VOLUME 10 - No. 20
JUNE 7TH – JUNE 14TH, 2014
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TOP LAWYERS TRIAL STARTS
he corruption trial of two of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ most prominent lawyers, Gordon Kerr and Timothy O’Sullivan is set to get underway on Monday (June 13, 2014) in the Providenciales Supreme Court. Sir James Bruce Robertson, a New Zealand Judge, has been flown in to preside over the case which will be tried by a jury of seven Belongers. The 57-year-old O’Sullivan of the lawfirm Miller, Simons, O’Sullivan and 52-year-old Kerr of the lawfirm Misick and Stanbrook, are charged with cheat-
ing the public revenue, conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to false account. The matter dates back to 2005 when both O’Sullivan and Kerr were working on opposite sides of the sale of Emerald Cay, which is a 10-bedroom, thirty thousand square-feet luxury mansion that was bought by a billionaire American real estate developer in 2005. It is alleged that the two lawyers declared that the value of the sale was US$11million when in fact the true value was US$28million, thus depriving
the Turks and Caicos Islands Treasury of $1.5million in revenue. After his arrest last year, O’Sullivan issued a statement through Miller Simons O’Sullivan, which stated: “The partners of Miller Simons O’Sullivan express their surprise and disappointment at the charges suddenly brought on September 25 against Mr Timothy O’Sullivan arising out of an allegation of underpayment of stamp duty in respect of a transaction that took place in 2006. Continued on Page 2
Gordon Kerr
Timothy O’Sullivan
Turks and Caicos Premier visits Providenciales Resort
The Honourable Dr. Rufus Ewing, Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands toured the construction site on Long Bay with developer Stan Hartling (right) and DECCO Ltd. representative Johnathan Winson, at left.
Man shoots himself in the foot – Page 9
No progress in “Robbie” Been murder investigation
Lime appoints new general manager – Page 11 – Page 12
Almost four months to the day that he attended the ground-breaking celebration of the newest resort on Providenciales, the Honourable Dr. Rufus Ewing, Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, visited the Shore Club again. Premier Ewing joined developer Stan Hartling for a tour of the construction site at the Shore Club on Long Bay Beach recently. The Premier was on hand to witness the second floor being poured in one of the oceanfront condominium buildings. “Premier Ewing was impressed with the incredible progress we have made on construction in the last four months,” said Hartling Group CEO and Shore Club developer, Stan Hartling. “He also expressed his pleasure in seeing so many Turks and Caicos Islanders employed on site. It was a great visit, and we very much appreciate his continued interest and support in our project.” The first phase of the Shore Club consists of 38 luxurious two and three bedroom suites in two lowrise condo buildings. Construction partner DECCO, a Dart Enterprises company from Cayman Islands, is keeping the $100 million project on schedule for a December 2015 completion date.
Rihanna bares all at fashion awards – Page 28
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Top lawyers trial starts
Continued from Page 1
“All allegations are without foundation as will be confirmed at trial in due course. Mr O’Sullivan looks forward to the opportunity to clear his name and reputation at trial. The partners and staff stand firmly with Mr O’Sullivan towards that end.” In a statement issued through Misick and Stanbrook, Kerr stated: “I was interviewed by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police as long ago as January 2012 regarding the Emerald Cay stamp duty
matter. At the time, I explained tax evasion. It would not have been to the investigators in plain and possible without the assistance of simple language why I was not attorneys.” He quoted the Code of guilty of any offence in that respect. I am shocked that I have been Professional Conduct which states: charged. The allegations against “An attorney must never knowingly me are entirely without foundation assist or encourage any dishonesty, and I question the factors that have fraud, crime or illegal conduct nor prompted the decision on the part advise his client as to how to violate of the DPP to prosecute me, and its the law.” He invited the then Attorney timing. I have absolute confidence General Huw Shepheard to that I will be exonerated.” In 2011 while presiding in a civil investigate the matter and if case, Justice G W Martin, stated: thought appropriate, to consider “On any assessment of the facts this making a formal complaint to the was a carefully crafted scheme of Bar Council.
Islander selected for prestigious Sandals Trainee Program Beaches Turks & Caicos is excited to announce that budding tourism aspirant Julianna Musgrove has been selected to participate in its regional Management Trainee Program after an intense three-month selection process. Musgrove, a Turks & Caicos Community College graduate and Beaches STARS Intern, is the only candidate to be selected among 17 competitive local applicants beating out senior and supervisory level employees at Beaches Turks & Caicos. “The intensive two-year training gives promising young leaders such as Julianna an opportunity to positively impact the growth of the Turks & Caicos tourism product which will take this great destination to even higher heights,” said Managing Director Donald Dagenais, “Beaches and Sandals Resorts invest heavily in its training program and offers several aspiring students not only the opportunity to intern at the resort but also the opportunity to extend that training further through the Sandals Management Trainee program.” The Management Trainee
Julianna Musgrove’s send-off to Jamaica.
Program has been the centerpiece of Sandals and Beaches resort’s management succession planning strategy. With over 700 regional applications, shortlisted candidates were assessed on their adaptability, future ambitions and interest in the tourism sector. Candidates were also evaluated on strong communication and organizational skills and their ability to be service-driven with excellent customer service skills. “The Beaches Star Internship Program has paved the way for my successful entry into the Sandals Management Trainee Program,” said Julianna Musgrove at a farewell press conference. “It’s good to be awarded such a prestigious opportunity and to be chosen from among so many applicants to intern at a Management level at Sandals Resorts International. I do hope my story and my acceptance serve as an aspiration to young people in the TCI and I hope they will find a sense of comfort in knowing that there are opportunities for us. However, it’s up to us to reach out and get it. It’s never too late to strive for anything.”
A statement from the Government
The Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing, on behalf of the Government, and in an effort to maintain transparency and good governance, has released the following statement: “The Turks and Caicos Islands Government, through the Attorney General’s Chambers, is in receipt of a proposal for the establishment of a Designated Resort Management and Rental Bill from a group of resort operators on Providenciales who have expressed concerns about the possible negative impact on product quality by individual owners managing rental
units within resort establishments. Their approach is stated as following that taken in other jurisdictions. While their submissions will be considered in good faith, the Government has not yet taken a position on these matters. Following consideration of the group’s proposals, the Government may wish to consult more widely on these issues to canvass stakeholder views before arriving at a final position. At this time, these submissions are nothing more than proposals which the Government is considering and should not be taken as anything other than that. ”
Eligible voters must register with Elections Office after Belonger ID is issued Supervisor of Elections Mr. Dudley Lewis is reminding individuals that registering for a Belonger ID does not automatically place them on the Register of Electors. “A number of persons have been applying for the Belonger IDs and not following through to register with the Elections Office, and are therefore not being placed on the Electors’ List,” Mr Lewis noted. The Supervisor of Elections is therefore reminding all who are eligible to vote, that failure to register with the Elections Office means that they will NOT be added to the 2015 list of voters. Registration of voters is ongoing with the new Register of Electors due for publication in January next year. Mr. Lewis is inviting anyone who satisfies the eligibility requirements; those who turned 18 years old since the publication of the 2014 List in March this year, or anyone who recently received their Belonger certificates to visit any of the offices and complete the application forms. Individuals who are desirous of registering as an elector must first attend the Ministry of Border Control to register and obtain their TCIslander Status Card. Complete the Elections Office registration form and submit same to any of the Offices on Grand Turk or Povidenciales; via the District Commissioner’s Office on Salt Cay, South, Middle or North Caicos. Individuals may only register in one electoral district as an elector.
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Report from June 4th post Cabinet meeting His Excellency the Governor, Peter Beckingham, chaired the meeting of the Cabinet at the Hilly Ewing Building, Providenciales, on Wednesday, 4 June 2014. All Ministers were present. At this meeting Cabinet: Advised the Governor to approve the Payroll Tax Bill 2014. The Bill will now advance to the House of Assembly; Noted the strong financial performance of the Turks and Caicos Islands for the period January 2014 to March 2014 as submitted in the Fourth Quarter Financial Report from the Accountant General. Cabinet approved the publication of the report as required by Section 46 of the Public Financial Management Ordinance; Agreed to open a consultation on increasing the height limit of buildings in Providenciales to 14 storeys (150 foot.) The consultation will be co-ordinated by the Ministry of Home Affairs and will be open to all interested stakeholders; Approved the issuance of licenses to the Tourist Board for a Crown land parcels near the Cruise Centre in Grand Turk to be used as a centralized tour operator and taxi dispatch desk and It
also a cultural beach market to support and centralize beach vendors serving Cruise Centre passengers; Agreed to award sitting allowances to the members of the National Honours and Awards Committee in line with the arrangements currently in place for other statutory boards, subject to an amendment to the Ordinance; Agreed to open discussions with the TCI Airport Authority to ensure that the Providenciales Airport Master Plan adequately provides for the predicted continued increase in air passenger numbers, and to determine what further developments may be required to meet future demands; Agreed to allow the Education Committee to begin their work of reviewing scholarship applications for 2014 pending approval of the Budget. Cabinet will review their recommendations in due course, and noted the importance of communicating decisions to applicants in good time to allow them to make them arrangements for starting their education courses; Agreed to the appointment of a High Level Inter-Ministerial Committee to support the implementation of the
CARICOM Youth Development Action following persons to the Health Plan, which aims to guide national and Practitioners Ordinance for a period regional integrated planning and action of two (2) years effective 1 May 2014: regarding youth. Minister for Health and Human Services The Committee will include the - Chairman; Director of Health Services Minister and the PS of Education, Youth, - Ex-Officio Member; Mrs. TremaineSports and Library Services, the PS Swann Harvey - Member; Ms Charlene Finance, the Director of the Department Higgs – Member; of Social Development, the PS Ministry of Health, the Deputy Commissioner • Heard an update from the Director of of Police, the PS with responsibility for DEMA, Kathleen Wood, on the current Department of Planning, the Director state of affairs concerning the damage of Youth Affairs, youth representatives caused to coral reef off the coast of and other adhoc stakeholders as Providenciales by the MY White Cloud. appropriate; Ms Wood advised a contractor had been appointed to carry out repairs to the Noted a paper from the Deputy site, which will be paid for by the yacht’s Premier informing Cabinet of the insurers, and work would begin in midformation of a Secondary School Sports June. Cabinet was also informed Association. The Association enables schools to negotiations were underway with all financial play a more active role in the planning, parties regarding a final organisation and development of the settlement; rules and regulations of all inter-high school sporting competitions, which will Agreed to increase the taxi quotas as allow them to better support the growth follows: in Providenciales from 150 to and maximise the potential of student 175 (and from 40-60 private transfer athletes. reserve) and in Grand Turk from 45 In addition, further sports will be to 55 (and from 15-25 private transfer added to the 2014/2015 academic roster, reserve.) including Inter High Rugby, Football and Cricket; Ministers will provide further information on these matters in due Agreed the appointment of the course.
Blue Haven Resort & Marina is inviting suitable applications for the following positions:
Asst. Financial Controller Responsibilities
• Supervise the operations of the accounts office and Night Audit at Blue Haven Resort and Marina • Assist with the Management of the finance function and overseeing the finance team. • Assist in the preparation of end of Month journals and conducting of the closing process. • Assist in the installation of any new software – document retention, inventory management, payroll, POS. • Assist the FC with the preparation of budgets, forecasts and cash flows. • Maintenance of financial ledgers and accounting processes. • Preparation of Monthly P&L and Balance Sheet • Ensuring that appropriate systems and internal controls are implemented and maintained. • Overseeing the Payroll process.
Requirements
• Must possess a minimum of 5 years 4 star background in same or similar position • Diploma or Degree from an Institution/University is required • Must be a highly organized individual • Must be computer literate and have excellent, clear communication skills written and oral
Margaritaville seeks to identify: DINING ROOM CAPTAIN and more. SUMMARY: Oversees the duties and responsibilities of the service staff and has responsibility for maintaining an efficient operation. Coordinates and monitors the activities of the overall restaurant floor operation including the service employees, staff performance, quality of service, troubleshooting and expediting as needed to ensure a positive guest experience. Provides service standards training and ensure compliance of standards. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: Associates or Bachelors’ degree preferred; three years prior server, at least 3 years supervisory, management experience in a recognized high-volume food and beverage industry preferred; or equivalent combination of education and experience; HACCP training and proper food handling techniques would be a plus
Gardener
REQUIREMENTS: - Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) - Able to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Able to write simple correspondence. - Able to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. - Must be physically able to stand for periods of up to 8 hours or longer - Able to work flexible hours including, weekends, night shift and public holidays - Energetic & people oriented, reliable with problem solving skills
Salaries for these positions will commensurate with qualifications and experience.
We are also accepting applications for the following positions for the upcoming season in October 2014: Bartenders, Servers, Stilt Walker and Kitchen Helpers.
To qualify for this positions you should be able to push/pull carts weighing up to 150 lbs. Must be able to ensure the cleanliness of all areas assigned, which may include, walls, floors, gardens and grounds. Must be able to stand for long periods of time and also have the ability to climb several stairs several times each day.
Please Submit Applications to: cgibbons@wihl.com A copy should also be submitted to the TCI Labour Department. Submissions to be no later than June 13th, 2014 Turks and Caicos Islanders need only apply. While we would like to thank, every applicant for their interest in the Blue Haven Resort & Marina, only short-listed persons will be contacted. At that time a complete compensation package and job description will be discussed.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Application along with resume must be submitted by 7th April, 2014 to the office of :
Margaritaville Grand Turk Grand Turk Cruise Center South Base, White Sands Beach Grand Turk, T.C.I. B.W.I Belongers only, need apply. While we welcome and appreciate all applicants, only persons short-listed for an interview will be contacted.
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$3 Dolphin Cove could take six months to complete by Vivian Tyson Once the permit is granted, construction of the $3 million Dolphin Cove marine attraction in Grand Turk will take about six months to complete, according to developer Neil Borrowes, in an interview with The SUN recently. Burrows explained that the project could have been a bit more advanced, but there was a land boundary issue that has just been resolved, and now the shovels are eagerly awaiting the Planning Department’s approval to turn the earth and begin construction. “The land we purchased was a freehold piece of land, and the attorney general felt that in the interest of the people of Grand Turk and the Turks and Caicos Islands there has to be a mutation, and the mutation has been a back-and-forth with them. We have agreed to it, and the government is working hard to make sure that both sides are happy. “I am hoping to get the approval in the next two months. Once we have the permit to build, it shouldn’t take more than six months to finish all the buildings,” Borrowes explained. Borrowes said that even though he would have liked for the project to be farther along, he is elated by the level of interest and support that the Turks and Caicos Islands Government has shown towards the project’s development so far. “We are getting a lot of support from the AG and the premier; everybody
Guests at Dolphin in Jamaica playing the sea mammals. Inset, developer Neil Burrowes. is pushing hard. We will not break the rules and the people in Turks and Caicos Islands don’t break the rules. Sometimes things really take a long time to come to fruition. The money is ready to undertake the project, and everything is ready to roll, we are just waiting for all the ducks to be in a row because we are not breaking the rules,” Borrowes asserted. Burrowes said that if given the “goahead”, the dolphin park could develop in phases, with phase one being the
dolphin attraction, while phases two and three, if granted permission, could involve sharks, stingrays and iguanas. He said that phase one could employ up to 40 people directly, in addition to the multiplier employments that it would also provide. He said that while, initially, Belongers may not be employed in the dolphin-training operation; there will be a number of opportunities for employment, such as management, photography, book-keeping, tour-
guiding, reservations, security and gift shop. The proposed setting up of the attraction was not without controversy, as individuals claiming to be animal rights advocates fought vociferously to derail the project on the grounds that it would use captive dolphins to provide stunts for patron’s amusement. In addition, they said that granting of permission to set up the attraction goes to the heart of local marine ambassador “Jojo the dolphin”, which roams the waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands and provides delight to boat excursion guests with its friendliness and maneuvers. As a result of the initial pushback, government recommended that the developer hold public meeting to explain what the attraction is all about. The sole meeting that took place in Grand Turk was embraced by majority of the residents on that island, even though those against it were voluble in their push. Borrowes, who currently based in Cayman, had pushed for two attractions – one in Grand Turk and the other in Providenciales. But he later declared that he would forgo the Provo development and instead focus on the Grand Turk attraction.
NEEDED URGENTLY WESLEY METHODIST SCHOOL Applications for vacancies are required for the following areas at the Wesley Methodist High School. (1) Information Technology and Science - Chemistry, Physics and Biology (2) Spanish, English A and English B Vacancies also exist for Primary School Teachers.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXERIENCE Applicants must possess a Degree in the particular subject area for which he/she is applying, and a Teachers’ Diploma from a recognized institution and a minimum of five (5) years teaching experience, must be multi-talented as they are expected to teach across disciplines. Applicants for positions in the Primary School division must possess a degree and most importantly a Trained Teachers’ Certificate, and at least 3 years teaching experience. Applicants must be honest and trustworthy individuals, who will be expected to uphold the tenets of the institution and strive diligently to raise the standard of education in the school. In addition, applicants must be of the Christian Faith, must submit the Name, Address and Telephone Number of their Pastor/Minister.
SALARY – COMMENSURATE WITH EXPERIENCE Interested persons must submit application accompanied by their curriculum vitae, a police record and a contact number and references from two individuals, not later than June 30th 2014, to The Chairman or the Principal Wesley Methodist School P.O. Box 513 Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands Telephone(649) 941-4791/946-5786 Fax: (649) 946-4163 Email: wesleyschool@tciway.tc
Graceway IGA Supermarket is looking to recruit an articulate, enthusiastic IT Support Technician to work to ensure the smooth operations of the Graceway Trading systems and support all its users.
IT Support Technician Requirements/Qualifications: • Proven experience in an IT support role, certifications or educational background in a role related field is a plus. • A wide awareness and keen interest in the computing field. Detail orientated, self-motivated, with a drive to improve skills and systems. Ability to multitask, prioritizing work and performing well under pressure. • Practical experience with Microsoft systems, including Active Directory, Windows XP,7,8. • Exposure to vSphere, Ubuntu, Cisco, Web technologies and programming is desirable. • Good understanding of network design, TCP/IP, routing, wiring, wireless technologies. Duties and Responsibilities include: • Hardware maintenance, including printers, desktops, scales, POS registers, everything associated with day-to-day operations. • Maintain backup integrity, checks, recovery and contingency planning. • Maintaining good work-logs and documentation on system operations. • Diagnose network faults, running cable, terminations, routing, DNS and DHCP management. • Maintain and improve physical (CCTV, electronic locks) and digital (AntiVirus, Malware, Firewall) security systems. • Generate reports, exposure to SQL a plus. Data entry as required. • Out of hours availability-- Graceway is operationally a 24/7 business. Pay will commensurate with qualifications and experience. Deadline for submission of applicants is June 22nd 2014 Submit to: Graceway IGA Supermarket main office complex or email: hr@gracewayiga.com Please Note: Only short-listed applicants will be contacted to attend interviews.
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Man allegedly shoots himself in the foot
An alleged Five Cays gunman gives literal meaning to the term “shooting yourself in the foot”, when on Saturday (May 31) he was alleged to have done just that during a disagreement with another man in the community. The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force’s media liaison officer, Special Constable Audley Astwood, told a news briefing on Monday (June 2) at the police headquarters in Providenciales that the man has only been identified as a “24 year-old Turks and Caicos man” of a Five Cays address. Astwood said that at about 8:30p.m., persons heard explosions outside of a popular business establishment in the community and went to investigate. They later learned that a man had accidentally shot himself, and so they called the police. Officers from the Chalk Sound Police Station, who responded to the scene shortly after, mounted a search, which took them to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre where the man was seen nursing a bullet wound to the right foot. “On Saturday, May 31st, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force received a report at approximately 8:30p.m., about a firearm incident at a business place in the Five Cays area. Police from Chalk Sound Police Station immediately responded to the area.
“And initial investigations determined that there was at least one person injured in the right foot, and a manhunt was initiated for the suspect. One of the first places that they checked on was the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre. “While there they discovered a 24-year-old Turks and Caicos male receiving treatment for a gunshot wound to his right foot. The injury was non-life-threatening. Initial investigations indicate that the gunshot wound may have been selfinflicted,” Astwood said. The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Astwood said that the injured Force’s media liaison officer, Special Constable suspect was later discharged from the Audley Astwood. hospital into police custody, where charges are expected to be leveled against him soon. “He is currently in location where the incident took place,” custody assisting police with their he said. investigation, and I can confirm that He said that the police will mount charges are likely,” Astwood said. a quest to confiscate the weapon used The police information officer told in the alleged self-inflicting injury. the news briefing that the man went Astwood said that the man is expected for the weapon to settle the argument to be charged soon. he had with the other man, and it “We take all firearm incidents very appeared that before he could confront seriously, and we will rest at nothing to the man, the gun went off hitting him. make sure that we recover this firearm “Initial reports suggest that would from the streets. be the case where there were at least In the meantime, Astwood praised two persons involved in an altercation the response time of the police from at a different location, and sometime the Chalk Sound Police Station to later the two persons went to the same crime scene. He said that the quicker
Turks and Caicos Sun Suite#5, Airport Plaza Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands Tel: (649) 946-8542 Fax: (649) 941-3281 Email: sun@suntci.com Read us online at www.suntci.com Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Hayden Boyce Senior Editor: Vivian Tyson Office Manager: Dominique Rigby Information Technology and Production Manager: Kelano Howell The Turks and Caicos SUN is a subsidiary of The SUN Media Group Ltd. We are committed to excellence in journalism, educating and informing our readers, serving and satisfying our advertisers and assisting in the overall development of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
response time has to do with the new police vehicle fleet acquisition. “We are now able to have a quicker response time at crime scenes, which is always a good thing. The response time of the shooting in Five Cays was pretty about five to eight minutes,” Astwood said.
