VOLUME 9 ISSUE 42

NOVEMBER 23RD - NOVEMBER 30TH, 2013

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VOLUME 9 - No. 42

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MIKE’S RETURN DELAYED

BY HAYDEN BOYCE PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

F

ormer Premier Michael Misick’s extradition to the Turks and Caicos Islands has been delayed because of bureaucracy in Brazil.

The 47-year-old Misick was expected to be back in the Turks and Caicos Islands by this week, but family members told The SUN that he will not be able to return until the Extradition Order has been published in the Brazilian Gazette, and there is no certainty as to when this will be done.

The SUN can confirm that the former Premier was visited in jail by two of his brothers, prominent Queen’s Counsel Ariel Misick and real estate executive Phillip Misick, on Thursday November 21st.

Phillip told this newspaper that the former leader is in fine spirits and is anxious to return home and that contrary to what was reported in other sections of the media, Michael Misick has no intentions of appealing his extradition. Phillip also said that reports that his brother will be sent to the Eastern Caribbean island of Montserratt, or the United States of America are completely false.

Meantime, Misick’s family members and lawyers have been busy making preparations for his return, whenever the Brazilian authorities release him.

The SUN can confirm that Special Prosecutor Helen Garlick has written to Misick’s lawyers indicating that she would like Misick to be back in the Turks and Caicos Islands in time for the Plea and Direction Hearings on January 6th 2014.

Garlick stated that whenever Misick returns to the Turks and Caicos Islands on the plane, SIPT’s Senior Investigating Officer is not prepared to

Hon. Don-Hue Gardiner is Acting Premier PAGE 6

SIXTEEN GRAND FOR EDWARD GARTLAND YOUTH CENTRE: The Edward Gartland Youth Centre, which celebrat- er said that the art show in support of local artists had ed five years in the Turks and Caicos Islands, received been a longstanding dream of the real estate entity, and $16,000 this week, thanks to a fundraising effort by Sothe- so it was a dream come true when it joined forces with by’s Realty, Gilley’s Enterprises and Amanyara Resort. The Gilley’s Enterprises and Amanyara to partner with Roxfunds were raised courtesy of a live art show and auction an (Wake-Forbes), Director of the Edward Gartland Youth with work from local artists held at Amanyara recently. Centre, to stage the event. In response, Wake-Forbes said “The Edward Gartland Youth Centre provides social and that, as usual, the funds would be used to buttress the proeducation programs for the Youth of the Turks and Cai- grammes that the Youth Centre currently offers. In photo, cos Islands. It is incredible organization and we try to do Miller (right) along with Desmond Williams (second right) our very best to support it,” said Courtney Miller of Sothe- of Gilley’s Enterprises and Cindy Nemours of Amanyara by’s International, before making the presentation. Mill- (third from right) make the presentation to Wake-Forbes. let anyone, including the former Premier’s lawyers to have any conversations with him during the journey.

Garlick said that this is standard procedure for transporting prisoners. She also noted that while he is on the plane, no efforts will be made to interview Misick or talk to him about any matter relating to the case.

Garlick also stated that Misick will be charged as soon as he arrives in the Turks and Caicos Islands, depending on the time of day, and taken straight to court.

The SUN can also confirm that Helen Garlick indicated that if it is not possible for Misick to return before January 6th, SIPT would like the

court to deal with the hearing as if the former Premier was present before the court. This has outraged family members who have accused Garlick of trying to “rush to judgement” and “cut corners” by making that suggestion.

Air Turks and Caicos changes name to InterCaribbean Airwaysd

PDM gives PNP failing grade

Taxi drivers upset

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NOVEMBER 23RD - NOVEMBER 30TH, 2013

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

MIKE’S RETURN DELAYED CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The Misick family is even more upset by the fact that Garlick even asked if Misick would “waive his right to a sufficiency hearing”, since he said that he wanted to speed up the process.

“This is totally outrageous. After doing all their wickedness, criminalizing people, introducing hearsay laws, abolishing automatic trial and by jury and doing almost everything possible so that they can secure convictions, they have the gall to ask Mike if he wants to waive his right to a sufficiency hearing.

These people are sick,” Phillip said.

Garlick reportedly stated that by Misick agreeing to be represented in his absence at the January hearing, his lawyers would be able to make legal arguments about certain issues and he can be joined in the cases along with other accused at a later stage.

The Special Prosecutor also said that a whole lot of time and money could be saved if the former Premier consents to something called a “Voluntary Bill” which she said the Prosecution is considering.

In a previous interview with the SUN, Phillip Misick said that long before he was arrested by the Brazilian authorities in December of 2012, the former Premier wanted to come home.

He told the SUN that the former Premier wrote no less than five (5) letters to Helen Garlick expressing his desire to voluntary return to the TCI. In each

case Helen refused Mike offer to voluntary return to the TCI. The former Premier’s brother said that in a letter dated 20th December 2012 to Michael Misick’s London Attorneys Helen wrote “the extradition process has been put in motion ….. that makes voluntary return as requested by your client impossible, unless the TCIG was p[prepared to withdraw its provisional warrant …. That would be a course of action that could only be taken by the AG, since he it is he and not I who is the requesting authority…… my advice to the AG is that a full extradition request be submitted in accordance with the terms of the treaty and that your client may then be agree to be extradited as soon as possible without challenge.”

According to Phillip Misick, Michael Misick’s London attorneys became “frustrated by the stance of Helen Garlick and came away feeling that it was Helen Garlick who did not want the former Premier to return to the jurisdiction although she was the one who sought his arrest for extradition”.

The former Premier was arrested in the Brazilian capital of Rio de Janeiro by that country’s Federal Police on Friday, December 7th, 2012 while trying to board a domestic flight at the Santos Dumond airport en route to see his Brazilian attorney. He was released on bail in February 2013 but re-arrested in April.

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 Information Technology and Production Manager: Kelano Howell Design by Design2pro.com 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.

Hon. Don-Hue Gardiner is acting Premier

BY VIVIAN TYSON

M

inister of Border Control and Labour Hon. Don-Hue Gardiner is to act as head of the elected government while Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing and his deputy Hon. Akierra Misick leave for the four-day Joint Ministerial Council in the United Kingdom starting Monday (November 25).

Minister of Finance Hon. Washington Misick is also attending the meeting along with His Excellency Governor Peter Beckingham. All the Overseas Territories’ Governors, Premiers or Chief Ministers and their finance ministers are slated to be in attendance.

Premier Ewing told The SUN that in addition to taking over the reins of the country, Gardiner would assume all the responsibilities that come with the Premier’s Office, including Tourism. He said that Minister for Health and Human Services Hon. Porsha Stubbs-Smith is to act as his deputy during the period.

In the meantime, Premier Ewing said

that the overall economy of the Turks and Caicos Islands would be top the agenda, followed by illegal immigration.

High up on the agenda is the status of the economy, jobs and unemployment in the territories, and how to go about addressing them. There are a number of strategies that would be discussed that would be directed at growing the economy, strategies directed at creating jobs,” he said.

He said that the local delegation would be seeking to cash in with the number of investors that are down to attend the event, and to see how many they could lure into making the TCI their next stop.

“There will be a full four day of meetings, discussions and dialogues with our sister Overseas Territories as well as the UK. We will have in-depth discussions with Mister Allan Duncan, who is the minister for the DFID (Department for International Development). The minister of finance and I would be having discussions with him in regards to TCI Fi-

nances, the upcoming budgets and other matters of finances going forward,” Premier Ewing said.

The Premier said that much focus would be on illegal immigration, which is a perennial governmental headache in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

He said that while in the UK, government would be seeking to solicit takeaways from the UK’s Prime Minister’s Office recently-launched Apprenticeship Programme, and how it could positively affect similar social programmes that we have here.

The Turks and Caicos recently launched an apprenticeship programme with the private sector. Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa is the first to jump on board, the government is positive that other private sector entities would follow suit in short order.

“When we come back from the UK we will have additional experience that we can take into developing our policy on apprenticeship, our policy on vocational training and getting those pro-

THE OPPOSITION IS CALLING OUT FOR HELP FOR OUR JUVENILES

O

pposition Leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson said her party, the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) is “deeply disturbed and outraged” at the fact that a child of 11 years has received a sentence requiring detention and has therefore been sent to Her Majesty’s Prison.

In a press statement, she said: “The Opposition has been speaking to the plight of our juveniles and the fact that the system is failing them and are making life all the more difficult for them through the lack of proper housing, lack of education instruction and general Programs to assist them and their parents in their rehabilitation. This 11year old child has joined older juveniles whom he ought not to have contact with but whilst the Prison may be doing its best, it is not the best experience for this child.”

She added: “The sentence of an 11 year old ought to call this country to action. Whilst we appreciate that there is evidence of deviant behavior, this move signals a need for the people of these Islands

to demand that an alternative sentence or arrangement be made for him and other juveniles. We are further asking the people of these Islands to call on the Government to make the Facility to house the juveniles a priority. The idea of a Facility has been tossed about for years and has been seen multiple experiOpposition Leader Hon. ences where residents Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson do not wish to have the facility in their area. I am reminding us all that these are our children and it is up to us collectively as a people to determine whether we want to give them a fair chance in life so that they can be-

Hon. Don-Hue Gardiner grammes implemented.

Following the UK meetings, the finance minister would depart for Brussels, Belgium, along with Deputy Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams and the PS for finance, to meet with the European Union to discuss mostly what areas the ED11 funds would be used.

come productive citizens or whether we wish to have them become greater nuisances to society.

The choice is not theirs entirely or their family’s but it is ours as well.”

The Opposition Leader Government needs to “treat this issue with great priority and the Courts must become more innovative in its sentencing towards our children who are at risk and have run afoul of the Law”.

She added: “ An Appeal will be submitted today on this child’s behalf and we are calling on residents to rally around this family and be prepared to support a Petitioning of the Courts by writing letters and supporting other initiatives. If you wish to email your letter, please do so to juvenilesneedhelp@gmail.com. These letters will be printed and delivered to the Court and the relevant authorities.

Please speak specifically to the plight of the 11 year old child, those being housed now and the need for a Facility.

I am appealing to the Pastors and the Media to please help in this fight. Let us be our children’s voices.”

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

TCIG and European Union sign $15m business friendly model deal

BY VIVIAN TYSON

T

he way has been cleared for the Turks and Caicos Islands to begin raking in a $15million European Union (EU) grant to commence reformation work on its business model, making it more investor friendly.

The agreement was inked between EU Ambassador Her Excellency Paola Amadei and Acting Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams on Thursday (November 21) at the Hilly A. Ewing Building in Providenciales. Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing and Finance Minister Hon. Washington Misick were also in attendance.

The disbursement, which is for budgetary support, comes from EU’s 10th European Development Fund (EDF 10) in three payouts over three years. The initial tranche will be dished out in March 2014, in time for the 2014/2015 budget. Williams said that the first draw down will be $4million.

She said the funds are to be used to change the way government interrelate with the private sector.

Williams said that it was the EU that proposed to fund the reformation of the country’s business model after undertaking a study of the TCI. She said previously the funds were largely used for general budget support, but was later decided that future disbursements be channeled to a particular sector.

“A decision was taken by the presidency of the European Union in 2011/12 that said that going forward the funds have to be sector specific,” she said.

She said that the EU team which visited the TCI and carried out the assessment, met with a number of groups including the then Interim Administration as well as the business community to discuss what the needs of the country and presented its members with several cases such as education and health care.

“They came back and they looked at the economy, they looked at where our main drivers were in the economy. And they looked at what they previously done in Turks and Caicos. They came back and said, ‘we have funded improvements in the health sector, because also the Basic Needs Trust Fund,’ which funded the Middle Caicos Clinic and other projects.

“They said ‘You have the CDB that’s funded other areas’; they said ‘You have these projects that are

EU Ambassador Her Excellency Paola Amadei signs the document granting the TCI $15million to making it more business-friendly. Deputy Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams (right) also signed the document. Sharing in the occasion is Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing (left). funded projects in education’, why not allow us to help you to fund some of your government expenditure; something that can be used to re-stabilize and transform your economy’,” Williams said.

Echoing Williams’ sentiments, Amadei said that after studying what would be the best option, the EU concurred that a programme that would transform the local business sector and by extension the economy would be the best option.

For his part, Premier Hon. Rufus Ewing assured the public that the reformation of the current business climate does not mean Turks and Caicos Islanders would be denied certain reserved rights that they currently enjoy.

“As you know, there are many individuals who are concerned that there will be a total eradication of the reserved category of business licenses. That is not the intention. Government will review and look at transformation strategy to improve the efficiency of doing business in the Turks and Caicos. We have a lot of opportunities to look at our business license categories and to maintain the reserved categories.

And I am sure that is the manner in which the Ministry of Finance will be looking at this,” Ewing said.

Ewing said also that the EU had some concerns

regarding utterances made by part of the local political directorate and sections of the public, which he said needed to be cleared up too.

In the meantime, Finance Minister Misick said that the funds would go a long way in reshaping the country’s business model to put it on par with the best in the world, and which investors would find attractive.

“I think we need some transformation in light of what is happening in the world today. The last issue of the World Bank report on doing business shows tremendous improvements in most countries. There is no country in the Caribbean that comes within the first 50 on that list. Because we are not a member of the World Bank, we may not actually be listed. But certainly it is our intention that when people think of a place to invest, we want them to think of Turks and Caicos because of our ability and our smart regulations,” Misick said.

The EU has three grant-funded programmes for the TCI. They are the $6million Hurricane Ike Rehabilitation Project, to reconstruct or repair homes destroyed by the 2008 hurricane on Grand Turk and South Caicos. The other two are the Protected Areas Project and the EDF.

Update from the November 20th Cabinet Meeting

H

is Excellency the Governor, Peter Beckingham, chaired the 25th meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday November 20th 2013 at the Hilly Ewing Building, Providenciales.

All Ministers were present. At this meeting Cabinet: * Received a briefing from the Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, and Library Services on work being undertaken by the Ministry to prepare a 5 year Strategic Education Plan. The briefing set out the preliminary findings of a review of existing education plans and policies. The review, undertaken with the support of UNICEF, has identified a number of strategic priorities and initiatives including provision of school places, leadership and management, teachers professional development, curriculum development, technical and vocational education and tertiary and continuing education. Cabinet welcomed the report; * Approved a request from the Minister of Finance, Trade and Investment for a supplementary

appropriation for the financial year 2013/14 and agreed that a draft supplementary appropriation bill proceed to the House of Assembly for endorsement in accordance with section 25 of the Public Financial Management (PFM) Ordinance 2012; * Approved a request from the Acting Attorney General, Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs and the Planning Department on maintenance dredging of existing navigational channels located in the National Parks, and approved an amendment to Regulation 1(d) of the National Parks Regulations to permit applications to be made for maintenance dredging of such existing navigational channels which are already in use in a National Park; * Approved a recommendation from the Minister of Health and Human Services and the Minister of Finance to develop a process to merge the compliance and collection functions of NHIP and NIB into one entity as set out in the Bethel Feasibility Study Report. This action

is necessary to increase compliance and improve the efficiency of collections; * Approved a request from the Minister of Finance, Trade and Investment to abandon the interest payment of a Government charge on a portion of the land on which the Shore Club development is to be constructed and that the matter proceed to the House of Assembly for endorsement in accordance with Section 62 of the Public Finance Management Ordinance 2012; * Received a report from the Premier and Minister of Tourism on tourism diversification and integration along tourism development corridors. Cabinet approved a Tourism Policy Strategy to promote intra-island and intra-regional travel of tourists visiting the TCI as a strategy to enhance visitor experience and agreed that the Tourist Board commence discussions with airlines servicing the region and our neighbouring countries to develop multi-destination packages, thus enabling tourists in Cuba, Haiti,

Dominican Republic and the Bahamas to visit TCI on day trips or overnight stays; * Agreed that a ‘FATCA’ style Intergovernmental Agreement should be signed on behalf of the Turks and Caicos Islands at the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) meeting set for London, UK from 24th November 2013, subject to final review by the Tax Information Exchange Committee.

The following Ministers will be out of the country on official business: Hon. Amanda Missick Nov 29 – Dec 3 (Premier acting) Min for Finance – Nov 23 – Dec 7 – (Hon. Gardiner Acting) Hon. Porsha StubbsSmith Nov 21 – 22, (Premier acting) During the absence of the Premier, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance while they are in the UK to attend the JMC in London (Nov 2329), Hon. Gardiner will be Acting Premier.

Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.

TECHNICAL ISSUES HALT PRODUCTION OF TCI PASSPORTS

T

he Ministry of Border Control and Labour has advised that it is currently experiencing technical difficulties and is therefore unable to produce Turks and Caicos Islands Passports at this time.

The Ministry is working with the Government’s Central Information Technology Unit and is currently in communication with the providers of the software used in the processing of the passports. The authorities hope that the issues will be resolved in time for a resumption of production early next week.

The Ministry is therefore urging anyone who MUST travel for emergency medical reasons to contact the registrar general at this time to contact the Registrar General on 946801-9 for further information.

The Ministry of Border Control and Labour is apologising to the public for any inconvenience this may have caused.

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NOVEMBER 23RD - NOVEMBER 30TH, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

PDM gives PNP a failing grade for everything but taxes and overseas travel T

he Progressive National Party Government, led by Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing, has been given a failing grade for its first year in office.

The assessment came from Opposition Leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson, who said the only two things she would give the PNP a passing grade for, would be overseas travel and introducing taxes.

Speaking during a media conference at the PDM’s headquarters in Downtown Providenciales on Monday November 18th, the Opposition Leader said that many persons other than members of her party were dissatisfied with the performance of the PNP. She also accused the Dr. Rufus Ewing Administration of stealing her party’s manifesto ideas but lacked the know-how to implement them.

She said that long before the elections, the PNP knew what the issues were and should have been crafting ideas on how to fix them as soon as they get in instead of making excuses that their hands are tied by the new Constitution.

“They don’t know that they are doing. They simply don’t know what they are doing. They stole the ‘Blue Print’ (PDM manifesto) and don’t know how to put it in effect. At the end of the day we all campaign on the same issues. The issues were screaming out.

“As long as you walked the streets of the Turks and Caicos and talking to the people, you knew what the is-

I go to work that I don’t have to work two hours to buy a box of cereal; that when I go to Fortis I have to say please don’t cut me off because I have a balance. These are the things that people care about. People care whether I can feed my children, whether I can buy the medication, or whether I can buy the food to take the medication so I can avoid the stroke.”

In the meantime, the government has earned seven “Fs” from the opposition for failing in a number of areas. The opposition leader said that government has failed in all areas of governance, including infrastructural development, legislation and policy, job creation and the economy, youth and education, health care and the environment.

Opposition PDM Leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson She said that government has fallen short sues were. And the solutions were in the area of infrastructural develobvious. But at the end of the day I opment because it failed to address just don’t think the PNP has a plan or the problems of poor conditions and don’t know how to carry it out. They drainage. In the area of legislation, simply don’t know what to do,” she the PDM said that the administration dropped the ball on addressing the said.

The Opposition Leader added: constitution and has provided no leg“The people want to know that when islative agenda.

In the area of job creation and the economy, the opposition said that after one year, high unemployment still exist, and there had been no aggressive plan to market the country’s tourism or investment, plus it sees no immediate project in sight.

In the area of youth and education, the opposition leader blasted the government for not addressing the chronic school overcrowding and violence. Cartwright-Robinson said also that the administration failed to address the deplorable condition of some schools.

She also rapped government for providing just nine full scholarships this academic year and 17 partial scholarships, adding that the administration has failed to provide funding for sports and culture, while cancelling the cadet corp.

In the area of health care, Cartwright-Robinson concluded that government has failed to complete audits and review of the NHIP hospitals. She said unemployed persons are still without coverage, while persons under 18 years still require paying.

The PDM opposition also marked down the government on the way it handles the environment, stating that it has refused to address the issues of coal-burning and threat to marine life existence.

However, the opposition gives government high-flying passing grades for tax increases and ministers’ travel overseas.

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Annual General Meeting 1. Welcome 2. Apologies for absence 3. Minutes of the last AGM 4. Report on the Branch's activities 5. Financial report on audited accounts for 2011& 2012 6. Plans for 2014 7. Any Other Business 8. Close

Attendance The meeting is open to all TCI RC members. Please note that at least 10% of TCI RC membership is required for the meeting to proceed.

Venue and time:

Meeting will take place in Providenciales on 7th December 2013, at the Thrift Store/Of ice at 6.30 pm Meeting will take place in Grand Turk on 7th December 2013, at the Museum Meeting Room at 10.00 am.

RC membership is required for the meeting to proceed.

Apologies to Provo of ice (redcrossprovo@tciway.tc) and Grand Turk of ice (TCIredcross@tciway.tc)

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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NOVEMBER 23RD - NOVEMBER 30TH, 2013

LOCAL NEWS AIR TURKS AND CAICOS CHANGES ITS NAME TO INTERCARIBBEAN AIRWAYS

BY VIVIAN TYSON

A

ir Turks and Caicos Air Turks and Caicos is to undergo a multi-million dollar rebranding and expansion exercise that will not only see it venturing further in the western Caribbean but also creating dozens more jobs mainly in the TCI. InterCaribbean Airways will be the new name after the rebranding exercise is completed within the next four months. The expansion in flights should create connectivity beyond the six cities that Air Turks and Caicos Airlines now services, which are Kingston, Jamaica; Nassau, Bahamas; Puerto Plata and Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic; and Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien, Haiti. It also has connecting flights from Bahamas to Jamaica.

The new routes will open up new routes in some of the countries that Air Turks and Caicos now flies, while expanding in other countries such as Puerto Rico.

