VOLUME 11 ISSUE 31

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

Website: www.suntci.com

VOLUME 11 - NO. 31

Email: sun@suntci.com

Tel: (649) 339-5879

$1.00

Fax: (649) 941-3281

www.facebook.com/tcisun

TOURISM BOOMING TCI gradually moving toward year-round tourism

By Charvis Ferguson

T

he Turks and Caicos Islands continues to be a bustling tourist destination as the country sees high arrivals beyond the regular tourist season.

Although the tourist season has normally been classified as November to May, with many hotels closing for during the summer months, this year has been contrastingly different and many establishments are deeming this a successful summer.

Hotel giants such Beaches Turks and Caicos are currently at 95% occupancy and the high-end luxury resort, Grace Bay Club, is reporting an astounding 70% occupancy, during a time where resorts around the country are usually closed. Even smaller boutique resorts like The Somerset are experiencing weekly rates of 74% occupancy.

Last year, the Turks and Caicos welcomed nearly 1.5 million guests to the country, which was a 31.6% increase from 2013 and from the amount of guest visiting; 435,475 were stopover guest, entering the country via the Providenciales International Airport (PLS).

So far, statistics from the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board show that the country is well on its way to experiencing similar success and as of the half-year report, the country has seen 215,000 guests coming in via the Providenciales based airport alone.

Director of the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board, Ralph Higgs explains that this success is due to greater communication between the public and private sectors, as well as the extensive

OPENING OF LONG BAY HIGH SCHOOL DELAYED

Due to “construction and some administrative delays”, the Ministry of Education said the Long Bay High School will not open its doors to the first batch of new students on September 7th as planned. No date has been given by the Ministry of Education for the opening, but the Opposition PDM has criticised the delay.

See pages 5 and 6 for stories. promotion and marketing campaigns done in new frontiers. Higgs went on to say, that the Tourist Board has been branching out to the untapped Latin American countries, namely Brazil and countries within Europe nations to promote the TCI brands in the hopes of making the Turks and Caicos Islands a tourist hotspot all year round.

This long-term strategy to reduce seasonality has been in the works for the past three to four years as the country has had seen

exceptional growth in terms of arrivals due to diversifying the tourism sector.

Higgs explained that the arrivals for the first six months of the year are high and comparative to last year’s; however, the number of arrivals could increase if there were more investments made to the building of hotels, in hopes to increase the room inventory. More rooms, ultimately results in more guest, which would be highly beneficial for the growth of the hotel industry in the Turks

Safety tips keep your home hazard free — The electrical outlet in the bathroom should have a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). This is a tool that protects you from a dangerous shock when water and electricity come together. An electrician can install a GFCI for you.

www.fortistci.com | 649-946-4313 | P.O. Box 132 Leeward Highway, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands

and Caicos Islands.

Michel Neutelings,

Making Turks and President of the Turks and Caicos Island a yearlong Caicos Hotel and Tourism tourist destination will benefit Association also spoke on the entire country as tourism the successful tourism is the country’s primary season stating: “Numerous export. actions have been taken by Higgs explained, most resorts since the 2009 “Everyone would be benefiting economic crisis to improve from a yearlong tourism their quality of service and season, because tourism is our facilities, combined with biggest source of income in very targeted and focused the Turks and Caicos Islands.” marketing campaigns and He added, “The government investments; which have uses funds from tourism played a crucial role in the for education, paying civil success of the tourism industry servant, public development over recent years.” and throughout other areas He added, “TCHTA, of improving the country; Beaches Turks and Caicos, which means that everyone Turks and Caicos Airports is benefiting from this tourist Authority, TCIG and the season.

Tourist Board have teamed

Higgs went on to say, up to market the destination the majority of the population and have coordinated all has a career in some aspect their efforts efficiently which of tourism, whether it be resulted in today’s success, it working in a hotel or being is a unique winning strategy an entrepreneur at the craft that is not done elsewhere.” market; everyone is able to get a piece of the proverbial tourism pie.

Continued on Page 2

Page 2

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

TOURISM BOOMING

Continued from page -1

The Turks and Caicos is sparing no expense to become the prime tourist destination, not only in the Caribbean, but worldwide.

N e u t e l i n g s mentioned that TCHTA matched the Turks and Caicos Government’s marketing figures this year, contributing an astonishing $300,000 for airline marketing alone. This heavy marketing strategy,

which involves both the public and private sectors, has been a great asset to ensuring the country moves from seasonal tourism to yearlong tourism.

The country is benefits from having high return rates of guest, a feat that speaks highly of the quality of service. Ralph Higgs mentioned, that the “Turks and Caicos Islands arguably has the highest repeat visitor

rate in the Caribbean region, which speaks highly of the people of the country.” He also expressed that because of the excellent level of service that tourist receive, they often return home and promote the county, which lends to extensive promotional efforts taken on by the Turks and Caicos Government, the Tourist Board and the TCHTA.

Higgs believes that the country is well on its way to year-long tourism, but mentions the needs for developing the outer islands, as he believes they offer a different side of Turks and Caicos than Providenciales; one of the main tourist hubs in the country. He noted that although the entire country is promoted, there can be further encouragement

of traffic to the individual islands to ensure that tourist are able to experience as much of Turk and Caicos as possible.

This year, the Turks and Caicos has seen new direct flights to Providenciales and Chicago with United Airlines, as well as increased services with Jet Blue, Delta and British Airways.

Beaches Turks and Caicos short 300 staff, says CEO Adam Stewart

By Charvis Ferguson

Despite having nearly 2,000 workers employed at Beaches Turks and Caicos, Adam Stewart, CEO of the luxury family resort claims that the hotel is in need of 250 to 300 more employees.

At the launch of the “I Am Sandals” campaign on Thursday August 13th, at the newly added Key West Village, Stewart told The SUN, that despite misconceptions, Beaches Turks and Caicos is here to invest in the future of locals and are even looking to hire up to 300 more employees to join the team.

Stewart said, “Today I was very proud to sit here and say that from 1995 we’ve gone from 68 employees to 1,950 employees, who we’ve trained

and developed miles ahead of anybody else … preparing them for success, not only in Beaches, but probably other hotels as well; both locally and internationally.” He added, “As we sit here today, we’re looking at over 250 300 additional jobs in Beaches Turks and Caicos alone.”

The hotel hopes to gain these employees through job fairs and Stewart stresses that BTC is in desperate need to fill these vacant roles within the company. He also mentioned the role that Beaches plays in training and told the SUN that they are willing to hire untrained staff that have the charm and charisma to be in the hotel industry.

Stewart explained, “I say with humility, I do not know another organization that stages so many job

TCI Middle School PO Box 1139, 48 Richmond Hill Road, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies Tel 649 231 1519 Email: principal@tcimiddleschool.com

fairs and that tries to bring so many people on board. What a lot of people don’t realize is that Beaches Turks and Caicos is 770 rooms, built on 100 acres.

We typically have over 2,500 guest in house and over 1,900 employees and because of the comprehensiveness of our [many departments] … we require more team members.”

In regards to finding the adequate staff, Stewart said, “We are a Caribbean based company, and we want to see Caribbean nationals, most importantly progress; in this country and all the other countries that we operate in.” He continued, “It is quite difficult to find employees here, but we are not looking for trained employees, we are looking for attitude.

We are looking for people to come with big bright smiles and positive attitudes, we will train every level of skill set, and it is quite hard to find the necessary team members to run the hotel.”

The luxury resort has been criticized in the past for not hiring enough locals, especially in managerial positions, however Stewart claims that the company hires foreigners on a needs basis, as some persons are

TCI Middle School requires for September 2015 a full time teacher for this newly developed school This vacancy provides the opportunity for the suitable candidate to be instrumental in the strategic management of the school.

Full time teacher –.Form Tutor for Yr. 7 or 8, with responsibility for teaching specialist subjects to Yr. 7,- Yr 11 Science/English or Maths as a subject is preferable but please state other specialisms..

An exciting opportunity to be part of developing a new school on the island, leading it through IGCSE curriculum..

Applicants will need to - be dynamic, enthusiastic and creative teachers; have an excellent working knowledge of the National Curriculum for England and Wales Guidelines and have UK Qualified Teacher Status with at least 2 years teaching experience.

- They should be flexible and adaptable in their approach to learning and have expertise in one or more of the subject areas.

The initial teaching contract will be for a period of two years. Salary will be negotiable according to experience.

Closing date – 24th August 2015 Please Email CV or letter of application with a recent photograph and contact phone number together with the names and phone numbers of referees to: Mark Dunbavand at the above address.

Sandals and Beaches CEO Adam Stewart

required for specialist skills that are not in the local employment pool.

“The question to ask is what would you need work permits for?” said Stewart. “You have French restaurants here, you have Italian restaurants here, and the Executive Chefs of those restaurants must deliver authenticity to the guest. Nobody can take away the Turks Islander’s ability to deal with conch and the fish that they prepare, but you also can not take away the authenticity of a French chef or a Japanese chef in those specialty restaurants.”

In neighboring countries like St. Lucia, Bahamas and Jamaica, the Sandals hotel employees are over 90% local, however at Beaches Turks and Caicos, the local staff make up 53% of the company. With more training, Adam Stewart hopes to see more locals being able to obtain these specialty skills, limiting need to hire more staff on work permits.

The last job fair was held at the luxury hotel on August 5th and the company aims to host another one in November of this year in the hopes to hiring the much needed staff.

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 3

Page 4

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

Second floor premiere office space

is waiting for your

Open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Located at The Regent Village 649.941.4144 • www.thevix.com

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 5

LOCAL NEWS

US State Department implicates TCI Government officials in sex trafficking

Secretary of State John Kerry said traffickers are both “ruthless and relentless”.

The State Department of the United States of America says it has received reports from local law enforcement agencies stating that Turks and Caicos Islands Government officials are involved in sex trafficking.

In the recently-released Human Trafficking Report 2015, the State Department said Turks and Caicos Islands are “a destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor”.

Quoting “local experts”, the State Department said: “The large population of migrants from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica are vulnerable to sex trafficking and forced labor, with stateless children and adolescents especially at risk.

Local stakeholders, including law enforcement officials, have reported specific knowledge of sex trafficking occurring in bars and brothels and noted trafficking-related complicity by some local government officials was a problem.”

This was also stated in foreign workers. No government ceremony last month, Secretary of previous reports from the State officials were prosecuted or convicted State John Kerry said traffickers are Department, which noted that Anti- for involvement in trafficking or both “ruthless and relentless”.

He added: “They know how to trafficking legislation introduced in trafficking-related criminal activities exploit the hopes of those desperate to the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2012 in 2014.” escape poverty or to find shelter from remained pending. disaster or from strife. Traffickers prey THE BAHAMAS CRITICISED

The report said the absence upon the most vulnerable. They target of specific legislation prohibiting The State Department said the weak, the despairing, the isolated. trafficking as defined by the 2000 UN TIP Protocol; the absence of The Bahamas is a source, destination, And they make false promises and victim identification, screening, and and transit country for men, women, transport their victims across borders to labor without passports or phones in protection procedures; and limited and children from other Caribbean awareness of human trafficking on countries, South and Central America, places where the language is unknown the part of officials and the public and Asia subjected to sex trafficking and where there are no means of continued to hinder anti-trafficking and forced labor, including in domestic escape. If the victims rebel or become ill, the traffickers often use violence to efforts in the Turks and Caicos Islands. servitude and construction. populations ensure that their profits continue and

The State Department also “Vulnerable noted that Bermuda, which like TCI include migrant workers who arrive their crimes are concealed.” is a British Overseas Territory, is a voluntarily to work as domestic Kerry said Governments need to limited destination country for women employees and laborers, children strengthen and enforce the laws that born in The Bahamas to foreign-born they have on the books, and prosecutors and men subjected to forced labor.

Some foreign migrant parents who do not automatically must “take pride in turning today’s workers from Asia and Latin America receive Bahamian citizenship, girls traffickers into tomorrow’s prisoners”. are vulnerable to domestic servitude exploited in prostitution, and foreign He said the private sector also needs and abuse or to forced labor in nationals in prostitution and exotic to be a part of this effort by blowing the construction and agricultural dancing,” according to the report. the whistle on companies that use industries in Bermuda, said the report. “Traffickers lure victims with false labor that is under age, under paid,

It continued: “Several cases of promises and fraudulent recruitment and under coercion.

Kerry said investigative suspected forced labor were reported practices, and maintain victims in to and investigated by the Department sex trafficking and forced labor by journalists can continue to assist by of Immigration but were ultimately confiscating passports and restricting shining the spotlight – as The New York Times, Reuters, AP, and The determined not to be trafficking cases. movements.”

It was noted that the Guardian, CNN and others recently Police and NGOs did not receive any reports of potential trafficking cases. Government of The Bahamas fully have – on abuses in the seafood and Some employers reportedly confiscate complies with the minimum standards other industries.

He added that trafficking in passports, withhold wages, deny for the elimination of trafficking. The benefits, and threaten migrant workers government successfully convicted persons is “an insult to human dignity with having to repay the cost of airline one trafficker and sentenced two and an assault on freedom”.

“Whether we are talking tickets. The Transnational Organized traffickers from previous convictions in Crime Act 2013 criminalizes all forms 2014, initiated three new prosecutions, about the sale of women and children of both sex and labor trafficking and adopted a four-year national anti- by terrorists in the Middle East, the prescribes penalties of up to 20 years’ trafficking strategy and action plan, sex trafficking of girls lured from imprisonment. Migrant workers in provided anti-trafficking training to their homes in Central Europe, the Bermuda operated under a strict officials, and continued to implement a exploitation of farm workers in system of government work permits victim-centered assistance protocol for North America, or the enslavement obtained by employers on behalf of identified trafficking victims. Victim of fishermen in Southeast Asia, the among vulnerable victims of this crime each have a name. foreign workers. The government did identification not report investigations, prosecutions, populations in the country remained And they each have been robbed of or convictions of trafficking offenses low, and the government identified no their most basic human rights. The fight against modern slavery matters in 2014. Government resources were potential Bahamian victims.

In his remarks during the deeply to me,” Kerry said. inadequate to conduct inspections to identify possible exploitation of 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report

Opening of Long Bay High School delayed

Minister of Education Hon. Akierra Missick

The opening of the Long Bay High School has been delayed.

A press release from the Ministry of Education informed the General Public and parents of students entering Form 1 on Providenciales who were earmarked to attend the Long Bay High School that due to “construction and some administrative delays” the incoming first batch of new students, that the Long Bay High School will not open its doors to the first batch of new students on September 7th as planned.

The release added: “However the Ministry, since the beginning of the project ensured that in the event of a delay the education of the new entrants would not be negatively

impacted. All Form 1 students will be housed at the Clement Howell High School (CHHS) until the completion of the building. The students are expected to report with their Long Bay Uniforms. All teachers who were recruited for the Long Bay High School will be assigned their classes and will assume teaching responsibilities at the CHHS. Once completed, the Form 1 students along with their teachers will transfer to the Long Bay High School as planned. All parents are asked to collect letters from the Department of Education outlining start dates and other necessary information from Thursday 13th of August.”

The Ministry of Education said it would like to assure all parents, that the delay in the opening of the Long Bay School “will not deter the education and development of their child/children”.

The statement added: “Construction and other plans are continuing to ensure that we begin operations before the end of the new school term. This is the first Government High School to be built on the islands in twenty (20) years and so we will ensure that it is done to the standard that will make all of us proud. All public schools will reopen on

Monday, 7th September 2015.

On May 11th , 2015, the Ministry of Education issued a press release which said the school will be open on time.

The release stated: “The new academic year will herald in several first for students in the Turks & Caicos Islands. It will be the first day of preschool for the active and timid preschooler, the first day protective parents will release their babies and preteens from their hovering clutches into the hollow walls of educational institutions to receive quality education and for the Turks & Caicos Islands Government Ministry of Education it will be the first day a new high school will welcome its first set of students, coming some twenty-eight years after the first high school was built on the island of Providenciales. Like all other government educational institutions, the new school will open its doors at the commencement of the academic year 2015-2016 and will embrace its first batch of students who will intern be the first graduating class of the institution in 2020.”

The May 11th press release added: “Located in the Long Bay Hills area, the Long Bay High School as it will be named, will be a fully functional

high school separate and apart from the Clement Howell High School. The school will be built in phases, with the first phase accommodating all first formers (Form 1) or year one students who registered for public high school in Providenciales for the new academic year.

The second phase will give allowance for the enrollment of students entering forms two to five (forms 2-5). This is in keeping with the pivotal role that Education plays in nation building. Students will be afforded holistic development through the provision of educational opportunities and friendly learning environments for them to flourish into well-adjusted adults.”

This dangerous hole, with a drop of about 20-feet and which contains stagnant water, is located in very close proximity to the school.

Page 6

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

PDM Deputy Leader responds to delay in Long Bay Hills High School September opening

Deputy PDM Leader, Hon. Sean Astwood

“No surprise there. The Minister should have been honest all along.”

PDM’s Deputy Leader, Hon Sean Astwood and Member of Parliament for Five Cays, one of the six constituencies in Providenciales today responded to the Ministry of Education’s press release advising of the delay in the opening of the Long Bay Hills High School.

The Hon Sean Astwood stated: “Like many other right thinking citizens, the PDM wants to see the overcrowding addressed at the CHHS. While we did not think and still do not think the PNP Government’s vision fully addresses the overcrowding at CHHS , we too looked forward to the ease at the CHHS. However with our naked eye we knew that the school could not be ready for a September 7th start.”

Astwood said the PDM raised this issue over and over giving the Minister of Education Akierra

Missick ample time to be forthright with the people of this country.

“Our Party Leader Hon Sharlene Cartwright Robinson posed a question in the House of Assembly, which was on the Agenda of the House of Assembly for July 22nd, 2015 sitting, which was not answered by Hon Akierra Missick until the Meeting of July 29th, 2015, a mere two weeks ago,” Astwood added.

“The Minister told the people of these Islands, from the Halls of Parliament, that the Long Bay Hills High School would be opened as scheduled. Our Party Leader on that occasion stated that it would be a “miracle” and the Minister stood her ground. While neither of us are contractors, any observant person could see the glaring fact that the amount of work left to be done could not be finished and completed with furnishings in the remaining 6 weeks to the start of the new School

Year.”

Astwood continued: “No contractor’s report was necessary to confirm what was blatantly obvious to the naked and untrained eye. As a result of this eleventh hour admission of the Minister of Education, the 180 students will now be subjected to attending CHHS in another school’s uniform, which could potentially isolate them from the rest of the student body. A student body that still will have to deal with overcrowding conditions and buildings that needs serious modernization. Once again the actions and decision making process of this government when called into question has been justified.

Unfortunately it is we the people who end up paying for these costly mistakes. When it comes to our children’s education, we the PDM, expected better from the Minister of Education and this Rufus Ewing led Administration.”

BLUE HAVEN RESORT is inviting

applications for the following position:

OPEN POSITION SOMMELIER & BAR MANAGER Purpose: To create The Regent Experience for guests by providing personalized and expert wine service to bar and restaurant guests; to develop and implement strategies and services which meet the needs of owners, employees and guests.

Areas of Responsibility: Provides a Regent luxury experience to guests by providing an excellent wine selection and serving guests in a warm and personalized manner with expertise. Developing and implement strategies to achieve revenue and profit goals.

Requirements: •3 years + experience in similar luxury, high end work environment as Beverage Manager or Head Sommelier along with experience in managing a culturally diverse workforce •Post secondary degree or equivalent qualification by experience •Must have intermediate level Microsoft Office applications skills- particularly Excel and PowerPoint •You will have intermediate level Microsoft Office applications skills- particularly Excel and PowerPoint You will have intermediate level Microsoft Office applications skills- particularly Excel and PowerPoint •You will be College or university degree qualified; ideally you will have extensive wine and beverage knowledge •Excellent culinary technique and ability to work the line during all meal periods •Exceptional customer service orientation, complying with company service culture •Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts Duties Include: •Designs and oversees the wine program for the resort •Provides’ ongoing support and education for the floor staff.

•Manages the operation of the bar/lounge •Monitors pours, cost control and consistency regarding drink and service standards.

•Manages the food and beverage service provided in assigned outlet; coaches employees on effective service techniques.

•Inspects lounge area on an on-going basis and takes appropriate steps to ensure facilities meet or exceeds the hotel’s standards at all times

2 LINE COOKS – Night Shift & Morning Shift

Reporting to the Executive Sous Chef, responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following: •Must be knowledgeable of food preparation and presentation methods, •Ability to understand sanitary food handling techniques •Knowledgeable of the safe operation of kitchen equipment •Ability to increase staff awareness of proper personal and food hygiene policies and procedures as well as the safe operation of all kitchen equipment •Direct hands on preparation •Available to work night shifts and/or as scheduled •Daily recording and monitoring of the kitchen’s inventory •Strong team leadership Good writing, reading, listening and computation skills are necessary •Exceptional communication, interpersonal and training skills are a must

Requirements:

•Must possess a 3-4 star background •Minimum of 5 years’ experience in same or similar position •Diploma from a formal culinary institution is required •Knowledgeable in health and sanitation standards •Basic First Aid •Must be able to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends and holidays.

Salary for this position will commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Salary per annum $32,000.00 to $45,000.00, not including service charge.

PLEASE SUBMIT APPLICATIONS TO:

Interested applicants should apply to Regent Palms, Human Resources Department, Monday through Friday, and bring along an updated resume, or by emailing your to marjorie.dorsett@regenthotels.com no later than August 24, 2015.

hr@alexandraresort.com A copy should also be submitted to the TCI Labour Department.

Submissions to be no later than August 28th 2015 Belongers need only apply.

SAY NO TO

VIOLENCE 1 - 800 (TIPS) 8477 WEB TIP WWW.CRIMESTOPPERS

I ‘M DETERMINED TO STOP THIS VIOLENCE, SO I ’M SPEAKING OUT .

TC

STOP THIS VIOLENCE

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 7

LOCAL NEWS

Local Group Proposes Zoning for Long Bay Beach

By Charvis Ferguson

The rise in use of Long Bay Beach for recreational water sports activities, has led to the area becoming unsafe for swimmers, says environmental group SWA. The Long Bay Beach, particularly in the area near the Shore Club development, has seen an overwhelming growth in use by kite boarders, jet skiers, and horseback riders, making the location more dangerous for swimmers and beach walkers alike.

SWA Environmental, has developed a proposal for the zoning of the Long Bay Beach, which includes creating designated areas for swimming, aquatic sports, scuba and kite board training, camping, fishing, anchoring and access lanes for vessels.

With the introduction of these zones, all beach goers will have a fair and virtually risk – free experience when

attending the popular neighborhood fees and charges for those who do not comply by the zoning Regulations; as beach.

At present, legislations well as power for a police or fishery require zoning in National Parks officer to initiate proceeding for those and nature reserves as stated under who do not uphold the new zoning laws.