Above (from left): Roxanne Lewis, Anderson Walkin, Kauven Williams, Gregory Thomas and Oswald Smith. Below (from left): Brenton Smith, Avi Adams, Daylon Joseph and Shernelle Capron.
FortisTCI team members continue to rise through the ranks Caicos and adjacent Cays, and South Pleased to recognize and reward the Promotions and new titles have been awarded as follows: Caicos. Together the two companies achievements of their staff, FortisTCI Avi Adams – Superintendent Materials Management serve approximately 12,800 electricity announces and celebrates recent promotions Oswald Smith – Mechanic customers in the Turks & Caicos Islands. of nine employees offering exemplary on the Gregory Thomas – Line Supervisor The Utilities have an aggregate dieseljob performance. FortisTCI is a performanceKauven Williams – Line Forman fired generating capacity of approximately based organization and the Company rewards Brenton Smith – Line Forman 75 megawatts. employees based on merit. These employees Daylon Joseph – Electrical Engineer II Fortis Inc. is the largest investorhave worked toward bettering themselves, Roxanne Lewis – HR Compensation Officer owned gas and electric distribution utility which in turn has benefited the Company, and Shernelle Capron – Supervisor Financial Services in Canada. Its regulated utilities account the Country as a whole. Anderson Walkin – Senior IT Desktop Support Specialist for 90 per cent of total assets and serve FortisTCI President and CEO Mr. more than 2.4 million customers across Eddinton Powell said, “FortisTCI provides Canada and in New York State and the an environment that recognizes and rewards Caribbean. excellence and performance, and enables even greater results from the team. Fortis owns non-regulated hydroelectric opportunities for growth and upward mobility. Our FortisTCI Limited (FTCI) became a wholly owned team members have worked hard to achieve their subsidiary of Fortis Inc. located in Newfoundland, generation assets in Canada, Belize and Upstate new positions.” Canada in August 2006. Turks and Caicos Utility New York. The Corporation’s non-utility investments The newly promoted employees have already Limited (TCU), which is the sole provider of electricity are comprised of hotels and commercial real estate begun settling into their new positions and, in on the Islands of Grand Turk and Salt Cay, was in Canada and petroleum supply operations in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States. Fortis Inc. some cases, their new offices. As they look forward acquired by FTCI in August 2012. to tackling their new roles with the same levels of FTCI is the sole provider of electricity in shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and excellence and dedication, FortisTCI expects to see Providenciales, North Caicos, Middle Caicos, East trade under the symbol FTS.
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Police not discouraged by low attendance at townhall meetings youth and what measures the police could implement to guide them on the right path. “It is not so much of a complaint, it is just a concern for the youth; it is one of the biggest concern right now; how do we support and mentor the youth; how do we give them things to do; and try to keep them away from criminal elements and just about all of the bad things that are out there. And then there are some concerns about the burglaries, and what can the public do; and so we are encouraging neighbourhood watch programmes, those types of programmes and just about having the public supporting the police,” Commissioner Farquar said. Commenting on the attendance the commissioner said: “The meetings, as everybody knows, haven’t very well been attended, but there is a variety of reasons for that. Sometimes some people just think that the police are doing what they can with the resources that they have, some people are just shy and they don’t like going into a public area and expressing their concerns, so there is a variety of reasons for it. “And so, we’ve talked to some of the senior officers as to some of the things that we can do differently. And so, we are looking at other avenues of approach in the community in the future; maybe going to the smaller groups, going to the parent/teachers association meetings, those other types of forums and maybe even using the radio and television more, having call-ins so people don’t actually have to stand up in front of a group of people, they can phone in,” the commissioner said. He said that traffic regulations for Providenciales will be high on the strategic crime plan agenda. “Focusing on traffic enforcement is a big one for Provo, maybe not so big for South Caicos – those are just some of the differences. But traffic enforcement is something that we going to really have to look at for Providenciales,” he said.
The sparse attendance at the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force three-year strategic plan consultative town hall meetings will not affect the development of the plan, according to Police Commissioner Colin Farquar. The police have been travelling across the country to solicit feedback for the plan, which a framework has already been developed. However, except for South Caicos, where about 30 people attended and the expected low turnout in Middle Caicos, attendance for the most part have been meagre to the point where one or two meetings had to be cancelled. But the commissioner, fielding questions from the media following another extremely low turnout at the Tropicana Entertainment Centre and Supper Club in the Bight/Grace Bay area on Tuesday (June 3, 2014), said that crafting of the plan would not be affected since the police have been informally meeting with individuals in the community to gather ideas that could strengthen the document. “We have already had a few consultations just informally. It is not as if we are naïve and we don’t know what’s going on. As senior managers, we have already discussed what we think the main issues are. And even in the small groups that we’ve had, some of those same concerns are coming out. And the threeyear plan is a high level plan; it is not getting into the Commissioner of Police Colin Farquar day-to-day of our operations. It is more the big aims and objectives of the police force over the next three are always different on different islands with the different communities. years,” he said. “We are not doing a five-year plan this time, we He said it is necessary to bring another plan into force since the five year- strategic pan expires this are doing a three-year, just because of crime trends, changing demographics, people coming in other year. “We have a five year plan that’s ending and so it communities, so I just think it is timely or prudent to is timely to have a three-year strategic plan, and so, have a shorter time line,” he said. In the meantime, the commissioner said that the we have started consultation with the public and our partner agencies as to what they see some of chorus issues at most of the meetings is the fear of the issues are, some of the concerns are. The issues crime, reducing the crime statistics, direction of the
Londolozi Ltd. is inviting suitable applications for the following position:
FOR SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION EQUITY LTD. Pursuant to the Registered Land Ordinance of the Turks and Caicos Islands hereby gives notice that it will cause to be sold by public auction, the following property:
Gardener To qualify for this position you should be able to push/pull carts weighing up to 150 lbs. You must be able to ensure the cleanliness of all areas assigned, which may include, walls, floors, gardens and grounds. You must be able to stand for long periods of time and also have the ability to climb several stairs several times each day.
Salaries for these positions will commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Title 60900/194, Chalk Sound, Providenciales, being comprised of a 0.73 acre parcel of land fronting on Chalk Sound on which is situated a three storey, 6200 square feet single family residence with 3 bedrooms and studio unit with bedroom, service elevator, swimming pool, plunge pool, dock and other attractive features, landscaping and brick driveway.
Please Submit Applications to: cgibbons@wihl.com A copy should also be submitted to the TCI Labour Department. Submissions to be no later than June 20th, 2014 Turks and Caicos Islanders need only apply. While we would like to thank, every applicant for their interest in Londolozi, only short-listed persons will be contacted. At that time a complete compensation package and job description will be discussed.
Registered Proprietor: MAXWELL EARL HAMILTON The auction will be held at the offices of TWA, Marcelin, Wolf, 1276 Leeward Highway, Providenciales on Thursday July 3rd, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. For further particulars please contact Twa, Marcelin, Wolf at 649-946-4261 or at twa@twmlaw.tc.
Restaurant Position Available: Sommelier :
Minimum 5 years previous experience in a similar position. Candidates with certification in Wine Studies or graduates from a trade College will only be considered. Remuneration based on education level and experience.
Candidates must be willing to work split shifts six days per week including weekends & public holidays. BELONGERS NEED ONLY APPLY. Please send resumes to: magnoliaprovo@live.com
Is seeking application for:
THREE LABOURERS
• Needed to work shifts and heavy lifting. • Must be able to read and write English well.
TWO AIRCRAFT MECHANICS:
• Experience working on piston and turbo-propeller Aircraft. • Responsible for inspecting, servicing repairing and testing Aircraft. • Engines and related systems as directed. Read and understand and work from Aircraft maintenance manuals and specifications. Salary will commensurate with experience.
RAMP AGENT
• Over 5 years experience in Ramp Supervising. • Over 5 years experience in maneuvering heavy duty equipment e.g.(pushing and towing Aircraft) • Experience in general handling of General Aviation. Narrow body and wide body Aircraft. • British Airways, JAR OPS, Supervisor Aircraft loading qualified. • US Airways fleet service door opening trainer. • Awareness Certification of acceptance/ refusal of hazardous material as per IATA regulations. • Comprehensive knowledge in the operation of all Ground service Equipment(GSE)
Belongers only have to apply. Contact HR@intercaribbean.com Tel:9464181
JUNE 7TH - JUNE 14TH, 2014
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
Page 11
LOCAL NEWS
New LIME general manager to focus on innovation and growth
James Pitt, the new General Manager for LIME Turks and Caicos Islands has unveiled a four plank approach that he and his charges will be applying to recapture lost share of the telecommunications pie. In an introductory presentation on Thursday (June 5, 2014) at the Regent Grand Conference Room in Providenciales, Pitt said that the four strategic areas are mobile leadership; fixed-mobile convergence; reinforcement of the television offering and growth in business services. He said that the company has started the process with the outsourcing of the technical operations to Ericsson, a world leader in the area of operations. He said that the commitment to service excellence will also extend to LIME’s retail stores, dealer locations and contact centres. He said that the enablers which James Pitt (third left), the new general manager for LIME TCI shares lens with his management team. From left: Audley Gibbs – Field Supervisor for Ericsson’s his management would use to attain Field Service Operations in TCI and former LIME employee; Rachel Harvey – LIME TCI Marketing Manager; Ronald Gardiner – Manager for Managed Service its goals are operational improvement, Operations at LIME TCI; Deleriece Hall – Head of Sales for LIME TCI; Lacal Palmer –Finance Manager and former acting general manager; and Cynthia Adams growth-driven investments and value –Retail Store Manager. for money. “Customers require best in class pitching should come into effect in next speed and reliability for services to products to ensure that the capability, service across all the product offerings few months. He however, did not reveal customers. flexibility and price remain compelling and LIME will be tenacious in answering the timeline as to when the television “Network quality is absolutely to the persons we value most – our that call to improve its network and aspect of that operation will come integral to achieving that goal. Network customers.” expand to deliver on those needs. With into effect. He noted thought that its issues are unacceptable to our customers Telling reporters that LIME is well this in mind, there will be three key operational improvement would ensure and so shouldn’t be acceptable to us aware of the challenges ahead, Pitt enablers that will be used. Operational a true partnership with stakeholders either. The results of this would drive a said that his dedicated management improvement, investment to drive such as the regulatory body – the TCI stronger TCI,” he noted. and staff stand ready to overcome those growth and value propositions,” Pitt Telecommunications Commission. He added: “The suite of My Plans, challenges and the deliver the best of said. He emphasized that LIME is Broadband and Business Products that services. He lists the main challenge He told the news conference that some committed to investing in the network exist in our market are quite compelling. to its targeted successes as timeline of the innovations that the company is to drive growth with a view for quality, However, we must continue to tweak our delivery.
STAFF VACANCY – ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
FINANCIAL Applications are invited from interested and suitably qualified ACCOUNTANT individuals for Senior Managers (preferably in a technical environment). the position of Administrative Assistant, FortisTCI, Providenciales, Turks • Knowledge of operation of standard office and Caicos Islands. • Strong organizational skills. • Knowledge of principles and practices basic office management To provide support to the Manager of Financial Services in theofmanagement of the financial, regula Description • Excellent typing and minute taking skills. company other external reporting. Provide accurate plant financial and& statistical dataOffice in order for ma To provide a wide range of administrative services to theand Energy Production • High degree of competency in Word and Excel other Microsoft and Project Management Division and the Transmission and and Distribution suite. concerning financial performance of the business. Manage critical make timely informed decisions Division. • Experience with spreadsheets in the accurate compiling and submitting financial operations on the WorkofOrder Systems, and Fixed Assets to ensure tha statistical reports isInventory especially Management desirable. Main Duties • Ability and to work without supervision. accordance with established guidelines procedures. • Responsible for maintaining files, data, equipment maintenance records and preparing reports for all departments in the two divisions. Core Competency Skills: • Responsible for scheduling and coordinating meetings and appointments • Planning and organizing for managers or supervisors as required. Main Duties • Attention to detail and accuracy • Record, compile, transcribe and distribute minutes of meetings as • Flexibility/adaptability required. • Customer service orientation • Responsible for ensuring/monitoring thatGeneral all time sheets are complete Accounting: • Excellent team player and turned in on time. • Extraordinary interpersonal and communication skills • General clerical duties. Ensure the accurate and of alldeadlines accountand reconciliations and monthly managemen •timely Ability completion to deliver to strict to work under pressure • Preparing requisitions (electronically) as required by Director of Energy • Goal oriented/self- motivated Production and Director of Engineering and Planning. • Monitor and maintain records for core credits and generation related Monitor performance indicators, highlighting trends and analyzing causes of unexpected variances Compensation fixed assets. of revenues, expensesSalary: and capital. • Maintain office supply inventories. based on qualifications and ability • Responsible for the internal processing of temporary work permits for Deadline for submission of applications is June 14, 2014. the two divisions. Kindly submit applications stating qualifications and work experience to: Ensureandthat all corporate policy changes are incorporated in the accounting process accor • Assist with the dissemination of various correspondences communications for the two divisions. guidelines set. Dr. Kellie-Ann Evans-Hall • Other duties that may be assigned by the Director of Energy Production Manager, Human Resources and Director of Engineering and Planning. Limited Provide major supportFortisTCI in financial reporting as regards compliance with US GAAP. P. O. Box 132, Providenciales Academic/Technical/Management: Experience and Qualifications: Email address: hrapplications@ppcltd.tc or kahll@fortistci.com • Diploma in Office Management/Business or equivalent experience. Responsible for providing financial requirements to all stakeholders (parent company, intern Fax: 649-946-4532 • Minimum of 5 years’ experience as administrative assistant/secretary to financial institutions, CARILEC and other interested parties)
Oversee the preparation of US GAAP compliant financial statements for submission to external
Page 12
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
JUNE 7TH - JUNE 14TH, 2014
LOCAL NEWS
No progress in “Robbie” Been murder investigation Crime Sleuths from the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force said that they are still relentlessly working around the clock to solve the Robert “Robbie” Been homicide which took place on the night of Tuesday, March 4. The popular local businessman was shot several times in the parking lot of his Turquoise Plaza establishment located at the back of the building, as he and his wife was about to board his vehicle to leave the location. The gunman escaped in a nearby waiting motor vehicle, which was later recovered by the police. The vehicle, the police said, was owned by Grace Bay Car Rental and stolen from the Providenciales International Airport. Crimestoppers and the Been family have partnered to offer a $50,000 reward for the capture and charge of those involved, but so far, no one has come forward with any tangible information, which the police said has been a frustrated probe. As matter of fact, a police said that someone who had given a statement on what he had seen or heard is now recanting that statement. “That area is a very busy place, and there are businesses nearby, so, once you hear so many explosions, I would imagine that the first thing you would do is to wonder what happened and where they were coming from. Plus, you have to take into consideration that
Slain businessman Robert “Robbie” Been
there are no back roads, so the getaway vehicle must drive to the front before entering the main road. “So I believe there are persons who must have credible information that could lead to identifying those who committed the crime, and we are trying
while they have interviewed a number of persons as witnesses, they were yet to interview any as suspects. They at that time they said they could not say whether or not they are closer to making an arrest. The Source told The SUN that since the press conference nothing has changed, as the police are still trying to locate persons who they believe could assist them in their investigation, but that process has so far proved to be an uphill task for the investigators. “No one seems to want to come forward and tell what they know. I can’t believe that for someone as popular “Robbie” that no one want to come forward and give the police information that could lead to an arrest. Plus there is the added incentive of the $50,000 that they can get when they provide the information that leads to the arrest. It’s a win-win situation for that person who exercise his or civic duty,” the source said. In the meantime, the police source has echoed the assurance by other members of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force that if to determine why they are not coming someone in the community that has forward, while at the same time trying information of the crime and does not to solve the murder on our own,” the feel confident enough to tell the police, police source said. they could contact Crimestoppers, any At a news conference hosted at the pastor or confidante to tell them of the Police Headquarters on Providenciales information, and they in turn would on Friday, March 14, the police said turn over the information to the police.
PROVO AIR CENTER Is seeking:
Grand Turk Cruise Center is currently accepting applications for the position of Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO). Duties & Responsibilities include:
Ensuring adequate training needs of GTCC Security Personnel Carrying out Security screening of all new security hires Ensuring GTCC is ISPS compliant Developing a good working relationship with ship board security personnel and shore side personnel (GTCC tenants and employees, gov’t agencies, law enforcement agents etc.) to foster and facilitate a team-oriented atmosphere. Interacting with the CSO and SSO of vessels calling at the GTCC Preparing, coordinate and run security drills and exercises in accordance with the GTCC PFSP Oversight of the day to day security operations of the GTCC Preparing maintenance schedules for the upkeep of the GTCC CCTV surveillance system Ensuring upkeep and adequate equipment/materials required for the day to day operations of GTCC Ensuring all GTCC safety protocols are followed Conducting Security Awareness training for all GTCC staff Maintaining all security-sensitive records and information in secure location Attending Port Security Committee Meetings Implementing security measures in response heightened security levels Interacting with GTCC tenants on all security measures or updates Oversight of ID badges for GTCC staff, tenants and their employees as well as temporary and visitor passes. Maintaining control of all Restricted Area Access locations Continuously reviewing security operations and make recommendations on how to enhance services Implementing new policies, SOP’s and company initiatives as assigned Reporting on all critical guest-related incidents Ensuring the proper maintenance and upkeep of all security-related logs and records Responsible to the extent possible for ensuring the safety and security of all guests, employees, tenants and the assets of the GTCC Responding to urgent security incidents as required outside of the normal working hours.
Minimum Qualifications and Preferences: Law Enforcement or military background preferred. Candidate must have good written and verbal communication skills. Must be able to manage, organize and liaise with multiple departments and team members of different nationalities. Must be able to work well under pressure and stressful situations Candidate must be prepared to work long hours, holidays, weekends, days and nights as needed.
Please submit cover letter and CV to: admin@grandturkcc.com
TWO DRIVERS
Five (5) years or more experience in this position. willing to work long, hours weekends and holidays. Valid TCI drivers licence. Any experience in aviation would be an asset. Salary commensurate with experience.
TWO GROUND MECHANIC
Five (5) years experience in repair and maintenance of the Airline ground service equipment gas /diesel engine ect. Ability to drive trucks, towing vehicles. Belongers need to apply. Interest person should be apply at HR@ intercaibbean.com or fax via to HR department 649-946-4040.no phone call please. Qualified candidates will be contacted for interview.
Is seeking
TWO SECURITY GUARDS Must have 5 years experience Must be able to speak at least two languages Monitor and authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors, and other persons entering the premises. Write reports of daily activities and irregularities, such as equipment or property damage, theft, presence of authorized persons, or unusual occurrences. Salary commence with experience. Belongers only need to apply. Contact HR@intercarbbean.com Tel: 946-4181
JUNE 7TH - JUNE 14TH, 2014
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
Page 13
LOCAL NEWS
TCI to have Autism-trained teachers by 2015
help map out model classroom, By September 2015, the this ideal centre where we can Turks and Caicos Islands start thinking about training should have local teachers and sustainability within the trained in teaching students islands, so it is not going to alwith Autism, thanks to a pair ways be importing (professionof Unites States doctors, who als). We are going to build with plan initiate the program this the resources that we have and August. train people here to offer those Donia Fahim, Speech Lantypes of support,” Fahim said. guage Pathologist and Jamie She said that such a proBleiweiss, Clinical Psychologramme is needed in the Turks gist and Assistant Professor and Caicos Islands, since of the in the Department of Special 19 children they saw during Education at Hunter College in the visit, 16 of them were diagNew York City,who spent most nosed with Autism. of their one-week visit to Turks “Of the 19 families that we and Caicos Islands this past saw there were 16 families week, diagnosing children with that diagnosed to have aulearning disabilities, including tism. Some of the other famiAutism, plan to come back in lies have other related speech August to begin programme of delays, Down Syndrome. So training local teachers to betnobody came that didn’t need ter able to teach children chal- Donia Fahim (left), Speech Language Pathologist and Jamie Bleiweiss (right), Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at Hunter some sort of support, but the lenged by the disorder. majority of them have autism. The two who spoke with The College in New York City flank Almando Rigby, Public Relations Officer for the HOPE “So, we have been meeting SUN recently, said they are Foundation for Autism. individually with families and working to make the MILLS Institute the first learning in- dren with Autism. By Septem- also hope to work with the com- getting to know their children stitution in the country to have ber 2015, the first classroom munity, to bring awareness to and providing them with suga full-fledged Autism teaching will be established. Turks and Caicos at large,” Fa- gestions, some tools, some “In the interim period be- him said. strategies, using visual supprogramme. “When we come back in Au- tween now and September She said the Autism-man- ports, different types of coping gust, we hope to set forth the 2015, we plan on training the agement programme they tools, so deep-breathing exerplan with the aim of training teachers that will be at MILLS want to establish here aim to cises. “The children that have the teachers as well as work- Institute, to work with those have a sustainable programme more of the communication ing with the MILLS Institution children, along with teachers locally. with Dr. (Carlton) Mills and from other neighboring schools, “We are looking to come difficulties, we have been sugMrs. (Debbie) Mills, to estab- who would be interested in back in August to do more of gesting different exercises, diflish the first classroom for chil- receiving training as well. We a school focus and to really ferent ways of expanding their
language and teaching the parents different ways to help the parents bring out more language in their children,” she said. Bleiweiss said that the programme they want to establish here s similar to that which they conduct in the US. “We train teachers in the States to work with children with special needs, but our particular focus is Autism. We consult with different schoolbased programmes in helping the teachers modify their classroom, add support, change the way that they offer instructions in very easy ways. And so, our hope is to replicate and bring some of those techniques to the classroom down here. “The goal is to create a model classroom where we could provide that kind of training and support, and show that it does work. It is not a tremendous change of how the classroom is run, but just by being a little bit more flexible and accommodating to some of the sensory needs, making instructions more visual, more concrete, that can go an enormous way for even the more impaired students. It seems like a huge challenge here for the schools because the teachers don’t know what to do,” she said.
