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SIPT CORRUPTION JUDGE STAYS ON
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JENNA HATMIN REIGNS AT 2015 SPELLING BEE COMPETITION: Jenna Hatmin, daughter of Magistrate Jolyon Hatmin and Senior Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court, Nayasha Hatmin crowned herself National Spelling Bee champion. The event was held at Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa on Friday (February 13, 2015). Jenna, a student of the International School of the Turks and Caicos, formerly the Ashcroft School in Leeward, turned back the challenges of 12 other schools to take the title. She made it to final with Jabriel Williams of Shining Stars. Jenna is seen here collecting her championship trophy from Minister of Education, Youth, Sport and Library Service Hon. Akierra Misick (right). Sharing in the occasion is Jenna’s coach, Oneil Chung. For the second year running, the title sponsors for the spelling bee championship are Canadian couple Michael and Nancy Goldberg.
By Vivian Tyson
J
ustice Paul Harrison, the judge charged with presiding over the Special Investigations and Prosecution Team’s (SIPT) corruption trial involving a number of person, including some members of the former Michael Misick administration, has rejected a motion brought by defense lawyers to recuse himself because of statements he made concern in parliamentary integrity commission bill in Jamaica. In his ruling on Friday (February 13th, 2015), Justice Harrison told defense lawyers that he was not
Ground to break for new high school Page 9 “Bugaloo’s” spinal surgery successful Page 15
rejecting the motion - which attorneys argued for four days - but rather, he was just not entertaining it. Some of the observers in court told the media that Judge Harrison’s ruling was no surprise, since it would be difficult to convince a sitting judge to recuse himself from fear of him being compromised. Beryn Duncanson, the local lawyer for former Premier Mike Misick told The SUN following the ruling that defence attorneys made the application after Justice Harrison, who is the chairman of the parliamentary integrity commission in Jamaica, allegedly made comments
published in the media there that it should be as presumption as corruption any government officials accepting gifts equivalent to more than $US4, 500. “We argued around the comments he made and reported in the Jamaican press just before Christmas time, which basically included statements to the effect that there should be a law in Jamaica presumption unlawful for parliamentarians to receive gifts of over Jamaican $500,000, which is about US $4,500,” Duncanson said. He said that receiving of gifts topics could come out during the local trial, and Justice Harrison’s retention
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on the case could the defense uneasy, while rattling the public’s confidence in the justice system. “The various counsel, including myself, who engaged into objecting to this judge’s sitting, are saying that those are the kinds of considerations that he has got to bring to bear in the case here. Because clearly, part of the defense will be, when it comes to certain monies that are alleged to be bribes, whether it is either political donations and or gifts, if he has a strong opinion as he said that there should be a presumption of corruption, we are not comfortable,” Duncanson said. Continued on Page 2
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Fortis considers offshore fueling system - Page 7
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He added: “My particular argument centred on the fact that case law that I raised and brought to the attention of the court, said that it is a test for apparent bias. And when a real informed observer thinks that there is a real possibility of bias, there will be that presumption.” During his presentation, Duncanson presented a number of authorities, with judges either suggesting that withdrawal in such fashion was warranted or cases where judges had actually pulled themselves from such controversial matters. “Justice (Ian) Forte (Court of a Appeal judge) said that the same test that you would give to a juror is for a
judge – no difference. And so, I said that makes it very clear. If you found out that on the eve of the trial that a juror sitting in the jury that, unbeknown to everybody, happens to be the chairman of the Jamaican integrity commission for parliament, happens to say before Christmas that, ‘I believe that there should be a presumption that gifts over a certain amount should be presumption of unlawful’, happens to also have spoken at an anti-corruption seminar in Ocho Rios (Jamaica) in 2012, giving a presentation – don’t care that the judge said on that he gave a presentation on admissibility or evidence - that juror would not be considered,” he said.
Lead Attorney for the SIPT, Andrew Mitchell QC, for his part, told the court that the attempt to have Justice Harrison removed from the case was another attempt by the accused, especially Misick, to delay the trial process, making it bad for other accused who may want to have their cases advanced. While making ruling, Justice Harrison also denied the defense leave to appeal, but Duncanson said that he would be consulting with his clients to determine their next move. The pre-trial date for the matter is set for June 30 and to last for four days. The trial in earnest, set for December 1. Whether or not the pre-trial and trial
commencing on those dates still rests on the ruling by the United Kingdombased Privy Council, which is in the process of making a determination on the trial without jury decision appeal. Mitchell told the court that a ruling is expected by May 8, 2015. Duncanson represented Mike Misick; Alvin Garland represented Floyd Hall; Jerome Lynch QC and Laura Maroof represented McAllister Hanchell ; Douglas Leyes QC and Oliver Smith represented Lisa Hall; Oliver also represented Clayton Greene; Finbar Grant represented Lillian Boyce and Earlson Robinson; Malcolm Bishop QC and Kwame Smith represented Chal Misick.
New Commissioner vows to make a difference By Vivian Tyson New commissioner of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, James Smith has asserted that he will make a different to policing in this country since that is his main specialty. Smith, who assumed the role of police commissioner on Wedensday (February 11, 2015) during a ceremony in the country’s capital Grand Turk, said during his 57 seconds speech that while he expects to do well as police chief, also expects to get the full cooperation from members of the public who have a vested interest into seeing crime arrested. “I am terribly honoured to be selected for this job. I do come with a lot of experience; I will make a difference because that is what I am good at. I will build trust with people; I will hold you to account as well. I am grateful that you said you will support me because we all need help,” he said. While noting he expect to do an overall good job at policing in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Commissioner Smith said that community police is an area that he expects to do exceptionally well. “I do have a passion for community policing, and I do believe that successful policing come from communities; it comes from intimate knowledge of the people that we serve, and that is the only way we can keep these islands safe,” her said. Smith said that while his knowledge of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force tells him that there are some talented men and women, said he hopes to enhance
Outgoing Commissioner of Police Colin Farquhar (left) hands over the instrument of office to incoming police commissioner James Smith those skills in order to maximizing its optimum effectiveness. “I look forward to enhancing the skills of the officers that are here I know that they have some very good skills already but there is always work to be done,” he said. “I am delighted that we have been able and fortunate enough to secure someone with the range and depth of experience that Mr. Smith brings with him to Turks and Caicos. Running the police forces across large parts of London for the Metropolitan Police is one of the most demanding positions in Europe, and Mr Smith has also got valuable international experience in
both Hong Kong, another challenging environment, and Cayman. In welcoming the new police commissioner, His Excellency Governor Peter Beckingham told the gathering that Smith has his confidential backing. “I have every confidence that Jim Smith will prove an energetic and inspirational leader for Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force,” Governor Beckingham said, while bidding his predecessor Colin Farquhar well, further noting that TCI has an enviable record of crime fighting. Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing also welcomed the new police commissioner and expressed the hope that his
ANNOUNCEMENT
management skills will not only uplift the morale of the police officers but also forge a connection with the community so that the Turks and Caicos Islands become much safer that it already is. For her part, Opposition Leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson, during her remarks urged the commissioner to quickly get to familiarize himself with members of the force and the community. “We are grateful that amidst the challenges you have come to these Islands and though you will find very quickly that there is much to do, we would like for you to take the time to get to know your men and women in the Organisation that you will lead – It is a small staff and quite achievable over a short period. “It is important that you build a strong relationship with them. Equally important, we encourage you to simultaneously make every effort to meet and greet the people along the chain of Islands,” she said. While wishing James predecessor, Colin Farquhar well, Cartwright Robinson urged Commissioner Smith to be defender of both the men and women under his command as well as the populace that he will serve. “The people in your organisation and in our communities are key to a successful tenure and we encourage you to become a champion for and on behalf of both. Your Organisation requires a champion for better working conditions – for fair opportunities for training, resources, facilities, promotion and pay. Our people want to know you and feel your commitment,” she said.
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Come out and support our brightest young minds as they compete in the th
6 Annual FortisTCI National Science Fair In conjunction with the Ministry of Education March 3-5 Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Complex
2014’s Winners Champions for Christ International School of Excellence
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No honeymoon for new Police Commissioner Smith
James Smith, New Commissioner of Police By Vivian Tyson Sparking no bounds to inform him of the crime challenges that the Turks and Caicos Islands is facing, Opposition Leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson has urged new commissioner of police James Smith to hit the ground running. Cartwright Robinson, who along with other People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) and leaders met with the Commissioner Smith on Tuesday (February 10, 2015), said that she told the commissioner of police her party
and the people’s expectation of him. “I had the opportunity to have an Introductory Meeting with the incoming Commissioner of Police. I was able to hear of his background and to also tell him of our position regarding the Police,” Cartwright Robinson said. She told him that he is taking over a police force that is divided and of low morale, and so, the onus is on him to quickly turnaround the fortunes of the organization. “I informed him of the challenges as we saw it - low morale in the police force and a glaring division that is evident even by those looking on from the outside. I attributed this to low pay, poor working conditions highlighting the condition of the stations in GT (Grand Turk) and North Caicos, and the absence of a working car in Middle Caicos. “ I took the liberty in that meeting to tell him that if people were honest with him, they would tell him that he is building a Force from bottom up. He was assured that he has a partner in the Opposition. We encouraged him to create a Plan and strategy for increased resources,” Cartwright Robinson said. She added: “I asked him to hit the ground running by allowing police officers to share their concerns in comfortable settings and in frequent staff meetings, to allow them to be a part of decision-making and to allow for a fair, transparent and objective
promotion scheme. I also raised the concern about the crime rate increase and the number of cold cases citing poor public relations and the absence of a strong people/police relationship as a contributing factor.” As for Cartwright Robinson and the opposition, Commissioner Smith will have no honeymoon but instead to work on the broken police system and spiraling crime rate. “There is really no time for a honeymoon. The police force needs rebuilding and the fences with the people must be mended as a matter of urgency. “I told him that he has no time but must work right away at being a champion for the police and in restoring the severely eroded relationship with the people. I was happy to hear of his background in neighbourhood policing as we maintain our position that strong community policing can and will go a long way to solving and deterring crime. “I encouraged him to build strong partnerships with other law enforcement groups and to also see the benefit of creating an association so that resources can be better shared and not duplicated,” she said. She said that Hon Clarence Selver, the Opposition’s Appointed Member to the House of Assembly, who was also part of the meeting, spoke to the need for a comprehensive national
security that includes sea and airports and the need to improve the poor crime detection rates. “He (Selver) told him (police commissioner) that we take no comfort in the statement that we are still among the lowest (crime rate in the region) but wish to have it lowered, as the statistics released last year was alarming for us,” she said.
Opposition Leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson
Fortis considers offshore fueling system
Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing By Vivian Tyson Determined to cut its carriage inwards energy bill and passing on the benefits to customers, light and power company Fortis TCI is looking into the possibility of setting up an offshore deep-water fuel taker pumping. However, the company in a short email response to The SUN’s request for more information said that the stage is an early one, since a preliminary feasibility study has not yet been done. “We are very much at the early conceptual stage with regards to the constructing of an off-shore deep water mooring system. At this time, it would really be premature for the Company to discuss the matter as not even preliminary feasibility studies have commenced,” Talisha Simons, the company’s Manager for Corporate Communications told The SUN earlier this week.
Premier for the Turks and Caicos Islands Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing broke the news during answering questions from the media at a post-cabinet news briefing at the Premiers Office in Providenciales recently. “Fortis themselves are also looking into doing a feasibility study for what we call ‘an offshore pipeline’, where tankers can actually dock offshore. They don’t have to do any deep water dredging, they just dock and have the fuel piped in onshore storage containers, and that in itself can go a long way, because we can have larger tankers docking at offshore docks and pumping fuel in,” he said. Energy users have longed complained, even before Fortis assumed ownership of the company more than five years ago, that the cost for electricity was too high. Fortis has always sought to explain that its price leveraging has to do mostly with the
fuel factor and the relay shipment system, that goes through the Bahamas, which levies custom charges, before allowing it to be loaded on smaller boats before sailing to the TCI. The premier also sought to explain during the news briefing that the transshipment of fuel into the TCI is one of the driving factors for high energy both at the pumps and on monthly power bills. He noted however, that some independent shippers bring their fuel directly from the source. “Fuel in the Turks and Caicos come in two ways; those with the larger fuel companies comes from Texas via the Bahamas, so that is why you may see a variation in fuel prices across the different pumps because they have different source of origin of fuel being reported. Some of it comes directly from the taxes area by ships. I think most of the independent fuel providers here in Providenciales, bring in their own directly from the Texas area,” the premier said. Premier Ewing also pointed out that while the TCI does not have any legislation to regulate fuel prices, it would endeavor to study world trend and try to convince local players not to squeeze customers. “We don’t have any legislative teeth to regulate fuel at the pump, but what we can do is to look at trends, and to see indeed whether or not those trends reflect what we would expect,” he said, adding that customers should also bear in mind that logistics play a pivotal role in the pricing mechanism. He noted also that fuel price drop, especially in the United States, must be considered and compared with the reduction in the TCI. “In the United States, we need to look at the percentage drop, because I know that fuel was up to as much as $6.50 or so per gallon (in TCI), and it is down in some place to $5.35, and so, you have almost a dollar drop in the price of fuel. “If you take that same dollar drop across some places like the United States, we may not be too far off in terms of the comparable drops. Even though $5.35 is not where we would like it to be, we would like for it to be lower, you have to look at where we are really getting it from,” he said.
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Search on for new DPP that everybody has got their different role, it’s all with the common pursuit of justice. Somebody has to set the example, and that is so important to me with the team of prosecutors,” she said. She said that at the time that there were times when things became demoralizing for her and her staff, mainly for the lack of public support but nonetheless, still manages to forge ahead. “So we just try to do the next straight thing, and, that is why I am proud of these guys, because there is a lot of adversity out there and very little support; it is a difficult job. Even though there has been a lot of barriers and systemic challenges, those principles have been instilled in all members of the prosecution service. And from that point-of-view I think there has been a big improvement,” she said.
By Vivian Tyson The Governor’s Office is now on the hunt for a new Director of Public Prosecution after the country’s first chief prosecutor Jo-Ann Meloche walked away from that position at the end of January. At a joint news conference in January Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing, His Excellency Governor Peter said that Meloche could have renew her contract, but she decided to walk away from the job, forcing his office to now embark on a campaign to find a new DPP. In the meantime, Angela Brooks has been acting as DPP. Meloche, who spoke to The SUN earlier this week, said that she intends to depart the jurisdiction soon. She said she was making final preparation before doing so. She declined our invitation to say exactly what she would do next. In an earlier interview, Meloche, the former TCI DPP said that she was happy to be able to leave the job knowing that all its staff members are equipped with the tools they need to be more effective on the job. Under her stewardship, Meloche said that a new fit-for-purpose office, library and on-going international and local legal education for staff members of the DPP were achieved. She said that she left a group of staff with high morale, a concept of teamwork, principles of imposing the rule of law, being consistent and acting with integrity. “We have a prosecution theme that we follow and everybody is on the
AUTO TECH Jo-Ann Meloche same page for that,” she said. When Meloche joined the local prosecution body as the principal crown counsel in Grand Turk, it was, at the time, operating out of the Attorney General Chambers. She said that since the workload was heavy for the five prosecutors that she came and saw, she managed to hire five more, bringing the complement to 10, while also hiring most of the seven support staff. She said that professionalism and integrity are two of the main doctrines
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she nailed in her staff, and was happy that they have grasped those creeds. “It is very important to do the right thing, and I think that the work ethic and all of those things have really been instilled. To act with integrity and professionalism at all times is a very challenging thing to do in this jurisdiction. “You have to build a relationship of trust and so on, that is important because we are all are carrying out a different role, and you have to respect
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Ground to break for new high school
By Vivian Tyson Barring unforeseen events, the propose high school in the Long Bay area is scheduled to be ready before the opening of the next school year which begins in September, according to Minister of Education, Youth, Sport and Library Service, Hon. Akierra Missick. Minister Misick, who is also the deputy premier, made the revelation while attending an event at the Fire and Ice Restaurant and Lounge in Blue Hills on Thursday (February 12, 2015). She said that the groundbreaking would take place about 10 days from the time of the interview. “The constituents and residents of Long Bay and Long Bay Hills, Leeward, Leeward Proper and the Bight will get to benefit from this ground-breaking. I feel like this is a baby that is taking forever to come to fruition. But nonetheless we are finally getting ready to break ground on phase one of the Long Bay Hills campus of the Clement Howell High School,” the minister said, unable to contain her enthusiasm. “We are very excited about this and trying to contain my excitement for this, because this was not only a promise made by my government that we would ensure that our facilities will be at the centre that they need to be for our children, but there also that
Minster of Education Hon. Akierra Missick there is a constitutional need to ensure that there are adequate placing for our children in the various schools,” she said. She added: “And so, this second or extended campus or second high school, or whatever the name will be when the time comes, is here. It’s a reality and something that I am very excited about, and I look forward to inviting everyone in the island of Providenciales and anyone with the child of high school age, teachers, supporters, everyone to come out and celebrate this historic occasion.” Pointing out that the last high school built on Providenciales – the Clement Howell High School – was constructed almost a decade ago, the construction of a high school in 2015
Blue Heron Aviation is seeking an: Field Superintendent Aviation Security to complete its portfolio of services to its corporate jet clients, the individual must hold the following qualifications and have had previous experience within an airline environment. Minimum Qualifications: •High School Graduate •Police Academy Graduate or •Military Training •Firearm training •Basic Microsoft Office skills •Fraudulent Document training •Explosive Detection training •Previous Air Carrier experience is mandatory. Responsibilities: •Provide direction and leadership to a small team of highly qualified Officers •Provide world class safety and security to high end net worth individuals from various different countries •The ability to offer excellent customer service skills on a daily basis •Creating and promoting plans to ensure the safety and security of expensive assets. •Setting up rostering systems to ensure regular patrols of the facility and apron areas, acting as a visual deterrent as well as looking for any damage to the building so it can be reported •Ensuring that any threat of unauthorized access to said facility and assets is negated. •Concise reporting of daily tasks •Assisting in the evacuation of passengers in emergency situations •Assisting in the creation and maintenance of the SMS plan Skills Must be physically active, capable of working extended periods of time and capable of first class customer service delivery within a specialized high net worth environment. Miscellaneous All Applicants are subject to a Substance Abuse test prior to employment as well as producing a valid Police Certificate of Character. Salary commensurate with experience. Interested individuals can send inquires no later than February 25th, 2015 to: Email: info@misickstanbrook.tc; or Fax (649) 946) 4734.
is bound to change the education landscape on that island and the wider Turks and Caicos Islands. “We look forward to unveiling the contractor who was successful during the procurement bid and we look forward to turning the ground and having the timetable set so that we can be ready for the upcoming new school year 2015/16,” she said. The minister was quick to point that the preferred bidder said that the project will be delivered for the upcoming school year barring unforeseen events such as hurricanes. “The contractor is very confident that it should be ready by September. Now, bear any other issues that may arise outside of our control, but he has assured us that by the beginning of the school year we should be ready to move in,” she said, pointing out that phase one project would accommodate first-formers only. She revealed that the estimates are already out for the purchasing of equipment for the proposed new school. “ Tenders are already out for the equipment for the furniture, for the software, for everything, so that once the paint is try, once we get the clearance that we can move in, those items will be moved in and we will ready to start a brand new school year in the new campus, again, barring any delays that are outside human control,” the minister said.
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 Graphic designer 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.
Blue Heron Aviation is seeking an:
Aircraft Flight Dispatcher to complete its portfolio of services to its corporate jet clients, the individual must hold the following qualifications and have had previous experience within an airline environment. Minimum Qualifications: •05 O-Level / IGCE/CXE Examination (including English Language) •02 A-Levels •Certified Airman Dispatcher license issued by the FAA or an EASA course based on ICAO Doc 7192-AN/857 leading to a school certificate attestation. •2 years in an Operational Control enviornment •Emergency Response Training from a reputable Air Carrier and or Training facility Responsibilities: •Has joint responsibility with the captain for the safety and operational control of flights under his/her guidance. •Authorizes, regulates and controls corporate flights according to government and company regulations to expedite and ensure safety of flight. •Analyzes and evaluates meteorological information to determine potential hazards to safety of flight and to select the most desirable and economic route of flight. •Computes the amount of fuel required for the safe completion of flight according to type of aircraft, distance of flight, maintenance limitations, weather conditions and minimum fuel requirements prescribed by federal aviation regulations. •Prepares flight plans containing information such as maximum allowable takeoff and landing weights, weather reports, field conditions, NOTAMS and many other informational components required for the safe completion of flight. •Prepares and signs the dispatch release which is the legal document providing authorization for a flight to depart. •Monitors weather conditions, aircraft position reports, and aeronautical navigation charts to evaluate the progress of flight. •Updates the pilot in command of significant changes to weather or flight plan and recommends flight plan alternates, such as changing course, altitude and, if required, enroute landings in the interest of safety and economy. Skills Must be articulate and capable of first class customer service delivery within a specialized high net worth environment. Miscellaneous All Applicants are subject to a Substance Abuse test prior to employment as well as producing a valid Police Certificate of Character. Salary commensurate with experience. Interested individuals can send inquires no later than February 25th, 2015 to: Email: info@misickstanbrook.tc; or Fax (649) 946) 4734.
