VOLUME 13 ISSUE 45

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

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HURRICANE BILL TO EXCEED $231 MILLION

By Todeline Defralien

T

urks and Caicos Islands’ cost to repair the damages caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria will exceed the $231million spent after hurricane Ike in 2008, says Dr. Virginia Clerveaux, Director of the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME).

“While the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) damage and loss report for the TCI is not completed, given the scale of destruction in the worst hit islands, it is fair to say that total repair cost will be significant and it will be high,” she told The SUN. “I would not be surprised if it’s not higher than hurricane Ike’s. In 2008 hurricane Ike total damage was $213.6 million and in that year hurricane Ike had mainly impacted Grand Turk, South Caicos and Salt Cay. We’re now seeing a situation where all of the islands were impacted including some of our cays.”

She also said the estimated cost to repair schools and government offices in the Turks and Caicos Islands will be over $11 million.

“In the case of critical facilities 95% of government schools sustained damage, resulting in children being displaced in regular classes and relocating to gymnasium, church facilities and youth centers.

Approximately 70% of government offices also suffered damages and it is estimated that it will cost the government over $11 million to repair or rebuild schools and offices that were impacted,” she explained

“In terms of facilities, approximately 74% of critical infrastructure and facilities within the TCI were impacted. These included electricity, water distribution, telecommunication network, hospitals, schools and Government offices,” She added.

Clerveaux noted that nearly $7 million of the repair cost will be accounted by or for, by schools for structures and contents and the amount is expected to increase even further.

THANK YOU

C&W Business Launches Hospitality IPTV in Turks and Caicos

T

he face of television is changing with Cable & Wireless Business, as the region’s leading telecommunications provider has unveiled a new product specifically geared towards TCI’s leading industry.

Hurricane Irma a category 5 storm, the largest ever to form in the Atlantic Ocean made landfall in the Turks and Caicos Islands on Thursday September 7th, 2017 and passed between 32 – 36 miles south of the chain of Islands, which resulted in the Islands experiencing the right side which is the stronger side of Irma.

Following the passage of Irma the entire TCI experienced a system wide power outage in the Islands of South Caicos, Grand Turk, Providenciales and Salt Cay the number of electricity transmission poles that were down or damaged ranged from 250-500 transmission poles which represented 65% -90% of the respective islands. Providenciales had 65% of its pools being down, North and Middle

Thanks a million to FLOW for keeping us continuously connected throughout Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Your staff proved yet again that you’re the most reliable, caring, trustworthy telecommunications network and provider in the Turks and Caicos.

From Management of Turks and Caicos SUN, Airport Hotel, Occasions Ballroom

C&W Business launched its new cutting-edge integrated Next Generation Hospitality Interactive TV in Turks and Caicos at an industry event hosted at the Blue Haven Resort, aimed at making

the hospitality sector more globally competitive to meets the demands of the “connected guest.”

In the photograph are some of the persons who attended the event

Caicos had 35%, South Caicos had 80%, Clerveaux noted that there Grand Turk had 90% and Salt Cay had were a lot of lessons learnt and 65%.” the telecommunication companies

“The failure of the and Government will ensure that telecommunication system was one the next hurricane that hits TCI, of the most significant impacts of communications will be able to stand hurricane Irma. The TCI experienced up better. total communication failure across the The TCI also experienced Islands chains for both mobile coverage coastal impact as a result of the passage and fixed lines and approximately 92% of of these two storms and like many mobile network and 75% of fixed access other Caribbean countries the economy nodes were partly or totally damaged of the TCI is heavily depending on which affected these communication tourism. This sector accounts for about challenges, which affected the overall approximately 40% of GDP product. coordination of response activities of 70% of all beaches including the world day to day communication throughout renowned beach experienced high the TCI. However the Government and level of erosion; it is also true that various agencies had redundancy built while some beaches were experiencing in their whole communication system,” degradation, in other areas the beaches she explained. actually increased.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

HURRICANE BILL TO EXCEED $231 MILLION Continued from Page 1

Hotels were also impacted through the Turks and Caicos Islands, which reduced the number of persons that were employed, persons that were unemployed and under employed. Also the fishery sector was also impacted.

Hurricane Irma resulted in wide spread catastrophic damage in the TCI, leaving no Island or Cay untouched. The worst affected Islands are: Salt Cay, South Caicos, Providenciales and Grand Turk. Two weeks after the impact of this storm while still grappling with the early recovery stage, the TCI once again had to move into response mode for another major storm. Hurricane Maria followed the exact path of hurricane Irma, hurricane Maria made landfall in the TCI passing between 35-100 miles of the Islands as a category 3 storm on September 21st, 2017,” Clerveaux stated to the SUN.

“Needless to say the passage

of Maria in such close proximity to the TCI further aggravated and complicated the efforts to recover from Irma while creating new challenges of its own. Unlike Irma Maria was a rain maker with storm serve up to six feet.”

Before 2008 the last major storm to have impacted the TCI was hurricane Donna in 1960, which marked 48 years of no major storms impacting the TCI. Between 20082017 in less than ten years the TCI has been directly or indirectly impacted by approximately 10 storms.

The frequency of impact coupled with the size of the storms speaks to the vulnerability of the TCI as a result of its location within the hurricane belt and changing climatic conditions.

Clerveaux said the initial damage assessment by Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) reviled that

Dr. Virginia Clerveaux, Director of the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) approximately 80% of all residences that were surveyed received some level of damage.

Likewise post damage and needs assessment revealed that female headed households which are among the most venerable accounted for 40% of all households that were impacted and 14% of total houses that were damaged had home insurance that covered disaster risks. Nearly 100% of homes in Salt Cay and South Caicos were impacted and 79% of those in Providenciales and Grand Turk according to the survey that was surveyed sustained damage from the passage of both Irma and Maria. Over 400 houses were totally destroyed and more than 700 houses sustained significant damage to the point of being inhabitable in some cases. In south Caicos 22% of the homes were totally destroyed, Grand Turk had four percent and Providenciales had seven percent that we totally destroyed. A few weeks ago we still had persons living in shelters.”

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 5

LOCAL NEWS

Haitians top births and deaths in TCI

Haitians topped the number of births and deaths in the Turks and Caicos Islands for the first nine months of 2017, according to the Department of Statistics.

The births bulletin shows that the Turks and Caicos Islands recorded 396 births during the first nine months of 2017.

This represents an increase of approximately 4.7 percent when compared to the same period of 2016.

Males accounted for 52 percent of live births and females accounted for 48.0 percent of live births.

Forty percent (40%) of the births recorded during the period under review were to married women. This

mostly occurred in mothers between the ages of 30-39.

The remainder of births occurred mainly between mothers that were in common law type relationships (15 percent) and mothers that were never married (13.1 percent). The majority of babies born during the first nine months (53.0 percent) were to Haitian mothers, followed by mothers from the TCI (25.8 percent).

This has been the trend for a number of years.

It is important to note that during the period under review (January to September) 100 deaths occurred within the TCI. Which represents a significant increase

of 51.5 percent, over the number of deaths recorded in 2016. Contributing to this increase in deaths is the drowning of Haitian migrants in TCI waters earlier this year.

Meantime, the Turks and Caicos Islands Merchandise Trade Bulletin shows that during the period January to September 2017, Merchandise imports totaled approximately $288 million, representing an increase of approximately $0.5 million or 0.2 percent when compared to the same period in 2016.

Exports from the Turks and Caicos during this period were valued at $1.5 million when compared to $3.4

million in 2016. This resulted in an overall merchandise trade balance of approximately ($286.5) million during the first nine months of 2017 and the worsening of the overall trade balance by approximately 1 percent or $2.5 million.

Given the performance of Merchandise imports during the first nine months of this year, and the increase in merchandise imports as a result of the two recent hurricanes, it is forecasted that imports will increase by more than 10 percent for the 2017 calendar year. However, with the lack of a diversified group of exports, this will also result in the worsening of the overall trade deficit.

Grand Turk Airport poised for post-hurricane restoration works

Two months after the passage of hurricanes Irma and Maria through the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Airports Authority is poised for restoration to the Grand Turk International Airport.

A press release from the Airports Authority said that following damage to Grand Turk Airport,

the mandatory assessment by the airport’s insurers have been completed as well as the first stage of the government’s tendering process.

After an eight-week advertisement for a quantity surveying firm, a preferred bidder has been identified.

Once the quantity surveying firm has been engaged,

they will prepare a scope of works for the contractors to bid on.

Advertisements for bids normally run for six weeks, before tenders are evaluated and a contract is awarded.

Hurricanes Irma and Maria wreaked havoc in the Caribbean with the Turks and Caicos Islands suffering significant losses.

DSS’ Safetynet Safe City gets upgraded with advanced capabilities

Domus Semo Sancus’ (DSS) SafetyNet Safe City, the version of its award winning Enhanced Due Diligence Cognitive Search and Crime Prevention Tool SafetyNet, designed specifically to help law enforcement proactively address and prevent crimes, today got upgraded with a number of advanced new capabilities. The new features are primarily a result of recent upgrades being made to the underlying image recognition and analysis engines that powers SafetyNet Safe City’s Facial Search tool.

Domus Semo Sancus (DSS) Ltd, founded by E. Jay Saunders in November 2014, is a financial technology company that is building tools to encourage financial inclusion and bridge the e-commerce divide.

With the new enhancements, SafetyNet Safe City is able to: •Detect and recognize text in images; •Conduct real-time facial recognition within datasets of tens of millions of images; •Detect and recognize up to 100 different persons simultaneously within a single image; and •Locate, identify, and track persons within real-time video, even if their faces are not visible throughout the video or even if they go in and out of the field of view.

SafetyNet Safe City Facial Search tool gives law enforcement the ability to easily and quickly identify multiple persons-of-interest against a collection of millions of facial images from our ever growing high risk database in near real-time. In addition, law enforcement personnel utilizing SafetyNet Safe City can now have it automatically recognize text (such as street signs and license plates) from within images, including video images, and perform specific actions based on what the text says.

SafetyNet Safe City’s upgraded Facial Search engine is over 500% faster

with the power to support more than a 1,000% increase in the number of facial images that can be searched.

Rohit Trivedi, DSS’ Head of Technical Development, commenting on SafetyNet Safe City’s new capabilities stated that “the new features that we’ve made available today provides the law enforcement community with the latest and greatest in machine learning and visual analysis, thereby allowing them to minimize the time between the detection of a crime and the solving of it.”

As SafetyNet Safe City is cloud-based, there is no action required on endusers’ part to access the new features, as all SafetyNet Safe City’s customers will be automatically upgraded for free. “We want to ensure that our law enforcement customers are able to focus on the things that matter – i.e. solving crimes and saving lives – and that’s why we’ve worked hard to make these enhancements available free of charge and without the requirement for an IT department to roll them out.” states E. Jay Saunders, Chairman and CEO of DSS.

SafetyNet.ai is DSS’ award winning enhanced due diligence (EDD) cognitive search and crime prevention tool. It helps companies comply with KYC and AML rules and regulations by utilizing an artificial intelligence engine to help companies spot and mitigate risks before they become threats. SafetyNet.ai is cloud based and is offered in the following subscriptions: Lite, EDD (Enhanced Due Diligence), EDD Enterprise, Safe City, and Developer.

For more information on Domus Semo Sancus (DSS), visit: www. semosancus.com.

For more information on SafetyNet.ai, visit: www.safetynet.ai.

For more information on SafetyNet Safe City, visit: http:// safetynet.ai/digital-booklet/.

JAGS McCartney International Airport

THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS NATIONAL INSURNACE BOARD EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY A vacancy exists at the Turks and Caicos Islands National Insurance Board for an Accounting Clerk at its Head Office in Grand Turk, and applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced persons to fill the post.

The Accounting Clerk will report to the Financial Controller of the Board.

CORE FUNCTIONS OF JOB The position performs the following: •Prepares cheques to pay administrative expenses •Receive and record all correspondence and data in the Accounts Department •Assist with Bank reconciliations •Prepares purchase orders •Prepares bank drafts •Liaises with bank, with respect to contractors payments •Assists with the preparation of monthly general ledger schedules •Reimburse the petty cash account •Checks all invoices and vouchers for accuracy and completeness •File accounting records •Receiving, recording and filing invoices and correspondences to the Accounts Department EDUCATIONAL REQUIRMENTS The successful candidate must have an Associates Degree in Business Administration, or Accounts. The position requires specialized training in: •Computer applications •Human relations •Communication •Systems management •Research The position requires two (2) year experience in a clerical position.

Experience should span: •Computer application •Supervisory management •Research •Human relations •Communication •Systems management Salary to be negotiated and will be determined based on qualifications and experience.

Applications giving fill details of qualifications and experience should be sent to the Deputy Director Corporate Services, National Insurance Board, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands to reach no later than Friday December 1, 2017.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

Engineers fixing serious issues at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre

Officials at the Cheshire Hall Hospital have been working around the clock to fix a number of serious issues that caused major discomfort to patients, staff and visitors.

A press release from the hospital said TCI Hospital provides a 24-hour service, and therefore, both health care facilities are maintained throughout the year with an aim to provide minimal disruption to clinical services during engineering works.

Specialist engineers continue to work expeditiously to repair any outstanding mechanical issues at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre sustained as a result of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September.

These issues are connected to water pressure, internal supply and return feeds, which support the cooling system within the facility, the statement said.

As a result, a temporary reduction in cooling capacity took place over recent days to facilitate a replacement of some internal supply/ return pipes on the chilled water closed loop system at the Providenciales facility.

A temporary reduction in the cooling capacity is unavoidable under these special circumstances due to the nature of the repairs, and specialist engineers have worked swiftly to complete these essential repairs to support the seamless delivery of routine clinical services.

Emergency Services continue to function at full capacity and the department continues to serve all levels of acuity. However, the Operating Theatre and Diagnostic Imaging Departments at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre were placed in emergency mode due to temperature sensitive equipment. Any changes to routine clinical services and scheduled

appointments have been communicated to patients and staff.

To date, 40 joints/elbows along with multiple stretches of pipe work have been replaced. This work has been completed promptly and efficiently whilst working around our patient base in some cases as departmental services continue. The work continued throughout the bank holiday weekend, and upon retesting the system this past Sunday, further pipe breaches were detected in areas that were previously unaffected.

All repairs are projected were completed by Wednesday 29th November 2017 followed by a reactivation and analysis of the system.

If there are no further breaches to the chilled water closed loop pipe system, normal cooling temperatures should resume by late this afternoon.

A strategic range of measures were activated to ensure safety and some level of comfort to both staff and patients during this period. These measures include, but are not limited to the following protocols: •All external doors are opened at 7.30a.m. to allow for fresh air ventilation and closed at 6.00p.m. to minimise impact of dawn/dusk and mosquitoes.

•All public areas and departments are ventilated with the exception of any areas which would result in Infection Prevention Control or security issues such as special precaution rooms.

•Portable floor standing fans have been allocated to all areas with instruction for use and location for best efficiency, cooling and airflow.

•Communications have been consistently disseminated to all building users with regard to minimising the use of equipment

Cheshire Hall Medical Centre on standby, and stopping use of some non-essential lights during the day to reduce internal building temperatures.

•Environmental Health and Safety inspections take place throughout the day starting at 6.45a.m. by the Facilities Department Duty Manager who conduct environmental scans for leaks, floor surfaces, temperature analysis, and continued management of the building for patients and staff.

•Since the adjustment in cooling capacity across the building, there has been no reported issues of condensation slips, trips or falls due to humidity in the building. Floor surfaces are safe and maintained for staff and patients.

•The Ministry of Health clinic waiting room has been relocated to the main corridor to allow persons to take full advantage of the natural air inflow.

•The Catering Team recently commenced routine water distribution rounds for patients, InterHealth Canada and Ministry of Health staff throughout the day in Outpatient and In-patient areas to ensure hydration. Coconut water has also been distributed to staff

to ensure the replenishment of electrolytes.

•All front of house departments have been issued with Mosquito repellant spray for use of staff and public. There has been increased vigilance with waste management across the hospital and additional environmental checks to prevent any inflow of flies.

•A request has been made to TCI’s Ministry of Health for external areas around the facility perimeter to be fogged in an effort to reduce any potential mosquito population growth.

This is particularly important whilst external fire doors are used for ventilation during the daytime hours. Fogging took place around 7:00pm on Tuesday 28, November 2017.

•The facilities team continue to provide and monitor support services particularly those in high temperature areas such as the laundry, kitchen and plant works.

Staff are monitored for hydration, and rested within the building periodically throughout their shift, allowing for further hydration breaks as required.

Payment and printing of TCIG cheques back to normal

The public is hereby •South Caicos - Friday advised that effective December 1, •North & Middle Caicos – Friday 2017 the Treasury will be reverting to its normal schedule of printing The public is reminded cheques on Wednesdays only. that when enquiring about Cheques printed on Wednesday payments, contact must be made will therefore be available for with the Ministry/Department collection on the subsequent days at which the services/goods were as indicated below: contracted. The Treasury is to be contacted only when the cheque •Grand Turk – Thursday has been printed. As usual, the •Providenciales – Friday contracting Ministry/Department

will be able to advise when this has been done.

Please note that payments may only be made/cheques printed when all the relevant documents have been entered by the contracting Ministry/Department and approved by the relevant personnel. Because there has been lack of adherence to the approval process, new measures were introduced at the beginning of this

financial year to ensure compliance.

To this end, the Treasury checks to make sure that all the requirements have been satisfied.

If there is non-compliance, Treasury will not approve the expenditure and the contracting Ministry/Department is advised of the reason for the non-approval.

Where the required adjustments have not been made the payment will not be approved for processing.

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DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 7

LOCAL NEWS

Shortage of labour and materials after hurricanes

By Allie Capron

High demand for building materials, household items and skilled labor after hurricanes Irma and Maria has led to shortages in these areas, with many companies finding it difficult to meet the increased demand, investigations by The SUN have revealed.

Kishore Uttamchandani, president of K.B. Home Center, told the SUN that roofing materials are the highest in demand. Shingles, tarp, peal & seal, sheet rock and plywood are among the most popular items for home and business owners after the hurricanes.

“We have been experiencing shortages, mostly in roofing materials because so many people have roof Kishore Uttamchandani, President and damage that they’re trying to fix,” Founder of K.B. Home Center Uttamchandani explained. “There’s not enough supply for the demand that in the damage of 79.6 percent of has been created. And I don’t just mean critical infrastructure and housing demand in TCI. A lot of parts are going stock throughout the territory. These down to Puerto Rico which obviously conditions have left many home and fared much worse than we did. Also business owners in a rush to re-build Dominica, Antigua and all those other and restore their properties.

Caribbean islands that were affected Uttamchandani said shipping by the hurricanes are all looking for companies are also contributing to the materials. Our suppliers can’t provide material shortage, noting that lead and the same volume of goods to all of us clearance times for shipping orders are at one time. There have been cases much lengthier than usual which is where we’ve ordered a whole container making it difficult for some businesses of a particular item but were only able to meet deadlines. to receive one single unit from our “The problem is also with suppliers. That’s part of the reason for the shipping companies; they’re all the shortages.” backed up,” Uttamchandani added.

Hurricanes Irma and Maria “We actually have orders that have caused substantial destruction to come through for places like Parrot homes and businesses across the Turks Cay, Club Med and various other and Caicos Islands, resulting businesses but we can’t get our hands

on the products in time because the shipping companies are rolling over our containers right now. So there’s two parts to the issue: the suppliers and the shipping companies. As soon as our suppliers can get us enough product and the shipping companies can work their schedules out, we can get more vital materials to the public,”

In addition to the shortage in building materials, many home and business owners across the TCI are having difficulty securing skilled labor to re-build their properties. The SUN understands that local contractors are busier than ever with countless construction jobs, particularly for roof repair.

Hotels across the territory are in a rush to repair damage so they can open their doors to visitors. Beaches Resort & Spa has notably contracted many local builders and labourers in an effort to successfully meet their December 13th deadline for re-opening.

This has further cut into the available builder supply for citizens.

Uttamchandani noted that many local contractors have their hands full in the wake of the hurricanes.

“K.B. Home Center works closely with many people in the construction industry so I know that they’re all extremely busy. All the good contractors that I know are booked well into next year, especially the roofers. They aren’t even taking on any further projects until March or April,” he revealed.

In an October interview regarding the rebuilding of popular Providenciales restaurant, Tiki Hut, owner Doug Camozzi made note of the

Tiki Hut Owner, Doug Camozzi apparent shortage in building crews across the island.

“There’s definitely a shortage of contractors across the island.

Everybody is on a roof right now,” said Camozzi. “The challenges that we are going to meet with re-building Tiki Hut are the building crews. There’s none left. They’re all busy re-building people’s homes. To find a builder in TCI right now is very difficult. I know this because I’m currently in the process of re-building my own house. All the builders that I know are backlogged for like a year with projects. Ocean Club is bringing in roofers for 76,000 sq. ft. of roof damage on Ocean Club East. In the long run we might have to do the same and bring in some building crews to re-build Tiki Hut. It’s going to be tough finding labor for a while.”

Caicos Pine, the National Tree

December 2017 marks the second annual Caicos Pine Awareness week, where we celebrate the National Tree of the Turks & Caicos Islands, the Caicos pine Pinuscaribaeavar. bahamensis.

The Caicos pine is also called the Caribbean pine, a tropical pine found in three varieties in Central and South America, Cuba, and the Lucayan Archipelago (Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands). Its Bahamian range is restricted to four of the northernmost islands of the Bahamas: Andros, New Providence, Abaco, and Grand Bahama.

In the Turks and Caicos Islands, some 500 miles to the southeast, the pine can be found naturally on North Caicos, Middle Caicos, and Pine Cay. Caicos pines in TCI grow to about 40 feet tall, with a generally triangular shape and lower branches that selfprune off as the trees grow.

The bark is thick, flaky, and fissured to protect the living tissues from fire. Pines in general

are ancient trees, and they existed before the flowering and fruiting trees, grasses, and many other plants. Their pollination is by wind, with pollen produced from crumbly, temporary male cones.

The pollen may land on a female cone, a pea-sized pink structure that takes two years to grow into a mature pine cone. Each pine cone may hold upwards of 80 winged seeds, which are released around October of each year. The cones, masterpieces of plant engineering, close during humid weather and open during dry weather, assuring that the seeds can fly far and wide on rainless days. This feature of the cones works even years after they have been shed from the tree!

Caicos pine grows in shallow pockets of soil on limestone bedrock, which is hardly fertile ground. In order to glean the nutrients necessary to build a large tree, the Caicos pine lives symbiotically with seven different species of ectomycorrhizal

(outside-the-roots) fungi.

These fungi encrust the roots and absorb more water and nutrients than the pine can itself, while also helping break down organic matter in the soil to supplement this nutrition.

In return, the pine sends the fungi sugars it makes in its needles.

These seven species of fungi are critical to the pines; without them, they would die. Studies have found that one of the species is new to science, and it happens to be a truffle – a close relative of the Eurasian truffles so famous in the culinary arts!

