VOLUME 10 ISSUE 14 by The SUN Newspaper

APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

Website: www.suntci.com

VOLUME 10 - No. 14

Email: sun@suntci.com

Tel: 649-946-8542

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Fax: 649-941-3281

www. twitter.com/suntci

NEW VENUE FOR FISH FRY

BY VIVIAN TYSON

he popular Thursday night Fish Fry, which received international recognition on top television networks such as CNN, will be moved to a new location. Investigations by the SUN revealed that the Fish Fry will be relocated to the area opposite the Key West Village (formerly the Verandah Hotel) next to the Craft and Cultural Market. When contacted, Director of Tourism, Ralph Higgs, who was on a trip to Brazil, did not confirm the location that this newspaper heard would be the future site, only preparing to say that a piece of land has been identified and his office was working with government to acquire it, and if and when it is acquired, would develop it for the Fish Fry purposes. “We have been working on a permanent home for the Fish Fry, and we hope to be mobilizing all our efforts to more suitable, centrally-located venue for the Fish Fry, that (present) venue has become too small. All I can say on that is no effort is being spared to find a permanent home for the Fish Fry. We have identified a plot of land and we have been working with the government to make that land available and it had to be developed,” he said. In February this year, the SUN broke the story that plans were afoot to move the Fish Fry because of several complaints from various persons, including the Department of Environmental and Maritime Affairs (DEMA). ON Tuesday February 25th, 2014, Premier and Minister of Tourism Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing responded to the SUN’s article saying that the Fish Fry will continue to oper-

ate from the Children’s Park in the Bight. He said then, that the letter that was published by the TCI Sun, was indeed sent to the Tourist Board by DEMA following internal disputes relating to operational costs

Hon. Josephine Connolly criticises Civil Recovery lawyers

Quality Supermarket to run Island Pride

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SMALL PLANE COLLAPES JUST AFTER LANDING: A small twin engine aircraft collapsed just after landing on Wednesday (April 23, 2014) at the Providenciales International Airport but no one was hurt. Chief Executive Officer for the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) John Smith told The SUN that the flight was coming from Grand Turk with just the pilot on board when the incident took place. He said the craft became disabled after its left landing gear collapsed. He said the mishap caused operation to be suspended at the facility for about an hour. The TCIAA CEO said though that during the dis-

ruption, the facility was still able to facilitate the landing and take-off of lighter craft, including Caicos Express and cargo planes operated by IBC. With the assistant of about three forklifts and physical manpower, the plane was carted from the disabled location and taken to an area that would not allow it to interfere with the smooth operation of the airport. In photo, workmen use a forklift to raise the plane from the ground to prepare it for removal from the scene from near the runway, where it collapsed. PHOTO CAPTION: Disabled plane.

and other outstanding matters, that have since been resolved. According to a press release from the Premier at that time, in discussions with the Tourist Board and DEMA on February 3, 2014, the Premier made it extremely clear that

the Fish Fry will remain in its current location at the Children’s Park in the Bight until such time that the Government sees it fit for it to be moved. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Jay Saunders talks Lyndon Gardiner’s about Digicel’s new FBO almost WIV take-over complete PAGE 9

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

Deputy Speaker Hon. Josephine Connolly criticises Civil Recovery law firm Edwards Wildman DEAR SIR,

was surprised by the following teaser /advertisement for an upcoming conference in Miami, which has been circulated worldwide: Inside One of the World’s Largest Civil Asset Recovery Programs In 2009, the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands engaged British law firm Edwards Wildman to recover thousands of acres of land, including prime ocean-front property, and other valuable assets that had been misappropriated by politicians and their foreign, private-sector accomplices. It was part of a wider attempt to turn around the economy and reputation of the TCI. In the ensuing four years, more than 3,000 acres and over $20 million in cash has been recovered for the Government. At next month’s OffshoreAlert Conference in Miami Beach, Florida, Edwards Wildman partner James Maton will take attendees behind-the-scenes of one of the largest civil asset recovery programs in the world, explain the intricacies and difficulties of recovering misappropriated assets, and discuss whether the same techniques can be applied in similar jurisdictions. There are some very obvious issues arising from this advert.

Edwards Wildman has been engaged by the Turks & Caicos Government. Does a law firm not owe a duty of confidentiality to its client? Has the Government agreed that Edwards Wildman can breach this duty of confidentiality by taking conference attendees “behind the scenes”? According to a recent article in your newspaper Edwards Wildman has been paid nearly $13M of tax payers money by the Government of the Turks & Caicos Islands (a fact for some reason omitted from the above release). So do we the taxpayers of Turks & Caicos get taken “behind the scenes” of an investigation we paid for? Unless we are prepared to pay our conference fee, apparently not! Finally Edwards Wildman seems to have forgotten that in the Turks & Caicos there is still the presumption of innocence.

The lawyers for the Turks & Caicos Government, Edwards Wildman, seem to have come to the conclusion that assets have been “misappropriated by politicians”. I had thought that the purpose of the upcoming trials in July was to determine guilt or innocence. There is an increasing sense in this country that in the fragile state that we were in after the suspension of the constitution there were certain impositions and agreements that were made which although identified at the time as “good governance”, seem with the passing of time more like “good business” (for some!). We as a country need to regain our confidence and speak out loudly against this type of unacceptable behaviour, notwithstanding that the culprits claim to be on the side of the angels. On behalf of the taxpayers who have funded the payment of $13M I demand that the government remind Edwards Wildman of its obligations to its clients. If Edwards Wildman is not prepared to withdraw from this conference then the Government should consider if they are the right law firm to represent this country. Yours sincerely Honourable Josephine Connolly PDM All Island Elected Member

LOCAL NEWS TCI COMMEMORATES WORLD DAY FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK AND WORKERS’ DAY 2014

uring the week of April 27th to May 3rd, the Department of Employment Services, Ministry of Border Control and Labour will join in the worldwide observation of World Day for Safety and Health at Work and TCI’s first “Workers’ Day” (May Day) under the theme “Safety and health in the use of chemicals at work”. The Department has organised a number of activities for the week and urges employers to plan their own activities to galvanize their workforces into action surrounding the issue of health and safety at work. (See attached sheet) In addition to its continued focus on awareness, the Department is spearheading the drafting of an Occupational Safety and Health Bill for the TCI. Based on the CARICOM model, the draft bill will be advanced to the public consultation phase with a view to being presented to Cabinet and laid in the House of Assembly by the fall of this year. By highlighting the use of chemicals in the workplace the International Labour Organisation (ILO) acknowledges that Chemicals are a key component in modern life, and will continue to be produced and used in workplaces. The ILO Convention on Safety in the use of chemicals at work, 1990 (No.170) defines chemicals as: chemical elements and compounds, and their mixtures, whether natural or synthetic, such as those obtained through production processes. Hazardous chemicals are classified according to the type and degree of their impact on health and well-being. The Department which also has responsibility for Occupational Safety and Health in the workplace has also been focused on educating Employers and Employees on the importance of developing best practices, procedures and policies to reduce the occurrence of accidents at work. The Department is reminding Employers that they must be proactive in the development of systems that will mitigate potential risks. During the week, the department urges employers and employees alike to visit their local Fire Services Department, Physical Planning Department, Environmental Health Department and the National Insurance Board’s Work Injury section to find ways of advancing Occupational Safety and Health in their individual organisations.

AMBERGRIS CAY FACILITIES LTD

POSITION AVAILABLE Ambergris Cay Facilities Ltd is seeking a suitably qualified applicant to fill a post on Ambergris Cay on a MONTH TO MONTH basis. The available post is for a

PLUMBER.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: • Maintaining all aspects of the Water and Sewage Treatment Plants (watering, osmosis station, water heaters, swimming pools and lodging) in accordance with international standards; • Check and maintaining all piping for fire Hydrant system • Check and maintain all underground distribution water piping system • Daily reading of all water meters • Maintaining all kitchen equipment in all of the buildings • Maintain and control safety of all LPG Gas (Propane) operating equipment • Control stocks of LPG Gas (Propane) • Being responsible for maintenance of irrigation and performing trouble shooting for irrigation system • Ordering of spare parts to ensure consistent functioning without discontinuity;

Requirements - Applicants must have and or be: • At least Ten (10) years of experience in plumbing • A high school diploma or equivalent • Attentive to details and self-motivator • Able to understand and speak English fluently • Able to work with little or no supervision • Physically fit, dependable and hard working • In possession of clean police record and valid TCI Driver’s License • Willing to work on a Month to Month contractual basis • Required to work and live on Ambergris Cay with rotated weekends off • Must be able to live and work in a isolated island environment with only 20 or so other persons. Closing Date for Applications is Wednesday May 2nd, 2014 Salary: $30, 000 to 35,000 per annum. Applications must be in writing addressed to: Ambergris Cay Facilities Ltd Unit 51, Salt Mills Plaza, Grace Bay Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands E-mail: burkley.malcolm@ambergristci.com Tel: (649)-941-3777 Fax: (649)-941-3778

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Quality Management to take over Island Pride Supermarket

he SUN understands that the Quality Supermarket management is to take over the reins of the ailing Island Pride Supermarket located at Butterfield Square in Providenciales. The impending takeover was confirmed by one of the Quality Supermarket operators, Andy Kuthalingham, in an interview with The SUN. Kuthalingham said that the agreement is yet to be signed and so, he could not say much about the deal. He however, expects the agreement to be inked very soon, as Quality plans to reopen the entity within the next two months. “Yes, we intend to take over management of the Island Pride Supermarket, but nothing has been signed yet, so I cannot go into certain details. But what I can say is that Quality is not moving to Island Pride; It is the Quality management that will go there,” Kuthalingham said. He Told The SUN that the new management plans to operate a full supermarket, plus wholesale and retail. He said that even though the deal is pending, a Quality lease would not be less than 20 years, owing to the magnitude of the undertaking. “To be honest, if I have to take it over, I would ensure that I secure a lease for 20 to 30 years. I assume that it would be a long term lease, probably 20 to 23 years. But to be honest, I don’t know,” Kuthalingham said. Island Pride Supermarket employees told The SUN that management is already doling out redundancy letters and payments for their years of service. They said too, that management told them they could apply to Quality Supermarket for reemployment when the takeover occurs. When the question was put to Kuthalingham as to whether or not the Quality Supermarket management would take on the current Island Pride staff, he said: “If anybody (current Island Pride employees) wants to work at Quality, they

Quality Supermarket can bring their résumés because we always need people, so they can come in.” In the meantime, some employees are happy at the prospect of the Quality Supermarket management taking of Island Pride. They believe that at least the entity would have sound management which would enable it to be more competitive again as it was a few years back. They believe that the current management did a very poor job on procurement of goods and maintenance of the supermarket. “The management allowed the place to rundown badly. I know you may have come in and saw the place. Many of the refrigerators do not work because they are old, and it looks like nothing was done to repair them. We were once on the same competitive level with IGA some years

back, but now we are not able to compete with them anymore because we allowed the place to run down,” the employee lamented. The employee was quick to point out, however, that the rapid dilapidation of the supermarket had nothing to do with its owners –the Butterfields, but the individuals they entrusted to manage the facility. “Mr. Butterfield is a good man, but he is too trustworthy. He trusts certain people to run the place and gave them a freehand to do so, but they always mess him up; I don’t know, maybe they allowed the place to be like that because it is not their place. When Quality comes in, they may have to change out a lot of stuff, because they are old and may be able to use again,” the employee said.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

WIV purchase gives Digicel TCI’s biggest fibre optic network

igicel’s purchasing of WIV Cable has cemented the telecoms provider’s position as a local powerhouse in the domestic fibre optic broadband market, behind which it had been lagging for some time. Chief Executive Officer for Digicel TCI, E. Jay Saunders, said that while the telecoms provider has been making waves on the corporate side of its broad brand offerings, it lagged behind its main competitor LIME on the domestic side since it did not have desirable fibre optic network. He said that the acquisition of WIV Cable and Internet Services has vaulted Digicel to the point where it now controls the largest fibre optic network in the Turks and Caicos Islands. “On the Digicel side of things, we were not strong on the residential side. We just did not have a residential product. We have a corporate product, and it would have been very expensive to move our corporate product to the residential side, so it was a gap in our product portfolio. On the flip side of it, WIV was very strong in residential internet and they had some corporate business. So it fits in very nicely; it is not an overlap,” he said. Saunders said that by acquiring the cable station, Digicel can now more effectively compete especially on the domestic broadband side of things. “By purchasing WIV, we have got tremendous asset – we have fibre optic network, which basically touches every home in Grand Turk and Providenciales and almost every business. And so that (acquisition of WIV) fixes that problem overnight, because we now have access to a lot of businesses and homes, and that is tremendous

benefit for us, and so we will definitely be leveraging that to enhance our service,” he said. Saunders added: “ I always felt that WIV was a great company, particularly if you look at the fact that they have the largest fibre optic network in the Turks and Caicos, and Digicel, we would have been at best, number three (fibre optic network) . “One of the frustrating things for me was the fact that our competitor, in terms of the communication side, had already connected to homes, offices, and so if you wanted internet, if you wanted a fixed phone, our competitor had those advantages and we didn’t.” He said that Digicel’s purchase of WIV Cable and Internet would propel telecom’s provider into the fibre optic periphery, while WIV would benefit from Digicel’s sound management capabilities and existing regional profile. “That (acquisition) may benefit from the Digicel side of things by gaining access to their (WIV) fibre optic network to hold our own on the corporate side of things. From the WIV side, Digicel’s will market and grow the (WIV) brand. Even though the brand is well known there were some pretty good competitors that they were facing, and so we can definitely increase its advantage from the branding side using our regional marketing expertise,” he explained. Saunders believes that local cable television market could do well with a makeover, and that is where Digicel will step in. “We also felt that the TV market was lacking, and (at Digicel) the three

Digicel CEO E. Jay Saunders. things we push for are best value, Best Service and Best Network, and there is room for us to enhance the television network and broadband on that side. And so, those are some of the things that we are going to be investing into in terms of the network, in terms of the service and bring much better value to those industries. “The thing that makes Digicel more of success than anything else is its management expertise. We are a well-built marketing machines and we build great network and we bring great value; a world-class board. “This Digicel Board can compete with any company. It can compete with the Apple’s, the HP’s, and the IBM’s of the world. It is a very, very

good board. And when you bring those sorts of management disciplines to a company like a WIV, there are tremendous things that you can do with it,” he said. The Digicel CEO said that the cable television network that is company is current working on will change that landscape locally. “I think the future of television is very exciting and I am very excited to bring the future of television to the Turks and Caicos. You may be watching your television and see someone wearing a jacket, and you like that jacket. They are working on the technologies where you can go on the internet and find where that jacket is located and buy that jacket. “Even shop right through your television, where there will be an overlay that tells you if you want that item to click 1 on your remote, and then it will take you, using a smart television, to a spot where you can purchase. That is where the future of television is going – very interactive. And we are building out that network, it may be three years, it may five years. “A company like Digicel is now taking the bull by the horns and building out that future of television. And I am excited to know that the Turks and Caicos will not have a second or third tier television compared to North America, but we will have television equal when it comes to North America,” he said. Saunders explained that with the acquisition of WIV, Digicel, which is approaching its eighth year existence in the TCI, now has a staff complement of either in the high 50s or low 60s.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Local Gospel songstress Robyn Hinds nominated for 3 prestigious Marlin Awards

BY VIVIAN TYSON

ocal gospel music trailblazer Robyn Hinds has been nominated in three categories for the prestigious Caribbean Gospel Music Marlin Awards to take place between July 24 and 27 in Nassau, Bahamas. Hinds’ debut album – This Could Be It – was the compilation that nabbed the treble nomination. “The Lord is My Shepherd”, her cover of Cissy Houston’s original for the movie – the Preacher’s Wife - was nominated for the Best Adapted Traditional Song of the Year; and “Jesus”, written by Tito Missick, was nominated in the Traditional Recording of the Year category. “Jesus” also earned her the nomination for Traditional Vocal Performance of the Year Female. The Caribbean Music Marlin Awards is dubbed the Grammys for Gospel Music in the Caribbean. This is the only gospel music awards event that has been around for the past 18 years in the Caribbean. Entries are also invited from Canada, Africa and the United Kingdom. “It is really great not only to be nominated in three categories, but three resounding categories. It’s awesome,” she said, adding that the nomination still feels like an out-of-body experience. “It is so surreal, it is indescribable, it is like, pinch men and make it stop. It is awesome just to be

Robyn Hinds. nominated. Winning isn’t even on my mind, but you know a lot of people are saying, ‘you are going to bring it back home’ and so on. But to be nominated, to be among a select few is awesome,” she said. The local songstress said that the Caribbean Music Marlin Awards nominations mean that she and her music have drawn the attention of critical people in the industry in the region, and a preparation for greater things to come from her and for her. “It means that I am doing something right. It means that people have recognized the gift of music in Robyn Hinds. It means that I cannot stop, I will not stop. It means that there is much more for me to do, much more places for me to go. The awards (nominations) itself is a stomping ground for me to networking – the artistes that I get to meet, the producers, the promoters, the managers. It just opens up a whole

new world for me,” she said. Hinds said that since the release of “This Could Be It”, she has toured the entire Turks and Caicos Islands, promoting her compilation, many times to sold out audience. “It has been awesome to see the support from my country, from everyone who knew me as a child and love my music and love my voice, and just to share with them this project that was handed to me,” she said. Responding to the question as to whether or not she was satisfied at the level of airplay her album was getting, Hinds said: “Worldwide and regionally, it is a fight to have your song played on radio stations. But I can turn on any radio station and hear my song playing on a Sunday morning, even during the week in the early morning playing. So I can say yes, I think that my music gets played a lot. And I hear people saying that, ‘I just heard your song on the radio’. So I feel very honoured, touched and thankful at the response that I had with airtime.” Hinds could also get the opportunity to perform at the Marlin Awards, since there will be a concert prior to the actual awards ceremony, which will also include performances. In the meantime, Hinds is back in the studio to work on her second compilation, from which two recordings have already made. She intends to stage a major concern to promote that album.