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From T-shirts to grocery bags By Vivian Tyson A couple of environmentally conscious individuals found a creative way to turn old T-shirts into shopping bags and get at least one learning institution to buy into it in the form of art and craft for potential income generation. Lynn Robinson, a diver with Big Blue Unlimited has become heart-broken when she saw almost irreparable harm that plastic bags and bottles do to marine life and decided to do something about it. The most of the bags are discarded by shoppers, sometimes indiscriminately, after purchasing items in them from the food stores. Robinson said that a number of the plastic bags and bottles make their way into the ocean which marine life ingest and suffer in the process. Robinson’s innovation is simplistic yet profoundly effective. She just uses a pair of scissors to cut some frills at the end of the T-shirt, cut deeper around the neck area and snips off the arm areas as well. She then tie the fringes together thereby creating a firm-holding grocery bag. The cutting at the neck and arms of the T-shirt, allows it to be transformed into perfect handles for carrying the bag. Now she and Kevin Bethel, a journalist and sporting events coordinator in the TCI, have been getting
the community to plastic for buy into this plankton environmentally and they eat sound practice. them,” she The SUN said. caught up with She noted the two while further that teaching students chemicals and teachers and toxins at the Marion ingested by Williams Special the marine Needs Association life from the of Providenciales plastic are (SNAP) Centre passed on on Wednesday to humans (February 11, when they 2015), to make the eat those sea bags. creatures. Robinson She said that there are said that Lynn Robinson (left) displays one of the finished grocery naked evidence of transforming bags, while Kevin Bethel displays one that is about to be plastic bags and T-shirts into transformed bottles harming shopping marine life in the bags is TCI. geared towards protecting the “Plastic bags cause a huge environment by reducing the level of environmental problem on the marine plastic bags that shoppers take home life, turtles, whales and dolphins and dispose. accidentally ingesting them thinking “The grocery store unfortunately, they are food. Turtles eat Jellyfish, and give out a huge amount of plastic bags, also, I have noticed Ospreys building most people probably have a cupboard nests from plastic bags as well. full of plastic, which you probably “Plastics never break down say that you are going to reuse, and completely. It breaks down into little probably line your bin with them, but pieces eventually, but then marine life how many do you use compared to how eats those little pieces – not just bags many you get? but bottles and any other plastic that “So by making T-shirt bags, it’s we use. They mistake the pieces of reusing old T-shirts that you don’t
Immediate opening PAYROLL MASTER/GENERAL CASHIER Requirements: •Experience at a property of similar size as a Payroll Master/General Cashier •Experience with Timesaver and ADP Software an asset •Experience handling and balancing cash transactions from various outlets and preparing daily deposits •Experience with handling Change, Floats & Petty Cash Transactions as asset •Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts Duties: •Full Payroll Cycle processing for Biweekly payroll for two Resort Properties, based on current payroll information and all Personal Action Forms received within the resorts; present to the Financial Controller for control, approval and signatures •Keeping all employee data updated in payroll software system •Balance and prepare daily cash deposits for entire resort and coordinate daily delivery to bank with service; provide all departments with change as needed from main resort float •Manage Petty Cash and Monthly Float checks Salary $31,500.00 per annum but commensurate with experience & education, not including service charge ACCOUNTANT Requirements: •Minimum two year’s experience at a property of similar size as an accountant •Post secondary degree or equivalent qualification by experience. •Resort and Strata Accounting experience •Sound training in all areas of accounting from A/P, A/R, General Ledger, Credit. Collections, Audit. Inventory control, Payroll, Budgeting, Costing, P & L preparation and analysis, etc. •Advanced knowledge and skills in computer systems, most specifically, Excel Spreadsheet Solutions •Demonstrate understanding of interdepartmental relations and expectations in the luxury hotel market. •Sound knowledge if American Accounting Plans •Willingness to complete a variety of tasks as assigned by Financial Controller •Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts Duties: •Preparing and posting of various General Ledger entries each month with appropriate backups as well as assist with preparation of monthly financial statements for final review by Financial Controller for Management Company and Strata Corporation. •Prepare monthly reconciliation of balance sheet accounts for Management Company and Strata Corporation. •Assist/Coordinate with Cost Controller and Department Managers on monthly reports submitted for month end; reviewing and ensuring accuracy on inventory counts, variances are investigated and resolved, all shop prepaid reports are accurate, invoice submissions are completed, etc. •Prepare of bi-weekly payroll entries for the resort from reports received from Payroll Master and make necessary accruals, if ending of payroll is different from ending of accounting period. •Prepare and balance NIB and NHIP reconciliation on time for monthly submissions. This includes coordinating with Human Resources, Payroll Master and NIB/NHIP on ensuring numbers are all correct and current in ADP and submission. •Ensure that cash reconciliation between PMS system and physical deposits is maintained by Income Auditor and verifying all variances are being followed up and resolved in a timely manner. •Ensuring that credit card reconciliation between PMS system, shift 4, and bank account is maintained and any variances are being followed up in a timely manner. Starting salary $36,000.00 per annum but commensurate with experience & education, not including service charge Interested applicants should apply to Regent Palms, Human Resources Department by submitting an updated resume, or by emailing to marjorie.dorsett@regenthotels.com no later than Friday, February 26, 2015.
want anymore or might have gotten a little bit stained, so you can’t pass them on to other people, or you might have a favourite T-shirt that you don’t want to throw away, so you make a bag and just get in the habit of taking with you when you go shopping, leave them in your car, leave them in your handbag. And for the guys, I you don’t like the fringe at the bottom, you can actually turn them inside out,” she said. The so idea here is, once the kids have gotten the ideas to make these bags, they could go out and sell them, so that actually brings a little bit of revenue for them, especially at art and craft fairs. They can have a stand, a stash of bags, have some information about why they are doing this and a little bit of information about the environment. They can also show people how to make them as well,” Robinson said. Sheniqua Morgan, one of the teachers at the SNAP Centre was elated that her students have been given an opportunity to learn a new skill. I think this programme will assist our students to learn one more skill, make bags and sell them and help to make a little money for the SNAP Centre. The bags will go a far way in helping the environment because they can be used more than just one time; they can use it all the time when they go to the grocery store,” Morgan said.
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
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LOCAL NEWS
US178.3M SURPLUS A REFLECTION OF TOURISM PARTNERS’ MARKETING EFFORTS Achieving a year to date recurring surplus of US$178.3M for the first three quarters in such a challenging economy is no easy feat and with Government’s recent announcement of this figure which surpasses last year’s figure by US$39.2M, TCHTA is commending the administration for a job well done. As the leading private sector association gears up for another hectic year of promoting the destination throughout its key markets, TCHTA also congratulated its members, the Tourist
Board, TCIAA and other tourism partners for being an integral part in Government’s achievement of the surplus. With 2015 already seeing TCHTA’s members participating in the Caribbean’s largest and most important marketing events have already been organised for the year through TCHTA’s membership body and in partnership with the Tourist Board. These events will see TCHTA’s members using their own marketing funds and resources to promote
not only their resorts and companies but TCI on a whole, in an attempt to drive more business to our destination. Congratulating the administration on its recent announcement was TCHTA’s Board of Directors who noted, “Our marketing efforts never stop and the recent news will only propel us to achieve an even greater surplus. We also congratulate our members for their marketing strategies as they constantly network with their travel partners in an effort
to sell the destination, with many having representation in our target markets which is critical in remaining “present” in our travel partners’ minds. We can truly say that all members have been instrumental in the achievement of the destination’s strong revenue and we encourage continued partnership between Government and our members as a united front will only bring about even better results.” The Board also stressed that “the increase in tourism business should trickle down
to most businesses in TCI, therefore allowing TCIG to not only pay down the debt, but also allowing them to work on critical Capital Projects such as schools and infrastructure upgrades much needed.” With new airlift being negotiated for the upcoming winter season along with an anticipated overall 80% or higher occupancy rate expected TCHTA sees a year of great possibilities and achievements for TCI’s tourism and hospitality sector.
TCI is Measles Free
The Ministry of Health and Human Services is pleased to advise that the Turks and Caicos Island is currently MEASLES FREE. Over the years, the 1st dose of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine coverage have been 95% - 98%. However, children remain at risk of contracting measles if they have not received the 2nd dose of MMR vaccine and they come into contact with someone who has the disease. Children who have not received the 1st dose of MMR vaccine are at an increased risk of contracting measles if they come in contact with someone who has the disease. In order to reduce the risk of local transmission of measles to our population in the TCI, the Public Health Staff from the Primary Health Care Department will be conducting the following initiatives: Vaccination in schools throughout Providenciales commencing the first week in February 2015. Catch-up and Mop-up campaigns in the community. “The target group” are children ages 1 year for the 1st MMR vaccine and 2 years or older for the 2nd MMR vaccine. Routine immunization of measles vaccine will continue to be administered at well-baby clinics throughout the country. Vaccinations administered at Public Health Clinics are free of charge. Parents are encouraged to cooperate with the Public Health Nurses and send their children’s immunization take home cards to school upon request. Travellers to the USA or Mexico from TCI (adults
Measles and children) are advised to ensure their vaccination records are up to date prior to travelling. For more information, contact the Primary Health Care Clinic in your respective island. In Grand Turk, contact 941-2900 in Cockburn Town Medical Centre and in Providenciales, contact 941-2800 in Cheshire Hall Medical Centre. There is currently a multistate outbreak of Measles in the USA associated with travel to Disneyland Resort Theme Parks in California. This has affected 14 US states and Mexico. From the 1st through the 30th of January 2015, 102 measles positive cases were reported. Last year, the US experienced
the highest number of measles cases reported in 20 years, 644 cases in 27 States. The Caribbean sub-region has been successful in maintaining a measles-free status since 1991. In light of the strong travel ties between the Caribbean and the USA, and given that we are in the midst of the tourism high-season, the Ministry of Health and Human Services encourages local residents and visitors to be watchful for fever-rash syndromes. Measles spreads quickly among unvaccinated people. The majority of the adults and children that have reported cases of measles in the US did not get vaccinated or do not know whether they have been vaccinated. Measles,
mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe, effective and highly recommended. Maintaining high vaccination coverage is very important and it’s the best protection we have against disease outbreaks. Measles is a highly contagious viral respiratory disease that occurs over a period of two to three weeks. It spreads through the air by coughing and sneezing. Measles starts with a fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes and sore throat, and is followed by a rash that spreads all over the body. A person with measles can spread the virus to others for about eight days, four days before the rash appears and four days after the rash appears. Vaccination and 2) through previous infection, i.e., if you have had the measles already, you cannot get measles again. The vaccine is given in two doses in the TCI, the first at age 1 year and the second at age 2 years. Children who receive the vaccine at age 1 are protected up to 98% until the second dose is due at age 2. Persons not protected against the disease can contract the virus when a person with measles coughs, sneezes or talks in their face. Also, droplets from coughing, sneezing and talking can fall on surfaces and remain there for hours. Persons who have not been immunized can contract the virus by touching the infected surface and putting their fingers in their mouth, nose or eyes.
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TURKS & CAICOS SUN
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
LOCAL NEWS
Malique Farrette did TCI proud Malique Ferrette, the Miss Turks and Caicos Teen Universe contestant returned to the country on Tuesday (February 10, 2015) from the global competition, which was held on the weekend.
Malique won the title of Miss Photogenic or Prettiest Face at the contest, held in Guatemala. The following are photo Highlights from events in Guatemala and her return to the TCI.
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
LOCAL NEWS
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
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TURKS & CAICOS SUN
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
LOCAL NEWS
NOTICE Regulation 7 of the Physical Planning (Development Permission)
Minimum 2 years sales experience Experience in jewelry sales Impeccable references and police clearance Impeccable English, other languages –advantage High level of customer service and customer attending skills Sales references-advantage JEWELER NEEDED WITH THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS Minimum 5 years experience in setting and sizing gold, silver and gems Tel: 649-946-1083 Fax: 649-946-1988 E-mail: kwatts@shopdi.com
TIKI HUT
Looking for a cook 6 days a week 8 year experience Contact:941-534
PAY RATE IS $7.50
SEEKS A WAREHOUSE ASSISTANT
PER HOUR
CARAMBOLA RESTAURANT
Regulations, 1990 An Application, REGISTERED 12045, by Turtle Cove Marina for development of Dredging and Reef Relocation, has been submitted to the Department of Planning for consideration of Development Permission on Turtle Cove Channel on Providenciales. The application as submitted seeks planning consideration for Manually removing to approximately -9FT MSL, relocating, and stabilizing the rubble and coral, which will be cemented together within reefs balls, to placed +/- 60FT diameter reef site. Anyone wishing to make representation(s) may do so in writing to the Director of Planning, South base, Grand Turk or through the Department of Planning, Downtown, Town Center Mall, Providenciales, within twenty eight (28) days of publication of this notice.
ABOVE THE REST CLEANING SERVICE
SEEKS Is seeking 2 Labourers - $5.50 per hour 1 COOK 2 Domestic Workers To work 6 days per week $5.50 per hour Salary $6.00 per hour With at least 2 years experience Interested persons in commercial cleaning should contact 941-8122 Contact 346-9884
DOMESTIC WORKER WANTED
Dated February 4, 2015
ALL ABOUT YOU
SEEKS 1 SALES CLERK Salary $5.50 per hour 6 days per week Contact 231-3893
ON BEHALF OF ITS CLIENT Is looking for one Handyman with experience in performing various task in a number of arrears, must be able to work without supervision, and sometime long hours
with 5 years experience To work 5 days a week
SEND RESUME TO: OFFICE MANAGER C/O SEACOR ISLAND LINES
Salary $5.50 per hour Must be hardworking and reliable, Interested person should contact 246-8422
Salary $1000.00 per week Contact 241-9700
The Solid Rock Apostolic Ministries International
TAYLOR’S VARIETY STORE
RESORT MANAGEMENT GROUP
Seeks 1 License Minister 1 Teacher Salary negotiable Contact 243-6416
SEEKS 8 DOMESTIC WORKERS Must work on holidays and weekends Salary $5.50 per hour 6 SALES CLERKS Salary $6.50 per hour 6 LABOURERS Salary $6.50 per hour 1 COOK Salary $5.50 per hour 2 SALES MANAGERS Salary $8.00 per hour Contact 649-232-1199
IS CLEAN AND ANY OTHER DUTIES ASSIGNED BY WAREHOUSE MANAGER
SEEKS 1 LABOURER Must be able to speak Spanish Must be knowledgeable of the metal field Salary negotiable Contact 243-6416
SHINNING FINISH ALEXANDRA SMITH KADEEN Is looking for a Dryvit & Stocco Specialist AGENCY
Salary $5.50 per hour DUTIES INCLUDE OFFLOADING FREIGHT, ISSUING FREIGHT TO CUSTOMERS, ENSURING WORK AREA AND WAREHOUSE
TCI METAL CORP
SEEKS 1 Labourer Salary $5.50 per hour Contact 243-6416
Salary $9.00 an hour Interested persons contact Tel: 231-6565
SHAY CAFÉ Glamour Girl SEEKS
SEEKS 1 Front Office Manager - $7.00 per hour 1 Chef - $7.00 per hour Six days per week Must have atleast 5 years experience Contact 331-0221
1 CHEF Salary $7.00 per hour Interested person should
contact 431-0221
Seeks 3 Hairdressers - $6.00 per hour 2 Barbers - $6.00 per hour 1 Domestic Worker -$5.00 per hour Interested person should contact 347-2707
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
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LOCAL NEWS
“Bugaloo’s” spinal surgery successful
By Vivian Tyson Berley Williams, affectionately known as Bugaloo has had a successful spinal surgery in Cuba but The SUN understands that his medical bill is mounting. About 20 years ago he met in an auto accident in the Bahamas and had to undergo surgery. However, it appeared that the procedure was not sound and over the years, his condition deteriorated. A little more than a month ago, Williams lost the use of his legs and then his left arm. He was rushed to Dominican Republic and was recommended that he fly to Cuba. On his way to Cuba, it is understood that he lost the use of his right arm. Explaining his condition, before undergoing surgery, Michael Stolow, owner of the Bugaloo’s Restaurant, said: “The disc in his spine was pressing on his nerves (arising from the accident), separating his brain from the rest of his body. So they had to remove the disc and put in a rubber disc I his neck. “He lost use of his legs and his
arms a few weeks ago, so we rushed him to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) the onward to Cuba for a spinal surgery.” Stolow, who flew with him to Cuba, explained that the surgery has been successful and he is currently in therapy, adding that the seafood chef extraordinaire is slated to return to the Turks and Caicos Islands on or about February 23. “He has since had the surgery and is in recovery right now getting therapy in Cuba. I have to go a pick him up next week, he will be discharged on the 21st of February and he will be back in the Turks and Caicos on the 23rd of February,” Stolow said. Stolow said that before leaving Cuba, Williams showed marked improvement, since feelings had returned to his limbs. “He was able to move his toes, his fingers and his arms, so it (surgery) seems to be a success. I talked to him last night and he is in therapy right now getting a little bit of exercise and other treatments. So he is on the way back to recovery,” Stolow explained. In the meantime, Stolow said
that Williams’ medical bills has been growing and is calling on members of the public to assist in offsetting the cost. He said that Williams’ medical has already climbed to $20,000, and is expected to go up even higher. He said that those willing to assist could either visit the Royal Bank of Canada on Providenciales, where an account open in his name has been opened. “The cost is over $20,000, so anyone willing to donate, they can bring the donation to the Royal Bank of Canada – the account is in the name of Berly Williams, or they can come by the restaurant and drop it off here,” he said. Williams in partnership, open the first Bugaloo’s Restaurant in Blue Hills, and was said to have the best variety of conch meal anywhere on island Providenciales. He later parted company with that partner, later forging an alliance with Stolow, which led to the new Baguloos’ Restaurant in Five Cays. It is now one of the most sought after eateries on Providenciales, having been only a handful of restaurants to have a live band with guest artistes.
Berly “Bugaloo” Williams
Ashwood Forbes is Move-a-thon/ InterIsland Airways Raffle winner By Vivian Tyson Aswood Forbes has been declared the lucky winner in the 2015 Move-athon raffle winner, which is a trip to a Caribbean destination of his choice that InterCaribbean Airways services. Forbes collected the gift last Friday (February 6, 2015) at the InterCaribean Office along Old Airport Road in Providenciales. “I was surprised when I got the call. I wanted to enter the completion but because I had to work, time was not relevant for me to enter. I entered the raffle instead, and I am still surprise that I won. This year I won a gym membership for one month, now I won a Nutrition in Demand Raffle, and hopefully I will win something else down the road,” Forbes said. “I definitely plan to use it before three month’s time. I have not decided where to go yet, maybe Jamaica, the Dominican Republic or the Bahamas,” he added. Trevor Saddler, CEO for InterCaribbean Airways, said that donation was one of the airline’s ways of assisting the community to be better health and otherwise. “What we have done is to team up with Mrs. Handfield, not just for this particular event, but to go out to the other islands and begin to run nutrition classes so that we can help to give good guidance. It is nothing wrong with not knowing that you weren’t eating healthy, but you will know the difference when your batteries are feeling charged and you are feeling like a completely different person. Health
is wealth. “We don’t always have very deep pockets, but the one thing that you are a millionaire for is your health. So let’s help the community to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. It is truly one of the fundamentals that drive me to support Mrs. Handfield,” Saddler said. In the meantime, Handfield said that she is grateful that InterCaribbean has climbed on board to assist with Nutrition in Demand’s countrywide campaign. “And I am so thankful that Mr. Sadler and the InterCaribbean family have come on board to help us to carry the message because one of the problems that we have been having is that, we would get calls to go to the other islands but there was no funding. So, I am so thankful that I am now able to go to the other islands and to spread the awareness and carry on the mandate of the non-profit,” she said. Move-a-thon, a huge fund-raiser
GAS STATION PUMP ATTENDANT
Service Station in Provo requires a Gas Pump Attendant to work six days per week $5.00 per hour Call (649)941-5189
for Nutrition in Demand, took place on January 10. She said that all the funds raised are pumped back in the community. “And so, Move-a-thon is the main fund-raiser for that event. The funds raised from Mova-a-thon goes right back into the community,” she said. Handfield said that Move-a-thon has so far raised $8,000 from January’s event, saying that there are cheques still outstanding. This year’s entry fee was $20, which included a T-shirt. The raffle is $10. Last year, the raffle prize was a weekend stay at the Parrot Cay Resort.
