VOLUME 9 ISSUE 6

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

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VOLUME 9 - No. 6

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‘SEND THEM BACK TO UK’ Premier Ewing calls for recall of Governor, CFO and AG

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remier Dr. Rufus Ewing has written UK Secretary of State William Hague, calling for Governor Ric Todd, Attorney General Huw Shepheard and Chief Financial Officer Hugh McGarel Groves to be recalled.

In a strongly-worded four-page letter which was dated February 10th, 2013, Premier Ewing noted that the beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos Islands has a bright future, but the current Governor, Attorney General and CFO, who remain from the interim administration, are obstacles in the way of prosperity.

According to Premier Ewing, the three officials do not enjoy the trust, confidence, trust and support of the people of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, therefore, they should be recalled and replaced by unbiased individuals, who are better suited to work with a democratically elected government, the business community and the local community.

This, the Premier added, will ensure that all stakeholders will have a fresh start at governing the Turks and Caicos Islands in the best interest of our people.

Dr. Ewing wrote: “The Turks and Caicos Constitution Order 2011, is not a Constitution of the people, by the people or for the people, and hence it should be amended and advanced, and we should start this process immediate-

ly through the proper procedures and dialogue. In the interim, we would expect that the territory of Turks and Caicos be governed by the 2011 Constitution, but with fairness, and the real best interest of the people, as expressed by themselves or through their elected government.

This position has been articulated on many occasions in the past.

It was stated on many occasions on behalf of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, that the very suspension of the 2006 Constitution was unnecessary.

It was well established that there were many other options available to address alleged corruption and maladministration of a government of which the former Governor Tauwhare, was at the centre and head. During the Interim Administration, the Governor had absolute power, and exercised this power, regardless of the expressed wishes of the people of our country!”

He added: “During this period, there was a total disregard for the Constitution with respect to the appointment of a Belonger Deputy Governor. In the absence of the Governor, other members of the Interim Administration were appointed as Acting Governor, in direct contravention of the constitutional order laid down.

There was the passage of an Appropriations Bill by the Governor himself. We also wit-

Governor Ric Todd

Attorney General Huw Shepheard

CFO Hugh McGarel-Groves

nessed the passage of other laws, such as trial without jury, the hearsay and equality law, components of which go against our principles as a Christian Nation. During the period of the Intermin Administration, the Governor became comfortable to a dictatorial style of rule. Now, however, in the presence the newly elected repreventative government, the Governor and other remaining officials from the former administration, the Attorney General and the Chief Financial Officer, have demonstrated a reluctance to facilitate the transition of governance back to the the people of this country.”

The letter continued: “Hon. Hague, the alleged wrongdoings of members of the former PNP Administration and associates is quickly being exposed as being a farce, impregnated with cloak and dagger acts on the part of the Governor, AG Chambers and SIPT, to incarcerate Turks and Caicos Islanders at all costs, even at the cost of the violation of the principles of justice

and the human rights of individuals. There is now a growing focus by the regional and international community on this matter, as blatant acts of “justice for sale” have been conducted here in the TCI under the disguise of plea bargaining. Such cases include many well-known expatriate developers who have secured their freedom from prosecution, both by monetary exchange under the guise of “Civil Recovery” and by providing evidence against accused local politician “co-conspirators”. Hon Hague, the sale of justice is not an example of good governance!

Furthermore, it is quite evident that the Governor is deeply involved with the day to day operations of the SIPT, hence, is subject to impaired judgment, or has questionable motives in overseeing the affairs of this country.

Hon Hague during the period of the Interim Administration, the Governor asented to numerous pieces of legislation and undertook many reforms which were meant to create an environment

of good governance and effective and efficient administration during a period of economic downturn. However, these legislations, reforms, austerity measures and tax policies that were implemented in preference to robust revenue strategies resulted in high unemployment, social neglect, large emigration of members of the workforce, abundant business closures and much civil unrest.

These effects were coupled with a Governor, who ruled without a social conscience, and had no respect for the business community or indigenous local community, many of whom have publically expressed reciprocal sentiments of the Governor. The Governor and his administration, in their haste to expedite their mandate or agenda ended up violating many principles of good governance that had recently been approved and committed many acts that were similar, or identical to those that members of the previous administration were alleged to have committed. These

acts were of such magnitude that even those persons who called for the intervention of the UK Government were calling for the recall of the Governor and regretted the method of intervention by the British.

Hon. Hague, the financial trough that the Turks and Caicos is currently in, due in part to the preferential austerity measures by the Governor is not insurmountable, as the potential of the Turks and Caicos is great and the future is bright. We acknowledge our properly verifiable debt, and are committed to the repayment of this debt.

However, the financial strategy for economic growth and loan repayment via VAT that is mandated by the various financial mandates of the CFO and the Governor, are not the way to prosperity.

The arguments against VAT in the TCI, and the need for the current method of taxation and economic diversification and growth as avenues to prosperity have all been well articulated by many. The people of this country from all sectors and the representatives of the people, in the House of Assembly, have all said “NO TO VAT” and are all in agreement with the economic strategies put forward by the government. Denial of the expressed wishes of the people, would be a clear indication of democracy not being restored to the people of the TCI!”

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IT SEEMS LIKE TCI HAS DESCENDED INTO A GESTAPvO STATE

BY ROYAL S. ROBINSON, MBE

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n growing up, when reference was made to a Gestapo state, it was linked to Germany under the rule of Hitler and those Communist block countries such as Russia (the old USSR) and China. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever thought that such reference would have been made to my “Beautiful by Nature” country, the Turks and Caicos Islands! However, there is a saying “never say never”.

I have now come to the realization that my country can now be listed amongst those infamous countries because of the dictatorial tactics of people like the Governor and his minions!

I was of the, now I must say, flawed opinion, that flawed as the 2011 Constitution may be, that it still had enshrined in it the articles relating to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. I fully understand that my freedom is circumscribed by the other person’s freedom. Therefore, my ability to speak or write, does not have unfettered limitations.

I did not know that I had to

get permission from Governor Todd, as the censor in chief, before I said or wrote any opinion of mine. Clearly, in his mind, he seems to feel that I must. Well Governor, try as you may, you will not be able to shut me up. I know my rights and I know the limitations of those rights and I know how far the English Language would allow me to express myself!

The Governor seems to have descended to the lowest rung of human behavior.

He has now invoked the other arm of governance, the Police, to now build a case of intimidation against my person. Well, sir, that is not going to work. I could not believe my ears, when on Monday, February 11, 2013 at about 9.44 am, I got a call from a Police officer that he is investigating a complaint that I might have used language that could amount to a threat in a piece that I might have written on the TCI Post, concerning the treatment of the Deputy Governor. We agreed to meet, and we met, close to the 11.30 am time period.

The officer told me that

he was carrying out this investigation at the insistence of the highest authority of this country. I told him that I had written words to the effect of “I felt that if I could have, I would have jumped through the tv and choke that…..”. I never said that I was going to do it the first opportunity that I saw Neil Smith. I know the man, and have spoken with him on many an occasion. I have seen him shopping at IGA and settling an account at Lime. The man was disrespectful in the way he addressed words of reference to our Deputy Governor, and that must be pointed out.

Instead of reprimanding Mr. Smith for his despicable act, the Governor wanted to, and has used those words as the prop for his not wanting to agree to my appointment on NIB. He saw that he could not get away with such a flimsy excuse, so he tries to embellish his case by have the matter referred to the police so that he can say that my words had reach to such a level that the Police had to do an investigation. Sir, there is no “there,

there”! I pointed out to the Police that the Governor had a “got you” moment on RTC last year when he cursed and had to make a half-hearted apology for saying words that I did not say and embarrassing himself when the whole nation was listening. He made a public spectacle of himself and he has to live with that. He must not now try to use things like that against my being appointed. That is pettiness pure and simple! The Governor thinks that everything must bend to his will and dictates.

Everything that you touch now is turning to dust. Get real! You have caused this country of ours too much money and embarrassment! A recent case in point is the matter between yourself and Trade Winds Industry. The Supreme Court Justice had to rule that you must answer the questions in open court and not try to do a settlement in some “back room”! TWI are saying that they are suing for some $100M. I hope that you and the AG have access to that amount of money! Don’t try

to think that you are going to put that on the backs of the TCI people.

Every other day we are seeing coming to the fore, things that the Governor and AG have done that are causing us embarrassment and money. Why should we have to pay for those cost that have been incurred by such dictatorial persons? By trying to be too cute and vindictive, they have bungled the extradition proceeding of Michael Misick. They tried to scapegoat the Brazilian authorities, when it was they who had asked for the issuance of the arrest warrant. Now the Governor has backdated the appointment to the Police force of one Mr. Anthony Nobel to 9 November, 2012. Was that not the day of election and the last day that the Governor had absolute control of every facet of government? Something smells fishy and it is not sardines!

It seems as if all appointments to any institution having any dealings with this administration, must bend to the will and dictates of the Governor! A bit of food for thought, is it that Mr. Nobel had no right or authority to present documents in Brazil or as is being suggested, searching Misick’s property that this appointment is predicated on? When did the need arise for such an appointment? Where is the advertisement for such a post in the Police force being vacant? Why this man and no one else could fit the bill?

Are we continuing to find employment for people who would potentially be on “the dole” back in the UK? The Premier, by formally writing to the Secretary of State asking for the removal of the Governor, CFO and AG, has sent a clear and unambiguous message on behalf of the people of this country, that we are not prepared to continue to live in this country being dictated to by that clan.

We are totally behind the Premier! We have to remember that power is never given up. It must be taken back. That is first small step of the Premier that will become the giant leap of the remainder of the people of this country!

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LOCAL NEWS

BY-ELECTION IN CHESHIRE HALL/RICHMOND SET FOR FRIDAY MARCH 22nd, 2013 T

he date for by-election in the Cheshire Hall and Richmond Hills constituency has been announced as Friday, 22nd March 2013 by Governor Ric Todd and the Supervisor of Elections Dudley Lewis.

A government press release issued Tuesday afternoon said the announcement of the date was withheld until the ruling on the two other election petitions were made, because it would have been preferable to have all by-elections on one day.

The North Caicos petition between incumbent Hon. DonHue Gardiner of the Progressive National Party (PNP) and losing opponent Ashwood Forbes of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) was withdrawn on Monday and the Grand Turk matter which was brought by defeated PDM candidate Derek Rolle against the incumbent Hon. George Lightbourne of the PNP was dismissed on Tuesday.

The press release said that in accordance with the Constitution a by-election cannot be called sooner than 35 days following the seat in the House of Assembly becoming vacant and in any

event, within 3 months.

The steps in the calculation of the date of an election, as specified in the Elections Ordinance, exclude some days such as weekends or public holidays and an election is not permitted to take place on a Saturday or Sunday.

“Consequently, a Writ to authorise the holding of a by-election on 22nd March has been signed today (Tuesday) by the Governor,” the statement added. “The Governor has consulted with the Premier and Leader of the Opposition before taking this decision and agreed with the Premier that it would be right to hold the election before Palm Sunday and Holy Week. The Governor has also separately consulted the Leader of the Opposition.”

In order to comply with the provisions of the Elections Ordinance this requires moving the Commonwealth Day Public Holiday from 11th March to Monday, 25th March. The Governor will make the change for this year only by Notice published in the Gazette under section 3 of Public Holidays Ordinance.

Governor Ric Todd said, “After some weeks of

uncertainty the outcomes from the election petitions are now clear. As we are all aware, the Court’s decision on the Cheshire Hall petition means that an equal number of elected seats in the House of Assembly are held by the PNP and PDM. It makes sense to resolve this situation as swiftly as possible with a by-election in March.”

The Supervisor of Elections, Dudley Lewis, will publish further details on the arrangements for the by-election and a Nomination Pack for prospective candidates shortly.

Dudley Lewis added, “I wish to remind electors in the Cheshire Hall and Richmond Hill District that the existing Register of Electors (valid until 31st March) will be used for this by-election. To reduce the delays experienced in the previous election in November, I am arranging for an increased number of polling stations and increased voting lines in each place.

We will give more information in due course and I ask voters to refer to the media and TCIG web site for further announcements to familiarise themselves with the improved voting arrangements.”

Revenue Jewish Community hosts Control gives Holocaust survivor business owners R 30-days to regularise and pay up.

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wners, Managers and Operators of businesses registered within the Turks and Caicos Islands are advised that effective February 12, 2013 they have 30 days in which to regularise their operations.

The Revenue Control Unit in the Ministry of Finance, Trade and Tourism is therefore appealing to all businesses to regulate their status within 30 days of this notice, to ensure that they are in good standing in relation to the payment of all fees, charges and arrears.

Following the expiration of this notice, TCIG will publish the names of those businesses that are not in good standing in order that the community is aware of all legitimate businesses operating in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

In addition, individuals who fail to comply with this notice will have their Business Licenses suspended and revoked under Section 10 & 11 of the Business Licensing Ordinance.

Operators of Businesses that have ceased operations are required under section 8 & 9 of the Business Licensing Ordinance, to give notice of changes in the particulars of the business, including the date the business ceased to operate. There are penalties for failing to adhere to these requirements which have been expressly provided in writing to all Licensee Holders.

This is the final appeal. Ensure that your Business License is current; otherwise TCIG will commence legal proceedings against all defaulters.

ena Finder, one of the remaining Nazi Holocaust survivors visited the Turks and Caicos Islands to tell her story of the persecution that her people underwent at the hands of tyrant Adolf Hitler. Finder was a mere 10 years old when she and her family were captured by Nazis. As one of the remaining survivors of the Holocaust, Finder shared to the packed Brayton Hall auditorium what it felt like as she watched her family torn apart by hate and ignorance. She told of what it

was like to lose her father, to be tortured – along with her mother - for nearly a year and then to be rescued by a German industrialist named Oskar Schindler, whose bravery inspired the 7-time Academy Award-winning Steven Spielberg film Schindler’s List. Finder put her story in picture for the apparently several hundred-strong captive audience, who apparently in awe. Members of the local political directorate were on hand to hear her account.

Finder (second left) is seen here with (from left) Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing; Governor His Excellency Ric Todd; and Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson.

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LOCAL NEWS

ATTORNEY GENERAL SHOULD APOLOGISE TO THE PUBLIC FOR HIS BLATANT LIE ABOUT THE MIKE MISICK RELEASE FROM PRISON

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him to disseminate a lie and not ublic condemnation must be censured by the media and/or surely be in order for Attorney the public.

General Huw Shepheard, who by After all, this is the same Atany assessment, propagated a blatorney General, who, in a very retant lie to Turks and Caicos Iscent press release, was pontifilands and the world by last Friday cating about the public and the categorically denying that former media adhering to “the highest Premier Michael Misick had not principles of decency and proper been released from Brazilian prisrestraint in commenting on judion. cial and public matters”.

While Mr. Shepheard subseBecause of the sensitive and quently corrected his erroneous controversial nature of the Mistatement, the fact that he did so chael Misick extradition issue without even so much as offerand the keen interest that this ing a public apology for his emcountry, the region and indeed barrassing blunder, is in my view, the world has in the matter, it totally unprofessional, highly diswas incumbent on the Attorney respectful and disturbingly danBY HAYDEN BOYCE gerous. Without doubt, it demon- PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF General to pause for thought, verify his facts and issue a sensible strates utter contempt for public and correct press release before sensibilities and arrogance of inbreathlessly shooting first and aiming later. tolerable proportions.

Difficult as it may be for Mr. Shepheard to conThe post of Attorney General carries awesome responsibilities and tremendous power. Above all cede, he must now be told that the predominantelse, it also comes with an inherent and solemn ly intemperate tone and content of some of his obligation to be truthful and to execute the du- press releases and certain of his correspondence ties of that office fairly and without fear or favour. in relation to this Michael Misick extradition proHowever, in what appeared to have been un- cess, have served to add negative fuel and toxic bridled anxiety, a seemingly overzealous rush to energy to an issue that is already dogged by rejudgment and apparent disappointment with the ports, allegations and accusations of lies, deceit, news that Mr. Misick was indeed released from unfairness and political hatchet work by some jail, Mr. Shepheard told a silly and reckless untruth persons in officialdom.

In the circumstances, and certainly when one which essentially discredited the state-owned Radio Turks and Caicos and veteran broadcaster Lyn looks at the bigger picture, nothing is therefore Thomas, who first broke the story. Moreover, his at all trivial or casual about the Attorney Generlie amounted to conduct which fell exceedingly al’s most recent obnoxious blunder. In all matters, short of what is well expected from his high of- the people of any country must be able to absolutely trust their Attorney General, who is governfice.

We need not remind Mr. Shepheard that jus- ment’s chief legal advisor.

Self-inflicted wounds on any Attorney Genertice must balance the scales of truth and fairness.

Indeed, the public should expect no less from its al’s credibility and veracity, has to be a matter of Attorney General than the separation of fair facts serious national concern.

Then, there is the even greater danger, when from flimsy fiction.

This is precisely why Mr. Shepheard must not holding high office, to be surrounded with sydelude himself into thinking that it is kosher for cophants who lack the courage to impart advice

Turks and Caicos Sun Suite # 5, Airport Plaza Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands Tel: (649) 946-8542 Fax: (649) 941-3281 Email: sun@suntci.com Read us online at www.suntci.com Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Hayden Boyce Senior Editor: Vivian Tyson Office Manager: Dominique Rigby Distribution Manger: Kelano Howell The Turks and Caicos SUN is a subsidiary of The SUN Media Group Ltd. We are committed to excellence in journalism, educating and informing our readers, serving and satisfying our advertisers and assisting in the overall development of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

that will avert debilitating consequences, not the least of which is the erosion of public confidence.

If he would listen to them, one of those close to the Attorney General should whisper in his ear that he should curtail his intemperate and irascible fervour, endeavour to be truthful, transparent and factual at all times, humble himself and be open to constructive criticism.

And if he doesn’t threaten them with contempt of court, as is his custom, they should also remind him of that famous Canadian case, R vs. Stinchombe, which states: “The purpose of a criminal prosecution is not to obtain a conviction…Counsel have a duty to see that all available proof of the facts is presented. It should be done firmly and pressed to its legitimate strength, but it must be done fairly. The role of the prosecution excludes any notion of winning or losing. His function is a matter of public duty than which in civil life there can be none charged with greater responsibility.

It is to be efficiently performed with an ingrained sense of the dignity, the seriousness and the justness of judicial proceedings.”

Mr. Shepheard’s goof on the release of Michael Misick from jail is but one of many matters that have raised serious questions in the public’s mind with respect to Attorney General and how he approaches issues. They need not be rehearsed here.

The Attorney General is on record as saying that: “Our Constitution and the other laws…seek to balance the exercise of the right to free speech against the harm that unfettered free speech can do to individuals and society at large.”

Heed your own advice, Mr. Huw Shepheard!

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LOCAL NEWS

Premier Ewing says he is not afraid of the governor

BY VIVIAN TYSON

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remier Hon. Rufus Ewing has sought to pour cold water on the idea that he is wimpy when faced with the task of challenging the Governor His Excellency Ric Todd, on certain critical issues.

Ewing, who was fielding questions from the media at a news conference in Providenciales on Wednesday, February 13, explained that his style of approach to tackling issues is not one of rowdiness, but of diplomacy. He said that his lack of public boisterousness against the governor should not be construed as him being cowardly in his approach with the head of state of matters of concern to the Turks & Caicos Islands.

“I am not timid when it comes to the governor. And sometimes you don’t have to get overtly loud and confrontational for public spectacle.

You need to be diplomatic, and you need to do what you need to do in a diplomatic way and in a strategic way,” Ewing noted.

The Premier intimated that the election petition clouds which hung over the stability of governance in the Turks & Caicos Islands could have been a factor as to the reason his administration was not more bullish on a variety of issues.

And with the anticipation that if and when his government is returned to office after the March 22, by-election for Cheshire Hall in Providenciales, the country should see

and hear a lot more from his administration on certain issues, especially when faced with apparent stonewalling from the Governor’s Office.

“We know that when we took on the rein of government a by-election was coming, and so when a by-election is coming you also need to consider the possible outcomes of election petitions and the likes. And so, there is a saying that, ‘when you have your hand in the lion’s mouth you withdraw it slowly’,” Ewing explained.

He added: “But, I will say this that the election petitions are now over.

We know that the date for election has been set, and we, as an elected government, now is moving full speed ahead on our course that we

charted. The governor has a lot to do and we have a lot to do. And you will see how timid I am in a short while.”

