VOLUME 9 ISSUE 7

FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

Website: www.suntci.com

VOLUME 9 - No. 7

Email: sun@suntci.com

Tel: 649-946-8542

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Fax: 649-941-3281

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CRIME UNDER CONTROL

Police say robberies are down and detection rate is good

BY VIVIAN TYSON

R

obberies in the Turks & Caicos Islands have tumbled by a whopping 61 percent, which the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force said it owes to greater visibility by its members on the streets and hot at spot areas.

The drop in robberies played a pivotal role in the overall reduction of crimes in the TCI by 10 percent in 2012, when compared with the same period of 2011.

Between the period January 1 to December 31, 2012, 45 robberies were reportedly committed in all of the country, which is 70 less than that of 2011, when 115 of that crime was reported to have been committed. A total of 146 robberies were committed in 2010. There was a 21 percent drop in robberies in 2011, in comparison to 2010, when 146 were reportedly committed.

Crimes against tourists for 2012, when compared with the calendar period of 2011, also plummeted. In 2011, 69 crimes were reported against tourists, while in 2012, the number dropped to 23. Crimes committed by tourists during 2012 held firm in comparison to the corresponding period of 2011, with one each.

Providenciales continues to take the lion’s share in robberies and other crimes. According to the police, 42 of the 45 crimes reported in 2012, took place on Providenciales, while the country’s capital Grand Turk snared the remaining three.

The police noted that despite a sharp decrease over 2111, guns, in 2012, continued to be the robbery weapon of choice for the criminals, with 19 in 2012. Five were reported to have been carried out by knives; one was committed with a broken bottle; while a piece of wood was used as the stick-up tool during one of the incidents. The police said that there were 63 fewer gun crimes in 2012.

In 2011, of the 146 robberies reported in the TCI, Providenciales recorded 141 and Grand Turk 5. 125 of those robberies were used with guns; 22 were carried out with machetes; CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

Premier Hon. Dr Rufus Ewing was exceptionally well-received when he attended the 24th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM which was held in Haiti from February 18th to 20th, 2013.

In his maiden speech to a CARICOM Heads of Government meeting, Dr. Ewing asked regional leaders to support Turks and Caicos Islands cries for removal of the spectre of colonial influences of the past, as “we

fight for our rights on our journey towards true self governance and self determination”.

In addition to getting acquainted with Caribbean leaders, Dr. Ewing also got the opportunity to meet Attorney General of the United States, Eric Holder.

Premier Ewing (right) also met with President of Haiti Michel Martelly (left), whose country and citizens share a very special bond with the Turks and Caicos Islands.

LOCAL MERCHANTS REFUSING AMERICAN EXPRESS CARDS PAGE 7

PUBLIC SERVANTS 10 PERCENT SALARY REINSTATED PAGE 8

SIPT LOOKING TO MOVE SOON PAGE 9

FOUR YOUNG ROBBERS GUILTY OF ATTEMPTED MURDER PAGE 12

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LOCAL NEWS

President Obama: The Man Unveiled

BY SIR RONALD SANDERS

The speech may have been directed to a domestic United States audience, but in its boldness, its frankness and its inspirational quality, it was a speech to the citizens of the world.

In the inauguration speech on January 21 marking his second term as President of the United States, Barack Obama returned to the liberal thinking that summoned people to his support and marked him out as a leader who could take the entire world to a higher place than the religious intolerance, racial bigotry, international suspicion, and discrimination against vulnerable groups in which it has languished.

Many people all over the world dare to hope again that he will make a difference this time around.

He is the ďŹ rst President to identify discrimination against homosexuals and lesbians as an infringement of their rights and a wrong that cries out for correction. “Our journey is not completeâ€?, he declared. “until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law, for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal, as wellâ€?.

Obama made this statement against the background of the fundamental rights set out in the US Constitution and the famous speeches of American Civil Rights hero, Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Recalling that all Americas claim to subscribe to the self-evident truth that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, and among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, he emphasised that “history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they’ve never been self-executing. That while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by his people here on earth�.

There could be no clearer call to action for an end to discrimination against gays and lesbians who also have a right to live in peace and to contribute to their society. It is a call that requires to be heard in every country of the world where people suffer intolerable abuse everyday because of their sexual preference.

He also identiďŹ ed discrimination against women as an offence that must end. In one remarkable sentence, he summed it up. “We are true to our creedâ€?, he said, “when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal

not just in the eyes of God but also in our own�.

He said “a little girl� drawing particular attention to discrimination against women. Such discrimination exists in work places where women are paid less than men for doing the same job, where women are denied promotion because they are also mothers. But, the discrimination is worse in some countries where girls and women are raped with impunity; where they suffer genital mutilation, and where laws still exist that make them culprits even though they are victims.

Obama spoke up for women not only in America, but all over the world. As he moves in this second term to address that scourge on humanity, hopefully the tide he creates will drift to other shores and lift other leaders and societies to enlightenment.

And, he made a signiďŹ cant point about the balancing of spending by governments on developing young people and protecting the elderly. “We reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its futureâ€?. This is a balance that confronts not only the United States, but every country in Europe, Japan and increasingly the nations of the developing world. There is great appeal in Obama’s ministry that “we recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us at any time may face a job loss or a sudden illness or a home swept away in a terrible storm.

The commitments do not sap our initiative. They strengthen us�.

Despite controversy in the US over Climate Change, Obama also returned to it in this speech.

Just two months before, Hurricane Sandy had killed more than 100 people, destroyed whole communities in coastal New York and New Jersey, left tens of thousands homeless, crippled mass transit, triggered paralyzing gas shortages, inicted billions of dollars in infrastructure damage and cut power to more than 8 million homes.

It had left a similar path of destruction in many Caribbean countries, and future storms will do so again. It was a welcome relief to hear President Obama say, “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.

Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging ďŹ res, and crippling drought, and more powerful stormsâ€?. Amen and a sigh of relief to that. Perhaps, the world can now look forward to the US taking a meaningful leadership role at

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

Climate Change conferences where, in the past, it has retarded progress on this deadly issue.

The Obama before his ďŹ rst Presidency had argued for more international cooperation and less unilateralist action by the US in addressing global conicts. Throughout his ďŹ rst Presidency the use of drones under his personal command has been a blot on his tenure. Many innocent people, including children, have been the “collateral damageâ€? of those drone excursions. But Obama knows that better than anyone else. The greyness of his hair and the lines in his face tell their own story of the anguish that any President must face in the tough decisions he makes, but especially this man whose stated instincts are for cooperation and peace, not confrontation and war. He encouraged the hopeful, the peacemakers, and the well-thinkers around the world when he declared: “We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully. Not because we are naive about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fearâ€?.

If Obama intends to claim an enduring place in the minds of all mankind as much as in the annals of history, he must push in this second term to be the man he so convincingly unveiled in this rousing speech. In this, he will have great support.

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FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

Local merchants refusing American Express cards

BY VIVIAN TYSON

A

number of Restaurants and some resorts in the Turks and Caicos Islands are not accepting American Express credit cards from clients holding those instruments due to collection problems came about from a new tax legislation passed by the United States government.

The SUN understands that due to new tax legislation introduced in the US, American Express is making a 28 percent US Federal Income Tax withholding (deduction) against any remittances to non-US based organizations unless the correct documentation (attached) is submitted to American Express, this would allow them to certify that the merchant is not subject to US tax.

Many merchants in TCI have temporarily stopped taking American Express cards due to these deductions, while they complete proper paperwork for submission. American Express is informing merchants that they cannot refund the tax deductions directly and that they have to claim back these deductions directly from the US IRS. A number of local businesses complained that they were having problems obtaining monies from the accounts of clients who tendered American Express Card during transactions. As a result, a number

of visitors, who arrived in the Turks and Caicos Islands and offered the card for transaction are being turned away and as a result, forced to make alternative transactions.

When contacted, Executive for the Hotel and Tourists Association Stacy Cox, said that American Express representatives were in the country sorting out the kinks in the matter, and expressed the hope that before leaving, local businesses would get a better understanding on how to approach the matter going forward.

It is not clear the reason for the passing of the new legislation. But the United States government stated that the businesses must submit the W-8BEN form in order to claim an exemption from the U.S. domestic information reporting and backup withholding. United States citizens, even if they live outside of that jurisdiction are not required to use the form.

Instruction from the United States Government on the matter stated: “If you receive certain types of income, you must provide Form W-8BEN to establish you are not a U.S. person. A withholding agent or payer of the income may rely on a properly completed Form W-8BEN to treat a payment associated with the Form W-8BEN as a payment to a foreign person who beneficially owns the amounts paid.

PROJECTS CONSULTANT

This position is responsible for the management of Corporate Property and Liability Insurance Programmes and Civil Construction Projects.

MAIN DUTIES • Gather and compile the various data required for the insurance renewal process.

• Manage the claims process as relates to Corporate Property and Liability Insurance Programmes of the Company.

• Work with Architects and Engineers in the development of building plans for Civil Construction Projects.

• Manage the tendering and selection process for various projects.

• Responsible to see that construction of civil assets is completed in a safe, efficient and effective manner.

• Responsible to see that projects are completed within budget and on time; manage the forecasting and payment for various projects.

• Responsible to see that all construction activity is performed consistent with best practice concerning quality, safety and environment.

• Responsible to see that statistical records required by the company are kept with respect to building projects and building maintenance.

• Develop and maintain reports that will keep senior management updated with the progress of construction projects.

• Other duties as may be assigned by the President & CEO. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: • Degree in Electrical, Civil or Mechanical Technology or equivalent.

• Experience in power plant operation and construction (minimum 10 years) • Minimum 20 years’ experience in the construction management field.

• Senior management experience is required (minimum 10 years) • Self-Motivated.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Excellent team player and team building skills.

• Ability to deliver to strict deadlines.

COMPENSATION Deadline for submission of applications is March 7, 2013 to: Director, Human Resources FortisTCI Limited P. O. Box 132, Providenciales Email address: hrapplications@ppcltd.tc fax: 649-941-4304

STAFF VACANCY  FINANCE AND BUSINESS PLANNING ANALYST Applications are invited from interested and suitably qualified individuals for the position of Finance and Business Planning Analyst, FortisTCI, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.

DESCRIPTION Responsible to primarily coordinate the organization’s financial planning, budgeting, reporting, cost control and analysis (including management reporting, presentations, capital planning, investment analysis, project reviews, financial modeling and ad hoc financial analysis) while strictly adhering to disciplined financial and strategic objectives.

MAIN DUTIES • Serves as Project Leader in FortisTCI transition from IFRS to US GAAP • Oversees and assists in the continued preparation and development of Budgets (5-Year Business Plan), produces Monthly Management Rolling Forecasts and monitors implementation.

• Drives performance improvements through financial analysis and comprehensive understanding of financial transactions.

• Monitors performance indicators, highlighting trends and analyzing causes of unexpected variances in all areas of revenues, expenses and capital.

• Ensures that all corporate policy changes are incorporated in the accounting process according to the guidelines set.

• Performs contract management including due diligence of proposed and completed projects.

• Analyzes complex financial information and reports to provide accurate and timely financial recommendations to management for decision making purposes.

• Provides major support in financial reporting as regards compliance with prevailing accounting standards, as applicable, and provides advice on complex technical accounting issues.

• Oversees the preparation of financial statements for submission to external auditors and to Fortis Inc. • Performs quality assurance review of all financial information before submission to internal and external stakeholders and responsible for all consolidated reports of FortisTCI and AEP. • Monitors costs of capital and operational projects and identifies and investigates non-compliance with contracts and business plan including fraud related allegations.

• Develop and build mathematical and financial models for quantitative analysis and financial reporting.

• Actively provides key support in ongoing regulatory review process and regulatory reporting.

• Works directly with independent consultants as regards the Company’s Annual Rate Review process.

• Develops and executes improvement plans on the financial reporting process including updating the Finance Operations Manual for new processes.

• Provides support in contract reviews and contract management using investment decision tools and methodologies.

• Ad-Hoc Reporting and Financial Analysis ACADEMIC/TECHNICAL/MANAGEMENT: EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS: • Must be a Bachelor of Science with a degree or major in Accountancy or a Master’s Degree equivalent.

• Must be a CPA or CA or ACCA and CMA. Master’s degree, and CFA a plus.

• Must possess 5-10 years’ experience in regulatory accounting and finance under US GAAP. • Extensive experience from the big 4 auditing firm a plus.

CORE COMPETENCY SKILLS: • Must possess a strong general utility and regulatory accounting background.

• Must possess excellent team playing and leadership abilities • Demonstrates strong analytical skills with a high level of competence and proficiency in financial analysis; business analysis; planning; and financial, business and econometric modeling and auditing.

• Must possess strong inter-personal, organizational, multi-tasking and written and oral communication skills.

• Must possess high level of professional excellence characterized by sound judgment skills, and drive for results.

• Must possess the ability to ability to develop, monitor and maintain management information • Systems and procedures.

• Must possess excellent working knowledge of MS Office software programs, including MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and various databases.

• Working knowledge of Bellamy software and other ERP systems a plus COMPENSATION Salary: based on qualifications and ability Deadline for submission of applications is March 8, 2013.

Kindly submit applications stating qualifications and work experience to: Judy V. Missick Director, Human Resources FortisTCI Limited P. O. Box 132, Providenciales Email address: hrapplications@ppcltd.tc OR jmissick@fortistci.com OR by fax: 649-946-4532

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FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

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LOCAL NEWS

Public servants 10 percent to be restored from month-end T

he Turks and Caicos Island Government (TCIG) has confirmed that come month end, Public Servants and members of the TCI Police Force will see the reinstatement of the 10 per cent salary in their pay packets.

The 10 per cent reinstatement which took effect on February 1, 2013, will be paid to those eligible public officers and police officers whose salaries were cut in 2010 as part of the Interim Government’ cost cutting exercise.

The reinstatement is the first phase of a comprehensive review of government salaries and the re-

muneration system and a commitment by TCIG to implementing the recommendations of the 2012/2013 Pay and Grading Review.

The Review is designed to make the pay structure of public servants more equitable, reflect the major differences in responsibility and skill levels, promote fairness and provide a structured and transparent system for remuneration.

Starting with the 10 per cent reinstatement, it is the intention of government to implement the new pay and grading structure in the 2014/2015 financial year or sooner, pending the country’s financial situation at the end of the second quarter of this year.

Beneficiaries include officers who are appointed on a T-scale, TNFscale or Police Scale. Officers who were transferred into government

The Gift Shop Department requires: The Weddings Department requires: 9 Shop Attendant 9 Weddings Coordinator Requirements include but are not limited to: ŏ Two years sales experience a must ŏ Ability to meet sales targets and quotas The rate for the position listed above is $5.00 to $6.00 an hour.

The Weddings Department requires: 9 Weddings Manager

Requirements include but are not limited to: ŏ Proven sales track record in Weddings exceeding sales targets ŏ Ability to up and cross sell ŏ Over 3 years managing a wedding portfolio The rate for the position listed above is $6.00 to $7.50 an hour.

Island Routes requires: Requirements include but are not limited to: 9 Senior Tour Specialist ŏ Experience managing multiple Requirements include but are not wedding retail outlets(Manager) limited to: ŏ Proven sales track record in Weddings ŏ Must be service driven with excellent exceeding sales targets customer service skills ŏ Ability to up and cross sell ŏ Excellent Organizational Skills The Human Resources Department ŏ Ability to communicate effectively requires: verbally and written 9 Assistant Training Manager Requirements include but are not limited to: ŏ Qualified to teach English Butler Program to certification ŏ Knowledge of Food and beverage, Front office, Concierge (this is not exhaustive) ŏ Ability to design training programs ŏ Over 3 years managing a wedding portfolio The salary for the positions listed above is $25,000.00 to $35,000.00 per annum

Engineering Department requires: 9 Assistant Manager Requirements include but are not limited to: ŏ Experience in managing a team large of technicians ŏ Knowledgeable of in related fields both in theory and practical The salary for this positions listed above is negotiable

Deputy Governor Hon. Anya Williams from a statutory body will also benefit from the 10 per cent reinstatement if there is evidence that they were subject to the 10 per cent cut.

Allowances will also be reinstated to the levels prior to the reduction.

Newly appointed officers, officers appointed with a salary outside of the current scales and those

Laundry Department requires: 9 Assistant Laundry Manager

whose jobs were recently upgraded and filled such as Heads of Secretariat, Personal Assistants and those employed to the Tax and Radar Units are not eligible for the 10 percent reinstatement.

Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service Hon Anya Williams noted: “Earlier this month my team and I, along with the Hon. Premier and Minister of Finance met with the civil service to discuss the recommendations of the Pay and Grading Review, which is critical in bringing about much needed change in the civil service.

“The new structure will not only address many of the anomalies that currently exist in Government, but will seek to adequately compensate staff for their work and will assist in attracting more qualified persons to the civil service going forward.

This coupled with a new Public Service Ordinance and innovative training and mentoring programs will help to revolutionize the civil service and will help to make the civil service a model employer of choice,” the Deputy Governor continued.

Officers will not receive retroactive payments. The 10 per cent reinstatement is expected to add around $4.5 million to the annual wage bill.

limited to: ŏ Experience in controlling cost example fuel, electricity, water. ŏ Experience in controlling a multimillion dollar portfolio ŏ Ability to cover day and night shifts The rate for the position listed above is $9.00 to $12.00 an hour.

Requirements include but are not limited to: ŏ Physically fit ŏ Previous experience in commercial Laundry an assist The salary for the position listed above is $15,000.00 to $20,000.00 per annum.

The Accounts Department requires:

Watersports/ Catamaran Department Requires: 9 Lifeguard Requirements include but are not limited to: ŏ Ability to Swim ŏ First aid/ CPR Certification The rate for the position listed above is $5.00 to $6.00 an hour.

The Soon Come Back requires: 9Soon Come Back Liaison Requirements include but are not limited to: ŏ Knowledge of rooms and categories ŏ Ability to up sell ŏ Ability to meet sales target ŏ Manage the loyalty portfolio The hourly rate for the position listed above ranges from $7.00 to $8.50 per hr.

The Cost Control Department requires: 9Assistant Cost Controller Requirements include but are not

9 Accounts Payable Clerk Requirements include but are not limited to: ŏ Inputting and coding invoices into system on a daily basis. ŏ Create supplier payment batches. ŏ Manage and maintain relationships with suppliers The rate for the position listed above is $8.00 to $10.00 an hour.