Waterloo Hotel Management Limited is inviting suitable applications for the following position:
Senior Executive Chef
HOUSEKEEPER Requirements: • Ensure the cleanliness of all hotel areas • Assist in all Housekeeping responsibilities, cleaning of all guest rooms, stocking amenities and linens. • Perform specified server duties, including food and drink orders, preparation and serving. • Ensure inventory is used properly and in supply at all times. • Possess knowledge of proper cleaning supplies and chemical handling • Must be fluent in written and spoken English. Previous experience in luxury resorts preferred Qualified Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualifications and experience
LABOURER Requirements • Operate, maintain and repair the property’s heating, Ventilation air conditioning and refrigeration systems • Perform preventative maintenance on the hotel’s systems • Perform laundry and kitchen services • Pool cleaning, chemical testing, adding chemicals as required • Maintain the proper use, cleaning, maintenance and storage of all tools • Responsible for cleaning grease traps, lift stations, Checking & treatment of sewage treatment plant Qualified Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualifications and experience
Candidates must apply to: humanresources@thewestbayclub.com or 946-8550
The position provides key leadership on setting new standards of culinary and operations excellence. This is an exciting opportunity for an energetic culinary professional who is constantly seeking a better way to conduct business and be hands on in driving the results. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following: Responsibilities: ◊ Implementing innovative food ideas/concept, new or revised menu/recipe items to increase sales ◊ Improve catering and banquet services. Enhance relationship with Catering teams to achieve successful execution of events and banquet to create win-win outcomes. Lead team to design, set up and conduct catering events successfully. ◊ Coach team on effectively managing costs while maintaining the recipe standards, and the cooking and preparation procedures ◊ Improve cost structure by improving Back of the House operating efficiency through maximizing the productivity of the staff, developing new procedures or streamlining processes; including receiving, preparation and cooking procedures, kitchen designs, and menu mix optimization ◊ Work with restaurant managers to improve the product knowledge of the menu for the Front of the House staff ◊ Conduct routine inspection and evaluation of all kitchen operations; including food presentation, quality, kitchen cleanliness and safety ◊ Ensure all locations conform to product specification, policies and procedures for all supplies, ingredients purchased and all products sold. Qualifications and Experience required: ◊ Degree in culinary arts or food related a plus ◊ Advanced degrees preferred ◊ Minimum of eight (8) years of progressive culinary/kitchen management and supervisory experience, depending upon formal degree or training ◊ Highly skilled in cooking techniques and progressive in approach to fine cuisine ◊ Hands on chef experience in high volume, complex service operations a must ◊ Comprehensive knowledge of international cuisine and catering trends with a focus on quality, production, sanitation, food cost controls, and presentation ◊ Extensive experience with excellent menu and execution experience a plus ◊ Thorough understanding of food equipment and safety standards ◊ Strong written and computer skills; to include Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and Power Point), Outlook, E-mail and the Internet. Salary for this position will commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Please Submit Applications to: cgibbons@wihl.com A copy should also be submitted to the TCI Labour Department. Submissions to be no later than June 13th, 2014 Belongers need only apply.
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TURKS & CAICOS SUN
JUNE 7TH - JUNE 14TH, 2014
LOCAL NEWS
TCI delegation returns from sales blitz in Canada and USA The Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Dr. the Hon. Rufus Ewing, along with a delegation of tourism officials and private sector investors, last week embarked on a six city tour in five nights, to promote tourism and investment in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the first stop was Ottawa Canada where the Premier met with Senior Political Canadian Officials as well as a historic meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada, the Most Hon. Stephen Harper. The Premier, accompanied by the Minister of Border Control and Labour, Hon. Ricardo Gardiner, Tourist Board Executives, members of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA) and other representatives of the business sector in the community, attended a luncheon at Parliament Hill held in honour of his visit and co-hosted by both Speakers of the Senate and the House of Commons, Hon. Noel Kinsella and Hon. Andrew Scheer, respectively. During the luncheon, Premier Ewing had the esteemed privilege to address Members of Parliament and other distinguished guests, including Senator Don Meredith and MP Blake Richards, on his Government’s priority objectives in strengthening the ties with Canada, through bilateral talks on socio-economic arrangements that
The Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands Dr the Hon. Rufus Ewing (center) with tourism officials and private sector investors.
Two (2) Gas Attendants
4 LABOURERS 5 DOMESTIC WORKERS 1 Sales person
Pumping gas Cashier Reconciliation of end of day report Changing nozzle, hose & filters for pump/General pump maintenance • Any other assigned duty Submit applications to by June 20, 2014 to: Butterfield Gold Ltd., Human Resource Department Town Center Mall, Providenciales Tel: 649-946-4211
Mon – Sat 244-0277 or 946-3437
MANFORD SEYMOUR is looking for a
Painter DOMESTIC Must be able to work weekends and holidays. Interested persons should Contact 231 4336 Salary commensurate with experience.
D BELL BEAUTY SALON SEEKS
Front Office Agent
• • • •
Salary $5.00 per hour
is seeking a
by advancing commerce for nearly 200 years through mutually beneficial trading. In the case of the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Premier further noted that the current informal relationship with Canada was driven mainly by private sector economics and not by direct inter-governmental strategic policies that, if strengthened, can serve the mutual interests of both countries.
Airport Hotel Seeks
Island Pride Fuel
GOOD HANDS AGENCY is looking for
Trevor Musgrove
sure sustainable economic growth. To this end the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands is seeking to foster stronger formal socioeconomic relationship with Canada.” The Turks and Caicos Islands has a long-standing informal relationship with Canada and Canada has always played a pivotal role in the economic development of the Caribbean region
would be of mutual benefit to both Canada as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands. In his address the Premier informed the gathering that, “The Turks and Caicos Islands Government has as its highest priority, the education, training and development of its people and the implementation of economic and good governance policies that en-
WORKER To work 5 days per week
Salary $5.00 per hour
Contact 232-0990
PROVO BODY SHOP seeks
3 Body men
Salary based on experience
Must have more than 5 years experience Must be able to paint a car completely
Contact 231-0049
AGNES SWANN SEEKS
One Labourer 1 Hairdresser
6 days per week
Salary $5.00 per hour 6 days per week Contact 342-7335
Salary $5.00 per hour Contact 246-4769
Domestic worker
Needed to clean home and take care of kids. Hourly rate $6, Monday to Saturday, 8-5pm. Contact Charisse Gibbons on 649-241-5956.
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
To work Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Must be fluent in verbal and written English. Excellent computer and typing skills are required. Excel and Word proficiency desired. Excellent listening and comprehension skills required
Salary $5.50 per hour Interested persons should contact 946-4701 EXPERIENCED HOUSEKEEPER REQUIRED • References from previous employers essential • Live-in position: cooking, cleaning and general housekeeping duties • Must be prepared to work weekends and evenings • Must be fluent in Spanish and love dogs • Must have experience in caring for elderly people Send applications to Rockgarden Ltd PO Box 257 Providenciales Or call 339-4500
BUTTERFIELD GOLD GROUP OF COMPANIES POSITIONS AVAILABLE
Rosie’s Delight Restaurant
One (1) Server Wages: starting from $6.50 per hour Submit applications by May 2, 2014 to: Butterfield Gold Ltd., Human Resource Department Town Center Mall Providenciales Tel: 649-946-4211
JUNE 7TH - JUNE 14TH, 2014
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
Page 15
LOCAL NEWS CELEBRITY MIXOLOGIST GRACES TURKS AND CAICOS. World renowned mixologist Toby Abou-Ganim, at left, was in the Turks and Caicos Island last week to lend his expertise to the local hospitality industry. Abou-Ganim, who started bartending since the 1980, came to the Turks and Caicos on the invitation of Grace Bay Clubs head chef and long time friend Woflgang Vonweiser, to conduct staff training for the bartenders at that resort on how to mix the myriad of recipes for guests. He also hosted a dinner party for guests at the resort, where they were treated to a variety of cocktails. Abou-Ganim said that it was a wonderful opportunity for him to come to the Turks and Caicos Islands and share some of his knowledge with the Grace Bay Club staff. “I can’t believe I
have waited so long. It has been amazing to be here in Turks and Caicos and the staff at the Grace Bay Resorts, and I cannot wait to come back. No place in the Caribbean that I have gone celebrates rum like Turks and Caicos. You should be proud of the locally-produced rum that you have here. The rum-based cocktails, the drinks that I have seen here just blow me away,” Abou-Ganim said. Abou-Ganim, who is also the author of a mixology book, “Vodka Distilled – The Modern Mixologist on Vodka and Vodka Cocktails”, said that it is a great time to be a bartender, since a number of great cocktails dating back long before prohibition in the 1920 are now being resurrected. In photo Abou-Ganim displays one of his mixed drinks called “Monkey Shine”.
Police to set up Victims Services Unit
Seeing the need to better assist victims of crime and witnesses, especially to prepare for court proceedings, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force is to, later this year, set up a victims services or victims services unit. Commissioner of Police, Colin Farquar made the announcement during an interview with the media on Tuesday (June 3, 2014) at the Tropicana Entertainment Centre and Supper Club in the Bight/Grace Bay area, where the head honchos of the force
had gone to hold a consultative three-year crime plan town hall meeting with residents of that general area. The commissioner pointed out that as it stands now, officers would work with crime victim to a certain point and then the victim, for the most part, is left on his/ her own to deal the matters that come later, including court preparation. He said that the establishment of the unit should, for the most part, alleviate those stresses. “One of the main issues we want to deal with this year is
the victims of crime and with witnesses, how do we handle them and how do we help them through the process of going to court. It can even be things like next of kin notification. “(Now) the police would come and do a next of kin notification, and generally the police leave, and so, we need somebody to stay behind with the family and help them through the process, such as who to contact (maybe) the coroner’s office and deal with certain things. And it is also managing and helping to manage going through
the court process,” the commissioner explained. In addition to assist persons to deal with certain issues, the commissioner said that it is also critical to establish such a unit since it would foster greater public confidence in the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force by members of the public, which he said could lead to a closer relationship between the two. “So we are seriously going to try to get the Victims Services Unit or Victims Support Unit up and running this year. It (establishing the unit) is
Blue Haven Resort is inviting suitable applications for the position of
Spa Therapist Job Requirements/responsibilities:• Must have a minimum of 5 years’ experience in a luxury resort and spa. • Graduate from an accredited school of massage and esthetics with a massage certification and esthetic certification. • The ideal candidate needs to be qualified in Deep tissue massage, Swedish massage, Hot Stone Massage, Prenatal massage and Reflexology. Esthetic treatments such as facials, body scrubs and wraps. • Must possess excellent communication skills. • Must be a team player. • Must have a keen desire to serve the public. • Training and experience in recognized professional product modalities welcomed. • You will be required to work weekends and public holidays. • Candidate will be required to perform mobile services on board yachts, location and in room treatments. • Reception and treatment booking experience required. • Serve as a catalyst to promote spa services to hotel guests. • The position is commission based.
Please Submit Applications to: cgibbons@wihl.com A copy should also be submitted to the TCI Labour Department. Submissions to be no later than June 20th, 2014 Turks and Caicos Islanders need only apply. While we would like to thank, every applicant for their interest in the Blue Haven Spa, only short-listed persons will be contacted. At that time a complete compensation package and job description will be discussed.
Commissioner of Police Colin Farquar going to be one of our main goals. That can also be one of our strategic goals; how do we better (our) client service with people; so we are trying to manage that too,” the Commissioner said.
H.A.B. MANAGEMENT LTD. H.A.B. Management Limited is seeking a suitably qualified individual to fill the following opening:
Waitress
Main Duties
• Applicants will be required to greet and take food and beverages orders from restaurant guest, serve the orders and accommodate guest requests. • Applicants will be required to serve guests’ promptly and according to established restaurant standards, policies and procedures.
Requirements
• Must have a minimum of three years experience working in a restaurant. • Must have a strong working knowledge of dining room procedures, policies and EPOS System. • Applicants must be a customer service advocate, maintaining a high level of customer service standards. • Maintain a friendly, cheerful and courteous demeanor at all times. • Perform other duties as assigned, requested or deemed necessary by management. • Applicants must be willing to work varied shifts, split shifts, nights, weekends and holidays as required by management. • Applicants will be required to work on a full time basis. • Must be able to walk, stand or stoop for the duration of shift (at least 8 hours). • Applicants must be able to understand/speak/read/write English proficiently. All applicants must be hardworking team players. • Wages for this position is commensurate with experience and training. • Wages starts at $6.00 per hour.
Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by June 23, 2014 at ronnie@habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191. Only candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.
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TURKS & CAICOS SUN
JUNE 7TH - JUNE 14TH, 2014
LOCAL NEWS
Tremendous donor, patron responses to GBC Foundation fundraiser
The business community responded tremendously to the Grace Bay Club Community Foundation Fundraiser, which was held last Friday (May 30, 2014). Chairman for the Foundation, Dr. Carlton Mills, said that event included a silent auction and raffles. Mills said that the foundation collected 30 items for the silent auction and 16 items for the raffle. He said that the majority of the prizes were extremely attractive. “We have boat trips, nights for two at various resorts, including Amanyara, Meridian Club in Pine Cay and a number of art pieces,” he said. He said the prized auction item for the evening was a painting created by visually-impaired philanthropic artist Jeff Hanson of Kansas, USA, who Mills met about three months ago while on Grace Bay Club reservation boat trip. “We began to talk about the foundation. They are a part of a foundation in the United States where they came from, and they decided to assist our foundation by providing a piece of art work which is valued at $10,000,” Mills said. He said that last week’s event was the second year of its staging, and is hoping as time goes by, it would get better. “This is our second annual fundraising activity. As you are aware, we have adopted five schools and this is one of our main ways of raising funds to assist those schools. The government has several financial challenges, including
The Wesley Methodist Church Youth Steel Pan Band playing at the event.
Patrons at the Grace Bay Club Community Foundation Fundraiser view items for raffle and auction. helping to assist the schools in their day-to-day operations. “So, we want to be able to bridge that gap and provide that level of assistance for those five schools that we have adopted. Unfortunately, we cannot assist all of the schools, but we have selected those five – Two in South Caicos (Iris Stubbs Primary and the Marjorie Basden High); two in North (Hubert James and Adelaide Oemler primary schools); and one here in Provo (Ianthe Pratt Primary School),” Mills said. He added: “We selected the schools in South Caicos and North Caicos because we believe that those were the
schools that were mostly neglected. It is also a way of our company giving back to the community. We are very big on that, and our (unit) owners, and in particularly our CEO Mark Durliat are very much in support of giving back to the local community, “Mills pointed out. He said that each year the schools provide a list made up mostly of schools supplies to the foundation, who then raise the funds and purchase the items predominantly from Business Solutions office supplies store in Providenciales. He said the items would then be shipped to the schools.
“The other thing that we is that we have a back-to-school drive in September, where we purchase backpacks, books and so forth for the kids. But what we are also looking at when you give paper, pencils and pens, after a while that wears off. So what we want to do is to have our name imprinted in the schools, so we are looking at, for example the primary schools and the high school by purchase interactive white boards. That would make learning more innovative and more meaningful to the students and bring learning to their fingertips. So, we want to do one for each of the five schools that we have adopted. That is one of the main things that we want to do this year,” Mills revealed. Each white board, according to Mills, is between $1,000 and $1,500. He said that the foundation spend approximately $70,000 year on all the schools that it has adopted.
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Requirements
• Must have five years or more experience as a Security Officer. Law enforcement/security experience preferred. • Excellent oral and written communication skills are required. • Must be computer literate and have working knowledge of CCTV systems and software. • Must be willing to work a variety of day/night and weekend shifts. • Able to be on feet for long periods of time. • Excellent people skills. • Professional, neat, clean cut appearance is necessary. • Clean driver’s license.
The salary for this position is $15,000.00 per annum, commensurate with experience, training and education. Interested applicants should email resumes by June 23, 2014 to ronnie@habgroup.com or submit by fax 649-946-5191. Only persons selected for an interview will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.
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LOCAL NEWS
A machine operator at the Everday Tissue Factory shows how a roll of hand towels is made. Inset, ower Charles Julien Halejcio, holding the finished product.
Mass production tissue factory opens in TCI
Believe it or not, the Turks and Caicos Islands now has a tissue, hand towel and napkins manufacturing plant, and the product seems to match or even surpass some of the brands that we have become acquainted with on the supermarket shelves. Everyday Tissue Factory, owned by Frenchman Charles Julien Halejcio and located on the Caicos Depot building in South Dock, Providenciales, manufactures up to 10,000 rolls a day, including hand towels and napkins. Halejcio said that some people were surprised that the three-monthold factory could be established in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Not only does the Everyday Tissue Factory produce the soft tissue paper of which makes the napkins, tissues and hand towels, but it also manufactures the core material the tissues are rolled on. “We launched our local brand which is “Everyday”, because it is a product we use every day. We started about three months ago now after the training of the workers,” Halejcio said. “We have to train our people especially about safety issues because we are dealing with machines, so there are some safety methods that they have to understand first,” he said “I can say now that we are in full production. Our product is quality product, it matches all imported product. “We produce all the ranges of tissue products, from toilet paper, kitchen towel, jumbo rolls, centre pulls . . . all the tissue needs we can do it over here. If you want it black, if you want it white, if you want it big, if you want it small, we can do it here because we manufacture,” Halejcio said, adding that his company proves that items can be produced locally. “That is important because today 99 per cent of everything is imported from overseas,” Halejcio said. He said that the machines at the plant are some of the most sophisticated anywhere in the world, and are able to do custom napkin printing. “We have about 17 different machines: production machine, packaging machines, cutting machines and we have machines that can be used
Employers package freshly rolled and cut hand towels. Inset, a section of the plant where napkins, hand towels and toilet tissues are prepared to be shipped out. to print whatever you want on your process; it doesn’t involve water of napkins. It could be your business’s any kind because we import the jumbo name or if you are having a wedding roll. If we plan to produce the jumbo or a party, we print your name or the roll over here that will involve a lot of occasion. We do your logo and anything water, bleach and acid. At the moment there is no treatment plant in the you want to have printed,” he said. Halejcio said that the raw material Turks and Caicos, so if we decide to go is imported, but is hoping that very in that direction, we would also have soon he will be able to manufacture to build next to it a treatment plant for it locally using waste newspapers and the waste water,” Halejcio said. He said that on tissue production cotton. He noted however, that for the jumbo rolls to be manufactured, he days, the plant employs up to 12 people, would have to setup a water treatment but when on jumbo rolls production plant to handle the chemicals that day, about four persons are currently would be used to treat the recycled pa- needed. “Four people are enough to produce pers. “You have those jumbo rolls that the jumbo rolls, but when we produce have been imported, because we don’t the toilet paper, that is when we need manufacture them here at the moment, 10 to 12 people mainly for packagbut in the future I hope we will. We ing because it involves a lot of hands. [currently] import them [raw material] All our toilet papers are individually mainly from the US and Canada, and wrapped and so that takes a lot of hand we use the main machine to transform power,” he said. Halejcio said he is pleased with the them into what we need. “Today our processing is a dry feedback that he has been getting from
the businesses that he went to pitch the product. He however, stated that it took a great deal of proof to convince some of the business operators that Everyday is a Turks and Caicos tissue manufacturing establishment. “I went to a few established businesses over here - restaurants and resorts – most of the people didn’t believe that this is happening. They believed that I imported it, but I can tell you that we can make such things in Turks and Caicos. Slowly but surely I can say that the response is good, mainly because our paper is made out of recycled, and more and more people have environmental concerns, and they like the idea of having environmentallyfriendly product in their hotel,” Halejcio explained. He said that he would be using the slow tourism period to pitch his business so that when the peak of the season comes around, he would by then become a household name. Halejcio revealed that his products are being sold for far less than other existing brands in the supermarkets. He said that the Everyday toilet tissues, napkins and hand towels are now available mainly at Quality Supermarket, Price Club and Kishco. He is hoping to strike an agreement with Graceway IGA Supermarket soon. In the meantime, Halejcio is singing the praises of the Dr. Rufus Ewing administration for paving the way for his business to be established in the TCI. “I want to thank the Government, the premier, the minister of finance, TC Invest, especially Rochelle Thompson, who has helped me a lot through the process of establishing this first industry in the Turks and Caicos,” he said.