One of the most tumultuous issues between the Rufus Ewing Administration and the Governor’s Office currently is the impending implementation of the controversial Value Added Tax (VAT), which the United Government said would provide a more steady revenue stream for the Turks and Caicos Islands, to more effectively allow the government to pay its bills and carry out new projects.

But the local administration differs on the matter, saying that it would spiral the cost of living out of the reach of the poor and could also cause businesses to go under.

FCO And Governor Invests In North And Middle Caicos Schools $

5,000 will be donated to three North and Middle Caicos Schools later this week as His Excellency Governor Todd continues to deliver upon his promise to visit each of the inhabited family islands of the Turks and Caicos every three months, on Thu, 14 Feb 2013.

The cash will be split equally between Doris Robinson Primary School on Middle Caicos, who intend to use their share for new library resources, and North Caicos’ Adelaide Oemler Primary School, Bottle Creek, and Charles Hubert

James Primary School, Kew. Both North schools plan to spend the money on new playground equipment. All of the cash comes from the Governor’s new community fund, which is paid for entirely by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Governor Todd will be accompanied by new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Cherylann Jones and Minister of Education the Hon Akierra Missick. They will be welcomed at the Sandy Point ferry terminal by District Commissioner Donna Gardiner & Senior

Administrative Officer Tueton Williams before heading off to visit the staff and students The Governor will see for himself the repair works on the Caicos Causeway before also attending the Raymond Gardiner High School Sports day before returning to Provo.

“I am always glad to be able to deliver on my promise to go out and visit the family islands,” said Governor Todd. “There is a lot of merit in doing so and I am pleased that the Premier and his Ministers are tak-

ing this on too. As the writer John Le Carre once said, a desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.”

He recently also visited Ambergris Cay for the first time at the end of last month, and will announce his plans to visit Salt Cay and South Caicos soon. Last week he went to meet the team at the Ministry of Border Control and Labour new ‘one stop shop’ designed to improve customer service in Grand Turk and is, of course, a regular visitor to Providenciales too.

TCIG Urges Consumers To Take Note Of Product Recall T

he Ministry of Health and Human Services is urging the public to take note of a recall of several products by Novartis Pharma Logistics, Inc. The list of products affected by this recall include Triaminic Syrups, Theraflu Warming Relief Syrups, Jack & Jill brand pediatric syrups and Buckley’s® Complete Liquids. A list of products and the lot numbers is available from the government’s website www.gov.tc.

The Ministry is advising consumers who purchased products from the lots included in this recall to stop using the product immediately and

discard the remainder. Consumers, parents and caregivers who are not sure about alternative treatment options should talk to their doctor or pharmacist.

Novartis has issued the recall because of a possible malfunction of the child-resistant feature of the bottle cap. This failure will allow the cap to be removed with the tamper-evident seal still in place.

The products being recalled were produced at a Novartis Consumer Health manufacturing facility in the US prior to the voluntary suspension of

operations in December 2011. In addition to production in the US, Buckley’s Complete was also produced until January 2013 at a third-party manufacturing site in Canada. According to reports, a consumer complaint in the US in late November 2012 triggered an internal investigation by Novartis that determined a voluntary recall was in the best interest of consumers.

A Novartis Pharma Logistics release has advised consumers who believe that they may have any of the products included in this recall, to discontinue use and discard.

CONCH FARM OWNERS SAY GOVERNOR RIC TODD AND ATTORNEY GENERAL HUW SHEPARD ARE UNNECESSARILY EXPOSING THE PEOPLE OF THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS TO A 100 MILLION DOLLAR LAWSUIT.

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rade Winds Industries Limited (TWI), the owners of the Conch Farm in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, is seeking 100 million dollars in financial compensation from the Crown for destroying the shareholder’s assets in Trade Wind Industries Limited.

In a press statement, TWI said there is “no pos-

sible way that TWI can recover our reputation without a major legal victory or financial settlement and public apology from Governor Ric Todd and the Crown”.

TWI provided several documents which it says proves that the Turks and Caicos Islands Government breached contracts to the Conch Farm.

“An examination of the documents, and these are only a few of the hundreds, if not thousands of pages which support our position, will reveal that these breach of contract decisions were made autonomously by Governor Ric Todd and AttorCONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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LOCAL NEWS

Hon. Don-Hue Gardiner said his PDM opponent Ashwood Forbes didn’t have a case

BY VIVIAN TYSON

Member of Parliament for North and Middle Caicos and Minister for Border Control and Labour Hon. Don-Hue Gardiner is charging that his Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) District Four opponent Ashwood Forbes realized that his election petition case was flimsy hence his decision to pose the court to abandon its pursuit.

Basically, when we got into court this morning (Monday, February 11) the petitioner – Mr. Forbes’ lawyer made an application to have the matter discontinued, and obviously, we would have no objections to that. And Madame Justice (Joan) Joyner then went ahead and dismiss the petition with cost,” Gardiner explained.

Gardiner noted that while the Forbes team would say otherwise, he knew from the early stages that there was no merit in Forbes shadowing the matter.

“The official reason (for Forbes to discontinue the case) was that they were not able to afford to fund petition any further. My view however, was that the petition was ill-conceived and stood no chance of success in any event.

“Certainly, during the whole period, I never one day felt as though there was anything that could bring my election to the seat into question.

And so, my view is that, feeling sure that they couldn’t win, and not wanting to throw good money after bad, they decided to withdraw – that is my view. Obviously, they would put their spin on it,” Gardiner explained.

Gardiner elucidated that throughout the process, he never felt that the petition could be successful, and so, he never lost focus as Member of Parliament for the areas and Minister for Border Control and Labour.

“And so, I went about doing my business as though I had won the seat, and legitimately so and just go ahead with the confidence of the

Hon. Don-Hue Gardiner

Ashwood Forbes

goodwill of the people of Middle and North Caicos behind me. I never really felt as though this petition would have hampered me in doing any of my work.

“The question is, where do we go from here? A and where we go from here is to continue represent the people of North Caicos and Middle Caicos that took the time and the effort and the energy, in the sun all day on November 9, and to vote for me and the Progressive National Party. And our job is to go and continue to represent them to the best of our abilities in parliament and in government,” Gardiner stated.

In dismissing the case, Her Honour, Justice Joyner did so with cost.

“What it means is that they (the PDM) would be required to pay the legal fees on our side for that particular case. This means that we would have to sit with the other side and agree.

Responding to the decision by Forbes to withdraw his application, Opposition Leader Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, in a statement, pointed out that such action should not be seen as her party having a weak case, but was a gesture to assist in moving the country forward. She said that the withdrawal of the case does not take away its winnable merits in a court of law.

“We believe that this decision will assist in moving this country along faster. We believe strongly in the merits of the case. We know that wrong was done and that there were grave mistakes on the part of the Election machinery. We must push for electoral reform so that we can feel more confident in the outcomes of Elections.”

Gardiner was represented by Ariel Misick QC and Jamal Misick. Alvin Garland led the PDM legal team.

LIME To Launch New Blackberry Z10 Smartphone Powered By Blackberry 10 In The Caribbean L

IME announced it will be launching the new BlackBerry® Z10 smartphone powered by BlackBerry® 10 across the region later this year.

The new BlackBerry Z10 is the first BlackBerry smartphone to launch with the re-designed, re-engineered and re-invented BlackBerry 10 platform, offering customers a powerful and unique new mobile computing experience. The BlackBerry Z10 is the fastest and most advanced BlackBerry smartphone yet, and offers a smarter experience that continuously adapts to a customer’s needs.

“As one of the first companies to offer BlackBerry service in the Caribbean we are very excited to introduce another revolution from RIM to LIME customers. The BlackBerry 10 platform is a highly anticipated mobile experience which demonstrates RIM’s attention and response to consumer demand. This is one of the most exciting offers smartphone users worldwide will get this year, and social media everywhere, including across the region, is already buzzing with expectations,” explained Grace Silvera, LIME’s Region-

al Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Communications.

“The BlackBerry Z10 smartphone delivers a powerful new platform for BlackBerry customers.

Combined with the network and service plans from LIME, BlackBerry Z10 customers will be delighted with a re-invented communication experience, seamless multitasking, easy access to multiple social networks, and the peace of mind that BlackBerry security gives them,” said Carlo Chiarello, EVP, Global Smartphone Business at RIM. BlackBerry 10 is a re-designed, re-engineered and re-invented BlackBerry platform that creates a powerful and unique new mobile computing experience. BlackBerry 10 gives customers a faster and smarter experience that continuously adapts to their needs. Every feature, every gesture, and every detail is designed to keep customers moving and includes advancements such as: Peek and Flow into the BlackBerry Hub – A new mobile computing paradigm where what matters to customers is always only one swipe

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 9

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

Premier Dr. Rufus Ewing to address CARICOM meeting

BY VIVIAN TYSON

A

fter a three-year absence, the Turks &Caicos Islands is to be officially reinstated as Associate Member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), at its Heads of Government meeting in neighboring Haiti between February 18 and 19.

Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing made the announcement while addressing a news conference in Providenciales on Wednesday, February 13. The premier will head the local delegation, which will also include Minister for Border Control and Labour Hon. Don-Hue Gardiner.

The premier told the news conference that a request was made to secretariat to have the story of Turks & Caicos story over the past four years told at the meeting. He said that he would be seeking CARICOM Members to support his government’s fight for the restoration of democracy here.

The premier pointed out that the implementation of the controversial Value Added Tax issue, which his government has labeled as a democratic violation, would also be put on the table during the meeting.

“Before the suspension of our Constitution, the Turks & Caicos enjoyed being an associate member of CARICOM. After the suspension, we did not enjoy that privilege, and so, it is our intention to be reinstat-

Premier Dr. Rufus Ewing ed as an associate member of CARICOM. “The Turks & Caicos’ reinstatement at the meeting will be just a mere formality because, for the mere fact of being invited to attend the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting means that we have been reinstated. This (meeting) will be a formal reintroduction to CARICOM and CARICOM Heads of Government,” Ewing explained.

He noted that the TCI would present its case at the meeting so that the attendees would have a clearer understanding of the true nature of

governance in the territory.

“I specifically asked the secretary general (Irwin LaRocque) and the Chairman of CARICOM (Michel Joseph Martelly), to place on the agenda of that CARICOM Meeting, to address the CARICOM Heads of Government pertaining to the state of affairs in Turks &Caicos and also what took place over the last three or four years, and where Turks &Caicos would be going in the future.

“We will be looking forward to their support and we will also take the opportunity to network with our regional colleagues, as we push Turks & Caicos forward into the future in this Caribbean Region.

The Premier said that it was quite fitting that the Heads of Government Meeting was to be held in Haiti, with whom the TCI has had a longstanding relationship.

“We have had good relationship with the Haitian People and the Haitian Government. Our Delegation will include myself and also the Minister for Immigration Hon. DonHue Gardiner, and we will take the opportunity at that time to speak with our counterparts in Haiti, so that we can foster better working relationships between the government of Haiti and the Turks and Ca-

icos,” Premier Ewing said.

He said immigration, labour and trade issues would be at the top of the agenda during satellite meetings with the Haitian leaders.

The premier said also that his government would be using the summit to forge greater ties with the wider Caribbean and explore the various opportunities there for the taking, such as trade, including more affordable energy, and investment.

“I think, as Turks & Caicos, we ought to foster much greater ties with out Caribbean neighbours and looking for trade and investment opportunities wherever they may exist. One of the main topics on the agenda of CARICOM that I know that most of the countries are looking is the issue of FATCA – the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. “This Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act came into effect, and most Caribbean countries have not yet complied. And so, there is a question as to who, will and when they will go about complying with this FATCA, which could affect the offshore financial industry. I think Cayman Islands is the only one thus far that almost fully complied,” Ewing noted.

Page 10

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

PDM has a long wait for government, says Premier Ewing

BY VIVIAN TYSON

A

confident Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing is signaling to the opposition People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) that if they claim to be government in waiting they will have a long wait because the Progressive National Party (PNP), which he leads, would be returned to government after the March 22 by-election in Cheshire Hall.

Ewing, who said the party was in no doubt that it would be returned as the government after the March 22 by-election, made the statement after being asked to respond to an assertion by Opposition Leader and Head of the PDM Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson. Cartwright-Robinson, during a news conference last week in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to annul the Cheshire Hall November 9, 2012 election results, said that the PDM was government in waiting and that the PNP was only warming the bench of power on their behalf.

“They are government in waiting; I am sure they are a few years out and they can continue to wait, and it would be some hot benches by the time we leave it (government) because we will be here for a few years,” Ewing declared.

In what could be interpreted as a thinly-veiled swipe at Cartwright-Robinson, the Premier advised that there was a marked different between babbling and actual governing a country, while hastening to say that anyone has the ability to prattle but not govern effectively.

“It is a big difference between grandstanding in the House behind a desk and making chatter as opposed to actually having the responsibility to make decisions and govern on a day-to-day basis. You have to put yourself in a decision-making position when the decisions rest on your shoulders and your shoulders alone, before you can say how good you are at governing. Governing is not just standing up and talking; anybody can stand up and talk, and talk off the top of their head,” Ewing asserted.

Commenting on the three seats

that the PDM petitioned for an overturn of last year’s election, Ewing said: “It is now public knowledge that the recent judgment in the election petition for the three seats being contested by the Peoples Democratic Movement – the Cheshire Hall seat, which was judged to be vacant

by Judge Ramsay-Hale and will go to a by-election; the Grand Turk North seat of which the petition was overturned and the North Caicos/Middle Caicos seat, which was thrown out.

“We, in the Progressive National Party, and also the government are indeed pleased with out the outcome of the last two. We are however, disappointed with the outcome of the Cheshire Hall petition. But nonetheless, we, as a government and as a party, are preparing ourselves and readying ourselves to go into by-election, which was being announced for the 22nd of March. We are quite confident that we will return that seat to Hon. Amanda Missick, who is running for the Progressive National Party in that constituency.”

However, Ewing pointed out that while the PNP stood an enormous chance of retaining the seat, it would not leave anything to chance, and as such would be putting its shoulders to the wheel to ensure that victory is assured.

“Our chances are great, but we are not taking anything for granted. We are not leaving any stone unturned, and we are going to go out in full force in campaigning while we continue to govern. Against all obstacles that we face as a government so far, we continue to govern and do our best,” the Premier stated.

He said the party is already on the ground in the Cheshire Hall Constituency, even though its work so far may not be visible to the wider public.

“What people have to recognize with campaigning, hitting the ground does not only mean that people have to see you at big rallies, but like any war, you have to prepare and you have to be strategic in your preparation and your approach. But we will definitely increase our presence even more so, as the next few days and the weeks go by,” the Premier noted.

ADVERTISE WITH THE TCI SUN. CALL 9468542 FOR SPECIAL RATES

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 11

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

CHIEF JUSTICE GIVES HIS REASONS FOR DISMISSING THE GRAND TURK NORTH ELECTION PETITION

BY HAYDEN BOYCE PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I

n dismissing the Grand Turk North election petition on Tuesday February 12th, Chief Justice Edwin Goldsbrough said there was “no other evidence of fraudulent contrivance, no evidence of a deception, and only some evidence that could amount to interference in the voting process when it came to Charles “Beam” Astwood exercising his franchise” on election day, November 9th 2012.

He also said there was “certainly no evidence of any effect on him or the exercise of his franchise”.

In his 12-page judgment, the Chief Justice stated: “Allegations that amount to criminal offences must be proved not on the balance of probabilities but beyond reasonable doubt. That is a high standard and difficult to attain without clear and unequivocal evidence. As to the bribery during cross examination the link between the money and the corrupt intent was weakened such that it could not be relied upon to support what in effect amounts to a conviction and as to the undue influence whilst there was an abundance of people who think that

they understood exactly what was taking place on this morning there is no clear evidence of what actually took place such that any positive findings can be made which would support a finding beyond reasonable doubt.”

The three grounds pursued by the Derek Rolle were that Lightbourne committed bribery by making a payment to Davonne Morris and her friends on or about 7 September 2012 to induce them to vote for him; that Lightbourne is guilty, by his agent Ms. Thelma Valenstine and Edd Blackman, of committing undue influence by virtue of admittedly paying for the birth certificates necessary to procure the voters registration card of Mr. Charles Astwood and retaining it in her possession that he was unable to make the free exercise of the franchise of Mr. Charles Astwood and that Lightbourne is guilty by his agent Edd Blackman of committing undue influence, in that Mr. Charles Astwood was unable to make the free exercise of the franchise, as Mr. Edd Blackman monitored his movements during the day of Elections 9th November 2012 to the point of tak-

ing him to the polling station area, leading him into the cow pen where the Progressive Nation Party agents congregated and sitting beside him for a while, while all along held on to Mr. Charles voters card and through the agent determined when Mr. Charles Astwood would vote being accompanied by another Progressive National Party agent into the polling station.

The Chief Justice said that Beam exercised his vote, albeit through another, accepted, apparently by the Presiding Officer, but he was not stopped from voting.

The judgment added: “Was he (Beam) stopped from exercising his franchise as he wished? If that were the case, was it by virtue of a fraud?

The evidence may support a finding that one or other of these two people did at some point have his card, although that itself is in some doubt given the state of the evidence, but where is the fraud? Was Beam unhappy with what was happening or did he appreciate what was being done on his behalf’? There is no evidence either way on this. There is evidence that Beam said to Paul Harvey that Blackman had his card, but there is no evidence as to wheth-

er that statement was a true statement when it was made if it was made. There is evidence that Thelma Valenstiene and not Edd Blackman had the card which might suggest that if Beam did say Blackman had his card he was mistaken or not intending to tell the truth to the person who wanted to take him to the Polling Station.” “ The questions call for speculation to be answered and it would be wrong of the Court to attempt to make findings through speculation.

When determining a case on the balance of probabilities, which option being more likely than the other, such speculation may be acceptable.

To be sure, as is required here, allows no such luxury. There is no evidence presented that indicates to any extent knowledge on the part of the Respondent of any actions, if proved, of people said to be his agents. In Been v Astwood & Others the Chief Justice made clear his view that it mattered not whether a candidate knew of what an agent was doing. He gave reasons for applying such a strict test. It may well be that in determining whether a candidate has adopted CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Page 12

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

New draft immigration law could benefit many expatriates

BY VIVIAN TYSON

T

here is good news for expatriates who have lived in the Turks & Caicos Islands for decades but faced with the tumultuous task of attaining legal permanent status.

Minister of Border Control and Labour Hon. Don-Hue Gardiner has announced that plans are in the works to fashion legislation aimed at allowing those persons to achieve some form of legal status in the country.

“In the ministry, we are in the process of assessing the numbers that could potentially fall within that group, and then making a decision as to how best we could bring them into a group of persons that would have permanent status here.

Now, whether that permanent status would be by way of Permanent Residency Certificate (PRC) or by way of Turks & Caicos Islander status is something that is left to be determined by the parliament,” Gardiner said.

Gardiner, who was taking questions from the media during a government news conference in Providenciales on Wednesday, February 13, said that the law currently being worked on has hurdled the less touchy parts, while the more debatable portions would be referred before a joint-select committee of parliament for its members to hammer out a decision.

“Currently, we are working on a draft immigration law. Most of the non-contentious parts of it have been settled in terms of what we are prepared to propose to parliament as changes to incorporate within that legislation. The more contentious parts that would deal with issues such as Turks and Caicos Islander Status and how it is achieved,

and matters that deal with permanent residency status and how it is achieved.

“Those matters, we, as a government, have decided would be referred to a select committee of the House of Assembly for consultation, so that when the bill comes to parliament it would be something on the issue on the grant of Turks & Caicos Islander status and the grant of permanent residency status that can be supported by persons on both sides of the isle,” Gardiner explained.

He continued: “We have taken the approach that it should not be a PNP issue or a PDM issue, but an issue that all of us in the TCI could actually live with going forward.

And so, that is the approach that we have decided to take.”

Gardiner noted that while laws are being worked on to create a clearer pathway to citizenship in the Turks & Caicos Islands, ways must be found to address the situation of those who have been living in the country for years without the opportunity of being granted some form of citizenship.

“In the meantime, because there are a number of persons that would have been born here or would have been brought up here or would have lived here; I know of persons who have lived here for 40 years (and without status).