Unfortunately, the Caicos pine has been under attack from introduced, invasive plant pests since the late 1990s. The pine tortoise scale insect, an invader from North America, has killed between 90 and 95% of all wild Caicos pines across its Turks and Caicos Islands range.

This has altered the pine yard landscape, allowing broadleaf

$135

trees to grow up and shade out new pine seedlings. Low pollen count from so many dead trees means seeds are now produced in smaller numbers, and a second plant pest, the Mediterranean black aphid, has also weakened wild pine trees.

The Caicos Pine Recovery Project, led by the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources, has been working on species survival and habitat restoration for the Caicos pine since 2008. The goal of the project is to save the National Tree and its unique ecosystem from extinction.

Part of this goal is to celebrate pride in TCI’s National Tree, and we invite you to celebrate this year’s Caicos Pine Awareness Month events with tree planting in Providenciales and North Caicos, a poetry contest throughout TCI, and a Christmas Tree lighting featuring decorated Caicos pines in Kew, North Caicos.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS Grace Bay beach in TCI named the best in the world by travel experts

By Todeline Defralien

With its clear blue waters and vast white sands, Grace Bay beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands scored 10 out of 10 for its beauty as well as sand and water quality, plus an eight for its remoteness by travel experts, topping number one for the best beach in the The beautiful Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales world. bordered by a turquoise ocean and you take the success and the best practices

The Atlantic Ocean, more may have miles of sands virtually to from Grace Bay beach and take it precisely, the Caribbean is the place to yourself.” throughout the Turks and Caicos. It’s be for travellers looking for crystal clear Director of Tourism, Ramon not just Grace Bay being number one, waters and breathtakingly beautiful Andrews told The SUN, “The Turks and but Turks and Caicos being number one beaches, according to the latest Caicos and the Turks and Caicos Tourist as a beach destination. rundown of the world’s best beaches by Board has been recognised yet again for Australia’s Whitehaven Beach, travel experts. having the number one beach in the on Whitsunday Island (which forms part

Tucked away in the Caribbean world, not the Caribbean but in the of the Great Barrier Reef), was ranked and boasting some of the clearest waters world. This is a pretty major recognition second; Anse Lazio in the Seychelles and softest white sand, A 12-mile for us and it’s super important due to came third. stretch on the island of Providenciales, the fact that we are coming off the heels The list of 50 was and protected by a reef just a mile off of two major hurricanes and having unsurprisingly - dominated by the shore, the pristine beach topped a poll of a community, a nation that pulled Caribbean, with Pink Sands Beach in 632 travel journalists and other experts together quick enough and helping us to the Bahamas coming fourth. questioned by the Canadian website secure such a prestigious reward speaks Navagio Beach on the coast of FlightNetwork. volumes that I can’t even explain. I just Zakynthos, better known as Shipwreck

Its inaugural ranking of the want to say thank you to everyone and Beach, took fifth place and was the only world’s 50 best beaches saw each scored thank you to all of our partners and European beach in the top 10. according to their beauty, remoteness, congratulations yet again Turks and Baia Dos Porcos (the Bay of sand quality and water quality, on a Caicos.”

Pigs) in the Brazilian archipelago of scale of one to 10. Grace Bay scored 10 “Grace Bay Beach is super Fernando de Noronha was the top South for beauty, sand and water quality, and important to the lifeline of the Turks American beach; Mexico’s Playa Paraiso eight for its remoteness. and Caicos economy; it teaches us a (seventh), Hidden Beach, also in Mexico

“Turks and Caicos is a beach- couple things. Once you keep a beach (ninth), Hyam’s Beach in New South lover’s dream,” says Fred Mawer, clean and it operates correctly these Wales, Australia (eighth), and Trunk Telegraph Travel’s Caribbean expert. are the results and once a community Bay in the US Virgin Islands rounded “The many strands spread over the or a group pulls together and speaks out the top 10.

40 islands, only eight of which are with one voice these are the results,” he No UK beaches made the top inhabited, are truly exceptional, with added.

50. Other European beaches to feature powder-soft, blindingly white sand

Andrews stated that the Tourist included Iceland’s Reynisfjara, with its Board’s goal through partnership is to black sand and giant basalt rocks.

Turks and Caicos Sun Suite#5, Airport Plaza Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands Tel: (649) 339-5879 Fax: (649) 941-3281 Email: sun@suntci.com Read us online at www.suntci.com Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Hayden Boyce 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.

CHIRAAG LTD

NOTICE OF SALE BY AUCTION NOTICE OFPUBLIC SALE

Seeking to employ suitable qualified and experience individuals for the following positions listed below

Hallmark Trust Limited (formerly Hallmark Bank & Trust Ltd.) of P.O. Box 656, Courtyard

Sales: •Managers •Persons

BY PUBLIC AUCTION

Plaza, Suite 1A, Leeward Highway, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, hereby gives notice of its intention to sell by Public Auction the following property pursuant to its power of sale as registered Chargee under the Registered Land Ordinance of the Turks and Caicos Islands

The successful applicants must be computer literate and self driven individuals, with the ability to engage the customers and master the art of selling goods and services. Managers must be knowledgeable of the merchandise and provide technical information to the customers when required; he/she will be responsible for daily sales and activities.

CAP 9.01:

Salary:

powder rooms, five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a formal living room, breakfast room, formal

Ranges from $7.00 – $12.00 per hr

Store: •Clerks •Domestic workers •Butler Clerks must have the ability to properly organize and keep inventory of goods on display and general stock. The butler must be able to dine the customers while seeking purchases within the stores; He/she is required to have a valid driver’s license to carryout store deliveries and other menial chores. Domestic workers are required to keep the stores clean and carryout other domestic chores within.

Salary:

Ranges from $6.25 - $7.50 per hr

All successful applicants must have strong communication and excellent customer service skills. They may be required to work on a shift basis, weekends and holidays.

Contact: Deluxe Employment and Recruitment Services Telephone number 946-8876 or Email: deluxebusinesscenter@tciway.tc

Parcel 60721/38, Cheshire Hall & Richmond Hills, Providenciales. The property has a two storey private residence approximately 6,886 square feet consisting of an entry foyer, two dining room, studio, gourmet kitchen, pantry and laundry room.

The area is a total of approximately 1.3 acres of land.

Registered Proprietor: Neville Carl Bolton and Beverly Elaine Bolton The auction will be held at the offices of Karam Missick attorneys, P.O. Box 926, A 203 & A 205 Regent Village East, Grace Bay, Providenciales at 10:00am in the morning on the 7th day of December 2017.

A reserve price will be fixed on the Property. A deposit of 10% is due immediately upon all accepted bids.

Terms and Conditions of Sale by Auction are available by request from Hallmark Trust Limited (formerly Hallmark Bank & Trust Ltd.) (649) 941-5191.

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 9

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Page 10

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

Court of Appeal orders murder retrial for Cortez Simmons

by Hayden Boyce Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Cortez Simmons won his appeal against a life sentence for the 2013 murder of Kaziah Burke on a technicality, but the Court of Appeal has ordered him to be retried for the 2013 murder of Kaziah Burke.

President of the Court of Appeal, Mr. Justice Elliott Mottley, QC, said on November 27th that “the interest of justice” requires that there must be a new trial.

Simmons was sentenced by Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale in March 2015, after being found guilty by a majority verdict of 11-1 of the murder of 25-year-old Kaziah Burke on April 13, 2013 at Uncle Doe’s Bar at Airport Road Providenciales. The jury deliberated for six hours until it became apparent that they could not arrive at a unanimous verdict.

The Court of Appeal, comprising Mottley, the president, Mr. Justice Humphrey Stollmeyer and Madame Justice Paula-Mae Weekes, allowed Simmons’ appeal and quashed his life sentence conviction because the Chief Justice did not direct the jury that Booker Odema was a witness with “an interest to serve” and they should take that into consideration before acting on his evidence.

Mr. Justice Mottley said there were certain factors that required that a special caution and warning be given to the jury about interest to serve and this was not done by Chief Justice Ramsay-Hale. Madame Justice Weekes said a direction of

interest to serve was “critical”.

Simmons retained the services of prominent Jamaican lawyer Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, who was assisted by compatriots Thadia Maragh and Zara Lewis and instructed by local attorney Alvin Garland.

Samuels-Brown argued that Simmons should have been acquitted and not retried because he has undergone what the Privy Council would characterize as “an ordeal”, for almost five years.

She stated: “His trial occurred two years after the shooting. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment and the law is that he would be entitled to consideration for parole after seven years. If the court were to order a retrial, it would mean that having regard to the recent decision of the Privy Council and Caribbean Court of Justice, the time spent in custody pre-trial must be taken into account when looking at the sentence in a holistic way it would mean that he would almost serve the period of sentence after which he could very well be expected that he would have been released.”

Samuels-Brown noted that there were “major weaknesses” in the evidence against Simmons.

“The Chief Justice quite rightly found that the evidence of Odema was central to the prosecution’s case, and that he (Odema) being an admitted and proven liar, I submit it would not be in my client’s interest for this court to allow a trial to proceed on evidence of an individual such as

Cortez Simmons on his way back to jail escorted by a prison officer. One of his lawyers Thadia Maragh is pictured (Odema) Booker and it would not be fair to have him go through another trial and have this ordeal extended,” she added.

Veteran Trinidadian prosecutor Evans Welch, who appeared for the Crown, noted that this was a case in which the Court of Appeal is allowing an appeal, not because of technical deficiencies in the evidence, but because of a failure by the Chief Justice to give an appropriate direction.

He quoted a Privy Council case which stated that for the interest of justice to be served, persons who are guilty of certain crimes should be brought to justice and not escape merely because of some technical blunder by the judge in the conduct of the trial or in the summing up to the

Local attorney Alvin Garland (left) in conversation with Carl Simmons, the father of Cortez Simmons and Jamaican Queen’s Counsel Jacqueline Samuels-Brown

jury.

Welch added:” What the court is emphasizing here is the interest of justice is a serious governing principle and especially in serious cases such as this, which is the most serious offence that pervades in this jurisdiction, one ought as far as possible in the interest of justice, let this case be decided by the trial jury and not be determined finally because of an error in the summation which is what we have here. The evidence remains what it is.

It is ion the record and the evidence cannot be changed. The ballistic evidence cannot change. The evidence of gunshot residue found on Simmons vehicle cannot change. Th law cannot manufacture that evidence or multiply it.”

Prosecutor Evans Welch

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 11

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Page 12

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

Sailrock’s ongoing efforts bringing much need relief to South Caicos community

Building on the success from last week’s efforts, the Sailrock team continued with its relief efforts in South Caicos by distributing even more construction materials throughout the local community.

With assistance from several Sailrock vehicles and staff members, an additional 43 local residents received new roofing materials that will aid in the repair of their damaged homes.

Matt Bywater, Executive Director, and Brad Brondyke, Director of Sales, continue the lead role in this effort to provide the needed building materials to residences and businesses in the South Caicos community.

Thursday’s distribution brings the total number of homes assisted by the Sailrock and the South Caicos Heritage Foundation up to 71.

This wouldn’t have been accomplished without assistance from Patrice Thomas and the local pastors of South Caicos.

Residents were ecstatic to

receive the high-quality materials and many have already begun repairs on their homes. Utilizing heavy equipment supplied by Sailrock, the South Caicos Heritage Foundation hopes to deliver supplies to 21 additional homes next week.

Since Hurricane Irma, over 200,000 lbs. of construction materials have been delivered to South Caicos by the South Caicos Heritage Foundation.

These materials included 32,000 square feet of plywood, 125,000 square feet of roofing materials, 21,500 linear feet of framing lumber, and other construction materials like nails, screws, and fasteners.

South Caicos was among the many islands in the Caribbean that suffered substantial damage from Hurricane’s Irma & Maria, but has not received as much press as some of the more populated islands in the Caribbean. The majority of the homes and businesses in Cockburn Harbour experienced structural damage that

presented a significant financial burden that many residents couldn’t face on their own.

South Caicos Heritage Foundation was founded to provide immediate aid to the residents of South Caicos with the long-term goal of preserving and supporting the rich history and culture of South Caicos.

The South Caicos Heritage

Foundation’s fundraising efforts are on-going and the organization will continue to work with local leaders and members of the community to identify and prioritize areas of need.

Colin Kihnke, owner of Sailrock, has personally pledged to match dollarfor-dollar all donations made to this foundation thru the end of 2017.

Universal Children’s Day Each year Universal Children’s Day, also recognized as World Day of Prayer and Action for Children, is observed on the 20th of November. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Transportation and CommunicationDepartment of Social Development would like to welcome all residence of the Turks and Caicos Islands to join in the celebration of this special day.

Universal Children’s Day commemorates the United Nations adoption of two landmark documents concerning the human rights of all children, the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This day is used to spread awareness about the rights of children, the effects of violence on children, and to celebrate our youth.

Universal Children’s Day focuses on four main articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child:

Non-Discrimination: ALL CHILDREN have the same rights regardless of their gender, race,

religion, language, culture, disability, nationality, ethnicity, or social background.

Best Interest of the Child: When making decisions about any action regarding children individuals must act in the best interest of the child (which may not always a line with the immediate response or interest of adults).

Right to Life, Survival & Development: Children have the right to life, to health, to education and to play and the right to be protected against violence. The survival and development of children should always be ensured.

Respect for the Views of Children: Children have the right to have their views heard and taken into account on matters that affect them, in accordance with their age and maturity.

Religious groups and faith based organizations play a significant role in sharing this information.

Places of worship are change agents to improve children’s lives.

A follow up theme of “Stop Violence Against Children” is incorporated in Universal Children’s Day. The Convention on the Rights of the Child defines violence as:

“All forms of physical or mental violence, injury and abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse.”

Every day in the Caribbean at least one child becomes the victim of violence, in most cases being abused by someone whom they know and trust. There are no spiritual, ethical or moral justification for the abuse of children. All must encourage the care, protection and nurturing of children.

Exposure to violence during childhood can lead to a wide range of problems including cognitive, emotional, mental and physical issues as the child grows. Experiencing violence as a child affects the child’s ability to lead a happy, healthy, and productive life.

It is required by law within the Turks and Caicos Islands for

individuals to report suspected child abuse. Reports should be made to the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force and/or the Department of Social Development and can be made anonymously.

The following activities are planned for this Universal Children’s Day: •Morning Devotions at schools throughout the Islands.

•Information sharing on Radio TC on birth registration and child rearing practices.

•Partnership with churches to incorporate aspects of Universal Children’s Day into their sermons.

•Information booths at grocery stores on Positive Parenting Practices.

So, this Universal Children’s Day celebrate your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or any child in your life. Be thankful for them, cherish them, and appreciate all the joy they bring into this world.

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 13

LOCAL NEWS

Young Corporate Alliance launches ‘Black Card’ discount system

By Todeline Defralien

The Young Corporate Alliance (YCA) has launched an extraordinary discount card for local entrepreneurs, which unlocks discounts of 10%-25% on services such as insurance, accounting, company formation, legal advice, business supplies, photography, and marketing offered by eleven partner companies.

The ‘Black Card’ was unveiled during a recent press conference with a mission to alleviate some of the costs associated with operating a small business in the TCI. The discount card is an incentive of joining the YCA Platinum Membership system.

Only business license holders, ages 18-40 who are Belongers of the Turks and Caicos Islands can apply for this membership category.

YCA Executive Members along with representatives from partner companies.

Eligible entrepreneurs are invited to submit a completed ‘I want to start my own business but I - 10% off In-store purchases; Digicel - Business (‘PMB’) is granted a Black membership form along with a copy of can’t afford to incorporate a company’ 20% off S,M,L, and XL Post Paid Plan Card with a unique digit, each card a valid business license to info@ycatci. or ‘I can’t afford to go to an attorney monthly subscription amounts; HLB is valid for a period of one year com. Forms are available on www. and get advice about my idea, I don’t (TCI) Ltd - 10% off accounting services; commencing from the date of issuance ycatci.com and the application fee is understand contracts and I don’t NW Hamilton Insurance and Financial and only authorized personnel of the US$150.00 per annum. understand which business license I Services - 10% off Insurance (Home, PMB can utilize the card. The Black

President of Young Corporate need to get in’.”

Auto, Commercial, and Marine); Card should be presented and the Alliance (YCA) Mr. Dominique Rolle Rolle noted that the Young Outside the Box - 15% off Social Media agreed discount will be applied at the said, to be able to today unveil this Corporate Alliance knew that if they Services; Caya Hico Media - 15% point of sale. program, the Young Corporate Alliance were going to be successful in starting off standard rates for Commercial The YCA Executive Board Corporate Black Card is something their organization and having a legacy Photography and Video Advertisement is responsible for compliance, which they’ve been working on for a very long of change and impacting the people Production; Roger Harvey Co. - 25% off includes cross-checking the validity of time and they are very excited. that they work for, they had to make it all services including graphic design business licenses and YCA membership.

“I have to thank the Young cheaper. and website design and $100 flat rate Reminders will be issued at least one Corporate Alliance Executive Board, YCA Executive Member Nikira for logos; Island Printing - 10% off month prior to the expiration date they’re an amazing hard working team John said: “The benefits of becoming a general services. of a BCBs business license. Black of Turks and Caicos Islanders, young partner is reciprocated. Both parties Law firms who have enrolled card partners will be notified of professionals and entrepreneurs who benefit, the holders and the partners as partners are Twa Marcelin Wolf - revocations; the assigned number will dedicate themselves selflessly to giving because you get the opportunity to discounts on real estate conveyancing, be decommissioned and the Black Card back to their community and trying support a non-profit organization corporate & commercial law (75% revoked until further notice. as best as they can to empower young and give back the community but or $900 minimum for conveyancing, To submit payment for a professionals and entrepreneurs. I specifically a community of young $1,000.00 incorporation/renewal Black Card, payments are accepted in really want to give a warm welcome to entrepreneurs in a very tangible way fee and $350.00 reduced hourly cheque addressed to ‘Young Corporate our partners; many of the companies and also you get to tap into a pool of rate); Stanbrooks Law - 1 Hour free Alliance’ or in cash to the Treasurer that are taking part in this program potential new customers that may be consultation including SME Grant of the Executive Board, Ms. Rachel have worked with the Young Corporate just become long term clientele.” applications, discounted fixed fee Gregory (info@ycatci.com).

Alliance since our inception in 2015,” John added that she believes billing on a variety of matters, general Companies interested in he said. this is a big step in the evaluation of reduced hourly rate of $250.00 per hour becoming a Black Card Discount

He added. “One of the first the Young Corporate Alliance and (up to a maximum of 10 hours), 15% Partner in the second installment initiatives that we wanted to do when encourages young local entrepreneurs discount on all real estate transactions, should contact info@ycatci.com. we first formed this group almost ages 18 through 40 who are holders of Incorporation package and one (1) Young Corporate Alliance four years ago was to make it more business licenses to join the program trademark registration for $1,500.00 (YCA) is a non-profit, non-partisan cost effective for young people to because the organization has an plus disbursements; Savory & Co. - organization established in 2015 to enter into business and it was really inherited responsibility to encourage discounts on company formation and provide young entrepreneurs with important for us not to just educate legitimate business transactions to business establishment, property, valuable educational, networking and young professional entrepreneurs, but capitalize on this program. employment, and estate planning business savings opportunities to help to ascertain what resources, what The list of Partners and along with a reduced hourly rate of start and grow their business. services are cost prohibitive to someone discounted services in the first $250 - $350. who is 18, 19, 20 or 30 years old saying, installment are: Business Solutions

Each Platinum Member

Page 14

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

C&W Business Launches Hospitality IPTV in Turks and Caicos

The face of television is hotel channel to guide visitors to changing with Cable & Wireless restaurants, bars, and other onBusiness, as the region’s leading property amenities, the solution telecommunications provider has can be delivered via analog, digital unveiled a new product specifically or full end-to-end Internet Protocol geared towards TCI’s leading industry. Television (IPTV).

C&W Business launched its Basic packages comprise new cutting-edge integrated Next either 29 or 65 channels, whilst Generation Hospitality Interactive Add-On Packs enable the guest TV in Turks and Caicos at an industry to stay connected with the latest event hosted at the Blue Haven Resort, sports, movies, or news, or provide aimed at making the hospitality sector entertainment for the family, by more globally competitive to meets signing on for Movie Pass, Fox Pass, the demands of the “connected guest.” Kids Pass, Sports Pass, or Global Pass.

A bespoke solution, C&W Additionally, the new Business Hospitality Interactive TV Interactive TV solution comes with can be tailored to an all-inclusive 24/7/365 proactive monitoring and resort, business hotel, luxury, or small support by a team of Cable & Wireless property. It can be fine-tuned for the technology experts, which allows guests the property most commonly them to remotely troubleshoot any serves: whether families, young potential issues. travelers, adults only, or business Vice President, B2B Sales travelers.

Operations, Boris Kluck, remarked:

“The present demands of “The Hospitality industry is an today’s travellers in this vast industry incredibly competitivemarketplace with an expanding cluster of world and while there is no doubt about the class luxury hotelsdeserves a world natural beauty of the Turks and Caicos, class solution, and Cable & Wirelessis it is criticalthat you differentiate your here to deliver,” said Flow TCI, properties in order to stand out from Country Manager, Delleriece Hall. the many other choices that travellers

CW Business Sales Manager, have.”

Joanne Missickadded: “We are very Kluck further stated that, proud of where we are today and we “Increasingly, what our research tell are very much excited about where us is that your guests’ digital stay we are headed. As an organization, we is becoming just as important as have the vision, the knowledge, and their actual physical stay – ensuring the experience to pave the way to the that you have the right technology future.” solutions to meet the digital demands

With a larger selection of of your guests will be an important channels, inclusive of high-definition factor of differentiation when they are content, integrated digital signage making the important decisions about that encompasses every screen their next vacation.C&W Business on theproperty, and a dedicated continues to invest in the hospitality

sector as we recognize its importance operations in more than 30 countries to economic growth in the region. We across Europe, Latin America, and are committed toproviding world- the Caribbean. We invest in the class technology solutions that will infrastructure that empowers our help you deliver an unparalleled guest customers to make the most of the experience.” digital revolution. Our scale and

The workshop today saw a commitment to innovation enable us number of key representatives from to develop market-leading products the hotel sector, including Director of delivered through next-generation Tourism, Mr. Ramon Andrews who networks that connect our over 24 provided a positive and encouraging million customers who subscribe to overview of the status of the hospitality over 50 million television, broadband industry following the passing of the internet and telephony services. We recent hurricanes. also serve over 10 million mobile

Andrews stated, “It is no subscribers and offer WiFi service secret that we are definitely blessed in across 10 million access points.