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LOCAL NEWS
Founder Rev. Howell believes new college will help build the TCI Well known in the Turks and Caicos Islands Rev. Conrad Howell the composer of the national song “This Land of Ours” along with his wife Mrs. Brikell Howell, and local congregation at Sure Foundation Ministries, are changing lives and bringing hope through their education branch University College of Providenciales (UCP), scheduled to open this fall. Howell, who has worn many hats in Turks and Caicos Islands and has been pastoring in the settlement of Kew Town for the past seven years, says: “Our people need more options to study and develop themselves locally, so that we can be better positioned to make demands in the job market. “There is a need and we as a church, in addition to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, are preparing to answer some of our social needs through adult education,” Rev. Howell said. The local church ministry since its inception has had education as part of it’s vision, but according to Howell, “there is a time, and a season for every purpose. Nothing happens before time.” Back in 2006 Howell presented a proposal to the then government for a College Park, which never materialized, but the idea and concept has continued to circulate among the powers that be in government even today. In 2010, Howell seeing the effect Founder of the new University College of Providenciales, Rev. Conrad Howell. of the suspension of parts of our constitution, the UK direct rule, and Interim Administration, has also noted insignificant. With faith in God we can community about the University the added burden on our education accomplish anything we put our minds College of Providenciales, and it system. appears a welcomed addition in tertiary to.” This has created a digression, in In the words penned by his education. It will further ensure that available scholarship funding, for local grandmother, the late Mrs. Oseta our people have the options, right here and international studies. Jolly: “We are out to build the Turks at home in the Beautiful by Nature “It’s now time for us as Turks and and Caicos,” says Howell. Turks and Caicos Islands. Caicos Islanders to make our own way Through their US affiliates, courses “We applaud this government and broaden the horizon on the home for looking beyond who we are as offered are accredited by North Central front, for our people and residents,” individuals, and looking at the bigger Association Commission on Accreditasays Rev. Howell. picture which is the benefits to Turks tion and School Improvement (NCA By the end of 2010 Howell felt and Caicos islanders. So we are CASI) and the Southern Association compelled to revise his college park grateful for the opportunity to validate of Colleges and Schools Council on Acproposal and push a local institution of the Education Week theme in 2013 creditation and School Improvement, higher learning. Thus he registered the “Partnership through Education”. DETC (Distance Education Training University College of Providenciales in UCP has worked hard to secure Council), IACET (International AssoMarch 2011. accredited programs and will be ciation for Continuing Education and “We have waited patiently, offering Undergraduate Degrees and Training), and ACE (American Council through much prayer, agitation and Certificates, Career and Personal on Education). determination to get to this point,” he Development Courses, Adult High Howell says “this assures our said. School, College and Workforce awards, degrees and certifications giv“We as a congregation are small; we Readiness. en by the Institution are internationas a people are small; but we are not There is already a buzz in the ally recognized, portable and transfer-
able.” “We welcome our professionals from various career sectors to share their knowledge with our students through becoming adjunct lecturers, and volunteers, this provides enrichment for them as a professional in their field, and allows them the opportunity to help shape and guide the upcoming young brilliant minds that are looking for local professional mentors,” he said. “If they have no teaching experience or certifications, UCP offers developmental courses in the area of Course Facilitation to Professionals who would like to take advantage of this opportunity to share their knowledge.” “Likewise we welcome the support of our local corporations, business owners and charitable organizations to partner with us and sponsor higher education, career and workforce development in TCI.” “We are prepared to grow with our people”, Howell says, “to have our own we have to start somewhere, and not despise humble beginnings. Thus, we welcome those who would like to take advantage of what we have to offer and are prepared to grow with us.” Howell believes that the University College of Providenciales is “the advantage you”. Registration for University College of Providenciales (UCP) is at Sure Foundation Ministries 59B Norway Road, in Kew Town. You may visit the website: www.ucp. tc.
HJ Robinson High cops first prize in energy-saving jingle competition The Energy and Utilities Department of the Ministry of Government Support Services has announced that the winner of the Secondary School Energy Awareness-Jingle Competition is the Helena Jones (HJ) Robinson High School. The competition was launched in January 2014, as part of the Departments Energy Efficiency and Conservation Awareness Campaign, under the theme, “Smart Choices
Today for a Sustainable Energy Tomorrow-Be Energy Smart.” The entry submitted by students Ariella Astwood, Marie Charles and Jenny Fleurenvil, copped the first prize. They will receive a gift certificate in the amount of $500, redeemable at a business of choice in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the school H.J Robinson High will receive $1,000 in cash. Kayanna Gibson of the Marjorie
Basden High School was adjudged second; and she will receive a gift certificate of $250, whilst the school will receive a cash award of $500.00. Third prize went to the entry submitted by students Albright Dor and Aravna Lucsama of the Clement Howell and they will receive a gift certificate of $100 and the school, cash in the amount of $150. The campaign was intended to create a buzz and enthusiasm amongst secondary school students to become
involved in energy-related issues and to increase the level of awareness as it relates to the benefits surrounding the efficient use of energy and smart choices we can make in our daily endeavours. A total of six entries were received by the Department and reviewed by a panel of five judges. Utility provider, FortisTCI, partnered with the Department to sponsor the prizes for the top three jingles.
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Royal Flush Gaming Parlor Turtle Cove
$1000.00
The Royal Flush is one of Provo’s newest and hottest gaming parlors around, with top of the line digital games that gives its players more bang for their buck with hefty payouts the more they play. Royal Flush, located in Turtle Cove just under Smokey’s Restaurant. Throughout recent months Royal Flush has been offering weekend promotional giveaways. Since its reopening, and has had some very happy winners. In April, Lisa Glinton walked away with $1,000.00 after a successful evening playing Kingo Mania and in May, Krystal Williams won the Klondike Jackpot, walking away with a whopping $1,500.00. Royal Flush will continue with their weekly gaming specials as they introduce and promote new games to their patrons. Every Saturday during the month of June, Keno will be highlighted, the player that has the most matches of seven or more balls, will win $500. Every Friday the Klondike promotion will continue, giving away $500 to the winner with the most Klondike jackpots with a rollover so if no one wins on Friday, the jackpot will roll over to the next week increasing the payout to $1,000.00 and so on. Gaming enthusiasts are invited to attend our weekend specials to increase their chances of walking away as a winner. Drink specials are also offered to players while they engage in the games of their choice and Free Drinks to those engaged in the weekend promotional contest The Royal Flush in Turtle Cove…You don’t have to play big to win big!
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ENTERTAINMENT
Justin Bieber accused of racist joke about joining KKK in video Justin Bieber has apologised after more controversy over reports that he had used the N-word in a video and joked about joining the Ku Klux Klan. Just days after the singer issued an apology for a different controversial film in which he made a racist joke, the Sun newspaper claimed to have seen a further video in which he adapts the words to his 2009 hit song One Less Lonely Girl to One Less Lonely N****r. The video, which was filmed early in his career, is also claimed to feature footage of the singer cracking a joke
Shield actor Michael Jace
Actor accused of shooting in 911 call
LOS ANGELES — Actor Michael Jace, who is charged with killing his wife, called and told his father-in-law about the shooting and asked him to come for the couple’s two young children soon after it happened, a 911 call released Thursday indicates. In the three-minute call, the father of April Jace told a dispatcher that his sonin-law had called and texted him about the shooting. “My son-in-law called me, and (texted) me, and said come get the kids because he shot April, our daughter,” the caller, whose name was redacted from the audio, told a fire department dispatcher. Michael Jace, who played a police officer on the TV series “The Shield,” was arrested on May 19, and police have said he also called 911 directly to report that he had shot his wife. That 911 call was not released. Jace has been charged with murder but has not yet entered a plea. His father-in-law called 911 while driving to the Los Angeles home of the couple. By then, police had already been notified of the shooting, according to the audio.
about killing black people. On Thursday the Canadian singer issued a new apology, saying: “Facing my mistakes from years ago has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with. “But I feel now that I need to take responsibility for those mistakes and not let them linger. At the end of the day, I just need to step up and own what I did.” The 20-year-old has been dogged by controversy in recent months. Last year he upset young fans
by appearing on stage late at a UK gig meaning many had to leave just moments after he took to the stage and then got into a scuffle with a photographer outside his London hotel. He is due to stand trial in the US next month on charges of driving under the influence, resisting arrest and driving with an expired licence, after a street race incident in Florida in January. In April he apologised for posting a picture online from a visit to a shrine in Japan which honoured 14 convicted war criminals.
Justin Bieber performs during a concert at Bercy Arena in Paris in this file photo .
Jonah Hill’s apology over gay slur raises question LOS ANGELES, California – Jonah Hill is winning points for what appears to be a sincere apology for hurling a gay slur at a paparazzo he says was harassing him. But the insult the actor hurled last week still raises the question: Why would someone like Hill, for years a vocal supporter of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, use such a word? Even in a moment of anger? Not that he’s the first or likely will be the last prominent person to do so. A national television audience heard Kobe Bryant shout the same slur three years ago at a referee he thought had made a bad call during a basketball game. Isaiah Washington said it to his “Grey’s Anatomy” co-star T.R. Knight in 2007, setting off a dispute that eventually got Washington fired. Chicago Bulls centre Joakim Noah yelled it at a Miami Heat basketball fan who had been getting Actor Jonah Hill on him during a game. The word is faggot, and although it’s a fourth-grader or a professional it’s not the only gay pejorative, it seems athlete, 90 per cent have heard the to be the one people most often fall back term in the last week.” on when they’re mad at someone. And It is so commonplace that when often it doesn’t seem to matter if they someone is furious and searching for think the person is gay or not. the most insulting thing they can say, “I think Jonah Hill’s comments are that’s the one they pick, says Howard indicative of the fact that oftentimes Bragman, a veteran Hollywood when somebody uses that language, crisis publicist and vice-president of they aren’t using it because they are Reputation.com. necessarily homophobic,” said Hudson “In anger, the emotional overtakes the Taylor, whose group, Athlete Ally, rational and you think of the harshest seeks to end anti-gay bias in sports. thing you can say, and that certainly “That language is so prevalent in all the sounds harsh,” added Bragman, who communities I work with that whether himself is gay, knows Hill personally
and doesn’t believe the actor is anti-gay. Hill has been a public supporter of gay rights, including speaking out against Russian laws against “gay propaganda.” Hill, who starred in “The Wolf of Wall Street” and the new “22 Jump Street” film, let fly with the epithet after a photographer tried to get a rise out of him by insulting him and his family. That’s an act that’s fairly commonplace among Hollywood paparazzi, who often hope to get their money shots by provoking celebrities into doing something stupid.
Former UK pop star Gary Glitter charged with child sex offences
Former British pop star Gary Glitter was on Thursday accused of eight sexual offences against two teenage girls dating back to the 1970s following a 20-month investigation. The singer, whose real name is Paul Gadd, was first arrested by British police in October 2012 over allegations of sexual offences and evidence gathered by the police has
since been handed over to prosecutors. Gadd, 70, popular as a glam-rock singer in the 1970s, will appear in court on June 19 charged with eight sexual offences between 1977 and 1980 against two girls who were aged 12 and 14 at the time. “Having completed our review, we have concluded . . . that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the
public interest for Mr Gadd to be charged with eight offences,” Chief Crown Prosecutor Baljit Ubhey said in a statement. The prosecutor said no further action would be taken in relation to five allegations made by two further complainants as there was insufficient evidence.
Former British pop star Gary Glitter (right) returns in a taxi to his home in London.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Coldplay keeps Mariah Carey from topping Billboard 200
British rockers Coldplay retained the top spot on the weekly Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, holding off new entries from Mariah Carey and Austin Mahone. Coldplay’s “Ghost Stories” clocked a second week at No. 1 with sales of 83,000 over the past week, according to figures compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. “Ghost Stories” entered the chart at the top last week with the highest sales week of the year so far, 383,000 copies. Country singer Brantley Gilbert held onto No. 2 for a second week with “Just As I Am,” selling 65,000 copies. Pop diva Mariah Carey entered the chart at No. 3 with her latest album, “Me. I am Mariah ... The Elusive Chanteuse,” with sales of 58,000. Billboard said it was Carey’s smallest sales opening for a non-holiday album since SoundScan started tracking sales in 1991. A new entry in the top 10 of the chart last week included teen pop singer Mahone at No. 5 with “The Secret EP.”
Kanye West takes ‘drastic measures’ to beef up daughter’s security He has expressed his concern in the past over his daughter North’s safety in the public eye. And now Kanye West apparently is taking ‘drastic measures’ to protect his little girl with wife Kim Kardashian. The 36-year-old allegedly was upset over all pictures taken of the 10-month-old during his and Kim’s wedding festivities last month, and he is motivated to take extra precautions to keep her safe. ‘Kim and Kanye have been arguing over all of the exposure North got during the wedding,’ a source close to Kanye told RadarOnline. ‘He was frustrated that the baby was in public so much and he wants to make sure that now that all of
those festivities are over that she’s protected.’ He has been vocal in the past about not wanting North’s picture taken by the papparazzi and the couple’s friends, but the source insists it’s not a ‘control issue.’ ‘Kanye isn’t trying to control any press about North. He’s genuinely afraid for her safety and doesn’t want people to be able to track her every move,’ said the insider. The first-time father is exploring various options to better protect the tot. ‘He is talking to other really rich and famous people about how they keep their kids safe and what extra precautions he can take. He isn’t taking any chances.’
Kanye West is said to be taking ‘drastic measures’ to ensure his daughter North’s safety.
‘Game of Thrones’ most popular series in HBO history
“Game of Thrones,” HBO’s Emmy- 14.4 million viewers per episode. Two award winning fantasy epic, has episodes of the fourth season have yet to surpassed “The Sopranos” as its most be aired, with the finale set for June 15. popular series ever, the premium cable HBO has already committed to making seasons five and six. network said on Thursday. The series on Time Warner IncEpisodes in the fourth season of the show have an average gross audience of owned HBO network features dragons, 18.4 million, including repeat showings, castles and dragons. It is based on the video on demand and mobile streaming, best-selling books by fantasy and science which broke the record of 18.2 million fiction writer George R.R. Martin about set by the 2002 season of the mobster fictional, medieval families fighting for control of a mythical land. drama, “The Sopranos.” The show, which first aired in 2011, Video on demand and delayed viewing habits have changed significantly since stars Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, 2002, with more options being open to Emilia Clarke and Maisie Williams, and is sold to more than 200 markets outside television audiences. Season three of the show averaged the United States.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Olivia Wilde
Bridget Moynahan
Emmy Rossum
Rihanna given Fashion Icon Award at CFDAs She was honoured with the Fashion Icon Award at the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards last week and Rihanna made sure all eyes were on her at the bash. The Diamonds singer glittered in a racy sheer embellished halter dress to show off every inch of her slim figure. The naughty outfit – custom made by designer Adam Selman and comprised of a total of 216,000
Leaving nothing to the imagination: Rihanna opted for just a sheer embellished backless halter dress which showed off every inch of her body as she was honoured at the CFDA awards. At right, Naomi Campbell.
Swarovski crystals – left nothing to the imagination as Rihanna took a star turn on the carpet in her backless dress. She wore just a flesh coloured thong under her see-through dress, but no bra, and her breasts were clearly visible. Rihanna’s sole attempt at covering up was clutching a fur wrap as she primped and posed for photographers. She wore a matching sparkly turban, which left the emphasis on
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LOCAL NEWS ENTERTAINMENT
Blake Lively
Joan Smalls
her beautiful face. Rihanna, undisputed fashion star of the moment, was no doubt the big draw at the CFDA awards, which also honours the year’s top designers. The singer and pop culture star was on hand to receive the group’s 2014 Fashion Icon Award and made sure that no one will forget her star turn on the carpet. Accepting her award, Rihanna told the crowd: ‘I grew up in a really small island and I didn’t have a lot of access to fashion but as far as I can remember, fashion has always been a defence mechanism. I remember thinking ‘she can beat me, but not my outfit.’” Meanwhile, she may not have been nominated for an award but Emmy Rossum made sure she too was noticed at the awards ceremony. The Shameless star, who was among the earliest arrivals on the red carpet, opted for a racy lime green plunging backless dress. Naomi Campbell also wowed in a glittery number, which featured
Liya Kebede
Beth Behrs
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
Solange Knowles
Heidi Klum
both a plunging neckline and backless detail. The supermodel, who turned 44 just under two weeks ago, didn’t seem too deterred that Rihanna had stepped out in an equally sparkly look as they chatted away on the red carpet. Blake Lively’s outfit stood out amongst all the flowing gowns as she opted for 60s style gold minidress which showed off her long legs. Heidi Klum showcased her Amazonian figure in a flowing peach dress while Joan Smalls, Jennifer Hudson, Olivia Munn and Chanel Iman all chose long black dresses. Identical twins and fashion designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen chose to dress almost identically in black coat dresses with sandals and even styled their hair the same way. While Sophia Bush dressed in a short white lace Marchesa dress, Karlie Kloss, Jaime King and Liya Kebede all dressed in white.
Lupita Nyong’o
Jennifer Hudson displayed her slim figure in a racy black evening gown from Kaufmanfranco which displayed a hint of cleavage.
Iman stood out in a brightly coloured gown.
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The Duplex by Glenn McCoy Herman by Jim Unger
Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis
Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce
Dilbert Classics by Scott Adams
Drabble by Kevin Fagan
F Minus by Tony Carrillo
Monty by Jim Meddick
Brewster Rockit by Tim Rickard Close to Home by John McPherson
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FUN & GAMES
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CARIBBEAN
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CARIBBEAN NEWS
NEWS
Bahamas to take US spying claims to OAS
NASSAU, Bahamas – A foreign service team will travel to Paraguay this week to address the Organization of American States (OAS) and meet with a representative from the office of the US assistant secretary of state on the controversial allegations that the National Security Agency (NSA) of the United States is recording and storing audio from every cell phone conversation in The Bahamas, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell said on Sunday. During a press conference, Mitchell pointed out that it has been more than a week since US officials indicated they would give a public response on the matter. No such response has yet come, according to Mitchell. Mitchell said his ministry is “kicking it up to an even higher level to get answers”. He said it is imperative to get to the bottom of who, if anyone, authorized the alleged spying. Only the ministry of national security, the Office of the Attorney General and the commissioner of police can authorize listening of private citizens’ phone conversations, according to the Listening Devices Act. Mitchell said that everyone in the current and former administration, who would have had authority to sign off on access to the cell phones with the “glaring exception” of the former prime minister, Hubert Ingraham, has
Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell publically denied knowledge of the matter. Asked whether he felt Ingraham should provide a public response, Mitchell said, “I am not going to prescribe to him what his behavior ought to be. “I only point out to you that everybody has spoken except him and that is as far as I want to go.” He added, “The fact is, the allegations are still out there and as the government of the day we have to get to the bottom of this and if there is unlawful activity we have to make every effort to stop it.” Mitchell said whatever the outcome of the matter is, the government will stand up for
the rule of law, for the protection of the privacy of Bahamians, and will hold all The Bahamas’ international partners to their own moral standards. When asked if there is any evidence to suggest the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) was used to facilitate the recordings, Mitchell said there are many “straws in the wind at the moment, but no hard facts”. The company has said neither BTC nor its parent company Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) is “complicit” in any breach of customer information. Mitchell said he has assigned an officer to gather information on the history of the matter. “Social media is alive with this, which means the Bahamian population is agitated over it,” he said. “I saw a very strong editorial by The Nassau Guardian, which described it as an act of hostility. “Even The Tribune, which is not normally on the side of these things, indicated that we need to get to the bottom of who authorized, if it is true, people to violate the privacy of Bahamians. “Across the board this is a matter of concern so the government cannot remain silent in the face of it. “It seems to me that the logical conclusion to it is, once you find out that the law has been violated, then you have to ask people to stop and what follows from that.”
Non-national is first confirmed case of chikungunya virus in Barbados BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Barbados Wednesday confirmed a case of the chikungunya virus on the island with Health Minister John Boyce, saying the infected patient is a non-national, who has since returned home. The nationality of the person has not been disclosed. Boyce told a news Health Minister John Boyce conference that the sample was one of seven sent to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) last week. Boyce said, “Our public health officials will continue to undertake all corrective measures as are needed at this time to address the situation, including fogging, enhanced surveillance of ports of entry, collection and analysis of data from the various public healthcare facilities, education and other source reduction activities. He added, “I want to again encourage all Barbadians to cooperate with the Ministry of Health by following the public health guidance which is given by us and the officers who are placed in the position of leadership in this regard”. The most common symptoms of chikungunya are fever and joint pain. Other symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash. Chikungunya, a virus more commonly found in Africa and Asia and transmitted by the same daytime-biting aedes aegypti mosquito that causes the more deadly dengue fever, was first detected in the eastern Caribbean five months ago. Since then, it has jumped from island to island, sending thousands of patients to the hospital with painful joints, pounding headaches and spiking fevers. Chikungunya is normally not deadly and symptoms begin to dissipate within a week.
