about two weeks. Woods needs crutches and a walking boot for relief on his aching left leg. He won't even start leg training until the end of next week. But Woods expects to tee off at the U.S. Open June 16-19 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. "You just play through these things," Woods said. "There's a difference between being in pain and being injured." That's why Woods has shut himself down to prepare for the major. Woods is bothered by pain in
his left knee, left Achilles' tendon, tightening in his calf, and has a sore lower back. He says doctors have not mentioned leg surgery. But he doubts he'll play the Memorial next week in Dublin, Ohio. Woods said he'll start training by the end of next week. How his leg responds will determine when he can start hitting balls again — all but ruling out the Memorial. "I've had four surgeries on it," Woods said. "Obviously, it's not what it was when I was little." That means Woods would go to the U.S. Open with little competition, although this is nothing new for him. In 2008, he had arthroscopic surgery after the Masters and didn't play again until the U.S. Open. Doctors discovered a double stress fracture in his left tibia in the weeks before the major.
Going against his doctor's advice, Woods not only played the U.S. Open, he won it at Torrey Pines in a 19-hole playoff. Now, he says his left leg is not nearly as bad as it was then. His golf, however, is a different story. In the 11 tournaments Woods played before the U.S. Open, he won eight times, was runner-up twice and didn't finish out of the top five. In the 11 tournaments before this U.S. Open, he has only five finishes in the top 10. Woods said he was more worried about his health in 2008. "I'm a lot better off," Woods said. "I feel that in the next week or so, I can start getting back toward that and start practicing pain free. That's where I'm at.
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