Ashwood Forbes (centre) accept his ticket particulars from CEO for InterCaribbean Trevor Saddler (left) and Nutrition in Demand Head, Tameka Handfield
Alexandra Resort & Spa is inviting suitable applications for the following position:
General Manager The applicant must possess the following: •Preferably 5 years experience as an international Hotel General Manager •Experience managing hotel or resort operations for different target groups •Extensive F&B operations •Extensive Owner Relations experience •Extensive business development experience •Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management or equivalent required - MBA degree desired •Fluency in four languages Belongers need only apply. Please Submit Detailed Application to: cgibbons@wihl.com A copy should also be submitted to the TCI Labour Department. Submissions to be no later than February 14th, 2015
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TURKS & CAICOS SUN
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
LOCAL NEWS
Travvy Awards Winners Spotlight: Gordon “Butch” Stewart, Sandals Resorts International
It would be a stretch to describe Gordon “Butch” Stewart’s winning of the Travvy Award for “Most Innovative All-Inclusive Resorts Executive” as the culmination of a 30-plus year career in hospitality. Still Stewart himself views such recognition as a watershed in his experience in That’s because from the very beginning Stewart worked religiously to separate his properties from their allinclusive resort competition through hard work and an all-encompassing zeal to surpass what others thought was possible. “Exceeding expectations has been my philosophy since I was a very young man and it is more than just an idea, it is my way of life,” said Stewart recently. “Working hard and delivering more than the customer expects is the essence of delight. It ensures a happy client and fosters a culture within the company that is contagious. “Ultimately, that’s at the heart of innovation; always being on the search for new ways to exceed expectations, to delight and is why I am so especially honored by this inaugural Travvy Award recognizing innovation. Agents know this best. When you exceed the client’s expectations, they will return. And our guests do.” Today, Stewart’s empire encompasses 15 Sandals Resorts, three Beaches Resorts, two Grand
Pineapple Beach Resorts, Fowl Cay Resort and three Your Jamaican Villas on seven Caribbean islands. His companies collectively comprise the largest employer in Jamaica and the Caribbean, and he has helped to transform the all-inclusive category through an emphasis on high-quality amenities and facilities, premium cuisine and a strong emphasis on attentive personal service. Together with a core of seasoned executives led by his second youngest son and protégé Adam, who is the company’s chief executive, SRI may be just beginning to exhibit its potential, as the company continues to expand its properties through the Caribbean. In recent years the company has established resorts on more Caribbean countries beyond Stewart’s home island of Jamaica, including Barbados and Grenada. It would have been difficult to imagine Stewart’s fate to mirror today’s reality when the Jamaican native was growing up in a working-class family in Ocho Rios more than 50 years ago. Yet as the ultimate self-made man, Stewart’s entire professional experience is an exercise in finding innovative paths to success. In his youth Stewart quickly displayed the qualities of rugged charm and dogged determination that were to distinguish his career. One apocryphal
story had the young Stewart borrowing his father’s fishing boat to sell freshcaught fish to a film crew shooting a James Bond movie. He soon expanded the operation, using his innate people skills to arrange an ersatz ferry to transport the rich and famous between their anchored yachts and the harbor front. Never one to shy away from taking risks, he undertook his biggest gamble in 1981, buying two non-descript Montego Bay hotels, Carlyle on the Bay and Bay Roc. Stewart then endured two years of mounting financial losses before his strategy of adding original features to his “couples-only” resorts, from inroom hairdryers to swim-up bars to multiple hot tubs, fully captured the imagination of travelers in the allinclusive category. More than 30 years later his company has emerged as the leader company among Caribbean all-inclusive resorts, and Stewart’s passion for hard work and exceeding expectations has never wavered. “All-inclusive resorts are not the same and we sincerely appreciate our brands’ standing as the industry leader,” he said. “We believe our commitment to innovation drives excellence and we encourage guests and our agent partners to take a closer look at what sets Sandals Resorts apart.”
Gordon “Butch” Stewart
Prison riot averted
Officials at Her Majesty’s Prison in Grand Turk were forced to rescind a rule geared at limiting interaction among prisoners at a particular wing at the facility, after inmates threatened all out riot. The SUN understands that prisoners at the facility deemed the rule as uncomfortable and demanded it changed immediately. Some of the prisoners had already begun to riot by bursting through their bars. But officials at the penal institution moved swiftly to alleviate the unrest by inviting some of the prisoners to a meeting to hammer out their grouses. Shortly after the meeting, an announcement was made by the prison officials to withdraw the new rule for now while promising to embark on an examination to work out a suitable solution, intending to allow all the prisoners on that wing to enjoy the outdoors without having to make trouble or look over their shoulder out of fear for their safety. The SUN understands that all prisoners of
each wing are normally let out at the same time to intermingle, but it is understood that in recent time there has been some level of rivalry between disagreeing inmates on a particular wing, which often played out in physical altercation during the time designated for socialization. To that end, officials at the penal institution decided to divide that wing into sections and then allowed sectional breaks instead of the usual wholesale break. A source said that while the situation remains tense, things have returned to normal, as prison officers are keeping the situation under control. The source said that it appears the feud stemmed from disagreement from in the communities between gang members, which often played out in the prison. “We believe it (prison fights) has to do with gang activities in the communities. Some of those gang members from both sides have either been sentenced for crimes committed or in the prison on
remand waiting for their cases to come up in the courts. “While there, they either reunite with their friends from off their street or recruit new allies, and became more emboldened to create disturbance at the prison,” the source said. Over the Christmas holidays, a number of gang-related activities took place at events in Providenciales, including the mega-popular Maskanoo, and at Club 2005, where budding basket player, Kenley Walters, was stabbed to death by unknown assailants. The police, however, ruled out Walter’s death as gang-related, but did not provide information as to what they believe the motive was. The dead man’s killers are still at large, even while the police and family members pleaded for those with knowledge to come forward. Walters was murdered in a crowded nightclub, which is why investigators and family members believe that there must have been eyewitnesses.
Banks lining up to fund TCI debt
If the current performance of in-road into reducing the debt and a lot of options by now and 2016,” that continues to be the workhorse for government revenue. the economy continues into 2016, are sending a positive signal to the Minister Misick said. government could find itself into a financing community, to the capital He noted, too, that financial The finance minster told the news situation where it has to be warding markets, and we have banks and other institutions have begun to see an conference also that stamp duty has off prospective financiers who could be institutions that who are pushing at increase in retail banking, and expect seen a marked increase, which means tripping over themselves to fund its the door to get inside in order to fund that the trend rising a few more that the local real estate market is back on its way up. $260 million international debt. the government debt in 2016,” the notches. “I spoke to a banker a couple of days “Tourism is the driver of the economy, Finance Minister Hon. Washington finance minister revealed. Misick, at a news conference at Quizzed as to whether or not ago, who was absolutely elated about so of course, the largest contribution to Providenciales International Airport government is leaning towards a the activity of the consumer demand the government revenue has always last Wednesday (February, 4, 2015), preferred financier at this time, the for retail banking. So, it seems to me been customs, and that is not going said that the country’s finances have finance minister was undecided. that every sector is now beginning to to change as long as we have the tax been performing much better than “It is still early for that. At this experience some level of growth,” he structure that we have. many people expected. stage, I think the balance of our debt said. “But we are seeing an uptick in tourism To this end, if the trend continues, target for 2016 is probably going to In the meantime, the Finance Minister numbers that is revenue from hotel government expects that banks could be significantly less than what is Misick said that government revenue and tourism tax, and of course, we be chomping at the bit to refinance projected two years ago. So until we continues to show bullish signs. He see an uptick in stamp duty for land the United Kingdom Guaranteed loan, have a better grasp of what that is said that all revenue streams have transfer. Every major revenue head is once it expires in a year’s time. going to be, we have not been able to shown signs of robust growth. He experience increase, and that has a lot “The economy is doing well, decide what kind of approach we are said that while tourism continues to to do with consumer confidence,” the government is making a serious going to take. I think we would have be the economy’s driver, it is Customs finance minister said.
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
LOCAL NEWS Career Opportunities:
Grace Bay Club is looking for candidates that have the requirements listed along with an outgoing professional manner. They love to work with different types of people, meet challenges with a positive attitude and live the standards of our organization. Their management style is one that balances a commitment to people and their development with business/financial accountability and delivers an exceptional guest experience
Assistant Manager of Food & Beverage Requirements:
The Assistant Manager of Food and Beverage is responsible for overseeing and directing Banquets, Restaurants, In-Room Dining, Lounges, Stewarding, and any other Food or Beverage related areas. Duties include: •Responsible for short and long term planning and the management of the Food and Beverage operations in the front and back of the house •Develop and recommend the budget, marketing plans and objectives and manages within those approved plans •Implement and maintain F&B sales/marketing programs •Direct and oversee development of employees •Hire, train, empower, coach and counsel, performance and salary reviews •Direct the implementation of the payroll, reports, forecasts, inventory and budget for food and beverage operations •Coordinate food and beverage operations with other hotel departments to ensure efficient guest service •Resolve customer complaints as appropriate to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction and quality •Implement procedures to increase guest and associate satisfaction •Exercise quality control for both food and beverage •Maintaining standards of service and ensure their implementation •Performing daily walk-through to ensure full compliance with Department of Health regulations and Grace Bay Resorts standards •Coach and counsel employees to reflect Grace Bay Resorts service standards and procedures
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Only verified Belongers should vote
Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience
Supervisor of Guests Experiences
•Report to the Director of Guests Experiences, responsible for supervising the Personal Concierge Team. •Provide personalized and professional services to guests ensuring at all times that all guest requirements and needs are met and to demonstrate a high and consistent level of organization and management. •Conduct pre and post shift meetings with Concierges, ensure that Concierges are aware of all information concerning guests, island information and other activities, attend morning briefing with senior management, take relevant note of all information concerning guests and the department. •Work closely with the Front Office team to coordinate daily arrivals in the lobby. •Conduct efficient training for staff as required by the LHW. •Builds a rapport with the in-house guests and maintain interaction in order to facilitate guest recognition and obtain information regarding their preferences. •Updates and maintain all Guest History Files. •Utilizes leadership skills and motivation techniques in order to maximize employee productivity. •Immediately actions all special guest requirements and requests •Ensures that all employees within the Personal Concierge Team follow safety rules and procedures and takes corrective action when required to improve safety of work areas. •Conduct weekly training sessions with the Personal Concierge. maintain accurate record of all training conducted •Assist Director of Guests Experiences in the review, planning and implementation of altered or new procedures •Act as night duty manager multiple times per week
Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing By Vivian Tyson
Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing said that while no one should not be hampered from participating in the voting process, the general public should understand that they must bear the cost of the requisite paperwork to make them qualify. The Premier was reacting to questions posed by members of Front Office Manager the media regarding reports that Job Requirements: approximately several hundred •Manage the front desk operation, including guest registration, room persons will be denied obtaining voter assignment, billing and check-out procedures. identification cards because they are •Oversea the activities and monitor the daily performance of the front office having problems getting Belonger staff. status card. •Prepare and administrate the departmental budget for the front office. “I am concerned about anything •Handle guest complaints and ensure that all guests’ issues are resolved. that forms a barrier to individuals with •Partner with operational departments to ensure execution of special requests. the right to vote. But the Belonger Card •Ensure bank and cash handling procedures are maintained. is something that every individual •Monitor all front office support systems to ensure maximum productivity. should get because it is not a voter’s •Perform other duties as assigned. card. It is really a verification of your status. If you are unable to verify your JOB QUALIFICATIONS: status as a Belonger, then you ought not •Education: Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Business or equivalent to vote because only Belonger should be experience required. able to vote,” the Premier said. •Experience: Minimum of five years hotel experience in front office or front He reminds the general public services operations with a minimum of three years management experience that the Belonger Verification cards are required. Experience in a hotel with a Diamond Rating of 4 or 5 Star machine processed, which takes money, preferred. and so individuals should understand •Excellent communication and organizational skills required. that in order to obtain one there will be Qualified Belongers need only to apply a cost associated with it, while making Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience it clear that the decision to charge the Interested persons can contact our Human Resources Department no later than general public for processing the cards are not a tax on voting. February 27, 2015 @ (649) 946-5050 Ext. 1050 “There is a cost attached to it, just Email: humanresources@gracebayclub.com like there is a cost attached to passport. Fax: (649) 946-5758 It is not a tax on voting – it is not a P.O. Box 128 Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, British West Indies
poll tax. But, we as political parties and government representatives also have a responsibility to ensure that as many persons as possible should go in and get their documentation and register to vote” the premier said. He was also asked as to whether or not government will call early elections, as been stated on the road in recent weeks, but would not be drawn into making a statement one way or another. “I will not comment on the other part,” he said. It has been stated in the media that if an election is called now, a number of especially young people of eligible voting would not get the opportunity because they are not on the voter’s list. There are a number of reasons as to why that is the case, including the cost to obtain a Belonger Verification Card. The Turks and Caicos Islands returned to elective representation in December 2012, after the United Kingdom, through the government imposed direct rule thereby toppling the Michael Misick/Galmo Williams administration in 2009, as recommendation by a commission of inquiry conducted by retired UK judge Sir. Robin Auld. Election is constitutionally due next year, but it is being bandied in some quarters that the Rufus Ewing administration could call snap elections in the wake of the economy is doing much better than when his Progressive National Party (PNP) was ushered into power by the slimmest of margins.
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FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
LOCAL NEWS
Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages and Spa, the only 6 Diamond all inclusive property in the Caribbean is inviting applications from suitably qualified Turks and Caicos Islanders. Applicants must have a clean police record and a good command of the English language both written and spoken. In addition candidates must be able to work nights, public holidays and week-ends. The Resort thanks everyone for their interest in advance and advises that only short listed applicants will be contacted via text advising them that they have secured an interview at our monthly job fair. This month’s featured position Butler Coordinator/Administrator. Job responsibilities / Duties: •Manage special requests and orders •Update Memo board •Mange the guests preferences process •Schedules team members in time clock •Follow up in Butler guests requests •Responsible for the amenities kits •Responsible for inventory •Any other duties assigned by management Education & Experience: •High school Diploma or equivalent •Excellent Customer service skills •Computer Literate Please forward your resumes and certificates held by February 27th 2015 to secure an interview date and time. Feel free to drop your resume in our secure resume drop-box at the Service Gate, or email it to mmvaughn@grp.sandals.com, or fax to 649 946 4870.
There are also vacant positions available both Management and Line in the following Departments and we are inviting Belonger applicants:
• Accounting • Bars • Concierge • Dining Room • Engineering • Environmental Health & Safety • Front Office • Grounds • Housekeeping • Kids Camp
• Kitchen • Laundry • Photoshop • Projects • Security • Stewarding • Training • Travel and Loyalty Department • Watersports
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
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LOCAL NEWS
REPORT ON PUBLIC CONSULTATION – MAINTENANCE OF LEGAL AND BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP INFORMATION Turks and Caicos Islands Minister of Finance announces result of the Consultation Report on maintenance of Legal and Beneficial Ownership Information. The Turks and Caicos Islands Government Ministry of Finance, Trade and Investment sought public feedback on the Turks and Caicos Islands’ Action Plan to Prevent the Misuse of Companies and Legal Arrangements with respect to the maintenance of Legal and Beneficial ownership information. In recognition of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ contribution to the global economy, the consultation was open to the public, both locally and internationally, in order to provide an opportunity for broad representation. This release summarises the consultation responses; and outlines the Government’s current position, and proposed action points, on the following matters: - Legal and beneficial ownership; and - A central register of beneficial ownership information. LEGAL AND BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Of the 6 respondents, (three of whom were international NGOs, two local financial service providers and one local representative body for a set of financial service providers), the 3 international NGO respondents indicated that the legal and beneficial ownership arrangements were not sufficiently transparent, the 3 local respondents, including the representative body indicated that the Turks and Caicos Islands’ collection and maintenance of beneficial owner information was effective and satisfied international standards at the time of the Turks and Caicos Island’s most recent AML assessment and in accordance with existing international standards. The Government notes that, although the Turks and Caicos Islands has not experienced disproportionate occurrences of financial crime, we will continue to evaluate our legal and beneficial ownership regime and implement improvements in order to mitigate and, if it were possible given the inventiveness of criminals, to eliminate abuses of our system. Continuing to improve our system, in ways that support sound business growth locally and globally, therefore remains our position as the correct course of action at this time. CENTRAL REGISTER OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP INFORMATION Of the 6 respondents, the 3 international NGOs said they were in
favour of a central public registry and regulatory and tax authorities. the 3 local respondents, including the However, to allow public access representative body, said they were to a central register raises real and not in favour of a central registry of genuine concerns for law-abiding beneficial ownership information, or individuals that may infringe upon of access to such a registry by the the right to privacy, which is a public. fundamental principle at common If the implementation of a central law and is enshrined in the Turks and registry system becomes the required Caicos Islands’ Constitution. method of meeting the global standard, Considerable doubts have the local respondents also indicated been expressed as to how accurate that such a register, although central, information collected via a central should not be accessible to the public; public register will be, given that rather, it should only be accessible by those who engage in illicit activities law enforcement, regulatory, and tax are not likely to self-report true and authorities. correct information. The 3 local respondents to this By contrast, law-abiding individuals question pointed out that beneficial who do self-report true and correct ownership information is adequately information may fall victim to any available through existing appropriate number of cybercrimes, including mechanisms. identify theft. To determine if a central register This could erode confidence in is the most appropriate and effective the Turks and Caicos Islands’ services way to improve transparency in the and systems. Until such time as there Turks and Caicos Islands, it is first is global agreement on appropriate necessary to test our current regime exemptions and safeguards, and this against the Financial Action Task becomes the internationally practiced Force (FATF) standards for availability standard, the Turks and Caicos and accessibility. Islands will continue to follow its Here it is worth underscoring current regime. that, although they are global in nature, the FATF Recommendations CONCLUSIONS do allow jurisdictional flexibility – not in the intended outcome of the The Government acknowledges recommendations, but in how that the usefulness of this consultation, as outcome is achieved. part of the Turks and Caicos Islands In particular, FATF Action Plan to Prevent the Misuse of Recommendation 24 on legal and Companies and Legal Arrangements, beneficial ownership outlines three in informing our continuing avenues by which a country can comply programme of enhancements that with the availability of information ensure our regime meets local needs, standard. and also fully complies with practiced Of these avenues, a central register global standards. is one path; using data collected Our broad approach to the from licensed and regulated service consultation was in line with our firm providers is another. belief that solutions to illicit activity, In accordance with the latter including corruption and exploitation method, for many years, the Turks of the natural resources of developing and Caicos Islands has a required countries, will be found only through licensed and regulated person within constructive engagement. the financial services sector to collect, We recognise and, more maintain and update beneficial importantly, understand the rationale ownership information. behind the increasingly convergent Principle No. 4 of the G20 nature of global regulatory initiatives. Communiqué titled High-Level The long standing commitment Principles on Beneficial Ownership of the Turks and Caicos Islands Transparency, issued on 16 to the value of these initiatives is November 2014, reinforces FATF evident through our engagement and Recommendation 24 by stating, with responsiveness to the following tax respect to access to adequate, accurate initiatives: and current information regarding the - US FATCA and UK FATCA; beneficial ownership of legal persons, being an early adopter to the that: “Countries could implement Common Reporting Standard this, for example, through central (including the Turks and Caicos registries of beneficial ownership of Islands signing of the multilateral legal persons or other appropriate agreement on automatic exchange of mechanisms.” information in Berlin on 29 October There are valid reasons for 2014); asserting, in the case of jurisdictions - our high-level participation in the that choose to comply with FATF Global Forum for Transparency and standards via the central registry Exchange of Information for Tax option, that the central registry should Purposes; be available to law enforcement, - the extension to the Turks and
Caicos Islands of the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters; - the abolition of bearer shares and the requirement to convert all bearer shares to registered shares; - the establishment of Prevention of Terrorism legislation; - the creation of the Financial Intelligence Agency to analyze trends and typologies to prevent financial crimes; and - launched a National Risk Assessment of the financial services sector. As indicated above, recent international initiatives and our public consultation process have given Government an opportunity to evaluate the current Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Customer Due Diligence regime, as it relates to the issue of transparency of beneficial ownership of the Turks and Caicos Islands companies and arrangements. Upon such evaluation, Government acknowledges that, like any sound system or model in operation for many years, there are aspects that can be strengthened in order to tackle the misuse of legal persons and arrangements for illicit purposes such as corruption, tax evasion and money laundering. In this regard, changes are being made to reform the Gaming Industry. In addition, Government is committed to adhering to the core set of principles as set forth in the G20’s High-Level Principles on Beneficial Ownership Transparency, and we will continue to monitor other international developments, including the European Union Fourth AML Directive. Accordingly, in 2015, Government proposes to enhance the current framework to uphold such principles, and to take actions that will assist with the elimination of wrongful uses of legal persons and arrangements, while enhancing accuracy, access, availability and monitoring/ enforcement of ownership information. By mid-2015, Government also proposes to complete its National Risk Assessment, which should identify any further areas for improvement that can be addressed. Government’s proposed initial actions are as follows. Government stands committed to vigilance in this area and to the continuation of its programme of active engagement with local and international stakeholders; develop subsequent improvements to our business model; and ensure that our authorities effectively cooperate, both domestically and internationally, so that our jurisdiction continues to provide an efficient platform for legitimate business in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
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FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
LOCAL NEWS
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FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
LOCAL NEWS
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TURKS & CAICOS SUN
LOCAL NEWS
New Commissioner James Smith installed New Commissioner of Police James Smith was installed on Wednesday February 11, 2015, during a handing-ceremony in Grand Turk. Smith took over from Colin Farquhar, who was commissioner of police for the last four years. The event was
witnessed by, among other attendees, His Excellency Governor Peter Beckingham, Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing, Opposition Leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson. The following is a photo essay of the event.
