VOLUME 12 ISSUE 24

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

Website: www.suntci.com

T

VOLUME 12 - NO. 24

Email: sun@suntci.com

Tel: (649) 339-5879

$1.00

Fax: (649) 941-3281

www.facebook.com/tcisun

PNP CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED

he ruling Progressive National Party (PNP) has announced its list of candidates for the upcoming general elections, along with a number of persons who will have run-offs.

Ten persons are interested in the five AtLarge seats, while there will be run-offs in five constituencies.

In a press release issued by party chairman Royal Robinson, it was revealed that the following persons are interested in running At Large.

Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing, Premier (Incumbent), Hon. Charles Washington Misick (incumbent); Earle Barranco; Samuel Been; Trevor Cooke; Hon. Ricardo Donhue Gardiner; John Malcolm; Hon. Norman Saunders; Alicia Swann and Sheba Wilson

Primaries or run-offs will be held in ED 1, Grand Turk North; ED 3, South Caicos; ED 4, North and Middle Caicos; ED 8 Blue Hills and ED 10 Wheeland, where multiple persons are vying for the seats.

In GRAND TURK NORTH ED 1, there will be a contest between Hon. George Lightbourne

Top lawyers clash over 12-storey hotel - Page 10

New Governor for TCI -Page 8

(Incumbent) and Sharon Simons.

In GRAND TURK SOUTH AND SALT CAY ED 2, Arthur Lightbourne is the candidate.

In SOUTH CAICOS ED 3, the candidates who will be running off are Hon. Ruth Blackman (currently Government’s Appointed Member in the House of Assembly); Alden Durham; Dorn Fulford; Andrew Hall and Alvin Parker.

In NORTH AND MIDDLE CAICOS ED 4, the race will be between Mark Fulford and Tueton Williams.

In LEEWARD ED 5 Hon. Akierra Misick (Incumbent) is unchallenged as well as in THE BIGHT ED 6 where Hon. Porsha StubbsSmith is the incumbent and in CHESHIRE HALL AND RICHMOND HILLS ED 7, where Hon. Amanda Missick is th incumbent)

In BLUE HILLS ED 8, the run-off will be between Claudene Pratt and Adrian Williams, while in FIVE CAYS ED 9, Mrs. Rachel Taylor is the candidate.

In WHEELAND ED 10, there will be a run-off between Dameko Dean and Elry Lightbourne.

Fortis and NIB sign $5milion bond - Page 9 Karen Malcolm vying for PDM At Large seat - Page 5

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL VISITS TCI AGAIN

R

etired NBA player Shaquille O’Neal is a huge fan of the Turks and Caicos Islands; and he has many fans here too!

Shaq, as he is commonly known, recently turned heads and had tongues wagging as his made his rounds throughout Providenciales.

It was a rather interesting sight when the star, who is seven feet, two inches tall, and who wears size 22 shoes, met up with pint-sized Nervil Campbell at the Providenciales International Airport.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

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JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

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Page 5

LOCAL NEWS

Karen Malcolm contesting PDM At-Large nomination

Mrs. Karen Malcolm

The People Democratic Movement (PDM) has received six applications to fill two seats for All Island Candidate for the upcoming General Elections and Mrs. Karen E. Malcolm is confident that she will win one of the two nominations.

The party will be doing a

survey on each Island to help assist them in selecting two candidates to fill their five all Island seats. Mrs. Malcolm is asking the general public to support her in the survey that will be carried out next week.

“I am a strong supporter of the People Democratic Movement,” Mrs. Malcolm said. “My family and I have always supported the party because of its ideals, integrity, vision and commitment to the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. I want to serve my country as an all Island Candidate for this noble political party the People’s Democratic Movement. It has always been my heart’s desire to serve. I am passionate about service. I believe that in the political arena, we are here to serve the people and put them on the pedestal. This is not prevalent in our society today.”

Mrs. Malcolm was born on the island of Grand Turk but now resides in Providenciales. She is married to

Walter Malcolm and together they have five adult children. She has twenty one siblings and dozens of niece and nephews who are eligible to vote.

She is a Christian and believes that she can win because she is well known and has spent her entire adult life serving her church and community.

She is the co- founder of the Turks and Caicos Heart Foundation and currently President of that same organization.

Among several achievements she was instrumental in getting the Ministry of Health to send twins with heart condition to the UK. She is a past president of Soroptimist International of Providenciales.

One of many significant roles is to assist and mentor young girls from their two adopted Government schools and provide hygienic items for them at the beginning of each term.

Past president of Women Aglow Int’l Grand Turk Chapter, immediate past treasurer of Soroptimist International

Caribbean Network (SICN) and the current treasurer of Soroptimist Int’l of Providenciales.

Many Saturdays, she volunteered at the Providenciales library assisting children with reading.

“I have a passion for the elderly, where I visit and talk with them,” she said. “I am an advocate for women in general. My love for young people goes beyond wanting to see them develop but assisting in their day to day lives.”

I know that I can make a difference in encouraging, helping and assisting the youth to be the best citizens they can be. People generally need to know that someone love and care for them.

When we lose ourselves in the service of others, we discover our own lives and our own happiness.”

Mrs. Malcolm supports her party’s vision but looks forward to having an input in the manifesto. The two candidates will be announced at the party’s convention next weekend.

PDM leader announces convention and naming of All-island candidates

The PDM will be holding its Annual Convention June 24th and June 25th, 2016 under the theme “VICTORY IS A MUST”.

The Convention which is the highest decision making body of the PDM Party will meet to conduct Party business which will include a review of its platform and the general work and administration of the Party.

The PDM Party has been meeting in Convention since 1975 and the Party last year celebrated its 40th Year in its place of birth, the nation’s capital. This year the Convention convene in Providenciales.

As the Party gets in gear for its Convention, it is currently completing

its selection process for its candidate.

Party Leader, Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson has stated, “We are proud to have been a part of such a transparent process which involved people throughout. Whilst many would have ideas for how we can improve the process going forward, we have introduced many firsts. We have for the first time met with all applicants individually in a Meet The Applicants series of meetings. We then met with each applicant collectively to inform them of the process agreed by the NGC. In the approved process, we have also for the first time conducted an official “Meet the Branch” Tour for all All Island applicants which will

Regulation 7 of the Physical Planning (Development Permission) Regulations, 1990 An Application, REGISTERED PR-12696, by Leeward Waterfront Ltd has been submitted to the Department of Planning for consideration of a project to construct a T-head groyne to stabilize the inlet shoreline and support planned beach nourishment. The project is located at block/parcel 60901/118.

Anyone wishing to make representation(s) may do so in writing to the Director of Planning, South Base, Grand Turk or through the Department of Planning, Emily House, Leeward Highway, Providenciales, within twenty eight (28) days of publication of this Notice.

conclude this week. The Party, has already stated on many occasions publicly, that it will conduct surveys within the various constituencies. As Leader I am pleased with the process which we feel is transparent and people centered. The Candidates Committee will meet to agree recommendations to be presented to the NGC.

The Party has agreed that all five All Island Candidates will be presented at this year’s Convention and this announcement will take place during the Opening Night of Convention. The second day will see Party business conducted. We look forward to this important time PDM Leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson together.”

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

LOCAL NEWS

GSAT pass rate improves

Seventy five (75) percent of the students who wrote the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) this year obtained 50 percent or higher marks, Deputy Premier, and Minister of Education, Youth, Sport Hon. Akierra Mary Deanne Missick reported.

A total of 417 students representing the ten (10) public primary schools and eleven (11) private primary schools in the Turks and Caicos Islands, wrote GSAT on May 25 and 26, 2016. The 2016 results indicate that a total of three hundred and thirteen (313) or 75.1% of the students obtained fifty percent or higher.

The test consists of five papers: English Language Paper 1, English Language Paper 2, Mathematics, Science and the General Paper.

Students must obtain an overall average of 50% fifty percent from a total of five hundred and twenty five (525) marks: English Language Paper 1 - 140 marks; English Language Paper 2 - 60 marks; Mathematics - 125 marks; Science - 100 marks and General Paper - 100 marks.

This is a rise in the pass rate from 2015 which was 72.1. Hon Akierra Missick stated; “It is a clear indication that our primary school age students are continuously raising the bar in their academic achievements; but with a near 3% percent increase in a 12 month period, also indicates we have the best educators in the region, if not the world. I am very pleased with these results, and note that more work will be done by the Department of Education and our school administrators, to ensure each year we have such stellar increases in passes at GSAT.”

The top ten averages, range from 86.48%

to 90.29% and is equally shared between male and female students representing private and public schools: 1 Sambuta-Jahtee Meier Precious Treasures 2 Britney Gardiner Adelaide Oemler Primary 3 Michaella Archille Oseta Jolly Primary 4 Jarius Robinson Richmond Hill Preparatory 5 Ashley Archibald Shining Stars Preparatory 6 Kyfani Campbell Eliza Simons Primary 7 Syr.D’Anjhu Steward Precious Treasures 8 Naethia Williams Ona Glinton Primary 9 Arquino St. Paul Oseta Jolly Primary 10 Shandia Gardiner Providence International School

The top three positions in the four subjects are also shared among male and female students representing public and private schools.

The Minister also, encourages those students who were unsuccessful in passing their GSAT, to not be discouraged, and ask parents to meet with their child’s teacher to identify areas of weakness so that a plan of action for “Success at GSAT” can be put in place to ensure your child is afforded every opportunity to transition to High School.

Once again, congratulations are in order to all the students, their schools administration and staff, and of course the parents who assisted with preparing our students who sat and passed the exams and we wish them the best as they move into their High School career.

Deputy Premier, and Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Hon. Akierra Missick

Governor honours Life Service Awards for public servants The Governor Peter Beckingham attended the presentation of Life Service Awards on Friday, June 10th, by the Native Men’s Fellowship to two honourees, Dr Hugh Malcolm (former Chief Medical Officer) and Mr Austin Robinson (ex Financial Secretary).

This was the 21th anniversary of the Fellowship.

Speaking at the dinner the Governor extolled the virtues of Public Service and Giving, and urged the community to put, and demand, more value from the work of the public sector.

“Certainly in the UK there has been a general shift away from appreciating the importance of the

value of public service in favour of the private sector. I would want to encourage everyone in Turks and Caicos Islands to continue to respect the Public Service, and in turn demand the highest levels of service,” the Governor said.

“The Public Sector can certainly learn from the experiences of the private sector and, as in the UK, we have started to encourage more interchange and exchange of information between the two. I’m delighted, for example, that three senior businessmen have committed to discuss their experiences with the public sector.”

The Governor noted that the Public Sector is in the forefront

of vital work every day which affects “Turks and Caicos could probably do more in the voluntary sector than it the livelihood of all of us.

“We only need to consider does. Volunteerism can make a real the work of the Police Force, and difference to the lives, in some cases Immigration Department, in the literally, of our citizens. We should interception of illegal migrants applaud and acknowledge, perhaps this week to appreciate the key more than we do at the moment, significance of their work. So too those in our community who give with the game-changing influence up their own time for no pecuniary immigration and customs officers reward to support a good cause, can have when they inter-act with whether it be like the recent Fishing Tournament in Grand Turk for new tourist arrivals,” he said.

The Governor also urged the new equipment for the Community Native Men’s Fellowship to honour College, or the Cancer Society here the work of those giving up their for life saving work. The spirit of giving, as well as public service, time voluntarily.

“Comparisons with other needs to be encouraged, especially countries are not always fair, but as among the younger generation.” one Minister noted recently,” he said

Armed robberies at Central Plaza and Grand Turk

Police are investigating a robbery that occurred on Tuesday 14th June 2016 at a business establishment in Central Square, Providenciales.

At 12:53 pm police responded to a store where the complainant informed officers that around 12:48 p.m. a slim built male of dark complexion, height unknown, with a white shirt tied around his head

covering his face entered the store pointing a small silver gun at her and demanded cash from the cash register.

After telling the man she doesn’t have access to the register he jumped the counter and took an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing the scene. A crime scene was established and no one was injured during the incident.

Police are also investigating a report of a robbery that occurred at a bar on Grand Turk.

A complainant reported that four slim built, dark males dressed in dark clothing and wearing mask entered the Ocean View Bar located on West Road with a baseball bat and demanded money.

After taking a cash register

containing an unknown amount of cash and a lady’s handbag one of the man hit the bar-maid with the baseball bat causing injuries to her forehead and both arms. All four men then made their escape in an unknown direction.

The victim was taken to the Cockburn Town Medical Centre where she was treated and later discharged.

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 7

LOCAL NEWS

NIB holding $215 million in investments

By Todeline Defralien

The Turks and Caicos Islands National Insurance Board is currently holding $215million is investments.

This statement was made at a press conference held by Fortis TCI for the $5Million bond agreement with NIB on Thursday June 16th, 2016 at the Fortis headquarters.

Ms. Diandra Mills NIB Investment Manager told The SUN, “The numbers do grow because we are a young fund. We’re turning 25 next April so we’re constantly getting excess contributions which add to the fund.

These excess contributions artificially grow the fund as well as investment returns will grow the fund, so we invest in a variety of asset classes and investment styles in various

Ms. Diandra Mills NIB Investment Manager. geographies. We’re in the developed markets and emerging markets where the different return characteristics also different risk profiles but also each of them provide return opportunities for

the fund to grow it even further.”

When asked by media what are the criteria Mills added: “Previously back in 2012 when the domestic investment portfolio was fully utilized the securities, the investments there began to mature, as they began to mature the investment committee saw a need to redevelop a policy to ensure that we have a strict criteria for when we’re going to be considering new investments and that criteria was adopted into the investment policy statement and that is available. It’s a public document that is available on our website. Particularly the lower limit for any investment proposal debt investment is $1million and for equity investment the lower limit is $250 thousand and we require a dept to the value ratio of 60- 40 which means

that we would finance up to 60% of any investment.”

She stressed that there are other such criteria’s regarding cash flow, regarding the financials but they are detailed inside of their domestic investment policy.

She added that the National Insurance Board takes pride in the prudent management and investment of contributions entrusted to it for the benefit of the people of the Turks & Caicos Islands.

In doing so, we have constructed a well diversified portfolio designed to ensure the longevity of the National Insurance Fund (NIF). As part of the Investment Policy, 10% of the overall Fund is segregated for local investments in the Turks & Caicos Islands.

•2 Positions: o System Administrator o Science Laboratory Technician

Lecturers are required to teach across different academic levels from the G.C.E. Advanced level, Caribbean Advanced Proficiency and up to the Associate and Bachelor Degree levels. Multi-disciplinary candidates are particularly encouraged to apply for these positions.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced persons for the following full-time lecturing positions at the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) for the semester commencing 1st September 2016.

Minimum qualifications for the teaching positions are a Master’s Degree from an accredited and recognized institution plus a Teaching Certificate/Diploma or postgraduate Diploma and no less than three years post qualification teaching experience. A Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of a second class honors or other postgraduate qualifications, teaching certificate/Diploma and experience in teaching at Tertiary level may be considered.

Salary is in the scale

1. Department of Business Administration: •1 Position: Accounting, Finance, Management

Level I: US$27,399.90 - $39,102.30 per annum.

Level II: US$40,210.00 - $43,488.40 per annum.

2. Department of Computer Engineering & Mathematics: •1 Position: Mathematics/Physics

Entry point will depend on qualifications and experience. In the case of staff recruited from overseas, appointment is on contractual terms for an initial period of two years. A gratuity is payable at the end of satisfactory contractual service at the rate of 10% of salary drawn during the period of service. A housing allowance is payable at existing rates.

3. Department of Education: •3 Positions: o Early Childhood Education o Primary Education (2) 4. Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management: •2 Positions o Culinary, Food & Beverage Training o Food & Beverage, Tourism Management 5. Department of Humanities: •2 Positions o English/Social Work/TCI Studies o Law/Sociology/Psychology 6. Department of Natural Sciences: •1 Position: Biology/Chemistry 7. Technical/Vocational Studies: •1 Position: Woodwork/Engineering 8. Others

Applications with copies of qualifications (including official transcripts), two character references, a police record and a recent testimonial from current place of employment should be sent to the: PRESIDENT, TCI COMMUNITY COLLEGE, P.O. BOX 236, LIGHTHOUSE ROAD, GRAND TURK, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS to reach not later than 1st July, 2016. Where possible applicants should e-mail or fax their applications.

FAX 649 946 1661

TELE 649 946 1163 EMAILtcicomc@tciway.tc (copy: dean@tcicomc-edu.com)

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

LOCAL NEWS

New Governor for Turks and Caicos Islands

Dr. John Freeman will replace Peter Beckingham as the next Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands, it was announced by the United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Beckingham will be retiring from the Diplomatic Service when he leaves TCI in October this year and Dr. Freeman will take up his appointment during the same month.

Commenting on the announcement, Governor Peter Beckingham, said “Jill and I will be sad to leave Turks and Caicos.

We have had three very happy years here, the work has been stimulating and

everyone most welcoming. Falkland Islands invasion.

Our two daughters and our Freeman was called in by new grandchildren have Argentina’s top officials at a also loved visiting. I hope time of heightened tensions we can see many friends, between the two countries.

Argentina said that colleagues and business contacts before we leave it summoned Mr Freeman in October; Jill is planning “to demand explanations another Footsteps4Good in over the silence of the September, so that will be a British government” over the great opportunity to catch up espionage claims. with lots of people across the Freeman previously served as Deputy DirectorFamily islands.”

Dr. Freeman, who is General of the Organisation ming Governor Dr. John Freeman presently the UK ambassador for the Prohibition of He also served in Brussels Deputy Permanent to Buenos Aires, Argentina, Chemical Weapons and Her as is married with two children. Majesty’s Ambassador for Representative at NATO and

Last year, the Multilateral Arms Control Alternate Representative on Argentine foreign ministry [from 2005] and Her Majesty’s the North Atlantic Council as Her Majesty’s summoned Freeman to Ambassador and Permanent and complain about reports that Representative to the UN Ambassador and Permanent Britain spied on Argentina Conference on Disarmament Representative to the UN agencies in Vienna. amid renewed fears of a [from 2004], Geneva.

Human Resource Management Directorate seeks to re-establish list of rental properties The Human Resource Management Directorate (HRMD), Office of the Deputy Governor is seeking to re-establish a register of available rental properties throughout the islands in an effort to assist current and future employees with finding suitable accommodations.

As such the HRMD is inviting all interested landlords to register available rental properties in effort to develop and maintain a listing of rental properties to share with interested employees relocating as a result of transfer or international employees as necessary.

A government press release

stated: “On expressing interest in having rental property included on our listing the following information is requested with respect to price, type of property (house, condo, duplex, etc.), location, lease length and special features must be shared.”

It was noted that this initiative is solely to develop and maintain a listing of available properties per island to share with employees seeking accommodations.

“HRMD will not partake in negotiations, these discussions will be exclusively between the potential tenant and landlord, and final selection of property shall lie solely at the discretion of the potential tenant,” the press release

Career Opportunities: Grace Bay Club is looking for candidates that have the requirements listed along with an outgoing professional manner. They love to work with different types of people, meet challenges with a positive attitude and live the standards of our organization. Their management style is one that balances a commitment to people and their development with business/financial accountability and delivers an exceptional guest experience.

DATE OPENED: June 4, 2016 START DATE: TBA POSITION: Senior A/C Technician

Job Overview: Air-conditioning and Cooler Technician or A/C Technician is responsible in conducting maintenance check and repairs for air-con and other cooling or heating system.

Responsibilities: •Conduct maintenance check for air-con, heaters and coolers •Install Air-con and heaters.

•Repair damage and dysfunctional air-con, heaters and coolers •Check its functions and status •Change spare parts •Document the reported damage of the air-con, heaters or cooler •Check the its major parts •Conduct daily routine for inspections •Check leakage Requirements: •Must have at least 2 year experience as a A/C Technician This position is currently held by an expatriate worker Qualified Islanders need only to apply copying applications to the Commissioner of Labour & Work Permit Board Zone 2 Salary Range: $9.00 - $9.50 per hour DATE OPENED: May 23, 2016 START DATE: TBA POSITION: Chef de Partie – South American Cuisine JOB REQUIREMENTS •To have hands on knowledge of at least 5 years of Latin American Cuisine with an emphasis on Brazilian, Venezuelan, Chilean, and Peruvian & Argentinian.

•To be able to source & procure all the requirements at the same time use what is available locally to produce world class South American food.

•To be well versed with all the special dishes from the different regions of Latin America eg.

Causa, Ceviche, Lomo Saltado, Pescado a la Macho, Tres De Leche etc.

•To be able to produce Japanese- Peruvian Fusion food also known Nikkei style of food •Should have worked in ethnic Fine Dining restaurants in Venezuela, Columbia or Peru •Should be well versed in all aspects of the kitchen eg. Butchery, Garde Manger & Hot Range etc.

•Should be able to do contemporary presentation as well as interpret old classical South American dishes in modern style.

DUTIES •To understand and be aware at all times of food costs and percentages related to all Latin American products being used & imported for the restaurant and understand how daily departmental costs influence profit and loss results.

•To monitor stock movement, to ensure stock security.

added.

To register rental properties please email the above requested details along with current contact information to Yachi Glinton at YGlinton@gov.tc or stop by our office on Church Folly Grand Turk, Franklyn Missick Building to register in person.

Should persons have any additional questions or concerns please contact our office on 338-3848. A team member may contact you to clarify or request additional details post your registration.

Information must be submitted on or before June 24th, 2016.

Turks and Caicos Sun Suite#5, Airport Plaza Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands Tel: (649) 339-5879 Fax: (649) 941-3281 Email: sun@suntci.com Read us online at www.suntci.com Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Hayden Boyce Office Manager: Dominique Rigby Graphic designer Information Technology and Production Manager: Kelano Howell Todeline Defralien Reporter

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.

•To ensure minimum kitchen wastage.

•To assist with the provision of training and development for department staff in kitchen procedures.

•To ensure knowledge of the product is maintained and communicated to all relevant personnel.

•To work with the Sous Chef to ensure the mis en place is completed.

•To report any maintenance issues to the Executive Chef immediately.

•To comply with all Grace Bay Resort’s policies and procedures to ensure that all statutory regulations are observed.

•To comply with the conditions of the food hygiene policies.

•To be flexible and willing to help other departments at busy times if required.

Qualified Islanders and Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: $24,000 per annum DATE OPEN: June 1 ,2016 START DATE: ASAP POSITION: Pool and Beach Attendant Job Overview: Assists guest with beach and pool recreational activities supervising, swimming and ensuring that the guests are catered to while they are relaxing on the beach or by the pool.

Responsibilities: •Assists swimmers from water when in danger.

•Provide excellent service consistent with the hotels standards operating procedures and brand attributes.

•Greet all guests upon arrival, distribute towels, offer assistance with seating, and delivering consistent guest service, exceeding guest expectations, and providing all other supporting services.

•Knowledgeable of pool facility such as length and depth of all pools etc.

•Pool side bar hours of operation, location of facilities, and emergency procedure for rescue.

•Knowledgeable of hotel facilities and services to answer guest inquiries.