The Engineering Department requires: 9 Supervisor/ Shift Leader Requirements include but are not limited to: ŏ Knowledgeable of in related fields both in theory and practical ŏ Experience in managing a team of technicians The rate for the position listed above is $9.00 to $15.00 an hour

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LOCAL NEWS

SIPT exploring several building options

BY VIVIAN TYSON

T

he Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIPT) is scouting a number of sites, including the International Banking Group building along the Leeward Highway and a two storey building across from Graceway Gourmet in Grace Bay, to clear the way for the Dr. Rufus Ewing government to occupy its current location - the National Insurance Board (NIB) building.

Spokesman for the Governor’s Office, Neil Smith told The SUN that the SIPT was also eying the building that housed the busted TCI Bank in Butterfield Square. He said that no decision has been made on any of the buildings that were being scouted.

Smith said that cost could play a decisive role in choosing the SIPT’s next location, and so, the International Banking Group Building, as well as the Grace Bay structure could be scratched from the short list.

“I must admit that some of the places that I mentioned, including the TCI Bank building, is slight speculation on my part, but that (TCI Bank building) would be a good location. I do not know how seriously that is being looked at. “ I do know that the International Banking Group building has been looked at as well. And I do not know how likely that makes a contender, because I hear that it is very expensive, which is always an issue for the public sector.

“I know that there are two others (building being looked at) – the

Neil Smith one in Grace Bay, we have looked at that, but it is probably too big (for the SIPT staff). A number of sites have been looked at; nothing has been ruled on, nothing has been ruled out. There would be more on it, when the decisions are made, but we are still ways away from that,” Smith said.

Two weeks ago, Premier for the Turks & Caicos Islands Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing issued an ultimatum to the British-commissioned SIPT, to vacate the Hilly Ewing Building, which has become the established office for government on Providenciales.

Premier Ewing told journalists during the news conference that: “We told SIPT to get out. And I already told my minister of Works (Government Support Services, Hon. George Lightbourne), and I also put the PS and put that department on notice that they (SIPT) need to get out. I know it is probably difficult finding other places in Provo that suit their location, but I need them out A.S.A.P.”

The Premier said that by virtue of the SIPT occupying the Hilly Ewing Building, government’s thrust to be more effective was being impeded. He said that ministers, when on Providenciales to conduct the nations business, are being forced to perform those affairs in available department buildings.

“Ministers now operate out of the various ministries that they are assigned to. Most of them have ministry departments that they operate from, like Hon. (Washington) Misick, here, the Tourist Board falls under his ministry, so he has the pleasure of using this particular office. I will have the pleasure of using the Ministry of Health’s Office, which I used to use before (while being Chief Medical Officer).

“Hon. Akierra Misick (Minister of Education, Youth, Sport and Culture) would have the pleasure of using the office by the Sports Commission. So, we limp along, but in terms of the coordination (that is lacking),” Ewing said.

During the post cabinet news Conference, the government told the media that a building in Grace Bay was being explored both by the Ministry of Government Support Services and the SIPT, but said that logistics were being worked out by both entities to see whether or not the location could be the next home for the state corruption-investigation body.

NOMINATION DAY FOR CHESHIRE HALL/ RICHMOND HILLS BYELECTION IS MARCH 1, 2013 Friday March 1st will be Nomination Day for candidates in the Cheshire Hall and Richmond Hills by-election which will take place on March 22nd.

According to a Government press release, the nomination of potential candidates will take place on Friday March 1, 2013 at the Gus Lightbourne Sporting Facility between the hours of 10 a.m. and 1pm and then 2pm until 4pm.

Nomination forms should be submitted to the Returning Officer together with a Treasury deposit receipt of $500.

Potential Candidates for the by-election must also register their names and party symbols with the Returning Officer, on or before March 1st, 2013.

Candidates should obtain nomination packs, complete the required nomination form and satisfy themselves that they meet the nomination requirements.

So far, only Amanda Misick of the PNP and Oral Selver of the PDM have expressed interest in contesting the by-election. The results in that constituency were declared null and void by Madame Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale, who found that PPP candidate Dr. Edward Smith was not properly nominated.

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LOCAL NEWS

TCI could to become medical centerpiece for the region

BY VIVIAN TYSON

P

lans are in the works to make the Turks & Caicos Islands ground zero for medical excellence within the Caribbean Region so as to attract international as well as regional patients, through the two Inter-Health Canada-run hospitals the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre in Providenciales and the Coburn Two Medical Centre in Grand Turk.

The move could also signal the country’s commencement of medical tourism, which is regarded by many as a potentially huge part of the archipelago’s financial salvation.

Just last week - for the first time in the country’s history - doctors successfully carried out several hip surgeries on visitors to the country. The team was headed by Orthopedic Surgeon, Jim McKenzie, who practices in Calgary, Canada and Dr. Joe Lemoine, also an Orthopedic Surgeon who practices in the TCI. Richard Boddington, Chief Operating Officer of Global Med Choices – a healthcare brokerage firm which works with top physicians and medical facilities across the globe, to provide specialist care to patients, and which played a huge role to pave the way for the hip surgeries to be done here, was ecstatic about the prospect of the TCI becoming the medical centerpiece of the region.

Buddington, whose company has already got the backing of the IHC Group – a health and life medical stop-loss insurance company that provides coverage to individuals and groups - said that such feat can be achieved through the forging of alliance with the Turks and Caicos Islands Government.

“For medical tourism in the TCI, our intention is to, working with

T

From left – Dr. Jim McKenzie, Dr. Joe Lemoine and Rich Boddington IHC and the TCIG, is to make this (hospitals) the centre of excellence the Caribbean. Currently, we are working in orthopedics; we are going to be working in spine and then other disciplines from there. But it is our objective to make this a stateof-the-art patients centre of excellence for attracting patients, not just from the United States or Canada, but also from the entire Caribbean Region,” Boddington said.

Boddington declared that the Turks & Caicos Islands, with its tranquil and relaxing nature, is the deal recipe for patients’ recovery. He said also that hospital facilities and staff support are also excellent.

“The quality here is first class.

The staff support has been fantas-

tic. Once we take our patients home after two and a half days (after surgery), they spend time at a resort recovering. They have been extremely happy; it is certainly beneficial to their speedy recovery, and being able to relax in an environment conducive to healing,” he said.

Boddington said that Global Med Choices takes patients from their country of residence to other jurisdictions conducive to speedy recovery after surgeries are done. He said that the Turks & Caicos Islands is preferred by that body as one of the ideal countries for patients’ surgical procedures and recovery. He said patients are drawn from a number of countries, including the United States, Canada and the United King-

dom.

“After the surgery, the physicians get the patient up and walking relatively soon; typically the first day.

Day two they are walking, they are doing therapy and extremely active.

They walk out with crutches and assistive devices, so we get them mobile very quickly,” Boddington explained.

Meanwhile, Boddington said that the next queue of surgeries to be carried out in the Turks & Caicos Islands should take place between the latter part of March or early April this year.

“Our plan is to perform procedures every month going forward, and so, you will be seeing a lot of us,” he said.

ROYAL FLEET AUXILIARY WAVE KNIGHT TO VISIT GRAND TURK

he Royal Naval support ship RFA WAVE KNIGHT will arrive in Grand Turk on the 27 February for a 4 day visit during her deployment to the region on Atlantic Patrol Tasking North (APT(N)). This is a year round commitment to the UK’s five Caribbean Overseas Territories, wider regional Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) and Counter Narcotics Operations.

During WAVE KNIGHT’s visit the Commanding Officer will host a working lunch with the Governor, Premier and members of the Disaster Management Team. Plans are also afoot for some Grand Turk school children to visit the giant ship too.

WAVE KNIGHT has loaded Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) and UK Department for

International Development (DfID) stores to support relief operations in the region. Prior to deployment the ship’s company of WAVE KNIGHT completed a HADR training package which tested and developed the ship’s company’s ability to plan and deliver support to relief operations.

Speaking of the visit the Ship’s Commanding Officer, commented “My Ship’s Company and I are very much looking forward to the visit and to making and remaking relationships whilst being able to liaise with Disaster Management authorities regarding our capabilities.”

RFA WAVE KNIGHT is a 31,500 tonne Fleet Tanker which has the ability to refuel other naval vessels at sea from its three beam rigs and one stern rig as well as carrying dry stores. She

is particularly suited to disaster relief as she can make her own drinking water and electricity.

“Our flexibility and capability is ably demonstrated by Wave Knight’s action packed programme. This time last year operations East of Suez and this year operations in the Caribbean, with a major refit enroute. 2013 promises to be no less busy and satisfying.” added Captain Ferris.

The ship has recently under gone a refit at Cammell Lairds in Birkenhead following on from her last deployment, which ended in March 12. This saw her supporting the international naval effort east of Suez, providing not only fuel for Coalition ships and aircraft but also carrying out front-line and anti-piracy duties.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 11

FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

Animal Division workers issued with death threats

BY VIVIAN TYSON

D

eath threats have been issued to members of the Animal Health Services Division, who have been working to keep dangerous feral dogs from attacking tourists and residence on Providenciales, and Hon. Porsha StubbsSmith, Minister of Home Affairs is not happy.

The minister, who issued a statement to that effect and then followed up with a news conference on Wednesday, February 13, warned that such threats would not be taken lightly and that those who issued them could face the full brunt of the law.

“What is even more appalling and unacceptable is that in the last few days, department staff has received a number of death threats.

This is a serious criminal offence which makes it difficult and dangerous for them to perform their duties as they now fear for their lives. This behaviour is unbecoming for those who live in our community,” the minister said.

She noted also that in addition to the existential threats on Animal Health Services Division workers, unscrupulous members of the pub-

lic were making the animal control process even more difficult, by either stealing the traps, closing them so that they would not be able to trap the vicious animals or releasing the dogs when they are trapped.

“As Minister, I too am aware of the many residents and tourists who have been attacked and bitten by these vicious creatures and the havoc they cause with the scattering of garbage in the streets.

The management and staff of the Animal Health Services Division have been working assiduously, despite the shortage of resources and manpower, to decrease the numbers of feral dogs and eradicate the problems.

“However, in recent weeks, the work of this unit has been jeopardised and frustrated by those who tamper with the traps set by the staff. In some cases the trap doors have been closed preventing the feral dogs from entering, or the dogs already caught in the traps have been released. The situation has further escalated to the point where the traps are now being stolen,” she noted.

Minister Stubbs-Smith asserted that since the Turks & Caicos is a country governed by law, and

to that end, civil servants carrying out their responsibilities should not be threatened by anyone, particularly those who seem to flout the law.

She informed that the threatening matters have been reported to the police and the offending parties would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

“These actions by callous individuals and the resultant factors affect the very fragile industry that we thrive on – the Tourist Industry. Feral dogs on the streets, vicious attacks on residents and tourists, driving risks and overturned garbage cans are not the images depicting a country that we call ‘Beautiful by Nature’.

“Even as we try to manage the many complaints about the feral dog situation, the very efforts that are being employed to eradicate the problem are being sabotaged for personal interests, whether it is for fun or for the fulfillment of another sinister agenda,” reasoned.

The minister noted that government would be seeking to forge an alliance with the private sector so as to bring the feral dogs problem under control.

MISS TURKS AND CAICOS UNIVERSE VICE PRESIDENT TREMMAINE HARVEY FACILITATED A WORKSHOP ON PRESENTATION FOR TCI TOP MODEL

O

n Saturday, February 16th, the Miss Turks and Caicos Universe Beauty Organization Vice President and Legal Advisor Mrs. Tremmaine Harvey facilitated a workshop on Presentation: Perception versus Reality for TCI Top Model. The workshop took place at the Turks and Caicos Cultural and Arts Commission.

The Miss Turks and Caicos Universe Beauty Organization is a company that advances and supports today’s women through its Passion for Pageantry with a Purpose.

Our mission is to bring out the personal best women seek to achieve by cultivating their passions, self-image, and education in an environment that encourages the pursuit of purpose, promotes discipline, and supports the strengthening of character.

The Miss Turks and Caicos Universe Beauty Organization will prepare them to take on the world as women who are aware of the power that derives from fulfilling their purpose, and who use that power to impact the welfare of humanity.

The Miss Turks and Caicos Universe Beauty Organization will achieve its mission by unearthing, training, and unveiling the nation’s finest women through an annual national beauty pageant system in The Turks and Caicos Islands.

Page 12

FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Criminals changing clothes after committing crimes

BY VIVIAN TYSON

C

riminals in the Turks and Caicos Islands are now bringing two sets of clothing with them as they set out on their robbery and burglary missions, in an attempt to deflect police suspicion, according to Superintendent of Police Wayne Jones.

He said that the criminals were also employing a strategy of cutting power to residences and businesses with the hope of disabling alarm systems at those locations, which would aid their burglary.

Speaking at a news conference called by the police high command on Tuesday, February 19, at the Police Headquarters in Providenciales, to update the public on the latest crime statistics, Jones declared that the police have detected such practices, and would do all they could under the law to make sure that those criminals do not get away with such actions.

“You have a group that would go and commit burglaries; and they would be wearing a particular set of clothing. And let’s say you observe and give the description of the particular pair of clothing that they are wearing, to the police, they have another set somewhere hidden that they change into.

So, when you are looking for a person dressed in a particular colour clothing, you won’t find those persons because they have already changed the clothing that they were wearing when they committed these offenses,” Jones pointed out.

Addressing the issue of criminals cutting pow-

FOUR YOUNG ROBBERS FOUND GUILTY OF ATTEMPTED MURDER

F

our young men who were found guilty of attempted murder and the Royal Bank of Canada robbery, will know their fate on March 4th, when they will be sentenced by Madame Justice Joan Joyner.

Daniel Been Jnr., Darrison Nash, Odessa Williams and Bernard Colebrooke, were each found guilty by a jury of three women and four men in the Supreme Court on February 20th.

They were charged with attempting to murder Dwain Fulford on Friday January 13th, 2012, and robbing him of $75,000 in cash, belonging to C.AM, a money transfer company on the same date.

Been was represented

by Oliver Smith, while the lawyer for Nash was Lara Maroof. Williams was represented by Tamara Mohammed and Colebrook, by Arthur Hamilton.

The prosecutor was Leonard Franklyn.

Superintendent of Police Wayne Jones er to premises in an attempt to gain access undetected, Jones said: “They think by cutting the power to your residence that that would deactivate your alarm system. Some of them were successful in getting into premises but the reaction time from the security company prevented them from getting these valuables and from stealing from the premises.”

He told the news conference that the most fa-

vourite stealing items for burglars are home electronics, jewelry and other items that they are able to easily dispose of in return for cash. Jones said the police believe that some of the items have been changing hands within the Turks and Caicos Islands, while others have been shipped to neighbouring countries.

“We are fighting and doing our utmost best (sic) to improve the quality of service that we provide to the community of the Turks and Caicos Islands. There are a number of challenges that we are facing, and I know that we are determined to defeat these challenges, once we get the right equipment and other resources to fight and combat crime. It is our duty to work along collectively with members of the public to ensure that we nip these community ills in the bud.

Jones also highlighted another trend in criminality that the police have noticed, which he said was being perpetrated by early or mid teens.

“They would go to residence that they notice have no vehicles in the yard, one person knocks at the door, while the other two positioned themselves around the premises. If someone comes to the door, they would probably ask for a drink of water or ask for someone, who they know is not residing at that premises.

“So, I am asking the general public that when people approach your premises in that manner, they should take note of their description, what they are wearing and stuff, and then report immediately to the police department.”

Ambulance service is for emergencies only T

he government is advising the public that the ambulance service is to be used for emergencies only and not for random visits to the hospital, as has been the practice for some time now.

The call came after a physical therapy patient, who was not picked up by the ambulance for an appointment at the hospital, created a public stir in Providenciales on Tuesday, February 19.

The non-pick, The SUN was told, was as a result of the lone Emergency Medical Technician having to hurriedly leave the country because of a death in his family.

Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Akierra Misick, who was overseeing the Ministry of Health and Human Services, while Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing was away at the Caricom Heads of Government Meeting in Haiti last week, said that it was common practice for persons not having an emergency to call the ambulance service to be transported to the doctor.

She said ambulance service operators in the past made allowance for such request, but in recent time as the population increases, the re-

quests have become harder to grant.

She said as a result, some of those persons were becoming incensed over the non-granting of hospital-chauffeuring requests.

“We need to remind people that the ambulances are for emergencies only. People are upset because the ambulance would pick people up for dialysis. But people want be picked up for the dentist; they want to be picked up for a bandage. Back then (few years ago), you could have done it – not now. You could pick people up in the past to take them to Myrtle Rigby, if their arm was hurting them and they couldn’t get a jitney.

You can’t do it now; you have a proper hospital,” she noted.

She continued: “There is a shortage of manpower, but not in the sense that essential services or emergencies would not be able to respond to, by the ambulance and the 911 team. Basically one of the EMT’s (Emergency Medical Technician) had to leave the country due to bereavement, and we have employed a local, who will be here for the next three months while we recruit another two full time staff members.”

Minister Misick noted that the

time is right for locals to pursue careers in EMT, so as to lessen the headache of having to recruit expatriates to fill such positions.

“We, in the Ministry of Education can look into providing for scholarships for the training of EMTs, and provide more support for students into this very important industry that we have now in the Turks and Caicos. Given our population size continues to swell, we may have more incidences where an ambulance service is required,” she said.

In the meantime, Minister Misick said the ambulance manpower needs are addressed in a temporary fashion, and efforts are being made to install the service to its full staff complement. She said also that there were no TCI scholarships students at this time studying to become EMT’s.

“The recruitment has already started. It has been going on for a few months now. There may be students from the Turks and Caicos Islands that are studying, but not being supported by the ministry, not at this moment. So, it is something that we will look at in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Human Services,” she said.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 13

FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

High School students eagerly anticipate Science Fair

BY VIVIAN TYSON

S

tudents from schools across the Turks and Caicos Islands are itching to participate in the 2013 edition of the Fortis-sponsored Ministry of Education Science Fair, held during Education Week, which begins on March with an ecumenical service.

A number of them, who were present at the launch of this year’s renewal at Fortis TCI on Wednesday, February 20, expressed confidence that their school would be looking to put on a good show. This year’s theme is: “Innovative exploration through the scientific method.”