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
LOCAL NEWS
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
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TURKS & CAICOS SUN
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
LOCAL NEWS
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FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
Page B-1
VOLUME 11 - NO. 06
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CARIBBEAN NEWS/ WORLD NEWS AND SPORTS/BUSINESS SECTION B Website: www.suntci.com
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Obama sends Congress request for military force against ISIS W
ASHINGTON - Declaring the Islamic State is on the defensive and “going to lose,” President Barack Obama asked Congress on Wednesday to formally authorize military force against the militants. But he vowed not to repeat the large and costly ground wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama said a large deployment of U.S. troops won’t be necessary to fight the Islamic State, and he argued that the three-page proposal he sent to lawmakers would give him and his successor the needed flexibility to wage a battle likely to take “some time.” “I’m convinced that the United States should not get dragged back into another prolonged ground war in the Middle East,” the president said, flanked by his vice president and secretaries of State and Defense at the White House. “I do not believe America’s interests are served by endless war or by remaining on a perpetual war footing.” The initial reaction to his congressional request was bipartisan skepticism. Republicans expressed unhappiness that Obama chose to exclude any long-term commitment of ground forces, while some Democrats voiced dismay that he had opened the door to deployment at all. Under Obama’s proposal, the use of military force would be authorized for three years, unbounded by national borders. The fight could be extended to any “closely related successor entity” to the Islamic State organization that has overrun parts of Iraq and Syria, imposed a stern form of Sharia law and killed several hostages it has taken, Americans among them. “Make no mistake. This is a difficult mission,” Obama said, adding it will take time to dislodge the terrorists, especially from urban areas. “But our coalition is on the offensive. ISIL is on the defensive, and ISIL is going to lose.” The 2002 congressional authorization that preceded the American-led invasion of Iraq would be repealed under the White House proposal, a step some Republicans were unhappy to see. But a separate authorization that was approved by Congress after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks would remain in force, to the consternation of some Democrats. At the heart of the debate, the struggle to define any role for American ground forces is likely to determine the outcome of the administration’s
President Barack Obama, flanked by Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry, gestures as he speaks about the Islamic State group.
request for legislation. White House is not a timetable. It is not announcing spokesman John Earnest said the that the mission is completed at any proposal was intentionally ambiguous given period. What it is saying is that on that point to give the president Congress should revisit the issue at flexibility, but the approach also was the beginning of the next president’s an attempt to bridge a deep divide in term. Congress. Whatever the outcome, Obama’s While asking lawmakers to request puts Congress on the path bar long-term, large-scale ground toward a vote that could reverberate combat operations like those in unpredictably for years. Afghanistan and Iraq, Obama said he A post-9/11 request from wants the flexibility for ground combat then-President George W. Bush operations “in other more limited for authorization to use military circumstances.” Those include rescue force against Iraq was intensely missions, intelligence collection and controversial, and it played a role in the use of special operations forces Obama’s successful campaign for the in possible military action against White House in 2008. Islamic State leaders. “It is not the His chief rival for the Democratic authorization of another ground war,” nomination, then-New York Sen. Obama said. Hillary Clinton, voted in favor of the “This resolution will give our Bush proposal. Obama, who was not in armed forces the continuity we need Congress at the time of the vote, said for the next three years,” he said. “It later he would have opposed it, and he
made it an issue in the presidential race. Clinton, who served four years as Obama’s secretary of state and is now a likely candidate for president in 2016, had no immediate reaction to the proposal. Lawmakers were not as reticent, although outright supporters of the president’s plan were relatively scarce. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, expressed doubt it would “give our military commanders the flexibility and authorities they need to succeed and protect our people.” He said changes are likely before the measure comes to a vote, although one House committee set an initial hearing for Thursday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., like Boehner, said the proposal would receive serious consideration.
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TURKS & CAICOS SUN
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
WORLD NEWS LOCAL NEWS CARIBBEAN NEWS
CBS ‘60 Minutes’ correspondent Bob Simon dies in car crash Bob Simon
The mangled vehicle in which Bob Simon was driving. NEW YORK - Longtime “60 Minutes” correspondent Bob Simon, who covered most major overseas conflicts and news stories since the late 1960s during a five-decade career in journalism, died in a car crash. He was 73. Simon was among a handful of elite journalists, a “reporter’s reporter,” according to his executive producer, whose assignments took him from the Vietnam War to the Oscar-nominated movie “Selma.” He spent years doing foreign reporting for CBS News, particularly from the Middle East, where he was held captive for more than a month in Iraq two decades ago. “Bob Simon was a giant of broadcast journalism, and a dear friend to everyone in the CBS News family,” CBS News President David Rhodes
said in a statement. “We are all shocked by this tragic, sudden loss.” A town car in which Simon was a passenger Wednesday night hit another car stopped at a Manhattan traffic light and then slammed into metal barriers separating traffic lanes, police said. Simon and the town car’s driver were taken to a hospital, where Simon was pronounced dead. The town car driver suffered injuries to his legs and arms. The driver of the other car was uninjured. No arrests were made, said police, who continued to investigate the deadly accident. “CBS Evening News” anchor Scott Pelley, his eyes red, announced the death in a special report. “We have some sad news from within our CBS News family,” Pelley
said. “Our colleague Bob Simon was began in Vietnam, and he was on one killed this evening.” of the last helicopters out of Saigon “Vietnam is where he first began when the U.S. withdrew in 1975. At covering warfare, and he gave his the outset of the Gulf War in January firsthand reporting from virtually 1991, Simon was captured by Iraqi every major battlefield around the forces near the Saudi-Kuwaiti border. world since,” Pelley said. CBS said he and three other members Simon had been contributing to of CBS News’ coverage team spent 40 “60 Minutes” on a regular basis since days in Iraqi prisons, an experience 1996. He also was a correspondent for Simon wrote about in his book “Forty “60 Minutes II.” Days.” Simon returned to Baghdad in He was preparing a report on January 1993 to cover the American the Ebola virus and the search for a bombing of Iraq. cure for this Sunday’s “60 Minutes” Simon won numerous awards, broadcast. He had been working on the including his fourth Peabody and project with his daughter, Tanya Simon, an Emmy for his story from Central a producer with whom he collaborated Africa on the world’s only all-black on several stories. symphony in 2012. Another story Anderson Cooper, who does about an orchestra in Paraguay, one occasional stories for “60 Minutes,” was whose poor members constructed their near tears talking about Simon’s death. instruments from trash, won him his He said that when Simon presented 27th Emmy, perhaps the most held by a story “you knew it was going to be a journalist for field reporting, CBS something special.” said. “I dreamed of being, and still hope He also captured electronic to be, a quarter of the writer that Bob journalism’s highest honor, the Alfred Simon is and has been,” the CNN I. duPont-Columbia University Award, anchor said. “... Bob Simon was a for “Shame of Srebrenica,” a “60 legend, in my opinion.” Minutes II” report on genocide during Jeff Fager, executive producer of the Bosnian War. “60 Minutes,” said in a statement, “It is Former CBS News executive Paul such a tragedy made worse because we Friedman, who teaches broadcast lost him in a car accident, a man who writing at Quinnipiac University, said has escaped more difficult situations Simon was “one of the finest reporters than almost any journalist in modern and writers in the business.” times. Bob was a reporter’s reporter.” “He, better than most, knew how to Simon joined CBS News in 1967 make pictures and words work together as a reporter and assignment editor, to tell a story, which is television news covering campus unrest and inner-city at its best,” Friedman said. riots, CBS said. He also worked in CBS’ Simon was born May 29, 1941, Tel Aviv bureau from 1977 to 1981 and in the Bronx. He graduated from in Washington, D.C., as its Department Brandeis University in 1962 with a of State correspondent. degree in history. He is survived by his Simon’s career in war reporting wife, his daughter and his grandson.
Judge sides with government in lawsuit over surveillance OAKLAND, Calif. A federal judge has sided with the government in a lawsuit alleging the National Security Agency is illegally engaging in the bulk collection of Internet and telephone records in the hunt for potential terrorists. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in Oakland said the plaintiffs in the case AT&T customers - had
not shown that all AT&T customers’ Internet communications were currently the subject of a “dragnet seizure and search program, controlled by or at the direction of the Government,” and they therefore did not have standing to file a lawsuit under the Fourth Amendment, which protects against warrantless searches and seizures.
White said the plaintiffs’ understanding of the key parts of the data collection process was “substantially inaccurate.” Additionally, even if the plaintiffs had standing, White said a Fourth Amendment claim would have to be dismissed to protect secret information that would damage national security if released. He granted partial
summary judgment for the government. “The Court is frustrated by the prospect of deciding the current motions without full public disclosure of the Court’s analysis and reasoning...,” White wrote in his ruling. “The Court is persuaded that its decision is correct both legally and factually and furthermore is required by the interests of
national security.” The judge did not dismiss all of the claims in the suit, said Nate Cardozo, a staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which brought the suit in 2008. Still, he said the judge’s ruling was disappointing. “What we want is a court to rule on the merits of the NSA’s program,” he
said. “Is what they are doing legal? Is it constitutional? The court didn’t do that. It didn’t say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’” The foundation plans to continue fighting the case, Cardozo said. Cardozo said other pending lawsuits are challenging the government’s collection of telephone metadata such as the duration of a call and to whom it was placed.
Archbishop says Fifty Shades is direct assault on marriage CINCINNATI - The Roman Catholic archbishop of Cincinnati is criticizing the “Fifty Shades of Grey” movie as “a direct assault on Christian marriage.” The new movie is based on the best-selling erotic novel that includes bondage, dominance and sadomasochism. Archbishop
Dennis Schnurr says in a message to priests and on the archdiocese’s Facebook page that the movie is in “direct contrast to the Christian message” about marriage and sexual intimacy. His statement urges informing people about “the destructive message” of the movie and highlighting “the
beauty of God’s design for loving relationships between a husband and wife in the bond of marriage.” The Cincinnati Archdiocese comprises 19 counties. In an Associated Press interview, author E L James describes “Fifty Shades” as “a love story” with “a little bit of kinky sex.”
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
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WORLD NEWS LOCAL NEWS
NBC suspends anchor Brian Williams for 6 months without pay NEW YORK - NBC announced ABC’s “World News Jon Stewart, Turness said the network’s probe into Tuesday that it is suspending Brian Tonight,” with new of “The Daily Williams’ statements is continuing. Williams as “Nightly News” anchor anchor David Muir, Show,” who has Shortly after it happened during a and managing editor for six months has been gaining in hosted Williams reporting trip to Iraq in 2003, Williams without pay for misleading the public second place, and as a guest 22 explained on NBC that one of a group about his experiences covering the Iraq Scott Pelley has times, criticized of helicopters he had been flying with War. built a newscast Williams for had been hit by a rocket-propelled NBC chief executive Steve Burke that appeals to vanity. But he grenade. When he appeared with said Williams’ actions were inexcusable traditionalists at had sharper David Letterman a decade later, the and jeopardized the trust he has built CBS. words for media story changed to his helicopter had up with viewers during his decade as Besides outlets going been hit, which Williams now admits the network’s lead anchor. But he said veterans angered by after Williams. is false. It wasn’t until he told the Williams deserved a second chance. Williams’ false story, “I am story on “Nightly News” last month Williams apologized last week his initial apology happy,” Stewart and veterans who had been there for saying he was in a helicopter that made him a target said. “Finally, complained that the embellishment was hit by a grenade while covering of online ridicule someone is being emerged. the Iraq War in 2003. Instead, another with his claim that NBC News Anchor Brian Williams held to account In Israel in 2006, Williams helicopter flying ahead of his was hit, he misremembered for misleading explained to his news viewers that and some veterans involved in the key details. Internet memes jokingly America about the Iraq War.” he’d been on an Israeli helicopter and mission called him out on it. The swift placed Williams at the scene of other Similar uncharted territory for saw a trail of smoke and dust where public reaction had put NBC News on events including the Last Supper or NBC News and Williams is how they Hezbollah rockets had landed in the a crisis footing. the first walk on the moon. handle his return in six months - does Israeli countryside, and he described NBC News President Deborah “The penalty is tough, which it he simply come back to work or does seeing rockets being launched 6 miles Turness said in a memo that Williams should be,” said Bill Wheatley, a he offer a detailed interview on NBC or from his location. “misrepresented” events that occurred longtime NBC News executive who with another, impartial source? The story became more dramatic while he was covering the war. now teaches journalism at Columbia “Can Brian Williams come back? when he appeared on “The Daily Show” “It then became clear that on other University. “When he comes back on the Maybe,” said Jeff Greenfield, former a month later. occasions Brian had done the same air, it will be up to Brian to demonstrate CNN and CBS News reporter and “Here’s a view of rockets I have while telling that story in other venues,” to his viewers and colleagues that he commentator. never seen, passing underneath us, Turness said. “This was wrong and deserves their trust. I believe that What will be interesting for 1,500 feet beneath us,” Williams said. completely inappropriate for someone if he works hard and focuses on his Williams is how he spends the six “And we’ve got the gunner doors on this in Brian’s position.” journalism, they’ll forgive him.” months, whether he does volunteer thing, and I’m saying to the general, Turness said Lester Holt would Williams received some key support work, helps veterans’ groups and seeks some four-star, ‘It wouldn’t take much continue to substitute for Williams as in the last 24 hours. Fox News Channel professional help for a tendency to for them to adjust the aim and try to anchor. host Bill O’Reilly, frequently a critic embellish stories, he said. Whatever he do a ring toss right through our open While NBC News avoids a of NBC News, suggested on Jimmy does, it will be watched closely. doors, would it?’” backlash from Williams’ supporters, Kimmel’s show that Williams should Williams recently signed a An Israeli army official who the action jeopardizes the network’s keep his job unless more stories come contract extension to coincide with traveled with Williams that day, Jacob competitive position. “Nightly News” out. Columnist David Brooks in The last year’s 10th anniversary as anchor. Dallal, on Tuesday called the anchor’s has been atop the ratings dating back New York Times suggested there was His suspension will cost him several account “generally reasonable.” He to Tom Brokaw’s time in the anchor a need for forgiveness in instances of million dollars. said it was fair to assume rockets flew chair more than a decade ago. But wrongdoing. Even with the suspension, beneath their helicopter.
NYC officer pleads not guilty to manslaughter in shooting NEW YORK - A rookie wait for an elevator. Liang, police officer pleaded not guilty gun in his left hand and a Wednesday to manslaughter, flashlight in his right, fired official misconduct and other a shot, prosecutors said. The charges in the shooting death bullet ricocheted and struck of a man in a pitch black Gurley in the chest, who made stairwell of a Brooklyn public it down two flights of stairs housing complex. before collapsing. Officer Peter Liang Assistant District appeared briefly in a Attorney Mark Fliedner told Brooklyn courtroom as the a judge that absent any clear charges, which also include threat, Liang was supposed to criminally negligent homicide keep his weapon pointed down and assault, were unsealed with his finger off the trigger. in the death of 28-year-old “The defendant ignored Akai Gurley. Liang’s attorney, this training. ... As a result, Stephen Worth, maintained Mr. Akai Gurley is dead,” he the shooting was an accident. said. The officer was released Immediately after the without bail. shooting, Fliedner said, Liang Gurley was killed on and his partner retreated to Nov. 20 while visiting the the eighth floor and argued Louis Pink Houses, a public over whether to report that housing complex in the East Liang had discharged his New York neighborhood, to get weapon instead of rendering his hair braided. Liang, who aid. had been an officer for about “It was an accident. I’m 18 months, and his partner going to be fired,” his partner were patrolling the complex recalled Liang saying, where reports of violent crime according to court documents. had spiked. When other officers responded The stairwell was and started to help Gurley, completely dark and Liang Liang came down the stairs, had his gun drawn as they but “just stood there,” Fliedner descended onto an eighth- said. Gurley died at a hospital. floor landing, prosecutors said. The 27-year-old Liang, Meanwhile, Gurley opened who entered his plea through the door into the seventh-floor his attorney, remained landing after giving up his expressionless and never
spoke during the hearing. Some spectators, including family members of Gurley, jeered as he walked past them to exit the courtroom. At a news conference, District Attorney Ken Thompson said prosecutors didn’t believe Liang intended to kill Gurley. “But he had his finger on the trigger and he fired the gun,” he said. Worth denied that Liang did nothing after the shooting. “It’s a tortured attempt to make the defendant look heartless. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said. Thompson said after the shooting that he would convene a grand jury to investigate, and the results came back less than three months later, about the time it takes grand juries to consider other criminal cases. He said prosecutors owed it to Gurley to do a thorough investigation. He said they interviewed dozens of witnesses and he visited the stairwell himself. Even before the shooting, the New York Police Department had been changing how it assigns and trains new officers. Under former Commissioner Raymond Kelly, the NYPD
assigned rookie officers as reinforcements in parts of the city that have seen increases in crime. The Pink Houses had been the scene of a recent spike in shooting, robberies and assaults. Under William Bratton, new officers are no longer funneled into high-crime precincts as extra manpower, but instead are assigned mentors who are more experienced officers and rotate through different jobs at precincts. Bratton said Thursday that police are reviewing whether to pair seasoned officers with newer officers during stairwell patrols. The case was closely watched following the Dec. 3 grand jury decision not to indict a police officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner. That decision - along with the another grand jury’s refusal to charge an officer in the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri - prompted mass protests decrying the grand jury system as biased, and fueled an already growing discord between the city’s rank-and-file police and Mayor Bill de Blasio, who was viewed by critics as not publicly supporting police after the decision.