Air Turks and Caicos will flights between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

CEO for InterCaribbean Airlines Trevor Saddler said that the expansion is basically to provide greater connectivity within the Caribbean. He said by doing so, the airline company not only increases the number of flying outside of the Turks and Caicos Islands but ultimately increases incoming airlift.

“Flights which are now going into Kingston, Jamaica; those same flights will continue on into Montego Bay. We will be the first non-Jamaican flight in history to operate domestic flight within Jamaica. We will continue our flights from Jamaica going into Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic.

“Those same flights that will come out of Santa Domingo or Kingston will con-

Lyndon Gardiner (right) Chairman for Air Turks and Caicos and Trevor Saddler, CEO of Inter-Caribbean Airlines display brand new logos of what the branding would look like tinue onto to Providenciales, and then we would launch air service into Puerto Rico. From that we also connect two more points into the Dominican Republic. We also add services from the Dominican Republic into Haiti,” Saddler said.

Saddler added that with the expansion into new routes, the hassle of flying will drastically reduced from possibly days to mere hours “From a business person’s point of view, the idea that we can go out and meet somebody by getting there in one or two hours instead perhaps one of two days to make a connection, suddenly the dynamics begin to change,” he said.

Saddler said that the expansion should bring more tourists to our shores.

“By going off shore, first we actually bring an increase in air service back to the Turks and Caicos Islands. We bring connectivity that would otherwise not exist, so somebody flies from London on British Airways, for example, into Kingston (Jamaica), now has connective opportunities that work, to come to Providenciales. “similarly, if you look at any airline that operates today into the Turks and Ca-

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icos Islands you would find those same airlines operating into so many of the other islands in which we operate, and the traveler can now decide ‘I will make my vacation into two destinations’,” Saddler said.

For his part, Lyndon Gardiner, Chairman for Air Turks and Caicos, while not disclosing financial specifics, said that the rebranding undertaking would cost “tens of millions of dollars”.

Gardiner said that Air Turks and Caicos Islands’ staff complement system-wide is 286, and that as the rebranding exercise takes effect, another 20 percent employment should be added across departments over two years.

“Our staff will definitely increase in the Turks and Caicos and in other destinations that we fly. As you know, we are the second largest private employer in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and we are looking to continue to build on that.

And since our main base is going to

be in the Turks and Caicos, what is going to be important is that we are going to be creating technical jobs and we are also going to be training pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, and system operations people. So there is going to be a constant need for good skills. And there are opportunities for the people in the Turks and Caicos as we continue to grow,” Gardiner said.

Gardiner, in the meantime, said that Air Turks and Caicos has evolved in a solid entity over the 20 years it has been in operation.

“We have evolved over the past 20 we have been in the business. We started off as Inter-Island Airways with charters throughout the Caribbean. About 10 days ago, we have changed our name to become Air Turks and Caicos, and as we expand our horizon beyond the Turks and Caicos we thought it was only fitting that we change our name to Inter-Caribbean,” Gardiner said.

Annual General Meeting 1. Welcome 2. Apologies for absence 3. Minutes of the last AGM 4. Report on the Branch's activities 5. Financial report on audited accounts for 2011& 2012 6. Plans for 2014 7. Any Other Business 8. Close

Attendance The meeting is open to all TCI RC members. Please note that at least 10% of TCI RC membership is required for the meeting to proceed.

Venue and time:

Meeting will take place in Providenciales on 7th December 2013, at the Thrift Store/Of ice at 6.30 pm Meeting will take place in Grand Turk on 7th December 2013, at the Museum Meeting Room at 10.00 am.

RC membership is required for the meeting to proceed.

Apologies to Provo of ice (redcrossprovo@tciway.tc) and Grand Turk of ice (TCIredcross@tciway.tc)

A Dinamic Mobile Service provider seeks to recruit for the following post: Job Title: Chief Financial Officer | Type: Permanent | Location: Digicel TCI, Graceway House Leeward Highway, Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands

RESPONSIBILITY: ● Manage the financial resources of the company and conduct resource planning for future needs. ● The strategic planning of an organization. ● Monitors the preparation of the financial budget for submission to the Senior Management team and Board of Directors ● Supervises business performance and takes steps to improve the performance of the organization. ● Responsible for account monitoring and control of all the departments of the organization. ● Prepares and supervises the financial reports in discussion with other departments in the company, and presents to Senior Management Team/Board of Directors ● Assist in the analysis and development of new pricing structures and promotions. ● Management of all Balance sheet accounts, ensuring timely completion of reconciliations and clearance of reconciling items. ● Input in preparing annual accounting files for auditors and draft statutory accounts. ● Ensure that company's policy regarding procurement and expenditure is observed and that the requisite approvals are obtained before disbursement of funds.

ACADEMIC QULIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE: ● Qualified CIA,ACCA,CMA or CPA ● Experience in finance, accounting, budgeting, forecasting, reporting and cost control principles including International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) ● At least five years of financial experience and management experience with the day –to-day financial operations in an organization. ● Telecoms experience an advantage REQUIRED SKILLS AND SPECIALIZED TECHNIQUES: ● Knowledge of finance, accounting, budgeting, and cost control principles ● Knowledge of automated financial and accounting software applications ● Ability to analyze financial data and prepare financial reports, statements and projections. ● Working knowledge of short and long term budgeting and forecasting, rolling budgets, and product-line profitability analysis ● Professional written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills ● Leadership skills and ability to motivate team to produce quality output and meet tight deadlines while keeping routine tasks up-to-date ● Willingness to work flexible hours ● Willingness to travel to Board meetings Interested Applicants should forward their resumes to hrtci@digicelgroup.com

Page 10

NOVEMBER 23RD - NOVEMBER 30TH, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Government searches of econometrics expert

BY VIVIAN TYSON

G

overnment is on the prowl in search of an economist skilled in econometrics to assist the administration in seamlessly dissect and analyze before implementing recommendations by the blue ribbon commission on taxes.

Minister of Finance Hon. Washington Misick, made the revelation while responding to journalists’ questions at government’s post cabinet news briefing in Providenciales on Thursday (November 14).

He said that the blue ribbon commission did not have the time or the resources to conduct deeper study of the modeling of its recommendations to arrive at how those proposals could be applied successfully. And so someone skilled in econometrics would be needed.

Experts classified econometrics as the application of statistical and mathematical theories to economics for the purpose of testing hypotheses and forecasting future trends. They say econometrics takes economic models and tests them through statistical trials. The results are then compared and contrasted against real-life examples.

But the minister said that the blue ribbon commission does not have such expertise, forcing government to go on the hunt for such skilled professional.

“The blue ribbon commission didn’t have the time or the resources to do indepth modeling of the various options that were put on the table. We did have a tax consultant, but I believe what is

required is an economist who is skilled in econometrics in order to do the mapping of financial modeling of any decision that we may want to make of each option, so we can see what are the benefits and what are the costs.

“It’s somewhat of a cost benefit analysis based on the overall amount of revenue that the chosen option would actually lift into government coffers. So that is what I mean by lack of resources. So the blue ribbon life will be extended in one form or another in order to complete the exercise,” the finance minister said.

The lack of an econometrics expert and other variables could delay the document’s public consultation, Misick said, adding that any decisions especially, on tax implementation, would likely be made after the budget, since the administration wants to analyze it carefully before implementation.

“It is unlikely to happen before the beginning of January because any broad based revenue measure that we decide upon would probably not be introduced in April, maybe later down in the year. We have some time and it is not something that we really want to rush through,” the finance minister said.

He added: “We are looking to get some technical help for that at the moment, and that’s again, may be one of the reasons why it may have to be delayed. Because when we go to the public we want to do so with our math right. We want to say this is what the result of our modeling shows for different options, so we can intelligently engage the public.

LIME TO SHARE CHEER WITH CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN

C

“We know on the concrete basis, based on the current activity in the economy, what the potential result of each one of our decisions would be.

And that would be based on scientific or mathematical calculation, so we are not stabbing in the dark.”

In the meantime, Misick said that government has rejected some of the recommendations made by the commission, hinting that the administration believes that some of its recommendations were not in the public’s interest.

“The blue ribbon report was presented to us, and cabinet has decided that there are certain issues that we have accepted and some we will not.

Before we go to the public we need to identify the specific measures that we believe will be in the best interest of the community. We will have a discussion about the good, the bad and the ugly, so that the public is fully informed as to what the options are,” the minister said.

Government set up the blue ribbon commission to arrive at a broad-based tax structure that would be spread equally among taxpayers. The regime, according to government, aims to eliminate some of the existing taxes, while lessening the burden on especially the average man.

Experts, in the meantime, explain that econometrics can be subdivided into two major categories - theoretical and applied. The hypothesis that as a person’s income increases, spending increases, is a real-life example of econometrics, some economists argue.

ustomers will be able to own one of the latest smartphones without breaking the bank as telecommunications company LIME launches its “Share The Cheer” campaign to kick off the holiday shopping season.

Beginning, Friday, November 15, customers will have the opportunity to get a new handset, from a choice including the iPhone 5S, BlackBerry 9720 and the Alcatel T POP. Additionally, the Share The Cheer campaign gives new customers double data for up to six months* when they sign up for a mobile data plan.

Rachel Harvey, Marketing Manager, explained that the Share the Cheer campaign also includes opportunities for existing LIME mobile customers.

“Every time a customer tops up or pays their postpaid bill in full and on time, they are entered to win weekly prizes including 7-inch Samsung Galaxy tablets. On top of that, as a gift to our existing mobile data customers, we are giving them double data on their plan until the end of this year,” Rachel said.

“This is a fantastic offer for the holiday season. LIME is making it more affordable for customers to get the latest handsets and with our flexible mobile plan programme called My Plan, customers can design a plan which best suits their lifestyle needs. Customers also have access to make their selection and purchase online through our revamped website lime.com which is also being unveiled as part of this campaign.”

Rachel Harvey also noted that there is an aspect of the promotion which focuses on giving back to the community.

TCI LOTTO GAMES LTD

IS HIRING AN ASSISTANT MANAGER ‘REPORTING DIRECTLY NTO TE DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Overseas ALL of the day- to- day managerial functions maintain the integrity of the online gaming system ; assure compliance of the rules and regulations of the government, he company and the industry; prepares budgets-operating, marketing and special projects; ensure adequate staffing- hire, train, evaluate and discipline; procure and ensure adequate inventory of operating supplies; identify and coordinate employees’/ customers’/ third parties’/ suppliers’ and vendors’ special events; project manager of special projects; interface with external forces on behalf of the directors; coordinate and provide the company’s directors with operational reports TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES x Online Gaming System Management x In-depth understanding of the Gaming Industry x Ability to develop and implement budgets x Ability to make crucial/good business decisions x Strong understanding of Human Resources Management x Strong understanding of Third Parties Relationships x Strong understanding of Customers Service Satisfaction x Result Driven- Ability o prioritize and complete multiple tasks within specified x Excellent communication skills; written and verbal x Excellence interpersonal skills x Problem Solver ( Conflict resolution management) QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE x Proficient knowledge of the FML Group of Companies’ Online Operating System; or a ‘ comparable’ Online Gaming Operating System x At least eight(8) to ten (10) years experience in Business Management with particular focus on : - Development and implementation of budgets - Coordination and preparation of Reports - Employees Management ( not less a team of (ten) 10 persons) - Conflict Resolution Management PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES x An unblemished character ( substantiated by at least three verifiable references) x A professional demeanor with a pleasant personality x Self motivated and adherent to timelines x Respect for authorities, peers and subordinates All Applications should be addressed to: The Manager Director Harbour House Gran d Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands Email Address: namesakealt@hotail.com Telephone Number (649) 331-5691

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 11

NOVEMBER 23RD - NOVEMBER 30TH, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

TCI has highest cost of living in the region, says former Chief Minister Derek Taylor

BY VIVIAN TYSON

F

ormer chief minister and current AtLarge opposition Member of Parliament Hon. Derek Taylor said that since the PNP Government has come to power a year ago, the cost of living in the Turks and Caicos is higher than any other country in the region.

Speaking with The SUN shortly after his party staged a news conference to reveal their grading of the Dr. Rufus Ewing Administration’s first year in office, Taylor bashed especially Finance Minister Hon. Washington Misick for his tax regime.

Taylor said that the taxation imposed by the government has made life much difficult for Turks and Caicos Islands.

“I wonder how some of our people actually survived because at the end of the day the cost of living in the Turks and Caicos Islands is higher than any other country in the region. We use the US dollar as the legal tender; by the time goods reach our shores they (prices) are doubled. And the increase that we have and customs and stevedoring and transportation makes the prices even higher,” Taylor said.

He said the government tax regime is not a recipe for attracting new investment.

Taylor advised that now is a critical time to engage the British Government on an affable level to seek assistance with the TCI’s economic situation rather than being toxic with them.

“Rather than having confrontation with the British Government we need

Derek Taylor to engage them. We need to let them see exactly what is happening in Turks and Caicos in order that we can move forward. So we call on the minister of finance to stop talking about tough times call for tough decision. And when you talk about tough decision; tough decisions against whom and for whom?

“I am saying that enough is enough; one year is finished, and they need to really get down and support the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands that brought them into office,” he said.

Taylor also lashed out at the finance minister for chairing the blue ribbon commission, which he establishing. He said that the minister is reporting to himself by inserting himself as the chair of the committee.

“The minister has appointed a committee, referred to as the blue ribbon committee, but you would never have a committee if the minister chairing is to report to himself. So what we are having is a minister controlling a committee to report to himself. It is more like a yellow ribbon committee than a blue ribbon committee,” Taylor said.

In the meantime, Taylor said that government does not have to look to a blue ribbon commission to figure out from which areas taxes could he collected to support government’s revenue intake without affecting the populace.

“There are other areas of alternative taxes that would not affect the residents and citizens of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The government has not made any move in that direction. He said that greater emphasis on the country’s philatelic and ship registration could rake much-needed cash in government’s coffers, in addition to raising the country’s profile overseas.

“When you look at philatelic and so on, not only that we receive revenue but we receive promotion because the former companies that we dealt with, even foreign agents. You have an opportunity to promote Turks and Caicos Islands for our coins and for our stamps and deal with world events.

“You have a situation where revenue that used to be achieved in the past is not there again, and the government had a year in order to deal with that. I am positive that we would have found alternative ways of raising revenue rather than increasing taxes on the heads of our people,” Taylor said.

DELTA EXPANDS SERVICE TO TURKS AND CAICOS

T

he Turks and Caicos Islands is set to become more accessible and more affordable as Delta Air Lines recently announced plans to increase its services to the Providenciales International Airport (PLS) from Boston. Effective March 8, 2014 Delta will commence a new Saturday-only flight from Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York, using an Airbus 320.

“We continue to see a growing demand in Boston and increased flights next year will give our customers more direct service at more convenient times,” Bob Cortelyou, Delta’s SVP to Network Planning, says in a press statement.“Boston is a key domestic city in our network, and we are committed to providing service that continues to keep us the preferred airline of our customers.”

With a $10 million expansion to the Providenciales International Airport terminal building now well underway and on target to be completed in late 2014, Delta’s announcement comes as much welcomed news for tourism stakeholders, as it signifies market growth.

“While many airlines are decreasing services, we are pleased that Delta acknowledges Turks and Caicos as the foremost destination in the Caribbean,” said Ralph Higgs, Director of Tourism. “The additional airlift from Boston will undoubtedly make the Turks and Caicos more attractive to potential vacationers traveling from the eastern seaboard of the United States or connecting through these gateways; a sign of great things for the future of our tourism market.”

Delta currently operates daily non-stop service from Atlanta to Providenciales. Delta’s new Boston service will offer customers the option of First Class, Economy Comfort or Economy seating, along with in-flight Wi-Fi. Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands and Minister of Tourism, Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing commented, “The addition of the new flights from these major gateways further underscores the appeal of our islands to the traveling public and the confidence our airline partners have in us as a destination. I wish Team Turks and Caicos, including the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board, the Turks and Caicos Airports Authority, the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association, along with Delta Air Lines every success in this new endeavor.”

Page 12

NOVEMBER 23RD - NOVEMBER 30TH, 2013

LOCAL NEWS Taxi driver calls for reversal of Beaches/Provo Taxi guest/drop-off deal

BY VIVIAN TYSON

A

t least another taxi driver is blasting the arrangement between Beaches Resort & Spa and a group called Provo Taxi, describing the deal highly prejudicial, unfair and illegal.

Solomon Belizaire, one of the scores of taxi drivers operating from the Providenciales International Airport to the various resorts across Providenciales said that he is one of the many drivers who have been barred from making departure and other pickups at the all-inclusive resort, as a result of the deal between the sub taxi group.

“Now if a taxi driver is not a part of that specific group they cannot enter Beaches and pick guests up to carry to the airport also known as ‘departures’,” Belazaire said.

He said that an average 400 guests depart Beaches Resort on a daily basis, and considering the number of taxis on the line, it is unfair for only a handful getting all the departures, adding that majority taxi drivers make a living from that resort.

“There is enough work for every taxi driver who so wish to provide their service to Beaches to work. Why is it that all taxi drivers can drop

arrivals, selected few can do small runs and only Provo Taxi can do departures?

Why allow few to commit gluttony while many starve?

Why not leave it opened like it was?” Belazaire queried.

Belazaire also branded his Provo Taxi colleagues as being highly prejudicial and discriminatory.

“They strongly discriminate against others with different national backgrounds - mainly Haitians and Jamaicans. How ironic that Beaches is a Jamaican based establishment (and) drivers with different national backgrounds are not allowed to be part of that group. The level of prejudice in that group is overwhelming,” he said.

Being of Haitian background, Belazaire said that it is quite the norm for local taxi drivers to spew hateful and disparaging remarks against other nationalities operating as taxi drivers.

“This is the core of that group, even against their own they discriminate, native or not if they don’t like a taxi driver that individual cannot and will not be allowed to be part of them,” he said.

He added: “Having a contract with a small group of taxis whether verbal or written is wrong and is against the Road Traffic Ordinance of

the Islands according to CAP .13.17. Beaches and Provo Taxi are in an illegal contract.”

“The Government gave taxi drivers a raise after nearly 15 years and Provo Taxi went and undermined the government by offering to lower the fare to Beaches, just so they can have the departures to themselves. Not caring about the many other drivers that make a living in Beaches.”

He said that since there are enough taxis to transport guests there is no reason for a contract between taxi drivers and resorts, noting that past events of bad behavior of certain taxi driver should not be an excuse by the resort.

“If they were having problems with certain taxi drivers, all they had to do is make the rules and consequences stricter. They have a system whereas if a driver commits an offense or breach the rules of their premises the driver would get suspended for period of time.

“They didn’t have to cut off 90% of taxi drivers from making a living, even the head of the group that they have the contract with was once suspended from their premises for a period of time. So for Beaches to say that’s a factor is just bogus,” Belazaire charged.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

CIVIL SERVANTS BENEFIT FROM NEW DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

T

he first group of civil servants completed the Turks and Caicos Islands Government’s (TCIG) new management development programme called ‘the 21st Century Manager’ on Thursday, 14 November 2013.

The programme is designed to help build critical management competencies amongst staff that are focused on improving the performance of those persons and through them, and over time, the entire TCI civil service.

The initial group consisted of Deputy Secretaries and Heads of Department, and so important is it to the future of TCIG, attendance is compulsory for all course segments. Twenty one people from Providenciales and Grand Turk completed their courses last week.

A second group has now completed their pre course work and begins the course properly tomorrow, Tuesday 19 November 2013, with the course running over several days until mid-December. They will cover: · Day 1 (19 Nov) - Managing Self · Day 2 (26 Nov) - Managing People · Day 3 (03 Dec) - Managing Employee Learning and Service Performance · Day 4 (10 Dec) - Managing Organizational Change Learning is structured along the lines of behavioural science and cutting-edge management principles. There was a half-day pre-course session on personality preferences, followed by a four-day course over four weeks led by TCIG’s Human Resources Manager, Christine Ramoutar and Human Resource Advisor Wendy Raikes.

“Management development is essential to take the TCI Government forward to achieve our vision and mission,” said the Hon Anya Williams, Deputy Governor and Head of the TCI Civil Service. “I want the management team to fully engage in this important opportunity to improve their management skills which in turn, will help shape us to be a forward-thinking, responsive and effective Public Service. The Programme goal is to build critical management competencies that relate to enhanced organisational performance.”

Applications are invited for teaching positions

Preschool Teachers RESPONSIBILITIES The Preschool Teachers will be responsible for teaching the Abeka program to young children.

DUTIES Design educational programs for students based on their needs.

KNOWLEDGE The incumbent must have proficient knowledge in the following areas: • Child development and early education theories and practices • Safe and appropriate activities for children • Ensure that children are supervised and safe at all times

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: The incumbent should attain the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for the position through completion of an Early Childhood Education Program combined with related day care and/or preschool teacher’s diploma experience or its equivalent.

Interested applicants please contact Tumble Totz at 649-339-5878 or email resume to tumbletotz@gmail.com

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 13

NOVEMBER 23RD - NOVEMBER 30TH, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

Scotiabank TCI lowers loan rates in one week sales blitz S

cotiabank Turks and Caicos will be lowering its loan rates for mortgages, motor vehicles, land purchases and personal lending products for a one week period – starting November 25th to 29th, 2013.

The bank will be launching a huge sales promotion as it offers customers a one-time chance to benefit from lowered rates during the upcoming holiday period.