“Those are persons we have to find a way to accommodate into our system. And if you have lived here and if you have played by the rules, there must be some mechanism in place that we can accommodate you and move you on to some form of permanent status, that’s what we are working towards,” the Minister of Border Control and Labour insisted.

CHIEF JUSTICE GIVES HIS REASONS FOR DISMISSING THE GRAND TURK NORTH ELECTION PETITION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

the actions of his or her agents the question of knowledge may be relevant but I do not believe that in this case it is necessary to finally determine that question. In any event there appears to be authority for the proposition that the candidate may be liable for the actions of a duly appointed agent even if the agent does something strictly forbidden.”

“On the evidence it is not possible to say that the allegation of undue influence has been made out beyond a reasonable doubt. Taking the evidence as a whole it is not possible to find that either Edd Blackman took or retained Beam’s

card nor is it possible to find, on the basis that she said the words, that Thelma Valenstien took or retained Beam card. Although there is some notion that the Immigration identity card was in this instance to be used as a voters card, there is no evidence of its actual whereabouts from the time Beam collected it on that very morning.

No one who was at the Polling Station gave any evidence of where the card was when Beam presented with Smith. Absent such a finding it is not necessary to determine whether the actions complained of were the actions of Lightbourne’s agents or not.”

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 13

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

Attorney General Huw Shepheard still on medical leave since last late year A

ttorney General Huw Shepheard has been on medical leave since late last year and will be returning to office around mid-March.

This was confirmed by Governor’s spokesman Neil Smith in response to a question from The SUN. In an email exchange which was also circulated to members of the local media, Smith stated: “The AG has been in the UK awaiting a procedure for a medical matter. He will be back mid March.

His absence has been mitigated against by Rhondalee Braithwaite sworn in as Acting AG and also Huw continuing to work by email and telephone from the UK.” The SUN asked Smith why the Attorney General is still leading the commentary on certain matters when he is on leave and Rhondalee Brathwaite is Acting AG. The newspaper also asked if she isn’t fit to respond to certain issues.

Smith replied: “Huw has preferred to put his name to some of the more contentious issues; he has been working to the point of his procedure; he has tried to share the additional tasks that being acting AG has brought to a co-worker - Chambers is incredibly busy. No more, no less.”

The SUN, through its publisher Hayden Boyce,

Attorney General Huw Shepheard wrote to Smith and said: “If she’s (Rhondalee Brathwaite) Acting AG let her do her job unfettered and be free to put her name to issues, even if they are contentious. To suggest that only Huw Shepheard can handle “contentious” issues is, with all respect, pure bull droppings. Seems like they either don’t trust or respect Rhondalee. What a shame and a pity! Is that why they also had to bring in another “senior” lawyer from England

ru Rec

itin

Y MA

g

and pay him a huge sum of money and housing allowance to do certain cases even though the AG’s Chambers has competent lawyers who can do them? Seems more and more like a syndicate or the old boys’ network fleecing the TCI treasury.

Not putting any undue pressure on you Neil, but these things need to be exposed because in the final analysis the public is paying.”

Smith responded: “He (Huw) Shepheard was trying to shield her from the inevitable attacks on the anonymous online blogs so prevalent here he was trying to be gallant.”

The SUN publisher replied: “Come on Neil, you’re sinking deeper and deeper into your own quagmire. Please save yourself from drowning in it. There is nothing gallant about the AG and/ or his efforts. Why should he have to shield her from “inevitable attacks on the anonymous online blocks”? What about his/your responsibility to the mainstream media and the public? She can either do the job or she can’t. It’s like giving a man a gun and no bullets. So she is only acting AG on paper. This is most shameful. The AG has been on sick leave for almost a quarter of a year and this information had to be extracted. This is so transparent. Then the Acting AG is being muzzled.”

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Page 14

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Local Haitians urged to invest in Haiti

BY VIVIAN TYSON

H

aitians living in the Turks & Caicos Islands are urged to invest in their homeland as a way of stemming the practice of their fellow nationals risking their lives on the high seas in rickety boats to get here.

The call was made by the inaugural Haitian consul agent to the Turks & Caicos Islands Karlo Pellissier and supported

‘We here in the Turks & Caicos, would like to see better working relationship and investment relationships and trade relationships between Turks & Caicos and Haiti. As I told the minister (Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre-Richard Casimir) earlier this morning, we would like to see more investment in Turks & Caicos as well as we would like to see more investment in Haiti. I heard the (investment) gate for Haiti is wide open right now.

Haitian Ambassador to the Turks & Caicos Islands Karlo Pellissier

by Premier for the Turks & Caicos Islands Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing. Both were speaking at the opening of the Haitian Consulate at the Southern Shores Plaza in Providenciales on Friday, February 8.

Pellissier, said that the Michel Martelly Government, since reaching office, has been actively seeking domestic and international investments for the poverty-stricken country, since it believes such success could help to stabilize the economically arid country.

“The government of Haiti’s goal is to actively seek investment into the country from different sources. Special emphasis will be given to potential investment that will come from the Haitian community abroad. As such, Haitian Consulate will apply every possible effort to encourage Haitians living in the Turks & Caicos Islands to invest in their homeland.

“The government of Haiti believes that these investments will help create in the country the jobs that most people need, so that Haitians will not have to risk their lives to leave Haiti and come to Turks & Caicos. As we open this consulate, I am pleased to report that much effort has been deployed, and satisfactory progress has been made towards creating the opportunities necessary to achieving this goal in the future,” Pellissier said.

He told the gathering that the Haitian Government would update its Diaspora on progress made, by publishing achieved milestones.

For his part, Premier Ewing said that Haitians with capital, who are living in the TCI had a grand opportunity to invest in Haiti, since the climate there was ripe.

He said that those investments could also be life-saving measures in more ways than one.

“And we would encourage Haitians in Turks &Caicos Islands, who have the capital to invest in Haiti, to do so, simply because it would help the Haitians, as they say, stopping them from risking their lives for a better way of life here in the Turks & Caicos, when they can have it right there in their home in Haiti. And so, I am looking forward for that kind of relationship developing,” Ewing noted.

In the meantime, local businessman turned politician, Harold Charles, has welcomed the opening of the consulate, referring to its establishment as a great day for the Turks & Caicos Islands and Haiti. Charles, who is of Haitian descent and leader of the country’s newest political organization – People Progressive Party ( PPP) - said that it was high time that Haitians living here get proper representation from their government back home.

He said that the consulate would seek to bridge the chasm between Haitians here and that country’s administration.

“The Haitians living here have no way of reaching out to the Government of Haiti about their concerns in the Turks and Caicos Islands. So, I congratulate the Martelly government to take this bold step to finally take the decision to open the embassy here, which is long overdue, as far as I am concerned,” Charles said.

Quizzed as to what his expectation would be now that Haitians here have their own consulate, Charles noted: “My expectations is that, for the Haitian Government to sit with the Turks & Caicos Government, to come up with solutions to resolve the problem of boats leaving Haiti with people that take risks to come to Turks & Caicos. It is bad for Turks & Caicos, and it is also bad for the Haitians that risk their lives to come here.”

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

Page 15

LOCAL NEWS

Lightbourne credits Jesus for election court result

BY VIVIAN TYSON

M

ember of Parliament for Grand Turk North and Minister for Government Support Services Hon. George Lightbourne is labeling his election petition victory in that constituency as a vindication by God against the false indictment of men.

Lightbourne, who, at a news conference on Wednesday, February 13, was asked to comment on his triumphant attempt to hold on to the seat he defeated Progressive National Party candidate Derek Rolle to win on November 9, 2012, said that his conscience was clear against the attempted incrimination of his character, and as a result he had no uncertainty of how the court’s judgment would go.

“There was never any doubt in my mind as to what the outcome would have been. I am a believer, I grew up in the church, and God has never failed me yet. Anyone, who finds it necessary to bring false allegation against me, it’s a matter for them and Jesus,” Lightbourne asserted.

Lightbourne, who had spoken to The SUN on Tuesday, February 12, said that the election bribery case brought against him was frivolous and it came as no surprise when Chief Justice Chief Justice Edwin Goldsbrough ruled in his favour.

Three grounds were pursued by Rolle to unseat Lightbourne. One was that minister committed bribery by making payment to Davonne Morris and her friends on or about 7 September, 2012, as a means of voting inducements. The other was

that, his agents, Thelma Valenstine and Edd Blackman committed undue influence by admittedly paying for the birth certificates of voter Charles Astwood, so that he would be able to acquire his voter’s registration card. But Valenstine withheld the card, so that Astwood was unable to freely exercise his franchise.

The third ground was that Blackman committed undue influence, by making it difficult for Astwood to vote, by monitoring his every move, to the point of ushering him to the polling station area, where he was led into the cow pen congregated by Progressive Nation Party agents.

Rolle also claimed that Blackman seized Astwood’s voter’s card and made sure that he never left his company, and when he was finally allowed vote, was accompanied by another PNP agent into the polling station.

However, Lightbourne maintained all along that he had done nothing wrong, and as a result when the matter came up in the court, the chief justice had no other alternative than to give it the treatment it deserved.

“I am not surprised at the outcome, but I am grateful to God that it turned out the way it did.

As for as I was concerned, there was not much scope for any trial, but they went through with it in any event. They were not happy with the outcome of the elections and they wanted to contest it again. But I believe that if you are going to go to court, they should do so with facts, rather than to go there and waste the court’s time.

“All of what they accused me of was false be-

cause there was never any agreement between any voter and myself; I never made any payment to her (Morris); there was never a conversation about voting or anything. It was something that was fabricated in its entirety, and apparently they convinced her go along with it.

“The allegation was centred around September 6; September 6, I was not a candidate and she (Morris) wasn’t even a voter on the voter’s list at that time. So, the whole thing, if you looked through it, you would see that it was nothing else but mischief,” Lightbourne charged.

Having lost two of the three contested seats – North/Middle Caicos and Grand Turk North – the PDM will now pin its hopes on the March 22 bi-election in Cheshire Hall, which the court annulled last week after ruling that third party candidate – the People Progressive party (PPP) Dr. Edward Smith – violated the Elections Ordinance, by getting nominated without relinquishing his United States citizenship.

In a statement from the PDM, accredited to its leader Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, the party said that despite the two unfavourble outcomes, it was undaunted in its efforts to become the next elected government of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“Last week, the Trial for the Grand Turk North seat was held and today, February 12, 2013, the judgment for the Grand Turk North seat resulted in the November 9th election results being upheld.

We will now focus our energies on ensuring that we become the Government of the day. We believe that destiny has a part to play in this process and that we, as a country, have a second chance to take this country in the ‘right direction’,” the party said.

‘Right Direction’ was used as the party’s watchword during the election campaign last year.

Page 16

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Excitement looms in anticipation th of 5 Star Awards

BY VIVIAN TYSON

The ďŹ fth renewal of the Turks & Caicos Islands Star Award, which honours excellence in the hospitality industry, is scheduled for the Croquet Lawn at the Regent Palms in Grace Bay on February 28.

Executive of the Turks & Caicos Islands Hotel and Tourists Association, Stacy Cox said that the event is expected to attract the usual excitement that it has grown into over the last half-a decade. “The Star Awards is where we recognize extraordinary talent and individuals in the hospitality industry, who have given so much to this industry in building what we consider our number one industry,� she said.

Fifteen categories are up for grabs at this year’s event. They include employee of the year, manager of the year and hotelier of the year. There also areas considered as outside categories, such a taxi driver of the year and entertainer of the year.

President of the Hotel and Tourism Association Karen Whitt, who echoed the sentiments expressed by Cox, said that the event is being held to highlight the hard-working men and women in the sector, who often go above and beyond what they are expected to do. “The awards are the Hotels Association’s way of recognizing and thanking those persons in the hospitality industry, who just continually excel above and beyond what’s normally expected of them. As you know, in Turks & Caicos we are really proud that we do have so many outstanding ‘shining stars’, we call them, in the Hotel Association, and we are pleased and honoured to be able

Execute of the Hotel and Tourists Association Stacy Cox explains this year’s Star Awards event. Looking on third left is Karen Whitt, President of the Association. They are anked by other members (left) Yadviga Dzieduszynska, Executive Human Resource at the Regent Palms and Mona Beeson General Manager at the Sands Resorts. to recognition, really, to those top performers and over achievers. Of course, we could not do something like this without the support of the community,� she said.

She said the hotels, restaurants and other bodies connected to the Association have the opportunity to nominate who they believe are shining examples of their entities. She said also that the judging and results are held in secret until the night of the event. “Once those nominations are sent out, anyone can nominate anybody in the industry. They are

NAVA JEWELERS LTD, dba JEWELRY, world renowned jewelers and retail sellers of signature brand jewelry and jewelry related products, with a chain of affiliated jewelry stores and outlets throughout North America, the Caribbean and Worldwide, is now accepting applications/resumes from suitably qualifies persons as:

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REQUIREMENTS: p " TPVOE FEVDBUJPOBM CBDLHSPVOE BOE B NJOJNVN PG GJWF ZFBST KFXFMSZ TBMFT BOE HFOFSBM NFSDIBOEJTJOH FYQFSJFODF JO UIF DBTF PG 4VQFSWJTPST BOE UXP ZFBST JO UIF DBTF PG "TTPDJBUFT UPHFUIFS XJUI B QSPWFO BOE VOCMFNJTIFE USBDL SFDPSE PG FNQMPZNFOU JO B IJHIMZ USVTUFE SFMBUFE GJFME PG FNQMPZNFOU BOE PS CVTJOFTT p " QPTJUJWF BOE EJTDJQMJOFE BUUJUVEF BOE BQUJUVEF UPXBSE XPSL JO B DVTUPNFS TFSWJDF PSJFOUFE CVTJOFTT p &YDFMMFOU DPNNVOJDBUJPO JOUFS QFSTPOBM BOE DVTUPNFS TFSWJDF TLJMMT p " USVTUXPSUIZ EFQFOEBCMF BOE IPOFTU EJTQPTJUJPO p .VTU CF XJMMJOH UP XPSL GMFYJCMF IPVST JODMVEJOH XFFLFOET BOE IPMJEBZT BOE JSSFHVMBS DSVJTF TIJQ TDIFEVMF p $MFBO DSJNJOBM SFDPSE p 6OCMFNJTIFE FNQMPZNFOU IJTUPSZ p "MM DBOEJEBUFT NVTU CF QSPGJDJFOU JO UIF &OHMJTI XSJUUFO BOE TQPLFO XPSE Suitable candidates that do not meet the above requirements who, in the sole discretion of the Company’s management team, demonstrate a clear willingness to embrace the Company’s in-house training initiatives and established standard operating policies and procedures, may be eligible for recruitment in exceptional circumstances. Preference will be given to documented Turks and Caicos Islanders.

Interested persons may submit their applications and resumes, via e-mail to: resume@effyjewelers.com, via fax to: 6499461340, or hand deliver the same to any senior member of the company’s staff at its store, commonly known as Jewelry located at Suite No. 2, Building 1, Grand Turk Cruise Center, South Beach, Grand Turk.

sent back by KPMG - is a very independent situation – and half of the nominations are actually voted on by an independent panel of judges; people who are selected because of their standing in the business community and their understanding of our industry. The other half of the nomination is voted on by our members. It is a completely top-secret thing until the night of the event,�

Whitt said.

The price for tickets to the event is $75m, and the general public is invited to attend. Tickets are available at the ofďŹ ce of the Hotel Association.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 17

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

LIMES give Provo Airport passengers free internet

BY VIVIAN TYSON

P

assengers passing through the Providenciales International Airport will now get the opportunity to enjoy free WI-FI internet courtesy of telecoms giant LIME, which officially launched the initiative on Tuesday, February 12.

The service offering will now enable passengers, while waiting to board their flight, enjoy free unlimited internet service.

Country Manager for LIME Turks & Caicos, Drexwell Seymour, said that the initiative will service both the domestic as well as the interna-

Sally Collier was the first to tryout the free WIFI at the Providenciales Airport tional sections, with the following of simple instructions. He said also that it accessible across networks.

“We will have services both in the domestic lounge as well as the international lounge. At the domestic lounge you select ‘LIME Local’ and at the International, you select ‘LIME international’. The service is free, it is not restricted. It doesn’t matter which network provider you are with, it is there for everyone. So we are excited to partner with the

Airports Authority in providing the services to our residents and to our tourists. I have traveled over the world and I am not able to get complementary service like this,” Seymour said.

He said that the idea was hatched as a result of customer demand.

“We have seen the demand of customers coming here to have internet services. At one point we thought about charging, but we said, ‘you know what’, as our partnership and our commitment to the Turks and Caicos Islands, we have decided to offer free internet service to the Turks and Caicos Islands,” he said.

Quizzed as to the network’s capability of juggling the expected heavy internet traffic, Seymour responded: “That would not be an issue. There would be no congestion; customers will have access to the internet.”

In the Meantime, Chief Executive Officer for the Airports Authority, John Smith said that the launch of the free WI-FI at the airport was another testament of the strong relationship that his entity has with LIME. “We are appreciative of the collaborative efforts that we have with LIME. Like the Airports Authority, we believe in leading, not following, so we partnered with a leader, not a follower. And we look forward to taking this to another level. Passenger comfort/passenger service is of paramount importance to the Airports Authority and also to LIME. So, we have an abundance of things in common, and it is nice to be a partner with an entity that places customer service first and foremost,” Smith said.

For her part, Lavern Reynolds, Manager at the Providenciales International Airport noted: “We, at the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority, we look for every effort to

Country Manager of LIME, Drexwell Seymour (centre) speaks during the launch of his company’s launch of the free WIFI at the Providenciales International Airport.

Looking on from left are: John Smith, CEO of the Airports Authority; Delleriece Hall, Head of Marketing at LIME; Lavern Reynolds, Manager for the Providenciales International Airport; and Jermaine Glinton, LIME,s Accounting Manager offer more comfort to our travelling passengers. We understand that we do have limitations, but any opportunity that we have to be able to offer them something that is outside of the ordinary, to enhance their travelling experience, we definitely will jump at that opportunity. This is our way of working together with LIME in a collaborative effort to be able to offer more services to the passengers inside of the domestic

departure area as well as our international departure area.”

Meanwhile, tour operator Sally Collier of Villa Holidays was excited with the initiative. “This is a brilliant initiative by LIME and the Airports Authority. We have many, many tourists coming in and out of here every year. And this is going to be absolutely wonderful. It is going to be great when I travel as well,” Collier said.

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FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Population growth needed to grow the TCI economy

BY VIVIAN TYSON

I

f the economy is to be grow to desirable standards, there has to be population growth. This is the view of Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing, who was taking questions from the media during a government news conference in Providenciales on Wednesday, February 13.

Dr. Ewing asserted that the current population number of 30,000 was insufficient to effective grow the economy, and as such, the number needed to be propped up so that government could get more money into its coffers and the private sector could be able to flourish.

“The target number in terms of the population is not yet determined but it is our policy to growing this population because that is the only way we are going to drive the economy. Ways in which we are going to do that is, one, through job creation. Once you have especially construction sector come on board, you will have more people in the sector, who can help to contribute to the economy.

Two – long term residents. We need to be looking at that as a niche market in itself. We have a lot of the family islands that are under populated. Persons (expatriates) could benefit from retirement-type residency status in Turks & Caicos, who does not necessarily have the right to vote, and who may not necessarily be on the part to

citizenship. They could enjoy our beautiful by nature Turks & Caicos Islands as their retirement homes and spending money in our economy,” the premier said.

He said, too, that another way of shoring up the economy was devise ways to attract those locals who have migrated to other countries.

“We are also looking at attracting back home by growing the economy, our Turks & Caicos Islanders, who might have left these shores to go to The Bahamas and the US. It is important that we attract those persons, putting specific programmes in place to have a home-coming and bring those persons back. Those are some of the strategies we will be using to grow the population, in addition to regularizing long term residents who do not have any status,” the premier noted.

Premier pointed out however, that infrastructural crutching would be necessary to meet a growing population.

“The other thing that we have to be mindful of is the various infrastructures, both physical and social, to support that population base. Because what we have found in the past is that the population grew so rapidly that the various infrastructural systems were not built up enough - be it environmental infrastructure; be it health infrastructure; be it school infrastructure. We have to put all of these things in place to sustain that population that you are going to achieve,” the pre-

mier said.

In the meantime, Minister for Border Control and Labour Hon. Don-Hue Gardiner emphasized that among the important recipe to lure the right people is to create an the right economy.

