VOLUME 13 ISSUE 13

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

Website: www.suntci.com

VOLUME 13 - NO. 13

Email: sun@suntci.com

Tel: (649) 348-6838

$1.00

Fax: (649) 941-3281

www.facebook.com/tcisun

MIKE MISICK’S FINANCES REVEALED BY HIGH COURT

by Hayden Boyce Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

F

ormer Premier Michael Misick’s financial expenses while he was living in the Dominican Republic and Brazil, were recently exposed in a judgment handed down by Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale, explaining her reasons for refusing to vary a confiscation order to provide him with “reasonable living expenses”.

Misick had asked to court to vary the restraint order to give him just over $9,000 a month to make financial provisions for himself and his children.

On 23 June 2011 former Chief Justice, Gordon Ward made a Restraint Order under the Proceeds of Crime Ordinance 2007prohibiting the disposal of Michael Misick’s assets wherever they were in the world and in whosoever’s name those assets may be held.

Bill McCollum

In February 2016,Misick attained the age of 50 and became entitled to a lump-sum payment and monthly pensions payment as part of his Parliamentary pension. This sum is estimated at $500,000 currently with a sum of $ 8,000 falling due every month.

In a 16-page ruling, dated March 23rd, 2017 and provided to media houses, the Chief Justice said Misick bears the burden of persuasion in satisfying the Court that it would be just to vary the order, and that he must persuade her that “he has no other funds to which he can have recourse”.

She added: “To do this, he would have to show the source of the funds which have allowed him to live without any visible means of income outside of the Islands between 2009 and 2014 and celebrate his 50th birthday in lavish style and campaign for re-election in 2016. It appears to me that, to discharge his burden,

Former Premier Michael Misick

Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale

he would have had to go further in these proceedings than he has in seeking to rely on the unsupported affidavits of his family and friends.”

According to the court document, in order to advance his renewed application to the Court for a variation to the Order, Misick filed an Affidavit of Living Expenses on February 1st, 2017

in which he sought to account for how he supported himself in the Dominican Republic and Brazil.

In his Affidavit, he states that he had access to about $350,000 from April 2009 to October 2011 when he lived between the TCI and the Dominican Republic.

Continued on Page 2

Bill McCollum protests outside SIPT court again

By Todeline Defralien

Popular businessman Bill McCollum is continuing his protest against what he has described as the expensive and drawn-out SIPT corruption trial.

With a placard in hand, on Friday, March 31st, McCollum told The SUN: “I am outside this empty court room because we haven’t had this court sitting since the first week of February and it’s not going to be sitting until the 24th of April. It’s past the 8th anniversary and you might have seen my advert in the SUN a couple of weeks ago in February. The whole nation is being punished. Why am I to pay for this without a vote? I think London should be paying for it and I think Helen Garlick also said London should be paying for it, in a press conference six or seven years ago.”

He added: “She (Garlick) is the only member of this team that has got any intellectual honesty and who I got a lot of time for. The rest of them are just living off our back and sliding up and down the beach.

I think it (the trial) is an absolute abuse for the people. In fact it’s a form of economic enslavement.”

T

TCINIB Celebrates 25 years

he Turks and Caicos Islands National Insurance Board is currently celebrating their 25th year anniversary in the month of March through April with lined up events for all of the Islands. One of the major events was a cocktail reception which was held at Beaches Resort and Spa,

Providenciales on Tuesday March 28th.

Picture here enjoying the evening are Premier Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson and husband Mr. Lorne Robinson and Deputy Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams and husband Mr. Darren Williams. (SEE PAGES 24 and 25 for more photos)

Fake work permit scam uncovered - Page 7

Permanent Secretaries reshuffled - Page 6

The Bahamas collects $1billion in VAT - Page 34

New work permit system coming - Page 12

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

MIKE MISICK’S FINANCES REVEALED BY HIGH COURT

Continued from Page 1

The money came from the following sources: (i) his monthly salary of about $12,000 from the TCI Government from April to August 2009; (ii) monthly rental income of about $5,000 from Grace Bay Plaza up until 23 June 2011; (iii) a $202,000 loan from Lofton Misick which was secured by a charge over his unit a Alexandria Resort; (iv) $2,000 per month from Arlington Musgrove; (v) $2,000 per month from Don Gardiner; and (vi) $2,000 from his friend and former member of his Cabinet, McAllister Hanchell.

In the period between April 2009 and January 2011, his expenses amounted to about $243,600 which he itemised as follows:

(a) US$3000 per month on house rental in DR; (b) US $300 per month on electricity in DR; (c) US $300 per month on a housekeeper in DR; (d) US $1000 per month on a driver in DR; (e) US $2000 per month child support; (f) US $2000 per month for a housekeeper in TCI (g) US $1,500 per month for the maintenance etc. of the former Premier’s residence (h) Miscellaneous US$2500 per month

The Chief Justice noted that between January 2011 and October2011, Mr. Misick’s stated expenses appeared significantly reduced: (a) US$ 2500 per month on house rental in DR (b) US$30 per month on electricity (c) US$300 per month on a housekeeper in DR (d) US$1000 per month on a driver in DR (e) $2000 per month in child support (f) Miscellaneous US$1000 per month According to the judgment, during the period October 2011 to January 2012, when Misick moved and Brazil, he asserts that he survived on the money which remained which was some $30,000 and continued to pay child support of $2000. From January 2012 to December 2012 he states that he survived on the generosity of Roy Devereux who he had befriended in Brazil while staying at a hotel.

He asserts that he lived with Mr. Devereux lived rent free from January to December 2012 who also provided him with “pocket money” over the relevant period of about$40,000.

The court document said Misick stated that when he was arrested and jailed in Brazil, his mother and his brothers, Ariel and Phillip, gave him $50,000 to cover his legal fees. After he was released from jail in March 2013, he received $6,000 from Don Gardiner, Arlington Musgrove and McAlister Hanchell and lived at his attorney’s apartment at no additional cost. He was re-arrested in April 2013 and remained in prison in Brazil until he was extradited to the TCI in January 2014.

Misick told the court that

since his release on 13 January 2014 with a condition of residence at the Alexandria Resort, he was in receipt of a monthly allowance of $700, paid first by his mother from until October 2015 until her demise and after by his brother Washington Misick.

He also said that he also receives financial support from various friends, to wit, Arlington Musgrove, Don Gardiner, McAllister Hanchell, Jahmal Misick and Garnett Jolly, in the sum of approximately $2,700 per month.

Chief Justice Ramsay-Hale said, “To rebut the inference arising from the unexplained transfers of wealth to Musgrove, Lofton Misick and Rivas, which is that persons in and outside of TCI hold funds for Mr. Misick which have not been disclosed, cogent evidence of the source of the funds ostensibly provided by them would have had to be exhibited : bank transfers, cheque payments or bank statements that would demonstrate from any verifiable source that the payments that have allegedly been made to Mr. Misick have actually been made by them and that they were made out of their own resources.”

She added: “Even if I were to accept that any or all of the affiants provided him with funds, in the absence of any supporting exhibits, there is nothing to dispel the inference that these were disbursements from funds held in their names which he transferred to them while he held the strings of TCIG’s financial purse and which they hold on his behalf and over which, in practice, he has control.”

The Chief Justice said Misick would also have had to provide evidence with respect to the costs of his 50th birthday party, his election campaign and his medical expenses and who paid for them and from what sources to persuade the Court that he had not in fact been able to call on undisclosed assets to pay for them.

“Absent cogent evidence to show how his party and his campaign were financed, the inference to be drawn from his activity is that he has access to undisclosed assets,” she said. “I do not find it inconsistent with such an inference that Mr. Misick has steadfastly refused to pay the strata fees and related expenses at the Alexandra. On his own case, notwithstanding the generosity of his friends, he made a choice to pay a housekeeper instead of his utilities and celebrate his birthday and pursue re-election rather than pay what he owes, heedless of the consequences.

I, therefore, refuse the application to vary the order to allow for Mr. Misick’s personal living expenses.”

In a press statement last week, Misick said that upon returning

VACANCY

Editor / Journalist / Executive Assistant Duties: Office assistant, front desk. Capable of multi-tasking for busy belonger owned publishing company. Good command of English language and grammar. Excellent communication and organizational skills. Ability to source, research, interview and write feature articles. Edit external copy and proofread. Meet strict deadlines. Liaise with clients on social media marketing, update blog and website content. Evaluate strategies, analyze stats, google analytics, SEO, inbound marketing. Sales ability a plus.

Requirements: University degree in related field. At least three (3) years agency experience in editorial writing, editing, publishing, project management, print and digital magazine production, social media strategy, inbound marketing. Must be Apple Mackintosh computer literate with knowledge of: InDesign, PhotoShop, Microsoft Office, Word, Excell, Wordpress, Joomla. References required. Salary compensatory with abilities.

Send CV and current contact info to: Ad Vantage Ltd. info@wwhtci.com.

home he has been unable to pay the quarterly strata fees and the monthly utilities associated with his apartment.

He stated: “I have also found it difficult to properly maintain myself and to provide the care and upkeep required by my children; mainly because the restraining order prohibits me from dealing with my assets for any reason.

As a result, my survival to date is based on the generosity of family and friends.

This (Chief Justice’s) ruling simply proves that these SIPT trials are nothing more than political persecution where the persecuting authorities have gone at all lengths to punish me even while my criminal trial is ongoing.

What happened to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty? One wonders!”

He added: “This ruling, in my view, brings into question the independence of the Criminal Justice System in this jurisdiction. It seems that when it comes to matters involving SIPT, justice has a certain colour. All citizens and residents of this country

TURKS HEAD YACHT CLUB

should be concerned by this ruling.

Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done. It cannot be said that this ruling inspires any confidence in the Judiciary.”

The judgment noted that Misick’s lawyer Jerome Lynch, QC, asked the Court to accept that Mr. Misick has been relying on people helping him up until now and that there are no hidden assets and that given the circumstances, the Court should permit him access to reasonable sums for his living expenses and cease his dependency on his family and friends.

In his response, Andrew Mitchell QC, who appears on behalf of the Special Prosecutor, said that it is for Mr. Misick to persuade the Court that there are no funds other than the pension monies on which he can rely to meet his financial needs. He invites the court to approach the evidence on behalf of Mr. Misick with some skepticism.

is seeking applications from suitably qualified candidates for the

following positions. The successful applicants must:

ASSISTANT MANAGER/SUPERVISOR

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Have at least 10 years’ experience in the hospitality industry with at least 5 years’ experience in a supervisory position

-

Responsible for Human Resources Management and the overall supervision of all employees Inventory Controls, purchasing and planning. Perform accounting and banking functions in coordination with the POS system.

Managing relations with the cruise lines Shore Excursion Executives. *Remuneration on a profit share basis

RESTAURANT CAPTAIN

-

-

Have at least 10 years’ experience in the hospitality industry with at least 5 years’ experience in a supervisory position Be at least 30 years old Have a clean criminal record Have a valid passport Have previous experience with MICROS POS systems Possess the ability to remain calm in a high stress environment

Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and Public Holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of the cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the business

RESTAURANT COOK

-

-

Have at least 10 years’ experience in restaurant kitchens managing, ordering, preparing and hands on cooking in a supervisory position. Experience in tourism would be an asset.

Be at least 30 years old Have a clean criminal record Have a valid passport Have previous experience with MICROS POS systems Possess the ability to remain calm in a high stress environment

Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and Public Holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of the cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the business

WAITERS/SERVERS / BARTENDERS/SALES ASSISTANTS -

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

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Have a clean criminal record Have a valid passport Hold a valid certification in CPR and First Aid Have at least 3 years’ experience in the tourism and hospitality industry.

Must be able to swim Must be physically fit and well presented with a trustworthy and reliable disposition Excellent communication, inter-personal and customer service skills with English as primary language Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and Public Holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of the cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the business

BEACH ATTENDANTS

Preference will be given to documented Turks and Caicos Islanders Written applications only and accompanying CVs/resumes must be addressed to the Manager at the following address: Cee’s Plaza, Suite No. 1 TURKS HEAD YACHT CLUB Church Folly c/o EPIC Corporate & Consultancy Services Ltd. PO Box 86 Phone: 649-946-1570 Grand Turk Fax: 649-946-1571 Turks & Caicos Islands Email: epic@epiccorporate.com

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

No arrest into the robbery, shooting of former Premier Galmo Williams

Police say they have not made any arrests in connection with the robbing and stabbing of former Premier Galmo “Gilley” Williams.

In an interview with the SUN, Public Relations Officer of the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force Kevin Clarke said, “Since the report an investigation was launched, no arrests have been made. Mr. Williams is still overseas seeking medical attention for injuries sustained. Investigations are ongoing.”

Williams, who is popularly known as Gilley, was walking towards Flamingoes on the Beach Restaurant around 11 p.m. on Sunday, February 5th, when he was approached by three masked men who demanded his wallet

which contained a large undisclosed amount of cash and credit cards.

Williams cooperated with the culprits but one of them shot him in the left leg before making off. Williams was taken to the Cheshire Hall Hospital where he was treated and interviewed by police.

Williams served as Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands for five months, from March 2009 when Mike Misick resigned, until August 14, 2009, when the Constitution was suspended by the UK Government.

Meantime, Clarke also said that no one has been charged in connection with the tourist, Mr. Dean Daniels, who was robbed, shot and stabbed on the premises of The Palms

Former Premier Galmo Williams hotel, in Grace Bay.

He said three men were arrested on suspicion of this incident and they are presently on bail and investigations are ongoing.

Around 2:29 a.m. on Saturday 4th March 2017, police responded to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre where the victim told officers that he caught a ride from the Casa Blanca casino and as he exited the vehicle at his hotel, he was approached by three masked men who demanded money.

The culprits stabbed and shot him before making off with an undisclosed amount of cash, said police spokesman Kevin Clarke.

The victim underwent a surgery in Turks and Caicos and is recovering from his injuries.

Both of these incidents have caused concern among Government and tourism officials in Turks and Caicos Islands.

Deputy Premier visits Cayman Islands

Senior public officials from the Turks and Caicos Islands visited the Cayman Islands to discuss matters related to immigration services and border security for two days, March 23-24.

The TCI delegation consisted of the Deputy Premier of TCI and Minister of Border Control and Employment, Sean Astwood; Permanent Secretary of Border Control and Labour, Clara Gardiner; and Head of Secretariat Cynara John.

According to the Cayman Reporter, during the official visit, the TCI representatives

met with the Governor, Helen Kilpatrick; Premier, Alden McLaughlin; Deputy Governor, Franz Manderson and executives from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Immigration.

“Engaging with our Caribbean neighbours to tackle shared challenges and achieve common goals is always rewarding,” Michael Ebanks, Ministry of Home Affairs Acting Deputy Chief Officer (Security and Public Safety) said. “Given the complexities of migration management, it is not only desirable but essential that we

continue to search for solutions through the lens of collaboration.”

Led by Acting Chief Immigration Officer Bruce Smith, senior managers in the Department of Immigration embraced the opportunity to extensively engage with the TCI delegation.

“Over the many years, we have fostered a close working relationship with our counterparts from the TCI and we were pleased that they visited us again in order to facilitate face-to-face dialog on the always evolving and topical issue of immigration,” Smith explained. Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin with TCI’s Deputy Premier Sean Astwood and Clara Gardiner

Turks and Caicos Islands to observe World Health Day

On 7th April, 2017, the Turks and Caicos Islands will join in the annual celebration of World Health Day. Introduced during the First World Health Assembly in 1948, and implemented in 1950, April 7th, has been set aside for this observance and addressing issues stemming from the annual Global Burden of Disease Report.

The Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence in the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services will spearhead this year’s activities as the theme chosen is “Depression: Let’s talk!”

Statistics released from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2015 indicates that depression has been recorded as a major contributor to the global burden of disease and has seen over an 18 percent increase in reported and diagnosed cases since 2005.

The latest Report from WHO reveals the startling statistic that approximately 300 million persons are living with depression; this represents more than 4 percent of the global population.

Furthermore, depression has been known to increase susceptibility to non-communicable diseases and can also be a result of diseases already contracted.

Unfortunately, serious depression can lead to suicide and it is reported that close to 800,000 die by suicide every year. While statistics in the Turks and Caicos Islands are of no comparison to the global figures, it should be noted that 20 percent of persons assessed and receiving treatment by the Department, as well as 47.6 percent of those admitted to the hospital by the Department are linked to Depression.

In an effort to ensure that the majority of these cases do not result in lack of treatment, selfinjury or death, the Department is asking for the

community to support the activities that will be taking place, as stigma and discrimination is still a concern for many requiring mental health care.

On World Health Day and the days leading up to it, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence will engage in a number of activities to increase awareness about the disorder and treatment opportunities. This will include: •Appearance on Health Matters -3rd April, 2017 •Release of Depression article 7th April, 2017 •Airing of Video Testimonials on Depression 7th April, 2017 •Depression Screening – 7th April, 2017 (Cheshire Hall Medical Centre & Cockburn Town Medical Centre)

Three police officers arrested on suspicion of corruption

Three members of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force were arrested by the Integrity Commission on suspicion of corruption, on Wednesday 29th March 2017.

The officers are presently on bail and as a result have been placed on administrative leave for the duration of the investigation.

Acting Commissioner of Police Mr. Rodney Adams, said: “As

a Police Service we are committed to investigating allegations of wrong doing by our own and we will continue to support the Integrity Commission with joint investigations.”

The arrests stemmed from ongoing collaborative operations between the Police Force and the Integrity Commission as it relates to acts of corruption and related offences.

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

PDM says PNP will fail trying to score political points on service charge issue

The People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) says a recent attempt

by Royal Robinson to play politics and score a political point on the service charge issue for hotel workers will fail.

In a press release, the PDM said its Government is committed to getting the service charge in the pockets of workers across this country.

“This is precisely why the Ministry of Finance has been conducting surveys of hotel workers to ensure that the Government gets the law right. Members of the hotel industry and general public can access the survey online at www.gov.tc. This is far more than the PNP ever did,” the statement said.

The PDM added that in a recent TCI hotel and tourism association meeting the Minister of Tourism put the tourism industry’s main industry trade group on notice that it was the PDM Government’s intention to pass

a service charge bill to provide 100 percent of the revenue into the pockets of workers.

“The PDM government’s aggressive approach and movements to get the bill right before bringing it to Parliament caused the PNP chairman to quickly dust off an old bill that was on the agenda of the last house of assembly meeting before the General Elections. This is not his bill,” the release added.

Chairman of The People’s Democratic Movement, Hon. Doug Parnell, said, “Our party is committed to the workers of this country and will fulfill our campaign promise of delivering 100 percent of the service charge to them, but we must get it right and that is why we are calling on all in the tourism industry to participate in the survey being conducted”.

He went on to say that he was not shocked by the name calling of the

Opposition PNP party and suggested that they have resorted to gutter politics.

“The name calling by PNP higher ups is regrettable and unbecoming of Parliamentarians but this now seems to be par for the course,” Parnell added. “Royal and his gang of empty canisters should focus on supporting the initiatives of the Government to get the survey complete Hon. Doug Parnell, PDM Chairman so that TCIG can properly enact a law labeled that trash with one word, that captures the fair share of service ‘LIES’.”

Parnell said the PDM charge and put it in the pockets of workers and stop fronting and Government has been focused on “outing a number of fires that were stunting”.

Parnell continued: “What is left burning” by the former PNP even more sad is that the propaganda Government including addressing the put out by PNP operatives are nothing needs of the poor and needy who had not but pure lies and untruths by a been delivered sustenance payments desperate group trying to find its way for 2 months while surpluses were after a scorching defeat at the polls. accumulating, and issuing directives to The Hon, Premier was correct when ensure that our prison population were well guarded and secure. she took to social media and quickly

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

TCIG Permanent Secretaries reshuffled

In keeping with efforts to improve service delivery and to realign skills across government, the Turks and Caicos Islands Government will have a new senior management structure effective April 1st, 2017.

The new structure will see a movement of various senior managers across government, notably both Permanent Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries, and will also involve a comprehensive restructuring of the Ministry of Border Control and Employment Services as a key service delivery center in the islands.

Headed by newly assigned Permanent Secretary Susan Malcolm and Deputy Secretaries Althea Been and Sharon Taylor, the Ministry of Border Control will be heavily focused on the implementation of the Business Transformation Strategy which will see the launch of a new Border Management System, several online work permit application processes, the introduction of new work permit cards and the implementation of the recommendations of the National Skills Audit.

Current Director of Immigration Mr. Larry Mills, upon his return from study leave, will assume the role of the new Director of Registration and Citizenship and will oversee the improvements to be made in the area of births, deaths and citizenship, whilst current Labour Commissioner, Michelle Gardiner will be transitioning to the role of Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment effective April 1st. Mrs.

Gardiner previously served as the former Director of Environment and Coastal Resources.

The vacant Director of Immigration and Commissioner of Labour positions will be advertised and recruited through an open competition.

The following is a listing of the full changes that are to be made across government: Office of the Governor Executive Director - James Astwood Office of the Premier and District Administration Executive Director - Ronlee James Ministry of Finance, Trade and Investment Permanent Secretary - Athenee Harvey-Basden Deputy Secretaries - Shonia Thomas-Been, Arthur Been Office of the Deputy Governor Executive Director - Tito Lightbourne Office of the Deputy Premier and Ministry of Border Control and Employment Services Permanent Secretary - Susan Malcolm Deputy Secretaries - Sharon Taylor, Althea Been Ministry of Home Affairs and Public Safety Permanent Secretary - Clara Gardiner

Deputy Secretaries - Bridgette Newman, Russell Cox Ministry of Health and Human Services Permanent Secretary - Desiree Lewis Deputy Secretary - Tamera Robinson Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Utilities Permanent Secretary - Ian Astwood Deputy Secretary - Desmond Wilson Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture Permanent Secretary - Wesley Clerveaux Deputy Secretary - Amin McCartney Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Environment Permanent Secretary - Cheryl Ann Jones Deputy Secretary - Michelle Gardiner

A Government press release stated that Ronlee James participated in the Deputy Secretary/Executive Director recruitment exercise held in November 2016 and as the second top scoring candidate, was approved to be appointed to the next available Deputy Secretary/ Executive Director role which is included in this restructuring exercise and the upcoming budget.

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

The Shore Club 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:

CORPORATE OPERATIONS FACILITATOR Primary Responsibilities/Requirements: •Minimum of 15 years’ operational management experience in luxury resort setting.

•Must have previous managerial experience directly in hotel pre-openings and a strong understanding of overall hotel business.

•Must have a history of delivering high end projects such as 5 Star Hotels/Resorts and Residential/ Commercial developments.

•Must have previous experience working with leading developers, paying exceptional attention to detail.

•Ensures that all works are completed, in timely manner, to the highest level and all arising discrepancies are efficiently resolved.

•Must have leadership qualities to ensure the job is completed to the client’s high standards.

•Must have previous work experience in managing upholstery workshops and have good knowledge of wood finishes.

•Assists in the selection and purchasing of supplies and FF&E. Works closely with designers and cabinet makers.

•Coordinates and follows up on all the orders assigned and ensures timely and correct installation.

•Keeps documentation on all vendors and supplies, fabrics, paint colors, equipment, furniture, etc.

•Conducts room punch list to ensure that all the finishes are flawless and to high standards.

•Keeps inventories m and maintains item codes in inventory and maintenance software.

•Organizes and sets up back of the house spaces in regards to the departmental needs.

•Sets up Standard Operational Procedures for various departments.

•Ensures that all furniture and equipment and supplies are inventoried and cataloged and placed in proper location.

•Conducts Room Punch inspections to ensure that all the finishes are flawless and to the highest standards; communicates deficiencies to Construction Supervisor and orders replacements.

•Designs and executes decorations for variety of hotel functions and events.

•Assists in styling various venues for photoshoot sessions.

•Performs any other tasks that may be assigned, associated with the preopening and running of the resort.

Salary for this position is $75,000.00 and is based on previous experience and qualifications.

Requirements: •Must have construction and/or engineering work experience (preferably within the Caribbean), including project administration, procurement and management of logistics.

•Required knowledge and skills:o International procurement. o Shipment consolidation. o Shipping/tracking. o Inventory and stock monitoring. o Material take-offs, quantities and job costing. o Labour allocation and manpower distribution reports. o Involvement in general project administration. o Strong negotiation skills •Working during inclement weather •Must be able to stand and work outdoors for an extended period of time •Weekend and flexible shifts are a must •Must have excellent written and oral communication •Must be reliable and professional •Must be proficient with computers, including Excel and Word •Must be able to multitask and follow direction.

•Must be detailed oriented.

Responsibilities: •Preparing regular inventory and cost reports.

•Plan, direct, and manage the central procurement activities of the company.

•Evaluate overall revisions, price and past performance of each purchase order and approve price increases.

•Research and evaluate commodity areas and make recommendations for standardization.

•Supervise and participate in the preparation of written financial and administrative reports.

•Create responses to special correspondence and handle special assignments and problems.

•Establish priorities, assign workloads and review the more difficult and complex assignments.

•Interpret contract provisions and review purchase orders terms and conditions for accuracy and changes prior to bid and renewal.

•Provide liaison between vendors, contractors, and Company department •Demonstrate continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide targeted service levels.

Salary for this position ranges from $3,000.00 to $4,200.00 and is based on previous experience and qualifications.

If you have an upbeat, outgoing personality, you are encouraged to apply. All candidates must be available to work a rotating and flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends and holidays. A clean police record and professional references is required.

For consideration, apply to the Human Resources Department at The Shore Club, Long Bay Beach, Providenciales, TCI or e-mail: careers@theshoreclubtc.com. Prospective applicants who are Turks & Caicos Islanders, kindly send copies of your application to Employment Services. Closing Date: March 31, 2017.

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

Two females arrested in connection with forged work permits

Several foreign workers in the Turks and Caicos Islands have fallen victim to a scam in which a number of government employees and certain employment agencies make them pay huge sums of money for work permits that have turned out to be fake.