Cecil Arnold, managing director of Scotiabank Turks and Caicos, said: “We know this is a period where customers are looking to make acquisitions and there is increased spend and commercial activity. With our lowered rates, Scotiabank customers will be able to secure attractive discounts through affordable percentages which will be continue to benefit them for life of their loans. This can translate into huge savings and cash back to their pockets which is meaningful for everyone. This is how we want to position our bank, as flexible and responsive to our customers’ needs.”

The promotion which has been branded as the “The Scotiabank Salea-thon,” will see the bank amassing its sales forces in all three branch locations in Providenciales and Grand Turk to offer huge reductions for all loan products including its flagship services of - mortgages and auto loans.

Mortgages will take centre stage on Tuesday November 26, where customers will see real estate dealers and quantity surveyors in the branch. Customers will have a one stop chance to

Cecil Arnold, CEO and Country Manager of Scotiabank Turks and Caicos Islands

Esther Scotland, Branch Manager of Scotiabank Turks and Caicos Islands

make acquisitions for existing homes, lot loans or renovations – all at lowered interest rates and discounts on booking and commitment fees. First time homeowners will also be offered special discounts.

Meanwhile, persons looking to acquire motor vehicle will benefit from lowered rates all week, with special focus on Thursday, November 28. The Bank will be inviting major dealers to showcase new models and offer test drives to prospective customers.

“New 2013 and 2014 models will be on display and this is the time of year we know persons are looking to change out their existing cars and make new purchases to upgrade – and this is an ideal opportunity to do this and see huge savings, explained Esther Scotland – branch manager for Scotia Centre, the Bank’s main office on Cherokee Road.

Other products which will see reduced loan rates are personal loans, through ScotiaLine and ScotiaLine Gold lines of credit offered to qualified customers. These are great for persons taking vacations, or making other personal purchases.

Ms. Scotland further added: “Last year we initiated the sale as part of our 30th anniversary and we got a great response from customers who indicated that these were real savings that materialized into something great for them and so we want to offer it to the public once again. We are taking it further to creative a festive environment around the sales week, by hosting an outdoor bar-b-que with music and entertainment. This is part of our giving back to our customers to express our gratitude for their loyal support all year, explained Miss Scotland.”

PATENT FIGHT OVER HATS WITH FAKE BEARDS

A

LEXANDRIA, Va. - A Caribbean company called Beardo sued three competitors, claiming they swiped its patented “innovative design” for hats with fake beards.

Beardo, through its parent company Stat Ltd., sued Beard Head and Bearded Apparel, both of California, and Neon Eaters, of Utah, in Federal Court.

Beardo claims its rivals infringed on it patented “combined ski facemask and hat.”

Beardo, of the Turks & Caicos Islands, claims its beard hats “have received significant national and international publicity” through national publications and TV shows.

“Beardo’s design is inherently distinctive, or alternatively, has acquired secondary meaning,” the complaint states. “The famousness and popularity of Beardo’s design is reflected in the significant efforts Beardo (and/or its owner) have taken to publicize its products, in its significant publicity Beardo’s design has received, and by its significant popularity amongst consumers of combined ski facemasks and hats.

“For instance, Beardo has, as of November 13, 2013, approximately 165,737 ‘likes’ on its Facebook page. Conversely, defendant Beard Head has approximately 15,869 ‘likes’ and defendant Neon Eaters has approximately 350 ‘likes.’” (Citations to Facebook pages omitted.)

Social media statistics aside, Beardo says, it has patents for its beard hats in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and Beard Head’s products - distinguished by “Stubble,” “Short,” and “Long” infringe on those patents.

The 21-page complaint includes side-byside illustrations of Beardo’s beard hat and the hats made by Beard Head and by Neon Eaters.

Neon Eater’s hat is called the “Lumberjack,” and comes with a removable beard that can be interchanged with its “Santa” beard.

Also sued is David Stankunas, a Los Angeles man who owns Bearded Apparel and Beard Head.

Beardo wants Stankunas and the fake beard companies to pay it compensatory and punitive damages to be determined at trial, for trademark and patent infringement.

Beardo is represented by Daniel Ward, with Ward & Ward in Washington, D.C.

If so, we would like to speak with you about joining our dynamic team in the capacity of:

General Manager – Turks and Caicos We are looking for an accomplished experienced executive with an acknowledged and proven track record of having successfully directed, developed, and managed within the telecommunications industry with a focus on the fast growing mobile business in the Caribbean and who has a strong sales and marketing focus.

As General Manager of our Turks and Caicos Business Unit you will have responsibility for: • • • • •

All relevant activities in growing the company across all lines of business – mobile, landline, internet and entertainment.

The recruitment, development, and growth of the team members across all commercial lines.

The effective use of robust management tools, metrics and reporting structures to measure and ensure performance.

The delivery of monthly; quarterly; semi annually; and annual revenue and performance targets.

Participating in cross-functional meetings and implementation of tactical and strategic initiatives.

Minimum Experience and Qualifications: The successful candidate will have: • Worked previously as a Senior Manager in a telecommunications company with a bias towards Sales and Marketing.

• A Minimum of five years proven experience working in the Telecommunications and Technology arena • Proven track record in managing and motivating teams.

• Have a track record of success in driving profits, and in building and developing high performing teams.

• Educated up to degree standard. Strong people management skills.

• Can demonstrate experience of driving and managing change within a fast-paced, operational environment.

To explore this exciting career opportunity please send your application and resume no later than December 3rd, 2013 to recruit@lime.com or fax to 1 (876) 920-9336

Page 14

NOVEMBER 23RD - NOVEMBER 30TH, 2013

WANTED

THE CHANGING OF THE GUARDS

1

LABOURER To work 6 days per week Mon-Sat Salary $5.50 per hour Must be hardworking and reliable

Interested person should contact 946-4701

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

BY ROYAL S. ROBINSON

A

s we look around Turks and Caicos Islands, in the last few months, there has been a “Changing of the Guards” so to speak! A number of changes have been made that are just not cosmetic. Let us start from the top.

We have a new Governor in place, H.E. Peter Beckingham. From all of the reports so far, as well as his actions, there is a pronounced sea change from the type of stances of the two other residents of Waterloo, Grand Turk. This Governor seems to be operation on the premise that you can walk or speak softly, while still carrying a big stick. There has not been any Constitutional change

TAYLOR’S VARIETY STORE

S

E

E

K

S

8 DOMESTIC WORKERS Must work on holidays and weekends Salary $5.50 per hour

6 SALES CLERKS Salary $6.50 per hour

6 LABOURERS Salary $6.50 per hour

1 COOK Salary $5.50 per hour

1 SALES MANAGER Salary $8.00 per hour

Contact 649-232-1199 or 441-0225

DESIGN/BUILD INT LTD Is looking for: A Labourer The successful applicant must have: Good command of English, wri en and verbal knowledge of construc on equipment clean police record must be punctual Salary $5.00 per hour

Please send or fax a hand wri en applica on to:

P.O Box 325 Providenciales Fax: 946-4129

ALL ABOUT YOU BEAUTY SUPPLIES

SEEKS

1 Cosmetologist Salary $5.50 per hour

Contact 231-3892

between the last two Governors, but it is quite evident that their persona is as different as the East is from the West. That is not to say, that he does not come with marching orders and an agenda to carry out.

However, from all indications, he is prepared and has stated that he is prepared to allow the elected representatives of the people carry out their duties, within the confines of the currently restrictive Constitution, without further complications by injecting himself unnecessarily into the minutia of some of the processes and procedures. He seems not to be of the attitude of “it is all about me”, like the recently departed Todd, who in many ways was “all head and no cattle” as the Texans like to say! Quite clearly, he seems to know his way around the business and investment world, as he has “been there, done that”! He does not have to prove himself, so to speak. His wife seems to be a prominent feature in all of his public outings!

But for Turks and Caicos Islanders, so far, we have been seeing under his watch a number of chairs been moved around, or completely removed. I do not care how it is dressed up, or couched, the continued presence of the former AG, Huw Shepheard, in Turks and Caicos Islands was bad for business, and his departure was more than welcome. This new Governor could not continence having on his watch, the constant acrimony between his chief legal advisor, who also happens to be the chief legal advisor to the Government of the day. The easiest piece of the puzzle to be removed was good old Huw! We have seen from the Court papers filed by the Premier, how incompetent and out of touch, as well as arrogant the “old boy” was! If the AG had carte blanche as to what he could do as far as binding the government, without consulting the government, why is it happening now? The Acting AG, is generally a cautious lady, but of equal and paramount importance, Whitehall was not going to see itself being exposed by an incompetent nincompoop! We all know that image is important to

ROYAL ROBINSON the UK. By the Premier exposing their undergarment by filing the suit, they could not allow things like that to continue to happen. As for the threatened law suit, that is nothing more than hot air!

What the Premier pointed to as his basis for his resignation, was a matter of factual record, and cannot be disputed. It is a fact that he did not know that the law as it related to scandalizing the Court has been repealed and he did not consult Cabinet before seeking Cabinet’s advice before taking such actions.

Those two issues are in the public domain. Period! Full stop!

Then of course we have seen that the talking parrot is no longer making pronouncements on behalf of the governor and Government. Just before his complete silence, he had started to say that he was making the statements on behalf of the Governor.

But we have seen that he was the greatest of the unmitigated falsifiers of veracity that ever graced our shores. If the “lame stream” media in TCI had challenged him on a number of the things that he said, instead of just being lazy and accepting what he said as gospel, his donkey would have been exposed a long time ago.

What we are also seeing though, is that this Governor is prepared to speak to you, rather than speak at or pass you. That is very healthy. It is important to note that his tenure here is going to be for four years and he would most likely go into full retirement.

He therefore would not be looking to score brownie points. It is in this vein, that the Premier and his Cabinet must operate to get the best for the people of this country, even under the restrictive

2011 Constitution, flawed as it is as I sometimes like to say!

I have been saying for some time that the utilization of political advisors is an important tool in carrying out the agenda of government, and it is in keeping with the principles of good governance! There is no need for Ministers to have to pay for such advice from their own pockets. In all democracies, this is done from the government’s coffers.

Now I totally believe in value for money, and that the use of some of the previous advisors was a waste of time and the taxpayers’ money. If you could remember, under former Premier Galmo Williams, we had substantially reduced the number down to a manageable number. But to go to the current extreme, is nothing more than being vindictive, and making it less likely that the government would succeed! I have been a public servant for a number of years at the most senior level, as well as an advisor, so I know of what I speak.

The Premier should be given the ability to have a number of his Ministers appoint these Special Advisors to be able to guide their programmes through to fruition.

These persons would not be your run of the mill public servants who the Ministers have no control as to their tenure, remit or remuneration. The standard, universal rule allows allow the Minister to fire them without the threat of paying high penalties and going through a number of processes. You are not working out, then, don’t let the door you came in hit you in the back!

So there are a number of really positive changes that have taken place since the arrival of the new Governor. I see that Governor, Premier, and his Deputy will be in London over the next few days. I would hope that this spirit of apparent cooperation spill over into some concrete, positive changes in the way business is do that would redound to the benefit of us mere mortal Turks and Caicos Islanders!

Royal Robinson was a former Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance of the Turks and Caicos Islands in a Progressive National Party Administration.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

Renegotiating loan could cost the country more

BY VIVIAN TYSON

I

t would probably cost government much more if it were to seek alternative financing for the $260 million United Kingdom-backed DFID syndicated loan since it would have to pay unspecified charges and penalties to bond holders.

The bonds reach maturity in 2016, and for the holder to surrender those documents to government, they would more than likely demand to be paid interest between now and the time of maturity, Finance Minister Hon. Washington Misick explained to reporters at the government’s bi-monthly post cabinet news briefing on Thursday (November 14).

The finance minister said that in recent time persons have been suggesting that government should find alternative means to service the debt or actually postponing the servicing of it. He said however that it is not possible based on the agreement.

“The bond we have is $170 million, of which we have a commitment to pay by 2016 – paying down other than being able to renegotiate a new arrangement. The bond is issued to the public; it probably being held by a number of institutional investors. So it is not an issue where you can go to one person and say, okay, I want to negotiate this. It’s really not that simple,” Misick said.

He said that the administration would probably have to pay a bigger interest had the United Kingdom Gov-

ernment not backed the loan, which is if government was able to secure it in the first place.

“It’s fairly complicated, and we are paying the interest we are paying because we have sovereign guarantee of the United Kingdom Government.

Without the sovereign guarantee of the United Kingdom Government it would be far more expensive, in fact, we may not have gotten it in the first place.

“The second thing is, if you are to go and try to redeem that now it is going to be expensive because whoever has it we have to pay the penalty, which is the interest that they would have accrued between now and 2016.

And then you would have to go and find a new lender, and the interest rate is likely to be more even if the terms are extended,” Minister Misick elucidated.

In the meantime, the finance minister said that the economy experienced a small contraction during the 12 calendar year, but recovered shortly after the Progressive National Party (PNP) formed the new administration, following three and a half years of direct British rule.

He said that the economic shrink had to do with reorganizing of the public sector and the private sector’s mode of operation over the period.

“The economy contracted, I think over two percent in 2012, meaning the calendar year. The fiscal year start April 1 to March 31st. By March

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Hon. Washington Misick 31 (2013), the economy had started to grow, and we had grown to that point, I think about a half point in the first 90 days in 2013,” he said.

The finance minister added: “The contraction in the economy had a lot to do with the fiscal consolidation in 2012, and had to do with the reorganizing or resizing of the public service and reduction in government expenditure but also had a lot to do with the activity in the private sector.”

He said though that the economy is now in a recovery mode.

“We are basically, in my view the bottom of an upturn in the economy.

Business cycle does play a part, and there is every indication that the business cycle is starting to see an uptick in the level of private sector activity,” he said.

Meanwhile, the finance minister said based on the efforts so far by the Rufus Ewing-led administration, plus the revenue-raising measures already implemented, there should be no need for any new taxes chiefly in the short term.

He said that the many of the existing tax measures should disappear after the blue ribbon commission on taxation comes up with its list of recommendations. The new revenue-raising measures that the blue ribbon commission is working towards are to be the alternative to Value Added Tax (VAT).

“Tax is not a stimulation of an economy. The taxes that have already been announced, some of which have already been implemented, together with the efforts that we are making to grow the economy, there should really be no need, in the short term at least, for any new taxation.

“Now what will happen, or what could possibly happen or what the plan is, depending on when we are able to do in terms of introducing the new broad based alternative to Value Added Tax; what you may see is some of the other taxation disappearing, I have always said that,” he said.

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LOCAL NEWS

West Road, Kew Town are TCI’s most at-risk communities

BY VIVIAN TYSON

T

he communities of West Road in Grand Turk and Kew Town in Providenciales are the two most at-risk settlements in the Turks and Caicos Islands, according to Lormeka Williams, Director for the Turks and Caicos Islands Red Cross.

As a result, the humanitarian organization is crafting a risk reduction plan that it hopes could serve as a panacea for the reduction of loss of life and property in the wake of any kind of disaster.

Williams said that the two communities were discovered to be the two most prone to catastrophe following an international study done by the Red Cross. She said that West Road is more of a natural disaster prone community, while Kew Town, by virtue of its residential density economic handicap could be affected by man-made tragedy.

“We chose those communities because there was a testing done using a scale from the International Federation (of the Red Cross), and it was found that these two communities are most prone to a disaster.

“As you know, West Road, which is situated on the waterfront is prone to be flooded and affected by storm surges. And Kew Town, with the multiplicity of persons living there as well as the economic standing of that community has proven to be more in need of assistance at this time,” Williams said.

Lormeka Williams, Director for the Turks and Caicos Islands Red Cross

Andrew Gardiner, the local Red Cross Risk Reduction Officer points to a chart that portrays a study of Kew in North Caicos The Red Cross Director was speaking with The SUN at the start of weeklong Disaster Risk Reduction workshop sponsored by the British Red Cross and the United Kingdom Government Department of International Development (DIFID) hosted at the LIME Corporate Office venue on Providenciales. The workshop also included other regional British Overseas Territories – Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Montserrat.

Williams said that the skills gained from the workshop would equip local Red Cross workers to successfully go into those commu-

nities and implement risk reduction methods.

“This (training) would allow us with the skills necessary to go into these communities and work with them better, and also being able to show them the way forward, and the path they can take in formulating their own disaster risk reduction plan.

“And this is something that we can develop in the community that we can then pass on to other counterparts, such as investor or the government, to see what the community sees as their issues and how best we can afford to assist them in alleviating these things,” she said.

In the meantime, Andrew Gardiner, Risk Reduction Officer for the Turks and Caicos Islands Red Cross, and whose work involves development of community plans to lessen the impact disasters and identify disaster risks in the community, said that the Red Cross has launched a Vulnerability Capacity Assessment (VCA) programme in Kew North Caicos.

Explaining how the programme works, Gardiner said it includes historical profile of the community, aims at collecting past events and connect them with present events there; keep a seasonal calendar of yearly events of the community, such as effects from natural happenings, their residual effects such as mosquito-breeding; keep record of dry and raining seasons; and also make a study of historical growth progression of the of the community from what it was then to what it is now.

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Integrity Commission publishes election report T

he Integrity Commission wishes to inform the general public that its Report on the Campaign Expenditure by the three (3) registered parties and candidates during the last general and by-elections is now published.

Under the Political Activities Ordinance (The Ordinance), the Commission, among other things, has the responsibility to monitor campaign spending during elections by the political parties and candidates and to ensure they comply with the provisions of the law in this regard.

This includes keeping to expenditure limit, permissible expenditure items and submitting returns of their campaign expenditure to the Commission after elections. The Report is based on the Campaign Expenditure Returns submitted by the parties and candidates to the Commission and contains information such as total amount spent by each party in comparison to others, as well as their respective spending pattern. The Report shows, for example, that the three political parties together spent a total of $578,303.55 in the general elections.

Of this total, Progressive National Party (PNP) spent $332,085 or 57 percent; Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM’s) expenditure was $135,878.09 or 24 percent and Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) spent $1 10,340.46 or 1 percent of the total expenditure.

In addition, all the Campaign Expenditure Returns and the supporting documents submitted to the Commission by the registered parties and the candidates are available for public inspection at the Grand Turk offices of the Commission during working hours from Monday through Friday.

Integrity Commission According to Eugene Otuonye QC, Director of the Integrity Commission’. “The preparation and publishing of this

Eugene Otuonye QC, Director of the Integrity Commission report ,b an important statutory responsibility of the Commission aimed at promoting transparency, openness and accountability, and to strengthen public trust and confidence in the parliamentary and democratic process.” He further said: “The Commission is well aware that the statutory monitoring of campaign expenditure and political financing in TCI is the first of its kind in the region. The Commission therefore wishes to again commend the political parties and candidates for their support to and cooperation with the Commission in the successful implementation of Political Activities Ordinance during the last elections.”

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

THE TRUE MEANING OF UNIVERSAL CHILDREN’S DAY Written by Olivia Daye November 20th is celebrated around the world as Universal Children’s Day and the National Conventions on the Rights of the Child has asked us to use this day as a means of celebrating our children to make them feel loved and appreciated. The theme that has been used for the past three years commencing from 2011-2013 “Stop the Violence against Children” is in its final year of implementation.

When we think on the meaning of the word “to celebrate” we think about fun activities and parties.

In Latin this word means to “honour” and to “show respect”. But are we treating our children in a manner that put them in high esteem? Are we respecting their rights by ensuring their protection and full development? These are the questions as adults that we need to answer. Children depend on adults, and as such shouldn’t adults be dependable? Characteristics common of a dependable person are reliability, trustworthiness, and honesty. A person who is dependable will not let you down. If they say that they will be at a certain place at a certain time, you can expect them to be there. They tend to be good listeners, and will be there for friends and family members on an emotional level. These are the characteristics that our children need to see in us and emulate. Our children have to trust us to keep them safe from harm.

Then what can we do to celebrate our children?

Here are a few pointers: Report all cases of child abuse- child abuse is not a secret.

Ensure that we do what is in their best interestprovide love, food, clothing, shelter, education and religious instruction Enforce and act on the existing legislations that are in place to protect children.

Spend quality time with your child by taking walks, going out for a family dinner etc.

Praise or reward them whenever you see catch them doing something good.

Provide encouragement in their talents and academics.

Celebrating our children is not just words but action.

Seven Stars Resort is seeking suitably individuals to fill the positions outlined below. Ideal candidates must possess luxury resort experience, a professional demeanor, and a strong command of the English Language (oral and written).

Relevant experience and a passion for hospitality is required.

Salary is based on experience and qualifications.

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Spa Therapist Watersport Manager Security Mixologist Inventory Controller Carpenter Room Attendant Duty Manager Floor Crystallizer

Interested candidates should apply via e-mail to Seven Stars at hr@sevenstarsgracebay.com for consideration.

Application deadline: December 6, 2013 ONLY CANDIDATES MEETING ABOVE REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS WILL BE CONTACTED.

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Bridgette Thomas makes hefty ECG Youth Centre donation before exiting TCI

BY VIVIAN TYSON

B

usinesswoman and Philanthropist Bridgette Thomas made one last act of kindness before departing our shores last Friday (November 8) by donation a little over $5,000 to the Edward Gartland Youth Centre – one of the local charities dearest to her heart.

Thomas, Head of BNC Consulting, decided to depart the Turks and Caicos Islands after he work permit renewal was refused.

It was teary-eyed moment for some in attendance, including Director for the Youth Centre, Roxan Wake-Forbes, who said that Thomas was always been there for the centre since its inceptions five years ago.