“You have to always remember that a key component in this whole process is being able to create the economy that will cause persons to want to come, and once they are here that they can find meaningful employment and grow themselves, as we grow the economy and as we grow our country.

What we are doing in the Ministry of Labour is, we are about to embark on a skills audit. Based on that skills audit, and based on a review of manpower needs generally, we would be able to then formulate a population policy that could better sustain an economy. My personal view is that a population of 30,000 is not sufficient to sustain an economy,” Gardiner said.

He added: “And we have actually witnessed the decline in our economy with the recession; the number of persons that have left, and what that meant to persons who had apartments to rent and other businesses that have now been left vacant and they have not been able to reap an income from their investment. We need to ensure that there is sufficient population that we can be able to sustain an economy. What that number is, I do not know; I wouldn’t even pretend to know.”

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 19

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

Clement Howell High School split taking shape

BY VIVIAN TYSON

T

he Turks and Caicos Islands Government is hopeful that the separation of the Clement Howell High School would be done in time for the start of the summer term, so as to ease the overcrowding problem at the institution.

The government plans to cut the first and second forms from the school’s current address in Blue Hills and relocate it at another site on Providenciales. The tentative location identified is the grounds of the former Whole Gospel Christian Academy along the Leeward Highway.

Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing explained to the media during a news conference on Wednesday, February, 13, on Providenciales, that the process of relocation has started but requisite government red tapes would have to be hurdled before the seal of approval is emblazoned on the deal.

“As you know, we all have to go through what we called the procurement process, for anything of a contractual nature with government. The procurement board had just been appointed, and after the procurement board has been appointed, then all the applications and the expressions of interest (have to be sorted out).

“Even though we have identified space for location, we have to go through the tender process of persons who express interest and then evaluate them and then award the contract. I would hope that that takes place no later than April,” the Premier said.

Minister of Education Youth and Sport, Hon.

Minister of Education Akierra Misick Akierra Misick, agreed with the premier that the groundwork for the school split was beginning to fall into place.

“All the preparations are in place for the separation of the junior school and the high school at Clement Howell. And right now I believe that the document should be sent out for the course of next week or the week after, that would offer for persons to send in their interest, or if they have facilities that they feel can house the first and second form of the school, which will be

the first step in the procurement process,” Misick said.

The Clement Howell High School is the only such government institution on Providenciales, and as a result, each year the number of students to be registered for that entity has been oversubscribed. This has resulted in a number of children having to stay home because their parents are unable to afford private high schools for them.

The government said that the split was also to ease tension at the institution among the students, who often turn the learning institution into a battle zone, often causing hospitalization of fellow students. The last major fight took place in December, 2012, and resulted in men invading the compound with cutting implements and what appeared to be firearms. There were also allegations of gunshots being fired on the school compound, but the police later rebuffed those charges.

In the meantime, the minister of education had just returned from a two-nation trip of Trinidad & Tobago and Switzerland. The Trinidad& Tobago trip was to study that country’s education system’s marriage with the labour force, and whether or not such policy could apply to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The Switzerland journey was to forge ties with that country’s top-of-the line hotel schools, so as to give Turks and Caicos Islanders the opportunity to take up educational openings there in order to have them seamlessly fit into the local hospitality sector on their return.

Internal Auditor Duties and Responsibilities x

To work with the management and the board to ensure a system is in place which ensures that all risks are identified, analyzed, and controlled on a periodic basis

x

To plan and organize an annual audit plan, and carry out regular operation’s audit in accordance with the plan.

x

To liaise with the external auditors and ensure that each party is not only aware of the other's work but also well briefed on areas of concern

x

To make recommendations on the systems and procedures being reviewed, report on the findings and recommendations and monitor management's response and implementation

x

To review internal processes and controls for the purpose of ensuring financial information is properly processed, reported, and safeguarded.

x

To review and report on the accuracy, timeliness and relevance of the financial and other information that is provided for management

x

To research discrepancies of financial information and/or documentation for the purpose of ensuring accuracy of data.

x

To provide assistance to staffs in using accounting system, implementing updates to policies and procedures and other related activities.

x

To respond to inquiries from a variety of sources (e.g. staff, government auditors, government agencies, etc.) for the purpose of providing information related to accounting issues and clarification as needed.

x

To conduct any reviews or tasks requested by the board, the audit committee, CEO or CFO, provided such reviews and tasks do not compromise the independence or objectivity of the internal audit function

x

To provide both management and the audit committee with an opinion on the internal controls.

x

Perform other related duties as assigned for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of NHIB.

Person specification x x x x x x x x x

Must be a Certified Public Accountant, or Certified Internal Auditor or equivalent professional designation A degree or related certifications or trainings in Information Technology A working experience in Microsoft Dynamics GP and Plexis Claims Management is preferred Knowledge of audit procedures, including planning, techniques, test and sampling methods involved in conducting audits Knowledge of computerized accounting and auditing record keeping systems Ability to gather, analyze and evaluate facts and to prepare and present concise oral and written reports Ability to maintain current knowledge of developments related to business matters of interest to internal audit, particularly legislation changes and developments as they affect NHIB, and new auditing techniques and practices Ability to establish and retain effective working relationships with co-employees and to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing Ability to be able to work efficiently with little or no supervision

Salary Salary will commensurate with qualifications and experience within the range $42,000 to $48,000 per annum.

Deadline for Submission is February 22, 2013.

All Applications should be addressed to: Zaneta Burton Chief Executive Officer National Health Insurance Board Salt Mills Plaza Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands British West Indies Email: Zburton@tcinhip.tc

Page 20

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

A View From the Mud Hole: Is Democracy Dead or Alive in the TCI reference VAT?

- BY WILLIAM (BILL) MCCOLLUM

A

s we take on onslaughts from all sides by London mandated “consultants” some questions/statements need to be made and put to oneself by any self respecting person,namely: Should you really stay in TCI? : A) To be crushed by unrealistic national monthly payments to London for the National Debt of US$260 million ($170 million owed at pres-

ent) to be paid off by June 2016 at the stated US$4.15 million per month; B) To prop up a monthly medical tax payment of US$3.5 million approximately to Toronto for NHIP (sucking up some 44% of GNP per CFO M-Groves aka Corned Beef “CB”); C) To be indentured to payment of fees on an ongoing basis of the Garlic Bread Team aka “SIPT”; & D) Are you a sheep to be sheered; E) Now with the Spectre of UNILATERALLY IMPOSED VAT? V.A.T. is stated “to be revenue neutrals” do not see this as being so (if at all) for very long as when the TCIG “monthly income drops” it will be dramatically bumped up. In any event, it definitely is not Administratively nor Bookkeeping Neutral.

VAT is a Complicated and thus very expensive tax to collect. For example, the case law on “EXEMPTIONS ALONE” will fill a bookcase 12 feet by 10 feet.

The bookkeeping period is every 30 days (U.K. is 90 days) with 21 days

filing limit after month-end (Section 46 V. A. T. Ord 2012).

The VAT Commissioner has the power to register branches or divisions of a business as separate persons (Section 77 VAT Ord) & subject to a Magistrate`s warrant VAT personnel can enter your premises “without notice” to look for records (Section 81 (1) VAT Ord).

VAT personnel can close your business down for 3 -30 days (section 97 VAT Ord).

Your name can be published for non-payment (Section 98 VAT Ord).

If you owe VAT, Immigration can stop you leaving the TCI (U.K. does not have this outrageous provision).

You will be TAGGED & NUMBERED (Section 99 VAT Ord).

Any “REFUNDS” will be done by way of “CREDIT” (average payment period to get a cheque for an invoice out of TCIG is 120 days). In this context, have you ever tried to obtain a refund for a permit out of TCIG? Let’s not forget the Old Age Pension was docked 7% in January 2012

to help pay for all of this.

In summary, all in all “is it worthwhile to continue in TCI when the 4 priorities are”:1. London monthly mortgage; 2. Toronto monthly mortgage; 3. SIPT monthly fees; & 4. Cost of being an UNPAID TAX COLLECTOR OF V.A.T. for TCIG which tax in itself potentially criminalises a large segment of the population (all bars and restaurants turning over US$ 50,000.00 a year must register). You only have to look at the U.K. & Spain to see this demonstrated. CB has stated gleefully ”VAT penalties will be harsh & there will be prosecutions” – If you can’t afford an Accountant watch out.

But is it TCIG or “LBG” LONDON BASED GOVERNMENT? This VAT is a concept so little understood by CB (above) that he cannot explain it to his Political Masters.

Meanwhile the TCI continues to DEPOPULATE and as a result the risk to the British Taxpayers of default on the loan rises.

Statement from the Minister of Environment and Home Affairs Hon Porsha StubbsSmith on the Feral Dog Situation in the Turks and Caicos Islands T

he Ministry and the Department of Agriculture are aware of the problems presented by the feral dogs throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands. As Minister, I too am aware of the many residents and tourists who have been attacked and bitten by these vicious creatures and the havoc they cause with the scattering of garbage in the streets.

The management and staff of the Animal Health Services Division have been working assiduously, despite the shortage of resources and manpower, to decrease the numbers of feral dogs and eradicate the problems, however in recent weeks, the work of this unit has been jeopardised and frustrated by those who tamper with the traps set by the staff.

In some cases the trap doors have been closed preventing the feral dogs from entering, or the dogs already caught in the traps have been released. The situation has further escalated to the point where the traps are now being stolen. What is even more appalling and unacceptable is that in the last few days, department staff has received a number of death threats.

This is a serious criminal offence which makes it difficult and dangerous for them to perform their duties as they now fear for their lives. This behaviour is unbecoming for those who live in our community.

The Turks and Caicos Islands is a country with laws and regulations like any other country in the world. Such laws must be adhered to by all as they protect residents and tourists alike. Groups and individuals within the community who have personal interests

Portia Stubbs-Smith

and agendas need be reminded that these responsibilities reside in the Agriculture Department and it is these officers who are carded with the responsibility and authority to control the feral dog situation.

As such, Civil Servants carrying out their responsibilities should not be threatened by anyone particularly those who seem to have

no respect of, and intention of complying with the law. The matter has been reported to the police and those participating in these activities will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

These actions by callous individuals and the resultant factors affect the very fragile industry that we thrive on – the Tourist Industry. Feral dogs on the streets, vicious attacks on residents and tourists, driving risks and overturned garbage cans are not the images depicting a country that we call ‘Beautiful by Nature’.

Even as we try to manage the many complaints about the feral dog situation, the very efforts that are being employed to eradicate the problem are being sabotaged for personal interests, whether it is for fun or for the fulfillment of another sinister agenda.

I implore and appeal to every resident and tourist alike to cooperate with the Department as it seeks to make our country safe and preserve its ‘beautiful by nature’ reputation.

Our actions, whether good or bad, have consequences. Let us ensure that the activities in which we participate are those that will build the country and set an example to others.

I pledge my full support to my staff. I find that they are committed, industrious and go far beyond the call of duty and with minimum resources to obtain results and I want to publicly thank them for their efforts. Going forward, we seek to join forces with individuals from the Private sector who are committed to working with us to eradicate this problem, as to do so would benefit us all.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 21

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

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Page 22

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

AVIS Rent-a-car to relocate to Airport Road

our new operation will be headquartered. The cost of the project, including property should be in the area of $600,000 to $700,000,” he said.

Aquaino noted that the new location would be more spacious and should be able to accommodate more automobiles.

“We can hold a couple of hundred cards in this location. The property goes all the way down to the back road to Kew Town. The back half of this building will be an area for car-cleaning and general maintenance and storage. The front will be operated as your basic car rental operation, as in any other location,” he said.

He said with the opening of the new location, Avis plans to operate transportation for guests between the airports for pick-ups and dropoffs.

“We will be running golf carts between here and the airport; we will be transporting customers from when they get out of the plane and they want to get their cars. So, we will be transporting them back and forth with golf carts to this location.

So they could pick up their cars and they can drive them from here and they can drop them off here, and we will deliver them (customers) back to the airport. We are trying to create more of a customer-friendly experience for our rent-a-car customers and our tourists,” Aquaino explained.

He expects that with the new location that the business would grow even bigger.

“Avis has been operating in the Turks and Caicos Islands for some twelve years now. It is the first US

franchise that was locally-owned and operated. One of the benefits of having a franchise such as Avis is the world-wide recognition. And they have the largest reservation operation of all the rent-a-car companies.

They operate central reservations, including advertising. We get the benefit of their advertising. They would make the experience for the customer wanting a car comfortable.

Customers in North America and Europe made the reservations through the website and when they come here we want them to have the same experience they get when they rent anywhere else in the world,” the Avis CEO said.

Aquaino said that its new building was designed to Avis world-wide specification, and that it should add spruce to the Airport Road.

“It will be similar to a building you might see in another country because the general design was done by Avis corporate headquarters and then we brought the design down here and gave it to our local architects and they adapted it for the Turks and Caicos building and what not. We will be putting some access roads to better facilitate Airport Road.

“And government’s conversation with me was that they want to upgrade this area here. They feel it is really important that the strip is done nicely because that is what tourists see when they first come in. So, our discussion with them is to provide something that is upscale, and I think that is what we have achieved by this building,” Aquaino said.

fice in correcting this “incompetent injustice, the greater the award that will be paid by the British taxpayer for the actions of a few”.

Among the documents produced

by TWI is the 1985 Lease agreement between the Crown & TWI (Conch Farm).

“This is the covenant the Crown violated by allowing the WALKIN MARINA & LEEWARD MARINA, both locations include fuel depots. In addition, this is also the covenant that was broken by the Crown authorizing the dredging of Leeward for a marina in 2008 which destroyed the entire inventory of approximately 4,000,000 Caribbean Queen Conch that were growing at the Caicos Conch Farm,” TWI alleged.

They also produced the 2010 Development Agreement signed by Governor Gordon Wetherell (this document replaced the 1985 lease).

“You can read through it and see that TWI has had the OFFICIAL rights to farm fin fish since 2010. That fact is in direct contradiction to the false statements by Governor Todd which prompted the withdrawal of 15 million dollars of funding from a lender who

became concerned after reading the false, libelous and slanderous comments publicly made by Governor Todd which clearly called into question the integrity of the TWI Board of Directors. Those false statements are burned into the Internet for perpetuity and the company cannot escape the scarlet letter nor can we raise capital from investors or lenders. Any person with an I.Q. equal to room temperature would realize that the words uttered by Governor Todd suggest that TWI and its Board of Directors have been misleading prospective investors by saying that TWI has the rights to grow fin fish,” TWI continued.

The company also produced a letter from the PNP Government of 1995 confirming TWI’s right to grow fin fish, a letter from the PDM Government of 1995 confirming TWI’s right to grow fin fish and a March 31, 2011 letter from former Governor Gordon Wetherell where he clearly expresses the support of the Crown & TCIG for the TWI “FISH HATCHERY AND NURSERY”.

The company’s directors added: “That March 31, 2011 letter of support from Governor Wetherell, as

well as additional letters of support from form Governor Wetherell and additional concessions that Governor Wetherell generously granted to TWI, persuaded and induced TWI shareholders to provide MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FUNDING towards the development of fin fish production.”

TWI also released a June 1, 2012 e-mail from Brian Titley, Chief Economic Adviser to the Turks & Caicos Islands acknowledging support from the CFO for a $200,000.00 mericulture grant to TWI. The press release added: “That letter clearly demonstrates the level of support from the former administration. No company in the history of the Turks & Caicos Islands has ever received a $200,000.00 (two million dollars) grant before.

That e-mail from Brian Titley and the corresponding approval from the CFO, also helped to persuade and induce the TWI shareholders that the Crown supported the TWI Development. Governor Ric Todd’s false comments continue to damage the credibility and reputation of TWI, the Caicos Conch Farm and the TWI Board of Directors.”

BY VIVIAN TYSON

The Providenciales of operation of Avis Car Rental will, within a few weeks, be relocated from behind the airport on that island to its high-end office along Airport Road, after the successful penning of a land-swap deal.

Government, in its expansion of the Providenciales International Airport, Government acquired most, if not all the land in that section from private owners through various deals.

Chief Executive Officer for the rent-a-car company, Gil Aquaino said they should move in the new location within seven weeks, as the building was being raised and the grounds prepared with rapid pace.

He said that it was also important for the hired car company to relocate since many of the roads in that section of the airport had already been cut off.

“We expect to get in here the next eight or nine weeks. It is going to be a fast job. We expect to get things done, because we need to move out of our other location. Since all the roads have been cut off it is really hard to operate back in there.

“Avis has been behind the airport for some years now, and with the government wanting to expand the airport, they have purchased a bunch of land behind that area of which ours was a part of, and we took a land-swap with our old building, with this government property for a new offer. And this is where

CONCH FARM OWNERS SAY GOVERNOR RIC TODD AND ATTORNEY GENERAL HUW SHEPARD ARE UNNECESSARILY EXPOSING THE PEOPLE OF THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS TO A 100 MILLION DOLLAR LAWSUIT. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

ney General Huw Shepheard and the Crown will be held financially responsible for the damage that resulted, and continues to result to the shareholders in TWI. We have unlimited supporting documentation on the false statements by Governor Ric Todd and the breach of contract modifications to the Development Order that were engineered by the Attorney General. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Everything is in writing,” TWI said. “Why would Governor Ric Todd destroy a project that could bring millions of dollars to the TCI economy and potentially employ hundreds of Turks & Caicos Islanders when jobs are the most important goal in the TCI?” The Conch Farm owners said that the greater the delay by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Of-

The new AVIS building under construction

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Entertainment

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Tamar Braxton

“Love And War”

[Verse 1:] Somebody said every day was gon’ be sunny skies, Only Marvin Gaye and lingerie, I guess somebody lied We started discussin’ it to fightin’ then “Don’t touch me, please.”

Then it’s “Let’s stop the madness, just come lay with me.”

And truth be told I’m wavin’ my flag before it goes bad yeah yeah ‘Cause we made it this far on for better or worse I wanna feel it even if it hurts If I gotta cry to get to the other side, let’s go ‘cause we’re gon’ survive oh [Chorus:] We stay on the front lines Yeah but we’re still here after the bomb drops We go so hard we lose control The fire starts then we explode When the smoke clears we dry our tears Only in love and war [Verse 2:] Sometimes you’re my general, you quarterback all these plays Sometimes you’re my enemy and I’m throwin’ grenades We’ll just be chillin’ and laughin’, I’m layin’ on your chest Don’t know what happened ‘cause things just went left But here we go back down that road That’s just the way that it goes

‘Cause we made it this far on for better or worse I wanna feel it even if it hurts If I gotta cry to get to the other side, as long as you’re there I’ll survive oh [Chorus:] We stay on the front lines Yeah but we’re still here after the bomb drops We go so hard we lose control The fire starts then we explode When the smoke clears we dry our tears Only in love and war [Vamp:] As long as we make up after every fight when it’s over You know I’m comin’ home right there where I belong I’m takin’ off this armor oh-oh-oh-whoa-ooh-oh-oh And we stay on the front lines Yeah but we’re still here after the bomb drops We go so hard we lose control The fire starts then we explode baby When the smoke clears we dry our tears Only in love and war Only in love and war Only in love and war

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ENTERTAINMENT

Grammys attracts second biggest audience in 20 years T

he Grammy Awards scored their second-biggest audience in 20 years on Sunday.

A total of 28.1 million Americans watched this year’s broadcast, although the figure was down 30% on last year.

The 2012 ceremony, in which stars paid tribute to Whitney Houston, who had died a day earlier, won a US television audience of 39.9 million.

Sunday’s show saw awards for

C

Adele, The Black Keys, Fun and Gotye, with the coveted album of the year prize going to British band Mumford and Sons.

The Grammys TV audience has risen steadily since organisers decided to focus on performances over speeches.

It now outpaces the Emmys and Golden Globes, but comes second to the Oscars, which traditionally scores an audience of more than 30 million.

All of the awards shows are

dwarfed by the Super Bowl, however. Beyonce’s recent half-time performance was seen by 108 million people in America alone, with the peak audience of 164.1 million for the match itself.

Sunday’s Grammy broadcast garnered mostly positive reviews, with Chris Richards from The Washington Post writing: “For the first time in too long, the Grammys telecast was a good time in and of itself - a refreshingly coherent celebration

of our increasingly incoherent popscape.”

Justin Timberlake made his musical return on the show, after a break of six years. Rihanna, Sting and Taylor Swift also performed, while Bruno Mars joined Ziggy and Damian Marley in a tribute to the late reggae star Bob Marley.