Police spokesman Kevin Clarke said detectives of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force Financial Crime Unit have launched an investigation into a number of allegations of forged Turks and Caicos Islands work permit that have been issued to a number of persons within the Haitian and Dominican Republic communities.

Clarke said detectives discovered that after valid work permits expired, payments would be

made through an agency for renewal, and instead of receiving renewed valid work permits these nationals were issued with forged work permits.

On Monday 27th March 2017, detectives along with members of the Integrity Commission conducted a number of searches at various locations. Two females, ages 28 and 47 from a Government department on Providenciales were arrested on suspicion of uttering forged documents.

Financial Crime Unit Officers are appealing to persons who maybe in possession of Forged Turks and Caicos Islands Government Work Permits to come forward and make a report so that it can be investigated.

They can contact the Financial Crime Unit at 941-4450 or

232-3258. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1- 800 8477 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: www.crimestoppers.tc.

Commenting on the arrests, Deputy Premier and Minister of Border Control. Hon. Sean Astwood, said: “The arrests are a police matter and I do not want to give any comment that may influence the outcome in any way. I can confirm that persons were arrested and released on bail and that my Government supports a corruption free public service and any activity that would lead to the accomplishment of this. Further, that I want to encourage the many honest and hard working men and women under my ministry to continue to uphold the principles of integrity without fail and to cooperate fully

with the RTCPF and Integrity Commission.”

Astwood added: “We are working tirelessly to address all customer service issues in the Department of Border Control and Employment Services. We are undergoing a vigorous restructuring exercise in terms of the quality of services offered and the customer service experience . We have a customer service department that will receive some additional manpower and we are computerizing and streamlining processes to reduce the wait time for birth certificates, death certificates, work permits, Labour clearances, and other essential documents. This is an ongoing process and the public should see improvement in these services in the very near future.”

Detectives investigate two structure fires

Detectives are investigating two structure fire incidents that occurred on the weekend in the Blue Hills area of Providenciales.

Officers responded to the Mary Jane Lane area around 8:58 p.m. on Saturday 25th March 2017 where the location of the fire was inaccessible and the wooden structure had already burnt.

A 37-year-old-male occupant of the home was seen with injuries to his left and right leg. He

informed officers that he was assaulted by two males with a cutlass. He was transported to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre by ambulance. The house was completely destroyed.

Officers also responded to the same location the following day (Sunday 26th March 2017) around 12:30 p.m. after reports of a loud explosion was heard and a wooden structure was on fire.

On arrival, officers met the remains of the

SOLARISLAND ENERGY LTD Seeks RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT COORDINATOR TO OVERSEE VARIOUS PROJECTS (PV, WIND, BIOMASS) IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND REGIONALLY. CUMULATIVE 25 YEARS WORK EXPERIENCE IN ALL 3 SECTORS A MUST. SALARY CAPPED AT $60K/ANNUM INCLUSIVE OF ACCOMODATION. BELONGERS ONLY NEED APPLY APPLICATIONS TO INFO@TRAIL.TC CLEANERS WANTED MUST BE FLEXIBLE WITH HOURS AND HOLIDAYS STARTING WAGE IS MINIMUM WAGES APPLICATION TO: TRAIL ENTERPRISES LTD. EMAIL: INFO@TRAIL. TC CALL: 649-431-2617.

structure engulf in flames. Officers then visited the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre where a 29-year-old victim told officers that he is the owner of the home and that he was approached by a male known to him who attacked him with a cutlass, causing an injury to his wrist and then light his house on fire.

The home was completely destroyed.

Detectives have launched an investigation into both incidents.

The Alexandra Resort is inviting suitable applications for the following position:

Food & Beverage Director

Reporting to the General Manager, responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following: ➢ Consistently offer professional, friendly and engaging service. ➢ Lead and manage the day to day operations of the Food & Beverage Division ensuring all service standards are followed. ➢ Drive innovative promotions, menus and concepts; creating a destination of choice for both Hotel and external guests. ➢ Lead and support all Food & Beverage departments in the achievement of their financial and operational targets. ➢ Prepare annual budgets and administer in a fiscally responsible manner. ➢ Implement effective control of food, beverage, labor and operating expenses throughout the F&B division. ➢ Assist in the preparation of the annual strategic plan and achieve the goals and targets therein. ➢ Ensure the implementation of standards in guest service and constantly seek out ways to improve product and service as well as increase volumes and profits. ➢ Follow department policies, procedures and service standards. ➢ Follow all safety policies Requirements: ➢ Minimum of 5 years of previous Food and Beverage international experience in a senior leadership role ➢ University/College degree ➢ Computer literate in Microsoft Window applications required ➢ Strong interpersonal and problem solving abilities ➢ Highly responsible & reliable with the ability to work well under pressure in a fast paced environment ➢ Ability to work cohesively as part of a team ➢ Ability to focus attention on guest needs, remaining calm and courteous at all times Salary for this position will commensurate with qualifications and experience. Entry point is at $70,000.00 per annum including the benefit of service charge.

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

Submissions to be no later than March 31st 2017 Belongers need only apply.

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LOCAL NEWS

Report from March 28th Cabinet meeting

His Excellency the Governor, Dr. John Freeman, chaired the 8th meeting of the Cabinet on Tuesday, 28 March 2017, at the Hon. N. J. S. Francis Building in Grand Turk.

All Ministers were present.

At this meeting Cabinet:

•Advised the Governor to approve the proposed amendments to the Banking (Amendment) Regulations 2017 to permit changes to the fee schedule to the Banking Fees to become effective April 3rd, 2017

•Advised the Governor to approve the 2017-2018 Revenue and Expenditure Estimates for the Statutory Bodies of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government for advancement to the House of Assembly.

•Advised the Governor to approve the proposed amendments to the Criteria for Designation of Restaurants to permit the taxation of cancellations of bookings which was previously omitted.

•Advised the Governor to approve the implementation of a Renewal Policy for the Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Policy that would provide increased coverage for damages caused by tropical cyclone and flooding from excessive rainfall.

•Advised the Governor to agree to the development of the Turks and Caicos Islands National Wealth Fund, formerly referred to as the Sovereign Wealth Fund, and further that the draft

Turks and Caicos Islands National Wealth Fund Bill (2017), with changes, be approved for advancement for debate in the House of Assembly.

•Advised the Governor to agree to the proposed temporary relocation of the Victoria Public Library to the Franklyn Missick Building on Church Folly Grand Turk until such time that the rebuilding of a permanent structure has been finalized.

•Received an update from the Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Culture and Heritage on the Mega One Triton.

•Advised the Governor to approve the draft MOU between the Turks and Caicos Islands Government and the CARPHA for the formalization of procurement of pharmaceuticals from the Caribbean.

•Noted the award of several contract notifications as per follows:

- Equipment & Software for Judiciary - South Caicos Sports & Recreational Complex South Caicos - Furniture National Equipment Public Health Laboratory Providenciales - National Fire Hall Providenciales

•Received an update from the Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Culture and Heritage on the Tourist Board.

•Noted that this was the last meeting of Cabinet to be attended by the Chief Financial Officer, as he comes to the end of his tenure on March 31, 2017 and expressed its appreciation for his service to the Turks and Caicos Islands Government.

• Noted the decision of the Privy Council on Monday March 27th, 2017 to dismiss the appeal by Akita Holdings - Vehicles for Vector Control Department against the Turks and Caicos Islands North/Middle Caicos Government Civil Recovery Claim and the 2014 Supreme Court Ruling which - Upgrade to Her Majesty’s Prison Grand awarded judgement to the Government.

Turk

•Received an update from the Attorney General on the Dominican - Upgrade to the Gustavus Lightbourne Republic Nationals who are currently Sports Complex Providenciales detained due to their alleged participation in illegal fishing activities - Design and Build Community Clinic – in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ waters.

Bottle Creek North Caicos

•Received an update from the Premier and Minister of Finance, - TCIG Green Energy Programme Grand Investment and Trade on Beneficial Turk Ownership and Central Registry initiative.

The Alexandra Resort & Spa is inviting applications for the following positions:

FINISHING CARPENTER RESPONSIBILITES •To perform layout fabrication, repair of equipment and structures using wood, glass, plastic, sheet metal and lead.

•General rough inside and outside carpentry work.

•Performs carpentry on new construction jobs.

•Must be able to manually lift 50# on an intermittent basis.

Heavier loads will be handled using other methods •Provides general maintenance, which includes but is not limited to minor electrical, plumbing, mechanical repairs, appliance repair, drywall, painting •And any other duties as may be assigned by the Chief Engineer REQUIREMENTS: •At least 4 or 5 years experience with at least 3 or more those years in a four star resort property •Three or more years experience in a resort or condominium environment •High school diploma •Completion Certificate of a recognized apprentice program •Equivalent combination of education, training and experience in carpentry trade.

ROOM ATTENDANTS To ensure the cleanliness and orderliness of the assigned guestroom, work areas and equipment. Must be able to push and pull carts weighing up to 150lbs and be able to climb flights of stairs several times daily.

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

Submissions to be no later than March 31st, 2017 Belongers need only apply.

Turks and Caicos Sun Suite#5, Airport Plaza Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands Tel: (649) 348-6838 Fax: (649) 941-3281 Email: sun@suntci.com Read us online at www.suntci.com Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Hayden Boyce 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.

ROYAL WEST INDIES RESORT

ROYAL WEST INDIES RESORT, is looking for motivated proactive individuals to join its ‘Resort Team’ and contribute to this growing Condominium Resort. Candidates MUST want to actively participate in creating an excellent and professional guest experience.

•POOL & BEACH ATTENDANT Requirements: •MUST speak English and the ability to write and read English •Ability to maintain pools and hot tub chemicals and maintenance issues related to same •Provide high customer service at all times as per the resort standard •Arrange pool loungers and tables on pool deck •Clean area of any debris, dirty plates, cups and glasses •Pool/Beach towels to be arranged on loungers for guests •Check landscaped areas around the pool for litter and debris •Unload, clean and place lounge chairs on beach •Rake area, pick up debris and trash & place umbrellas in sand near lounge chairs.

•Keep stock of towels up to par during the day •Maintain pool and spa water chemistry by conducting water chemical tests in compliance with health department standards.

•On a daily basis ensure highest water quality, sanitary conditions, optimum pool performance and record all test results and adjustments in a detailed log.

•Must be able to work split shifts, weekends and public holidays Wages $6.50/hour All resumes and applications must be forwarded to: Royal West Indies Resort P.O. Box 482, Providenciales Turks & Caicos Islands You may also fax to: (649)946-5008

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

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LOCAL NEWS

TCHTA Elects New Board of Directors

The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association elected its new Board of Directors on March 24, 2017 at its Annual General Meeting.

Heading the Association for the next two years is hotelier Nikheel Advani with hotelier Todd Foss securing the vote as his deputy. Other directors include Trem Quinlan, Ian McLeod, Don Dagenais, Mona Beeson, Karen Whitt, Gloria Thomas, Tendra Musgrove, Trevor Musgrove, Lorraine Kenlock, Kristi Vestal, Seamus Day and Terria Misick.

Outgoing president Michel Neutelings who served in the role for the past four years thanked the Board for their service.

“We have gone through some interesting times and we can be proud of the many achievements undertaken, which is clearly reflected in the strong economic growth of the nation, the numerous awards and accolades received for the destination and the individual properties,” Neutelings said.

Neutelings added, “We have a unique situation in an extraordinary setting “Beautiful by Nature” and consummate talent that can deliver the service quality, so that visitors can leave having memorable experiences.

However, we must continuously keep the competitive advantage, it is important to not only continue delivering the great experience, but also to stake out our desired position and to remain market leaders in this industry throughout the Caribbean.

We must conceptualise our destination in such a way that the service quality delivered is flawless from the minute our visitors board the plane from their point of origin to the minute they step off the plane on their return home.”

This AGM was a unique one for the Association as Shawn Sullivan, Airbnb’s executive with responsibility for Public Policy – Latin America and the Caribbean and Carlos Munoz, Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Airbnb were asked to share with the members the history and future plans for Airbnb.

With Airbnb already in the market and contributing towards TCI’s tourism growth, the company is eager to work with both the public and private sectors to enforce regulations,

School For Field Studies, South Caicos

tax collection and develop working relationships with the local resorts.

During their remarks Sullivan noted, “Our presence here in the Turks and Caicos is relatively small, we have about 330 hosts/owners and 660 rentals which is small when compared to other islands like Cuba. On average, guest stay for about 5 days, with close to 9 thousand guests travelling to the country. In the next few months we look forward to signing a M.O.U with the TCI Government similar to what was done with Jamaica, Curacao, Aruba, Bermuda, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation and Anguilla. This will allow us to set up a working group that will include ourselves, the Government, tourism authority and stakeholders, where the issues of regulations and the

local law can be addressed.”

Also attending the AGM was newly appointed Minister of Tourism Hon. Minister Ralph Higgs who praised the Association for its hard work and for delivering to the market excellent room accommodations and services in general. Identifying some of the challenges facing the industry Minister Higgs highlighted lack of budget, crime and loitering as major hindrances to the growth of the industry, with crime taking a priority on the new Government’s agenda.

The Association currently has 160 members including 40 hotels and 120 Allied members. Persons and businesses interested in joining the Association can do so by calling 9415787.

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Please submit applications to: Veronica Rigby, LS Ltd, P.O. Box 124, Regent House, The Regent Village, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, Tel: (649) 9465126; Fax (649) 946-5191; Email: ronnie@habgroup.com

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Candidates must be physically capable of performing hard manual labour outside on a daily basis to be able to carry out duties which involve grass cutting, tree trimming, removal of brush and weed, general cleanup of debris and garbage from the company properties.

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APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

New work permit processing system

The Ministry of Border Control When the new system is launched, and the Immigration Department are employers will still be required to bring in the final stage of developing a new original documents to the department work permit management system that for verification purposes as well as to is designed to bring about and make facilitate payment of the relevant fees.

The final phase of modernizing changes in the submission, processing and issuance of work permits. the processing work permit processing

According to a press release will involve the ability to pay permit from the Office of the Deputy Premier fees online.

In announcing this new and Ministry of Border Control & Employment, whose minister of Hon product, Hon. Astwood, said; “It Sean Astwood, the key features of this is my government’s intention to new system will involve the following: demonstrate our full commitment to 1.The entry and submission improving service delivery in all areas of all data and supporting of my Ministry. This new system will address some of the longstanding documents pertaining to work complaints that the business permit applications online by the employer or their delegate; community express on a regular basis, more notably, the lack of feedback, 2.The electronic approval of labour clearances and work lengthy delays in the process, and the Deputy Premier and Ministry of Border Control absence of identification for family & Employment, Hon. Sean Astwood permits and automated responses to clients when key members who are permitted to reside a responsibility to ensure that the in the Islands with permit holders. system yield the intended benefits decisions are made, and; 3.The issuance of a more secure, “For staff, it will resolve the issue of – staff, employers and their agents – machine readable, work permit tracking documents and it will serve and ask for the support of all persons, ID card to work permit holders as an important compliance tool for especially during the implementation and dependents who are enforcement officers”. period.”

He concluded; “We all have

Permanent Secretary, Mrs. qualified to be endorsed.

Clara Gardiner OBE, registered her delight that the Ministry is finally at a stage where it is able to communicate publically, that the hard work and efforts of key project team members over the years is about to produce results. She noted that the launch of the work permit database is the first of a multi-faceted IT modernization that is taking place across all departments with the Ministry of Border Control and Employment. She further echoed assurance that in light of the implications the impending changes will have for staff, as well as the business community, a series of engagements that will take place over the next few weeks with key stakeholders.

There will also be postings online, leading up to and beyond the go live date which will be announced in due course.

Data Worx Systems Ltd. was awarded the contract for the development of the new IT system and upgrade at the end of the 2016 Financial Year.

HAB LIMITED

PIONEER MANAGEMENT LTD

HAB Limited is seeking a suitably qualified individual to fill the following position. Only candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be considered.

Pioneer Management Limited requires a full time certified Waste Water Technician:

RESORT FINANCE MANAGER Job Description •Responsible for all aspects of Resort and Strata Corporation accounting up to production of Trial Balance.

•All Balance Sheet reconciliations, including bank, credit card accounts and supplier statements.

•Reconciliation of Sales Reports and Accounts Receivable and supervision of Accounts Payable processing and Payroll.

•Reconciliation and preparation of bank deposits.

•Payment of purchase invoices and raising of cheques as applicable.

•Preparation of Strata invoices/statements and corresponding with owners regarding statement queries.

•Preparation and processing of weekly/monthly payroll and Social Security returns •Preparation and processing of monthly Accommodation Tax returns •Preparation and processing of monthly Service Charge payments Requirements •Should have at least (ten) 10 years experience in an Accounts Office.

•Must hold a minimum of a Degree in Accountancy.

•Must be proficient in MS Office application and Quickbooks.

•Must have a good understanding of Accounting Procedures.

•Work with minimal supervision.

The salary range for this position is $30,000 - $41,000.00 per annum, commensurate with experience, training and education.

Interested applicants should submit applications to: Veronica Rigby, HAB Limited, P.O. Box 124, Regent House, The Regent Village, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, Tel: (649) 946-5126; Fax (649) 946-5191; Email: ronnie@habgroup.com. Interested Belongers must also submit copies of their application to the Commissioner of Labour & Work Permit Board Zone 2. Position currently held by a work permit holder. Closing date for application is April 3, 2017.

Applicant must have an industrial chemical engineering degree from a recognized university and have 5+ years field experience. Operator must have excellent experience for the following processes: Extended Aeration, SBR (sludge batch bioreactor systems), MBR (membrane bioreactor systems) and secondary reverse osmosis processes. Applicant must have excellent laboratory skills to include analysis such as sedimentation calculation, suspended solids calculation, dissolved oxygen content, bacterial analysis and identification, chemical oxygen demand and have computer skills to log and track trends for each analysis. Experience with flat sheet and spiral wound membrane systems is a must. Written English and Spanish are required to communicate with laboratories in South America.

Salary of $300.00 per week commensurate with experience, training and education.

Swing shift hours, weekends and holidays will be required.

Please submit applications to: Veronica Rigby, Pioneer Management Ltd, P.O. Box 483, Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, Tel: (649) 946-5126; Fax (649) 946-5191; Email: ronnie@habgroup.com. Interested Belongers must also submit copies of their application to the Commissioner of Labour & Work Permit Board Zone 2. Position currently held by a work permit holder. Closing date for application is April 3, 2017.

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

Remuneration for this position is $600.00 weekly commensurate with experience, training and education.

Please submit applications to: Veronica Rigby, Turks and Caicos Water Company Ltd, P.O. Box 124, Regent House, The Regent Village, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, Tel: (649) 946-5126; Fax (649) 946-5191; Email: ronnie@habgroup. com. Interested Belongers must also submit copies of their application to the Commissioner of Labour & Work Permit Board Zone 2. Position currently held by a work permit holder. Closing date for application is April 3, 2017.

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

Akita Holdings loses case at Privy Council

Akita Holdings, company owned by former Government minister McAllister “Piper” Hanchell and his brother Joe Hall, lost its appeal in the Privy Council in London, on Monday, March 28th 2017.

The Privy Council dismissed Akita Holdings Ltd’s appeal against the Turks & Caicos Islands Government, affirming the decisions of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.

Akita Holdings Ltd. holds the majority of the land where its fuel storage and related facilities in South Dock, Providenciales on trust for the Government.

In September 2014, the Chief Justice, Edwin Goldsborough ruled that Akita Holdings had obtained the land in breach of fiduciary duties owed to the Government by its owner and former Minister of Natural Resources, McAllister Hanchell.

The Government was found to own almost 70% of the land and to be entitled to the profits earned through the use of the land. The Court ordered that a further hearing should take place to assess the value of the damages due to the Government to account for the ownership interest and profits owed to the Government.

The Privy Council ordered Akita Holdings to pay the Government’s costs of the appeal and returned the case to the Supreme Court, in order for an assessment of damages, which the Chief Justice originally ordered should now proceed.

Attorney General, Hon. Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles stated; “After Akita Holdings unsuccessful appeals have delayed matters by two and a half years, the Government is now looking forward to valuing and recovering the damages due to it on behalf of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

The appeal concerned the remedies available against a knowing recipient of property acquired at an undervalue from the government by a minister acting in breach of his fiduciary duty.

The property in question is of $174,800 with interest. made up of four parcels of land on

The matter came before former Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands Chief Justice Edwin Goldsborough, (TCl) registered at the Land Registry who on 5 September 2014, gave with title numbers 60605/13, 92, 96 judgment for the government. and 107, and Hanchell is a “belonger”

Having found the facts as (that is, a TCI citizen). summarised above, he turned to

In August 2003, he was the appropriate remedy, which he appointed Minister for Works, Utilities described as being “to trace the value and Communication and remained a of the benefit obtained by (Akita)”, the government minister until 2008. starting point being to determine “the At that time the Crown Land Policy nature of the asset” held by it. entitled a Belonger to apply for, and

He identified the asset as the be granted, a Conditional Purchase land itself, which he regarded as “a Lease (CPL) over Crown land subject mixed asset as described in Foskett v to certain conditions, including the McKeown [2001] 1 AC 102”. This was obligation to pay rent and develop it in on the basis that the value put into its accordance with the terms of the CPL. purchase by Akita represented “but a Former Government minister McAllister “Piper” If those conditions were satisfied, the Hanchell proportion of its value”; the balance Belonger became entitled to purchase property. having come “from the property of the the freehold title at a discounted rate, In November 2008 a private (government)”, the proportions being in this case 50% of the open market valuation report for Mr Hanchell 30.02% to 69.92%. value. following further development valued On 15 September 2014, having

In 2004 Hanchell applied the property with improvements at heard telephone submissions from for, and was granted, a CPL over the $4,250,000. leading counsel for both sides, Chief land. In setting the sale price under The Attorney-General (acting Justice Goldsbrough made an order the CPL, the government relied on a on behalf of the government) issued for the account, largely in terms 1998 valuation which gave its open proceedings against Akita for “unjust prepared (we were told) by counsel for market value as $150,400, resulting in enrichment” or “unconscionable the plaintiff. In summary, the plaintiff a discounted price of $75,200. receipt”. The former was put as a claim was to be entitled to 70 % of (a) the

Unknown to the government, for US$174,800, being the difference current value of the unimproved land, Hanchell had recently obtained a between the price paid ($75,200) and (b) the current value of the improved private valuation of the property in the price which would have been paid on land “insofar as the improvements are its unimproved state at $500,000. A the undisclosed valuation ($250,000). attributable to the defendant’s use of further private valuation in February The latter relied on the assertion that the land”, and (c) “the benefit received 2006, after commencement of the price paid represented only 30 % of by the defendant by reason of its use development, valued it at $1,200,000, the price which should have been paid, of the land for the purposes of raising apportioning $600,000 to the value with the result that Akita “holds 70% of finance”. of the bare land and $600,000 to the the land on trust for (the government)”, Akita appealed to the Court development so far carried out. which was accordingly entitled to “that of Appeal, in summary on the grounds The development was proportion of the value of the land, that the court had erred in applying substantially completed in accordance including a proportionate share of any the rules relating to mixed funds; and with the CPL. Before exercising his benefits made by the (Akita) that are that, having elected not to assert a right to buy, Mr Hanchell transferred attributable to its use of the land”. proprietary remedy by seeking return the right to Akita Holdings, a TCI Reference was also made to the of the property, the only benefit for company jointly owned by himself and fact that the improvements had been which Akita was accountable was his brother Joe Hall. financed by bank loans secured on the the difference between the value

In December 2006, Akita land. The relief claimed by TCIG was a of the land and the amount paid. A acquired the freehold title, having paid declaration that the property was held respondent’s notice supported the the discounted price of $75,200. After on “constructive trust” for the payment reasoning of the Chief Justice, but in the sale, development of the property of sums due, an account of the benefits addition the claim was restated by continued, in part funded by bank received by the Akita “by reason of the reference to the principles of knowing loans, amounting eventually to some 70 % of the land that it holds on trust receipt. The appeal was dismissed, in a US$3.9million, charged on the for the (government)”; and “restitution” judgment given by Elliott Mottley, QC.

Page 14

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

Food for Thought hosts sold out fundraising event at Kalooki’s

On Sunday 26 March 2017, the sun was out for more than 250 guests who came to support Food for Thought - a charity that provides breakfast to hundreds of children in Turks & Caicos.

Kalooki’s was the perfect venue for the sold out event. Brunch attendees enjoyed a delicious brunch buffet overlooking the ocean, while sipping mimosas and listening to the talented Val Kalliecharan on the steel drum. Children at the event were kept entertained by Elsa and Spider-Man, colouring books, a couple of masterful face-painters and a surprise visit down at the beach from TCI’s mermaid Lynsea!

Thanks to the generous event sponsors KB Home Center, Gilley’s Enterprises and Island Fire Supplies, as well as all the kind donors of the many fabulous raffle and silent auction items (and the help of several fantastic volunteers), Food for Thought raised over $18,000 for its breakfast programme. The programme, which began in September 2016, provides a nutritious breakfast every school day to the government primary schools in North, Middle and South Caicos and Salt Cay. Current fundraising efforts are going towards the 2017-2018 school year. At just $250 per year per child, this event alone will help Food for Thought to feed over 70 children.