This position is currently held by an expatriate worker Qualified Islanders need only to apply copying applications to the Commissioner of Labour & Work Permit Board Zone 2 Salary Range: $8.00 - $8.50 per hour DATE OPEN: June 1 ,2016 START DATE: ASAP POSITION: Pool and Beach Manager Job Requirements: •Manage and oversee pool and beach supervisors and attendants: Plan and organize workloads and staff assignments for staff •Meet regularly with staff for briefing and training •Monitor time sheets and prepare payroll reports •Ensure that all equipment and tools are available and to give the guests the best vacation possible This position is currently held by an expatriate worker Qualified Islanders need only to apply copying applications to the Commissioner of Labour & Work Permit Board Zone 2 Salary Range: $2,500 - $3,000 per month Interested persons can contact our Human Resources Department no later than June 30th, 2016 @ (649) 946-5050 Ext. 1030 Email: sheba.wilson@gracebayclub.com Fax: (649) 946-5758 P.O. Box 128 Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 9

LOCAL NEWS

FortisTCI Limited and NIB close on US$5 Million Bond Agreement

From left to right: Ms. Diandra Mills – Investment Manager; Mr. Floyd Seymour – Deputy Chair/Investment Committee Chairman; Mr. Walter Gardiner – NIB CEO; Mr. Eddinton Powell – FortisTCI President & CEO; Mrs. Ruth Forbes – FortisTCI VP of Finance, HR, IT & CFO and Miss Alexandria Missick – FortisTCI Director of Legal Services

FortisTCI Limited (the Company) and the Turks and Caicos Islands National Insurance Board (NIB) held a joint press conference on Thursday June 16th to announce the closing of a US$5 million bond agreement.

The closing consisted of a US$5 million 5.14% Bond Issue 2016/2031, due by July 1, 2031. The net proceeds from the bond issue will be used to finance a portion of the Company’s estimated capital expenditure of approximately $70 million during 2016 and 2017 and will be paid 100% at par value plus accrued interest on redeemed amount.

Negotiations for this bond began in February of this year. It was during this period that members of the FortisTCI Senior Management Team met with the NIB Board of Directors to provide a complete overview of the Company’s operations and for the NIB to conduct its due diligence exercise.

The NIB has a bond portfolio valued at US$40,359,465 (unaudited) at the end of April 2016. Historically, the NIB has always made special provision for local investments in its portfolio which is guided by the Domestic Investment Policy in the Investment Policy Statement.

The NIB believes that besides

the social impact of investing locally that the TCI being a rapidly growing economy provides an opportunity to earn competitive risk-adjusted returns.

Over the years, the NIB has primarily invested with the public sector or with quasi-government entities but has also invested in private entities.

While historically this investment is not the largest local investment to date, it is significant in terms of the fact that it affords the people of the Turks & Caicos Islands an avenue to invest in a local reputable and fiscally sound company through their contributions entrusted to the NIB.

NIB Chairlady Lillian Misick said, “The Board of Directors believes that this investment with FortisTCI represents the ideal type of local investment that the NIB should be pursuing, considering the underutilization of funds allocated for domestic investment. It also provides the opportunity for the Board to pursue its mandate to grow the fund to meet its future statutory obligations.”

FortisTCI President and CEO Eddinton Powell said, “We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the Board of Directors of the Turks and Caicos Islands National Insurance Board. FortisTCI is indeed a strong company and a good investment that the Turks and Caicos Islands can be proud of. I join in celebrating this landmark achievement for FortisTCI, the NIB, and the people of Turks and Caicos Islands. I hope that this bond investment by the NIB in FortisTCI will be the first of many.”

Ms. Diandra Mills NIB Investment Manager said, “This $5million bond is substantial investment. It’s actually not one of the largest that we’ve had. Primarily most of our investments have been debt investments or bonds so to speak. We’ve had real estate in the past as well but this is certainly not the largest that we’ve had. We did a syndication with several other entities on island for the Government and that was a roundup of $14million.”

Mr. Floyd Seymour NIB Deputy Chair Investment Committee Chairman told media houses that this is a 15 year bond but there’s an opportunity after 10 years for it to be called but the bond is a 15 year bond.

Page 10

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

LOCAL NEWS

TOP LAWYERS CLASH OVER 12-STOREY HOTEL

by Hayden Boyce Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Two of the top lawyers in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Ariel Misick, QC and Conrad Griffiths, QC, have been engaged in a tough legal battle in the Supreme Court over the controversial 12-storey Ritz-Carlton hotel project planned for Grace Bay, Providenciales

Two condominium hotels, The Venetian and The Tuscany, filed for a Judicial Review that is being heard by Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale, claiming that their properties will be adversely affected by Government’s decision to change planning policy by increasing the allowable height of apartments, condominiums and hotel buildings from a maximum of seven floors (a maximum of 90 ft.) to a maximum of twelve floors (a maximum of 150 ft.) and increasing density from 24 bedrooms per acre to 40 bedrooms per acre for condos and from 25 bedrooms per acre to 50 bedrooms per acre for hotels.

Misick(assisted by Selvyn Hawkins) is the lawyer for Dessarrolos Hotelco TCI, the developers of RitzCarlton, while Griffiths and David Cadman are the lawyer for The Venetian and The Tuscany.

The owners of Tuscany and Venetian say that the increase in the permitted height and density allowed under the 2016 Amendment, saying that the change in the permitted height will decrease the value of their properties and the value of rents and income from tourists and residential lettings provided by the Applicants.

The grounds of their legal challenge are that section 39 A of the Physical Planning Ordinance (PPO) CAP 9.02 (under which the 2016 Amendment) was promulgated and the 2016 Amendment are unconstitutional; and that there was no adequate consultation leading up to the promulgation of the 2016 Amendment.

They took the matter to court seeking an order prohibiting the granting of any development permission prior to determination of its application for judicial review. Implicit in this relief is the proposition that should they succeed, all development permission, of any nature whatsoever, should be placed on hold until there is an approved development plan.

Queen’s Counsel Ariel Misick, the lawyer for Dessarrolos Hotelco TCI, the developers of Ritz-Carlton, argued that the Notice of Motion for Judicial Review should be dismissed for the following reasons:

(a)There is no approved development plan and section 39A expressly authorises the Governor to make regulations regarding height, density and set back, if there is no approved development plan.

(b) In all of the circumstances, there has been adequate consultation prior to the promulgation of the 2016 Amendment sufficient to satisfy the requirement of Section 29A of the PPO.

Ariel Misick

c) There is nothing unconstitutional about section 39A of the PPO or the 2016 Amendment.

d) The Applicants lack sufficient interest to challenge the Respondents decision to promulgate the 2016 Amendment.

Conrad Griffiths QC said the 2016 Notice should be declared void.

They argued that the 2015 ruling by Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale was clear, as it upheld the requirement for a national development plan under the PPO.

Griffiths said the effect of section 39A and the 2016 Notice is a clear attempt to defeat the principle of the 2015 Ruling by dispensing with the need for a national development plan, even at a time when such a plan is being implemented. He said the 2016 Notice offends against the rule of law, adding that it is a direct and obvious attempt to circumvent the outcome of the 2015 Ruling.

‘ALL DEVELOPMENT PERMISSION UNLAWFUL?’

Misick, QC, noted that the Chief Justice in her 2015 ruling, stated that a development plan is a statutory requirement against which all applications for development permission must be considered. He said the effect of this ruling is that in the absence of a development plan, no application for development permission can be processed, irrespective of the height, density, size or other description of the development, noting that the CJ stated: ““The scheme of the law when considered alongside the matters set out in the Development Manual makes it that the Manual does not operate to change building heights or permit any development which is not part of the comprehensive policy for land use established by the Minister in accordance with a development plan…….”

According to Ariel, all development permission granted following the enactment of the PPO would be unlawful, in accordance with the Chief Justice’s ruling. It is for this reason, he said, that it was necessary for the government to pass the Physical Planning (Building Height)( Validation) Ordinance 2016.

He added: “Following the 2015 Ruling, the Respondents

Conrad Griffiths were faced with the choice of either putting a temporary hold on all development permissions pending the publishing of a development plan, or making legislative provisions to allow the processing of development permission in the interim, without a development plan. The Respondents opted for the latter. That decision was quintessentially a matter of political judgment. It was a decision which fell within section 62 of the Constitution.

This section confers power on the legislative branch of government to make laws for the “peace, order and good government of the Islands.”

Misick told the court that it is true that the PPO envisages that there would be a development plan which is to be framework for reviewing applications for development permission.

He added that the Constitution does not, however, prescribe that the environment can only be protected by having a development plan.

“A development plan is a mechanism adopted by the legislature and not one imposed by the Constitution.

It is open to the legislature to regulate physical development in any manner which protects the environment. The legislature is not bound to maintain a development plan as the, or, the only basis for development control or environmental protection. The assertion that a development plan is a necessity for environmental protection is simply factually and legally wrong.

It is a planning element of the PPO, but the PPO is not a constitutional document. The question as far as the Constitution is concerned is not whether there is a development plan but whether legislative and other measures have been adopted to secure environmental protection at the time of enactment of section 39A,” he stated.

Misick added that the scheme of the environmental protection legislation in the TCI is that environmental considerations are weighed more heavily at the stage when individual applications are considered. This is a policy decision which has existed for many years, he said.

He continued: “But even if the court was to embark on an investigation of the rationality of the decision to enact section 39A, this ground of review must fail. Waiting until a development plan was approved could have had adverse economic and

social effects. The process could take many months, if not, years. Before a development plan is promulgated, there must be a proposal to the Minister assigned with responsibility for development, planning and related matters (the “Minister”) (Section 31(1)). That proposal must be accepted by the Minister (Section 31 (3)). The Director then prepares a draft development plan (Section 33(1)), keeping the Minister and the Board informed of its progress (Section 33(2)). Following preparation of the draft, a copy must then be sent to the Minister, who directs where it should be deposited in order to bring it to the attention of persons likely to be affected by it (Section 34(1)).

The draft is then published in the Gazette and otherwise publicized to bring it to the attention of persons likely affected by it (Section 34(2)).

Interested persons are thereafter able to make oral or written representation about the draft plan (Section 34(3)).

Following the consultation process the draft plan along with the submitted representations and comments are sent to the Physical Planning Board (the “Board”) (Section 33(4)). The Board then meets, considers the draft plan along with the representations and comments and then forwards it to the Minister together with its own comments and recommendations (Section 34(4)). The Minister then makes his own recommendations and submits the draft to the Governor (Section 34(4)). The Governor may then approve of the plan, with or without modifications (Section 35)).”

Misick said that making interim legislative arrangements following the 2015 Ruling is surely within the range of responses properly available to a democratically elected government whether or not other responses were also available.

Misick also objected to the admissibility of the evidence of Ms. Kathleen Wood for the following reasons:

(a) It is evidence, which even if relevant, (which is disputed) should have been filed in support of the application for leave to bring this judicial review;

(b) The affiant purports to give expert evidence without satisfying the criteria of an expert witness;

(c) Her evidence is focused on the merits of the decision rather than the legality of the decision; and

(d) Her exhibits and relies on reports which were not before the Cabinet when it made the decision to make the 2016 Amendment. A party cannot in judicial review proceedings adduce fresh material not available to the decision maker designed to persuade the court that the decision maker’s decision was wrong

Meanwhile, Griffiths, QC, said Section 18 requires both the Legislature and TCIG to have due regard to the need to foster and protect an environment that is not harmful to the health and well-being of present and future generations, while promoting justifiable economic

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS and social development.

“Legislation must be adopted which has the effect of protecting the environment. Permitting changes to be made to height and density by virtue of section 39A without a development plan simply amounts to an exercise in pure guess work as to the impact of changes. It is an abrogation of that duty and it is plainly not ‘reasonable’ legislation if it permits changes when no strategic environmental assessment has been made or is required to be made of the overall impact of such changes

on an entire eco system such as Grace Bay which includes a protected marine National Park. It cannot be a reasonable legislative measure if it does even attempt to address limits on pollution and ecological degradation, promote conservation and biodiversity and secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources,” Griffiths added.

He said the 2016 Notice was made without any scientific or evidential basis.

“There simply was no consideration of scientific or any other

evidential matters before it was enacted.

There was no scientific information available to the Respondents. No strategic environmental assessment has ever been conducted on Grace Bay. Only in the drafting of the Respondents’ affidavits has there been an attempt to pay lip service to the requirements of section 18 and to environmental issues. They suggest future regard will be paid to development projects on a case by case basis by requiring individual environmental impact assessments, but that entirely misses the point and is too little too late. It is

only if the duty has already been met that section 39A and the 2016 Notice could have been lawfully enacted. It is not available to TCIG to have a policy to comply with the Constitutional requirement of protection of the environment ‘at some point in the future’,” Griffiths said. “Even if the Court is persuaded that some weight was given to relevant factors, the weight given was simply not lawful.

Firstly, the relevant factors have not been identified by the Respondents.

Secondly, there is no evidence that any appropriate.”

WATERLOO HOTEL MANAGEMENT LIMITED Alexandra Resort, Blue Haven Resort & Marina and the Beach House Is inviting suitably qualified and experienced applicants for the following position:

Director of Sales and Data Analytics Responsibilities:

•Sales representatives o Set monthly and annual sales targets o Oversee and coach sales representatives’ performance o Identify and provide sales tools to improve sales team performance o Approve any contracts prepared by sales directors o Set monthly and annual budgets for sales activities • Revenue managers o Work with revenue managers to ensure revenue management policies and strategies are in place to drive optimum occupancy and ADR o Ensure marketing programs are effectively captured in all revenue management systems (e.g. F&B credits, spa credits, package deals, etc.)

• Channel management o Local Business  Oversee local sales person to build local F&B group sales, and corporate room night business o Wholesalers  Work with revenue managers to set rates  Work with revenue managers to negotiate best possible terms and rates with wholesalers  Approve all contracts before these are issued by revenue managers  Work with Director of Marketing (DOM) to conduct training and PR opportunities with wholesalers. o OTA’s  Work with revenue managers and Director of Marketing (DOM) to set rates and promotions  Work with revenue managers to negotiate best possible terms and rated with OTA’s  Ensure revenue managers are opening and closing channels as needed (exact role to be determined once corporate decision is made on whether or not to move to daily rate program)  Work with Director of Marketing (DOM) to conduct training and PR opportunities with OTA’s • Rates o Work with marketing, revenue managers and accounting to set rates o Focus on optimization of occupancy, ADR and profit o Regularly conduct COGS analysis to ensure rate strategies reflect corporate

goals o Work with accounting to ensure accounting properly captures and reflects rates and promotional strategies o Using rate shopping tools and personal analysis, regularly monitor and evaluate comp set o Develop the annual rates and budget for sales and marketing, in conjunction with DOM • Data Analytics o Work with DOM to regularly survey market conditions, comp set data and the performance data at each resort o Analyze the data collected on a regular and systematic basis and prepare reports on which to base decisions regarding occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, packaging and promotions, and capital projects Experience: •Minimum 10 years in a DOS position at a multi property company, preferably non branded and preferably Caribbean based •Minimum undergraduate degree in a four-year hospitality program •Master’s degree in a hospitality program preferred •Certification in revenue management and/or statistical analysis •Minimum three years’ prior experience working in a sales position at a condohotel •Proven sales performance, particularly 2008-2012 •Proven skill and ease of using technology for revenue management and HR communication practices •English as a first language •Excellent industry contacts and network •USA Passport or the ability travel freely as per operational needs Compensation: •Depending on experience - salary from 7500K per month including benefits commission negotiable THIS POSITION IS NOT FOR A WORK PERMIT RENEWAL Interested persons may contact our HR department Mon. – Fri. from 9am-3pm via telephone number 946-8054 or you may submit your resume with qualifications and experience to: hr@wihl.com Please also submit a copy of your completed application to our local labor department.

Closing date ---- June 17th 2016

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

LOCAL NEWS

PDA responds to jitney statement from Tourism Ministry He added: "Reports of physical

Leader of the People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) Oswald attacks, rapes and attempted rapes of Skippings said the recent public both residents and tourists by jitney appeal in a press release issued by the drivers have been suppressed and ministry of Tourism advising visitors therefore these alleged acts continue against using jitney services is "simply to regularly take place. The escalating a cop-out as government attempts number of unsolved murders where to shift the responsibility on unwary female bodies are found in remote areas visitors instead of the Government should alarm government enough to be as vigilant as possible in closing all the undertaking its responsibility".

In a press release, Skippings illegal doors that make these heinous said: "It is shameful that government acts so easily possible. It is these sorts persists in refusing to take any steps of lack of actions by government that whatsoever to eliminate this illegal and facilitate crimes in the islands and dangerous business and regulate this then as an after thought the blame is aspect of public transportation that conveniently placed on the police." said the is besmirching the country’s image. Skippings Distressing reports of abuses by illegal "unconcerned and slipshod approach" by jitney operators on their passengers the Premier and his PNP government continue to surface as these operators is "totally irresponsible and dangerous are becoming increasingly bold and and results in compromising the conspicuous on the roadside and at the safety and well being of the many resorts. In fact, these jitneys are openly unsuspecting tourists who innocently embraced by some hotels to the extent use these illegal jitney services". of front desk workers calling them and He added: "This blatant lack giving jitney drivers hotel guests as of will by government leaves one to passengers in preference of legitimate wonder if there is some truth to the wide spread claims of public officers and licensed taxi operators."

VACANCY- HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICER Applications are invited from interested and suitably qualified individuals for the position of Human Resource Officer FortisTCI, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.

Description

The Human Resources (HR) department serves as a link between management and employees. By providing specialized services to employees, the department’s goal is foster positive relationships, to increase job satisfaction, and to ensure all customer or clients’ needs are met. Assist in ensuring that the Fortis TCI Human Resources Department functions efficiently. Assist with statutory compliance programmes; salary and benefit programmes; Immigration matters; personnel policies, practices and procedures and employee personnel files in accordance with Company Policies and procedures and Labour Law.

Main Duties

Be familiar with all laws pertaining to labour and immigration to ensure that the company complies and that managers are kept abreast of changes affecting the company. With the guidance of the Senior Human Resources Officer, complete all Work Permit processing, record keeping and other associated paperwork. Ensuring that all FortisTCI employees are in compliance with Government national schemes. (NIB & NHIB) Daily maintenance of the employee database inclusive of electronic and manual employee files and employee rosters. Maintain the Staff Leave Planner, which records all periods of absence i.e. sick, vacation, maternity etc. Develop, prepare, generate and analyse ongoing and ad-hoc special reports pertaining to employee specific information and data, absenteeism, staff turnover, benefits, staffing levels, applicant tracking, promotions, etc. Assist with the maintenance of the Human Resource Information System (HRIS) and AX including the uploading of job descriptions etc. to facilitate new hires and positional changes.  Assist in the recruitment process with the preparation of internal and external advertisements, receipt and logging of applications, scheduling

top level politicians being beneficiaries of some of these jitney operations. The PDA is appealing to the premier and his seemingly impotent administration to forthwith grab the bull by the horns and effectively deal with this dangerous and out of control jitney operations."

The Ministry of Tourism recently advised tourists against using jitneys.

In a press release, the ministry, which is headed by Hon. Portia Stubbs-Smith, saidt has been brought to the attention of The Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Heritage and Culture that visiting guests have been utilizing jitney services as a means of transportation whilst in country.

"The Ministry of Tourism does not support this action and would like to encourage all visitors to refrain from using jitney services. The Ministry Leader of the People’s Democratic Alliance is further soliciting assistance from (PDA) Oswald Skippings hoteliers and the general public alike, to ensure that visitors are aware of the "The Ministry of Tourism is keen on same," the release stated. ensuring the safety of all visitors to

Jitney service operations are these Islands and as such, strongly not regulated in the Turks and Caicos advise against this act," said the Islands and are illegal. release.

of interviews and responses to applicants as necessary.  Assist with the enrolment of new employees to the Company’s benefits programmes (e.g. group medical and uniforms) and supporting staff needs with regard to those programmes as required.  Prepare routine documentation such as employment verification letters and HR releases to employees.  Organize with the assistance of the Training Officer, all motivational and recognition sessions including staff birthday and anniversary socials and any other events hosted for this purpose.  Assist the Senior Human Resources Officer with the scheduling and delivery of Company Orientation Sessions.  Prepare and submit Team Member’s travel logs relevant to contractual travel to the Human Resources Manager and Director of Human Resources before the 15th of the month preceding the intended date of travel.  Other duties that may be assigned by the Manager Human Resources, Director of Human Resources or the VP Finance & CFO from time to time.

Academic/Technical/Management: Experience and Qualifications:  A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management, Business, or its equivalent  At least 3 years’ experience in Human Resources  Ability to work with minimum supervision  Excellent verbal and written communication skills  Ability to maintain confidentiality  Ability to build and maintain positive relationships internally and externally  Proficient in Microsoft Office Programmes, including spread sheet applications External Conatcts: • Internal Customers at all levels • External customers • Government Departments Compensation commensurate with experience and qualifications Deadline for submission of applications (inclusive of a cover letter, resume and a FortisTCI application form) is June 28, 2016.

Claudia Munnings Director Human Resources FortisTCI Limited P. O. Box 132, Providenciales Email address: hrapplications@ppcltd.tc OR cmunnings@fortistci.com

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

TCHTAs former Lit’l Chef wins big at Taste of the Caribbean 2016

TCHTA’s former Lit’l Chef Robinangel I know will be an outstanding presentation by the Simmons walked away with the prestigious 2017 Team TCI”.

“Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year” Hall of Fame Cox added, “All of our team members Award at this year’s Taste of the Caribbean event in performed so superbly, I can’t help but say again Miami, after competing against fourteen other junior that the level of professionalism and camaraderie chefs from around the region. displayed was phenomenal. Not only did we walk

Robinangel was a part of the contingent away with the “Caribbean Junior of the Year” Hall who recently returned to TCI after competing at the of Fame Award but also received Gold, Silver and event after an almost 20-year hiatus. The decision Honourary Awards in various categories.” to compete at the event which provides a forum for culinary teams to learn, demonstrate their skills and • Caribbean National Team of the Year – Silver provide the general public with an exhibition of the • Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year – Gold - Robinangel Simmons •Caribbean Chef of the Year – Silver – Edward Gallardo most savoury and delectable treats of the islands, • Caribbean Bartender of the Year – Silver - Jean Tissaint was one which Team TCI can look back on with great • Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year – Honourary – Yoginder Singh • Seafood Competition – Gold – Joseph Charles pride and accomplishment.

Stacy Cox who cheered on the team • Beef Competition – Silver - Edward Gallardo • Cheesecake Competition - Honourary – Yoginder Singh every step of the way noted, “I am overjoyed and overwhelmed and truly feel like a proud mother after TCHTA congratulated Team TCI for representing seeing what our team was capable of producing at the culinary world of TCI and encouraged them to this year’s Taste of the Caribbean and the level of perfect their skills in order to take TCI cuisine to professionalism they exhibited during the various another level. competitions. After years of not being a part of such a forum we are already slated to compete next year Colin Watson – Executive Chef, Beaches TCI (Team and will be starting our preparations early as we aim Manager); Joseph Charles – Executive Chef, West to take home all of the coveted Hall of Fame Awards.