There was also a tribute to the late US rocker Levon Helm, led by Elton John, Mumford and Sons, Mavis Staples, the Zac Brown Band and Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes.

Richards added: “There were A-game performances, trophy-hoarders who deserved to win them and very few reasons to wince, grouse or wish you were watching Downton Abbey.”

Rihanna grabs sixth Grammy for We Found Love

ALIFORNIA, United States – Barbados’ pop princess Rihanna kicked off the 2013 Grammy Awards in style on Sunday, even though she did not arrive at Los Angeles’ Staples Centre in time to receive the accolade in person.

The Diamonds girl won the night’s very first award, as “We Found Love” bagged the Grammy for Best Short Form Video, ahead of such notable competition as M.I.A. “Bad Girls” and the Throne’s “No Church in the Wild.”

A Grammy representative accepted the award, which brought Rihanna’s Academy wins to six, on behalf of the Unapologetic singer, who later brought the house down with two live performances.

The Rated R girl made the stage her own alongside Mikky Ekko performing “Stay” from her latest album, going on to collaborate with Bruno Mars, Sting, Ziggy and Damien “Junior Gong” Marley for a special tribute to reggae legend Bob Marley.

Rihanna was also nominated for two more awards in the Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Rap/ Sung Collaboration categories for “Where Have You Been” and “Talk That Talk,” but trailed Adele’s “Set Fire To The Rain” and “No Church in the Wild” by Jay-Z & Kanye West, featuring Frank Ocean & TheDream, respectively, in those categories.

Unlike last year, the honours were spread around evenly at the 2013 Grammy Awards.

Rihanna Record of the Year went to Gotye and Kimbra for “Somebody That I Used to Know,” Album of the Year went to Mumford & Sons for “Babel,” and Song of the Year went to Fun. for “We Are Young”.

Fun. also got the nod as the Best New Artist.

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Haiti opens consulate in TCI

BY VIVIAN TYSON

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ocal politicians and well as Haitian national living in the Turks & Caicos Islands have welcomed the opening the first Haitian consulate in the country.

The consulate was opened at the Southern Shores Plaza in Providenciales on Friday, February 8, and was attended by Governor for the Turks & Caicos Islands His. Excellency Ric Todd; Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing; Leader of the Opposition Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson and Foreign Affairs Minister for Haiti, Pierre-Richard Casimir.

Karlo Pellissier, who will serve as the Haitian consul agent to the Turks & Caicos Islands, said that the entity would provide a number of services for Haitians living here, as well indulge in frequent interaction with government to resolve pressing issue in working towards achieving goodwill between the two countries.

“My job is going to be to serve the Haitian Community and establish good relationship between Turks & Caicos and Haiti. We are going to able to identify the Haitians; we are talking about their birth certificates, death certificates, certificates of marriage, passports and documents of giving power of attorney to people in Haiti, to do things on their behalf.

“We will also try to establish a commercial relationship between these two countries – that is going to be the most important thing. Because, if we have that relationship; if we have people that go to Haiti and create a lot of jobs, we are not going

Karlo Pellissier serve the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands well, but it would also allow bilateral relationships between the two countries. According to him, Haiti and the Turks & Caicos have enjoyed close relationship over the years, but the opening of the consulate would make that correlation more formalized.

“I think it was something that was long overdue. I know that there are many Haitian brothers and sisters, who have longed for this over the years. And I know that they, themselves are very proud right now to see this moment come to fruition. Haiti has been a source of great

Premier Rufus Ewing and Governor Ric Todd to have that many Haitian people that are going to risk their lives to go to another country, where they think they can have a better life. We want to stop that. And that is why the government right now is creating a lot of jobs in Haiti,” Pellissier said.

Premier for the Turks & Caicos Islands, Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing, said that not only would the consulate

trade between Turks & Caicos over the years; I, myself has been a beneficiary of that as a young child, and I would like to see that relationship continue, where we have more trade opportunities.

“And we are hoping that the opening of this consulate office will help to expedite that kind of relationship,” Ewing said.

In the meantime, Cartwright-Robinson has pledged to use her office to forge close ties with the consulate, so as to bridge relationship between the TCI and Haiti.

“I am committed to working with your consulate here, and I am committed to working with the Haitian people here. I know that we welcome the opening of the consulate, and I believe that it would serve their means. It is important that as they go away from home that they have services that they can tap into here, in the Turks and Caicos.

“They (Haitians) were experiencing difficulties over the years, and

can live together and do so peaceably and friendly,” Cartwright-Robinson said.

Meanwhile, Governor Todd disclosed that history has shown that Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands have long shared close bond, and the opening of the consulate would formally cement such longstanding relationship.

“So, I think this consulate is another opportunity to celebrate and to highlight the enormous contribution that the Haitian people – people of Haitian origin – have made and are making here on TCI. We have amongst us people from Haiti, made

Opposition Leader Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson now would have those means met, and I am sure that they welcome it.

I also welcome it, as a Turks and Caicos Islander, because I think that there is so much that we need to dialogue about – both countries. And I trust that this will indeed strengthen our relationship. And that, we, living on the same soil, will understand that we can coexist, and we

their homes where; they now hold very important positions in the country, in the society, in the public sector.

“So, what I want this consulate to do is to raise the profile of Haiti here, to celebrate what Haiti does, can do and offers and what people of Haitian origin on these islands, working with us and building the Country,” Governor Todd said.

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CARIBBEAN

Caribbean countries should seek reparation for slavery - UWI principal

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EORGETOWN, Guyana - Principal of the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Barbados, Sir Hilary Beckles, wants Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries to begin efforts aimed at seeking some form of reparation from Western countries for slavery.

Speaking at the first of a series of lectures to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the 1763 Berbice Slave Revolt, Sir Hilary said an ongoing discussion was needed to address the issue and called for an “informed and sensible conversation” on what has been described as the, “Worst Crime against humanity”.

The lecture titled, “Britain’s Black Debt: reparations owed the Caribbean for Slavery and Indigenous Genocide”, examined the damage done and wealth created through the slave trade particularly by Britain.

Sir Hilary said out that reparation is not about people getting handouts, but about repairing historical damage and how to find a way forward.

He said that while all races experienced some form of slavery, African

Professor Hilary Beckles slavery was unique in its scope and brutality. Comparative studies note that it was the only system of slavery in which people were viewed legally as property and seen as nonhumans.

African slavery was also unique in that it reproduced itself, meaning the children of slaves were born as slaves, they had no rights, and females in particular were seen as the prefect property since their offspring would add their value.

Sir Hilary said landmark cases such as the 1781 Zong Massacre in which 350 slaves were thrown to sharks after the ship’s captain went off course, helped to shape the dis-

cussion on the legality of slavery.

He said the issue of slavery has in recent years been viewed as a crime against humanity and these types of crimes have attracted calls for reparation for victims, in various forms.

He cited the case of Haiti noting Western countries had no qualms about requesting and obtaining compensation. Haiti had to pay, from 1825 to 1922, 150 million gold francs to France after its slave population fought and successfully gained its freedom.

Sir Hilary argued that Haiti has never been able to recover from that payment, which was needed for it to gain international recognition.

Sir Hilary urged Caribbean countries to emulate the position adopted by the Jews who were prosecuted during the Second World War and have since organised the Jewish Reparation Fund.

He said that through meticulous research, the organisation has been able to garner financial support for its claims against several countries for atrocities committed against Jews. These funds have been used

Regional countries urged to review visa regimes to lure more visitors B

RIDGETOWN, Barbados – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are being urged to review their visa regimes so as to lure more visitors to the region.

The recommendation comes from the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Aviation Task Force, a highly focused committee established to facilitate air transportation into and throughout the Caribbean and to enhance airlift, following a meeting in Antigua to review issues affecting intra-regional travel and make recommendations for increasing consumer demand.

The task force is to recommending a system similar to the Europe’s Schengen visa programme where visitors who are cleared at the initial port of entry can continue travelling seamlessly throughout most of the European Union.

It believes that full clearance at the first port of entry is necessary to ensure an improved cross regional experience by visitors and that the nine-member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, (OECS) should be used as a model for the initiative.

The OECS is in the process of establishing a single economic space and is expected to implement full clearance at the first point of entry into the sub-group.

The CTO Aviation Task Force said that this best practice should be reviewed after its implementation for possible replication across CARICOM. In addition to a single visa regime, the Task Force is recommending a standardized immigration or ED card across the Caribbean.

It said this would help reduce airlines’ costs and improve customer service at Caribbean air-

ports and again made reference to efforts by the OECS to introduce the measure.

Other recommendations include an analysis of the impact of taxes and fees on the cost of regional air travel and a more holistic approach towards air travel revenue and a possible ticket tax rebate when a traveller starts and ends the journey in another destination of the same domestic space.

The task force also identified an urgent need to end secondary screening for intra-regional passengers who are in transit since the current practice diminishes the overall travellers’ experience.

The CTO Aviation Task Force meeting also discussed issues relating to the CARICOM Multilateral Air Services Agreement, open skies, and other regulations and restrictions facing airlines serving the Caribbean.

to enhance the State of Israel in various means.

Sir Hilary said that countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan and New Zealand have put measures in place as part of their efforts to give reparation to indigenous peoples or war victims, yet there has been no similar move by CARICOM on behalf of its people.

He said the benefits accrued to many of the now powerful Western nations through slavery have been documented and accepted, citing the cases of the aristocracy in England, the Lloyds and Barclays’ banks which built massive fortunes through their involvement with the slave trade.

Yet many of these same countries have not been willing to offer any apologies for slavery, but instead have grudgingly given “expressions of regret”, an acknowledgment that falls short of an apology,” Sir Hilary said.

He said CARICOM has to come together to find a way to address the issue, one which will lead to peace, justice, reconciliation and future harmony.

CORONER PROBING DEATHS OF TWO SUSPECTS IN BAHAMIAN POLICE CUSTODY NASSAU, The Bahamas – National Security Minister Dr. Bernard J. Nottage is promising a “transparent and impartial” investigation into the deaths of two people while in police custody.

Nottage said that in the first incident, a 21 year-old male suspect died at the Southern Police Station, while a 33 year-old suspect died at the Central Detective Unit while being questioned with reference to a number of matters.

The National Security Minister said that in order to ensure transparency and impartiality, the matters were immediately referred to the Coroner, Mrs. Linda Virgil, “who immediately visited the locations of both events to commence her investigations.

“As the matters are now the subject of judicial inquests, public statements by me as Minister and by the Police Force, must be limited to ensure that the Inquest proceedings are not prejudiced.

But he said as the Minister responsible for National Security, “I give my personal assurance to the Bahamian people that your Government remains committed to ensuring that the constitutional rights of all its citizens and residents are protected”.

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

St Lucia health authorities warn VAT is affecting patients who acquire much needed medication C

ASTRIES, St Lucia – Five months after St Lucia introduced a 15 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT), medical officials are warning the Kenny Anthony administration that patients could die because of their inability to meet the increased costs of medication.

The St Lucia Medical and Dental Association (SLMDA) is expressing its “deep concern” over the decision to put VAT on medicine, warning of the “dire” social and economic consequences of the new measure.

Since the introduction of VAT here on October 1, last year, there have been calls from various quarters for the removal of the tax on medical prescriptions.

The government responded last month by indicating it would absorb the tax on medicines at public health institutions, but the SLMDA said

that the policy has only compounded the problem.

“Patients and doctors are well aware of the myriad deficiencies in the public pharmaceutical service, including unavailability of many types of pharmaceuticals, inconvenience of public pharmacies and the many instances of ‘stockouts’ which result in medication being unavailable.”

The SLMDA said it allowed a three month period to elapse since its last statement and to observe the effect of VAT on prescription medications.

“We have seen that the increased price of medication has affected our patients, especially those with chronic diseases, detrimentally. It is with dismay that we see our patients unable to fill their quota of necessary medication. This will have sig-

Erosion and lack of reef growth could affect millions of Caribbean people Q

UEENSLAND, Australia – Estimates of current rates of reef growth in the Caribbean have been described as “extremely alarming” by the leader of a team of international researchers conducting a study with Australia’s University of Queensland (UQ).

According to an article published in Science Alert, UQ research indicates that many Caribbean coral reefs have either stopped growing or are on the verge of starting to erode with potential impacts to millions of people.

Coral reefs build their structures by producing and accumulating calcium carbonate which is essential for the maintenance and continued vertical growth capacity of reefs.

The latest findings from UQ and the international research team show that the amount of new carbonate being added by Caribbean coral reefs is now significantly below rates measured over recent geological timescales, and is as much as 70 percent lower in some habitats.

This discovery could affect millions of people who benefit from reef structures, according to Professor Peter Mumby from UQ’s School of Biological Science.

“Reef structures provide benefits such as being fishery habitats for seafood, they are used for recreational diving adventures, and often provide a natural barrier to storm surge,” Professor Mumby said.

“Our new findings imply that the benefits people receive from reefs will deteriorate considerably unless we take greater care of them.”

The ability of coral reefs to maintain their structures and continue to grow depends on the addition of new carbonate. This is mostly produced by corals themselves, set against the loss

of carbonate through various erosional processes.

Scientists have long known that the amount of live coral on reefs is dwindling and that reef ecosystems are in decline.

The latest research, published in Nature Communications, is the first evidence that these ecological changes are now also impacting on the growth potential of reefs themselves.

“Our estimates of current rates of reef growth in the Caribbean are extremely alarming. Our study goes beyond only examining how much coral there is, to also look at the delicate balance of biological factors which determine whether coral reefs will continue to grow or will erode,” said Professor Chris Perry of the University of Exeter, who led the international team of researchers on this project.

“Our findings clearly show that recent ecological declines are now suppressing the growth potential of reefs in the region, and that this will have major implications for their ability to respond positively to future sea level rises.

“It is most concerning that many coral reefs across the Caribbean have seemingly lost their capacity to produce enough carbonate to continue growing vertically, whilst others are already at a threshold where they may start to erode.

“At the moment there is limited evidence of large-scale erosion or loss of actual reef structure, but clearly if these trends continue, reef erosion looks far more likely.

“Urgent action to improve management of reef habitats and to limit global temperature increases is likely to be critical to reduce further deterioration of reef habitat,” Professor Perry said.

nificant consequences including increased morbidity and mortality of patients,” the SLMDA said.

It said it anticipates that “without thoughtful intervention now there will be significant social and economic consequences due to increased blindness, strokes, heart attacks, kidney failures, dialysis, devastating disability, death and family bereavement”.

The SLMDA said that the more recent press statement informing the public that the government will absorb the VAT in the public sector while maintaining the VAT on all medication had compounded the problem.

The SLMDA is calling on the government to establish a list of zero rated prescription medication and offered saying it is willing to partner with the authorities “to achieve these objectives in the interests of our patients.”

HUNDREDS OF EYE SURGERIES PERFORMED UNDER JAMAICA/CUBA PROGRAMME

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ome 1,250 persons with specific eye conditions, benefitted from 1,410 procedures conducted under the Jamaica/Cuba Eye Care programme during 2012.

This was disclosed by Co-ordinator of the programme, Gregory Thomas, in an interview with JIS News. He further informed that over 16,000 consultations also took place last year.

The programme, which seeks to help reduce preventable blindness in adults, evolved from the five-year Jamaica/Cuba Eye Care Project, which previously saw persons being screened for eye conditions in Jamaica and sent to Cuba for treatment.

“The first Bilateral Agreement of Co-operation between the Governments of Jamaica and the Republic of Cuba for the establishment of an Ophthalmology Centre of Excellence in Jamaica, where persons would be treated for eye disorders here instead of having to seek treatment abroad, was signed on July 28, 2009. This marked the end of an era spanning five years and the beginning of a new one,” he said.

Launched in January 2010, the programme offers surgical treatment for persons suffering from three specific conditions: Cataracts, Diabetic Retinopathy (damage to the retina caused by complications of diabetes mellitus) and Pterygium (a non-cancerous fleshy growth, usually on the surface of the eye), free of cost.

Mr. Thomas further noted that since the programme’s inception, over 46,000 consultations have been done; over 4, 200 surgeries have been performed; and over 3,790 patients have received surgical treatment.

The Co-ordinator told JIS News that the programme will continue to provide the highest level of care to patients, with a view to keeping the number of complications to a minimum.

“Since the start of the programme, there has been only one case of serious complication of the over 4,200 surgeries performed,” Mr. Thomas said.

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

Caribbean tourism showing signs of recovery T

he tourism industry in the Caribbean is showing signs of recovery with the sector recording a 5.4 per cent increase last year as compared to 2011, a senior Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) official has said.

CTO chairman Beverly Nicholson-Doty said that the state of the industry gives “reason to be optimistic” and that “all the signs suggest Caribbean tourism is rallying.

She said visitor arrivals to the Caribbean especially from the North American market had increased and hotel revenues were moving “in the right direction, albeit with moderate acceleration.

“Of all our major markets, Canadian arrivals showed the greatest buoyancy throughout the challenges of the recessionary period. In fact, arrivals from Canada have continued to move upward over the past five years. Arrivals went up by 5.9 per cent in this market in 2012. There was also no evidence of falling average visitor spending on the part of the Canadians.”

Tourists were also spending more during their stay in the region. Figure show an estimated US$27.5 billion was spent by visitors to the Caribbean last year, a 3.6 per cent increase over the previous year and the third successive year of increase.

Nicholson-Doty said this marks a return of aggregate spending by visitors to the pre-recession level.

“The region as a whole has regained ground lost in the heat of the global economic depression in 2008/2009. Last year, the Caribbean welcomed nearly 25 million tourists, that’s 5.4 per cent more than in 2011 and the largest number of stayover visitors in five years. This rate of growth outpaced the rest of the world which saw arrivals increase by four per cent.”

But Nicholson-Doty, who is also the United States Virgin islands Commissioner, noted that amidst these positive signs “is the stark reality that some of our member countries are still hard pressed to recover, particularly those that rely heavily on the British market”.

She blamed an ailing British economy and the “onerous Air Passenger Duty (APD)” that London

first instituted in 1994 as an environmental tax aimed at offsetting aviation’s carbon footprint.

Regional governments have been lobbying London to remove the tax, which they said negatively affect the growth of the tourism industry since the Caribbean has been placed in a band that makes travel to the region much more expensive than travelling from London to the United States.

They said that as a result of the increase, a family of four flying from the UK to the Caribbean would have to pay close to £400 (US$625.08) in taxes. In 2005 such a family would have paid a total of £80 (US$125.06) in taxes.

Nicholson-Doty said in addition, cruise tourism has been “flat region-wide” for each of the last three years and that intra-regional shifting of cruise schedules resulted in fairly significant increases in the northern Caribbean activity offset by reductions in that of the south.

“The region’s performance in 2012 must be seen in context of the wider global situation. Debilitating effects of the world economic crisis which led to caution and austerity on the part of governments and consumers alike, still linger. These have manifested themselves in lower personal discretionary income and lower aggregate visitor spending. In the major advanced economies weak growth, high unemployment, financial sector fragility and fiscal austerity are still major concerns which dampened economic performance in 2012 and the outlook for 2013.

“The global economy is still pressured in the aftermath of the crisis of 2008-2009. However, international tourism proved resilient in 2012. The World Tourism Organization, the UNWTO, reported that over one billion international tourists travelled the world by the end of the year- 36 million more than in 2011,” she added.

Figures released here show that tourism within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries is bouncing back, but has not kept pace with the wider region.

Overall the CARICOM countries recorded a modest 1.9 per cent rise for the year and Nicholson-Doty said this was influenced by a 0.4 per

cent decline in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) struggling with falling British and intra-regional travel.

On the other hand, the group of Dutch Caribbean countries recovered moderately well in 2012, performing slightly above the wider Caribbean.

The grouping recorded a 5.6 per cent increase over 2011 due to rising activity in all the reporting countries.

Nicholson-Doty described the performance of the Spanish speaking Caribbean as buoyant, noting “this group sustained the positive growth in arrivals experience over the last five years, recording a six per cent increase last year.

“Mexico’s Caribbean region was the chief contributor to this multi-year performance, having climbed by double digits in 2010, thereby regaining much of the ground lost in the wake of swine flu a year earlier,” she added.

Rearding the future outlook for the region’s tourism industry, Nicholson-Doty said it is clear that the US and Canadian markets are carrying the sway and are expected to continue to perform well in terms of arrivals in 2013 as airlines continue to manage airlift and airfares in consonance with variable consumer demand.