According to the SWA Regulation 6 of the National Parks Ordinance; however, coastal areas Environmental proposal, the new such as the well – liked Long Bay legislation presents positives for the Beach, do not fall under protection and country as it improves the safety for are in need of new zoning legislations. tourist and locals alike. It also does These legislations will lead to making not present any financial risks or the beach safer for all users regardless implications for the country and SWA of their purpose for attending the local suggests that, by improving public safety through zoning - financial seaside hotspot.

In their proposal, SWA liability for accidental injury and/or Environmental suggests using Chapter death will reduce significantly, as beach 10.6 of the Coast Protection Ordinance, goers will be more cognizant of the which aims “to provide for the safety of others in the water. The group protection of the coasts of the islands,” also mentions that the Department of as a legal framework for a development Environment and Maritime Affairs of the new zoning legislation. They also (DEMA) can use zoning of all coastal suggest making amendments to the areas as a means of further regulating Ordinance to Provide for Regulations, the licensing of water sports operators, which includes the hiring of wardens, which in turn will allow for a greater

THE BEACH HOUSE

is inviting applications for the following position:

Line Cook

Reporting to the Executive Sous Chef, responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following: •Must be knowledgeable of food preparation and presentation methods, •Ability to understand sanitary food handling techniques •Knowledgeable of the safe operation of kitchen equipment •Ability to increase staff awareness of proper personal and food hygiene policies and procedures as well as the safe operation of all kitchen equipment •Direct hands on preparation •Daily recording and monitoring of the kitchen’s inventory •Strong team leadership Good writing, reading, listening and computation skills are necessary •Exceptional communication, interpersonal and training skills are a must

Requirements:

•Must possess a 3-4 star background •Minimum of 5 years’ experience in same or similar position •Diploma from a formal culinary institution is required •Knowledgeable in health and sanitation standards •Basic First Aid •Must be able to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends and holidays.

Salary for this position will commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Please Submit Applications to: hr@alexandraresort.com A copy should also be submitted to the TCI Labour Department.

Submissions to be no later than August 28th 2015 Belongers need only apply.

level of inspection and safety in the water sports industry.

The Turks and Caicos Islands has faced issues in the past due to the lack of zoning, with the most recent happening in 2012 off the shores of Grace Bay beach in Providenciales.

During the incident, an American debt trader, Mark Lane, tragically lost his life after being struck in the head by a motor boat whilst snorkeling on the esteemed beach. This accident led to the improved enforcements of constructed activity zones established by the National Parks Ordinance, in the Princess Alexandra National Park where Grace Bay Beach is located.

This zoning proposal set forth by the group aims to prevent any further coastal accidents by establishing designated zones in unprotected areas which will allow all beach users to capitalize on the outdoor experiences in a safer manner.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Funtastic Tours Company Limited is seeking to fill the following posts: Tour Operators Dispatchers Mechanics Assistant Mechanics Automotive Electricians Assistant Automotive Electricians Boat Captains Labourers

All candidates must have a minimum of at least five (5) years experience in their specialist area in the tourism industry. o Must have a valid driver’s license with a minimum of five (5) years driving experience. o Tour Operators for All Terrain Vehicles must have extensive experience driving and maneuvering quad bikes and All-Terrain Vehicles and in managing large quay of tourists. o Boat Captains and Tour Operators in the aqua field must have a Captain’s License, CPR and PADI certification. Persons must be well versed in the natural habitat of various sea creatures. o Mechanics must be well versed in their specialized areas of repairing All-Terrain Vehicles, Electric Vehicles, Boats and Buses. Mechanics in their specialist field must have five (5) years experience. Assistant Mechanics must have (3) years experience in their specialized field. The company has a fleet of over seventy vehicles and climbing and requires several persons in the various mechanical areas. o Automotive Electricians must have at least five (5) years experience in repairing and maintaining high end electrical vehicles. Turks and Caicos Islands will be the first to pioneer such vehicles in the Caribbean.

Assistant Electricians must have at least three (3) years experience in this highly technical field. o Labourers must be able to maintain various trails, clean the Workshop and assist the Operators where necessary. o Positive and disciplined attitude towards work in a customer service environment. o Proven and unblemished employment record. o Have a good command of English and excellent communication skills. o Must be able to work flexible hours and extended overtime schedules, including weekends and public holidays to meet the demands of the industry. o Able to undergo intensive training to meet the requirements of the industry.

Remuneration package would be discussed at the interview process. All applicants should submit their resumes to Funtastic Tours Company Ltd at funtastic.tours@yahoo.com. All applicants are required to submit a Police Record, three reference (3) letters (one from their last employer) and undergo a medical once successful at the interview process. Belongers will be given first preference.

Page 8

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

Premier Ewing rejects SIPT request for $4.3 million for security

By Todeline Defralien

Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing has strongly rejected a request from the Special Investigations and Prosecutions Team (SIPT) to be given $4.3million of Government funds to provide security for Special Prosecutor Helen Garlick, her investigators and lawyers.

“A request was made for an additional $4.3 million from the government for increase expenditure for the SIPT. We the active members of Cabinet categorically refused and deny that expenditure because we did not have sufficient justification for the expenditure given or the concerns that are mentioned earlier and not having information as to where the expenditure was going towards,” the Premier said at a post-Cabinet press conference at the Premier office last week Thursday August 6th, 2015.

“Even though we are doing much better financially over the last few years, we still have to be careful as to how we spend money and when we spend money we want to spend it on the right things. And when we still have issues with really trying to get water supplies in Grand Turk and we have spent $300,000 to get the additional repairs on the water plant and we are having difficulties getting that, when we have more scholarships to give and we have more work to do in terms of job creation, we find it (the request for $4.3million) a very difficult and a hard pill to swallow,” Premier Ewing added.”

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 (Left to Right) Premier Dr. Rufus Ewing, Helen garlick and Andrew Mitchell And we will never swallow that pill to spend 4.3 million dollars on something that is definitely no interest to us as a government because I cannot see the light at the end of that tunnel.”

The SIPT has come under severe criticism from the local community because the millions of dollars that has been spent on them over the past few years.

It is estimated that approximately $11million has been spent each year over the past five years funding the SIPT and the Civil Recovery Unit.

Premier Ewing added, “I know that the United Kingdom have the power to order expenditure from our purse without our permission in Cabinet or our permission in the house of assembly, because I will tell you if that 4.3 million dollars did not pass Cabinet it will not get to the House of Assembly and will not pass the House of Assembly either, and I am sure about

that. And so the only way that they can go through is through an order from the UK. I am not aware if that order has been made or will be made and I do not know when it will be made or if it will be made but I have written to the Governor expressing my concern about this whole issue of the SIPT because from day one when I went to the Kingdom’s office. I have asked for the United Kingdom to observe and pay the cost of paying SIPT and to not really take on my request and to do the exact opposite and to actually taking money out of my purse without permission/ consent to pay it is a huge slap in the face and so that is something we will not stand for and we will call out the UK government on if they ever do it. I think that they have done well financially and more ways to go but I cannot sit by and watch the UK tax payers spend the Turks and Caicos tax payers money.”

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.

Bishop Coleta Williams praises government for not giving SIPT $4.3 million for security

By Todeline Defralien

Bishop Coleta Williams praised government for not giving SIPT 4.3 million dollars for security.

In his sermon at The Abundant Life Ministries International church last week Sunday 9th August, 2015, Bishop Williams said “With four murders for the year 2015, the SIPT investigation is asking for 4.3 million dollars for security. The people of this country are not safe. How in the world we could have four new murders for the year and we have so much unsolved murders and nobody has offered money to put special people on the ground to deal with what is going on, but now you need 4.3 million dollars to protect a few people who have raped this country. As a matter a fact what we need is 4.3 million dollars to protect ourselves from them and to get rid of them.”

Bishop Williams called of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands to support the Premier for standing up to the Brits on this occasion.

He added :“But the problem with us, is that as long as we sit where we are and say absolutely nothing,

Hon. Premier Dr. Rufus Ewing and Bishop Coleta Williams then what is going to happen to us is just what is going to happen. Now I know that is may not be your Premier but it should be, because elections is over, and until we go back to the polls, it is what it is whether you like him or not it is our Premier and for once in our life the entire nation have to rise up and say we stand behind him.

He say ‘No’ we say ‘No’ and ‘if you go after him you would have to come after us. Whenever leaders stand up, there is victimization there is always a backlash on them but you have to

understand you may beat one of us but you cannot beat all of us.”

During the address which met with loud applause and strong support from members of the congregation, Williams continued: “We stand in agreement to it (the Premier’s decision).

You would have to be able to fight all of us, because we will not let you fight one of us and win. If anybody need to be judged is them. If anybody needs to be dragged in the court, they need to be dragged into the court because they have raped this country and they have

destroyed this country for seven long years. Watch all the money they just wasted on Tim O’Sullivan and Gordon Kerr gone down the drain. That is why they are really asking for 4.3 million dollars, and I will tell you today it has nothing to do with security.”

Williams also took the opportunity to call for national unity: “What we have to do first and foremost is we have to stand once and for all with the decision that the Premier has made. The problem with us is that we don’t stand with nobody and we don’t stand for anything, and because we don’t stand for nothing people keep doing what they doing to us because we wouldn’t stand up”.

He ended saying “I am telling you that between now and next year some things are going to happen. This call of 4.3 million dollars is just the beginning in the series of things that is going to happen; that is going to cause something to give between now and next year. And I am telling you the Egyptians you are seeing right now you are getting ready to see them no more forever. You might as well prepare for it. This storm is ready to come to an end.”

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 9

Page 10

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

LIME will change its name to Flow Cable & Wireless Communications (C&W) will kill the LIME brand and elevate Flow, a decision that group director of communications and culture, Grace Silvera, said was based on customers' votes.

LIME will disappear from signage in markets within the Caribbean as the CWC-Columbus merger of the cable and phone companies unfolds.

The LIME brand, which stands for landline, Internet, mobile entertainment, has survived for more than six years. It was created in November 2008, as replacement for the C&W brand, which had become synonymous with bad service, and was often referred to, tongue in cheek, as 'careless and worthless'.

Cable & Wireless said at the time of the rebranding that the name was meant to synchronise with fun and excitement - in a riff on the Caribbean word 'lyme', which connotes highenergy partying.

CWC has otherwise decided on a portfolio of consumer brands that will be rolled out in the coming months in markets where the necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained, the company indicates.

The company recently said a "refreshed Flow" will be the unified consumerfacing brand throughout the Caribbean, replacing the former LIME and Flow businesses. Mas Movil and BTC will be retained as the consumer-facing brands in Panama and The Bahamas, respectively.

Silvera said "in-depth" customer research conducted across

the region in December 2014 by an independent company revealed that Flow already has "significant brand equity in the largest Caribbean markets."

The research also found that Flow has a higher customer recommendation/net promoter score a customer loyalty metric - than LIME and other competitors; and that Flow delivers 25-35 per cent higher customer satisfaction in key markets, said the communications director, a Jamaican who works out of CWC's operational hub in Miami.

"LIME customers ranked Flow higher against positive brand attributes, including innovation, value for money, customer-focused, going the extra mile," she said, quoting the survey findings.

The Flow brand has been used

by Columbus International in several markets throughout the Caribbean, including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Grenada.

However, in 2008, CWC rebranded its Cable & Wireless operations to LIME, landline, Internet, mobile and entertainment, citing that the business was bearing no resemblance to what it had become.

"This is the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for us," Bentley stated in reference to the refreshed Flow brand. "Flow, with its bold blue colour, captures the essence of the Caribbean sea and the sky, and is renowned for innovation, technical excellence and great customer service."

"It's time to say 'goodbye' to our old friend, LIME, as we look forward to defining new levels of customer service and product innovation under

the refreshed Flow brand. We will be American and Andean regions. rebranding our stores, our vehicles and Jamaica has approved the merger of our uniforms to Flow and we plan to local assets; Trinidad and Barbados 'paint' the entire Caribbean blue," he signaled their conditional approval in added. That will bring an end to the March, but a decision by other ECTEL monochrome black and white LIME jurisdictions - Grenada, St Lucia and brand.

St Vincent & the Grenadines - are still

According to Bentley, over the pending. next few months, customers will be Silvera said that as a brand, able to experience some of the cutting- Flow "still has room to evolve and edge innovation that CWC plans to deliver the vision for the new company". bring to the market. He stated that Refreshing the brand will involve the group will formally launch the new "redefining its point of view and brands on a phased, country by country ambition for the communities and basis, as "new and exciting" products islands we operate in," she said. and services are introduced.

According to Silvera, Flow customers

"We are committed to creating already have a strong brand image a combined group with a new culture association with positive attributes, of innovation and technical excellence including innovative, refreshing, -- backed by major investments -- forward-thinking, progressive, 'a brand putting the customers at the heart of I can associate with' and customerour business," he continued. focused, as revealed in the survey.

In March, CWC closed the US$1.85- Other brands to be used by the billion acquisition of 100 per cent of merged entity include a new corporate the equity of Columbus International banner, C&W Communications, to Inc. Including debt, the acquisition is replace CWC; C&W Networks, which valued at US$3.025 billion. represent the wholesale submarine

CWC operates in 16 countries and terrestrial fibre optic cables of throughout the Caribbean and Latin C&W Communication and the former America under main brands Mas Columbus Networks; while C&W Movil in Panama, LIME in most of Business will be the business-facing its Caribbean markets, BTC in The brand across the group, replacing Bahamas, and Cable & Wireless in the former CWC Business Solutions, Seychelles. Columbus operates in Columbus Business Solutions and Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados, Grenada, Sonitel brands.

St Vincent & the Grenadines, St Lucia, Silvera said that the and Curacao under the brand name rebranding will be done on a phased Flow, and in Antigua under the brand basis over the next 18 months, but said name Karib Cable. It also operates she could not provide details on what it Columbus Business Solutions. would cost to execute the rebrandings.

Its subsidiary, Columbus Networks, CWC previously announced that it operates throughout 42 countries will be investing US$1.5 billion in the in the greater Caribbean, Central integration of the companies.

PDM Leader Participates In Anguilla’s Post Election Seminar

Following her participation in the first ever Election Observer Mission to Anguilla earlier this year, Hon Cartwright Robinson was invited

by CPA UK to be a part of a Post Election Seminar.

PDM Leader, Hon Sharlene Cartwright Robinson has just completed participation as a Presenter in Anguilla’s first ever Post Election Seminar held from August 10 – 12, 2015. Hon Robinson served on four member Team organized by the CPA BIMR in the UK. Also included in this Team were Dr Matthew Offord,

MP from the House of Commons; Hon Duncan McNeil MSP, Senior MP from the Scottish Parliament and Duncan Sagar, Clerk of Select Committees in the House of Lords. Local notable presenters included Anguilla’s Chief Minister Hon Victor Banks; Anguilla’s Deputy Governor Hon Stanley Reid; Speaker Hon Leroy Rogers; retired Justice Don Mitchell CBE QC and former Anguillan Speaker David Carty.

Hon Robinson presented during seven of the eleven Sessions which included Parliamentary Practise and Procedure in TCI, the role of Political Parties and

L - R Hon Duncan McNeil MSP; Anguilla's Speaker Hon Leroy Rogers; Anguilla's Leader of the Opposition Hon Pam Webster; Hon Sharlene Cartwright Robinson; Anguilla's Chief Minister, Hon Victor Banks; Duncan Sagar, Clerk of House Of Lords Select Committees, Hon Dr Matthew Offord, MP UK

Parliaments, Holding the Executive into Account, Standards, Privileges, Ethics and Interests in the TCI’s experience, The Role of the Public Accounts Committee and two sessions with the newly formed Anguillan Youth Parliament.

“It was great to share the experiences that I have gained over the past 17 years in Party and Parliamentary involvement particularly those gained as a result of the many national consultations and bodies that I have been involved in.

The reviews from the attendees were

Youth Parliamentarians

encouraging and I was happy to be of assistance to new parliamentarians from Anguilla and the BVI. There were a few highlights for me and that of course were the sessions involving the youth parliamentarians and then to present together with the Chief Minister of Anguilla and hear from such a senior regional politician on the positives of party politics and the coalition of ideas. Hearing from a brilliant mind such as Justice Don Mitchell CBE QC will be for me an unforgettable experience.”

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 11

LOCAL NEWS

PNP ignoring cries of ordinary persons, says PDA Leader Oswald Skippings

PDA Leader Oswald Skippings

The distress cries of the of the ‘man on the street’ are continually being ignored by the Progressive National Party (PNP) administration and other elected

officials as these cries for help continue to fall on deaf ears, says Oswald Skippings, leader of the Progressive Democratic Alliance (PDA).

In a press release, Skippings said: "This unconscionable and discriminating practice is taking its toll on many Turks and Caicos Islanders who are left abandoned by the employment industry including their government, and are left to survive and eke out their livelihood the best way or perhaps the worst way they can."

He added: "After seeing the plight and hearing the cries of some of these young men in Grand Turk who are unemployed, some of whom have families to support who are being deliberately rejected by government and private sector

and are denied employment in preference of imported labour, I visited the relevant government department last week to inquire on their behalf and question this government’s anti-patriotic labour policy. As incredible as it may seem, government alone can immediately provide over thirty of these menial jobs in EMS including sanitation to Turks and Caicos Islanders who are willing to work and are desperately seeking these jobs but to no avail.

Meanwhile, these jobs are being held by expatriate non work permit holders on what is called a Stamp Program."

Skippings called on the minister responsible to "immediately take steps to remedy this deplorable, discriminatory situation by replacing these foreign workers who have no

status and do not even hold a work permit to be replaced by Turks and Caicos Islanders who are suffering and destitute and are desperately in need of these jobs for their survival, and are willing to work".

Skippings added: "Elected officials and non elected officials alike can no longer sit back in complacency and apathy and blatantly ignore the sad and depressing plight of our people who are badly in need of employment, while being so eager and ready to improve the lives of other nationalities by letting them enjoy the fruit of the land. This is but one of the many factors that are driving our young people to crime in our society. It is high time that politicians be real and take care of their people especially when there are available opportunities."

Book your own car rental, Hotels, Vacation home & more.

Contact for more information

GET YOUR TICKET

GET YOUR CAR VOUCHER GET YOUR ACCOMADATION

GET YOUR CRUISE

Ticketing (International, Domestic & Regional), Cruises, Car Rentals, Hotels, Vacation Home Rentals, US & Bahamian Visa Application Assistance

Page 12

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

Ft. Bernard Been said serious social issues need to be addressed urgently

By Todeline Defralien

Anglican priest Father Bernard Been says there is an urgent need to address some serious social issues that are affecting the Turks and Caicos Islands, otherwise the country will pay a very dear price.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday August 10th, Father Been said: “Three years ago I made a statement that we are at the crossroads in the Turks and Caicos Islands and if we are not careful then we will find ourselves in a place where we don’t want to be and a place that we did not see coming. Some of us saw this coming. We saw this brewing because there are a lot of social concerns out there, but we are as a country driven by materialism and we have forgotten the social side of building a country as well.”

He noted that building a country is

He said that some pastors are more than just hotels in Grace Bay, adding that building a country is sociologists as well, as they deal with people at a very social level. “people”.

Father Been continued: "We (know) the aftermath of all of "Building a country is to understand this and get to go to the homes of the who is in the country. We have a lot victims and counsel and console them, of social issues that we have failed so we are doing a number of things to address as a country and until as it is. We are on the preventative we begin to address these social side of it and instructing people issues it is going to get worst. I feel how to live morally, how to be your it coming. We are at four murders brother’s keeper and on the other right now and I believe that there side correcting them as well. So we will be more, because we have not are on both sides of the spectrum and addressed the real issues. We are some of us are doing the best we can. putting band aids on things, making Imagine if we were not doing as much pretty statements in public, but we as we are where this country would have not best addressed the serious have been. We wanted to say to those issues in this country and until we pastors who are working in their deal with those we are heading down trenches and are going in areas where a dangerous path. There are a lot of sometimes politicians don’t go until it young men walking around wanting is elections and we would like to say to be gangsters and there are several thank you to them and to keep up the walking around that are gangsters good work and to not only reach the and that is a reality that we have not spiritual men but to reach the holistic men,” Ft. Been said. accepted as yet.”

Father Bernard Been

Pastors happy that We Carnival Sunday event was canceled

By Todeline Defralien

The Ministerial Fellowship is more than happy that their voices were finally being heard and that at least one organiser decided against holding a secular event on a Sunday.

During a press conference on Monday August 10th, 2015 at the Rock of Jesus Ministry in Five Cays, several pastors commended the We Carnival committee for canceling their Sunday event.

“We take this opportunity to acknowledge that the organizers of We Carnival did not go through with their planned activity for Sunday August 2nd, 2015. In the not too distance future a meeting is proposed with the Government so that a clear path as to what ought to take place on Sunday maybe discussed and legislated," Pastor Bryant Cox said.

Mr. Cox added: “I cannot give a definite date, but we had meeting with the Government already and

we are requesting another meeting, who worship on Saturdays, but all of and as soon as that is available we my life we have worshiped on Sunday will bring these very pressing issues and Sunday has been the worship up with them. We have already day for 90% of the Turks and Caicos submitted a request to have a meeting Islanders and it is not a cultural thing. with the government and we are just It is something that I have been born waiting for their response to tell us into and that Sunday is that day of the time when they can meet with us.” worship and I will challenge the

When asked what was the events that take place on Sunday.”

Rev. Derek Hamilton added: feeling coming out of the first meeting with the government Mr. Cox said, “There are a number of gospel entities “Time was short and there were a lot in the country per say, and I want to of questions and very few answers opine that perhaps they speak with and so we hoped that they would the right individuals or group of have enough time to think about the individuals. I guess something can things that were put to them and we be worked out but as a group I do not can correct some of the things that we think there is an interest on our part to be a part of the whole event. But have put forth to them.”

Mr.cox said “Going forward I would believe that something can we will do all that we can to make be worked out with someone or some sure the Christian standards and group.”

In relation to how they felt morals of our society are adhered to. We sell ourselves as a Christian about public reaction to the pastors' nation and we will continue to make call for secular events on Sundays sure that our Christian morals and to be cancelled, Rev. Hamilton said: the events for Sunday as a sacred day “I would hope that our voices are is upheld. I cannot speak for those being heard. I would hope that the

government is vigilant enough to recognize that the voice of a country is really vested in the voice of the church. I see us as the moral agents of the country and it would behove them in my opinion to listen. We’re not anti-government. We’re not antagonistic to government. As a matter of fact, we want to come along side government and say ‘well here is a better way’.”

Bishop Samuel J. Williams disclosed that this is nothing new to worship on a Sunday.

"Treating Sunday as a holy day is nothing new in the British Commonwealth. It is legislated is a number of British Commonwealth, so working towards it being part of the legislation in the Turks and Caicos Islands we would be following other jurisdictions that have it already and it is monitored according to the policies and regulations from that legislation and of course the church will see to it that it is carried out accordingly," he said.

From Left to right- Pastor Reuben Johnson of the Church of God, Ft. Bernard Been of St. Monica’s Anglican Church, Rev. Frednor Toussaint , Bryant Cox of Rock of Jesus Ministry, Rev. Derek Hamilton for Bethany Baptist Church and Bishop Samuel Williams

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 13

LOCAL NEWS

Clifford "Bully" Wilson now has a Paradise Smile

Jameiko Harvey Owner of Paradise Smiles TCI

By Todeline Defralien

A daily visitor of Paradise Smiles is now smiling happily once again, thanks to the team at Paradise Smiles TCI. Clifford "Bully" Wilson is more than happy and smiling radiantly.

In an interview with The SUN, Jameiko Harvey Owner of Paradise Smiles TCI said the project came about after he was approached by Crackpot Kitchen to help do a makeover for Wilson, who is also known as Bully.

Harvey said: "Mr. Wilson has

always been someone who comes along "We are opened late for those that work we could of done in the future outside the office. He would always come and in the afternoons. We open late to of dentistry to help him we are more say hello. He is very polite and very serve you great,” he said for those who than willing to do that,” Harvey said. charismatic guy and when we had the cannot come due to government hours opportunity we were very happy to and so forth. "We are opened from 9amtake on the task. We did a cleaning for 8pm."

“Paradise Smiles is a very him, then we had to remove some of his bad teeth and restore his bites. What caring practice; we are not just a we did was take out some teeth in the dental office that sees patients in and front and made him a valplast denture; out. We try to build a relationship and that is the denture that’s doesn’t have that is what keeps patients coming the metal in it and it is very flexible, back. They feel comfortable and they very cosmetically pleasing to the love that they have someone that patient and the best in the market and really cares about their treatment and we gave Bully the best in the market." I think that is what makes us number The dentist added: “We were supposed one the island.”Mr. Harvey said Mr. Harvey added: “Bully was to get some sponsorship for it but the very excited. Every day he would come sponsorships did not pull through.

However, we as Paradise in to check if his teeth are back yet. It Smiles took it upon ourselves to go took a while because we were waiting ahead to complete the work. It is still for sponsors to pull through and after not finished. We still have phase two they didn’t we just went ahead and took to do for him which is some fillings and care of everything. Usually I would hopefully over the next couple of weeks send my cases overseas to California, I would like to complete his treatment eventually fabricated in California and for him, all free of charge because it was shipped back here but Bully was it is something that we started to do coming in everyday and one day he and it is our reputation whether the came in and we finally delivered he project with Crackpot Kitchen and the actually was smiling before we started Government pulled through or not we the whole process.”

“He even told me that he is not still felt that we was obligated that we continue and show our skills that we going to leave even if it takes a week, he will not leave until he gets his offer.”

Mr. Harvey wanted the public teeth and once we delivered it he was to know that if they are looking for very happy. I know Bully can be a bit affordable dental work, state of art, difficult sometimes but he was really Paradise Smile is where they need to looking forward to his teeth and trying to make a difference and turning his come. life around and we told him anything Clifford "Bully" Wilson

TCI Hospital attends Medical Tourism Trade Show in Canada

The Turks and Caicos Islands about current trends, and initiate Hospital will be a key player during relationships with potential investors. the upcoming ‘Destination Health’, an Leading the TCI Hospital team is international Medical Tourism Trade Chief of Medical Services, Dr. Denise Show to be held in Montreal, QC Braithwaite- Tennant.

“The Turks and Caicos Islands Canada on August 13 to 15th 2015. The event will set the stage to showcase Hospital through InterHealth Canada Turks and Caicos as a potential health (TCI) Ltd has a strong interest in destination. making the country a medical

‘Destination Health’, the first tourism destination as we seek to Medical Tourism event taking place attract investors and develop revenue on Canadian soil, will see Healthcare generating streams needed to support and wellness providers, medical the development and sustainability of facilitators, government agencies and our secondary health care service. The other organizations from the Canadian Turks and Caicos Islands Government and international travel sectors has launched a robust program to boost tourism and we as part of the participating.

Three representatives from health sector leaders in TCI will the TCI Hospital, fully supported by capitalize on this foundation from a InterHealth Canada (TCI) Ltd, intend medical tourism perspective”, says to present the services available Braithwaite-Tennant. at both the Cheshire Hall and the “Medical tourism can present many Cockburn Town Medical Centre, learn benefits to the local community and

economy and the TCI Hospital has a competitive advantage in the regional market because of its impressive infrastructure and diamond level accreditation.

What is also key is that we have the ‘built in’ capacity to double in size at both the Cockburn Town Medical and the Cheshire Hall Medical Facilities. Our mission is to provide quality healthcare to our TCI community and medical tourism can support this objective by providing revenue generation for service development”, Braithwaite-Tennant added.

Public Relations and Marketing Manager for the TCI Hospital, Takara Bain said, “The Caribbean is one of the main markets with business opportunities to export health services, as patients demand specialized and highly complex health services at competitive prices, high

quality professionals, and a variety of climates catering to different patient profiles. And for us here in the Turks and Caicos, we have the best of both worlds; we are rated Best Island in the world and we have two brand new state of the art facilities at diamond level accreditation.”

Bain added, “This is a great opportunity for us to promote and expand our medical tourism service network. It is just the beginning; we have a tremendous product to market and we are confident that we will receive positive feedback from health professionals and patients”.

The team includes TCI Hospital’s Chief of Medical Services, Dr. Denise Braithwaite- Tennant, Public Relations and Marketing Manager, Takara Bain and Visiting Consultant Coordinator, Kay Vanes-Williams.

Page 14

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

Heated debate during height and density public consultation There were strong arguments for and against the increase in building heights in the Turks and Caicos Islands when Government held a height and density public consultation on Wednesday, August 12th, at the Gustavus Lightbourne sports center in down Town Providenciales.

Government has already approved

increasing the height limit on buildings to 12-storeys, so the consultation was just a formality.

Several persons from all cross-sections of society attended the event which was moderated by Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing and Minister of Finance Hon. Washingotn Misick.

These photographs show those who attended.

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 15

Page 16

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

National Cancer Society receives Check for $12000

By Brandy Laporte

The General Manager of Somewhere Café and Lounge of Coral Gardens, Ted Bayley donated $12000 to the National Cancer Society on the 11th of August.

The check was presented at ‘Somewhere Café’. The earnings of the check were acquired from a fund raiser that was held on July 25th in conjunction with the Caribbean House Evolution and working with friends from the hospital.

Gemma Williams, Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre said that she worked with the cancer society to try and raise funds as a global push to try to fully equip patients to live comfortably at home as opposed to staying in a hospital away from their families.

Williams added, “So with this equipment hopefully we can keep patients where they should be, which is with their families rather that keeping them in an acute setting.”

The hospital needed equipment for home care in the national Cancer

General Manager of Somewhere Café and Lounge Ted Bayley Donates check of 12000 dollars to Rosemary Jolly of the National Cancer Society towards equipment for the cancer patients Society so, to generate revenue they brought down some great DJs from abroad, they worked with Discount Wine Cellar and William John donated all the DJ’s equipment.

The producer of the Caribbean House Evolution Festival John Tsavalas said that the event was scheduled to be a three-day event and they decided to make one of the days a fund raising event for The National Cancer Society.

Public Area Attendant

Requirements: •Ability to work with heavy cleaning machinery.

•Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts Duties include: •Ensuring that standards of cleanliness and organization are met at all times in assigned areas.

• Responsibility for care and maintenance of all equipment and machinery •Restock linens and amenities on carts •Run needed items to guest floors •Assist housekeepers as required

Tsavalas said that there was a DJ workshop for the children and they got a chance to show case there talent with the various DJ’s in attendance Rosemary Jolly the President of the National Cancer Society was given the check on behalf of the organization.

Jolly said, “I would like to thank John, Ted and his team and Gemma for coming up with such an initiative to support the National Cancer Society’s units quest for obtaining home care

equipment, which is vital to supporting the cancer patients. So with this donation from Somewhere Café and Lounge the cancer society will be able to purchase items such as beds, wheelchairs, walkers, shower-chairs and many more other equipment that the cancer patients might need to make them more comfortable.”

Jolly thanked all of the sponsors and contributes that made the event a success.

• Responsibility for care and maintenance of all equipment and machinery •Restock linens and amenities on carts •Run needed items to guest floors •Assist housekeepers as required Starting salary $6.25 not including service charge.

Executive Chef

Starting salary $6.25 not including service charge

Requirements: •10 years experience as an Executive Chef in luxury resort.

•Post secondary degree or equivalent qualification by experience.

• Formal culinary degree or formal apprenticeship.

•Proven managerial experience in a fine dining environment.

•Practical creativity to provide innovative entrees and developing new, unusual market driven menus while meeting profit goals of property and menu engineering.

•Previous responsibility for food purchasing, including negotiating prices.

•Prior experience standardizing recipes, plating instructions and costing.

•Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts.

Duties Include: •Participate in the development and implementation of business strategies for Food and Beverage including development of annual budget, monitoring actual versus budgeted expenses and recommending menu pricing.

•Develop and implement menu and dining strategies.

•Prepare reports summarizing food and beverage profitability, customer satisfaction, etc.

•Lead monthly staff meetings.

Cook

Salary $55,000.00 per annum/Commensurate with qualification and experience.

Starting salary $6.25 not including service charge

Room Attendant

Requirements: •Ability to work with heavy cleaning machinery.

•Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts Duties include: •Ensuring that standards of cleanliness and organization are met at all times in assigned areas.

• Responsibility for care and maintenance of all equipment and machinery •Restock linens and amenities on carts •Run needed items to guest floors •Assist housekeepers as required

Requirements: •Experience with, and comfortable preparing a variety of different cuisines in a fine dining environment •Understand the importance of consistency •Knowledge of food preparation techniques and health/safety Duties Include: •Prepare all food items according to recipe cards and correct handling procedures.

•Maintain highest quality and appearance of all foods sent from kitchen and make sure plates are clean and appetizing.

•Maintain orderly and clean refrigerators and work areas.

•Rotate all foods and correctly fill out production charts.

•Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts Starting salary $6.25 per hour not including service charge.

Manager of Travel Industry Sales

Regent Palms Turks and Caicos is a 72-suite luxury resort, which features elegantly appointed luxury rooms, with one, two and three bedroom suites. World class amenities include a 25,000 square foot spa, banquet facilities and two signature restaurants.

The Manger of Travel Industry Sales is a key part of our U. S. based sales team, responsible for group and leisure sales.

Requirements: •Post secondary degree or equivalent qualification by experience •Strong written and verbal skills with documented responsibility for promotions, sales and marketing.

•5-7 yrs in luxury travel/hospitality sales, with established relationships with top luxury wholesalers, travel agents, incentive houses, and meeting planners •Must have experience selling luxury Caribbean properties and understand wholesalers, FIT and high-end travel agency professionals.

•Must understand sales metrics and reporting •Must be able and willing to work all days and shift Duties Include: •Analyzing sales and marketing statistics to determine profitability of sold business and opportunities within target markets •Negotiating and closing contracts, with approval of Director of Sales and Marketing, with key customers •Creating 100% guest satisfaction and delivery of Regent experience •Communicating sales and guest information to departments as appropriate •Identify potential customers, initiate contract, and make sales call •Conduct on-site tour sales presentation in accordance with brand standards Starting salary $40,000- 60,000 per annum not including service charge.

Houseman

Requirements: •Ability to work with heavy cleaning machinery.

•Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts Duties include: •Ensuring that standards of cleanliness and organization are met at all times in assigned areas.

IT Technician

Requirements: •Minimum of 3 years experience as an IT Technician •Post secondary degree or equivalent qualification by experience •Must have experience working with Opera and Visual One, Mitel Phone System, Cisco CCTV System, Fiber Optic Music System (fiber optic), Micros, Data Works and Premier Spa •Must be able to respond quickly and effectively to diagnose and resolve hardware and software problems for all systems, and document tracks and reports on deficiencies, progress and follow-up •Must read, speak and write English fluently •Must be able to work all days and shifts and be on call for emergency service request Duties Include: •Providing routine maintenance of hardware, software and systems •Installing/configuring computers/telephones and point of sales equipment and other systems equipment.

•Installing, maintaining and repairing wifi system equipment •Installing/maintaining/repairing CCTV System •Repairing/upgrading hardware and software.

•Troubleshooting printers/scanners/copiers.

•Maintaining inventory of equipment and supplies.

•Maintaining server room(s) and ensuring proper security for such.

•Completing system backups according to required schedule.

•Providing infrastructure support: •Installing cabling •Researching, learning and evaluating new software and hardware •Documenting and maintaining record keeping for all systems Starting salary $32,000-$35,000 not including service charge.

Pool & Beach Supervisor Requirements: •Must be an excellent swimmer with rescue capability and first aid training •Must be able to operate and teach others to operate catamarans, kayaks other watercrafts •Must be able to be on your feet for long periods of time and able to lift at least 50 lbs •Must be calm under pressure and possess the ability to instill in all pool and beach staff that they are there to serve the guest quickly and courteously Duties Include: •Supervising and overseeing the pool and beach staff and providing training •Ensuring that the umbrellas, chairs etc. are properly set up at the correct time each morning and properly stowed away each evening •Ensuring pool and beach areas are clean and well maintained at all times with sufficient clean towels available.

Starting salary $6.25 per hour not including service charge.

Interested applicants should apply to Regent Palms, Human Resources Department, Monday through Friday, and bring along an updated resume, or by emailing your resume to marjorie. dorsett@regenthotels.com, no later than end of day Friday, August 14th, 2015.

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 17

LOCAL NEWS

National Cancer Society sees a rise in breast cancer rates in TCI

By Charvis Ferguson

In recent years, The Cheshire Hall Medical Centre and the National Cancer Society have seen an increase of cancer cases in the Turks and Caicos Islands, especially in breast and colon cancer.

Gemma Williams, Clinical Nurse Specialist at The Cheshire Hall Medical Centre told The SUN that about 50% of the 182 cancer cases seen throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands, are breast cancer cases typically in women over the age of forty.

Williams said, “We know that in the Caribbean there is a genetic link for women [to get breast cancer], so we try to advertise the fact that if somebody’s mother, sister or grandmother has had breast cancer, they are genetically at high risk. These are the patients that we urge, from the age of forty to have mammograms.”

The most common treatments for cancer are surgery, chemotherapy (chemo) and radiation therapy and the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre is prepared to take on the needs of all patients needing to undergo chemotherapy treatment in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Williams mentioned that the hospital is equipped with state

of the art facilities to assist with and Caicos, patients are getting the of whom are in remission, but they cancer patients and even compared necessary treatment earlier because constantly seek assistance from the the facilities to those in the United they are coming to hospital once they public.

Kingdom. She added, “We currently see worrying signs. Williams said: Jolly said the National have two chemo chairs and we are “We seem to be seeing more and more Cancer Society continues its drive and able to administer chemo five days a patients [and], in my eyes, that’s mission for championing the cause for week, here at the hospital.” a good thing to be seeing them far cancer in Turks and Caicos Islands.

This is an amazing earlier, so the outcome could be much "We are doing everything in our improvement, as patients in the past better.” power to help those who are fighting had to go to neighboring Caribbean She attributes this triumph to this devastating disease and we islands to undergo the necessary greater cancer awareness within the appreciate all the help and support of treatments. country and believes that because our sponsors.”

Radiation treatment, however, is organizations like the Turks and The hospital is also fighting to still not offered in the country, due Caicos National Cancer Society are ensure that all patients receive quality to the substantial cost and the working in collaboration with the healthcare and Williams suggests that limited amount of patients needing Oncology department, they can everyone over the age forty get a check the treatment. Williams stated, “For ensure that those with cancer receive up at least twice a year from a family radiation therapy to be offered in treatment and moral support. physician. She further suggests that the Turks and Caicos, it would cost Rosemary Jolly reiterated people should exercise at least three millions of dollars to get the necessary these sentiments, saying, “The Cancer times a week and eat a balanced meal equipment and staff, so for now, we Society’s role is to provide moral to prevent cancer. continue to send our patients to support and to assist financially to the Williams is proud of what Nassau and Jamaica for radiation needs of those persons going through has been achieved in the two short treatment.” the cancer experience.” years that she has been a part of the

President of the National She added, “We give financial support InterHealth Caribbean team. She Cancer Society, Rosemary Jolly to those going abroad for treatment continued by saying, “I try to make repeated how much the cancer rates and living in the Turks and Caicos sure that I have a good relationship raised in the past years. She added: who need medication and special with my patients to give them the best “In recent weeks and on an ongoing dietary food.” quality of life.” basis, we have seen an increase in The National Cancer Society The Turks and Caicos people being diagnosed with cancer has been a strong hold in the Turks National Society is actively seeking and sometimes in a week, there are and Caicos for over ten years and new members to assist when possible up to three persons coming to the during this time; they have assisted and interested parties are told to hospital to being tested for cancer.” many cancer patients throughout the contact Rosemary Jolly at president@

Although the numbers of country. Currently, they are assisting nationalcancersocietytci.com to sign cancer cases have risen in the Turks around thirty-five patients, some up at an annual cost of $25.

OASIS DIVERS is seeking applications from suitably qualified candidates for the following positions.

The successful applicants must: CERTIFIED DIVERS / LIFEGUARDS

-Hold a valid diving certification of Open Water Diver or higher -Be at least 25 years old -Have a clean criminal record -Have a valid passport -Hold a valid certification in CPR and First Aid -Have at least 3 years’ experience in the tourism and hospitality industry. Other experience in the tourism industry would be an asset -Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and Public Holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of the cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the business

TOUR DISPATCHER

-Have at least 5 years’ experience dispatching tours -Possess the ability to remain calm in a high stress environment -Be well spoken with English as primary language -Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and Public Holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of the cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the business -Have a valid passport -Be at least 25 years old -Have a clean criminal record

ELECTRICIAN

-Have a proven and unblemished track record of employment -Have a valid passport -Have at least 5 years’ experience and appropriate training in the field -Positive and disciplined attitude toward work -Trustworthy and reliable disposition -Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and Public Holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of the cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the business

MAINTENANCE MAN

-Have a proven and unblemished track record of employment -Have a valid passport -Have at least 5 years’ experience in repair and maintenance, including a wide range of skills from concrete to woodworking.

-Positive and disciplined attitude toward work -Trustworthy and reliable disposition -Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and Public Holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of the cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the business

General Manager Are you a people person? Join a team where people come first.

About Us – A leading player in the retail insurance sector, the Colonial Group, with over 290 employees and offices in Bermuda, The Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and the Turks & Caicos Islands, offers a complete range of premier financial and insurance ser vices to our individual and corporate clients. We know that our products make a real difference to our clients and their families.

The Role – repor ting to the Chief Operating Officer – Proper ty and Casualty and Chief Operating Officer – Health headquar tered in Bermuda, you will be responsible for managing and coordinating all aspects of the Company’s operation including business development and retention, technical insurance, staff, administrative and suppor t ser vice functions, e.g. financial, computer and human resources. You will plan and accomplish agreed goals that are outlined in the business plan and contribute to the achievement of strategic corporate objectives. You will provide a critical link with corporate headquar ters in Bermuda while focusing on new business development for the Medical and Proper ty and Casualty por tfolios in the Turks & Caicos Islands. You will also be required to ser vice existing clients ensuring that their day-to-day administration needs relating to claims, eligibility and overall customer ser vice are fulfilled to the required standards. Excellent and innovative customer ser vice deliver y is impor tant to us, critical to our strategic objective of business retention and growth and applies to all roles across the Group.

The Person – You will have a Bachelors degree and/or a relevant professional insurance qualification (e.g. DipCII/ACII) along with a Project Management Cer tification (PRINCE2/PMP). You will have a minimum of 15 years general insurance experience within a Proper ty and Casualty or Medical Insurance Company, with at least 5 of those years at Senior Management level. You will have the ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines and a willingness to work extended hours to meet the needs of the clients and the Company. You will have proven ability to negotiate, influence and persuade internal and external stakeholders as well as excellent presentation and communication skills.

The Benefits – The salar y range is USD$100,000 - USD$140,000 depending on experience and qualifications. We also offer an attractive benefits package.

To Apply – Please send your resume/cv to our Vice-President, Human Resources at hr_manager_bm@colonial.bm. Closing date for applications is August 21, 2015.

Preference will be given to documented Turks and Caicos Islanders Written applications only and accompanying CVs/resumes must be addressed to the Manager at the following address: Cee’s Plaza, Suite No. 1 Church Folly PO Box 86 Grand Turk Turks & Caicos Islands

OASIS DIVING, LTD. c/o EPIC Corporate & Consultancy Services Ltd. Phone: 649-946-1128 Fax: 649-946-1128 Email: oasisdiv@tciway.tc

COLONIAL INSURANCE BROKERS LIMITED A member of Colonial Group International: Insurance, Health, Pensions, Life

Page 18

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

Beaches Unveils “I Am Sandals” Campaign to Celebrate Twenty Year in Turks and Caicos

By Charvis Ferguson

To celebrate twenty years in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Beaches Resorts Villages and Spa launched its I Am Sandals campaign, which highlighted the growth and development of persons within the company. The campaign, also known as Connecting the Dots, highlights several team members and community partners through a series of short videos, which are set to launch by the end of the week.

Beaches, the luxury hotel giant, employs almost 2,000 workers in the Turks and Caicos, with 53% of them being local and they believe in providing opportunities for their team members through education and training; as seen through the I Am Sandals promotional videos.

Workers in attendance of the breakfast celebration expressed their gratitude for the company and were proud to be associated with the Sandals brand.

Former Miss Turks and Caicos Universe, Michelle Parker, was one of these employees who spoke so highly of Beaches Turks and Caicos (BTC) and the chances that come along with being a team member.

Parker said, “My three kids were all baptized and born in Sandals and Beaches”. She continued, “Yes, the greatest thing about the impact of Sandals and Beaches is the growth, the development and the empowerment that they have afforded the team. I can recall, first starting out as a Front Desk Clerk, I then worked my way up as a Supervisor. I grew from a Front Desk Clerk, to a Front Desk Manager, to a Manager on Duty, to a Departure Lounge Manager, to Arrivals Manager and the list awaits me.”

This opportunity for growth within the company arguably sets Beaches Turks and Caicos apart from other organizations and it, which makes the team so enticing to young people looking to develop with a company.

One of the younger speakers, Tavardo Reasias, spoke about being fresh out of high school and being unemployed; but being able to find a home at Beaches Turks and Caicos through one of the many job fairs; and also being able to be promoted within

the company since first joining the team.

Over the twenty years in the country, BTC has expanded from a one village and 150 rooms, to 770 rooms, spanning over 90 acres and five villages; with the most recent being the Key West Village, encompassing the former Veranda. Throughout the years, BTC has not only expanded and employed Turks and Caicos Islanders in line staff and managerial positions, but the company has also worked to educate their employees through training from the Sandals Corporate University.

The Sandals Corporate University, which has been in operations at BTC for the past three years, offers all employees a unique opportunity to advance their education and hospitality skills, while in a practical environment. The University boasts a variety of programs intended to enhance a team member’s general knowledge, leadership ability, customer service, sales and communication skills; allowing students the chance to apply the theoretical skills to their practical jobs. The Sandals Corporate University also allows their students to study up to a doctoral degree whilst at work all at the company’s expense.

Adam Stewart, CEO and son of Hon. Gordon “Butch” Stewart, founder and Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, was present at the unveiling and spoke about the significance of training programs such as the Sandals Corporate University, which allows for personal and professional development within the field of hospitality.

Stewart said, “We’re here this morning celebrating our twenty year landmark and we’re absolutely proud to be here.” He continued, “I get credit all the time for founding the Sandals Corporate University, but I was just a facilitator; the real brainchild of the University was Mr. Wayne Cummings.

He is the Director of Business Processes and Administration at our head office in Jamaica and is a 26-year product of this business.”

Stewart also acknowledges that. all of the Executive Team of the Sandals brand have had humble beginnings with the company working their way up to the level they are at today.

Adam Stewart, CEO and son of Hon. Gordon “Butch” Stewart, founder and Chairman of Sandals Resorts International

Stewart said, “These team members started in this organization in the Entertainment department, Food and Beverage, at some place in the company; and they grew. Not everybody in life wants to grow, but many people want to grow. And for the people that want to grow, we believe that you must afford them that opportunity; you must give them that platform that can show them the clear trajectory as to how they can get more if they want more.”

He ended by saying, “we are so proud that so many people believe in our brand and believe in the Chairman’s vision to give the customer more than he expects and to hire the smile; train the skill. So the Sandals Corporate University is what we talk about and celebrate today, because we just took the whole industry and turn it on its head by doing something like this.”

Dr. Edward Smith, popular talk show host and former People Progressive Party (PPP) leader, also spoke on his changed views of the hotel giant. Smith said, “most times people say Dr. Smith is anti Beaches, and it’s a common fact. However, I can

say to you, going on the trip, I was very apprehensive and I can say to you, in all honesty; going on that trip and coming back, I can see the level of involvement, the level of enthusiasm with the persons here at Beaches. My views, not only have changed, but I cannot believe that we have actually misunderstood what was here.”

Smith continued, “Beaches is a partner, a nucleus of the community and I was not prompted to say this but I’m saying to you, that we need to be a little more educated to know what is here, we need to be much more involved. We need to do a little better than just degrading Beaches because they’re a partner”.

The I Am Sandals video campaign will be aired by the end of the week on both PTV and WIV and will display the journey of several team members as well as local community affiliates of Beaches Turks and Caicos.

Beaches Turks and Caicos, which is the largest resort in the country has been operating since 1995, aims to continue training staff through the Sandals Corporate University and other onsite training programs.

NOTICE OF SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION

NOTICE OF SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION

PEOPLE STATE BANK of c/o 122 Blue Mountain Road, P O Box 127 Richmond House, Leeward Highway, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands hereby gives notice of its intention to sell by Public Auction the following properties pursuant to its power of sale as registered Chargee under the Registered Land Ordinance of the Turks and Caicos Islands:

Scotiabank (Turks & Caicos) Ltd. of Cherokee Road, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands hereby gives notice of its intention to sell by Public Auction the following properties pursuant to its power of sale as registered Chargee under the Registered Land Ordinance of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Parcel 20502/162 Ambergris & Fish Cays South Caicos comprising 0.46 acres of vacant land.

Registered proprietor: Ambergris Investments Ltd The auction will be held at the offices of Misick & Stanbrook, 122 Blue Mountain Road, Providenciales at 10:00 o’clock in the morning on ( ) A reserve price will be fixed on all parcels.

Terms and Conditions of Sale by Auction are available by request from Misick & Stanbrook (649) 946-4732 or fax number (649) 946- 4734.

1.Parcel 61109/4 Long Bay Hills, Providenciales. Single storey main house with two bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen, dining/living room, family room and laundry room and an apartment unit with one bedroom, one bathroom, kitchen and living/ dining room on 1.021 acre.

Registered Proprietor: Rickanro Samarl Lightbourn 2.Parcel 60900/288 Leeward Going Through, Providenciales. Single storey main house with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, laundry room, living/ dining room and an apartment unit with one bedroom, one bathroom, kitchen and living/dining room on 0.36 acre.

Registered Proprietors: Mark Andrew Knighton and Julie Margaret Knighton The auction will be held at the office of Scotiabank (Turks and Caicos) Limited, Grace Bay Branch, Providenciales at 10 o’clock in the morning on Friday the 28th day of August 2015.

A reserved price will be fixed on all parcels and a deposit of 10% is due immediately upon all accepted bids.

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 19

LOCAL NEWS

Increased likelihood of below normal Atlantic hurricane season

The National Oceanic and 1-4 will become hurricanes (from Atmospheric Administration (NOAA 3-6 in May), and 0-1 will become Climate Prediction Center’s updated major hurricanes (from 0-2 in May).

2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season These ranges — which include the Outlook calls for a 90 percent chance three named storms to-date (Ana, of a below-normal hurricane season. Bill, and Claudette) — are centered A below-normal season is now even well below the seasonal averages of more likely than predicted in May, 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes and when the likelihood of a below- three major hurricanes.

Forecasters attribute the normal season was 70 percent.

The 90 percent probability of high likelihood of a below-normal a below-normal season is the highest season to three primary factors: confidence level given by NOAA since El Niño has strengthened seasonal hurricane outlooks began as predicted, and NOAA’s latest El in 1998. The updated outlook also Niño forecast calls for a significant lowers the overall expected storm El Niño to continue through the activity this season. The outlook remainder of the hurricane season; now includes a 70 percent chance Atmospheric conditions associated with a of 6-10 named storms (from 6-11 in typically the initial May Outlook), of which significant El Niño, such as strong

JOB ADVERTISEMENT Gansevoort Turks + Caicos is a contemporary luxury full service boutique resort on Grace Bay Beach. We are looking for driven and energetic professionals with Five Star experience and who are committed to achieving excellence by ensuring Five Star standards and services are continuously delivered.

Public Area Attendant/Room Attendant/Houseman - Loves to clean.

Clean and maintain guest rooms and general areas. Clean and replenish amenities as per the resort standards. Assists room attendants with heavier tacks, window washing, linen delivery and removal.

Retail Buyer/Merchandiser - This position requires someone with established relationships with high end clothing wholesalers in Miami, Los Angeles, New York City and South America to bring the right mix of high end merchandise at competitive prices to suit the resort client. Two years or more experience in managing a high end clothing boutique. Familiar with Micros POS, inventory management, Microsoft Office Suite. Must speak English & Spanish. Salary: Commission based.

Chef de Cuisine: The Chef de Cuisine will train and manage kitchen personnel and supervise/coordinate all related culinary activities; estimate food consumption and requisition or purchase food; select and develop recipes; standardize production recipes to ensure consistent quality; establish presentation technique and quality standards; plan and price menus; ensure proper equipment operation/maintenance; and ensure proper safety and sanitation in the kitchen. The Chef must have the ability to manage in a diverse environment with focus on client and customer service is essential to success in this role. Previous experience with control food and labor cost, demonstration cooking, menu development, and pricing and development of culinary team preferred. The ideal candidates will possess a bachelor’s degree or related culinary degree with four or more years of industry and culinary management experience. Caribbean experience an asset.

Jr Sous Chef: Report directly to the Sous Chef. The position is responsible for assisting kitchen personnel and all related culinary activities; assist in the estimate food consumption and requisition or purchase food; assist in the selection and developing of recipes; assist in establishing presentation technique and quality standards; assist in planning and pricing menus; ensure proper equipment operation/maintenance and ensure proper safety and sanitation in the kitchen. Must have the ability to work in a diverse environment with focus on client and customer services are essential to success in this role. The ideal candidate should possess an associate’s degree or related culinary degree with two or more years of industry and culinary management experience.

Director of Rooms Division: Reporting directly to the General Manager, Director of Rooms is responsible for the consistent delivery of exceptional performance of Rooms Division in both guest experience and financial results, and for the successful management of all internal and external relationships.

The successful candidate must have/be; •Experienced hospitality executive with minimum 10 years five star international management success – Caribbean experience desirable with 3-5 years management in each departmental discipline.

•Thorough knowledge of resort front office and housekeeping procedures, operations and equipment, with the ability to execute all aspects

vertical wind shear and enhanced seasonal hurricane forecaster with sinking motion across the tropical NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.

Atlantic and Caribbean Sea, are “Regardless of our call for belownow present. These conditions make normal storm activity, people along it difficult for storms to develop, the Atlantic and Gulf coasts should and they are predicted to continue remain prepared and vigilant, through the remaining four months especially now that the peak months of the hurricane season; and Tropical of the hurricane season have Atlantic sea-surface temperatures started.”

Two tropical storms already are predicted to remain below average and much cooler than the have struck the United States this year. Ana made landfall in South rest of the global tropics.

The Atlantic hurricane Carolina in May, and Bill made season runs from June 1 through landfall in Texas in June.

NOAA’s mission is to November 30.

Tropical storms and understand and predict changes in hurricanes can and do strike the the Earth’s environment, from the United States, even in below- depths of the ocean to the surface of normal seasons and during El Niño the sun, and to conserve and manage events,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead our coastal and marine resources.

•Financial, Business and/or Hospitality Management degree or equivalent experience, with a passion for customer service •Exceptional leadership skills with a proven record of providing consistently high guest experience standards balanced with operational efficiencies.

•Demonstrated success at delivering results through establishment of standard procedures, disciplined coaching and management.

•Proven ability to develop business plans and budgets, and effectively monitor performance to meet objectives •Energetic, results driven leader with collaborative approach; focused on empowering people; developing skill in others through coaching, training and experiential learning.

•Sense for perfection and attention to detail •Self-motivated and dependable with an exceptional work ethic and strong problem solving skills •Proficiency with general office PC applications (i.e. Microsoft Office software and Opera) to prepare reports, employee schedules, inventories, budgets as required.

•Professional appearance and demeanor •Must be fluent in English. Additional languages desirable.

HVAC Technician - Must be able to troubleshoot and repair different HVAC systems. Daikin system experience preferred. Troubleshoot and repair kitchen equipment. Troubleshoot and repair laundry equipment. Through proper data collection will create a preventive maintenance schedule for all electrical equipment, HVAC equipment and emergency generator. Must be able to work on electrical systems, reading and understanding blueprints. Troubleshoot and repair home appliances. Qualification: Must be a collage graduate with minimum 10 years experience in the HVAC field and hospitality field. Must be HVAC certified. Must be able to work with hand and power tools. Work on ladders and lift a minimum of 50 lbs. Must be able to work independently and have troubleshooting skills. To provide the guests and associates with a secure and comfortable environment by maintaining and ensuring that all mechanical systems are operating in accordance with the Gansevoort standards. Work in a safe and responsible manner to avoid accidents or injury.

Yoga/Barre/Fitness Instructor - The applicant is required to have at minimum a 200 hour Yoga Alliance Certification / Group Fitness/ Barre Certification.

Minimum 1+ years teaching experience and actively teaching. Current Liability Insurance and CPR Certification. Be willing and available to teach on average 4+ classes per week. Genuine ability to connect with complete strangers on a personal level and demonstrate the ability to teach a safe, fun, and creative class with a genuine interest in student success.

The successful applicant will also need to have an outgoing personality with a strong desire to provide great client service. Have a strong desire to grow and the ability to take on and integrate feedback. Create a personal connection with each student and follow up with students after class. Set up classroom appropriately: props, mat spacing, music, lighting and be prepared to keep the studio space clean and organized. They must provide top-notch class instruction that is consistent with the class format and Exhale teaching methodology.

They will need to be flexible with work time and open to teach mornings, evenings, weekends and public holidays as the schedule dictates. They must speak English and they must be a team player. Teachers who meet our initial standards will be contacted to schedule a preliminary audition. Further training will also occur before teaching commences. Compensation will vary depending on number of classes.

Interested applicants can contact our Human Resources Department, Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm on (649)941-7555. E- Mail cover letter outlining your interest and supporting experience in a particular position along with your Resume or C.V. to hr@wymara.com

Page 20

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

Driving Possibilities, Fueling Change Long Bay Express Services Ltd. is now seeking suitable candidates for the position of Manager.

JOB SUMMARY The Manager will be responsible for the day to day store operations, including scheduling, training and supervising employees. The Manager will also be responsible for marketing, controllable expenses and inventory management.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES •Prepare store for opening and closing when required.

•Enforce established daily operating policies and procedures.

•Prepare payroll.

•Prepare and monitor staff working schedules.

•Manage company receivables and payables.

•Prepare monthly financial reports for submission to Owners.

•Manage all aspects of the inventory cycle.

•Recommend and Implement marketing promotions.

•Any other duties as may be assigned.

STAFF VACANCY – HANDYMAN APPRENTICE Applications are invited from interested and suitably qualified individuals for the position of Handyman Apprentice, FortisTCI, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS •Associates Degree in Business Management or related field.

•Minimum 3 years customer service experience.

PREFERRED SKILLS •Exceptional written and oral communication skills.

•Exceptional marketing skills.

•Exceptional planning, organizing and time management skills.

•Must be fluent in English. Additional languages are desirable.

•Keen attention to details and service.

Description

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS •Must be able to work flexible hours, during holidays and weekends.

Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Interested persons can forward resumes to longbayexpress@gmail.com no later than August 24th, 2015.

SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY A Senior Associate Attorney is required for a firm based in Providenciales. Applicants must have at least 7 years post qualification experience. Duties include assisting and developing criminal and common law department, undertaking a variety of work including all aspect of criminal defence work, employment, wills and probate, family matters such as adoption, child/spousal maintenance, divorce, and human rights work.

Salary commensurate with experience.

Application must be submitted to: Employment Department F Corporate & Management Services Limited Tel 649-339-6275 Fax 649-333-7777 Email oa@fcorporatemsl.com

APPLY NOW FOR SEPTEMBER 2015 INTAKE

Top 10 UK University (Graduate Employability)

MBA/MSc E

xceptional value — earn an accredited UK MBA or MSc for under US$10,000 • Can be completed in 18 months • Specialisations: Banking, Entrepreneurship, Events, Finance, Health Management, HRM, Leadership & Innovation, Marketing & Sales, Tourism & Hospitality • Option to earn both an MBA and MSc in under 24 months

BA Business Management (Top-up) BA Business & Enterprise (Top-up) Entry to holders of Associate Degree/Diploma or pre-entry ILM Certificate in Leadership and Management (offered through SEI)

WITH NEW SPECIALISMS: MARKETING, FINANCE & HRM

Doctorate in Business Administration Regional workshops conducted by Edinburgh Faculty

100% FLEXIBLE, 100% ONLINE, 100% RELEVANT

www.seidegrees.com

Regional Office: 27499 Riverview Center Blvd., Suite 223, Bonita Springs, Florida 34134, USA • Tel 1 239 444 4399 • Fax 1 239 444 4398 • info@seidegrees.com

 To provide general labour in support of the work of general site service housekeeping and orderliness, under the general direction of the Supervisor of the Site Services Department.  Under the direction of the assigned team leader on a job, the Handyman Apprentice must assist in the installation and maintenance duties assigned in a sound technical manner, to ensure reliable operation and functionality of equipment as per design specifications.

Main Duties

 Assist in the daily up keeping of the plant facilities as directed by the team leader.  Assist in daily servicing of plant facilities as directed by the team leader.  Ensure that the plant site is kept in a clean and neat manner at all times.  Assist in the cleaning of trenches and other plant support infrastructure as directed.  Ensure compliance to the company’s safety policy and procedures.  Ensure familiarity and full compliance with the company’s environmental commitment and policy at all times during the execution of daily work activities, with particular emphasis to fuel and lube oil spill prevention.  Report any equipment abnormalities or defects observed during the course of plant housekeeping activities.  Operate company vehicles as required in a manner consistent with company policy and TCI traffic regulations.  Operate small tools as may be directed.  Attend and actively participate in all training and development programs stated as requirements by the company and ensure satisfactory achievement outcome.  Be properly and neatly attired in the uniform provided and ensure consistent and appropriate use of all personal protective equipment (PPEs) provided when on plant compound or in the execution of assigned duties.  Respond promptly when called on by the Management / Supervisor of the Site Services Department in response to emergencies that may arise outside of regular working hours.  Perform laborer duties as may be requested from time to time.  Perform other duties as may be assigned or required by the Management / Supervisor of Site Services from time to time.

Academic/Technical/Management: Experience and Qualifications:  Associate’s degree in a related field or a two –year post-secondary program in construction trades  Must have at least 5 years of experience in general facilities repairs and maintenance.  A valid driver’s license.  Be familiar with and qualified to operate plant machinery such as forklifts, power tools, test equipment and hand tools.  As the language of work is English, competence in verbal and written English is required.  Competency in general math.  Computer literate (Word, Excel, Outlook)  Self-motivated solution oriented and positive in outlook.  Team Player.

Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications Deadline for submission of applications (inclusive of a cover letter, resume and a FortisTCI application form) is Monday August 17th 2015:

Dr. Kellie-Ann Evans-Hall Manager, Human Resources FortisTCI Limited P. O. Box 132, Providenciales Email address: hrapplications@fortistci.com or khall@fortistci.com Fax: 649-946-4532

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

Plus, ge chance t a to

WIN gre at

Prizes

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Lose some RATE off your loan and enjoy lower, more affordable monthly payments from RBC Get: Low interest rates Secured and unsecured loans for any purpose

For more information call or visit any RBC Royal Bank branch or go online at www.rbc.com/caribbean

Rules • All clients who are approved for a loan during the promotion period will be eligible to win prizes!

• Employees of RBC Royal Bank and its advertising agencies are not eligible to enter • Promotion starts July 22 and ends September 15, 2015

Page 21

Page 22

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

Book your own car rental, Hotels, Vacation home & more.

Contact for more information

GET YOUR TICKET

GET YOUR CAR VOUCHER GET YOUR ACCOMADATION

GET YOUR CRUISE

Ticketing (International, Domestic & Regional), Cruises, Car Rentals, Hotels, Vacation Home Rentals, US & Bahamian Visa Application Assistance

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 23

TCI Hospital is NOT NHIP The continuing debate over the provision and cost of healthcare in Why aren’t more services available at the Hospital? the Turks and Caicos Islands has confused many as to the differences • Since opening in 2010, additional services have been introduced between the National Health Insurance Board (NHIB), the National and the Hospital remains eager to bring still more services onHealth Insurance Plan (NHIP) and the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital. island to lower the cost of sending patients overseas for treatment.

It can only do so with the approval of the TCIG after a full financial Here are answers to some frequently asked questions: and quality analysis has demonstrated that the new service will What is the difference between NHIB, NHIP and TCI Hospital? bring cost savings to the country.

The NHIB is the entity which manages and oversees all activities involving the TCI’s national health insurance plan (the NHIP). The NHIP is not a separate organization; it is the name of the insurance plan operated by NHIB. TCI Hospital is an entirely un-related organization.

It provides patient care to NHIP beneficiaries as the NHIB’s preferred provider.

Why do we have to pay a co-pay fee?

In the UK, the cost is borne wholly by government through taxation, but the TCI does not have a tax base strong enough to do so. The TCIG arrangements follow those of a number of countries and the cost is covered by a mix of contributions based on income and a payment made at the point of service delivery – the co-pay amount.

What is the role of the TCI Hospital?

The TCI Hospital provides the services that are identified by the TCI government and that are covered by the NHIP. The Hospital then collects co-pay fees on behalf of the TCIG. •

TCI Hospital is not responsible for and has no control over setting NHIP co-pay fees.

•

All NHIP co-pay fees paid at the Hospital are turned over to TCIG and are not retained by the Hospital.

•

All monthly contributions in accordance with the NHIP Ordinance are deducted by and paid to NHIB and not to TCI Hospital.

•

Other revenue for TCI Hospital comes from private insurance and direct payment from those individuals without any form of insurance coverage.

What health care benefits am I entitled to once I am a member of the NHIP? The health care benefits available to members of the NHIP are published by the NHIB. Benefit questions should be directed to NHIB personnel.

•

TCI Hospital has no role in determining what services or benefits NHIB makes available to its beneficiaries.

•

New services introduced since 2010 include medical oncology, hip and knee replacement surgery, plastic/cosmetic surgery, neurology, urology, ophthalmology, ENT and nephrology.

Who makes decisions about overseas treatment?

•

If the Hospital’s clinical staff finds that a patient’s medical care needs cannot be provided in the Hospital, the NHIB is advised of that fact and the NHIB then manages the transfer process.

•

The NHIB is responsible for deciding to which overseas hospital in which country patients will be sent. That decision is not made by TCI Hospital.

What should I do if I have questions about my benefits or concerns with my NHIP card?

The NHIB has excellent service representatives located at Salt Mills Plaza in Providenciales (649 941 8861) and in Grand Turk on Hospital Road (649 946 2611). If you have a problem with your card, contact them immediately. The Hospital does not approve NHIP coverage or issue NHIP cards to patients. NHIB has provided the Hospital’s patient registration services with software to allow quick identification of eligibility when the NHIP card number is entered into this system. If there are issues with your card contact NHIB immediately so they can investigate and respond to you. Please avoid taking your frustration out on Hospital staff, as these matters are out of their control.

This message was brought to you by the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital

Page 24

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

LOCAL LOCALNEWS NEWS

Samantha Williams-Glinton Memorial Service Home going Service for The late Samantha Williams-Glinton was held on Saturday August 8th at the Paradise Baptist church in Five Cays Providenciales Turks & Caicos Islands and was well attended by family, friends & Colleagues from around the TCI. May her soul rest in Peace.

Below are highlights from the service

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 25

Page 26

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Beaches launches ‘I Am Sandals’ Video Campaign

It was a proud moment for staff at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa on Thursday, August 13th when the hotel launched its “I Am Sandals” promotional video campaign.

During a breakfast press conference at the Key West Village conference room, several

Beaches employees and vendors gave testimonies of how working at, and with, the hotel changed their lives for the better.

Those in attendance also got the opportunity to watch actual videos of the testimonies which will be aired on the local media.

CEO of Sandals Resorts International, Adam Stewart, also traced the history of Beaches in the Turks and Caicos Islands and spoke about the success and some of the challenges on the hotel.

These photographs capture the event.

Page 27

Page 28

LOCAL NEWS

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

FUN & GAMES

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 29

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN JUNE 28TH - JULY 5TH, 2008 Page 37 TURKS & CAICOS SUN AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

Page 30

FUN & GAMES

FUN & GAMES

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

FUN & GAMES TURKS & CAICOS SUN

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 7TH - AUGUST 14TH, 2009

August 3-9, 2009

KFWS • MindGym August 3-9, 2009

Health Savings Accounts

Health Savings Accounts offer a way to put aside money for medical expenses with pre-tax dollars. Not everyone qualifies for an HSA, but for those who do, it can be a way to save money and reduce your taxes.

The main requirement for an HSA is that you have a high-deductible health insurance policy, and that it is your only coverage. Highdeductible policies are those with deductibles of more than $1,150 for individuals and $2,300 for families.

One of the benefits of a high-deductible health policy is lower premium costs.

Another requirement is the cap on your out-of-pocket Answers annual expenses (including deductibles and co-payments). For individuals that amount is $5,800 and $11,600 for families.

Annual contributions to an HSA are limited to $3,000 for individuals and $5,950 for families. For those age 55 or older who want to start an HSA and catch up on contributions, an additional $1,000 is allowed.

You must be under age 65 and not claimed as a dependent on anyone else’s tax return.

If you spend the money during the year on qualified

King Features Weekly Service

KFWS • MindGym

FUN & GAMES

August 3-9, 2009

butions are tax free. However, if you spend the funds for non-medical expenses before you reach age 65, you’ll have to pay the taxes on that money as well as a 10 percent penalty. After that age, you only pay the taxes.

Three big benefits: You can take your HSA with you if you change jobs or health insurance policies. The money rolls over from year to year and accumulates.

You can use the money for things your medical insurance might not cover, such as dental and eye care.

Signing up for an HSA is easy. Sign up through a bank or an insurance company. The hard part is deciding on the insurance policy itself, and that’s where an adviser can come in handy.

For tax information, look for Internal Revenue Service Publication 969. (Note that the qualifying deductible and out-of-pocket expenses still show the lower figures for 2008, and they haven’t begun calculating for 2009 yet.)

For 2010, the maximum contribution amounts will be $3,050 for an individual and $6,150 for a family. The catch-up amount for those 55 and older will be unchanged at $1,000.

David Uffington regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to column reply@gmail.com.

Page 35 Page 31

—

Page 32

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Hallmark Trust Ltd Seeks candidates for a Financial Controller who will also be the Company’s Anti-Money Laundering and Compliance Officer, the successful candidate must be a chartered accountant with at least seven years experienced and must have a thorough understanding of US GAAP, Canadian GAAP and IFRS accounting. The candidate’s experience should include working for one of the four big accounting firms (KPMG, E&Y, PWC and Deloitte) in auditing. The successful candidate must be able to manage the annual audit and direct multiple persons to meet the expectations of the Board of Directors. Excellent writing and verbal skills are essential. Post secondary education is necessary. This position also requires a thorough knowledge of Quickbooks, Outlook, Excel & Word. Drop Resume off at Hallmark Trust Ltd Courtyard Plaza suite A1 Providenciales.

Vacancy British Caribbean Bank is looking for applicants to fill the role of a Supervisor-Credit.

Interested parties should posses: •At least 10 tears banking experience; •Professional Qualifications in the field of Banking or Finance; •Experience in Retail Banking, Operations, Commercial Lending, Relationship Management and Computer Literacy Contact: PO Box 270, 101 Governor’s Road, Leeward, Providenciales Belongers need only apply

 

   •   •     •  •   •  •          

A & W SPENDLESS MARKET SEEKS LABOURER

ELEGANT BEAUTY SALON SEEKS 1 HAIRDRESSER SALARY $6.50 PER HOUR 3 DAYS PER WEEK CONTACT 241-4404

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

For all your advertising needs Contact (649)-339-5879 or email: sun@suntci.com TATTOO BAR GRILL SEEKS 2 CHEFS, - SALARY $6.25 1BARTENDER - $6.25 PER HOUR 2 COCKTAIL WAITRESSES - $6.25 PER HOUR INTERESTED PERSONS SHOULD CONTACT 946-8876

APPLICANT MUST BE HONEST RELIABLE AND HARD WORKING CONTACT: 946-5799

Salary $400 per week 7 days per week Contact 347-9039

Louis Mary Francois is seeking a Domestic Worker to work taking care of the house and children, Monday – Saturday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, salary $6.50 per hour, please contact # 346 5647 for details

Salary $6.25 per hour BARBER Needed must be willing to work on weekends and public holiday Contact 333-1236

HOLTON WILLIAMS SEEKS

HELP WANTED

Nazaire Mompremier is seeking assistance in Finding a Labourer to work at his home and yard, Five (5) days a week, Monday – Friday , 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, salary of $6.50 per hour, please Contact #346 5647 for further details.

PASSION BEAUTY SALON N SUPPLY

Salary $6.25 per hour

1 LABOURER 6 days per week Contact M Handfield (649) 243-4620

1 LABOURER TO WORK IN NORTH CAICOS 6 DAYS A WEEK $7.00 AN HOUR CONTACT # 246-1721

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

CARIBBEAN WORLD

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 33

CARIBBEAN NEWS

NEWS NEWS

Stinking seaweed on Caribbean beaches causes tourists to cancel holidays

However, when it comes to meeting of the 15-nation Caribbean Community, in an effort to sort out the shore, it causes problems - and the cleanup efforts, which may include tourist-repelling stinking seaweed.

“This has been the worst year large machinery, could damage the we’ve seen so far. We really need to shorelines even more.

Mexican authorities recently have a regional effort on this because this unsightly seaweed could end up announced they will spend around affecting the image of the Caribbean,” $9.1 million (£5.9 million) and hire said Christopher James, chairman 4,600 temporary workers to clean up of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism seaweed that has accumulated along the country’s Caribbean coast.

Association.

Part of this fund will also be

There are multiple theories about the origin of the seaweed boom, used in research to see if the sargassum including rising ocean temperatures can be collected at sea before reaching and changing currents, both the the shore.

Despite, the smell, some product of climate change.

Some researchers also think tourists are soldiering on.

“The smell of seaweed is that it is down to increasing levels of pollutants, such as fertiliser and terrible, but I’m enjoying the sun,” Seaweed blankets the beach in Cancun, Mexico. The huge influx of sargassum has hit most of the sewage waste, running into the oceans German tourist Oliver Pahlke said Caribbean this year and prompted cancellations from tourists. during a visit to Cancun, Mexico. and fuelling the algae blooms.

Sitting at a picnic table on the As well as making picturesque

Authorities across the This year’s seaweed crisis is being Caribbean are working hard to clean called the worst yet - with a number Caribbean beaches smell bad, the south coast of Barbados, Canadian up huge piles of smelly rotting seaweed of beaches so badly hit that summer seaweed can also have major vacationer Anne Alma said reports on their beaches that are causing holidays have been cancelled and detrimental environmental effects - it of the rotting seaweed mounds she’d tourists to cancel their holidays. lawmakers on Tobago are referring to can kill fish and newly-hatched sea heard from friends did not dissuade her turtles, and can even create coastal from visiting the Eastern Caribbean

The brown seaweed, called it as a “natural disaster”. sargassum, has long washed up on Due to the high heat, humidity dead zones, areas of low-oxygen waters island.

“I just wonder where the Caribbean coastlines. and rainfall during the summer that make it hard for marine life to seaweed is going to go,” the Toronto

However, algae blooms have months, peak tourist season in the exist. when not resident said one recent morning, risen sharply in extent and frequency Caribbean is usually between mid- Sargassum, polluting beaches, it an essential part watching more of mats drift to shore in recent years, causing the seaweed to December and April. smell bad. In worse news for tourists, Many Caribbean nations rely of the ecosystem in the Sargasso Sea, even after crews had already trucked the seaweed also attracts biting sand heavily on tourism, and some officials providing habitats for mahi-mahi, away big piles to use as mulch and fertilizers. fleas, which can cause itchy red sores. are now calling for an emergency tuna, eels, shrimp and sea turtles.

Haiti’s First Election In Four Years Rocked With Violence And Low Turnout

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Haitians voted Sunday for the first time in four years in a test of stability for an impoverished country continually rocked by political turmoil.

Men armed with rocks and bottles attacked polling stations in the capital of Port-au-Prince and about 50 of 1,500 voting centers around the country were “affected” by a mixture of violence and bureaucratic problems, according to Haiti’s official Electoral Council.

The council’s head, Pierre-Louis An armed soldier keeps watch outside a polling station Opont, did not elaborate and said it was too early to know how many Since January, the 119-member Due to a mix of poverty, ballots were impacted.

Chamber of Deputies has sat insecurity and political corruption

Voting was extended two empty, and the Senate, with only turnout was forecast to be low hours at some polling stations 10 of its 30 members, has failed to with results not expected for six that opened late or were forced to field a quorum. to 10 days. Runoffs are set for Oct. suspend voting.

“Credible, inclusive, 25, the same day as the first round

The Caribbean nation translucent and fair elections of presidential voting. of about 10 million people has are key to long-term stability Following a violent struggled to build a stable in Haiti,” Sandra Honoré, the campaign, the election was a democracy ever since the special representative of the U.N. test for the Haitian National overthrow of the dictatorship of secretary general in Haiti, told Police, which has taken full the Duvalier family, which led Reuters on the eve of the vote. control of security during election Haiti from 1957 to 1986, and President Michel Martelly, season from a downsized U.N. ensuing military coups and who cannot run for re-election, peacekeeping force. election fraud. has dozens of candidates running The National Network for the

The country was also throughout the country under the Protection of Human Rights devastated by an earthquake in so-called Haitian Tet Kale (Bald reported five election-related 2010 that flattened large parts Headed) Party (PHTK), named assassinations in the last month of the capital, including the after his famously smooth scalp. and 26 people wounded. presidential palace, killings tens The Vérité (Truth) Party of former Frantz Lerebours, a of thousands of people. president René Préval and the spokesman for Haiti’s national Haiti’s parliament Lavalas Family party, linked to police, said that 26 of the 1,508 dissolved in January after twice-deposed former president voting centers suspended scheduled legislative elections in Jean-Bertrand Aristide, are also operations due to disturbances.

2011 and 2014 were canceled. running candidates.

Used car loans on increase in Barbados

The current economic climate has constrained the pockets of many Barbadians, but chief executive officer of Signia Financial Group, Paul Ashby says it has not stopped people from borrowing money.

In fact, as people descended on Signia’s Haggatt Hall, St Michael used car lot recently for the launch of their One Week Special Offer programme, he was sure this trend would continue.

He told BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY Barbadians were still very conservative spenders and that while many were cash-strapped they still needed transportation. In this vein, the lending agency had realised that customers adjusted their wants to ensure they did not supercede their financial capabilities.

So whereas an average size loan was traditionally in the range of $50 000 to $60,000, in the present environment people are looking for cheaper vehicles in the range of $15 000 to $20 000.

“We do sell new vehicles but the majority of people are interested in the used vehicles. If you look on the road there are still lots of vehicles so they still want transportation . . . which is another reason we are doing this sale because a lot of these vehicles have a lower value and it would appeal to a different demographic which is out there now, where people actually want vehicles that are affordable,” he said.

Page 34

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

CARIBBEAN NEWS

Baha Mar CEO never imagined fight with Bahamian government

The government’s attempts to Baha Mar has been granted leave appoint a handpicked liquidator to appeal.

“The government’s is the wrong decision and our fighting those efforts in courts decision to withhold payment in the Bahamas and the United of your salaries is deplorable States for months and years will and I hope we can prevail on the only lead to the slow death of the government to either pay the very thing we have been trying salaries to allow the debtor in to create. The delays created possession financing (approved by the winding up petition, the by a US bankruptcy court) to uncertainty of the process and proceed,” Mr Izmirlian said.

“Our unwavering priority the government’s inability or unwillingness to explain its plans continues to be to reach an has led to an untenable situation.” outcome that enables Baha Mar

He added: “After 13 to complete construction and open Trinidad Opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley. years of working on Baha Mar, the resort to the benefit of the overcoming the great recession Bahamas. However this cannot be Baha Mar developer Sarkis Izmirlian: “I and being 97 per cent complete, done without our talented team.” never imagined I would find myself fighting I never imagined I would find He added that delays in with the very government that asked me to myself fighting with the very reaching an agreement means the invest in the Bahamas in the first place.” government that asked me to opportunity to open this year is

In a recent memo sent invest in the Bahamas in the shrinking fast.

“The next two weeks are to Baha Mar employees, resort first place. Our position however When the Government is not sending people developer Sarkis Izmirlian said in remains the same, we will work critical and we will continue to to kill him, they are paying people to lie on him, says his 13 years working on the project with the government of the work in faith will all parties.”

Opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley.

Mr Izmirlian also said he “never imagined” he would be Bahamas cooperatively towards He did not elaborate on the last part of the “fighting” with the government the rapid and successful opening that on August 17, the Delaware statement. bankruptcy court will consider over the $3.5 billion property. of Baha Mar.” His charge came in the midst of allegations by

Mr Izmirlian also As the fate of the a previously filed incentive former Express journalist Anika Gumbs that he made lamented that the project has property’s more than 2,000 programme for Baha Mar workers inappropriate statements to her at three meetings “now been usurped for political employees remain in limbo, Mr “in the event that we are left with she had with him in January and April this year at reasons.” He also hit out at Izmirlian stressed that Baha no alternative but to temporarily his home and Port-of-Spain office. the government’s “deplorable” Mar’s main focus this week is maintain, rather than operate She alleged in one meeting at his home he decision not to pay the resort’s to “explore ways” to pay its non- Baha Mar.” was bareback and asked her if she would like him to

In court papers filed in the be her bodyguard outside her bedroom door. foreign workers their salaries on Bahamian workers. payday last week.

Last week the government US, Baha Mar previously revealed He also allegedly touched her back and asked

His comments came a decided it was not going to pay plans to reduce staff to a “skeleton” about a tattoo she had there and in another meeting day after Minister of Foreign Baha Mar’s expatriate workers operation of around 50 workers if told her she was looking rosy, she said. and Immigration Fred Mitchell their salaries although it has paid it cannot come to an agreement Rowley’s charge that the Government was reminded the resort CEO that his the property’s Bahamian workers with Chinese stakeholders to get paying people to lie about him was made at the permanent resident status in this for three pay periods since the the resort open. announcement of the PNM’s two Tobago candidates, Recently on the Star Shamfa Cudjoe and Ayanna Webster-Roy, in Market country could be revoked after his resort filed for bankruptcy on “attacks” against Prime Minister June 29. Bahamian employees FM radio show “Jeffrey,” Mr Square, Scarborough, last evening. are paid bi-weekly while expat Izmirlian said he did not think He was addressing a crowd of PNM supporters.

Perry Christie.

Prime Minister Perry Christie

“ . . .Today we find workers are paid monthly.

On the issue of the threat on his life, he said ourselves fighting against the Baha Mar had received was acting in the best interest of for the first time in his 30 years in politics he felt government of the Bahamas,” the green light from a US judge the country as it relates to Baha afraid for his life at a political meeting recently.

Mr Izmirlian wrote to Baha to access debtor in possession Mar. He added that voters will He said it is the first time an opposition Mar’s staff, referred to as resort financing to pay staff while it was ultimately decide at the polls if leader is attacked so much by a government. undergoing bankruptcy, however they agree with the government’s “citizens.”

PNM PRO Faris Al-Rawi has claimed that

“What was a commercial this order had to be approved handling of the matter. there is confirmation of a paid hit on Rowley’s life.

Mr Izmirlian has said his transaction to be dealt with by by the Supreme Court of the National Security Minister Carl Alfonso, private parties has now been Bahamas. The application was family has invested almost $900 however, has denied knowledge of this. usurped for political reasons. denied in this jurisdiction, but million into the project to date.

Alfonso said while the matter may have reached the Commissioner of Police the information has not been forwarded to him.

Rowley also responded to criticisms from other political parties in Tobago that the PNM selected “two little girls” as candidates in the general election.

The Belize to find information in

He described them as “stout and strong Defence Force (BDF) terms of the tail number lieutenants” who will win Tobago East and Tobago says it is in possession on it. We’ve checked with West. of a Bell 407 helicopter our partners in Mexico

Rowley said no political party will be going that was apparently and we’ve also checked into government without these two seats and told abandoned by drug with our partners all the Tobagonians they will decide who wins. He also dealers on a feeder road way in Colombia, but dismissed all other political parties contesting the in the Blue Creek area, they cannot ascertain two Tobago seats, barring the Hochoy Charles-led in the Orange Wale who really owns that Platform of Truth, as “UNC parties.”

The siezed helicopter District. helicopter.

The other two political entities are the “What they’ve been involved in illegal helicopter, it didn’t have Tobago Forwards, led by former Minister of Tobago

Media reports anything luxury in it. Development, Delmond Baker, and the Tobago said that the Anti- informed us is that activities.

Narcotics Unit had the tail numbers on it “The fact that it had a The way it looked as Organisation of the People (TOP). received intelligence may be misleading as fuel pump apart from the if though it was going Baker broke away from the TOP and formed that the helicopter was to who owns it. So it tank that holds the fuel, to be used for a long the Tobago Forwards. circling in the Blue is not ascertained at there was a pump inside distance patrol because The TOP, part of the People’s Partnership Creek area, which is the moment who owns the helicopter itself so the portion where you coalition government, is led by Ashworth Jack. notoriously known for the helicopter. The fact that when the main tank have the seats, those Rowley’s charge was supported by Webster-Roy, the illicit drug activity. is that we have the runs out, there was extra were replaced by fuel PNM’s Tobago East candidate, in her address.

B D F helicopter in custody fuel inside the main containers. So it is packed She warned Tobagonians that all political Commandant, Brigadier and it is over at our air cabin to pump fuel back with fuel containers so parties campaigning in the island, apart from the inside the tank. So based that when it reaches a PNM, are agents of the UNC. General David Jones wing.” told reporters that it is B r i g a d i e r on that, we suspect that certain journey, they can Whatever their symbol, jersey colour, still unknown where the Jones said that the it was used for illegal just refuel while in the whoever they say is funding their campaign and how air or they can go on the independent they say they are, they are all UNC helicopter, discovered on activities,” he said. helicopter came from.

“Looking at that ground and refuel again.” agents, she said.

“We’ve tried Wednesday, may have

Trinidad opposition leader says government sending people to kill him

Authorities in Belize seize abandoned helicopter

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 35

CARIBBEAN NEWS

Cuba’s tourism boom leaves some worrying they’ll be left out

In this July 25, 2015 photo, a woman in costume prepares for the carnival parade to start in Santiago, Cuba.

SANTIAGO, Cuba — This 500-year-old city smells of fresh paint and varnish.

Residents stroll along a recently completed harbor promenade under gleaming new streetlights, enjoying sea breezes while relaxing on newly installed metal benches.

Missing are the tourists. As foreign visitors flood Havana and a select group of other colonial cities and beach resorts, Cuba’s second-largest city is suffering a tourist drought.

Santiago saw less than a tenth of the tourist traffic in Havana last year and less than a 20th of the visitors to the beach resort of Varadero even amid large-scale government investment in renovating the city for its 500th anniversary this summer.

Other Cuban cities are seeing similarly stagnant visitor numbers despite the dramatic surge in overall tourism set off by the announcement of detente between the U.S. and Cuba.

That’s raising concerns that a rising tide of tourist dollars will leave some areas of Cuba booming and

others struggling against a backdrop of broader economic stagnation.

“They’re promoting Havana and the center of the country but they’ve forgotten about Santiago,” said Gladys Domenech, who rents tourists a room in her home in the historic center that features a terrace with a sweeping view of the Caribbean.

The city sits about 500 miles (800 kilometers) east of Havana on highways that narrow outside the capital to horrifically rutted roads clogged with horse carts, bicyclists and stray cows. The journey by road can last 15 hours, and far longer in Cuba’s notoriously unreliable and uncomfortable inter-city buses.

Train and domestic plane tickets are virtually impossible to obtain without waiting hours in lines that may or may not end in satisfaction. There are only three flights a week from the U.S. Cruise ships provide a promising new potential source of visitors, although dockings here remain relatively rare.

“It’s tough for those who go to Havana and want to come here,” said

Senior minister calls for decriminalisation of attempted suicide

GEORGETOWN Guyana – The Guyana Police Force (GPF) Thursday launched its suicide prevention hotline with a senior government minister calling for the decriminalisation of attempted suicide in the country.

“Guyana should move toward the decriminalization of attempted suicide. I would like to hear the arguments from the other side to hear why it would remain on the lawbooks,” said Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan adding it would be a useful debate on the matter.

Attempted suicide is punishable by a maximum of two years imprisonment and Ramjattan said that Guyana is one of few countries in the region where attempted suicide is a crime.

He said the United States, Canada and the whole of Europe have all done away with that offence.

Latest available statistics show that on average there are 86 suicides per 100,000 here.

Ramjattan said that with “extraordinarily high rates” of suicide, recent data from the Guyana Police Force showed there were 97 reported cases last year of which 68 were male East Indians.

For the first six months of this year, 46 people have committed suicides of which 29 were mostly male East Indians.

Ramjattan said that penal action is “wholly unnecessary and self-defeating” because convicts are jailed rather than provided counselling and medical assistance and that decriminalizing attempted suicide pushes suicide-prone persons underground making them introverts.

The Public Security Minister is also advocating for a multi-sectoral approach, a change in culture, an end to stigma and discrimination and the removal of pesticides and other poisons from the hands of suicidal persons.

He called on the Pesticides and Poisons Board to engage in aggressive public awareness campaigns and households, dealers and farmers to ensure that pesticides are kept in closed and secured places.

Experts say that suicide is caused by several factors such as child abuse, corporal punishment, alcohol abuse , domestic violence, terminal illness, family dysfunction, inability of the male to perform the role of breadwinner and poor coping strategies.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that in 2012, there were 804,000 suicides globally and Ramjattan said “this report indicates that incidence of suicide was among the highest in the world heavily skewed to makes compared to females”.

Virgen Maria Jerez, owner of an elegant private restaurant near Domenech’s home in central Santiago. “Transport is vital and we’re disconnected.”

Those who do reach Santiago find a city rich with history but hampered by what visitors and residents alike call substandard accommodations, few high-quality restaurants and a lack of fun things to do at night. Cuban officials say Santiago has roughly 1,500 of Cuba’s 60,000 hotel rooms, far fewer than it needs.

Santiago’s promoters lament that tourists are missing out on the city’s rich Afro-Cuban culture, its meandering streets, colonial architecture and its prized role as the home of Cuban musical genres such as trova and son.

What’s more, it has a unique underwater park with seven ships sunk during the Spanish-American War, accessible by small boat or a scuba dive.

“It’s a treasure that we have to show off,” said Vicente Gonzalez, head of Santiago’s Center for Cultural and Natural Underwater Heritage.

Along with the new oceanfront malecon and the restoration of homes in the city’s historic center, the Cuban government has built a new theater and an artisanal brewpub as part of a broader reconstruction and improvement effort that began after Hurricane Sandy devastated the city in 2012.

Another potential draw, particularly for American tourists, is the memorial to Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, who fought on the city’s San Juan Hill in one of the most famous battles of the Spanish-American War that freed Cuba from Spanish rule.

But virtually every tourist establishment in the city closes at 10 p.m., leaving the streets dark and silent.

Last year, Santiago had 297,918 visitor-days, an industry measure of the number of tourists who arrived in the city multiplied by the number of days each stayed. That was a 6 percent rise over 2013, but the overall number remains tiny compared to flow of tourists in Havana, which had nearly 3 million visitor days, or Varadero with 7.8 million, according to Jose Luis Perello, a professor of tourism at the University of Havana.

Some advocates of U.S. travel to Cuba says they are optimistic about Santiago’s future, particularly since American tourists remain barred from pure tourism and must participate mostly in cultural or educational activities well-suited to historic sites like Santiago.

“The city and the region have much to offer. It’s just a question of time before tourism in Santiago starts growing,” said Tom Popper, head of Insight Cuba, one of the largest operators of U.S. tours to Cuba.

In this July 25, 2015 photo, a costumed dog parades during the carnival in Santiago, Cuba.

Caribbean Airlines to end London route PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – The state-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL) says it will be ending its three weekly flights to London early next year because it is not profitable.

In a statement, CAL said in addition to stop servicing the route in the first quarter of 2016, it would also be retiring the Boeing 767s from its fleet.

The London service was launched in 2012, however the route performed below expectations. CAL said that the Boeing 767-300s would be returned to the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).

The airline, which registered a loss

of US$60 million last year, said it is taking measures to suspend loss-making routes and optimise its fleet and so far this year returned two Boeing 737-800s, with two more to be removed soon, reducing the fleet size to just 12 of that model.

CAL said the move will allow it to reduce operational costs while focusing on its North American prime routes - Fort Lauderdale, New York and Toronto and allowing it to compete harder for the budget-wise leisure travellers on these routes.

Since 2013, CAL has been competing with increased competition from low-budget airlines

such as Jet Blue and increased flights by US mainline airlines.

In February, Finance Minister Larry Howai told legislators that the unaudited accounts showed a loss of US$60 million and that the airline had developed a strategy plan which envisaged it breaking even by 2017.

Howai said the transformation of CAL would take three to four years following a consistent company strategy to achieve identified objectives with major milestones targeted during this period.

He said this strategy plan was recently developed and completed towards the end of last year.

Page 36

WORLD

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

NEWS

Fidel Castro to US: you owe us millions

Havana - Fidel Castro marked his 89th birthday Thursday by insisting the United States owes Cuba “many millions of dollars” because of the half-century-old American trade embargo.

Castro spoke out in an essay published in local media a day before US Secretary of State John Kerry makes a historic visit to Cuba to reopen the US embassy as part of the countries’ restoration of diplomatic relations.

The trade embargo that the United States slapped on communist Cuba in 1962, three years after Castro seized power by ousting a US-backed regime, remains in effect despite the thawing.

President Barack Obama wants Congress to lift it, although US officials say this will take time and is not an automatic part of the restoration of ties as it requires congressional

action.

Many Republicans, who control both chambers of the legislature, oppose the idea, insisting Cuba has to improve its human rights record and make other democratic reforms.

Castro wrote: “Cuba is owed compensation equivalent to damages, which total many millions of dollars, as our country has stated with irrefutable arguments and data in all of its speeches at the United Nations.”

He did not go into detail on precisely how much money he reckons Washington owes Havana.

The Americans are also claiming compensation for US-owned property, such as real estate, that was confiscated when Castro took power.

Castro made no mention either of Kerry’s visit to reopen the embassy, a step that comes eight months after Obama and Castro’s successor and brother Raul announced

Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro turned over power to his brother in 2006 plans to restore relations. It officially took effect July 20.

Fidel Castro ceded power to his brother in 2006, stepping down because of poor health.

Over the years, Fidel Castro has been a frequent contributor of essays to the communist party newspaper Granma and other media.

Thursday’s was his first piece since May 8.

“Writing is a way to be useful,

if you keep in mind that we poor humans must be more and better educated in the face of the incredible ignorance that surrounds us all, except for researchers who use science to seek a satisfactory answer,” Castro wrote.

Castro’s 89th birthday is being celebrated with a wide array of events.

In town to take part is Bolivia’s populist President Evo Morales, who often refers to Castro as his “wise grandfather.”

Britain says to protest to Ecuador over Assange asylum

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

Britain said on bring charges.

Thursday it would make a However, they said formal protest to Ecuador over they would push on with an its decision to provide asylum investigation into an allegation to WikiLeaks founder Julian of rape made in 2010 against Assange in its London embassy him.

Assange, who denies and so prevent his extradition to Sweden over alleged sex any wrongdoing, has been holed up in Ecuador’s London embassy crimes.

“Ecuador must since June 2012 to avoid being recognize that its decision to extradited to Sweden.

He fears he would harbor Mr Assange more than three years ago has prevented then be extradited to the the proper course of justice,” United States where he could British Foreign Office minister be tried for one of the largest Hugo Swire said in a statement. information leaks in U.S. history

The comments came after publishing thousands of after Swedish prosecutors secret U.S. diplomatic cables dropped inquiries into three five years ago which infuriated allegations of sexual molestation Washington.

Assange breached his and unlawful coercion against the 44-year-old Australian as bail conditions to go to the they had run out of time to embassy and British police

have guarded the building in the upmarket central London neighborhood of Knightsbridge day and night ever since, at an estimated cost of more than 10 million pounds ($15.6 million).

“It is completely unacceptable that the British taxpayer has had to foot the bill for this abuse of diplomatic relations,” said Swire, adding Britain still had a legal obligation to extradite Assange while the rape allegation remained outstanding.

“I have instructed our ambassador in Quito to reiterate to Ecuador that the continuing failure to expedite the Swedish Prosecutor’s interview and to bring this situation to an end, is being seen as a growing stain on the country’s reputation.”

Huge blasts at Chinese port kill 50, injure more than 700

Two huge explosions tore through an industrial area where toxic chemicals and gas were stored in the northeast Chinese port city of Tianjin, killing at least 50 people, including at least a dozen fire fighters, officials and state media said on Thursday.

At least 700 people were injured, more than 71 seriously, the Tianjin government said on its Weibo microblog, and the official Xinhua news agency said two fires were still burning.

Wednesday night’s blasts, so large that they were seen by satellites in space, sent shockwaves through

apartment blocks kilometers away in the port city of 15 million people. Internet videos showed fireballs shooting into the sky and the U.S. Geological Survey registered the blasts as seismic events.

Vast areas of the port - the 10th largest in the world - were devastated, crumpled shipping containers were thrown around like match sticks, hundreds of new cars were torched and port buildings left as burnt-out shells, Reuters witnesses said.

“I was sleeping when our windows and doors suddenly shook as we heard explosions outside. I first thought it was an earthquake,”

Burnt cars are seen near the site of the explosions at the Binhai new district, Tianjin, August 13, 2015.

Guan Xiang, who lives 7 km (4 miles) away from the explosion site, told Reuters by telephone.

Guan, 24, said he saw flames and a mushroom cloud in the sky as he and other residents scrambled to get out of the building.

Tianjin authorities said 12 firefighters were among the 44 killed.

The cause of the blasts was being investigated but Xinhua said several containers caught fire beforehand.

Industrial accidents are not

uncommon in China following three decades of breakneck economic growth. A blast at an auto parts factory in eastern China killed 75 people a year ago when a room filled with metal dust exploded.

The state-run Beijing News earlier cited Tianjin fire authorities as saying they had lost contact with 36 firefighters. By late afternoon, Xinhua reported 18 were missing, while 66 were among the hundreds of people being treated in nearby hospitals.

Xinhua said 1,000 firefighters and more than 140 fire engines were struggling to contain a blaze in a warehouse that held “dangerous goods”.

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 37

WORLD NEWS

Trumps female fans shrug off blood comment about TV host

It’s easy to find female fans of Trexlertown on Monday. “I’m not fed Donald Trump in this cluster of former up with Donald Trump. I’m fed up with factory towns in the hills west of New (U.S. President) Barack Obama.”

York City even after his comments She said she was not put about Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly off by Trump’s performance in last that have been widely interpreted as week’s Republican presidential debate. referring to her menstrual cycle.

Trump bristled when Kelly, one of the

The loud-mouthed real estate moderators, said he had called women mogul, who holds a wide lead over “fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting rivals in the Republican race for the animals” in the past.

White House, has been unapologetic, Trump accused her of political despite pundits saying his clash with correctness and of not treating him Kelly could hurt him with women with respect. In a CNN interview on voters and halt his meteoric rise in the Friday he said of Kelly: “You could see polls. there was blood coming out of her eyes,

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll blood coming out of her - wherever.” suggests Trump - who has dominated That comment was seen as coverage of the 2016 election with a implying she had been menstruating series of flame-throwing comments during the debate, although Trump about illegal Mexican immigrants, the has repeatedly denied this and said he war record of Senator John McCain had been referring to her nose. and Kelly - may in fact still be leading among women Republican supporters. “A LITTLE ROUGH AROUND THE

There’s evidence of that support EDGES” in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, even though the county leans Democrat. A “Shame on the public for third of women randomly interviewed presuming something, for putting

by Reuters on the street self-identified words in his mouth,” said Evonne as Trump supporters and said they Groody, 28, a nurse in Allentown, still supported him.

Pennsylvania.

Kelly Ray, 34, a former Groody said Trump was her teacher and conservative Christian first choice for president even though who left work to home-school her two she’s a registered Democrat. children, said Trump was an attractive “Women are not offended by candidate because he was an outsider that at all,” said Lori Pesta, creator who had not held elected office. of Facebook group Women for Donald

“I like how disgusted he is in Trump, referring to Trump’s comment how things are right now,” she said about Kelly. The page, which has outside a Kohls department store in more than 600 “likes”, was launched

just days before the latest controversy erupted.

“It doesn’t matter what Donald Trump says. The news media is going to twist it. I heard the original comment and it shouldn’t have been taken that way,” she said.

Trump’s outspokenness is his most important quality, according to the women who like him. Women interviewed in Lehigh County and respondents in a Reuters/Ipsos poll praised his apparent honesty.

“He’s a little rough around the edges because he goes against the grain,” said Angie Brodie, 38, another nurse in Allentown.

To be sure, many of the women interviewed were vehemently opposed to Trump’s behavior. And the Reuters/ Ipsos poll, conducted between Aug. 7 and Aug. 11, appeared to show female support for Trump waning slightly, falling to 20 percent from 26 percent on Aug. 3. The poll had a credibility interval of 7.1 percentage points.

Trump’s comment about Kelly cost him at least one supporter: Renee Daily, 56, a grandmother in Trexlertown who said his candidacy had inspired her to register to vote for the first time in her life. On Monday she said she had given up on him.

“He just started to talk too much,” she said.

To win the presidency, Trump needs strong backing from women, who make up 53 percent of the U.S. electorate. At the moment, he has a

BIG MOUTH

Paradoxically, media attention to Trump’s comments about Kelly may be helping him shore up support.

Of the 17 Republican presidential hopefuls, Trump is arguably the most spontaneous speaker. “What I say is what I say,” he told Kelly in response to her question on women during the debate.

Spontaneity is an advantage, said Davida Charney, a rhetoric and writing professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

People protest outside the Luxe Hotel, where Donald Trump was expected to speak in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, United States

Hillary Clinton to give private email server to Justice Department

Three new Cosby accusers push list to near 50

Three more women joined the list Wednesday of nearly 50 women who have publicly accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault.

Crusading women’s-rights lawyer Gloria Allred, one of Cosby’s most persistent legal foes, introduced three new clients who claimed to have been abused by Cosby, at a press conference in her Los Angeles office where she has introduced Cosby accusers multiple times before.

The new accusers include two actors and one flight attendant. In introducing them, Allred alluded to the recent New York Magazine cover of three dozen Cosby accusers and one empty chair, symbolizing all the accusers who have not stepped forward publicly.

“It is my turn to take the empty chair, “ said Linda Ridgeway Whitedeer, a former actress, weeping a little in Allred’s office.

Whitedeer said she met Cosby through her ex-husband who was an executive at Cosby’s agency, the William Morris Agency. In 1971, she said, Cosby of forced her into oral sex in a lightning-quick attack minutes after she went into an empty room with him on a movie set and sat down in a chair. She said he grabbed the back of her head by her hair.

Afterward “he was mumbling that I had been blessed with his semen as if it were holy water,” she said. “He gloated over my humiliation. He had planned it. I was in shock.”

She said she never told anyone because she promised her ex not to do anything to embarrass him, because Cosby was too powerful in the industry and because she was worried about upsetting Cosby’s wife, Camille, who was pregnant at the time.

Colleen Hughes, a former American Airlines flight attendant, says she met Cosby on a flight in the early 1970s, and agreed to go to lunch with him.

While she freshened up in a hotel room, he ordered Champagne, then gave her some. She woke up hours later covered in semen, she says, and Cosby was gone.

She saw him again on another flight about a year later, he flirted with her again, apparently not recognizing her. She warned him to stay away from her fellow flight attendants or she would report him.

wider leader among men than women.

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton holds a campaign town hall meeting in Claremont, New Hampshire August 11, 2015

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is giving the U.S. Justice Department her private email server and a thumb drive of work-related emails from her tenure as secretary of state, a spokesman for her campaign said on Tuesday.

Clinton’s use of her private email for her work as America’s top diplomat came to light in March and drew fire from political opponents who accused her of sidestepping transparency and record-keeping laws.

The private account was linked to a server in her New York home. For months, Republican lawmakers have demanded that Clinton relinquish the server for inspection by an independent party, which Clinton said she was not willing to do. Some of those lawmakers quickly began issuing statements on Tuesday night, saying their concerns were

vindicated as not being motivated only by politics.

The Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation both declined to comment.

The FBI recently began looking into the security of the federal records and classified information contained among Clinton’s emails.

The U.S. government considers federal records to be government property.

The Justice Department has said the FBI began investigating after the inspector general who oversees the U.S. intelligence agencies, I. Charles McCullough III, formally notified them of his concern that there was classified information not in the government’s control.

McCullough has said he found at least four emails in a sample of 40 Clinton emails he was allowed to inspect contained information that was classified at the time it was sent, including two that contained information deemed “top secret”, the highest classification level. The government forbids the sending of classified information outside unsecured networks because it could harm national security if intercepted.

The statement from Nick Merrill, a Clinton campaign spokesman, suggested the hardware was being handed over as part of the FBI inquiry. It remained unclear whether this was in response to a government

request, or even came as the result of a subpoena.

“She pledged to cooperate with the government’s security inquiry, and if there are more questions, we will continue to address them,” Merrill said in a statement. He declined to provide further details. David Kendall, Clinton’s lawyer, did not respond to a request for comment.

The FBI has declined to give details about the nature of its investigation and who it might encompass, although it is likely to prove an unwelcome distraction for Clinton for months as she tries to keep voters focused on her policy proposals.

Throughout her four years as secretary of state under President Barack Obama, Clinton eschewed an official state.gov email address in favor of a private clintonemail.com email account run from a home computer server.

At least one senior aide, Huma Abedin, also used the server for some work email.

Clinton said the unusual arrangement broke no rules that were in force at the time, although the arrangement has caused long delays in providing federal records to lawmakers and the public to which they are entitled, critics say.

Trey Gowdy, the Republican chair of a U.S. House of Representatives committee investigating the killing of four Americans at a U.S. diplomatic building in Benghazi, Libya, has said his work has been hampered in this way.

Page 38

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

WORLD NEWS

Former US president Jimmy Carter reveals he has cancer Former U.S. Billy Carter.

Carter told the New President Jimmy Carter said on Wednesday that recent York Times in 2007 that he and liver surgery revealed he had other relatives had given blood cancer that had spread to for genetic studies seeking to help doctors diagnose the other parts of his body.

“I will be rearranging disease. my schedule as necessary Asked why he has so I can undergo treatment escaped cancer for so long by physicians at Emory while it devastated the rest Healthcare,” Carter, 90, said of his family he blamed in a statement. “A more smoking. “The only difference complete public statement will between me and my father be made when facts are known, and my siblings was that I possibly next week.” never smoked a cigarette,”

Carter, a Democrat, said Carter, former governor served as the 39th president of Georgia and a state senator. from 1977 to 1981 after “My daddy smoked regularly. defeating Republican All of them smoked.” incumbent Gerald Ford. He Jimmy Carter’s health was defeated for re-election became a matter of concern in 1980 by Republican Ronald in recent months after he cut short a trip to Guyana in May Reagan.

The Carter family has to observe national elections. a history of pancreatic cancer, At the time, the Carter Center including his parents, two in Atlanta said only that he sisters and younger brother had returned to his home state

Opposition party sues Malaysian PM over $700M in donations

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A Malaysian opposition party Wednesday filed a civil lawsuit against Prime Minister Najib Razak for alleged election offenses involving $700 million in his bank accounts.

The anti-graft agency recently announced the money, most of which was received ahead of March 2013 general elections, came from donations and not from state investment fund 1MDB.

The People’s Justice Party said the money was 26 times above the amount that Najib’s ruling National Front coalition was allowed to spend in the elections. The National Front, which has ruled since independence from Britain in 1957, won the elections but lost the popular vote for the first time to an opposition alliance that includes the People’s Justice Party.

The party’s vice president Nurul Izzah Anwar said the lawsuit will reveal “all kinds of bribes and corrupt tactics” allegedly used by the National Front to win the elections. With evidence of corrupt transactions, she said the results of the 2013 general elections should be nullified and new polls should be called.

The party also named 1MDB, the Election Commission and Adnan Mansor, the secretarygeneral of Najib’s ruling Malay party, in the lawsuit.

Government officials couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.

1MDB, set up in 2009 by Najib who still chairs its advisory board, has debts of 42 billion ringgit ($10.4 billion) after its energy ventures abroad faltered. Critics have voiced concern about 1MDB’s massive debt and lack of transparency.

The 1MDB crisis has partly contributed to the Malaysian currency crashing to 4 ringgit to the dollar on Wednesday, the lowest since the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.

Prime Minister Najib Razak

of Georgia after “not feeling well.”

The Carter Center said last week that he had undergone elective surgery at Emory University Hospital to remove a small mass in his liver and his prognosis was Former US president Jimmy Carter excellent.

The White House sympathy via Twitter from issued a statement saying Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr, that Democratic President who said the former president Barack Obama and the first “raised the moral chin bar for lady sent their “best wishes to public service.”

A Nobel Peace Prize President Carter for a fast and winner and activist on a range full recovery.”

It added: “Jimmy, of issues from global democracy you’re as resilient as they to women and children’s rights, come, and along with the rest as well as affordable housing, of America, we are rooting for Carter published his latest book last month, titled “A Full you.”

Republican Georgia Life: Reflections at Ninety.”

In July, he gave a Governor Nathan Deal and his wife issued a statement saying wide-ranging interview to Carter was “in their prayers Reuters Editor-at-Large Sir as he goes through treatment.” Harold Evans on his life from Carter also received words of his childhood on a Georgia

peanut farm to his presidency.

Carter recalled growing up in a home without running water or electricity, at a time when he said the daily wage was $1 for a man, 75 cents for a woman, and a loaf of bread cost 5 cents.

He said the civil rights movement led to important progress toward racial equality in the United States, but lamented “there’s still a great prejudice in police forces against black people and obviously some remnants of extreme racism.”

Tony Blair says Labour Party will be wiped out if Jeremy Corbyn wins leadership

The Labour party is in the worst danger in its 100year history and faces possible annihilation if Jeremy Corbyn wins the leadership, Tony Blair has warned. In a desperate appeal to Labour members and supporters, the former prime minister urged them to set aside their opinions about his three terms in power and save the party from self-destruction by rejecting Tony Blair Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn’s politics.

“It doesn’t matter whether intensification of the warnings of austerity and cuts preventing you’re on the left, right or centre and suggests there is mounting economic recovery.” In July, of the party, whether you used to panic in the party establishment Corbyn dismissed Blair’s “silly” support me or hate me,” he wrote. about the idea that Corbyn is warnings about his campaign “But please understand the danger heading for victory. His appeal is and highlighted the former prime we are in. The party is walking directed mostly at longstanding minister’s loss of support after the eyes shut, arms outstretched Labour members and newer Iraq war. over the cliff ’s edge to the jagged supporters who have joined Michael Meacher, a rocks below. This is not a moment “without an agenda”. Yet some MPs Labour former minister and to refrain from disturbing the who oppose Corbyn are concerned supporter of Corbyn, said Blairites serenity of the walk on the basis that it will backfire because of needed to understand that the it causes ‘disunity’. It is a moment their former leader’s divisive surge in enthusiasm for the for a rugby tackle, if that were reputation and would rather the Islington North MP represented possible.” message came from Ed Miliband the dismantling of the New

He made his plea in an or Gordon Brown.

Labour era. “It is the biggest nonarticle for the Guardian after a In the article, Blair said revolutionary upturning of the YouGov opinion poll suggested it was “laughable” to think that social order in modern British Corbyn, a veteran leftwinger, is Corbyn was offering anything politics,” he said. “The Blairite heading for a landslide victory, new and the situation was worse coup of the mid-1990s hijacked with Andy Burnham, Yvette even than during the 1980s in the the party to the Tory ideology Cooper and Liz Kendall having days of Michael Foot, who was at of ‘leave it all to the markets failed to enthuse the electorate. least a “towering figure”, and Tony and let the state get out of the

Last month, Blair urged Benn, who was “a huge political way’, and when asked what was people not to wrap themselves in character with a long experience her greatest achievement, Mrs a leftwing comfort blanket and of government”. “If Jeremy Thatcher triumphantly replied, claimed the that Conservatives Corbyn becomes leader, it won’t be ‘New Labour.’ want Corbyn to win, while his a defeat like 1983 or 2015 at the “After 20 years of former spin doctor Alastair next election. It will mean rout, swashbuckling capitalism, the Campbell this week called on possibly annihilation,” he wrote. people of Britain have said Labour members to pick “anyone In response to Blair’s enough, and Labour is finally but Corbyn”. article, a spokesman for the regaining its real principles and

If Jeremy Corbyn becomes Corbyn campaign said: “We are values.

Understandably, the leader it won’t be a defeat like keeping our campaign positive Blairite faction is disconcerted 1983 or 2015 at the next election. and remain focused on our policies by their abrupt loss of power, but It will mean rout that offer the sound economic they have a duty to remain loyal

However, Blair’s latest choice of investment and growth, to the Labour party as the left has article represents a significant not the politically driven agenda always done.”

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

WORLD NEWS

North Korea’s vice-premier Choe Yong-gon

South Korea’s government says it is monitoring reports that North Korea’s vice-premier Choe Yonggon was killed in May on the orders of Kim Jong-un.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 39

North Korea vice premier reportedly executed

Mr Choe was executed after he “expressed discomfort against the young leader’s forestation policy”, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reports.

Close to 70 officials have been killed under Kim Jong-un’s rule, Yonhap says.

The BBC has not been able to verify the claims. North Korea rarely confirms the South’s reports of executions.

Mr Choe was last seen publicly in December, South Korea’s unification ministry said.

The ministry said it was “closely monitoring the possibility of any changes in Choe’s circumstances”.

Few details about the execution were given by Yonhap, which is often first to report news from North Korea.

Choe Yong-gon was deputy minister of construction and building

material industries, and had gon for disagreeing with Kim Jongrepresented North Korea in trade un’s forestry policy bring into focus a talks in Seoul in the mid-2000s. programme that is closely followed by

He was appointed as one of the leader.

The country says it is suffering seven vice-premiers in June last year, and his promotion was seen by one its worst drought in a century, and analyst as a sign Pyongyang was keen that close to a third of rice paddies to maintain close ties with the South. have dried up.

In April, South Korea’s

Radio Free Asia says the intelligence agency said Kim Jong- country launched an intensive un had ordered the execution of 15 “greenification” programme last year, officials in the first four months of the with more power granted to every province’s forestry department. year.

And in a speech in February,

Among them was a forestry official who complained about the Kim Jong-un delivered a speech in leader’s forestation plan, the agency which he said: “At present, the forests said at the time, but it is not clear if of the country can be said to have reached a crossroads - whether to this man was Choe Yong-gon.

In May, the agency said perish for ever or to be restored.”

North Korean Defence Minister Hyon He also criticised officials for Yong-chol was reportedly executed seeking to respond to problems caused by anti-aircraft fire for apparently by flooding, rather than prevent showing disloyalty to the leader. The flooding in the first place by planting reports of the killing of Choe Yong- more trees.

Venezuela releasing jailed opposition leader to house arrest

Josephine King

92-Year-Old Woman Booted From Church Over Unpaid Tithes

In the words of Mahatma financial and physical participation.”

Gandhi, “I like your Christ, I do King, who served as a not like your Christians. Your member of the congregation for Christians are so unlike your more than 50 years, was naturally Christ.” shocked by the letter of removal.

For the second time this According to Simmons, his aunt year, we’re reporting on a church had been dealing with health that took their enforcement of complications and was considered sick and shut-in, which explains her tithing expectations too far.

According to WALB, lack of attendance. He also shared Josephine King, 92, recently received that during her 50-year membership a letter informing her that she has with the church, she has gone above been removed from the membership and beyond to show her support.

“You shouldn’t chase the roster at the First African Baptist individuals down,” said Simmons.

Church in Bainbridge, Georgia.

“Josephine King is no longer “You shouldn’t do that. If that’s the considered a member of the case, you’re money hungry.”

“You have to have money First African Baptist Church of Bainbridge, Georgia,” read Gerald to make these churches run, but it’s not about money,” Simmons Simmons, King’s nephew.

The letter, which was signed continued. “It’s about God. You have

by FABC Senior Pastor Derrick to put God first.”

Mike, claimed that King “has shown They know good and well that they non-support” to the ministry in the didn’t have to do Auntie JoJo like areas of “constant and consistent that.

CARACAS, Venezuela — One of the Venezuelan opposition’s most prominent leaders will be released to house arrest while he awaits trial, the government said Tuesday, stirring hope for the dozens of administration critics who remain behind bars.

The public prosecutor’s office announced that Daniel Ceballos, a former mayor of the restive western city of San Cristobal, would be released for health reasons. He suffered from kidney and stomach problems during a 20-day hunger strike in June, according to his supporters.

Attorney Juan Carlos Gutierrez said Ceballos, who is charged with “civil rebellion,” will be able to seek better medical care while living at the apartment of a relative in Caracas, but it is less than the full freedom he deserves.

The release could signal that the country’s socialist administration is taking a new approach to the more than 50 anti-government activists human rights groups say remain jailed on invented charges.

“Ceballos was jailed on some heavy charges. I think this is going to give the other prisoners a lot of reason to hope that the same thing will happen to them,” said Dimitris Pantoulas, a political and business consultant based in Caracas.

The 31-year-old former mayor went on a 20-day hunger strike with another jailed opposition leader, Leopoldo Lopez, to demand that the government set a date for congressional elections and release the people

they consider political prisoners.

The election date has now been set, and several prisoners have been freed.

In May, Ceballos won a primary from behind bars to run for a congressional seat, but elections officials later barred him from holding public office.

Ceballos was arrested in March 2014 on charges related to his support of anti-government demonstrations in San Cristobal that helped ignite a bloody nationwide protest movement. He was expected to be reunited with his wife and children Tuesday night, and to be bound by terms standard for this kind of release prohibiting him from speaking to the press, posting on social media, or engaging in political activity.

U.S. officials have made the release of Lopez and Ceballos a key demand in ongoing highlevel talks aimed at normalizing diplomatic relations.

Releasing Ceballos to house arrest allows the administration of President Nicolas Maduro to make a goodwill gesture to the international community, and may have the added benefit of taking away some of the opposition leader’s power as a symbol of injustice.

Pantoulas pointed to the case of Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma, who was released to house arrest for health reasons in April, and has become something of an afterthought in opposition calls to free political prisoners.

“When it’s house arrest, people don’t consider them jailed anymore,” Pantoulas said.

Page 40

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

BUSINESS &

TECHNOLOGY

Cheaper Chinese Currency Has Global Impact

Beijing signaled with its currency devaluation that the domestic economic slowdown it has failed to reverse is no longer a problem confined within China’s borders. It is now the world’s problem, too.

Chinese officials have cut interest rates four times in the past 12 months, increased the amount of money banks can lend out and pumped funds into the stock market—measures meant to boost domestic demand in the world’s second-largest economy. By devaluing the yuan, Chinese authorities are turning to a controversial growth-boosting tactic whose effects by their nature reverberate far and wide.

A cheaper yuan could help boost Chinese exports.

It also might complicate the Federal Reserve’s decision about when to start raising U.S. interest rates. It will pressure China’s direct trade

rivals, such as South Korea China had been propping up and Japan, to follow suit the yuan before letting it fall and let their own currencies by 2% against the dollar on fall. It raises risks of market Tuesday. The currency had volatility in other emerging appreciated 14% against a market economies.

More broad basket of currencies broadly it sends a signal to in the year before Tuesday’s investors that policy makers action, straining China’s in China and elsewhere are export sector. straining for tools to address The Obama the problem of slow growth. administration reacted

“This reinforces the cautiously, with a Treasury narrative from last month’s Department spokeswoman panic reaction to [its declining] saying “it is too early to stock market that Chinese judge the full implications of officials know their economy the change,” but noting that is slowing faster than the “China has indicated that the markets have priced in,” said changes announced today are Adam Posen, president of another step in its move to the Peterson Institute for a more market-determined International Economics. The exchange rate.” yuan, he added, might have Mr. Posen said the much further to fall. full global impact of China’s Chinese officials action won’t be known until framed their action as a officials signal in the days modest move toward a more ahead whether they are market-sensitive currency, prepared to let the currency something U.S. officials, the fall even further.

International Monetary Fund If that occurs, it could and others have long sought. pose a new challenge for the

Fed. A strengthening dollar has put downward pressure on import prices and broader inflation. Fed officials say they don’t want to raise shortterm rates from near zero until they are reasonably confident inflation will rise from low levels toward their 2% objective. More upward pressure on the dollar will make that harder to achieve.

Some Fed officials have signaled they are prepared to raise rates for the first time since 2006 at their policy meeting on Sept.

16-17. Taken by itself, the yuan devaluation might not persuade them to wait longer to raise rates. But a deepening yuan drop or other signals— such as recent declines in yields on U.S. Treasury notes and weak U.S. wage gains— could combine to give them pause.

“Yuan devaluation is disinflationary as all imports from China become cheaper,”

UK jobless total edges up by 25,000 UK unemployment there were 31.03 million people considers when to increase UK ticked up to 1.85 million in the in work during the quarter, interest rates.

April to June period, a rise of down 63,000 from the January Chris Williamson, 25,000 on the previous quarter. to March period but up 354,000 chief economist at Markit said

It is the first time in two from a year ago. “doves” on the Monetary Policy years that there have been two The employment rate - the Committee may see the labour consecutive rises in the number proportion of people aged 16 to market data as confirmation of people out of work.

64 in work - was 73.4%, up from that the economy has started to But over the last 12 months 72.8% a year ago. slow, but he put it down to skill employment levels are still The unemployment rate shortages. markedly higher with 354,000 in the UK was highest in the “Some of the weakening more people in work than a year North East (8.1%) of England in the employment trend is simply earlier. and lowest in the South West due to companies being unable

There has also been a (4.4%). to find suitable staff as skill 12% rise in the number of EU The youth unemployment shortages become increasingly nationals who moved to the UK rate rose marginally to 16% prevalent. to work over the last year. compared with 15.9% in the “Recruitment agencies

However, The Office for January to March period, but was continue to report a marked National Statistics (ONS) figures down from 16.9% a year earlier. worsening of staff availability. also indicated that earnings Some 22.76 million Note also that the official data growth is slowing. people were in full-time work, showed job vacancies rising in Earnings including the ONS said, up 352,000 from June to one of the highest on bonuses rose 2.4% from a year a year ago. The number of part- record, which is hardly a sign of ago, compared with 3.2% growth time workers was 8.27 million, weakening demand for staff.” in the March to May period. little changed from a year earlier.

The ONS said there were

Excluding bonuses, pay John Hawksworth, the 735,000 job vacancies in the May was up 2.8% in the April to June PwC’s chief economist, said even to July period, which was little period, unchanged from the though employment has fallen changed from the previous three previous figure. back from the previous quarter, months but 69,000 more than a

ONS statistician David regular pay and productivity year earlier.

Freeman said: “This is now the were growing.

Work and Pensions second consecutive time we’ve “Overall the picture is one Secretary Iain Duncan Smith reported fewer people in work on of a continuing economic recovery, said: “Thanks to our long term the quarter. led by private sector services. But economic plan we have already

“While it’s too early the balance of growth between seen two million more people in to conclude that the jobs jobs and productivity seems to jobs since 2010. market is levelling off, these be shifting, which could be good “On top of that, today’s figures certainly strengthen news if it makes the upturn more figures show job vacancies at that possibility. Growth in pay, sustainable.” a near record high - evidence however, remains solid.”

Pound falls of the continued confidence of EU nationals

While the growth in British businesses, and potential

The number of EU earnings still remains well for further growth in the UK nationals who moved to the UK above the rate of inflation, the economy.” to work increased by 250,000 on weaker-than-expected pay figure Stephen Timms, the same period last year, raising - together with the slight increase Labour’s acting shadow work and the figure to 1.98 million. in unemployment - pushed the pensions secretary, said: “The rise Non-EU nationals value of the pound down. in unemployment for a second working in the UK was little Wage growth is one month in a row is worrying and changed at 1.2 million. factor the Bank of England has shows we cannot afford to be

The ONS figures showed been keeping a close eye on as it complacent about the recovery.

said Zhiwei Ren, managing director and portfolio manager at Penn Mutual Asset Management. “There is even less reason to hike in September now.”

Central bankers have been working under a gentleman’s agreement in recent years: They don’t protest when another currency depreciates, as long as it isn’t being pushed down directly and intentionally by rival central bankers to improve their competitive position in global trade.

Still, the exchange rate has been an issue European officials have been grappling with for years.

Faced with a stubbornly high exchange rate of the euro in the spring of 2014, European Central Bank officials began warning the currency’s strength could weaken inflation, a condition that typically prompts easier monetary policies.

Kraft Heinz announces 2500 job cuts

A Heinz Ketchup bottle sits between a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese and a bottle of Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce on a grocery store shelf in New York

Kraft Heinz has announced it is cutting about 2,500 jobs in the US and Canada following its recent merger.

A spokesmen said that about 700 of the jobs were going at Kraft’s headquarters in Illinois, but would not specify where else the cuts would land.

Executives hope to save $1.5bn in annual costs by 2017.

Kraft Heinz is the third largest food company in North America following the merger between Kraft and Heinz earlier this year.

The deal was engineered by Heinz’s owners, the Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital, and billionaire investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.

It is thought the main job losses will be on the Kraft side of the business, as the company’s chief executive Bernardo Hees has already overseen cuts at Heinz.

The food giant owns brands including Jell-O, Heinz baked beans and Velveeta.

The merger was seen as attractive because it meant manufacturing and distribution could be combined saving millions of dollars a year.

In a statement, company spokesmen Michael Mullen said: “The new structure eliminates duplication to enable faster decision-making, increased accountability and accelerated growth.”

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 41

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY WORLD NEWS

Ford moves commercial truck production to Ohio from Mexico

The Nokia headquarters is seen in Espoo, Finland

Nokia prepares for mobile comeback

A Ford F650 truck

Ford Motor Compnay will start building its medium-duty F-650 and F-750 commercial trucks at a Cleveland-area plant, moving production out of Mexico for the first time.

The shift to the 41-year-old plant in Avon Lake, Ohio means that about 1,000 workers represented by the United Auto Workers union will keep their jobs, Jimmy Settles, UAW vice president, said in a statement issued by the company. There are about 1,400 workers at the Avon Lake complex.

Ford is currently in negotiations with the UAW for a new national contract affecting about 52,300 workers. Just before those talks began last month, Ford announced it would move production of small cars Focus and C-Max from a plant in Wayne, Michigan. Ford has not confirmed UAW comments that the production is shifting to Mexico.

“Working with our partners in the UAW, we found a way to make the costs competitive enough to bring production of a whole new generation of work trucks to Ohio,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of North America and South America.

The commercial trucks from 2000 until earlier this year were built by a joint venture of Ford and Navistar International Corp (NAV.N) called Blue Diamond in Escobedo, Mexico.

The trucks are often sold as cab-and-chassis skeletons and customized by purchasers to serve a wide range of uses from beverage delivery to ambulances to oilfield services.

The 2016 model year trucks go on sale later this summer, which is a few months later than Ford had announced when it first announced the shift of production to Ohio in March 2014.

For every F-650 or F-750 truck sold to a fleet buyer, another six Ford trucks are also sold to the same customer, said Mike Levine, Ford truck spokesman. He said that in 2014, the company sold 9,627 F-650 and F-750 models, which was 11 percent more than the previous year.

The trucks will sell from $56,705 for a gasoline-powered regular cab F-650 to $76,690 for a diesel-powered tractor crew cab. Prices include delivery charges.

The Avon Lake plant was where Ford for years built Econoline vans. In recent years, the name was changed to E-Series vans, which are no longer produced. Now, Ford builds its Transit vans in Kansas City, Missouri.

Nokia is hiring software are working on designs for new it into a slimmed down, more experts, testing new products consumer products, including profitable company. He sold off its and seeking sales partners as phones, as well as in digital video mapping business a week ago. it plots its return to the mobile and health.

Such brand-licensing phone and consumer tech arena But it will not be easy to deals - as Nokia has struck for it abandoned with the sale of its claw its way back to relevance in the N1 tablet - are less profitable handset business. the fast-changing, competitive than manufacturing and selling

Once the world’s biggest mobile business where Apple its own products, but also less maker of mobile phones, the (AAPL.O) has been scooping up risky. They can add a tidy sum Finnish firm was wrongfooted nearly 90 percent of industry of revenue for little investment by the rise of smartphones and profits, nor for it to carve out a for the company, which generates eclipsed by Apple and Samsung place in electronics. the bulk of income from selling . It sold its handset business to One ace Nokia that telecoms network equipment Microsoft in late 2013 and has holds is ownership of one of the to operators like Vodafone and since focused squarely on making mobile industry’s biggest troves T-Mobile. telecoms network equipment. of intellectual property, including “They want to be

Now Nokia boss Rajeev patents it retained after selling innovative and seen as a company Suri is planning a comeback. He its handset business. It does not with long-term vision in the (tech) must wait until late 2016 before want to waste such resources, industry and having a foot in he can consider re-entering the built up with tens of billions of devices plays into this impression, handset business - after a non- euros of investment over the past even if it’s not bringing massive compete deal with Microsoft two decades. revenue at the outset,” said expires - but preparations are It will also get an injection Gartner analyst Sylvain Fabre. underway. of talent when it completes the

The company has already 15.6-billion-euro ($17 billion) NEWCOMERS dipped its toe into the consumer acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent, market; it has launched an announced in April, in the form of Brand-licensing models Android tablet, the N1, which Bell Labs - a U.S. research center are not new in the industry; went on sale in January in China whose scientists have won eight European companies like Philips and days ago unveiled a “virtual- Nobel prizes. and Alcatel have made money reality camera” - heralding it as It says it will not repeat from consumer electronics by the “rebirth of Nokia”. the mistakes of the past of missing licensing out their brand after

It has also launched an technology trends, being saddled capitulating to Asian competitors Android app called Z Launcher, with high costs, and reacting too more than a decade ago. which organizes content on slowly to changing consumer But given the crop of smartphones. tastes. newcomers like China’s Xiaomi Meanwhile its technologies To blunt such risks, it and India’s Micromax, it may not division has advertised on is seeking partners for “brand- be possible for Nokia to reproduce LinkedIn dozens of jobs in licensing” deals whereby Nokia even the minor successes that California, many in product will design new phones, bearing Philips and Alcatel were able to development, including Android its brand, but - in exchange for achieve by renting out their brand. engineers specializing in the royalties - will then allow other With advances in operating software Nokia mobile firms to mass-manufacture, contract manufacturing and devices will use. market and sell the devices. standardization of software,

Nokia had also planned This is stark contrast components and features like to lay off about 70 people at the to its previous handset business touch-screens, it is also easier division, according to a May which in its heyday manufactured than ever for companies to announcement, but a company more phones than any other outsource everything to produce source told Reuters that the company in the world and lookalike phones. figure had since been halved. employed tens of thousands.

“We only see this

Suri said last month that competitive pressure intensifying PATENT TROVE Nokia aimed to re-enter the mobile in coming years,” said CCS phone business, but only through Insight mobile analyst Ben Wood.

Nokia itself is not giving such licensing agreements. It will “Barriers to entry in the handset much away about its preparations, not fall back on the “traditional” market are lower than ever and beyond saying some staff at the methods, said the CEO, who took almost anyone can enter the 600-strong technologies division the helm last May and has turned smartphone market.

Greek bailout bill submitted to parliament for approval

Greece’s government submitted a bill outlining a three-year bailout program to parliament on Wednesday, pushing for quick approval that would pave the way for rapid disbursement of aid.

Athens a day earlier agreed with international lenders on the terms of about 85 billion euros in fresh aid to stay financially afloat and remain in the euro zone. It is the third bailout for the indebted nation since 2010.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has asked parliament to expedite approval of the agreement so committees can discuss it before a vote expected on Thursday evening.

That, in turn, would allow euro zone

ministers meeting on Friday to sign off on the deal and pave the way for aid to be disbursed before a 3.2 billion euro debt repayment falls due on Aug. 20.

But in a sign of dissent within Tsipras’s ruling left-wing Syriza, parliamentary speaker and vocal anti-bailout campaigner Zoe Constantopoulou called a meeting of party representatives for Wednesday night, effectively delaying part of the approval process in committees.

The bill is still anticipated to go to a plenary session and vote on Thursday evening, parliamentary officials said, meaning the original timeline will not derailed.

“The government wants it to be approved

before Friday’s Eurogroup meeting,” a parliamentary official told Reuters, referring to the meeting of euro zone finance ministers. “That is the effort.”

The legislation covers tax and pension reform, public administration reform, the relaunch of a privatization scheme which stalled earlier in the year and the establishment of a wealth fund for privatization projects which will be supervised by European institutions.

According to the 29-page memorandum of understanding Greece agreed with creditors, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, Greek must move to rapidly privatize its ports, regional airports and its power grid operator.

Page 42

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

WORLD NEWS BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

Hackers stole secrets for up to $100 million insidertrading profit

U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Paul J. Fishman (2nd L) speaks during a news conference in Newark, New Jersey August 11, 2015.

A group of mainly Prosecutors said U.S.-based stock traders the Ukraine-based hackers, and computer hackers in who were given “shopping Ukraine made as much as lists” of press releases by the $100 million in illegal profits traders, improperly accessed over five years by conspiring press statements before the to use information stolen from distributors planned to release thousands of corporate press them to the public. statements before their public The hackers created release, U.S. authorities said a “video tutorial” to help on Tuesday. traders see the stolen releases P r o s e c u t o r s and were paid a portion of announced charges against the profits from trades based nine people in an insider- on the information in them, trading case that marks the prosecutors said. first time criminal charges The nine people were have been brought for a indicted by grand juries in securities fraud scheme Brooklyn, New York, and involving hacked inside Newark, New Jersey, on information, in this instance charges that they made 150,000 press releases $30 million in illegal profits from distributors Business starting around February Wire, Marketwired and PR 2010.

Newswire.

Five were arrested on

“This is the story of Tuesday. International arrest a traditional securities fraud warrants were issued for the scheme with a twist - one that other four. employed a contemporary The U.S. Securities approach to a conventional and Exchange Commission in crime,” Diego Rodriguez, FBI a related civil lawsuit charged assistant director-in-charge, 17 people and 15 corporate said at a news conference. entities, and said that thefts

of inside information resulted their own websites or social Jo White said at the news in more than $100 million in media platforms, reducing conference.

Authorities said the illegal profit. their dependence on the scheme involved trades on

The SEC said the business wires.

The three distribution such companies as Acme network included traders in all released Packet Inc, Align Technology New York, Cyprus, France, companies touting their Inc (ALGN.O), Caterpillar Malta and Russia. It is seeking statements (CAT.N), Dealertrack civil penalties, and has already cooperation with authorities Inc Technologies Inc (TRAK.O), obtained court-ordered asset and their security measures. freezes.

Business Wire, a unit of Dendreon Corp, Edwards Law enforcement Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Lifesciences Corp (EW.N), officials have warned Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N), said Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N), companies for years about it hired a security firm to test Home Depot Inc (HD.N) and Panera Bread Co (PNRA.O). securing their computer its systems.

The indictment in networks against hackers, “Despite extreme whose victims over the past vigilance and commitment, Brooklyn charged four traders: two years have included recent events illustrate that Vitaly Korchevsky, 50, a leading retailers and U.S. no one is immune to the highly former hedge fund manager government personnel. sophisticated illegal cyber- from Pennsylvania; Vladislav

“This case illustrates intrusions that are plaguing Khalupsky, 45, of Brooklyn how cyber criminals and those every aspect of our society,” it and Odessa, Ukraine; and Leonid Momotok, 47, and who commit securities fraud said in a statement.

PR Newswire, a unit Alexander Garkusha, 47, of are evolving and becoming more sophisticated,” U.S. of Britain’s UBM Plc (UBM.L), the U.S. state of Georgia. The Attorney Paul Fishman in said it also takes security very charges included securities New Jersey said at the news seriously, while Marketwired fraud, wire fraud and money conference.

“The hackers said it is protected by world- laundering conspiracy.

Korchevsky appeared were relentless and they were class security, monitoring and prevention practices. without a lawyer in federal patient.” court in Philadelphia. He

Fishman said the was released on a $100,000 distributors, who were not SENSITIVE CORPORATE bond and told to surrender his charged with wrongdoing, NEWS passport, but later on Tuesday, provided “fabulous cooperation” The indictments a judge in Brooklyn stayed his in the probe. the news releases release order, authorizing law

The breaches could said put more pressure on the included sensitive corporate enforcement to keep him in information distribution information such as financial custody until a bail hearing business, which was founded results that would later can be held in Brooklyn.

A prosecutor told the decades ago and depends become public. Foreign shell on clients trusting the companies were used to share court that Korchevsky was a distributors with sensitive the money made from the flight risk with $5 million at information. In recent years, insider trading, officials said. his disposal and that he had prominent U.S. companies “The traders were traveled abroad 42 times since including Google, Microsoft, market-savvy, using equities, 2010. Korchevsky’s wife told Wal-Mart Stores and Tesla options and contracts for the judge that 99 percent of have started to release differences to maximize their her husband’s travel was in important information on profits,” SEC Chair Mary his role as a pastor.

Twitter snooping requests double in UK

Requests for Twitter users’ personal information more than doubled in the UK in 2015, according to the company’s latest transparency report.

Twitter said UK government agencies and the police made 299 requests for information between January and July, up from 116 in the previous six months.

It makes UK law enforcement the biggest requester of Twitter data in the EU.

Twitter said it had

complied with 52% of the requests for information, which could be used to identify a tweeter.

Twitter has published its transparency report since 2012.

The social network said requests for account information worldwide had increased by 52% the largest ever increase between reports.

It said the United States was behind most of the requests, followed by Japan and Turkey, although the UK remained “a top requester”.

Twitter said it had also received nine content removal requests from UK government agencies and the police.

The company said removal requests relate to matters such as defamatory statements or prohibited content. It rejected the nine requests made in the UK.

“Thanks to the transparency reports of internet companies, we know police are already accessing data with far greater frequency than many other countries,” said

Emma Carr, director of campaign group Big Brother Watch.

“If the public are to have any confidence that surveillance powers are being used proportionately, then we should not have to rely on private companies to publish this data.

“The government should proactively be publishing their own transparency reports, highlighting exactly how many requests are being made, how often they are refused and why,” she said.

GM’s Cadillac targets 500,000 annual global vehicle sales by 2020

General Motors Co luxury brand Cadillac aims to increase its annual sales to half a million vehicles worldwide by 2020 from an expected 275,000 this year, Cadillac’s top executive said on Tuesday.

That would boost Cadillac’s share of the global luxury vehicle market to 5 percent from 3.4 percent in 2015, said Johan de Nysschen, head of the Cadillac brand for GM.

In a presentation to investors at a J.P. Morgan industry conference in New York, de Nysschen said the brand needs to improve the quality of its dealer network in the U.S. market, where it once was the luxury sales leader.

“That’s probably the area where we have the most work to do in the United States,” said de Nysschen. “Conversely, in China, where we have a high-quality dealer

network, that is not a challenge at all.”

The growth in sales, de Nysschen said, will depend on the successful rollout of a series of new products, including a small luxury SUV, a high-growth market area where Cadillac currently lacks a product.

Among luxury automakers in the U.S. market, Cadillac is sixth, and is the only among the top eight

luxury brands to show a drop in sales this year. Cadillac sales were 95,053 vehicles, through July, down 2.4 percent from the same period a year earlier and less than half the sales of the luxury leaders, BMW AG and Daimler AG’s MercedesBenz.

On its way to a half million vehicle sales a year globally, Cadillac targets sales of 350,000 in 2018 and 400,000 in 2019.

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 43

CARIBBEAN

SPORTS

Bolt headlines Jamaica squad for world championships

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the reigning sprint double champion KINGSTON - Six-times Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt headlines Jamaica’s squad for the world athletics championships in Beijing later this month.

The world record holder over 100 and 200 meters is joined in the 53-member squad by Asafa Powell and Warren Weir, both world championships sprint relay gold medalists.

Bolt answered questions over his fitness with a 100m season’s best of 9.87 seconds at the London Anniversary Games last month while Powell ran his fastest 100 in four years to win the sprint at the Paris Diamond League meeting in 9.81 seconds.

Rasheed Dwyer, who set a career best of 19.80 seconds over 200m at the Pan American Games, also makes the squad.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the reigning sprint double

champion from Moscow two years ago, tops the list of female athletes and is joined by former world 100 and 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown.

The team will be accompanied by 19 officials including technical leader Maurice Wilson and head coach Michael Clarke.

Meantime, Fraser-Pryce may change her plans and defend both her 100 and 200 metres titles at next month’s world championships in Beijing.

The 28-year-old had said she would concentrate on the 100m and 4x100m relay at the worlds but at a news conference on the eve of the Stockholm Diamond League meeting she said her coach Steven Francis had indicated she could still compete in both.

“I was down to do the 100 and relay, but the 200 is still

possible,” said a grinning FraserPryce. “My coach did say earlier that I was not running the 200, but last week I was in practice and he said I should do a 100, a 200 and a 250.

“I said ‘why am I going all that way? I’m not running 200 at the world champs?’ And he said ‘who says you’re not running?’ so I said ‘you did!’ and he said “I’ve changed my mind. I’m not sure.’

“The thing is, I’ve already earned a spot in the 200 as champion, so I wouldn’t be taking it away from anybody else,” she was quoted as saying on the website of the sports governing IAAF (www.iaaf.org).

“The 200 for me is definitely more strategic. When I get to the start line I am thinking ‘Do I go hard for the first 50, do I go 80 per cent and then blast the last 100?’”

Fraser-Pryce competes in Stockholm on Thursday for the first time since setting a world leading time of 10.74 seconds in the 100m at the Paris Diamond League meeting on July 4.

“I didn’t come out of the blocks very well in Paris but my transition from 30 to 70 metres was the best part of my race,” she said.

“I’ve been training hard since and running some longer distances over 200 metres, which I don’t like. I’m looking forward to getting my racing started again tomorrow.”

WICB TO MEET WITH PCL FRANCHISES HEADS

St John’s, Antigua - Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Michael Muirhead said plans to improve the Regional Professional Cricket League (PCL) will be revealed within the next two weeks.

Speaking on OBSERVER Radio’s Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, Muirhead said that the WICB has asked the regional franchises to ensure certain measures are in place ahead of the new season and is awaiting the outcome.

“We have made some demands of the PCL, of the franchises, and we are insisting that when those things are accomplished which is, within the next week or two, that they be made public,” he said.

“We think that it is part of the fabric and it belongs to us, and when I say us, I mean us the WICB; us the region. We need to be clear on what their plans are, because it is WICB who is, in large part, funding what is going forward. It is in their hands to make sure they deliver to the WICB the good cricketers so that we can have a pool of cricketers to choose from to improve our own standings in the rankings,” he added.

The Barbados Pride, Guyana Jaguars, Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and Windward Islands Volcanoes, Jamaica and Leeward Islands were all represented in the inaugural PCL.

Muirhead also spoke on the ongoing dialogue between the WICB and the Guyana government concerning the issues plaguing the Guyana Cricket Board.

“Nothing has been formalised with the new government as yet, but they will be looking at revising the position or taking a re-look at the position that was taken by the former government. You must remember that when this bill was passed, we had the support of the opposition at the time — the current government now. So I think it’s only right they would go back and look and see to right the wrong or correct what was past or make some amendments (but) that has not yet been done,” the CEO said.

The Bahamas has three relay teams for IAAF Worlds

In addition to the athletes who have qualified to compete in the individual events, the Bahamas is expected to be represented by three of the four relay teams at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, later this month.

At the NACAC Championships in San Juan, Costa Rica, over the weekend, the men’s 4 x 400m relay team solidified their second place in the standings behind the United States of America as the team of LaToy Williams, Alonzo Russell, Wesley Neymour and Ramon Miller ran three minutes and 53 seconds to secure the silver medal.

The Americans won in 3:00.07.

The women’s 4 x 400m team of Lanece Clarke, Christine Amertil, Katrina Seymour and Adanaca Brown clinched the bronze in 3:31.80 to trail the Americans, who won the gold in 3:25.39 and Jamaica, the silver medallists in 3:28.65. The women’s team is currently sitting in the top 16 in the standings to earn a berth at the championships.

Also, the women’s 4 x 100m team of Devynne Charlton, Carmeisha Cox, Tayla Carter and Adanaca Brown just missed out on

getting on the podium when they placed fourth in 44.28. The United States got the gold in 42.24, Puerto Rico came up with the silver in 43.51 and Trinidad & Tobago were the bronze medallists in 44.24. The team is on the borderline for the final selection for the championships.

However, the men’s 4 x 100m team of Warren Fraser, Teray Smith, Johnathan Farquharson and Trevorvano Mackey ran 40.33 for eighth place. They are sitting outside of the top 16 and will not be eligible to compete at the championships.

Relay teams automatically qualified as being one of the first eight placed teams at the inaugural IAAF World Relays last year at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. The remaining eight spots will be filled by the IAAF as a result of their performances leading up to the championships.

Based on what he saw at NACAC, relay coordinator Rupert Gardiner said the Bahamas is sitting in a good position to go to Beijing and be a contender for a spot in the final.

Once they can get in, Gardiner said anything is possible as relays are always so unpredictable.

“The team overall did very well. That was one of the best teams that I coached at that level.

Everybody enjoyed themselves and did what they had to do,” Gardiner said. “We had Dexter Bodie as the manager of the team for the first time at a major championship and he really did a good job with the athletes.

That is one of the reasons why I think we got some good performances.”

In addition to the two 4 x 400m relay teams, the Bahamas also got a silver and bronze from Trevor Barry and Ryan Ingraham respectively in the men’s high jump and Leevan ‘Superman’ Sands got a bronze in the men’s triple jump.

Although she didn’t medal, Tamara Myers turned in a personal best for fourth place, Teray Smith was sixth in the men’s 200m, Devynne Charlton was also sixth in the women’s 100m hurdles in 13.01, Alonzo Russell got seventh in the men’s 400m and Lester Taylor got eighth in the men’s 800m.

Gardiner said the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations has been pushing to get all four teams qualified for the World Championships. But based on what they have heard, it seems as if only

the two 4 x 400m and the women’s 4 x 100m teams will be in Beijing.

Looking back at their performances at the NACAC championships, Gardiner said he’s confident that the Bahamas will perform very well at the worlds.

“Without Chris (Brown), Steven (Gardiner) and Michael (Mathieu), the men’s relay team still managed to run three minutes behind the United States for the silver,” Gardiner said. “That only tells you what sort of team we can put together when we go to the championships.

“And our girls’ relay team was short of Shaunae (Miller), but Adanaca (Brown) stepped up to the plate and ran the 4 x 4 with the quarter-milers. So that was great to see someone like her step and help to fill the void and help our team get a medal. We really feel we can be a contender in Beijing.”

As for the women’s 4 x 100 team, Gardiner said Anthonique Strachan is definitely going to be missed. Strachan, who last month got injured running the 200m at the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, is recuperating and won’t be ready to compete at the worlds.

Page 44

LOCAL SPORTS

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TCIFA’s under-17 Player, Mackenson Cadet to play for Nottingham Forest Football Club in 2015 Evima Cup Albena, Bulgaria

15 year old Makenson Cadet was recently afforded the opportunity to travel to Nottingham, UK to participate in a trial for the Nottingham Forest Football Club (NFFC). His talent was recognized by members of the Coventry University Student Union, who, not long ago, visited the TCIFA to carryout a three week long coaching project. He was further recommended to the NFFC, which resulted in an invitation to be assessed for a position on the NFFC’s Youth Academy Football Team, scheduled to compete in the 2015

Evima Cup - Albena, Bulagria.

Following days of training, the coaches of NFFC expressed a great deal of fascination and interest in the young player’s talent, and decided to take him on as a member of the team for the Evima Cup. These games will give NFFC an opportunity to further view his technical and tactical capabilities as a player.

Makenson is the youngest member of the TCIFA’s Men’s National Beach Soccer Team, which participated in the 2015 CONCACAF Championships of the FIFA Beach

Soccer World Cup Qualifiers, during this year in El Salvador.

President Sonia Bien-Aime stated : “Makenson is a special talent, and one that has progressed through our grassroots program to the Center of Excellence. He was also a part of the winning National Academy team in this past Provo Premier League.

This is a very significant occurrence for the TCIFA and for its grassroots and youth development programmes.

With the increase in the numbers of players being offered scholarships in colleges abroad, and now the

offering of a trial by an established professional football club to one of our youth players, it confirms what we have always believed; and this is that we possess true talent in these islands, and that the TCIFA is moving in the right direction with providing proper coaching and the tools necessary to assist in their development. We are taking critical and definitive steps in the right direction of football development.

Makenson’s trial however is a gigantic leap proving our optimism that we will bear fruit in the near future.”

TCIFA launches Live Your Goals campaign

The Turks & Caicos Islands generating excitement about women’s Football Association (“TCIFA”) is football; pleased to announce its launch of the • Increasing participation of FIFA “Live Your Goals” campaign. girls and women in football; Creating the best platforms The launch took place on August • 15th, 2015 at the TCIFA’s National for women’s football to thrive with Academy (located behind Graceway more females becoming lifelong IGA). participants in the sport; and Ensuring that football is the

The FIFA Live Your Goals is • number one sport for females across a four year campaign committed to: • Increasing the popularity of the globe in terms of participation women’s football locally, nationally and popularity. and globally; With these efforts TCIFA is • Sparking, fostering and committed to FIFA’s vision of

increasing the number of girls and women participants from 30 million to 45 million by FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019.

The TCIFA’s ambassadors of the “Live Your Goals” campaign are: • Olivia Gravely, TCIFA’s coaching development officer and current women’s national team player; • Sarah Cenary, former TCIFA’s youth coach and current women’s national team player; and • Christma Jean Louis,

TCIFA’s assistant referee and current women’s national team player.

Candace Hanchell, Executive Member responsible for Women’s Football gleams with anticipation and excitement whilst stating that “the TCIFA extends an open invitation to all 6 to 12 year old girls. No playing experience is necessary – simply come prepared to play football! Parents and spectators are also welcomed at the event to support our young girls as we contribute to their healthy lives and positive experiences.”

Mitsubishi Electric continued their Dominance

Player of the match Marlon Graham

By: Michael C. Pereira

The Turks and Caicos Islands Cricket Association Summer T20 Cricket League Tournament sponsored by HAB Group, continued on Saturday; 8th August 2015 at The Downtown Ball Park, Providenciales.

Police won the toss and batted then reached 169 runs for the loss of 5 wickets from 20 overs. Garvin Bruno lead the way with 61 runs, 7x4 2x6 and Kareem Jack

supported with 43 runs which contained 7x4 and Desbourne young added 35 runs 3x6 2x4.

Bowling for Mitsubishi Electric Marlon Graham snatched 3 wickets for 19 runs from 4 overs Ajay Vyas and Craig James had one wicket apiece.

In reply Mitsubishi Electric recovered from a disastrous start to reach the prescribed target in 19 overs for the loss of 3 wickets.

Marlon Graham top score with an unbeaten with 83 runs 12x4 2x6 and Vikram John

supported with a cyclonic 60 runs which was lace with 9x4 and 2x6.

Bowling for the lawmen Jerry Grant, Lyndon Tyson and Vaurice Jervis took one wicket each Player of the match: Marlon Graham.

Meanwhile the league will continue on Saturday 15 August, 2015 Police will tackle Mitsubishi Electric and on Sunday 16 August, 2015 Kischo will try to Reign Quality Super kings at the Downtown Ball Park.

Team Mitsubishi

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 45

Page 46

WORLD

SPORTS

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

Judge questions NFL case against Brady

At the hearing, “Give ‘em hell, Tom!” deflation.

Trevor Schramn, 20,

Brady, 38, sat Berman asked Brady lawyer stone-faced throughout the Jeffrey Kessler why the was wearing a “Free Tom proceeding, even when a few quarterback refused to turn Brady” T-shirt and said he had light remarks from Berman over any texts or emails to come to “support our boy.”

“The Patriots are drew laughs from the rest of NFL investigator Ted Wells, the courtroom. whose report was the basis for winners, and people are

Berman also met Goodell’s suspension. Brady always going to hate the team briefly with each side before also had his phone replaced on top,” he said.

The NFL has already the hearing to gauge whether and destroyed, a point Goodell New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady exits the Manhattan Federal in rejecting fined the Patriots $1 million a settlement could be reached emphasized Courthouse in New York August 12, 2015. and stripped the team of its before the Patriots’ season Brady’s appeal.

Kessler, however, first-round draft pick in 2016

A federal judge 5:30 p.m. (2130 GMT), more begins on Sept. 10.

Unless there is a deal, said Brady had followed and fourth-round selection in on Wednesday fired tough than five hours after the open the two sides are scheduled to the advice of his lawyer in 2017. The litigation in New questions at a National hearing ended.

A union representative appear before Berman again declining to hand over his York only concerns Brady’s Football League lawyer about whether New England Patriots declined to comment. The NFL on Aug. 19 for oral arguments communications, and added suspension.

New England opens quarterback Tom Brady’s four- did not immediately respond on whether he should uphold that the quarterback routinely destroys his old phones to its preseason on Thursday or vacate the suspension. game “Deflategate” suspension to a request for comment.

Goodell suspended avoid unwanted leaks to the night at home against the is supported by the evidence.

Earlier in court, Green Bay Packers. While

The hearing in New Berman pressed NFL lawyer Brady, one of the NFL’s media. stars, following “This is the most Brady’s suspension does not York before U.S. District Daniel Nash to cite direct biggest issue in the take effect until the regular Judge Richard Berman, who is evidence linking Brady to an investigation into the overblown overseeing the players union’s an alleged scheme to deflate footballs used in the Patriots’ history of my over 40 years of season, the team has not announced whether he will challenge to the suspension, footballs in a January playoff 45-7 playoff victory over the litigation,” Kessler said. presence play on Thursday.

Indianapolis Colts. That win Brady’s was followed by several game.

Nash acknowledged took the Patriots to the Super drew a throng of reporters If the suspension is upheld, hours of private settlement discussions with the judge that there was no “smoking Bowl, where they defeated the and photographers outside second-year backup Jimmy who played that included Brady and NFL gun” but said there was plenty defending champion Seattle the courthouse in downtown Garoppolo, of circumstantial evidence Seahawks, giving Brady his Manhattan, as well as a sparingly last year, would Commissioner Roger Goodell. handful of fans wearing likely start at quarterback in

Neither Brady nor - including a series of texts fourth championship title.

Brady’s place. In a twist, Brady Brady has denied Brady’s No. 12 jersey.

Goodell would comment on between Brady and the Some called Goodell a would be eligible to return on whether any progress had Patriots employees accused knowing about any plan to been made when they left the of letting air out of the balls - deflate footballs, which can “liar” as he walked in. As Brady Oct. 18 against the Colts in a entered, another fan yelled, nationally televised game. that Brady was aware of the make them easier to grip. courthouse separately around

IAAF bans 28 athletes after 2005, 2007 world champs retests

The IAAF has initiated disciplinary Officials at the World Anti-Doping action against 28 athletes after they Agency (WADA) would not comment on retested samples from the 2005 and 2007 the cases, saying they would await the world championships with new technology conclusion of the testing process. that can uncover previously undetectable If violations are confirmed, the substances and found 32 adverse doping IAAF said it would correct the record books cases. for the 2005 and 2007 world championships,

Eastern Europeans, including which were held in Osaka, and re-allocate Russians, make up a large number of the medals as necessary.

28, sources familiar with the testing told “The latest scientific breakthroughs Reuters on Tuesday. in anti-doping technology and analysis

They were not aware of any have been employed in the re-analysis of Americans on the list and the BBC reported these samples to allow us to find previously there were no British athletes. undetectable substances,” Martial Saugy, The world athletics governing body said director of the Swiss Laboratory for Doping it could not yet name the 28 or even their Analyses in Lausanne, said in a statement. nationalities, “due to the legal process”.

Since 2005, the IAAF has

“A large majority of the 28 are stored athletes’ samples from previous retired, some are athletes who have championships at the laboratory for future already been sanctioned, and only very few re-analysis. remain active in sport,” the International The latest retesting began in April, Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) “well before the most recent allegations said. made against the IAAF by the ARD and The

“The IAAF is provisionally Sunday Times”, the IAAF said. suspending them and can confirm that none The German broadcaster and of the athletes concerned will be competing British newspaper had criticized the IAAF, (at the world championships) in Beijing.” saying it had failed to investigate hundreds

The 2015 world championships of what they called “suspicious” drug tests start in the Chinese capital on Aug. 22. between 2001 and 2012.

The tests were the second for samples from “The findings reconfirm, yet again, the 2005 world championships in Helsinki. the commitment of the IAAF to target and

The first, in 2012, revealed six uncover all cheating in the sport, no matter adverse findings. Five of the six were medal how long it takes,” the governing body said. winners, all representing either Belarus or The IAAF took advantage not only of Russia. improved testing procedures but also a

Two other athletes, an Indian discus longer statute of limitations for retesting thrower and Ukrainian hammer thrower, samples. It was recently extended from tested positive during the championships. eight to 10 years.

Maria Sharapova

Sharapova is top female athlete earner 11th straight year

Tennis star Maria Sharapova again tops the list of highest earning female athletes over the past year, according to Forbes.

For the 11th consecutive year, the Russian heads a list dominated by tennis players, who occupy seven of the top 10 spots.

The 28-year-old Sharapova, who won the French Open last year, collected $6.7 million in prize money, but her total estimated earnings were $29.7 million, according to Forbes.

The Forbes list also includes earnings from appearances, licensing and endorsements, personal business interests and, in some cases, salary.

World number one tennis player Serena Williams is second at $24.6 million, while motor racing driver Danica

Patrick is the top non-tennis player, in fourth place with $13.9 million.

The only other nontennis players in the top 10 are number eight Ronda Rousey (mixed martial arts) and number nine Stacy Lewis (golf).

Tennis is one of the few big-money sports where the earnings of women are somewhat comparable to men, though Sharapova’s income nonetheless was significantly less than the $67 million earned

by Roger Federer, the top tennis player on the latest Forbes men’s list.

Boxers Floyd Mayweather ($300 million) and Manny Pacquiao ($160 million) head the latest men’s list, followed by Portugal and Real Madrid soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo ($79.6 million).

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 47

Page 48

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

AUGUST 14TH, 2015 – AUGUST 21ST, 2015

Published by SUN MEDIA GROUP, Turks and Caicos Islands | Tel:649 946 8542 | Fax: 649 941 3281