The funds were raised through a recent event held in Thomas’ honour by friends, associates and well-wishers, who showed their appreciation to her for her pivotal role to help develop the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Thomas has been crediting as being the driving force behind the Turks and Caicos Islands Hotel and Tourism Association’s Job Portal – a website designed especially for unemployed Turks and Caicos Islanders to register for job openings in the hospitality industry. She was also noted to have been instrumental in other tourism and community initiatives.

Agatha Delancy explained that after learning of Thomas’ departure, a committee was formed to raise funds on her behalf for one of her favourite charities. She said that the committee held two fundraising events – one a golf tournament and the other a blues night.

“We said that the funds that derived from it, we would certainly donate it to this charity – the Edward Gartland Youth Centre – which is very, very dear to Bridgette’s heart,” Delancy said.

She added: “We were successful, the friends came out in full force, they had fun, they dug in their pockets, and we are happy that we were able to raise

Bridgette Thomas (third from left) makes a donation of $5,388 to Roxan Wake-Forbes (second left) Director of the Edward Gartland Youth Centre. Looking on are Terry Drummey (extreme left), Chairman for the centre; Agatha Delancy (fourth from left) and Urmas Karner, member of the fund-raising events organizing committee. $5,388. And so, Bridgette’s energy that she put into the centre, she can now leave a monetary mark and we are hoping that it could go a very long way, to help the centre achieve its goal,” Delancy said.

An emotional Thomas said that she was touched by the strong outpour of support by members of the Turks and Caicos Islands community, saying that it was a memory that she would cherish for a long time.

“I am so touched that I don’t even know what to say; $5,388 from people who just wanted to support me as well. I really appreciate Agatha Delancy, and all the members of the committee. Through their efforts they really did this, and I showed up and dressed really nice,” Thomas quipped.

Wake-Forbes, in the meantime, said that Thomas was a tower of strength at the centre, giving of her time, expertise and money, and said for those efforts, the centre would miss her.

“Bridgette, you touched our hearts and the hearts of the kids here at the centre. You have empowered us, you kept us in line and you steered us to our goals. This money is going to go towards our programmes. It will be used in a way that would do justice to the work that you have done at the centre.

We thank you and we are going to miss you tremendously,” Wake-Forbes said.

In the meantime, Terry Drummey, Chairman for the Edward Gartland Youth Centre, told Thomas that she had no idea how much her work has impacted the youth at the centre and its overall operation.

“I want to thank you for all the kids, whose lives you have touched. For adults, you are a role model, and you have no idea how many people look up to you and try to become a better person because of you. You are truly going to be missed; I am going to miss you,” Drummey said.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

NOVEMBER 23RD - NOVEMBER 30TH, 2013

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Special rates for first time homeowners BIG AUTO SHOW - Thursday New models for great prices, with low financing you won’t see again.

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Wrap up the holidays with your gifts on us ®

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WIN UP TO US$2,500 Or 1 of 10 prizes of US$250 with any Scotiabank card†

Feel good knowing that everything you purchase with your Scotiabank Gold MasterCard® gives you 1% cash back to use any way you want. Now there’s another great reason to shop with your card this holiday season: Automatic chances to win your shopping when you spend the minimum amount!†

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NOVEMBER 23RD - NOVEMBER 30TH, 2013

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FUN&GAMES

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FUN&GAMES GOVERNMENT VACANCY JOB TITLE: DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND EMERGENCIES DEPARTMENT: Disaster Management and Emergencies MINISTRY: Government Support Services LOCATION: Grand Turk JOB SUMMARY: Under the general direction of the Director of Disaster Management, the Deputy Director will assist with the oversight of the County's Department of Disaster Management & Emergencies, planning, direction, coordination and improvement of functions and activities of all matters pertaining to disaster management to ensure appropriate, adequate and timely response to various emergency situations in accordance with the Disaster ManagementAct 2003.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Assists the Director with the functioning of the National Emergency Operations Centre and, in particular, ensures an adequate flow of information between disaster sites and the Centre.

16.Serves as the DDME's Ex-Officio member to the DDME Volunteers Group and identify and promote training for its members.

17.Supervises the Island's Shelter Manager Programme – ensures that there is a cadre of trained shelter managers throughout the island.

18.Administers the TCI National Shelter Policy – to include working with other Public and Private Sector Departments and agencies to ensure the maintenance and retrofit of emergency shelters as required.

19.Visits Government, private and voluntary organizations to assess preparedness arrangements and, where necessary, make suggestions for improvements.

2. Manages the Emergency Operations Unit.

20. Serves as the Logistics Chief in accordance with the NDMP.

3. Assists in the preparation of the Department's annual Budget, Work Programme andAnnual Report.

21. Other duties as assigned.

4. Manages Department's Budget and supervises the disbursement of funds.

QUALIFICATIONS:

5. Updates and maintains the Department's Internal Disaster Management Plan and Strategic Framework.

6. Updates and maintains the sections of the National Disaster Management Plan that pertains to the Operations of the EOC and EmergencyCommunications Procedures.

7. Maintains close liaison with regional and international response agencies and identify areas where mutual aid agreements can be established for Emergency Operations and Response.

8. Delivers lectures on disaster operation measures at training courses conducted by the Public Information, Awareness & Education Training and Research Programme.

● Postgraduate qualifications in Disaster ManagemenNatural

Resource Management or any related field. ●

ABachelor's degree in the field of Disaster/Emergency Management or related field.

●

Qualifications in the field of Management as well as proficiency in a second language would be an asset.

EXPERIENCE: Five (5) years experience in broad emergency operations management and the ability to coordinate a wide range of activities.

SALARY: $43,200 plusAllowances.

9. Manages and administers the DDME's Community APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Preparedness and Supply Management Programmes.

Resumes with current contact information must be accompanied by 10.Oversees the DDME's emergency warehouse, its supply and a Cover Letter and two letters of reference (one preferably from a former employer) as well as copies of educational certificates and a distribution mechanisms. copy of the Passport photo page. Shortlisted candidates must submit 11. Works with Committees and communities to establish, guide a Police Certificate. Applications should be addressed to the Office and facilitate capacity building and response groups. of the Human Resource Directorate, Church Folly, Grand Turk.

Facsimile: 946-1582 or sent by email to: recruitment@gov.tc with 12.Works with communities, N G O s, volunteers and Government Departments in the sister Islands in the the subject line being: Deputy Director, Disaster Management and Emergencies Application. Envelopes should have the subject: establishment of Evacuation Plans.

Deputy Director, Disaster Management and Emergencies 13.Supervises the development of the National Community Application clearly marked on the front. Successful applicants will Emergency Response Teams volunteers and supervise their work in accordance with the Public Service Ordinance. training and activities annually.

Current serving officers must apply through their Head of 14.Provides, in conjunction with the Public Information, Department.

Awareness & Education Programme, Community Preparedness materials to the public.

15. Works with the Welfare and Relief Distribution Sub Committee to promote the development of adequate welfare and community preparedness measures, and agree on response measures to be instituted in times of disaster.

For the full Job Description, please visit the Disaster Department's webpage on: www.facebook.com/tci.ddme APPLICATION DEADLINE: 6th December, 2013

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News

CARIBBEAN

Former Finance Minister doubts The Bahamas’ 2014 VAT timeline

A

former finance minister says it is “doubtful” that the Government will hit the target timelines for its two key fiscal objectives - the introduction of Value-Added Tax (VAT) and eliminating the fiscal deficit, according to an article in the Nassau Tribune.

Sir William Allen, who headed the Ministry of Finance under the first Ingraham administration, warned that implementing VAT - the centrepiece of the Christie administration’s tax reforms - by July 1 next year will be “a huge accomplishment if it could be achieved”.

But, writing in Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) 2012 annual report in his capacity as its chairman, Sir William warned it was “equally as doubtful” that the Government would achieve its goal of eliminating the fiscal deficit by the 2015-2016 Budget year.

And Sir William, who is also an ex-Central Bank governor, warned that the “herculean feats” being contemplated by the Christie administration could have “unintended consequences” - a likely reference to economic dislocation and reduced growth, if adjustment occurs too quickly.

Sir William pointed out that in the two-year span between VAT’s planned introduction and the fiscal deficit elimination target, the projected $372 million growth in government revenues will be equivalent to almost 50 per cent of forecast Bahamian gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

Warning that the Government would be sucking up a “higher proportion” of the economy’s growth to fill its fiscal holes, thereby leaving less for the private sector, Sir William added that VAT’s introduction would not necessarily be offset by reductions in other taxes.

“The proposed date of 1 July, 2014, for implementation of VAT will itself be a huge accomplishment if it could be achieved,” Sir William told Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) shareholders.

“A realistic assessment of this target date suggests it has to be viewed as doubtful. Perhaps equally as doubt-

Sir William Allen ful is the projection of fiscal year 20152016 as the date for the elimination of the fiscal deficit.”

And he added: “Such a herculean feat is not necessarily desirable because of the unintended consequences that will likely accompany its achievement.

“It could only happen when expenses equal to 3 per cent of GDP are eliminated, or additional revenue of the same amount is collected or some equivalent combination of both is realised.”

A common thread running through Sir William’s commentary is a concern that the Government is attempting too massive a fiscal adjustment too quickly. The result, he implies, could be slower than-projected economic growth and prolonged high unemployment.

Putting the scale of the Government’s fiscal adjustment plans into context, Sir William said: “Between 1 July, 2014, when the new tax system is scheduled to be implemented and 30 June, 2016, when a balanced Budget is projected to be achieved, the economy is

projected to show cumulative growth in nominal terms of $795 million.

“During the same period, 1 July, 2014, to 30 June, 2016, government revenue is projected to grow by $372 million or nearly 50 per cent of the total economy’s growth.

“And so Government, which aims to peg its revenue at about 20 per cent of the economy, will be taking a substantially higher proportion of the economy’s growth in order to eliminate the fiscal imbalance in that short period of time.”

While backing the Government’s goal to eliminate the recurrent fiscal deficit, and reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio to more sustainable levels, Sir William said: “How quickly that can be done, or indeed how quickly it should be done, is a matter which still lacks some clarity.

“Too rapid an elimination of the imbalance could put a drag on growth in an economy which already suffers from unemployment estimated at over 14 per cent.”

Drawing a distinction between eliminating fiscal imbalances and halting the growth in debt-to-GDP ratios, the former FNM finance minister said the Bahamas’ debt-to-GDP ratio was “still below the danger level that is creating such havoc for some countries in our region, and many around the world today.

“The bad news is that, given the seemingly intractable nature of the imbalance between recurrent revenue and expenditure, it is only a matter of a little time before the level of debt could be well beyond the danger zone. It would be both courageous and wise if the level of Government debt could be restricted, at least in practice, to a maximum 60 per cent of GDP.” Expressing hope that VAT’s introduction, and enhanced tax administration, would help, Sir William also dashed the hopes of many consumers - and those in the private sector - that it would lead to simultaneous reductions in other taxes.

“The transition period to a new tax system will be enormously challenging. Getting it right will take some time as Government seeks to achieve an appropriate balance in resources allocation between the public and private sectors, while working toward the laudable objective of ultimately eliminating its recurrent deficit,” he said.

“The essential objective of our tax reform is to increase government revenue by about 3 percent of GDP. Tax reform is, therefore, not intended to be a neutral exercise and so looking for a reduction in other taxes and charges sufficient to offset the VAT, as some appear to be assuming, is not realistic.”

Sir William, meanwhile, identified the “ruinously high cost of energy” as the other so-called downside risk for the Bahamian economy.

Noting that the Bahamas could do little about this in the short-term, the former finance minister noted that oil’s share of the Bahamas’ total merchandise import bill had more than doubled over the last 40 years.

“The problem represented by the high cost of energy is perhaps less daunting, but it is also less capable of a local solution, although it is a huge burden across the entire economy,” Sir William wrote, making the comparison with the Government’s fiscal challenges.

“Forty years ago, oil consumption accounted for about 13 per cent of our total merchandise import bill. Now, after several oil shocks and decades of oil crises, it appears that oil has achieved some kind of permanently very high relative price level, and now represents on average more than 27 per cent of our merchandise imports.

“In the Bahamas, the price of oil seems downward inflexible. The cost of energy has substantially reordered our individual and corporate budgetary allocations, and placed a huge burden on our balance of payments. A long-term strategy to lower the cost of energy could yield significant benefits to the economy in the future.”

US offers reprieve to illegal Caribbean immigrants with military relatives W

ASHINGTON – The United States has offered a reprieve to illegal Caribbean and other immigrants who are close relatives of active military troops and veterans by allowing them to stay in the country and move towards becoming permanent residents.

After deliberating for over three years, the US Department of Homeland Security said in a memorandum that the new policy seeks to appease troops who are concerned that their immigrant family members could be deported while they were deployed.

“In order to reduce the uncertainty our active-duty and retired military personnel face because of the immigration status of their family members, we have decided to clarify existing pol-

icies,” Peter Boogaard, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, told reporters here.

He said the new rules are based on existing statutes not the creation of any new legal status that would require US congressional action.

The Homeland Security Department said the new rules apply to all active-duty members of the armed forces, to reservists, including the National Guard, and to all veterans.

Officials also said the spouses, children and parents of troops will be eligible for a “parole in place,” meaning that they will be allowed to remain in the US while applying for legal residency.

The shift in US policy comes as legislation to grant legal status to millions of undocumented Ca-

ribbean and other immigrants stalls in the US Congress.

Last week, Republicans in the House of Representatives vowed not to hold any votes on immigration this year or enter into any negotiations over a broad bill that the US Senate passed in June.

But while many immigrant groups welcome the new immigration policy, they also urged that it be extended to more illegal immigrants, according to the New York Times.

“The administration’s action clearly shows that the president can use his power to stop the pain in our communities and grant relief to our families,” Cristina Jimenez, managing director of United We Dream, a youth organisation, told the paper.

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

CIA secretly collects data on money transfers to the Caribbean W

ASHINGTON– The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been accused of secretly collecting bulk records of money transfers to the Caribbean and other places handled by companies like Western Union and MoneyGram.

Government officials said the transfers include transactions into and out of the United States under the same law that the Us National Security Agency (NSA) uses for its huge database of Americans’ phone records.

The New York Times, quoting several current and former government officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the matter is classified, said the programme is authorised by provisions in the Patriot Act and overseen by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

“The intelligence community collects bulk data in a number of different ways under multiple authorities,” one intelligence official told the paper.

Dean Boyd, a spokesman for the CIA, declined to confirm whether such a programme exists, but said that the agency conducts lawful intelligence collec-

tion aimed at foreign “ not domestic” activities and that it is subject to extensive oversight.

“The CIA protects the nation and upholds the privacy rights of Americans by ensuring that its intelligence collection activities are focused on acquiring foreign intelligence and counterintelligence in accordance with US laws,” he said.

Juan Zarate, a White House and US Department of Treasury official under former President George W. Bush, said that, unlike telecommunications information, there has generally been less sensitivity about the collection of financial data, in part because the government already collects information on large transactions under the Bank Secrecy Act. Luella Chavez D’Angelo, a spokeswoman for Western Union, which operates extensively in the Caribbean, declined to directly address questions about whether the company has been ordered to turn over records in bulk to the CIA or the surveillance court.

She, however, said the company complies with legal requirements to provide information.

“We collect consumer information to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act and other laws. In doing so, we also protect our consumers’ privacy and work to prevent consumer fraud.”

MoneyGram issued a similar statement, saying “we value our customers’ privacy and work hard to protect it, just as we work hard to protect customers and others from fraud and other crime.

“We comply with the laws of all the countries where we do business, including the laws that govern privacy, government investigations, and compliance with lawful subpoenas and court orders.

“We have reporting obligations related to suspicious transactions, money laundering and other financial crimes around the world. The laws to which we are subject generally prohibit us from discussing details,” the company said.

Intelligence officials here say the CIA programme is a result of terror finance-tracking programs that were established in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

Jamaica economy shows signs of marginal improvement K

INGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica is projecting a one per cent economic growth this year, according to the Bank of Jamaica (BoJ).

BoJ Governor Brian Wynter said the rate of growth for the fiscal year is projected to be within the range of zero to one per cent.

He said for the second quarter this year, growth was less than one per cent and attributed the improvement to, among other things, the response of Jamaican businesses to improvements in external demand for local outputs.

He said that while the outturn was “modest”, it nonetheless, represents a “return to growth… following six consecutive quarters of contraction”.

Wynter said that the pattern of growth for the October- December quarter and fiscal year is expected to be largely driven by activities in several areas including agriculture, forestry, and fishing; mining and quarrying as well as hotels and restaurants, similar to July to September period.

The BoJ Governor said the response of local businesses to improved external

demand is assessed to have been the “primary driver” of expanded economic activity for the quarter.”

But he noted that that local consumption declined for the quarter, “reflecting the impact of the ongoing fiscal consolidation and declining real incomes”.

Wynter said the October to December quarter is projected to record growth similar to the July to September period “supported by the forecast for continued strengthening in global economic growth.”

“In addition, we expect that the continued implementation of the policies set out under the (International Monetary Fund) Extended Fund Facility will provide a boost to investor confidence.

But, domestic demand conditions are expected to remain relatively weak over the near-term, even as we return to growth.”

Last week, the IMF said it had reached “preliminary understandings” with the Jamaica government on a set of economic policies and that economic activity in the country had expanded by nearly one per cent for the period July to September this year.

IMF mission chief for Jamaica Jan Kees Martijn, speaking at the end of a one week visit by an IMF delegation that conducted a second review of Jamaica multi-million dollar Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme, said overall policy implementation under the programme is strong.

“All quantitative performance targets and indicative targets for end-September were met, including the floor on social spending. All structural benchmarks to date have also been met in a timely manner, with the exception of the tabling of fiscal incentives legislation, which was subject to a minor delay,” he added.

The IMF official said that the critical challenge for the Portia Simpson Miller administration in the future would be to support economic growth, while continuing to undertake the necessary fiscal adjustment.

Meanwhile, president of the Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA), Andrew Collins, is urging exporters to continue searching for more opportunities in new and existing markets.

BARBADOS GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTS TAXES ON LOTTERY WINNINGS

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RIDGETOWN, Barbados– The Barbados government says it will implement fully, the 15 per cent tax on lottery winnings over a certain amount, even as it acknowledged that “some changes” had been made to the measure announced in the national budget.

The Ministry of Finance said that the new measure would come into effect now that the appropriate legislation has been approved.

It said that when the measure was first announced, “some industry players wrote to ask the Ministry to re-look the proposal, highlighting some challenges which they believed might have been encountered given the changed structure of their industry.

“The Ministry examined those concerns, found some to be valid, and formally indicated to at least one major player that it had decided not to pursue the measure in its original form.

“The Ministry, however, also took the decision that it would make necessary adjustments to the original proposal, allowing it to achieve the objectives which it set, and re-submit it to Parliament on the occasion of passage of the appropriate governing legislation, following Cabinet approval.”

The statement said that the Ministry of Finance is now putting the “finishing touches to the proposal, following which industry players will be duly informed. It is expected

that this process will be completed in a few weeks.”

Under the new proposal, people who won more than BDS$100,000 (One BDS dollar =US$0.50) or more in lotteries would be required to pay 15 per cent tax.

Meanwhile, the government said that legislation regarding the Consolidation Tax, The Tax on Bank Assets, and the Municipal Solid Waste Tax, have either been completed or are in the final stages of completion and will be laid and debated in Parliament over the next three weeks.

“When passed, together with the passage of the Lottery Winnings Tax, they would represent the full legal implementation of the tax component of Government’s fiscal measures from 2013,” the Ministry of Finance said.

Meantime , Finance Minister Chris Sinckler is expected to make a statement to Parliament on the implementation of aspects of the 19-month Fiscal Adjustment Programme.

The statement said that Sincvkler will, during the first week in December, give an update “on the progress which has been made thus far on this important aspect of Government’s economic programme”.

It said “particular focus will be paid to the implementation of the expenditure reduction aspects of the proposals announced”.

“We recognize that the best way to compete in an increasingly competitive international marketplace is by maintaining a competitive edge through innovation and diversification. So, we continue to encourage product and market diversification, especially in South America, Africa and China,” Collins told a breakfast forum, organized by the JEA. He said JEA representatives recently met with a company interested in taking Jamaican products to China and invited exporters who are interested in the Chinese market to meet with the association.

Collins said there were also opportunities for increased exports under the Petro Caribe Fund agreement, in Brazil and the Dominican Republic.

“We must also explore the opportunities for trade with the Dominican Republic and Brazil,” he said, adding that the Brazilian High Commissioner has been invited to address the sector’s annual general meeting in December to share some of the opportunities for trade with that country.

ATTORNEY GENERAL CALLS FOR RESIGNATION OF INTEGRITY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN

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ORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Two days after Attorney General Anand Ramlogan questioned the fairness of a probe being carried out by the Integrity Commission, he has now called for the resignation of the chairman of the commission, Ken Gordon.

The Integrity Commission recently apologized to Ramlogan for failing to inform him it had begun an investigation into two Range Rovers he had bought.

The commission’s confirmation of the investigation followed repeated enquiries from the Attorney General Ramlogan as he sought to ascertain whether the commission was probing him after the issue of the importation and licensing of the vehicles.

This prompted the Attorney General to question the fairness of the Integrity Commission.

“I cannot help but wonder if there is a political conspiracy to bring me down,” Ramlogan told the Trinidad Express newspaper after indicating that he had written to the Integrity Commission on numerous occasions asking whether a probe had started based on a complaint filed by opposi-

tion legislator Fitzgerald Hinds on July 23.

In a statement on Saturday, the Attorney General condemned what he saw as the attempt by the chairman of the Integrity Commission, to “pass the buck” by blaming the registrar for the suppression of the letter advising him the commission had launched an investigation.