“Travellers are still expected to hold a tight purse in light of continued uncertainty in their home economies and globally. UK travel to the region as a whole is expected to improve marginally at best, although as customary some countries, especially in the Eastern Caribbean, will benefit more than others from this market.”

But she warned that in a bid to stay afloat, hotels and other tourism service providers in the Caribbean will need to maintain the most attractive offers to further boost their rising levels of occupancy and general profitability in light of continued consumer austerity.

“Barring any international or regional unforeseen economic or social trauma in 2013, the indicators of Caribbean tourism performance should continue to move in a positive direction. Visitor traffic to the region is expected to increase by another four per cent to five per cent in 2013,” Nicholson-Doty added.

Ex-Stanford executives get 20 years over roles in $7 billion fraud T

he final two defendants convicted for helping the former Texas billionaire financier Allen Stanford swindle investors were each sentenced on Thursday to 20 years in prison over their roles in his $7.2 billion Ponzi scheme.

Gilbert Lopez, the former chief accounting officer of Stanford Financial Group, and former controller Mark Kuhrt were sentenced by U.S. District Judge David Hittner in Houston.

Jurors in November had convicted both defendants on nine counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy after a five-week trial. Each was also found not guilty on one wire fraud count.

Lopez, 70, and Kuhrt, 40, were jailed in downtown Houston following the sentencing.

Stanford, 62, is appealing his March 2012 conviction and 110-year prison sentence over what prosecu-

tors called a massive fraud centered on the sale of bogus certificates of deposit by his Antigua-based Stanford International Bank.

Prosecutors said evidence at Lopez’s and Kuhrt’s trial showed that the men knew Stanford was misusing the bank’s assets, helped him conceal this misuse, and helped him deceive customers into believing he had infused hundreds of millions of dollars into the bank during the 2008 financial crisis.

In September, Stanford’s former chief investment officer Laura Pendergest-Holt was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to an obstruction charge.

Last month, former chief financial officer James Davis was sentenced to five years in prison, after he had pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges and was the top government witness in Stanford’s

trial.

Davis had made about $13 million over 21 years working for Stanford, a former college roommate.

Jack Zimmermann, a lawyer for Lopez, said he had asked for a threeyear prison sentence for his client, who plans an appeal.

“We’re very disappointed,” Zimmermann said in a phone interview. “Gil Lopez was sentenced to four times longer in prison than Davis, yet he earned nothing from the fraud, only his mid-level wages and bonuses for working as an accountant.”

Richard Kuniansky, a lawyer for Kuhrt, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/news/2013/02/14/ ex-stanford-executives-get-20years-over-roles-in-7-billionfraud/#ixzz2KuyeIR77

TRINIDAD STRUCK BY SECOND EARTHQUAKE WITHIN THREE DAYS PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – An earthquake with a magnitude of 3.1 rattled Trinidad during the early hours of Wednesday, the Seismic Research Centre of the University of the West Indies (UWI) said.

The quake, the second within a three-day period, occurred at 2.43 am (local time) and was located north of the Paria Peninsular.

The Seismic Unit said that it had a depth of four kilometres and was felt in the capital Port of Spain and surrounding areas.

There were no reports of injuries or damages from the quake that was located 10.75°N and 61.47°W. Over the weekend, an earthquake with a magnitude was 4.9 rocked the oil rich twin island republic.

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Former San Diego Mayor loses more than $1 Billion as a result of gambling addiction

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s Maureen O’Connor stood in court Thursday somberly admitting over the course of years that she had bet a total of more than $1 billion in casinos due to her compulsive gambling, it was the sad culmination of an addiction that dismantled a vast fortune and left her broke and in failing health.

The former mayor of San Diego — and widow of millionaire Jackin-the-Box restaurant chain founder Robert Peterson, who died in 1994 — lost a total of $13 million to casinos, and confessed to taking $2.1 million from her husband’s charitable foundation only to blow it on video poker. But it didn’t end there. Court records show O’Connor liquidated her savings, sold a number of properties, auctioned her valuables and took out second and third mortgages on her home in La Jolla, Calif. — all of it to only rack up extensive gambling debts.

O’Connor, who served as mayor of California’s second-largest city in the 1980s and ’90s, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a charge of money laundering, striking a deal that allows her to try to pay the money back to the foundation and get treatment for gambling addiction. “I always intended to pay it back,” she said of the money at a news conference following her hearing. “And I still intend to pay it back. In that period of time I lost my husband, three siblings, best friends.”

Maureen O’Connor O’Connor, 66, suffered a stroke and had a brain tumor removed in 2011; she now lives with her twin sister, Mavourneen, and says she suffers memory loss and sometimes has trouble reading. She blames her gambling compulsion on the tumor. “There are two Maureens — Maureen No. 1 and Maureen No. 2,” O’Connor said at her press conference. “Maureen No. 2 is the Maureen who did not know she had a tumor growing in her brain.”

A wunderkind who was elected to San Diego’s city council just three years after graduating college, O’Connor was once one of Califor-

nia’s most popular politicians. One of 13 children and the daughter of a bookie, she grew up in poverty, worked as a Catholic school teacher and won a seat on the city council in 1971, where she served until 1979.

With the support of political friends like one-time mayor and future governor Pete Wilson, O’Connor rode into the mayor’s office and stayed in that seat from 1986 to 1992.

Among her greatest accomplishments was overseeing the construction of the city’s downtown convention center. After leaving office she kept a relatively low profile, penning a few op-eds for the San Diego Union-Tribune. After her husband’s death from leukemia, in 1994, O’Connor remained a trustee of his charity, the R.P. Foundation. Her personal fortune at the time was estimated to be between $40 and $50 million, her attorney said.

But records show that beginning around 2000, she began to splurge in casinos in San Diego, Las Vegas and Atlantic City; before long she was in over her head. According to IRS files, O’Connor had more than $1 billion in winnings from the casinos between 2000 and 2009 — but she also reported losses that were greater than her wins.

In order to keep herself afloat — and continue gambling — O’Connor began to liquidate her assets; when that dried up, leaving her with no

money to pay her debts, she dipped into the charitable fund’s finances.

Starting in 2008, she arranged a series of transfers from the foundation to her personal account totaling $2,088,000.

The transfers left the charity bankrupt and its accounts were closed that same month. O’Connor listed the transactions as “loans” to hide her theft and avoid paying taxes. While O’Connor did attempt to pay the casinos what she owed them, prosecutors say she also knew that draining her husband’s charity was a misappropriation of funds, as they ran against the foundation’s stipulations that money taken from it be used for charitable purposes.

She was caught and charged with wire fraud for trying to transfer $449,000 from the foundation’s account, then using that money to write a check for $100,000 to the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas.

The deal O’Connor cut with U.S. District Judge David Bartick defers prosecution as long as she agrees to pay restitution to the foundation; if she fails to do so she faces jail time and fines. Although O’Connor doesn’t currently have the ability to pay the debt back on her own, she is currently seeking damages over a $7.5 million real estate transaction that went south in 2005. Her attorney says she plans to use any money won in that suit repay the foundation.

Meteor injures more than 980 in Russian city M

OSCOW — A meteor streaked across the sky and broke up Friday morning over the Ural Mountain city of Chelyabinsk, unleashing a tremendous shock wave that smashed windows, collapsed roofs and injured more than 980 people.

The intense flash of light was recorded on video as far away as Nizhny Tagil, nearly 300 miles to the north. The trail of the meteor was also visible in Kazakhstan, more than 80 miles to the south.

Regional Health Minister Marina Mokvicheva in Chelyabinsk said 985 people sought medical help for injuries and 43 were hospitalized.

The Russian Academy of Sciences estimated that the meteor weighed around 10 tons and was traveling at 10 to 12 miles per second (roughly 30,000 to 45,000 mph) when it disintegrated.

Searchers found a circular hole in the ice, 15 to 20 feet across, in a lake west of Chelyabinsk, and

roped it off.

Residents of Chelyabinsk were drawn outdoors at 9:20 a.m. local time, as a double contrail stretched across the sky. Then came the bright flash, followed a few long moments later by the sound and shock of a huge explosion. Videos posted on Web sites recorded a cacophony of shattering glass, hundreds of car alarms and a considerable amount of swearing. Many of the videos were from dashboard cameras that many Russians use to document accidents.

None of the injuries was considered critical, and no deaths were reported. Doctors at one clinic told a local news Web site, 74.ru, that most of the injuries were either cuts from flying glass or concussions.

Sergei Zakharov, regional branch chairman of the Russian Geographic Society, told the Interfax news agency that three explosions occurred as the meteor blew apart.

“Judging by my observations, the fireball was flying from southeast to northwest,” he said. “A bright flare of more than 2,500 degrees [Celsius] happened before the three explosions. The first explosion was the strongest.”

According to his calculations, the blast took place about 36 to 42 miles above the ground and had the approximate force of one to 10 kilotons, Zakharov said.

Other measurements, though, placed the altitude of the explosion at about 18 miles, he said, which would put its force at 0.1 to one kiloton.

The event immediately began to generate conspiracy theories. One anti-Western member of parliament, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, claimed that the meteor was actually a U.S. weapons test.

The meteor preceded by 16 hours the close passage of an asteroid, known as 2012 DA14. The European Space Agency said the two were not connected.

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WORLD NEWS

Pope Benedict gives emotional farewell, while Vatican reveals he hit head during 2012 trip to Mexico P

ope Benedict XVI’s emotional farewell took an intimate turn Thursday as he held off-the-cuff reminiscences with Roman priests. In the background, questions kept mounting about the true state of Benedict’s health and his influence over the next pontiff.

For a second day, Benedict sent very pointed messages to his successor and to the cardinals who will elect that man about the direction the Catholic Church must take once he is no longer pope. While these remarks have been clearly labeled as Benedict’s swansong before retiring, his influence after retirement remains the subject of intense debate.

Benedict’s resignation Feb. 28 creates an awkward situation — the first in 600 years — in which the Catholic Church will have both a reigning pope and a retired one. The Vatican has insisted that Benedict will cease to be pope at exactly 8 p.m. on the historic day, devoting himself entirely to a life of prayer.

But the Vatican confirmed Thursday that Benedict’s trusted private secretary, the 56-year-old Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, would remain as his secretary and live with Benedict in his retirement home in the Vatican gardens — as well as remain prefect of the new pope’s household.

That dual role would seem to bolster concerns expressed privately by some cardinals that Benedict — by living inside the Vatican and having his aide also working for his successor — would continue to exert at least some influence on the Vatican.

Asked about this apparent conflict of interest, the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi said the prefect’s job is very technical, organizing the pope’s audiences.

“In this sense it is not a very profound problem,” he said.

Also Thursday, Lombardi confirmed that Benedict had hit his head during his March 2012 trip to Mexico but denied that it played any “relevant” role in his decision to resign. The Vatican newspaper has said the pope decided to step down after the exhausting trip, which also took the pon-

Pope Benedict tiff to Cuba.

Italy’s La Stampa newspaper reported Thursday that Benedict had hit his head on the sink when he got up in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar bedroom in Leon, Mexico. Blood stained his hair, pillow and carpet, the report said.

No one outside the pope’s inner circle knew, the report said, because the cut was neither deep nor serious and was covered by his skullcap.

Lombardi confirmed the injury but said “it was not relevant for the trip, in that it didn’t affect it, nor in the decision” to resign.

Benedict also fell and broke his right wrist in 2009 during a late-night fall in an unfamiliar bedroom at his Alpine vacation home.

The pope’s only public appearance Thursday was a meeting with several thousand priests living and studying in Rome. In it he offered a 45-minute lucid and often funny monologue about the Second Vatican Council.

Benedict was a young theological expert at Vatican II, the 1962-65 meetings that brought the Catholic Church into the modern world with important documents on the church’s relations with other religions, its place in the world and its liturgy.

Benedict has spent much of his eight-year pontificate seeking to correct what he considers the misinterpretation of Vatican II, insisting that it wasn’t a revolutionary break from the past as liberal Catholics paint it, but a renewal and a reawakening of the best traditions of the ancient

church.

He drove that point home on Thursday, blaming botched media reporting of the council’s deliberations for having reduced the work to “political power struggles between various currents in the church.”

Because the media’s interpretation was more accessible than that of the council participants, that version fueled popular understanding of what the council was all about, Benedict said.

That led in the following years to “so many calamities, so many problems, really so many miseries: Seminaries that closed, convents that closed, the liturgy that was banalized,” he said.

In what will be one of his final public remarks as pope, Benedict said he hoped the “true council” will be understood.

“Our job in this ‘Year of Faith’ is to work so that the true council, with the strength of the Holy Spirit, is truly realized and that the church is truly renovated,” he told the priests.

Just hours earlier, Benedict delivered another pointed message during an emotional Ash Wednesday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, his last public liturgy before he resigns.

In his homily, Benedict lamented the internal church rivalries that he said had “defiled the face of the church” — a not-too-subtle message to his successor and the conclave that will elect him.

Those rivalries came to the fore last year with the leaks of internal papal documents by the pope’s own butler. The documentation revealed bitter infighting within the highest ranks of the Catholic Church, along with allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the Holy See’s affairs.

Benedict took the scandal as a personal betrayal and a wound on the entire church. In a sign of his desire to get to the bottom of the leaks, he appointed a commission of cardinals to investigate alongside Vatican investigators.

His butler, Paolo Gabriele, was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison, although Benedict ultimately pardoned him.

Spain’s King Juan Carlos fights new pressures to abdicate S

pain’s aging King Juan Carlos is intent on extending his reign and reaffirming his legacy of resurrecting the monarchy, but calls for his abdication are growing amid a simmering scandal over embezzlement of public funds incriminating his son-in-law, a duke. The scandal and climate here are proving a serious threat to the crown.

The special high court-led investigation is ongoing and the monarchy has tried to distance itself from Duke Iñaki Urdangarín, who is married to the king’s youngest daughter Princess Cristina.

The court said in January it found “more than enough” incriminating evidence of “criminal activity” to continue investigating Urdangarín for embezzling more than $8 million in public funds.

The king’s son-in-law has been excluded from public events and his profile has been deleted from the official web site of the monarchy.

The heir to the throne Prince Felipe went out of his way to avoid being seen in public with Urdangarín during a recent sporting event they both attended.

In an effort to turn a page, King Juan Carlos ruled out abdicating in January, despite flagging health, other scandals biting at his popularity, including an injury during a Botswana elephant hunting extravaganza paid by a Saudi businessman, something he later apologized for in a rare public TV broadcast.

“I’m in good shape, and above all with the spirit to confront the challenges we face,” he said Jan. 4, his first interview in more than a decade. “I

would like to be remembered as the king who united all Spaniards and with them managed to recover democracy and the monarchy.”

But the embezzlement scandal threatens to preempt that. For a pampered royal who is also a former Olympian and professional handball athlete to be illegally profiting from state funds is angering the ordinary public.

Urdangarín allegedly used his ties to the crown and nobility to secure contracts with regional governments to organize sporting events, along with his partner Diego Torres. They used their non-profit organization as a front to then siphon money, in the process evading taxes. Both could face six charges that could carry more than 20 years of prison time.

King Juan Carlos When the court set bail at nearly $10 million, the pair were unable or unwilling to pay, and the court began this month to repossess properties owned by Urdangarin and Princess Cristina, including their small palace in Barcelona. (They are still living in the palace, but will likely lose it if convicted.) The personal secretary of the King’s two daughters has also been subpoenaed.

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WORLD NEWS

Republicans block vote on Obama’s defense nominee R

epublican lawmakers succeeded on Thursday in delaying a Senate vote on confirming President Barack Obama’s choice of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary, but another vote was planned for later in the month and Obama said he expected his nominee to be approved.

The tally was 58-40, with almost every Republican voting no, falling short of the 60 needed to pass a motion to stop debate and allow a vote by the full Senate on confirming the former Republican senator.

The result delayed, but did not end, Hagel’s hopes of becoming the civilian chief at the Pentagon.

Democrats were furious at the delay, which they characterized as the first time in history that the procedural tactic known as a filibuster had been used to block a defense nominee, something disputed by Republicans.

“I’m going to go call Chuck Hagel when I finish here and say I’m sorry, I’m sorry this has happened,” the Senate majority leader, Democrat Harry Reid said on the Senate floor after the vote.

Charging the opposition party

Chuck Hagel’s nomination delayed with trying to score political points against Obama’s White House, Democrats said Republicans were putting the country at risk by delaying the filling of a major security post.

“My expectation and hope is that Chuck Hagel, who richly deserves to get a vote on the floor of the Senate, will be confirmed as our defense secretary,” Obama said in an Internet question-and-answer session host-

ed by Google+. “It’s just unfortunate that this kind of politics intrudes at a time when I’m still presiding over a war in Afghanistan.”

Republicans insisted they were not using a filibuster and not trying to kill the nomination, which has faced bitter opposition since Obama picked Hagel on January 7.

John Cornyn, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, said that

Republicans just wanted more time and more information from Hagel.

“This is not any attempt to kill this nomination. This is not a filibuster,” he said, during several minutes of heated debate on the Senate floor after the vote.

Reid set another vote on the motion for February 26, after a weeklong recess. Republicans said they expected the motion would pass then, after they have had more time to consider the nomination.

With Democrats controlling 55 votes in the 100-seat Senate, Hagel’s nomination is expected to win the simple majority of 51 votes needed for his confirmation as the civilian leader at the Pentagon, once such a vote is allowed.

If confirmed, Hagel, 66, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, would replace 74-year-old Leon Panetta, who has said he will remain in his post until his successor is in place but is longing to retire to his California walnut farm.

Thursday’s vote meant Panetta faces at least two more weeks before saying goodbye to Washington.

Venezuela devalues currency amid dollar shortage C

ARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuela devalued its currency on Wednesday amid questions about how the government can get a grip on 22-percent inflation and satisfy growing demand for dollars to pay for imported goods.

Some economists predict that the devaluation won’t solve problems such as a dearth of dollars for imports and shortages of some staple foods.

The country’s fifth devaluation in a decade established a new government-set rate of 6.30 bolivars to the dollar, replacing the previous rate of 4.30 bolivars. Venezuela also has a flourishing black market in which bolivars are being traded for more than three times the new official rate.

Economist Jose Guerra said he doubts that the Central Bank and government currency agency will be able to meet heavy demand for

dollars, especially now that officials have eliminated a state-run bond trading system that had provided dollars at a second-tier rate.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro, who has taken on additional authority during the past two months while President Hugo Chavez has been away in Cuba for cancer treatment, has said the government has enough dollars from oil earnings to meet all the needs of the economy.

Maduro said on Wednesday that the government decided to carry out a “restructuring” of its currency exchange agency and will strengthen oversight of companies that receive dollars at the official exchange rate. He also said that government plans to crack down on price speculation by wholesalers in order to combat inflation.

Planning and Finance Minister Jorge Giordani has said that dollars allotted by the govern-

ment will go toward “priority” goods, leading some economists to conclude that the government seems to be stiffening its currency exchange controls.

Venezuela’s government has maintained strict currency controls since 2003. Under the controls, people and businesses must apply to the government currency agency to receive dollars at the government-set official rate to import goods, pay for travel or cover other obligations.

Sporadic shortages of some basic foods such as sugar, flour, cornmeal and cooking oil have worsened during the past few months while the government has been making available fewer dollars at the fixed exchange rate. Amid heavy demand for foreign currency, economists estimate the black market has recently been satisfying about 12 percent of the demand for dollars in the country.

Chavez undergoing delicate cancer treatment C

ARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is undergoing “complex” alternative treatments more than two months after having cancer surgery in Cuba, his vice president said on Wednesday.

The 58-year-old socialist leader has not been seen in public since he went to Havana for the operation on December 11, his fourth surgery for cancer in 18 months.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro did not give details of the alternative treatments

the president was receiving. Chavez has never said what type of cancer he is suffering from, and critics accuse the government of excessive secrecy over his condition.

“Today our commander is undergoing alternative treatments ... they are complex and difficult treatments that must, at some point, end the cycle of his illness,” Maduro said in comments on state TV. The government, which rejects allega-

tions it has not been transparent about Chavez’s health, says he has completed a difficult post-operative period and has started a “new phase” of his recuperation.

It has not given details of this new phase.