HAYWOOD MCINTOSH PLEADS GUILTY TO BURGLARY

fficers of the Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) have solved a burglary at a home in the lower Bight area of Providenciales. 27-year-old Haywood McIntosh, a carpenter of Providenciales was formally charged for the offence of Burglary relating to an incident at a home on Forbes Road on Monday March 31st, 2014. On Tuesday April 23rd, 2014 McIntosh appeared in the Magistrate’s Court number one to answer to that charge. McIntosh appeared before Chief Magistrate Clifton Warner and pled guilty. Public Relations Officer Audley Astwood today praised police officers for the swift and proficient manner in which the case at the home on Forbes Road was solved. “I am extremely pleased of every single police officer involved in this investigation,” Astwood said. Special Constable Astwood’s comments were made after Haywood McIntosh entered a guilty plea to the charge of Burglary in the Magistrate’s Court. McIntosh was then Fined $1,200.00 or seven (7) months imprisonment. McIntosh was also ordered to pay a compensation of $1,070.00 to the complainant and allowed one (1) month to pay. Special Constable Astwood also took the chance to send a stern caution to anyone engaging in the buying and selling of stolen items. The Police are working relentlessly to put an end to this unlawful trade. There are presently numerous persons charged and awaiting trial for possession of handling stolen goods. Handling Stolen Goods is a serious offence and those found guilty could face serving a maximum of fourteen years incarceration.

www.etradeprovo.com Earn US $15.00/hour Caicos Pride Products Ltd.: A leading seafood processing plant located in South Caicos is seeking applications from suitably qualified candidates for the following position:

Must be extroverted, computer literate, self motivated

The successful candidate must possess the following attributes: • Minimum of 5 years cost accounting and manufacturing experience. • BSc. in Accounting or equivalent. • Strong Accounting, Finance and Information technology experience. • Advanced proficiency in the Microsoft Office Professional software programs. • The ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing. • Ability to work independently and effectively in a multi task environment.

Job is to promote our new website: www.etradeprovo.comto the public.

COST CONTROL CLERK

RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES: • Computation and allocation of unit product costs. • Evaluation of cost effective solutions related to operational efficiencies and preparation of variances reports. • Assist management team in plant operations. • Inventory control, including identification of processes and procedures impacting product costs and expenses. • Compilation of quarterly and annual management accounts and annual operating budgets. • Assist management in the implementation of effective cost accounting policies and procedures. • Such additional duties and responsibilities as directed by management. Written applications only and accompanying Resumes must be sent to: Caicos Pride Products Ltd. Fax number: (649) 945-3571 or email: islandcrops@tciway.tc Note: Suitably qualified Turks & Caicos Islanders need only apply

goal oriented, persistent, hardworking and have own transport.

Please email neilburrowes@hotmail.com with you resume Only people with right to work in Provo need apply.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

LOCAL NEWS

$10million Edward Gartland solar power system guarantees savings – director BY VIVIAN TYSON

oxann Wake-Forbes, Director for the Edward Gartland Youth Centre is still singing the praise of Tri-Canadian Energy – an alternative power manufacturer and it local business partners Green Energy Trail, for installing a $50 million 10-kilowat off-the-grid solar power system at the Edward Gartland Youth Centre on Providenciales. The outfitting of new power system was done earlier in April by the Canadians, with the help of a few students from the neighbouring TCI Community College – who received on the job-training - and was commissioned into service on Saturday, April 12. Ian Hurdle, owner of Green Energy Trail Ltd., - a locally-based alternative energy company and Steve Vandusen of Tri- Canadian Energy – a science and research development company out of Canada, teamed up to deliver the prized gift to the non-profit organization. “This is an off-grid system and the circuits that we have pulled on these circuits are 100 percent off-the-grid, and that follows within the ordinance of your government that any alternative power system should be 100 percent off the grid,” Vandusen said. Vandusen said that it was Hurdle who initiated the idea of outfitting the centre with green energy power, and he did not hesitate to take the idea and run with it. “What we want to do here is that we run a green energy partnership with Green Energy Trail. We understand this technology. We know that this technology works, we know how it works. And what we started to do is partnering with Ian, and Ian suggested that, ‘you know what, Steve, we have got a youth Centre; they could use the money, they could use the savings, could we put some-

Ian Hurdle (left), owner of Green Energy Trail Ltd and Steve Vandusen (centre) of Tri- Canadian Energy present a commemorative plaque to Roxann WakeForbes, Director of the Edward Gartland Youth Centre in recognition of the installation of a $50 million 10-kilowat oﬀ-the-grid solar power system at the facility. thing as a donation to help them out?’ “And I said, ‘you know what, we do this all over the world – we have worked in different places – we would be more than happy to help out. So, we came down here, we donated the system, we installed it, and then we used our youths in Canada to help with the system, and we had three students from the community college to help us install this Canadian solar product with the Canadian solar company,” Vandusen said. For his part, Hurdle said that he looked no further that the Edward Gartland Youth Centre as a means not only to establish his company in the community but also to give back in a tangible way. “Basically we want to identify something that would immediately set us up in the community; the youth centre was such a great cause. We know that the gift that we would give would be a gift

AMBERGRIS CAY FACILITIES LTD

POSITION AVAILABLE Ambergris Cay Facilities Ltd is seeking a suitably qualified applicant to fill a post on Ambergris Cay. The available post is for a:

GENERATOR TECHNICIAN MECHANIC Daily tasks will include, but are not limited to: • Overseeing all electrical maintenance operations of Prime Power Generators on Ambergris Cay. • Providing full maintenance services as a certified Level three (3) Power Generator Technician and an authorized supplier and dealer of Cummins Power Generation. • Cooperating and coordinating closely with the Employer and Cummins Power Generation so as to ensure the efficient functioning of all generators. • Any other related duties as may be required to ensure the smooth operation of the Prime Power Generators.

Requirements: Successful applicant must: • Highly technical - possessing a Level three (3) Power Generation certification authorized by Cummins Power Generation • Have at least Seven (7) full years of direct experience in servicing Prime Power Generators manufactured by Cummins Power Generation. • Be reliable, hard working and enthusiastic • Be attentive to details • Be able to work under little or no supervision • Produce a clean Police Record and a valid TCI Driver’s License • Be willing to reside on Ambergris Cay Salary: $25,000 to $30,000 per annum. Closing Date for Applications is Wednesday May 2nd, 2014 Applications must be in writing addressed to: Ambergris Cay Facilities Ltd Unit 51, Salt Mills Plaza, Grace Bay Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands E-mail: burkley.malcolm@ambergristci.com Tel: (649)-941-3777 Fax: (649)-941-3778

that keeps on giving, because obviously it is going to reduce the utility bills year after year. Fifteen to 20 year of free energy is obviously a great gift for the kids, and making a statement about our company and how we intend to do business, we thought that is was a great starting point,” Hurdle said. In the meantime, Wake-Forbes said that the installation of the facility would cut its largest monthly bills – power. “Obviously, as with most households, the biggest expense is power. A lot of our programmes we don’t use the AC, but to run the computer lab we have to. I think probably one of the biggest things that is going to be affected or be changed to our advantaged is our computer lab. “Computers are best in a cool environment because of the heat they generate. Even in the hottest months doors are open, windows are open, and that’s what we do. But now, based on this, we can turn the AC on. Obviously, we are going to strive to ensure that the doors are shut,” she said. She added: “We have dance classes, we have individuals who come and use the rooms, and we charge them not even the amount that it is should be, because we want that youth programme to be here, because you know it is all about the youth. So this (new power system) is an opportunity that is going to take us so far forward.” The Edward Gartland Youth Centre caters to approximately 50 children on a daily basis between the hours of 3p.m., and 6p.m. On a weekend the centre caters to about 80 young people. Tennis, basketball, gym activities, computer-related activities, art and craft and performing arts are few of the activities that children engage in at the Edward Gartland Youth Centre. The system is equipped with a pair of 40,000 kilowatt solar batteries, capable of running the facility for up to 12 hours after sun down.

AMBERGRIS CAY FACILITIES LTD

POSITION AVAILABLE Ambergris Cay Facilities Ltd is seeking a suitably qualified applicant to fill a post on Ambergris Cay on a MONTH TO MONTH basis. The available post is for a

MECHANIC.

Daily tasks will include, but are not limited to: • Trouble shoot & repair Hydrostatic & Hydraulics • Perform routine maintenance of power generators • Trouble shoot & repair diesel fuel injection systems • Chassis repair, including springs, shock & drive shaft • Keep golf carts available for use by conducting inspections through preventive maintenance. • Maintain golf carts condition by reviewing shop orders; listening to operators’ complaints; repairing failures. • Must be able to work and repair a 1-2 stroke engine. • Must be familiar with Yamaha and Kubota engines. • Must keep records of all repairs and services to carts. • Maintain appearance of equipment by cleaning and painting. • Must keep a clean working environment; keep shop equipment operational by calibrating electrical test equipment; following operating instructions; troubleshooting breakdowns, maintaining supplies, performing preventive maintenance and follow-ups.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School Diploma or equivalent required. • Minimum of 5 years experience as a Mechanic, preferably with Yamaha/Suzuki and Kubota engines. • Must possess some knowledge of computer literacy. • Excellent verbal and written communication skills. • Have good working knowledge of electrical, hydraulics, and HVAC Systems • Have ability to troubleshoot and make necessary repairs to equipment • Must be attentive to details, reliable, hard working and enthusiastic • Must be able to work under little or no supervision • Must produce a clean Police Record and TCI Driver’s License • Will be required to work and live on Big Ambergris Cay with rotated weekends off • Must be able to live and work in a isolated island environment with only 20 or so other persons • Willing to work on a Month to Month contractual basis Salary scale: $40,000 to $50,000 per annum Closing Date for Applications is Wednesday May 13th, 2014 Applications must be in writing addressed to: Ambergris Cay Facilities Ltd Unit 51, Salt Mills Plaza, Grace Bay Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands E-mail: burkley.malcolm@ambergristci.com Tel: (649)-941-3777 Fax: (649)-941-3778

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

New Provo post office building hinges on budget allocation BY VIVIAN TYSON

ender to tear down the dilapidated post office building along Airport Road in Providenciales and construct a spanking new one will not happen at least until the passage of the 2014/2015 estimates of expenditure, Garvin Thomas of the department of Engineering and Maintenance Service (EMS),said he was told by ministry officials. Postal workers at the facility were forced to vacate the crumbling insect-infested building and relocate to Town Centre Mall in Butterfield Square early February, after rodent and insect droppings together with mold on the walls caused some of them to get sick. The postal workers also complained that the roof was leaky, causing damage to mails. At a news conference on February 7 this year, the government, which announced the relocation, said that plans would be made for either the repair, if possible or the demolition and reconstruction of the facility. It did not say when that might take place, but hinted that it could be during the next financial year. But when The SUN contacted Thomas this week to get an update on the post office construction plan, he said that Ministry of Government Support Services’ officials told his department that nothing could be done before the passage of the budget.

Garvin Thomas He said that the design plan has already been drawn and whenever the government could cough up the funds to undertake the building’s construction, his department would be ready to hit the ground running. He said that that due to the condition of the structure, government engineers recommended that it would best to tear it down and rebuild it from scratch. “The design plan for the new building has been drawn up already, and we have taken the decision on it (old building) already, to tear it down. But we can’t do any construction or anything until the budget is passed,” Thomas said. He pointed out that since the building will be much bigger than

the existing one, and considering that government funds may not be readily available to undertake complete construction in one go, its erection may have to be done in stages. He said that an internet café is one of the new features of the facility when it is completed. “The new building that has been proposed for the property is pretty big. It supposed to accommodate an internet café as well, and because of the size, it will be done in phases. It will be more advanced than the regular post office. I am not sure when it is going to go out for tender, but they ( Government Support Service Ministry officials) told us that we will have to wait until the budget is passed before we know if construction will take place,” Thomas said. When announcing the relocation of the workers, both Her Excellency Governor Anya Williams and Deputy Premier Hon. Akierra Missick, said that the new home would be temporary, and efforts would be made in the medium turn to find a permanent home for the postal workers. The deputy governor also told the news conference at the time that the post office was looking to set up satellite stations across Providenciales, but security was a major consideration. She said that a few sites were already identified and work was underway to have them prepared for installation to accommodate the boxes.

QUIET HURRICANE SEASON FORECASTED FOR 2014

r. William Gray and Dr. Philip Klotzbach, of Colorado State University at the National Tropical Weather Conference in April forecasted a “quiet” 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season with 9 named storms and 3 hurricanes, only one of which is expected to be “major” category 3, 4 or 5. The season starts on 1st June. Klotzbach said a predicted El Niño is one factor that led to their quiet forecast. El Niño, a climate pattern defined by warmer-than-normal water in the tropical Pacific Ocean, tends to suppress Atlantic Hurricanes. Climate change experts are also not predicting any increase in hurricane frequency but are predicting an increase in intensity. In light of the predictions for the upcoming hurricane season, residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands may be tempted to become complacent, however the DDME would like to encourage residents to begin preparations now in order to be well prepared for the Hurricane Season. In spite of the predictions we still have to take every possible precaution in the event of a hurricane making landfall in the TCI. It is important therefore that all residents and business owners begin ensuring that their Insurance Policies and Disaster Plans are in place, begin property inspection of roofs, walls and shutters and begin all minor repairs for the upcoming hurricane season. The DDME would like to remind everyone that it only takes one hurricane impacting the islands to bring severe damage and disruption to normal daily routine. The key to minimising any disruption is adequate preparation. The following names will be used for the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky, and Wilfred.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

LOCAL NEWS

South Caicos loses out on 2015 Soroptimist International conference BY VIVIAN TYSON

lack of adequate transportation and sufficient accommodation has cost the Island of South Caicos the hosting next year’s Soroptimist International of the Americas Conference, which is expected to attract representatives from the region, the United States of American and Great Britain and Ireland. The announcement was made by Madeline Mills, President for Soroptimist’s International Caribbean Network, as the club hosted a news conference at the Department Disaster Management and Emergency in Providenciales last week. Mills, who is from South Caicos, stated that under the Soroptimist International rules, a conference is held in the two that the person holding the regional prudency is from. But this time around would not be the case due to less than desirable transportation in and out of South Caicos, but the limited accommodation there. “The secretariat of Soroptimist moves from country to country within the Caribbean Network, and the Turks and Caicos Islands is now holding the secretariat for the year 2013/2015. Therefore, the next conference will be held right here in Provo in August 2015, under the theme, ‘Standing firm to conquer all obstacles’. “The conference is usually held in the town where the president is from – that’s how it goes in the Caribbean, that’s how it goes in the United Kingdom. But due to transportation problems into South Caicos with having flights there and accommodation in South Caicos, we thought it best to host it here on Provo,” she said. She said that next year would not be the first time that the Soroptimist would be holding it Americas biennial conference in the Turks and Caicos Islands, having staged its first on the capital island Grand Turk sometime ago, and so it would the fist for Provo.

Reporting To: Function:

Madeline Mills (centre), President for Soroptimist’s International Caribbean Network, makes a point during the news conference, while looking on are Hon. Josephine Connolly (right), Opposition Member in the TCI Legislature and Louise Garland-Thomas, both Soroptimist members. Mills said that since the conference is shaping up to be one of the most powerful gatherings of regional female service club leaders, the onus is on the TCI to ensure that it comes off beautifully, and so she is calling on all facets of society, including the business sector, for support. “Soroptimist is appealing to our corporate community and the Turks and Caicos for their full support, as we will be receiving a lot of women from around the Caribbean, and of course representatives from Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland here on our shore for this conference. Then we will turn the Soroptimist flag over to Jamaica, and then they will be holding the secretariat,” she said. In the meantime, Mills said that the Soroptimist Clubs in the Turks and Caicos Islands, like its international counterparts, are working to improve the lives of women and girls under its “Three Es” mandate.

“Our Mandate is the transform the lives of women and girls across the globe through the ‘Three E’s’ of the establishment. The three E’s are Education, Empower and Enable women to achieve their individual and collective potential. Mills said that under her local presidency, Turks and Caicos should have two additional clubs. The Turks and Caicos Islands is the current holder of the regional secretariat, which lasts two years. Its tenure started 2013 and will end 2015. The Soroptimist Club is divided into four federations – Soroptimist International of the Americas, Soroptimist International of Europe, Soroptimist International of the Southwest Pacific and Soroptimist of Great Britain and Ireland, the latter under which the TCI falls. The Club came into existence in 1921, having been founded in Oakland, California. The first London club was chartered in 1924.

CHIEF ACCOUNTANT

Director of Finance Assists in the supervision of the general accounting functions of the hotel including the timely preparation of financial and operating reports and statistics and all balance sheet reconciliations. Audits internal controls when necessary

Skills Required: • Excellent Communication Skills • Very Good Leadership Skills • Must be Computer Literate • Excellent at working and applying mathematical concepts • Must be very good at analyzing and interpreting general business periodicals, professional journals or governmental regulations • Excellent Audit Skills Duties: 1. Assists with plans, supervises and evaluates the daily operations and activities of the accounting department 2. Plans, schedules and oversees the daily work of accounting staff functions including training, counseling and establishing monitoring goals 3. Assigns duties and examines work for exactness and conformance to policies and procedures. 4. Assists in preparing and supervising the timely preparation of all balance sheet reconciliations. Follow up and resolve all reconcilable items within a timely limit 5. Assists in managing the company’s bank and cash balances in line with policies set by the Director of Finance 6. Assists in overseeing income audit and ensures proper accounting of revenues and rebates 7. Assists in managing General Cashier and ensures proper accounting cash and deposits to include float counts 8. Ensures that all accounting operations are in compliance with company policies and practices 9. Ensures compliance and development of internal controls to protect company assets 10. Liaises with other departments as the need arises 11. Assist in managing accounts payable and ensures good relations with suppliers including keeping supplier account reconciliations current 12. Attends meetings when the need arises

Position Overview: The Assistant Manager – Housekeeping assists in the managing and directing of the day to day operations of all Housekeeping and laundry functions. Provides support to the Executive Housekeeper in all areas of the Housekeeping operation, such as staff training, coaching and counseling and consistently inspects and enforces adherence to the Grace Bay Club standards of excellence. Participates in and enforces quality assurance for Housekeeping Department and department cost control measures. Makes certain the required LHW Brand Standards are achieved.

9. Respond to and follow through on guest requests, concerns and problems to the guest’s satisfaction 10. Delegate assignments and supervise all staff, room attendants, housemen , public area attendants 11. Monitor and perform inventories weekly/monthly. Ensure enough guest supplies, linen supplies and uniforms are available 12. Manage operating expenses to minimize costs while still maintaining excellent guest services 13. Assist with budgeting, forecasting and financial planning of the department 14. Assist with scheduling and payroll cost controls, such as edit of daily employee time card and enter employee schedule in the system weekly 15. Supervise and conduct daily detailed inspection of guest rooms, public areas, back of house and surrounding hotel areas. Ensures compliance with the hotel’s standards of excellence, health/sanitation standards and regulations 16. Any other duties which may be assigned by the Executive Housekeeper

Essential Duties & Responsibilities 1. Attend or conduct pre-shift brief meeting at 9am daily 2. Maintain clear and efficient communication and coordination with the Front Office and other departments of the hotel 3. To attract, motivate and retain staff. Provide leadership support and is readily accessible to staff. 4. Conduct performance, salary reviews and progressive discipline 5. Assist in interviewing, scheduling, training, development, empowerment, coaching and counseling of staff 6. Train staff by following hotel guidelines for the safe handling of all housekeeping chemicals and equipment 7. Review and monitor daily schedule to ensure enough coverage for that day 8. Refer and follow up on maintenance/equipment issues with Engineering. Work closely with Engineering for simple and quick repairs

Qualifications: • Bachelors Degree in Hospitality Management • Minimum 5 years of Housekeeping Management experience in a Luxury 5 Star Resort • Extensive knowledge of Chemicals, Upholstery, Floor Maintenance and Cleaning Solutions. • Extensive knowledge of Laundry Operations • Experience managing a diverse team of minimum 35 persons • Demonstrated results showing continuous personal growth and development. • Computer Literacy in Excel, Opera and Microsoft Word • Full competence and ability to read and write and communicate effectively in English. • Must be able to work as part of a team and demonstrate a Service Attitude to all persons.

13. Establishes high standards of behavior in all dealings with guests and staff. Performs duties with a high level of professional work ethics 14. Co-operates and forms a team with other members of Management and be supportive and loyal to the company 15. Other such duties as determined by the company from time to time ASSISTANT MANAGER – HOUSEKEEPING

Email: humanresources@gracebayclub.com Fax: (649) 946-5758 P.O. Box 128 Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 15

APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

LOCAL NEWS

PAC FBO moving at rapid speed BY VIVIAN TYSON

he multimillion dollar Provo Air Centre (PAC) state-of-the-art fixed based operation (FBO) that is being built along Old Airport Road in Providenciales seems to be moving with rapid speed, as earlier this week, worker men on the site were seen pouring concrete on sections of the roof, a mere few two months after its construction was announced.

visitors to the TCI, as well as promote a more enhanced environment for staff and customs and immigration officials. The new FBO, according to the developers, will also host pilot lounge and a proper flight-planning room and more ramp space to accommodate all aircraft closer to the facility during the busy times. In the meantime, the building that now houses the Provo Air Centre will

Almost a dozen workmen are seen on the roof PAC FBO site pouring concrete on Wednesday (April 23, 2014) The facility which the PAC chairman Lyndon Gardiner said should be completed by the end of fall in time for the start of the next tourism season, and should also be on par with the best in the world, appears to be on target. The developers said that the two-storey facility will offer approximately 9,350 square feet of space on completion, and should boast a more spacious reception area for guests and

be refurbished and transformed into the Inter-Caribbean Airways head office, as well as accommodate the engineer company that supports the airline. Gardiner had told The SUN recently that construction for the project should take 10 months, looking to move in operations by the 1st of December. He said that the cost to construct the FBO exceeds $10millon.

Pastor Oswald Skippings out with new gospel single BY VIVIAN TYSON

very Body Praise The Lord – a gospel single released by Pastor Oswald Skippings - is a must add for your gospel or general music collection. The smooth reggae-flavored release is bound to have you praise the name of the Lord while at least rocking to the beat of the infectious rhythm. Its catchy lyrics will have you singing at least the chorus before the three-minute song comes to a close. A part of the song, “Praise Him in the morning – praise His Holy Name; praise Him in the noon time – Praise Him just the same; Praise Him in the Night time – praise His holy name,” is part of the enticing lyrics. The release also brings out the versatility of the erudite pastor, whose rap segment is an obvious ap-

Pastor Oswald Skippings peal to the younger generation, who make the more up-tempo style of gospel, such as Kirk Frankly, Tye Tribbett and Israel Houghton and the New Breed so popular. Part of the rap segment which is rather fascinating goes as follows:

Raise up you’ hand in praise of the Lord; Give Him the praise ‘cause He’s Mighty God. Praise Him in the morning, at night and at noon; Praise Him ‘cause you mean it, ‘cause He’s the bridegroom. Everybody on you’ feet, praise the Lord with me; Praise and you will see that the Lord is sweet. Let me hear you give a shout, chase the devil out; Lick him with the blood; let him run out the house; Give a Holy Ghost Shout, run the demon out. On how to access a copy of the release contact Pastor Skippings at: Oswaldskippings@yahoo.com or call 1-649-231-0700.

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Students visit Beaches Turks and Caicos Reef Balls for Earth Day

group of local students were treated to an underwater adventure when they were invited to inspect BTC’s successful reef ball project. As part of the Sandals Foundation Earth Day, a group of teenagers from the Edward Gartland Youth Centre spent an afternoon snorkelling to see the progress of the artificial reef balls off the shores of the resort. The students were treated to an up-close observation of the balls, which have already started to encourage growth of natural coral and inhabitation of marine life since the project’s deployment in 2007. In what may be described as “giving Mother Nature a helping hand,” Reef Balls are concrete structures that provide surface area for corals and other organisms to grow while offering a protective habitat for beautiful tropical fish and other marine species. The structures were designed by the Reef Ball Foundation, a publicly supported non-profit and international environmental non-governmental organization working to rehabilitate marine reefs. Beaches hired a Reef Ball team — which included TCI residents and volunteers — to install the structures, and then attached corals that were rescued from a reef near the entrance to Turtle Cove Marina. Beaches Resorts Water sports Department has been monitoring and protecting the Reef Ball reef system, which has seen tremendous growth over the past year. Dive Instructor Gustavo Simons-Martinez, who on hand to help the youngsters, understand the importance of the Reef Balls and commented on the initiative. “It is important that we teach students the important role that Coral Reef and Reef Balls in the Turks & Caicos,” Simons-Martinez said. “Our Reef Balls will serve as a reef relief for heavily populated

LITTLE ANDREW GETS SPECIALIZED WHEELCHAIR BY VIVIAN TYSON

Students were given educational information on how and why the balls were made. snorkel areas like Coral Garden and Smith’s Reef and will eventually create a new snorkel site for our guest and while creating a habitat for marine life.” Sandals Foundation representative Charvis Ferguson, Julianna Musgrove and PR Manager Elanor Finfin Krzanowski were also on hand to assist the Earth Day activity. “The kids received first hand exposure to the beauty of our island’s natural resources and what we are doing at this resort to preserve it,” Finfin Krzanowski said, “Not only did they enjoy a great day out but they were also left with important messages about the environment and how they can play their part.” In addition, the students were given educational information on how and why the balls were made, a chart showing the types of fish found in the Caribbean seas as well as an educational quiz. This Sandals Foundation-sponsored environmental outreach is a wonderful educational journey that will not only benefit the Turks and Caicos Islands ecosystem and coastal areas, but it will also serve as an attraction and a learning tool to both visitors and non-visitors alike.

number of individuals and entities, including TCIG, teamed up to source a specialized wheelchair for special needs child, Little Andrew Adams, and made the presentation to him during a photo op moment on April 4 at the Marion Williams Special Needs Association of Providenciales (SNAP) Centre in Kew Town. The device will allow him to move around more freely as opposed to in a regular wheel chair. Minister of Health and Human Services Hon. Porsha Stubbs-Smith, who was in attendance, commended those who saw it fit to give support to the worthy cause. She also used the event to appeal for both financial and human assistance for the special needs programme, telling the event that the country needs persons with background in special needs to volunteer their time. Norene McCoy, Special Needs Programme’s Coordinator for South Caicos McCoy, said that the wheelchair for little Andrew has been specially designed for his daily use. She said that it was obtained through the efforts of the One World Foundation – a Rotary Club-supported international organization - from funds provided by Governor’s Office, and assisted by the Ministry of Health and Human Services, the Rotary Club of Provo and Interhealth Canada. In the meantime, President of the Rotary club of Providen-

Little Andrew and her mother Bridgette Adams (second right) pose for the camera with (from left) Raymond Cushne, President of the Rotary club of Providenciles; Minister for Health and Human Services Hon. Porsha Stubbs-Smith; Betty Been, Director for the Turks and Caicos Islands Special Needs Department; and Norene McCoy, Special Needs Programme’s Coordinator for South Caicos. ciles Raymond Cushne, said that the club was extremely pleased to have been part of the process to have the wheelchair delivered to little Andrew. He said that the sourcing of the wheelchair was the second such project that the One World Foundation had undertaken in TCI. Betty Been, Director for the Turks and Caicos Islands Special Needs Department, used the opportunity to call for registration of all persons with special needs in the Turks and Caicos Islands. In response to the presentation, Bridgette Adams, little Andrew’s mother, expressed appreciation to all who assisted in the cause. She said that the wheelchair would make little Andrew mobile than before.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

TCI TOP MODEL’S REGENT VILLAGE EVENTS A SMASHING SUCCESS!

Page 17

APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

ver the Easter Holiday weekend, organizers of the 2014 TCI Top Model Contest & Fashion Extravaganza hosted a day of events that will live long in the memories of the 2014 TCI Top Model Contestants! The events, held at The Regent Village on Grace Bay, Providenciales, saw the contestants compete in a two-part day of activities. During the morning segment, organizers hosted the Mainstream Media Darling Award Competition, in which professionals from the broadcast and print media, along with public relations and brand managers interviewed contestants. The contestants were being judged on how best they showcased their personality at interview. Miss Brielle Swann was declared the winner and was awarded a full-page advertisement in the Turks & Caicos Weekly News and the Turks & Caicos Sun newspapers that will run the week of April 26 and 27th 2014. Later that day, A Doll’s Life on Regent Street was held, which saw a massive turn out of residents and tourists alike for the afternoon affair. First up was the L’ete Boutique Catwalk Competition with contestants donned in attire from the chic all cotton boutique. Miss Lamia Brown with her impressive strut captured the attention of the judges’ attention and walked away with a $250.00 gift certificate to the Grace Bay based boutique. Next was the highly anticipated second annual Salvation Army TCI Fashion Challenge. This competition was time sensitive. Contestants had to quickly get dressed in their stilettos and three articles of clothing, not leave any makeup thereon and rock the catwalk. Coming out ahead with a time of one minute and thirty-eight seconds (1:38) was Wilange Charles. She won herself a basket of Bambarra Products courtesy of FOTTAC on Grace Bay, Provo and $100 to be donated in her name to the Salvation Army TCI.

A Doll’s Life on Regent Street saw appearances by Washanda Registre, TCI Top Models 2012 and Mauqueita Carter, Miss Body Beautiful 2013. There was a fierce dance performance by The Bowen Dance Academy and fashion models taking to the street in the Denim Dolls segment. When the event Courtney Robinson drew to a close, the 2014 TCI Top Model Contestants strutted up Regent Street to Melt, where the festivities continued. At Melt everyone whiled the afternoon away enjoying nibbles, ice-cream sundaes, milkshakes, drink specials and a fabulous serenade by ‘The Voice’ – Cordero Cash! The Regent Village events were the most brilliant pre-event and party of contestants and spectators’ lives. They more than set the tone for The Dollhouse, the 2014 TCI Top Model Contest that will be held at The Williams Auditorium in Providenciales on Friday, May 2nd 2014 - seeing to the TCI Top Model catwalk competition. There will also be performances by Robyn Hinds, Penrhyn Brooks, Ryesha Higgs, Carl Lewis, Khambreal Garland, Mike Dizzo, Shara Bowen, The Bowen Dance Academy, Rock It Hot Dance Faculty and much, much more. Tickets are currently available for purchase – VIP $100 and General Admission - $50. Persons are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance of the Contest, as it will be an additional $10 more at the door. This heavily anticipated extravaganza is expected to outdo those that came before.

LOCAL NEWS

TOP PRIZES WON PRIOR TO TCI TOP MODEL CONTEST

n the run up to Cycle5 of the TCI Top Model Contest & Fashion Extravaganza, five (5) prizes have already been won in advance of the contest night. The awards include: Mainstream Media Darling Award, Social Media Darling Award, Radio Turks & Caicos Viewers Choice Award, L’ete Boutique Catwalk Competition and the 2nd Annual Salvation Army TCI Fashion Challenge. All prizes will be presented named winners at The Dollhouse, the 2014 TCI Top Model Contest that will be held on Friday, May 2nd at The Williams Auditorium in Downtown, Providenciales. The TCI Top Model prizes and awardees are as follows: Brielle Swann, Mainstream Media Darling Award winner Je’Cannya Garland, Social Media Darling Award winner Nathanelle Louis, Radio Turks & Caicos (RCT) Viewers Choice Award winner Lamia Brown, L’ete Boutique Catwalk Competition Wilange Charles, 2nd Annual Salvation Army TCI Fashion Challenge winner It is important to note here that no prize won above will towards choosing the 2014 TCI Top Model Contest winner. For the competition itself, the contestants will be judged on eight categories, with the highest score attainable being ten (10) points in each category. There will be pre-show and event judging. The pre-show judging will be on Personality, Professionalism, Models Portfolio Folder and Industry Readiness. The event judging will be on Impact Appeal (initial presence on the catwalk), Rock That Look (Runway Walk), Pristine Swim (physical fitness in the swimsuit segment) and Fashion Forward (how best they showcased the finale garment). These eight categories will go towards naming the Face of the Turks and Caicos, TCI Top Model 2014. The Dollhouse will see to the TCI Top Model catwalk competition of the 2014 TCI Top Model Contestants. There will be performances by Robyn Hinds, Penrhyn Brooks, Carl Lewis, Khambreal Garland, Mike Dizzo, Shara Bowen, The Bowen Dance Academy, Rock It Hot Dance Faculty and much, much more. Tickets are currently available for purchase – VIP $100 and General Admission - $50. Persons are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance of the TCI Top Model Contest, as it will be an additional $10 more at the door. This heavily anticipated extravaganza is expected to outdo those that came before.

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

LOCAL NEWS Dog rescue group in Turks and Caicos doesn’t like new WestJet policy BY THE CANADIAN PRESS

ALGARY — A dog rescue group in Turks and Caicos is trying to take on Calgary-based WestJet over its policy that no longer allows passengers to travel with canine companions from the Caribbean vacation destination. The Turks and Caicos recently declared the islands rabies-free, which the airline points to as the reasoning behind the change in restrictions. It’s a major hurdle for Potcake Place, a charity organization in Turks and Caicos that finds homes for stray dogs, often with Canadians who vacation on the tropical islands. Supporters of Potcake Place started an online petition to ask WestJet to change the policy and gathered more than 1,500 signatures to present to the airline last week. Laurie McCann is a Canadian volunteer with the group, which rescues feral, mixedbreed dogs known locally as potcakes. She says the charity organization sends about 30 adopted dogs a year to Canada, and many people have relied on WestJet for cheaper fares on flights. “We’ve had a whole bunch of people that had booked specifically on WestJet, that were looking to come on holidays and adopt a pup, and now they can’t adopt,” she said in a phone interview from Providenciales, the territory’s largest city. She says that has led to people cancelling or delaying their plans to adopt. There are an estimated 2,000 potcakes roaming around Turks and Caicos, according to the Department of Agriculture, which is a lot for a territory with just more than 32,000 people. The charity, along with the Turks and Ca-

icos SPCA, work to limit the potcake population. Adoptions, local and international, help to do that. But the issue isn’t just a concern for Potcake Place. Any visitors — such as snowbirds who make the islands a second home during winter — are going to be affected if they want to travel with their pet on WestJet. McCann says she knows of about 20 people that are going to have to find people to keep their dogs on the islands when they return home to Canada for the summer. Others are having to rebook tickets with U.S. airlines. The Turks and Caicos government says it doesn’t have any issue with dogs visiting — or leaving — the island. The territory’s chief veterinarian, Dr. Mark Butler, says Turks and Caicos does place restrictions but only on certain breeds. He says he has contacted WestJet about the company’s restriction, but he insists the territory’s requirements are no different than any other government’s rules. WestJet says it runs the risk of being held responsible if it allows animals on board that are turned away at the final destination. “If we allow an animal without the proper paperwork to enter a country, it is the airline that is responsible for the consequences, which can include deportation (transport back to point of origin), medical costs, euthanization (in the event of illness) and fines,” says WestJet spokesman Robert Palmer. On its travel info page on its website, WestJet says it also doesn’t allow pets on flights to or from several rabies-free destinations — Antigua and Barbuda; Bridgetown, Barbados; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; several of the Hawaiian islands; Montego Bay and Kingston in Jamaica; Dublin; St. Lucia; and Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DEMA TOWN HALL MEETINGS INDICATE STRONG SUPPORT FOR AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE

he Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs (DEMA) is reporting strong support for its proposal to amend the TCI Fisheries Protection Ordinance. In a series of Town Hall meetings held on Grand Turk, South Caicos and Providenciales last week DEMA met with stakeholders to gather feedback regarding proposed amendments to the Ordinance. The Department recorded very strong support from stakeholders, with each of the proposed amendments getting at least 75 percent of stakeholder support. The proposed amendments include the following: A proposal for a special licence for commercial-scale pelagic fishing and a ban on commercial pelagic long-line fishing. The special licence will include reporting and GPS tracking requirements. Scientific research is to be exempted. A proposed special commercial licence for the use of traps by licenced fishers who employ more than 20 traps. The special licence will include reporting and GPS tracking requirements. All commercial fishing traps will also be required to be registered and inspected by DEMA. A proposed amendment to require all sport-fishers to report their catch; A proposal to introduce

21-inch minimum size and 35inch maximum size restriction for Nassau grouper as well as a closed season for the species from 1 December to 28 February; A proposal to introduce an eight-inch minimum size for all snapper species, excluding red snapper and black snapper; A proposed ban on the use of nets for bone-fishing and a proposed minimum size requirement of 12 inches for that species; A proposed minimum size requirement of four(4) inches for stone crab as well as a ban on taking the females of this species; A proposed ban on fishing for sea cucumbers also known as donkey dung; A proposed ban on the commercial fishing for all shark and ray species; and A proposal to legalise the use of Hawaiian sling for the purposes of fishing for lionfish by way of a special licence. The proposed amendments will not affect the fishing for sharks for personal or traditional consumption. The Department continues to seek feedback from the public and asks any concerned or interested individuals to email any comments to environment@gov.tc or to call 941-5122 within the next 30 days.

H.A.B. MANAGEMENT LTD. H.A.B. Management Limited is seeking applicants for the following positions:

RESERVATION ATTENDANT Job Description

The successful candidates will be required to welcome and serve guests in a courteous, efficient and friendly manner, both face-to-face and on the phone. The candidates will also be required to take reservations via the telephone, email and walk-in requests. Candidates will also be responsible for promoting the resort at all times.

Requirements

Candidates should have five years or more experience as a Reservation Attendant. Candidates should also have an extensive knowledge of Visual One Property Management System. Candidates must be proficient in Microsoft Office. Candidates will be required to check guests in and out; perform certain accounting procedures, such as preparing bills for guests, performing audit duties, balancing work and preparing paperwork for the following day; present a friendly, outgoing, energetic and guest service demeanor. Candidates will also be required to work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team. Must be able to speak, read and write in English and understand verbal and written instructions.

Job Description

BARTENDER

This position requires an individual with an outgoing personality as well as excellent customer service skills. The successful candidates should be well versed in bar service and drink preparation.

Requirements

Candidates should have five years or more experience as a Bartender. The Bartender will be responsible for taking orders, preparing and serving alcoholic, non-alcoholic beverages to guests, courteously and efficiently according to the restaurant specifications. Maintain stock/supplies and cleanliness of bar and equipment. Assist where necessary to ensure optimum service to guest. The candidates will also be required to work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team. Must be able to speak, read and write English and understand verbal and written instructions.

Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. Applications giving full details of qualifications and experience should be sent to Veronica Rigby by May 5, 2014 via email to ronnie@habgroup.com or fax to 649-946-5191. Only persons selected for an interview will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.

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JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE LYRICS

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“MIRRORS” Aren’t you somethin’ to admire? ‘Cause your shine is somethin’ like a mirror And I can’t help but notice You reflect in this heart of mine If you ever feel alone and The glare makes me hard to find Just know that I’m always Parallel on the other side

‘Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul I can tell you there’s no place we couldn’t go Just put your hand on the glass I’ll be tryin’ to pull you through You just gotta be strong ‘Cause I don’t wanna lose you now I’m lookin’ right at the other half of me The vacancy that sat in my heart Is a space that now you hold Show me how to fight for now And I’ll tell you, baby, it was easy Comin’ back here to you once I figured it out You were right here all along It’s like you’re my mirror My mirror staring back at me I couldn’t get any bigger With anyone else beside of me And now it’s clear as this promise That we’re making two reflections into one ‘Cause it’s like you’re my mirror My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me Aren’t you somethin’, an original ‘Cause it doesn’t seem merely a sample And I can’t help but stare, ‘cause I see truth somewhere in your eyes I can’t ever change without you You reflect me, I love that about you And if I could, I would look at us all the time ‘Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul I can tell you there’s no place we couldn’t go Just put your hand on the glass I’ll be tryin’ to pull you through You just gotta be strong

‘Cause it’s like you’re my mirror My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me Yesterday is history Tomorrow’s a mystery I can see you lookin’ back at me Keep your eyes on me Baby, keep your eyes on me ‘Cause I don’t wanna lose you now I’m lookin’ right at the other half of me The vacancy that sat in my heart Is a space that now you hold Show me how to fight for now (please show me, baby) I’ll tell you, baby, it was easy Comin’ back here to you once I figured it out You were right here all along It’s like you’re my mirror My mirror staring back at me I couldn’t get any bigger With anyone else beside of me And now it’s clear as this promise That we’re making two reflections into one ‘Cause it’s like you’re my mirror My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me You are, you are the love of my life [x10]

‘Cause I don’t wanna lose you now I’m lookin’ right at the other half of me The vacancy that sat in my heart Is a space that now you hold Show me how to fight for now And I’ll tell you, baby, it was easy Comin’ back here to you once I figured it out You were right here all along It’s like you’re my mirror My mirror staring back at me I couldn’t get any bigger With anyone else beside of me And now it’s clear as this promise That we’re making two reflections into one

Now you’re the inspiration for this precious song And I just wanna see your face light up since you put me on So now I say goodbye to the old me, it’s already gone And I can’t wait wait wait wait wait to get you home Just to let you know, you are You are, you are the love of my life [x8] Girl you’re my reflection, all I see is you My reflection, in everything I do You’re my reflection and all I see is you My reflection, in everything I do You are, you are the love of my life [x16]

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CARIBBEAN

Conch and lobster trade under threat, say officials

OSEAU, Dominica – The future of the Caribbean’s conch and lobster fisheries remains under threat despite regional efforts to protect it, regional fisheries officials said here Wednesday.

The issue is at the top of the agenda of the 12 meeting of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum, the main technical and scientific decision-making body of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM). The Belize-based agency coordinates the management of fisheries in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Acting Permanent Secretary in Dominica’s fisheries ministry, Harold Guiste, speaking at the start of the three-day meeting, highlighted efforts by the United States to declare conch an endangered species. “It appears some countries are bent on wanting to exercise control over all the resources in the world,” despite regional systems in place to monitor the harvesting th

of the delicacies,” Guiste told delegates. CRFM officials said the agency is concerned that since 2012, American environmental groups have called for the queen conch, a delicacy and the largest mollusc fished commercially across the Caribbean, to be listed as an endangered species in accordance with the US Endangered Species Act. The issue has been taken to CARICOM’s Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) and the foreign ministries in CRFM member countries to develop a diplomatic counterattack. There are fears that declaring queen conch an endangered species could curtail exports of the delicacy, a senior fisheries official told CMC on condition of anonymity. Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda are the region’s main producing nations with the French departments of

Martinique and Guadeloupe as the main conch importers. Officials have been contending privately that the decision is based on outdated scientific data and does not reflect on the region’s management efforts which have been recognized internationally. They added that Caribbean nations already follow the management guidelines set out by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the 41-year-old global treaty that blocks international trade in threatened species and protects wildlife from over-exploitation. Queen Conch is currently protected under CITES. On the issue of overfishing, Guiste put the blame squarely on nations outside the Caribbean that trawl the region’s seas illegally. “Globally we have noticed a rush to fish accompanied by a lack of responsible behaviour in the fishing sector. This type of hooligan behaviour has resulted in severe decline in some major fisheries of the world and collapse in some others.” The Dominican official called on the CRFM to work closely with the fishing industry to safeguard against the depletion of the region’s already challenged resources. The spiny lobster trade brings in about 456 million US dollars to CARICOM nations but demand has led to overfishing of a once health stocks. In light of substantial yearly losses caused by Illegal, Unreport-

ed and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, the proposed Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy – nearly a decade in the making – is also getting special attention at the meeting. CRFM Executive Director Milton Haughton said while regional governments have signed on to the policy mandated by CARICOM, it was not signed at February’s midterm summit of CARICOM leaders in St. Vincent. The policy is intended to act like a treaty to guide sustainable fisheries for regional development and food security, develop scientific market research which could lead to easy access to overseas market. The regional policy is also aimed at fostering cooperation on increased fish processing which could offer value added products, save time and money and create jobs, he added. “We have to strengthen our systems to ensure better conservation and resource management, especially of the resources that are our main commercial resources including lobster and queen conch. Long term sustainability is one of the key challenges facing the fisheries sector in the region s well as globally,” Haughton told the meeting. Of the CRFM’s 17 member countries present at this year’s meeting, Barbados, Haiti and Suriname are absent. Two observers, The Netherlands and Curacao, have expressed an interest in joining the agency.

JAMAICA GOVERNMENT DEFENDS TAX ON BANK WITHDRAWALS

INGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica government Tuesday urged the population to suggest measures that would have a minimal impact on the most vulnerable in the society as it sought to defend the decision to impose a tax on bank withdrawals. “Those who want to make the contribution need to go beyond just saying ‘don’t do’, they need to bring some specific suggestions as to whether anything else could be found that would have as minimal an impact, especially on the poor,” Finance and Planning Minister Dr Peter Phillips told reporters. The government says it intends to receive J$2.5 billion in revenue from the new levy on the use of ATMs/ABMs, electronic banking, point of sales, cheques and internet transfers when the measure goes into effect, June 1. The new levy on withdrawals from deposit-taking institutions and security dealers will be calculated on a graduated rate system, with withdrawals less than one million being subjected to a 0.1 per cent tax. Phillips said the measure was expected to bring in revenue estimated at J$2.25 million this fiscal year, and would provide the bulk of the revenue

in new taxes. Phillips last week in his statements regarding the J$540.1 billion (One Jamaica dollar = US$0.004 cents) national budget to Parliament, said the Portia Simpson-Miller government was hoping to raise an estimated J$6.7 billion in revenue from taxes. In a post budget news conference Tuesday, Phillips said that the government had listened in the past, which is evident in the current tax package, as it has reduced the duties on motor vehicles, which it found was having a negative impact on revenue and also encouraging efforts to smuggle. “The reality is, when we initially looked at the budget in December last year, there was a financing gap of about $10 billion and this worsened in February with the reduction of tax revenues. “This was whittled down to J$6.7 billion through fees from existing licences being collected, the sale of new licences in the telecommunications sector, the projections for collections of taxes that were previously announced for example the minimum business tax, which we have included in what we will collect for the year.

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

Clinton Foundation to assist St. Kitts-Nevis develop alternative forms of energy

ASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A team of experts from the US-based Clinton Foundation Climate Initiative (CFCI) is due here later this month as the organization seeks to help St. Kitts and Nevis in developing a strategy to reduce the cost of electricity on the twin island Federation, Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas has said. Dr. Douglas, accompanied by Energy Minister Dr. Earl Martin, held talks with CFCI officials and later announced that the continuing high cost of imported oil for electricity generation was not sustainable for the country’s socio-economic development. “We are dependent upon the importation of petroleum products, diesel in particular, from which we generate electricity; the fuel that we consume to generate electricity is diesel. Diesel is imported from overseas. It has been having a very unstable climb in the price. “The price keeps going up and up with very few opportunities for it to come down and the more the price of the diesel goes up, the more therefore it costs us to generate electricity and thus the fuel charge on your electricity bill will be higher. It means then that you have to pay more money for the use of electricity,” Prime Minister Douglas said. He said his administration cannot continue with the high price of electricity warning it would create “serious problems” for the country.

“We therefore have decided to use other forms of energy as I said in the opening statement, we have wind, we have solar – the sun and we have geothermal which is embodied within the body of the earth and so we are finding ways of using those energy sources to generate electricity and thus bring our dependence on diesel down and thus the cost of electricity down,” he said. Prime Minister Douglas said that the talks with the CFCI also included the development of renewable and alternative forms of energy and in this regard “we have agreed that they are going to send a team here in two weeks’ time. “They are going to send a team of experts who is going to sit with us. They are going to look at where we have reached so far in removing ourselves from the dependence of fossil based energy or diesel energy; they are going to look at how much the Taiwanese have done so far in assisting us in the creation of a solar energy farm and their promised assistance with another two megawatt plant down there at the agro tourism project.” Prime Minister Douglas said that the team would also be looking at the prospects for wind energy “that we have been working on for some time with the North Star Company. “They are going to look at how we dispose of our waste and maybe how we might be able to

work closely on a new project to convert waste into energy or electricity and then they would allow us with their support to find the necessary investors who will be joining with the government in joint ventures,” said Prime Minister Douglas. He said the Clinton Group will also provide technical support to the Nevis Island Administration with regards to the geothermal energy project on that island that has been ongoing for several years, but which seems to have been stalled. “They will also look at the potential of the island of St. Kitts to also generate geothermal energy and thus revolutionize our dependence on fossil fuel energy in St. Kitts and Nevis and bring us into a new realm, where they will be green energy, cheaper energy, sustainable energy and this will impact on the cost of generating electricity and the consumers then, will pay less for their electricity use,” Dr. Douglas said. “We expect the Clinton foundation will work with us to impact positively on the lives of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis by bringing cheaper energy sources and thus cheaper electricity for the consumers of St. Kitts and Nevis, of course it is going to mean upfront investment, but nevertheless at the end of it, it is going to lead to cheaper electricity costs for our people,” he added.

Former St Lucia health minister against decriminalising marijuana C

ASTRIES, St. Lucia – A former health minister has spoken out against decriminalising marijuana warning the measure could have many negative health and social consequences for St. Lucia. “Traditionally we have a very poor record of monitoring legislation once enacted. We can assume that if marijuana were legalized, even if there were safeguards written into the legislation, there would be little or no monitoring. In practice it would become… a free for all,” Sarah Flood-Beaubrun said. Flood-Beaubrun, who served as health minister in the 1997-2001 St. Lucia Labour Party government of Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony acknowledged that while marijuana may have medicinal properties, it was important to weigh the benefits with

the likely harm it can cause. The attorney said it is a fact that there are many negative health and social consequences resulting from the use of marijuana. “During my tenure as minister of Health I was repeatedly advised by the consultant psychiatrist that the majority of young persons at the Golden Hope Hospital were there because of marijuana use. There should be documentation at the Ministry of Health regarding this,” Flood-Beaubrun noted. She also argued that the effects of increased marijuana use will affect the national economy directly as well as put an increasing strain on public health services which are already overstretched and not adequately providing mental health care. “There will very likely be increased

use of marijuana due to experimentation. This will come at a social as well as financial cost. Can St Lucia and the rest of the Caribbean afford this?” she asked. Flood-Beaubrun said that crime could also escalate as a result of the decriminalization of marijuana, noting that many people commit crimes whilst “high” on drugs including alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana. She said it was important that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) appointed Commission established to examine the possibility of decriminalizing marijuana be comprised of competent, unbiased persons who would look at the issue objectively, taking into account all available scientific and social data regarding marijuana use and possible effects. “It should not be a Commission es-

GUYANA CONSOLIDATES DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH TWO EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

EORGETOWN, Guyana – Guyana, which is hosting the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-Spain Joint Commission in May, Wednesday said it hoped the mechanism would continue to provide the platform for solid collaboration between Madrid and the 15-member grouping. President Donald Ramotar, who received the Letters of Credence for Spain’s newly appointed non-resident ambassador, Jose Maria Fernandez Lopez, made reference to Spain’s investment in several areas in CARICOM and that Georgetown is actively considering that Madrid’s request for support for a seat on the United Nations Security Council. The two countries have pledged to step up bilateral cooperation in various areas with Ambassador Lopez indicating that Guyana would find in Spain a strong ally, and a reliable partner that wants to expand its bilateral relation-

ship in several areas, including trade and investment. Spain is the second largest investor in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Spanish diplomat said Ambassador it is important for his country to increase the volume of its trade with Guyana in areas such as tourism, technology, industry and renewable energy. President Ramotar said that Guyana was therefore looking forward to developing a programme of cooperation with Spain that would enhance the profile of relations between the two countries, to their mutual benefit. The two countries had established diplomatic relations in 1979. Meanwhile, the newly appointed French ambassador to Guyana, Michael Prom, also presented his credentials to President Ramotar and pledged Paris support for several initiatives including the fight against global warning, culture, education, sport and security.

tablished to deliver a result which is already predetermined and the full report of the Commission should be made public before any decisions are made,” she said, noting that St. Lucia was placing much emphasis on decriminalising marijuana when there were much more pressing matters to be dealt with. “How about seriously addressing the myriad of social problems which we currently face, e.g. providing additional staff and resources to the Department of Health and Human Services to deal with the high demands for health and social services which over stretch current resources as opposed to increasing their workload. “Why use scarce resources to fund a Marijuana Commission at this time of financial hardship? “she asked.

THE BAHAMAS POLICE ISSUE STERN WARNINGS TO IMPORTERS OF ILLEGAL GUNS

ASSAU, The Bahamas – Police Friday warned persons against illegally importing firearms into the country as they continue to deal with a number of murders over the past few days. In a statement, the police said they were urging members of the public to take a stand against illegal firearms by cooperating with the law enforcement authorities in providing information regarding the whereabouts of any illegal firearm. The police said they were also issuing “a stern warning to individuals who are bent on importing illegal firearms into this country, who are bent on distributing illegal firearms to criminals in this country and those who are bent on creating havoc in this country through the use of firearms”. The police gave the assurance they would ‘continue to relentlessly pursue them until they are brought to justice”.

Meanwhile, the murder toll continues to rise with the police saying that two men were killed on Thursday. They said the murders are in addition to the two killings on Wednesday when gunmen shot and killed an unidentified 29 year-old man who was in the company of others when a lone gunman fired upon them. In the second incident, 41 year-old unidentified man was on a street in the capital with a female friend, when two men sitting in a vehicle fired several shots at them hitting the man several times to the upper body. The police said they have also detained 33 year-old Denardo Smith, alias, “Fat Boy” who is wanted for a shooting incident on Tuesday night. Police in Long Island arrested Smith who was attempting to board a flight to New Providence at the Stella Maris Airport.

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

World Bank collaborates with OECS CHIKUNGUNYA CASES CONFIRMED IN ST VINCENT in enhancing education policy K W ASHINGTON – The World Bank says it is collaborating Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in enhanced the capacity of education planners, statisticians and administrators to collect, analyze and use education data to inform policy in the sub-region. It said by providing hands-on training to education statisticians, planners, and administrators, a ‘results-based’ regional education strategy has been completed and endorsed by nine OECS member-states. The bank said the first OECS regional education statistical digest has also been published and the timeliness of country level education statistics has improved. The World Bank said the regional education strategy for the period 2012-2021, called “Every Learner Succeeds,” provides a framework for a regional approach to achieving quality education for all in the OECS. It said the first regional education statistical digest for the nine OECS countries was published in 2013, adding that this “constitutes the baseline for monitoring implementation of the regional education strategy for the OECS”. The Washington-based financial institution said the timeliness of education statistics was improved by over one year for some countries. It said some member states that had not produced education statistics in over 10 years produced one for the first time and just a few months after the end of the 2012 and 2013 school years. Additionally, the World Bank said collaboration among the Ministries of Education in OECS countries, regional institutions – for example, the OECS Secretariat and Caribbean Examinations Council – and development partners working on education in the OECS, was strengthened around the new regional strategy.

It said a “community of practice” for education planners and statisticians in the OECS was established through which practitioners continue to share experiences and address challenges. Before the project was undertaken in 2012, the World Bank said OECS member states “lacked timely and reliable data to make policy decisions in the education sector. “Education management information systems were of doubtful quality, and there was limited use of data to inform policy decisions,” it said. The World Bank said while there was a desire and need to move towards evidence-based policy making and to focus on results in the education sector, these efforts were hindered by lack of reliable and timely data. The bank said its Institutional Development Fund (IDF), therefore, supported “process engaged teams” from the ministries of education in nine OECS countries and the Education Development Unit (EDMU) of the OECS Secretariat “through a full cycle of collaborative evidence-based policy making activities.” The process involved identifying capacity gaps, hands-on training to address these gaps, and use of the results to feed back into the policy-making process, the bank said, adding that at the end of the process, it said the officials developed “demonstrated capacity to collect, analyze and interpret data pertaining to the education sector in their countries.” The World Bank said IDF funds, to the tune of US$345,000, were used to provide technical assistance for training and guidance at different stages of the process. It noted that the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) also contributed US$500,000 and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provided additional financial support towards workshops.

INGSTOWN, St. Vincent – Three cases of the mosquito-borne disease chikungunya, have been confirmed in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a senior health official told the Caribbean Media Corporation on Thursday. The confirmation comes less than 12 hours after a video was posted on the internet in which a woman form Paget Farm in the northern Grenadine island of Bequia, said she and three other members of her family had been diagnosed with the disease. “Yesterday (Tuesday), I got up and couldn’t even walk properly,” she said, adding that she then travelled to St. Vincent, where a doctor prescribed antibiotics and other medication. “Seriously, I wouldn’t wish it for my biggest enemy. Too much pain, pain in the joint, fever, headache,” the woman said. In the video, , other residents displayed symptoms, such as rashes, and joint pains. The confirmation of the disease comes just after the Easter weekend, when large numbers of Vincentians visited Bequia for the celebrations there. Last Thursday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Luis de Shong issued two separate news releases, saying there were no confirmed cases of the virus in the country, contrary to reports circulated orally and via social media.In a separate release on the same day, de Shong said the Insect Vector Control Unit would conduct fogging operations in Bequia. To address this latest development, Health Minister, Clayton Burgin will host an urgent press conference at 2 p.m. (local time) on Thursday. Chikungunya, which originated in Africa, has been spreading across the Caribbean, with St. Lucia confirming its first case last month. The World Health Organisation says chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. It causes fever and severe joint pain. Other symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash. The disease shares some clinical signs with dengue, and can be misdiagnosed in areas where dengue is common.

News TURKS & CAICOS SUN

RLD

Obama plans to call EU leaders in Russia sanctions push

.S. President Barack Obama is expected to speak to several European leaders on Friday to try to nudge the EU toward fresh sanctions against Russia over Ukraine, sources familiar with the matter said. Disagreements among European Union nations on whether to impose new economic sanctions on Russia have held up punitive steps by the United States, said the sources on condition of anonymity, but Washington could also act on its own. U.S. officials have grown increasingly impatient with what they describe as Russia’s failure to live up to its commitments in an April 17 agreement reached in Geneva to try to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine. The United States is also frustrated at the reluctance of some European nations, notably Germany and Italy, to impose a new round of economic sanctions on Russia but it would much prefer to act in concert with the EU rather than on its own. The sources said Obama was expected to speak in a conference call on Friday with British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to discuss the issue. A senior administration official confirmed that the president intended to call European allies to discuss sanctions. Obama is in Asia on a four-nation trip. Speaking in Tokyo on Thursday, he blamed Russia for failing to carry out the Geneva deal and said he was ready to impose new sanctions.

A GRAVE AND EXPENSIVE MISTAKE

In a sign of growing U.S. concern about Ukraine, Secretary of State John Kerry issued what amounted to a warning to Russia not to invade. Russia has some 40,000 troops on its border with Ukraine,

U.S. President Barack Obama addresses a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (not seen) at the Akasaka guesthouse in Tokyo April 24, 2014. some of which staged military exercises on Thursday. “Following today’s threatening movement of Russian troops right up to Ukraine’s border, let me be clear: If Russia continues in this direction, it will not just be a grave mistake, it will be an expensive mistake,” he said in a hastily arranged appearance at the State Department. The United States accuses Russia of backing separatists in eastern Ukraine as part of a deliberate attempt to destabilize the region, undermine elections planned for next month, and gain greater influence over Kiev. Russia seized and annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine last month after President Vladimir Putin overturned decades of post-Cold War diplomacy by announcing the right to use military force in neighboring countries. Under the accord struck by Russia, Ukraine, the

Putin calls Internet a CIA project M

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oscow - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called the Internet a “CIA project” and warned Russians against making Google searches. Putin assured a group of young journalists that the Internet was controlled from the start by the CIA and its surveillance continues today. “That’s life. That’s how it’s organised by Americans. You know all of this started during the dawn of the Internet as a special project of the CIA. And it keeps on developing,” Putin said in televised comments. Responding to questions from a young pro-Kremlin blogger, Putin warned that information entered on Google “all goes through servers that are in the States, everything is monitored there”. He also made ominous comments on Russia’s most popular search engine Yandex, suggesting it could become more tightly controlled. Yandex is “partly registered abroad and not just for tax reasons, but for other reasons too”, Putin said, mentioning it is partly owned by international investors and reiterating his fear of

foreign control of the Internet. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, on April 23, 2014 … When Yandex was starting out, Putin said, they were “pressured” to have “that many Americans and this many Europeans among the executives”. “We must fight determinedly for our own interests. This process is happening. And we will support it from the government side, of course,” he said without explaining what he means in detail. Yandex handles some 60 percent of search queries in Russia and has a presence in several other countries. It allows users to search blogs and rates the most popular entries. Yandex’s shares fell over 4.3 percent on the NASDAQ after Putin’s comments. The company said in a statement quoted by news agencies that registration abroad is not done to dodge taxes but due to issues of corporate law, while foreign investment is a common feature of any Internet startup. “Since our main business is in Russia, we pay almost all taxes in

Russia,” Yandex said. While the Internet remains the main sphere for political discussion, Russia has recently cracked down on debate, with a new law allowing the government to block blacklisted sites without a court order. Opposition leader Alexei Navalny had his popular blog blocked and a widely read news site that covered opposition causes sacked its long-term editor and changed its stance after a warning on extremism from the state watchdog. Russia this week passed in its initial stage new legislation that would force popular bloggers to register their sites and comply with similar regulations as mass media. The 61-year-old president has frequently been scathing about the Internet, which he once described as “half pornography”, unlike Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who posts snaps on Twitter. Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted this month that the president is a regular Internet user and even sometimes laughs at jokey Photoshopped images.

United States and European Union in Geneva last week, illegal armed groups are supposed to disarm and go home, including rebels occupying about a dozen buildings in the largely Russian-speaking east. The rebels have shown no sign of retreating. “As President Obama reiterated earlier today, we are ready to act,” Kerry said on Thursday. When he announced the Geneva agreement a week ago, the U.S. secretary of state had said that if Russia did not take steps “over the course of these next days” there would be additional sanctions as a consequence. Several sources said that the United States did not, however, wish to act on its own. Washington’s basic reasoning is that the practical effect on Russia’s economy and markets, as well as the symbolic import of further sanctions, will be greater if the United States is seen to be acting in concert with the European Union. The United States has so far imposed three rounds of sanctions in connection with the unrest in Ukraine - two aimed at Russian targets and a third focused on Crimean individuals and a Crimean gas company. The European Union is highly dependent on Russian gas deliveries, and the crisis over Ukraine has fanned concerns about future supply. Russia is also an important market for many EU exporters, notably in Germany. On March 21, the EU imposed sanctions on 12 Russians and Ukrainians because of Moscow’s takeover of Crimea, bringing the number of people targeted by EU asset freezes and travel bans to 33. On April 14, the EU agreed to expand the list of people subject to such penalties but the bloc has yet to agree on the names or to actually impose the sanctions.

HOLDER TO REMAIN US ATTORNEY GENERAL THROUGH NOVEMBER ELECTIONS AT LEAST

.S. Attorney General Eric Holder plans to stay on through November’s mid-term elections and has no timeline for an exit after that, a Justice Department official told Reuters on Friday. “The Attorney General does not plan to leave before the mid-terms. That does not mean that he is definitely leaving after the midterms, just that he U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is at least staying testifies about his FY2015 budget through that time,” request at a Senate Appropriations the official said. Committee hearing on Capitol There has been Hill in Washington April 3, 2014. speculation over when Holder, 63, might step down from the post he has held since shortly after President Barack Obama took office in 2009. Should Republicans win control of both chambers of Congress in the November elections, it may be difficult for a potential replacement for Holder to be confirmed. Among Obama’s cabinet members, Holder is said to have one of the closest relationships with the president. During his time in office, Holder has taken on issues in line with the president’s agenda, such as civil rights, voting rights, and most recently, reducing sentencing for low-level drug offenders. The Washington Post reported earlier that Holder planned to stay through the elections but could not confirm his plans beyond that.

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WORLD NEWS

South Korea ferry: Divers find 48 bodies in single room

The group was crammed into a dormitory and all were wearing lifejackets, a South Korean Navy officer said. Some 183 bodies have been recovered from the Sewol, but scores of people are missing, presumed drowned. The head of the operation to retrieve bodies said on Friday he had “no idea” how long the ship search would take. There were 476 people on board, with many trapped inside as the ferry listed and sank within two hours of distress signals being sent. A total of 174 passengers were rescued. Many of those who died or are presumed dead were students and teachers from Danwon high school, south of Seoul. Furious relatives attacked the speed of the recovery operation on Friday in a confrontation with the fisheries minister and the coastguard chief. ‘It’s very stressful’ In a briefing to reporters on the southern island of Jindo, Navy Captain Kim Jin-Hwang described the difficult conditions that the divers were facing. He said one group had found the single dormitory room filled with the bodies of 48 students wearing lifejackets. The presence of so many victims in the cabin suggested many had run into the room when the ship tilted, correspondents said. “It’s very stressful,” Kim said, adding that the divers were all too aware of criticism over the speed of

Around 90 expert divers are part of the operation but only 35 of the 111 rooms have been searched so far the search. Retrieving the bodies was far harder than finding them, he said, with divers unable to spend much longer than 10 minutes inside the ship at a time. “Just imagine a room that is flipped,” one of the divers told the Associated Press news agency. “Everything is floating around, and it’s hard to know exactly where they are.” On a visit to Seoul on Friday, US President Barack Obama expressed his condolences for South Korea’s “incredible loss” and offered America’s solidarity. “So many were young students with their entire lives ahead of them,” Mr Obama said. “I can only imagine what the parents are going through at the moment - the incredible heartache.”

Officials said rescuers are retrieving around 30 bodies a day but the bereaved families have demanded that all remaining bodies are removed from the ferry before the weekend. Search officials said just 35 of the 111 rooms had been searched so far. The government says it is “mobilising all available resources” towards the rescue effort but bad weather and stronger currents due on Saturday and Sunday are expected to hamper their efforts. Prosecutors are said to be investigating whether modifications made to the ferry made it more unstable. Factors under consideration include a turn made around the time the ship began to list, as well as wind, ocean currents and the freight it was carrying. Reports have emerged indicating that the ship’s sleeping cabins were refitted some time between 2012 and 2013, which experts say may have inadvertently affected the balance of the boat. Investigators on Friday said that life rafts and escape chutes on a sister ship to a sunken ferry were not working properly. The ferry’s captain and 10 crew members have been arrested on charges ranging from criminal negligence to abandoning passengers. Prosecutors have also raided several businesses affiliated with the ferry operator, the Chonghaejin Marine Company, as part of an overall probe into corrupt management.

Buffett Still Unsure if Minimum Wage Is a ‘Good Thing’ W

arren Buffett is rarely confused on issues of money, but there is one that stumps the renowned billionaire investor — the minimum wage. “I’ve been thinking about it for 50 years. I just don’t know whether it’s a good thing or not, because I don’t know what it does to the guy who’s making the minimum wage now,’’ Buffett told the staff of the Buffalo News, which he owns. “And I sure . . . don’t want anything bad to happen to him or her. On the other hand, I think the inequality that

exists is awful, ” he continued. “If I really thought that was a partial answer to inequality I’d be 100 percent in favor. I’m just not sure about the end result.” Buffett — who is worth $53 billion and ranked fourth on Forbes magazine’s list of the world’s richest people — made his remarks during a candid chat with the paper’s reporters and editors on Wednesday. And he said despite the serious issues facing the world today, he remains bullish on the United States.

“The world is uncertain. Stock prices are uncertain. The future of America is not uncertain,” said the 82-yearold “Oracle of Ohama.’’ “We have a system that unleashes potential, and it’s just starting. It’s just galloping. And 535 people in Washington can’t screw up 350 million people [working] for their own self-interests. The country works, and it will work.’’ Lamenting the sharp divisions between Democrats and Republicans in Washington, Buffett noted: “You’ve got the worst of all negotiating

CANADA’S TOP COURT REJECTS SENATE REFORM PROPOSALS

ttawa - Canada’s top court on Friday rejected government proposals to unilaterally reform or abolish its scandal-plagued senate, saying such a move required a constitutional change supported by the provinces. The ruling is a blow to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who championed elections and term limits for senators but hoped to avoid reopening a divisive constitutional debate to implement reforms. “The Senate is one of Canada’s foundational political institutions. It lies at the heart of the agreements that gave birth to the Canadian federation,” the Supreme Court said in its decision. “The statute that created the Senate... forms part of the Constitution of Canada and can only be amended in accordance with the Constitution’s procedures for amendment.” Under the current system, senators from various regions of Canada are appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and can hold their seats until they turn 75. Critics say successive federal governments have stacked it with party hacks, organizers and supporters. Harper expressed disappointment with the ruling, saying: “We know that there is no consensus among the provinces on reform, no consensus on abolition and no desire of anyone to reopen the Constitution and have a bunch of constitutional negotiations.

“So essentially this is a decision for the status quo, a status quo that is supported by virtually no Canadian,” he said, adding that Ottawa would respect the court’s decision. The ruling comes amid recent iniquities involving members of the upper chamber. A trio of senators appointed by Harper were accused of charging hundreds of thousands of dollars for travel and housing expenses in a scandal that has been a drag on the ruling Conservatives’ popularity. The Senate suspended the three members without pay last November after an audit revealed “troubling” expense claims. One of the three in question is also being investigated by federal police for having accepted monies from Harper’s chief of staff to help him repay the funds he had wrongly claimed as senate expenses. Facing stiff opposition to reforms from several provinces fearing a dilution of their share of senate seats, and from senators themselves, Harper had asked the Supreme Court for its opinion. The court upheld the existing constitutional amending formula for reforms requiring the consent of Parliament and seven provinces representing half of the population. Abolishing the Senate, it said, would require unanimous consent of Parliament and the legislatures of all 10 provinces.

worlds, where people go out and say, ‘I won’t do this, I won’t give an inch on this,’ and the other guy’s saying, ‘I won’t give an inch on something else.’ “And so they’ve dug themselves in where they’d be so much better off if they never took these extreme positions in public and just negotiated privately.” He said while money is important, “I have known a lot of very, very rich people – they’re not happy people. … I don’t want 10 cars, you know? It just doesn’t do you that much good.”

ITALY RESCUES 1,800 MORE MIGRANTS FROM BOATS IN ROUGH SEAS

OME - Italian navy and coastguard vessels have rescued around 1,800 more people from boats in rough seas off Sicily, authorities said on Friday, as the chronic migrant crisis continued around the southern island. More than 20,000 migrants have arrived by sea in Italy though North Africa and the Middle East so far this year, adding to a movement of people which has intensified since the “Arab Spring” upheavals of 2011 and the civil war in Syria. The Italian navy said a coastguard patrol aircraft spotted several boats in difficulty in the waters between Sicily and Tunisia on Thursday and a number of military and coastguard vessels went to the scene, as well as two civilian tugboats. The latest arrivals come on top of more than 1,000 migrants picked up earlier in the week.

Italy has struggled for decades with a steady stream of migrants looking for a better life in Europe travelling in small, unsafe boats from North Africa to the tiny island of Lampedusa, midway between Tunisia and Sicily. But the problem has ballooned since the breakdown of order in Libya opened up new opportunities for people-smugglers. Italy set up a special marine task force dubbed Mare Nostrum last year after hundreds of people were drowned in two disasters near Lampedusa and has appealed for more help from the European Union to handle the arrivals. With the approach of European parliamentary elections in May, the long-running emergency has gained increasing political prominence with the anti-immigration Northern League calling for the suspension of Mare Nostrum.

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WORLD NEWS

South African democracy marks 20th anniversary J

OHANNESBURG — “How can you describe falling in love?” That is how retired archbishop Desmond Tutu this week recalled voting in South Africa’s first all-race elections on April 27, 1994, an exultant moment when the nation’s majority blacks and other oppressed groups broke the shackles of white rule. But as South Africa marks the 20th anniversary of multiracial democracy on Sunday, the achievements and soaring expectations of what was dubbed a “rainbow nation” have been tempered by a different inequality — the yawning gulf between rich and poor. This uneven narrative will shape elections on May 7 likely to see the ruling African National Congress — which led the fight against apartheid and has dominated politics since its demise — return to power with a smaller majority, reflecting a growing discontent with the party. One election candidate is Julius Malema, the expelled head of the ANC’s youth league and now leader of an upstart party that wants to redistribute wealth. Malema, who wears a red beret on the campaign trail, has criticized the government as elitist, saying real freedom will only come when the poor own a fair share of the land. Despite notable gaps in service, South Africa has delivered housing,

water and electricity to millions since 1994 and boasts a widely admired constitution and an active civil society, but struggles with high unemployment, one of the world’s highest rates of violent crime and is still working through issues of race and identity. “It’s nice to celebrate that we are here,” said Gundo Mmbi, a student at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. But she said the 20th anniversary of democracy is also a time to reflect on the need for change in South Africa, citing “really crazy” corruption and a lack of opportunity for the poor. “It’s not just about your color anymore,” she said “Discrimination has gone beyond.” South African officials will highlight gains of the last 20 years on Sunday at the Union Buildings, a government complex in Pretoria that was once the seat of white power. The government is launching a slick television ad that depicts neatly stacked shipping containers on a pier to symbolize South Africa’s international trade, housing developments, gleaming infrastructure such as the high-speed Gautrain transit system, and SKA, an international project to build a radio telescope, based in South Africa and Australia, that will observe the sky. It all falls under the official slogan: “South Africa — A Better Place to live in.”

But it is not better for many South Africans who remain jobless and without even basic services like running water, sewage and electricity. In an echo of the apartheid era, many cities feature crowded clusters of shacks, and lush suburbs with homes behind high walls topped by electric fencing. The income gap can be stark. In Johannesburg, beggars stand at many intersections in affluent areas. This week, one black man stood before a passing stream of Mercedes, BMWs and other luxury cars, holding a sign that read: “Help me please. I’m starving. Anything I can accept. God bless you.” On Wednesday, President Jacob Zuma spoke to members of the Afrikaner community, which dominated South Africa during apartheid, about the need “to heal the divisions of the past” but also referred to white domination of the economy, a result of efforts to ensure a smooth power transition 20 years ago. “Although progress has been made to de-racialize the ownership, management and control of the economy, we are far from closing the gap,” Zuma said, adding that the income of the average of white household is six times that of the average “African” household. Amid the persistent economic disparities, Zuma has been criticized for

having more than $20 million in state funds spent on upgrading his private rural home. The state watchdog agency concluded that he inappropriately benefited and should pay back some of the money. Still, many black families have moved into the formerly all-white suburbs. And where just a few years ago trendy restaurants were notable for having an all-white clientele and all-black service staff, they are today much more integrated. A Goldman Sachs report said that since 1994, GDP has increased nearly threefold to $400 billion, noted a “dramatic” rise in the middle class and an increase in the number of needy people receiving monthly cash grants from 2.4 million to 16.1 million. But it also cited threats to growth including a lack of skilled workers, persistent labor unrest and a decline of productivity in mining, a pillar of the economy. The government says 86 percent of South African households now have access to electricity, compared to just over half in 1994, and that more than 95 percent of households have access to a basic supply of clean water, compared to about 50 percent 20 years ago. Sanitation has also improved, though officials acknowledge that the “bucket” toilet system and reliance on fetching water from streams is still prevalent in some areas.

Pope Francis in hot water over personal phone calls V

atican City - Pope Francis’s habit of picking up the phone and cold calling people who write to him is landing the Vatican in hot water and spokesman Federico Lombardi has had enough. Lombardi said on Thursday the calls were part of the pope’s “personal pastoral relationships” and “do not in any way form a part of the pope’s public activities”. The spokesman said media reports about the phone calls have been “a source of misunderstanding and confusion”. “Consequences relating to the teaching of

the Church are not to be inferred from these occurrences,” he said. The statement follows reports about a phone call that Francis apparently made to a woman in Argentina who had complained her parish priest would not grant her Holy Communion because she had divorced and remarried. Francis was quoted by the woman’s husband as saying that the issue was being “looked at” in the Vatican and that divorcees who take Holy Communion “are doing nothing bad”. Catholic rules currently ban divorcees from

SOUTH KOREA, US PLEDGE FIRM RESPONSE TO NORTH KOREA

orth Korea represents a threat not just to Asia but to the United States, U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday, as he and South Korea’s President Park Geunhye warned they would respond firmly to any “provocations”. In March, the North warned it would not rule out a “new form” of atomic test to boost its nuclear deterrent after the U.N. Security Council condemned Pyongyang’s launch of a mid-range ballistic missile into the sea east of the Korean peninsula. Recent satellite data shows continued work at the nuclear test site in North Korea, although experts analyzing the data say that preparations do not appear to have progressed far enough for an imminent test. “When North Korea is threatening further provocations and publicly discussing the possibility of a fur-

ther nuclear test, President Obama’s visit to South Korea will send a firm message that North Korea’s provocations will not be tolerated,” Park told a joint press conference. The two presidents were speaking after a summit in Seoul, the second stop of a four-nation Asia tour for Obama. Obama hopes his tour will reassure allies in the region that Washington will keep its promise of rebalancing some of its resources toward the fast-growing countries of East Asia. He has had to strike a balance between showing the United States will be a counterweight to China without offending Beijing, which worries Washington wants to contain its growth and influence.

CHINESE INFLUENCE

Obama said he hoped China would use its influ-

ence to rein in its North Korean ally. Beijing called again on Friday for a resumption of stalled talks between North Korea, itself, the United States, South Korea and Russia. Park said the process known as the six-party talks would be rendered “useless” by a fourth nuclear test. The two leaders said that North Korea’s recent bluster provided grounds for delaying a scheduled transfer of operational control over South Korean troops in 2015 to Seoul from the U.S.led United Nations Command. North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions since its first nuclear test in 2006, banning it from conducting atomic and missile tests, barring U.N. member states from weapons trade with Pyongyang and financial transactions that facilitate them.

taking Holy Communion, the spiritual high point of the mass, although the doctrine is in practice widely flouted by parishes. The pope has previously been reported making calls from the practical to the intense, including calling his newsagent in Buenos Aires to cancel a subscription and comforting a mother grieving over her murdered daughter. The Vatican rarely makes official comment on reports of the calls, which often rely solely on the person in question saying that they have been called by the pope -- who has been dubbed “the cold call pope” by the tabloids.

VENEZUELA’S MADURO PROMISES IMPORTERS OVERDUE HARD CURRENCY

aracas - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro promised to pay back billions of dollars in government debt to disgruntled importers, after widespread shortages of basic goods helped fuel months of deadly anti-government protests. “We are going to immediately pay back 30 percent of (the total hard currency owed to importers) as a way to move forward on these commitments,” Maduro told a gathering of business leaders. Importers say they are owed $13 billion, and that the government’s slow repayment is a key factor in shortages of items as basic as toilet paper that leave many Venezuelans spending hours in lines. Maduro did not put a specific number on what the government would repay or how soon. Venezuela -- which sits atop the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves -- has Latin America’s highest inflation

rate -- 57 percent. Maduro’s heavily state-led government inherited from late leader Hugo Chavez a decade-old system of hard currency controls. Last year, Maduro’s government fell behind in its delivery to importers of the currency they need to buy -- mostly abroad -- basic products, 25 percent of which are currently in short supply. Meanwhile Venezuela in recent months has clashed with several international airlines, including Air Canada, over billions of dollars the carriers say they were owed by Caracas and not paid. Anti-government protests have rattled Venezuela since February, leaving at least 41 people dead and more than 600 injured, with opposing sides trading blame for the violence. Protesters are angry over soaring crime, shortages and rampant inflation, among other woes such as spiraling violent crime.

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ECHN

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Apple, Google to pay $324 million to settle conspiracy lawsuit

our major tech companies including Apple and Google have agreed to pay a total of $324 million to settle a lawsuit accusing them of conspiring to hold down salaries in Silicon Valley, sources familiar with the deal said, just weeks before a high profile trial had been scheduled to begin. Tech workers filed a class action lawsuit against Apple Inc, Google Inc, Intel Inc and Adobe Systems Inc in 2011, alleging they conspired to refrain from soliciting one another’s employees in order to avert a salary war. They planned to ask for $3 billion in damages at trial, according to court filings. That could have tripled to $9 billion under antitrust law. The case has been closely watched due to the potentially high damages award and the opportunity to peek into the world of Silicon Valley’s elite. The case was based largely on emails in which Apple’s late co-founder Steve Jobs, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and some of their Silicon Valley rivals hatched plans to avoid poaching each other’s prized engineers. In one email exchange after a Google recruiter solicited an Apple employee, Schmidt told Jobs that the recruiter would be fired, court documents show. Jobs then forwarded Schmidt’s note to a top Apple human resources executive with a smiley face.

A Google logo is seen at the garage where the company was founded on Google’s 15th anniversary in Menlo Park, California September 26, 2013. Another exchange shows Google’s human resources director asking Schmidt about sharing its no-cold call agreements with competitors. Schmidt, now the company’s executive chairman, advised discretion. “Schmidt responded that he preferred it be shared ‘verbally, since I don’t want to create a paper trail over which we can be sued later?’” he said, according to a court filing. The HR director agreed. The companies had acknowledged entering into some no-hire agreements but disputed the allegation that they had conspired to drive down wages. Moreover, they argued that the employees should not be allowed to sue as a group. Rich Gray, a Silicon Valley antitrust

expert in private practice, said the companies had an incentive to avoid trial because their executives’ emails would make them look extremely unsympathetic to a jury. However, the plaintiff attorneys risked an appeals court saying the engineers could not sue as a group at all. “An appellate court could say, ‘Hey we just don’t buy that,’” Gray said. Trial had been scheduled to begin at the end of May on behalf of roughly 64,000 workers. Spokespeople for Apple, Google and Intel declined to comment. An Adobe representative said that the company denies it engaged in any wrongdoing, but settled “in order to avoid the uncertainties, cost and distraction of litigation.” An attorney for the plaintiffs, Kelly Dermody of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, in a statement called the deal “an excellent resolution.” Corporate defendants in antitrust cases often agree among themselves what portion each will contribute towards a settlement, said Daniel Crane, a professor at the University of Michigan Law School. One likely formula would be to divide the damages based on how many employees each company has in the class, he said. Apple, Google, Adobe and Intel in 2010 settled a U.S. Department of Jus-

tice probe by agreeing not to enter into such no-hire deals in the future. The four companies had since been fighting the civil antitrust class action. Walt Disney Co’s Pixar and Lucasfilm units and Intuit Inc had already agreed to a settlement, with Disney paying about $9 million and Intuit paying $11 million. Any settlement must be approved by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California. A hearing on final approval of the Intuit and Disney deals is scheduled for next week. The plaintiffs and the companies will disclose principal terms of the settlement by May 27, according to the court filing on Thursday, though it is unclear whether that will spell out what each company will pay. Some Silicon Valley companies refused to enter into no-hire agreements. Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, for instance, rebuffed an entreaty from Google in 2008 that they refrain from poaching each other’s employees. Additionally, Apple’s Jobs threatened Palm with a patent lawsuit if Palm didn’t agree to stop soliciting Apple employees. However, then Palm Chief Executive Edward Colligan told Jobs that the plan was “likely illegal,” and that Palm was not “intimidated” by the threat.

Amazon Hits a Six-Month Low as Increased Spending Limits Profit A

mazon.com Inc. plunged as much as 10 percent after Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos told investors that his spending binge isn’t slowing. Bezos is pouring cash into warehouses for faster shipments, a grocery delivery service and a TV set-top box to compete with Netflix Inc. and Apple Inc. in streaming. Expenses rose 23 percent during the quarter, limiting profit to 23 cents a share, according to a statement yesterday, in line with analysts’ projections. The company forecast an operating loss for the current quarter of $55 million to $455 million. “People who are hoping for the profit kick are going to have to wait a long time,” said Kerry Rice, an analyst at Needham & Co. in San Francisco who rates the stock a hold. The shares fell 8.8 percent to $307.60 at 12:23 p.m. New York time after dropping earlier to $303.13, the lowest in six months. Amazon has lost almost a quarter of its value this year. The Seattle-based company’s forecast spooked investors who have been waiting for the heavy spending to translate into earnings. Bezos is moving Amazon well beyond its roots as an online seller of everything from books to children’s toys. Its cloud-computing business, Amazon Web Services, is used by companies including Comcast Corp. (CMCSA -0.64%, news) and Pfizer Inc. “Amazon’s profitability in recent years has been uneven as the company remains focused on investing for growth,” Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, wrote in a report yesterday.

program, called Prime, by 25 percent. Customers now pay $99 a year, up from $79 previously.

PRIME PANTRY

Jeﬀ Bezos

FULFILLMENT CENTERS

Net income was $108 million, up from $82 million a year ago. Total operating expenses increased to $19.6 billion from $15.9 billion a year ago. In particular, fulfillment expenses climbed 29 percent to $2.3 billion while technology and content costs jumped 44 percent to $2 billion. The spending crimped the company’s narrow operating margin to 0.7 percent, down from 1.1 percent a year earlier. Amazon has been increasing investment in China, with fulfillment centers and retail to make sure the company has items in stock for customers, Chief Financial Officer Tom Szkutak said on a conference call. The company has also started ramping up spending in Italy and Spain, he said. To help cover the soaring expenses, Amazon has increased the cost of its fast-shipping membership

Looking ahead, Amazon projected sales of $18.1 billion to $19.8 billion for the current quarter. Analysts were on average estimating $19 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The company also unveiled a new grocery service for its Prime members called Prime Pantry, which lets people buy goods in bulk to pack into a box that holds as much as 45 pounds and that can be shipped for a flat $5.99 fee. Amazon has also been developing a smartphone to vie with Apple’s iPhone and devices that run Google Inc. (GOOG -1.47%, news)’s Android operating system, people with knowledge of the matter have said. In addition, Bezos is making Amazon a force in the media industry. The company this week announced a partnership so Prime subscribers can stream older HBO shows, including “The Sopranos” and “The Wire,” through Amazon’s Instant Video service. That followed Amazon’s introduction of the Fire TV set-top box for watching Internet-delivered programs and movies. The efforts have Amazon competing more directly with Apple, Netflix and Google, which also are also vying for a piece of people’s home-entertainment dollars. “Amazon keeps spending like drunken sailors,” said Gene Munster, an analyst with Piper Jaffray Cos. (PJC -1.27%, news), who has the equivalent of a buy rating on the stock.

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BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

Top UK investors to file $2 billion legal claims against RBS

ive of Britain’s biggest investors are set to file lawsuits against Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L) next week, saying they were misled over its massive rights issue in 2008 and claiming more than 1 billion pounds back, sources said. Legal & General (LGEN.L) - the biggest investor in RBS at the time of the rights issue - and Standard Life (SL.L), Prudential (PRU.L), Aviva (AV.L) and Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) are all expected to file claims in a London court on Wednesday, five people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Friday. Former RBS boss Fred Goodwin asked shareholders to stump up 12 billion pounds in May 2008 to bolster the bank’s capital position, which fell dangerously low after it bought parts of ABN Amro and lost billions on U.S. credit market assets.

Some of the lawsuits already filed against RBS over the rights issue also sue Goodwin and former chairman Tom McKillop, along with other former executives. RBS is now being run by a new team and is 81-percent owned by the government which still had to bail it out despite Goodwin’s money-raising exercise. The case is likely to take years to resolve and could cost RBS billions of pounds in compensation. It could also see Goodwin hauled into court as the bank’s key witness. RBS said it would defend the claims. “While RBS and its former directors made some business decisions that have been criticized, this does not mean that they misled investors or acted illegally,” it said. “We believe we have strong defenses to the claims that are being brought against the group and that is

why we intend to defend these vigorously and to protect the interests of our shareholders including UK taxpayers.”

DEADLINE FOR CLAIMS

L&G, Standard Life and Prudential’s M&G Investment Management were all top 10 shareholders and invested up to 1.2 billion pounds in the rights issue, according to Reuters calculations based on holdings at the time. USS and Aviva Investors were smaller investors, but both in the top 40. They have all appointed law firm Quinn Emmanuel. The top shareholders have been considering their position since last year, and their decision to file lawsuits should take claims against RBS well over 4 billion pounds. The investors and Quinn Emanuel declined to comment.

There has been a rush of investors to join several action groups set up to take action against RBS, lawyers involved in the case have told Reuters. That is because Wednesday will mark the sixth anniversary of when RBS issued the prospectus on its rights issue, which could be seen as the deadline for claims under a statute of limitations under UK law. Investors who spent more than 500 million pounds buying RBS shares in May 2008 have also joined the RBoS Shareholder Action Group in recent weeks, a person familiar with the group said. That group represents about 100 institutions and 12,000 retail investors. “There is something of a mad rush, as you can always expect in these situations,” said one lawyer working on the case. ($1 = 0.5953 British Pounds)

New report calls U.S. a ‘rising star’ of global manufacturing Call it the comeback kid. A new ranking of the competitiveness of the world’s top 25 exporting countries says the United States is once again a “rising star” of global manufacturing thanks to falling domestic natural gas prices, rising worker productivity and a lack of upward wage pressure. The report, released on Friday by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG,) found that while China remains the world’s No. 1 country in terms of manufacturing competitiveness, its position is “under pressure” as a result of rising labor and transportation costs and lagging productivity growth. The United States, meanwhile, which has lost nearly 7.5 million industrial jobs since employment in the sector peaked in 1979 as manufacturers shipped production to low-cost countries, is now No. 2 in terms of overall competitiveness, BCG said. The biggest factor driving the U.S. rebound, according to BCG: cheap natural gas prices, which have tumbled 50 percent over the last decade as a result of the shale gas revolution. Also contributing to the country’s attractiveness, according to BCG, is “stable wage growth” a euphemism for the fact that, in inflation-adjust-

The base of several wind turbine blades are seen outside TPI Composites in Newton, Iowa ed terms, industrial wages here are lower today than they were in the 1960s even though worker productivity has doubled over the same period of time. “Overall costs in the U.S.,” the report’s authors write, “are 10 to 25 percent lower than those of the world’s ten leading goods-exporting nations other than China” and on par with Eastern Europe. Another standout in the rankings is Mexico, which BCG categorizes as a “rising star” with low-

AIRBUS EYES REGIONAL PLANE WITH HYBRID ENGINES IN 15-20 YEARS

ircraft maker Airbus Group NV (AIR.PA) is learning from carmakers as it works on developing a small plane powered by hybrid electric engines that could represent its first move into the market for regional jets. The development of a regional plane, seating between 70 and 90 people, that can take off and land using electric power could take between 15 and 20 years, Airbus Group Chief Technology Officer Jean Botti told reporters in Munich. Airbus, which with Boeing Co (BA.N) dominates the market for passenger jets, presently makes planes that seat more than 150 people. Airbus is already working on an all-electric two-seater plane, powered by two electric motors with a combined output of 60 kilowatts, hoping this technology will serve as a step to bringing electric motors on to larger air-

craft. The two-seater, which Airbus says is suited for short missions such as pilot training and aerobatics, can run on its lithium-ion polymer batteries for half an hour, with the aim to get it up to an hour. The batteries are tricky, Botti said. “They’re causing us a lot of headaches.” Botti, who was part of a team developing battery-powered cars at General Motors Co (GM.N) more than 20 years ago, said Airbus was looking at electric cars in order to learn from them. Botti declined to comment on how much the group was investing in hybrid and electric technologies. The two-seater E-Fan will be built at Bordeaux in southwest France and production could start at the end of 2017. Botti said he would like to see a prototype for a regional jet in 2030.

er average manufacturing costs than China. But the country failed to make BCG’s list of Top 10 manufacturers because of other factors, including rampant crime and corruption. BCG arrived at the rankings using a proprietary index that focuses on four major factors: wages, productivity growth, energy costs and exchange rates. In addition to China, four other countries with reputations as low-cost production centers - Brazil, the Czech Republic, Poland and Russia - are classified as being “under pressure” in terms of their manufacturing costs. Here is BCG’s ranking of the world’s Top 10 countries in terms of manufacturing competitiveness: 1. China 2. United States 3. South Korea 4. United Kingdom 5. Japan 6. Netherlands 7. Germany 8. Italy 9. Belgium 10. France

BOFA EX-CFO AGREES TO SETTLE NY LAWSUIT OVER MERRILL

ank of America Corp’s (BAC.N) former finance chief, Joe Price, has agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle a New York lawsuit that accused the bank and its former executives of misleading investors during the lender’s acquisition of Merrill Lynch. Price also agreed to not serve as an officer or director of a public company for 18 months, according to the settlement agreement. The agreement ends the 2010 case against former chief executive Kenneth Lewis, Price and Bank of America linked to the 2008 global financial crisis. The bank and Lewis settled with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman last month. New York accused the bank’s executives of concealing Merrill’s mounting losses from Bank of America shareholders prior to a December 5, 2008 vote on the merger, and misrepresenting the impact the merger would have on the bank’s future earnings. The complaint also accused the bank of manipulating the U.S. government into providing an extra $20 billion bailout by claiming the bank would back out of the merger without the money. “This settlement is one more step in our effort to hold top financial executives

accountable for their actions,” Schneiderman said in a statement. Lewis agreed in March to pay $10 million to resolve claims by Schneiderman that he misled shareholders and the government in order to complete the Merrill Lynch merger. Bank of America agreed to pay $15 million to resolve its portion of the lawsuit by Schneiderman, who inherited the case from his predecessor Andrew Cuomo, now New York’s governor. All three payments are to cover the cost of the investigation and prosecution, according to the settlements. Neither the executives nor the bank admitted wrongdoing. Attorney William Jeffress, who represents Price, did not immediately return a call for comment. Lawrence Grayson, a spokesman for Charlotte, North Carolina-based Bank of America, declined comment. A separate $2.43 billion shareholder class action settlement won final approval last year. The latest settlement was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Caption: A Merrill Lynch building is shown in downtown San Diego, California March 18, 2014.

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

Push for tax-avoidance curbs in G-20 threatens Publicis-Omnicom deal I

nternational pressure to curb corporate tax avoidance is behind delays to a $35 billion merger of French advertising group Publicis and U.S. rival Omnicom, and could even scupper the deal, tax advisers and sources close to the deal said. Last July, Paris-based Publicis and New York-headquartered Omnicom announced plans to create the world’s biggest advertising group. The new company would be registered in the Netherlands and tax resident in the UK. However, on Wednesday Omnicom Chief Executive John Wren said the Dutch and British tax authorities had, “unexpectedly” so far failed to approve the arrangements, which Omnicom said last year would save $80 million a year in taxes. Wren added that if the UK and the Netherlands did not approve the structure, the whole deal was at risk since “there is no Plan B”, though Publicis said on Thursday it was confident the deal would still proceed. Securities analysts said they were blindsided by the problems, and one source close to the deal said that an anti-tax avoidance strategy being pushed by the Group of 20 most powerful economies was making it more difficult to get such approvals. Tax advisers with experience of putting similar deals together said that historically the Dutch and UK tax authorities had been flexible in approving such a structure. This is because it would not mean a loss in tax for either the UK or the Netherlands, given that the two companies’ headquarters are currently in the U.S. and France. Indeed, the arrangement would traditionally be welcomed by the UK and the Netherlands because it would likely bring in some tax revenue and support jobs. But a second source close to the deal said the two tax authorities had not reacted as expected. “Tax authorities are not working together to find a solution. They are fighting rather than cooperating and lack of cooperation between the UK and Dutch authorities is endangering the deal,” the source said, adding there was a real risk the deal could collapse as a result. And the other source said the G-20’s anti-tax avoidance strategy, known as the “Base Erosion, Profit Shifting” (BEPS) program, which is being managed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD), was having an impact on the deal. “The entire current BEPS discussion is getting a lot of attention from the Dutch Ministry of Finance, and in the UK, “ the source said. “Things now take longer,” he added.

“The UK tax authority is very receptive to inward investment but they also want to make sure that people are not simply exploiting the tax regime,” he said. “The Dutch tax authority won’t want the U.S. tax authority saying they are not doing their bit to make sure multinational companies are paying their fair share of tax,” he added. The UK and Dutch tax authorities declined to comment on whether they have changed their approach.

EFFICIENT STRUCTURE

Maurice Levy (L) , French advertising group Publicis Chief executive, and John Wren, head of Omnicom Group react during a joint news conference in Paris

PUBLIC, PEER PRESSURE

The Dutch and British tax authorities declined to comment on the Publicis-Omnicom case, citing rules on taxpayer confidentiality. But a spokesman for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the British tax authority, added: “The UK is committed to tackling aggressive tax planning and harmful tax practices and is actively engaged in the OECD’s work to look at the international tax rules, which have not kept pace with the changing nature of business”. Omnicom and Publicis did not return calls seeking further comment on the hurdles the deal was facing. Lawyers who have previously worked with companies moving their domiciles said tax authorities were beginning to take a less flexible approach when asked to approve tax-reduction structures. They said that this was a response to public anger over such moves, and the resulting political impetus for the authorities to crack down, as well as the proliferation of tax maneuvers. Ton Smit, a lawyer with Tax Consultants International in Amsterdam, said “treaty shopping” through which companies chose to establish only a nominal presence in a country to receive the tax-reduction benefits of tax treaties were facing a public backlash. “The public is quite negative about the Post Office box company market,” he said. Peer pressure was also at play, with countries such as the Netherlands or the UK not wanting to be seen to be helping big companies avoid taxes in allies such as the United States, said Dominic Stuttaford, tax partner with Norton Rose Fulbright in London.

Virgin America awarded Dallas Love Field gates shed by American

irgin America on Friday said it would offer new flights from Dallas Love Field after it was awarded two gates at that airport by the U.S. Justice Department. San Francisco-based Virgin America, a carrier in which Richard Branson’s Virgin Group has a minority stake, said it will start flights between New York’s LaGuardia, Ronald Reagan Washington National, Los Angeles and San Francisco airports and Dallas Love Field in October. American Airlines Group agreed to give up the two Love Field gates Virgin America is receiving to settle a U.S. lawsuit that sought to block its merger with US Airways. Southwest Airlines, which controls 16 of 20 gates at Dallas Love Field, and Delta Air Lines had also expressed interest in the two gates. Virgin America said it plans to move its current operations at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to Love Field in October. DFW is the city’s largest airport. Virgin America recently won takeoff and landing rights at New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that American Airlines also agreed to divest in the merger settlement. American was also required to give up gates at airports in Chicago, Miami, Boston and Los Angeles under that agreement.

The corporate structure planned by Publicis and Omnicom echoes that used when CNH and Fiat Industrial merged to create CNH Industrial in 2013. Italian carmaker Fiat and its U.S.-based affiliate Chrysler also plan to use a similar structure as part of the full integration of the two companies, due to be completed this year. The arrangement gives companies the chance to take advantage of Britain’s unusual absence of a withholding tax on dividends, Stuttaford said. Being a UK tax resident is better than Dutch residency for companies with significant U.S. activities because the U.S.-UK tax treaty is seen as more beneficial than the U.S.-Netherlands tax treaty. Meanwhile, a Netherlands domicile can be more helpful as Dutch corporate rules permit anti-takeover provisions not allowed in the UK and offer more flexible rules on corporate governance matters, lawyers said. Normally a company is assumed to be tax resident in the country where it is registered but bilateral tax treaties often allow a company with no activities in the country of registration but activities in another to shift its tax residence to the second country. Yet in the case of the UK-Netherlands tax treaty, this is not a simple box-ticking exercise. Changes in the treaty in recent years, mean the tax authorities now have to go through a “mutual agreement procedure” before a Dutch-registered company can be deemed to be tax resident in Britain, and not the Netherlands. Tax advisors said they prefer the traditional box-ticking, which is also known as a “tie-breaker”, as the mutual agreement can take more than six months to negotiate. “With a tie-breaker, you have your destiny in your hands,” said one lawyer who asked not to be named.

US FACTORIES MORE COMPETITIVE, STUDY SAYS

ASHINGTON — U.S. manufacturers have grown more competitive over the past decade compared with factories in China, Brazil and most of the world’s other major economies. So says a new private study, which found that rising wages and higher energy costs have diminished China’s long-standing edge over the United States. So has a boom in U.S. shale gas production. It’s reduced U.S. natural gas prices and slowed the cost of electricity. The Boston Consulting Group is issuing a report Friday on its study of manufacturing costs in the 25 biggest exporting countries. Only seven of those countries had lower manufacturing costs than the United States did this year. And since 2004, U.S. manufacturers have improved their competitiveness compared with every major exporter except India, Mexico and the Netherlands. In 2004, for example, manufacturing in China cost 14% less than manufacturing in the United States. By this year, the China advantage had narrowed to 5%. If the trends continue, Boston Consulting found, U.S. manufacturing will be less expensive than China’s by 2018. Over the past decade, labor costs, adjusted to reflect productivity gains, shot up 187% at factories in China, compared with 27% in the United States. The value of China’s currency has risen more than 30% against the U.S. dollar over the past decade. The higher Chinese currency made goods pro-

duced in China and sold abroad comparatively more expensive. And foreign goods became comparatively more affordable in China. Chinese electricity costs rose 66%, more than double the United States’ 30% increase. The start of large-scale U.S. shale gas production in 2005 has helped contain electricity bills in the United States and neighboring Canada and Mexico. China, too, has reserves for shale gas. But it will need years to develop them. “This is not something you can turn on overnight,” said Justin Rose, a partner at Boston Consulting and co-author of the study. Brazil has lost even more ground than China. In 2004, manufacturing was 3% cheaper in Brazil than in the United States. By 2014, Brazil was 23% more expensive. Brazilian factories didn’t improve efficiency enough to offset rising energy and labor costs. The countries where manufacturing was cheaper than in the United States are Indonesia, India, Mexico, Thailand, China, Taiwan and Russia. Australia was the most expensive country for manufacturing. Its costs were 30% higher than those in the United States. The survey doesn’t include transportation costs, which vary depending on where goods are shipped. Several countries also face obstacles not captured by Boston Consulting’s manufacturing cost index — from corruption to inefficient government bureaucracies.

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LOCAL NEWS

APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

TCIFA REFEREES ATTEND FUTURO III REFEREEING COURSE

our Turks & Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA) referees will be traveling to the Caribbean island nation of Barbados to take part in the Futuro III Refereeing Course. Giselle Wright and Gianni Ascani will be attending the FUTURO Fitness Instructor Course; while Winston Wright and Patrice Senior will be attending the FUTURO Technical Course. The Futuro III Refereeing Course for referee instructors runs from April 24 to 29th. FUTURO III courses use a regional format, assembling and educating instructors selected by FIFA member associations from CONCACAF countries in a centralized venue. It is intended that the instructors participating in this programme are active at the end of each course, and as such, the participating member associations with the support of FIFA will elaborate relevant activity plans. A yearly allocation of courses that endeavours to touch all regions is decided upon by FIFA. And to this regard, courses are held at IDFLOLWLHV ÂżQDQFHG WKURXJK WKH ),)$ *RDO DQG RU FAP projects wherever possible. Chris Bryan, President of the TCIFA noted that: â&#x20AC;&#x153;this is a great opportunity for our senior referees to EHFRPH TXDOLÂżHG DV UHIHUHH LQVWUXFWRUV WR KHOS EXLOG and progress our refereeing programme back here in the TCI. We have a young and vibrant refereeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

The local referees currently taking part in the Futuro III Refereeing Course

programme with around 50% of our referees both PDOH DQG IHPDOH XQGHU WKH DJH RI WZHQW\ ÂżYH \HDUV old. For them to improve and become better at their craft they need good education and training. There is no reason why the Turks and Caicos Islands

GRENADA BEAT TCI FOR 2016 Roman Catholic Methodist Score Win in Church Softball CARIFTA GAMES The Turks and Caicos Islands lost its 2016 ELG WR KRVW WKH 7+ &$5,)7$ 7UDFN DQG )LHOG Champions to Grenada after withdrawing its tender to host the Games next year. The SUN understands also that the TCI had also put in a bid to host the game in 2016, but WKH &RQJUHVV KHOG GXULQJ WKH 0DUWLQLTXH *DPHV awarded the Games to Grenada. It is understood that the Bahamas wanted to host the 2016 as well, but withdrew after the TCI had submitted its bid. St. Lucia also expressed an interest to host CARIFTA 2016, but pulled out to support Grenada. The 2015 edition of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier track DQG ÂżHOG HYHQW ZLOO EH VWDJHG LQ 6XJDU &LW\ 6W .LWWV St Kitts and Nevis last hosted the CARIFTA Games in 2008, after the TCI hosted it in 2007. Grenada last hosted in 2000, but hurricane Ivan destroyed their stadium in 2004 and a brand new Chinese government-funded athletics and football stadium under construction is scheduled for completion in August of next year. 7KH &$5,)7$ *DPHV ZDV ÂżUVW KHOG LQ %DUEDGRV LQ 1972, after being inaugurated by the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current International Olympic Committee member Austin Sealy, and has since been hailed by International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President Lamine Diack as â&#x20AC;&#x153;on par with the World Championships.â&#x20AC;? Among the competitors that started at the Games who have gone onto great things in the sport are 8VDLQ %ROW 9HURQLFD &DPSEHOO %URZQ RI -DPDLFD .LP &ROOLQV RI 6W .LWWV DQG 1HYLV DQG .LUDQL -DPHV of Grenada.

These are the results from the games played at the National Stadium. The games open with a SUD\ WKH ÂżUVW JDPH ZDV EHWZHHQ VW 0RQLFDÂśV 96 0HWKRGLVW &KXUFK ZKDW D JDPH LW ZDV LQ WKH WRS RI WKH QG 0HWKRGLVW ZDV XS WR EXW DW WKH ERWWRP 6W 0RQLFDÂśV ZDV DEOH WR WLHG WKLQJV XS DOO ,Q WKH top of the 3rd methodist scored another 8 runs with a home run from bobby chambers who brought in three of those runs. In the top of the 5th the score ZDV QRZ WR LWV GR RU GLH IRU 6W 0RQLFDÂśV WKH\ QHHGHG WR WLHG Q WR ZLQ EXW 0HWKRGLVW ZDV QRW about to let that happen, as they got them out one after the other and winning the game 13 to 9. In WKH VHFRQG JDPH LW ZDV %HWKDQ\ %DSWLVW 96 7KH Romam Catholic, another exciting game it was, in the top of the 1st the Roman Catholic Church had hits after hits scoring 7 runs in the top and at the bottom Bethany was not able to score anything, by the bottom of the third the scores was now 19 to 9, going into the top of the 4th the Catholic scores another 2, but at the bottom Bethany was able to score 5 runs but it was just not enough, and the Roman Catholic Church went on to win 21 to 14, unfortunately at the end of the game there were an accident resulting in one of the players who broke her ankle, Anishka on behalf of the Church League we want to say sorry for your accident and wish u a speedy recovery.

cannot be recognized and known in the future as having the best referees in the region and this is the goal we should be aiming to attain.â&#x20AC;? For more information on the TCIFA, kindly contact Sonia Bien-Aime, Secretary General on 941-5532 or email tcifa@tciway.tc.

A LIME IPHONE FOR DELANO

Delano Williams

World Youth Champion and local spring sensation Delano Williams has launched his Delano :LOOLDPV )RXQGDWLRQ RQ 0RQGD\ $SULO DW WKH 3UHPLHU 2IÂżFH LQ 3URYLGHQFLDOHV :LOOLDPV DOVR XVHG WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ WR SUHVHQW RXWÂżWV WR WKH Carifta Team as part of his contract with sports goods manufacturer NIKE, which he said will last for the next three years. The occasion was not all about Williams giving but also receiving, as he was given an Iphone by telecoms provider /,0( ,Q SKRWR 5DFKHO +DUYH\ 3XEOLF 5HODWLRQV *DPHV FRQWLQXH RQ 0RQGD\ ZLWK %HWKDQ\ 96 +HDG DW /,0( SUHVHQWV WKH KDQGVHW WR :LOOLDPV $EXQGDQW /LIH DQG 3URSKHF\ &KXUFK 96 +DUYHVW Bible.

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

RLD

Hit to LeBron costs McRoberst $20k

IAMI -- Charlotte Bobcats forward Josh McRoberts was fined $20,000 by the NBA on Thursday for making excessive contact with his foul on LeBron James late in the Miami Heat’s victory in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. McRoberts struck James with a forearm to the neck when the two collided in the lane with 50 seconds left in the Heat’s 101-97 win on Wednesday to take a 2-0 lead in the series. The blow knocked James to the court and he spent several seconds rubbing his neck before returning to his feet. The play was ruled a common foul by officials during the game, but was upgraded to a Flagrant 2 excessive contact penalty after the league reviewed the play Thursday. McRoberts was not suspended by the league for Game 3 on Saturday. Immediately after the game, McRoberts said he did not intentionally try to hit James above the shoulders, but that the force of the two

McRoberts struck James with a forearm players colliding in the lane made matters look worse than they appeared. Replays showed that McRoberts extended his elbow toward James’ neck as he tried to convert a layup at the rim. “We just kind of got caught up in the air there,” McRoberts said

Wednesday night. “For me, real time, he was coming pretty fast down the lane. He’s a real strong guy and I was just trying to stop him from first getting the shot up. It looked worse than it was.” James said he believed he was “attacked in the lane” by McRoberts on the play, which came with the Heat leading 97-94 in the final minute. James made one of two free throws to extend the Heat’s lead to four. Charlotte later cut the deficit to one, but James then made two free throws with 10.3 seconds left to help secure the victory. James, who finished with a gamehigh 32 points, said he was still dealing with soreness around his neck after the game and repeatedly cleared his throat as he spoke to reporters. “I got elbowed in the throat ... it’s not a very good feeling, especially how I was attacked in the lane and the contact that happened,” James said. “I was trying to catch my breath,

and hopefully it wasn’t too bad. I had to finish the game. All I was thinking was how I was going to make the free throws, because it was a close game at that point.” James has complained at times during the season about how he felt players got away with excessive contact against him when he drives to the basket. During a Feb. 20 win at Oklahoma City, James broke his nose when he drove to the basket and was struck by Thunder forward Serge Ibaka. That play was also ruled a common foul during the game, and the league took no further action. “I don’t need to see it again,” James said after Wednesday’s game. “The important thing is that we won the game.” James ranked among the league’s leaders in free-throw attempts this season and has taken 22 foul shots through two playoff games against the Bobcats, more than twice as many as any Charlotte player in the series.

FIFA announce new anti-doping protocol F

IFA are planning to freeze blood and urine samples of star players at this summer’s World Cup finals, in a move designed to bolster the image of a sport eager to avoid the curse of drug taking. Diego Maradona’s exclusion from the 1994 World Cup after his failed drug test is the highest-profile such incident at FIFA’s marquee event, with the game’s governing body hoping that remains the case as they prepare for this summer’s football festival in Brazil. Chief medical officer professor Jiri Dvorak outlined the plans on a FIFA podcast, as he vowed to roll out a more sophisticated drug-testing programme for the world game that will kick into gear in Brazil this summer. “The fight against doping has intensified over the last 10 to 15 years,” he said. “The increase of simple sampling procedures both in and out of competition controls does not stop some athletes to continue with doping strategies. “It has been mentioned that the athletes, or their supporting personnel, are a step ahead of the science. So we discussed whether this is true and whether the current strategy is the right one.

“This strategy was developed in the late 1960s, meanwhile the world of sport has changed. There is strong evidence that if you re-analyse the samples from past years that new methods would find them, this is an extremely deterrent method. “Most of the international federations decided to freeze the samples for a number of years. FIFA will do that from the 2014 World Cup. We will freeze them and keep them as long as we want and we can always revisit the samples.” Dvorak went on to suggest the plans will provide additional warning to players tempted to use performance-enhancing drugs at Brazil 2014, with the threat of any cheating liable to be uncovered in years to come when fresh testing methods are devised. FIFA’s plans to compare the drug test samples of players from different tournaments is a new development, with the idea of identifying suspicious patterns in blood and urine following examples set by other sports in recent years. “We have decided that we will examine all participating players in the preparation period between now and the World Cup at least once and

then we will perform routine procedures during the World Cup and examine blood and urine and we will compare,” added Dvorak. “We will compare this data with already existing sample analysis from Champions League, from the Confederations Cup 2013 from the Club World Cup from 2011, 2012 and 2013. So for the top players, we will have a number of sampling procedures. “We can compare different samples from the same athletes being taken over periods of the athlete’s career in and out of competition, during different times of the year, pre-competition, during high profile competition and we compare the different parameters in urine for the different steroids and hormones and also in blood which could indicate artificial manipulation of the body by doping substances or methods. “If this suspicion is given by the data we can perform much more targeted testing.” Football’s reputation has not been tarnished by failed drug tests in the way cycling, tennis and a variety of other sports have been in recent years, and this move signals FIFA is clearly eager to maintain their sport’s relatively clean image.

MICHAEL PINEDA SUSPENDED 10 GAMES

OSTON -- New York Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda has been suspended 10 games by Major League Baseball “for possessing a foreign substance on his person” in Wednesday night’s game against the Boston Red Sox. While Michael Pineda was suspended 10 games, the bigger issue remains: Is this something teams, managers and MLB will be willing to crack down on moving forward with other pitchers? Pineda said he would not appeal the suspension, which is set to begin Thursday night. He is eligible to return May 5 at the Los Angeles Angels. “I’ll accept it because I know I made a mistake,” Pineda said. “That’s it.” Pineda was ejected by plate umpire Gerry Davis in the second inning of Wednesday’s 5-1 loss to the Red Sox after Boston manager John Farrell com-

plained about a smear of something on the right side of Pineda’s neck. Pineda later admitted the substance was pine tar, banned for use by pitchers under section 8.02 of the MLB rulebook, but said he was using it merely to improve his grip on the ball in the blustery, 50-degree weather. “The truth is that I feel [stupid],” he told ESPNDeportes.com. “It was a last-minute decision when I went out in the second inning, and since I was unable to see myself, I did not know how much I had put on until I saw it on video. “I put it on my neck because it is a part of my body I always touch when I pitch. I knew there would be cameras there, but because it was a last-minute decision, I did not realize the amount I had put on.”

Michael Pineda received a 10-game suspension for having a foreign substance on his neck Michael Pineda received a 10-game suspension for having a foreign substance on his neck in Wednesday’s start. Previously, Pineda had been suspected of using pine tar in a game against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on April 10 when television cameras caught a shiny substance on the palm of his pitching hand. That night, Farrell

did not protest and no action was taken against Pineda. “I think there are some things, this being one of them, inside the game that pitchers, particularly in climates like last night, you’re looking for some sort of grip,” Farrell said. “I think there are probably ways you can be a little more discreet.” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Pineda had acted on his own during Wednesday night’s game, and GM Brian Cashman expressed “embarrassment” on behalf of the organization while saying the responsibility for the transgression was primarily Pineda’s. “Nobody tell me,” Pineda said Thursday. “I did it by myself.” Girardi said he thought Pineda understood the seriousness of his action, “but I think he got caught up in the moment of competing and it got the best of him.”

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APRIL 26TH-MAY 3RD 2014

Reflections of Brian Lara’s record-breaking performance 20 years ago BY TONY COZIER

t is the season of special anniversaries for two of cricket’s true giants - kindred spirits, both West Indian, both left-handers. March 30 marked the start of Sir Garry Sobers’ exceptional Test career in 1954 and its end exactly 20 years later. Last Friday was 20 years since Brian Lara’s 375 against England at the Antigua Recreation Ground eclipsed Sobers’ Test record score of 36 years. On June 6 that year, Lara proceeded to another unimaginable epic, 501 unbeaten for his English county Warwickshire against Durham; it remains the firstclass game’s distant summit. On April 12, ten years later, his unbeaten 400, also against England at the ARG, implausibly reclaimed the Test standard temporarily acquired a few months earlier by the powerful Australian Matthew Hayden. As incongruous as it appears, these were not Lara’s greatest innings, in the same way that Sobers’ unbeaten 365 against depleted Pakistan bowling at Sabina Park in 1958 wasn’t his. One of the ARG’s many characters, Mayfield, always had a collection of expendable vinyl discs ready to be demolished at the next certain record. Apart from those destroyed for Lara’s exploits, he cracked several others over the years. The unpretentious little ground on the edge of the capital, St John’s, was that sort of place. There were 57 hundreds in its 22 Tests, among them Chris Gayle’s 317 against South Africa in 2005, and Viv Richards’ off 56 balls, the quickest in test history, against England in 1986. Given such circumstances, Lara created others more significant than his ARG peaks - his 277 in Sydney on the 1992-93 Australian tour, the first of his 34 hundreds that emphatically announced his arrival as a special one; his 213 in Kingston and 153 not out in Bridgetown at the lowest point of his turbulent career, which led to West Indies’ victories over Australia in 1999 after six heavy, successive defeats; and his classical mastery of Muttiah Muralitharan’s mysteries in Sri Lanka in 2001, when 688 runs in six innings fulfilled his stated aim of carrying his faltering overall average back above 50. His 375 was out of West Indies’ 593 for 5 declared. England matched it, run for run, with hundreds from the captain, Mike Atherton, and Robin Smith. Ten years on, Lara declared at 400 with the total 751 for 5. Even with such considerations, neither innings could possibly be dismissed lightly. No one else in the game’s long and colourful history has ever registered, as Lara did, single, double-, triple- and quadruple-hundreds in Tests or a first-class half-thousand. Recalling his 375 to the BBC last week, England’s wicketkeeper Jack Russell said “the ball never looked

During his 375 in 1994, Lara looked fresh, never noticeably stressed like missing the middle of his bat”. Graham Thorpe, also in the England side, acknowledged: “There was an inevitability about it all.” Over dinner in Barbados last week, Atherton confirmed left-arm spinner Phil Tufnell’s story that he had told Atherton that the way Lara was batting, he could break the record. According to Tufnell, Lara was about 60 at the time. “To be honest, we felt powerless to stop him,” Atherton conceded.

One of the ARG’s many characters, Mayfield, always had a collection of expendable vinyl discs ready to be demolished at the next certain record. Apart from those destroyed for Lara’s exploits, he cracked several others over the years Watching from the media area the 538 balls he faced in the 12-and-three-quarter-hours marathon, I was struck mainly by two things - how fresh he remained throughout, never noticeably stressed, never perspiring, and by the fact that, while there were 45 fours, there was not a six. There had been unmistakable signs earlier in the season that something exceptional was in the offing. In the regional first-class Red Stripe Cup leading into the Test series, Lara’s 715 runs in five matches was the new record. Successive innings of 180 against Jamaica, 169 against Guyana and 206 against Barbados carried him past Desmond Haynes’ 654 three years earlier. There are those who witnessed the 180 at the Queen’s Park Oval (in an all-out 257) who still marvel at its sheer brilliance and wonder whether it is possible to play better. Jamaica’s was by no means a weak attack - Courtney Walsh supported by the pace of Franklyn Rose and the spin of Nehemiah

Perry and Robert Haynes, all soon to be in West Indies teams. Lara initially bided his time, content to consume 18 balls before he got going. Once set and ready, he so dominated that he contributed 70% of the 219 runs (including 18 extras) while he was at the wicket. On the second day, he accumulated 131, his four partners 12. It was Lara’s inventive mastery that most vividly captured the imagination of knowledgeable observers. “When they set the fielders out to block the fours, he was still finding the boundaries,” the late Joey Carew, the former Test opener and Lara’s early mentor, explained. “When they brought them in to keep him on strike, he chipped the ball over their heads, like a golfer would do. It was pure genius.” David Holford, once Carew’s West Indies teammate and chief selector at the time, said: “He reduced the game to a farce. I’ve never seen anything like it.” And he had seen, first hand, the best of Sobers. Lara carried his Red Stripe form into his 167 in the second Test against England. There was a brief slump before Mayfield was smashing more of his discs. The background to the 400, ten years on was markedly different. Lara was troubled by a bodyline attack by England’s fast-bowling quartet, Steve Harmison to the fore. Lara’s highest innings in the first three Tests was 36. In the second, at the Queen’s Park Oval, his home ground, he slipped himself down to No. 6 in the order. Entering the final Test at the ARG, England were one victory away from a clean sweep. Lara commented that “the next five days are very important in terms of my future as captain. No captain, no team, wants to go down for the first time in their history as losing all their Test matches at home”. If there was concern about his psychological state, it was tempered by the recollection of his response to an even graver situation against the Australians five years earlier when a 5-0 drubbing in South Africa was followed by an all-out 51 and defeat by 312 runs in the opening Test. After the next five days, the whitewash had been comfortably avoided, Lara had his record back and his captaincy was safe - at least for the time being. By the following year, his ever-strained relations with the board and a players’ strike brought another disruption. When he finally bowed out following the disappointing World Cup in the Caribbean in 2007, once more as captain, yet not entirely of his own accord, he put it to the crowd: “All I ask is: did I entertain?” The question was rhetorical. The answer was obvious. * Tony Cozier has written about and commentated on cricket in the Caribbean for 50 years

Seahawks and Packers to play in opener N

EW YORK -- Mike McCarthy promises there won’t be any bad memories plaguing his Green Bay Packers when they open the NFL season on Sept. 4 at Super Bowl champion Seattle. The last time Green Bay visited CenturyLink Field was in Week 3 of the 2012 season, a 14-12 Seahawks victory clinched on what now is often dubbed the “Fail Mary.” Russell Wilson’s desperation pass on the final play was called a touchdown reception for Golden Tate by the replacement officials. A few days later, the lockout of the regular officials ended. “This game won’t be about the past,” he said. “It will be about the 2014 Green Bay Packers.” It’s the third straight season the Packers have traveled to face the defending Super Bowl champions. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for our football team,” Packers coach

Mike McCarthy said. “We have experience playing in the kickoff opener three years ago, and we will draw on that. Obviously, being the visiting team this time presents new challenges. It will help sharpen our focus even more during training camp and the preseason.” That Thursday game is the first of four prime-time games on opening weekend. Also at night will be a Sunday matchup of AFC champion Denver and Peyton Manning hosting his former team, Indianapolis; and a Monday night doubleheader with the New York Giants at Detroit, followed by San Diego at Arizona. The NFL will play three games in London: Dolphins-Raiders on Sept. 28; Lions-Falcons on Oct. 26; and Cowboys-Jaguars on Nov. 9. The Detroit-Atlanta game will kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET in an experiment to test the NFL’s audience draw on a Sunday morning.

A Saturday doubleheader in Week 16 has San Diego at San Francisco and Philadelphia at Washington. For the first time, games in Weeks 5 through 10 can be flexed from Sunday afternoon to night, with a limit of two. Beginning with Week 11, a Sunday game can be moved to prime time each week. Also, a select number of Sunday afternoon games are being “cross-flexed,” moving between CBS and Fox to potentially draw more viewers. The Thanksgiving tripleheader features three strong division rivalries: Chicago at Detroit, Philadelphia at Dallas, and Seattle at San Francisco, a rematch of the memorable NFC title game last January. That game will be played in 49ers’ new stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., which opens in Week 2 when they host Chicago in a Sunday night match. Looking for the latest installment of Manning vs. Tom Brady? The Patri-

ots host it on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 2. And for those looking for the rematch of the Super Bowl, Seattle’s 43-8 rout of Denver, it’s on Sept. 21 at Seattle. Denver opens the season against three 2013 playoff teams: Indianapolis and Kansas City at home, then at the Seahawks. “I think when you look at it, we have to start fast,” Broncos general manager John Elway said. “We knew it was going to be a tough schedule playing the NFC West, and when we finish first in our division like we have the past three years, it is always going to be a tough schedule with a lot of good football teams on it.” Bye weeks begin in Week 4 when Arizona, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Seattle and St. Louis are off. They end in Week 12 when Carolina and Pittsburgh are idle. The season ends Dec. 28 with all divisional games.

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