In commenting on the issue on Friday, Gordon stated, “All complaints are dealt with through the process with the registrar, who has a whole department set up to do this.”

Ramlogan however said he found “this excuse to be hypocritical and disingenuous. Mr. Gordon only recently met with Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley at his home at night to receive a complaint. He did not refer him to the registrar. It is strange that this procedure was not followed in that instance.”

“As chairman, Mr Gordon is ultimately responsible for the work of the commission. The buck stops with him. He must accept responsibility for the serious violation and breach that has occurred and come clean on this matter.

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

Controversial Cayman Islands corruption investigation back in the spotlight I

n a rare press statement to the Cayman Islands media, the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office indicated Monday that its Florida-based law enforcement adviser for the overseas territories in the Caribbean and Bermuda “had no operational role” in the ill-fated Operation Tempura corruption investigation.

According to the Caymanian Compass, Larry Covington, who has largely remained in the background of the Tempura fiasco, had his name come up in a Cayman Islands Grand Court judgment released last week. The judgment concerned a side dispute related to the lawsuit former Royal Cayman Islands Police Commissioner Stuart Kernohan filed against government over his 2008 firing.

A number of issues arose out of the judgment written by Grand Court Justice Richard Williams, including some apparently conflicting accounts regarding who was in charge of the corruption investigation. The two-year, $10 million probe led to the eventual replacement of three of the four top RCIPS commanders between 2007 and 2009. There were no criminal convictions in the case.

Following the revelations contained in the court ruling, U.K. foreign office officials were keen to clarify Mr. Covington’s role in the investigation.

“Larry Covington’s role, as the law enforcement adviser for the Caribbean Overseas Territories and Bermuda, was to provide guidance and advice to the governor, the commissioner of police and the director for the overseas territories on the conduct of Operation Tempura. He had no operational role.

“As such, he was a member of the investigation’s strategic oversight group, which was formed to ensure that the investigation was conducted according to the agreed terms of reference of the investigation. Mr. Covington agreed to step down as a

member of that group on Jan. 4, 2008, after he had been asked to provide a witness statement to the investigation team. This would have conflicted with his role in remaining on the Strategic Oversight Group.

“It is therefore misleading to suggest that he was removed for other reasons. After Jan. 4, 2008, Mr Covington had no involvement in any investigative decisions in relation to Operation Tempura.”

The question of Mr. Covington’s involvement in the investigation arose partly because Mr. Justice Williams’s ruling disclosed an affidavit given by former assistant commissioner of the U.K. Metropolitan Police, John Yates, in relation to Operation Tempura on Oct. 23, 2008. Mr. Yates’s affidavit details further statements by the former Met police number two man regarding what happened in Cayman with Operation Tempura prior to the arrival of Senior Investigating Officer Martin Bridger’s team.

“Agreement was reached between the commissioner, Stuart Kernohan, and I that [Foreign and Commonwealth official] Larry Covington would provide ‘on island’ oversight and guidance and that I [referring to Mr. Yates] would provide periodic reviews of the investigation,” the affidavit stated.

“It therefore appears that the Metropolitan Police viewed their role was to review, advise and make recommendations, but that the immediate oversight and guidance would come from Mr. Covington,” Mr. Justice Williams wrote in the judgment.

The appearance that Mr. Covington was to provide “guidance” in the investigation appears to conflict with a statement former Governor Jack made to the Caymanian Compass in September 2008.

“Neither I, nor anyone in London, instructs [Mr. Bridger’s investigation team] how to conduct their investigations or what conclusions they should reach,” Mr. Jack wrote

An email from Mr. Covington to a staff member in former Governor Jack’s office on Sept. 5, 2007, states that: “Stuart [Kernohan] and I have discussed this at length and have mutually concurred, and at Stuart’s request, that I represent him in joint oversight of the investigation with Assistant Commissioner John Yates [or his representative] from the Metropolitan Police Service.”

Mr. Covington was eventually taken out of that role. The FCO statement released Monday indicated that he had “no involvement in any investigative decisions” following Jan. 4, 2008.

“Mr. Bridger indicated that as the operation moved forward, Mr. Covington was removed from an oversight position and replaced by the governor, who acted in concert with Assistant Commissioner Yates,” Mr. Justice Williams’s ruling last week indicated.

Questions were sent to the FCO regarding former Governor Jack’s role in Tempura matters. No response had been received as of press time.

The Cayman Islands attorney general’s chambers obtained a separate affidavit from Mr. Yates in October 2012, in which he states that: “The immediate line of management [for Operation Tempura] was to the Senior Investigating Officer [Mr. Bridger], who, through the strategic oversight group reported and was responsible to the commissioner of the RCIPS. “The commissioner of the RCIPS was responsible and accountable in law for the overall management and outcome of the investigation.”

The strategic oversight group consisted of a number of members, including Mr. Bridger, the acting commissioner of the RCIPS, and former Cayman Islands Chief Secretary George McCarthy, and Mr. McCarthy’s successor, Donovan Ebanks, among others.

Opinion poll predicts ruling party will win next St Vincent and the Grenadines general election K

INGSTOWN, St Vincent - Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves says while a recent public opinion poll has predicted a re-election victory for the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP), he wants supporters to remember that opinion polls do not win general elections.

Gonsalves, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term in office at the next general election constitutionally due in 2015, told reporters that his administration still has many outstanding projects to undertake during the next few months.

“There are many items on the agenda. And, as you notice, we are not only talking. We are doing things,” he said.

“The people probably realise that, after all, they may have come close to a dangerous result in 2010 in December, (but) it seems as though they are rightly pulling back from getting close to that dangerous

result, when it was 8-7,” Gonsalves said referring to the results of the last general election.

The poll, conducted by the Barbados-based Caribbean Research Services Inc (CADRES) during the month of October found that there was “overall positive support for the ULP government which is above the level that it received in the 2010 election”.

It said that voters still prefer Prime Minister Gonsalves by an almost two to one margin over Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace, the leader of the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP).

In the 2010 general election, the ULP won eight of the 15 seats with the remainder going to the NDP. Eustace has already downplayed the findings of a poll saying that the ULP had conducted its own poll between July and September that showed the party being booted out of office.

“Well, there were election polls already this year you know, which you don’t hear about. Done by the ULP, this year. And … a poll done between July and September of this year concluded that NDP could get up to 13 seats,” said Eustace, who did not reveal the source of his information Prime Minister Gonsalves told reporters that the polls had also found that 61 per cent of voters prefer him to Eustace.

“That is a big number…but, of course, polls don’t win elections; you have to win elections on the day, which means that we have a lot of work still to do as a government, and we have a lot of work as a party,” he said.

“But I am not talking about party now. I am talking about government. We will have enough time to talk about party when we have our convention on the 15th of December,” he added.

CARICOM AND MARTELLY TO MEET ON CONTROVERSIAL DOMINICAN REPUBLIC COURT RULING

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INGSTON, Jamaica - The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), will be meeting next week to discuss the recent controversial ruling by the Constitutional Court in the Dominican Republic which has stripped thousands of their citizenship.

This was revealed by President Michel Martelly of Haiti who is on a three day official visit to Jamaica.

The CARICOM officials will be meeting with Martelly, however the Haitian President told reporters that the issue is not a Haitian one.

“And if I am not mistaken, the Dominican constitution states that when born on Dominican soil, one is

a Dominican, so this issue is a major Dominican issue,” the President said.

Concerning Jamaica’s position on the matter, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller said the stance taken by CARICOM will be stronger than a position taken by Jamaica on its own.

“We have not yet had a full discussion on CARICOM on it and I think that the position should not be that of a single country. We have Jamaica’s position, but we need to take position as a region and the fact that the Dominican Republic is also seeking membership with CARICOM,” she said.

On Thursday, the international human rights group, Amnesty international, again called on the authorities in the Dominican Republic to suspend the implementation of the Constitutional Court ruling until the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) visits the country.

Amnesty International said the ruling should be suspended until the IACHR formulates its recommendations based on the Dominican Republic’s international human rights obligations.

Amnesty is also urging the IACHR to “take all necessary measures

to protect from racism, xenophobia and violence, persons with actual or supposed foreign origins, as well as human rights defenders, journalists and other individuals who might be at risk for having spoken out against the ruling 0168-13 of the Constitutional Court.”

Amnesty says the IACHE should initiate a national consultation with civil society and groups of persons affected by the ruling “in order to take all administrative and/or legislative measures possible to restore Dominican nationality to all of those who were deprived of it by the Constitutional ruling”.

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News W

RLD

On 50th anniversary of JFK death, Dallas holds first memorial

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allas observed the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination with its first official memorial on Friday, as the rest of the nation paused to remember the event that changed history.

At Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia where Kennedy is buried, family members laid a wreath at his grave, where Jackie Kennedy and two of their children also are buried.

At dawn, Attorney General Eric Holder made a gravesite visit to honor Kennedy, bowing his head and placing a Justice Department commemorative coin at the stone. Holder then walked a short path to the grave of Robert F. Kennedy, who had served as attorney general under his brother, bowed his head and left another coin.

Kennedy’s death on November 22, 1963, was an event that has spawned countless books and conspiracy theories on whether assassin Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.

In a late morning ceremony in Dallas, Kennedy was remembered with prayers, a speech by Mayor Mike Rawlings and military jets flying over the city’s Dealey Plaza, where Kennedy was shot.

The ceremony started at 11:30 a.m. (1730 GMT), to coincide with the time that Kennedy’s motorcade had passed through packed downtown streets, 50 years ago. Only 5,000 people viewed ceremonies in Dealey Plaza but video screens were be set up throughout downtown.

For previous anniversaries, conspiracy theorists who say there was a plot to kill Kennedy have usually taken over Dealey Plaza, denouncing the official line that Lee Harvey Oswald act-

President Obama and Bill Clinton laid a wreath at JFK’s gravesite in Arlington National Cemetery, two days before the 50th anniversary of Kennedy’s assassination. Also in attendance for the ceremony were First Lady Michelle Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and several members of the Kennedy family. ed alone and fired three shots at Kennedy from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository building.

They have come to Dallas in force this year but will not be part of the official event.

“His death forever changed our city, as well as the world,” Rawlings said in a statement ahead of the anniversary. “We want to mark this tragic day by remembering a great president with the sense of dignity and history he deserves.”

Dallas was seen as a pariah city for years after the November 22, 1963, assassination, and avoided any commemoration. That stigma started to fade decades ago, and now, The Sixth Floor Museum in

the former Texas School Book Depository is one of the city’s largest tourists attractions.

“Dallas came under a great deal of international criticism after the assassination. It was called the ‘City of Hate,’” said Stephen Fagin, associate curator The Sixth Floor Museum.

Amid the Cold War paranoia and simmering racial tension of the 1960s, a small but influential group of arch-conservatives protested Kennedy’s visit to Texas, saying he was soft on communism and should stay away.

In recent days, the city removed a large “X” embedded into the pavement by an unknown person or people that marked the spot on Elm Street where Kennedy was shot in the head.

The “X” had been seen as tasteless by many while the official observance - a small plaque on the plaza’s noted “grassy knoll” - had been criticized as inadequate.

Thousands of books, news articles, TV shows, movies and documentaries have been produced about that fateful day in Dallas, and surveys show a majority of Americans still believe in the conspiracy theories, distrusting evidence pointing to Oswald as the sole killer.

Hugh Ayensworth, a reporter in Dealey Plaza 50 years ago who witnessed the assassination and also saw Oswald shot dead by Dallas nightclub owner Jack Ruby, has spent a lifetime investigating the killings and debunking suspected plots.

“We can’t accept very comfortably that two nobodies, two nothings - Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby - were able to change the course of world history,” he told Reuters.

Syrias’ chemical weapons may be destroyed at sea S

yria’s chemical weapons could be processed and destroyed out at sea, sources familiar with discussions at the international body in charge of eliminating the toxic arsenal said.

A U.S. defense official confirmed to CBS News correspondent David Martin that destruction of the vast stockpile at sea has always been an option, but four days after Albania rejected a U.S. request that it host a weapons decommissioning plant, it has become the leading option.

The official told Martin, however, that it was unlikely any at-sea option would be carried out by the U.S. Navy, suggesting a multinational force and

a contractor could be brought in to do the work.

Western diplomats and an official of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons at The Hague told Reuters the OPCW was studying whether it might carry out the work at sea, on a ship or offshore rig.

Confirming the discussion, the OPCW official stressed there had been no decision: “The only thing known at this time is that this is technically feasible,” the official said on Tuesday.

Speaking Wednesday to reporters at the organization’s headquarters in the Hague, OPCW spokesman Chris-

tian Chartier said “technology is not the issue,” explaining that a handful of countries, including the U.S. and Russia, already have the means to render a stockpile the size of Syria’s useless, they just haven’t tried it yet on the water.

Chartier said the only question was whether all the materials and the equipment required could be safely transported and used at sea.

“Experts say it is,” he insisted.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a U.K.based expert in chemical and biological weapons, told CBSNews.com on Wednesday that while it is feasible, any destruction of the stockpile at sea would be “really challenging.”

PHILIPPINES TYPHOON DEATHS SURPASS RECORD

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ACLOBAN, Philippines—The official death toll from Typhoon Haiyan jumped to 5,209 on Friday, reaching a modern record for a disaster in the Southeast Asian country two weeks after one of the most powerful storms in history ripped through its midsection.

The new casualty figure surpassed the estimated 5,100 killed in 1991 from flash floods caused by tropical storm Thelma.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, which has been adding to the tolls after verifying deaths, released the death figures in an update signed by executive director Eduardo Del Rosario. It added that 1,611 people remained missing. Officials said earlier that the death count could increase.

The latest official death count nearly doubles the

high-end estimate put forward by President Benigno Aquino III in the days following the storm, when he urged the country to keep control of its emotions after a provincial official said that 10,000 could be dead.

The official was later removed from his job.

Though the damage to the central Philippines was sweeping and displaced more than 4 million people, some residents are determined to stay put in even the most devastated towns and are finding creative ways to rebuild their lives and make money.

Supermarkets, hardware stores, and street shops were starting to reopen in Tacloban, the hard-struck provincial capital city on the island of Leyte, two weeks after Typhoon Haiyan hit. The price of an egg was double what it was before the storm, said Patrick Fuller of the Red Cross.

He said it should be considered only as a last resort, and he believes it’s being considered now simply because the international community is “running out of options.”

While other states, notably Japan, have dealt with chemical weapons at sea, mounting such a large and complex operation afloat would be unprecedented, independent experts said.

But given the equally daunting challenge of neutralizing over 1,000 tons of material in the middle of a civil war, and the reluctance of governments like Albania to defy popular protests against hosting any facility, it is being considered.

Workers were still putting corpses in bags and stacking them on trucks. Residents complained about the persistent odor and the occasional sighting of corpses on roads.

“Lots of them in that field, right there,” said Ronnie Ramirez, pointing to an area behind his backyard, explaining that a slum full of poorly built homes had washed up there, bringing along many bodies. People, he said, have not yet come to collect the bodies.

Yet Mr. Ramirez—a successful businessman who owns computer sales and repair shops—has chosen not to leave Tacloban.

“More than 90% of the city has cleared out now— the people around are all journalists, aid workers, people from other places trying to get relief handouts, because it is easier in Tacloban,” said Mr. Ramirez. “All the businessmen are gone.”

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WORLD NEWS

Afghan leader: I don’t trust the US and they don’t trust me K

ABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai told tribal leaders Thursday that he did not trust the United States, hours after Secretary of State John Kerry said a final draft deal on troop levels had been reached.

“My trust with America is not good,” Karzai said at a meeting of tribal elders and political leaders in Kabul.

“I don’t trust them and they don’t trust me. During the past 10 years I have fought with them and they have made propaganda against me.”

His remarks were made at the Loya Jirga - a grand council of tribal elders and political leaders – to support the new security deal governing relations between the U.S. military and the Afghan government for years to come.

Karzai faces a challenge in persuading the Loya Jirga to accept the pact, which allows for between 10,000 and 15,000 international troops - mostly U.S. - to remain in Afghanistan another decade or more.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai The new proposal, still to be approved by both the U.S. and Afghan administrations, calls for a sweeping,

long-term relationship with the United States, committing Washington to paying to train and equip Afghan security forces, and establishes the groundwork keeping armed American outposts in Afghanistan.

Although it allows for troop presence until 2024, the draft document says, “unless otherwise mutually agreed, United States forces shall not conduct combat operations in Afghanistan.”

In a speech, Karzai assured his audience that the new deal would mean U.S. forces will no longer be allowed to enter the homes of Afghans, except for some exceptional cases.

“In the past 12 years we have had both good and bad times with the U.S.,” he said. “Sometimes our relations are good and sometimes the relations are terrible. At some points, I thought about telling the U.S. to just leave Afghanistan and we will deal with our own situation. But I was always very patient and thinking about our country. We should be careful not

to take a wrong step forward.”

He also stressed the importance of strategic ties with Washington: “We need a good friend in the U.S. You cannot live in this global village without a friend - but you need to have a strong, faithful friend.”

Karzai’s office also released a copy of a letter from President Barack Obama promising that “America’s role in Afghanistan will be one of a supporting partner.”

The letter to Karzai said: “We will be cooperating in training, advising, and assisting your forces and in a targeted, smaller counter terrorism mission as we continue to help strengthen Afghanistan’s own growing counter terrorism capabilities.”

Kerry later told Andrea Mitchell that the U.S. had no plans for American troops to be in Afghanistan in the longer term.

“We are not targeting year and years, that is not what is contemplated,” he said.

Toronto mayor vows to go clean while city hall changes the locks T

oronto Mayor Rob Ford vowed on Tuesday he would stay away from drugs, alcohol and “bad company” as he tries to rebound from a drug scandal that prompted city council to strip away much of his power.

Ford, who insists he is neither an alcoholic nor a drug addict, said he had not had a drink in three weeks. Asked on Toronto news channel CP24 if he had stopped drinking completely, he said: “Guaranteed.

100 percent.”

Ford made the comments one day after the city council voted to remove much of his power. Several of his key staff announced on Tuesday they would leave and begin working for the deputy mayor, who will take on more responsibility.

Ford, who has admitted to smoking crack cocaine,

buying illegal drugs and driving after drinking alcohol, also said he would not use drugs again and answered in the affirmative when asked if he would stay away from “bad company.”

While the scandal involving the mayor has largely swirled around his admission that he had smoked crack, he has also been the subject of a police investigation which photographed him in several meetings with his friend and part-time driver Sandro Lisi, who now faces drug and extortion charges.

Ford was elected in 2010 on a cost-cutting, low-tax platform, and he remains popular in some suburbs of Toronto.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford

SECRET US COURT APPROVED WIDER NSA SPYING EVEN AFTER FINDING EXCESSES

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secret U.S. intelligence court let the National Security Agency collect an expanded amount of data about Americans’ email even after finding that the agency systematically exceeded the limits of a smaller program, newly released documents show.

The judge on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court recounted a litany of problems with the first, smaller program, including the NSA collecting more categories of information than had been approved by the court and sharing data more widely within the electronic eavesdropping agency than had been authorized.

At issue are emails among U.S. citizens that the NSA scooped up in its pursuit of foreign intelligence. Though historically focused overseas, the agency intensified its domestic operations after the September 11, 2001, attacks in hopes of finding people in the country working with terrorists or spies.

The programs let the NSA search for Americans who had electronic contact with people

who were in turn linked to people hostile to the United States. At times, however, analysts queried the database with names that had not been found to be terrorists or foreign agents, the judge found.

The NSA was allowed to share criminal evidence with law enforcement agencies, but in other cases it was supposed to obscure email addresses to protect the identities of U.S. citizens because of the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches.

Instead, Judge John Bates wrote about the first bulk collection program, “NSA analysts made it a general practice to disseminate to other agencies intelligence reports containing U.S. person information,” such as their email addresses.

Bates’ 117-page opinion was among nearly three dozen documents declassified and released on Monday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the wake of suits filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

While Ford has faced much criticism from city politicians, members of Canada’s Conservative federal government have until now been far less vocal.

But on Tuesday one of the most powerful cabinet members, Employment Minister Jason Kenney, called for his resignation.

“Mr. Ford has brought dishonor to public office, and the office of mayor and his city,” he told reporters, while noting that this was a municipal and not a federal affair, and that this was his personal point of view.

“I had wanted him to take a leave of absence, but unfortunately the situation has deteriorated to the point where I think he should resign,” he said in French.

SENATE DEMOCRATS STOP NOMINATION FILIBUSTERS

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he Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate, in a historic and bitterly fought rule change, stripped Republicans on Thursday of their ability to block President Barack Obama’s judicial and executive branch nominees.

The action fundamentally altered the way Congress’ upper chamber has worked since the mid-19th century by making it impossible for a minority party, on its own, to block presidential appointments, except those to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The change in the so-called “filibuster” rule does not apply to legislation, which can still be held up by a handful of senators.

The now-defunct rule, a symbol of Washington gridlock, has survived dozens of attacks over the years largely because both major political par-

ties like to use it.

The action will undoubtedly come back to haunt Democrats the next time they lose the Senate and the White House simultaneously.

Getting rid of it was considered so momentous and divisive that it was dubbed the “nuclear option” in the Senate.

On a nearly party-line vote of 5248, the Senate reduced from 60 to 51 the number of votes needed to end procedural roadblocks.

Obama, a former senator, praised the action, calling the filibuster “a reckless and relentless tool to grind all business to a halt.”

The change will speed up the confirmation of Obama appointments to the courts as well as to cabinet and regulatory agencies.

FOR REAL NEWS AS IT HAPPENS, LOG ON TO SUNTV AT WWW.SUNTCI.COM. IF YOU WANT TO JOIN OUR MAILING LIST, EMAIL US AT SUN@SUNTCI.COM

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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WORLD NEWS

Slavery still alive in Britain. At least 4,700 people are being held in captivity and it could be the ‘tip of the iceberg’ A

n estimated 4,700 people are being kept as slaves in Britain today with 400 cases reported in the past three months.

Experts say there are many victims - many of them children - whose plight is completely hidden from view.

The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOAC) said they identified around 2,000 victims in the UK this year and one in four were children.

Victims came from more than 50 countries, they said.

The Lambeth slaves allegedly held captive for 30 years may only have had rare glimpses of daylight when they were allowed to hang out the washing or go shopping accompanied by their captors.

The three women - including a British 30-yearold never allowed to step into the outside world were held in ‘horrific conditions’, the charity who helped free them said today.

Their decades of forced servitude ended last month when one of the victims apparently made a ‘call for help’ when her ‘friend’ - another victim was refused medical treatment after having a stroke.

The Irishwoman of 57, who made the call, fled with the unwell 69-year-old Malaysian and the youngest victim, who were all held in servitude by a non-British couple in their 60s for three decades.

David Cameron’s official spokesman said today the Prime Minister regarded the case as ‘utterly appalling’.

The Home Secretary’s special envoy for human trafficking, Anthony Steen said: “Neighbours all over the country aren’t aware of the identifying issues of modern-day slavery. This is just the tip of the iceberg’.

Cases of slavery, human trafficking and domestic servitude are on the increase in Britain, a police chief warned today.

Shaun Sawyer, the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police who is the national policing lead on migration, said it was ‘unacceptable’ that the industry had been allowed grow.

He said: ‘We must be very ruthless and clear with traffickers that the UK is not a place to operate.

‘A slave is a slave is a slave. Whether it’s trafficking, forced labour or domestic servitude, you’re controlling a human being as a commodity.

‘There’s a growth in this area in the UK which is unacceptable. There is a slow build of evidence.’

He said a solution needed to started ‘as a policy’ that created ‘an environment in the UK to make it unacceptable to deal with a person as a commodity.’

He admitted that gathering community intelligence is ‘really hard to do’, but added: ‘That doesn’t mean you don’t do it.’

Andrew Wallis, the head of anti-human trafficking charity Unseen, said the allegations that three women had been held as slaves in a London house was ‘indicative of a growing problem in the UK and around the globe.’

He added: ‘It’s an industry. It’s an illicit trade with low risk of being caught and very high return, with a human being turned into a commodity to be bought and sold and exploited.’Slavery was officially abolished in the British Empire in the 1830s.

But the revelation that three women had only recently been freed from three decades of servitude underlines how the problem remains in the 21st century, despite national and international laws and conventions.

But recent court cases have demonstrated that slavery and servitude still exist in many forms such as trafficking, forced labour and through the exploitation of migrant workers - 175 years after it was outlawed In May, a father and son were jailed after they forced destitute men into servitude. Tommy Connors Senior, 53, was jailed for eight years and his son Patrick, 21, for five years at Luton Crown Court.

The pair, from the Greenacres site in Little Billington, Leighton Buzzard, had been convicted last

July of servitude, compulsory labour and assault charges after a trial at the same court.

Five members of the same traveller family who lived a luxurious lifestyle at the expense of vulnerable men forced to work for a pittance were all jailed in December last year. William Connors, 52, his wife Mary, 48, the couple’s sons, John, 29, and James, 20, and son-in-law Miles Connors, 24, were all convicted of conspiracy to require a person to perform forced or compulsory labour between April 2010 and March 2011 following a three-month trial at Bristol Crown Court In March 2010, two Hungarian nationals who trafficked young women into Britain and forced them to work in north London as sex slaves were each jailed for eight years. Joszef Budai, 24, and Andrea Novak, 20, were sentenced at Croydon Crown Court after being convicted of a string of trafficking and prostitution offences. Delivering his sentence, his Honour Judge Simon Pratt described the case as ‘the closest to human slavery as you could possibly get’.

The previous year, a court heard how an African woman was forced to work for up to 18 hours a day in what was described as the first case of ‘modern-day slavery’ to come before a court.

Mwanahamisi Mruke was trafficked into Britain from Tanzania and then made to sleep on a mattress on the kitchen floor of the north-west London home belonging to Saeeda Khan during her threeyear ordeal.

She was initially given just £10 a month to complete all of her chores, but after a year payments ceased. Khan, a 68-year-old widow, was guilty of ‘the most appalling greed’, a judge said after a jury unanimously convicted her of trafficking a person into the UK for exploitation. She was handed a suspended prison term.

Caption: Government advisor Anthony Steen says the thousands of slaves in Britain could be the ‘tip of the iceberg’

George Zimmerman released on bail; Told to stay away from girlfriend and guns S

ANFORD — A beleaguered George Zimmerman walked out of the Seminole County Jail on Tuesday, free on bail from his latest brush with the law, an ugly domestic-violence episode that has turned uglier.

Assistant State Attorney Lymary Munoz disclosed that not only had Zimmerman’s girlfriend accused him of pointing a shotgun at her and breaking furniture Monday, she also told authorities that he tried to choke her a week and a half ago.

“She is in fear for her safety,” Munoz told Seminole County Judge Fred Schott.

That new allegation is not part of the formal charges he faces, but Schott cited it in ordering Zimmerman to post $9,000 bail at a 1:30 p.m. hearing.

About three hours later, Zimmerman’s family had raised the money, and he left the jail. It’s not clear where he’ll live. He’s banned from returning to Samantha Scheibe’s house, where he had lived since August.

Zimmerman is the 30-year-old former Neighborhood Watch volunteer acquitted in July of murdering 17-yearold Trayvon Martin in Sanford. The shooting and verdict set off demonstrations and civil-rights marches across the country and beyond.

There were no demonstrators

George Zimmerman Tuesday at the Seminole County Jail, where Zimmerman had been locked up overnight on charges of aggravated assault, a felony, and two misdemeanors: domestic-violence battery and criminal mischief.

Zimmerman was calm and showed almost no emotion during his 15-minute court hearing. The only exception was one flinch, when Schott cited the new choking allegation and said that was why he would not set bond at $4,900, the amount recommended by county guidelines.

Munoz said Scheibe, 27, had not notified authorities when it happened but that about a week and a

half ago, Zimmerman had choked her.

Munoz had another dramatic disclosure: Scheibe also said that Zimmerman had recently talked about suicide.

Defense attorney Daniel Megaro met with Zimmerman at the jail before Tuesday’s hearing. He and co-counsel Jeff Dowdy, both with the Public Defender’s Office, said they saw no evidence that their client was volatile, suicidal or seriously mentally ill.

Schott ordered Zimmerman to stay away from Scheibe, to surrender all his guns and to wear a satellite monitor.

In the Trayvon murder case, Zimmerman was represented by $400-anhour attorney Mark O’Mara and $350-an-hour attorney Don West.

Both put out statements Monday saying they would not represent him in the new case.

Dowdy said that Zimmerman is indigent and in $2.5 million in debt — most of which is owed to those lawyers. In court paperwork, Zimmerman wrote that he has a total of $144.

On Monday, Scheibe told Seminole County deputies that she had ordered Zimmerman to move out and he had begun to pack when he got a shotgun, cocked it, pointed it at her

and broke a glass-topped table, according to his arrest report.

He then shoved her outside and locked and barricaded the door, according to Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Dennis Lemma.

While deputies were outside, banging on the door, trying to get him to come out, Zimmerman called 911 and blamed the dispute on Scheibe, whom he said had “gone crazy on me.”

He said he had not pointed a gun at her and that she was the one who smashed the table.

Monday’s arrest was the third known domestic-violence incident involving Zimmerman.

On Sept. 9, he was handcuffed by Lake Mary police but released after his estranged wife, Shellie, and her father accused him of threatening them with a gun while they were moving her belongings from a house the couple had shared.

Police made no arrest, saying they had no solid evidence that Zimmerman broke the law. Zimmerman had arrived at that scene with Scheibe.

Shellie Zimmerman filed for divorce in August but had not been able to find him to formally serve him notice.

The search ended Monday, when she had him served with the paperwork in jail.

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WORLD NEWS

Bill Clinton and Oprah among 16 Medal of Freedom recipients P

resident Obama honored the 16 recipients of this year’s Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony Wednesday, continuing a tradition that dates back to an executive order from former President John F. Kennedy establishing the award.

Kennedy, who was assassinated 50 years ago Friday, was set to award the first 31 recipients just two weeks after his trip to Dallas. But the ceremony has lived on, and more than 500 people have received the Medal of Freedom since then.

“This year it’s just a little more special because this marks the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy establishing this award,” Mr. Obama said. He mentioned a few Kennedy relatives in the audience including Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy and one of the president’s self-described “favorite people,” and JFK’s grandson, Jack Schlossberg, whom the president called “a pretty good basketball player.”

Later in the afternoon, Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, laid a wreath at Kennedy’s gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery with former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

At the Medal of Freedom ceremony, Mr. Obama spoke about each of the nominees, whose ranks include former President Clinton, television personality and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey, and former Chicago Cubs baseball player Ernie Banks.

A White Sox fan, Mr. Obama nonetheless found a way to praise Banks. “Ernie became known as much for his 512 homeruns as for his cheer and his optimism and his eternal faith that someday the Cubs would go all the way. And that’s, that’s serious belief.

Former US President Bill Clinton That is something that even a White Sox fan could respect,” he said.

And he drew chuckles from the crowd when he noted that Winfrey was encouraged to change her name to “Susie” early in her career.

“I got the same advice,” the president said, prompting laughter, before he clarified, “they didn’t say I should be named Susie, but they suggested I should change my name.

The honorees span a variety of fields including sports, music, public service and human rights and is a mix of living recipients and those who will receive their medal posthumously. In addition to Clinton, Winfrey and Banks, Mr. Obama awarded the medal to Ben Bradlee, the executive editor of The Washington Post when they broke news of the Watergate scandal; Daniel Inouye, the late Hawaii senator and first Japanese-American to serve in Congress; Daniel Kahneman a pioneering psychology scholar who earned the Nobel Prize in economics; former

Oprah Winfrey Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., who worked to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons; country music legend Loretta Lynn; chemist and scientist Mario Molina; Sally Ride, the first female American astronaut to travel to space; Bayard Rustin, a civil rights and gay rights activist who worked with Dr. Martin Luther King; musician Arturo Sandoval; Dean Smith, the head coach of the University of North Carolina basketball team from 1961 to 1997 and civil rights advocate; feminist movement leader and author Gloria Steinem; minister and civil rights leader Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian; and Judge Patricia Wald.

When he introduced psychologist Daniel Kahneman, an immigrant to Israel to who earned a Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002 for his work applying cognitive psychology to economic analysis, Mr. Obama prompted another round of laughter from the audience, saying, “All of us have moments when we look back and wonder ‘what the heck was I thinking?’ I have that quite a bit.”

Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng agree to divorce settlement R

upert Murdoch and his wife, Wendi Deng Murdoch, appeared before a Manhattan judge on Wednesday in a 10-minute hearing that cleared the way for ending their 14-year marriage.

“I’m glad you were able to resolve these matters amicably,” New York State Judge Ellen Gesmer said to the media mogul and his wife after asking if they were satisfied with settlement.

After the session, Deng, dressed in a dark-green coat and navy skirt, crossed the courtroom to hug her soon-to-be ex-husband, the chairman of News Corp and 21st Century Fox. Key details of the agreement were not revealed, but a person familiar with the terms of settlement said Deng is expected to keep the couple’s home in Beijing and their Fifth Avenue apartment in Manhattan, purchased in 2004 for a then-record $44 million.

Billionaire Rupert Murdoch and his former wife Wendi Ding

William Zabel, an attorney for Deng, and Ira Garr, representing Murdoch, were seated next to their clients.

Murdoch, 82, filed for divorce from Deng, 44, in June citing that their marriage had been irretrievably broken, according to his spokesman at the time. He made the move weeks before he was set to split his media and entertainment empire into two separate companies.

Deng met Murdoch in 1998 when she was a junior executive at News Corp’s Star TV in China and served as his interpreter during a business trip.

While the divorce is not yet final, the procedural hearing was one of the key steps necessary for the couple to part ways.

The split is not expected to affect operations at Fox and News Corp, which is controlled by the Murdoch family trust that holds about 40 percent of the voting stock in both companies.

Murdoch’s two children with Deng - Grace, 12, and Chloe, 10 - have shares in the trust but no voting rights.

Murdoch also has four adult children - Prudence, Lachlan, James and Elizabeth, who hold voting rights in the trust.

Murdoch and Deng wed shortly after his 31-year marriage to second wife, Anna, ended in divorce.

Deng never had a formal role at News Corp, although during their more than decade-long marriage, she served as a close advisor to Murdoch especially relating to the company’s business in China.

To many, she is perhaps best known for intercepting a shaving cream pie that was pitched at Murdoch while he was testifying before the British Parliament over News Corp’s phone-hacking scandal in July 2011.

The incident gained her the nickname “tiger wife.”

IN SOCIAL MEDIA GAFFE, BRITISH LEADER FOLLOWS ESCORT AGENCY ON TWITTER

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ONDON – Memo to Prime Minister David Cameron: If you have a thing for high-class call girls, it’s best not to advertise the fact on Twitter.

Britain’s Conservative leader was caught in an embarrassing social-media gaffe Wednesday when a technology website discovered that his official 10 Downing St. Twitter account was following Carltons of London, which bills itself as “an elite London escort agency” catering to “gentlemen of distinction.”

The Register website published a screenshot of the agency’s Twitter account, which showed that, of Carltons’ 64 followers, one was “UK Prime Minister.” A photo of Cameron’s smiling face, outside 10 Downing St., appeared below Carltons’ picture of a curvaceous model whose

own face was partially obscured and entirely beside the point.

Within hours of The Register’s report, under the headline “Prime Minister David Cameron in TWITTER HOOKER SHAME,” the prime minister’s office removed the agency from the list of nearly 370,000 people and organizations that @Number10gov follows on the social network.

Actually, no one here is suggesting that Cameron, a happily married father of three (a fourth child died of a rare medical condition), meant to follow Carltons – at least, not the escort agency. Observers speculated that someone on his staff intended to have him follow the Twitter account of the Carlton Club, an exclusive Conservative watering hole that also catered only to men until just a few years ago.

Also, before his move into politics, Cameron was director of corporate affairs for Carlton Television, a now-defunct TV company.

But his compatriots are now having a laugh at yet another apparent social-media blunder by the less-than-techno-savvy leader. Two months ago, Cameron or an aide marked as a “favorite” a tweet that poked fun at Foreign Secretary William Hague.

Last year, appearing before a judge-led investigation into Britain’s phone-hacking scandal, former newspaper executive Rebekah Brooks testified that Cameron sent her text messages with the signoff “LOL,” thinking it meant “lots of love” rather than “laughing out loud.”

It was unclear whether Cameron was LOL at his latest Twitter misstep.

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usiness B AND

T O ECHN

LOGY

Apple awarded $290 million in retrial against Samsung

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U.S. jury awarded Apple Inc about $290 million in a damages retrial against Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, restoring a large chunk of a historic verdict the iPhone maker won last year.

After a week long trial, the jury deliberated for nearly two days before reaching a decision on Thursday in a San Jose, California federal court. Apple had requested $379.8 million, while Samsung argued that it should have to pay $52.7 million.

Apple and Samsung have been fighting in the courts for over two years. Apple was awarded over $1 billion last year after it convinced a jury that Samsung copied various iPhone features - like using fingers to pinch and zoom on the screen - along with design touches like the phone’s flat, black glass screen.

Earlier this year U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh upheld nearly $640 million of that verdict but ordered a retrial on the rest, ruling that the previous jury had made some errors in its calculations. Combined with the retrial verdict of $290.5 million on Thursday, Apple has now been awarded $929.8 million in the case.

Apple called its marketing chief Phil Schiller to testify during the trial. Samsung did not call any senior executives, a fact hammered on by Apple attorneys during closing argument. Juror Barry Goldman-Hall, 60, said the six-woman two-man jury discussed the disparity.

“We felt like we had way more information from Apple and we were left wondering why we hadn’t

A Samsung Galaxy and an iPhone gotten other information from Samsung,” said Goldman-Hall, a therapist.

Samsung spokeswoman Lauren Restuccia said the company is disappointed by the verdict, especially because one of the patents in the case has been recently deemed invalid by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Apple is contesting that finding.

Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said it was grateful to the jury for imposing costs on Samsung, though she said the case has been more about protecting innovation than winning money.

Janet Yellen takes step closer to becoming Fed chief

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he Senate Banking Committee on Thursday approved Janet Yellen’s nomination to become the first woman to lead the Federal Reserve, sending it to the full Senate for a final vote.

If she is confirmed, as is widely expected, the current No. 2 at the central bank will replace its chairman, Ben Bernanke, when his term expires on January 31, making her the most powerful woman in world finance.

The vote was 14 in favor and 8 against.

Three Republicans voted in favor of her nomination and one Democrat voted against.

Nominated by President Barack Obama, Yellen is viewed as a monetary policy dove who puts more weight on driving down high unemployment than on the risk this will ignite future inflation.

She will preside over a central bank that has taken dramatic and unconventional steps to spur U.S. growth and hiring, measures that have stirred fierce complaints among critics fearful of future inflation and the potential for asset price bubbles.

The Fed has held benchmark U.S. interest rates near zero since late 2008 and has quadrupled the size of its balance sheet to $3.9 trillion through three massive bond purchase campaigns aimed at lowering the cost of long-term borrowing.

This has made the Fed a target for Republican lawmakers worried that these ultra-easy policies have enabled big spending by the Obama administration.

“The long-term costs of these policies are unclear and frankly worrisome,” Re-

Janet Yellen publican Senator Michael Crapo told the committee before voting ‘no’.

Despite those concerns, she is expected to handily win confirmation when the full Senate considers her nomination, likely in December.

Democrats control 55 of the 100 votes in the Senate, which means she would need the backing of only a handful of Republicans to secure the 60 votes that would be needed to clear any procedural hurdles that might be thrown in her way.

She looks well on the way to reaching that threshold.

Yellen received support from three Republicans on the banking committee: Bob Corker of Tennessee, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Mark Kirk of Illinois. In addition, Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina have also indicated they are inclined to back her in the full Senate.

The Democrat who voted against her in committee was Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

Samsung manufactures phones that use the Android operating system, which is developed by Google. In addition to the fight over money, Apple is seeking a permanent injunction against several older Samsung phones. Koh had previously rejected such a sales ban, but earlier this week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ordered her to reconsider.

Nick Rodelli, a lawyer and adviser to institutional investors for CFRA Research in Maryland, said injunctions are much more important in these legal battles than monetary awards. Still, he said, the verdict shows that Apple’s narrative was persuasive to a second jury drawn from Silicon Valley.

“A jury award on the high end of the range is a modestly positive signal for Apple,” Rodelli said.

Colleen Allen, the jury forewoman, said Apple did not enjoy a home field advantage from having the trial so close to the iPhone maker’s headquarters in Cupertino. Both companies are global players, she said, and while Apple engineers may be based in Northern California, its products are manufactured overseas.

The jurors based their decision on the evidence, said Allen, a 36-year old nurse.

“Samsung could’ve come up with a little more evidence,” Allen said.

The case is likely to drag on as Samsung appeals both verdicts, said Brian Love, a professor at Santa Clara Law in Silicon Valley.

“Litigation between the parties is far from over, and there is no end in sight,” Love said.

UK PUBLIC FINANCES IMPROVE AGAIN IN OCTOBER

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ritain’s finances showed an improvement last month as stronger economic growth and a recovering housing market boosted tax revenues, official data showed on Thursday.

The deficit fell to 8.078 billion pounds, based on a widely used measure which strips out some of the effects of Britain’s bank bailouts, from 8.242 billion in October 2012.

The improvement came despite an unexpected decision by the Office for National Statistics this week that the government’s sale of 2 billion pounds of shares in Royal Mail (RMG.L) should not reduce headline government borrowing.

That helped push Britain’s total net public debt, excluding the direct costs of bailing out the country’s banks, to 1.207 trillion pounds or 75.4 percent of GDP, the highest percentage for the month of October on record.

Economists polled by Reuters before the ONS’ classification decision had forecast a deficit of 7.25 billion pounds.

A sharp economic upturn this year means the government looks comfortably on track to beat its target to borrow no more than 120 billion

pounds, or 7.5 percent of GDP, this year.

In October, central government receipts hit 48.7 billion pounds, 3.2 percent higher than in the same month last year. The rise was partly driven by gains in stamp duties which leapt by nearly 46 percent, helped by Britain’s recovering housing market.

For the first seven months of the current tax year, the deficit, excluding the cost of bailouts and the cost of a Royal Mail pension plan transfer, totaled 64.8 billion pounds, down 8.2 percent compared with the same point in 2012.

The cash measure of borrowing, which has a bigger impact on government bond issuance, was in surplus to the tune of 16.774 billion in October, compared with a small deficit a year earlier.

After several years of disappointing growth and rising borrowing, Britain’s Chancellor George Osborne will be able to point to a slew of upbeat data when he announces a half-yearly budget updated on Dec 5.

The Bank of England and the OECD have announced sharp upward revisions to Britain’s GDP forecasts over the past few weeks.