Any new vote in South America’s top oil exporter would probably pit Maduro, Chavez’s heir apparent, against Henrique Capriles, the 40-year-old governor of Miranda state, who lost to Chavez in last October’s presidential election.

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Airways unveil $11 billion merger to create world’s largest airline

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MR Corp. and US Airways Group unveiled an $11 billion all-stock deal on Thursday that gives creditors of the bankrupt American Airlines parent control of the combined airline.

The merged airlines, to be called American Airlines, would create the world’s largest carrier, edging out Chicago-based United Airlines, assuming the $11 billion merger is approved by regulators and U.S. bankruptcy court, where American filed for Chapter 11 restructuring in 2011. The combination is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year and save $1 billion by 2015.

US Air’s management team, led by Chief Executive Doug Parker, will assume operational control of the airline, while AMR creditors will wind up owning 72 percent of the combined carrier and take five seats on the 12-member board.

US Airways will have four seats on the board.

The remaining seats will be filled by AMR representatives.

“It has been the most successful airline restructuring in history, and we had been very focused from the outset on creating the most value for our owners,” AMR CEO Tom Horton told Reuters.

The airline, which will carry the American Airlines name, will be 2 percent larger than current No. 1 United Continental Holdings Inc in terms of traffic - the number of miles flown by paying passengers worldwide.

“Wall street has been enamored of consolidation from an industry perspective because it will help control capacity,” said George Hamlin, president of Hamlin Transportation Consulting. “But I’m not sure being large for its own sake is going to guarantee success. A lot of pieces need to be put together. A lot of pieces will need to be shed.”

The new American will be based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Parker, who has long advocated industry consolidation and began pursuing a merger in early 2012, will the CEO.

American Airlines and US Airways jets prepare for flight at gate at the Philadelphia International Airport, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, in Philadelphia. The merger of US Airways and American Airlines has given birth to a mega airline with more passengers than any other in the world.

“The value of the merger is so great that we’re excited about getting the work done,” Parker told Reuters. “Integrating airlines can be difficult sometimes, but we’ve (already) done one at US Airways. We know what to do and know what mistakes to avoid.”

Parker, 51, the longest-serving CEO of a major U.S. airline, kick-started the industry’s consolidation wave when his America West Holdings bought US Airways out of bankruptcy in 2005.

Tom Horton, who became AMR’s CEO when it filed for bankruptcy, will serve as chairman of the combined airline through the first annual meeting of shareholders, after which Parker will take over.

Horton’s role had been one of the last sticking points for a deal, people familiar with the situation said, with AMR’s board pushing for a bigger role for him.

“Tom Horton and his team did not want this a few months ago,” said Hamlin. “But they are realistic and saw that this is what they needed to do.”

The tie-up is the fourth major merger in the

U.S. airline industry since 2008, when Delta Air Lines (bought Northwest. United and Continental merged in 2010, and Southwest Airlines bought discount rival AirTran Holdings in 2011.

The new, larger American Airlines would return to the leadership position among U.S. carriers that it ceded in recent years as high labor costs made it difficult to compete with restructured rivals.

Passengers of US Airways and American would gain access to new destinations.

The standalone American is currently third in terms of traffic behind United and Delta, both of which used Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to cut costs and find merger partners.

A combined American-US Airways would have revenue of about $39 billion, based on 2012 figures, ahead of United Continental, which had revenue of about $37 billion.

US Airways stockholders will receive one share of common stock of the combined airline for each US Airways share, the companies said in a statement.

US Airways shareholders will get 28 percent of the equity of the combined airline. The remaining 72 percent will be issuable to stakeholders of AMR and its debtor subsidiaries, American’s labor unions and current AMR employees.

“American work groups may be taking a little bit of a pay cut ... (while) US Airways work groups, on the other hand, will probably get a pay raise,” Avondale Partners analyst Fred Lowrance said.

Unions representing the carriers’ pilots, flight attendants and ground service workers said they support the deal, while the machinists union said its renewed contracts must be completed before it supports the merger.

The transaction is expected by the two companies to generate more than $1 billion in annual saving by 2015.

World’s richest man Carlos Slim loses $4 Billion as America Movil drops C

arlos Slim, the world’s richest man, shed $3.8 billion from his net worth today as America Movil SAB lost a 10th of its value after saying slower Mexican economic growth hurt voice revenue in the fourth quarter and in January.

Slim has a net worth of $74.2 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, $7.9 billion ahead of Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates.

“It’s still a drop in the bucket for him personally,” said Christopher King, an analyst at Stifel Nicolaus & Co. in Baltimore. “But you look at the market cap that was lopped off of America

Movil today, and you’ve got some investors saying it’s a broken story in the near term now.”

The shares slid 10 percent to 14.17 pesos at the close in Mexico City, the biggest decline since April 2008. The drop dragged down the benchmark IPC index, which fell 1.7 percent because Slim’s carrier makes up almost a fifth of its weight.

Revenue from wireless phone calls in Mexico, America Movil’s biggest market, continued to fall in January after declining 3.8 percent in the fourth quarter, Chief Executive Officer Daniel Hajj said today on a conference call. The

slump is putting pressure on the company to seek growth in other areas, though those efforts have been met with mixed results. America Movil took a stake in the Netherlands’ Royal KPN NV last year -- an investment that has plunged in value.

King, who has a hold rating on America Movil, the largest mobile-phone operator in the Americas, said that while he doesn’t think the company is broken, the fact that profit margins in Latin America aren’t expanding as growth slows is disconcerting.

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BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

Warren Buffett buys Heinz for $23 billion I

n one of the largest-ever acquisitions in the food industry, ketchup-maker H.J. Heinz Co. is being acquired for $23 billion by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and private-equity firm 3G Capital. Under the deal, which has been unanimously approved by Heinz’s board, shareholders will receive $72.50 in cash for each share, a 20% premium to Wednesday’s close.

The deal represents a rare partnership for Mr. Buffett, who has used Berkshire’s vast resources in the past to acquire top brands across a range of industries without teaming up with others. Berkshire will provide about $12 billion to $13 billion in cash for the deal, but Mr. Buffett told CNBC Thursday that 3G—a Brazilian investment firm that took over Burger King in 2010—would be “in charge of things.”

“It’s their baby from an operational standpoint,” he said.

The deal, which requires the approval of Heinz shareholders and regulators, will be financed through a combination of cash, rollover of Heinz’s existing debt and debt financing. It is expected to close in the third quarter.

The deal will take Heinz private as it tries to expand sales in emerging economies while managing a challenging environment in developed markets.

Heinz has about 60% of the U.S. ketchup market and 26% of the market globally, according to Euromonitor International. It sells 650 million bottles of ketchup in 140 countries annually, and its global market share is more than four times its next closest rival, Kagome, a Japanese brand.

Heinz also sells baked beans, pickles and relish under its flagship brand, and offers baby food, tater tots and soup under a variety of other brand names.

Heinz Chief Executive William Johnson, son of former National Football League head coach Bill “Tiger” Johnson, has been blunt about the

challenges facing the food industry in developed markets, where shoppers are bargain hunting more than ever. At a news conference in Pittsburgh on Thursday, he said as a private company Heinz could be “more focused, more competitive, more nimble and benefit from much faster decision making.”

Heinz was first approached about the deal eight weeks ago, Mr. Johnson said, when 3G Managing Partner Alex Behring and another partner met with him for dinner. Mr. Johnson said he thought it they were there to grumble about Heinz as a supplier, because of 3G’s majority stake in Burger King, but it turned out they were interested in an investment. The offer was made a couple of weeks after that.

It is unclear whether Mr. Johnson, Heinz’s CEO for 15 years, will remain in his current position.

Those discussions haven’t taken place yet, he said at the news conference.

Including debt, the deal is valued at $28 billion, which would rank as the largest-ever takeover for a pure-food company, topping the 2000 acquisition of Bestfoods, which included Lipton tea and Knorr soups, for $23.2 billion by consumer-brand conglomerate Unilever NV. But it is smaller than the nearly $60 billion acquisition of Anheuser-Busch Cos. by InBev SA, a deal that focused on Anheuser’s beverage brands, namely the American brewer’s Budweiser beer, according to Dealogic. The deal rivals the $31.1 billion buyout of RJR Nabisco by Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co. in 1988, but that deal included tobacco interests.

Berkshire and 3G will each own equity stakes in Heinz of over $4 billion, according to a person familiar with the terms of the deal. Berkshire will also own about $8 billion of preferred shares, the person said.

Shares of Heinz, which have been trading at all-time highs, surged to $72.48 in recent trading, up 20%.

Warren Buffett While the partnership with 3G is unusual, the Heinz deal is in other ways a typical one for Mr. Buffett and Berkshire. Mr. Buffett has said he values powerful brands and strong management, and in a statement announcing the deal, he praised Heinz for its “strong, sustainable growth potential based on high quality standards, continuous innovation, excellent management and great tasting products.”

Berkshire already owns car insurer Geico, paint maker Benjamin Moore, underwear company Fruit of the Loom, and the Dairy Queen stores, among other brands. In Heinz, he will get a stake in a packaged-foods company known for its ketchup brand, albeit one that is now battling weaker North American sales.

The deal is the largest for Berkshire since Mr. Buffett agreed to acquire railroad Burlington Northern Santa Fe for more than $25 billion in 2009, and completes his goal of making yet another large deal.

3G Capital, a hedge and private-equity fund with offices in New York and Rio de Janeiro, is best known for its $4 billion deal to take Burger King private in 2010, then less than two years later brought it back on to the public markets.

The firm was co-founded by four principals who sold their previous Brazilian private-equity firm to Credit Suisse, including Jorge Paulo Lemann, a former board member of Gillette and Swiss Re, and controlling shareholder in Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Apple may lose iPhone naming rights in Brazil

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ÃO PAULO—Brazilian regulators on Wednesday rejected Apple Inc.’s request to register the iPhone name in that country, setting up a potentially costly legal dispute in one of the world’s fastest-growing smartphone markets.

The agency overseeing patents in Brazil said Wednesday it denied Apple’s trademark application because Brazilian electronics maker IGB Eletrônica SA, better known by its brand name Gradiente, already owned rights to the name.

Marcelo Chimento, spokesman for Brazil’s National Institute of Industrial Property, or INPI, said Apple is contesting the decision, charging that Gradiente failed to make use of the trademark with-

in a five-year window, as required

by Brazilian trademark law. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.

Unlike in the U.S., Brazilian trademark regulations stipulate that registrations be rewarded on a first-come, first-served basis, regardless of which party used the trademark first, or which party brings more value and recognition to the brand.

Gradiente applied for the IPHONE trademark in 2000, more than six years before Apple submitted its own application and announced its hot-selling device. The Brazilian company won the trademark in January 2008, giving it exclusive use until 2018 under local regulations so long as it produced a product bearing the name within five years. But the company didn’t appear to release a qualifying product until December, just weeks before the deadline, when it announced a smartphone called the “IPHONE Neo One.”

According to Gradiente, the IPHONE Neo One is only available on the company’s website or at one store in a shopping center in São Paulo. Gradiente’s IPHONE runs Google Inc.’s Android operating system and is listed at about $304, while Apple’s iPhone 5 starts at $1,220 in Brazil.

INPI is now evaluating Apple’s challenge, Mr. Cimento said. “Gradiente has to prove that it used the brand” in the allotted time, within 60 days, Mr. Cimento said. Meanwhile, INPI has awarded Apple the “iPhone” trademark in four other categories such as software development and clothing.

If INPI rejects Apple’s challenges in 60 days, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company would not have to immediately halt sales of iPhones in Brazil, but would be vulnerable to a fresh battle over intellectual property rights. Legal experts say such disputes are costly and can drag on for years.

Apple doesn’t report its iPhone

sales figures in Brazil, but the country is expected to become the world’s fourth largest smartphone market by unit shipments in 2016, according to research firm IDC. Apple, which has no retail stores in Brazil, sells iPhones here through authorized resellers, mobile operators and its own website.

Apple has been working to open its first retail store in Brazil in Rio de Janeiro.

Apple has faced similar disputes before.

Last year, it paid $60 million for rights to the iPad name in mainland China after a series of lawsuits and countersuits with a Chinese company that had registered the trademark first.

In Mexico, a telecommunications equipment firm registered its company name as iFone in 2003, four years before Apple registered the iPhone trademark there. Apple has thus far been unsuccessful in efforts to invalidate the Mexican firm’s name.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Weary passengers disembark crippled Carnival ship in Alabama T

housands of relieved passengers poured ashore from a stinking cruise ship on Friday after five days adrift in the Gulf of Mexico with overflowing toilets and stench filled cabins.

Exhausted passengers lined the ship’s decks, waving towels and flashlights, cheering and singing “Sweet Home Alabama” as tug-boats pulled the stricken Carnival Triumph into the port of Mobile, Alabama.

Some travelers kissed the ground when they walked off, others disembarked wearing the ship’s white bath robes, part souvenir and part protection against a chilly night.

With only one working elevator, it took several hours to get the more than 4,200 people off the ship, Carnival said. Passengers were greeted dockside with warm food, blankets and cell phones to call family and friends.

About 100 buses waited to carry passengers on a seven-hour bus ride to Galveston, Texas, while others buses departed for shorter rides to New Orleans, as well as hotels in Mobile, before eventually flying home.

The end of the saga, documented live on U.S. cable news stations, was another public relations disaster for cruise giant Carnival Corp.

Last year, its Costa Concordia luxury liner grounded off the coast of Italy, killing 32 people.

Carnival officials said the Triumph, which entered service in 1999, would be towed to a Mobile repair facility for damage assessment.

The 893-foot (272-metre) vessel was returning to Galveston from Cozumel, Mexico on the third day of a four-day cruise when an engine-room fire knocked out power and plumbing across most of the ship on Sunday.

Passengers described a gut-wrenching stench on parts of the ship and complained to relatives and media by cellphone that toilets and drainpipes overflowed, soaking many cabins and interior passages in raw sewage.

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Passengers on board cruise ship Triumph created a tent city to get away from the unsanitary conditions “The stench was awful,” said Robin Chandler, a 50-year-old from Dallas who spent her birthday on the ship. “A lot of people were crying and freaking out.”

Jacob Combs, an Austin, Texas-based sales executive with a healthcare and hospice company, praised the ship’s crew.

“Just imagine the filth,” said Combs, 30. “People were doing crazy things and going to the bathroom in sinks and showers. It was inhuman.

The stewards would go in and clean it all up. They were constantly cleaning,” he said.

APOLOGY Facing criticism over the company’s response, Carnival Cruise Lines Chief Executive Gerry Cahill boarded the ship to personally apologize to passengers.

“I know the conditions on board were very poor,” he told reporters, sounding shaken in a brief media appearance before he boarded the ship. “I know it was difficult. I want to apologize for subjecting our guests to that,” he said.

“We pride ourselves with providing our guests with a great vacation experience and clearly we failed in this particular case,” Cahill added.

Operated by Carnival Cruise

Lines, the flagship brand of Carnival Corp, the ship left Galveston a week ago carrying 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew. It was supposed to return on Monday.

Some passengers said conditions deteriorated rapidly on the Triumph earlier in the week, saying people were getting sick and passengers had been told to use plastic “biohazard” bags as makeshift toilets.

“It wasn’t a vacation anymore it was like survival mode. Eat what you can. Snack when you can. It was awful,” said passenger Tammy Garcia.

Smoke from the engine fire was so thick that passengers on the lower decks in the rear of the ship had to be permanently evacuated and slept the rest of the voyage on the decks under sheets, passengers said.

COMPENSATION OFFER Some passengers said they tried to pass the time playing cards and organizing Bible study groups and scavenger hunts for the children on board the ship.

Cahill has issued several apologies and Carnival, the world’s largest cruise company, said passengers will be reimbursed in full plus transportation expenses, a future cruise credit equal to the amount paid for

this voyage, plus a payment of $500 a person to help compensate them.

Chandler, the passenger, scoffed at the compensation offer. “There are lost wages, I’ve got a baby sitter at home and I had to take off work,” she said.

Some passengers said conditions improved on Thursday after a generator was delivered to the ship, providing power for a grill to cook hot food. Passengers said toilets began flushing again on Thursday and the ship served steaks and lobster - a relief after a steady diet of cold sandwiches of cucumber and cheese.

Carnival Corp Chairman and CEO Micky Arison was criticized in January last year for failing to travel to Italy and take personal charge of the Costa Concordia crisis. The tragedy unleashed numerous lawsuits against his company.

He has not publicly commented on the Triumph incident.

“I think they really are trying to do the right thing, but I don’t think they have been able to communicate it effectively,” said Marcia Horowitz, an executive who handles crisis management at Rubenstein Associates, a New York-based PR firm.

Carnival Corp shares closed down 11 cents at $37.35 in trading on Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.

The Triumph is a Bahamian-flagged vessel and the Bahamas Maritime Authority will be the primary agency investigating the cause of its engine room fire.

Earlier this month, Carnival repaired an electrical problem on one of the Triumph’s alternators. The company said there was no evidence of any connection between the repair and the fire.

For all the passengers’ grievances, they will likely find it difficult to sue the cruise operator for any damages, legal analysts said. Over the years, the cruise industry has put in place a legal structure that shields operators from big-money lawsuits.

Obama honors six educators killed in Newtown massacre

resident Barack Obama, marking a poignant moment in his push to curb gun violence, awarded presidential medals posthumously on Friday to six educators killed in the Newtown school massacre, saying they gave their lives to protect “the most innocent and helpless among us.”

Obama bestowed the honor, which recognizes citizens who have performed “exemplary deeds” of service, on four teachers and two administrators killed in the December 14 shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, a tragedy that sparked nationwide calls for tighter gun control laws.

In a White House ceremony, Presidential Citizens Medals, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor, were presented one-by-one to the slain women’s families, many of them in tears as Obama embraced and consoled them. Twen-

ty first-graders were also killed in the attack by a lone gunman.

Obama said the educators came to school that morning with “no idea that evil was about to strike.”

“And when it did they could have taken shelter by themselves, they could have focused on their own safety, on their own well-being, but they didn’t,” he said.

“They gave their lives to protect the precious children in their care and gave all they had for the most innocent and helpless among us. That’s what we honor today.”

Obama, who has called the day of the mass shooting the worst of his presidency, is moving swiftly to try to build momentum for gun control legislation, using his otherwise policy-heavy State of the Union address on Tuesday to make

an impassioned appeal.

But he faces an uphill battle against a powerful pro-gun lobby and a strong U.S. tradition of hunting and gun ownership. The right to bear arms is enshrined in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Principal Dawn Hochsprung, school psychologist Mary Sherlach and teachers Rachel D’Avino, Lauren Rousseau, Anne Marie Murphy and Victoria Soto were killed in the attack carried out by the 20-year-old gunman, Adam Lanza.

Obama paid tribute to the slain educators in a ceremony that also honored a dozen other Americans in fields that included child development, gay rights, military veterans assistance, immigrant outreach and helping disabled women. They were selected from among nearly 6,000 nominations.

Sports TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

LOCAL

AFC Academy is Women’s Football champions

Yarileny De La Cruz

Yarielca De La Cruz

Shinaydine Pluviose

Kadine Delphin

fter an eventful weekend of exciting women’s football the WFL title has all but been decided as the young AFC Academy Strikers have taken an unassailable five point lead with one league game remaining. The Strikers tied 0-0 on Friday evening against last year’s champions Net Rockers before going on to defeat Revolution FC 7-0 on Sunday.

The young team has been impressive throughout the season. Despite their small stature and lack of experience their attractive passing game and attacking style has seen them remain undefeated all season.

Friday’s showdown against Net Rockers was a tense affair as both teams knew that this was the most crucial game of the season. For the majority of the game Strikers enjoyed the lion’s share of the posses-

sion but they could not find a break through as Bertha Lee Belle pulled of several important saves, including a last minute free kick from Yarielca De La Cruz.

The final whistle left the Strikers with a 5 point lead over their rivals and they knew that a win or draw against Revolution would see them crowned as champions.

In the opening game on Sunday, Net Rockers narrowly defeated a spirited Hurricanes team by 1-0 margin. In a very open and entertaining game, both teams went close to scoring on several occasions. Sarah Cenary was thwarted three times

by Belle in goal before Patrice Senior scored the only goal of the game as the ball ricocheted off the post from a long range free kick.

The final game saw the Strikers clinch the title with a comfortable

victory against Revolution FC. Team captain Kadine Delphin opened the scoring with a firm strike before Yarielca De La Cruz doubled the lead with a long range effort. Her sister Yarileny then added a third as she expertly lobbed the ball over the Revolution goalkeeper.