On Wednesday, de Blasio said it was not wise to compare the cases. Garner was black, the officer involved was white. Gurley was black; Liang is Chinese-American. “I think what matters is, at the end of at the end of the entire process, do people think there was a sense of fairness,” he said. Said Thompson: “This case has nothing to do with Ferguson or Eric Garner or any other case. This case has to do with an innocent may who lost his life and a young New York City police officer who has now been charged with taking his life.” The last time an officer was indicted in New York was 2012, when Richard Haste was charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of Ramarley Graham, but the case was tossed on a technicality and another grand jury declined to indict the officer. When police face criminal charges, the case is usually decided by a judge and not a jury, the defendant’s choice. In 2007, three of five officers involved in the 50shot death of Sean Bell were indicted on manslaughter charges but were acquitted by a judge. They were later fired. story
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LOCAL NEWS WORLD NEWS
Labors lost Green voters could tip UK election to Conservatives
Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron drives a new London underground train as Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne looks on during a visit to Bombardier Transportation in Derby, February 12, 2015. Britain’s resurgent Greens are threatening the Labor Party’s hopes for election victory in May even though the leftist environmentalists will probably capture no new parliamentary seats and could even lose the only one they hold. Ed Miliband’s main opposition party is neck and neck with Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservatives, so every voter who leaves Labor for the Greens could push Cameron closer to a second win under Britain’s first-past-thepost electoral system. “Every vote you give to the Green Party makes it easier for David Cameron to stay on as prime minister,” said Sadiq Khan, a senior Labor lawmaker who has been specially charged with creating a strategy to counter the Green threat. “If you don’t vote Labor, if you vote for the Green party in some seats, it could mean you’re helping a Conservative member of parliament to be returned.” At the last national ballot in 2010 the Greens claimed their first Westminster seat but polled only 1 percent of the vote. The party, seen as fringe activists, has never been the major political force in Britain that it is in European countries such as Germany where, since merging with the Alliance 90 party, it has over 60 seats in the Bundestag. However surveys show that might be about to change as voters turn away from the two parties which have dominated Britain’s political system for a century and as Labor voters become disillusioned with their party’s commitment to cutting public spending. While the Green party’s antiausterity message is unlikely to cause the political earthquake of Syriza, which won last month’s election in Greece, one recent opinion poll put its support as high as 11 percent. Over the past few months the Greens have scored between 6 and 9 percent, often higher than the Liberal Democrats that are the junior coalition partner in Cameron’s government. EVERYTHING MATTERS
The swing to Green is a major headache for Labor, which has already lost droves of traditional working class supporters to the Scottish National Party after that country’s independence referendum last year. It is also battling to stem the flow of votes toward the antiEuropean UK Independence Party (UKIP) which has capitalized on the resentment of an austerityweary public and accuses the European Union of opening the flood gates to “job stealing” immigrants. Now another 22 constituencies out of the 650 that Labor must hold or capture to win the election are under threat from the Greens, estimates Rob Ford, a senior lecturer in politics at the University of Manchester. “It’s a horrible position for Labor to find themselves in,” Ford told Reuters. “They’re basically finding their electoral coalition being eaten away at both ends and...can’t appeal to one group without offending the other.” “If half a dozen seats don’t go to Labor because of the Greens and Labor are three seats behind the Conservatives, then that matters. Everything matters in this election.” Three of those seats lie next to each other on the English south coast: Hove, Brighton Kemptown and Brighton Pavilion which in 2010 became the first parliamentary seat to be won by Caroline Lucas for the Greens. “A lot of people who are joining us are people that might have looked at the Labor Party in the past,” she said, adding that there was a general sense of dissatisfaction with Labor and the Conservatives. “People want an alternative to believe in and none of the other parties are giving it.” It’s not just in the polls that the Greens are seeing a boost. Since the start of the year, the party’s membership has rocketed beyond 50,000, ahead of UKIP and the Lib Dems. “PEOPLE WANT CHANGE” In the 1950s, Labor and the Conservatives, often referred to
as the Tories, together won more than 95 percent of all votes cast. Now polls show they attract just 65 percent, with both the Greens and UKIP, polling at 16 percent, doing better than ever. “People want to vote for change, it’s exciting times. I feel people are tired and the Greens are offering something different,” said David Gillespie, 29, who joined the party in the first week of January. He has never voted before, though his parents are Labor supporters. “I just thought nothing would make a difference,” he told Reuters at one of the busy cafes lining Brighton’s narrow lanes. “There was certainly nobody out there that represented me.” Other new members voice the same disillusionment. Helen Dixon, 56, a writer and aid development teacher, joined the Greens three weeks ago despite the fact that her sister was a Labor councillor, her niece is a current Labor councillor and her parents met through the party. “I don’t want to vote for a party I don’t believe in,” she said at her home near Hove’s wide seafront promenade, adding the Greens’ anti-austerity stance appealed more than what she saw as Labor’s “softer” version of the Conservatives’ cuts. “They’ve abandoned a lot of their own constituents.” Labor are taking the threat seriously. Khan said Labor could address issues Green supporters cared about such as health and inequality, and vowed Miliband would be “the greenest prime minister in history”. “I’m confident that people who are currently flirting with the idea of voting Green will end up voting Labor on election day,” he said. Some in Labor also hope greater scrutiny of Green policies they are pro-immigration, want to hike taxes on the richest, abolish Britain’s nuclear deterrent and replace welfare benefits with a “Citizens’ Income” for all - will deter voters come May. FALSE DAWN? Brighton, Britain’s unofficial gay capital and crammed with fashionable bars and shops, is the Green heartland, not only returning Lucas to parliament but with a Green-run city council. Not everyone has been impressed though, and many locals mutter about the strikes by council workers last summer which left refuse uncollected on the streets, while waste recycling rates are among the worst in the country. “I think they’re the worst party I have ever seen,” said one woman in a charity shop in Kemptown near a billboard for the local newspaper with the headline ‘New Bin Strike Called’.
Hundreds of North African migrants killed at sea
At least 300 migrants are feared to have drowned after attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa this week in rough seas, the UN says. UNHCR official Vincent Cochetel said it was a “tragedy on an enormous scale”. Survivors brought to the Italian island of Lampedusa said they were forced to risk the bad weather on ill-equipped vessels by human traffickers in Libya. They were rescued from two of four dinghies that got into trouble after leaving Libya for Europe on Saturday. The Italian coast guard rescued 105 people on Monday after one of the dinghies overturned but 29 died after spending several hours in the water. Those rescued on Wednesday morning had spent days drifting without food or water in two of the other dinghies - with each said to be carrying more than 100 people. The survivors said the fourth dinghy, carrying an estimated 100 migrants, disappeared at sea. Carlotta Sami, a spokeswoman for the UNHCR, said the victims had been “swallowed up by the waves,” with the youngest a child of 12. ‘TOO LITTLE TOO LATE’ “This is a tragedy on an enormous scale and a stark reminder that more lives could be lost if those seeking safety are left at the mercy of the sea,” Mr Cochetel said in a statement. The UN said the latest incident should be a message to the European Union that the current search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean was inadequate. “Europe cannot afford to do too little too late,” Mr Cochetel added. In November, Italy ended an operation known as Mare Nostrum, which was launched in October 2013 in response to a tragedy off Lampedusa in which 366 people died. The year-long operation was aimed at rescuing seaborne migrants, with Italian vessels looking for ships carrying migrants that may have run into trouble off the Libyan coast. Late last year, the UNHCR warned that Italy’s decision to end its operation in the Mediterranean would almost certainly lead to more deaths. But other European countries, including the UK, said a rescue service for migrants could encourage them and so the operation was scaled down. The EU now runs a border control operation, called Triton, which only operates close to Europe’s coast and with fewer ships.
Al Qaeda fighters seize Yemen army base
Al Qaeda-linked fighters seized a large army base in a dawn attack in southern Yemen on Thursday, militants and residents said, hours after the United Nations warned that the country was on the brink of civil war. The base in the southern province of Shabwa, housing a brigade of up to 2,000 government soldiers, fell after several hours of heavy clashes, residents and local news sites said. The al Qaeda-affiliated Ansar al-Sharia said on Twitter it had set off a suicide bomb at the gate and imprisoned some of the troops. Al Qaeda and other Sunni Muslim militants have stepped up attacks since rival Iranian-backed Shi’ite Muslim fighters from the north seized the capital in September and started expanding across the country. The Houthis have sidelined the central government and have clashed with Sunni tribesmen in Yemen, which borders oil giant Saudi Arabia. “We believe the situation is very dangerous. Yemen is on the brink of civil war,” Jamal Benomar, the U.N. Special Envoy to Yemen, said in an interview with television channels al Arabiya and al-Hadath late on Wednesday. He accused all sides of contributing to the political and economic turmoil and called for more talks.
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WORLD NEWS LOCAL NEWS
South Africans mark 25th anniversary of Mandela’s release JOHANNESBURG Nelson Mandela insisted that he wanted to walk out of prison, when then President F. W. de Klerk told him he would finally be freed 25 years ago. On Wednesday, South Africans marked the anniversary of the release of Mandela who four years later became the country’s first black president. Mandela was released on Feb. 11, 1990, after 27 years in prison. Holding the hand of his then wife, Winnie, the 71-year-old was met with crowds of euphoric South Africans. Mandela raised his clenched first, signaling his determination to end apartheid, the system of racial discrimination. It was a turning point in South Africa’s history. A few hours later Mandela delivered his first speech since he was sentenced to life in prison in 1964 after being convicted of treason for opposing white minority rule. Mandela emphasized the need for peaceful negotiation and consensus to rebuild South Africa. “The need to unite the people
Nelson Mandela of our country is as important a task now as it always has been,” Mandela told thousands outside the Cape Town City Hall. The next day, Mandela flew to Johannesburg, where tens of thousands filled a soccer stadium, welcoming him home to Soweto, a blacks-only township where he once lived. South Africans today are still inspired by Mandela’s vision of a non-racial, democratic and prosperous society, current President Jacob Zuma said in a
statement Wednesday. “This day ... marked a giant leap in the long walk to freedom, not just for Nelson Mandela but also for the people of South Africa,” Zuma said. Mandela, who died in 2013 at the age of 95, would have been proud of South Africa’s achievements, but would have been disturbed by the continued instances of racism, said the last apartheid president F.W. de Klerk, marking the anniversary.
Costa Concordia captain sentenced to 16 years in prison
GROSSETO, Italy - A court convicted the Costa Concordia’s commander of the manslaughter deaths of 32 people in the cruise liner’s capsizing off the Italian coast and sentenced him Wednesday to some 16 years in prison, blaming him for causing the 2012 shipwreck and for doing what sea captains should never do - abandoning ship while passengers and crew were still aboard. Francesco Schettino’s total prison term broke down this way: 10 years for the deaths of 32 passengers and crew members; five years for causing the shipwreck when he steered too close to Giglio Island, smashing into a rocky reef, one year for abandoning the luxury vessel when hundreds of people were still aboard, and one month for giving false information to maritime authorities about the gravity of the Concordia’s collision, which prosecutors said delayed the arrival of help. The punishment, handed down by a three-judge panel, was 10 years short of what prosecutors had sought, and left some survivors and victims’ relatives wondering if justice was done. “Thirty-two dead. That’s about six months for every person who died,” said Anne Decre, a Frenchwoman who managed to get aboard a lifeboat before the Concordia’s listing made it impossible to lower other
Pope says couples who choose not to have children are ‘selfish’
lifeboats. Referring to the 16- The total of all damages and year prison term, she was one of court costs of the lawyers who only a handful of survivors who brought the suits, was not came to court to hear the verdict. immediately available. But She is pressing for better most awards totaled tens of safety standards for cruise thousands of euros (dollars), ships, and like other survivors, far more than the 11,000 euros recalled how many passengers Costa paid to survivors who hadn’t received emergency declined to press civil suits. drill practice after starting the Schettino chose not to come Mediterranean cruise. to court for the verdict. Puliatti Keven Rebello’s brother, rejected the prosecutor’s request Russel Rebello, was a ship for the defendant’s immediate waiter who stayed aboard to arrest. The judge noted that lower the last of the lifeboats. Schettino still had two levels of His body was found only after appeals to exhaust under Italian the Costa Concordia was towed law before he must begin serving away from Giglio Island after his sentence. the ship was set upright in a As they left the court, spectacular engineering, Schettino’s lawyers said they “What’s important is not hadn’t yet spoken to him by to forget this affair. Instead, if phone. Schettino ends up in prison, Just before deliberations began, after a while everyone will Schettino made a last-minute forget about him, just like they appeal to the court, claiming will forget about the victims,” he was being “sacrificed” to Rebello was quoted as saying by safeguard the economic interests the Italian news agency ANSA. of his employer. He then broke Refusing to comment on down in sobs. the sentence itself, Rebello The reef gashed the hull, added: “What matters is that seawater rushed in, and the this tragedy serves to make Concordia listed badly, finally the (cruise) companies and ending up on its side outside commanders do what’s needed Giglio’s port. Autopsies so (the tragedy) doesn’t repeat determined that victims itself.” drowned aboard ship or in Judge Giovanni Puliatti took the sea after either falling or more than a half-hour to read jumping off the ship during a out all the names, one by one, chaotic, delayed evacuation. of the survivors and dead, upon “My head was sacrificed to serve whose behalf civil suits were economic interests,” the 54-yearfiled for damages from Costa old Neapolitan seaman told the Crociere Spa. court.
The Pope has branded couples who choose not to have children ‘selfish’ during an address to a large crowd in St Peter’s Square The Pope has branded couples who choose not to have children ‘selfish’ and said they are part of a ‘greedy generation.’ The pontiff said it was a ‘depressed society’ that considered offspring to be a weight or a risk. Pope Francis made the remarks in front of a large crowd during his weekly general audience in St Peter’s Square, Rome. Addressing the crowd, he said life ‘rejuvenates’ when children arrive and they ‘enrich it.’ ‘A society with a greedy generation, that doesn’t want to surround itself with children, that considers them above all worrisome, a weight, a risk, is a depressed society,’ he said, the Guardian reported. ‘The choice to not have children is selfish. Life rejuvenates and acquires energy when it multiplies: It is enriched, not impoverished.’ The Pope had to apologise for offending large Catholic families by saying that there was no need to breed ‘like rabbits’. The Pope caused dismay among larger families last month when he cautioned ‘responsible parenthood’ advising that three children was ‘about right’. Speaking during a press conference on a flight back from the Philippines, he said that ‘Some think that in order to be good Catholics we have to be like rabbits. No. Responsible parenthood.’ Vatican Archbishop Giovanni Becciu apologised on Pope Francis’ behalf by saying ‘the Pope is truly sorry’ that his remarks about large families ‘caused such disorientation’. Archbishop Becciu told the Italian bishop’s newspaper Avvenire that the pope ‘absolutely did not want to disregard the beauty and the value of large families.’ Just last week Pope Francis said it is fine for parents to smack their children as punishment for misbehaving. ‘One time, I heard a father say, “At times I have to hit my children a bit, but never in the face so as not to humiliate them”.,’ the Pope said. ‘That’s great. He had a sense of dignity. He should punish, do the right thing, and then move on.’
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CARIBBEAN WORLD
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2015 – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2015
LOCAL NEWSNEWS CARIBBEAN
NEWS NEWS
Baha Mar on course for opening on March 27
“The June date refers to the BAHA MAR officials yesterday stressed that the grand opening celebrations which billion dollar mega-resort will will take place this spring and open on March 27 as previously not to the opening date of March announced, despite speculation 27, 2015. An exact date of those that construction will not be celebrations will be announced completed in time. within the coming weeks,” the In a joint press statement release said. “Prime Minister Christie from the Office of the Prime Minister and Baha Mar, officials and the Chairman of Baha Mar, refuted statements in The Nassau Sarkis Izmirlian, jointly met with Guardian, attributed to Prime officials from China Construction Minister Perry Christie, that the of America (CCA) and the Exportresort will not open until June 1. Import Bank in Beijing in January. Mr Christie reportedly told In that meeting, they received the the newspaper that construction necessary assurances that the is not expected to be completed resort will be ready for guests on until “March 27, 28 or 29”. March 27.” Last month, it was announced “As previously reported, Baha Mar will open on March that the Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, 27, 2015,” the joint statement the Rosewood at Baha Mar, and said. “In (yesterday’s) Nassau SLS Lux at Baha Mar will start Guardian, Prime Minister Perry hosting “paid guests” on March Christie made reference to China 27. A statement from the property Construction completing their said the Grand Hyatt would open construction work by March 27 “shortly thereafter”. and with respect to employment This came more than six ultimately ‘having people ready by months after Baha Mar officials announced that its grand opening June 1’.
would be delayed to “late Spring 2015” instead of the original December 2014 timeline. Last August, officials at the $3.5 billion mega resort in Cable Beach said the property would open in stages from December onwards. Speaking about Baha Mar’s new opening date, Baha Mar’s President Tom Dunlap said: “A dream starts great endeavours, but it is only a beginning. Baha Mar’s vision will truly come to life once the first guests sleep in our hotels, dine at our restaurants, snorkel at our reef, lounge at our Cabana Club, play at our casino, dance in our clubs until dawn— and experience the true soul of the Bahamas with impeccable service and joyful hospitality. This dream has been years in the making, and on March 27, 2015, it will finally become a reality.” Baha Mar officials had originally maintained that the resort would be opened fully last December, rather than in stages.
Jamaica celebrates 70th birthday of Bob Marley
Bob marley Jamaica celebrated the “at the same time that we are 70th birthday of its late Reggae observing Reggae Month under icon, Bob Marley last Friday the theme: “The Journey is the February 6th with Prime Minister Destination.” Portia Simpson Miller reminding “As we reflect on the amazing nationals of the need to “Get Up, journey of Reggae Music over the Stand up” for their rights. years, we are mindful that, in “Bob Marley was a musical keeping with our history, we must giant whose voice in the wilderness Get Up, Stand Up for our rights,’ rang out loud and strong during a she said, adding “the ‘legendary’ very difficult time in our national Bob Marley represents us as a and global journey,” she said in a people of great strength, endless message to mark the occasion. talent, creative genius, and She said as the country reflects advocates against oppression and on Marley’s birthday, it is fitting injustice. that Jamaica is celebrating it “Bob Marley’s philosophies
live on among us. His music has remained the eternal conscience of our nation and the world,” she said, adding “so much of Bob Marley’s work continues to carry the profound message of National Hero…Marcus Mosiah Garvey who taught us that “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” “As a global icon, Bob Marley transcended local issues. He was a global ‘buffalo soldier, but one rooted in what has come to be known as Jamaican ‘livity’; that uplifting way of being which is uniquely Jamaican, and had always been the inspiration for his positive message-music.”. Across Jamaica many radio stations were blaring Marley’s music and the debate continued as to his influence not only on Jamaica but the Rastafrain movement of which he was member. Marley died in 1981 from cancer at the age of 36. He had several hits including Redemption Song,” “Is this Love”, “Stir it Up.” “Babylon System” and “Turn Your Lights Down Low” Marley was inducted in the into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and his album “Exodus” was named Album of the Century by Time Magazine.
UN wants to prevent parents from slapping children The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child is urging Jamaica to pass a law to abolish corporal punishment. The body considers corporal punishment to be violence against children and made the recommendation for a full ban in the final report on Jamaica, following a visit and presentation by a Jamaican delegation to its meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, three weeks ago. The committee was responding to concerns on corporal punishment contained in a report submitted by local human-rights group Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ). “Corporal punishment is still highly prevalent in Jamaica. Reports of child abuse are alarmingly common, yet there has been insufficient action at the legislative and policy level to combat this,” said the JFJ. “Article 19 of the [UN Convention on the Rights of the Child] stipulates that children have the right to be protected from all forms of violence …,” noted JFJ. The lobby said the Government has failed to make the necessary legislative changes to prohibit all forms of physical and mental violence, which it said was part of the committee’s recommendation in 2003. While acknowledging that commendable measures, such as the passage of the Child Care and Protection Act (CCPA), have been made, the JFJ said “… corporal punishment in the home and schools – where it most prevalent – still awaits legislative action … .” The committee, too, also acknowledged progress, but agreed with the JFJ that corporal punishment should be abolished everywhere. “The committee, however, is concerned that corporal punishment remains lawful in the home and schools, is widely accepted in society, and continues to be practised in the state party,” read a section of the recommendations in the final report for Jamaica. “In line with its general comment, article number 8 (2006) on the right of the child to protection from corporal punishment, and general comment article number 13 (2011) on the right of the child to freedom from all forms of violence, the committee recommends that the state party: (a) Amend its legislation to explicitly prohibit corporal punishment in all settings, including the family, schools and institutions, and explicitly repeal the common law right to inflict ‘reasonable and moderate’ punishment … ,” it said. Youth Minister Lisa Hanna, who led the Jamaican delegation to Geneva, last week updated The Sunday Gleaner on her response to the UN body. “I told them the issue is being reviewed in the CCPA, but it requires significant dialogue with the Jamaican population. I also told them that as minister, I could not make that commitment without having that national dialogue.” Hanna said even without the specific legislation, parents who abuse their children have been arrested and charged by the police. PARENTS COULD BE CHARGED “The implication of such a legislation is that a mother or father could be criminally charged for slapping their child. That is something for which I cannot take a personal decision to impact an entire population,” said Hanna. “This could be done though community meetings with the relevant child agencies and their representatives, such as the Child Development Agency, Office of the Children’s Registry, [and the ministries of] National Security, Justice, and Youth and Culture.” Head of the National Parenting Support Commission, Patrece Charles, said a clear definition of corporal punishment is required, and any legislation contemplated or required must take into consideration the Jamaican experience.
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CARIBBEAN LOCAL NEWSNEWS
No child in The Bahamas will be denied access to education
EDUCATION Director Lionel Sands said that no child will be denied access to an education in the fall semester, despite a new immigration policy requiring non-Bahamians to have a student permit and a passport with a residency stamp. Mr Sands told The Tribune that the Department of Education is willing to “work with” individuals on a “case by case” basis to ensure that every child is allowed to attend school in September. He said his department will release the registration requirements for new students entering the public system today, as school registration begins next month for the fall semester. While he could not say how many students overall will be affected by the new requirement, he revealed that education officials expect at least 6,000 grade one students to be affected. “We have been meeting with immigration officials all week to determine how this new system will work and what we are required to do,” he said. “We have to ensure that our work is consistent with the regulations
Lionel Sands and because registrations starts next month we are looking to release those new requirements on Wednesday. I cannot say how many non-Bahamians will be registering but we expect about 6,000 first graders to be impacted by
the new system. “We are still trying to figure out how it will all work because the permit is issued by the Department of Immigration and not us. But the new rules for registration for public schools will be out by tomorrow afternoon. These will apply to students entering school for the first time as well as students who are moving from primary school to junior high and junior high to senior high,” he said. Mr Sands also hit out at critics of the policy, who have said nonBahamians will not be able to afford the $125 inclusive cost for the student permit and processing fees. He said: “History has shown that non-Bahamians comply much faster when it comes to finances, so I do not think that will be an issue at all. But we will make provisions in any event for those who cannot afford it to make sure that no student will be denied access to education.” Last month, Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell announced that beginning this Fall, every foreign person enrolled in school, even
children born in The Bahamas to nonBahamian parents, will be required to have a student permit and a passport with a residency stamp. Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette said the government should delay implementing its new restrictions until 2016. Mr Symonette also said making it harder for children of immigrants to get an education could create a slippery slope that results in a myriad of longterm social problems for Bahamians. He also said that he doubted the new policy is well thought out and questioned how the Department of Immigration will be able to meet the increased demand for processing. The student restrictions are part of a wider immigration policy introduced on November 1, 2014. That policy mandates, among other things, that every person in this country have a passport of their nationality with proof to legally reside and work in the Bahamas. Some critics have said the policy unfairly targets Haitians or persons of Haitian descent.
Police in Jamaica to use drones
MONTEGO BAY, St James — The Area One police should have the use of drone technology, dubbed ‘Eye in the Sky’, added to their crime fighting toolkit in a matter of six months, if everything works according to plan. Commander of Area One, Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Ferguson made the revelation yesterday during a press conference at the Area One police headquarters at Sewell Avenue here in Montego Bay. ACP Ferguson explained that the proposed venture, a private/public sector undertaking, should be economically viable. “It’s a technology that is used internationally for crime and traffic management, and other disaster management and the cost benefit analysis outweighs the traditional ways that we are carrying out operational activities,” he said. He explained that following the training of the police, the proposed project is intended to be piloted in the St James Police Division, where there has been a spate of serious crimes in recent years. The project will start with the use of one or two drones, after getting the go-ahead from the Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant bodies. “At this time we are looking to have, maybe, one or two training drones, because we have to go
through a process. We have to be looking at the law that regulates the use of drones,” the Area One police boss said. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector Vernon Ellis, in outlining the benefits of the drone technology, argued that it will help to eliminate conflicting reports by police and civilians. “Basically, we are looking on the use of technology to combat the crime situation and we see where the drone technology will just be an added tool to this crime fighting. The drone will also assist with transparency; reason being, the citizens can also feel safer because the account of the police, as also their account in certain circumstances, could be captured by the eye in the sky,” Detective Inspector Ellis said. Additionally, he explained that the drones would be very useful in communities where there is the absence of proper road infrastructure, among other pluses. “For tactical operations, where the risk is very high to officer safety, the drone could actually be used to reduce this risk. We could (also) use them for rescue missions, we could use them for traffic management, could also use it for surveillance purposes,” the detective pointed out. “We intend to use these drones to come up
with three dimension mappings of police hot spot areas.” Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Glendon Harris; members of the Montego Bay business community Mark Hart, Angella Whitter, and Lee Bailey expressed their willingness to assist with the acquisition of drones.
Drone
Court rules in favour of Belize government BELMOPAN, Belize – The Supreme Court has dismissed an application by the Belize Bank seeking to enforce an award against the government granted by the London Court of International Arbitration (LICA). Attorney Denys barrow, who represented the government during the hearing, said that when an international tribunal gives an arbitration award it is not like a judgment of the Court in Belize. “It cannot be enforced by virtue of anything in the authority of the
tribunal. It needs the authority of a Belize court which says that that award that you give, you may now enforce it in Belize as if though it were a judgment of the Court,” he added. In her ruling, Justice Shona Griffith noted that because the then government did not seek the approval of parliament in the signing of the promisssory note, government could not be forced to pay. The High Court issue arose out of a 2009 ruling by LICA in the matter between
the Belize government and the Ashcroft Group of Companies. LICA had awarded almost BDZ$40 million (One Belize Dollar =US$0.49 cents) to the group that also owns the Belize Bank. Attorney Eamon Courtenay, one of the lawyers for the bank, said the financial institution had loaned the money and needed repayment. “The Belize Bank is out of pocket. So it is not that the Court has found that the government does not owe. An arbitral
tribunal established that that money is owed by the Government of Belize. The sole question was a technical one as to whether there was compliance with the Constitution. “At the end of the day I can tell you this. There is no Court that has said that the loan note is unconstitutional or invalid. In fact, you will recall that the Privy Council held that the loan note was not a violation of Section Seven of the Finance and Audit Reform Act, so I can expect that very shortly the Belize Bank
is going to institute before the CCJ he was another claim, and we still certain of victory. are going to sue on the He said the judge loan note to recover the “analyzed and outlined debt that is owed to the to us all the issues and bank,” he said. it’s a finely balanced She held Courtenay question. said he is confident against the government of victory and hinted on two aspects and held that the case may go in our favour on one as far as the Trinidad- aspect which was the based Caribbean Court decisive aspect.” of Justice (CCL) the “the government and the Ashcroft Group country’s final court. “So while today is of Companies have been a victory of sorts for the involved in, for want of government, it’s not the a better word, a war…a end of this legal war by legal war…and I think it has been going on now a long shot,” he added. But Barrow said for over six years, so while he is also confident one has to put it in that that the matter will go context.
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LOCAL NEWSNEWS CARIBBEAN
Cocaine worth US$29m found on St Vincent-registered vessel
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — United States law enforcement authorities say they have seized 989 kilogrammes of cocaine on a vessel carrying a St Vincent and the Grenadines flag in the Caribbean Sea. The US Coast Guard said it collaborated with the US Customs and Border Protection agency, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security investigators in the operation that also netted 13 men,
after detaining a delivery vessel and coastal freighter about eight miles off the coast of Puerto Rico. Two Venezuelan nationals were charged “with conspiracy to import the aforementioned cocaine shipment”, the Coast Guard said, adding that the cocaine has an estimated street value of US$29 million. It said that the other suspects detained on the 267-foot St Vincent and Grenadines flag coastal freighter Atlantic VII were from the Dominican
Republic, Cuba, Peru, Panama and Ecuador. They were also charged with conspiracy to import a controlled substance into the United States. The cocaine shipment, the detained smugglers, and the delivery vessel were transported to Coast Guard Sector in San Juan, and transferred to ICE agents for further investigation the Coast Guard said. “Once again the combined efforts of federal law enforcement agencies resulted in the seizure of millions
Golding says he is not afraid of Coke Former prime minister said he was not afraid of Christopher “Dudus” Coke, whom he described as a “dangerous man” as he continued giving evidence before a Commission of Inquiry probing the events of the May 2010 incursion when security forces moved into West Kingston to arrest the drug and gang leader. At least 76 people, including 73 civilians were killed during the operations as the security forces battled gunmen loyal to Coke, the reputed leader of the notorious Shower Posse gang. Golding, testifying for third consecutive day before the Commission chaired by the Barbadian jurist, Sir David Simmons, said also he wasn’t under any code of silence. Asked by attorney Linton Gordon, who is representing the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) whether or not he was afraid of Coke, the former prime minister replied “No, I wasn’t”. Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding Asked also whether he was under a code of silence and as a result cannot speak freely, Golding minister”. replied “No sir, I was just giving context”. But the former prime minister acknowledged Golding, who on Tuesday had said he was unaware that he was aware of Coke’s reputation of a don adding whether or not confidential documents concerning that it did not occur to him in August 2009 that there Coke’s extradition to the United States on drugs and could be violence as a result of the extradition request. gun running charges, told the Commission that it The former prime minister also testified was the responsibility of the police to apprehend a Wednesday that he could not hold the view that “dangerous man”. the security forces went into Tivoli Gardens on a Responding to a question from Gordon, whether “murderous spree”. or not he had failed to use the opportunity of a tip by He said also he could not hold the view that the United States, that it would send an extradition the civilians were killed when trying to protect Coke, request for Coke and to take him into custody, Golding who has since been transported to the United States said “that’s the job of the police and not the prime and convicted on the drugs and gun-related charges.
JetBlue announces additional flights to Cuba and Haiti
MIAMI - JetBlue Airways has announced more flights to Cuba and Haiti. The New York-based airline said Thursday that it would add a new charter flight to Cuba this summer. The Friday flights from Tampa to Havana will begin June 5. Travelers have to make
arrangements directly with JetBlue partner ABC Charters. Some restrictions on travel to Cuba were eased in January. JetBlue senior vice president Scott Laurence says the addition reflects the “thoughtful approach we are taking in Cuba over the long-term.” JetBlue already operates three
other weekly charter flights to Cuba from Tampa and Fort Lauderdale. The airline also announced new seasonal flights from Boston to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Those flights will run from June 17 through Sept. 5. JetBlue also flies daily to Haiti from New York and Fort Lauderdale.
of dollars worth of narcotics. Our message continues to be the same: We will detect and interdict drug smugglers attempting to flood our island with their poisonous cargo,” said Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, US Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “These arrests are a clear indication of the continued success of the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force,” she added.
Caribbean’s different gender gap: women rise, men stagnate
KINGSTON, Jamaica - When the young woman was preparing to open a business in Jamaica selling pipes, vaporizers and other smoking paraphernalia, some acquaintances suggested she would have difficulty succeeding in a niche trade dominated by men. Now, about a year-and-a-half after its launch at a hotel complex in Jamaica’s capital, Ravn Rae’s smoking supplies store is growing and she’s proving doubters wrong in a Caribbean country where women have made such big advances in professions once dominated by men that a new U.N. study says it has the world’s highest proportion of female bosses. “Women are the ones who are the main breadwinners. We push harder to earn,” says Rae at her smoke shop, which she hopes to soon expand into a medical marijuana dispensary if lawmakers pass a decriminalization bill and allow a regulated cannabis industry. For now, she manages one saleswoman. According to data analyzed by the International Labor Organization, nearly 60 percent of managers in Jamaica are women, including those who work for large companies and those, like Rae, who own their own businesses. That’s the globe’s highest percentage and way ahead of developed countries. Colombia, at 53 percent, and St. Lucia, at 52 percent, are the only other nations in the world where women are more likely than men to be the boss, according to the ILO’s global list. The highest ranking first world nation is the United States, with almost 43 percent, and the lowest is Japan, at 11 percent. Overall, women in the Caribbean and parts of Latin America make up the managerial ranks to a greater extent than in the developed world. Experts say the gain is due in part to improvements in the level of female education, but also because men have failed to keep pace and have in some cases gone backward. The Caribbean and Latin America have seen such big improvements in the economic and social status of women that gender gaps in education, labor force participation, access to health systems and political engagement “have narrowed, closed and sometimes even reversed direction,” according to a World Bank study that analyzed women’s economic empowerment in the region. More women are receiving advanced degrees even as a number also juggle household and child-rearing responsibilities. But while government officials and educators celebrate that fact they also have serious worries about stagnating men, who have lower levels of academic achievement and are at increased risk of falling into criminality, trends that undermine the gains by females. Wayne Campbell, a Jamaican high school teacher who blogs about the problem of male underachievement, believes toxic notions about masculinity permeate entire communities, reinforced by a popular music culture that often celebrates lawbreaking. Boys who display school smarts are often ridiculed as effeminate by peers and even adults in areas where academic excellence by males is typically devalued, he says. “It’s almost as if manhood and masculinity have been hijacked by a thug culture far removed from education,” he said.
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LOCAL NEWS ENTERTAINMENT $ REWARD $ REKONPANS $ RECOMPENSA $ For information that leads to the arrest and charge of the person(s) responsible for the fatal stabbing of 19 year old KENLEY WALTERS between 2:00 am and 3:00 am, Saturday, 27 December 2014 in Club 2005, Downtown Providenciales. Pou enfòmasyon ki mennen nan arestasyon chaj moun ki responsab sak su yo tye ak kouto a age 19 ane KENLEY WALTERS a 2:00 ou 3:00 du matin, Samdi, 27 Desanm 2014 nan Club 2005, Downtown Providenciales. Por información que conduzca al arresto y cargo de la persona (s) responsables del apuñalamiento mortal del joven de 19 años KENLEY WALTERS entre 02 a.m.- 03 a.m., sábado, 27 de diciembre 2014 en el Club 2005 en el área de Downtown Providenciales.
KENLEY
WALTERS Eligible for a reward! Answered in Miami! Information, not your name!
ANONYMOUS!
Kalifye pou you rekonpanse! Reponn nam Miami! Enfomasyon, pa non ou!
ANONIMO!
Elegibles para una recompense! Responden en Miami! Informacion, no su nombre!
ANONIM!
DIRECTOR, INNOVATION AND RESOURCE PLANNING
Description Drive business and technology innovation. Support leadership team in delivering quantifiable and transformative business and operational strategy solutions. Direct the Innovation and Resource Planning Department activities and projects. Main Duties
Drive enterprise-wide projects that incorporate a proactive and innovative solution to addressing business challenges and achieving organizational goals and objectives; Monitor business trends and industry disruptive challenges. Obtain and evaluate information about industry and market trends, competitive threats and possible business opportunities; Partner with IT Department in overseeing technology vision and roadmap. Identify areas needing technology enablement; Assist the Executive Office in coordinating business strategy and execution, plan documentation, and monitors business performance; Assist the Executive Office in performing ad hoc research projects or feasibility studies that do not clearly fall within an existing business unit; Establish strong, effective, and collaborative partnerships with key business unit leaders, subject matter experts, and project leaders to build and deliver on effective solutions and strategies; Lead cross functional teams to design and implement business strategic and operational changes; Manage implementation of new enterprise resource planning system; ensure proper integration with other enterprise system and business process. Create conditions for a smooth transition to changes with least resistance from the process owners and maximum enthusiasm to adapt to the change; Lead promotion of business process management best practices; Lead development of integrated resource planning program. Coordinate activities and ensure delivery of output on time; Liaise with CARILEC on activities or developments regarding industry and trends in the Caribbean; serve as the principal point of contact in the Company to gather or disseminate requirements or information. Manage vendors and consultants hired by the department for relevant projects and activities. Manage Innovation and Resource Planning department resources and activities.
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LOCAL LOCALNEWS NEWS
Pearls Before Sw
Monty by Jim Meddick
Brewster Rockit by Tim Rickard
The Flying McCoys
The Du
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Herman by Jim Unger
wine by Stephan Pastis
s by Glenn and Gary McCoy
uplex by Glenn McCoy
F Minus by Tony Carrillo
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BUSINESS &
BUSINESS &NEWS TECHNOLOGY LOCAL NEWS CARIBBEAN
TECHNOLOGY Expedia to buy rival Orbitz for $1.38 billion
Expedia Inc said it would buy Orbitz Worldwide for about $1.38 billion in cash, its third acquisition in four months, to take on larger rival Priceline Group Inc in a burgeoning online travel industry. Orbitz’s shares shot up 20 percent to $11.63 in morning trading, short of Expedia’s offer of $12 per share. Expedia’s shares rose nearly 13 percent to $88.50. Priceline shares were up 2.8 percent. While Priceline’s market capitalization of about $55 billion is much more than that of Expedia’s and Orbitz’s put together, Expedia only recently slipped behind Priceline to become the world’s second-largest travel services company by bookings. The possibility of antitrust issues was played down by Expedia’s Chief Financial Office Mark Okerstrom who
said, “It is a $1.3 trillion industry and is highly fragmented ... We are only a small player and our overall share is in single digits.” RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Mahaney said regulatory hurdles would not be significant, adding he believed Orbitz has been one of the weakest players in the industry. Expedia, which owns Expedia. com, its flagship online travel agency and hotel booking site Hotels.com, has expanded rapidly by buying Travelocity last month and the Wotif Group in November. “We are attracted to the Orbitz Worldwide business because of its strong brands and impressive team,” Dara Khosrowshahi, chief executive of Expedia, said in a statement. Orbitz, the operator of CheapTickets website, was exploring a sale and had
engaged a financial adviser to reach out to potential buyers, Bloomberg reported last month. Expedia said it expects the Orbitz deal, which has an enterprise value of $1.6 billion, to add 75 cents to earnings and generate cost savings of $75 million. The equity value of the deal is based on about 115 million Orbitz shares outstanding as of Dec. 31. Orbitz on Thursday also reported a 37 percent rise in quarterly profit as gross bookings increased to $2.74 billion from $2.48 billion. Orbitz’ results come a day after TripAdvisor Inc, a travel review website operator, also reported an increase in net income as leisure and business travel increased in the United States.
Fires and deaths continue after Jeep fuel tank recall DETROIT - As Kayla White slowed her SUV behind two other cars to exit a suburban Detroit freeway on Veterans Day, it was rammed from behind by a Cadillac STS. Her red 2003 Jeep Liberty bounced off a Nissan in front of it, rolled onto its side and exploded in flames. Other drivers ran to help but were forced back by the heat. Firefighters arrived in just three minutes but were too late. White, a 23-year-old restaurant hostess who was eight months pregnant, died of burns and smoke inhalation. White is one of more than 70 people killed in fires involving older Jeeps with plastic fuel tanks mounted behind the rear axle. Fiat Chrysler, which makes Jeeps, recalled 1.56 million of them in June 2013 under pressure from U.S. safety regulators. But only 12 percent of the SUVs have been repaired in the 18 months since the recall, a much slower pace than usual. And White’s Jeep was not among those fixed. Last week, prosecutors charged the Cadillac driver with committing a moving violation that caused a death. But safety advocates and the lawyer for White’s family say the blame belongs as much, if not more, on Chrysler and an autoindustry safety system that moves too slowly to prevent tragedy. The rear-mounted tanks have little structure to protect them if struck from behind, making them susceptible to punctures and fires. Moving the gas tank in front of the axle would be expensive and difficult. So Chrysler’s remedy involved installing trailer hitches on the rear of the Jeeps as an extra
layer of protection. Government testing showed the hitches protected the tanks in crashes up to 40 mph when stationary Jeeps were hit from behind. But at higher speeds, they wouldn’t help. White tried to get the repair done a few weeks before her death but was told by a Jeep dealer that parts weren’t available, according to Gerald Thurswell, her family’s lawyer. He wouldn’t identify the dealership, and his contention could not be independently verified by The Associated Press. Thurswell contends the gas tank ruptured, spilling fuel that touched off the fire. A Chrysler spokesman expressed sympathy to White’s family but said the company had no written proof that she asked a dealer about the recall. Two crash reconstruction experts interviewed by the AP say gas wouldn’t have spilled from White’s Jeep if the tank had been mounted in front of the rear axle. Both say a hitch might have prevented the tank from being damaged, but because both vehicles were in motion, neither expert could say for sure. Jessica Cooper, the prosecutor in suburban Oakland County, says the Cadillac driver, Clarence Heath, wasn’t speeding, meaning he was driving 70 mph or less. One of the other drivers involved in the accident told the AP that the vehicles ahead of Heath were going about 50 mph. Other Jeep owners have reported difficulties in getting repairs done. Since the recall was announced, more than 840 people
complained to the government that Chrysler dealers didn’t have hitches available, according to an AP review of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration database. Some complaints came as recently as December and January. As of Jan. 14, Chrysler had repaired only 12 percent of the Jeeps - despite two letters from NHTSA demanding faster action. That leaves more than 1.3 million Jeeps still on the road with gas tanks in a vulnerable position. Chrysler acknowledges that it normally completes 78 percent of repairs in 18 months. The company is offering Jeep owners free oil changes and $150 gift cards for parts and accessories as an incentive to get a hitch. But Chrysler cautions that in recalls such as this, owners can be harder to find because the vehicles are up to 22 years old Reports of Jeep fires started in the late 1990s, but NHTSA didn’t start investigating until more than a decade later, in the summer of 2010. Three years later, the agency sought a recall of 2.7 million oldermodel Jeep Grand Cherokees and Libertys - some dating back to the 1993 model year - after finding 51 fire-related deaths. That number was later raised to 75. But Chrysler resisted, and the company sent data to NHTSA showing that 24 comparable SUVs made by other automakers had higher rates of fire deaths in rearend crashes. Both sides agreed that Chrysler would recall 1.56 million of the Jeeps. The remaining 1.2 million would get inspections and perhaps no repairs at all.
CEO of Expedia, Inc. Dara Khosrowshahi
S&P owner McGraw Hill reports loss on $1.5 billion legal charge
Standard & Poor’s Building in New York City McGraw Hill Financial Inc, parent of Standard & Poor’s ratings agency, reported a quarterly loss, hurt by a $1.5 billion charge related to legal and regulatory settlements. The company’s loss from continuing operations was $1 billion, or $3.71 per share, for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, compared with an income of $165 million, or 60 cents per share, a year earlier. S&P said last week it would pay $1.5 billion to resolve a collection of lawsuits over its ratings on mortgage securities that soured in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis. The U.S. Justice Department sued the firm in February 2013, claiming more than $5 billion in losses from S&P-rated securities during the 20072009 financial crisis. The company’s adjusted earnings of 95 cents per share topped analysts’ average estimate of 90 cents, helped by higher demand for corporate ratings, particularly U.S. investment-grade, and public finance ratings. Revenue from the S&P’s ratings business rose 8 percent to $618 million during the quarter. The company raised its quarterly dividend to 33 cents per share from 30 cents. Bond markets globally have been volatile due to plunging oil prices and worries about Greece. However, high-grade corporate debt offerings in the United States rose 9 percent to $1.1 trillion in 2014, according to Thomson Reuters data. McGraw Hill forecast 2015 earnings of $4.35-$4.45 per share, above the average analyst estimate of $4.32, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. S&P rival Moody’s Corp (MCO.N) reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit last week, driven by strong growth in its analytics business and higher debt issuance in the United States.