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BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

Holiday shopping season looking bleak T

his holiday season may not be one of joy for some big retailers as the aftermath of the recession -- slow job growth and higher payroll taxes -has lower-income shoppers struggling to make ends meet and cautious about splashing out.

Walmart forecast a disappointing Thanksgiving-to-Christmas season, saying it expects sales to be flat -- after reporting its third straight quarterly decline in U.S. comparable sales because of fewer shopper visits.

And Kohl’s, which also posted lower quarterly sales on Thursday, said it would spend more on advertising to get shoppers into its stores during the holiday season that is traditionally crucial to retailers’ annual profits.

“The retail environment, both in stores and online, remains competitive,” Mike Duke, CEO of WalMart Stores Inc, said in a statement. “Walmart has aggressive plans to help our customers enjoy the holiday season, and there is no doubt that we plan to win for our customers and shareholders throughout the holidays.”

Economic uncertainty remains a headwind, he added during a conference call with Wall Street analysts. “Some customers feel uncertainty about the economy, government, (and) job stability,” Duke said.

Doug McMillon, Walmart International president and CEO, said that sales in the third quarter, which ended in October, were weighed down by a “challenging global economy” and currency headwinds which made Walmart goods more expensive

Walmart is the world’s second largest public corporation, the biggest private employer in the world with over two million employees, and is the largest retailer in the world.

Walmart remains a family-owned business, controlled by the Walton family, who own over 50 percent of Walmart. in some countries.

And he also said he expects the fourth quarter to be challenging. “The slow-growth macroeconomic environment is persisting through the first month of the new quarter,” McMillon said.

A customer enters the Kohls store in Westminster, Colorado on Aug.14, 2008. Kohl’s has cut its full-year earnings forecast after reporting weaker-than-expected third-quarter results due to a surprise fall in same-store sales.

Over at Kohl’s, a mid-tier department store chain that also serves a price-conscious clientele, the

mood was bleak after the company said its comparable sales fell 1.6 percent last quarter.

Kevin Mansell, Kohl’s chairman, president and CEO did not account for the weak quarterly results in the company’s earnings report, saying only, “As we enter the holiday season, we believe we are well-positioned from a merchandise content and inventory perspective to gain market share. We have increased our marketing spending and improved its impact and reach in order to drive higher traffic to our stores and on-line.”

Walmart said comparable sales at its U.S. stores, its biggest unit, fell 0.3 percent in the third quarter ended on Oct. 31, in part because of price reductions on televisions and sluggish sales of toys and packaged foods. Analysts had expected flat U.S. comparable sales, which include those online and at stores open at least a year.

Walmart caters to lower-income customers, who have been reluctant to spend this year because of higher payroll taxes and slow job growth. The retailer and analysts do not expect that caution to abate this holiday period.

“That low-end consumer is just not willing to step out and buy those discretionary items,” said Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough.

To compete against retailers such as Amazon. com and Target, Walmart began its holiday sales earlier than last year and is advertising more heavily.

Walmart U.S. Chief Executive Officer Bill Simon told reporters that the company would also “invest” in prices, its term for cutting them.

J&J unit to pay $2.5 billion in U.S. hip implant settlement A

unit of Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay an estimated $2.5 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits from individuals allegedly injured by the company’s artificial hip implants, the company announced.

The settlement, announced during a hearing in federal court in Ohio, would compensate an estimated 8,000 patients who underwent surgery to replace their hip implants, according to a statement from Johnson & Johnson unit Depuy Orthopaedics Inc and lawyers for the plaintiffs.

The company was defending more than 12,000 lawsuits in U.S. state and federal court over injuries allegedly caused by its metal-on-metal ASR hip-replacement systems, according to a regulatory filing.

Depuy recalled the ASR hip system in 2010, after data suggested that it

failed at a higher-than-expected rate.

At the time, the company had sold about 93,000 systems worldwide.

Metal hip implant systems like Depuy’s ASR hips were designed to be more durable, replacing a traditional metal-on-plastic ball-and-socket design. Instead, some patients who received the ASR hips reported experiencing pain, swelling, joint dislocation and sometimes damage to the central nervous system, thyroid and heart.

The settlement would compensate plaintiffs who have undergone surgery to replace their hips as of August 31, 2013, the company said. The company estimated that 8,000 plaintiffs would be eligible.

There is no cap on the amount of individual claims, according to Peter Flowers, one of the lead lawyers for

the plaintiffs. Eligible U.S. plaintiffs can seek compensation for costs associated with their revision surgery, as well as payments of qualified liens by healthcare providers associated with the surgery, Flowers said.

Plaintiffs who experienced more serious complications can apply to receive additional funds, Flowers said.

“From my clients’ perspective, this has been a long time coming,” Flowers said.

Plaintiffs who opt not to participate in the program, or those who have not undergone revision surgery to replace their implants, will continue to litigate.

The company said it will continue to defend itself in the remaining lawsuits not resolved by the agreement.

It also said that it expected the cost of the settlement program to be covered

BLACKBERRY PROPOSALS LACKED A TURNAROUND PLAN, OFFICIAL SAID

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eo de Bever, chief executive of the C$70 billion ($66.6 billion) Alberta Investment Management Corp (AIMCo), said all of Canada’s biggest pension funds were involved in discussions over BlackBerry’s fate earlier this year as it looked to sell itself following the unsuccessful launch of a new line of phones.

However, de Bever said AIMCo was never presented with a business plan that would have justified an investment in the company that was at one-time a darling in the technology sector.

“You had six or seven entities darting in and out with various propositions,” he told reporters. “But there was never a unified business plan to say ‘Okay, this is what we need to do’.”

Blackberry earlier this month abandoned plans to take itself private after holding discussions with Microsoft Corp, Apple Inc, Google Inc and others.

Instead, the company opted to replace its CEO and borrow $1 billion from a group of investors including its top shareholder Fairfax Financial Hold-

ings, Canso Investment Counsel, Mackenzie Financial, Markel Corp, Qatar Holding, Brookfield Asset Management, and Manulife Financial.

“What they ended up doing was raising a billion dollars but what are they going to do with it?” asked de Bever.

“I haven’t seen anything that basically says ‘Okay, this is step two, three and four’.”

De Bever said he believes BlackBerry retains considerable value in its assets that could be better developed, including its patent portfolio, real estate and cash. But he adds that while he is rooting for the re-emergence of the company, AIMCo will not invest in the company until it can again demonstrate it has a plan to revitalize its business.

“I can’t be Canada Inc. I can’t be out there supporting BlackBerry just because it’s a Canadian company. I can only do it when there is a strategy that makes sense for us to work along with,” he said. “If such a strategy emerges of course we would look a it.”

by reserves it had previously set aside, and did not expect to record an additional charge in connection with the agreement.

The announcement comes just weeks after Johnson & Johnson announced it would pay $2.2 billion to resolve civil and criminal probes into its marketing of several medications, including the anti-psychotic drug Risperdal.

While the settlement announced Tuesday aims to end a substantial chunk of the ASR hip litigation, Johnson & Johnson is still facing more than 5,000 lawsuits in connection with its Pinnacle hip implants. Its Ethicon subsidiary is also a defendant in more than 23,000 lawsuits over vaginal mesh implants, according to a quarterly filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

GOOGLE TO PAY $17 MILLION TO SETTLE SAFARI PROBE

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oogle Inc will pay $17 million to settle allegations by 37 states and the District of Colombia that it secretly tracked Web users by placing special digital files on the Web browsers of their smartphones.

The deal, announced Monday morning, ends a nearly twoyear probe by the states into allegations that Google bypassed the privacy settings of customers using Apple Inc’s Safari Web browser by placing “cookies” into the browser.

Cookies are special files that allow websites and advertisers to identify individual Web surfers and track their browsing habits.

The Safari Web browser used on iPhones and iPads automatically blocks third-party cookies, but Google altered the computer code of its cookies and was able to circumvent the blocks between June 2011 and February 2012, ac-

cording to the states’ allegations.

Google, which did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement, said on Monday that it has “taken steps to remove the ad cookies, which collected no personal information, from Apple’s browsers.”

The company agreed to pay $22 million in August 2012 to settle a probe by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission relating to the same matter.

Google, the world’s No. 1 Internet search engine, generated revenue of some $50 billion in 2012, mostly through advertising.

Under the terms of Monday’s deal, Google agreed not to use the type of code capable of overriding browser settings without user consent, unless for security, fraud or technical issues. It also agreed to provide consumers with more information about cookies for the next five years.

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BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

US regulators to consider in-flight calls and text messaging T

he U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Thursday set plans to expand the use of cell phones aboard airplanes, considering the possibility of allowing in-flight calls and text messaging.

Communications regulators on Dec. 12 will vote on a proposal that would allow airlines to offer passengers an option of making phone calls, sending texts or otherwise using their own wireless data and call services.

“Modern technologies can deliver mobile services in the air safely and reliably, and the time is right to review our outdated and restrictive rules,” FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said in announcing that he has circulated the proposal.

After the five-member commission votes on the

proposal on Dec. 12, the FCC would collect comments on it and eventually finalize it to revise its rules, which currently prohibit using wireless services in-flight for fear of interfering with other networks. It would work together with the Federal Aviation Administration and the airline industry.

Starting last month, some U.S. airlines started allowing passengers to use certain electronic devices throughout an entire flight after the FAA ended a long-standing ban that required they be turned off during take-off and landing.

FCC officials say the new proposal, if adopted, would still prohibit cellphone use below 10,000 feet at take-off and landing and would impose some technical requirements for airlines that decide to al-

Approval of $8.5 billion Bank of America settlement in judge’s hands A

decision on whether to approve Bank of America Corp’s (BAC.N) proposed $8.5 billion (5.25 billion pounds) settlement with investors in mortgage securities is now in the hands of a New York state judge, after a nine-week court proceeding ended on Thursday.

Justice Barbara Kapnick, of New York state Supreme Court in Manhattan, must decide whether it was reasonable for Bank of New York Mellon Corp (BK.N), as trustee for the securities, to enter into the settlement, which is binding on investors.

The judge gave no indication when she might rule. Decisions in New York state courts can take weeks or even months.

Bank of America agreed to the deal in June 2011 to resolve claims over toxic mortgage-backed securities issued by Countrywide Financial, which Bank of America bought in 2008.

A group of 22 institutional investors, including BlackRock Inc,

Metlife Inc (MET.N), and Allianz SE’s (ALVG.DE) Pacific Investment Management Co (Pimco) took part in the negotiations.

Objectors to the settlement have been led by American International Group Inc (AIG), which has argued the process was flawed and that there is no proof the settlement adequately compensates bondholders.

New York attorney Hector Gonzalez, of Dechert, who represents Bank of New York Mellon, got in the last word on Thursday.

“The settlement looks even better for the trusts today than it did in June 2011,” Gonzalez said, given the housing recovery and court rulings that make it likely that Bank of America would not be held responsible for Countrywide’s liabilities.

He told the judge the decision to approve the settlement should be “an easy call,” as it was for the trustee, despite efforts by the objectors to complicate the case.

EUROZONE MINISTERS ARE LOSING PATIENCE WITH GREECE

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urozone finance ministers are losing patience with Greece, said the head of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, as the country submitted its 2014 budget.

Greece will exit its six-year long recession next year with 0.6% growth, the budget said.

The debt-laden country has received international bailouts since May 2010.

At The Hague, Mr Dijsselbloem told a Greek newspaper, the Ta Nea daily, that “many finance ministers of the eurozone are starting to lose patience”.

Greece’s deputy finance minister, Christos Staikouras, said the country’s economy would shrink by 4% this year, below the 4.5% predicted.

He said: “For the first time, the major sacrifices made by the Greek people are paying off, with the first signs of recovery this year.

“The conditions are being created for Greece’s return to international markets within 2014.’’

The draft budget, submitted to parliament by Greece’s finance minister Yannis Stournaras, is due to be

voted on in early December.

Greece sought bailouts after confidence in its ability to repay its vast debts evaporated, leaving it unable to find sufficient investors willing to lend it money via the bond markets.

In return for the rescue package, Greece had to restructure its finances, cut public sector pensions and pay, and impose new taxes.

The Eurogroup is made up of the finance ministers from the 17 nations that use the single European currency.

The necessary measures Greece needs to take to meet its bailout requirements in 2014 have been debated in Athens by the so-called troika, made up of the International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank and European Commission.

The troika has reportedly been at loggerheads with Greece’s government over home repossessions, among other issues.

In a joint statement, the troika said: “Good progress has been made, but a few issues remain outstanding.”

They are due to return to Greece in December.

low use of phones onboard.

Experts point out that the technology already exists to collect phone calls and route them to the ground, solving the problem of having to jump from one cell tower to another to complete the call. Some airlines in Europe, the Middle East and Asia already allow in-flight phone use, FCC officials say.

The FCC in May also started deliberations on a proposal that would offer a new type of in-flight broadband service promising fliers higher Wi-Fi speeds and better connections.

U.S. air travelers can already access the Internet on some flights. But the speed of such service, which rely either on connections with antennas on the ground or satellites, is slow.

Consumer plaintiffs oppose AMR-USAir antitrust settlement

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group of consumers who have sued American Airlines’ bankrupt parent over its proposed merger with US Airways Group (LCC.N) are now objecting to a settlement that would allow that merger to go forward.

California resident Carolyn Fjord, leading a proposed class of plaintiffs in an antitrust lawsuit against the two airlines, filed court papers on Thursday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan, arguing that consumers would be hurt by the tie-up, which would create the world’s largest airline.

It was the only objection filed ahead of a midday deadline to oppose the settlement, which was reached earlier this month in a separate dispute between the airlines and the U.S. Department of Justice.

The DOJ had blocked the deal, which was to serve as the basis for American parent AMR Corp’s (AAMRQ.PK) exit from bankruptcy. The sides settled after the airlines agreed to give low-cost competitors more access to several key U.S. airports, in-

cluding in New York and Washington.

The settlement still needs bankruptcy court approval before the merger can close and AMR can exit bankruptcy. A court hearing is scheduled for Monday.

The Fjord group, whose lawsuit against the airlines is pending, is seeking a temporary restraining order to keep the deal from closing.

“The proposed merger will create undue concentration in the airline industry in the United States and may result in increases in fares, reduction of capacity and availability of flights, reduced services, charges for amenities, loss of jobs” and other issues, the group said in Thursday’s filing.

An AMR spokesman declined to comment on Thursday. A spokeswoman for US Airways had no immediate comment.

The airlines have rejected the group’s allegations, saying in court papers that the move would not harm competition.

BERNANKE SCORES 8/10 FROM ECONOMISTS ON HIS WAY OUT

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the ranks of millions rchitect of some of of unemployed Amerithe most aggressive cans along with them. monetary policies ever The U.S. housing conducted by a central market is finally on bank, Bernanke scored the mend but com8 out of 10, counterpanies have hoarded ing the criticism he has huge piles of cash and faced for failing to spot are still not investing trouble brewing in adin the future, leaving vance.

Ben Bernanke households borrow“Bernanke’s perforing at near-zero intermance during and after the crisis has been just about right est rates to pick up the economic slack.

The Fed’s quantitative easing has at every turn,” said Bill Cheney, chief economist at Manulife Asset Manage- also ricocheted around the world, first ment, who was one of the more gener- pumping hot money into emerging ous of the 53 economists who gave Ber- markets and then causing ructions as its withdrawal was threatened. nanke a grade.

Central bankers tend not to get low “The reason for not awarding a 10 is his failure to take more precautionary marks from the people who track and steps beforehand, for example, mort- forecast their every move.

The institutions that many economgage lending regulations,” he said.

While not every respondent rated ic forecasters work for often have the him so highly, only two, both based in most to gain from easy money policies, Europe, gave Bernanke a rating of less which have oiled financial markets.

One respondent to an October 2005 than 5.

While the U.S. economy emerged Reuters poll described Alan Greenfrom recession years ago, stock mar- span, Bernanke’s predecessor, as having kets have rocketed to record highs “demi-god status”. Greenspan is now without taking the rate of economic routinely cited as shouldering a large growth or significant numbers from part of the blame for the financial crisis.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Sports

LOCAL

Bien-Aime appointed to CONCACAF Executive Committee

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he General Secretary of the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA), Sonia Bien-Aime, has been appointed a member of the CONCACAF Executive Committee on November 9.

During the most recent ExCo meeting held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, members congratulated Bien-Aime for her treasured contribution to football as she accepted her new leadership role within the Confederation.

“It is a great source of pride for CONCACAF that Sonia Bien-Aime is joining its Executive Committee,” said CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb. “Her experience and unique perspective will be invaluable as both CONCACAF and FIFA continues to evolve. I applaud Sonia’s accomplishments thus far and know that her impact moving forward will be substantial.”

Bien-Aime is also one of three women on FIFA’s Executive Committee - joining Lydia Nsekera, who was a co-opted member before be-

ing voted to the full 25-person committee at the same Congress, and Australia’s Moya Dodd. This landmark inclusion of the three women at the helm of the governing body has been widely acclaimed as an important step in FIFA’s reform process.

“I would like to thank President Webb and the members of CONCACAF’s Executive Committee for their warm welcome and appreciation of my work in football,” said Bien-Aime. “I will fully embrace this responsibility and commit to providing my best guidance in order to make a genuine contribution to the region, especially in women’s football.”

In addition to her new post, Bien-Aime is also a member of the Women’s Technical Committee and Deputy Chairwoman of the Women’s Championship Committee at CONCACAF. Furthermore, she serves on four key standing committees at FIFA: Organizing Committee for the FIFA World Cup, FIFA Wom-

Sonia Bien-Aime en’s Committee and FIFA Women’s World Cup, Organizing Committee for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup and is the Deputy Chairwoman of the Organizing Committee of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup. During the meeting, the Executive Committee also discussed

goals for the year ahead and long term strategies to continue enhancing the process of reform within CONCACAF. Present at the meeting were CONCACAF Vice-Presidents for the three regions, Alfredo Hawit (Central America), Justino Compean (North America) and Captain Horace Burrell (Caribbean) as well as members Sunil Gulati, Luis Hernandez, Eduardo Li and Victor Montagliani and CONCACAF General Secretary, Enrique Sanz.

A former athlete, Bien-Aime represented her country internationally in track and field event, softball and as the captain of the Turks & Caicos Islands women’s national football team. After moving away from the playing field, a passion for football still burned and she dedicated herself to a career in administration. In 2006, she was appointed to the position of General Secretary of the TCIFA and, six years later, became the first woman elected to an executive post in the Caribbean Football Union.

Blue Haven hosts first annual Volleyball Tourney T

o celebrate the official grand opening of Blue Haven Resort & Marina in Leeward, the entity will be hosting its first annual Blue Haven Beach Volleyball tournament over the weekend of December 7 and 8.

The free-entry competition is open to all businesses and corporate groups looking for friendly rivalry, healthy competition and a great team-building exercise.

Each team is to have four players

on the court at any given time, with a maximum of 8 people per team allowing for substitutions. Teams are to be mixed with at least one female on the court at any given time.

The winning team will receive US$500 to donate to a local charity of their choice along with medals for keeps. The second as well as the third place team will walk away with medals.

For information on how to enter, email contact@bluehaventci.com

and Blue Haven Resort will send dispatch a registration form to complete and return by Friday, November 29.

Blue Have Resort and Marina is advising that entries are limited, and so teams will be entered on a first-comefirst-serve basis The organizers said that a pre-tournament briefing will be held at Salt Bar & Grill on Friday, December 6, at 6.30pm to meet the all the teams and go over the rules with them, in

BEACHES TAKE OVERALL NHIP SPORTS CHALLENGE

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eaches Turks and Caicos Islands Resort and Spa were crowned overall winners of the Corporate Fitness challenge staged by the National Health Insurance Plan (NHIP).

Turks and Caicos Islands Hospitals came in second, while Scotiabank rounded off the top three.

Probably the most exciting race of the day was the 4 x 4 Women’s Relay, which saw the NHIP team creating an upset over pre-race favorites Beaches.

Turks and Caicos Hospitals finished third.

Leanna, who ran the first leg for NHIP, left her competitors in the dust to cushion her teammates, to give Jo Ann Been the head start over the other runner, and before Brianna and Leechelle, the other members of the team, collected the baton respectively, the race was effectively over.

The Following are the results of CEO Race: 1st-National Health Insurance Board; 2nd-TCI Hospital; 3rd-National Insurance Board.

Potato & Spoon: 1st-National Insurance Board; 2nd-Scotiabank; 3rd-Provo Water Company.

Tug –O-War: 1st-TCI Hospital; 2nd-Provo Water Company; 3rd-Scotiabank.

Three-Legged Race: 1st-Beaches; 2nd-Scotiabank; 3rd-Provo Water Company.

Hula Hoop Competition: 1st-Beaches; 2nd-TCI Hospital; 3rd-National Health Insurance Board.

Sack Race: 1st-Beaches; 2nd-Scotiabank; 3rd-National Health Insurance Board.

Dominos: 1st-TCI Hospital; 2nd-Provo Water Company; 3rd-National Insurance Board.

Volleyball: 1st-Beaches; 2nd-TCI Hospital; 3rd-Scotiabank.

100m Female: 1st-Beaches; 2nd-Scotiabank; 3rdTCI Hospital 100m Male: 1st-TCI Hospital; 2nd-Scotiabank; 3rd-National Health Insurance Board.

200m Female: 1st-Beaches; 2nd-National Health Insurance Board; 3rd-TCI Hospital.

200m Male: 1st-Beaches; 2nd-Fortis TCI; 3rd-Scotiabank 4x100m Relay: 1st-National Health Insurance Board; 2nd-Beaches; 3rd-TCI Hospital.