Tragic murders continue Mother jailed for to plague Trinidad as two young atrocious injury to brothers executed six-year-old son
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Fifteen-year-old Jamal Brathwaite and his nine-year-old brother Jadel Holder were murdered execution style on Sunday in Morvant, Trinidad, by gunmen who fired one shot to the back of the head of each of the boys; killing them instantly in full view of their mother. According to a police report, two men entered the brothers’ home at around 3:00 pm and ordered everyone in the house to lie face down on the floor. A neighbour, 16-year-old Glendel Alexander, who was in the house at the time, got up from the floor and started running to escape. He was shot in the leg but was otherwise left alone by the killers. Some villagers told the media that the brothers were badly behaved and their killings were no surprise to them; others expressed
concern about the execution style get into trouble when she is absent, killing. noted the Trinidad Express report. One neighbour told the Trinidad Villagers were also at variance Express the boys had committed over the boys’ school attendance, robberies in the capital city of Port with one saying they hardly ever of Spain but were on good terms attended school, but a relative with villagers in their community. claimed nine-year-old holder was Another neighbour also shared not a dropout. a story about the boys refusing to Police are continuing their pay the full fare to a taxi driver investigations into the double only a week ago. homicide. When the driver admonished These execution-style killings Holder, the other brother – resembling something more Brathwaite told him (the driver) likely to be seen in a movie – he just came out of prison and occurred within one month of the should be content with the money assassination of state prosecutor he was paid. Dana Seetahal SC, who was Alexander is being treated at executed when a gunman opened the Port of Spain General Hospital. fire on her vehicle. His condition is stable. To date, police continue to The dead boys’ mother is indicate that the investigation into described as one who works very her murder is at a sensitive stage hard to ensure a good living for her and they cannot reveal any more children; however, they seem to details to the media.
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – A Magistrate court has jailed a 23-year-old mother of four after she pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to her six year-old son by burning him three times with an iron. Tashika Da Souza, who was given a one-year jail sentence, told Magistrate Rechanne BrowneMatthias that she did not know that the iron was hot when she pressed it against her son’s left hand and abdomen. Chief Prosecutor Adolphus Delphelce described the act as “wicked, backward and barbaric”. The court heard that Da Souza’s son defecated on himself after she had readied him for school last Thursday. She then burnt him with the iron. Da Souza told the court she was sorry for what transpired, but she did not know the iron was still hot, since she had plugged it out a while before the incident. Da Souza is said to have attempted to hide the incident, but it was reported anonymously to the Questelles Police Station, triggering her arrest and subsequent charge.
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Barbadians must brace for more economic woes following Moody’s downgrade – Mottley The main opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) Tuesday warned Barbadians to brace themselves for more economic problems after the USbased ratings agency, Moody’s Investors Service, downgraded the Barbados’ government bond rating by three notches to B3 from Ba3, while maintaining its negative outlook on the island. “We cannot expect to continue to do the same things over and over and get different results. Yesterday’s further downgrade by Moody’s by a staggering 3 notches must jolt us into our true reality,” said BLP and opposition leader Mia Mottley. “We were warned that increasing our overall debt, especially our reliance on short-term debt, will lead to a further downgrade. Yet the Government continues recklessly to do so. Two weeks ago we increased the Local Loans Limit to BDS$4 billion (One BDS dollar = US$0.50 cents) and now today we are increasing the limit under the Special Loans Act by BDS$1 billion to BDS$2.5 billion. “We were warned that continued Central Bank financing of our fiscal deficit will put pressure on our exchange rate. Yet the Central Bank continues to do so. We were warned that increasing our fiscal deficit and missing our targets for fiscal consolidation will lead to a further downgrade. Yet the Government continues unashamedly to do so.” In a statement, Mottley said that the country was warned that declining foreign reserves would lead to a further downgrade. She said despite such a warning “the foreign reserves dangerously continue to decline in spite of the Government’s
BLP and opposition leader Mia Mottley borrowing to prop them up”. Moody’s Investors Service said the three-notch downgrade reflects the reinforcement of negative fiscal trends given the increasing size of the country’s fiscal deficit, which exceeded 11% of GDP in fiscal year 2013/14, and “our expectation of continued challenges to fiscal consolidation”. Moody’s, which had previously downgraded the bond rating to Ba3 from Ba1 last December, also highlighted the increasing government debt ratios, projected at above 100% of GDP by fiscal year 2014/15, coupled with elevated short-term debt issuance and gross financing needs in excess of 30% of GDP in 2014 and 2015. The agency is further projecting “a decline in international reserves this
year, due to large current account deficits and weaker private sector inflows” as well as “Central bank financing of the fiscal deficit that will increase pressure on the country’s currency peg to the US dollar”. In terms of the widening government deficit, Moody’s explained that the situation was driven by lower-thanexpected revenues, linked to last year’s slight economic contraction. “Despite the authorities’ recent efforts, expenditures remain high and rigid, particularly the public sector wage bill and transfers to loss-making public enterprises, and interest payments have increased significantly. “The government announced several fiscal adjustment measures, including widespread public sector layoffs, but we
Haiti plans to extend literacy to over 700,000 by 2016 PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (HCNN) – Haiti’s government has launched an aggressive literacy campaign targeting nearly half a million Haitians, following a program which has already helped over 282,000 illiterate to learn how to write and read since the President Michel Martelly took office in 2011. The Haitian secretary of state for literacy, Oswald Thimoleon, said since Martelly’s inauguration of about three years ago, 149,300 people were taught to write and read up to April 2013 and from March of the same year to present, an additional 133,000 Haitian adults have become literate. The Haitian government has launched this year an aggressive literacy campaign to reach 450,000 people over the next two year, 225,000 each annually, according to Thimoleon. “Our goal is to eliminate analphabetism throughout the country and we have already done significant efforts in that direction,” Thimoleon told the Haitian-Caribbean News Network (HCNN) on Tuesday.
These small communities include the Bernard Gousse neighborhoods in the Southern Grand’Anse region, where nearly 5,000 are to be taught how to write and read. “We want Bernard Gousse to become completely illiteracy free, while we work hard to eradicate analphabetism throughout the country,” said Lamothe. Cuba has also helped train scores of Haitian trainers who have been contributing in trainers others who will be used in the programs to teach the illiterate. There is also an audiovisual learning method which has been put in place in place, called Yes, I can or “Wi, Mwen Kapab”, in Haitian Creole. Oswald Thimoleon Literacy trends in Haiti have shown significant and steady Haitian Prime Minister Lau- progress during the past years rent Lamothe announced re- and the literacy rate projected cently a special plan to speed for 2015, by the UN Agency for and expand literacy program Culture and Education (UNin some particularly vulnerable ESCO), is 61.0%, compared to communities in several parts of 48.7% in previous years. The literacy rate is 99.8% in the country, where the government wants illiteracy completely Cuba, 99.0% in Trinidad, 90.1% eliminated within the next two in the Dominican Republic and 75.4% in Guatemala. years.
think the authorities will be challenged to meet a deficit target of 6-7 per cent of GDP in the running (fiscal year), given Moody’s projection of a GDP contraction of around one per cent this year,” Moody’s said. Mottley said that the downgrade comes against increasing difficulties by the Freundel Stuart government to raise medium term money and challenges with a recent 2019 Issue of bonds. She described the situation as regrettable, noting it was a case of the market “reflecting their lack of confidence in this government’s management of the economy and its fourth attempt at fiscal consolidation. “How many more people and institutions must speak, through their words and actions, before Barbadians tell this Government that the message is clear from everyone who assesses our economy? How many more Barbadian workers, families and businesses must be sacrificed before we recognize that all Barbadians must stand up and call a spade a spade. “The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result,” Mottley said adding “our economy is in crisis and no one has confidence in this government’s policies nor in its ability to lead us out of the crisis. “The deafening silence of Barbadians is the greatest ally to this Government’s incompetence. The voices of all Barbadian patriots in the private sector, union movement, academia, church, civil society and among our general population must now be heard for it cannot be business as usual,” she added.
Court dismisses record company’s claim to Marley songs KINGSTON, Jamaica – A British High Court judge on Wednesday dismissed a record company’s claim to the rights to 13 Bob Marley songs, including the 1974 classic No Woman, No Cry. The judge, who heard evidence at a trial in May, delivered the ruling on the dispute involving Cayman Music and Blue Mountain Music at a hearing in London, Ireland’s RTE News reported. No Woman, No Cry, one of the late reggae star’s most famous works, was at the centre of the case. The case was based on the “construction” of an agreement made in 1992 – 11 years after Marley’s death from cancer at age 36 – under which copyrights in “various musical works” were transferred by Cayman Music, lawyers say. Cayman claimed that the 13 songs were not transferred under that agreement. Blue Mountain, which is responsible for administering rights transferred under that agreement, disputes the claim. Lawyers for Cayman told the judge that Marley signed a publishing deal with Cayman in late 1973. They said the 13 songs were written by Marley between October 1973 and October 1976. And they said Marley “fraudulently” attributed the songs to other people to avoid the provisions of the 1973 agreement. Lawyers for Blue Mountain said, on the “straightforward application of ordinary principles of contract law”, the claim had to be dismissed. They accepted that Marley “falsely claimed” that the 13 songs had been composed by other people in an attempt to “escape the automatic assignment of their copyright to Cayman”.
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M.P.: Citizens suffocated by crime
CENTRAL Grand Bahama MP Enrico Major was stabbed to death by Neko Grant yesterday urged the a group of men as he walked on Baillou government to put more effort into Hill Road south with a friend. “Not a day goes by without a major the fight against crime as citizens are crime being committed. Daily shootings being “suffocated” by the crime. During his contribution to the have become the norm. Stabbings are a annual Budget debate in the House of close second,” he said. Mr Grant added that if crime was Assembly yesterday Mr Grant said that murder is up considerably, compared a fire, then it would appear as though to last year, despite National Security it were breathing fire because it is Minister Dr Bernard Nottage saying “ablaze like a torch.” The FNM MP reminded the PLP of that there was a decrease. “Unlike some, I continue to be very their 2012 campaign tactic of placing concerned about the crime situation billboards in western New Providence in Grand Bahama,” Mr Grant said of highlighting 490 murders, which they his home town. “Three murders in 36 said occurred during the FNM’s term hours and four within a week is too in office. “The Rt Honourable Member for much. The eighth murder for 2014 so far doubles the murder counter for Centreville, as Leader of the Opposition 2013 in its entirety. There is certainly in August 2011 in a national address declared that crime was the result much reason for concern.” On Sunday, the country recorded of bad governance,” he said. “I ask its 60th murder this year, according to him, what is now the reason for the The Tribune’s count, when 17-year-old unacceptable level of crime in The
Bahamas today? Or do you now accept that as bad governance?” Mr. Grant continued to quote Prime Minister Christie, then Opposition leader, who at the opening of the PLP’s Mt Moriah constituency in 2012 told party supporters, “You know and I know that an important reason for the escalation of crime in The Bahamas is poor governance. The FNM has been paralysed, unable to lead on the crucial issue.” According to the Central Grand Bahama MP, the PLP’s Operation Ceasefire, which they said would deploy more police in crime hot-spots and increase surveillance for those out on bail only turned out to be a joke. “There has been no ceasefire,” he said. “When on occasion we are having a murder everyday or shootings everyday we have people with ankle bracelets being killed and doing the killing.”
Huge number of computerized police records potentially lost by name of the boat. How Internal records of the many times each of those Royal Cayman Islands Police watercraft have a) broken Service Joint Intelligence down, have been damaged or Unit, Marine Unit and the were otherwise found to be police commissioner’s office deficient and have required may be lost following a “hard repairs or replacement, b) drive crash,” according to the period of time they were information obtained by the out of service, c) the cost of Cayman Compass. making the repairs, d) when The crash, which affected they were returned to service five drives containing e) if they were not returned government data on a server to service, what happened to at the Citrus Grove building the watercraft.” in downtown George Town, Some of the repair cost caused the stored data on information had been those drives to be corrupted, provided as part of the officials confirmed. Police records housed in a server in Citrus Grove may be irretrievable. request, but Mr. Christian “A series of hard drive said data related to the failures occurred on the drives Wednesday to determine if the server, the server itself did not fail,” information kept on the police hard time the vessels were out of service said Wesley Howell, deputy chief officer drives had been backed up. “I would was on the government hard drives of the Ministry of Home Affairs. “The have expected to hear something by in the Citrus Grove building that had crashed, apparently sometime in May. server held data for the RCIPS, specific now,” he said. Representatives of the Information types and exact number of files that are RCIPS representatives responding corrupted are unknown. The file share to an open records request filed by the Commissioner’s Office were contacted that has the corrupted files holds 1.2 newspaper in February revealed the about the “missing” data from the terabytes of data.” problem when information related to newspaper’s request. “[Mr. Christian] says that computer A terabyte is equal to 1,000 gigabytes the request about Marine Unit patrol services has recommended that the or one trillion bytes of computerized boats could not be located. data. A one terabyte hard drive, for The RCIPS information manager, Ministry [of Home Affairs] send the example, could hold more than 78 Chief Inspector Raymond Christian, server overseas for the data to be million copies of this story, if it were reported numerous times that officers restored,” said Freedom of Information saved to a computer drive using a were searching for the relevant records analyst Cory Martinson. “Apparently, standard Microsoft Word program. sought by the request for the period they do not want to continue trying the Mr. Howell said government from Jan. 1, 2011, to Feb. 19, 2014: restoration of the data here because Computer Services Department “All of the watercraft used as part of they fear that they could further employees were searching through the Joint Marine Unit’s operations corrupt the files.”
Donnie McClurkin donates $60m in medical supplies to Ja
The public health sector received a gift of medical supplies valued at more than $60 million from well-known American gospel singer Donnie McClurkin Monday afternoon. Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson accepted the donation of syringes, medication, surgical tools and equipment which, he said, will be supplied on a demand basis to hospitals and health centres across the island. Addressing the presentation ceremony at The Courtleigh Hotel and Suites in New Kingston, Ferguson said that donations amount to 20 to 30 per cent of the health ministry’s overall budget, down from about 80 per cent three years ago. “This year we have a current budget somewhere in the region of $34.7 billion. But, even as we have that budget, there are still significant gaps in our ability to respond to the needs of our people,” the minister said. McClurkin said he made the donation because of his love for Jamaica and its culture, adding that one of his albums contains tracks that were inspired by Jamaican gospel songs.
St Vincent and Jamaica ratify the new Arms Trade Treaty St Vincent and the Grenadines and Jamaica have ratified the new Arms Trade Treaty as the Caribbean seeks to play an historic role in helping end the irresponsible, lethal global US$85 billion trade in small arms and light weapons and ammunition. The delegations from the two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries Tuesday attended a special ratification ceremony at the United Nations’ Headquarters to mark the event. “It is really positive that two more CARICOM member states have ratified the Arms Trade Treaty. St Vincent and the Grenadines hosted two of the four regional preparatory workshops at which CARICOM’s common negotiating position was agreed,” president of the Caribbean Coalition for Development and the Reduction of Armed Violence (CDRAV) Folade Mutota said. “Jamaica was very instrumental during the negotiations when the region successfully pushed for the inclusion of small arms and ammunition in the treaty”.
US Navy veteran struggling after deportation to Jamaica Howard Bailey joined the US Navy straight out of high school in Brooklyn figuring he would see the world. He didn’t expect to end up back in his native Jamaica, raising pigs and barely getting by in the poor village of his childhood. The 43-year-old father of two was deported in May 2012 from the US to his Caribbean homeland because he was convicted of a marijuana-related felony drug charge in 1997 – despite the four years he served in the Navy. Weighed down by worry, he wants to get back to his family and the future he thought he was building in Virginia. Bailey was a teenager when he and his
siblings followed their mother to New York as green card holders, and he long considered the United States his home. “It’s so hard,” Bailey said, gesturing at a few rough-hewn pigpens and yam vines climbing up bamboo sticks. “I went from owning a successful trucking business and two homes in the US, paying my taxes, raising two beautiful children with a beautiful wife to, well, what you see here.” Bailey’s case has drawn the attention of immigration lawyers and media because his crime seems relatively minor and the punishment extreme. But he’s not unique: Thousands of non-
citizens who served in the US military have been deported to countries around the globe in recent years, immigrant advocates estimate. Some say the deportees deserve special consideration because of their military service. “We treated you as a national when you wore the uniform, we should treat you as one when it comes off,” said Pennsylvania immigration attorney Craig Shagin. If legal permanent residents die while serving in the US military, they are granted a military funeral and citizenship. But if they finish their service without becoming nationalized
and are later arrested, as Bailey was, they are subject to immigration laws passed in 1994 and 1996. It’s an uphill battle to return a deportee in Bailey’s position to the US, said Alisa Wellek, who is assisting him as co-executive director of the New York-based Immigrant Defence Project. She said a legal advocacy project at Boston College has agreed to file a motion to reopen Bailey’s immigration case so a judge can determine whether he deserves to stay in the US as a green card holder, or legal resident. But the Department of Homeland Security will ultimately decide if the case is reopened.
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Slender Man inspired preteens to kill? Website defends content
The website that officials said helped inspire two Wisconsin girls accused of stabbing a classmate brushed off criticism on Tuesday, condemning the attack as an “isolated incident.” A 12-year-old Waukesha girl who survived being stabbed 19 times was found Saturday by a bicyclist, police said. Shortly afterward, two 12-year-old classmates were arrested and told police they were inspired by a creepy, fictional character known as Slenderman on the website Creepypasta Wiki, authorities said. According to the website, “a creepypasta is a short story posted on the Internet that is designed to unnerve and shock the reader,” and Creepypasta Wiki is a user-edited database of those stories, similar to Wikipedia.
“I’m going to make myself loud and clear: ALL WORKS PRESENTED ON THIS WIKI AND OTHER SITES (INCLUDING SLENDERMAN ... ) ARE FICTIONAL STORIES AND CHARACTERS,” a site administrator identified as Sloshtrain wrote Tuesday after the attack drew national attention to the website. “This wiki does not endorse or advocate for the killing, worship, and otherwise replication of rituals of fictional works,” the administrator wrote, also offering condolences to the families affected by the attack. “There is a line of between fiction and reality, and it is up to you to realize where the line is. We are a literature site, not a crazy satanic cult.” Both alleged attackers have been
charged as adults with attempted murder. Police said they had been plotting the attack against their classmate for months. The victim was found by the cyclist after crawling for help. An attorney for one of the suspects said he was concerned about her mental health and would repeat his request for the court to move her from juvenile detention to a mental health facility, the Associated Press reported. Anthony Cotton said Tuesday that he would meet with his client later in the day, but that based on what he knew thus far he believed she has serious mental health problems and should be in a hospital, the AP reported. He said a judge rejected his request to move the girl Monday.
Inside the White House’s decision to free Bergdahl For President Barack Obama, it seemed like the right thing to do, according to officials in his administration: Release five Taliban detainees at Guantanamo Bay prison in return for Bowe Bergdahl, the only known American prisoner of war inAfghanistan. As a political firestorm engulfs the White House over that deal, Reuters interviews with current and former Obama administration officials involved in the negotiations, along with U.S. lawmakers, reveal how a close-knit circle in the Obama administration pursued the plan despite intense discord in the past over similar proposals. The White House was ultimately persuaded to go ahead, in part, after Qatar agreed to take the Taliban detainees and said it would allow the United States to track the five men in the Gulf emirate. Under that arrangement, the United States installed extensive surveillance equipment to monitor their movements and communications, the officials said. The deal, however, has caused an uproar among Republicans in Congress, who have questioned both the secrecy of the prisoner swap and the wisdom of freeing five Taliban prisoners. Some of Bergdahl’s former comrades
U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl (right) talks to a Taliban militant as he waits in a pick-up truck before his release at the Afghan border, in this still image from video released June 4, 2014. have also accused him of deserting his post before his capture by the Taliban in June 2009. The Pentagon has declined to comment on those allegations. While they were prepared for some political blowback, Obama administration officials said they felt the outcry would have been fiercer if in six months’ time, as the United States wraps up its mission in Afghanistan, it emerged that Obama had missed an opportunity to secure Bergdahl’s freedom. The officials said Obama himself decided to make the swap and chose to broadcast the news on national television with Bergdahl’s parents at the White House.
He wanted to send a clear signal to Americans that this was his decision and that he would uphold the maxim that the United States will always bring home all its troops from the battlefield, the officials said. “The United States has always had a pretty sacred rule, and that is we don’t leave our men or women in uniform behind,” Obama told reporters in Warsaw on Tuesday. Obama was aware that Bergdahl had been accused of desertion in Afghanistan. But the vitriolic nature of the criticism has surprised some in the Obama administration, the officials said. The idea of swapping
Bergdahl for Taliban detainees wasn’t new. It was first raised nearly four years ago and quickly ran into opposition in the administration and Congress. “There were real big, serious issues here about whether we should exchange people, whether it would do any good” in terms of the broader Afghan peace effort, said David Sedney, a deputy assistant secretary of defense responsible for Afghanistan, who left government in May 2013. Sedney said he was skeptical of the deal while in government. Officials involved in the diplomacy told Reuters that then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and his predecessor, Robert Gates, along with then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, initially raised strong objections to exchanging Bergdahl for the five Taliban detainees. At first, Clinton was deeply skeptical of talks with the Taliban, but then supported a prisoner swap as a “confidence-building measure” that would help start peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, the officials said. Those broader talks never fully got under way, and Saturday’s prisoner exchange was all that survived of that effort.
Boko Haram killed hundreds in north-east Nigeria
Boko Haram militants dressed as soldiers killed at least 200 civilians in three communities in north-eastern Nigeria and the military failed to intervene even though it was warned that an attack was imminent, witnesses said on Thursday. A community leader who witnessed the killings on Monday said residents of the Gwoza local government district in Borno state had pleaded for the military to send soldiers to protect the area after they heard that militants were about to attack, but help did not arrive. It took a few days for survivors to get word of the massacres to Maiduguri, the provincial capital, because travel on the roads is extremely dangerous and phone connections are poor or non-existent. The slaughter was confirmed by both Mohammed Ali Ndume, a senator representing Borno and whose hometown is Gwoza, and by a top security official in Maiduguri who insisted on anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the media. Militants of Boko Haram, which wants to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria, have been taking over villages in the north-east, killing and terrorising civilians and political leaders as the Islamist fighters make a comeback from a year-long military offensive aimed at crushing them. The death toll from Monday’s attacks was among the highest. Thousands of people have been killed in the five-year-old insurgency – more than 2,000 so far just this year – and an estimated 750,000 Nigerians have been driven from their homes.
Schoolgirl blamed by Elliot Rodger for hatred of women A model who the California gunman Elliot Rodger named as his “first crush” and vilified in his twisted manifesto as an “evil b----” is said to be distraught. According to her relations Monette Moio met Rodger at school when she was just 10 and doesn’t even remember him. In his manifesto titled “My Twisted World” the deranged young man, who killed six people in Isla Vista, Santa Barbara, last week, claimed that Miss Moio had teased him when they were children and “wounded me deeply”. In the 141-page manifesto she was only named four times early on, much less than other people Rodger hated. But her father John Moio, a veteran Hollywood stuntman, said she was now living in fear after her name became public. He told the New York Daily News: “The whole thing is so creepy. It’s scary even though he’s gone. She doesn’t even remember this guy. She’s always been the most delicate kid you’d ever want to meet. For him to call her a bully, this kid was really disillusioned. “She was 10 years old. It was just an illusion this kid built in his own mind. She hadn’t seen him since seventh grade.” Miss Moio works at a gym. A friend there said: “I can’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt her. She’s so nice.”
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12 sentenced to death in China for terror-related crimes China’s fast-track courts today sentenced 81 people, including 12 to death, and arrested 29 others in the restiveXinjiang province for terrorism-related crimes as part of a nationwide crackdown on Islamist militants blamed for a spate of recent attacks. While nine militants were sentenced to death, three others received death penalty with a two-year reprieve, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Besides the death penalties,
local courts in six cities in Xinjiang convicted 69 others in 23 terrorism-related cases and pronounced sentences ranging from life imprisonment to fixed-term imprisonment, a regional higher people’s courtsaid. They were convicted for committing crimes of organising, leading or participating in terrorist organisation, intentional homicide, arson or illegal manufacture, storage and transportation of explosives.
A number of them were also sentenced for making and spreading audio or video on terrorism, inciting ethnic hatred and discrimination, or teaching criminal methods, the report said. The crimes were the focus of the region’s special operation to crack down on terrorism, said the regional higher people’s court. China blames the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), an Al-Qaeda linked outfit, to the attacks in
Xinjiang and in rest of China. The ETIM, listed as terrorist group by UN, is fighting for the independence of Xinjiang, where native Muslim Uygurs deeply resent the increasing settlements of majority Hans from other provinces. Xinjiang witnessed a spate of violent attacks including the recent multiple bomb explosions in Urumqi in which 43 people were killed 94 others injured. Militants also carried a
Meriam Ibrahim ‘should be executed,’ says brother
“She was bewitched, like an Meriam Ibrahim, the unconscious person. She didn’t woman sentenced to death in know any of us. When she stood Sudan for apostasy, was “given in front of the court she said her a magic potion” to bewitch her name was Meriam Yahya Ibrahim. into leaving Islam – and should We were shocked by that name.” be executed for doing so, her And he said that the family brother has said. would “not deny Islamic law” – Al Samani Al Hadi even if that meant the execution Mohamed Abdullah said that of his sister. “This is what the law he denounced his sister to states and we will never allow any the authorities because his distortion of that.” family are “Muslim people.” He He added: “If she dies we will claimed that Ms Ibrahim, 27, have enforced God’s word. The was born as Abrar Al Hadi but solution is that she is executed. changed her name when she As we have been ordered by our was drugged by her husband, Prophet, peace be upon him: ‘He Daniel Wani. And he said that, who barters his religion you must if she did not return to the kill.’ devout family fold, she should “The world should not involve be hanged. Al Samani Al Hadi said his sister should be put to death if she does not itself in our family affairs. This is “It’s one of two; if she repents ‘return’ to Islam. a family and these are our private and returns to our Islamic affairs. We don’t want outside faith and to the embrace of our family, then we are her family and she is punishable by death. On May 15 she involvement.” was sentenced to hang – with the court Her sentencing caused outrage around ours,” he said. “But if she refuses she should be allowing a two-year stay of execution the world - with David Cameron, Hillary after she delivered her baby, Maya, born Clinton and Tony Blair all calling for her executed,” he told CNN. last week. release. His comments will fuel speculation Ms Ibrahim has sworn that she will Ms Ibrahim’s lawyers have appealed that the denouncing of Ms Ibrahim was part of a family feud. An American NGO not renounce her Christian beliefs,her against the sentence, and are currently which is paying for the legal costs has husband told The Telegraph. “She is awaiting a verdict. They have also taken the case to the African Commission on claimed that Ms Ibrahim was targeted doing OK,” he said. But Mr Al Hadi is adamant that she Human Rights. by jealous relatives who wanted to gain Reports at the weekend that her control of her clutch of successful small should be punished – and accuses Mr release was imminent were dismissed by businesses - a supermarket, farm and Wani of forcing her conversion. “Her now-husband Daniel – this ‘priest’ the government in Sudan. beauty salon. But President Omar al-Bashir, who Ms Ibrahim, a mother of two, has been – he gave her magic potions drink,” he in prison in Khartoum since January on said. “Or something that allowed him to returned to work this week after an operation on his knee, was said to be charges of apostasy – or abandoning her convert her.” Mr Al Hadi said that his sister cut off considering issuing a presidential pardon. faith. During her trial earlier this month On Wednesday, a Sudanese she told the court that she was never a all ties with the family and disappeared – Muslim, as her Muslim father left the until, Mr Al Hadi said, “we discovered it newspaper, Alyoum Altali, reported family when she was six – and she was was because they were hiding her in their that a representative from the ministry house.” of foreign affairs visited the president subsequently raised as a Christian. He continued: “When she was caught, and told him that the case was harming But the court ruled against her, and in Sudan, which has been governed by we our sister’s face was different, the way Sudan’s repututation. Sharia law since 1983, apostasy is a crime she looked at us was different.
number of knife attacks in different railway stations in China, prompting Chinese government to scale up security all over the country. The sentences were announced as China which has launched a nationwide crackdown on militants from Xinjiang also firmed up plans with Pakistan to stop infiltration of ETIM militants from across the borders of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).
Colorado teen couple kills grandparents for inheritance In a plan to collect his inheritance early, a Colorado teen murdered his grandparents with the help of his girlfriend, police said Wednesday. Brendan Johnson, 19, and his girlfriend, 18-year-old Cassandra Rieb, were arrested Tuesday, suspected of killing his 70-year-old grandparents, Charles and Shirley Severance. The teens told police they killed the elderly couple last month for Johnson’s inheritance: $20,000 and a small Sterling, Colo., home worth $47,000, the Associated Press reported. The teenage couple allegedly crept into Johnson’s grandparents’ house — where Johnson was living — on May 20 and strangled the Severances. Police said the young couple wanted to smother the grandparents as they slept, but Charles Severance was awake when the teens sneaked in. Johnson told police that he began choking the man and that his grandfather likely died of a heart attack during the fight. Next, the teens went after Shirley Severance. They strangled and stabbed the woman with a kitchen knife, police said. “Together we went, and we did it together,” Rieb told police, according to the court documents. “ Like one get one and one get the other.”
Military jet crashes in Southern California, damages homes
A U.S. military jet crashed in a Southern California desert town on Wednesday, damaging homes, according to military officials and local media. An AV-8B Harrier jet from the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona, crashed at about 4:20 p.m. local time in Imperial, California, said Corporal Melissa Lee of the San-Diego based Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. As of Wednesday night, eight homes were evacuated,
but no injuries had been reported, the Miramar air station said in a statement. The pilot of the downed plane ejected safely and was transported to a hospital for evaluation, Lee said. She said that civilian homes were damaged by the crash, adding that an investigation was being conducted to uncover the cause of the crash. Local television reports showed images of at least one house engulfed in flames and billows of black smoke
reaching into the sky. “I heard a large explosion, and it felt like an earthquake,” Patricia Roblas, a resident near the crash site, told NBC 7 San Diego. “It was really scary. After they put the fires out, a few minutes later, we saw another huge fire so we didn’t know if there was an explosion because of gas or what.” Imperial is a city of nearly 16,000 people that sits about 100 miles (160 km) east of San Diego and only a few miles
A damaged house is seen at the scene of a U.S. military jet crash in Imperial, California. from the U.S.-Mexico border. In May, a AV-8B harrier stationed at the same Yuma airbase crashed in a remote desert area on the Gila River Indian Community outside of
Phoenix, The Arizona Republic reported. The paper reported that the pilot suffered only a minor injury to his nose, and no community members were hurt.
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1 dead, 3 others shot at Seattle Pacific University A gunman opened fire on Thursday on the campus of a small Christian college in Seattle, killing one person and wounding at least three others before he was subdued by school staff and arrested, Seattle police and hospital officials said. A lone suspect, who was not immediately identified, entered an academic building of Seattle Pacific University in late afternoon and shot four people, then began reloading his gun but was disarmed by university personnel, police said in a Twitter message. One eyewitness, student Chris Howard, 22, told Reuters he saw the gunman lying on the floor of the
building, Otto Miller Hall, after the suspect had been subdued with a student security guard lying on top of him, surrounded by bullet shells. Howard, a junior at the college, said he also saw a gun and a knife lying on the floor nearby, and that the suspect appeared to be in his mid-30s. He did not believe the man was a student at the college. A physics professor who also was on the scene, John Lindberg, 53, said the ammunition rounds he saw scattered on the floor appeared to be from a shotgun. A representative of Harborview Medical Center in Seattle said four patients from the shooting were
brought to the hospital and that one, a man in his 20s, had died. Two other men, aged 22 and 24, were listed in satisfactory condition, and a 20-year-old woman was listed as critical and undergoing surgery, the hospital official said. The Seattle Times newspaper put the tally of individuals struck by gunfire at six, but that number could not be immediately confirmed. Further details of the late-afternoon shooting in the upscale Seattle suburb of Queen Anne, a normally quiet residential neighborhood, were not immediately clear. Another student, Blake Oliveira, 21, who was taking a physics course
in Otto Miller Hall at the time, told Reuters he heard a gunshot outside the classroom, followed by the sound of running footsteps, which he presumed to be the gunman. He said he also caught a glimpse of blood afterward. His professor instructed the students to stay put in the classroom, and the door was locked, Oliveira said. The school said on its website that the campus was placed on a security lockdown as a result of the shooting. The lockdown was later lifted. Seattle Pacific University is a Methodist liberal arts college about 4 miles north of Seattle’s downtown, with about 4,000 students enrolled.
‘My mother slept with my husband, so I killed her’
A policeman arranges seized elephant tusks to be inspected at Makupa police station in Mombasa.
Kenyan police seize 300 elephant tusks being packed at port Kenyan authorities seized 228 whole elephant tusks and 74 others in pieces as they were being packed for export in the port city of Mombasa, police and wildlife officials said. Poaching has surged in the last few years across sub-Saharan Africa, where gangs kill elephants and rhinos to feed Asian demand for ivory and horns for use in traditional medicines. Wildlife authority Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers and police confiscated the ivory in a raid at a warehouse in the port city of Mombasa, KWS said in a statement. “The ivory was ... was being prepared for loading and export to a destination we are yet to establish,” Nelson Marwa, Mombasa County commissioner, told journalists in Mombasa. “Our officers had to break into the store to access them.” A Reuters reporter at the scene said the tusks were being packed in sacks made of nylon and sisal. Police arrested one suspect and were searching for another who escaped, Marwa said, noting that the suspect in custody tried to bribe police officers by offering them 5 million shillings ($57,100). Arthur Tuda, KWS officer in charge of the coastal region, said some of the ivory could have come from as far away as the Democratic Republic of Congo. “From the coloration of the tusks, we can estimate that the ivory is from different sources,” he said, saying some appeared to be from elephants from Kenya’s savannah and others from Congolese forests. Kenya has imposed stiffer penalties - longer jail terms and bigger fines - for wildlife poaching or trafficking, saying poaching is harming tourism, a major earner of foreign exchange.
KWS said in March that Kenya poachers have killed 18 rhinos and 51 elephants this year. In 2013, 59 rhinos and 302 elephants were killed, compared with 30 rhinos and 384 elephants in 2012. Kenyan officers seized 13.5 tonnes of ivory in Mombasa last year, mostly originating in other countries in the region. At least 249 suspects have so far been arrested this year and prosecuted for various wildlife offences, KWS said. In January, a Kenyan court convicted a Chinese man of smuggling ivory and ordered him to pay a fine of 20 million shillings ($233,000) or serve seven years in jail, the first sentencing since Kenya introduced the new anti-poaching law.
A daughter shot her parents dead and buried them in their garden after her mother confessed to sleeping with her husband, a court heard. Susan Edwards admits shooting her mother but claims she was provoked into the killing because Patricia Wycherley had admitted to sleeping with her husband Christopher Edwards. Mrs Edwards claims that her mother had killed her father with the same gun on the same bank holiday weekend. However, Mrs Edwards and her husband are accused of killing them both and diverting £245,000 from their bank account into her own. Nottingham Crown Court heard that Mrs Edwards and her husband buried her parents in the back garden of their house in Blenheim Close , Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Mrs Edwards, 56, and her husband, 57, then constructed an elaborate plot for 15 years to convince family members, neighbours, doctors and solicitors that the couple were still alive. The court was told the Edwards “lied to everybody” to cover up the killings. Jurors were told that Mrs Edwards has admitted the manslaughter of her mother on the basis of provocation. After her arrest, the court heard, she told police her mother had shot her father during the bank holiday weekend. Mrs Edwards then had an argument with her mother and shot her more than once. She told police that during the argument her mother had confessed to a sexual relationship with Mr Edwards in the early 1990s. But prosecutor Peter Joyce QC said that her account of killing her mother had been invented before her arrest. In his police interviews, Mr Edwards backed up his wife’s claims, and denied helping kill her parents. He claimed he travelled to Mansfield a week after the Wycherleys died to bury their bodies, which had been placed under a bed. Opening the case against the Edwards, who both deny murder, Mr Joyce said Mr Wycherley, 85, and his 63-year-old wife were both shot twice with a revolver in the upper body over a bank holiday weekend in May 1998.
Russia faces struggle to wean Crimea economy off Ukraine supplies
Scrambling to compensate for a lack of water from mainland Ukraine, farmhands are laying row after row of pipe to drip water across dusty fields in Crimea’s arid north. The water shortage highlights the huge logistical hurdles Russia faces to wean Crimea off dependence on Ukraine, from which it seized the Black Sea
peninsula in March. More than two months after the annexation, denounced as illegal by Kiev and the West, Moscow needs to secure Crimea’s basic needs - chief among them, the water and power almost entirely supplied from Ukraine - in order to prop up the local economy and sustain its popularity among its 2 million
people. “We’ve drilled wells, we’re using drip irrigation, but there’s still not enough water,” said Vasily, a burly man whose 50-hectare (124-acre) vegetable farm near Dzhankoi has been irrigated by water from the Dnieper river diverted along a canal across a strip of land that links Crimea to the mainland.
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Pakistani woman survives after being shot for marrying for love
Akbar said Maqsood had been wounded An 18-year-old Pakistani has survived being shot and thrown in a canal by her in her cheek and right hand. Her relatives family for marrying the man she loved, fled the scene, and after minutes in the police said, weeks after the “honor killing” water Maqsood regained consciousness of another woman drew worldwide and managed to struggle to the bank, where two passers-by helped her. condemnation. “She is a brave girl. She came out of Ali Akbar, a local police official, said Saba Maqsood had been attacked and the canal and approached a nearby fuel shot by her father, uncle, brother and station from where a rescue team rushed aunt and thrown into the waterway in the her to hospital,” he said. Many conservative Pakistani families city of Hafizabad in Punjab province. “It is an honor-related incident,” Akbar believe it is dishonorable for a woman to fall in love and choose her own husband. told Reuters. In parts of Pakistan, a Muslim “The victim, Saba ... married her neighbor Muhammad Qaiser for love nation of 180 million people, women are five days ago against the wishes of her expected to agree to arranged marriages family. They took her to Hafizabad, shot and refusal can lead to an “honor killing”. Last month a Pakistani woman called her twice and threw her in the canal after putting her in a sack, presuming that she Farzana Iqbal was attacked and killed by suspected family members because she was dead.”
had married the man she loved. The case drew intense global attention, including condemnation from the United Nations, partly because it happened in broad daylight in the center of the city of Lahore, Pakistan’s cultural capital. But many other incidents remain unreported. In 2013, 869 such cases were reported in the media, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, but the true figure is believed to be higher. Police official Akbar said he had recorded a statement from Maqsood in which she blamed her family for the attack. “I was tortured and shot by my father Maqsood Ahmad, brother Faisal Maqsood, uncle Ashfaq Ahmad and his wife Sajida Bibi,” he quoted her as saying.
India state minister on rape: Sometimes it’s right, sometimes it’s wrong
A state minister from Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party has described rape as a “social crime”, saying “sometimes it’s right, sometimes it’s wrong”, in the latest controversial remarks by an Indian politician about rape. The political leaders of Uttar Pradesh, the state where two cousins aged 12 and 14 were raped and hanged last week, have faced criticism for failing to visit the scene and for accusing the media of hyping the story. A regional politician from Modi’s own Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), said that the crime of rape can only be considered to have been committed if it is reported to police. “This is a social crime which depends on men and women. Sometimes it’s right, sometimes it’s wrong,” said Babulal Gaur, the home minister responsible for law and order in the BJP-run central state of Madhya Pradesh. “Until there’s a complaint, nothing can happen,” he told reporters. Gaur also expressed sympathy with Mulayam Singh Yadav, head of the regional Samajwadi party that runs Uttar Pradesh. In the recent election, Mulayam criticised legal changes that foresee the death penalty for gang rape, saying: “Boys commit mistakes: will they be hanged for rape?” The BJP dismissed Gaur’s comments as an expression of his personal views, and not the party’s. Modi, who was sworn in as prime minister last week after a landslide election victory, has so far remained silent over the double killing in the village of
UK babies infected with contaminated drips Three more babies have suffered blood poisoning from contaminated drip feeds, it has emerged, as the manufacturers said the bug was found in a raw ingredient sent to them. The three babies became ill last week and until now the cases had not been linked with the wider outbreak. The new cases were at Peterborough City Hospital, Southend University Hospital and Basildon University Hospital. There have been a total of 18 cases and one death, a spokesman for Public Health England has said. The babies, who are responding to treatment with antibiotics, contracted blood poisoning after being given liquid feeds through a tube into their veins. The fluids were found to be contaminated with a bacteria. No babies have fallen ill since Tuesday when batches of the infected feeds, which had been sent to 22 hospitals, passed their use-by-date. Any remaining stocks have been recalled.
Barrister accused boyfriend of rape to get out of sitting exams
Women in Uttar Pradesh protest against the state goverment after two cousins aged 12 and 14 were raped and hanged. Katra Shahadatganj, around half a day’s drive east of Delhi. The father and uncle of one of the victims said they tried to report the crime to local police but were turned away. Three men have been arrested over the killings. Two policemen have been held on suspicion of trying to cover up the crime. Although a rape is reported in India every 21 minutes on average, law enforcement failures mean that such crimes – a symptom of pervasive sexual and caste oppression – are often not reported or properly investigated, human rights groups say.
More sex crimes have come to light in recent days. A woman in a nearby district of Uttar Pradesh was gang-raped, forced to drink acid and strangled to death. Another was shot dead in northeast India while resisting attackers, media reports said. The UN secretary general, Ban Kimoon, has said he was “especially appalled” by the rape and murder of the two girls. “We say no to the dismissive, destructive attitude of, ‘Boys will be boys’,” he said in a statement this week that made clear his contempt for the language used by Mulayam Singh Yadav.
A trainee barrister is facing jail after falsely accusing her boyfriend of rape five times to get out of sitting her legal exams which she was failing because of her party lifestyle. Rhiannon Brooker, 30, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice after claiming that Paul Fensome had forced her to have sex with him on 11 occasions. The Birmingham law graduate even faked injuries to pretend the 46-year-old had beaten her and alleged he had caused a miscarriage by punching her in the stomach. Brooker made the false accusations to fellow students and staff at her university to give her “extenuating circumstances” to delay taking the tests needed to qualify as a barrister, the jury at Bristol Crown Court was told.
Florida facing threat from two mosquito-borne diseases Two mosquito-borne diseases – dengue fever and chikungunya – are posing a serious threat to Florida and residents should take steps to control mosquito populations to try to limit the danger, a leading health expert said on Wednesday. The Florida Department of Health, in its latest weekly report, said that through last week dengue fever had been confirmed in 24 people in Florida and chikungunya confirmed in 18
people. Both are viral diseases spread by mosquito bites. All of the infected people in Florida have traveled to the Caribbean or South America and could have become infected there, according to Walter Tabachnick, director of the Florida Medical Entomological Laboratory in Vero Beach, which is part of the University of Florida. Epidemiologists are worried that mosquitoes in Florida may have
picked up the diseases by biting infected people, which could kick off an epidemic in the state, Tabachnick said. “The threat is greater than I’ve seen in my lifetime,” said Tabachnick, who has worked in the field for 30 years. “Sooner or later, our mosquitoes will pick it up and transmit it to us. That is the imminent threat,” he added. Tabachnick urged the public to eliminate standing water including
in buckets and rain barrels where mosquitoes can breed. “If there is public apathy and people don’t clean up the yards, we’re going to have a problem,” Tabachnick said. Dengue is potentially fatal, and both diseases cause serious and lingering symptoms. The most common symptoms of chikungunya infection are fever and joint pain, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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GM CEO axes 15 over switches, says ‘ no conspiracy’
General Motors CEO Mary Barra said this morning she fired 15 people who either were incompetent or irresponsible in their actions involving fatally flawed ignition switches that are linked to 13 deaths in crashes where airbags failed to inflate. “A disproportionate number of those were in senior roles or executives,” she said. Two high-ranking engineers previously put on paid leave were among them, Barra said. That would be switch engineer Ray DeGiorgio and development engineer Gary Altman. Barra wouldn’t identify others. Barra said five more -- “one level removed” -- were disciplined in unspecified ways because they “simply didn’t take action.” She wouldn’t name them. “A unique series of mistakes was made,” she said. And the problem was misunderstood to be one of owner satisfaction and not safety. GM engineers didn’t understand that when the switches failed, they cut power to the airbags. “I wish I could” understand how they made that mistake, she said. “It was a mis-diagnosis.” The 15 were terminated after an internal report she commissioned, conducted by former U.S. attorney Anton Valukas. She said the the Valukas report “is enormously painful” and details “fundamental failure” by GM in dealing with safety issues in years past. Valukas reviewed more than 41 million GM documents, she said. There was “no conspiracy found” within GM and no specific decision “to trade off safety” for costs, she said the report found. The Valukas report shows a pattern
compensation amounts. At the press conference, GM President Dan Ammann said GM’s official number of deaths linked to the flawed switches remains 13, but he said many more than that will be eligible for compensation: “Rules on eligibility for compensation are being determined independently by (Kenneth) Feinberg,” the mediation and compensation specialists that GM hired to run its victim compensation program, Amman said. . Ammann said it will be entirely up to Feinberg to decide who gets paid, how much, and thus, the amount GM ultimately will have to spend on compensation. Claims for compensation will begin General Motors CEO Mary Barra said this Aug. 1. morning she fired 15 people who either were At the press conference, Barra said incompetent or irresponsible in their actions more than 113,000 defective switches involving fatally flawed ignition switches that have been replaced, “as of last night.” are linked to 13 deaths in crashes where airbags “Despite the damaging nature of this failed to inflate. situation, Mary Barra has handled it as well as any CEO in her position could,” Karl Brauer, senior analyst at of “Incompetence and neglect” and Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com said. discloses that “numerous individuals” Barra “has already taken several failed to fix the switch instead of steps to address the issue of ‘internal “finding ways to protect our customers.” silos’ that restricted information and “I hate sharing this with you as caused a lack of accountability within much as you hate hearing it,” she told the company,” Bauer said. 1,200 GM employees assembled at the Among them, overhauling the company’s technical and engineering company’s safety decision-making center in Warren, Mich. The 15-minute process to be sure top executives know speech, marbled with references to of potential problems. her pride in GM and its high-quality Barra told a U.S. House committee workforce, was broadcast live to other on April 1, during tough questioning, GM employees located elsewhere. that she had hired Valukas “to In a press conference afterwards, conduct a thorough and unimpeded she said GM will compensate “everyone investigation of the actions of General who has lost a loved one or suffered a Motors. He has free rein to go where serious injury” as a result of the defect. the facts take him, regardless of the But she gave no details on how much outcome.
WhatsApp co-founder sees challenges in US Boosting the adoption of messaging service WhatsApp in the United States and some other markets is proving difficult, cofounder Brian Acton said, but the company will still create substantial revenue for prospective parent Facebook Inc (FB.O). “Growth in the United States is a challenge for us,” Acton said on Wednesday after a talk at StartX, an incubator for young companies affiliated with Stanford University. He also cited Japan and Taiwan as countries where “we could have been more successful with a little bit more effort.” But Acton otherwise struck an upbeat tone in his first public comments since Facebooksaid earlier this year it would acquire fastgrowing WhatsApp for $19 billion in cash and stock. Acton noted what he saw as WhatsApp’s value, saying he believed it would send 1 billion new users to the social network, even as WhatsApp services remain apart from Facebook’s. He described the relationship between the two companies as “separate but equal,” saying comingling the services would create “risk and peril.” “We don’t look at it from the experience of, ‘We’re going to get swallowed by the Borg,’” he said, referring to a group in the show “Star Trek” who assimilate other species. Downplaying concerns that Facebook could learn data about WhatsApp users, Acton said WhatsApp had little valuable information to share. “We don’t have much beyond a phone number to work with,” he said, adding the company’s staff didn’t trawl through user messages. Talking to reporters later, he said all messages were anyway encrypted.
ECB hurls cash at sluggish euro zone economy, seeks to force bank lending The European Central Bank launched a raft of measures on Thursday to fight low inflation and boost the euro zone economy, cutting rates, imposing negative interest rates on its overnight depositors and offering banks new long-term funds. The ECB cut all its main rates to record lows in a drive to fight off the risk of Japan-like deflation and bring down the euro’s exchange rate. For the first time, it will charge banks 0.10 percent for parking funds at the central bank overnight. It stopped short of large-scale asset purchases known as quantitative easing for now, but ECB President Mario Draghi said more action would come it necessary. Draghi outlined a four-year 400 billion euro ($544.86 billion) scheme
giving banks that have been holding back credit due to looming stress tests an incentive to increase lending to businesses in the euro zone. “Now we are in a completely different world,” Draghi told a news conference, citing “low inflation, a weak recovery and weak monetary and credit dynamics”. The package, adopted unanimously, was aimed at increasing lending to the “real economy”, he said. Other steps included extending the duration of unlimited cheap liquidity for euro zone banks, injecting about 170 billion euros by stopping tenders that withdrew funds spent on past government bond purchases, and preparing for possible future purchases of asset-backed securities to support small business.
Projections published by the ECB showed inflation would be just 0.7 percent this year, 1.1 percent next year and 1.4 percent in 2016, a downward revision and far below the ECB’s target of below-but-close-to 2 percent. “If required, we will act swiftly with further monetary policy easing,” he said, adding that the policy-setting Governing Council was unanimous in its commitment to use unconventional instruments if needed “to further address risks of too prolonged a period of low inflation”. Financial markets saluted the ECB measures, even though most of them had been widely anticipated for weeks. The euro fell to a four-month low of $1.3505, down about one cent, after his statement. European shares rose
and yields on the government bonds of stressed euro zone countries fell. FRANCE HAPPY, GERMANY SILENT French President Francois Hollande, who has been calling for months for ECB action to weaken the euro’s exchange rate, which Paris argues is holding back economic recovery, welcomed the central bank’s decision. German Chancellor Angela Merkel declined comment, noting that the ECB took its decisions independently of governments. Her finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, said low interest rates were not a long-term solution. Low rates are unpopular in Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, because they are seen as penalizing savers.
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Softbank unveils ‘human-like’ robot Pepper
Japanese firm Softbank has unveiled a robot called Pepper, which it says can read human emotions. It uses an “emotional engine” and a cloud-based artificial intelligence system that allows it to analyse gestures, expressions and voice tones. The firm said people could communicate with it “just like they would with friends and family” and it could perform various tasks. It will go on sale to the public next year for 198,000 yen ($1,930; £1,150). “People describe others as being robots because they have no emotions, no heart,” Masayoshi Son, chief executive of Softbank, said at a press conference. “For the first time in human history, we’re giving a robot a heart, emotions.” The firm will deploy prototypes of the robot at two of its stores from Friday, allowing customers to interact with them. Softbank said it planned to subsequently station Pepper at more
Analysts said that development of of its stores nationwide. Japan is one of the world’s biggest household robots was likely to pick up, especially in countries like Japan robot markets. According to some estimates, its that have an ageing population. “Even if one can pre-programme overall robotics market was worth about 860bn ($8.4bn; £5bn) yen in such robots to carry out specific tasks based on certain commands 2012. And with a rapidly ageing or gestures, it could go long way in population, coupled with a falling helping improve elderly care,” said birth rate, the demand for robots is Rhenu Bhuller, senior vice president healthcare at consulting firm Frost & expected to increase further. The growth is expected to come Sullivan. “And with the technology not only from businesses looking to offset labour shortages and rising improving fast – you could see big wage costs, but also from households improvements in managing labour seeking an alternative to paying for requirement in the the sector.” Softbank developed Pepper in care workers for elderly relatives. Japanese carmaker Honda has collaboration with French company also been developing a household Aldebaran Robotics, in which it took robot, Asimo. US President Barack a majority stake in 2012. Bruno Maisonnier, founder and Obama played football with it during chief executive of Aldebaran said: his recent visit to Japan. ActiveLink, a robotics research “The emotional robot will create a subsidiary of electronics firm new dimension in our lives and new Panasonichas also developed ways of interacting with technology.” “It’s just the beginning, but already Softbank says it plans to launch the robot commercially technology to help people carry out in Japan next year. a promising reality.” manual tasks.
Facebook business pages get a makeover
Facebook business Pages are about to get a new look. The social network on Wednesdayannounced it will be rolling out a refreshed design to all existing Pages this week. First announced in March, the new design includes a right-hand column where visitors will be able to easily find all your Page’s posts. The left-side column will now show information about your business, including a map, your hours, phone number, website URL, and photos and videos. Admins who access their Page today will see a tour of the refreshed design. You’ll be able to switch on the new design right away, or wait up to two weeks before making the change. All pages will be automatically switched to the new design two weeks after the tour has been viewed. Along with the new look, Facebook is giving businesses more control over their pages. You’ll now be able to adjust the placement of sections in the top navigation menu and left-column menu. The new design also offers easier access to admin tools. Now, no matter where you are on your page, you’ll be able to see information about the ads you’re running, new likes on your Page, unread notifications, and messages. This information will be displayed to the right of the header. There’s also some new navigation options at the top of the page where you’ll be able to access your activity, insights, and settings.
House prices rise £7,000 in a month in largest leap for a decade House prices leapt by nearly £220 every day in May, marking the biggest month-on-month rise over a decade, Halifax reported. The average UK property value went up by 3.9 per cent last month to £184,464, from £177,648 at the end of April. It was the fastest price increase since 4.2 per cent month-on-month growth was recorded in October 2002. It continues a trend of strong house price figures after Nationwide reported on Tuesday that property values had reached an all-time high of £186,512 on average after soaring 11.1 per cent in 12 months. Stephen Noakes, mortgages director at Halifax, said: “Demand is still strong and continues to be supported by a strengthening economic recovery. “Consumer confidence is being boosted by a rapidly improving labour market and low interest rates, although growth in average earnings still remains weak. “However, there are signs of a
revival in housebuilding which should bring supply and demand into better balance and curb upwards pressure on prices over the medium and longer term.” The mortgage lender warned that monthly price movements can be “volatile” and quarterly figures are often a more reliable indicator of the market. House prices fell in both March and April before seeing a strong increase in May which meant the quarterly measure was two per cent higher than in the three months to February. The year-on-year property prices rose 8.7 per cent in May, compared with 8.5 per cent in April. There has been mounting speculation that the Bank of England may recommend measures to calm the apparent housing boom, such as rolling back the Government’s Help to Buy mortgage support scheme. Banks are starting to place tougher limits on high-value mortgage landing. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)
and Lloyds Banking Group have announced that people applying to take out mortgages worth more than £500,000 will see the amount they are allowed to borrow limited to four times their income. Brokers believe these moves are sending out a signal that property values will not be able to rise at their current pace indefinitely, which could make buyers more cautious when faced with higher prices. Toughened industry-wide mortgage lending rules came into force at the end of April which mean people applying for a home loan face more detailed questions about their personal spending. Mortgage lenders also have to apply “stress” tests to make sure customers could still afford their repayments when interest rates rise. Halifax highlighted HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) figures showing there were 103,690 home sales in April, which is one third higher than in April 2013.
Sprint agrees to pay about $32 billion to buy T-Mobile Sprint Corp S.N has agreed to pay about $40 per share to buy T-Mobile US Inc, a person familiar with the matter said, marking further progress in the attempt to merge the third and fourth-biggest U.S. mobile network operators. The $40 price represents a 17 percent premium to T-Mobile US’s closing share price on Wednesday, giving it a valuation of more than $32 billion and the shares have more
than doubled in price since the group bought smaller rival MetroPCS a year ago. Deutsche Telekom shares were up 1.4 percent at 12.60 euros by 1115 GMT on Thursday, valuing the German firm at over 56 billion euros ($76 billion). However, Hannes Wittig, an analyst at JP Morgan, said the $40 price, if confirmed, seemed low. “T-Mobile US should be worth more
than that given that the synergies termination fee to be paid should the should exceed $20 billion, Deutsche merger get blocked by regulators, the Telekom would share some of the source familiar with the matter said. Analysts see the regulatory execution risk and Sprint would be getting control ... Somewhere in the challenge as the biggest hurdle facing high 40s would be more appropriate,” the companies since both the U.S. Federal Communications Commission he said. Japan’s Softbank 9984.T, which (FCC) and Department of Justice owns Sprint, and Deutsche Telekom (DOJ) have expressed a desire to have DTEGn.DE, which owns 67 percent of at least two more network operators T-Mobile, still have to negotiate on the competing against the market leaders details, including financing and the AT&T T.N and Verizon VZ.N.
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S&P hits record after ECB move, focus shifts to payrolls
The S&P 500 hit an intraday record high for the seventh time in eight sessions on Thursday after the European Central Bank cut rates to record lows and outlined further accommodative monetary policy actions. After mostly pricing in the ECB’s move, the market is expected to focus on Friday’s U.S. payrolls report for May as it looks for confirmation of a pick-up in hiring and economic activity in the second quarter. The ECB cut rates including the deposit rate to -0.10 percent and will move further to persuade banks to lend. ECB head Mario Draghi said the bank’s governing council will intensify preparations related to outright
“We certainly want to see something better than what was reported on the ADP data,” he said. Private employers added a much lower-than-forecast 179,000 jobs to their payrolls last month after hiring 215,000 workers in April, payrolls processor ADP said Wednesday. Supporting the market, the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose last week, but the underlying trend continued to point to a firming labor market. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 24.17 points or 0.14 percent, to 16,761.7, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 1.93 points or 0.1 percent, to 1,929.81 and the Nasdaq Composite added 9.98
points or 0.23 percent, to 4,261.62. Sprint S.N has agreed to pay about $40 per share to buy T-Mobile, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday, marking further progress in the attempt to merge the third and fourth-biggest U.S. mobile network operators. Sprint shares fell 1.2 percent to $9.29 while T-Mobile US dropped 3.3 percent to $33.16. Rite Aid shares slid 11.8 percent to $7.50 after it posted sales and gave an outlook below expectations. Ciena Corp shares jumped 16.5 percent to $22.12 after the company posted earnings that beat expectations and gave a revenue outlook above forecasts.
Jobless claims data points to strong labour market
Barnes & Noble enlists Samsung to make Nook tablet
Barnes & Noble is teaming up with Samsung to develop Nook tablets, the book seller said Thursday, as it focuses on its Nook software. Barnes & Noble spent years investing heavily in its Nook e-book reader and e-book library, but they struggled to be profitable. And in December the chain said it was evaluating the future of its tablets. Still it offered a new non-tablet e-book reader during the holiday season. The New York company has been trying to turn itself around as competition from discount stores and online retailers toughens, and as consumers shift away from traditional books to digital formats.
purchases of asset-backed securities. Futures had drifted higher after the rate cut and added to gains on Draghi’s remarks. The euro dropped against the U.S. dollar and yields on euro zone government debt fell. “Often times when there’s high expectations, the (equities) market will sell on the news,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at Wunderlich Securities in New York. “Draghi did not disappoint and in ‘do whatever it takes’ fashion he pulled out all the stops.” Hogan added that the market is now focusing on Friday’s job report and he expects volumes to thin into the afternoon.
Job seekers attend a large career fair at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, January 6, 2011
Pope fires entire board of Vatican financial watchdog Pope Francis sacked the fiveman board of the Vatican’s financial watchdog on Thursday - all Italians - in the latest move to break with an old guard associated with a murky past under his predecessor. The Vatican said the pope named four experts from Switzerland, Singapore, the United States and Italy to replace them on the board of the Financial Information Authority (AIF), the Holy See’s internal regulatory office. The new board includes a woman for the first time. All five outgoing members were Italians who had been expected to serve five-year terms ending in 2016 and were laymen associated with the Vatican’s discredited financial old guard. Reformers inside the Vatican had been pushing for the pope, who already has taken a series of steps to clean up Vatican finances, to appoint professionals with an international
background to work with Rene Bruelhart, a Swiss lawyer who heads the AIF and who has been pushing for change. Vatican sources said Bruelhart, Liechtenstein’s former top anti-money laundering expert, was chafing under the old board and wanted Francis to appoint global professionals like him. “Bruelhart wanted a board he could work with and it seems the pope has come down on his side and sent the old boy network packing,” said a Vatican source familiar with the situation. The new board of the AIF includes Marc Odendall, who administers and advises philanthropic organizations in Switzerland, and Juan C. Zarate, a Harvard law professor and senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank based in Washington D.C. The other two board members are Joseph Yuvaraj Pillay, former managing
director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore and senior advisor to that country’s president, and Maria Bianca Farina, the head of two Italian insurance companies. Francis, who was elected in March 2013 after the resignation of former Pope Benedict, in February set up a new Secretariat for the Economy reporting directly to him and appointed an outsider, Australian Cardinal George Pell, to head it. In January he removed Cardinal Attilio Nicora, a prelate who played a senior role in Vatican finances for more than a decade, as president of the AIF and replaced him with an archbishop with a track record of reform within the Vatican bureaucracy. He also replaced four of the five cardinals in the commission that supervises the Vatican’s troubled bank, known as the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR).
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose last week, but the underlying trend continued to point to a firming labor market. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 312,000 for the week ended May 31, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast first-time applications for jobless aid rising to 310,000 last week. While jobless claims have been choppy in recent weeks because of problems seasonally adjusting the data around moving holidays such as Easter and Passover, they have continued to suggest the jobs market was strengthening. A Labor Department analyst said there were no special factors influencing the state level data. The four-week moving average for new claims, considered a better measure of underlying labor market conditions as it irons out week-to-week volatility, fell 2,250 to 310,250, the lowest level since June 2007. Last week’s data has no impact on the government’s closely followed employment report for May, which will be released on Friday, as it falls outside the survey period. Nonfarm payrolls are expected to have increased 218,000, slowing from April’s outsized 288,000 gain, according to a Reuters survey of economists. The jobless rate is forecast rising one-tenth of a percentage point to 6.4 percent from a 5-1/2 year low in April, likely driven by people entering the labor force in search of work - a sign of confidence in the jobs market. April’s robust increase in payrolls was payback for a lull in hiring during a brutally cold winter. Even if job growth slows in May as expected, economists say it should not be viewed as a loss of momentum in the labor market and the economy as payrolls would still be above the average for the preceding six months. Data ranging from manufacturing to automobile sales suggest economic activity is rebounding after declining in the first quarter when it was weighed down by an unusually harsh winter weather and a slow pace of inventory accumulation. The claims report showed the number of people still receiving benefits after an initial week of aid declined 20,000 to 2.60 million in the week ended May 24. That was the lowest level since October 2007.