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Oil bounces back above $56 as dollar weakens
Brent crude oil rallied almost $2 to above $56 per barrel on Thursday, rebounding from a two-day losing streak, with industry spending cuts and a weaker dollar boosting buying. The CEO of Shell said Thursday that supply might not be able to keep up with growing demand after oil companies around the world slashed budgets following the near halving in prices since June. French energy major Total became the latest to announce investment and job cuts on Thursday, taking a $6.5 billion writedown because of weak oil prices. March Brent futures LCOc1 were
up $1.89 at $56.55 a barrel by 1528 GMT (10:28 a.m. EST), following a 3 percent loss in the previous session when prices fell below $54 a barrel at one point. U.S. March crude futures CLc1 were trading up $1.31 at $50.15, after falling more than 2 percent in the previous session. Traders remain split over whether the market has found a floor after rising 25 percent from a post-2009 low near $45 a month ago. Many still see the market as oversupplied by up to 2 million barrels per day in the first half of this year. Volatility in the oil market has
jumped to its highest level since the financial crisis as traders battle it out, with prices swinging in wide daily ranges so far in February. Traders pointed to a weaker dollar as boosting buying on Thursday as the U.S. unit fell as much as 0.7 percent against a basket of currencies, making dollar-priced commodities such as oil cheaper. “We saw a heavy selloff in commodities yesterday and I think that’s why we’re getting a little bit of a rebound in oil prices,” said Michael Hewson, chief analyst at CMC Markets. Saudi Arabia’s oil minister Ali al-Naimi discussed a “relative improvement” in
the oil market with Algerian Justice Minister Tayeb Louh, Saudi state news agency SPA reported on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia will keep March crude supply to Asia steady, industry sources told Reuters. U.S. crude stocks rose to a record weekly high last week, while gasoline stocks increased and distillate inventories fell, data from the Energy Information Administration showed on Wednesday. On Thursday, Kuwait suspended crude and oil product exports as a sandstorm hit the Gulf OPEC member. The temporary suspension will be lifted when weather conditions improve.
Time Inc forecasts further IRS apologizes for seizing bank declines in advertising revenue accounts of small businesses
Time Inc. CEO Joe Ripp Time Inc , the largest magazine publisher in the United States, reported a lower-than-expected quarterly profit and warned sales would decline further this year as it grapples with falling circulation and advertising revenue. Time’s shares fell as much as 12 percent after the company also forecast declines in both advertising and subscription revenue for the current quarter. The company, which was spun off from Time Warner Inc last June, has been severely hit by declining circulation and advertising revenue as consumers shift to reading on smartphones and tablets. Most publishers, including Time, have been cutting costs, slashing their workforce and beefing up digital services. The publisher of the Sports Illustrated, Time and People said on a post-earnings conference call it expects revenue for the current quarter to decline in high-single digits on a percentage basis. Advertising revenue is expected to fall about 10 percent and subscription revenue by mid-single digits on percentage terms in the quarter, the company said. Some publishers have been more successful in the transition to an online-based business model but most are struggling to make money out of digital content. New York Times Co (NYT.N) last
week posted quarterly revenue that topped estimates as higher digital subscription and advertising sales largely balanced a fall in print ad revenue. Time said it expects annual revenue to fall 3-6 percent this year. The forecast implies revenue of $3.08-$3.18 billion for the full year, well below the average analyst estimate of $3.24 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Time’s total advertising revenue fell 8.1 percent to $496 million in the fourth quarter, accounting for about half of the total revenue. Circulation revenue, which includes subscription and newsstand sales, also fell about 8 percent. Time said it kick-started a restructuring plan in fourth quarter that resulted in a pre-tax charge of $28 million, aimed at headcount reductions and other efforts. The company on the call the plan would help it save $110 million in 2015. The company’s total revenue fell 7.3 percent to $895 million missing analysts’ average estimate of $904.3 million. Net income more than doubled to $145 million, or $1.32 per share. Excluding items, it earned 73 cents per share, missing analysts’ expectations of 78 cents per share. The company’s shares were trading down 7 percent at $23.16 Thursday morning on the New York Stock Exchange.
WASHINGTON - Pressured by Congress, the IRS said Wednesday it is changing its policies and apologizing for seizing banks accounts from otherwise law-abiding business owners simply because they structured bank transactions to avoid federal reporting requirements. Their alleged crime: routinely making bank deposits of less than $10,000. That allowed the business owners to avoid reporting requirements designed to catch drug dealers and IRS Commissioner John Koskinen apologizes for money launderers. seizing bank accounts of small businesses. IRS Commissioner John Koskinen told Congress that the IRS is changing policies to prevent the seizures, as long probably is involved in structuring,” as the money came from legal means. Roskam said. “To anyone who is not treated Georgia gun shop owner Andrew fairly under the code, I apologize,” Clyde said he didn’t know about the Koskinen told the House Ways and reporting law when he got an insurance Means oversight subcommittee. policy that only covered losses up to “Taxpayers have to be comfortable that $10,000 if they happened outside his they will be treated fairly.” store in Athens. By law, bank transactions above Clyde and three other business $10,000 must be reported to the IRS. owners appeared before Roskam’s It’s a felony, called “structuring,” to subcommittee Wednesday to recount manage transactions to avoid the how the IRS had seized their bank reporting requirement, even if the accounts. money is legally earned. Because of his insurance policy, In some cases, the IRS seized and Clyde said, he didn’t like carrying held bank accounts for years without more than $10,000 in cash between his bringing charges. store and the bank. Koskinen said he didn’t know As a result, Clyde said, he made how many cases the new policy would 109 transactions between May 2012 affect. He said the IRS seized a total and March 2013, totaling $940,313. A of 147 accounts last year, including month later, he said he was visited by those in which the money was illegally two IRS agents who accused him of obtained. structuring those deposits to avoid the “On average over the last several reporting law. They said the account years, it’s less than 200 cases,” had been seized. Koskinen said. “In 60 percent of those “I was never so afraid in my life,” cases, the owner of the asset never said Clyde,” a former Marine who did shows up, which shows that they three tours in Iraq. “I trembled when obviously had a criminal activity going they left.” on.” Clyde said he was never accused of The Treasury inspector general evading taxes or of illegally obtaining for tax administration is launching an the money. Yet, he said, the IRS filed a audit of the IRS’s seizure program, said civil complaint against him and made Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill., chairman several offers to settle the case by of the Ways and Means oversight forcing him to forfeit large portions of subcommittee. It is unclear how long his money. the probe will take. In August, three days before the Roskam said the IRS has too scheduled start of a civil trial initiated much power to seize assets, even if the by the IRS, Clyde agreed to forfeit agency doesn’t have adequate evidence $50,000 in order to get the rest of his of a crime. money back. Clyde said his legal bills “The IRS doesn’t have to give notice totaled almost $150,000. to the account-holder before seizing “This was my tactical retreat, so the assets. And the IRS doesn’t have to I could live to fight another day,” Clyde prove that the person is actually guilty told the subcommittee. “And that day of anything - just that the account is today.”
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LOCAL NEWS BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY
US retail sales weak; jobless claims jump U.S. consumer spending barely rose in January as households cut back on purchases of a range of goods, suggesting the economy started the first quarter on a softer note. The Commerce Department said on Thursday retail sales excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services edged up 0.1 percent last month after a 0.3 percent drop in December. The so-called core retail sales correspond most closely with the consumer spending component of gross domestic product. “Overall, the tone of this report was disappointing as it points to a weak start to spending activity this year, despite the significant boost to disposable income from lower gasoline prices,” said Millan Mulraine, deputy chief economist at TD Securities in New York. Wall Street had expected core retail sales to increase 0.4 percent last month. The soft reading could see economists trim their forecasts for first-quarter GDP growth. The economy grew at a 2.6 percent annual pace in the fourth quarter. However, inventory and trade data for December suggest growth could be revised to as low as a 1.7 percent rate. U.S. financial markets were little moved by the data with attention focused on details of a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine and a surprise interest rate cut and bond purchasing program by Sweden’s central bank. Despite a 39.5 percent decline in gasoline prices since June, consumer spending has been soft in the past two months.
Economists say households are using the extra income to pay down debt and boost savings. REBOUND AWAITED Still, cheaper gasoline prices and robust employment gains are expected to provide a powerful stimulus to consumer spending and keep the economy on an expansion path, despite sputtering growth in Asia and Europe. “Should we be worried about the weakness of underlying sales over the past two months? Possibly,” said Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics in Toronto. “But all the conditions are in place for a period of very strong consumption growth. We still expect to see that strength come through in the retail sales data soon.” Consumer spending, which accounts for more than twothirds of U.S. economic activity, expanded at its quickest pace since 2006 in the fourth quarter and is expected to maintain a brisk pace of growth this year. A separate report from the Labor Department on Thursday showed initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 25,000 to a seasonally adjusted 304,000 last week, but the underlying trend remained consistent with a strengthening labor market. Difficulties adjusting the claims data for seasonal variations have caused volatility in recent weeks. The four-week moving average of claims, seen as a better measure of labor market trends
as it irons out week-to-week volatility, fell 3,250 to 289,750 last week. “The trend (in payrolls growth) is likely still solidly over 200,000 per month, more than strong enough to keep the unemployment rate trending down,” said Jim O’Sullivan, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics in Valhalla, New York. The economy has added more than a million jobs over the past three months, an achievement last seen in 1997. A key measure of labor market slack - the number of job seekers for every open position - hit its lowest level since 2007 in December. In January, core retail sales were held back by the biggest drop in just over a year in furniture and home furnishings sales. There were declines in receipts at clothing retailers as well as at sporting goods stores, where sales recorded their biggest drop since January of last year. Sales at online retailers and electronic and appliance stores rose last month. Declining gasoline prices undercut sales at service stations, where receipts plunged 9.3 percent, the biggest fall since December 2008. Weaker service station receipts and a 0.5 percent drop in automobile sales pushed overall retail sales down 0.8 percent last month. It was the second straight monthly decline. Sales for building materials and garden equipment rose last month, likely boosted by preparations for a blizzard in the Northeast. Receipts at restaurants and bars also increased.
Google adds medical information to its search results Google is rolling out “For some conditions you’ll a health feature that provides also see high-quality illustrations information about “common” from licensed medical illustrators. medical conditions in response to Once you get this basic info from related searches. Google, you should find it easier The facility provides medical to do more research on other sites illustrations, possible treatments around the web, or know what and other data ahead of its questions to ask your doctor.” traditional links to others’ sites. The effort is the latest in a The firm says it worked with series of moves into health by the doctors to develop the service, but search giant. adds that it is not intended to Last year it revealed it replace visits to a professional. was funding development It is initially limited to the US. of a cancer and heart-attack But the firm adds that it plans detector, which would involve to extend the service across the placing nanoparticles in users’ globe, adding rarer ailments in bloodstreams. time. It has also bought the maker of British doctors have welcomed a spoon for Parkinson’s patients, the initiative, but caution that the is working on smart contact information needs to be edited to lenses for people with diabetes, become suitable for local markets. and has invested in 23andMe, a “One in 20 Google searches are start-up that sells genetics tests for health-related information,” to the public. said Prem Ramaswami, announcing the launch of the ‘Unnecessary treatments’ feature. “We’ll show you typical The latest service is an symptoms and treatments, as extension of Knowledge Graph well as details on how common - a Google initiative to map the the condition is - whether it’s various connections that link critical, if it’s contagious, what together different objects, facts ages it affects, and more. and concepts.
Expandable sections include a list of possible self-treatments for medical problems he company introduced the information tool in 2012, and uses it to provide boxed summaries that appear to the top right-hand side of desktop searches, and above the results of its smartphone Search app.
Google medical App
Icahn values Apple at more than $1 trillion
Apple Logo Activist investor and major Apple Inc shareholder Carl Icahn said the iPhone maker’s stock should be trading at $216, far above its record high of $124.92 hit on Wednesday. At $216 per share, Apple - already the world’s most valuable company - would be worth about $1.3 trillion, or about the size of South Korea’s gross domestic product. The company is valued at just over $700 billion currently. Icahn said Apple should be trading at 20 times earnings per share, which taken together with net cash of $22 per share works out to $216 per share. “This is why we continue to own approximately 53 million shares worth $6.5 billion, and why we have not sold a single share,” Icahn said in a letter to his Twitter followers. “Also, to the extent Apple introduces a TV in FY 2016 or FY 2017, we believe this 20X multiple is conservative,” he wrote. (bit.ly/1zWWQPd) Icahn, one of Apple’s top 10 investors, has long urged the company to buy back more shares and raise its dividend. He said in October that Apple shares could double in value and urged the board to buy back more shares using its cash pile. At the time, the shares were trading at $100. “...We look forward to the capital return program update in April, anticipating it will include a large increase to share repurchases,” Icahn wrote. Apple had cash reserves of about $178 billion as of Dec. 27, enough to buy IBM or the equivalent of $556 for every American. Apple said last April it would return more than $130 billion to shareholders by the end of 2015. According to StarMine’s intrinsic valuation model, Apple should be trading at $140.90. That implies a compounded annual earnings growth rate of 9.9 percent over the next 10 years. Apple shares closed 2.3 percent higher at $124.88 on the Nasdaq on Wednesday. Up to Tuesday’s close, the stock had gained more than 22 percent since Oct. 9.
Ukraine gets new bailout deal from IMF
BRUSSELS - The International Monetary Fund has agreed to give Ukraine a new bailout deal worth 15.5 billion euro ($17.5 billion) that could climb to around $40 billion over four years with help from other lenders like Europe and the U.S. Ukraine has so far received $4.6 billion as part of an earlier $17 billion aid package the IMF agreed on last year, but that program has run into trouble as the war ravaging the country’s eastern region has weighed on economic prospects. Facing bankruptcy, Ukraine last month asked the IMF to replace its program with a new one to restore confidence in its finances and help it meet its debt obligations. “This new program offers an important opportunity for Ukraine to move its economy forward at a critical moment in the country’s history,” IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said Thursday. The announcement came just before leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany emerged from marathon talks to announce a peace deal for eastern Ukraine. The four-year package “would support immediate economic stabilization in Ukraine as well as a set of bold policy reforms aimed at restoring robust growth in the medium term and improving living standards for the Ukrainian people,” Lagarde said.
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BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY LOCAL NEWS
Amid noise over Greece, European economy quietly picking up BRUSSELS - With all the noise the survival of the euro. Since ECB and uncertainty surrounding Greece, President Mario Draghi said in July it’s been easy to overlook the growing 2012 that the bank would do “whatever signs of economic recovery in Europe. it takes” to save the euro, tensions in A raft of indicators have pointed to financial markets have eased. a pick-up in activity that puts the Despite that, the eurozone, which 19-country eurozone economy in a emerged from its last recession in the position to do better than expected spring of 2013, has faltered, with even this year - provided it doesn’t stumble Germany slowing down. But recently, into a messy Greek exit from the euro there’s been evidence of a turnaround. or relations deteriorate between the - Retail sales across the eurozone West and Russia over the conflict in have risen for three straight months, Ukraine. meaning the sector will contribute to Fourth quarter figures on growth in the last quarter of 2014. Friday aren’t expected to show a -Though high at 11.4 percent, big improvement yet, with most unemployment has edged down over economists predicting mild growth the past year and surveys are pointing of 0.2 percent for the second quarter to a pick-up in hiring. That’s been running. particularly noticeable in Spain, which Moving forward, though, most along with Greece witnessed a huge expect the pace of growth to pick increase in joblessness, particularly up from a low level for a number of among the young. reasons, including the sharp falls in - Germany’s closely watched Ifo the price of oil and the euro. survey of business confidence rose to Ben May, economist at Oxford a six-month high in January, auguring Economics, says 2015 will be the well for Europe’s biggest economy. year that the recovery finally gets - Financial information company going. “Recent news from the eurozone Markit said its purchasing managers’ supports the view that domestic index, a gauge of business activity, healing continues,” he said. spiked to a six-month high for the eurozone in January. It was THE EVIDENCE particularly positive on Spain and Ireland. For years, the eurozone has - There are signs of life in the auto been in intensive care, sliding into market, which grew in 2014 for the two recessions as it struggled with a first time since 2007. Ford revealed debt crisis that raised questions over plans to increase production 40
percent at its plant in Valencia, Spain.
as stocks and housing. That can help drive consumption in the future, too.
THE REASONS A number of causes have been cited for the apparent improvement. Foremost is the sharp fall in the price of oil since last summer. The Brent international benchmark for crude is around 50 percent lower than in June. Weaker oil prices are like an immediate tax cut for consumers. Those 20 euros saved filling up the family car are 20 euros that can be spent on something else. - Another source of stimulus has been the euro’s descent to near 11-year lows against the dollar - to the cheer of the region’s exporters - in the wake of the ECB’s decision to buy government bonds. Though 60 percent of trade in the eurozone takes place between countries in the currency zone, the remaining 40 percent will benefit by becoming more cost-competitive in international markets. - The ECB stimulus itself should be a boon once it starts in March. The ECB is preparing a 1 trillion euro stimulus, mainly through the purchase of government bonds, to push inflation up from dangerous lows. The stimulus should keep a lid on borrowing rates, benefiting businesses and households. It can also increase wealth by potentially boosting the value of some financial assets, such
THE RISKS If the last five or six years are any guide, the recovery won’t be smooth. - The Greek crisis is perhaps the biggest uncertainty. Though the prevailing view is that the new Greek government will reach a compromise with its bailout creditors in the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund, no one is 100 percent sure. “Grexit” - or Greece’s exit from the euro - remains a possibility. How that would affect the eurozone is anyone’s guess, though the uncertainty is likely to hurt investor confidence. Many policymakers think the eurozone is better protected than three years ago to deal with the fallout of a Greek exit, but again, no one can be sure. All eyes are on Wednesday’s emergency meeting of the 19 euro finance ministers in Brussels. - Another hot topic is the conflict in Ukraine. The European Union’s 28 leaders will discuss the crisis Thursday, with some urging an extension of sanctions on Russia. Moscow has yet to deploy its key retaliatory weapon against the West - stopping oil and gas sales - for fear of damaging the Russian economy further. If it were to limit such sales, all talk of recovery in the eurozone would be extinguished.
Costco to ditch American Express cards at US stores
Warehouse club retailer Costco Wholesale Corp will stop accepting American Express Co’s credit cards at U.S. stores from next year, threatening nearly 8 percent of the card company’s worldwide billed business. AmEx, which had worldwide billed business of about $1 trillion in 2014, said the loss of the contract would hurt earnings for the next two years. The company’s shares fell as much 7 percent in early trading on Thursday. “...This represents a large loss in our opinion,” Jefferies analysts said in a report, noting that Costco also accounts for 20 percent of AmEx’s worldwide loans and 10 percent of cards in force. Costco declined to comment on the move, which follows its decision to drop AmEx in Canada last year. Capital One Financial Corp (COF.N) replaced AmEx as its card partner in Canada, raising speculation that the company could also replace AmEx in the
American Express Credit cards United States. Capital One, whose shares were up 2.3 percent, did not immediately respond to a request for
comment. Competition in the co-branded card business has intensified in recent years, leading to higher renewal costs, American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault said on a conference call. The exclusive agreement between AmEx and Costco is set to end after 16 years on March 31 next year. Costco has 468 warehouses in the United States and Puerto Rico, catering to relatively higher-income customers than Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) and Target Corp (TGT.N). The company, which sells everything from jewelry to fresh produce at its cavernous membersonly stores, reported revenue of $112.64 billion for its fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2014. AmEx shares were down 6 percent at $80.75 in late morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Apple building big solar energy project in California SAN FRANCISCO - Apple will spend nearly $850 million on a solar energy project that will generate enough power for the computer giant’s new corporate headquarters, retail stores and other operations in California. The tech company will be the biggest single consumer of energy from the new solar facility. It is being constructed on 2,900 acres in rural Monterey County, south of the San Francisco Bay Area where Apple is headquartered. The project reflects Apple’s concern about climate change, CEO Tim Cook said at an investment conference Tuesday in San Francisco. He added that the company’s computer centers already are powered by various forms of renewable energy. Arizona-based First Solar Inc. is building the facility, which will have a capacity of 280 megawatts. Apple has signed a 25-year contract
for electricity from 130 megawatts of the plant’s capacity. Cook said that will be enough to power the new headquarters Apple is building in Cupertino, California, along with all of its other offices in the state, as well as Apple’s 52 California retail stores and a computer center. First Solar said it will sell the remaining electricity to Pacific Gas & Electric, the chief utility for Northern California. Construction will begin later this year and the project should be finished by the end of 2016. Apple also Tuesday became the first U.S. company to close trading with a market value above $700 billion. Record sales and profit in recent quarters have boosted shares. The stock rose 1.9 percent on Tuesday to $122.02, valuing Apple at more than $710 billion.