The Science Fair takes place on March 6 and 7 at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Complex in Providenciales.

Maiya Madden of Maranatha High School said: “I think it going to be really fun. We are working with the teacher to find our way, and we know that it will work out well for us.”

Jonbonae Chung of British West Indies Collegiate noted: “This year, I am doing the graphic art and the project. Last term our homework was to come up with a science project, and had to present it at school.

And they chose the one with the most potential to represent the school at the Science Fair, and that

Students from various schools who are set to participate in the Ministry of Education Science Fair was my own.”

Suzeline Williams of Clement Howell High said: “We have already started collecting our data and we are getting along well. We hope that this year we will win again. We will be coming out with positive attitude and hoping that we would be victorious again.”

Michael Nadebamiro of TCIPS Comprehensive said: “I am prepared and trying to study hard to do my best and make my school proud.”

For his part, Director for Education, Edgar Howell said that the

theme for this is an indication that visitors stand to be marveled by the display the schools are currently working on.

“Innovative exploration through the scientific method suggests that in the coming days and during Science Fair, you will have an opportunity again to see the young men and women, who are being educated in schools in the Turks & Caicos Islands, demonstrate – put on exhibition – and talk about the kind of things that they are learning.

“The Ministry of Education, with

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the support of Fortis TCI is happy about the opportunity that we are creating for young people to be able to demonstrate and show off their talents. We have seen some significant things in the past; we are expecting some good things two weeks from now,” Howell said.

For her part, Corporate Communications Officer for Fortis, Talisha Simons explained that her company has taken a particularly keen interest in the Science Fair for obvious reasons. ““Well, I would invite you to speak with one of our scholarship recipients currently studying engineering abroad or any of our engineers here at Fortis, TCI. Science and Math is essential to their job. Also here at Fortis TCI, we feel that the continued exploration and interest in science must be pursued by students in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is necessary for the advancement and improvement of so many things in our lives, not just utilities,” she argued.

Simons continued: “If you invest in a programme such as the science fare now, there is really no end to what our Turks and Caicos Islands young scholars can achieve, so we continue to promote science throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands.

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Page 14

FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Grace Bay beach in Providenciales rated second beach crowned best in world by tourists

A

remote beach in Sicily, Italy, was named on Thursday as the best beach in the world by a survey of travelers, beating out Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands into second place.

Rabbit Beach came top in the first annual awards for the world’s best beach based on millions of reviews and ratings by international tourists on the TripAdvisor website.

Rabbit Beach, on the island of Lampedusa off the south coast of Sicily, was described as an unspoiled nature reserve that can only be accessed by boat and one of the few places in the Mediterranean where loggerhead sea turtles go to lay their eggs.

Second place went Grace Bay, Providenciales, in the Turks and Caicos, while Australia’s Whitehaven Beach in the state of Queensland came third.

“Rabbit Beach’s is clearly a big hit with travelers and it’s easy to see why with its stunning turquoise water and white sand,” said TripAdvisor spokeswoman Emma Shaw, adding that the award would be a boost for Sicily’s tourism.

Beaches in Brazil, Spain, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and Aruba also featured in the top 10, praised for their white sands and swaying palm trees.

But one surprise in the list, coming 10th, was Rhossili Bay in Swansea, Wales, which beat beaches in Hawaii, the Caribbean and more exotic locations to make the top 10 list.

Rhossili Bay, on the Gower Peninsula, stretches for three miles and its vast expanse of sand backed by sand dunes and towering cliffs make it popular with surfers, paragliders and ramblers.

“We are delighted, but not surprised, that Rhossili Bay has been acknowledged ... We hope that many more visitors continue to enjoy its outstanding natural beauty,” David Phillips, leader of the City and County of Swansea, said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for TripAdvisor said the best beach awards were based on the quality and quantity of traveler reviews and ratings for beaches on the website gathered over a 12-month period.

Following is TripAdvisor’s list of the Top 10 beaches in the world: 1. Rabbit Beach, Sicily - Italy 2. Grace Bay, Providenciales - Turks and Caicos 3. Whitehaven Beach, Queensland Australia 4. Baia do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha - Brazil 5. Flamenco Beach (Playa Flamenco), Culebra - Puerto Rico 6. Playa de las Catedrales, Ribadeo Spain 7. Lopes Mendes Beach, Ilha Grande Brazil 8. Horseshoe Bay Beach, Southampton Parish - Bermuda 9. Eagle Beach - Aruba 10. Rhossili Bay, Rhossili, Swansea Wales, UK

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 15

FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

CRIME UNDER CONTROL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

eight were with knives; three with sticks; one with crowbar; one with screwdriver; one with pepper spray and one with duct tape.

Despite the achievements, the police said that burglaries continue to be a thorn in their side, as it has been the preferred crimes by the hoodlums.

Of the 2,693 crimes committed in the TCI between January 1 and December 31, 2012, 804 were burglaries. In 2011, there were 2,857 crimes reported, 895 of which were burglaries.

“As been reported over the years, most of the crimes reported in the Turks and Caicos Islands have been burglaries and also thefts. During 2010 there were a total of 829 burglaries reported. In 2011 there were 895 burglaries reported. We remain vigilant, and will stop at nothing to bring down these numbers with the right tools,” said Rodney Adams, Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operation, during a news conference on Tuesday, February 19, at the Police Headquarters on Providenciales.

The police said that of the two

murders reported committed in 2010, one was detected, while the other was still being investigated. There were four murders reportedly committed in 2011 and one was detected.

Meantime, the crime detection rate in the Turks & Caicos Islands is on par with world standard, this according to Assistant Commissioner of Police Rodney Adams.

The crime detection or clearup rate for the TCI for 2012 was 29 percent or 775 of the 2,693 offenses committed, police data shows. In 2011, of the 2857 crimes reported to the police, 516, or 18 percent were detected. For 2010, the detection rate for the 2,736 crimes reported was 705 or 26 percent.

However, after SUNtv reported the statistics, a number of persons have stated that the country’s crime detection rate was too miniscule, and believed that the police could do a lot more.

However, Adams, when contacted by told The SUN newspaper, to explain the nature of detection and what it means, said that the TCI rate was not appalling, judging from world standard. He was quick to point out that the men and women in the entity wished

that lot more was achieved over the period as a result of their hard work.

“Based on international standards, anything above 25 percent, the detection rate is considered very good. So, when one talks about a detection rate of 50/60 percent, that is unrealistic. In places like the United Kingdom, if they are doing above 25 percent detection rate, they are doing well.

Some countries are doing 20 percent; some are doing under 20 percent,” he said.

Assistant Commissioner Adams maintained that the police force normally records a detection rate of between 25 and 35 percent. He said however that, they were off the mark somewhat in 2011, when the rate dipped to 18 percent.

“The year before – 2011 – we recorded a detection rate of 18 percent, and that is one of the first year that I can recall, that our detection rate was so low, and you would see that if you checked back our records over the years.

But 29 percent is considered very well. Normally our detection rate would between 25 and 35 percent, but you are not going to find detection rate (much higher than that) unless you doctored the figures, and we are not going to do that around here,” Adams asserted.

Checks made with the UK Home Office Statistical Bulletin

board showed that the 2011/2012 detection rate stood at 27 percent.

During the period 3,976,312 offenses were committed in England and Wales, and of that figure, 1,075,927 were detected.

In the meantime, Superintendent Adams pointed out that had the men and women of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force more equipped a lot more could have been done on the crime front. He expressed optimism, however, that greater assistance could be lurking on the horizon for local crime fighters.

“I think most of you that would have been around over the years when I used to be Acting Superintendent of Police in charge of Operation, would recall that one of the things that I have always highlighted was that ‘give us the tools and we would get the job done’.

“There are still a number of challenges as it relates to our equipment, and it does cause some hindrance in terms of us fully implementing a number of initiatives that we would wish to implement. However, the good news is that all indications are that there is work in progress, or as some would put it, ‘it’s in the pipeline’.

So, we are hoping that the plumber would get there and get it out sooner rather than later,” Adams quipped.

Page 16

FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Police move to tackle teen alcohol consumption

BY VIVIAN TYSON

T

he Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police Force intends to lobby government to introduce legislation aimed at tackling child alcohol consumption, as they believe it is becoming a worrying trend.

Kendell Grant, Acting Superintendent of Police in charge of Operation, said at a news conference at the Police Headquarters in Providenciales on Tuesday, February 19, that alcohol use has proven to be amongst the main drivers of crime, and a number of our young people, has shown in recent time, were being allowed unfettered access to such beverage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are looking to partnering with the Liquor Licensing Board to strengthen legislation when it comes to alcohol use,â&#x20AC;? Grant told the news conference. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have to ask ourselves the question, how are our young people getting alcohol? It means that someone is purchasing for them or people are selling them alcohol.â&#x20AC;?

By giving the legislation teeth, Grant argued, perpetrators could face stiff penalties, which he said could be a deterrent to such practice. â&#x20AC;&#x153; One of the things we are looking to do is to strengthen legislation in that regard, so that owners of li-

quor licensed premises understand that we are serious about stopping the practice of the selling of alcohol to our young people, and that they would be dealt with using the full extent of the law. We are encouraging those persons (bar and shop owners), if you are doing it, to stop selling our young people alcohol,â&#x20AC;?

Grant cautioned.

Grant stated that, in addition to pressing its case for the toughening of laws to address the pressing situation, the police force would be working to forge alliance with various sectors of society â&#x20AC;&#x201C; public and private â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in an attempt to save the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the things we are looking for is to divert their attention from the negative to positive things.

We would be working with the relevant entities to create positive ventures that they can use to occupy their time; entities such as the Youth Department. We are also looking to implementing our cadet corps â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it has worked in the past.

We have several members of that corps in the organization â&#x20AC;&#x201C; (Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police Force) now as full police ofďŹ cers. So, you can see that that it has worked well, and it has shaped their minds and helped to build good citizens,â&#x20AC;? he pointed out.

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He said also that the police have been forging deeper ties with schools in order to curb the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youth from becoming errant. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are also looking at partnering with the schools. As you might be aware, we have (Police Public Relations) OfďŹ cer Audley (Astwood), who visits the schools along with (Social Media OfďŹ cer) Kevin Clarke.

We also have OfďŹ cer Melinda Robinson, attached to the Clement Howell High School, who gives us updates on absenteeism at the school, and so on,â&#x20AC;? Assistant Superintendent Grant said.

He noted however, that in order for the police to be successful in swaying the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youth from a life of crime, parents would have to play their part as well. Against this backdrop, Superintendent Grant said that parents and guardians would not be left out of the equation.

Acting Superintendent of Police Kendell Grant â&#x20AC;&#x153;We also need the parents to partner with us to ensure that their children are at school, when they are supposed to be, and should also know where their children are at all times. We keep on saying that the youth are the future, but sometimes it seems that is only a slogan. We need to protect our youth because they are the really the future, and if we lose them, then what does our future look like?â&#x20AC;? he reasoned.

Tamera Robinson relishes Deputy Ministry of Education Secretaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appointment

BY VIVIAN TYSON

E

xperienced educator Tamera Robinson has been named as the Deputy Secretary (formerly undersecretary) in the Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, and she has welcomed the opportunity.

The SUN caught up with Robinson during the launch of the 2013 Fortis TCI-sponsored Science Fair at the utility companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corporate ofďŹ ce along the Leeward Highway in Providenciales on Wednesday, February 20, and she expressed that she would be relishing the new challenge. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am expecting to have a good time. I am expecting to contribute to the development of Turks & Caicos. I am expecting to continue the job that I have had for the (past) 14 years, looking after or carrying out the publicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work,â&#x20AC;? Robinson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Robinson, the sister of Edgar Howell, the Director of Education and well known gospel minister and medial personality Rev. Dr. Conrad Howell - and dubbed herself as a third generation teacher said that even though she will now become a government bureaucrat, she remains a teacher at heart. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have completely enjoyed the area of education. It is, I guess, where I was supposed to be. And this (her new appointment) continues that role; to continue work in the public, looking about the further development of education, youth, sports and culture in the Turks & Caicos,â&#x20AC;? Robinson said.

Having obtained her bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Tamera Robinson, the new Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture degree in literature, Robinson embarked on her teaching career at the Clement Howell High School in Providenciales. She them delved into primary education â&#x20AC;&#x201C; teacher at the Ianthe Pratt and Enid Capron at different stage, before performing administrative duties at the now defunct Whole Gospel Christian Academy.

She later took up duties at the Department of Education, becoming an education ofďŹ cer with responsibility for private schools.

Edgar Howell remarked that Robinson, for the past two years, was the point person responsible for the successful stagings of the Fortis TCI Science Fair. Howell also wished her success in her new appointment. Robinson also received kudos from Fortis TCIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Talisha Simons, telling her that she was expecting great things from her.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Page 17

FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

PREMIER HON. DR. RUFUS EWING ASKS CARICOM FOR ASSISTANCE IN DEALING WITH THE BRITS

BY HAYDEN BOYCE PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

T

urks and Caicos Islands Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing has called on CARICOM (Caribbean Community), to advocate on the international stage for the full restoration of the institutions of true democracy in this country.

In his maiden speech to a CARICOM Heads of Government meeting, Dr. Ewing asked regional leaders to “support our (Turks and Caicos Islands) cries for removal of the spectre of colonial influences of the past, as we fight for our rights on our journey towards true self governance and self determination”.

Dr. Ewing’s Tuesday morning speech which was carried on several television stations through the Caribbean, was well-received by the CARICOM leaders and other regional delegates who are attending the 24th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM which is being held in Haiti.

“The current state of affairs in the Turks and Caicos Islands has the potential to throw our Country into chaos.

For so long as I am the leader and principal spokesman of the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands, I will use every means available to me to ensure that does not happen,” Dr. Ewing asserted.

The TCI Premier told the CARICOM meeting that although the November 9th 2012 ended three years of British direct rule and returned the Turks and Caicos Islands to self-rule, the overall state of political affairs remains “less than desirable in our islands”.

“The restoration of true democracy is still a far way off,” said Dr. Ewing, a 45-year-old surgeon by profession. “In the Turks and Caicos Islands, we are today being governed by a constitution that was conceived in White Hall, and was for all intents and purposes thrust upon the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, at a time when they were without representation. The 2011 Constitution is merely a by-law for the continuance of direct rule under the pretext of representative democracy.

Noting that there has always been a commitment in CARICOM for democratic values and a concern for basic human rights, Dr. Ewing stressed that

CARICOM has never been afraid to condemn any circumstance that is an affront to democracy or denies the basic human rights to any people.

He stated: “I wish to assure the Community (CARICOM), that the Government and people of the Turks and Caicos Islands are committed to all the principles of democracy and the tenets of good governance. As a Government, we are committed to strengthening where they exist and creating where they do not exist, all those institutions that promote democracy and good governance. Guided by that commitment, the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands by and large welcomed the need for reforms and for the strengthening of governance systems. By and large we acknowledged that the allegations of corruption and maladministration necessitated investigation. We have however, always been concerned that the inquiry was left to a lone Commissioner and we have always maintained that the suspension of our constitution and the establishment of an Interim Administration, was an inappropriate response to the Commissioner’s findings and ran counter to every principle of democracy and good governance.”

Dr. Ewing, the country’s third Premier, added: “Our sense of what is right and decent and fair compels us to question even to this day, why it is that former Governor (Richard) Tauwhare, who was a member of the Cabinet for a significant period of the last elected government’s term, has not been required to speak to his involvement in the alleged wrong doings. As you would expect, I am slow to comment on judicial processes, but I would betray my duty to the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands if I did not express our concern that in relation to the criminal investigations that followed the commission of inquiry, persons who were charged criminally have avoided the criminal process by paying millions of dollars into the treasury before they were even called upon to answer the charge. This type of action is abusive and nothing short of corrupt. It is the more egregious, because those who have to date been able to purchase their justice, have not been Turks and Caicos Islanders. When those who dispense justice are allowed to see black or white,

rich or poor, expatriate or Belonger, what they dispense ceases to be justice.

When justice is for sale and when laws are implemented and made retroactive, arguably in an effort to secure particular convictions, the justice system and the system of justice is being challenged and democracy is under siege.”

On the issue of taxation without representation, Dr. Ewing told CARICOM that the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands by its duly elected Parliamentarians have just recently unanimously voted in support of an ordinance to repeal the Value Added Tax Ordinance that was passed by the Interim Administration and that is scheduled to come into force on April 1st of this year.

He said the unanimity of the vote to repeal the VAT Ordinance, did not come as a surprise, as both political parties campaigned against its immediate implementation and sought its delay in order to allow the elected Government to explore alternative measures.

“We have made representations to the effect that VAT is not in the best interest of a small economy such as ours and have provided sound alternative revenue generating measures. While we maintain that VAT will not work in the Turks and Caicos Islands, we are more concerned, as you can see, that the principle of Democracy and Good Governance, which mandates that the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands through their elected officials, must

have an opportunity to consider any measure that seeks to impose an additional tax burden on them or to otherwise alter their tax structure, is a principle that is being sacrificed on the altar of despotism. If His Excellency The Governor (Ric Todd) refuses to assent to the repeal bill, he would have said in no uncertain terms that the voice of the people is the voice of God, only so long as God and the United Kingdom Government are singing in chorus. I cannot stress with sufficient strength nor overstate the significance of these events. The question is not one of taxation, but rather, one of democracy,” Premier Ewing stated.

The Premier also complained to CARICOM about the continued presence of Chief Financial Officer Hugh McGarel-Groves “whose office controls government expenditure without the authority of the elected Minister of Finance”.

Additionally, he told regional leaders that on February 10th 2013, “moved by dismay over the constant infractions of democratic principles and insults to the ideals of elected government”, he wrote a letter to the UK First Secretary of State, The Rt. Hon. William Hague, MP - Minister of Foreign Affairs - requesting the recall with immediate effect, of the UK appointed dignitaries responsible for these infractions, namely His Excellency the Governor, the Attorney General Huw Shepheard and the Chief Financial Officer.