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tci’s national football team beats bvi in finals ORANJESTAD, Aruba; Wednesday, June 4th 2014 - The Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) Men’s National Football Team came out on top at last night’s final match up at the Guillermo Prospero Trinidad Stadium in Oranjestad, Aruba. The game, a fast paced and hard hitting one against fellow British Overseas Territory – the British Virgin Islands (BVI) - saw team TCI control the ball from the outset and remaining consistent to the end. Marc Fenelus (number 10) scored the first goal in the 31st minute of the game, with teammate Stevens Derilien (number 7) landing the second goal in the 51st minute. This game saw a serious level of play with both teams. Nevertheless it with the Turks & Caicos Islands the won with two (2) goals and nil for the British Virgin Islands. Of the game, Craig Harrington, TCIFA’s Technical Director said: “The whole trip has been has been a tremendous learning experience towards qualification for The Caribbean Cup qualifiers. We ended this group on a high note. It’s been about a learning to compete and learning to win; and we did that!” Tuesday, June 3rd was the last day for Group Two of the Preliminary
Turks & Caicos Islands Men’s National Football Team. Qualification Rounds for The 2014 Caribbean Cup. This group consisted of three game days that saw team TCI go head-to-head in matches against Aruba (Friday, May 30th), French Guiana (Sunday, June 1st) and the British Virgin Islands (Tuesday, June 3rd). In
the end it was French Guiana that won this group and advances to the next stage, Group Four, where matches will be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico from 1st to 8th September 2014. Chris Bryan, President of the TCIFA said: “It was important for
the team to finish the tournament with a good result and they did just that. This series of matches was an important learning experience for a very young TCI team and they come back stronger and better prepared for future competitions.”
Man of the Match Llyod Lynch
Kiskco beat Beaches in Provo T20 cricket
Here the members of the team show of their prizes
Clement Howell High triumph at Blue Haven Volleyball Tourney On Sunday, (May 25th), Blue Haven Resort and Marina was a playground for beach volleyball as an all-day tournament took place on the court beside Salt Bar & Grill. Members of the community entered mixed teams of four for a fun, yet competitive tournament. The bar ran beer bucket specials and upped the tempo with DJ Viper playing tunes throughout
the afternoon, creating a relaxed atmosphere for those preferring to watch the action from the sidelines. In the end, the final battle was between Clement Howell High School and T(H)RASH for first place. Clement Howell became the victors, with each player winning a well-earned gift certificate for Fire & Ice Restaurant’s Sunday
Brunch. Blue Haven Resort & Marina will be hosting regular beach volleyball tournaments, so keep an eye out on the resort’s Facebook page for the next one… and try to challenge Clement Howell – they’re the ones to beat. Contact the resort for more information at contact@ bluehaventci.com.
The Turks and Caicos Cricket Association 2014 Cricket Season continued on Sunday 1st June 2014 at The Downtown Ball Park Providenciales with Kischo taking on Beaches. Beaches won the toss and inserted Kischo who then posted an impressive 221 runs from the loss of 8 wickets from 20 overs. Llyod Lynch top scored with a Brilliant 81 runs which was punctuated with 10x4’s and 2x6’s also Cyril Fernandes added 28 runs 4x4’s and 1x6. Bowling for Beaches Sidhue Hunter took 3 wickets for 52 runs from 4 overs and Darnell Lewis and Ancell Williams took 2 wickets a piece In reply Beaches were dismissed for 128 runs from 14.2 overs. Top Scorers were Ancell Williams with 28 runs and Anthony McKnight with 25 runs. Bowling for Kischo Pawan Kumar took 3 wickets for 19 runs from 3.1 over and Sanjay Fatnani captured 3 wickets for 41 runs from 4 overs.
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Usain Bolt 2013 World Championships training spikes for NYC auction
A pair of beautifully handcrafted spikes by Puma that was specially created for world sprint prodigy Usain Bolt and that was used in his training preparation for the 2013 World Championship Games in Moscow, Russia will go on sale at an auction in New York City on Friday June 6. The auction will be a highlight of Rum & Rhythms, a signature event hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization during the annual Caribbean Week celebration in New York, and the premium event will take place at the posh Tribeca 360 in Lower Manhattan starting at 6:30 PM. With a bounce from these specially made preparation spikes, Usain Bolt won gold for both the 100m and the 200m at this meet as well as winning the 4 x 100 relay for Jamaica. He also took home the title of being the most successful athlete ever in the history of the World Championships. The spikes are autographed by Usain with one of his two aliases ‘UGO’ written on them. This special creation is not available in stores, and the blue
marks on the front and sides of the spikes is the dye from the training track in his starting block at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. The teeth and laces were personally inserted by Bolt and they have been worn by only him. “Usain Bolt is a rare global legend from the Caribbean who continues to make history and to make us proud, and we are thrilled to have his training spikes from the 2013 World Championship Games as a part of the CTO’s Caribbean Week auction”, Sylma Brown Bramble, director, Caribbean Tourism Organization USA, Inc. said. The starting bid is set for US$18,000 and the auction is a collaboration among the Caribbean Tourism Organization, Dave Rodney, marketing executive at Images Media and the Lay Magistrates Association of Jamaica (Kingston Chapter). The spikes were handed over last year to Norma Brown Bell, former president of the Lay Magistrates Association, and proceeds from the sale will be used Usain Bolt for the benefit of charities in Jamaica.
Bajan sets new national record
standard of 13.55 seconds. Sprint hurdler Kierre At the same meet, Beckles went where no Trinidadian Richard Thompson Barbadian woman has ever ran 9.74 but there was no wind gone before when she sped to reading to legitimise the time. a sizzling 12.98 seconds in the Less than three weeks 100 metres hurdles at the NTC/ before the National Pure Athletics Last Chance Championships from June 20 Meet in Clermont, Florida, to 22, which will be the last yesterday. qualifying meet, at least 12 Beckles not only set a Barbadians have qualified for new national record, but also the Commonwealth Games, became the first local female some in two events. sprint hurdler to run sub-13 Apart from Beckles, Sade seconds. She placed fourth in Mariah Greenidge has also the race which was won by met the qualifying standard Tenaya Jones in 12.75 seconds in the 100m hurdles while from LaVonne Idlette (12.84). sprinters Andrew Hinds and In the process, Beckles, a Kierre Beckles became the first Bajan woman to Levi Cadogan have qualified in former Lester Vaughan student, finish a 100 metres hurdles in under 13 seconds. both the 100 and 200 metres. shattered her own 2011 record The experienced Jade Bailey of 13.01 seconds, again making the qualifying mark for the Commonwealth Games in is the lone woman to qualify in the 100 metres but she is joined by Sada Williams and Shavonne Husbands in Scotland from July 27 to August 2. There was more good news as former World the 200 metres. Nadia Cummings has also met the qualifying champion Ryan Brathwaite also qualified for the Glasgow Games for the first time this season in standard in the women’s 400 metres while Akela winning the men’s 110m hurdles with his season best Jones has qualified in the long jump. The times for sprinter Ramon Gittens in the 100 of 13.47 seconds. Both Shane Brathwaite and Greggmar Swift had and 200 metres at a meet in Trinidad and Tobago on already qualified in the event, going under the required May 10 are still to be confirmed.
Local fans on fire for Heat to three-peat over Spurs
Like those across the globe, basketball fans in the Cayman Islands are eagerly anticipating the NBA Finals. The rematch of last year’s championship series between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs starts on June 5 at 8 p.m. Cayman time on ABC. Most sports aficionados here are rooting for the Heat, partly due to their geographical proximity and historical fondness for South Florida sports teams. For residents like Collin Bodden, they see Miami as the more exciting team. “I’ve been a Heat fan back from the 1990s, including the days of Antoine Walker and so on,” Bodden said. “Obviously, I’m picking the Heat though it will be a
tough series. The Spurs are based on fundamentals, keep the team built on them and there’s nothing fancy about San Antonio. The Heat are more of a show team. Ultimately, I see it as 4-2 with the Heat winning in six games.” Miami, behind LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, head into the Finals after winning the Eastern Conference for the fourth straight year and the group is hoping to wrap up a third consecutive championship. San Antonio were the best in the Western Conference for the second time in a row and Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and company hope to make amends for last year’s sevengame Finals defeat to the Heat.
World relays stars back in the running ONE week after running at home to participate in the IAAF inaugural World Relays, Bahamian teammates Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown, Michael Mathieu and Adrian Griffith were back on the international circuit, competing in separate meets in the United States, while there were others attempting to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. At the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, Brown faced a stacked field in the men’s 400 metres. After running the stagger out of lane seven in front of the pack on the back stretch, but coming off the final bend, Brown was caught and past by Grenada’s Kirani James and American LaShawn Merritt. In a close battle to the tape, both world champions were timed in a world leading time of 43.97, but James managed to lean to take the tape ahead of Merritt. South Africa’s Youssef Ahmed Masrahi got third in 44.77 and Brown had to settle for fourth in 45.15, both season best performances. Brown, the 35-year-old IAAF World Indoor silver medalist, was the only Bahamian to compete in the meet. Meanwhile, over in Clermont, Florida where the NTC/Pure Athletics Last Chance Meet was held, Michael Mathieu won the men’s 400m in 45.11, which was also a season’s best. He beat out American Kerron Clement, who ran 46.08 for second place. Also, Adrian Griffith was fifth in the men’s 100m in a personal best of 10.03. Trinidad & Tobago’s Richard Thompson took the tape in 9.74, ahead of Guyana’s Adam Harris in 9.90. Griffith, competing for Mizuno, was tied with D’Angelo Cherry for the eighth fastest qualifying time of 10.35. Thompson had the fastest time of 10.12. A number of athletes also competed over the weekend at the NCAA West and East Preliminary Rounds in their bid to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon over the weekend of June 11-14. At the West Regional in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Grand Bahamian Shavez Hart, a junior at the home based Texas A&M, earned his berth with a third place finish in the men’s 200 metres in 20.43. The two fastest qualifiers out of the top 12 were Aaron Brown, a senior at the University of South Carolina, in 20.16 and Prezel Hardy Jr, a senior at Texas A&M, in 20.42. Trevorvano Mackey, a junior at Texas Tech, failed in hid bid to advance. He was 19th overall in 21.07. The 12th and final qualifier ran 20.78.
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World Cup leaves Brazil costly stadiums, poor public transport When the final whistle blows at the World Cup, Brazilians will be left with some of the world’s costliest soccer stadiums and few of the public transport improvements they were promised. Long-overdue airport upgrades have been made just in time for the World Cup which starts on June 12 but many of the longer-term investments in rapid transit systems in Brazil’s main cities have been delayed or scrapped. Seven years have passed since Brazil won the right to host this World Cup. Then-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva vowed to use the tournament to shake off underdevelopment and modernize Brazil, a coming out party for an emerging power on the global stage. While some much-needed investments have been completed, Brazil has fallen far short of what it promised for the Cup and many Brazilians see it as a squandered opportunity regardless
of what happens on the pitch. The signature project in public transportation was to be Latin America’s first bullet train, a $16 billion high-speed rail service linking Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. It never made it off the drawing board. “The jump to modernity never happened, and the stadiums are a herd of white elephants,” said Gil Castello Branco of Contas Abertas, a private group that monitors government spending. Brazil has invested 25.8 billion reais ($11.3 billion) in Cup-related infrastructure improvements, a third of which went into building or overhauling stadiums in a dozen host cities. Four arenas were built in cities that have only third-tier soccer teams and small chance of recovering the investment: Manaus, Natal, Cuiaba and the capital Brasilia, where the magnificent National Stadium cost
An aerial shot shows the Maracana stadium, one of the stadiums hosting the 2014 World Cup soccer matches, in Rio de Janeiro March 28, 2014. 1.6 billion reais, more than double the original price tag. City auditors say Brazil’s most costly stadium still needs 300 million reais to finish the exteriors after the World Cup. The huge sums spent on the stadiums helped fuel massive street protests last year by Brazilians fed up with poor public services and corrupt politicians. They said the money would have been better spent on hospitals, schools and public transport. The anti-World Cup movement has vowed to stage new protests nationwide
aimed at disrupting the 32-nation soccer tournament. Despite the money thrown at infrastructure improvements, Brazil has only delivered half of the projects it pledged to undertake and many of them are unfinished. Sinaenco, a lobby group for architecture and engineering firms, says a fifth of the projects were dropped because they could not be delivered on time, while others won’t be finished until after the Cup, such as an overhaul of Rio de Janeiro’s international airport.
José Mourinho interested in Cesc Leeds full-back Zak Fábregas as Chelsea approach Barça Hardaker apologises Chelsea have opened formal negotiations with Barcelona over the potential signing of Cesc Fábregas, and, while no fee has as yet been agreed for the Spain international midfielder, there is optimism on both sides that a deal will soon be struck. Fábregas is resigned to leaving the Camp Nou after three seasons back at the Catalan club and is available for £30m, with Barça intent on prising Koke from Atlético Madrid to kickstart Luis Enrique’s tenure as their new manager. With Arsenal having indicated they will not take up their option to re-sign their former captain, and Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool having prioritised strengthening other areas of their teams, the 27-yearold’s desire to return to the Premier League can only be satisfied with a move to Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea manager, José Mourinho, has confirmed his interest in securing Fábregas and has acknowledged that he is seeking a transfer back to England, where he made his name over eight seasons at Arsenal. The Portuguese has already lost one midfielder after Frank Lampard’s departure under freedom of contract. “We have some interest [in Fábregas],” said Mourinho. “I have interest in analysing the situation. “I think it looks like he’s really interested in leaving Barcelona and is very, very interested in coming back to England. This, I think, is clear. There is a process where he wants to leave, [and] he wants to come to England because
for homophobic comments
Cesc Fábregas, left, is currently preparing for the World Cup with Spain in Washington. it’s the country where he wants to be, where he prefers to play. We are interested in monitoring the situation.” The midfielder is currently preparing for the World Cup with the Spain squad in Washington, where they play El Salvador on Saturday before travelling to Brazil 24 hours later. He would ideally like his future to be determined before the national team begin their defence of the trophy against Holland on 13 June. A firm bid from Chelsea would force Arsenal to reiterate that they do not wish to take up their option but, while Fábregas is disappointed his former club are not keen to pursue his signature, he is open to a return to London
despite previously enduring a rather fractious relationship with Mourinho. The deal appears relatively easily resolved given the player’s availability. Indeed, Fernando Torres, who is also in the Spain squad, believes his national teammate would become a “leader” in the dressing room at Stamford Bridge with Lampard’s departure, along with that of Ashley Cole this summer, creating a void. “Would Cesc be a great signing? Great players are always great signings,” said Torres. “He’s a type of player Chelsea don’t have now. Cesc knows the Premier League, he can add football, possession, goals if he feels important. He can be a leader, like he was at Arsenal.”
The Leeds full-back Zak Hardaker has issued a public apology for making homophobic comments during last Friday’s Super League match at Warrington. The 22-year-old England international is currently being investigated by the Rugby Football League and looks certain to be charged with breaching their Respect policy and bringing the game into disrepute. In the meantime, Hardaker broke his silence by apologising for his remarks, which he says were aimed at the Warrington captain Michael Monaghan rather than the referee James Child, which appeared to be the case. It is the second time in seven months that Hardaker has been forced to issue a public apology. In November he was thrown out of England’s World Cup camp for a breach of discipline and fined £2,500 by his club for breaking their code of conduct. Hardaker was also at the time given a warning by his club, who have described the latest incident as “a genuine error of judgement”. The player’s statement said: “Because of the RFL’s investigation, this is the first opportunity I have had to speak about the incident in last week’s game at Warrington. “First and foremost, I would like to apologise for any offence my comments during that game have caused. In the heat of the game, I have used an offensive term and I can honestly say I was deeply saddened when I found out after the game how it had been perceived. “As professional players, we know that we have an obligation to conduct ourselves in the right manner for the good of the game at all times, that includes with our team-mates, opponents, officials and, of course, supporters at the ground and those watching at home on television, and my comments fell below those standards. “I would especially like to apologise to Michael Monaghan, who my comments were aimed at.
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Eliaquim Mangala would prefer Man-U to Manchester City
Eliaquim Mangala, left, is wanted by Manchester City to partner Vincent Kompany in central defence next season.
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton makes peace with team-mate Nico Rosberg
Lewis Hamilton’s very public feud with his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg is over, the British driver announced when he arrived at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Thursday. The two drivers had a very frosty weekend in Monaco two weeks ago when Hamilton refused to join Rosberg in the post-race podium celebrations. He had suggested that Rosberg had deliberately sabotaged his bid for pole position on the eve of the race. Rosberg’s subsequent victory knocked his team-mate off the top of the drivers’ world championship. But Hamilton said peace had broken out as he prepared for this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix. The pair had dinner at a steak restaurant in Montreal’s old town district on Wednesday evening, following an earlier meeting after the Monaco race. Hamilton said: “We have known each other for a long time and it is done and dusted.
Lewis Hamilton has ended his feud with his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg on the eve of the Canadian Grand Prix. We look forward to working together to help the team win the constructors’ championship. “The team has done a great job in supporting us in the way it is run with Paddy [Lowe] and Toto [Wolff]. Their support for both of us is great. We are full steam ahead. We had dinner together with the team
yesterday and things are better. “We are going from strength to strength. People have ups and downs so it is no different from years we have been racing together. We move on. There is a long way to go and we are looking forward to that battle.” But Jenson Button, Hamilton’s former team-mate at McLaren, is critical of the way the spat was made public. He said: “You’ve got to be very careful with what you say about your team-mate. You might say it in a jokey way but it’s taken seriously. I don’t know what the situation is there. Even if you’ve had troubles, you discuss it with each other. I’m sure it makes it more exciting for the world to read it, but it’s not the way you’ve got to do business in this sport. “We [Button and Hamilton] had our moments and here was one of them, in 2011, Turkey 2010. We were both very outspoken to each other, and that’s very important.”
Eliaquim Mangala, Manchester City’s No1 summer transfer target, would prefer a move to Manchester United, though Louis van Gaal is not prioritising the Porto central defender because of reservations over his temperament. The Holland coach, who will take charge when their World Cup campaign ends, is an admirer of Mangala but is unsure if the 23-year-old has yet to fully mature. While Van Gaal needs to replace the departed centre-backs Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic as he seeks to rebuild his United squad this summer, the France defender is not among his prime choices, with the 62-year-old instead targeting Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels. Manuel Pellegrini, the City manager, does not have any doubts and is keen to bring Mangala, who would cost around £35m, to the Etihad Stadium to partner Vincent Kompany next season though the champions, having previously been confident of signing Mangala, are now conscious it could be difficult. The Frenchman, who is part of Didier Deschamps’ squad at the World Cup, would rather play for United – or Chelsea, as he has previously stated – with Mangala having told friends he believes each club is of a greater status to City. Mangala is minded to wait until after the World Cup to decide his future as he is hopeful a successful showing in Brazil will enhance his options, and increase potential earnings with any suitors.
Alibaba buys half of Chinese soccer club for $192 million In a speedy deal hatched over a few drinks, China’s biggest e-commerce company Alibaba is buying half of the country’s most successful soccer club Guangzhou Evergrande for $192 million. For Jack Ma, Alibaba Group Holding’s billionaire founder and confessed soccer agnostic, it may seem a fanciful move, the latest in a string of recent acquisitions beyond Alibaba’s traditional e-commerce businesses. Guangzhou Evergrande is owned by Hong Kong property firm Evergrande Real Estate Group Ltd, and the team is coached by World Cup winning manager Italian Marcello Lippi. The club won the 2013 AFC Champions League, the first Chinese side to win the region’s premier club competition in its current format, and finished fourth in the World Club Cup. Alibaba and its affiliates have spent more than $6 billion this year on assets in finance, entertainment and healthcare, seeking to dig deeper into customer wallets ahead of a U.S. stock listing that could be the biggest tech company IPO to date, and value Alibaba at $152 billion. Beyond its core online commerce businesses, Hangzhoubased Alibaba now offers Internet TV, owns 16.5 percent of online video site Youku Tudou Inc and has set up a film company in Hong Kong after taking control of ChinaVision Media Group. “We’re not investing in football, we’re investing in entertainment,” Ma said. “Alibaba’s future strategies are health and entertainment.”
Roy Hodgson says there is no reason why England cannot win World Cup
England’s manager Roy Hodgson arrives for a Q&A with fans at a burger bar in Miami.
Roy Hodgson has delivered first European nation to win a his boldest speech yet about World Cup in South America. “What makes me think England’s chances of winning the World Cup, insisting his we can win it is that it is a team have a realistic chance knockout competition. If we in Brazil only 24 hours after look at previous tournaments one of his predecessors, Sven- like [Euro] 1992, Denmark Goran Eriksson, emphatically didn’t even qualify, they stated there was “absolutely no rounded people up from the beaches, and beat Holland way” it could happen. Abandoning his usual on the way to the final and restraint on the topic, Germany in the final. “We are not low down the Hodgson said he would not tolerate anyone in his squad rankings [10th] so anyone who approaching the tournament thinks we can’t win has to be with the mindset that it was barking up the wrong tree. wrong to believe England were And anyone who comes in with talented enough to become the England and thinks we can’t
win has to be barking up the wrong tree. “All I know is that we can work towards it, that the process of winning it is being done as perfectly as possible. With the process we have, and the staff I have, that gives us a really good chance. “I can guarantee you that the players are 100% committed to winning it even though they know it is a big ask. We’d like to think we will go beyond the group stage, we are planning for it.’’ Hodgson was speaking on England’s training camp in Miami.
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