Turks and Caicos despite everything Liberty Global’s businesses that we came through, as it relates are comprised of two stocks: the to two storms, Irma and Maria. We Liberty Global Group (NASDAQ: find faith witnessing people put LBTYA, LBTYB and LBTYK) for our themselves aside and focus on the European operations, and the LiLAC goal of understanding that there is a Group (NASDAQ: LILA and LILAK, much bigger picture here. I think if OTC Link: LILAB), which consists of we continue to approach everything our operations in Latin America and the way we have approached this the Caribbean. devastation, I think that we will The Liberty Global Group continue to be successful in Turks and operates in 12 European countries Caicos.” under the consumer brands Virgin

C&W is a full-service Media, Unitymedia, Telenet, and communications and entertainment UPC. The Liberty Global Group also provider and delivers market-leading owns 50% of VodafoneZiggo, a Dutch video, broadband, telephony and joint venture, which has 4 million mobile services to consumers in 18 customers, 10 million fixed-line countries. Through its business subscribers, and 5 million mobile division, C&W provides data center subscribers. The LiLAC Group hosting, domestic and international operates in over 20 countries in Latin managed network services, and America and the Caribbean under the customized IT service solutions, consumer brands VTR, Flow, Liberty, utilizing cloud technology to serve Más Móvil and BTC. In addition, the business and government customers.

LiLAC Group operates a sub-sea fiber

Liberty Global is the network throughout the region in over world’s largest international TV 40 markets. and broadband company, with

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Page 15

‘Stop The Clot’ Fitness event hosted in Providenciales

The second installment of ‘Stop The Clot’ continued on Saturday, November 18th, 2017 as residents gathered at the Lower Bight Kid’s Park on Providenciales to participate in the fitness walk, run and cycle event hosted by InterHealth Canada - Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital.

The fitness event is dedicated to raising awareness of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE).

Participants clad in the color red started their journey on foot and bicycle shortly after 6:00 am along the Lower Bight road towards The Sands Resort roundabout and returned to the Kid’s Park as the finish line. Members from the TCI Cycling Federation embarked on an even longer journey towards Heaving Down Rock in support of the cause.

Prizes were awarded to the first male and female runners to complete the route, the youngest person to participate in the race, and the first male and female cyclers to

cross the finish line. The event also featured Soca Aerobic sessions under the direction of Natalie DanclarRodney, a well-known local fitness enthusiast. Complimentary blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and body mass index screenings were also provided to participants at the Providenciales event.

During the event, Chief of Medical Services, Doctor Denise Braithwaite-Tennant explained the signs, symptoms and preventative measures associated with VTE and encouraged residents to live healthy lifestyles. An information booth with resources on VTE was also available.

A clot in the vein (usually in the leg or pelvis) is known as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and a clot that breaks off and travels to the lungs is known as a pulmonary embolism (PE). Together, DVT and PE make up Venous Thromboembolism (VTE).

One in four people worldwide die of conditions caused by thrombosis.

Donned in the colour red to raise awareness of Venous Thromboembolism, residents were eager to challenge their endurance in the sunrise walk along an uphill terrain, which started from Cockburn Town Medical Centre towards a halfway point along North Ridge/ Lighthouse Road and return. Red flags were ecstatically waved by each participant who reached the hilltop and turnaround point.

A blood clot survivor and resident, Mabeline Ambriton, shared her emotional story during the event of losing a sister and niece to Venous Thromboembolism (VTE).

She considers herself blessed to be alive and must consume blood thinners to prevent the potentially fatal blood clots from developing after undergoing intense hospitalizations in the past. Given her familial history, she charged attendees to listen to their bodies and understand the signs, symptoms and prevention of VTE.

Page 16

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

Reflecting on World AIDS Day

By Dr. Marsha Barnett

December 1 has been designated World AIDS Day since 1988. It was started as a way to draw awareness of the disease and mourn the people who have died from it but the event has shifted to focus on successes in the fight against the disease.

With over 36 million persons worldwide living with HIV, and an estimated 600 in the Turks and Caicos, the importance of continuing these efforts is paramount, not only in the first day and week of December, but year-round. Despite much media coverage over the past two decades, a lot of myths and misunderstandings still surround HIV. So, let’s go through some of the basics and recent advancements in HIV/AIDS. WHAT IS HIV?

HIV is a virus. It is stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and attacks the cells in the body that help fight infection, known as the CD4 cells. Like the chicken pox virus, once infected, it remains in the body. HIV is spread via bodily fluids, particularly genital fluids and blood. This is why is it is spread by needle sharing in drug users, from mother to a fetus in

the womb, and of course, unprotected sexual contact. In fact, unprotected sexual contact is the main means of transmission worldwide. HIV cannot be spread by casual contact such as social kissing, hugging and sharing toilet seats.

HOW DOES HIV AFFECT MY BODY?

HIV enters and remains in the body and attacks the cells that govern the immune system. Although exposure to the virus can immediately create flu-like symptoms in some people, many are unaware they have been infected. HIV can be asymptomatic for years, but the virus is still attacking the body’s immune system even if the person doesn’t feel sick.

If left untreated, the virus continues to attack the immune system, and the CD4 cells become less in number and effectiveness. Bugs that would not usually be a problem for the normal immune system, become problematic in infected persons. These are called opportunistic infections.

Once opportunistic infections start to arise and the CD4 count falls below a critical level, a diagnosis of AIDS is made. AIDS is actually a medical diagnosis and the final stage of HIV

VACANCY NOTICE

Turks and Caicos Island National Health Insurance Board (NHIB) Providenciales Position Title: Chief Executive Officer, NHIB Reports To: Minister of NHIB and Board of Directors Job Summary: The Chief Executive Officer is the chief executive of the National Health Insurance Board (NHIB) and, has system wide responsibility for the effective and efficient administration and day-to-day management and administration of the of NHIB in accordance with the National Health Insurance Ordinance and Regulations. Providing supervision to other professional and clerical staff. The CEO is expected to generate satisfactory results when the qualitative and quantitative output of the staff is at a high level, the expenditure of the NHIB is within the limits of the budget, and the services of the NHIP are provided to the Government and the beneficiaries in a timely and value for money basis.

Key Duties and Responsibilities required to be performed effectively and efficiently:  Monitoring and administering the Plan;  Monitoring and administering the Fund;  Monitoring the collection of contributions under the NHIB Ordinance;  Advise the Minister on the policies relating to the health care needs of the beneficiaries  Advise the Minister on the policies and directions concerning the use of monies of the Fund;  Establish a quality assurance programme for the functioning of the Plan through monitoring of the health care service being provided to the beneficiaries;  Supervise and control expenditure from the Fund;  Financial and operational matters;  Developing administrative and human resources development manuals for approval by the Board;  Preparing regular financial and operational reports for the Board;  The administration and control of the staff of the Board;  Accounting for all monies collected, paid or invested under the Ordinance;  Contracting health service providers for the purposes of the objects

infection.

DO THE TREATMENTS WORK?

The simple answer to that question is yes. Although there is no cure for HIV, nor is there a vaccine, medications are routinely given to Dr. Marsha barnett most HIV positive persons. In fact, reduces the risk of transmission of the the medications work so well in virus during intercourse. many persons, that many infectious disease specialists, now view HIV as SHOULD I TEST? a chronic illness that can be controlled with daily meds in the same way we The prospect of testing for HIV manage hypertension and diabetes. can be a daunting one. However, it is The medications work by attacking or always best to know your status. Early suppressing the virus, many times to a detection and treatment is paramount level where the virus can no longer be for a long, healthy and productive detected in the blood! The level of active life and control of the infection even virus in the blood is called the viral load. reduces the risk of infection in your By suppressing the load or the burden HIV negative loved ones. World AIDS of the virus in the bloodstream, the Day comes with lots of information on effect of the virus in the body is greatly the virus and many opportunities to hampered. This allows the immune test for free. Do not allow the month to cells, CD4 cells, to stay within normal pass without knowing your status. range and as such individuals have, active immune systems that ward *Dr. Marsha Barnett is a general off infections leading to healthy and practitioner who also specializes productive lives. A low viral count isn’t in dermatology. For questions good news only for the person infected or comments, please contact at with HIV but also for their potential drmarshabarnett@gmail.com or at partners as having an undetected viral Associated Medical Practices - 946load greatly 4242.

of the NHIP;  Ensuring compliance by contracted health service providers with the quality standards as may be prescribed by the Minister from time to time;  Make disbursements from the Fund; and  Perform such functions as are for the time being conferred on him or her by Virtue of the Ordinance or any other law or any Regulations and as the Board or the Minister may from time to time assign.

Qualifications and Experience:  A Master’s Degree in Health Administration/Health Financing/ Health Insurance/Finance or a related field;  A minimum of ten (10) years’ on the job experience in a senior management position in insurance or health related field to acquire the necessary competencies to effectively respond to the challenges of the role;  Certification in the Accounting/Finance field (such as ACCA, CPA, CMA or CGMA would be an asset).

Salary and Allowances: Salary is in the range of US$115,000.00 to $130,380.00 negotiable based on qualifications and experience. A standard set of benefits and allowances are additional.

Interested persons are requested to submit a resume, along with their contact information, cover letter, two letters of reference (one preferably from a former employer), copies of educational certificates, a Police Certificate and a copy of the Passport photo page. Additionally candidates should declare any potential conflicts of interest and the nature of such interest.

Applications can be had delivered to the National Health Insurance Office addressed to: Chairman NHIB, subject line should read “Chief Executive Officer Position” Alternatively, applications can be emailed to rawilliams@gov.tc . The subject line in the email should read “Chief Executive Officer Position”.

We thank all applicants for their interest but only candidates selected for an interview will be acknowledged.

Deadline Date for Applications: The deadline date for applications is Friday December 8th 2017 by 5:00pm. Full Job Description can be found on The National Health Insurance Board website: www.tcinhip.tc

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 17

LOCAL NEWS

In The Pink event a smashing success in its 9th year

By Todeline Defralien

The annual In The Pink cancer fundraiser, which was held on Saturday November 18th at The Palms Turks and Caicos, was a smashing success and raised over $50,000 for the National Cancer Society and Hurricane relief.

‘In The Pink’ originally planned for October 14th, was postponed as the country came together to restore and recover from the devastating storms that hit the islands a few weeks prior.

Proceeds will be split amongst the National Cancer Society and Hurricane Relief efforts, according to Karen Whitt, Vice President of Sales and Marketing of The Hartling Group Turks and Caicos, and committee Chairman of the event since its inception.

The In the PINK committee, local cancer survivors, their loved ones, families, friends and a host of other caring volunteers have come together to present the annual event since 2009.

During the event Whitt told media, “It’s a little different than any normal year, for the first time we had to delay the event. Normally we hold ‘In The Pink’ during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October and because of the storms and the challenges that the country was facing we made the decision to delay the event. I must tell you at first when we made the announcement we weren’t actually sure that we were going to be able to hold this event this year, because we

Pictured here are the Committee members of the 9th annual In The Pink event wanted to wait and see how things cancer and TCI Cancer Society. It’s just we going and how people were a great cause and a great comradery responding and the sort of feedback amongst women.” was overwhelming. Nine years strong Meanwhile, Whitt said she’s so the committee came together and constantly amazed and so grateful we decided that we will just go for for the support they receive from it. We weren’t sure how it would go the community at large, including because everybody tapped out one businesses who give so generously resource. The clothing we were a little to assist with the effort which shows bit concerned but we said at the end teamwork, community spirit and out of the day it doesn’t really matter. burn of love for such a worthy cause.

Whatever we do is for a good cause, She added: “Our goal when for awareness and it also gives the we do this event is that we want to community a chance to come together raise awareness as much as we want and have some fun which we all need a to raise funding, because we feel little bit of that right now.” that if we can do our part in raising

Whitt said she believes that awareness and encouraging persons to this 9th annual event to her is the get themselves checked because early most special one that the committee detection is the key. There’s no such has ever hosted because of all of the thing as successful situation when circumstance surrounding it. you’re talking about breast cancer

“Although every year we’re so but if there’s early detection than it proud and happy for the support that increases your odds of survival and we’re able to rally around breast recovery. We think that the awareness

MAITRE D’ POSITION AVAILABLE Fine dining restaurant in Providenciales requires a qualified experienced Maitre D’.

•Minimum 15 years restaurant floor experience with a minimum of 8 years in a Supervisory position.

•Classic silver service training and experience a must with exemplary knowledge of world wines.

•Must be familiar with RPE software.

•Minimum 3 professional and personal references required.

Pay $10.00 per hour plus gratuities.

Must be willing to work 50+ hours per week including holiday’s and weekends, six days per week.

Email resume’s to: magnoliaprovo@live.com POSITION OPEN TO BELONGER APPLICANTS ONLY

CONDO FOR RENT One-bedroom, fully-furnished apartment for rent in Turtle Cove condominium.

Security, swimming pool and gym facilities. $2,750 per month.

Rent does not include utilities.

Email enquiries: rocommunications@gmail.com

aspect of it is so important and then the funding helps those families in such great need. There are limited resources on island and what we can do to provide the services that some of these people need to venture off islands, so the funding goes towards their families and assisting them with their travels and the process that you go through with this terrible disease.

I think we just have to continue doing everything that we can to raise awareness to providing the funding and just praying to God for a cure someday.”

Whitt explained that the committee members including herself had no idea that when the event started nine years ago that it would be successful, it was just a spark of an idea and since year one it has been a smashing success.

In addition, Whitt stated that although each year the event sets a target, this year due to the devastation from the storms no target was set for the fund raised at the ‘In The Pink’ event this year.

“Every year we set a target for ‘In The Pink’ but this year we intentionally not set a target because the country is in recovery mode still, so we have to be very sensitive to the fact that a lot of people suffered a great devastation in September and so we’re sensitive to that. We just decided that we would provide the venue, the opportunity and we would do our very best with our resources.”

A Grand Turk property owner is looking for a highly skilled building mechanic with supervisor skills in all building trades. Applicant: •Must provide proof of journeyman level experience in masonry, plaster and drywall, electrical, plumbing, refrigeration, carpentry, exterior coatings and applications, glazing and ceramics.

•Must have well-maintained tools in all categories mentioned, including electrical test equipment.

•Must have excellent English spoken and written skills This short term opportunity entitles hard work and long hours including weekends and nights. Position offered is for hurricane recovery and will last from January 1st to June 1st, 2018. Salary is negotiable based on skills and experience.

Applicants are to submit a paragraph in their own handwriting listing their skills and forward to info@ospreybeachhotel.com

Tasty’s Café in Grand Turk Job Description of a Café Captain •Minimum of 2 years serving or supervisory experience required in the restaurant industry.

•Must be Professional, articulate, friendly and punctual.

•Full time flexible hours are required (able to work days, nights, weekends, holidays).

•Must be able to stand/walk for 8 hours; bend, push, pull; lift 30 lbs. and proficient in computer skills including POS systems.

•Must be able to work at a rapid pace while maintaining attention to detail; ability to multi-task.

•Must have good supervisory skills.

•Must have good communication and ability to promote sales.

•Must have teaching and motivational skills.

Duties of a Café Captain: •Include but are not limited to ensuring that service meets/exceeds expectations to ensure a pleasant dining experience.

•Maintain communication with and supports the Owner of the business.

•Inspect the café, table settings, chairs, floors, proper maintenance, cleanliness and safety.

•Take immediate action to correct any issues.

Salary is based on experience.

Please email resumes to ea.williams@hotmail.com or call 332-1247

Page 18

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

Minister of Infrastructure wants utility companies to put infrastructures underground

By Todeline Defralien

Hon. Goldray Ewing, Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Planning wants Utility companies in the TCI to agree with putting their infrastructure underground in the case that other hurricanes hit the TCI, there won’t be so many damages.

Speaking during a press conference on Thursday November 16th, he told media houses, “Due to the damage of the infrastructure of every island in the Turks and Caicos, my ministry has been very busy meeting with the different utilities to get them to agree to put their infrastructure underground, to make sure that we do not have the same level of damage if another hurricane comes our way.”

Ewing stated that the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Government would like to build stronger and be more resilient to these types of storms that are expected to come bigger, stronger

and more frequent.

He added: “Those kinds of initiatives by the Ministry of Infrastructure are being taken very seriously. My Ministry has had challenges dealing with the aftermath of the last two hurricanes.

We are here to serve you and we will do our best to make good on all of the promises that we made thus far. I must say thanks to my team who gives full support to me to and my Ministry in whatever we are trying to do, and there are a lot of initiatives that is on the table that you would hear about in the very near future.”

Fortis TCI told the SUN in an interview a few weeks ago that underground power cables are way too expensive.

Talisha Simons, Director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at Fortis TCI said the cost of burying electricity wires is higher, by five to 10 times more, than planting poles and having overhead wires.

“However, there are advantages and disadvantages to both systems,” she said. “For example, with overhead wires and poles you are almost sure to have some damage to the transmission and distribution (T&D) network during a storm such as a Hurricane, but putting power lines underground also takes a long time to do because of the amount of civil work and additional equipment required. It is also true that locating and fixing a fault on an underground power line takes significantly longer to resolve than a fault on an overhead power line which will require digging before repairs can be done.”

Simons noted that even today around the world and particularly in the USA, more than 80% of the transmission and distribution systems are overhead.

Underground service in the TCI is available in some areas on Providenciales, including Grace Bay, Hon. Goldray Ewing- Minister of Leeward, and parts of Chalk Sound.

Infrastructure, Housing and Planning

ASSET MANAGER Applications are invited forthe position of Asset Manager for a luxury resort development on Providenciales.

Specific functions for this role: •improving financial performance of the operations, revenue management, staffing strategy and cost controls •running feasibility for capital expenditure projects, recommend priorities and develop project timelines and budgets •working closely with the brand management; liaising with key stakeholders on owner’s behalf •developing investment strategy recommendations •performing extensive financial review and analysis, operations strategy, and coordination Requirements for the position: Educational: •a 4 year Bachelor’sdegree at an accredited university •an Masters of Business Administration degree focused on hotel real estate or a related field as part of a 2 year full time graduate program with an accredited university Professional: •8+ years working in both hotel real estate and operations globally •proven experience working on behalf of both owners and operators with a variety of ultra-luxury brands and independent properties •must have overseen assets in multiple continents but also with an emphasis on multiple luxury assets in the Caribbean region Specific Skills: •must be well versed in financial statements and analysis •comfortable running projections, feasibility studies and ROI calculations •can buildand manage operational and capital budgets and hotel revenue management tools •oversee revenue management and sales and marketing strategy, and cost management •have a global perspective but a solid understanding of the Caribbean ultraluxury market Remuneration commensurate with experience and qualifications. Please respond with a full resume by 15 December 2017 to: info@misickstanbrook.tc and a copy to the Labour Board

BUTTERFIELD GOLD GROUP OF COMPANIES POSITIONS AVAILABLE One (1) Kitchen Helper

Must experience in catering Must be able to cook Native and Jamaican dishes Must be willing to work long hours including Saturdays Must be willing to do general cleaning, when necessary

Wages: starting from $7.50 per hour One (1) Gardener Looking for an experienced gardener to plant and maintain the owner’s grounds and feeding and annual checkups for the Owners dogs.

Must be able to work daily including holidays.

Salary: $250.00 per week Application forms available from Butterfield Gold Human Resource Department.

Only applicants selected for interview will be notified.

Submit applications to by December 5, 2017 to:

Butterfield Gold Ltd.,

Human Resource Department Town Center Mall Providenciales Tel: 649-946-4211

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 19

LOCAL NEWS

Top Baltimore cancer surgeon Dr. Armando Sardi to Visit TCI to address cancer

By Todeline Defralien

The Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services wishes to advise the general public that they are taking a big step in the fight of cancer and will be brining in Baltimore’s Top Cancer Surgeon Dr. Armando Sardi to the TCI to address cancer.

There has been an alarming increase in cancer cases in the TCI recently and the Ministry is stepping up to do all that they can to reduce the numbers in upcoming years.

Speaking during a press conference held at the Premier office on Thursday November 16th, Hon. Edwin Astwood, the Minister of Health, Agriculture and Human Services said one of the biggest challenges right now in the Turks and Caicos in his Ministry is cancer, especially the treatment and diagnoses of cancer.

“My Ministry along with my Government we have reached out in collaboration with Dr. Hugh Malcolm to one of the top cancer physicians in the United Sates, he is Doctor Armando Sardi of the University of Baltimore in Mercy Medical Center.

He is the Director for cancer care and he has agreed to come to the Turks and Caicos Islands in December (December 7th – 11th) and we’re going to be seeking his consultation in going forward with addressing cancer.

This is a big step in the fight, some of the best research hospitals are in

Baltimore and we shouldn’t be excited about cancer but we’re excited that we are addressing and moving in the right direction in dealing with cancer.”

Astwood noted that one of the main health focuses has been on more sexually transmitted disease such as HIV, which had gotten so much attention that people forgot about this silent killer (cancer) who have been here from time in memorial and this killer have been continuing in our society.

“For a population of over Armando Sardi, Surgical Oncology, Mercy 36,000 people we have an alarming Medical Center high rate of cancer. We know that this year the numbers are up to about 314 This represents an average of and we have about over 47 new cases, 4 new cancer patients diagnosed per now that is just the people who have month at TCI Hospital. presented themselves to a medical Armando Sardi, M.D., is a institution and it may be more in our respected and renowned Surgical population. I must encourage us all to Oncologist who has been honored go out and get some kind of test done as a Top Doc in Baltimore magazine because the ages vary from young multiple times. He serves as Medical children to the elderly and everything Director of The Institute for Cancer in between. No one is too old or too Care at Mercy and as Chief of Division young to be diagnosed with cancer,” he of Surgical Oncology at Mercy Medical explained.

Center in Downtown Baltimore,

In a statement to the SUN by Maryland. the TCI Hospital in early November, Dr. Sardi is one of Maryland’s it stated that Forty-seven (47) new leading surgical oncologists who cancer patients have been diagnosed at use Hypothermic Intraperitoneal the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital Chemotherapy (HIPEC) to treat since the last publication on cancer late stage, complex cancers of the statistics released by the country’s abdominal region. Dr. Sardi has main healthcare facility in October been performing HIPEC procedures 2016, increasing the total number of since 1994 and is considered to be persons diagnosed at the facility from among the best doctors using the 259 to 306 to date. technique. This advanced heated

“REGENT GRAND MANAGEMENT LTD” Seeks motivated proactive individuals to join its REGENT GRAND ‘resort team’ and contribute to this growing beachfront boutique luxury property. Candidates MUST want to actively participate in creating an excellent and professional guest experience.

HOUSEKEEPING MANAGER •Assigns workers their duties and inspects work for conformance to prescribed standard of cleanliness.

• Investigates complaints regarding housekeeping service and equipment, and takes corrective action •Obtains list of rooms to be cleaned immediately and list of prospective check-outs or discharges to prepare work assignments.

•Coordinates work activities among departments. Advises manager, desk clerk, or other personnel of rooms’ readiness for occupancy.

•Makes recommendations to improve service and ensure more efficient operation.

Attends all scheduled meetings as required with HOD’s or Sales team.

•Performs cleaning duties in cases of emergency or staff shortage.

•Inspect rooms to determine need for repairs or replacement of furniture or equipment.

Wages: $8.10/HR Requirements: Should have at least four years or more experience in the Reservations and Housekeeping Department of a resort. Should be able to work cohesively with coworkers as part of a team. Must possess good verbal and written communications skills; a good command of English is necessary.

chemotherapy procedure is often a life saving treatment option for patients who have exhausted more traditional treatment plans for stomach cancer.

Patients have traveled to Mercy Medical Center from points up and down the East Coast to destinations across the U.S., to seek out Dr. Sardi for his cancer expertise in the HIPEC treatment.

Dr. Armando Sardi is a man whose professional focus is devoted to medical excellence, research and finding a cure for cancer. For his patients, Dr. Sardi’s personal concern and approach to their care is what helps them gain a positive outlook and confidence to face the challenges ahead.

His cheerful smile and kind hearted laugh immediately put patients at ease. And yet, it his unyielding determination to give every patient the best possible chance to overcome their illness that ranks him among the best of the best.

Dr. Sardi elevates the focus on best-in-practice cancer care treatments through a number of behind the scene initiatives. He coChairs Mercy’s Cancer Committee and actively participates in The Tumor Board. These efforts allow cancer experts, specialists and key members of the healthcare team to discuss and collaborate on complex cancer cases to learn new and different ways to optimize resources, medical knowledge and treat patients so that long-term results will be improved.

A property developer on Providenciales has an immediate vacancy for a Senior Architect / Project Manger Senior Architect has a high level of responsibility as he/she oversees a project from inception to completion. Candidates need to have demonstrated a capacity for creativity, excellent technical ability/knowledge, and strong communication & management skills.

Candidate must: •Be a Registered (RIBA, AIA, ARB) and have at least 15 years of professional experience in designing & project management.

•Have excellent communication and presentation skills.

•Have proven experience in AutoCAD 2012,- Adobe Photoshop - Sketchup - Adobe and Microsoft Office Suites •Have experience in master planning, detailed design, design management and construction of major multi used complex projects; includes extensive experience in the construction of High-end residential properties, Hotel, and Commercia mixed used buildings.

•Have knowledge of design and construction management principles; cost control, change order pricing/negotiation and construction techniques, standards and practices.

•Have Knowledge of architectural design principles such as building materials, construction methods, and design standards and codes.

•Have the Ability to independently prepare 3D architectural sketches, schematic designs and detailed contract drawings.

•Demonstrate ability to present complex information to diverse audiences, both verbally and graphically.

•be able to coordinate architectural design efforts with Civil, Structural and MEP design and systems.

•prepare tender analysis report and negotiate with contractors.

•have the Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships.

•have demonstrated ability to organize and coordinate and record projects.

•be willing to work weekends and holidays when required.

Salary and benefits will be commensurate with experience.

Please forward resumes to: Email: aleisa@theregentgrand.com Regent Grand Management Ltd. c/o Regent Street TKCA 1ZZ Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands Tel: (649) 941-7770

Applications must be sent no later than Thursday, November 20th, 2015 to: Misick & Stanbrook Email: info@misickstanbrook.tc Tel: (649) 946-4732 Fax: (649) 946-4734

Page 20

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

WATERLOO HOTEL MANAGEMENT LTD

Alexandra Resort, Blue Haven Resort & Marina and the Beach House We are seeking to employ, suitably qualified and experienced hospitality professionals in 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.

Salary for these positions will commensurate with qualifications and experience.

EXECUTIVE CHEF Job Summary: Candidate must demonstrate a proven track record of successfully leading/ managing in an upscale Food & Beverage environment; with strong culinary experience and training.

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

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

•To assist the General Manager in budgeting i.e food cost/payroll/etc.

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

•Assist in training and development of Culinary staff members.

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

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

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

•Responsible for control of equipment and scheduling maintenance.

able to perform multiple functions and troubleshoot when need.

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

•Ability to work cohesively as part of a team •Ability to focus attention on guest needs, remaining calm and courteous at all times •Must be able to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends and holidays.

Salary range for this position will commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the successful applicant.

COMMIS CHEF Reporting to the Executive Sous Chef, responsible for food preparation, cooking, daily monitoring of kitchen inventory. Should exhibit strong communication, writing, reading, listening and computation skills.

Requirements •Must possess a 3-4-star background •Minimum of 5 years’ experience in same or similar position •Diploma from a formal culinary institution is required •Knowledgeable in health and sanitation standards •Valid Food Handler Certificate required •Constant standing and walking throughout shift •Lifting and carrying up to 50 lbs.

•Pushing and pulling Salary range for this position will commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the successful applicant.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANAGER

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

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

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

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

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

Salary for this position commensurate with qualifications and experience.

EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF Reporting to the Executive Chef, responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following: Responsibilities: •Candidate must demonstrate a proven track record of successfully leading/ managing in an upscale Food & Beverage environment; with strong culinary experience and training.

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

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

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

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

•To test and evaluate products for quality, paying particular attention to yield/holding qualities/market price and wastage •Constantly inspect all food service sections during service time to ensure that the correct standards are maintained.

•Responsible for control of equipment and scheduling maintenance.

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

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

•Dynamic, enthusiastic, creative leader who thrives under pressure and is

Reporting to the General Manager of the property. Responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following: Responsibilities:•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, labour 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.

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 Salary will commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the successful applicant.

GARDINER To assist in, maintaining the grounds of the resort. Duties to include: removal of trash, weeding, mowing, planting, pruning, watering and application of chemicals. Must be of good character. Be able to lift 50lbs., bend and stand for long periods of time. Must be able to speak English and understand instructions.

PAINTER To assist in maintaining the buildings of the resort. Must be able to lift 50lbs, bend, stand for long periods of time and must be able to push and pull carts weighing up to 250lbs. Be able to lift 50lbs. Must be able to speak English and understand instructions. Must be in excellent health.

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.

LABOURERS To assist in maintaining the buildings of the resort. Must be able to lift 50lbs, bend, stand for long periods of time and must be able to push and pull carts weighing up to 250lbs. Be able to lift 50lbs. Must be able to speak English and understand instructions. Must be in excellent health.

Interested persons may contact our HR department you may submit your resume with qualifications and experience via email to: hr@wihl.com Please also submit a copy of your completed application to our local labor department.

Closing date ---- December 15th, 2017`

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 21

Page 22

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Challenge Create a poem that explores what your fundamental rights mean to you, your family, community and country. You can choose one right to explore, a variety of the rights that are written into our Constitution or look at our Fundamental Rights in a more general sense. We recommend that poems are written in free verse.

A good poem should: Have a clear idea or goal.

Avoid Clichés.

Avoid sentimentality.

Utilise imagery.

Utilise metaphors and similes.

Have a distinct theme.

Should look at the subject with a fresh perspective.

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

Challenge Draw a poster that explores what your fundamental rights mean to you, your family, community and/or country. You can choose one right to explore, a variety of the rights that are written into our Constitution or look at our Fundamental Rights in a more general sense.

A good poster should: Deliver a clear message or idea.

Contain accurate information.

Capture the mood of the subject.

‘Grab’ the attention of the person viewing the poster.

Have text that draws the eye and is easy to understand.

Have a composition that reflects the theme.

Poster’s submitted will be judged on this basis.

Poems will be judged on this basis.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS DECEMBER 7TH 2017.

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 23

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Page 24

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US GET THE LIGHTS BACK ON! In less than 60 days after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, FortisTCI successfully restored power to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

This remarkable restoration was made possible with the support of our parent company Fortis Inc., and the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, and the dedication and hard work of all our FortisTCI employees, who consistently went the extra mile.

And we could not have done it without the collaboration and generous assistance of a number of persons, organizations, the business community and all our customers who remained patient and supportive throughout the process.

We know how much electricity means to everyone.

Rebuilding. Restoring. Re-energizing Turks and Caicos Islands.

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

Our deepest appreciation to: Turks and Caicos Islands Government, in particular:

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Turks and Caicos Airports Authority Turks and Caicos Civil Aviation Authority • His Excellency the Governor, Hon. Dr John Freeman Ports Authority of the Turks and Caicos Islands • Honorable Premier, Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson Provo Travel Executive Tours • Deputy Governor, Honorable Anya Williams Tropical Shipping • Honorable Deputy Premier, Sean Astwood Cairsea • Attorney General, Honorable Rhondalee Cargo Express The Shore Club Braithwaite Knowles OBE The Hartling Group • Minister for Utilities, Honorable Goldray Ewing Alive and Well Resort • Energy & Utilities Commissioner Malike Cummings Osprey Hotel East Bay Resort • Staff of the Ministry of Infrastructure, KJ’s Housing & Planning CBMS Ltd. FLOW Digicel Sailrock Resort

Scotiabank Williams E Business Boulema Human Resource Services Associate Medical Inter Health Canada InterCaribbean Airways Caicos Express Environmental Arts Projetech Members of the media TC Industrial Rolle Construction John Redmond Associates Ltd. Peter Kerrigan/EDS Ltd. Kevin Cleaners Do It Center Grace Bay Car Rentals Avis Car Rental Grace Bay Pharmacy

Page 25

Jay’s Garbage Disposal Lew 1 Shipping Stanch Construction Provo Stevedoring (Provo & Grand Turk) Allen Dickerson Salt Cay Ferry G & H Enterprises Fresh Catch Mr. Grouper Alice Morley Mama’s Kitchen Catering In Da Kitch’n Catering Top of the Cove Deli My Dee’s Restaurant Aquatics Restaurant Miss B’s Restaurant Core gas station Flamingo Pharmacy Associated Medical Practices

www.fortisci.com | 649-946-4313

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14

LOCAL NEWS

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

th Annual TCI Conch Festival was a blast!

Local man busting a move on stage at the 14th annual Conch Festival

Overall Winner celebrates on stage with the winning trophy

A section of the turnout at the Conch Festival

T

he 14th annual staging of the Turks and Caicos Islands Conch Festival was cultural and culinary delight this past weekend Saturday, November 25th, at the Three Queens’ Restaurant in Blue Hills, Providenciales. As usual, there was a huge turnout of locals and visitors alike and got the opportunity to sample some of the satisfying dishes of conch preparations from some of the country’s top restaurants, Drinks from the island best bartenders, and enjoying the cool tunes and fun games that have become a staple of the island’s most popular festival.

Rohan having some fun at the event

Premier Robinson attended the Annual Conch Fest and participated in the Prize Giving Ceremony

All were out to enjoy the festivities

Rodston Adams and his beautiful daughter at the event

Tourists enjoying the event

More locals enjoying their evening

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

Harbour Heights Band entertaining the crowd

The babies didn’t want to miss out on the fun, pictured here is a little man and his father`

Families were also out to enjoy the festivities at this year’s event

Hon. Goldray Ewing- Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Planning was having a blast with the guys that evening

President of the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association and FIFA Council Member Sonia Bien-Aime and her other half Garvey Missick having poses for a picture

Minister of Home Affairs, Agriculture and Human Services Hon. Delroy Williams and a very stunning friend at the event

These individuals were having a whale of a time throughout the night

Commissioner of Police, James Smith and members of The Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force were out in number to make sure the event went smoothly

The looks on the faces of these patrons sum up the time they are having

These guys had a great time at the festival

Page 28

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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HEALTHY

LIFESTYLE

FDA clears first medical device accessory for Apple Watch

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday cleared a device embedded in an Apple Inc watch band that monitors a user’s heart rate, detects when something is amiss and prompts the user to take an electrocardiogram.

The device, made

by AliveCor, pairs the ability to take a personal 30 second electrocardiogram (EKG) with a feature that uses artificial intelligence to continuously

evaluate the correlation between heart and physical activity.

When the device, known as KardiaBand, detects that a user’s heart rate and activity are out of sync, it prompts the user to capture an EKG by touching the band. The results display instantly on the watch face.

The device is designed to capture information that can help doctors help manage atrial fibrillation, the most common heart arrhythmia that is a leading

cause of stroke and affects more than 30 million people worldwide.

The device costs $199 and requires a subscription to the company’s premium service for $99 a year.

AliveCor said in a statement it uses advanced artificial intelligence, mobile, cloud and micro-electrode technology to change the dynamic in cardiac care.

Apple watches are seen at a new Apple store in Chicago, Illinois

Marriage linked to lower dementia risk

Being married, or ever having this is,” he said in a phone interview.

Sommerlad and his team been married, comes with a much lower risk of developing dementia analyzed 15 studies published up to the compared to being a lifelong bachelor end of 2016 that looked at the potential or bachelorette, a new analysis of role of marital status on dementia risk.

The new analysis included more than previous studies suggests.

Researchers found that people 812,000 participants in those studies, who never married were 42 percent half of whom were 65 years of age more likely than those who were or older. The studies were done in married at midlife to ever be diagnosed Europe, North and South America and with dementia. Being divorced, though, Asia. was not tied to higher dementia risk Although one study from Sweden compared with the folks who stayed contributed the vast majority of participants, the other studies were married.

“Our findings, from large also broadly in agreement with the populations across numerous results of that one, the authors countries and time periods, are the note in the Journal of Neurology, strongest evidence yet that married Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

“There’s a huge literature people are less likely to develop dementia. We can be fairly certain of showing that marriage is beneficial for this considering that we have looked health in lots of different ways,” said at close to a million people,” said lead Joan Monin of the Yale School of Public author Dr. Andrew Sommerlad of Health in New Haven, Connecticut, who wasn’t involved in the study.

University College, London.

“What we can’t be certain of in “Spouses share specific healthy this study is what the explanation for behaviors for wellbeing like engaging

in physical activities, watching their diet and limiting substance abuse,” she said in a phone interview.

The widowed have a 20 percent increased risk of developing dementia compared with married individuals, Sommerlad noted. He speculates that this may be due to the stress of bereavement, or a longerterm effect.

As for the lack of difference between married people and those who divorced, Sommerlad attributes it to the possibility that a lot of divorced people continue to keep in contact with each other, especially if they have children together.

Social isolation is one of the nine risk factors for dementia identified by the Lancet Commission on Dementia, Prevention, Intervention and Care in July (bit.ly/2uEINTJ).

Worldwide there are nearly 47 million people living with dementia, or a loss of brain function, including memory, thinking and behavior,

according to the World Health Organization. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia.

Sommerlad emphasized that no cause-and-effect conclusions can be drawn from his team’s analysis because it’s not known what underpins the results. Another limitation is that the included studies lacked information about the duration of widowhood and divorce as well as the nature of the marriages.

“The institution of marriage is undergoing rapid changes with the acceptance of same-sex marriages and alternatives to marriage, such as cohabitation,” Dr. Christopher Chen of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore and a co-author write in an editorial accompanying the study.

“There have been large changes in society so we need to be aware that the conclusions may not be as relevant,” Chen told Reuters Health by email.

Too many HIV-positive youth in U.S. do not notify past partners

Nearly one in four youth living with HIV in the U.S. don’t notify sex or drug-use partners about potential HIV exposure - despite medical professionals and others urging them to do so, a study of teens and young adults suggests.

This high-risk population continues to contract HIV at alarming rates, so identifying individuals unaware of their infection is imperative to prevent further transmission, as well as to link and retain patients into medical care, the study team writes in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

A surprising finding from this survey-based study was that 81.7 percent of participants reported not having been contacted by a partner

about their own potential exposure to HIV, said lead author Jacob J. van den Berg of the Brown University School of Public Health in Providence, Rhode Island.

It’s possible that their partners had no contact information for them, or that attempts to contact them were unsuccessful. It is also conceivable that they were tested before their partners became aware of their own infection, the study authors point out.

Over a fifth of all new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. occur in individuals age 13 to 24, according to CDC estimates. This age group is particularly vulnerable to exposure, the study authors write, because it has the highest proportion of undiagnosed

HIV of any age category.

For the study, the researchers recruited 924 mostly male participants between 13 and 24 from fourteen adolescent medicine clinics in U.S. cities with established HIV epidemics. All the participants had been “behaviorally infected,” for example, through sex or drug use.

All of the youth answered an online survey that asked about their past sexual partners and practices, drug-use partners with whom they had shared needles and interactions with healthcare professionals, among other things.

Overall, more than three quarters of the participants reported that once they learned they were HIV positive, they contacted all or at

least some of their past sex or druguse partners to notify them they may have been exposed to HIV. Another 22.4 percent of participants did not succeed or didn’t try to contact former partners.

“Although we do not know if our findings with youth living with HIV will translate to young people living in other countries or to older persons living in the United States,” van den Berg said, “we speculate that the more healthcare professionals or family members/friends who talk to people living with HIV about notifying their sexual partners, the more likely it will be that they will notify their sexual partners regarding potential exposure to HIV.”

Page 30

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Positions Available Administration & Finance Officer (Grand Turk/ Part-Time) Duties and responsibilities Administration To take minutes of meetings, and distribute as requested by the Branch Director or Governing Board.

To arrange accommodation for staff, volunteers and visitors to Grand Turk, as required.

To maintain sufficient stocks of office stationery and other supplies necessary for programmes and services.

To adhere to the processes for safeguarding all assets owned by TCI RC. To provide updated information for the fixed assets register and contracts list.

To support HR administration To support logistics administration Financial Management Under the supervision of the Provo Admin & Finance Officer, to manage the banking and cash requirements of the TCI RC office in Grand Turk.

To comply with all financial processes including bank and cash reconciliations, cash flow requests, financial reporting and variance analysis in line with organisational and donor requirements, payroll and working advances.

To ensure value for money is obtained through efficient and effective use of funds.

To ensure that all financial transactions are recorded in the QuickBooks system and submitted to the TCI RC Provo office before the end of each monthly.

To manage both electronic and physical document management systems for all financial information and records.

To prepare monthly management accounts to highlight and explain significant variances on all income and expenditure for the TCI RC office in Grand Turk.

To liaise with suppliers, vendors and contractors in Grand Turk, South Caicos and Salt Cay and to ensure that all payments are accurate, timely, and in line with TCI RC procurement policies and procedures.

To ensure that TCI RC is complying with legal requirements for tax / GST, staff provisions, banking regulations and any other financial related matters.

Programme Support To assist the financial management of TCI RC’s projects and emergency response activities including preparation of budgets, financial monitoring and reporting, and donor compliance.

To assist the Branch Director in the annual budgeting process, separating restricted and unrestricted funds.

To support the submission of donor reports.

Thrift Store To ensure a presence in the thrift store on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays from 11:00am to 5:00pm Monday To carry out inventory checks To include income from sales into the accounts of the Grand Turk office.

To bank any cash proceeds from sales on a weekly basis.

Wages: $13.00/hr Only Belongers apply for these positions. Applications forms available from Turks and Caicos Red Cross Human Resource Department. Only applicants selected for interview will be notified.

Disaster Risk Management Officer (Grand Turk/ Full Time) Duties and responsibilities Branch Capacity To support any review and updating of the branch Disaster Response Plan To ensure appropriate Standard Operating Procedures are in place and tested regularly, particularly prior to the annual hurricane season, in coordination with the Department of Disaster Management & Emergencies (DDME).

To monitor levels and types of relief stocks across the territory, and communicate the need for additional stock to the Branch Director.

Incorporate cash-based assistance in the menu of branch response options to disasters and emergencies.

Together with the Volunteer & Youth Coordinator, identify staff and volunteer disaster preparedness and response training needs and develop a training programme for the branch.

Community Resilience Facilitate Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments (VCA) in targeted communities.

Ensure baseline data is collected to allow for the effective monitoring of risk reduction activities.

Support target communities to develop disaster risk reduction action plans that include early warning systems and micro mitigation projects.

Conduct an ‘audit’ of existing Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) to determine gaps in knowledge, capacity and equipment.

Facilitate the recruitment, training, equipping and support of new CERTs.

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

Conduct disaster simulations to test community emergency response preparedness Conduct risk reduction and emergency planning sessions in schools Together with the Volunteer & Youth Coordinator, design activities for the School-based Red Cross Clubs Coordination, sharing and advocacy Contribute to the development of Communication and Advocacy strategies for TCI RC around disaster risk reduction Collect stories and pictures for case studies for internal and external publication Strengthen the partnership between TCI RC and government departments (particularly the DDME, District Commissioners, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Department of Social Development), the media, business and civil society on issues related to disaster risk reduction Strengthen links with sources of expertise and support, both internally (i.e. other Overseas Branches (OSB), Red Cross staff and volunteers) and externally Strengthen existing links, and identify and develop new links with community groups Promote the sharing of learning from the DRR programme internally Contribute to regional learning and capacity building initiatives via CDEMA and IFRC Programme Management Coordinate the delivery of the TCI RC Risk Reduction programme, including the implementation, monitoring and reporting, with agreed plans and budgets.

To monitor programme implementation and expenditure, providing monthly financial and narrative reports to the Branch Director, justifying any variances to the programme plan and budget.

Provide quarterly financial and narrative reports to the Branch Director to ensure that programme information within BRC’s Project Management Information System (PMIS) is kept up-to-date and contributes to donor reports.

Develop appropriate disaster management training materials and organise the delivery of training using these materials.

Coordinate with the Branch Director and TCI RC volunteer committees in organisational development activities linked to the Risk Reduction programme.

Wages: $27,099.96 per annum Only Belongers apply for these positions. Applications forms available from Turks and Caicos Red Cross Human Resource Department. Only applicants selected for interview will be notified.

Disaster Risk Management Officer (Provo/ Full Time) Duties and responsibilities Branch Capacity To support any review and updating of the branch Disaster Response Plan To ensure appropriate Standard Operating Procedures are in place and tested regularly, particularly prior to the annual hurricane season, in coordination with the Department of Disaster Management & Emergencies (DDME).

To monitor levels and types of relief stocks across the territory, and communicate the need for additional stock to the Branch Director.

Incorporate cash-based assistance in the menu of branch response options to disasters and emergencies.

Together with the Volunteer & Youth Coordinator, identify staff and volunteer disaster preparedness and response training needs and develop a training programme for the branch.

Community Resilience Facilitate Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments (VCA) in targeted communities.

Ensure baseline data is collected to allow for the effective monitoring of risk reduction activities.

Support target communities to develop disaster risk reduction action plans that include early warning systems and micro mitigation projects.

Conduct an ‘audit’ of existing Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) to determine gaps in knowledge, capacity and equipment.

Facilitate the recruitment, training, equipping and support of new CERTs. Conduct disaster simulations to test community emergency response preparedness Conduct risk reduction and emergency planning sessions in schools Together with the Volunteer & Youth Coordinator, design activities for the School-based Red Cross Clubs Coordination, sharing and advocacy Contribute to the development of Communication and Advocacy strategies for TCI RC around disaster risk reduction Collect stories and pictures for case studies for internal and external publication Strengthen the partnership between TCI RC and government departments (particularly the DDME, District Commissioners, Ministry of Education,

Submit applications to by December 4th, 2017 to: Turks and Caicos Red Cross Human Resource Department Sam’s Building Providenciales Tel: 649-946-8056 Email: redcrossprovo@tciway.tc

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

Ministry of Health and Department of Social Development), the media, business and civil society on issues related to disaster risk reduction Strengthen links with sources of expertise and support, both internally (i.e. other Overseas Branches (OSB), Red Cross staff and volunteers) and externally Strengthen existing links, and identify and develop new links with community groups Promote the sharing of learning from the DRR programme internally Contribute to regional learning and capacity building initiatives via CDEMA and IFRC Programme Management Coordinate the delivery of the TCI RC Risk Reduction programme, including the implementation, monitoring and reporting, with agreed plans and budgets.

Monitor programme implementation and expenditure, providing monthly financial and narrative reports to the Branch Director, justifying any variances to the programme plan and budget.

Provide quarterly financial and narrative reports to the Branch Director to ensure that programme information within BRC’s Project Management Information System (PMIS) is kept up-to-date and contributes to donor reports.

Develop appropriate disaster management training materials and organise the delivery of training using these materials.

Coordinate with the Branch Director and TCI RC volunteer committees in organisational development activities linked to the Risk Reduction programme.

Wages: $27,099.96 per annum Only Belongers apply for these positions. Applications forms available from Turks and Caicos Red Cross Human Resource Department. Only applicants selected for interview will be notified.

Volunteer/ Youth Officer (Provo/ Part-Time) Duties and responsibilities Increase the number of people supporting the TCI RC across the six inhabited

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 31

islands so individuals and entities can Volunteer time to provide services such as first aid at events, to work in support areas such as the thrift store, to fundraise, to respond to disasters and crises Donate money or goods Become a member of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Become a member of a school-based Junior Red Cross Club

Promote diversity and inclusion within volunteer and youth teams

Maintain an up-to-date database of volunteers and members Lead on identifying staff and volunteer disaster preparedness and response training needs, and develop a training programme for the branch with the support of the Branch Director, DRM Officers, Administration & Finance Officers and volunteer coordinators.

Together with the TCI RC volunteer coordinators, develop efficient and effective mechanisms for recruiting, inducting and training volunteers Develop a reward and recognition system that acknowledges contributions made to Red Cross by its volunteers, members and supporters Together with the DRM Officers and Department of Education, head teachers and teachers, develop the Junior Red Cross Club programme in a manner that is relevant and will involve young people in understanding the TCI RC Humanitarian Agenda and also how to be involved in humanitarian action.

Collect stories and pictures for case studies for internal and external publication.

Provide monthly narrative reports to the Branch Director.

Be willing to work in the evenings and weekends in accordance with the availability of volunteers Any other duties necessary to support the well-running of the branch, including responding to disasters and crises out of office hours Wages: $12.00/hr Only Belongers apply for these positions. Applications forms available from Turks and Caicos Red Cross Human Resource Department. Only applicants selected for interview will be notified.

Submit applications to by December 4th, 2017 to: Turks and Caicos Red Cross Human Resource Department Sam’s Building Providenciales Tel: 649-946-8056 Email: redcrossprovo@tciway.tc

Page 32

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DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

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CARIBBEAN WORLD

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

NEWS NEWS

Caribbean hotel insurance rates to increase by 10 to 40 percent

MIAMI - Caribbean hoteliers should plan now for an increase in insurance premiums anticipated to range from 10 to 40 percent following two Category 5 hurricanes, which struck several destinations in the region in September.

Scott Stollmeyer, Managing Director, Barbados and Eastern Caribbean for CGM Gallagher Insurance Brokers, made the recommendation during a Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) webinar earlier this month entitled ‘Hotel Property Insurance After the Storms’.

He and other panelists advised that now is the time to review coverage to ensure it is adequate to insure against possible future damages, and without compromising coverage, to look at ways to minimize the expected premium increases.

Stollmeyer said for the past eight years the Caribbean has enjoyed reduced insurance rates but that will now change.

He said following the hurricanes, insurance companies have begun reaching out to their clients informing them of the increases that will occur in their next renewal cycle for inland and beach properties. He explained this will lead to a “hardening” market: “We are going to be in for some challenging times in the next few years.”

The increases will affect the entire region, not only those islands that were struck by the hurricanes. “The Caribbean is ... lumped into one general region

... it’s where the reinsurance you get people into their routines markets are looking at the and it will make the process of Caribbean as a general region - getting back quicker,” stated everybody is going to be impacted,” Alnebeck.

Stollmeyer reported.

He advised hoteliers

Stanley Smith, Certified not to wait until the insurance Public Accountant and Licensed company visits to start repairing Adjuster with Smith Orloff & the property but to ensure they Associates, advised hotel owners document any repair work they and managers to be proactive have done. He also recommended and be their own advocates when that hoteliers, who usually have handling insurance claims. “It a lot on their plate after a storm, pays to know your policy well should delegate an individual before a disaster strikes. First, to be responsible for insurance making sure you’re adequately claims. insured, understanding what’s

CHTA’s next webinar on covered and what’s not, and December 6 will cover business keeping good records are resiliency and rebuilding for fundamentals which hoteliers recovery. should adhere to.”

The Caribbean Hotel

He provided examples and Tourism Association (CHTA) of the claims process and how, is the Caribbean’s leading because of inadequate planning association representing tourism or not fully understanding their interests for national hotel and policy, many hoteliers fail to tourism associations. For more fully recover insurable losses than 50 years, CHTA has been through their claim. He advised the backbone of the Caribbean that retaining your own advocate hospitality industry. Working or adjuster can assist with together with 1,000 hotel and facilitating a claim. allied members and 32 National

Magnus Alnebeck, Hotel Associations, CHTA is General Manager of Pelican Bay shaping the Caribbean’s future Hotel, Grand Bahama Island, and helping members to grow advised hoteliers that before a their businesses.

Whether storm, checklists must be made navigating new worlds like social and photos taken of everything. media, sustainability, legislative After the storm, staff must get a issues, emerging technologies, grasp of the state the property is data and intelligence or looking in, taking photos of any damage, for avenues and ideas to better and managers should make sure market and manage businesses, that their staff is looked after, as CHTA is helping members on they are the most valuable asset. matters that matter most.

“What we have found is For further that the quicker you can manage information, visit www. to create some sense of normality, caribbeanhotelandtourism.com. or as we call it ‘the new normal’,

Nearly 20,000 cruise ship passengers visit Cayman Islands in one day

A cruise ship and some passengers in Georgetown, Grand Cayman

The streets of George Town were thronged with tourists Wednesday as six visiting cruise ships disgorged nearly 20,000 passengers in Grand Cayman’s capital.

According to the Cayman Compass, it was one of the busiest days of the year on the waterfront with shops doing a roaring trade as the town felt the impact of the influx of tourists.

Neighborhood police officers were out in force directing traffic and assisting tourists and pedestrians in the town.

In total, 19,722 passengers arrived in port Wednesday – equivalent to around a third of Cayman’s resident population.

The surge in arrivals follows hurricanes in the eastern Caribbean that have devastated tourism infrastructure in popular ports. At least 70 ships will be diverted to the Cayman Islands through to the end of April, bringing close to 250,000 extra passengers to the island.

In port on Wednesday were the 4,100-passenger Norwegian Epic, the 3,600-passenger Carnival Vista and the 4,400-passenger Liberty of the Seas. Celebrity Reflection brought 3,046 passengers, Marella Discovery II had 2,076 on board and the Norwegian Pearl brought another 2,500.

Barbados celebrates 51 years of independence

Barbados never allowed its small size to shape its view of what it is possible for its people to attempt or to achieve, said Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, in an address to mark the country’s 51st anniversary of independence on Thursday, November 30th.

“Therein is the secret of the impact we have been able to make on the world beyond Barbados. Whether in sport, in the arts, in literature, in entertainment, in the world of ideas, or in areas such as health, education, and the environment and whether in the region, in the hemisphere or in the world beyond, Barbados has shown always an enviable capacity to lead.

That has been the story of the last 51 years,” Stuart said.

Stuart, a 66-year-old lawyer, added: “That story cannot be properly understood, however, if we do not remind ourselves of those values that have made our successes possible.

Our national anthem traces our achievements through times of plenty and times of need. Barbados has known both of these states, and the character of our nation has been shaped by the capacity of our men, our women and our children to manage both plenty and need.”

The Barbadian leader recalled that Ernst Schumacher, who delivered the first Sir Winston Scott Memorial Lecture on the 10th Anniversary of our Independence in 1976, issued the timely reminder that economic development is something much wider and deeper than economics or econometrics.

“The roots of economic development, he says, lie outside the economic sphere in education, in organization, in discipline, and beyond that, in political independence and a national consciousness of self-reliance,” Stuart added.

“Let us resist, therefore, the tendency to treat present challenges of debt and deficit as the measure of our country. The measurement of our progress as a people has never been purely in terms of money or material gains. Our image in the world has primarily been associated with our character and it is that character that has sustained us as a nation, both in times of plenty and in times of need.

People remain at the centre of our concept of development. So as we work through present challenges, and seek to recapture the essence of what it is to be a Barbadian, let us ensure that the strength of this nation’s true character

Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart continues to shine for all the world to see.”

Prime Minister Stuart said the world in which Barbados celebrates its 51st Anniversary as a nation continues to be haunted by dizzying change and the uncertainty which change, even in the best of times, always engenders.

He noted that a constant feature of the history of the country has been that much of what it has been able to do here has depended on what was happening outside of Barbados in the economies of our main trading partners – the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the CARICOM region.

“That reality is not going to change anytime soon,” he stressed.

“We cannot determine how the owners of the world’s material wealth allocate or otherwise dispose of that wealth.

As a people, Barbadians can, however, mobilize and fully exploit those vast reserves of inner wealth which we have always been known to possess.

I speak of self confidence, a robust determination to succeed, a belief in hard work, pride as a people, an abiding trust in God, and the desire of Barbadians for the achievement of excellence in all that we do. It is these reserves of inner wealth that have made the difference whenever we have had to confront and manage challenges. It is these reserves that have ensured that we triumphed over difficulties whenever they have arisen.

It is these reserves that have kept alive our capacity to hope and to have an unshakeable faith in the future.”

Page 34

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

CARIBBEAN NEWS

Former Bahamian PM criticizes new Enterprise Bill

St. Lucia’s Tourism Minister Dominic Fedee

St. Lucia to invest millions in OECS Competitive Tourism project

CASTRIES, St. Lucia – The St. Lucia government is to invest US$5 million into the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Competitive Tourism Project, Tourism Minister Dominic Fedee has announced.

The World Bank announced earlier this year that it had approved US$26 million for the project, whose objective is to facilitate access and movement of travellers through a pilot ferry service, rehabilitate select tourism sites such as Fort George in Grenada, Fort Charlotte in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Castries in St.Lucia, and help position these countries as one multi-island travel destination

Fedee said he was pleased the Allen Chastanet government had agreed to invest US$15 million into the project noting “one of the biggest components is to increase and improve the façade of the marketplace. “That will help significantly, and provide training for our vendors in merchandizing, sales strategy, customer service, marketing, in all of the other revenue-making opportunities. The other thing is the entire rehabilitation of the market, so that it is more of an enjoyable experience,” he added.

Fedee said that at a recent Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) meeting, one cruise line suggested that while 95 per cent of its passengers deboard, they spent only 20 per cent of their time on shore.

“That says we have piqued their curiosity, but we have not been able to sustain that curiosity.

So a national and collective strategy is needed to ensure that we are all on the same page, and that we are working in cohesion to ensure that there are not just arrivals, but revenue penetration and revenue spinoffs..”

He told reporters during the the 2017 ARC celebratory flotilla that there was a need for all stakeholders to play their part in ensuring the viability of the tourism industry here.

Fedee said that the St. Lucia Tourist Board (SLTB) was playing its part in marketing the destination, which has resulted in a 10 per cent increase in visitor arrivals.

“The arrivals are not my numbers, the CTO (Caribbean Tourism Organization) has suggested that St. Lucia is the second fastest growing tourist destination as of September, and those really are the facts.

“But we all have to do our part. We have to make sure that as a country, private sector, and business people, that we see tourism as an extra market. So when people come to our country, we need to ask ourselves how we tap into the resource that has been brought to us. There needs to be a complete change in philosophy, in approach, and in how we do business,” he added.

FORMER Prime Minister of The Bahamas Hubert Ingraham has attacked the controversial Commercial Enterprises Bill, saying the Minnis administration should “rethink the bill and make necessary adjustments.”

His criticism during a rare interview with The Tribune came less than a week after the bill passed the House of Assembly on Wednesday with the unanimous support of Free National Movement parliamentarians.

The bill would allow foreigners or Bahamians to receive “economic concessions” if they establish specified types of businesses in The Bahamas with an investment of no less than $250,000.

Such businesses would FORMER Prime Minister of The be entitled to a specified number Bahamas Hubert Ingraham of work permits for executives, on the grounds of personal managers and people with undesirability. Those policies since “specialised knowledge”. discarded are coming back again.

Almost none of the bill’s Those who’ve been around for a key provisions were spared Mr long time don’t support it coming Ingraham’s harsh assessment. back; it’s not in the interest of the The bill’s $250,000 threshold “is Bahamas in our point of view and too low”, he said.

I’m very clear about that.”

The bill’s provision entitling businesses to a specified COMPREHENSIVE number of work permits were APPROACH TO WORK likened to 1950s era policies that PERMITS NEEDED have long since been “discarded”.

The bill’s lack of Mr Ingraham said if the guarantee that a certain number Minnis administration wants to or percentage of Bahamians be adjust the country’s immigration employed as a tradeoff for work policies on work permits, it should permits is, he said, something he not only do so in concert with the could not support.

Progressive Liberal Party but it

“If they say they want should also take a comprehensive a business to open up and a approach rather than a piecemeal foreigner could get a permit one. automatically after 14 days and “If there is going to be they want to limit this and the a guarantee in law of a certain other benefits of the bill to a place number of work permits they like Freeport, that’s something should speedily move toward that I, as an ordinary Bahamian, determining that guarantee for could swallow, but I cannot other people and businesses. How swallow that for The Bahamas, many for Atlantis? How many for as a national policy, foreigners Citibank? How many for Baha can come in for only $250,000 and Mar? Or is it going to apply to open these businesses without us these particular businesses only? knowing how many Bahamians “Normally what would happen is will be employed,” Mr Ingraham Atlantis would say I’ll hire 3,000 said. people and then there will be a

“That’s not kosher for me. heads of agreement that says I’m sorry, but every now and again you can get a certain number of I reserve the right to speak my work permits but only in relation mind about matters that come up to what employment levels you with the public.” would have for Bahamians.

Mr Ingraham, pointing to There’s a big difference between old Hawksbill Creek and Hotels that and saying to somebody if Encouragement Act laws from you want to invest $250,000 and the 1950s that he had on his work in the Bahamas and bring desk, noted that policies entitling a certain number of people you businesses to work permits were could do so but you don’t have to repealed. say how many Bahamians you “Back in the 50s when the are going to employ. All of that for government wanted the hotels $250,000? Oh no, no, no. If I have to have this provision, they said to accommodate you, what will I that you had to have at least 75 get in return?” per cent of your staff Bahamian. “Many investments The PLP government repealed are stifled and are not properly that and said that is unfair to the proceeded with because of Bahamas; but in that case, you at immigration regulations and least had a minimum threshold procedures,” Mr Ingraham for the number of Bahamians said. “That’s a fact. It would be employed. That same concept has good for The Bahamas if both been discarded in Freeport, where political parties can agree on an the Hawksbill Creek Agreement immigration policy that becomes in the 1950s provided that people a national immigration policy so in Freeport, licensees, could bring that when the PLP is in and the skilled persons into the Bahamas FNM is out they don’t change it to work and the Bahamas could and the FNM doesn’t change it only refuse permission for them when it gets in so everyone knows

this is the national policy of The Bahamas.

“The national policy has been you get the work permit if there are no skilled Bahamians available but it has never been that a company is entitled to a certain number of work permits.

If that policy is going to change and it appears to be changing, then it seems to me that there will need to be a national consensus between the political parties because otherwise what you will have happen is people who are going to invest will take account of the Bahamas’ history; in recent times, we have been voting the government out every five years so the investors will think, ‘if I do this deal now because they promise me this and the next fella say he’s going to repeal it when he gets in, it’s not going to be very effective.’ I would suggest that the government seek to have a policy that could be agreed between itself and the opposition. Both of them should recognise we need to make some changes to immigration if we are going to make the Bahamas a more attractive place for investment.”

Through the National Economic Council (NEC) and the Bahamas Investment Authority, it has been a longstanding policy of the Bahamas since the 1990s to offer concessions to international businesses that invest a certain amount of money in the country.

Under Ingraham administration policies in 1994 and for years after, that threshold was $250,000.

The threshold was raised to $500,000 under the last Ingraham administration in 2011.

Mr Ingraham noted that Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, Works Minister Desmond Bannister, Financial Services Minister Brent Symonette and Labour Minister Dion Foulkes were all Cabinet ministers at the time and agreed to the amendment.

“The rationale was we wanted to encourage investment and we thought $250,000 was too small,” he said. “Sixteen years from then we may have removed that threshold further up but certainly not reduce it in half.

They ought to explain how they have now arrived at $250,000.”

As for the bill’s provision automatically granting work permits to people if the director of immigration fails to address their application in 14 days, Mr Ingraham said: “To say that I can in 14 days approve or have your permit deemed to been approved does not give me enough time to determine your suitability, your character and the rest of it. You are a foreigner. Every foreigner who comes to the Bahamas needs permission from the Bahamas to come here. And so I would not be prepared to open myself up to say just come, apply and if you don’t get an answer in 14 days go to work. That’s a matter of judgment but I’m not for that.”

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

School upgrade leads to improved student performance in Jamaica

It’s a makeover that is transforming lives and stimulating pride in 1,200 Jamaican students.

At the Christiana Moravian Primary and Infant School, there were once as many as 46 students to one teacher in some classes. Now 10 new classrooms, the renovation of two existing school buildings and student bathrooms, and new programmes and materials have not only alleviated problems of overcrowding but are also enhancing the lives of students.

“It’s a true reflection of their commitment to the holistic development of a school that was in dire need of intervention,” said Principal, Kamille Lee Madden of the upgrades made possible through a collaboration between the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF).

The Principal credits both funds with leaving an indelible mark on the school community through socially progressive programs such as the Special Education Needs Coordinators Training Project; the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Programme (WASH) and the Literacy and Numeracy Project (LNP).

Through LNP, the school received teaching and learning aids to support the math and language

The newly constructed building, part of the Christiana Moravian Primary and Infant School rehabilitation and expansion project. curriculum, and academic staff were particularly notable, with participated in intensive training. As significant increases in the numbers a result, students’ performance in of special education students reaching national examinations improved, the mastery levels in literacy and school surpassed the national average numeracy. for literacy, and there has been a “Thank you for believing that marked improvement in numeracy. even students with learning disabilities

Knowledge gained through can learn, and for giving them the WASH led to the creation of an action opportunity to shine and boost their plan intended to address sanitation self-confidence and self-worth,” Lee and hygiene issues within the school’s Madden said. environment, and it stirred creativity “Christiana Moravian Primary among staff and students. In addition and Infant School [has] experienced a to creating Squeaky, a mascot who paradigm shift with a renewed pride, reminds students to “WASH”, they rebirth of our school and sense of reworked “Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica”, a belonging to not just a school but to our popular song, with new lyrics “nuh community,” she said. dutty up di school yaad.”

Financing for the rehabilitation

Improvements made within and expansion of the Christiana the school’s Special Education Unit Moravian Primary and Infant School

Jamaica human rights group defends INDECOM

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The human rights group, Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) has defended the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) after Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that police officers were fearful of doing their work because of the organisation.

“I believe that sometimes INDECOM goes too far, and places our police officers on the retreat. That means that a balance has to be struck. We need our policemen to be motivated.

We need our policemen to feel that they are protected in fighting crime,” Holness told supporters of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) as the party held its annual conference on Sunday.

INDECOM, which investigates charges of breaches of civilians’ rights by the security forces and Holness said that its assignment resulted from the tough and extreme measures introduced to tackle violent crimes in the 1990s.

He said those measures failed to reduce violent crimes,

Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness and ended up damaging Jamaica’s human rights reputation, internationally,

JFJ director Rodje Malcolm described Holness claim as baseless, “given that in 2017 the police have already killed more persons than in 2016 and 2015.

“The police clearly are still

resorting to lethal force and have actually increased their use of lethal force in 2017, so it suggests that the impact of INDECOM may be more anecdotal and less borne out in the data in relation to police morale,” he said on a radio programme here.

But he said “if there are specific issues with INDECOM, then those specific and particular issues should be raised and should be addressed, because INDECOM, just like any other public body, must be held accountable.”

In his address, Holness said that his administration will be implementing new legislation that will inflict harsher penalties on perpetrators of crime.

“We hear the desperate cries for tough and extreme measures to deal with the criminals. Jamaica cannot go back to that, there are greater costs to Jamaica. We have to fight crime with law, with intelligence, with citizens cooperation by providing information and not giving in to criminals in your community,” the Prime Minister said.

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

was approved through the seventh cycle of BNTF. The Fund supports institutional and socially inclusive development that empowers the poor and vulnerable.

“Education is one of the most effective tools in the fight against poverty,” said George Yearwood, Acting Portfolio Manager, BNTF, “so the Caribbean Development Bank remains committed to supporting projects that enhance the learning environment and opportunities of our Region’s youth. An investment in them is an investment in our future.”

Since its inception in 1979, BNTF has contributed to poverty reduction in 10 of the Bank’s borrowing member countries, and positively impacted the lives of over 3 million people in poor and underserved communities.

A student from Christiana Moravian Primary & Infant School uses the newly refurbished bathrooms

Belize population warned about eating fish with high level of mercury

BELMOPAN. Belize – The Belize government says two types of fishes here have been found to have had “above the recommended safety level” and appealed to people not to eat more than six ounces of those fishes.

The Ministry of Health said that it had carried out the assessment of the mercury levels in fishes from the Macal River, Mopan, Belize and New River and found that the botasis and shortfin molly fishes “had levels of mercury above the recommended safety level.

“All other captured fishes tested were below the mercury safety level for consumption however they must be consumed with some caution especially Bay snook which was found to be slightly under the safety level.”

The Ministry of Health said that it was urging the public “not to eat more than six ounces for both botasis and Bay snook weekly,” adding that for the shortfin molly, no recommendation is given since it is a small aquarium fish not eaten by the public.

The Ministry said that the testing was undertaken in collaboration with the Department of Environment and the Belize Electric Company Limited (BECOL), and that of the 13 species of fish tested from other rivers, five species, namely bay snook, baca, tilapia, shad and yellow sea catfish “had very high mercury levels above what is safe for consumption”.

It said in the case of bay snook, baca and tilapia, “mercury levels were almost twice as recommended for safe consumption”

The Ministry of Health said it is urging the public to obey the recommended amounts of fish to be eaten in any one-week period to prevent negative health impacts such as mental retardation in children, poor development of infants, damage to vision, weakening of muscles in the hands and feet.”

It said it was urging the population to consider other options ‘as a replacement …for the omega fatty acid that may be lost from the diet by not eating fish.

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WORLD

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

NEWS

Libya slave trade - Damning reports of migrants ‘being sold like goats’

World leaders are condemning a video that appears to show people being “sold like goats” in Libya, where hundreds of thousands of desperate migrants are trapped and at the mercy of their human traffickers.

Reports suggest some human smugglers have begun auctioning off the people who paid them for transport into Europe, due to difficulties with sneaking them through European borders. It’s estimated some 400,000700,000 migrants are currently trapped in Libya, a nation is on the verge of chaos since the fall of Moammar Gadhafi.

The slavery concerns come after an undercover CNN reporter recorded video of an alleged slave auction involving 12 Nigerians in Libya, in which Arabic-speaking auctioneers tout the digging abilities of their “merchandise,” and ask for the equivalent of US$400-800 per person.

CNN also released a video, obtained from an anonymous source, which also appears to show people being auctioned off for money.

The CNN report sparked angry protests outside the Libyan embassy in Paris and condemnations from a number of international bodies, Some of the people who were seen in this shocking video footage showing African including the United Nations. migrants being sold as slaves for $400

“I am horrified by news reports and video footage showing address the migrant crisis. feed, sometimes finance, sometimes African migrants in Libya reportedly On Thursday, the chairman of are the same as those who make war being sold as slaves,” UN Secretary- the African Union Commission called with us and who kill people every day General Antonio Guterres said, in a migrant camp conditions in Libya in much of northern Africa,” Macron statement issued Nov. 20. “I abhor “inhuman,” and urged African and told France 24 and RFI, in French. these appalling acts and call upon all European leaders to step in.

Nigerian president competent authorities to investigate French President Emmanuel Muhammadu Buhari said he was these activities without delay and to Macron said the UN is discussing how appalled that some displaced citizens bring the perpetrators to justice.” best to target human traffickers. were “being sold like goats for a few ` Guterres also called “These smugglers are deeply dollars in Libya.” for the international community to linked to many terrorist networks and

On Wednesday, the UN, the

African Union and the EU announced a special task force to “save and protect lives of migrants and refugees along the routes and in particular inside Libya.”

Some in the Libyan media have raised doubts about the authenticity of the CNN slave auction video, citing U.S. President Donald Trump’s frequent claims that the news outlet is “fake news.”

UK’s Prince Harry and American Meghan Markle to marry in Windsor in May

LONDON - The wedding of Britain’s Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle will take place next May in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, a venue with royal associations going back centuries.

The fifth-in-line to the British throne, 33, and the American actress, 36, previously best known for her starring role in the TV legal drama “Suits” announced their engagement on Monday, sparking a trans-Atlantic media frenzy.

The couple have chosen to marry in Windsor, west of London, because it is “a special place for them”, Harry’s spokesman told reporters.

Queen Elizabeth, the prince’s 91-yearold grandmother, will attend the ceremony.

“The wedding will be a moment of fun and joy and reflect the characters of the bride and groom,” he said.

The couple’s first official engagement together will take place on Friday in the central English city

of Nottingham, where they will raise awareness of charities working to prevent HIV/AIDS and youth crime.

“Prince Harry has spent a significant amount of private and public time in (Nottingham) and His Royal Highness is looking forward to introducing Ms. Markle to a community that has become very special to him,” Kensington Palace, Harry’s official residence, said in a statement.

Markle, who attended a Catholic school as a child but identifies as a Protestant, will be baptised and confirmed into the Church of England before the wedding, Harry’s spokesman said.

She intends to become a British citizen, though she will retain her U.S. citizenship while she goes through the process.

“Miss Markle will be compliant with all immigration requirements at all times,” the spokesman said.

The Gothic St George’s Chapel is located in the grounds of Windsor

Britain’s Prince Harry poses with Meghan Markle in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace, London Castle, which has been the family home of British kings and queens for almost 1,000 years.

Within the chapel are the tombs of ten sovereigns, including Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour, and Charles I.

In more recent memory, it was the venue of the wedding of Harry’s uncle Prince Edward to Sophie RhysJones in 1999, and of a service of prayer and dedication to mark the wedding of Harry’s father, Prince Charles, to Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005.

The year 2018 looks likely to be a busy one for the British royal family, with Harry’s older brother Prince William and his wife Catherine, known as Kate, expecting their third child in April.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kate said she and William were “absolutely thrilled” about Harry’s engagement.

“It’s such exciting news. It’s a really happy time for any couple and we wish them all the best and hope they enjoy this happy moment,” she said.

Harry’s stepmother Camilla, now known as the Duchess of Cornwall, was equally enthusiastic.

“America’s loss is our gain,” she said of Markle.

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WORLD NEWS

Trump calls for boycott of CNN

WASHINGTON U.S. criticized CNN, calling the network President Donald Trump urged “fake news” and saying he no longer a boycott of CNN on Wednesday, watches it, while lauding rival Fox ramping up his fight against News. His call for a boycott appeared the television network as his to be a step up in his attacks. administration fights AT&T Inc’s deal “Great, and we should boycott to buy CNN’s owner Time Warner Inc. Fake News CNN. Dealing with them

Trump has criticized the is a total waste of time!,” Trump wrote proposed deal, which the Justice in a Twitter post.

Trump was responding to Department has sued to stop. Legal experts have said the president’s a post by his spokeswoman Sarah attacks on CNN could hobble his Sanders, who in her own post on administration’s case.

Tuesday night praised reports that

The president, who regularly CNN would not attend an annual assails mainstream media, has long holiday party held at the White House

for news media.

It was not immediately clear if Trump in his post was calling for a wider boycott against CNN or one by White House staff. Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Representatives for CNN also did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s tweet on Wednesday. A CNN spokesperson told Politico that it would not attend the party “in light of the President’s continued attacks on freedom of the press and CNN” but would send a

Honduran protesters, police clash in escalating election crisis

TEGUCIGALPA Honduran police fired tear gas at rock-hurling protesters on Thursday after a widely criticized presidential election that saw the opposition cry foul as the incumbent slowly pulled ahead four days after the vote.

Both President Juan Orlando Hernandez and his rival Salvador Nasralla, a television game show host allied with leftists, claimed victory after Sunday’s election. The vote tally at first favored the challenger, but then swung in favor of A supporter of Salvador Nasralla, presidential candidate for the Opposition the incumbent after hold-ups Alliance Against the Dictatorship, covers his face during a protest while in the count, fueling talk of awaiting official presidential election results in Tegucigalpa, Honduras irregularities.

November 30, 2017

International concern has grown about the crisis heeded his call, with protests change in vote tendency reflects sparked by the count in the throughout the night across the his support in rural areas, from Central American nation which country. In the city of La Ceiba, where ballots were slower to in 2009 saw a military-backed protesters set up barricades arrive in the city. coup. One of the four magistrates and burned tires across a bridge on the electoral tribunal flagged and blocked at least two other ‘DAMAGING CREDIBILITY’ “serious doubts” about the process. motorways.

The Organization of With the stinging stench On Monday, the tribunal American States (OAS) appeared of purple-hued tear gas filling published more than half the to have salvaged the credibility the air, dozens of youths shielded results, showing Nasralla of the election on Wednesday themselves with corrugated with a five point lead, but then by eliciting signed statements iron panels as they battled with published nothing more for 36 from both candidates vowing Honduran security forces, who hours. to respect the final result once were guarding a vote-count When the count finally disputed votes had been checked. center in capital city Tegucigalpa. started again, Hernandez began But a few hours later, Nasralla, The fumes entered the building, to reel in Nasralla. The count who initially held a five-point prompting the evacuation of staff. has started and stopped ever lead, rejected the OAS accord he

“We’re going to keep since, with the tribunal blaming had signed, saying his opponents protesting and won’t let them a delay Wednesday on computer were trying to rob him. He urged steal this victory,” 20-year- glitches. supporters to take to the streets old university student Josue

By Thursday afternoon, of the capital Tegucigalpa to Valladares said on Thursday, as the tribunal’s latest tally showed defend his triumph. votes were being counted on the that with 91.18 percent of

“They take us for idiots other side of a human wall of riot ballots counted, the center-right and want to steal our victory,” police.

Hernandez had secured 42.74 said Nasralla, who heads a left- “Hernandez should percent of the vote, more than a right coalition. respect the popular will and one percentage point lead over

Marcos Ramiro Lobo, one hand over power,” Valladares Nasralla’s 41.55 percent. of the four magistrates, called for said.

International observers an independent external auditor Nasralla took to Twitter said the delays were damaging to review the results, but was early Thursday to implore his the credibility of authorities, and non-committal on whether there followers to protest peacefully risked undermining the winner’s was evidence of electoral fraud. and not be “provoked by legitimacy. The U.S. State

“We can’t be sure of one Hernandez’s activists.”

Department said the tribunal thing or the other,” Lobo told The sporadic way should be allowed to work Reuters, expressing concern in which results have been without interference. about the vote count breaking published, and the reversal Ahead of the election, down. “What I do know is that of Nasralla’s lead have led to opinion polls indicated that serious doubts are being raised.” allegations that Hernandez may Hernandez was favored to win David Matamoros, who chairs have influenced the tribunal. the vote in the poor Central the electoral tribunal, said he The president has American country of more than 9 expected the count to conclude consolidated power in recent million people by mid-afternoon and that at an years and is the first one to seek a Nasralla is one of announcement could be made a second term since a 1982 return Honduras’ best-known faces and couple of hours later. to democracy in Honduras, which is backed by former President also suffers from widespread Manuel Zelaya, a leftist ousted in PROTESTS poverty, drug gangs and one of a coup in 2009 after he proposed the world’s highest murder rates. a referendum on his re-election.

Nasralla’s followers

Hernandez says the

reporting crew to cover the event, Politico reported on Tuesday.

The network and its journalists have repeatedly defended CNN’s work against previous presidential attacks.

The Department of Justice’s challenge is unusual move given that pay TV and wireless company AT&T does not directly compete with TV show maker Time Warner. The department has said the lawsuit is a law enforcement decision, not a political one.

EU and Britain agree settlement post Brexit

BRUSSELS - The European Union has agreed a financial settlement with Britain, a senior EU official said on Thursday, under which London has committed to paying a set share of EU budgets after Britain has left the bloc.

Following reports of British offers in recent days, EU negotiators have insisted publicly that work is continuing on the financial deal, as both sides also push to reach accords on two other key divorce conditions before a crunch meeting on Monday.

“The official offer has not been submitted, but unofficially it has been agreed to such an extent that if no one decides to stage a last minute complete turnaround everything will be OK,” the official said.

A spokesperson for Britain’s Department for Exiting the European Union was not immediately available for comment.

Overall, the EU side was “optimistic” that agreement could be reached on the conditions to allow EU leaders to agree during a Dec. 14-15 summit to open talks on post-Brexit relations.

The British government dismissed as “speculation” on Wednesday reports in British newspapers that it had more than doubled its offer to the EU to very roughly 50 billion euros.

The EU official said there was no precise figure discussed because the amounts to be paid in future will depend on many imponderable variables, ranging from whether loan guarantees had to be exercised to the vagaries of the sterlingeuro exchange rate and relative growth in the British and EU economies.

Britain has committed to meeting an agreed share of the vast bulk of the future budget items which the EU asked for, the official said, adding: “It is a deal on what percentage share Britain will cover and on what items.”

The official said the British share would be significantly less than 16 percent - Britain’s share last year of the total output of the 28-nation Union.

In any case, Britain’s economic weight may decline as the pound has sunk since last year’s vote to leave the EU, while even in sterling terms, the British economy has been growing more slowly than others.

The share of the economy used for the EU budget is also calculated somewhat differently and Britain has been entitled as a member to a special rebate.

“SUITABLE, FAIR PRICE”

Among key budget lines that Britain has committed to was covering a share of disbursements from the EU budget in years beyond the current seven-year EU budget ending in 2020.

“We have agreed a certain formula how to calculate that share. So we take each line in the budget and apply the share to it,” the official said.

British Prime Minister Theresa May had said Britain would pay its full share of the budget to the end of 2020 - the point at which the EU expects roughly to end a “transition period”, during which Britain will effectively keep all its obligations and most rights in the EU after Brexit in March 2019, while losing its vote on laws.

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DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

WORLD NEWS

Trump considers plan to replace Tillerson with CIA chief

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a plan to oust Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has had a strained relationship with his boss over North Korea and other issues, senior administration officials said on Thursday.

Tillerson would be replaced by CIA director Mike Pompeo, known as a Trump loyalist, within weeks under a White House plan to carry out the most significant staff shakeup so far of the Trump administration.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton would be tapped to replace Pompeo at the Central Intelligence Agency, the officials told Reuters.

It was not immediately clear whether Trump had given final approval to the latest staff shakeup, but one of the officials said the president asked for the plan to be put together.

Tillerson’s long-rumored departure would end a troubled tenure for the former Exxon Mobil Corp chief executive who has been increasingly at odds with Trump over policy challenges such as North Korea and under fire for his planned cuts at the State Department.

Tillerson was reported in October to have privately called Trump a “moron,” something which the secretary of state sought to dismiss.

That followed a tweet by Trump a few days earlier that Tillerson should not waste his time by seeking negotiations with North Korea over its nuclear and missile program.

Trump asked John Kelly, the White House chief of staff, to develop the transition strategy and it has already been discussed with other officials, one administration source said.

Under the plan, which was first reported by the New York Times, the staff reshuffle would happen around the end of the year or shortly afterward.

Asked if he wanted Tillerson to remain in his job, Trump sidestepped the question on Thursday, telling reporters at

A combination photo of Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo (L) on May 11, 2017 and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington, U.S., November 28, 2017 the White House: “He’s here. Rex of departures and firings in is here.”

Trump’s administration in recent

“There are no personnel months, including his chief of announcements at this time,” staff, national security advisor White House spokeswoman Sarah and FBI director.

Sanders later told reporters.

“There’s so much churn.

Tillerson’s departure has It feels like whiplash,” a State been widely rumored for months, Department official said. with attention focused on Nikki Pompeo, a foreign policy Haley, U.S. ambassador to the hardliner, especially on Iran, has United Nations, as his likely publicly talked about how the replacement. spy agency is becoming more

But Pompeo, a former aggressive and how he has been member of Congress, has focusing on deploying more CIA increasingly moved to the officers overseas. forefront as he has gained Pompeo has offered effusive Trump’s trust on national praise for Trump in interviews security matters. and speeches despite the

Tillerson, 65, has spent president’s public criticism of much of his tenure trying to U.S. intelligence agencies and his smooth the rough edges of dismissal of the finding by some Trump’s unilateralist “America of them that Russia conducted First” foreign policy, with limited an influence campaign to boost success. On several occasions, the Trump over his rival, Hillary U.S. president publicly undercut Clinton, in the 2016 election. his diplomatic initiatives.

Pompeo also has

A source familiar downplayed the extent of Russia’s with Tillerson’s thinking said intervention, saying that Moscow Tillerson’s original plan when he has sought to influence U.S. took the job as top U.S. diplomat, elections for decades. was to leave in February.

While Trump has

“His plan was to make expressed deep skepticism of the it a year and then find a reason U.S. intelligence community -- he to leave. Who knows if that still once compared its behavior to holds?” the source said. that of Nazi Germany -- Pompeo

Senator Bob Corker, a has called the president an senior voice in U.S. foreign policy, “avid consumer” of intelligence spoke to Tillerson on Thursday who is grateful to intelligence and said the secretary of state professionals. was unaware of any plans to oust Tillerson has at times him. put distance between himself If carried out, the staff changes and Trump’s positions. would be the latest in a string

Cristiano Ronaldo climbs Instagram ranks, Selena Gomez most-followed

LOS ANGELES - Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo muscled his way into Instagram’s top-followed ranks this year as he documented his career and growing family, but pop star Selena Gomez still reigned supreme on the social media platform.

Ronaldo, who was named Forbes’ highestpaid soccer player this year with $93 million in earnings, climbed to No. 2 with 116 million followers on Instagram, up from 82.8 million followers and the No. 6 slot last year.

Gomez remained the most-followed person on Instagram with 130 million followers this year, up from 103 million last year.

Ronaldo, 32, a striker for Real Madrid, has posted numerous photos and videos on Instagram this year both on and off the soccer field. He notched three of the ten most-liked posts on Instagram this year, all documenting his growing family.

The athlete announced that he was a father to newborn twins born to a surrogate mother in June, in a post that garnered more than 8.2 million likes. His most popular post clocked more than 11 million likes in November, announcing the birth of his baby daughter with his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez.

In 2010, Ronaldo said he became father to a son and had full custody. The mother’s identity was not publicly announced.

Facebook Inc-owned Instagram has more than 500 million daily active users and 800 million monthly active users. The platform allows users to post photos, videos and this year introduced instant ‘stories,’ where posted videos and photos disappear after 24 hours.

Singers Ariana Grande and Beyonce held onto the third and fourth most-followed spots with 115 million followers and 108 million followers respectively this year, while reality star Kim Kardashian West held onto the fifth spot with 104 million fans.

Beyonce’s February photo announcing her pregnancy with twins was the most-liked photo on Instagram this year, with more than 11.1 million likes.

Taylor Swift dropped from No. 2 to No. 6 after the 27-year-old disappeared from social media earlier this year after a highly publicized breakup with British DJ Calvin Harris and feuds with Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

She returned to Instagram in August with a scrubbed Instagram profile and promoted her new music on her feed.

Among the data compiled by Instagram between Jan. 1 and Nov. 17, the most popular hashtag used was #love, the city most featured in posts was New York and the most-Instagrammed location was Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

Ex-priest took confession, then murdered Texas beauty queen

AUSTIN, Texas - A former jury to believe facts about the case and Roman Catholic priest took the not stories. confession of a Texas beauty queen, “There wasn’t enough evidence then, then lured her to a church rectory and there isn’t enough evidence now,” and killed her, prosecutors said on defense attorney O. Rene Flores was Thursday to start a trial for a 1960 quoted as saying by the McAllen murder that has been one of state’s Monitor newspaper. most notorious cold cases.

Garza, a former Miss South

In opening statements at a Texas and second-grade school state court in the border county of teacher, was a devout Catholic who Hidalgo, prosecutors said John Feit, often went to confession, prosecutors 84, charged with the murder 57 years told the court, the reports said. ago of Irene Garza, then 25, engaged in After the April 1960 attack, “betrayal, murder and cover-up,” local Feit returned to the church and to hear confessions, media reports from the courtroom continued said. prosecutors said.

Garza’s body was found five

Feit, who used a walker when he entered court, has denied the days later in a nearby canal. An charges and his lawyers urged the autopsy showed that she had been

raped while comatose and died of suffocation, according to the Texas Rangers, a statewide police agency.

Robert Ammons, a prominent trial lawyer who is not involved in this case, said prosecutors would face major challenges.

“Many of the relevant witnesses who would have information are either dead or their memories have faded with time, and that will allow the defense to challenge their testimony,” he said.

Feit had initially been considered by authorities a suspect but was not indicted. He had been implicated in the assault of another woman a few weeks before Garza’s disappearance, but pleaded no contest

and served no jail time.

Shortly after Garza’s body was found, Feit was ordered by his church superiors to leave the South Texas city of McAllen, the Dallas Morning News reported.

Feit later left the priesthood, moved to Arizona and started a family.

Texas Rangers investigating cold cases reported in 2002 a local priest had told them, shortly after Garza’s body was found, that he had seen scratches on the hands of Feit, who was a visiting priest at the time.

Father Joseph O‘Brien, also told investigators Feit had confessed to the murder, police said. Feit has denied that.

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WORLD NEWS

Matt Lauer apologizes after ‘Today’ firing as more women come forward

NEW YORK - “Today” show host Matt Lauer apologized for what he called his “troubling flaws” in a statement read out on the popular NBC morning show on Thursday, a day after the network fired him for inappropriate sexual behavior.

As his 20 years as a fixture of U.S. morning television came to an abrupt end, the married 59-yearold found himself joining the fastgrowing ranks of powerful men in U.S. entertainment, politics and media to be felled in recent months by accusations of sexual misconduct.

Lauer said in his statement that some of the accusations against him were “untrue or mischaracterized” without explaining further but said that “there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed.”

He was fired after a female colleague complained to NBC officials

Matt Lauer former host of NBC’s “Today” on Monday evening about a pattern of inappropriate sexual behavior that began while they were on assignment

Music producer Russell Simmons steps down after sex assault claim

FILE PHOTO: Producer Russell Simmons take part in an “I am Muslim Too” rally in Times Square Manhattan, New York, U.S. February 19, 2017

LOS ANGELES - Music from mine, it is now clear to producer Russell Simmons said me that her feelings of fear and on Thursday he was stepping intimidation are real,” Simmons down from his fashion and said in his Instagram statement. production businesses after a “While I have never been violent, screenwriter said in a column I have been thoughtless and in the Hollywood Reporter that insensitive in some of my Simmons sexually assaulted her relationships over many decades and I sincerely apologize.” in 1991.

Jenny Lumet, the Lumet could not screenwriter daughter of the late immediately be reached for movie director Sidney Lumet, in comment.

Simmons is regarded a Thursday Hollywood Reporter column accused Simmons of as one of the most influential forcing himself on her in his New entrepreneurs in the hip-hop world. He also founded the fashion York apartment in 1991.

Simmons, 60, the co- lines Phat Farm and Tantris, and founder of hip-hop label Def Jam co-produced films and TV shows Records and also a film producer, including “The Nutty Professor” apologized for his behavior in a and “Def Comedy Jam.”

Simmons is the latest statement on his Instagram site.

Reuters could not powerful man in entertainment to independently confirm the be accused of sexual misconduct. allegation and representatives “Today” show host Matt Lauer for Simmons did not replay to a on Thursday apologized for request for comment. “troubling flaws” after being

“While her memory of fired by NBC television for that evening is very different inappropriate behavior.

at the 2014 Sochi winter Olympics in Russia, according to NBC statements.

Since then, at least two more women have gone to NBC with similar complaints against Lauer, the “Today” show reported on Thursday. None of the women have been publicly identified.

“Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching and I‘m committed to beginning that effort,” Lauer said in the statement, which was read by his former co-host Savannah Guthrie at the start of Thursday’s broadcast.

“It is now my full-time job,” the statement said. “The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my own troubling flaws.”

Lauer said he was “truly sorry” for pain he had caused.

Reuters has not independently verified the accusations.

NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack said

the network had never received a complaint about Lauer’s conduct prior to Monday but that “we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.”

Lauer was promoted to a host of the “Today” show in 1997 and went on to become one of NBC’s highestpaid personalities, reportedly being paid $20 million a year. The network did not respond to questions about its plans for replacing Lauer.

Media analysts say his abrupt departure could send some viewers to morning-news rivals, at least in the short term. “Today” dominated the morning rating wars for much of Lauer’s tenure but in 2012 was dethroned by “Good Morning America” on Walt Disney Co’s ABC network.

Comcast Corp, the largest U.S. cable television company, owns NBCUniversal.

Bitcoin not big enough to threaten world economy

LONDON - Bitcoin is not at a size where it would pose a risk to the global economy, Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe said, as the virtual currency soared to a record high above $10,000 on major exchange.

The cryptocurrency has climbed 10-fold so far this year, the largest gain of all asset classes and prompting skeptics to warn it is a classic speculative bubble.

“I would just say investors kind of need to do their homework,” Cunliffe told BBC Radio.

He said he did not think British households as a whole were going on a “debt-fueled binge” but added that fast rates of consumer credit growth needed to

be watched.

Cunliffe was in the minority of officials to vote against a rise in interest rates that took place earlier this month.

Asked why in a separate BBC radio interview, Cunliffe said that although he agreed with his colleagues that Britain’s potential rate of economic growth had slowed since the financial crisis, he wanted to see more sign of inflation pressure.

“My view was given the disappointments we’ve had about pay increases and domestic cost pressures over recent years, we should wait to see those before raising rates.”

U.S. Navy crew grounded after pilot draws penis in the sky

WASHINGTON - A U.S. might have to explain them to her Navy air crew was grounded on Friday young children. after using their advanced fighter jet The Navy, which is trying to draw a giant image of a penis in the to crack down on sexual assault in its ranks, issued a formal apology sky with the exhaust, officials said.

The incident took place on Friday for what it called an in skies over Okanogan County in “irresponsible and immature act.”

Washington state on Thursday, when “Sophomoric and immature a Navy E/A-18 Growler warplane flew antics of a sexual nature have no place the unusual air pattern. in Naval aviation today,” Vice Admiral

Images of a condensed air trail Mike Shoemaker, the commander of in the shape of a penis immediately Naval Air Forces, said in a statement. went viral on social media. A local “We will investigate this incident to television station said one mother in get all the facts and act accordingly.”

Okanogan County was concerned she

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

The Sands is now accepting applications/résumé for the following positions. Only highly self-driven & motivated, personable and professional individuals, whom have the desire to serve others, need apply: EXECUTIVE HOUSEKEEPING MANAGER Responsibilities: Uphold and update established Housekeeping and Laundry operating procedures and standards.

Develop, implement and coordinate new Housekeeping and Laundry procedures.

Plan and coordinate housekeeping staff job duties, responsibilities, and activities including that of housekeeping managers and supervisors.

Coordinate and complete inspections of assigned areas for quality checks and cleanliness controls in accordance to standards.

Coordinate, administer and complete administrative tasks as required.

REQUIREMENTS Education: Bachelor’s Degree preferred.

Experience: Minimum of five years as an Executive Housekeeper is required.

The individual must possess Housekeeping and Laundry Department management working knowledge, and experience, skills and abilities. Must be able to explain, demonstrate and perform all related job duties, functions, and responsibilities of Housekeeping and Laundry department operations.

QUALIFICATION STANDARDS Education High school or equivalent education required. Bachelor’s Degree preferred.

Experience Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a managerial position in the Housekeeping & Laundry Department.

Licenses or Certificates Executive Housekeeper Certification or time on the job equivalent as stated above required.

Essential Functions 1.Plans, organizes, directs and controls all housekeeping and laundry activities, maintains the high levels of cleanliness standards, orderly and attractive conditions on guest floors, public/common and employee areas.

Oversees, and implements working rules with proper execution to meet those standards.

2.Monitors and maintains a healthy and safe environment for owners, guests, employees, suppliers and vendors.

3.Conducts and keep records of goods received, housekeeping and laundry staff, inventories, cleaning projects, housekeeping checklists, and room inspections for guest rooms and public areas.

4.Familiarizes him /herself and carries out policies and procedures established by the Sands at Grace Bay. 5.Initiates and aides in effective communication within the department and other departments.

6.Carries out the following routine assignments as required.

(This list is not exhaustive) Salary start at $30, 000.00 commensurate with qualifications and experience NIGHT AUDITOR POSITION PURPOSE To maintain all necessary income reports and journals by accurately auditing the daily revenues of the hotel and it’s Outlets.

DAILY COMMUNICATIONS: 1.Reports directly to Financial Controller & Front Office Manager.

2.Interacts with front office, accounting, housekeeping and security staff, staff from other departments and Sands outlets as required.

3.Works closely with staff from the front office, accounts receivable, and front office supervisors and managers.

4.Coordinates and works closely with Front Office Manager and Sands Outlets regarding room posting requirements.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Oversees all daily and periodic audits of hotel revenues ensuring timeliness, accuracy and completeness.

•Distributes the work to the appropriate accounting personnel.

•Spreads all miscellaneous wash accounts.

•Researches all unpaid tickets and properly posts charges.

•Posts all Sands Outlet charges accordingly to the correct account/s.

•Prepares all necessary daily and period end reports.

•Maintains filing system for daily information; registration cards, credit cards, restaurant charges, etc.

•Prepares the daily sales report.

•Prepares the Maintenance work logs for arrival rooms.

•Sends weekly sales information to corporate office in a timely manner.

•Completes period end journals.

•Completes forecast accuracy report of rooms, guests and outlets.

•Prepares reports as requested for improved management decision making and critical evaluation of work activities.

•Creates 100% guest satisfaction by providing Hartling Group Service Culture hospitality and by exceeding guest expectations.

•Gives personal attention, takes personal responsibility and uses teamwork when providing guest service.

•Listens, apologizes with empathy, finds a solution and follows through when resolving guest problems.

•Assumes the responsibility to notice when the guest is not satisfied and uses their best judgment as to when it is appropriate.

•Performs check-in and check-out of hotel guests and owners.

•Performs other duties as required and requested by management.

SPECIFIC JOB KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, using some other combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities.

•Must be able to speak, read, write and understand the primary language(s) used in the workplace to facilitate the communication process.

•Requires good communication skills, both verbal and written.

•Must have prior front desk or auditor experience.

•Must possess basic computational ability.

QUALIFICATION STANDARDS Education Completion of High School or equivalent education preferred.

Experience Must have worked in hotels or other institution in a similar capacity.

Grooming Must maintain a neat, clean and well-groomed appearance per The Sands at Grace Bay standards.

Salary starts at $9.00 per hour HOUSEKEEPING SUPERVISOR Responsibilities: •Ensures maximum efficiency in the performance of Housekeeping staff in guest rooms and surrounding areas.

•Familiarizes him / herself with and carries out the policies and procedures of The Sands.

•Offers all possible assistance to guests, initiates corrective action on complaints regarding guest cleanliness and servicing of guest rooms.

•Evaluates and updates the Executive Housekeeper on the performance of Housekeeping staff. Recommends appropriate action such as commendation and/or discipline.

Requirements: •High school diploma or equivalent.

•Must have supervised a minimum of 10-15 employees.

•Most work tasks are performed indoors and outdoors. Temperature is moderate and controlled by hotel environmental systems.

•Must be able to stand and exert well-paced mobility for up to 3 hours in length.

•Must be able to lift up to 40 lbs. on a regular and continual basis.

•Must be able to push and/or pull carts and equipment weighing up to 200 lbs. on a regular and continual basis.

•Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space.

•Must be able to bend, stoop, squat and stretch to fulfill cleaning tasks.

•Must have minimum of 3 years supervisory experience in the Hotel/ Resort and/or Hospitality Industry.

•Must be able to speak, read, write and understand the primary language(s) used in the workplace.

•Must be able to read and write the primary language(s) to facilitate the communication process.

•Requires excellent communication skills, both verbal, written.

•Must possess basic computational ability and technological use of hotel PMS system, and Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook.

•Must work weekends and holidays.

•Must have reliable transportation to get to and from work.

•Must work PM shifts as business demands according to the operations policy.

Turks Island citizen’s only need to apply in person to Kitchandra McDonald, Assistant Human Resources Manager at The Sands Resort located on Grace Bay Road, Providenciales, the Turks and Caicos Labour Department, or e-mail: humanresource@thesandstc.com Resumes/CV’s must be in by December 08th, 2017.

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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The Sands is now accepting applications/résumé for the following positions. Only highly self-driven & motivated, personable and professional individuals, whom have the desire to serve others, need apply: CONCIERGE AGENT

RESERVATIONS SALES AGENT

Responsibilities: •Consistent and professional operation of the switchboard •Provide prompt, efficient, professional check in and check out •Accurately complete guest reservations as required •Accurately answer all guest inquiries •To be aware of all packages and special rates offered by the property •Have a good understanding of sister properties •Have a strong understanding of area and activities and services •Perform other tasks as assigned •Work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team •Maintain confidentiality of guest information and pertinent hotel data

Responsibilities:

Requirements: •High school diploma •Must have experience in the Hotel/Resort and/or Hospitality Industry a minimum of 1 to 3 years combined experience preferred •Two to Three years of hotel front office experience required.

•One to Two years of hotel concierge experience preferred but not mandatory.

•Visual One experience is highly preferred •Strong Grammar, Reading and Writing Skills •Must have exceptional Customer Service Skills and hospitality Telephone Etiquette •Must be able to speak, read, write and understand the primary language(s) used in the workplace •Must possess basic computational ability (basic mathematics, word, excel, outlook) •Excellent interpersonal and communication skills •Highly organized and motivated •Work well under pressure Salary start at $8.00 per hour commensurate with qualifications and experience MAINTENANCE TECHINICAN Responsibilities: •To skillfully and professionally perform all scheduled maintenance related jobs.

•Account for time spent on individual works and actively seek further tasks when assigned tasks are completed.

•To advise the Maintenance Manager/Maintenance Supervisor when parts or supplies need to be reordered.

•Perform weekly and monthly physical counts of all inventory stock and tooling and requirements.

•Other duties as deemed necessary by the Maintenance Manager/ Maintenance Supervisor Requirements: •High school or equivalent education required •Must have Minimum professional qualification/certification in Plumbing/Carpentry//Electrical/ Mechanical and A/C related trades.

•Must have minimum of two years hands- on experience working on minor electrical, painting, plumbing, carpentry and a/c

•Handle incoming reservations, utilize up selling and value-added techniques •Process advance deposits •Process all electronic and faxed requests •Perform job functions with attention to detail, speed and accuracy •Be able to prioritize and organize incoming and outgoing work flow •Be a clear thinker, remaining calm and resolving problems using good judgment •Follow directions thoroughly •Understand guest service and request needs •Work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team •Work with minimal supervision •Maintain confidentiality of guest information and pertinent hotel data Requirements: •High school diploma •Must have experience in the Hotel/Resort and/or Hospitality Industry •Visual One/Opera experience is highly preferred •Must be able to type more than 40 words per minute •Strong Grammar, Reading and Writing Skills •Must have great Customer Service Skills and telephone etiquette •Must be able to speak, read, write and understand the primary language(s) used in the workplace.

•Must possess basic computational ability (basic mathematics, word, excel, outlook) Salary start at $9.00 per hour DOMESTIC/WORKER* Applicants must have previous experience as a domestic work and cook. Must be comfortable and experienced around the care and walking of larger breed dogs and be willing to work 6 days a week including holidays and weekends.

Hours will need to be flexible in order to flex for evening service when required.

Nutritional food experience also an asset. Must have a willing, positive and personable attitude.

LINE POSITIONS HOUSEKEEPING ROOM ATTENDANT* HOUSEMAN*

LABOURER* GROUNDSMEN* FRONT DESK AGENT COMMON AREA ATTENDANT SECURITY OFFICER RESERVATIONS ADMINISTRATOR POOL & BEACH ATTENDANT Positions marked by asterisks are currently held by work permit persons. For the above line staff positions, Caribbean resort experience is an asset but not a requirement. Applicants must have a willing, positive and personable attitude, must be willing to work holidays and weekends as standard in the hospitality industry. Salary will commensurate with experience.

Salary start at $7.00 per hour

Turks Island citizen’s only need to apply in person to Kitchandra McDonald, Assistant Human Resources Manager at The Sands Resort located on Grace Bay Road, Providenciales, the Turks and Caicos Labour Department, or e-mail: humanresource@thesandstc.com Resumes/CV’s must be in by December 08th, 2017.

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DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

BUSINESS &

TECHNOLOGY

Apple to audit development Big Brother looms as processes after Mac bug discovered U.S. top court tackles cellphone dispute

Apple Inc said it would review its software development process a day after a researcher discovered a bug in a new version of its Mac operating system that could give hackers total control of vulnerable machines.

Apple said it released a patch to fix the bug on Wednesday morning and it would be automatically installed on vulnerable machines later in the day.

“We greatly regret this error and we apologize to all Mac users,” Apple said in a statement.

“Our customers deserve better.

We are auditing our development processes to help prevent this from happening again.”

To exploit the bug, a hacker would need to have physical access to a vulnerable Mac when a user is logged on to the computer. The attacker would then need to change settings on the computer to establish a “root” account, which they could later access.

FILE PHOTO - A guest points to a new MacBook Pro during an Apple media event in Cupertino, California, U.S.

Root accounts give users this release of Mac OS,” Apple complete control over a machine. said in its statement.

The U.S. and German Apple stock was down 2.6 governments issued alerts percent at $168.55 on Wednesday advising Mac users to install the during a broad selloff in tech patch. stocks.

Apple said its security The behavior in the engineers learned of the problem Mac operating system that on Tuesday afternoon and posted led to the bug’s discovery was the patch within 24 hours. described by developers on an

“Security is a top priority Apple forum as early as Nov. 13 for every Apple product, and as a workaround for problem regrettably we stumbled with accessing administrator accounts.

Facebook to eliminate transaction fees on donations on its platform

NEW YORK - Facebook to some causes, such as natural Inc has eliminated transaction disaster relief. fees on donations made to “When I started non-profit organizations on its Facebook, I wasn’t thinking platform, Chief Executive Mark about it as a way to raise money Zuckerberg said on Wednesday, to fight diseases, but a few years a change that could help the in, we noticed many people world’s largest social media were using it to raise money for network expand its presence in different causes,” Zuckerberg said at a Facebook event in New online fund raising.

Facebook had been York. charging a 5 percent transaction The new initiative fee on donations made to non- by Facebook comes at a time profits via its website or app. when the company has faced However, it will continue to rising criticism over Russian impose fees on fund raisers propaganda and fake news spreading on its established by individuals, stories including a payment processing platform during last year’s U.S. fee of 6.9 percent, plus 30 cents presidential election. per donation.

Zuckerberg in

Other online fund- September, in a Facebook post, raising sites charge transaction said he regretted saying after fees on donations of about 6-8 the presidential election that it was “crazy” to think that percent.

The social network is misinformation on Facebook also setting up a $50 million per changed the election’s outcome.

Last week, Facebook year Facebook Donations Fund to match givings on its platform said it would build a web page

to allow users to see which Russian propaganda accounts they have liked or followed, after U.S. lawmakers demanded that the social network be more open about the reach of the accounts.

In February, a petition signed by 42,000 people demanded that Facebook waive the fees it charges a charity for raising $1.5 million on its website.

Zuckerberg on Wednesday also said that Facebook is launching a software program, called Fundraisers API, that will allow users to sync their Facebook fund raisers with other fundraising pages.

The charges by other online fund-raising include Gofundme, at 7.9 percent, plus 30 cents per donation, in the United States; Kickstarter at 8 percent, plus 20 cents per donation; Indiegogo at 8 percent, plus 30 cents per donation.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Supreme Court justices signaled on Wednesday they may impose limits on the ability of police to obtain cellphone data from wireless providers to track the location of criminal suspects in a major test of privacy rights in the digital age.

During arguments in the closely watched case involving a convicted robber, several of the nine justices across the ideological spectrum indicated concern about the use of data revealing a suspect’s past locations, based on the cellphone towers that relayed calls, without a court-issued warrant.

Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor sounded the alarm about the increasing amount of data that the government can potentially obtain, noting that most Americans “want to avoid Big Brother,” referring to the symbolic all-seeing leader in George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984.”

“They want to avoid the concept that government will be able to see and locate you anywhere you are at any point in time,” Sotomayor said.

The court potentially could rule that the practice by law enforcement authorities of obtaining such data without a warrant amounts to an unreasonable search and seizure under the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment. A ruling is due by the end of June.

Such a ruling would have a significant effect on law enforcement agencies that routinely request and receive this data from wireless providers in multitudes of criminal investigations as they try to link suspects to crimes.

The justices heard an extended 80-minute argument in an appeal brought by a man named Timothy Carpenter, convicted in several armed robberies at Radio Shack and T-Mobile stores in Ohio and Michigan with the help of past cellphone location data that linked him to the crime scenes.

His American Civil Liberties Union lawyers have argued that without a warrant such data amounts to a Fourth Amendment violation.

The legal fight has raised questions about the degree to which companies protect customers’ privacy rights. The big four wireless carriers, Verizon Communications Inc, AT&T Inc, T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp, receive tens of thousands of these requests annually from law enforcement.

There is a possibility the court’s four liberal justices could form a majority with one or more of the five conservatives, potentially including Chief Justice John Roberts and the court’s newest member, Neil Gorsuch, who raised concerns from a property rights, rather than privacy rights, perspective.

The case was heard at a time of increasing concern among many Americans and lawmakers over surveillance practices of law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

Roberts mentioned a 2014 Supreme Court ruling he authored that required police in most instances to obtain a warrant to search a cellphone’s contents when its user is arrested. Roberts reiterated what he said then, that smartphones packed with data-rich applications are ubiquitous.

Uber’s third-quarter net loss widens to $1.46 billion

Uber Technologies Inc’s quarterly losses widened, a source familiar with the matter said, as the ride-hailing company wades through legal troubles and faces regulatory scrutiny across the globe.

The Silicon Valley-based company’s net loss increased to $1.46 billion in the third quarter from $1.06 billion in the previous quarter, the source said.

Quarterly net revenue rose 14 percent

to $2 billion and gross bookings increased 11.5 percent to $9.7 billion, on a sequential basis, the person said.

As a private company, Uber is not required to publicly report its financial results, but earlier this year it began offering a glimpse of its performance by disclosing certain numbers.

On Tuesday, a consortium led by SoftBank Group Corp launched a tender offer for shares of Uber. The Japanese company said some notable

early Uber investors including venture capital firms Benchmark, which owns 13 percent of Uber worth $9 billion, and Menlo planned to sell stock.

Uber has been hit by a series of scandals this year with the latest being a regulatory crackdown after disclosing that it paid hackers $100,000 to keep secret a massive breach last year that exposed personal data from around 57 million accounts.

The Financial Times had earlier reported Uber’s third quarter figures.

DECEMBER 2ND, 2017 – DECEMBER 9TH, 2017

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY WORLD NEWS

American Airlines working to fix glitch that left thousands of holiday flights without pilots

American Airlines is rushing to ensure ensure we get our customers to where that thousands of December flights they need to go over the holidays.” aren’t affected by a scheduling error American said it has reserve pilots to that left the nation’s largest carrier help cover the affected flights and the without enough pilots assigned to company is offering to pay pilots 150 percent of their hourly rate to pick up work during the busy holiday season.

As many as 15,000 flights between certain open trips.

Dec. 17 and the end of the year could The issue arose from a glitch in be affected by the issue, according American’s scheduling system that to the Allied Pilots Association, the allowed pilots to take time off by union representing more than 15,000 dropping assigned flights, even when American pilots. American did not there wasn’t another crew member confirm the number put forward by available to cover for them. Typically, the union or issue its own estimate on those requests would be denied if the number of affected flights. adequate staffing isn’t available.

“We are working diligently to address The airline didn’t specify the cause the issue and expect to avoid of the glitch, but described it as an cancellations this holiday season,” isolated incident.

“This is a potential crisis that the Fort Worth-based company said in a statement. “We will work with we see well in advance,” Capt. Dennis the APA to take care of our pilots and Tajer, a spokesman for the union, told

The Associated Press. “This is very “Everyone’s already freaking out,” unusual.” said Brett Snyder, author of the

The pilots’ union has filed a airline industry blog Cranky Flier grievance over American’s proposed and president of air travel assistance solution, the news agency reported, company Cranky Concierge. “There alleging that it violates the employees’ are a lot of things to worry about and labor contract by not including union stress you out over the holidays. I input and improperly restricting wouldn’t let this be one of them.” premium pay.

Snyder said American will be

The issue affects flights at motivated to prevent the scheduling about a dozen airports, including issues from disrupting any flights, DFW International Airport as well as especially after stating publicly airports in Boston, Miami, Charlotte, Wednesday that it expects to avoid Philadelphia, New York and Salt Lake cancellations.

“This kind of thing can City. The carrier operates about 6,700 flights per day. happen. They caught it and they’ve

The news caught travelers’ stopped it. Now they just have to fill attention on social media Wednesday in the blanks” in the schedule, he said. afternoon, prompting concerns about “We’ll be watching closely, but at this how their holiday plans would be point I’m just not that concerned.” affected.

U.S. jobless claims post second weekly decline

WASHINGTON - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell last week, dropping for a second straight week as labor market conditions tightened further.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits slipped 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 238,000 for the week ended Nov. 25, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Data for the prior week was revised to show 1,000 more applications received than previously reported.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims edging up to 240,000 in the latest week. The data included last Thursday’s Thanksgiving holiday. Claims tend be volatile around shifting holidays.

Last week marked the 143rd consecutive week that claims remained below the 300,000 threshold, which is associated with a strong labor market. That is the longest such stretch since 1970, when the labor market was smaller.

The labor market is near full employment, with the jobless rate at a 17-year low of 4.1 percent.

A Labor Department official said claims-taking procedures continued to be disrupted in the Virgin Islands, whose infrastructure was destroyed by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The four-week moving average of initial claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility,

increased 2,250 to 242,250 last week.

The claims report also showed the number of people still receiving benefits after an initial week of aid increased 42,000 to 1.96 million in the week ended Nov. 18.

The four-week moving average of the so-called continuing claims rose 18,250 to 1.91 million. The continuing claims data covered the week of the household survey from which November’s unemployment rate will be calculated.

Continuing claims increased 57,000 between the October and November survey periods suggesting little change in the unemployment rate this month.

Does Europe have what it takes to create the next Google?

LONDON - Europe is making major strides to eliminate barriers that have held back the region from developing tech firms that can compete on the scale of global giants Alphabet Inc’s Google, Amazon.com Inc or Tencent Holdings Inc, a report published on Thursday shows.

The region has thriving tech hubs in major cities, with record new funding, experienced entrepreneurs, a growing base of technical talent and an improving regulatory climate, according to a study by European venture firm Atomico.

While even the largest European tech ventures remain a fraction of the size of the biggest U.S. and Asian rivals, global music streaming leader Spotify of Sweden marks the rising ambition

Snapchat redesign splits friends from content feeds

of European entrepreneurs. Spotify is gearing up for a stock market flotation next year that could value it at upward of $20 billion.

“The probability that the next industry-defining company could come from Europe - and become one of the world’s most valuable companies - has never been higher,” said Tom Wehmeier, Atomico’s head of research, who authored the report.

Top venture capitalists and entrepreneurs in the region told Reuters they are increasingly confident that the next worldclass companies could emerge from Europe in fields including artificial intelligence, video gaming, music and messaging.

“What we still need to develop is entrepreneurs who have the drive to take it all the way - I

Snap Inc launched a redesign of its Snapchat app on Wednesday that centers on separating posts from a user’s social circle from those sent by publishers and content creators, seeking to simplify navigation and attract new users.

After what he said had been years of complaints that the app was difficult to understand or hard to use, Snap Chief Executive Evan Spiegel earlier this month announced Snapchat

The median size of European think we are starting to see that now,” said Bernard Liautaud, managing venture funds nearly tripled to partner at venture fund Balderton around 58 million euros ($68.7 Capital, who sold his software million) in 2017 compared with company Business Objects to SAP for five years ago, according to Invest Europe’s European Data Cooperative $6.8 billion a decade ago.

The Atomico report is being on fundraising investment activity.

Beyond the availability published in conjunction with the annual Nordic technology start-up of funding, Europe has a range of festival taking place in Helsinki this technical talent available to work week and set to draw some 20,000 more cheaply than in Silicon Valley, participants. enabling start-ups to get going with far less funding.

With a pool of professional STRONGER FUNDAMENTALS developers now numbering 5.5

Capital invested in European million, European tech employment tech companies is on track to reach a outpaces the comparable 4.4 record this year, with $19.1 billion in million employed in the United funding projected through the end States, according to data from of 2017 - up 33 percent over 2016, Stack Overflow, a site popular with according to investment tracking programmers. firm Dealroom.co.

would be redesigned.

Known for its messages that disappear seconds after they are read, Snapchat is wildly popular among millennials, but faces stiff competition from Facebook Inc and its photo-sharing app Instagram.

Since going public in March, Snap has repeatedly disappointed Wall Street and investors with slowing user growth and has been looking at ways to find new users and make them spend more time on its app.

Snap said the redesigned app would allow users to see chats and stories from their social circle by swiping left from the launch page, while swiping right will show posts from publishers and content creators. (bit.ly/2dhendY)

Spiegel has said Snap would build more tools to allow users to share content beyond their friends, the type of public broadcasting common on Instagram and Twitter.

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Gianni Ascani and Dane Ritchie Reappointed to the 2018 FIFA International Referees List

Members of theFIFA International Referees List are qualified to officiate at high-level International and Club games, including the World Cup Qualifiers and CONCACAF Champion League Games throughout Caribbean, Central American and North America. They are, in light of this, entitled to wear a FIFA badge on their uniform, which indicates the official category, for the year in which they listed.

Gianni Ascani was recentlyreappointed for his 4th consecutive term to the FIFA International Referees list, and likewise, Dane Ritchie was re-appointed Assistant Referee (AR) for his 2nd consecutive term.

“It gives me great pleasure to congratulate both Gianni and Dane on their reappointments to the FIFA International Referees List. I wish for them to continue to aim for excellence, as it is not an act but a habit. They both have my best wishes,” expressed Patrice Senior, TCIFA Executive Member and Head of Refereessaid.

Each FIFA Member Association’s Referee’s Committee can nominate maleand female officials to FIFA for selection. Nominated Referees are required to pass intense fitness tests consisting of a series of 40-meter sprints and an interval test consisting of 75-meter sprints and

2x12,5-meter recovery walks; whilstnominated ARs are required to pass fitness tests consisting of a CODA-drill, a series of 30-meter sprints and an interval test consisting of 75-meter sprints and 2x12, 5 meter recovery walks.

When asked how they felt about being reappointed to the FIFA International Referees List, Gianni had this to say: “ We would like to thank the TCIFA for its renewed trust in our abilities to represent it as referees internationally. We are looking forward to the new refereeing

opportunities in 2018. Refereeing at an international level is very challenging but also rewarding. We will continue to work hard to make sure we will be in great shape for those challenges.” Dane added, “I am elated to again be a part of such a prestigious institution as FIFA for another year as Assistant Referee. The past year was a great experience and the lessons from last year will definitely help make me a better AR. Thanks again to my colleagues, the Referee’s Committee, Head of Refereeing and the TCIFA Executive Committee

for their continued support. We will endeavor to make everyone proud. I’m looking forward to another year of better performances, both on and off the field. “

The President of the TCIFA Sonia Bien-Aime in congratulating the individuals on their re-appointment pointed out to the dedication and hard work expended by them. “The commitment and dedication by both Gianni and Dane has resulted in these continued re-appointments to this prestigious FIFA List. It is testimony to the work we are doing at the TCIFA to provide our Referees with the resources and tools to hone their craft.

Congratulations to them both and I am comforted that they will fly the country’s flag in a high fashion”

The TCIFA invites interested persons of all ages to take on the challenge of joining itsRefereeing Programme. The Association provides a range of opportunities to develop each person’s refereeing potential in an effort to inspire referees to want to be qualified for the international level.

Prior to 2016 referees had to be 25-45 years old to be eligible for the FIFA International Referees List. However, In 2014 FIFA announced that the maximum age restriction would be lifted, now allowing this prestigious opportunity to officials above 45 years.

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If Eli Manning’s days with the Giants are numbered, where might he land in 2018?

The New York Giants’ benching this week of Eli Manning, their two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, sparked outrage among Manning’s former teammates and many of the team’s fans.

It also may have marked the unofficial end of Manning’s tenure with the franchise that traded for him on draft day 2004 after Manning, his family and agent Tom Condon made it clear that he had no intention of playing in San Diego for the Chargers.

The Giants say Manning’s status with the team next season isn’t yet determined. After all, Giants coowners John Mara and Steve Tisch could part with Coach Ben McAdoo and General Manager Jerry Reese, and the new coach and GM might want to retain Manning even if they secure their quarterback of the future in next year’s NFL draft.

But it might be easier for everyone if Manning, who turns 37 in January, simply moves on. Emotions are running high and feelings clearly have been hurt. Manning declined the Giants’ offer to continue to start games and give way after halftime to Geno Smith or rookie Davis Webb. The Giants say they want to evaluate Smith and, especially, Webb during what remains of this season. They are likely to have a lofty first-round selection in a draft that is to be loaded with coveted quarterbacks.

The most likely destination for Manning, if he leaves the Giants, is Jacksonville, where the Jaguars have a very promising, young team and have

former Giants coach Tom Coughlin, who teamed with Manning for those two memorable Super Bowl triumphs over the New England Patriots, as their chief roster architect in their front office.

But there are other possibilities.

Here is a quick assessment of some of the teams that could be in contention to land Manning if he becomes available.

Jaguars … They would be the clear favorite, given Manning’s connection to Coughlin. Some within the sport were surprised that Jacksonville did not deal for Manning before this year’s trade deadline. The defense has been overpowering at times, and the young talent on the roster is impressive. Blake Bortles has not been the answer at quarterback, at least not consistently.

If the Jaguars win the AFC South and have a decent showing during the postseason, that might convince them to stay the course with Bortles and avoid a reunion between Manning and Coughlin. But anything short of that probably would leave open the possibility of Manning being brought in to attempt to elevate the team to true contender status.

Broncos … They won a Super Bowl with Peyton Manning at quarterback. Why not try to win another with his brother? The Broncos have tried Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch since Manning’s retirement, and none has staked a claim to the starting job.

Lynch was taken in the opening round of the 2016 draft, but he has been plagued by injuries and has yet to

Unstoppable Venus sets sights on 2020 Olympics

Evergreen American Venus Williams has dismissed any notion of announcing her retirement anytime soon, saying she is eager to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The 37-year-old had a successful year in the absence of her sister Serena through pregnancy, climbing to number five in the singles rankings after finishing runner-up at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the WTA Finals.

The seven-time grand slam winner has competed in five previous Olympics tournaments, starting in 2000, and has won three golds in the women’s doubles event with Serena and one gold in the singles competition.

“I have no plans of stopping soon,” Williams told American magazine Entrepreneur.

“It seems somehow that 2020 Tokyo is on the horizon. Isn’t that wild? I‘m trying to stick around for that.”

The Williams sisters along with ATP Tour veterans Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal have re-established their dominance at the top of the sport with Serena winning her 23rd grand slam title aged 35 at the 2017 Australian Open.

Spaniard Nadal, 31, reclaimed the men’s number one spot with six trophies this year, while 36-year-old Federer finished second after winning seven titles. The pair split the season’s four grand slams between them.

The sisters will resume their rivalry next season as Serena is expected to make a long-awaited return following the birth of her daughter in September.

show signs that he’s about to become a franchise quarterback. If the Broncos believe they have the elements of a championship contender still in place, especially on defense, executive John Elway might be tempted to add Eli Manning for another Super Bowl push.

Bills … Coach Sean McDermott’s brief and ill-fated switch to rookie quarterback Nathan Peterman underscored his lack of trust in Tyrod Taylor as his starter. The Bills clearly have many pieces of a playoff team in place. They remain in the AFC wildcard chase even with their quarterback situation in flux. Perhaps they would regard Manning as the right quarterback to get them back into the postseason and potentially even challenge the Patriots in the AFC East.

Jets … Manning’s popularity in New York was reinforced by the outcry over his benching and the Giants’ handling of the matter. The other New Yorkarea franchise, the one that must share a stadium with the Giants and must endure the notion that it is the city’s junior varsity NFL team, might be well served to tap into that popularity.

The Jets clearly need to start over at quarterback and bring in a youngster taken early in next year’s NFL draft.

But that doesn’t mean that Manning couldn’t come along also and serve as the caretaker of the position until the youngster is ready to play.

Cardinals … They could move on from the now-injured Carson Palmer, and it seems unlikely that they would want to go into next season with Drew Stanton or Blaine Gabbert

Eli Manning faces an uncertain future in N.Y. Where could he end up next season? as the starter. There will be other options on the quarterback market.

But if they don’t land one of those other quarterbacks, the Cardinals might be comfortable with Manning’s experience and steadying influence.

Dolphins … Ryan Tannehill will return from this season’s knee injury. But if the Dolphins are not confident in the soundness of Tannehill’s knee, it might make sense for them to consider Manning.

Spending another season relying on Jay Cutler and Matt Moore does not sound particularly comforting.

Redskins … Crazy, right?

Maybe. But what if Kirk Cousins exits? The Redskins won’t have a pick at the top of the draft and might be left needing a temporary solution.

They once made a bid to sign Peyton Manning, even when they were about to draft Robert Griffin III. That failed.

But they could allow Manning to finish his career in the NFC East — and face the Giants twice per season.

Five takeaways from the Lakers’ 127-123 loss to the Golden State Warriors

Coming off a loss to the Sacramento Kings, it would seem like the Warriors would be hyperfocused and ready to get the taste of losing out of their mouths.

But that wasn’t quite the case Wednesday night.

The Warriors weren’t totally healthy. Point guard Stephen Curry was still experiencing a great deal of pain from a finger injury, so much so that he apparently consulted Kobe Bryant about how to play The Lakers’ Brandon Ingram, left, and the Warriors’ Jordan Bell vie for a through with it. But Golden loose ball State also wasn’t mentally ready. every day. He scored a career- Walton knew the Warriors were Warriors coach Steve Kerr said high 32 points and as regulation struggling with ball security, so before the game that he doesn’t expired, Walton trusted him to he wanted to exploit that. need a Finals-level intensity take the final shot. “It means a 3. Several Lakers players right now, but he does need better lot,” Ingram said, when asked were asked post-game whether focus than he’s getting. about Walton’s confidence in him. they felt Curry would get hot soon.

It was harder than “Something we work on in practice He made only one of seven threeperhaps expected, but Golden a little bit. Just the confidence in point attempts in regulation State avoided its seventh loss me for him to just let me drive and scored 15 points. In the of the season. Here are five to the basket and do something five-minute overtime period, takeaways from the Lakers’ 127- that’s been working a lot the Curry made two three-pointers 123 loss to the Warriors. whole game.” and scored 13 more points. The

1. Lakers coach Luke 2. The Lakers committed players’ didn’t concede that Curry Walton’s confidence in Brandon a lot of turnovers, but the Warriors would eventually start making Ingram is growing. Walton said committed more — and allowed his shots; rather, they focused he could see that Ingram was many more points off them. The on defensive mistakes they’d especially “locked in.” Ingram Lakers scored 19 points off the made that could have prevented agreed, but then said he tried to Warriors’ 22 turnovers. That was Curry’s shooting from improving. bring the same level of focus to part of the game plan.

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WORLD SPORTS

Defining the six most important NBA teams this season not named the Warriors

The Warriors are what they are.

They’re the best team in the league, the defending champion and executives for teams that are thriving still put them in a separate category. The Warriors lose when they rest players or don’t invest themselves, but they romp the rest of the time. They have the luxury of controlling their fate to an absurd degree.

The fervor over them has also chilled. Stephen Curry is having what may be his best season in terms of the complete nature of his game, but he’s not dropping absurd numbers of 3-pointers.

Their performance marks are great, excellent, near the top of the league, but not historic. They’re a great team, the best team.

But in the regular season?

They’re not really important. Important means we need to talk about them. They need to be discussed. Their highs and lows mean something to the greater NBA conversation. These teams aren’t the best teams. But they are the most important teams, right now.

1. Boston Celtics

The Celtics are a terrific story, a fascinating puzzle and an entrenched maze of narratives concocted by local and national media.

Let’s start with what the Celtics are.

They are: •A defensive juggernaut whose defensive rating (98.3) ranks as the best in the league •A well-distributed offense that gets everyone involved and isn’t truly reliant upon any particular player.

•The clutchiest-clutch-timing team that ever clutched; 15 of their 21 games have been within five points in the final five minutes, with a record of 11-4, and nine of their games have been within three points inside the final two minutes, with a 7-2 record.

Here’s what they are not: •A good offensive team; Boston is 16th in offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) and has been as low as 21st.

•A team featuring a mind-bending superstar MVP in Kyrie Irving. But while Irving has been good, way better defensively than expected, fantastic in the clutch, and a great leader, his actual production has mirrored or come in slightly behind that of his year last season with a much smaller role on the Cavs -- he’s started to turn it on in the last two weeks but he’s been at standard-star-guard level.

•Beating up on bad teams; despite the eighth-easiest strength of schedule, they have wins over the Warriors, Spurs, Thunder and Raptors.

Boston’s formula is sound, if a bit confusing. They’re a young team that suffocates opponents with defense, which is usually a problem for inexperienced players. The Celtics typically go into the half down. They’ve trailed at half in 12 of their 22 games, yet they are 8-4 in those contests. Boston hits teams with devastating third quarters; it has outscored teams by 119 points in the third quarter, good for second-best in the league.

Struggle early, keep it within range with defense, go on a massive third-quarter run then close close games with Irving’s special clutch scoring and great defense. The question is whether this is sustainable, or if their penchant for living on the edge with close games, which can be so sensitive to individual sequences, will result in a regression.

What’s maybe most promising is Irving’s defense, as he leads the Celtics

in deflections with 55. It’s evident that he’s engaged defensively. Here, on a scrambled play off an offensive rebound, which are super dangerous, Irving swipes at the ball while running out to cover the perimeter shooter. The deflection causes the turnover. On the same sequence, Aron Baynes runs off a corner shooter then recovers low and the weakside guys clog the lanes.

The Celtics are disciplined and working harder than any team in the league right now. They have a great closer in Irving, and Al Horford has been their MVP. There’s a lot going their way, which has given them a huge lead out in front of the Eastern Conference (already 3.5 games up on second-place Detroit, even after the Pistons’ win Monday night). The reality is that even if Boston comes back to Earth for a significant stretch of time, it’s going to remain in contention for home court in the first two rounds at least, barring a disaster.

2. Houston Rockets

The Rockets lost Chris Paul in the first game of the season, but it turns out the vision that their front office had for how to reconstruct this team after such a successful year in 2016-17 worked out pretty well anyway through the first month of the season. Houston sports the second-best offense in the league, and the seventh-best defense, with the second-best point differential (per-100 possessions) behind Golden State

Put quite simply, the Rockets are a machine.

James Harden leads the league in both points and assists per game, and leading the team with the best record in the West. He’s been the leader for MVP so far. There’s a lot of interesting stuff happening under the hood, too.

Now, Paul’s only been back for a handful of games, and in most of that he’s played with Harden, so those “Paul without Harden” numbers are a little out of wack. Still, it is eye-opening that the Rockets are so good, with Paul having the most assists through five games of any Rocket in history, and yet the combo of them together had a negative net rating until just this week. It’s especially weird because of the defense when the Rockets’ D has been surprisingly stout. It’s shifted a full ten points this week, which shows they’re getting it together.

Again, the sample sizes on these things are small, so take it with a grain of salt, but bear in mind this reflects the general trend. The Rockets have been five points better with Capela on the bench defensively overall.

This will probably turn around; Capela’s a good player, a great defender and an awesome finisher on lobs, which opens up a lot for Houston. A source close to the team said there wasn’t any concern within the team about these figures this early in the season when it comes to Capela, and like the Paul-Harden trends, their net rating with those three together went from a negative to a positive this week. What’s maybe more important than how they are with Capela is how they are with P.J. Tucker at center, aka the “TuckWagon” lineups.

Lineups with Tucker on the floor that do not feature one of the Rockets’ bigs sport a 99.6 defensive rating, and a 112.4 offensive rating for a plus-12.8 net. They destroyteams. Whether that holds is dubious, but it is fascinating that the Rockets get better defensively by going ultra-small.

Oh, and here’s something to terrify you. The Rockets are now having Harden come up off screens for catch-and-shoot off CP3 passes before Paul’s even over half-court: Good luck with that.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers The Cavaliers, unlike the two teams above

them, are not here because of their success, but because of their relative struggles and how they are trying to find their way out of them. The Cavs wound up spiraling out of the gate; they and the Celtics had inverse seasons for a while.

They were so bad defensively for the first four weeks of the season that despite being fourth in defensive rating over their last nine games -- a nine-game win streak -- they remain ranked 25th in points allowed per 100 possessions.

They were 30th going into Monday’s game vs.

Philadelphia.

There’s a whole swirling vortex of stuff to try and figure out with Cleveland. A sampling: •The Cavs are way better defensively when Dwyane Wade is on the floor. I looked at pairings and combinations and seriously, Wade’s presence has helped every rotation player defensively. Every single player has a better defensive rating, often by more than 10 points allowed per 100 possessions, with Wade on the court.

•It is almost impossible to understate how much Derrick Rose not playing has helped Cleveland, on both ends of the floor.

•LeBron James is putting up career numbers, and his career sets kind of a high bar.

•Meanwhile, Rose is “away from the team” indefinitely and pondering his basketball future, according to reports.

•James is still dropping vague, weird Instagram posts, this time the “Arthur” meme.

•Cleveland is still one of the best offensive teams in the league, and now just a halfgame back of Detroit for the second spot in the East.

The Cavs have been important because when they look bad, they feel like a team on the brink of separating and falling completely apart. When they bring it together, you’re constantly reminded how good James is and how he makes every player on the floor with him better.

Are they going to try and make a big trade to get back into the serious arms race?

Can the defense keep it together? Can James keep managing this workload at age 33 which he turns next month? Most people expect the Cavs to be there at season’s end, but things are a lot more temperamental than they’re made out to be. They can be great, they can implode, and waiting for both is a day by day experience.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder This is the worst good team ever.

OKC has the eighth-best net rating in the league, which is point differential per 100 possessions. That’s a much better indicator of team strength than record. By quarter in net rating the Thunder rank: 1st quarter: 2nd 2nd quarter: 8th 3rd quarter: 24th 4th quarter: 25th

They have beaten the Warriors, the surprisingly good Pacers and the Bucks. Yet, they are 8-13 on the season. Moreover, I detailed their crunch time woes early, and that trend has only continued. They are now 1-9 in games inside five points in the final five minutes, and remarkably, 0-7 in games inside three points in the final two minutes. Teams should be able to accidentally stumble into a win somewhere in games that close.

It’s been a circus show of errors.

OKC’s defense explodes when games get tight.

The Thunder sport a 138.7 defensive rating in games within five points in the final five minutes.

That’s not much worse than the second-worse team (Atlanta) but it is over 30 points worse than the 15th-ranked team in Houston.

So a lot has gone against them, despite their being very good. The offense, however, is an issue. Only Paul George and Carmelo Anthony are shooting over 37 percent from 3-point range, and Patrick Patterson has struggled. Russell Westbrook is shooting 40

percent from the field and 30 percent from 3, averaging nearly five turnovers per game. He’s been bad. And yet, the Thunder should be better. OKC has the widest margin between its win percentage and expected Pythagorean win percentage of any team in the league, and that gap is nearly twice that of the seconnd-worst team in that department, Toronto.

The Thunder should be better than they are. They likely will improve in terms of win record if they keep playing this way. But the frustration is evident, and with George’s free agency looming, there’s just a lot to wonder about with this team. If they get it together, watch out. If they don’t, the drama’s only going to improve.

5. Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia’s relevant! In a really big way! This is super exciting.

Now, as Brad Botkin breaks down in his latest NBA Star Index, a lot of Ben Simmons’ numbers are dependent on the players around him. But what’s made this team so important early on is how good they are when he is surrounded by those weapons.

The Sixers’ starting lineup of Simmons, J.J Redick, Dario Saric, Robert Covington and Joel Embiid boasts a 112 offensive rating, a 91.8 defensive rating and a net rating of plus-20.4 points per 100 possessions. They absolutely vanquish opponents.

Here’s what’s important about the Sixers. They have a formula for success that means not only that they can improve from now until the playoffs, but that they legitimately pose a playoff threat. You get to see this team coming into its own, and in a postseason series, they have what you need. They can defend, they can spread the floor and they have the star power to make plays and punish mismatches.

If you go small vs. Embiid, you will be punished into oblivion. If you give Simmons space, he’ll tear you apart with passing. If you send the double, they have shooters to hurt you. The Sixers are good now. But pay close attention, there’s a real chance this team makes a postseason run, and because they’re young, there’s a good chance their playoff seed will be lower than how dangerous they are.

6. Los Angeles Lakers

I thought the Lakers were going to be completely awful coming into the season, especially after their preseason. Then they got off to a good start, and maybe I was too hasty.

Oh, but no, they are 4-8 since starting 5-5 and have fallen to 28th in offense and while they are still seventh in defense, they’re slowly starting to fall back in that area as well.

But really, let’s be honest, what’s important about them is Lonzo Ball. This is despite how well Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and Julius Randle have played. Ball is the story.

He’s putting up historic assist numbers, no matter how generous some of them might be. His rebounding has been legitimately terrific; he has a nose for the ball very few do at his age. He is quite literally one of the absolute worst shooting rookie guards we’ve ever seen, but there’s still reason to think he can outgrow that. He’s hurt to some degree by how the team has designed absolutely everything around him.

They are better when he just tries to be a part of the offense. His father is a distraction, but not too much of one yet.

The other reason this team is so important? They’re 8-13, but the general feeling about this team is that they are surging as a franchise. There’s optimism. And that bleeds into this summer, when, of course, George will be a free agent. The Lakers can lose, that’s fine, but there has to be a sense that they are going somewhere. That will be a tough test, keeping up that feeling for the next five months, regardless of their record, which it looks like will be pretty bad.

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