Bay Club; Edwin Gallardo – Executive Chef, Seven We encourage all of TCI to come out on July 13 to our Stars Resort; Yoginder Singh – Pastry Chef, Beaches Taste of Team TCI fundraiser event at Seven Stars TCI; Robinangel Simons – Jr. Chef, The Regent Resort where you will get an opportunity to sample Palms; Jean Tissaint – Bartender, Seven Stars the winning dishes and cocktails from Taste of Resort; Ian Ongjoco – Student Chef; Martin Wilkiens the Caribbean. Also we encourage you to travel with – Student Chef. us to Miami next year to witness for yourself what

Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year Robinangel Simmons TCHTA also thanked those sponsors who made travelling to Miami and competing this year possible: Ministry of Tourism, Premier’s Office,Turks and Caicos Hospitality Adventures Programme, Caribbean Food and Wine Festival, Villa Del Mar, Beaches TCI and IGA.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

LOCAL NEWS

CIBC FirstCaribbean launches new mobile banking app

CIBC FirstCaribbean recently just one of those innovations,” the bank launched its new user-friendly mobile executive noted. banking app for smartphones which is He added that the bank “already yet another innovation by the regional offers one of the best internet banking bank to provide customers with services in this region; and this banking solutions that fit their lives. combined with the new Mobile App

“The new Mobile App joins and the improvements we are making a series of innovations introduced to to our ABM fleet means that our help the bank’s customers determine clients need never set foot in a banking the banking experience they want – in hall, unless they’ve come to apply for essence control over how and when a loan…and even that is now possible they bank is entirely in the hands of the online!” client,” said Trevor Torzsas, Managing Much like its internet banking, the Director of Customer Relationship new app, accessed via Android, Apple, Management and Strategy.

Blackberry and Windows devices,

Mr. Torzas said the app “was affords users the convenience of something our customers have been checking their account balances, asking for and the initial feedback transferring funds, paying bills since its launch has been excellent. and locating branches and Instant We are giving our customers here in Tellers™, all from their mobile device.

The Bahamas additional options when He said the app was a “significant banking with us.” step in our being able to add value for

Mr. Torzsas said the new app our customers who can now do their “proves that CIBC FirstCaribbean is banking from the palm of their hand. the bank that fits seamlessly into our Today’s individual increasingly has a clients’ lives. All the enhancements lifestyle that is fast-paced that affords that we have put in place over the them little time to spend in a queue in past two or three years are part of our the banking hall. Our Mobile Banking promise to deliver innovative products App will forever change the way they and services that truly meet our clients’ interact with the bank. Combine this individual needs.” with our online application process

“Banking that fits your life - and paperless statement delivery and that is what we are ultimately aiming you have a best in class digital banking to provide to all our customers and service for the tech-savvy who are our products were the obvious place to always on the go.” start and our Mobile Banking App is Mr. Torzsas noted that the

clients by continuing to build close relationships with them as “we drive a client centric approach to everything we do”.

Mr. Torzsas said the bank was also deeply committed to the communities in which they operated and engaged in a number of community outreach initiatives, youth and education, health and wellness and community relations, at the local and regional level which are funded through the bank’s charitable arm – the FirstCaribbean International Bank Comtrust Foundation Ltd.

One of the major regional health initiatives is the annual Walk For the Cure cancer fundraiser and Trevor Torzsas awareness walk which takes place bank which has almost 250 years of in October across the bank’s regional combined experience in the region will footprint. continue to invest in a strong line up of Patterned after the bank’s services such as its recently launched parent company CIBC’s annual Run chip and pin technology for its For the Cure, the regional event now merchant clients to ensure the highest in its fifth year has so far raised over standards of security.

USD$800 000 and has set a target of

It will also be moving to the USD$1 million this year. same secure chip and pin technology “The walk attracted over 20 later this year for all its credit card 000 walkers region-wide last year clients in order to give an even greater and the numbers are expected to be degree of protection against any considerably higher this year as well attempts at compromising accounts. as the money raised as the individual

He said the bank will also fundraising committees in each of our continue to invest in building a territories and hard at work to ensure foundation to service its retail, wealth, we meet and surpass our $1 million business banking and large corporate target this year,” Mr. Torzsas said.

Governor welcomes another successful Grand Turk Fishing Tournament

The Governor, Peter Beckingham, and his wife Jill took part in all three days’ activities for the Grand Turk Fishing Tournament on from June 3rd to 5th.

Speaking to the winners and all the participants on the final evening on Governor’s Beach he said: “From the frenetic bidding for boats at the first evening’s Calcutta to the escalating competition for the great trawl of fish on both days, this has been another successful event for Grand Turk and

Turks and Caicos Islands. It’s a particular attraction to see both local and expatriate communities, including from Provo, joining together from the Friday evening drinks to the award presentations on the Sunday.”

The Governor thanked all the sponsors, without whose support the event simply would not have been possible, and who helped to generate such a big sum for the Community College.

“We must also not overlook, and

HS Ltd. CLEANERS

Responsibilities: The successful applicants will be responsible for the general cleaning of communal areas, sweeping and mopping of floors, cleaning of windows and removal of trash. The applicants will also be responsible for any other duties assigned in regards to general cleaning.

Requirements: The successful applicants must be able to work with little to no supervision, capable of performing manual labour outside on a daily basis, should be physically fit, hard working and reliable.

Wages: $6.25 per hour Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email

by July 4, 2016 at ronnie@habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191.

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

indeed should give special thanks to, the members of the Fishing Tournament Committee. An event like this doesn’t happen without a huge amount of backroom work, and everyone in Grand Turk should be appreciative of the Committee’s sterling contribution again this year. I hope the event continues for many years, now it has been so successfully re-instated after a gap, and grows from strength to strength,” he added.

TAYLOR’S VARIETY STORE/ KLASS ENTERPRISE 1 Sales Clerk Receiving and entering of items into the store inventory, assisting customers with purchases.

Salary $9.50 per hour 4 Domestic Workers

Cleaning of store and dusting shelves, arranging and sorting stock for display Salary $6.25 per hour

4 Labourers

Loading and offloading service vehicles and containers to the store and customers residence from warehouse.

Salary $7.50 per hour Must be able to work weekends and holidays Interested persons should drop off resume to TVS/Klass Ent, Opposite Scotia Bank Leeward Highway or call 649-941-7242

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

TCI Human Rights Commission Director attends global conference

In keeping with its mandate to promote rights of women, the Director Human Rights Commission Mrs. Doreen Quelch Missick attended the recent 4th Global Conference under the theme Women Deliver.

The Conference is held every three years and uses its platform as the leading, global advocate for girls and women’s health, human rights, and wellbeing. The Women Deliver Conference brought together diverse voices, leading experts, renowned speakers to include representatives from the United Nations, Heads of State, Ministers of Governments, Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, other members of the Royal family and local activists representing their various countries.

It was designed to build capacity, share solutions, and forge partnerships; together creating a part of the global community and I She made a presentation coalitions, communication, and concur with the sentiments that when on Women and Human Rights and action that sparks political and the world invests in girls and women, focused her speech on the fact that social commitment and investment everybody wins.”

‘Women’s Rights are Human Rights’ in women and girls. The weeklong She looks forward to and encouraged delegates to heed the Conference afforded all participants implementing some of the programs call and create an environment in their to actively participate in lectures and that has worked very well in other respective countries where women are working sessions with a focus on the countries for the empowerment of treated with respect and dignity. She 17 Sustainable Development Goals of women right here in the TCI. called for all of us to take bold steps ending poverty in all forms everywhere Director, Mrs. Quelch Missick to better the lives of our women and and to achieve gender equality and to continued with her local representation children. empower all women and girls. of the HRC office and participated In addition, she joined the Caribbean

Mrs. Quelch Missick was in the Annual Bahamas, Turks and Baptist Women’s Union Day of Prayer delighted to actively engage in the Caicos Islands Women’s Conference of under the theme ‘Arise and Shine. various sessions, she stated that “There the Methodist Church under the theme Women from the various Baptist were so many commonalities with the ‘Women of God; Instruments in the churches and the women’s group from topics and issues discussed, the TCI is Master’s Hand. the Methodist church joined

You are kindly invited to attend Tumble Totz’s Annual Graduation and Prize giving ceremony on June 23rd, 2016 at the Paradise Baptiste Church, Five Cays Time: 5:30pm.

their voices together in prayer for the needs of women, the event was held at the Paradise Baptist Church. Mrs. Quelch Missick made brief remarks on the prayer concern for single parents, violence against women, gender equality, battered women, divorced women, teenage pregnancy and human trafficking. She encouraged the women to pray for all women and especially for those women who find themselves victims of trafficking.

The Director encourages the public to visit the office of the Human Rights Commission located at Cabot House, telephone 941-5343.

Page 16

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

LOCAL NEWS

TCI and other UK Overseas Territories could suffer significantly from Brexit, says UKOTA report

Britain’s Caribbean Overseas of the island’s insurance regulation Territories could suffer significantly if is equivalent to its own. Second, it votes to leave the European Union in within the institutional structures the June 23 referendum, according to a highlighted previously the OCTs report released in London.

(Overseas Caribbean Territories) are The report commissioned by the able to discuss financial services and United Kingdom Overseas Territories tax issues and initiatives with the EU Association (UKOTA) on the benefits of before they are implemented. “ the European Union (EU) to the United The report also noted that Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) the British Virgin Islands (BVI) is the notes that the UKOTs have benefitted Co-Chair of the OCT/EU Financial “in several important ways from their Services Partnership Working Party relationship with the EU, and many of (PWP), which brings together technical these will be placed at serious risk if experts from the OCTs and EU to the UK decides to leave the EU”. discuss issues of mutual concern.

The UKOTA said that the “This platform is important for mutual overall aim of the report is not to force understanding and to make sure that the UKOTs onto the campaign agenda the interests of the OCTs are taken but to demonstrate the value of the EU into account by the EU in its decision to the UKOTs and the prospects for making.” their future relationship with the EU The report said that a number pending the referendum outcome. of the UKOTs are highly dependent on There are 14 UKOTs spread across a small number of industries, and this the globe, of which nine are directly increases their vulnerability. associated with the European Union “Thus several are investigating ways (EU) via the Overseas Association in which they can diversify their Decision (OAD) adopted by the EU in economies. For instance, BVI is 2013. These are Anguilla, Bermuda, exploring the commercial expansion of British Virgin Islands (BVI), Cayman its fisheries industry, with the EU as Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, a potential export market,” the report Pitcairn, St Helena and Turks and added.

Caicos Islands. Ascension and Tristan It said that funding from the da Cunha fall under St Helena in the EU is also having a positive impact on OAD. the UKOTs, amounting to at least Euro

The report notes that the 80 million between 2014-2020.

UKOTs benefit currently from economic The report notes that recent and environmental cooperation with and ongoing projects are focusing the EU, as well as development on supporting their economies, and assistance and policy dialogue. helping the territories to address Practical aspects of cooperation are environmental challenges such as welcomed by the UKOTs. For example, climate change, disaster preparedness Bermuda’s financial services industry and the conservation of their with its focus on insurance is aided biodiversity. by its close links with the EU, both in “Beyond the policy benefits, the terms of it being a large market, but deepening institutional links between also as the EU recognizes Bermuda’s the UKOTs and the EU, particularly regulatory system as equivalent to its via the European Commission, have own. been supported by the Territories,

The report, titled “The providing as they do more direct access United Kingdom Overseas Territories to EU policy makers. and the European Union: Benefits “In addition, the growing and Prospects,” notes that the EU cooperation between the UKOTs and market is a major one particularly for Dutch, French and Danish territories in Bermuda, with its focus on insurance. the Overseas Countries and Territories Service sector imports from Bermuda Association (OCTA) has brought real to the EU amounted to Euro21.7 billion gains, including greater political (One Euro =US$1.29 cents) in 2014 visibility of the territories in Brussels according to the European Commission. and a higher international profile,” the “In addition, Bermuda benefits from report added. the EU’s recognition that the standard

Know Your Status Scotiabank: Grand Turk & Providenciales locations

Friday, June 24, 2016 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Presenting Partner

Applications are invited for teaching positions Preschool Teachers Responsibilities The Preschool Teachers will be responsible for teaching the Abeka program to young children.

Duties Design educational programs for students based on their needs.

Knowledge The incumbent must have proficient knowledge in the following areas: Child development and early education theories and practices Safe and appropriate activities for children Ensure that children are supervised and safe at all times

Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services

Education and Experience: The incumbent should attain the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for the position through completion of an Early Childhood Education Program combined with related day care and/or preschool teacher’s diploma experience or its equivalent.

Interested applicants please contact Tumble Totz at 649-339-5878 or email resume to tumbletotz@gmail.com

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JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 17

LOCAL NEWS

Waterloo Hotel Management staff benefit from Chefs Helping Chefs training

By Todeline Defralien

we deliver here within the Food and Beverage Departments and in the kitchen particularly."

Owner and trainer for Chefs He said that Rotz will also Helping Chefs Mr. Jeffrey Rotz recently certify all of their executive chefs, chefs visited the Turks and Caicos Islands and supervisors in the kitchen with to train members of the hospitality Serve Safe, which is a world renowned industry. certification.”

This training session ran Garland said he received great from on Monday June 6th to Saturday feedback from the employees that have June 11th at Asu Restaurant, and it is been participating so far and they intended to be an annual event. welcome it.

Rotz, who is from Florida, has some "They’re learning a whole lot 47 years in the business training and this is something that is new to and consulting with hospitality them. They’ve never been through this organizations around the world. kind of programme before and they

Training and Development are very welcoming and receptive to Manager for Waterloo Hotel and what Mr. Rotz is teaching them. This Management Ltd, Wayne "Major" is something that is very important for Owner and Trainer for Chefs helping Chefs Mr. Jeffrey Rotz and Training and Development Manager for Garland told The SUN, “By the time us," said Garland, who was a former Waterloo Hotel and Management Ltd, Wayne Garland they’re finished, we’ll have all of Junior Minister of Tourism. "We have a protection managers certification for greater responsibility and authority in our properties in our group which is restaurant in each one of our properties their senior staff, executive staff chefs the Food Service department. By 1991, the Turks and Caicos collection, the and we want to ensure that everything and their managers. he was the Senior Instructor with the Alexandra Resort, The Beach House, that we do as far as preparation of food, "It has been interesting Navy Food Management Team. It was and the Blue Haven Resort and is done within the proper guideline because we have many people here during this position that he held a role Marina, all of our Food and Beverage and everything that comes out of our of different cultures," he added. "It’s that would serve him well in his future persons will be trained with food kitchen is done perfectly." really kind of nice because we’re career as Culinary Educator. handlers permits. He’s also going to be Rotz explained that he did plate interactive and we see different ways He performed instruction in carrying out an audit for us of all of our presentation, and how to present that of doing the same procedures in other all areas of food service operations kitchens to make sure that the flow of food to guests and actual theory classes ethnic cultures.” with specialization in customer service, food and everything that we’re doing in focusing on food safety, sanitation and Mr. Rotz said he is looking forward to inventory control, stock rotation, there as far as sanitation, everything hygiene , including what creates food coming back to the Turks and Caicos food service trends, financial control, is well within the industry rules and borne illnesses and how to prevent food Islands very soon to instill some more sanitation, food production, nutrition regulations.” borne illnesses. training to different people in the & menu planning and equipment &

Garland added: “The main "We want our guests to be hospitality industry . safety. In 1993, after retiring from his reason is to educate staff on the coming back," he said. "as soon as In 1971, Rotz enlisted in the Military Career, Chef Jeff began a new importance of safe and healthily, and you make that one mistake they don’t US Navy where the stepping stones of adventure, as a Civilian, utilizing his food handling, particularly sanitation remember the thousand great things his Culinary career were laid. While in excellent personality and knowledge when it comes to serving food and they only remember that one mistake.” the Navy, he dvanced rapidly through of the field to become one of the most making sure that what we sell our Rotz also focused on appearance and the junior ranks and progressively respected Culinary educators in guest overseas before they come that deportment, and a Serve Safe food attained Florida.

INTER DÉCOR LTD

Inter Decor is now accepting applications/résumé for the following position. Only highly self-driven & motivated, personable and professional individuals, whom have the desire to serve others, need apply: SKILLED POSITION LABOURER Responsibilities: •To do daily checklist of all operating equipment •To carry out all tasks in a timely fashion •To report all damage or non-working equipment to the manager •To work in a clean and neat manner in guestrooms and all other areas •Pick up litter around lodge property Requirements: •A secondary diploma is an asset •Must be able to work long hours in all weather conditions •Must speak, read, write and understand the primary language(s) (English) used in the workplace.

•Must work weekends and holidays •Must be able to lift 150lbs or more For the above position, applicants must have a willing, positive and personable attitude as well as be willing to work holidays and weekends. They should also enjoy working with people and be willing to learn. Minimum experience in the areas of interest required.

Interested persons can contact 649-244-0564 for submission of resumes and additional information Deadline is July 01st, 2016.

WANTED

Manager Supervisor Labourer Must be able to work 6 days per week Salary negotiable Contact 347-1482

Hart Jolly seeks 1 Tile layer Helper Salary $6.25 per hour Contact: 243-8228

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

About Us – A leading player in the retail insurance sector, the Colonial Group, with over 30 employees and offices in Bermuda, The Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and the Turks & Caicos Islands, offers a complete range of premier financial and insurance services to our individual and corporate clients. We know that our products make a real difference to our clients and their families.

The Role – reporting to the Chief Operating Officer – Property and Casualty and Chief Operating Officer – Health at headquarters in Bermuda, you will be responsible for managing and coordinating all aspects of the Company’s operation including business development and retention, technical, staff, administrative and support service functions, e.g. financial, computer and human resources. You will plan and accomplish agreed goals that are outlined in the business plan and contribute to the achievement of strategic corporate objectives. You will provide a critical link with corporate headquarters in Bermuda while focusing on new business development for the Medical and Property and Casualty portfolios. You will also be required to service existing clients ensuring that their day-to-day administration needs relating to claims, eligibility and overall customer service are fulfilled to the required standards. Excellent and innovative customer service delivery is important to us, critical to our strategic objective of business retention and growth and applies to all roles across the Group.

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

The Benefits – The salary range is USD$91,000-USD$120,000 depending on experience and qualifications. We also offer an attractive benefits package.

To Apply – Please send your resume/cv to our Vice-President, Human Resources at hr_manager_bm@colonial.bm. Closing date for applications is June 20, 2016.

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

Page 18

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

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.

COMO PARROT CAY HAVE THE FOLLOWING VACANCIES

Job Title: Private Estates Manager Main Objective The role of the Private Estate Manager is to direct and supervise the entire Private Estate Department. The Private Estates Manager is required to ensure proper maintenance of the Private Homes and manage all project works. Homeowner satisfaction and maximum profitability will be your major objective.

Duties and Responsibilities •Managing All Private Homes.

•Managing Private Estate exclusive team: housekeeping, landscaping, pool maintenance and maintenance.

Operations / Communication •Ensuring daily operation at the Private Estates is running smoothly.

•Involvement in the sales, rental & marketing of Villas in the rental pool.

•Working closely with The Resort and The Homeowners or their representatives, including the property managers, in order to maintain the physical infrastructure of homes/estates, with maximum rental sales.

•Liaising closely with Estate Executive Housekeeper/Project Manager to ensure all work is completed as efficiently as possible.

•Undertaking daily inspections of all Private Estate in the COMO Parrot Cay rental pool and completing daily, weekly and monthly checklists for each property.

•Undertaking twice a week inspections of all Private Estate property on COMO Parrot Cay – non rental pools and provide weekly reports to the owners.

•Managing ‘total care’ maintenance of all building on the property associated with specific homes including, landscaping, pest control, pool & exterior services, interior and exterior furniture maintenance and cleanliness.

•Preparing monthly billing statement and P&L for individual homes.

•Proposing projects for the homes, based on necessity and available budget.

•Working closely with contractors and other outside vendors prior to, during and after projects.

•Ensuring all the needs for Homeowners are taken care of prior and during their visit, this will include and not limited to Spa appointment, excursion reservation, groceries, pet import license, organizing special events on their behalf, etc.

•Adopt a flexible approach and demonstrate a “can do” attitude with all colleagues and peer through participative leadership.

•Assisting in producing and control a budget for your department with the Financial Controller and General Manager.

•Generating financial and achievement reports, as required by management.

•Implementing daily, weekly and monthly projects to maintain equipment, cleanliness and standards.

•Planning to include phased maintenance projects over the summer months (seasonal).

•Performing any other reasonable duties as required by the Regional General Manager.

Qualifications / Experience/Requirements •College degree in Hotel/Business Management or equivalent training/ work experience.

•Bilingual in Italian, French and Spanish is an asset.

•Minimum of three years Management experience working in a luxury, five star properties.

•Must be proficient in hospitality revenue management, Guest services and team development.

•Experience in sales and marketing.

•Must have strong knowledge of Residential/Property Management and/or Front Office management related experience. Vendor and contract negotiation management is an asset.

•Must be willing to live and work on Remote Island.

•Must be able to work up to 72hrs a week, if needed by Management Salary commensurate with experience in the range: USD36K to USD60K This position is currently held by work permit holder _________________________________________________________________________

Job title: Hotel Manager Objective

Oversee the effective and efficient resort operation in accordance with the objectives, performance and quality standards established by COMO. This includes planning, organizing, and motivating all colleagues to excel in delivering quality experiences to all Guests.

•Working directly to the Regional General Manager, the Hotel Manager will be required to direct all activities for the property including employees, maintenance, sales, and profit/loss controls.

•Demonstrating visible operational leadership and management to the resort staff.

•Coordinating, directing and managing the resort operation to achieve maximum profitability, ensure Guest satisfaction, protect the financial aspects of the business and maintain the physical infrastructure of the property.

•Creates an operating environment that promises consistent Guest satisfaction.

•Monitors the performance of the resort through verification and analysis of Guest satisfaction systems and financial reports. Initiates corrective action.

•An aptitude to respond to customer complaints and comments in a timely manner.

•Maintains product and service quality standards by conducting ongoing evaluations and investigating complaint followed by corrective action.

•Establishes and maintains a pro‐active human resource function to ensure employee motivation, training and development, wage and benefits administration, and compliance with established labour regulations.

•Maintains an appropriate level of community public affairs involvement.

•Executes marketing, sales, and operational activities, producing results that meet or exceed the resort’s business plan.

•Ensures good safety practices of employees and Guests, assisting in the maintenance of proper emergency and security procedures.

•Establishes and maintains applicable preventive maintenance programs to protect the physical assets of the resort.

•Develop incentive program and setting sales targets for staff and monitoring them to ensure that they are met.

•Instituted emergency procedures to ensure operational readiness.

•Ensure that product quality standards are met in all areas of the resort as it relates to the appearance, levels of maintenance and cleanliness; establish and maintain preventative maintenance programs to protect the physical assets of the resort.

•Consistently deliver results that contribute to the mission, vision and values, and overall success of the resort by accomplishing performance objectives focused on business revenues, Guest and associate satisfaction and effectiveness and efficiencies.

•Understands the government regulations that impact resort’s operations; ensuring resort is operated in compliance with all applicable laws, ordinances, regulations, and requirements of any federal, state or municipal authority.

Skills & Requirement •Working knowledge of Opera System Version 5 and Microsoft Office Suite, with proficiency in Excel and Word.

•Perform any other reasonable duties as required by the Regional General Manager.

•College or University degree in Hotel/Business Management or equivalent training/work experience.

•Bilingual in Italian, French and Spanish is a plus.

•Minimum of four years Hotel Management experience working in a luxury, five star properties.

•Must be proficient in hospitality revenue management, Guest services and team development.

•Experience in sales and marketing and Front Office operations.

•Excellent written and oral communication skills required.

•Strong leadership skills and interpersonal communication skills.

•Must reside on remote Island Salary range: USD48K to USD60K per year This position is currently held by work permit holder _________________________________________________________________________

Job title: Private Estates Operations Manager Main Objective The role is to assist in managing the Private Estate and Homeowners. Require to maintain the Private Homes in excellent condition, including project works.

Home owner satisfaction and maximum profitability will be your major objective. This position is the deputy to the Private Estate Manager, with fully be responsible for the delivery of the Private Estate management, in the absence of the Private Estate Manager.

Duties and Responsibilities

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 19

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.

COMO PARROT CAY HAVE THE FOLLOWING VACANCIES •Assisting in managing all Private Homes.

•Assisting in managing Private Estate exclusive teams: housekeeping, landscaping, pool maintenance and maintenance.

•Assist and serve as immediate support and vacation replacement for Private Estate accountant to ensure financial timelines are met whilst maintaining the expectations of the Home Owners and the Company •To assist with the Private Estate Manager with the formulation and implementation of operations strategies related to the Private Estates (SOPs, checklists, departmental tasks, scheduling of staff, etc.).

•Accountable for the development, provision and implementation of policies, procedures and relevant training to meet COMO guidelines pertaining to the Private Estates and Common Areas surrounding the Private Estates.

•Knowledge and understanding of the Island’s CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions) and applicable Rental Agency Agreement.

•Respond to all Home Owner/Guest needs and requests whilst ensuring daily operation at Private Estate is running smoothly.

•To assist with the preparation of the arrival and departure of home owners and their family members/Guests.

•To assist the Private Estate Manager working closely with Home Owners or their representatives and property managers in order to combine work on the houses with maximum rental sales.

•Liaising with Purchasing department and suppliers in regards to home owners orders and requests.

•Assist Private Estate Accountant preparing monthly billing statement and P&L for individual homes •In the absence of Private Estate Accountant, to assist with posting of homeowners billing, P&L and revenue reports.

•To prepare and submit timesheets for biweekly staffs to Account office.

•Perform any other reasonable duties as required by the Private Estate Manager, Hotel Manager and General Manager.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities •Diplomacy and discretion are required in communicating with high profile Guests and homeowners •Being preemptive and pro-active with problems and issues.

•Basic accounting skills.

•Previous experience in a similar role for Operational Services in a luxury resort/operation working environment.

•Computer literate, excellent fluency in written and spoken English.

•Must have strong knowledge of Residential management and/or Front Office management related experience.

Requirements:

•College degree in Hotel/Business Management or equivalent training/ work experience.

•Bilingual in Italian, French and Spanish is a plus.

•Minimum of three years Management experience working in a luxury, 5 star properties.

•Must be proficient in hospitality revenue management, Guest services and team development.

•Experience in sales and marketing.

•Must be willing to live and work on Remote Island.

•Must be able to work up to 72hrs a week if needed by Management and flexible working hours to meet the demands of a 24 hour operation.

Salary commensurate with experience in the range of USD20K -USD36K

__________________________________________________________________________

Job title: Hotel Cost Controller Objective This position is responsible for ensuring proper procedures are followed with respect to inventory control and the requisitions within all departments of the hotel. Focus and concentration is placed on Food and Beverage areas and the proper allocation of requisitioned and transferred items. All items purchased, received, and requisitioned must be properly accounted for in the ACCPAC Financial System.

Main Duties •Ensure that all products requisitioned and all departmental transfers are entered into ACCPAC – Daily.

•Ensure that all products received are coded correctly with ACCPAC account codes and entered in to the ACCPAC system – Daily.

•Maintain an ongoing par level for inventory items and set up and maintain an Inventory Control Process.

•Rotate stock regularly and ensure that monthly inventories are done timely and accurately.

•Constantly prepare necessary reconciliations and work closely with the accounts department on all financial matters.

•Ensure that storerooms are clean and organized daily.

•Produce an accurate monthly usage chart to review proper product levels.

•Continually direct and inspect deliveries from local suppliers to maintain acceptable product levels.

•File all documents for easy reference.

•Maintain a high level of professionalism and efficiency.

•Perform any other reasonable task as requested by the management of COMO Parrot Cay. •Assist in the day to day running of the purchasing department.

•Maintain appropriate Accounting records.

•Work closely with all department heads regarding reconciliation of items ordered, received, transferred and expensed.

•Prepare departmental cost reconciliations, as required.

Requirements •Must have High School Diploma and/or some level of higher education.

•Must have at least 3 to 4 years of previous experience as food and beverage cost controller.

•Must be competent in the use of the following computer applications: Microsoft Excel and Word. Preference for knowledge of other accounting or inventory control related software, such as ACCPAC. •Previous experience in F&B operations in a similar environment is preferred.

•Familiar with hotel accounting, as well as operation.

•Excellent spreadsheet (Excel) and word processing skills (Microsoft Office).

•Ability to communicate clearly and concisely.

•A high level of accuracy and attention to detail.

•Confident and professional in handling high profile clients.

•Must be willing to live and work on Remote Island.

•Must be able to work up to 72hrs a week, if needed by Management.

Salary range: USD24K per year This position is currently held by a work permit holder _________________________________________________________________________

Job title: Assistant Financial Controller, Private Estates & Caicos Holdings Objective: The Assistant Financial Controller, Private Estates & Caicos Holdings (AFC PE & CH) is directly responsible to the Director of Finance and has an operational reporting line to the Private Estates Manager.

Duties & Responsibilities: The Assistant Financial Controller, Private Estates & Caicos Holdings is to achieve the following: •Ethics and Standards - The production and maintenance of a reliable set of financial records, on which sound management decisions can be based and which comply with company reporting standards and with legal/taxation requirements.

•Maintenance of Adequate Internal Controls - Ensuring adherence to internal control policies and procedures, to maintain the usefulness and integrity of accounting and reporting systems and to provide cost effective control of the island’s assets, revenues and expenses.

•Accounting and Reporting Systems - Ensuring that all aspects of the accounting and reporting systems contribute towards the operational and financial management of Caicos Holdings and the Private Estates, in order to control revenues and expenses, safeguard the company’s and home owner’s assets and result in the preparation of accurate and timely management accounts.

•Operational and Commercial - The preparation and interpretation of financial and other information to aid decision-making and to maximize profit potential, through proper planning, forecasting, budgeting and variance analysis.

•Responsible for the Caicos Holdings and Private Estate’s accounting and financial management requirements.

•Assist proactively with cost containment, revenue enhancement, profit improvement opportunities and safeguarding of the company’s assets.

•Ensure there are proper internal controls in place and in compliance, and that same are monitored on an ongoing basis.

Requirements and Experience: •It is mandatory for the Asstistant Financial Controller to have at least 5 years of previous or current working experience.

•American or Asian experience would be a valuable asset.

•Bachelor Degree in Finance and/or Accounting or equivalent experience.

•Professional accounting designation of ACCA, CA or CPA is an asset.

•Ability to analyze financial data and prepare financial reports, statements and projections.

Page 20

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

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.

COMO PARROT CAY HAVE THE FOLLOWING VACANCIES •Excellent Computer skills.

•Must be willing to live and work on Remote Island.

•Must be able to work up to 72hrs a week, if needed by Management.

Salary range: USD48K to 60K per year ________________________________________________________________________

Job title: Regional Spa Director:

•Ensuring all Guest and assets are safe.

•Ability to work independently, flexible hours and must be willing to live and work on Remote Island.

•Must be able to work up to 72hrs a week, if needed by Management.

This position is currently held by work permit holder Salary range: USD16K to USD20K per year

Recreation Attendant

Objective: Manage the functions of the department and oversee all aspects of the COMO Parrot Cay, COMO Shambhala Spa and the COMO Metropolitan Miami, COMO Shambhala Spa. Manage retail outlets involved and direct all aspects of retail for both properties.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES •Responsible for daily operation, Guest satisfaction and team members.

•Monitor team performance and ensure that the philosophy of COMO Shambhala is reflected throughout the operation.

•Actively involved with Sales and Marketing promotion of the Spa. •Maximize departmental profit without affecting departmental expenses and budget.

•Work with hotel management and other department heads as a team, in line with corporate goals and objectives.

•Ensure high standard of service and high quality of treatments at all times.

•Take service recovery action should there be a glitch or Guest complaint.

•Ensure health and safety standards are maintained at all times.

•Establish staffing levels that are sufficient and appropriate to promote smooth flow of daily operation.

•Ensure staff carries out tasks appropriately according to their designation.

•Carry out staff appraisals at appropriate time to monitor staff performance.

•Ensure the Spa areas and facilities are properly maintained and well organized in order to provide an optimal environment to Guests and staff.

•Ensure cleanliness of Spa areas and facilities are kept at all times by implementing proper cleaning schedules.

•Coordinate and host yoga retreats or Spa related events, ensuring that visiting consultants or yoga instructors for the retreats are well looked after and properly assisted.

•Promote retreats and Spa events to bring in more revenue.

•Conduct Spa orientation for new employees as well as current employees.

•Maintain COMO Shambhala brand standard by organizing regular refresher trainings.

•Set procedures and manage stock systematically in order to keep a proper and accurate inventory control.

•Prepare department’s annual budget and business plan.

•Monitor monthly revenue and expenses to ensure they are in line with the budget planned.

•Prepare monthly report and communicate financial performance of the department in a timely manner.

•Implement cost control procedures and corrective action plans where necessary.

•Ensure In-house promotions are utilized to increase Spa capture rate and work with the Sales and Marketing team to increase exposure in the local market.

•Work with the internal departments of the hotel to ensure the Spa is being effectively promoted to hotel Guests.

Experience and requirements:

•Responsible for overseeing the pool area (adult/children) and make safety announcements, as needed.

•Must assist hotel staff with set up and breakdown of poolside activities, as needed.

•Must submit and report incidents to the appropriate managers.

•Must check equipment and pool fixtures to make sure they are in order for Guest to use.

•Must be familiar with the hotel Safety policy.

•Must reside on Remote Island.

This position is currently held by work permit holder Salary USD $14,440.00 per year

Head baker

•Directs, coaches, supports, supervises and evaluates (in conjunction with the Pastry Chef/Executive Chef) the performance of all direct reports.

•Responsible for the production, quality and presentation of the bread assortment to be used in the daily menus.

•Prepares production forecasts and records leftovers in order to avoid unnecessary wastage and keep food cost within the budgets.

•Responsible for the requisition and transportation of the necessary items from the main stores to the bakery shop.

•The head baker must report to senior Chef informing of overnight duties to ensure a productive section.

•Work with the other bakery staff peacefully, taking full control & responsibility of tasks that have been assigned.

•Ensure that when handovers shifts between other head baker & pastry staff occur, the chefs are clearly briefed on the day’s events.

•Ensure that all storage areas of fresh foods & dry store items are kept clean, and the first in, first out policy applies.

•Must be willing to live and work on Remote Island.

•Must be able to work up to 72hrs a week, if needed by Management.

Requirements

•Minimum of two years experience as a Head Baker in an upscale hotel, resort, or convention banqueting service.

•Culinary school degree required.

•Very strong management skills in a multicultural and dynamic environment.

•Very strong communication, problem solving, decision making, and interpersonal skills.

•Intermediate computer software skills required.

•Ability to speak English clearly, distinctly and cordially with Guests.

This position is currently held by work permit holder Salary USD $14,440.00 per year OTHER POSITIONS AVAILABLE:

Accountant Private Estates Housekeeping Supervisor

Asst. Recreation Manager Laundry/ Kitchen Tech Private Estate Attendant

Spa Receptionist

Yoga/Pilates Instructor Spa Attendant

•5 years experience in Spa Management.

Wood Carver Spa Therapist •4 – 5 years experience in Administrative Management as it relates to accounting, Housekeeping Supervisor Bartender Sales and Marketing, scheduling and the ability to fully comprehend legal Commis Chef Commis de Cuisine Seamstress Kitchen Steward documentation.

A/C Technician •Experience is retail and sales.

•Knowledge of Spa and Wellness, Hotel Management System and Spa Software.

•Ability to work independently, flexible hours and must be willing to live and work on Remote Island.

•Must be able to work up to 72hrs a week if needed by Management.

Salary for these positions will be paid based on qualification and •Must be able to work in the US as this is a regional position. experience. Please note that all applications must be submitted with a valid Police Record, two reference letters from previous employers or a notary Salary range: USD48K to USD60K per year public and current educational certificates. Applicants must be willing to relocate.

All Managerial position requires you to reside on the Island of Parrot Cay:

OTHER POSITIONS K9 Dog Handler •Responsible for care of K-9 Dogs.

•Patrolling of the property with K-9’s.

Only suitable candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Forward your resume to the Human Resources Department at the following address:

COMO Parrot Cay and COMO Shambhala P.O. Box 164 Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands Ph: (649) 946 7788, Fax: (649) 946 7749 Email: careers.parrotcay@comohotels.com

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

Locals to host first TCI Chop Off cook-off challenge

By Todeline Defralien

Turks and Caicos Islands Culinary Ambassador Nikita (Chef Nik) Skippings is hosting the first Food and Culture Festival in the Turks and Caicos Islands this year, which for the first time will include a chop off cook off challenge.

This two-day festival promises to be the most anticipated event of the summer and is structured and designed to showcase and promote the food and the deep rooted culture of not only Turks & Caicos Islands but of all the other nationalities residing in this beautiful by nature country.

The chop off cook off challenge will take place on July 1st at the Tropicana Show & Supper Club in Providenciales at 7pm.

This event will give four local chefs in the Turks and Caicos Islands the opportunity to showcase their talents and everyone what they’re capable of and what they can bring to the table. The night is promised to have live entertainment throughout the entire event.

The four local chefs that will be going head to head for the title of TCI chop off cook off challenge winner are, Chef Eversley, Chef Suresh, Chef Joseph and Chef Derrick.

The two hosts for the event is Bianca Harvey Joseph and O'Brien Forbes and five judges will be on the panel to judge the competition.

In an interview with The SUN, TCI Culinary Ambassador Nikita (Chef Nik) Skippings and Founder

of the event said, “I’m a huge friend of “CHOPPED” on the Food Network, and I always had plans and made all attempts to participate on Chop on Food Network and with doing that I said to myself why wait when we could host it right here. We have the talent here, we have the creativity here so what other avenue to host it at other than the food and cultural festival.”

He added: “I saw the magnitude and growth of what it was going to be and I knew right away that I would need help with it and the only other person that I saw qualified enough to assist me with that is Chef Lauren Callighen from The Palms. She is a very dear friend of mine for years.

We came together and started putting out some advertising and promoting to get this on the go.”

Culinary Ambassador Nikita (Chef Nik) Skippings and Chef Lauren Callighen of The Palms

Meanwhile Chef Lauren Callighen of The Palms said, “I was Callighen stressed that they wanted it Islands. FLOW is the major sponsor of thrilled to be a part of it and I think we to be a competition; they wanted it to the event along with the Government. came up with great ideas together and be an entertainment at the same time Organizers of the event said we work really well together and we they really want it to showcase what that they would like for this event to be kind of brought it to the next level and the top chefs of Provo can accomplish. an annual one and that they are setting we’re ready for the event. There were Most of the ingredients will the bar and building a standard in several steps involved in the process of be placed in the mystery basket; there terms of what the new culinary scene choosing the competitors. We opened will be ingredients of the Caribbean in the Turks and Caicos will be. it up to the public market, so we took and the Turks and Caicos Islands. This On July 1st there will be an votes from the public and in terms of is a food and culture festival which opening night featuring Turks & Caicos what the general population thought is designed to not only showcase and Islands cook off and entertainment, and would make a great candidate and the bring awareness to the food and culture on July 2nd the festival continues in nominations from the public, Facebook especially in the Turks and Caicos but the heart of Grace Bay Providenciales and different social media and through is hosted to embrace all other cultures with all day food, culture and music nominations through emails and that resides within this country. Each by all the islands top bands/Junkanoo, messages and then of course we had our basket can consist of something such Haitian musicians, Dominican own criteria that we need to meet as as a piece of Jamaica, a piece of Haiti, International Artist as well as surprise well. We didn’t want to put someone up it can be a piece of the Dominican Grammy Award Winning International on the stage that would not necessary Republic but the main ingredient will Artist and much more. have the skills to perform well.” be something of the Turks and Caicos

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

LOCAL NEWS

Dance With Cinderella 2016

On Saturday, June 11th at 6:30pm, little girls got all dressed up as they excitedly await a date with dad.

Nutrition in Demand, hosted its 3rd annual fundraising event,

Dance with Cinderella at the Brayton Hall on Venetian Road.

This event was planned to honor fathers and to give them and their daughters quality one on one time without any pressure or judgement from anyone. It's a time when fathers can just relax and have fun! They were treated to a scrumptious full course meal as they listened to to the melodious sounds of Sax O' Pan Serenades. There was a dessert table that the daughters

were especially fond of.

Once dinner was done, the real fun got started as fathers and daughters participated in various activities such as a twist competition, a hula hoop competition and a dance off between fathers.

There was lots of dancing, lots of laughs and lots of memories made. It was great fun and from all accounts, everyone had a grand time! According to organizer and Registered Dietitian, Mrs. Tamika Handfield, "Dance with Cinderella started as an idea of wanting to give back to fathers as well as finding an innovative idea to raise funds for the nonprofit. I am ecstatic to see what that idea has grown into! It's an

event that fathers and daughters look forward to attending.

This is our third year and we have had fathers and daughters that have attended every year!!

That speaks volumes!!"

Mr. Alvin Parker and his daughter, Ava-Camille, attended for the first time and said this,

"This was our first year attending the Father and Daughter Cinderella Dance and I'm so happy we decided to attend. Seeing the excitement in my daughter's eyes when we pulled up to the hall and how she walked in holding my hand like, "look at me and my daddy"- just reconfirmed the

importance of my role as her father.

I feel so blessed to have been reminded of that. Hats off to the organizers of the event and to all the fathers in attendance."

An event of this magnitude is only possible with the help of corporate TCI. Nutrition in Demand is extremely grateful to all of its sponsors and volunteers who have made this event a huge success!

Many thanks to: Goldsmith's, Jais, Bayview, Graceway IGA, Sunny Foods, Coco

Bistro, Automotive Arts, Gilley's Enterprises, Coca Cola, Power 92.5 & KISS FM, Island

Express, Giggles,Dominique Hair, Provo Golf Club, Tropical Vibes, FLOW and Windsong

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

Your Energy Experts

Leading Today.

Investing in the Tomorrow.

Leading Way www.fortistci.com | 649-946-4313 | 1030 Leeward HWY, Providenciales, TCI

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Your Energy Experts

Leading Today.

Investing in the Tomorrow.

Leading Way www.fortistci.com | 649-946-4313 | 1030 Leeward HWY, Providenciales, TCI

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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HEALTHY

LIFESTYLE

Can coffee cause cancer? Only if it's very hot, says WHO agency

There is no conclusive evidence that drinking coffee causes cancer, the World Health Organization's cancer agency said on Wednesday in a reverse of its previous warning, but it also said all "very hot" drinks are probably carcinogenic.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had previously rated coffee as "possibly carcinogenic" but has changed its mind.

It now says its latest review found "no conclusive evidence for a carcinogenic effect" of coffee drinking and pointed to some studies showing coffee may actually reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer.

"(This) does not show that coffee is certainly safe ... but there is less reason for concern today than there was before," Dana Loomis, the deputy head of IARC's Monograph classification department told a news conference.

At the same time, however, IARC presented other scientific evidence which suggests that drinking anything very hot - around 65 degrees Celsius or above - including water, coffee, tea and other beverages, probably does cause cancer of the oesophagus.

Lyon-based IARC, which last year prompted headlines worldwide by saying processed meat can cause cancer, reached its conclusions after reviewing more than 1,000 scientific studies in humans and animals. There was inadequate evidence for coffee to be classified as either carcinogenic or not carcinogenic.

IARC had previously put coffee as a "possible carcinogen" in its 2B category alongside chloroform, lead

and many other substances.

The U.S. National Coffee Association welcomed the change in IARC's classification as "great news for coffee drinkers".

The Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee, whose members are six of the major European coffee companies - illycaffè, Jacobs Douwe Egberts, Lavazza, Nestlé (NESN.S), Paulig, and Tchibo - said IARC had found "no negative relationship between coffee consumption and cancer".

LET IT COOL

In its evaluation of very hot drinks, IARC said animal studies suggest carcinogenic effects probably occur with drinking temperatures of 65 Celsius or above. Some experiments with rats and mice found "very hot" liquids, including water, could promote the development of tumours, it said.

The agency said studies of hot drinks such as maté, an infusion consumed mainly in South America, tea and other drinks in several countries including China, Iran, Japan and Turkey, found the risk of oesophageal cancer "may increase with the temperature of the drink" above 65 Celsius.

"These results suggest that drinking very hot beverages is one probable cause of oesophageal cancer and that it is the temperature, rather than the drinks themselves, that appears to be responsible," said IARC's director, Christopher Wild.

Oesophageal cancer is the eighth most common cause of cancer worldwide and one of the main causes of cancer death, with around 400,000 deaths recorded in 2012.

The WHO's official spokesman in Geneva, Gregory Hartl, stressed that smoking and drinking alcohol were among the most serious risk factors for oesophageal cancer and urged people to focus on reducing these as a priority.

He said IARC's evaluation of hot drinks was based on limited available evidence in humans and animals and more research is needed.

"We say: be prudent, let hot drinks cool down," he told Reuters, adding that the WHO's advice was to "not consume foods or drinks when they are at a very hot - scalding hot temperature".

Drinking very hot beverages is now classified as probably carcinogenic

in IARC's group 2A category, alongside red meat and nitrogen mustard.

But David Spiegelhalter, a professor of the Public Understanding of Risk at Britain's University of Cambridge, said he was concerned that IARC's review would confuse people.

"Last year the IARC said that bacon is carcinogenic, but it became clear that when eaten in moderation it is not very risky. In the case of very hot drinks, the IARC concludes they are probably hazardous, but can't say how big the risk might be," he said in an emailed comment. "This may be interesting science, but makes it difficult to construct a sensible response."

Most women with pregnancy-related diabetes don’t get timely screening later

Three-quarters of women who develop diabetes during pregnancy are not screened for diabetes again within one year after giving birth, according to a new study.

This is “dismaying, but not surprising,” said lead author Dr. Emma Morton-Eggleston of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute in Boston.

In many cases, so-called gestational diabetes will resolve after pregnancy. In some cases, however, women will develop type 2 diabetes. Organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists therefore recommend that women with gestational diabetes have their blood sugar levels checked six to 12 weeks after giving birth.

“Women with a history of gestational diabetes have a much higher risk of developing diabetes, up to seven times higher over your lifetime,” Morton-Eggleston told Reuters Health by phone. “The highest increases in risk are within 10 years of having gestational diabetes.”

The researchers used commercial insurance claims to study more than 440,000 women who gave birth at least once between 2000 and 2012, including 32,253 who had gestational diabetes. Within one year

after giving birth, only 25 percent had received blood sugar screening, according to the insurance database.

Recommended screening at six to 12 week postpartum increased from two percent of women in 2001 to seven percent in 2011.

Asian women were more likely than white women to receive any kind of blood sugar screening. In addition, oral glucose tolerance tests were performed in 36 percent of women in Western states within 12 weeks of giving birth, compared to 19 percent of women in the Northeast and 18 percent in the South.

Women who visited an endocrinologist or a nutritionistdiabetes educator after giving birth were more likely than others to be screened for diabetes, as reported in A woman holds her stomach at the last stages of her pregnancy in Bordeaux Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Women who have gestational diabetes necessarily and are not screened postpartum may appointment, women with gestational in communication with your primary continue to have elevated blood sugar or diabetes should have ongoing blood care team,” she added, and it may not overt diabetes, then become pregnant sugar screening every one to three be clear to doctor who should be doing again, and entering a pregnancy with years, she said. the screening and when. overt diabetes poses greater risks to “For lots of women, it’s hard to “If you catch diabetes or the fetus and the pregnancy, Morton- come in again once you have children, abnormal blood sugar early, there Eggleston said. it’s hard to keep up with routine are ways one can try to prevent overt

In addition to screening after medical care,” Morton-Eggleston said. diabetes,” she said. “Catching it early giving birth, ideally at the six to 12 “And you’ve been taken care of by an is very important, as dietary change week postpartum follow-up obstetrics team, who are not and exercise have profound effects.”

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JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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OSPREY BEACH HOTEL GRAND TURK WANTED Customer Service Supervisor, Reservations and Marketing Supervisor Applicants must possess: •Strong communication skills in English, both speaking and written •Proven multi-tasking, marketing and customer service skills •Bookkeeping and accounting experience in Quick-books •Computer Skills with reservation software Compt-books •Ability to work with no supervision •Ability to work flexible hours including holidays, weekends, evenings & split shifts •Skills in Employee Management and work schedules •At least 5 years experience in a related field Starting Pay $10 per hour Three month probationary period applies Please email resume to Jennycarn@yahoo.com Attach a brief hand written paragraph explaining why you are right for this position.

Resume must contain employment history and contact numbers for the last five years.

LS Ltd. LS Limited is seeking suitable applicants for the following position:

LABOURERS Candidates must be physically capable of hard manual labour outside on a daily basis. Previous experience is preferred. Candidates must be willing to work holidays and weekends when required.

Wages starts at $6.25 per hour.

Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email at ronnie@habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191. Suitable applicants will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview. Closing date for applications is July 4, 2016.

HS Ltd. Cook Main Duties Prepare food items of consistent quality in accordance with production requirements and quality standards while maintaining a safe sanitary work environment. Start prep work on food items needed for the menu of the day. Organize all of the various prep items needed from different areas to ensure that all items are in place and ready for service. Inform the Manager of any shortage of supplies that need restocking before items completely run out.

Requirements Applicants must have a minimum of three-year (3) culinary experience preferably in hotel food and beverage industry. Comprehend and follow recipes and cooking techniques. Must have thorough knowledge and understanding of food service sanitation standards. Thorough knowledge and understanding of standard kitchen equipment and its use. Applicants must be willing to work varied shifts, split shifts, nights, weekends and holidays as required by management. Perform other duties as assigned, requested or deemed necessary by management. Applicants will be required to work on a full time basis. Must be able to walk, stand or stoop for the duration of shift (at least 8 hours). Applicants must be able to understand/speak/read/write English proficiently. Applicants must be detail oriented, must be hardworking and a team player. Work with minimal supervision. Salary commensurate with experience and training.

Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by July 4, 2016 at ronnie@ habgroup.com or by fax 649-946-5191. Suitable applicants will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

For All you advertising needs contact TCISUN at 339-5879 Or email – sun@suntci.com BAYSIDE SEAFOOD

SEEKS 1 BARTENDER Salary $6.25 per hour 6 days per week Contact 331-5011

SHREE SAI LIMITED Is Looking For A Manager To Operate And Manage Their Indigo Stores At The Grand Turk Cruise Center.

The Candidate Should Have At Least 8 Years Experience, Computer Literate, Accounts Background. Well Versed In Product Merchandising, Customer Service, Sales And Purchasing. A Good Command Of The English - A Second Language Will Be An Asset.

Interested Persons Should Apply In Writing To The Directors Of Shree Sai Limited C/0 Indigo Stores, Grand Turk Cruise Center, Grand Turk.

KOSTCO SUPERSAVER 1 GENERAL MANAGER Job Description: Oversee the daily operation of the store and its employees.

Up keep of inventory and scheduling of employees.

Experience at least two years in management Salary: $11:00 per hour 3 Domestic Workers Cleaning of store and dusting shelves, arranging and sorting stock and customers residence from warehouse Salary $6.25 per hour 2 Labourers Loading and offloading service vehicles and containers to the store and customers residence from warehouse.

Salary $7.50 per hour 1 Cook Cooking various Indian dishes Experience in various Indian cuisine Salary $1000.00 monthly Resume are to be dropped off at the Kischo building Airport Road

Elegant Beauty Salon

Is seeking Braiders 6 days a week $6.25 an hour Contact: 241- 0440

Beach Boyz Equipment Rental and Sales

Is now looking to hire in Grand Turk and Provo professionals with friendly customer service skills.

For more info call Smokie Burns at 345-8781 or 442-5665

For All you BRAXTON advertising FORBES needs contact SOUTH CAICOS TCISUN at Domestic Worker Fishermen 339-5879 Salary negotiable Or email – To work 5 days per week sun@suntci.

Contact com

Summit

is seeking one Labourer 6 Days a week Salary $6.25 hour Contact: 441-1975 GOOD HANDS AGENCY

245-2005

SEEKS 6 LABOURERS 6 DOMESTIC WORKERS 2 STORE CLERKS Salary $6.50 per hour Mon-Sat 244-0277 or 946-3437

Caicos Auto World

DRIVER NEEDED

Contracting Seeking 1 Domestic Worker $6.50 an hour 5 days a week Contact: E-mailSummitcontracting.

TCI@gmail.com / 331-0876

Vivian Lightbourne

Is seeking a welder To work 6 days a week Salary: $7.00 an hour Contact: 344-8753

for Shore Excursion Operator, Grand Turk.

Successful candidate must have excellent communications skills, professional attitude and be organized and reliable. Must have a valid driving license with at least eight (8) years of driving experience. Must have basic mechanical understanding.

Wages commensurate with experience and skill level.

Please call 432-9956.

CARRIBBEAN TOURS INTERNATIONAL LTD “Tours company in Grand Turks seeks MECHANIC with at least 19 years’ experience working with large capacity vehicles Must live in Grand turk and be available on call 24/7 , and must work holidays and weekends as needed.

Must also have administrative an computer skills to communicate mechanical issues to upper management; keep an Excel computer file of maintenance records and use Microsoft Word to provide memorandums to drivers.

English and Spanish are a plus as must interface with Spanish speaking mechanical support

Please call 649-432-9956

KALOOKIS RESTAURANT & BAR

Must speak English Must be able to work nights and weekends Experience cooking Caribbean Cuisine Must have at least 4 yrs experience Please send resume to info@kalookisrestaurant.com Or Submit resume directly to the restaurant

MOOKIE’S BAR & RESTAURANT

Looking for two experienced waitresses with the ability to speak spanish and creole.

Salary - negotiable Phone number 333-0380

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

CARIBBEAN WORLD

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

NEWS NEWS

Economic growth in The Bahamas stalled in 2015, says IMF

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says economic growth in the Bahamas is estimated to have stalled in 2015, as a modest increase in air tourism arrivals was not sufficient to offset a contraction in domestic demand and weak exports of goods.

The IMF said that growth is expected to strengthen to about 0.5 per cent this year, supported by continued growth in air tourist arrivals and moderating headwinds to private consumption and investment.

“Looking forward, while Baha Mar opening is expected to provide a temporary boost to growth, helping to close the still sizeable output gap, structural impediments continue to constrain potential growth.”

The IMF said it estimates point to potential growth between one and 1.5 per cent over the medium term, down from close to three per cent at the start of the century.

“This outlook is subject to mainly downside risks, calling for continued fiscal consolidation to rebuild fiscal and external policy buffers and boosting investor

confidence, as well as a decisive shift towards implementation of structural reforms to improve competitiveness, reduce unemployment and raise potential growth,” the IMF added.

The IMF said that economic activity stalled in 2015, weighed down by weak domestic demand and goods exports. The current account deficit declined significantly but remains sizable.

“Going forward, the outlook remains challenging, especially with high youth unemployment and low productivity growth,” the IMF said, adding that against this backdrop it has emphasized the importance of continued fiscal consolidation to rebuild fiscal and external buffers and structural reforms to improve competitiveness, reduce unemployment and raise potential growth.

The IMF said it is also underscoring the need to address financial sector challenges and commended the authorities for a successful VAT introduction which has contributed to fiscal consolidation.

The Washington based

financial institution said private consumption and investment were weighed down by headwinds from fiscal consolidation, as well as an end to construction and uncertainty over the opening of the Baha Mar megaresort.

It said inflation was moderate at 1.9 per cent on average in 2015, despite a temporary increase owing to Value Added Tax (VAT) introduction in January 2015.

Unemployment, after a brief dip earlier in the year, rose to 14.8 per cent in November, as workers hired for the planned Baha Mar opening were later dismissed. Double-digit unemployment and the elevated share of nonperforming loans continue to constrain private credit, which fell by one per cent year-on-year in December 2015.

The IMF said smooth VAT introduction has contributed to fiscal consolidation. It said VAT revenue over the first 12 months, at US$536 million has exceeded expectations.

“As a result, the financial year 2014/15 deficit is estimated to have declined to 4.4 per cent of GDP

Political scientist claims UWP paid for election win in St. Lucia

As Allen Chastanet took the oath of office Tuesday as St Lucia’s new prime minister, one political scientist accused his United Workers Party (UWP) of buying victory in teh recent general election.

A perplexed Dr Tennyson Joseph, who had earlier predicted that the then incumbent St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) of Dr Kenny Anthony would have won no fewer than 11 of the 17 seats, but would likely take 12, said money likely played a role in the UWP’s 11 to six win.

Stressing that he was not being unkind to the new Prime Minister, Joseph said he was simply trying to account for the outcome of yesterday’s poll.

“What we have been seeing in Caribbean elections is that we are trying to analyze them based on broad issues like issues of policy, development and leadership, but truly what swings those elections is money and . . . the people who can do the money thing better are very often the ones who can in fact win an election,” the Head of the Department of Government, Sociology and Social Work at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) told Barbados TODAY.

However, pollster Peter Wickham, with whom Joseph had sparred publicly over the results of a survey conducted

by Wickham’s polling company CADRES, seemingly dismissed the academic’s analysis.

Wickham, whose poll had

found the election too close to call, had earlier withheld comment, telling Barbados TODAY he would await Joseph’s analysis “since he has a superior intellect and understanding of the Caribbean environment”.

However, he later attributed the SLP’s defeat to a combination of arrogance and the party’s failure to confront the pertinent issues.

“[The] St Lucia Labour Party was happy to repeat the argument that the UWP had never won an election under anyone other than [its founding leader the late Sir] John Compton . . . when the fundamental issues that were on the table were not being addressed.

“Allen Chastanet had essentially outlined a plan that he thinks would help to revive the economy and give it some life, while the SLP was focused on the extent to which he was unsuitable because he lacked ‘St Lucianness’, and that was something that . . . became very popular. I think that’s where it went wrong,” Wickham said.

Although Chastanet is St Lucian, several voters called into question the colour of his skin, and his ability to lead the country.

“He is a St Lucian, I think it’s a ridiculous concept, that nonetheless he was being told that he was not St Lucian enough. It’s one of these concocted intellectual discourses that I don’t have a lot of time for and I think that he’s essentially proven the extent to

(Gross Domestic Product) down from revised 5.6 per cent in financial year 2013/14). Available data for the first seven months of financial year 2015/16 suggest a further decline in the deficit, by about one percentage point, compared to the same period a year ago.”

The IMF said the central government debt-to-GDP-ratio nevertheless reached 66.5 per cent in December 2015, pointing to limited fiscal space.

It said the current account deficit declined significantly, to 15.3 per cent of GDP in 2015 -compared to 22 per cent a year earlier-, driven primarily by lower imports owing to the decline in oil prices and halt to Baha Mar construction.

International reserves, supported in part by government external borrowing, increased to US$981 million at end–March 2016, equivalent to about 2.4 months of next years’ projected imports of goods and services.

Prospects are tempered by Baha Mar related uncertainties and low potential growth, the IMF added.

Trinidad and Tobago moving to stem influx of illegal migrants from Venezuela

Saint Lucia-born Dr Tennyson Joseph. which it was a ridiculous basis on which to premise an election contest,” the pollster added.

“We had a majority of people that were desiring a change of government we had a situation where Allen Chastanet had improved in the eyes of St Lucians over the period of a year, he had doubled his support among the uncertain voters or the uncommitted voters, and for all of those reasons to me the trend in terms of where

St Lucia was going was fairly clear.”

Meantime, in today’s interview with Barbados TODAY, Joseph had difficulty comprehending how St Lucians chose Chastanet over Anthony, who he said displayed superior leadership skills and whose party presented the better candidates.

The UWI official added that, unlike most of the region’s past leaders, the new prime minister was not rooted in any movement, such as labour unions or mass-based political organizations, but came from the business class.

Trinidad and Tobago, facing an influx of Venezuelans arriving here from their economic and politically troubled country, says it wants co-ordinated patrols between the Guardia Nacional and its Coast Guard to stem illegal migrants arriving here from the South American country.

“We have seen an increase in the amount of people coming here,” National Security Minister Edmund Dillon said, indicating that he had discussed the matter in Caracas two weeks ago.

“We even went as far as to discuss Coast Guard officers on a Venezuelan vessel and Venezuelan officers on a Trinidad vessel, so we have that cooperation in patrolling.”

Dillon said, adding this would facilitate coordination on both side of the dividing maritime line.

Speaking to reporters after touring the Cedros port in the southwestern peninsula on Wednesday, Dillon said that the Commanding officer of the Coast Guard of Venezuela is in Trinidad right and “is having conversations right now with the Commanding officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard.

“He will be here until Friday and part of the discussion is how do we cooperate with one another in patrolling the Gulf of Paria,” Dillon said.

Several Venezuelans have arrived here on shopping expeditions as well as seeking employment opportunities as a result of the unrest in their country as opposition forces move to oust President Nicolas Maduro, blaming him for the socioeconomic problems facing the oil –rich country.

During an official visit to Port of Spain last month, Maduro signed an agreement to purchase US$50 million worth of goods and services.

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JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

CARIBBEAN NEWS

Rihanna buys million-dollar Barbados mansion for her dad

Robyn Fenty also known as Rihanna

Rihanna has bought her father a $1.8 million (£1.27 million) mansion in Barbados.

The 28-year-old singer, real name Robyn Fenty, isn’t short of money and kindly decided to give dad Ronald Fenty the opportunity to choose a property for himself on the island nation, and give her the bill.

Ronald opted for a stunning mansion in the Sandy Lane community of Barbados, where stars including Beyonce and Jay Z and music mogul Simon Cowell also own properties.

“Robyn was so kind,”

Ronald told Britain’s Now magazine. “She sent me a few houses to choose from around the island. I chose this one, not because it was the most expensive, but it’s got the gardens.”

While he was initially happy in his former house, the attention he got for being the father of one of the world’s most famous pop princesses eventually became too much to handle. But his new abode has a lot more privacy - something Ronald is very grateful for.

“It got out of hand - I’d be sat watching a good politics

debate and then a bus of tourists would arrive wanting to take a picture with me,” he explained.

“There was no privacy. Here, I’ve got trees and the road is much quieter.”

Rihanna has a history of using her hard-earned money to help out her family. She splashed out on a five-bedroom mansion for her mother Monica Braithwaite in 2012 during a special hourlong episode of Oprah Winfrey’s show.

“I wanted to do this for you for a very long time,” Rihanna told her mother at the time. “You have been such an amazing mother, example, soldier, and you get to walk away with the key to this house tonight.”

Rihanna has also been funding Ronald’s medical treatment in Los Angeles. The 66-year-old requires medical care following an accident 10 years ago when he crashed his car into a tree in bad weather.

“It’s a very long way to go to see the doctor but Robyn insists I have treatment there.

She really looks after me,” Ronald smiled.

Guyanese corn beef thief deported from Barbados

A 51-year-old Guyanese man was ordered to leave Barbados after pleading guilty to theft in a Magistrates’ Court.

Magistrate Kristie CuffySergeant issued the deportation order to Johnny Harington Worrell, who has been living in Barbados illegally for the past 11 years.

Worrell, who resided in

Deacons Road, St Michael, was charged with stealing one can of corn beef valued at $5, two cans of tuna worth $6.20 and three cans of condensed milk valued $11.55 from A1 Supermarket Limited.

He was arrested after security personnel responded to a report that a man was seen concealing items “on his person”.

The tuna was found in

spandex-like underpants while the other items were found in the small of his back under a vest.

According to a report the accused arrived in Barbados in December 2004 and applied for an extension to stay in the country until June the following year.

However, he failed to regularize his status when it expired on August 31, 2005.

Barbados benefits from Sandals

Barbados is seeing the benefits of having the Sandals hotel brand here and tourism officials are anticipating even greater returns as Sandals Resorts International ramps up its promotional message around the globe.

Chairman of the upscale, internationally recognised Caribbean hotel chain, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, disclosed he had been making a promotional thrust into the world’s most lucrative tourism markets such as China. As a result, Barbados stands to benefit from the Sandals marketing might in a way, Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy said, “we could not pay for as a destination”.

Sealy said last week that Sandals was doing “a lot of work” in Europe, an indication that the company understood the importance of diversifying its sources for visitors even though it was reaping success in already established markets.

Such a marketing drive, Sealy

Sandals Barbados suggested, was in consonance with Barbados’ strategic marketing initiatives recently put in place to lure more visitors from the currently low-producing European market.

Sandals broke ground on Tuesday for a 222-room expansion to Sandals Barbados, which was opened in 2015. At the ground-breaking ceremony Sealy announced that of the record 591 000 visitors coming to Barbados last year, “at least 20 000 of them have stayed at Sandals.”

The Dover, Christ Church property represents Sandals largest investment ever in a hotel project and the company’s

chairman Stewart said he had long eyed Barbados as a great prospective destination to fly the Sandals flag.

Referring to the way Barbados was enjoying the spinoff benefits of his first all-inclusive hotel on the island, Stewart pointed out that guests of Sandals Barbados were venturing outside the Christ Church hotel to take advantage of activities in the St Lawrence Gap and Dover areas.

Some guests he said were going even farther, beyond the hotel’s activities organised in-house, to experience other features and attractions in Barbados’ tourism offerings.

US Congresswoman seeks presidential pardon for Jamaican National Hero

NEW YORK – US Congresswoman Yvette Clarke is seeking presidential pardon for one of Jamaica’s National Heroes – Marcus Mosiah Garvey who was charged with US mail fraud.

Clarke – the daughter of former New York Council woman Una Clarke hopes that Garvey will be exonerated before US President Barak Obama leaves office in January 2017.

In a recent address to the Jamaica Diaspora here, Clarke said that two other congressmen from the Congressional Black Caucus- House Ways and Means Committee – Chairman and friend of Jamaica Charles Rangel of New York and the Dean of Congress, the longest serving member of the House, Representative John Conyers of Detroit – would join her to lead the charge in ensuring ensure that the Jamaican National Hero received the presidential pardon and that his name is reclaimed.

On January 12, 1922, while residing in the United States, Garvey, founder of the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and charged with mail fraud.

In 1925, Garvey began serving a five-year sentence in a US penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia.

After several appeals, his sentence was eventually commuted by President Calvin Coolidge, and he was deported to Jamaica.

Observers and political and legal analysts say that while Garvey did not commit any criminal acts, “his politics were on trial.”

As a Jamaican political leader, writer, entrepreneur, orator and thinker whose philosophy supported the “Back to Africa” movement of the 1920s, Garvey advocated that members of the African Diaspora return to their ancestral lands.

He is remembered for his influence on Black Nationalism and pan-Africanism.

Two Dominican Republic nationals detained following drama at sea

NASSAU, Bahamas – Bahamian authorities have defended the decision of the crew of Her Majesty’s Bahamian Ship (HMBS), Cascarilla, to fire upon a fishing vessel registered in the Dominican Republic on Monday night, saying the fishing vessel had first fired upon the Cascarilla.

National Security Minister Dr. Bernard J. Nottage said that he has ordered “an immediate and thorough investigation into this incident by law enforcement agencies” and that Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell, who is in Santo Domingo on government business “has taken up the matter with the government of the Dominican Republic”.

Two Dominican Republic nationals are now in custody as a result of the incident that allegedly took place in Bahamian waters in the area of the Great Bahama Bank and that no RBDF personnel were injured during the exchange of gunfire.

National Security officials said the incident occurred after the crew of the HMBS Cascarilla attempted to board the fishing vessel after receiving information from local fishermen in the area and confirmation from the Defence Force’s air assets that the crew of the fishing vessel was illegally fishing in Bahamian waters.

HMBS Cascarilla subsequently engaged the Dominican vessel in hot pursuit south of Cay Lobos near the southern limits of the Great Bahama Bank. The chase continued towards Cuban territorial waters. HMBS Cascarilla called off their pursuit once the vessel entered Cuban waters.

Nottage said the Cuban Border Guard had been informed that the fishing vessel had entered their waters.

“The obligations of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force are very demanding and are becoming more challenging as The Bahamas is increasingly threatened with illicit activities including the poaching of our marine resources,” Nottage said.

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Door Open To Same Sex Marriage in The Bahamas

Court of Appeal President opened nor closed the door to same-sex Dame Anita Allen said last night the marriages. judiciary is likely to face challenges Giving the eighth annual in determining whether same-sex Eugene Dupuch Distinguished Lecture marriages are legal in The Bahamas, last night, Dame Anita stressed while pointing to “difficulties” that her views were not endorsed by inherent in the existing marriage laws the Court of Appeal and were solely that do not present any provision that personal. parties to a marriage must be male “Admittedly, Sections 20 and and female.

21 (1) (C) of the Matrimonial Causes Dame Anita said that, arguably, Act, empower a court on the petition the laws of The Bahamas do not of either party to declare a marriage discriminate on the basis of sex and void on the grounds that the parties facilitate not only marriages of every to the marriage are not respectively description but also consummation of ‘male and female’,” she said to a full the same. audience at the British Colonial

Given the various challenges Hilton. relating to the existing law, Dame “And indeed I have heard many Anita last night insisted that both the argue that these provisions define Marriage Act and the Matrimonial what marriage is in the Bahamas.

Causes Act require “reconstructing” to However I retort respectfully that meet the needs of a changing society. while these and other provisions of

She also suggested that the the Act may be some indication of Bahamas amend its Constitution the premise, neither Sections 20 and similar to the way Jamaica did in 2008, 21, nor any other provision of the Act, in declaring that no marriage other substantively provide that marriage than between a man and a woman is is exclusively between a man and recognised and of legal effect. But this, a woman. Indeed, the purpose of she said, may similarly be susceptible Sections 20 and 21 appears to be the to a constitutional challenge. protection of an innocent spouse from

She said the country must the misrepresentation and fraud of choose what it wants to do in deciding the other. the definition of marriage.

“Significantly, Sections 20

And after the highly and 21 are only activated post the controversial failed June 7 gender celebration of the marriage and only equality referendum – which saw a on the petition of either party to the wave of pushback to question four marriage. In the absence then of any that sought to prevent discrimination statutory provision that a marriage based on sex or being male or female – which is not between male and female Dame Anita said this question neither is void ab initio, a same-sex marriage

Court of Appeal President Dame Anita Allen is arguably valid unless or declared void.”

She continued: “In light of this, the proposition that the provisions of the Matrimonial Causes Act declare that marriage is exclusively between a man and a woman is arguably unsustainable on a true construction of the relevant provisions.

“Further, it bears noting that as long ago as 1991, Parliament, via an amendment to the Sexual Offences Act, decriminalised sexual intercourse between consenting same-sex adults in private.

“And so considering all of the above, if the argument that there is no statutory definition of marriage, no statutory requirement that the intended parties to a marriage must

be exclusively male and female; and no reception or adoption of the English common law definition of marriage holds, it would arguably follow that the laws of the Bahamas do not discriminate on the basis of sex and facilitates not only marriages of every description but consummation of the same.”

Dame Anita told the audience that should a same-sex couple succeed in obtaining permission to marry, then marry, remain married and happy, and neither party petitions to have the marriage declared void, their marriage would conceivably be valid.

“But even if the common law definition of marriage was incorporated into our law by the Declaratory Act, or even if the suggestion that Section 21 of the Matrimonial Causes Act substantively provides that marriage is exclusively between a man and woman this may not be sufficient to close the door to same-sex marriage.

“I am the first to acknowledge that unlike the American Constitution, our fundamental rights provisions do not contain a specific right to family life or to the pursuit of happiness, though interestingly, the right to family life was included in our 1963 Constitution.

“It is therefore not outside the realm of possibility that some courageous and astute Bahamian advocate might succeed in convincing a court that the right to marry is located in one or more of the aforementioned fundamental rights,” Dame Anita said.

Former Bermuda Premier to vote for same-sex marriage

Sir John Swan will vote in favour of same-sex marriage and civil unions in next week’s referendum, he declared yesterday.

The former Premier, political icon and Bermuda’s 2016 national hero told The Royal Gazette that he had “evolved” since he voted against the 1994 Stubbs Bill, which struck down the island’s anti-sodomy laws, and now recognised the “most important aspect of life is natural justice” for all.

“The gay issue is not an issue in my house,” Sir John said. “Everybody is the same. I have three children.

They don’t have a lick of reservation in supporting this measure. Nor do I. I very clearly and emphatically support the ‘yes’ vote. We all should be treated equally.”

Sir John, who was Premier of Bermuda from 1982 to 1995, outlines his position in an opinion piece on page 4 of today’s newspaper, explaining how he made his decision on the Stubbs Bill with his head and not his heart, but would now be voting “with my head and my heart in favour of samesex marriage”.

His declaration comes little more than a week before referendum day on June 23, when voters will be asked to say if they are in favour of same-sex marriage and if they are in favour of civil unions. Early polling, for travellers and incapacitated voters, began yesterday at Bermuda College and will continue today and tomorrow.

Those against same-sex marriage include the campaign group Preserve Marriage.

Among opponents is Pastor Terence Stovell, of the Better Covenant

Sir John Swan Christian Fellowship, who said that he had based his personal view on the maxim of Christian author Myles Munroe that all things in life have purposes — and that “where purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable”.

Mr Stovell said he had used that concept in tandem with the idea of an original intent for humanity.

“Is the original design of male and female in line with an intent that speaks to the reason why we exist?” asked Mr Stovell, whose opinion also appears on page 4 today. “Is there a self-evident truth, and is scripture in line with that?”

Mr Stovell said the justifications for human sexual design were laid out along with the original intent for man’s existence on the Earth

in the book of Genesis. curtail their right[s].”

“While that is not the only The former United Bermuda reason for our sexual design, it Party leader said that he had a safe certainly is a key reason for why men seat in Paget in 1994 and made his and women are designed the way they decision to vote against the Stubbs Bill are — what I would call a natural fit.” not for personal political gain, but for

Sir John said back in 1994, as the “interests of the country”. He said: leader of the country, that he had much “I always wanted to hold the country sympathy with the private member’s together. I voted last time with my Bill tabled by John Stubbs, a member head. I made a calculated decision to of his Cabinet, but also had sympathy try to hold on to the institutions of our with the churches, which opposed the community, at the same time knowing legislation. that the Bill was going to get through

He revealed he told Dr Stubbs: Parliament.

“If it needs my vote to pass, I’ll vote “I had a split personality for it, but if it doesn’t, I’ll support the in the process. I don’t have a split churches. I, as the leader, decided to personality now; I have a very support the wishes of the Church by definitive personality. That’s the way not supporting the Bill.”

Bermuda was at the time. People

The Stubbs Bill passed by evolve. We have all evolved.

22-16, with Progressive Labour Party “I am no longer the leader [of leader Frederick Wade voting in the country] and I’m doing something favour of it. Sir John said he did not that, in all good conscience, maybe I regret the way he voted then because should have done then. The fact that “they were different times”.

I did something 30 years ago doesn’t

He added: “The world has mean I should do it today.” made a significant change. My ideas He said Bermudians would have evolved and I have always have to exercise their conscience next believed in natural human justice, week. “It’s an individual decision,” he but then I felt as though the Church said. was a major institution in our society “I would ask them to step back that you just couldn’t ignore. I have and think what would happen to their evolved and recognised that the most children and grandchildren if they important aspect of life is natural were in the same boat. Nature does justice. not promise us a straight line.

“Through my experiences with “There are deviations in my own children, who have a number nature, as in anything else. of friends who are gay, and my own “What you have to decide is: experiences, as I have gay friends who what is the message I’m giving to my are contemporaries, there is a whole children or my grandchildren or my encompassing of my relationship with relatives or friends or their children. the gay community. I never could see “Should we not all, in the eyes myself as doing something that would of God, be treated like his children?”

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JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

NEWS

Obama meets massacre survivors, assails homegrown terrorism

President Barack Obama met survivors of a gay nightclub massacre and relatives of the 49 people killed on Thursday and said the United States must act to control gun violence and fight what he called homegrown terrorism.

“The last two terrorist attacks on our soil - Orlando and San Bernardino - were homegrown,” Obama told reporters. “We’re going to have to do more to prevent these kinds of events from occurring. It’s going to take more than just our military.

It’s going to take more than just our intelligence community.”

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Orlando, Florida, four days after a U.S.-born gunman U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and Vice President Joe Biden place flowers at a makeshift claiming allegiance to various memorial for shooting victims of the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, U.S., June 16, Islamist militant groups carried out 2016 the deadliest mass shooting in modern dead 14 people in San Bernardino, vengeance,” according to a letter to U.S. history.

California, in December.

Facebook (FB.O) from the chairman

The United States has made of the U.S. Senate Committee on it too easy for disturbed or wrathful ORLANDO MOURNS Homeland Security. people to legally acquire high-powered

The attack sparked a fresh weapons like the assault rifle used in Orlando mourned the dead debate over how the United States the attack on Sunday, Obama said. after what was also the worst attack responds to Islamist militant violence

“I held and hugged” grieving in America on the lesbian, gay, at home and abroad, with Republican family members before laying flowers bisexual and transgender community. Senator John McCain telling reporters at a memorial for the victims of the Wakes were under way for at least on Thursday he viewed Obama as attack on the Pulse nightclub, he three victims: Kimberly Morris, “directly responsible” for the Orlando said. Police killed the gunman, Omar Anthony Luis Laureano Disla and Roy attack due to his failure to prevent the Mateen, 29, a U.S. citizen born in New Fernandez. rise of Islamic State.

York to Afghan immigrants.

Twenty-three of the 53 Shortly afterward, McCain

Islamic State claimed wounded remained hospitalized, six said on his official Twitter feed responsibility for the attack but U.S. in critical condition, according to that he was referring to Obama’s officials have said they do not believe Orlando Regional Medical Center. national security decisions, “not to the Mateen was assisted from abroad. CIA During his attack, Mateen President himself.”

Director John Brennan told a Senate also posted messages on Facebook.

Mateen carried out the Intelligence Committee hearing on One message, apparently slaughter with an assault weapon Thursday that the agency had “not referring to air strikes against Islamic and handgun that had been legally been able to uncover any direct link” State by the United States and its purchased although he had twice been between Mateen and militants abroad. allies, said: “You kill innocent women investigated in the past by the FBI A married couple also claiming and children by doing us air strikes ... for possible connections with militant allegiance to Islamic State shot now taste the Islamic State Islamist groups.

CONGRESS UNDER PRESSURE

Obama, who has denounced the attack as both an act of terrorism and a hate crime, reiterated his frustration over the easy availability of guns in America and the failure of Congress to pass any gun control measures in more than two decades.

The massacre put pressure on Congress to act.

After a marathon of speeches

by Democrats on Wednesday and into the early hours of Thursday, a Democratic senator said Republicans had agreed to hold votes on measures to expand background checks and prevent people on U.S. terrorism watch lists from buying guns.

No formal deal between the parties for votes was announced, and it was unclear exactly when and how the Senate would proceed with the votes, which would be amendments to an appropriations bill funding the Commerce and Justice departments.

Even if votes are now scheduled, it is unclear whether any of the bills can gain enough support to pass the Senate.

Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said the chamber will most likely vote on four gun control measures on Monday.

Republicans, who currently hold a 54-person majority in the 100seat Senate, have blocked a number of Democratic-backed gun control measures over the years, saying they infringe on Americans’ constitutional right to bear arms. Some Republican gun control measures - deemed insufficient by Democrats - have also failed to pass.

Trump adds new twist to immigration proposals, but legal doubts persist Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s proposal for suspending immigration from parts of the world with a history of terrorism could have a legal basis, but his assertion that it be part of a broader ban on Muslim immigrants makes it constitutionally untenable, legal scholars say.

The new twist in Trump’s antiMuslim rhetoric came in the aftermath of a weekend shooting massacre at a Florida nightclub by the Americanborn son of Afghan immigrants.

In a fiery speech on Monday, he expanded on his proposed temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, vowing if elected to halt immigration from any area of the world where there is a “proven history of terrorism” against America or its allies.

He also accused the MuslimAmerican community of broad complicity in attacks such as the Orlando shooting, which was carried out by a gunman pledging allegiance to Islamic State, and threatened “big consequences” for those who fail to inform on their neighbors.

Many legal experts said

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Greensboro, North Carolina on June 14, 2016 Trump’s proposal for a religion-based ban would be unlikely to pass the test of U.S. constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, due process and equal protection and would likely be struck down by the courts if he tried to implement them by presidential decree.

However, a ban on immigrants from certain countries has some precedent and might pass muster.

Some see that new proposal as reminiscent of the congressional Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which was used for years to halt the influx of Chinese laborers and has been widely considered a black mark on America’s immigration record.

But Trump’s overall

immigration plan would go beyond that, targeting not just a country or a region of the world but also a religion, something that no modern U.S. president has done.

“This is an absurd proposal to build a Fortress America and pull up the drawbridges,” said John Bellinger, former legal adviser to the Bush administration.

President Barack Obama took a veiled swipe at Trump on Tuesday, saying such ideas represented a “dangerous” mindset.

But U.S. presidents have wide latitude on immigration matters, and some conservative scholars said that the fate of any proposed ban would hinge on how narrowly Trump framed it.

They note, for instance, that Democratic President Jimmy Carter barred Iranian nationals from entering the United States during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.

“If a Trump administration cut off immigration from certain countries, rather than certain religions, it would not violate the Constitution,” said John Yoo, a law professor at the University of California Berkeley and former Justice

Department official who advised the George W. Bush administration on interrogation methods used on terrorism suspects.

Herman Schwartz, a law professor at American University in Washington, said if Trump stuck to his proposal for a temporary prohibition on Muslim immigrants, that raises significant constitutional questions and “shows his shaky command of the legal facts.”

In Monday’s speech in New Hampshire, Trump showed little sign of scaling back his call to ban Muslims from entering the United States, which he first laid out in December after an Islamic State-linked deadly mass shooting in San Bernardino, California.

Debate over the legality of Trump’s proposals was complicated by the vagueness of his pronouncement and questions on how broadly he would extend any immigration ban if elected.

While legal experts say presidents have the power to ban immigrants from specific countries, the United States does not currently ban immigration from any country. Officials do give extra scrutiny to people entering from countries such Syria and Iran.

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Probe of Disney resort after alligator death not criminal

Lane Graves, a 2-year-old boy who was grabbed by an alligator in a lagoon at Walt Disney World

The probe into the death of a two-year-old boy likely drowned by an alligator at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, is not criminal in nature, the local sheriff ’s office said on Thursday.

Police divers recovered the body of Lane Graves on Wednesday from the man-made lake where he had been snatched by the alligator as he played at the water’s edge the night before.

The investigation is continuing, said Orange County Sheriff ’s Department spokeswoman Rose Silva, adding, “It’s not criminal in nature at this time.” She did not provide further details.

A Disney spokeswoman has said the company would review the posted signs that ban swimming in Seven Seas Lagoon but do not specifically warn about alligators.

The boy was grabbed by the reptile at about 9:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday while his family, on vacation from Elkhorn, Nebraska, relaxed on the shore nearby, sheriffs officials have said. His parents, Matt and Melissa Graves, tried to save the child but were unable to free him from the alligator’s grip.

The boy’s body was found intact underwater, and he was presumed to have been drowned by the alligator.

The aquatic predators often roll their larger prey beneath the surface until their victim stops b Disney said that Chief Executive Bob Iger spoke with the family by phone on Wednesday and expressed his sympathies.

Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Wahler said on Thursday that resort beaches that were closed after the attack would be off-limits to guests until further notice.

“All of our beaches are currently closed, and we are conducting a swift and thorough review of all of our processes and protocols,” Wahler said in a statement. “This includes the number, placement and wording of our signage and warnings.”

Black box from crashed EgyptAir plane retrieved

Recovered debris of the EgyptAir jet that crashed in the Mediterranean Sea is seen in this handout image released May 21, 2016 by Egypt’s military

The cockpit voice recorder was able to salvage the part that from EgyptAir flight MS804 has contains the memory unit, which been retrieved by search teams in is considered the most important a breakthrough for investigators part of the recording device,” the seeking to explain what caused statement said.

Egypt’s public prosecutor the plane to crash into the sea ordered that the recovered device killing all 66 people on board.

The Airbus A320 plunged be handed over to Egyptian air into the Mediterranean early on accident investigators for analysis.

May 19 on its way from Paris to Two specialist vessels, John Lethbridge and Laplace, are Cairo.

Since then, search teams continuing to search for the second have worked against the clock to black box, which contains the recover the two black box recorders flight data recorder. They have yet crucial to explaining what went to detect signals from that device wrong, before they stop emitting but have identified the location of the main parts of the wreckage. signals in about a week.

The black boxes are Egypt’s investigation committee said in a statement usually located in the tail, so that a specialist vessel owned finding the wreckage and one of

by Mauritius-based Deep Ocean the devices narrows the search. investigation Search was forced to salvage the The device in stages because it was committee said on Monday the extensively damaged, but was black boxes were expected to stop emitting signals around June 24. able to retrieve the memory unit.

That would make the second device

“The vessel’s equipment

harder to find because the plane crashed in some of the deepest waters of the Mediterranean, about 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) below the surface.

With only limited amounts of wreckage and human remains found before Thursday’s breakthrough, Egypt’s investigators have had little to go on.

They said on Monday that radar imagery obtained from the Egyptian military had confirmed previous reports based on Greek and British radar data indicating that the plane had swerved sharply to the left, then spun 360 degrees to the right before disappearing from radar.

That conclusion is important, one aviation source has said, because it goes some way to excluding the possibility that the plane was brought down by a midair explosion.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for bringing down the plane, but investigation sources have said that it was too early to rule out any explanations, including terrorism.

The crash is the third blow since October to Egypt’s travel industry, which is still reeling from the 2011 uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule.

A Russian plane crashed in the Sinai Peninsula last October, killing all 224 people on board in an attack claimed by Islamic State.

In March, an EgyptAir plane was hijacked by a man wearing a fake suicide belt. No one was hurt.

About 1.3 million wild alligators in Florida but attacks rare

Police on Wednesday recovered the body of a two-yearold boy who was grabbed by an alligator in front of his family during a vacation at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, officials said.

The child was snatched by SIXTH GATOR CAUGHT the alligator as he played at the water’s edge on Tuesday night and

The alligator was believed to be between four dragged into a lagoon despite his An alligator suns itself along the Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida April 22, 2015 and seven feet (1.2 and 2 meters) long. parents’ efforts to save him.

Trappers remained at the lagoon on Thursday The following are some reptiles in swimming pools and of alligators because that removes after removing a sixth alligator from the water late on facts about Florida alligators: even garages, according to the their innate fear of humans.

Wednesday in an effort to find the one that snatched commission, which receives more People can receive a $500 fine for the child, said Greg Workman, a spokesman for the EVERYWHERE IN FLORIDA than 15,000 alligator-related doing so.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. complaints a year on average.

The commission allows some 7,000 They have not found it yet.

There are about 1.3 nuisance alligators to be killed

The commission’s executive director, Nick million wild alligators in Florida, HUMAN ATTACKS RARE each year.

Wiley, has said there is a good chance they have according to an estimate from NOCTURNAL ATTACKS already captured the alligator in question. But the Florida Fish and Wildlife Alligators naturally fear While rare, alligator attacks are officials said the search would go on until that was Conservation Commission. That’s humans, wildlife experts said. more likely to happen at night. proved by forensic tests such as DNA studies, teeth more than 22 per square mile and Only 23 people in Florida “That’s generally the measurements and comparison of bite marks. about one for every 15 residents. have died from unprovoked time that alligators increase

Workman said the commission also has “They likely exist in alligator attacks since 1948, as of their feeding rate,” said the wildlife officers on the scene around the clock, every waterway in our state,” said April data from the commission. commission’s alligator research including three last night. He said they are searching Kenneth Krysko of the Florida There have been 383 non-fatal biologist Allan Woodward, adding all day, but especially at night when alligators are Museum of Natural History’s bites reported in that time. that at night the reptiles can more active because of cooler temperatures and less Division of Herpetology. “hunt under the cover of darkness human activity.

Alligators prefer fresh BECOMING A NUISANCE for animals that live on land and

Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) shares were down water lakes and slow-moving come to the water to drink.” about 0.5 percent at $98.22 in afternoon trading rivers and their wetlands, but The reptiles become a Woodward added that on Thursday. Its Orlando resort is the most-visited can also be found in brackish, or threat, or “nuisance alligators,” alligators eat more in the summer theme park in the world, drawing more than 20 slightly salty, water. when people feed them. when it’s hot - just as vacationers million visitors last year.

Locals have spotted the Florida law prohibits the feeding flock to waterways to cool off.

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WORLD NEWS

Disney’s China fairytale begins with $5.5 billion park opening

Walt Disney Co has opened the expanding the Shanghai site to keep gates to its first theme park in China, the home crowd keen, in a country prompting a rush from thousands of where competition from a plethora of gathered Mickey Mouse enthusiasts local theme parks promises to be fierce. to be the first to storm Treasure “There is actually construction going Cove, ride the Roaring Rapids or visit on this week. When we open we will Disney’s tallest castle. continue the construction to expand

Disney’s largest overseas what’s on the opening day menu,” said investment at $5.5 billion, the park Iger, who first scoped out the seven is a bet on China’s middle class and square kilometer plot in 1999. booming domestic tourism. The U.S.

“We have plenty of space to do firm hopes it will offset an otherwise that and we believe we’ve got willing lackluster international theme park partners ... We think we will probably business, better known for cashdo that sooner rather than later.” burning sites such as Euro Disney.

Shanghai Disney could also

“This is one of the proudest help lure more consumers to its hit and most exciting moments in the films such as “Zootopia” and “Captain history of the Walt Disney Company,” America: Civil War”, which are among chief executive Bob Iger said at the the top grossing films in China this official ribbon cutting ceremony on year.

Thursday, where he was flanked by

Disney, though, is facing Chinese government officials. intense competition from homegrown People walk at Shanghai Disney Resort during a three-day Grand Opening event in Shanghai, China,

Iger and Chinese Vice Premier parks and domestic cartoon characters.

June 15, 2016 Wang Yang read out letters of support Consumers also have an ambivalent from Barack Obama and President Xi 1960s for what is now Walt Disney to the park: that includes Zhao Qiong, attitude to its products, with some Jinping.

World - the world’s most-visited theme 36, who was one of the first visitors being skeptical about American values

Not everything has gone quite park. inside the park on Thursday with her overriding Chinese traditions and to plan though.

With that in mind, Main Street 4-year-old daughter. culture.

The opening gala - meant to be has been replaced by Mickey Avenue “Since she was young, my

Iger received a presidential a bonanza of fireworks, live music and to reduce the feel of Americana while little girl has always loved Disney welcome from Xi Jinping in May, and dance - was rained off on Wednesday attractions include the Chinese-style princesses, so I wanted to bring her to Disney has been granted “special” night, while at Disney’s park in Wandering Moon tea house, a Chinese the park to fulfill her dream,” she told trademark protection. But China’s Orlando, Florida, a young boy was Zodiac-themed garden and a Tarzan Reuters. main military newspaper has also grabbed by an alligator and killed. musical featuring Chinese acrobats. warned that “Zootopia”, a story about

Disney, though, sees China Disney estimates 330 million ALREADY EXPANDING a rabbit police officer in an animal as its biggest opportunity since Walt people within a three-hour radius of city, was a tool for spreading U.S. Disney bought land in Florida in the Shanghai will be able to afford to come The iconic U.S. firm is already propaganda and ideals.

Democrats want ‘major role’ for Sanders

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders delivers a statement after his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama (not pictured) at the White House in Washington, U.S. June 9, 2016

Bernie Sanders may said that Sanders should endorse have lost his bid to become the Clinton, a former secretary of Democratic nominee for the state and senator who appears White House, but party members bound for a showdown with don’t want the U.S. senator from Republican Donald Trump in November’s presidential election.

Vermont to step off the stage.

More than three-quarters Sanders, a self-described of Democrats say Sanders should Democratic socialist, managed have a “major role” in shaping to turn his long-shot run into the party’s positions, while nearly a mass movement with hardtwo thirds say Hillary Clinton - line proposals to combat wealth who beat him for the nomination inequality, increase access to - should pick him as her vice- health care and education, and presidential running mate, defend the environment. according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

His challenge to Clinton, In a sign that Democrats hope one of the best-known figures their party can unite after a fierce in American politics, lasted primary season, two-thirds also far longer than expected, as

he racked up strong results in a number of state nominating contests and stayed in the race even when the delegate count seemed to spell his doom, and yielded record numbers of small donations to his campaign.

Sanders so far has not conceded defeat, even though Clinton recently clinched the nomination and won endorsements from President Barack Obama and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts - a favorite of the same left-leaning voters who supported him.

Sanders has said he will continue to push for a liberal agenda heading into the Democratic National Convention in July - when Clinton’s nomination is expected to become official - though he has hinted he does not want his presence to hurt the Democrats’ chances of keeping the White House.

“We will not let Donald Trump become president,” Sanders told supporters last week.

The poll, conducted June 7-10 - right after Clinton sewed up the delegate majority to become the presumptive Democratic nominee - showed that while most Democrats want Sanders to line up behind Clinton, about 44 percent would like him to make an independent run for the White House. Some 47 percent said he should not.

The poll included 455 respondents and has a credibility interval, a measure of accuracy, of 5.3 percentage points.

Wife of Orlando shooter could face charges soon

The wife of the gunman who killed 49 people at an Orlando gay nightclub could face criminal charges as early as Wednesday after a federal grand jury was convened to study possible wrongdoing by her, a law enforcement source said.

Omar Mateen’s wife, Noor Salman, knew of his plans for what became the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, said the law enforcement source, who has been briefed on the matter.

U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, which received a briefing on the investigation into Sunday’s massacre, told CNN it appeared Salman had “some knowledge” of what was going on.

“She definitely is, I guess you would say, a person of interest right now and appears to be cooperating and can provide us with some important information,” King said.

Salman was with Mateen when he cased possible targets in the past two months, including the Disney World resort in April, a shopping complex called Disney Springs and the Pulse nightclub in early June, CNN and NBC reported.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer was due to open a family assistance center at a stadium on Wednesday where those directly affected by the tragedy will be able to get information, support and other resources, city officials said.

Mateen, who was shot dead by police SWAT team members after a three-hour standoff, called 911 during his rampage to profess allegiance to various militant Islamist groups.