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NOTICE OF PUBLIC AUCTION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC AUCTION SALES FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) Ltd as Chargee pursuant to the Registered Land Ordinance hereby gives Notice that it will cause to be sold by Public Auction the following scheduled properties outside the offices of Miller Simons O’Sullivan, Second Floor, The Beatrice Butterfield Building, Butterfield Square, Providenciales at 10:00 a.m. on 5 March 2013. drive. The property has a single storey residence with three 1. TITLE NO. 60101/21 K2&3, NORTH WEST bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, living/dining, utility closPOINT, PROVIDENCIALES et and a front and rear porch. The property has no external imRegistered Proprietor: North West Point Resort Ltd. provements in terms of driveway or parking aware. The total Comprising approximately 570 feet of frontage onto the reef floor area is 1,832 square feet. projected white sandy beach and excellent views of the North Shore. Upon this has been constructed two condominium buildings containing units. This property also contains on site 6. TITLE NO. 10304/142, 143, 144, CENTRAL, GRAND TURK Registered Proprietor: Whale Watchers Ltd facilities included gated entry, restaurant/cabana area, swimComprising 0.96 acre parcel containing a partially complete ming pool, deck area and gardens. This unit has 1,572 square commercial development located on Front Street, Grand feet and is known as unit 102 in Building B1. There are three Turk with the potential to be used for office or residential bedrooms, two bathrooms, open plan living/dining area, living units. area, balcony/veranda and closet space.

7. TITLE NO. 60609/24, NORWAY & FIVE 2. TITLE NO. 60101/21 K29 NORTH WEST CAYS, PROVIDENCIALES POINT, PROVIDENCIALES Registered Proprietor: Claudine Pratt Registered Proprietor: North West Point Resort Ltd. Located on the south-western tip of Providenciales, in the Comprising approximately 570 feet of frontage onto the reef area known as Norway & Five Cays. A two story house on 1.03 projected white sandy beach and excellent views of the North Acres of land. The house is not yet completed with only snagShore. Upon this has been constructed two condominium ging items, minor finishing items and some site works left to buildings containing units. This property also contains on site be completed. Once completed the gross floor area of the resfacilities included gated entry, restaurant/cabana area, swimidence will be 2,435 square feet. The property benefits from ming pool, deck area and gardens. This unit has 1,572 square approximately 120 linear feet of iron shore frontage onto the feet and is known as unit 102 in Building B2. There are three Chalk Sound with impressive 180 degree views being enjoyed bedrooms, two bathrooms, open plan living/dining area, living to the west. area, balcony/veranda and closet space.

8. TITLE NO. 10406/88, EAST SUBURBS, GRAND TURK 3. TITLE NO. 60101/21 K36, NORTH WEST Registered Proprietor- Lorraine/Laureen Williams POINT, PROVIDENCIALES Comprising 0.21 acre parcel containing an apartment building Registered Proprietor: North West Point Resort Ltd. with two single storey apartments, both with two bedrooms.

Comprising approximately 570 feet of frontage onto the reef The property is accessed by an asphalt surfaced main road via projected white sandy beach and excellent views of the North the gated entrance of the two apartment properties. The apShore. Upon this has been constructed two condominium proximate gross external floor area of the whole apartment buildings containing units. This property also contains on site building is approximately 2,976 square feet, including the area facilities included gated entry, restaurant/cabana area, swimof the covered decks amounting to 576 square feet. ming pool, deck area and gardens. This unit has 2,223 square feet and is known as unit 201 in Building B2. There are three bedrooms, two bathrooms, open plan living/dining area, living 9. TITLE NO. 60505/250, BLUE HILLS & STAMERS RUN, PROVIDENCIALES area, balcony/veranda and closet space.

Registered Proprietor: Samuel Jules Comprising 0.26 acre parcel with bare land containing indig4. TITLE NO. 60101/21 K37, NORTH WEST enous bush and small trees. The property is located between POINT, PROVIDENCIALES Blue Hills and the northern part of Kew Town and is accessed Registered Proprietor: North West Point Resort Ltd. by turning on Bible Street, the second turning on Blue Hills Comprising approximately 570 feet of frontage onto the reef Road, heading towards the T-junction and taking the northern projected white sandy beach and excellent views of the North hand turn to the end of the road and the property is the last lot Shore. Upon this has been constructed two condominium on the left below the ridge land. buildings containing units. This property also contains on site facilities included gated entry, restaurant/cabana area, swimming pool, deck area and gardens. This unit has 1.556 square 10. TITLE NO. 60719/87 CHESHIRE HALL & RICHMOND HILL, PROVIDENCIALES feet and is known as unit 203 in Building B2. There are three Registered Proprietor: Gregory Raymond Pinder and Lisa Philbedrooms, two bathrooms, open plan living/dining area, living lips-Pinder area, balcony/veranda and closet space.

Comprising 0.74 acre parcel with bare land containing dense native shrubbery and the rear of the plot overlooks the canal.

5. TITLE NO. 60400/330, CHALK SOUND, PROVIDENCIALES The property is located in the Cheshire Hall and Richmond Hill Registered Proprietor: Karen Rigby area of Providenciales.

This property is located on the south side of Chalk Sound

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NOTICE OF PUBLIC AUCTION 11. TITLE NO. 60400/284, NORWAY & FIVE and a half bathrooms, library, a substantially complete cinema CAYS, PROVIDENCIALES room, laundry room, kitchen, breakfast room, family room and Registered Proprietor: BNA Ltd a separate office. The guest suite contains a bedroom, bathComprising 1 acre parcel with a partially completed block room and a kitchenette. The single-storey guesthouse contains structure, dense mature native vegetation and small trees. The a studio with a bedroom and bathroom and a separate efficienproperty is located on Chalk Sound Road, approximately half cy unit with a bathroom, bedroom and kitchenette. The propa mile beyond the Silly Creek Estate junction on the northern erty also contains a swimming pool and a concrete boat dock. side of the road. The property has a view of the Chalk Sound National Park.

18. TITLE NO. 60907/226/K4 LEEWARD GOING THROUGH, PROVIDENCIALES 12. TITLE NO. 60713/90/K9, CHESHIRE HALL AND Registered Proprietor: Michael Eugene Misick RICHMOND HILL, PROVIDENCIALES Located at the Providenciales Golf Club in the development Registered Proprietor: Ivan Gregory Kennessey known as The Palms. The property is unit 4 and is a two-stoLocated in the Queen Angel Development comprising of sturey, two-bedroom townhome comprising 1,282 square feet. The dio, one, and two bedroom villas, which can be found in the unit benefits from discounted of the golf course, tennis courts Turtle Cove area. The property is Unit A201, a second floor and has communal access to the swimming pool and parking one-bedroom corner unit in Building A. Unit A201 has a 1,275 area in front of the unit. unit entitlement and 1,275 square foot gross external area. The unit is unfurnished and comprises one bedroom, one bath- 19. TITLE NO. 61113/217 LONG BAY HILLS, PROVIDENCIALES room, open kitchen/living/dining area, utility closet and storRegistered Proprietor: Robin Roselitta Cox age space. The unit also has use of the resort facilities includComprising 0.85 acre parcel located in the Long Bay Hills ing the communal swimming pool and deck. sub-division near the Conch Farm and the Marina at Heaving Down Rock. The property contains a two-storey building and 13. TITLE NO. 51201/22, BOTTLE CREEK a single storey building. The two-storey building contains one CENTRAL, NORTH CAICOS two-bedroom unit and two one-bedroom units, all with open Registered Proprietor: Samuel Handfield living space. The single-storey building contains a two-bedComprising 1.75 acre parcel with a commercial building that is room house with open living space. currently operated as a supermarket. The property also contains a bathroom, storage facilities, a loading area and office 20. TITLE NO. 51105/46, BOTTLE CREEK space. The gross floor area of the building is approximately NORTH, NORTH CAICOS 5,100 square feet. The property is located along Kings Road in Registered Proprietor: Obed Nathaniel Gardiner North Windsor, Bottle Creek Central.

Comprising 0.78 acre parcel located in Major Hill in the Bottle Creek North section of North Caicos. The property is in a de14. TITLE NO. 51203/37, BOTTLE CREEK veloping residential sub-division and contains three buildings.

CENTRAL, NORTH CAICOS The first building consists of a two-storey ten-unit apartment Registered Proprietor: Samuel Handfield building, with four two-bedroom units and six one-bedroom Comprising 0.55 acre parcel containing two structures that are units, all with open living space. The second building consists currently in poor condition. The main house contains three of a part single-storey and two-storey seven-unit apartment bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen and a living room area. The building, with two two-bedroom units and five one-bedroom gross floor area is approximately 1,225 square feet. The annex units, all with open living space. The third building consists of building is a split level building that was previously used as a a two-storey two-bedroom unit with open living space on the general store and a one-bedroom apartment. The gross floor upper level and a storage and workshop area on the lower levarea is approximately 1,063 square feet. el. The property is lightly landscaped with native mature trees and plants and has a gazebo and a front boundary wall.

15. TITLE NO. 51302/11, BOTTLE CREEK SOUTH, NORTH CAICOS 21. TITLE NO. 60715/210 CHESHIRE HALL & Registered Proprietor: Samuel Handfield RICHMOND HILL, PROVIDENCIALES Comprising 10.2 acre of undeveloped land and is currently beRegistered Proprietor: Lincoln Hudson Ferriera ing used as a local farm with native produce. The property also Comprising 0.54 acre parcel with bare land containing dense contains a small thatched shed that is used for storage of the indigenous bush and mature trees and is accessed via turning farming materials and tools. The property is located on the off the unpaved Turtle Creek Drive, which runs from the west west side of Bottle Creek Road. of the Shell Station and proceeding southerly until the T junction, the subject land is accessed by taking the western turn16. TITLE NO. 51108/106, BOTTLE CREEK ing and following the road until just before the canal starts to NORTH, NORTH CAICOS curve, where the subject land is located on the right hand side Registered Proprietor: Garnett and Rosemary Jolly immediately fronting the canal.

Comprising 0.62 acre parcel with a gated townhouse development consisting of ten two-storey two bedroom townhouses, M & S Trust Company Limited. as Chargee pursuant to the Regwith a small swimming pool, deck, gazebo, marl driveway, car istered Land Ordinance hereby gives Notice that it will cause to be parking, limited landscaping, BBQ area and a surrounding se- sold by Public Auction the following property outside the offices curity fence and wall. The property is located in the Major Hill of Miller Simons O’Sullivan, Second Floor, The Beatrice Butterfield district of Bottle Creek.

Building, Butterfield Square, Providenciales at 10:00 a.m. on 5 March 2013.

17. TITLE NO. 60719/110 CHESHIRE HALL & RICHMOND HILL, PROVIDENCIALES 1. TITLE NO. 10102/14 NORTH EAST SUBURBS, GRAND TURK Registered Proprietor: Finbar Grant Registered Proprietor: Daniel Stevenson Simmons Comprising 0.59 acre parcel with a two-storey detached resiComprising a 15-acre parcel with bare land. The property is lodence, a guest suite and a single-storey guesthouse and is located in the North East Suburbs in ‘The Ridge’, with frontage cated in the residential sub-division in Discovery Bay. The on North Creek and Lighthouse Road. The property has views two-storey detached residence has four/five bedrooms, two over North Creek and the western shoreline.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Sylvester Thomas named officer of the year in Prison Service Awards Scheme H

er Majesty Prison Service has named Mr. Sylvester Thomas as its first Officer of the Year in the latest initiative to recognise and reward service and dedication among its members and build on the quarterly service recognition that is already in place.

Officer Thomas received the most nominations from his peers and was presented with a plaque and cash award by Governor Ric Todd on Tuesday 12th February 2013. Mr. Sylvester is regarded by his colleagues as professional, reliable, motivated and dedicated, qualities, Superintendent of Prisons Mr. Ian Sargent said authorities hope to highlight with the introduction of the Officer of the Year Award.

“The introduction of this prestigious honor demonstrates both the Ministry and the Prison Services commitment to ensure that members of staff who produces excellent standards of work are recognised and rewarded,” Superintendent Sargent noted.

“These are the qualities that the Management team wishes to encourage in our Staff. We need to ensure we have processes in place to demonstrate the value we place on staff dedication, motivation and professionalism. The Prison Officer of the year award allows us to recognise the hard work of Prison Staff,” Superintendent Sargent said.

Minister of Environment and Home Affairs, Hon.

Governor Todd in conversation with (from left): Senior Officer William Dickenson and Officer Justin Francis at the Officer of the Year Ceremony held at H.M. Prison, Grand Turk on Tuesday 12th February 2013.

Superintendent Ian Sargent of HM Prison Service addresses staff and guests at the Officer of the Year Ceremony held at H.M. Prison, Grand Turk on Tuesday 12th February 2013.

Porsha Stubbs-Smith who also presented awards to outstanding officers noted: “The introduction of this prestigious honour emphasises the Ministry’s and the Prison’s commitment to ensure that staff who demonstrate ‘excellence in service’ are recognised and duly rewarded”.

Governor Todd was pleased with this new initiative and provided sponsorship for the award.

“This token of appreciation for Mr Sylvester’s work is made in recognition of his and his colleagues sterling efforts on behalf of the entire Turks and Caicos Islands’ community,” said the Governor.

“I hope that this cheque for $500 from the Governor’s community fund proves to him that we really appreciate what he and his colleagues do for us,” the Governor Todd added.

The criteria for the Prison Officer of the Year is strict and assessments are based on the candidate’s competences, professionalism, and performance of duties as well as the overall impact of the officers’ performance in the core functions of the Service to carry out its national directives. Other factors include the individual’s commitment and motivation in executing his / her responsibilities and going beyond the call of duty. The process commences with nominations from Staff and is followed by appraisal from Prison Management and the Ministry.

Mr. Perez Lightbourne and Officer Benicile Smith also won awards as part of the existing quarterly Staff recognition scheme. They were presented with their certificates by Minister Stubbs-Smith.

Nominations for Officer of the Year are accepted throughout the year.

Governor Todd presents a plaque and cash award to the Prison Service’s Officer of the Year Mr. Sylvester Thomas on Tuesday 12th February 2013.

Minister of Environment and Home Affairs Hon. Porsha Stubbs-Smith presents Prison Attendee Mr. Perez Lightbourne with his certificate for outstanding work.

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FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

LIME doles out IGA Shopping Spree cash C

ustomers won a total value of $2000 for groceries for the IGA Shopping Spree promotion with LIME with each winner receiving a $500 shopping spree prize.

Jamy Williams, Jellicia Malcolm, Ambiori Hall and Livingstone Lightbourne were presented with their gifts at the Island Fish Fry event.

Customers who topped up $20 or more were eligible for the prize.

LIME also had a pay early and win offer for the month

of January and customers won the following: 1st Prize $1,000 cash was won by Ms. Consuela Handfield-Skippings, Mr. Dave Gillet won 2nd Prize of $600 account credit and 3rd Prize of $400 account credit was captured

by Mr. Henry Handfield.

LIME’s customers also got a chance to win in the month of February and Mrs. Paula Stubbs won the prize of Dinner for two at Grace Bay Club. Mr & Mrs. Stubbs were treated to a limo ride

to and from dinner and they thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Mrs. Paula Stubbs commented “Thanks LIME! We had a wonderful time. I was so happy to have won this prize.”

General Manager, Mr. Drexwell Seymour said, “This demonstrates that LIME is committed to giving back to customers.” He continued, “Customers at LIME have a chance to win when they use our products and services and the company

NO BRITISH TELEVISION STUDIO COMING FOR SIPT TRIALS, SAYS NEIL SMITH Neil smith, the spokesman for Governor Ric Todd, has denied that a British television studio will be coming to the Turks and Caicos Islands to cover the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIP) trials.

will continue to give opportunities to win great prizes.”

There will be a second LIME draw in the month of February and this will take place on February 28 where a customer will win a weekend stay at Parrot Cay. Customers who sign up for a new ADSL account in the month of February will receive free rental, free modem and 2 months’ free rental; those who sign up for a postpaid mobile account will receive a new handset

Responding to a news item which was carried by WIV Channel 4, Smith said: “I have received media inquiries both this week relating to an alleged ‘British TV studio’ said to be covering the ‘SIPT trials’. I can find no factual evidence for this claim from any of the following sources: The registrar at the supreme court tells me

and customers who top up $20 or more will also be entered for a chance to win in the second draw.

Each Thursday at the Island Fish Fry powered by LIME, there are other chances for customers to enjoy special offers each week.

Join the team along with the other partners in the upcoming Fish Fry event.

Drexwell Seymour, LIME TCI Country Manager presents Jamie Williams with his prize (LIME 2)

that there are no plans for a studio nor are there any plans to broadcast any proceedings in any trial before the Supreme Court. The SIPT have no plans for, or any knowledge of any TV studio. Neither the Foreign and Commonwealth, TCI Governor’s Office nor TCIG know of any such plans either.”

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FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

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Entertainment

Keyshia Cole

Trust And Believe When we were together, I held you down I gave you all of me, but look at us now Thinking of all your excuses, but they don’t add up Now it’s so easy to see you don’t deserve my love You pushed me far...you brought me to this You had my heart...but then you blew it And I’m so over you, go get lost Boy who do you think that you are Trust and believe me, you’re gonna need me Trust and believe me, she’ll never be me And Im so over you Go get lost Boy I don’t know Who do you think that you are?

You look so foolish With my best friend Aint she ain’t no better than you She’s a 3, Im a ten So I why are you calling my phone You aint got nothing I want Thought we were really in love But that was all a front You pushed me far...you brought me to it You had my heart...but then you blew it And I’m so over you, go get lost

Boy who do you think that you are Trust and believe me, you’re gonna need me Trust and believe me, she’ll never be me And I’m so over you Go get lost Boy I don’t know Who do you think that you are?

How did you try to clean it up Boy please just stop it now Don’t make a sound Cause you You pushed me far...you brought me to this You had my heart...but then you blew it And I’m so over you, go get lost Boy who do you think that you are Believe me, you’re gonna need me Trust and believe me, she’ll never be me And I’m so over you Go get lost Boy I don’t know Who do you think you are?

I’m so over you Go get lost Who do you think that you are?

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FUN&GAMES

News Page 32

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

CARIBBEAN

Dr. Keith Mitchell sworn in as Grenada’s PM again

S

T GEORGE’S – Leader of the New National Party (NNP), Dr Keith Mitchell, was sworn in as prime minister of Grenada less than 24 hours after his party swept aside the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in a general election, winning all 15 seats.