NHIB CEO Zaneta Burton thanked all of the companies who participated in the Corporate Fitness Challenge. Committee member Mrs. Angel Colby Taylor said she was excited to see the response that they got from the Corporate Community and looks forward to a bigger and better Corporate Fitness Challenge next year.

Gold silver and bronze medals were presented to the three participants of each event. Beaches walked away with the championship floating trophy.

addition to cover any questions and to give the schedule of games to be played.

After the briefing attendees are asked to join the “Blue Your Mind” party at Salt for a pig roast and live music. Attendees are asked to wear something blue.

On tournament day, start time for the games will be between 11am and 4pm with prize-giving after the championship match-up.

SIX-A-SIDE FOOTBALL BONANZA FOR DEC. 27

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he site of the former Small World Learning Centre located across from Quality Supermarket on the Five Cays Road in Providenciales will come alive on December 27, with a day and night six-a-side football (soccer) competition that will see the winning team taking home $500.

The event which begins at 12 noon, is expected to see tough competitions from teams across Providenciales, and superb talents from budding and experienced footballers put on display.

The football competition will form part of the list of activities on the day, which is to be hosted by Sky Di Limit Promotion in association with AJ’s Auto Parts.

Following the football competition and prize-giving segment, there will be a dance party entitled ‘Fully Loaded’, which will see the best disk jockeys in the Turks and Caicos Islands going up against in other in a musical selection competition, to determine the top disk jock in the land.

That event will feature DJ Colors; DJ Vernon; DJ Shacka; DJ Winnie Pooh; DJ Hoodie; DJ Young Squad; DJ Silver G; DJ Success; DJ Trinity; DJ Headless; and DJ Killa.

Registration for the football competition begins now and interesting teams are asked to contact 3329606; 346-9781; or 331-8799 for further information.

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NOVEMBER 23RD - NOVEMBER 30TH, 2013

Sports

CARIBBEAN

Usain Bolt named World Athlete of the Year for fifth time

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sain Bolt has been named male World Athlete of the Year for a fifth time.

The 27-year-old Jamaican, who also won last year, clinched 100m, 200m and 100m relay gold in the World Championships in Moscow in August.

Fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce took the women’s award after winning the same three golds as Bolt in Russia.

Earlier this week, the 27-year-old said she will refuse to run in major events unless Jamaica’s athletics authorities “stand by” their athletes.

Bolt, who beat Britain’s double world champion from Moscow Mo Farah to the award, became the most successful athlete in the history of the World Championships this year with his eighth gold and 10th medal in total.

At the awards ceremony in Monaco, he said his 2014 target was to beat his 200m world record of 19.19 seconds.

“That has always been my dream; that has always been my aim,” he said. “This season will be the season when I will be going for world records because there are no major [outdoor] championships.

“The 200m is much easier than the 100m to try for a record and that would be my main focus this season.”

Bolt has previously said he could retire after the 2016 Olympics - but he added he might yet compete at the World Championships in London the following year.

Usain Bolt “I was having some talk about this with my coach, and he was saying people had said I should go for another year,” he said.

Fraser-Pryce has now won seven medals at World Championships to add to her four Olympic medals.

There was a rumour going around saying they were going to try and ban Jamaica if they did not have the Jamaican drug testing facility in order.

“But I’m saying if you’re going to say that, you’ve got to be very careful of how you’re saying it because now my sponsors say that if I don’t run at the Olympics ‘why should we sponsor you?’ It’s costing me money so they should sort this out and then there’s no problem.”

Six Jamaican athletes have tested positive this year, and the United States’ Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) has already offered to help Jamaica’s anti-dop-

ing team because they feel the island’s athletes have been “let down”.

But Bolt, who lifted the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) athlete of the year award for the fifth time in six years at the weekend, acknowledges that “Jamaica might not be doing 100%”, but added “it doesn’t have a lot of money like everybody else around the world. We don’t get a lot of sponsors.

“The IAAF president says the Jamaican federation has done a good job in cracking down, they just need help to develop their testing facilities more. I think it’s a problem but I think they’ll sort it out but they need to do it quickly.”

The Six-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt claims the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (Wada) investigation into Jamaica could cost him a lucrative sponsorship deal at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.

But Bolt said he would not be following his compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in threatening to strike in response.

“For me this is my job, I can’t just get up and go on strike,” said Bolt.

“There was a rumour going around saying they were going to try and ban Jamaica if they did not have the Jamaican drug testing facility in order.

“But I’m saying if you’re going to say that, you’ve got to be very careful of how you’re saying it because now my sponsors say that if I don’t run at the Olympics ‘why should we sponsor you?’ It’s costing me money so they should sort this out and then there’s no problem.”

Chris Gayle tears hamstring and will miss rest of India tour W

est Indies batsman Chris Gayle will miss the rest of the tour of India after tearing his hamstring.

The 34-year-old suffered the injury when he was run out chasing a single after the second ball of the innings and left the field on a stretcher.

India won the first of three one-day internationals by six wickets after chasing 211 with 88 balls to spare.

Team skipper Dwayne Bravo said it was the “worst” thing to happen to them on the current tour.

Gayle has been ruled out of the remainder of the three-match ODI series after he sustained the injury while making a desperate dive to save himself from a run out chance. He was later carried out of the ground in a stretcher.

“Losing Chris (Gayle) is the worst to happen to us on the tour. He is our best player. He is no longer available for the series and that is a big blow for

Chris Gayle holding his injured hamstring us. Psychologically, also it is not good for us. Before we landed in India, we lost Kieran Pollard and now we lost Chris and they are two of our best players,” Bravo said at the post-match press conference.

Virat Kohli (84) and Rohit Sharma (72) hit sparkling half-centuries after spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja (3/37) and Suresh Raina (3/34) shone with the ball to thrash the visitors by six wickets at the Nehru Stadium.

Asked to bowl, spin duo of Jadeja and Raina exploited the low and slow conditions effectively to bundle out West Indies for a meagre 211 in 48.5 overs, and Bravo admitted that the score was not good enough to defend.

“The pitch is the same for both the teams. I think we lost the momentum.

The India bowlers are good and they have applied themselves well. 211 was not a good enough total for a team to win an

ODI. Our batters did not perform to our expectations. We have to work on our batting,” the West Indies skipper said.

“I thought we were about 40 runs short. We had a good start even though we lost our star batsman Chris Gayle early. Johnson Charles and (Marlon) Samuels put up a good stand. We were on our target but we lost wickets and could manage only 211,” Bravo said.

“I think our bowlers did very well even though some of them were not at their best. But (Ravi) Rampaul and (Jason) Holder bowled very well and gave their hundred per cent in their second spell.”

Bravo praised opposition batsmen Kohli and Rohit for their impressive display.

“Both Rohit and Virat are in good form and in good touch. They played very well today and everything was going in their way. They are world class players. They know the conditions better than us,” he said.

PRESSURE MOUNTS ON WEST INDIES SELECTORS TO REVIEW SAMMY’S ROLE IN THE SIDE

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UNE, India - West Indies cricket selectors seem to be coming under increasing pressure to review the role of test captain Darren Sammy following the team’s humiliating innings defeat to India in the recently concluded two-match test series.

For the third time in recent days a former West Indies captain is calling for selectors to consider Sammy’s future in the team.

Clive Lloyd has conceded that Sammy has been a unifying force in the Windies setup but now believes that his role in the team has now become an unsettled issue.

“Sammy as a captain has brought the guys together. They are definitely looking a better bunch under his leadership,” said Lloyd who led the most dominating Test team of all times in mid-1970s and 80s.

“But now, I think people are taking a look at the balance of the side”.

The West Indies captain made a total of 25 runs in the four innings and went wicketless, forcing questions to be asked of his role as an allrounder in the team.

“I believe that when a team is losing, the captain is the first person to be blamed,” Lloyd said.

“However, having said that, he (Sammy) needs to take a look at himself, put his hand up and the selectors need to take a decision on his future”.

Lloyd’s comments on the current West Indies captain come on the heels of similar concerns raised by former player Bryan Davis who has suggested a change in the captaincy of the regional side and former pacer Michael Holding who thinks Sammy should not be included in the test team.

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Sports W

RLD

Bryant says a November return for Lakers is possible

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obe Bryant gave his Los Angeles Lakers teammates a huge boost on Tuesday when he said he could see himself returning to competitive action later this month.

The 35-year-old shooting guard has been sidelined since mid-April with a torn left Achilles’ tendon but he looked very much like his old self as he practiced hard with the Lakers for a second time in four days.

“I’m pleasantly surprised how I’m moving,” Bryant, a 15-time All-Star and a five-time NBA champion, told reporters after performing several five-on-five drills at the team’s training facility in El Segundo. “I felt fine.

“I’ve been doing a great deal of conditioning so I didn’t feel tired. I just went out there and played, tried to do what I normally do, try to figure out some things about my game, what I can do at this stage, what I can’t do at this stage.

“There are still areas that need to be stronger in terms of jumping, being able to plant quickly, change directions and things like that ... but I can adjust my game and play at a pretty high level right now.”

Bryant, known throughout his career for his determination to play through pain and various other

Kobe Bryant setbacks, said his ankle felt good.

“We did a really good job,” he added. “The range of motion is good. The big thing, obviously, is after today (to) see how it feels later on in the day and see how it feels tomorrow.”

Asked whether he could envision himself playing for the Lakers in an NBA game later this month, Bryant replied: “Yeah, I can.”

Head coach Mike D’Antoni said Bryant would not play on Friday when the Lakers are next in action, at home to the Golden State Warriors.

The Los Angeles team will then have four more games before the end of this month - against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, the Washington Wizards on November 26, the Brooklyn Nets on November 27 and the Detroit Pacers on November 29.

Bryant was given full medical clearance to resume all basketball activities over the weekend and he linked up with the team for his first full practice on Saturday.

However, D’Antoni has urged caution, and does not want to see his star player rushed back into action.

“He looked real active,” D’Antoni said after Bryant’s full-speed workout with the team on Tuesday.

“But again, I just want to urge caution because we’re going to take it easy.

“I know it’s hard to with all the speculation, but this is one good step. He needs a few more steps. He hasn’t played since April and he looked pretty good.”

In the absence of Bryant, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest closers in the game, the Lakers have gone 5-7 season and occupy 12th place in the 15team Western Conference.

Incognitos grievance postponed, hopes to return to Dolphins O n Nov. 14, suspended Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito filed a non-football injury grievance against the team challenging his status as ‘indefinitely suspended.’ At the time, Incognito requested an expedited hearing. However, that’s not going to happen.

Incognito’s grievance has been postponed until independent investigator Ted Wells finishes his investigation, the Dolphins and Incognito announced on Thursday. Incognito’s grievance was originally scheduled to be heard on Thursday.

“I have agreed to postpone my expedited arbitration hearing until after the investigation by Ted Wells is complete,” Incognito said in a statement. “I will cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation with a goal of resuming my career with the Miami

Richie Incognito hopes to resume his career with the Dolphins.

Dolphins at the conclusion of this investigation. I love my teammates and hope we can put this distraction behind us soon.”

Wells met with Jonathan Martin for seven hours on Nov. 15, then he moved his investigation to Miami on Monday so that he could in-

terview members of the Dolphins organization. The Dolphins had requested earlier this week that Incognito’s grievance be postponed until Wells was finished with his investigation.

Incognito’s grievance hearing is likely to be held after Dec. 2, according to ESPN.com, which could make things awkward for the Dolphins.

Incognito was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team on Nov. 3 and under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the longest you can suspend a player for conduct detrimental to the team is four weeks. Since Incognito was suspended on Nov. 3, his ‘indefinite suspension’ can only go through Dec. 2 at the longest.

As of right now, the Dolphins have until Dec. 2 to decide if they

87 CHANGES MADE TO DECISIONS ON THE RULES OF GOLF

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ighty seven changes have been made to the 2013-14 edition of the “Decisions on the Rules of Golf” manual but one in particular will be of interest to world number one Tiger Woods.

New Decision 18/4, agreed by the Royal and Ancient and the United States Golf Association (USGA), aims to clarify when a ball has been inadvertently moved by a player - a scenario that left Woods fuming at the BMW Championship in September.

Woods suffered a two-stroke penalty at the first hole in his second round after he tried to remove a twig from behind his ball.

The American 14-times major winner insisted his ball had merely “oscillated” although detailed video footage of the incident suggested the ball had rolled slightly away from its original resting place.

However, under new guidelines announced on Tuesday, Woods would probably have escaped punishment.

“New Decision 18/4 provides that, where enhanced technological evidence (e.g. HDTV, digital recording or online visual media, etc.) shows that a ball has left its position and come to rest in another location, the ball will not be deemed to have moved if that movement was not reasonably discernible to the naked eye at the time,” the new rule states.

A joint statement from the R&A and USGA explained the decision, saying it was made to counter the increased level of scrutiny players are under at elite tournaments owing to the rapid developments in video technology.

“This has led to an increasing number of inqui-

want to bring Incognito back or cut him. If Incognito’s grievance is heard after Dec. 2, the team will have to decide whether or not to cut him without knowing the arbitrator’s decision in the grievance. However, Incognito did mention in his statement that he’d like to return to the Dolphins, so agreeing to postpone his grievance may have been a showing of goodwill.

Incognito hasn’t spoken to the media since Nov. 10, and since then, more accusations have been raised against him. On Tuesday, it was reported that Incognito and at least one other Dolphins player harassed a Dolphins team employee by “mocking the ethnic background of a team staff member and making crude jokes about the staff member’s wife.”

ries to officials from television viewers and others about whether a breach of the Rules has occurred, sometimes resulting in breaches of the Rules being identified (and penalties being applied) after the incident itself has occurred.

“Occasionally, the identification of the breach has been after the player has returned his or her scorecard, which has therefore resulted in disqualification under Rule 6-6d.

“These developments have generated considerable discussion concerning whether, how and when such video evidence should be used.”

Woods also fell foul of rules officials at the Masters after taking an illegal drop during the second round when his wedge approach at the 15th struck the flagstick before ricocheting backwards off the green and down the slope into Rae’s Creek.

In another change, players will now be allowed to access weather conditions on smatphones during their round without breaching Rules.

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WORLD SPORTS

IOC chief Bach vows toughest anti-doping program ever A

nti-doping measures for the 2014 Sochi Olympics will be the toughest of any Winter Games, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said on Thursday.

Bach, speaking to reporters in Seoul on a visit to check preparations for the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, said the IOC would conduct more in- and out-of-competition tests for the Sochi Olympics than Vancouver 2010.

Bach’s comments come days after the IOC said it was re-testing samples from 2006 Torino Games, with an eight-year statute of limitations running out next year, and a German state television report about two doping labs finding hundreds of positive tests using new methods.

“The anti-doping test program for Sochi will be the toughest ever applied in a Winter Games,” said the German, who was elected the IOC’s ninth president in September.

“We have decided for the Sochi Games that we will increase the testing by 57 percent compared to the Vancouver Games.”

Bach said that the “rapid increase” in the number

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach attends a news conference in Tokyo November 20, 2013. of tests underlined the IOC’s commitment to stamping out doping.

“This is the best evidence you can give for the commitment, because on the one hand, you have to express a zero tolerance policy but on the other, you also have to show this by facts.

“This is what we are doing, to increase testing programs not only by quantity but also by quality.”

Bach added that the IOC would move to strengthen testing procedures when athletes are training, as this was where the major doping problem lay.

“The tests will be even more target-oriented and there will be more according to individual profiles,” he said. “And there will be more tests for pre-competition, where most of the anti-doping rule violations are happening.

“This will be the toughest anti-doping program we have ever had.”

The IOC is eager to root out cheats long after Olympic Games have finished by using new methods of tracing banned substances or identifying substances that were not known at the time.

Bach said the IOC would deal appropriately with any positives from its re-tests of Torino samples.

“Since the testing is on the way, we will see the results.

“If it turns out to be positive, we will deal with it with our zero tolerance policy, which we apply in general with regards to doping tests,” he added.

400 pound, 17-year-old running back a sight to behold W

HITE SWAN, Wash. -- A tiny Washington high school is home to perhaps the largest running back anywhere in the country - amateur or professional.

At 400 pounds, Tony Picard racked up 576 yards rushing and seven touchdowns this year at White Swan High School. The Yakima Herald-Republic reports that his coach put Picard at running back because he was so athletic for his size. Many NFL running backs weigh half as much as Picard.

Current NFL rushing leader LeSean McCoy of the Philadelphia Eagles weighs in at 208 pounds. Picard’s size

Tony Picard is 17 and weighs 400 pounds also rivals some of the largest NFL linemen around.

Picard hasn’t been the featured running back at White Swan, a school

of less than 300 students. Smaller, quicker players have typically led the running game while Picard has been a reliable short-yardage back.

This year, he averaged nearly 6 yards per carry.

Video of Picard’s rumbling runs has drawn more than 2 million views on YouTube. The clips show the 17-year-old plowing through defenders while also showing swiftness on his feet. Picard hopes to go on to play college football. ‘’You’ll see the other team just kind of looking at him when they’re shaking hands, like, ‘Oh my gosh, do I really have to tackle this guy?’’’ Picard’s

WADE TURNING FATHERHOOD STORY INTO SITCOM

M

IAMI -- Dwyane Wade is taking his story of fatherhood to television, looking for some laughs.

The Miami Heat guard has sold a sitcom to Fox, through Sony Pictures Television - and oddly enough, it’s the story of an NBA star who gets full custody of his two young sons.

With a working title of ‘’Three The Hard Way,’’ it’s the first television project announced

by Wade’s ZZ Productions, a company that bears the initials of his sons’ first names. ‘’I will be involved,’’ Wade said. ‘’I’ll be very involved.’’

Many details have not been announced, including who will play Wade in the show. ‘’Haven’t figured that out yet,’’ Wade said. ‘’But I’m sure it’ll be somebody very handsome.’’

Wade was awarded custody of his sons in April 2011, ending what was a long and often-vengeful fight with his ex-wife. The couple was divorced in 2010, though some legal matters between them remain unresolved.

That story is not a funny one. Wade has often spoken of how difficult it was for him, and it clearly was

Dwayne Wade not easy for his sons to handle, either. But Wade said that when he watched ‘’The Cosby Show,’’ he would see a mix of laughter and life lessons.

He’s hoping the same can happen with this project, and believes writer Ben Watkins can pull it off. ‘’I think I’ve got a great writer,’’ Wade said. ‘’I think Ben is a great writer. I think he’s going to be able to pull the comedy out of the dark moments. That’s the one thing before I sold my story that I said, I want to be able to bring some light into the

dark times and I want somebody who can do that. I think Ben is the guy who kind of can do that.’’

Wade said the idea for a show came to him while he was working on his book ‘’A Father First,’’ which was released in September 2012.

Wade, who is represented by CAA, said he went before television executives and pitched it himself.

His sons, he said, are anxious to know who will play them on the show. And also unclear: if Wade’s actress girlfriend Gabrielle Union will be a part of it. ‘’She might have a small role,’’ Wade said. ‘’You never know.’’

Wade and Mike Tollin, one of the executive producers, sold the project to Fox earlier this year. Watkins was brought on board over the summer. The description of the show describes the plot as ‘’no matter how misinformed, misguided, or unfit Team Wade may be, they have a trump card that can’t lose.

It’s called love.’’ ‘’All the chips are there,’’ Wade said. ‘’Now hopefully everybody eats.’’

coach, Andy Bush, told ABC’s ‘’Good Morning America.’’

Picard didn’t draw much outside attention in the last few years as he helped his team to the playoffs three seasons in a row. That began to change this year when a photograph of Picard showed the running back ready to trample a defender who looked about one-third his body weight. ‘’It takes multiple guys to take me down, four or five,’’ Picard told ‘’Good Morning America.’’ ‘’I kind of take advantage of being this size.’’

Picard also plays varsity basketball.

ADIDAS EXTENDS WORLD CUP SOCCER SPONSORSHIP UNTIL 2030

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German sportswear maker Adidas will remain the official partner and sponsor of the FIFA World Cup until 2030 as it defends its market leadership in soccer against U.S. rival Nike.

Under a deal covering the four tournaments from 2018, Adidas will provide the match balls and the uniforms of volunteers who help fans find their way around. It will also sell licensed World Cup products and have its name on advertising at venues.

“Adidas is an integral part of the FIFA World Cup story, quite literally featuring at the heart of the action at every tournament since the 1970 World Cup,” FIFA Marketing Director Thierry Weil said in a statement on Thursday.

The last contract extension with FIFA was announced in 2005, covering the 2010 World Cup and next year’s tournament in Brazil. That deal was estimated to be worth $350 million. Adidas declined to give financial details of the latest extension.

Adidas and Nike are almost neck and neck in the market for soccer kit - replica shirts, balls and boots - estimated to

be worth around 5 billion euros ($6.7 billion) annually.

While Adidas was boosted by last year’s Olympics and European soccer championships, it has struggled to maintain momentum in 2013, losing ground in the European market for sports apparel to the larger Nike and warning of smaller than expected growth in profits.

But all eyes are already on Brazil. Adidas has forecast record soccer sales of more than 2 billion euros in 2014, a jump from the 1.5 billion it raked in for the last World Cup year.

It has already kicked off its World Cup soccer campaign, launching new lines of boots and the jerseys for teams like Germany, Spain and Argentina in time for them to make their way into the Christmas stockings of fans.

Adidas said sales of World Cup jerseys and boots would start to boost results in the last three months of this year.

“This unique partnership and our extensive presence at all FIFA World Cups will help us to expand Adidas’ position as the leading football brand worldwide,” Adidas Chief Executive Herbert Hainer said.

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