Federal investigators have said he was likely self-radicalized and there was no evidence he received any help or instructions from outside groups such as Islamic State. Mateen, 29, was a U.S. citizen, born in New York of Afghan immigrant parents and worked as a security guard.

“He appears to have been an angry, disturbed, unstable young man who became radicalized,” President Barack Obama told reporters.

Salman’s mother, Ekbal Zahi Salman, lives in a middle-class neighborhood in Rodeo, California, about 25 miles (40 km) north of San Francisco. A neighbor said Noor Salman only visited her mother once after she married Mateen.

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FBI offers reward for California serial killer in cold case

The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday offered a $50,000 reward for help in apprehending a serial killer suspected of 12 slayings and 45 rapes in California, in a 40-year-old cold case.

The unidentified man, who would now be between ages 60 and 75 years old, carried out his attacks between 1976 and 1986 throughout California and is considered one of the state’s most prolific serial killers, according to the FBI. Officials described him as a white male, about 5 feet, 10 inches tall with blond or light brown hair.

Investigators have dubbed him the East Area Rapist and the Golden State Killer.

He was adept at using firearms and was known to sneak into a house and confront sleeping couples in bed, shining a flashlight in their eyes before raping the woman while the man was tied up, according to the FBI.

On occasion, he would kill the couple. Other times, he attacked women alone at home or with their children.

“There is a likelihood that he is alive and certainly if he is we would

A combination image shows FBI sketches of an unknown individual known as the East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer (EAR/GSK) described as a White male, currently thought to be between the ages of 60 and 75 years old, shown in sketches released on June 15, 2016. like to get some justice for the victims,” FBI spokeswoman Gina Swankie said in a phone interview.

The first crime investigators attributed to the man was a rape in the Sacramento area on June 18, 1976, nearly 40 years ago.

“It’s an ideal time to refresh everyone’s memories and try to get this reward to encourage people to come forward with information,” Swankie said.

Between 1976 and 1978, he carried out burglaries, rapes and

killings in the Sacramento area, then last attack. centered his attacks on the eastern Investigators have linked region of the San Francisco Bay Area him to 12 slayings and 45 rapes based in 1979, the FBI said in a statement on DNA evidence and his chillingly announcing the reward. unique methods, Swankie said.

Over the next two years, The killer also burglarized he killed several people along the homes and took valuables from victims California Coast, the FBI said. while they were bound, accumulating

After a 1981 slaying in the a trove of coins and jewelry, which led Southern California community of the FBI in their announcement to ask Irvine he appears to have stopped people to alert it if they discovered a until 1986, when he struck again in “hidden collection of items” belonging Irvine, raping and killing a teenager, to a friend or relative. the FBI statement said. That was the

British Labour lawmaker dies after shooting attack

A British lawmaker was shot to death Thursday in a small town she represents, a tragedy that brought to a standstill the fierce campaign over whether Britain should leave the European Union.

Labour legislator Jo Cox was attacked just before 1 p.m. in Birstall, northern England, Acting Chief Constable Dee Collins of West Yorkshire Police said. She was pronounced dead by a doctor less than an hour later.

A 77-year-old man was also injured in the attack.

A 52-year-old man has been arrested and Collins said police believe it is a “lone incident” and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.

Police would not speculate on a motive for the shooting. Collins said officers had “recovered some weapons” but did not give more details.

Violence against politicians is rare in Britain, as are gun attacks, and figures from all parts of the political spectrum expressed deep shock.

Prime Minister David Cameron said “this is absolutely tragic and dreadful news.”

“We have lost a great star,” he said.” She was a great campaigning MP with huge compassion and a big heart.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said “the whole of the Labour Party

Michelle Obama, daughters to visit Liberia, Morocco, Spain

and Labour family - and indeed the two men in Birstall, 200 miles (320 whole country - will be in shock at the kilometers) north of London. horrific murder of Jo Cox today.”

Abdallah said one of the men

No serving U.K. member of was fighting with Cox and then a gun Parliament has been killed since 1990, went off twice and “she fell between when the Irish Republican Army killed two cars and I came and saw her Conservative lawmaker Ian Gow with bleeding on the floor.” a booby-trap bomb placed under his Clarke Rothwell, who runs a car outside his English home. A former nearby cafe, told the BBC he believed lawmaker, Donald Kaberry, was Cox had been shot and stabbed injured in an IRA bombing in 1990 and multiple times. died the next year.

“Three times she was shot, the

British security officials said initial time which then she dropped to the shooting was under investigation, the floor and two more times,” he said. but it didn’t appear it was related to “The third time he got close proximity international terrorism. Domestic he shot her around the head area.” terrorism, however, has not been ruled “In the meantime he was out. stabbing her as well. He was stabbing

Both the Vote Leave and her with his knife.”

Britain Stronger in Europe campaigns Shopkeeper Sanjeev Kumar suspended activity ahead of next told the BBC said he saw a woman week’s vote over whether Britain lying on the ground “bleeding from should remain a part of the 28-member the mouth and nose,” with two women bloc at the news. trying to help her.

The rival sides in the After around 15 minutes, referendum have been canvassing witnesses said emergency services feverishly ahead of what is expected arrived and tended to her with a drip. to be a close vote and Cox had been Cox, a former worker for campaigning for the “remain” camp. international development charities

It wasn’t clear if the attack who is married with two young on her was linked to the EU debate children, was elected to the House of or whether Cox had been deliberately Commons in the May 2015 general targeted. election.

Britain’s Press Association She has been one of the most news agency quoted eyewitness outspoken lawmakers on the subject Hithem Ben Abdallah as saying Cox of the Syrian civil war, and has got involved in a scuffle between been critical of Britain’s reluctance

to deepen its military involvement against the Islamic State group as part of efforts to end it.

Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox poses for a photograph. British lawmaker Cox has been injured in a shooting incident near Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England, it has been reported, Thursday June 16, 2016

Michelle Obama will travel to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the White House said.

Liberia, Morocco and Spain with her teen Obama will be joined by actor Meryl daughters Malia and Sasha at the end of Streep in Morocco on June 28 and 29 to June to promote education for girls, one of talk about commitments made by the U.S. her signature issues as the first lady of the government and the Kingdom of Morocco to United States, the White House said on help girls go to school.

Wednesday.

On June 30, Obama will wrap up the trip

In Liberia, Obama will visit a Peace by giving a speech in Madrid about her Corps training center in Kakata and a school “Let Girls Learn” global initiative, a push in Unification Town to talk to young women to harness government and private sector U.S. first lady Michelle Obama (R) arrives with her about barriers they face to staying in school. resources to promote education for girls, the daughters Sasha (L) and Malia (top) at Malpensa airport in Milan, Italy, as part of her European trip June 17, 2015 She will be joined by Liberian President White House said.

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TECHNOLOGY

Forbes wealthiest women in the world 2016

With the global economy in turmoil in early 2016, women struggled to maintain their share of the Forbes list of the World’s Billionaires. The total number of female billionaires fell to 190 from 197 last year, and women make up 10% of the world’s 1,810 10-figure fortunes.

Over the past year, six women billionaires died and the fortunes of 31 fell below $1 billion. But 27 women joined the ranks of the billionaires for the first time and another three returned to billionaire status after falling off in previous years.

Liliane Bettencourt of France is back in the seat of richest woman in the world, and is also the 11th richest person on the Forbes list. Her fortune slipped $4 billion in the past year as shares of L’Oreal fell. But the heiress was not just a victim of the markets. According to a French court, eight people, including several former wealth managers and celebrity photographer François-Marie Banier,

were found guilty in May 2015 of conning the 93-year-old Parisian out of millions of euros. Banier was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay Bettencourt $172 million in damages. The court will hear his appeal in May 2016.

Bettencourt and her family are worth $36.1 billion.

Alice Walton is the second richest woman in the world with $32.3 billion to her name. Her net worth is down $7.1 billion from last year due to a drop in the price of Wal-Mart stock. Walton, unlike her brothers Rob and Jim, is not actively involved in running the mega superstore chain her father Sam Walton founded in 1962. But she still shares in the wealth reaped by Wal-Mart. Instead, Alice focuses on collecting art and making political donations, including $25,000 to a super-PAC supporting Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

Jacqueline Mars, the third richest woman in the world, is worth

$23.4 billion, down $3.2 billion this year. Mars and her brothers inherited pet food and candy maker Mars in 1999 after their father’s death. None of them play an active role in the company, which has $33 billion in annual revenue.

Another candy heiress, Maria Franca Fissolo of Italy, snags the title of fourth richest woman with a net worth of $22.1 billion. She is the widow of Michele Ferrero, who built Ferrero Group and died on Valentine’s Day 2015. The private company is owned

by Fissolo and her son Giovanni, the CEO; its products include the popular Nutella spread, Kinder chocolates and Tic-Tac mints.

Susanne Klatten of Germany, the world’s fifth richest woman, secretly received additional shares of BMW from her mother over the years but the transfers only came to light when her mother, Johanna Quandt, last year’s ninth richest woman, died in August 2015. Klatten, worth $18.5

billion, and her brother Stefan Quandt (also a billionaire) together own almost half of BMW. Klatten is credited with steering German pharmaceutical and chemical company Altana AG toward $2 billion in annual sales.

Christy Walton, last year’s richest woman and daughter-in-law of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, slid out of the top 10 this year after previously sealed information became available detailing how her latehusband John’s estate was divided between Christy Walton and their 29-year-old son Lukas. As a result Forbes lowered Christy’s net worth to $5.2 billion and inducted another young Walton to the billionaires club.

Lukas Walton joins the list with a net worth of $10.4 billion.

Net worths for the 2016 Billionaires List were calculated using stock prices and exchange rates from Feb. 12. Some net worths have already changed since that date.

Apple enhances Siri but still trails in artificial intelligence race

Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering for Apple Inc., announces that the company’s Siri assistant for iOS will be opened for developers at the company’s World Wide Developers Conference

Apple unveiled a series of improvements to its Siri digital assistant on Thursday, but the tech giant still trails rivals such as Google and Amazon in the red-hot field of artificial intelligence, experts say.

Apple’s biggest move was to open up the talking iPhone assistant to third-party developers for inclusion in their apps, paving the way for users to hail a ride from Uber [UBER.UL] or send a message with Tencent’s (0700.

HK) WeChat using voice commands.

Experts in artificial intelligence applauded the move as an important step forward, in part

because the more people use an artificial intelligence system, the better it becomes.

But some wondered why Apple had not made Siri an open platform much sooner, noting that competing products including Amazon.com’s (AMZN.O) Alexa, Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) Cortana and the Google (GOOGL.O) app are already open to developers.

“Is it too little too late?” asked Oren Etzioni, who is CEO of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence and a professor at the University of Washington. “Siri is five years old and still trying to learn how to play well

Morgenthaler. with others.”

“It’s pretty sad for those of us

Artificial intelligence involves giving computers the ability to perform who were part of the original team,” functions normally done by people such he said. “The rate of innovation has been less than what we would have as speech recognition.

Voice-powered digital imagined.”

Technology experts have other assistants could eventually perform many tasks that currently require a concerns about Apple’s aptitude for smartphone app or a keyboard and a artificial intelligence: The company mouse, and thus they are considered a was slow to recruit talent relative to key strategic battleground for all the peers such as Google and Amazon, and its strict privacy stance limits major tech companies.

The winner of the assistant data collection, which is critical for wars might able to take a cut of making assistants smarter. Monday’s purchases made on its platform and announcement did little to allay those also steer users toward its products fears, Etzioni said.

“We see some policy shifts, we see and those of its allies.

“This is a new platform some small changes, but there was no war with huge stakes,”said Gary explosive announcement,” he said.

Morgenthaler, a venture capitalist who But Apple took other steps invested in Siri when it was a startup. to weave artificial intelligence more “It ultimately challenges search and the tightly into its operating system.

The Photos app will soon study market capitalization of Google.”

Apple may have squandered some of its users’ images to help them organize momentum. The tech giant essentially shots of favorite trips and occasions. created the category by purchasing The company said it has also made Siri, the startup behind the eponymous progress in determining the context of digital assistant, which quickly became a message, helping it serve up better a cultural touchstone after its release replies for users.

“Apple is in the hunt, working on the iPhone.

As a startup, Siri worked with hard on this,” Morgenthaler said. “They a variety of popular apps, but Apple are maybe a step behind Google, but I cut off third-party access to the service would say they are close enough that shortly after the acquisition. Apple’s Google is not going to leave them in the move on Monday brings the assistant dust.” closer to the original vision for it, said

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Oil slides 4 percent on worry of market turmoil if UK leaves EU West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 settled down $1.80, or 3.8 percent, at $46.21 a barrel. It got to a May 13 low of $45.91 after the close.

Drawdowns in U.S. crude inventories over the past month have not provided much support to oil with investors focused more on a possible rise in production as Brent and WTI traded above $50 a barrel each. U.S. energy firms added rigs drilling for oil for a second week in a row last week.

[RIG/U]

“While oil is obviously getting swept up in the bearish tide of declining equities, falling bond yields and firming dollar, we A worker looks at a pump jack at an oil field Buzovyazovskoye owned by Bashneft company also see a gradual turn in global oil north from Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia, July 11, 2015 balances more conducive toward

Oil prices slumped about Britain suspended campaigning $45 crude than levels above $50,” 4 percent and hit one-month lows over its EU membership status said Jim Ritterbusch of Chicagoon Thursday, settling down for after a deadly attack on a Member based oil markets consultancy Ritterbusch & Associates. a sixth straight day, on fears of of Parliament.

The Energy Information Oil pared losses as the global economic turmoil if Britain sterling rose, but crude tumbled Administration said on Wednesday exits the European Union. crude inventories

It was the longest slide again in post-settlement trade to domestic USOILC=ECI fell 933,000 for oil since early January, when reach new lows on the day.

Brent crude futures’ front- barrels last week, less than half prices fell seven days in a row before hitting 12-year lows below month contact LCOc1 settled down the 2.3-million-barrel decrease $30 a barrel on worries about a $1.78, or 3.6 percent, at $47.19 per forecast.

On Thursday, market barrel. In post-settlement trade, it global crude glut. firm Genscape

This time around, a fell to as low as $46.94, its lowest intelligence reported a weekly decline of resurgent dollar is hammering since May 12.

Brent has lost about $5 76,317 barrels in stockpiles at the crude futures and other commodities on speculation that a barrel, or around 10 percent, Cushing, Oklahoma delivery point Britain could vote to end its EU over the past six sessions. Prior to for WTI futures, traders who saw that, it hit an eight-month high of the data said. In the previous week, membership. [MKTS/GLOB]

The dollar .DXY hit two- nearly $53 on supply disruptions Genscape reported a drawdown of 299,058 barrels at Cushing. week highs, then eased back on out of Nigeria and Canada. the sterling’s GBP= strength as

The front-month in U.S.

Twitter invests $70 million in SoundCloud

A 3D-printed logo for Twitter is seen in this picture illustration made in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina on January 26, 2016

Twitter Inc has invested about $70 million in Berlin-based music service SoundCloud, technology website Re/code reported citing people familiar with the deal.

Twitter confirmed the investment, but did not provide any financial details.

“Earlier this year we made an investment in SoundCloud through Twitter Ventures to help support some of our efforts with creators,” Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey said.

Soundcloud, a platform that enables people to upload and share music and other audio files, also confirmed that Twitter had made the investment.

Twitter’s investment was part of a funding round expected to be in the range of $100 million, which would value SoundCloud at about $700 million, the Re/code report said.

The microblogging site has previously attempted to make a foray into music with the launch of Twitter Music in 2013, which was closed a year later. At the time, the company said that it would look for new ways to bring music based content to the service.

U.S. court backs landmark Obama internet equal-access rules

A U.S. appeals court appellate court or to the Supreme upheld the Obama administration’s Court, and telecommunications landmark rules barring internet industry groups said they would service providers from obstructing redouble efforts to get Congress to or slowing down consumer access to limit the FCC’s authority. web content on Tuesday, dealing a Netflix Inc and Twitter Inc blow to big cable and mobile phone were among the companies that companies. praised the ruling, while Google,

A three-judge panel of the part of Alphabet Inc, and others U.S. Court of Appeals for the District have backed the rules. of Columbia Circuit, in a 2-1 decision, Presumptive Democratic backed the Federal Communications presidential candidate Hillary Commission’s so-called net neutrality Clinton and Democrats in Congress rules put in place last year to make also lauded the ruling. internet service providers treat all But the U.S. Chamber of internet traffic equally.

Commerce business group said the

The rules prohibited FCC is “essentially transforming broadband providers from giving an entire industry, in this case the or selling access to speedy internet, internet, from an innovative, lightly essentially a “fast lane” on the regulated enterprise that made huge web’s information superhighway, to investments into this country, into a certain internet services over others. public utility subject to the whims of

In siding with the FCC, the regulators.” court treated the internet like a South Dakota Republican public utility and opened the door John Thune, who chairs the Senate to further government internet Commerce Committee, said the regulations. decision upholds FCC restrictions

The ruling was a big victory “designed for the monopoly-telephone for President Barack Obama, a era.” He said the Republican-led strong advocate of net neutrality Congress needs to step in to overturn rules. a decision that results in “a highly

“Today’s ruling is a victory political agency micromanaging the for the open, fair and free internet as internet ecosystem.” we know it today - one that remains Net neutrality is a major open to innovation and economic issue for broadband providers growth, without service providers like Verizon Communications Inc, serving as paid gatekeepers,” White Comcast Corp and AT&T, which House spokesman Josh Earnest said. fear the rules may make it harder

But the fight is not over. to manage internet traffic and make The internet service providers that investment to provide additional sued to block the regulations said capacity less likely. they would appeal either to the full Verizon said it backs an

open internet but urged Congress to approve “reasonable, bipartisan legislation that would provide a stable framework for continued investment and innovation.”

The decision was a victory for content providers like Netflix and Yelp Inc, which have worried that access to customers could be limited without net neutrality.

The ruling boosted the FCC in its bid to complete action on major internet privacy rules applying to internet providers before the end of the year. Internet service providers have expressed growing frustration at proposed FCC regulatory mandates, including new privacy rules and a proposal to open up payTV set top boxes to new competitors.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said the “ruling is a victory for consumers and innovators who deserve unfettered access to the entire web, and it ensures the internet remains a platform for unparalleled innovation, free expression and economic growth.”

The telecommunications industry trade association US Telecom, which led the legal challenge, said the court failed to recognize “the significant legal failings” of the FCC rules that “we believe will replace a consumerdriven internet with a governmentrun internet, threatening innovation and investment in years to come.”

The court also rejected legal arguments from opponents that the rules should not apply to mobile phone web use or that they violated

the constitutional free-speech rights of internet service providers.

Republican FCC commissioner Michael O’Rielly said, “We all will rue the day the commission was confirmed to have nearly unmitigated power over the internet.”

While the ruling was critical for businesses, consumers likely will not notice any difference because the rules have been in effect since June 2015.

The court’s ruling was made by two Democratic-appointed judges: David Tatel, named by President Bill Clinton, and Sri Srinivasan, an Obama appointee. They wrote that “over the past two decades, (website) content has transformed nearly every aspect of our lives, from profound actions like choosing a leader, building a career, and falling in love to more quotidian ones like hailing a cab and watching a movie.”

Judge Stephen Williams, an appointee of Republican President Ronald Reagan, wrote in dissent that “the ultimate irony of the commission’s unreasoned patchwork is that, refusing to inquire into competitive conditions, it shunts broadband service onto the legal track suited to natural monopolies.”

The FCC decided in 2015 to reclassify internet service providers as common carriers under a 1996 law. But unlike how utilities are treated, the FCC decided not to impose rate regulations or require broadband providers to file notice of pricing plans.

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Hackers sought to steal over $3 billion through wire-transfer fraud

Hackers have sought to from the agency’s previous tally, steal more than $3 billion from which put attempted losses at businesses in a pernicious, fast- $2.3 billion through February of growing type of scam in which this year.

Special criminals impersonate company Supervisory executives in emails ordering Agent Mitchell Thompson said large wire transfers, the Federal victims should notify the FBI Bureau of Investigation warned immediately if they find they have been victimized in such on Tuesday.

The FBI disclosed the scams, so the bureau can work data as it launched a public with agents overseas to ask awareness campaign providing foreign banks to freeze the funds tips on how to defend against before fraudsters pull them out of such scams. The cases, which are the banking system. widely known as business email “The sooner somebody compromise, target businesses reports this to the FBI, the better the possibility they can get their and not consumers.

U.S. and foreign victims money back,” he said at a news reported 22,143 cases involving conference in New York. business email compromise cases The bulk of the cases in which cyber criminals sent involved requests to transfer requests for some $3.1 billion funds to banks in Hong Kong in fraudulent transfers from and China, though a total of 79 October 2013 through last month, countries have been identified to according to the FBI. That date, according to the bureau.

Thompson said he could represents a significant increase

not say how much money victims actually lost through the schemes, but said about one in four U.S. victims respond by wiring money to fraudsters.

The FBI said the sharp jump in cases since its last tally was due to the high level of recent activity, as well as an effort by law enforcement agencies around the world to identify such scams as business email compromise, rather than generic wire fraud.

The FBI said it has seen a 1,300 percent increase in identified exposed losses since January 2015.

The size of the losses vary widely from case to case, from about $10,000 to tens of millions of dollars, according to Thompson.

Austrian aircraft parts FACC said in January that it lost about 50 million euros ($55 million) through such a scam.

Zuckerberg’s philanthropy project makes first major investment

Facebook Inc founder Mark Zuckerberg’s philanthropy venture has made its first major investment, leading a funding round in a startup that trains and recruits software developers in Africa.

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative LLC, created by Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, led a $24 million Series B funding in Andela, the startup said on Thursday.

Alphabet Inc’s GV, previously known as Google Ventures, was also part of the funding round.

Andela selects the top 1 percent of tech talent from Africa, trains them and places them in engineering organizations.

The startup, which has nearly 200 engineers currently employed by its Nigeria and Kenya offices, will use the funds to expand to a third African country by the end of 2016.

“We live in a world where talent is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not. Andela’s mission is to close that gap,” Zuckerberg said in a statement.

When the philanthropy initiative was launched in late 2015, Zuckerberg said he would put in 99 percent of his Facebook shares.

The initiative is structured as a limited liability company. This means, unlike a traditional charitable or philanthropic foundation, the venture can make political donations, lobby lawmakers, invest in businesses and recoup any profits from those investments.

Zuckerberg has also signed the Giving Pledge, which invites the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to commit to giving more than half of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes over their lifetime or in their will.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg holds a pair of the touch controllers for the Oculus Rift virtual reality headsets on stage during the Facebook F8 conference in San Francisco, California April 12, 2016

Uber settles driver lawsuit over background checks, to pay $7.5 million

The logo of car-sharing service app Uber on a smartphone over a reserved lane for taxis in a street is seen in this photo illustration taken in Madrid on December 10, 2014

Uber has agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by drivers over background checks conducted by the ride-hailing company, according to a court filing on Wednesday.

The case in San Francisco federal court involved allegations that Uber terminated drivers from its platform after obtaining their consumer background reports without authorization.

The settlement is the latest in an effort by Uber to remove some of the litigation risk facing the company. Uber agreed in April to pay up to $100 million to settle a separate class action lawsuit involving drivers who claimed they were employees entitled to benefits, not independent contractors.

An Uber spokesman declined to comment.

Lawyers representing drivers in the background check case filed a memorandum of understanding in court on Wednesday, and said they are in the process of drafting a formal settlement.

Those attorneys had previously raised concerns that the $100 million settlement could make it harder for their clients to pursue claims over the background checks.

An attorney for the drivers could not immediately be reached for comment.

Both settlements must be approved by a San Francisco federal court judge.

Foreign selling of U.S. Treasuries in April was most since 1978

Foreign investors sold a record amount of U.S. Treasury bonds and notes for the month of April, according to U.S. Treasury Department data on Wednesday, as investors priced in a few more rate increases by the Federal Reserve this year.

Foreigners sold $74.6 billion in U.S. Treasury debt in the month, after purchases of $23.6 billion in March.

April’s outflow was the largest since the U.S. Treasury Department started recording Treasury debt transactions in January 1978.

Private offshore investors sold $59.1 billion in U.S. government bonds, while foreign official institutions, which include central banks, sold $12.3 billion.

U.S. economic data in April included a decent non-farm payrolls report for March, along with strong manufacturing as measured by the Institute for Supply Management.

That prompted investors to sell Treasuries in April, as did an upswing in risk appetite, with buoyant global stocks and rebounding oil prices.

Yields on U.S. 10-year Treasury notes at the beginning of April were 1.7910 percent, and they hit a high of 1.9410 late in the month.

China remained the largest foreign holder of U.S. government debt, although its holdings in April declined to $1.2443 trillion, from $1.245 trillion in March. U.S. Treasury holdings of the world’s second largest economy

declined for a second straight month.

Japan, the No. 2 foreign U.S. Treasury debt holder, posted higher U.S. government debt holdings of $1.143 trillion from $1.137 trillion in March. Japan raised its U.S. Treasury holdings for a fourth straight month.

The report also showed for a second consecutive month U.S. Treasury holdings of Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries.

Saudi Arabia has the largest Treasury holdings among the Gulf oil exporters with $113.0 billion, down from $116.8 billion the previous month.

Overall, foreign central bank holdings of U.S. Treasuries contracted to $6.239 trillion in April, from $6.287 trillion in March.

Data also showed that foreigners sold long-term U.S. securities in April after buying them for the previous two months.

Offshore investors unloaded $79.6 billion in long-term U.S. assets, after purchasing $78.1 billion the previous month. Including shorterdated securities, however, overseas investors bought $80.4 billion in April after selling $98.1 billion in March.

U.S. stocks, meanwhile, showed outflows for a third straight month, with foreigners selling $2.8 billion in April from $16.5 billion in March. Foreigners have sold U.S. equities in eight of the last nine months.

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BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY WORLD NEWS

Microsoft to buy LinkedIn for $26.2 billion in its largest deal - both of which likely figured into LinkedIn’s decision to sell, analysts said.

For Microsoft, the LinkedIn deal is a chance to reverse a terrible track record with acquisitions, including paying $9.4 billion for phone maker Nokia in 2014 and $6.3 billion for ad business aQuantive in 2007.

In 2012, it wrote down its aQuantive acquisition by $6.2 billion, and its cumulative writedowns for Nokia total $8.55 billion.

It also paid $1.2 billion for A Microsoft logo is seen on an office building in New York City in this July 28, 2015 file photo. business network Yammer in 2012 and Microsoft Corp announced more big cuts to its smartphone business on Wednesday $8.5 billion for video-calling tool Skype

Microsoft Corp will buy optimism that this could be one of the in 2011.

LinkedIn Corp for $26.2 billion in its relatively few tech mega-mergers that The LinkedIn acquisition could biggest-ever deal, a bold stroke by works out well. “It’s a massive growth help Microsoft play to its strengths Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in his play for Microsoft,” said Forrester in analytics, machine learning and efforts to make the venerable software analyst Ted Schadler. artificial intelligence, Nadella said company a major force in next- The deal may also help spur on the investor call. LinkedIn and generation computing. further mergers and acquisitions in the Microsoft both have enormous amount

By connecting widely used tech sector, where a broad correction is of data about their customers that can software like Microsoft Word and bringing down the prices of public and potentially be mined to offer automated PowerPoint with LinkedIn’s network private companies even as a handful of suggestions and other features that of 433 million professionals, the major players sit on large cash piles. make business processes quicker and combination could enable Microsoft For LinkedIn, founded in 2002 and simpler. to add a suite of sales, marketing and launched the following year by Reid Microsoft noted that the deal recruiting services to its core business Hoffman, one of Silicon Valley’s most- brings in a big new customer base: after products and potentially challenge visible investors and entrepreneurs, adding in LinkedIn, the total potential cloud software rivals such as Salesforce. the sale marks the end of a classic market size of Microsoft’s productivity com Inc.. startup run: funding from top-tier and business-process segment sits

“LinkedIn and Microsoft really venture capitalists, a long period of at $315 billion, up from $200 billion share a mission” of helping people building the company and developing a without LinkedIn. work more efficiently, said Microsoft revenue base, then a big initial public Microsoft Chief Financial CEO Nadella in a conference call with offering, followed by a roller-coaster Officer Amy Hood said the deal would analysts. “There is no better way to stock price and finally an acquisition. be financed mainly with debt, a way for realize that mission than to connect The company makes most of its $3 the cash-rich company to reduce its tax the world’s professionals.” billion in annual revenue from job bill. The company has $105 billion in

The $196-per-share price tag hunters and recruiters who pay a cash and other liquid assets. Moody’s represented a premium of almost 50 monthly fee to post resumes and said it was reviewing Microsoft’s percent over LinkedIn’s stock market connect with people on what’s often rare AAA debt rating for a possible value as of Friday, but was still well known as the social network for downgrade. below the social media company’s all- business.

LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner time high of $270. Analysts said the The company’s growth has will remain with the company, which price was rich, and Microsoft’s stock slowed recently and investors have will be operated as a separate unit and closed down 2.7 percent at $50.14. become far more cautious on the high retain its name.

Still, there was cautious Nadella has been trying to valuations of many tech companies

U.S. current account deficit rises to seven-year high in first quarter

U.S. currency notes are seen in a counting machine at a moneychanger in Jakarta, March 17, 2015

The U.S. current account deficit widened to a more than sevenyear high in the first quarter as goods exports fell and investment from abroad declined.

The Commerce Department said on Thursday the current account deficit, which measures the flow of goods, services and investments into and out of the country, increased 9.9 percent to $124.67 billion, the largest since the fourth quarter of 2008. The fourth-quarter deficit was revised to $113.4 billion from the previously reported $125.3 billion.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the current account deficit little changed at $125.0 billion.

The first-quarter current account

deficit represented 2.7 percent of gross domestic product, up from 2.5 percent in the final three months of 2015.

The current account deficit has declined from a record high of 6.3 percent of GDP in the fourth quarter of 2005, as rising domestic oil production and lower international oil prices keep the import bill in check.

In the first quarter, the surplus on primary income - which includes dividends - fell $9.6 billion to $37.5 billion. The deficit on secondary income, worker remittances and grants, rose $4.0 billion to $40.3 billion.

Goods exports fell $11.23 billion to $354.0 billion.

reinvigorate Microsoft since taking over the lumbering giant two years ago, and has helped build more credibility around the company’s efforts in areas such as cloud-based services. When he took the top job in February 2014, the company’s share price was $34.20; early Monday afternoon, it was trading around $50.

With LinkedIn, Nadella is solidifying Microsoft’s focus on the business market, where it has retained a much stronger position than it has in the smartphone-centric consumer technology business.

In touting the synergies of the deal, Nadella gave an example of a customer walking into a meeting scheduled on a Microsoft Outlook calendar integrated with LinkedIn. That person might receive notification that one of the people in the meeting went to college with a colleague, enabling another level of connection.

“The future of productivity is around people, identity and data and the relationships between the them,” said Matt McIlwain, a portfolio manager at Madrona Ventures.

“Microsoft is buying LinkedIn for the opportunity to leverage these capabilities and combine them with Microsoft’s strong but complementary assets in those three areas.”

The strategy in many ways is similar to that of Salesforce.com, whose CEO, Marc Benioff, just last month told investors he believed artificial intelligence and machine learning would drive growth at his company.

Salesforce.com had once been considered a possible Microsoft acquisition target. Microsoft has its own salesforce automation product, called Dynamics, and integration with LinkedIn could help it become a much more formidable competitor in that market.

‘Lone hacker’ claims responsibility for cyber attack on Democrats

A “lone hacker” has taken responsibility for a cyber attack on the U.S. Democratic National Committee, which the DNC and a cyber-security firm have blamed on the Russian government.

The DNC and cyber firm CrowdStrike disclosed the attack on Tuesday, saying that hackers working for Russia broke into the DNC’s computer network, spied on internal communications and stole research on presumptive Republican presidential The headquarters of the Democratic National nominee Donald Trump.

Committee is seen in Washington, U.S. June 14,

A Russian government 2016 spokesman responded by saying that Moscow had not been involved. purportedly containing information

On Wednesday, an individual about party donors. using the moniker Guccifer 2.0 took Reuters was unable to verify responsibility for the attack in a post the authenticity of the documents, on the blogging site WordPress.com, which the blog said were among saying the DNC was “hacked by a lone “thousands of files and mails” removed hacker.” from DNC servers that would soon be

The DNC did not respond published on WikiLeaks. to a request for comment late on CrowdStrike issued a Wednesday evening on Guccifer 2.0’s statement saying it “stands fully by claim. CrowdStrike said it stands by its analysis” that two groups affiliated findings that the Russian government with Russian intelligence were was behind the attacks. discovered in the DNC’s network last

Guccifer 2.0’s blog includes month. images of documents it claims were The company said it was stolen from DNC servers, including one reviewing the documents published titled “Donald Trump Report,” which by Guccifer 2.0 to determine whether was dated Dec. 19, and spreadsheets they were authentic.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

CARIBBEAN

SPORTS

Barbadian athlete sprints onto the world stage

It was a long journey to the disprution he showed genuine promise. global podium for sprinter Ramon In 2009 he ran a PB 10.18 en route to Gittens. This is how the barnstorming 100m silver at the NCAA – Division II Bajan earned world indoor 60m bronze. final. He made the 2009 Berlin World Coach knows Championships only for injuries to

The youngest of four brothers, torpedo his ambitions as he meekly Ramon Gittens’ sporting experiences as exited the 100m and 200m in the heats. a child were largely limited to kicking His senior year ended in frustration a football around with his siblings. with a pair of fourth place finishes in

It was only when high school the 100m/200m at the NCAA Division coach Alwyn Babb – former mentor to II Championships.

2009 110m hurdles world champion “My coach told me, ‘if you stay healthy, Ryan Brathwaite – invited him to take imagine the things you can do’,” he part in the Inter-School Champs and says of that time. he beat “another talented athlete” that Calculated risk the Bridgetown-born athlete realise he Following graduation, Gittens had a gift for running. stayed on to train with Williams in

Within just six months he Raleigh for another year. That year ran 10.92 to take bronze in the boys he was crowned Barbados’ national under-17 100m at the 2003 Carifta champion and made it to the Olympics, Games. He was still only 15-years-old. only for a 10.35 clocking to end his

Babb had found a talent, and campaign in the heats at the London Gittens’ track career was born.

Games. It proved a pivotal moment in Going to North Carolina his career.

Gittens’ parents instilled him “As I walked through the mixed with a strong work ethic – his father zone and through the tunnel I thought is a plumber and his mother a security maybe this is a time for a change,” he guard – and it showed as he honed recalls. “I thought ‘I’m pretty good at his craft. In 2006 he landed silver accountancy, I can get a job that pays (200m) and bronze (100m) medals at seven figures without the stress’. the Central American and Caribbean “Yet in conversation with Ian Junior Championships – both times Weakley [his now manager] I told him conceding defeat to Yohan “The Beast” stories of racing Blake and Bolt. Ian Blake. He ended that year by placing then said, ‘if what you are telling me is fifth in the 200m at the Beijing World true, you have the talent, you just need Junior Championships. the opportunity’.”

A friend of Gittens advised him Gittens sought a fresh start to join St Augustine’s University coach and, with the help of Weakley, teamed George Williams – now coach to 400m up with a new coach, former Jamaican hurdlers Johnny Dutch, Bershawn sprinter Patrick Jarrett.

Jackson and Jeffery Gibson – and the “Patrick had never coached Bajan was recruited by the College anyone else, so I took a huge leap of based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. faith,” Gittens says of the decision.

Injury torpedo The long game Unfortunately, Gittens From late 2012, they worked on suffered an injury curse at college. To a patient four-year plan, starting with use his words, he “got hurt, hurt, hurt”. total reconstruction of Gittens’ sprint

His time was hamstrung by his technique. The steady-as-she-goes hamstrings; he competed through groin, approach gradually paid dividends. ankle and Achilles issues. Despite the In 2013 he set a blistering PB

Barbadian sprinter Ramon Gittens 10.02 and reached the 100m semi-finals of the Moscow World Championships.

The following year he reached the Commonwealth 100m final, placing eighth – another small step in the right direction.

In 2015 he snared Pan American Games 100m silver, weeks later missing the final at the Beijing World Championship 100m by a single place.

A winning team

Jarrett might be his lead coach but Gittens – who trains alongside the women’s world indoor 60m champion Barbara Pierre – can draw from a vast well of experienced people as part of his team. There is assistant coach Kesrick Fraser; Brooks Johnson, who oversees training when in Florida; mentor Gregory Haughton, an Olympic and world 400m bronze medallist; and manager Ian Weakly, a Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles bronze medallist.

“I always hear from all of them before a big race,” he explains. “I had a three-hour conversation with Greg,

who helped me mentally prepare ahead of the World Indoor Championships. I am very grateful to be around such an influential group.”

Battle ready

This year, because of the cold winter in Raleigh, Gittens spent a longer spell with the sun on his back training under Johnson’s watchful eye in Florida.

“You are looking good in practice, you are going to surprise them,” assistant Coach Fraser commented when seeing the fitter, stronger Gittens after his winter training.

His opening indoor race of the season saw him clip 0.07 from his lifetime best with a 6.61. Then Jarrett pulled an interesting tactic, making Gittens settle in Portland more than a week before the championships began.

“When you go into battle you have to have a game plan,” explains Gittens who cites paint balling and go kart racing as two of his favourite activities away from the track.

“I arrived [in Portland] the weekend of the US Championships. It helped me become more familiar and comfortable with the environment.”

Dreams can come true

It had been a long and winding road but finally, at the age of 28, he mounted his first global podium in Portland.

Running a handy 6.61 for second in his heat, then wiping 0.07 from his national record to record 6.53 in the semi, matching the time of America’s Trayvon Bromell, who was awarded victory. In a lightning quick, super-close final, Gittens trimmed a further 0.02 from his best to take bronze behind Bromell and Asafa Powell in the final.

“It felt so good,” he recalls. “It felt like all that hard work and time made sense. I wasn’t being lied to. My dreams can come true.”

Bolt to run in London in Rio tune-up Sir Curtly wasn’t fired

Usain Bolt will fine-tune his preparations for the Rio Olympics by competing at the Anniversary Games in London on July 22.

Organizers of the event, staged at the stadium where Bolt won double sprint gold and the 4x100m relay in 2012, said the Jamaican world record holder would race in the 200m.

“The London Anniversary Games will be one of my last races before Rio and running in the 200m will hopefully set me up for a successful Olympic Games,” Bolt said in a statement.

“Britain has some

very good young sprinters and I’m looking forward to running against them and returning to the Olympic Stadium.”

Up against him will be Britain’s European 200m champion Adam Gemili and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, the second fastest Briton of all time with a personal best of 19.95.

Bolt will be appearing for the eighth time at the London leg of the prestigious IAAF Diamond League and holds the meeting record of 19.76, set at Crystal Athletics - IAAF Ostrava Golden Spike athletics meeting Palace in 2008.

Ostrava, Czech Republic - 20/05/16 Jamaica’s Usain Bolt The Rio Olympics begin on reacts after the men’s 100m race Aug. 5.

CEO of the West Indies Cricket Board Michael Muirhead said that former international player and former bowling consultant to the senior men’s team, Sir Curtly Ambrose, was not sacked as previously reported by regional media.

Muirhead, speaking on Good Morning Jojo Sports Show on Wednesday, said the Antiguan worked on a tour to tour basis and his contract was simply not renewed following the successful T20 World Cup campaign.

“It came to a point where the coach felt that he wanted a technical coach in the set-up.

We have 10 members in the coaching staff now and I think that was an optimal level we were at, and it was either that Sir Curtly begin coaching and if the head coach saw it fit for him to do that then that would have been fine,” he said.

“The head coach decided that he wanted someone else to deliver the coaching aspect of it, so he was not fired; he was just not re-engaged for the upcoming series,” he added.

In May, the WICB announced that the Antiguan had been replaced by former West Indies A cricketer Roderick Estwick. Estwick is also a former bowling coach with the Barbados Pride.

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

WORLD

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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SPORTS

Lawrence Phillips hanged himself with bed sheet

Phillips was drafted by the St. Louis Rams sixth overall in the 1996 draft

Lawrence Phillips hanged himself with a bed sheet in his prison cell, according to a copy of an autopsy and coroner’s report that says that when correctional officers found him unresponsive Jan. 13 at Kern Valley (Calif.) State Prison, a note taped to his

chest read, “Do Not Resuscitate.’’

Phillips, the former football star, was scheduled to begin trial on murder charges in the death of a cell mate and was serving a 24-year sentence for other offenses when he was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital in Bakersfield, Calif., less than two hours later.

A toxicology report found no illegal drugs or psychiatric medication in Phillips at the time of his death.

The final coroner’s report — that includes the toxicology report and autopsy report and was obtained by USA TODAY Sports — states Phillips died of asphyxia due to hanging in what was ruled a suicide and revealed the following:

At the time of Phillips’ death, he was being housed alone in an administratively segregated unit because he was a suspect in the death of another inmate.

Prisoner officers were directed to check on Phillips twice an hour, with no more than 35 minutes to elapse between the checks. He was last seen alive at about 11:35 p.m. Jan. 12.

At 12:05 a.m., a correctional officer noticed the observation window of Phillips’ cell was covered by a towel.

The officer knocked on the door and asked Phillips to remove the towel.

When Phillips failed to respond, the officer opened the food slot on the cell door, reached in and pulled down the towel. The officer then saw Phillips in a seated position with a ligature, made from a bed sheet, secured around a television shelf and tightly around Phillips’ neck.

Officers removed the ligature and initiated CPR before Phillips was transported to nearby Delano Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 1:27 a.m.

Phillips was wearing two pair

of boxer shorts, two pairs of white socks, a white T-shirt and a gray thermal shirt. There were small clear plastic baggies, containing an unknown white substance, that resembled ear plugs in Phillips’ ears. There were hemorrhages inside his eyelids, an abrasion on his neck and behind his ear left by the ligature and rigor mortis was present.

Phillips, 40 at the time of his death, was the star running back on the University of Nebraska’s national championship teams in 1994 and 1995.

He was a first-round pick, sixth overall to the St. Louis Rams, in the 1996 NFL draft.

He played for three seasons in the NFL that included stints with the Rams, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers. In 2009, he was sentenced to prison for two separate incidents — driving his car into three teenagers and assaulting an exgirlfriend.

Pistorius walks on stumps in court as seeks to avoid jail

Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius walks across the courtroom without his prosthetic legs during the third day of the resentencing hearing for the 2013 murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, at Pretoria High Court, South Africa June 15, 2016

Oscar Pistorius shuffled His body shaking with through a Pretoria court without emotion, his prosthetic legs on Wednesday Pistorius removed his prosthetics and to show how vulnerable he is as the stood on his stumps for about five Paralympian seeks to avoid prison minutes in front of the court television for murdering his girlfriend Reeva camera, wiping away tears with a tissue.

Steenkamp.

“The accused was vulnerable

The 29-year-old faces a minimum 15-year jail term for the because of his disability,” Roux said.

Valentine’s Day killing in 2013 in a “His failure to conduct a rational case that has attracted worldwide thought process does not negate his interest and divided South Africa. He vulnerability.”

The defense says Pistorius will be sentenced on July 6.

Pistorius has always said he did not deliberately kill model and mistook Steenkamp for an intruder law graduate Steenkamp and was when he fired four shots through a “a broken man”, calling for a nonlocked toilet door in his Pretoria home, custodial sentence that includes killing her almost instantly. community service.

A state prosecutor argued

During his closing arguments, defense lawyer Barry Roux asked that Pistorius - who did not take the the gold medalist, known as the stand himself - had shown no remorse “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fibre or told the court why he fired the shots, prosthetics, to walk on his stumps to and asked the court jail the athlete for show the difficulty he faced dealing the prescribed minimum sentence of with the threat of an intruder.

15-years.

The athlete originally received

The lower part of his legs were amputated when he was a baby. a five-year sentence for a manslaughter

conviction, that was upgraded to murder on appeal. The original trial judge, Thokozile Masipa, was presiding at the hearings at the Pretoria High Court.

FIERCE DEBATE

Roux asked the judge to consider that his client was vulnerable because of his disability and that the prescribed 15-year minimum sentence should give the court “unease”.

“The fact is that a disabled person in jail has a more difficult time,” Roux said.

The case has prompted a fierce debate in a country beset by high levels of violent crime against women and still dealing with the legacy of decades of apartheid race-based rule.

Some rights groups have said Pistorius, a wealthy white man, has received preferential treatment.

Pistorius reached the pinnacle of his fame in London 2012 when he became the first double amputee to

run in the Olympics, reaching the 400 meters semi-finals, before taking two golds in the Paralympics.

Roux said the publicity surrounding the case led to it being portrayed as an incident of genderbased violence, despite the facts showing it was not. Pistorius had now “become the face of gender violence”, he said.

Shortly after Roux asked Pistorius to walk without his prosthetics, prosecutor Gerrie Nel requested that the judge allow photos to be shown of Steenkamp’s bloodied head and torso.

Masipa ruled that the photos be made available to the public upon request. She said the photos had been banned to protect the Steenkamp family, who had now agreed to lifting the ban.

The victim’s father Barry Steenkamp said on Tuesday that Pistorius must pay for his crime.

Prosecutor Nel said Pistorius had failed to show remorse.

“There’s a chasm between regret and remorse,” Nel said. “Real remorse would have been the accused taking the court into his confidence, telling the court why I fired that shot, why I did what I did. We don’t have that.”

Johannesburg-based criminal law attorney Zola Majavu said the judge could only deviate from handing out the minimum sentence if Pistorius had demonstrated exceptional circumstances to warrant such a deviation.

He said Pistorius’ decision not to speak in court could prove central: “It was a perfect opportunity to show the court that he does take responsibility for his actions.”

Pistorius has given an interview to British television, which will be aired next week.

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LOCAL SPORTS

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

The HAB Group TCICA Summer Cricket Competition

The HAB Group TCICA Summer Cricket Competition continued on Sunday 12th June 2016, at the Downtown Ball Park Providenciales; with Beaches prevail over Quality Super Kings

Beaches were inserted to bat first, and reached 195 for 9 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Sidue Hunter led the way with 59 runs (7x4) and Kareem Jack added 42 runs. 5x4

Bowling for Quality Super Kings Robert Johnson, captured 5 wickets for 26 runs from 4 overs

In reply, Quality Super Kings totaled 162 runs from 20 overs Ewart Audain top scored with 69 runs 10x4

Bowling for Beaches Jesse Alexander Bagged 3 wickets for 37 runs from 4 overs and Sanjay Pawar claimed 3 wickets for 37 runs from 3 overs

Man of the match awarded to Sidue Hunter

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

JUNE 18TH, 2016 – JUNE 25TH, 2016

Published by SUN MEDIA GROUP, Turks and Caicos Islands | Tel:649 339 5879 | Fax: 649 941 3281