The charity is able to keep its cost low thanks to the generosity of its transport partners Caicos Express Airways, Lew 1 Shipping, and Cargo Express, and the outstanding people at Quality Food Centre who bring in

Founders, Jeanne and Karen Savory, and Joan Connolly-Gregg the food items at cost, then allocate “We are very grateful to them into shipments for each school, Malaika Wint Williams and the and deliver them to the ports!! exceptional staff at Kalooki’s who

Food for Thought founders went out of their way to make sure Karen and Jeanne Savory would like the brunch attendees were well looked to thank everyone who attended and after. The venue really was beautiful gave their support for this important and Malaika’s team made sure initiative. “We were honoured that everything was just right, down to the the Minister for Education was able to smallest details. We are also indebted attend the brunch. We were pleased to our event sponsors. We love that to sell out our event again, and to see these local businesses make it a everyone having such a great time for priority to support their community in a good cause. Some of our guests even this way.” brought along breakfast and snack In order to ensure the food items for our food bank project longevity of the breakfast programme which will put food boxes into all of Food for Thought is asking for support the government schools that we aren’t from the corporate sector as part of yet able to reach with our breakfast their social responsibility efforts. “We programme.” have a number of sponsorship options

NOTICE

Regula.on 7 of the Physical Planning (Development Permission) Regula.ons, 1990 An Applica)on, REGISTERED PR. 13036 by Windward Development Ltd. for the development of a Residen.al, Tourism and Marina Community, has been submi8ed to the Department of Planning for considera)on of Development Permission on Ship Yard, Long Bay Hills on Providenciales. The applica.on as submiSed seeks planning considera.on for a Residen.al, Tourism and Marina Community inclusive of ameni.es including Clubhouse Building, Tennis Courts, Marina, Docks, Piers, Restaurant, Bar, Spa, Gym & overwater Structures.

Anyone wishing to make representa)on(s) may do so in wri)ng to the Director of Planning, South Base, Grand Turk or through the Department of Planning, Downtown, Town Center Mall, Providenciales, within twenty eight (28) days of publica)on of this No)ce.

so that all business sizes are able to contribute, starting from just $200 per month. Our partner sponsor Sotheby’s has donated $12,000 to date!”

Food for Thought has recently welcomed a new member to its small team. Joan Connolly-Gregg has kindly volunteered her time and substantial energy to the charity, and has already made a huge impact. Joan was instrumental to the success of Sunday’s brunch.

Food for Thought would like to thank the following wonderful sponsors of its brunch: Kalooki’s, KB Home Center, Gilley’s Enterprises, Island Fire Supplies, Turks & Caicos Banking Company, Bark + Bliss, BCQS, PwC, Chartered Trust, Savory & Co., Mango Reef, Val Kalliecharan, Rogdreka Rolle of Khye’s Body Art, Flowers by EA, Lynn Robinson, Heath and Tammy Francis, Beach Enclave, Point Grace, Caicos Express Airways, Tradewinds Guest Suites in Salt Cay, Alexandra Resort & Spa, Nautique Sports, Mermaid Pictures, Goldsmith’s, Scott Loosley, Norma Jackson, Blue Haven, Seven Stars, Flamingo Pharmacy, Big Blue Unlimited, Alex Skye, Turquoise Distribution, Art Provo, Sun Charters, TCI Coffee Roasters, Lynn Wood and Swift Delivery Services. Also, special thanks to: Joan, Gerry, Brian & Brian, Terese, Louise, Ora, Laura S, Tina, Belinda, Hope, Laura L and of course Richard & Robin Savory.

If you would like to learn more about or donate to Food for Thought please email foodforthoughttci@gmail. com or visit foodforthoughttci.com

Blue Haven Resort is seeking to employ, suitably qualified and experienced hospitality professionals for the positions listed below.

Our ideal candidate should have an outstanding command of the English language, written and oral, strong communication and excellent customer service skills.

COOKS Reporting to the Executive Sous Chef/Sous Chef, responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following: Responsibilities/Requirements: •Measure and assemble ingredients for menu items •Collaborate with the Executive Chef and Sous Chefs to prepare meals during our dining hours •Maintain accurate food inventories •Properly store food items at appropriate temperatures •Rotate stock items as per established procedures •Restock kitchen for subsequent shifts •Ensure that the food prep area and kitchen are cleaned and sanitized at the end of your shift •High school diploma/GED required •2+ years’ experience as a Cook in the restaurant industry •Able to read and follow standardized recipes •Strong knowledge of proper food handling procedures •Able to work as part of a team in a busy kitchen atmosphere •ServeSafe Certification preferred Salary range for this position begins at $7.00 per hour and will commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the successful applicant.

SPA THERAPIST Reporting to Spa Manager, responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following: Responsibilities/Requirements: •Must have a minimum of 5 years’ experience in a luxury resort and spa.

•Graduate from an accredited school of massage and esthetics with a massage certification and esthetic certification.

•The ideal candidate needs to be qualified in Deep Tissue Massage, Swedish Massage, Hot Stone Massage, Prenatal Massage and Reflexology. Esthetic treatments such as facials, body scrubs and wraps.

•Must be a team player.

•Must have a keen desire to serve the public.

•Training and experience in recognized professional product modalities welcomed •Candidate will be required to work weekends and public holidays •Candidate will be required to perform mobile services on board yachts, location and in room treatments •Reception and treatment booking experience is required •Serve as catalyst to promote spa service to hotel guests Salary range for this position begins at $12,000 per annum, it is exclusive of service charge and will commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the successful applicant. This position is commission based.

Please submit applications to: hr@wihl.com A copy of your completed application should also be submitted to the TCI Labour Department.

Submissions to be no later than April, 8th, 2017

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LOCAL NEWS

FLOW mobile top-up made easy with Scotiabank

Adding credit to your mobile phone has never been easier if you are a FLOW and Scotiabank customer.

Both companies have partnered to provide Mobile Top Up – a solution that allows customers to add credit to their phones directly from their Scotiabank online and mobile banking accounts, or from any Scotiabank ATM across the Caribbean.

Having access to Mobile Top Up means

FLOW customers no longer have to wait in long lines or rely on a phone card to stay connected. Now, FLOW customers who use Scotiabank for their banking needs, can top up their phones virtually anytime and anywhere in the region.

“We’re happy to have teamed up with Scotiabank to integrate their banking with our mobile phone services,” said Garry Sinclair, Caribbean President, C&W Communications, operators of the

retail brand FLOW. “

We’re always looking for new and convenient ways to enhance our customers’ experience and make their lives easier. With this fast and simple Mobile Top Up service we’re doing just that – providing customers with an innovative option to always stay connected, hassle free,” Sinclair added.

Mobile Top Up is available in all of FLOW Caribbean markets with mobile services.

TCI Human Rights Commission bids farewell to Director, Doreen Quelch-Missick

The Turks and Caicos Human Rights Commission bids Farewell to Director Doreen Quelch-Missick.

Mrs. Doreen Quelch –Missick founded the HRC in 2008 where she served as Chairman prior to becoming the Commission’s Director in 2014.

At a transition meeting held at the HRC office on Thursday March 30th 2017.

HRC Chairman, Mrs. Cheryl Astwood-Tull presented a plaque to the outgoing Director in recognition of her many years of devoted and invaluable service to the advancement of human rights in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

$135

MANAGER OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY Plan, direct and oversees the activities of the Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Management programmes at FortisTCI; to create a safe working environment focusing on reducing loss and liability towards its human resources and the environment.

Main Duties  Provide strategic leadership and direction of the department by administering environment, health and safety initiatives and policies.  Assure the continued improvement in implementing EHS programmes while maintaining compliance with all corporate and statutory regulations.  Chair and provide staff support to assigned internal committees that help develop the EHS mission, policies and goals/ objectives.  Oversee the department’s daily operations, work plan; review and evaluate work methods and procedures; meet with staff to identify and resolve problems.  Responsible for seeking vendors EHS supplies and authorizing procurement.  Examine the company’s sick loss reports through Human Resources Department to ensure loss are not due to non-compliance.  Monitor relevant international associations, attend and participate in related professional meetings, and workshops keeping abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of Environmental, Health and Safety services.  Develop an effective crisis management communication plan with readiness and response capabilities consistent with company disaster manual.  Prepare and submit EHS related monthly and quarterly reports to the Director EHS.  In the event of incidents, conduct thorough investigations and timely reporting to management.  Conduct periodic Safety Audits and Inspections to ensure compliance with EHS related regulations, industry best practices and corporate policies and procedures.  Implement control measures to minimize Safety and Occupational Health hazards and Environmental risks.  Establish policies, procedures, programmes and activities geared towards attaining ISO 18001 and 14001 compliance by March 31,

2018; ensure proper training, roll-out and valuation is conducted.  Ensure that proper documentation of incidents; establish proper record keeping and maintenance of EHS files.  Promote EHS awareness through the Company’s newsletters, website and other modes of communication.  Ensure consultants and contractors comply with the Company’s policies and procedures on EHS.  Any other duties assigned by the Director EHS and Senior Vice President of Operations from time to time. Overall point person for identified ISO Certification program; Minimum Requirements:  4 yrs. BSc and Master’s degree in the field of engineering, safety or environmental or a related science; or  Five or more years’ experience in safety or environmental areas with certification; and,  Experience in the management of ISO 14001 and/or ISO 18001 systems and programs.  Computer literate, including Microsoft Office Suite program.  Current and valid Turks & Caicos driver’s license  Manage and direct a diverse and comprehensive environmental service program  Plan, organize, direct and coordinate the work of staff.  Delegate authority and responsibility.  Analyze and assess programs, policies and operational needs and make appropriate changes. Applies practical and technical knowledge to complex issues and solves problems.  Ability to effectively communicate with management and staff to coordinate, implement, and maintain safety, training and environmental programs and procedures.  Ability to interpret technical standards and legal requirements for safety, training and environmental matters to ensure company compliance at all times.  Ability to meet strict deadlines without compromising quality.

Compensation is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Deadline for submission of applications (inclusive of a cover letter, resume and a FortisTCI application form) is Tuesday April 11, 2017 to: Mr. Avi Adams Manager, Human Resources FortisTCI Limited P. O. Box 132, Providenciales Email address: hrapplications@fortistci.com and aadams@fortistci.com

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LOCAL NEWS

Benefits of weight training

By Dr. Marsha Barnett

When most of decide to adopt a healthy lifestyle, it’s known that regular exercise should become a part of our routine.

Some type of aerobic exercise such as dance or step classes, volleyball or running is usually included in our fitness plan.

Many of us however, neglect weight training, seeing it as an exercise reserved for persons who are fitness or gym buffs or who train to attain a particular type physique. But weight training not only boosts those “show muscles” but also improves many aspects of our health.

Lower Your Diabetes Risk

We all know that living a healthy lifestyle by managing our weight and eating a healthy diet can help prevent diabetes and control the condition if we are already diabetic.

But weightlifting specifically, plays a significant role in reducing your risk.

A study by the National Institutes of Health found that men who lifted weights for about five 30-minute sessions per week had a 34 percent lower risk of diabetes. Adding regular cardiovascular exercise slashed the risk by 59 percent!

Stay Heart Healthy Those weight training

sessions are also a great way to condition the heart. It has been shown that blood flow after 45 minutes of moderate-intensity strength training can cause up to a 20 percent decrease in blood pressure and this effect lasts for about 30 minutes after the end of a training session. In fact, in persons who lift weights regularly, the effect extended up to an entire day after their last session, rivaling the effects of anti-hypertensive medications.

Improve Your Balance

Having well-toned, strong muscles improves our performance in sporting activities and everyday life.

When we weight train, we don’t only work our larger muscles like our pecs but also smaller stabilizer muscles in your limbs and our core. This is especially important for people as they age as falls, partly due to poor balance, are the leading cause of injury-related death in adults over 65 especially when a fracture results from the fall.

adapt to the stress of weightlifting by becoming bigger and stronger, our bones also adapt by depositing bone in areas that are stressed by weights, thereby producing stronger bones.

Lift Your Mood

It’s an accepted fact that when stressed, anxious or depressed, exercise is a good tool to help take the edge off. In fact, most persons are aware that aerobic type exercise such as running causes the release of endorphins which are mood elevators.

However, when followed for 8 weeks, the effect of exercise on depressive symptoms in a group of women was assessed after regularly weight training or doing aerobic exercise. The effect on mood was the same for both groups. This suggests that the next time you’re feeling down, instead of going for a long run, maybe you could pick up that dumbbell instead.

Fight Weight Gain

Beat Osteoporosis

As you age, you naturally lose muscle and bone mass. Bone loss starts in our 30s and physically inactive people can lose as much as 3% to 5% of their muscle mass each decade after age 30! This is of special concern for women. Weightlifting can help fight this. Just as our muscles

Dr. Marsha Barnett be counteracted by a half hour stint lifting weights, but improving your overall muscle density will help you stay lean even if you cheat on your diet now and then.

Look and Feel Better

Weightlifting is the best way to get a lean, toned, fit body. With all the cardio in the world, without some form of resistance training to challenge the muscles, you won’t get very toned. Women tend to shy away because of fear of becoming bulky.

However, lifting light to moderate weights will result in a lean body, not a bulky one. So, if you are looking to tone and shape your body, start lifting today.

Want to eat that extra piece of pizza or have that conch fritter without feeling guilty? Lift weights.

Weight training is proven to increase overall body metabolism. The more muscle you gain in the gym, the more *Dr. Marsha Barnett is a general calories you burn doing daily activities. practitioner who also specializes in dermatology.

Of course, you should not believe that For questions or comments, please a diet high in calories and fat will all contact at drmarshabarnett@gmail.com

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LOCAL NEWS

8th Annual FortisTCI National Science and Technology Fair prepares students for international competition

FortisTCI (the Company) is pleased to announce the winners of the FortisTCI National Science and Technology Fair held in conjunction with the Ministry of Education on Providenciales from Wednesday, March 8th – Thursday, March 9th 2017. Now in its 8th year, the event was held at the Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Complex under the theme, ‘Innovative Exploration through the Scientific Method’.

Nearly 150 primary and high school students took part in the two-day event, which included science quizzes and project competitions for both primary and high schools as well as a graphic arts and creative arts poster competition for high schools.

Also included in the Education Week activities was the Turks and Caicos Islands National Museum Foundation’s History and Cultural Heritage Quiz held at the Brayton Hall on Tuesday, March 7th 2017.

Seven schools from around the islands competed for the coveted title of History and Heritage Cultural Quiz Champs and after 100 questions, it was Raymond Gardiner High School of North Caicos that emerged victorious.

FortisTCI Senior Vice President of Corporate Services and CFO Ruth Forbes said, “The National Science and Technology Fair is no doubt a game-changing partnership that will deliver significant value for our young minds and by extension, the country. Science and Technology are disciplines critical to the sustainable development of any country, and as such, FortisTCI is excited about engaging our young people in scientific and technological exploration outside of their norm. We were proud to see the high quality and creativity that went into the various projects; indeed, this fair plays a vital role in nurturing the future science and

technology talent of the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

The top award went to Holy Family Academy, which won the high school science project competition with their creation of a 3-D printer. These winning students will be sponsored by FortisTCI to attend the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) to be held in Los Angeles in May 2017.

There they will represent the Turks and Caicos Islands by observing the fair, which will allow Turks and Caicos Islands to officially participate in this prestigious event next year.

This year, there were several changes to the standards of practice for the FortisTCI National Science and Technology Fair as all students competing in the science project portion were required to adhere to the rules and regulations set forth in the ISEF guidelines, as preparation for the upcoming official visit from the ISEF representatives to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Given the many changes to the longstanding standards of practice, all the schools did a great job of implementing these guidelines into their projects.

FortisTCI would like to say congratulations to all the students who participated in this year’s fair and thank you to the Ministry of Education, which hosts the event in conjunction with the Company every year. A special thanks also to the supportive members of the community who came out to cheer on our country’s young minds and everyone who helped to make this event the amazing success that it was.

Full listing of the winners is as follows: Primary School Quiz Winners: 1st Place: MILLS Institute 2nd Place: Adelaide Omeler Primary School 3rd Place: Provo Christian School

SOKOL LTD. A Private Villa (1) Housekeeper

Job Summary: To ensure standards of cleanliness, hygiene and tidiness are maintained throughout the villas. Must be able to evaluate and ensure guest satisfaction and report and solve any guest problems immediately. Setting and maintaining standards of service commensurate with the standing of the villas. Managing a stock control and ordering system to ensure availability of stock and cost control to maintain costs to a minimum.

Qualifications 5 years minimum Housekeeper and customer service experience required Strong organizational skills required The ability to lift heavy objects and stand for long periods of time Great customer service skills Applicant must meet all the requirements, additional skills a bonus. Salary commensurate with experience Send resume to info@saunders.tc

Primary School Project Competition Winners: 1st Place: Providenciales Primary School, Project Name: Which Fruit has the most Vitamin C 2nd Place: Iris Stubbs Primary School, Project Name: Salt Water Electrical Circuit 3rd Place: Eliza Simons Primary School, Project Name: Wi-Fi Blockers High School Quiz Winners: 1st Place: British West Indies Collegiate 2nd Place: H.J. Robinson High School 3rd Place: Clement Howell High School High School Project Competition Winners: 1st Place: Holy Family Academy. Project name: 3-D Printing.

2nd Place: Turks and Caicos Islands Comprehensive High School. Project Name: Waste Management 3rd Place: British West Indies Collegiate. Project name: The Efficient Conversion of Hydrogen Power Creative Arts Competition Winners: 1st Place: Raymond Gardiner High School 2nd Place: Clement Howell High School 3rd Place: Marjorie Basden High School Graphic Arts Competition Winners: 1st Place: Holy Family Academy 2nd Place: Raymond Gardiner High School 3rd Place: H. J. Robinson High School History and Cultural Heritage Quiz Competition Winners: 1st Place: Raymond Gardiner High School 2nd Place: H.J. Robinson High School

Londolozi Ltd is inviting suitable applications for the following position: CHEF DE PARTIE Under the general guidance and supervision of the Head Chef, the kitchen team member will assist in the preparation and service of all sections in the Kitchen.

Duties and Responsibilities RESPONSIBILITIES •Working with the Head Chef and the kitchen team to maintain high standards in the quality of food both as to its preparation and its presentation •Working in all areas of the kitchen depending on the daily needs of Head Chef.

•To observe all Company Food Hygiene and Health and Safety policy •To assist the Head Chef, to check the completeness of all food and kitchen equipment sent to each function •To assist the Head Chef to check the completeness of all suppliers’ deliveries and the correctness of their invoices •To set out, maintain and monitor high standards of cooking and presentation •To be aware of current food trends with regard to presentation and style and help with new menu ideas and menu design •Ensuring kitchen is left clean and tidy at all times •Ensuring that all completed food is correctly wrapped, labeled and put in out-fridge for each event •To ensure that all completed jobs are fully checked off before it leaves the unit •Ensuring the venue kitchen is left spotlessly clean and tidy and that all equipment and un-used food is packed ready for transportation Salary for this position will commensurate with qualifications and experience.

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

Submissions to be no later than March 31st, 2017 Belongers need only apply.

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LOCAL NEWS

Sandals Foundation & TCI Reef Fund Partner for Reef Conservation

The Sandals Foundation has partnered with local environmental advocacy group, the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund (TCRF) to install several new permanent Mooring Buoys at the Princess Alexandra National Park along the Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos (TCI) and the foundation has given a two year commitment to ensure maintenance of the project.

The Sandals Foundation which is the philanthropic arm of the Beaches Resorts in the TCI is investing over USD $10,000 to fund the installation of six new permanent Mooring Buoys for the public to use for dive and snorkel recreational watercrafts. Through the partnership the Sandals Foundation will cover the cost of materials such as rock pins, sand anchors, all hardware, lines, buoys and installation as well as two years of maintenance.

Heidi Clarke, Director of Programme for the Sandals Foundation said that the charitable organization is committed to helping preserve and protect the biodiversity of the marine environment in the Turks & Caicos.

“We recognize the beauty and value of our Coral Reef Systems and Sea Grass Beds in the Turks & Caicos and the Caribbean,” she said. “They not only attract visitors to this region, but most importantly they provide habitats

which can disturb sea beds and destroy coral reefs.

Don Stark, Chairman of the TCRF said that addition of six moorings in the National Marine Parks will further eliminate the need for anchoring which can be very destructive to the coral reefs.

“ When we started this effort our goal was to provide enough permanent moorings so that no dive boat or snorkel boat or even yachts would ever have to drop anchor on any of the reefs around the Turks & Caicos.” Said Stark, “ We are getting close to that goal and with the support of the Sandals Foundation, we are one step closer to achieving the goal.”

With its turquoise waters, Turks & Caicos is home of the thirdlargest barrier reef in the world. And with more than a million travelers Chairman of the TCRF Don Stark with Beaches Dive Manager, Dean Joseph & PR Manager Elanor venturing to the island each year to Krzanowski explore the wonders of the marine world, for sea life including juvenile fish partner with an organization like the Sandals Foundation and the Turks which impacts fish populations and the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund who & Caicos Reef Fund are committed to in turn the livelihoods of thousands of recognizes the value of our precious protecting its underwater paradise Caribbean Nationals that depend on marine environment and has been and the rehabilitation, enhancement the fishing industry.” working for years to preserve it,” and maintenance of the moorings

Clarke explained that the Clarke said. will only reap benefit for the island’s Sandals Foundation chose to work Over the past five years TCRF delicate eco-system while protecting with the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund has installed over 100 permanent for future use. “We look forward to because of their stellar track record mooring buoys throughout Turks and working with the TCRF on future and their extensive knowledge and Caicos in locations marine traffic are projects as we continue to play our experience in the TCI with installing the heaviest, in an effort to prevent part in protecting our environment,” mooring buoys. “We are proud to boats from putting down anchors Clarke concluded.

AMBERGRIS CAY FACILITIES LTD POSITION AVAILABLE Ambergris Cay Facilities Ltd is seeking a suitably qualified applicant to fill a post on Ambergris Cay on a MONTH TO MONTH basis. The available post is for a KETCHEN STEWARD. Daily tasks will include, but are not limited to: •Assisting the Chef with all day to day kitchen operations •Wash and clean all cookware (pots, pans, plates, flatware) •Responsibility for keeping the kitchen and the dining room clean and hygienic •Maintain clean and sanitary conditions in coolers and freezers •Helping with the transportation of the food •Thoroughly cleans dishwashing equipment and working areas •Keep trash from building up in kitchen •Removing trash after each shift •Keeping all Stock organized KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND QUALIFICATIONS: •High School Diploma or equivalent required.

•Minimum of 1 years’ experience in working in Commercial Kitchen environments •Excellent verbal communication skills.

•Must be attentive to details, reliable, hard working and enthusiastic •Must be able to work under little or no supervision •Must be willing to work variable shifts •Must produce a clean Police Record and TCI Driver’s License •Will be required to work and live on Big Ambergris Cay with rotated weekends off •Must be able to live and work in a isolated island environment with only 20 or so other persons •Willing to work on a Month to Month contractual basis

Salary scale: $16,000 to $19,000 per annum Closing Date for Applications is Tuesday April 01st 2017 Applications must be in writing addressed to: Ambergris Cay Facilities Ltd Unit 51, Salt Mills Plaza, Grace Bay Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands E-mail: burkley.malcolm@ambergristci.com Tel: (649)-941-3777 Fax: (649)-941-3778

Sailrock Contracting Limited – General Superintendent •General Management and Supervision of Superintendent team, Skilled Trades, and Operators and coordination with Project Management and Ownership Responsibilities: •Organize, coordinate, and oversee superintendent team and skilled trades in achieving construction objectives •Read drawings, perform layout, and plan work on project site •Prepare and submit requisitions and contracts for procurement and approval •Develop four week look ahead schedule and monitor progress •Deliver consistent, high-quality construction work product, and comply with industry and local standards •Coordinate with Construction Manager on all scheduling, skilled trade, and materials management •Manage tool and material inventory as required and assess needs •Adhere to safety policies and procedures •Be available on or off hours as needed for field management and issues •Assess current and future facility needs in conjunction with Ownership and Management Qualifications: •Ten plus years of site superintendent work and management of construction project Salary Range: •$70,000 - $80,000 yearly Please submit applications to Prasan Kale: •Drop off: W104 Venture House, Grace Bay, Providenciales •Fax: (312) 376-2056 •Email: PKale@cmkdev.com Interested Turks and Caicos Islands must also submit copies of their application to the TCI Work Permit Board.

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1045 Leeward Highway Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands BWI Phone: 649-339-2277 Fax: 649-339-2286 Is looking for experienced applicant for the follow position

Automotive Mechanic Key Functions: Repair automobiles, trucks, buses, and other vehicles. Perform the duties of a mechanic involved in inspecting, repairing, fabricating, rebuilding and maintaining. Mechanic repair virtually any part on the vehicle or specialize in the transmission system.

Job Duties and Tasks: •Mechanic coordinates activities of technicians, conducts research and testing procedures and ensures the customer’s vehicle is fixed.

•Plan work procedures, using charts, technical manuals, and experience.

•Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing vehicles, engines and transmissions.

•Examine vehicles to determine extent of damage or malfunctions.

•Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

•Test drive vehicles, and test components and systems, using equipment such as infrared engine analyzers, compression gauges, and computerized diagnostic devices.

•Perform routine and scheduled maintenance services such as oil changes, lubrications, and tune-ups.

•Repair manual and automatic transmissions.

•Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

•Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

•Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to the job.

•Use of computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

•Provide guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

•Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Skills: •Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternatives to repair vehicles.

•Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

•Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

•Managing one’s own time and the time of others. Teaching others how to do necessary tasks.

•Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

•Bilingual (English/Spanish) •Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

•Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Qualifications: •Mechanical certification from accredited institution.

•Thorough knowledge of all vehicle repair aspects including,

but not limited to: Engine, Transmission, and Electrical among others.

•10+ years experience in Automotive Repair, with minimum 5 years in Chevrolet Brand vehicles.

•Mechanical Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

•Service assistant must have extensive practical experience in vehicle servicing and repairs, together with experience in supervising technicians and dealing with customers.

•Proficiency with computers to input necessary data and communicate with management.

•Experience with Customer and Personal Service. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

General Auto Body Shop Job Description: Ensuring that repairs in the Service department are performed correctly and efficiently and that the service department maintains a high level of customer satisfaction in the Body Shop.

Job Duties and Task -Perform the following repairs or replacements: •Auto body repair mechanic will repair damaged vehicles after traffic collisions and other accidents. They also repaint the vehicles once the repairs are complete.

•The auto body technician is responsible for repairing a wrecked or damaged car and restoring it to its original condition. The auto body technician’s job is to remove dents when a car has been in an accident.

•The auto body technician also fixes cars that have been vandalized or have become worn due to wear and tear or by weather. Technicians must have the ability to work on a variety of different cars, trucks, vans and other vehicles that need repair work.

• Auto body technician should know the correct procedure and the correct equipment and tools to get the job done. He must know how to prepare a car with the correct putty. Masking of the vehicle must be done to ensure that the chrome, windows and other parts don’t get paint on them •Minor electrical system repairs, Surface preparation for refinishes, Minor Cab Accessory repair/replacement, Minor Cargo Box repairs •Maintain work area appearance and safety •Other projects and tasks as assigned by supervisor.

Skills & Experience •10 years of related experience (or an equivalent combination of related education and experience) required.

•High School Diploma or equivalent required •Vocational/technical school preferred •Certification of completion of technical school specializing in the repair/refinish •Working knowledge of tools of trade (including welding equipment, paint equipment, shop machines, and power tools) required •Body Shop Procedures Certificate •The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The associate must regularly lift and /or move up to 25lbs/12kg, frequently lift and/ or move up to 50lbs/23kg and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100lbs/45kg. Specific vision abilities required by this job include Close vision, Distance vision, Peripheral vision, Depth perception and Ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this Job, the associate is regularly required to stand; walk; sit and talk or hear. The associate is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arm

Competitive Salary commensurate with work experience and qualifications.

All interested applicants should submit an updated resume by e-mailing info@butterfieldmotors.tc,

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cases and provide technical evidence.  Assist with informational presentations for both internal and external customers on power diversion.  Any other duties as may be assigned.

SENIOR REVENUE PROTECTION INVESTIGATION OFFICER Description This position has responsibility for investigating and reporting cases involving power diversion and billing fraud and is required to receive and respond to intelligence regarding fraud and suspected power diversion. The Senior Revenue Protection Investigating Officer is also responsible for regularly examining meters to determine whether or not evidence of tampering exists and is responsible for examining electrical wiring connecting meters to building circuits and external power lines with a view to ensuring compliance with industry safety standards and detecting incidents of fraud and power diversion.

Main Duties  Prepare power theft reports and analysis as requested.  Work closely with the Transmission & Distribution Team to ensure that confirmed cases of power diversion is disconnected from the service line.  Work closely with the Administrative staff to investigate accounts with suspicious decreases in consumption.  Work closely with the Royal TCI Police Force during the investigation and prosecution of power diversion.  Assist with conducting meter audits throughout all service territories.  Recommend service connection upgrades where the service is susceptible to power diversion or inaccurate billing.  Recommend and participate in efforts to reduce non-technical losses.  Seek various means of gathering evidence in order to build case files.  Collect and preserve evidence including statements, photos and test results which may be used in court.  Effectively represent the Company in Court in power theft related

Academic/Technical/Management: Experience and Qualifications:  Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering or Engineering Technology.  Working knowledge of metering systems.  At least 6 years’ experience in utility services or related field.  A minimum of 3 years investigative experience.

Core Competency Skills:  High level of direct customer contact requiring excellent written and oral communication skills.  Must possess high ethical standards.  Police Record should be in good standing.  Knowledge of country laws and company policies and procedures applicable to illegal use of electricity.  Knowledge of safety practices and procedures.  Familiar with GPS and Mapping systems.  Goal-oriented and self-motivated to apply needed initiative.  Ability to work under pressure and in environments that may be adverse.  Ability to speak multiple languages would be an asset.  Valid Driver’s License is required.  Proficient in Microsoft Word & Excel.

Compensation is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Deadline for submission of applications (inclusive of a cover letter, resume and a FortisTCI application form) is Tuesday April 11, 2017 to: Mr. Avi Adams Manager, Human Resources FortisTCI Limited P. O. Box 132, Providenciales Email address: hrapplications@fortistci.com and aadams@fortistci.com

requested work from initial contact to completion of as-built information in the mapping system.  Any other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Senior VP of Operations.

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ELECTRICAL PLANNING & ENGINEERING & ENERGY DELIVERY Description  To provide leadership of the T&D Design Section in the safe and efficient design of the transmission and distribution system to meet current and future customer needs.  To provide leadership in strategic planning of substation requirements, construction, operation, and maintenance  To provide leadership of the Line and Technical Sections of the company in the safe efficient construction, operation and maintenance of the transmission/ distribution systems in order to achieve a safe and reliable supply of electricity to customers.  To provide leadership of distributed generation in the safe efficient construction, operation, and maintenance  To understand the corporate vision, successfully gain support for and implement that vision.

Main Duties  Responsible for supporting the enterprise in all areas of electrical engineering and design.  Responsible to supervise and lead the T & D Design and engineering; substation development, project management, commissioning, and maintenance; and North & Middle Caicos Operations.  Responsible for developing and maintaining T&D system computer based technical modeling  Responsible for planning, scheduling and implementing of resources for T&D projects.  Responsible for the timely and cost-effective completion of line work to achieve a safe, reliable and sufficient supply of electricity for customers.  Responsible for overseeing the distribution standard and substation committee.  Responsible for distributed generation  Responsible for proving direction and leadership to the Electrical units of The Company.  Responsible for determining the need for new equipment, tools, and materials.  Responsible to assist in annual budget preparation and ensure that spending is justified and within budget  Responsible for troubleshooting the electrical system for power restoration and improved reliability.  Responsible to ensure that the electrical system mapping database is maintained  Responsible for development of policies and processes that track customer

Academic/Technical/Management: Experience and Qualifications:  A Degree in Electrical Engineering and 7-10 years post-graduate experience in an electric utility environment  Hold an MBA degree  Minimum 10 year experience in senior management positions within the utility industry.  Excellent written and oral communications skills.  Excellent team player with proven team building skills.  Ability to deliver to strict deadlines.  Self-motivated, solution oriented and positive in outlook Abilities and Skills:  Excellent team player and team building skills  Good analytical skills  Excellent written and oral communication skills  Ability to deliver to strict deadlines and to work under pressure  Ability to build strong trust relationships and maintain positive relationships internally and externally  Ability to communicate clearly the work priorities and direction of the departments  Ability to lead change processes, strong project management and time management skills  Solid numerical and budgeting skills  Must be goal oriented and self-motivated  Must possess strong, organisational, multi-tasking, analytical and problem solving skills.  Must have a solid working knowledge of MS Office software programs, including MS Word, Excel,PowerPoint, and various databases.

Core Competencies- May be obtained upon request.

Compensation is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Deadline for submission of applications (inclusive of a cover letter, resume and a FortisTCI application form) is Tuesday April 11, 2017 to: Mr. Avi Adams Manager, Human Resources FortisTCI Limited P. O. Box 132, Providenciales Email address: hrapplications@fortistci.com and aadams@fortistci.com

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LOCAL NEWS

TCAAA pleads for financial support from the TCI community for FLOW CARIFTA Games 2017

By Todeline Defralien

The Turks & Caicos Amateur Athletic Association (TCAAA) which is the governing body for track and Field in Turks and Caicos Islands is pleading to the TCI community for financial support for team TCI to travel to Curacao for the CARIFTA Games 2017.

Speaking at a at a press conference held at FLOW’s Headquarters on Thursday March 23rd, 2017 in Providenciales, President of TCAAA Ms. Edith Skippings said the TCAAA had been having numerous challenges and is appealing to the public to help with getting the students to the games.

“As you are aware, we are getting ready to send our team to

participate in CARIFTA 2017 which is being held in Curacao. Please help support our athletes in getting to these Games. TCAAA would appreciate whatever assistance you can give towards helping the team. Sports play a very important role in our society, and it can assist in molding and changing the lives of our youths for the better. So lend a hand and support our youths, as the future of Turks and Caicos Islands relies on the youth. Your support would be greatly appreciated.”

The Turks and Caicos Government has already made a $20,000 donation to the TCAAA, but more money is needed.

Skippings added: “It’s hard, and I appeal to you the public to reach out and try and help us financially in

President of the Turks and Caicos Islands Amateur Athletic Association (TCAAA), Edith Skippings any way; no matter how small it is, and anyone who would like to reach out and help our team to Carifta 2017 in Curacao.”

If you would like to make

a donation, please contact: Turks & Caicos Amateur Athletic Association c/o Edith Skippings on telephone: 2311515 or email: edith.skippings@tciway. tc.

FLOW in partnership with the TCAAA last week officially announced the 2017 National Track & Field Team that will be participating in the FLOW Carifta Games 2017 on April 15-17th.

The 18 team members to participate in this year’s CARIFTA Games are: Ken Reyes, Amard Hilaire, Wikenson Fenelon, Colby Jennings, lavardo Campbell, Emanuel Agenor, Reyneldo Germain, Junior Paul, Tremaine Missick, Latrell Saunders, Akia Guerrier, Helcyann Sauver, Sanadia Forbes, Deajah Smith, Evnisha Sainvertu, Zoe Butler, Rebecca Bernadin and Roshanna Grey.

Tourist Board launches Caribbean primary school tourism writing competition 2017

The Turks and Caicos Tourist Board, in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), has launched its Caribbean Primary School Tourism Writing Competition for 2017 in celebration of CTO’s ‘Year of Adventure in the Caribbean’ campaign.

The writing competition commences March 28th – May 1st, 2017 for children within two age groups – 8-10 years and 10-12 years.

The competition seeks to encourage both formal and creative writing submissions related to strengthening tourism development in the region.

The formal writing stream may only include works that count as either essays or prose, while the creative writing stream may only include works that count as poems or short stories.

Participants are only eligible to submit an entry for one category.

A local judging panel will review all submissions and determine the four winning entries, two per age group, which will be forwarded to CTO for the regional finals. Winners will be determined based on the following criteria: knowledge of tourism, originality of ideas, expression of self, organization of thoughts, and grammar. The writing topics given

by CTO focus on sustainable tourism or adventure within the participants’ home country.

Through ‘The Year of Adventure in the Caribbean’ campaign, CTO and its member countries and hotels will highlight the Caribbean as the leading choice for a vacation filled with adventure. The campaign will celebrate everything from adrenaline-pumping active pursuits, to local culture, and casually sampling experiences unique to a specific CTO

destination.

“Adventure comes in different degrees for travelers. For some, it is zip lining high above a valley or speeding around a motor racing circuit.

For others, an adventure is simply exploring local communities to learn their language and customs, and teasing the senses with new cultural and culinary experiences,” said Hugh Riley, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer of CTO.

At today’s competition launch, Blythe Clare, Training Manager for the Tourist Board, also presented representatives from the Department of Education and the Principals from the Government and Private Primary schools with copies of CTO’s tourism magazine, ‘Making Waves’. The magazine, created for children between the ages of 8-11, aims to educate young Caribbean minds about the diversity of

the tourism sector and its importance to the region. The magazine covers a host of tourism topics, environmental issues and jobs available in the industry through colorful, factual and fun-filled presentations.

In addition to the ideas and competitions provided by CTO, each member country will develop their own plan of action for promoting adventure in their individual destinations. The theme is inclusive of a wide range of partners, activities, age ranges and tastes.

The 2017 Caribbean Year of Adventure will also be promoted through social media and traditional media channels and will create opportunities for travelers and vacation planners to share their experiences and ideas of an adventurefilled Caribbean vacation throughout 2017.

Ministry of Health to host multi-community clean up exercise

The Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit of the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services will be engaged in a multi-community clean up exercise on Saturday 8th April 2017.

The sites to be engaged will be Dock Yard, Five Cays, Blue Hills, Kew Town, Lower Bight and along Leeward Highway. The effort is a collaborative exercise with partners inclusive of the

Chamber of Commerce, Red Cross, Haitian Consulate, the faith-based community and other entities residing in the identified communities.

The clean-up forms part of continued efforts to ensure that gains made in the eradication of the Zika virus and other mosquito borne diseases continue to yield positive results. The exercise also follows on the heels of other preventative efforts such as fogging, removal of derelict

vehicles and waste appliances and the placing of traps along courses that capture larvae.

The Ministry remains committed to ensuring that residents and visitors alike, continue to enjoy safe surroundings by minimizing and eventually eliminating major threats posed by vector borne and other illnesses.

For more information contact the Health Promotion Unit on 3382772.

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LOCAL NEWS

Team from Ministry of Home Affairs returns from Status of Women conference

Thousands of women from countries around the world gathered at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during March 12th – 18th 2017, for the 61st Session of the Commission on the Status of Women under the theme, “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the changing world of work.”

A team of three persons namely Deputy Secretary, Mrs. Bridgette Newman, Gender Affairs Coordinator Mrs. Carolyn Dickenson and Acting Executive Administrator to the Minister, Ms. Kamala Roberts joined colleagues from other Overseas Territories under the United Kingdom’s delegation.

The conference was seen as an important opportunity to evaluate the progress made in the implementation of agreed conclusions from the fifty-eighth session (2014), on ‘Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls.’ It also allowed persons to take stock of the progress made in achieving goals outlined in (CEDAW) Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women as well as provide critical reflection on the direction to be taken in gender equality programming.

The TCI delegation participated in several meetings at the UK Mission to the United Nations, chief among which was a Ministerial session held on Tuesday, March 13th with other Overseas Territories counterparts and was chaired by GEO Director, Hilary Spencer. The session also allowed for the reaffirmation of our commitment to gender equality and equity goals in the sub region.

The main session focused on (CEDAW) Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against women and what member states were doing to end violence against women and girls, promote gender equality and the rights and protection of women and girls as well as strengthening the family initiative.

The team was particularly delighted to share some of the achievements of women in the TCI, which were also highlighted in the recently presented CEDAW Report.

Colleagues from Bermuda were eager to hear about strategies that had been successfully implemented in the TCI to bring about such positive outcomes.

The TCI delegation was also privileged to attend a reception in honour of His Excellency, Mr. Matthew Rycroft, the United Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations where they were able to interact with personnel from the United Kingdom and United Nations.

Plenary sessions were also organized to facilitate exchange of experiences and best practices at both a national and international level.

These discussions were focused on a number of sub topics with emphasis being placed on “ending violence against women and girls”.

Outside of the events planned by the UN to the UK Mission, the team attended a number of other sessions, which included; Women and work: Expanding leadership, Pay Equity and Economic Power, Strengthening Spaces, working to end violence against women, Gender and work in the Global Economy: 21 Nations, Women’s Economic EmpowermentGrassroots Rural Women’s Perspective and Wanted: Economic Empowerment and Equality, not the Sex Trade.

Commenting on CSW61, Gender Affairs Coordinator Mrs. Carolyn Dickenson stated; “The conference was an awesome experience, as the team was able to hear firsthand some of the challenges and experiences of women who continue to fight for gender equality and economic empowerment of both women and girls. It also gave us a greater sense of appreciation for the many achievements and successes of women here in the Turks and Caicos Islands who continue to play leading roles in all spheres of public and private life.”

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“TCINIB: How We Changed the TCI; 25 Years Later” By: Walter F L Gardiner, Director / CEO of National Insurance Board the form of Widow’s, Widower’s, and Children’s Pensions, to ensure that those persons to not face undue financial hardships. Today, persons who pay NIS contributions can go about their lives confident that should something happens to them, their survivors will be financially protected.

If sufficient contributions were paid for one to qualify for Survivor’s Pension, if at least 50 contributions were paid, a one time lump sum payment called “Survivor’s Grant” may be payable.

As expected, it was indeed quite a challenge.

We called it “paying contributions” but Turks and Caicos Islanders called it “paying taxes”. They was a first for them as they were not used to being “taxed”; had never had the experience of having monies mandatorily deducted from their pay checks- it did not go down well and was certainly not an easy sell. As members of the first NIB Staff (particularly Compliance and Registration Officers), we were cursed, threatened, chased off premises, criticized and ostracized.

Introduced on April 6, 1992 surrounded by a dark cloud of suspicion, mistrust and opposition from the general public, employers, employees, self –employed alike, the National Insurance Prograrmme. As we prepare to celebrate our 25th Anniversary, we have certainly earned the trust and respect of the people of the TCI today and they depend on the important 22 benefits that we provide.

The effect of this can be seen throughout just about every sector of our society as the programme has transformed the lives of all persons residing, working and doing business in the Islands today.

Then and Now

In order to fully appreciate and understand how the NIB has positively transformed the TCI, one must first take a candid retrospective look at what life was like pre- NIB. Prior to its introduction, persons working and residing in the TCI private sector experienced a very different way of life compared to how they live today.

1. Maternity

Prior to April 1992, expectant mothers grappled with several issues with regard to the planning of their pregnancies because the laws at that time granted them Maternity Allowance of 12 weeks at half-pay only after 2 years of service with any employer. Despite the fact that this was the law of the land, a large number of employers chose not to abide by the law and actually found reasons to terminate their services / lay them off after being informed of the pregnancy simply because they did not want to pay the employee half-pay as well as engage a temporary replacement and pay them full pay whilst the expectant mother was absent from work. Some employers viewed it as an extra unwanted administrative expense for their business as the financial burden was solely on the employer to pay the 12 weeks at half pay. In some cases, the expecting employee would actually end up being permanently replaced by her temporary replacement.

Non- compliance was considerably high in the 80’s and government did not have adequate manpower and resources at that time to effectively investigate and deal with all the issues (to this I can attest as the first Labour Commissioner).

In many cases, pregnant employees did not qualify for the Maternity Allowance due to the unfortunate fact that they were not employed with that particular employer for a minimum of 2 years.

Some employees, not wanting to be a financial strain on their employers and wanting to secure their jobs, continued to work dangerously close to their expected confinement date, essentially declining the legally entitled Maternity Allowance and/ or returned to work much earlier than legally required, thus reducing the necessary/ recommended bonding time with their newborns.

But the NIS has changed all of that and today provides insured expecting mothers 14 weeks Maternity Allowance at 60% of their average insurable earnings along with a $550.00 Maternity Grant upon the birth of the baby (an extra “gift” from us to assist the initial expenses of pampers, milk , crib, etc. for the new bundle of joy) . Expecting moms are now guaranteed a portion of their salary whilst on Maternity Leave.

No more having to worry about whether the employer could afford or would be honest enough to provide the half pay maternity allowance as previously required by law. NIS has effectively removed the burden from the employer and assumed that responsibility so that a reliable and uninterrupted stream of income is available whilst the employee is absent from work, with no required compensation from the employer during the period of absence.

2.Employment Injury, Disablement Pension , Constant Attendance Allowance/ Free Medical Care

In the past, if an employee was seriously injured on the job, there were no laws which required employers to pay for the loss of income whilst the employee was incapable of work. The employee was, in many cases, at the mercy of the employer who assisted financially for whatever period if he so desired. If the employee was rendered permanently incapable of work, he would most likely be forced to sue his employer to receive any form of compensation. In those days, the law limited any civil suit to a maximum of $20,000.00 and your employer would most likely find a reason to terminate your employment soon after receiving notice of the suit. If you were lucky enough to win your suit, your money would be short-lived as it would not be able to sustain you for the duration of your life if you were deemed permanently incapable of work.

The NIS addresses that problem today by providing Employment Injury Benefit at 60% of the employee’s pay until the employee is able to return to work up to a maximum of twelve months.

If the injury exceeds 12 months and the employee is assessed by our Medical Board or Referee at a rate

greater than 20%, the NIS may pay him a Disablement Pension of 30- 60% for the duration of his life. The employee will be entitled to receive his Disablement Pension and continue to be employed, if it is possible for him to do so.

In addition to Disablement Pension, the employee may also be entitled to free medical care from the local hospitals in accordance with NHIP.

If the person’s disability is so severe that it renders him permanently incapable of taking personal care of himself and the percentage of disablement is assessed at 100% that the continuous services of a care giver is required, he may qualify for the NIB’s “Constant Attendance Allowance” which is currently payable at $216.67 per month.

If the extent of the disablement is assessed at less than 20%, the NIB may pay a one time lump sum payment termed a Disablement Grant.

3. Sickness

Prior to the introduction of the NIS, employees who fell ill and were unable to work were only entitled to twelve days Sick Leave per year with full pay from their employers. Once those twelve days were exhausted, employees would not be paid for any additional days of sickness. This meant that employees would have to stay at home sick without any pay until they got better to return to work. Because they would have bills, rent, mortgage to pay and children to feed, some employees would return to work sick, just to keep the money coming into the household. In some cases, employees would return to work only to find that someone else had been hired in their place while they were sick. Depending on the employer, employees were really afraid sometimes to miss a day at work although they were truly sick.

The NIS has corrected this serious problem and protects sick workers by paying them 60% of their pay up to a maximum of 6 months illness. Both the employer and the employee do not have to be too concerned about absence on the job due to sickness as the NIS now covers a portion of the employee’ salary at a time when it is really needed.

4. Invalidity In the past, if an employee became sick and was unable to work for an extended period of time, not only would it be likely that that employee not be paid for any time exceeding 12 days, but that sick employee would most likely be eventually replaced with a healthy employee.

Employees who developed a permanent or terminal illness would certainly be released from their jobs usually without any protracted form of financial assistance from their employer; Government perhaps would have assisted by way of the Welfare Department in their small way.

Today, the NIS provides an Invalidity Pension of 30% - 60% of the employee’s salary for any period of illness exceeding six months which is likely to be permanent for the rest of the employee’s life. Considering the serious battles our country faces today with the problem of HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, heart and kidney disease, hypertension and other long term illnesses, the NIS is playing a very critical role in financially assisting these persons who can no longer assist themselves.

5. Funerals The average cost of funerals in the TCI over the past 25 years has risen from $600.00 to $6,000.00. In the past, the expenses associated with funerals created many hardships for many families and left them with large debts following the burial of their loved ones. Here too, government sometimes assisted in a small way, whenever possible.

Today, the NIS provides a Funeral Grant of $2,190.00 for an insured person and $1,420.00 for dependents to assist with the funeral expenses. Indeed, there were very few funerals held in the TCI within the past 25 years where the NIS has not contributed financially, relieving some of the burden on family, friend and state.

6. Survivor’s Pension / Survivor’s Grant There is nothing more devastating perhaps than the death of a bread- winner when the survivors are not financially able to care for themselves. In the past, upon the death of a mother or father, the surviving spouse and children were often left to suffer economic hardship and seek the help of family, friends and government just to ‘make ends meet’.

Sometimes, in the case of orphans, these children became wards of the state, depending solely on government.

But now, the NIS provides Survivors Pensions in

7. Retirement Pension / Retirement Grant Prior to the NIB, when an employee reached the age of 55 or 60 or became too old to perform with the speed and accuracy in which he once did, the employer would eventually ‘lay him off’ or replace his services with that of a younger person. As pension plans were virtually nonexistent in those days with the exception of the government, banks, and some of the larger private sector companies, the employee would usually go home empty –handed, with very little or no savings in the bank. Because of this, he and his family suffered.

But now, the NIS provides 30%- 60% Retirement Pension to employees who reach the age of 60 – 65 years and have paid contributions for at least 10 years. This guaranteed pension ensures that the employee and his family enjoy a reasonably good quality of life beyond retirement age because it is difficult to save. Saving sometimes calls for extraordinary self discipline. Today, many persons in the TCI today receive and depend on their NIS pensions.

If one has not met the minimum 500 / 10 years in contribution payments upon attaining the age of 65, but has paid at least 50 contributions / 1 year, the NIB will pay a “Retirement Grant” which is essentially a full refund of the total contributions paid.

8. Non-Contributory Old Age Pension Our fathers and fore-fathers slaved for us and built these beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands for us many, many years ago. They had to struggle and fight very hard in years gone just to survive and when they became elderly and unable to work anymore, many found themselves without any form of regular financial assistance. Some of these persons depended on government (often politically determined) to assist them with a mere $40.00 -$60.00 per month to sustain themselves because family and friends could not or did not assist. Unfortunately, these persons were either too old to pay NIS contributions or unemployed to contribute toward a Retirement Pension,

The NIS takes care of these persons (some 484 of them) by providing a Non- Contributory Pension of $275.00 per month for the rest of their lives. This ensures their standards of living, allows them to live a dignified life, prevents their living in abject poverty and prolongs their lives a little bit longer to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

Conclusion Latest February 2017 statistics reveal that the NIB: 1.Collects $28 million annually in contributions 2. Pays out an average of $14 million annually in benefits 3.Currently has $240 million in the Fund 4.Has 1,628 persons receiving various monthly pensions as below: Pension Type Retirement Pension Old Age Pension Survivors Pension Invalidity Pension 89 Disablement Pension Death Pension Constant Attendance Allowance

# of Recipients 1,044 212 178 35 7 3

5. Has paid out over $131.5 Million (one hundred thirty one and a half million dollars) in benefit payments since April 6, 1992 throughout the Islands into the local TCI economy.

I can safely say that every single contributor to the Programme has today benefitted / is benefiting in some way from the NIB or is related to / associated with someone who has benefitted / is benefiting from the NIS. These monies provide much needed assistance for the people of the TCI and keep the economy alive.

The National Insurance Programme has indeed elevated and transformed the lives of the TCI people over the past 25 years and has become a major player in the development of the TCI, by making us all ‘our brother’s keeper’ with the strong helping the weak, the rich helping the poor, and the young helping the old – just the way it should be. The NIS has allowed development to come and continue in the TCI because it ensures that our most precious and valuable resource (our people) are protected in times of ill health and financial difficulty to facilitate that development. The NIS provides a certain guaranteed ‘peace of mind’ for our many employers and employees alike and they now worry less about the financial implications of sickness, injury, maternity, retirement and death as they are assured that the NIS will be there for them when they need us.

We are taking care of you.

Yes, indeed: We got you: Today, Tomorrow, Forever!

Happy Anniversary NIB!

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LOCAL NEWS

TCI NIB celebrating 25th anniversary

T

he Turks and Caicos Islands National Insurance Board is currently celebrating their 25th year anniversary in the month of March through April with lined up events for all of the Islands.

One of the major events was a cocktail reception which was held at Beaches Resort and Spa, Providenciales on Tuesday March 28th.

The event saw the attendance of Government officials and Premier Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson and many in the business sector in TCI.

In an article written by Walter F L Gardiner, Director / CEO he said, “Introduced on April 6, 1992 surrounded by a dark cloud

of suspicion, mistrust and opposition from the general public, employers, employees, self –employed alike, the National Insurance Prograrmme. As we prepare to celebrate our 25th Anniversary, we have certainly earned the trust and respect of the people of the TCI today and they depend on the important 22 benefits that we provide. The effect of this can be seen throughout just about every sector of our society as the programme has transformed the lives of all persons residing, working and doing business in the Islands today.”

The SUN was at attendance and brings you these photographs from the cocktail reception.

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LOCAL NEWS

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LOCAL NEWS

Highlights of Food For Thought 2nd annual Brunch fundraiser F

ood for Thought hosted its second public fundraiser on Sunday March 26th, 2017 at Kalooki’s Beach Restaurant & Bar in Providenciales with the purpose of raising funds to provide breakfast for children in the Government schools in the Primary Schools in North, Middle, South Caicos and Salt Cay.

Scores of people in the community came out to support this great cause with the attendance of over 250 guests. At the sold out event there were entertainment, food and drinks, face painting for the kids, a few quizzes, colouring and the silent auction.

With the support of the community organizers of the event were able

to raise over $8,000 last year at their first fundraiser but made a tremendous increase this year the Charity’s second annual brunch fundraiser raises over $18,000 for its breakfast programme.

Food for Thought is a great initiative that was launched on Tuesday April 5th where they hosted a charity event at The Palms Karen and Jeanne Savory are the master minds behind this great initiative and partnering with Caicos Express Airways.

These photographs captured the event.

Photo credit: (Ora Hasenfratz & Todeline Defralien).

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LOCAL NEWS

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

George Michael laid to rest three months after his death

Drake

Drake ends Sheeran’s Billboard 200 reign, smashes streaming record

Drake ended Ed Sheeran’s two week reign atop the Billboard 200 album chart on Monday, selling a monster 505,000 copies of his new album “More Life,” according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.

The Canadian rapper, the world’s bestselling artist of 2016, took the No. 1 spot, setting a new streaming record and bringing home the biggest U.S. sales week for any album since his 2016 release “Views.”

Nielsen said 257,000 units were earned from streaming, beating Drake’s previous record-setting 163,000 streaming units for “Views.”

The Billboard 200 album chart tallies units from album sales, song sales (10 songs equal one album) and streaming activity (1,500 streams equal one album).

Drake’s new release pushed British singersongwriter Sheeran’s “Divide” into second place on the Billboard 200 with some 118,000 units sold.

Rapper Rick Ross landed in the No.3 spot with his new album “Rather You Than Me.”

Sheeran however remained top of the digital songs chart, which measures online single sales, thanks to “Shape of You,” which sold another 97,000 units in its 11th week on the chart.

Spice Girl Mel B files for divorce from husband of nearly ten years Spice Girl Melanie ‘Mel B’ Brown filed for divorce from her husband after nearly 10 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.

Court papers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday show that British pop star Brown, 41, and husband Stephen Belafonte, a TV producer, have been separated since December.

B r o w n requested joint legal and physical custody of the couple’s daughter, five-year-old Madison Brown Belafonte.

Representatives for Brown did not immediately respond

British actress and singer Melanie Brown also known as Mel B arrives at the Creative Arts Emmys in Los Angeles, California, U.S. September 10, 2016 to Reuters for comment and efforts to reach Belafonte were unsuccessful.

Brown, best known as Scary Spice in 1990s British pop group Spice Girls, married Belafonte in June 2007.

Brown has two other children from previous relationships.

Three months after his death on Christmas Day, George Michael was laid to rest Wednesday in an intimate ceremony.

“We can confirm that the funeral of the singer George Michael took place today. Family and close friends gathered for the small, private ceremony to say goodbye to their beloved son, brother and friend,” a rep for the singer tells PEOPLE in a statement.

“George Michael’s family would like to thank his fans across the world for their many messages of love and support.

We ask that the family’s wish for privacy be respected so that they can continue to live their lives privately, away from any media intrusion. No further details will be released.”

A source tells PEOPLE Michael was buried in London at Highgate Ceremony next to his beloved mother, Lesley, who died 20 years ago.

The burial comes almost three weeks after the legendary singer’s cause of death was revealed to be dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and fatty liver, according to the senior coroner for Oxfordshire, Darren Salter.

Dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart, occurs when the left ventricle stretches

George Michael and fails to effectively pump blood, according to the Mayo Clinic. As the muscle becomes weaker, heart failure can occur.

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart usually caused by a viral infection.

As the death was determined to be the result of natural causes, Thames Valley Police stated that they would close the related investigation.

“The investigation into the circumstances of the death has now concluded and a file was passed to the Coroner. As the cause of death was natural, no further action is proposed or required,” authorities wrote on Facebook. “No further updates will be provided and the family

requests the media and public respect their privacy.”

The initial autopsy, completed on Dec. 30, was revealed to be “inconclusive” in a statement released by the Thames Valley police.

It had previously been speculated that Michael had died of drug-related complications – with some even raising questions about boyfriend Fadi Fawaz’ role in the singer’s death, despite Thames Valley Police treating it as “unsuspicious” from an early stage.

Fawaz slammed these “nasty comments,” in tweets posted soon after the cause of death was revealed.

“The Truth is out…” he captioned a smiling photo of the couple in happier times.

Michael suffered many health issues in recent years, though. In November 2011, the “Careless Whisper” singer was hospitalized for pneumonia. One year earlier, he was involved in a car accident and arrested for driving under the influence of marijuana.

Michael sold 100 million albums worldwide during his nearly 40 years in the spotlight, and has won a slew of awards.

However, the star also fell on difficult times with multiple arrests as well as battles with depression and drug use.

Kanye West settles with Hungarian singer over alleged song theft

Kanye West has settled for comment. a lawsuit by a Hungarian rock The parties settled on singer who accused the hip-hop Monday, two days before West star of sampling one of his best- was scheduled for a deposition. A known works without permission notice that they agreed to dismiss the case was made public on for the 2013 song “New Slaves.”

The accord resolves Thursday in Manhattan federal claims that 85 seconds, or one- court. third, of “New Slaves,” which “The matter has been appeared on the No. 1 album resolved amicably,” Peter Cane, a “Yeezus,” was a copy of the lawyer for Presser, said on Friday.

Presser had sought at plaintiff Gabor Presser’s 1969 song “Gyongyhaju Lany,” which least $2.5 million of damages for translates roughly as “Pearls in copyright infringement, calling his song “one of the most beloved Her Hair.”

“I am very glad it is over,” pop songs ever in Hungary and Presser was quoted as saying by across Eastern Europe.”

He said he did not know Hungarian news agency MTI on the song was used until West’s Friday.

Terms of the settlement lawyers gave him 24 hours to were not disclosed. “work out a deal” and then sent

Lawyers for West and co- him a $10,000 check, which he defendant Sony Corp’s Sony/ATV never cashed.

A lyricist, Anna Adamis, Music Publishing LLC did not immediately respond to requests was also a plaintiff.

Entertainer Kanye West arrives at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala in New York

Recording stars are often sued in the United States for song theft, as in a case filed last month against U2 in the Manhattan court. Few such cases go to trial, and many are resolved out of court.

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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HEALTHY

LIFESTYLE ‘Healthy’ obese still face higher heart disease risk

Even without high blood pressure or other signs of illness, obese adults have a much higher risk of developing heart disease than normal-weight peers, according to a study from Denmark.

The results contradict recent research suggesting a subgroup of obese individuals known as “metabolically healthy obese” may not face an increased risk for obesityrelated complications such as heart or kidney disease, researchers write in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

“People have a general understanding now that it is not unhealthy to be overweight or obese as long as your lifestyle is relatively healthy,” said senior study author Kristine Faerch of the Steno Diabetes Center in Copenhagen.

“But overweight and obesity is associated with a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” she told Reuters Health by email. “Maintaining a healthy weight through life is important to lower risk.”

Faerch and colleagues analyzed data for more than 6,200 men and women who participated in a large Danish study and were followed

for at least 10 years.

They looked at participants’ starting body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight relative to height.

BMI of less than 24.9 kilograms per square meter was considered normal weight, BMI of 25 to 29.9 was considered overweight and BMI of 30 or above was considered obese.

Someone 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 210 pounds, for example, would have a BMI of 31.

The researchers also looked at four heart disease risk factors at the beginning of the study and at periodic follow-ups: low HDL (“good”)cholesterol, and elevated blood pressure, triglycerides and blood sugar. Metabolically healthy individuals were defined as having none of these risk factors, and metabolically unhealthy individuals had at least one.

During the follow-up period, 323 participants developed heart disease. Men who started out metabolically healthy and obese had three times the risk compared to metabolically healthy normal-weight men. Metabolically healthy obese women had double the risk of their normal-weight counterparts.

Men who were metabolically

healthy and overweight, but not obese, at the outset had the same risk as healthy normal-weight men, and risk was only slightly increased for metabolically healthy overweight women.

Researchers also factored into their calculations any changes in metabolic health status over the course of the study. Just 58 men and 114 women, or 3 percent of the study population, qualified as “metabolically healthy obese” at the start. And 40 percent of these became metabolically unhealthy during a five-year period.

“What this study shows, before even looking at outcomes, is how rare a strictly healthy type of obesity is in the first place,” said Joshua Bell of the University of Bristol in the UK, who wasn’t involved with the Danish study. “(It’s) about 1 in 10 obese adults, and like we’ve found in previous studies, this status is often temporary.”

Bell and colleagues published research in the International Journal of Obesity in February that suggests obesity also hastens age-related functional decline and disability, even in metabolically healthy adults.

“As important as heart disease is, it’s not the only aspect

that can go wrong,” he said. “We also need to consider musculoskeletal impairments and other outcomes that affect quality of life,” he told Reuters Health by email.

Bell’s team found that during two decades of aging, physical function declined two times more and body pain increased six times more in socalled healthy obese adults compared to normal-weight adults.

“This will become increasingly important as more people live with obesity for longer as we get better at controlling heart disease,” Bell said.

Future research may also focus on different definitions of metabolically healthy obesity, said Matthias Schulze at the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam-Rehbruecke who wasn’t involved with either study. Instead of body mass index, measurements could use waist circumference, waisthip ratio or body fat distribution, he noted.

“We know now that the healthy state can change to the unhealthy state quickly over the course of a few years,” Schulze said by email. “The question now is - what can we do to reduce risk in both groups?”

‘Low content’ claims on food labels may confuse consumers

Food labels that say ‘low salt’ or ‘no fat’ may be misleading, suggests a new study.

These ‘low-content’ claims are based on comparisons with other foods and are not standard definitions. Making such a claim doesn’t necessarily mean the food is more nutritious than other brands, the authors say.

Consumers should “turn the package around and look at the entire nutritional profile as well as the ingredients list in order to get a better sense of whether the product overall is healthier or less healthy,” Lindsey Smith Taillie of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill told Reuters Health in a phone call.

Smith Taillie and colleagues analyzed data on more than 80 million food and beverage purchases made in the United States by 40,000 families from 2008 to 2012.

“We found that higher- low-nutrient claims actually had income households tended to be more more of that substance than foods likely to buy products with these without those claims.

Also, Smith Taillie said, types of claims, which is consistent with previous research that suggests when a product has a low-sugar claim, that claims tend to be more utilized for example, it might have less sugar by people with higher levels of than a reference product or a similar education,” Smith Taillie said. product, “but it doesn’t mean that

As reported in the Journal it has an overall better nutritional of the Academy of Nutrition and quality.”

Or, “it could be a high-sugar Dietetics, 13 percent of food and 35 percent of beverage purchases food but be low in fat, so it’s going to included products with some type of say low fat on the label. That doesn’t low-content claim. Low-fat purchases mean that it’s healthy,” she said.

“Essentially, it can be kind of were the most common, followed by low-calorie, low-sugar, and low- misleading to make a decision about a product based on a front-of-package sodium claims.

On average, packaged foods claim,” she added.

The U.S. Food and Drug with low-nutrient claims had 32 percent fewer calories, 11 percent Administration regulates what less sugar, and about half the fat and products can claim, Smith Taillie sodium compared to foods that didn’t said.

“It’s not that the products are carry any claims on the packaging.

However, some products with technically wrong in making a low-

content claim, it’s just that the rules that allow them to make this kind of claim vary by the claim and by food category,” she said.

Food labels can be confusing, agreed Melissa Rifkin, a dietitian with Montefiore Medical Center in New York City who was not involved in the study.

Understanding what a nutrition fact label means is more important than focusing on marketing claims,” Rifkin told Reuters Health by email.

Key items to focus on are serving size, quantity per container, calories, fat, sodium and sugar, she said.

A new and revamped nutrition fact label is under development, Rifkin said.

“Slowly we will begin to see all labeling take on the new information,” she said.

Obese couples may take longer to conceive

Couples who are obese may take longer to achieve pregnancy than partners who aren’t as overweight, a recent U.S. study suggests.

Previous studies in women have linked obesity to difficulties getting pregnant. In the current study, neither male nor female obesity alone was linked to taking a longer time to conceive, but when both partners were obese, the couple took up to 59 percent longer to conceive than non-obese counterparts.

“If our results are confirmed, fertility specialists may want to take couples’ weight status into account when counseling them about achieving pregnancy,” said lead study author Rajeshwari Sundaram of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Bethesda, Maryland.

“The benefits of a healthy weight are well known: obesity increases the risk for diseases

such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer,” Sundaram added by email.

Sundaram and colleagues focused on the relationship between pregnancy and body mass index (BMI), a ratio of weight to height. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered a healthy weight, while 25 to 29.9 is overweight, 30 or above is obese and 40 or higher is what’s known as morbidly obese.

An adult who is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds, for example, would have a BMI of 23.6, which is in the healthy range. An obese adult at that height would weigh at least 203 pounds and have a BMI of 30 or more.

Researchers categorized individuals into two subgroups: obese class I, with a BMI from 30 to 34.9, and obese class II, with a BMI of 35 or greater.

Overall, 27 percent of the women and 41 percent of the men were obese class I or heavier.

Then, the researchers compared the average time to conceive for couples where neither partner was obese to couples where both fell into the obese class II group.

Couples in the obese class II group took 55 percent longer to achieve pregnancy than their normal weight counterparts, the study team calculated.

After accounting for other factors that influence fertility such as age, smoking status, exercise and cholesterol levels, obese class II couples took 59 percent longer to get pregnant.

About 40 percent of the men and 47 percent of the women also had enough excess fat around the midsection to potentially influence fertility.

In addition, 60 percent of the women and 58 percent of the men said they exercised no more than once a week, the researchers report in Human Reproduction.

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TURKS AND CAICOS SUN MARCH 15TH - MARCH 22ND, 2008 TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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FUN GAMES FUN && GAMES

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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We hire smiles!!!

Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages and Spa, the only 6 Diamond All-inclusive property in the Caribbean is inviting applications from Turks and Caicos Islanders for the following vacant positions. We hire the personality and train the individual.

Applicants must have a clean police record and a good command of the English language both written and spoken. In addition candidates must be able to work nights, public holidays and week-ends. The Resort thanks everyone for their interest in advance and advises that applicants will be contacted for an interview via Text Message.

The Concierge Department requires:

The Grounds Department requires: ✓ ✓ Reports to:

✓

Supervisor Grounds Man

Agent

Reports to:

Grounds Manager

Concierge Manager

Grow and propagate plants; cultivating, and harvesting horticultural specialties, such as trees, shrubs, flowers, mushrooms, and other plants.

The Concierge Agent serves as the guest’s liaison for hotel services. Functions are an extension of the front desk with emphasis on the personalized services. Assist the guests in inquiries concerning the hotel or offpremises attractions, facilities, services or activities.

Standard Specifications: Qualifications and Experience: • Supervisory certification and experience leading a grounds team (Supervisor only) • Physically fit with the ability to lift over 30 lbs.

• No allergies to chemicals • Minimum 2 years’ experience in a related position.

Standard Specifications: Qualifications and Experience: • Associates Degree preferred; • Minimum two years’ work experience in a similar or comparative position’ • Computer literate with computer application and software i.e. Windows/Excel/Access/ Outlook. Ability to input and access information from a computer and to adapt to new computer technology.

These positions are currently held by Work Permit Holders.

This position is currently held by a Work Permit Holder (note however more than one is required). Recruitment to fill these positions is underway at this time.

The Entertainment and Kids Kamp Departments require: ✓ ✓ ✓

✓

Dancer Player Kids Counselor

Reports to:

Reports to: Director of Entertainment To engage the guests and their children to participate in activities, attend shows and special guest events. Part of the responsibility as an Entertainment and Kids Kamp staff is to create lasting memories while on vacation.

Standard Specifications: Qualifications and Experience: • Minimum of 4 CXC certifications.

• Customer service experience These positions are currently held by Work Permit Holders (note however more than one is required).

Recruitment to fill these positions is underway at this time.

The Butler Department requires: ✓ Reports to:

The Junior Butler position is currently held by a Work Permit Holder (however more than one is required).

Recruitment to fill these positions is underway at this time.

The range for these positions is $6.25 to $13.00 per hour

Standard Specifications: Qualifications and Experience: • High School diploma / certificate • Knowledgeable about inventory / accounting • Understand ordering and receiving processes The Junior Concierge position is currently held by a Work Permit Holder (however more than one is required).

Recruitment to fill these positions is underway at this time.

Agent

Reports to:

Front Office Manager

Represents the company throughout the guest’s stay, ensures guest satisfaction by meeting and exceeding their expectations. To work closely with all department to ensure that Guests receive friendly, efficient service from the point of arrival until departure. To deliver the highest level of professional and exemplary customer service to all guest. To conduct themselves with unquestioned integrity at all times while coordinating guest entire vacation experience through a seamless process. Ensuring the delivery of genuine service that enhances every vacation experience.

Standard Specifications: Qualifications and Experience: • High School graduate • Computer literate • Excellent Customer Service Skills This position is currently held by a Work Permit Holder (note however more than one is required). Recruitment to fill these positions is underway at this time.

The Spa Department requires: Spa Therapist

The Housekeeping Department requires:

Spa Manager

The Spa Therapist is responsible for the comfort of the guests of the spa while performing treatments. Direct all efforts toward guest satisfaction achievement of Spa standards, and profit maximization. As part of the Spa Team it is imperative to work harmoniously to achieve the highest standard of service.

Standard Specifications: Qualifications and Experience: • Must have a valid License/Certificate in your field of expertise; This position is currently held by a Work Permit Holder (note however more than one is required). Recruitment to fill these positions is underway at this time.

The Photoshop Department requires: ✓ ✓

To maintain an effective and detailed control on the movement of beverage items/guest supplies, from ordering to placement in rooms. Maintains standards of quality and presentation and assists with guest services. To work closely with Concierge and Housekeeping to ensure that Guests receive friendly, efficient service from the point of arrival until departure in regards to stocking and restocking of rooms, assistance with luggage, location of amenities, delivery of WOWs, and TLC calls, to assist in the Concierge when needed.

✓

Butler Manager

Standard Specifications: Qualifications and Experience: • Passed the on the job training certification for Butler and activing pursuing final accreditation • Physically fit with the ability to lift over 30 lbs.

• No allergies to chemicals

Reports to:

Concierge Manager

The Front Office Department requires:

Junior Butler (formally Room Service Server/Waiter)

Under the guidance and supervision of the Butler Manager within the scope of established Sandals Resort & Spa policies, the Junior Butler (formally Room Service Server/Waiter) will ensure that all aspects the room service orders and general delivers operations are performed accordingly.

✓

Junior Concierge (formally Mini-Bar Stocker)

Underwater Photographer Photographer

✓ ✓ ✓

Houseman Room Attendant Public Area Cleaner/Attendant

Reports to:

Executive Housekeeper

The Room Attendant assumes primary responsibility for guestroom cleaning and servicing. The Housemen are responsible for delivering clean linen and clearing dirty linen from Room Attendants’ trolley. The general maintenance of all corridors and walkways on assigned floor/section are also the responsibility of the Housemen. The Public Area Cleaner/ Attendant is responsible to service all other areas and offices.

Standard Specifications: Qualifications and Experience: • Physically fit with the ability to lift and bend.

• No allergies to chemicals or dust • Minimum 2 years’ experience in a related position.

These positions are currently held by Work Permit Holders (note however more than one is required).

Recruitment to fill these positions is underway at this time.

Reports to: Photoshop Manager Responsible for the photographic experience, including the flow of guests through the photography, selection and purchase process

✓

Linen Room Attendant

Reports to:

Standard Specifications: Qualifications and Experience: • Certification in the field of Photography • Sales experience and able to meet quotas • Two (2) years’ experience in a similar position • Dive certification (Underwater Photographer)

Executive Housekeeper

To maintain order and cleanliness in the linen room and to assist with all of the activities related to the linen room, to record all items received and issued.

These positions are currently held by Work Permit Holders (note however more than one is required).

Recruitment to fill these positions is underway at this time.

The range for these positions is $6.25 to $7.25 per hour plus commissions

Standard Specifications: Qualifications and Experience: • Physically fit with the ability to lift and bend.

• No allergies to chemicals or dust • Minimum 2 years’ experience in a related position.

This position is currently held by a Work Permit Holder.

The range for these positions is $6.25 to $8.00 per hour

Applications giving full details of qualifications and experience should be sent to: mmvaughn@grp.sandals.com or placed in the secure drop box at the service gate or Fax to: 941-4870 Attn: M McClean-Vaughn The Labour Commissioner Labour Department Providenciales

and

The Human Resources Department Beaches Turks and Caicos P.O. Box 186 Lower Bight Road

and should reach not later than April 14th 2017

Page 32

For All you advertising needs contact TCISUN at 339-5879 Or email

sun@suntci.com CONEY’S CONSTRUCTION

Marjorie Basden Is seeking a Labourer in South Caicos To work 5 days per week Salary $6.25 per hour Contact # 946-3662

HUNGRIA CRESENT MARTINEZ

Is seeking Carpenter and Painter To work 6 days per week Salary $8 per hour Contact # 332-1247

SEEKS 1 Domestic Worker Salary $160.00 2 days per week Contact 241-7043

#589291

JULIEN LOUIS OF THE TRINITY SHOP

Is seeking a Cashier To work 6 days per week Salary $9.00 per hour Please Contact 341-0929 #589288

MESHELLE JENNINGS Of Grand Turk Is seeking a Labourer To work 6 days a week Must be able to work Holidays and Weekends Wages starting at $6.50 per hour BELONGERS WILL BE GIVEN FIRST PREFERENCE Please contact 332-9059 Between the hours of 9:00am and 4:00pm Monday-Friday

MAJESTIC TOURS & TRANSPORTATION

Is seeking a Driver To work 3 days a week To be employed at the minimum wage Contact # 649-231-7901/649-343-3840 #589290

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

For All you advertising needs contact TCISUN at 339-5879 Or email

sun@suntci.com

#589276

WANTED

Must be available day times, evenings, weekend and holidays.

BELONGER NEED ONLY APPLY Email resume to -msimmons@tciway.tc before April 21, 2017.

Is seeking one Labourer To maintain residential and business premises Salary: $100.00150.00 per week Interested persons please contact Rita Gardiner @ 231-0312

ROCHELLE GARDINER

VICIOUS CUTS

Is seeking live in Maid To work 6 days per week Salary $6.25 Contact # 331-0221

Is seeking a Barber To work 7 days per week Salary $6.25 per hour Please Contact 431-7116

#589287

#589276

#589291

Is seeking a Kitchen helper To work 6 days per week Minimum wage $6.25 per hour Contact# 244-4398

Kindly send resume to:Human Resource Manager P.O. Box 355 Providenciales Or via Email to cagsterling@gmail.com

Is seeking a Labourer To work 6 days per week Salary $6.25 per hour Contact # 649-242-3450

Starting wages $6.50 per hour Job requirement- should have food handlers permit, computer skills-word perfect/excel.

Excellent interpersonal skills, 3 character reference required and valid drivers license.

In Grand Turk Is seeking a Labourer Must be willing to work 6 days per week Salary $6.50 per hour Please Contact (649)941-9010 THIS POSITION IS CURRENTLY HELD BY A WORK PERMIT HOLDER

LIGHTBOURNE LIVINGSTON

Computer Certification will be an asset along with any Insurance Qualifications or Experience in related fields.

Seeking 1 Labourer Must be honest, hardworking, good at cleaning 6 days per week Salary $ 6.25 Contact # 331-0221

Is seeking a Sales Rep

WANTED Peterly Pierre Grand Turk Salary $6.50 per hour 5 days per week Contact 243-5023

BAYSIDE CAR RENTAL

An Insurance Brokerage Firm is seeking an Account Representative for Sales and Administration, with the responsibility for Data Processing, Client Servicing and Policy Documentation.

CONCH SHACK

TCI SERVICES LTD

DOMESTIC WORKER

JOB VACANCY

MBA CONSTRUCTION

#589285

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

#589293

LILLIAN PAULA CLARE

ANDREA CABRERA

Is seeking Domestic worker To work 6 days per week Salary $6.25 per hour Contact # 346-1143

THREADS LTD

SEEKS 2 Tailors 2 Dressmakers Must have atleast 20 years experience Salary based on commission Contact 242-7211 #589274

LUXE BEAUTY SALON AND DAY SPA

Is seeking a Cosmetologist To work 5 days a week Salary $8.00 per hour Please email: luxebeauty34@gmail.com

Is seeking 1 Tailor To work 6 days per week Salary on commission basis Please contact 946-3704

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

JACQUELIN MORLEY & EDDY BIEN AIME

Is seeking a Labourer To work 5 days per week Salary $6.25 per hour Please Contact 341-6464 #589275

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

CARIBBEAN WORLD

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 33

CARIBBEAN NEWS

NEWS NEWS

Antiguan woman dies after plastic surgery in Miami

Police are investigating the death of a woman who traveled to South Florida from the Caribbean to undergo a cosmetic procedure at a clinic in Miami, recently.

According to Miami Police, the victim, identified by family and friends as 32-year-old Nikisha Lewis from Antigua, had traveled to South Florida to undergo the procedure at the Miami location of Spectrum Aesthetics.

Lewis, who works as an airport immigration officer, underwent liposuction surgery at Spectrum Aesthetics, located near Southwest 42nd Avenue and West Flagler Street in Miami.

Around 5:30pm, someone at the clinic called 911 when Lewis stopped breathing. Lewis was rushed to the Jackson Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead about two hours later.

Liposuction is a plastic surgery procedure in which a doctor inserts a hollow tube under the skin to suction out fat.

Death occurs in about one per ten thousand cases. Other serious complications include deep vein thrombosis, organ perforation,

reading: ‘Our deepest condolences go out to the patient’s family.

‘Dr. Ghurani is deeply saddened by the loss of his patient and offers his thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

‘We are unable to provide any details on the patient’s care and treatment due to privacy laws; however, Dr. Ghurani provided A sky pool suite at Sandals Royal Barbados the highest level of care as he does with all patients.’

Police have launched a homicide investigation into her death. The clinic has said they are also conducting their own review, WSVN 7 reported.

Kubs Lalchandani, an attorney for the clinic, also said

Sandals Resorts is set to open its second that he could not comment on the property in Barbados in December this year. death.

The new hotel, which is scheduled to

‘Our prayers go out to the open on December 20, 2017, is expected to cost patient’s family and loved ones.

US$160 million when completed, a price tag Spectrum Aesthetics is a proud Sandals Resorts International (SRI) said would member of the South Florida make it the company’s “largest ever investment community and is committed to in a single property”. upholding the highest standards

The Sandals Royal Barbados, the second of medical care and patient safety. property on the Caribbean island from the luxury

‘Spectrum is conducting a all-inclusive brand, will offer 222 rooms, which will comprehensive investigation into all be concierge and butler-level suites, including the matter and is cooperating with the brand’s signature Rondovals, Millionaire state officials to determine the Butler Suites and Skypool Suites which include cause of the incident,’ Lalchandani private Rolls Royce transfers to and from the said in a statement. airport along with an extensive Crystal Lagoon pool complex with Swim-Up Suites.

Amenities will include a full-service 13,000 square foot Red Lane Spa, four bars offering unlimited premium spirits and five of the brand’s signature dining options including American, French, Chinese-Japanese Fusion, Caribbean and Mediterranean cuisines. candidates, were nominated as

The resort will also debut a 6,000 sq. ft. independents. fully equipped conference facility.

The ruling People’s Progressive

The new, stand-alone resort was originally Movement nominated sixteen conceived as an expansion of the nearby Sandals candidates; while the opposition Barbados. “After reviewing the scope of the Cayman Democratic Party project, we felt that expanding may compromise nominated eleven candidates. intimacy, essential to a romantic setting, and

The next major task for possibly service standards, so we established the Electoral Office is preparing a management team dedicated exclusively to the mobile and postal ballots.

Sandals Royal Barbados and designed the new

According to Howell, resort to complement Sandals Barbados, where voters were already applying in Sandals’ style – guests may ‘stay at one, but for postal voting and the office play at two’,” said Sandals Resorts Chairman would be printing ballots as Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart. soon as the qualification of candidates was cleared.

Sandals Resorts to open second new luxury property in Barbados

Nikisha Lewis, a married mother-of-two, 32, who flew from Antigua to Miami to get liposuction, died after she stopped breathing during the procedure bleeding and infection.

The Miami Dade Medical Examiner’s office said the cause of death could not be determined immediately and that it could take weeks for the final results of the autopsy.

Dr Rami Ghurani was Lewis’ surgeon. His attorney, Julie Ingle, sent a statement to NBC 6,

63 candidates nominated ahead of Cayman Islands May 24 general election GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands – Ahead of the May 24 general election, 63 candidates were nominated on Wednesday for the 19 electoral districts across this British Overseas territory.

At the close of Nomination Day activities, Supervisor of Elections Wesley Howell said nominations went smoothly at all venues.

“I am pleased with the efficient operations during the whole nominations process today and I thank the Elections

Office staff for their diligent preparation and hard work so far,” Howell said at a press conference late Wednesday.

He added that 38 Election Office staff members registered the nominations on Grand Cayman,Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.

This is the first time that electors will be voting in single-member electoral districts, with each voter having only one vote.

Of the 63 candidates nominated, the majority – 36

Chiropractor arrested after tricking clients to believe sex was a part of therapy A Trinidadian chiropractor who allegedly tricked his clients into believing that sex was part of the therapy, has been charged with five sexual assault crimes.

The 43-year-old man is expected to appear before a magistrate on Monday.

The suspect was arrested last week after he allegedly assaulted and raped a 19-year-old girl.

According to police, earlier this month, the suspect was visited by the girl and her 55-year-old mother.

The visit was at his home where he has been carrying out the practice for the last 15 years although he is not certified, police said.

Police said that on that occasion, he allegedly sexually assaulted the teenager and her mother, telling both of them

that the assault was part of the process of the therapy.

The mother and daughter left the suspect’s home, and no complaint was made to the police.

On March 20, as instructed by the suspect, the teenager alone returned to his home. During the therapy he allegedly sexually assaulted and raped her. The girl left the suspect’s home, and later told her mother of the incident.

The mother and daughter reported the incidents to the CID and investigations were carried out by Ag Sgt Pierre and WPC Beckles. He was arrested and subsequently charged with four offences of grievous sexual assault and one offence of rape.

Police said that it is believed that the suspect had assaulted more of his clients and are appealing for victims to visit the CID and speak with officers.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

CARIBBEAN NEWS

The Bahamas collected $1billion in VAT since inception; PM explains how it was spent

AMID lingering questions regarding Value-Added Tax (VAT) collections, Prime Minister Perry Christie was on the defensive as he explained how his administration handled $1.14bn in VAT revenue accumulated during 2015 and 2016, insisting that not one dollar of the money has been “frittered away” or spent “surreptitiously”.

According to the Tribune newspaper, finally giving an extensive explanation of VAT revenue since the matter was reignited following the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) convention in January, the Prime Minister told parliamentarians it was a “worrisome” and nonsensical misconception that his administration mishandled VAT money. This issue, he Perry Christie, Prime Minister of The Bahamas said, needed to be put to rest once and to a total reduction of $344m in revenue for all. foregone since the introduction of VAT,

VAT was implemented on but the net impact on revenues to the January 1, 2015, at a rate of 7.5 per government was $756m. cent on most goods and services.

He told the House that in

According to Mr Christie, while summary, 40 per of the VAT revenue VAT collections are automatically went towards reducing the deficit, 30 sent to the Consolidated Fund, where per cent replaced revenue foregone revenue is “indistinguishable” and not from tax reductions and the remaining earmarked for any one purpose, it goes 30 per cent went towards general toward three categories of reduction. expenditures.

These include tax reduction, To further support funding of expenditure and deficit transparency, the Prime Minister also and debt reductions being the residual announced the launch of a new website outcome. He was adamant that the - understandingVAT.org - intended as a government had been “crystal clear” new resource for Bahamians to better from the onset that the administration’s understand how VAT was spent. programme for tax reform had manifold “As I mentioned earlier, some objectives. $1.14billion was collected in respect

While VAT did yield more than of VAT in 2015 and 2016. Of this total, $1.1billion, Mr Christie said there was the Department of Inland Revenue a vast impact on recurrent government collected $726million: $316million revenue due to the elimination of the in 2015 and $410million in 2016. hotel occupancy tax, VAT refunds and The department also refunded some other tax reductions. These amounted $20million in VAT over these two years.

The Department of Customs collected $415million over the two-year period: $209million in 2015 and $207million in 2016.”

He also said: “Every single dollar of revenue is fully accounted for each and every year and is subject to audit by the independent Auditor General. As such, not one dollar of VAT revenues collected over the past two years has been frittered away or spent surreptitiously. That is a grave and nonsensical misconception that, once and for all, must be put to rest.

“This communication has also reiterated the various objectives of revenue enhancement through VAT implementation, and has highlighted, with supporting data, the extent to which new VAT revenues have: first, facilitated additional government spending in priority areas and in response to adverse economic and natural events; second, accommodated reductions in other major taxes for

consumers, business and property owners; and third, directly contributed to significant reductions in the GFS deficit over the past three years.

Mr Christie said over the past two years, the government was placed in the position to provide additional funding for some important social and public programmes.

These, he said, were in national security, health, education and social services.

“Since the implementation of VAT, the government has hired an additional 99 police officers at $1,782,000 per annum - during the fiscal year 2015/2016; it has hired an additional 166 Defence Force officers at $2,988,000 per annum - during the fiscal years 2015/2016 and 2016/2017; it has employed 347 more teachers and education support staff at $8,400,500 per annum - during the fiscal years 2015/2016 and 2016/2017; and it has hired 103 additional doctors and health professionals at $2,932,550 per annum during fiscal years 2015/2016 and 2016/2017.

“These vital expenditures would not be possible without VAT revenue. Nor would it be possible to service the debt associated with the acquisition of the vessels from the RBDF, at $25m a year, or purchase a new immigration, border control and passport system at a combined cost of $33m, of which $5.8m was paid in this fiscal year.

“Nor would it have been possible to purchase a new Road Traffic system at $8.3m, of which $1.9m has been paid off this fiscal year, and four new Doppler radars at $23m of which $7 million would be discharged this fiscal year,” Mr Christie said.

Government of St. Lucia unveils new plans for Pearl of the Caribbean

The government of St. Lucia recently revealed that they will begin construction on the Pearl of the Caribbean.

Reports suggest that the racetrack will be part of the first stage of construction in Beausejour.

The government is currently finalizing the development of the entertainment complex, and is relying on the country’s Citizenship by Investment Program for funding.

The project is a deal between Saint Lucia’s government and developer Desert Star Holdings (DSH). Project plans call for a marina, racetrack, resort and shopping mall complex, casino, entertainment and leisure facilities, villas, apartments and “eco-tourism” attractions.

The proposed deal will see land sold to Desert Star Holdings (DSH) at approximately $90,000 per acre.

The pact follows three years of negotiations between DSH and government agencies, including Invest Saint Lucia (ISL), the Citizenship by Investment Unit and the Development Control Authority, said ISL officials in

a statement.

DSH will build the development in 25 phases over 20 to 25 years according to the plan. The first phase, featuring a racetrack at Beausejour near Gros Islet, is nearing approval stage pending an Environmental Impact Assessment, ISL officials said. Phase one will also include a grandstand, polo field, equestrian lawn and associated horse barns.

Apart from building an entertainment complex, the government also announced its plans to launch an Education Training Fund in partnership with DSH, which aims to train locals in the horse racing industry.

The Pearl of the Caribbean is a $2.6 billion project that has been designed to attract investment and tourism from China among other leading first world countries.

According to The Times of India, the Chinese are among the biggest gamblers in the world. Figures released by Macau’s gambling inspector in 2006 showed that the

A rendering of Pearls of the Caribbean former Portuguese colony posted approximately $6.87 billion in revenues, toppling Las Vegas’ gaming establishments, which only reported a combined total of $6.69 billion in the same year.

In addition to casinos, the horse racing industry is also thriving in China with The Telegraph reporting that races now attract about 1.4 million race goers each year in the region. Thus, horse racing is going from strength-tostrength in China and this is another area that the St. Lucia government is looking to capitalize on with the Pearl of the Caribbean’s proposed racetrack.

Aside from the many games created to

appeal to rich gambling communities like the Chinese, casino operators all over the world are also constructing establishments that honor the Chinese culture. In December 2016, Las Vegas opened the Lucky Dragon Casino and Hotel, which is a boutique-style casino and resort designed to mimic an authentic Asian gaming and cultural experience.

On top of the aforementioned plans, DSH plans to build leisure venues, a shopping mall, and a freetrade zone on the site of the Pearl of the Caribbean. Although no actual dates have been revealed as to when the construction will commence.

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

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

CIBC FirstCaribbean Supports Adult Literacy Program

The adult literacy programme, Project Read, is now better able to empower more Bahamians following a recent donation from a regional bank.

CIBC FirstCaribbean made a contribution to assist the non-profit organization in purchasing stationary, books, and other supplies for students.

Marketing Manager at CIBC FirstCaribbean, Maya Nottage, stated that Project Read embodied the values that CIBC FirstCaribbean holds dear. “We know that education can empower students of all ages to live Project Read Chairman Pastor Gary Sweeting (center) accepts a donation from CIBC FirstCaribbean their best lives and change the world. Marketing Manager Maya Nottage (center) with volunteer tutors (l-r) Sandra Olander, Tanya PinderWe hope this donation to Project Carey, Lydia Armaly, Wanda P. Gomez, Stephen Johnson, Caroline Deleveaux, LeAnn Forbes; Project Read will support the organization’s Read Administrator Patricia F. Minnis and volunteer tutors Charissa Sweeting and Elaine Simms. efforts to combat adult illiteracy and where volunteers make such an the supplies in stock.” offer its students a chance to improve incredible impact.”

Long-term volunteer Wanda themselves.”

Project Read Chairman P. Gomez, a human resources

Ms. Nottage also praised Pastor Gary Sweeting echoed Ms. professional, said that she became the volunteer tutors who assist Nottage, thanking the volunteers and a tutor to do her part for everyday Project Read. “We would really like also donors like CIBC FirstCaribbean, Bahamians. “I started with Project to especially acknowledge the 42 “I want to say how important it is that Read 15 years ago to assist people with volunteers who donate their time to the volunteers contribute their time reading difficulties to make a better teach students at Project Read to read, to help these people that need literacy life. One of my students is aiming for write and spell and more recently to training. As a non-profit, we depend a job promotion but in order for him successfully sit the BJC and BGCSE wholly on volunteers and donations. to do so he needs to start from the exams.

Our company strongly We are so thankful for all who beginning. We see these people in our encourages volunteerism among its contribute, especially our corporate everyday lives and don’t even realize. staff members through our annual partners like CIBC FirstCaribbean. Things we take for granted like a Adopt-a-Cause program, so we’re Every donation goes a long way toward simple social media post many cannot excited to support an organization us keeping the doors open and read.”

Bermuda’s visitor arrival numbers continue to rise

Visitor numbers continued to rise last month, according to statistics from the Bermuda Tourism Authority, according to the Royal Gazette newspaper.

In a statement, the Ministry of Tourism stated that the statistics showed a 28 per cent increase in February vacation and leisure air arrivals despite 4 per cent fewer air seats.

Combined with positive results in January, the statistics show year-to-date air arrivals have increased by 30 per cent.

A government spokesman said: “Strong air capacity in January kept total airlift for the two months 5 per cent ahead of the first two months of last year.

“During the traditional shoulder season for hotel occupancy, hoteliers saw a boost of 22 per cent in filled beds for February, up 27 per cent for the first two months when compared to the same period in 2016.”

The BTA declared February was the 14th month of consecutive year-over-year growth in vacation air arrivals.

Cole Simons, the acting Minister of Tourism, said that it was expected that arrivals would continue to rise throughout the year, congratulating the BTA for their hard work.

“Bermudians are anticipating one of the best years in the key industry of tourism for a very long time,” he said. “The Tall Ships, the America’s Cup and related regattas, added to the expected arrival of a number of the world’s super yachts, should combine with other events to flood Bermuda with excited visitors.

“Those coming to these events will need goods and services, which provides numerous prospects for those seeking employment or entrepreneurial opportunities.

“The BTA should be commended because they are equally focused in a number of other areas to ensure Bermuda succeeds in tourism beyond the America’s Cup, and beyond this banner year.

“We expect this tourism renaissance is not only good for hoteliers and hotel workers, but also for owners of vacation rental properties and those who are thinking about entering the home-share arena.”

The BTA also expects increased cruise ship visitor arrivals throughout the year, particularly in Hamilton and St George’s, with February the only month in 2017 without a scheduled cruise ship visit.

The Ministry of Education’s 2012 statistics estimated that 35% of Bahamian students are illiterate and the United Nations put Bahamian adult literacy at 95% (a 4% decline from the 99% literacy rate the country held in the 1990s).

Project Read board member and Administrator Patricia F. Minnis stressed the importance of literacy to the country. “Literacy is very important in that it helps the individual to not only understand what they read but to communicate and operate in this ever-changing world. It boosts their self-esteem, they are eligible for new opportunities and promotions, they may see an increase in salary and therefore it improves their living conditions. It improves their social skills and their thinking skills – literacy embraces all aspects of a person’s life and has even been shown to reduce crime.”

Ms. Minnis encourages others to step forward and get involved. “We always need additional volunteers.

We hold training sessions 3 times a year. The next session will be held on the last Saturday in May. We would welcome anyone who is interested in helping our students succeed.”

Ganja babies – More Jamaican children reportedly seeking medical attention after using marijuana

A 50 per cent jump in ounces or less, has shown a 50 Tufton. the number of children seeking per cent increase in persons – “We have raised assistance at public medical young people, schoolchildren, concerns in view of the lack facilities for ganja-related adolescents – which raises a lot of adequate laws, the lack illnesses in Jamaica since the of concern for us,” said Tufton. of resources spent on public weed was decriminalised in The NCDA study showed education which was supposed 2015, is causing worry for local that average age distribution to be the case, and the lack of health officials. of first use was 14 years old follow through on the legislation

With 70 per cent of in 2016, up from 13 years in a which includes ticketing persons the population having easy similar study conducted in 2013. who are using ganja in public,” access to ganja and law making One in four persons who added Tufton. possession of up to two ounces use the weed tries it as a drink According to the health no longer a criminal offence, – ganja tea, while one in 10 eats minister, the use of ganja in children – some as young as 12 it – ganja cakes. public spaces, instead of private years old – have been trying the The study also shows use as approved under the weed in its many different forms. that more teenage boys are decriminalisation legislation,

But there is moderate using ganja than girls with the “has become quite fashionable to high risk associated with highest use of the drug being in and has piqued the curiosity of smoking ganja or its frequent Kingston and St Andrew, while young people to experiment and use in food and drinks, and a the lowest usage was in Portland it is having an adverse impact 2016 National Council on Drug and Manchester. on them”.

Abuse (NCDA) cross-sectional “It is a major concern for the Tufton’s position has study has shown that the Ministry of Health and we are found support with former teenagers are getting hooked being accused of stymieing the Health Minister Dr Fenton early. efforts of the Cannabis Licensing Ferguson who had led the move

Health Minister Dr Authority and marijuana to ban smoking in public spaces.

Christopher Tufton last week legislation.

“My worst fears are now told The Sunday Gleaner that “Our position is that we justified based on the reports. he was very unhappy with the have no objection to cannabis for From the beginning I was findings. research purposes; we are on the opposed to anything that was not

“The drug treatment committee, and we are prepared medicinal usage of marijuana. programme of the ministry, to move ahead with it. But as What I was always concerned primarily for persons affected Ministry of Health, we cannot about was the use of marijuana by marijuana usage, and sanction smoking cigarettes, by children and young people, in particular since the ganja or ‘cho cho’ leaves because because the development of the decriminalisation of two of the impact on the lungs,” said brain was still taking place.

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NEWS

‘No turning back’: PM Maytriggers ‘historic’ Brexit

Prime Minister Theresa after it untangles existing EU May formally began Britain’s commitments. divorce from the European Union

“We must deal with many on Wednesday, declaring there rights and obligations that have was no turning back and ushering been linked to membership. Only in a tortuous exit process that will then, later, can we talk about our test the bloc’s cohesion and pitch future relationship.” her country into the unknown.

TRADE AND SECURITY

In one of the most May has promised to seek the significant steps by a British greatest possible access to leader since World War Two, May European markets but said Britain notified EU Council President was not seeking membership Donald Tusk in a hand-delivered of the “single market” of 500 letter that Britain would quit the million people as she understood club it joined in 1973. there could be no “cherry picking”

“The United Kingdom of a free trade area based on is leaving the European Union,” unfettered movement of goods, May told parliament nine months services, capital and people. after Britain shocked investors Prime Minister Theresa May Britain will aim to establish its and world leaders by unexpectedly Tusk in Brussels by Tim own free trade deals with countries voting to quit the bloc. “This is an Barrow, Britain’s permanent beyond Europe, and impose limits historic moment from which there representative to the EU, on on immigration from the continent, can be no turning back.” the top floor of the new Europa May has said.

The prime minister, an Building in Brussels.

In an attempt to start Brexit talks initial opponent of Brexit who won That moment formally set the on a conciliatory note, May said the top job in the political turmoil clock ticking on Britain’s two-year she wanted a special partnership that followed the referendum vote, exit process. Sterling, which has with the EU, though she laced that now has two years to negotiate lost 25 cents against the dollar ambition with an a clear linkage the terms of the divorce before it since the June 23 referendum, of the economic and security comes into effect in late March jumped to $1.25. relationship.

2019.

May signed the six-page EU leaders will welcome

May, 60, has one of the Brexit letter on Tuesday night, assurances of a constructive toughest jobs of any recent British pictured alone at the cabinet table approach, as well as an explicit prime minister: holding Britain beneath a clock, a British flag and recognition that Britain cannot together in the face of renewed an oil painting of Britain’s first retain the best bits of membership Scottish independence demands, prime minister, Robert Walpole. after leaving. while conducting arduous talks Her letter sought to They may be less warm to with 27 other EU states on finance, set a positive tone for the talks an implication that Britain could trade, security and other complex though it admitted that the task live with a breakdown of talks on issues. of extracting the UK from the EU trade coupled with what might

The outcome of the was momentous and that reaching be seen as a threat to disrupt the negotiations will shape the future comprehensive agreements within security and counterterrorism of Britain’s $2.6 trillion economy, two years would be a challenge. cooperation for which Britain. the world’s fifth biggest, and May wants to negotiate “We should work together determine whether London can Britain’s divorce and the future to minimize disruption and give as keep its place as one of the top two trading relationship with the EU much certainty as possible,” May global financial centers. within the two-year period, though said. “Weakening our cooperation

For the EU, already EU officials say that will be hard. for the prosperity and protection reeling from successive crises “We believe it is necessary of our citizens would be a costly over debt and refugees, the loss to agree the terms of our future mistake.” of Britain is the biggest blow partnership alongside those of our Tusk said the EU would yet to 60 years of efforts to forge withdrawal from the EU,” May seek to minimize the cost of Brexit European unity in the wake of two told Tusk in her letter, adding to EU citizens and businesses and world wars. that London wanted an ambitious that Brussels wanted an orderly

Its leaders say they do not free trade agreement with the EU. withdrawal for Britain. want to punish Britain. But with “If, however, we leave “We already miss you,” nationalist, anti-EU parties on the the European Union without an said Tusk who will send the 27 rise across Europe, they cannot agreement the default position is other states draft negotiating afford to give London generous that we would have to trade on guidelines within 48 hours. terms that might encourage other World Trade Organisation terms,” “Thank you and goodbye.” member states to break away. she said.

In a draft resolution to be

May’s most powerful voted on next week, lawmakers in BREXIT DEAL? European interlocutor, German the European Parliament offered Chancellor Angela Merkel, a faint glimmer of hope to the

May’s notice of the UK’s promised to take a “fair and 48 percent of British voters who intention to leave the bloc under constructive” approach to Brexit opposed Brexit, saying it was not Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon talks, but said Britain could too late for Britain to reverse the Treaty was hand-delivered to negotiate its new relationship only process.

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

A Texas church bus carrying senior citizens which crashed head-on with another vehicle, west of San Antonio, Texas

At least 13 killed after Texas church bus crash

At least 13 people were killed, and two injured, when a Texas church bus carrying senior citizens collided head-on with another vehicle on Wednesday, the church and a Texas state trooper said.

The bus had 14 people aboard when it collided with a pickup truck carrying one person, about 80 miles (130 km) west of San Antonio. The cause of the crash was being investigated, said Sergeant Conrad Hein, a spokesman of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The vehicles collided when the truck crossed the center line, Johnny Hernandez, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, told the San Antonio ExpressNews.

The truck driver was airlifted to a San Antonio hospital, the paper said on its website. The survivor who was on the bus was in serious but stable condition, the First Baptist Church of New Braunfels said on social media.

A group of senior adults affiliated with the church were on the bus returning from a three-day retreat in Leakey, Texas, the church said on its Facebook page.

“Thank you for the outpouring of love and support,” it added. “Please continue to pray.”

China’s president to meet Trump in Florida next week

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold their first face-to-face talks next week, a highly anticipated meeting between leaders at odds over trade, China’s strategic ambitions and how to deal with North Korea’s weapons programs.

The White House said Trump would host Xi next Thursday and Friday at his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida and “discuss global, regional, and bilateral issues of mutual concern.”

Trump and his wife Melania will host Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan at a dinner next Thursday, a White House statement said.

It will be the first meeting between Xi and Trump, whose presidency began on Jan. 20, amid heightened tensions between the world’s two largest economies over issues including North Korea, the disputed South China Sea, Taiwan and trade.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang gave no details of the agenda in announcing Xi’s travel plans at a daily news briefing in Beijing, but spoke of the need to see the big picture while fostering mutual interests in trade relations.

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WORLD NEWS

Nearly 150 migrants feared dead after boat sinks

A rubber boat packed with migrants sank in the Mediterranean and the presumed sole survivor - a 16-year-old Gambian boy - told rescuers he believed all other passengers drowned, the International Migration Organization (IOM) said on Wednesday.

A humanitarian vessel, the Iuventa, found the boy hanging onto a fuel tank in the sea on Tuesday. He was transferred first to an Italian Coast Guard ship, then to a Spanish frigate and brought to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa early on Wednesday.

“He said that everyone else died. But there’s some hope that the Italian Coast Guard picked up others,” said IOM spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo in Rome, after speaking to staff in Lampedusa. It should become clear on Thursday whether others survived, as a Coast Guard vessel disembarks migrants in eastern Sicily that day, he said.

“The boy said they left Sabratha, Libya, a couple days ago on a rubber boat with 147 subSaharan Africans on board, including five children and some pregnant women,” Di Giacomo said.

In the past two days, rescuers have picked up more than 1,100 migrants at sea, and recovered one body, Italy’s Coast Guard said. The Coast Guard did not comment on the latest shipwreck.

So far this year nearly 600 migrants have died trying to reach Italy from North Africa, IOM estimates, after some 4,600 deaths last year.

Migrant arrivals to Italy are up more than 50 percent this year on the same period of last year.

Early on Wednesday the Golfo Azzurro, a humanitarian vessel, rescued about 400 migrants - mainly from Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Gambia and Bangladesh - including 16 women and two children.

They were found drifting in a wooden boat without power about 16 kilometers (10 miles) off the coast of Sabratha, the most frequently used departure point currently used by people smugglers in Libya, and will now be transported to Sicily.

“The migrants kissed and hugged their rescuers and sang songs” after they were brought to safety, said Reuters photographer Yannis Behrakis, who is onboard the Golfo Azzurro.

“My brother back home convinced me to make the trip,” said Gambian Kalifa Kujabi, 17, after the rescue. He said he played for Gambia’s soccer academy and paid $600 for the passage.

“My brother said that I can only have a future as a soccer player in Europe.”

Italy’s parliament on Wednesday approved a law aimed at protecting unaccompanied minors in a measure welcomed by humanitarian groups.

Also on Wednesday, the Senate voted to pass a decree that foresees new detention centers for migrants who are to be deported, cutting the length of the appeals process for those whose asylum requests have been rejected. The decree now goes before the lower house.

Federal judge in Hawaii extends court order blocking Trump travel ban

A federal judge in Hawaii indefinitely extended on Wednesday an order blocking enforcement of President Donald Trump’s revised ban on travel to the United States from six predominantly Muslim countries.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson turned an earlier temporary restraining order into a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit brought by the state of Hawaii challenging Trump’s travel directive as unconstitutional religious discrimination.

Trump signed the new ban on March 6 in a bid to overcome legal problems with a January executive order that caused chaos at airports and sparked mass protests before a Washington judge stopped its enforcement in February. Trump has said the travel ban is needed

for national security.

In its challenge to the travel ban, Hawaii claims its state universities would be harmed by the order because they would have trouble recruiting students and faculty.

It also says the island state’s economy would be hit by a decline in tourism. The court papers cite reports that travel to the United States “took a nosedive” after Trump’s actions.

The state was joined by a new plaintiff named Ismail Elshikh, an American citizen from Egypt who is an imam at the Muslim Association of Hawaii and whose mother-in-law lives in Syria, according to the lawsuit.

Hawaii and other opponents of the ban claim that the motivation behind it is based on religion and Trump’s election

campaign promise of “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.”

“The court will not crawl into a corner, pull the shutters closed, and pretend it has not seen what it has,” Watson wrote on Wednesday.

Watson wrote that his decision to grant the preliminary injunction was based on the likelihood that the state would succeed in proving that the travel ban violated the U.S. Constitution’s religious freedom protection.

Trump has vowed to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is currently split 4-4 between liberals and conservatives with the president’s pick - appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch - still awaiting confirmation.

Thousands demonstrate in London against leaving the EU

Protestors in London

Thousands of people marched through London last Saturday to protest against Britain leaving the European Union, just days before Prime Minister Theresa May launches the start of the formal divorce process from the bloc it joined 44 years ago.

The Unite for Europe march was due to end with a rally in Parliament Square, scene of the attack by British-born Islam

convert Khalid Masood in which four people died.

Marchers observed a minute’s silence in memory of the victims at the start of the demonstration.

In bright sunshine, they waved EU flags and banners with slogans like “So what’s the Plan” and “Stop Brexit” as they made their way to parliament.

One banner from a marcher in Hastings on the south

coast - scene of England’s epochdefining defeat to William, Duke of Normandy - read: “Hastings, in Europe since 1066.”

Another simply said “Happy Birthday EU” in a reference to this weekend’s 60th anniversary of the bloc’s founding, currently being commemorated in Rome.

Joss Dennis was one of three coach loads of protesters who had traveled from Bristol in western England, which voted 62 percent to stay in the EU in last June’s referendum compared with the national 52-48 percent vote to leave.

“With such a close vote, I don’t see how anyone can call this the will of the people,” she told Reuters. “We have so much to lose: environmentally, politically and financially.

“A terrible mistake has been made but the situation is not beyond redemption,” she added.

May has been adamant she intends to take Britain out of the EU following the referendum.

Mexico suspends judge who dismissed sexual assault charges against minor

A Mexican judicial panel suspended a judge on Wednesday who dismissed charges against a man accused of sexually abusing a minor on grounds that the assault had not satisfied him sexually.

The case has spurred outrage among Mexicans, who viewed it as another instance of impunity for wealthy men.

The victim, who was 17 at the time of the alleged crime in January 2015, testified that she was forced into a car in the eastern state of Veracruz by four young men who began to sexually assault her.

She testified she was then taken to a home and raped.

On March 22, Judge Anuar Gonzalez

dismissed pedophilia charges against one of the defendants, arguing that “an incidental rubbing would not be considered a sexual act without an element of intention to satisfy a sexual desire.”

He also argued that the victim was not “defenseless” because she could have moved away from the defendant and noted that the prosecution failed to prove his conduct was “lascivious.”

On Tuesday, the Veracruz state attorney general said it would appeal against the decision, noting that it “strongly disagrees” with the ruling.

Mexico’s Federal Judiciary Council said in a statement on Wednesday it had

decided to suspend Gonzalez and initiate an investigation “in relation to his conduct as District Judge.”

It also said the case’s dismissal was subject to review by another court and that the decision did not imply that the defendant, who maintains his innocence, would be freed.

The case has drawn widespread media attention, with the four defendants earning the nicknames “Los Porky’s,” in reference to a 1980s movie about teenagers trying to help a friend lose his virginity.

The ruling spurred anger across social media and fueled the creation of a twitter hashtag that translates to “Judge Porky.”

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WORLD NEWS

How two teens in leggings became a public relations mess for United Airlines

A bystander who touched off a social media furor after she saw United Airlines stop two teenage girls dressed in leggings from boarding a flight admitted on Monday that she did not fully grasp the situation when she started tweeting her indignation.

The girls, who were flying standby on Sunday from Denver to Minneapolis using free passes for employees or family members, were told by a gate attendant that they could not get on the plane while wearing the form-fitting pants.

Passengers using the passes are considered airline representatives, United Air Lines Inc spokesman Jonathan Guerin said, subject to a dress code that prohibits sleep or

swimwear, torn clothing and revealing attire.

The girls were fine with the policy, Guerin says, but a traveler named Shannon Watts who overheard the exchange took offense.

Watts was further incensed when another woman who was listening told her 10-year-old daughter to put a dress on over her leggings, apparently thinking United’s policy applied to all passengers, not just those flying free.

Her subsequent tweet storm, which accused the airline of “policing women’s clothing,” quickly went viral, with celebrities such as model Chrissy Teigen and actors Seth Rogen and Patricia Arquette decrying United’s

stance.

After the incident, United’s mentions on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram exploded from its average 2,000 daily mentions to 174,000, nearly 70 percent of them negative, said Kellan Terry, a spokesman for the social media analysis firm Brandwatch.

Watts, in a phone interview on Monday, conceded that she did not initially realize that the girls were using passes that entailed following a dress code. Regardless, she said, the policy is wrong-headed.

“I don’t get why that’s the issue here,” she said. “A dress code still shouldn’t be gendered and sexist.

To be clear, this was happening very publicly right here in the gate.”

American Airlines Group Inc has a policy on free passes that is similar to United’s, but Delta Air Lines Inc defers to travelers’ “best judgment” about their clothing.

United may have limited any damage to its image if it reacted more quickly to the tweets and explained its policy on the free passes, Terry said.

“Once the fire starts to burn, it’s all about containing that fire,” he said.

United’s Guerin conceded that the airline could have done a better job of getting the facts out early.

“But our response following that, once we did have all of the facts, I think we reacted the right way with this,” he said.

London attack a ‘wake-up’ call for tech firms to put house in order

The London attack which left four people dead was a “wake up call” for technology firms to get their house in order over extremist material being circulated on the internet, the acting head of London’s police force said on Wednesday.

The comments from Craig Mackey, acting Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, come after calls from politicians for tech firms, mainly based in the United States, to cooperate more with the authorities.

“I think these sorts of incidents and the others we’ve seen in Europe are probably a bit of a wake-up call for the industry in terms of trying to understand what it means to put your own house in order,” Mackey told the London Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee.

“If you are going to have ethical statement and talk about operating in an ethical way, it actually has to mean something.

That is the sort of thing that obviously politicians and others will push now.”

The British government and a series of well-known British brands such as Marks and Spencer Group Plc had already suspended digital

Police on horseback patrol near Westminster Bridge in London, Britain, March 29, 2017 advertising with Alphabet Inc’s before the attack because ads were appearing alongside videos on its YouTube platform with homophobic or anti-Semitic messages.

They have since been joined by U.S. wireless carriers Verizon Communications Inc and AT&T Inc. The action has prompted Google to apologize and review its advertising practices.

London police already have a specialist unit which aims to remove extremist material but Mackey said “the internet was never designed to be policed as such”.

British officials have

also demanded tech firms do more to allow police access to smartphone communications after reports that Khalid Masood had used encrypted messaging via WhatsApp before he drove a rented car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge and stabbed to death a police officer by parliament.

“We work hard with the industry to highlight the challenges of these very secure applications,” Mackey said. “It’s a challenge when you are dealing with companies that are global by their very nature because they don’t always operate under the same legal framework as us.”

Britain’s Prince George, 3, to start school in September Prince George, Britain’s third in line to the throne, is to start school in southwest London in September, Kensington Palace announced on Friday.

Three-year-old George, the elder child of Prince William and his wife Kate, will attend the private Thomas’s Battersea school.

The choice is a break from a recent family tradition of sending younger royals to Wetherby School in the affluent Notting Hill area which was attended by both William and George’s uncle Prince Harry.

The move follows the decision in January of William and Kate - the Duke

and Duchess of Cambridge - to Palace, the Cambridges’ base their family in London as London residence, said in a William gives up his job as an statement. air ambulance helicopter pilot The family-run to focus on carrying out official school’s website says it caters duties on behalf of his 90-year- for 540 boys and girls between old grandmother Queen the ages of four and 13 and that its most important rule is Elizabeth full-time.

George and his sister “be kind”.

Charlotte, 1, previously lived “We are honored and with their parents at Anmer delighted that Their Royal Hall, their country mansion Highnesses The Duke and on the queen’s Sandringham Duchess of Cambridge have estate in Norfolk, eastern chosen Thomas’s Battersea for England.

Prince George,” headmaster “Their Royal Ben Thomas said in a Highnesses are delighted to statement. have found a school where they “We greatly look are confident George will have forward to welcoming him and a happy and successful start all of our new pupils to the to his education,” Kensington school in September.”

Veterinarians prepare to operate on Omsin, a 25 year old femal green sea turtle, to remove coins from her stomach at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand

Turtle that swallowed 915 coins dies

A 25-year-old Thai sea turtle died from blood poisoning on Tuesday, never recovering from an operation to remove 915 coins from her stomach, thrown into her pool for good luck, veterinarians said.

The green turtle named Omsin, “piggy bank” in Thai, underwent a seven-hour-long operation this month to remove 5 kg (11 lb) of coins which she had mistaken for food.

But Omsin, who lived at a conservation center in Chonburi, east of the Thai capital Bangkok, was rushed into intensive care on Sunday night, breathing too slowly. She received an emergency operation on Monday, after which she went into a coma.

Her fate had preoccupied Thais, who cherish turtles as a symbol of longevity, and the vets had urged people to pray for her recovery.

“Her cause of death is blood poisoning,” one of the vets told reporters.

The gap in Omsin’s stomach left by the removal of the coins caused her intestine to become strangled, blocking blood flow, the vets said. Acute infection in the intestine then caused blood infection.

They also said they would perform an autopsy on Omsin as a case study, which would benefit the treatment of turtles in the future.

“She is our teacher,” another vet said.

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WORLD NEWS

Arab leaders renew call for Palestinian state

After weeks of heightened unease over the stance of the United States under the new administration of President Donald Trump, Arab leaders reaffirmed on Wednesday their commitment to a two-state solution to the decades-long Arab-Israeli conflict.

They called for a new round of peace talks based on a two-state solution and renewed a 2002 offer of “reconciliation” if Israel quit occupied Arab land and agreed a deal on Palestinian refugees, according to a statement read out after a summit.

Trump rattled Arab and (front R-L) Yemen’s President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, European leaders in February by Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Emir of indicating he was open to a one-state Kuwait Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman solution, upending a position taken bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir, by successive administrations and the Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz pose for a group photograph during the 28th Ordinary Summit of the Arab League at the Dead Sea, Jordan international community.

March 29, 2017.

Trump later told Reuters in an interview he liked the concept of a The summit’s host, King The conference venue is only a two-state solution but stopped short Abdullah of Jordan, said the creation few km (miles) from the occupied West of reasserting a U.S. commitment to of a Palestinian state alongside Bank where Israeli settlements are eventual Palestinian statehood, saying Israel remained the basis of any clearly visible. he would be “satisfied with whatever comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace deal.

This week, Israeli Prime makes both parties happy”.

“Israel is continuing to expand Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said

Arab leaders attending a one- settlements and wreck chances he was committed to working with day summit beside the Dead Sea did of peace ... There is no peace or Trump to advance peace efforts with not publicly refer to Trump or his stability in the region without a just the Palestinians, but he also stopped ambiguous statements, but were keen and comprehensive solution to the short of reiterating a commitment to a to stress their own continued backing Palestinian cause through a two-state two-state solution. for an independent Palestinian solution,” he said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud state and also strongly criticized Abbas criticized Israeli policy in his the persistent building of Jewish ISRAEL CRITICIZED speech at Wednesday’s summit. settlements on occupied territory.

“The Israeli government has

since 2009 worked on wrecking the two-state solution by accelerating the tempo of settlements and the confiscation of land,” Abbas told the leaders.

Trump’s Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt met Abbas before Wednesday’s summit, the second such meeting in two weeks. Trump has also invited Abbas to the White House.

“(Greenblatt) had a lot of queries and we are answering them to complete the picture in their minds and speaking as Arabs in one language,” Abbas said.

He had told Greenblatt that Palestinians remained as firm as ever in their demand for an independent state, he said.

The Palestinians and Arabs want Arab East Jerusalem - which Israel captured in a 1967 war and later annexed in a move not recognized internationally - as the capital of a future state encompassing the Israelioccupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

King Abdullah, whose dynasty has custodianship over Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, said any unilateral Israeli move to change the status quo in the Dome of the Rock and the Aqsa mosque would have “catastrophic” consequences for the future of the region, inflaming Muslim sentiment.

Egypt’s former president is free after final charges dropped

Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president overthrown in 2011 and the first leader to face trial after the Arab Spring uprisings that swept the region, was freed last Friday after six years in detention, his lawyer said.

The 88-year-old was cleared of the final murder charges against him this month, after facing trial in a litany of cases ranging from corruption to the killing of protesters whose 18day revolt stunned the world and ended his 30-year rule.

“Yes, he is now in his home in Heliopolis,” Mubarak’s lawyer, Farid El Deeb told Reuters when asked if Mubarak had left Maadi Military hospital in southern Cairo where he had been detained. Heliopolis is an upscale neighborhood where the main presidential palace from which Mubarak once governed is located.

Mubarak was initially arrested in April 2011, two months after leaving office, and has since been held in prison and in military hospitals under heavy guard.

Many Egyptians who lived through his presidency view it as a period of stagnation, autocracy and crony capitalism. Arabs watched enraptured when the first images of the former air force commander, Egypt’s modern-day Pharaoh, were beamed live on television, showing him bed-bound in his courtroom cage.

The overthrow of Mubarak, one of a series of military men to rule Egypt since the 1952 abolition of the monarchy, embodied the hopes of the Arab Spring uprisings that shook autocrats from Tunisia to the Gulf and briefly raised hopes of a new era of democracy and social justice.

His release takes that journey full circle, marking what his critics say is the return of the old order to Egypt, where authorities have crushed Mubarak’s enemies in the Muslim Brotherhood, killing hundreds and jailing thousands, while his allies regain influence.

Another military man, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, stepped into Mubarak’s shoes in 2013 when he overthrew Mohamed Mursi, the Brotherhood official who won Egypt’s first free election after the uprising.

A year later, Sisi won a presidential election in which the Brotherhood, now banned, could not participate. The liberal and leftist opposition, at the forefront of the 2011 protests in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, is under pressure and in disarray.

Years of political tumult and worsening security have hit the economy, just as Mubarak always warned. Egyptians complain of empty pockets and rumbling bellies as inflation exceeds 30 percent and the government tightens its belt in

Hosni Mubarak return for loans from the International Monetary Fund.

In the turmoil of the Arab uprisings, Tunisian President Zine alAbidine Ben Ali fled into exile in Saudi Arabia, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi met an ignominious death at the hands of rebels and Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh resigned.

But early hopes of democratic change in the region have eroded. In Syria, Bashar al-Assad still holds the presidency in a country ruined by a civil war that has drawn in global and region powers.

Yemen’s Saleh joined his

erstwhile enemies in a new battle for power that has driven into famine a country on the fringes of the Gulf, one of the world’s richest oil-producing regions.

In Egypt, Mubarak-era figures are gradually being cleared of charges whilst a series of new laws have curbed freedoms.

Mubarak was originally sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for conspiring to murder 239 demonstrators during the revolt. An appeals court ordered a retrial that culminated in 2014 in the case against Mubarak and his senior officials being dropped.

An appeal by the public prosecution led to a final retrial by Egypt’s highest court. It acquitted Mubarak on March 2.

Early on, families of those killed attended hearings. But as the political tide turned against the revolutionaries, Mubarak supporters began to show up and many of the families started to lose hope that they would see justice.

Through his trial, Mubarak seemed baffled by people’s anger, insistent that he had done his best by his country and adamant that history would vindicate him. Many Egyptians say the turbulent six years since their ill-fated flirtation with revolutionary change already have.

Gold coin worth $4 million stolen from Berlin museum

A Canadian gold coin named “Big Maple Leaf” which bears the image of Queen Elizabeth II was stolen in the early hours of Monday morning from Berlin’s Bode Museum.

The coin is made out of pure gold, weighs about 100 kilos and has a face value of around $1 million.

“The coin was stolen last night, it’s gone,” museum spokesman Markus Farr said.

Given the high purity of the gold used in the coin, its material value is estimated to be $4 million.

The museum said on its website that the coin was issued by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2007 and that it was featured in the Guinness Book of Records for its “unmatched” degree of purity.

The coin, with a diameter of 53 centimeters and 3 centimeters

thick, was loaned to the Bode Museum in December 2010.

Police said it was probably stolen by a group of thieves who entered the museum undetected through a window, possibly with the help of a ladder.

“Based on the information we have so far we believe that the thief, maybe thieves, broke open a window in the back of the museum next to

the railway tracks,” police spokesman Winfrid Wenzel said. “They then managed to enter the building and went to the coin exhibition.

“The coin was secured with bullet-proof glass inside the building.

That much I can say,” Wenzel added.

“Neither I nor the Bode Museum can go into detail regarding personnel inside the building, the alarm system or security installations.”

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BUSINESS &

TECHNOLOGY

Samsung launches Galaxy S8 and dreams of recovery from Note 7

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd unveiled its Galaxy S8 flagship smartphone as it battles to regain the market leadership it lost to Apple Inc after the embarrassing withdrawal of the fire-prone Note 7s.

Boasting some of the largest wrap-around screens ever made, the long-awaited S8 is the South Korean technology company’s first new premium phone since its September recall of all Galaxy Note 7 smartphones equipped with fire-prone batteries.

Samsung halted their sales in 10 markets, and the phones were banned from aircraft in the United States, denting a revival of the firm’s mobile business.

Two versions of the Galaxy S8, code-named Dream internally, were launched at a media event in New York on Wednesday, with 6.2-inch (15.75 cm) and 5.8-inch curved screens - the

largest to date for Samsung’s premium them.

Samsung is hoping the design smartphones. They will go on sale on update and the new features, focused April 21.

“We must be bold enough to on making life easier for consumers, step into the unknown and humble will be enough to revive sales in a year enough to learn from our mistakes,” Apple is expected to introduce major D.J. Koh, the company’s mobile chief, changes to its iPhones, including the said at the event after acknowledging very curved screens that have become that it had been a challenging year for staples of the Galaxy brand.

Samsung.

The S8 is also crucial for

U.S. carriers T-Mobile US Samsung’s image as a maker of reliable Inc and Verizon Communications mobile devices. The self-combusting Inc announced retail pricing for the Galaxy Note 7s had to be scrapped in smaller S8 around $700. The larger October just two months after their phone will sell for $840 at Verizon and launch, and the recall was particularly damaging, investors and analysts say. $850 at T-Mobile.

The S8 features Samsung’s “The Galaxy S8 is the most new artificial intelligence service, important phone for Samsung in a Bixby, with functions including a voice- decade and every aspect will be under commanded assistant system similar the microscope following the Note to Apple’s Siri. There is also a new 7 recall,” said Ben Wood, a veteran facial recognition application that lets smartphone industry analyst with UKusers unlock their phones by looking at based CCS Insight.

Facebook adds camera features, moving closer to Snapchat

Facebook Inc is giving and exposed a weakness of other businesses, one of the the camera a central place on Facebook as the companies first camera effects will be its smartphone app for the first battle for eyeballs and leisure the ability to morph someone in a photograph into a yellow, time, encouraging users to take time.

Snap has recently cartoon “Minion.” The latest more pictures and edit them with digital stickers that show emphasized its ambitions to Minion movie, “Despicable Me the influence of rival Snapchat. build gadgets and has called 3,” is due out in a few months

With an update itself a camera company rather from Comcast Corp’s NBC scheduled to take effect on than a social media network. Universal.

Facebook has deals to Tuesday, Facebook will allow Some analysts have warned users to get to the app’s camera that Snap is susceptible to license content from six film studios, as well as from two with one swipe of their finger competition from Facebook.

Facebook, which with artists, said design director and then add visual details like a rainbow or a beard of glitter.

1.86 billion users is the industry Kristen Spilman.

Another visual effect

Users will be able to leader, denies it took its camera share a picture privately with ideas from Snapchat and says it allows someone in a picture to “become a laser cat with super a friend, rather than to all of got them from its own users.

“Our goal here is to give powers,” Spilman said. their friends, and add a picture The effects will vary to a gallery known as a “story,” people more to do on Facebook, similar to a feature on the and that’s really been the main by location. Spilman said that Snapchat app. inspiration,” Connor Hayes, a when Facebook tested the

Snapchat popularized Facebook product manager, ability to add the phrase “LOL,” sharing of digitally decorated said in a briefing with reporters. the acronym for “laugh out In a glimpse of how loud,” users in Ireland did not photographs on social media, especially among teenagers, the features could tie in with know what it meant.

Twitter explores subscription-based option for first time

Twitter Inc is considering whether to build a premium version of its popular Tweetdeck interface aimed at professionals, the company said on Thursday, raising the possibility that it could collect subscription fees from some users for the first time.

Like most other social media companies, Twitter since its founding 11 years ago has focused on building a huge user base for a free service supported by advertising. Last month it reported it had 319 million users worldwide.

But unlike the muchlarger Facebook Inc, Twitter has failed to attract enough in advertising revenue to turn a profit even as its popularity with

U.S. President Donald Trump and other celebrities makes the network a constant center of attention.

Subscription fees could come from a version of Tweetdeck, an existing interface that helps users navigate Twitter.

Twitter is conducting a survey “to assess the interest in a new, more enhanced version of Tweetdeck,” spokeswoman Brielle Villablanca said in a statement on Thursday.

She went on: “We regularly conduct user research to gather feedback about people’s Twitter experience and to better inform our product investment decisions, and we’re exploring several ways to make Tweetdeck even more

valuable for professionals.”

There was no indication that Twitter was considering charging fees from all its users.

Word of the survey had earlier leaked on Twitter, where a journalist affiliated with the New York Times posted screenshots of what a premium version of Tweetdeck could look like.

That version could include “more powerful tools to help marketers, journalists, professionals, and others in our community find out what is happening in the world quicker,” according to one of the screenshots posted on the account @andrewtavani.

The experience could be ad-free, the description said.

A woman takes a picture of the Samsung Galaxy S8+ smartphone at the introduction of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones during the Samsung Unpacked event in New York City, United States March 29, 2017

Toyota recalls 2.9 million vehicles globally over airbags

Toyota Motor Corp on Thursday said it was recalling a total of about 2.9 million vehicles in Japan, China, Oceania and other regions including its Corolla Axio sedan and RAV4 SUV crossover due to potentially faulty airbag inflators.

Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru cars, Mitsubishi Motors Corp and truck maker Hino Motors also recalled a total of about 240,000 vehicles in the domestic market over inflators made by Takata Corp which can explode after prolonged exposure to hot conditions.

At least 16 deaths have been linked to exploding Takata inflators, mainly in the United States, prompting the auto industry’s biggest-ever global recall.

Global transport authorities consider Takata inflators containing the chemical compound ammonium nitrate to be unsafe if used without a drying agent, and have ordered all of the about 100 million on the market to be withdrawn.

The Japanese automakers said that the latest recalls were part of a wider recall of Takata inflators ordered by global transport authorities last year.

Toyota said that recalls were issued for about 1.16 million vehicles sold in Oceania, the Middle East and the automaker’s smaller markets, nearly onethird of total, while about 750,000 vehicles had been recalled in Japan.

Vehicles sold in North America, Toyota’s biggest market, were exempt from the latest recall, it added.

Takata is currently seeking a financial sponsor to help pay for the costs related to the recalls. Last month, it pleaded guilty to a U.S. felony charge as part of a $1 billion settlement over its faulty inflators.

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Facebook’s Messenger app adds live location-sharing

Facebook Inc added a feature to its Messenger app on Monday to allow users to share their locations continuously for up to an hour, ramping up competition with tools offered

by Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google Maps.

The company has found that one of the most used phrases on Messenger as people talk to friends and family is “How far away are you?” or some variation, Stan Chudnovsky, head of product for Messenger, said in an interview.

“It happens to be what people are saying, what they’re interested in the most,” he said.

Sharing location information is optional, but it can also be live, so that once a user shares the information

with a friend, the friend can watch the user’s movement for up to 60 minutes.

Messenger was once part of the core Facebook smartphone app, but the company broke it out as a separate app in 2014 and has since invested in frequent changes to build a service distinct from the massive social network.

Google Maps said last week that it was adding a similar live feature, an attempt to boost engagement on a product of increasing strategic importance to that company.

The close proximity of the announcements tells Facebook “that we’re working on the right things,” Chudnovsky said.

The Messages app on Apple’s iPhone has such a feature, too.

Facebook has been testing its change in Mexico, he said. It was ready as long ago as October, he added, but the company worked on it for five more months to minimize the impact on the battery life of phones.

Facebook sees the feature being used for convenience to coordinate with friends, for safety-related purposes or for other uses, Chudnovsky said. “There are all sorts of products that you can imagine you could build on top of that,” he said.

The update is being made available globally, the company said.

American Airlines takes $200 million stake in China Southern

China Southern Airlines Co Ltd said on it will sell a small stake to American Airlines Group Inc in a $200 million deal that will give the carriers better access to the world’s two largest travel markets.

China Southern will issue new shares worth HK$1.55 billion ($199.6 million) to American Airlines, making American the second U.S. carrier to own part American Airlines aircraft are parked at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in of a Chinese airline after Delta Washington, U.S Air Lines Inc bought 3.55 percent For American Airlines, increase cooperation in other of China Eastern Airlines Corp the deal could widen access to areas including staffing, sales, 6000115.SS for $450 million in China, one of the biggest sources passenger loyalty programs and 2015. of tourists to the United States, sharing airport facilities, it said.

It also means China’s and will help it compete with Analysts, however, said three biggest airlines now rival Delta, which has invested in they expected the deal to have have tie-ups with foreign foreign carriers in Mexico, Brazil little impact on the airlines’ airlines, something Beijing has and Britain in recent years. operations beyond closer encouraged as a way to boost the It said the two carriers cooperation. sector’s global competitiveness. expected to begin codeshare “It makes sense to partner Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific and and interline agreements later with another foreign airline,” said Chinese flag carrier Air China this year that would allow Daiwa Capital Markets analyst purchased stakes in each other in customers to travel to more than Kelvin Lau, citing Air China and 2006.

70 destinations beyond Beijing China Eastern’s deals.

“We’re pleased to begin and Shanghai, and for China “But ... because the this relationship to better connect Southern’s customers to access stakeholding is pretty small, I two of the world’s largest aviation almost 80 destinations beyond don’t think it will make any markets and leading economies,” Los Angeles, San Francisco and material changes in terms of China Southern Chairman Wang New York. management.”

Chengshun said in a statement Guangzhou-based China Chinese airlines have issued by American Airlines.

Southern, the country’s biggest been aggressively expanding their

“We are two of the airline in terms of passenger fleet and international routes as biggest carriers in the world numbers, said the deal would they seek to capitalize on strong and our networks are highly help it “achieve the strategic goal growth in outbound Chinese complementary,” American of building a world-class aviation travel that has far outpaced Airlines President Robert Isom industry group”. tourism at home. said in the statement.

The airlines also could

Ford says it will spend $295 million on two new recalls

Ford Motor Co, the second largest U.S. automaker, on Wednesday announced two new recalls affecting 440,000 vehicles and expects to spend about $295 million to fix the issues.

The recalls include 211,000 vehicles in North America to replace potentially faulty side door latches and 230,000 vehicles for under-hood fire risks. Ford said it has reports of 29 fires but no injuries.

Ford said the cost of the recalls were included in its updated earnings guidance issued last week.

Last week, Ford warned it expects lower earnings per

share in the first quarter and lower pretax profit in 2017 due to higher spending on commodities, warranties and investments and a drop in sales volumes especially fleet sales.

The Dearborn automaker had previously recalled nearly 4 million vehicles for door latch issues in six separate recalls since 2014, including 2.4 million vehicles recalled in late 2016.

In September, Ford said it was taking a $640 million charge for its expanded side-door latch recalls.

The new door latch recall includes 211,000 2014 model year Ford Fiesta, 2013-14 Ford Fusion and 2013-14 Lincoln MKZ

vehicles. Ford said it not aware of any crashes or injuries associated with this issue.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in 2015 it had 1,102 reports related to the problem and Ford said it had 10,883 warranty claims related to door latch failures. Some owners told NHTSA they used ropes or tape or seatbelts to restrain doors.

The under-hood fire recall covers 230,000 2013-15 Ford Escape, Ford Fiesta ST, Ford Fusion and Ford Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 1.6-liter GTDI engines in North America.

BlackBerry, freed of handsets, looks to software for return to glory

A Blackberry smartphone is displayed in this illustrative picture taken in Bordeaux, Southwestern France

Although BlackBerry Ltd has extricated itself from the smartphone handsets that weighed on its recent fortunes, the Canadian firm faces a tough slog to convince skeptics it can return to its glory days through an enlarged software business.

The company, which will report fourthquarter and full-year results on Friday, says it has no major gaps in its software portfolio, thanks to the integration of a string of recent acquisitions.

It concedes, however, that more work is needed to get those offerings into the healthcare and automotive industries and other sectors that it hopes will power future growth.

“The bottom line is: BlackBerry is a completely different beast than it was a decade ago,” said Nicholas McQuire, a workplace IT analyst at CCS Insight, a consulting firm. “However, it still needs to educate enterprises, particularly prospects in markets outside its core regulated footprint on the ‘new BlackBerry’,” he said.

Investors are unsure how to value the company, waiting for guidance from Chief Executive Officer John Chen, who needs a late bump in sales to hit the 30 percent growth in software revenue BlackBerry targeted for its recently completed fiscal year.

BlackBerry’s enterprise-value-to-forwardrevenue ratio is 3.14, according to Thomson Reuters data, lower than the roughly 4.5 ratio enjoyed by Oracle Corp and Microsoft Corp, two of its closest peers now that Blackberry focuses on enterprise software.

The Waterloo, Ontario-based company is expected to barely break even in the fourth quarter and likely notch revenue of less than $1.4 billion in its fiscal year ended Feb. 28, 2017, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S estimates. At its peak, the smartphone pioneer was raking in more than $5.5 billion a quarter.

Blackberry’s Toronto-listed shares were trading down 0.4 percent at C$9.40, while the benchmark Canadian share index was up 0.3 percent.

BlackBerry declined to comment ahead of its earnings release.

The redesigned company has gone from selling its own phones with the servers and software that manage them for businesses and governments to securing an array of rival devices and the information that flows to and from them.

CYBER SECURITY, AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

It is also targeting the burgeoning but fragmented market to connect sensors and other devices and has invested in other potentially highgrowth areas including cyber security consulting and autonomous vehicles. “It has pivoted in the right direction with some new and promising areas ahead of it, but these are nascent markets which will take time to materializes in its bottom line,” McQuire said.

The company no longer has any responsibility for making or selling smartphones bearing its brand, after setting up late last year to take a cut on sales from the likes of Chinese smartphone maker TCL Communication, which will begin selling a BlackBerry-branded phone in April.

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SPORTS

Not just another triple-double as Westbrook notches record

Russell Westbrook recorded the highest scoring triple-double in NBA history Wednesday night, totaling 57 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a come-from-behind, 114-106 overtime road victory over the Orlando Magic.

For Westbrook, it was just another day at work as he compiled his fourth consecutive triple-double and his 38th of the season, leaving him three shy of the NBA record held

by NBA legend Oscar Robertson. The 57 points were one short of his career high.

“You just got to want it more than other people,” Westbrook said. “I don’t think about getting tired. I just keep going and going. I don’t think about it. I just think about making the next play, making winning basketball plays. I’m blessed.”

The Thunder (43-31) have won it’s right up there with the best. Give eight of the last 10 games. Westbrook him credit.”

Westbrook hit 21 of 40 shots scored 16 points in the fourth quarter Monday when Oklahoma City erased and six of 15 3-pointers. He made nine a 13-point deficit in the final 3:31 to of 11 free throws. win in Dallas. He scored 19 points He led a late rally by scoring in the final six minutes of regulation 19 points in the final six minutes of to force overtime Wednesday when regulation, hitting a 3-pointer with the Thunder erased another 13-point seven seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. fourth quarter deficit.

“Russell was spectacular Westbrook scored seven points coming down the stretch and the in overtime. way he closed the game,” Thunder Until Westbrook’s 3-pointer, coach Billy Donovan said. “Overall, the Magic led the entire second half.

The Magic led by as many as it’s just incredible what he’s doing now. He played an exceptional second 21 points in third quarter. half again. He just has an incredible “I was just looking at the competitive spirit.” scoreboard, taking it one possession “That (Westbrook’s at a time,” Westbrook said. “I don’t performance) was one of the best,” take this game for granted. I just try Magic coach Frank Vogel said. “It’s to come out each and every night and tough to rank those over the years, but compete at a high level.”

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook

Patriots star Brady’s missing Super Bowl jersey found in Mexico

The New England Patriots jersey that vanished after quarterback Tom Brady wore it in the team’s fifth Super Bowl victory last month has been found in Mexico, officials said on Monday.

The jersey and a second one Brady wore in a championship victory two years earlier were taken by a former Mexican media executive who had been credentialed to cover the February game in Houston, according to the National Football League and law enforcement officials.

Mexican authorities found the New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady missing jersey at the home of Martin warms up before the start of Super Bowl LI Mauricio Ortega, a former director against the Atlanta Falcons in Houston, Texas, of Mexico’s La Prensa newspaper, in U.S., February 5, 2017 a raid following a Federal Bureau of Ortega resigned last Tuesday, Investigation request, a government citing personal reasons. source told Reuters. w The jersey could have been

Ortega has not been arrested sold to a collector for “great monetary because he has not yet been charged, gain,” Acevedo said. the source added, but the investigation Brady told reporters the is ongoing. morning after the Patriots’ 34-28 The Houston Police overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons Department and league security were that he had packed up the jersey involved in the investigation, along bearing his No. 12 after the game, but with the FBI. it had disappeared.

“You don’t come to Texas and “It’s unfortunate, because embarrass us here on our own turf,” that’s a nice piece of memorabilia,” he Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo told reporters at the time. “Those are told reporters on Monday. He said pretty special ones to keep. What can the case, while not a major crime, had you do? I’ll take the ring and that’s been investigated because “the only good enough for me.” blemish that we had from the Super While the 39-year-old Bowl was these jerseys that were quarterback still has his Super Bowl stolen from the locker room.” rings, the team’s owner, Robert

La Prensa said in a statement Kraft, is lacking one of the diamondit had been informed that Ortega had encrusted mementoes. been involved in the theft.

Russian President Vladimir

“If it turns out to be true, (La Putin walked away with Kraft’s ring Prensa) strongly rejects the conduct of commemorating the team’s 2005 Martin Ortega ... who took advantage Super Bowl win over the Philadelphia of the position he had to use the La Eagles when the two met later that Prensa newspaper to get accreditation year. Kraft has said he intended only and gain access to the field,” it said in to show Putin the ring but the leader a statement. kept it.

Ugly Cristiano Ronaldo statue sparks social media laughs

When the island of Madeira on Wednesday renamed its airport in honor of its hometown hero Cristiano Ronaldo, all eyes were expected to be on the four-time world player of the year who is adored not only for his soccer skills but also his model looks.

But grabbing attention instead was a bronze bust of the player with a toothy grin and bulging eyes that instantly created a laugh on social media because of its debatable likeness.

“I defy you not to feel better after viewing this picture of Cristiano Ronaldo alongside his portrait bust,” wrote one Twitter user, Tom Sutcliffe (@tds153).

“That hideous Ronaldo statue is going to be a meme in 5,4,3...,” posted @Agave310.

Another Twitter user deemed the statue “the most gloriously awful bust” of Ronaldo.

The 32-year-old Real Madrid player’s girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez, and his mother, Maria, both attended the renaming ceremony of Portugal’s Aeroporto da Madeira, now known as Cristiano Ronaldo Airport.

The newly revealed statue holds the distinction of being the second bust of the soccer star and

Cristiano Ronaldo attends the ceremony to rename Funchal airport as Cristiano Ronaldo Airport in Funchal, Portugal occasional model that has been the subject of online ridicule.

Another statue, also in Ronaldo’s hometown, was picked apart for what some saw as glaring obscurities and differences in likeness between the player and his bronzed counter-part.

“For a very handsome man, Ronaldo has had some appalling luck with statue-makers,” quipped Twitter user Tom Williams(@ tomwfootball), posting images of the two statues side by side.

On Tuesday, Portugal played their first match on the island in 16 years, the hosts losing 3-2 to Sweden despite an early Ronaldo goal.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

WORLD SPORTS

Sharapova feels vindicated and empowered after doping ban

Tennis star Maria Sharapova for the truth to be said she is excited about her return out,” the five-times to competition next month, feeling grand slam winner vindicated by the reduction of her said at the program included doping suspension and empowered by that tennis and women’s her time away.

Russia’s former world number sports pioneer one was initially barred for two years Billie Jean King, after testing positive at the 2016 Olympic champion Aly Australian Open for meldonium, a gymnast medication she had been taking for 10 Raisman and 2014 Inspiration years within the rules, but that was ANA champion golfer reclassified as a banned drug.

Sharapova vigorously fought Lexi Thompson. to overturn the ban, saying she had not ban been properly advised of the official Sharapova’s change, and the Court of Arbitration will end two days for Sport cut the ban to 15 months and after the Stuttgart Maria Sharapova said in its ruling it did not believe she grand prix starts was “an intentional doper”. on April 24. She has

“Although I’m at a stage or age been given a wild card by organizers, in my career where you’re closer to the who scheduled her first match on the end than your beginning, you always Wednesday in her competitive return.

Some players have bristled at want to end a chapter in your life on your own terms, in your own voice,” what they feel is preferential treatment Sharapova told the ANA Inspiring for draw card Sharapova, who reigned Women in Sports conference at Mission as the highest earning female athlete Hills. in the world for 11 years in a row,

“That’s why I fought so hard according to Forbes.

“For me lot of my trophies are being won,” she it’s not OK and I said. spoke to some other Sharapova, who turns 30 on April 19, players and nobody kept herself busy during her tennis is OK with it, but absence.

She took a class at Harvard it’s not up to us,” world number four Business School in global strategic Dominika Cibulkova management, spent another 10 days in of Slovakia told London studying leadership, interned reporters. at an advertising agency, spent a week

“It’s not about shadowing NBA commissioner Adam her, but everyone Silver, and a week with Nike designers who was doping besides attending to her Sugarpova should start from candy brand. zero.”

“I learned that life can be OK S h a r a p o v a without tennis,” said Sharapova, who said she does not also just finished an autobiography worry about the scheduled to be published in September. reception she will “It was empowering.” receive and is Yet Sharapova is eager to get back on the court. confident in her integrity.

“When you love what you do, “I’ve been training quite hard and do it with passion and integrity for the past four months,” she said, and you work hard, and you work adding it would likely take some time on court number 28 when no one is to pay off. “Practice is never the same watching ... then you know what you as match play. stand for and you know who you are.

“(But) I know that my mind

“When I’m out on court 28 and and my body still have the motivation there’s no one watching, that’s when a to be the best tennis player I can be.”

Messi banned for four international matches

Argentina forward Lionel The official patted him on the head Messi has been banned from their and tried to calm him down but Messi next four competitive internationals, kept ranting.

FIFA said in a letter to the starting with Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier in Bolivia, for swearing at a Argentine Football Association (AFA), published by Argentine media, that match official, FIFA said.

The decision was announced the incident was not detailed in the less than six hours before kickoff of the referee’s report at the time and was match in La Paz and means the five- brought to its attention by the media.

Carvalho said he did not times world player of the year will play in only one of Argentina’s remaining understand at the time what Messi was saying. five World Cup qualifiers.

His absence will be a severe “I only realized he was blow to the two-times world champions swearing afterwards on reading the who are struggling in the marathon press,” he said.

Messi, 29, will also miss South American campaign where results have included home defeats games away to Uruguay and home to

by Ecuador and Paraguay and a 3-0 Venezuela and Peru. The Barcelona forward will be eligible again when mauling by arch-rivals Brazil.

FIFA said Messi had “directed Argentina visit Ecuador on Oct. 10.

Argentina are third in the 10insulting words at an assistant referee” during the 1-0 win over Chile on team South American group with 22 Friday, in which he scored the only points from 13 games but have only a two-point cushion over sixth-placed goal from a penalty.

Television pictures showed Chile, with Colombia (21) and Ecuador him swearing at Brazilian linesman (20) sandwiched in between.

Emerson Augusto do Carvalho at the The top four qualify directly end of the match after being harried for the tournament in Russia next and fouled by Chile’s Jean Beausejour. year and the fifth-placed side go

Lionel Messi into a playoff against a team from has with Barcelona and announced Oceania for another place in the global his international retirement last year before back-tracking on his decision. showpiece event.

“This decision is in line with He also led a player media silence in the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s protest at perceived mistreatment of previous rulings in similar cases,” the team.

Messi was frustrated when FIFA said.

The AFA said it would appeal Argentina lost 1-0 after extra-time against the decision. to Germany in the 2014 World Cup

“Messi is sad, today we lost an final, then on penalties to Chile in the important player,” said AFA national 2015 Copa America final and again on spot-kicks to Chile in last year’s Copa teams secretary Jorge Miadosqui.

Messi has not enjoyed the Centenario final. same success with Argentina as he

New York Knicks’ Noah suspended for 20 games

New York Knicks center Joakim Noah has been suspended for 20 games for violating the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) anti-drug policy, the league confirmed on Saturday.

The Frenchman, who has not played since early February with a knee injury, will not feature again this season with his ban covering the final 10 games of this season and the first 10 games of next year.

“Joakim Noah of the New York Knicks has been suspended without pay for 20 games for violating the terms of the NBA/ NBPA Anti-Drug Program by

testing positive for Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator LGD-4033,” the NBA said in a statement on its official website.

Noah, a two-time NBA All Star and former Defensive Player of the Year, who signed for the Knicks from the Chicago Bulls at the start of this season, is averaging 5.0 points and 8.7 rebounds in 46 games this year both below his career average.

The 32-year-old defensive specialist was expected to add defensive steel to New York but has struggled since signing a four-year contract worth $72 million.

New York Knicks center Joakim Noah

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

LOCAL SPORTS

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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TCI Sending six Swimmers to CARIFTA

Six swimmers have been selected to represent Turks and Caicos Islands at the upcoming CARIFTA competition in Nassau, The Bahamas, between April 15 - 19, 2017.

The TCI Swim Federation announced that Laura Shaw, Luke Haywood, Alex Maclaren, Jack Parlee, Caylen Castillo, and Lillian Taylor, will be competing in the premier swim event in the Caribbean Region based on their qualifying times.

Team Manager, Morgan Luker, said, “We could not be prouder of these youngsters who worked so hard to make the team.”

Added Head Coach Jennifer Martel, “The swimmers showed huge improvement over the past year, made even more impressive because of the limited pool facilities here.”

The official management team will also include Dave Bott as Assistant Coach and Caren Castillo as Assistant

Team Manager.

In March, SURFside Ocean Academy Swim Club took several swimmers to Nassau to compete against swim clubs there to give them more experience and make the final

qualifying selections.

Shaw, who is affiliated with Swim & Surf TCI, and Haywood qualified on times from races in UK earlier this year. After a long absence, TCI returned to CARIFTA swim

competition in 2015 in Barbados with Shaw then as the sole swimmer.

“The larger team of six swimmers this year represents a big advancement in swimming in the islands thanks to committed organizers and dedicated swimmers,” said TCI Swim Federation President Ben Stubenberg. “We expect that number will continue grow with more talented young swimmers emerge in TCI.”

TCI Swim Federation and the TCI CARIFTA team expresses its deep appreciation to the International School and Grace Bay Club for generous use of their pools for training and to the following sponsors and supporters: Herzog Construction, Turks & Caicos Islands Sports Department, SURFside Ocean Academy, Swim & Surf TCI, Grace Bay Club, J&W Construction, Aardvark Construction, and Marco Travel.

Exciting times ahead for Provo Sailing Club

by Keir Clarke Head Coach & Manager Provo Sailing Club

Exciting times are upon us with the arrival of Easter & the beginning of regatta season!

Easter Sailing Sloop & Dinghy Regatta In Blue Hills.

Easter Sunday & Monday, 16th & 17th April sees the first annual Easter Heritage Sailing Regatta take place in Wheeland Blue Hills. Regatta HQ will be at Arthur Dean’s 360 Bar, where we can expect live entertainment throughout the 2 day event, as well as traditional sloop sailing & of course our very own contingent of Hobies & Picos racing & on display both days.

Flyers & more exact timings to be announced very soon, but if you would like to participate in this event, please let me know & book your place on a Hobie or a Pico.

There will also be the opportunity to take a ride on a traditional sloop, which will be an experience not to be missed!

Please put Easter Weekend in your diaries, as it’s guaranteed to be a fun one!

Easter Sailing & Kids camps

This year, we have decided to host 2 different camps during the Easter break.

The first 3 day camp is on 12th - 14th April, and is aimed at younger less experienced sailors, with

a focus on fun & games in and around the water & the boats!

Camp 2 is on 19-21st April, and is designed for our older & more experienced sailors! Focus will be more on making the boats go faster & some racing.

standard and we have been holding club racing every Saturday from 123pm.

Everyone is welcome, adults & kids alike so please come on down & get some practice in this Saturday before the regatta season kicks in!

Both camps will run from 10am - 3pm & the cost is $50 per day or $120 for the 3 days.

20% discount will be made available to any PSC Members!

Payment can be made via the isle help app or with me directly by cheque. If you are interested to book, please don’t delay as limited spaces are available!

Adult Sailing

Sunday Sailing & Club Racing

The last 2 weeks have not seen any Sunday Sailing. This has been partly to weather & partly to some personal issues I have had to deal with. My apologies to those who did not see the Facebook cancellation and were let down by the no show last Sunday.

With great weather forecast we are looking forward to getting back on the water this Sunday. Usual timings of 11-1:30 for the youngsters & 2:30 - 5pm for the older more experienced guys.

Hope to see a good turnout after a bit of a break there!

Saturdays at the sailing club are proving to be quite busy! At midday, we host children from the Ed Gartland Youth centre & TCI cadet Corps, who come down at midday for training. They are now at a great

We are approaching week three of the Adult Level 2 course this Friday, with a mixed group of Pico learners & some students who decided to complete level 2 on a Hobie Cat. The level 2 is a tough course, especially for those brave enough to step on a Pico, but we are slowly getting there!

We recently completed a Level 1 course, and I am pleased to say that all 8 students passed with flying colours!

Currently I am trying to get together another level 1 course, which takes place on Saturday mornings from 9am - 11:30. If you have a group of friends that may wish to give sailing a try, please tell them to get in touch!

Other News

A record largest group of 10 sailors from the TCI will be jetting off the Nassau on April 7th, to compete in the KPMG Regatta.

There is expected to be over 30 Lasers and 60 Optimists in attendance, and our small group of 6 Opti Sailors have high hopes of great results.

For 2 out of our 4 Laser sailors attending, it will be their first regatta,

Send us your sports reports and photos to sun@suntci.com And we will publish them at no cost

but at only 13 & 14 years old they will be undoubtedly the youngest sailors in the fleet & are looking forward to learning a lot in their first big event!

For Oliver Downes & Grace Mann, who will be competing in their 3rd Bahamas Regatta, they will be hoping to chip away at some of the top sailors in the fleet & represent TCI to the max!

We all can’t wait for this trip & we look forward to sharing the results with you guys.

Our Americas Cup representatives, Oliver Downes & Maya Lopes Wilson have been training hard each week with a number of “old guard” PSC Hobie Experts like David Douglas, Martee, Jeff Lee & others. They seem to be making huge gains & are really looking forward to representing their country just after the Fools Regatta in Bermuda, in front of what is expected to be thousands of fans. Hopefully they will help to put TCI on the map as a premier sailing destination for the future!

I will once again attach the 2017 regatta Schedule to this email, for your records. Please take note of the big one, the Fools regatta, which we hope to be equally as huge as last year!

Also attached is the flyer for the Easter Camps for your records.

Hoping to see you all at the sailing club soon, for either a regatta or a sail!

We continue to have our sponsors boats out on the water on a daily basis so please do not hesitate to pop down & see if your business is zooming around on Grace Bay!

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

LOCAL SPORTS

Highlights of the 2nd Annual Rising Stars Classic Caribbean Basketball Tournament

TCI Rising Stars Basketball Club presented their 2nd annual basketball tournament where seven teams from the Caribbean Participated head to head. The teams that participated this year were Clement Howell High School Eagles, Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, British Colligate, Grand Turk, U.S. Virgin Islands and TCI Rising Stars Basketball who went head and head for the championship trophy but The Zero Tolerance basketball team visiting from the U.S. Virgin Islands was again the defeating champs.

This event was held at the Gustavus Lightbourne Gym in Providenciales on March 24-26th, 2017.

President of Rising Stars Basketball club Mervin Forbes told The SUN, “The tournament went good, all the teams played strong and at the end Clement Howell made it to the finals to compete against the U.S Virgin Islands. The Rising Stars team came in third place defeating

the Dominican Republic with a score of 64 points. I think team TCI really played good, we’re showing that we’re learning the game step by step playing it the right way that it should be played and also learning the fundamentals of the game.”

He added: “We need to improve on understanding the game, the whole concept of the game fundamentals but I am impressed with the skills that they showed during the Tournament because last year it was the Dominican Republic and U.S Virgin Islands this year it was one of our Turks and Caicos Islands team verses one of the foreign teams so I think next year is going to be very exciting.”

Forbes stressed that next year’s event will have more teams, more competition and even more opportunities for the kids. For this year’s event the MVP was Dwayne Z. Lynch Point Guard #6.

The following are photo highlights of the event.

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

LOCAL SPORTS

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

APRIL 1ST, 2017 – APRIL 8TH, 2017

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Published by SUN MEDIA GROUP, Turks and Caicos Islands | Tel:649 339 5879 | Fax: 649 941 3281