Apple’s solar farm in North Carolina.
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FUN & & GAMES GAMES LOCAL NEWS BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY FUN
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Alvirto Smith heads Commonwealth Games Association
The Commonwealth Games Association of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCICGA) held its Annual General meeting (AGM) in Grand Turk at the Office of the CGA on Saturday 7th February, 2015. Present were representatives of National Sporting Bodies and Sporting Associations that falls under the remit of the Commonwealth Games Federation, here in the TCI. This was by far the largest turnout of individuals for any AGM of the TCICGA since its commencement in 1977. Among other business the Highlight of the day was the hosting of the 2014 to 2018 General Elections of the Executive Committee. The following are the newly elected Executive Committee with positions as follow: President: Vice President:
Mr. Alvirto Smith
Mrs.VanessaMoyce-Gardiner
Sectary General:
Mrs. Rita Gardiner
Assistant Sectary General: Treasurer: Assistant Treasurer:
Mrs. Edith Skippings Ms. Edith Cox
Mr. Fredrick Braithwaite
Coaching Representative:
Mr. Keith Burant
Athletes Representative:
Mr. Willah Gray
Public Relations Officers:
Mr. Levard Missick (Grand Turk, Salt Cay and South Caicos)
Ms. Morgan Luker (Providenciales) Mr. Donavan Garvey (North and Middle Caicos)
President Quote: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Past President, Mrs. Rita Gardiner and her Team for their hard work and dedication to the Office of the TCICGA, especially for reinstating the TCI as a member of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) in 1998, after 20 years of dormancy, and for obtaining autonomy in 2006, which gave the TCI full membership with the CGF. We look forward to the many tasks at hand and intend to work above and beyond to take the TCI further in the world of Sports and Healthy living.” Alvirto Smith
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CARIBBEAN
LOCAL NEWS
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Fraser-Pryce targets sub-10.7 this year
BE afraid, be very afraid. That’s the warning to the women’s sprinting world after double Olympic 100m champion, Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann FraserPryce declared that she wants to lower her personal best and national record of 10.70 seconds this year. “Last year or the year before I didn’t have a personal best, so I want to do that this year. My personal best is 10.70, so as you can imagine, I want to go faster than that,” said Fraser-Pryce, shortly after winning the 60m in 7.11 seconds at the Queen’s/Grace Jackson meet on January 31. “This year I want to run well. I am training well and I want to be stronger this year. That’s the
emphasis Stephen (Francis, coach) and I have talked about... me getting stronger. So I am working towards it, especially in the gym and hopefully it will bear fruits,” she added. She continued: “As it relates to leading up to the World Championships, I am not sure if I will be doubling, but I am preparing, just in case, to do both events.” In 2013, Fraser-Pryce became the first female sprinter to win gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay in a single World Championships in Moscow, Russia. The ‘Pocket Rocket’, as FraserPryce is called for her explosive starts, has dominated the 100m for the last six years, winning
back-to-back Olympic 100m titles in 2008 and 2012. “I have won back-to-back Olympic titles, but I have never won a back-to-back World Championships title,” she noted. The dynamic sprinter, who burst onto the international scene as a 21 year-old seven years ago, has since reaped 11 global medals, but she is still hungry for more success. “So, of course, there is still something that I am hungry for and something I am looking forward to. “I am looking forward to hopefully making the Olympic team in Rio. I am still young, I think, at 28, so I am just looking forward to the rest of the year.” Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce
Lloyd says Windies can spring surprise
Clive Lloyd SYDNEY, Australia -- Outstanding former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd has cautioned critics not to write of the Caribbean side’s World Cup chances just yet. The Windies have been given little hope of winning cricket’s biggest prize, against the backdrop of their recent poor run and the number eight ranking in ODI cricket. However, Lloyd argued that several underdogs -- including the West Indies in the inaugural tournament in 1975 -- had already won the World Cup, and said once the Caribbean side gelled their performances, they could pose a threat. “When I see the players here, they must feel proud to be here. This is the showpiece of cricket. You never can tell (as) we have talented cricketers,” said Lloyd, who was at the helm when West Indies won in
Hinds reelected to lead WIPA
1975 and again in 1979. West Indies are coming off a 4-1 drubbing in a five-match series against South Africa, and also slumped to an embarrassing ninewicket defeat to England in their first official warm-up match for the World Cup last Monday. The side is missing senior allrounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard and is being led by a newcomer to international cricket, Jason Holder. West Indies were due to face Scotland in their second warm-up game last night before taking on Ireland next Monday in their opening group stage fixture at Saxton Oval in Nelson in New Zealand They will also clash with the likes of defending champions India, South Africa, Pakistan and United Arab Emirates in a tough Group B campaign.
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Wavell Hinds, who ignored calls to step down at the height of an impasse with the West Indies cricket team late last year, has been re-elected as president of the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA). Hinds, a former West Indies cricketer, was re-elected unopposed at WIPA’s annual
Grassroots development the key, says Sir Richie SYDNEY, Australia -- Former West Indies captain Sir Richie Richardson says cricket’s revival in the Caribbean will pivot on how much emphasis is placed on development at the grassroots level. The current Windies team manager said there had been little investment at that level during the Richie Richardson glory years and said any return to the pinnacle would involve a renewed was done,” Richardson recalled. emphasis on coaching throughout “I believe if we had started to these various age groups. seriously look at our cricket long ago, “What’s important to me is then we would not have been in the what we produce at home, what we do situation that we are in right now. at the grassroots level, what systems “A number of us had travelled are in place,” Richardson said. around the world and seen what was “We look at various islands, happening and we realised people how well we coach our players and were investing in the game at all youngsters, how well we develop our levels. They were paying serious facilities. These are the things that attention to the game. for me would make a difference and “We just sat back and assumed we things we need to focus on at this would beat the world, but life is not point.” like that.” Sir Richie was part of the Sir Richie has been helping to dominant West Indies team of the oversee the senior team’s development 1980s, which also involved the likes of in recent years and is currently fellow Antiguans Sir Vivian Richards helping to prepare the side for their and Sir Curtly Ambrose. outing at the ICC World Cup here in Together, they formed a feared Australia and New Zealand. unit which controlled Test and oneThough a talented bunch, he day cricket, up until the start of the believes West Indies’ focus must be on 90s decade. consistency. Reflecting on that halcyon era, “There’s no point looking at us to Sir Richie believes this is where the create miracles here,” Sir Richie said. mistakes had been made. “We’ll win the odd tournament and “When we were on top I can recall some good games, but for us to win a number of [people] playing calling to consistently and beat the rest of the professionalise the system. We were world again it’s going to take a lot of still doing pretty well but very little preparation.”
general meeting at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jamaica on Monday. He was involved in a bitter row with former West Indies One Day International captain Dwayne Bravo, who raised concern over his role in a signed collective bargaining agreement between WIPA and the West Indies Cricket Board.
The dispute over the agreement led to the controversial decision by West Indies to cut short their tour of India. The new WIPA vice-president is Nixon McLean, whose position was previously honourary treasurer, a release from WIPA said yesterday.
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LOCAL NEWS
SPORTS
Premier League live TV rights deals jump to $7.8bn minimize the impact of higher rights LONDON - The English the financial gulf between the English deal. The league has yet to open the costs on customers, with the majority Premier League underlined its status topflight and rival leagues. as the world’s richest soccer league “It will make our clubs even more bidding for foreign broadcasters, which of the funding coming through Tuesday by completing three-year competitive against our European can show all 380 games each season substantial additional savings to be delivered by efficiency plans,” Sky said domestic television rights deals worth counterparts, which has got to be good live. “This outcome provides a degree in a statement. more than $8 billion - a 70 percent for us,” Premier League chief executive While the Premier League deals of certainty so clubs can continue increase over the previous contracts. Richard Scudamore said. Sky and BT agreed to pay 5.136 Under the new deal, Rupert to invest and run themselves in a are the biggest in domestic football, billion pounds ($7.8 billion) to continue Murdoch’s Sky will pay 4.18 billion sustainable manner,” Scudamore said. they are eclipsed by the NFL in the showing games live in Britain for three pounds ($6.4 billion) to broadcast “It also allows us to start planning how United States. The NFL’s current TV seasons covering the period from 2016- 126 games live each season, 10 more the Premier League can continue to contracts bring in about $7 billion a 19. That follows the 204 million pound matches than in the current 2013-16 support the rest of the football pyramid year through 2022. Scudamore, addressing the issue ($311 million) deal signed with the deal, and representing an 83 percent from the grassroots upwards.” Sky has held most of the domestic of increased ticket prices, said the BBC last month for rights to league increase in the rights fee. BT was awarded the other 42 live rights since the Premier League’s league’s priority is to sell out matches. highlights. The 70 percent jump in the cost of games of the 168 on offer. BT will pay inception in 1992, helping Murdoch’s “I am sure the flexible ticketing policies live matches replicates the surge when 960 million pounds ($1.46 billion) over operation become the dominant pay TV that have helped keep attendances so high will continue to develop,” he said. the last deals with Sky and BT were the three seasons, compared to 738 broadcaster in Britain. “The company will work hard to secured in 2012, and should increase pounds ($1.12 billion) in the current
Chelsea and Everton charged after Stamford Bridge incident
Branislav Ivanovic played a part in Chelsea’s 89th-minute winner, which Willian scored Chelsea and Everton have been charged by the contact. “Ivanovic’s behaviour is wrong,” said Martinez. Football Association after players from both teams “He grabs McCarthy around his neck in a very were involved in an on-pitch incident. The clubs are charged with failing to ensure forceful manner, then puts his head against him. James McCarthy doesn’t react. their players conducted themselves properly. Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic will “If you want to be on top of the law, that’s a red card not face any further action after he clashed with and we got nothing out of that moment.” In Premier Everton midfielder James McCarthy in the 86th League matches if an incident has not been seen minute. by the match officials a three-man panel of former Jose Mourinho’s side won 1-0 in Wednesday’s referees review it after the game and advise if any Premier League game. action should be taken. The FA said: “For an FA charge to follow, all But there was controversy late on as Everton had Gareth Barry sent off for a second bookable three panel members must agree it is a sending-off offence. In this instance, the panel did not believe offence after he tripped Willian. That foul sparked a melee during which Ivanovic the conduct was worthy of a dismissal. “ locked his arm around McCarthy’s neck and then The full charge facing both teams is that pushed his head towards the midfielder. After the they ‘failed to ensure their players conducted game, Toffees’ boss Roberto Martinez claimed the themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained Chelsea player should have been dismissed for the from provocative behaviour’.
Helmet cams, sideline computers coming to college football The NCAA football rules committee wants to experiment with helmet cameras, wireless communication between coaches and players on the field and the use of computers on the sideline. The committee announced Wednesday after two days of meetings in Indianapolis that it was hoping to gather data about expanding the use of technology in college football with an eye toward implementing rules as soon as possible.
The NCAA says several conferences proposed experimenting with these rules and committee chairman and Air Force coach Troy Calhoun suggested the technology be used in some December bowl games during the 2015 season. The committee also passed a proposal to adjust the ineligible downfield rule from 3 yards to 1 yard past the line of scrimmage and to allow for eight-man officiating crews.
Morocco fined $1M for failing to host African Cup BATA, Equatorial Guinea - Morocco was fined $1 million by the Confederation of African Football on Friday and may ultimately have to pay up to $10 million for failing to host this year’s African Cup of Nations soccer tournament because of fears over Ebola. Morocco was also banned from the next two tournaments in 2017 and 2019, Africa’s football body announced. In addition to the fine, CAF said it was seeking around $9 million in compensation from the North African nation for backing out of the hosting agreement. Morocco Football Federation vice president Nourreddine El Bouchhati told a local news website that “a meeting will be held within the federation to discuss the measures to take.” CAF said the decisions were made by its executive committee, which met in the Equatorial Guinea capital of Malabo during the ongoing African Cup. Equatorial Guinea stepped in at short notice late last year to host the three-week tournament in Morocco’s place. It ends on Sunday. Morocco had declined to stage the 16-team championship on its scheduled dates of Jan. 17-Feb. 8, citing fears over the spread of Ebola from West Africa. It asked CAF for a delay. CAF refused and approached Equatorial Guinea. CAF said in Friday’s statement that it considered Morocco’s request that the tournament be delayed until October a “refusal” to host. CAF rejected Morocco’s stance that it needed to postpone the tournament because of high health risks from fans traveling from Ebola-affected regions in West Africa. The deadly Ebola virus has killed nearly 9,000 people in the outbreak, mainly in the three worst-affected countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Only Guinea qualified for the final tournament. The $9 million in damages demanded by CAF is “in compensation for all material damage sustained by CAF, stakeholders and partners as a result of the decision (by Morocco) not to host AFCON 2015,” CAF said. Moroccan soccer authorities had been expecting a financial penalty but no tournament ban, and the severity of the punishment appeared to have taken them by surprise. Last month, federation president Faouzi Lakjaa told a local radio station that there would be “no sports sanction,” and Morocco and CAF were moving toward an arrangement to settle the final bill. He reiterated that stance on Thursday, a day before CAF’s announcement.
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Tiger Woods needs to find a magical guru BBC golf commentator Peter Alliss says Tiger Woods needs a guru to rediscover his magic on the course because he would be a massive loss if he quits. Woods, 39, is taking an indefinite break from golf, because his game is “unacceptable for tournament play”. “You never know he might find a guru somewhere. Tiger might go to India like the Beatles and discover something magical,” Alliss told BBC Sport. “He’d be a huge miss. He’s been a giant in a land of Lilliputians for years.” Fourteen-time major-winner Woods has begun his break from golf at Beaver Creek in Colorado - where he is supporting girlfriend Lindsey Vonn as she competes in the Alpine Skiing World Championships - after a forgettable few months for the former world number one. The American missed the cut at the Phoenix Open at the end of last month with an 11-over-par 82 - the worst round of his professional career - to finish last of a field of 132. Woods also withdrew from last week’s event at Torrey Pines in California after just 12 holes, citing a back problem. “I need a lot of work on my game and to spend time with people that are important to me,” Woods said earlier this week. However, he indicated on his website that he could return to action as early as the Honda Classic, which starts on 26 February. Tiger’s timeline of turmoil 1 April 2014 - Reveals he will miss US Masters for first time after surgery on a pinched nerve in his back 28 May - Announces he has still not
recovered from back surgery and will miss the US Open at Pinehurst 20 July - Finishes 69th in the Open at Royal Liverpool, his worst 72-hole finish in a major in the paid ranks 3 August - Withdraws during the final round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in clear pain after hitting a shot 8 August - Misses just his fourth cut in 66 majors as a professional after suffering yet more back trouble at the US PGA Championship at Valhalla 14 August - Announces he does not wish to be considered for the Ryder Cup team because of back injury 25 August - Ends professional relationship with swing coach Sean Foley 22 November - Appoints Chris Como as swing coach 2 December - Claims he “feels fantastic” before his long-awaited return to competitive golf 9 January 2015 - Confirms he will start his 2015 season at the Phoenix Open 30 January 30 - Records the worst round of his professional career with an 11-over par 82 in the second round 5 February - Withdraws from his next event, the Farmers Insurance Open, during the first round because of back pain 11 February - Takes an indefinite break from the game Alliss, 83, says he is at a loss to explain the reasons behind Woods’ recent decline, but only wants him to return if he can banish his problems. “I’m sure like many others I don’t understand it, but I hope it’s not the end for him,” he said.
Eoin Morgan’s batting is no match for the world’s best bowlers, says ex-England batsman Geoffrey Boycott. England one-day international captain Morgan has struggled to score runs in the build up to the World Cup. Morgan, 28, played down concerns about his own form after he made a duck in Wednesday’s warm-up loss to Pakistan. “I don’t think he’s as good as he thinks he is, and I don’t think he’s as good as some people say he is,” Boycott told BBC Radio 5 live. Boycott’s full interview was broadcast in BBC Radio 5 live’s Cricket World Cup preview programme from Melbourne on Thursday. Morgan, who Tiger Woods replaced Alastair Cook “I hope he doesn’t go out on a whimper. as England’s ODI captain I think he might come back again, but it in December, has been might be romantic to say he’ll win a couple dismissed for less than 20 of majors. in nine of his last 11 ODI “I’d like him to finish and play well - I innings. don’t want him to remember him hitting 82 Boycott, who played and walking off courses in a wounded state.” 108 Tests and 36 ODIs for Woods’ fellow American Paul Azinger, 55, England between 1964 has urged Woods to take a back-to-basics and 1982, claims the leftapproach and stop over-thinking his swing. handed batsman cannot “I’d like to see Tiger kick the video handle the best bowlers camera to the curb,” Azinger told USA Today. in the world and said his “What Tiger has done is sacrifice a winning batting is “not as good as swing at the altar for a quest for the perfect he thinks”. swing. And a perfect swing doesn’t exist.” “When he had Mitchell Johnson up against him he looked a selling plater, “ the 74-year-old said. “When top-class bowlers bowl against him he’s not so clever and that’s a big problem.” Boycott added: “I think with 9:48 left in the third quarter. Love you need to look at when went down immediately in extreme pain, and as he was checked by the medical staff, you score runs, in any form of cricket, against his teammates looked on with concern. The Cavs said Love has a corneal what the quality of the abrasion, but he will travel with the team opposition is, and what and undergo further examination Thursday. state of the game it is. “If you get runs In recent days, Love has been dragged into against moderate bowlers a confusing social media storm after James posted a message on Twitter that seemed to when the team is doing be directed at the power forward. Now, he’s well, I think my mother dealing with an injury that had him trying could get a few of them!” Morgan: Only five on goggles in the locker room. games ago I made a ton Cleveland built a 26-point lead in the Dublin-born Morgan, who first half, allowed Miami to climb back within 12 in the third before the Cavs has made 3,104 runs in 104 ODI innings for finally put away the Heat. The Heat dropped to 22-30, not England at an average unexpected but certainly not the standard of 36.51, says he is “not Miami’s are accustomed. Bosh said his really concerned” about expectations for the second half are simple. his own form. “I’ve had a couple of “I don’t even want much,” he said. “All I’m asking is to be healthy and have all low scores, but will look our guys out there. I can live with the rest. to cash in on Saturday if That’s what makes it difficult. If we just I get past 10 or 20 balls,” have our guys out there and if we can have Morgan said. “It’s only five games a unit and consistency in the lineup, that’s ago that I scored a all I want.” hundred, so I don’t have Early on, James was intent on reminding the Heat how much they miss to look that far back to with what him, and perhaps prove to Whiteside that reconnect works well for me.” he’s more than a “good player” - a comment England have a poor uttered by the young center recently. James recent record in ODIs was aggressive, blowing past defenders and against the Aussies down showing an explosiveness that was missing under, having lost 13 of before he took two weeks off in January. their past 15 ODIs.
LeBron, Cavs overpower Heat 113-93 for 14th win in 15 games
Lebron James CLEVELAND - Seconds before the opening tip, LeBron James pulled Chris Bosh close and tightly hugged his former teammate. The pleasantries ended there. From then on, James treated the Miami Heat like any other team. James scored 18 points against his former teammates and Cleveland had six others score in double figures as the Cavaliers beat the Heat 113-93 Wednesday
night for their 14th win in 15 games. Timofey Mozgov scored 20 and Tristan Thomson 17 in Cleveland’s final home game before the All-Star break. The Cavs, who have climbed in the standings after a sluggish start, will play at Chicago on Thursday before the season’s extended respite. With the win, the Cavs avenged an emotional Christmas Day loss in Miami James’ first game against the team he led to two NBA titles and four straight Finals. Cleveland is a very different team these days, improved by two major trades and James again playing at his unrivaled levels. James said this matchup wasn’t as moving as the previous one with the Heat. “There’s still going to be memories when I see my guys, anyone of the teammates I had when I won a championship or even lost a championship because we gave so much to each other and we sacrificed so much,” he said. “But obviously what we’re trying to do here is get better and we don’t want to waste an opportunity - and it starts with me.” Hassan Whiteside had 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Heat, who were without All-Star Dwyane Wade for the seventh straight game because of a strained right hamstring. Cavaliers forward Kevin Love sat out most of the second half with a right eye injury after he was accidentally poked by Mario Chalmers. Love was reaching for a rebound when he was swiped by Chalmers
Geoffrey Boycott criticises England captain’s batting
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