Mitchell, 65, a mathematician, becomes the island’s ninth prime minister since it attained political independence from Britain 39 years ago.

It was the second time that Mitchell led his party to a clean sweep, having previously done so in 1999.

He served as prime minister for 13 years prior to 2008 when the NNP was defeated by an 11-4 margin by the NDC. But Mitchell on Tuesday led the NNP to a clean sweep of the election.

As he took the oath of office before Governor General Sir Carlyle Glean, Mitchell repeated the message he gave supporters on Tuesday night that his administration would seek to unite the entire country following the six-week campaign.

Tomorrow has been declared a public holiday to commemorate the NNP’s electoral victory.

Meanwhile, the Organization of American States (OAS) is recommending that Grenada un-

dertake a comprehensive review of the Representation of the Peoples Act, following the NNP’s clean sweep.

According to the preliminary report of the OAS Observer Team that monitored the election, the review should address omissions such as the mechanisms to ensure that electors who were duly registered were entitled to exercise their franchise; the use of symbols by political parties, advance polling for election workers, and the legal personality of political parties.

It said that one of the main objectives of OAS electoral observation missions was to produce recommendations in order to contribute to the improvement of electoral systems in the countries observed.

It said in the case of Grenada, there was also need for the enactment of campaign finance regulations and reiterated the recommendation made by the previous OAS electoral observation missions to enact political party and campaign finance regulations in order to promote transparency.

The OAS mission also recommends that efforts be made by political parties and the government to promote the participation of women in elec-

DR. KEITH MITCHELL toral competition.

“In particular, the mission recommends the adoption of positive measures to ensure women are incorporated on the ballot and the promotion of training programmes for female political leaders.”

Regional leaders issue statement in support of St. Vincent PM P

ORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders have expressed “grave concern” over reports that St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves had been “accosted and tackled on an aircraft and physically impeded by a team of individuals purporting to be members of the British media”.

Earlier this week, Gonsalves accused two journalists with the British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC) of accosting him Sunday on an airplane in Barbados and that he would be writing to the London-based media house to complain about the incident.

Gonsalves said the incident occurred as he was making his way to Haiti to attend the historic 24th CARICOM Intersessional summit.

The journalists have since denied “accosting” Gonsalves.

A statement issued following the end of the summit here on Tuesday night, said that the regional leaders had received a re-

DR. RALPH GONSALVES port from Gonsalves ‘on the issue.

It said that at the time of the incident, Prime Minister Gonsalves was in the company of his wife, and Ambassador Ellsworth John.

“The Heads of Government expressed their grave concern with the manner in which Prime Minister Gonsalves, a sitting CARICOM Head of Government, was reportedly confronted.

“While fully supportive of the freedom of the press and the vital role played by a free, active and responsible press in governance

and development, the Heads of Government emphasised that the dignity of the office of Head of State or Government within CARICOM is equal to that of any other nation, as are the attendant security concerns and expectations.

“This dignity and security concern of a Head of Government cannot be violated by unidentified representatives of a foreign press service who, for whatever reason, expect a level of access to CARICOM Heads of State or Government that they would not receive from Heads of State and Government in their countries of origin,” the statement said.

The regional leaders “reiterated their individual willingness to be accessible to the media and responsive and forthcoming to reasonable requests from the press.

“They recommitted to the values of transparency, good governance and the free flow of information, which undergird the free and independent societies of CARICOM,” the statement said.

US$17m in drugs seized in Caribbean Sea

M

IAMI - The United States Coast Guard says it has it brought ashore more than half a ton of cocaine seized during operations in the Caribbean, with a street value of more than US$17 million.

The Coast Guard said the drug was recovered by a Coast Guard crew after an at-sea chase.

“Using coordinates provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Coast Guard cutter Mohawk was sent to intercept a fast boat in the south western Caribbean on January 24,” said a US Coast Guard statement.

It said a helicopter off the Mohawk “located the go-fast vessel and witnessed the suspected smugglers jettison the contraband as they continued their pursuit” and that crew members “plucked from the water 1,400 pounds of cocaine with an estimated wholesale value of more than US$17 million”.

The Coast Guard said “four suspected smugglers” whose names and nationalities were withheld had been turned over to law enforcement authorities.

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FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

CARIBBEAN NEWS

St. Kitts outperforms region in cruise tourism A

recent study by United States research firm Business Research & Economic Advisors (BREA) has placed St Kitts among the highest-rated cruise destinations in the entire Caribbean for the 2011 – 2012.

According to BREA, the most dramatic increases over the six-year period were in direct cruise tourism

spending, which increased nearly ten-fold from US$6.7 million to $70.6 million over the six-year period.

Average per passenger expenditures in St Kitts have almost doubled since 2006, while average expenditures across the Caribbean have actually declined by 2%. Average per

St. Lucia latest Caribbean country to join PetroCaribe C

ASTRIES, St. Lucia – The St. Lucia government says it expects to accrue major benefits for the island following the decision of Castries to join the Venezuelan oil initiative, PetroCaribe.

“This will make it possible for the country to receive a regular supply of petroleum products from Venezuela under the PetroCaribe arrangements that are currently being utilized by several other nations in the Caribbean,” a statement issued by the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Energy.

It said that the decision to join PetroCaribe had been taken against a background of ever-escalating fuel costs and the adverse impact this was having on the economy, which is totally dependent on imported petroleum products.

“While our government is committed to making the transition to renewable sources of energy, St Lucia will continue to rely on imported petroleum as its main source of energy for the foreseeable future. PetroCaribe gives government greater flexibility to manage and stabilise the prices of petroleum products on the local market.”

The statement said that equally importantly is that the revenue derived from the PetroCaribe arrangements will be used to invest in social development programmes and social infrastructure in St Lucia, as has been done successfully in

neighbouring Caribbean countries.

“Government believes there is tremendous benefit in St Lucia entering into these arrangements at this time, as it allows us to learn from the mistakes and challenges that have been encountered by our sister islands and put measures in place to ensure that these problems do not feature in Saint Lucia’s context.”

The statement said that PetroCaribe will provide a measure of certainty in the supply of petroleum products to St Lucia regardless what happens with the proposed sale of the Hess Oil Terminal Facility by its owners, the Hess Corporation.

The decision to join PetroCaribe had been strongly opposed by the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) which complained about the possibility of a further increase in debt, while a local financial expert cautioned against St. Lucia joining the oil alliance stating that Caracas had isolated itself far too much from the world financial markets and global community.

PetroCaribe provides for several Caribbean countries to purchase oil from Venezuela on conditions of preferential payment. The alliance was launched in 2005 and was aimed at strengthening the countries that are members of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA).

passenger spend in St Kitts was measured at US$57.40 in the 2006/2006 cruise year, 40% below the Caribbean average, but increased to $108.90 in the 2011/2012 cruise year, 14% above the Caribbean average.

BREA reports substantial growth in cruise passenger arrivals to St. Kitts, which increased from 117,000 in the 2005/2006 cruise year to 629,000 in the 2011/2012 cruise year, an increase of more than 400% as compared to an increase of 13% throughout the Caribbean over the six-year period.

“St. Kitts’ recent outstanding performance in the cruise sector is directly attributable to several initiatives undertaken by Government following the decision to end sugar production in 2005,” said Minister of Tourism and International Transport Ricky Skerritt.

“The improvements in downtown Basseterre, the development of shops, restaurants and key attractions, and the increasing the number of certified taxi and tour operators in anticipation of demand growth, have clearly had a very positive impact on the experience that St. Kitts offers to visitors.”

The Tourism Minister also pointed to the role of the St. Christopher Tourism Authority Prescribed Areas Act which he said, “ushered in the establishment of a greater focus on standards, which were integral to

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The percentage of passengers reporting that they there were extremely or very satisfied with their overall St Kitts shopping experience was 74% in the 2011/2012 cruise year as compared to just 47% in the 2005/2006 cruise year. For the 2011/2012 cruise year, results of the study show that St Kitts ranks #2 in the Caribbean in passenger satisfaction with their overall visit and #2 in passengers reporting that their visit to St. Kitts met or exceeded their expectations. The destination also ranked at #3 in the Caribbean in passenger satisfaction with their shore excursion, at #4 in average expenditure per passenger and at #6 in total cruise passenger expenditures.

The BREA study was conducted under the auspices of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association to analyze the contribution of cruise tourism on the economies of 21 destinations located in the Caribbean and Central and South America including Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; the Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; the British Virgin Islands; the Cayman Islands; Columbia; Costa Rica; Curacao; Dominica; The Dominican Republic; Grenada; Honduras; Nicaragua; San Juan, Puerto Rico; St Kitts and Nevis; St Maarten; St Vincent and the Grenadines; The Turks and Caicos; the US Virgin Islands.

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CARICOM Chairman, His Excellency Michel Martelly (C), President of Haiti, speaks to the media following the meeting between the CARICOM Heads of Government and US Attorney General, Mr. Eric Holder (L) in Port au Prince, Haiti. The Hon. Kamla PersadBissessar (R), Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and Lead Head of Government for Security in CARICOM and Mr Holder stand with the President. 18 February 2013, Haiti.

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FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

CARIBBEAN NEWS

Ruling Democratic Labour Party wins Barbados general election B

RIDGETOWN, Barbados - Barbadian voters kept with tradition and provided the incumbent party with a second consecutive term in power following a nerve jangling general elections on Thursday.

According to the preliminary results, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) won 16 of the 30 seats in the elections with the remainder going to the main opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP). In the 2008 general election, the DLP won 20 seats.

The results could also change to give the DLP an additional seat as a recount has been ordered in the St Michael South East constituency where Santia Bradshaw of the BLP won over the DLP’s Patrick Tannis by less than 10 votes.

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart in thanking supporters for the narrow victory said, “we are not here tonight celebrating the victory because of any sponsorship or support from the ...fortune tellers of Barbados, the dividers or event the obeah men of Barbados.

“We celebrating tonight because of the confidence which ordinary men and women....who have not arrogated to themselves the right to what the future holds,” he told supporters, adding “we are celebrating because this organisation during the last five years touched actual lives by its policies and programmes, not to any sample, but to the population itself”.

The results are in stark contrast to the opinion polls that had predicted that the BLP, led by 63-year-old former prime minister Owen Arthur, would have won as many as 20 seats, while the DLP would have gained 13 seats at most.

“The people have spoken ...we accept the will

FREUNDEL STUART of the people,” Arthur said, adding “we were up against a number of factors”.

Prime Minister Stuart reminded supporters “we are not governing in easy circumstances. We had to govern in the context of the worst crisis the world had seen in over 100 years”.

He said he was always confident that the voters would have rebuffed the policies of the opposition and told supporters that with the election over “we are not going to embark on any revenge”.

Several Ministers in the DLP Administration lost their seats. Former Minister of Labour and Social Security, Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo, lost her battle with newcomer Dwight Sutherland in St. George South. Former Minister of International Business and International Transport, George

Caricom backs Antigua’s decision to sanction US S T JOHN’S, Antigua – Caricom has backed Antigua & Barbuda’s latest move in its World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute with the US. Caricom, at the end of its 24th Inter-Sessional Meeting in Haiti on Tuesday, released a statement saying it affirmed its full support for Antigua & Barbuda.

Heads of government called on the US to settle the dispute by honouring its obligations and respecting international rules in compliance with the WTO’s decision.

“Those rules apply to all countries whether small, large, rich or poor. All countries must abide by their obligations within the Community of Nations in the WTO,” the statement read.

It continued that the grouping is concerned over the extended delay in resolving the matter and urged the US’s full compliance.

“In the current WTO dispute between Antigua & Barbuda and the US, we expect the US will fulfil its international obligations and engage Antigua & Barbuda in urgent, meaningful and constructive negoti-

ations to arrive at a mutually acceptable settlement,” the statement read.

The government here recently decided to activate the retaliatory measure awarded to it by the WTO dispute settlement board.

That measure allows the country to sanction the US by ignoring US copyrights, patents and trademarks to the tune of US $21 million annually.

However, the government still has not taken a decision to implement such sanctions.

Ten years ago, Antigua took the US to the WTO and after a long battle won its fight.

The US had been banning its citizens from using online casinos based in Antigua & Barbuda, which were, at the time, a major economic driver for the twin-island state.

The WTO ruled that the US was going against the international obligations it had signed up to.

The WTO however can’t force the US to comply, so it instead offered Antigua & Barbuda the chance to retaliate legally by ignoring US copyrights, patents and trademarks.

Hutson, lost to Kerrie Symmonds in St. James Central, while former Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Lands, Patrick Todd, lost to Col. Jeffrey Bostic. Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly Kenny Best lost his rematch for the St. Michael East seat with Trevor Prescod.

Former Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Senator Irene Sandiford Garner lost again to George Payne in St. Andrew.

A by the Caribbean Development Research Services Inc (CADRES), had predicted that the BLP, lead by former prime minister Owen Arthur could win between 17 and 20 of the 30 seats to be contested in the general election.

It said that the incumbent Democratic Labour Party (DLP) headed by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart “will occupy the opposition benches with between 10 and 13 seats”.

Last weekend CADRES published a poll in which it said that voters had preferred Prime Minister Stuart to lead the country as against Arthur by a 39 to 36 per cent.

“On this occasion, Stuart’s approval rating has risen from 39 to 41 per cent while Arthur’s has remained constant at exactly 37 per cent. The disapproval rates for both leaders have increased marginally with Stuart’s moving from 40 to 41 per cent and Arthur’s moving from 38 to 41 per cent.

In both instances the movement came from the uncommitted cohort which is somewhat smaller for both leaders.”

The DLP, which had been trailing the opposition for the past several months, had narrowed the gap to a statistical dead heat, according to the first poll released over the last weekend.

Florida court refuses to block execution of convicted Jamaican F

LORIDA, United States – The Florida Supreme Court has refused to block the February 26 execution of a Jamaican drug trafficker convicted for killing a state trooper with a pipe bomb.

The justices have unanimously denied a post-conviction appeal and request for a stay of execution from Paul Augustus Howell, 47.

Howell was convicted of killing Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Jimmy Fulford in February 1992.

Prosecutors said Fulford had stopped a car carrying the bomb, hidden inside a gift-wrapped microwave oven, on the highway, Interstate 10 east, in Tallahassee, Florida.

Authorities said the bomb was being delivered to two women in Marianna, a Florida city, with the intent of killing them because they knew too much about a South Florida drug ring.

The bomb exploded when Fulford opened the package, authorities said.

Florida Governor Rick Scott has signed the death warrant for Howell’s execution by lethal injection,

but his attorneys are seeking a stay of execution and pursuing state and federal appeals.

Howell is scheduled to die at Florida State Prison in Starke.

Two lawyers hired to represent Howell, Sonya Rudenstine of Gainesville and Michael Ufferman of Tallahassee, said they are seeking the stay of execution.

If Howell is executed, he would be the first person to be sentenced to death in the modern era in Florida without federal review.

Howell was convicted on charges of first-degree murder and making a destructive device in 1994 by jurors in Pensacola, Florida.

Howell’s brother, Patrick Howell, who also was charged in Fulford’s death, entered into a plea deal, agreeing to a life sentence and testifying against his brother.

Prosecutors said Lester Watson, the man hired to deliver the pipe bomb, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 40 years.

News TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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Ex-Chicago area police officer gets 38 years for third wife’s murder; fourth wife missing

A

judge on Thursday sentenced former Chicago-area police officer Drew Peterson to 38 years in prison for the murder of his third wife, whose death initially appeared accidental until Peterson’s fourth wife disappeared.

Will County Judge Edward Burmila sentenced Peterson after rejecting a plea for a retrial in the death of Kathleen Savio. He had faced a maximum of 60 years in prison.

Peterson was convicted last September of killing Savio in 2004 during a contentious divorce and then trying to make her death look like an accident.

Savio was found dead in a bathtub, and her death was at first ruled accidental.

Suspicions were raised when Peterson’s fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared in 2007.

After the sentencing, the former police officer’s defense team told reporters they would appeal the conviction, saying the trial

Drew Peterson

had been riddled with problems.

“They changed the rules to convict him, they changed the evidence,” said attorney Steve Greenberg. “They changed everything.”

The Illinois state legislature passed a law, dubbed “Drew’s law,” in response to the case, loosening requirements for circumstantial evidence.

Peterson, who was a police sergeant in Bolingbrook, Illinois, had waged a high-profile public relations campaign asserting his innocence both in the death of Savio and the disappearance of Stacy Peterson, who is presumed dead. He is the only suspect in her disappearance.

Witnesses testified in the trial that Peterson threatened Savio, tried to hire a hit man and said he could make her death look like an accident.

Prosecutor James Glasgow, asked what he was thinking when looking at Peterson in the Joliet courtroom on Thursday, said: “You’re a cold-blooded murderer and I’ll stare you down until I die.”

Peterson’s first and second wives have remarried.

The Peterson case was the inspiration for a popular Lifetime television network movie, “Untouchable,” based on the case, starring Rob Lowe.

Hagel has enough support for defense secretary W

ASHINGTON — Barring any new, damaging information, Chuck Hagel has secured the necessary votes for the Senate to confirm him to be the nation’s next defense secretary. A vote ending the bitter fight over President Barack Obama’s choice for his revamped second-term, national security team is expected next week.

Hagel cleared the threshold when five-term Republican Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama said he would vote for the former GOP senator from Nebraska after joining other Republicans last week in an unprecedented filibuster of the Pentagon nominee.

“He’s probably as good as we’re going to get,” Shelby told the Decatur (Ala.) Daily.

Although a Republican, Hagel has faced strong GOP opposition, with many of his former colleagues voting last week to stall the nomination.

Republicans have questioned Hagel’s support for Israel, tolerance of Iran and willingness to cut the nuclear arsenal. His opposition to the Iraq war after his initial vote for the conflict angered his onetime friend, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

GOP lawmakers demanded more time to review the nomination that a divided Armed Services Committee had approved on a party-line vote.

Shelby’s support was a clear sign of weaken-

Chuck Hagel ing Republican opposition, and it prompted two letters within hours from Hagel’s fiercest GOP foes. One letter went to the president calling on him to withdraw the nomination, the other to GOP senators pleading with them to stand together against Hagel.

Fifteen Republicans senators wrote that Hagel lacks the bipartisan support and confidence to serve in the vital job of defense secretary.

“The occupant of this critical office should be

someone whose candidacy is neither controversial nor divisive,” wrote the senators — all opponents of Hagel. Leading the effort was Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the party’s No. 2, who is up for re-election next year.

One name missing from the letter was McCain, who has called Hagel unqualified but indicated last Sunday that he wouldn’t stand in the way of a Senate vote.

Separately, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, sent a letter to his GOP colleagues urging them to vote again to block the nomination when the Senate returns from its recess next week. He acknowledged the reality that if the GOP fails to block a vote, Hagel proponents have the votes to approve him on an up-or-down vote.

“Make no mistake: A vote for cloture is a vote to confirm Sen. Hagel as secretary of defense,” wrote Inhofe. He said that while the Senate traditionally defers to presidents on their Cabinet choices, “our nation is at war. The Senate must insist on confirming only the most effective leaders.”

The Senate Republicans’ closed-door weekly meeting on Tuesday will be crucial to Inhofe’s hopes of keeping the GOP in line on Hagel.

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FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

WORLD NEWS

Chavez still suffers breathing trouble C

ARACAS - Venezuela’s cancer-stricken president, Hugo Chavez, is still suffering respiratory problems after surgery in Cuba two months ago, the government said on Thursday in a somber first communiqué since his homecoming this week.

Struggling to talk and breathing through a tracheal tube, the 58-year-old socialist leader is being treated at a Caracas military hospital after returning unseen before dawn on Monday.

Long accustomed to the drama and speculation over Chavez’s health since cancer was first detected in June 2011, Venezuelans are now debating if he can recover and return to active rule, or may resign and try to ensure his vice president wins a vote.

Some think he may have simply come home to die.

“The breathing insufficiency that emerged post-operation persists, and the tendency has not been favorable, so it is still being treated,” read the communiqué, in gloomy news for Chavez’s millions of passionate supporters.

The short statement, read by Information Minister Ernesto Villegas, said, however, that treatment for Chavez’s “base illness” - presumably the cancer first diagnosed in his pelvic area - contin-

ued without “significant adverse effects for now.”

Little detailed medical information has been made public on Chavez’s condition, meaning the government’s occasional short statements are pored over by Venezuelans for clues about the future for him and the nation he has dominated since 1999.

Chavez is believed to be seeing only close family at the hospital and a few senior officials, including Vice President Nicolas Maduro and National Assembly head Diosdado Cabello.

“The patient remains in communication with relatives and the government political group in close collaboration with the medical team,” the statement added.

“The president holds firm to Christ, with absolute will to live and maximum discipline in the treatment of his health.”

Apart from a few photos of him lying in a Havana hospital bed that were released by the government last week, Chavez has not been seen or heard from in public since his December 11 operation, his fourth surgery for cancer in just 18 months.

He returned home at 2:30 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) on Monday without any of the fanfare

Triumph passengers bring class action against Carnival T

he owner of the stricken Carnival Triumph cruise ship was hit by a lawsuit seeking class action status for stranding more than 3,000 passengers for five days on a ship without electricity or adequate sanitation.

Carnival Corp should be held liable for physical and emotional anguish inflicted on the passengers as well as punitive damages, according to the lawsuit by Matt and Melissa Crusan. The lawsuit was filed on Monday in U.S. federal court in Miami.

The Triumph was towed into Mobile, Alabama on Thursday, four days after a fire knocked out the ship’s power while it was off the coast of Mexico.

The lawsuit alleged the world’s largest cruise company failed to provide a seaworthy ship. In addition, “motivated solely by financial gain” Carnival negligently brought the Triumph to Mobile, where it would be repaired, rather than a closer Mexican port. That decision extended the trip by 350 miles, the plaintiffs said.

Passengers were exposed to disease as sewage and “human waste sloshed around the vessel as the vessel listed while drifting and/or while under tow,” according to the lawsuit.

A Carnival spokesman, Vance Gulliksen, said the company does not comment on pending litigation.

The lawsuit seeks to represent all of the passengers on the stricken cruise.

The complaint said that the Triumph ticket limits passengers’ rights to bring a class action, but that provision should be voided by Carnival’s negligence in using an unseaworthy vessel and not towing the ship to the nearest port.

Carnival has offered Triumph passengers $500, reimbursement for their transportation and many onboard costs, and given them a credit toward a future cruise equal to the amount they paid for the Triumph vacation.

Jim Walker, who specializes in representing cruise ship passengers, told Reuters last week that the compensation offer was probably more than Triumph passengers would likely win in court. Walker is not involved in this suit and said he is unlikely to bring a case.

The class action lawsuit, which was filed by the Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman law firm in Miami, is at least the second by a Triumph passenger. On Friday, Cassie Terry of Brazoria County, Texas sued Carnival.

Michael Winkleman, an attorney with Lipcon, Margulies could not be reached for comment.

Like the Crusans, Terry sued for the conditions aboard the ship, which lacked working toilets and proper ventilation.

or media attention that accompanied previous homecomings after treatment in Cuba.

A source at the military hospital said there was tight security surrounding Chavez’s ninth-floor suite, and that the only doctors treating the president there were Cubans.

Staircases were sealed off with bars, the source said, and the area was covered by armed patrols and surveillance cameras.

Chavez originally chose to be treated in Cuba - where he has spent more than five months in total since mid-2011 - due to his friendship with leaders Fidel and Raul Castro, plus the discretion guaranteed on the tightly controlled island.

But in recent weeks, officials said, he had been pining to come home and listening to music from the his boyhood home in the “llanos” or plains in central Venezuela.

Vigils are being held across the nation, while politicians are quietly gearing up for a possible new presidential election.

Should Chavez leave power, a vote would have to be held within 30 days. His No. 2, Maduro, would likely run against opposition leader and state governor Henrique Capriles, who lost to Chavez in last year’s presidential election.

Bulgaria faces deadlock after government quits B

ulgaria’s parliament on Thursday accepted the government’s decision to resign in the face of anti-austerity protests, opening the way for an early election that may benefit fringe parties and make it hard to form a stable government.

Outgoing Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, praised by investors for cutting the budget deficit, lost support from voters in the European Union’s poorest state over his failure to raise living standards or stamp out graft.

After mass protests set off by high energy bills, Borisov stepped down on Wednesday -- the latest administration to fall in Europe’s four-year-old debt crisis.

Parliament voted on Thursday to accept the move and President Rosen Plevneliev will now ask the three biggest parties if they want to form a government to rule until a parliamentary election due in July.

But both Borisov’s GERB party and the main opposition Socialists have said they do not want to participate in a caretaker cabinet, so Plevneliev could schedule an election for as early as April. Opinions polls put both parties on about 22-23 percent, suggesting no clear majority in the new parliament.

“We are open for dialogue with all parties but GERB, who ruined everything,” said Socialist leader Sergei Stanishev, whose party was level in polls with Borisov’s before the protests and may have benefited from the unrest.

The cabinet’s departure brought some calm after a chaotic week of rallies against the government and foreign-owned power utilities and a threat by Bulgarian officials to strip one of them, Czech power group CEZ, of its license.

Boriana Dimitrova, an analyst with pollster Alpha Research, said it could push voters towards the political fringe.

“The two key political powers are not strong enough to form a stable government,” she said. “The recent protests indicate there is growing support for radical, populist parties, which will also make it harder to form a cabinet.”

CALM, FOR NOW Borisov, a former guard to Soviet-era dictator Todor Zhivkov, won adoration from voters by building highways and improving roads so badly pot-holed that cars could lose wheels and travel across the small country could take up most of a day.

Around 2,000 Bulgarians waving GERB party flags, including farmers driving tractors and a truck full of pigs, cheered in front of parliament in support of Borisov.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

WORLD NEWS

Bandits steals millions of dollars in diamonds from airplane in Brussels B

RUSSELS — Eight masked gunmen forced their way through the security fence at Brussels’ international airport, drove onto the tarmac and snatched some $50 million worth of diamonds from the hold of a Swiss-bound plane without firing a shot.

The gang responsible for one of the biggest diamond heists in recent years used two black vehicles with a flashing blue police lights in their daring raid late Monday, said Anja Bijnens, spokeswoman for the Brussels prosecutor’s office.

“They tried to pass themselves off as police officers,” Bijnens said. The robbers, who wore outfits resembling dark police clothing, got away with 120 parcels, mostly containing diamonds but some also holding precious metals.

Police said they found a burnt-out minivan believed to be involved in the robbery near the airport later Monday night.

The heist was estimated at some $50 million in diamonds, said Caroline De Wolf of the Antwerp World Diamond Center. “What we are talking about is obviously a gigantic sum,” De Wolf said.

The robbers forced their way through a perimeter fence, at a place where two work sites obstructed a clear view, Bijnens said. There were no details about how the hole was opened but

airport authorities said it must have taken more than simply blasting through it with a vehicle.

The robbers drove up to the Swiss passenger plane some 20 minutes before departure time, brandishing their machine guns. Then they methodically broke into the hold, which was accessed from outside, to choose their loot.

Passengers were unable to see the drama beneath them, said Bijnens.

The robbers finished their clinical operation with a high-speed departure through the same hole in the fence, completing the spectacular theft within barely five minutes, Bijnens said.

Airport spokesman Jan Van Der Cruijsse could not explain how the area could be so vulnerable to theft. “We abide by the most stringent rules,” he said.

The Swiss flight, bound for Zurich and operated by Helvetic Airways, was canceled.

A decade ago the port city of Antwerp, the world capital of diamond-cutting, was the scene of what was probably one of the biggest diamond heists in history, when robbers took precious stones, jewels, gold and securities from the high-security vaults at Antwerp’s Diamond Center, yielding loot that police in 2003 estimated to be worth about $100 million at the time.

At 89, Mugabe sees divine mission to rule Zimbabwe R

obert Mugabe said he had a “divine task” to lead Zimbabwe, shrugging off concerns about his health and fitness for office as he prepares for what could be one the closest election battles since he came to power in 1980.

Few Zimbabweans are ruling out victory for the 89-year-old Mugabe even though his country, once an African success story, is in a decade-long economic slump worsened

by Western sanctions and more than four fifths of the population is unemployed.

Since Mugabe was forced to share power with his chief political rival after a disputed election in 2008, the economy has shown tentative signs of recovery.

Rampant inflation has calmed, the mining sector is buoyant and agriculture is picking up after turmoil caused by the seizure of farms from their white owners under Mugabe’s policy of black empowerment.

Mugabe, Africa’s oldest president, maintains that Zimbabwe’s difficulties stem from a Western plot to re-colonize it, a view that strikes a chord with his supporters, who see the sanctions as punishment for a justified campaign to wrest their country’s wealth from the hands of foreign corporations and the white minority.

To his critics, Mugabe’s land seizures and a drive to force foreign-owned firms to sell majority shareholding to locals has delayed economic recovery by discouraging

foreign investment.

They say Mugabe, long admired as a liberation hero and pragmatic leader, has turned Zimbabwe into a basket case and squandered national goodwill by clinging onto power through ballot box rigging and intimidation.

The champion of African popular rule has looked increasingly to God to bolster his claim to leadership.

Addressing his staff at a party they hosted for him on the eve of his 89th birthday, Mugabe was serenaded by one of the country’s leading gospel singers and spoke of the solitude he has felt since many of his relatives and independence-era comrades died.

“Why is it that all my friends are gone and my relatives are gone and I continue to linger on? Then I say to myself, well, it’s not my choice, it’s God’s choice,” Mugabe said at the party late on Wednesday, which was attended by state media.

“This is a task the Lord might have wanted me to fulfill among my people...,” he said. “I read it as a bidding of God... The bidding says you move forward ever.”

Mugabe says he wants to continue the liberation struggle and consolidate black economic empowerment.

More than 4,000 out of an original 4,500 white-owned farms have been seized since 2000 under a program he says is aimed at correcting land ownership imbalances created by colonialism.

Antwerp’s Diamond Center stands in the heart of the high-surveillance diamond district where police and hundreds of cameras work around the clock, and security has been beefed up further since the spectacular 2003 robbery. Shipments to the airport leave aboard armored trucks on an almost daily basis.

The shipment was not extraordinary, since on any given day, some $200 million in polished and rough stones go through the Antwerp diamond center.

Monday’s parcels contained rough and polished stones heading for Switzerland, where many of the 120 parcels were intended for different handlers.

The insurance for air transport — handled sometimes by airlines themselves or external insurance companies — is usually relatively cheap because it’s considered to be the safest way of transporting small high value items, logistics experts say.

Unlike a car or a truck, an airplane cannot be waylaid by robbers once it’s on its way, and it is considered to be very secure before the departure and after the plane’s arrival because the aircraft is always within the confines of an airport — which are normally highly secured.

Three die in shootout, fiery crash on Las Vegas strip T

hree people died on the Las Vegas strip early on Thursday when gunmen in a Range Rover sport utility vehicle opened fire on a Maserati, killing the driver and touching off a fiery multi-car crash.

The driver of the Maserati was slain in the pre-dawn shooting, and his car collided with a taxi carrying two people, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police spokesman Officer Jose Hernandez said.

The cab exploded into flames in the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road in front of several casino resorts, killing the driver and a passenger.

“They were trapped inside the taxi and tragically both lost their lives,” Hernandez said.

The gunfire and collision in the busy intersection near the Bellagio and Caesar’s Palace hotels triggered another crash involving four other vehicles that left at least four people injured, Hernandez said.

“There was a loud bang and I hear two other booms. I looked out my window at Caesars Palace ... and could see the fireball,” witness John Lamb was quoted as saying on the news website of Las Vegas KLAS-TV’s 8News Now. Hernandez said investigators had not yet established a motive for the shooting or determined how many occupants of the Range Rover had opened fire on the Maserati.

The Range Rover sped from the scene. Hernandez said police had no leads on the suspects or their vehicle and were asking for help from the public. The intersection was expected to remain closed for much of Thursday due to the investigation.

An injured passenger in the Maserati and three people hurt in the crashes were taken to University Medical Center.

A hospital spokeswoman said three of the people had been treated and released. She declined to provide information about the fourth person.

The incident occurred not far from where rapper Tupac Shakur was shot in September 1996 while riding in a BMW being driven by Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight.

Shakur, 25, was hit by gunfire from at least one assailant in a Cadillac while sitting in Knight’s car at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane and died six days later at University Medical Center. The crime remains unsolved.

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O T Samsung overtakes Apple as top smart AND

ECHN

LOGY

connected device vendor in 2012

F

resh data from IDC shows that Samsung surpassed Apple in collective PC, portable PC, tablet and smartphone shipments for 2012, with the Korean outfit moving 250 million devices over the 12 month period.

Overall, the segment, which IDC calls “smart connected devices,” reached shipments of 367.7 million units in the last quarter of 2012, up 28.3 percent from one year ago. For the entire year, the firm’s Worldwide Quarterly Smart Connected Device Tracker saw manufacturers ship a staggering 1.2 billion devices, a 29.1 percent uptick from 2011.

Driving the shift toward the so-called smart connected devices were Apple and Samsung, which combined took a 41.3 percent share of the market in the December quarter. While Apple was the previous number one vendor, taking a large portion of smartphone sales and being largely uncontested in the tablet arena, Samsung edged out the Cupertino, Calif., company by a little over 3

million shipped units for the last quarter of 2012.

Samsung took 21.2 percent of the smart connected device market on shipments of 77.9 million, up 86 percent from the year ago quarter. By comparison, Apple’s marketshare grew by 29.7 percent over the same period to hit 20.3 percent of the market on shipments of 74.8 million units.

“The fourth quarter market share numbers showed a fairly dramatic resurgence for Apple,” said Bob O’Donnell, IDC vice president of the Clients and Displays program. “After falling well behind Samsung early in 2012, Apple came roaring back in final quarter of the year thanks to its latest hits – the iPhone 5 and the iPad Mini – and reduced the market share gap to less than a single percentage point. The question moving forward will be whether or not Apple can maintain its hit parade against the juggernaut of Samsung.”

Coming in a distant third was Lenovo, which managed to net 6.6 percent of the market after

shipping 24.3 million devices, a year-over-year change of 47.2 percent. HP and Sony rounded out the top five with unit shipments of 15.1 million and 11.1 million, representing 4.1 percent and 3 percent of the market, respectively.

For the year, Samsung shipped 250 million units, representing a 119.3 percent year-to-year increase that was fueled in large part by the company’s popular smartphone lineup. The iPad’s dominance helped Apple stay close in overall numbers as the tablet market enjoyed a growth rate of 78.4 percent, the highest of any smart connected device.

The metrics tell only half the story, however, as shipment values went unreported. In December, IDC found that for the third quarter of 2012, Samsung lead in device volumes, but Apple’s high-value products raked in the most cash. At the time, Apple trailed Samsung in quarterly market share by 6.7 percent, compared to the last quarter’s 1.9 percent gap.

Google shares hit high by crossing $800 mark G

oogle Inc. (GOOG) shares hit a high Tuesday, crossing the $800 mark for the first time amid a broader move upward for the market.

Google’s stock recently rose $9.83, or 1.24%, to $802.74, marking the seventh time it has hit a high this month and the first time a tech firm has surpassed the $800 mark. Shares are up 33% in the past 12 months.

Meanwhile, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite recently edged up 0.3% to 3202 and has climbed 8.5% in the past year.

Against the backdrop of a fairly strong market year-to-date, analysts point to continued enthusiasm

following a solid fourth-quarter report in January as one reason for the stock’s recent strength.

“The core search business keeps growing at rates that are higher than what investors thought six months ago,” said Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster.

At the same time, the company’s ongoing transformation from simply a search-engine company to a major consumer-electronics player is also earning applause.

“Android is gaining market share and the latest versions of the Nexus hardware are getting very good reviews,” said B. Riley analyst Sameet Sinha, referring to Google’s An-

droid mobile operating system and Android-powered smartphones and tablets sold under the Nexus brand.

And seemingly in taking a page out of competitor’s Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) playbook, The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Google has been developing plans to launch retail stores in the U.S. that would likely sell Google-branded hardware, citing people familiar with the matter.

Still, it is worth noting that while Google shares have seen recent strength, Apple is off 35% from its alltime high of $705.07 seen in September as investors have voiced growing

concerns that the consumer-electronics company may be losing its edge with consumers and face difficulties outdoing its past success.

“Every company goes through a product cycle which ultimately determines the multiple you want to put on it,” Mr. Sinha said. For Apple, “that cycle is beginning to wane a little as new products don’t have as much cache as the older ones did.”

Apple shares recently traded down $1.84 to $458.25. The stock is down 8.8% in the past 12 months.

Representatives from Google and Apple didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Ford investing $200 million to build turbocharged engine in Ohio D

ETROIT - Ford Motor Co plans to invest nearly $200 million in its Cleveland engine plant to build a 2-liter version of its popular turbocharged engine for the company’s North American lineup.

Production of the 2-liter “EcoBoost” engine is expected to start in late 2014. The move will add 450 jobs at the Cleveland factory, which now makes Ford’s 3.5-liter turbocharged engine as well as a 3.7-liter V6 engine, the company said on Thursday.

The second-largest U.S. automaker has heightened its focus on fuel efficiency over the last seven years and the EcoBoost represents a crucial

piece of its vehicle strategy.

Ford’s factory in Valencia, Spain currently builds the 2-liter turbocharged engine for North America and Europe. Rising demand for fuel-efficient models in North America prompted Ford to shift production of the engine to Ohio from Spain, it said.

That Valencia factory will continue to make the EcoBoost engine for Ford vehicles built in Europe, and Ford said overall employment at the plant would not be hurt by the move.

Ford introduced its turbocharged EcoBoost in 2009 and aims to boost production of the engine to 1.6 million this year, about 100,000 higher than

the company’s previous goal.

Turbocharged engines have grown increasingly important as automakers face stringent fuel-economy standards over the next several years. Ford, one of the most vocal advocates for this technology, says its EcoBoost-equipped models have saved as much as 20 percent in fuel compared with their larger predecessors.

But earlier this month, Consumer Reports magazine found that the benefits of turbocharged engines were overstated. In some cases, turbocharged models are slower and less fuel-efficient, the magazine said.

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BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

Google launches touchscreen Chromebook G

oogle Inc. owner of the world’s most popular search engine, launched a touchscreen version of the Chromebook laptop, stepping up its challenge to Microsoft Corp. and Apple Inc. in computer hardware.

A Wi-Fi only version of the Pixel Chromebook will go on sale in the U.S. for $1,299, Google said at an event in San Francisco. In April, the company plans to introduce a $1,449 version with access to socalled long-term evolution wireless networks, the fastest available.

Google, already leading in the market for smartphones with its Android software, is expanding in hardware to lure more users to its Web-based services with Chromebooks that rely on Internet applications instead of builtin software. The company is taking a risk by pushing into the high end of a personal- computer market that’s been slammed by diminishing demand. Laptop purchases have tapered off as consumers and businesses increasingly favor smartphones and tablets.

“There’s a limited number of things you can do well with these

The new Google Inc. Chromebook Pixel laptop at a launch event in San Francisco on Feb. 21, 2013. types of machines,” said Al Hilwa, an analyst at IDC. “The price is fairly high.”

In June, Google unveiled a $199 touchscreen tablet, Nexus 7, to compete with Apple’s iPad as well as the Surface, a tablet introduced that month by Microsoft. An older Chromebook made by Acer Inc. (2353) costs $199, while some versions from Samsung Electronics Co. and Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ)

cost more than $300.

Google, based in Mountain View, California, has stumbled with some previous forays into hardware. The company’s Chrome laptops have been slow to gain traction with consumers, as have the Google TV set-top boxes and high-definition televisions.

“First it was the battle of hardware, then it was the battle of software, now it’s the battle of hardware,

Hotmail replaced with Outlook by Microsoft

Judge orders Apple, Samsung to trim 2014 patent spat A

U.S. District judge today told Apple and Samsung that they need to whittle down a case against one another before it heads to trial early next year.

Northern California Judge Lucy Koh, who presided over the major U.S. trial between the two companies last year, told both sides that they need to trim down the number of accused products and patent claims in the upcoming case.

“You’ve already been litigating this thing for a year; you must know something about what’s your best case,” Koh reportedly told lawyers from both sides.

The ruling, which was reported by Bloomberg earlier today, will limit the cases to 25 patent claims and 25 products. It was made during a hearing today about claim construc-

tions, a step on the way to the case going to trial on March 31, 2014 -- that is, unless the companies settle first, or the trial is put on hold.

This upcoming trial deals with a newer set of devices from both companies, as well as different patents, though still pits both tech giants (who are also business partners) against one another yet again. Apple filed the suit against Samsung in February of last year, claiming Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus infringed on four of its patents. The case has since grown to include a multitude of products including Samsung’s Galaxy S3 and Note 2, along with a counterclaim that targeted Apple’s iPhone 5.

Apple won a considerable victory over Samsung in the very same courtroom last August.

The iPhone and iPad maker received a $1.05 billion judgment from a jury who said a number of Samsung’s devices infringed on Apple’s software and design patents.

It’s not the first time Judge Koh has requested that both sides trim things down. During the 2012 trial, Koh repeatedly pleaded with both companies not just to settle with one another, but to at least make “trades” with one another before a jury made its decision. “I see risks here for both sides,” Koh said at the time, suggesting that the jury could end up coming down on both companies.

software, browsers and eyeballs,” said Laurence Balter, an analyst at Oracle Investment Research.

The Pixel machine will be built by a manufacturer in Taiwan, Google said, without naming the company. It has 4.3 million pixels, more than twice as many as a typical high- definition television, and features a 12.85-inch screen, Google said. The device has a glass touchpad, and it runs Google’s Chrome operating system.

“Touch is here to stay and is the future,” Sundar Pichai, senior vice president for Chrome, said at the event. “We wanted to design something which was very high end and premium for power users -- people who are very, very demanding of their laptops.”

Best Buy Co. will sell the Pixel Chromebook on its website, as will Google.

The new Chromebook features an Intel Corp. chip to enhance speed and performance. The computers, which come with a free terabyte of storage for one year, are encased in an anodized aluminum alloy and come with three micophones that assist in noise cancellation.

N

EW YORK, NY – When Microsoft introduced a preview of its email service Outlook last year, it looked like its predecessor Hotmail would stick around. Now, Hotmail is being nudged out by Outlook.

Hotmail will soon be a thing of the past. That’s because Microsoft is making its email service outlook available world wide. Ultimately transferring 300 million hotmail users in the process.

The transition will be gradual. At first, users can choose whether to make the switch immediately or postpone it. But, by the end of the summer, Microsoft expects all Hotmail users to have moved to Outlook.

Hotmail devotees will still be able to use their original email address but the actual interface will look like outlook.

For most customers the change could be painless. Outlook is seen as a relative to hotmail which reduces the chances of scaring away users.

But there’s no way of knowing how people will react to the changes; especially if they’ve developed an attachment to Hotmail.

Whatever the headache is for hotmail users microsoft is hoping this change will actually lure new users. Especially, those who currently use Google’s Gmail service.

Microsoft is planning a full advertising campaign for outlook including tv spots in a bid to win over competition.

Once the transition is finished the new Outlook. com should become a force to be reckoned with.

The email service will have hundreds of millions of users putting it on the same scale as Gmail and Yahoo.

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Yahoo redesign aims to make site more inviting S

AN FRANCISCO — Yahoo is renovating the main entry into its website in an effort to get people to visit more frequently and stay longer.

The long-awaited makeover of Yahoo.com’s home page is the most notable change to the website since the Internet company hired Marissa Mayer as its CEO seven months ago. The new look debuted Wednesday in the U.S., although it could take a few more days before everyone starts to see it.

It’s the first time Yahoo has redesigned the page in four years. In that time, the company has seen its annual revenue drop by about 30 percent from $7.2 billion in 2008 to $5 billion last year as more online advertising flowed to rivals such as Internet search leader Google Inc. and social networking leader Facebook Inc. Mayer, who spent 13 years helping to build Google into the Internet’s most powerful company, has vowed to revive Yahoo Inc.’s revenue growth by establishing more of the company’s services as daily habits that “delight and inspire” their users.

Yahoo.com’s revamped home page figures to play a key role in determining whether Mayer, 37, realizes her ambition.

“We think this will be the new foundation for Yahoo,” said Mike Kerns, the company’s vice president of product.

Despite the company’s recent financial malaise, Yahoo’s home page has remained one of the Internet’s top destinations. The page attracted 392 million worldwide visitors last month, a 7 percent increase from 365 million at the same time last year, according to research firm comScore Inc. By comparison, Microsoft Corp.’s msn. com drew a crowd of 334 million, up 4 percent from last year.

But visitors haven’t been spending as much time at Yahoo.com when they check in. They also haven’t been making as many return visits each month. That’s been a problem for many other websites, too, as Facebook and other online hangouts capture more of people’s online time.

Yahoo’s revamped home page isn’t a radical new look, but there are enough changes that

White House gets petition for handset unlocking

HP earnings beat estimates despite declining revenue

T

he Obama administration is going to have to answer to mobile phone users after more than 100,000 people signed a petition calling for the unlocking of handsets to be made legal again.

The protest was sparked by the decision by the Librarian of Congress last October to ban the unlocking of handsets under the latest interpretation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The 1998 law states “No person shall circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title.”

The Librarian of Congress has the right to grant exemptions to the DMCA and did so in the case of phone unlocking in 2006 and 2010. But the current holder of that position – the wonderfully named James Hadley Billington – decided that maybe the phone companies were right and you really should be legally tied to a carrier.

Interestingly, Mr. Billington also ruled that jailbreaking phones so that you can add third-party applications is still legal, but not for tablets. As fondleslabs shrink and phones expand one wonders how rich that particular ruling is going to make patent lawyers.

The wireless business pressure group CTIA was quick to remind users of the consequences of the decision.

“The penalties for unlocking a subsidized wireless phone without carrier consent can be severe,” it warned in a blog post.

“Civil penalties are based on the carrier’s actual damages and any additional profits of the violator, or a court can award statutory damages of not less than $200 or more than $2,500 per individual act.”

There is a get-out clause, in that handsets can still be unlocked if the network operator gives permission. El Reg suspects that asking your phone company to let you go to a rival early on in your contract will elicit a two-letter response – possibly with a four-letter prefix depending how tired the call-center operative is – but CTIA has said that manufacturers might allow unlocking after the contract has expired.

Mobile operators argue that locking of handsets is essential, since they have to subsidize the cost of the hardware and need to make their money back over the course of a contract.

CTIA also says it stops “large scale phone trafficking operations” from prospering – other than their own, some might say.

Meanwhile, consumer advocates claim that the practice locks buyers into a particular provider and harms competition, which is why Verizon and AT&T have such a strong duopoly over mobile communications in the Land of the Free, and US users typically pay more per month than their European counterparts.

could make the website more addictive. In a blog post, Mayer wrote that she is trying to infuse Yahoo’s home page with a “more modern experience.”

The biggest switch will be in how Yahoo determines which stories to show each visitor on the home page and how the information is displayed.

Kerns says Yahoo has developed more sophisticated formulas to determine which topics are most likely to appeal to different people so the news feed can be fine-tuned to cater to different tastes.

Yahoo, which is based in Sunnyvale, Calif., already knows a lot about people who have been coming to its website for years, particularly if they logged in while visiting. People willing to connect Yahoo with their social circles on Facebook also are more apt to see stories that appeal to them. That access will enable Yahoo to pick out stories about subjects tied to a person’s interests on Facebook, either directly or through their online friendships. More tools will empower users to designate their areas of interest, too.

H

ewlett-Packard Co. reported earnings for its fiscal first-quarter Thursday that sailed past analyst estimates despite shrinking revenue.

The results were some much-needed good news for a company that has drawn criticism on Wall Street because of its recent performance. During the previous two quarters, HP announced losses totaling $15.3 billion as the company suffered writedowns on a few ill-fated acquisitions.

Meg Whitman, the tech giant’s chief executive, said the quarter was “better than expected” but also acknowledged that plenty of work remains to reach the goal of returning HP to being a growth company.

“We did better than we expected on the bottom line,” Whitman told The Times. “We still see declining sales, which is something we want to fix. We’re on it. We’ve got a plan.”

HP posted a profit of $1.2 billion, or 63 cents a share, for the last three months of 2012. That was a 16% drop from the yearago period when the company reported a profit of 73 cents a share.

Stripping out some accounting items, the company would have earned 82 cents a share -- easily

surpassing Wall Street projections of 71 cents a share.

Sales declined 6% to $28.36 billion during the quarter, which was still slightly above analysts’ expectations.

Highlighting the magnitude of the challenges, all but one segment of HP’s business saw revenue decline in the first quarter from the same period a year ago: personal systems group revenue fell 8%; printing fell 5%; enterprise group fell 4%; enterprise servcies fell 7% and software fell 2%. Only financial services saw an increase, of 1%.

Still, the earnings report cheered investors, who drove the stock up $1.25, or 7.3%, to $18.35 in after-hours trading.

Whitman shared that optimism about the progress being made in her long-term turnaround plan. She has said in the

past the the company probably wouldn’t start to see revenue growth until 2014.

“I actually think part of what we’ve being doing is starting to pay dividends,” she said. “I think we’ve got the best product lineup we’ve had across the business units in a decade.”

In the wake of rival Dell’s buyout announcement and its recent weak earnings, Whitman remained confident that HP’s Personal Systems Group, which includes PC sales, has a strong future.

Whitman said Dell appeared to be pursuing a strategy of commoditization, making the lowest cost machines possible. By contrast, she said HP is attempting to rethink features and design, to make distinctive gadgets that could deliver higher margins and revenues.

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LOCAL

Delano Williams guided Munro College to Track championship

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elano Williams, the Turks and Caicos Islands golden boy of spring, guided Munro College to champion honours in Western Jamaican High School Boys’ Track and Field meet in Montego Bay Sports Complex on Saturday, February 16.

After being beaten by six-anda-half points by STETHS last year, Munro, led by Williams, roared back with a big effort, tallying 461.5 points to beat defending champions STETHS by 133 points (328).

Williams produced two brilliant races to retain his Class 1 boys sprint double at the Hanover Co-operative Credit Union’s/COCAA Western High School Championships held at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

Williams, the IAAF World Junior 200m champion who will also defend the titles at next months’ ISSA/GraceKenendy Boys’ National Championships, set a new meet record and personal best 10.32 seconds (1.5m/s wind) to win the 100m, then

ran 20.79 seconds to take the 200m.

Both times beating Green Island’s Odail Todd whose 10.39 seconds and 20.90 seconds were personal bests But after being beaten for the second straight year in both the Class One 100m and 200m finals by Munro College’s Delano Williams, Todd led two Green Island High relay teams to gold medals, smashing the Class One 4x100m record, lowering it to 40.68 seconds, bettering the 41.45 set by Herbert Morrison Technical in 2007.

Williams told the Jamaica Observer that he had not started any speed work yet and this weekend’s meet was just to get points for his school.

“I am on a 400m programme right now, we have not started any speed work yet,” he said.

The athlete, who is qualified to represent Great Britain and who had to run down the fast- starting Todd in both races, said he was surprised by the fast 100m time, “I was not ex-

Delano Williams pecting to run so fast, I was just trying to execute my race more than to win here.”

While he predicted that he would be in good form at the Jamaica National High School Championships (Champs), Williams said the IAAF

World Championships was the aim this season but was not sure whether he would compete for Great Britain or the Turks and Caicos where he was born.

The expected third clash with Williams did not materialise, as Todd got the baton well ahead of the Munro College anchor leg runner, who pipped Herbert Morrison’s Gawain Williams for second place.

Todd also anchored the 4x400m team, splitting 49.10 seconds, as they won in a smart 3 minutes, 18.14 seconds, beating Petersfield High and William Knibb Memorial.

Final points standings Boys: Munro College 461.5, STETHS 328.5, Cornwall College 209, Herbert Morrison 194, Petersfield 177.5, Green Island 138.5, William Knibb 74, Manning’s 36, Lacovia 35, Godfrey Stewart 28.5, Maud Mcleod 23, BB Coke 15, Cambridge and Muschett 14, Frome 13, Holland 12.5, Irwin and Spot Valley 12, Lewisville 10, Newell 9,

Local football coaches now USSFE accredited I

t was another first for the TCIFA last weekend as the football association hosted a US Soccer USSF E Coaching Licence. It was the first time that US Soccer was conducting such a course outside of the United States.

Twenty two local coaches were through their paces over three days, participating in a range of practical and theoretical exercises, led by course instructor Dean Wurzberger, a 30 year veteran and coaching and education in the USA. The course focused on the skills required to coach players, ages 9 to 12. Attention was also given to more general areas such as health and safety, nutrition and personal coaching development.

Vice president Oliver Smith, who initiated the course after completing his US Soccer B Licence last year, was pleased with how the course was received.

“Not only was the event an historic one but it brought home to us the need for quality coaching education here in the Turks and Caicos and the positive multiplier effect that this will have on the development of our coaches and more significantly our players. We all were reminded by Dean of the role we play in passing

Newly accredited US Soccer USSF coaches, pose for the camera with instructor Dean Wurzberger (centre back row) on life lessons to the young players that come under their tutelage. It was a welcome reminder.” Smith said.

Technical Director Matthew Green was equally delighted with the progress made.

“We have an excellent group of coaches in our programme and it was great to see them benefit from this type of exposure. They clearly learned a lot during the course and now it is up to us to push them further so that they can improve the levels of play amongst our acade-

mies,” he said.

Green added, “Dean did a great job in getting our coaches active during the practical sessions, making them feel at ease and confident with their assigned topics. Coaching is not an easy job and with so many of our coaches being young I was worried that few of them might be a bit nervous. However, they all did a great job and represented the association with confidence and pride”.

Wurzberger was full of praise for the TCIFA stating: “Since I stepped

foot off the plane I have been treated like royalty. Everybody has been incredibly friendly, helpful and professional in all aspects. The association is extremely well organized and the coaches were a joy to work with. Coupled with excellent facilities, the TCIFA has a bright future and is clearly moving in the right direction,” he said.

TCIFA President Chris Bryan added that further goals for the TCIFA will be to focus on coaching development.

“We have spent several years building up our player base, now we need to make sure that our players get the best coaching available. Courses like this clearly show our intent to improve in all levels and hopefully more of these types of courses will be held in the future,” Bryan said.

Teenage coaching prodigy Yarileny De La Cruz, who assists with the U7 Academy on a Monday evening, was full of praise for the TCIFA and Dean Wurzberger.

“There are probably few associations that would allow young coaches like me to participate in this event, so I am really happy I was given this chance to learn more about the game and improve my coaching skills,” she said.

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CARIBBEAN

Captain Bravo ready to lead WEST INDIES from front

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t George’s Grenada – Dwayne Bravo is looking to lead from the front when he takes the West Indies team into battle against Zimbabwe in the opening contest of the three-match One-Day International Series.

The match signals the start of the International Home Series 2013 and also marks a return of international cricket to the Grenada National Stadium after four years.

Bravo said the team’s preparations over the last two days have been good and Windies fans can expect a focused and energised home side when they face the visitors.

“We have focused on what we have to do to win games for West Indies. We have young and exciting players in our team and we are looking forward to these matches. I am happy to be captaining the West Indies team and I see it as an honour to do this job. I will bring the energy and will look to lead from the front and inspire the team to win,” Bravo said.

“We’re calling all the fans in Grenada to come out and enjoy three good matches as we look to play some good cricket and bring some entertainment to our supporters. We enjoy playing for our

Dwayne Bravo fans. We haven’t played here for a while so it’s good to be back and everyone is looking forward to what’s in store.”

The livewire allrounder was all smiles as he spoke to members of the local and international

media on Thursday afternoon when he unveiled the sparkling series trophy with Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor. The 29-year-old Bravo is now in his 10th year representing West Indies and takes over as ODI skipper in the absence of Darren Sammy.

The Windies last played in the Spice Isle back in 2009 during a Test Series against Bangladesh, and their return is being eagerly anticipated on the island. Newly-elected Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell has also announced a Public Holiday on Friday following Tuesday’s General Elections.

“This is a brand new series for us and we are playing at home. We are coming up against an opposition that is hungry for success and this will be a good series. It is good to be playing in front our home fans, who we know will support us. There is a Public Holiday on Friday and we expect a good turn-out. We just want to do our part, play well, be consistent and come out on top,” Bravo said.

“We have to give respect to the Zimbabwe team. They are a good team. The last time they came here they were leading the ODI series at one stage and we had to fight back to defeat them. We have to remember that. They have some good players in their set-up.”

St. Lucia set to host major international sport conference C

ASTRIES, St Lucia -- The Caribbean has produced some of the world’s most outstanding athletes and most recognised faces yet the business of sport remains a fledgling enterprise, despite the millions invested.

Between June 10-23, 2013, Saint Lucia will play host to a major new initiative, the Sport in Black & White Conference and Youth Forum designated as the Third Sport and the Global South International Conference will bring together leaders in the fields of sport and youth development to tackle and debate a range of pressing issues for the first time in the Caribbean.

The aim is to create an annual Caribbean forum for change, which fosters input directly from youth, policy makers, sports tourism stakeholders, sports men and women, educators and corporate interests.

Working closely with The Centre for the Study of Sport and Leisure in Society at the Academy of International Sport, George Mason University, key decision makers will come together with local, regional and international experts and sports personalities. The conference will provide detailed strategic advice and guidance on key issues relating to

sport, its impact on social development and the business opportunities that can transform performance.

“This conference is an important showcase for sport in St Lucia and the wider Caribbean,” said Fortuna Belrose, acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Youth Development and Sport. “We are pleased to be able to partner with the Sacred Sports Foundation for the first annual Sport in Black & White Conference and Youth Forum.”

“Many of our young athletes and administrators enter the international sporting arena ill-equipped for the challenges ahead of them.

The Conference will identify priorities with respect to key approaches to sporting performance and social development,” said Delroy Alexander, chairman of Sacred Sports Foundation, the organisation behind the initiative. “It will provide critical guidance on sports policy, youth advocacy, elite performance, sport governance, gender, discrimination, injury prevention, fitness and nutrition.”

Spread over two weeks between June 10-23, the conference will include seminars, workshops; youth sport policy forum and an interna-

tional youth sports exchange.

Key elements of the gathering include the first ever College Showcase, Trials and Youth Tournament, working in collaboration with the St Lucia Football Association, The National Soccer Coaches Association of America and The Professional Footballers Association in the UK. The showcase will take place over the weekend of June 14-June 17, 2013. Top agents, players and officials will also gather to discuss the business of sport and link regional players with contacts around the world.

The trial is open to Caribbean youth between 16 to 20. Scouts and talent evaluators are also expected to be in attendance. Youth that are set to complete secondary school will have the chance to meet and perform in front of coaches at Junior College level. More advanced academic students will have the opportunity to showcase their talent for NAIA schools and NCAA Division I, II and III. Participants will be assigned together and “the team” will participate in evening matches against other groups.

In addition, Saint Lucia will also host a major u16/U17 international soccer tournament. Two US teams

have been confirmed. One leading UK team is expected to attend, alongside teams from as far afield as Europe and even Africa.

The rationale behind the conference is also to build export/inward investment opportunities for Saint Lucia and the wider Caribbean’s professional services and tourism and sports businesses.

“We are indeed very excited at the prospect of collaborating with Sacred Sports Foundation on this extremely important initiative,” said Andrena Simon, marketing, advertising and communications officer at the Office of Private Sector Relations (OPSR), the agency mandated to undertake the functions of the National Trade Export Promotions Agency (TEPA) in Saint Lucia. “We aspire to increase local exports, to assist local businesses, improve profitability and long term sustainability.

The business of ‘sport tourism’ is of particular focus at this time because of its importance in stimulating economic growth and meeting Saint Lucia’s development goals.

Sport in Black in White Conference & Youth Forum ticks all these boxes and more and will be making a direct and valuable contribution to the Saint Lucian economy.”

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RLD

Lead investigator in Oscar Pistorius case replaced

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OHANNESBURG, South Africa — In a dramatic twist in the murder case involving Oscar Pistorius, the lead investigator has been replaced after it was revealed that he himself faces attempted murder charges.

The decision came a day after detective Hilton Botha appeared to bungle the prosecution’s case against the Olympic and Paralympic track star.

Botha is facing seven counts of attempted murder and is expected to stand trial in May in relation to a 2011 shooting. Botha and two other police officers allegedly fired at a minibus during an arrest attempt.

National police commissioner Riah Phiyega says its top detective, Lt. Gen. Vinesh Moonoo, will take over the investigation.

“Botha has done what he was supposed to do -now we are going into the long haul of the investigation,” Phiyega said.

Phiyega said the case “shall receive attention at the national level” and Moonoo will “gather a team of highly skilled and experience detectives.”

On the third day of Pistorius’ bail hearing, defense attorney Barry Roux continued to press for a downgrade in the charges of premeditated murder against his client, saying the state hasn’t made its case.

“The poor quality of the evidence presented by

chief investigating officer Botha exposed disastrous shortcomings in the state’s case,” Roux said.

The hearing adjourned Thursday without a decision on Pistorius’ bail. Magistrate Desmond Nair is expected to decide Friday when the hearing continues.

The charges revealed Thursday against Botha had originally been dropped in March 2012 but were reinstated Feb. 4. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said he learned about the charges Wednesday.

Police brigadier Neville Malila said police made a decision Wednesday to bolster the investigation by adding officers to it to create a team.

On the stand Thursday, Botha was asked by magistrate Desmond Nair whether he thought it was important Reeva Steenkamp could have used her phone to contact people in the hours leading up to her death, and whether phone records had been requested. Botha answered “yes” to both questions, adding that he had not received Steenkamp’s phone records.

The judge then remarked that there seemed to be a lack of urgency from the police in obtaining the records.

Roux also pointed to the prosecution ignoring Pistorius’ claims that he thought a burglar was in the house and says that Botha’s affidavit supports Pistorius’ version of events.

Wednesday, the prosecution suffered setbacks when the defense rebutted evidence against Pistorius. Botha said the police have no evidence that contradicts the athlete’s version of events.

Botha also testified that needles and testosterone were found in Pistorius’ bedroom, but the defense said the substance is an herbal substance.

The Associated Press reported that the substance is still being tested.

Pistorius’ family released a statement Wednesday saying that he was not using any banned substances. The statement says he has never failed a doping test.

Roux accused police of twisting the evidence “to extract the most possibly negative connotation” to make their case.

Pistorius, a national hero known for his triumph over adversity, is the first double amputee sprinter to compete at the Olympics. Called the “Blade Runner” because of his carbon-fiber racing blades, Pistorius has been featured on the cover of fashion magazines and has had sponsorship deals with several companies.

Nike announced Thursday it has suspended its deal with him, saying in a statement, “We believe Oscar Pistorius should be afforded due process and we will continue to monitor the situation closely.”

President Obama plays golf with Tiger Woods P

ALM CITY, Fla. -- President Barack Obama played golf Sunday with Tiger Woods, the White House said.

Once the sport’s dominant player before his career was sidetracked by scandal, Woods joined Obama at the Floridian, a secluded and exclusive yacht and golf club on Florida’s Treasure Coast where Obama is spending the long Presidents Day weekend. The two had met before, but Sunday was the first time they played together.

The White House has prohibited media coverage of Obama’s weekend golf outing.

The foursome also included Jim Crane, a Houston businessman who owns the Floridian and baseball’s Houston Astros, and outgoing U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, a former mayor of Dallas, said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. Crane and Kirk also were part of Obama’s foursome on Saturday, the White House said.

“Well, when you get to play with the President and Tiger Woods in the same round, that’s one that doesn’t happen every day and it might not happen again,” Crane told MLB.com.

“It was a lot of fun. The President was very cordial, and Tiger had a lot of fun and hit some great shots. We had a lot of fun.”

Golf Digest reported that Obama also spent eight hours Saturday with Butch Harmon, Woods’ former swing coach, during which he played 27 holes and hit balls in Harmon’s studio, and then managed to coordinate Sunday’s round with Woods. The report said the original plan called for Obama and Woods to play at Woods’ home club -- The Medalist Golf Club, a halfhour away in Hobe Sound -- but they eventually opted for the Floridian.

Woods departed after the first 18 holes, but Obama stayed on to play another nine, the report said.

“Just to see the interac-

President Barak Obama

Tiger Woods

tion between the two on the range was pretty neat,” Harmon told Golf Digest. “The President said to Tiger: ‘The last tournament you played was fun to watch. It’s good to see you play well again.’

You could tell he meant it.

It just wasn’t a throw-it-out compliment.”

Crane praised Obama’s skills on the golf course.

“He played well today,” the Astros’ owner told MLB. com. “He made some good shots and had some pars, and I think he shot in the 80s. The weather was nice and we had fun. I think he

really enjoyed his visit and we really enjoyed having him in the Floridian, and hopefully we’ll have him back some day.”

It seems Obama and Woods -- the first black men at the top of their respective fields -- have spent the past few years inching toward Sunday’s meeting on the fairway.

The two met in January 2009, during Obama’s inauguration in Washington.

Four months later, in April, Woods visited the White House and Obama welcomed him into the Oval

Office.

Woods’ personal life imploded later in 2009 after revelations that he had engaged in multiple extramarital affairs, leading to divorce. He followed with a public apology and announced he was taking an indefinite break from golf.

Shortly after Woods announced he was coming out of seclusion, Obama said in an interview with Fox News Channel that Woods still will be a “terrific” golfer despite his personal issues.

After returning to the sport, Woods went two years without winning, but his game is back on track and he currently is ranked No. 2 in the world. Woods won the last tournament he played, three weeks ago in San Diego.

The president is in Florida while First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha are on an annual ski vacation out West. He arrived late Friday and was due to return to Washington on Monday night.

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WORLD SPORTS

Jerry Buss Lakers owner and innovator dies at 80

Jerry Buss

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erry Buss, who bought the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979 and turned them into the N.B.A.’s glamour team, winners of 10 league championships and the cornerstone of his Southern California sports empire, died on Monday in Los Angeles. He was 80.

His death was announced by the Lakers. He had been hospitalized with cancer for much of the last 18 months.

A child of the Depression, Mr. Buss obtained a doctorate in physical chemistry and later prospered in real estate ventures, enabling him to pursue his love of sports.

He paid $67.5 million to buy the Lakers from Jack Kent Cooke in a deal that included the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League, the Forum sports arena in Los Angeles and Mr. Cooke’s California ranch.

In January, his Lakers were valued at $1 billion

by Forbes magazine, second in the National Basketball Association to the Knicks’ $1.1 billion valuation.

Mr. Buss spent heavily for marquee lineups headed by Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. Jerry West, the Lakers’ former star guard, orchestrated their success as the general manager together with two of professional basketball’s most renowned coaches, first Pat Riley and then Phil Jackson.

Mr. Buss made it clear he was a big spender when he gave the charismatic Mr. Johnson a 25year, $25 million contract after his second season.

“Anybody who makes an outlandish salary obviously attracts attention,” Mr. Buss told The Los Angeles Times Magazine in 2009. “That was what was behind my contract with Magic. I think it created a lot of attention for the Lakers.”

As Mr. Johnson told the magazine: “He has put the Lakers right up there with the New York Yankees as the top brands in sports.”

Mr. Buss was an innovator in melding basketball brilliance with show-business dazzle. His 1980s teams, known as the Showtime Lakers, thrilled the crowds with their fast-paced style. His Laker Girls provided high-octane dancing. Hollywood stars, most notably Jack Nicholson, held courtside seats that went for thousands of dollars a game.

Mr. Buss was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

Affecting a Western style with his customary jeans and an open-neck shirt, dancing at discos, and being known for his eye for beautiful women, Mr. Buss was a celebrity in his own right. He once owned Pickfair, the Mary Pickford-Douglas Fairbanks mansion in Beverly Hills, and he loved to hold parties for the Hollywood crowd.

Mr. Buss did not attend any Lakers games this season, presumably because of his failing health, as the Lakers struggled despite a lineup filled with star power.

Danica is first woman to win Daytona 500 pole D

AYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Danica Patrick has made history before -- as a woman and a racer, in Indianapolis and Japan.

The spotlight is nothing new. But never has it been this bright before.

Patrick won the Daytona 500 pole Sunday, becoming the first woman to secure the top spot for any race in NASCAR’s premier circuit. It’s by far the biggest achievement of her stock-car career.

“I was brought up to be the fastest driver, not the fastest girl,” she said. “That was instilled in me from very young, from the beginning. Then I feel like thriving in those moments, where the pressure’s on, has also been a help for me. I also feel like I’ve been lucky in my career to be with good teams and have good people around me. I don’t think any of it would have been possible without that.

“For those reasons, I’ve been lucky enough to make history, be the first woman to do many things. I really just hope that I don’t stop doing that. We have a lot more history to make. We are excited to do it.”

Her latest stamp in the history books came with a lap at 196.434 mph around Daytona International Speedway. Patrick went out eighth in the qualifying session, then had to wait about two hours as 37 fellow drivers tried to take her spot.

Only four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon even came close to knocking her off.

Gordon was the only other driver who topped 196 mph in qualifying. He locked up

Danica Patrick the other guaranteed spot in next week’s season-opening Daytona 500.

“It’s great to be a part of history with Danica being on the pole,” said Gordon, who joked that at least he was the fastest guy. “I think we all know how popular she is, what this will do for our sport. Congratulations to her. Proud to be on there with her.”

The routine is nothing new for Patrick, who was the first woman to lead laps in the Indianapolis 500. She finished third in 2009, the highest finish in that illustrious race for a woman. And she became the only woman to win an IndyCar race when she did it in Japan in 2008.

But he had set in motion his family’s continued operation of the Lakers. His daughter Jeanie, who became engaged to Mr. Jackson in December 2012, runs the business operations. His son Jim oversees basketball decisions together with General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Gerald Hatten Buss was born on Jan. 27, 1933, in Salt Lake City but grew up in Kemmerer, Wyo., raised by his mother, Jessie, who was divorced and worked as a waitress. At times, the boy waited for food in Depression bread lines.

“I can remember standing in a W.P.A. line with a gunny sack, and I remember having to buy chocolate milk instead of white because it was one cent cheaper,” Mr. Buss told The Boston Globe in 1987.

He was a good student and obtained a scholarship to the University of Wyoming, then earned a chemistry doctorate from the University of Southern California. Through his years in the sports world, he liked to be called Dr. Buss.

He worked in aerospace technology for Douglas Aircraft in California as a young man. But his life changed in the wake of a small investment he made in 1959 to buy a West Los Angeles apartment building with a former college friend, Frank Mariani. Profiting from a Los Angeles real estate boom, their company eventually owned hotels, office buildings, apartments and one-family homes.

Mr. Buss was the founding owner of the Los Angeles Strings of World TeamTennis in 1974, then stepped up to the N.B.A. and N.H.L. when he bought Mr. Cooke’s sports holdings five years later. Mr. Buss had also owned the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association and the Los Angeles Lazers of the Major Indoor Soccer League.

KOBE BRYANT DIVORCE WOULD COST LAKERS PLAYER $1.36 MILLION A MONTH

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California attorney said if Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa were to continue divorce procedures - though they announced their reconciliation in January - the ultimate divorce would cause the Los Angeles Lakers player $1.36 million a month in child and spousal support. Andrew L. Botros calculated the figure based on a report by Forbes magazine that estimated Kobe’s annual income to be around $53.2 million. The California resident makes approximately $20.3 million in salary/winnings and $32 million in endorsements. Kobe, 34, is also No. 6 on the list of the word’s highest paid athletes, according to the publication.

Based in those figures, Botros said that if Kobe and Vanessa ever decide to divorce - and assuming that Kobe would get 50/50 custody of his two daughters - he would pay near $365,000 in child support a month under California law. In addition, he would pay near $1 million a month in spousal support because a prenuptial agreement was not signed before the couple wed in April of 2001.

“Under California law, every penny Kobe earned from basketball or endorsements from the date of marriage to the date of separation is considered community property. It’s half Kobe’s and half Vanessa’s,” Botros said. “That also applies to every mansion, car, yacht, or private jet that the either party purchased with community money. “ Botros is an attorney with the Law Office of James D. Scott, a San Diego law firm. The office specializes in high-asset and high-income family law and has dealt with professional athletes going through divorce proceedings in the past, according to Larry Brown Sports.

The $3 million mansion Vanessa and Kobe owned in the gated Newport Beach community of California sold days before the pair announced their reconciliation and the cancellation of their divorce petition, according to Radar Online. It was one of three homes they jointly owned in the community.

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FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

The perfect place

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

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FEBRUARY 23RD - MARCH 2ND, 2013

TURKS & CAICOS SUN