The Strikers were soon four goals up as Yarielca converted a penalty and just before the half time whistle Guerline Hall scored a great solo goal to give her team a healthy 5-0 lead. Strikers continued to dominate possession in the second half and Shinaydine Pluviose and Yarileny De La Cruz added a goal each to complete the victory.

Revolution FC never stopped trying and they also had four players from the TCIFA’s Under 12 Center of Excellence making their debut who all managed to impress the crowd

with their effort and enthusiasm.

Technical director Matthew Green was pleased for the young Strikers players. “They have worked hard to win the league and they thoroughly deserve it. Last year they lost every game, so it just proves what you can do if you make a strong commitment to the game. This team will only get better and better as years go on.

They are already leading the way in terms of technique and tactical understanding, it is hard to believe that such a young team can play in such a mature and experienced manner.” He added “we have a very strong girl’s youth programme and around 50 girls that train in our Academies and Centers of Excellence are now playing in the WFL. Hopefully they will remain involved for many years to come”.

A

S

Rozo, Sharks record wins in WIV Football

aturday saw two very entertaining games with a lot of action, goals and some excellent individual performances.

In the 4pm game, SWA Sharks defeated Teachers 3-1, in a competitive game, which saw both teams playing quite nervously but with Sharks creating more chances to score.

The Teachers went ahead against the run of play in the 24th minute with Chris O’Neil capitalizing on a wayward throw from the Sharks’goal keeper.

The Sharks continued to patiently create the play but squandered a number of chances until Courtney Tain equalized in the 37th minute after chasing a lost cause to the bye line, rounding the defender and placing the ball nicely in the net.

The Teachers did not give up however, and had a number of chances on the break after Sharks’ attacks broke down but they could not finish. The second half was more of the same with Sharks

dominant, but with Barrington Somers (Tunk) now on the pitch, the Sharks were more effective in front of goal and he scored a brace to effectively kill the game with Richie Lock providing a superb left footed cross for the third Shark’s goal.

In the 6pm game, Rozo defeated the AFC Academy 3-2. With two fast and (fairly) youthful teams on display, the game was frenetic and physical but with some great skills on show.

The Academy were well organized and worked very hard and this paid off with an even game until Fritz Gerald Noncent notched his first goal after 8 minutes. Gianni Ascani and Rodney Davilmar were the older heads at the back for the Academy and with their new player Jensen Joseph, who posed a threat up front, they kept Rozo at bay.

Michael Laird snatched the equalizer 30 minutes into the game following a deceiving cross that was put in the net by the Rozo goalkeeper.

This injected the Academy with confidence and they came out of the traps quickly in the second half and went ahead after an own goal caused by their pressure.

It was even-stevens for some time and the Academy held their lead and with Rozo only having one substitute, they would have hoped to get a win. However, for the second week running, the youthful Jeanlis Job again starred for Rozo, firstly by being on hand to finish from close range after an unfortunate dropped shot by the Academy keeper and then to finish a mazy run with a great finish, to win the game in the 89th minute.

This President’s Player of The Week was Courtney Tain of SWA Sharks, who scored a superbly taken goal from almost nothing.

Rozo was down to take on Cheshire Hall at 6pm, on Tuesday, but at press time the results were not available.

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Sports TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

CARIBBEAN

Teddy McCook passes away; described as ‘a tireless administrator’ by IAAF President Diack

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resident of the IAAF, Lamine Diack, hailed deceased Jamaican track and field administrator, Neville ‘Teddy’ McCook, as a passionate servant of athletics, who helped lay the foundations of Jamaica’s current successes in the sport.

McCook, 73, passed away on Monday after a lengthy fight against prostate cancer and diverticulitis, ending a life of servitude to the sport, which included the presidency of the North America, Central America and Caribbean Area (NACAC), membership on the IAAF Council, as well as secretary general of the Jamaica Olympic Association - positions he held up to the time of his passing.

He also served as president of the Jamaica Athletics Admini-strative Association between 1984 and 1996 and was a founder of the iconic Gibson Relays, which was started four de-

cades ago in honour of Bishop Percival Gibson, the founding Principal of his alma mater, Kingston College.

“The broad smile and immense energy of my close friend and colleague, Teddy McCook, will be greatly missed by all who had the fortune to make his acquaintance,” said Diack, in a release early yesterday morning.

“Teddy was a tireless administrator at national and international level, a passionate believer in our sport.

The systems he helped put in place in Jamaica laid the foundations and today continue to underpin the country’s success at global championship level,” Diack added, before speaking to the Jamaican’s impact in the IAAF Council.

“Teddy’s belief, vision and commitment to athletics, which decades ago nationally saw the creation of the Gibson Relays meeting, has most

Bolt wins 400 metres in season opener D

ouble Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt made his seasonal debut easing home in his 400m heat in 46.71 seconds at the Camperdown Classic yesterday at the National Stadium.

But it was his teammate Warren Weir, who did the fastest time in heat three, stopping the clock at 46.21 seconds in upstaging Yohan Blake, who finished second in 46.64 seconds.

Bolt, who said he normally misses the early part of the season, indicated that he had butterflies for his season opener.

“I have never been so nervous for running a 400m, but overall it was a good race, and I felt all right; so it was good,” he told a throng of reporters after warming down.

Bolt, 26, who has a personal best of 45.28 done in 2007, said he wasn’t concerned about the time after easing home.

“I didn’t really matter about the time.

For me it was just to complete the race, and I will probably have one more or two for the season, depending on what the coach wants,” said Bolt.

“Physically it was OK, it felt good, not as good as I usually feel, but it was a smooth race, so I can’t complain as I wasn’t as tied up in the finish,” he explained.

Meanwhile, 100m World Champion

Usain Bolt Blake and his Racers Track Club mate, the Olympic 200m bronze medallist, Weir, battled in heat three with Weir coming home in 46.21 and looking very much an established quarter-miler.

Blake, looking muscular, was second in 46.64, a bit slower than his opener last season, where he did 46.4, but said he felt stronger than ever.

“I was looking to repeat it (46.4), but I started training a bit late...

I feel strong and I tested myself to go out in the first part and I felt pretty good.” Blake, who at age 21, became the youngest 100m World Champion, said he is ready to defend his title this year in Moscow.

“Trust me, my training is going really well, and I am confident, and with the World Championships coming up, to defend my title.

Coach Mills is working on the different parts of my race, I feel good,” ended Blake.

Teddy McCook recently helped power the IAAF Council’s decision to create a new international competition in 2014, the IAAF World Relays,” Diack noted.

“A staunch supporter of the work of the IAAF High Performance Centre in Kingston, Teddy’s lifelong mission was the enhancement of athletics and our sport has lost one of its strongest advocates. Our thoughts are with his wife, Sonia, and his four

daughters.”

Diack continued: “On behalf of the worldwide athletics family, the IAAF mourns the passing of one of the great servants to our sport who dedicated his life to the advancement of athletics. The IAAF offers its sincerest sympathy and best wishes to his family and friends at this sad time.”

McCook was Jamaica’s highest-placed track and field official in international circles, and was also held in high acclaim locally, having been awarded the national honour of Commander of the Order of Distinction (CD) for Sports in 1987 and later conferred with the Order of Jamaica in 2006, also for Sports.

He had been an IAAF Council member since 1999 and was first elected president of NACAC in 2007, before winning a second term in 2011 after a close campaign.

West Indies beat Australia by 27 runs in T20 B risbane - Twenty20 World Cup champions West Indies defeated Australia by 27 runs in their one-off international at the Gabba on Wednesday night. They had not beaten Australia in this country since the Perth Test in February 1997.Australia stumbled to 164 for 8 in the face of West Indies bowlers in response a a fast-finishing score of 191 for 6 by West Indies in front of a crowd of 19,562.

Kieron Pollard who took three wickets for 30 runs was declared Man of the Match.

The Australian had mostly rookies, as their star batsmen have already left for the India tour. Only half of the Gabba was full for what was supposed to be this summer’s international cricket climax.

Punters were struggling to recognise all the Australian T20 players at the Gabba.

Chasing 192 for victory, Australia looked comfortable at 1-79 in the 10th over, with Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges at the crease, before two run-outs in three balls turned the match on its head.

First Marsh (21 off 19 balls) was caught short by Tino Best at cover after being called through for a quick single, ending a 74-run second-wicket stand.

Next over it was Voges (51 off 32 balls) taking the long walk back to

the pavilion after Australia lost 2-3.

A cheeky single was attempted after wicketkeeper Devon Thomas fumbled, but he redeemed himself by throwing down the stumps to catch out Voges at the striker’s end.

Just like Voges, captain Bailey (15) overcame a hamstring complaint to earn a last-minute selection, but he was snared by spinner Sunil Narine.

Brad Haddin (22 off 11 balls) tried to give Australia a sniff, at one stage bludgeoning Narine for two sixes and a four in three balls, before hitting out once too often against Kieron Pollard.

Pollard then cleaned up, at one stage eyeing a hat-trick as the mini-collapse became a full-blown crisis for Australia.

The hosts initially punched above their weight to restrict the Windies after the early loss of matchwinning opener Chris Gayle (eight) in the second over.

Left-arm quick James Faulkner (328 off four overs) was a thorn in the Windies’ side, at one stage taking two wickets in three balls.

Opener Johnson Charles shared an 88-run second-wicket stand with Darren Bravo (32) to steady the innings. But it was the late hitting of Pollard (26), Andre Russell and captain Darren Sammy that helped lift the Windies to a win.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

RLD

Olympian Oscar Pistorius charged with murder

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OHANNESBURG, South Africa -- South African athlete Oscar Pistorius, who made history last year as the first double amputee runner to compete in the Olympics using prosthetic blades, was charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend at his house, prosecutors said.

The National Prosecuting Authority said Pistorius would remain in custody until his hearing Friday, when police intend to oppose bail.

Reeva Steenkamp, a 30-year-old model, died after being shot several times in the head and arm in Pistorius’ house in an upscale suburb in Pretoria.

Pistorius was ushered from the home by police Thursday morning with a gray hoodie covering his head and obscuring most of his face.

South Africans were in shock about the accusation against Pistorius, who became a hero during his long battle for the right to compete in the Olympics. After a controversy on whether the blades he uses to walk and run gave him an advantage in races, Pistorius was granted the right to compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

South Africa has one of the world’s highest rates of murder and violent crime, and many South Africans keep guns at home to guard against intruders.

Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp The Afrikaans-language newspaper Beeld suggested that Pistorius mistook his girlfriend for a burglar and killed her accidentally.

However, a police spokeswoman, Brig. Denise Beukes, said police were “surprised” at reports the killing was accidental, adding that that version hadn’t come from police, according to the South African Press Assn.

“I confirm there had been previous incidents of a domestic nature at his place,” said Beukes, adding that police couldn’t comment on the decision to oppose bail.

Beukes said police had interviewed neighbors who heard sounds at Pistorius’ home earlier in

the evening, and also at the time the incident reportedly took place.

Pistorius’ father, Henke Pistorius, said his son was sad. But the older Pistorius said he didn’t know the facts.

“I don’t know nothing. It will be extremely obnoxious and rude to speculate,” he said in a radio interview. “If anyone makes a statement, it will have to be Oscar.”

An advertisement for Nike, one of Pistorius’ major sponsors, was removed from his official website Thursday. It had shown the athlete in a green lycra athletic suit and the slogan, “I am the bullet in the chamber.”

NFL ready to get Super Bowl played at MetLife N

EW YORK — Super Bowl Monday. Super Bowl Wednesday.

Surely that sounds better than Super Bowl PPD. The NFL says it’s ready for next year’s title game at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Feb. 2, no matter the weather. Even if it means moving the game from its traditional Sunday spot.

Concerns about contingencies arose recently for two reasons: Next year’s Super Bowl will be outdoors at a cold-weather site for the first time and the Northeast is still recovering from a monster snowstorm that hit last weekend; the lights went out in the Louisiana Superdome during the Feb. 3 game, causing a 34-minute delay and some anxiety about whether it would resume.

Several published reports said the NFL has discussed changing the day of the game if weather complications arise. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy wouldn’t offer specifics,

In this photo taken Feb. 9, 2013, snow is piled high in a parking lot outside of MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The NFL says it’s ready to get the 2014 Super Bowl played at the stadium no matter what the weather conditions are early next February. but said Wednesday the league will make whatever changes are necessary. ‘‘We have had contingency plans for the previous 47 Super Bowls,’’ McCarthy said. ‘We expect to play

all games, including the Super Bowl, as planned. ... We will be prepared if we have to make adjustments.’’

The date of the Super Bowl has never been changed. But plenty of regular-season games have because

of weather. When the Metrodome roof collapsed after a snowstorm in 2010, dates and sites changed for several Minnesota Vikings home games.

Changing the date of a Super Bowl could be dicey. If a blizzard hit on a Saturday, the day before the game, it might be possible to move it to the following Tuesday, allowing time to dig out roads and parking lots. If a storm was forecast for Super Bowl night, then perhaps playing Saturday would be an option. Compounding this would be travel, hotel and broadcast concerns. ‘‘The main objective of the NFL and the Host Committee is to be prepared for any and everything, with regard to weather,’’ Al Kelly, president of the NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee, said in a statement. ‘‘We have been planning for all possibilities and are creating various contingency plans to deal with each potential situation.’’

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FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

WORLD SPORTS

LeBron James expands on legacy with another record L

eBron James not only is breaking records; he continues to separate himself from his contemporaries. The Miami Heat has been so good that he became the first player in NBA history to score at least 30 points for six straight games while shooting 60 percent.

It was a 30-point performance on 11-for-16 shooting in a 117-104 victory over Portland that put James in the record-setting position.

“I’m at a loss for words,” James said in a recent televised postgame interview. “Like I say over and over, I know the history of the game. I know how many unbelievable players who came through the ranks, who paved the way for me and my teammates. And for me to be in the record books by myself with such a stat — any stat — it’s bigtime.”

This big-time effort has become routine by James, who has played with a freedom since he

LeBron James led the Miami Heat to the NBA title last year. The burden of finally winning a title seemingly has allowed him to just play without the pressure, and that has led to the illumination of his brilliance.

Even on a night when teammate Chris Bosh scored 32 points with 11 rebounds — a tremen-

dous performance by any measure — and when the Heat wins its 1,000th game in franchise history, it is James who leaves observers shaking their heads.

James has made 66 of his past 92 shots, over the past six games — and is an absurd 60 for 80, or 75 percent, in his last 188 minutes of court time.

According to the Heat, only Adrian Dantley and Moses Malone had done the 30-point, 60-percent streak in five straight outings before James took over their club.

Best of all for the Heat, he did it to keep his team from defeat. In a game in which Portland battled hard, James elevated his play in the game’s deciding moments.

“That was typical Miami Heat stuff,” Portland outstanding rookie Damian Lillard, who had 33 points, said. “Transition, finishing strong around the rim, and LeBron picking defenses apart.”

Soccer faces epic fight against match-fixing Z

URICH -- Soccer is falling under a cloud of suspicion as never before, sullied by a multibillion-dollar web of match-fixing that is corrupting increasingly larger parts of the world’s most popular sport.

Internet betting, emboldened criminal gangs and even the economic downturn have created conditions that make soccer - or football, as the sport is called around the world - a lucrative target.

Known as ‘’the beautiful game’’ for its grace, athleticism and traditions of fair play, soccer is under threat of becoming the dirty game. ‘’Football is in a disastrous state,’’ said Chris Eaton, director of sport integrity at the International Centre for Sport Security. ‘’Fixing of matches for criminal gambling fraud purposes is absolutely endemic worldwide ... arrogantly happening daily.’’

At least 50 nations in 2012 had match-fixing investigations - almost a quarter of the 209 members of FIFA, soccer’s governing body - involving hundreds of people.

Europol, the European Union’s police body, announced last week that it had found 680 ‘’suspicious’’ games worldwide since 2008, including 380 in Europe.

Yet experts believe that figure may be low. Sportradar, a company in London that monitors global sports betting, estimates that about 300 soccer games a year in Europe alone could be rigged. ‘’We do not detect it better,’’ Eaton said. ‘’There’s just more to detect.’’

Globalization has propelled the fortunes of popular soccer teams like Manchester United and showered millions in TV revenue on clubs that get into tournaments like Europe’s Champions League. Criminals have realized that it can be vastly easier to shift gambling

profits across borders than it is to move drugs or other contraband. ‘’These are real criminals - Italian mafia, Chinese gangs, Russian mafia,’’ said Sylvia Schenk of corruption watchdog Transparency International.

Ralf Mutschke, FIFA’s security chief, admits that soccer officials had underestimated the scope of match-fixing. He told the AP that ‘’realistically, there is no way’’ FIFA can tackle organized crime by itself, saying it needs more help from national law enforcement agencies. ‘’The scale is such that no country can deal with the problem on its own,’’ said EU Sport Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou.

Gambling on sports generates hundreds of billions of dollars a year, and up to 90 percent of that is bet on soccer, Interpol chief Ronald Noble told the AP. Eaton, the former FIFA expert, has cited an estimated $500 billion a year.

Match-fixing - where the outcome of a game is determined in advance - is used by gambling rings to make money off bets they know they will win. Matches also are rigged to propel a team into a higher-ranking division where it can earn more revenue.

FIFA has estimated that organized crime takes in as much as $15 billion a year by fixing matches. In Italy alone, a recent rigging scandal is estimated to have produced $2.6 billion for the Camorra and the Mafia crime syndicates, Eaton said.

Soccer officials are well aware that repeated match-fixing will undermine the integrity of their sport, driving away sponsors and reducing the billion-dollar value of lucrative TV contracts. FIFA earned $2.4 billion in broadcast sales linked to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and already has agreed to $2.3 billion in deals tied to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan picks Kobe over LeBron O

KLAHOMA CITY— To this day, it’s still all about championships for Michael Jordan.

So when interviewed for a special that will run Monday at 8 p.m. on NBA TV, the six-time NBA champion former Chicago Bulls guard said he currently views Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant as having the more successful career to this point than Miami Heat forward LeBron James.

“If you had to pick between the two, that would be a tough choice,” Jordan, now owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, told program host Ahmad Rashard, “but five beats one every time I look at it.”

Bryant has won five championships with the Lakers, with James winning his first NBA title last June.

“And not that he won’t get five,” Jordan said of James. “He may get more than that, but five is bigger than one.”

The interview will air the day after Jordan turns 50 Sunday.

Among other topics Jordan touches on in the interview are his unfulfilled dreams for the Bulls’ dynasty and his Hall of Fame induction speech.

Of his 2009 induction speech, which included addressing those he competed against, Jordan said in the interview, “Most people say, that was the worst speech. OK, that’s from your perspective.

If you understood it from my perspective then you would understand. I saw [Heat President] Pat Riley, he said, ‘I totally get it. I totally understand it.’ I’ll go to my grave thinking, ‘I said what I wanted to say, I’m not going to change it and if you don’t think it was a great speech, it’s what I felt.’ “

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

The perfect place

to host your special event!

BANQUET HALL AND CONFERENCE CENTRE at the turks and CAICOS AIRPORT HOTEL

Centrally located Downtown, Providenciales, in the Provo Business District, The Occasions ballroom seats 200 persons theatre style and 150 seated. Standard features include tables, chairs, a podium, setup and breakdown. We also offer complimentary internet access and special rental packages for public address systems and projectors.

Here are some additional reasons why Occasions Banquet Hall and Conference Centre is the best choice for you: 1. Personalised Service: Create your own menufrom over 50 dishes and platters.

2. Get Custom designed and free printed menus: Include your organization's colour scheme, logo or any other image/design /information you desire! Your customised menu can be a keepsake for many years to come.

3. Enjoy discounts: Combine the ballroom rental with catering from Carambola Grill and Lounge and expect even lower prices!

RESERVE YOUR DATE NOW!! %$148(76 &21&(576 :('',1*6 $1' 5(&(37,216 &+85&+ (9(176 %86,1(66 $1' 35(66 &21)(5(1&(6 6(0,1$56 2)),&( &(/(%5$7,216 AN AFFILATE OF

Airport Plaza Hotel, Airport Road, Providenciales Tel: 649-946-4701 email: info@airportinntci.com website: airportinntci.com

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

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FEBRUARY 16TH-FEBRUARY 23TH, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN