VOLUME 11 ISSUE 40

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

Website: www.suntci.com

VOLUME 11 - NO. 40

Tel: (649) 339-5879

Email: sun@suntci.com

$1.00

Fax: (649) 941-3281

www.facebook.com/tcisun

$100 MILLION FOR TCI

The Turks and Caicos Islands has been awarded $100 million in financial support from the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

The CDB Board of Directors has approved what is known as a “country strategy” for Turks and Caicos Islands for the period 2015 to 2018.

The country strategy paper, approved during a meeting of the Board of Directors held in Barbados on October 15th, will guide CDB’s support and interventions in Turks and Caicos Islands.

It focuses on helping the Government address the social, economic and environmental challenges the country faces.

“CDB is a committed partner in helping the Government of Turks and Caicos Islands achieve sustained growth and development. The 2015 to 2018 strategy for Turks and Caicos Islands proposes solutions to meet some of the country’s most pressing development challenges,” said Dr. Justin Ram, Director of Economics, CDB.

“The strategy builds on Turks and Caicos Islands’ emergence from the effects of the global economic crisis and the Government’s implementation of a strong national reform programme,” he said.

CDB has outlined support for Turks and Caicos Islands anchored in five areas.

Enhancing infrastructure through improvements to water and sanitation systems, roads and drainage, and through funding for the preparation of a transportation master plan

Five Cays entrance sign unveiled

By Todeline Defralien

Another community project was successfully accomplished by Five Cays MP, Hon Sean Astwood.

The Five Cays entrance sign was unveiled on Thursday October Improving environmental sustainability by addressing issues such as inadequate solid waste management and climate change impacts that include stronger and more intense hurricanes, drought, sea-level rise, and extreme precipitation and flooding

Improving macroeconomic policy and development planning by providing resources and technical assistance to entrench fiscal discipline, improve economic resilience,

22nd, 2015 by the MP for that district Hon. Sean Astwood.

He told reporters: “This is one of the projects that I started out to do from a couple of years ago and I have been working on this particular project here now for over a year. It

and improve governance systems Increasing access to finance and provision of business development services for micro small and medium enterprises to boost their competitiveness and strengthen their technical and management capacity

Strengthening the impact of the education system by ensuring equitable access to education; improving the quality of teaching and learning;

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has taken some time to get it to its completion point. Basically, waiting on Government approval and other mishaps that happened this year, when I got ill delayed the process a bit.”

providing opportunities for all learners; and supporting the establishment of a technical vocational education and training system that meets the country’s needs

All interventions will be underpinned by a focus on gender equality; regional cooperation and integration; and energy security.

The Bank’s 2015-2018 support for Turks and Caicos Islands closely aligns with the Government’s national development priorities. The

Continued on Page 2

plans and priorities of the Government of Turks and Caicos Islands were discussed with officials and private sector stakeholders during a CDB mission that took place in June 2015.

The Bank also intends to assist the Government of Turks and Caicos develop a new medium term development strategy that will also cement the recent development gains.

Continued on Page 2

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

$100 MILLION FOR TCI

Continued from page - 1

The Caribbean Development Bank is a regional financial institution established 1970 for the purpose of contributing to the harmonious economic growth and development of member countries.

The Bank’s founding president

was noted economist and Nobel Laureate, Sir Arthur Lewis.

There are nineteen regional borrowing member countries – including Guyana and Suriname and three regional non-borrowing member countries – Mexico, Venezuela and

Colombia. Members outside of the Region are Canada, China, Germany, Italy, and the UK.

As of December 31, 2014, CDB had total assets of USD2.61 billion (this includes USD1.38 billion of ordinary Capital resources and USD1.23 billion

of Special Funds Resources). CDB has an “Aa1” with stable outlook rating with Moody’s Rating Agency, and an “AA/A-1+” with stable outlook rating with Standard and Poor’s Rating Agency. In 2014 the Bank approved loans and grants of USD269.5 million.

Five Cays entrance sign unveiled

Continued from page - 1

He added “The concept behind the sign is two-fold, one of it is part of my whole concept of beatifying the community of Five Cays and also creating that sense of pride but in addition to that we’ve had complaints from tourists who try to find the community, who wanted to find Bugaloo’s and other areas in the community whether it was the fish plant or

other areas and they kept going way down to Chalk Sound and all the way around and then coming back out and actually missing the whole thing.”

Astwood said the sign was designed to create a sense of pride but also as a more functional use as well and it is really a directional sign that would aid tourists who wanted to come in the community.

Astwood said the estimated cost is just under $6,000 which he did from his own sponsorship and assistance from his brother Jason Francis and his company Urban Construction which assisted in putting up the block work.

“I am happy about it,” Astwood said. “I am happy it is done. It was long in the making

and I really feel good and I’ve already been getting some really good feedback from the community.

Initially last week when I posted that it was coming or it was in the process but now to see it actually completed, I am proud of it not because I did it but because it is something that is good for the community which I will continue to do.”

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OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

“The sandcastle man” builds 7ft tall 14th century medieval city made of sand in Providenciales

Scott Dodson also known as “The Sandcastle man” pro Sandcastle builder for over 20 years completed a 7 foot tall 14th century medieval city made of sand in Providenciales on Wednesday October 21,2015.

Scott who was brought in specifically by Beaches Turks and Caicos displayed this sandcastle at the Beaches Resort in the Key West village between the pool and the ocean.

Scott Dodson builds large professional sandcastles for conventions, festivals, trade shows, ocean resorts, shore excursions and much more.

In an interview on Wednesday October 21 at the Key West Village his assistant Terri Robinson told the SUN: “Scott has been involved with sand castling for probably 30 years. He started in Long Island as a kid with his little bucket like everybody does and he escalated from there. He has done conventions, different festivals, different media groupings and more.”

She added “We are actually living in Idaho and there is a big art festival every year that he has been doing for 17 years, so every year we put up a big one there, and we decided to try and get into doing sandcastles in the Caribbean and so we contacted

Scott Dodson “The Sandcastle Man” beaches and we are here and excited.” were some shortcomings such as being

Robinson said they arrived attacked by cats and they had to start last week Friday and were going to try again from scratch. and build a normal sandcastle which is “David, our contact, was very about 12 feet tall, but that did not work helpful we got a tent to put over the out because of the different texture of sandcastle and he also got the tarps sand in Turks and Caicos Islands. for around it to help keep the cats out

“We thought it (the sand) was and we have had lots of local help so fabulous for our feet but it was not we really appreciate that with things kind of compacting the way we had that Scott and I can’t do alone exactly,” anticipated our other events,” she said. she added.

With their third attempt to build the

When asked what was used perfect sandcastle, Robinson said there to create this sandcastle Robinson

said: “It is everything from Scott’s imagination all free formed. He starts working with the sand and decides what we are going to do. Obviously there are some things that we always throw in. We always do trees. There is always a cross or two and steeples and churches but we never know exactly what it would look like because they all are different.”

She said that normal circumstances these sandcastles can last up to a month or more but this is their first one on an island so they have to adjust to how that really works with island sand and island weather and “miscellaneous things”.

Dodson said it normally takes 50 hours to complete a sandcastle. They started this Sandcastle on Monday and completed it on Wednesday October 21.

“We had to revise the height down after the rain and cats but it still came out nice,” he said, adding that the cost of the castle depends on location.

“We usually get travel expenses and accommodations plus a gratuity ranging from $1000 to $3000, but it should be said that in the islands we will sometimes come for just travel expenses and accommodations. It has been a wonderful time here in Beaches Turks and Caicos and I would like to thank Unique Vacations as well,” Scott Dodson said.

IMF comments on TCI banking activity

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said some of the nonresident loans granted by banks in the Turks and Caicos Islands appear to have domestic risk, as they could be lending for nonresidents’ purchase of TCI real estate.

In a recent report, the IMF said bank loans are concentrated in personal property, real estate, and, to a lesser extent, construction and land development.

Ninety percent of the system’s assets are held by three Canadian banks and one British–Belizean bank.

The IMF noted that all banks are branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks or foreign holding companies, adding that for supervision and reporting purposes, branches are treated in a similar manner as subsidiaries and are required to hold notional capital dedicated to local operations. All top four banks have both domestic and international licenses without much firewall in between.

The FSC designates the top four banks as domestic systemically

important banks (D-SIBs). About 60 percent of D-SIBs’ assets are linked to domestic loan risks because equity investment is linked to domestic loans. Remaining assets are mostly liquidity up-streamed to foreign head offices. Key sources of funding are resident deposits and, to a lesser extent, capital and external funding (intragroup funding and nonresident deposits).

The other three banks, one from Panama and two from Switzerland, specialize in offshore wealth management.

Wealthy nonresidents, mostly European, are attracted to these TCI banks partly for tax reasons. Almost half of the banks’ deposit accounts show a balance of at least US$ 100,000. Deposits on their balance sheets are typically placed with foreign group members.

The report noted that credit is given mostly to residents, and it has been contracting since the crisis because of the stagnation in the construction sector.

“About 90 percent of loans outstanding are to residents, mostly

to households, followed by private businesses,” said the report. “Credit has been contracting since the economic crisis. However, the contraction is concentrated in the construction sector, while banks managed to extend credit to other sectors in 2011-12 (notably real estate). Credit growth dented once again when drastic fiscal austerity started in 2012, causing demand shock. This seems to indicate weak credit growth has been mostly driven by demand factors, and banks did have some capacity to extend credit where demand existed even after the crisis.”

The IMF said that the offshore insurance sector continues to grow rapidly. There are over 7,000 firms, mostly PORCs, and 800 new licenses were issued in 2014. But the PORCs are small, and their assets are estimated to be about 5 percent of GDP. Little financial information on these insurers is collected regularly by the FSC, because this type of business usually poses low risks to the system.

The domestic insurance market is

served by foreign branches. Currently, only two insurers out of 17 domestic insurers are incorporated in TCI. There are 11 non-life insurers, and they account for nearly 90 percent of premium income. Property insurance accounts for 67 percent of non-life insurers’ gross premiums, but 90 percent are reinsured, distributing out natural disaster risks. The main life insurance business is credit life.

(Bank borrowers are often required to obtain life insurance policies.)

Most assets are managed for nonresident clients investing in foreign assets, although there are some domestic activities. Two trust companies and two mutual funds primarily focus on investment in TCI real estate (including mortgage funds), and they manage both foreign and wealthy local investors’ money.

Without adequate safeguards, large redemptions may weigh on real estate markets, though total assets were relatively small, amounting to around US$ 140 million (less than 20 percent of GDP), in 2014.

National Training Workshop on Child and Gender Responsive Budgeting

The Ministry of Home Affairs, priorities into a country’s strategic Transportation and Communications/ planning and budgeting processes.

Department of Social Development • To build national capacities for and Gender Affairs will be hosting child sensitive and gender responsive a National Training Workshop budgeting in sectorial and national on Child and Gender Responsive budget processes and cycles.

Budgeting.

The two-day workshop • To help build capacity of the is a joint initiative of UN Women, various ministries and government being sponsored by UNICEF and agencies within the Eastern Caribbean DFID in collaboration with the OECS Area (ECA) and to assist them in Commission. integrating the concept and principles The workshop aims to bring of child and gender responsive about awareness through following budgeting within their policy-budget objectives: frameworks • Help to develop skills and • Increased knowledge and expertise to enable governments to strengthen the standard operational integrate child and gender needs and practices of policy makers and social

development practitioners in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) sub-region and Caribbean Overseas Territories on child and gender responsive budgeting

The Department of Social Development and Gender Affairs is the leading agency in child protection and gender equality, this also includes the responsibility of ensuring that the protocols, policies, legislations, gender needs and priorities are implemented into a country’s strategic planning and budgeting processes.

The two-day workshop is scheduled to be held on November 11th – 12th 2015

at the NJS Frances, West Committee Conference Room, House of Assembly, Grand Turk, T.C.I. Attending the workshop would be representatives from key Ministries/Departments.

(Financial Officers, Budget Officers, Health Professional, Education Offices and Social Workers).

On Friday, November 13, 2015 the Consultant will meet with Government Officials to strengthen the working partnership and begin preparation for the joint Work Plan for 2016.The Facilitator for the workshop is Social and Economic Policy Specialist, Ms. Maya Faisal UNICEF Office for the Eastern Caribbean Area.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

Radars in The Bahamas didn’t work during Hurricane Joaquin during the storm, therefore, making it impossible for them to warn the public of the impending storm.

It appears that embattled The guardian quoted one Director for Department of Disaster forecaster as saying: “In my opinion, Management and Emergency we were wrong for not issuing a (DDME), Dr. Virginia Clerveaux may hurricane warning for the southeast have been vindicated by a Nassau Bahamas, earlier, and this is a story Guardian report that that country’s in itself.” meteorological radar was down The publication said that on during the passage of Hurricane October 2, the department released Joaquin. a statement advising that the radar

Clerveaux came under fire was working and was operable from members of the public and some even during the passage of Joaquin. government officials, who accused But another forecaster wrote to a her office of failing to sufficiently colleague stating: “The Damn radar is informing the public that a storm was not working. My God, we got to stop!” coming. The Turks and Caicos was Another forecaster, according to the lashed by the outer bands of Joaquin, Guardian, responded: “I feel bad for which caused mostly flooding. Some those in the central Bahamas. They islands in the Bahamian chain were did not have a chance to evacuate.” however, devastated.

The paper said the forecaster

Clerveaux, who was away claimed that there was a threein Miami at the time of the storm, hour delay between the time of on government business, said that the National Hurricane Centre in she was always in touch with the the United States called and when Bahamas meteorological office, which officials at the Bahamas Met Office provides weather report for the Turks reacted to what was taking place with and Caicos Islands, for the latest the weather. update, but was constantly told that The paper quoted another the TCI was not under a watch or forecaster as saying: “We could save warning, even when the country was lives. Now look what happened. My experiencing strong winds.

God. How are they going to explain

However, according to the this. Truth be told, the storm was too Nassau Guardian, forecasters in close for comfort to begin with, and that country are furious with their at least an alert should have been department of meteorology, which issued. Understand the winds from they claimed did not inform them the centre of circulation to be in of a that the radar had gone down tropical storm or hurricane force in

By Vivian Tyson

Senior Sun Editor

nature would have affected some of the islands.

“Because the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) could not contact an official early enough, we were late in issuing our first warning.

So if NHC has to go through an official and can’t contact him, then the forecasters are on duty have to make the call.”

The paper quoted an employee of the forecast office to confirm that: “The radar was down. I did a complete reinstall of the software. I am sure there were no calibrations done once it was back up. So on top of the fact that it is not doing volume scans that would provide the best data, there is no way to tell if any data is accurate, but I think the photos above answer the question.

Such revelations by Bahamian forecasters could once and for all support Clerveaux argument that the DDME followed strict public information protocol during the passage of Hurricane Joaquin.

Clerveaux told The SUN immediately following Joaquin’s passage that from the time the storm was formed, the DDME began to submit alerts and disseminate information to the public as soon as it received information from the meteorological office in the Bahamas.

She said that the Bahamas conveyed to the DDME that the storm would have travelled northeast of the Turks and Caicos Islands, which

she said was the prediction until the Wednesday afternoon.

“Up until Wednesday night, it was still projected to go northeast.

It wasn’t until Thursday morning that the Turks and Caicos Islands was placed under a tropical storm warning. And at that point, we still informed the public that we were under a tropical storm warning.

“However, prior to that, persons were feeling some wind and they were experiencing rainfall. I understand that the public felt that we should have issued some warning or alerts, but we could not have done so. The Bahamas did not put us under a warning and the National Hurricane Centre did not put us under a warning,” Clerveaux said.

“At that point, I was in touch with the Bahamas, and the Bahamas said they were in touch with the National Hurricane Centre, and they indicated that we did not meet the criteria of wind speed in order to be under a warning.

“For you to be placed under a tropical storm warning, you have to have winds of 39 miles per hour to 70 miles per hour; scientifically we did not meet that criteria. And it wasn’t for a lack of warning, we were in touch with the respective agencies.

But what was happening on the ground, what the public thought they were experiencing did not meet that storm criteria,” Clerveaux said in the interview.

HAB MANAGEMENT LIMITED

HAB MANAGEMENT LIMITED

HAB Management Limited is seeking applicants for the following position:

HAB Management Limited is seeking suitably qualified individuals to fill the following opening. Only candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be considered.

HOUSEKEEPER Job Description Candidates will be responsible to clean guest rooms as assigned, ensuring the hotel’s established standards of cleanliness.

Requirements Should have four years or more experience as a Housekeeper in a Hotel. Must have knowledge of proper cleaning techniques. Maintain positive guest relations at all times. Should be able to work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team.

Must be able to read and write in English and understand verbal and written instructions. Good presentation and a pleasant, friendly personality required.

Wages $6.50 per hour.

Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by November 9, 2015 at ronnie@habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191. Only persons selected for an interview will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.

TURKS & CAICOS WATER COMPANY LTD. REVERSE OSMOSIS TECHNICIAN Turks & Caicos Water Company Limited would like to fill the following position for a Reverse Osmosis Technician. Applicant must have 6 years experience in Sea Water Reverse Osmosis, working for facilities producing a minimum of 2.0 MGD of potable water. Applicant must be proficient with RO Pro software, customized SCADA systems, design of membrane arrays, rebuilding of high pressure pumps & energy recover devices, TIG welding, and laboratory analysis of potable water. Applicant must be drug free, have a valid driver’s license, dependable transportation and clean criminal record. Position requires swing shift hours and 24/7 on call for emergencies.

Applicants will have to complete an application process, which includes basic written examination regarding safety and process technologies, police background check and drug test.

Salary for this position is $600.00 per week commensurate with experience, training and education. Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by November 9, 2015 at ronnie@habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191. Suitable applicants will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.

HOUSEKEEPING MANAGER Essential Job Functions: •Provide direction and support to the housekeeping staff, ensuring that the Housekeeping Department runs in a smooth efficient manner.

•Manage the day to day operations of the Housekeeping Department in order to maintain the established standards of service and cleanliness of the hotel.

•Carry out daily inspection of rooms, public space and back of house areas continually and consistently.

•Control, request and purchase all supplies related to housekeeping.

•Control inventories and costs of cleaning supplies, consumable and housekeeping equipment and machinery.

•Responsible for setting up and maintaining ongoing training programs for the housekeeping staff.

Requirements: •Should have at least six (6) years experience as a Housekeeping Supervisor or relevant experience in a luxury hotel.

•Must have knowledge of proper cleaning techniques, requirements and familiar with all equipments that are associated with the Housekeeping Department.

•Must have strong administrative skills and must be able to prioritize workload.

•Must have the ability to multitask, work in a fast paced environment and have a high level attention to detail.

•Must be hands on and work with minimal supervision.

•Should be able to work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team.

•Must have advanced knowledge and skills in MS Office (particularly Excel), Visual One and know how to operate office equipment.

•Ability to communicate information and hotel services to management, team members and guest.

•Strong verbal and written communication skills in English is required for this position.

The salary for this position is $18,000 per annum, commensurate with experience, training and education.

Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by November 9, 2015 at ronnie@habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191. Suitable applicants will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 7

LOCAL NEWS

Dr. Carlton Mills named principal for Long Bay High

the Raymond Gardiner High School from 1992-1997, Vice President of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community

The Deputy Governor’s Office College from 1997-2007 and Minister of has announced longstanding educator Education, Youth, Sports and Culture and former education Minister Carlton from 2007-2009,” the statement said.

Mills as the principal for the new Her Excellency Deputy Long Bay High School now under Governor Anya Williams, who construction on Providenciales. commented on Mills’ appointment

Mills’ position as the head of stated, “It is an esteemed pleasure of administration at the institution was mine to welcome the Most Honoured ratified early this month less than Dr. Carlton Mills back to the Turks and two weeks after the interview process Caicos Islands civil service and to have took place. The Deputy Governor’s him serve in this capacity.

Office, which released a statement on “With his fortitude and passion Mills’ appointment, described former for the education sector and the youth education under the Michael Misick of this country, we have full confidence administration, as someone with a in his ability to grow and to develop wealth of talent. the new Long Bay High School into

“The Turks and Caicos Islands one of the most productive institutions Government is pleased to announce of learning in the Turks and Caicos the appointment of Dr. Carlton Mills Islands. as the Principal for the new Long Bay “We congratulate him on this High School in Providenciales. appointment and look forward to

“Dr. Mills possesses a wealth working with him and to exceptional of education and experience, holding results from the L.B.H.S. in the years a Certificate in Teacher Education, to come.” a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Dr. Mills was recently awarded Sociology and a Diploma, Master’s the Cayos Medal for his patriotic Degree and Doctorate in Education. service to the islands in the education

“He previously served as the and political arena and now holds the Principal of the Marjorie Basden High title the Much Honoured Dr. Carton School from 1990-1992; Principal of Mills, P.A.

By Vivian Tyson

Senior Sun Editor

Seven Stars Resort is seeking suitably individuals to fill the positions outlined below. Ideal candidates must possess luxury resort experience, a professional demeanor, and a strong command of the English Language (oral and written). Relevant experience and a passion for hospitality is required. Salary is based on experience and qualifications.

•Lead Bellman •Demi Chef De Partie •Floor Crystalizing Specialist •Security Officer •Housekeeping Attendant •Room Attendant •Lead Server •Financial Controller •Houseman •Chef De Partie •Crystalizing Specialist •Beach Butler •Mixologist Interested candidates should apply via e-mail to Seven Stars at hr@sevenstarsgracebay.com for consideration.

Application deadline: November 6, 2015.

ONLY CANDIDATES MEETING ABOVE REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS WILL BE CONTACTED.

Dr Carlton Mills

Mills told The SUN that he was happy to have been given the nod to head the new learning institution.

“In all honesty, I am actually delighted to make my re-entry back into education. Like I said to the deputy governor, I am haunted for the last six years, because I felt really that I wasn’t following my passion, and my passion is education,” he said.

Mills said that his aim is to make the Long Bay High School either rival or surpass all schools educationally in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“Not to put the other public schools at a distance, but we have an opportunity here at the new school, to create the quality education in a public school setting that will rival any quality of education offered by private schools.

“And I think that is going to be our ultimate goal at the Long Bay High School; that we can compete or surpass any private secondary school in this country when it comes to education. It only requires that we have the kind of leadership and the kind of staff that are dedicated and committed to this task.

We have to send the message out to the Turks and Caicos that their children can get just as a good, a better education in a public school setting than a private school,” Mills said.

Mill’s official tour of duty began Monday, October 19. The interviews were done in early October, and Mills said that he heard from the ministry less than the two weeks, which was the promised the ministry said they would get back to him.

Page 8

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS S&P Reaffirms FortisTCI Rating of ‘BBB’ Outlook: Stable

Standards & Poor’s (S & P), the world’s leading provider of independent credit ratings, at the conclusion of its recent annual review of FortisTCI (the “Company”), confirmed the Company’s investment grade credit rating of ‘BBB’ (Outlook: Stable).

Most companies are issued a rating based on their financial strength, future prospects and past history.

Companies that have manageable levels of debt, good earnings potential, strong management, and a good debtpaying record, will have good credit ratings. An investment grade credit rating means that the Company’s financial position will enable it to meet its debt obligations.

The electric utility business is a very high capital-intensive industry and requires access to debt markets to fund capital investment projects over several years.

Having an investment grade corporate credit rating enables the Company to attract debt investors. In 2014, FortisTCI was able to source ninety million dollars in the New York Debt Market, becoming the first local company to do so. In addition, it is

acknowledged that the international investment profile of countries benefit significantly when privately owned companies in their jurisdictions are able to achieve investment grade credit ratings and access international debt markets.

The report issued by S&P revealed several strengths that helped FortisTCI maintain its ‘BBB’ rating.

Including a simple cost-of-service style regulation, the ability to recover cost in a timely manner (including commodity costs), a strategic relationship with its parent Company, and the ability to produce stable cash flow. The report stated, “The outlook also reflects our expectation that there will be no material changes to the licensing agreement and tariff structure.”

On the downside, S&P also reported that weakening in the Turks and Caicos Islands economy and unfavourable changes in the regulatory structure or operating license could have an adverse effect on the outlook.

It assumed, “The regulatory structure is relatively stable, there will not be any major reforms to the regulatory structure and that FortisTCI will not experience any material adverse

regulatory decision.”

FortisTCI President & CEO Eddinton Powell said, “We are pleased to have maintained our investmentgrade rating, ensuring that we have access to funding essential to our operations. The support of our parent company, Fortis Inc., continues to be critical. At current projection, we forecast capital investments of approximately one hundred and thirty million dollars ($130,000,000), over the next five years, to meet expected economic growth and to sustain our existing assets. The utility business remains one of the most capitalintensive industries in the world and our service quality and reliability depend on the level of investment we make.”

FortisTCI is a vertically integrated electric utility company and is responsible for generation, transmission, and distribution to almost 14,000 customers across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Future investments include new transmission lines to North Caicos, generation portfolio expansion, Grace Bay substation, Grand Turk facilities, and renewable energy infrastructure.

If you are unable to attend please me remained that person can view the policy document and submitted a questionnaire to the following.

Turks and Caicos Islands Gaming Consultation 2015, N.J.S. Francis Building, Pond St, Cockburn Town, Grand Turk, Or District Commissioner’s Office on the Islands of North, Middle and South Caicos and Salt Cay Online Survey at the following

Gaming policy meeting in Grand Turk

The Ministry of Tourism Culture and Environment is inviting public and citizens of Grand Turk to attend a presentation and give feedback on the Gaming policy 2015.

The meeting will be held at 7pm on Thursday 22nd October at the HJ Robinson High school auditorium.

A Consultation Document will be circulated and questionnaire to seek feedback on the key provisions and amendments that are being proposed to address key issues in the public debate.

We look forward to you attendance .

Ways to respond: By email to: gamingconsultation2015@ gov.tc In writing (hard copies) to: Turks and Caicos Islands Gaming Consultation 2015, Gaming Inspectorate, Butterfield Square, Providenciales Or

Mountain Air Helicopters (TCI) Ltd., an FAA Certified Part 135 Air Carrier

holding Permit to operate On Demand 135 operations in TCI. It is a duly licensed helicopter Charter and Tour Company based in Grand Turk. The Company operates under very stringent rules and our safety record is strong. The Company provides service to the private sector as well as government agencies.

Mountain Air Helicopters (TCI) Ltd. is currently seeking and has immediate openings for the following positions: HELICOPTER PILOT: •Must hold a current FAA Commercial Pilot License with Rotorcraft / Helicopter endorsements •Have and be able to prove through valid log book entry or training records: o 2,000 Hours Total Time o 800 Hours Helicopter o 500 Hours Turbine Time Helicopter o 120 Hours in Eurocopter EC120 or AS350B Helicopters o 200 hours of over water experience.

• Have a valid Passport • Live and base in Grand Turk • Hold a valid Drivers License • Hold a valid and current FAA Medical Certificate • Participate in company mandatory Drug and Alcohol program • Be outgoing and interactive with passengers • Be well spoken in English • Other languages (Spanish, French) a plus.

• Pass a flight revue by the Director of Operation HELICOPTER MECHANIC: •Must hold a current FAA Airframe and Power Plant (A&P) License •Have 5 years total experience and •3 years experience as a A&P Licensed Maintenance Technician •History of Rotorcraft Experience on; o Eurocopter EC120B o Eurocopter AS350B o Turbomeca Arrius 2F, and Arriel 2B/2B1 Engines •Good troubleshooting skills •Strong work ethics •Be outgoing and interactive with clients and customers •Valid Passport •Valid Drivers License •Live and base in Grand Turk •Participate in company mandatory Drug and Alcohol program •Ability to travel and overnight if necessary •Good communication skills Applicants must please administer CVs/Resumes to the following address or email: MOUNTAIN AIR HELICOPTERS (TCI) LTD. c/o EPIC Corporation & Consultancy Services Ltd. Cee’s Plaza, Suite No. 1 Church Folly P.O. Box 86 Grand Turk Turks and Caicos Islands Phone: (649) 432-8888 Email: marinajones@mac.com

links

Face to face engagements with stakeholder groups. Please submit requests via the email address provided above to make appointments.

Turks and Caicos Sun Suite#5, Airport Plaza Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands Tel: (649) 946-8542 Fax: (649) 941-3281 Email: sun@suntci.com Read us online at www.suntci.com Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Hayden Boyce Senior Editor: Vivian Tyson Office Manager: Dominique Rigby Graphic designer Information Technology and Production Manager: Kelano Howell The Turks and Caicos SUN is a subsidiary of The SUN Media Group Ltd. We are committed to excellence in journalism, educating and informing our readers, serving and satisfying our advertisers and assisting in the overall development of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

NOTICE OF SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION 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.

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 3.Parcel 60004/251 North West & North Central, Providenciales. Single storey with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, living room, kitchen and laundry room on 0.21 acre.

Registered Proprietor: Olivia Loretta Gardiner 4.Parcel 10403/173 East Suburbs, Grand Turk. Single storey with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, living/dining room, family room, kitchen and laundry room on 0.25 acre.

Registered Proprietor: Kaydeen Patriece Miles 5.Parcel 50402/175 Kew Township, North Caicos. Single storey with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, living/dining room and kitchen on 0.32 acre.

Registered Proprietors: Bernice Augusta Been and Melva Olaine Williams 6.Parcel 60400/187 Chalksound, Providenciales. Vacant land located on Chalksound Drive with panoramic views over the waters to the west of Chalksound on 0.58 acre.

Registered Proprietor: Carmen Rochelle Brown 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 30th day of October 2015.

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

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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Page 10

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

Lord Ashcroft was hospitalised in TCI

Michael Ashcroft, the former Conservative party deputy chairman who upset Downing Street with his recent biography of David Cameron, has spent 18 days in intensive care in the US after suffering liver and renal failure.

The announcement that Lord Ashcroft has been gravely ill was made in a special video report by Belize’s Channel 5 station that was broadcast at the launch of his book in London on Monday.

The report said that Ashcroft, 69, had to be rushed by air ambulance from the Turks and Caicos islands to the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio last month, where he was diagnosed with septic shock that led to liver and renal failure.

“Welcome to the launch of Call Me Dave and I’m sorry that I cannot be with you this evening,” Ashcroft said in opening remarks read out by his publisher, Iain Dale. “As you will have just seen, I have been a little preoccupied for the last four weeks.

I haven’t of course set foot in the UK since my illness, but I am reliably informed that my book has caused a bit of a stir.”

The Channel 5 report revealed that Ashcroft was first taken ill in Turkey, where he had been visiting war graves to mark the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign, on 22 September, the day after the Daily Mail started serialising his book.

The serialisation began under a front-page headline with the word “Revenge”, after it revealed that Ashcroft had been promised a substantial government job by David

Graceway IGA Supermarket

Cameron.

Ashcroft flew to the Turks and Caicos on 23 September after a doctor administered antibiotics. But his condition deteriorated on his arrival and he was admitted to the National Hospital on Providenciales.

The following day he was flown by air ambulance to Cleveland.

Ashcroft spent 18 days in intensive care after suffering kidney and liver failure, as well as internal bleeding from a leaking intestinal lesion near his stomach. He suffered what were described by Channel 5 as acute fluctuations in blood pressure. Ashcroft, whose condition was compounded by diabetes, is now understood to be in a stable condition.

At the book launch, his co author, Isabel Oakeshott, the former political editor of the Sunday Times, revealed that David Cameron had advised her not to work with the peer.

“I just really fear for you,” Oakeshott quoted the prime minister as saying after he warned that she might become caught up in a “terrible fight” between him and the peer.

The biography alleged that Cameron knew Ashcroft had not renounced his non-dom tax status in 2009, a year before it became public.

The book also contained lurid details about Cameron’s behaviour at Oxford, although the authors said they could not verify some of the allegations.

Lord Ashcroft also thanked his publisher and co-author for defending the book during the controversy surrounding its publication.

He wrote: “My poor health over the past month has meant that

invites applications from suitable qualified

Lord Michael Ashcroft my co-author, Isabel Oakeshott, and my publisher, Iain Dale, have – with support from my private office – been left to defend the book on their own.

“Although they have done a sterling job without me, I am well aware that I should have been standing shoulder-to-shoulder at their side but – as my health deteriorated – that was, of course, impossible.

“I have fought many political and business battles over the past half century, but this is the first one – and, I trust, the last – in which I haven’t led from the front.”

Lord Ashcroft is a Britishborn billionaire who has extensive business investments in Belize, and is a naturalized Belizean who once served as Belize’s Ambassador to the United Nations. His business

enterprise in Belize includes Belize Bank, Belize Bank Holdings, Channel 5 and its parent company Great Belize Productions.

In addition, Lord Ashcroft has been a financial contributor to both the People’s United Party and the United Democratic Party.

The Prime Minister of Belize recently negotiated and settled the Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) nationalization with Lord Ashcroft during private negotiations in Miami, where he agreed to pay compensation for government’s seizure of the telecommunications company, bringing an end to about 90 percent of the litigation between the government of Belize and the so-called Ashcroft alliance that has been going on for years.

Grace way Gourmet is seeking a suitably qualified applicant to fill the position of:

individuals for the position of:

Wholesale Alcohol & Tobacco Account Representative Job Summary: Responsible for achieving sales, service and product distribution objectives of alcohol and tobacco to On-premise and Off-premise accounts within the assigned territory in Turks and Caicos. Also responsible for the compliance of Graceway, standards and policies in all areas impacted by sales, customer service and collections; through the Wholesale Division.

Required Skills and Qualifications •3+ years outside sales experience - Beverage industry experience a plus •Knowledge of On- premises and Off-premise trade, sale & marketing of products in the beverage industry •Proven track record of meeting sales goals •Broad knowledge of wine and understanding of beer and liquor •Exceptional verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills •Excellent organizational and time-management skills •Self starter with the ability to work independently and as part of a team •Flexibility to work some weekend and/or evening hours •Strong customer service skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships through attentive service and collections •Experience in the restaurant and / or beverage industry desired •Ability to lift 50 IBS repetitively •Must have a valid TCI Driver’s license and safe driving record •Must be computer friendly with working skill in Word, Excel and Outlook •Maintains professional relationships with vendors through promotional activities and sales calls.

Salary rate will commensurate with experience Deadline for submission of applicants is October 30th 2015 Submit to: Graceway IGA Supermarket main office complex or email: hr@gracewayiga.com

Summary: The Sous Chef will be responsible for producing high quality hot and cold food for the Graceway Gourmet Delicatessen.

The Sous Chef will also be responsible for managing a small team of cooks and assistants and ensuring compliance with stringent health and safety standards.

Main duties and Responsibilities: •Plan creative and appetizing menus •Standardize production recipes to ensure consistent quality •Ensure the food is properly prepared and well presented •Involved in pricing •Oversee and ensure proper equipment operation & maintenance •Oversee and assist with special event catering services as required •Be involved in merchandising, signage, product pricing, dating, and ordering of food products •Monitor all the food products produced to ensure that quality standards are consistently being attained •Establishes controls to minimize wastage •Be responsible for the profitability of the food produced •Help Train and develop the staff Required Qualification and Experiences •Successful experience as a Sous chef in a high quality restaurant •The ability to manage in a busy environment with a focus on clients and customer service is essential to success in this role •Previous experience with controlling food and labor cost, demonstration cooking, menu pricing and development of culinary team preferred •Must be able to properly discuss all products, and communicate with customers •The ideal candidates for this post will posses a bachelor’s degree or at least 5 years related culinary management experience as a Sous Chef in a high quality, busy restaurant and/or a 5 star Hotel/Resort •Previous experience in preparing high quality Deli / Restaurant Food •Must be able to work a flexible schedule based on food service and catering needs, which may include working some evenings, weekends and holidays •Fluent in English Salary rate will be based on qualification and experience.

If you possess all of the above, please send a resume and cover letter to: Submit to: hr@gracewayiga.com Deadline for application: October 30th 2015 Please Note: Only short-listed applicants will be contacted to attend interviews

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 11

LOCAL NEWS

Five Cays MP wants proper drainage system for Provo

By Vivian Tyson

Senior Sun Editor

Member of Parliament for the Five Cays Constituency, Hon. Sean Astwood, is imploring government to reexamine the current draining system on Providenciales in the wake of flash flooding downtown and many communities on that island.

The MP made the statement in an interview with The SUN after areas in constituency were flooded out, making it impossible for persons to negotiate.

Parts of the Providenciales downtown area, such as the Five Cays main road, and Old Airport road are located in Astwood’s constituency. Both areas were flooded by the sustained showers, which dumped buckets of water on the country between Tuesday and Thursday.

The Department of Disaster Management and Emergency (DDME) said the showers were caused from a quasi-stationary front across the Northwestern Bahamas, which had created unstable weather condition for the TCI.

As a result of the showers, the DDME informed that the Providenciales International Airport; the Caicos Lodge area of Leeward Highway; Blue Hills Corner; Kew Town; Leeward Gate; Downtown; and Five Cays Road.

Astwood said that flooding on Providenciales, even outside of storms has been a protracted problem,

Member of Parliament for Five Cays Hon. Sean Astwood insisting that it past time that the on our roads. The government also matter is effectively addressed. stated that with the drilling of the

“This flooding situation has wells, bodies of water collected along been around for a long time, so I think roadways run off as soon as the rains it is time for the country to take a abate. The government said too, that serious look at the drainage in the pumps are used to suck away waters country as a whole system and come in area where limited number of wells up with a proper system, and start to have been drilled. put that in place, because to continue However, Astwood stated as we are just doesn’t make sense. that the wells are not enough on We are talking about normal rainy top of the situation where motorists weather, not storms,” Astwood said. and pedestrians are inconvenienced

Sometime ago, during a news during the rains. He said too, that conference, government highlighted the salty nature of the islands cause the fact that a number of wells were the gathered water to place long term drilled in recent time which alleviate a effects vehicles. great deal water catchments especially “Obviously, the wells that they

East Bay Resort

is searching for an experienced Electrician.

You must be able to perform the following tasks:  read electrical, architectural and mechanical diagrams, drawings mor specifications to determine job requirements  plan the layout of wiring systems  test for, locate and repair electrical malfunctions  install electrical and electronic control systems and insulated cables  install electrical equipment such as storage heaters, water heaters, electrical signs, switchboards and motors  assemble electrical and electronic components and appliances  connect electrical equipment to power supplies  connect switches, outlets and other fittings  connect circuit breakers  Have knowledge of soldering, able to work on boats and electrical engines

Must also be proficient in electrical motor winding; applying electrical knowledge to make, fit or repair electrical machines or appliances.

Electricians must be aware of safety regulations and must wear and use supplied protective equipment to minimize risks.

Personal Requirements:  enjoy mathematical and technical activities  good hand-eye coordination  good eyesight (may be corrected) and normal color vision  logical thinking and diagnostic ability  aptitude for mechanics and electronics  able to do precise and detailed work  able to work independently or as part of a team  able to cope with the physical demands of the job  Good communication skills.  Must speak English with a knowledge of French and Spanish.

Beginning salary Commensurate with Experience Interested Applicant’s please email all applications to info@ saunders.tc

have opened up isn’t enough, and just drilling of wells does not constitute a draining system in my view. And, relying on water to eventually run off or evaporate, to me, is not the best solution, because while that works okay in some areas, for some other areas, it doesn’t work well.

“And, there are areas in Five Cays that are perfect examples. Two weeks later, areas that they have decided not to pump still has water two weeks after Joaquin – that tropical storm/hurricane,” he said.

He added: “The idea to sit back and wait for areas to clean up or run-off itself isn’t adequate. The pumping system, while it works in some scenarios, doesn’t work in all locations. They do have pumping areas, but watching downtown every time it rains, there is a sea of water there.

Obviously the system is inadequate however it is designed, does not solve the problem.

“The other thing I would like to mention is that we live on an island that the ground is salty. Therefore, anytime we have water weather the sea water level rises and comes over into our roads, or rainwater, as it hits the ground, it has a salt content that comes out of the ground. So the vehicles that have to pass through salty water would be affected, and the water would have a long-term effect on them. So that is an important point that the government needs to look at and understand the situation.”

WATERLOO HOTEL MANAGEMENT LIMITED is inviting applications for the following positions: EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: •Candidate must demonstrate a proven track record of successfully leading/managing in an upscale Food & Beverage environment; with strong culinary experience and training.

•Responsible for the execution of all company policies and procedures, ensuring that all services provided achieve the established standards within the agreed budgetary controls.

•Advise the Corporate Executive Chef on all matters relating to the kitchen area and ensure a high standard of cleanliness and hygienic practice throughout the kitchen.

•To assist the Corporate Executive Chef in budgeting i.e food cost/payroll/etc.

•Ensure guest satisfaction with the smooth and effective running of the day-to-day operation.

•Organize training and development of culinary staff members.

•To maintain control of the standards for purchasing and receiving items.

•To test and evaluate products for quality, paying particular attention to yield/holding qualities/market price/wastage usage of leftovers.

•Constantly inspect all food service sections during service time to ensure that the correct standards are maintained.

•Responsible for control of equipment and scheduling maintenance.

REQUIREMENTS: •Minimum of 5 years of previous Food and Beverage international experience in a senior leadership role.

•University/College degree •Computer literate in Microsoft Window applications required •Strong interpersonal and problem solving abilities •Developed proficiency with forecasting, cost controls and scheduling through related experience.

•Dynamic, enthusiastic, creative leader who thrives under pressure and is able to perform multiple functions and troubleshoot when need.

•Highly responsible & reliable with the ability to work well under pressure in fast paced environment.

•Ability to work cohesively as part of a team •Ability to focus attention on guest needs, remaining calm and courteous at all times •The ability to stand and/or walk for a long periods of time, lift up to 40lbs and push/ pull up to 50 lbs.

•Must be able to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends and holidays.

Salary for these positions will commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Please Submit Applications to: cgibbons@wihl.com A copy should also be submitted to the TCI Labor Department.

Submissions to be no later that November 6th, 2015 Belongers need only apply.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

Major health financing conference to be held in Turks and Caicos Islands

Caribbean countries face fairly similar patterns and determinants of disease and ill-health, although there is a lot of variability in capabilities, competence and performance of their health delivery networks and health financing systems.

Motivated by these concerns, Heads of Caribbean Social Security Organizations meeting in Belize City in 2005 sought to establish a Caribbean forum for discussing approaches, challenges and lessons learnt in addressing the various aspects of national health financing.

As a consequence, the conference on Caribbean Health Financing Initiatives was organized to share knowledge, test ideas and learn from those who have responsibility for health financing actions. The Conferences have also sought to enhance local capacity to make the right choices in a dynamic socio-economic environment and contribute to health and welfare in the Caribbean.

Recognizing that knowledge and field expertise in health and health financing matters do not reside with a particular professional group, the Conferences have actively sought to broaden participation and appeal by involving relevant international organizations, Ministries of Health, health insurers, overseas third party administrators and health services networks, research agencies, pharmacies, IT companies and even resorts.

The first conference was held in the Turks and Caicos Islands and was hosted at the time by the National Insurance Board. This year in celebration of ten years of dialogue and communication on the challenges with financing health in the Caribbean, the Conference returns to the Turks and Caicos Islands and will be hosted by the National Health Insurance Board [NHIB]. Since the inception of the NHIB the focus of health care has been intensified and data has been collected and collated to help with policy making.

TCI is unique in the Caribbean and consequently has its own unique issues and challenges with the financing of health care in the islands. The model and method is intended to be

shared in various discussion forum during the conference and will lay the foundation for further dialogue on healthcare financing.

In addition, the delegates will have an opportunity to visit the Turks and Caicos Island and experience the culture, scenery and warmth of the islands with the many different plans and programmes that has been planned for the conference.

The Organising Committee works in collaboration with Dr. Stanley Lalta of the HEU/ Centre for Health Economics at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Lalta has over twenty years of research and consulting in public health policy in the Caribbean.

PREVIOUS CONFERENCES

PARTNERS AND SPONSORS

Nine (9) Conferences, each with over 80 participants, have been convened since the 2005 decision by Heads of Social Security Organizations in the Caribbean. This year the conference has already registered over 120 participants – setting the mark to be the biggest and best conference hosted on health care financing in the Caribbean.

The Organising committee and Dr. Stanley Lalta are supported by the following select partners and sponsors: PLATINUM

Office of the Premier

National Health Insurance Board Baptiste Hospital of Miami

InterHealth Canada TCILimited

GOLD Morneau Shepell of Canada JIPA Network

The following islands have hosted conferences since the decision taken in 2005: •2006 —Turks and Caicos Islands •2007—Aruba; •2008—Trinidad and Tobago; •2009—St Maarten; •2010—Belize; •2011—Bermuda; •2012—Curacao; •2013—Jamaica; •2014 – Trinidad and Tobago •2015 – Turks and Caicos Islands [NHIB] ORGANISING COMMITTEE

The Organising committee (management and staff of the NHIP) for the 10th Annual Caribbean Health Financing Initiative Conference comprises: Zaneta Burton Rojer Inglis Angel Taylor Leshelle Tull

- Coordinator - Accountant - Head of Logistics - Head of Registration

Tessa Been - Head of Sponsorship Shenrika Robinson - Head of Administration

SILVER Grace Bay Pharmacy The University Hospital of the West Indies - Tony Thwaites Wing Flamingo Pharmacy Blue Haven Resort Dr. Sebastian Guzman International Reinsurance Managers Turkberry IGA Supermarkets Business Solutions Caicos Express Beaches Royal Jewels Fundacion Cardiovascular de Colombia The Medical Pavilion (Bahamas) The Medical Pavilion (Antigua)

National Security Council meets

His Excellency the Governor, Peter Beckingham, and the Hon. Premier, Dr Rufus Ewing, cochaired the 1st meeting of the TCI National Security Council (NSC) at the Hon. Hilly Ewing Building in Providenciales on Wednesday, 21 October 2015.

The Hon. Minister of Border Control and Employment, Her Excellency the Deputy Governor,

the Hon. Attorney General and the •The terms of reference include the the current and longer term security Commissioner of Police, who make formation of a wider National Security issues facing TCI to be presented at up the rest of the NSC, attended the Advisory Group (NSAG), which would the next meeting of the NSC in Grand meeting. meet quarterly. Although not intended Turk on 10 November 2015;

to be a statutory requirement, the AT THIS MEETING THE NSC: NSC agreed to meet about ten times •Received a presentation from the a year; Commissioner of Police on his •Approved the terms of reference for immediate priorities for enhancing the NSC to be drafted in the form of •Instructed the Commissioner of Police the capability of the RTCIPF including a bill to be taken to the House in the to produce a revised TCI National bringing in specialist officers in the first quarter of next year; Security Strategy that addresses field of serious crime investigation.

ELECTRICIAN TURKS AND CAICOS WATER COMPANY LIMITED is seeking a suitably qualified individual to fill the following position. Only candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be considered.

Duties Responsible for all general electrical maintenance and repairs of electrical problems. Must be able to operate electrical and control systems, generators and SWRO equipment in excess of 200 HP. Must be able to inspect various electrical systems and equipment for proper functioning. Proficient in diagnosing problems concerning PLCs and analog control circuits. Complete daily tasks as outlined by Supervisor. Complete maintenance request work orders on a timely basis. Performs all weekly, monthly and other scheduled preventative maintenance programs. Actively pursue new tasks or jobs when assigned work is completed.

Requirements Must have eight years experience and certification as an Electrician. Must have strong troubleshooting skills in order to diagnose and repair electrical problems. Must be proficient in Microsoft Office. Should have great oral and written communication skills. Work with minimal supervision. Applicant must be drug free, have a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and clean criminal record. Position requires the successful applicant to be willing to work swing shift hours, including holidays and weekends. Position requires for the successful applicant to be on standby for 24 hours call out emergencies.

The wages for this position is $8.00 per hour. Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by November 9, 2015 at ronnie@habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191.

Suitable applicants will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.

GENERAL MANAGER Applications are invited for the General Manager position at Providenciales FBO. An individual with leadership, customer relations, and results focused abilities is required to oversee all aspects of the FBO operations.

Responsibilities will include:

•Developing new business plan with capital requirements and anticipated performance •Establishing and servicing customer base, and developing customer relations •Ensuring that National & International regulations and safety procedures are established and maintained •Responsible for financial management of base including forecasting budgeting and expense control

Essential criteria for this position: •Superior industry knowledge of commercial and private aviation •Minimum of 10 years experience as an FBO General Manager •Proven track record in controlling all aspects of the business including line operations and facility management •An excellent track record in aviation safety monitoring and training •Verifiable track record of excellent customer service skills •Proven experience in managing fuel inventory •Strong experience in dealing with Regulatory Authorities

Salary based on experience Contact 331-0221

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

A REWARDING CAREER WITH COMO HOTELS & RESORTS STARTS TODAY!!

At COMO, we create experiences worth re-living, experiences that inspire guests to travel and live differently.

PARROT CAY BY COMO HAVE THE FOLLOWING VACANCIES JOB TITLE: EXECUTIVE HOUSEKEEPER

Job Summary Our Executive Housekeeper Executive Housekeeper contributes to guest comfort and ensures the daily cleaning and tidying of all the hotel rooms, beach houses, beach villas and any public areas. He/she also monitors the financial performance of the Housekeeping department operation and the efficiency of the linen service. He/she shall be required to develop specific goals, policies and strategies for the Housekeeping department which shall be implemented through correct planning, organising and training, while also ensuring that high standards, quality and maximum profitability is aimed for at all times.

Key Responsibilities •Develops close relationships with guests throughout their stay with the aim of gaining their loyalty.

•Presents the General Manager with a daily report on activities and events.

•Supervises and coordinates the departments: ensures they are well organized and run smoothly.

•Is in constant contact with the other departments and ensures that information circulates smoothly between them.

•Is responsible for consistency and coherence between different teams.

•Recruits the Heads of Department under his/her responsibility.

•Takes part in or validates the recruitment of all team members.

•Carries out annual performance appraisals on the people directly under his/her responsibility, sets targets and provides support for career development.

•Validates the annual performance appraisals carried out by the Heads of Department (reception and floor departments).

•Respects and ensures respect of labor regulations.

•Ensures the application of hygiene, safety and environment regulations.

•Prepares the marketing and commercial action plan for the hotel.

•Optimizes the hotel’s occupancy rates and develops associated services.

•Ensures that all sales made comply with the sales policy as defined by the brand and the hotel.

•Plays an active role in the marketplace policy.

•Keeps track of the standard of services delivered, based on guest comments and quality audits.

•Keeps close track of what the competition is doing.

•Is actively involved in the local area to keep up-to-date with the needs.

•Draws up the annual budget for the department and follows up implementation.

•Implements the rooms pricing policy in an effort to optimize it.

•Motivates and drives the team to attain the department’s quantative targets.

•Manages headcount to ensure it matches the level of activity in line with the predefined budget.

•Carries out occasional checks on cash operations, activity reports etc.

•Checks and analyses the dashboard charts prepared by the Heads of Department.

•Takes part in “Debtor” meetings and runs thorough checks on files in litigation.

•Analyses financial results and takes corrective measures as necessary throughout the year.

•Decides on the department’s investments in conjunction with the General Manager.

Key Requirements and Skills

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 13

•Management: Managing priorities, the ability to listen, stress management, team motivation.

•Recruitment skills.

•Ability with figures and ability to manage a cost centre.

•Sensibility to customers and able to deal face-to-face with guests.

•Ability to deliver training at all levels.

•Understanding of IT issues in relation to Housekeeping.

•Attention to detail: working carefully within the minimum time.

•Must be willing to work along with team ensuring that the job requirements are met to the standard of COMO Hotels.

•The ability to take the initiative.

•Good physical resilience.

•Organization and thoroughness: preparing bedrooms in the minimum length of time whilst respecting internal hotel procedures.

•Discretion: not disturbing guests.

Qualifications •Significant experience as a Five Star Hotel Executive Housekeeper.

•Managed a Housekeeping Department with responsibility for over 75 rooms.

•Minimum Front Office Experience.

•Fluency in a second language would be an advantage.

Other Managerial Positions: •Training Manager •Asst. Chief Engineer •Director of Owners Assets •Director of Engineering •Asst. Recreation Manager •Executive Housekeeper •Room Service Manager •Executive Chef •Beach House Manager •Private Estate Manager

All Managerial position requires you to reside on the Island of Parrot Cay: OTHER POSITIONS K9 Dog Handler Butler Restaurant Manager Turndown Housekeeping Attendant F&B Server Duty Manager Resort Butler Guest Services Supervisor Head Baker Reverse Osmosis Plant Operator Chef de partie Accountant Private Estate Attendant Yoga/Pilates Instructor

Wood Carver Housekeeping Supervisor Commis Chef Seamstress Health & Safety Manager (Island Nurse) Private Estates Housekeeping Supervisor Laundry/ Kitchen Tech Spa Receptionist Spa Attendant Spa Therapist Guest Services Agent (Leeward office) Guest Services Agent (Parrot Cay)

Salary for this position will be paid base on qualification and experience. Please note that all application must be submitted with a valid Police Record, two reference letters from previous employers or a notary public and current educational certificates. Must be willing to relocate.

Only suitable candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Forward your resume to the Human Resources Department at the following address: Parrot Cay Resort and COMO Shambhala P.O. Box 164 Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands Ph: (649) 946 7788, Fax: (649) 946 7749 Email: careers.parrotcay@comohotels.com

Page 14

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

Government must address unemployment now

By Hon. Sharlene Cartwrigth-Robinson

We are even more concerned by the fact that featuring high among these job seekers were school leavers

As we as a people grapple and young mothers. It was only in with the increase in crime and other July when I raised again that each pressing issues that can give rise as Graduation we add hundreds more to a result of unemployment, we cannot the unemployment figures with no idea help but to raise again our concerns of the Government’s plans to address about the Government’s failure to youth unemployment. As a result of address the issue of unemployment this many of our youth are disgruntled head on. Nearly three years in Office and feel displaced. This feeling is and an ever increasing boasting of an leading to a state of hopelessness and improved and improving economy, we a high level of frustration and in some pause to ask the Government again cases, we see anger and a rebellious when will it do something to get its attitude displayed. people back to work so that they may While school leavers are simply live? struggling to find jobs and a place

A few months ago when I of belonging in these Islands, single raised this matter, the Minister of parents continue to struggle as well as Finance said that unemployment was well as many other residents who are decreasing as crime was down and more than capable and willing to work this he said was an indicator that but are not being given the opportunity employment was on the increase. The to. This is the reality in this country truth of the matter was that at the where the Government is boasting time crime had already began to trend of over $200 million in various bank upward. accounts and the fact that its economy

A few weeks ago, we saw a local is turning up. airline hold a Job Fair and the numbers No country can be held to be of persons that turned out ought to a success country when it leaves its have alarmed any caring Government. people behind. Who is benefiting from In that group of job seekers were this improved economy? Where are the largely unemployed persons with new jobs? Who are getting these jobs? only a few looking to change jobs.

Unemployment for school Leader of the Opposition (PDM)

leavers, for single parents especially young mothers, persons released from prison, among others is a real issue that this Government refuses to address.

We continue to hear the cries and can say to you that the creation of a Jobs Policy and the management of jobs will be a top priority for a PDM Government.

The attitude of this Government in their “we will get to it, when we get to it” attitude when PDM raise issues that affect our people continues. These words and attitude was fully displayed in the last two House Sittings where this Government refused to support a stance for the implementation of a Freedom of Information Bill that will allow our people access to information that they need and should have and the failure to support a Border Patrol Unit to protect our waters. Though the usual few members spoke of the fact that it is needed, the statement was made that it will not be done because the Opposition says it should be done and only last week, a member of the Government stated openly that she will not support anything that the Opposition brings. This seems to be the attitude of this Government and truth be told, we are now left to believe that

Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson this Government has not addressed the serious state of unemployment in these Islands because the PDM continues to raise it.

We are calling on the Government publicly to change its approach to governance and to not ignore what is good for its people because the PDM Party has called on it to act. Our people need help and a caring Government. They need to work and many want to work. We see and speak to them every day. It is time for this Government to get busy and get our people to work.

Hon. Goldray Ewing wins again

to.

Hon. Cartwright-Robinson as Leader of the Opposition (PDM) the seconder to the Motion spoke to the

Known now for bringing the fact that Premier by his own admission most Private Member’s Motions to the in a newspaper article last year spoke House of Assembly, Hon Ewing says to the illegal entry of guns and drugs “quantity is not his goal but quality by sea port and the lack of a response discussion on matters of national on the part of his Government as a importance.” result of this knowledge.

The mover of the Motion in She also added that poachers 2013 to set a National Agenda involving are now armed and dangerous, DEMA the people and then to plan and and Marine Police are separately prioritise areas of national importance, challenged and that the best approach Hon Ewing having not seen any action should be to strengthen and join both following the successful passage of law enforcement bodies which will this Motion has had to resort to begin allow them to better utilize the already national dialogues on major national scanty resources. issues through Motions in the House of In response, the Hon. Premier Assembly. read from portions of his party’s

During the last House of manifesto and gave his Government’s Hon. Goldray Ewing Assembly meeting held on Tuesday, usual speech of “we’re working on it”.

October 13, 2015, Hon Ewing In response, Hon. Sean Hon. Ruth Blackman, voted against brought a motion which called for the Astwood pointed out that this Motion its passage. It was the abstention from establishment of a Border Patrol Unit. was being brought at the close of his voting by Hon. Norman Saunders that

In moving the Motion Government’s 3rd year and not in his saw the motion succeed. spoke to the failure of the British to first or second year. He felt therefore Hon. Goldray Ewing said, effectively carry out its constitutional that this matter is not taking the “We were disappointed that such a responsibility of internal and external priority that it should take. Meanwhile national issue saw such a hard Party security, the low staff morale of the Hon Donhue Gardiner stated that line taken by the Government. It is Marine Police Branch, the loss in while he supported the establishment very important that we begin to show millions of dollars in marine products of the Body, he did not support the that we can take responsibility for due to poachers on the fishing banks motion. ourselves. I believe that the bearing of together with high repatriation costs The motion was eventually greater responsibility will breed a more of illegal migrants, the illegal entry of passed. All 8 members of the Opposition mature politician but will and should weapons and drugs and the fact that supported the Motion and was joined in no way absolve the British from its the lax immigration Laws will always by the Hon. John Phillips, while all 8 responsibility. We must get serious market this country as a place to come members of the Government, joined by about these critical areas that are not

By Hon. Sharlene Cartwrigth-Robinson

political but are national issues. We will not be deterred in bringing issues to the Table because the Government has taken a position to not support anything that we bring. Our people will hear us speaking to the issues that affect us today and tomorrow.”

Party Leader, Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson said, “People in these Islands continue to call for more partnership between the Government and the Opposition and while this cannot always be realized due to the misguided and too often “do nothing” attitude of this Government and our constitutional role to provide oversight, there were many occasions where the Government have flat out refused to work along with the Opposition and have publicly stated that it will not be led by the Opposition even when the ideas put forward are said by them to be good.”

She added: “The Turks and Caicos Islands deserves better and a more mature approach to governance.

Areas such as border protection and national security among others are best approached with a unified approach of all major stakeholders. We are disappointed that the Government continue as if the members elected on the side opposite are enemies with nothing good to offer. We will continue to raise issues and share ideas and solutions that we feel are in the best interest of the people of these Islands.”

䘀伀刀 䄀䰀䰀 夀伀唀刀 䄀䐀嘀䔀刀吀䤀匀䤀一䜀 一䔀䔀䐀匀 䌀伀一吀䄀䌀吀 ⠀㘀㐀㤀⤀ⴀ㌀㌀㤀ⴀ㔀㠀㜀㤀 漀爀 䔀䴀䄀䤀䰀㨀 猀甀渀䀀猀甀渀琀挀椀⸀挀漀洀 䄀昀昀漀爀搀愀戀氀攀 刀愀琀攀猀 簀 䠀椀最栀 瘀漀氀甀洀攀 琀爀愀昀昀椀挀 簀 刀攀氀椀愀戀氀攀

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 15

LOCAL NEWS

Local artist Chrystal Charles to host ‘A Night of Jazz & Soul’

By Todeline Defralien

Local artists in the Turks and Caicos Islands continue to make a name for themselves and also try to do great things in the community.

Well-known singer Chrystal Charles is hosting a “ A night of Jazz & Soul” in Providenciales at The Palms Courtyard on Wednesday November 11, 2015 with an aim to purchase equipment for the music program at the Edward Gartland Youth Centre.

In an interview, Charles, whose stage name is TESS, said: “The night of Jazz and Soul was something that I have been thinking about and I have wanted to do for a very long time, I have recently got into jazz music and I noticed that there is a crowd here for it; a more mature crowd. However, there are not really any performers that do it in such a scale; maybe one or two songs in a set that they’re doing somewhere at a resort for a dinner or so on, but I’ve never been able to go to a show that has featured jazz as a set, so that is something that I came up with.”

She added: “It is also to raise funds for purchasing equipment for the music program at the Edward Gartland Youth Centre. They do have a program going every Tuesday from 4:30 to 5:30pm and Mr. Branford Handfield is spearheading that. He is focusing on the brass part of the band, however I wanted to bring a cultural influence which will be Junkanoo and Rake and Scrape and of course we need the equipment, so a portion of the proceeds made from this show on November 11th at The Palms will be put towards getting equipment for everyone who is there to come and be able to learn about our cultural music as well as to play and hopefully we would like to have a full band that can go out and play at various events.”

Charles continued: “We have National Heritage month going on right now and it would be a stupendous thing if we could have the players from the music program be able to put on something with Rake and Scrape, with Junkanoo and with brass. That will be really nice and that is what we are looking to do and I just wanted to do my part as someone who is into culture and who is into music, and of course for me this is something I dreamt about, day dreamed about, thought about for years now…that I wanted to do a show,

so it is coming to fruition.”

Charles said they will have a part in the show where they will be asking for donations. This event will consist of a lineup of various local artists here in the Turks and Caicos Islands including Carl Lewis a local artist /songwriter, Shara Goldsmith who is a trained vocalist, a trained dancer, and teaches dance at the Grace Bay sports centre, Dominique Rolle a photographer, a lawyer and poet, and TESS herself and many more local artists will be added to the list.

When asked what inspired him to write this song? Carl Lewis writer of the new song “For You” that is making waves in the Turks and Caicos islands via facebook featuring vocals by Chrystal Charles, told The SUN: “There were a lot of reasons, but at the same time it was just that moment where I was at work and I sat down and just started putting words to paper. Chrystal Charles was the first name that came to mind after seeing her perform at the last Miss Turks and Caicos (2014) and her voice just stuck in my head so I knew she would have been the perfect backup singer for that and she has done well and I encourage her with her show and I am just happy to be a part of that.”

After taking three days the most to complete the song “For You” Carl Lewis along with Chrystal Charles will be performing this single live at the event on November 11th.

She said, “Personally I have made some decisions and I am taking it very seriously right now. You can look forward to seeing more of me in the community. You can look forward to seeing me put out some original things and just look forward to enjoying local artists.”

She also ask the public to please support local artists, and not talent, because she said talent is something we have, while “an artist is something that we are using the talent to become”.

Charles added: “I would really like to implore everyone in the Turks and Caicos, whether you are from here or not from here, if you are a music lover, if you love to see people progress, if you have a heart of positivity, I would like to say to support in any way you can, and not just this, but throughout.

Once you see efforts that have been made in the community support, Turks

䌀爀攀愀琀攀 礀漀甀爀 伀眀渀 一愀洀攀

䈀攀愀甀琀椀挀椀愀渀猀 ☀ 一愀椀氀 吀攀挀栀猀 吀唀刀一 夀伀唀刀 伀圀一 䬀䔀夀

䈀伀伀吀䠀 刀䔀一吀䄀䰀匀 䘀伀刀 䴀伀刀䔀 䤀一䘀伀刀䴀䄀吀䤀伀一 䌀䄀䰀䰀 吀䔀䰀㨀 ⠀㘀㐀㤀⤀ⴀ㌀㌀㌀ⴀ㘀㘀㤀㔀 䰀漀挀愀琀椀漀渀㨀 䄀椀爀瀀漀爀琀 䠀漀琀攀氀Ⰰ 䄀椀爀瀀漀爀琀 倀氀愀稀愀Ⰰ 戀甀椀氀搀椀渀最 㠀㌀Ⰰ 倀爀漀瘀椀搀攀渀挀椀愀氀攀猀

Local Artist Chrystal Charles pictured with Carl Lewis and Caicos Islanders especially support.”

She ended by saying: ““There is a cross section of nationalities here and people usually tend to stick together in their support, so we need to now take a page out of that book and support. I am so happy with the feedback and the support that we’ve been having so

far. Every single bit of positivity and encouragement is appreciated and we want to say keep it up and spread the love.”

Tickets for the event can be purchased at The Palms, Wine Cellar and can also be purchased and delivered from Chrystal Charles herself who can be contacted on 244-4412.

HAB MANAGEMENT LIMITED

HAB Management Limited is seeking applicants for the following position:

RESERVATION ATTENDANT

Job Description

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

Requirements Candidates should have five years or more experience as a Reservation Attendant.

Candidates should also have an extensive knowledge of Visual One Property Management System. Candidates must be proficient in Microsoft Office. Candidates will be required to check guests in and out; perform certain accounting procedures, such as preparing bills for guests, performing audit duties, balancing work and preparing paperwork for the following day; present a friendly, outgoing, energetic and guest service demeanor. Candidates will also be required to work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team. Must be able to speak, read and write in English and understand verbal and written instructions. Good presentation and a pleasant, friendly personality required. The salary for this position is $8.00 per hour.

Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by October 27th, 2015 at ronnie@habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191. Only persons selected for an interview will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.

Page 16

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 17

LOCAL NEWS

Government advised not to rush Long Bay High opening date have been given the nod to head the new learning institution.

“In all honesty, I am actually delighted to make my re-entry back into education. Like I said to the deputy governor, I am haunted for the last six years, because I felt really that I wasn’t following my passion, and my passion is education,” he said.

Dr. Mills pointed out also that he was thrilled that only first formers would be accommodated at the institution, which he said, would increase the chance for the administration to mold them in the appropriate manner without them obtaining foreign influence while on campus.

“So, I think, with the right kind of leadership and guidance, we can groom these students to become productive citizens of the Turks and Carlton Mills, the designated principal for the Caicos Islands. We can groom these Minister of Education Hon. Akierra Missick Long Bay High School young people into who we want them to take place in January. to become, the kinds of citizens that

By Vivian Tyson

Get everything in place, and the Turks and Caicos needs,” he said.

Senior Sun Editor let’s have a proper opening in January.

Asked having been away from

Dr. Carlton Mills, the chosen That has been my suggestion to the active teaching for some time, how principal for the under-construction minister (in the past),” Mills said. he would take on this new challenge, Long Bay High School is urging “This is a new institution; you Mills said: “I was never absent from it, Minister of Education Hon. Akierra are taking in young kids. You want really. Although I was in another area, Misick not to bow to public pressure the thing to be done thoroughly and I have been keeping current with the and open the institution before professionally. Don’t be forced into changes in education throughout the January, saying there should be this kneejerk action. It would be to region, and also globally. smooth start and not one that is mish- her benefit and to her glory. Just let “I kept up-to-date with mash. us plan the thin properly because current literature and current

Dr. Mills, who was selected you want to make sure that all the thinking in education, because it was by government to head the institution systems are in place, that the systems always my desire to get back into early in October, count it best that the are functioning properly, that all the education someday. From 2009, I have minister to use the remaining months furniture is in place. been doing some part time work at the in 2015 to iron out all the crumples “It is not that you won’t have Community College. And secondly, as rather than rushing the opening date, mishaps (at the opening) but you want you are aware, I am the co-owner of then faced with challenges, which he to reduce the mishaps as much as you a school. So I have been keeping in said would eventually open the doors possibly can,” he further noted. touch all along the way. Education for criticisms.

The interviews were done in is something that I have never lost

“I would suggest January. I early October, and Mills said that he touch.” know the minister is probably under a heard from the ministry less than the Responding to the question lot of pressure, and I know politicians two weeks, which was the promised as to the reasoning he never took up tend to bend to pressure, but I think it the ministry said they would get back administration head at the Clement would be smoother for the transition to him. He said that he was happy to Howell High School, which had four

principals in the past decade, Mills said: “In one sense, I thought the Clement Howell High School was a very huge school, and it is not that I didn’t want to take it up; the thought had always crossed my mind but I was hoping that I would have been approached, and that was not actually the case.

“Then I saw a young and talented Turks and Caicos Islander at the High School and I thought they would have given him an opportunity, so I want to give him space to develop to become the principal of that particular school. So, really, I didn’t want to get into the way of a young and aspiring Turks and Caicos Islander.”

Mills declined the invitation to reveal who is the Turks and Caicos Islander that is aspiring towards the job.

Mills said that his aim is to make the Long Bay High School either rival or surpass all schools educationally in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“Not to put the other public schools at a distance, but we have an opportunity here at the new school, to create the quality education in a public school setting that will rival any quality of education offered by private schools.

“And I think that is going to be our ultimate goal at the Long Bay High School; that we can compete or surpass any private secondary school in this country when it comes to education. It only requires that we have the kind of leadership and the kind of staff that are dedicated and committed to this task.

We have to send the message out to the Turks and Caicos that their children can get just as a good, a better education in a public school setting than a private school,” Mills said.

Mill’s official tour of duty began Monday, October 19.

Joan Astwood Sutton – Costume designer extraordinaire

Joan Astwood-Sutton is one of the Turks and Caicos Islands most imaginative costume designers, having the top two costumes last year’s Miss Teen Turks and Caicos Universe and the top costume in this year’s Miss Turks and Caicos Teen.

Astwood-Sutton’s dominance in local costume designing started a little over three decades ago, having designed her first costume in 1985.

Following her exploits at this year’s Miss Teen Pageant, The SUN caught up with her to get more information as to why she chooses that field.

“My motivation is my culture.

I am proud to be a Turks and Caicos Islander, first and foremost. That is where my passion come from,” Astwood-Sutton said.

“For me, it is a pleasant feeling to be able to be at that level. People always say I am actually chosen for my work. I don’t go out and look for work; people look for me because of my background in costume-making, so that is how I am chosen,” she said.

Astwood-Sutton, who has also authored several books, said what when someone approaches her to design a costume, she would get to understand exactly what they desired and then make suggestions.

Usually, I would ask the

person to tell me what they want. I do have my ideas, but majority of the time people would come and tell me what they want. Last year, someone said they want an iguana. No one had ever done it. I sketched it; drew it to look like how I want it to look on the person, and then I put it together piece by piece with the fabric and took it from there.

“I did the art work first, using the right color. I actually got the fabric to look and feel like the lizard texture, so when persons saw it, it actually looks like a lizard. This year, I designed the pelican,” she boasted.

She said her early inspiration came from the early teen situation where they make their own clothes.

“Years ago, we used to make our own clothes and stuff like that, so I started out learning to make clothes in high school. Miss Mary Quelch and also Marinett Garland-Hinds taught me to sew. A Jamaican couple taught us in school to do the artwork, I think plenty people can relate to them. They taught us to do different craft, techniques and all of that. I learned and incorporate it into my designs.

“For the past few years have I have been making costumes representing the Turks and Caicos and writing books that representing Turks

and Caicos. I have a radio show every Tuesday that centres around the Turks and Caicos. My life and my family basically revolves around the Turks and Caicos. And I get passion from that love, I think, brings out the best in me,” she said.

She paraded her first costume design in a beauty contest. She Told The SUN that she entered the contest for the sole reason of showing off her creation.

“I wasn’t placed in the pageant, but the costume got second place. That costume was actually the coat of arms.

No one has made the costume since,” Astwood-Sutton recalled.

Astwood-Sutton told The SUN that her satisfaction comes from the beaming faces displayed by her clients when they entered a competition wearing her creations.

She believes that her experience and creativity are underutilized, adamant has a great deal to offer especially to up and coming costume designers. She said she could host workshops so as to pass on her knowledge to the next generation of costume designers.

“I have been involved in the public as much as I can, but I don’t think that I have utilized enough. I could work with the National Heritage

Joan Astwood-Sutton displaying several books that she authored Committee. No one approached me to find out what can I offer or what do I have that they could use to add to Heritage Month. We need to work more with one another and don’t be afraid,” she said.

Asked about her views on the budding designers, Astwood-Sutton noted: “A lot of them are good, but I think a lot of the costume-making are not centred around our culture and heritage. What I saw is, they are incorporating other countries’ culture into it; that is the downfall in that. For every costume I make, I incorporate a bit of our history in it,” he said.

Page 18

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

NOTICE OF DORMANT ACCOUNT

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

Name of Financial Institution/TIN of Financial Institution SCOTIABANK (TCI) LTD Address of Financial Institution 88 CHEROKEE ROAD LEEWARD HIGHWAY PROVIDENCIALES TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS Change of name, if any, of the Financial Institution THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA The public is hereby given notice that (SCOTIABANK (TCI) LTD) holds the following dormant accounts– Account Type

Account Name

Account Type

Account Name

Account Type

Account Name

Savings

Adrian McCarthey

Savings

Daphne Gayle

Savings

George Leylegian

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Adrian Senat

Savings

Darien Dickenson

Savings

Ginsie Dievuleil

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Alanzo/Patricia Mora

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Dario Sands

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Girlie Joseph

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Alberto Vilorio

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Darnall Handfield

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Godgia Robinson

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Alicia Francis

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Dawn Walterhouse

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Goldston N/D

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Dawshawndre Deane

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Guerline Julien

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Ambiorix Bonilia

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Dayna R. Ferriera

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Guintaya H.A. Ellis

Current

Amcas Limited

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Dawn Walterhouse

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Heather Dabbagh

Savings

Andrea Blumentritt

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Dawshawndre Deane

Savings

Hibbert headley

Savings

Andrea Kelly Hughes

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Dayna R. Ferriera

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Holly Hamilton

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Andrew W Shaw

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Decklin A Beresford

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Howard A Stubbs Jr

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Angy Rodney

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Del Pino, Carlos

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Hubert/Giselle James

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Anthon Preston

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Demeika Quant

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Hubertus Stolwerk

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Anthony Costa

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Demetrio Quant

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Hudson L Gardiner

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Anthony Francis

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Demico McDonald

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Ian F Gosling

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Antonio Stubbs

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Deniro Lafrenier

Current

Investments W A View

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April Francis

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Irina Feldman

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Arianna Lightbourne

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Dernelle Williams

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Isaac Missick

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Arnelle/Patricia Mora

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Deseanette McDonald

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Isabella Cox

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Arwin Grant

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Devanio Quant

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J/T Tabell

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Asha Lightbourne

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Devon Simmons

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Jacques/Argerome Alexis

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Babara’s Books

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Diane Lemire

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Jadesha S Forbes

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Balden Parker

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Diangelo A Coverley

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Jairo Duran Pineda

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Donald Richard Miller

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Bertram Dean/Simms M

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Donavan Francis

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James Ewing

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Bianca A Thomas

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Donna Marlene E Wint

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Jamesly Prosper

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Billy &/or Louis D Rigby

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Doughty R/ Williams W

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Jaswantrai Doshi

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Blue Seas Offshore

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Javiel Montes

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Blyth International Ltd

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Earlsalena Robinson

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Jazmin Rodgers

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Brandon O’Neal Forbes

Current

Ecosystem Protection Insurance Company

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Jean E Pierre

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Brandon O’Neil

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Eddiejean Siffrad

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Jean/Emanise Stilmar

Savings

Brent Astwood

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Edith/John Moore

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Jeffrey Chase

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Breon Rigby

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Edwin Spengeman

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Jesly Prosper

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Breyanna Williams

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Elisnet Estephane

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Jesula Prosper

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Brianca Cartwright

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Elliot Cunningham

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Jharel-Anma Ferriera

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Bridget Robinson

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English Freites

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John Forde

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Brittnay Garland

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Enoch Richard

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John Grice

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Cameron Gardiner

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Eric Deknock

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John Wynns

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Candyce Allard

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Eric Schwing

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John/Jacqueline Todd

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Cardinal Handfield

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Eric Story

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Jonathan Burgess

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Carmen Almonte

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Ericka A Rogers/Coralee E Simpson

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Jordan Garland

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Celine G Swan

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Erin E/Ethan C/Ariana Grant

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Jovan Handfield

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Chaine Des Rotisseur

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Ernacio Forbes

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Judith/Mari Oliveira

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Chamel R Sanchez

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Ernequa Hall

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Julliet Marcia Watson

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Charnelle Robinson

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Eugene Gardiner

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Justin Lightbourne

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Chelsea Tipton

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Ezequiel Louima

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Justin P Pettress

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Christopher Williams

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Fouad Mikhael Marjaba

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Kadis Simmons

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Clenae Howell

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Frank Bertrant

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Kandoll N Gardiner

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Corrine Hall

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Frank Jean

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Future Films

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Gary Miles

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Gaurdvin J Missick Jr.

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George Anne Bunting

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OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 19

Account Type

Account Name

Account Type

Account Name

Account Type

Account Name

Savings

Kelly Demontgny

Savings

Milford Campbell

Savings

Sharnette P Purchase

Savings

Kenardo Penn

Savings

Millicent Ellis

Savings

Shaulene Barwise

Savings

Kendrenna Penn

Savings

Moise Jacques

Savings

Shawn Thompson

Savings

Kenly Taylor

Current

New Jersey Amigo Ltd

Savings

Shawnae Knowles

Savings

Kenville Charles

Savings

New Test. C.O.G Dist

Savings

Shell Trevens

Savings

Kenyetta Grant

Savings

Niurka Santos

Savings

Shequille Grant

Savings

Kezia Ariza

Current

Northcote & Co

Savings

Shermal Francis

Savings

Kimberley Handfield

Savings

Omar Morris

Savings

Soeurette Forbes

Savings

Kimberly Keith

Savings

Orvin F. Williams Jnr

Savings

Srikumaru Sambasivam

Savings

Kindra Blumentritt

Savings

Patricia Chidiac

Current

St. Monica’s Church

Savings

Kiovani Gourgue

Savings

Patrick Coughlan

Savings

Stephen J Stubbs

Savings

Kristina Dietsche

Savings

Patrick G Liddy

Savings

Steve/Tam DresslerKoerner

Savings

L Osterman/Mi Newman

Savings

Paul Little

Savings

Steven Brown

Savings

Ladeika Adams

Savings

Paul Spong

Savings

Susan Blumentritt

Savings

Lakier Grant

Savings

Paula Higgs

Savings

Susan Leslie

Savings

Lamar G Walters

Savings

Paula McKenzie

Savings

Sydney Outten

Savings

Laquad Garland

Current

People’s Auction/Provo Fun

Savings

Sykoria Francis

Savings

Larry Francis

Savings

Quanisha Blaise

Savings

Takuo Hasegawa

Savings

Laura Ali

Savings

Quesny Louis

Savings

Tamyn Banks

Savings

Lebert Ramcharan

Savings

Quinton Harvey

Savings

Tange Williams

Savings

Lemano Lawan Malcolm

Savings

Rakinido/Enid Walkin

Savings

Tanshell P Willams

Current

Lemetik SSSI Limited

Savings

Rashanell Rigby

Savings

Tarado Lewis

Savings

Lev Olevson

Savings

Reinsurance Topper

Savings

TCI Reservations Ltd

Savings

Lind/Sherra Schwiers

Savings

Rhian E A Davies

Savings

Tevan Missick

Savings

Liujee Morris

Savings

Rhondeisha C Gray Rhys E F Davies

Current

The O Caribbean Islands Holding Ltd

Savings

Livie Gerelus

Savings

Ricardo Small

Current

The O Property Collection Ltd

Savings

Lloydeka E Handfield

Savings

Richard Anace

Savings

Thomas Flakstad

Savings

Lloydyanna Stubbs

Savings

Richard Morris

Savings

Trana Mario Jr

Savings

Louis Bielmann

Savings

Richard Stadtherr

Current

Trapp & Associates

Savings

Louis E Grant

Savings

Ricou/Prind Browning

Savings

Travis Rigby

Savings

Lovely Phillippe

Savings

Robert &/or Edline Anace

Savings

Trevante K.M Brown

Savings

Lunneiara Joseph

Savings

Robert Clarke

Savings

Trinee Bethel

Savings

Lunt S/J Hunter

Savings

Roger Harvey

Current Account

Turks Fest Committee

Savings

Malik R Ingham

Savings

Roma Robinson

Savings

Valmir Jacques

Savings

Marco Eygendaal

Savings

Rotel Hall

Savings

Vanilia Etienne

Savings

Maria Olivia

Savings

Rozel Parker

Savings

Vlachos Brooke K

Savings

Mario Rigby

Savings

Sacoya Sade Taylor

Savings

Walter Simmons

Savings

Marlene E Hanchard

Savings

Salaam Fulford

Current

Water Sports Association

Savings

Mary Roney/Bailey

Savings

Samardia Walkin

Savings

Wayne Adams

Savings

Mathew Gardiner

Savings

Sandra Davis

Savings

Wayne Seale

Savings

Matthew Lang

Savings

Satoshi Inoue

Savings

Wesly Chery

Savings

Maurissa Handfield

Savings

Savannah Ewing

Current

West Atlantic

Savings

Maxilien Daceus

Savings

Scott Hall

Savings

Wildano Joseph

Savings

Melia &/or Angleo Harvey

Current

Scott Overseas

Savings

Wilder Dorcius

Savings

Meredith Grimmer

Savings

Sean B Cartwright

Savings

William Smith

Savings

Mervin Cox Jnr.

Savings

Seaview Guest Taylor

Savings

William/Linda Ferguson

Savings

Michael G/ Marlene S Milne

current

Sevens Investments

Savings

William/Margaret Aldridge

Savings

Michael Neehuis

Savings

Shain Empey

Savings

Yefri Williams

Savings

Michael Palmer

Savings

Shanice Swann

Savings

Zanovia Francis

Savings

Michael Valle

Savings

Shaquaille Grant

Savings

Zemnobia Valentine

Savings

Milessa Ali

Savings

Shaquant Penn

The public is also hereby given notice of the following– 1. Unless one or more of the following transactions are effected on a dormant account listed above on or before the (Specify date October 31st, 2015), the monies in the dormant account will be transferred to the general revenue of the Islands without further notice(a) Increase or decrease the amount held or owed in the Financial Institution1; (b) Present the passbook or other record for the crediting of interest or dividends in respect to any general deposit, demand deposit, savings deposit or deposit for a fixed period, made in the Islands; 1 Interest paid, or account fees applied, by a Financial Institution on monies held or owed in the Financial Institution shall not be regarded as a transaction which increase or decreases the amount held in the Financial Institution pursuant to section 4(4) of the Dormant Accounts Ordinance.

(c) Correspond in writing with the Financial Institution concerning the monies; or (d) Otherwise indicate an interest in the monies as evidenced in writing by the Financial Institution.

2. Subject to the Dormant Accounts Ordinance, on the transfer of the monies in the dormant account to the general revenue of the Islands, the dormant account holder will no longer have any right against the Financial Institution to the repayment of the monies transferred, but the dormant account holder will have against the Government such right to repayment of the monies transferred that the dormant account holder would have had against the Financial Institution.

3. Any interested person should contact the Financial Institution mentioned above to establish if that person is a dormant account holder.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

Delores Robinson receives generous gift from the Turks and Caicos Islands Diabetic Association

By Todeline Defralien

As part of the Diabetic Associations way of giving back to the community and individuals in need, a donation of a Mobility Scooter was given to Delores Robinson of South Caicos by the Turks and Caicos Islands Diabetic Association on Saturday September 26th, 2015 at the Cheshire Hall Medical Hospital.

Robinson is an amputee and now has the ability of mobility thanks to the generous gift.

In expressing her sincere gratitude to the association and its members for such a surprise gift, she said: “I am mobile now and this gift will be very helpful with getting around and making day to day things like grocery shopping much easier.”

Turks and Caicos Islands Diabetic Association President, Nurse Delores Robinson of South Caicos presented with Mobility Scooter Clare said, “We are committed to around South Caicos and feel more weeks, we are working towards the giving back to the community of the confident in her day-to-day tasks.” plans for World Diabetes Day and we Turks and Caicos Islands and trust She continued, “We also are in the process of doing more for that this will inspire others to help us provide meters, etc to diabetics in need. the community, raising awareness and help diabetics across Turks and Caicos. So we encourage you to join or visit seeking help. World Diabetes Day is We are confident that the motorized the Association and help us help other recognized on November 14.” scooter will help Robinson with getting Diabetics in TCI. In the coming

WDD is the world’s largest

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT To provide support to the Manager of Financial Services in the management of the financial, regulatory, parent company and other external reporting. Provide accurate plant financial and statistical data in order for management to make timely and informed decisions concerning financial performance of the business. Manage critical areas in the financial operations on the Work Order Systems, Inventory Management and Fixed Assets to ensure that they are in accordance with established guidelines and procedures.

MAIN DUTIES General Accounting:  Ensure the accurate and timely completion of all account reconciliations and monthly management reports.  Monitor performance indicators, highlighting trends and analyzing causes of unexpected variances in all areas of revenues, expenses and capital.  Ensure that all corporate policy changes are incorporated in the accounting process according to the guidelines set.  Provide major support in financial reporting as regards compliance with US GAAP.  Responsible for providing financial requirements to all stakeholders (parent company, internal, external, financial institutions, CARILEC and other interested parties)  Oversee the preparation of US GAAP compliant financial statements for submission to external auditors and Fortis Inc.  Perform quality assurance review of all financial information before submission to internal and external stakeholders and responsible for all consolidated reports of FortisTCI Limited and TCU.  Responsible for the preparation of regulatory reports and annual government questionnaires  Ensure that the vendor master file is updated and appropriately documented.  Responsible for internal and external audit activities as required.  Ad-Hoc Reporting and Financial Analysis Plant Accounting:  Closely coordinate and provide assistance to key departmental personnel to ensure that all asset acquisition, sale, retirement, and other disposals are accounted for, recorded and fully supported with appropriate documentation and authorization.  Closely coordinate with all heads of department, ensuring that all completed selfconstructed projects are tracked and recorded accurately and in a timely manner.  Actively participate in the annual budget process by ensuring that the provision of capital and depreciation information are updated, complete and based on reliable assumptions and data.  Conduct regular review and evaluation of capital and operational projects and accounts for cost-reduction opportunities  Lead the development of cost standards for material, labor, and overhead for line extension customers.

diabetes awareness campaign with events organised in more than 100 countries in 2014.The WDD campaign 2015 was successfully launched on May 19 under the theme “Nourishing development: halting the diabetes epidemic through healthy eating”.

 Responsible for the preparation financial information for the annual property insurance renewal.  Responsible for compiling and managing capital project budgets and preparing the monthly capital variance report including leading discussions with project owners in regards to the variances.  Ensure that the Fixed Assets System is reconciled, up to date and maintained.  Ensure maintenance of the Inventory Sub Ledger and provide key participation in the Inventory Count process.  Set up new vendors in the system and ensure that the vendor master file is updated and appropriately documented.  Conduct regular review and evaluation of capital and operational projects and accounts for cost-reduction opportunities.

Enterprise Resource Planning  Serve as Lead person in the ERP migration as it relates to General Ledger, Banking, Accounts Payable, Fixed Assets, Inventory and Work Order Management  Other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

CORE COMPETENCY SKILLS:  Must possess excellent team playing and leadership abilities  Demonstrates strong analytical skills with a high level of competence and proficiency in financial analysis;  Must possess strong inter-personal, organizational, multi-tasking and written and oral communication skills.  Must possess high level of professional excellence characterized by sound judgment skills, and drive for results.  Must possess the ability to ability to develop, monitor and maintain management information systems and procedures.  Must possess excellent working knowledge of MS Office software programs, including MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and various databases.  Must possess working knowledge of Bellamy Software and other ERP systems.

Minimum Requirements:  Bachelor of Science in Accountancy.  Must be CPA, CA, ACCA or CMA qualified.  Must have at least 5 years extensive assurance and advisory working experience from the big 4 auditing firms.  Must have extensive utility industry experience Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications Deadline for submission of applications (inclusive of a cover letter, resume and a FortisTCI application form) is Wednesday October 28, 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

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 21

Join us for the launching of our Renewable Energy Programs! 







Meet with solar vendors and installers Speak with financing specialists

Enjoy free food and refreshments Giveaways and raffle drawing

Wednesday, November 11, 2015 11:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m.

Learn about . . . .

Customer Owned Renewable Energy

. . . .

Utility Owned Renewable Energy

Win this solar grill!

Page 22

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

PLEASE CALL US FOR NEWER VEHICLES 649-941-3910 MILEAGE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Old Airport Road | Providenciales | Turks & Caicos Islands | E-Mail: p_mystique@tciway.tc

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

Before the storm.

During the storm.

After the storm.

We are here.

Thank you FortisTCI staff -Eddinton Powell FortisTCI President & CEO

www.fortistci.com | 649-946-4313 | P.O. Box 132 1030 Leeward HWY, Providenciales, TCI

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

Unconscionable developments threaten birds existence in TCI

Development does not mean wetlands must be filled up and trees cut down, this according to Director for the National Trust, Ethlyn Gibbs Williams.

Gibbs-Williams, who was giving an interview to the media on Monday (October 19, 2015) at the Trust’s office at Town Centre Mall downtown Providenciales, to mark the Trust’s the celebration of migratory birds, said that development, the way it is currently being done, post an existential threat to especially habitants of birds.

“One of the main threats to habitats for the birds in Turks and Caicos and for the migratory birds is development. Sometimes you notice even on Providenciales, for example. Some areas like wetlands are filled in, and so, that is definitely a threat to birds. Taking down trees where birds use for nesting and roosting, those are also threats,” Gibbs-Williams said.

Against this background, Gibbs-Williams is calling for public education on the importance of birds to the environment and development government policies with teeth to ensure that the existence of the wildlife is protected. She said that if those measures are taken, there could be balance between development and

is one of their stops on their way to their destinations.

“Normally, around this time ending October, especially into November, we would see the migrants coming down. And of course, we want to celebrate our endemic and resident birds, but this is the highlights for the migrants,” she said.

“This year the theme is, ‘Restore Habitat, Restore Amy Avenant (left) of DEMA, joins Ethlyn Gibbs-Williams (second from right) other Birds’. And so, in-keeping with National Trust staff for a photo. that, the national trust, in sustenance of the environment.

She added: “Turks conjunction with DEMA, have

“We have to continue and Caicos is part of a global planned a number of activities, to educating persons about the conservation, and the message starting with the exhibits significance of the habitats that we would like people here at the Town Centre Mall, and the role that this country to go away with this year as where persons can come in a plays in the wider aspect the years to come, is that, get a complementary wrist conversation. We can also even though we may be a band, note the drawing and have persons realize that small country, it is very, very paintings from students and even though we cannot do important in terms of its role other items that we have to without development, it can in world conservation. Because promote bird conservation. We be done in a way that you these birds, whenever they are also have posters that we will can also continue to support on their migratory path, they distribute at various places,” conversation in the islands. need to stop over for rest, they she said.

“So, it is just making need places to feed.

She said the other sure that policies are in place And so, Turks and activities for the week and also enforced regarding Caicos is one of those places included the enhancement of development in Turks and these birds use, and so, it is the Wheeland Pond.

Caicos. There are ways that very important not to fill in “That is an area which persons can enhance their the wetlands, not to cut down is an important bird habitat development with the natural the forest in TCI, but to have that we have been focusing on habitats of the birds, because these areas preserved for bird for a couple years now, with it isn’t necessary to always life. And birds also add to our the local community and Hon. bulldoze the wetlands or fill enjoyment, and so, these are Delroy Williams, the (political) them in, you can incorporate things that we need to connect.” representative for that area. that in development and that She said that during this time “We plan to do can actually enhance your of the year, birds begin to mangrove planting, and also development,” she suggested. migrate, and Turks and Caicos some Caribbean Mahogany

Trees, and hope that in years to come they would provide shades for persons who go to that area. We have noticed a number of birds in that pond, and we want to encourage bird life in the pond.

The pond stretches over two areas, and I, myself, have noticed quite a number of Flamingos in the area along with American Avocets birds that people may not familiar with,” she said.

She said that the plan of the National Trust going forward is to increase awareness in the education of birds and the significant of habitats such as the Wheeland Pond.

In the meantime, Amy Avenant, Environment Outreach Officer at DEMA, said that the agency is to host coloring-in competition for primary school students, which she said would be promoted through a number of media, including DEMA and the National Trust school visits.

She said that DEMA would provide the pages for coloring. She said that awards would be given to the top three entrants. She said that the winning posters would be put on display at the DEMA office in the bight and hopefully paraded the National Tourism Symposium.

Schools on Family Islands turn out in force to support Footsteps4good

Over the 300 schoolchildren from Salt Cay, South Caicos, and North and Middle Caicos turned out from 18-21 October to support the Footsteps4Good Walk across Turks and Caicos Islands this month. Walking distances of some 7 miles, in the case of students from Marjorie Basden High in South Caicos, and the 3 miles from Kew to Whitby and back for the primary school children of North Caicos, the numbers have built on the big participation in Grand Turk, where over 600 children took part on 16

October.

“The numbers turning out, and the enthusiasm again this year, has far exceeded my expectations” said Jill Beckingham, wife of the Governor, who arranged Footsteps4Good again this year to raise money for the local schools and charities. “It will be difficult to know precisely how much each of the schools have raised, as well as individuals for charities of their choosing, but I’m confident by the end of the Walk we will have raised well over $15,000 for a range of

local schools and good causes” she said.

Footsteps4Good is based on a fundraising event organised initially by Jill Beckingham in Mumbai and some other Indian cities. Over the course of 9 days Jill will walk over 70 miles across all the inhabited islands. The event culminates in Provo on Saturday, 24 October, with a 10Km Run/Walk arranged with Provo Road Runners.

The principal sponsors include Tropical Shipping, who provided the tee shirts, The Grace

Bay Club, Blue Haven Resort, Big Blue, Amanyara, HAB, Scotia Bank, IGA, Coxco, Beaches, Misick and Stanbrook, Savory Associates, and Stanbrook Law.

Schools taking part on the family islands this year have included Marjorie Basden High, Iris Stubbs Primary and Calvary Christian in South Caicos, Salt Cay Primary, Doris Robinson Primary in Conch Bar, Adelaide Oemler Primary in Bootle Creek and Hubert James Primary in Kew.

US Airways gone but not forgotten

Friday, the 16th of October marked a momentous occasion as it was the last time that US Airways would be flying, here in the Turks and Caicos Islands and worldwide.

When US Airways departed Providenciales International Airport (PLS) for Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday at 3:26pm on flight US880, it was an emotional moment for the staff here at PLS. This flight would go down in history as the last ever US Airways flight departing from our shores.

The final flight within the United States took place on October 16th, 2015 with a San Francisco departing Flight that was scheduled to arrive in Philadelphia the following morning. The flight was enjoyed by

many well-wishers that took the opportunity to become a part of history in the making. Some say that the flight was a bitter sweet moment, as they said goodbye to US Airways and embraced the change to the new American Airlines.

“I never thought that we would be saying farewell to US Airways, as they have opened up many routes for us here in the Turks and Caicos Islands and have helped us welcome thousands of tourists annually,” said CEO John Smith.

American Airlines and US Airways are in the final stages of completing their merger and as such, the passenger service system has been engaged and there is now one new logo that is to be displayed at all airport

worldwide. The old US Airways logo will disappear into history similar to that of Pan Am, Continental and TWA.

This merger will bring about enormous passenger benefits such as; one single website for ticketing purposes and no more double booking with dual companies. A single check in system with more destinations worldwide with a single carrier is now offered. One identifiable logo has also been launched to be the face of the new American Airlines that embodies both companies’ and what they stand for. The One World Alliance has taken over and passengers have been offered the opportunity to merge their points earned using the past Star Alliance.

All of these things have been done to streamline the travel process to better

suit the passenger experience.

American Airlines is always exploring new possibilities and is here to stay, as they have added a third daily flight to PLS and intends to keep this flight for the upcoming winter season. There is also optimism towards increasing their lift where there is a gap in the market.

This merger has made American Airlines one of the biggest airlines in the world strengthened with a strong market presence, more airplanes and more routes to passenger destinations. American Airlines looks forward to “Returning American to Greatness” by focusing on customers and being an industry leader after 2 decades of service.

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OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

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HEALTHY

LIFESTYLE Hope Corner A Mother on the journey…I have an Autistic Child!

I am a mother; a mother of three children and if you ask anyone who knows me they will tell you, Maxcia loves her children. I would do anything for my children especially learn with them, play with them and work with them. We dance, play games, watch movies, argue, hug, kiss, have bad days and good days together but in the end they can rest assured, Mommy loves them. All three of my kids are different and I love all of them no less or no more than the other but the reality is I have an Autistic child.

No doubt I worry about all of them and think about their futures often but I worry about Isreal a little more. I

know all of you will be thinking of your encouraging words to day right now.

Yet I see that the first step, admitting that you have a problem, is not just a joke people may use to soften a hard blow. It’s real and it’s the first step to healing. I will not pretend that everything is always ok and though I try my best to write happy and encouraging articles that inspire my readers, the truth is, I do not always have a good day. Don’t get me wrong, I am not a quitter but sometimes I think, what if Isreal never has real emotions and get to experience and express love the way we do. And there are days I do cry until I fall asleep and

wake up feeling like there is no hope. I stop and think what if he never learns to dress himself or socialize with others? What if he doesn’t become a pilot or an engineer like I hope for him to be?

Then I remind myself, who am I to judge? Who am I to say that Isreal is not fulfilled as he is; what if it is me who is not truly fulfilled with who Isreal is? Why am I fearfully and wonderfully made and he is not? I want you all to know that on this journey I sometimes feel alone, misunderstood, rejected and afraid. I say this not looking for pity or anything for that matter. I say this to encourage you; other mothers of

autistic children to press on even when life is hard, to move forward even when the road ahead is unsure, to hold on to God when giving up is the easy option, to have faith for those who don’t know how to believe and be a voice for those who can’t speak; to find as many pieces as you can for this journey of life that we are all on, to share them and make them fit!

Maxcia L. Rigby Mother of an autistic child Director/Chairman The Hope Foundation for Autism Awareness TCI Inc.

More evidence marriage may be bad for your waistline

Need another reason to blame weight gain on your marriage? When one spouse becomes obese, the other’s risk of obesity almost doubles, a U.S. study suggests.

“Normal weight people whose spouses went from being normal weight to obese were more likely to become obese,” said Laura Cobb, who led the study as a researcher at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

“This suggests that changes in one spouse are likely to also be reflected in the other spouse, likely because of similar changes in diet, physical activity or other behaviors that impact obesity,” Cobb said by email.

Plenty of research already A man puts an engagement ring on a woman's finger during a photo opportunity at a jewellery store links marriage and weight gain, and in Tokyo scientists have firmly established the connection between obesity and heart up visits roughly three years apart, Having a husband become obese was disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. followed by a fifth exam between 2011 linked to an 89 percent increased risk

What the current study adds and 2013. of developing obesity for their wives. is a fresh take on how couples may gain At the start of the study, 23 Not many people who started out obese weight in tandem, insight that might percent of the men and 25 percent of lost enough weight to be considered no help shape more effective obesity the women were obese. longer obese, but when they did, their prevention and treatment efforts Non-obese men whose wives spouse was also more likely to become targeting couples, Cobb and colleagues became obese between visits in the non-obese. note in the American Journal of study were 78 percent more likely to Shortcomings of the study Epidemiology. become obese during that period than include the long stretch of time that

Researchers followed almost they would have been had their wives elapsed between the fourth and fifth 4,000 couples for up to 25 years, not gained so much weight, the study exams and the large proportion of starting between 1987 and 1989. After found. people who died or left the study an initial exam, they had three followbefore the final visit, the authors

acknowledge.

It’s not unusual for married couples to forge common habits over time that influence their weight, said Ivanka Prichard, a weight loss researcher at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia.

“Over time, similarities in diet, particularly any unhealthy aspects, may lead to weight changes,” Prichard, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email. “There are also a range of pressures in life that could impact this such as having children, work, shared health knowledge, time or finances.”

Like unhealthy habits, though, positive lifestyle choices can also be contagious in a marriage, said Debra Umberson, director of the Population Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

“When married people get in shape or lose weight, it’s often because one spouse takes the lead and urges the other spouse along,” Umberson, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email. “Even if the person not taking the lead is resistant, over time they will probably be influenced by the kinds of food and activities their spouse is involved with – especially if the person taking the lead is the one who purchases groceries or prepares meals.”

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FUN & GAMES

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

FUN & GAMES

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

Adults of Today must watch what you do because we take in and apply the principles and standards you set for your lives to our very own.

may be inclined to follow them anyway, because they may be the only

As a youth, I influences we are getting. believe that you play a By the time you realize very important role in the that we need you to set lives of my fellow youths As youths, we appropriate examples for and me. Some of you seek guidance, answers us to follow we might be may be family, friends or and examples to follow too far gone for you to important figures in the and if we are not getting help us. community. In addition to these life lessons from So you as adults these roles, you must also the important figures in you have a responsibility realize that you are the our lives, we will search to be constantly active in people we look up to. You elsewhere; in movies, our lives and to provide are our role models. songs, and the everyday moral support and

We watch the lives of celebrities. guidance for us to go things you do and listen Even though down the right path. You to the things you say. they may not be good must accept and listen to This means that you influences, some of us us in our time of need and Dear Adults,

Zahrya Musgrove

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

CLUB SODAX

1 domestic worker salary $6.50 per hour Contact : 244-2088 ISLAND VIBES TOURS IS SEEKING 1 BOAT CAPTAIN 1 OFFICE MANAGER Both must be able to work on holidays and 6 days a week Manager must be able to work flexible hours, have computer skills and must be able to drive.

Starting salary for a Manager $2000.00 Boat Captain $110.00 a day Contact number- 231- 8423

A&J TRUCKING Need of Dump Trailer Drivers, Mechanic and two Labourers Drivers must have at least five years experience in driving 24ft – 30 ft Dump Trailers, Salary is $10.00 per hour.

Labourers must be willing to work on garbage trucks, cleaning garbage from roadsides and various districts in Providenciales and also my home from time to time.

Salary $6.25 per hour Interested belongers must contact Julie Smith at tel#231-0032 anytime.

BMW YVON PETIT CONSTRUCTION SEEKS 1 Labourer 1 Plumber 1 Electrician Salary negotiable Must have at least 10 years experience.

Contact 333-0388

SEEKS 1 MAINTENANCE MAN Applicant must be honest reliable & hardworking fluent in English & French Contact 241-8978 or 346-6622

KADEEN AGENCY

On behalf of its client is looking for 1 LABOURER Must be hardworking, have a drivers license, be able to work without supervision.

Salary $6.50 per hour Call 231-6565

CARIBBEAN BEACHIN CLOTHING LTD

SEEKS

Esthetician Must have at least 10 years experience, Must have experience in makeup & waxing, Salary negotiable Interested person should contact 331-0221

encourage us. You must also realize that actions speak louder than words.

You must not only speak to us about good life choices, but put your own words into action in your lives. Lead us by example so that we may follow in your foot-steps.

Remember, even though it may seem that we are not watching or listening, we are. So just be careful to make sure that we are watching and listening to the right things, from you.

TCI SERVICES LTD SALES CLERK NEEDED starting wages 6.50us per hour -Job requirement: food handlers permit, experience in food prep. must have own vehicle. computer skills-word perfect/excel. Excellent interpersonal skills, 3 character reference required. Must be available day times, evenings, weekend and holidays. Belonger need only apply. Email resume to -msimmons@tciway.tc before October 30th, 2015.

RESTAURANT HEAD CHEF POSITION AVAILABLE

INTERNATIONAL BEAUTY SALON

Minimum 4 years experience in similar position.

Formal qualifications from an accredited Culinary School.

Experience working in high pressure environments a must.

Qualified Belongers need only apply.

Position requires a six day work week Including holidays and weekends.

Pay dependant on experience and qualifications.

Send resumes to: magnoliaprovo@live.com or PO Box 782, Providenciales, TCI

Seeks 1 hairstylist Salary $6.25 per hour Must at least 10 years experience 6 days per week Contact 232-6390

JEAN BAPTIST MILIEN

SEEKS 1 DOMESTIC WORKER Salary $6.25 per hour Contact 342-5819

Prestige Beauty Salon & Boutique

Is seeking employment for the following: 1 Cosmetologist Salary is $6.50 per hour Interested candidate may contact the employer at 345-2403 for further details regarding employment

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

TRAIL ENTERPRISES LTD. Utility Assistant & An Electrician willing to work holidays and weekends starting wages 9.00 an hour must have 5yrs experienceplease send resume to info@trail.tc BUTTERFIELD GOLD GROUP OF COMPANIES POSITIONS AVAILABLE One (1) Electrician Minimum 10 years experience in the installation, maintenance and repair of electrical equipment, including electronic circuit boards. Individual should also posses basic plumbing knowledge and be capable of setting up and implementing a maintenance schedule. Certification required.

Salary: $2,000 per month Application forms available from Butterfield Gold Human Resource Department. Only applicants selected for interview will be notified.

Submit applications to by October 30, 2015 to:

Butterfield Gold Ltd., Human Resource Department Town Center Mall Providenciales Tel: 649-946-4211

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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CARIBBEAN WORLD

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

CARIBBEAN NEWS

NEWS NEWS

Hurricane wiped out 836 homes in The Bahamas

people of the government with the view to indicating that the intention of the government, Mr Speaker, which is to restore these matters in the shortest possible time and that we want to have a comprehensive approach to restoration, not one island at a time, One of the many houses damaged by Hurricane Joaquin in The Bahamas. but all islands at the same time.

The Bahamas Prime Minister money to assist with rebuilding, “So, Mr Speaker, I expect as Perry Christie said the government he revealed yesterday that the these teams come in that works will plans to simultaneously rebuild the government has received grants to commence, in fact work has already hurricane-ravaged Family Islands assist with the effort. The most recent commenced on some islands.” where an estimated 836 homes were grant was $1.7m from the Japanese The Department of Housing, completely destroyed. government through its Japanese Aid he said, has provided designs of

Mr Christie said based on Programme. houses constructed following previous information from the Department of The prime minister spoke hurricanes, however, the foundation Social Services, Hurricane Joaquin about this matter in the House of designs have to be adjusted to account wiped out 413 homes in Long Island, Assembly and the progress made on for higher flood levels experienced 227 houses in San Salvador, 123 homes the southern and central islands since during Hurricane Joaquin. Local in Acklins, 50 houses in Crooked Island the passage of the category four storm contractors will be given the and 23 residences in Rum Cay. earlier this month. opportunity to construct the homes in However, Mr Christie “This is a continuing exercise,” the various Family Islands. suggested that the numbers could Mr Christie said, “and based on Mr Christie said as the increase as teams continue to assess their (the assessors) findings, the efforts begin, the National Emergency the damage to homes and provide government will respond in kind as Management Agency (NEMA) has assistance to impacted and displaced a part of the work of the National purchased five “homes on wheels” families.

Restoration and Recovery Unit. This that can each accommodate three

Last week, the nation’s leader will be done in the shortest possible adults or two adults and two children. said an initial estimate of the costs time as the primary consideration of Additionally seven mobile trailer of damage due to Hurricane Joaquin my government is to house and restore homes were procured that are able to was already at $60m and was expected the physical comforts of our citizens.” accommodate six to 10 persons. to rise as the additional assessments He continued: “Mr Speaker, I The temporary units will be came into the Ministry of Finance. have met personally with the leaders assigned to families and government

While he has stated the of these teams, the engineers from the employees on the affected islands government will most likely borrow Ministry of Works and all the technical who have been displaced due to

the destruction of their homes or rental units while the construction of permanent replacements are completed.

Immediately after the passage of Hurricane Joaquin, BTC discovered that 59 of its cell sites were off line that negatively affected 59 communities in the central and southern islands.

However, over the last two weeks, BTC has been able to restore services to all islands except south Long Island where two cell sites are down in the settlements of Roses and Mortimer’s. This is due to downed poles that are hindering the restoration of normal services, Mr Christie said.

He said at the moment there are no fixed Internet services to the south of Clarence Town, but work is continuing.

In Acklins, all sites are still down and dishes have been destroyed.

Mr Christie said in Lovely Bay residents are able to make cellular calls using the site at Crooked Island.

Also in Long Cay the dish on the cell tower needs to be re-aligned.

The Department of Civil Aviation, Mr Christie said, has confirmed that all airports in the islands affected by Hurricane Joaquin are open for normal operations, although some terminal buildings suffered damage.

Guyana: ‘Baby killer’ confesses hours after surrendering

Marc Angoy, the prime suspect in the shooting death of a baby girl and the wounding of her 12-year-old aunt, has reportedly told police that he opened fire on the children after mistaking the older one for his reputed wife, whom he had intended to kill.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that Angoy confessed only after hours of intense questioning, following his surrender at the Grove Police Station on the East Bank of Demerara.

Blanhum said that detectives also swabbed the suspect’s hands for possible traces of gunpowder. The samples are to be turned over to the Forensic Laboratory. The killer is also said to have dropped a pair of sunshades at the scene.

A brief police release issued yesterday stated that Angoy, 45, of Buzz Bee Dam, Craig, East Bank Demerara, turned himself in to ranks at the Grove Police Station at around 08.20 hrs.

At the time, he was wanted for the murder of his ex-lover’s granddaughter, Arianne Gill, and the wounding of the woman’s daughter, Ashley Wellington.

The attack occurred at around 13:45 hrs on Sunday at Lot 38 East Ville, Annandale, East Coast Demerara.

The killer had allegedly stood outside by a window and shot into

the house at the children, who were watching television in the living room.

Angoy had been separated from his former lover, Shelly Norton, who had recently filed a restraining order against him, citing years of physical abuse.

Angoy, a former member of the Guyana Defence Force, was previously charged, but later acquitted for the murder of a man in 1998 at Twelve and a Half Miles Issano, Mazaruni, Region Seven.

During his confession yesterday, the suspect said that it was while he was in prison that he mistakenly dialed a number and ended up speaking with Shelly Norton.

The suspect claimed that he later contacted Norton after his acquittal and the two struck up a relationship. But Norton reportedly broke off the three-year relationship some five weeks ago, citing constant physical abuse by the suspect.

She subsequently sought a restraining order after Angoy reportedly claimed that he had acquired a firearm and intended to kill her.

During his confession, Angoy reportedly told detectives that he was incensed that Norton had filed the restraining order, when he would have shed “blood, sweat and tears to put her where she is; ” reportedly even selling

L-R Marc Angoy, Dead: Arianne Gill ‘weed’ in the interior to take care of her.

He is reported to have said that on Sunday, he went to his former lover’s Annandale, East Coast Demerara home with the intention of killing her.

Armed with a gun and peering through a window, the suspect reportedly fired into the house.

“He shot at the back window and he saw somebody running and he thought that it was she (his ex-lover) but it was the daughter,” a source said.

The bullets struck and killed 13-monthold Arianne Gill and wounded her 12-year-old aunt Ashley Wellington.

Norton said that she was in her bedroom when she heard what sounded like gunshots and later she heard her daughter screaming.

“I run to the bedroom door and

I see him with his hand through the window and he was shooting at the children.

He was aiming his gun at Ashley and firing shots continuously.”

She said that Angoy made no attempt to shoot her even though she believes he saw her.

“He was too focused on the children because he knows Ashley is my last daughter and I love my granddaughter.”

According to Norton, the suspect had previously told her that he would hurt the “things closest to her.”

“I love Arian and he knows that, so he killed her and he get away,” the distraught grandmother was heard shouting at the hospital on Sunday.

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

Germs kill 18 of 42 infected babies in Jamaica public hospitals since June

The ministry of health yesterday made a shocking revelation that since June, 18 babies out of 42 have died from health care-associated infections (HAI) while in intensive care at the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) and the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

The disclosure came after days of widespread reports of an infection outbreak at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the UHWI.

Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson and his team appeared on the defensive at a press conference, packed with ministry representatives and other stakeholders in the health sector, at Jamaica House, where journalists were told that outbreaks “happen from time to time” in special-care nurseries.

Statistics presented by the ministry at the press briefing, where reporters were informed that they had five minutes to ask questions following presentations from the minister and members of his technical team, showed that as of August, 13 babies had been infected with klebsiella at the UHWI, and that seven had died.

Before that, between June and September, eight babies were infected with another strain of HAI known as serratia at the facility, resulting in one fatality.

Meanwhile, at the CRH, 14 babies were infected, resulting in six

The University Hospital of the West Indies whose neonatal intensive care unit has been affected by outbreaks of health care-associated infections that have so far claimed the lives of 18 infants. deaths since September. Additionally, there were seven cases of klebsiella among newborns at that institution between June and July, and four of those babies died.

The ministry has not yet identified the source of the pathogen for the current outbreak. “We have to swab everything, everybody who passes through, all the staff, every piece of equipment and try to find out where it has lodged, and try to remove it,” permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr Kevin Harvey, stated, while stressing that the deaths occurred in greater numbers among those who were born at seven months’ gestation and who had low birth rates.

Of the 14 babies infected at CRH since

September, all of those who were born at seven months or less died, while the eight who died at the UHWI had been born before seven months.

The ministry says it has now taken action to address the outbreak. This includes isolation of infected babies; placing infected babies in separate rooms; placing new admissions in different locations; engaging additional staff; monitoring hand-washing practices; re-educating and training hospital staff; training for parents; and restricting movement of patients, staff and parents.

Head of the Department of Child Health at the UHWI Minerva Thame sought to assure that strict sanitation methods are used in the

Suspect identified in killing of New York police officer

A 30-year-old man with a long criminal history is suspected of killing a New York City police officer on Tuesday night in the city’s East Harlem neighborhood, police said.

Officer Randolph Holder was shot around 8:30 p.m. during an exchange of gunfire on a pedestrian overpass above the Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive, a busy highway that runs along the east side of Manhattan.

Holder and other officers had responded to reports that shots had been fired in the area.

Police identified the suspect as Tyrone Howard, who was shot in the leg and arrested a few blocks from the shooting.

Howard was one of 19 people arrested in a major drug operation in East Harlem last October. They all lived in a public housing complex in East Harlem about 15 blocks from Tuesday’s shooting.

At the time, authorities said many of those who had been arrested were affiliated with the East Army gang. All were charged with selling narcotics, mostly crack cocaine.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner William Bratton are expected to give updates on the shooting at a 12:45 p.m. press conference. The mayor and New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Holder.

Holder, 33, a native of Guyana, was a third-generation police officer whose father and grandfather served in his native country, Bratton said at a press conference late on Tuesday.

Bratton said when the call came Holder “ran towards danger.”

“It’s the last time he will respond to that call,” he said.

Holder was pronounced dead at Harlem Hospital Center at 10:22 p.m. Officers gathered outside the hospital saluted as his body was taken away in an ambulance.

He is the fourth officer killed in the line of duty in the last 11 months. Based on information on the website Officer Down Memorial Page, which tracks lineof-duty police deaths, that appears to be the most in any 12-month period since four officers were shot

and killed between October 1996 and May 1997.

In December, officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were shot and killed in their patrol car in Brooklyn by a man who said he was avenging the killing of unarmed black men by police.

The slayings became a rallying point for police and their supporters across the United States.

Officer Randolph Holder is shown in this handout photo provided by the New York City Police Department, October 21, 2015.

USVI: Two Sentenced for Smuggling Immigrants

District Court Judge men also to serve three years of Curtis V. Gomez on Monday supervised release. sentenced Kenrick Christopher, According to Sharpe, 48, of Grenada to 23 months in on June 24, Christopher and prison, and Jeard Shillingford, 33, Shillingford pleaded guilty to of Dominica to 18 months in prison encouraging and inducing illegal for encouraging and inducing immigrants to enter the United immigrants to illegally enter States for commercial or financial the United States, U.S. Attorney gain. As part of their pleas, Ronald W. Sharpe announced.

Christopher and Shillingford

Gomez sentenced both admitted to operating a sailing

vessel containing 61 Haitian nationals seeking to enter the United States illegally and that they did so for commercial or financial gain knowing that their actions were unlawful.

The United States Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted the vessel June 10 off the coast of St. John.

NICU, when asked about specific instances of what appeared to be dirty rags and mops being used by cleaning staff inside the ward. “Before there is even an outbreak, there are strict guidelines that we use. We have special staff who are employed to do the cleaning (and) clean equipment is used. In the case of an outbreak, we immediately contact our microbiologist and they beef up what we are doing to ensure,” she explained.

A caller to the Jamaica Observer, who identified himself as Sam Nicholls, claimed his child was admitted to a NICU at one of the facilities earlier this year and described the infection control procedures there as “woefully inadequate”.

Nicholls complained that at the time no soap was provided in the bathroom of the parents’ room at the facility. He further alleged that “student nurses failed to wash their hands when moving between patients, student nurses failed to sterilise thermometers that were used on more than one baby… and incubators were cleaned with dirty rags”.

“The same mop was used day after day to mop the floor with filthy water,” Nicholls told the Observer.

He said complaints were made to consultants and the nurses in charge, but nothing was done.

Jamaicans charged in ATM scam

Three Jamaican men charged with swindling over $37,000 from several accounts from various banks across Antigua, have been remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison.

David Thomas, Damian Tomlinson and Nicholas Grant, all of Jolly Harbour, are collectively accused of 75 charges related to a massive ATM fraud, which spanned nearly a week.

It is alleged the men installed electronic recording devices on several ATM’s, in order to capture critical information from ATM users.

They then used the information to hack into customers’ accounts to steal the money from ATM’s in Jolly Harbour, High Street, Townhouse Mega Store and Old Parham Road, between September 28 and October 3.

The three accused fraudsters appeared in the St John’s Magistrates’ Court yesterday before Chief Magistrate, Joanne Walsh and the prosecution objected to bail.

Thomas, 36, Tomlinson, 33, and Grant, 56 are jointly charged with 25 counts of obtaining money on forged instruments, 25 counts of larceny and for being in possession of forged instruments: debit or credit cards.

When investigators executed a search warrant at the apartment the men shared, police seized cash and a number of bank cards and the electronic devices, a well-placed source disclosed.

The men are still under investigation in relation to other complaints.

“Police have also received reports from two other countries within the region that suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of loss, through similar ATM scams. However, it is unclear whether or not the men charged are in any way linked,” a police communique said.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

CARIBBEAN NEWS

CCJ hands down ruling in case before Barbados courts since 1988

The Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has dismissed an appeal filed by an Australian-born farmer resident in Barbados in a case before the courts on the island there dating back to 1988.

In its ruling handing down late on Thursday, the CCJ, the final court for Barbados also ordered Stephen Ward to transfer ownership of a 125 acre farm to Bjorn Bjerkham, who in turn was ordered to pay Ward BDS$1.5 million (One BDS dollar =US$0.50 cents) less the deposit of BDS $50,000.00.

In addition he will also pay interest at six per cent from the 24th April, 1998 until the date of payment.

The case before the CCJ hinged on the sale of part of as plantation in Barbados involving all three men.

The CCJ heard that Walsh had originally entered into a lease agreement with Ward and had made a number of improvements to the estate.

Walsh had also expressed a desire to purchase the property but no agreement on the terms was reached with the Court being told that Ward did promise that he would give Walsh an opportunity to match any firm offer that he received.

During the period that Walsh was on the property, Ward accepted an offer from Bjerkham for BDS$1.5 million and received a deposit of BDS$50,000 for the property. Ward then asked Walsh to match this offer.

But after learning that Ward had accepted a deposit from

The Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Bjerkham, Walsh instituted legal proceedings against Ward and Bjerkham

In determining whether the plantation should be sold to Walsh or Bjerkham the CCJ said that it was necessary for the Court to make a thorough review of the facts of the case.

The Court then determined that Walsh could not establish the required elements of the doctrine of proprietary estoppel on which Walsh relied.

Proprietary estoppel holds that a person making the claim must prove that there is a reasonable assurance from the landowner that they would have ownership of the land, that the person would have acted on that assurance and that actions of the landlord have proved detrimental.

The Court also found that Walsh had laid out money on the farm for his own business interests and not because he was encouraged to do so by any representation made by Ward.

The CCJ ruled that

Walsh did not acquire a right of pre-emption to purchase the plantation since the alleged contract between himself and Ward was merely an unambiguous promise to give information of the situation to Walsh and leave it to him to make an offer to purchase if he so chose.

In its judgment, the CCJ deplored the length of time the case remained in the system and urged the Barbados judiciary to take steps to address the problem of delay in the judicial process and ensure that citizens enjoy the benefit of the constitutional promise of a fair and expeditious resolution of disputes.

In its ruling, the CCJ also set out guidelines for lawyers in Barbados for instances when a judge of the Court of Appeal is asked to be recused from hearing a case.

The CCJ found that two of the judges who had heard the case, when it was before the Court of Appeal in Barbados, should have recused themselves.

Wyclef releases song declaring support for Haitian candidate comes days before Haitians cast ballots for the next president, legislative races and local offices.

The Oct. 25 elections are expected to clear a packed presidential field, leaving the two highest vote getters to compete in a Dec. 27 runoff to become Haiti’s next leader.

Jean’s reggae-tinged song being shared online over the last few days features the HaitianAmerican performer giving enthusiastic support to Jude Celestin, the former head of the state-run construction company who is one of the top candidates in this election.

In Haitian Creole, Jean sings: “The time has come, I’m supporting Jude Celestin, to destroy the corruption, to stop the deforestation.” He calls on people to vote “31,” Celestin’s spot on the ballot, and says he needs a Hip-hop star Wyclef Jean Haitian president who “loves his PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Hip- country and respects the culture.” hop star Wyclef Jean has released A native of Haiti who a song calling on Haitian voters rocketed to international fame to cast ballots for one presidential in the 1990s as a member of the candidate, while the outgoing hip-hop trio The Fugees, Jean had president’s musician son hastily sought to be a Haitian presidential issued his own track touting his candidate himself five years father’s hand-picked successor. ago but electoral authorities

The musical campaigning disqualified him because he didn’t

meet residency requirements.

He then became one of Haitian pop star Michel Martelly’s most high-profile supporters, actively campaigning for his presidential bid. Disputed preliminary results showed Celestin edging out Martelly for a spot in a runoff ballot, but under international pressure Haiti’s electoral authorities reviewed the count and eliminated Celestin from the race.

Martelly ended up winning the presidency, taking office in May 2011. He is barred by the constitution from serving a consecutive term.

This time around, Jean says he will travel to Haiti to cast his vote for Celestin, instead of supporting Martelly’s chosen successor, Jovenel Moise.

Jean’s public endorsement of Celestin was apparently not taken lightly by Martelly’s son, Olivier, also a Haitian singer, who released a pop song heavily aided

by Auto Tune urging voters to back Moise instead.

In an apparent dig at Jean, he urged people who have been blocked from going to the national palace to “stop complaining” and trying to “bluff the people.”

Dominica’s PM brushes aside any link to embattled Chinese billionaire

ROSEAU, Dominica – Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has brushed aside suggestions of a link between his administration and a Chinese billionaire charged in the United States for providing bribes to a former Antigua and Barbuda top United Nations diplomat.

The main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has been calling on Skerrit to come clean on the issue ever since court records in the United States showed that a complaint had been brought by the United States attorney for the Southern District, charging Dr.. John Ashe, who once served as president of the United Nations General Assembly and five others, including a billionaire developer from the Chinese territory of Macau.

The complaint alleges that the five, including billionaire Bg Lap Seng, also known as David Ng, paid bribes to the former Antigua and Barbuda diplomat in exchange for “benefits from the UN and the government of Antigua and Barbuda.”

In addition, the complaint charges, the former diplomat received more than US$800,000 in bribes from “various Chinese businessmen” and that as part of the scheme, he “shared a portion of the bribe payments” with senior Antiguan government officials, including the prime minister.

Skerrit, who, was seen in a photograph, taken before the arrests, with the men in Macau, brushed aside questions from reporters on the issue at a news conference here.

“I mean, you are really asking that question?” he asked, adding “the FBI told you that they are interested in me?”

“I am telling you madam that I have no association with this matter. None. And there is no authority in this world that is interested in Roosevelt Skerrit in any undue manner. None whatsoever. You should ask Mr. (Lennox) Linton (UWP Leader) about his information. Present the facts to you to make some assertions without the facts. Which facts?”

Linton had earlier told a news conference that Skerrit owed t to the population to speak out on the matter and challenged Skerrit if he so desires and want to clear his name, to consider waiving his immunity as the head of the country so that the FBI can do their investigations as a “fitting, proper person to be leading Dominica at this time …”

But Skerrit told reporters he has no diplomatic immunity protecting him.

“As prime Minister I do not have diplomatic immunity anywhere in the world including Dominica,” he said.

“If I were to commit a crime in Dominica I could be arrested or in Grenada or in the United States. So I do not have diplomatic immunity.

Courtesies are extended to me as the Prime Minister of this country but I do not have diplomatic immunity in any country in the world at any time.”

“So that is for the information and education of the media…Mr. Skerrit is certainly not worried about himself!”

Puerto Rico seizes $12M worth of cocaine abandoned at sea

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Authorities in Puerto Rico say they have seized $12 million worth of cocaine found floating in waters off the U.S. territory’s southeast coast.

Police said Tuesday that the drugs were found near an abandoned boat close to the town of Arroyo.

Authorities said the hundreds of kilograms of cocaine were likely shipped from Venezuela and will be turned over to the U.S. federal agents. No one has been arrested.

Police in Puerto Rico have sized nearly 7,000 kilograms (15,500 pounds) of cocaine so far this year, a nearly 50 percent increase compared with all of last year.

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

WORLD

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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NEWS

Vice President Joe Biden will not run for president

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he would not run for president in 2016, ending months of suspense and easing Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton’s path to the party’s nomination.

Biden, who had been pondering a run since August, appeared in the White House Rose Garden with his wife Jill and President Barack Obama to say the window for mounting a successful campaign had closed.

“While I will not be a candidate, I will not be silent,” Biden told reporters.

“I intend to speak out clearly and forcefully to influence as much as I can where we stand as a party and where we need to go as a nation,” Biden said.

Biden, 72, had been wrestling with his own doubts about whether he and his family were ready for a grueling campaign while still mourning his son Beau, who died of brain cancer in May. His son had urged him to run.

Clinton’s slipping poll numbers amid the controversy over her use of a private email server while secretary of state had cracked open a door to a late bid by the affable Biden, leading to calls from his supporters to seek the presidency.

But what was widely hailed as a command performance by Clinton in the Oct. 13 Democratic debate turned the tide back in her favor and quieted talk that she was vulnerable in her quest for her party’s nomination for the November 2016 election.

Biden’s decision was a huge boost for Clinton, whose prime challenger now is U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. The democratic socialist has galvanized the party’s left-wing but has yet to prove he can broaden his appeal.

“It’s an easier path for Hillary Clinton now,” said Democratic strategist Bud Jackson. “Most polls reflect that without Biden in the race,

it’s more beneficial to her.”

Clinton’s support among Democrats surged by 10 percentage points after the October debate, a Reuters/ Ipsos poll showed. She had the backing of about 52 percent of poll participants, followed by Sanders at 27 percent. Biden’s support, at 13 percent, was down 6 percentage points.

Jumping into the race so late would have presented a huge challenge to Biden, who would have had to quickly build a fundraising network and campaign structure ahead of the first nominating contest in Iowa on Feb. 1.

“Unfortunately, I believe we’re out of time, the time necessary to mount a winning campaign for the nomination,” Biden said in the Rose Garden. “The process doesn’t respect or much care about filing deadlines or debate or primaries and caucuses. But I also know I couldn’t do this if the family isn’t ready.”

Biden is popular

Boy, 6, fatally shoots toddler brother while playing ‘cops and robbers,’ dad arrested

(L-R) EIAN, Michael Santiago

Michael Santiago needed a gun.

He was a former gang member who had snitched on his old crew and now feared for his life. So Santiago purchased a pistol on the street and kept it in the kitchen just in case.

Whether he needed to show his six-year-old son the weapon, however, is something that will likely haunt Santiago for the rest of his life.

On Saturday night, Santiago’s security scheme went horribly wrong when his six-year-old son found the loaded gun. The boy, who has not been named by police, then began playing “cops and robbers” with his younger brother, 3-year-old Eian, when the gun suddenly went

off.

The bullet struck Eian in the face, killing him.

The Chicago shooting is the latest in a seemingly incessant string of American kids being killed by guns, often shot by other kids. This summer, another toddler was fatally shot by her 7-year-old brother here in D.C. Earlier this month, an 11-year-old boy in Tennessee was charged with first-degree murder after shooting his 8-year-old neighbor with a shotgun after an argument over puppies.

He father who had been charged with a crime. Santiago, 25, has been charged with felony child endangerment for allegedly showing his eldest son where he kept the unprotected pistol.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden announces he will not seek the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination during an appearance with his wife Jill (R) in Rose Garden of the White House in Washington October 21, 2015. with white, working-class voters, and he could still play a major role in the election if he chooses to endorse a Democratic candidate.

Also in the running for the Democratic nomination are former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee.

Biden ran for president in 1988 and 2008, both times dropping out early in the race. He was a U.S. senator from Delaware for more than three decades.

He has been prominent for a vice president, with broad involvement in many of Obama’s foreign affairs decisions, such as the withdrawal from Iraq and his Afghanistan strategy.

Biden once boasted that he had “met virtually

every major leader in the world.”

He became something of a secret weapon for the White House on Capitol Hill, stepping in to negotiate tricky fiscal deals with Republican lawmakers.

Biden, who is Roman Catholic, won praise from human rights groups for saying in May 2012 that he was “absolutely comfortable” with same-sex marriage.

Many observers credited his comments for pushing Obama to announce his support too.

In Biden’s long Senate career, he served as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. He also pushed for the Violence Against Women Act, which toughened penalties for sex offenders and created protections for victims.

Assad flies to Moscow to thank Putin for Syria air strikes

Syrian President Bashar alAssad flew to Moscow on Tuesday evening to thank Russia’s Vladimir Putin personally for his military support, in a surprise visit that underlined how Russia has become a major player in the Middle East.

It was Assad’s first foreign visit since the start of the Syrian crisis in 2011, and came three weeks after Russia launched a campaign of air strikes against Islamist militants in Syria that has also bolstered Assad’s forces.

The Kremlin, which said it had invited Assad to visit Moscow, kept the visit quiet until Wednesday morning, broadcasting a meeting between the two men in the Kremlin and releasing a transcript of an exchange they had.

Putin said he hoped progress on the military front would be followed by moves towards a political solution in Syria, bolstering Western hopes Moscow will use its increased influence on Damascus to cajole Assad into talking to his opponents.

Assad’s confidence is likely to be boosted by the visit, which comes as his forces wage counteroffensives in western Syria against insurgents backed by Assad’s foreign opponent, as well as Islamic State militants.

“First of all I wanted to

express my huge gratitude to the whole leadership of the Russian Federation for the help they are giving Syria,” Assad told Putin.

“If it was not for your actions and your decisions the terrorism which is spreading in the region would have swallowed up a much greater area and spread over an even greater territory.”

Russian officials have repeatedly said they have no special loyalty for the Syrian leader, but his audience with Putin will be seen in the West as yet another sign the Kremlin wants Assad to be part of any political solution, at least initially.

The visit also suggests that Russia, and not longtime ally Iran, has now emerged as Assad’s most important foreign friend.

Russian state TV made the meeting its top news item, showing Assad, dressed in a dark blue suit, talking to Putin, together with the Russian foreign and defense ministers.

The Kommersant daily cited unnamed sources saying meetings between the two delegations had lasted over three hours. The Syrian presidency Twitter account said Assad and Putin held three rounds of talks - one of them a closed meeting and the other two including Russia’s foreign and defense ministers.

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WORLD NEWS

Sweden struggles to cope with migrant tide

Sweden said on Thursday it expected up to 190,000 migrants this year, putting unprecedented strain on a country famous for welcoming refugees but planning to house many in tents this winter.

On the opposite pole of the angry debate on the migration crisis, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban urged European leaders to change their immigration policies and consult voters, saying they otherwise faced a threat to the democratic order.

Thousands of refugees continued to pour into Slovenia in the hope of reaching prosperous northern Europe, and the tiny country appealed for other European Union states to send police to help manage the flow.

Europe is struggling

to cope with its biggest wave of migrants and refugees since World War Two. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 670,000 people have arrived by sea this year, fleeing war zones and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Sweden’s Migration Agency said more than 30,000 of the 140-190,000 people it expected in 2015 would be unaccompanied children.

“We have seen pictures of people who are literally walking from Greece across the Balkans to Germany and on to Sweden,” agency head Anders Danielsson told reporters.

“The current refugee situation is unprecedented both in a European and Swedish perspective.”

The agency said it would need an additional 70 billion Swedish crowns ($8.41 billion) over the next two years to cope.

It added the flow of asylum seekers was seen easing next year, but the number could still reach 170,000.

More than 100,000 have already arrived in Sweden this year, topping the previous record during the Balkan wars in the early 1990s.

Nearly 10,000 came in the past week alone.

“Last night all the our places were full,” Danielsson said.

The Agency estimated it would face a shortage of accommodation for 25,00045,000 migrants by the end of the year. Tens of thousands could spend the cold Swedish winter in heated tents.

Singapore mega-church head guilty of embezzling $35 million

SINGAPORE — The founder of a popular Singapore church was found guilty Wednesday of misappropriating more than $35.5 million in donations to support his wife’s singing career in Asia before helping her break into the U.S. market for evangelization purposes.

Kong Hee, the founder and senior pastor of City Harvest Church, was found guilty with five other church leaders of stealing 24 million Singapore dollars ($17 million) designated for building and investment-related purposes through sham bond investments.

The State Court also found that they used another 26 million dollars ($18.5 million) to hide the first embezzlement from auditors. It is a rare case of corruption of such magnitude in the city-state, which has an image of being highly law-abiding and largely graft-free.

“They were not genuine transactions because the accused persons controlled these transactions,” presiding judge See Kee Onn said in finding Kong guilty on three counts of criminal breach of trust.

“Evidence points to a finding that they knew they were acting dishonestly, and I am unable to conclude otherwise,” he told a courtroom packed with church supporters, who formed long queues since early morning

City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee, center to get seats.

No date for sentencing has been set. The penalty for criminal breach of trust is a maximum of life sentence. For falsifying accounts, the penalty is a maximum of 10 years in jail and a fine.

The trial has put megachurches that have risen in popularity in the affluent island nation in the spotlight. Despite the evidence against the church leaders, members have rallied around them since the case started in 2012. They felt funds were rightly used to finance the church’s Crossover Project, with stated aims to use pop music to reach out to non-believers, of which Kong’s wife, Ho Yeow Sun is the face.

The stolen money was

first pumped into a music production firm and a glass manufacturer, but these companies were owned by longtime churchgoers and ultimately used funds to support the secular music pursuits of Ho, who did not face any charges.

Four other members of the group were found guilty of additional charges for falsifying the church’s accounts. A fifth member, like Kong, was found guilty on three counts of criminal breach of trust.

Ho has released five Mandarin albums in Taiwan. She broke into the U.S. market in 2003, appearing in several videos.

According to a 2014 annual report, the church has a congregation size of about 17,500.

French jet in ‘dangerous’ incident with Russian aircraft: Moscow

A French military jet came dangerously close to an aircraft carrying the speaker of the lower house of the Russian parliament as he flew through French airspace, Russia’s foreign ministry said on Monday.

The ministry said it had summoned the French ambassador in Moscow to protest over the incident, which happened earlier on Monday. It complained in a statement of “a dangerous proximity between a

French air force jet in its national airspace and an airliner carrying a Russian parliamentary delegation.”

The ministry said the delegation, headed by parliamentary speaker Sergei Naryshkin, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had been heading to Geneva, in Switzerland, to attend an international meeting of parliamentarians.

“The ambassador was

informed of Russia’s deep concern over what happened. It was underlined that such actions by Paris undermine the possibility of using France as a venue for conducting international meetings and talks,” the ministry said.

Earlier this month, Putin traveled to Paris to take part in talks on the conflict in Ukraine along with French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

South African police fire rubber bullets at students protesting fee hikes

Three students were hurt during a rally against university fee increases in South Africa at which protesters threw stones and burned tires and police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades, one week into demonstrations at universities across the country.

South African universities initially wanted to increase tuition fees by up to 11.5 percent, prompting students to launch a campaign of protests that began on Oct. 13. Critics say the move will further disadvantage black students in Africa’s most advanced economy.

About 150 students at Nelson Mandela Metropolitian University (NMMU) in the Eastern Cape were involved in running battles with police, who fired rubber bullets and used stun grenades to disperse the crowds.

It was not clear what caused the injuries to the three students, police said.

The students have rejected a proposal hammered out by some student leaders, university dons and Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande on Tuesday that would cap fee increases at 6 percent for 2016 in line with inflation at 4.6 percent.

University students burned tires outside parliament in Cape Town and shouted at police on stand-by. The finance minister is expected to deliver the national medium-term budget from parliament at 1200 GMT.

At least 14 universities around the country are taking part in the demonstrations.

Campuses have suspended classes owing to the demonstrations.

Twenty-three students at the University of Cape Town (UCT) were arrested on Tuesday and later released. Police said they would face charges of disrupting the peace.

South Africa’s overall student population is mostly black and hampered by tight funding and the lingering effects of discrimination dating from white-minority rule. The proportion of blacks in higher education is still relatively low.

University administrators say that without much bigger subsidies from the government, they have no option but to raise fees to maintain academic standards.

Death toll from storm in Philippines climbs to 39

CABANATUAN, Philippines — The death toll from a storm that battered the Philippines’ main island over the weekend has climbed to at least 39, officials said Wednesday.

Tropical Storm Koppu, which barreled ashore as a powerful typhoon in the northeastern Philippines on Sunday before weakening, forced more than 100,000 villagers into emergency shelters and destroyed rice fields ready for harvest.

The storm blew away from the main island of Luzon on Tuesday and was over the Balintang Channel in the country’s northern tip on Wednesday morning, with winds of 55 kilometers (34 miles) per hour near its center, according to the government’s weather bureau.

At least 39 people were killed in the storm, mostly due to drowning, landslides, fallen trees and collapsed walls, said civilian defense officials.

Several people were reported missing and more than 500,000 were affected by Koppu, including 107,000 who fled to evacuation centers.

Disaster-response agencies said the rain dumped by the storm in the mountainous north flowed down rivers and flooded villages downstream in provinces including Pangasinan, where thousands of residents were evacuated Monday.

“We saw that there was lot of rain that fell in the mountains. There was a possibility of flash floods so residents were evacuated to safer grounds,” said Melchito Castro of the regional Office of Civil Defense.

An initial government estimate showed damage to agriculture and infrastructure amounted to at least 5.3 billion pesos ($115 million).

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WORLD NEWS

Canada’s Trudeau topples PM Harper in shock election win

Canada’s Liberal leader Justin Trudeau rode a late surge to a stunning majority election victory on Monday, toppling Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives with a promise of change and returning a touch of glamor, youth and charisma to Ottawa.

Harper conceded defeat and the Conservative party announced his resignation, ending a nine-year run in power and the 56-year-old’s brand of fiscal and cultural conservatism that voters appeared to sour on.

The Liberals seized a Parliamentary majority, a turn in political fortunes that smashed the record for the number of seats gained from one election to the next. The center-left Liberals had been a distant third place party before this election.

“My friends, we beat fear with hope. We beat cynicism with hard work. We beat negative, divisive politics with a positive vision that brings Canadians together,” Trudeau, 43, told a crowd of cheering supporters in Montreal.

“This is what positive politics can do.”

The photogenic son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau pledged to run a C$10 billion annual budget deficit for three years to invest in infrastructure and help stimulate Canada’s anemic economic growth.

This rattled financial markets ahead of the vote and the Canadian dollar weakened on news of his victory.

Trudeau thanked his two closest friends and advisers for shaping his campaign to show “that you can appeal to the better angels of our nature. And you can win doing it.”

Trudeau has said he will

than statesmen.

Pierre once jumped from a trampoline into the crowd. With boyish good looks, Justin thrusts himself into throngs and puts his hand to his heart when listening to someone.

Selfie requests are so common he happily takes the camera and snaps the photo himself, often cheek to cheek.

He is the married father of three young children.

Criticized for being more style than substance, Trudeau has used attacks on his good looks and privileged upbringing to win over voters, who recalled his father’s rockstar presence and an era when Canada Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau gives his victory speech after Canada’s federal election in had some sizzle on the world stage.

Montreal, Quebec, October 19, 2015.

Pierre Trudeau, who died in repair Canada’s cool relations with in third.

2000, was in power for 15 years - with the Obama administration, withdraw The NDP’s fall was highlighted a brief interruption - and remains Canada from the combat mission in Quebec, where it had the majority one of the few Canadian leaders to be against Islamic State militants in favor of its seats, while the separatist Bloc known abroad. of humanitarian aid and training, and Quebecois won 10 seats, up from Single when he took power, tackle climate change. just two previously. BQ leader Gilles the elder Trudeau dated movie stars

Trudeau vaulted from third Duceppe, however, failed to win a seat. and models before marrying. He had place to lead the polls in the final days The Liberals’ win marks a three boys while prime minister, the of the campaign, and will now return swing toward a more multilateral eldest of whom now succeeds him in to the Prime Minister’s residence in approach in global politics by the the nation’s top office.

Ottawa where he grew up as a child.

Canadian government, which has Financial market players had

“When the time for change distanced itself from the United praised the Conservative government strikes, it’s lethal,” former Conservative Nations in recent years. for its steady hand in economic Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said The former teacher took management, which had spared in a television interview. “I ran and charge of the party just two years Canada the worst of the global financial was successful because I wasn’t Pierre ago and guided it out of the political malaise. Trudeau has also promised to Trudeau. Justin is successful because wilderness with a pledge of economic raise taxes on high-income Canadians he isn’t Stephen Harper.” stimulus and stirring appeals for a and reduce them for the middle class.

Liberal supporters at the return to social liberalism.

Political pundits have already party’s campaign headquarters Born to a sitting prime began to speculate on the makeup of a broke into cheers and whistles when minister who came to power in 1968 Trudeau government while pondering television projected that Trudeau on a wave of popular support dubbed what caused the downfall of Harper, would be the next prime minister.

“Trudeaumania,” Trudeau will become 56, who has been criticized for his

The Conservatives become the the second-youngest prime minister aloof personality but won credit for official opposition in Parliament, with in Canadian history and brings an economic management in a decade of the left-leaning New Democratic Party appeal more common in movie stars global fiscal uncertainty.

U.S. investigating report email account linked to CIA director hacked

The FBI and Secret Service are investigating reports that nongovernment email accounts associated with CIA Director John Brennan as well as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson were hacked, law enforcement officials told CNN.

The New York Post interviewed the alleged hacker, who said he accessed an AOL account associated with Brennan that included files regarding his security clearance application, and the hacker also claims to have accessed a Comcast account associated with Johnson.

The CIA issued a statement Monday saying they are aware of the report. A DHS spokesman also issued a statement saying, “We don’t discuss the Secretary’s security information.

We have forwarded this matter to the appropriate authorities.” The FBI declined to comment.

It does not appear that any classified information was accessed,

according to a law enforcement official.

The reports highlight the sensitivity of government officials using personal email addresses whether or not they use them for government purposes, an issue thrust into the spotlight in part by Hillary Clinton’s use of private email when she was secretary of state.

While much of the controversy over Clinton’s email use stems from the fact that she used the account for work purposes -- there has also been concern about officials using personal email for non-government purposes but on company computers.

The problem is that private email addresses make easy targets.

Johnson apologized over the summer for getting a waiver to use personal email on government computers at the Department of Homeland Security -- the civilian agency tasked largely with leading the federal government’s cyber security efforts. He called it a “whoops” moment

and extended an existing ban to cover top officials who had sought waivers for their email access.

The concern with personal email is that it can be relatively easy for hackers to target and exists outside the protections on .gov email addresses managed by the government.

In fact, the hacker told The New York Post that he used a stunningly simple tactic to allegedly hack Brennan’s account.

The process, called “social engineering,” involves collecting information on a person that is publicly available and using it to personalize an attack on their accounts. In this CIA Director John Owen Brennan case, the alleged hacker told the Post as a relatively easy and dangerous he tricked Verizon employees into hacking technique. giving him Brennan’s information In another form of social and got AOL to reset his password, engineering, a hacker in 2008 broke presumably sending the reset to the into the email account of former vice hacker. presidential candidate Sarah Palin

The tactic, taking advantage by answering her simple security of call centers, has been documented questions, including her birthday and by several in the security community zip code.

Florida’s Charlie Crist running for Congress as a Democrat

Charlie Crist, a former Republican governor of Florida, said on Tuesday he would seek election to the U.S. Congress as a Democrat, his latest bid at a political comeback.

Crist, a one-term governor from 2007 to 2011, lost a bid last year to reclaim that office as a Democrat. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as an independent after leaving the Republican Party in 2010.

Now Crist, 59, is hinging his latest bid on a House of Representatives district expected to become favorable for a Democrat based in his

hometown of St. Petersburg, located in the Tampa Bay region on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

At a news conference, he said representing the region was important to him, and he remained passionate about politics.

“Public service is in my heart. I can’t help it. I guess that’s fairly obvious,” he told reporters gathered at a community park, where he announced his run.

He pledged to listen to voters in an attempt to address dysfunction in Washington, and cited climate change and the environment among

his key issues, as well as reforms to Medicare and Social Security.

The district is being redrawn to correct partisan redistricting known as gerrymandering.

The seat is currently held by Republican David Jolly, who is running for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat.

Crist had been eyeing the seat as it became clear the boundaries would likely favor a Democrat.

He faces a primary challenge from a lesser-known Democrat already in the race, Eric Lynn, a former U.S. Defense Department official.

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WORLD NEWS

Vatican denies report pope has small, curable brain tumor

VATICAN CITY— The Vatican on Wednesday categorically denied a report in an Italian newspaper that Pope Francis has a small, curable brain tumor, saying he is in good health and that his head is “absolutely perfect.”

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the report Wednesday in the National Daily was “completely unfounded and seriously irresponsible and not worthy of attention.”

Citing unnamed nursing sources, the National Daily said the 78-year-old pope had traveled by helicopter to the San Rossore di Barbaricina clinic near Pisa in recent months to see a Japanese brain cancer specialist, Dr. Takanori Fukishima. The newspaper said the doctor determined that the small dark spot on Francis’ brain could be treated without surgery.

In subsequent versions, the paper reported that Fukishima had instead come to the Vatican to see the pope in a Vatican helicopter. The ANSA news agency, citing unnamed sources in Pisa, said the trip was in January and that Fukishima had traveled by helicopter to the Vatican to diagnose the pope.

Pope Francis attends his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015. The Vatican is denying a report in an Italian newspaper that Pope Francis has a small, curable brain tumor. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the report Wednesday in the National Daily was “unfounded and seriously irresponsible and not worthy of attention.”

Lombardi categorically denied in the paper had been performed and the reports to reporters Wednesday, that no helicopters had landed in the and said he was doing so after having Vatican from the outside. spoken to the pope himself about them.

“I can confirm that the pope is He said no Japanese doctor had visited in good health,” Lombardi said. “If you the pope, no tests of the type described were in the piazza this morning you

would have seen that as well. And if you go on the trips with him, you know he has a small problem with his legs, but his head is absolutely perfect.”

The newspaper’s editor, Andrea Cangini, said it stood by its story. Subsequent versions of the report said Fukushima had traveled to the Vatican by helicopter and was seen returning to the Pisa clinic in the Vatican’s chopper.

The hospital’s director didn’t respond immediately to a request for comment.

Cangini said the paper had deliberated a long time before publishing the news, which it said it had confirmed months ago.

The publication, however, comes at a delicate time for Francis, in the final days of his hotly contested synod on the family, which has shown a split among conservative and liberal bishops over how to convey the church’s teachings on marriage, sex, homosexuality and other issues.

Several conservative bishops and cardinals have complained that the synod, which Francis called, is creating confusion and “anxiety” about the church’s teachings.

US ‘clock boy’ Ahmed Mohamed to move to Qatar

Ahmed Mohamed, a 14-year-old Muslim boy from Texas whose teacher mistook his homemade clock for a bomb, will move to Qatar with his family.

Ahmed has accepted a scholarship from the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, where he will study.

He met US President Barack Obama at the White House on Monday.

After Ahmed was detained over the clock last month, his case went viral on social media.

Some alleged he was unfairly treated because of his name and religious background.

Officials in Irving Texas defended their decision, saying they were only concerned with the safety of students.

The Qatar Foundation is providing a full scholarship for his secondary and undergraduate education, according to a news release.

“Our family has been overwhelmed by the many offers of support we have received since the unfortunate incident of Ahmed’s arrest,” the Mohamed family said in the release. “From the

White House to Sudan, to Mecca, we have been welcomed by a variety of individuals, businesses and educational institutions.”

According to his family, Ahmed will be enrolled in the Qatar Foundation’s “Young Innovators” program and his whole family will relocate with him to Qatar.

“Qatar was a cool place to visit. I loved the city of Doha because it’s so modern. I saw so many amazing schools there, many of them campuses of famous American universities,” said Ahmed in the news release. “The teachers were great. I think I will learn a lot and have fun too.”’

Ahmed withdrew from his Texas school shortly after the clock incident.

He was arrested on 14 September after his teacher mistook his clock for a bomb, sparking outrage and the trending hashtag #StandWithAhmed.

In addition to being invited to the White House, Ahmed received an outpouring of support from scientists, politicians and celebrities including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

The whole Mohamed family will move to Qatar

Florida: 1 Killed, 5 Injured in Shooting at ZombiCon

On Scene Photo

One person is dead after a gunman opened fire at the annual ZombiCon convention in Fort Myers, Florida, on late Saturday evening.

Five others were injured in the mass shooting, police said. They are being treated for non-life threatening injuries while police continue to search for the gunman, USA Today reports.

Expavious Tyrell Taylor, 20, a local junior college football player, died at the scene, according to the Associated Press. Authorities did not release a possible motive for the shooting.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward. There were “a lot of

witnesses down here, there were a lot of people taking pictures, videos with their cellphone,” Lt. Victor Medico said. “Anything that could help with this investigation would be greatly appreciated.”

The annual convention, which is in its ninth year, draws more than 20,000 fans dressed as zombies. Medico described the scene as “shoulder to shoulder.”

Many revelers didn’t know whether the gunfire was real or fake. “[I] heard gunshots right in front of me,” Haley Delmonte of Naples told WBBHTV. “Saw people running and my mind was everywhere. It was so scary. We ran, then we were like wait…was that real?”

Taylor’s family is devastated by the shooting. “The officer called me and was telling me she was sorry for my loss, I said, ‘So it’s really true, I just lost my baby’ and she said, ‘Yes, I’m sorry, but he’s gone,’ ” Taylor’s sister,

Amanda Andrews, told WBBH-TV.

Added his uncle, Ephraim Washington: “I said it couldn’t have been him because he ain’t there, it took me two hours to get it together that I was wrong.”

Taylor’s family thought he was with the football team that night.

In a statement, the organizers of ZombiCon, Pushing DaiZies, Inc., said they were deeply sorry for the incident. “We take the safety of our patrons very seriously and take precautions in hiring security and police officers for our annual event,” said Rachel Telfor, security coordinator.

“Our prayers go out to the family members and individuals involved in the incident,” added Janet DeMarco, founder. “We are extremely confident in the Fort Myers Police Department and the actions they are taking to apprehend the assailant.

Their response was quick and efficient to the incident.”

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BUSINESS &

TECHNOLOGY

YouTube offers US subscribers paid option with no ads

Alphabet Inc’s YouTube will launch a $10-a-month subscription option in the United States on Oct. 28 that will allow viewers to watch videos from across the site without interruption from advertisements, the company said on Wednesday.

Starting early next year, the service called YouTube Red will add exclusive shows and movies from top YouTube creators including PewDiePie, Lilly Singh and The Fine Brothers.

“Consumers are embracing paid subscriptions of ad-free content at an incredible pace,” Robert Kyncl, YouTube’s chief business officer, said at an event at YouTube’s production space in Los Angeles.

The effort offers a new source of revenue for YouTube and its video creators. Rival streaming sites such as Vessel and Interactive Corp’s Vimeo are luring online stars to their paid offerings, which provide creators a larger cut of revenue than they typically receive from YouTube’s adsupported videos. Facebook also is taking steps to boost video viewership

on its site.

YouTube will continue to offer its free, ad-supported service, which has more than 1 billion viewers around the world.

Creators of 99 percent of the content watched on YouTube have agreed to make their videos available on YouTube Red, Kyncl said. YouTube is still negotiating with a “few” media companies that he hopes to bring on board before the launch, he said.

Walt Disney Co was still talking with YouTube as of Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the discussions.

A Disney spokeswoman did not immediately respond for a request for comment.

YouTube Vice President of Product Management Matthew Glotzbach unveils their new paid

The YouTube Red service will subscription service at the YouTube Space LA in Playa Del Rey, Los Angeles, California, United be available initially only in the United States October 21, 2015.

States. The company aims to expand it to major markets around the world to provide details. For ad-supported young women. over the next year. Users who sign up videos, YouTube typically keeps 45 YouTube also launched a new for YouTube Red through Apple Inc’s percent of revenue.

YouTube Music app that is free to watch app store will pay $13 a month.

Kyncl said YouTube Red with ads. Subscribers to YouTube Red

Officials said the majority of is targeted at the same audiences can watch YouTube Music content revenue from subscriptions will go to that make up the bulk of YouTube’s without the ads. video creators, though they declined audience now, including gamers and

A smartphone that keeps getting smarter

With smartphones becoming ever more elaborate, one might think that there’s little left to surprise users. But Japan’s Sharp Corporation have brought us RoBoHoN, a robot smartphone that employs facial recognition and a two-inch touchscreen embedded in its back for making calls, sending texts, and surfing the web.

It was displayed at the recent CEATEC technology show on the outskirts of Tokyo.

Shaped like a humanoid communication robot, RoBoHoN is 19 centimeters tall and weighs around 390 grams. In addition to its smartphone functions, RoBoHoN can also dance and talk with people.

“We wanted to make a phone that felt closer to a user’s life than the normal telephone. That idea led us to this humanoid robot phone,” said Sharp representative Kuniyuki Maruyama.

The robot is also programmed to learn from interacting with users and thus become smarter, by accumulating users’ data in its cloud system.

“Because the robot will learn about the user through the daily life they share together, I think it will offer people a much happier life,” said Maruyama.

To answer a phone call, users must press the button on the robot’s back screen and hold it to their cheek.

The speaker is placed inside the robot’s mouth.

Visitors to CEATEC were impressed. “It is capable of various things, such as responding to your speech. There are many kinds of way to use it. I think this is really a new idea that we have never seen before,” said Naigi.

“I saw it on Twitter first, and then came to see the real thing. It’s smaller than I thought and it’s really cute,” added Miwako Tang.

RoBoHoN can also project images onto any surface from short distances with its in-built forehead projector and even call a cab for its user.

Sharp says the robot phone is expected to be available in Japan in the first half of 2016.

Amazon creating more than 100,000 jobs for Holiday Season

Two freshly delivered Amazon boxes are seen on a counter in Golden, Colorado August 27, 2014

Amazon.com Inc said it is creating 100,000 seasonal jobs across its network of fulfillment and sortation centers in the United States to meet increased customer demand during the holiday season.

Amazon has hired more than 25,000 full-time employees since August to prepare for the 2015 holiday season, the company said in a statement.

“Following last year’s holiday

season, tens of thousands of seasonal employees’ found regular, full-time roles with Amazon,” said Mike Roth, Amazon’s vice president of North America operations.

The company had created 80,000 seasonal jobs last holiday season.

Amazon has more than 90,000 full-time employees across its more than 50 fulfillment and 20 sortation centers in the United States.

HTC unveils new version of new ‘One’ Smartphone

HTC has unveiled the latest version of its One Smartphone, touting its combination of sleek design with the latest Android software.

The HTC One A9 goes on sale globally in early November and offers an all-metal and glass design with smooth curves. In addition to the

traditional Smartphone colors of gray, silver and gold, it also comes in garnet red.

The phone is the first outside of Google’s own Nexus line to feature that company’s Marshmallow software at launch. And it’s the first regular-sized HTC phone to have a fingerprint

sensor — a feature already standard on phones made my larger rivals Apple and Samsung.

U.S. preorders for silver and gray phones are now being taken through HTC’s website for $400. The other colors will be available within weeks.

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WORLD NEWS BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

Apple tells U.S. Judge that it is ‘Impossible’ to unlock new IPhone

including the one at issue in the case. But it urged the judge to not require it to comply with the Justice Department’s request.

“Forcing Apple to extract data in this case, absent clear legal authority to do so, could threaten the trust between Apple and its customers and substantially tarnish the Apple brand,” Apple’s lawyers wrote.

A spokeswoman for Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Robert Capers, whose office is handling the case, declined comment.

Earlier this month, Iphones impossible to unlock Orenstein expressed skepticism

Apple Inc told a U.S. granting the Justice Department’s about whether he could require judge that accessing data stored quest “would be impossible to Apple to disable security on the on a locked iPhone would be perform” after it strengthened iPhone, citing Congress’ failure “impossible” with devices using encryption methods. to act on the issue of encryption its latest operating system, but Those devices include despite the urging of the Justice the company has the “technical a feature that prevents anyone Department and Federal Bureau ability” to help law enforcement without the device’s pass code of Investigation. unlock older phones. from accessing its data, including Orenstein deferred

Apple’s position was laid Apple itself. ruling until Apple had a chance to out in a brief filed late Monday, The feature was adopted say if it was “technically feasible after a federal magistrate judge in 2014 amid heightened privacy and, if so, whether compliance in Brooklyn, New York, sought its concerns following leaks by with the proposed order would be input as he weighed a U.S. Justice former National Security Agency unduly burdensome.”

Department request to force contractor Edward Snowden Apple in its brief said the company to help authorities about NSA surveillance programs. it limited its views to those access a seized iPhone during an Apple told U.S. questions rather than the broader investigation.

Magistrate Judge James legal issue at hand, which it

In court papers, Apple Orenstein it could access the called “important.” In an order said that for the 90 percent of its 10 percent of its devices that Tuesday, Orenstein invited Apple devices running IOS 8 or higher, continue to use older systems, to address that issue.

Samsung Electronics to advance launch of next Galaxy S phone

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd plans to bring forward the unveiling of its next Galaxy S Smartphone to January in an attempt to compete better with rival Apple Inc’s new iPhones, South Korea’s Electronic Times reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources.

Samsung has in recent years announced new Galaxy S Smartphones on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress Samsung Smartphones Galaxy S6 edge+ are pictured at the consumer electronics trade show, which usually takes trade fair IFA in Berlin, Germany, September 3, 2015 place between late February and early March. The world’s top A Samsung spokeswoman despite a product lineup Smartphone maker unveiled its said the firm does not comment revamp. Researcher Trend Force Galaxy Note 5 device in August on rumors or speculation. says Samsung’s Smartphone this year, however, earlier The South Korean firm shipments will shrink by 1 than the typical September has been unable to arrest its percent this year, marking the announcement.

Smartphone market slide firm’s first-ever annual decline.

A woman wearing a hat and sunglasses gets out of a taxi in Manhattan, New York May 28, 2015.

New York to try out GPS-based meters on 1,000 taxicabs

Some New York City taxicabs will switch to using GPS-based fare calculators from current metering systems under a pilot program approved on Thursday.

The NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission voted to pass a measure to overhaul technology systems in 1,000 city cabs, which currently require bulky televisions and credit card readers.

“It’s just streamlined technology,” commission spokesman Greg Gordon said.

The new systems will be smaller, more portable and less expensive than the current ones, which calculate fares using several physical components, including devices to track the number of times a wheel turns and waiting time, Gordon said.

Four technology companies have been selected to develop the new metering systems.

The pilot program, which will run for up to a year, will begin when the commission approves the first proposed design for testing in cabs. The program initially called for new system testing in 4,000 cabs but was amended and reduced at Thursday’s meeting.

One proposal calls for getting rid of taxicab televisions, which typically play ads on 12hour loops and have been known to irritate passengers and drivers alike.

All of the city’s 13,500 yellow taxicabs, which are licensed by the city Taxi and Limousine Commission but operated by private companies, were equipped with the current system by November 2008. All featured the taxi TVs.

Four cab operators will test the new systems, which could come in the form of mobile devices that the driver would hand to a passenger at the end of a trip.

Before the new systems can be used in cabs, they will be tested by the commission against hard-wired meters, to ensure they produce the same pricing range, Gordon said.

Coca-Cola warns of bigger hit on revenue from strong dollar

Coca-Cola Co. reported a bigger-than-expected drop in quarterly sales due to a strong dollar, and the company said it expected the currency to hurt its full-year revenue more than previously anticipated.

The soda maker, which gets more than half of its total revenue from markets outside North America, said a strong dollar would lower its full-year revenue by 7 percentage points compared with 6 percentage points estimated earlier.

The dollar has risen 12 percent against a basket of major currencies in the past year.

Coke has called 2015 a transition year as it tries to cut costs and boost sales by raising prices and diversifying into beverages beyond soft drinks such as cold-pressed juices and energy drinks. The company has said that it is targeting $3 billion in annual cost savings by 2019.

It is also selling back its

North American bottling operations to franchisees in a move to reduce low-margin assets on its balance sheet. The company said on Wednesday it signed letters of intent with three U.S. bottlers to expand distribution areas in seven states.

Overall, Coca-Cola’s global sales volume rose 3 percent, driven by non-carbonated beverages such as ready-to-drink teas and juices.

In an interview, RBC Capital analyst Nik Modi called the growth

healthy. He also noted that selling, general and administrative expenses, which declined 7 percent to $4.2 billion, were less than he expected, indicating that the company’s cost cutting was having an impact earlier than anticipated.

Revenue from North America, its biggest market, rose 1 percent, helped by higher pricing and expanded distribution of Monster Beverage Corp’s energy drinks.

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BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY WORLD NEWS

Western Digital to buy SanDisk in $19 billion deal

ScanDisk

Hard-disk drive maker Western Digital Corp agreed to buy SanDisk Corp in a $19 billion deal that will greatly increase its ability to make flash memory storage chips used in smartphones and tablets.

Shares of SanDisk hit a high of $78.50 on Wednesday, but were well below the offer price of $86.50 in cash and stock, a fact that analysts attributed to the deal’s complexity.

Western Digital said the value of the transaction hinges on the closing of an investment in the company by Unisplendour Corp Ltd, a unit of China’s state-backed Tsinghai Holdings Co Ltd.

Unisplendour said in September it would buy 15 percent of Western Digital for $3.78 billion a deal that is likely to face regulatory scrutiny amid national security concerns.

Western Digital’s move to buy SanDisk is the latest in a flurry of deals in the U.S. semiconductor industry, which has been hit by a supply glut and cheaper products from China that have driven down memory chip prices.

Earlier, semiconductor equipment maker Lam Research agreed to buy rival KLA-Tencor Corp in a deal valued at about $10.6 billion.

Research firm Gartner said in October that worldwide semiconductor sales are expected to fall for the first time in three years in 2015, due partly to increasingly saturated market for smartphones.

Western Digital, a major player in the traditional storage industry, needs access to SanDisk’s NAND technology to better compete in the market for solid-state drives used in cloud computing, data centers, smartphones and laptops.

Western Digital CEO Steve Milligan said it had the support of SanDisk partner Toshiba Corp , which has the right to block any deal.

SanDisk has an intellectual property sharing joint venture with the Japanese company and uses its foundries to make chips.

Toshiba spokeswoman Midori Hara said in an email that the deal would not have a negative impact on that joint venture.

Sony settles hacking lawsuit, to pay up to $8 million Sony Pictures Entertainment has reached a settlement with current and former employees, agreeing to pay up to $8 million to reimburse them for identity-theft losses, preventative measures and legal fees related to the hack of its computers last year.

The settlement was filed with the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles late Monday and still needs to be approved by a judge.

The agreement calls for up to $10,000 a person, capped at $2.5 million, to reimburse workers for identity theft losses, up to $1,000 each to cover the cost of credit-fraud protection services, capped at $2 million, and up to $3.5 million in legal fees.

Hackers calling themselves Guardians of Peace broke into Sony Pictures computers and last November released thousands of emails, documents, social security numbers and other personal information in an attempt to derail the release of the North Korean-focused comedy “The Interview.” The U.S. government blamed North Korea for the attack.

In a memo to staff Tuesday, Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton called the agreement “an important, positive step forward in putting the cyber-attack firmly behind us.”

Sony Corp. CEO Kazuo

Hirai told a technology conference on Tuesday that following the hack, the movie studio has “come out more resilient, more strong and they have a very good management team in place now.”

Hirai said there wasn’t much of a business impact from the hack, although he said employee morale was hurt for a short time.

Former Sony Pictures cochair Amy Pascal left her position after a trove of embarrassing emails was leaked, including racially insensitive remarks about President Barack Obama’s purported taste in movies. She continues to run a production venture at Sony that will handle major blockbuster franchises such as the “Spider-Man” series.

Toyota to recall 6.5 million cars to fix power window switch

Toyota Motor Corp said Toyota said modules on Wednesday it would recall in the power window master 6.5 million vehicles globally to switch may have been fix a defect in the power window lubricated inconsistently switch in models including the during the manufacturing Yaris/Vitz subcompact, Corolla, process. Debris caused by wear Camry and others. from the electrical contact

Of the total, about 2.7 points can accumulate and million are in North America, 1.2 cause a short circuit. That in million in Europe, and 600,000 turn could cause the switch in Japan, the automaker said. assembly to overheat and melt, It said it was not aware of any and potentially lead to a fire, it crashes caused by the glitch. said.

Among other models subject to the recall are the Matrix, RAV4, Highlander, Tundra, Sequoia and Scion xB. The vehicles were produced between January 2005 and December 2010, Toyota said.

Toyota also issued a separate recall in Japan of about 140,000 Crown and Crown Majesta models for a glitch that could cause the hood to open inadvertently.

Irish court orders investigation of Facebook data transfers to U.S

thousands of U.S. and European companies mired in legal uncertainty over the transfer of personal data from Europe to the United States. That includes payroll and human resources information as well as data used for online advertising, which is of particular importance to tech firms.

Under EU data A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen in front of the logo of the European Union in this protection law, companies cannot picture illustration made in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina on May 15, 2015. transfer EU citizens’ personal

Ireland’s High Court on information directly from big data to countries outside the Tuesday ordered an investigation tech firms such as Facebook and bloc deemed to have insufficient into Facebook’s transfer of Google. privacy safeguards.

European Union users’ data to The initial challenge was A lawyer for Facebook the United States to make sure made in Ireland because Facebook had asked to voice the company’s personal privacy was properly has its European headquarters opinion in the Irish case, but protected from U.S. government in Dublin and is regulated withdrew that request when surveillance. by the Irish Data Protection the judge said any ruling would

The court told the Irish Commissioner. Tuesday’s ruling not go into detail as to how the Data Protection Commissioner overturns the commissioner’s regulator should conduct its to launch a probe following a initial refusal to investigate on investigation. landmark ruling by the European the grounds that it did not have Schrems, who liveCourt of Justice (ECJ) two weeks jurisdiction over Safe Harbour. tweeted the ruling from the Irish ago which struck down the Safe The data commissioner’s court room, told journalists he Harbour agreement that had office said in a statement it would expected the EU would have allowed the free transfer of data now “proceed to investigate the difficulty reaching consensus between the European Union and substance of the complaint with on a new framework due to the United States. all due diligence.” disagreements between countries

Both the ECJ decision Facebook said in a who want different levels of and Tuesday’s ruling were the statement it had never been part safeguards. result of a challenge by Austrian of a programme to give the U.S. “In the end you will have law student Max Schrems, government direct access to its to have a solution because it’s not lodged after revelations in 2013 servers and said it would respond possible that within a European of the U.S. government’s Prism to enquiries by the Irish Data market you have different programme, which allowed Protection Commissioner. approaches,” he said. authorities to harvest private

The ECJ ruling has

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WORLD

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

SPORTS

Lamar Odom making ‘incredible strides,’ Khloe Kardashian says

Reality TV star Khloe Kardashian said her estranged husband Lamar Odom has made “incredible strides” as he recovers from a collapse in a Las Vegas brothel last week, while the former NBA player’s aunt called his progress “miraculous.”

Breaking her silence, Kardashian also thanked fans and staff at the Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas for their support during what she called “an incredibly difficult” week.

Odom, 35, was transferred by helicopter from Las Vegas on Monday to a hospital in Los Angeles, with Kardashian at his side. Kardashian’s four-year marriage to the former Los Angles Lakers player was chronicled on the reality TV show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.”

Last week, Odom’s prognosis

looked grim after several days on life support and in a coma following a reported series of strokes during a stay at a Las Vegas brothel where authorities said he used cocaine and an herbal Viagra supplement.

In a message on her official website, Kardashian said that thanks to the care of hospital staff in Las Vegas “incredible strides have been made” by Odom.

“I am so thankful to family, friends and fans who have sent nothing but prayers and well wishes to Lamar,” she said.

A spokeswoman for JaNean Mercer, Odom’s aunt, said in a statement that Odom “continues to make miraculous progress, taking a few steps in Los Angeles.”

Odom is expected to face months of rehabilitation, according

Lamar Odom and wife Khole Kardashian to celebrity media reports. TMZ. Odom and Kardashian split com reported he may need a kidney up in 2013 but their divorce has yet to transplant in the near future. be finalized.

Woods says recovery will be ‘long and tedious’ second surgery. “The last one, it took me awhile to get back. Some players on tour have done the same procedure and to be back pain-free it took them over a year.”

Woods hasn’t won since the 2013 Bridgestone Invitational for his 79th career win on the PGA Tour, just three short of the record held by Sam Snead.

For most of his career, the record with which he was compared was Jack Nicklaus and his 18 professional majors. Woods won his 14th major at the 2008 U.S. Open, and had reconstructive surgery on his left knee a week later.

Woods turn 40 in December.

Nicklaus won only three of his 18 Tiger Wood responds to a question during a majors after he turned 40. press conference to launch the Bridgestone

Woods, who dropped to No. America’s Golf Cup in Mexico City, Tuesday, 334 in the world ranking this week, October 20th 2015. Woods withdrew from has not given up on catching Nicklaus. the Bridgestone America’s Golf Cup and two He just figures he will have to play like other events he had planned to play this year Vijay Singh, who won 22 times (but following back surgery. only one major) in his 40s.

Tiger Woods has not started “It’s important for me to have rehabilitation for a second back more than 18 majors when all is said surgery he had a month ago, and he and done,” Woods said. “It took Jack said Tuesday he would face another his whole career to achieve it and mine “tedious and long” process that suggests is not done yet. I believe that I have it might be awhile before he competes a very good record for 20 years on the again. tour. The main thing is to get fit and to

Woods last played at the reach my 40s with good health to be as Wyndham Champion on Aug. 23, successful as Vijay, who won most of where he tied for 10th for his best his tournaments at that age. finish at a PGA Tour event in nearly “It’s something that I hope I two years. will be able to do,” he said. “I want to

In a surprise announcement play at an elite level with the new kids Sept. 18, he said he had a second back for a long, long time.” surgery after doctors during a routine What might help this time check discovered a fragmented disc around is that Woods said he won’t be pinching a nerve. Woods had his first changing his swing. After returning surgery just before the 2014 Masters too early in 2014 from back surgery, and missed nearly three months. He he took off the final three months to said later he came back too early. get stronger and left his swing coach,

“Rehab will be soon, and it hiring Chris Como as a consultant. will be tedious and long,” Woods said Woods doesn’t think he’s that at the Bridgestone America’s Golf far off from 2013, when he won five Cup, an exhibition he was supposed times and was PGA Tour player of the to play with Matt Kuchar until the year.

American Pharoah (5) is walked into the winners circle after the 2015 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. Mandatory Credit:

American Pharoah dazzles in ‘last serious drill’

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah produced dazzling form on Tuesday in “the last serious drill of his life” while preparing for his racing farewell at the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic later this month.

The 3-year-old left his connections purring after he ran six furlongs in 1:10.80 on a sunny morning at the Santa Anita race track in Arcadia, California.

American Pharoah’s owner and breeder Ahmed Zayat tweeted: “Hell yeah ... go Pharo go ... damn that was good ... awesome breeze.

“He looked fabulous -- this is the best week he’s HAD!”

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert expressed bitter-sweet feelings after watching American Pharoah’s impressive workout.

“This was the last serious drill of his life,” Baffert, 62, told reporters.

“It’s sort of sad in a way to think that’s the last time we get to see him work like that.

“Just to watch him breeze, sometimes I get a bit excited, the way he does things so easily. He looked fantastic today and I really feel good about the way he’s coming into this race.”

The Breeders’ Cup Classic will be run at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky on Oct. 31, giving American

Pharoah plenty of time to regroup after finishing a shocking second in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga in August.

“We were 50-50 as to whether or not we were going to run in that race,” Baffert said of the Travers Stakes. “Unfortunately, he didn’t really run his race and coming out of it, I could tell everything ... had kind of taken its toll.

“He needs the 60 days (leading into the Classic). This horse, he runs well fresh.”

Baffert said American Pharoah was likely to be flown to Kentucky from California early next Tuesday.

American Pharoah entered the pantheon of U.S. thoroughbred racing’s all-time greats by winning the Belmont Stakes wire-to-wire in June to become the first horse to capture the coveted ‘Triple Crown’ in nearly four decades.

In winning a seventh straight race, American Pharoah became the 12th horse and first since Affirmed in 1978 to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.

After making his farewell racing performance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the muscular son of 2009 Kentucky Derby runner-up Pioneer of the Nile will then retire to stud.

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

LOCAL SPORTS

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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Surf and Turf Horseracing back in TCI

From left – Galmo Wiliams, Nick Haywood and Anansa Jervis

Foundation, under which the Edward Gartland Youth Centre falls.

Williams told the news conference held to announce

The charity Surf and Turf the event at the office of Horseracing event is back in the PriceWaterhouseCoopers on Thursday, Turks and Caicos Islands after a October 22, 2015, that the Turks and five-year absence, and this year the Caicos AIDS Awareness Foundation event has attracted the inimitable has dedicated its time and effort to Larry Collmus, who called the 2015 two major interests, which he said is Triple Crown won by the sizzling the Foundation itself and the Edward thoroughbred American Pharaoh.

Gartland Youth Centre.

The event, which is to take “Our mandate is having a place on Friday, November 20,105, facility that young people can socialize at the Opus Restaurant in Grace in, while be educated not only about Bay, is being held in conjunction with the HIV virus, but also helping to former Premier Galmo Williams and create better men and women for PriceWaterhouseCoopers. The Surf tomorrow,” Williams said. and Turf Horseracing affair comprises “We are excited to bringing onscreen horse races generated from back the Surf and Turf Horserace.

DVDs, backed up by live We haven’t had one since 2010. It is a commentary. great event, it brings people together, Punters are then required to wager to have fun and giving back to our on the horses in each race. A portion community,” Williams added. of the funds raised from the event is Nick Haywood of then donated to the Aids Awareness PriceWaterhouseCoopers said that

By Vivian Tyson

Senior Sun Editor

he was happy that event will be returning to the Turks and Caicos.

“It has been five years since we’ve last held this event, and we are more than excited in bringing it back to the Turks and Caicos Islands. I think we ran the event for four years until 2010,” he said, adding that the event had raised significant amounts of cash for the AIDS Awareness Foundation.

“We are keen to have this event come back so we can give back to the community, specifically to the Foundation, which does wonderful work with the youths in the Turks and Caicos. The event has been sorely missed for the last five years, and we are excited about getting back into it.

“People always seemed to have a good time, and people always seem to spend a good amount of money, which is great for the foundation. And it is an easy and fun way to give things back to the community,” Haywood added.

Haywood explained that interested persons or corporation can purchase a ticket or a table for the event.

“There is also the opportunity to sponsor each of the eight races on the evening. The price for each ticket is $150, and $1,200 for a table of eight,” Haywood said.

He noted that tickets can be had at his office at 946-4890 or Anansa Jervis, Head of the Turks and Caicos Islands AIDS Awareness Foundation at 333-4752.

In the meantime, Williams said that the ticket price includes a three-course meal and a glass of complimentary wine. Williams added that ticket sales for the 200-seat event are going fast because more than 50 percent sales has already been made.

Jervis, for her part, said that about $40,000 was raised in 2010, the last time the event was held here, and they are hoping to meet or surpassed that target.

Diabetes Association to benefit for Wrightfully Fit Charity Run/Walk

The Turks & Caicos Islands Diabetic Association has been selected as this year’s recipient from the funds raised at the Wrightfully Fit Fitness Center, 7th Annual 5K and 10K Charity Run/ Walk.

The Wrightfully Fit 5K and 10K Charity Run/ Walk 2015 will be held on Saturday November 14, at 6:30 pm, at the Salt Mills Plaza parking lot.

Proprietor for Wrightfully Fit Fitness Center, John Wright, said that his entity chose the Diabetic Association as its’ beneficiary in order to heighten public awareness and to further educate those inflicted with the ailment and to assist them to make healthy lifestyle choices.

“Our goal is to help improve

their lives and educate them and their families to make healthier lifestyle choices. This event will help bring awareness to this disease that is rapidly becoming one of the country’s fastest growing health conditions with more than 3,000 persons diagnosed and growing,” Wright said.

According to www.diabetes.co.uk, each year, World Diabetes Day, which is coordinated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and commemorated on November 14, carries a particular theme and between 2009 and 2013 the theme has been ‘Education and Prevention’.

The theme of World Diabetes Day, from 2014 to 2016 will be “Healthy Living and Diabetes”, and this year, there’s a focus on starting

each day right by having a healthy breakfast.

A healthy breakfast, according to the organisation, should help blood sugar levels from getting too high and should keep one full through the morning. It says whilst cereal and toast may be cheap, these options typically raise blood sugar levels rapidly and may leave one hungry again before lunch.

World Diabetes Day was jointly introduced by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). The global diabetes awareness campaign was introduced amidst concern over an escalating diabetes epidemic.

November 14th is a significant

date in the diabetes calendar because it marks the birthday of Frederick Banting, the man who co-discovered insulin. Banting discovered insulin in 1922, alongside Charles Best.

World Diabetes Day is internationally recognised and is now an official United Nations Day.

The Turks & Caicos Islands Diabetic Association is a non-profit organization that was established in 2007 to represent persons with diabetes and provide a national support network. wPersons desirous of taking part in the Wrightfully Fitness Center 5K/10K Race/Walk John Wright at 649-941-3311 or email or JWrightfullyfit@yahoo.com.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 – OCTOBER 30TH, 2015

Published by SUN MEDIA GROUP, Turks and Caicos Islands | Tel:649 339 5879 | Fax: 649 941 3281